Muller-Schneck/ullstein bild via Getty ImagesJimi Hendrix was honored in 2014 with his own U.S. postage stamp, and now the late guitar legend has had an actual post office named after him near his hometown of Seattle. The Seattle Times reports that earlier this month, local officials unanimously passed a bill changing the name of the Renton Highlands Post Office to the James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix Post Office. The bill was sponsored by Adam Smith, a Democratic congressman from nearby Bellevue, Washington, and was supported by the state's two U.S. senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. "I am honored to join in paying tribute to rock 'n' roll icon and Seattle native Jimi Hendrix with the renaming of the Renton Highlands Post Office as the James Marshall 'Jimi' Hendrix Post Office Building," Smith said in a statement. "This designation will further celebrate Hendrix's deep connection to the Puget Sound region and help ensure that his creative legacy will be remembered by our community and inspire future generations." The mail facility is located in the Seattle suburb of Renton, Washington, less than a mile from Greenwood Memorial Park cemetery, where Hendrix is buried. Among the other Seattle-area sites commemorating Hendrix are the city's Jimi Hendrix Park and a statue located adjacent to it. In addition, an exhibition called "Bold as Love: Jimi Hendrix at Home" exhibition currently is on display at Seattle's Northwest African American Museum and runs through May 5, 2019. The exhibit takes a look at the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer's Seattle roots, and includes photos, artwork Jimi created in his youth, postcards and letters he sent home while on tour early in his musical career and stage outfits. 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. 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. 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. 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 eminent 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. And if you follow the news, you should know there was a massive protest in Delhi on December 28, while most of the country including the Parliament was enjoying a Christmas break. The protest was carried out by transgender, intersex, and gender non-conforming people, and their allies. They were protesting against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 17. If you dont know what cis or cisgender means, there is a good chance you are cisgender at birth, you were assigned the sex that matches the gender with which you identify. Since the Bill was passed in the lower house of Parliament, there have been protests across the country, culminating in the capital on Friday. Why are people protesting against a Bill that purports to protect their rights? Because it offers little by way of what transpeople actually want, and infringes on rights and reparations upheld by the Supreme Court in its landmark 2014 verdict on the NALSA vs. Union of India case. Because, a year after the verdict, the Rajya Sabha unanimously passed a Private Members Bill submitted by MP Tiruchi Siva, drafted in consultation with representatives of the trans community and widely seen as progressive. That Bill had called for reservation in educational institutions as well as employment opportunities, the right to self-determination of gender, special fast track courts, and a Transgender Rights Commission among other things. Because that Bill was struck down in favour of an appallingly worded Bill drafted by the central government in 2016, which conflated the term transgender with the pejorative eunuch, criminalised several means of livelihood, insisted that transpeople must remain with their natal families, posited that surgery was required for a transperson to legally change gender markers, and placed the onus of determining whether someone was trans on a screening committee. Because the 2018 Bill does not recognise any of the rights for transpeople that cispeople have of marriage, of adoption, of inheritance of property. Because, despite vehement opposition to the draconian provisions of the Bill and the governments argument that 27 amendments have been made to the 2016 Bill, the only notable change in the version that has been passed in the Lok Sabha this year is that the term transgender has a broader (and marginally more palatable) definition. Because it reduces people to their bodies, and requires third-party certification even for those. Across the world, little is known about transgenderism in the medical field, and less is taught to students of the medical profession. Even finding a psychiatrist who is sensitive and aware of transgender issues is a hard ask. There have been several reports of exploitation of transpeople by medical professionals, including sexual harassment by district screening committees in Tamil Nadu. There is little provision for redress by law. Placing transpeople at the mercy of a screening committee that comprises doctors, bureaucrats, and a single transperson not only exposes them to humiliation and the vagaries of gate-keeping, but also to harassment and abuse on several fronts. The Bill demands that transpeople must have undergone surgery in order to identify within the male-female binary not every transperson desires or can afford sex reassignment surgery. This violates the provisions under the NALSA verdict. There was an extensive period of consultation with and feedback from several organisations and individuals representing the trans community over the last two years, and yet the government appears to have paid no attention to the most urgent demands put forward by the community. While begging and commercial sex work have been criminalised, and stringent punishments outlined, the transfeminine community has been provided with no alternative to these two traditional means of livelihood. Though most transpeople are forced to leave home because of abuse or rejection from their natal families, the Bill insists that transpeople must remain with these families, and cannot stay with chosen families typically, collectives of transwomen within which a hierarchy of seniority and the structure of a quasi-family are established. In case the natal family is unwilling to look after the transperson, the latter will be sent to a rehabilitation centre. What is s/he being rehabilitated from, and what will the process involve? How long will that person stay in the centre, and what happens after? The Bill does not say. It does, however, clearly state that anyone who causes a transperson to break ties with his or her natal family will be imprisoned for up to four years thus criminalising members of the chosen family of the transperson. Why are adult transpeople expected to stay on with their natal families when there is no such imposition on their cisgender counterparts, and when the Constitution upholds their right to live and work anywhere within the territory of India? Also contradictory to the idea of democracy is the term of punishment for perpetrators of sexual violence against transpeople two years, less than a third of the quantum of imprisonment for sexual violence against ciswomen. There is no provision for separate wards in hospitals and prisons for transpeople, manned by female professionals one of the key demands by collectives of transpeople and no word on access to healthcare. There is no provision for criminalisation of institutional violence or atrocities against transgender and intersex people, such as forced hormone therapy, forced marriage, forced gender conformism, or surgery on intersex children. The trans community has been calling on the government to withdraw the Bill from consideration in the Rajya Sabha when the Parliament is reconvened after the Christmas break. Instead, they want Tiruchi Sivas far more inclusive Bill to be passed in the Lok Sabha. This should not be the fight of the trans community alone. We owe it to the notion of democracy to stand up against any legislation that discriminates against a particular group of people, removing rights from them that are accessible to all other groups. Today, that group is transpeople; and if we believe we live in a democracy, we should all care enough to join the fight against the Bill. Nandini is the author of Invisible Men: Inside India's Transmasculine Networks (2018) and Hitched: The Modern Woman and Arranged Marriage (2013). She tweets @k_nandini. Her website is: www.nandinikrishnan.com" System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. 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The US space agency will ring in the New Year with a live online broadcast to mark the historic flyby of the mysterious object located about four billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) away in a dark and frigid region of space known as the Kuiper Belt. A solo track recorded by legendary Queen guitarist Brian May -- who also holds an advanced degree in astrophysics -- will be released just after midnight to accompany a video simulation of the flyby at 12:33 am Tuesday (0533 GMT), as NASA commentators describe the close pass. Real-time video of the actual flyby is impossible, since it takes more than six hours for a signal sent from Earth to reach the spaceship, named New Horizons, and another six hours for the response to arrive. Hurtling through space at a speed of 32,000 miles per hour, the spacecraft aims to make its closest approach within 2,200 miles of the surface of Ultima Thule. Already, an image taken from 1.2 million miles away, while blurry, has intrigued scientists because it appears to show an elongated blob, not a round space rock. Even clearer images should be in hand over the next three days. Alan Stern, the lead planetary scientist on the New Horizons mission, told reporters Monday that Ultima Thule is unique because it is a relic from the early days of the solar system and could provide answers about the origins of other planets. "The object is in such a deep freeze that it is perfectly preserved from its original formation," he said. "Everything we are going to learn about Ultima -- from its composition to its geology to how it was originally assembled, whether it has satellites and an atmosphere and those kinds of things -- are going to teach us about the original formation conditions of objects in the solar system," Stern added. "I think that the kinds of things NASA is doing are the envy of the world." - What does it look like? - Scientists are not sure what Ultima Thule (pronounced TOO-lee) looks like -- whether it is cratered or smooth, or even if it is a single object or a cluster. It was discovered in 2014 with the help of the Hubble Space Telescope, and is believed to be 12-20 miles in size. Scientists decided to study it with New Horizons after the spaceship, which launched in 2006, completed its main mission of flying by Pluto in 2015, returning the most detailed images ever taken of the dwarf planet. Seven instruments on board will record high-resolution images and gather data about its size and composition. The flyby will be fast, at a speed of nine miles (14 kilometers) per second. Stern said the goal is to take images of Ultima that are three times the resolution the team had for Pluto. - Frontier of planetary science - Ultima Thule is named for a mythical, far-northern island in medieval literature and cartography, according to NASA. "Ultima Thule means 'beyond Thule' -- beyond the borders of the known world -- symbolizing the exploration of the distant Kuiper Belt and Kuiper Belt objects that New Horizons is performing, something never before done," the US space agency said in a statement. According to project scientist Hal Weaver of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, humans didn't even know the Kuiper Belt -- a vast ring of relics from the formation days of the solar system -- existed until the 1990s. "This is the frontier of planetary science," said Weaver. "We finally have reached the outskirts of the solar system, these things that have been there since the beginning and have hardly changed -- we think. We will find out." Despite the partial US government shutdown, sparked by a feud over funding for a border wall with Mexico between President Donald Trump and opposition Democrats, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine vowed that the US space agency would broadcast the flyby. Normally, NASA TV and NASA's website would go dark during a government shutdown. The live broadcast can be followed at www.nasa.gov/nasalive. NASA will also provide updates about another spacecraft, called OSIRIS-REx, that will enter orbit around the asteroid Bennu on New Year's Eve, Bridenstine said. In an editorial in The New York Times, Stern recalled that December 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the first time humans ever explored another world, when US astronauts orbited the Moon aboard Apollo 8. "This week, New Horizons will continue in that legacy," Stern wrote. "As you celebrate New Year's Day, cast an eye upward and think for a moment about the amazing things our country and our species can do when we set our minds to it." ksh/sst THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY Russian IS fighters' children return home from Iraq Moscow, Dec 30 (AFP) Dec 30, 2018 Thirty Russian children whose mothers are in prison in Iraqi 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. 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. WFP accuses Houthi rebels of diverting humanitarian aid Rome, Dec 31 (AFP) Dec 31, 2018 The UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday accused Houthi rebels of "criminal behaviour" in diverting humanitarian aid in war-stricken Yemen and threatened to end cooperation with them. A large part of the food aid meant to help residents in the capital Sanaa has not reached them, the Rome-based WFP said in a statement. Instead, reports had established some of the food had been put on sale in Sanaa markets by a rebel-controlled organisation which the WFP had entrusted to distribute the aid in the city. The WFP said similar cases had been reported in other areas of the country controlled by the rebels. "This conduct amounts to the stealing of food from the mouths of hungry people," WFP Executive Director David Beasley said in the statement. "At a time when children are dying in Yemen because they haven't enough food to eat, that is an outrage. This criminal behaviour must stop immediately," Beasely said. He also called on the Houthi authorities "to take immediate action to end the diversion of food assistance." "Unless this happens, we'll have no option but to cease working with those who've been conspiring to deprive large numbers of vulnerable people of the food on which they depend," he said. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the Saudi-supported government agreed a ceasefire which went into effect on December 18 but tensions remain high amid charges of bad faith by both sides. Years of civil war have devastated Yemen, leaving perhaps 20 million people in need of food aid, according to the UN. 'Hold fast': Mattis bids farewell to Pentagon Washington, Dec 31 (AFP) Dec 31, 2018 Defense Secretary Jim Mattis bade farewell to the Pentagon on Monday, telling the US military to "hold fast" after he quit over a series of fundamental differences with President Donald Trump. Mattis resigned December 20, after Trump stunned the US establishment by ordering a full troop withdrawal from Syria. "Our Department is proven to be at its best when the times are most difficult," Mattis said in a brief memo to the Pentagon, an apparent reference to the turmoil in Washington. "So keep the faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes." Mattis, a scholar who frequently backs his views with historical anecdotes, also quoted a telegram President Abraham Lincoln sent to General Ulysses Grant in February 1865, near the end of the American Civil War. "Let nothing which is transpiring, change, hinder, or delay your military movements, or plans," Mattis quoted Lincoln as saying. He added that he was confident military members are "undistracted from our sworn mission to support and defend the Constitution while protecting our way of life." Mattis had initially been due to leave the Pentagon at the end of February, but Trump brought the date forward by two months. Trump was reportedly angry over news coverage of Mattis's stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the president. In that letter, the 68-year-old Pentagon chief said his political outlook, which cherishes traditional alliances, could no longer be reconciled with that of the president, who has poured scorn on longstanding partnerships and repeatedly sought closer ties with Russia. As of January 1, Patrick Shanahan will become acting defense secretary, moving up from his current position of deputy. On Syria, Trump on Monday appeared to soften his stance, saying troops would only be sent home "slowly" while still fighting the Islamic State group. Syria army allows more pre-2011 conscripts home Damascus, Dec 31 (AFP) Dec 31, 2018 Syria's army has issued demobilisation orders for a new round of men conscripted for compulsory service in 2010, a year before the civil war started. The decision, announced by state media Monday, ends the drawn-out deployment of Syrians who enlisted for between 18 months and two years of mandatory military service that year, but who ended up serving for more than eight years because of the conflict. The army issued "an order to demobilise officers from Recruitment Class 103" and recruits drafted in 2010, state news agency SANA said. The order, which comes into effect on Wednesday, also demobilises officers and reservists enrolled before July 2012. Those who wished to continue fighting in the army's ranks could request to do so, SANA reported the order as saying. It is the latest order to let go conscripts as the war winds down and the Damascus regime finds itself in control of almost two-thirds of the country. In May, the army "issued a decision to demobilise the officers and reservists of Recruitment Class 102", also drafted in 2010. In previous orders issued in November and earlier this month, the army let go other recruits -- officers and reservists conscripted in 2013. Before Syria's war started in 2011, men aged 18 and older had to serve between 18 months and two years in the armed forces, after which they remained part of the reserves. But when war broke out, anyone enlisted remained deployed on active duty. The regime initially lost swathes of territory and its 300,000-strong army was nearly halved by deaths, injuries and defections. But Russian air strikes, local militiamen and fighters from Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and elsewhere have helped it recapture much of the territory it lost. Shaheed Alhafeed, December 31, 2018 (SPS) - Saharawi mass media journalists at the Ministry of Information organized Saturday a solidarity sit-in with the intifada of independence in the occupied territories of Western Sahara and Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan prisons. The event was attended by members of the National Secretariat of the Polisario Front, the Government and the National Assembly, and Sahrawi journalists. A statement was read out on this occasion, in solidarity with the intifada of independence and Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan prisons. The participants shouted slogans in support of in solidarity with the intifada of independence and raised pictures of Saharawi political prisoners who suffer all sorts of humiliation, mistreatment and torture in Moroccan prisons. (SPS) 062/SPS/TRA 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 [In order to help our readers ring 2019 in right, were republishing this tip about how to pair cigars and champagne. Enjoy!] Pairing brown liquor with cigars is the more obvious choice, but champagne (or other sparkling wines) can go surprisingly well with a smoke. Not to mention the celebratory nature of the bubbly. To enhance your champagne and cigar enjoyment, here are a few basic tips: Save the top-dollar champagne. Champagne can be fantastic, but unless you have unlimited funds, the vintage Dom Perignon should be held back if youre smoking a cigar. You pay a price for the champagne name (meaning its from the Champagne region of France). There are plenty of good champagne-style sparkling wines that can be had for a reasonable cost. Spending $50 or $100 on brand name French bubbly will probably be a waste (considering youre going to lose some of the complexities due to your cigar). Spanish Cava, in particular, can be had for a fraction of the price. Prosecco is also a nice option. Stick with mild cigars. Champagne doesnt have the heft of rum, whiskey, or even beer or coffee. The best champagnes are the most subtle, so the same subtlety is needed in the cigar you pair with your sparkling wine. Stick with mild cigars that have balance. Some Connecticut-wrapped cigars can feature bitterness, so look for those with age and balance. Extra-aged Cubans can be a great pairing, and a special mention is deserved for the Illusione Epernay, which is named after the Champagne region and was blended with a champagne pairing in mind. Age your cigars and your champagne. Smoking a cigar with champagne calls for a cigar that is smooth, mild, complex, and subtle, all of which can be the result of aging a cigar. Some cigars just lose their flavor with age, so be careful. Others others are enhanced by months or years of aging properly in a humidor. Some of the same things happen to aged champagne which, while not for everyone, loses some of its bubbly crispness but adds creaminess and depth along the lines of a well-aged white burgundy. Usually you pay extra for vintage champagne. But if you can get some of those same qualities by just putting aside a good champagne and waiting, dont be afraid to give it a try. (Not long ago I had some non-vintage Champagne Tattinger with a decade of age, and the result was very impressive.) Cheers, and happy 2019! Patrick S photo credit: Flickr 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. Bay of Plenty We are on the hunt for a Civil construction labourer for our busy client. It is essential that you have your WTR licenses.If... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Bangladesh's Hasina wins election by landslide as opposition demands new vote Dhaka, Dec 31 (AFP) Dec 31, 2018 Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured a fourth term with a landslide victory in polls the opposition slammed as "farcical" over claims of vote-rigging, and clashes between rival supporters that killed at least 17 people. Hasina's ruling Awami League party and its allies won 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament, with the main opposition securing only six seats, Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said. Hasina's government had mounted a crackdown on the opposition, an alliance led by the Bangladesh National Party, which 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 alliance, 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. 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. The opposition alliance on Sunday accused Hasina's party of using stuffed ballot boxes and other illegal means to fix the result. 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. Hasina did not immediately respond to the accusations but said in the run-up to the vote that it would be free and fair. 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. 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, 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 Hasina's victory will 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. Seventeen opposition candidates were arrested over what they said were 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's victory secures her third consecutive term in office, and her fourth overall. A 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 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. Bangladesh PM wins election landslide but opponents demand new vote Dhaka, Dec 31 (AFP) Dec 31, 2018 Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was declared the landslide winner Monday of an election marred by deadly violence that the opposition slammed as "farcical" and rigged. Hasina's ruling Awami League party and its allies won 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament, with the main opposition securing only six seats, Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said. Sunday's vote, which hands Hasina a record fourth term, was overshadowed by clashes between rival supporters that killed at least 17 people and allegations of ballot box stuffing and intimidation at polling stations. Hasina's government had mounted a crackdown on the opposition, an alliance led by the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), which 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 alliance, told reporters. 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. Deadly violence that blighted 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. - 'We'll cast your vote' - The opposition alliance accused Hasina's party of using stuffed ballot boxes and other illegal means to fix the result. BNP spokesman Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said there were "irregularities" in 221 of the 300 seats contested. Bangladesh election commission spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman told AFP the body had "received a few allegations of irregularities" and was investigating. Hasina has not responded to the accusations but said in the run-up to the vote that it would be free and fair. 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, 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. - Free and fair? - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Hasina to congratulate her on the win, according to the Bangladesh leader's press secretary, becoming the first world leader to do so. 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. A man on the streets of Dhaka Monday who was too scared to give his name said: "What is the point of saying anything? We have to accept the results and the fact we have a crippled opposition." The opposition claims some 15,000 of its activists were detained during the campaign, crushing its ability to mobilise support. Thirty-five of its candidates were either arrested over what they said were trumped-up charges or disqualified from running by courts, which Hasina's opponents say are government controlled. The United States and the United Nations raised concerns about the credibility of the election while Human Rights Watch and other international groups said the crackdown had created a climate of fear. The leadership of Bangladesh has alternated between Hasina and Zia, allies-turned-foes, over the last three decades. Hasina's victory secures her third consecutive term in office, and fourth overall. A 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 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. Home >The Revolt > Camera Destruction > French Protesters Running Out Of Speed Cameras To Burn 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. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The calm before the storm: A beautiful morning along the shores of the St. Lawrence River at Pointe-du-Moulin on Ile Perrot. The calm won't last, with strong low pressure forecast to bring another round of ice and snow to southern Quebec. A new year means a new opportunity to travel to new destinations. We asked our favourite expert travel companies for insights into which destinations are trending in 2019. Below are six suggestions: The Balkans, Mongolia, Vietnam, Egypt, Sao Tome & Principe and the Arctic. So what are you waiting for; grab your passport, stock up on sun cream, and get going. Bon voyage! KE Adventures: The Balkans This superb walking holiday takes you through an undiscovered corner of the Balkans. Highlights include Montenegros stunning UNESCO National Park of Durmitor and and an exciting two day mini trek takes you through the magnificent Bjelasica Mountains whilst staying in nomadic shepherd huts perched on alpine pastures. From Montenegro youll cross into neighbouring Serbia where youll walk in the beautiful canyon of Uvac, home to one of the largest breeding colonies of Griffin Vultures in Europe. A night in a monastery offers a wonderful insight into Serbian Orthodox life. The final night is spent in the walled town of Trebinje in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. An off-the-beaten track holiday suitable for those with a reasonable level of fitness. From 925 land only, June to September, includes all airport transfers, experienced local guide and all accommodation. Find out more about KE Adventures trip to the Balkans On The Go Tours: Egypt Our top travel destination for 2019 has to be Egypt, the land of the pharaohs. Where else can you marvel at ancient pyramids, explore temples covered in hieroglyphics and come face-to-face with the dazzling funerary mask of King Tutankhamun? A trip to Egypt is a trip back in time with history to discover wherever you go. And as if that wasnt enough, its also a destination that offers the perfect mix of culture and relaxation. Spend a few days cruising along the scenic River Nile by traditional felucca or upgrade to a 5 star ship, or enjoy the watersports on offer at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada. And with the new Grand Egyptian Museum due to open in 2019, displaying artefacts for the very first time, theres never been a better time to visit. Find out more about On the Go Tours to Egypt Chimu Adventures: Cruise the Arctic A three hour flight from Oslo will take you to the worlds northernmost city, Longyearbyen. From here, you can embark on an Arctic exploration in Spitsbergen in search of the elusive polar bear. This is only possible during the months of June to September when the ice has receded enough for a small ship to make access. Your expedition will take you through crunching pack ice, past glittering icebergs, to pebbly grey shores and up mossy green hills under a midnight sun. At this time of the year, the sun never sets so you can sit on deck looking out for wildlife such as whales, bird species and of course polar bears until the small hours. Chimus first charter cruise to the Arctic, Arctic Unveiled, departs on the 23rd June 2019 and we are currently offering a 25% discount. Find out more about Chimus cruise to the Arctic Yellowwood Adventures: Mongolia Naadam Festival Adventure Naadam in Mongolian means the three games of men; consisting of Mongolian wrestling, horse racing, and archery incorporating lavish costumes, celebrations, dancing and partying! We will join this incredible spectacle both in the capital Ulaanbaatar and also in the countryside staying with local families in their warm gers (large felt tents or yurts) to learn about their ancient nomadic way of life. We will also hike or ride horses up to a mountain monastery and ride Bactrian camels across the windswept sands of the Gobi Desert. We will explore the wild beauty of Mongolias vast grassy steppe, deep wooded forests and sandy deserts with chances to ride the small but incredible hardy and swift Mongolian horses. Staying with local families we will experience their delicious meat dishes and vast array homemade dairy products; including Mongolian vodka! Mongolia is one of the last great frontiers on the earth where you can witness the timeless nomadic pastoral way of life on the Central Asian steppe. Join YellowWood Adventures Limited for this amazing adventure on Saturday 5thSunday 13th July 2019 for only 1,499. 8 nights based on twin sharing, full board, including all accommodation, transport, guides, horses and events entry. Find out more about YellowWood Adventures trip to Mongolia Far & Wild: Sao Tome & Principe Sao Tome & Principe are two little know tropical islands off the coast of West Africa. This dream tropical destination is full of unique landscapes, wildlife, and deserted beaches. Explore wild terrain, search for endangered birds, see turtles hatch in the early hours or just relax on the beach. It is the perfect place to holiday if you want to get away from the crowds and explore a Jurassic world landscape. Find out about Sao Tome & Principe before everyone else! Far & Wild are offering an 11 day tour of Sao Tome & Principe from 2850 per person (based on two sharing a double room). Price includes return economy class TAP flights from London Heathrow (or selected other UK airports) to Sao Tome, air taxes, internal flights from Sao Tome to Principe return, transfers, accommodation and selected meals. Find out more about Far & Wilds trip to Sao Tome & Principe Nadova Tours: Vietnam Vietnam is a country that will take you to a different world with its scenic landscapes, fascinating culture, tasty food, wonderful people and a diverse range of traveling activities. Absolute Vietnam Holidays is the most typical Vietnam travel package, highly recommended for everyone as it suits all travel styles to discover the diversified beauty of Vietnam. Within 15 days, you can experience the best things Vietnam has to offer, from the bustling cities to remote rural areas, from the mountains to the prosperous deltas, from traditional values to modern faces of the country. The tour is private and flexible, you can start in Hanoi and end in HCMC or vice versa. It can always be customised to fully match your travel needs and budget. Contact Nadova Tours directly for a free quote Monday, December 31, 2018 First Decision Of Guv-To-Be Welcomed By Chilly New Mexicans, Plus: Veteran ABQ Councilor Prepares Re-election Bid, And: Happy New Year, New Mexico! At her first inauguration eight years ago Gov. Martinez encountered bitter cold and wind that that took the chill factor below zero, testing the sturdiness of the shivering attendees. In her The departure from an outdoor ceremony will be the first of what is expected to be many shifts in tone and policy as a Democrat replaces an R at the helm of state government for the next four years. The extreme cold snap could reduce the number of revelers at the inauguration and the two inaugural balls but The Governor-elect and Lt. Governor-elect Howie Morales will be sworn in at noon at the Santa Fe Convention Center. Immediately after she will deliver her inaugural address. The event is free and open to the public. (New Governors actually take office at midnight January 1 at a private ceremony. MLG's sister-in-law, retired District Court Judge Sandra Grisham, will administer the oath at the Capitol at midnight.) Before she is inaugurated Lujan Grisham will attend the 9 a.m. mass at The Cathedral Basilica of Santa Fe. There are two evening inaugural balls, one at the Santa Fe Convention Center where tickets are $100 a person and a high roller ball at the tony Eldorado Hotel where entry is $500 a pop. More details on the inaugural events are Other statewide elected officials who won four year terms in November will take their oaths of office at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Capitol Rotunda. They are all Democrats: Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, Attorney General Hector Balderas, State Land Commissioner-elect Stephanie Garcia Richard, State Auditor-elect Brian Colon and State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg. The event is open to the public. LOW KEY TRANSITION It's undoubtedly a bee hive of activity behind the scenes but publicly this transition to a new administration has been decidedly low-key. There have been no public controversies, no big surprises (so far) with the cabinet picks and no major policy announcements. In fact, there has been little news, with insiders reporting that the chief worry is that they have fallen behind in the transition in part because of Lujan Grisham's congressional duties. Her ABQ US House seat will be filled by Democrat Deb Haaland on Thursday when she is sworn in at the US Capitol. BENTON GOES AGAIN Benton, a supporter of ART, hosted a public meeting on the project in 2016 that was one of the most boisterous ever held by a councilor. Opponents railed against the bus plan and Benton. (Video But Benton, a retired architect and avowed urbanist, still enjoys the job and told me over the holidays he will seek another four year term in 2019. He represents a large swath of downtown and the North Valley which leans left. He has had only token opposition in his re-election bids. He ran unopposed in 2015. He said that revitalizing the stalled renovation of the historic Benton has chiefly concerned himself with environmental and urban issues while letting the mayoral administration lead on crime and homelessness that are ongoing issues in parts of the district. Benton, 67, says he toyed with the idea of not seeking re-election and even looked around to see if a younger, qualified person was waiting in the wings, but he said he found none so he is off and running. And how about riding on ART sometime? Benton still holds out hope that the long delayed rapid bus route will eventually be up and running and that when all is said and done it will be a boon for the city. No other candidates have yet announced for his seat which is up for election in October 2019. Three other councilors also face re-election in 2019. ABQ SE Heights City Councilor Pat Davis (Dist. 6), a Democrat, is expected to make a bid for a second term. However, Republican NE Heights Councilors Brad Winter (Dist. 4) and Trudy Jones (Dist. 8) may relinquish their seats after long stints, giving the council some new faces late next year. The council is currently controlled by the Democrats, 6 to 3. That's it for 2018. Thanks for your continued interest and support and. . . Happy New Year, New Mexico! This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. ( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2018 The first major decision of Guv-to-be Michelle Lujan Grisham is turning out to to be a wise one. She's keeping the inauguration safely indoors and away from what is expected to be one of the coldest days of the winter season tomorrow when she is sworn in as New Mexico's 32nd governor . The Santa Fe forecast calls for a couple of inches of snow, a high of only 21 and temperatures actually lower when forecast winds of over 20 mph are accounted for.At her first inauguration eight years ago Gov. Martinez encountered bitter cold and wind that that took the chill factor below zero, testing the sturdiness of the shivering attendees. In her inaugural speech the new Governor declared, "let us be brave together" which applied as much to the weather then as to the future of the state.The departure from an outdoor ceremony will be the first of what is expected to be many shifts in tone and policy as a Democrat replaces an R at the helm of state government for the next four years.The extreme cold snap could reduce the number of revelers at the inauguration and the two inaugural balls but the addition of Chevele Shephard, the new national singing star from Farmington, could give the festivities a boost.The Governor-elect and Lt. Governor-elect Howie Morales will be sworn in at noon at the Santa Fe Convention Center. Immediately after she will deliver her inaugural address. The event is free and open to the public.(New Governors actually take office at midnight January 1 at a private ceremony. MLG's sister-in-law, retired District Court Judge Sandra Grisham, will administer the oath at the Capitol at midnight.)There are two evening inaugural balls, one at the Santa Fe Convention Center where tickets are $100 a person and a high roller ball at the tony Eldorado Hotel where entry is $500 a pop. More details on the inaugural events are here Other statewide elected officials who won four year terms in November will take their oaths of office at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Capitol Rotunda. They are all Democrats: Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, Attorney General Hector Balderas, State Land Commissioner-elect Stephanie Garcia Richard, State Auditor-elect Brian Colon and State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg. The event is open to the public.It's undoubtedly a bee hive of activity behind the scenes but publicly this transition to a new administration has been decidedly low-key. There have been no public controversies, no big surprises (so far) with the cabinet picks and no major policy announcements. In fact, there has been little news, with insiders reporting that the chief worry is that they have fallen behind in the transition in part because of Lujan Grisham's congressional duties. Her ABQ US House seat will be filled by Democrat Deb Haaland on Thursday when she is sworn in at the US Capitol. ABQ District 2 City Councilor Isaac (Ike) Benton was first elected to the council in 2005 but his latest term has been the rockiest. The past four years the city endured record breaking crime and ART, the botched Central Avenue transit project.Benton, a supporter of ART, hosted a public meeting on the project in 2016 that was one of the most boisterous ever held by a councilor. Opponents railed against the bus plan and Benton. (Video here. But Benton, a retired architect and avowed urbanist, still enjoys the job and told me over the holidays he will seek another four year term in 2019. He represents a large swath of downtown and the North Valley which leans left. He has had only token opposition in his re-election bids. He ran unopposed in 2015.He said that revitalizing the stalled renovation of the historic ABQ Railyards near downtown is a key issue and he would like another term to see it through.Benton has chiefly concerned himself with environmental and urban issues while letting the mayoral administration lead on crime and homelessness that are ongoing issues in parts of the district.Benton, 67, says he toyed with the idea of not seeking re-election and even looked around to see if a younger, qualified person was waiting in the wings, but he said he found none so he is off and running.And how about riding on ART sometime? Benton still holds out hope that the long delayed rapid bus route will eventually be up and running and that when all is said and done it will be a boon for the city.No other candidates have yet announced for his seat which is up for election in October 2019.Three other councilors also face re-election in 2019. ABQ SE Heights City Councilor Pat Davis (Dist. 6), a Democrat, is expected to make a bid for a second term. However, Republican NE Heights Councilors Brad Winter (Dist. 4) and Trudy Jones (Dist. 8) may relinquish their seats after long stints, giving the council some new faces late next year. The council is currently controlled by the Democrats, 6 to 3.That's it for 2018. Thanks for your continued interest and support and. . .Happy New Year, New Mexico!This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Links HOME E-MAIL ME About Joe Google News Real Clear Politics Huffington Post Drudge Report The Politico NM TV stations Gov. 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Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) chief executive officer Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa received in his office Egypts ambassador to Suha Al Far on Sunday. During the meeting, Shaikh Khaled stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation and upgrading bilateral relations across all industries, especially in the tourism sector, as a key pillar of the development of the national economy as a whole. In addition, discussions included achieving common objectives through the adoption of tourism initiatives that benefit both Bahrain and Egypt. Al Far affirmed her commitment and readiness to further enhance relations between both countries and explore other bilateral initiatives. BTEAs tourism strategy aims to develop Bahrains tourism sector under the slogan of Ours. Yours. The aim of the strategy is to increase the number of visitors coming into the kingdom, focusing on four pillars of awareness, attraction, access and accommodation. TradeArabia News Service Heightening Crypto Exposure Collaboratively with NEXUS and Bitkub in Thailand In a joint effort to increase crypto exposure and accessibility for traders in the Thailand, Broctagon NEXUS, a global crypto liquidity aggregator and Bitkub, a leading Thailand-based cryptocurrency exchange, have partnered to introduce deeper liquidity and innovative trading instruments. Bridging the gap between blockchain and cryptocurrency, Bitkub is a trusted cryptocurrency exchange platform with a highly user-intuitive interface across a series of crypto wallets and technical tools. As one of the cryptocurrency operators in Thailand that has obtained approval in-principle from the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Broadening the Crypto Horizons for Thailand Markets via NEXUS Smart Currency Conversion Engine For foreign traders looking to enter the Thailand markets, the NEXUS inbuilt currency conversion engine features crypto liquidity spanning across all types of international currency pairs, with it being poised to elevate global exposure to Crypto -THB pairings. NEXUS offers up to over 100 different pairs of crypto CFDs with leveraged margins of 1:10, significantly opening new windows of opportunities for a different financial landscape. Additionally, the elevated suite of benefits of trading crypto CFDs brings the advantage of opening both short and long positions with 24/7 true round-the-clock trading, allowing Bitkub to execute delta hedging for its OTC desk. A New Era of Crypto Trading for Thailand-Based Traders With regards to this partnership, Kerry Gan, CEO of Broctagon, commented, With the NEXUS smart currency conversion technology, we are excited at the opportunity to forge the pathways for international markets to enter and experience the trading of Crypto-THB pairings. Atichanan Pulges, Co-Founder of Bitkub, also had this to say: This collaboration marks a significant milestone for all Bitkub traders. NEXUS offers a unique opportunity for us to create liquidity for our traders deeper than anything weve had before. Broctagon CEO Kerry Gan (left) with Bitkub Co-Founder Atichanan Pulges (right) About Broctagon NEXUS: The Broctagon Network of Exchanges for Universal Settlement (NEXUS) is a liquidity aggregator built to unite the worlds crypto liquidity and seamlessly distribute it to a global network of prime exchanges, brokers, and financial institutions alike. Beyond being a global leader in crypto offerings, NEXUS unlocks access to worldwide markets with transparent, precise and consistent execution??all through a single, flexible margin account. For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: These are the photos that defined 2018 As we conclude 2018, the Post invites you to revisit some of the top news photos from NepalImages that made national headlines and engaged all of us. New Delhi, Dec 26 (UNI) Bhutan Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering will be paying a three-day State visit to India from December 27 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The State visit is taking place during the Golden Jubilee year of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan, officials said here. During his stay, Prime Minister of Bhutan will call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and hold talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other Ministers will also call on the visiting dignitary. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale will call on Mr Tshering on Thursday, sources said here. On Friday, December 28, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu and Power Minister R K Singh will also call on the dignitary. According to a release from the Ministry of External Affairs, the Bhutanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Economic Affairs and other senior officials from the Royal Government of Bhutan will be accompanying the Prime Minister of Bhutan. "India and Bhutan enjoy exemplary ties of friendship and cooperation, based on utmost trust, goodwill and mutual understanding at all levels," the release said. The upcoming visit of the Prime Minister Lotay Tshering will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in the multifaceted partnership and to discuss ways and means to expand the enduring ties of friendship and cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples, the MEA release has said here. UNI DEVN SNU 1502 A landmark labour deal was supposed to change everything for Nepali workers. But no one knows when it will take off. Nepali workers were promised better working conditions once the Nepal-Malaysia deal was signed, but till date the deal has not been implemented. American Airlines has added three new routes to the Bahamas from Charlotte, N.C., and Chicago. The new Celebrity Edge offers alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises through the winter season. Designer Merlissa Thomas opened her new store, Territory Six, in Christiansted, St. Croix, this weekend. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Majority of Americans View China as Biggest Threat to National Security: Poll A new poll by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute has found that the American view of China has sunk to an all-time low. In addition, Americans trust in their military has dropped to its lowest level in the past three years. The survey, conducted between Oct. 25 and How Nepals handling of a teen girls rape and murder exposed the countrys fractured law enforcement and justice system Those in power and with agency to protect the citizens and uphold societal law and order have responded with hostility to an earnest call for accountability. Srategies for Helping to Ease the Holiday Blues Dec. 30, 2018 By Dec. 30, 2018 Sara Siner-Darling, LMFT will present information and strategies for helping to ease the holiday blues on Thursday, January 3, 2019 from 6:30 7:30 pm. The program is entitled Self Care and Well Being in the New Year, Helping Others, Helping Ourselves. Light refreshments will be served. The program is sponsored by the Paducah Area Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. It is quite common for many to be affected by the holiday blues and seasonal depression this time of year, due to issues such as loneliness, illness, relationship issues, economic concerns, separation from family members, and more. Said Christa Dubrock, Chapter Lead of Paducah Area Moms Demand Action. We are so happy to be able to provide this complimentary program that details strategies to alleviate some of these stressors. Dubrock said. Even if you are not personally affected, Sara will have tips on how to help our loved ones as well. For more information, contact Christa at cdubrock@msn.com. About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense In America: With over 5 million supporters, Moms Demand Action is a non-partisan, grass-roots movement of Americans fighting for public safely measures that can protect people from gun violence. www.momsdemandaction.org. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Nepals health sector thrived this year but the government should do more to adapt to federalism During the two-day review of health sector programmes held on 17th and 18th December by the Ministry of Health and Population and various development partners, Nepals progress against the National Health Sector Strategy (NHSS) targets and the annual work plan for the fiscal year 2074/75 were addressed. By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 31, 2018 | 04:07 AM | MAYFIELD FNB Bank announced that Riley Beth Willett (Smith) has joined FNB and will serve the Mayfield-Graves County market as a Mortgage Loan Officer. Willett has worked as a realtor for the past four years and looks forward to using her real estate experience in her new position with FNB. Willett is a 2011 graduate of Graves County High School and a 2015 graduate of Murray State University with a Bachelor of Integrated Studies degree. She earned her Masters in Business Administration from the University of Cumberlands in 2017. She is currently involved with the Graves County Middle School/Graves County High School Family Resource Advisory Council, Mayfield-Graves County Appeals Board, Graves County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy/Prevention Board and the Mentoring Program for several local schools. She resides in Farmington with her husband, Tyler, and their son, Ben. 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 Prithvi Man Shrestha is a political reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering the governance-related issues including corruption and irregularities in the government machinery. Before joining The Kathmandu Post in 2009, he worked at nepalnews.com and Rising Nepal primarily covering the issues of political and economic affairs for three years. Witness appeal after spate of burglaries in Froncysyllte, Llangollen & Corwen assaults as suspects arrested This article is old - Published: Monday, Dec 31st, 2018 North Wales Police are appealing for witnesses following a spate of burglaries in the Froncysyllte, Llangollen and Corwen areas at the weekend. North Wales Police CID are investigating a series of house burglaries in the Froncysyllte, Llangollen and Corwen areas, occurring across the weekend of 29th and 30th December, following five separate reports where property has been stolen. Detective Chief Inspector Tim Evans said, Due to the exceptional work of our local officers and staff, suspects were quickly identified and on Sunday afternoon, four persons were arrested in the Llangollen area and, are due to be interviewed by Detectives in connection with those offences. Unfortunately, two North Wales Police employees were assaulted during those arrests. Thankfully, neither have sustained serious injury. I would like to thank those members of the public who came to our assistance and would ask that any witnesses to the incident contact North Wales Police on 101 quoting event W185151. Burglary of anyones home is understandably intrusive and, that items of property are stolen just after Christmas can be particularly upsetting. Due to the outstanding work of our staff, items of property have been recovered; which, we will hope to reunite with owners in due course. The top image was taken by Lauren in Llangollen of large police activity involving five police cars, plus a police van plus and unmarked vehicles. Another eyewitness noted several people were arrested. Police have not confirmed the arrests or police activity was related to the burglary appeal. PALM COAST, FL (WESH/CNN) - A family is lucky to be alive after their house was destroyed by a fire, one allegedly caused when a hoverboard the 11-year-old got for Christmas exploded. Melissa Bodiford, her two children and her niece were watching the Netflix movie Bird Box when the fire began. The mother says the decision to watch the movie may have saved their lives. "Shout out to Bird Box. If it wasn't for everyone talking about that movie, for me to go watch it and for all of us to sit in the front room, I would not have my son, my daughter or my niece, Bodiford said. Bodiford says a hoverboard her 11-year-old son Brodie Hamilton got for Christmas exploded, causing the fire. "The hoverboard blew up. I seen it blow up, she said. "Boom boom boom boom, just blowing up, and all I can do is grab my daughter, grab everyone and try and get out." Palm Coast Fire Chief Jerry Forte described the fire as intense, and heavy smoke filled every room of the house. The family was forced to flee, as the home went up in flames. "I had to open the back-patio door and lower everyone out. I just busted through the back-patio door, Brodie said. Crews were able to find one wheel of the hoverboard, but everything else seemed to be destroyed. Forte says its unclear if the toy was the cause of the fire. "It's hard to determine if the hoverboard was actually the cause of the fire, but it was in close proximity to the mattress, which was readily burning by the time we got here, he said. "The center of the fire was right near the mattress. Nevertheless, Bodiford says hoverboards should be banned from stores. Forte says the family tried to use a hose to put the fire out. He warned the public not to do that but simply to get out of the house. The community is taking up donations to help the familys recovery. Copyright 2018 WESH, Hearst, Palm Coast Fire Department, Melissa Bodiford via CNN. All rights reserved. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Six million acres of Florida's wetlands could be in danger after the Trump administration proposed new changes to what's protected by the federal government. More of Florida's surface is covered by wetlands than any other state and by not protecting them, we put our coast at risk to things such as red tide. Wetlands filter and clean up this toxic algae bloom, while acting as a home for a range of wildlife and vegetation. Changes to the Clean Water Act would limit the kinds of waterways the government protects. That means millions of acres in Florida would no longer be safe. The Environmental Protection Agency said the change aims to "provide states and landowners the certainty they need to manage their natural resources and grow local economies." The proposal comes after home builders, developers and farmers requested simpler rules surrounding wetland regulations. "While many of these are smaller wetlands, collectively they add up. They make a big difference to our water quality, to our flood attenuation abilities and to our habitat values," said Exucutive Director, Julie Wraithmell. "Florida's economy is our environment and if we're not taking care of it we are facing challenges economically in the future." Wetlands have been protected since 1972 because they filter pollution, soak up floods before they cause damage and recharge the aquifer's drinking water supply. The new rule would only protect wetlands immediately next to a major body of water. Nationwide, that would disqualify 51 percent. This proposed change stands in opposition to the definition put forward by the Obama administration in 2015. That aimed to widen federal protection to include not only large waterways, but also the smaller streams and tributaries that feed into them. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 04:10:50|Editor: yan Video Player Close DHAKA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Bangladesh Awami League party established a stunning majority on its own in the parliament, according to preliminary election results on Sunday that gave the ruling party mandate for a straight third five-year term in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation of about 165 million people. With more than 80 percent of seats declared by the Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed, Hasina's grand alliance has more than the two-thirds it needs to form next government. The ruling party has so far won 213 seats followed by its key ally the former President HM Ershad's Jatiya Party at 9, according to results announced until 11:23 p.m. local time on Sunday. In the elections, as always Hasina's Awami League-led Grand Alliance locked horns with former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies, which boycotted the 2014 elections. Khaleda Zia's BNP, a key ally of the major opposition alliance, which has seen worst results in the elections, alleged that ruling party men resorted to widespread irregularities, including forcing out of their polling agents, stuffing ballots, assaulting and intimidating their supporters. Hasina's Awami League 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. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 08:31:29|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Chinese artists perform during a musical concert to mark the New Year in Kathmandu, Nepal, Dec. 30, 2018. A special concert by China's Guizhou Provincial Qian Opera Theater was held here on Sunday to celebrate the upcoming New Year 2019 and to enhance Sino-Nepali cultural exchanges. The concert was featured a range of opera theater performances, from folk to modern, by young Chinese musicians. (Xinhua/Sunil Sharma) KATHMANDU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A special concert by China's Guizhou Provincial Qian Opera Theater was held here on Sunday to celebrate the upcoming New Year 2019 and to enhance Sino-Nepali cultural exchanges. The musical concert, hosted by China Cultural Center in Nepal and Guizhou Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, was attended by Nepali Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi. The event, held at the capital's Yak & Yeti hotel, drew an audience of around 500 people including former ministers, government officials, political leaders, Chinese community and music enthusiasts from all walks of life. The concert was featured a range of opera theater performances, from folk to modern, by young Chinese musicians. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 09:16:33|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close The family of Fatima is seen at home in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Dec. 29, 2018. Fatima and her three children have been caught in unbearable pains after her young husband was killed in a terror attack here in November. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) by Farid Behbud KABUL, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Fatima and her three children have been caught in unbearable pains after her young husband was killed in a terror attack here in November. "We had lived a good life for 10 years before my husband died. Now we are facing harsh conditions and huge pains," the weeping Fatima, 28, who goes like many Afghans by one name, told Xinhua. Ten years ago, she married Ismael Bashardost, an educated young man, when she was 18. She has two daughters and one son. The elder daughter is a student of third grade at a private school and the younger girl will be enrolled in the upcoming spring. Fatima's husband joined hundreds of people who took to streets to protest against war and conflict in Jaghoori and Malistan districts of eastern Ghazni province, where the Taliban militants attacked government forces' checkpoints, killing and injuring people, most of whom were civilians. Nearly 3,000 families fled Ghazni province, triggering anger from residents in capital Kabul, which led to the protests here on Nov. 12, which urged the government to take stronger anti-terrorist actions in Ghazni. Bashardost was one of the bread earners of Afghan families who lost lives in endless terror attacks which have left families bereaved and in doldrums. "My husband joined the protest against killing of villagers in Jaghoori and Malistan and then didn't return that dark day," she said. Fatima and her three children, who are living in her in-laws house, lost their hopes after losing their family supporter. Anti-government militants, the Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) in particular, have intensified activities mostly in bloody suicide bombings since the beginning of 2018, which often claim lives of civilians in Afghanistan. Shortly after the government promised to protesters that it would hit back at militants and improve security in the two districts, a suicide bomber blew himself up in Malik Asghar Square, an area close to the presidential palace. The bloody attack claimed six lives and injured 15 others, mostly civilians. Bashardost 's mother, Zahara, 50, sitting down at a corner, listening to what the wife of his slain son was describing, came near and with eyes in tears, murmuring that his son left home at lunchtime and his coffin was brought back home in the evening of that day. "It was too hard to hear he was martyred in a suicide attack which happened during the rally. It is too hard for his poor children," she said. Civilians in Afghanistan continue to bear the brunt of conflicts as more than 2,790 civilians were killed and over 5,250 others injured in the first nine months of the year 2018, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country. Earlier in December, five terrorists attacked two government offices near a diplomatic district, killing over 40 people, including women and children. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 10:56:47|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- China's campaign against organized crime initiated in January 2018 has seen the removal of 1,082 mafia-style gangs and the seizure of 1,620 guns by law enforcement agencies. Between January and November, China saw a decrease of 27.6 percent, 29.1 percent, and 6.3 percent in criminal cases of gun use, explosions, and murders respectively, compared with the the previous year, according to authorities. As of the end of November, the number of cases involving officials with links to mafia-style gangs totalled 11,829, according to a national office spearheading the campaign. As a result, a total of 8,288 people received Party disciplinary or administrative penalties, and 1,649 were transferred to judicial authorities for suspected criminal involvement. To stop the rise of criminals, authorities have stepped up efforts to check community-level officials with potential criminal-links. From January to the end of October, a total of 1,141 village cadres were found to have criminal links and were removed from their posts. The campaign is expected to last a total of three years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 12:22:00|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MANILA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from landslides and flooding triggered by heavy rains in the Philippines has risen to 61, the government said on Monday. The deaths were mostly due to landslides and drowning in the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas in the northern and central Philippines, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in its latest report. Fifty of the deaths were reported from the Bicol region while 11 from the Eastern Visayas region. The agency's report also indicated there are still 18 people missing in both regions. The NDRRMC said its offices in the affected regions "are still on alert and are continuously monitoring the on-going response in the affected areas." Moreover, the agency said that rescuers from the military, the police and other government agencies are now conducting search, rescue and retrieval operations in areas in the northern and central Philippines. More than 79,000 people from 150 areas in the Philippines have been affected by landslides and widespread flooding, according to the disaster agency. Aside from strong winds and heavy rains, areas ravaged by the tropical depression experienced power outages. Several houses are buried in landslides and roads sections were impassable due to severe flooding. The agency floated the possibility that the death toll could increase as retrieval operations continue. The Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development has provided the evacuees with family food packs and other relief goods. The agency also has standby emergency-relief funds worth around 212 million pesos (nearly 4 million U.S. dollars). The country's national weather bureau earlier warned heavy rains may pour over the northern and central Philippines brought on by the tropical depression, which has already weakened into a low-pressure area after making landfall in Eastern Samar in the central Philippines on Saturday. Although the low-pressure area already left the Philippines on Sunday, the national weather bureau warned that more rain is expected in the coming days. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 13:07:08|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- As 2018 comes to an end, the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank, published a report on China's financial stability. "Current financial risks have generally retreated, and initial success has been achieved in amending financial dysfunction," read the report. Despite mounting growth pressure and external headwinds, China has made notable progress in defusing financial risks compared with a year ago, when international organizations warned the country of emerging "tensions" in the financial sector. "The system's increasing complexity has sown financial stability risks," said a report released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the end of 2017, which identified three major risks in the financial system. Instead of ignoring or denying the identified issues, the central bank made a timely and rather modest response, recognizing the assessments as "professional and valuable" while pledging to draw on the recommendations to improve weaknesses. In 2018, China has lived up to its promise, with tough regulations rolled out to tackle key risks including high corporate leverage and shadow banking. The hardline stance is set to continue. At the just-concluded Central Economic Work Conference, which charted a course for the Chinese economy in 2019, senior leaders agreed to maintain the resolute crackdown on major risks. DEFUSING THE BOMB The first tension the IMF pointed out was high corporate debt and household indebtedness brought by credit expansion in recent years. In 2018, China has made steady progress in what it calls "structural deleveraging," using tailored measures to bring down leverage in different sectors. The corporate sector, often considered the most troubled in terms of debt levels, has seen a decrease in the leverage ratio thanks to the debt-to-equity swap program, which allows companies to exchange their debt for stocks. By the end of November, the debt-asset ratios of major industrial firms dropped 0.4 percentage points from a year earlier to 56.8 percent, latest data showed. While China's leverage ratio has stabilized, there remain structural issues that need to be optimized, said Zeng Gang, deputy director of National Institution for Finance & Development. For many policymakers, winning the fight against financial risks is an art of balance. "We have to take into consideration market tolerance as businesses in the financial sector are deeply intertwined. We have to defuse the 'bomb' while making sure the train of the Chinese economy runs smoothly on the right track," said Guo Shuqing, head of China's top banking and insurance regulatory body. SHRINKING SHADOWS The second risk on the IMF's watch list was the fast growth of lending by non-bank financial institutions, which is less regulated and often referred to as "shadow banking." In 2018, China unveiled what many industry insiders called "the strictest asset management rules in history," which unified regulatory standards for asset management products and addressed issues such as regulatory arbitrage. The yield on wealth management products has been trending down, partly because some financial institutions stopped guarantying principal or interest to be compliant with the new rules. In November, the amount of wealth management products that guarantee principal payment saw a decline for the 9th straight month, data from mobile financing platform Rong360.com showed. More illegal fundraising was put under scrutiny. A massive clean-up of Internet finance businesses resulted in the departure of more than 5,000 incompetent firms in the sector by the end of May, data showed. "As China tightens oversight of the online lending businesses, many online wealth management platforms have lost their appeal," said Dong Ximiao, a researcher with the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. GROWING PAINS The new asset management rules also addressed the IMF's third concern, "widespread implicit guarantees," which may lead to excessive risk-taking by retail investors and institutions in anticipation of a government bailout. Authorities were determined to change such a notion. In its report, the central bank vowed to tighten supervision on some "too big to fail" institutions, with risk assessment and stress tests to be conducted on "systemically important financial institutions." Despite fluctuations in the capital market, authorities have been unswerving in pushing reforms, vowing less intervention on trading while amending rules to let poor-performing firms de-list from the A-share market. "The regulators focused more on improving the mechanisms of the capital market, which will improve its eco-system and give the market a bigger role," said Pan Xiangdong, an economist with New Times Securities. In the report on financial stability, the central bank said that to defuse the risks accumulated over the years in China's financial system, some costs need to be paid. "As China strengthens financial supervision, some periodic risk events will be exposed, bringing short-term pains to the financial market or even the economy as a whole. It is expected, and should be accepted," said the PBOC report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 13:22:11|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States have contributed to stability and prosperity of the region and the world over the past four decades, Odd Arne Westad, S.T. Lee professor of U.S.-Asia Relations at Harvard University, told Xinhua in a recent interview. On Jan. 1, 1979, Beijing and Washington established formal diplomatic relations. From then on, the relationship has not only served the interests of two countries and delivered benefits to the two peoples, but also engendered far-reaching significance to regional and global development. The China-U.S. relations since 1979 have been particularly crucial for the openness and freedom of global trading system, providing development opportunities and dissemination of technology on the worldwide scale, as well as stability of the international affairs, Westad said. "Ups and downs notwithstanding, the overall relationship between the United States and China has not been inherently unstable, which contributes enormously to the smoother period of international affairs in the last phase of the Cold War and after the Cold War ended," said the Harvard professor. The overally healthy bilateral relationship between Washington and Beijing has also largely contributed to the region, he added. "Though difficulties still exist in the Korean Peninsula and somewhere else, East Asia, on the whole, has been a haven of stability and prosperity, and China-U.S. cooperation is essential for that." As a fellow of the British Academy and an authoritative scholar in Cold War history and East Asian studies, Westad used to be a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science before moving to Harvard. Westad is teaching course about how to understand the contemporary power shifts by using historical examples at Harvard Kennedy School. He told Xinhua that the ongoing interactions between China and the United States have some similarities compared with previous cases of power transitions, but also with significant differences. China is not the so-called "revisionist state" seeking to alter the current international system, since the current system serves China well, and contributes to China's success with its reform and opening-up, Westad noted. Westad also said that comparing the competition between Washington and Beijing to "a new Cold War," which sometimes appeared in bombastic headlines, is a false historical analogy and terminological laziness. The competition between the two countries in trade, investment, and technology is totally different from the scale and scope of global rivalry between Washington and Moscow along with their proxies in the Cold War era, Westad said. "And instead of bipolarity between the United States and China, the world is heading towards a more multipolar structure," he added. Westad also talked about his Harvard colleague Graham Allison and his bestseller book, Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap? "Allison warns against the danger of wars and conflicts in power transitions, he is right about that," said Westad, "but wars and conflicts are not inevitable, and they all depend on leadership's policy choice." War came because everyone was talking about war, and thought that might be a possible solution, but both the United States and China fully understand the tremendous cost and disastrous consequences of a potential conflict between them, he said. "Great powers do rival each other, and this is what we learned from the history, but the issue is what kind of rivalry is it going to be, and which areas that the two sides could cooperate, that is the most important," he added. Westad told Xinhua that he is optimistic about the development of U.S.-China relations. "The big picture is that there is still a lot of potential for the United States and China to work together on some key issues, and the continued engagement policy would serve both sides well," he said. The United States and China came closer from a great distance in 1979, not because they agreed on everything at that time, but because they talked about practical issues and cooperations in a pragmatic approach, said Westad. Prime Minister Oli promised to revise Nepals foreign policy. But its been more of the same. After years of political instability, the government under KP Sharma Oli with sweeping powers was expected to provide good governance and policy coherence. But frequent flip-flopping on foreign policy decisions has weaken the countrys credibility. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 13:37:13|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least two people died and several others were injured after a gas explosion rocked an apartment building in Russian city of Magnitogorsk in the Ural Mountains, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said in a statement on Monday. According the the statement, 10 people have been rescued from the debris. and 16 people have been evacuated from the building. The explosion occurred at around 1:00 a.m. GMT on Monday. Part of the 10-story apartment building collapsed in the blast. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been immediately informed about the tragedy, according to the president's press office. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 13:37:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A 22-year-old worker at a wildlife conservatory in U.S. state of North Carolina was killed Sunday by a lion that escaped a locked space. The Conservators Center in Burlington said in a statement that the worker was killed during a routine enclosure cleaning. "One of the lions somehow left a locked space and entered the space the humans were in and quickly killed one person," the statement said. It is remains unclear how the lion escaped the place that was supported to be locked, said the facility, which is closed until further notice The wildlife conservatory said the lion was shot to allow efforts to retrieve the victim, who was identified as Alexandra Black by local police later. Black, a native of New Palestine, state of Indiana, had recently graduated from Indiana University and had been working at the conservatory for about two weeks. The Conservators Center, founded in 1999, houses more than 80 animals from 20 species, including about 20 big cats, such as lions, leopards and tigers. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 13:42:15|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MANILA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua)-- The death toll of landslides and flood triggered by heavy rains in the Philippines has risen to 68, the government agency said on Monday. The deaths were mostly due to landslides and drowning in the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas in central Philippines, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) in its latest report. Fifty-seven of the deaths were reported from the Bicol region while 11 from the Eastern Visayas region. The agency said there are still 19 people missing in both regions. The Office of Civil Defense in the Bicol region said that so far it has recorded 57 deaths. The 57 deaths include 15 in Albay province, six in Sorsogon province, 23 in Camarines Sur province, six in Camarines Norte province and seven in Masbate province. The NDRRMC said its offices in the affected regions "are still on alert and are continuously monitoring the on-going response in the affected areas." Moreover, the agency said that rescuers from the military, the police and other government agencies are now conducting search, rescue and retrieval operations in some areas in northern and central Philippines. More than 130,000 people from 321 areas in the Philippines have been affected by landslides and widespread flood, according to the disaster agency. Aside from strong winds and heavy rains, areas ravaged by the tropical depression experienced power outages. Several houses are buried in landslides and roads sections were impassable due to severe flood. The agency floated the possibility that the death toll will increase as retrieval operations continue. The Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development has provided the evacuees with family food packs and other relief goods. The agency also has standby emergency-relief funds worth around 212 million pesos (nearly 4 million U.S. dollars). The country's national weather bureau earlier warned heavy rains may pour over the northern and central Philippines brought on by the tropical depression, which has already weakened into a low-pressure area after making landfall in Eastern Samar in the central Philippines on Saturday. Although the low-pressure area already left the Philippines on Sunday, the national weather bureau warned that more rain is expected in the coming days. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 14:37:22|Editor: mmm Video Player Close Workers clean snow on a tunnel bridge on the Ya'an-Kangding expressway in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 30, 2018. An expressway linking Ya'an and Kangding in southwest China's Sichuan Province went into trial operation Monday morning, marking the total length of expressways in the province at 7,238 km. The construction of the expressway was completed nine months ahead of schedule. It will be the second highway into the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan after the National Highway 318, which leads to Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, said the provincial department of transportation. The newly completed route will enable passengers to travel from Chengdu to Kangding, capital of Ganzi, in only three and a half hours. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing) CHENGDU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- An expressway linking Ya'an and Kangding in southwest China's Sichuan Province went into trial operation Monday morning, marking the total length of expressways in the province at 7,238 km. The construction of the expressway was completed nine months ahead of schedule. It will be the second highway into the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan after the National Highway 318, which leads to Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, said the provincial department of transportation. The newly completed route will enable passengers to travel from Chengdu to Kangding, capital of Ganzi, in only three and a half hours. The total construction length of the Ya'an-Kangding expressway is about 135 km and costs about 23 billion yuan (about 3.3 billion U.S. dollars). As it climbs from the Sichuan Basin several hundred meters above sea level to the edge of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the expressway's cumulative ascent exceeds 2,000 meters, said the department. The construction of the expressway started in September 2014 and faced challenging geographic conditions including the narrow and steep terrain. One of its mountain tunnels even passes through 13 earthquake fault zones. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 14:52:24|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Over the past year, China's diplomacy has opened new prospects and achieved new progress under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core. Here are some of the highlights of "Xiplomacy" in 2018: -- At the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs in June, Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy was established as the fundamental guideline for China's foreign relations, charting the way forward for China's major-country diplomacy in the new era. -- More than 100 foreign leaders including heads of state or government visited China over the past year. Among them were French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Theresa May, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, to name a few. -- Xi met with Putin four times during the year. He met with Kim three times in less than 100 days. In April, Xi held an informal meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a new form of China-India high-level engagement that increased trust and understanding between the two countries. In October, he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as the two countries celebrated the 40th anniversary of the signing of the China-Japan Treaty of Peace and Friendship. -- Xi attended or presided over four major events China hosted in the past year. These were the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in April, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Qingdao Summit in June, the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September and the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in November. -- The FOCAC summit was attended by 40 presidents, 10 prime ministers, one vice president and the chairperson of the African Union Commission, setting a record in all the diplomatic activities China has ever hosted. -- Over the past year, Xi took four overseas trips, visiting 13 countries and attending more than 200 activities on five continents. His visits to the United Arab Emirates, Senegal, Rwanda, Mauritius, and Panama were the first for him as president. -- The international support for the one-China principle has been strengthened. In 2018, China established or restored diplomatic relations with the Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso and El Salvador, bringing the total number of countries having diplomatic relations with China to 178. -- Reform and opening-up was a keyword for 2018. At Boao, Xi declared that China's door will not close but open even wider. At CIIE, a pioneering undertaking for global trade, as many as 172 countries, regions and international organizations participated. Over 3,600 companies set up booths and attracted more than 400,000 buyers from home and abroad. -- Facing trade frictions, China has been adhering to seeking solutions through dialogues based on mutual respect, equality and good faith. In early December, Xi met with U.S. President Donald Trump during the 13th Group of 20 (G20) summit in Buenos Aires. They reached important consensus and showed the way forward for China-U.S. relations. -- To boost imports, China cut tariffs for an array of products including automobiles, consumer products and medicine this year, lowering the overall tariff rate on imported goods from 9.8 percent last year to 7.5 percent. -- The year 2018 marked the fifth anniversary of the Xi-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past year, more friends have joined in the initiative, with an additional 50-plus countries and international organizations signing the cooperation documents, raising the total number of such documents to over 140. -- Almost three years into operation, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has seen the number of approved members increase to 93. The members come from nearly every continent, representing broad support for the China-proposed multilateral financial institution. -- Xi contributed China's wisdom and solutions while he attended summits of various multilateral platforms including the G20, APEC, BRICS and SCO. China has also participated constructively in the settlement of nearly all of the world's hot-spot issues such as the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear issue, and issues in Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria and South Sudan. -- China remains the top contributor of peacekeepers among the five permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council. Its 8,000-member peacekeeping standby force has recently passed the performance assessment conducted by the UN and is ready to deploy wherever needed. Under Xi's leadership, China's major-country diplomacy is forging ahead. A community with a shared future for humanity is in the making. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 14:57:25|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HAMBURG, Germany, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- German police said Sunday that they have seized 850 kg of fireworks stashed in a Hamburg apartment before the New Year festivities, media reported. Police were tipped off by the neighbor of a 23-year-old man that he was stockpiling a large quantity of pyrotechnics, the AFP reported. Officers found that his apartment, cellar and two vans were packed with fireworks, which contained around 80 kg of explosive substances, 80 times the legal limit for storage in a private home, the AFP added. Setting off fireworks is a popular tradition on New Year's eve in Germany. Although sparklers and poppers can be bought all year round in the country, firecrackers and bottle rockets are only available for purchase on the last few days of a year, German business newspaper Handelsblatt said on its English website. According to the German Pyrotechnic Industry Association, about 137 million euros' (about 157 million U.S. dollars') worth of fireworks were sold last year. There were more than 800 firework-related eye injuries in Germany in each of the last two years, Bloomberg reported, quoting daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel. In addition to safety issues, air pollution caused by fireworks is another concern of the government. According to estimates by Germany's Federal Environment Agency, around 4,500 tons of fine dust will be blown into the air all over Germany on New Year's eve. It called on people not to use fireworks to ring in 2019. A recent online survey by polling institute Civey found that 60 percent of participants supported banning fireworks in city centers, German news agency dpa reported. Still, more than 100,000 people are expected to ring in the New Year at the Brandenburg Gate, where fans will enjoy a professional pyrotechnic show at midnight. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 15:32:30|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- China's dollar-denominated Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) program saw its total quota rise to 101.056 billion U.S. dollars as of the end of December, according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. As of the end of December, the quota in the RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) program came in at 646.672 billion yuan (about 94 billion U.S. dollars). China's currency, the yuan, is convertible for trade purposes under the current account, while the capital account, which covers portfolio investment and borrowing, is largely run by the state in an effort to manage capital flows in and out of the country. The QFII and RQFII programs, introduced in 2003 and 2011 respectively, allow overseas institutional investors to move money into China's capital account to encourage controlled flows. The RQFII program is currently open to countries and regions including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Britain, Singapore, France, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Qatar, Canada, Australia and Luxembourg. The Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor program (QDII), a scheme that allows domestic investors to access overseas assets, remained at 103.233 billion U.S. dollars. No new quotas have been granted for six consecutive months. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 16:37:39|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MANILA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- One people was killed and 22 others wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on Monday near an entrance of a mall in Cotabato City of the southern Philippines, police said. Philippine military and police authorities said the explosion happened around 1:59 p.m. local time in front of a major mall, as hundreds of shoppers were at the store for preparations of the New Year's Eve revelry. The explosion, believed from an improvised explosive device, happened near the baggage counter outside the mall, Guerlie Frondoza, a staff of the Cotabato city government told Xinhua. She said eight of the victims have been identified and bomb disposal units from local police were now at the spot. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 16:42:44|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MANILA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- One people was killed and 22 others wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on Monday near an entrance of a mall in Cotabato City in the southern Philippines, police said. Philippine military and police authorities said the explosion happened around 1:59 p.m. local time in front of a major mall, as hundreds of people were shopping for the New Year's Eve revelry. The blast went off near the baggage counter outside the mall, Guerlie Frondoza, a staff of the Cotabato city government told Xinhua. She said eight of the victims were identified and bomb disposal units from the local police arrived at the scene. Police said an unidentified man dropped a wrapped box in the area shortly before the explosion. The victims were rushed to the nearest hospital, according to the police. Major general Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Philippine Army's 6th infantry division, said the military and police are investigating the incident and trying to identify the type of IED used by the perpetrators. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 16:47:44|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The following are news highlights in South Africa's major media outlets on Monday. -- The African National Congress (ANC) Western Cape provincial executive committee has accepted two election lists for next year's general elections presented to it by the provincial list committee, the party said on Sunday. A special meeting held on Saturday night, which lasted into the early hours of Sunday morning, had accepted a province-to-province as well as a province-to-national list and also resolved that the two documents should be sent to the national list committee for its perusal, the ANC said in a statement. (Independent Online) -- A group of students from KwaZulu-Natal Province on Sunday called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and the government to release all those jailed for activities related with the "Fees Must Fall" protests. The delegation, led by convicted activist Bonginkosi Khanyile, walked to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to deliver a memorandum that also raised issues facing the youth such as unemployment. (Eyewitness News) -- Members from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on Sunday gathered at Clifton's Fourth Beach in Cape Town to stage a protest against the alleged closure of the beach by private security company Professional Protection Alternative last Sunday. The EFF had offered bus transport from across the city so people would be able to participate in the protest. (South African Broadcasting Corporation) Enditem 15th Footwear Expo kicks off in Kathmandu The 15th Footwear Expo 2018 kicked off at Bhrikutimandap Exhibition Hall in Kathmandu, on Friday. The week-long expo, organised by the Footwear Manufacturers Association of Nepal, is showcasing the latest domestic footwear products. The expos objective is to raise awareness about the use of locally-made footwear. The organisers said that they were offering discounts of up to 15 percent on all footwear products during the expo. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 16:47:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The share of renewable energy in Mongolia's total electricity production has reached a record high in 2018, local media reported Monday. The share of renewable electricity generation rose to 16 percent on average for 2018, the country's Ministry of Energy was quoted as saying. A solar power plant with a capacity of 15 megawatts (MW) opened in late June in Zamiin-Uud soum in Mongolia's southeastern Dornogovi province, while two other solar power plants with the capacity of producing 30 MW and 20 MW of electricity each have been put into operation recently. Also, a wind farm with a total capacity of 55 MW was commissioned in late September nearby Sainshand city, capital of the province. The four energy plants have contributed to the country's renewable energy capacity by 120 MW this year, and the country has a potential wind capacity of 1,100 gigawatts, according to the ministry. The country, which enjoys more than 250 days of sunshine a year, has set a goal to make renewable energy use account for 20 percent by 2020 and 30 percent by 2030. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 16:52:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close by Bosun Awoniyi LAGOS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Each year comes with its defining moments and events that make it memorable. The year 2018 was no exception. For Nigeria, it was a mishmash of the good, the bad and the ugly. The outgoing year is not one of the best for Africa's most populous nation that is facing a tough fight against terrorism. President Muhammadu Buhari, at a recent gathering, acknowledged that 2018 was a mixed year of mindless bloodletting and the recovery of the economy from recession, among other challenges. He said 2018 would go down as a year of mixed blessings for Nigerians. On the pleasant side, Buhari said, Nigeria's economy has made significant progress since coming out from recession, as the government implements its Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. Experts say economic prospects for Nigeria remain positive despite slow recovery. Agricultural production has improved markedly, contributing to a surplus in the country's trade balance. Infrastructural deficit has been greatly reduced, with significant improvement in roads, railways, aviation and power generation. Meanwhile, Nigeria has not relented in the fight against corruption, while the business environment has been improved through institutional reforms. The country's anti-graft body secured more than 300 convictions between January and late December, a major surge from the previous year's total of 189 convictions. The convicted this year included former governor of Taraba State Jolly Nyame and serving senator and former governor of Plateau State Joshua Dariye. Nyame and Dariye are currently serving time at Kuje Prison. On the downside, many Nigerians were killed in violent clashes between neighbors, in floods, fires, road accidents, and by insurgents. More than 2,000 persons have died since January in violence that swept through the country's central states. Boko Haram militants have waged a decade-long war in Nigeria's north, using calculated attacks that have killed thousands, including security personnel, and displaced millions internally. According to Nigeria's relief agency, more than 30,000 Nigerians have fled their homes in affected states, placing a heavier burden on the military and security agencies, who should be countering the Boko Haram insurgency in the north. In addition, interior minister Abdulrahman Dambazau said, persistent attacks on residents of the northwest state of Zamfara by bandits will affect food security in the country. Since those affected by the killings are largely agrarian rural dwellers, the activities of the bandits will have a serious impact on agriculture and food security, the minister added. Hundreds of people have been killed in attacks linked to cattle-rustling gangs in Nigeria's northwest Zamfara state this year alone. Cattle raiding has become rampant recently in Nigeria, with the northern part of the most populous African country being the hardest hit. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 17:17:49|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The following are news highlights in Ethiopia's major media outlets on Monday. -- Ethiopia's two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nation Security Council comes to an end on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. (Fana Broadcasting Corporate/FBC) -- Antex Groups, a Chinese textile manufacturing company, has officially started exporting its products, making it the first company to export from the recently inaugurated Adama Industrial Park. Antex Chairman Qian Anhua said that the company has created jobs for 1,500 individuals. The number is expected to reach 10,000 when the firm goes fully operational. (Ethiopian News Agency/ENA) -- A delegation from Ethiopia consisting of 35 health officers and five specialists arrived in Eritrea's capital Asmara earlier Monday. The delegation, which will be in Eritrea for two months, will provide voluntary medical services at local hospitals. (FBC) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 17:32:52|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Policemen gather evidence from the debris after a bombing at a mall in Cotabato City, the Philippines, Dec. 31, 2018. At least two people were killed and 21 others wounded, including a four-year-old girl, when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on Monday afternoon near the entrance of a mall in Cotabato City in the southern Philippines. (Xinhua/Stringer) MANILA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and 21 others wounded, including a four-year-old girl, when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on Monday afternoon near the entrance of a mall in Cotabato City in the southern Philippines. Philippine military and police authorities said the explosion happened around 1:59 p.m. local time in front of a major mall, as hundreds of people were shopping for the New Year's Eve revelry. The blast went off near the baggage counter outside the mall, Guerlie Frondoza, a staff of the Cotabato city government told Xinhua. Major general Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division, said the explosion killed two people and injured 21 others. Cotabato city police said an unidentified man dropped a wrapped box in the area shortly before the explosion. The victims were rushed to the nearest hospital, according to local police. Sobejana said another unexploded IED was recovered from the site after the explosion, adding that the police are investigating the incident and trying to identify the type of IED used by the perpetrators. Sobejana said the military and police were still determining the suspects but they knew that some local extremist groups are trying to sow terror on the city. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Southern Philippines has been the hotbed of violent extremism and has seen a brewing rebellion for decades. In more recent years, the area witnessed more violence such as the siege of Marawi city and bombings in major cities. On Dec. 12, the Philippine Congress approved a further extension of martial law in the southern Philippines until the end of 2019 to quell a continuing rebellion in the region. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 18:13:06|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HARARE, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government is recruiting 3,000 teachers to address shortages that have badly impacted on the education sector. There have been reports that some rural schools have a ratio of one teacher to 120 or more students, the Herald newspaper reported on Monday. The Public Service Commission froze the recruitment of teachers and other professionals in 2014. The education sector, in particular, has been hard hit with some teachers complaining of taking care of as many as 165 pupils in a class. The new recruitment drive is also intended to facilitate a new curriculum introduced over a year ago which puts emphasis on practical subjects and a continuous assessment of pupils instead of judging them only on the basis of end-of-year exams. The government recently gave a special dispensation to critical sectors, among them education, to unfreeze some posts. The newspaper said Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education Tumisang Thabela had in a statement implored prospective teachers to register at their district education offices. "We are very excited with that because the recruitment will go a long way in reducing shortage of manpower that has continuously affected our ministry," she told the newspaper. Teachers' unions have welcomed the recruitment but said the figure fell short of the estimated 18,000 teaching vacancies that need to be filled. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 18:43:11|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Monday detained at least four people over suspected bomb-making for the Islamic State (IS), local media reported. The suspects, among them three Syrian nationals, were captured in raids in Turkey's northwestern province of Kocaeli, the Hurriyet daily said. According to initial press reports, the detainees were responsible for making explosive devices and bombs for the IS. Organizational documents and digital materials were seized as well in the operations, Hurriyet noted. Over the past years in Turkey, more than 300 people were killed in deadly attacks blamed on the IS, including a mass shooting at Istanbul's Reina nightclub on New Year's Day 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 18:58:14|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said Monday that it has detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan here for spying three days ago. The suspect was caught when he was "conducting a spy action" on Friday in the Russian capital, the FSB said in a statement, without giving more details. The agency has initiated a criminal case against Whelan. The detention came after Russian citizen Maria Butina pleaded guilty in a Washington court on Dec. 13 to one conspiracy charge, admitting that she acted as an unregistered foreign agent to advance Moscow's interests. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Butina has no ties to Russian intelligence services, and that the whole case against her was unfounded. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 19:08:17|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping Monday hailed a changing China with its achievements in manufacturing, innovation and construction, when delivering a New Year speech. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 19:23:21|Editor: mmm Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese textile production firm Antex Group has won praise from among Ethiopians as the east African country moves to strengthen its export sector. Antex on Sunday officially started the production of export-oriented textile items inside the premises of the Chinese-built Adama Industrial Park, some 100 km south of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. The company, which was established with an initial investment of 10 million U.S. dollars, also received widespread acclaim from Ethiopian government officials and local community members for creating about 1,500 jobs. The group's textile products exported from Ethiopia include sportswear, lingerie and casual wear. Antex's plant inside the Adama Industrial Park, the firm's first production line in Africa, is expected to generate an estimated 110,000 dollars from the export of its first batch of products, Group Chairman Qian Anhua told Xinhua on Sunday. "We expect to generate close to 50 million dollars from the export of our products to the international market next year," Qian said. The CEO of Ethiopia Industrial Park Development Corporation (IPDC), Lelise Neme, praised Antex for its success and ambition. "The Antex Group has achieved a milestone despite facing various challenges," Neme said. "We would like to see many international markets-bound containers from the company's production line." Neme told Antex officials that the Ethiopian government in general and IPDC in particular are "ready to help you achieve your targets." Ethiopians who have benefited from job opportunities inside the factory also spoke highly of the firm. Tigist Gemechu, who is now a production line coordinator after receiving robust training for six months, recalled that "it was a proud moment for me and my colleagues to witness the official inauguration of the factory." Gemechu, who commended the "valuable life skills and disciplined work ethics" that she received from the Chinese coworkers, said that the company's future targets are achievable given the "great ambition of the company." "Discipline at work, efficient time management and diligent work ethic are the most important qualities that I learned over the past months," she told Xinhua. The official inauguration of Antex on Sunday came amid strong engagement of Chinese companies in Ethiopia's manufacturing sector, which includes the construction of industrial parks across the east African country. Ethiopia has so far commissioned six Chinese-built textile and garment-orientated industrial parks across the country, which is expected to help Ethiopia achieve its annual export target of 30 billion dollars by the year 2025. The Adama Industrial Park, which hosts the Antex Group, was built by China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC). It was inaugurated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in October this year. Early December, Ethiopia also inaugurated the Jimma Industrial Park, which was built by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The Jimma Industrial Park is expected to host investors in light manufacturing sectors, mainly agro-processing, textile and apparel products, according to IPDC. The two industrial parks alone are expected to create employment opportunitoes for more than 40,000 Ethiopian youth, according to figures from IPDC. The construciton of industrial parks is part of the government's drive to transform Ethiopia into a manufacturing hub of Africa and to make it a middle-income economy by the year 2025. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 19:28:22|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close YANGON, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Golden Heart Animal Rescue in the outskirts of Myanmar's Yangon shelters hundreds of physically and mentally disabled animals. Special needs animals are described as animals with physical disabilities including missing, deformed or paralyzed limbs as well as functional limitations - blind or deaf, chronic medical conditions that are in need of special care. Founded in 2014, the shelter now runs with over a dozen staff who help groom and create a hygienic environment for special needs animals. "I am an animal lover, especially dogs, and we started with helping some stray dogs that were injured by accidents or people. We moved around the city to provide vaccination and treatment to them," Hnin Si Myint, the founder of the shelter, told Xinhua. The shelter separates dogs with different types of disabilities such as being paralyzed or blind and deaf. "We have a regular health care service here in every Wednesdays, but those with serious injuries or diseases are provided daily medical treatment," the founder said. The shelter has become a home not only for special needs stray dogs, but also for those that are abandoned and those whose owners die. David Chan, a dog that lost two legs in a train accident, is well-known for its cuteness and is loved by donors and staff of the shelter. The founder highlighted that it is inspiring to see how he lives happily even without two front legs and how he finds a way to use the remaining two limbs without any help of wheels. He said human should learn from the dog's hard work and how he enjoys life. At present, rescue works are suspended for a while as the shelter is experiencing some financial difficulties as well as insufficient space for hosting more animals. The shelter has recently introduced an adoption program that donors or dog lovers can provide monthly cash assistance to the animals, but they are not allowed to take them to their homes. "Previously, adopter of dogs could bring back home dogs they adopted but I find them abandoned back on streets. So afterward, cash assistance is only received monthly from the adopter, leaving the dogs in the center for care," the founder said. Although the shelter mainly targets to rescue dogs, the team doesn't mind accepting other animals. There are currently more than 100 cats, four cows, 14 pigs that were rescued from slaughter and a monkey and a rabbit at the shelter. I am a Flag-Waving Everyman, also known as a patriot. I believe in freedom, apple pie, rooting for America at all times, and that God gave us a two-day weekend so we could enjoy football and NASCAR. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 19:33:23|Editor: mmm Video Player Close LONDON, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- A woman in her 70s and a taxi driver were killed early Monday in a horrific crash after the woman was seen driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway in east London. London police rushed to the A13 in Dagenham, east London, at 0145 GMT on Monday, but were too late to stop the car before the crash. The taxi driver is thought to be in his 40s. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed the accident, saying that shortly after the car travelling the wrong way down the carriageway, "the vehicle was involved in a collision with a taxi heading in the opposite direction. Next of kin have not been informed." The road is currently closed as investigations and a clear up is carried out. A similar crash in October saw three people die, after driver John Norton, 80, and his partner Olive Howard, 87, took a wrong turn down the M40 northbound carriageway. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 19:43:26|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping Monday hailed a changing China with its achievements in manufacturing, innovation and construction, when delivering a New Year speech. China launched Chang'e-4 lunar probe, conducted sea trials of its second aircraft carrier, completed first water takeoff of its independently-developed large amphibious aircraft, and took solid steps in BeiDou Navigation Satellite System's global service, Xi noted in the speech. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 20:43:39|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close A coin and banknotes of the euro are seen in Brussels, Belgium, Dec. 28, 2018. On the eve of the euro's 20th anniversary, European Union leaders lavished praise on the common currency on Monday, calling it "one of the biggest European success stories." On Jan. 1, 1999, 11 EU countries launched the euro and introduced a shared monetary policy under the European Central Bank. It is now the currency of 340 million Europeans in 19 EU member states. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) BRUSSELS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- On the eve of the euro's 20th anniversary, European Union leaders lavished praise on the common currency on Monday, calling it "one of the biggest European success stories." On Jan. 1, 1999, 11 EU countries launched the euro and introduced a shared monetary policy under the European Central Bank. It is now the currency of 340 million Europeans in 19 EU member states. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said "the euro has become a symbol of unity, sovereignty and stability." Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament, said "the euro is more popular today than ever: three out of four citizens believe it is good for our economy." Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said the euro "has since matured into a powerful expression of the European Union as a political and economic force in the world. Despite crises, the euro has shown itself resilient." Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, said "after 20 years, there is now a generation who knows no other domestic currency." Mario Centeno, president of the Eurogroup, said the single currency has been "one of the biggest European success stories." The EU leaders also used the occasion to underline the need for further reforms within the bloc to strengthen the common currency. "It has delivered prosperity and protection to our citizens and we must ensure that it continues to do so. This is why we are working hard to complete our Economic and Monetary Union and boost the euro's international role further," Juncker said. Tajani said "in order for Europeans to benefit fully from the jobs, growth and solidarity that the single currency should bring, we must complete our Economic and Monetary Union through genuine financial, fiscal and political union." "There can be no doubts of our political will to strengthen the Economic and Monetary Union. We need to be prepared for what the future may hold -- we owe that to our citizens," Centeno said. All the comments were made public in a press release of the European Commission. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 21:33:48|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HELSINKI, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipila condemned hate speech in his New Year's message on Monday. Sipila mentioned the ongoing investigation of alleged sex crimes by several men of foreign extraction in Oulu, northern Finland. While claiming violation of law must be taken responsible, Sipila underlined that the crimes were committed by individuals, not by an ethnic group. Sipila also noted that in July 2019 Finland will celebrate 100 years as a republic. When Finland declared independence in 1917, it was first a kingdom, but the German prince chosen to be the king never arrived due to the defeat of Germany in the First World War. Sipila said the government to be in place after the general election in April 2019 should aim at an employment level of 75 percent. The current rate is 72 percent. He stressed that high employment is essential for maintaining the welfare state. Sipila hoped the parliamentary election campaign would be fair. It should focus on "finding solutions and not on instigating fear". Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 21:38:49|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Monday said China enlarged its circle of friends in 2018, when delivering a New Year speech. In the past year, many friends, both old and new, visited China, Xi said, noting that China hosted diplomatic events including the annual Boao Forum for Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Qingdao summit, and the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. China put forward its proposals and made its voice heard, Xi added. Xi said he and his colleagues visited five continents and participated in many major diplomatic events, carried out wide-ranging exchanges with leaders of various countries, consolidated friendships, enhanced mutual trust, and enlarged China's circle of friends. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 21:38:49|Editor: mmm Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army on Monday ended the mandatory service for non-commissioned officers and conscripts who joined the army in 2010, state-run SANA news agency reported. The army's decree also covers the reserve troops who reported to the service before July 1, 2012. But these reserve troops, who would be discharged by the new law, are allowed to continue the service if they want. The military personnel covered by the new decree can leave the service from Jan. 2, 2019. Earlier this month, the Syrian army issued a decree to discharge the conscript officers who have served in the army for five years. The decision, which went into force on Dec. 16, covered officers who had served in the reserve forces as well as those whose compulsory military service was extended and reached five years. In May, the army discharged the longest-serving active recruitment class Group 102, whose personnel joined the army in early 2010. Ahead of the seven-year crisis in Syria, the mandatory military service was time-fixed to a year and a half but as the crisis dragged on, the army kept large numbers of conscripts in service for more years. As the situation has become much better and the military operations have dramatically decreased, more flexible service laws are expected in Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 21:43:51|Editor: mmm Video Player Close KAMPALA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least five people, believed to be Rwandan nationals, were killed and two others critically injured Sunday night in a collision involving three vehicles in central Uganda, authorities said on Monday. Southern regional police spokesperson Lameck Kigozi told Xinhua by telephone that the collision occurred at around 09:50 p.m. local time and involved a Rwandan-registered Land Cruiser Prado, a Ugandan bus and a trailer, at Kyazanga along Masaka-Mbarara Highway. The car and the bus were travelling from Mbarara heading to the capital, Kampala, while the trailer was heading for the opposite direction. "The Land Cruiser, bus collided with the trailer. The Land Cruiser vehicle had seven occupants of whom five died on spot," Kigozi said. "Their identities are not all that clear. They are a bit scanty and we are yet to confirm. Since they were in a Rwandan vehicle, we suspect they could be of Rwandan origin," he said. Kigozi said the critically injured are undergoing treatment at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, and authorities are still looking into the cause of the collision. "At the moment I can't tell the cause of the accident. Our traffic personnel have gone back to the scene to find out what happened," he said. Uganda registers about 20,000 accidents each year, with some 2,000 deaths, according to police statistics. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 21:53:52|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping on Monday said 10 million people in the country's rural areas were lifted out of poverty in 2018, when delivering a New Year speech. Another 125 counties were removed from the country's list of impoverished counties after going through evaluation this year, he said. The country reduced the prices of 17 cancer-fighting drugs, and included them on the medical insurance list, he added. Xi also noted officials on the frontlines of fighting against poverty, including more than 2.8 million cadres dispatched to work in villages, and rural Party officials. "They are devoted to their work and do an awesome job," Xi said, wishing them good health. "My heart goes out to the people living in hardship," he said, recollecting his visits to Sanhe Village in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Sanjianxi Village in Jinan City in Shandong Province, the Donghuayuan community in Fushun City in Liaoning Province, and Lianzhang Village in Qingyuan City in Guangdong Province. "I would like to wish all of you a prosperous and thriving New Year," Xi said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 21:58:53|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TEHRAN, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it hosted a delegation from the Taliban group to discuss peace process in Afghanistan. According to Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi met on Sunday with the Afghan Taliban representatives in the capital Tehran. The Afghan government had been informed about this meeting, Qasemi said at his weekly press conference. Iran has long borders with Afghanistan and peace in the neighboring country is important for the region, he added. On Wednesday, Iran confirmed its talks with the Taliban group to help relieve insecurity in Afghanistan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 21:58:53|Editor: mmm Video Player Close JAKARTA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Two Indonesian police were wounded in a shootout with suspected members of East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) terrorist organization in Central Sulawesi regency of Parigi Moutong, an Indonesian senior police officer said here on Monday. Indonesian Police Headquarters Spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo said the shootout occurred at around 08.00 a.m. local time earlier in the day in the regency's Salubanga village. "The shootout lasted for around 30 minutes. Police managed to hold the line and gave resistance by shooting back at their direction. The wounded police managed to be evacuated from the scene," Dedi said, adding that the wounded police now were treated in hospital. The wounded were part of a group of police who were shot from a mountain direction when they passed through the location to investigate a crime case related to MIT activities in the regency. Dedi suspected the shooters were remnant of MIT members who were still hiding in mountains in the regency, now led by Ali Kalora. Police had killed MIT leader Santoso in July 2016 through an operation to hunt members of MIT in Poso, a mountainous area in the province. The police's Tinombala Operation to hunt down MIT members was still in effect at present. MIT was responsible for series of terror activities and the killing against police in the province. Controversial godman Bomjans actions cannot remain overlooked for any longer Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 22:08:56|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close by Habtamu Liben and Wang Shoubao ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Rapprochement among Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia in 2018 has ignited hope of a new beginning as the Horn of Africa region welcomes the coming of 2019, shaking off two decades of armed standoff. Eritrea and Somalia, which have been blaming each other for supporting rebel and terrorist groups, reestablished diplomatic relations, marking a new start in bilateral ties. Positive developments between Ethiopia and Eritrea ended two decades of bitter armed standoff. The two neighbors fought a bloody border war in 1998-2000, killing an estimated 70,000 people from both sides. INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION In the latest indication of improved relations among the Horn of Africa countries, the United Nations Security Council last month lifted sanctions against Eritrea, which include an arms embargo and other targeted sanctions. The international community has welcomed the positive changes in one of Africa's most restive regions and vowed to provide more support for the region. The chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, in a statement last month, called for regional and international support as the Horn of Africa countries normalize their previously strained ties. He urged regional leaders to sustain the momentum by taking all steps required to deepen their cooperation, stressing that the recent rapprochement is conducive to the shared objective of peace and prosperity on the continent. "These developments are a major contribution to the African Union drive towards silencing the guns by 2020 and advancing continental integration in the context of Agenda 2063 flagship projects," Faki said, referring to the AU's 50-year continental development plan. UN Security Council Resolution 1907, which was passed in 2009, accused Eritrea of supporting al-Shabab terrorists in Somalia. In 2011 to 2013, the Security Council passed three more resolutions the imposed additional sanctions on Eritrea. The Ethiopian government, which had been a major proponent of stiffer sanctions against its former regional arch-rival Eritrea for the past two decades, was the first to congratulate Eritrea on ending the sanctions. "The lifting of sanctions will further enhance the collaborative gains that have been achieved in the region over the last few months," the Ethiopian Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. "It will have far-reaching effects in improving the stability of the Horn of Africa region and in building a lasting peace and normalization of relations among the countries in the region," the statement added. Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo, who welcomed the lifting of arms and other targeted embargoes on his country's former regional rival, said that the lifting of sanctions was a result of "our collective request." Describing the UN Security Council decision as a "helpful and timely intervention," Farmajo also reiterated that the Horn of Africa region is swiftly progressing toward "partnership and economic cooperation." Eritrea's Minister of Information Yemane Gebremeskel praised the contribution of regional neighbors to the lifting of the sanctions. "The government of Eritrea expresses its gratitude to all friends of Eritrea who added their moral weight, and contributed in different ways, to the lifting of the ignominious sanction," Gebremeskel said in a statement. Eritrean Permanent Representative to the UN Amanuel Giorgio said his country "is committed to working with all its neighbors." "The peace agreement between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and the tripartite agreement between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia, mark the beginning of a new dawn," he said. China's permanent representative to the UN, Ma Zhaoxu, called on the Security Council and the international community to provide assistance to the countries in the Horn of Africa. Ma said that the relations among countries in the Horn of Africa have been continually improving over the past few months and that the lifting of sanctions is conducive to the peace and development in the region. He also pledged that China will continue to work with the international community to play a constructive role in achieving peace, stability and development for the countries in the Horn of Africa. BOLD MOVES FROM REGIONAL LEADERS The process of regional rapprochement began on April 2 this year, when Ethiopia's newly elected Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed stressed his commitments to bringing about peaceful coexistence between Ethiopia and its former arch-rival Eritrea. "We are fully committed to reconcile with our Eritrean brothers and sisters and extended an invitation to the Eritrean government to start dialogue and establish rapport," Ahmed said in his inaugural speech before members of both houses of the Ethiopian parliament. Eritrea, once part of the Ethiopian federation before its independence in 1993, was quick to respond to Ethiopia's peace offer. Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki agreed to start dialogue with Ethiopia on the basis of previous peace agreements, which Ethiopia refused to implement for nearly 27 years. FAST FORWARD NORMALIZATION On Sept. 6, Ethiopia reopened its embassy in Asmara, the Eritrean capital, after the reopening of Eritrea's embassy on July 16 in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. As tensions eased, telecom services and direct flights between the two countries also resumed. On Sept. 16, Eritrea's Afwerki and Ethiopia's Ahmed signed a peace accord in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, reiterating their commitment to sustaining the historic peace agreement that ended two decades of armed standoff between the two east African neighbors. Just days ago, on Sept. 11, the two leaders celebrated the traditional New Year together, and withdrew soldiers from the two countries' border areas. ECONOMIC, INFRASTRUCTURE INTEGRATION Leaders of the two countries, in another bid to augment their growing ties, agreed to enhance bilateral trade through Eritrea's port city of Assab to Ethiopia's Addis Ababa. A decision to build a pipeline linking Addis Ababa and Assab was unveiled by the Ethiopian government and the United Arab Emirates, which would allow landlocked Ethiopia to export crude oil via the Eritrean port. Ethiopia started petroleum test extraction from the Regional Somali State in June. In September, the Ethiopian Roads Authority announced its plan to renovate the roadway connecting the two countries that has fallen into disuse for more than two decades. Habtamu Tilahun, who heads the Ethiopian Roads Authority, said efforts are underway to build roads to help Ethiopia utilize Eritrea's ports. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 22:08:57|Editor: ZX Video Player Close A residential building is seen partially destroyed after a gas explosion in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk, Russia, Dec.31, 2018. At least four people were killed and 35 others remained missing after a household gas explosion rocked a residential building in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk on Monday, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said. (Xinhua/Sputnik) MOSCOW, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and 35 others remained missing after a household gas explosion rocked a residential building in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk on Monday, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said. Five people have been hospitalized and 28 people who were previously reported missing were not at home when the tragedy happened. Search and rescue operations are under way at the 10-story building, which partially collapsed in the blast at around 6 a.m. local time (0100 GMT). Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Magnitogorsk and he is expected to meet local officials there. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 22:29:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia plans to commission six industrial parks, which are constructed by Chinese firms, before the end of July next year, an Ethiopian official said on Monday. Speaking to Xinhua, Lelise Neme, CEO of Ethiopia Industrial Park Development Corporation (IPDC), said Kilinto, Dire Dawa, Bole Lemi 2, Bahir Dar, Arerti and Debre Birhan industrial parks are expected to be commissioned before the end of the current 2018/19 fiscal year. Debre Birhan and Arerti industrial parks are being constructed by China Communications Construction Company, while Dire Dawa and Bahir Dar industrial parks are being constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation. Kilinto and Bole Lemi 2 industrial parks are currently being constructed by China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group and CGC Overseas Construction Group respectively. "Ethiopia has invested around 1.3 billion U.S. dollars in the construction of around a dozen industrial parks, which it sees as a key strategy of achieving Ethiopia's industrial ambitions," said Neme. "Ethiopia has so far built and commissioned five industrial parks and with the anticipated commissioning of six more industrial parks in 2018/19, Ethiopia's industrialization ambitions will receive a massive boost," Neme told Xinhua. "Our industrial parks are facing energy supply shortages. To solve this problem IPDC is conducting studies on ways industrial parks can generate their own energy," she said. Neme added Ethiopia is working to solve the logistics problems of firms, which have established factories in industrial parks. With Ethiopia attracting large-scale investment in the export-oriented manufacturing sector, especially from Chinese firms, the country sees improving the efficiency and speed of the logistics sector as key to meeting national manufacturing revenue goals. Ethiopia plans to increase the number of operational industrial parks from the current five to around 30 by 2025, as part of its efforts to make the country a light manufacturing hub and lower-middle-income economy in the same period. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 22:54:10|Editor: ZX Video Player Close LONDON, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May has been in contact with European Union (EU) leaders over Christmas holidays in her painstaking efforts to seek the reassurances she hopes will help her Brexit deal pass parliament in mid-January, Downing Street said on Monday. "She has been in contact with European counterparts over the break, and you can expect more of that to continue over the week," said the prime minister's spokeswoman. "I haven't got a list for you, but she has been in touch with European leaders, and that will continue in the lead-up to the vote," the spokeswoman added. The prime minister is currently battling to convince British lawmakers to accept the withdrawal agreement she negotiated with the EU, which is opposed by politicians across the political spectrum, including many within her own Conservative Party. The parliamentary vote is scheduled for the week of Jan. 14, with many members of parliament still fiercely opposing the so-called backstop arrangement aimed at preventing a post-Brexit hard border on the island of Ireland. However, with just less than 100 days to go until March 29 -- the scheduled day of the looming divorce -- no one really knows what the future holds if May can't win enough support for her plan from fellow members of parliament. Most British members of parliament deeply distrust May's Brexit plans, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, claimed in comments that are likely to take his relationship with the prime minister to new depths. Meanwhile, Juncker also accused the British public of being "entirely unreasonable" and told the British political class to "get their act together." He was rebuked by May earlier this month for describing her at a summit of EU leaders as "nebulous". Juncker, the former Luxembourg prime minister, said in a recent interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag: "I have the impression that the majority of British MPs deeply distrust both the EU and Mrs. May." "It is not us who are leaving the United Kingdom -- it is the United Kingdom that is leaving the European Union," he said. "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," he said. "My appeal is this: get your act together and then tell us what it is you want," he said. "Our proposed solutions have been on the table for months." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 23:19:14|Editor: yan Video Player Close ARUSHA, Tanzania, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen migrants, identified as from Ethiopia, had been found dead in eastern Tanzania's region of Morogoro, police said on Monday. Morogoro Regional Police Commander Wilbroad Mutafungwa said that the aliens were found dead in Mindu area, near Morogoro municipality, along the Tanzania-Zambia highway. He said that there were 26 illegal migrants on board a vehicle, but 14 of them had already died, and five are receiving medical treatment at the Morogoro Regional Hospital, while seven people were not affected. He said that the aliens were on their way to South Africa, through Malawi or Zambia, in search for "greener pastures". Mutafungwa said that the driver of the vehicle managed to escape. Acting Morogoro regional medical officer, Francis Semwene said the aliens died because of suffocation as the vehicle carrying them was too small to accommodate the 26 people. For her part, Regional Immigration officer Safina Mhindi said that it was not clear whether the bodies of the Ethiopians will be buried in Tanzania or to their home country. Tanzania is the main gateway for illegal immigrants particularly for those who are on the way to South Africa. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 23:19:14|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Israeli exports of services and commodities hit a record 111 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, Israel's Ministry of Economy and the Export Institute said Monday. The figure increased about 8 percent from 103 billion dollars in 2017, according to a preliminary ministry report. The government's target for 2020 is to reach 120 billion dollars. The rapid growth in exports of the Israeli service sector continued in 2018, up 14 percent to about 51 billion dollars, the report said. This increase stemmed mainly from the continued rapid growth of hi-tech services, a significant factor in the growth in exports this year. The exports of commodities, with a 3-percent increase to about 60 billion dollars in 2018, also contributed to the positive trend. Notably, the commodities exports to Asia in 2018 grew about 20 percent to about 10 billion dollars, while exports to the EU countries remained stable at about 16 billion dollars. Exports to the United States are expected to drop slightly to about 11 billion dollars. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 23:39:20|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech on the eve of the year 2019 in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping delivered a New Year speech Monday evening, calling on the whole nation to strive for "an unprecedented and great cause" in the year 2019, the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Chinese people, who are self-reliant, hardworking and enterprising, have created a China miracle recognized by the world, he said, vowing to rely on the people and push forward the cause step by step. FULFILLING 2018 "In 2018, we had a fulfilling and focused year," Xi said in the speech, summarizing the progress made in 2018, which saw the country's economy stay "within a reasonable range." The campaign to prevent and control pollution of air, water and soil went smoothly while the people's wellbeing and their living standards improved, he said. National strategies including the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the development of Yangtze Economic Belt, and the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area were steadily implemented. Xi also mentioned the achievements he witnessed during his inspection trips: the improved ecology along the Yangtze River, the agricultural harvest in northeast provinces, the reform and vitality in Shenzhen and Shanghai, as well as the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. China launched Chang'e-4 lunar probe, conducted sea trials of its second aircraft carrier, completed first water takeoff of its independently-developed large amphibious aircraft, and took solid steps in BeiDou Navigation Satellite System's global service, Xi noted in the speech. Around 10 million people in the country's rural areas were lifted out of poverty in 2018, said the president, recollecting his visits to villages in Sichuan, Shandong, Liaoning and Guangdong provinces. In the year marking the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening-up, China unveiled a systematic, comprehensive and restructuring reform of both Party and State institutions. More than 100 important reform measures were rolled out, he said. "China's reforms will never stop and its door will only open even wider." Zhang Ruimin, chief executive officer of China's Haier Group, said the company is determined to make its own contributions to making China a manufacturing power. "Just like President Xi said in his speech, we are all 'running at full speed toward the realization of our dreams,'" Zhang said. HOPEFUL, CHALLENGING 2019 Joint efforts are needed as China faces both opportunities and challenges in 2019, Xi noted. In the new year, Xi said, the policies to cut taxes and fees should be well implemented to ease the burden on enterprises. Sincere appreciation should be given to professionals in all areas while efforts be made to motivate responsible and competent grass-roots officials, he said. The goal of lifting 10 million rural residents above the poverty line should be fulfilled as planned, he said, adding that veterans should receive proper attention and care. Xi also extended gratitude to millions of hardworking people, such as deliverymen, sanitation workers and taxi drivers. "President Xi's New Year speech is very touching and inspiring," said Soinam Yangjen, a 35-year-old village official in Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China. With over 16 years of experience in poverty alleviation work, she said that through the speech she and her fellow villagers can see a brighter future, "a future that is created by us together." BETTER WORLD In 2018, China hosted diplomatic events including the annual Boao Forum for Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Qingdao summit, and the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. China put forward its proposals and made its voice heard, and enlarged its circle of friends in 2018, Xi said. In a world that is undergoing changes unseen in a century, China will remain confident and resolute in safeguarding its sovereignty and security, and maintain its sincerity and goodwill for safeguarding world peace and promoting common prosperity, he said. China will actively promote the joint construction of the Belt and Road, continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and work relentlessly for an even more prosperous and beautiful world, he said. "I think China is demonstrating a greater capacity to perform global leadership roles in an increasingly broad range of fields," said Lucio Blanco Pitlo, a lecturer from the Chinese Studies Program of Philippine Ateneo de Manila University. "I expect this trend to continue in the coming year." China's experience in the past 70 years also proves that every country, especially the developing ones, can carve their own development path based on their unique conditions, Pitlo said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 23:59:24|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- An article by Xi Jinping on dialectical materialism will be published on Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee. The article will appear in the first issue of the new version of the journal in 2019. The Party should be constantly nourished by the wisdom of Marxism philosophy and apply dialectical materialism and methodology in order to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, said the article by Xi, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission. He stressed adherence to formulating policies based on reality, proactively facing and resolving conflicts, enhancing skills to cope with complex situations and problems, and unceasingly promoting theoretical innovations. File Photo: U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren addresses the 2016 U.S. Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States, on July 25, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren announced on Monday that she has formed an exploratory committee, a major move toward a 2020 presidential run. In a four-and-a-half minute video, Warren of the U.S. state of Massachusetts touched upon topics likely to define her upcoming campaign, such as economic equality, government accountability and reining in big corporations. "Every person in America should be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules, and take care of themselves and the people they love," Warren said in the video. "That's the America I'm fighting for. And that's why today I'm launching an exploratory committee for president," she added. Warren, 69, has represented Massachusetts in the Senate since 2013. In November, the Democrat won re-election to the upper chamber for a second term. She is believed to be the most prominent Democrat yet to take formal action toward a presidential bid. In an email to supporters, Warren said she would more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019. U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently mocked Warren's claim that she has Native American heritage. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 00:04:25|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda speaks at a press conference in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Dec. 31, 2018. At a press conference in Dhaka Monday, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda ruled out the opposition alliance's demand for holding reelection and rejected the allegation of widespread irregularities in the country's parliament polls held on Sunday. (Xinhua) by Naim-Ul-Karim DHAKA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League-led Grand Alliance has won a landslide victory in Sunday's parliamentary polls, Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said on Monday. He said the results of some 298 constituencies out of 300 have been announced. The election in a constituency was withheld Sunday following violence in three centers. The election for another seat was rescheduled to be held on Jan. 27, 2019 due to the death of one candidate. According to the Election Commission, the Awami League-led ruling coalition won 288 seats, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led alliance "Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front)" garnered seven seats, while other parties got three seats. An Election Commission official said the commission will publish the final results of the elections within a day or two in a government gazette before the swearing-in of the newly-elected members of the parliament. According to the law, any party which wins majority seats in the parliamentary election will be qualified to form a government. Hasina, who is Bangladesh premier since 2009, is set to serve a record fourth term in office with her Awami League party gaining a stunning majority on its own in the parliament. Hasina's ruling party has won 259 out 298 seats followed by its key ally the former President HM Ershad's Jatiya Party with 20 seats. In the elections, as always Hasina's Awami League-led Grand Alliance locked horns with former Prime Minister Zia's BNP and its allies, which boycotted the 2014 elections. The BNP, a key ally of the major opposition alliance, which has seen worst results in the elections, alleged that ruling party men resorted to widespread irregularities, including forcing out of their polling agents, stuffing ballots, assaulting and intimidating their supporters. The Awami League brushed aside the allegations, saying the opposition alliance has been resorting to falsehood while sensing it would not be able to win the elections. Also at a press conference Monday in Dhaka, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda ruled out any scope of holding reelection and rejected the allegation of ballot stuffing on the night before Sunday's elections. He rather expressed his deep satisfaction over the vote, saying the voter turnout in the polls was 80 percent. Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 00:24:31|Editor: yan Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Nepal and China have seen significant development in their age-old friendly cooperation in wide-ranging areas during the past year. With the beginning of 2018, Nepal entered into the era of economic prosperity ending a protracted political transition. After coming to power in February, K.P. Sharma Oli-led new government adopted the principle of "amity with all, enmity with none" while handling its relations with foreign countries. The new government gave highest priority to its relationship with neighboring countries in its foreign policy. Nepal-China ties remained stable throughout the year as the two countries worked tirelessly to further deepen their bilateral cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, senior Nepali officials told Xinhua. Nepal's Foreign Secretary Bairagi told Xinhua on Sunday that Nepal attaches great importance to the Belt and Road Initiative. "We hope to enhance high-level exchanges between the two countries and carry out all-round friendly cooperation," he said. The two countries maintained exchange of high level visits in 2018. In June, Nepali Prime Minister Oli visited China and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. During their meeting, Xi said that China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Nepal in infrastructure connectivity, post-disaster reconstruction, trade and investment under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides signed a slew of bilateral agreements, including the MoU on Cooperation for Railway Connectivity under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, which was regarded as the most significant initiative in the history of their bilateral cooperation, as they believed that it would herald a new era of cross-border connectivity between the two neighbors. In the field of investment, the two countries have enhanced their cooperation. In September, a consortium of Nepal's five commercial banks approved a credit worth 16 billion Nepali Rupees (140.48 million U.S. dollars) to Hongshi Shivam Cement Private Limited, a Nepal-China joint venture company. It was one of the largest ever financings pledged by Nepali commercial banks to any industry or infrastructure project. Many China-assisted projects have been expedited in Nepal in 2018. Construction of two separate terminal buildings, one for international and another for domestic flights, had started at the China-assisted international airport in the western city of Pokhara in Nepal in August. In September, Nepal and China concluded the protocol of Nepal-China Transit Transport Agreement (TTA) enabling the Himalayan country a vital access to China's sea and land ports for trading with third countries. In 2018, the Nepalese Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army held second round of joint military training in southwest China Sichuan province, focusing on hostage rescue in combating international terrorist organizations. Nepal's Defence Minister Ishwar Pokhrel visited Beijing and held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe. After the talks, the Chinese minister announced to provide an assistance of 150 million RMB to Nepal over a period of five years for the purpose of humanitarian and disaster relief equipment. To boost their cooperation in energy sector, Nepal and China agreed to facilitate joint investment in the power sector during the first meeting of the Nepal-China Joint Implementation Mechanism held in September. In December, senior officials agreed to complete ongoing bilateral economic and development cooperation projects in a timely manner during the first meeting of Mechanism for Facilitation on the Implementation of China-Nepal Cooperation Programs and Projects in Nepal held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kathmandu. The 12th meeting of the Joint Consultation Mechanism between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and China held in Beijing, where the two sides underlined the need to further enhance bilateral relations through close and productive engagements in areas of mutual interest, including connectivity, infrastructure development, trade, investment and energy. Underlying the importance of generating a win-win situation for both countries, Nepal and China have been constructively engaged in finalizing the joint feasibility study on China-Nepal Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to senior Nepali officials. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 00:29:31|Editor: ZX Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The economic and trade relations between Nepal and China have seen continued growth in 2018 as China remained as the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), second largest source of the tourists and trading partner. While the FDI, tourism and trade have maintained upward momentum, Nepali experts said two agreements reached between the two sides in 2018 could have transformative effect on economic relations between the two neighbors in the long run. COOPERATION UNDER BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE The two countries agreed to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance connectivity in key areas including ports, roads, railways, aviation and communications within the prime framework of Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network during Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's visit to China in June 2018. The two countries had signed the MoU on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in May 2017. Another agreement reached between the two sides is the protocol of the Nepal-China Transit Transport Agreement (TTA) in September. The two countries concluded the protocol after the TTA was signed in March 2016, enabling Nepal a vital access to China's sea and land ports for trading with a third country. Land-locked Nepal had been fully dependent on India which surrounds Nepal for outside access. Senior economist Govinda Nepal told Xinhua on Monday that the MoU on Belt and Road Initiative has opened the door for large-scale Chinese investment in major infrastructure projects in Nepal. Due to limited resources within the country, Nepal has to rely on foreign countries to meet its resource gap in vital infrastructure projects. According to the economist who also worked as a senior economic adviser at the Nepal's Finance Ministry in 2016, the two countries have been talking to implement the large infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative in 2018 although concrete results are still awaited. "Nepal has not maintained the project bank of the projects which can be developed instantly and it is taking time to implement BRI. But, there has been advanced talks and negotiations on a number of large projects which could be developed under the BRI," he said. Proposed by China in 2013, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative aim to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa through the ancient trade routes of Silk Road. The Himalayan country is preparing a list of the projects which could be developed under the Belt and Road Initiative. Two of the projects proposed to be developed under the initiative are Nepal-China Cross Border Railway and Nepal-China Cross Border Transmission Line. In 2018, the Chinese side conducted pre-feasibility study report of a cross-border railway from Chinese border town of Kerung (Geelong) to Nepal's capital Kathmandu and the report was handed over to Nepali authorities during the recent meeting in Kathmandu in December. According to Nepali officials, two sides have agreed to pave the way for conducting the Detailed Project Report of proposed projects for the next meeting. Nepal also requested the Chinese side to conduct further studies on other two railways connecting Kathmandu and Pokhara, a western tourism city and Kathmandu and Lumbini, a southwestern town of Nepal. When it comes to cross-border transmission lines, the State Grid Corp., one of China's two major power grid operators, and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) signed in June a cooperation agreement on the China-Nepal electricity networking feasibility study. In addition, an energy minister-level meeting to implement the MoU on Energy Cooperation was held later in September in Kathmandu. During the meeting, the two sides discussed energy collaboration and the possibility of developing cross-border interconnection, among others. The establishment of enhanced connectivity between the two countries under the framework of Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity is also expected to help implement the Transit Transport Agreement reached between the two sides. Economist Bhoj Raj Poudel wrote in The Kathmandu Post, an English daily in Nepal, on Monday about the importance of the TTA. "Though symbolic as of now, this agreement was particularly instrumental in that it has given a sense of trade diversification by reducing our traditional dependence on India. Over time, the signing of the Trade and Transit agreement is bound to pave the path for broader engagement with China." CHINA LEADS IN FDI China has topped FDI commitments in Nepal for the past three years in a row. In the last fiscal year 2017-18 that concluded in mid-July, Nepal received FDI commitments of 399 million U.S. dollars from China, or 84 percent of the total FDI pledges in the country. Although FDI pledge from China is second after India during the first five months of the current fiscal year, it is still notable investment pledge, according to the Department of Industry (DoI), which registers industries. According to the DoI, Nepal received FDI commitment of 16 million dollars during the first five months of this fiscal. Two Chinese cement companies, Hongshi and Huaxin, have also entered Nepal, making the top two largest foreign investments in the cement sector. A Nepal-China joint venture company, Hongshi Shivam, has started producing cement in 2018 while Huaxin which signed Project Investment Agreement with Investment Board Nepal in June, is also working on establishing a factory. Suraj Vaidya, a Nepali joint venture partner of Huaxin, told Xinhua on Monday that large scale investment in cement sector from China suggested that Nepal has been attracting large Chinese investment. "Initially, Chinese investment came into small hotels and restaurants. Lately, we are seeing growing investment in larger industries related to power, manufacturing and hotels. We have to make further efforts to attract large investment from China," said Vaidya, who is also former president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the apex private sector body of Nepal. The Chinese firms have also started attracting financing from Nepali banks. For example, a consortium of five commercial banks approved 143 million dollars worth of credit to Hongshi Shivam Cement Private Limited in one of the largest investments to date in September. CHINA MAJOR SOURCE MARKET FOR TOURISM As of first 11 months of 2018, a total of 134,362 Chinese tourists visited Nepal, the second largest number after India as the Himalayan country saw arrivals of 1 million tourists in a year for the first time in history. The number of Chinese visitors jumped 43.46 percent compared to the same period in 2017. In 2017, Nepal had welcomed 104,664 Chinese tourists. Nepal will heavily rely on Chinese tourists as Nepal targets 2 million travelers in 2020 when it is organizing Visit Nepal Year-2020. According to Vaidya, who is also national program coordinator for the Visit Nepal Year, Nepal can make a huge stride in tourism sector if it can attract 1 percent of its tourists from China. "China and India are our major targets for promotional activities to attract more tourists targeting the Visit Nepal Year," he said. "We will organize road shows and many other events including media partnership in China." Meanwhile, the Neal-China trade has been growing over the years with bilateral trade reaching totaling 1.44 billion dollars in the last fiscal year 2017-18 that concluded in mid-July, according to Nepal's central bank. During the first four months of the current fiscal, bilateral trade has already reached 640 million dollars, the Nepal Rastra Bank said. But, Nepal recorded a trade deficit of 626 million dollars as of the first four months of this fiscal year. To promote trade balance, China has offered duty-free access to more than 8,000 Nepali goods but Nepal has failed to cash in on this opportunity due to lack of products for exports. Nepal has been basically exporting handicraft products including metal and woolen crafts, pashmina and silver jewelry among others. Nepali handicrafts manufacturers said although handicraft products are dominating exports to China, they are yet to make any sizable presence in China. "Considering the huge trade deficit and Nepali handicrafts products being the major export items to China, Nepal should seek duty free access for handicraft products too," said Subindra Bajracharya, assistant director at Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal, a group of handicraft manufacturers. With Nepal having limited products for exports, experts suggest that Nepal could focus on service trade to reduce the gap in trade. "We can focus on tourism to reduce the impact of trade deficit with China," said economist Nepal. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 00:39:35|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli population has reached 8.97 million by the end of 2018, up 2 percent from 2017, said an official report published on Monday. About 6.67 million are Jews (74.3 percent), while 1.88 million are Arabs (20.9 percent), according to the report by the Central Bureau of Statistics. The total population is expected to hit 9 million by February 2019, it added. In 2018, about 173,000 people were added to the Israeli population, with 81 percent due to natural increase and the rest from the balance of international migration. In addition, about 45,000 Israelis died and 7,000 had stayed abroad for more than a year. Notably, most of the 27,500 new Jewish immigrants, or about 21,100, came from Europe. The main countries from which Jewish immigrants arrived in 2018 were Russia (31.5 percent), Ukraine (21.8 percent), France (8 percent) and the United States (7.9 percent). Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 00:49:37|Editor: yan Video Player Close HONG KONG, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- "Five, four, three, two, one! Happy new year!" When the bell tolled midnight Monday, fireworks bloomed in various patterns and lit up the sky above the Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong to welcome the year of 2019. Mr. Lin, a fan of fireworks show on the new year's eve, usually watched TV to enjoy the beauty of fireworks above the Victoria Harbor. This year, he came to witness the grand celebration with his family for the first time. "I really want my daughter to have a close look at those marvelous fireworks," he said. Starting from 11 p.m., pyrotechnic "shooting stars" were emitted every 15 minutes from three buildings on Hong Kong Island, namely Harbor Center, Harcourt House and Cheung Kong Center. Visitors and citizens made wishes upon the shooting stars which came in four colors -- red, green, gold and silver, symbolizing love, happiness, wealth and good health respectively. When the bell tolled midnight, 10-minute pyromusical started above Victoria Harbor to attract the attention of spectators. Celestial Kaleidoscope, the award-winning fireworks by an Italian maker, highlighted the whole pyromusical. Fireworks sparkled in the night sky, with patterns changing from diamond to circle to half-moon, like an ever-changing kaleidoscope. During the grand finale, 45 various patterns of fireworks within one minute illuminated the Victoria Harbor. Peony, cherry blossom and violet turned the night sky into a mesmerizing ocean of flowers. Other patterns including candy, smiley face and heart also crackled, featured to bring hope and prosperity for Hong Kong. "Definitely we'll come back next year! It's amazing!" said Lin, cuddling with his family. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 00:49:37|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) on Monday said that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement is one of Africa's milestone trade policy that would serve as an imputes towards transforming Africa's future development. "The AfCFTA is one of the milestone trade policy developments in Africa which is expected to change the way Africa does trade and catalyze transformation in a way trade policy has not done before," the ECA said in a statement on Monday. Noting the vital significance of continental free trade agreement, ECA also urged its member countries to commit themselves through the inclusion of the major pillars of the agreement in their national policies, which the ECA stressed as "crucial for the successful implementation" of the AfCFTA. "Africa is set for massive transformation as more countries are expected to sign-up and ratify the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in 2019," ECA's statement quoted David Luke, African Trade Policy Center Coordinator at the ECA as saying. Luke, who recently led an ECA delegation to the Intra-African Trade Fair that was held in Cairo, Egypt, said "intra-African trade, free trade and investments catalyzed by the AfCFTA will without doubt transform the African continent." "Getting the AfCFTA right will depend on getting the level of ambition that we have as a continent," he added. Last week, an official at the African Union (AU) told Xinhua that encouraging progress has been gained in the implementation of the AfCFTA. As the regional body drives efforts toward realizing the AfCFTA, AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert M. Muchanga told Xinhua that major efforts are underway to achieve an integrated African market of about 1.2 billion people. A total of 49 of the AU's 55 member states have so far signed the AfCFTA agreement, and 13 countries have ratified it, while 12 others are in advanced stages of obtaining parliamentary approval for ratification, according to the AU. A minimum of 22 ratifications are required for the AfCFTA to come into force. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech on the eve of the year 2019 in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping delivered a New Year speech Monday evening, calling on the whole nation to strive for "an unprecedented and great cause" in the year 2019, the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Chinese people, who are self-reliant, hardworking and enterprising, have created a China miracle recognized by the world, he said, vowing to rely on the people and push forward the cause step by step. FULFILLING 2018 "In 2018, we had a fulfilling and focused year," Xi said in the speech, summarizing the progress made in 2018, which saw the country's economy stay "within a reasonable range." The campaign to prevent and control pollution of air, water and soil went smoothly while the people's wellbeing and their living standards improved, he said. National strategies including the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the development of Yangtze Economic Belt, and the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area were steadily implemented. Photo taken on June 6, 2017 shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in the Lingdingyang waters, south China. (Xinhua/Liang Xu) Xi also mentioned the achievements he witnessed during his inspection trips: the improved ecology along the Yangtze River, the agricultural harvest in northeast provinces, the reform and vitality in Shenzhen and Shanghai, as well as the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge. China launched Chang'e-4 lunar probe, conducted sea trials of its second aircraft carrier, completed first water takeoff of its independently-developed large amphibious aircraft, and took solid steps in BeiDou Navigation Satellite System's global service, Xi noted in the speech. China launches Chang'e-4 lunar probe in the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing) Around 10 million people in the country's rural areas were lifted out of poverty in 2018, said the president, recollecting his visits to villages in Sichuan, Shandong, Liaoning and Guangdong provinces. In the year marking the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening-up, China unveiled a systematic, comprehensive and restructuring reform of both Party and State institutions. More than 100 important reform measures were rolled out, he said. "China's reforms will never stop and its door will only open even wider." Zhang Ruimin, chief executive officer of China's Haier Group, said the company is determined to make its own contributions to making China a manufacturing power. "Just like President Xi said in his speech, we are all 'running at full speed toward the realization of our dreams,'" Zhang said. HOPEFUL, CHALLENGING 2019 Joint efforts are needed as China faces both opportunities and challenges in 2019, Xi noted. In the new year, Xi said, the policies to cut taxes and fees should be well implemented to ease the burden on enterprises. Sincere appreciation should be given to professionals in all areas while efforts be made to motivate responsible and competent grass-roots officials, he said. The goal of lifting 10 million rural residents above the poverty line should be fulfilled as planned, he said, adding that veterans should receive proper attention and care. Xi also extended gratitude to millions of hardworking people, such as deliverymen, sanitation workers and taxi drivers. "President Xi's New Year speech is very touching and inspiring," said Soinam Yangjen, a 35-year-old village official in Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China. With over 16 years of experience in poverty alleviation work, she said that through the speech she and her fellow villagers can see a brighter future, "a future that is created by us together." Farmers of the Miao ethnic group show harvested purple glutinous rice in Dali Village of Liangzhai Township in Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) BETTER WORLD In 2018, China hosted diplomatic events including the annual Boao Forum for Asia, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Qingdao summit, and the Beijing summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. China put forward its proposals and made its voice heard, and enlarged its circle of friends in 2018, Xi said. Photo taken on Oct. 21, 2018 shows the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the main venue of the First China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Ding Ting) In a world that is undergoing changes unseen in a century, China will remain confident and resolute in safeguarding its sovereignty and security, and maintain its sincerity and goodwill for safeguarding world peace and promoting common prosperity, he said. China will actively promote the joint construction of the Belt and Road, continue to promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, and work relentlessly for an even more prosperous and beautiful world, he said. "I think China is demonstrating a greater capacity to perform global leadership roles in an increasingly broad range of fields," said Lucio Blanco Pitlo, a lecturer from the Chinese Studies Program of Philippine Ateneo de Manila University. "I expect this trend to continue in the coming year." China's experience in the past 70 years also proves that every country, especially the developing ones, can carve their own development path based on their unique conditions, Pitlo said. Enditem (By Xinhua writers Li Zhihui, Fu Shuangqi, Wang Aihua, Zhai Xiang, Xu Bing, Zhang Xudong, Bai Shaobo, Yuan Mengchen, Ai Fumei, Chen Aiping) Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 01:24:44|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JAKARTA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed as landslides buried 34 houses in Indonesia's West Java province, a senior official in the western province said on Monday night. Head of community police officer in Bogor district Agus Priyo who coordinated with disaster officials in Sukabumi district over the rescue efforts said the houses were fully buried by sliding soil in Sinaresmi village. "All the houses are totally buried by the soil and the real casualties have not been fully confirmed as the assessment of number of the victims temporarily terminated as night fell," he told Xinhua over phone. Priyo said electricity and telecommunication in the village were cut off. Poor road and heavy downpour also hampered the rescue efforts. Heavy rains were blamed for the disaster which hit at 17:00 p.m. Jakarta time, according to the officer. "So far, a total of six corpses of the eight killed villagers have been pulled out from the debris," Priyo said. The officer said the risk assessment of the landslides, particularly the number of death toll, injured persons and missing villagers, will be resumed on Tuesday. Indonesia has been frequently stricken by landslides and flash floods during heavy rains. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 01:44:49|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Overseas Chinese said the New Year speech delivered by President Xi Jinping on Monday encouraged them to contribute to the exchanges between China and other countries. China will continue to push ahead with the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Xi said in his speech. Touching upon this, He Liqin, editor-in-chief at Singapore's Chinese media "Singapore Eye," said China's exchanges with other parts of the world get increasingly frequent and close. She added that she and her colleagues are making an effort to promote cultural exchanges between China and Singapore, so as to contribute to building the Belt and Road. Xu Jinli, who is now working in Russia, represents the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. As next year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, "we, in the front line of economic and trade cooperation with Russia, will work hard to lift China-Russia economic and trade cooperation to a new level," Xu said. Zu Lijun, Chinese director of the Business Confucius Institute in Athens, Greece (BCI Athens), was impressed by Xi's pledge in the speech that China will continue to advocate for the development of a community with a shared future for mankind and work tirelessly for a more prosperous and beautiful world. BCI Athens will continue to promote cultural communication so as to make contribution to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Zu said. File Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump (L) meets with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. (Xinhua/Lehtikuva/Heikki Saukkomaa) WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department said on Monday that it has been notified of the detention of an American citizen by Russia, whom Moscow had accused of spying. "We are aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen by Russian authorities," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement, adding that it has been "formally notified of the detention" by Russian Foreign Ministry. The spokesperson also noted that the United States has requested consular access and expected "Russian authorities to provide it." The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said Monday that it detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan for spying three days ago. The suspect was caught when he was "conducting a spy action" on Friday in the Russian capital, the FSB said in a statement, without giving more details. The agency has initiated a criminal case against Whelan. The detention came after Russian citizen Maria Butina pleaded guilty in a Washington court on Dec. 13 to one conspiracy charge, admitting that she acted as an unregistered foreign agent to advance Moscow's interests. Artist's impression of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft encountering 2014 MU69, a Kuiper Belt object that orbits one billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) beyond Pluto, on Jan. 1, 2019. (Credits: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI/Steve Gribben) LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will flyby the Kuiper Belt object Ultima Thule on New Year's Day of 2019, making the farthest flyby in history. The New Horizons is scheduled to flyby the object at 12:33 a.m. EST on Jan. 1. The spacecraft will pass within 2,200 miles of the surface of the object at a velocity of some 31,500 miles per hour, providing the first close-up look at such a pristine building block of the solar system, according to NASA. "The New Horizons team reports the spacecraft is healthy and on track for the historic flyby of #UltimaThule just after midnight tonight!" the team tweeted earlier Monday. Ultima Thule, at 4 billion miles from the sun and and 1 billion miles from Pluto, will be the most distant object ever directly explored, according to NASA. When the spacecraft arrives, it will turn a suite of instruments onto the mysterious object, and many of its mysteries will be unveiled. It is the second historic rendezvous for New Horizons, which zipped by Pluto in July 2015 on the first-ever flyby of that world. Tika R Pradhan is a senior political correspondent for the Post, covering politics, parliament, judiciary and social affairs. Pradhan joined the Post in 2016 after working at The Himalayan Times for more than a decade. Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-01 06:35:41|Editor: ZX Video Player Close YAOUNDE, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon President Paul Biya said Monday evening that armed separatists in the two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest will be "neutralized" if they do not drop their weapons and "follow the right track." "If my appeal to warmongers to lay down their weapons remains unheeded, the defence and security forces will be instructed to neutralize them," Biya warned during his traditional end-of-year address to the nation. The Cameroonian security forces regularly use the word "neutralize" to refer to "kill." In order to avoid the use of "extreme measures," a commission to disarm and reintegrate ex-combatants of armed groups in the regions willing to drop their arms has been created, Biya said. "I wish to emphasize that this initiative provides a dignified way out for ex-combatants and prospects for social reintegration, and should pave the way for a return to calm and normalcy," he said. "Furthermore, I intend to continue the dialogue initiated with people of goodwill to bring about lasting peace," Biya added. According to the president, greater autonomy will be accorded to local communities and the promotion of bilingualism and multiculturalism will be "fast-tracked" as part of the measures to end the war in the troubled regions. Fighting between government forces and armed separatist groups has been going on since November 2017 after the separatists declared the independence of a nation called "Ambazonia" in the two English-speaking regions of Northwest and Southwest. According to the United Nations, more than 430,000 Cameroonians have been displaced internally and at least 30,000 others have fled to neighboring Nigeria. Amestecul care arde grasimea de pe abdomen in 4 nopti: Repede, sanatos si fara urme Grasimea de pe abdomen este inestetica si iti pune sanatatea in pericol. Ea isi face aparitia atunci cand duci un stil de viata sedentar si nu ai o alimentatie sanatoasa, echilibrata. Din pacatetot mai multe persoane se [citeste mai departe] Chandan Kumar Mandal is the environment and migration reporter for The Kathmandu Post, covering labour migration and governance, as well as climate change, natural disasters, and wildlife. New Delhi: Navigating through tail winds and air pockets, the country's aviation space recorded high passenger growth, battled oil shocks as well as survived mid-air scares in 2018. In the new year, the government would focus on making flying "as good as possible", according to Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu. From spiralling costs and cut-throat competition pushing airlines into the red to government initiatives aimed at boosting the fast-growing sector, a mixed baggage greeted the stakeholders this year. India remained the world's fastest growing domestic aviation market with 51 straight months of doubled-digit traffic growth but the woes of passengers as well as carriers manifested in myriad forms. While the country's largest airline IndiGo faced brickbats, including from a Parliamentary panel, 25-year-old Jet Airways and national carrier Air India continued to grapple with financial woes. "We will try to make air travel as good as possible. We are working on many issues related to that," Prabhu said when asked about priorities for next year. Apart from existing initiatives, the Civil Aviation Ministry is to unveil an integrated cargo policy as well as Vision 2040 document for the aviation sector next year. Despite high passenger growth, domestic airlines remained financially vulnerable as surge in oil prices, rupee depreciation and inability to raise fares amid intense competition crimped their earnings. In the three months ended September, all the listed carriers -- IndiGo, Jet Airways and SpiceJet -- were in the red. On the safety front, India retained the highest rating in the audit done by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and improved its score in the audit carried out by UN aviation watchdog ICAO. However, Pratt & Whitney (P&W) engine problems continued with A320 neo planes operated by IndiGo and GoAir, which even resulted in incidents of mid-air engine shutdowns. An incident involving Jet Airways flight where 30-odd passengers suffering nose bleeding due to a sudden drop in cabin pressure also raised safety concerns while a private plane crash at Ghatkopar in Mumbai this year killed five people, including one bystander. Disinvesment-bound helicopter services provider Pawan Hans saw a major accident in its history when the chopper carrying seven persons crashed into the sea off Mumbai coast. Though many new routes and unserved airports came into the aviation map with the ambitious regional connectivity scheme UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik), the trajectory seems bumpy, with at least three carriers -- Air Odisha, Air Deccan and Zoom Air -- suspending services due to their own troubles. After the strategic sale of ailing Air India failed to attract any bidders, the government is charting out new strategies and is continuing with fund infusion. Transfer of non-core debt and assets to a special purpose vehicle, differentiated business strategies for each of the core businesses and roping in professionals for top management positions through global search are among the revival proposals on the anvil. Bogged down by financial problems, Jet Airways continues to face turbulent times and its staff are getting deferred salary payments apart from overall rise in operational costs. The airline, which has significant overseas presence, is looking at various options to raise funds. IndiGo grabbed headlines for bad as well as good episodes. Apart from P&W engine woes, the airline saw the departure of its long standing chief executive Aditya Ghosh in May apparently over differences with one of its promoters. On the flipside, IndiGo became the only carrier to have 200 aircraft in the fleet with the induction of an A320 neo in early December. It also took delivery of A321 neo plane. Becoming the sixth domestic airline to start international operations, GoAir commenced services to Thailand and Maldives. The carrier saw ex-EasyJet executive Cornelis Vrieswijk joining as its chief executive. SpiceJet operated the first bio-fuel-based test flight with a Bombardier Q400 plane from Dehradun to the national capital. Next Generation Airports in Bharat (NABH) Nirman to prepare for one billion passenger trips and DigiYatra that seeks to provide hassle free travel with the option of biometric identification for passengers are among the initiatives being rolled out. In flight wi-fi connectivity would soon be a reality, enabling passengers to use Internet while flying in the Indian airspace and registration for flying drones have commenced. According to Prabhu, domestic and international passenger numbers are forecast to have almost double-digit growth in the coming years. "With such robust growth, India's current aircraft fleet is likely to double over the next few years," he said in a communication. Around 600 aircraft are flying in the Indian skies. The total number of operational airports rose to 100 with the aerodrome at Pakyong in Sikkim. NEW DELHI: BJP national president Amit Shah on Monday alleged that the Gandhi family had a "time-tested and deep" friendship with arrested British national Christian James Michel, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case. The BJP chief also sought to know why Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi, an apparent reference to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, to his lawyer. In national interest, Michels lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs. Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep. Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 31, 2018 "Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his Lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs Gandhi herself? Why?" Shah asked on Twitter referring to a slip being passed by Michel to his lawyer Aljo Joseph in the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody which referred to a set of questions related to "Mrs Gandhi". Remarks from Shah came after the ED brought in the name of 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'big man R', an apparent reference to Sonia Gandhi and her son and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, in a special court when it got a seven-day extension of custody of Michel. "Michel's lawyer has admitted that the paper was indeed passed on to him. He thought that it was a list of medicines, which could have been transparently given in any case. We have heard of Zandu Balm and Tiger Balm but what is this 'Family Balm' that every middleman wants," Shah said in a series of tweets. Michels lawyer has admitted that the paper was indeed passed on to him. He thought that it was a list of medicines, which could have been transparently given in any case. We have heard of Zandu Balm and Tiger Balm but what is this Family Balm that every middleman wants? Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 31, 2018 He also attacked the Congress for "temporarily" suspending its party leader Aljo Joseph, who is representing Michel in the court. "In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michel's lawyer. The so-called expulsion remains a sham. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi," he said. In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michels lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a SHAM. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs. Gandhi! Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 31, 2018 "In national interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep," he added. Meanwhile, attacking the Congress party over the issue, UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath said that the main opposition party and the Gandhi should apologise to the nation for keeping it in the dark about its relationship with Michel, the alleged middleman in theVVIP chopper scam case. New Delhi: Mehbooba Mufti on Monday launched a scathing attack on former J&K alliance partner BJP over the Triple Talaq Bill. She said that instead of offering a reprieve to Muslim women, the bill would adversely affect domestic life. The Centre has been looking to push the Triple Talaq Bill in Parliament by calling it a humane move even as the opposition remains determined to block its passage. Mufti too joined the chorus against the bill and questioned its practical implications. "By bringing the Triple Talaq Bill, they (BJP) are entering our houses. This will disturb our family life and also, there would be more problems for women and men economically," she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. "I have gone through a broken marriage and I feel that women face the biggest challenge economically after her marriage is broken." Mufti, who was the CM of J&K till her PDP and BJP were in alliance, also raked up the issue of reservation for Muslims. "When we talk about reservations for Muslims, BJP rejects it on religious lines. But when it comes to this kind of law, then they run to Parliament." In the face of such criticisms and accusations, the government has maintained that its intentions are noble and they only want to help Muslim women in distress. Law minister RS Prasad had told Parliament last week that it is incorrect to play politics in the matter and that if more than 20 Islamic countries could ban triple talaq, a secular India ought to as well. The ruckus in Parliament over the Triple Talaq Bill, though, forced Rajya Sabha to be adjourned till January 2. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), with whose support that Congress has formed governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, has issued a threat for the grand old party. Mayawatis party has released a statement demanding that the newly-formed Congress-led governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan must withdraw the cases filed during Bharat Bandh held on April 2, 2018. The BSP has demanded that cases filed under SC/ST Act 1989 against those who participated in the Bharat Bandh must be withdrawn. We demand that cases filed during the Bharat band held on 2 April 2018 for SC/ST Act 1989 in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh be withdrawn. If these demands are not met, we'll reconsider our decision to give outside support to Congress, read the statement released by the BSP. On April 2, several Dalit outfits had called a nation-wide protest alleging that the Supreme Court had diluted the SC/ST Act. At least 10 people had died while several others got injured during the Bharat Bandh protests. The top court had, however, refused to review its order, saying that those agitating on the streets might not have even read the judgement. The Central government maintained that they were fully committed to protecting the interests of the backward communities. On March 20, the top court had ruled that government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens, too, should be arrested only after an inquiry under the law. The fresh demand of the BSP may trigger trouble for the Congress party, which fell marginally short of securing majority in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan as the results of the Assembly elections were declared on December 11. The BSP came to the rescue of the Congress party by extending their support. The BSP said that the party had decided to support the Congress as it wanted to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) out of power. Gurungs celebrate Tamu Lhosar The Gurung community marked Tamu Lhosar on Sunday as they welcomed their New Year. Foreign tourists can now directly fly to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as the government has designated Port Blair airport as an authorised immigration check post for entry into and exit point from India. The decision to open up the Andaman and Nicobar Islands directly for foreign tourists came after it was found to be the most sought-after tourist destination in the country receiving an average four lakh tourists, including several thousand foreigners, annually. "....The central government hereby designates Port Blair airport of Union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as an authorised immigration check post for entry into/exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers," a Home Ministry notification said. The Superintendent of Police (CID) of the Island has been designated as the "civil authority" for the immigration check post at Port Blair airport with effect from Monday. According to data available with the Home Ministry, more than 16 lakh tourists visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands between 2015 and October this year to enjoy the natural beauty, beaches, flora and fauna and historically-significant landmarks in around 38 inhabited islands out of the 572 islets. The archipelago has received 4,02,393 tourists, including 11,818 foreigners, till October 2018, while it received 4,87,229 tourists, including 15,310 foreigners, in 2017. In 2016, as many as 4,00,019 tourists, including 15,467 foreigners, had visited the Andaman, and in 2015, a total of 3,11,358 tourists, including 14,674 foreigners, had gone to the union territory, the data revealed. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory and comes under the administrative control of the Home Ministry. The island was under global spotlight recently after the killing of a 27-year-old American national by members of a highly protected tribe, Sentinelese, in prohibited North Sentinel Island in November. The archipelago has been inhabited for several thousand years, at the very least. The earlier archaeological evidence so far documented goes back some 2,200 years. However, indications from genetic, cultural and linguistic isolation studies point to habitation going back 30,000-60,000 years, well into the Middle Palaeolithic period, according to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands tourism Department. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday announced renaming of three islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as a tribute to freedom fighter 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. The Indian Army informed on Monday that an attempt by Pakistan to target its forward post in J&K's Naugam sector a day earlier was successfully foiled. According to the army, Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) attempted to target the forward post with the intruders moving under the cover of thick jungles in the area. Pakistani posts provided heavy covering fire to the BAT team using high-calibre weapons but the nefarious plans from across the LoC was detected and negated using heavy counterfire. The intruders - believed to be Pakistani soldiers - were shot dead and the Indian Army said it will request for the mortal remains to be taken back. "The intruders were wearing combat dresses like Pakistani regulars and were carrying stores with Pakistani markings. Some were also seen in BSF and old pattern IA dresses. From the recovery, it was estimated that they intended to carry out a gruesome attack on the Indian Army." The Indian Army also said that a post-operation search was launched. "Our troops had conducted prolonged search operations in thick jungles and difficult terrain conditions to ascertain the situation, which had confirmed elimination of two likely Pakistani soldiers and resulted in the recovery of a large cache of warlike stores." The BAT has been active in not just targetting Indian posts but extending support to terrorists from terror launchpads in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The Indian Army has, time and again, blunted their attempts and remains alert against any possible infiltration bids from across the LoC. Update: Zee News' Krishna Mohan Mishra reports that some of the intruders managed to escape back to PoK by taking advantage of Pakistani firing and adverse weather conditions that reduced visibility. New Delhi: The contentious Triple Talaq Bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims is set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, even as the main opposition party Congress has said that 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. Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Upper House. Follow the live updates: * Rajya Sabha adjourned till January 2, 2019, after uproar over Triple Talaq Bill * After uproar, Rajya Sabha adjourned till January 2. * This is such an important bill which can positively or negatively affect the lives of crores of people can't be passed just like this without going to a select committee: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Leader of Opposition * All Opposition parties unanimously have decided that this bill must be sent to the select committee: Derek O Brien, TMC * The party has already made our stand clear: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha * Whatever judgement SC has given, we agree with that. The bill should be passed, but there are certain defects in the bill which should be removed. We want that the Bill should be passed as early as possible, but after corrections: Prasanna Acharya, BJD * I've gone through a broken marriage and I feel that women face the biggest challenge economically after her marriage is broken. When we talk about reservations for Muslims, BJP rejects it on religious lines. But when it comes to this kind of law, then they run to Parliament: Mehbooba Mufti * By bringing Triple Talaq Bill, they (BJP) are entering our houses. This will disturb our family life and also, there'll be more problems for women and men economically: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti * Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm after uproar by Opposition over different issues. * Meeting underway in Parliament, chaired by PM Narendra Modi. Party President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun and Home Minister Rajnath Singh present in the meeting. * I appeal to them (TDP RS MPs) to obstruct the harassment of Muslims. All opposition parties should fight unitedly against the anti-Muslim attitude of BJP. The govt forcibly imposing Triple Talaq act is a danger for secularism and national integrity: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu * Meeting of opposition parties underway in Rajya Sabha LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament Meeting of opposition parties underway in Rajya Sabha LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament #WinterSession pic.twitter.com/gyjpmDG8Ea ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 * Meeting of opposition parties begins in Rajya Sabha LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament * TMC moves a motion for reference of The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2018 (Triple Talaq Bill), as passed by Lok Sabha, to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha. * Triple Talaq Bill that makes practice of instant divorce among Muslims criminal offence with provision of three-year jail term for erring husband, is set to be tabled in Rajya Sabha by Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. Amid a walkout by some Opposition parties, the bill was passed in Lok Sabha with the support of 245 votes against 11 on Thursday. In a bid to woo farmers ahead of new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a yearly financial aid worth Rs 5,000 per acre for all the peasant family in the state. Banerjee also announced a life insurance coverage worth Rs 2 lakh for each of the states farmers within the age group of 18-60 years under a state-sponsored scheme, Krishak Bondhu, from 2019. "Bengal has a vast stretch of agricultural land. We have 72 lakh families who earn their livelihood through farming. Our government will provide a financial aid of Rs 5,000 per acre to each of these families every year in two instalments. This includes both farmers and agricultural labourers," Banerjee told reporters here. "All the farmers within the age group of 18 to 60 years will be provided life insurance coverage of Rs 2 lakh by the state government. In case of their death, be it natural or unnatural, the families would be provided the money," she announced. New Delhi: It is that time of the year again when people gather to bid farewell to the year gone by and welcome the new year with open arms. Out on the streets though, there are - once again - certain dos and dont's that will have to be adhered to strictly for personal safety and the safety of others. Traffic cops in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata - among others - are expected to be out in full force on Monday night to ensure that unfotunate incidents are kept to a minimum. Here is what you need to know: Delhi: News agency PTI reports that 15,000 cops would be on duty on Monday night to ensure the safety of all. Special picket teams include PCR and women personnel would be at key locations across the city. The traffic police department has warned against drunk driving and have promised a 'no tolerance' approach towards the guilty. The fire department too has been put on high alert. News agency ANI reports that movement of vehicles on major roads towards the Connaught Place and in the inner-outer circle would be restricted after 8 pm on Monday. As per an advisory no vehicle shall be allowed to proceed towards Connaught Place after 8 pm on Monday beyond Mandi House, Bengali Market, north foot of Ranjit Singh Flyover , Minto Road - Deen Dayal Upadhaya Marg crossing, Chelmsford Road near Munje Chowk (New Delhi Railway Station), R.K. Ashram Marg-Chitragupta Marg Crossing , Gole Market , G.P.O, Patel Chowk , Kasturba Gandhi Road - Ferozshah Road Crossing, Jai Singh Road-Bangla Sahib Lane and Windsor place. In addition to it, no vehicular traffic shall be allowed in the inner, middle or outer circle of Connaught Place. DMRC has informed that exit of passengers from the Rajiv Chowk Metro station will not be permitted from 9 PM onwards on the New Year`s Eve on 31st December 2018.However, passengers will be allowed to enter the Rajiv Chowk Metro station after 9 PM for boarding the trains. Mumbai: There are traffic restrictions that would be put into place in the Maxium City as well. Mumbai Police has informed that the north-bound NS Road and south-bound Shivaji Road towards Gateway of India would be closed for all vehicles from 8pm on Monday till 6am on Tuesday. People have been advised to take alternate roads through Vinay K. Shah Marg, Rajani Patel Marg, INOX, Vidhan Bhavan Junction , Free Press Circle, Mantralaya Junction, Godrej Junction, KC College Junction, Churchgate, MK Roat, GST Bhavan, Saifee Hospital, Opera House, Wilson College, Bandstand, Captain Prakash Pethe Marg, Bhadwar Park, Lalit Building and Churchgate Station. Mumbai traffic police is also expected to be out in full force to ensure drunk driving offenders are punished. Bengaluru: News agency IANS reports that 10,000 police personnel would be deployed across the city on Monday night. 80 platoons of reserve police force and 250 women cops would be on duty in the central business district (CBD) between Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Vehicles won't be allowed on Brigade Road, a stretch of M.G. Road, Church Street, Lavelle Road, Richmond Road and Museum Road between 9pm on Monday and 6am on Tuesday. Parking in a 1km radius of CBD is also prohibited during these times. Four drone cameras and four LCD display systems on giant screens and 15 watch towers will monitor the revellers in the CBD area and track down mischief mongers. Kolkata: Heavy traffic police deployment is expected in the city from Monday evening onwards with patrolling in areas like Park Street, Rashbehari and Hazra. Mumbai: 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 an 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. Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was convicted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, on Monday surrendered before the Karkardooma court in Delhi. This comes even as the former Congress leader moved the Supreme Court challenging the life imprisonment awarded to him by the Delhi High Court earlier this month. After he surrendered before the court, Sajjan Kumar's lawyer said, "Court has sent him to Mandoli jail. Court has also ordered that a separate van would be provided for his movement due to security reasons." Sajjan Kumar was convicted and sentenced to life by the Delhi High Court on December 17 in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Raj Nagar area. The case relates to killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II during that period. The High Court also rejected the former Congress leader's plea seeking extension of time till January 30 to surrender for serving his punishment. The Delhi High Court had overturned his acquittal by the trial court and held that the violence was a "crime against humanity" engineered by politicians with assistance from police. The HC convicted him and five others saying that the "criminals" had escaped prosecution and punishment for over two decades. "This court is of the view that the mass killings of Sikhs in Delhi and elsewhere in November 1984 were in fact 'crimes against humanity'. They will continue to shock the collective conscience of society for a long time to come," a bench of Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Vinod Goel had said. A day after his conviction, Sajjan Kumar had resigned from the primary membership of the Congress party. He wrote to Congress president Rahul Gandhi submitting his resignation. "I tender my resignation with immediate effect from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress in the wake of the judgement of the hon'ble high court of Delhi against me," he had said in the letter to Rahul Gandhi. Former Union defence minister AK Antony on Monday said that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any deals or defence procurement, including AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. Defending the previous UPA government over the deal, Antony pointed he only had ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the AgustaWestland deal. As former Defence Minister, during my time the procurement of AgustaWestland took place. I would like to say, categorically, that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in deals and procurement, said the veteran Congress leader. AgustaWestland was selected after evaluation by team of officials, he added. The moment report came from Italy that there is corruption in this case, I only ordered CBI enquiry, not this government. Then our government took an unusual decision to fight this case in Italy against AgustaWestland. Ultimately, we won the case, the former defence minister further said. According to Antony, the former UPA government initiated a prob whenever media reports talked about corruption in any deal. He also questioned the track record of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government with regard to deals and corruption charges. Whenever media reported about corruption in a deal, we initiated an inquiry. We took decision to blacklist five to six powerful companies, including one American, Russian and Singapore company. That was our track record, but what is the track record of the present government? said the Congress leader. This comes two days after the Enforcement Directorate revealed that alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case Christian Michel had named 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'son of the Italian lady' during questioning, triggering a war of words between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP alleged that the former Congress-led government compromised with national security. "The revelations by ED show that there is son of Italian lady, big man and R involved. It points to a family. Congress government was a govt of corruption that compromised with national security," Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said. The Congress, however, alleged that there was pressure on Michel to name a family. Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Congress spokesperson RPN Singh said: "There is pressure on Michel to name a particular family, why is the chowkidaar trying to pressurise the government agencies to name a family? BJP scriptwriters are working over time." (With ANI inputs) New Delhi: The government has appointed Sudhir Bhargava as new Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) along with four new Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission which had been functioning with just three of them as against a sanctioned strength of 11, including the Chief Information Commissioner. Highly placed sources said Bhargava, who is Information Commissioner in the CIC, has been appointed as new chief of the panel. 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. India as a country, in terms of expanse and population, is huge. With a population of over 1.2 billion, 39% are children, which is around 470 million. Children are not just our future, but our present too, and we need to work collectively to ensure that their rights are protected. Was 2018 a game-changer for Indias children? While some decisions taken by the Centre have been a step towards the right direction, events in which child rights have been violated have slowed down the growth process. Certain cases like Kathua, Unnao and the Bihar shelter homes incident depict the grim severity of the situation, and the urgency for us to step up as citizens to take a definitive action against these incidents. Shelter Homes and The Trafficking of Persons Bill One of the monumental decisions taken by the Parliament was the passing of The Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill 2018 by the Lok Sabha in the July session. It proposes a punishment ranging from 10 years of rigorous imprisonment to life term and a fine of not less than Rs 1 lakh for people caught in carrying out trafficking activities. It aims to create institutional mechanisms at the district, state and central level to curb trafficking.Hundreds of children go missing in India every year and are sold for labour or sexual exploitation. The bill has provisions to provide rehabilitation, skill development and education to the victims. As the Parliament winter session is ongoing, over 12,000 trafficking survivors from 14 states have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the passage of the Trafficking bill in the Rajya Sabha. Women and Child development minister Maneka Gandhi also expressed hope for the passage of the crucial trafficking bill. The Deoria shelter home incident was another case that gained limelight. A shelter home in Deoria, Uttar Pradesh, run by Girija Tripathi was found to be engaging in illegal activities. The girls in the shelter home were subjected to physical, sexual and mental abuse. Tripathi used her clout with influential local politicians and bureaucrats to run the home and get away with these barbaric acts. 24 girls aged 5-15 were rescued from being trafficked, but 18 are still missing. The Kathua Rape Case Shook the Nation The year started on a shocking note. In January 2018, 8-year-old Asifa Bano was abducted, drugged with sedatives, brutally raped and murdered in Kathua, Jammu & Kashmir. A week after she went missing, her body was found by villagers of the neighbouring village. The Kathua rape case was just one of the many. After the incident, the Parliament took a stand and passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018. The amendment calls for death punishment for rapists who have raped girls below the age of 12. If the girl is under 16, the minimum punishment will be 20 years to life imprisonment; a change from the previous 10 year sentence. In case of gangrape of a girl below 12 years of age, the accused will be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. The bill also mandates that the investigation and trial must be completed within two months and dismissed. Children and Health United Nations Child Mortality Report released this year stated that there were 1.14 million children deaths in India every year. This means 3 infants die every minute. Most of the children die before they turn 5 due to curable and preventable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria and birth complications.The number of deaths was the lowest India has had in 5 years but is still the highest in the world. This September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. This scheme is supposedly the worlds largest health care scheme. It will provide 10 crore poor households a reimbursement of upto Rs.5 lakh for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation charges of the entire family. This year 17 crore children were given polio drops catering to a healthy childhood. Children in Schools Twelve million children are yet to be enrolled in schools.The dropout rate is fairly high either due to affordability or some other social issue. Girls are married off at a young age and forced to quit schools. 1 in every 3 child brides in the world is a girl in India. The National Social Assistance programme has allocated Rs. 9975 crore by the government this year. The budget plans to treat education holistically. The emphasis is on improving education by giving proper training to teachers. A merger of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan is in the pipeline. This joint scheme envisions to ensure inclusive and equitable education from nursery to the senior secondary stage. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that the country is looking to spend Rs 1 trillion to revitalize the infrastructure of higher educational institutions. The Gender Divide According to the Lancet Global Health Journal released in May 2018, around 2,39,000 girls under the age of 5 die each year in India due to gender discrimination. Once the girl is born, negligence in her upbringing leads to illnesses. 32% of the girls enrolled in schools drop out. This is because of family constraints, insufficient funds and lack of sanitation facilities during their menstruation cycle. Therefore, the percentage of literate women and girls is less in comparison to men. The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme started by the Government in 2015 aims to improve the efficiency of implementation of welfare schemes for women. Through the government campaigns people have started realizing that gender doesn't define capability. This programme has increased the intake of girls in schools but it still has a long way to go. 2018 has seen a number of child rights violation cases, but also seen steps to resolve them and prevent such events in future. We, as responsible citizens, need to question and observe the life children are leading and do our bit to save their childhood. A small step towards the right direction can go a long way in making India safe for children. Silvy Kalra is a communications professional and a women and child rights activist. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) Hearing postponed after officials refuse to work beyond 4pm In a rare incident in parliamentary practice, the business of a House committee was deferred on Sunday after officials at the Parliament-Secretariat refused to work beyond their office time. Tokyo: The Tokyo District Court said on Monday it has extended the detention of ousted Nissan Motor Co chairman Carlos Ghosn by 10 days until Jan. 11. Ghosn, accused of aggravated breach of trust, is facing allegations of making the car maker shoulder 1.85 billion yen ($16.8 million) in personal investment losses. The latest extension will see Ghosn remain in Tokyo`s main detention centre, where he has been confined since his first arrest on Nov. 19 on allegations of financial misconduct. Since then, he has been re-arrested twice over the latest allegations and on claims that he underreported his Nissan salary for a prolonged period. He denies the allegations. Calls to the office of Ghosn`s lawyer, Motonari Otsuru, were not answered on Monday, an unofficial holiday in Japan. A Nissan spokesman said the car maker was not in a position to comment on the latest development in the case. "The company`s own investigation is ongoing, and its scope continues to broaden," the spokesman said. The decision to extend Ghosn`s time in detention comes a day before his 10-day detention period for the latest allegation was set to expire on Tuesday, and follows the release of former Nissan executive Greg Kelly on bail last week after a court ruled against extending his detention while he awaits trial. Both Ghosn and Kelly were initially arrested in late November and have been charged with underreporting Ghosn`s salary at Nissan over a five-year period from 2010. Both deny the charges. Nissan`s board in November fired Ghosn as chairman and Kelly as representative director, although both men technically still remain board members who can only be removed by shareholders. Ghosn`s arrest has rocked the auto industry and strained Nissan`s ties with French automaking partner Renault SA, where Ghosn still remains chairman and CEO. Ghosn served as CEO of Nissan for more than a decade through 2017 and concurrently held the chairman position at Renault, Nissan and partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp until his arrest. The three automakers are linked by a complicated share-holding structure under which Renault holds a 43.4 percent stake in Nissan, and Nissan holds a 15 percent stake in Renault, with no voting rights. Nissan holds a 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi Motors. Since Ghosn`s arrest, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa has called for changes to weaken the clout of controlling shareholder Renault. Ghosn`s arrest has also put Japan`s criminal justice system under international scrutiny and sparked criticism for some of its practices, including keeping suspects in detention for long periods and prohibiting defence lawyers from being present during interrogations, which can last eight hours a day. Ghosn is being held in the spartan Tokyo Detention Centre, a tower-like structure in the eastern part of Tokyo, over New Year in addition to Christmas. The detention centre, with its many rules and restrictions, makes for a stark contrast with his comfortable, globe-trotting lifestyle. NASIK: A court in Maharashtra's Nashik on Monday acquitted Abdul Karim Telgi and other accused in the multi-crore stamp paper scam case. Telgi, who was convicted in connection with several cases and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment in total, died in Bengaluru in October last year while still serving his jail term. Charges against Telgi, considered to be the kingpin behind the multi-crore fake stamp scam spread over several states, were abated after his death last year. #UPDATE Charges against Telgi were abated after he died and others were acquitted today. https://t.co/bPCe5VYtkx ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 Son of a railway employee and a former travel agent, Telgi was accused of running the fake stamp scam for a decade until his arrest in 2001 by Karnataka Police. Booked in multiple cases across 11 states, Telgi had reportedly developed a nexus with government officers while running the scam, and the names of several top police officials and politicians had cropped up during the investigations. Telgi printed fake stamp papers allegedly in connivance with officials and politicians and sold them to bulk purchasers such as banks, stock brokerage firms, and insurance companies. The racket allegedly operated in at least 18 states through 350 agents in 70 cities. Shillong: Indian Navy divers Monday again entered the flooded mine in Meghalaya, where 15 miners are trapped, and said the search would be feasible only after the water level inside the shaft is reduced to a safe diving limit of 30 metres. On the 18th day of the operation, the Navy divers stayed inside the shaft for three hours with a hi-tech gadget, Under Water Remotely Operated Vehicle (UWROV), and found visibility to be very poor only one foot, operation spokesperson R Susngi said. "The Indian Navy suggested that the administration dewater using pumps to reduce the water level inside the mine shaft till about 30 metres (98 feet) or within safe diving limit before they commence diving," Susngi said. According to the Navy, all precautions are being taken to ensure that divers do not suffer from decompression sickness, which is usually experienced in a compressed environment as that of the mine in Lumthari village. Fifteen miners are trapped inside a 370-foot-deep illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district since December 13 after water from a nearby river gushed in, puncturing the mine wall. The depth of water from the surface till the bottom of the pit is expected to be over 150 feet, Navy officials said. Six divers from the Navy and the NDRF went down the shaft of the mine Sunday and spent around two hours to trace the miners but could not detect anything. However, Susngi said, during their three-hour stay inside the shaft on Monday, the divers found some wooden structures and a horizontal hole, commonly termed as "rat hole", with coal at its mouth. The site is being cleared for the Odisha Fire Service to start pumping water from the main shaft, he said. At least 10 high-powered pumps from the Odisha Fire Service, along with 21 personnel, have reached the spot Sunday. There are at least 80-90 other abandoned mine shafts that are full of water near the affected mine. Ace mining mishap expert Jaswant Singh Gill suspected that the mines in the area are inter-connected and the theory was also agreed to by locals. A submersible pump from the Coal India Limited (CIL), which was expected to reach the mine by Sunday night, is yet to arrive till last reports came in. Ksan: Indian Navy divers on Monday found wooden structure, coal and a rat-hole inside the 370-feet flooded coal mine with the help of an underwater remotely-operated vehicle (UROV) machine where 15 miners are trapped for the last 19 days in this remote Meghalaya village. "Two divers dived beneath the surface of the coal mine with UROV and found that there are some wooden structure, coal lying beneath and one rat-hole with coal at its mouth after spending three hours inside the flooded mine," said a spokesperson for the rescue operations, R Susngi. He said none of the trapped miners were located inside the coal mine. Susngi said that visibility was very poor. "The Navy divers said that if the level of the water could be drained out further, the search for the trapped miners will be feasible," the spokesperson said. "At present, the site is cleared for the Odisha firefighters to start draining out the water from the main shaft where the miners are trapped. The firefighters are setting the high-capacity 100 horsepower pumps in nearby abandoned mines to enable to operate the pumps," Susngi said. More than 200 rescuers, including 14 members of the Indian Navy, 72 NDRF rescuers, 21 Odisha firefighters, 35 Coal India Ltd officials besides a team of Meghalaya-owned State Disaster Response Force are deployed to carry out the rescue operations. The General Manager of Coal India Ltd (Northeastern Coalfields), J.A. Borah, said one of the eight submersible pumps that drain out 500 gallons of water per minute had reached the area. "Two more pumps will be reaching the site and another two tomorrow along with the auxiliary pipes and other materials which are not available in Jaintia Hills or Shillong," Borah said. Mining expert and award-winning rescuer Jaswant Singh Gill lamented on the lack of coordination between the state government and rescue agencies. "The rescue operations are very slow because of lack of coordination from the state and central agencies. In this kind of an emergency situation, we expect they should work like a machine and synchronized like a machine," Gill said. Gill, who shot to fame after he successfully rescued 64 miners from a flooded quarry in West Bengal in 1989, hoped that the trapped miners could be "rescued alive". In Meghalaya's capital Shillong, women Congress workers staged a protest at the Meghalaya Congress headquarters against the Conrad Sangma-led government for the "slow process" in rescuing the trapped miners. "The government woke up only after Congress President Rahul Gandhi lamented on the slow progress of the rescue operation," state Congress women's President Joplin Scott Shylla said. "The NDRF demanded high-capacity pumps for three or four days after the pumps which were used in draining out became ineffective. What took so long for them to get those high-capacity pumps," she said. The accident inside the illegal coal pit on December 13 was of significance, especially because the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in the state from April 17, 2014. Chief Minster Conrad Sangma had promised that "appropriate action will be taken at appropriate time against the people who are involved in the illegal mining and this is not acceptable to us". New Delhi: Popular messaging platform WhatsApp will withdraw support from certain platforms from January 1. WhatsApp has said that it will not work on `Nokia S40` after December 31. Also, Android OS version 2.3.7 and older; iOS 7 and older will also stop functioning after February 1, 2020. Phones that run on iOS 7 include iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S. A google statistics had indicated that as of September 2018, only 0.3% of all Android devices accessing Google Play run Gingerbread. Hence phones older than 5 years are most unlikely to run on this OS. WhatsApp had earlier written in a blog, "These platforms don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future. If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer OS version, or to a newer Android running OS 4.0+, iPhone running iOS 7+, or Windows Phone 8.1+ so that you can continue using WhatsApp." "Once you have one of these devices, simply install WhatsApp and verify your phone number on the new device. Keep in mind that WhatsApp can only be activated with one phone number on one device at a time," it added. The following platforms are no longer supported: Android versions older than 2.3.3 Windows Phone 7 iPhone 3GS/iOS 6 Nokia Symbian S60 WhatsApp currently provides support for and recommend using the following devices: Android running OS 4.0+ iPhone running iOS 8+ Windows Phone 8.1+ JioPhone JioPhone 2 WhatsApp said that there is currently no option to transfer your chat history between platforms. However, it will provide the option to send your chat history attached to an email. New Delhi: As end is near for the year 2018, bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor penned a heartfelt note on Instagram thanking the year gone by. The actor thanked his family, friends, fans and the media for the various roles they played in his life and promised to be more 'active & interactive' in the upcoming year. Check out his post here: Arjun wrote, Rolling my sleeves up & looking straight at you 2019 !!! 2018 is done and here we go 2019... thank you for teaching me so much 2018 I will never be the same again... the highs & lows the good & the bad it all taught me one thing life is more about living in the present being happy grateful & enjoying what I have worked so hard for... my family has been so amazing they give me strength, my friends as always have stood by me no mater what, the media has been gracious & understanding & my fans have given me the strength needed to fall 7 times & get up 8 because thats life. Promise to be more active & interactive with all of you in the coming year...enjoy the holidays wish u a happy new year everyone be safe & be happy... - @rohanshrestha Arjun has been in limelight recently owing to his alleged relationship with Malaika Arora. The two are often spotted together and their social media banters tell us there is more than what meets the eye. In the meantime, adding another spark to the gossip, Malaika was on Sunday evening papped while she was making an entry at her rumoured beau's place. The actress was wearing a black sweatshirt and had her hair tied into a messy bun. She was sans any makeup and was captured sitting inside her car. The duo, who continues to not speak anything about their relationship, has been making public appearances together at several events lately. A month back, the 'Tevar' actor appeared on 'Koffee with Karan' with his sister Janhvi Kapoor and he didn't shy away from admitting that he is not single. Arjun also opened up about how he wasn't initially ready for settling down but is now open to marriage. New Delhi: Dismissing reports of Kader Khan's demise, his son Sarfaraz has said that the actor is admitted to a hospital in Canada. "It is all a lie. It (is) just a rumour. My father is in the hospital," Sarfaraz told PTI. The 81-year old actor was put on BiPAP ventilator after he developed breathing issues Earlier, Spotboye reported that the actor, who has been residing with his son Sarfaraz and daughter-in-law Shahista in Canada, is suffering from breathing issues. His deteriorating condition reportedly forced doctors to put him on a BiPAP ventilator instead of a normal one. The report also states that the veteran actor is unable to talk and is currently showing symptoms of pneumonia. Despite having a team of doctors who are dedicatedly working on his health, Kader's health remained delicate, the report stated. His son Sarfaraz had told Spotboye that his father underwent knee surgery and was advised to walk after the surgery but he couldn't do so because of his ill health. "The surgery did not go wrong. It was just that my father refused to get up after the surgery. We were told that he has to make an effort and try to start walking from the next day. He just didn't do that and..." He said. Kader Khan is known for his roles in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Lucky, Fun2shh, Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, Akhiyon Se Goli Maare, Joru Ka Ghulam, Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Anari No. 1, Aa Ab Laut Chalen, Aunty No. 1, Benarasi Babu, Judaai and Judwaa among others. Kolkata: 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. AMRITSAR: The ruling Congress swept the panchayat polls, which were held on Sunday in over 13000 villages in Punjab, while the main opposition party Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alleged that elections were rigged. Congratulating the winners, Punjab Congress said in a tweet, ''We congratulate the newly elected Panchayat Members & Sarpanchs on their victory & wish them a successful term! We urge the Panchayat representatives to initiate transformative changes in villages & make a positive difference in society during their terms.'' We congratulate the newly elected Panchayat Members & Sarpanchs on their victory & wish them a successful term! We urge the Panchayat representatives to initiate transformative changes in villages & make a positive difference in society during their terms. #PunjabPanchayatPolls Punjab Congress (@INCPunjab) December 30, 2018 Voting for panchayat elections was held in 13,276 panchayats on Sunday that saw a heavy turnout of 80%. Bathinda and Fazilka recorded 86% polling, Mohali 84%, Pathankot 82%, Patiala and Sangrur 81%, Moga 78%, Fatehgarh Sahib 77% and Muktsar 77%. Soon after the voting concluded, the counting of votes was taken up and the results were declared till late in the night. Minor clashes and incidents of firing and booth capturing were also reported at over a dozen places. Tension prevailed in some villages in Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur and other districts. Incidents of firing between warring groups were also reported from some places. 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. Congress party is now afraid to face people. They know they have done nothing. Thats why party indulged in large scale violence and rigging in panchayat elections today. Black day for democracy. Elections hijacked! Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) December 30, 2018 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 the 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 results started pouring in the evening on Sunday, 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. Congratulations to the winners of #PunjabPanchayatPolls A strong assertion of democracy at the grassroots. I call upon the newly elected Sarpanches & Panchayat members to work out a long-term vision to usher in positive change in their villages. pic.twitter.com/rLHpMxOknb Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) December 30, 2018 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, according to the state election commission. Ahead of the polls, 4,363 "sarpanch" and 46,754 "panch" were already declared elected unopposed. New Delhi: Veteran Kannada actor and stage artist CH Lokanath passed away after a brief illness on Sunday night in Bengaluru. His mortal remains have been kept in Bengaluru's Ravindra Kalakshetra where his fans will pay their last respects between 12 and 2.30 pm. He is survived by four daughters and a son. Affectionately called 'Uncle Lokanath' or 'Uppinakayi' within the Kannada film industry, Loknath made in acting debut in 'Samskara' which was directed by Girish Karnad in 1960. The film won a national award. He was in the Kannada film industry for nearly six decades and acted in over 650 movies and more than 1,000 plays. His famous movies are 'Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu', 'Minchina Ota', 'Nagarahaavu', 'Nodi Swami Navidru Heege', 'Katha Sangama' and 'Kittu Puttu'. He had also acted in several episodes of popular television series 'Malgudi Days'. He had the same look in all his films throughout the career. Minister for Women and Child Welfare and former actor, Dr Jayamala took to Twitter to express his grief on the death of the veteran actor. She tweeetd, "The news of veteran actor Loknath's death has caused me immense pain. His contribution to Kannada cinema and theatre is immeasurable. My god rest his soul in peace." Jerusalem: 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. 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. In yet another bizarre justification for constructing a wall on the US-Mexico border, Donald Trump recently tweeted about a wall that the Obamas have built around their mansion in Washington. "US needs the same thing, slightly larger version," he wrote. Trump has been advocating the construction of a wall all along the southern border with Mexico to check on illegal immigrants and smugglers. It formed a large part of what he promised during campaigning before the US presidential elections where he had faced off against Hillary Clinton. Despite almost a year since taking oath as the US President, Trump has not moved forward with his promise - barring on Twitter. He does face opposition for his idea, also because there is no funding plan outlined. Nonetheless, he remains adamant on its need - at least on social media. "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 on Sunday (US time). 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! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2018 Local media channels quickly picked up the tweet and reported that the Obamas indeed had a wall surrounding their recently-purchased house in Kalorama section of Washington. Many, however, quoted strategy experts as saying there is no link - or logic - in connecting a boundary wall around a residential property and a wall along an international border for which Trump wants $5 billion. The Democrats have agreed to $1.6 billion for overall border security and it is this that has led to a partial government shutdown in the US. Dhaka: 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. Moscow: 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. 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 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." 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 defence 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. 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. Open source President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin extended special measures for the transit of goods that are transported from Ukraine to Kazakhstan through Russia until July 1, 2019. The corresponding decree is published on the official Internet portal of legal information of the Russian Federation. Putin extended the decree "On measures to ensure economic security and the national interests of Russia in the implementation of international transit of goods from Ukraine to Kazakhstan through the territory of the Russian Federation." The document establishes that goods from Ukraine can be imported only through a certain checkpoint, which is located on the border between Belarus and Russia. Cargo must be identified using seals, including those based on global navigation satellite system (GLONASS) technology. It is connected with the U.S. forces withdrawal Open source Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel called on President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan for restraint in Syria, reports AP. Angela Merkel expressed the expectation that Turkey would react with restraint and responsibility to the announced withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, reads the message. Related: Russian MFA responds to request of Merkel and Macron on release of Ukrainian sailors During the telephone call, the leaders of the two countries stressed the necessity of the political process led by the UN for ending the conflict in Syria. A statement from the chancellors office said the Islamic State group has been pushed back but remains a significant danger. On December 19, the U.S. President Donald Trump stated the U.S. forces are to leave Syria. He explained that the Islamic State was defeated and the U.S. completed its mission in Syria. Related: Trump did not order to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan, - White House On December 20, Trump claimed that the United States Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis is retiring in late February. In his letter of resignation, Mattis said that he left due to disagreements with Donald Trump, and also because of the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from Syria. Americal officials claim that the withdrawal of more than 2,000 troops will take from 60 to 100 days. Most of the U.S. military bases in Syria are located in the north, in the areas controlled by Kurdish militia who actively cooperated with the United States in the fight against the Islamists. Related: France and Germany call on Russia to release Ukrainian sailors Turkey considers the Kurdish paramilitary forces in Syria their enemies and prepares an operation against them by bringing the military equipment to the border. Invasion of the Turks may start when America leaves. The United States of America started the military operation against the Islamic State in Iraq in June 2014, and in Syria in September 2014. The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill called upon the Most Holy Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew to abandon the intention to provide a tomos about the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. He wrote about this in a letter published by the press service of the Russian Orthodox Church. "I spoke with you alone and with a few witnesses about the plans of the Church of Constantinople to legalize a split in Ukraine. Now, when these plans are largely implemented, perhaps Ill appeal to you in front of the whole Orthodox Church for the last time. ... Now step back from communicating with the schismatics, refuse to participate in the political gamble of their legalization. And then the true Orthodox Church of Ukraine, headed by the most blissful Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine, Onufry will bless you, and history will preserve the memory of you among those holy hierarchs of the Constantinople throne who, in the most difficult political conditions, managed not to drop the dignity of the church and preserve its unity, wrote Patriarch Kirill. Officers of Russian Federal Security Service Open source The U.S. citizen Paul Whelan was arrested in Moscow on suspicion of spying, citing Russias Federal Security Service, Interfax reported. The service reported that the American was detained during holding espionage action. The investigation department of the Federal Security Service of Russia initiated a criminal case against a US citizen under article 276 (espionage) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, reads the message. At the same time, they didnt specify details. As we reported, A group of people suspected in the espionage in the interests of Russia was detained in Lithuania; ex-chairman of the Socialist Peoples Front and ex-vice mayor of Vilnius Algidras Paletskis, who is under arrest since October, is among them. The second suspect is ex-chairman of the pro-Soviet organization Yedinstvo (Unity, - 112.international), citizen of Russia Valery Ivanov. The names of other detainees were not announced. Besides, Slovakia expelled one of the Russian diplomats. The military intelligence defined that the Russian conducted espionage against Bratislava and NATO member states. According to the Chancellor, Kyiv has to be interested in progress and elections Staged lift of sanctions against Russia has to be connected to the resolution process of the situation in eastern Ukraine, Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurz said this in his interview to Rheinische Post. Yet being a minister of foreign affairs, I believed that it is necessary to link the phased lifting of sanctions with positive steps in Ukraine in a concrete manner, this was proposed by then German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. So, the first step would be to establish a real ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, the Chancellor said. Kurz believes that in the past few months there has been too little progress in establishing a truce. Related: Ukraine imposes sanctions against archaeologists for illegal excavations in Crimea Earlier it was reported that the reason for the EU decision to continue sanctions against Russia for another six months was zero progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements. These restrictive measures were first introduced on July 31, 2014, for a period of one year in response to Russia's actions to destabilize the situation in Ukraine. They were reinforced in September 2014. On March 19, 2015, the European Council linked the duration of the sanctions with the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. The measures relate to the financial, energy and defense sectors, as well as dual-use goods. British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said he is working on plans to build two new military bases in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. It is reported by Telegraph. These plans are part of an effort to make Britain a real global player, increasing the country's role in the international arena after it leaves the European Union. We need to clearly explain that Britain is again a global nation, said Williamson. The minister predicts that after Britains withdrawal from the EU "the political focus will shift quite dramatically" and Britain should deepen relations with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Caribbean, as well as African countries. Janakpur rail project nears completion About 90 percent construction work of the Janakpur-Jayanagar broad-gauge railway line has been completed, according to engineers working in the project. The issue is about the violation of the rights for freedom and medical service by Russia Ukraine gathers the information on the violation of the ECHR decision by Russia on the provision of the treatment to the Ukrainian sailors and provision of all rights and freedoms to them, according to the European Convention on Human Rights. Ivan Lishchyna, the ECHE Commissioner made such statement as RBK-Ukraine reported. He reminded that the ECHR partially granted the appeal of Ukraine due to the attack of Russia at the Ukrainian sailors. The court only partially granted it as the decision of the European Court does not fully oblige to release the sailors, but it was granted in this part: it obliged Russia to provide them the medical treatment. Now we are working to gather the proper information and file it to the ECHR in the part, where as we think, Russia violates its commitment, Lishchyna said. The issue is about the violations of the rights for freedom and medical service by Russia. The treatment concerned the previous events; it should be done right now. Generally, we gather the information on the general violations of the human rights against the sailors. Particularly, the rights for personal freedom (Article 5 of the European Convention), conditions of the remand (Article 3). The issue will be about the treatment, it will be one of the moments. Moskalkova (Russias ombudswoman, - 112.international) reports that they provide the treatment and we have another information. Not everyone is provided and with not proper one. Generally, as we file the appeal, we will inform about all violation, which will be pointed out (at the interstate statement, - 112.internaitonal), he added. 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. On December 26, Crimean Supreme Court left all Ukrainian sailors under arrest. Related video: Afghanistan has become the country with the highest risk for the journalists in 2018 Open source 94 journalists and media workers were killed while on duty in the world in 2018 and it is more for 12 persons than in 2017 as DW reported citing the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The most dangerous country for the journalists in Afghanistan, were 16 media representatives were killed; 11 people became victims in Mexico, 9 in Yemen and 8 in Syria. According to IFJ, 4 journalists were killed in Europe, particularly, France, Bulgaria, Turkey and Slovakia. The representatives of the federation state that the number of victims shows the situation with the safety level for the journalists in the world. The IFJ reported that 2,500 journalists have been killed since 1990. Iraq turned out to be the most dangerous country as 300 media workers were killed there. Earlier the Reporters Without Borders stated that at least 80 journalists all over the world died due to the professional activity up to December 1, 2018. 348 workers of the mass media are imprisoned now and 60 journalists are hostages. Afghanistan is considered the most dangerous place for the mass media representatives. Besides, far-right opponents of the March in support of transgender people in Kyiv attacked Canadian journalist Michael Colborne. Special attention will be paid to prevent the import of weapons, explosives and terrorist means The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has reinforced security measures for New Year and Christmas holidays, reports the press office of the Service. The law enforcers will be checking the citizens from the migration list, in particular, their documents. Special attention will be paid to prevent the import of weapons, explosives, radioactive substances and terror means. Related: Head of Crimean Tatar Mejlis urges citizens of peninsula to celebrate New Year at Kyiv time More personnel were involved in the checking so that people dont stay in long queues. It is noted that a lot of cars and people were at the border the previous weekends. During the last two days, the border officers passed almost half a million people. 260,000 people and 80,000 were headed to Ukraine. The Interpol base detected 24 invalid and fake documents. The officers detained 35 people for the illegal border crossing and prevented eight attempts of smuggling of goods. Meanwhile, 53,000 people and 8,000 cars have been passed through the boundary line in the Joint Forces Operation zone. Related: Police to work in enhanced regime during New Year, Christmas holidays All entry-exit checkpoints at the Autonomous Republic of Crimea border and the boundary line in JFO zone will work in normal mode for New Year and Christmas holidays. Restrictive measures can be implemented only in case of escalation of situation or threat to life, reads the message of the border service. The State Border Guard Service calls people to process documents in the right way during the crossing the state border. PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) My disappeared father Families who lost relatives during the Maoist conflict are still seeking truth and justice NAST to work with local units The Nepal Academy of Science and Technology has extended partnership with the local level. Up, up, and away Reflection is vital on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Ward chairman missing for past two weeks An elected peoples representative from Malarani Rural Municipality-2, Arghakhanchi, has reportedly been missing for the past two weeks. 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 By Ritah Kemigisa. The King of Tooro Kingdom His Royal Majesty Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has called for peaceful and responsible celebrations as people usher in the New Year. He made the appeal while meeting Muslims at the kabarole Main Mosque. He said responsible celebrations will help to avoid crime and other evil acts. He meanwhile commended the Muslim community for maintaining good morals through dressing properly and helping the needy in society. On Behalf of the Uganda Muslim Supreme council Sheikh Bashir Kayondo, he thanked the king for always engaging with his servants and wished him a new year. The Head of State said he respects Brazilians' decision to pick a right-wing president and that Peru's foreign policy is to have good relations with neighboring countries, independent of their ideological position. "We have to get along well with Brazil, a neighbor of ours with which we share the longest border. We need an adequate foreign policy. To that end, we will head to that country and respect the population's decision to opt for a right-wing ideological orientation," he told RPP radio and TV news station. According to the statesman, Peru aims to maintain good relations with Brazil, as well as with other countries like Mexico, whose population elected left-wing Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as president. Vizcarra recalled that he attended Lopez Obrador's inauguration ceremony in Mexico because Peru wants good relations with that country. "We must respect Mexicans and Brazilians' decision . Besides, we need to maintain good relations with the two nations," he affirmed. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on January 1, 2019, in Brasilia. According to a Supreme Resolution published in El Peruano official gazette the Peruvian leader will be outside the Inca country from December 31 to January 1. About Bolsonaro Bolsonaro defeated his leftist opponent Fernando Haddad on October 7. Former Army captain Bolsonaro was elected President of Brazil, promising a fundamental change in direction for his country. (END) SMA/RMB Loading... Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra on Monday announced that he will attend the inauguration of Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro with the aim of maintaining good relations with the neighboring country.Publicado: 31/12/2018 AHORA Presidente @MartinVizcarraC se encuentra en Brasil, para participar manana en la toma de mando del presidente Jair Bolsonaro. pic.twitter.com/GbigHJ3Vg1 Life on the Streets Homeless in Ann Arbor by Karen Crauder Snyder From the December, 2018 issue I'm an Ann Arbor transplant, and I hail from "enemy" territory: I moved here six years ago from Columbus to join my partner, a U-M professor emeritus. I was involved with the homeless community there as a professional researcher for a community coalition and as a volunteer providing hot meals in an inner-city church. One Sunday, I brought my camera to the church and offered to photograph anyone who wanted, promising to bring them prints, envelopes and stamps the next week so they could mail them to family and friends. Most did, and were delighted with the results. In Ann Arbor, volunteering at Ten Thousand Villages on Main St., I noticed the homeless people who hang out in that area. I wondered who they were and how they lived, and decided to ask them if they'd talk to me for an article. Some people were hesitant to be interviewed and photographed, but most were not. After all, how threatening can an older woman who walks with a slight limp be? George George refuses to use the system created to help homeless people in Ann Arbor. I met this a good-looking, slim, sixty-three-year-old African American veteran seated on a bench in Liberty Plaza. He said he'd been "kicked out by a woman who is into material things and not love. Because I paid off my fine to keep myself out of jail, she threw me out into the street." George was irate. He felt the world in general and the woman in particular was unfair to him. He said he did a lot for her--washed dishes, rubbed her diabetic legs, whatever she wanted. But, he says, when he got his monthly payment from the government a few days ago, he sent half of it to support his seventeen-year-old daughter in Virginia, and he took the other half to the courthouse to pay the fine so he wouldn't go to jail for a misdemeanor--and when his woman learned this, she ...continued below... blew up. She was especially angry that his daughter didn't have his last name. And she kept shouting at him, "Are you selling your body to someone?"So he was on the street, with no money, no food, no place to stay--just a heavy coat, one black roller bag, and a pack of cigarettes. He slept at the Baptist church nearby the past night and didn't know where he'd sleep tonight. He was starving, he said, and needed $20 or $30 for food plus at least $40 for a room.I said he should go to the Delonis Center, where others had told me the food was free, good, and plentiful. He said he'd been there in the past but would never go again. "I deserve better!" he said emphatically. From other things he said, I suspected he may have been evicted from there as well.He said that two men on the plaza had robbed him, but he stabbed one of them. He talked of past employment, including being in theater and working at the Beer Depot and Gandy Dancer as a dishwasher and cook. Health problems prevented him from working now, he said; he'd been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at U of M, St. Joe's, and the VA.George tended to toss in all the references he could think of: he said he went to Community High and Huron and graduated from U of M. During his monologue, he asked me for money time and again, saying God had sent me to the plaza to help him. I told him I was a nonbeliever, but that didn't faze him at all.He said he'd experienced prejudice in Ann Arbor, when people would say to him, "Those people--you people. That always means, 'nigger,'" he said. "I ain't nobody's nigger no more." He showed me a picture of his daughter, a light-skinned teenager. "She's half white, but the nigger runs deep," he said with pride.He said he had six children altogether. "Two in prison in Colorado, ready to get out. I sent them money. My youngest has triple degrees. Older one, too. Engineering degrees. Got in prison through stupidity."He said he was looking for a blessing, and he was hoping I would give it to him. When I gave him five dollars to buy a sandwich, he wondered aloud how he would pay the tax on it.I'd just seen him sell two cigarettes to one of his acquaintances in the plaza, and suggested he use that. He gave me a look of disgust, then softened and said, "Thank you."They were having a smoke while sitting on rocks in the parking lot on the corner of William and Ashley. I introduced myself as a freelance writer and asked if they knew where I could find homeless people to interview. They said they used to be homeless but no longer are.Glen said that he is also a freelance writer, forHe was working on a story about hate crimes. "Two weeks ago I lost a friend from a hate crime," he said, a man named Ray Mason."Homeless people all knew him. Guy picked up a tree limb and beat him to death, stripped off his clothes, and left him facedown in the water at Frog Island in Depot Town. He used to be homeless.'' The incident upset many in the homeless community. A suspect has been charged with the murder.To benefit from the homeless system in Ann Arbor, they told me, "You have to focus on getting yourself together. You have to take care of yourself first." If you use the system and stay focused, they said, you don't stay homeless for long. "There's an effective one-stop shop here. An easy-to-use phone number. You go through that system, and everything else connects. And they have the means to help people, but you gotta get out there and help yourself."They're not going to sit there and wait for you. You gotta be willing to function. You can get right on your feet from here."Glen said he'd been in Ann Arbor since he was sixteen. "My mom was a young teenager when she had me. She came out here and went to Eastern Michigan, Washtenaw Community College, and U of M. It made me uncomfortable because my graduation year I had my mom as a student teacher in my class. At night I go home--a two-bedroom apartment. I tend to hang with people who function like me. We pulled together."Tasha had her own place, too, she said, thanks to Section 8 housing. Glen said he's going back to Washtenaw next year for culinary arts and computer training. "I'm hyperactive for a fifty-two-year-old. I just love Ann Arbor. It's the most user-friendly place I've ever encountered. I have a beautiful two-bedroom apartment in Ypsi. Rather be in Ann Arbor. Looking for a new spot here. Scared to go to Detroit. Had fun times in Detroit as a kid."John said little. When I encountered him a little later on the street I understood his silence: he has some bad teeth, he said, and his mouth hurt a lot. He seemed to know where to go for dental help, possibly dentures, and was headed there after he left me.On a drizzly, chilly Sunday, Tyrone sat outside Starbucks at Liberty and Main in his candy-apple-red electric wheelchair. Plastic bags hung on the back of his chair and a plastic donation cup was at his feet.There was no embarrassment in his voice or face, just an open sunniness. I offered to buy him a coffee, and he smiled and said he'd meet me inside. He needed no help with the door. He seemed to be adept at getting around in what I was to learn was his usual neighborhood. I bought him a sandwich too.He was close-shaven with curly black hair tinged with white, a fashionable stubble on his face, and a lightweight gray hoodie trimmed in white with a white T-shirt peeking out at the neck. His khaki pants had a soft crease down each leg."I turned sixty in March," he said. "I had a stroke about five years back ... I had to learn to walk and talk and all that stuff. This left side is kind of paralyzed. Shortly after that I lost my wife. I lost my job. So I became homeless."I was a plumber. I got three kids. Eight grandkids." He said the kids help him out when they can, but they live in Saginaw, so he doesn't see them that much.His parents brought him to Ann Arbor when he was twelve. His mother still lives here. He tries to panhandle enough so he can get a motel room every night in Ypsilanti for thirty-five dollars. He gets there with his bus card. "Sometimes I don't have enough, sometimes I do." If he doesn't, he might ride the bus most of the night or go to the U-M hospital and sleep on a couch in a waiting room. "As long as you don't make any commotion, they don't bother you." Other times he sleeps outside or at the Delonis Center or wherever he can. "You just have to find a spot that's comfortable."He didn't appear to have enough clothes with him to sleep outside. He said he has a little stash spot, "an area that's secluded and nobody goes, so you just dump your bags right there. It works out OK."He met his wife when he was eighteen and she was fourteen. They married four years later and were together until she died in her sleep two years ago, beside him in bed. He was not sure of the cause of death.After tenth grade at Pioneer, he got kicked out for doing "all kinds of stupid stuff," he said. He advised his own three kids to stay in school."They all three graduated from Eastern ... Daughter is battling cancer right now. Throat cancer. Son works for a plastics company. Other son is a foreman here in town." I remembered he had said they all lived in Saginaw, but didn't say anything.He has to plug in his wheelchair every night. If the battery runs out, he puts it on "free wheel" and pushes it from behind--he can walk as long as he has something to hold onto. He said he left an earlier chair outside a funeral home when he went to a service for his brother this past spring, and someone stole it. Medicaid replaced it.His favorite things to do are fishing on the Huron, especially with his grandkids, and watching TV.He said folks around here are nice to him, providing meals and coffee when he needs them. He's a regular at the Delonis Center: "Free meals and a place to sleep, if they have room available. They let you shower and shave and all that stuff. You have to be sober, no drugs and stuff like that."He quit drinking in 1983 when "I almost went to prison, so that helped me quit. Got picked up seven times for drunken driving. In jail for two years for that. At least you have meals and a place to sleep. I like it when they put me in jail so I have a place to stay.""Do you have friends in the community?" I asked."Since I got in this condition, nobody wants to be bothered with me. So I stay alone a lot."But every morning, he said, the folks at Chase Bank on Main St. bring him coffee and doughnuts. "A lot of them get to know me. So, it's pretty good. There's a few mean people out there, but not very many." He's never been robbed, but he's been "jumped" by other homeless people who wanted his prime panhandling spot.He's on disability--$688 a month, put on a prepaid debit card. "Staying in the hotel rooms eats it up real fast," he said.I asked if he had enough money for a room that night."Well, I about need about $25 more. I should be able to make it."I said I'd help him a little. He had never asked for anything.At Starbucks, "I usually just come and sit outside. I don't come inside very often. They never complain here. Other places don't want you sitting outside their business. They call the police on you. And you have to move."His biggest fear, he said, is "when I'm down here at night ... a lot of homeless people see you getting stuff, and they want it, try to take it from you."I'm just a nice person. Homeless doesn't mean nothin'. They think all homeless people are dirt. They're not."When I approached them in Liberty Plaza, Michael at first was a little hostile, saying, "If I refuse to answer a question, it's my choice!" I assured him I wouldn't be demanding anything of him, I just wondered about their lives.On and off, both have been homeless for about five years. They and some others spent the previous night on a concrete porch nearby. "At a church or some sort of building, I don't really know," said Michael. "Tonight I have no idea. We go to Delonis for meals."The food is good. They do a very good job. Feed anyone who comes in," said Michael. Miranda agreed. She said she was "dealt a bad hand of cards in my life. Too many obstacles. And then you play it wrong. Even though you try to do your best, it's gonna fall short."She graduated from high school with honors in Livingston County, she said, went to college, and was an apprentice real estate appraiser. She was married for twelve years. "I have three kids, well, four. My first one died right after he was born. There have been a lot of deaths in my family, ten in two years. And I just lost my mind. So I'm kind of a gypsy for the past few years."Down here, in this area, it's like one big family," she said. "We love and hate all of each other here in the plaza. Everybody goes to different areas to sleep, in tents, in the woods, then when we wake up we meet up. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. It's one big homeless family."We may not understand each other, but we still love each other. We're considered a group. All of us here in the park. It's a love-hate relationship all day." Her own kids "are in New York with my ex-husband. They are doing OK."I'm still breathing. One day at a time.""I don't have to be homeless, but I will be," Michael said. "Scares the shit out of me. I'm thirty-two, from Wayne County. Went to Colorado, Tennessee, Florida. Florida is where I went homeless. Was in a clinical trial in Kansas. New form of hydro ..." He got confused and trailed off.A large African American man came up and gave Miranda a big hug, calling her, "A fine specimen of an Anglo-Saxon Caucasian female." She hugged him back."It's very good here," Michael said. "Best place to be. The cops respect you. They pulled up to me this morning and asked how they could help me. Fucking really good. They let me use their cell phone. Fucking best cops in my life. Worst are in Battle Creek. Been arrested over 100 times. I drink too much sometimes. If you offer me a line of cocaine I will snort it. Alcohol is my drug of choice.""Ninety percent of us have a mental disorder," Miranda said. "Bipolar, PTSD, multiple personality disorder, an alphabet soup of disorders. I can sit here and be cute and calm, then I could attack you. Cute, cuddly, and then really bitchy. I was diagnosed at St. Joseph in Ypsilanti. Have a psychiatrist at U of M. I have a cell phone but can't charge it. Lost my cord."Delonis is good, Michael said. "They fill you up. They have a shelter, but I don't sleep there. Can shower, have a locker room, free soap, shampoo, towels, toothbrush, toothpaste, fresh underclothes. They take care of you."They left, heading down Liberty toward Delonis for dinner. After about forty minutes, they all came back.I hoped we could talk some more, but a friend brought over a fresh deck of cards and started dealing. Another friend was on the periphery, talking. A third brought a bottle of booze to pass. Miranda took a swig and said: "It helps to take the edge off." The interview was over. [Originally published in December, 2018.] The story was already great, even before Daniel Gilbert opened his first spreadsheet. Thousands of citizens in the southern Virginia area Gilbert covered for the Bristol Herald Courier (daily circulation: 30,000) had leased their mineral rights to oil and gas companies in exchange for royalties. Twenty years later, they alleged, the companies had not paid, adding up to potentially millions of dollars owed. As Gilbert learned, the complaint was complicated. It involved esoteric oil and gas practices and regulations, a virtually unknown state oversight agency, the rules of escrow accountsand finally, some very angry people and a handful of very big companies. With these facts alone, he could have written a stellar story giving voice to citizens complaints, and shining a light on a little-known regulatory agency. That, in many newsrooms, would have been plenty. But Gilbert, who officially covered the courts for the paper, wasnt satisfied simply to raise the specter of noncompliance. Whenever a well produced natural gas, the energy company was supposed to make a monthly payment into a corresponding escrow account. These payment schedules were public. So were the production records. All Gilbert had to do was match the production records with the payment schedules to see who hadand had notbeen paid. Easier said than done. Gilbert requested the information he needed and received spreadsheets with thousands of rows of information. In Excel, a typical computer monitor displays less than a hundred rows and ten wide columns. Gilberts data was much too massive to cram into this relatively modest template. So he started with one months worth of information, using the programs find function to match wells and their corresponding accounts. One by one. Control-f, control-f, control-f. It was tedious and time-consuming. There was a story there, he was certain. But control-f would not find it. What would you do? Could you navigate, process, and make sense of thousands of rows of data? If you have not yet had to ask yourself this question, there is no time like the present. Most journalists are just like Gilbert, with daily computer skills that include Internet searches, word processing, and maybe some basic calculations in Excel, none of which enables journalists to truly mine large collections of data. Meanwhile, the amount of raw data available to journalists has mushroomed. At the federal level, the Obama administrations open government initiative has given rise to new sources like Data.gov, a website devoted to the aggregation and easy dissemination of national data sets. State and local governments have followed suit, making much of the data they collect available online. More elusive tranches of data have been pried loose by nonprofit organizations courtesy of the Freedom of Information Act; an inquisitive journalist can download them in minutes. Im constantly amazed and surprised about whats out there, said Thomas Hargrove, a national correspondent for Scripps-Howard News Service who often leads data-based research projects for the chains fourteen newspapers and nine television stations. Against this backdrop, the ability to find, manipulate, and analyze data has become increasingly important, not only for teams of investigative journalists, but for beat reporters. It is hard to conceive of a beat that doesnt generate dataeven arts reporters evaluate budgets and have access to nonprofit organizations tax returns. Whats more, because the universe of data is vast and growing, and the stories that use it are rare, data-based journalism has become a powerful way to stand out in the crowded news cycle. When you acquire a certain level of data skills and literacy, you can punch way above your weight, says Derek Willis, a web developer at The New York Times and author of the computer-assisted reporting blog, The Scoop. Simply put, you can do things others cant. And last but certainly not least, readers like data. They like charts and interactive graphics and searchable databases. At The Texas Tribune, which has published more than three dozen interactive databases and usually adds or updates one a week on average, the data sets account for 75 percent of the sites overall traffic. Of course, news-gathering organizations have to some degree understood the value and power of data for more than twenty years. Bill Dedmans 1989 Pulitzer-winning investigation into the racist lending practices of Atlanta banks relied heavily on database reporting and was widely seen as a validation of computer geeks in the newsroom. But even after many organizations hired computer-assisted reporting specialists, using data for stories has usually been limited to big investigations and projects. And with good reason: years ago, data-driven stories were almost prohibitively inefficient to write. A reporter had to identify what data he needed and which agency collected them; it often took a FOIA request to secure the data, which tended to arrive in sheaves of dot-matrix-printed paper. It was then up to the reporters to build their databasesby hand. Thats not the case anymore. Agencies maintain and disseminate their data electronically. While there are still plenty of data sets that require diligence, persistence, and FOIA requests, many can be accessed without even speaking with a human being. And in the newsroom, every reporter has a spreadsheet program like Excel or can find one for free online. The logjam, these days, has more to do with reporters and editors interests and aptitudeswith their capacity for number-crunchingthan it does with technology. At the Bristol paper, Gilbert clearly needed help. His editor, Todd Foster, had been Gilberts champion and mentor on the story thus far, but he knew little about managing thousands of rows of data. Neither did anyone else in the newsroom. Gilbert, however, knew who did: Investigative Reporters and Editors. For years, this journalism nonprofit has been running computer-assisted reporting workshops, called Boot Camps, on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia and around the country. At the six-day workshop, Gilbert would learn how to use spreadsheets and a more sophisticated database management programthe two fundamental tools he needed to manipulate the data he had. The only issue was getting Foster to say yes. That was hardly a slam dunk. Of course, Foster wanted Gilbert to nail down the story. But as one of seven reporters on staff at the Herald Courier, Gilbert typically generated three or four stories a week. His colleagues would have to scramble to fill the hole during his absence. Then there was the cost. The Herald Courier and its parent company, Media General, were suffering the same economic hardships as the rest of the newspaper industry. In 2009, Media General mandated fifteen furlough days for most of its 4,700-plus employees, equivalent to a 5.8 percent pay cut. Sending Gilbert to Missouri, in this climate, was not an easy sell: tuition for the workshop was $560, plus travel to and from Columbia, lodging, and meals for a week. The total came to around $1,240, and the reporter would need to use his vacation days to attend. Still, a potentially important story and six months of work hung in the balance. That weekend, Foster called on the papers publisher at home, with a few cans of Red Bull and a bottle of vodka in hand. They covered a variety of business issues, and at the end of the night, I sprung the Boot Camp on him, Foster recalls. He said, Is it worth it? I said, Its worth it. And in April, it might really be worth it. Soon Gilbert was on his way to Missouri. Foster never told Gilbert they expected him to win a Pulitzer for their troubleat least not in so many words. But the reporter understood that the expectations were high. They didnt send me there saying, Go have fun, he notes. It was more like, This better be worth it. I felt a good deal of pressure to make it count. This is a fairly standard expectation. Most newsrooms assume that journalists will immediately put their new skills into practice. When Reuters recently sent six beat reporters to one of the ire Boot Camps, they were all required to pitch a story to work on while they attended the session. We want to see the stories, said Claudia Parsons, Reuters deputy enterprise editor for the Americas. That will be the test. At the same time, making database skills and training a priority can be tough for overburdened reporters and editors. Nor do journalism schools necessarily give such skills pride of placein fact, many teach them piecemeal, if at all. At the graduate level, New York University requires students in its Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting (SHERP) concentration to obtain a solid grounding in numeracy. In other concentrations, however, these skills play a smaller role. The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism offers a handful of relevant classes, including investigative reporting, a course called Evidence and Inference, and a new addition, Digital Media: Interactive Workshop, which stresses storytelling through data and interactive presentation. But there is no data course that all students must take in order to graduate. We dont require every student to know how to use Excel in the same way we require them to know how to use FinalCut Pro or a digital camera, said Bill Grueskin, Dean of Academic Affairs at Columbia. As a result, many students remain stuck at control-f. What Gilbert learned in Missouri turned out to be indispensable. He took his spreadsheets with him, and learned how to transfer the data from Excel to Microsoft Access, a database management program better suited to large searches. (Funnily enough, Gilbert actually had a copy of Access on his desktop back in Bristol; he just didnt know what it was for.) And he absorbed a basic programming language called Structured Query Language, or SQL, which allowed him to search for specific patterns in his data. Eventually, Gilbert got his data cleaned and organized enough to be able to write his fundamental query: Show me the accounts that correspond to wells where oil or gas has been produced, but royalties have not been paid. What he found was damning. Of about 750 individual accounts in escrow, between 22 percent and 55 percent received no royalty payments during months when the corresponding wells produced gas over an 18-month period, Gilbert wrote in the first of an eight-part series. As for royalty payments that had been made, $24 million was lying in escrow, in dispute. Over the course of the series, Gilbert explained the history of the dispute, took the state gas and oil board to task, and showed that citizens who were allegedly owed thousands were being told they were entitled to less than a dime. His series spurred the Virginia legislature to investigate ways to distribute the money in escrow to the people who own it. In April, Gilbert won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. After the prize was announced, Foster told Gilbert that the Herald Courier had been hearing about the escrow fund and the government mismanagement for years. Two prior managing editors had spiked the story, Foster said. Royalties, methane gas, escrow accountsits not the sexiest story. In these earlier cases, nobody had been able to break through the data roadblock. Gilbert, who moved to Houston in October to cover the oil and gas industry for The Wall Street Journal, says that he thought it was a pretty good story to begin with. But the data changed it, he adds. Instead of just asking the question, I was able to answer it. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Janet Paskin is a freelance writer. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 31, ARMENPRESS. There will be no change in the tariff of the gas imported to Armenia from Russia, ARMENPRESS reports acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan said in a Facebook live broadcast. I had a phone conversation with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin twice yesterday during which we discussed the gas tariff imported to Armenia and we can say we reached a solution, at least for the upcoming visible future. There are two rings of gas supply one is Russian company Gazprom and the gas supplied by that company to Gazprom Armenia, and the other is the gas supply by Gazprom Armenia to our consumers in Armenia. In fact, it has happened so that Gazprom Armenia and Gazprom Companies have to revise gas tariff. Some changes will take place in the tariff, and some increase of the prize will take place. But thank to our domestic regulations there will be no change of the tariff for Armenian consumers, Pashinyan said, emphasizing that the issue of gas tariff will always be on the table of negotiations. Anyway, we do everything to prevent any additional problems for consumers, he said. The acting PM emphasized that during the two phone conversations with Putin they discussed no other issues but gas tariff. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan John Gorton at Rabaul airport in 1970 - he was armed KEITH JACKSON (2010) SYDNEY - 1970 was a year of high drama in the Gazelle. There was anger and violence. The Mataungan Association had stepped up its struggle over land rights and was causing the Australian Administration much grief. Then in July, prime minister John Gorton landed at Rabaul Airport for an official visit. I was there as a journalist for Radio Rabaul, and stood amongst the chanting crowd as Gorton stepped on an airport trolley to try to give a speech. But the PA system failed. Gough Whitlam later wrote: [Gorton] was greeted by an audience of 10,000 who were as hostile as our 11,000 [on Whitlam's earlier visit] had been enthusiastic." Classic Whitlam. Before Gorton disembarked, Tom Ellis, then head of the Department of the Administrator, gave him a handgun. Gorton secreted the pistol in his jacket pocket, a foolish if typically gung-ho act. It's likely lives would have been endangered had the Mataungans suspected the Australian prime minister was armed. The late Lloyd Hurrell and Kukukuku man LLOYD HURRELL (2007) TWEED HEADS - The Cadet Patrol Officer - who is usually aged between 18 and 25 when he enters the Australian School of Pacific Administration for grounding in such subjects as colonial administration, law, anthropology - gets experience soon enough. And if he goes into the field with a bright-eyed idealism, it is a good gleam for him to carry. Authority can so easily turn into arrogance - and even the Cadet is at once in a position of considerable authority over natives. The School represents Australian realisation that well-administered and well-assisted colonial peoples do not revolt and side with the governing nation in war. ASOPA added modern training to a pre-war tradition. About this tradition there is nothing pukkah or military or old-school-tie. It was Made-In-New Guinea, and with it goes a spirit of belonging to something that belongs to New Guinea; and that means going through with a job when there would be reason enough to give up or turn back by ordinary standards - but not by New Guinea standards, of what men can do, or forbear to do, if they have enough of staunch wisdom and courage. It is a tremendously respectable thing in the eyes of the native people, this tradition. So it should be in Australian eyes and, indeed, in the eyes of a world which will have difficulty in pointing to anything quite like it anywhere else. Angelina Jolie doesnt want her children to be perfectly behaved. The 43-year-old actress has Maddox, 17, Pax, 15, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12 and twins Vivienne and Knox, 10, with her former husband Brad Pitt, and said she finds their rebellious streak to be wonderful. Its funny children can do two things. They can make you grow up, and you do, and they also add a sense of wild themselves, she explained. Angelina Jolie finds her childrens rebellious streak to be wonderful.Photo: Getty They all have a good rebellious streak that is wonderful and curious. And I dont want them to be perfectly behaved little people that just say whats absolutely appropriate because I say so they have to find themselves. The Maleficent star does her best to insert good stuff into her childrens lives but knows she cant control everything they might see on the Internet. Although the children dont have social media accounts, Angelina discusses the dangers of the online platforms with her brood, as she says theyve already seen inaccurate things about themselves online. The actress has Maddox, 17, Pax, 15, Zahara, 13, Shiloh, 12 and twins Vivienne and Knox, 10, with her former husband Brad Pitt. Photo: Getty Speaking in an interview for BBC Radio 4s Today, which she guest edited, she said: Like most parents, we try our best to insert good stuff, and we cant control everything that theyre exposed to. Heres the truth is that my children have seen things about themselves, even from whats considered serious news people, that are inaccurate. So my children have a very odd sense of whos telling the truth and what the truth really is and what they actually believe or trust. With additional reporting from Bang Showbiz. Got a story tip? Send it to tips@oath.com Want more lifestyle and celebrity news? Follow Yahoo Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Or sign up to our daily newsletter here. As Australians prepare to welcome the new year, a host of new changes lay ahead, including more ATM fees, an increase in public transport costs and the end of the tampon tax. Heres what you need to know coming into 2019. NAB customers to be slugged with ATM fees From the first day of 2019, NAB customers will have to start paying a $2 fee to take money out of more than 3000 RediATMs across the country. NAB was the only big bank to have a partnership with Cuscal, which owns RediATM. The partnership officially ends on 1 January, meaning customers with all four major banks will be slugged with a $2 fee when using a RediATM. Public transport and tolls price hike Melbourne commuters are set for a 2.2 per cent price hike when topping up their Myki cards. Image: AAP If 2018 left a bad taste in the mouths of Melbourne commuters, it appears 2019 has no intentions of getting rid of it. Metropolitan Victorians will see their train, tram and bus fares rise by 2.2 per cent, with adult full-fare passes increasing from $43 to $44 a week alongside a $0.50 hike in the price of a concession pass from $841.75 to $861.25. Regional Victorians will escape unscathed. Brisbanes TransLink is also rising prices by 1.8 per cent, meaning adult single-zone tickets will be $4.70 from $4.20 from 7 January onwards. Concession rates wont be touched. Meanwhile, TransLink Go card users including concession users will see fares increase by around 5 or 6 cents. NSW commuters have already been copping a 2.2 per cent increase in Opal fares since July, however the new year will also mark a toll hike for Sydney motorists, with a trip on the M4 rising to $4.93, while the Hills M2 will go up to $7.42. No more tampon tax Tampons and pads will no longer be subjected to a 10 per cent tax. Image: Getty As of Tuesday, tampons and pads will no longer be subjected to a 10 per cent tax. The federal government on Monday signed the determination that will remove the GST on feminine hygiene products from January 1 following public consultation. Items that will be GST-free include tampons, disposable and reusable menstrual pads, menstrual cups, panty liners and period or leak-proof underwear. Story continues It comes three months after the states and territories unanimously agreed to ditch the tax on womens products, despite the expected $30 million cost a year. Power prices to come down Victorians with AGL as their power provider will pay 1.6 per cent less for their electric bill from the 1st of January, spelling an average annual saving of $23 per household and $60 for small businesses. Meanwhile, gas prices will drop 0.9 for residents and 1.2 per cent for small businesses. Its also good news for concession card holders in NSW, ACT, Queensland and South Australia, where around 230,000 Aussies on standing offers or non-discounted plans will see an automatic 10 per cent discount on their electricity from 1 January, meaning an extra $169 back in the pocket. No jab no play for WA kids Western Australias no jab no play policy starts on January 1. Image: Getty Tuesday will see the Western Australian state governments no jab, no play policy come into effect. Unvaccinated children will be banned from attending school and child care centres during disease outbreaks, with principals and owners to be fined up to $1000 if they allow under-vaccinated children to enter their facility. Queensland, NSW and Victoria already have similar laws in place, while South Australia is expected to follow suit in the near future. Domestic violence leave Victims of domestic and family violence who are employed by the NSW state government will now be entitled to 10 days leave. Previously, public service employees who experienced domestic violence were only entitled to five days extra leave. Earlier this month, draft laws were passed through parliament that offered five days leave to all eight million Australians covered by the Fair Work Act Qantas, Telstra, the National Australia Bank, IKEA, Virgin Australia and Carlton & United Breweries are among big companies who already offer paid domestic violence leave. Credit card crackdown An ASIC report earlier this year that found more than one in six consumers were struggling with credit card debt. Image: Getty From 1 January, banks will also be unable to provide customers with credit cards if they cant repay the limit within three years in whats called a three-year responsible lending assessment. An ASIC report earlier this year that found more than one in six consumers were struggling with credit card debt. We will be monitoring lenders over the next two years to make sure they have taken action to address our concerns, and to ensure that consumer outcomes are improving in the credit card market, ASIC commissioner Sean Hughes said. Banks also cant offer unsolicited credit limit increases or to backdate interest charges on balance transfers, and have to offer customers the ability to request credit limit reductions or online card cancellations. New anti-terror laws The NSW government will be able to keep secret intelligence it has gathered on suspected terrorists under new laws coming into effect on New Years Day. From January 1, the government will have the right to apply to the Supreme Court to protect information on accused terrorists from them and their lawyers. The measure is part of new anti-terror laws introduced to parliament in November, which also gives law enforcement agencies the right to use surveillance devices in prison cells. $92 million boost for student welfare Uni students on Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY are set to receive a large financial boost in the new year. Image: AAP Student welfare payment systems, ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance, will be given a boost with $92 million worth of increased payments to make their way into student accounts. Changes to health care A new vaccine against genital warts will be listed on the National Immunisation Program, guarding against more strains of the virus at a cheaper cost Defence veterans will be given greater access to antibiotics as well as heart disease and stroke medications through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme The government will provide $5.7 million over four years to communities affected by contaminated water supplies following the use of potentially toxic firefighting foams at the Tindal RAAF Base in the NT. An urgent text message has been sent out to festival-goers, warning them of deadly new drug currently in circulation, following a suspected overdose at a NSW festival over the weekend. Joshua Tam, 22, was taken to Gosford Hospital about 8pm on Saturday after taking an unknown substance, while attending the Lost Paradise Festival at Glenworth Valley. He died a short time later, while two others remain at the hospital in a stable condition. A spokesperson for the festival said this is a very distressing incident Lost Paradise is a strictly drug-free event. Joshua Tam was was taken to Gosford Hospital about 8pm on Saturday, but died a short time later. Image: 7 News Those attending the Falls Festival at four locations across Australia are now being warned of an extremely dangerous orange pill, with festival organisers driving home the point that one pill can kill. Regardless of pill variation, we want to remind everyone of the potentially fatal risks that come with illicit substances, they warned. You do not know what is in them, how your body will react, there is no safe level of consumption. Those attending the festival in Marion Bay, Lorne, Byron Bay and Fremantle are being warned of the deadly orange pill. Image: Supplied Sophisticated methods to smuggle drugs NSW Police Acting Superintendent Rod Peet revealed the determination of some of the festivals 11,000 attendees to smuggle drugs. The methods of secretion are becoming sophisticated. People arent carrying them in their pockets, they arent that careless, they are calculated, he told reporters in Gosford on Sunday. Joshua Tam died after taking an unknown substance at Lost Paradise Music Festival at Glenworth Valley. Source: Lost Paradise Music Festival / Facebook Weve found drugs in Vegemite jars, aerosol containers, and in one instance, someone had stuffed drugs into the stuffing of a barbecue chicken. If [police] need to search more chickens to find drugs, theyll be doing that. Story continues Supt. Peet warned illicit drugs are manufactured with risky products in questionable circumstances by people with little care for the users. Three people have been charged with drug supply offences. A 21-year-old man was charged after allegedly being found with 105 MDMA pills and a 23-year-old man was charged after allegedly being caught with 80 MDMA pills and 65 bags of cocaine. Both men are due in Gosford Local Court on January 18. France's defence minister arrived in Jordan on Monday to visit troops battling the Islamic State group, showing Paris's determination to continue the fight after a shock US decision to withdraw from Syria. After a stopover in Amman, where Florence Parly is set to meet with Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz, she is expected to visit the H5 airbase from which French fighter jets take off for sorties against the jihadists. The minister's last-minute trip to Jordan comes on the heels of US President Donald Trump's surprise decision in mid-December to pull out all 2,000 American troops stationed in Syria, saying "we've won" against IS. "The impromptu announcement of the US withdrawal from (Syria) caused a lot of questions," Parly told reporters before landing. France does not "fully share President Trump's analysis", she said, adding the jihadists were "not quite finished". "Our priority is to continue until the end." After sweeping across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, the jihadists' cross-border "caliphate" has been erased by multiple offensives, pushing them back to just a few holdouts in the Syrian desert. In Syria, IS has been rolled back by separate offensives led by the country's army and an Arab-Kurdish alliance backed by the US-led coalition called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF are currently battling to expel the jihadists from their eastern holdout near Syria's border with Iraqi. Without the help of Washington, which carries out 90 percent of the coalition's strikes on IS, the French government has said it will be difficult to finish the jihadists off for good. "The United States plays a very important role as leader of the international coalition," said Parly, adding that it might not be "realistic or effective" to continue without Washington. The French military has deployed 1,200 soldiers as part of the anti-IS efforts, via air operations, artillery, special forces in Syria and training for the Iraqi army. A ranking French officer said the timeline for the US withdrawal "might not be incompatible" with the capture of the jihadists' remaining territory, "if it is long enough and the (SDF) advance is fast enough". France will also have to deal with the issue of foreign jihadists, especially Europeans, held by the SDF, now under threat of a looming Turkish offensive to clear Kurdish fighters from its border. "The US-led coalition has relied heavily on the Kurds as ground operators," said Parly. "Their fate is of major concern, and there are other questions about the future of a number of prisoners they are holding." French Defence Minister Florence Parly pictured on October 19, 2018 in southern France Courts in the Gulf and Egypt have upheld jail terms against leading activists in a crackdown on protesting through social media, marking a somber end to 2018 for rights campaigners. In both Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, prominent campaigners lost their appeals on Monday against lengthy prison terms over their online posts. Award-winning human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor saw his 10-year sentence upheld by the UAE's Federal Supreme Court, Amnesty International said. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Amnesty decried the "utterly outrageous" five-year jail term handed down to prominent Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab. Mansoor was convicted in May of attempting to harm his country's relations with its neighbours by spreading misinformation in Facebook and Twitter posts, according to local media. The upper court also confirmed a fine of one million dirhams ($270,000) for Mansoor, 49, who will be kept under surveillance for three years after his release. Amnesty said the final ruling "confirms there is no space for free expression in the United Arab Emirates." The UAE's ruling families rarely tolerate opposition and during Mansoor's trial all court proceedings were conducted in almost total secrecy. - 'A complete farce' - Rajab was also jailed for criticising his country's rulers on social media, losing his appeal on Monday at Bahrain's supreme court, a judicial source said. A high-profile rights activist who is already serving a two-year term in another case, Rajab was first handed the sentence in February by a lower court and an appeals court confirmed it in June. Amnesty International said the ruling "exposes Bahrain's justice system as a complete farce." Rajab was found guilty of insulting the state by "deliberately disseminating", false and malicious news on social media. He was also convicted of criticising the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen and publicly offending a foreign country, a reference to Saudi Arabia. Manama is part of the alliance spearheaded by Riyadh and Rajab was found guilty of endangering Bahrain's military operation in Yemen. The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy said the ruling had been carefully timed. "By arranging the final verdict to fall during the holidays, a time when international attention will be minimal, the intentions of Bahrain's rulers have been made clear. This appears to be a planned outcome, prepared well in advance," it said in a statement. Rajab played a key role in Shiite-led anti-government protests in 2011, since when dozens of high-profile activists have been jailed by authorities in the Sunni-ruled kingdom. - Law against 'fake news' - Social networking sites, notably Twitter, are a major platform for rights activists in Bahrain. In March, authorities announced they would be taking "severe measures" to track down dissidents who use social media, as Bahrain tightens its grip on political opposition. Egypt has also clamped down on online platforms this year, introducing legislation to monitor social media users in the country as part of a broader tightening of internet controls. The law was ratified by the presidency in September and includes powers to suspend or block any personal account which publishes "fake news" or information inciting law-breaking, violence or hatred. Even before the new legislation, Egyptian authorities were widely criticised by rights groups for their zero-tolerance approach to critics. In May, rights activist Amal Fathi was arrested over a video she posted online in which she spoke out against sexual harassment in Egypt. The 34-year-old was subsequently convicted of charges including "spreading false news". On Monday she lost her appeal and was handed a two-year prison term, as well as a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($560). In both Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, prominent campaigners lost their appeals on Monday against lengthy prison terms over their social media posts Nabeel Rajab, pictured on November 2, 2014, lost his appeal on Monday against a five-year prison sentence Emmanuel Macron's disgraced ex-bodyguard said he continued to exchange messages regularly with the French president even after he was forced out of his job in July over a scandal. Alexandre Benalla caused the most damaging controversy of Macron's presidency after he was caught on video roughing up protesters at a demonstration in May while wearing a police helmet. And he was at the centre of more embarrassing headlines for the embattled 41-year-old head of state last week when it emerged he had retained his diplomatic passports even after losing his job. In an interview with investigative website Mediapart, Benalla said Sunday that he continued giving advice to Macron via the Telegram messaging app, which the president uses intensively. "We exchange messages on lots of different subjects. It's often like, 'how do you see things'. It could be about the 'yellow vests', the views on someone or security issues," Benalla said. The 27-year-old former bouncer began working as a bodyguard for Macron during his campaign for the presidency in 2016 before being promoted to a senior security role in the presidential palace in May 2017. Benalla's role and the ties between the two men have been the focus of intense media scrutiny and the latest comments undermine efforts by Macron to distance himself publicly. The French president is to give a televised New Year's address later on Monday evening at 8:00 pm (1900 GMT) -- the same time as "yellow vest" protesters have called for a new demonstration on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. The protest movement, which swelled up from rural and small-town France in November, has waned in intensity in recent weeks after Macron announced a series of measures for low-income families. Benalla admitted visiting around a dozen countries in recent months and he said he always gave an account of his trips to the president or his aides. He met with Chad's President Idriss Deby earlier in December, and Le Monde newspaper has reported that he held talks with the Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, as well as top officials in Cameroon. "I explain that I've seen so and so and what was said. Afterwards they can do what they like with it," Benalla told Mediapart. He added, however, that since the revelations about his diplomatic passport emerged "the link has been cut" with the presidency. Last Tuesday, the French presidency said that Benalla was "not an official or unofficial emissary". But Benalla denied suggestions from the foreign ministry that he had used his diplomatic passports illegally, something which prosecutors are now examining. "If they don't want me to use these passports, they could deactivate them," he said. "When you travel abroad with a diplomatic passport, the French embassy knows when you arrive," he added. Alexandre Benalla caused the most damaging controversy of Emmanuel Macron's presidency after he was caught on video roughing up protesters in May while wearing a police helmet Benalla, a former bouncer, began working as a bodyguard for Macron (L) during his campaign for the presidency in 2016 Czech qualifier Marie Bouzkova stunned former US Open champion Samantha Stosur to reach the Brisbane International second round on Monday in a match which started in 2018, spanned midnight and finished in the early hours of 2019. The 20-year-old Bouzkova, ranked at 139 in the world, fought back to claim a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win and set-up a second round clash against fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova. "I really enjoyed this match. Actually I was very nervous at the beginning because I've never played on such a big court but I tried to keep fighting because Sam is such a great champion so it didn't make it any easier," said the 2014 US Open junior champion. Bouzkova finished the two-hour, 12-minute clash -- which saw the final set start just 20 minutes before midnight -- with 42 winners. Earlier, Pliskova said she refused to panic despite falling behind a set and a break to Yulia Putintseva in her opening round tie. Pliskova, a former world number one, appeared headed for an early exit when she stumbled against Putintseva late in the first set. But she recovered from 2-0 down in the second to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two and a quarter hours at the Pat Rafter Arena. The 26-year-old Czech said despite surrendering the first set, she never felt in any real trouble against Putintseva. "Even though I was losing a set and a break in the second, I was still pretty positive, because I felt (even though) I'm missing, it's only small margins here and there," she said. "I just felt like the ball on the racquet felt pretty good." Pliskova has a good record in Brisbane, winning in 2017 and reaching the semi-finals in 2018. "I feel it's pretty fast, which is important for my game," Pliskova said. "I can hit some aces, which I did today, and if I play aggressive there is a chance that I am going to make a lot of points, so I feel good on this court for sure." Australian wildcard Kimberly Birrell pulled off a massive upset when she stunned world number 10 Daria Kasatkina in three sets. Birrell, 20, had only ever won one match on the main WTA tour but showed great composure to come from 3-5 down in the third set to win 5-7, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) in three hours, six minutes. "I was just trying to stay positive -- I was just telling myself to just keep fighting and keep asking the questions," Birrell said. She will now play Lesia Tsurenko in the second round after the Ukranian beat Romania's Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-0, 6-2. Birrell's fellow countrywoman Destanee Aiava also moved into the second round with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) upset over Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic and will now play reigning US Open champion Naomi Osaka. Croatia's Donna Vekic was too strong for Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia, winning 6-1, 6-2 to set up a second-round clash against sixth-seeded Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens, who downed Belgian Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4. Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova said despite surrendering the first set, she never felt in any real trouble against Yulia Putintseva A NASA spaceship is zooming toward the farthest, and quite possibly the oldest, cosmic body ever photographed by humankind, a tiny, distant world called Ultima Thule some four billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) away. The US space agency will ring in the New Year with a live online broadcast to mark historic flyby of the mysterious object in a dark and frigid region of space known as the Kuiper Belt at 12:33 am January 1 (0533 GMT Tuesday). A guitar anthem recorded by legendary Queen guitarist Brian May -- who also holds an advanced degree in astrophysics -- will be released just after midnight to accompany a video simulation of the flyby, as NASA commentators describe the close pass on www.nasa.gov/nasalive. Real-time video of the actual flyby is impossible, since it takes more six hours for a signal sent from Earth to reach the spaceship, named New Horizons, and another six hours for the response to arrive. But if all goes well, the first images should be in hand by the end of New Year's Day. And judging by the latest tweet from Alan Stern, the lead scientist on the New Horizons mission, the excitement among team members is palpable. "IT'S HAPPENING!! Flyby is upon us! @NewHorizons2015 is healthy and on course! The farthest exploration of worlds in history!" he wrote on Saturday. - What does it look like? - Scientists are not sure what Ultima Thule (pronounced TOO-lee) looks like -- whether it is round or oblong or even if it is a single object or a cluster. It was discovered in 2014 with the help of the Hubble Space Telescope, and is believed to be 12-20 miles (20-30 kilometers) in size. Scientists decided to study it with New Horizons after the spaceship, which launched in 2006, completed its main mission of flying by Pluto in 2015, returning the most detailed images ever taken of the dwarf planet. "At closest approach we are going to try to image Ultima at three times the resolution we had for Pluto," said Stern. "If we can accomplish that it will be spectacular." Hurtling through space at a speed of 32,000 miles (51,500 kilometers) per hour, the spacecraft aims to make its closest approach within 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) of the surface of Ultima Thule. The flyby will be fast, at a speed of nine miles (14 kilometers) per second. Seven instruments on board will record high-resolution images and gather data about its size and composition. Ultima Thule is named for a mythical, far-northern island in medieval literature and cartography, according to NASA. "Ultima Thule means 'beyond Thule' -- beyond the borders of the known world -- symbolizing the exploration of the distant Kuiper Belt and Kuiper Belt objects that New Horizons is performing, something never before done," the US space agency said in a statement. According to project scientist Hal Weaver of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, mankind didn't even know the Kuiper Belt -- a vast ring of relics from the formation days of the solar system -- existed until the 1990s. "This is the frontier of planetary science," said Weaver. "We finally have reached the outskirts of the solar system, these things that have been there since the beginning and have hardly changed -- we think. We will find out." Despite the partial US government shutdown, sparked by a feud over funding for a border wall with Mexico between President Donald Trump and opposition Democrats, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine vowed that the US space agency would broadcast the flyby. Normally, NASA TV and NASA's website would go dark during a government shutdown. NASA will also provide updates about another spacecraft, called OSIRIS-REx, that will enter orbit around the asteroid Bennu on New Year's Eve, Bridenstine said. This artist's illustration obtained from NASA on December 21, 2018 shows the New Horizons spacecraft encountering 2014 MU69 ? nicknamed ?Ultima Thule? ? a Kuiper Belt object that orbits one billion miles beyond Pluto NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is heading for a Jan 1 flyby of Ultima Thule, an icy object in the Kuiper Belt on the outer limits of the solar system Campaigning began for a key presidential vote in Ukraine on Monday with President Petro Poroshenko facing an uphill re-election battle among voters disillusioned with corruption and the slow pace of reforms. Poroshenko, whose government is locked in a conflict with Moscow-backed insurgents in the industrial east, trails two-time ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko in the latest opinion polls. Voting will take place on March 31, with a second round three weeks later if no candidate takes more than 50 percent. Poroshenko, a 53-year-old chocolate tycoon, sailed to victory in a May 2014 election after a popular uprising ousted the Moscow-backed regime of Viktor Yanukovich. He promised to pivot the ex-Soviet country of nearly 45 million people towards the West and has sought to push through ambitious reforms. But critics say the economy is in tatters, corruption is rampant and Poroshenko has done little to rein in fellow oligarchs. One poll this week showed 16.1 percent of expected voters planning to vote for Tymoshenko, ahead of Poroshenko with 13.8 percent. After the 2014 uprising, Moscow annexed Crimea and supported Russian-speaking separatists in Ukraine's east, in a conflict that has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people. The war has been a huge burden for the country's struggling economy, with Poroshenko forced to rely on assistance from the West. This month the International Monetary Fund confirmed it would give Kiev a $4 billion, 14-month loan. - Tough re-election bid - Poroshenko is widely expected to stand for re-election even though he has not yet confirmed he is running. His re-election chances looked even more bleak in November when a Ukrainian comic and showman, Volodymyr Zelensky, overtook him as the country's second-most-popular likely presidential candidate. But Poroshenko's popularity ratings increased after he oversaw the creation of a Ukrainian Orthodox Church independent of Moscow. His standing also received a boost after Russia seized three of Kiev's navy vessels and two dozen sailors as they tried to pass from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov in November. Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Poroshenko of provoking the naval crisis in a bid to increase his popularity ahead of the vote. "The elections will be very dirty and very complicated," Anatoliy Oktysyuk, an analyst at Democracy House, a Kiev think tank, told AFP. "The stakes are very high." He said many Ukrainians planned to vote for Tymoshenko "not because they support her but because they are against Poroshenko." Tymoshenko, 58, was a star leader of Ukraine's 2003-04 Orange Revolution, served twice as prime minister and spent three years in jail for abuse of power. She lost the 2010 election to Kremlin-backed Yanukovich and unsuccessfully ran against Poroshenko in 2014. Pro-Russian lawmaker Yuriy Boyko and the head of the populist Radical Party, Oleg Lyashko, are among those also expected to run. Poroshenko, whose government is locked in a conflict with Moscow-backed insurgents in the east, trails two-time ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko in the latest opinion polls Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Russia said Monday its security services had detained a US citizen in Moscow accused of spying, the latest in a series of espionage cases between Russia and the West. The FSB domestic security service said the American was arrested on Friday "while carrying out an act of espionage". A criminal case had been opened, the FSB said in a statement, under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code, which allows for prison sentences of up to 20 years. The statement identified the American in Russian, using a name that appeared to translate as Paul Whelan. In Washington, the State Department said it had been formally notified by Russia's foreign ministry and was seeking access to the detained American. "Russia's obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access. We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it," a State Department spokesperson said. Citing privacy considerations, the State Department declined to provide further details including the person's name. The arrest came with Moscow embroiled in a number of spy scandals with the West and after President Vladimir Putin accused Western nations of using espionage cases to try to undermine an increasingly powerful Russia. US intelligence services have accused Moscow of interfering in the 2016 presidential election and in December convicted Russian Maria Butina of acting as an illegal foreign agent. Butina faces up to six months in prison, followed by likely deportation. Prosecutors said she launched a plan in March 2015 to develop ties with the Republican Party with the aim of influencing US foreign policy. Russian military intelligence agents were also accused in the poisoning this year of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England. The Skripals survived but a local woman died after picking up a discarded perfume bottle that police think was used to carry out the attack. Relations between Russia and the West have hit a new low following the incidents, with the United States and Europe hitting Moscow with waves of sanctions over the spy scandals and the conflict in Ukraine. In his annual press conference this month, Putin said Western pressure was aimed at restraining a resurgent Russia. "There is only one aim: to hold back Russia's development as a possible competitor," he said. "This is connected with the growth of Russia's power." The headquarters of Russia's FSB security service, which has opened a criminal case against a US citizen accused of spying Two people were killed and around 35 others wounded Monday after a bomb went off outside a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Cotabato, police said. The explosion prompted officers to search the mall, leading to the discovery of another suspected bomb which they destroyed, said local police spokesman Chief Inspector Rowell Zafra. A female street vendor and one man were killed, while many of the wounded were shoppers buying goods for traditional New Year festivities. Three of the wounded were in critical condition, officials said. Scattered debris including items sold for New Year celebrations such as horns made from cardboard and plastic, gifts and a bloody slipper lay at the mall's entrance where the bombing took place. Windows of surrounding buildings were shattered by the blast, eyewitnesses said. Investigators could not immediately say what kind of bomb was used or name any suspects. However local army commander Major General Cirilito Sobejana told ABS-CBN television that an individual was seen carrying a box which he left in front of the mall. It exploded a few seconds later. Sobejana said the bomb had the signature of a "Daesh group", referring to local Islamist extremists who have declared allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group. He said the military had some "leads" in the incident but did not elaborate. - Insurgent groups - The southern part of the largely Catholic Philippines has been rocked for decades by violent Muslim separatist insurgent groups including militants linked to IS. More than 100,000 lives have been claimed by the rebellion, according to a government count. The region has also suffered from banditry, bloody feuds between powerful clans and communist guerrilla activity. In September and August, bombs went off in Isulan town, 77 kilometres (48 miles) south of Cotabato, killing at least three people. Authorities said the main suspect in these blasts was the pro-IS Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) armed group. The latest bombing comes as the southern Philippines prepares for a plebiscite in January for the creation of a Muslim autonomous area as part of an effort to end the separatist insurgency. Many of the IS-linked groups have openly rejected these peace efforts. Cotabato Mayor Cynthia Sayadi said that despite the bombing, "we will try to assure the people that... their right to vote (in the plebiscite) will be protected". President Rodrigo Duterte put the southern Mindanao region under martial rule until the end of 2018 after pro-IS militants seized the city of Marawi last year. Earlier this month, legislators approved an extension of this martial law until the end of 2019. Scattered debris including items traditionally sold for New Year celebrations, such as cardboard and plastic horns and gifts, as well as a bloody slipper, lay at the mall's entrance where the explosion took place Investigators could not immediately say what kind of bomb was used or name any suspects Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany admitted the Premier League champions' pride has been wounded by a recent shock run of three defeats in four Premier League games to fall seven points behind league leaders Liverpool. But ahead of the visit of Jurgen Klopp's men to the Etihad on Thursday, Kompany issued a rallying cry to the City squad and fans to keep fighting to become the first side in a decade to retain the Premier League. "We shouldn't focus too much on points at the moment, we know if we can play to our potential we are a good team," Kompany told City's website. "Our pride has been hurt over the last few weeks but we have everything to play for and it depends on us." City bounced back from consecutive defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester with a 3-1 win at Southampton to move back into second above Tottenham. However, City have only won one of seven meetings with Liverpool during Pep Guardiola's three seasons in charge. Kompany, though, called on his side to avenge a painful Champions League quarter-final exit to Liverpool last season. "It's one of those key games you live for. Every living soul that comes into the stadium on Thursday has to be ready to fight and give it to them," added the Belgian. "And we should be able to pull everything out of the locker for that game." Fighting talk: Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has urged his side to fight back in the Premier League title race with Liverpool State Sen. John DeFrancisco, two contested congressional races, an upset in a Syracuse-area state legislative race and a change in Onondaga County's leadership. If there's one thing you can say about 2018 it's that it was a busy year for central New York's political scene. A high wind warning is in effect for northern Cayuga County between 2 a.m. Monday and 10 a.m. Tuesday, with gusts up to 60 mph possible, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS' Buffalo office issued the warning at 12:28 p.m., and cautions residents in Wayne, Oswego, Livingston, Ontario, Allegany and northern Cayuga counties of high winds. Westward winds between 20 and 30 mph are likely, with gusts up to 60 mph possible. The warning said that gusts will bring down trees and power lines, resulting in scattered power outages and possibly minor property damage. The high winds will make driving difficult, especially in high-profile vehicles, according to the warning. For more information, visit the National Weather Service website at weather.gov. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 There is an enormous amount of potential built into every new Legislative Session. As we look at various public policy proposals before us, the Legislature has the power, and responsibility, to develop a clear vision for improving New York and then executing it effectively and efficiently. It is truly an exciting time. New Years Day is upon us. In 2019, it is my hope, and the hope of my colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference, that we can do better. Albany has strayed too far from the foundation of sound policies in favor of scoring political points. Too many have turned away from New Yorks high tax, over-regulated and underperforming business climate. However, with the right blend of strategic, targeted legislation aimed at sparking the economy, and the cooperation of public officials from both sides of the aisle, New York can, again, realize its potential as the financial and cultural capital of the world. LOOKING AHEAD TO PRIORITY POLICIES IN 2019 New York has a serious cost-of-living problem. Residents and business owners must contend with astronomical taxes that simply do not return anywhere close to enough to justify them. Our schools arent funded equitably, and our infrastructure is woefully failing. These are not fringe issues; they strike at the heart of our day-to-day lives. It is no coincidence that New York leads the nation in number of people moving out of the state for greener pastures. Here are a few reforms the Assembly Minority Conference would like to see as we begin anew in 2019: Make the property tax cap permanent to ensure some of the highest taxes in the nation doesnt become even more oppressive; Overhaul corrupt, wasteful, and ineffective economic development programs with improved oversight and actual cost-benefit analyses; Reduce property taxes by requiring Albany to pay the bill for programs and mandates it forces onto localities, rather than passing on all costs to homeowners; Enact term limits for legislative leaders and committee chairs to reduce the concentration of power in Albany; Significantly increase state support for local roads and bridges and fight back against the decay of our states infrastructure; Support people with developmental disabilities by increasing funding for housing, respite, transportation and employment opportunities in their home communities; Make college more affordable by increasing Community College Base Aid, raising the Tuition Assistance Program income threshold and offering assistance to young people struggling with college loans; Give law enforcement the tools it needs to combat the opioid crisis; Speed up the implementation of the Middle-Class Tax Cuts enacted in 2016; Develop a Metropolitan Transportation Authority action plan that directs existing resources to immediate needs without raising taxes, tolls or fees; This is just a fraction of the measures we could adopt to improve our great state. Most importantly, the job of the Legislature is to do no harm. We must give all New Yorkers the tools they need to succeed without barraging them with wasteful taxes and crippling regulations. I hope each of you have a safe and happy New Years celebration. There is much to celebrate as we look ahead, and I am hopeful for a productive, exciting and prosperous 2019. What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, email me at kolbb@nyassembly.gov, find me by searching for Assemblyman Brian Kolb on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For Immediate Release, December 11, 2018 Contacts: Ashley Soltysiak, Sierra Club, (801) 467-9294, Ashley.Soltysiak@sierraclub.org Ryan Beam, Center for Biological Diversity, (928) 853-9929, rbeam@biologicaldiversity.org Landon Newell, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, (801) 428-3991, landon@suwa.org Trump Administration Auctions 150,000 Acres for Fracking Near Utah National Parks SALT LAKE CITY The Trump administration today offered more than 150,000 acres of public lands for fossil-fuel extraction near some of Utahs most iconic landscapes, including Arches and Canyonlands national parks. Dozens of Utahns gathered at the state Capitol to protest the lease sale, which included lands within 10 miles of internationally known protected areas. In addition to Arches and Canyonlands, the Bureau of Land Management leased public lands for fracking near Bears Ears, Canyons of the Ancients and Hovenweep national monuments and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Utahns have demonstrated their commitment to transition away from dirty fossil fuels through clean energy resolutions passed in municipalities across our state. Yet, these commitments continue to be undermined by rampant oil and gas lease sales, which threaten our public health, public lands, and economy. While Utahs recreational and tourism economies continue to flourish, these attempts to develop sacred cultural, environmental, and recreational spaces for dirty fuels remain a grave and growing threat. said Ashley Soltysiak, director of the Utah Sierra Club. Utah is our home and the reckless sale of our public lands with limited public engagement is simply unacceptable and short-sighted. Fracking in these areas threatens sensitive plants and animals, including the black-footed ferret, Colorado pikeminnow, razorback sucker and Grahams beardtongue. It also will worsen air pollution problems in the Uinta Basin and use tremendous amounts of groundwater. Utah just experienced its driest year in recorded history. This is a reckless fire sale of spectacular public lands for dirty drilling and fracking, said Ryan Beam, a public lands campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. These red-rock wonderlands are some of the Wests most iconic landscapes, and we cant afford to lose a single acre. Fracking here will waste precious water, foul the air and destroy beautiful wild places that should be held in trust for generations to come. This lease sale is part of a larger agenda by Trump and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to ramp up fossil fuel extraction on public lands, threatening wildlife, public health and the climate. This year the BLM has offered more than 420,000 acres of public land in Utah for oil and gas extraction. The agency plans to auction another 215,000 acres in March. The Trump administration also has issued new policies, which are being challenged in court, to shorten public-comment periods and avoid substantive environmental reviews. BLMs shortsighted decision threatens Utahs red rock wilderness as well as significant cultural and archaeological resources, said Landon Newell, staff attorney with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. BLMs lease everything, lease everywhere approach to oil and gas development needlessly threatens iconic red-rock landscapes and irreplaceable cultural history in the ill-conceived push for energy dominance. Fracking destroys public lands and wildlife habitat with networks of fracking wells, compressor stations, pipelines, and roads. Injecting toxic wastewater into the ground pollutes rivers and groundwater and causes earthquakes that damage infrastructure and property. Oil industry activities also pollute the air with dangerous toxins linked to human illness and death. The federal governments own report shows that oil and gas production on public land contributes significantly to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 Sooo a florida man has started a go fund me to tunnel under the wall LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 352770 12-31-2018 05:14 AM Post: #16 RE: Sooo a florida man has started a go fund me to tunnel under the wall Advertisement LoP Guest Wrote: (12-31-2018 05:07 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (12-31-2018 04:45 AM) Walls work. Even if it only reduces illegal immigration by like say 40% that's a big impacy ya but you can get dudes for 12'50$ an hour with rifles that shoot bullets that cost 35cents see this is the problem with america, in your attempts to paint yourselves as the shining beacon of the world you unfortunalley tie your own hands which prevents you from doing what should really be done....the only thing that works with humans...pink mist if you could somehow get over your moral hand tying high ground that you created for yourselves and just shoot boarder jumpers and kill them in a very in your face public way I'd guarantee that very few people would attempt to cross once the word got around that they'll just shoot your azz dead... want proof, wants stats? look at the stats of the berlin wall, look to walls that are built to keep people in...when we see walls built to keep people in, who will be shot if they try to leave, we see VERY few attempts at crossing the line, consider that being kept in assumes some communist nightmare that would give HIGH motivation to escape from....ie. the quality of life is SO bad that you'd be willing to die trying to escape...on the other hand when we take the same dynamic and the motivation for illegally crossing the southern boarder, 99% of the circumstances revolve around simply wanting better economic advantages...the question you then want to ask is "well, ya its pretty crappy money wise here in mexico, but am I gonna risk getting shot dead to go make more money?".....most likely not, and therefore you will see virtually no crossings....kill 10, control millions.... you have no problem traveling to foreign places, meeting brown people and then killing them....what is your problem when they show up at your door? stop the with the false dichotomies please stop the with the false dichotomies please LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 442998 12-31-2018 05:17 AM Post: #17 RE: Sooo a florida man has started a go fund me to tunnel under the wall LoP Guest Wrote: (12-31-2018 05:14 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (12-31-2018 05:07 AM) ya but you can get dudes for 12'50$ an hour with rifles that shoot bullets that cost 35cents see this is the problem with america, in your attempts to paint yourselves as the shining beacon of the world you unfortunalley tie your own hands which prevents you from doing what should really be done....the only thing that works with humans...pink mist if you could somehow get over your moral hand tying high ground that you created for yourselves and just shoot boarder jumpers and kill them in a very in your face public way I'd guarantee that very few people would attempt to cross once the word got around that they'll just shoot your azz dead... want proof, wants stats? look at the stats of the berlin wall, look to walls that are built to keep people in...when we see walls built to keep people in, who will be shot if they try to leave, we see VERY few attempts at crossing the line, consider that being kept in assumes some communist nightmare that would give HIGH motivation to escape from....ie. the quality of life is SO bad that you'd be willing to die trying to escape...on the other hand when we take the same dynamic and the motivation for illegally crossing the southern boarder, 99% of the circumstances revolve around simply wanting better economic advantages...the question you then want to ask is "well, ya its pretty crappy money wise here in mexico, but am I gonna risk getting shot dead to go make more money?".....most likely not, and therefore you will see virtually no crossings....kill 10, control millions.... you have no problem traveling to foreign places, meeting brown people and then killing them....what is your problem when they show up at your door? stop the with the false dichotomies please there is nothing false but your pretense there is nothing false but your pretense LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 352770 12-31-2018 05:20 AM Post: #18 RE: Sooo a florida man has started a go fund me to tunnel under the wall LoP Guest Wrote: (12-31-2018 05:17 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (12-31-2018 05:14 AM) stop the with the false dichotomies please there is nothing false but your pretense no the claim that you think that people are fine with going to other countries to kill is not true it is a false statement you speak in fallacies dude immigrants seem to be ok even if they flood through ellis island but once it is a brown person coming over a border looking to work they are considered illegal no the claim that you think that people are fine with going to other countries to kill is not trueit is a false statement you speak in fallacies dudeimmigrants seem to be ok even if they flood through ellis island but once it is a brown person coming over a border looking to work they are considered illegal LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 442998 12-31-2018 05:34 AM Post: #19 RE: Sooo a florida man has started a go fund me to tunnel under the wall LoP Guest Wrote: (12-31-2018 05:20 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (12-31-2018 05:17 AM) there is nothing false but your pretense no the claim that you think that people are fine with going to other countries to kill is not true it is a false statement you speak in fallacies dude immigrants seem to be ok even if they flood through ellis island but once it is a brown person coming over a border looking to work they are considered illegal you are part of an evil disgusting machine, you are part of the top predator in the food chain,... you are the top predator because of the very simple fact that men and women of duty who serve this machine that gives you every single little thing that you have , EVERY SINGLE THING!!!!and that duty is to go and kill brown people in foreign lands in order to preserve YOUR WAY OF LIFE...THEY MUST DIE SO YOU CAN LIVE!!! like or not that's the way it is, if we don't do the killing you don't get to do your LIVING because let me tell you what softy, it's a VERY FINE LINE BETWEEN LIVING AND BEING ALIVE!!! and killing brown people is that difference!!! you want your meat, but you don't want to kill, you want your shelter, but you don't want to build, you want your security BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT!!! NO!, NO YOU DON'T !!!, you want to go to sleep in your nice soft bed, and wake up in the morning and eat your damn breakfast don't ya, sit in your nice car on your nice paved road with your cheap gas taking you where ever you want to go, don't ya.....and in a'llllll of that , you think that comes for free? do you? DO YOU REALLY!!! the truth is you can't handle the truth!!! the truth is that the only reason you get to live your stinking little insignificant life is BECAUSE WE KILL BROWN PEOPLE!!! AND BY DOING SO , WE ENSLAVE THEM WITH SERVITUDE AND DEBT...THAT YOU DIRECTLY BENEFIT FROM.... SO GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE JONNY AND LOOK AT THE PARADE ALL AROUND YOU AND KNOW THAT YOUR ENJOYING IT BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD WHAT IT TOOK TO PULL THE TRIGGER SO YOU CAN EAT YOUR MEAT you are part of an evil disgusting machine, you are part of the top predator in the food chain,... you are the top predator because of the very simple fact that men and women of duty who serve this machine that gives you every single little thing that you have , EVERY SINGLE THING!!!!and that duty is to go and kill brown people in foreign lands in order to preserve YOUR WAY OF LIFE...THEY MUST DIE SO YOU CAN LIVE!!!like or not that's the way it is, if we don't do the killing you don't get to do your LIVING because let me tell you what softy, it's a VERY FINE LINE BETWEEN LIVING AND BEING ALIVE!!! and killing brown people is that difference!!!you want your meat, but you don't want to kill, you want your shelter, but you don't want to build, you want your security BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT!!!NO!, NO YOU DON'T !!!, you want to go to sleep in your nice soft bed, and wake up in the morning and eat your damn breakfast don't ya, sit in your nice car on your nice paved road with your cheap gas taking you where ever you want to go, don't ya.....and in a'llllll of that , you think that comes for free? do you? DO YOU REALLY!!!the truth is you can't handle the truth!!! the truth is that the only reason you get to live your stinking little insignificant life is BECAUSE WE KILL BROWN PEOPLE!!! AND BY DOING SO , WE ENSLAVE THEM WITH SERVITUDE AND DEBT...THAT YOU DIRECTLY BENEFIT FROM....SO GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE JONNY AND LOOK AT THE PARADE ALL AROUND YOU AND KNOW THAT YOUR ENJOYING IT BECAUSE SOMEONE HAD WHAT IT TOOK TO PULL THE TRIGGER SO YOU CAN EAT YOUR MEAT 9n Sprinkles User ID: 446933 12-31-2018 05:46 AM Posts: 2,458 Post: #20 RE: Sooo a florida man has started a go fund me to tunnel under the wall 9n Wrote: (12-31-2018 05:11 AM) Support the dozer! #WallsAreFoRetards LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 480849 12-31-2018 06:31 AM Post: #21 RE: Sooo a florida man has started a go fund me to tunnel under the wall the boat will sink with too many people and i dont want to get stuck eating rice the rest of my life either.at some point.enough already.time to get wages up and the economy rockin.dumping immigrants in usa is hurting those already here.at all levels of industry. NormalIsSubjective User ID: 461465 12-31-2018 06:32 AM Posts: 22,006 Post: #22 RE: Sooo a florida man has started a go fund me to tunnel under the wall Ladders to Get Over Trump's Wall $156,935 of $100.0M goal Raised by 6,980 people in 10 days https://ca.gofundme.com/ladders-to-get-o...p039s-wall Another option:Ladders to Get Over Trump's Wall$156,935 of $100.0M goal Raised by 6,980 people in 10 days Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Here's who is getting rich off Trump's immigrant detention camps. A new Daily Beast investigation reveals new details about just how lucrative the business of detaining immigrant asylum-seekers in the United States has become. "In 2018 alone, for-profit immigration detention was a nearly $1 billion industry underwritten by taxpayers and beset by problems that include suicide, minimal oversight, and what immigration advocates say uncomfortably resembles slave labor," write the Beast's Spencer Ackerman and Adam Rawnsley. Excerpt from '$800 Million in Taxpayer Money Went to Private Prisons Where Migrants Work for Pennies' People like this guy waving his gun at a driverless Waymo van in Arizona are attacking self-driving vehicles with rocks, knives, and *their own cars*, sending a message to tech companies like Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet (Google's parent company). That message is, please go experiment with artificial intelligence in somebody else's neighborhood. In the video above, a pissed off guy in Chandler, Arizona waves his gun at a passing Waymo van. He got in trouble for it, but man, I can empathize. By the way, the image was captured by surveillance cameras on the Waymo van, provided to the police, and sort of proving the dude's point. There have been accidents in the area involving the autonomous vans. The New York Times reports on the tire-slashing of a driverless vehicle that once happily roamed the streets of Chandler, which isn't far from Phoenix. There have been 21 violent attacks on driverless cars there in the last few years. Waymo started testing self-driving vehicles in Chandler in 2016. Waymo did not ask the human residents if they were cool with it. They're not cool with it. Excerpt from the NYT report: In ways large and small, the city has had an early look at public misgivings over the rise of artificial intelligence, with city officials hearing complaints about everything from safety to possible job losses. Some people have pelted Waymo vans with rocks, according to police reports. Others have repeatedly tried to run the vehicles off the road. One woman screamed at one of the vans, telling it to get out of her suburban neighborhood. A man pulled up alongside a Waymo vehicle and threatened the employee riding inside with a piece of PVC pipe. In one of the more harrowing episodes, a man waved a .22-caliber revolver at a Waymo vehicle and the emergency backup driver at the wheel. He told the police that he "despises" driverless cars, referencing the killing of a female pedestrian in March in nearby Tempe by a self-driving Uber car. "There are other places they can test," said Erik O'Polka, 37, who was issued a warning by the police in November after multiple reports that his Jeep Wrangler had tried to run Waymo vans off the road in one case, driving head-on toward one of the self-driving vehicles until it was forced to come to an abrupt stop. Sounds like human interactions with driverless cars are Waymo challenging than the tech company foresaw. I'll go get my coat and be outta here now. Go read the rest here. You can also go read all the original reporting on this 'attacking driverless cars in Arizona' phenomenon in the Arizona Republic. Excerpt: A Waymo self-driving van cruised through a Chandler neighborhood Aug. 1 when test driver Michael Palos saw something startling as he sat behind the wheel a bearded man in shorts aiming a handgun at him as he passed the man's driveway. The incident is one of at least 21 interactions documented by Chandler police during the past two years where people have harassed the autonomous vehicles and their human test drivers. People have thrown rocks at Waymos. The tire on one was slashed while it was stopped in traffic. The vehicles have been yelled at, chased and one Jeep was responsible for forcing the vans off roads six times. Many of the people harassing the van drivers appear to hold a grudge against the company, a division of Mountain View, California-based Alphabet Inc., which has tested self-driving technology in the Chandler area since 2016. [via @kimmurphy] Every year, Jennifer Jenkins and Jamie Boyle from the Duke Center for the Public Domain compile a "Public Domain Day" list (previously) that highlights the works that are not entering the public domain in America, thanks to the 1998 Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, which hit the pause button on Americans' ability to freely use their artistic treasures for two decades a list that also included the notable works entering the public domain in more sensible countries of the Anglophere, like Canada and the UK, where copyright "only" lasted for 50 years after the author's death. But this year, it's different. This is the year that America unpauses its public domain; it's also the year that Canadian PM Justin Trudeau capitulated to Donald Trump and retroactively extended copyright on works in Canada for an extra 20 years, ripping works out of Canada's public domain, making new works based on them into illegal art (more proof that good hair and good pecs don't qualify you to be a good leader see also: V. Putin not even when paired with high-flying, cheap rhetoric). Even as Canada's public domain has radically contracted, America's has, for the first, time, opened. So this year's American Public Domain Day List is, for the first time in 20 years, not a work melancholy alternate history, but rather a celebration of works that Americans are newly given access to without restriction or payment, for free re-use and adaptation, in the spirit of such classics as Snow White, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, All You Need is Love, and more (More than 1,000 in all, summarized in this handy spreadsheet thanks Gary!). Films * Safety Last!, directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor, featuring Harold Lloyd * The Ten Commandments, directed by Cecil B. DeMille * The Pilgrim, directed by Charlie Chaplin * Our Hospitality, directed by Buster Keaton and John G. Blystone * The Covered Wagon, directed by James Cruze * Scaramouche, directed by Rex Ingram Books * Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan and the Golden Lion * Agatha Christie, The Murder on the Links * Winston S. Churchill, The World Crisis * e.e. cummings, Tulips and Chimneys * Robert Frost, New Hampshire * Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet * Aldous Huxley, Antic Hay * D.H. Lawrence, Kangaroo * Bertrand and Dora Russell, The Prospects of Industrial Civilization * Carl Sandberg, Rootabaga Pigeons * Edith Wharton, A Son at the Front * P.G. Wodehouse, works including The Inimitable Jeeves and Leave it to Psmith * Viginia Woolf, Jacob's Room Music * Yes! We Have No Bananas, w.&m. Frank Silver & Irving Cohn * Charleston, w.&m. Cecil Mack & James P. Johnson * London Calling! (musical), by Noel Coward * Who's Sorry Now, w. Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby, m. Ted Snyder * Songs by "Jelly Roll" Morton including Grandpa's Spells, The Pearls, and Wolverine Blues (w. Benjamin F. Spikes & John C. Spikes; m. Ferd "Jelly Roll" Morton) * Works by Bela Bartok including the Violin Sonata No. 1 and the Violin Sonata No. 2 * Tin Roof Blues, m. Leon Roppolo, Paul Mares, George Brunies, Mel Stitzel, & Benny Pollack (There were also compositions from 1923 by other well-known artists including Louis Armstrong, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, WC Handy, Oscar Hammerstein, Gustav Holst, Al Jolson, Jerome Kern, and John Phillip Sousa; though their most famous works were from other years.) And as great as that list is, it's hardly a patch on the amazing works we'd be inheriting if the Sonny Bono law hadn't been passed and the 1978 law was still on the books works whose authors fully expected them to be in the public domain as of tomorrow: Books * Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time * Rachel Carson, Silent Spring * Barbara Tuchman, The Guns of August * Katherine Anne Porter, Ship of Fools * James Baldwin, Another Country * Philip K. Dick, The Man in the High Castle * Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions * Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire * Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange * Michael Harrington, The Other America * Milton Friedman, Capitalism and Freedom * J.G. Ballard, The Drowned World * Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes * Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest * Edward Albee, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? * Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich * Doris Lessing, The Golden Notebook * Helen Gurley Brown, Sex and the Single Girl * Ingri d'Aulaire and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire, D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths Movies * Lawrence of Arabia * The Longest Day * The Manchurian Candidate * Dr. No * Jules and Jim * Sanjuro * Birdman of Alcatraz * Mutiny on the Bounty * Days of Wine and Roses * How the West Was Won Music * Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream), by Cindy Walker, performed by Roy Orbison * Blowin' in the Wind, Bob Dylan * Watermelon Man, Herbie Hancock (from his first album, Takin' Off) * Twistin' the Night Away, Sam Cooke * You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover and You Shook Me, Willie Dixon * Surfin' Safari, The Beach Boys * Songs from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Stephen Sondheim * Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream), Cindy Walker * Big Girls Don't Cry, Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio * Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield * Little Boxes, Malvina Reynolds * The Loco-Motion, Gerry Goffin and Carole King * Soldier Boy, Luther Dixon and Florence Greenberg And, as Jenkins and Boyle point out, the largely hidden casualty of copyright term extension is the scholarship and research published in academic journals, who paid nothing for these works, and who have locked them up for decades to come: 1962 was another exciting year for science. John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth. The muon neutrino subatomic particle was discovered by Leon Lederman, Melvin Schwartz and Jack Steinberger. The "father of the Internet," J. C. R. Licklider, began discussing an "Intergalactic Computer Network," and co-authored (with Welden E. Clark) an article entitled "On-line man-computer communication." But if you want to read Licklider's 1962 article on the journal website, and you do not have a subscription or institutional access, you will encounter a paywall. A distressing number of scientific articles from 1962 require payment, or a subscription or account. Want to download "Unconscious Mental Imagery in Art and Science" in the journal Nature? Here's the paywallthe pdf is $32. Science and JAMA 5 both charge $30 to view a single article from 1962 for 24 hours. Want to read about experiences from "The Obesity-Diabetes Clinic" in JAMA? Here's the payment page. Want to read about a report on elevations and ice thickness in "Oversnow Traverse from McMurdo to the South Pole"? If you go to Science's page to purchase digital access, you will see that you can purchase access for 1 day for $30 USbut that's not all. You also have to agree to the following restrictions and conditions: "You may view, download, and/or print the article for your personal scholarly, research, and educational use" but may not distribute or post it, and you must agree both to accept cookies and be contacted from time to time about the publisher's products. Of course, many scientists will have institutional access to these journals, but this access is not guaranteedeven institutions such as Harvard have considered canceling their subscriptions because they could no longer afford the escalating prices of major journal subscriptions. It's remarkable to find scientific research from 1962 hidden behind publisher paywalls. Thankfully, some publishers have made older articles available in full online, so that you can read them, even though it may still be illegal to copy and distribute them. In addition, some older articles have been made available on third party websites, but this is not a stable solution for providing reliable access to science. Third party postings can be difficult to find or taken down, links can get broken, and would-be posters may be deterred by the risk of a lawsuit. Under the pre-1978 copyright term, all of this history would be free to scholars, students, and enthusiasts. Not all scientific publishers work under this kind of copyright scheme. "Open Access" scientific publications, like those of the Public Library of Science, are under Creative Commons licenses, meaning that they can be copied freely from the day they are published. January 1, 2019 is (finally) Public Domain Day: Works from 1923 are open to all! [Jennifer Jenkins and Jamie Boyle/Duke Center for the Public Domain] What Could Have Entered the Public Domain on January 1, 2019? [Jennifer Jenkins and Jamie Boyle/Duke Center for the Public Domain] Just when you thought that the Chinese government's extensive surveillance of the country's citizens couldn't get any creepier or more intrusive, Xi Jingping slyly raises an eyebrow and asks the west to hold his Tsingtao: From The Epoch Times: In China's latest quest to build an all-seeing surveillance state, schools have become part of the state's monitoring apparatus. Students at more than 10 schools in Guizhou Province, one of China's poorest provinces, and the neighboring Guangxi region are now required to wear "intelligent uniforms," which are embedded with electronic chips that track their movements. The uniforms allow school officials, teachers, and parents to keep track of the exact times that students leave or enter the school, Lin Zongwu, principal of the No. 11 School of Renhuai in Guizhou Province, told the state-run newspaper Global Times on Dec. 20. If students skip school without permission, an alarm will be triggered. If students try to game the system by swapping uniforms, an alarm also will sound, as facial-recognition equipment stationed at the school entrance can match a student's face with the chip embedded in the uniform. Each of the "intelligent uniforms" contain two tracking chips which, according to the company that makes them, can withstand temperatures of up to 150 degrees Celsius and at least 500 runs through a washing machine so much for accidentally destroying the hardware. In addition to keeping track of the whereabouts of the kids that wear them for every moment of their school day, the uniforms' chip set can also tell when a child is nodding off during the school day and be used to make cashless purchases of school lunches and other educational necessities. Obviously, not everyone is down with this sort of tech being used in schools or, well, anywhere. According to the Epoch Times, users of Sina Weibo (sort of a Chinese iteration of Twitter) expressed concern that the tech further eroded privacy and tracking people to such an extensive extent could be considered a human rights violation. The big question here is how long will it be until similar tech is employed in other facets of Chinese society: school campuses offer a small, easily studied group of test subjects in a predictable setting. Once the kinks in the smart uniforms are ironed out, the tracking hardware could be used in factories or, in a far more Orwellian scenario, be forced upon every citizen to use as they go about their lives. Image: by Greenhall1 Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link After an extremely busy and bumpy 2018, Pearl Modiadie has decided to take a little retreat trip to the land of love, France. Nothing a little international vaycay cant fix. PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! The stunning TV presenter and radio host has worked herself finished this year. Making the decision to treat herself to a little vaycay was definitely a deserving and good idea. Briefly.co.za has seen how Pearl has been seen living her best life in France, it looks like she actually belongs there. From her stunning pic posts on social media we have seen that she is doing the full tourist thing. Pearl has visited everything from the Eiffel Tower to The Arc De Triomphe, and even the famous Mont Saint-Michel. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app Here are nine pictures from Pearls soul rejuvenating vaycay in France: READ ALSO: Gorgeous Kelly Khumalo is getting the happy ending she deserves 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 ONE of the country's leading cooking oil and soap manufacturers, United Refineries Limited (URL) will resume cooking oil exports to Namibia soon as it forges ahead to grow its foreign currency coffers.URL chief executive officer Mr Busisa Moyo confirmed that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has issued the company with an export permit to export its Roil cooking oil brand to Namibia."We have now been given the permits we require to export to Namibia. There had been a ban of exports of cooking oil up to last month. We also have orders for Botswana and Malawi but we are awaiting permits for the same from the relevant ministries," he said.The company was forced to halt exports around the year 2000 due to a myriad of challenges, including a downturn of the economy due to illegal economic sanctions.However, URL recently admitted to inadequate stocks of cooking oil and laundry soap citing limited access to key raw materials due to shortage of foreign currency.To effectively respond to the shortage in the market, the company requires up to $3 million in foreign currency.URL, which has sustained its operations for the past 18 years through processing cooking oil and laundry bar soap, has over the past few years re-introduced and launched a number of products."Both the fortified mealie-meal and vegetable extract juices are performing satisfactorily and are listed with major retailers. We look forward to growing awareness for these products in the New Year," said Mr Moyo.The company also launched its new mayonnaise line under Roil Mayonnaise brand and an olive oil brand, where olive varieties are grown in the Eastern Cape.Three years ago the Bulawayo-based company re-introduced its three range of soaps namely Image, Vogue and Fresh Health Joy whose packaging was inscribed in English as well as Portuguese specifically aimed to target Portuguese speaking nations. News / National by Staff reporter An Alouette III helicopter carrying Secretary for Defence and War Veterans Mr Martin Rushwaya force-landed in Gutu on Saturday after developing a mechanical fault.No one was injured in the incident although the helicopter damaged its wheels and propellers. The incident occurred near Ranga school while the helicopter was headed for Harare from Gutu. Details were still sketchy yesterday and investigations are underway.Acting Provincial Administrator for Masvingo province Mr Roy Hove told the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation that the helicopter developed a fault while airborne.Mr Hove said the pilot managed to control the aircraft before landing. In an interview yesterday Zimbabwe Defence Forces spokesperson, Colonel Overson Mugwisi confirmed the incident."Yes I have heard about the incident. I am still trying to get a full briefing on what transpired from our people on the ground," said Col Mugwisi.The incident comes barely a month after five people - three Finnish and two Zimbabweans - died on the spot when a private plane crashed in Masvingo last month.The plane, which was en-route to Victoria Falls from Buffalo Range Aerodrome in Chiredzi, crashed at Chamanjirenji Hills near the Tokwane-Ngundu area close to Renco Mine. News / National by Staff reporter A meeting between the Health Services Board (HSB) and the Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZiMA) mediating task force has resolved that junior doctors who had been suspended must immediately return to work in order to break the current impasse and for the normalisation of services in the health sector.The meeting agreed that while the law must be complied with, any disciplinary measures instituted on junior doctors who had withdrawn their services must be fair and non-discriminatory.The meeting convened by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, led by the minister in charge of the portfolio Dr Obediah Moyo and also attended by the Attorney General, agreed that the junior doctors whose industrial action was ruled to be unlawful must return to work.Addressing the media after the meeting, ZiMA president Professor Francis Chiwora implored the junior doctors to be on the same page with the government and ZiMA which is now the mediator in the impasse, and return to work.HSB vice chairperson Mrs Auxilia Chideme-Munodawafa clarified that if the junior doctors comply with the agreement, their suspensions will be lifted.A member of the HSB Mr Memory Nguwi cleared the air on the issue of new contracts that were reportedly being drafted for the doctors who have just completed their studies.The junior doctors withdrew their services on the first of this month and the HSB communicated their grievances to government through Treasury.The grievances included an upward review of on call allowances and other costs of living adjustments. Opinion / Columnist The ongoing labour withdrawal by over 500 junior doctors, which has endured for a month now, has provided the ideas-bankrupt opposition with cheap fodder to criticise Government over the matter. What the opposition has managed to do is bring out celebration drums to revel in the situation which, it believes, "fixes" ZANU PF and Government without sparing a thought for the affected patients or offering meaningful ideas to resolve the impasse.Despite claiming that he would not get into power by walking over the dead bodies of Zimbabwean people, MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa last week contradicted himself by seeking to wring some non-existent political capital out of the purely labour issue by stoking conflict between the striking doctors and Government by shamelessly pressing the latter to "give doctors their money...pay teachers and civil servants in forex." It is a known fact that Zimbabwe is not receiving enough foreign currency due to low exports and that it is prioritising key areas such as the importation of medical drugs, fuel and raw materials for the manufacturing sector until the economy turns round the corner.If Government is experiencing challenges in securing sufficient foreign currency to cover these crucial areas, where would it get enough of it to cover civil servants' salaries? Asking for the impossible from the Government indicates both the opposition and the concerned civil servants' politicisation of the matter to settle the 30 July result. A doctor who took up his vocation as a matter of natural calling and passion would prioritise the welfare of his or her patients ahead of their own. He or she would choose that Government uses the available scarce foreign currency resources to secure medical drugs and other consumables to enable them to indulge their passion of serving people rather than deprive the people of the same resources.Given this background, Chamisa's irresponsible statement is not only careless but also exposes his lack of political maturity. No politician worth his salt would seek to perpetuate a life-threatening issue in the name of cheap political point scoring oblivious of the fact that the same people, who he is seeking to consign to death via the continuation of the strike, are the electorate he wants to vote for him in 2023. He presides over a party which dominates most urban local authorities where workers salary arrears run into several months and service delivery is deplorable to say the least but he has never said a word about these issues. Politics notwithstanding, no human being in full control of his mental faculties would seek to extend the ongoing strike by a second given the dire consequences of the work stoppage on ordinary people.While Government superintends over the health of the nation, it does not mean that other stakeholders cannot play a role in the matter. This is why it partners other entities such as the Global Fund to deliver health. Even American organisations fund Zimbabwe's health programmes despite that country's stance against the country. This fact indicates that health is not a political matter. Opposition politicians and their hangers-on should, therefore, be very ashamed of their attempt to politicise a simple labour disagreement between Government and doctors under its employ.It is not only Chamisa who is seeking to milk some political capital on the labour dispute as others such as the Raymond Majongwe-led Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), which is led by one largely unknown Orbert Masaraure, have positioned themselves to push the opposition's anti-Government agenda and to extort obscenely huge salaries from the cash-strapped Government.Among the issues raised by the PTUZ was a demand for teachers to be paid US$3 000 per month. ARTUZ organised a handful of teachers to walk from Mutare to Harare during December to press Government to, among other things, pay them in United States dollars. Yes, every employee deserves their salary or wage and they should be paid but within reason and consideration of circumstances. ARTUZ, which has openly fought in the opposition's corner in the past despite the requirement that teachers should be apolitical, also criticised the recently-introduced 2 percent tax on electronic funds transfers as brutal and extortionate using typical opposition lingo.An analysis of the two unions indicates that they are peripheral, not known by many compared to their other counterparts such as the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and not part of the Apex Council. Their antics should, therefore, be understood in the context of their desperate quest for recognition and acceptance by the majority of teachers even if it means making patently stupid out-of-this-world demands to please their tiny constituencies.As for the MDC, it was rejected by the people of Zimbabwe during the election except for a few legislators and one wonders for which people Chamisa was speaking as he lost the presidency poll and has no parliamentary seat. One only assumes that he was commenting on the strike issue as a private Zimbabwean citizen as he has neither the legal nor political leg to stand on regarding the matter.Labour disputes come and go and one questions the wisdom of a whole leader of an opposition party seeking to leverage a transient issue for political mileage. This exposes the shallowness of his political mettle. No wonder he consigned him to a child playing with sand seeking opportunities to spill it into someone's meal as a way of getting back at them for some past perceived grudge such as losing an election. As for the unions all they are doing is wrongly seeking relevance and clout.The unions should understand that Government is not an enemy which should be fixed. They should learn that Government, apart from parents, is one of the key stakeholders in the local education sector especially given that it is their employer. They should engage Government, yes, but avoid overplaying their hand to please the gallery of teachers and the opposition. Snowfall across Nova Scotia is likely on New Year's Day, with up to 25 centimetres expected in some parts of the province, says CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon. The snow will begin early Tuesday morning over western Nova Scotia and spread eastward to the rest of the province during the morning. Halifax Regional Municipality has put into effect its winter parking ban for overnight Tuesday to allow crews to clear streets and sidewalks. The highest snowfall amounts are expected in the Cape Breton Highlands. Environment Canada has issued snowfall warnings for Victoria County and Inverness County for Mabou and north. There's also a Les Suetes wind warning in effect for the latter area. Snoddon said these areas could see between 15 and 25 centimetres of snow, while the rest of the province could see up to 15 centimetres of snow. Special weather statements are in place for all other parts of Nova Scotia. "Gusty southeasterly winds during the day Tuesday could also reduce visibility at times in blowing snow," said Environment Canada. Getty Images "Snow should taper to showers or drizzle in the afternoon as temperatures climb above the freezing mark." Marine Atlantic has delayed several of its departures on Jan. 1 and Jan. 2 from North Sydney and Port aux Basques due to weather. Air Canada and West Jet have also issued travel advisories for Halifax, Sydney, Fredericton, Bathurst, Saint John and Moncton on Tuesday and are waiving change fees for passengers who want to re-book to avoid the weather. For more weather updates, follow CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon. Islamic Fulani radicals murdered seven Christians in a Nigerian town the day after Christmas, according to persecution watchdog group International Christian Concern. Fulani militants have attacked numerous villages and murdered their inhabitants. ( World Watch Monitor) The ICC, which has been documenting the targeted killings of believers in Nigeria, said that armed Fulani militants attacked the town of Rawuru in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on Wednesday. The village suffered another deadly incident in June, when 230 Christians were murdered by militants. "The size and coordination of those attacks showed that this could not just be another small local clash. It was clearly a well thought out and preplanned attack meant to kill as many people as possible," ICC said. "These types of attacks are not the normal farmer-herder conflict that the Nigerian government has been trying to claim they are," they continued, referring to both government and international mainstream media reports attempting to portray the murders as a result of clashes between nomadic Fulani herdsmen and Christian farmers. "They are clearly meant to kill, terrify, and displace local villagers from their land. If the Nigerian government does not end this conflict sometime soon, there could be continued violent conflict which turns into a civil war." AFP also reported on the attack in Rawuru, though it said that five people were killed, while another two were injured. State police spokesman Tyopeeve Terna said the victims were returning home late Wednesday from a birthday party in the neighboring Pugu village when they were ambushed. Terna vowed that police will hunt down the killers and bring them to justice. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who is preparing for elections in February, has been criticized by Christian leaders in the country for failing to protect citizens and stand up to the Fulani militants. The Rev. Dacholom Datiri, president of the Church of Christ in Nigeria, revealed that he delivered a report to Buhari in November highlighting the slaughter of 646 Christians in Plateau state between March and October. "The devastation in terms of massacre of lives and destruction of property is unimaginable. Pastors and members in their thousands have been killed in cold blood, either shot dead or slaughtered like animals or burned to death. Houses and businesses have been burned or looted and farmlands have been destroyed," Datiri said, reflecting on years of attacks. "The proficiency and mode of operation in all of these attacks, as testified by the surviving victims, leaves us in no doubt of the complicity of the military being used as hired mercenaries by the Fulani militias," he added. "On this, we are disappointed, and sadly so, that the government has not delivered on her constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property." ICC said that by its estimates, 1,700 people were killed in 2018 at the hands of Fulani radicals, though other Christian leaders have said that thousands more believers have been massacred. The watchdog group said that the 1,700 number alone is already three times as many deaths as those committed by Boko Haram, the terror group that has been killing Christians and other civilians en masse since 2009. Courtesy of The Christian Post In 1981, David Bradley was part of a team building IBM's new personal computer. Back in the days, programmers had to manually restart the entire system whenever the computer encountered a coding glitch. Bradley was fed up with the tedious memory tests following the restart so he decided to create a keyboard shortcut that triggered a system reset without the memory tests. Ctrl-Alt-Del was born. This keyboard combination was initially for internal use only and not intended for the end-users, as it rebooted the computer without any warning or confirmation. But when Bill Gates adopted the same key combination to log into Windows operating systems for Microsoft, the command became an integral part of the user experience. Bradley later joked: "I may have invented Ctrl-Alt-Del, but I think Bill made it famous." When was the last time you've used Ctrl-Alt-Del in your life? I like the idea of rebooting life and starting over on a fresh canvas. I also wonder how often God uses Ctrl-Alt-Del on our lives without prior notice? After all, many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19 verses 21). Why change? The Church often finds change very difficult and uncomfortable. Why is it so hard to just Ctrl-Alt-Del and let God lead the way? When God said "I change not", it does not mean we should respond with "Neither do we!" God's unchanging nature is His character, and one of His characteristics is making things new. How do we know this? The Bible is filled with the promises of new: a new creation, a new heaven and earth, a new song, a new spirit, a new heart, a new covenant, a new commandment and the list goes on. The Bible also tells us many stories of people who embraced change for God. Take Noah for example. God told him to build a huge ark and he's never done it before! What about Nehemiah? No one would have imagined rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem during the exile. But Nehemiah had the vision and handled it with prayer. Abraham left his native country and family, not even knowing where he was going. Paul was on his way to persecute Christians then God told him to join them instead! These are huge changes with huge implications, the Ctrl-Alt-Del moments in history. Change that matters Perhaps coming to Christian maturity is change. But I don't mean embracing any change. What I mean by change is the mindset and lifestyle that are pleasing to God. In his book Crazy Love, Francis Chan put it this way: People who truly follow Jesus care about the Kingdom, live lives that connect with the poor, do things that don't make sense in terms of worldly success or wealth, will seek humility not recognition, take joy in loving people, will be known as givers, not takers, will orient their lives around eternity; and will be characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God. Isn't choosing to be changed an absolute necessity of entering into God's Kingdom? Cardinal Newman once said: "To live is to change, and to live well is to change often." In other words, if we always do what we've always done, we will always get what we've always got? As another year is drawing to a close, how about spending some quiet time in prayer? Might this be a good time to Ctrl-Alt-Del and reboot life? Ctrl-Alt-Del. I'm signing out and rebooting for 2019. *** This article was originally published in 2013. Khushi scheme of Odisha aims to provide good menstrual hygiene care to women of the state. The initiative aims to promote health and hygiene among school going adolescent girls leading to higher retention in school and greater empowerment of women. About the Initiative Under the scheme, the government will provide free sanitary napkins to 17 lakh girls studying in Classes 6 to 12 in government and government-aided schools. The scheme is being implemented by the health and family welfare department of the state at a cost of Rs 70 crore per year. Why the scheme has been initiated? As per the data of the National Family Health Survey, in Odisha 53 per cent women use unhygienic methods and around 69 per cent women use cloth during menstruation. To address this dire scenario, the Odisha government has initiated Khushi Scheme. The government of Odisha is also providing sanitary napkins to rural women at subsidised rates of Rs. 6 for six napkins through ASHA workers. Maharashtra: State develops hatchery for grooming Nemo fishes by Sweety Adimulam December 31,2018 | Source: Free Press Journal The State Mangrove Cell has created a hatchery for grooming of Nemo fishes at Airolis coastal and marine biodiversity centre in 2018. According to the Chief Conservator of Forests (Mangrove Cell) N Vasudevan inside the hatchery there are a total of 57 tanks of these 26 tanks have brood stock pairs of clownfishes. Twenty-six pairs of clownfishes in 26 tanks and remaining tanks are being used for acclimatisation (it is a process in which an individual organism adjusts to a change in its environment) of sea anemones (a soft brightly coloured sea creature that looks like a flower and often lives on rocks under the water). Moreover, to maintain good water quality, the tanks get water from all over the Mandva seacoast of Alibaugh. Vasudevan said, Since the Mumbai creek water requires repeated filteration as compared to the sea water of Alibaugh, therefore the decision was taken. Scientists of the National bureau of fishes genetic resources (NBFGR) has suggested to use the water of Mandva as it has a better water quality suitable for the hatchery. The recommendation was made based on the research and sample testing done by their scientists. NBFGR is a dedicated research center in fishery science under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research of Government of India, which has been given the responsiblity to look after the project for next three years. Vasudevan said, They are located in Lucknow, but their scientist are all over the country, who also visits here and gives their recommendations, which are executed accordingly. Here in Airolis coastal and marine biodiversity centre they have hired trained professional who monitor the hatchery on daily basis. While the role of State Mangrove Cell will commence only when these pairs of clownfishes produce babies which will be distributed to womem beneficiaries divided in a group of 10 from nearly 50 villages in the states coastal belt of Konkan especially. Interestingly according to research, the clownfish are all born male and they have the ability to turn themselves female, but once the change is made, they cant go back to being male. Sometimes the change is made when mating. Two males will become mates and the larger, dominant fish will become the female. Interestingly unlike humans and other creatures where the female takes care of the new born or the nesting. Here in clownfish case, the male does most of the egg sitting. He will fan them and eat any eggs that are infertile or damaged by fungus. The eggs hatch six to eight days later. The larvae floats away and spend about 10 days adrift. They start their lives clear or transparent, but as they begin to mature they start to gain colour of their species, said Vasudevan. These pairs of Nemo fishes have been brought from Kerala. The initiative is to step into the business of ornamental fish which has a huge demand in the market. Goa: FDA officer accuses Goa government of targeting her for exposing presence of toxic chemical in imported fish December 31,2018 | Source: Mirror Now A female officer with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Goa has accused the state government of targeting and harassing her after she exposed a nexus of fish traders and officials who were importing fish laced in formalin, a toxic chemical, into the state. The officer, Iva Fernandes took her case to the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) after being boycotted by her own department. In her statement to GHRC, Fernandes claims that she was part of a team of FDA officials who tested fish at a wholesale fish market in South Goa district's Margao town in July of this year. We confirmed the presence of formalin which is a toxic chemical in the fish, she told Indian Express. A report by the national daily also stated that the officer attached evidence signed by her and her colleagues at FDA confirming the presence of formalin in the fish with her plea to GHRC. Fernandes who claims that senior FDA officials have links with fish traders said that she was not allotted duty for a long time after tests conducted by her revealed the presence of formalin in fish imported into the state. "Instead of this being attended with seriousness, I have been sought to be targeted," she says. Due to the scare of formalin in imported fish, the government in Goa had banned the import of fish from outside the state in July. FDA had also issued statements claiming that the amount of formalin, a chemical used to preserve dead bodies from decaying in mortuaries was "on par" with naturally occurring levels found in samples of imported fish, adding that there was no added amount of it. Tamil Nadu: Satphones for deep sea fishers in a month December 31,2018 | Source: The Times of India The state government will provide satellite phones (satphones) by the end of January if boat owners agree to form clusters and apply for the device before they go fishing after New Year, deputy Director (Marine) of the Fisheries Department, Chennai, A Anthony Xavier has told TOI. Apart from satellite phones, three other boats in each cluster will be provided with NavIC devices and two boats with Navtex instruments. Thereby communication will reach each cluster in one form or the other, Xavier said. Elaborating on the cluster model, he said there are more than 1,200 registered deep sea fishing boats in Tamil Nadu that are spread across Kanyakumari (800), Tuticorin (200), Nagapattinam (200) and Chennai (below 100). However, he said that the government would not be able to provide satellite phones free-of-cost to every boat, hence Rs3.1 crore was allotted under the state disaster response fund to provide the communication equipment to boats on a cluster basis. They go fishing in groups of seven to ten boats. One device or the other will be given to seven boats in a cluster. They can share messages among them, he said. Boat owners in Nagapattinam and Tuticorin formed clusters and applied under the scheme, but response from boat owners in Thoothoor is very poor, Xavier said. Only around 200 of the 800 boats in Thoothoor have registered, he said. After a recent awareness meeting on satphones and the cluster scheme, boat owners of Thoothoor region told TOI that a few short comings and lack of clarity were reasons for delay in applying. A fisherman of Chinnathurai who conducted a trial with a satellite phone a couple of months ago said they could not get connected at 200 Nautical Miles (NM) off the shore. But we go fishing up to 1,000 NM for three to seven weeks at a stretch, said a fisherman. Another boat owner said that nearby Kerala, 80% of deep sea boats from Thoothoor are operating. Kerala government is providing satellite phones to 1,000 fishermen with boats registered at 70% subsidy. In Tamil Nadu only 160 satellite phones will be given free-of-cost to two boats per cluster (for 80 clusters). We want such phones for each boat like Kerala, he said, adding that they are ready to buy them at a subsidised rate. They also said that the cluster system does not always work as the boats do not stay together all the time. At any given point of time, around 10 boats will be fishing near the same spot spread at a distance of a few nautical miles. Boats that get fish will return to the shore and will not wait for the entire cluster. We plan to buy the satellite phone individually based on feedback from users of the ones provided by the government, said a boat owner from Vallavilai. In response to the queries by fishermen, a BSNL official in Chennai responsible for the satellite phone scheme told TOI that the satellite phones have a range of up to 400 nautical miles off the coast. Connectivity will be affected in barred areas and when the boat enters international waters from the Indian waters, but the distance varies from one place to the other. The international border of Sri Lanka is much closer to Kanyakumari than Tuticorin and those with satellite phones will have to obtain international roaming facility from the Government of India, he added. The death rate spiked in the Crown Prince's first eight months of power. There were 133 executed compared to 67 in the previous eight months. Half the number of people killed were foreign migrants, many for drugs offences. Last month death sentences for teens involved in the Arab Spring were ratified. The Saudi leader most likely to have ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi oversaw double the number of executions in Saudi Arabia when he came to power, according to new figures. The rate of people put to death spiked during the first eight months after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman came to power in June 2017. Human rights charity Reprieve said that between then and March 2018 there were 133 executions, compared to just 67 in the eight months preceding him. Among them were scores of migrants it claimed are typically forced to smuggle drugs in their stomachs. The foreign workers, mostly from South Asia, were among nearly 150 executions in the desert kingdom during 2018. Reprieve says there have been nearly 700 executions in Saudi Arabia since 2014. This year there were about 13 a month, with 27 in July - including seven in a single day. Last month Saudi Arabia put to death an Indonesian domestic worker, Tuti Tursilawati, who killed her abusive Saudi employer, apparently to prevent him from raping her. The execution went ahead without either her family or the Indonesian government being informed. Campaigners singled out the seemingly blood-thirsty rule of MBS for criticism, pointing out that the 33-year-old ruler had claimed he would be getting rid of the death penalty for drugs offences when he took power. Weve tried to minimise executions, he told Time magazine. If a person kills a person, they have to be executed in our law. But there are a few areas that we can change it from execution to life in prison. But despite this pledge, the number of people executed for drugs has actually gone up. Reprieve Director Maya Foa said: Despite promises of reform from the Crown Prince, the Kingdom is executing drug offenders at an alarmingly high rate, and at least thirty people including some arrested as teenagers face imminent execution for exercising their democratic rights. Jamal Khashoggis murder exposed the brutality of Saudi Arabias rulers to the world. Now the Kingdom must be held to account for its use of the death penalty, as political prisoners and vulnerable economic migrants await the executioners blade. Nearly 40% of those put to death in 2018 were convicted of drugs offences, and 77% of these were foreigners, who also made up half the number of people put to death. Reprieve said: These are typically poor migrant workers, coerced into smuggling drugs in their intestines. Last month the CIA concluded that MBS most likely ordered the murder of the Saudi dissident, Jamal Khashoggi, in October. The Washington Post journalist, who had criticised MBS reforms, was set upon by a hit squad when he arrived at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to collect paperwork so he could get married. Reprieve said that only one person executed in 2018 was convicted in the Kingdoms Specialised Criminal Court, which deals with prosecutions for political crimes and terrorism. But it claimed that at least 54 people are facing death sentences for opposing the regime, 30 of whom could be executed any day. Among these are Abbas al-Hassan, sentenced to death in 2016 on charges of treason, including spying for Iran, spreading the Shia faith and attending protests. Earlier this year a UN investigation said his trial did not meet fair trial and due process guarantees, and the charges were in contravention of the right to freedom of religion. Last month the death sentence on Abbas and 11 co-defendants, including two juveniles, was ratified by the king, meaning they can be out to death at any time. They included Ali Al-Nimr, who was convicted as a child and sentenced to death by crucifixion. Maya Foa said: His execution based apparently on the authorities dislike for his uncle, and his involvement in anti-government protests would violate international law and the most basic standards of decency. It must be stopped. | 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 Longest expressway in southern Vietnam nowhere near completion after 4 years Delays in acquiring lands mean completion of the Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway has been pushed back from 2018 to 2020. A section of the Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway. The Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway connecting the southern provinces of Long An and Dong Nai with HCMC will be 57.7km long. Its construction began in 2014 at a cost of around $1.6 billion. Once completed in 2020 it will be the longest expressway in southern Vietnam. It was originally scheduled to open to traffic at the end of 2018, but has been delayed. A section of the expressway running through HCMC's Binh Chanh District. The expressway will have four lanes and a shoulder. Some sections of the expressway in HCMC's Binh Chanh District are nearly complete. A 5-km section of the expressway in Long An Province's Ben Luc District. The expressway begins near Ben Luc District in Long An and runs through the province for five kilometers before linking up with the HCMC - Trung Luong Expressway. Ramps leading up to it are under construction. The 2.76-km Binh Khanh Bridge between HCMC's Nha Be and Can Gio Districts is still under construction. The expressway will have many bridges totally measuring 20km, with the two major ones being Binh Khanh between HCMC's Nha Be and Can Gio Districts and Phuoc Khanh between Can Gio and Dong Nai's Nhon Trach District. Pillars of the Binh Khanh Bridge. The Binh Khanh Bridge, connecting HCMC's Nha Be and Can Gio Districts, will be 2.76km long over the Soai Rap River. Construction began in 2015, and it is 70 percent complete now. The Phuoc Khanh Bridge is also still under construction. The Phuoc Khanh Bridge connecting HCMC's Can Gio District and Dong Nai's Nhon Trach District is also still under construction. The Phuoc Khanh Bridge is 3.1km long and 21.7m wide. The two main pillars of Phuoc Khanh Bridge. The two main pillars of Phuoc Khanh Bridge are 135m tall and are under construction. A 4.7km long segment connecting the Binh Khanh and Phuoc Khanh Bridges. Connecting the Binh Khanh and Phuoc Khanh Bridges is a 4.7km long segment with two smaller bridges that was finished last year. An overpass above the expressway under construction. The Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway will have six intersections and exits in total. Some intersections with HCMC roads are still under construction. Sections running through HCMC. Some sections running through HCMC's Binh Chanh District are still under construction. Some nearly-finished sections. Two workers install barricades on nearly-finished sections. There will also be lighting and phosphorescent markings on the expressway. Some tunnels in HCMC and Long An Province are still under construction. In Dong Nai Province, only 6-7 percent of the work has been completed with 100 families yet to be relocated to make way for the road. A 20-km section between Ben Luc and the Nguyen Van Tao intersection in HCMC's Nha Be District could open to traffic next September if HCMC speeds up work, a spokesperson for the Southern Expressway Management Unit said. According to the Ministry of Transport, the Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway will allow vehicles going from the west to the southeast of the country to bypass HCMC altogether. It will also ease traffic on National Highways 1 and 51 and reduce traveling time from Long An to HCMC, Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. Vietnamese courts had a fair share of high profile cases in 2018, involving top officials, bankers, magnates and cops. A long list of Vietnamese officials and business figures in different fields were taken to court in 2018 as Vietnam widened a corruption crackdown spearheaded by Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong since last year. Oil and gas Former political star Dinh La Thang was sentenced to 13 years in jail for economic management violations in January. Dinh La Thang at a court in Hanoi on May 5, 2018. Photo by Vietnam News Agency. Thang, 58, served as board chairman of oil giant PetroVietnam between 2006 and 2011, before his career took off as Minister of Transport and then Party leader of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnams biggest city. The indictment said he directly appointed Trinh Xuan Thanh as general director of PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC) in December 2007, before making various promotion, funding and recruitment decisions to boost Thanhs power and facilitate the companys operations. He has been found guilty of being responsible for Thanhs actions that led to losses worth more than VND119 billion ($5.24 million) at one thermal power plant and embezzlement of VND4 billion ($176,000) at another under PVC. Thanh, 51, Vietnams notorious runaway bigwig, was sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of embezzlement and deliberately acting against State regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences. Trinh Xuan Thanh at a court in Hanoi in January. Photo by the Vietnam News Agency Then, in February, Thanh was sentenced to life in prison for the second time for embezzlement at a subsidiary of the country's top energy firm PetroVietnam. He was found guilty of causing million-dollar losses at PVCs real estate subsidiary PVP Land. The indictment said Thanh had colluded with seven people including other former oil executives to falsely devalue PVP Land shares and embezzle VND49 billion (more than $2 million) from a stake sale in 2010. Thanh alone pocketed VND14 billion ($616,500), the indictment said. Later in June, Thang and six other former PetroVietnam officials were found guilty of illegally plowing ahead with a 20 percent stake purchase in Ocean Bank in 2008 despite being aware of its "poor capacity". The stake, worth VND800 billion ($35 million), was then completely written off when the central bank took over OceanBank in 2015. For that, he got another sentence of 18 years in jail. Under Vietnams Penal Code, a person who receives multiple sentences will serve a maximum of 30 years in jail. Top cops, tycoons At a closed trial on July 30, Phan Van Anh Vu, 43, a real estate tycoon in Da Nang, was sentenced to 9 years in prison, while Phan Huu Tuan, 63, former lieutenant general and former deputy general director of the General Intelligence Department under the Ministry of Public Security received a 7-year sentence. Nguyen Huu Bach, 55, a former defense ministry official got 6 years in prison. Phan Van Anh Vu stands trial in Hanoi in July. Photo by Vietnam News Agency They were charged with disclosing state secrets, and as such, details of the crimes committed by Vu and other defendants were not revealed. Prior to his downfall, Vu was one of the biggest property investors in Da Nang. He was the chairman of three major property companies and a shareholder in a number of other projects in the central city. "Little Baldy" case Former colonel Dinh Ngoc He was sentenced to 12 years in jail on July 31. "Little Baldy," as the former colonel was known, was convicted of "abusing power in the performance of official duties" and "using fake documents." He was also banned from taking any government position for four years after serving his jail term. Former colonel Dinh Ngoc He, listens during the verdict session of his trial at a military court in Hanoi, Vietnam July 31, 2018. Photo by Vietnam News Agency. The former colonel was the first senior military official put in jail in a nationwide corruption crackdown that has intensified over the last three years. He was found to have abused his position as chairman of the defense ministry's Thai Son Joint Stock Company and his military status to get contracts in key national projects, the indictment said. He also abused his position to obtain military license plates for his company cars and submitted fake university test certificates to the Party in a bid to increase his salary, it said. His four accomplices, all former executives at Thai Son, received up to five years in prison for neglect and abuse of power. Online gambling A court on November 30 sentenced Phan Van Vinh, former director of the General Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security and Nguyen Thanh Hoa, former director of the ministrys Department for High-Tech Crime Prevention, to nine and 10 years in jail respectively. Phan Van Vinh (L) and Nguyen Thanh Hoa is at a court in Phu Tho Province in northern Vietnam in November. Photos by VnExpress/Giang Huy They were found guilty of "abusing power or position in the performance of official duties." Investigations found Vinh had helped Nguyen Thanh Hoa and Nguyen Van Duong, chairman of high-tech security development company CNC under the ministry, to set up a gambling ring. The illegal ring was found to have generated a total income of over VND9.8 trillion ($426 million) and a profit of VND4.7 trillion. The trial that opened on November 12 also dealt with 90 other defendants who were charged with organizing gambling, money laundering, illegal trading of invoices, and using the internet to appropriate assets. Of those, 17 were fined VND40 million each, 22 got probation and the rest received up to three years in jail. Bankers jailed On August 6, 46 banking executives and staff received sentences in a fraud case involving millions of dollars. Pham Cong Danh, 53, former chairman of Vietnam Construction Bank (VNCB), which is now the Construction Bank, and Tram Be, 58, former deputy chairman of Sacombank were found guilty of "deliberately violating state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences." Danh was sentenced to 20 years in jail while Be got four years. Pham Cong Danh (L) and Tram Be at a court in Ho Chi Minh City in August . Photos by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen Danh and other staff of VNCB secretly withdrew money from clients' saving accounts and used the cash to secure loans from other banks, pay off debts or deposit into their own accounts. Of the money stolen from VNCB, Danh used VND6.1 trillion ($263 million) to secure loans from Sacombank, BIDV and TPBank for his ghost companies. When these companies were unable to repay the loans, the three banks seized the deposits they'd held as collateral, inflicting losses on VNCB. Be was charged with abusing his position to ignore banking regulations in order to help Danh borrow VND1.8 trillion ($77 million) from Sacombank. Other defendants received a range of punishments including two-year suspended sentences and 10 years imprisonment. The central bank case Dang Thanh Binh, 64, a former central bank deputy governor was sentenced to three years in jail for "negligence of responsibility, causing serious consequences" on July 2. Dang Thanh Binh at a court in Ho Chi Minh City in June. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen Binhs four accomplices two former bankers at major lender Vietcombank, a former supervisor and a former inspector at the state bank received between one and two and half years in jail. Binh served as deputy governor of the State Bank of Vietnam from 2005 until he retired in August 2014. He was held accountable for massive losses suffered by the Vietnam Construction Bank (VNCB) in the biggest ever fraud case involving the country's banking sector. The indictment noted that Binh had been assigned by the central bank to restructure several weak banks, including VNCB. Dong A Bank case Former CEO of DongA Bank Tran Phuong Binh, fallen Da Nang real estate tycoon Phan Van Anh Vu and 24 others got various prison terms on December 20 in a massive graft case that is said to cause losses of more than $154 million for the bank. Binh, 59, will spend the rest of his life behind bars for "deliberately violating state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences" and "abusing position and power to appropriate assets," the court ruled. Tran Phuong Binh at a trial in HCMC in December. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa He was found mainly responsible for losses of nearly VND3.5 trillion ($153.8 million) at the partly state-owned bank, incurred as the bank paid interest beyond regulated rates to customers, committed violations in foreign currency and gold trading, and got involved in a share-buying schemes. Vu, 43, received 17 years for "abuse of power to appropriate property." In 2013, DongA planned to raise its charter capital from VND5 trillion ($220 million) to VND6 trillion despite having several financial problems. To achieve this goal, Binh convinced Vu to buy 60 million shares in the bank for VND600 billion. To raise cash for the deal, Vu mortgaged a plot of land with the bank to secure a VND400 billion loan. Binh then had his subordinates falsify paperwork for the remaining VND200 billion ($8.8 million). However, the plan to raise the banks capital fell through, so Binh instructed his staff to transfer VND600 billion plus interest to Vu's company, although the latter had only paid VND400 billion to the bank in the original share purchase deal. Investigators concluded that Vu had misappropriated VND200 billion from the bank. He has admitted to this, but claimed he had only been following Binh's instructions. He also repaid the money to minimize the damage incurred by the bank. The rest of the money is no longer retrievable, investigators said. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shake hands at the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, South Korea, April 27, 2018. Photo by Reuters North Korean leader Kim Jong-un wants to hold more summits with South Koreas Moon Jae-in next year to achieve the goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. 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 Norths nuclear and missile tests, according to Moons office on Sunday. But stalled nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington had an impact on inter-Korean ties, with the Souths plan to host Kim in Seoul this year - as agreed at his summit with President Moon Jae-in in Pyongyang in September - going unanswered by the North. Kim vowed to work towards denuclearization at his landmark summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in June but the two sides have since made little progress, struggling to reschedule a high-level meeting abruptly called off in November. Kim said in the letter that he was sorry his visit to Seoul did not take place, expressing his "strong resolve" to make it happen in the future while monitoring the situation, Moons office said. "Chairman Kim said he is willing to meet often with President Moon next year to move forward discussions on peace and prosperity and resolve the issue of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," Moons spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said in a statement. A group of five, which included family members, arrived in Cairo two days after a blast hit a tour bus killing three Vietnamese holidaymakers and an Egyptian guide. Photo by 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. Although the sum becomes rather miniscule when divided among all adult residents, the joy of having a profit has caused a great degree of elation in the village. A village in Ukraine seems to have majorly benefitted from investing in cryptocurrencies. After the head of the village council made a crypto investment on behalf of the entire area, they managed to earn a hefty sum of profit. The village in question is in Yelyzavetivka, Dnipropetrovsk region, BTCWires reports. In the first part of this year, around springtime, the head, Maksym Holosnoy, had purchased a small quantity of cryptocurrencies. He had bought crypto coins worth $500, claiming that an equal share is to go to each and every adult villager who lives there. When he had actually made the investment, the move had ended up attracting quite a bit of media attention and coverage but not much was known at the time about possible returns. However, of late, an exciting news reached the villagers as they learnt that they were going to earn a substantial amount of revenue out of it. Although the sum becomes rather miniscule when divided among all adult residents, the joy of having a profit has caused a great degree of elation in the village. Each resident has earned a profit of UAH 100 that come to around $3.60. With regard to this profit earning, Holosnoy commented that: Read alsoEconomy ministry eyes legalizing cryptocurrencies in Ukraine This was a cryptocurrency experiment. No budgetary funds have been spent and you still have the cryptocurrency. The funds you have just received are only dividends. The coins purchased by Holosnoy included Cardano, Ethereum and Bitcoin Core. Apparently, he sold the Cardano holdings soon afterwards as the price rose by $0.25 over that time. It has been revealed that the profits will be used for funding pothole repairs after the snow thaws after the winter and upcoming spring. Around $400 will be required for this public work of repairing the damaged potholes and it is indeed incredible that a crypto investment is making it possible. Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn will be spending the beginning of 2019 behind bars after a Tokyo court on Monday extended his detention through to Jan. 11.The move comes after Japanese prosecutors re-arrested Ghosn for fresh allegations on December 21, dashing his hopes of being home for Christmas. The decision to extend the [detention period] was issued today. The detention expires on Jan. 11, the Tokyo District Court said in a statement. The growing case against the auto tycoon represents a stunning reversal of fortune for a man once revered in Japan and beyond for his ability to turn around automakers, including Nissan. Since his stunning arrest on Nov. 19, the twists and turns of the case have gripped Japan and the business world and shone a light on the Japanese legal system, which has come in for some criticism internationally. Authorities are pursuing three separate lines of enquiry against the 64-year-old Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian executive, involving alleged financial wrongdoing during his tenure as Nissan chief. They suspect he conspired with his right-hand man, US executive Greg Kelly, to hide away around half of his income (some five billion yen or $44 million) over five fiscal years from 2010. They also allege he under-reported his salary to the tune of four billion yen over the next three fiscal yearsapparently to avoid criticism that his pay was too high. The extension that prosecutors won Monday allows them to continue investigating a complex third claim that alleges Ghosn sought to shift a personal investment loss onto Nissans books. As part of that scheme, he is also accused of having used Nissan funds to repay a Saudi acquaintance who put up collateral money. Prosecutors have pressed formal charges over the first allegation but not yet over the other accusations. AFP Mondays extension deals a new blow to Ghosns hopes of being released from the Tokyo detention centre where he has been held since his shock arrest.Earlier this month, he appeared on the verge of winning bail after a court rejected a request from prosecutors to extend his detention on the second allegation against him. But by filing the new claims, prosecutors were able to restart the clock on his detention. The once jet-setting executive, who denies any wrongdoing, was initially held in a tiny single cell but has now reportedly been moved to a more comfortable room. He has complained about the cold and the rice-based menu, sources say, though he has told embassy visitors he is being well-treated although he has shed a lot of weight. According to the Asahi Shimbun daily, Ghosn will be offered cup noodles on New Years Eve -- based on the Japanese tradition of eating noodles at the turn of the year to wish for a long life. He will reportedly be allowed access to his lawyers on January 2 and 3, which are both Japanese holidays. While he has failed to win bail, his alleged accomplice Kelly won a court-ordered release on Christmas Day. Kellys bail conditions prevent him from leaving Japan, and he is reportedly now seeking treatment for a spinal condition at a Japanese hospital. Ghosns lengthy detention has sparked criticism, especially from abroad, but Japanese prosecutors have defended the legal system, which allows suspects to be re-arrested several times over different allegations. And his arrest has laid bare tensions in the alliance he helped forge between Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors and Frances Renault. What do you think about our new website? Share your opinion Venezuelan AMX-30 tanks during maneuvers. ANDREW ALVAREZ (AFP/Getty Images) Spain is taking part in the modernization of the Venezuelan armys tanks despite a European Union-imposed embargo on arms sales to that country. The cross-ministry board that controls Spanish military exports approved the sale of 20 million of tank parts to the government of President Nicolas Maduro in the first quarter of 2018. The authorization was granted after November 14, 2017, which was when the EU regulation banning the supply of such material to Caracas was put in place. Government sources claim that the contract was prior to the embargo, although its political approval came later. The EU took the measure given the deterioration of the political and humanitarian situation in Venezuela The EU took the measure given the deterioration of the political and humanitarian situation in Venezuela, and it was applied to material that could be used for repression and to breach human rights. The assets of a list of high-ranking officials were also frozen. The embargo on Venezuela only allows for two exceptions: the supply of material for humanitarian means, and for operations involving the United Nations and regional organization; and the execution of contracts signed before November 13, 2017 and auxiliary contracts necessary for the execution of the same. In the first quarter of this year, according to Statistics on Defense Exports from the Secretary of State for Trade, Spain sold military vehicle parts to Venezuela for 6,216. Much more important, however, was the approval under the then Popular Party (PP) government of a license to export tank components for 20 million. This figure is nearly 10 times greater than all Spanish arms sales to Venezuela in the year 2017 (3.5 million) or 2016 (2.6 million). According to sources consulted for this story, the license corresponds to the modernization program of 86 AMX-30 combat tanks that were originally manufactured in France. The Venezuelan army is spending 70 million on the vehicles, which were first acquired in 1970 and have already been modernized once by Venezuelan companies, but this process ended in disaster and was surrounded by suspicions of corruption. The tanks will now be updated with the incorporation of IT and electronic equipment, supplied in large part by an Israeli company The tanks will now be updated with the incorporation of IT and electronic equipment, supplied in large part by an Israeli company, while the integration will be carried out by the Spanish firm Star Defence Logistic Engineering SL (SDLE). Asked as to why this operation was authorized despite the arms embargo, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State for Trade indicated that the safeguard clause included in the EU sanctions allows for the authorization of export licenses based on those contracts, in reference to the agreements that were already in place when the embargo was approved. That said, no contract comes into force until the inter-ministerial board approves the corresponding license i.e. no one can export military material without counting on the authorization of the government. The denial of licenses is a regular occurrence. In the first quarter of 2018, the sale of material for parachutes to Iran was blocked, while in 2017 an arms sale to Israel was denied. A spokesperson for SDLE explained that the company counts on a temporary license to maintain the Venezuelan AMX-30 tanks. Until now, we have not received any notification to cut off this service, they explained. If we receive one, we will comply with it. In the meantime, we must meet with our commitments. English version by Simon Hunter. A Spanish hunter who was filmed while he chased and tortured a fox has been identified by the Civil Guard in the Spanish province of Huesca. The man, aged 35, is facing charges of crimes against wildlife. The incident came to light after the recording of the incident spread via social media. In the shocking images, the man is seen grabbing the fox by one leg and throwing it through the air. He then runs after the animal, which does its best to escape. The man then strikes the animal in the head with his shotgun. The animal tries to escape again but the man catches it and throws it in the air once more. The hunter then asks the person filming the scene for a knife. To cut its throat? he is asked. For the tail, he replies. In the rest of the video he is seen stamping on the animals head. According to the local newspaper the Heraldo de Aragon, the video reached a WhatsApp group to which members of the National Police and the Civil Guard belong. Officers from the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) then began to investigate the video. On Friday, according to the newspaper, the hunter admitted having tortured and killed the animal. The Spanish animal-rights political party PACMA denounced the incident via social media. The Spanish Royal Hunting Federation (RFEC) also called last week for the hunter to be identified, and announced that it would propose to Spains autonomous regions that hunting licenses be taken away from anyone displaying such behavior. Since midnight on December 31, illegal armed formations have opened fire three times in the Joint Forces Operation's zone, wounding two Ukrainian servicemen, a statement on the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's website says. "As of 11 a.m., three cases of violation of the ceasefire by Russia-led occupation forces have been registered in the area of the Joint Forces Operation, including the use of large-caliber mortars. () Since midnight two of our defenders have been wounded," the statement says. All the facts of the ceasefire violation by the enemy have been recorded in the Luhansk vector. In particular, at half past midnight, the militants opened fire from automatic grenade launchers at the defenders of the village of Krymske. Half an hour later, the enemy shelling of this settlement was repeatedusing 82-mm mortars. At 01:05, the illegal armed groups released eight mines of this caliber towards the Ukrainian positions. Subsequently, the militants concentrated fire on another part of the Luhansk vector. In particular, the enemy opened fire using a 120 mm caliber mortar and fired three shells in an attempt to inflict losses on the joint forces in the area of the town of Novotoshkivske. "The servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine responded to the enemy with fire using their duty weapons, without the use of prohibited calibers," the Defense Ministry said. As for the two wounded Ukrainian servicemen, their health status is characterized as satisfactory, and they have been getting medical assistance. According to Ukrainian intelligence, on December 31, the enemy suffered losses: two militants were eliminated and three more were wounded. At the moment, the situation in the JFO zone continues to be stable and under control by the Ukrainian units. As earlier reported, at the last meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group, the parties reached an agreement to declare a ceasefire in the JFO zone in Donbas from 00:01 on December 29. Days after Irans foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that no Iranian official has ever called for the destruction of Israel, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that The establishment of a Palestinian government will be realized in Tel Aviv. According to official IRNA, Khamenei in a meeting with Ziad al-Nakhala, the general secretary of Palestinian Islamic Jihad on January 31 in Tehran said, "Palestine will stand strong and with divine grace, in a not-so-distant future, the final victory of the Palestinians will be realized. Khamenei added, In recent years the victory of Palestinians has not meant the ability to form a government in Tel Aviv, but this alsowill be realized. The Iranian ruler told his visitor that Palestinians have been able to bring the Israeli army to its knees, something that Arab armies were not able to accomplish. Palestinians have always said their aspiration is to set up a government in Jerusalem and Khameneis remark about Tel Aviv indirectly means an end to the Jewish state, as Tel Aviv is considered Israel proper and not the disputed capital Jerusalem. Khamnei also assured the Palestinian militant leader that pressures by the arrogance front, a reference to the United States, cannot weaken Irans will to give up its divine duty to support Palestinians. Hassan Khomeyni, the grandson of Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini (Khomeyni), the man who founded the Islamic Republic in 1979, says there is no guarantee that clerical rule can continue in Iran. In a sign of disillusionment and an unprecedented criticism of the political system in Iran, Hassan Khomeini said: "Continuous fragmentation of society; spreading hatred, grudge, hypocrisy, double standards and dishonesty is a bad sign for the government." Speaking at Khomeyni's former residence in Tehran on Saturday December 29, the young Khomeini, also a cleric, said "Nothing should be imposed on the people in the Iranian society." His reference to spreading hatred and grudge could be seen as veiled remarks directed at the Islamic Republics Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who is intolerant towards the West, Israel and domestic critics, many of whom languish either in prisons or under house arrest. He added in a warning to the government, "If we see our principles have faded and we are sticking to rudimentary matters, this is an alarming sign that our society has problems." The remarks by Khomeini's grandson came two days after the daughter of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani lashed out at the Islamic Republic and President Hassan Rouhani for their inefficiency. Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said in an interview with daily newspaper Mostaghel (Independent) in Tehran on Thursday, December 27 that the Islamic Republic has become devoid of content although no physical decline of the regime has happened yet. "It is likely that the physical decline of the regime also could happen," adding that "although the Islamic Republic is deep rooted, its owes its strength mainly to intimidation and terror." Ms. Hashemi further stressed that the one reason there has not been a regime change in Iran is that the people do not know what will happen to them and who will take over power after the Islamic Republic. Members of Khomeini and Hashemi-Rafsanjani's families lost their official positions in various places including the Azad University after Rafsanjani's death in January 2017. This could be a reason for their disgruntlement, although Ms. Hashemi has always been vocal against mismanagement and inefficiency even when she was Tehran's leading MP in mid 1990s and was jailed for six months for taking part in protest demonstrations that followed the disputed presidential election in 2009. "Every group of people have some of their members in jail Many workers, teachers, truckers, women's right activists, environmentalists, university students, economic activists and others are either in jail or have a verdict that would land them in jail at one point," she said. Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Tajik, a political adviser to former reformist President Mohammad Khatami in an interview with reformist Etemad Online website likened Iran's current situation to the "Titanic in turbulent waters," adding that the problem was caused by "faulty structure of the ship, the performance of those who are steering it, the behavior of those on board, and the tempest that has created a whirlwind around the vessel." Tajik said about the current political chaos in Iran, "every group, individual and institution is alienated from its natural function. There are no points of reference in the Iranian society while traditions, culture and customs are gradually losing their attraction." He said the only solution for Iran is "reform," but regretted that "some reformists are following their individual interests in the name of reforms." The remarks by the three figures coincided with the anniversary of major protest demonstrations that shook Iran for several weeks in late December 2017 and early January 2018 in over 100 cities. Protests against injustice, discrimination, financial hardships, widespread corruption, waste of Iran's resources to nurture Khamenei's regional ambitions, among other things, continued throughout the year as workers, teachers, students, women, environmentalists, truckers and many other groups took to the streets in an almost daily basis. A police chief in Khuzestan province admitted in December that his forces had to tackle 650 labor protests only during the first nine months of the current year. The Finance Department said it considers 2018 a banner year in terms of its relentless drive against smuggling and tax evasion. The agency said in a statement the government continued to intensify its campaign against smuggling and tax evasion through the combined efforts of the Bureau of Customs and Bureau of Internal Revenue in 2018. It said that on the watch of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the BIR spearheaded several raids on warehouses storing counterfeit cigarette brands, while the BoC intercepted undocumented shipments of rice, steel products, luxury cars, and other assorted goods. The BIR, from January to November 2018, seized 5,227 mastercases of counterfeit cigarettes bearing various brands and affixed with counterfeit tax stamps. The BoC, as of Dec. 19, confiscated P 9.271 billion worth of smuggled goods from various ports nationwide and filed 68 cases before the Department of Justice against suspected smugglers. It also either revoked, suspended or canceled the customs accreditation of 126 importers and 15 customs brokers as part of the bureaus intensified campaign against smuggling in 2018. The department said of the smuggled goods intercepted by the BoC, illegal drugs accounted for the bulk of the seized items at P3.074 billion, while another P7.319 billion-worth of confiscated items were assorted goods; P56.278 million were cars and other types of vehicles; P490.26 million, agricultural products; P1.343 billion, general merchandise; P4.344 million, used clothing; P49.7 million, steel products; and 4.356 million, counterfeit goods. The BoC was also able to foil several attempts to smuggle rice, sugar and other goods into the country, it said. The BoC also donated a total of 374 bags of rice to the Department of Social Welfare and Development to augment the governments disaster relief efforts for typhoon victims. The BIR, for its part, incinerated over 230,000 mastercases or over 115 million cigarette packs bearing brands manufactured by the defunct Mighty Corp. in 2018. It earlier destroyed over 9,000 mastercases bearing the Mighty brands in the latter part of 2017.The aggregate excise tax of the incinerated cigarettes hit P9 billion, which was part of the P30 billion tax deficiency of Mighty Corp. These destroyed cigarettes were seized in separate operations in San Simon, Pampanga; San Ildefonso, Bulacan; Tacloban City; and General Santos City in warehouses leased by Mighty. The Department of Finance made history in 2017 by collecting from cigarette manufacturer Mighty Corp. a total of P30 billion in unpaid taxes, the biggest sum on record raised by the government from a tax settlement, and which was the result of the heightened joint campaign by the BIR and BOC against tax cheats. After the BIR filed three separate criminal complaints before the Department of Justice against Mighty for its widespread use of counterfeit tax stamps, the firm offered in July last year to shut down its operations and settle its tax liabilities. Mightys manufacturing and distribution assets were sold to Japan Tobacco Inc. for around $ 1 billion. As a conditionality, Mighty paid P30.4 billion (roughly equivalent to $600 million) in taxes, comprising previous tax liabilities and transaction taxes, to settle its obligations to the government. Dominguez instructed the BoC and BIR to track down manufacturers of counterfeit tobacco products and their possible cohorts in government who had a role in allowing the entry of unlicensed cigarette-making machines into the country. Dominguez also directed them to coordinate with officials of the country or countries of origin of these unlicensed cigarette making units to seek their cooperation in finding the people behind the illegal entry of the machines via Philippine ports. He also ordered the BoC and BIR to disable the confiscated machines so that they could no longer be used for illicit operations. An advisor to Irans president criticizing early marriage laws says if thirteen-year-olds can get married then they can also vote or get a drivers license. Maasoumeh Ebtekar, Hassan Rouhanis deputy on family and womens affairs criticized on Monday the rejection of a bill by a parliamentary commission that would have banned child marriages in Iran. Speaking during a trip to Alborz province, Ebtekar said that statistics published by various organizations show a rising rate of divorce and other social harms from child marriages and urged parliament to reconsider its rejection of the proposed legislation. She also criticized contradictions in existing laws, saying, If thirteen is a good age for marriage then all other laws should be also based on the same age criterion, so that 13-yerar-old children are able to vote, get a drivers license and ask for divorce. If the age of thirteen means adulthood, then all laws should be based on that age. The laws are not compatible, and it leads to a lot of problems for the people. The proposed law for raising the marriage age was rejected as a result of opposition by religious leaders who say Prophet Muhammed married a minor age 9 and therefore it is condoned by tradition. Iran's Intelligence Ministry has objected to the airing of a movie on the country's state-run TV, which alleged that foreign agents had infiltrated the ministry during mass unrest following the 2009 disputed presidential elections. According to the ministry, the director of the movie, Abolghasem Talebi was a former agent who had been dismissed and his film is full of lies. The Intelligence Ministry had repeatedly warned the state TV not to run the movie but TV officials finally ignored the warnings, ISNA reported. An Intelligence Ministry official told ISNA that the ministry had issued the same warning in previous years. There are multiple intelligence organizations in Iran. The intelligence ministry works within the presidential administration, while the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, IRGC has its own intelligence units, in competition with the official ministry. Iranian TV, controlled by the office of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, aired the Golden Collars while critics in 2009 had said the film distorted the reality of post-election unrest in Iran by portraying the protests as having been engineered by foreigners. Nevertheless, Talebi says that the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei contacted him over the phone after the screening and thanked him for making the movie and conveyed his respect for the film's actors. In a December 30 tweet, Talebi quoted Khamenei as having said "I watched your film once again. Bravo, Bravo, Bravo! Thank you and please give my respect to the actors." In another tweet one day before the screening, Talebi said that an Intelligence Ministry official contacted him and told him that the ministry previously prevented the airing of the movie as it contained unfair allegations against the ministry's officials. Following the screening, the ministry issued a statement, disclosed the film director's security background as an agent and said the Ministry did not expect him to distort the image of his former colleagues. Several people were killed by security forces, and hundreds jailed during the post-election unrest in 2009, with several others arrested and still missing. The ministry's concern is that unfair treatment of the events in that year could potentially lead to sensitivities that would further fragment the Iranian society. Islamic Republic officials call the aftermaths of the 2009 election "sedition". Many officials including Khamenei have attributed the unrest to foreign influences they have never proved, although prisoners were pressured to make "confessions" about the involvement of foreign elements in the protests and have used the forced confessions to further suppress protesters. The controversial movie, Golden Collars, depicts foreigners' involvement in the unrest and their alleged infiltration into the Intelligence Ministry. A deputy culture minister at the time had said that the government had "partly funded" the movie, however, the government investment was hefty and the budget allocated to the movie could have funded more than a few films at the time. The government was headed by former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose disputed re-election was the reason for the unrest. The official had also disclosed that a number of state officials were against the production and screening of that movie. The official, Javad Shamaghdari, pointed out that the film was finally made with the intervention of Khamenei's office. Some film industry activists at the time protested the unfair allocation of funds for that movie but no one in the government paid any attention to grievances. The film was aired on Ofogh channel of the state TV which is linked to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corp. Talebi is not the only Iranian filmmaker who had links with the Intelligence Ministry. At least three other filmmakers have either spoken about the ministry's investment in their movies or have thanked ministry officials in the final credit titles or said in their interviews that the ministry offered consultations during production. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 Trend: 2018 was a successful year for Azerbaijan, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in his congratulation to the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis and New Year. "Dear compatriots. Year 2018 is nearing the end. It is possible to say with certainty that 2018 was a successful year for our country. Our country has developed successfully in all directions. Azerbaijan has asserted itself as a strong country in the world. Our international positions have consolidated further. This year I have made 16 foreign trips. Sixteen heads of state and government have visited our country, which shows how widespread our bilateral relations are. At the same time, Azerbaijan has been successfully operating within international organizations. We have managed to secure a worthy place in the international arena. Our relations with neighboring countries have risen to an even higher level. This is very important for each country, including Azerbaijan. The work we are doing in the political, economic and other spheres together with our neighbors strengthens stability in the region. As for stability, I can say that tensions, risks and threats are rising in the world, but Azerbaijan is a place of stability. In 2018, our people lived in peace and stability. The main reason and source of this stability is the unity between the people and the government. We have further strengthened our relations with the European Union. The Partnership Priorities document signed between the European Union and Azerbaijan this year is a manifestation of the high level of these relations. This document clearly states thoughts on the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of our borders and shows again that the European Union adheres to the right position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Our role in Islamic solidarity issues is growing. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation gives a high assessment to our policy in this area and we can say with full confidence that Azerbaijan has strengthened its strong role in the Muslim world. The attention, respect and sympathy we enjoy in the Muslim world shows that Azerbaijan has achieved great success in this area as well. This year, the issue of the legal status of the Caspian Sea was also resolved. This is a historic achievement. As you know, this issue remained unresolved for years. However, it has now been resolved and Azerbaijan has made a valuable contribution to that. We remain committed to our principled position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Our position is fair. Our position is fully consistent with the norms and principles of international law. Nagorno-Karabakh is ancient Azerbaijani land. The whole world recognizes the territorial integrity of our country. The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be resolved only within the territorial integrity of our country. The resolutions of the UN Security Council must be fully implemented and the occupying forces must unconditionally withdraw from our lands. I can say that Azerbaijan made very serious steps to resolve this conflict in 2018. As you know, the regime of criminal and corrupt junta that which remained in power in Armenia for 20 years has collapsed and this represents a complete failure of Armenia's aggressive policy against Azerbaijan. I can also say that our thought-out, focused and principled policy against Armenia has yielded fruit. We have isolated Armenia from all regional and international projects, and our share in the collapse of the Armenian economy is quite large. I think there is a new situation for the settlement of the conflict today. I do hope that 2019 can be a breakthrough year in this area. Along with this, of course, I think that our strong military potential is a key factor for the resolution of the conflict. In recent years, we have significantly enhanced our military power. Today, the Azerbaijani army is among the strongest armies in the world. This year's military parade in our country shows our strength, the great potential of strong army. The Azerbaijani army has the most modern weapons and equipment, a very high combat potential, and we proved this again this year. The Azerbaijani army has carried out a successful operation in the Nakhchivan direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and is now in control of 11,000 hectares of land. The takeover of strategic heights enables us to exercise full control over important communications and routes passing through Armenia. We will continue to increase our military power. We want to settle the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully, and our participation in the negotiations is a clear proof of that. However, everyone knows and should know that the military factor plays a special role for the solution of the conflict, and we will increase our military power further. A great deal has been done for the IDPs this year. New homes and apartments for 5,800 IDP families were built and made available to them. This is a record figure in recent years. A total of 626 apartments were given to martyr families and those handicapped in the Karabakh war, and we will continue this policy next year. Of course, all this requires a strong economy, which we do have. Today, Azerbaijan does not depend on anyone in terms of economic development. Azerbaijan's economy is independent and represents a factor that strengthens our independent policy. This year, the gross domestic product has grown, the non-oil sector has grown, industrial production has grown, and the non-oil sector has grown by more than 9 percent. Our exports grew by about 40 percent. $10 billion has been invested in the country's economy. The World Bank's latest "Doing Business" report ranks Azerbaijan 25th in the world. This shows that our reforms, transparency and major economic transformation are producing results, and the World Bank appreciates it. We attach great importance to modern technologies. This year, our third satellite was launched into orbit. This is a great event. Azerbaijan is a member of a limited club of space-faring nations and we are strengthening our positions in this field. This year, the Southern Gas Corridor was officially opened. In May, we celebrated this magnificent event. This is a great and historic achievement. At the same time, TANAP project was officially opened in June this year, and thus great opportunities were ushered for the completion of the Southern Gas Corridor. It is our historic achievement and the people of Azerbaijan will benefit from these projects for decades to come. This year, we celebrated the opening of the Alat Trade Seaport. This is also a historic project. Azerbaijan is becoming a very important transport hub not only of the region but also of Eurasia. The North-South and East-West corridors pass through our territory. A very strong transport infrastructure will enable us to use our transit capabilities with great efficiency. As you know, by my order earlier this year, year 2018 was declared a Year of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. We extensively celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic both in our country and in many foreign states. The present-day Azerbaijan is the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Azerbaijan has never been so strong and so independent in history. Azerbaijan has never been so liberal. This year, the presidential election was held in our country. The Azerbaijani people once again showed confidence in me and gave a high assessment to my work. Over the past 15 years, I have been working as President and serving my people with dignity. I will try to do my utmost for the further development of Azerbaijan, for the strengthening of Azerbaijan and for the prosperity of the people. I have one mission: to build a strong Azerbaijani state and serve the people with dignity. It is the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis today. Taking this opportunity, I extend my greetings to all Azerbaijanis, to all our compatriots living in the world, and wish them every success. Dear fellow countrymen, dear sisters and brothers. I sincerely wish you a Happy New Year and the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis. Happy Holidays!" - said President Ilham Aliyev in his congratulatory address. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 Trend: Azerbaijan made very serious steps to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in 2018, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in his congratulation to the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis and New Year. "We remain committed to our principled position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Our position is fair. Our position is fully consistent with the norms and principles of international law. Nagorno-Karabakh is ancient Azerbaijani land. The whole world recognizes the territorial integrity of our country," said President Aliyev. President Ilham Aliyev noted that the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be resolved only within the territorial integrity of our country. "The resolutions of the UN Security Council must be fully implemented and the occupying forces must unconditionally withdraw from our lands. I can say that Azerbaijan made very serious steps to resolve this conflict in 2018. As you know, the regime of criminal and corrupt junta that which remained in power in Armenia for 20 years has collapsed and this represents a complete failure of Armenia's aggressive policy against Azerbaijan. I can also say that our thought-out, focused and principled policy against Armenia has yielded fruit. We have isolated Armenia from all regional and international projects, and our share in the collapse of the Armenian economy is quite large. I think there is a new situation for the settlement of the conflict today," President Aliyev said. Azerbaijani President expressed hope that 2019 can be a breakthrough year in this area. "Along with this, of course, I think that our strong military potential is a key factor for the resolution of the conflict. In recent years, we have significantly enhanced our military power. Today, the Azerbaijani army is among the strongest armies in the world. This year's military parade in our country shows our strength, the great potential of strong army. The Azerbaijani army has the most modern weapons and equipment, a very high combat potential, and we proved this again this year. The Azerbaijani army has carried out a successful operation in the Nakhchivan direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and is now in control of 11,000 hectares of land. The takeover of strategic heights enables us to exercise full control over important communications and routes passing through Armenia. We will continue to increase our military power. We want to settle the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully, and our participation in the negotiations is a clear proof of that. However, everyone knows and should know that the military factor plays a special role for the solution of the conflict, and we will increase our military power further," President Aliyev said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 Trend: Tensions, risks and threats are rising in the world, but Azerbaijan is a place of stability, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in his congratulation to the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis and New Year. "It is possible to say with certainty that 2018 was a successful year for our country. Our country has developed successfully in all directions. Azerbaijan has asserted itself as a strong country in the world. Our international positions have consolidated further. This year I have made 16 foreign trips. Sixteen heads of state and government have visited our country, which shows how widespread our bilateral relations are. At the same time, Azerbaijan has been successfully operating within international organizations. We have managed to secure a worthy place in the international arena," President Aliyev said. The head of state noted that our relations with neighboring countries have risen to an even higher level. "This is very important for each country, including Azerbaijan. The work we are doing in the political, economic and other spheres together with our neighbors strengthens stability in the region. As for stability, I can say that tensions, risks and threats are rising in the world, but Azerbaijan is a place of stability. In 2018, our people lived in peace and stability. The main reason and source of this stability is the unity between the people and the government," President Aliyev said. President of Azerbaijan noted that we have further strengthened our relations with the European Union. "The Partnership Priorities document signed between the European Union and Azerbaijan this year is a manifestation of the high level of these relations. This document clearly states thoughts on the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of our borders and shows again that the European Union adheres to the right position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Our role in Islamic solidarity issues is growing. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation gives a high assessment to our policy in this area and we can say with full confidence that Azerbaijan has strengthened its strong role in the Muslim world. The attention, respect and sympathy we enjoy in the Muslim world shows that Azerbaijan has achieved great success in this area as well," President Aliyev said. The head of state recalled that this year, the issue of the legal status of the Caspian Sea was also resolved. "This is a historic achievement. As you know, this issue remained unresolved for years. However, it has now been resolved and Azerbaijan has made a valuable contribution to that," President Aliyev said. 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, Trend reported citing Xinhua. 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. Acknowledging that her government disappointed many Germans in 2018, Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to pull the country together for 2019 with a call for solidarity and cooperation to overcome deep political divisions, Trend reports citing Reuters. In her New Year speech, Merkel said she recognized that many Germans bemoaned the ruling coalition that took office in March, an alliance of her conservative bloc and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), which has been blighted by infighting. But she added: We will only master the challenges of our times if we stick together and collaborate with others across borders. Germany is still feeling the impact of Merkels 2015 decision to leave open the countrys borders to more than 1 million refugees, mainly fleeing war in the Middle East. Resentment at that decision helped feed the rise of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), which surged into the Bundestag for the first time at last years federal election, fracturing the countrys political landscape. Merkel has given up the leadership of her party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), but wants to remain chancellor for the remainder of the current legislative period through to 2021 - a goal she referenced again in her New Years speech. A poll on Sunday showed a majority of those surveyed Germans who expressed an opinion supported her staying on as chancellor for the full term. Merkel stressed what she called Germanys values of openness, tolerance, respect and said the country would work towards global solutions when it starts a two-year stint as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council from Jan. 1. Merkel has sought to defend the Western order on which Germany depends and which U.S. President Donald Trump has destabilized by pulling out of international agreements on climate change and Irans nuclear program, and with tariffs. She said she was committed to making the European Union more robust and capable of taking decisions. And with Britain, we want to maintain a close partnership despite the withdrawal from the European Union, she added. British Prime Minister Theresa May has been in contact with European Union (EU) leaders over Christmas holidays in her painstaking efforts to seek the reassurances she hopes will help her Brexit deal pass parliament in mid-January, Downing Street said on Monday, Xinhua reports. "She has been in contact with European counterparts over the break, and you can expect more of that to continue over the week," said the prime minister's spokeswoman. "I haven't got a list for you, but she has been in touch with European leaders, and that will continue in the lead-up to the vote," the spokeswoman added. The prime minister is currently battling to convince British lawmakers to accept the withdrawal agreement she negotiated with the EU, which is opposed by politicians across the political spectrum, including many within her own Conservative Party. The parliamentary vote is scheduled for the week of Jan. 14, with many members of parliament still fiercely opposing the so-called backstop arrangement aimed at preventing a post-Brexit hard border on the island of Ireland. However, with just less than 100 days to go until March 29 -- the scheduled day of the looming divorce -- no one really knows what the future holds if May can't win enough support for her plan from fellow members of parliament. Most British members of parliament deeply distrust May's Brexit plans, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, claimed in comments that are likely to take his relationship with the prime minister to new depths. Meanwhile, Juncker also accused the British public of being "entirely unreasonable" and told the British political class to "get their act together." He was rebuked by May earlier this month for describing her at a summit of EU leaders as "nebulous". Juncker, the former Luxembourg prime minister, said in a recent interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag: "I have the impression that the majority of British MPs deeply distrust both the EU and Mrs. May." "It is not us who are leaving the United Kingdom -- it is the United Kingdom that is leaving the European Union," he said. "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," he said. "My appeal is this: get your act together and then tell us what it is you want," he said. "Our proposed solutions have been on the table for months." Some 150,000 police forces are set to be on duty across France on New Years Eve as yellow vest demonstrators have already called for yet another round of anti-government protest rallies in the European country, Trend reported citing Press TV. French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday is also set to make a televised address to the country at 8:00 p.m. local time (1900 GMT), at the same time as yellow vests have been called to mass on the Champs-Elysees avenue in the French capital. Paris, in particular, will be on full alert after frequent clashes over the last month between anti-riot police forces and the so-called yellow vest demonstrators. Since November 17, thousands of demonstrators wearing yellow vests have been gathering in major French cities to initially protest Macrons controversial fuel tax hike which he later dropped and the high costs of living in France. However, the protest movement has diminished dramatically in the last fortnight, yet the prospect of protesters in yellow vests mixing with revelers and tourists in the capital will cause a new headache for the stretched Paris police force. Analysts believe that the tax and salary concessions that Macron offered to the yellow vest protesters earlier this month have brought the recent fall. But according to numerous polls conducted after Macron canceled his planned fuel-tax hike on December 10, about half of the public believes his concessions were not meaningful enough and that the movement should continue. What can we expect? Disorder. What I see with the 'yellow vests' is a desire to be harmful, not to demonstrate, said French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner as he visited a fire station in the capital. The planned non-violent and festive demonstration to be held on Monday night has been organized on Facebook, where some 9,000 people have already indicated they plan to attend, less than the 12,000 police who will be on duty in the capital. The European country is currently on high alert due to the threat of terrorism, with the latest attack conducted on December 11 during which five people lost their lives by the bullets of a gunman at a Christmas market in Strasbourg. Furthermore, in New Year's Eve lots of French youths from poverty-hit districts of France set fire to hundreds of cars across France in what has become a shocking annual tradition that ties up police forces. The French presidents New Years address is hotly anticipated by political commentators who expect 41-year-old Macron to address the yellow vest protests which commenced in rural France. Since the onset of the movement, ten people have been killed and more than 1,500 have been injured. Fifty of the injury cases were serious. Thousands more have been arrested by security forces. The Tokyo District Court has extended the detention of ousted Nissan Motor Co chairman Carlos Ghosn by 10 days, Trend reports citing Reuters. Ghosn, accused of aggravated breach of trust, is facing allegations of making the car maker shoulder 1.85 billion yen ($16.8 million) in personal investment losses. The extension would mean Ghosn will remain in Tokyos main detention center, where he has been confined since his first arrest on Nov. 19 on allegations of financial misconduct. The Tokyo District Court was not immediately available for comment. A call to Ghosns lawyer was not answered. The National Transmission Corp., Department of Information and Communications Technology and Benguet Electric Cooperative are set to sign a tripartite agreement to pilot the National Broadband Plan in Baguio City. We will sign tripartite agreements with DICT and Beneco on Jan. 8, 2019 to roll out a pilot NBN project in Baguio for government agencies and internet service, TransCo president Melvin Matibag said. DICT, TransCo and National Grid Corp of the Philippines earlier signed a tripartite agreement for the use of spare optical fiber to speed up the implementation of the governments NBN. NGCP operates the countrys transmission network under its concession agreement with the government, while TransCo owns the dark fiber asset. The agreement enabled the government to save around P50 billion by using the dark fiber assets of TransCo. The agreement was initially for the rollout to government offices and agencies and other public places, but a separate agreement with the National Electrification Administration and the electric cooperatives would bring connectivity to the households. Matibag said NEA, through the electric cooperatives, can also lower the cost of electricity.Because the Epira [Electric Power Industry Reform Act] law is saying 50 percent of revenues outside of electricity revenues will automatically go to lowering of electricity rates, so just imagine cheap internet connection and cheaper electricity, which are both economic drivers, Matibag said. The DICT, NEA and the electric cooperatives previously signed a memorandum of agreement for the last mile of the governments NBN project aimed at improving the internet access in the country. The memorandum of agreement aims to ensure widespread availability of high-speed and affordable broadband in remote and rural areas of the country through the electric cooperatives. The DICT, NEA and the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. formalized the tripartite collaboration to realize the objectives of the NBP, including but not limited to the co-use of fiber optic cables. Under the agreement, NEA and Philreca will coordinate with the ECs regarding the NBP project. The DICT, on the other hand, will be allowed to connect or access the electric co-ops existing nodes so that they may link with other government agencies. At least four people were killed and 35 others remained missing after a household gas explosion rocked a residential building in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk on Monday, the Russian Emergencies Ministry said, Xinhua reported. Five people have been hospitalized and 28 people who were previously reported missing were not at home when the tragedy happened. Search and rescue operations are under way at the 10-story building, which partially collapsed in the blast at around 6 a.m. local time (0100 GMT). Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Magnitogorsk and he is expected to meet local officials there. Security measures were tightened on Monday for New Year celebrations in Istanbul, Turkey's most populous city, Xinhua reports. A total of 39,000 police officers, 4,000 gendarmerie members as well as coast guard teams "will be on duty to guard the city and provide the security at the maximum level," Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said in a written statement. Twenty-four-hour patrol shall be enforced in the metropolis on Monday and Tuesday, with 17,000 police officers to be on duty in the central Beyoglu district alone, according to the Istanbul police. Some mounted officers are assigned to the most populated areas of the city, with all the roads leading to the iconic Istiklal Avenue in the Beyoglu district to be closed to traffic as of 15:00 local time (1200 GMT). Chalakkudy-native Faisel Kachappilly's NFT on the jackfruit seed fetched him Rs 73,600 ($980) in a single day. Cotabato CityPolice authorities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao have listed nine towns in the region, where violence is likely to happen in the 2019 elections. Chief Supt. Graciano Mijares, ARMM police director, identified the townswhich the police have recommended to be placed under hot spot areas in the coming elections, calling them election areas of grave concern. The nine towns are Hadji Mohammad Ajul, Lantawan, and Tipo-Tipo, all in Basilan; Marawi City and Sultan Dumalondong in Lanao del Sur; and Mamasapano, Shariff Aguak, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, and Datu Unsay, all in Maguindanao. The presence of armed men and private armed groups in the following areas had a history of election-related violence, Mijares said in an interview by reporters here Monday. He added, however, that the number of areas under such category might increase, depending on the result of the weekly assessment conducted by both the police and the military.Supt. Aldrin Gonzales, speaking for the police in Region 12 (Soccsksargen), noted that no town in the region had so far been placed on the areas of grave concern list as of this posting. However, there is a possibility that a town in Region 12 may be included in the list as the election period draws near, Gonzales said in a separate interview. Like in the ARMM, the security sector in Region 12 and the Commission on Elections are conducting weekly assessments and evaluation. PNA The Indian Army informed on Monday that an attempt by Pakistan to aim its forward post in J&K's Naugam sector a day earlier was effectively blocked .As per the army, Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) attempted to target the forward post with the impostors moving under the cover of dense jungles in the area. Pakistani posts gave heavy covering fire to the BAT team using high-calibre weapons but the wicked plans from across the LoC was detected and annulled using heavy counter fire. Reports suggested that the intruders - believed to be Pakistani soldiers - were gunned down and the Indian Army stated it will ask for the mortal remains to be taken back. "The intruders were wearing combat dresses like Pakistani regulars and were carrying stores with Pakistani markings. Some were also seen in BSF and old pattern IA dresses. From the recovery, it was estimated that they intended to carry out a gruesome attack on the Indian Army, " officials stated. Worth mention here the BAT has been active in not just targeting Indian posts but extending support to terrorists from terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The Indian Army has over and over again, foiled their evil attempts and remains alert against any possible infiltration bids from across the LoC. Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina registered the crucial win for a third consecutive term in Bangladesh's general polls held on Sunday .During the polling following a tense vote that saw at least 17 people killed in poll-related violence. Demands of a fresh election by the opposition also emerged according to media reports. As per the media reports, the ruling Awami League-led alliance won over 260 seats in the 300-member House. Private DBC TV telecasted results of 299 seats out of 300. The ruling Awami League-led grand coalition won 266 seats and its supporter Jatiya Party bagged 21, while the opposition National Unity Front (UNF) with BNP being its key allay got only seven seats, according to the reports of channel. On the other hand Independent candidates won in two seats, according to the local media reports . The election was extended in one seat due to the natural death of a contender. The Election Commission confirmed the whole result of the constituency in southwestern Gopalganj from where Hasina registered massive win bagging 2,29,539 votes, while her BNP opponent secured only 123 votes. Citing security reasons, authorities for the short term cancelled mobile data services and slowed down the internet facilities. Invasive animals and plants are likely to arrive in the next decade Scientists have identified 66 alien plant and animal species, not yet established in the European Union, that pose the greatest potential threat to biodiversity and ecosystems in the region. From an initial working list of 329 alien species considered to pose threats to biodiversity recently published by the EU, scientists have derived and agreed a list of eight species considered to be very high risk, 40 considered to be high risk, and 18 considered to be medium risk. The research, led by Professor Helen Roy of the UK's Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and involving 43 people from across Europe and funded by the European Commission, is published in the journal Global Change Biology. The authors developed a horizon-scanning approach in order to derive a ranked list of potential invasive alien species (IAS). Using this procedure, they worked collaboratively to reach consensus about the alien species most likely to arrive, establish, spread and have an impact on biodiversity in the region over the next decade. The approach is unique in the continental scale examined, the breadth of taxonomic groups and environments considered, and the methods and data sources used. Species considered included plants, terrestrial invertebrates, marine species, freshwater invertebrates and vertebrates. The eight species that pose the highest risk are: 1. Channa argus. The northern snakehead is a species of fish native to southern and eastern China but now also widely distributed in Japan within shallow, marshy ponds and wetlands, where it preys on native fish species. 2. Limnoperna fortunei. The golden mussel is native to China and south-eastern Asia but became established in Hong Kong in 1965, and Japan and Taiwan in the 1990s. Subsequently, it invaded the United States and South America. It alters native fauna with an impact on the freshwater food web. 3. Orconectes rusticus. The rusty crayfish, native to the United States but now found in Canada, is a large and aggressive species of freshwater crayfish, which is more successful in deterring attack from predators than other crayfish and therefore outcompetes native species. 4. Plotosus lineatus. The striped eel catfish is native to the Indian Ocean but was first recorded in the Mediterranean in 2002 and subsequently spread rapidly along the entire Israeli coast. This venomous catfish now inhabits all sandy and muddy substrates contributing to species declines through competition and displacement. 5. Codium parvulum. This green seaweed native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean and subsequently described from the Red Sea, has since been recorded off the northern shores of Israel in the Mediterranean and along the Lebanese coast. It is considered an ecosystem engineer, altering the structure and functionality of ecosystems. 6. Crepidula onyx. The onyx slipper snail is native to the southern coast of California and northern Pacific coast of Mexico. It is now widespread and considered highly invasive in Asia where it has been reported from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. Slipper snails are sedentary filter-feeders and change native ecosystems. 7. Mytilopsis sallei. The black striped mussel described from the Pacific coast of Panama is a brackish species that invaded the Indo-Pacific Ocean during the 1900s and has reached Fiji, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia. In some of these coastal areas the species completely dominates since it can survive extreme environmental conditions. 8. Sciurus niger. The fox squirrel native to eastern and central North America, competes for resources with the native western gray (S. griseus) and Douglas squirrels (Tamiasciurus douglasii). Other key findings include: The highest proportion of the species identified originate in Asia, North America and South America. Aquatic species are most likely to arrive via shipping, while terrestrial invertebrates are most likely to arrive along with goods such as plants. The Mediterranean, Continental, Macaronesian and Atlantic biogeographic regions are predicted to be the most threatened across all taxonomic groups, while the Baltic, Black Sea and Boreal regions are least at risk. The Alpine region appears not to be under threat by any species. The research provides a basis for full risk assessments that can comprehensively evaluate the threat posed by these species to EU biodiversity. Professor Helen Roy of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology said: "Preventing the arrival of invasive alien species is the most effective way of managing invasions. Predicting which species are likely to arrive and survive in new regions involves considering many interacting ecological and socio-economic factors including climate but also patterns of trade. "Our collaborative approach involving experts spanning many disciplines has been critical to achieve the ranked list of alien species that pose the greatest threat to European biodiversity." ### Notes for editors Paper details H.E.Roy, S. Bacher et al. (2018). Developing a list of invasive alien species likely to threaten biodiversity and ecosystems in the European Union. Global Change Biology. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14527 https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14527 Funding The authors are grateful to the European Commission for funding the study (Invasive alien species - framework for the identification of invasive alien species of EU concern ENV.B.2/ETU/2013/0026) on which this publication is based. About invasive alien species (IAS) There are currently more than 14000 alien species recorded in Europe with more than half originating from outside EU territories, while the remainder have originated within parts of the EU and subsequently invaded others. Their numbers are rapidly increasing and for some groups so is their rate of spread. A number of alien species cause serious problems for the environment and society and these are termed invasive alien species (IAS). About Professor Helen Roy Professor Helen Roy combined research with teaching for 10 years before taking up a research position with the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, where she works extensively with national zoological schemes and societies. Her research focuses on the effects of environmental change on insect populations and communities, and she is particularly interested in the dynamics of invasive species and their effects on native biodiversity. About the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is the UK's Centre of Excellence for integrated research into land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. CEH is part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and employs more than 450 people at four major sites in England, Scotland and Wales. CEH tackles complex environmental challenges to deliver practicable solutions so that future generations can benefit from a rich and healthy environment. http://www.ceh.ac.uk Further information For interview requests, further information or images, please contact Simon Williams, Media Relations Officer, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, on +44 (0)7920 295384 or simwi@ceh.ac.uk Six suspected New Peoples Army rebels were killed while a former town mayor and 23 others were arrested during military and police operations in Negros Oriental over the weekend. Among those killed were Reneboy Fat, Demetrio Fat, Dondon Isugan, Constancio Languita, Jun Cubul and Jaime Revilla, all residents of Guihulngan City. Arrested were former Guilhulngan Mayor Cesar Macalua, two ex-brgy officials of Barangay Poblacion namely Misael Dagat and Alfredo Javier. The former town executive yielded a cal. 45 and 9mm pistols and ammunitions following his arrest. The six slain suspects were among the 103 targeted personalities in Guihulngan and the municipalities of Mabinay, La Libertad and Sta. Catalina facing arrest warrant for their alleged involvement in illegal drugs. Of the 103 suspected drug personalities, 30 are reportedly New Peoples Army (NPA) regular and militia members operating in Brgy Trinidad in the city.Reports said the suspects were killed after they resisted arrest during the conduct of law enforcement operations. The military claimed that the NPA operating in Guihulngan City were able to continue their operations with help from big-time drug lords in Negros Oriental and nearby areas. 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 military said in a statement. This continues to show the real face of the communist organization that actively participates in illegal activities to fund their senseless cause that hamper peace and development in some of the areas of our country, the military added. More than 85 well-preserved dinosaur footprints - made by at least seven different species - have been uncovered in East Sussex, representing the most diverse and detailed collection of these trace fossils from the Cretaceous Period found in the UK to date. The footprints were identified by University of Cambridge researchers between 2014 and 2018, following periods of coastal erosion along the cliffs near Hastings. Many of the footprints - which range in size from less than 2 cm to over 60 cm across - are so well-preserved that fine detail of skin, scales and claws is easily visible. The footprints date from the Lower Cretaceous epoch, between 145 and 100 million years ago, with prints from herbivores including Iguanodon, Ankylosaurus, a species of stegosaur, and possible examples from the sauropod group (which included Diplodocus and Brontosaurus); as well as meat-eating theropods. The results are reported in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Over the past 160 years, there have been sporadic reports of fossilised dinosaur footprints along the Sussex coast, but no new major discoveries have been described for the past quarter century and the earlier findings were far less varied and detailed than those described in the current research. The area around Hastings is one of the richest in the UK for dinosaur fossils, including the first known Iguanodon in 1825, and the first confirmed example of fossilised dinosaur brain tissue in 2016. However, trace fossils such as footprints, which can help scientists learn more about the composition of dinosaur communities, are less common in the area. "Whole body fossils of dinosaurs are incredibly rare," said Anthony Shillito, a PhD student in Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences and the paper's first author. "Usually you only get small pieces, which don't tell you a lot about how that dinosaur may have lived. A collection of footprints like this helps you fill in some of the gaps and infer things about which dinosaurs were living in the same place at the same time." The footprints described in the current study, which Shillito co-authored with Dr Neil Davies, were uncovered during the past four winters, when strong storms and storm surges led to periods of collapse of the sandstone and mudstone cliffs. In the Cretaceous Period, the area where the footprints were found was likely near a water source, and in addition to the footprints, a number of fossilised plants and invertebrates were also found. "To preserve footprints, you need the right type of environment," said Davies. "The ground needs to be 'sticky' enough so that the footprint leaves a mark, but not so wet that it gets washed away. You need that balance in order to capture and preserve them." "As well as the large abundance and diversity of these prints, we also see absolutely incredible detail," said Shillito. "You can clearly see the texture of the skin and scales, as well as four-toed claw marks, which are extremely rare. "You can get some idea about which dinosaurs made them from the shape of the footprints - comparing them with what we know about dinosaur feet from other fossils lets you identify the important similarities. When you also look at footprints from other locations you can start to piece together which species were the key players." As part of his research, Shillito is studying how dinosaurs may have affected the flows of rivers. In modern times, large animals such as hippopotamuses or cows can create small channels, diverting some of the river's flow. "Given the sheer size of many dinosaurs, it's highly likely that they affected rivers in a similar way, but it's difficult to find a 'smoking gun', since most footprints would have just washed away," said Shillito. "However, we do see some smaller-scale evidence of their impact; in some of the deeper footprints you can see thickets of plants that were growing. We also found evidence of footprints along the banks of river channels, so it's possible that dinosaurs played a role in creating those channels." It's likely that there are many more dinosaur footprints hidden within the eroding sandstone cliffs of East Sussex, but the construction of sea defences in the area to slow or prevent the process of coastal erosion may mean that they remained locked within the rock. ### The research was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Photo credit: U.S. Air National Guard Photo by: Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot 185th ARW PA From Popular Mechanics It's the B-52 that's most often the butt of jokes about its age, with onlookers noting that airmen could be working on the same planes their grandfathers flew. But another long-serving aircraft could hit the century mark: It's now looking like the KC-135 tanker fleet could mark 100 years in the air before its replacement is finally ready. Tankers are an essential component of American airpower. They supply U.S. and allied warplanes and support aircraft with the gas to cross oceans and fly longer over battlefields. The KC-135 Stratotanker first joined the Air Force in 1956. A modified Boeing 707 civilian airliner, the KC-135 was equipped with internal tanks capable of holding 200,000 pounds of aviation fuel and a midair refueling boom. The result was an aircraft that has refueled U.S. and allied fighters, bombers, and support aircraft in every conflict and theater since the Vietnam War. Hundreds of KC-135s were built between 1956 and 1965. aAccording to Pentagon figures, the U.S. Air Force currently flies 153 KC-135s, while the Air National Guard operates 172 such planes and the Air Force reserve flies another 72. The Air Force is currently preparing to purchase 179 new KC-46 Pegasus tankers , which is a new plane derived from the Boeing 767. However, USAF won't be buying enough of the Pegasus to replace all KC-135s. There's another tanker project, tentatively named KC-Z, allegedly set to enter service in the 2030-2035 timeframe. KC-Z could use a new, low-observable airframe, making it more difficult for enemies to detect with radar. There is also the possibility the future tanker will be optionally manned or unmanned. However, given the difficulties involved in building the KC-46, including long delays and cost overruns, a brand new tanker could be postponed into the 2040s. Photo credit: Air Force MSgt. Michael Jackson No matter what happens with the new planes, it now appears likely that at least a few KC-135s, and perhaps many of them, will reach the century mark. It seems ridiculous to imagine an aircraft produced a hundred years ago, in 1918, could be useful to U.S. Air Force today. But an aircraft produced in 1956 indeed will still have value in 2056. Story continues As long as the airframes are sound (and flying tanker missions doesnt stress aircraft airframes the way fighter missions do) and the aircraft are provided with necessary safety, avionics, and perhaps even engine upgrades, there may not necessarily be anything wrong with a tanker built during the Eisenhower administration flying in the mid-21st century. Via Task & Purpose and The Honolulu Star-Advertiser ('You Might Also Like',) BRASILIA, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Supreme Court Justice Marco Aurelio Mello decided on Wednesday to suspend a decree by President Michel Temer that had established rules for state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA to sell assets. Mello granted an injunction in a lawsuit brought by the leftist Workers Party to the Supreme Court, the Justice told Reuters. Part of the asset divestment program of Petrobras, as the company is known, had already been suspended by another Supreme Court justice, Ricardo Lewandowski. Petrobras, as the company is known, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear what effect, if any, the decision would have on Petrobras asset sales that are still going ahead. (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu and Gram Slattery in Brasilia Editing by James Dalgleish) (Bloomberg) -- Tesla Inc. is getting ready to break ground on its factory and Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk cant wait to visit. Looking forward to visiting soon for the groundbreaking of Gigafactory Shanghai, Musk wrote in a tweet Monday. He didnt provide a date for the visit. The China plant would be a significant milestone for the battery-car manufacturer as it pushes harder into the worlds largest automobile market with its first factory outside U.S. The plant -- dubbed Gigafactory 3 -- will be the biggest foreign-invested manufacturing project in Shanghai. The Palo Alto, California-based company has secured more than 200 acres of land for the China factory, which is expected to cost several billion dollars to build. To contact the reporter on this story: Anand Krishnamoorthy in Singapore at anandk@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anand Krishnamoorthy at anandk@bloomberg.net, Lena Lee For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is targeting to have eight more airports in the country night-rated beginning this year 2019. While maintaining safety in aviation, the Authority is also continuously upgrading and working towards the night rating of several airports expected to be completed by 2019-2021, said CAAP Media and Communications Office chief and spokesperson Eric Apolonio. According to Apolonio, the airports in Naga, Tuguegarao, Cotabato, Bohol-Panglao, Cauayan, Dipolog, Ozamiz and Pagadian Airport are among the facilities whose night rating are currently being processed. Equipping airports with night-rating capabilities will allow the facilities to accommodate flights even after sunset, which will help provide air travelers with flight options. Before, several domestic flights departing Manila are being crammed during the daytime because of the inability of many provincial airports to receive flights at night, contributing to the jamming of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which has only two runways handling both international and domestic flights. Provincial airports which were unable to operate at night also have to send out all their Manila-bound flights during the day. As of November 30, 2018, the country has 18 airports capable of night operations, allowing the facilities to operate for longer hours and enabling these gateways to service more flights, passengers, and cargo. These airports include NAIA, Clark International Airport, Davao International Airport, Kalibo International Airport, Laoag International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, Puerto Princesa International Airport, General Santos International Airport, Zamboanga International Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Bacolod-Silay Airport, Butuan Airport, Laguindingan Airport, Tacloban Airport, Roxas Airport, Dumaguete Airport, Caticlan Airport, and Legazpi Airport (with limitations). Since becoming an independent regulatory body in 2008, CAAP has strived hard to improve the countrys aviation sector, said Apolonio.Also last year, CAAP -- in its mission to connect the Philippine Islands through aviation, and to make air transport more available and convenient to Filipinos -- launched a number of projects, including the new Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) System Complex. The agency also inaugurated new airports such as Lal-lo Airport on March 14, San Vicente Airport on May 10, and Bohol-Panglao International Airport on Nov. 27. Aside from opening new airports, the CAAP also inaugurated new passenger terminal building (PTBs) for Tuguegarao Airport on March 14, Daniel Z. Romualdez (Tacloban) Airport on March 16, Virac Airport on June 1, and Maasin Airport on July 2. CAAP also looks forward and upward to 2019 as it prepares for more project completion and inaugurations. PTBs in Busuanga Airport, Camiguin Airport, Catarman Airport, Marinduque Airport, Ormoc Airport, Ipil Airport, Mati Airport, and Siargao Airport will soon be opened, said Apolonio. Apart from maximizing airport operations, upgrading airport facilities shall likewise help decongest the airport in Manila, he added. We want our passengers to have an option to travel either in the morning or at night. This will also help us decrease airport congestion in Metro Manila, said Manuel Antonio Tamayo, Transportation undersecretary for aviation and airports. In 2018, the government set aside total of P10.1 billion in fresh funding to modernize the infrastructures of 40 airports, with Clark International Airport getting the biggest slice of P2.74 billion. options.jpg A weekly look at what occurred in the oil markets of the U.S. and the world this past week. --After being yanked up and down during a week that is supposed to be fairly quiet, oil prices closed the week Friday at about the same level where they settled one day before last weekend. But that doesn't tell anything about what really happened. After a settlement in the WTI market last Thursday at $45.88/barrel, the settlement this past Friday was $45.59, just 29 cts different after that roller coaster ride. In the interim, there was a Christmas Eve collapse of almost $3, a surge the day after Christmas of more than $3.50, another drop of more than $1.50 a day later and then a strong move upward at the end of the week to bring us right back where we started. That wasn't the case with the ultra low sulfur diesel market, which finished up the week down almost 7 cts from where it was a week earlier. The CME ultra low sulfur diesel contract settled Friday at $1.6647, down from $1.7327 a week earlier. last six days.JPG Focus during the week shifted away from discussions about likely market imbalances next year, but not because anybody believes they are going away. Note that OPEC's planned reduction in output of 1.2 million b/dtwo-thirds of it by OPEC, the other by Russia and its friends--doesn't even go into effect until January. Instead, several analysts led mostly by Goldman Sachs and long-time energy economist Philip Verleger stressed the importance of trader selling as a result of hedging activities. With U.S. production surging but doing so on the back of a lot of borrowed money, those banks and other financing sources have been demanding that producers hedge. That hedging is generally done with put options, where a producer buys a put option that allows thembut not requires themto sell oil at a designated price, known as the strike price. If the market price dips toward that strike price, the seller of the put option, likely some sort of financial firm, needs to sell outright futures contracts. Human input will go into the decision of when to sell, but it's then built into an algorithm, so it's on automatic pilot as the price starts to decline toward that strike price where they're going to stuck having oil "put" on to them. Both Verleger and Goldmanand othershave stressed in recent weeks that the selling of futures tied to that hedging has been a major downward push on prices and is mostly divorced from market fundamentals. But there is also a view that given where a lot of hedges were placed, much of that hedge-related selling is probably done...for now. The key takeaway from the events of the past few weeks is that while you can look at all the supply and demand figures you want, but with so much oil hedged out of the expanding U.S. oil patch, what goes on with that hedging can haveand just did havea significant impact on price. Story continues --The theory that hedge-related selling might be driving the market lower is not universally shared. A report from the well-respected firm of Tudor, Pickering & Holt did not describe the downward movement as being about fundamentals, instead describing it was "less fundamentally driven and more a function of the overall market meltdown as increased equity volatility and growing macro concerns have weighed on a number of asset classes." Don't miss it. Register today . Don't miss it. Register today. --Has this last price drop started to impact drilling activity? The latest rig count from S&P Global Platts indicates it has. The rig count reported by Platts dropped last week to 1,137, a drop of 28 and the lowest level since April. All that decline came from rigs that were drilling for oil, as opposed to natural gas or a combination of oil and natural gas. The numbers are still more than last year at this time, however. --During the recent market decline, commodity diesel prices trailed the market. For example, based on CME data, on December 19 the spread between ultra low sulfur diesel prices to crude oil stood at 28.6, meaning the value of one barrel of ULSD was $28.60 more than the value of a barrel of crude. By December 27, it had fallen to 25.9/barrel. On Friday the gap stood at $24.58/b. The lag in the diesel market evidenced over the past few days might be a function of end-of-year tax selling. Petroleum Argus reported: "Part of the weakness on the US Gulf Coast comes from an effort to clear taxable inventory before the end of the year. Texas' ad valorem tax tends to prompt a sell-off from Gulf coast refiners, and this year's impact was particularly severe." --South of the border, Mexico's slow deterioration of its oil position continues. Its oil output in November declined 2.7% from just a month earlier to approximately 1.71 million b/d. In 2013, it averaged 2.52 million b/d. The grand experiment with outside investment is starting to look like a flop and with current President Obrador essentially hostile to that initiative, it's not clear what can turn around this long slide. State oil company Pemex itself has predicted output to fall to less than 1.6 million b/d by the end of 2019 barring a dramatic turnaround. --Any sort of commodity trading is ultimately a zero-sum game. The winners aren't always traders; they can be individual motorists or truckers or railroads who are now seeing their fuel prices slide. But it's not always easy for the losers. Last month, the head of a natural gas-focused trading firm released this remarkable video in which he emotionally tried to apologize to his clients for what he had lost in the natural gas market, mostly over the course of a mere week. And with the decline in oil over the last few weeks came the report that two leading officials at Chinese trading company Unipec had been fired as a result of a bet on rising oil prices, according to multiple news reports. The two were identified as Chen Bo, Unipec president and Zhan Qi, the Communist Party secretary. The irony is that China has net import dependence of about 65%, while the U.S. is down near 12%. As the world's biggest importer, it benefits more than any other country by a decline in the price of oil. Yet its biggest trading company apparently was long and looking to benefit from higher prices. Want more content like this? Click here to Subscribe Permalink See more from Benzinga 2018 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. (Bloomberg) -- A lawsuit filed against Google by users who said the worlds largest search engine violated their privacy by using facial recognition technology was dismissed by a judge on Saturday. U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang in Chicago cited a lack of concrete injuries to the plaintiffs. The suit, initially filed in March 2016, alleged Alphabet Inc.s Google collected and stored biometric data from photographs using facial recognition software, running afoul of a unique Illinois law against using a persons image without permission. Googles victory comes amid public backlash against U.S. technology giants over mishandling of user data and increased scrutiny of privacy policies. Republican and Democratic lawmakers grilled Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai in a Dec. 11 congressional hearing about its practices, exposing the risks the company may face as criticism intensifies and Democrats retake control of the House of Representatives in January. The case is Rivera v. Google, 16-cv-02714, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Chicago). To contact the reporter on this story: Matthew Boesler in New York at mboesler1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Murray at brmurray@bloomberg.net, Virginia Van Natta, Ros Krasny For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. HLT recently announced the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Taipei Zhongshan hotel in downtown Taipei. The hotel is the companys first property under its market-leading DoubleTree brand in Taipei. Owned by Jiu-Yu Property Group, the property will be managed by Hilton. This 14-storied and 106-roomed hotel, offering Hiltons signature services, lies in close proximity to the Zhongshan MRT train station and both Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei Songshan International Airport. The move underscores Hiltons efforts to expand in international markets and strengthen its brand name. Though the company has expanded in China, Latin America and Europe, it continues to face competition from large hotel chains like Marriott MAR and Hyatt H as well as smaller independent local hospitality providers like Choice Hotels CHH. Shares of Hilton have declined 11.2% in the past year, comparing favorably with the industrys fall of 27.1%. Rationale Behind Hilton continues to drive unit growth to remain the fastest-growing global hospitality company. The companys continuous efforts toward expanding brands globally help increase its market share. In third-quarter 2018, the company achieved net unit growth of 14,800 rooms, showing a 24% increase from the prior-year quarter. Further, the company added 113 hotels, taking the room count to 16,100. For 2018, it projects approximately 6.5% net unit growth. It also has more rooms under construction in Europe, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific than any other hotel chain. As of Sep 30, Hiltons development pipeline comprised more than 2,420 hotels with 371,000 rooms across 108 countries and territories. Currently, almost half of 200 hotels in the pipeline under DoubleTree brand are in the Asia-Pacific region. We expect expansion to drive Hiltons system-wide comparable revenue per available room (RevPAR). In the third quarter, comparable RevPAR increased 2% year over year. Also, the recent hotel addition will strengthen the DoubleTree brands presence. Currently, the brand comprises more than 543 hotels in 43 countries and territories. Efforts to Fortify Loyalty Program The hotel is part of Hilton Honors, one of the largest loyalty programs in the hospitality industry. Hilton extensively focuses on expanding its loyalty program to drive occupancy and revenues. With about 82 million members, this network created an extremely valuable asset for the company. In fact, in the third quarter of 2018, more than 3.5 million members were added to Hilton Honors. In fact, the loyalty program increased occupancy in the third quarter to nearly 60%. Hilton currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside? Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. See the pot trades we're targeting>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Hyatt Hotels Corporation (H) : Free Stock Analysis Report Marriott International (MAR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (HLT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Choice Hotels International, Inc. (CHH) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Asian stocks rose in the last day of trading for the year Monday Investing.com - Asian stocks rose in the last day of trading for the year Monday, with investors focusing on positive hints about the progress of U.S.-China trade talks and overlooking some negative economic signals out of China. Markets in mainland China and Japan were closed and other markets in the region, including Hong Kong, had shortened sessions so trading was generally thin. Still, investors got past the news that manufacturing activity in China contracted more than analysts and economists had expected. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index closed off a short trading at 11 AM ET (4:00 AM GMT) up 1.34% to 25,845. The positive close marked an end to the worst year for Asian stocks since 2011. The Hang Seng Index fell more than 15% through the year. Australia also ended a short day in positive territory, with the S&P/ASX 200 down 0.14% to 5,646. Markets in mainland China did worse, putting in the worst performance among major stock markets in the world through 2018. The Shanghai Composite Index lost about a quarter of its value through the year. And the latest economic indicator out of China might worry investors at the beginning of 2019. Chinas official Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for December released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Friday was 49.4, missing the 49.9 reading that analysts polled by Reuters had expected. A measure below 50 signals contraction. The December PMI was the weakest since February 2016, according to Reuters, and fell below an already weak reading of 50 recorded in November. New export orders have fallen for seven months straight. A silver lining was the non-manufacturing PMI, which came in at 53.8, higher than the 53.4 measured in November. This might be good news for some investors, given that services make up about half of the countrys economy. Still, the low manufacturing PMI numbers suggest the economy is still decelerating, Frederic Neumann, co-head of Asian Economics Research at HSBC told CNBC. Thats going to weigh down not just Chinese GDP growth but really global trade. Story continues Lending support to stocks were comments from U.S. President Donald Trump over the weekend pointing to significant progress in trade talks with China. Trump tweeted that negotiations are moving very well and big progress has been made. He pointed to a very good call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday. In comments to state media, Chinese President Xi Jinping said both the U.S. and China are looking for stable progress. Related Articles Mastercard Rises 3% Oracle Rises 3% NVIDIA Rises 3% FILE PHOTO: Shipping containers are seen at a port in Shanghai, China July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo 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 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 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 , Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles 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) Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on Monday urged Filipinos to learn from past experiences and turn it into positive undertaking in the coming year. Bersamin made this New Years message even as he admitted that 2018 has tested the Supreme Courts resilience. We encountered truly daunting and consequential challenges. Let us take the time to take stock of these challenges, and discern our experiences and learn from them guided by a renewed hope, fresh start and new vision, Bersamin said, in a statement. In 2018, the 15-member bench was at the receiving end of criticisms following the ouster of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno through the controversial quo warranto proceeding. The SCs independence has been questioned with the granting of the quo warranto proceeding that was initiated by Solicitor General Jose Calida. Replacing Sereno is Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro who served for less than two months. Following her is Bersamin.Both De Castro and Bersamin committed to observe collegiality at the high tribunal and assured that it will maintain independence and adhere only to the Constitution. The top magistrate vowed to embark on new initiatives in accordance with our sacred task to promote justice and uphold the rule of law. The new year signifies a new beginning that we must fuse with a genuine effort for reformation and improvement - for ourselves, our families, our work and our country. We in the Judiciary are obliged to build on the positive undertakings of the past to bring about even more meaningful changes and make our courts more accessible, accountable, efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of the public, he said. With Gods loving guidance and grace to make all things new (Revelation 21:5), may we all be instruments of His love, channels of His peace, and stewards of His justice so that we can all have a new year better than the last, Bersamin added. us china trade war deal stock market The trade war between the United States and China has placed immense pressure on the stock market of both countries since mid-2018. With a new trade agreement in the works, China-U.S. relations are expected to improve in the months to come. U.S. President Donald Trump said on December 29 that a comprehensive trade deal is currently being drafted in an attempt to increase U.S. exports and eliminate the friction between the two major economies. Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute, Trump said. March 2019 The U.S and China are set to conclude on a trade agreement by March 1 of next year. The wide range of subjects, industries, and products the trade deal is set to cover has made it more difficult for the negotiators of both parties to come to a consensus. Already, high tariffs on certain products and areas such as car exports have been put on hold by China. Previously, car manufacturers in the likes of Tesla were charged a 40 percent tariff. Affected by it, Tesla China sold the Tesla Model 3 at a price of over $99,000. dow jones industrial average On Christmas Eve, the government of China officially suspended tariffs on cars and several other major exports of the U.S. until March 1, relieving pressure on U.S. companies. But, if a comprehensive trade deal is not formed by the end of the first quarter of 2019, then the high tariffs on U.S. products and companies will resume. The price of Tesla Model S and X has been lowered by around 25 to 30 percent and the price of the companys latest Model 3 has been readjusted to $72,000, down 27 percent from $99,400. Many analysts generally believe that a trade agreement will be established before March, given the damage both countries could face if no deal is established and the tariffs imposed prior to December are re-implemented. While China has suspended tariffs on major U.S. experts, the government firmly emphasized that the tariffs will be imposed again on March 2 depending on the result of the trade deal. The U.S. also threatened to increase the tariffs on Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent on March 2. Story continues The 15 percent increase on $200 billion worth of Chinese products that include electronics and machinery could have a serious impact on local companies and factories, which have been struggling for some time now. Impact on the Stock Market Some large-scale conglomerates have told Reuters that they are preparing for tough and difficult days ahead. Jiang Ming, the chairman of Tianming Group, a conglomerate involved in health care, construction and finance, said: Survival is paramount for us (next year)we will be more cautious with our investment. We also need to maintain better cashflows and save our ammunition to prepare for the tight, tough and difficult days ahead. The failure to come to an agreement on the trade deal could lead the stock market of the two countries to plummet below bear market levels. But, if the U.S. and China develop a trade deal that works for both economies, the stock market of the two countries may see unprecedented gains in the second quarter of 2019. Featured Image from Shutterstock. Price Charts from TradingView. The post US-China Trade Deal Moving Well, Could Stock Market Rebound in 2019? appeared first on CCN. The U.S. dollar was flat on Friday morning in Asia Investing.com The U.S. dollar was flat on Friday morning in Asia as the Japanese yen dipped after U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted over the weekend that trade talks with China are progressing well. The U.S. Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was up 0.01% at 96.40 by 10:50 PM ET (3:50 AM GMT). The USD/CNY was trading at 6.8784 with Chinese markets closed on the last day of the year. The USD/JPY pair gained 0.15% with the yen trading at 110.42. The safe-haven yen was sought-after at the end of the year as investors entered into risk-off mode over concerns of slowing global economic growth, trade tensions between the U.S. and China and volatility in equity markets. Elsewhere, the AUD/USD pair and the NZD/USD pair gained 0.38% and 0.21%, respectively. The CNY came under pressure Monday as the National Bureau of Statistics released the official Purchasing Managers Index, which showed the countrys first manufacturing decline in more than two and a half years. The manufacturing PMI slid to 49.4, with a reading below signalling contraction. U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet over the weekend that he 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! Bloomberg reported that a U.S. government delegation would travel to Beijing in the week of Jan. 7 to hold the first face-to-face trade talks with Chinese officials since Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day truce during a G20 meeting in Argentina earlier this month. Related Articles Forex - Euro Stable Despite Disappointing Inflation Data Yen weakens but moves capped by global growth worries Forex - Yen Falls as U.S., China Prepares Trade Talks Next Week; Yuan Rises Photo credit: Youtube @spencerhughes2255 From Popular Mechanics No, this isn't the desert world of Tatooine. It just looks like it. The now-famous "Star Wars Canyon" in Death Valley, Calif., is so named for its resemblance to Luke Skywalker's home. Among aviation enthusiasts, though, the place is best known as the best place in the Western U.S., if not the whole of the North America, to watch fighter jets and even transport aircraft practice flying low and fast. A new video on YouTube shows a number of U.S. and Canadian military planes zipping through the canyon: The video, shot by plane spotter Spencer Hughes, was shot during the month of December 2018. The video starts off strong with an AV-8B Harrier II jump jet, currently being replaced in U.S. Marine Corps service by the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. Many of the aircraft are F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter jets, with a U.S. Air Force F-15 thrown in for good measure. Also in the video are a pair of Royal Canadian Air Force J-model CC-130 transport aircraft , Canadas version of the C-130J Hercules. Fighter and tactical transport aircraft such as the C-130 often train to fly through canyons to avoid enemy radars and air defense systems. A similar location in the United Kingdom is the Mach Loop. ('You Might Also Like',) Investing.com - Oil has ended the year at around $45 per barrel, which was probably a given as of Friday. The question is how will we start the new year and where might we finish its first week. U.S. West Texas Intermediate ended 2018 up 8 cents, or 0.2%, at $45.41 per barrel. Brent rose $1.02, or 2%, to $54.23 by 2:50 PM ET (19:23 GMT). The annual and other milestones were a lot worse. WTI is down 25% on the year, its first losing year since 2015. It also is down 41% from four-year highs of nearly $77 a barrel hit in early October. For the month, it was down 11%, its worst December performance since 2015. Brent is down 20% on the year and is off 39% from four-year highs of nearly $87 a barrel hit in early October. For 2019, Adam Sarhan, chief executive at global macro fund 50 Park Investments in New York, is bearish. Six months out, prices could probably be lower than they are today, said Sarhan, who's advising his clients to be cautious of any oil rally in the absence of major catalysts," Sarhan said. Theres no bullish change in fiscal policy or monetary policy that I see on the horizon," he added. "We do not have any kind of fixed stimulus coming from global central banks. In fact, theres more tightening and thats not good for markets." Others believe that traders back from the holidays with a sharper focus on energy fundamentals will become more sensitive to the machinations of OPEC, which, interestingly, is planning an extraordinary meeting in April (read another production cut) to apply a new round of upward pressure on the market. If that's the case -- and if last week was any indication -- then 2019 might be a rollercoaster year like no other. Just before the Christmas break, WTI saw a 7% plunge. That was followed by a 9% jump right after the holiday and a 4% slump the very next session. Much of the recent volatility in oil has been more because of equities than energy. To oil producers chagrin, the 1.2-million-barrels-per-day output cut announced on Dec. 7 by OPEC and Russia has been neutered by unyielding U.S. production. With little else to go on, oil has behaved more like Wall Streets twin, falling and rising on global recession worries and powerful buybacks prompted by global macro factors, rather than crude production outages in Libya and Venezuela. Story continues "Volatility is looking like the way forth from here and I'll be ready to sell into any strength," said Tariq Zahir, an oil bear at Tyche Capital Advisors in New York. Related Articles Gold Falls as Jobs Data Increases Likelihood of Fed Hikes Canada producer prices drop 0.8 percent in November on cheaper energy Oil rises to $57 on China-U.S. trade talks, OPEC cuts For Immediate Release Chicago, IL December 31, 2018 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Merck MRK, Abbott ABT, Lockheed Martin LMT, United Parcel Service UPS and Bank of New York Mellon BK. Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog: Top Analyst Reports for Merck, Abbott and Lockheed Martin The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Merck, Abbot) and Lockheed Martin. These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today. You can see all of todays research reports here >>> Buy-ranked Mercks shares have gained +33.9% year to date, significantly outperforming the Zacks Large Cap Pharmaceuticals industry, which has gained +2.8% over the same period. The Zacks analyst emphasizes that Mercks new products like Keytruda, Lynparza and Bridion are contributing meaningfully to the top line. Keytruda sales are gaining momentum with approval for additional indications, especially in the first-line lung cancer setting as it is the only anti-PD-1 approved in this setting. Animal health and vaccine products are also performing strongly and remain core growth drivers for Merck. Meanwhile, Merck will continue to focus on cost-cutting initiatives to drive the bottom line. However, generic competition for several drugs and pricing pressure will continue to be overhangs on the top line. Rising competitive pressure on the diabetes franchise and on products like Isentress (HIV), Zepatier (HCV) and Zostavax (vaccine) remains. Shares of Abbott have lost -4.7% over the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Medical Products industry, which has declined -14.2% over the same period. Increasing currency headwinds to some extent dented the companys strong international performance in the last reported quarter. Meanwhile, emerging market performance has been promising. Story continues The Zacks analyst is optimistic about the strong and consistent performance by the companys EPD and Medical Devices segments. The company has been hogging the limelight within Diabetic Care on growth with FreeStyle Libre. Within Structural Heart, worldwide strong uptake of MitraClip improves further following the FDA approval of its upgraded version. This apart, synergies from Alere consolidation in the form of revenues from Rapid Diagnostics have been driving growth. On the flip side, sluggish Vascular arm continues to dent growth. Buy-ranked Lockheed Martins shares have lost -19.1% over the past one year, underperforming the Zacks Aerospace Defense sector, which has declined -9.1% over the same period. The Zacks analyst emphasizes that Lockheed Martin, being the largest defense contractor in the world, enjoys a strong demand for its high-end military equipment in domestic as well as international markets. Consequently, strong order growth has been a primary growth driver for this company. Lately, the company has been witnessing strong demand for its equipment, ranging from C-130J aircraft in France and Germany to helicopters in Poland to missile defense systems in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Middle East regions. Its backlog climbed to a record $109 billion, in the third quarter. However, it faces intense competition for its broad portfolio of products and services in both domestic and international markets. Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include United Parcel Service and Bank of New York Mellon. Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars? Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. See This Ticker Free >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Abbott Laboratories (ABT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research ABOVE: An Amazon Prime Air drone in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos might have underestimated regulatory obstacles and privacy concerns when he told CBS 60 Minutes in December 2013 that his company would be making drone-borne deliveries within five years. RIGHT: Jeff Bezos speaks at The Economic Club of Washingtons Milestone Celebration in Washington. 68 DEAD. At least three persons die in landslide-prone area Tiwi in Albay, after Tropical Storm Usman, the 21st to hit the country, lashed the area and left 68 people dead in several battered areas, with officials saying the number of fatalities expected to climb even higher. National Disaster officials say 19 people are missing and some 130,000 people have been affected by the storm and its aftermath. UNTV Photo 68 DEAD. At least three persons die in landslide-prone area Tiwi in Albay, after Tropical Storm Usman, the 21st to hit the country, lashed the area and left 68 people dead in several battered areas, with officials saying the number of fatalities expected to climb even higher. National Disaster officials say 19 people are missing and some 130,000 people have been affected by the storm and its aftermath. UNTV Photo READ: Floods, landslides kill 51 NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 28, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (KSF) and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until February 25, 2019 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against DXC Technology Company (NYSE:DXC), if they purchased the Companys shares between February 8, 2018 and November 6, 2018, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. What You May Do If you purchased shares of DXC and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-dxc/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by February 25, 2019. About the Lawsuit DXC and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. On November 6, 2018, the Company revealed a range of adverse financial news including the loss of sales to significant customers, quarterly revenue shortfall in the hundreds of millions of dollars, and an $800 million reduction to its 2019 revenue outlook as well as a lack of growth in the digital space and ineffective sales strategies. On this news, the price of DXCs shares plummeted. The case is City of Warren Police and Fire Retirement System v. DXC Technology Company, et al., No. 18-cv-1599. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com . Contact: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Lewis Kahn, Managing Partner lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com 1-877-515-1850 1100 Poydras St., Suite 3200 New Orleans, LA 70163 News release from Vestas China Beijing, 31 December 2018 Vestas has received a 19 MW order of 4 MW platform turbines from one of Chinas top five power companies, State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC). As the global leading wind turbine supplier, Vestas attracts us with its good reputation and proven 4 MW platform track record. I believe the project will be deliver excellent performance in operation. Says Mr. Dianxue Fu, General Manager of D factory, SPIC Huolinhe Company. SPIC is at the forefront of the green power transformation in China and globally, which fits very well with Vestas strong presence in China and globally. Hopefully, this project will be the beginning of a lasting cooperation in the Chinese market, says Thomas Keller, Senior Vice President and CFO of Vestas China. The order includes a 5-year Active Output Management 4000 (AOM 4000) service agreement, as well as VestasOnline Business SCADA solution. Project delivery and commissioning are expected to be in the third quarter of 2019. Vestas has also signed a 5-year AOM 5000 re-capture service agreement for a 54 MW wind farm with another customer in China. No relationship exists between this service contract and the SPIC order. For more information, please contact: Chen Xing Product Marketing Professional Mail: chxng@vestas.com Tel: +86 10 59232178 About Vestas Vestas is the energy industrys global partner on sustainable energy solutions. We design, manufacture, install, and service wind turbines across the globe, and with 97 GW of wind turbines in 79 countries, we have installed more wind power than anyone else. Through our industry-leading smart data capabilities and unparalleled 83 GW of wind turbines under service, we use data to interpret, forecast, and exploit wind resources and deliver best-in-class wind power solutions. Together with our customers, Vestas more than 24,400 employees are bringing the world sustainable energy solutions to power a bright future. For updated Vestas photographs and videos, please visit our media images page on: https://www.vestas.com/en/media/images . We invite you to learn more about Vestas by visiting our website at www.vestas.com and following us on our social media channels: Attachment /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/ CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bayshore Petroleum Corp. (Bayshore or the Company) (BSH/TSX Venture Exchange) is pleased to provide an update on the operations, financial position and business plans of the Company and the reinstatement of trading of the Companys shares. Company Overview Bayshore is a Calgary, Canada based oil and gas company focused on exploiting heavy oil/bitumen resources in Western Canada. Financial constraints over the past number of years have restricted the ability of the Company to materially advance operational activities and implement the Companys business plan. Following the termination of all agreements and letters of intent relating to heavy oil upgrade technology and all aspects of a pilot heavy oil upgrade project by the end of 2016, the Company reduced staff and personnel costs considerably, substantially decreased general and administrative expenses, and successfully prevented the Company from becoming insolvent. Funding of the Companys activities during 2017 and 2018 was provided by the board and executive management personnel through short-term loans and management services provided at no cost. During this period of financial distress, while seeking a longer-term financing solution, executive management maintained relationships with the primary inventors of advanced oil upgrading technology and developed relationships with private individuals and corporations interested in funding a partial oil upgrade project (Pilot Project). During July 2018, the Company secured access to sufficient equity financing (discussed below) to allow the Company to hire human capital to advance the testing and validation of technology and plan a test of the heavy oil upgrade process in the field. The Companys immediate plans involve continued collaborative efforts with stakeholders associated with the full scope of the Pilot Project and discussions with potential investors to assist in financing the Companys initiatives. Private Placement On June 29, 2018 the Company announced its intention to complete a non-brokered private placement of securities consisting of 50 million common shares (Shares) at $0.015 per share for gross proceeds of $750,000, less any commissions or finders fees paid (the Private Placement). In July 2018, the Company initiated the Private Placement with Morag Investments Ltd., a company owned and controlled by Mr. Ivan Chan, Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bayshore. The Private Placement was approved by shareholders of the Company at the August 7, 2018 Annual General Meeting (AGM). At the AGM, the Company sought and obtained disinterested shareholder/minority approval for the Private Placement. The Company is pleased to announce that it has received approval of the Private Placement by the TSX Venture Exchange (Exchange) on December 28, 2018 and has closed the Private Placement. Proceeds of the Private Placement have been received and provide Bayshore with enough working capital to commence the initial stages of the Pilot Project. Trading of Bayshore Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange On May 4, 2018 trading of Bayshore common shares was suspended by the Exchange due to a Cease Trade Order for failure to file financial statements. Since that time, the Company has endeavored to resolve issues and deficiencies identified as a result of a continued listing review conducted by the Exchange. The Company has now resolved all issues raised by the Exchange and shares will be reinstated for trading at the open on Thursday, January 3, 2019. Company Financial Statements The Company has filed its 2018 third quarter Financial Statements and Managements Discussion and Analysis which is now available at www.sedar.com. Board and Management Changes In the third quarter of 2018, Mr. Ivan Chan was appointed Chairman of Bayshore and Mr. Peter Ho resigned as Chairman. Peter Ho is currently a Director and CEO of Bayshore. During 2018, the Company strengthened the composition of the board with the addition of two non-executive and independent directors, Madam Ellen Yu and Mr. Alex Falconer, both of whom are members of the audit committee. In addition, during October 2018, Mr. Lance Mierendorf, CPA, was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer, replacing Mr. Peter Ho who previously held the position. Current Operations Bayshore's current activities have largely been limited to dealing with administrative matters. Management has also been focused on a combination of securing funding to advance the Companys business plan, validating oil upgrade technology through in-house expertise, business development and collaborating with industry partners to implement a Pilot Project. Oil & Gas Assets The Company continues to hold two non-operated oil and gas properties situated in Western Canada. The properties have negative cash flow and, as a result, the properties have been fully impaired for accounting purposes since 2015. Bayshore plans to divest these assets when appropriate. Heavy Oil Upgrade Project Over the past number of years Bayshore has been working with several scientists and specialists who are developing technology which will be integral to the process of upgrading. Bayshore intends to secure a license for the technology from the inventors and to formalize agreements with several heavy oil/bitumen producing companies to conduct a Pilot Project in Alberta and Saskatchewan. At present, Bayshore is in negotiations with several Alberta heavy oil/bitumen producing companies who have expressed an intention to supply heavy oil under a long-term contract and who are willing to joint venture with Bayshore on the future exploitation of resources. Implementation of the Pilot Project is planned for as early as Q2 2019 but is dependent on Bayshore securing additional financing in an amount that has yet to be finalized. The Pilot Project is expected to include the acquisition of a technology license, the construction of a field partial upgrading facility with a capacity of 1,000 barrels per day, the establishment of a laboratory facility in Calgary, and the securing of one or more sources of oil supply. The Pilot Project will test the commercial viability of a process that combines and mixes a certain liquid catalyst with heavy oil in a custom designed reactor facility to make a higher quality oil which will be more suitable for delivery through the Canadian oil pipeline system. Bayshore is facilitating discussions with third parties who would be involved in the various aspects of the Pilot Project including governmental agencies, heavy oil/bitumen producing companies, technology specialists, reactor facility construction companies, and owners of oil pipelines. Discussions and negotiations concerning the relationships between stakeholders, ownership of assets and obligations between parties associated with the Pilot Project are ongoing and have yet to be established. As such, the Company currently does not own any aspect of the Pilot Project nor does it have agreements with suppliers of heavy oil/bitumen or purchasers of upgraded oil or the owners of the technology required to operate the Pilot Project. The primary technology to be utilized in the Pilot Project is termed by the Company as Cold Catalytic Cracking (CCC) technology. Bayshore believes there are two applications in the industry for the CCC upgrading process: Partial Upgrading (heavy oil/bitumen to synthetic crude oil/diluted crude oil) and full upgrading (heavy oil/bitumen to raw diesel). The Company does not own, or have a license to, the CCC technology but is collaborating with the inventors to incorporate the CCC technology into the Pilot Project to assess if the upgrading process is commercially viable. The current price differential between heavy oil and light oil provides an opportunity for Bayshore to exploit the vast amount of discovered resources in Alberta and Saskatchewan using new partial or full upgrading technology. Bayshore plans to secure access to heavy oil assets located in Western Canada by acquiring oil producing assets, partnering with industry oil producers and using a process to upgrade heavy oil in the field. Upgrading the quality of oil at surface and selling the resulting oil products to the existing pipeline infrastructure provides an opportunity for the Company to accrue significant economic benefits. Bayshores long-term plan is to develop bitumen extraction in-situ, building upon the partial upgrade technology. This will involve the injection of the partial upgrade catalyst into the reservoir which, together with minimum heating, will lower the viscosity of the bitumen and facilitate bringing the product to the surface. Bayshore plans to work with research institutes in Alberta and technology providers to implement the in-situ recovery of bitumen. Advancement of this initiative will only be made following the successful implementation of the Pilot Project. Following a successful Pilot Project, the mid to long term business development plan involves exploiting large oil sands assets, acquiring existing producing heavy oil properties in Alberta and Saskatchewan, building a full commercial upgrading plant that can convert the heavy oil/bitumen directly into fuel products, and implementing the in-situ bitumen recovery. The success of these operations is expected to turn Bayshore into a fully integrated oil and gas producer with the capability to produce bitumen effectively and economically by converting the heavy oil/bitumen into a high value product fuel. The total amount of funding required to complete all aspects of the Pilot Project will depend on the results obtained in the initial activities. The Pilot Project (partial upgrading) is expected to cost between $5 million and $10 million and include the license fee, equipment purchase, construction cost, first six months working capital and inventories. Bayshore intends to finance either through a combination of equity issuance, debt and joint venture arrangements. At the same time, Bayshore will seek government and other institution subsidies and grants to reduce the capital burden as the technology and process are innovative. At present, there are incentives programs from Alberta, the Canadian Federal government and the private sectors that could help to subsidize the pilot tests. It is uncertain, however, whether the Company will be able to raise any additional funding to complete the Pilot Project. Contracts/Agreements The Company does not currently have any contracts, agreements or formal arrangements in respect to the use of technology or the various aspects of the Pilot Project. Bayshore is in ongoing discussions with various stakeholders who would be involved in the Pilot Project and is coordinating the planning, consulting, logistics, manufacturing, and sourcing of activities which are expected to result in certain contracts and agreements being executed at the appropriate time. Advancement of these initiatives is expected to significantly accelerate following resumption of trading of the Companys shares and Exchange approval of the Private Placement discussed above. Key Historical Operations In late January 2013, Bayshore signed a long-term technology transfer license with Chemical Foreign Economic Cooperation Centre (CFECC) to use the proprietary catalyst CCC technology in heavy oil upgrading in Canada. No value was assigned to this license agreement in 2013. During 2016, due to lack of financing available to deploy the CCC technology, the long-term technology transfer license with CFECC was terminated. In September 2013 Bayshore signed a management contract with TianAn Canada, the investor group that is committed to building a heavy oil to diesel pilot upgrader in Saskatchewan. No value was assigned to this management contract in 2013. The management contract was terminated in 2016. In April 2014, Bayshore signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with EPC Consulting group of Dubai (EPCD) to build a 1,000 b/d CCC plant to process heavy residuum oil (waste oil) from an Iraq refinery, into diesel. EPCD and Bayshore agreed to extend the definitive agreement in order to allow for delays in testing the residuum and delays in final contracting. No value was assigned to this LOI in 2014. A formal agreement was never executed and therefore the LOI was terminated in early 2015. In July 2014, Bayshore entered into an exclusive license agreement with a private Canadian company, International Ultrasonics Technologies Ltd. (IUT), to acquire a Master license in Canada to desulphurize hydrocarbon using an Ultrasonic Oxidation process. A value of $80,000 was capitalized in 2014 and a further $385,000 was capitalized in 2015 for a capitalized total amount of $465,000. IUT terminated the agreement effective December 31, 2016 as Bayshore failed to comply with the payment terms. The Company expensed the accumulated payments of $465,000 in 2016. On September 10, 2015, Bayshore announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with E-T Energy Ltd (ET) to jointly develop ETs Poplar Creek (Fort McMurray) Athabasca oilsands property and produce diesel on it using each partys technologies. On December 9, 2015, Bayshore and ET announced the replacement of the MOU with a Binding Letter of Intent (BLOI) containing the announcement of financing intentions, a share exchange plan for ET shares, and actual ET shares tendered to the deal. No value was assigned to this BLOI in 2015. On December 8, 2015, Bayshore acknowledged the termination of the BLOI. In early 2015, Bayshore and its management started a development program with partners to partially upgrade Alberta bitumen at surface. This development work was conducted by Bayshore technical experts with assistance from the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC). Bayshores collaboration with the NRCC ceased in 2016. Therefore, at the end of 2016, Bayshore did not have any active and executed contracts, agreements, LOIs or BLOIs relating to a pilot upgrade project, oil upgrade technology or the CCC technology. Risk Factors There are risks in investing in Bayshore which include, but are not limited to: the ability of Bayshore to secure sufficient financing to advance its business plans; the results of the Pilot Project could vary significantly from expectations; the price differential between heavy oil and the upgraded oil could shrink to a point where the upgrading process would not be profitable; the Company may be unable to reach agreements with stakeholders including the owners of the oil upgrade technology or the CCC technology; actual capital and operating cost estimates may be materially different from Bayshores forecasts and expectations; and increasing competition spurred by recent government initiatives encouraging companies to upgrade oil in Canada prior to export. For further information, please contact: Peter Ho, Chief Executive Officer and Director peter.ho@bayshorepetroleum.com +1 (403) 630 4355 Lance Mierendorf, Chief Financial Officer lance.mierendorf@bayshorepetroleum.com +1 (403) 680 8773 This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities of the Company in the United States. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Cautionary Statements Statements in this press release may contain forward-looking information including expectations of future production, operating costs, commodity prices, administrative costs, commodity price risk management activity, acquisitions and dispositions, capital spending, access to credit facilities, income taxes, regulatory changes, and other components of cash flow and earnings. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. These risks include, but are not limited to, the risks associated with the mining industry, commodity prices and exchange rate changes. Industry related risks could include, but are not limited to, operational risks in exploration, development and production, delays or changes in plans, risks associated to the uncertainty of reserve estimates, health and safety risks and the uncertainty of estimates and projections of production, costs and expenses. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. English Lithuanian Lietuvos Energija, UAB (hereinafter the Company or Lietuvos Energija), legal entity code: 301844044, registered office address: Zveju st. 14, LT-09310 Vilnius. The gross nominal value of the bonds issued by Lietuvos Energija, UAB, is EUR 600,000,000, ISIN codes XS1646530565; XS1853999313. Lietuvos Energija seeking to develop further its renewable generation portfolio as well as optimize the activities its wind energy generation companies, has approved the establishment of a new company, which will control the shares of its existing subsidiaries engaged in wind power generation and renewable power generation development. This decision was consented by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania representing shareholder interest in UAB Lietuvos Energija. It is planned that the newly established company UAB Lietuvos Energija Renewables will start operating at the beginning of 2019. Lietuvos Energija will own 100 % of the shares of UAB Lietuvos Energija Renewables. The establishment of the new company will simplify the management and development of wind and solar energy, and will help to concentrate competences, consolidate financial resources and to achieve operational synergies. UAB Lietuvos Energija Renewables will control five companies operating wind farms in Lithuania and Estonia. It is planned that the company will also develop the Group's investment in the renewable energy resources in the future. The new company will implement the goals set out in the Lietuvos Energija strategy LE 2030 related to the development of green generation capacities in Lithuania, the Baltic Sea and Central and Eastern Europe regions, acquiring power plants and developing new projects. More information: Laura Sebekiene, Head of Corporate Communications of Lietuvos Energija +370 633 99940, laura.sebekiene@le.lt English Lithuanian Lietuvos Energijos Gamyba, AB identification code 302648707, registered office placed at Elektrines str. 21, LT-26108 Elektrenai, Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as the Company). The total number of registered ordinary shares issued by company is 648 002 629; ISIN code LT0000128571. On 31 December 2018, the Board of the Company adopted a decision to revoke its decision to discontinue the exploitation of the first unit of Kruonis Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Plant (KPSHP) as of 1 January 2019 (notification on material event on this decision has been published on 20 November 2018). On 31 December 2018, the Supervisory Board of the Company made a decision not to object the decision of the Board of the Company to revoke discontinue of the use of the first unit of KPSHP. These decisions were made because of the changes in legal regulation and according to the resolution adopted by National Commission for Energy Control and Prices Regarding the Electricity Transmission Service Prices and Publication of their Application Procedure in which taxes of the transmission and system services for the electricity that was used to load KPSHP shall not be paid in 2019. Silver Spring, MD, Dec. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At a North Carolina big cat rescue facility, a young intern was killed by a lion that had escaped its enclosure. In response to the tragedy, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) issued the following statement: The members and facilities of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums send its heartfelt sympathy to the family, friends, and colleagues of Alexandrea Black, the intern who lost her life yesterday. It is an unimaginable tragedy, and we share their grief. Most facilities licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture to hold dangerous animals are not accredited by AZA, as is the case with the Conservators Center. Despite this, staff at the Conservators Center acknowledge the value of AZAs practices. They have also reached out to AZA for assistance, and AZA-accredited facilities are responding with the help and support they need during this tragic time. We are empathetic to what the staff at the Conservators Center are going through and will assist with anything they need from animal care to food and supplies. About AZA Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. AZA is the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and eight other countries. Look for the AZA accreditation logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in saving species and your link to helping animals all over the world. To learn more, visit www.aza.org. Quote: State government manager: By removing the fax machines in our state government offices, we will save costs and also avoid hassle of maintaining and replacing or repairing fax machines. We all have access to computers in our offices and we can make sure those computers are equipped with electronic faxing accounts. Therefore, the faxing machines in our offices can be eliminated without any loss of efficiency in how we do work. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the claim that the proposal, if carried out, will have announced effect? A: Citizens who visit the state government offices do not require the use of fax machines B: Maintaining fax machines cost $100,000 annually C: The computers in the state government are old and frequently needs repair D: Officials in state government offices sometimes waste large amount of time dealing with broken fax machines E: On any given day, a significant percentage of the fax machine in state government offices are out of services any loss of efficiency in how we do work Hi Sameer ,The Main conclusion of the Argument is : Therefore, the faxing machines in our offices can be eliminated withoutthus we should look at options which strengthen this choice ,A --> Does exactly what we are looking for , since visitors don't use FAX machines its only employees who use it , so removing the FAX machine and enabling the service on PC helps themB --> We are not talking about cost hereC --> out of scopeD --> comes close , but the same can be true of the eFax machinese --> comes close , but the same can be true of the eFax machines Trump's Top 10 Achievements of 2018 by Steve Cortes Given all the political fervor of 2018, Americans may easily lose sight of the policy achievements of the past 12 months. So, before bidding the year goodbye, consider these impressive accomplishments of President Trump: 1. Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court As messy and unfair as the process was, his confirmation secures another conservative jurist with an originalist constitutional approach and a restrained view of judicial power. The untimely death of Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016 crystalized for many voters the danger of allowing Hillary Clinton to fill that seat. With Neil Gorsuch and Kavanaugh in place, Trump has kept his promise to remake the high court with young, conservative thinkers. 2. Confronting China Much of the heartland anxiety that vaulted Trump into the Oval Office emanates directly from the abusive economic warfare waged by China for decades against the United States. At long last, those workers find a champion in Donald Trump, who slapped serious tariffs upon Beijing and finally forced the regime to negotiate fairly. America now embraces its strong bargaining position and demands reciprocity in trade and an end to rampant industrial theft and piracy. 3. Middle-Class Wages Rise Incomes in general soared in 2018, with average hourly earnings finally eclipsing 3 percent growth for the first time since before the Great Recession. The news is even better for blue-collar workers, who now realize wage growth above that of white-collar workers for the first time in nearly a decade. 4. U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Deal Trump proved that America welcomes equitable global commerce by cementing a badly needed modernization of NAFTA. The USMCA provides a template for other such trade pacts and effectively isolates Chinas increasingly untenable posture. 5. Ending the Iran Nuclear Deal Gone are the days of coddling the mullahs who have terrorized America and our allies for decades. Instead of counting the billions of dollars of cash sent via secret nighttime flights by the Obama administration, the Tehran regime now faces a U.S. leadership determined to thwart its tyranny and prevent its nuclearization. 6. Moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem Trump proved once again how differently he governs compared to Washington norms. Past presidents promised for decades to make this move and U.S. law has required it since 1995, but only President Trump made good on his pledge, honored our ally, and recognized the obvious reality that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel. 7. Smashing the ISIS Caliphate and Exiting Syria Unlike his predecessor, who haughtily dismissed and ignored the ISIS threat as terrorists JV team, President Trump smartly dispatched limited U.S. troops to help our partners erase the territorial caliphate that had inflicted unspeakable human rights abuses. Just as importantly, Trump also announced the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, placing the primary burden for ongoing stability upon regional powers Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This president will not repeat the disastrous nation-building mistakes of Presidents Bush and Obama. 8. Increasing Minority Jobs If Trump is actually racist, as biased mainstream media journalists often claim, hes remarkably bad at it, because people of color have thrived under the pro-growth policies of the Trump Boom. Black joblessness in 2018 reached the lowest levels ever recorded. For Hispanics, in history there have been a total of 14 months with a jobless rate under 5 percent -- and 13 of those months have unfolded under the leadership of President Trump. Small business dynamism is particularly crucial for minority advancement, and small business surveys report optimism among entrepreneurs at record highs in 2018. 9. Holding the Line with Migrant Caravans In the face of continual demagoguery from liberal politicians and their allies in the legacy media, President Trump took a tough and principled stance against would-be trespassers. Lawless caravans assault our sovereignty and abuse our generous asylum statutes. Such provocations validate the need for a border wall along with reforms to immigration laws. 10. Record American Oil Production In 2018, the U.S. surpassed Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the worlds largest producer of crude oil. Through aggressive regulatory relief and pro-energy moves like green-lighting the Keystone XL pipeline, President Trump paved the way for an independent energy future. There were missteps, to be sure. For example, the Helsinki press conference with Vladimir Putin belied the normally assertive Trump. Still, good news abounded in 2018 as America reaped the benefits of a commander-in-chief committed to restoring the greatness of our republic. The intelligentsia of the permanent political class may howl, and complicit pseudo-journalists will balk, but the reality of the Trump track record reveals a country growing in prosperity and security. Steve Cortes is a contributor to RealClearPolitics and a CNN political commentator. His Twitter handle is @CortesSteve. COTABATO BLAST. At least 27 people, including a four-year-old girl, are wounded in a major blast in front of South Seas Mall in Cotabato City before 2 p.m. Monday. The blast, which left an ugly debris (top left) along Don Rufino Alonzo Street, occurred while residents were busy for the New Years Eve shopping rush. Police (above) are busy in rescue operations. UNTV Photos Cotabato CityTwo people were killed and at least 32 others were wounded when a bomb went off on a busy street outside the South Seas shopping mall here at 1:30 p.m. Monday, police said.Initial police reports said the explosion took place just outside the main entrance of the mall along Don Rufino Alonzo Street in this city. Police said they found and disarmed a second bomb in the baggage counter of the mall. Police Sr. Supt Rolly Sionosa Octavio, city police director, identified one of the fatalities as Jonathan Tasic, 39, a resident of Upi, Maguindanao. Hospital officials said Meriam Usman, 35, a resident of Capucao village, died on arrival at the Cotabato Regional Medical Center. Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi denounced the bombers as heartless and called on city residents to avoid speculation as authorities conducted a full investigation. We are in close contact with the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police, and I understand that they are now pursuing a lead, she said in a press conference. But as of now, the least that we can do is to sympathize with the victims and pray. She added: We have had good security plans. There were no lapses in the local security preparations for the holiday season. But there are instances when things like this are really unpredictable. Tasic worked for the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) as a driver for Commissioner Melenio Ulama, who represents the indigenous people. One of the injured victims is a member of the Joint Salam Force of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the AFP, his companion told local reporters. Octavio said at least 27 people were taken to different hospitals for shrapnel wounds.In a statement, the MILFs United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) condemned the attack and called on the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident and make the results public. The Armed Forces of the Philippines put the city on lockdown. Maj Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Commander of the 6th Infantry Division said the explosion occurred near a row of stalls selling firecrackers and fireworks and that many of the injured were minors. A military explosive ordnance team was at the scene to determine what triggered the blast. Sobejana blamed the attack on the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, saying it was in retaliation for recent military offensives against the group that killed seven bandits. This is part of the retaliation, but the problem is they are victimizing the civilians, Sobejana said. But he also said the blast could have been the work of the Daula Islamiya, a group inspired by the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group. READ: PNP arrests 8 suspects in Lamitan bombing TaipeiA record 11 million tourists visited Taiwan in 2018, the government said Monday, a boon for the island as it courts holidaymakers across Asia to make up for a shortfall from China. The number of Chinese mainlanders visiting Taiwan has dropped dramatically since the 2016 election of president Tsai Ing-wen who has refused to acknowledge Beijings stance that the island is part of one China. Beijing still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949. China has cut off official communication with Tsais government and stepped up military and diplomatic pressure. Tour group numbers from the mainland took a nosedive, sparking speculation that Beijing was deliberately turning off the taps to punish Taiwan for electing Tsai. In response, Tsais government went on a charm offensive across Asia, launching advertising campaigns and making it easier for people to visit, particularly from South and Southeast Asia. That strategydubbed the southbound policyhas reaped rewards. The 11 millionth visitor, a Japanese doctor, arrived Sunday in what Taiwans tourism bureau described as a new landmark. The island recorded 10.7 million arrivals in 2017 and 10.6 million in 2016.The government has yet to release a full breakdown in nationalities for 2018. Japanese and Chinese tourists still make up the bulk of arrivals. But last years data showed the number of Chinese nationals coming to Taiwan had dropped from 4.18 million in 2015 to just 2.73 million in 2017. Some 2.46 million people from the mainland visited in the first 11 months of 2018, suggesting that decline has continued. In contrast, arrivals from Southeast Asia rose to 2.1 million in 2017 from 1.4 million in 2015, while Taiwan has also seen increases from across the rest of Asia. Designed to make the island less economically dependent on Beijing, the southbound policy is aimed at ramping up business and cultural exchanges with 16 South and Southeast Asian countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Last week 152 Vietnamese who arrived on group tours went missing with authorities suspecting them of coming to work illegally. Around 400 tourists have previously gone missing under the program, according to the tourism bureau, although it is not clear how many of them have since been found. Imperial Valley News Center Venezuelan Navy Actions in Guyana Washington, DC - On Saturday, the Venezuelan Navy aggressively stopped ExxonMobil contracted vessels operating under an oil exploration agreement with the Cooperative Republic of Guyana in its Exclusive Economic Zone. We underscore that Guyana has the sovereign right to explore and exploit resources in its Exclusive Economic Zone. We call on Venezuela to respect international law and the rights of its neighbors. 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 "May our New Year be blessed, happy and grace-filled." More than any hope I have for the coming year, I would like to see better politics for the Philippines. More than any New Years resolution I have for this year, it is the promise to work very hard, so we can reform national and local politics, starting with the 2019 elections. Improving our politics is not an end in itself. If we succeed in this, we will have peace in our communities; we will have a gentler, kinder country. To reflect on what we need to do to transform our politics, I borrow words from Pope Francis message for the celebration of the 52nd World Day of Peace today. It is entitled Good politics is at the service of peace and was officially issued today, the first of January 2019, even as an advance copy was released in December 2018. The core message of Pope Francis is that good politics is at the service of peace. It respects and promotes fundamental human rights, which are at the same time mutual obligations, enabling a bond of trust and gratitude to be forged between present and future generations. For Francis, politics is an essential means of building human community and institutions, but when political life is not seen as a form of service to society as a whole, it can become a means of oppression, marginalization and even destruction . . . Political office and political responsibility thus constantly challenge those called to the service of their country to make every effort to protect those who live there and to create the conditions for a worthy and just future. If exercised with basic respect for the life, freedom and dignity of persons, political life can indeed become an outstanding form of charity. Pope Francis quotes the Beatitudes of the Politician, articulated by Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan from Vietnam. These too are the politicians the Philippines need: Blessed be the politician with a lofty sense and deep understanding of his role. Blessed be the politician who personally exemplifies credibility. Blessed be the politician who works for the common good and not his or her own interest. Blessed be the politician who remains consistent. Blessed be the politician who works for unity.Blessed be the politician who works to accomplish radical change. Blessed be the politician who is capable of listening. Blessed be the politician who is without fear. Politics of course has negative aspects, its share of vices, whether due to personal incompetence or to flaws in the system and its institutions, vices, which undermine the ideal of an authentic democracy, bring disgrace to public life and threaten social harmony. Corruption, as we see in the Philippines, comes in different forms: the misappropriation of public resources, the exploitation of individuals, the denial of rights, the flouting of community rules, dishonest gain, the justification of power by force or the arbitrary appeal to raison detat and the refusal to relinquish power. To which we can add xenophobia, racism, lack of concern for the natural environment, the plundering of natural resources for the sake of quick profit and contempt for those forced into exile. Pope Francis describes good politics as promoting the participation of the young and trust in others. He observes that when the exercise of political power just protects the interests of the elite, the future is compromised and young people lose confidence, relegated to the margins of society without the possibility of helping to build the future. On the contrary, when politics enables the talents of young people and their aspirations, peace grows in their outlook and on their faces and becomes a confident assurance that says, I trust you and with you I believe that we can all work together for the common good. Pope Francis highlights the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948 in Paris, France. He quotes Saint Pope John XXIII: Mans awareness of his rights must inevitably lead him to the recognition of his duties. The possession of rights involves the duty of implementing those rights, for they are the expression of a mans personal dignity. And the possession of rights also involves their recognition and respect by others. Peace is enabled by politics. As such, it is the fruit of a great political project grounded in the mutual responsibility and interdependence of human beings but at the same time is a continuing challenge that demands to be taken up ever anew. What it asks of us is a conversion of heart and soul, a conversion of self and community. The conversion asked of us has three inseparable aspects: First, peace with oneself, rejecting inflexibility, anger and impatience; in the words of Saint Francis de Sales, showing a bit of sweetness towards oneself in order to offer a bit of sweetness to others; Second, peace with others: family members, friends, strangers, the poor and the suffering, being unafraid to encounter them and listen to what they have to say; and, third, peace with all creation, rediscovering the grandeur of Gods gift and our individual and shared responsibility as inhabitants of this world, citizens and builders of the future. Pope Francis ends his message by emphasizing how the politics of peace, conscious of and deeply concerned for every situation of human vulnerability, can be inspired by the Magnificat, which Mary sang for all humanity: He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm; he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly; for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. No more EJKs! No more killings of lawyers and judges! No more murders of politicians! No more massacres of farmers! No more dispersal of workers and no more Endo! No more displacement of Lumad communities! No more NPA attacks! No more misogyny! No more foolish attempts to change the constitution! No more harassment of human rights workers! Yes to peace in Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Orgnanic Law! Yes to resumption of peace talks with the communists! Yes to inclusive mobility, including a regulated Angkas option for commuters! Yes to agrarian reform! Yes to the rights of labor, urban poor, indigenous people, peasant and other sectors! Yes to more transparency and accountability in government! Yes to peaceful elections and a good result with the better politicans winning! Yes to a stronger and more militant student movement, led by Kabataan and other youth groups, Yes to addrsssing climate change and natural disasters! Yes to independence from foreign powers, especially China and the United States! And finally, Yes to a better and kinder Philippines! To my readers, a blessed, happy, and grace-filled New Year! How to Fund Trumps Border Wall While Saving Lives President Trump and Congressional Democrats have decided to enliven the Christmas season with a game of chicken over President Trumps proposed border wall. As a result, the federal government is partly shut down until the issue is resolved. The President wants $5 billion to start building the wall. Democrats have offered just $1.6 billion. If the problem truly is money and not that the Democrats oppose a wall under any circumstances, there is a place in the federal budget to find all the money the President wants while saving thousands of lives a year in the process. More than 700,000 Americans are afflicted with kidney failure. Of those, almost 30 percent live with transplant kidneys with the remaining 70 percent on dialysis. Under a 1972 law, the federal government pays for kidney dialysis for every American whose private insurance does not cover treatment. In 2016, the latest year for which data are available, Medicare spent $35.4 billion on patients with kidney failure (read: end stage renal disease). While dialysis is better than nothing, it is not as good as a kidney transplant which typically allows the recipient to live a longer and healthier life. Unfortunately, another federal law, the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, forbids valuable consideration for use in human transplantation if the transfer affects interstate commerce. The law was apparently enacted in response a Virginia doctors plan to buy kidneys from poor foreigners and poor Americans and then sell the organs to richer Americans. The result of this well-intentioned but poorly conceived law is a severe shortage of kidneys. Currently, more than 95,000 Americans are on the waiting list for kidney transplants, but there are only about 15,000 transplants a year. In consequence, about 5,000 people a year die before they can receive a transplant. Approximately 60 percent of transplanted kidneys come from deceased donors with the other 40 percent coming from living ones. Most people have two working kidneys and can live normally with only one. This makes living donations possible. Kidneys from living donors have a better success rate and are preferable if they are available. The way to increase donations is to pay living donors or the estates of deceased donors compensation for their kidneys. Blood plasma donation provides an indication of how compensation for kidney donors would work. Compensating donors of blood plasma is legal in the United States but illegal or discouraged in some other countries, including Canada. The result is that the United States has a more than adequate supply of plasma, as safe as modern science can make it, while other countries must import from the United States or risk shortages that endanger peoples lives. A 2015 multiauthor study estimated that paying living donors $45,000 and deceased donors $10,000 would produce a supply of kidneys for transplantation sufficient enough to end the waiting list and save the lives of the people who die before they can receive a transplant. Taxpayers would save money by paying donors because dialysis is expensive. Dialysis costs an average of $76,000-91,000 per person per year, depending on the type of treatment. A transplant plus a reasonable level of compensation to the donor is therefore less than the cost of two years of dialysis. The 2015 study estimated that the federal governments savings from allowing compensation to donors and ending the kidney shortage would be $12 billion a year. Thats not just for one year; its every year from now on. In the outgoing 115th Congress, Matt Cartwright, a Democratic representative from Pennsylvania, has introduced the Organ Donor Clarification Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to authorize pilot programs for organ donation. Cartwright has been laboring in this vineyard for a few years, along with a number of advocacy groups. His bill has the support of a number of medical groups, including the American Medical Association. Cartwrights bill aims small because that is all he has thought he could get from his colleagues. Now that the chance has arisen to think bigger, why not take his good beginning and allow full-fledged compensation programs, not just pilot programs? Adequate safeguards to meet any reasonable objection can be devised. In fact, most are already in place in the current system without compensation, as kidney donors will tell you. There are some budgetary wrinkles with capturing the savings from lower costs. Kidney dialysis is in the mandated part of the budget, while the border wall is in the discretionary part. And, because there is a backlog of dialysis patients waiting for kidneys, the savings from getting kidneys for all of them might not be realized until the second year. However, clever budget and legal minds should be able to find ways around these problems, given the underlying economic reality that money is fungible. So, how about it, President Trump? How about it, Congressional Democrats? Do you want to save, save lives, and resolve the partial government shutdown? Its time to think compassionately and creatively. By Steve H. Hanke www.cato.org/people/hanke.html Twitter: @Steve_Hanke Steve H. Hanke is a Professor of Applied Economics and Co-Director of the Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health, and the Study of Business Enterprise at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Prof. Hanke is also a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.; a Distinguished Professor at the Universitas Pelita Harapan in Jakarta, Indonesia; a Senior Advisor at the Renmin University of Chinas International Monetary Research Institute in Beijing; a Special Counselor to the Center for Financial Stability in New York; a member of the National Bank of Kuwaits International Advisory Board (chaired by Sir John Major); a member of the Financial Advisory Council of the United Arab Emirates; and a contributing editor at Globe Asia Magazine. Copyright 2018 Steve H. Hanke - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. Steve H. Hanke Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. The Jordanian foreign ministry Sunday said the Middle East kingdom remains bound by the peace agreement with Israel after Tel Aviv sent complaints to Amman after photographs showed cabinet member walking on the Israeli flag designed on the floor of a complex hosting an event she was attending. 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, said ministry spokesperson Majed Qatarneh. We have emphasized that we respect the peace treaty with Israel. Tension rose between the two countries last week after Minister of State for communication Jumana Ghuneimat was pictured last week stepping the flag design when entering a meeting at a trade union complex in Amman. The flag also features footprints. Ghuneimat received praised on social media for her action. Jordanian and Egypt are the two Arab countries which have diplomatic ties with Israel. Despite the 1994 peace treaty, Most Jordanians are opposed to Israel and support Palestinian cause. Jordanian Premier Omar al-Razzaz also attended the event but reportedly entered the complex through a side door. Israel reportedly summoned an official in the Jordanian embassy in Tel Aviv for clarification. Written by: KanelkaTagba on December 31, 2018. Last revised by: Last revised by: Jaber Ali , our reviewer, on February 13, 2019. Sunday, December 30, 2018 Australia has the legal authority to strip dual nationals of their Australian citizenship if they are convicted or even suspected of terror offenses. The nation has utilized this power twelve times. This week marked that twelfth occasion, when Australia removed the citizenship of Neil Prakash, a man the BBC calls "Australia's most wanted jihadist." Prakash has been linked to ISIS, including making recruiting videos for the terrorist organization, and plotting terror attacks in Australia. Prakash is now simply a Fijian citizen, though he's currently "living" in Turkey inasmuch as he's in jail there and facing trial on terrorism-related charges. Australia would have liked to try Prakash for crimes as well, but Turkey would not agree to extradite him. -KitJ https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/2018/12/australia-strips-another-terrorist-of-their-citizenship.html JANUARY Lawmaker Sulu Sou and political activist Scott Chiang announced that Portuguese lawyer Jorge Menezes will defend them in their trial. They shared in their announcement that they asked the Court of First Instance to postpone the trial (scheduled to begin in January), to give Menezes more time to prepare. The Court of First Instance ruled that the Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel formerly known as New Century Hotel would be fined MOP4.43 million and would have to make additional financial reparations worth over MOP20.7 million to its former workers. Two facilities from the Light Rail Transit system were robbed over the weekend, causing damage of over MOP500,000, the Judiciary Police reported. After just over a month at the head of the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), Cecilia Tse resigned on January 29 citing health reasons. Alexis Tam, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, said earlier that he was worried about Tses health as she had been on sick leave for more than two weeks, but had not provided any details of the illness. FEBRUARY Casino mogul Steve Wynn was investigated after sexual misconduct allegations were leveled against him, Nevada gambling regulators announced. The Wall Street Journal reported that a number of women said they were harassed or assaulted by Wynn, and that one case led to a USD7.5 million settlement with a manicurist. Beijings municipality mulled allowing foreign professionals to bring their own domestic workers to Beijing this year. Under this amendment, domestic workers holding foreign passports, including those who are working in Hong Kong and Macau would be allowed to work in Chinas capital. The Times reported that donation boxes have been placed at eight Filipino-run stores along Rua da Alfandega, as well as in Macaus three remittance centers, to request financial aid for migrant workers in dire straits. Even as the number of tourists in Macau swelled boosting the economy in the process their satisfaction with local services and amenities is declined. The Consumer Council received a total of 58 complaints and inquiries during the Chinese New Year holiday. Around two-thirds of the cases were filed by tourists, mainly regarding taxi fares and restaurant prices. The Macau Jockey Club was granted a 24-year concession in a surprise move that appeared to catch off-guard the companys own director. MARCH The phrases Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong and Macau People governing Macau were not mentioned in this years Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) work report, which was delivered by Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of CPPCC. Chinas rubber-stamp lawmakers passed a historic constitutional amendment abolishing a presidential two-term limit that will enable Xi Jinping to rule indefinitely. The president of the Legislative Assembly, Ho Iat Seng, revealed that the mainland government has a system which allows it to closely monitor the gambling habits of mainland civil servants in Macaus casinos. The Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries Macao (Forum Macau) is, after 15 years and in resemblance to humans, in maturing stage, said the organizations Secretary-General Xu Yingzhen. Macau is no exception with respect to phone scams, the chief executive officer of Companhia de Telecomunicacoes de Macau said at a press conference. Vandy Poon was replying to reporters questions about what the Judiciary Police (PJ) deemed a new wave of phone scams targeting Macau phone users. APRIL Alarm bells sounded over the apparent drift of a large quantity of concrete structures intended to protect the edges of two artificial islands that form an undersea link along the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Former Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau director Fong Soi Kun and former deputy director Florence Leong were found accountable for failing to exercise their managerial responsibilities during Typhoon Hato, according to the results of the special investigation commissioned by the Chief Executive. Stanley Ho became the latest Hong Kong billionaire to step away from the empire he built, passing along the top roles at casino operator SJM Holdings Ltd. to his heirs. A statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange indicated that the 96-year-old Macau casino tycoon would retire as chairman and executive director of SJM after a June 12 shareholders meeting. After lengthy debates, a significant increase in bus fares was introduced. At a press conference, the director of the Transport Bureau, Lam Hin San, announced that every trip on public buses would cost MOP6. The adjusted fares do not include a discriminatory fare for non-residents, an idea previously thought likely. MAY The White House has pushed back against Chinas efforts to control how U.S. airlines refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau in promotional materials, calling the push to make them comply with Chinese standards Orwellian nonsense. Royal Flight Airlines started offering a regular weekly service between Macau and Moscow. A re-launch ceremony of the Macau-Moscow route was held at the Macau International Airport. A local billionaire was sentenced to four years in prison for bribing United Nations officials to buy their support for a proposed UN center in Macau that was never built. Ng Lap Seng, one of Chinas richest men, had no visible reaction to the sentence imposed in federal court in Manhattan. The Judiciary Police was criticized over the investigation methods employed during the ongoing investigation of sexual abuse allegedly committed by a staff member against several children at D. Jose da Costa Nunes Kindergarten. During a press conference, lawmaker Agnes Lam and parents of reportedly abused children, criticized the PJ for the staffs lack of knowledge in questioning children regarding this matter, as too many repetitive questions were posed to the children. The Court of First Instance found suspended lawmaker Sulu Sou and activist Scott Chiang guilty of a co-authored act of unlawful assembly, which was charged under the framework of aggravated disobedience. The two defendants were sentenced with a 120-day fine each. That amounted to a fine of MOP40,800 for Sou and MOP27,600 for Chiang JUNE Lawmaker Sulu Sou declared his conviction to be unlawful, arguing that his prosecutorial immunity protects him from standing trial for any crimes other than the one for which he was suspended. Sou says that his lawyer, Jorge Menezes, has described the judgment as both null and void. The government has pledged the absolute security of Macaus public money that will be allocated to the Guangdong- Macau Cooperation and Development Fund. Thousands of residents joined a protest criticizing the governments proposal to amend road traffic rules, particularly on the surge in parking fees. Although the government suspended public consultation on the proposed amendment, the rally went on with many demonstrators calling for some government officials to step down while they marched from Vasco Da Gama Square to Nam Van. The Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM), has decided to suspend the arrangements currently being made regarding the establishment of a crematorium at Taipas Sa Kong Municipal Cemetery. We asked the DSSOPT to suspend the project as the government needs to hear the population, IACM president Jose Tavares said. The government launched a Public Consultation on the new rules that aim to shape the Civil Protection Basic Law. The proposal, which the authorities submitted for public scrutiny, includes the establishment of a new crime of false social alarm. JULY The Commission Against Corruption has released an investigation report into investment immigration and technical immigration requirements, as managed by the Macau Trade and Investment Promotion Institute. The report noted that the process has lacked stringent vetting for years. The Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) refused the request made by the Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome Company to extend its concession contract in order to continue exploring the facilities for another five years, even if greyhound racing has ceased. Last year, the Canidrome asked the government for permission to continue using the facilities to host the greyhounds. Wanted businessman Low Taek Jhow, also known as Jho Low, was reportedly able to enter Hong Kong and Macau despite an Interpol notice, because neither Malaysia nor Singapore requested his arrest from the two SARs. It was announced that the Macau International Airports passenger volume in the first half-year of 2018 reached 4 million, an increase of 20 percent compared with that of the same period last year. The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau concluded the investigation of the D. Jose da Costa Nunes kindergarten case of alleged pedophilia, in which seven complaints were made by parents to the police. The school has been fined and asked to submit a plan to prevent sexual abuse from reoccurring. AUGUST Representatives of Seac Pai Van residents, along with few lawmakers, have delivered a petition with some 7,426 signatures requesting that the draft plan of building two warehouses storing hazardous materials near the Cotai residential area be withdrawn. Over 70 local residents were involved in an alleged cryptocurrency scam, where they invested a total of over HKD20.1 million, following promises they would receive a monthly return of 25 percent. The government said it would not abide by a ruling of the Court of Final Appeal that a construction tender be recalculated after officials committed a mathematical error. The Court of Final Appeal ruled that the tender for the construction of a depot for the Light Rail Transit system needed to be reassessed, after one of the interested parties claimed that there had been an incorrect assessment of the companys points performance in the bid. A new regulation will allow residents of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan to apply for residence permits in the Chinese mainland. According to Xinhua, the document said residents from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan who hold a China residence permit will enjoy more rights, basic public services and other conveniences related to study, work, business operations and life on the mainland. Veteran legal advisers of the Legislative Assembly Paulo Cardinal and Paulo Taipa were dismissed by the board of the AL. Their contracts expire at year-end. The revelation caused a generalized sense of incredulity and shock in the community, particularly within the legal fraternity. SEPTEMBER Many flights between Macau International Airport and western Japans Kansai International Airport were canceled due to the impact and damage caused by super typhoon Jebi. The President of the Legislative Assembly, Ho Iat Seng, has said that the dismissal of two AL legal advisers, Paulo Cardinal and Paulo Taipa, was not due to political reasons, nor due to the advisers ethnicity, but instead to allow them to pursue other careers. The government undertook several preventive measures in response to this years Typhoon Manghkut to avoid casualties similar to the scale seen during Typhoon Hato last year. Government authorities said that they were satisfied with the response of civil protection teams and that pre-disaster preparation had been improved. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was re-elected as head of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a landslide election, paving the way for up to three more years as the nations leader and a push for his long-awaited plan to bring recently-approved integrated resorts to Japan. The Macau Civil Aviation Authority probed a decision made by a control tower at Macau International Airport on August 28, when it authorized an EVA Air flight to land on the runway after a Capital Airlines performed a hard landing maneuver, leaving wreckage before diverting to Shenzhen. The flight from Taiwan was carrying 180 people on board and landed five minutes after the Capital Airlines serious incident occurred. OCTOBER The previous president of the New Macau Association, Scott Chiang, and association member Alin Lam were fined after they were found guilty of trespassing the Hotel Estoril, the Court of First Instance ruled. New offshore regulations are raising concerns in an industry that employs around 1,700 workers in 360 companies. The Executive Council concluded their analysis of the new regime which will abolish existing regulations for offshore companies. The new rules will follow guidelines issued by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The head of Beijings liaison office in Macau died after a fall in his home, in what central authorities implied was a depression-related suicide. The 59-year-old Zheng Xiaosong was said to have been suffering from depression, according to a statement from the Beijing-based Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. A U.S. Congress annual report highlighted that the regions electoral system is not developing according to recommendations made by the UN Human Rights Committee The report also expressed concerns over the denial of entry of political figures and writers. President Xi Jinping opened the worlds longest sea-crossing bridge linking Hong Kong to Macau and Zhuhai. The USD20 billion bridge took almost a decade to build while incurring major delays and cost overruns. It includes an undersea tunnel allowing ships to pass through the Pearl River delta, the heart of Chinas crucial manufacturing sector. NOVEMBER The United Nations Human Rights Council has submitted a report on the human rights situation in the Peoples Republic of China, including a section on Macau where it criticizes widespread discrimination against migrants, people with disabilities and the LGBTQ community. The PLA Macau Garrison took part in a counter-terrorism drill code-named Bright Dog held at the East Asian Games Dome. The drill, which lasted around two-and-a-half hours, involved a simulation relating to a group of six gunmen seeking to enter a concert hall when a 5,000-strong audience was inside. Teenage driver Sophia Florsch suffered spinal fractures during a Macau Grand Prix F3 race, after her mono-seat collided at high speed with Japanese driver Sho Tsubois car, going through a catch fence at the Lisboa bend. The car then hit a structure on the perimeter and dropped to the ground with race marshals immediately on the scene. The race was won by the British driver Daniel Ticktum. During a meeting with Hong Kong and Macau delegations in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that the SARs still have outstanding positions and outstanding advantages in the new era of Chinas reform and opening up to the world. DECEMBER Chinese President Xi Jinping was in Portugal for a two-day state visit. His visit raised the Portuguese governments hopes that Beijing will invest heavily in Sines, the countrys biggest Atlantic port, and help expand national energy company Energias de Portugal overseas. During his stay in Lisbon, Xi said several times that Sino-Luso relations were stronger than ever The government canceled the holiday change proposal in the latest Labor Law amendment. The proposal stated that three days out of four; the New Years Day, Ching Ming Festival, the day following Chong Chao, and the Chong Yeung Festival, could be moved, meaning that these days could be normal working days for some workers. Local authorities signed an agreement with the National Development and Reform Commission. The deal aimed to advance Macaus participation in the Belt and Road initiative. The Border Gate underground bus terminal reopened partially for public use, fulfilling a pledge made earlier by the Secretary for Transport and Public Works. The terminal was closed after sustaining severe damage during the passage of Typhoon Hato in August 2017. Egypt said Saturday its security forces have killed 40 militants in raids on their hideouts 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. In a statement, 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, epicenter of a long-running insurgency by Islamists. Another 14 were killed in the Cairo suburb of October 6 and 16 more in a housing project on a highway heading west from Cairo. The statement said the militants were preparing for attacks on government and tourism facilities, army and police personnel, as well as Christian churches. The ministry also released a series of images purportedly depicting some of the militants killed in the raids, with assault rifles seen next to their bloodied 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. 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 labor-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. 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. 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. It said that 10 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. MDT/AP Montana has a state song, a state ballad and a state lullaby. And, for goodness sake, Democratic Rep. Jacob Bachmeier of Havre would like to see the 2019 Legislature declare the Hippy Hippy Shake Montanas official rock and roll song. It was written in 1959 by Chan Romero when he was a 17-year- old student at Billings Senior High School. Romero, who now lives in Southern California, tells the Great Falls Tribune his song has been featured in seven or eight movies and has been recorded by about 20 groups, including The Beatles. He says hed be proud to have his song honored by the Legislature. The bills introduction borrows from the songs lyrics in saying: WHEREAS, Montanans shake it to the left and shake it to the right and do everything with all of their might. A 28-year-old taxi driver has been arrested after reportedly overcharging and imprisoning one of his passengers. On Dec. 23, the driver drove a 40-year-old mainland visitor from a hotel in the central district to another hotel in Cotai. On the way, the taxi driver asked for MOP200 for the trip, but the mainland passenger declined his request. The passenger then called the police for help while seeking help by waving from the cars window. Noticing this, the driver closed the window, causing the victim to sustain injuries to his hand. The driver was charged with physical assault. The prosecution authority issued a statement saying it has already taken the mandatory measures, including ensuring the suspect reports regularly to the authorities. According to police records, in the past two years the suspect had been listed ten times, always for overcharging. In 2017, 3,180 overcharging incidents were reported. This represented 57.9 percent of all taxi infractions (5,491) in 2017. The number of taxi overcharging cases in 2017 increased 85.6 percent compared to 2016, according to the data released by the Public Security Police Force. In November alone, 289 overcharging incidents were reported, representing 64.7 percent of the total number of taxi infractions for the month. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] A Tokyo court on Monday approved prosecutors' request to extend the detention of former Nissan Motor Co Chairman Carlos Ghosn until Jan. 11 due to the latest allegation of financial misconduct. Ghosn, initially charged over underreporting his remuneration, has been detained since November and was served a fresh arrest warrant on Dec 21 for allegedly transferring personal investment losses worth 1.85 billion yen ($17 million) to the Japanese automaker in 2008. Ghosn has denied the allegations. The previous deadline for his current detention period had been set on Jan 1. The confinement of Ghosn, who was credited with saving the Japanese automaker when it was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy in the late 1990s, has sparked criticism from overseas over the possibility his detention could be legally prolonged indefinitely, and over the absence of lawyers during interrogations, a norm in Japan. Caroline Ghosn, 31, the eldest of his four children, said in an interview with The New York Times his family has been told that his cell is unheated and he has repeatedly asked for blankets. He has been denied pen and paper and has lost weight, his San Francisco-based daughter was quoted as saying. Ghosn and Greg Kelly, Ghosn's close aide and a former Nissan representative director, were initially arrested Nov 19 on suspicion of understating in Nissan's securities reports roughly 5 billion yen of the former chairman's 10 billion yen remuneration during the five years through March 2015. The men and Nissan as a company were indicted Dec 10 on a charge of violating Japan's financial instruments law. Important stuff you won't get from the liberal media! We do the surfing so you can be informed AND have a life! This past year saw tremendous moments in human space flight, from the cinematic launch of Falcon Heavy, to the dramatic abort of Soyuz NS10. It has also been a big year for South African space projects, with ZACube2 rounding out the year with a launch on 27 December. Here is a look at some of the most significant space flight moments of 2018. SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon Heavy rocket in February, landing the two side boosters. It also succeeded in launching the rockets payload a modified Tesla Roadster with a dummy called Starman behind the wheel. Chinas Tiangong1 space station burnt up in Earths atmosphere over the South Pacific after researchers and engineers lost contact with it, resulting in the conclusion that an uncontrolled reentry was inevitable. Blue Origin, the private space company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, completed multiple successful launching and landing tests of its Shepard rocket booster, including a test involving a crew capsule. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully landed two rovers on the surface of an asteroid, Ryugu. Its Hayabusa2 spacecraft deployed rovers to the surface of the asteroid which will take pictures and gather samples. Soyuz MS10 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, with crew bound for the International Space Station. Shortly after launch, systems detected an anomaly with the booster and the ascent was aborted, detaching the crew capsule from the rocket and allowing it to fall back to the Earth. The crew landed safely and Soyuz soon returned to flight when it was established that the issue was isolated. The NASA Curiosity rover on Mars experienced problems with sending data it collected back to Earth. It was transmitting real-time data normally, but the scientific data was not sending. Engineers were gathering more diagnostic data from the rover, while preparing to use the rovers backup computer in case they need to use it to troubleshoot the primary computer. Opportunity entered hibernation after a massive Martian dust storm on 10 June. Engineers believe that a layer of dust may be preventing the rovers solar panels from charging its battery. A slim chance remains that seasonal winds will clear enough dust from the solar panels to allow the rovers battery to charge enough to start up. Voyager 2 enters interstellar space NASAs Voyager 2 probe exited the heliosphere on 5 November 2018, making it the second human-made object that has reached interstellar space. 16 Western Cape schools collaborate on ThinSat 16 Western Cape schools, with the help of Xinabox, collaborated on building a ThinSat a small satellite that gathers and transmits data from low orbit. Their satellite was launched along with several others in a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft, aboard an Antares 230 rocket, in November. NASAs InSight spacecraft landed on Mars towards the end November. InSight stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, and the spacecraft is equipped with instruments to study the interior of the planet. NewSpace Systems hardware used In December, NewSpace Systems, a company based in South Africa, announced that several satellites launched during the month used its hardware for the control of their spacecraft. During a successful mission on 5 November, SpaceX failed to land its Falcon 9 launch vehicle when the rocket went into a spin. This was the first such failure since SpaceX first landed a rocket on a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, and a reminder that the manoeuvre is a significant technical feat. Engines stabilized rocket spin just in time, enabling an intact landing in water! Ships en route to rescue Falcon. pic.twitter.com/O3h8eCgGJ7 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 5, 2018 ZACube-2 launched aboard Soyuz After several delays, ZACube2 launched aboard the Russian Soyuz Kanopus mission from the Vostochny spaceport. ZACube2 was designed for real-time monitoring of natural and manmade disasters and other emergencies, including veld fires. It will also help monitor ocean traffic, the government has said. Now read: Microsoft could force Windows 10 update onto users Samsung Galaxy S9 users are reporting battery issues after Androids latest 9.0 update earlier this month, reports Softpedia News. A SamMobile writer reported seeing his battery sink from 10% to 5% in seconds, and his experience has been echoed by several Reddit users. Reddit user ToonTonic reported losing nearly 50% of their battery charge in an hour with no apps open. Another Reddit user reported their battery dropping from 10% to 4% in 3 minutes. Its not just this Android 9.0 update that has affected battery life negatively, however. Samsung will possibly look to fix these battery issues in January 2019 as part of its expected patching cycle. Now read: More Android users are moving to the iPhone Xr They can come anytime and ask ... ST. HELENA A pivotal mayoral election, an ambitious analysis of the citys aging facilities, the closure of a few beloved St. Helena institutions, and the tragic death of a local mental health professional, wife and mother were among the stories that dominated the pages of the St. Helena Star in 2018. Here are the top 10 St. Helena news stories of 2018, as voted by the Stars staff and editorial board. 1. Ellsworth defeats Galbraith for mayor The mayoral campaign between incumbent Alan Galbraith and City Councilmember Geoff Ellsworth was a study in contrasts worthy of Spock and McCoy: Harvard-educated attorney with a mastery of technical details versus the St. Helena native son who had gained a passionate local following for his big-picture critiques of the effects of winery tourism on the towns quality of life. The campaign revisited some of the same issues raised in last years unsuccessful recall campaign against Galbraith, such as fiscal management and the fairness of the new water rates. Ellsworth vastly outspent Galbraith, with an October filing showing more than $36,000 in expenses and $39,800 in outstanding debts for the Ellsworth campaign, compared with just over $19,000 in campaign expenses for Galbraith. Galbraith led by 16 votes on election night, but Ellsworth gained ground as more ballots were counted, ultimately defeating Galbraith by 59 votes. With Galbraith and his ally Peter White off the council, replaced by Anna Chouteau and a yet-to-be-appointed councilmember, St. Helenas city politics are sure to take on a different flavor in 2019. 2. Terra, Cindys close St. Helena lost two of its favorite restaurants in 2018, a year that saw a wave of restaurant closures throughout Upvalley. The Michelin-starred Terra closed in June, with co-owners Lissa Doumani citing difficulty in finding staff given the high cost of housing in the area. She said the local housing shortage had gotten even worse after the 2017 wildfires, and one cook was commuting 62 miles from Danville in the East Bay. Her concerns were echoed by the owners of other restaurants that called it quits in 2018, from Redd in Yountville to Brannans in Calistoga. Cindys Backstreet Kitchen closed in July after owner Cindy Pawlcyn and her business partner Sean Knight sold the building to restaurateur and winemaker Joel Gott. Sometimes things just come up out of the blue and you have to act, Pawlcyn told the Star, explaining that Gott made her an offer she couldnt pass up. Gott plans to use the former Cindys kitchen to prepare food for Gotts Roadside and a new convenience store at the Napa Valley Petroleum gas station. St. Helena also lost The Big Dipper this year. Once a local favorite at its former location on Oak Avenue, the ice cream shop never found its footing on Main Street and closed in April after 40 years in business under several owners. 3. SHAPE Committee studies city facilities Everybody knew that City Hall was run-down, a few public buildings on Railroad Avenue were underused, and the Adams Street property was vacant. But nobody had ever put those facts together and evaluated the citys options in a comprehensive way. Nobody, that is, until the St. Helena Asset Planning Engagement (SHAPE) Committee came along and spent dozens of hours over seven months analyzing the citys finances and facilities, from Scout Hall to the little Head Start building at Crane Park. The council-appointed committee toyed with some provocative ideas, such as moving City Hall offices into the library and building a hotel on Adams Street. But after the committee released its 117-page report in May, the council endorsed the more conservative option of rebuilding City Hall on its current site as part of a multi-use facility. Consultants are helping the city ponder its next steps, and the council is scheduled to take further action early this year. 4. Housing study warns of shrinking middle class Housing consultant Erica Sklar issued a report in June using statistics to paint a stark portrait of St. Helenas dwindling middle class. The increasing cost of housing and the scarcity of developable land within the city limits are producing a town full of haves, have-nots, and not too many people in between, according to Sklars study. The stats offered a bleak outlook for local workers. St. Helenas median home price of $1.09 million is too expensive for 70 percent of the citys residents. A home of that price would require an income of $215,000, far beyond the citys median income of $86,041. Workers who cant afford to live in town are commuting in and out, creating more traffic and making it harder for businesses to hire qualified workers. 5. St. Helena mom killed in Pathway Home shooting St. Helena resident Jennifer Golick and two of her colleagues were killed on March 9 at The Pathway Home in Yountville by a gunman whod been kicked out of the program that helped returning veterans readjust to civilian life. Golick, 42, was a therapist who had devoted her career to helping soldiers cope with post-traumatic stress. In the days after the shooting, St. Helenans learned that shed also been a mother, wife, friend, runner, San Francisco Giants fan, animal lover, and outspoken advocate for adolescent mental health. More than 200 people participated in a candlelight vigil in her memory. Muir Wood Adolescent and Family Services formed a scholarship in her name, one of the only rays of light to emerge from the years saddest story. 6. SHFD hires full-time firefighters Two years after St. Helenas firefighters became full-time employees, the fire department took another step away from its volunteer model in 2018 by hiring two full-time firefighters, Nick Solakian and Martin Macias. It was becoming harder for the department to depend on quasi-volunteers to drop whatever they were doing and run to the firehouse on a moments notice, a model that had worked for 107 years. More calls for service and a limited number of qualified drivers also contributed to the decision. The hirings could nudge the city further in the direction of a fully professional department. The transition would be expensive, but it might be inevitable. 7. St. Helena Catholic School closes The St. Helena Catholic School closed in June, citing declining enrollment, an increasing number of students relying on tuition assistance, and a lack of wealthy donors whod helped keep the school afloat for 55 years. When the closure was announced in January, parents were initially shell-shocked. But soon they banded together in an all-hands-on-deck effort to save the school, forming committees, raising money, and putting extra effort into the schools annual Seafood Extravaganza to compensate for another fundraiser that had been cancelled due to the 2017 wildfires. Parents thought they had a chance to keep the school alive, but church officials announced in March that the closure was going ahead as planned. The last four eighth-graders graduated in June. 8. General Plan update nears finish line City officials made real progress in 2018 toward finishing St. Helenas next General Plan, a process that had been stuck in neutral ever since the council tabled the plan in 2010. With the help of consultants, the city issued an updated General Plan and a draft environmental impact report in October. Public comments and the citys responses will be incorporated into a final environmental impact report for another round of public hearings and possible adoption in early 2019. 9. City tries to help downtown businesses The proliferation of empty storefronts was a sign that not all was well in downtown St. Helena. The city hired a consultant that made various suggestions about how to help downtown retailers. Most of the recommendations were incorporated into a Downtown Economic Strategy aimed at supporting the citys economic base without sacrificing its quality of life. St. Helena Jingle All the Way, a collaboration between the city at the Chamber of Commerce, brought an ice rink to Lyman Park. The City Council streamlined the permitting process for businesses and started allowing pop-ups, the first steps toward overcoming a widespread perception that St. Helenas city government has been unfriendly to business. 10. Dillon survives election challenge District 3 Supervisor Diane Dillon fended off a challenge from grapegrower Cio Perez during a June election dominated by Measure C. Perez supported Measure C, which would have strengthened stream setbacks and limited the removal of oak woodlands. Dillon stayed neutral on the measure. Dillon won and Measure C lost, but the battle over vineyard development continues. 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. Wildfires continued to loom large in Napa County in 2018. The cleanup and rebuilding from the devastating 2017 fires got underway, Calistoga endured a complete power blackout as a precaution against another fire threat, and the entire county experienced nearly two weeks of choking smoke from distant blazes. The county escaped a disaster on the scale of the Atlas, Partrick and Tubbs wildfires that began Oct. 8, 2017. But those fires that destroyed more than 600 homes locally colored much of the year. Come last January, piles of toxic ash still covered lots where homes had been. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was amid a cleanup program. Napa County government was preparing for an onslaught of rebuilding permits. Joe Betz, the owner of House of Prime Rib restaurant in San Francisco, obtained the first permit. He started building a new Silverado house by February, about four months after his old one had been incinerated in the Atlas fire. I decided Im not going to be a victim, Betz said. As of early December 2018, the county had received applications to rebuild about 25 percent of the homes lost in the fires. Three homes had been completed, county Planning, Building and Environmental Services Director David Morrison said. Among those finished was one owned by the Todd and Tracy Walker. They moved into their new Soda Canyon farmhouse in November, in time to celebrate Thanksgiving and their 30th wedding anniversary. If theres anything to come out of this story, its optimism, Todd Walker said. Terry Neff lost his Mount Veeder home during the Patrick/Nuns fire. He is among those who have yet to rebuild. Dealing with fire-damaged trees on his forested property proved the first order of business for him. Neff is among the many people losing homes in the fires who found they were underinsured. He was looking at possibly rebuilding with a manufactured home. You cant get the same house you had, said Neff, who moved to Mount Veeder in 1971. Because of the fire, we have to start looking at something else. PG&E found itself immersed in controversy after the fires. Cal Fire said in June that trees and tree limbs falling onto power lines during a windy night sparked the Atlas and Partrick fires. It referred the cases to the District Attorneys office for possible violations of state law. It has yet to issue a report for the Tubbs fire. PG&E responded that its overall programs met our states high standards. Meanwhile, during 2018 PG&E cut down trees near power lines in the Mount Veeder and Angwin areas for fire cleanup and fire safety reasons. This too caused controversy, with some residents saying the utility cut down too many healthy trees and didnt communicate well with property owners. Mount Veeder resident Tony McClimans in April milled fire-damaged trees at Enchanted Hills Camp to create lumber for the camp. While doing so, he pointed to a clearing where PG&E had cut down trees murdered them, in McClimans words. It was a glorious forest before, McClimans said. PG&E held an August forum in Angwin at Napa County Supervisor Diane Dillons request to explain its tree-cutting policies to a skeptical audience of about 100 people. Community safety and your safety and the safety of all of our communities is PG&Es number one priority, Matt Pender of PG&E told the crowd at the Angwin fire station. Part of PG&Es new safety campaign is cutting the power in transmission lines that run through high fire danger areas if weather conditions warrant. It did just that in northern Napa County on Oct. 14, taking Calistoga off the grid in the process. The city complained loudly after being without power for a couple of days, pointing out Calistoga is outside of high-risk fire zones. Businesses said they lost thousands of dollars worth of business and merchandise. In November, PG&E installed generators to supply electricity to the town in the case power is shut down on transmission lines on another red flag day. Meanwhile, state Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, found himself at the center of creating state legislation on wildfire safety. He saw room for improvement. We have the technology to be able to predict these windstorms, Dodd said. We also have the technology to be able to predict low humidity and high temperatures, which are keystones to these wildfires. The county had a few flashbacks to the bad fire days of October 2017. In July, the County Fire at the Napa/Yolo county line sent smoke into the Berryessa area. Berryessa Highlands had a fire of its own in July. The blaze burned only 135 acres, but this land was amid the rural community of 350 homes. Eight homes were lost. By August, a group of Berryessa Highlands residents sought to do more to prevent fires. They wanted more code enforcement from the county to ensure property owners clean up brush. They wanted campfires banned or fire-fighting capabilities beefed up at nearby resorts. I was out yesterday on the lake, resident Pamela Daniel said in August. Every time I saw a little puff of something, Ive got to go see if theres a fire. On a morning in early November, smoke could be seen from Soscol Avenue in Napa pouring into the Napa Valley. By mid-day, it was hard to see the hills on either side of the valley because of murk. This smoke came from the Camp Fire in Butte County more than 100 miles to the northeast. Napans found themselves choking on a hazy stew created by the destruction of not only trees and vegetation, but most of the homes and businesses in the town of Paradise. Gov. Jerry Brown in the wake of the Camp Fire and Southern California wildfires called the situation the new abnormal in California. If Brown is right, heightened fire jitters in Napa County may be here to stay. 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. 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 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 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 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 1 more person dies of coronavirus in Artsakh 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) Artsakh President meets with relatives of soldiers who died in 44-day war last fall Armenias Mirzoyan briefs Croatia FM on latest developments in Karabakh peace process Armenia FM lauds Austria position on comprehensive settlement of Karabakh conflict (PHOTOS) London Christmas tree becomes subject of ridicule Newspaper: Armenia parliament ruling majority faction holds night meeting Newspaper: What did Armenia ex-President Kocharyan discuss with his political teammates? Twitter removes over 3,000 foreign country-related accounts Blinken discusses with Bayramov situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border Armenian FM: Determination of Nagorno-Karabakh's status is subject to negotiations EU fines four major banks totaling $390 million Lavrov: Russian mediation on Karabakh settlement is welcomed by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Armenian defense minister discusses Washington's role in OSCE Minsk Group Armenian PM discusses Sochi meeting with defense minister and ruling party MPs Mirzoyan and Blinken discuss settlement of Karabakh conflict Armenia and Lithuania sign military cooperation program Israel calls on to stop Iran nuclear talks Taliban assures Iran border incident will not happen again Lavrov and Cavusoglu discuss South Caucasus situation Almost 9% of infected with COVID-19 in Armenia are vaccinated NEWS.am daily digest: 02.12.21 Armenia premier confers on proposals for large-scale investment programs in urban development Sebastian Kurz announces decision to quit politics President, those in charge of several NGOs discuss Artsakh programs Blinken: US hopes to work with Russia to resolve Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict Armenia President lauds dynamically developing relations with UAE Dollar still going up in Armenia Artsakh ombudsman: Azerbaijan shooting in direction of Karmir Shuka village lasted 10-15 minutes Christmas tree to be installed at Republic Square of Yerevan this year Armenia Security Council chief on deputy PMs Moscow meeting: Agreements not managed to be formulated yet Biden urges Congress to approve nuclear force data transfer to Australia Trump complains about loss of respect for the US Hajiyev: Azerbaijan ready to start talks with Armenia on signing peace agreement Ivan Aivazovsky bust unveiled in Stepanakert Armenia electricity tariffs may increase as of February 2022 Exchange of fire occurs in area of Karabakhs Karmir Shuka village Ardshinbank named the Best Bank of the Year by The Banker international magazine Ex-President Kocharyan chairs meeting of opposition Armenia Faction in parliament 3 more die of coronavirus in Artsakh Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan deputy PMs to continue work in coming days to open regional communications Armenia to get EU assistance to improve its aviation safety Armenia revenue committee ex-chief is appointed Armavir Province governor 40% of Armenia adults have received first dose of Covid vaccine, 23.9% got second dose World oil prices going up 558 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia humanitarian mission medical team delivers healthcare supplies to Aleppo medical facilities (PHOTOS) Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh conduct training Armenia FM in Stockholm, underscores proper, targeted response from international community (PHOTOS) Blinken, Cavusoglu discuss situation in Armenia, Azerbaijan Senator Markey expresses readiness to work in US Senate to facilitate release of Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan Newspaper: Armenia police continue inspections regarding health ministers voyages Newspaper: Armenia PM-Artsakh President tandem devises another operation Travelers to face stricter Covid test rules when visiting US UN Secretary-General urges to increase testing, and not to ban travel due to omicron strain Castro becomes the first female president in Honduras Lavrov: Russia is making efforts to resolve controversial issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan EU Representative: Bayramov and Mirzoyan to meet in Stockholm on December 2 European Commission unveils its alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative Macron says UK PM Boris Johnson is a clown NEWS.am daily digest: 01.12.21 Embassy in Armenia: This year 16 Days of Activism align with US Summit for Democracy US envoy: Armenia has some of the best produce in the world Turkey already assessing economic benefits of opening Nakhichevan corridor On New Years Eve and on the occasion of Christmas, Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan together with Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Garegin II and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Artak Davtyan visited the border guard area and combat positions. Nikol Pashinyan first got acquainted with the modernized command and staff equipment used in the system of the Armed Forces, including the equipment of domestic production. Then the Acting Prime Minister met with soldiers and commanders serving in combat positions, toured the combat strongholds and got familiarized with the soldiers service conditions and daily life. Nikol Pashinyan encouraged a group of servicemen who had shown dedication and courage during service, handed gifts, and then had dinner with the servicemen at strongholds festive table. The Head of Government congratulated all the servicemen of the Armenian Army on the upcoming holidays, addressed them good wishes and expressed gratitude for their dedicated service. It is a great honor for me to be with you today, because the value that our meeting today has is perhaps the most important for our state and people. I mean ensuring the security of our country and nation, and completing our mission which consists in the fulfillment of our peoples dreams. I want to say something for each of us to understand: the task and the goal of the government of the Republic of Armenia is very clear, namely as a government, to preserve in the course of political activity the achievements of our soldiers-liberators and the Armed Forces, because we cannot regard these achievements as something trivial. We regard these achievements as a historical opportunity for our people, which each of us has to defend, preserve and do our utmost in our position to stand proud before our martyrs and not be ashamed. But we also need to understand that this is not an ordinary task, and the solution of this task requires special efforts and special responsibility from each of us. And our visit today shows that this kind of responsibility is present in our country, in our Armed Forces, and our task is to maximize the institutional basis of this high sense of responsibility. Look, we are dealing with a fighting position, in the construction of which our compatriot-philanthropist contributed, the military leadership contributed, and the political leadership - our own, and we achieved an improvement in the situation thanks to cooperation. We recently held a Security Council meeting that lasted a whole day. At the meeting, very important decisions were made, among which the key was that we should pay special attention to our servicemens social protection. We must pay special attention to the conditions of service of our military personnel, and we are talking not only about acting officers, but also about those who have retired. Of course, the most important factor in the power of the army is its strong and strong rear, strong and strong society, which first of all believes in itself, trusts its Armed Forces, the government, and finally believes in God, which is equally important, because we cannot achieve great material security without faith. I propose to drink for this integrity, for the fact that each of us carries his service at his post. In the end, this is a combat position, but it is very important that we all consider the issues in the vein, that the Prime Ministers administration, the administration of the governor, the administration of the head of community are the same fighting positions; the same fighting position is the classroom where the teacher enters. Our task is to ensure that each of us be prepared in our combat position for the same sacrifices as our soldier, who vigilantly serves in the heat, in the cold, in such living conditions. If each of us treats his service in this vein, I am convinced that thanks to this very circumstance hundreds of questions will be solved. I drink for all our combat positions, I drink for each of us to be in our fighting position so as to be worthy of our martyrs, our soldiers, our past and our future generations, Nikol Pashinyan said. YEREVAN.- Armenian President Armen Sarkissian sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of New Year and Holy Christmas holidays. Dear Citizens of the Republic of Armenia, Dear Compatriots all over the world, Year 2018 has been a year of great changes, challenges, expectations, and anticipations. We have witnessed the best qualities of our nation unity, togetherness, high moral and civic spirit. Very soon, we will have a new parliament and a new government. Their success will depend greatly on the citizens of Armenia. Their success will be conditioned by the support of the citizens, as well as by your active participation in the social, political, economic, and cultural life. Armenia can truly become one of the brightest spots on earth in the areas of innovative ideas, culture, science, economy, and others. However, the path will not be easy. There will be difficulties, often conditioned by the factors beyond our control, including the geopolitical realities. I wish you all alertness, composure, reasonable thinking, responsibility, and tolerance. These are the keys for success. Security and sovereignty of Armenia and Artsakh, just and fair resolution of the Artsakh problem will continue to occupy the pivotal place in our lives. We are living with a deep understanding that regardless of the place we were born, we all have one Homeland. The Homeland should be made prosperous through our joint efforts through the united efforts of Armenia, Artsakh, and Spyurk. We need to take care of the pillars of our national identity our culture, education, spiritual, and familial values. The role of our Holy Church in this is critical. We need to be more considerate towards our historical and national heritage, our nature, rural areas, towns and cities, our country in general. Dear Fellow citizens, At this moment, I am with all of you in spirit and my mind, I am standing by you, by the troops and officers on the border, by the ambulances and doctors on call in hospitals, policemen carrying out their duties, firemen, bakers, taxi drivers, villagers and workers, scientists, and artists, all of you. I am especially concerned with the families which hardly make ends meet. With those who have no housing yet, those who live in border areas, I am concerned with wounded and sick. I wish you all relief and respite. Let the new year open doors of success for all of you. Let every citizen of Armenia feel the positive spirit of changes. We all ought to be guided by this motto: If others can, we can too, if no one succeeded yet, we will be the first. I wish our Fatherland peace, our families health, success, prosperity, and happiness, to children I wish laughter and vigor, to eldertly dignified rest. Let in the new year all of you, your families and friends, every citizen of Armenia, every Armenian anywhere in the world be able to dream and see it come true. Happy New Year! STEPANAKERT.- On 31 December Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan addressed a congratulatory message on the New Year and Christmas holidays. The message runs as follows: "Dear compatriots, Respected citizens of the Artsakh Republic, As the current year comes to end we are going to enter into the new year of 2019. Naturally, each of us is overwhelmed by the feelings of excitement, new and kind anticipation. The New Year and Christmas holidays take us to the world of our childhood, where love and warmth, care and optimism reigned alongside with the deep-rooted hope and faith in real magic and in the realization of all our cherished dreams and wishes. Deep down, we all wish our family members, relatives and friends were healthy and happy, we seek peace on Earth and sustainable development of our Homeland. At the same time, we elaborate new policies to be put into life in the coming year, further cementing our statehood, enhancing our defense capability and security, boosting the economy, improving the living conditions of people, raising the population's standard of living. Together, united and with joint efforts we will fulfill all the projects envisaged, solve the issues of pan-Armenian significance and celebrate new victories, keeping unwavering the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity. The main guarantor of our success is, first and foremost, our heroic army, the Armenian soldier standing firm for the defense of the Homeland. As always, the army building will be on the forefront in the coming year as well. We will spare no effort to maintain the operational capacity of the defense army at the highest level and enhance the cooperation between the two Armenian states in this sphere and in all other areas. On this festive day, I would like to congratulate first of all the personnel of the armed forces, wish them successful and secure service. Let me congratulate our veterans, remember all those who are not with us physically. May God give rest to the souls of all the martyrs! I take pleasure to congratulate you, dear people of Artsakh, the world-spread Armenians, our sisters and brothers in Mother Armenia and the Diaspora. Let the year of 2019 be that of peace, victories, new success and achievements for our Homeland. I wish you robust health, happiness and all the best. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas!" My dear people: proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia, proud citizens of the Republic of Artsakh, proud Armenians of the Diaspora. We left behind the year 2018. It will remain in the history of the world and the Armenian people, in the memory of each Armenian as a year of reinstatement of peoples power, civil dignity, optimism and statehood. The year 2018 was a year when the Armenian nationals and the Diaspora-based Armenians, adults and children, male and female, rural or urban united around one common goal and forged our common victory, which ultimately became an exceptional achievement of national unity. At this borderline of 2018-2019, I want to formulate the task that is set in front of us: to make of 2019 just as dear and loved and memorable as the year 2018. And I consider it necessary to record that the passing year was not the summit of our victories, but only the foot, not the end of line of our march, but just the beginning. In 2019 we must achieve new heights, record new achievements first of all in our socio-economic life. Our main task in 2019 is the economic revolution and making its results more tangible. But next year will not be the climax of our victories, not because our flight will be low, but because our national and state ambitions will be higher and higher. This is the key point of the non-violent, velvety, popular revolution in Armenia. When people believe in the power of their unity, the power of their past and future. We believe in the creative talent of every citizen, and the year 2019 should become the year of creative talents victory when every individual citizen of the Republic of Armenia, every Armenian who have immigrated to Armenia can see themselves not as consumers, but creative individuals, not followers but leaders, not tax-evaders but taxpayers, not unemployed but employed citizens, not in the role of a poor person, but as people fighting against poverty with creative thinking and just work. 2019 should become a year of personal effort, a year of harmonious mind and work. Therefore, on these New Years Eve, our mood should be filled with new strength and energy, with new optimism and love for the sake of our homeland. Dear Compatriots, On the New Years Eve, I would like to send special greetings to all our soldiers, officers and generals who are on the frontline safeguarding our peace. I welcome the officers of the Armenian Police, the National Security Service, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Justice who are carrying out their service duties on New Years Eve, ensuring the security of our people. I greet our healthcare workers, energy, telecommunications, transport workers, and all those who are celebrating the New Year while performing their job duties. Finally, I welcome all the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, all our compatriots in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora. I love all of you, I am proud of you and I bow before you all. Smile to each other, dear compatriots, because here the New Year is coming. Happy New Year and Merry Christmas! So long live freedom, long live the Republic of Armenia, long live our children and we who live and will live in Free and Happy Armenia. JNIM Claims 19 Attacks in November-December 2018 in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger A group of 12 migrants including a 10-year-old child were detained (PA Images) A 10-year-old child is among a group of 12 migrants who have been detained after landing on a Kent beach, the Home Office said. Nine men, two women and the child are believed to have arrived at Greatstone in a black dinghy on Monday morning. Witnesses described seeing a large police presence along the quiet stretch of coastline. Chris Matcham said: I was driving towards New Romney this morning with my sister when a police car came haring past us along the road. We then saw the police car and van on the sea side of the road a bit further down. We saw what we suspected were immigrants standing by the van on the pavement. I think we saw four or five but couldnt see for sure as we were driving past. Then I went for a walk 30 minutes later and lots of police helicopters were flying overhead. The dinghy was empty and the migrants were gone. The police van was gone, too. The Border Force intercepts a migrant dinghy off the Kent coast (Twitter/Susan Pilcher via Reuters) Kent Police said officers were called at 8.16am to a report of a group of suspected migrants in Coast Drive, Greatstone. A Home Office spokesman said: Border Force was contacted by Kent Police at around 8.25am today, Monday 31 December. Border Force officers were deployed to assist with a group of 12 migrants at Greatstone, Kent. The group consisted of nine men, two women and a 10-year-old child. They have presented themselves as Iranian nationals. They all received a medical assessment and have now been transferred to immigration officials for interview. The latest incident comes after Home Secretary Sajid Javid cut short a family holiday in South Africa to return to the UK to deal with the increase in arrivals of migrants, which he declared a major incident. Labour MP criticised Mr Javid for his handling of the issue, accusing him of whipping up sentiment against the migrants. He said: Make no mistake, this is not in response to genuine concern for human life. This is Sajid Javid imitating Donald Trumps migrant caravan manufactured emergency to whip up fear before the Brexit vote. Desperate and cynical. Beirut (AFP) - Syria's nearly eight-year-old conflict saw its lowest annual death toll in 2018 as the regime reasserted its authority over swathes of territory, a war monitor said on Monday. A total of 19,666 people were killed during the year as a result of the conflict, which erupted in 2011, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported. "2018 was the lowest annual toll since the start of the conflict," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. The Britain-based monitor relies on a vast network of sources across Syria to document the war that broke out after the brutal repression of nationwide anti-regime protests in 2011. The death toll for 2017 stood at more than 33,000. The highest annual figure was reached in 2014 -- the year the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group proclaimed a "caliphate" over large parts of Syria and neighbouring Iraq -- when 76,000 people were killed. Among those killed in 2018 were 6,349 civilians, 1,437 of them children, Abdel Rahman said. - Eastern Ghouta - "Most of those killed during the first part of the year were killed in regime and Russian bombardment of opposition areas, including Eastern Ghouta," Abdel Rahman said. "The majority of those killed in the second half of the year were killed in coalition air strikes," he added. The first months of 2018 were marked by major Russian-backed government operations to retake rebel and jihadist bastions in and around the capital Damascus. The bloodiest of them was an assault on Eastern Ghouta, a densely-populated area east of Damascus that remained besieged for years. The most active front of the past few months has been the battle against the remnants of IS in eastern Syria. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by a US-led coalition carrying out air strikes, launched an offensive on September 10. Jihadist fighters defending the last rump of their once sprawling proto-state, near the Iraqi border along the Euphrates River, have put up fierce resistance but seem close to collapsing. Story continues While fighting has ended or is winding down in several parts of the country, 2019 could see its share of military flare-ups. - Threatened Turkish offensive - Besides the continued threat posed by IS sleeper cells even after it loses its last pocket in eastern Syria, two other areas remain of concern. Turkey has threatened a major offensive against the Kurdish militia that controls regions along its border in northeastern Syria. The announcement made by US President Donald Trump two weeks ago that he had ordered a full troop pullout from Syria left the US-led coalition's Kurdish allies more exposed. Thousands of rebel fighters and jihadists also remain in Idlib, a northern province where many of them were transferred as a result of deals to end government assaults on other areas across the country. Under an agreement reached in Russia, Turkey was tasked with disarming some of the groups active in Idlib but little progress has been achieved. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has consistently said that his forces would seek to reconquer the entire country. The Kurds last week asked for the regime's help against the threat of a Turkish offensive, a move that will put pay to their ambitions of increased autonomy. According to the Observatory, the government and its allies now control 60.2 percent of Syrian territory, while the SDF hold 28.8 percent. In the fourth such decision this year, the government announced that a number of officers and conscripts who enrolled in 2010 would be released from duty. Here are some other figures from the detailed death toll provided by the Observatory for 2018: - 2,746 IS fighters and other jihadists - 4,594 regular forces and allied militia - 5,852 other fighters, including Kurds and rebels - 368,920 total since the start of the war By comparison, the US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project puts the number of conflict-related deaths in Afghanistan at more than 40,000 in 2018. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. The 2018 Elections in the US and India 2018 was a surprising year for politics around the world, but especially for India and the United States of America, the two biggest democracies in the world. While India saw the by-elections to the Lok Sabha, elections to the Rajya Sabha, and to other legislative assemblies, councils and local bodies before the general elections to be held in 2019, the US saw the midterm elections which take place in the middle of the incumbent Presidents term. In India, the National Democratic Alliance with its leader as Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party has been in power since the 2014 general elections. But to everyones astonishment, states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh saw Congresss revival in coming back to power. This means Rajiv Gandhi and Congress pose a huge threat to Narendra Modi and BJP in the upcoming general elections in 2019, even though they failed to make an impression in states like Telangana and Mizoram. In the US, there were winners and losers on both sides. While Republican President Donald Trump is currently in power, the Democrats won control of the House in the midterm elections. This means they now have the option to carry out investigations, if needed, on the Trump administration. The Republican Party has maintained control of the US Senate. However, the main reason the US midterm elections were so surprising is the number of diverse candidates to come to power from Democrat Jared Polis of Colorado, the first gay man to lead a US state, to Democrat Juliana Stratton, the first black woman to hold the position of lieutenant governorship and at least 99 women have won House seats, of whom only a dozen are Republicans. Even better is the news of the impressive and rather massive voter turnout in the United States midterm elections. Over 114 million people voted, which is 31 million more than the number of people who voted in the 2014 midterms. This is largely due to the impact of social media, with everyone from the neighbourhood mailman to Taylor Swift encouraging their followers and friends to vote for a better America. 2019 is going to be a very interesting year for both India and America. From the general elections in India to the repercussions of the midterm elections in America, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump are going to have a very tough battle ahead of them. Heres wishing the best to both countries, democracies, and governments. Is free speech in the UK really under threat? (Getty Images) One of the most noticeable trends of 2018 has been whether people have the right to offend anymore. And nowhere has the battle over free speech been more prominent than in Britains universities. This is to such an extent that no-platforming the practice of preventing someone from expressing their point of view in a public space was named one of the words of the year by the Cambridge online dictionary. Whether it was the leader of the far-right AfD Alice Wiedel, Steve Bannon or Germaine Greer, the issue has become so hot, the Government announced in May that universities could be fined for banning controversial speakers. Here are some other examples of free speech coming under threat at British universities No laughing matter In December, a comedian backed out of a student charity event after being asked to sign an agreement that would prevent him from performing material about sensitive cultural topics like racism, ageism and homophobia unless he found a way to make his jokes respectful and kind. Comedian Konstantin Kisin cancelled a charity comedy gig on a university campus because he was asked to censor his material. (Photo: Facebook/Konstantin.Kisin) Konstantin Kisin, a Russian-born comedian living in London, had been invited by the UNICEF on Campus society at the University of Londons School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) to do a set at a campus fundraiser on January 23. Kisin had initially agreed but changed his tune once the society emailed him a Behavioural Agreement Form with a no-tolerance policy on anything that might be deemed offensive by students. Offensive fancy dress One of the most notable moments from this year happened in October at the University of Kent, where the student union drew up a list of banned Halloween fancy dress costumes deemed potentially too offensive. Kent Union deemed costumes of cowboys, priests, Native Americans, Israeli soldiers and Nazis as inappropriate, but said Romans, aliens or nurses were acceptable. It said students had a right to a safe space. In response, a petition was launched by the Liberty Union, a society of students who strongly object to the invasion of freedom of speech and expression. Story continues Cowboy costumes were on the list of those banned by Kent University (Getty Images) Chris Barnard, 20, co-founder of Liberty Union, told Yahoo News UK: We feel as though at universities, the right to be offended has superseded the right to freedom of expression. The initial draft was written without the input from student representatives. Its just an official guideline, but ultimately it is a psychological version of a ban, shaming innocent people. I dont care what your ideology is. As long as you are not inciting hate, you have a right to express it. Kent Union said the list was a working document and was in its draft stages. In fact, the University of Kent has already been issued with an amber warning from the Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR), the UKs first university league table for campus censorship. They examine the policies and actions of universities and students unions, and rank them using their traffic-light system. Universities currently in the red include Oxford, Birmingham, Imperial and 59 others. According to the website, this means that a students union, university or institution that is hostile to free speech and free expression, mandating explicit restrictions on speech, including, but not limited to, bans on specific ideologies, political affiliations, beliefs, books, speakers or words. This is not the first time universities have been accused of stifling free expression. has been banned or changes have been made to guidelines. Clapping ban In October, the University of Manchester voted to swap clapping with BSL clapping, more commonly known as jazz hands, at certain events. Student Union officer Sara Khan said that clapping and whooping encourages an atmosphere that is not as respectful as it could be. According to a YouGov poll, public reaction to these changes have been muted with around a third of Brits either supporting (31%) or opposing (36%) it. University of Manchester Students Union has voted to use BSL clapping (waving hands) over physical clapping at events to help students with sensory disabilities, and Brits are split on whether they support (31%) or oppose (36%) the change https://t.co/sTk693oZGl pic.twitter.com/Eo0BKKpAFN YouGov (@YouGov) October 3, 2018 Dinosaur debate A lecturer was made to remove a picture of human testicles from a presentation on the first dinosaur fossil to be given a scientific name after complaints from students. An unnamed lecturer at the University of Portsmouth adjusted his lecture about the leg bone of the Megalosaurus following the outrage. An illustration of the fossil given to Robert Plot, keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, in the 17th century looks similar to a human scrotum. Mortarboards In 2016 The University of East Anglia sent an email around asking students to not throw their mortarboards at their own graduation ceremony, declaring it a health and safety hazard. As an alternative, they requested everyone to mime the throwing of their hats in the air so that they could Photoshop the hats in afterwards, for 8. The ban on throwing mortarboards was overturned after a backlash from students. (Getty Images) After student backlash, they amended their statement to allowing mortarboards being thrown as long as the graduates were in small groups. Pole dancing In 2013, Swansea University Students Union originally banned the Pole Fitness Society as they said it is inextricably linked to the multi-million pound sex industry and that it did not meet the aims and objectives as an organisation. However, that decision was reversed in 2014, with the university officially recognising pole fitness as a sport. Picture a law firm with thousands of lawyers at its disposal, hundreds of employees, and annual revenues approaching Am Law 200 territory. Its U.S. Supreme Court record is unmatched by a key measure. This year it lured a former Cravath, Swaine & Moore partner to its ranks of senior litigators. But this is no traditional law firm partnership. Its a right-leaning Christian legal non-profit, alternately admired as a legal bulwark and reviled as a hate group for its advocacy on flashpoint social issues such as homosexuality and abortion. Next month the group, Alliance Defending Freedom, will celebrate 25 years of "protecting the right to share and live out the Gospel by defending religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family," as it defines its legal mission. As it approaches is anniversary, its influence in the capital and beyond is larger than ever before. ADF's Big Year The 2018 calendar year served as something of a banner year for ADF: It won multiple times at the Supreme Court in some of the year's most politically fraught cases and saw ADF alumni tapped for top legal jobs ranging from a federal appeals court judgeship to overseeing communications at Main Justice. Formed in 1994 as Alliance Defense Fund," by prominent evangelicals James Dobson of Focus on the Family and Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, ADF had already scored a pair of victories at the Supreme Court by the following year. Alan Sears was then its founding CEO of ADF and its first attorney on staff. A quarter-century later, its high court record remains chief among its accomplishments. ADFs undefeated record at the Supreme Court in the last five years is unmatched by any other litigant that has argued at least four cases, according to an analysis by Empirical SCOTUS. ADF has argued nine times before the high court in the last seven years and won every time, including twice last year. Any time an organization racks up that many wins, they must be taken as a serious and formidable advocate, said Scott Keller, Baker Botts Supreme Court and constitutional law practice chair. When Keller was solicitor general of Texas he filed amicus curiae briefs in support of some ADF cases. In 2018, ADF prevailed before the Supreme Court in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the standoff over a bakers refusal to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, and National Institute of Family & Life Advocates v. Becerra, which involved a California law requiring pregnancy centers opposed to abortion to provide information about how to obtain an abortion to pregnant women. Kristen Waggoner, senior vice president of ADFs U.S. legal division and the winning advocate in Masterpiece, attributed her groups success to its focus on its mission, rather than on celebrating star lawyers. Story continues Attorney Kristen Waggoner. Photo courtesy of Alliance Defending Freedom. We dont care who gets the credit, what matters is that freedom is protected, Waggoner said. We just need to get the work done and serve as an alliance to work with other people, because theres no one organization that is going to be able to achieve the generational shaping wins necessary to protect freedom in the areas in which we work. ADF has close to 275 employees on its staff and more than 3,300 allied attorneys around the world. Allied attorneys are in private practice but commit to working with ADF as lead or local counsel on specific matters or issues. Before joining ADF in 2013, Waggoner said she was an allied attorney for about 16 years when she was a partner at Ellis, Li & McKinstry in Seattle. Waggoner said ADF receives about 3,500 requests for help each year and has 1,500 active matters at any one time, which has prompted her to look for new staff hires in the coming year to respond to the increasing work. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, with a national practice that includes regional offices in D.C. and Georgia, the firm is looking to expand throughout the country. In 2018, ADF added Roger Brooks, a veteran Cravath litigation partner, and John Bursch, a former Michigan solicitor general. The group is also becoming more ambitious in the matters it takes on, Waggoner said. As the organization has grown and I think the litigation bench has deepened here at ADF, we do look for cases that will have a national impact, and we have refined our strategic objectives so we have very clear legal objectives that we want to see accomplished, she said. When we get requests for cases or were looking for cases, were looking to establish precedent in those specific areas, so obviously those would get the highest priority in terms of cases we would take." Still, Waggoner added, ADF continues to fight smaller battles as well. "Were committed to trying to find resources for anyone that calls us with a legal issue that is impacting religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and marriage and family, she said. Signs of Successand a Backlash ADF reported more than $56 million in total revenues and other support in 2017, and slightly more than $59 million in 2016, according to an audit prepared by Clifton Larsen Allen posted by ADF. To put that in perspective, the lowest ranked law firm among the Am Law 200 clocked in with revenues of $94 million last year. ADF's revenue has grown considerably from earlier this decade. ADF reported revenues of slightly more than $43.5 million in 2013 and more than $48.3 million in 2014, according to IRS disclosures. ADF relies on revenue coming solely from its donors, whose identity the organization does not disclose. The group does not accept government funding. ADF has spent more than $49 million funding cases over the course of its history and its allied attorneys have performed more than 1 million hours of pro bono work for the organization. Waggoner said she believes the country has begun turning the corner from the very dark time in 2012, 2013 for religious liberty. ADFs opponents beg to differ. The left-leaning Citizens for Transparency purchased ad space on a Times Square billboard last month imploring onlookers to Stop Alliance Defending Freedom, claiming the group was waging war on LGBTQ individuals. In 2016 the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled ADF a hate group, a designation it defends by citing ADF's opposition to abortion, advocacy against state-sanctioned same-sex marriage, and because of what SPLC asserts is ADF's "hard-right Christian theocratic worldview." ADF has responded by arguing that, the SPLC used to do good work, but it has lost its way." Waggoner said ADF chooses to let its "work product" serve as its response to the SPLC. "Our work is to protect the fundamental freedoms in the area of speech and religion and conscience, and its to protect people from all walks of life," Waggoner said. "If you compare that to the Southern Poverty Law Center, that has openly said they intend to go after those with whom they disagree, and those with whom theyve identified as being on the right, I think our record speaks for itself." ADF also rented space in December on the same Times Square billboard as Citizens for Transparency. The message: Tolerance is a two-way street, and ADF believes in truth and not trolling. ADFs overall message looks to be reaching more people than ever before. The number of website page views to ADFs website tripled between 2014 and 2017 to nearly 4 million, according to Guidestar, which tracks nonprofits. Interest in ADF on social media has similarly spiked, with Guidestar reporting that ADFs number of Facebook followers doubled during the same timeframe. Kerri Kupec, who was ADF's legal counsel and communications director during that period, has since been tapped to serve as the U.S. Justice Departments top spokesperson following her detail to the White House to help confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. In the Trump Era Several other ADF allies and employees have also entered President Donald Trumps administrationfor example, U.S. Health and Human Services Department deputy general counsel Matt Bowmanbut others are at odds with the president, such as former ADF senior counsel David French, who considered challenging Trumps 2016 campaign as an independent candidate at the behest of Never Trump conservatives. That hasn't stopped some Trump opponents from citing some judicial nominees' ties to ADF as part of their efforts to thwart their confirmations. During Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on her nomination to a federal appeals court, Judge Amy Coney Barretts decision to give presentations to ADFs Blackstone Legal Fellows while she was a law professor came under fire from former Democratic senator Al Franken. The Blackstone Legal Fellowship is a nine-week summer program that, prepares Christian law students for careers marked by integrity, excellence, and leadership, according to its website. Williams & Connolly partner Allison Jones Rushings nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has similarly come under scrutiny for her having spoken to Blackstone fellows and over a past internship with ADF. During an October 2018 Senate hearing on Rushings nomination, which no Democratic senator attended, retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) spoke in defense of ADF as an effective advocate defending mainstream views. Attempts to discredit nominees because of connections to ADF have failed, and if tried again they will fail again, Hatch said during the hearing. The Senate has not yet made a decision on Rushings nomination, which is awaiting a committee vote that looks likely to come in the New Year. For ADF, the New Year will bring arguments before the Arizona Supreme Court regarding Phoenix-area calligraphers religious beliefs, a decision from the Kentucky Supreme Court in a case involving a T-shirt printers religious beliefs, and hearings in a case about a New York adoption providers religious beliefs. ADFs legal portfolio also includes its Center for Academic Freedom, which has litigated against more than a dozen colleges and universities in the last year and looks poised to add work in 2019. Regardless of whether ADFs opponent is in the courtroom, at a Senate hearing, or in Times Square, Waggoner said the group believes in respect for good-faith differences of opinion. If we want freedom for ourselves, we have to extend it to those we disagree withthats what were about, Waggoner said. Hodeida (Yemen) (AFP) - Yemeni rebels have begun to withdraw from the port of Hodeida, the country's key aid lifeline, under an agreement reached in Sweden earlier this month, a UN official said Saturday. The official, who requested anonymity, said the Huthi rebels began to pull back from the Red Sea port at midnight (2100 GMT Friday). The Huthis began "the first phase of redeployment from the Hodeida port", a rebel official told the Huthi-run Saba news agency. The rebels held a ceremony to mark the occasion, an AFP correspondent reported. The rebel withdrawal from the port, which is the point of entry for food aid to some 14 million Yemenis UN agencies say are on the brink of famine, is a key part of a ceasefire that went into effect on December 18. Pro-government forces are also supposed to pull back from parts of the city they recaptured in an offensive they launched with the backing of a Saudi-led coalition on June 13. The UN Security Council last week unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to oversee the truce. Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is heading a joint truce monitoring committee, which includes both government and rebel representatives, and chaired its first meeting this week. The UN-led panel addressed "the first phase of the implementation of the Stockholm agreement... based on ceasefire, confidence building measures to deliver humanitarian assistance and redeployment", a UN statement said. It added that the panel would convene again on January 1 to discuss "detailed plans for full redeployment". The truce has remained shaky, with the two sides accusing each other of violations. A resident reached by telephone on Saturday told AFP pro-government and rebel forces had exchanged fire briefly overnight. The resident added that coalition jets were heard overhead on Saturday morning. The war between the Shiite Huthi rebels and troops loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi escalated in March 2015, when he fled into Saudi exile and the Saudi-led coalition intervened. Since then, the war has killed some 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, although human rights groups say the real death toll could be five times as high. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump, in his first public words about two migrant children who died in Border Patrol custody, misrepresented the circumstances of their deaths as he sought to deflect any responsibility from U.S. authorities. All the facts are not established, but Trump twisted what is known. He said both Guatemalan children were in dire health before their apprehension, yet they cleared initial health screenings and one of them was in U.S. custody for five days before suddenly falling ill. TRUMP: "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." tweets Saturday. THE FACTS: This account is not supported by timelines released by Customs and Border Protection or other accounts. As well, Trump is wrong in saying the father of the girl who died has absolved U.S. officials of responsibility. Through family lawyers, Nery Gilberto Caal Cuz said he made sure his daughter Jakelin had food and water as they traveled through Mexico. The Border Protection timeline on her case says: "The initial screening revealed no evidence of health issues." And nothing was mentioned about the girl being dehydrated. The record so far as is known neither establishes that U.S. officials were to blame nor clears them of blame, despite Trump's pronouncement. These circumstances are laid out in the Customs and Border Protection accounts of the capture, treatment and deaths of Jakelin Caal, 7, and Felipe Gomez Alonzo , 8, who both came to the border with their fathers: Jakelin Caal: The girl and her father were caught at 9:15 p.m. on Dec. 6 in a group of more than 100 people trying to cross the border, less than a mile or kilometer from the Antelope Wells entry port in New Mexico. The father claimed upon their apprehension that she was in good health. (It's possible she was ill before reaching the border and that she and her father did not acknowledge it. In any event, no health problems were observed.) Story continues Her first distress was reported at 5 a.m. the next day, when her father said she was vomiting on a bus waiting to take them to a Border Patrol station at Lordsburg, New Mexico. When the bus arrived close to 6:30 a.m., the father said Jakelin was not breathing. A Border Patrol emergency technician revived her twice. She had a temperature of 105.7 degrees. At 7:45 a.m., a helicopter flew her to the nearest trauma center, in El Paso, Texas, where she went into cardiac arrest late that morning and was revived once more. By then breathing by machine, with brain swelling and liver failure, she died on Dec. 8 at 12:35 a.m., her father with her. Officials have said she showed signs of sepsis, a condition brought on by infection. ___ Felipe Gomez Alonzo: Trump's unsupported assertion that both children were very ill before their apprehension is even more flagrantly untethered from the record in the case of Alonzo. Catarina Alonzo, the boy's mother, told The Associated Press her son was well and eating chicken after arriving at the U.S. border when she spoke with him by phone. According to the Border Protection timeline, Felipe and his father, Agustin Gomez, were caught Dec. 18 at about 1 p.m., about 3 miles or 5 kilometers from a border port at El Paso. Late that afternoon they were transferred to an El Paso processing center and given drinks and hot food. In the first four days, agents logged 23 "welfare checks" checking on the well-being of father and son at two El Paso locations. No concern is noted. Late the night of Dec. 22, they were transferred to the Alamogordo Border Patrol Station in New Mexico because of crowding in El Paso, and more health checks were logged the next day. But the morning of Dec. 24, an agent noticed Felipe coughing, with glossy eyes, and he was taken to a hospital at about 9:30 a.m. with suspected flu or strep throat. Although diagnosed with a common cold, he had a 103 degree fever and was held for observation for an additional 90 minutes before being released in mid-afternoon, prescribed amoxicillin and Ibuprofen. A few hours after his meal and meds, he vomited and agents decided at 10 p.m. to return him to the hospital. Felipe vomited and lost consciousness on the way. Doctors could not revive him and shortly before midnight Christmas Eve, he was pronounced dead. ___ Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant in Houston contributed to this report. ___ Border Protection information on Jakelin Caal: https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/speeches-and-statements/statement-us-customs-and-border-protection-death-seven-year-old Border Protection information on Felipe Gomez Alonzo: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2018/12/25/cbp-shares-additional-information-about-recent-passing-guatemalan-child Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck EDITOR'S NOTE _ A look at the veracity of claims by political figures PANAM NAGAR, Bangladesh (AP) Voters in Bangladesh went to the polls Sunday in the densely populated South Asian nation's 11th general election to determine whether to give Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party a third consecutive term or hand the reins to a loose coalition of opposition parties in the hopes of change. An opposition coalition led by a former foreign minister in Hasina's party was hoping to end her tenure, but the odds favor Hasina, who has campaigned on a pledge to continue developing Bangladesh's economy, dismissing critics who say the mass arrests and jailing of opposition leaders including her archrival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia show a tendency toward authoritarianism. Hours after polling stations closed, Kamal Hossain, the leader of the opposition alliance, called the election "farcical," saying any outcome would be rejected and demanding that a new election be held under the authority of a "nonpartisan government." About 30 kilometers (18 miles) southeast of the capital, Dhaka, in the district of Narayanganj is Panam Nagar, an ancient Hindu city and the 15th century capital of the Bengal sultanate. The city boasts a collection of 52 historic structures the ornate newer buildings date to the time of the Mughal and British empires. Amid complaints by opposition supporters from across Bangladesh of intimidation and threats by the ruling party, voting at three polling stations around Panam Nagar appeared tranquil on Sunday. Though electronic voting took place in parts of Dhaka, the voters around Panam Nagar cast paper ballots, using a purple stamp to mark their choice on a strip of white paper with eight candidates' names and party symbols, and signing their names at the top. Illiterate voters signed with their thumbprints. Showing off his purple thumb, Haji Abdul Malek Mia, a 74-year-old father of five sons, said he voted because it was a civic duty. He said he wanted to see someone in power who would offer development. "Whoever is doing development, he should be there," he said. Story continues The more than 40,000 polling stations nationwide closed at 4 p.m., as the Islamic call to prayer boomed over loudspeakers. At one polling station in Panam Nagar, the counting of the roughly 1,600 votes cast there began shortly after voting ended. Plastic bins full of paper ballots were dumped onto a sheet on the floor, where 10 people sat in a circle to organize and count the votes. A district official would collect them later. Election results were expected Monday. Question: What airplanes did you fly? -- Nate, NYC In my airline career: First Officer Nihon YS11A. First Officer Boeing 737-200. Captain/Instructor Fokker F-28. Captain Boeing 737- 200, 300, 400. Captain Airbus A319, 320, 321. I flew as a corporate pilot prior to working for airlines and flew various corporate turbo-props and jets. Q: From a General Aviation pilot to another pilot, although you don't fly for a career anymore, do you ever do any GA flying in your off time? -- Kris A., Branford, Connecticut A: I get to fly GA aircraft occasionally. It is a treat and something I look forward to. Q: With all of the talk of pilots spotting drones, birds, etc., from the cockpit, I'm curious if you ever spotted something unusual while flying in your career ? -- Lexi, Canfield, Ohio I have seen many birds, some unusual weather balloons, the northern lights and satellites streaking across the sky. A few unusual ultra light aircraft, some unexpected fireworks and a couple of military airplanes I couldnt identify. Some of these were unusual but nothing that concerned me. Q: On October 28, answering a question about the SR-71 exceeding 250 knots below 10,000 feet you wrote "There could be a very rare or extreme case where a tower operator might issue a very special clearance." Many USAF airplanes, the SR-71 being one, and virtually all fighter type aircraft being others are not subject to the FAA speed limit below 10,000 feet. They can and do exceed that speed daily. An SR-71 would not need to ask for permission to speed because speed limits don't apply. -- Rick, South Carolina A: Airplanes with high-speed climb requirements have to coordinate with air traffic control prior to departure. Airplanes such as the SR-71 normally climb above 300 knots, this is known when they share airspace with civilian traffic. While military airplanes may not have the FAA speed restriction, the coordination is mandatory. More: Ask the Captain: Reader questions about the SR-71 Story continues Q: Enjoy reading your answers and comments for the questions your readers submit. Spent twenty-three years in Naval Aviation as a maintenance type, F-14As mostly. Retired SCPO. Read with interest your comments on yaw strings in the 11/26 edition of USA TODAY. For what it is worth, there is no cockpit indication of yaw in an F-14A. Guess what we used? -- Bryan Carrubba, Louisville, Mississippi A: Thank you. Glad you enjoy the column; it is fun to answer the questions. I did not realize the F-14 used a yaw string, thanks for clarifying that. More: Ask the Captain: What is a 'Dutch Roll?' John Cox is a retired airline captain with US Airways and runs his own aviation safety consulting company, Safety Operating Systems. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ask the Captain: What airplanes did you fly in your career? Amazon Kids are spending more time than ever in front of television, tablet, computer, and smartphone screens, while the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that screen time be severely limited, if not avoided, before age 2. Given that very real, timely concern, parents may take heart in the rise in popularity of a new device that leaves more to the imagination. Earlier this month, Pinterest released a sneak peek of their official 100 trends for 2019, and they noted that searches for "audio storytellers" were up 126% in 2018. Audiobooks and audio storytelling devices give little ones the chance to use technology in a more active way, putting their imaginations to use during storytime. One of the most best examples on the market is the Lunii Fabulous Storyteller, which retails for $69.90 on Amazon . Users can choose from 48 stories available on the Storyteller, with hundreds more you can download from the Luniistore. Kids get to customize various elements of the stories, like a modern "Choose Your Own Adventure." The Echo Dot Kids' Edition , which launched earlier this year and retails for $79.99 is a similar concept with various other bells and whistles. It includes access to over 300 kid-appropriate Audible audiobooks. Alexa will also offer kids "interactive tales" they build by answering questions, playing a character, or directing the action. There are also features called "Mad Libs" and "Story Maker," which let kids choose their own adventure. And if a new storytelling device isn't necessary, there's always good old-fashioned Audible and other audiobooks, which can be played on a smartphone or tablet. No matter which kind of technology parents opt for, any device that support kids' imaginations running wild is one to celebrate. DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) A volcano on Indonesia's tourist island of Bali shot a new burst of hot ash into the air early 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 meters (2,300 feet) into the air, the Volcanology and Geological Mitigation Agency said in a statement. The eruption of the 3,031-meter (9,940-foot) 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 4-kilometer (2.5-mile) 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 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" 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. Rome (AFP) - Several hundred people demonstrated Saturday in central Italy, against a planned "Academy for the Judeo-Christian West" backed by US political strategist Steve Bannon. President Donald Trump's former aide in September vowed to set up "war rooms" across Europe to help form a pan-continental right-wing movement ahead of European Parliament elections in 2019. Local activists and a network of associations protested against the plan in the village of Collepardo, expressing their views behind banners that read "Stop Bannon, Free Europe," and "Trisulti, European land." The village lies close to the Trisulti charterhouse, a former Carthusian monastery now leased to the Catholic institute Dignitatis Humanae (DHI), a group close to conservative US cardinal Leo Burke and Bannon. DHI plans to offer classes at the site east of Rome "to transmit Steve Bannon's thoughts to the next generations," founder Benjamin Harnwell told the Italian-language daily La Stampa. He said the project had many financial backers, but cited only Bannon by name. After Bannon was pushed out of the White House's inner circle he began to focus on changing the dynamics of European politics, meeting with right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Italy's anti-immigration Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. The protest's organisers described Trisulti, founded in 1204, as a "European outpost" that symbolized "ideas that do not shut out the world." Harnwell said the academy would be associated with a university in Rome and hold classes there while the charterhouse was renovated. Best photos of the royals in 2018 Take a look at the best photos of the Royal Family in 2018 [Photos: Getty] Its been quite the year for the Royal Family, with not one but two weddings, a new baby and another on the way in the new year. The Queen proved she was as style savvy as the younger royals with a surprise appearance at the Richard Quinn catwalk show, joining US Vogue editor Anna Wintour in the front row during London Fashion Week. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed a third addition to their family with the birth of Prince Louis in April. While glimpses of Louis have been rare, his older siblings George and Charlotte have stolen the show on more than one occasion. The young royals are practically pros at page boy and bridesmaid duties. After announcing their engagement in November 2017, Prince Harry and former actress Meghan Markle tied the knot at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19, in a ceremony that was watched by an estimated 1.9 billion people around the world. It was a star-studded affair and Meghan wowed in her wedding dress by Clare Waight Keller and an evening gown by Stella McCartney. The pair have thrown themselves into their royal duties and charmed everyone they met during their royal tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand in October. The trip got off to an exciting start as the couple announced theyre expecting their first child next spring. Princess Eugenie also married her long-term boyfriend Jack Brooksbank at the same venue as her cousin Harry on October 12, and her proud mother Sarah, Duchess of York made her return to the fold. Kate came back from maternity leave in October and looks more confident in her role than ever. As well as joining forces with William at several engagements, shes proven that the Kate effect is still in force with her fashion choices. The Prince of Wales celebrated his 70th birthday in November and there were plenty of family and public occasions to mark his milestone. And then of course, the Queen was joined by the rest of the royals to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham. Story continues Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. Read more from Yahoo Style UK: Royal Wedding highlights: Best moments from Meghan and Harrys big day, revisited Kate and Meghans Christmas Day outfits through the years in pictures Kate, Meghan and the rest of the royals arrive for the Queens Christmas lunch The Blue Jays acquired pitcher Clayton Richard from the Padres on Sunday. Richard was designated for assignment by the Padres back on December 20. The Toronto Blue Jays repeatedly said out loud that the goal for the offseason was to add starting pitching depth. After adding right handed reclamation project Matt Shoemaker on Friday, they continued their shopping trip by trading for left-handed starter Clayton Richard from the San Diego Padres. The Blue Jays have acquired LHP Clayton Richard and cash considerations from the San Diego Padres in exchange for OF Connor Panas. To make room on the 40-man roster, RHP Oliver Drake has been designated for assignment. Blue Jays PR (@BlueJaysPR) December 30, 2018 The 35-year old Richard had been designated for assignment by the Padres earlier this month, with one-year and $3 million left on his two-year deal. He had a rough season in 2018, posting a 5.33 ERA while surrendering 19 home runs. When things are working for Richard he uses a combination of sinker and slider to keep the ball on the ground, and he has posted a National League best ground ball rate over the last four seasons combined. When things arent going well, the ball leaves the park in a hurry. He was in the bottom 5% of the league in hard hit percentage, and bottom 6% in strikeout percentage. He has given up 43 home runs over the last two seasons in dinger suppressing Petco Park for the majority of the starts, and gave up a league-high 240 hits in 2017. Ultimately, Richard is what he is: over 10 MLB seasons his ERA+ was somewhere between 88-100 seven times, and he was a useful arm as recent as 2016 when he posted a 3.33 ERA over 67.2 innings, boosted mainly by a late-season run with the Padres after being so bad he was released by the Cubs. Going the other way to the Padres was minor league outfielder Connor Panas. The 25-year old outfielder is a Toronto native, and was taken in the 9th round of the 2015 draft. Panas hit .232/.296/.359 in 105 games at AA New Hampshire. He flashed a little power with 18 home runs in 2017 in high-A Dunedin, but his career .259/.338/.424 line over four minor league seasons is hardly eye-popping. Story continues To make room on the 40-man roster, the Blue Jays designated 31-year old pitcher Oliver Drake for assignment. More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports: WASHINGTON, Dec 30 (Reuters) - The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sunday defended his agents' handling of two sick children who died in their custody, saying they did everything they could to get medical help for them in difficult circumstances. The deaths have intensified the debate over U.S. immigration policy as President Donald Trump holds onto his demand that lawmakers give him $5 billion to fund a wall along the border with Mexico. The impasse over Trump's border wall resulted in a partial government shutdown that entered its ninth day on Sunday. CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan told ABC's "This Week" it had been a decade since a child had died in the agency's custody and that the loss of two Guatemalan children in three weeks was "just absolutely devastating for us on every level." RELATED: A day in the life of the migrant caravan in Mexico Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8, died on Christmas Day. In early December, 7-year-old Jakelin Caal died after being detained along with her father by U.S. border agents in a remote part of New Mexico. On Saturday, Trump blamed Democrats for the deaths of the two children in a Twitter post, drawing criticism that he was politicizing the tragedies. The standoff over his demand for wall funding will be a test for Congress when it returns this week with Democrats in control of the House of Representatives. Trump sees the wall as vital to stemming illegal immigration, while Democrats and some Republicans see it as impractical and costly. After the death of the second child, the CBP said it will conduct secondary medical checks on all children in its custody, with a focus on those under 10. Caal was 94 miles (150 km) from a Border Patrol station when she began vomiting on a bus ride to the station, McAleenan said on ABC. He said a Border Patrol agent who was a paramedic revived her there and she was taken to a children's hospital in El Paso, where she died. Story continues In the boy's case, McAleenan said, it was a Border Patrol agent who first noticed he was ill and sent him and his father to a hospital. State officials in New Mexico said on Friday that Felipe had the flu before he passed away. "Our agents did everything they could, as soon as these children manifested symptoms of illness, to save their lives," McAleenan said. 'VULNERABLE POPULATIONS' McAleenan said the number of families and children crossing the border illegal has increased steadily in recent months and made up 65 percent of crossings in December. Those families and children are entering a system set up for adults. "We don't want them in border patrol stations. We want them in a better scenario for these vulnerable populations that we are seeing," he said. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he would hold hearings on the deaths and "the policies that entice people to come." A border wall was the last measure listed by McAleenan as necessary to address what he called a crisis at the southern border - after new legislation in Congress, investing in Central American nations to help improve life there, and working with Mexico on a joint plan for handling migrants. "We need a sober-minded nonpartisan look at our immigration laws to really confront and grapple with the fact that children and families are coming into this cycle," he said. "That's first and foremost." Before it can hope to tackle complex immigration legislation, Congress must reach a deal on the critical spending measure. Graham on Sunday proposed enticing Democrats into supporting Trump's border wall by offering in return a measure providing legal status for 700,000 so-called Dreamers, children who were brought to the United States illegally. "So to my Democratic friends, there will never be a deal without wall funding and many Republicans are going to offer something as an incentive to vote for wall funding that you have supported in the past," he said on CNN's "State of the Union." However, fellow Republican Senator Richard Shelby warned on CBS' "Face the Nation" that negotiations were at an impasse and the shutdown "could last a long, long time." Democratic U.S. Representative Hakeem Jeffries said the country needs comprehensive immigration reform and border security. "But we are not willing to pay $2.5 billion or $5 billion and wasting taxpayer dollars on a ransom note because Donald Trump decided that he was going to shut down the government and hold the American people hostage," Jeffries said on ABC. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Daniel Wallis) To survive winter, it's important to see the light at the end of the very cold tunnelliterally. We've noticed a bunch of ceramicists trying their hand at making lamps lately, and we think snagging one of their creations is the secret to brightening up both your home (duh) and your mood until everything thaws out come spring. Perhaps it's the grounding, natural quality of clay that has these lamps giving us the warm fuzzies. Ceramicists certainly seem to inspired by nature in their work. In their latest collection of lamps, Gabi Villasenor and Michael Bunsen, the artists behind furniture design studio Mixed Needs in Portland, Oregon, designed with an endangered plant or animal in mind and gave partial proceeds to related environmental organizations. Photo: Courtesy of Mixed Needs Similarly, Virginia Sin of SIN was inspired by specific terrain, like Cerro Pedernal in New Mexico, for her lamp designs, which are perhaps best described as art you can use. I decided to make ceramic lighting because I was interested in making functional ceramics that live beyond the kitchen and dining table. I am also intrigued by shadows: For example, the terra-cotta sconces are meant to cast sunburst patterns onto the wall, she says. Photo: Courtesy of SIN Then there's Erin Lynn Smith, whose squiggly lamps art most definitely functional art, but look more like noodles than anything in the natural world. They've been featured in an exhibit, After Memphis: Crafted Postmodern at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, as well as having been given shelf space at Brooklyns Fredericks and Mae shop, but most importantly, they make us happy anytime we see them. Photo: Courtesy of Forage Modern Workshop Alongside Erin at that Memphis design show in Houston was another ceramicist turned lighting designer, Jenny Mulder, of Sister Ceramics. We're very into her quirky sculptural pieces, one of which reminds us of a donuta really elevated donut. Photo: Courtesy of Sister Ceramics But it seems theres been no greater success in the ceramicists-making-lamps trend than Katie Stout. Katie, who won Ellen Degeneress Ellen Design Challenge, makes lamps in the shape of blobby female characters, which she sculpts in various positions. It was love at first sight for us, but in case you need more convincing, her work has also been commissioned by interior design all-star Kelly Wearstler, and Katie's hosted solo shows at major spaces in the design world like R & Company and Nina Johnson Gallery. Story continues All of these artists have made transitioning from traditional ceramics to lighting look easy, but of course it's not. With clay, you are working with a lot of different factors like shrinkage and warping. A lot is left to chance when you are hand-building each piece, so being able to get the lamps right for the wiring and electronics was a challenge, says Gabi of Mixed Needs. All the more reason to support their work, we say. New European research has found that an adult's cholesterol levels may be higher after Christmas due to indulging in rich, high-fat foods over the festive period. Carried out by researchers from the Department of Clinical Biochemistry at Copenhagen University Hospital and the Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, the new study looked at 25,764 Danes aged 20 to 100 taking part in the Copenhagen General Population Study. The researchers measured the participants' total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as the "bad" cholesterol. The findings, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, showed that nine out of ten participants had elevated cholesterol levels after Christmas, with total cholesterol levels 15 percent higher and LDL cholesterol levels 20 percent higher after the holidays than they are in the summer. "Our study shows strong indications that cholesterol levels are influenced by the fatty food we consume when celebrating Christmas. The fact that so many people have high cholesterol readings straight after the Christmas holiday is very surprising," says study author Dr. Anne Langsted, M.D. "For individuals, this could mean that if their cholesterol readings are high straight after Christmas... they could consider having another test taken later on in the year," says another of the article's authors, Dr. Signe Vedel-Krogh, M.D. The researchers also stress that as well as re-testing such patients later in the year, patients should definitely be re-tested before starting any cholesterol-lowering treatment, and that people who already have high cholesterol should be even more aware of their cholesterol levels during the Christmas holidays. "In any event, there is a greater risk of finding that you have elevated cholesterol if you go to the doctor and have your cholesterol tested straight after Christmas. It is important to be aware of this, both for doctors who treat high cholesterol and those wishing to keep their cholesterol levels down," she concludes. Too much cholesterol in the blood can clog the arteries and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. In a special Meet the Press episode dedicated to global warming, NBCs Chuck Todd said he wouldnt indulge anyone who ignored the facts. The host delivered the message on his Sunday broadcast, which opened with footage of the destruction bred by fires and flooding. Were not going to give time to climate deniers, Todd said. The science is settled even if political opinion is not. Todd also noted that there would be no discussion of whether the issue was, in fact, legitimate. Were not going to debate climate change, the existence of it. The Earth is getting hotter and human activity is a major cause. Period. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose interview was hyped well before the program aired, cautioned that any 2020 candidate for the Oval Office better darn well have a plan to tackle the environment. He has not yet ruled out seeking the presidency himself. Climate scientist Kate Marvel echoed Bloombergs seriousness on the issue, citing Californias devastating wildfires this year as a sign that President Donald Trump needed to wake up the country, wake up the world on just how critical the matter is. We are talking about something that affects the planet that we live on, Marvel said. ...It should feel overwhelming because it is overwhelming. Related... Call It What It Is: Climate Cover-Up, Not Climate Denial How Our the Changes in Our Climate Today Are Different Than Climate Changes of the Past The Climate Is Changing For Climate Skeptics Also on HuffPost A Bumpier Ride? Researchers in Britain have found that climate change could cause increased turbulence for transatlantic flights by between 10 and 40 percent by 2050. (ALEXANDER KLEIN/AFP/GettyImages) Not A Drop To Drink A 2012 study from the U.S. Forest Service found that without "major adaptation efforts," parts of the U.S. are likely to see "substantial future water shortages." Climate change, especially for the Southwest U.S., can both increase water demand and decrease water supply. A Mighty Wind The dramatic and rapid loss of sea ice in recent years has consequences beyond the Arctic. Scientists have found the melting shifts the position of the Jet Stream, bringing cold Arctic air further south and increasing the odds of intense snow storms and extreme spring weather. Worsening Allergies The spring 2013 allergy season could be one of the worst ever, thanks to climate change. Experts say that increased precipitation, along with an early spring, late-ending fall and higher levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide may bring more pollen from plants and increased mold and fungal growth. Wine To Go? Along with other agricultural impacts, climate change may have a dramatic effect on the world's most famous winemaking regions in coming decades. Areas suitable for grape cultivation may shrink, and temperature changes may impact the signature taste of wines from certain regions. Home Sweet Home Thanks to climate change, low-lying island nations may have to evacuate, and sooner than previously expected. Melting of the Greenland and west Antarctic ice sheets has been underestimated, scientists say, and populations in countries like the Maldives, Kiribati, Tuvalu and others may need to move within a decade. Trouble On The Ice Warmer winters in northern latitudes could mean fewer days for outdoor hockey. An online project called RinkWatch aims to collect data on the condition of outdoor winter ice rinks in Canada and the northern U.S. and educate people on the impacts of climate change. A Damper On Your Raw Bar? Experts speculate that warming oceans may have played a part in a strain of herpes that has killed Pacific oysters in Europe in recent years. The Color-Changing Bears As Arctic ice melts and polar bears see more of their habitat disappear, the animals could lose their famous white coats. Researchers have already witnessed polar bears hybridizing with their brown cousins, but note that it would take thousands of years from them to adapt themselves out of existence. Less Time On The Chair Lift Climate change means warmer winters in northern latitudes and a shorter ski season. By 2039, more than half of the Northeast's ski resorts will not be able to maintain a 100-day season, according to the New York Times. Ski areas will be less likely to receive regular snowfall, and warmer daily low temperatures mean fewer opportunities for snowmaking. A Cold Cup Of Coffee Climate change may dramatically shrink the area suitable for coffee cultivation by the end of the century and cause the extinction of Arabica coffee plants in the wild. Starbucks has already declared that "Addressing climate change is a priority." Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. On the CNN show Erin Burnett OutFront, reporter Jeanne Moos said that some people who practice various forms of witchcraft are offended by President Donald Trumps frequent use of the term witch hunt. Moos pointed out that witches tend to side with liberals, and she spoke with people like David Salisbury, author and member of the Wicca religion. He said the use of witch hunt is really disgraceful because of historic events like the Salem Witch Trials, where 19 supposed witches were hanged. Moos, who generally covers unusual and offbeat news stories, also spoke with a practicing witch named Amanda Yates Garcia, who said Trumps usage of the word is very low on the list of priorities for most witches given the amount of offensive things he says. People on Twitter have been going after CNN for airing the story, with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee even chiming in. If CNN hadnt already, this is a jump the shark moment. https://t.co/TIhvlMbkn2 JPB (@jpberthiaume) December 30, 2018 Cant make this stuff up. CNN sinks to new low in form of news I didnt think could get nuttier. It has. https://t.co/KojfeAx8X9 Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) December 30, 2018 Its why everyone knows that @CNN is #FakeNews! Theyve lost their minds! Dumb as rocks. Dont even know what is news. PolitixGal (@PolitixGal) December 31, 2018 What the hell did I just watch? BCP (@bigcatspussy) December 23, 2018 Fox News also covered the angle when host Jesse Watters talked to his go-to witch Dakota Bracciale about the story. Story continues Bracciale said he isnt necessarily offended by it, but called Trumps use of the term a form of gaslighting. Watters said it reminds him of Hillary Clinton famously using the phrase vast right wing conspiracy back in 1998. Watch Senator Lindsey Graham surprise CNN with a curse word during his interview: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or leave your comments below. Washington (AFP) - Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren -- an outspoken critic of Wall Street and nemesis of Donald Trump -- entered the 2020 race for the White House on Monday. The 69-year-old progressive announced she was launching an exploratory committee for president, becoming the first major candidate in what is set to be an extraordinarily crowded Democratic primary, united by a singular focus on unseating the Republican Trump. The move will help Warren raise funds and hire more staff early in the campaign cycle -- an effort in which she already leads most other potential Democratic candidates. Her announcement came 13 months before the Iowa caucuses that launch what is expected to be a boisterous primary season. "America's middle class is under attack," said a video message from Warren, who has represented Massachusetts in the Senate since 2013, crafting a reputation as an economic populist. "Corruption is poisoning our democracy," she said. "Politicians look the other way while big insurance companies deny patients life-saving coverage, while big banks rip off consumers and while big oil companies destroy this planet." That, she said, is why she is launching her exploratory committee. - Going on the 'offense' - A former public-school teacher and then Harvard law professor, Warren has been a vocal advocate of consumer and workers' rights. But Americans may know her best for her frequent sparring with Trump -- which has had mixed results. Warren's searing criticisms of Trump's trade policies, erosion of consumer protections, and openness to authoritarian regimes -- not to mention her call in September for Congress to use a constitutional maneuver to remove him from office -- have drawn his attention, and his disdain. Reacting to her latest move, Trump said he was unsure whether Warren could replace him at the White House. "You'd have to ask her psychiatrist," he quipped in an interview with Fox News. Story continues "We'll see how she does. I wish her well, I hope she does well, I'd love to run against her." At his election-style rallies, Trump took to mocking her claim to have some Native American heritage by dubbing her "Pocahontas," a derisive reference to the 17th century Native American who lived in what is now Virginia. When Trump offered to donate $1 million to Warren's favorite charity if she took a test proving "you're an Indian," she eventually did so, hoping to put an end to his ridicule. Instead, he seemed to relish the fact that the test showed her with only a sliver of Native American heritage. - 'Nevertheless, she persisted' - But another encounter with a powerful male politician gave Warren a place in political folklore. After she clashed in 2017 on the Senate floor with top Republican Mitch McConnell over the nomination of Jeff Sessions as attorney general and refused to back down, his phrase "Nevertheless, she persisted" was quickly adopted by feminists -- and turned into T-shirts and bumper stickers. As talk of a possible presidential run grew, Warren has worked to build her foreign policy credentials, taking a seat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. She favors cuts in military spending and a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Her domestic policies are reliably liberal: She is staunchly pro-choice on abortion, supports gun control and has urged Democrats to go on "offense" to expand health care coverage for Americans. But her bread-and-butter issue has been the defense of ordinary Americans against abuses by those with wealth and power. She sharply criticized Wall Street after the 2007 financial crisis and helped establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie, and they enlisted politicians to cut them a fatter slice," she said in her video. - Humble childhood - With as many as three dozen Democrats weighing possible presidential bids, the road to the nomination will be arduous. Among those who have already declared their intention to run are Julian Castro, a former housing secretary in Barack Obama's administration, Maryland Representative John Delaney and Richard Ojeda, a former army paratrooper currently serving as a state senator in West Virginia. Polls for now show Warren trailing veteran politicians like former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders, both in their 70s -- as well as rising young star Beto O'Rourke, who is 46. But analyst Nate Silver said on Twitter that Warren "probably has a better chance than Sanders of bridging the gap between the left and the party establishment." "She's always raised a ton of money. Voters know what she stands for. Women did well in the 2018 primaries," Silver added. Warren has built the framework of a serious campaign, with a staff of more than 70 people, $12.5 million left over from her successful re-election effort, and a nationwide network of contacts and supporters. As she seeks to raise her profile, Warren likes to tell how she grew up in the Central Plains state of Oklahoma, in a family she said lived "on the ragged edge of the middle class." After her father suffered a heart attack, she went to work at age 13 waiting tables in a restaurant -- life experience she says gives her a visceral connection to ordinary Americans. By Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a liberal firebrand who has taken on Wall Street and traded barbs with Donald Trump, on Monday became the most prominent Democrat to announce a challenge to the Republican president in 2020. Warren said she had formed an exploratory committee, which will allow her to begin raising money to compete in what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary field before the November 2020 presidential election. She said on Twitter she would announce her decision on whether to run early in 2019. Warren, 69, a senator from Massachusetts since 2013, became one of Trump's fiercest critics during the 2016 presidential race and they have continued to exchange biting insults during his presidency. Trump mockingly refers to her as "Pocahontas" because of her claim to Native American ancestry. Warren has denounced Trump as an "insecure money grubber" with a platform of "racism, sexism and xenophobia," while Trump has described the former Harvard Law School professor as "goofy" and a "lowlife" with "a nasty mouth." On Monday, Warren released a video in which she outlined her vision of a path to opportunity for all Americans and charged that the U.S. middle class was under attack from corporate interests. She later elaborated on the theme in an exchange with reporters outside her Cambridge, Massachusetts, home. "America's middle class is getting hollowed out and opportunity for too many of our young people is shrinking," she said. "So I'm in this fight all the way. Right now Washington works great for the wealthy and the well connected. It's just not working for anyone else." Trump, in a phone interview with Fox News, said he would love to run against Warren and again ridiculed her assertion of Native American ancestry. Asked if he thought Warren really believed she could defeat him, Trump said: "I don't know, you'd have to ask her psychiatrist." The Democratic presidential field could eventually include Senators Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as former Vice President Joe Biden. Julian Castro, former President Barack Obama's housing secretary, formed an exploratory committee this month. Warren welcomed the "strong and growing group of Democrats" making arguments similar to those she is making, saying: "That's how we build a movement. We do it together." In searching for a candidate to run against Trump, Democrats will grapple with the tension between the party's establishment and liberal progressive wings that flared during the 2016 nominating primaries between former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who ran under the Democratic banner. A Warren candidacy can expect opposition from Wall Street. In the U.S. Senate, she has been a strong voice on financial issues and a self-described defender of the ordinary American against powerful interests. RESTRICTING BANKS Following the 2007-2009 global financial crisis, Warren emerged as a leading critic of Wall Street and continues to advocate for stiffer regulation and oversight, including reinstating a rule that would separate banks retail business from their riskier investment banking activities. Warren, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, has fought the Trump administration's efforts to weaken post-crisis financial rules, going as far as to attack moderate Democrats who backed a May rewrite of the 2010 Dodd-Frank reform law. In a September interview marking 10 years since the financial crisis, Warren was asked about breaking up big banks. "Oh yeah," she told the New York Times. "Give me a chance." She also has opposed the administration's efforts to undermine the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency she helped create, and has pressured the Federal Reserve to take a tough line on scandal-hit lender Wells Fargo & Co . Many of Warren's policy positions have focused on economic inequality. She recently offered legislation calling on the U.S. government to manufacture generic drugs to reduce their cost. In 2017, she joined other senators in a proposal to extend the federal Medicare health insurance program for seniors to include everyone. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel dismissed her as "another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud." Warren's 80 percent name recognition does not translate into actual support, University of Virginia professor Larry Sabato said. "Some Democrats swear by her and love her blunt style, while others are put off by her and fear shed lose to Trump," he said. "Warren has a lot of convincing to do," adding the same is true of many other Democratic contenders. Warren will begin campaigning soon in some of the states with early presidential nominating contests, a person familiar with her plans said. Trump's use of Pocahontas, a 17th century Native American woman associated with the British colony in Jamestown, Virginia, was aimed at drawing attention to a controversy over her heritage raised during Warrens 2012 Senate race. Warren in October released a DNA analysis she said supported her assertion that she had Native American lineage. Trumps reference has drawn criticism from some Native American groups, while others criticized Warren for trying to lay claim to a tribal heritage. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Additional reporting by Michelle Price and Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Bill Trott and Peter Cooney) Senator Lindsey Graham speaks to reporters outside the White House - AP President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of US forces in Syria, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday. "I think were in a pause situation," the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House after lunch with the president. Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trumps policy, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. The announcement also had shocked lawmakers and American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the US against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey. "I think were slowing things down in a smart way," Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Critics had contended that the US withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the presidents plans with the American allies. 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, 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 they tuned into thei Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's Fatah party said Monday that its rival Hamas had carried out widespread arrests of its members in the Gaza Strip ahead of a rally marking the anniversary of the movement's founding. Hamas denied the accusation, with a spokesman for the enclave's interior ministry saying 38 people had been held for questioning over concerns that opposing Fatah factions in Gaza would clash at the rally set for later in the day. All had been released, said spokesman Iyad al-Bozum. Fatah and Hamas remain deeply divided and Abbas, based in the occupied West Bank, has sought to increase pressure on the Islamist movement in recent days. "More than 500 of our members and sons have been arrested since last night by Hamas security forces in Gaza," Atef Abu Saif, a spokesman for Fatah in the Gaza Strip, said in a statement. Saif said the arrests were an attempt by Hamas to disrupt activities to mark Fatah's 54th anniversary. But there were also concerns over tensions between Fatah factions loyal to Abbas and his exiled rival Mohammed Dahlan, who is from Gaza and has a significant base of support there. Repeated attempts to reconcile Fatah and Hamas have failed. A list of issues have kept them apart, including Hamas's refusal to disarm its military wing. Abbas moved earlier this month to dissolve the Hamas-controlled Palestinian parliament, which has not met since 2007, when the Islamist seized control of the Gaza Strip. While the parliament has been largely defunct, Palestinian law allows for its speaker to act as interim president should 83-year-old Abbas die in office. Abbas's move came after the Palestinian Constitutional Court in Ramallah issued a ruling to dissolve the parliament and hold elections within six months. Hamas has said it rejects the move by a court created by Abbas "to legitimise his arbitrary decisions". Hamas won the last parliamentary elections in 2006 in a landslide, resulting in an electoral dispute with Fatah. Story continues The Islamists seized control of the Gaza Strip the following year, and the split between them and Abbas's Fatah has persisted. Abbas has sought to pressure Hamas through other measures, including reducing salaries in Gaza, which is under an Israeli blockade. Abbas's term was meant to expire in 2009, but he has remained in office in the absence of elections. By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Republican U.S. senator said he emerged from a White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Sunday reassured that Trump is committed to defeating Islamic State even as he plans to withdraw American troops from Syria. Senator Lindsey Graham had warned that removing all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria would hurt national security by allowing Islamic State to rebuild, betraying U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters of the YPG militia battling remnants of the militant group, and enhancing Iran's ability to threaten Israel. During a morning television interview, Graham said he would ask Trump to slow down the troop withdrawal, which was announced earlier this month and drew widespread criticism. An ally of Trump, although he has opposed some of his foreign policy decisions, Graham was more upbeat after the meeting. "We talked about Syria. He told me some things I didn't know that made me feel a lot better about where we're headed in Syria," Graham, an influential voice on national security policy who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters at the White House. "We still have some differences but I will tell you that the president is thinking long and hard about Syria - how to withdraw our forces but at the same time achieve our national security interests," Graham said. Asked if Trump had agreed to any slowing down of the troop withdrawal, Graham said: "I think the president's very committed to making sure that when we leave Syria, that ISIS is completely defeated." He said Trump's trip to Iraq last week was an eye-opener and he understood the need to "finish the job" with Islamic State, also known as ISIS. "I think the president has come up with a plan with his generals that makes sense to me," Graham said. Graham said later on Twitter that Trump would make sure that any withdrawal from Syria "will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1)ISIS is permanently destroyed 2)Iran doesn't fill in the back end. And 3)our Kurdish allies are protected." The Pentagon says it is considering plans for a "deliberate and controlled withdrawal." One option, according to a person familiar with the discussions, is for a 120-day pullout period. KURDISH FORCES Graham told reporters that Trump was committed to making sure Turkey did not clash with the Kurdish YPG forces once U.S. troops leave Syria, and was assuring the NATO ally that it would have a buffer zone in the region to help protect its own interests. Turkey views the YPG as a branch of its own Kurdish separatist movement and is threatening to launch an offensive against the group, igniting fears of significant civilian casualties. U.S. commanders planning the U.S. withdrawal are recommending that YPG fighters battling Islamic State be allowed to keep U.S.-supplied weapons, according to U.S. officials. That proposal would likely anger Turkey, where Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, holds talks this week. Trump decided on the Syria withdrawal in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, ignoring the advice of top national security aides and without consulting lawmakers or U.S. allies participating in anti-Islamic State operations. The decision prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu and David Lawder; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Peter Cooney) As we move into 2019, some of the UK's top in-house lawyers share some of their predictions for the coming year - and reveal what they would like to see more of from their legal advisers... Chris Fowler - group general counsel for technology and transformation, BT "My prediction for the in-house legal market in 2019 is that we will see an increasing focus on the compliance landscape and the need to do more horizon-scanning, as well as greater commoditisation and consistency of contracts - organisations simply can't afford protracted negotiations on the same issues. "In-house teams will continue to grapple with the practical challenges of developing and implementing tech and standard data sets to support their overall options, and hopefully we will get beyond isolated use cases. I think we will see interesting developments in the legal capability and competencies of the Big Four "As well as this, I think we will see interesting developments in the legal capability and competencies of the Big Four as we go through 2019. "From law firms in the New Year Id like to see more on solutions which leverage the data and technology they posses, and greater collaboration on joint propositions between traditional and non-traditional providers. I'd also like to see them living and breathing diversity and inclusion with industry-wide benchmarks and targets. "It would be great if we could shift the debate on fees beyond hourly rates or fixed fees, and see the use of metrics which law clients live and die by, such as net promoter score." Rob Booth - general counsel and company secretary, The Crown Estate "I am hopeful that 2019 will see three significant developments in the UK legal market. The first will be a proliferation of genuinely collaborative partnerships between law firms and their clients. Not just closer working relationships and good structuring, but a real move into the co-creation of client value. "The second is that I think the in-house community will use 2019 as the year to amplify their views on diversity of thought in the industry, and seek an acceleration in change from their law firms and their own organisations. Story continues I believe that we will come down the technology hype curve "Lastly, I believe that we will come down the technology hype curve, and start to find those few good tech solutions that are genuinely aligned to what clients and law firms need to really enable those extra few percentage points of performance. These three issues have been hot topics of conversation in 2018, but the time is upon on to get on with the doing." Carol Hui - chief of staff and general counsel, Heathrow "What Id like to see more of from law firms in 2019 is more frequent and regular contact with me and my heads of legal, so that we can discuss with them our business priorities. If law firms are more attuned to the pressures and challenges that GCs face, they could be more effective partners. "I also want them to convey things outside the transactional that may be of interest to me as a GC (and chief of staff) and that could help me to prepare better for the unforeseen and the unexpected." Kate Burns - general counsel and company secretary, Notonthehighstreet "High on the teams agenda for 2019 will be the impact of Brexit. We have all been planning in somewhat of a vacuum so we will be watching developments keenly as well as preparing for the economic after effects. "Automation and efficiency will be front and centre; however, we will be looking for small wins for specific issues rather than broader solutions. All legal teams will be thinking about the impact of behaviour in the workplace, from compliance to the legal ramifications of #metoo "From a people perspective, we believe that all legal teams will be thinking about the impact of behaviour in the workplace, from compliance to the legal ramifications of #metoo for example, will settlement agreements no longer contain confidentiality provisions? "With our legal providers we would like to form more meaningful client relationships with a better understanding of each others culture, priorities and concerns. We will continue to look for different fee arrangements and to find more efficient, tech-driven ways of supporting in-house teams on limited budgets. Wed like to see tailored marketing on the issues we really care about and the facilitation of peer-to-peer networking. "And of course, we use the word legal providers as opposed to law firms, as we expect to work with an increasing array of different legal service providers in the coming year in the search for efficiency and cost savings. Stuart Kelly - group general counsel and "company secretary, Network Rail "Firstly, we want law firms to innovate themselves in 2019 - well stop thinking that you can outsource for the solutions. "It will become even more clearer to clients, if the penny hasnt dropped already, that firms who regard themselves as innovators are not the answer to their need for change. If necessity is the mother of invention, be clear: their necessity is not likely to be yours and yours is not theirs. There is no panacea or shortcut, no matter how much you may wish for it. So we wont be seduced by the innovation awards any more. "My general prediction for 2019 is that there may be even more consolidation of the market. Headlines may be large, good for them... but it wont make that much difference to most of us. For the umpteenth year running the death of the hourly rate will be predicted. Of course it wont and well be saying the same thing again next year "Also, the hourly rate will remain as prevalent as ever. For the umpteenth year running the death of the hourly rate will be predicted. Of course it wont, and well be saying the same thing again next year. "GDPR - whos going to be made an example of? If 2018 was the year of GDPR consultancy onslaught - that felt a bit like a modern-day example of Y2K doom-mongering - 2019 will be the year that will confirm that it is much more real, as someone will be made an example of. Bjarne Tellmann - general counsel and chief legal officer, Pearson "2019 will be another challenging year for in-house teams. "Agility and internal flexibility will be a focus, with more legal departments looking at how to develop fluid, agile and 'up-skilled' structures, moving away from traditional siloed groups of specialists and generalists. 2019 will be about developing smaller, roving and highly capable professionals who can be deployed where the need is greatest. We will also see the continued rise of legal operations, focusing on metrics, efficiency and managing the 'business of law'. 2019 will be another challenging year for in-house teams "Data privacy will be a substantive focus for many global GCs. GDPR has set off a push for stricter privacy laws across the world, with India, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, and Australia having recently introduced or enacted new laws. In the US, a major new law was enacted in California, with at least 20+ other States and the US Congress, considering new legislation. "GCs will demand more innovative support from law firms in 2019, including the ability to leverage insights, data and technology to add value beyond substantive legal advice, and more creative ways to charge for services beyond the billable hour. 'New Law' will continue to innovate - and law firms must rise to the occasion. Egypts company running the countrys new capital city project has rejected Dubai-based Emaar Properties price proposal for lands that it plans to develop. Egypt launched in 2015 the construction of a new mega city on 700 square-kilometer swathe of desert, 45 kilometers of East of Cairo. The future will involve a business district to be develop by a Chinese company. Emaar looks to buy 1,500 acre (607 hectares) but Administrative Capital for Urban Development, the venture leading the project has rejected Emaars offer to acquire the land below $225 per square meter set by Egyptian authorities for residential developments. The negotiations have stopped, Ahmed Zaki Abdeen who heads state company told Bloomberg by interview. It is not the first time the Emirati group and Egyptians authorities fall out since the launch of the project. Emaar Chairman Mohamed Al-abbar had initially been slated to lead the development of the project, Bloomberg reports. The disagreement on the land price highlights Egyptian authorities challenges to rope in foreign investors in the project. This month, Chinas China Fortune Land Development Co. pulled out of from a $20 billion development. The withdrawal came after Egypt said both parties could reach a deal on the how share the revenue. Posted by North Africa Post North Africa Post's news desk is composed of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to NAP readers. Tehran (AFP) - Iran said Monday that the Afghan Taliban have visited Tehran for a second round of peace talks in just a few days aimed at bringing an end to 17 years of conflict. Iran has made a more concerted and open push for peace in neighbouring Afghanistan since US President Donald Trump indicated there would be a significant withdrawal of American troops. "Yesterday (Sunday), a delegation of Taliban were in Tehran and lengthy negotiations were held with Iran's deputy foreign minister... (Abbas) Araghchi," said spokesman Bahram Ghasemi at a televised news conference. That came just days after Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, visited Kabul and told reporters that talks had been held with the Taliban in Afghanistan. "The Islamic Republic has always been one of the primary pillars of stability in the region and cooperation between the two countries will certainly help in fixing Afghanistan's security issues of today," Shamkhani told the conservative Tasnim news agency. There have been reports in the past of talks between Iran and the Taliban, but they have typically been denied by Tehran. Ghasemi said Iran's priority was "to help facilitate negotiations between Afghan groups and the country's government". The current peace push will be viewed with concern by hawks in Washington, who fear that Trump's planned withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan will cede regional influence to Iran. An American official told AFP on December 21 that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces from Afghanistan, but the White House has yet to confirm the widely-publicised move. Senior Republican senator Lindsey Graham met with Trump on Sunday and urged him to delay any withdrawal from Syria to make sure "Iran doesn't become the big winner of our leaving". Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of US and international forces in Afghanistan, told ABC: "Iran has increased influence across the region now. If you pull American influence out, you're likely to have greater instability." Story continues - 'Peace development' - The Taliban also met with the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the United Arab Emirates earlier in December, but refused to meet a delegation from Afghanistan. Araghchi will travel to Afghanistan in the next two weeks, Iran's foreign ministry said, without giving further details. "Considering our long border with Afghanistan and the cultural and historical ties, and our important role in the region's stability, the Islamic republic was interested... to enter and play a more important role in peace development in Afghanistan," Ghasemi added. Iran and Afghanistan share a nearly 600-mile border, and have had a complex relationship in recent years. Tehran has long supported its co-religionists in Afghanistan, the Shia Hazara minority, who were violently persecuted by the Taliban during its rule in the 1990s. Iran worked alongside the United States and Western powers to help drive out the Taliban after the US-led invasion in 2001. But there have been allegations, from Western and Afghan sources, that Iran's Revolutionary Guards have in recent years established ties with the Taliban aimed at driving out US forces from Afghanistan. The Taliban, meanwhile, has made significant territorial gains this year as its fighters inflict record casualties on government forces. Tehran welcomed Trump's announcement that he was withdrawing all US forces from Syria, but has not commented on the reduction in Afghanistan. "The presence of American forces was from the very start, in principle, a wrong and illogical move and a primary cause of instability and insecurity in the region," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said on Saturday. Mission controllers will need to factor in personality clashes and the problems of jet lag as well as the technical challenges of reaching Mars Interplanetary 'jet lag' and personality clashes could be the biggest obstacles to colonising Mars, British space experts have warned. Although scientists are still stumped about how to protect astronauts against space radiation, or the physical effects of zero gravity during lengthy voyages, it may be more mundane concerns that hamper lengthy missions. Last week, experts met in London to consider the social and psychological hurdles to long-term spaceflight, and concluded that one major concern is that crews may simply struggle to get along. Previous research has shown that up to half of crews suffer from personality clashes even though astronauts are thoroughly screened for sociability. The biggest hurdles to Mars settlement are not technical but psychological," said meeting organiser Dr Federico Caprotti, of the University of Exeter. Long-range missions raise psychological questions that current knowledge in space science cannot answer. For example, the International Space Station enables a quick return and therefore a sense of psychological closeness to the Earth. Mars does not allow this, and that brings a risk of intense pressure. There is also the issue of interplanetary 'jetlag'. The journey could take about 400 days - though experimental plasma engines could speed this up. The psychological effects of a journey that long, combined with the lack of real-time communications with Earth as signals take four to 24 minutes could be huge. On the International Space Station, mission controllers simulate a 12 hour cycle of night and day using special lighting to try and maintain circadian rhythms, but astronauts have complained of jet-lag on their return to Earth. However it is arrival on Mars which could cause the most disorientation. The Martian day is 24 hours, 39 minutes and 35 seconds, which although does not seem that different to Earth is the equivalent of travelling west by two time zones every three days. Story continues Nasa mission controllers operating the Mars rovers have previously attempted to work on planetary time, but many gave up after it proved too exhausting. The meeting, was funded by the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Space Challenge, which is working towards human settlement in space. Currently, space agencies such as Nasa and the European Space Agency (ESA) use pre-mission psychological testing to make sure crews can work together, yet between 40 per cent and 50 per cent of missions report friction between astronauts. That would be a major problem on a 400-day return journey and the intervening mission on Mars, added Dr Steven Palmer, of the University of Exeter, who has worked on both space research and in the Antarctic. We also heard about a mission in a remote location on Earth where someone painted some walls in a colour others didn't like - and this caused resentment and damaged team cohesion. Many people think a Mars mission should be manned by 'natural leaders', but organisations like the British Antarctic Survey have found that you need people who can compromise. The effect of spaceflight on the human body is also of great concern to mission controllers, and it is now know that microgravity influences metabolism, heat regulation, heart rhythm, muscle tone, bone density, the respiration system. In 2016, research from the US also found that astronauts who travelled into deep space on lunar missions were five times more likely to have died from cardiovascular disease than those who went into low orbit, or never left Earth. The following year, Russian scientists discovered alarming changes to the immune system, suggesting astronauts would struggle to shake off even a minor illness, like the common cold if exposed to the virus. White House adviser Kellyanne Conway on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's tweets blaming Democrats for the recent deaths of migrant children in U.S. custody and accused Democrats of using the dead children as "political pawns." "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 Saturday after an 8-year-old Guatemalan boy died early Christmas Day. He was the second immigrant child in detention to die this month. Conway acknowledged that "any death of a child, any death of anyone, is an utter tragedy," during an interview on CNN's "State of the Union." But she initially deflected questions about Trump's tweets and instead focused on the divide over funds for border security that has led to a partial government shutdown, now in its ninth day. 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 ...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 I think the presidents point is an important one, which is that he has stayed in Washington to negotiate border security, Conway said when CNN host Dana Bash asked if she defended Trumps tweets about the children which did not mention the fact he stayed in Washington. Story continues More: 7-year-old Guatemalan migrant girl in Border Patrol custody dies from high fever, seizures; feds fault father More: DHS chief blames Congress, courts for humanitarian crisis at southern border Conway was instead referring to a tweet he sent hours earlier on Saturday in which he said he was "in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security." CNNs Bash told Conway that while she and other White House aides had expressed empathy for the childrens deaths, 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," Bash said. Conway again referred to Democrats' past willingness to fund fencing along the southern border before explaining that the presidents' tweets were referring to policies that he believes are enticing migrants to bring their children to the border. More: While the US debates caravans and wall, thousands of migrants are dumped in border cities Citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics, Conway said that in the past most migrants who tried to cross the U.S. southern border were individual males from Mexico. Now, it is families and unaccompanied minors from Central America, she said. In the last two months, CBP apprehensions in those categories rose 86 percent more than 68,000 family units and almost 14,000 unaccompanied children over last years total during the same period. "We simply cannot absorb all that. And unfortunately, and very tragically, it does results in some deaths," Conway said. "I don't like some of the Democrats using these deaths as political pawns," she continued. "But isn't that exactly what the president just did?" Bash asked. "No, the president is not doing that," Conway replied. "The president does not want these children to come on the perilous journey to begin with. They are paying now some of them are paying the ultimate price." Bash said the policies for which the president blamed the children's deaths were the result of decades of action, and inaction, under both Democratic and Republican administrations and congressional majorities. "The courts have screwed this up, and the Congress has failed to close loopholes that make people believe they should come here as a family unit," Conway said. But she did not explain why the president believes only Democrats, who have not controlled both chambers of Congress for 10 years are responsible. CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said Sunday that the two migrant kids deaths in U.S. custody was absolutely devastating for us on every level. "Its been over a decade since weve had a child die anywhere in our processes," he said on ABC's "This Week." He emphasized that "our agents did everything they could as soon as these children manifested symptoms of illness to save their lives" McAleenan agreed that U.S. policy is partly to blame for the rise in families and children arriving at the border. In particular, he cited a court ruling known as the Flores settlement, which says migrant children cant be held in custody longer than 20 days and that they can't be separated from their parents. "So basically that sent a signal, if you arrive with a child, youll be able to stay in the United States," he said. To solve the problem, McAleenan called for a sober-minded, nonpartisan look at our immigration laws, increased partnership with Mexico and the need to invest in Central America. "The State Departments announcement of an unprecedented increase in aid, I think, is a tremendous step forwards. 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," he said. When ABCs This Week host Martha Raddatz pointed out that Trump has threatened to terminate that aid if more is not done to stop the flow of migrants from Central America, McAleenan said the governments of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador need to be more "accountable" partners. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kellyanne Conway accuses Democrats of using dead migrant children as 'political pawns' Climate Change If youve been reading the news at all over the past few months, youd know that climate change has become a hot topic literally the world over. And for good reason, too. In 2018, global greenhouse-gas emissions reached a record high, and the United Nations released a landmark report saying that nations around the world need to take unprecedented actions to cut their carbon emissions over the next decade. The funny thing is that this record high was quite unanticipated. Emissions remained largely flat between 2014 and 2016, giving people hope that maybe just maybe climate change was no longer a threat. But global emissions grew 1.6 percent in 2017, and its an estimated 2.7 percent rise in 2018. Americas own government report stated that climate change could cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars annually, and have devastating effects on its citizens health. The problem, however, is that the US, which is the worlds second-largest emitter of CO2, has given up on climate change measures as a nation. Or, rather, its President has given up on the idea that climate change is a real phenomenon. When asked about climate change and the effect it may have on the economy, Donald Trump said, I dont believe it. The Trump administration is now following a pro-fossil fuels agenda. The President had announced earlier that the US would withdraw from the Paris climate change agreement. Under this agreement, the 187 member countries commit to keeping rising global temperatures under check. This climate threat is so great that there is a very huge chance we may not be able to recover from it. According to a report released in October by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, fighting climate change is going to be very costly for the world. Global emissions of CO2 will have to be reduced by 45% from 2010 levels by 2030. Coal usage would have to be cut down to almost zero. Researchers have warned that if we fail to act, the Earth might not be a habitable place for very long. Rising sea levels, detrimental effects on ocean temperatures and acidity, and a risk in our ability to grow staple crops are some of the few results of not acting on climate change. It makes so much sense for us, as the people of Earth, to take action now instead of waiting for the whole world to declare a state of emergency. We must combat climate change now before its too late. Marijuana stocks and the related ETF has been on a real high in 2018, courtesy of its monumental rally in mid-2018 on Canadas pending legalization of recreational marijuana from Oct 17. ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF MJ, though down 29.3% this year and currently trading at $25.15 per share, reached a high of $42.26 in mid-September. Canada became the first major world economy and the second country after Uruguay to legalize recreational marijuana. Sri Lanka, Thailand and the United Kingdom approved the medicinal use of the plant in 2018. Though bubble fears and some downbeat earnings releases weighed on the fund in late 2018, lets take a look if pot can see the same success in 2019? More Legalization in 2019? Cannabis is getting official approval from many U.S. states for recreational uses, apart from medical usage. Though pot remains entirely illegal at the federal level, Michigan approved a ballot measure in early November for recreational use of marijuana to become the 10th such U.S. State while Missouri and Utah saw legalization of medical marijuana, taking the total number of U.S. states greenlighting medical pot to 32. Now, National magazine says Minnesota has "very strong chance of legalizing recreational marijuana next year and New York governor Andrew Cuomo is also looking to legalize recreational marijuana (read: Why Marijuana Stocks & ETF Soared Today). In late November, the European nation of Luxembourg announced that marijuana would soon be legalized for recreational use by adult residents. Many politicians in Italy are reportedly aiming for recreational legalization, where medicinal use already got a thumbs-up. Israels Parliament approved a law letting exports of medical marijuana. Government in Lebanon is also planning to progress with legalizing farming and production of cannabis for medicinal use. Top courts in South Africa and the country of Georgia also overruled prohibitions on cannabis, legalizing the plant for individual use. For the fifth time Mexicos supreme court ruled that prohibitions on pot are unconstitutional. Story continues Gains to Come From Medicine & Beverage Industry? U.S. drug regulators approved the first marijuana-based pharmaceutical to treat kids with a form of epilepsy, while the markets have been eyed by beverage companies to produce cannabis-induced beverage. There were tie-ups between Constellation Brands (STZ) and Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC), Canadian arm of Molson Coors and Quebec-based pot producer Hydropothecary Corp. to make such beverages. Diageo Plc DEO and Coca Cola KO have also been eyeing the industry.One industry analyst projects the cannabis beverage market to be worth $600 million by 2022(read: 4 Reasons Why Pot Stocks & ETF Could Be on a High in 2019). Value of Pot Market in 2019? Per a leading cannabis market research and data analysis firm, there were $10 billion worth of investments into cannabis in North America in 2018, twice the figure we saw in the last three years combined and the combined North American market is expected to reach more than $16 billion in 2019. Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox? Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Get it free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ETFMG-ALT HRVST (MJ): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report On CNNs State of the Union With Jake Tapper on Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham dismissed a question by guest host Dana Bash with some questionable language. The two were discussing the possibility of ISIS reconstituting itself if the U.S. pulls out of Syria, as President Trump has said we will do. Graham, who has openly disagreed with that decision, blamed former President Obama for ISISs existence in the first place. Bash jumped in to say Obama had withdrawn from Iraq because of a status of forces agreement, and Graham interjected, No, thats a bunch of bulls***. Pardon my French, thats a complete lie a complete, absolute lie. Bash was taken aback by the language but moved on. This isnt the first time Graham has used profanity on CNN. In June, while defending his relationship with Trump, the South Carolina Republican said, If you dont like me working with the president to make the world a better place, I dont give a s***. Neither instance was bleeped out. State of the Union With Jake Tapper airs Sundays at 9 a.m. on CNN. Check out why people were calling Lindsey Graham racist after this Fox News interview: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or leave your comments below. Valletta (AFP) - Malta on Monday pulled 180 migrants to safety from two boats in distress, while 49 more were stuck in limbo at sea as the weather worsened in the Mediterranean. The Maltese military said a patrol boat picked up 28 migrants from a dinghy some 71 nautical miles (130 kilometres) southwest of Malta before plucking another 152 people from a wooden boat to the south. The rescues followed the recovery by Malta Sunday of 69 migrants on a wooden boat which had run into trouble. Meanwhile, the UN's refugee agency said time was "of the essence" for 49 people rescued by NGO boats but denied a safe port in Europe, some of whom have been stranded at sea for over a week. The NGOs -- the German Sea-Eye and Dutch Sea-Watch -- called for "an immediate solution for those being held hostage by European States, who are denying them a safe port". "With the weather conditions forecast to worsen this evening, a solution must be found by the end of 2018 in order to prevent placing people's heath at further risk," they said in a joint statement. The German-flagged Professor Albrecht Penck ship has 17 migrants from West Africa on board who were rescued on Saturday in international waters off Libya. At the same time, the Dutch-flagged Sea-Watch 3 has 32 migrants rescued on December 22 including three young children, three unaccompanied adolescents and four women from Nigeria, Libya and Ivory Coast. "Europe (500 million inhabitants) at war against migrants (49, including 7 children). Who will win?" Luigi Manconi, president of the human rights commission in the Italian senate, said on Twitter. 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. - Who will take migrants? - On Saturday a government spokesman said Germany would only accept some of the migrants if other European countries also agreed to do so. Story continues Last week, a newborn baby and his mother were helicoptered from a boat to Malta. Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR's special envoy for the Central Mediterranean, stressed that "decisive leadership is required, in line with fundamental values of humanity and compassion, to offer safe disembarkation and bring the 49 safely to land. "Negotiations on which states will subsequently receive them must come only after they are safely ashore," he added. More than 1,300 migrants have died trying to reach Italy or Malta via the central Mediterranean since the beginning of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The Italian interior ministry said Monday that the number of 2018 arrivals in Italy was down over 80 percent compared with 2017 at just 23,370. The biggest number came from Tunisia, followed by Eritrea, Iraq, Sudan, Pakistan and Nigeria. In mid-2017, departures from Libya dropped after a controversial deal between Italy and the war-torn North African country. A campaign against the NGO rescue organisations peaked in June this year with far-right interior minister Matteo Salvini's "closed-ports" policy aimed at ending all rescue operations, including military ones. Photo credit: Colin O'Brady From Popular Mechanics Antarctica spans almost a thousand miles filled mostly with cold, unforgiving ice. Its arguably one of the most inhospitable places on the planets surface, which is why many people who've attempted to explore the interior of the continent didn't make it back. Recently, however, one man from Portland managed to defy all odds and actually make it across the entire continent on his own. Colin OBrady is an endurance athlete who decided to cross Antarctica on his own, a feat never before accomplished. The first successful expedition to the South Pole, led by Roald Amundsen, had five men and dozens of dogs to carry supplies. OBrady set off with only himself, a single sled to carry his supplies, and no dogs or other help. That quest began on November 3, nearly two months ago, and lasted 54 days, finishing on Wednesday, December 26. OBrady's last "day" lasted 32 hours-starting Christmas day he decided to cover the last 77 miles in one go. In total, OBrady traveled a full 932 miles across the continent, including crossing over the South Pole. Story continues OBrady documented his unique journey on Instagram, and you can check out some of the highlights here. ('You Might Also Like',) Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has given authorization to the Iraqi Prime Minister to conduct airstrikes against Islamic State group (ISIS) fighters inside Syria as Baghdad seeks coordination between both countries in the fight against terrorism, reports say. The green-light comes after Adel Abdul-Mahdi on Saturday sent a letter of Bashar calling for coordination on the fight against ISIS. ISIS has had controlled vast swathes of territories of both countries. Iraq in December last year claimed victory over ISIS after three years of fierce fighting to flash out the terror group. The Bashar regime has been embroiled in civil war since 2011 opposing it on one side with rebels and on the side with the militant group. ISIS is believed on the demise in the Syria where US and ally forces have taking back its occupied land. Last week, US President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of American forces from Syria where the American leader argued the U.S won the fight against ISIS. Abdul-Mahdi in the wake of Trumps decision suggested that Baghdad could forces into Syria in view of thwarting infiltration by ISIS militants. https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2018/12/30/assad-gives-iraqi-forces-green-light-for-cross-border-attacks Posted by North Africa Post North Africa Post's news desk is composed of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to NAP readers. LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump might visit Britain in May 2019 after the country's departure in March from the European Union, the U.S. ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, said on Monday. Asked whether a state visit promised by Prime Minister Theresa May last year could be rescheduled to coincide with a commemoration of the end of World War Two in May, Johnson told BBC radio: "Between you and me, I think that would be a good time." Trump visited Britain in July and although it was not a formal state visit after wide public protests, he met Queen Elizabeth. Brexit marks a watershed in Britain's diplomatic relations with the world as it tries to reshape ties to Europe and bolster its long-standing "special relationship" with the United States under Trump's unpredictable presidency. Asked if Trump would like to come again for a state visit, Johnson said: "I would think the President would be in favor of it and looking forward to it because that was mentioned when he was over here, so if we can do that it would be, I think, a big positive." He said a deadlock in Britain's parliament, which means that it is unclear what shape Brexit will take, meant a solution was necessary. "The country is in need of leadership." Johnson reiterated Trump's view that the United States was looking forward to a "quick, very massive bilateral trade deal" after Brexit, but that did not "look possible" under the current terms on which Prime Minister Theresa May has agreed a draft deal to leave the EU. Trump said in November that May's deal sounded like it would be good for the EU and cast doubt on how that would affect US-UK trading arrangements. (Writing by Elisabeth O'Leary; editing by David Stamp) By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a "conciliatory message" to U.S. President Donald Trump amid stalled nuclear negotiations, South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported on Monday. Kim's "letter-like" message to Trump was delivered on Friday through an unspecified channel, the newspaper reported, citing an unnamed diplomatic source. The report did not include details about the message but said it related to U.S.-North Korea talks, and was conciliatory in tone. On Sunday, the office of South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said Kim had sent a letter to his counterpart in Seoul saying he wants to hold more inter-Korean summits next year to achieve denuclearization of the peninsula. Neither the U.S. State Department nor the U.S. Embassy in Seoul had an immediate comment about the report of Kim's message to Trump when contacted by Reuters. Moon's office could not confirm the Chosun Ilbo report. "There is a dialogue channel between North Korea and the United States through which they exchange active communication, but I cannot know whether it took the form of letter or something else," Moon's spokesman told a news briefing on Monday. At a summit with Trump in Singapore in June, Kim vowed to work towards denuclearization. However, both sides have struggled to make progress on this matter. They are also yet to reschedule a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol after an abrupt cancellation in November. Pyongyang's state media has credited Trump for his willingness to continue dialogue but has also slammed the U.S. State Department for tightening sanctions. The stalled negotiations have had an impact on inter-Korean ties, with Kim failing to visit Seoul this year as agreed to at an inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang in September. The Chosun Ilbo report said Kim wrote in the letter to Moon that he would come to the South "in the near future" after giving a New Year address on Tuesday. Kim's New Year address provides a rare public appearance for the young leader and is closely watched by neighboring countries as it is seen setting the tone for his domestic and foreign policies. According to Moon's spokesman, Kim said in the letter to the South Korean president that he was sorry his previously planned trip to Seoul did not take place, expressing his "strong resolve" to make it happen while monitoring the situation. (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin; Additional reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sam Holmes and Michael Perry) Mr Putin took part in an Ice Hockey Match in Moscow's Red Square over the weekend - TASS / Barcroft Media Russian President Vladimir Putin told 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, the US president abruptly cancelled a planned meeting with Mr 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. Mr Trump and Mr 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." Mr Putin also wished "well-being and prosperity to the British people" Credit: TASS / Barcroft Images 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 Mr Lavrov as saying in televised remarks. In a separate letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Mr Putin pledged continuation of aid to the Syrian government and people in the "fight against terrorism, in defence of state sovereignty and territorial integrity". Credit: TASS / Barcroft Images Mr Putin also sent New Year greetings to other world leaders including Theresa May and Shinzo Abe of Japan, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping. Story continues Mr 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 radio show caller has said he would leave migrant children to sink in the English Channel (Picture: Marine Nationale via AP) Migrant children trying to cross the English Channel should be left to drown, according to a caller on a radio phone-in. The festive season has seen an influx of migrants trying to cross the English Channel, with Home Secretary Sajid Javid declaring it a major incident. Mr Javid, who cut short his Christmas holiday to deal with the growing crisis, wrote in the Daily Telegraph that many of the factors behind the increase in crossings are outside of our control. On Monday, a group of 12 migrants, including a 10-year-old child, were being interviewed by immigration officials after they came ashore near Lydd-on-Sea, Kent, in the latest of a series of landings. The issue has sparked significant debate. On Sunday, a caller to the LBC show, who gave his name as Andy, told Labours deputy leader Tom Watson that boats carrying children to England should be allowed to sink. He claimed that people who have been rescued from dinghies while crossed to the UK during the festive period are economic migrants, not asylum seekers, and called for the creation of internment camps where they should be held. Asked by Mr Watson: Youve got a boat load of kids sinking in the English Channel, what would you do with them?, Andy replied: Id let them sink. When the deputy Labour leader pressed him, saying: So you would let children drown in the English Channel?, Andy replied, Yep. And when asked: How many? he said: As many as it takes to stop them. Asked again what he would do if he had the power to decide what to do with a dinghy full of migrants, Andy insisted: Id let it sink. MORE: Most councils failing to prosecute people who abuse disabled blue badge parking scheme MORE: This six-year-old girl spent Christmas Day handing out goodie bags to the homeless His comments prompted Mr Watson to say: You leave me worried for the future of humanity with views like that. But he said he believed if he was actually in that situation, Andy would rescue the people. Story continues Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes met with Border Force officers at the weekend to discuss the migrant crisis (Picture: Victoria Jones/PA via AP) Mr Javid said reasons for the journeys included instability in the Middle East, organised crime, changes in visa routes and tighter security at Calais. Unfortunately there are no easy answers, he said, adding: While we have obligations to genuine asylum seekers we will not stand by and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our global society. Retired Gen. David Petraeus, the former CIA director and commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, poured cold water on Monday on rumors he would come out of retirement to become President Trumps new Secretary of Defense. Petraeus, a friend of outgoing Defense secretary Jim Mattis, told the the BBC he cannot envision returning to government at this time, and that he was not sure his views aligned with the Presidents. He also voiced concern over Trumps recent decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria. Its not unreasonable to ask after 17 years of war, is this the best way to go about it, Petraeus told BBC Radio Four. It doesnt mean that I agree, necessarily, with the recent decisions, but to be truthful we dont know the details of the policy yet. Asked whether he would take Mattis job, he said: I think there does have to be policy alignment [with Trump,] and Im not sure that exists, Im afraid. That was a reference to Mattis, who in his resignation letter told Trump: You have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours. In 2016, reports suggested Petraeus was among Trumps top picks for the post of Defense secretary. At the time, Petraeus indicated he would likely agree to take the job if asked. Petraeus was director of the CIA between 2011 and 2012. He resigned after a scandal in which details of an extramarital affair with his biographer were found by the FBI. In 2015, it emerged he had passed classified government information to her; for the crime, he was sentenced to two years probation and fined $100,000. Fireworks, concerts, spiritual services and political addresses abounded to mark the transition to 2019 as revelers around the globe bid farewell Monday to a year filled with challenges to many of the world's most basic institutions, including in the realms of politics, trade, alliances and religion. A look at how the world is ushering in 2019: NEW YORK A drenching rain couldn't keep crowds from packing Times Square for the traditional crystal ball drop and a string of star performances. Christina Aguilera pumped up the crowd, performing in a snow-white dress and coat while partygoers danced in their rain ponchos. Bebe Rexha sang John Lennon's "Imagine" just before the midnight ball drop. The celebration took place under tight security. Partygoers were checked for weapons and then herded into pens, ringed by metal barricades, where they waited for the stroke of midnight. But the weather forced police to scrap plans to fly a drone to help keep watch over the crowd. Revelers paid up to $10 for plastic ponchos trying to stay dry. Umbrellas were banned for security reasons. RIO DE JANEIRO More than 2 million people celebrated the new year on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. A 14-minute fireworks display ushered Brazil into 2019 only hours before far-right politician Jair Bolsonaro will be sworn in as president. Many Brazilians were on the road to the capital of Brasilia on Monday night to watch the former army captain's inauguration Tuesday afternoon. The last evening of 2018 in Rio was 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius), and many Brazilians took a dip in the water and made their offerings to Yemanja, a sea goddess in the Afro-Brazilian Candomble faith. LONDON Britons ushered in the new year with the familiar chimes of Big Ben, even though the world famous clock has been disconnected for more than a year because of a conservation project. Parliament announced last week that the clock's massive bell would sound to mark the new year with the help of a specially built electric mechanism to power the hammer, which weighs about 440 pounds (200 kilograms). The clock mechanism, which has kept time since 1859, has been dismantled as part of the renovation work. Story continues New Year's Eve without Big Ben would be positively un-British. The comforting chimes are used by TV and radio stations throughout Britain to herald the moment of transition from the old to the new year. PARIS Parisians and tourists gathered on the Champs-Elysees to celebrate New Year's Eve under heavy security. Anti-government protesters from the yellow vest movement have issued calls on social media for "festive" demonstrations on the famous avenue. Paris police set up a security perimeter in the area, with bag searches, a ban on alcohol and traffic restrictions. The Interior Ministry said Sunday that the heavy security measures are needed because of a "high terrorist threat" and concerns about "non-declared protests." President Emmanuel Macron gave his traditional New Year address to briefly lay out his priorities for 2019, as some protesters angry over high taxes and his pro-business policies plan to continue their demonstrations in coming weeks. Ahead of midnight, a light show with the theme of brotherhood took place on the Arc de Triomphe monument at the top of the Champs-Elysees. BERLIN Tens of thousands of people celebrated the start of 2019 at Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate. The annual New Year's celebrations took place amid tight security, with about 1,300 officers deployed throughout the heart of the German capital and revelers banned from taking fireworks, bottles or large bags into the fenced-off party zone. By midnight, Berlin police reported fewer incidents than in previous years. VATICAN CITY Pope Francis has rounded out the most problematic year of his papacy by presiding over a vespers service and praying before the Vatican's giant sand sculpture Nativity scene. During his homily Monday, Francis lamented how many people spent 2018 living on the edge of dignity, homeless or forced into modern forms of slavery. Accompanied by his chief alms-giver, Francis then walked out into St. Peter's Square, where he greeted pilgrims and prayed before the Nativity scene, carved out of 720 tons of packed sand. On Tuesday, Francis will celebrate Mass to mark the start of a new year and officially leave behind 2018, which saw a new eruption of the clergy sex abuse scandal. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES Fireworks crackled at Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, as hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered downtown to watch the spectacular display. The fireworks replaced last year's somewhat anticlimactic LED lightshow that ran down the facade of the 828-meter-tall (2,716-foot-tall) tower. Cafes and restaurants with a view of the Burj Khalifa charge a premium for their locale on New Year's Eve. Casual sandwich chain Pret a Manger, for example, charged $817 for a table of four. That price gets you hot and cold drinks and some canapes. For burgers near the action, fast food chain Five Guys charged $408 per person for unlimited burgers, hotdogs, fries, milkshakes and soda. Elsewhere in the United Arab Emirates, the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah attempted to set a new Guinness World Record with the longest straight-line display of fireworks reaching 7.35 miles (11.83 kilometers). THAILAND While many celebrate New Year's Eve with fireworks, hundreds of Thais traveled to Takien Temple in a suburb of Bangkok to lie inside coffins for traditional funeral rituals. Participants believe the ceremony symbolizing death and rebirth helps rid them of bad luck and allows them to be born again for a fresh start in the new year. They held flowers and incense in their hands as monks covered them with pink sheets and chanted prayers for the dead. "It wasn't scary or anything. It is our belief that it will help us get rid of bad luck and bring good fortune to our life," said Busaba Yookong, who came to the temple with her family. PHILIPPINES Dozens of people have been injured ahead of New Year's Eve, when many across the Philippines set off powerful firecrackers in one of Asia's most violent celebrations despite a government scare campaign and threats of arrests. The Department of Health said it has recorded more than 50 firecracker injuries in the past 10 days. That is expected to increase as Filipinos usher in 2019. Officials have urged centralized fireworks displays to discourage wild and sometimes fatal merrymaking. The tradition stems from a Chinese-influenced belief that noise drives away evil and misfortune. Earlier Monday, suspected Muslim militants remotely detonated a bomb near the entrance of a mall in Cotabato as people did last-minute shopping ahead of celebrations. Officials said at least two people were killed and nearly 30 wounded. CHINA New Year's Eve isn't celebrated widely in mainland China, where the lunar New Year in February is a more important holiday. But countdown events were held in major cities, and some of the faithful headed to Buddhist temples for bell-ringing and prayers. Beijing held a gala with VIP guests at the main site of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The event looked ahead to the 2022 Winter Games, which also will be held in the Chinese capital. Outdoor revelers in Beijing had to brave temperatures well below freezing. Additional police were deployed in parts of Shanghai, where a New Year's Eve stampede in 2014 killed 36 people. In Hong Kong, festive lights on skyscrapers provided the backdrop for a fireworks, music and light show over Victoria Harbor on a chilly evening. KIRIBATI The Pacific island nation of Kiribati was the first in the world to welcome the new year, greeting 2019 with muted celebrations after spending 2018 on the front line of the battle against climate change. Kiribati is made up of low-lying atolls along the equator which intersect three time zones, the first of which sees the new year 14 hours before midnight in London. Much of the nation's land mass, occupied by 110,000 people, is endangered by rising seas that have inundated coastal villages. The rising oceans have turned fresh water sources brackish, imperiling communities and raising doubts the nation will exist at the next New Year. Former President Anote Tong said the only future for Kiribati may be mass migration. The new year was welcomed in the capital, Tarawa, with church services and mostly quiet private celebrations. AUSTRALIA An estimated million people crowded Sydney Harbor as Australia's largest city rang in the new year with a spectacular, soul-tinged fireworks celebration. One of the most complex displays in Australia's history included gold, purple and silver fireworks pulsating to the tune of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," made famous by Aretha Franklin, who died in August. The show used 8.5 tons of fireworks and featured more than 100,000 pyrotechnic effects. Earlier, a thunderstorm drenched tens of thousands of people as they gathered for the traditional display, creating a show of its own with dozens of lightning strikes. In Melbourne, 14 tons of fireworks deployed on the ground and on roofs of 22 buildings produced special effects including flying dragons. In Brisbane, people watched as fireworks exploded from five barges moored on the Brisbane River. SOUTH KOREA After an eventful year that saw three inter-Korean summits and the easing of tensions over North Korea's nuclear program, South Koreans entered 2019 with hopes that the hard-won detente will expand into a stable peace. Thousands of South Koreans filled the streets of the capital, Seoul, for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall. Dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight included famous surgeon Lee Guk-jong, who successfully operated on a North Korean soldier who escaped to South Korea in 2017 in a hail of bullets fired by his comrades. A "peace bell" was tolled at Imjingak, a pavilion near the border with North Korea. LAS VEGAS No place does flashy like Las Vegas. It rang in 2019 with fireworks shot from casino-resorts and superstar performances from Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Gwen Stefani and others. Celebratory midnight toasts were anchored by an 8-minute firework show on the Las Vegas Strip. The pyrotechnics were choreographed to a soundtrack that includes Frank Sinatra's "Luck Be a Lady," Lionel Richie's "All Night Long" and Dion's version of "I Drove All Night". New Year's Eve is worth more than $400 million to Vegas. Security is a high priority for police on the Las Vegas Strip, where a gunman in 2017 opened fire on a country music festival, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds of others. Police, including rooftop snipers and plainclothes and uniformed officers, were out in full force along with federal agents. Authorities also restricted revelers from bringing backpacks, ice chests, strollers and glass items to the street celebrations. ___ This story has been updated to correct a name spelling to Lionel Richie, instead of Ritchie. Under attack: Home Secretary Sajid Javid Home Secretary Sajid Javid has been accused of acting like Donald Trump over his response to the current migrant crisis in the English Channel. Labours David Lammy took to social media accused Javid and the Conservatives of whipping up a manufactured emergency before any final vote on Brexit. Make no mistake, this is not in response to genuine concern for human life, wrote Lammy. This is @sajidjavid imitating Donald Trumps migrant caravan manufactured emergency to whip up fear before the Brexit vote. Desperate and cynical. A UK border patrol boat (PA) Lammy was talking about the situation in the English Channel from France where more than than 230 people have attempted the crossing in small boats since November. In the last few days almost 100 people have been undertaken the journey, including a group of six Iranian men were found on a beach in Kent. On Monday, a group of refugees were found on a Kent beach after apparently crossing the Channel in an inflatable boat. They were spotted in Greatstone. Javid has declared the crossings a major incident and come back early from a holiday in South Africa to oversee the governments response. He is set to discuss the situation at a special meeting with other government officials as well as the Border Force. Javid is also expected to launch a joint action plan with his French counterpart, Christophe Castaner, including more patrols. He wrote in the Daily Telegraph: The reasons behind the increased crossings are complicated and in many cases outside of our control. Hastily built tents for migrants in Dover (PA) Unfortunately, this means that there are no easy answers. So our response is focused both here in the UK and abroad. These factors included instability in the Middle East, and organised people smuggling gangs, added the Home Secretary. Lammys attack was not the first by Labour to claim that the government were playing politics with the crisis. On the attack: Labours David Lammy (PA) Shadow home secretary Dianne Abbott said there was no question that with Brexit, and also with the approach of the meaningful vote in January, people are being whipped up about migration issues, because the government thinks this is the best way of frightening people to vote for their deal. Story continues She added: Its the Farage technique: hordes of people trying to enter the country. You frighten people about that. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK With the political crisis deepening in Algeria wherein social anger is mounting and the economic situation is worsening, the struggle for power between the elite generals and the politicians is intensifying as the ailing president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 81, braces, for a controversial fifth term in office. Despite the military and security purge carried out lately to get rid of the ambitious top ranks ahead of the upcoming rocky transition, it seems that some of the retired generals have become more and more vocal against Bouteflikas 5th term plan. In an interview published by Algerian El Watan daily, retired Gen. Ali Ghediri urged chief of staff, Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah not allow violation of the Constitution by extending the mandate of the wheelchair-bound president, in power since 1999. Mr. Bouteflika has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke five years ago. His absence has led to speculation over who is really in charge in Algeria. But the Algerian ministry of Defense warned on Sunday retired officers against getting involved in politics and urged them to abide by the military regulations which ban any member of the army, active or retired, from meddling in political affairs. Gen. Gaid Salah, the army chief, has said the military should keep away from being entangled in politics, rejecting calls for the army to oversee a transition period during the upcoming presidential election scheduled for spring 2019. However, nobody is fooled by these remarks regarding the armys independence. Everybody knows that the Algerian army controls everything from behind the scenes and will never abandon its deeply rooted powers and privileges. Several influential Algerian personalities including Secretary-General of Algerias ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) Djamel Ould Abbes, 84, and Louisa Ighilahriz, a prominent resistance figure, have quitted their jobs in protest against Bouteflikas plan to run for a fifth term. I refuse this because he is not the actual ruler. Other people are ruling in his name, said Mrs. Ighilahriz. I do not want to play a role that I no longer believe in. The president is sick and unable to run the country. Members of his close circle are really the ones who are ruling in his name, but they are operating behind the scenes, she added, referring to the Presidents brother and senior aide Saeed Bouteflika and to General Gaid Salah. Commenting the situation in Algeria, the Financial Times said: putting an absentee & ailing president up for election at a time the nation is desperate for rejuvenation, the authoritarian regime is delivering a cynical message to Algerian people: that their hopes and frustrations do not matter. But with a growing number of senior military officers speaking out and started rattling their sabres, the Algerian army, which does not want to be a visible target of partisan politics, may rethink its stand and take action !. Posted by North Africa Post North Africa Post's news desk is composed of journalists and editors, who are constantly working to provide new and accurate stories to NAP readers. Meghan Markles half sister Samantha Markle has reportedly been included on a fixated person list by the police royalty and specialist protection unit (Picture: Getty) The Duchess of Sussexs estranged half sister has branded claims she is on a police fixated persons list as ridiculous and fake news. Samantha Markle launched a tirade on Twitter following reports that Meghans protection officers have briefed Scotland Yard over the potential damage to the Royal familys reputation that could be caused by the duchesss relative. According to the Sunday Times, a Scotland Yard source said: 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. Over the past few months, Samantha Markle has made repeated swipes at Meghan, as well as reportedly arriving unannounced at Kensington Palace and sending her a Christmas card calling for a family truce. Her behaviour has reportedly led to her inclusion in a list of fixated people something she has branded as fake news and lying nonsense. Scotland Yards 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. In a series of Tweets posted in response to a story in The Australian, Ms Markle said: More retarded fake news by #Australia. MORE: Radio caller says he would let migrant children die in the English Channel MORE: Thirty-nine people arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after latest London stabbing This is ridiculous as Im 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 also went on to accuse the media of being fixated rather than her. The scene opposite a property in Greyhound Road in Hammersmith, west London where thirty-nine people were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder (PA Images) 39 people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was stabbed in the chest in west London. The victim, who is in his 30s, was left fighting for his life after the incident on the Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, in the early hours of Monday morning. A horrified eyewitness said the man was stabbed right next to his heart by a gang of youths shouting get him. The witness said: I heard a lot of commotion, like kids entertaining themselves in the street. I had a feeling something wasnt right, and then the kids kept running backwards and forwards screaming Get him! Get him! Then I saw a knife there it was shining and somebody was going to get hurt. The person that did the stabbing I heard him say Come on then! The Metropolitan Police said arrests were made at a property near the scene and the people were taken into custody at several police stations. So many people had been arrested because of a lack of cooperation on the part of potential suspects, police confirmed. Thirty-nine people were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following an incident in Fulham Palace Road. (PA Images) The man was stabbed after being chased by a number of male and female suspects following an altercation in a shop. After the stabbing, the suspects went to a house party, said police. What appears to have been a minor argument has resulted in a man sustaining life-threatening injuries, said Superintendent Mark Lawrence. Can anyone shed any light on what the incident on Fulham Palace Road is pic.twitter.com/IHMatIMZJR Kosh (@koshmiah) December 31, 2018 Officers were quickly on the scene and provided him with first aid prior to the arrival of our colleagues in the LAS. He has been taken to hospital where he continues to receive treatment for his injuries. Whilst it is unusual for so many people to be arrested in the early stages of an investigation such as this, due to a lack of co-operation and the necessity of securing essential evidence following a serious assault, this action was appropriate. Story continues Photos subsequently posted on social media showed police cars blocking off the road while forensics officers combed the scene for evidence. Others asked for details about what had happened in the immediate aftermath of the incident. The Fulham Palace Road remained partially closed in the early hours of Monday morning. Police said two knives were recovered close to the scene. The attack comes after figures earlier this year revealed that knife crime had risen to a record high in the capital during 2018. Nearly 15,000 knife offences were carried out in the 12 months up until October, a 15 per cent rise on the previous year. Among the crimes were 91 killings as well as more than 8,300 robberies at knife-point. An average of 40 knife crimes a day are being carried out in London. Maria Menounos knew that Keven Undergaro was the one when she met the Hollywood writer and producer as a 19-year-old college student, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that it was love at first sight. Still, the pair would go through nearly two decades of hardship together before even getting engaged. When I first met Maria, I had never met anyone like her, Undergaro says about the short time he spent making a film in Boston, where he worked alongside Menounos. When we said goodbye it was very emotional, even though we had only known each other for a few days. We both wanted to cry, and we didnt know why. Except Menounos had already known that it was likely because they were meant to be. At the time she admits that she was ready to make Undergaro fall in love with her because she was so sure that he was the one for her. Her strict father, however, wouldnt agree, which only seemed to bring the unlikely couple closer together. [Keven and I] both had family dramas. We definitely clung to each other and became closer, Menounos explains, saying that her father had disowned her for being with a man who wasnt Greek. I think we realized very quickly we had each others backs. It was during that time that Menounos and Undergaro lived in an unfinished basement, sharing the space with three other people and living on minimal funds. But Undergaro was determined to have others see the star that he knew Menounos was and believed that making their dreams come true in Hollywood would be their only way out. I knew you were a star; I knew you were something special, Undergaro assures his wife. And I said, Well get out of this. Well go make in Hollywood and then all will be well.' The risk was worth it for Menounos, who says she wasnt going to let anybody tell her who to love and who not to love. And after facing lots of adversity, including her mothers stage 4 brain cancer diagnosis and later her own brain tumor, having Undergaro by her side was worth it. Story continues We knew we were married in our hearts, Undergaro says of not proposing until 19 years into their relationship. We didnt need any of that stuff to solidify it. Menounos adds, We were Kurt and Goldie-ing it. Finally in 2016, when the couple made an appearance on the Howard Stern Show during a press tour for Menounoss book The Every Girls Guide to Cooking, Undergaro got down on one knee. We had so many special memories watching Howard Stern when we were in that basement, he says. It was such a milestone for us to come together on that show. Menounos didnt think it was a milestone though. Instead, she thought it was a joke, until Stern chimed in to tell her that it was time to cry. Just over a year and a half later, the couple would hit their next milestone moment in front of the world yet again, in Foxs live New Years Eve broadcast. We ended up getting married on Fox NYE, Menounos says. Steve Harvey was officiating our wedding. Everybody was invited, and everybody got to be a part of it. Now as Menounos gears up to co-host the special New Years event once again on Monday night, she and Undergaro are reflecting on the past unforgettable year. I think that if we had done this 17 years ago, Undergaro says, I dont think it would be as special. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Cheryl Burke and Matthew Lawrence took a 10-year break before realizing they were meant to be The nearly fatal first date of Dancing With the Stars pros Val Chmerkovskiy and Jenna Johnson: She almost ran me over Alfonso Ribeiros wife had no idea about his Fresh Prince of Bel-Air past when they first met Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. 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 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 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 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. Story continues 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. 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 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 , Ford Motor Co and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles 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. Here are the companies the Yahoo Finance team is watching for you today. A huge cyberattack has taken aim at Tribune Publishing. The company behind the Chicago Tribute and numerous other newspapers says the malware affected its ability to print over the weekend, but it was resolved, and no personal information was compromised. Were seeing some more downbeat expectations for iPhone sales. Citi expects iPhone production to slide in 2019 as demand weakens. They're bearish on the 10S Max, slashing their shipment forecast by nearly 50%. Overall, Citi expects iPhone sales to drop by about 20% in the first quarter. Change is coming at Michael Kors. The company says it's completed the purchase of Versace and will officially change its name on Wednesday to Capri Holdings. The ticker will also change from KORS to CPRI. The CEO says the name change is meant to evoke glamour and luxury, just like the island of Capri. A big victory for Google could mean less privacy for you. A judge in Chicago has dismissed a lawsuit that accused the tech giant of collecting biometric data from photos without users permission. The judge said the plaintiffs couldn't show any "concrete injuries" from the practice. Sears is avoiding liquidation, at least for now. Eddie Lampert officially submitted his $4.4 billion takeover bid this weekend, just ahead of the deadline. It's likely the only chance to keep the troubled retailer afloat and would keep about 50,000 employees on the job. Call it a Christmas miracle (for Putin). Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images For most of 2018, it was conventional wisdom among Russia experts to say, knowingly, that Moscow was disappointed and more than a bit perplexed by Donald Trump. Russia wants acceptance of its annexation of Crimea and recognition of its security primacy over Ukraine and Russias western border region, but it hasnt gotten any of that. Russia would also like to see an end to economic sanctions imposed over Ukraine; however, thanks to the U.S. Congress, its now subject to more sanctions. More broadly, Russia seeks recognition in Syria, in Europe, and globally of its status as a top-tier power alongside Washington and Beijing. Instead, Putin is endlessly linked to Trumps clownish behavior on the world stage and disdain for democracy, while Chinas President Xi gets to pose as the defender of norms and international cooperation. Moscow is likely still perplexed, but it got a whole Advent calendar worth of presents from Trump this month. The departure of Defense Secretary James Mattis is a huge boost to Moscows unrelenting campaign to weaken and undermine NATO. For the last two years, Mattis has personified U.S. commitment to NATO traveling where Trump wouldnt go, saying the things Trump wouldnt say, and, if we are honest, letting Americans and allies alike continue to believe in a commitment that Trump manifestly does not share. That security blanket is gone now. And the confusion and anxiety were seeing across Europe in response is exactly what Moscow hoped to produce with its meddling in the first place. Then theres the policy shift that led to Mattiss resignation: Trumps abrupt troop pullouts from Syria and (possibly) Afghanistan. For years, Moscow has wanted Washington to have less influence in Afghanistan, which has floated on the edge of Russias security reach for centuries. And for even longer, Moscow has wanted to have a voice in the security affairs of the Middle East, and to be recognized as a first-tier player there. Its presence in Syria, and its military support for both the murderous regime of Bashar al-Assad and the Iranian militias that support him, is expensive and risky. With Washington gone, those activities will be a little less treacherous. And it will become more apparent that the player who can help regional actors get what they want and honor their long-term commitments is Putin, and not an American president. Whether you thought U.S. engagement in Syria should have been bigger, or should never have happened, the way Trump proceeded with the withdrawal announcement was a catastrophe. Our European allies who also have troops on the ground and more importantly the Kurdish and Arab forces who have lost tens of thousands of soldiers fighting ISIS alongside U.S. troops got no warning of the decision. That means no time to make a new plan to defend their territories without the U.S. or make deals to safeguard civilian lives. Tens of thousands of families who had moved to areas under the protection of U.S. forces are now at risk. That is potentially a death sentence for them and its definitely destroyed the credibility of promises from U.S. leaders for years to come. Moscow got one more big win this month that you may have missed. The Treasury Department said it plans to to lift sanctions on the business empire of Oleg Deripaska, one of Moscows biggest oligarchs who happens to be closely linked to former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort. The announcement comes after intense lobbying by Europeans and volatility in commodity markets. Deripaskas aluminum company, Rusal, is among the worlds largest non-Chinese suppliers. And Trumps tariff war with China, including a 10 percent surcharge on aluminum imports, has spooked markets. Under the deal, Deripaska will reduce his stake in several of his companies to under 50 percent, and he personally will remain on the sanctions list. But despite these efforts to prevent Deripaska from influencing the companies, he will still be the largest single shareholder, and some other shares will be controlled by his allies. Democratic congressman Lloyd Doggett, who has accused the Trump administration of going easy on Rusal in the past, said the move amounted to sliding another big gift under Vladimir Putins Christmas tree. It appears that much like our allies, Putin was surprised by all these gifts from the Trump administration. At his end-of-the-year news conference, Putin said he didnt know what the pullout from Syria means, but he couldnt resist tweaking Washington, noting the U.S. has been in Afghanistan 17 years and almost every year they say they are pulling out. Reporters said reactions in Russia ranged from ill-concealed gloating to suspicions that its all a smokescreen for some secret U.S. moves. In the long run, theres every reason to believe these withdrawals are going to prove as dubious a win for Moscow as the troop presences were for Washington. In Afghanistan in particular, Russia ought to be careful what it wishes for, lest extremist groups in Afghanistan find energy to target Russians or otherwise destabilize the nearby Central Asian states. For much of the last two years, close observers of Trump foreign policy have bent over backwards not to attribute every move to puppet masters in Moscow, for three reasons: because we have a professional distaste for conspiracy theories, because we didnt think that is how Putin and his intelligence professionals would operate, and because we simply couldnt imagine someone being that obvious. For the record, I still dont believe these helter-skelter policies are being devised and run from Russia. Nor do I believe that its smart to have a Russia policy that is nothing but confrontation. But the fact is, were ending the year with an arms control treaty that Moscow disliked on its way out and thousands of American troops set to leave places Moscow didnt want them to be. Meanwhile, ever-more Russian troops are on the Ukrainian border and Moscow still holds Ukrainian sailors it snatched in the Strait of Kerch last month. Institutions that sustain U.S. values are weaker, while Putins claim to being a regional and global decider via his undemocratic methods is stronger. We may never know the whole truth about Trumps relationship with Russia. But this all raises an interesting question: to paraphrase Ronald Reagan (who pursued nuclear disarmament even as he prosecuted the Cold War relentlessly), is Putin better off than he was two years ago? General John Kelly leaves his post on Wednesday after a rocky 18-month tenure - AFP Donald Trump's outgoing chief of staff on Sunday admitted the president's planned wall along the US and Mexico border would be more like a fence, as he gave his final interview before leaving office. General John Kelly, who leaves the administration on Wednesday after a rocky 18-month tenure, broke with the president on key areas during an intriguing exit interview with The Los Angeles Times newspaper. The two men have had a strained relationship in recent months. In September Gen. Kelly denied claims made in Bob Woodward's bombshell book, Fear, that he called the US leader an "idiot". On Sunday, it emerged that he fundamentally disagreed with the president's characterisation of illegal immigrants as criminals who are invading America. We do have an immigration problem," the former Marine said while describing his role spending 15 hour days alongside Mr Trump as "bone-crushing". But he added: Illegal immigrants, overwhelmingly, are not bad people, describing many migrants as victims of traffickers. I have nothing but compassion for them, the young kids." Speaking of the wall, Gen. Kelly said that after consultation with border patrol agents it became clear that a continuous, opaque structure would not be suitable for stemming the flow of illegal immigrants. For a start, agents need to be able to see through any barrier to allow them to view those approaching from Mexico. To be honest, its not a wall, he said. 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. They said, Well we need a physical barrier in certain places, we need technology across the board, and we need more people. The US president's vision of what he called "a big beautiful wall" that "Mexico is going to pay for" became a rallying cry to his supporters during the 2016 election campaign. But halfway through his four-year term, he is still trying to secure most of the estimated $18 billion (14.2bn) needed to fund it. The stalemate between Republicans and Democrats is at the heart of the current government shutdown now entering its tenth day. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Monday he is moving "slowly" on pulling U.S. troops out of Syria as he lashed out at critics of his announcement earlier this month of the withdrawal. In tweets about Syria, Trump did not give details on his policy nor did he make clear whether he was making a shift from his previous pledge to withdraw some 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria or merely trying to fend off critics. Trump retired military leaders who have criticized the Syria withdrawal, calling them "failed generals." He did not indicate if that group included former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned over the plan that critics said blindsided allies in the region. Trump tweeted that Islamic State militants, known as ISIS, were "mostly gone" and "were slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants." President Donald Trump "I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places," he added. "Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working." Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who had criticized Trump's plan to immediately withdraw the troops, had said he felt better about the plan after a lunch meeting with the president Sunday. "I think we're slowing things down in a smart way," Graham said, adding that "I think we're in a pause situation where we are reevaluating what's the best way to achieve the President's objective of having people pay more and do more." Graham also did not provide details about when U.S. troops in Syria would be moved out, and whether the withdrawal would be phased in. Critics such as Graham said they feared a withdrawal would give ISIS space to regroup and resume their aggression. They also said a pull out leave Kurdish communities in Syria vulnerable to reprisals from nearby Turkish forces. Defense Secretary Mattis resigned a day after Trump gave notice of the Syria pullout. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump attacks critics of his Syria policy as 'failed generals,' says moving 'slowly' on pullout WASHINGTON/BEIJING, Dec 29 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Saturday 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 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 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 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. "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. 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. Story continues 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 U.S.-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 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 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 U.S. 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 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 , 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. (Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Katanga Johnson in Washington; additional reporting by Lusha Zhang, Ben Blanchard and Ryan Woo in Beijing; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Daniel Wallis and Diane Craft) Donald Trump has denied abandoning his plan for a concrete border wall, but says that part of the proposed barrier with Mexico will be see-through. His tweet came as critics questioned whether the president is reneging on an election pledge to build a wall between the US and Mexico, after outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly said in an interview, To be honest, its not a wall. We left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. Mr Trump spoke out on via Twitter on Monday morning, writing: An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me! A partial government shutdown is currently under way over funding for his proposed border barrier; the president says he wants $5bn, but Democrats have refused to meet his demands. The shutdown has stretched into a second week, and theres no end in sight. On Sunday, Mr Trump pointed to the wall former President Obama built around his Washington DC home as a reason why Congress should fund the southern border wall. President and Mrs Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their DC mansion/compound, he tweeted. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The US needs the same thing, slightly larger version! This is Mr Kellys final week in the White House after 17 months in the role. He had been widely regarded as one of the few stabilising figures in the Trump administration. Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump appeared to backtrack Monday on shock plans for an immediate pullout of US troops from Syria, but said his drive to end American involvement in wars made him a "hero." The shift came a day after a senior Republican senator said Trump had promised to stay in Syria to finish the job of defeating the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS. Trump had earlier stunned allies -- and prompted the resignation of his respected defense secretary, Jim Mattis -- by abruptly announcing that the jihadists were defeated and that US troops in Syria were ready to leave. However, in a tweet early Monday, Trump seemed to signal a more cautious schedule for pulling out the troops, which provide crucial support to Kurdish and other local forces. "We're slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants," Trump wrote. In contrast to previously emphatic victory declarations, Trump said that "ISIS is mostly gone." But reflecting his frustration at the outpouring of criticism over his Syria strategy, Trump lashed out at opponents and the media, saying that he should be given more credit. "If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero," Trump tweeted. "The results are FAR BETTER than I ever said they were going to be! I campaigned against the NEVER ENDING WARS, remember!" he added. Trump also wants to bring home about half of the 14,000 soldiers locked in a 17-year war against Afghanistan's Taliban guerrillas, although no formal announcement has been made. In Syria, about 2,000 US soldiers operate alongside other foreign troops to assist local fighters battling Islamic State, a jihadist group that once held territory across much of Iraq and Syria and set up its own ultra-Islamist government. Though much reduced, and forced into hiding, it is still believed to comprise thousands of guerrillas. Story continues The US-led coalition launched its first raids against IS in September, 2014, more than two years before Trump won the US election. US-backed forces seized the jihadists' self-declared capital Raqa on October 17, 2017. - Allies worried - Part of Trump's appeal in his surprise 2016 election victory was his promise to get the United States out of post-9/11 wars in the Middle East. During a lightning visit to US troops based in Iraq last week, Trump said the United States would no longer be the world's "policeman". "We're in countries that most people have never even heard about," he said, referring to US combat deployments, including in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. "We don't want to be taken advantage of any more by countries that use us," he said. The view is popular with many Americans, but critics, including some of Washington's closest allies, say the United States cannot abandon its traditional leadership role. "The impromptu announcement of the US withdrawal from (Syria) caused a lot of questions," French Defense Minister Florence Parly said Monday on a visit to French personnel stationed in Jordan. "Our priority is to continue until the end." On Friday, Britain's foreign minister, Jeremy Hunt, was less diplomatic, telling Radio 4 that Trump "makes a specialty of talking in very black and white terms about what's happening in the world." Those concerns are shared at the top of Trump's own Republican party. Leading Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Trump's principal allies in an increasingly unfriendly Congress, used lunch at the White House on Sunday to urge the president to reevaluate on Syria. After two hours, he emerged, saying Trump "understands the need to finish the job." "I think the president is committed to making sure when we leave Syria that ISIS is completely defeated," Graham said. In response to the uproar, Trump national security advisor John Bolton will soon visit allies Turkey and Israel, which each have their own complex goals in Syria's multi-dimensional civil war. The fatal crash took place on the A13 road in east London (Google Street Maps) Two people, one of them a woman pensioner in her 70s, have been killed in a head-on collision after a car drove the wrong way along a dual carriageway. The horrific crash took place after a car collided with a taxi which was travelling in the opposite direction on the A13, close to Dagenham in east London. The taxi driver, a man in his 40s, also died in the accident. The tragedy took place on the eastbound A13 in east London at about 1.45am on Monday. One of the cars involved was thought to be a London black cab (PA) Police were called after a car was spotted driving the wrong way down the carriageway. The accident took place close to the Witchs Hat Junction, near Dagenham. Emergency service crews raced to the scene, including Metropolitan Police officers and London Ambulance Service paramedics. Next of kin have yet to be informed, said police. Transport for London said later on Monday that the road had been reopened after the fatal crash. A13 Goresbrook Interchange westbound has fully re-opened but eastbound remains closed. Seek alternative routes.https://t.co/t06V9k3a6A TfL Traffic News (@TfLTrafficNews) December 31, 2018 A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: We assisted the Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service and it was all over for us just after 3:15am. Two fire engines and a fire rescue unit attended. It is the latest such incident on the UKs roads. In October, three people were killed after a car towing a caravan crashed as it was being driven the wrong way on the M40. And in November, a motorcyclist died after crashing with a car travelling in the wrong direction in East Kilbride. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Illustration of one of the robots, designed by the University of Sheffield, that will travel through pipes - University of Sheffield Roadworks may soon be a thing of the past as small robots will be sent down pipes to make repairs instead of digging up roads. Four universities in the UK are working together to develop a collection of insect-like robots that will fix and inspect underground pipes. The robots, around one centimetre in size, will be able to fly, swim and crawl through pipes used for water, gas and sewage. They will also allow utility companies to make a Google Maps-style plan of their pipe networks as the devices travel underground. The Government has now invested 26.6m in the project, as it hopes the technology will put an end to the disruption caused by 1.5 million road excavations that take place every year. These roadworks cost the country more than 5bn a year in traffic closures and lost business, according to the Government. The scientists behind the project believe the robots will also be able to tap the pipes to understand their condition, using the sound and vibrations to analysis the quality of the pipe walls. This will mean workmen will not have to examine the exterior of the pipes. It is like keyhole surgery for the ground, so instead of cutting up the whole road, send a small robot down a pipe and conduct repairs and inspections, Professor Kirill Horoshenkov, from the University of Sheffield, told The Daily Telegraph. The academic, who specialises in acoustics, explains that, as they will be going through dark pipes, fitting them with cameras will not be an option. So instead the robots will use sound to navigate and investigate the pipes, using a system called sonar. Sonar works by detecting objects through water by emitting sound pulses and then measuring how long it takes for the pulse to come back to the robot. The delay tells the robot how far away it is from the object that the soundwave deflected from. Professor Horoshenkov claims the robots could also have applications in aerospace, nuclear reactors and medicine. He said his colleagues were speaking to people in these sectors about using the robots in these different environments. Story continues The technology, which could also be used to remove blockages in pipes, is expected to be in operation in five years time. The pipe robots will come in two different types, Professor Horoshenkov explains. The first will be an inspection bot that is agile enough to easily examine pipes quickly and autonomously, and the second a slightly larger robot, dubbed a worker bot, that will have more energy and materials to carry out maintenance work. This robot is more likely to be remote-controlled from humans on the service, who will use cement mix and adhesives to repair pipes. Additionally it could use a high powered jet to remove sediment that might be building up in the pipes. These exact tools are still being developed by the researchers. Other instruments or designs could be created over the next five years of development. The robots will be developed by researchers at universities in Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield. The project is one of fifteen schemes, being backed by the Government, to use robotics and artificial intelligence to overcome problems brought about by difficult or hazardous work conditions. These additional schemes will receive 93m in funding to create robots to take people out of dangerous environments and go into areas beyond human limits, for industries such as offshore energy, nuclear energy, space and deep mining. Science Minister Chris Skidmore said: While for now we can only dream of a world without roadworks disrupting our lives, these pipe-repairing robots herald the start of technology that could make that dream a reality in the future. From deploying robots in our pipe network so cutting down traffic delays, to using robots in workplaces to keep people safer, this new technology could change the world we live in for the better. Experts in our top UK universities across the country are well-equipped to develop this innovative new technology.. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's trade minister Liam Fox said there is a "50-50" chance that Brexit may be stopped if parliament rejects the government's divorce deal with the European Union next month. "If we were not to vote for that, I'm 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, May's 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. (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill, editing by G Crosse) 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. Also Read: PM Modi lays foundation of 50 MW LNG-based power project in Andaman 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 Aircraft 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 the 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 an 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 a 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. Also Read: Sheikh Hasina's party wins Bangladesh election; opposition claims votes rigged Also Read: Govt plans to invest Rs 1,227 crore through EDF to push intellectual property rights in IT, electronics WASHINGTON A federal employee union sued the Trump administration Monday over the government shutdown, claiming it is illegal for agencies to force employees to work without pay. The American Federation of Government Employees announced the lawsuit as the partial government shutdown began a second week. Hundreds of thousands of workers have been furloughed or are on the job without pay during the shutdown. Our members put their lives on the line to keep our country safe, said J. David Cox Sr., the unions national president. Requiring them to work without pay is nothing short of inhumane. More: House Democrats propose plan to end government shutdown, extend battle over border money The partial shutdown began on Dec. 22 after President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats failed to come to an agreement over White House demands for increased border security money. Trump has called for as much as $5 billion in additional funding to pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. AFGE, one of the largest federal employee unions, sued the government on similar grounds following the 16-day shutdown in 2013. A U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge ruled in 2017 that some 25,000 employees who were required to work without pay during that period were entitled to double pay as damages. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Union sues Trump administration for making government employees work without pay Photographer: Bess Adler/Bloomberg/Getty US bank staff whose roles have moved to European cities from London due to Brexit could lose their jobs after being told that commuting is not a long term option. According to a report in the Financial Times, financial allowances for travel and living arrangements will not be provided for longer than a few months after jobs are relocated. In preparation for Brexit, multinational banks have been moving jobs to the continent from London, and there are plans to move more roles to financial hubs such as Dublin, Frankfurt and Paris. READ MORE: European stocks trade slightly higher, set for worst year in a decade Brexit sceptics have predicted that tens of thousands of banking and financial jobs would be relocated away from London if financial institutions in the city lose unfettered access to the European Union markets, but the final implications are not yet clear. So far, US banks Morgan Stanley (MS), Goldman Sachs (GS), Citigroup (C), J.P. Morgan (JPM) and Bank of America (BAC) are planning to take a few hundred staff each to the continent from London. The Financial Times reports that Morgan Stanley would expect staff to live in the same city as their job. This matches EU regulators wishes that those heading up financial and other institutions should live in the countries they influence. The different banks are making their own decisions on how long to offer support. Bank of America has already shifted 100 roles from London to Dublin, and will also move staff to Paris. The support is designed for affected workers who do not wish to move their children out of school with little notice in the middle of the year, and for other practical reasons that prevent immediate relocation. Washington (AFP) - A US judge who ruled earlier this month that Obamacare is unconstitutional has said the health care law can stand while his decision is appealed. In a stay order issued Sunday, Texas-based Judge Reed O'Connor said that while he was confident his ruling would be upheld, it should not take effect until the outcome of an appeal is known "because many everyday Americans would otherwise face great uncertainty." That appeal process is widely expected to take at least a year. Opposition Democrats, who have seen the law survive previous legal and legislative attacks, view it as a signature achievement of former president Barack Obama. Republicans on the other hand dismiss it as governmental overreach and President Donald Trump made repealing the law a key part of his campaign platform. In a separate Obamacare case in 2012, five of the nine Supreme Court justices upheld the law. All five remain on the court. Still, it remains unclear how they might rule in the new case. If the decision is upheld, it could significantly disrupt the US health care system. The law, formally known as the Affordable Care Act, was premised on a so-called three-legged stool. It forced insurers to offer customers with pre-existing conditions the same plans at the same prices as the healthy; subsidized the cost of insurance for those in lower-income brackets; and required that Americans sign up for an insurance policy that meets minimum standards. The last requirement was enacted to prevent a scenario in which healthy people waited until they got sick to take insurance, thereby driving up premiums and creating a vicious cycle of rising costs. It was accompanied by a penalty for non-compliance, which was eliminated by the Republican-held Congress in 2017 in their tax code overhaul. The 2012 case was over whether such a penalty was legal -- but now that it is gone, O'Connor said in his December 14 ruling, the whole ACA should be stricken down because that provision was "the keystone" of the program. The lawsuit was brought by 20 conservative states and two individuals, while it was opposed by 17 Democratic attorneys general led by Xavier Becerra of California. The defendants had asked the court to clarify whether the December 14 ruling was immediately binding, resulting in Sunday's stay. FILE- In this May 18, 2012, file photo a television photographer shoots the sign outside of Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File) The most surprising moment in a turbulent year for online privacy may have come in a House Judiciary Committee hearing in early Decemberwhen a Republican from Texas said the U.S. needed to follow the European Unions lead. We are playing second fiddle to the Europeans, Rep. Ted Poe (R.-Tex.) told Google (GOOG, GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai. They protect the privacy of their folks more than we do. If a GOP rep with a 90.2% lifetime rating from the American Conservative Union can join other longstanding Republicans in calling for federal privacy regulations and touting the EUs sweeping General Data Protection Regulation as a model, the old sense of the possible has to look a little obsolete. So, yes, we might finally get a national law that says companies cant just show a privacy policy and tell you to click Agree. That could give you more chances to say no to the use and sharing of your data, require companies to disclose data breaches, and empower the government to fine and otherwise punish companies that break these new rules. In this Dec. 11, 2018, file photo, Google CEO Sundar Pichai appears before the House Judiciary Committee to be questioned about the internet giant's privacy security and data collection, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) But that doesnt mean that companies would have to ask for your permission before collecting your data, or that next years privacy offenders will pay a much harsher price than todays. Different proposals Weve reached this point in part because existing federal laws are so feeble. Outside of data involving financial details, health matters, or children, we essentially let companies state their intentions in privacy policies, after which the Federal Trade Commission can investigate violations of those commitments. That approachs frailty has been obvious for years, but two things have changed more recently. In May, the EUs GDPR delivered such privacy rights as the ability to deny permission for marketing reuse of your data and then require a company to provide a copy of its data on you and then delete its own records. Then in June, California passed the GDPR-esque California Consumer Privacy Act, which will enter into force Jan. 1, 2020a date that puts a deadline on this debate. Story continues There will be a special impetus to enact comprehensive consumer privacy in some form, emailed Dipayan Ghosh, a fellow at Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government who earlier advised Facebook on privacy issues. So meandering around in the usual mediocrity will result in a lot of privacy policy getting outsourced to Europe, California or both. But what should a new national standard look like? Proposals from Rep. Suzan DelBene (D.-Wash.), Rep. Ro Khanna (D.-Calif.), Sen. Ed Markey (D.-Mass.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D.-Minn.), Sen. Brian Schatz (D.-Hi.), and Sen. Ron Wyden (D.-Ore.) disagree on things as basic as whether companies need your permission before using your data for marketing purposes. U.S. Rep. Rohit 'Ro' Khanna, from California's 17th Congressional District centered in Santa Clara and other parts of California's Silicon Valley, is interviewed in Los Angeles Friday, Jan. 26, 2018. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) These and other outlines also part company on secondary issues. Should a federal law preempt state regulations, the first plank of the U.S. Chamber of Commerces proposal? Should it ban discriminatory uses of data, a key suggestion from Khanna and a draft from the Center for Democracy & Technology? Should its penalties encompass Wydens possible jail time for top executives, a borrowing from the Sarbanes-Oxley accounting law? If you like watching wonky policy debates, stock up on popcorn now. I dont believe there has ever been a stronger need for baseline federal privacy law, said Jason Kint, CEO of the online-publishing group Digital Content Next. We have also reached the widest gap yet between consumer expectations and how the industry actually operates. From inaction to too-hasty action? Hoping for that, however, requires looking past a long stretch of Congressional futility. The one time Congress has roused itself to action over the past two years was in early 2017, when Republicans voted to cancel pending Federal Communications Commissions internet-privacy regulations. Now could be different, but privacy advocates worry that the rush to pass something, anything to trump the California law will result in companies overpowering customers once again, leaving people with insufficient recourse when the next Equifax (EFX) breach happens. Or a rush to legislate could lead to America importing too much of the GDPR. Thats an immensely prescriptive set of rules, including the dubious right to be forgotten that lets individuals compel search engines to hide some links from results to queries for their names. There's a strong public appetite for some sort of regulatory response, regardless of whether it is a good approach or not, warned Cathy Gellis, a Bay Area lawyer who runs the Digital Age Defense project. What could tip odds that Kint called better than a coin flip could be the next big privacy scarebut only if its bad enough. And judging by how many people have dropped a social network or changed a search engine, we havent reached that point. Wrote Amy Webb, a professor at New York Universitys Stern School of Business and founder of the Future Today Institute: We've seen a critical mass of people bemoaning the state of privacy onlinebut we haven't seen people actually changing their behaviors. More from Rob: 2 toxic story lines from Facebook wont go away in 2019 Facebook wants to give you a way to fight having your posts taken down Google Maps will now help you find Lime scooters Microsoft is asking the government to regulate the companys facial recognition technology Email Rob at rob@robpegoraro.com; follow him on Twitter at @robpegoraro. Huachu Tang (right), a Chinese businessman is planning to spend his NYE with President Trump. (Getty Images, Longpai) New Years Eve is not the biggest holiday in China. But Huachu Tang, a 55-year-old Chinese businessman, had big plans this year he was going to party with the U.S. president. After a transcontinental flight from Xian, China to Florida on Saturday at 1 a.m., Tang, his family, and his assistant had planned to join President Donald Trumps lavish Mar-a-Lago New Years Eve on Monday. Barely speaking any English, Tang had still looked forward to connecting with Trump during the party. Just as Tang arrived in Florida after a long-haul flight, news emerged that the most prominent guest would miss his own party. Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget and the incoming chief of staff, said the president will stay in Washington to work on ending the ongoing government shutdown. As of Sunday night, Tang had not officially been notified of Trumps cancellation. However, he said he understands the president has a busy schedule. Its already a great experience to be part of it. As long as if we can actually meet and talk, I think it depends on Gods will, said Tang, who owns an electric car company. Even without the president, he can still use the opportunity to make his car brand known to other prominent guests and entrepreneurs from all over the world, Tang says. After all, Tangs American dream doesnt end with partying with the president. Aiming to take his car company public on the New York Stock Exchange, he believes socializing with elites and other entrepreneurs could pave the way for a future public listing. I'm very honored to participate in the party Tang hopes to take tons of pictures and share them with his Chinese friends, who found the idea of partying with U.S. president to be unbelievable. He will wear a custom silver Mao suit with dragons on the sleeves, a symbol of his company. He quit drinking years ago, but he will dance at the party if needed, he said. Not everyone has the opportunity to count down to the new year at Mar-a-Lago. The New Years Eve party-goers are either Mar-a-Lago members or guests of the members. This year, guests paid $1,000 to join the party at the private Palm Beach club, up from $750 last year and $575 the year before. Tang has paid even more since he received admission as part of a package offered by a public-relations agency. The agency isnt willing to reveal the exact price tag of the package, citing confidentiality of the contract. Story continues President Trump gives a thumbs-up as he has Thanksgiving Day dinner at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Tang believes its a worthwhile expense, as he sees the party as a novel marketing strategy for his electric car company, Longpai. Hes also inspired by Chinas president, Xi Jinping. President Xi has encouraged entrepreneurs in private-owned companies to go out, to share our achievements and innovations with the world, Tang told Yahoo Finance. I'm very honored to participate in the party. Tang admires Trump despite the presidents hard line on China on trade issues. President Trump was also a great entrepreneur before he became president, Tang said. Added Tang, in an interview before Trump bailed out of the event, Since he took the office, he is always so humorous and has so many unique ideas and thoughts. I can't wait to participate in this event and appreciate the glory of the president. Krystal Hu covers technology and trade for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter. Read more: Chinese companies flooded into the U.S. IPO market in 2018 Amazon got over $42 million worth of free publicity from its HQ2 search Shares of these U.S. suppliers are getting slammed in the wake of the Huawei arrest A worker was killed by a lion, similar to the one pictured, at a North Carolina wildlife preserve during an enclosure cleaning, the facility said. (Photo: Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography via Getty Images) A lion mauled a worker to death at a North Carolina wildlife preserve on Sunday after the animal escaped a locked enclosure, the facility said. Staff at the Conservators Center in Caswell County, near the Virginia border, were carrying out a routine enclosure cleaning when one of the lions somehow left a locked space and entered the one where the humans were working, the facility said in a statement obtained by HuffPost. The worker was killed quickly, the statement added. The Caswell County Sheriffs Office identified the victim as 22-year-old Alexandra Black. She was a recent graduate of Indiana State University and had been working as a college intern at the facility for approximately two weeks. Several attempts to tranquilize the lion failed, the sheriffs statement said. The lion was shot and killed by Caswell County deputies in order to allow officials to retrieve the victim. Authorities responded to the center around 11:30 a.m., Raleigh station WRAL reported. Just arriving in Burlington - where a lion at the Conservators Center mauled a worker to death today. Were being told the animal somehow left a locked area. The nonprofit is closed until further notice. #ABC11 pic.twitter.com/BmcWEsCcvT Elaina Athans (@AthansABC11) December 30, 2018 It is unclear at this time how the lion left the locked enclosure, the facilitys statement said, adding that the cleaning staff was working under the guidance of a professionally trained animal keeper. The lion was shot and killed to allow Caswell County personnel to retrieve the worker. Its not clear if the preserve was open or hosting guests at the time of the incident. The facility did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. The Conservators Center is a nonprofit organization that cares for more than 80 animals on 45 acres. It is run by a small staff, many of whom are volunteers, and offers public and private tours that require reservations, according to its website. Story continues Its dozens of residents include 15 lions, 10 of which were taken in after Ohio authorities found them living in poor conditions in 2004. Three of those 10 lions were pregnant at the time and gave birth to more than 10 cubs, the facilitys website says. Some arrive young and healthy, some elderly or ill, and some are even born here, the website says of its many animals. Though each animal has a unique story and personality with their own likes, dislikes, and needs they have one thing in common: they are all valued, loved, and well cared for at the Conservators Center. The center said it will remain closed pending further notice. This story has been updated with a statement from the local sheriffs office. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stone of 50 MW LNG-based power project at Hope Town in South Andaman, the Power Ministry said. The PM also inaugurated two projects on clean cooking and electric mobility in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the ministry said in a statement. Also Read: Sheikh Hasina's party wins Bangladesh election; opposition claims votes rigged "Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the Foundation stone of the 50 MW LNG based power project on December 30, 2018, at Hope Town, South Andaman. The power plant to be established by wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Ltd NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) at cost of Rs 387.80 crore in 18 months is expected to significantly improve the quality of life of the residents of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and give a boost to economic development in the area," the ministry said. Introducing 99 Tsunami Shelter Homes to a clean, comfortable and hassle-free cooking option, the PM distributed Solar PV-based induction cookstoves to households at Chouldari village, the ministry said in a separate statement. "He flagged off 20 electric vehicles here that will be handed over to the Andaman & Nicobar Administration," it said. The scheme includes installation and commissioning of 99 induction cookstoves with associated accessories like one kW PV modules, lithium-ion battery, power inverter, charge controller etc. The adoption of e-mobility by Andaman & Nicobar Administration will help them save over 33,280 litres of diesel every year leading to a reduction of over 89.2 tonnes of CO2 emission annually. Creating a robust supporting infrastructure is equally crucial for the promotion of e-mobility, the statement added. Also Read: Ghatkopar crash: Aircraft was on 'illegal test flight', illegally insured, says report Also Read: Govt plans to invest Rs 1,227 crore through EDF to push intellectual property rights in IT, electronics The explosive growth of U.S. shale production has capped gains of international and U.S. oil prices, offsetting OPECs production cuts in the first half of the year and contributing to an emerging oil glut in the latter half in 2018. OPEC has now forged a new pact with its Russia-led non-OPEC allies to contain the oil price decline to $50 a barrel Brenta price that is not enough to balance any budget of a Middle Eastern oil producer. But the consequences of rising U.S. light oil production from the shale fields have also rippled through international oil flows and trade, making OPECs heavyweights such as Saudi Arabia fight for keeping market share in their most prized market and the worlds fastest-growing oil consumption region, Asia. Thanks to the booming shale production, U.S. light oil exports have increased, taking market shares out of the lighter grades that Saudi Arabia and its fellow OPEC members are exporting to Asia. Moreover, increased crude oil production in the U.S. has also resulted in higher oil product exports which, combined with higher Chinese refined product exports, have created an oversupply of products in Asia, crashing refining margins earlier in December. U.S. crude oil production has been breaking records in recent months, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Total U.S. petroleum exports have also been setting records over the past year, EIA data shows. U.S. light crude oil exports to Asia have also grown and even with China shunning American crude, U.S. sales to OPECs key market Asia have held relatively steady since August this year, according to data from Kpler compiled by Bloomberg. Related: Low Oil Prices Could Cripple Texas Job Growth As OPEC is getting ready for another round of production cuts beginning January, Saudi Arabia for example is hell-bent on keeping its market share in Asia and has recently slashed the January prices of all its grades going to Asia, while it raised the prices for all grades bound for the U.S., Northwest Europe, and the Mediterranean. Saudi Aramcos deepest cuts in Asian pricing were for the Super Light and Extra Light grades, slashed by US$2 and $1.50 a barrel from Decembers prices, respectively. The official selling prices (OSPs) of Arab Light, Medium, and Heavy were also cut, by between $0.40 and $1.00 a barrel. The deepest cuts in the lighter grades reflect Saudi Arabias effort to keep its market share in Asia as competition from U.S. light oil intensifies, according to analysts. Lights are [cut] very aggressively, a sour crude oil trader told S&P Global Platts in early December, commenting on the Saudi pricing for Asia for January. Guess they are trying to prevent too much US arb inflow, the trader said. Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members also have to contend with increased refined product exports out of the U.S., as well as China, which are creating a glut of gasoline and naphtha, depressing refining margins in Asia. Related: ExxonMobil Faces Off With Venezuelas Navy In early December, the gasoline refining margin at the Singapore hub, viewed as a benchmark for Asia, slumped to a loss and to the lowest level against Brent prices since November 2011. Loss-making gasoline margins weighed on Asias overall refining profits, which hit in early December their lowest since August 2016, despite crumbling crude oil prices, according to data from Refinitiv Eikon, as carried by Reuters. China is reportedly raising its fuel export quota for 2019 by 13 percent, which could additionally weigh on product oversupply. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, this year average monthly U.S. exports to Asia of light distillatesincluding gasoline and naphthahave been nearly triple the export levels over the past two years. The gasoline and other oil products glut comes just as OPEC and allies start the new production cuts of 1.2 million bpd. Faced with U.S. competition of lighter grades in Asia, OPEC and its largest producer Saudi Arabia are fighting hard for their market share in their prized export destination. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Energy companies in the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf may resume issuing more debt and borrowing more money for expansion plans after oil prices plunged by 40 percent from the four-year highs that hit just three months ago. The oil and gas firms in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) had issued record debt in 2017 to finance expansion plans, but the rise in oil prices in 2018 eased the gaps in the Gulf Arab countries budgets, and total energy company bond issues and loans in the region declined this year compared to 2017. Yet, as oil prices crumbled in the past two months of 2018, energy firms in the Gulf may have to rely on more debt in 2019 to fund plans to boost production and maintain reserves, according to analysts who spoke to Bloomberg. Companies will look to issue more debt, Ashley Kelty, an oil and gas research analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald Europe, told Bloomberg. They wont be going back to the care and maintenance of a few years ago. They will use debt because its still relatively cheap, according to Kelty. According to Bloomberg estimates, the overall debt that Arab oil and gas firms issued in 2018 stood at US$19.4 billion, down from a record US$25.5 billion debt taken in 2017. Related: Venezuela: A Real Threat To Guyana's Oil Boom Figures showed that after 2014, when oil prices started crashing from above US$100 a barrel, the total debt issued by the Arab Gulf energy firms soared to US$23.7 billion in 2015, from just US$7.5 billion in 2014. In 2018, energy companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) borrowed nearly half of the total Arab energy firms debt US$9.1 billion out of the total US$19.4 billion. Companies in Omanthe largest Gulf producer who is not a member of OPECissued record debt in 2018at US$5.7 billion, mostly due to a US$4.6-billion project loan for a refinery at Duqm. But Saudi Aramco, the state oil firm of OPECs leading producer and leader of the Arab Gulf nations, Saudi Arabia, issued just US$150 million of debt, the lowest borrowing since 2014, according to Bloomberg estimates. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russia said Monday its security services had detained a US citizen in Moscow accused of spying, the latest in a series of espionage cases between Russia and the West. The FSB domestic security service said the American was arrested on Friday "while carrying out an act of espionage". A criminal case had been opened, the FSB said in a statement, under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code, which allows for prison sentences of up to 20 years. The statement identified the American in Russian, using a name that appeared to translate as Paul Whelan. In Washington, the State Department said it had been formally notified by Russia's foreign ministry and was seeking access to the detained American. "Russia's obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access. We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it," a State Department spokesperson said. Citing privacy considerations, the State Department declined to provide further details including the person's name. The arrest came with Moscow embroiled in a number of spy scandals with the West and after President Vladimir Putin accused Western nations of using espionage cases to try to undermine an increasingly powerful Russia. US intelligence services have accused Moscow of interfering in the 2016 presidential election and in December convicted Russian Maria Butina of acting as an illegal foreign agent. Butina faces up to six months in prison, followed by likely deportation. Prosecutors said she launched a plan in March 2015 to develop ties with the Republican Party with the aim of influencing US foreign policy. Russian military intelligence agents were also accused in the poisoning this year of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England. The Skripals survived but a local woman died after picking up a discarded perfume bottle that police think was used to carry out the attack. Relations between Russia and the West have hit a new low following the incidents, with the United States and Europe hitting Moscow with waves of sanctions over the spy scandals and the conflict in Ukraine. In his annual press conference this month, Putin said Western pressure was aimed at restraining a resurgent Russia. "There is only one aim: to hold back Russia's development as a possible competitor," he said. "This is connected with the growth of Russia's power." This December 28, 2018 satellite image obtained courtesy of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows severe weatherheavy snow and high windsin the US Midwest 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. Flight tracker FlightAware reported more than 129 flight cancellations and 1,006 delays Saturdaydown from more than 500 cancelations and 5,700 delays on Fridayas the winter storm hit north-central and Midwestern states with up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of snow. 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. Mother Nature's wrath 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. 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 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. Kansas, pictured here in 2013, was struck again with severe weather that police say caused a fatal car crash 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. 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." 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. Explore further Winter storms batter large swaths of US 2018 AFP James H. Morris is a retired professor of computer science and dean of the School of Computer Science as well as the Silicon Valley campus of Carnegie Mellon University. In a series of blogs for Pittsburgh Quarterly he writes about some of the computing pioneers he encountered during his career. Although he was less approachable than Alan Perlis or Allen Newell, Herb Simon was a significant presence in my undergraduate education. He could often be found in one of the card-punching rooms, happily creating his own programs with us. He gave beautifully clear and compelling lectures without notes or pictures. How to be creative, was the most memorable lecture of my undergraduate days. He described how Galileo seized a new tool, the microscope, to scan the heavens. He said that Newell and he were using computer programs, a new tool, to test psychological theories. He explained that chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer became so obsessed with chess that he had played more games by the age of 14 than anyone had ever played in a lifetime. Herbs general approach to creativity was to deny importance of talent and focus on the particular behaviors that led to success. This led him to uncover relatively simple mechanisms that created interesting, even intelligent behavior. It also fit perfectly with the Carnegie Institute of Technology motto, My heart is in the work, and the image of Pittsburgh. He seemed to be saying: Dont fret about how smart you are. Just work long and hard. Decades before Malcolm Gladwell, Simon declared that one had to spend 10 years to become world-class at anything. One of Simons other trenchant observations was that information was abundant while human attention was precious. He never read newspapers or magazines, let alone watch television. He certainly would have avoided the Internet. He said he depended on colleagues to inform him of any events worthy of his attention. In January, he might scan a dependable publication to review the events of the past year, in case he had missed anything. The only conversation I had with Simon during my undergrad days ended with him saying, Young man, you have Charles River fever. He had been trying to persuade me to enroll in his new psychology Ph.D. program rather than attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He and Newell were resentful of Harvard University and MITs preeminence and their automatic presumption of greatness. Newell once claimed that any professor who left Carnegie Mellon University became unproductive. Herb said my scientific career would be better if I stayed, and he was right. But I was anxious to extricate myself from Pittsburgh. Upon arriving at MIT I found the building where all of its the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency money went. I searched for and found the famous artificial intelligence pioneer, Marvin Minsky, sitting in front of a big computer studying a spiral pattern on its display. I introduced myself and said I had come from Carnegie Tech. He barely looked up. Apparently the presumption of greatness was about him, not me. MIT has a chillier atmosphere than Carnegie Mellon. Simon was combative about his ideas, especially artificial intelligence. He would berate any colleague who questioned his belief that machines could think. For several years he fought a war of dueling journal articles about one of his theories. In later years, at meetings of the computer science department, Herb would rail about the blindness of mathematicians. Mostly, he was dismayed that neoclassical economists had taken over his business school, ignoring his theory of bounded rationality. At one of my first faculty meetings I suggested that we consider hiring a visiting professor working on my project. I said he was a reasonable guy. Simon thundered, We dont want reasonable people. We want people who disrupt and redirect their fields. Ok, I said to myself, the next time, Ill say he walks on water in the presence of witnesses and deals lightening with both hands. Herb was all businessthe business of science, that isto the point of obtuseness. He began his eulogy to Allen Newell by saying, Allens first priority was to do science, so I think thats what Ill do today. He then launched into a lecture explaining some aspect of their theory of cognition. At a dinner party once, Simon heard a professors wife making casual small talk about some political issue that he deemed incorrect. He delivered a two-minute refutation of her observation causing an awkward silence. We invited Herb and his wife to one of the occasional Sunday lunches we held for groups of the faculty. He appeared late remarking, Dorthea is still at church, but I was at home working at the computer. I guess that is my god. At the memorial service honoring Herb after his death at 85, there were many speakers who he had hired and other who those people had hired, and so on. Simon had populated much of the university with brilliant, workaholic versions of himself. Over the course of 50 years, he had created a new university. It might never have happened if it werent for the charm of Northumberland Avenue. Let me explain: Herb had come to Carnegie Tech in 1949 with other future Nobel Prize winners to start the business school. They pioneered the scientific approach to business. When Stanford University and MIT got wind of it, they raided the business schools faculty. Only Simon stayed. I learned from Herbs autobiography that one of his great pleasures was walking to campus from his modest house on Northumberland. He was a crusty Midwesterner, skeptical of the fame-seeking denizens of the coasts. He once he said, I was never very famous, but famous scientists knew what I did. Simons impact on the world has been substantial. While Perlis had a 30-year goal of solving the programming bottleneck, Simon seems to have had a 100-year goal of recreating human intelligence with computers. Someone once suggested that a statue of him should join those of Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Galileo and Bach in front of Pittsburghs Carnegie Institute. At the time, I considered this a bit over the top, but now I dont. Artificial intelligence has gone from a conceit of science fiction to a reality, and finally to a challenge to humanity. Simon was not one to have misgivings about his creations, but I wonder what he would say today. Here is something he did say: The definition of mans uniqueness has always formed the kernel of his cosmological and ethical systems. With Copernicus and Galileo, he ceased to be the species located at the center of the universe, attended by sun and stars. With Darwin, he ceased to be the species created and specially endowed by God with soul and reason. With Freud, he ceased to be the species whose behavior was potentially governable by rational mind. As we begin to produce mechanisms that think and learn, he has ceased to be the species uniquely capable of complex, intelligent manipulation of his environment. I am confident that man will, as he has in the past, find a new way of describing his place in the universe a way that will satisfy his needs for dignity and for purpose. But it will be a way as different from the present one as was the Copernican from the Ptolemaic. This phrase, needs for dignity and purpose haunts me today when unemployment, opioid addiction, and death stalk American men. Maybe these dudes should get over the dignity thing by changing a few diapers. It is ironic that Carnegie Mellon, whose motto is My heart is in the work, is working so feverishly on artificial intelligence to eliminate work. A few of our colleagues, Seth Goldstein, Mark Kamlet, and Illah Nourbakhsh along with some in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute have approached Simons challenge to design the human future. 8 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 Assen Geshakov, a former journalist for both the Bulgarian and Russian Services of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), died on December 13 in Sofia, Bulgaria. He was 68. Between 1988 and 1991, Geshakov was the Moscow correspondent for Bulgarian Television and his reporting on perestroika and the Gorbachev-era reforms made him a household name across Bulgaria. Geshakovs interview with former KGB general Oleg Kalugin in 1991 was the first to shed light on the role played by the KGB in the murder of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov. Himself a journalist for Radio Free Europe, Markov was murdered in London in 1978. Kalugin revealed that the KGB had helped their Bulgarian colleagues by providing the technical tools for Markovs killing. In 1992, Geshakov joined the Bulgarian Service of RFE/RL in Munich and also regularly contributed analyses to the Russian Service. In 1995, he moved with RFE/RL to Prague and remained a host of the Bulgarian Services daily foreign policy show up until 2003, when broadcasting for Bulgaria was discontinued. In 2004-2005 he served as executive director of the Bulgarian National Television. Born into a family of journalists in Sofia, on December 5, 1950, Geshakov spent his first school years in Moscow where his father worked at the time. After graduating from the Faculty of Journalism in Sofia, he briefly worked for National Radio and joined National Television in 1978. In the 1980s he presented some of the most popular TV news programs in Bulgaria. Assen Gueshakov is survived by his wife, Julia, and his son Assen. Political temperature ran high in Sindh KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: Political temperature ran high in Sindh on Sunday as leaders from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) continued taking jibes at each other amid reports of the latter striving to extract support from allies and other like-minded lawmakers to bring in an in-house change in the province. PTI Sindh Chapter General Secretary and Parliamentary Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh told reporters in Ghotki that all options are open to bring a constitutional change in the Sindh Assembly. He said all constitutional means will be exercised to bring change in the assembly. Change will come soon the party has just started, he added, without elaborating. Sheikh said the contacts of PPP members with the PTI were increasing day by day and soon some big good news would be shared with the public. He said it was moral obligation of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to resign after facing charges in fake bank accounts case. He said the process of change has already begun, adding that soon the corrupt people will be held accountable for their misdeeds. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi claimed that the environment of fear in Sindh province was coming to an end as MPAs belonging to the ruling PPP were making contacts to join the PTI. Speaking to reporters in Karachi on Sunday, the minister said the ruling party in Sindh had destroyed health, education and other departments. However, the environment of fear is coming to an end as the masses can longer be fooled by wearing turbans and Sindhi caps, he added. He said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah should resign as his name appeared in the joint investigation teams report over fake bank accounts. Zardari sb, game over PPP MPAs want to get rid of you and are approaching us for a change, he remarked. The PPP, however, strongly reacted to any moves by the PTI to bring a change in Sindh Assembly. Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information and Archives, Law, and Anti-Corruption Establishment Barrister Murtaza Wahab along with Sindh Minister for Works and Services Syed Nasir Hussain Shah termed the efforts of the federal government of maligning the PPP leadership a political coup. They told a press conference at Bilawal House in Karachi that if the names of the leadership and the PPP ministers have been put on the ECL merely on the basis of cases pending against them, then, following the same pattern, the names of the prime minister, KP chief minister, defence minister and Aleem Khan should also be placed on the no-fly list. Wahab said PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari are being targeted just for exposing the inefficiencies, undemocratic conduct and anti-people policies of the federal government in the parliament. The names of those ministers who were not even summoned by the JIT have been put on the ECL, he said, adding that in total 850 persons were summoned by the JIT, out of which 750 appeared before it. He said neither the chief minister nor any other ministers were ever summoned by the JIT. Wahab said the history of the country is full of same vindictive tactics which are being used by the current federal government. Gossips of forward blocks are being chattered for the last whole decade. These are mere rumours time has proved that no elected member ever opted to leave the PPP, he said. The adviser avowed that the PPP will continue to rule the Sindh province. He advised the PTI members to go through the constitution of Pakistan thoroughly. Even after the clear directives of the Supreme Court in September 2018 about the confidentiality of the JIT report, the members of PTI kept on leaking the contents of the report. The question arises that even after those clear directives of the apex court, how the JIT report was leaked to the media, he wondered. In a separate development, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah called on Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and discussed JIT report and names of the party leaders placed on the ECL. On the occasion, Murad said he was being subjected to media trial through baseless allegations, adding that he is a chief minister elected by millions of people and that he cant even think of doing anything wrong. In an apparent bid to strengthen the anti-PPP camp Shah Mahmood Qureshi met Qatari PM in Doha Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and other top officials during a one-day trip to Doha on Sunday. In their meetings, the foreign minister and the Qatari officials discussed the overall regional situation, as well as the Afghan peace process. They also discussed increasing cooperation between Qatar and Pakistan in different fields, in addition to other regional and global issues. During his meeting with his Qatari counterpart, the Pakistans foreign minister discussed mutual relations. While admiring the capabilities of the existing Pakistani workers in Qatar, the Qatari foreign minister said soon they would provide more Pakistanis with employment opportunities in the Gulf state. The Qatari minister appreciated the positive role and effort of Pakistan in Afghanistan and regional stability. Noting that mutual trade between Qatar and Pakistan has increased over the past year, both foreign ministers agreed on further promoting trade. The visit comes a week after the foreign minister went on a four-nation tour on Monday as part of the governments policy of outreach in the neighbourhood. The Pakistani delegation also consisted of the foreign secretary and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Taliban rejected Kabul offer of talks in Saudi Arabia The Taliban have rejected Kabuls offer of talks next month in Saudi Arabia where they will meet US 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 US officials in Saudi Arabia in January next year and we will start our talks that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi, said a member of the Talibans Leadership Council. 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 Taliban have insisted on first reaching an agreement with the United States, which the group sees as the main force in Afghanistan since US-led forces toppled the Taliban government in 2001. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified after Taliban representatives started meeting US 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. Meanwhile, a Pentagon report has hinted at a favourable political settlement in Afghanistan despite challenges on multiple fronts, according to a media report on Sunday. The US Defence Department report released this week cited the effects of a recent military escalation coupled with diplomatic initiatives. 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 US 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. In August 2017, US President Donald Trump announced his administrations 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 US security. I share the American peoples 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 US interests. "I was Raped. And I Believe The Brock Turner Sentence Is a Success Story." | Main | "What to Know About the Death Penalty in 2018" January 4, 2018 DOJ casting new marijuana enforcement memo in terms of "rule of law" and "local control" Confirming morning reports, today Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued this new one-page memo to all US Attorneys on the topic of "Marijuana Enforcement." The memo rescinds the Cole and Ogden and related Obama-era enforcement memos (calling them "unnecessary"), and does so without announcing any formal or even informal new policy while saying DOJ's well-established general policies and principles for all federal prosecutions should govern. Notably, this press release issued with the new Sessions marijuana memo provides some of thematic justifications for his decision: The Department of Justice today issued a memo on federal marijuana enforcement policy announcing a return to the rule of law and the rescission of previous guidance documents.... In the memorandum, Attorney General Jeff Sessions directs all U.S. Attorneys to enforce the laws enacted by Congress and to follow well-established principles when pursuing prosecutions related to marijuana activities. This return to the rule of law is also a return of trust and local control to federal prosecutors who know where and how to deploy Justice Department resources most effectively to reduce violent crime, stem the tide of the drug crisis, and dismantle criminal gangs. "It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States, and the previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "Therefore, today's memo on federal marijuana enforcement simply directs all U.S. Attorneys to use previously established prosecutorial principles that provide them all the necessary tools to disrupt criminal organizations, tackle the growing drug crisis, and thwart violent crime across our country." Interestingly, this new AP article from Colorado, headlined "U.S. Attorney for Colorado: Status quo on marijuana enforcement," suggests local control could mean little or no change in some regions: The U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado said Thursday there will be no immediate changes in marijuana enforcement after Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded a policy that paved the way for legalized pot to flourish in states across the country. Today the Attorney General rescinded the Cole Memo on marijuana prosecutions, and directed that federal marijuana prosecution decisions be governed by the same principles that have long governed all of our prosecution decisions, U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer said. The United States Attorneys Office in Colorado has already been guided by these principles in marijuana prosecutions focusing in particular on identifying and prosecuting those who create the greatest safety threats to our communities around the state. We will, consistent with the Attorney Generals latest guidance, continue to take this approach in all of our work with our law enforcement partners throughout Colorado. It will be interesting to see whether a host of other US Attorneys will explain, in general or in detail, how they play to operationalize the "trust and local control" that AG Sessions says he has now given them. Related posts from here and MLP&R: January 4, 2018 at 03:35 PM | Permalink Comments I think the biggest change for this are regulated marijuana distributors are more likely to shut down out of fear of Federal drug distribution charges, while possession is likely to still be decriminalized. This means people are again more likely to turn towards illegal sources for marijuana production and distribution (i.e., organized crime). The only exception that is still out of the Attorney-General's hands is with Medical Marijuana. To my knowledge, the RohrabacherFarr amendment is still in effect for budgets, meaning the Federal government cannot use funds to prosecute medical marijuana cases, although that might change soon. Posted by: Erik M | Jan 4, 2018 6:04:29 PM This policy will bring opprobrium on the rule of law. I have standing to sue Sessions. I would do it to introduce the doctrine of regulatory quackery. This is not just ineffective, but a violation of the Fifth Amendment procedural due process right and a regulatory taking. It needs to be against public policy since it deprives many types of patietns patients of proven treatments. Posted by: David Behar | Jan 5, 2018 10:44:56 AM Such much for states' rights. Don't hold your breath waiting for the Federalist Society to condemn this. Posted by: John | Jan 5, 2018 11:45:08 AM This is all very interesting. The law is the law no matter what people say and the best attorneys understand this. Thank you for sharing. Posted by: Vincent McGee | Jan 4, 2019 6:56:36 PM Post a comment Candid confession of error on mandatory minimums from former Idaho Attorney General and Chief Justice | Main | SCOTUS back to work with remarkable split habeas ruling giving capital defendant another (long-shot?) chance to obtain relief January 7, 2018 Noticing the continued decline of the federal prison population (for now) ... and a story embedded with intricacies Over at the Washington Post's WonkBlog, Keith Humphreys has this important little discussion of the federal prison population under the headlined "The number of people in federal prisons is falling, even under Trump." Here are excerpts (with a few lines emphasized for some follow-up commentary): When states began shrinking their prison populations almost a decade ago, the federal prison system was still growing each year and thereby undermining progress in reducing mass incarceration. But in the past four years, the federal system has cut its inmate population by one-sixth, a decrease of over 35,000 prisoners. Because criminal justice is mainly the province of the states, the federal prison system holds only about 13 percent of U.S. inmates. Yet that is still a significant number of people in absolute terms: The system held 219,300 inmates at its peak in 2013. Four subsequent years of significant contraction dropped the federal inmate population to 184,000 by the end of 2017. Obama-era changes to drug crime prosecution and sentencing coupled with a historic level of clemency grants to federal inmates by President Barack Obama helped bring the federal prison system to its lowest population size since mid-2004 and its lowest incarceration rate (i.e., adjusted for population) since the end of 2002. Given President Trumps penchant for tough on crime rhetoric, some observers may find it surprising that the federal prison population kept dropping under the first year of the Trump administration. The most likely cause is also the most obvious. When a nation is blessed with two decades of falling crime rates, this eventually translates into lower incarceration rates because there just arent as many offenders to arrest, charge and imprison. Whether the federal prison population continues to decline will depend in part on Trump administration policies. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently reversed the Obama-era policy of avoiding mandatory minimum sentences in low-level drug cases, which could result in some future growth in the federal inmate population even if crime continues to fall. The other key determinant of the federal prison populations future is whether Trump will make use of his powers to pardon or commute the sentences of federal inmates. He only did so for one inmate this year, but that doesnt necessarily mean he wont grant more clemencies later. Though it is important and useful to notice that the federal prison population continued its downward trend in the first year of the Trump Administration, it is not quite accurate to attribute this reality to either "two decades of falling crime rates" or to Presidential commutation practices. For starters, we had falling crimes rates in the decade from 1992 through 2002, and yet the federal prison population more than doubled from less than 80,000 inmates in 1992 to more than 163,000 inmates in 2002. And we had another decade of falling crimes rates from 2002 through 2012, and yet the federal prison population rose another 55,000 inmates in that period. And, of course, crimes rates started ticking up significantly in 2015 and 2016. Moreover, and perhaps even more importantly, there is actually a very limited (and quite unclear) relationship between the FBI's reported reductions in violent and property crimes which is the data base for "falling crime rates" and the federal criminal caseload which is primarily made up of drug and immigration and firearm and fraud offenses. Indeed, in light of the empirics of the opioid crisis not to mention increased marijuana activity thanks to state legal reforms there is reason to speculate that federal drug offenses have actually been rising (perhaps significantly) in recent years. The dynamics surrounding recent crime rates for federal immigration and firearm and fraud offenses are hard to assess, but that very reality is part of the reason it is hard to link federal prison population changes to what we know (and do not know) about crime rates. But, without any doubt, there are still plenty of "offenders to arrest, charge and imprison" engaged in the activities that serve as the modern bread-and-butter of federal prosecution. Though there are a range of linkages between various crime rates and various federal prosecutorial policies and practices, it is very hard to see and measure and assess with any confidence how basic criminal offending (especially as to classic state crimes) may directly impact the size of federal prison populations. What we can effectively see and measure are changes in federal sentencing laws and federal prosecutorial practices, and these changes suggest a set of intricate stories help account for recent federal prison population changes. For starters, the US Sentencing Commission enacted a set of broad retroactive changes to the federal drug sentencing guidelines, with crack guideline reductions in 2007 and 2011 and the "Drugs -2" reductions in 2014. These changes reduced the sentences of, and is continuing to lead to the early release of, many thousands of federal prisoners. In addition, and perhaps even more statistically important for the very latest federal prison data, federal prosecutors after 2012 began decreasing dramatically the number of cases getting all the way to federal sentencing. According to US Sentencing Commission data, in Fiscal Year 2012, federal prosecutors brought over 84,000 cases to sentencing, whereas by Fiscal Year 2016, federal prosecutors brought fewer than 67,750 cases to sentencing. And, especially with a slow transition to new US Attorney positions, it may take some time for the new Attorney General to ramp up yearly federal prosecutions (assuming he even wishes to do so). In other words, the always dynamic stock and flow story of prison populations provides a somewhat more granular understanding of declines in the federal prison population. Changes to federal sentencing laws made retroactive has had a significant impact on the "stock" of federal prisons. (Prez Obama's commutations are a small part of this "stock" story, but not until they really got going in 2016, and in the end more than 25 federal prisoners got reduced sentences thanks to retroactive guideline changes for every prisoner who got a commutation from Prez Obama.) And while guideline changes were reducing the federal prison "stock," it seems the prosecutorial policies announced by Attorney General Holder in 2013 and perhaps other factors, including decreased national concerns about crime finally began to reduce what had previously been, for two decades, an ever-increasing federal prison "flow." I would predict that the May 2017 Sessions charging/sentencing memo could contribute, over time, to increasing both the stock and the flow of the federal prison population. But other directions coming from Main Justice might complicate this story. AG Sessions has urged US Attorneys to focus on violent crimes, and there may well be fewer of these cases to bring and they may take more time to prosecute than lower-level drug and gun and immigration cases. But, of course, the AG has also expressed concerns about drug and gun and immigration cases, and he has been seeking to hire and empower more federal prosecutors in certain arenas. I will be especially watching how all these developments ultimately impact the US Sentencing Commission's data on cases sentenced (and average sentence imposed) in order to try to predict where the federal prison population may be headed next. January 7, 2018 at 11:45 AM | Permalink Comments Police reports of crime sent to the FBI are political documents, subject to the orders of mayors and governors. They should not be used to measure the crime rate. Only standardized, household surveys of victimization are reliable. Obama "improved" their gold standard methodology to minimize crime by blacks. His changes should be reversed. The household survey is the sole reliable measurement. Here is the problem with the Survey. It measures 8 common law crimes. It needs to be updated to ask about internet and identity theft victimization. Rape should be clearly defined as rape rape, forcible rape. It should not reflect retaliatory and buyer's regret false allegations suborned by feminists. Posted by: David Behar | Jan 7, 2018 1:25:45 PM Is it a federal crime to attack a Senator? Here, pro-criminal Paul Rand discusses the result of his being attacked. Refuses to mention mental illness as the real cause. https://ijr.com/the-declaration/2018/01/1045557-rand-paul-speaks-attack-neighbor-says-injuries-suffered-left-living-hell/ California officials run down our country, fires. Carrie Underwood disrespects our country, a fall with bad facial injuries. Puerto Rico disrespects our country by voting for Hillary, Hurricane Maria. Coincidences? Posted by: David Behar | Jan 8, 2018 10:12:51 AM The Washington Post article quoted in this blog post mentions Obama's clemency grants as a factor contributing to reductions in the federal prison population. I don't think there is data to support the conclusion that Obama's clemency policy played a significant part in reducing the federal prison population. When viewed in the context of the total federal prison population (about 200,000 at the time), the number of clemency grants was small (about 1,000 as I recall). Moreover, a clemency grant did not necessarily immediately open the prison door. Some of the clemency grants converted life sentences into sentences to a term of years (typically, 20 years). Many of those who received this version of clemency (including an inmate whom I represented) are still in prison because they have years to serve before they will be released. Posted by: Late Inning Relief | Jan 8, 2018 3:18:04 PM Post a comment Trump White House expresses opposition to sentencing reform part of SRCA of 2017 | Main | "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli, facing decades under guidelines, seeks prison sentence of 12-18 months February 28, 2018 Entire First Circuit urges Supreme Court to revisit Harmelin's limits on Eighth Amendment challenges to extreme adult prison sentence A helpful reader made sure I did not miss the remarkable opinion emerging yesterday from the First Circuit in the form of a very lengthy concurrence in the denial of rehearing en banc in United States v. Rivera-Ruperto, No. 12-2364 (1st Cir. Feb 27, 2018) (available here). Last year I noted the panel opinion in this case in this post titled "Extended dissent laments First Circuit panel's rejection of Eighth Amendment attack on 160-year sentence for stash house participant." Interestingly, this time around all the First Circuit judges seem to be on the same page, deciding they lack authority to find Wendell Rivera-Ruperto's extreme sentence unconstitutional, but urging the Supreme Court to revisit the precedent they see as standing improperly in their way. Judge Barron's lengthy opinion is a must-read for Eighth Amendment fans, and it defies ready summary. To begin, Judge Barron explains why the analytical framework set by Solem v. Helm, 463 U.S. 277 (1983) would lead him to "find that Rivera's mandatory, more-than-century-long sentence was grossly disproportionate and thus in violation of the Eighth Amendment." But, continues Judge Barron, judges must further consider Harmelin v. Michigan, 501 U.S. 957 (1991), and "the Harmelin concurrence controls the outcome here, and ... does so by limiting our inquiry to a consideration of only Solem's first criterion." And, according to Judge Barron, ultimately judges "have no choice but to approve mandatory 'forever' sentences under 924(c) so long as they can hypothesize a rational reason for the legislature to have thought that the underlying criminal conduct was as serious as the large quantity drug possession at issue in Harmelin." After intricate analysis of these and other Eighth Amendment and related precedents, this remarkable opinion (which, again, was joined by all the First Circuit judges), concludes this way: Rivera faces the longest and most unforgiving possible prison sentence for conduct that, though serious, is not of the most serious kind. He does so not because the legislature had authorized its imposition and a judge had then considered all of the aggravating and mitigating circumstances and determined that this sentence was appropriate. He does so only because Congress has been deemed to have made a blanket judgment that even an offender like Rivera -- who has no prior criminal record and whose series of related crimes resulted in no harm to an identifiable victim -- should have no hope of ever living free. And he does so even though virtually every comparable jurisdiction punishes comparable criminal conduct less harshly, and even though the federal government itself punishes nearly the same or seemingly worse conduct more leniently. Almost three decades have now passed since the concurring Justices in Harmelin concluded, without reference to real-world comparative benchmarks, that the Eighth Amendment afforded the Michigan legislature the scope to try out what at the time was viewed as a permissible sentencing experiment to address a newly concerning crime problem. In those intervening decades, virtually no jurisdiction has been willing to replicate that state's experiment. In fact, even the state that the Harmelin concurrence permitted to try it has abandoned it. And yet the Harmelin concurrence still controls. In my view, a consequence as grave as the one that Harmelin requires in a case like this should have the imprimatur of more than only a nearly three-decade old, three-Justice concurrence. I thus urge the Supreme Court to consider whether the Eighth Amendment permits, at least in a case such as this, the mandatory stacking of sentences under 924(c) that -- due to their cumulative length -- necessarily results in the imposition of a mandatory sentence of life without parole. February 28, 2018 at 01:00 PM | Permalink Comments A crooked cop--multiple crimes--hmm. Harsh. Unconstitutional---hardly. Posted by: federalist | Feb 28, 2018 5:12:42 PM When the Bill of Rights were submitted to the states, Congress in part said: "THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution." Courts -- as noted in communication between Jefferson and Madison -- would play an important role here. Also, as compared to various things, judges do have some special skills and responsibility to consider this specific matter. The opinion here makes a strong case that Harmelin has not been applied the best way over the years. But, overall, the power of the words of the amendment have some force all the same beyond that, both when judges craft sentences and for others involved in the process. This includes prosecutors who choose who to should get what punishments and legislators when they draw up such laws. They all have a duty including when applying things that in practice are treated as mere political questions. Anyway, if this conduct warrants life in prison, it arguably somewhat waters down the force of such a punishment in other cases where the crime are more heinous. Even a range of murders, rapes etc. -- above and beyond as required by the Supreme Court -- doesn't get that (or execution) in many cases. Posted by: Joe | Mar 1, 2018 12:35:27 PM Nancy Leong Retweeted Joshua Matz [referencing this matter] This *is* an extraordinary development. As a former 1st Circuit clerk, I can confirm that even though there are only six judges they disagree about All The Things [and] My judge (Lipez) has taken senior status now but joined the concurrence because he was part of the original panel, which means that SEVEN of them agreed ZOMG Posted by: Joe | Mar 1, 2018 2:15:45 PM 8th Amendment jurisprudence is also important because the practice of executive clemency has atrophied for a variety of reasons, to almost nothing. Posted by: ohwilleke | Mar 1, 2018 7:23:05 PM Post a comment "Solitary Troubles" | Main | Prez Trump reportedly "would love to have a law to execute all drug dealers here in America" February 25, 2018 What a difference a DA can make: new Philly District Attorney taking new approach to juve lifer resentencings This recent local article, headlined "Why Philly DA Krasner could let 180+ juvenile lifers out of prison early," reports on the impact the recently elected Philadelphia prosecutor is having local cases demanding resentencing in the wake of the Supreme Court's Eighth Amendment ruling in Miller. Here are the details: Philadelphia has sentenced more teens to life in prison with no chance of parole than any other jurisdiction in the world and that meant it had the largest number to resentence after the U.S. Supreme Court two years ago ruled that its 2012 ban on mandatory life-without-parole sentences for minors must be applied retroactively. As of this week, 127 out of approximately 315 juvenile lifers from Philadelphia have been resentenced. For those whose cases are still in process, the election of District Attorney Larry Krasner appears to have immediately and dramatically changed the outlook. It means new deals are already on the table for 17 who had rejected offers made under the previous District Attorneys Office, which mostly stuck close to current state sentencing guidelines that set minimums at 35 years to life for first-degree murder and 30 to life for second-degree murder. The latest offers make all but two of the lifers eligible for parole right away; it would also keep them all on parole for life. Some set minimums as low as 21 years for first-degree murder. As for the remaining resentencings, Krasner said he intends to consider each case individually. Rather than relying on the sentencing guidelines, he said he would look to the historical, national and international context that has made Pennsylvania second in the nation in imposing life-without-parole sentences. We are being consistent as we do our duty, which is to consider all these unique factors in resentencing, he said. Its worth bearing in mind that Pennsylvania is an extreme outlier in excessive sentencing, and the United States is an extreme outlier in excessive sentencing. Whats unclear, however, is whether a Philadelphia judge will sign off on those agreements. At a recent status hearing, Common Pleas Judge Kathryn Streeter-Lewis, who is in charge of approving agreements in juvenile-lifer cases, asked the district attorney to submit briefs defending the deals legality in light of precedent-setting rulings by Pennsylvanias appellate courts in the case of Queed Batts, an Easton man who was 14 when he participated in a gang-related execution. In his case, the court acknowledged each judge has discretion to craft individualized minimum sentences, but said sentencing courts should be guided by current state law. I understand that there is a different administration, she said, but added, Some of these [offers] are very much below the guidelines the decision required. Im going to need some reasons. One such case involved Avery Talmadge, whos been locked up 22 years and was offered a time-served deal that in a departure from past practice for the District Attorneys Office contemplates whether the original conviction was even appropriate. The case was a street fight that turned into a shooting, Assistant District Attorney Chesley Lightsey told Streeter-Lewis. The [DAOs internal resentencing] committee believes this is closer to a third-degree, though it was a first-degree conviction. She said he also had an excellent prison record, reflecting the Supreme Courts underlying rationale that kids, while impulsive and immature, also have a great capacity for rehabilitation. Bradley Bridge of the Defender Association, which represents many of the lifers, believes the new offers will withstand judicial scrutiny and that of the public. Krasner, he said, sees the dangers of overincarceration and has come up with a meaningful solution. He has reevaluated offers and, consistent with the protection of the public, has recognized that new offers can take into account to a more significant degree the juveniles growth while in prison.... Krasner said offers hes approved so far have included minimums ranging between 40 years and just under 20 years. He declined to specify a floor for minimum sentences. I see no arbitrary number. We are approaching this the way the Anglo-American court system has approached these for centuries: on a case-by-case basis. February 25, 2018 at 08:06 PM | Permalink Comments You tell me not to give Nikolaus Cruz the death penalty cause he can have life without parole. Then you tell me that you want people like him (under 21) to be eligible for parole. You're the real monster. You can't stop lying. That's why we voted for Trump is cause he's not a nigger like you. Posted by: Father of dead florida student | Feb 25, 2018 8:28:35 PM Not sure to whom you are directing your invective toward, "Father of dead florida student", but I doubt a racist slur advances the point you hope to convey with your comment. Posted by: Doug B | Feb 25, 2018 9:49:26 PM Doug. Of course, black people are the biggest losers of the pro-criminal policy of Harvard Law School radicalized lawyers running the criminal justice system. Sad 17 innocents students lost their lives. However, your ilk assassinates an excess of 5000 black young people, every year. Your kind is 100 times more lethal to black males than the KKK. On top of this crime against humanity, your boy, Harvard Law School radicalized lawyer, Rod Rosenstein, Fergusons Baltimore, with a Draconian consent decree, basically shutting down the police. In Baltimore, say, boo, to a vicious predator, you get fired. The result? Hundreds of additional young black people have been murdered since that time. Who is the biggest racist, an upset father, or you Harvard Law School radicalized lawyers? You kill black people by the thousands a year, and by the hundreds of thousands over the decades. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 26, 2018 2:04:31 AM Krazy Krasner is lucky. The 1000 opioid overdose deaths in Philadelphia will allow him to claim success. With this death rate, far higher than the wildest dreams of proponents of the death penalty for all repeat office, his office is just irrelevant. Each death prevents 200 crimes a year, and the spawning of several criminals who will not commit 200 crimes a year. Crime may just disappear from Philadelphia under his administration. Krasner, Stanford Law School radicalized traitor to our nation, fired 30 prosecutors and replace them with his pals, equally pro-criminal lawyers as he is. These are all Black Lives Matter approved pro-criminal lawyers. These are at will employees subject to the whims of the political hacks running the office. Trump should have done the same at the Department of Justice. Of course, he will claim his policies are responsible for the drop in crime in this city. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 26, 2018 2:16:18 AM Doug, I would urge you to start moderating your comments. Your blog is excellent, and many attorneys practicing in criminal law read it. But your comments section is so dominated by trolls--the vast majority of whom seem not to be attorneys or otherwise to have any relevant professional expertise or insights about sentencing law--that thoughtful commenters don't participate. Posted by: Anon AFPD | Feb 26, 2018 12:11:43 PM I second Anon AFPD Posted by: John | Feb 26, 2018 1:54:05 PM He already has started to moderate though it strongly went against his inclinations. Baby steps. Posted by: Joe | Feb 26, 2018 2:10:05 PM Joe rightly realizes that, though I hate to censor anyone, I have taken to eliminating what strike me as the "worst of the worst" comments. I am certain that I will not delete nearly as many comments as some would wish, but limited time (and a limitless eagerness to give voice to all) shapes my efforts in this regard. Posted by: Doug B. | Feb 26, 2018 3:23:11 PM Prof. Berman will only remove pro-victim comments, never pro-criminal comments. The people above owe their jobs to the criminal. Any suggestion to suppress crime threatens their jobs. They need to disclose their economic self interest. Wait a few years. All of you will lose your jobs, as crime nearly disappears, from the opioid overdose epidemic. You will not be missed, since what you do is close to worthless to the public interest. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 27, 2018 6:47:15 AM Doug enjoys hearing from the Ambassador to the lawyer profession from the people of Earth. I bring facts, and shit from high school that was suppressed by the law school radicalization and indoctrination. I am interested in knowing if Doug took a course in Medieval Philosophy in college. Posted by: David Behar | Feb 27, 2018 8:12:02 AM Post a comment Will strong religious liberty advocates rally for Mennonite investigator jailed for refusing to testify in Colorado capital case? | Main | Prez Trump talks up "very strong" criminal penalties "with respect to the pushers and to the drug dealers" March 1, 2018 Prez Trump makes (tough) nominations to US Sentencing Commission Though there is much talk these days of Prez Trump and AG Jeff Sessions being at odds, the President today announced these new nominations to the US Sentencing Commission that I suspect are very much to the liking of Attorney General Sessions. Here are the basics, with lots of commentary to follow (in this post and perhaps others): Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to the United States Sentencing Commission: If confirmed, Judge William H. Pryor Jr. of Alabama will serve as the Chairman of the United States Sentencing Commission. Judge Bill Pryor serves as a Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and as Acting Chairman of the United States Sentencing Commission.... If confirmed, Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo of Pennsylvania will serve as a Commissioner of the United States Sentencing Commission. Judge Phil Restrepo serves as a Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Judge Restrepo was appointed to the Third Circuit in 2016 by President Barack Obama. Prior to his elevation to the Third Circuit, Judge Restrepo served for two and a half years as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, a post to which he was also nominated by President Obama. Prior to his service on the United States District Court, Judge Restrepo served for seven years as a United States Magistrate Judge, practiced privately, and served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. If confirmed, Judge Henry E. Hudson of Virginia will serve as a Commissioner of the United States Sentencing Commission. Judge Henry Hudson serves as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia. Judge Hudson was appointed to the United States District Court bench in 2002 by President George W. Bush. Before his appointment to the Federal bench, Judge Hudson served as a Virginia circuit judge for Fairfax County, Director of the United States Marshals Service, as the Senate-confirmed United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and as the elected Commonwealths Attorney for Arlington County, Virginia. If confirmed, William Graham Otis of Virginia will serve as a Commissioner of the United States Sentencing Commission. Bill Otis serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center. Before joining the faculty at Georgetown, Mr. Otis served in the Federal Government for 29 years. Over this period, Mr. Otis served as Counselor to the Administrator of Drug Enforcement Administration during the George W. Bush presidency, as an Assistant United States Attorney and Chief of the Appellate Division of the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (under both Democrat and Republican Administrations), and as Special Counsel to President George H.W. Bush. Regular readers may recall this post from August 2017 linking to a Wall Street Journal article reporting that "Attorney General Jeff Sessions is urging the White House to nominate a federal judge and tough-on-crime ex-prosecutor once nicknamed Hang Um High Henry Hudson" to the USSC. But regularly readers are likely even more familiar with the name Bill Otis, because he was once a regular commentor on this blog and has long been a prominent person who prominently shares his (tough-on-crime) sentencing perspectives in many media. I have to guess that AG Sessions was also happy to see Bill's name on this list as well (and I have already noticed on twitter a few folks who are not happy to see Bill's name on this list). I am personally very friendly with Bill Otis (and his famous wife), and we have spent considerable time disagreeing on many sentencing matters without being too disagreeable. I also suspect AG Sessions is also quite pleased to see his Alabama pal, Judge Bill Pryor, getting officially tapped to serve as Chair of the US Sentencing Commission (which he has been serving as in the acting capacity for over a year). I have long been intrigued and impressed by Judge Pryor's views on a range of sentencing issues, and I have been particularly pleased with the many kinds of new data reports the USSC has been producing during his short time as Chair. Last but not least, though I do not know too much about Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo, I am pleased to see a former defense attorney named to the USSC to balance out all the potent new prosecutorial perspectives. I am not sure if this "slate" of nominations have already been in some way blessed or vetted by key members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but I am sure that the nomination of Judge Restrepo may well be intended as, and may rightly be seen as, one way to get Senators on both sides of the aisle to be comfortable with all of these nominees. March 1, 2018 at 02:30 PM | Permalink Comments It's fairly good policy to include at least one person the "other side" would find appealing & those other three are rather strong on the other side. I gather there might even be a few Republicans who would be wary about "Hang um High" sorts or those (recalling one back/forth I had) strongly thinking marijuana should be criminalized. Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo's Wikipedia page is promising. Posted by: Joe | Mar 1, 2018 3:04:24 PM Bill is familiar with the points I have been trying to make here, and many others from my Facebook postings. For example, I would like the DOJ to seize Facebook/Google/Microsoft/Twitter in civil forfeiture. Millions of crime have been committed on their platforms. Anti-trust claims are a complete waste of time and money. Then auction them off like the Ferrari of a drug dealer. Posted by: David Behar | Mar 1, 2018 4:09:39 PM You wont see any drug mandatories or levels of reduction in the guidelines with a Commission with these dudes aboard. All aboard right back to 1986 here we go. Maybe Trump will dump Mr Magoo in one of his latest rants. Posted by: MidWestGuy | Mar 1, 2018 5:16:00 PM As a victim person, I am gratified by the Otis nomination. He was the sole licensed lawyer here, who advocated for the real victim right to not be victimized. Federalist is a licensed lawyer but is in another specialty. Posted by: David Behar | Mar 1, 2018 10:51:02 PM Post a comment "Will the Supreme Court Rein in Civil Forfeiture?" | Main | SCOTUS examining reach of restitution awards under MVRA in Lagos v. United States April 18, 2018 How many federal prisoners may have Dimaya claims and how many procedural challenges will they face raising them? The big Supreme Court vagueness ruling in Sessions v. Dimaya, No. 15-1498 (S. Ct. April 17, 2018) (available here), is properly being discussed as a significant immigration ruling: the Justice were considering (and struck down as vague) how Congress defined an offense of violence in 18 U.S.C. 16(b) in a case involving a alien subject to deportation for committing a certain kind of crime. But, critically, the now-unconstitutional definition of a "crime of violence" in 16(b) is referenced throughout the federal criminal code within various criminal offenses and sentence enhancements. And, notably, definitional language identical to 16(b) appears in 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(3)(B), which is part of a statute that adds significant amounts of prison time for any possession or use of a gun in connection with a crime of violence. In other words, as the title of this post suggests, there are certainly some number of persons serving federal prison time based on a definition of a "crime of violence" deemed unconstitutionally vague in Dimaya. But, as my post title suggests, it is hard to know how many federal prisoners have viable Dimaya claims, while it is easy to know that all prisoners will face an array of possible procedural headaches when trying now to raise Dimaya claims. Helpfully, Leah Litman thoroughly covers, in this lengthy new Harvard Law Review blog posting, the array of procedural hurdles that Dimaya defendants are likely to face. Here is how her extended piece starts and ends: The Supreme Court decided Sessions v. Dimaya and struck down the federal definition of crime of violence as unconstitutionally vague. The statute, section 16(b) (along with its very analogous cousin, section 924(c)), has meaningfully contributed to mass incarceration, racial disparities in sentencing, and excessive sentencing at the federal level. Dimaya recognized that section 16(b) did so in part through sprawling, amorphous phrasing that could be interpreted and applied in capricious and largely unbounded ways to expand the category of crime of violence. The impact of the Dimaya decision is potentially enormous, both for deportations (the case before the Court) and for criminal sentences.... Whether Dimaya rights wrongful convictions will depend on how courts interpret a slew of procedural restrictions on federal resentencing and federal post-conviction review.... Dimaya spoke of lesson[s] so hard learned from Johnson and the ACCA debacle that Johnson corrected. But another lesson that was hard learned from Johnson is that Johnson, or in this case Dimaya, will just be the beginning. Whether those decisions will ultimately benefit the individuals who are currently wrongly incarcerated will depend on what comes next, and specifically on how courts interpret the many draconian restrictions on post-conviction review. April 18, 2018 at 01:22 AM | Permalink Comments I have one pending in SDOH. Posted by: ? | Apr 18, 2018 8:53:08 AM The 11th Circuit will continue to place obstacles in the path of those seeking relief. One of the biggest issues, and one deserving of attention from lawyers and bloggers alike, is that the circuit deems opinions on denial of leave to file a second or successive habeas petition as binding precedent for future merits panels. They do so despite their tight deadine for resolving those petitions for leave and the fact that they are filed on a form, usually without full briefing, and often by pro se prisoners without benefit of counsel. That is not a recipe for fully fleshing out the intricate legal arguments that can affect so many prisoners. For those decisions to be binding precdedent does not improve the law or the people's faith in the fairness of our system of justice. Posted by: defendergirl | Apr 18, 2018 11:35:45 AM Good day all, I have a question in regards to all the talk surrounding Dimaya. What avenue is available to preserve the decision with Dimaya if the prisoner has already utilized their direct appeal, 2255, request for COA (denied), and submitted also to the Supreme Court (denied, too). Curious especially since the Supreme Court has YET to decide if Dimaya will be retroactive. Thank you! Posted by: Adrianna Guzman | Jun 20, 2018 12:50:24 PM Post a comment Recommending FAMM's great new report "Everywhere and Nowhere: Compassionate Release in the States" | Main | Just a few Justice Kennedy sentencing jurisprudence highlights June 27, 2018 Justice Anthony Kennedy has announced his retirement ... which means a lot for the future of sentencing jurisprudence and so much more After a few years of speculation, Justice Anthony Kennedy has now finally announced his retirement. This is huge news for all areas of law, and starts another round of speculation about who Prez Trump will name to replace him on the Court. Here is a USA Today story with some context: Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring, giving President Trump and Senate Republicans an opportunity to create a solidly conservative court that could last for decades. Kennedy's long-rumored decision to step down July 31 will touch off a titanic battle between conservatives and liberals in the nation's capital, on the airwaves, and in states represented by key senators whose votes will be needed to confirm his successor. Kennedy, 81, has held the most important seat on the court for more than a decade: He is the swing vote on issues ranging from abortion and affirmative action to gay rights and capital punishment, often siding with the courts more liberal justices.... Kennedys departure will leave a hole in the middle of the court that Republicans are eager to fill with a more reliable conservative. Trump has said he would choose from a list of 25 potential nominees assembled with the help of the conservative Federalist Society and Heritage Foundation. That list was expanded in November to include Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit a front-runner for the seat who, like Gorsuch, once clerked for Kennedy.... Among the other judges on Trumps list most often mentioned as potential Kennedy replacements are Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania, who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, and Raymond Kethledge of Michigan, who serves on the 6th Circuit. More intriguing are fresh faces such as newly confirmed federal appeals court judges Amy Coney Barrett of Indiana and Amul Thapar of Kentucky. Kennedys ultimate decision to wait until 2018 gave the Supreme Court time to settle into a new pattern with Gorsuch shoring up its right flank. Had he waited until next year, it would have given Democrats a chance to regain the Senate majority this November and block Trump's nominee. Republicans have a 51-seat majority now, giving them the ability to withstand Democratic opposition. The traditional 60-vote threshold for high court nominees was abolished last April when Democrats threatened to block Gorsuchs confirmation, prompting Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to push through a rules change allowing justices to be confirmed with simple majority votes. Still, the upcoming battle over Kennedys replacement is certain to be one of the most intense ever, with conservative and liberal interest groups poised to spend tens of millions of dollars in advertising and grass-roots activity. Much of the liberals effort likely will focus on moderate GOP senators such as Maines Susan Collins and Alaskas Lisa Murkowski, who might be wary of adding a hard-line conservative and risking decades-old precedents such as Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in 1973. Conservatives will focus on moderate Democrats running for re-election in Trump country, such as Indiana's Joe Donnelly, North Dakota's Heidi Heitkamp and West Virginia's Joe Manchin. That battle is likely to play out over the next few months. Republicans are determined to fill Kennedys seat before the courts 2018 term begins in October, as well as the November elections. This USA Today piece rightly mentions capital punishment as an area in which Justice Kennedy has often been a swing vote, and that might be expanded to include Eighth Amendment jurisprudence more generally in light of his decisions in Graham and Miller and Montgomery. Justice Kennedy has also tended to be a key fifth vote on non-constitutional issues as well, though he has generally been (along with Justice Breyer) a long-standing opponents to criminal defendants' Sixth Amendment rights as articulated in the Apprendi-Blakely line of cases. In some coming posts, I will review some of Justice Kennedy's biggest sentencing opinions as well as some of the sentencing history of some of the top candidates to replace him. But for now I will be content to thank Justice Kennedy for his service and to wish him a happy and healthy retirement. June 27, 2018 at 02:13 PM | Permalink Comments Post a comment "Safe Injection Sites and the Federal 'Crack House' Statute" | Main | New Pew issue brief reviews probation and parole in the US September 25, 2018 Bill Cosby gets 3 to 10 years of state imprisonment with no bail pending appeal As reported in this USA Today article, headlined "Bill Cosby sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison, remanded to custody immediately," a high-profile sentencing ended in a high-profile defendant going directly to prison. Here are some of the details: A handcuffed Bill Cosby was immediately taken into custody Tuesday after a Montgomery County judge sentenced him to three to 10 years in state prison for the sexual assault of Andrea Constand. It is time for justice. Mr. Cosby, this has all circled back to you. The time has come, Judge Steven ONeill told the convicted sex offender, denying his request for bail pending appeal and ordering him into immediate custody. He quoted from Constands statement to the court, in which she said Cosby took her "beautiful, young spirit and crushed it. After the sentencing, Cosby removed his jacket, tie and watch before being taken away in handcuffs, an officer holding his arm. He did not respond to a reporter's request for comment. Cosby publicist Andrew Wyatt issued a fiery retort outside the courthouse, saying Cosby was denied a fair trial and calling the proceeding "the most racist and sexist trial in the history of the United States." He cast blame on District Attorney Kevin Steele; a "racist and sexist mass media"; and three white female psychologists "who make money off of accusing black men of being sexual predators."... Before announcing Cosby's prison term, O'Neill ruled that he would be designated a "sexually violent predator," requiring that he register as a sex offender and undergo counseling for the rest of his life after his release from prison. Cosby was fined $25,000 and ordered to pay court costs. The sentence is in line with the one sought by Steele, who asked ONeill to impose a prison term of five to 10 years after Cosby's conviction in April on charges he drugged and sexually assaulted Constand in 2004. A defense attorney had asked that Cosby, 81, be spared a prison term, citing his age and frailty.... Cosbys lawyers asked that he be allowed to remain free on bail, but the judge appeared incredulous over the request and said he would not treat the celebrity any differently from others. At a post-trial news conference, Steele said justice had finally been served, calling the sentence "fair and significant." Its been a long time coming, but (justice) arrived when a convicted felon named William H. Cosby Jr. left the courtroom in handcuffs, headed off to state prison for his crimes," he said. "Its been a long wait for our victim, Andrea Constand, as it has for the other women who have endured similar sexual assaults and rapes at the hands of the defendant. He said Cosby's fame, fortune and popularity helped him create a deceptive image. For decades, the defendant has been able to hide his true self and hide his crimes using his fame and fortune. Hes hidden behind a character, Dr. Cliff Huxtable (of "The Cosby Show"). It was a seminal character on TV and so was the family, but it was fiction," Steele said. "Now, finally, Bill Cosby has been unmasked, and we have seen the real man as he is headed off to prison." Prior related posts: September 25, 2018 at 06:32 PM | Permalink Comments It would be awesome if Cosby would use some of his cash to put hits on many people who support the Registries and have them murdered. That is the direction the "$EX offender" witch hunt needs to go. America needs to keep devolving asap. Posted by: FRegistryTerrorists | Sep 25, 2018 9:38:19 PM Will Cosby be able to use his name and resources to strengthen the prisoner strikes that have been spreading to several prisons nationwide ? Yes, he did a terrible crime and has to be punished for it, but the legal system's racism and sexism needs to be actively opposed. Posted by: william r. delzell | Sep 26, 2018 9:23:00 AM william r. delzell (Sep 26, 2018 9:23:00 AM): I would not assume that Cosby "did a terrible crime" unless I researched it very carefully and came to that conclusion myself. We all know how juries convict innocent people all the time. And how so, so many people who supposedly care about justice actually don't care about it at all as long as they are getting their jollies convicting people. Posted by: FRegistryTerrorists | Sep 26, 2018 12:08:14 PM They just had an interview on DEMOCRACY NOW! where they interviewed the plaintiffs, several of whom were black. One of the black plaintiffs against Cosby denied that racism had anything to do with his conviction as a greater disproportion of his victims were black. She explained how the rape adversely affected her life and finances. She was not your typical right-wing white woman like Phyllis Schlafly or Linda Fairstein, which made her testimony more credible than many's. I do agree with you about Megan's Law as that is a post-punishment measure that supposedly is not punitive even though it is. If he was on parole before his sentence expired, that would be one thing to make him register, but once his sentence expires, then one should not have to register. It does not protect the victims and ties the polices' hands who could be doing other things. Posted by: william r. delzell | Sep 26, 2018 2:33:13 PM william r. delzell (Sep 26, 2018 2:33:13 PM): "Plaintiffs"? No matter, I got your point. I haven't followed the case at all. I don't have enough time to invest in it to even really get a somewhat valid, informed opinion. That won't stop most other people from having an opinion of course, but that's not me. The thing that kills a victims credibility for me is when they later file a civil lawsuit and go after money. If I don't know anything about a case then I really, really, really start to wonder. It would be great if a victim would think, say, and do, "I got you put in prison, which you rightly deserve, and I don't want a damn other thing from you." But I'm not going to say how people should react. I would probably sue someone just to harm them. But I also really do think though that far, far too many people want to blame all of their life problems on something, anything, other than themselves. So they will think an abuser owes them something beyond prison. Lastly, the Registries don't protect anyone. But they really harm all of America and pretty much everyone in it. So it doesn't matter if a person is on parole or probation - no one should be listed on a Registry. And after probation or parole, forget about it. No decent American can support that. But I will say that law enforcement personnel who are talented, knowledgeable, and good, know that the Registries are a waste of time and resources. So they don't waste much time on them. They have some clerks taking all of the information and all that but that is about it. The more time that someone wastes on the Registries, the more that you know that they are incompetent. Posted by: FRegistryTerrorists | Sep 26, 2018 6:32:53 PM This conviction and sentence is a travesty. Was not the main accuser in a long term relationship with Cosby? Was he not promised that if he gave a deposition on another matter that it would never be used in any other matter? What happened to that evidence? What happened to those promises? In other words, what happened to Justice in America? Evidently,if you were sexual then you are stripped of every single tenet of English/American Jurisprudence immediately. These tyrants and imbeciles who are doing this? Reap the whirlwind. Posted by: restless94110 | Sep 26, 2018 7:35:19 PM I feel the need to clarify my statement of, "So they will think an abuser owes them something beyond prison." An abuser probably does owe their victim more than just a prison sentence. I didn't mean that. I meant that I think in most cases that it is BS to a large degree when a person says they were $EXUALLY abused as a child and that destroyed their whole life. Usually, the person themselves destroyed their whole life and they want to blame it on something else. Not saying that it doesn't negatively affect people. I was a child victim. Only thing I was really trying to say is that if I don't know about a case then I really start to wonder about the motives the SECOND that someone starts going after money. We know people are terrible enough to commit $EX crimes. Everyone SHOULD know that people are terrible enough to falsely accuse someone of $EX crimes only so they can get money. Everyone should know that. Especially people sitting on juries. Posted by: FRegistryTerrorists | Sep 27, 2018 9:20:59 AM Post a comment Former Illinois Gov Rod Blagojevich makes "plea for prison reform" | Main | A bunch of Dimaya GVRs and a hundreds of criminal case cert denials in first SCOTUS order list of October Term 2018 October 1, 2018 California reduces reach of its broad felony-murder law, and provides for retroactive sentence reductions accordingly In my Criminal Law class, we just finished a unit on mens rea and are about to start on homicide laws. This interesting legal news out of California, headlined "California sets new limits on who can be charged with felony murder," comes at a very convenient time for me. Much more importantly, the law might mean less time in prison for others who got convicted of murder despite having no intent to kill. Here are the basic details: Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation on Sunday that limits who can be prosecuted for felony murder to those who commit or intend to commit a killing. The new law, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, scales back Californias current felony murder rule, which allows defendants to be convicted of first-degree murder if a victim dies during the commission of a felony even if the defendant did not intend to kill, or did not know a homicide took place. For defendants facing prosecution for the crime, the new law could mean a shot at less time in prison. Hundreds of inmates serving time will be able to petition the court for a reduced sentence. The new felony murder law, a bipartisan proposal co-authored by Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Sen. Joel Anderson (R-Alpine), is among a series of criminal justice policies enacted under the Brown administration to reduce the numbers of those incarcerated, and give prisoners more chances of early release and services to better prepare them to enter society. State lawmakers this legislative session also eliminated the use of money bail and reduced punishment for teens under 15. Defense lawyers and other supporters say the new prosecution standards requiring proof of intent will make the states felony murder law similar to how prosecutors charge other crimes. Cases in which an officer was killed will not be subject to the new law, which goes into effect on Jan. 1. But law enforcement groups opposed the changes, arguing it could lead to more violent people on the streets.... Lawmakers who supported Senate Bill 1437 called the states felony murder law archaic and blamed it for disproportionately long sentences imposed on people who did not kill anyone. A 2018 survey that found 72% of women serving a life sentence for felony murder in California did not commit the homicide. The average age of people charged and sentenced under the statute was 20, according to the report from the Anti-Recidivism Coalition and Restore Justice, a nonprofit that helps offenders reenter society.... On Sunday, Skinner called the law a historic and reasonable fix, bringing California in line with other states such as Arkansas, Kentucky, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan that have narrowed the scope of their felony murder rules. Californias murder statute irrationally treated people who did not commit murder the same as those who did, she said in a statement released Sunday. SB 1437 makes clear there is a distinction, reserving the harshest punishment to those who directly participate in the death. October 1, 2018 at 08:51 AM | Permalink Comments If there is a meaningful way to distinguish degrees of culpability, I think it could make sense to have different degrees of felony murder. For example, a getaway driver who was genuinely unaware a murder occurred should still serve time because of the murder, but maybe something like 5-10 years instead of life. But rather than the State having to prove that you have a high level of culpability, I think it would make more sense if it worked like a partial affirmative defense. Just as self defense is a complete defense to murder, but you have to explain what happened to claim it, this could be a partial defense, but you have to explain what happened in order to claim it. That would include testifying against co-defendants. I imagine this wouldn't be a popular opinion with Doug. But if you want the benefit of reduced culpability, it seems to me perfectly reasonable to have a corresponding responsibility to help the State understand what happened and to act against those who have greater culpability. Posted by: William Jockusch | Oct 4, 2018 12:21:12 AM Post a comment 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... Spotlighting how FIRST STEP Act implementation challenges and uncertainty has already begun | Main | A hasty review of the SL&P year that was 2018 I have had the great honor and pleasure for many years now of working with folks at the Aleph Institute, a national nonprofit that works on various criminal justice reform and recidivism reduction efforts. Hanna Liebman Dershowitz, who is director of special projects for the alternative sentencing division of the Aleph Institute, has this new New York Law Journal piece headlined "Our Country Grapples With Deepest Challenges Around Sentencing," discussing work on alternatives to incarceration and an event on the topic in the works for summer 2019. Here is an excerpt: The nonprofit I work with, the Aleph Institute, harbors a vision we call Rewriting the Sentence, wherein the cultural and political shift that has already taken hold in this country produces a complete reordering of our punishment priorities. Once this shift is complete, we would view incarceration and other separation from community only as an option among many to be used sparingly, only when needed. At present, we are such an outlying world incarcerator that we rank with the most heartless regimes on the planet. It always bears repeating that we are not 5% of the world population and yet are responsible for almost a quarter of the worlds imprisoned population. Across history, incarceration has not always dominated the punishment landscape indeed, in Biblical law there is no such punishment as incarceration because of the inhumane collateral damage it wreaks. We at Aleph think there are often legal and humanitarian reasons for the avoidance of custodial methods of correction at every stage of our system from bail reform and law enforcement assisted diversion upfront to diversion programs, specialty courts and sentencing advocacy at the disposition stage to clemency, reentry support and compassionate release toward the back. A system that uses evidence-based tools at each stage can deliver the optimal levels of supervision and services to allow each person to thrive and stay out of trouble. Ideally and I truly get that all of this sounds idealistic we can use freed-up incarceration resources to support healthy communities, understanding that equity and thriving neighborhoods are the best prevention tools for crime. What Aleph has learned from delivering care and support to thousands of individuals and families in prisons and jails all over the country for decades is that helping people function better is superior to an outmoded and misguided approach that inexorably leads to negative results, especially for the children left behind. Heres why I am not idealistic, but actually a pragmatist. If we dont envision how we want the system to work, we will continue to incarcerate people none of us ever intended to incarcerate and to not know who we are incarcerating in a meaningful way..... Why do I think I will see a true culture change in my lifetime on alternatives to incarceration too? Because we are already seeing the seeds of the change, to wit: in a recent meeting with the chief of alternatives for a major metropolitan district attorney, I was told that in recent years incoming prosecutors ask whether there are alternatives they can offer to defendants. In a decade, perhaps they will expect them. So policy wonks and idealists alike, please stay tuned as we seek to rewrite a legacy of sentencing myopia. Aleph is convening criminal justice stakeholders next June at Columbia Law School for the Rewriting the Sentence 2019 Summit, and we will announce significant new initiatives thereafter. For more information, please visit askssummit.com. If you and your spouse have mutually and amicably agreed to end your marriage and have also agreed on issues like division of assets and child custody matters (if applicable), you may consider the option of getting an online divorce. Online divorces may be a more discreet and convenient wayThe post Online Divorce in Singapore: How It Works and Should You Get One? appeared first on SingaporeLegalAdvice.com. If you and your spouse have mutually and amicably agreed to end your marriage and have also agreed on issues like division of assets and child custody matters (if applicable), you may consider the option of getting an online divorce. Online divorces may be a more discreet and convenient way of getting a divorce. This article will explain what you need to know about getting an online divorce in Singapore, and highlight some key considerations for you to bear in mind before doing so. What are the Requirements for Getting an Online Divorce? To get an online divorce, you must still meet the legal requirements as you would if you were filing for a divorce in court through the usual divorce proceedings. First, either you or your spouse must be domiciled in Singapore (i.e. you reside in Singapore and intend to live here indefinitely) at the point of getting an online divorce or habitually resident in Singapore for at least 3 years, prior to the online divorce. In addition, you and your spouse must have been married for at least 3 years, unless the party filing for divorce has suffered exceptional hardship or exceptionally unreasonable and cruel behaviour. Next, you must also meet the legal ground for obtaining a divorce in Singapore, i.e. you must prove that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. This must be due to one or more of the following reasons under section 95(3) of the Womens Charter, namely: That your spouse has committed adultery, and you find it intolerable to live with him or her That your spouse has behaved in such a way that you cannot reasonably be expected to live with him or her That your spouse has deserted you for at least 2 years If your spouse agrees to the divorce, that you and your spouse have been separated for at least 3 years If your spouse does not agree to the divorce, that you and your spouse have been separated for at least 4 years. Do note that if you were married under Muslim law, these requirements may not be applicable and you may not be able to get an online divorce. You may wish to refer to our article on the requirements for a Muslim divorce instead. Story continues What Should I Consider Prior to Filing for an Online Divorce? Some considerations that you might wish to bear in mind in deciding whether or not you wish to file for an online divorce include: Is the divorce contested or uncontested? Online divorces are generally more suitable for simplified uncontested divorces, where you and your spouse would have reached a consensus on all issues to the divorce before filing for divorce. This means that the proceedings are relatively straightforward and to save time and costs (of court hearings and divorce lawyer fees), you can elect for an online divorce by completing the relevant forms and have the divorce documents prepared and sent to you before bringing the proceedings to a close. On the other hand, contested divorce proceedings can be complex and unsuited for an online divorce. If a divorce is contested, this means that at least one issue of the divorce still needs to be resolved between you and your spouse. Such issues can include, child custody and access, or the division of property and assets. In contested divorce proceedings, you and your spouse will have to attend trial and provide evidence to support your respective cases on how these issues should be resolved. This cannot be done via online divorce forms. In addition to resolving these issues, you and your spouse may need to hire a divorce lawyer to represent you throughout the court proceedings to protect your respective interests, and those of your children, if any. Please refer to our other article for a more detailed explanation on the differences between simplified uncontested divorce and contested divorce. How much will the divorce cost me? The cost of getting an online divorce is also an important factor for consideration. Currently, the cheapest option for an online divorce costs S$599. However, this cost excludes court filing, processing and transmission fees, for the various documents and orders that need to be filed. These costs can add up to between S$400 to S$500 on average, which means the total cost for getting an online divorce would be approximately S$1,000. When you add the sums together, the total amount for getting an online divorce is quite comparable to the cheapest traditional simplified uncontested divorce option, which averages approximately S$1,500 to S$2,000. What Does an Online Divorce Entail? Online divorce services help with generating divorce documents and commencing divorce proceedings without the need to go to court, which can be time-consuming and costly. Typically, for most online divorce platforms, you are first required to complete a short form to determine your eligibility for getting an online divorce. In other words, you will need to meet the legal requirements for getting a divorce in Singapore as well as the online requirement that the divorce is uncontested (as discussed above). If you satisfy the eligibility requirements, you will be directed to an online form that you will have to complete using you and your spouses personal particulars as well as the particulars of your marriage (e.g. marriage certificate number and date of solemnisation). Depending on the online divorce service, the information that you provide may be used by the lawyers to prepare the relevant divorce documents. Alternatively, the divorce documents may be generated as soon as you complete the relevant online forms, which you can then immediately access online. These documents include: Writ for Divorce: this is the document that you would file in court if you are initiating the divorce against your spouse. This document formally initiates the divorce proceedings; Statement of Claim: this specifies the reason why you are seeking the divorce, such as adultery or unreasonable behaviour for example; and Statement of Particulars: this gives further details of the ground for divorce indicated in your Statement of Claim. Some online divorce services may require you to file the divorce documents yourself in order for your divorce to be finalised. Alternatively, other online divorce services may file your divorce documents on your behalf. Is an Online Divorce Legally Recognised? Yes, online divorces are legally recognised by Singapore courts. This is because the documents and court orders are identical to those that are filed in traditional divorce proceedings. What are the Options for Getting an Online Divorce in Singapore? The table below summarises some of the current options available in Singapore for getting an online divorce: Divorce Bureau How does it work? Divorce Bureau employs a 3-step process to file for a divorce online. First, you will need to determine your eligibility for an online divorce. You can then use the online portal to complete an online information form to create the divorce documents. This form will require you to include your personal details and those of your marriage to your spouse. Once the online form is completed, the divorce documents will be generated and you will be able to access them online. You are required to file the divorce documents with the Family Justice Courts yourself. How much does it cost? The cost is S$599 nett to prepare the documents once you have submitted you and your spouses and marriage particulars. The platform also offers the option of a PLUS service at an at additional cost of S$380. This amount covers the filing fees for filing the papers in court on your behalf. However, this does not other third-party charges (e.g. bankruptcy search fees to determine the financial status of your spouse). There is also an option to get legal advice on a per-session basis from a senior lawyer. This is available at S$150 nett per session as another add-on service. PKWA Law How does it work? PKWA Law employs a 4-step process. You will first need to complete an online form to determine your eligibility for an online divorce. Once you have determined your eligibility, you are required to complete a form with you and your spouses personal and marriage particulars. Once the online form has been submitted, you can book an appointment with PKWA Law to verify the information that has been provided. This will also give you the opportunity to raise any concerns or questions that you might have about getting an online divorce and the relevant processes and procedures involved. The final stage is where you will receive the divorce documents at your mailing address, which you are then required to file in court yourself. How much does it cost? A fixed fee package is available for simplified uncontested divorces. If there are no children, property or maintenance issues (i.e. ancillary issues) involved, the cost is S$1,500 (excluding GST). If there are children, property or maintenance issues involved, the cost is S$2,500 (excluding GST). Law.com.sg How does it work? At Law.com.sg, you are required to complete and submit an online form. You will then be contacted by a divorce lawyer who will assist you with the next steps in the divorce proceedings and who will subsequently represent you in your divorce proceedings. How much does it cost? The website allows you to complete an online divorce quote form, where you will receive an estimated quotation on how much the online divorce proceedings would cost. The options set out above are summarised in the table below: Platform How does the service work? How much does the service cost? Will you be legally represented? Divorce Bureau Through a 3-step process: S$599 nett for online divorce service only No PKWA Law Through a 4-step process: S$1,500 (excluding GST) if no ancillary issues; S$2,500 (excluding GST) with ancillary issues No Law.com.sg After completing an online form, you will be contacted by a divorce lawyer who will guide you through the next steps in the divorce proceedings. A fee quotation will be given after you submit relevant form Yes What are Some of the Limitations of Filing for an Online Divorce? Additional fees for legal advice Most online divorce services typically do not provide legal consultations with a divorce lawyer as part of the service. This is unless you require assistance with completing the online forms or with the filing process for the divorce documents. For example, platforms like Divorce Bureau offer an add-on Legal Advice service at a cost of S$150 per session (as mentioned above). This will allow you to have a single consultation session with a senior family lawyer on their panel if you want further information about getting a divorce before deciding whether to go ahead with the divorce. Strict eligibility requirements As highlighted earlier, online divorces are best suited for simplified uncontested divorces. Hence, if your spouse intends to or is likely to contest the divorce, an online divorce would not be a suitable option. In addition, PKWA Laws online divorce platform requires you and your spouse to satisfy stringent eligibility requirements before you can file for an online divorce with them. These requirements include not owning any property and not having any assets to be divided, which may not be in line with your situation. Therefore, proceeding with an online divorce may not be an appropriate option in these circumstances. Finally, online divorce services are currently not available to individuals who are married under Muslim law (as mentioned above). Filing of court orders and documents Depending on the online divorce service, you may be required to file the court documents yourself. This can be done by visiting a CrimsonLogic Service Bureau, which could be a potential inconvenience. In addition, you will need to understand the filing process in order to file your documents correctly. Potential security concerns You may be required to provide sensitive data about you and your spouse to the platforms to generate the relevant information for the court orders and divorce documents. There could be concerns about whether these platforms have taken sufficient security measures to ensure the safety of your data. What is an Alternative to an Online Divorce? An alternative to getting an online divorce would be to commence divorce proceedings in court by hiring a lawyer to represent you and commence divorce proceedings on your behalf. This is especially if your divorce is likely to be contested by your spouse, or there are other issues that can complicate the proceedings. For example: You are concerned about the safety and security of yourself or your children (e.g. your spouse has a history of abuse and/or has threatened to physically harm you or your children); You and your spouse are very high income-earners with significant accumulated wealth and/or assets, or the financial matters involved in the divorce are complex; You and your spouse are unable to reach an agreement on issues like division of assets; and You and your spouse have children below 21 years old, which will give rise to child custody matters. For more complicated divorce cases, a divorce lawyer will be able to advise you on possible strategies forward to ensure that your interests, and those of your children if applicable, are protected as far as possible. In these circumstances, consulting a divorce lawyer would be more beneficial than filing for an online divorce. Online divorces are therefore a viable option to consider if you and your spouse have mutually agreed to a divorce and the proceedings are likely to be simplified and uncontested. However, if you are contemplating a divorce from your spouse and wish to get further advice on your matter, you may also wish to contact the divorce lawyers listed on our platform. As experienced family law practitioners and professionals, they will be able to better advise you on the relevant procedures involved. This is especially if the divorce is likely to be contested by your spouse, the financial matters are very complex, or child custody issues are likely to arise. The post Online Divorce in Singapore: How It Works and Should You Get One? appeared first on SingaporeLegalAdvice.com. Rescuers hunted for survivors on Monday after a gas explosion tore through a high-rise residential building in central Russia, killing at least four people and leaving dozens unaccounted for. A large section of the building collapsed after the explosion around 6:00 am local time (1100 GMT) at the high-rise in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk, nearly 1,700 kilometres (1,050 miles) east of Moscow in the Ural mountains. President Vladimir Putin rushed to the city, where the blast left hundreds of residents homeless in freezing temperatures on New Year's Eve -- the biggest holiday of the year in Russia. Officials said four people were confirmed dead and five others, including two children, had been taken to hospital. But officials added that up to 40 people could still be trapped under the rubble. National television showed rescue workers combing through mangled heaps of concrete and metal in temperatures of minus 18 Celsius (minus 0.4 Fahrenheit). "I went out to have a cigarette at quarter-to-six," a local man told Russian television. "There was a blast and a wave of fire... then people started running out." Other witnesses said the explosion was strong enough to shatter the windows of nearby buildings. "I woke up and felt myself falling. The walls were gone. My mother was screaming and my son had been buried," said another witness. Russian television showed a grim-looking Putin in a black winter jacket meeting with local officials. He was also shown donning a white coat and visiting a victim in hospital. "It is in the character of our people, despite New Year's festivities, to remember to think of the dead and wounded at this moment," Putin said. Senior officials, including the emergencies and health ministers, flew to Magnitogorsk to oversee the rescue operation. Emergencies minister Yevgeny Zinichev told Putin that between 36 and 40 people could be trapped under the rubble. Regional governor Boris Dubrovsky said seven children were among the missing. - Plunging temperatures - Authorities said rescue teams were to work through the night, with local temperatures expected to plunge to minus 23 Celsius. Officials warned that two more sections of the Soviet-era high-rise on Karl Marx Street were in danger of collapsing. Located in the mineral-rich southern Urals region, Magnitogorsk, with a population of more than 400,000 people, is home to one of the country's largest steel producers. The high-rise was built in 1973 and was home to around 1,100 people. Residents were evacuated to a nearby school. Volunteers offered money, clothing and essentials to the victims, and some said they were ready to provide temporary shelter to those in need. Dubrovsky, the local governor, said authorities planned to buy apartments for people who had lost their homes. Staff from the local Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK), one of the country's largest steelmakers, took part in the rescue operation. Billionaire Viktor Rashnikov, who controls the plant, called on city residents to help the victims. "This is our common tragedy and pain," he said in a statement, adding that MMK would provide financial assistance to those in need. Investigators opened a criminal probe into the accident, with the FSB security service confirming the blast had been the result of a gas explosion. Such deadly gas explosions are relatively common in Russia where much of the infrastructure dates back to the Soviet era and safety requirements are often ignored. AFPTV When six-week-old Zubair arrives at a clinic for malnourished children in Afghanistan, doctors initially give him only a few hours to live. And as he battles under a survival blanket his mother looks on -- her feelings swinging desperately between fear and hope. The Doctors Without Borders-run facility in the Afghan city Herat seeks to help the community cope with a public health system on its last legs, hobbled by the withdrawal of donor aid. The UN's children's agency UNICEF estimates that some 3.2 million Afghan children under the age of five will suffer from malnutrition this winter. Fishermen in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu have been rewarded for finding suspicious underwater devices as part of a push by authorities to encourage people to be on the alert for spying equipment in local waters. Nine devices were reported to the Ministry of State Security in 2018, six of which were foreign devices capable of underwater investigation, identification and spying, according to state news agency Xinhua. Details of the devices and the amount awarded to the 11 fishermen, and seven other related individuals, were not revealed. Jiangsus fishing community tends to concentrate its efforts around the East China Sea where Japanese and American naval patrols are common. In an indication of how much the fishermen may have received, a fisherman in Lianyungang, northeastern China, was awarded 50,000 yuan (US$7,300) for discovering underwater devices in January 2018. The 11 Jiangsu fishermen, and seven other related individuals, were presented with their rewards at an annual ceremony organised by the provincial authorities. This is not the first time China has mobilised civilians against foreign spying in its waters. In 2009, two Chinese fishing trawlers were among five Chinese ships which harassed an American naval surveillance vessel, the USNS Impeccable, in the South China Sea, south of Hainan. In November 2018, according to Chinese media, national security authorities awarded prize money to a fisherman from Wenzhou, in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang, who discovered a foreign underwater drone on a beach near his village. Wenzhou Daily reported that the drone was identified as an unstaffed vehicle made by a Canadian developer. Chinese fisherman were not the only ones picking up underwater devices in 2018. Earlier this month, a Vietnamese fisherman picked up a training torpedo with Chinese characters off the coast of Phu Yen province in south-central Vietnam, according to local media reports. Story continues In response, Chinas defence ministry said the Chinese navy had lost a torpedo near the Hainan islands while conducting drills in early December which could have drifted closer to Vietnam. China tests new spy drone in near space death zone It was for training purposes and not aimed at any target, the ministry said. This article Chinese fishermen find suspicious underwater devices for rich reward 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: 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". Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will use a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow next month to further discussions over a group of islands that were seized by the Soviet Union in the closing days of the second world war. The return of the islands off Hokkaido, known in Russia as the Kurils but still marked on Japanese maps as the Northern Territories, has long been one of Abes primary foreign policy aims and there have been signs in recent years that he was inching closer to an agreement with Moscow though analysts say that ultimately, Russia has no intention of giving the islands back. That belief has been reinforced by a recent announcement of Russias plans to increase its military presence on some of the disputed islands, including the deployment of new anti-ship missiles. In a radio interview that aired on Sunday, Abe said he intends to have specific discussions with Putin on a peace treaty the two nations are still technically at war, due to the ongoing territorial dispute making an agreement impossible. President Putin has a strong determination to sign a peace treaty, Abe said on the Radio Nippon broadcast, although he conceded that his government has yet to win the approval of the United States for one of Russias demands concerning the return of the islands. Putin is insistent that no US troops be permitted to use the islands. Ostensibly, he does not want a geopolitical rival gaining a new military foothold close to his naval bases in the Pacific, but James Brown, an associate professor at the Japan campus of Temple University, believes the Russian leader has other motives. From Moscows point of view, it would be wiser to string this thing out endlessly James Brown It is significant that when the two leaders met at the Asia-Pacific meeting in Singapore in November, they agreed to move forward in talks based on the 1956 joint declaration, which mentions the transfer of the two smaller groups of islands but makes no mention of the two larger islands, said Brown, an expert on Russo-Japanese relations. Story continues Abe may be looking for a deal on the two smaller groups and then enhanced access to the others, such as visa-free access or economic opportunities. The fact that the Russians are deploying missile batteries on the larger islands does not matter much as I do not believe the deal will happen. The conditions that Russia is attaching to the deal are symbolic because they could potentially drive a wedge between Japan and the US, Brown said. If Abe agrees to bar American troops from using the islands it would weaken the two countries security alliance and could be seen as Moscow making Washington dance to its tune. Strategically, there is no advantage for the US in stationing troops on the islands, he points out, but American diplomats have quietly acknowledged that any such agreement would not look good. The Russians are also making demands that might be difficult for Japanese conservatives to swallow, such as insisting that Tokyo recognise Russian sovereignty over the islands which would necessarily mean accepting that it was totally defeated and that its previous claims to the islands were mistaken , Brown said. I dont see how any Japanese government could agree to that. Russia has dangled the promise of progress on the return of the islands in the past and nothing was eventually agreed. The same thing may be happening again. The Russians can use this issue as leverage over Japan and its very possible they have no interest in making a deal at all, Brown said. The conditions they are attaching would be quite useful to Moscow, while keeping the talks going also acts as an incentive to Japan to soften any criticism it may have of Moscow and engage in more economic cooperation because that might lead to a deal on the islands. But if the dispute was resolved, that would leave Japan free to be more critical of Russia. From Moscows point of view, it would be wiser to string this thing out endlessly. This article Japans Abe plans to pursue peace with Putin in hopes of regaining islands that Soviet Union seized more than seven decades ago 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: Jamas nos callaran Fisica y culturalmente Nec plus ultra, nec variatur Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript. Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript. Paginas vistas en total Dolar USA Vs Euro Sin ellas, no seremos Deja vu Nada que celebrar Hasta cuando? Colombia Hoy Para nunca olvidar 'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England Sin palabras La UE le apunta a la paz Cada vez mas solo Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript. LULA y su Pueblo Bye Bye Homenaje al genial Quino Fueron ellos Una imagen que resume Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero? Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante) Ladrones al poder Asi mira el perrito a su amo Crazy Clamor popular La nueva inquisicion Bolivia Chile Hoy Eso es todo amigos! Piensalo! 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! By Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's FSB state security service said on Monday it has detained an American citizen suspected of spying in Moscow and has opened a criminal case against him. The FSB said the American had been detained on Friday, but it gave no details of the nature of his alleged espionage activities. Under Russian law, espionage can carry between 10 and 20 years in prison. A U.S. State Department representative said Russia had notified it that a U.S. citizen had been detained and it expected Moscow to provide consular access to see him. "We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it," the representative said, without providing details of the identity of the American or the reasons behind his detention. The English-language service of TASS news agency named him as Paul Whelan. David Whelan said in an email that he was Paul Whelan's brother and said that his brother had been arrested. He declined to comment on how he learned of his brothers detention, his work status at the time of his arrest and whether his brother lived in Novi, Michigan, as address records indicate. There was online speculation that Paul Whelan had worked for global staffing firm Kelly Services, which is headquartered about a 40 minute-drive from Novi in Troy, Michigan. A spokeswoman for Kelly said a Paul Whelan had worked for the company until February 2016. Kelly has yet to confirm whether this former employee is the same individual reported upon in the news stories, said Kelly spokeswoman Heather Klee. Russia's relations with the United States plummeted when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, and Washington and Western allies have imposed a broad range of sanctions on Russian officials, companies and banks. Earlier this month, Russian national Maria Butina pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to a conspiracy charge in a deal with prosecutors, and admitted to working with a top Russian official to infiltrate American conservative activist groups and politicians as an agent for Moscow. (Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber; Additional reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Will Dunham in Washington and Andrew Hay in New Mexico; Editing by Richard Balmforth, Peter Cooney and Leslie Adler) A record 11 million tourists have visited Taiwan in 2018, the government said Monday, a boon for the island as it courts holidaymakers across Asia to make up for a shortfall from China. The number of Chinese mainlanders visiting Taiwan has dropped dramatically since the 2016 election of president Tsai Ing-wen who has refused to acknowledge Beijing's stance that the island is part of "one China". Beijing still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since the end of a civil war on the mainland in 1949. China has cut off official communication with Tsai's government and stepped up military and diplomatic pressure. Tour group numbers from the mainland took a nosedive, sparking speculation that Beijing was deliberately turning off the taps to punish Taiwan for electing Tsai. In response, Tsai's government went on a charm offensive across Asia, launching advertising campaigns and making it easier for people to visit, particularly from South and Southeast Asia. That strategy -- dubbed the "southbound policy" -- has reaped rewards. The 11 millionth visitor, a Japanese doctor, arrived Sunday in what Taiwan's tourism bureau described as "a new landmark". The island recorded 10.7 million arrivals in 2017 and 10.6 million in 2016. The government has yet to release a full breakdown in nationalities for 2018. Japanese and Chinese tourists still make up the bulk of arrivals. But last year's data showed the number of Chinese nationals coming to Taiwan had dropped from 4.18 million in 2015 to just 2.73 million in 2017. Some 2.46 million people from the mainland visited in the first 11 months of 2018, suggesting that decline has continued. In contrast, arrivals from Southeast Asia rose to 2.1 million in 2017 from 1.4 million in 2015, while Taiwan has also seen increases from across the rest of Asia. Designed to make the island less economically dependent on Beijing, the "southbound policy" is aimed at ramping up business and cultural exchanges with 16 South and Southeast Asian countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Last week 152 Vietnamese who arrived on group tours went missing with authorities suspecting them of coming to work illegally. Around 400 tourists have previously gone missing under the programme, according to the tourism bureau, although it is not clear how many of them have since been found. 2018 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #52 Posted on 30 December 2018 by John Hartz Story of the Week... Editorial of the Week... Toon of the Week... SkS in the News... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... 2018 Was A Milestone Year For Climate Science (If Not Politics) The devastation from Hurricane Michael over Mexico Beach, Fla. A massive federal report released in November warns that climate change is fueling extreme weather disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. Gerald Herbert/AP 2018 was a hot year in fact, the fourth warmest on record. The only years that were, on average, warmer were the past three, according to the World Meteorological Organization. It has been warming for decades now. But 2018 brought several major new and markedly more precise reports from scientists about what climate change is doing to the weather and how dire they expect the consequences to be. That didn't stop President Trump and others from continuing to question the evidence. "Is there climate change?" Trump said to reporters from Axios on HBO in November. "Yeah. Will it go back like this?" he added, motioning up and down with his hand. "I mean will it change back? Probably. That's what I think." Another politician who weighed in on the clear evidence of a warmer planet was Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, when he was campaigning this past fall. "Well, listen," he assured a moderator at a televised debate. "Of course the climate is changing. The climate has been changing from the dawn of time. The climate will change as long as we have a planet Earth." Both statements are at odds with the consensus within the climate science community. 2018 Was A Milestone Year For Climate Science (If Not Politics) by Christopher Joyce NPR News, Dec 27, 2018 Editorial of the Week... Opinion: Our house is on fire, and many Albertans want more lighters Do we want to save the planet or get rich and watch it die? POSTMEDIA It boils down to this. 1) Albertans have become very wealthy by exporting fossil fuels. 2) Scientists state that the climate crisis is an existential threat to civilization. 3) The only way to minimize catastrophic climate change is to immediately decrease our fossil fuel use as quickly as possible. 4) 3 threatens 1. Lets unpack some of this, shall we? 1) Due to geographical fortune, our province sits on a vast reservoir of fossil fuels: coal, natural gas and oil. With their high energy content and transportability, they have been highly desired for (historically) a much higher value than their extraction cost, which has made us extraordinarily rich. Even now, in the downturn, even as many people are hurting financially, we still have the highest average monthly income in Canada. Being rich is fun, and we dont want it to end. The problem is Point 2. As time passes, and we put more and more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, its becoming increasingly clear that all that we love is at risk. Our ecosystems, food systems, economic systems, life support systems. Scientists are talking about a doomsday scenario where it all just collapses, within our lifetimes, if we dont act now. Opinion: Our house is on fire, and many Albertans want more lighters, Opinion by Joe Vipond & Noel Keough, Calgary Herald, Dec 29, 2018 Joe Vipond is an emergency physician in Calgary. He sits on the board of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Noel Keough is an associate professor of sustainable design at the University of Calgary. He is the president of the board of Sustainable Calgary Society. Toon of the Week... Hat tip to the Clean Air Cartoons Facebook page. SkS in the News The "explainer" article*, 9 questions about climate change you were too embarrassed to ask, contains the following paragraph: 4) There are other human fingerprints that suggest increased greenhouse gases are warming the planet. For instance, back in the 1960s, simple climate models predicted that global warming caused by more carbon dioxide would lead to cooling in the upper atmosphere (because the heat is getting trapped at the surface). Later satellite measurements confirmed exactly that. Here are a few other similar predictions that have also been confirmed. The first link embedded in the above paragraph is to the SkS article, 10 Indicators of a Human Fingerprint on Climate Change by John Cook, July 30, 2018 * This explainer was updated by Umair Irfan in December 2018 and draws heavily from a card stack written by Brad Plumer in 2015. Brian Resnick contributed the section on the Paris climate accord in 2017. Coming Soon on SkS... 2018 in Review: a recap of the Skeptical Science year (Baerbel) (Baerbel) Portuguese translation of The Debunking Handbook (Baerbel) (Baerbel) Climate negotiations made me terrified for our future (Climate Adam) (Climate Adam) New findings on ocean warming: 5 questions answered (Scott Denning) (Scott Denning) New research this week (Ari) 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #1 (John Hartz) (John Hartz) 2019 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #1 (John Hartz) Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Comedian Louis C.K., who in November 2017 admitted to repeatedly exposing himself and masturbating in front of unwilling women, said at the time he was going to step back and take a long time to listen. Less than a year later, he returned to the stage at the Comedy Cellar to perform an unannounced set. Although the way he came back didnt inspire much confidence that hed learned anything during his time in the wilderness, it was still possible, if you leaned way back and squinted, to speculate that his decision to return without any fanfare was a mistakeSlates Christina Cauterucci left open the possibility that it was an ill-advised toe dipped in water too boiling hot for swimmingand that whatever missteps C.K. had made in returning to the public eye the way he did, he was sincerely engaged in an attempt to wrestle with what hed done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not possible to believe that anymore. Bootleg audio from one of his showsits labeled as being from Long Island comedy club Governors on Dec. 16has been uploaded to YouTube, giving those of us who werent lucky enough to be in the audience for a surprise Louis C.K. appearance a chance to hear what hes been up to. And what hes been up to, judging from the material, is bemoaning the money he lost, fuming over young people and political correctness, and writing some really killer jokes about the respective penis sizes of various ethnic groups. Its not just that its not funny: its positively sickening. Here, for example, is the way C.K. ends a bit about visiting his doctor (described earlier in the joke as old, and Jewish, and touchy-feely): Advertisement Advertisement And he said, You need to stop eating ice cream. I said, You need to go fuck yourself. And dont ever touch me again, you old faggot. You old fucking Jewish fag. Get your fucking hands off me. Youre fucking with my ice cream, I get upset. Whatever you think about C.K.s past use of slurs in his act, his old material at least made some attempt to think about what they meant. Theres no payoff here except for the slur itself: The entire joke is that hes so mad about not being able to eat ice cream that hell casually use it, even with someone whoas he spends the whole build-up establishinghe otherwise likes. Its cheap and its hacky. But it has nothing on the five solid minutes (!) he devotes to lamenting the fact that people have stopped using the word retarded. After reminiscing about how often people said it during his childhoodand saying it over and over again himself, sometimes in a comically exaggerated Boston accenthe lands on this: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But we started to feel shitty about it, so we changed it to intellectually challenged. What the fuck, itsdont name the kid a thing he cant say out loud. An intellectual challenge is can you translate Shakespeare into Latin and make it rhyme. These kids are not intellectually challenged, theyre intellectually fuckin done. They are! Its not their sport! But we decided we didnt want to call them retarded because we call each other that, so we went back to Nelson and we said, Listen, Nelson, I have something to tell you. Youre not retarded anymore. You mean Im cured? No, not at all. We just dont call you that, cause its a terrible thing to call somebody. But you called me that with Yes, but not anymore, because we shouldnt. And hes trying to wrap his head around this, which is difficult for Nelson, cause hes fucking retarded. Advertisement Advertisement That is vile. Its not that the topic should be off limits: Whether or not you think Anthony Jeselnik, say, should do that kind of material, the joke is that Jeselnik is being awfulthe humor comes from thinking, Christ, what an asshole. C.K. is doing a George Carlin thing, acting like hes telling forbidden truths, but spends five minutes riffing on Christ, people with intellectual disabilities are stupid. So stupid, in fact, that, according to C.K., They dont give a fuck what you think of them, if anyone was looking for a permission slip to go back to using a slur. And speaking of people who dont give a fuck what you think of them, Louis C.K. is such a rebel that he doesnt give a fuck what you think of him, as he made clear, seemingly in response to someone leaving or giving him a dirty look around four minutes into his killer material at the expense of the intellectually disabled: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whatre you, gonna take away my birthday? My life is over, I dont give a shit. You can, you can be offended, its OK. You can get mad at me. Anyway. So why do black guys have big dicks? Lets talk about that for a minute. You might think that last line was C.K., in a rare moment of self-awareness, making a joke at his own expenseIm committing career suicide here, lets just go all the waybut no, he really had prepared a bunch of jokes about race and dick size, including a charming section about Asian men that is less standup comedy than something a racist drunk at a bar would hiss seconds before getting punched in the face. And whos to blame if people dont respond well to these jokes? It will not surprise you at this point to discover that C.K. thinks his problems are entirely the fault of the young people on his lawn: Advertisement [Young people] are just boring. Fucking telling, You shouldnt say that. What are you, an old lady? What are you fucking doing? Nyeah, thats not appropriate. Fuck you! Youre a child! Why arent you finger-fucking each other and doing Jell-O shots? Why arent youYou should address metheyre like royalty, they tell you what to call them. You should address me as they/them, because I identify as gender neutral. Oh, OK. OK. You should address me as there, because I identify as a location. And the location is your mothers cunt. Advertisement It would be tacky for a comedian who had not spent years whipping it out in front of unwilling co-workers to complain about people trying to explain to him whats appropriate and whats not. For Louis C.K. to write and tell those jokes would require a breathtaking, Kevin Spaceylevel lack of self-awareness, and there was a time that self-awareness was C.K.s brand. So what the fuck is going on here? For one clue, heres a joke C.K. told at the expense of the Parkland teens, of all people, children who responded to an unthinkable tragedy by dedicating their lives to making the world a better place: Advertisement Advertisement Youre not interesting because you went to a high school where kids got shot. Why does that mean I have to listen to you? Why does that make you interesting? You didnt get shot, you pushed some fat kid in the way, and now I gotta listen to you talking? One of the things that makes listening to the new C.K. material so painful is he hasnt lost his talent: his timing and delivery are still there, somewhere, peeking out under all the racism and ranting about political correctness andfor some reasonanger at gun control activists. Those are pretty specific targets, actually, and C.K. tackles them with nearly the same control of his craft he had before his downfall. In other words, it would be wrongand not giving the comedian enough creditto think of this as a meltdown instead of a deliberate rebranding, a bid to spend his twilight years spreading hate on the Trump rally circuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the single most disheartening thing about the bootleg recording is that Louis C.K. isnt the only voice on it. An audience member, either the person who made the recording or someone who was sitting nearby, is audible throughout, giggling, snickering, and roaring in laughter. At one point he yells out, in anticipation of a punchline, Cause hes retarded!, then pounds on the table in a paroxysm of delight. The jokes about race make him howl like a hyena. Louis C.K. is clearly unwilling to reckon with what hes done, but unfortunately, he seems to know exactly what hes doing: There are a lot of people out there just waiting for permission from an authority figure to become more bestial and brutish. And we all know how fastidious Louis always was about permission. How to Forget Your Mother Tongue and Remember Your National Language by Victor H. Mair University of Pennsylvania Wu fang zhi min, yanyu bu tong. "The languages of the people in all directions are [mutually] unintelligible." Li ji [Record of Ritual], "Wang zhi [Royal Institutions]" . Si fang tan yi. "Speech is different in the four directions." Wang Chong, Lunheng [Balanced Disquisitions], "Ziji [Autobiography]" Yanyu bu da. "We cannot understand each other's languages." Zuo zhuan [Commentary of Zuo Qiuming], Xiang 14 Wo shou xie wo kou. "My hand writes [what] my mouth [speaks]." Huang Zunxian (1848-1905) Muyu shi women de gen. "Our mother tongue is our root." Taiyu wenzhai, 2 [September 15, 1989], 148 Abstract The concept of guoyu ("national language") is deeply embedded in the consciousness of everyone who has grown up in Taiwan during the past half century. Lately, however, people have begun to speak of their muyu ("mother tongue") as being worthy of inculcation. Guoyu, of course, refers to Modern Standard Mandarin (MSM), which in China is called putonghua ("common speech"). Mandarin is not native to Taiwan, yet it is the national language of Taiwan's citizens and is the sole official written language. In contrast, the citizens of Taiwan are discouraged from writing their native languages (viz., Taiwanese, Hakka, and various aboriginal languages) and it is only recently that it has been possible to teach them in the schools. This paper will examine the complicated processes whereby the citizens of Taiwan are transformed from speakers of their mother tongues to speakers and writers of the national language. This transformation does not rely purely on educational activities carried out in the schools, but involves political, social, and cultural factors as well. The transformation of Cantonese and Shanghainese speakers into Mandarin speakers and writers will also be examined for comparative purposes. Contents I. Preliminaries We may take it for granted that a child born in Taiwan of Taiwanese-speaking parents will begin his or her life speaking Taiwanese. 1 We may also take it for granted that, when it comes time for this child to acquire literacy, he or she will necessarily have to learn a second language, namely Mandarin. Not only is there no expectation that this child will learn to read and write Taiwanese, at the present moment in history it is virtually impossible for this child to read and write Taiwanese because there are no accepted norms for writing in that language. In other words, Taiwanese is fundamentally an unwritten (and arguably at this point in time an unwritable) language. This article was written in 2003. Its appearance here on Pinyin Info marks its first publication. How did it happen that a society which values education highly would opt to seek literacy in a language other than its own? The purpose of this paper is to investigate this conundrum from a number of angles (political, social, cultural, historical, and linguistic). Perhaps it would be better to rephrase the question. It may not at all be the case that the Taiwanese have opted to seek literacy in a language other than their own. Rather, they may have been conditioned by circumstances to do so. Our task, then, will be to delineate these circumstances and describe how they have had such an enormous impact upon the Taiwanese people. We shall examine the processes whereby Taiwanese children are weaned away from their mother tongue and acquire in its stead a second language for the purpose of becoming literate. It is remarkable that this shift of emphasis from mother tongue to acquired language takes place within an environment where one's mother tongue is the common spoken language of society. It is not due to migration into another speech community where it is necessary to acquire competence in the local language, which is the usual environment for the displacement of an individual's mother tongue. II. The Fundamental Unwritability of the Nonstandard Sinitic Languages Let us assume that there is an ardent Taiwan nationalist who is desperate to write literature in his or her own language (viz., the mother tongue of the Taiwanese people). Certainly there have been no lack of such individuals during the past century and, indeed, up to the present moment. Unfortunately, such persons will be frustrated at every turn when they try to put their dearest and nearest thoughts and emotions in Taiwanese down on paper: there simply exist no established conventions for writing out Taiwanese language in its unadulterated form. Of course, a determined individual may devise various idiosyncratic, ad hoc methods for writing Taiwanese in Chinese characters,2 in Japanese kana, in Mandarin phonetic symbols (bopomofo; zhuyinfuhao), in roman letters, etc., or some combination thereof. The problem is that whatever ingenious solutions this individual may come up with to write down Taiwanese to his or her own satisfaction or to the satisfaction of his closest associates, there is no guarantee that other Taiwanese speakers will understand what he or she may have written because there is no consensus among them about how their language should be written. Quite the contrary, as time passes, there is greater and greater confusion about how Taiwanese should be written. The number of competing schemes grows daily, and each scheme has its ardent supporters, leading to dissension and despair. Even the government cannot institute a workable scheme because its own advisers have different views on how to cope with the dilemma. What is more, the government lacks an unmistakable mandate from the people to institute a unified writing system for Taiwanese. Why is it so hard to write Taiwanese? Despite the fact that many people have a strong desire to write in their mother tongue, there are numerous factors militating against an easy realization of a workable script for Taiwanese. The first and foremost is that the characters are perfectly suited for writing Literary Sinitic (LS; Classical Chinese) but ill adapted for writing practically anything else. Thus, for nearly two millennia (from around 1200 BCE till about the eighth century CE), the characters were restricted almost entirely to writing solely in LS. Still today, after a century of promotion of the national vernacular by social and educational reformers, there is a strong tendency to backslide into semi-literary (banwen banbai ) styles because they comport so readily with the genius of the script. The second factor is the conspicuous absence of a tradition of writing in the regional vernaculars. Indeed, until the mid- Tang period, there was not even a precedent for writing a national vernacular. Hence, the initial attempts to write extended vernacular texts were fraught with orthographic and other errors, and the basic matrix of writing remained LS, with only a relatively small amount of vernacular added in. During the medieval period, and largely under the aegis of popular Buddhism, a written koine haltingly developed. (Mair 1994a) In the following centuries, the koine gradually continued to mature until it became Early Mandarin under the Mongols, baihuawen under the Manchus, and then Modern Standard Mandarin (MSM) after the May Fourth Movement and with the support of the governments of the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China. Throughout this long gestation and maturation of the national written koine, there never was any question of writing the nonstandard regional vernaculars. It is worth pondering that the earliest extant texts containing a significant admixture of a regional vernacular are four Southern Min dramas from the late Ming and early Qing periods. (Wu and Lin 1976; Mair 1994b: 1295-1298) Written Southern Min did not prosper, however, because it was insufficiently distinguished from LS and Vernacular Sinitic (VS). That is to say, the writing style of these Southern Min plays was greatly alloyed with LS and the national vernacular; it was certainly far removed from a pure representation of Southern Min spoken language. The third factor inhibiting the growth of regional vernaculars is a strong scholarly bias against such writing as crude and vulgar. This theme, which is a constant refrain in literati comments on popular culture, may be epitomized in the maxim bu deng daya zhi tang ("cannot ascend the hall of great elegance"). The fourth factor is outright political prohibition against writing the regional vernaculars. Until the lifting of martial law on July 14, 1987, not only was it considered subversive to write in Taiwanese, one could be punished for compiling Taiwanese dictionaries and instructional materials, or even for speaking Taiwanese in public arenas such as schools, governmental bodies, the media, and so forth. This tight control of the nonstandard vernaculars is still operative in mainland China. As MSM (putonghua) extends its reach across the land through education, mass media, commerce, and other channels, the noose around the neck of the regional vernaculars is inexorably tightening. Now, with the third successive generation after the founding of the People's Republic of China, youths are beginning to feel more comfortable speaking MSM than their mother tongue. As a consequence of these four factors, writing in the regional vernaculars is at best atrophied, if not entirely stillborn. The sole exception is that of Hongkong Cantonese, which itself can hardly be said to be flourishing, but at least there are those in the former crown colony who are actively seeking ways to write the full panoply of colloquial speech (Snow 1991; Gunn forthcoming). The main reason why written Cantonese could thrive in Hongkong to the extent that it has is due to the unique colonial experience under the British. Freed from the political controls and cultural dominance of the North China mandarinate for a century, the people of Hongkong were able to experiment with true vernacular writing. Since 1997, however, the restrictions on the use of the vernacular are once again beginning to be enforced, and rule from Peking is inevitably leading to greater use of MSM in the courts, in schools, in the media, and other public arenas. The Japanese colonial experience in Taiwan was partially liberating for those who wished to write in Taiwanese, but the focus was very much on education and writing in Japanese. With the resumption of control by mainlanders from the middle of the twentieth century, guoyu was harshly imposed on the populace and there was no open talk of muyu (except by those who equated it with guoyu). Under such circumstances, there was little prospect for the development of writing in Taiwanese. Now that the people of Taiwan have taken political control into their own hands, there is a tremendous amount of energy directed toward the establishment of written Taiwanese, but no functional models have been created to actualize such hopes. To put it succinctly, until a little over a decade ago, the Taiwanese people have been deprived of the opportunity to publicly practice their written mother tongue, so it remained manifestly moribund. One of the greatest obstacles to writing Taiwanese is the undeniable reality that many of the most frequent morphemes, especially very common grammatical particles, cannot confidently be written with Chinese characters. Most estimates of the Taiwanese morphemes that lack an appropriate sinographic written form are about 20-25% for typical running texts3 (Cheng 1978: 307-308; Chiung 1999). Supposedly, the remaining 75-80% of Taiwanese morphemes are adequately covered by recognized Mandarin or LS cognates, or special graphs have already been invented and are fairly widely accepted by the Taiwanese-speaking populace. While these estimates may be more or less correct for highly Mandarinized Taiwanese styles, if one were to attempt to write in a more purely colloquial Taiwanese (i.e., closer to the way people speak in day-to-day circumstances), the percentage of morphemes that cannot be matched with Chinese characters would rise sharply. In learned studies of Taiwanese vocabulary, such as that of Hong Weiren in his Taiwan lisu yudian [A Lexicon of Taiwanese Etiquette and Customs], where profound scholarship is brought to bear on the proper sinographic way of writing colloquial terms, it is immediately obvious that there is much controversy over how to write basic Taiwanese words in characters. Even when there are fairly well-established ways of writing Taiwanese words, it is easy to demonstrate that the characters chosen for them are often "wrong" in the sense that they are arbitrary homophones or near homophones, and that their meanings are completely irrelevant. The very name "Taiwan" is perhaps the best example to begin with. Superficially (according to the surface signification of the two characters with which the name is customarily written), "Taiwan" means "Terrace Bay." That sounds nice, even poetic, but it is an inauthentic etymology and has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual origins of the name. (This is a typical instance of the common fallacy of wangwenshengyi , whereby the semantic qualities of Chinese characters interfere with the real meanings of the terms that they are being used to transcribe phonetically.) The true derivation of the name "Taiwan" is actually from the ethnonym of a tribe in the southwest part of the island in the area around Ping'an.4 As early as 1636, a Dutch missionary referred to this group as Taiouwang. From the name of the tribe, the Portuguese called the area around Ping'an as Tayowan, Taiyowan, Tyovon, Teijoan, Toyouan, and so forth. Indeed, already in his ship's log of 1622, the Dutchman Comelis Reijersen referred to the area as Teijoan and Taiyowan. Ming and later visitors to the island employed a plethora of sinographic transcriptions to refer to the area (superficially meaning "Terrace Nest Bay" [Taiwowan ], "Big Bay" [Dawan ], "Terrace Officer" [Taiyuan ], "Big Officer" [Dayuan ], "Big Circle" [Dayuan ], "Ladder Nest Bay" [Tiwowan ], and so forth). Some of these transcriptions are clever, others are fantastic, but none of them should be taken seriously for their meanings. One of the most lively districts in Taipei is Wanhua ("Multitudinously Floriate"), which sounds like a lovely name for an urban area. When we look a little closer at the derivation of this place name, however, we find that the two characters chosen to write it are entirely specious with regard to the original meaning and are phonologically remote from the correct pronunciation. The old sinographic form of this name is , which would be pronounced bng-kah in Taiwanese. Here the radicals are useful in helping us to understand that this was an old word of the non-Sinitic indigenes for "boat." It was only during the Japanese occupation that the sinographic form of the name was changed to the two graphs meaning "Multitudinously Floriate." Phonologically this makes some sense in Japanese where they are pronounced banka, but not in Mandarin where they come out as Wanhua. If a goodly portion of the old place names in Taiwan are of this confused nature, there are even more common words for which the sinographic form is problematic and conflicted. One that has long intrigued me is chhit-tho or thit-tho ("play [around]"). This word has the fairly widely accepted sinographic form of (although there are those who vigorously dissent and state that it really should be written as or with some other totally different characters -- the trick is to find two graphs that sound more or less like what people say) (Hong 1986: 21; Zheng and Zheng 1977: 14). However, when we examine the two extremely obscure graphs used to write this Taiwanese word meaning "play," we find that they have nothing to do with it (the first means "near" and the second means "cunning, deceitful"). I suppose that people who stick with this false writing of chhit-tho do so because radical 162 (chuo ["move fast and stop abruptly"] in both of the graphs reminds them of the same graph in the Mandarin word you , which can mean "play," and because playing is something that one would like to day and night (the phonetic parts of these two characters are "sun" and "moon"). One might also mention in this context the title of the first chapter of the Zhuang Zi [Master Zhuang] which modifies you ("play / wander [around]") with xiaoyao ("carefree[ly]"), both syllables of which are also written with radical 162. Such interpretations are forced, of course, and cannot persuade a skeptic that these are the best two characters for writing the Taiwanese word. Many very common usages in sinographic Taiwanese writing are counter-intuitive to the reader of MSM texts. When I first started trying to read written Taiwanese, I could not understand why the graph for shang ("injure; harm") occurred so often in circumstances that made no sense to me. Only later did I realize that in written Taiwanese this graph stands for the degree expression siun ("too"). (Cheng 1981: 6) Still later I found out that almost all characters have at least two often quite distinct pronunciations in written Taiwanese, and that these pronunciations may signify different meanings. duyin yuyin / jieshuo reading pronunciations spoken pronunciations / explications 1. pek peh white 2. bian bin face 3. su chu book 4. se se n / si n student 5. put m not 6. iau beh / ai want 7. hoan tng return The romanizations in the second column are called duyin ("reading pronunciations"), while those in the third column are known as yuyin ("spoken pronunciations") or, as with the last three items, jieshuo ("explications"). (Hong 1988: 344-345) The elaborate phonological regimen pertaining to the sinographs as practiced by precontemporary Southern Min scholars is exemplified in their careful reading of classical verse. (Branner 2002) Another instance of how such bewildering sinographic usages keep proliferating in written Taiwanese may be found in the very recent character conversion of texts that were formerly written in romanization. There is a well-known novella entitled Kho2-ai3 e5 siu5-jin5 (Beloved Enemy) that was originally composed in Church romanization by Lai Rensheng (Rev. Lai Jinsheng) and first published in 1960 by the Taiwan Presbyterian Press. In 1991, Zheng Liangwei (Robert Cheng) published a character version of this novella (a rough estimate is that about one eighth of the syllables in the text are still written in romanization). Even after conversion to characters, it is still impossible for a person who is sinographically literate but does not speak Taiwanese to follow the story. What is more, the transcriber has often chosen characters that are disturbing to native Taiwanese. For instance, the word for "gangster" appears on p. 20. In the original romanized text this was written lo5-moa 5, which surely must be cognate with MSM liumang , yet the transcription given is . Supposedly the transcriber chose these two particular graphs to make sure that his reader pronounces the syllables in question exactly the right way (remember that virtually all Chinese characters have multiple pronunciations in Taiwanese) to yield the meaning "gangster." Nonetheless, it is difficult to imagine why the transcriber would not write and expect his reader to make the necessary adjustments for Taiwanese pronunciation, rather than using two unusual characters with fish radicals. If this proposed sinographic usage is accepted for Taiwanese, not only will poor policemen and detective fiction writers have to write a total of 49 strokes every time they want to mention the word for "gangster" (or if they are typing in a computer there is a good chance that they will not be able to find these two odd characters expeditiously, if at all), the hapless Taiwanese reader will be struck with fishy cognitive dissonance ("perch-eel") each time he or she stumbles upon these two ungainly graphs. The character version of Kho2-ai3 e5 siu5-jin5 is replete with such perplexing assignments of sinographs to Taiwanese morphemes. With this sort of stumbling block being thrown in the way of readers and writers alike at every step, it is hard to imagine that Taiwanese writing in characters will ever become the working script for daily use of the island's people. This poorness of fit between Taiwanese words and Chinese characters is a far more pervasive and complex linguistic phenomenon than that of characters having multiple pronunciations (duoyinzi ) or "separate" pronunciations (poyinzi ) regularly encounters in reading LS or MSM texts. In the latter cases, the variant pronunciations are usually phonologically and semantically linked, and can be explained by historical evolution and grammatical roles (e.g., wu ["loathe, hate"], e ["evil, wicked"], e ["feel nauseous; feel that somebody / something is disgusting"], wu ["oh!"] for , where the first three readings are etymologically closely related and the last is being used to express an interjection). The situation concerning the use of characters in written Taiwanese is similar to, but even more complicated than, that of Japanese where many common kanji have several Sinitic-style pronunciations (ondoku or onyomi) and several Japanese-style readings (kundoku or kunyomi). For example, has the Sinitic-style readings choku and jiki ("straight, immediate, direct, correct") and the Japanese-style readings nao(su) ("fix, correct; revise; convert into; [as suffix] "re-, do over"), nao(ru) ("return to normal, be fixed / corrected, recover"), tada(chi ni) ("immediately"), su(gu) ("immediately; readily, easily; right [near]"), and jika (ni) ("directly, in person"). Despite all of the widely different pronunciations for this single kanji, all of the definitions are semantically related.5 Many old-fashioned scholars are of the opinion that they can solve the problem of sinographless vernacular morphemes by engaging in a search for what are known as benzi ("original characters"). Their belief is premised on the notion that words lacking characters are actually old usages that have survived in the spoken language and that all one has to do to remedy the deficiency is assiduously comb early lexicons and rhyme books for characters that sound more or less right and mean approximately the same thing. Undoubtedly, such searches sometimes result in valid identifications, but in far too many cases the rare characters culled from such sources as Shuo wen jie zi [Explanations of Simple and Compound Graphs; 100 CE] and Guangyun [Expanded Rhymes; 1008] are self-fulfilling prophecies of the obsession with authentication from the national past. No matter how diligently one searches, it will be impossible to find benzi for such essential Cantonese words as nei1 / ne1 ("this") and m4 ("not") because they are not based on common Sinitic roots. A similar situation obtains for all of the other nonstandard regional vernacular and colloquial languages including Pekingese, Sichuanese, and Taiwanese. If we were to set out to write pure, unadulterated (with as little unnecessary Mandarin admixture as possible) spoken vernacular Taiwanese in characters, well over 25% of the morphemes in a running text would be lacking characters, approximately another 25% would be written with arbitrarily chosen (but more or less conventionally accepted) homophones or near-homophones and concocted special characters, perhaps another 10% would be written with extremely rare but correctly identified benzi, leaving roughly 40% of the morphemes being written with the "correct" characters. In reality, more colloquial styles of Taiwanese would undoubtedly have fewer than 40% of their morphemes written with characters that everyone could agree were the right ones.6 Given that so few morphemes in the nonstandard regional vernaculars are writable with undisputedly correct hanzi, it is no wonder that their literatures have been subject to arrested development, to put it mildly. III. Mechanisms Whereby One's Mother Tongue is Displaced by the National Language 1. Basse-Vulgarisation The simplest way to make speakers of a language feel that their tongue is inadequate is to stigmatize it as su ("vulgar"), liyu ("slang"), tuhua ("earthy speech"), and so on. Once such evaluations are accepted by the speakers of a given language themselves, the psychological impact is tremendous. Subjected to such indoctrination, they lose confidence in their mother tongue and may become acutely embarrassed when outsiders hear them speaking it. In my travels around China, I constantly encounter the following types of scenes: An apple seller in Chengdu, "I'm so ashamed of my vulgar native tongue." A father in a Shanghai bookstore to his pre-school child, "Speak putonghua or people will think you're stupid."7 A taxi driver in Changsha, "Please forgive me; our local language sounds so horrible." A female postal worker in Urumchi, "I'm sorry. My Mandarin sounds too much like Uyghur." A scholar from Manchuria (Dongbei [the Northeast]) upon hearing Peking teenagers conversing in their local tongue, "These boys are uneducated. They don't know how to talk properly." Speakers of local languages throughout China are customarily complicit in these characterizations. They willingly accept the inferior status and deficient nature of their native forms of speech in comparison with MSM. In such an environment, a sensitive person eventually wishes that he / she could forget his / her mother tongue and acquire a new and more respectable language (guoyu, putonghua). The debasement of local languages and cultures in China (whether they are Sinitic or non-Sinitic) is so ubiquitous that people become inured to it. They internalize the negative stereotypes associated with peripherality and sheer difference (from the orthodox language and culture of the center). This subtle (but sometimes also brutal) psychological conditioning extends even to the names people call themselves and the totemic myths with which they identify. For instance, the people of Fujian and Taiwan are proud to identify themselves as being from Min, but seldom do they consider that the character adopted to write this name over two millennia ago (it did not yet exist among the oracle bone and bronze inscriptions) includes the infamous chong ("insect; serpent") radical. There it is staring you right in the face every time you look at the character: a bug inside of a door, but people do not see the insect / snake, perhaps because they do not want to see it or cannot bear to see it. Here is how Xu Shen explained the character used to write min around the year 100 CE: "Southeastern Yue [i.e., Viet]; snake race. [The character is formed] from [the] insect / serpent [radical and takes its pronunciation from] men." (Xu 100: 282b) Southern Min speakers refer to themselves as ban-lam-lang, which is usually written with sinographs meaning "Southern Min person" , but should actually be written with sinographs meaning "Southern barbarian fellow" . (Hong 1988: 343) The graph pronounced lam in Taiwanese is the notorious man ("barbarians [of the south]") as pronounced in MSM. Here is how Xu Shen explains the graph used to write lam / man: "Southern barbarians [who are a] snake race. [The character is formed] from [the] insect / serpent [radical and takes its pronunciation from] luan ." 8 (Xu 100: 282b) The Man inhabitants of Min are thus doubly southern, doubly barbarian, and doubly serpentine. Since these explanations have been enshrined in the most authoritative, foundational dictionary of the sinographs, a dictionary which is still invoked with reverence today, there is no denying them. The impact that such designations have had on the consciousness of those who are on both the receiving end and the giving-end is enormous. Although their ancient ancestors may not have been Sinitic speakers, the Min people of today at least speak one of the languages among the so-called Southern and Northern Min "big topolects" (or branches) of Sinitic.9 Other southern peoples who still do not speak a Sinitic language, of whom there are many tens of millions, have been subjected to more subtle forms of psychological manipulation. Just as the Man and the Min are said to belong to the "serpent race," early Chinese commentators declared that many southern peoples were the descendants of dogs. As these accounts of ethnogenesis have come down to us, the southerners themselves believed that their ancestor was a dog. Now, this would not be a problem if one were a speaker of an Indo-European language, since most Indo-European speakers hold canines in great esteem. This is especially true among Iranian speakers where the dog is considered to be possessed of supernatural powers akin to those of gods. (White 1991; Brewer et al. 2001) But Sinitic speakers in the past have tended to despise the dog as a filthy creature worthy only of being eaten. Hence, for non-Indo-European speakers within the Sinitic world to state that they are descended from dogs puts them in an extraordinarily self-compromising position. As to the convoluted process by means of which Tibeto-Burman speakers and speakers of other non-Sinitic and non-Indo-European languages in the southern portions of what is now China acquired myths of canine origins, one may consult the author's "Canine Conundrums: Dog Ancestor Myths of Origin in Ethnic Perspective." (Mair 1998) 2. The Pursuit of Prestige In contrast to the negative images attributed to the regional vernaculars, Mandarin is constantly portrayed as yazhi ("refined"), haoting ("pleasant to the ear"), liuchang ("expansive"), and the like. Never mind that Mandarin is permeated with Tungusic, Mongolic, Turkic, and other "barbarian" features,10 making it the furthest removed of all the vernaculars from earlier forms of Sinitic. Never mind that characterizations of the regional vernaculars as "vulgar," etc. and of Mandarin as "refined," etc. are entirely subjective. And never mind that there are plentiful resources for vulgarity in Mandarin, whereas a regional vernacular such as that of Suzhou may actually be hyperrefined. The fact remains that Mandarin is the prestige language of the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China on Taiwan, the Republic of Singapore, and the Hongkong Special Administrative Region. The commanding position of Mandarin is premised upon the following factors which do not require amplification in a paper of this length: 1. its association with military might, political power, and economic clout, 2. its designation as the official national language (putonghua, guoyu, huayu), 3. its background in the koine of a thousand and more years ago, 4. a long history of written literature in a wide variety of styles, 5. large amounts of scholarly research and reference materials devoted to it. In comparison with Mandarin which possesses all of these overwhelmingly favorable conditions, the regional vernaculars have a difficult time competing for attention. The result is that the dominant position of Mandarin grows ever stronger, while the place of the regional vernaculars grows ever weaker. The dynamics of the relationship between the regional vernaculars and MSM may be summed up in the following slogan seen on a wall in Shanghai during the summer of 2002: Zunzhong wenhua; xue putonghua ("Respect culture; learn Mandarin"). The obverse is obvious. 3. The Myth of Monolingualism The myth that there is only a single Chinese (Han) language and that it is spoken by more than a billion people (Chen 1999: 1) is as widespread, relatively recent, persistent, and obnoxiously misleading as the myth that the Great Wall was the only man-made object on earth that could be seen from the moon. Furthermore, both of these myths were perpetrated by Westerners and foisted upon the Chinese. Fortunately, the Ripleyesque "Believe It or Not!" nonsense about the Great Wall (Waldron 1990: 214, 253n596) has at last been disproven by astronauts who went to the moon and could not see any man-made structures on earth with the naked eye. The myth about a nation of Chinese speaking a single language made up of countless "dialects" with only negligible differences of "accent" continues to root itself ever more deeply in the global consciousness, plaguing common sense and scientific observation all the while. The Chinese originally knew better. Right through the Ming Dynasty, the inhabitants of the Central Kingdom realized that there were innumerable varieties of mutually unintelligible speech in the provinces and districts of their vast empire, and they knew equally well that if one wanted to convey one's sentiments to persons fifty or a hundred miles away, one had better do one of the following: a. hire an interpreter, b. hire a scribe, c. learn the dead written language (LS) which no one had used as a flexible spoken medium for at least the previous two millennia, or, if one did not have the considerable resources to do a., b., or c., try d. learn a few hundred or a couple thousand characters so that one could pick one's way through texts written in the national vernacular (VS). It was only with the advent of sizable numbers of Westerners in China that people began to get the foolish notion of there being but a single Chinese (Han) language. This was the result of foreigners' own incomprehension of the multitude of local tongues as well as their utter confusion over the nature of the exotic Chinese script and its complex relationship to spoken languages. The mischief surrounding the myth of monolingualism was further exacerbated during the middle of the first half of the twentieth century with the mistranslation of the word fangyan as "dialect."11 In linguistic classification, a dialect is normally defined as a variety of a certain language, the language being the larger unit and the dialect the smaller unit. Furthermore, although different dialects of the same language may have slightly different phonological, lexical, and grammatical properties, they are usually considered to be mutually intelligible. Naturally, subdialects -- which are smaller, lower level divisions of dialects -- have fewer differences among each other than do dialects. By uniformly translating fangyan as "dialect," this gives the misleading impression that all Sinitic languages are mutually intelligible, but this is patently not the case. As for units of classification above the level of subdialects, dialects, and languages, there are -- at the top -- families, then groups, and then branches. Taking the Indo-European language family as a well-known example, it is composed of the following groups: Balto-Slavic, Germanic, Celtic, Italic (or Romance), Albanian, Hellenic, Armenian, Anatolian, Indo-Iranian, and Tocharian. The Germanic group, in turn, is composed of the following branches: North Germanic, East Germanic, and West Germanic. English is one of the languages of the West Germanic branch, which also includes Frisian, Dutch, German, and Yiddish. The dialects of English, which are all mutually intelligible (!), include those of Australia, Boston, Texas, Newcastle, Lancashire, and so forth. The subdialects of the Boston area include Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Cambridge, Quincy, Roxbury, and so forth. Since the inauguration of modern linguistic science in China from the twenties and thirties of the twentieth century, this entire system of classification has been imported to China -- lock, stock, and barrel: family (xi ), group (zu ), branch (zhi ), language (yuyan ), dialect (fangyan ), sub-dialect (cifangyan ), which I shall refer to below as the FGBLDS system. This system of classification is now adopted by Chinese linguists for all the other languages of the world, including the many non-Sinitic languages of China, but it has strangely never been applied comprehensively to the Sinitic group of languages. In the ensuing paragraphs, I shall examine the reasons for this failure to include Sinitic among the language groups of the world that are eligible for unrestricted classification. The importation of the FGBLDS system would appear to be all well and good by itself. A serious problem arises, however, from the fact that this modern system of linguistic classification has been superimposed upon a preexisting indigenous tradition of language studies. Traditional language studies in China, called xiaoxue , ("minor learning") in distinction to daxue ("major learning") which deals with questions of morality and values, emphasized investigations of the sounds, structure, and meaning of characters. It did not include grammar, etymology,12 morphology, taxonomy, cladistics, or dialectology. At the turn of the Western Han to the Eastern Han (around the beginning of the Common Era), the multitalented literatus, Yang Xiong (53 BCE-18 CE) is said to have compiled a synonimicon known by the short title Fangyan (it also has a much longer title which shall not concern us here). By the term fangyan , Yang Xiong (or whoever the compiler of this work actually was) meant simply "[examples of synonomous terms [from various] places." He did not mean what we mean by "dialect," namely "a variety of language that is used by one group of persons and has features of vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation distinguishing it from other varieties of the same language that are used by other groups." (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th ed. [1988],4: 63a [emphasis added]) After the appearance of Yang Xiong's great work, a tradition of fangyan studies (now referred to as fangyanxue) developed. Its aims and methods remained essentially those of Yang Xiong: to catalog synonymous terms from various localities. When traditional fangyan studies encountered modern dialectology during the first half of the twentieth century, chaos ensued. A full accounting of the stark confusion resulting from the clash between fangyanxue and dialectology requires separate treatment. Suffice it here to say that the confrontation of the traditional and modern disciplines resulted in the creation of such monstrosities as the notion of dafangyan ("big fangyan"), which is comparable to a branch in the FGBLDS system. It also led to the disastrous identification of fangyan and "dialect" as used in the nomenclature of the FGBLDS system. Now, some may object that no harm has been done by coining euphemistic neologisms such as dafangyan for "branch" and equating fangyan with "dialect" because, after all, these terms mean approximately the same things. Such, however, is not the case. Regardless of what Yang Xiong may have originally meant by fangyan, by the late imperial period of Chinese history, fangyan had come to mean roughly "variety of speech typical of a certain place." The concept of "place" in this definition could be near or far, large or small. It is absolutely essential to bear in mind that the concept of fangyan in traditional Chinese language studies had no bearing on the issue of relatedness, whereas "dialect" in the FGBLDS system necessarily implies linguistic consanguinity. (The issues concerning linguistic classification being discussed here must not be clouded by non-linguistic and non-classificatory usages of the word "dialect.") In an earlier paper (Mair 1991: 4-5), I demonstrated that fangyan during the late Qing period could just as easily refer to a foreign language as it did to one of the Sinitic languages. Here I shall reinforce that demonstration with additional proof by pointing out that, in 1863, the renowned statesman Li Hongzhang established a Guang Fangyan Guan [Broad fangyan Office] where fangyan clearly refers to foreign languages. In emulation of Li Hongzhang's innovation, similar translation and interpreting bureaus were set up in the provinces. These were called fangyan xuetang [fangyan academies]. (Brunnert and Hagelstrom 1911: 254, 263) It would be an egregious error to translate fangyan in such situations as "dialect," since the fangyan xuetang were in reality colleges where interpreters learned how to translate to and from English, German, French, Italian, Japanese, and other languages. In an attempt to clear up the massive confusion resulting from the mistranslation of fangyan as "dialect," I long ago proposed that fangyan be rendered in English as "topolect," which conveys precisely the meaning of the Chinese term. I am pleased to report that this rendering has now been accepted by such major, authoritative dictionaries as The American Heritage Dictionary of English (2000: 1822a) and the ABC Chinese-English Dictionary (1996: 161b). A fangyan can be huge (Cantonese, Mandarin) or it can be tiny (Dunhuang, Meixian); it can be near (Pekingese, Shanghainese), or it can be distant (German, Hindi). The term fangyan simply designates a variety of speech characteristic of a certain place, no matter how small, large, near, or far it may be, and no matter whether it be related to other Sinitic languages or not If "topolect" solves the problem of how to translate fangyan into English, how then do we translate "dialect" into Sinitic? The best way to approach the problem is etymologically, just as was done with the word fangyan. The prefix and root (both Greek derived) of the word dialect respectively mean "through" and "[form of] speech." According to this analysis, the most straightforward and exact translation of "dialect" into Mandarin would be tongyan . Aside from being far more accurate than fangyan, this rendering highlights the fact that dialects (especially in the FGBLDS system) are normally mutually intelligible. (The supreme irony of the old translation of "dialect" as fangyan is that most Sinitic fangyan are mutually unintelligible.) For those who are hesitant to accept this radically new Mandarin translation of "dialect," it may be pointed out that "dialect" is ultimately derived from the same Greek roots (dia- ["through"] + legein ["to speak"]) as English "dialog(ue)" which means "a conversation between two or more people." Engaging in a dialog obviously requires a high degree of mutual intelligibility. It should be further noted that the usual translation of English "dialog" as Mandarin duihua is correct in that it conveys the sense of talking across to or back and forth with someone. Once we clarify the distinction between traditional fangyanxue, on the one hand, and dialectology and linguistic cladistics on the other, the fallacy of the monolingual myth is exposed. Up to the present moment, however, a vigorous pretense is maintained that there has only been a single Hanyu (Sinitic) from its very beginning and wherever its countless fangyan are spoken. According to this phantasmagoric scenario, Hanyu is uniquely uniform throughout all time and space. Diachronically, it has no counterpart to Latin or Sanskrit; synchronically, there are no significant differences between Southern Min and Mandarin. It is all just one stupendous Hanyu. When one looks at language trees for Sino-Tibetan published in China, virtually all of them show an incredibly elaborate branching structure for Tibeto-Burman languages, but none whatsoever for Sinitic. Whereas there is a proliferation of scores of Tibeto-Burman branches and languages, many of which have only a few thousand to several ten thousand or a hundred thousand speakers, there is but one unbranched line for Hanyu with all of its billion and more speakers. The portrayal of Hanyu as utterly monolithic is a politico-cultural fiction. In secret, no honest linguist who has studied the huge lexical, phonological, and grammatical differences between LS and VS, and among the numerous varieties of VS, could possibly accept the diachronic and synchronic uniformity of Hanyu. If the truth be told, there have been coded attempts to break out of the ideological straitjacket that demands acquiescence in the monolingual myth. Both in the Nationalities volume (1986: 554b) and in the Languages and Scripts volume (1988: 523b) of the authoritative Zhongguo da baike quanshu, we find the following rather weird sentence: Hanyu zai yuyan xishu fenlei zhong xiangdangyu yi ge yuzu de diwei ( "In linguistic classification, Hanyu [Sinitic] occupies a place equivalent to a language group"). Apart from its grammatical and logical defectiveness (Hanyu... is equivalent to... a position), this sentence is peculiar in many other respects. First of all, in both instances it occurs in an article on "languages of Chinese national minorities," not in an article on Sinitic or even Sino-Tibetan. Secondly, it was written not by a specialist on Sinitic, but by a well-known expert on non-Sinitic languages, Fu Maoji. Thirdly, it is very careful not to come right out and say that Hanyu is (shi ) a language group, but only that it occupies a position equivalent to (xiangdang yu) a language group. Fu Maoji is bound by the fiction of a monolithic Hanyu not to admit that Hanyu really is a language group, for -- if he were to do so -- it would automatically mean that it is composed of more than a single language. At the same time, common sense and linguistic reality demand recognition of the multiplicity of constituents within Hanyu. Hence the blatantly evasive wording. What does all of this discussion about the mistranslation of fangyan as "dialect" and the monolingual myth concerning Sinitic have to do with the main topic of this paper? Simply this: if there is only a single Hanyu, and if all of its constituent members are mutually intelligible dialects, then there is no need for education in the regional vernaculars, nor is there any reason to write them down. The only thing that matters is MSM / guoyu / putonghua since it miraculously subsumes and exemplifies all other varieties of Hanyu, which supposedly differ only in insignificant ways. This sort of elaborate masquerade might have succeeded decades ago when naive Westerners labored under the misapprehension that, because China only has one script and literate people from different parts of the country can read what is written in it, then surely there must only be one language in China. More recent studies, however, have revealed the following pertinent facts: Those who wish to become literate must learn MSM, which has its own grammar, syntax, phonology, lexicon, and idioms that -- for most people -- vary substantially from those of their own mother tongue. (In the past, they would have had to learn LS, which was even much more difficult to acquire than MSM.) The regional vernaculars are almost never written down. In the rare instances when heroic attempts are made to write them in an integral fashion, speakers of other Sinitic languages -- including Mandarin -- cannot read them at all, or read them only partially and with great effort. 13 Recent investigations of the grammar, morphology, syntax, vocabulary, and phonology of the regional Sinitic vernaculars show that they differ among themselves as greatly as do the Indo-European languages of Europe. (Yue Hashimoto 1972; Killingley 1993; Matthews and Yip 1994; Chappell 2001) Personal observations by fluent native and foreign speakers of Mandarin, Cantonese, and other Sinitic languages affirm that there are hundreds of varieties of mutually unintelligible speech classifiable as Sinitic. Although the monolingual myth is starting to crumble under the weight of empirical evidence that there truly exist many different Sinitic languages belonging to a number of branches, the politico-cultural conceit of a single Hanyu for all time and all space dies hard. 4. The Sinographic Snare Still more seductive than the myth of monolingualism is the allure of the sinographic script. Even illiterate Chinese and foreigners who cannot recognize the simplest character are convinced not only that the script is a thing of great beauty, but that it is the cement that binds Chinese society and culture together. The corollary of this belief is that, sans the script, Chinese society and culture would dissipate or even disappear. But -- assuming that one accepts this mode of thought -- the characters present speakers of the nonstandard regional vernaculars with a troublesome dilemma: if they wish to remain patriotically loyal to the Chinese polity and culture, then they naturally must embrace the sinographic script wholeheartedly, yet, by doing so they make it well-nigh impossible to write their mother tongue. Zheng Liangwei ( 1990) has summarized some of the deficiencies of writing restricted solely to Chinese characters: low capability of auditory symbolism easy to confuse literary and vernacular styles, making it difficult to bring writing more in line with speech temporal imprecision and social division lead to linguistic confusion encourages cultural self-centeredness causes intellectuals to adopt a prejudicial view toward other scripts and cultures inconvenient for cultural exchange requires an educational system that overlooks, is biased against, or even prohibits indigenous, local cultures While I am not confident that I fully understand or agree with each of Zheng's points, there is no doubt that the sinographic script is inimical to writing the nonstandard vernaculars (i.e., anything other than MSM, which is a very special type of deracinated national vernacular), whether it be Taiwanese, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Sichuanese, or even Pekingese. Wang Yude, who has authored an informative series of lectures on Taiwanese language, puts it this way: "When one uses Chinese characters to write Taiwanese, the first problem one confronts is that it is impossible to find correct characters for the more frequently appearing vocabulary items...." (Wang 1993: 62-63) Wang states that, according to his investigations, it is impossible to find correct characters for approximately one out of every four Taiwanese vocabulary items. He gives the following list of pairs of Taiwanese words where the items in the left column are vernacular terms, together with their customary sinographic form, and the items in the right column are the literary readings of the relevant Chinese characters. The translations in the center column, which apply to the items in both the left and right columns, have been added by me. vernacular term translation literary reading sui beautiful bi siau wild, crazy kong san thin so koan tall ko te short toan khia stand su siu n think siong heng return hoan ho 14 give kip koai , go against koai lang person jin bah flesh jiok thang window chhong lau-pe father lo -hu tsa-po man tsa-po It is obvious that some of the characters in the left column have been chosen because they represent precisely or roughly the meaning of the Taiwanese terms in question, while other characters have been selected because they are either exact or near homophones of the given Taiwanese terms, but in no case do both the meanings and the sounds of the characters "borrowed" (Wang's word [jaijie ]) to represent the Taiwanese words coincide. The same clumsy techniques, with all of their concomitant difficulties and ambiguities, apply to sinographic writing of the other vernaculars. Already in the 1870s, Edward Parker realized that there were many words in the Sinitic vernaculars that he called "characterless." He compiled a list of a hundred words from the vernacular languages of Peking, Hangzhou, Canton, Fuzhou, and the Hakka that were considered to have no sinographic written form. With effort, he was able to assign characters to thirteen of these words, leaving 87 words without characters to match them. IV. The Prognosis for Written Taiwanese Technically, writing Taiwanese in romanization would be a very easy thing to do. Indeed, during the twentieth century tens of thousands of Taiwanese-speaking individuals quickly became literate in what is popularly known as church romanization. (Christine Lin 1999; Albert Lin 1999) Although, due to the presence of tone marks, hyphens used to connect the syllables of words, superscript nasals, and a few other special symbols, church romanization appears somewhat ungainly, it is actually a fully functional script. It is used mainly within the Presbyterian Church for religious purposes, but many people (including my brother's own mother-in-law) have used it for private correspondence and to write literary works. But church romanization has not spread widely in secular society, probably because of its close identification with Christianity. There are at least half a dozen competing romanization schemes for Taiwanese on the scene, with new ones popping up all the time. (Chiung 2003) The problem is not that workable schemes have not been proposed for the romanization of Taiwanese, but that the people of Taiwan do not have the collective will to ensure that a superior scheme is selected as an official script. The main obstacle to the creation of an effective romanization for the whole of society is undoubtedly the affection for Chinese characters felt by a majority of the population. Despite the manifest inadequacy of the characters for writing Taiwanese, people keep striving to force their mother tongue into the sinographic mold. For all of the many reasons outlined above, I believe that such efforts are doomed to failure. Sinographically written Taiwanese will never become a widespread phenomenon. If, on the other hand, Taiwan continues to maintain its current quasi-independence for a considerable period of time, it is quite possible that a romanized script for Taiwanese will gradually and naturally develop as the result of electronic information processing, the inducements of international commerce and cultural exchange, the increasingly frequent insertion of English words in sinographic texts and of romanized Taiwanese terms in English texts, and similar eventualities. We must remember that it has only been about fifteen years since the Taiwanese people have been sufficiently free to discuss publicly the desirability of writing their mother tongue. When the first attempts were made to raise the status of Taiwanese, they caused a violent reaction among proponents of guoyu and all that it entailed. The following newspaper article is a good example of the moral indignation and political outrage that is capable of being directed against the regional vernaculars: "Cultural Taiwan Independence" Is More Terrifying Than "Political Taiwan Independence" "The Transformation of Taiwanese into a Written Language" Exposes Separatism "Taiwanese" is a fangyan of Chinese (Zhongguohua), similar to Cantonese and Shanghainese. Although its sounds are different, the shapes of the characters are the same. There is truly no reason for it to set itself apart from Chinese characters. A person harboring strong desires for "Taiwan Independence" (Tai[wan] du[li]) and employing twisted theories has falsely claimed that Taiwanese can be transformed into a written language. What is more, this individual has made a commitment to this doctrine by personally compiling a dictionary [of Taiwanese] to prove the feasibility of his theories. Not only is such blather ridiculous, it makes you clench your fists in anger. Everybody knows that Taiwanese is a branch (yi zhi) of Hanic (hanyu), not a language (yuyan) with an independent (duli) system. All the more, it is not the language of a people (minzu ), but rather should be considered as a kind of fangyan within Chinese (Zhongguohua). Any of the fangyan already has a script (i.e., the Chinese characters), so there is absolutely no need to "transform it into a written language" (wenzihua ). Using Taiwanese to read the Four Books and the Five Classics (si shu wu jing ) is like using Hakka, Cantonese, or Shanghainese to read them. Although all of these fangyan are mutually incommunicable (wu fa gou tong ), they all belong to the "Hanic Family" (Hanyu xi ), so they all can use written Chinese (Zhongwen) to communicate, and there is no question of being "transformed into a written language." Within the territory of our country, the different languages having different scripts are Manchu, Mongolian, and Tibetan because these are different races (zhongzu ) belonging to different language families (yuxi ) and having different cultures. But Taiwanese is an authentic fangyan that uses written Chinese (Zhongwen) to communicate, so there is really no necessity for it to be "transformed into a written language." What is more, it definitely cannot be divided from Hanic and set up a separate language family. After the Second World War, when the backward peoples of Africa were liberated from the colonial oppression of the European imperialist countries, because they only had languages but no scripts, they had to promote the "transformation into written language" of their native tongues to strive for survival in modern, civilized societies. In contrast, Taiwanese (the correct name should be Southern Min), in terms of its standing with regard to culture and civilization, is not inferior to any of the fangyan on the mainland, but is actually more ancient and elegant. Why, then, would the Taiwanese want to reduce themselves to the level of the backward peoples of Africa? This is incomprehensible and shows the self-destructiveness of "Taiwan independence" (Taidu). "Taiwanese" has the same script (wenzi ) as the national language (guoyu), and Taiwanese compatriots belong to the same nation as the compatriots of the other provinces [of China]. Willfully wanting to set up another script and another nation (minzu) are obvious indications of "separatist consciousness" (fenli yishi; ) This kind of "Cultural Taiwan Independence" is more frightening than "Political Taiwan Independence" because political questions can be solved through compromise, but once culture takes root, it is hard to eradicate. I recognize that Taiwanese is a precious heritage of our [country], and that it is deserving of protection and respect. I also personally approve of using discretion to increase the amount of fangyan programs in broadcasting, and all the more would encourage our brothers from other provinces to learn Southern Minnan [speech]. But I am strongly opposed to viewing [Southern Minnan] as an "independent language" (duli yuyan). I believe that "the transformation of Taiwanese into a written language" is a plot to destroy the country. Everyone should rise up to denounce it orally and in writing. (Taipei City, Li Shengwei)15 The violence of the rhetoric in this article is palpable. The author feels threatened by the prospect of written Taiwanese and proposes extreme measures (kouzhu bifa ["execute with the mouth and cut down with the pen"]) to prevent its happening. The irrational fury and uncomprehending linguistic fallacies that pervade this indignant denunciation of the mere suggestion of written Taiwanese are clear proof of the kinds of intimidation and pressures that have been brought to bear against writing in the regional vernaculars in China. Yet, no matter how much ranting and raving Li Shengwei and his ilk might indulge in, the speakers of Taiwanese themselves feel a genuine and legitimate need to transform it into a written language, Furthermore, not only are they keenly aware of the tremendous differences between Taiwanese and Mandarin, they are also deeply frustrated by the intractability of the Chinese characters when it comes to writing out their mother tongue. With the lifting of martial law, they would no longer be intimidated by the fierce, dogmatic rhetoric of Great Han chauvinists like Li Shengwei. Hence, no sooner had a modicum of democracy been instituted on the island than a surge of publications concerning Taiwanese language ensued. Among these were Taiyu wenzhai (Tai5-gi2 bun5-tiah4; Taiwanese Digest; vols. 1-4, late eighties) and Tai-Bun Thong-Sin (Newsletter for Written Taiwanese; late nineties). And now there are numerous easy-to-find sites dealing with Taiwanese on the World Wide Web. Among the more intriguing pedagogical offerings of recent years is a large format, thin textbook entitled Kejia Taiyu jiaocai [Teaching Material for Hakka Taiwan Language] that was published in September, 1998 by the Taipei Municipal Government under Mayor Chen Shuibian and with an energetic preface by him. The first volume in a series entitled Taibei shi muyu jiaocai [Mother Language Teaching Materials for Taipei City], this is a colorful, luxuriously produced textbook. In his Preface, Mayor Chen begins and ends by invoking pluralism (duoyuan ), and in the middle stresses pedagogy and teaching materials for the mother tongue (muyu). It is curious that the Mayor, whose Preface is written in perfect Mandarin (guoyu), stresses the need for providing instruction in Hakka and aboriginal languages, which had been suppressed during the previous forty to fifty years as a result of the distorted views of the preceding government, but he does not mention a word about Taiwanese (Hoklo). The Mayor's Preface is full of subtexts that speak to his political opponents in Taipei, to Taiwanese nationalists farther south on the island, to the Communist authorities and the people of mainland China, and to his future aspirations for the presidency. Although it is only about 550 characters long, this is a fascinating document that deserves full analysis elsewhere. Suffice it to say here only that the Mayor is an astute analyst of social and cultural dynamics who recognized early on the centrality of language in the political equation that will determine the fate of Taiwan. The Taiwanese author Zhong Zhaozheng has likened writing in Mandarin (i.e., zhongwen) to a type of translation. In a thoughtful article first published in Lianhe bao (United Daily), Zhong shares his reflections upon the rise of the muyu yundong (Mother Tongue Movement) to replace the old guoyu yundong (National Language Movement) that had been in effect for the previous forty years: I am a native of Taiwan, born and bred. When I was growing up, especially when I was seven years old and entered public school (during the Japanese occupation, the schools that were set up for local children were called "public" schools), I was forced to learn Japanese. Before that time, I had only used Hoklo and Hakka. This was because my father was of Hakka descent and my mother was of Hoklo descent. My relatives were also half Hakka and half Hoklo, so I grew up hearing both languages. After I went to school and gradually got older, my Japanese ability also advanced. By the time I entered middle school, while we were in school we used only Japanese. During those middle school years, I even thought only in Japanese. Now I've abandoned Japanese and switched to Chinese (zhongwen, i.e., Mandarin) when I write. After getting a bit used to it, I've also started to think in Chinese (zhongwen). But then a problem came along. Normally when I'm writing, I think in Chinese (zhongwen) and write my thoughts down in Chinese (zhongwen). This is as it should be, and I find nothing objectionable about it. But when I come to dialog, then there's a big difference. When a character in one of my stories says something, clearly it's one kind [of language], but when I write it down it's another kind [of language]. It goes without saying that, between these [two kinds of language, my writing has} to undergo a process of translation. The subjection of literary works to translation is something that has long been done throughout the world, so of course it can stand, and there is no need to be suspicious of it. Nevertheless, a given place has its own special language and mode of expression. Sometimes a short oral utterance can bring a character's status and personality vividly to life. However, after undergoing this process of translation, that special flavor is completely lost and that kind of freshness no longer exists. Consequently, the character's personality is also distorted. (Zhong 1992: 21-22) It is interesting that I felt exactly the same type of frustration and unnaturalness when I was translating Pu Songling's Liaozhai zhi yi (Strange Tales from Make-do Studio). (Mair and Mair 1989) I had no particular problem or difficulty dealing with narration or description, but when it came to dialog, it was almost painful to contemplate the fact that Pu's characters could not possibly have spoken the LS that he has coming out of their mouths in his stories. In my long career as a translator, these were the most existentially unnerving challenges I had ever coped with. Often when I was agonizing over the inappropriately literary register and rarefied diction of Pu's dialogs, I would think of the strong local color and speech of William Faulkner, the Hispanic tinge and parlance of Ernest Hemingway's novels, and the uncanny ability of Tom Wolfe to recreate the speech and mannerisms of different social and ethnic groups. I suspect that much of such great writers' success in these respects relies on the phonological versatility of the alphabet. Will there ever come a day when Taiwanese authors can routinely write genuine Taiwanese language dialogs, not just formulaic prose translated through a Mandarin filter? According to Lin Zongyuan (b. 1955), an award-winning songwriter and poet known for his Taiwanese translations of Shakespeare and William Butler Yeats, the future of Taiwanese literature is closely bound up with political democratization. "I believe that if we ever get bilingual education, Taiwanese will become mainstream. If you look at the number of people speaking the southern Fukien dialect in Taiwan, mainland China, and Southeast Asia, it's quite significant. I think the future looks quite good. But right now we are still establishing the written language." (Balcom 1992: 73) More than a decade later, the situation has still not changed much. If anything, the Taiwanese are further from achieving unanimity on how to write their mother tongue than they were twenty years ago.16 Nonetheless, it is now possible to put together a college-level textbook of poems, stories, and essays written in Taiwanese with introductions and language notes for each selection. (Cheng et al. 2000) There seems to be a growing market for works written in Taiwanese, and publishers have responded by offering an increasing number ofa wide variety of Taiwanese language materials (novels, short story collections, anthologies, dictionaries, vocabulary lists, primers, and so forth). Many such recent publications, however, display a strange phenomenon that does not bode well for the future of writing in Taiwanese. The editors of such publications, which are intended for broad consumption among the population of Taiwan, have adopted the practice of taking works which were originally written wholly in romanization and converting them into primarily hanzi texts with a slight admixture of romanization, or taking works that were originally written with a mixture of hanzi and romanization and drastically reducing the amount of romanized words in them. Superficially this might appear to be a reasonable strategy, since it comports with the general affection and familiarity felt by the people of Taiwan toward hanzi and recognizes that there are still many high frequency Taiwanese morphemes for which no suitable hanzi have been discovered. The problem, however, is that -- in a disturbingly large number of cases -- hanzi are assigned to Taiwanese words in a completely arbitrary and often rather amusing fashion, as we have seen above. When Carstairs Douglas published his monumental dictionary of Amoy vernacular in 1873, there was not a single character in it. In 1923, Thomas Barclay published from the Commercial Press in Shanghai a Supplement to Douglas's dictionary. Although Barclay added characters for many of the entries, he still left many entries without any characters assigned to them. For the completely new entries added by Barclay, most lacked characters. This is in sharp contrast to a bizarre dictionary compiled by the Department of Sinitic Topolects in the Institute for Chinese Languages and Script of Amoy University and published to great fanfare in 1982. All of the entries have characters and MSM pronunciations, by which they are ordered under head characters. All definitions are given in MSM and, indeed, the MSM elements of the dictionary are openly based on the well-known Xiandai Hanyu cidian [Dictionary of Modern Sinitic {i.e., Mandarin}]. A sizable portion of the entries in this dictionary from Amoy University are not really authentic Southern Min terms at all, but are simply Mandarin words with Southern Min pronunciations added to them. V. Reflections Just as the speakers of the regional vernaculars have been perennially sloughing off their mother tongues and acquiring their national language, for the last generation and the current one, they have started to forget their national language and remember the global language. Code switching involving English is very widespread in Taiwan, Hongkong, and Singapore, and it is now being heard ever more frequently in China. An impressive amount of traffic on the internet in these areas is being carried out in English, and parents are eager to have their children start learning English at younger and younger ages. It should be observed, however, that -- just as with the regional vernaculars -- when foreign languages are reduced to sinographic forms, surpassingly strange transcriptions are liable to be put forth. For example, in Taiwan and Hongkong, a very well- established sinographic transcription of "cool" (meaning "wonderful, neat, great" in youth speak) is ku ("cruel"), and my Shandong father-in-law writes goutou maoning ("dog's-head cat's meow").17 The commonly accepted writing of "cigar" with characters that mean "snow" and "lotus stem" at least sounds plausible when pronounced in Shanghainese (where it was first coined), but it is totally baffling in both sound and sense when pronounced xuejia 18 in Mandarin. Even more unsettling is the demonstrated ability of the sinographic script to incorporate letters of the alphabet as characters, e.g., BB for "baby" in Cantonese, BP or BB for "beeper" in Shanghainese, and so forth. (Hansel 11994) Li Yang, using his Fengkuang Yingwen ("Crazy English") methods, claims that he has taught English to 20,000,000 of China's citizens. Li says that he has a mission to teach everyone in China how to speak English, not because he loves the language but because, as he puts it, "Microsoft and Coca-cola own the world." All together, there are well over 250,000,000 Chinese actively engaged in learning English right now, and that number is sure to grow in the coming years. (McArthur 2002: 357) In 1990, bilingual education (shuangyu jiaoyu ) in Taiwan signified instruction in Mandarin and Taiwanese or Hakka. (Lin 1990) In 2003, bilingual education in Taiwan is more likely to signify instruction in English and Mandarin or Taiwanese. The inclusion of English in the compulsory curricula of Taiwan, China, and Singapore (where it is still the most important language of education) may seem like a heavy burden, but the government of Hongkong has gone several steps further and instituted a policy of san yu liang wen ("three [spoken] languages -- Cantonese, English, Mandarin -- and two [written] languages -- Chinese and English"). The government of Taiwan will soon make the momentous switch from vertical alignment (shupai ) to horizontal alignment (hengpai ) of texts for ease of incorporating English in official documents. In the words of Premier Yu Shyi-kun, "As it's our goal is to make English the quasi official language within the next six to 10 years, the use of English is bound to increase in official papers and private publications " (Ko 2003) To paraphrase the title of a noteworthy book that came out earlier this year, " the writing is on the wall." (Hannas 2003) Despite the deep inroads of Mandarin and the steady incursions of English, the people of Taiwan cling tenaciously to their native language. They clearly sense that forgetting one's mother tongue is the severest form of cultural amnesia. To show the depth of feeling that many Taiwanese have for their native language, I would like to close with a poem by Chen Lei (b. 1939): Love of the Mother Tongue You can beat my skin, You can eat my flesh, But you cannot take away The right to my language. The language my parents taught me Is the feeling in my heart; The voice my native soil gave me Is the thought in my head. Why? Why do you say I cannot express myself! It's because you have your megalomanic ideology of a culture lasting five thousand years, And half a century of despotic control on this island; Thus you have become a chicken-livered, bird-brained person With a baleful face and barbarous hand. Just take a look: come to America And speak Shanghainese, Cantonese, Speak Shandongese, Pekingese; Would anyone dare to beat you for it? Just take a look: Why is it Only you behave this way? You can beat my skin, You can eat my flesh, But you cannot take away The right to my language; My voice is my feeling, Language is my thought. I refuse to be wrapped up in your "national language," And become a Taiwanese Who has lost his own soul. Chen Lei desperately wishes to assert his cultural identity, and he realizes that his native language is at the heart of that identity. At the same time, he decisively rejects the hegemonistic national language imposed upon him and his countrymen by an alien political force. Nonetheless, the irony of Chen's predicament escapes him: every Taiwanese syllable that he writes with a Chinese character merely reinforces the control of the central culture. If Taiwanese language is the heart and soul of Taiwanese identity, as Chen asserts, Chinese characters are the heart and soul of Chinese identity. To write in Chinese characters is to evoke the deep cultural memories that he trenchantly opposes and to consign to ultimate oblivion the sounds and words with which he articulates his innermost thoughts and feelings. Notes I wish to express my gratitude to the following individuals: Grace Wu for lending me books relating to Taiwanese language and helping me to read Taiwanese texts; Linda Chance for checking Japanese terms; Mark Swofford for keeping me abreast of current events concerning the evolution of writing in Taiwan; Anthony C. Yu for telling me of his personal experiences with language in Hong Kong and Shanghai; Wu Shouli for introducing me to the intricacies of old Minnan writing; and Robert Cheng (Zheng Liangwei) for energetically endeavoring to comprehend the reasons for the non-development of Taiwanese writing, for striving against all odds to create a workable means that would enable the people of Taiwan to write their mother tongue, and for patiently explaining it all to me. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has made it official: she is jumping into the presidential race. The Massachusetts Democrat became the first major Democratic candidate to enter the 2020 contest when she announced Monday that she is forming an exploratory committee. That key step allows her to hire staff and start raising money before she formally kicks off her candidacy in what is likely to be a crowded Democratic primary. Others, including some of Warrens fellow senators, are also getting ready to make announcements of their own, and some are expected within days, according to the Washington Post. Advertisement Americas middle class is under attack, Warren says in a four-minute, 30-second video emailed to supporters Monday morning in which she made the announcement. How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie. And they enlisted politicians to cut them a bigger slice. Throughout the video, Warren leans in to her reputation as an anti-Wall Street crusader who has a working class background and has long advocated for stronger consumer financial protections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive spent my career getting to the bottom of why Americas promise works for some families, but others, who work just as hard, slip through the cracks into disaster, Warren, 69, says in the video. And what Ive found is terrifying: these arent cracks families are falling into, theyre traps. Americas middle class is under attack. Warrens candidacy hardly comes as a surprise. Many progressives pushed the senator to run in 2016 but she passed. President Donald Trump is likely to be happy that Warren is entering the field as he seems to have been preparing to run against her. The president has frequently criticized her and seems to take great pleasure in calling her Pocahontas in reference to accusations that she has misrepresented her Cherokee heritage for professional gain. Earlier this year, in a move many saw as confirmation that she was getting ready to launch a presidential bid, she released the results of a DNA test that showed she did have Native American ancestry. Yet that move also engulfed her in controversy as many progressives criticized her move, saying she took Trumps bait and in the process put too much emphasis on the controversial field of racial science, as the New York Times put it in a piece earlier this month. It hardly seems a coincidence that the video she emailed to supporters Monday made no mention of the DNA test. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other senators that are expected to announce presidential runs include Cory Booker of New Jersey, Kamala D. Harris of California, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Former Vice President Joe Biden is also seen as a possible contender. Warren now faces two key challenges. The Washington Posts Jennifer Rubin explains: First, shell need to distinguish herself from the crowd (A less cranky Sanders? A more progressive Gillibrand?). While she may drain support away from Sanders, her toughest competitor for the blue-collar populism crowd might be Brown, whose everyman style and Rust Belt roots give him an advantage over a wonkish former law professor. Second, and perhaps most critical, is the challenge of finding a voice and a message that will appeal both to Democrats hearts and heads. Certainly, primary voters want to swoon over an articulate, charismatic figure, but more than anything, they want to win. Warren will have to wow voters with passion while convincing them she can hold her own against Trump, a task made harder by her DNA flub. Warren is expected to unveil a travel schedule soon that will see her going to the first presidential primary states in the coming weeks, including Iowa and New Hampshire. Iowa is holding its caucus in early February 2020. Russias domestic security agency said it had detained an American citizen suspected of spying in Moscow. The Federal Security Service (FSB), which is the successor to the KGB, said Monday it had caught Paul Whelan while carrying out an act of espionage on Friday and criminal charges were filed. Whelan faces between 10 and 20 years behind bars if he is found guilty. No other information was revealed about Whelan or what the act of espionage involved but the arrest comes at a time of particularly high tensions between Moscow and Washington. It also comes in the same month as a Russian citizen, Maria Butina, pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiring to act as a foreign agent. She admitted that she had worked with Russian officials to infiltrate conservative activist groups and politicians in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moscow has long denied Butina was a foreign agent but has also helped launch a campaign on social media to get her release. While there is no apparent connection between her case and Mr. Whelans, in the past, Russian authorities have arrested foreigners with an eye toward trading prisoners with other countries, notes the New York Times. In his end of year news conference, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia will not arrest innocent people simply to exchange them for someone else later on. News of the Moscow arrest comes shortly after Putin sent President Donald Trump a New Years letter in which he claimed the Kremlin is open to dialogue and said the relationship between the two countries is the most important factor behind ensuring strategic stability and international security. As White House chief of staff John Kelly gets ready to leave his post, he got one last taste of what its like working for President Donald Trump. On Monday, the commander in chief said that his administration had not abandoned the concept of building a concrete all along the border. Although the commander in chief never actually mentions Kelly by name there is little doubt about who he is referring to in his tweet. An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media, Trump wrote. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Advertisement An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tweet came a day after the Los Angeles Times published an extensive exit interview with Kelly in which the outgoing chief of staff claimed the administration had long ago abandoned the idea of a concrete wall. In what may have really sparked Trumps anger, Kelly seemed to suggest the wall wasnt really all that important. During his brief tenure as head of Homeland Security in early 2017, Kelly went to talk to border agents and they made it clear the wall wouldnt magically solve all their problems. They said, Well we need a physical barrier in certain places, we need technology across the board, and we need more people, Kelly said. Advertisement Advertisement Trump contradicted his outgoing chief of staff a few hours after he tried out a new argument in favor of the border wall, comparing it to the wall that former President Obama built around his Washington, D.C. home. 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, Trump wrote. The U.S. needs the same thing, slightly larger version! To make the comparison, Trump really had to go down memory lane, considering TMZ first reported on the wall in 2017. 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! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2018 While the Obamas declined to comment, there is a hint in Michelle Obamas book Becoming that Trump may be part of the reason why they feel they need to be extra careful about security, points out NBC News. What if someone with an unstable mind loaded a gun and drove to Washington? the former first lady wrote. What if that person went looking for our girls? Donald Trump, with his loud and reckless innuendos, was putting my familys safety at risk. Robert Gilpin, R.I.P. - The Washington Post : His greatest book was written in 1981, but the main theory in it is perhaps more trenchant now... In 2019, we should stop yelling at each other and possibly even enjoy each other's company. There were some great moments filled with love, positivity, inspiration, and creativity but I wish there were more of them. (Source: Sme archive) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Andrea Sadlonova is a Slovak-born scientist who returned home after 19 years in the USA. Psychologists say that moving to a new environment can be good for our well-being, that it can be re-energising, helpful with finding a new direction, inspirational and exciting. Many people travel for these reasons. For me, some environments work their magic and are truly beneficial. I wonder sometimes whether Slovakia is this type of environment too. Is it re-energising for our visitors? I hope that as a tourist destination it serves its purpose well, but how about for those who stay longer? With my happy childhood "programming" I yearn for Slovakia to be this perfect place but occasionally it treats me with such a slap in the face that I start doubting myself. I believe nobody deserves a beating from their own country. It is not that there is something sinister or harmful about this environment, but human beings are social animals, they need to become fully engaged with their environment and connect to its values and energy to in order to have a satisfying experience. People who have lived in a foreign place know that the initial infatuation they feel needs to be turned into worthwhile engagement. On some level we need to connect to something in our environment, otherwise, we may become demotivated, withdrawn, isolated and potentially alienated. Alienation is not very beneficial to the individual or to society. It leads to frustration, anger and violence and the society loses the potential that the individual represents. This process is not easy, it takes time, patience, accommodation and adjustment on both sides. Given some intrinsic properties, some environments are more open to it than others, but the exchange is beneficial to both. 2018 was a hard year for Slovakia, transforming and potentially cleansing. However, I experienced lots of anger and yelling, directed at me and others, more than in my previous 41 years. I know it stems from a general frustration and disengagement. There were some great moments filled with love, positivity, inspiration, and creativity but I wish there were more of them. In 2019, we should stop yelling at each other and possibly even enjoy each other's company. The aggression towards others leads to the exact opposite of engagement, it does not change anybodys mind or their ways. It leads to further withdrawal and alienation. We should not try to change others but rather to listen to their stories, be more empathetic and encouraging. If we dont lift ourselves, who will? Interior Minister Denisa Sakova will announce the selection procedure by mid-February. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The Slovak police should get a new boss by the summer of 2019. The Interior Ministry will have launched the selection procedure for the top police post by February 15, 2019 and Minister Denisa Sakova expects the new police corps president to be elected by the summer, she said in an interview with the TASR newswire. Read also: Read also: Police corps president will be selected under new rules Read more Candidates will have at least 30 days to deliver their applications, which will then be evaluated by an expert commission and the defence and security committee of parliament. While President Andrej Kiska refused to sign the new rules for the election of the police corps president, Sakova believes the procedure will be much more transparent than it has been in the past. She stressed for TASR that the seven-member commission of experts will be nominated by the Interior Ministry, the police unions, the Police Academy, the general prosecutor, and the Police Corps Presidium. The sitting police corps president, Milan Lucansky, has replaced his predecessor Tibor Gaspar after the latter stepped down in May, under the pressure of street protests following the Kuciak murders. Lucansky was chosen as an interim president of the Police Corps, and Sakova maintains he was the best choice for the post, given his managerial skills and his experience. "He has got exactly what a police corps president needs to efficiently manage the work of the Police Corps," she told TASR. Lucansky has not ruled out that he might run for the top police post in the upcoming selection procedure. Sakova refused to say whether she would support him, although she does not doubt that he would be a good nominee, she said. The main contribution of the euro is the elimination of exchange rate differences and unification of the currency, thus easing trade and administration. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Most entrepreneurs would not want to give up the common European currency, which the Slovak Republic started using ten years ago, on January 1, 2019. Most of the self-employed and companies (83 percent) in Slovakia are satisfied with the European currency. About 15 percent are unsatisfied. 60 percent believe that the euro has had a positive impact on their business. To the contrary, 13 percent speak about negative influence, according to a poll conducted on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of euro implementation, by the CSOB bank and the Databank polling agency. The majority (86 percent) of businessmen, small, medium or large companies would choose the euro if they had the chance to decide again. More than half of the companies (56 percent) do not see any weak point to the euro but four out of 10 talked about the price increase and exchange rate differences. It is not surprising that companies with a turnover of over 200,000 declare the greatest satisfaction with the euro (85.7 percent), commented Dasa Pollakova, manager of the micro and small companies segment in CSOB, as quoted by the TASR newswire. It is also important, according to her, that small companies and the self-employed are also satisfied (76.7 percent) as they create most of the jobs in Slovakia. The main contribution the euro has made is the elimination of exchange rate differences and the unification of the currency, thus making trade and administration easier. The increase in prices before and after the implementation of the euro does not differ dramatically, opined the main economist of the bank Marek Gabris, adding that in three years, Slovakia experienced slight deflation. The bank also measured the expectation of companies and entrepreneurs in Slovakia. Even though the Index of Company Expectations dropped slightly to 22.9 points, it is still a sign of prevailing optimism. Satisfaction with the economic situation in the country increased, as witnessed by 42 percent of entrepreneurs, in comparison with the beginning of the year, where this figure was 33 percent. About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile It was recently noted that the Russian firm Yandex, which has been providing mapping services via the Internet since 2004, has been, for their satellite photos, blurring military and other sensitive sites in Turkey and Israel. This was odd because there are several major Internet firms (like Google) that have provided similar satellite image services longer than Yandex that have learned that blurring sensitive sites (at the request of the nation involved) does not work and only brings attention to a sensitive (usually military) site that can be seen minus the blur on several other commercial satellite image services. Most major nations have learned that the best you can do is keep a list of all commercial satellite firms and request that some sensitive sites only be made available at lower resolution. Thus a user would not have an easy time finding these sensitive sites unless they searched large areas at a lower resolution, a process that takes a lot more time. Another, more effective solutions is for the owning nation to simply put very sensitive sites underground, undercover (as in some shipyard facilities) or carefully camouflage them and check the effectiveness of your concealment efforts with your own photo satellites. Israel is known to use this method in some cases. But most major nations (with large militaries) use these methods and still find the lower resolution approach works for bases and other military facilities in combat zones. Even that does not help much now because Islamic terrorists have been using quadcopters equipped with high-resolution vidcams to get the latest details of combat zone bases. Meanwhile, there are still some nations that make the mistake of asking Google to help conceal something. There was an example in 2016 when Taiwan has asked Google to hide some new construction on Itu Aba Island. That activity was not much of a news item even though it was clearly visible on Google Earth. Taiwan was soon reminded that making that request has quite an opposite effect. Countries can request that Google not show classified military facilities but in making that request they point out where the classified operation is. So far, a lot of this stuff is just there for anyone to find. And Internet users find it. This is called "crowdsourcing" (where large numbers of people accomplish impressive feats of research or analysis because they can quickly mobilize and get to the task via the Internet). The U.S. military will not say that they appreciate the work done via crowdsourcing, but individual analysts and intelligence officials have made it known, unofficially, that crowdsourcing is another useful tool that unexpectedly came their way via the Internet. For Taiwan requesting that Google blur out or erase there new concrete structures (apparently for mounting air defense systems) simply provided more publicity for the construction effort that was completed by late 2015. Meanwhile, many nations simply build new military facilities in remote areas and remain quiet about it. The government and military intel community have the money and software chops to screen and analyze huge quantities of data on the Internet, both text and pictures but it can take a while to find new military facilities in remote areas. Thus despite all these resources, the intel behemoths continue to get overtaken by civilian amateurs. A large factor in this was the appearance of Google Earth and other commercial satellite photo sources. This revolutionized military intelligence and the way news on military affairs is developed and spread. Case in point was the details on the transformation of the Chinese armed forces, their activities in the South China Sea and usually unpublicized details of what North Korean, Iranian and other secretive military organizations are up to. China and North Korea have long been very secretive about military affairs. But the appearance of Google Earth (originally as Earth View) in 2005 changed everything. By putting so much satellite photography at the disposal of so many people, in such an easy-to-use fashion, unexpected discoveries were made. People soon discovered that if they had a high-speed Internet connection, they could use Google Earth to find satellite photos of all sorts of interesting stuff. This was especially true of the "Forbidden Kingdoms" (China, Russia, North Korea, and a few others). While the CIA and the military have had access to satellite photos of these countries since the 1960s, little of it was shown to the public. Now that so many people can examine these lower resolution, civilian satellite images many have gone over vast stretches of the Forbidden Kingdoms and found things that were newsworthy and never reported before. Things like new military bases, test sites for new weapons, and the new weapons themselves. The open discussion of these findings, most of them already known to the large national intel agencies, brought forth insights and analysis that was often superior to what the much smaller number of professional analysts were capable of. Another example of the wisdom of the crowd. Meanwhile, new problems have appeared because of how the Internet collects and makes available data with unforeseen military uses. This became news in mid-2018 when the U.S. Department of Defense banned all personnel in operational areas (usually overseas combat zones) from using commercial devices with GPS geolocation capability. This included cell phones and PSMs (Physiological Status Monitors) like Fitbit. What triggered this was the discovery that a social network for athletes called Strava had developed software that enabled anyone to track users wearing a Fitbit or other GPS enabled PSMs. Dedicated (often professional) athletes joined Strava to exchange PSM information and that led to Strava developing features that enabled user locations worldwide. Turns out that intelligence agencies had discovered Strava as well and reported that they could not only detect PSM users anywhere in the world but could often identify these users by name. Not surprisingly many intelligence and military personnel used their Fitbits while overseas, often while on secret missions. From January to July 2018 the extent and implications of this became quite clear. The intel agencies quickly (and quietly) ordered their personnel overseas (and often at home as well) to stop using PSMs that made their data accessible to public networks, even ones that were not open to the public. These could be hacked. Now there is a market for secure (encrypted) PSMs for military and intelligence personnel. Actually, work on that sort of thing has already been underway for some time as a project for monitoring the health of troops in real time. Then there is pattern analysis. You can track all manner of activity on the Internet and the intel agencies are often not the first to discover how to find and analyze this data to reveal secret operations. Instead, the intel agencies still depend on, whether they like it or not, the wisdom of the crowd to let them know. What the experts dont know the crows may discover first. This week we meet Lea Schroeder, a talented young designer based between Paris and Luxembourg, known for the creation of luxury accessories, for print and web. This week we meet Lea Schroeder, a talented young designer based between Paris and Luxembourg, known for the creation of luxury accessories, for print and web design, as well as for the creation of art objects. The WWI centenary, the general election in October, and social engagement were the main topics in the Grand Duke's speech this Christmas Eve. As is tradition, Grand Duke Henri addressed the people of Luxembourg on Christmas Eve. Switching from the usual Luxembourgish to French, he also made a point out of also thanking expats who live or work in Luxembourg for their "valuable contribution to our society". The Grand Duke stated that social cohesion is at the centre of Luxembourg's success and is something worth defending at all costs. One of the main topics in the Grand Duke's 7-minute speech was the hundred-year anniversary of the end of the First World War. He stated that multilateralism in Europe was one of the main things we gained from that period: "In today's world, multilateralism, meaning the cooperation between several countries on an equal footing, is more important than ever. It fills in the gaps wherever bilateral agreements reach their limits: To organise fair international trade, the bring climate change under control, to find more global solutions to migration issues and to avoid conflict." Usprooch vum Grand-Duc op Hellegowend Den 100. Joresdag vum Enn vum 1. Weltkrich, dNationalwalen zu Letzebuerg an dat soziaalt Engagement waren dHaaptsujeten an der Usprooch vum Grand-Duc. The Grand Duke expressed his pride in Luxembourg's diplomacy, which has always promoted the cooperation between different countries. "Luxembourg's diplomats have been champions for the respect of international law and the furtherance of multilateral cooperation for decades and they are receiving recognition for it. I was able to see this personally at the world climate conference in Katovice." On the topic of the general elections in October, the Grand Duke, whose position forces him to be strictly a-political, made a couple of observations. Grand Duke Henri stated that voters feel less bound to specific parties, which has shaken up the political landscape. Luxembourg's head of state is glad that the country's political parties still agree on many important questions. The Grand Duke also made sure to thank all those who distinguished themselves through social engagement: "My heartfelt thanks to the many members of society who are helping people in need, be it at home in Luxembourg or abroad in crisis zones. Solidarity and social engagement are often all that is left where politics reaches its limits. It isn't enough to just recognise that there is misery in the world, people need to have the courage to actively contribute to improving the world." To conclude his speech, the Grand Duke asked his fellow Luxembourgers to spare a kind word and some time to those who are sick or alone on Christmas. On the night from Saturday to Sunday, a man was kicked out of a nightclub in Luxembourg City. After police officers came to pick him up, he started suffering respiratory issues and cramps. On the night from Saturday to Sunday, police officers were alerted to an altercation between a customer and a bouncer in front of a Luxembourg City nightclub. A second bouncer explained to the police that the man had been removed from the premises due to excessive alcohol consumption and that he was now making threats to security personnel. When police officers tried to approach the man, he walked off in direction of Route de Longwy. A short while later, he fell over a slightly raised kerbside. A second police patrol finally got hold of the man. To protect him from himself, he was taken into police custody. In order to find out whether the man was fit to spend the night in a sobering-up cell, police officers decided to take him to a hospital. On the way there, he suddenly began to experience breathing problems and cramps. Police officers immediately called an ambulance, which took the man straight to the hospital for further tests. Driving under the influence In Mamer's Rue de la Liberation, at the Dippach roundabout, in Beaufort's Grand-Rue, on Boulevard General Patton and in Rue de Bouillon and Montee de Clausen in Luxembourg City, police officers had to intervene because drivers were operating their vehicles under the influence of alcohol on the night from Saturday to Sunday. They had to hand over their driver's licences. Driving without license In Rue d'Athus in Petange, one driver was caught driving without a valid license by police officers. The car's roadworthiness papers were also out of date. The prosecution ordered the confiscation of the vehicle. Stolen perfume In Rue Alphonse Weicker in Luxembourg City, two men stole some perfume shortly before 5pm on Saturday evening. When a security officer tried to stop the two thieves, one of them escaped. The second thief was less successful: He was arrested and presented to the examining magistrate on Sunday. The president of the European commission Jean-Claude Juncker called out EU member states in an interview with the German newspaper "Welt am Sonntag". Jean-Claude Juncker reproached EU member states with "gross hypocrisy" regarding the struggle against illegal immigration. For over two years, leaders of EU member states have been demanding better protection for Europe's outer borders. When the EU commission in Brussels reacted to these concerns and decided to increase the number of European border officials to 10,000 by the end of 2020, several member states were taken aback by the unexpected speed at which these implementations were going forward. Some states even saw their sovereignty compromised. "Europe can't function like this", EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker told the German newspaper "Welt am Sonntag". Juncker stated that he found it "hypocritical" that those member states who "complained the loudest" were suddenly reticent to act on the issue. In the "Welt am Sonntag" interview, the president of the European commission was also critical of Romania, which is taking over the EU presidency from Austria starting 1 January 2019 until the end of June. Juncker questioned the Romanian government's leadership abilities and their openness to taking in opposing points of view. It is New Year's Eve, so supermarkets and other shops close early today. Most shops and banks will be closed by 4pm. Since New Year's Day is a public holiday, no newspapers will be delivered on that day. Everything will be back to normal on Wednesday. There is almost a full day left until people in Luxembourg can greet the new year, but other countries and major cities can start celebrating a little earlier. People on Samoa and on the Christmas Islands in the Pacific ocean will be the first to ring in the year 2019. Their clocks will strike midnight at 11am Luxembourg time. Australians will start celebrating at 2pm Luxembourg time and Tokyo will set off its fireworks at 4pm. New Year's celebrations will have reached Bangkok by 6pm. Dubai will celebrate at 9pm and Moscow at 10pm. Two hours later, it is Luxembourg's turn to light up its skies with fireworks over Luxembourg City. Last but not least: The residents of Baker Island, a US archipelago, will be the last people to ring in the new year on Tuesday 1pm Luxembourg time. RTL.lu will be live streaming several fireworks across the globe, starting with Sydney at 2pm. Increased minimal wage, holidays, cannabis, 'tiers payant': everything that will (potentially) change in Luxembourg in 2019. EARNINGS The minimum wage will be revised upwards from 1. January. A first increase was voted unanimously in the Chamber of Deputies in December. It will roll out as follows: minimum social wage (unqualified): + 22.56 gross (i.e. 2,071.10 per month) minimum qualified social wage: +27.07 gross (i.e. 2,485.32 per month) The Social Inclusion Income (Revis, formerly RMG) will increase by 1.1%. Here again, it was the case that the members voted unanimously on the law. HEALTH Medical cannabis will be available at four pharmacies across the country for patients suffering from chronic pain due to serious illness, people with multiple sclerosis and people with nausea and vomiting-causing cancer. The first delivery arrived in December 2018. / RTL Luxembourg/ Luc Rollman Third-party payment, ''tiers payant'', will be implemented progressively in Luxembourg. If the system is unlikely to come into nationwide effect in 2019, it will be introduced on a voluntary basis. FUELS The government already announced it recently: the price of gasoline and diesel will increase in 2019, due to an increase in the tax on petroleum products. Again, we do not have a precise date but we know that it will come into effect sometime during the year 2019. Fuel prices, down in recent weeks, are going to rise. / AFP Freshly appointed Minister of Energy, Claude Turmes, gave us some details: "We do not have a precise figure yet, but it could be a rise of one, two or even three cents [per liter] to the maximum. " LEAVE Two days of additional holidays: this is one of the big announcements of the new Government for its five-year term. If no specific date has been communicated, we know that one of the two days is a holiday, namely Europe Day on May 9th. And if our information is correct, it could be put into effect in 2019. On the 1 December 2016, the reform of parental leave was put into effect. This reform has made it possible for new parents to chose when they want to take their parental leave, and the allowance is based on income. Those changes have also encouraged more parents and above all more fathers to request parental leave. However there are still many ambiguities surrounding the law and its implications. SOCIETY A referendum will take place after the European elections (May 2019) which could lead to the finalisation of the new Luxembourgish Constitution. This would be the culmination of 13 years of work in the Government. Recreational cannabis will be legalised in Luxembourg. No date has been communicated yet, but it is more than likely that the foundations will be laid to prepare the country for this change. This might include production, finalizing the bill and preparations set at the level of infrastructure. Free plastic bags will be no more. A ban that has been in effect since December 31, 2018 prohibits the distribution of free plastic bags. And if they do not disappear from the stores completely, they will no longer come for free. FUTURE DEBATES Smoking on the terrace: thousands of people have signed a petition to ban smoking on the terrace in Luxembourg. The elections in October forced the debate to be postponed to the year 2019. The date has not yet been communicated but it will certainly be a highly followed and anticipated debate and one that could have a great impact on daily life. Prohibition of hunting in Luxembourg: thousands of people have already committed to force our MPs to debate on this subject. On December 31, 2018, the petition counted more than 6,000 petitioners. This debate should also take place in 2019. Courts in the Gulf and Egypt have upheld jail terms against leading activists in a crackdown on protesting through social media, marking a somber end to 2018 for rights campaigners. In both Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, prominent campaigners lost their appeals on Monday against lengthy prison terms over their online posts. Award-winning human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor saw his 10-year sentence upheld by the UAE's Federal Supreme Court, Amnesty International said. Elsewhere in the Gulf, Amnesty decried the "utterly outrageous" five-year jail term handed down to prominent Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab. Mansoor was convicted in May of attempting to harm his country's relations with its neighbours by spreading misinformation in Facebook and Twitter posts, according to local media. The upper court also confirmed a fine of one million dirhams ($270,000) for Mansoor, 49, who will be kept under surveillance for three years after his release. Amnesty said the final ruling "confirms there is no space for free expression in the United Arab Emirates." The UAE's ruling families rarely tolerate opposition and during Mansoor's trial all court proceedings were conducted in almost total secrecy. - 'A complete farce' - Rajab was also jailed for criticising his country's rulers on social media, losing his appeal on Monday at Bahrain's supreme court, a judicial source said. A high-profile rights activist who is already serving a two-year term in another case, Rajab was first handed the sentence in February by a lower court and an appeals court confirmed it in June. Amnesty International said the ruling "exposes Bahrain's justice system as a complete farce." Rajab was found guilty of insulting the state by "deliberately disseminating", false and malicious news on social media. Nabeel Rajab, pictured on November 2, 2014, lost his appeal on Monday against a five-year prison sentence / AFP/File He was also convicted of criticising the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen and publicly offending a foreign country, a reference to Saudi Arabia. Manama is part of the alliance spearheaded by Riyadh and Rajab was found guilty of endangering Bahrain's military operation in Yemen. The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy said the ruling had been carefully timed. "By arranging the final verdict to fall during the holidays, a time when international attention will be minimal, the intentions of Bahrain's rulers have been made clear. This appears to be a planned outcome, prepared well in advance," it said in a statement. Rajab played a key role in Shiite-led anti-government protests in 2011, since when dozens of high-profile activists have been jailed by authorities in the Sunni-ruled kingdom. - Law against 'fake news' - Social networking sites, notably Twitter, are a major platform for rights activists in Bahrain. In March, authorities announced they would be taking "severe measures" to track down dissidents who use social media, as Bahrain tightens its grip on political opposition. Egypt has also clamped down on online platforms this year, introducing legislation to monitor social media users in the country as part of a broader tightening of internet controls. The law was ratified by the presidency in September and includes powers to suspend or block any personal account which publishes "fake news" or information inciting law-breaking, violence or hatred. Even before the new legislation, Egyptian authorities were widely criticised by rights groups for their zero-tolerance approach to critics. In May, rights activist Amal Fathi was arrested over a video she posted online in which she spoke out against sexual harassment in Egypt. The 34-year-old was subsequently convicted of charges including "spreading false news". On Monday she lost her appeal and was handed a two-year prison term, as well as a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($560). Wonder Caves: Ideal Spot for Hikers and Cave Explorers Guwahati : Two people of a family were killed and three others injured in a road mishap at Khanapara area, outskirts of Assams capital city Guwahati last night. According to the reports, the mishap happened on National Highway 37 while a coal laden overloaded truck crashed with a Mahindra Xylo vehicle. In the mishap, a person identified as Sanjay Baruah and his daughter Darshana Baruah were killed and Sanjays wife, another daughter and the driver of the vehicle were severely injured. Saigon Alcohol Beer and Beverages Corporation (Sabeco), the largest brewer in Vietnam, has accused the Ho Chi Minh City taxman of breaking the law by coercively debiting over VND3.1 trillion (US$133 million) from the companys bank account as payment of fines for its alleged economic violations. Sabeco, now run by the Thais, insists it is not guilty and warns that immediate legal action will be taken to protect its rights in the case. According to the tax department of Ho Chi Minh City, the whopping fines include more than VND2,645 billion ($113.8 million) in excise tax that Sabeco failed to pay between 2007 and 2015, as well as an additional VND494 billion ($21.25 million) administrative penalty. On December 28, the taxman announced it had coercively deducted the sum from a bank account owned by Sabeco at the Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Industry and Trade (VietinBank), citing the brewers failure to voluntarily pay its fines. The municipal taxman said it had informed Sabeco of the liabilities on December 24 and given the company three days to make their payment, but they did not comply. In a statement on Sunday, Sabeco general director Neo Gim Siong Bennett underlined the company does not violate any regulation on declaring, calculating, or paying excise tax on its products. Sabeco has always complied with instructions from the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Taxation, and the Tax Department of Ho Chi Minh City since state auditors concluded auditing the companys business activities in 2015, Bennett said. He accuses the Ho Chi Minh City taxman of breaking the law by coercively debiting the companys bank account without an effective administrative penalty decision. This is in contradiction to instructions from the finance ministry, the General Department of Taxation, and the taxman of Ho Chi Minh City, he stressed. This inconsistency in the viewpoints of different government agencies threatens the legal interests of Sabeco, Bennett said. Sabeco does not agree to the coercive action from the Tax Department of Ho Chi Minh City and will be forced to take the immediate legal action it deems necessary to protect its interests, he underscored. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! My buddies were huddled over coffee on the last day of 2018, then one emerged from the pack and told me about a party that night. He said he would pick me up at 5:00 pm on the dot, as is usually the case when they are taking me somewhere. Things are not arranged in advance as we customarily do in developed countries, even New Years Eve isnt planned much in advance. There is no By the way, are you free 3 weeks from Saturday? Doesnt work like that here where spontaneity is the flavor. I never know where were going but that doesnt stop me. I pulled out my musty old motorbike helmet it gives off an aroma somewhere between a well-travelled pair of running shoes and stinky cheese, but it was a donation from one of the gang, so its very dear to me. I jumped on the back of the bike and away we went. Negotiating the traffic was a harrowing experience as always, so by the time we arrived at our destination I was ready for a beer. Or three. I learned later that we were going to a friends house where their gang had kindly agreed to host the event, and we all chipped in a few dong to share the load. This epic event took place in an alleyway in the center of Da Lat. Does it sound a bit sleazy? Not at all, that celebration was fit for a king! Somewhere around 15 tables were strategically placed in the alleyway with food and place settings. That comes to 150 people but if you heard us youd think we were at least 1,500. Just about every second, guests arrived with a case of beer so there was enough for the entire city center, with others carrying cakes and fruit which were put to the side so they wouldnt interfere with the beer proceedings. Admittedly, there were some logistical hiccups because lots of people live further along the alley and the event started at prime time early evening when many people are out and about. Not to worry, the tables were placed so that neighbors could weave their way through the party on their motorbikes and get home without upsetting the rhythm of the festivities. An alleyway is the ideal party venue The motorbikes zigged and zagged through the tables with guests politely moving aside to make way. It did get a bit dicey as the festivities wore on because people kept wobbling in the way of the motorbikes, but the drivers were on the lookout and there were no incidents. We all sat down, changing tables a couple of times to get just the right chemistry at each one. Of course I was the only white guy within half a mile or more. Thats the way it always is and it makes it even more fun. I swear the party was in full swing in three minutes flat. There was no going through the motions and slow ramp-up the way we do at such functions in Western countries. People grabbed beers, plopped in large cylindrical-shaped chunks of ice, and got straight down to business. Thats the Vietnamese way. And it was spectacular as always. Ive been to lots of these celebrations with different themes and theyre always a laugh. A guest is a guest in Vietnam, and any foreigner included is treated like royalty I am never sure why. I was served and pampered the whole time without a break. Dishes were explained to me, serving and eating techniques dispensed with patience, my bowl constantly replenished. Whatever I didnt scarf down right away was quickly discarded and replaced with the next offering. It amuses everyone to no end that I love all the food and will eat just about anything offered. Technically-speaking, I was not invited and thus a gate-crasher, but friends of friends are automatically friends, so the welcome mat was rolled out. Vietnamese people are not uppity about their food they know its top shelf but dont look down their noses at us naive barbarians. Theyve been at it for over a thousand years so they know the drill very well, no need to impress anybody. Chief perpetrator in the food program was my best friend, husband of the owner of the coffee shop I frequent. He has no idea that hes my best friend in fact we can barely talk to each other, but, boy oh boy, are we ever connected! He asks his wife for the English translations of various terms then mispronounces them with gusto. I do the same jig in Vietnamese, asking her what various things mean, and we carry on that way, him on one side yapping in one ear, me into the other ear, while she tries to sort the whole mess out. Sometimes we meet people and know instantly that well be good friends this was one such case from day one. My bestie passes the most important test: Would you want to be stuck in a foxhole in the middle of a war with this person? Could you really count on him in the clutch? No doubt about it, hes a star. If you ever go to one of these parties, dont be fooled by whats on the table when you arrive. That food is just to whet your whistle, get the wheels in motion, so to speak. This event featured chicken, sticky rice, and a unique coconut-based dish. At first glance I thought the coconut was bamboo shoots due to the tough-looking texture and woody appearance, but it was thinly sliced coconut tree bark, neutral in flavor, smooth, not chewy. (I already reported that I eat nearly anything.) There were shrimp and squid tossed together to make a heavenly dish which I fell in love with and may never forget. Coconut-shrimp-squid concoction And that was just the warm-up. Then came the squid hotpot followed by a dish that was laced with dates and mushrooms, both heavenly. The tempo of the event was somewhat upset by the omnipresent lottery ladies, who always pop up at one point or another trying to flog those darned tickets. The ladies know that alcohol ruins judgement plus we were all in a festive mood, so they tried to wiggle in, but they were politely and firmly shooed away this time. Guess whose table this was? As proceedings wore on I was forced to partake in a couple of cent pour cent rituals, which means 100% in French. Each participant must guzzle his beer down in one go. Im a proficient drinker and can hold up with the best of them but Im not much of a guzzler. One of my buddies a skinny little guy who barely looks old enough to drink easily beat me, twice. After about three hours people started leaving. That may seem strange to many Westerners but there are good reasons. First, Vietnamese people are hard workers and like to get going early in the day. For a lot of people there is no fixed weekend because many work six or seven days per week, so every day is a work day. Secondly, why sit around and get hammered out of our brains? Its our Western New Year, not theirs. Western New Year is perceived as a practice run for the real Lunar New Year in February, so while the Vietnamese will avidly celebrate just about anything, we did keep it somewhat toned down. The evening was capped off by a brusque ride the wrong way on a one-way street. Flaunting the law had little or nothing to do with the beer consumed such driving is common practice in the city center, which has a network of one-way thoroughfares that most drivers respectfully ignore. My best friend was driving so I didnt have a worry in the world. Your browser does not support the audio element. A middle-aged couple has spent over four decades coming to the rescue of drivers meeting with road accidents along one of Vietnams most famous mountain passes. Dang Thi Vang sells drinks while her husband, Pham Dang, is a vehicle repairman at a hut-like shop on Hai Van Pass, a coastal road with stunning views that runs through the border of Da Nang City and Thua Thien-Hue Province in central Vietnam. This is also the place where the couple has helped injured people in accidents since they began choosing the livelihood here in 1975. In the early days, crashes of various degrees of seriousness occurred nearly on a daily basis on the 20-kilometer-long hill pass, which had a large volume of traffic then. Vang sold drinks at a makeshift hut on the route together with other women as her husband pedaled up and down the hill finding troubled motorbikes and bicycles to fix. Vang and Dang can hardly remember all accidents whose victims they helped. But they are strongly impressed by a crash that happened before Hai Van Tunnel, Vietnams longest vehicle passage, was completed in 2005 to smooth car and truck traffic flow on the pass, for the wife and husband got into a quarrel after their rescue efforts. They were amongst the first to arrive at the scene where a driver was bleeding in his truck after it careened out of the roadway and down a cliff. After the couple removed the bleeding driver from the vehicle, Vang brought him to the hospital on a passenger bus she had hailed, she recalled. As doctors could find neither money nor personal papers on the driver, the woman told a lie that she was the victims relative so that admission paperwork could be done. Vang then had to sell some gold jewelry she was wearing in exchange for the money to cover his medical treatment costs, she said. When she came home, a short argument arose as her husband wanted the money to be used to purchase their childrens textbooks instead of helping a stranger. If the driver died or he did not pay back, how would we pay them through this new school year? Vang recalled the husband shouting at the time. Dang Thi Vang (foreground) peels a pineapple at her shop on Hai Van Pass in central Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre The wife remembered responding that she could not do otherwise. If he was our relative in trouble, do you think I should do it? she asked after the man had calmed down. In 2012, the couple used government financial aid to build a small beverage and fruit shop named View at a spot with a beautiful view along Hai Van Pass. The shop, actually looking like a tent, is visited by multiple patrons, including foreign ones who were surprised by Vangs ability to speak English, French, Chinese and Korean. Ive worked here for 30 years and good luck has smiled on our family, she said, implying the opportunity her daughter got to study for a masters degree in the United States. One of my children is a college student, and another is a security guard. Im happy that theyre all polite and grateful to us, Vang said. Her husband now fixes vehicles right at the shop, without having to move along the pass as he used to. They always have a first-aid kit at the shop, ready to give treatment to anyone getting involved in a road accident. Vang and her husband believe they should be grateful to the pass that they rely on for a living by doing something useful to people using it. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Society -- Three members of a family were killed when a landslide occurred on Sunday evening in Khanh Hoa Province in south-central Vietnam, as provincial authorities said they are prepared for a mass evacuation of 2,600 local residents out of the danger zone. -- A cold spell is expected to persist in northern Vietnam this week as Hanoi will report a low temperature of 8.8 degrees Celsius, while provinces and cities in central and southern Vietnam will experience heavy rains until Friday, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. -- Thirty children who were vaccinated with the India-produced ComBE Five vaccine as part of a test program in Vietnam were hospitalized between December 25-30 with a high fever, as doctors said the patients are still being monitored for any complication. -- Vietnams Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) on Sunday brought to safety four Philippine sailors who were injured while working onboard a foreign vessel off Nha Trang City in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa. Business -- Inspectors of the Ho Chi Minh City tourism department has issued an administrative fine of VND33 million (US$1,400) against a company that sponsored visas for 153 Vietnamese tourists on a tour to Taiwans Kaohsiung City, 127 of whom remain missing after 148 became unaccounted for last week. -- All tours from Vietnam to Egypt that depart before the upcoming Lunar New Year on February 5 have been cancelled for safety reasons, local tour operators announced after a deadly bomb blast that killed two Vietnamese tourists and a guide in Cairo on Friday. -- Saigon Alcohol Beer and Beverages Corporation (Sabeco), one of Vietnams top breweries, has accused the Ho Chi Minh City taxman of breaking laws by coercively deducting VND3.1 trillion ($133.4 million) from the companys bank account as payment of fines for economic violations. -- Vietnam Airlines, has reported that its revenues in 2018 are estimated to hit VND73.3 trillion ($3.1 billion), meeting 99.8 percent of its target, while the national flag carriers pre-tax profit is estimated at VND1.96 trillion ($84.3 million), 0.04 percent higher than the set plan. Sports -- Vietnam will face the Philippines in a friendly match in Qatar at 9:00 pm on Monday evening as a last practice match before both sides head to the United Arab Emirates for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, which will kick off next month. A mountain pass connecting a famed beach city in south-central Vietnam and a tourist town in the Central Highlands has been repeatedly affected by severe rockslides over the weekend. Traffic along the Khanh Le Pass, which links Da Lat, the capital of Lam Dong Province, and Nha Trang, the capital of Khanh Hoa Province, was continuously blocked by rockslides on Saturday and Sunday. Heavy downpours first caused a mudslide at around 3:30 pm on Saturday, completely closing down the route near the 57th kilometer. Local authorities were able to clear the path on the night of the same day, but it was once again struck by a massive amount of earth and rock at the same location about two hours later. Despite their best efforts, specialized units were only able to partially deal with the situation as of Sunday afternoon, clearing traffic in only one direction. The area at that time was still hit by a heavy rain and reduced visibility. Traffic is blocked due to a mudslide on Khanh Le Pass. Photo: Tuoi Tre Besides this part of the mountain pass, a severe mudslide occurred at three other locations, whereas milder incidents happened at dozens of other spots along the path, according to Nguyen Duc Hung, a local road management official. We tried our best, Le Van Hieu, director of a Khanh Hoa-based company that was in charge of clearing the road, said on Sunday, adding that new downpour-caused landslides are likely to occur in the mountain pass. A car breaks down along the route. Photo: Tuoi Tre Despite the danger, some people still decided to travel on this route, mostly on motorbikes and bicycles, according to observations by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters. Nguyen Duc Gia, a 60-year-old motorcyclist, said he almost crashed into a pile of rocks due to the foggy atmosphere. Workers shovel rocks on the mountain pass. Photo: Tuoi Tre I am aware of the jeopardy. But I have to try to go home, since Im already halfway there, Gia told Tuoi Tre as he was trying to pass the route on Sunday. According to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, torrential rain started battering the central region on Saturday and is expected to linger until January 3 or 4. Workers shovel rocks on the mountain pass. Photo: Tuoi Tre A man fixes telecom wires along the pass. Photo: Tuoi Tre A serious landslide occurs along the path. Photo: Tuoi Tre A worker takes a break to have a quick snack. Photo: Tuoi Tre Commuters travel on Khanh Le Pass despite the mudslides. Photo: Tuoi Tre Commuters travel on Khanh Le Pass despite the mudslides.Photo: Tuoi Tre Nguyen Duc Gia, a commuter, said he almost crashed into a pile of rocks. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Wire, 20 December 2018 Where the Congress has the chance to be really transformative is in how it addresses the Naxalite conflict. This is Rahul Gandhias litmus test to show if he and his party care about Indiaas adivasis. After 15 years of repression, misrule and loot of Chhattisgarhas natural resources, the defeat of Raman Singhas BJP government offers a historic opportunity for the state. In voting so decisively for the Congress, the people have not just unseated an incumbent, but signalled the kind of change they want. Some of these aspirations are presaged in the Congressas manifesto, prepared, we are told, after extensive consultations with different sections of society. Apart from the farm loan waiver, increased minimum support prices and unemployment allowance, an emphasis on quality healthcare and education seem to be priorities for people, and the Congress would be wise to treat these as its priorities too. But where the Congress has the chance to be really transformative is in how it addresses the Naxalite conflict. This is Rahul Gandhias litmus test to show if he and his party care about Indiaas adivasis. If the Congress initiates talks with the Maoists, as they say in point 22 of their manifesto, they will have the full support of the people of Bastar. Far from ateaching Congress a lesson for supporting urban Maoistsa , as Modi repeatedly said on the campaign trail, the people of the region have given the Congress 11 out of 12 seats. There are indications in this win a for instance, the fact that they allowed Congress candidates to campaign in interior villages a that the Maoists too are ready for some kind of talks. They would be colossally foolish to give up an opportunity for a negotiated peace. But equally important, a foundation must be built for such talks to succeed, and this can only be built on the basis of justice. aDevelopmenta is no substitute for justice; both are rights but in different spheres and cannot be traded off against each other. It is perhaps divine providence that the Delhi high court judgment on Sajjan Kumar came on the same day as the swearing in of the new Congress governments. Even though the party failed the test of justice in Madhya Pradesh by appointing Kamal Nath as chief minister, it has a chance in Chhattisgarh to redress its own historic wrongs. Mahendra Karma, the Congress leader who was the local face of the BJP-backed Salwa Judum movement is no longer around to haunt the Congress. But the legacy of entire villages burnt, rape survivors, and children whose parents were brutally killed under the banner of Salwa Judum will continue to dog the footsteps of both the Congress and the BJP. In a country where violence piles up on violence and every part of the country is torn and bleeding due to its own history of pogroms and massacres, it is easy to forget. Let me therefore quote from just one fact-finding report of December 2007, by Shanta Sinha, then the chairperson of the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, J.M. Lyngdoh (former CEC) and Venkat Reddy: The public hearing was held in Charla and was attended by more than 200 IDP: men, women and children. The team heard the testimonies of over 35 people. Every testimony included a narrative of extreme violence committed against them, their families and property, by the Naxalites, Salwa Judum and the security forces. Many people shared accounts of family members being killed and women raped by the Salwa Judum. Having faced repeated acts of violence, harassment, arson and pillage the only option for these people was to run away from their villages and seek refuge in another statea.Leaving behind their land and livestock they have arrived in Andhra Pradesh in a state of penury and distress. The current deputy speaker of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh, then editor of Prabhat Khabar, was a member of another fact-finding report on Bastar, War in the Heart of India, by the Independent Citizens Initiative, which found armed minor SPOs on the prowl, people forced into camps and complete lawlessness. There has been no shortage of ground reports, media accounts and testimonies submitted to courts at all levels as well as institutions like the NHRC in the past 13 years which indicate human rights violations on a large scale, including mass gang rapes and the killing of unarmed civilian children. Unlike Delhi 1984 and Gujarat 2002, however, these atrocities have lasted for years over a vast area. As recently as September 2018, on a visit to Konta, I found the security forces were still raiding villages, destroying goods and killing individuals randomly on suspicion of being Maoists. Unlike 1984 and 2002, the violence has also not been one-sided: the only political strategy the Maoists appear to know is acounter violencea, whether against security forces or suspected (civilian) informers. It is not as if the courts have not responded to these pleas a in its 2011 judgment the Supreme Court, apart from directing that SPOs be disbanded and disarmed, also directed the prosecution of all those guilty of human rights violations and compensation to all those affected. The tragedy, however, is that the government of Chhattisgarh wilfully flouted all these directions. A case for contempt has been pending in the Supreme Court since 2012. In its manifesto, the Congress has promised to raise the prices of forest produce, to implement the Forest Rights Act 2006 and the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Act (LARR) 2013. All of these are extremely important, and can make a difference to people outside the zone of immediate conflict as well as to lives ravaged by violence and illegal mining. The Congress has also promised to give each aNaxal affected panchayata Rs 1 crore, However, money to panchayats will not solve the problem a the brute reality is that in the worst aMaoist affected Panchayatsa , it is the Maoists and not the government who decide whether panchayat funds can be spent. The Maoist complaint is that the money is spent on paper only, through collusion between district officials and sarpanches who live in Salwa Judum camps. They also argue that the excessive inflow of funds corrupts people, and have implemented a model of self-reliance in their areas, where people work on each otheras fields and build ponds collectively. aThe peoplea , however, want panchayat funds so that they can develop their own villages instead of migrating as coolie labour to Andhra, but in these regions also trust the Maoists more than the government to protect their land and their lives. Villagers want schools and they want health facilities. The government has been saying that teachers canat go back to the villages without security, but the people donat see these as connected a for them it is security camps, which are the greatest source of insecurity. The only basis on which this complicated narrative can be slowly changed is if the government makes justice its first priority. Fortunately, there are many examples around the world where such long running counter-insurgencies have been addressed a like Peruas Truth and Reconciliation Commission, or Guatemalaas Commission for Historical Clarification. Closer home, we have already submitted a Rehabilitation Plan to the Supreme Court, which outlines certain procedures. These include a survey of all conflict affected villages in Bastar to map the loss of lives and property; announcement of compensation; fast-track courts to release all those falsely accused in Naxalite cases; and restoration of essential services like schools, anganwadis, public distribution system etc. For over a decade we have been pleading for an independent monitoring committee or at least a joint committee to oversee this rehabilitative exercise, in which all sides can work together instead of being adversarial. Unlike its predecessor regime which believed that the way to fight legal battles where the evidence is clearly against you is to imprison your opponents on scurrilously false charges, the new government has a chance to act honourably. It should throw open the state to journalists, researchers, lawyers and activists a who have in the past been threatened, forced out, and vilified, and withdraw all false cases against them. Bastar can no longer be the fiefdom of megalomaniac police officers who threaten to stone human rights activists or run over them in SUVs. To be sure, prosecution of those responsible for human rights violations will be difficult with MLAs like Salwa Judum leader Vikram Mandavi of Bijapur, but not insurmountable. The Jeeram Ghati incident in which much of the Congress leadership was killed, and in which some Congress quarters suspect BJP complicity, should indeed be investigated. But the government must move beyond justice for the Congress to justice for the people it represents. There is so much work to be done a and so many exciting new beginnings that are possible. Nandini Sundar is author of The Burning Forest: Indiaas War in Bastar, and one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court against Salwa Judum. Bangladeshs opposition has contested the results of elections won in a landslide by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hasina was handed a fourth term after her Awami League and its allies took 288 of 298 seats in parliament. Opinion polls prior to the election indicated the Awami league would triumph over the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and its allies even without manipulation. Its been a very serious attempt by the Awami League to manipulate the direction of the elections, says Charulata Hogg, Associate Fellow Asia Pacific at Chatham House. About ten thousand opposition activists and supporters have been arrested so far. There has been an assault on the BNP, she says. In addition, she notes reports about a manipulation of the election commission, and even the police. We know that (...) people say that they were not allowed to poll; there was no independent oversight to this election." According to Hogg, even though victory was in the Awami leagues pocket, they needed to be sure that they did win this election. Meanwhile, the head of the BNP-lead alliance, Kamal Hossain, is calling for fresh election under a neutral government as early as possible. At this stage it really depends on the kind of pressure that the international community can exercise, says Hogg. I feel it is highly unlikely that the election commission will rule that this election result is irregular, given the fact that [it] has taken the position that is supported by the ruling party. In spite of the alleged vote rigging, many people seem happy with the government of Sheikh Hasina. "There are two sides to Bangladesh really, says Hogg. There is the economic growth, the fact that access to education is improved, employment is high. If you look purely in terms of development, Bangladesh has taken strides, and people are generally satisfied. But on the other side there is the rule of law issue, and the governance issue. Which is about authoritarianism creeping in: a complete end of democracy. Story continues To say that the people of Bangladesh who cast their vote for Sheikh Hasina (...) was a vote for democracy, would not be correct." Leaders in Bangladesh seem to be looking at the China-model of economic development and political repression. And China is very present in Bangladesh because of its multi-billion dollar Belt and Road infrastructure project that covers most Asian countries and that critics see as a barely covered form of neo-colonialism. The current economic growth that Bangladesh is witnessing is bolstered by Chinese investment, adds Hogg. But Chinese investment is not for free. So there is a point in time when the bubble will burst. Under [Sheik Hasinas] government over the past decade or so we have seen increasing Chinese investment. Since 2005, China has also become Bangladeshs largest trading partner. But as many developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America have experienced, Beijing demands a high price for investments that cannot be paid back, often in the form of natural resources, or complete ownership of that project. Burkina Faso has declared a state of emergency in several provinces, after ten gendarmes were killed and three wounded in an ambush in the northwest of the country, near the border with Mali. The gendarmes were heading to a village in the Toeni region on Thursday after a school was attacked and textbooks torched by armed assailants, a security source told AFP. According to Reuters, the attack was claimed by Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an umbrella group for al Qaeda-linked militants in the Sahara. Communications Minister Remy Fulgance Dandjinou said the state of emergency applies to a number of provinces that lie within seven of the country's 13 administrative regions. The regions are Hauts-Bassins, Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, North, Sahel, East and Centre-East. Names of the provinces where the state of emergency is to be applied will be made public in a presidential decree, he said. A state of emergency gives additional powers to the security forces to carry out searches of homes and to restrict freedom of movement. The Sahel state has been battling a wave of jihadist attacks over the last three years, spreading from the north of the country to the east, near the border with Togo and Benin. JNIM has claimed responsibility for other attacks this year, including one in the capital Ouagadougou in March that killed eight security agents and wounded dozens of others. Burkina Faso is one of the members of the G5 Sahel, a regional force consisting of troops from Niger, Mali, Chad and Mauritania which has been set up to fight jihadists with the help of countries like France. At least four people were killed in DR Congo's South-Kivu province on Sunday, as voters cast their ballots in long-anticipated elections, already two years behind schedule. "The electoral process has been extremely flawed," says Jason Stearns, Director of the Congo Research Group in New York. Weve been receiving an enormous number of reports of irregularities, from election observers not being able to enter polling stations, and many, many cases of people showing up and not finding their names, or showing up and voting machines just not working," he told RFI. Frustration with these irregularities led to riots in some parts of the country, with reports of people burning down polling stations and voting machines, or coming to blows with election officials. Clashes broke out at a polling station in the Walungu area of South-Kivu province, after an electoral official was accused of trying to rig the vote in favour of presidential candidate Emmanuel Ramazini Shadary, according to the opposition. "An agitated crowd started fighting with police. An officer was killed, which we deeply regret," said Vital Kamerhe, a former president of the National Assembly who is from South-Kivu, and campaign director to opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi. The mob "then attacked the electoral official who died. Two civilians were also killed," he told AFP of the incident which South-Kivu authorities said was being investigated. Earlier in the day, the Catholic Church which has the largest group of polling observers reported over 1,500 irregularities. RFI's Sonia Rolley said observers from the influential National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) reported at least 846 of some 4,000 polling stations set up in unauthorised locations, and at least a quarter opened late due to technical problems. RFI's Rosie Collyer explains the importance of the church's role in the DRC elections: There was frustration equally in Beni in eastern Congo, where the vote was postponed until next March, mostly in opposition strongholds, due to Ebola fears. Story continues "I think people are frustrated, theres no doubt about it," comments Stearns. Civilians nonetheless queued up for hours in a mock poll in Beni to contest their exclusion from the presidential election. "There are 1.2 million people who have been excluded from the ballot out of 40 million people. It is small in terms of percentage but obviously every vote counts. And 1.2 million is a lot of people, so theyre very frustrated." These hitches, together with the two-year delay in organising the polls, have raised fears of unrest once the results are announced. "Presidential candidate Emmanuel Shadary is so unpopular that if he wins, the country will face an enormous amount of contestation in weeks to come," according to Stearns. Congo's 140 different armed groups present in just two of the country's 26 provinces risk exploiting the burgeoning political crisis. Why do these polls matter? "They matter because this is what can be seen as the conclusion of the peace process to end conflict in the country," says Stearns. The election gives the DRC the chance for its first peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. For the average Congolese in the country, these elections go beyond history and represent a chance for real democracy. "Every day they are confronted with corruption, insecurity, a dysfunctional state," continues Stearns. "This affects peasants as much as it affects business people in the capital and the only way they can change that oppressive, dysfunctional, predatory state is through the ballot box." "This I think is why people want to take action, walk for hours, spend hours and hours waiting in line in order to vote," he said. The provisional results will be announced on 6 January, final results a week later. The new president is scheduled to be sworn in on 18 January. indonesia tsunami.JPG Antara Foto/Reuters On Dec. 23, a volcanic eruption in Indonesia triggered a tsunami that killed around 430 people. Experts say the disaster should be a wake up call for more research on tsunami triggers and preparedness. Indonesian president Joko Widodo ordered the purchase of new tsunami warning systems and called for more disaster preparedness education. CIGONDONG/JAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters) - As Indonesia reels from the carnage of yet another natural disaster, authorities around the globe are working on how they can prepare for the kind of freak tsunami that battered coasts west of Jakarta this month. The Dec. 23 tsunami killed around 430 people along the coastlines of the Sunda Strait, capping a year of earthquakes and tsunamis in the vast archipelago, which straddles the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire. No sirens were heard in those towns and beaches to alert people before the deadly series of waves hit shore. Seismologists and authorities say a perfect storm of factors caused the tsunami and made early detection near impossible given the equipment in place. But the disaster should be a wake-up call to step up research on tsunami triggers and preparedness, said several of the experts, some of whom have traveled to the Southeast Asian nation to investigate what happened. "Indonesia has demonstrated to the rest of the world the huge variety of sources that have the potential to cause tsunamis. More research is needed to understand those less-expected events," said Stephen Hicks, a seismologist at the University of Southampton. The tsunami was triggered by a volcanic eruption Indonesia Volcano Tsunami NURUL HIDAYAT/AFP/Getty Images Most tsunamis on record have been triggered by earthquakes. But this time it was an eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano that caused its crater to partially collapse into the sea at high tide, sending waves up to 5 meters (16 feet) high smashing into densely populated coastal areas on Java and Sumatra islands. Story continues During the eruption, an estimated 180 million cubic meters, or around two-thirds of the less-than-100-year-old volcanic island, collapsed into the sea. But the eruption didn't rattle seismic monitors significantly, and the absence of seismic signals normally associated with tsunamis led Indonesia's geophysics agency (BMKG) initially to tweet there was no tsunami. Muhamad Sadly, head of geophysics at BMKG, later told Reuters its tidal monitors were not set up to trigger tsunami warnings from non-seismic events. indonesia tsunami REUTERS/Jorge Silva The head of Japan's International Research Institute of Disaster, Fumihiko Imamura, told Reuters he did not believe Japan's current warning system would have detected a tsunami like the one in the Sunda Strait. "We still have some risks of this in Japan...because there's 111 active volcanoes and low capacity to monitor eruptions generating a tsunami," he said in Jakarta. Scientists have long flagged the collapse of Anak Krakatau, around 155 km (100 miles) west of the capital, as a concern. A 2012 study published by the Geological Society of London deemed it a "tsunami hazard." Anak Krakatau has emerged from the Krakatoa volcano, which in 1883 erupted in one of the biggest explosions in recorded history, killing more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis and lowering the global surface temperature by one degree Celsius with its ash. The country plans to install new tsunami warning systems Indonesia tsunami REUTERS/Jorge Silva Some experts believe there was enough time for at least a partial detection of last week's tsunami in the 24 minutes it took waves to hit land after the landslide on Anak Krakatau. But a country-wide tsunami warning system of buoys connected to seabed sensors has been out of order since 2012 due to vandalism, neglect and a lack of public funds, authorities say. "The lack of an early warning system is why Saturday's tsunami was not detected," said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Nugroho, adding that of 1,000 tsunami sirens needed across Indonesia, only 56 are in place. "Signs that a tsunami was coming weren't detected and so people did not have time to evacuate." President Joko Widodo this week ordered BMKG to purchase new early warning systems, and the agency later said it planned to install three tsunami buoys on the islands surrounding Anak Krakatau. The cost of covering the country is estimated at 7 trillion rupiah ($481.10 million). That is roughly equivalent to Indonesia's total disaster response budget of 7.19 trillion rupiah for 2018, according to Nugroho. Indonesia tsunami Antara Foto/Muhammad Adimaja/ via REUTERS But other experts say even if this network had been working, averting disaster would have been difficult. "The tsunami was very much a worst-case scenario for any hope of a clear tsunami warning: a lack of an obvious earthquake to trigger a warning, shallow water, rough seabed, and the close proximity to nearby coastlines," said seismologist Hicks. In the Philippines, Renato Solidum, undersecretary for disaster risk reduction, said eruptions from the country's Taal volcano had caused tsunami waves before in the surrounding Taal Lake. He told Reuters that what happened in Indonesia showed the need to "re-emphasize awareness and preparedness" regarding volcanic activity and its potential to trigger tsunamis in the Philippines. The United States has also suffered several tsunamis caused by volcanic activity, including in Alaska, Hawaii, and Washington, according to the national weather service. Indonesia's president called for more disaster education joko widodo tsunami indonesia.JPG Antara Foto/Reuters In Indonesia earlier this year, a double quake-and-tsunami disaster killed over 2,000 people on Sulawesi island, while at least 500 died when an earthquake flattened much of the northern coastline of the holiday island of Lombok. In a country where, according to government data, 62.4 percent of the population is at risk of being struck by earthquakes and 1.6 percent by tsunamis, attention is now focused on a continued lack of preparedness. "Given the potential for disasters in the country, it's time to have disaster education be part of the national curriculum," Widodo told reporters after the latest tsunami. For Ramdi Tualfredi, a high school teacher who survived last week's waves, these improvements cannot come soon enough. He told Reuters that people in his village of Cigondong on the west coast of Java and close to Krakatau had never received any safety drills or evacuation training. "I've never received education on safety steps," he said. "The system...totally failed." ($1 = 14,550 rupiah) (Additional reporting by Wilda Asmarini, Tabita Diela, Bernadette Christina Munthe in Jakarta, Linda Sieg and Tanaka Kiyoshi in Tokyo, and Neil Jerome Morales in Manila.; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan) See Also: WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on President Donald Trump and Syria (all times local): 3:20 p.m. President Donald Trump's national security adviser will be traveling to Israel and Turkey in early January to discuss what the White House says is the "deliberate and coordinated" withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria. National security adviser John Bolton also will be discussing increased cooperation with the Turkish military and other partners. Bolton's spokesman, Garrett Marquis, said in a statement Monday that Bolton will be joined in Turkey with Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and James Jeffrey, the secretary of state's special representative for Syria engagement. On Sunday, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Trump had initiated a "pause" on his surprise decision to withdraw all roughly 2,000 American troops in Syria. Trump has faced bipartisan criticism since announcing the drawdown two weeks ago. ___ 10:15 a.m. President Donald Trump is complaining that he's getting "bad press" for his decision to pull American troops out of Syria. He tweeted Monday that he's just making good on his campaign promise against U.S. involvement in "never ending wars." Trump says he's withdrawing 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. He said Islamic State militants are "mostly gone" and he wants to bring the troops home. A drawdown of troops in Afghanistan also appears to be in the works. The decision was roundly criticized by his national security advisers and prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to step down. Trump says he's the only person in America who could say "I'm bringing our great troops back home, with victory" and get "bad press." The staff at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital had put something extraordinary in the corner of their treatment room. Curled up in of a couple of wooden crates were a pair of dragon-like pangolins and they looked like they were fast asleep. A member of the wildlife team scooped one out of the box and apologised for the rude awakening. "Okay my sweetheart, okay my lovely. I'm sorry." It was the first time I had set eyes on pangolin and the experience was startling. The pangolin was an adult female nicknamed Goblin and she looked like a cross between a dinosaur and a giant artichoke. Animal rehabilitation specialist Nicci Wright took her over to the weigh station and frowned when the digital readout pronounced her a touch over 14kg. "She is probably about 2kg underweight. "She was held for two weeks [by poachers] and she didn't eat anything, except sand, we found a lot of sand in her stomach." Goblin's scales were splattered with bright green paint, another sign of her traumatic ordeal. She had been snatched from her wilderness home by a gang of Mozambican animal traffickers, then locked in concrete shed covered in wet paint. Sky News has obtained a video of one gang member prodding and poking Goblin for his own amusement. South African police caught up with these traffickers in November, arresting four and delivering their contraband to the animal hospital. The vets did not know whether they could save Goblin. Ms Wright said: "When [pangolins] have been held for 10 days or more it is very difficult to save them. They are nocturnal and very secretive and they just can't survive in captivity." We watched as the wildlife team anaesthetised the animal and inserted a long plastic tube into her stomach. Wildlife vet Dr Karin Lourens connected the tube to a large syringe and pushed 250mg of food formulated for diabetic cats into Goblin's stomach. The vets think this is the best way to build up an ant-eating mammal like Goblin, adding: "The food is high in protein and the carbohydrates are very digestible. Ants don't have carbs so this is a good way to do it." Story continues However, there is a great deal that the vets do not know about pangolins. They cannot tell how old Goblin is, for example - they just do not know how to calculate a pangolin's age. Nor do they understand how pangolins attracts mates. Most importantly, experts like Dr Lourens and Ms Wright do not know how many of these mammals are left on Earth. The demand for pangolins from poachers and traffickers has exploded over the course of the last few years. Conservationists now think this extraordinary creature is the most trafficked animal on earth. Affluent consumers in countries like China use pangolin scales in traditional medicine and the animal's flesh and organs in their cuisine. The tongue is even considered a good luck charm. Ms Wright says adult pangolins are now traded for as much as 300,000 each. And it is Ms Wright and the team at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital who have to deal with the consequences of this illegal business. This year, 41 pangolins have been brought to the clinic by police officers and members of conservation groups. "The trade is increasing, it is really getting out of hand," said Ms Wright has she adjusted the anaesthesia mask on Goblin's nose. Dr Lourens added: "This is essentially the most hunted mammal on Earth - isn't that mind-blowing? "Pangolins have been on the planet for 80 million years and in our life time this is what is happening to them. We are going to make them extinct." Both women shook their heads and returned to their duties in the hospital's compact operation room. After 10 days of intensive treatment, the wildlife vets had given Goblin a shot at survival and that felt like a victory of sorts. On 24 December, we were informed that Goblin had died after her release in a protected wildlife sanctuary in South Africa. Professor Ray Jansen, who oversees the pangolin rehabilitation programme, told Sky News that his team are only able to save 50% to 55% of the animals that are admitted for care. "We are really disappointed about Goblin," said Professor Jansen. "It really hurts us - but pangolins are intelligent, sensitive animals and it is difficult [for them to recover] when they have been put in an abusive situation. "[Pangolins] are deeply traumatised when we get them and I am afraid this is what happens." Emmanuel Macron's disgraced former security advisor said on Monday he continued to exchange messages regularly with the French president even after he was sacked in the summer for violent conduct, a claim dismissed by the Elysee Palace. Alexandre Benalla, a former campaign bodyguard who got a senior job following Macron's election victory last year, has been dogged by scandal since July when accusations emerged he had roughed up protestors while wearing a police helmet. He was at the centre of more embarrassing headlines for Macron last week when it emerged he had retained his diplomatic passports even after losing his job. In an interview with investigative website Mediapart, Benalla said Sunday that he continued giving advice to the 41-year-old president via the Telegram messaging app, which the president uses intensively. "We exchange messages on lots of different subjects. It's often like, 'how do you see things'. It could be about the 'yellow vests', the views on someone or security issues," Benalla said. The 27-year-old former bouncer began working as a bodyguard for Macron during his campaign for the presidency in 2016 before being promoted to a senior security role in the presidential palace in May 2017. Benalla's role and the ties between the two men have been the focus of intense media scrutiny and the latest comments undermine efforts by Macron to distance himself publicly. The French presidency was quick to hit back on Monday, accusing the former bodyguard of spinning "a web of untruths and approximations" in order to gain "revenge" on his former employer. Talks with African leaders Benalla admitted visiting around a dozen countries in recent months and he said he always gave an account of his trips to the president or his aides. He met with Chad's President Idriss Deby earlier in December, and Le Monde newspaper has reported that he held talks with the Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, as well as top officials in Cameroon. Story continues "I explain that I've seen so and so and what was said. Afterwards they can do what they like with it," Benalla told Mediapart. He added, however, that since the revelations about his diplomatic passport emerged "the link has been cut" with the presidency. Last Tuesday, the French presidency said that Benalla was "not an official or unofficial emissary". But Benalla denied suggestions from the foreign ministry that he had used his diplomatic passports illegally, something which prosecutors are now examining. "If they don't want me to use these passports, they could deactivate them," he said. "When you travel abroad with a diplomatic passport, the French embassy knows when you arrive," he added, in remarks promptly rejected by the foreign ministry. (FRANCE 24 with AFP, REUTERS) Cowell says he just cant live without his beloved pooches. Simon Cowell may have a bit of scary reputation as a talent judge on the likes of X Factor and Britains Got Talent but the music mogul has long had a soft spot for his four-legged friends. The 59-year-old has served as an ambassador for several dog rescue charities over the years, and just a day ago melted our hearts by rescuing a stray dog in Barbados. But it looks like he will be taking his love of dogs to the next level by cloning each of his pets. Cowell who owns terriers Squiddly, Diddly, Freddy and now the fourth Caribbean pooch, told the The Sun on Sunday that he simply cant imagine life without his canine buddies. I am 100 per cent cloning the dogs, all of them. Weve thoroughly looked into it, got all the details and I can prove to you Im going to clone them. There is documentation. I am doing it because I cannot bear the thought of them not being around. I might actually do it sooner rather than later, which will mean we have six dogs running around. It doesnt hurt them. Its like a swab, a DNA thing, he told the tabloid. He revealed that he would be using a cloning company based in South Korea. Each clone will cost roughly around 60,000 and the DNA from the original dog is collected by performing a minor biopsy on its stomach. Cowell added that he hoped the clones would turn out with the same personalities as his existing ones. You hope theyre going to be the same dogs and that youll love them as much as the current ones. I cannot imagine Squiddly, Diddly and Freddy not being around, so this is the solution, he said. Cowell added Squiddly and Diddly into his family in 2013, while he adopted his late mothers dog Freddy in 2015. Story continues As for his newly adopted dog, Cowell has named her Daisy. The terrier cross is set to be flown private jet back to the UK and to Cowells mansion once the paperwork is cleared. Daisy was found abandoned with her two puppies on the Caribbean Island, only to be rescued by the dog charity K-9, for which Cowell is a patron and hosts an annual fundraising auction. Read more Eric Cowells Baby Shark divides viewers Lee Ryan pulls out of London pantomime Kelly Brook on how she lost over a stone Three Great Live Reported Hands: Hellmuth Blow-up, Big Fold, $1M Bubble December 31 2018 Mo Nuwwarah This is Volume 6 of an ongoing series in which PokerNews will look back on some of the most memorable hands recorded in the long history of live reporting on this site. To read more about the concept and which hands make the cut, check out Volume 1. Hellmuth Blows Up on Devilfish Original title: Hellmuth Busto in True Hellmuthian Style Date: 06-27-2010 Reporter: Unknown Tournament WSOP 2010 $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo Players involved: Phil Hellmuth, Dave Ulliott Phil Hellmuth might be a little better than he used to be at controlling his inner "Poker Brat," but Hellmuth does still have his occasional blow-up that results in controversy. Back in the day, his rants were a little more frequent, and Hellmuth built a reputation on situations like the one that unfolded with the late Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott in Event #46: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Lo at the 2010 World Series of Poker. With eight places to go until the money bubble burst, Hellmuth defended his big blind when Devilfish opened for 21,000 at 3,000/6,000 from the cutoff. The flop came and Hellmuth checked. Ulliott continued for 25,000 and immediately called when Hellmuth jammed for 75,000. Hellmuth: Ulliott: Devilfish was drawing, although not all of his outs were clean as Hellmuth held a king and a club blocker. The turn bricked off with the but Ulliott hit his flush on the river. The beat prompted Hellmuth to lose it. "No, he didn't!" he yelled. "This motherf*****. What are you doing, Fish?" Hellmuth: "You're a f****** moron. You know you're not supposed to call with that." Ulliott mocked Hellmuth, copying each indignant word that left the Poker Brat's mouth. "How the f*** can I fold that?" Ulliott finally said. "You're a f****** moron," Hellmuth responded. "You know you're not supposed to call with that." After it was confirmed Hellmuth was covered, he departed in a huff. Devilfish, meanwhile, let the remaining players know what he thought of Hellmuth's play. "He shouldn't have called with ace-six-f******-king," he said. "I like my call more than his." Devilfish had a laugh at Hellmuth's expense during the latter's rant. Todd Terry Folds a Monster Original title: Terry Makes Lay Down of the Year? Date: 06-08-2012 Reporter: Paul Oresteen Tournament WSOP 2012 $1,500 Six-Max Players involved: Todd Terry, Thijmen Stocker Todd Terry cashed for over $2.3 million in live tournaments in his lengthy career as a poker pro. It's safe to say he has played thousands upon thousands of hands, and some of those hands have surely involved big laydowns. However, none were quite so big as the one he made in the $1,500 Six-Max at the 2012 WSOP. Terry: "I can't believe you'd be bad enough to do that with kings." On Day 2 and in the money, Terry faced off with Thijmen Stocker in a pot that saw the two staring at a board of at 600/1,200/200. Stocker bet 9,000 and Terry called. On the river, Stocker checked and Terry bet 25,000. Stocker made it 65,000. "I can't believe you'd be bad enough to do that with kings," Terry said as he tanked for about two minutes. "Second nut no good here, huh?" Terry thought awhile, double-checked his cards, and folded . Per the reporting, no hand was shown by Stocker, so Terry and everyone else will have to keep wondering whether the monster fold was correct. Todd Terry had the guts to make a monster laydown, folding the second nuts. Three-Deuce on a Million-Dollar Bubble Original title: Wang Qiang Eliminated in 4th Place Date: 01-27-2011 Reporter: Unknown Tournament 2011 Aussie Millions $250,000 Super High Roller Players involved: Sam Trickett, Wang Qiang The bubble of a poker tournament ratchets up the tension at the tables, as the next player out will walk away with nothing and everyone else gets at least something to show for their efforts. The pressure is orders of magnitude higher in a $250,000 tournament, and some players will try to take advantage of that by running up a stack, raising and reraising with any two cards without fear. he must not have cared much about $1 million as the reporter recording the hand related that Qiang chuckled at showdown. That was the situation at the 2011 Aussie Millions when Wang Qiang decided to get more than a little out of line, much to the benefit of Sam Trickett. Just four players remained, with the third-place finisher scheduled to receive $1 million and his felted predecessor, as Norman Chad might say, squadoosh. Trickett had been running hot and running over his competitors, so when he opened for 60,000 on the button at 15,000/30,000/4,000, Qiang may have decided it was time to put a stop to Trickett's dominance and show some resistance. Having just recently moved over 20 big blinds with around 650,000, he had plenty of fold equity on a shove and decided to use it by jamming from the big blind. Unfortunately for him, Trickett held and quickly called to put him at risk. Qiang could only muster the and the , the lowest of the nut low for a preflop all-in situation. He found some hope on the flop but the turn and river bricked out. Luckily for Qiang, he must not have cared much about $1 million as the reporter recording the hand related that Qiang chuckled at showdown. Wang Qiang wasn't too worried about busting on a $1 million bubble. Globalization, including a phenomenal expansion of trade, has helped lift millions out of poverty. But not nearly enough people have benefited. And tremendous challenges remain. We support developing countries to access the benefits of a globalized economy more fairly and effectively. And we help equip them to deal with the potential drawbacks of greater economic integration. To do this, we provide analysis, facilitate consensus-building, and offer technical assistance. This helps them to use trade, investment, finance, and technology as vehicles for inclusive and sustainable development. Working at the national, regional, and global level, our efforts help countries to: Comprehend options to address macro-level development challenges Achieve beneficial integration into the international trading system Diversify economies to make them less dependent on commodities Limit their exposure to financial volatility and debt Attract investment and make it more development friendly Increase access to digital technologies Promote entrepreneurship and innovation Help local firms move up value chains Speed up the flow of goods across borders Protect consumers from abuse Curb regulations that stifle competition Adapt to climate change and use natural resources more effectively Together with other UN departments and agencies, we measure progress by the Sustainable Development Goals, as set out in Agenda 2030. We also support implementation of Financing for Development, as mandated by the global community in the 2015 Addis Ababa Agenda, together with four other major institutional stakeholders: the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, and the United Nations Development Programme. While we work mainly with governments, to effectively deal with the magnitude and complexity of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, we believe that partnerships and closer cooperation with the private sector and civil society are essential. Ultimately, we are serving the citizens of the 195 countries that make up our organization. Our goal is prosperity for all. Many areas in the lower reaches of the Con River in Binh Dinh province were submerged on December 30. Many rice fields and roads lied under 0.5-1.5 meters of water. Floodwater devastated a vast of newly sown rice fields. In the neighboring province of Phu Yen, swollen rivers in combination with floodwater release from hydropower and irrigation reservoirs worsened the situation. A man was reported swept away in Dong Xuan mountainous district. Mr. Bui Van Thanh, chairman of Tuy An district Peoples Committee, said that rain had abated in the district and floodwater started receding slowly in residential areas. So far, floodwater has totally destroyed 1,000 hectares of winter spring rice crop in the district. On the same day, the Steering Committee for Natural Disasters Prevention, Search and Rescue in Thua Thien-Hue province, said that the ongoing northward cold front rendered in strong wind and big waves. These all were fueled with high tide to cause badly landslide at tens of spots along the coastline in the province. Vinh Hai commune in Phu Loc district has a 3.3 kilometer long landslide spot. Floodwater has overflowed into Highway 21. An Duong hamlet, Phu Thuan commune has seen a 2 kilometer long and 5-8 meter wide landslide. The coastline landslide stretches along 3 kilometers in Phu Vang, Hai Duong districts and Huong Tra town. At noon on December 30, the dead body of the last victim in a mountain landslide was found in Cam Lam district, Khanh Hoa province. The accident buried a house with five members of a family inside. As a result, three were killed including an eleven month baby. The landslide buried two houses and forced many households to remove to shelters. According to the National Hydro Meteorological Forecasting Center, the cold front in combination with an east wind zone have unleashed medium to heavy rainfall in the south central region. Common precipitation measures 50-100mm. It reaches 115mm in Cam Lam district, Khanh Hoa province. Under influence of the cold front, central provinces from Quang Binh to Ninh Thuan will continue seeing medium to heavy rainfall from now until January 3-4, 2019. In addition, a low pressure zone is likely to intensify into a tropical depression or a storm in the southern apart of the East Sea. Therefore, flood level in rivers from Thua Thien-Hue to Ninh Thuan provinces might increase again and cause flash flood and flooding in mountainous and low lying areas. The waters off provinces from Quang Ngai to Binh Thuan including Phu Quy Island has been rough and choppy. The photos below show residential areas, roads and rice fields inundated in floodwater in Binh Dinh province: By staff writers Translated by Hai Mien by Brooks Riley Sometime in the late Fifties, Roman Vishniac, a pioneer of photomicrography, picked up a knife, cut a thick horizontal slice of skin from his own thumb and photographed it under a microscope using polarized light. The resulting image succeeded on two levels: the scientific parsing of human skins rich textural terrain; and the chromatic revelation of natural beauty at a visual scale heretofore inaccessible. By subjecting himself to that brief ouch, he was able to expose the intricacies of the bodys largest organ and dramatize a new frontier of optical exploration that would grow exponentially as the technology became more sophisticated. Since then, the dual roles of photomicrographycontributing to scientific investigation, and unveiling eye-popping, artistic devils in the detailshas expanded, yielding hidden treasures of a microcosmic universe so populous and dense that the planetary universe of outer space seems paltry by comparison. In some ways this universe of the tiny is more forthcoming than outer space with its endless stretches of nothingness between the orbs. It is almost impossible to contemplate infinity without feeling infinitesimal. The paradoxical effect of trying to wrap our brains around something as vast as the universe is the realization that we will always be tinier than the tiniest subatomic particle. Compare it to a single cell inside our own bodies trying to fathom the infinity of its host. Infinity makes us giddy. The reach for infinity usually moves toward outer space and all those unimaginable yonders out there. But what of the other direction, the infinitesimals around and under us, so much smaller than our own miniscule selves? What to make of the recently estimated 23 billion tons of microscopic life at ground level and below our feet, packed together like canned sardines in neighborly proximity to us? This macrograph of a mite on a honey bee isnt a spectacular image, but it does suggest reverse infinity: Is there a mite on the mite? If so, is there a mite on that mite? And so on. Its not necessary to go deep in this direction to make head-turning discoveries. Technological advances in photomicrography allow us to see far into the invisible world of living organisms and matter, to enter a riotous realm teeming with diversity. As Henry David Thoreau said, Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads. At this end of the infinity spectrum the sheer density of geological and biological matter within a relatively small space contains multiple worlds for exploration, edification, and aesthetic experience, at all levels of magnification. If drone photography is about optimal framing of a terrain from above, the showy side of photomicrography could be described as a dazzling fashion shoot. The frame becomes secondary to the object of desire. If the drone photographer is a curator, then the photomicrographer is a stylist, dressing his client in the best possible light for his close-up. The use of color fluorescence, or fluorophores which artificially embellish the wee celebrities, are, at the scientific level, tools of differentiation, a form of color-coding, allowing scientists to separate properties, functions and substances within a given image. The aesthetic bi-products of these interventions span a cultural swath all the way from Las Vegas and pop culture to MOMA-worthy abstract art, including detours to Hollywoods CGI animation studios (with monsters no human imagination could possibly conceive). Nikon recognized the potential appeal of this field early on with an annual competition that goes back more than 40 years, Nikons Small World. Of all the optical technologies for microscopic study, none is more spectacular than the confocal laser scanning microscope, the instrument of choice for many of the participants in Nikons competition. Invented by Marvin Minsky (before he moved on to other pinnacles), confocal technology provides details impossible to achieve with lens-based technology. To understand its capabilities, consider the male diving beetle (acilius sulcatus), specifically the underside of his front tarsus, exposed most spectacularly in the work of Igor Siwanowicz, a Polish-born neurobiologist whose extracurricular interest in mantises led him first to photomacrography (extreme close-ups of tiny, but visible subjects), and then eventually down into the hidden, subvisible depths of confocal photomicrography where he has accessed the entire color spectrum to achieve startling, exacting images of his subjects. That male beetle is less than an inch long, which relegates his front feet to the domain of photomicrography at whatever level or technique of magnification. The graphic splendor of Siwanowiczs image, the exotic night-blooming flower we take it to be before reading the fine print, is nearly upstaged when we learn that the suction cups (only one of the intricate functional mechanisms displayed in the image) serve one purpose only, to keep the male from sliding off the back of the female when mating. Another of Siwanowiczs celebrities, the humped bladderwort (utricularia gibba) is a carnivorous plant he retrieved from a pond in Virginia not far from where I grew up. Measuring in at a whopping 1-2 millimeters, the plants trap metamorphizes into a photogenic killing machine of extravagant complexity under the photomicrographers scrutiny. The desmids it preys upon, seen languishing in its maw, are even tinieranimal-like organisms whose multiple shapes are formal enough to show up on any European coat-of-arms. With all that color dominating the field, sometimes less becomes more, and more of a surprise, as demonstrated by this enchanting, monochromatic capture of the tracheoles (respiratory tubes) of a European honey bee, by Dr. Lorenzo Domenis. The twisting trunks of trees in a classic Japanese woodblock print could not look more artistic than this: Art of another, more abstract kind can be seen in the photomicrographs of inanimate materials such as chemical compounds, minerals, acids and biochemical substances. The advantage of working with these materials is that they often come with their own luminescence and colors that emerge under certain lighting conditions. This is where abstract beauties strut their stuffwith colors and color combinations, with luminosity, with dynamic structural complexities and confounding geometrical constructions, and with textures and surfaces both strange and familiar. Who would have thought that a crystal of battery leakage could look like an embroidered tapestry? A kinship with drone photography can be found in the need for optimal framing in these works. Lighting conditions can alter multiple aspects of the substances so that the photomicrographer must also cull or curate the images out of a diverse array of visual effects. Some exciting works in this category were accomplished far from the high-tech labs of scientific research. Justin Zoll crystallizes amino acids, vitamins, aspirin, and other mundane substances at home and produces his images by attaching the camera to a simple high school microscope he bought on eBay and turning on the lights. Depending on your point of view, his works can seem like decorator samples for Prince of Chintz Mario Buatta, or Georgia OKeefe on steroids. Landscapes and cityscapes abound in the crystalline realm of photomicrography, some of them evocative of well-known painters. Its not difficult to spot the work of Lionel Feininger in this micrograph of doxorubin in methanol and dimethylbenzenesulfonic acid by the late Lars Bech, a frequent winner at Nikons Small World, who managed to channel a variety of painterly styles in his chemical works. Most of the landscapes in this genre are delightfully eerie, such as the mountainscape with snow at the bottom and bare earth at the top. One work looks like a smoggy city at dawn; another like the Alps on acid. This lookalike effect is an important aspect of photomicrographys appeal, as tiny shocks of recognition jog our memory of similar, unrelated images from our own macro scale of vision. Unlike drone photography, with photomicrography its harder to separate the art of a subject from its scientific properties. Many of the biological images function on the level of illustration or graphic design rather than art. And yet, the knowledge that these graphics are generated from non-human sources is enough to elicit an aesthetic reaction even of the lowest order. The aesthetic punch here is something new, incorporating the duality of the image as both mysterious (art) and revelatory (science). As Siwanowicz sees it: Although it is not the primary objective of scientific visual data, surprisingly many research-related images have aesthetic merit; to fully appreciate the beauty of those often abstract and surreal forms one needs to approach them with an open mind. The only man-made canvases I can think of that approach this duality are the works of Anselm Kiefer, whose art astounds at the primary level of aesthetic impact, and simultaneously draws us inexorably into the properties of the materials he usestheir implied brutality, their fragility, their complicated metaphorical physicalitythe supporting players in the thematic impulses of his work. So close in, it becomes even more apparent that nature operates on algorithmic principles, its matter programmed for repetitions and patterns that occur according to plan, its architecture addressing specific issues just like ours does, its designs turning function into surprising form and texture. A multifunctional beetle foot demonstrates just how all those different algorithms can peacefully coexist, fitting themselves neatly into a gestalt without crowding, or cancelling, each other out. It makes you wonder: What if nature is merely an AI experiment carried out on a random blue planet like ours, by an alien intelligence? A god-player like ourselves? Is this why things can and do go wrong? Algorithms are only human after allor naturalor alien. Nothings new under the sun. This old warhorse should finally be put out to pasture in light of our closer scrutiny of natures genius. The little shop of wonders we can now access is nothing compared to what remains to be discovered and documented for posterity, requiring many more lifetimes than we probably have left on this earth. Will this be the age of postmodern Romanticism, glorifying nature in a new dimension that slowly opens its cabinet of tiny curiosities for us to see? Is there a new aesthetic afoot which fuses the aha of aesthetic experience with that of scientific wonderment? According to Vishniac, Philosophically speaking, theres no difference between art and biology. Dante Alighieri goes further: Nature is the art of God, (or that god-player out there in the ether). Thanks to micrographic technology and its visionary disciples, were one step closer to seeing what he means. This is the second of two articles on new ways of seeing. The first can be read here. Explore the archive of Nikon Small World winners here. * * * by Lexi Lerner I call on the evening of the winter solstice. Two mornings later, I find myself boarding a plane to the Black Hills of South Dakota, soon to turn white from a Christmas blizzard. I have never experienced these mountains or this state before. But I have experienced many blizzards, the first of which occurred the night I was born. Well, its been building up inside of me For oh, I dont know how long Im disappointed, I explain in a SoHo cafe two weeks prior. I thought I could find what I was looking for maybe not in Jersey, but at least in New York. The people, the questions. But we are constantly out of phase. The people I seek dont want to be sought by me, and vice versa. Theres nothing I can do. It just isnt here. The boy listening to me looks startled, and a bit sad. Or worried? I glance down at the table and realize my tea had jumped from my clenched fists. The one-table radius around us has no audible conversation. Sorry, I say. The waitress comes over. Would you like anything else? The first billboard that greets you as you leave the eight-gate airport has a cartoon diplodocus on it, featuring a generous view of its behind. A speech bubble says: Welcome to Rapid City! Now what? I dont know why, but I keep thinking Somethings bound to go wrong In his book Sonic Alchemy, David Howard writes that Dont Worry Baby unlike its Beach Boys A-side I Get Around and other emblematic California Sound hits suggested something entirely more pensive and even slightly dark underneath its pristine facade. We exit the airport on Terminal Road. The cabin itself, a good hour away, is on Last Chance Trail. There is no internet. And with the blizzard, the cell service is so poor that I cant plan the logistics of where to next. There is nothing to do but be together. Learn how to play cribbage, Yahtzee, Egyptian Rat Screw, word association games, letter permutation games. Stoke the fire, walk the husky. In the word association game, psychoanalysis, boredom, obesity, and penguins keep recurring. The food is hot and buttery and stays in your mouth. Dense gingerbread, butternut squash lasagna, eggplant parmigiana. We eat dinner in scrumptious silence and talk afterwards for two hours. Mealtimes flow as we move from the kitchen table to the living room couch to the table again. We spend a whole evening making Christmas cookies that earn that title in intention only. In the morning the kitchen table looks like the organized vomit of merriment. The best ones are surrealist: hot pink snowmen with sour straw stripes, green gingermen with chocolate kiss bellybuttons, reindeer and sleds littered in sprinkles. You can tell a lot about a person by how intensely they take cookie decorating. Some create frosting palettes on their section of wax paper; others use plastic knives and toothpicks to finely tune their spreading; others literally throw ingredients at the cookies and at each other to see what sticks. And some, like me, decorate three, are disappointed with their work, and eat the rest. Three degrees Fahrenheit is doable when there is no wind and the suns blessing reaches you. Two layers of wool socks still dont keep my toes from growing numb. You look like a shadow, I am told, because I am wearing all black. Or a smudge. On one walk, he falls behind the others, pausing to stare down a white path. A pair of pickup truck tire lines skate into the vanishing point. This town was once the most cosmopolitan in the western states, a sign in the visitor center boasts. It was the largest goldmine in the western hemisphere. Then the tunnels were converted to search even more inward than gold veins. First to find neutrinos tiny particles that may explain why there isnt more antimatter in the universe than there is. (Hold your hand out, the sign instructs 10 trillion neutrinos pass through it per second!) Later, to detect dark matter. Antimatter and dark matter are different. Antimatter is matters twin opposite: they cancel out explosively when they come into contact. But why there seems to be a lot more matter than antimatter, i.e. why there is something rather than nothing in this universe, is beyond us. (Hence neutrino studies.) Dark matter is a whole other story. Its dark because it cant be detected electromagnetically, i.e. with light. But you can witness its gravitational pull, which is how we infer its there. Naked trunk at eye-level: bears, clawing and scratching. Closer to the ground: elk, grinding their antlers. We read the places where tree bark has been stripped away to know whos with us in these woods. A couple of texts Ive received while here: It feels like ages since Ive seen you. Im typing replies to different parts of you and they all have the word bittersweet in them. The service is not as bad as Ive told them. Id rather freeze time at the last text than risk messing up the delicate balance of communication further. But then the equilibrium of friendship is all lopsided, with them speaking to a wall of no-response, and me staring at the black mirror, crushed by the infinite crumbling of what if. The walls of the cabin quietly give their advice. On the refrigerator, a magazine clipping quoting Antonio Machado: I dreamt marvelous error! that I had a beehive here inside my heart. And the golden bees were making white combs and sweet honey from my old failures. In the cabins throat, the sole corridor that connects the living room to the bedrooms, a list of Rules for Being Human: There are no mistakes, only lessons. There is no better than here. When your there has become a here, you will simply obtain another there And on the shelf of the bathroom cabinet, painted white on dark green wood, next to a porcelain polar bear: If youre lucky enough to be in the woods, youre lucky enough. Hovering above the Dakota plains is a periwinkle smog I know not how to reckon with. I hear the landscape is even more barren east of the Missouri. In a Tumblr post that describes different personality types using oxymorons, mine is alone together. And thats exactly what we are, plopped onto different chairs, reading different books, typing away into different devices, playing different games, but at least for once, from all over the country, to be merry, to be Christmas all in the same room. But she looks in my eyes Alone together also appears when she sits in the opposite armchair, folds her hands, and waits for me to share how solipsism has rendered me more suspicious and lonely and afraid than ever. And makes me realize Around the table we share our favorite flowers, and he picks Colorado columbines, the five-petaled blue bursts that follow him on cloud line mountain hikes. They look like theyre made of plastic, he explains. They cant be real. But they are. Later that night, we compare personality test results. Apparently we both have the same penchant for authenticity. In fact, it is the first trait that defines both of us, mixed with an undefeatable sense of inner constellation. Darkness looms everywhere, he tells me. But if you look up at the sky, what do you see? More light than you could ever imagine. As she says, Dont worry baby, Two weeks ago, I listened to this song on repeat for an hour and a half straight, curled up and clutching my phone, the first time we broke up. You can hear it faintly in the background of a tearful phone recording I made, explaining to myself why under no circumstance! should I ever go back to you. We were never really together, so we never really broke up. The next person youre with, you told me, youd marry. The Black Hills ended with our second breakup. Or third? I cant keep track anymore of what counts and what doesnt. Dont worry baby The most painful advice the cabin gives for all the truth buried in its cliche hangs in the entryway to the master bedroom. Snatched from Goodwill, a square painting of a typewriter loaded with a page that reads: Id hate to spoil the ending for you, but everythings going to be alright. Everything will turn out alright When Dont Worry Baby plays at the beginning of the film Deja Vu, at the exact moment that line is sung, a ship explodes and kills over five hundred passengers. We head down the mountain and into town. In one of the oldest saloons, I see framed the Dead Mans Hand: two aces and two eights, all black suits. The chair Wild Bill Hickok the Dead Man himself was shot in sits in an alcove above the door. Its so close to the ceiling that it gives off the same discomforting air that shoes on a table do. Wild Bills grave headboard hangs on the wall. It reads: Pard, we will meet again in the happy hunting ground to part no more. GOODBYE. One can purchase the headboard shrunk down to a refrigerator magnet for three dollars. There are dozens of mammalian heads some I can identity, a surprising many I cant mounted to the walls, and even more taxidermied bodies on the shelves. The deer heads have cheap red noses stuck on them, and wreaths with red bows around their necks. Dont worry baby Glass is everywhere. In this mutant coffee shop-glass studio combination, on every tenable vertical surface hangs 1950s metal signs with cheeky phrases; and on every horizontal are glass figurines of every kind glass orbs, glass snowmen, glass horses. Step outside and the air itself is made of the glass dust of snowflakes too small to call snowflakes. A couple str eets away, there is a curated secondhand store more the owners dream house than a true shop that holds myriad kinds of stained glass. Everything from repurposed window frames to cathedral windows, refracting rainbows out of flowers, mountains, geometric shapes, a goddess sitting on a moon. The owner tells us that one of the artists offers lessons to anyone from pairs to groups of twelve. And that the art of glass is not as hard as it looks. Glass is forgiving, she says. Especially if you use grout instead of lead. Then the shards dont have to fit together equidistantly at every edge; the grout will fill in the gaps. She is determined to memorize Desiderata, that famous poem from the 1920s, but must have misplaced her copy of it in one of her books. Nonetheless its spirit is quoted in bits throughout the week. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. Apparently, some recitations by famous people replace cheerful with careful. Sweeping the cinders is one way I am able to help, or at least care for what I burn. On the last night, in my eagerness to keep the fire roaring, the cabin warm and myself useful, I add one log too many. The fire alarm blares and she comes out of her room, coughing up smoke as she finds a chair to stand on. Dont worry, she says. Dont worry baby Ive heard it so many times, Im nearly sick of myself. First, I was asking, What makes a good doctor? Thats why I took the year off. To find out before medical school. But that became less useful, more derivative. So then I asked, What makes a good person? And then it was, Whats a person? But now Im down to, What? You know those pictures you took of me in front of the glass studio? Theyre better than any I took today. Will you send them to your parents? she asks. Yes, to prove Im going outside and having fun. Do they think youre suffering? On what level? I laugh. She pauses. Because youre in South Dakota, you cant be having fun? Another pause. You have to find fun. Another text: Whats the point of going if you dont enjoy yourself? Dont worry baby The Denver airport is so loud. And there are so many people. So many walkways, lights and sounds. Peace seems even further now. Know where youre going? the conductor asks. For Subscribers Cougar girls see youth movement, but eye state title repeat So far, the Cougars girl's hockey team is 5-0 and have allowed three goals. The team has outscored their opponents 41-3. [December 31, 2018] HoduSoft is glad to announce its Participation in 27th Convergence India 2019, held at New Delhi HoduSoft Pvt. Ltd., located in the heart of Ahmedabad city, in India, serves best-in-class VoIP Softwares all over the world. Being one of the leading business communication software providers, the company offers communication software which is robust, flexible, advanced yet affordable. Recently, HoduSoft announced their participation in Convergence India 2019, which is going to held in New Delhi, India at Pragati Maidan, from 29th January to 31st January 2019. The team of HoduSoft is going to showcase their expertise in VoIP Business communication software. Convergence India is the only platform in this region which demonstrates the convergence of technologies in Telecom, IT, Broadcast & Digital media sectors. It occupies Asia and Middle East region. During this Expo, thousands of companies from all over the globe are going to present their cutting-edge technologies. Visitors will have a wide array of technical yet innovative trends of the IT industry. Since 1987, Convergence India has been running such exhibition wherein IT industries from every region of the world participate to market their IT products, services, and solutions. This year, it is the 27th event of Convergence India which will have thousands of exhibitors participating across the globe. Every Business communication software offered by HoduSoft assists users to increase their work efficiency and create value for their business. Thus, remote communication and collaboration are simplified with the help of these products. We are having our customers in 25 countries and 5 continents. We have 35 companies have partnered with us to offer HoduSoft products in their respective regions. We are constantly advancing to expand our presence worldwide. We anticipate Convergence India to be a great platform wherein we will have various opportunities to unfold our offerings that have helped many industries so far. Our products have been designed to collaborate remote communications, that are benefited to all the industries such as Call Centers, Healthcare, E-commerce, Auto, Insurance and so on., Our CEO Mr. Kartik Khambhati added. He also mentioned, We always strive to grow and boost our market presence by catering robust, advanced and state-of-the-art IT solutions and products and being client-centric. Brimmed with business-focused features and specifications, HoduCC - Contact Center Software, HoduPBX - IP PBX Software, HoduConf - Audio & Video Conference Software & HoduBS - Voice & SMS Broadcasting Software are used to bridge the remote communication in an effective manner. So, register with us to schedule a face-to-face meeting and avail exciting offerings too at the expo. Representatives of HoduSoft will be present at Booth No. A-35, Hall 9, Convergence India, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India To know more about the company and its offerings please visit www.hodusoft.com About HoduSoft Pvt. Ltd. HoduSoft Pvt Ltd is well-known for being cost-effective and the best-fit software provider that in turn make your business successful. With a dedicated approach towards developing world-class products, HoduSoft has emerged as a leading business communication software provider. With a wide array of products, HoduSoft also ensures best returns on technological investments. Contact Details: Website: www.hodusoft.com E-mail: sales@hodusoft.com USA:+1 (707) 708 4639 India: +91-8866728362 As a community-building service, TMCnet allows user submitted content which is not always proofed by TMCnet editors. If you feel this entry is of inferior quality or wish to report it for some reason, please forward the URL to "webedit [AT] tmcnet [DOT] com" with your comments. [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] BRUSSELS An international trade association says on-the-job slayings of journalists and news media staff rose again in 2018 following an overall decline during the past half-dozen years. The International Federation of Journalists said in an annual report set for release Monday that 94 journalists and media workers died in targeted killings, bomb attacks and conflict crossfire this year, 12 more than in 2017. Before the declines seen in five of the past six years, 121 people working for news organizations were slain in 2012. Since the federation started its annual count in 1990, the year with the most work-related killings, 155, was 2006. The deadliest country for people who work in the news media this year was Afghanistan, where 16 of the killings occurred. Mexico was next, with 11. Yemen had nine media slayings and Syria eight in 2018. Beyond the tragedy of lives lost, such killings affect the pursuit of truth and sharing of information in communities and countries where they happen, the president of the International Federation of Journalists said. Journalists are targeted because they are witnesses, the groups president, Philippe Leruth, told The Associated Press. And the result of this, when a journalist or many journalists are killed in a country, you see an increase of self-censorship. Iraq, where 309 media professionals were killed over the past quarter-century, long topped the federations annual list. The federation identified a photojournalist as the one victim in the country this year. While 2018 brought a worldwide increase, the total remained in the double digits for a second year running. The total of 155 in. The IFJ connects some 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. The group said the new report showed that journalists face dangers apart from the risks of reporting from war zones and covering extremist movements. There were other factors, such as the increasing intolerance to independent reporting, populism, rampant corruption and crime, as well as the breakdown of law and order, the Brussels-based group said in a statement. Suddenly high on the list, in sixth place, was the United States with five killings. On June 28, a gunman in Annapolis, Maryland, opened fire in the newsroom of the Capital Gazette newspaper and fatally shot four journalists and a sales associate. The man had threatened the newspaper after losing a defamation lawsuit. The Oct. 2 slaying of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who lived in self-imposed exile in the United States, had worldwide impact. He went to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to formalize a divorce so he could marry his Turkish fiance, but instead was strangled and dismembered there allegedly by Saudi agents. Khashoggi wrote critically of Saudi Arabias royal regime, and the alleged involvement of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the journalists slaying has put the governments of other countries under pressure to sever economic and political ties. Jamal Khashoggi was a very well-known figure, but you know, the most shocking statistic is that we know that nine of 10 journalist murders remain unpunished in the world, Leruth said. TUCSON, Ariz. The U.S military has given a $2 million grant to a University of Arizona research team developing bone re-growth technology, with the hope it could one day help wounded soldiers. The five-year grant from the Department of Defense will fund the study of regenerating segments of missing bone through a combination of adult stem cells and 3D printing, the Arizona Daily Star reports . John Szivek, a professor of orthopedic surgery at the Tucson school and a biomedical engineer, is leading the group. Team members use a 3D printer to construct a piece of plastic scaffolding they designed. The scaffolding has grooves and small cavities and a sponge-like structure. It can be customized for each patient. The scaffolding will then be seeded with the patients stem cells and calcium to expedite the process. Were trying to find a way to regrow that segment of bone using a persons own living cells, Szivek said. Adult stem cells can evolve into bone cells that create bone tissue. Currently, most bone-shattering injuries are helped with a support rod and a cadaver bone. But the cadaver bone inevitably cracks and breaks within a couple of years, according to Szivek. Also, the living bone can connect to a cadaver bone at both ends but doesnt connect across it to make one piece of living bone. David Margolis, a co-investigator on the grant and a doctor in orthopedic surgery, said most of the options out there leave patients disappointed. Nothing is guaranteed to work, and each one has different risks and benefits, Margolis said. None give you back what you had before. So far, the team has tested its methods only on sheep. But its members were excited by the results. According to Szivek, there was a complete bridging between bone segments within two months. And within six months, they saw remodeling or the process of smoothing out the new bone. We really want to push the system to run as quickly as possible. We want it to form any kind of bone at all. It doesnt matter it could be the crappiest bone on earth, but once its there, it will remodel itself, he said. The team also examined how exercise affects the recovery rate. Szivek wants to use the grant money to try placing sensors into a new bone so they can get feedback on the impact of exercise. He thinks one day they can have sensors that send updates to patients phones. They will know if they are running or jumping too vigorously. The technology would also one day be made available to civilians such as people injured in car crashes or surgical cancer patients who had bone removed. A local company that specializes in advanced technical solutions for pinpoint laser control has expanded to a new location. MZA, a veteran-owned corporation that does a wide range of U.S. government projects, has just moved to a 47,996-square-foot space at 4900 Lang NE. It used to be in a 15,000-square-foot space at 2021 Girard NE. The lease signed on the building was for about $10 million, according to tenant broker Richard Hanna of Hanna Commercial. This building spent just under a year on the market, Hanna said, which is surprising since it has what most companies are looking for. Hannah said he was the broker for MZA, while John Ransom and Tim With of Colliers International were the landlords brokers. Phil Macklin, MZA director of business development, said the projects the company works on are highly technical and require specialized skills. We have some of the top electrical engineers, physicists, optical engineers and software people in the world, Macklin said. I started six years ago when we were at 35 people, and now we are approaching 100. Macklin said the expansion in MZAs workforce was the reason for the move. We pride ourselves on hiring local with a mean average of $80,000 to $200,000 in income for each employee, he said. MZA, he said, works closely with the Department of Defense. We dont build the lasers, we actually help them work better, he said. Sharing the new space will be AOS, an MZA subsidiary that works on commercial products. Weve been here for a few weeks and couldnt be happier because our location is so easy for our clients to find and get to, Macklin said. ABQ Office Portfolio changes hands In early December, CBRE announced the sale of ABQ Office Portfolio, the 144,770-square-foot, three-building property at 6301 Jefferson NE and 5601 Office NE in Albuquerque. Radix Equity purchased the multi-tenant property through an auction in August, according to a press release. The portfolio is 92 percent occupied by Lowes and Quest Diagnostics. The quality of the project and the high-caliber tenants occupying the properties attracted interest from investors across the country, said Tom Jenkins with CBRE. In addition, the scale of the project provides an investor with the opportunity to enter the Albuquerque market with significant presence. ABQ Portfolio is made up of three Class A office buildings dating from 1997 to 1999. The properties are situated along Interstate 25 in a desirable submarket, according to CBRE. Titan opens in Rio Rancho Titan Development Real Estate Fund opened its second self-storage location on N.M. 528 and Corrales Road in Rio Rancho in early December. According to a press release, this is the second self-storage project to be completed by the fund. The new facility is 88,032 square feet with climate-controlled drive-up units. It also offers RV and boat parking. We are very pleased with the execution of this property by both Brian Patterson, director of Self-Storage, and our fund team, fund co-manager Drew Dolan said. This project will serve a growing neighborhood that is desperately in need of a self-storage provider. The number is in the name Debbie Harms, a partner with GHL LLC, said a new development near 2424 Louisiana NE, just south of an 80,000-square-foot building the investment group completed last year, should be completed soon. Its going to be a 5,500-square-foot building, Harms said. Currently, there is a 3,750-square-foot space that will house Aspen Dental. and then theres 1,700 square feet that we dont have a tenant for. Harms said construction of the project near Coronado mall began in late October and is to be completed by April. The spot is named Shops at 24 to go along with our new mixed-use development called the Twenty Fours, she said. Get ready for Part 3. A significant winter storm, the third to hit the state in a week, is on the way for the New Years holiday period, bringing the possibility of snow and the coldest temperatures since 2013. The National Weather Service late Sunday issued a winter storm watch effective tonight through Tuesday evening for most of central and northern New Mexico. Low temperatures in the metro area are expected to dip into the upper teens tonight and to around 7 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday night. High temperatures will warm only into the low 30s today and the low 20s on Tuesday. Forecasters expect a storm system from the Pacific Northwest and an air mass from southern Canada to merge over New Mexico and develop into a significant winter storm for New Years Eve into New Years Day. The combination of snow, blowing and drifting snow, poor visibility, freezing fog, and extremely cold temperatures and wind chills will make this a dangerous storm, said Chuck Jones, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. This will be a cold storm with very dry snow, making blowing and drifting snow with poor visibility a big concern. Snow will favor the western and central mountains and adjacent highlands, with substantial snow accumulations. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 12 inches are possible in the lower elevations and 10 to 18 inches in the higher elevations. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph across most of the area and up to 50 mph in the Albuquerque area. Another round of strong east canyon winds will make snow amounts hard to predict in places like Albuquerque and Santa Fe, Jones said, but some snow accumulation is likely. Cold temperatures and dangerously low wind chills will move in with this storm tonight through Tuesday night, elevating the potential for frozen and burst water pipes. Bitterly cold wind chills as low as 20 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. Residents should continue monitoring weather forecasts for changing conditions. The latest travel conditions are available at nmroads.com or by calling 511 or 800-432-4269. At hour two of what used to be a one-hour drive between Colorado Springs and Denver, I think fondly on the fact that one is still able to get a speeding ticket at rush hour in Albuquerque. I have been bumbling along with thousands of others on Interstate 25 between Colorado Springs and Denver for what seems like an eternity, the normally pleasant scenery all but nullified by the growing obnoxious view of the rear end of the Honda Accord in front of me. And then I recall a recent and very similar experience in Phoenix. I wonder then just exactly what quality of life is there in such experiences, and are these the inevitable consequences and costs of successful economic growth? I hope the answer to that question is not necessarily. As has been pointed out by a number of community and business leaders recently, its beginning to feel as if the Albuquerque metro area has turned some sort of long-awaited economic corner. It started, I believe, with the announcements in the same week that ART would move forward still a work in progress, as it turns out and that our metropolitan area had been selected for the new Facebook Data Center. Since then there have been over 1,000 jobs created, or soon to be created, Downtown, and most importantly Netflix recognized the strategic advantages of locating to Albuquerque and New Mexico. And then, of course, the economic benefits associated with the development of the Permian Oil and Gas Basin cannot be overestimated. It has been a curious fact for decades that New Mexico and Albuquerque seem to lag behind every economic rebound curve, and that has been no less true with this recovery maybe more so. But that fact has recently shown nascent signs of shifting. Along with the relatively immediate benefits of the thousands of new and fairly well-paying jobs created by new companies moving to central New Mexico, the long-term opportunity represented by public income generated through the extraction of oil and gas from the Carlsbad area gives us a rare confluence of opportunity. What we do with that opportunity is the question and the challenge. Do we hungrily consume this emerging economic pie as usual, or do we take part of it and invest in growing even a bigger pie in the future by way of economic incentives? Do we adequately plan and invest in our infrastructure to avoid two-hour trips that used to take an hour? Do we invest more in our childrens education and well-being, thereby investing in our future, or do we do as some other states have done and not adequately support and educate our greatest natural resource, our children? Do we find ways to preserve what is rich and unique about our culture, or do we fall victim as many other areas have to the homogenization of place and experience? It is hard to imagine for the reasons mentioned above, along with the intriguing idea that New Mexico is becoming an attractive destination for climate change immigrants, that we are not on the threshold of a period of significant growth, and maybe at a level weve never seen before. Between droughts and fires, California is losing its appeal for both individuals and organizations. Other areas across the country are suffering from more frequent and severe natural disasters, so its easy to see how we are beginning to look like a very attractive place to locate. What we do with this new opportunity is really the question. How about focusing on these four priorities: Investing in the education and improvement of our childrens lives; building adequate infrastructure to deal with the inevitable challenges related to a burgeoning growth rate; protect what is quirky about Albuquerque; and reinvest some of our largesse in support of those companies and industries that are making this new opportunity possible. And time is short. As we close out 2018 with a partial government shutdown merely adding some extra spice to the monotonous stew of political rage served daily, its worth noting that the primary sticking point isnt an ideological split over border security, nor is it the recalcitrance of the president or the Democrats. Its about symbolism, for want of a better word. I am in no way trying to minimize the disagreement. We often dismiss controversies or concerns by waving our hands and saying something like, Oh, thats merely symbolic, as if the meaning we give to symbols is somehow irrelevant compared with more tangible things. But symbolism the way we reduce broad concerns, agendas and visions to images or rituals has played a defining role in human life since there have been humans. Try burning a flag or a cross in front of the wrong audience and then tell me symbolism is nothing. The rifts between Shia and Sunni, Eastern Orthodox and Catholic, Israelis and Palestinians, Tibetans and Chinese, obviously have real political, theological or economic substance behind them, but they are often reduced to symbolism. If you study the history of nationalism, it is often a story of symbols. What flag shall we fly? What icon shall we mount? What books will we revere or burn? The defining feature of American politics for the past half-century has been our increasing reliance on symbolism. As my National Review colleague Ramesh Ponnuru noted almost 20 years ago, presidents are now symbols of the culture war. Its a bit like Englands battles over the monarchy. For Protestants, the idea of having a Catholic sit on the throne was seen as a rejection of English identity. For Catholics, having a Catholic on the throne felt like a restoration of English identity. In America, the need to have one of us in the Oval Office is a powerful driver of partisan passion. George W. Bush represented Red America and Barack Obama represented Blue America at least in the eyes of many of their supporters and critics. President Trump makes much of that look quaint, given that Bush and Obama at least made the effort to sound as if they were looking out for the interests of all Americans. One of the problems with symbolic politics is that its hard to compromise because symbolism enlists notions of honor and identity that leave little room for haggling. In a fight over bread, you can agree on half a loaf, because half is better than nothing. But with symbols, its difficult to escape zero-sum thinking. Its like the famous line, Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute. Trumps wall is now an entirely symbolic affair. His biggest supporters insist that he has a mandate for one and that it was his central campaign promise. I dont think thats right analytically. Only two things unified all Trump voters: his promise to not be Hillary Clinton, and his promise to appoint conservative judges. But none of that matters now because the symbolism is more important than the reality. Indeed, the president has offered to compromise, saying that we dont have to call it a wall and it doesnt even have to really look like one. But that doesnt matter either, because for Democrats, any structure that the president could claim victory over would be a defeat. Immigration policy itself is something of an afterthought. Serious restrictionists readily concede that a wall would be far less useful than mandatory E-Verify and other such efforts to make hiring illegal immigrants more difficult. Ive yet to meet a serious advocate for curtailing immigration legal or illegal who wouldnt trade a wall for reform of the visa system. On the left, there are probably many who would trade a wall for reforms to their liking. But both sides understand that the base cares more about the symbolism of the wall fight. Theres an irony to this turn in American thinking. We treat the presidency like its a symbolic monarchy, but real monarchs have the power to make compromises for the common good. Julien Benda observed in his 1927 classic The Treason of the Intellectuals that the rise in popular democracy, or populism, robbed rulers of the unilateral ability to decide what was consonant with the nations interests and, more importantly, the nations honor. In the modern age, the people get to choose their own symbols, and they arent in a mood to compromise. Email goldbergcolumn@gmail.com, Twitter @JonahNRO. (c) 2018 Tribune Content Agency LLC. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Six months ago, amid criticism that his review of Bernalillo Countys criminal justice system was ill-informed, redundant and a waste of tax dollars, State Auditor Wayne Johnson forged ahead, calling it a ground-breaking and independent approach to identifying gaps in the system. But as Johnsons last day in office looms, the audit of the seven Bernalillo County agencies remains unfinished. Then it will be up to Brian Colon, who takes over as state auditor on Tuesday, to decide whether to move forward with the audit. One of the first things Im going to do when I take office is evaluate this and find out if its in the best interest of taxpayers, Colon said Friday. And that means evaluating whether or not this is a good use of taxpayer resources or whether its duplicative. Five of the agencies designated for the audit the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office, Metropolitan Detention Center, Metro Court, 2nd Judicial District Court and the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office say they have contracted with firms or completed their portions of the audit at a combined cost set to exceed $90,000. The two others, the Law Offices of the Public Defender is working on contracting with a firm while the Albuquerque Police Department is awaiting an opinion from the Attorney Generals Office as to whether it even needs to comply with the audit request. Enrique Knell, deputy chief of staff for the outgoing state auditor, said that completed audits including the 2nd Judicial District Courts revealed information that could help those entities improve their processes. But not everyone agrees. We (fulfilled) our legal obligation to comply with a directive from the state auditor, said 2nd Judicial District Chief Judge Nan Nash. As a result, we expended 20,000 taxpayer dollars, from an already tight court budget, on an audit that at best has questionable value. Horrifying potential As he announced his audit May 23 at a conference for government finance experts and CPAs, Johnson described the night weeks before when his elderly parents awoke to find a stranger in their bedroom rooting through his mothers jewelry. There have been no arrests, though many of the stolen items were recovered. Their story, our story, ended OK, Johnson said. Nobody was hurt and only a few belongings were taken. APD did an outstanding job. But the potential for what could have happened is horrifying. The audit would examine each agencys internal processes and the way the agencies worked within the broader justice system. Johnson said the objective was to identify the problems that cause the system to fail us all. He said auditors would look at sample cases from beginning to end, among other things. Knell said last week he could not locate documents provided to each agency listing the specifics of individual audits. Knell said the OSA worked with each entity to keep costs down and to prevent any duplication with previous audits or reports. Needless waste Early on, the 2nd Judicial District Court asked Attorney General Hector Balderas for an opinion as to whether the state auditor had the authority to conduct such a review. That opinion has not been issued. Nash, along with Court Executive Officer Jim Noel, wrote that Johnson was planning to address crime and recidivism, even though New Mexico lawmakers and courts have understood the duties of the state auditor to be confined to financial and related matters. And they said that they welcome reviews of the courts operation, but pointed out that they were already involved in multiple ongoing reviews. The very act of requiring the seven agencies to expend funds and resources on seven special audits, when the issues contemplated in the auditors designation letters are already being addressed on numerous fronts, creates the needless waste of the same resources that the state auditor claims to be protecting, Nash and Noel wrote. APD said that it was awaiting that opinion before moving ahead with the audit. Two days after the Journal asked the OSA for an update on the overall review of the agencies, the office sent a letter to the city saying that it would use all the powers at its disposal to compel the City to comply with state law. As of today, the City continues to skirt its statutory duties under the Audit Act, claiming that it is waiting on an opinion from the Office of the New Mexico Attorney General on this topic, Johnson wrote in a letter addressed to Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. Knell said last week that the Auditors Office is selecting an auditor for the city, since it failed to do so. Johnson, a Gov. Susana Martinez appointee who was running for office when he announced the audit, initially estimated it would be completed in October or November. He did not estimate the cost, which, as required by state statute, was shouldered by the individual agencies. Clearly, Auditor Johnson had hoped to complete this audit prior to leaving office, Knell said. Because of several delays and the fact that two audits were slow-rolled by their respective agencies, Auditor Johnsons hope is that the incoming Auditor will complete this report. He wants Colon to build on the work already done, combining all audits into a single report that can be instructive to each agency on how we can improve the overall system. In an attempt to ensure an orderly disposition, a state District Court judge has issued a decorum order putting media and members of the public on notice that special rules are in effect as Jessica Kelley faces trial in the death of 10-year-old Victoria Martens. In his Dec. 12 order, Judge Charles Brown writes that violators could be permanently excluded from the proceedings or forced to pay for a retrial. According to the order: Reporters must obtain credentials from court administration. Interviews cannot take place within the courthouse until the trial concludes. Jurors cannot be approached or photographed. The front row of benches will be vacant and there is no designated media seating. Electronic devices, including computers, cameras, cellphones, recorders and tablets, are not permitted in the courtroom, but will be allowed in a designated media room. The judge left open the possibility of changes in his order, noting or as may be permitted by any ruling on media coverage. Judge Alisa Hart issued a similar order ahead of the 2016 trial for police officers Keith Sandy and Dominique Perez in the death of James Boyd. After local media filed a motion, a second order was issued with some modifications. Greg Williams, attorney for the Journal and a past president of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government, said Thursday that he hopes Browns order can be amended slightly to make sure the publics interest is accommodated in this case. More specifically, he would like to make sure the media can use electronic devices in order to fairly report on what happens in the courtroom. We appreciate the judge trying to find a balance between conducting a fair trial, and allowing the media and the public access to this important case, Williams said. In the case involving officers Sandy and Perez, which was also a high-profile case, the judge was able to strike that balance and still allowed nearly full media access to the courtroom. Kelley is set for trial Jan. 7. (WB) New comprehensive legislation introduced in the U.S. House Thursday seeks to enshrine into law U.S. policy against anti-LGBT human rights abuses overseas and the process by which LGBT people facing persecution can seek asylum in the United States. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) introduced the legislation, known as the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality, or GLOBE Act, on the heels of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a historic U.N. document affirming basic human rights for people across the globe. Titus in a statement billed the legislation as an attempt to codify into law Obama administration policies against anti-LGBT human rights abuses at a time when LGBTI individuals continue to face violence, hatred and discrimination around the globe amid perceived inaction from the Trump administration. We in Congress will not stand idly by as the administration fails to acknowledge and respond to the plight of vulnerable populations, including LGBTI people, Titus said. The GLOBE Act builds on the accomplishments of the Obama administration and the work of various members, groups and coalitions to establish a broad set of directives to reinstate our leadership in advancing equality. The findings of the legislation document continued anti-LGBT human rights abuses overseas, including laws criminalizing homosexuality in Uganda, Nigeria and Egypt and laws in at least eight countries punishing being gay with the death penalty. The bill also notes authorities in the Russian semi-autonomous Republic of Chechnya last year were reportedly complicit in the round-up, torture and murders of men perceived as gay. Meanwhile, President Trump infamously told the U.N. General Assembly in September the United States will honor the right of every nation in this room to pursue its own customs, beliefs and traditions, which critics have interpreted to mean the country has abandoned its role in advocating for international human rights. Trump has also said nothing about the reported anti-gay human rights abuses in Chechnya, although an international report is expected next week on the atrocities. The GLOBE Act breaks down its approach to combating anti-LGBT violence overseas in several ways for both documentation and response and is hailed as a vision bill that would provide a comprehensive roadmap for U.S. policy. Mark Bromley, chair of the Council for Global Equality, said the GLOBE Act is a fitting tribute to International Human Rights Day and to the 70th anniversary of U.S. leadership in support of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It affirms that countries that persecute their LGBTI citizens share neither our values nor the commitment to democratic principles that is in our countrys strategic interests, Bromley said. We applaud this effort and urge bipartisan support for this bill. First, with respect to documentation, the bill would codify the recording of anti-LGBT abuses in the annual State Department report on human rights in countries overseas. The GLOBE Act would also require the secretary of state, with the USAID administrator, to produce an annual strategic review of anti-gay criminalization laws. With respect to response, the bill would also codify the U.S. LGBT international envoy position at the State Department, which has been vacant since Randy Berry, now U.S. ambassador to Nepal, left the position. The GLOBE Act would also establish an interagency group to respond to urgent threats directed at LGBT people, a process started during the Obama administration within the National Security Council. The GLOBE Act would also codify the Global Equality Fund in the State Department and the LGBTI Global Development Partnership at USAID to assist human rights defenders overseas. The bill would also codify non-discrimination in service delivery for all programs and services funded by U.S. assistance through any foreign affairs agency, contractor or subcontractor. The bill would also require the president to submit to Congress a list of foreign individuals responsible for or complicit in anti-LGBT human rights abuses. Individuals on the list would be ineligible for U.S. visas, making them ineligible for entry to the United States and subject to removal. Additionally, the bill expresses the sense of Congress individuals on the list should be considered for sanctions designations. The GLOBE Act would require PEPFAR, a federal program that provides retroviral drugs globally to combat HIV/AIDS, to monitor those non-discrimination provisions as well as criminal sanctions overseas for the use of PEPFAR-funded communities, such as condoms. The bill would also overturn the Global Gag Rule and the Anti-Prostitution Pledge, widely criticized on U.S. assistance overseas implemented by the Trump administration. Under the rubric of immigration reform, the legislation would codify LGBT people as a group eligible for asylum and refugee determinations under the Immigration & Nationality Act. The bill repeals a one-year filing deadline for all asylum cases and mandates equal treatment in all U.S. immigration proceedings for immigrants with unmarried same-sex partners who come from countries where same-sex marriage isnt legal. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress the United States should engage with international organizations, including the United Nations and the World Bank, to protect international LGBT rights, and prioritize efforts within the State Department to ensure foreign governments dont impede assignment of LGBT U.S. citizens serving abroad and support visa requests for their partners. David Stacy, government affairs director for the Human Rights Campaign, said the positions articulated in the GLOBE Act stand in contrast to the silence from the Trump administration. While Donald Trump and Mike Pence remain recklessly silent on anti-LGBTQ atrocities around the globe, its crucial that the United States Congress fill the void and make clear LGBTQ rights are human rights, Stacy said. Congress must send a powerful message that the United States will continue to be a global leader in advancing the human rights of all people including LGBTQ people. Introduced at the close of the 115th Congress, the legislation has six co-sponsors who are all Democrats: Reps. Eliot Engel (N.Y.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Alan Lowenthal (Calif.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Nita Lowey (N.Y.), Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.). Noel Clay, a State Department spokesperson, said the department has a policy of not commenting on pending legislation when asked about the GLOBE Act, but added the U.S. government is committed to defending LGBT human rights abroad. More broadly speaking, the United States continues to stand up and speak out to protect and defend the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of people everywhere including LGBTI persons, Clay said. Advancing universal human rights is in our national interest, and as Secretary [Mike] Pompeo has said, LGBTI persons deserve the same respect, freedoms and protections as everyone else. PHOENIX Arizona authorities say five people have been arrested in connection with a deadly shooting at a Phoenix apartment complex over the weekend. As officers responded to the scene Saturday just before midnight, police were notified that two people showed up at a nearby hospital emergency room with gunshot wounds. Investigators say 20-year-old Mozafer Babiker, 21-year-old Marquis Momon and three teens went to the apartment complex to rob 18-year-old Telvin Goll. They forced the door open and gunfire was exchanged. Goll was killed. Momon and one of the teens were injured. Babiker and Momon are each facing one count of first-degree murder and other charges. Police say charges also are pending against the teens. Police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson says drugs are believed to have been involved. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Fourteen-year-old Ahmed Lateef was a refugee from Iraq who came to New Mexico with his mom and brother to escape the dangers of war. Collin Romero was a 15-year-old Albuquerque native who dreamed of working with animals and who, his mother says, was always looking out for friends and relatives. Ahmed and Collin best friends since middle school spent many days and nights at each others houses over the years, the teenagers mothers told the Journal. They were found dead Saturday, their bodies buried in a remote location in Sandoval County. I cant believe, I didnt believe (he had been killed), Ahmeds mother, Yasameen Alabdulaziz, said Monday. Yesterday, (detectives) came and told me what happened. Ive been crying in the morning. I cant eat; I cant drink. The teens had been missing for almost two weeks. Albuquerque police detectives were told the two had been involved in a drug deal that may have gone bad in a foothills neighborhood. Collins mother, Amanda Kimbrel, reported she had heard that there was a Snapchat video going around that showed the boys being beaten in a remote area and they appeared to be bleeding and have broken bones. Lt. Keith Elder, a spokesman for the Sandoval County Sheriffs Office, said deputies found clothing on the mesa Friday that contained evidence of a violent crime. They continued to investigate into the weekend, along with New Mexico State Police. He said they are not identifying the exact location where the bodies were found. The cause and manner of death are currently under investigation and have not been confirmed, Elder wrote in a news release. Collin and Ahmed had last been seen on Dec. 16. APDs helicopters and open space units searched the mesas west of Albuquerque, and relatives, friends and volunteers met daily to scour the area on foot. In response to questions about whether there were any suspects in the case, APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said the Sandoval County Sheriffs Office is now leading the investigation. Alabdulaziz told the Journal she had brought Ahmed and his younger brother to New Mexico in 2013 to escape the war in Iraq and had been trying to keep the family safe. But in the past year or so, she said, Ahmed had started getting into trouble with the law, and she suspected he was using and selling drugs. Ahmed had been charged with possession of marijuana and magic mushrooms in July, and authorities suspected he was selling drugs at the charter school he attended, according to court documents. On Dec. 11, Alabdulaziz said, her son had left the house, violating probation. He came back without his pants, shoes or belt, saying he had been beaten up by a group of boys. She said she was worried that next time he would be seriously injured or even killed, and the two had a big argument. He took his backpack and left, Alabdulaziz said. I tell him, Go, do what you want to do; I dont care for you, because Im really sad. Alabdulaziz said Ahmed had run away before, but he usually turned up after a couple of weeks. It wasnt until Ahmeds friend told her they believed he was in danger that she got worried and reported him missing to the police. Kimbrel, Collins mother, said the past two weeks have been a nightmare. She said that every day, including Christmas, had been spent searching for the teenagers. New Years wont be the same without him, so we wont be celebrating it either, Kimbrel said in a statement Monday evening. We were searching every day since we found out about their disappearance. She said 60 to 500 people joined the search parties every day. Businesses donated to the cause as well. Kimbrel said her son loved animals, loved being outside and was always joking and trying to have a good time. He wanted to get married to his girlfriend and have six kids with her, Kimbrel wrote. He was very protective over his family and friends. Kimbrel said she and Alabdulaziz have been in close contact over the past couple of weeks as they try to cope with what happened to their sons. She said they are both crushed by the news. Im sad because my son, somebody killed him, Alabdulaziz said. He didnt die normally; he wasnt sick. My heart, its on fire. I have fire in my heart. Tips: Police ask anyone with information about the case to contact Crime Stoppers at 843-STOP. SANTA FE Michelle Lujan Grisham isnt expecting much sleep the next few days. She was preparing late Monday for a private swearing-in ceremony at midnight with relatives and friends at the Capitol when she formally becomes the governor of New Mexico. Nine hours later, she will head to Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe, followed by a public inauguration at noon and inaugural balls in the evening. Today is going to be a really exciting but incredibly long day, she said. Lujan Grisham wrapped up her transition Monday by filling critical positions in the Governors Office. She announced that John Bingaman son of former U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M. and Santa Fe County administrator Teresa Casados will help lead her administration, operating as equals who report directly to her. Bingaman, 39, was hired as chief of staff and will oversee policy development, the legislative team and legal operations in the Governors Office. He has worked in investment banking, run a software firm and served as managing principal of an investment firm but will be making his first move into government. Casados, 55, will serve as chief operations officer and oversee the execution of policy and legislation, work with Cabinet secretaries and manage constituent services. She has a long history in local and state government, most recently as director of senior services for Santa Fe County. Lujan Grisham described Bingaman and Casados as two incredible individuals whose job it is to make sure that strategically and tactically we are delivering for New Mexicans every single day. They will each be paid $130,000 a year. Bingamans father, who represented New Mexico for 30 years before retiring in 2013, served as chairman of Lujan Grishams transition team this year, but John Bingaman suggested his dad didnt push him into government service. My dad doesnt give advice on this kind of stuff, Bingaman said. A decision like this has to come from the heart, and this one certainly did. Casados has worked in state government before. She and Lujan Grisham both worked in the administration of then-Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat. Lujan Grisham was a Cabinet secretary. Casados worked as deputy chief of staff to Richardson in 2008-09. The governor-elect announced a variety of others who will work in the Governors Office, including: Matthew L. Garcia, general counsel. He is a civil rights attorney from Albuquerque. Dominic Gabello as senior adviser for policy, strategy and communications. He served as Lujan Grishams gubernatorial campaign manager. Stephanie Kean, senior policy adviser for education. She is an urban planner who worked in Lujan Grishams congressional office. Jane Wishner, executive policy adviser for health and human services. She was a founding member of the law firm now known as Peifer, Hanson & Mullins. Mariana Padilla, director of the Childrens Cabinet. She has worked in Lujan Grishams congressional office. Victor Reyes, legislative director. Reyes has worked as a senior staff member for the state Senate Democratic caucus. Matt Ruybal a director of constituent relations. He had a similar job in Lujan Grishams congressional office. Tripp Stelnicki as director of communications. He covered city and county government for the Santa Fe New Mexican before joining Lujan Grishams transition team. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. Friends and metal fans in Texas, who listened on Thursdays to his Sweet Nightmares radio show on KPFT 90.1 FM knew him as the Herminator. People here who crave authentic Mexican food know him as the Tennessee Tamale Guy. Last year, when Hurricane Harvey hammered Houston, the Herminators house was lifted off its foundation. He lost clothes, shoes, furniture, a large chunk of his vast music collection and a Fender Stratocaster guitar in the floodwaters. Herman Garcia used aid money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to pay for his travel to a girlfriends place in Johnson City. The couple were planning for her to move to Houston, but Harvey changed those plans. I lost everything, he said. I only had four pairs of shoes. Losing the musical instruments and the music collection was hard. That guitar was a prized possession. He got a job at an area pizza place, and little-by-little started rebuilding his life. Its been rough going, but Garcia said hes making headway. The thing he misses most about Houston is the music. For a metalhead like the Herminator, who used to organize shows and events, the scene just isnt as developed. Id really like to get back on the radio, he said. There is a small metal and punk scene here, I just need somebody to take a chance on me. But otherwise, he likes it here. Johnson Citys culture and atmosphere remind him of Austin, Texas, where he went to the University of Texas he calls it the real UT, but all of us Tennesseans know hes kidding. Even without the heavy metal, Garcia said he loves the community and decided to contribute some of his culture to it. He became the Tennessee Tamale Guy one day when hanging out at the Johnson City Brewing Company. Talking with brewery owner Eric Latham, Garcia said some of the craft beers would pair well with real tamales. At Lathams request, Garcia made a batch of tamales using his mothers traditional recipes. Latham liked the food so much he began telling friends about Garcias talents, and those friends started asking him to make them tamales. He started selling them to supplement his income. I want to get my own food truck, thats the goal, he said. Then maybe down the road, I can think about a brick-and-mortar restaurant, but I want to take it slow. The authentic Mexican food offerings in the area are pretty slim, Garcia said, especially compared to Houston, one of the most diverse cities in the country. Hes been able to source authentic, fresh ingredients for his cooking from small shops in town, and said they are the key to his tasty tamales. Youve got to use good, solid ingredients, he said. People can tell the difference when you use mozzarella, or something like that, instead of a real Mexican cheese. In addition to traditional meat tamales, Garcia also makes holiday versions pumpkin spice tamale, anyone? and is considering using experimental ingredients like venison. His strawberry tamales are in high demand, and usually sell out whenever theyre available. For now, hes taking orders online on Facebook @tennesseetamaleguy, by the email address or the phone number listed on the page. ___ Information from: Johnson City Press, http://www.johnsoncitypress.com (WB) LGBT legal groups urged the U.S. Supreme Court this week to decline to intervene in cases challenging President Trumps transgender military ban, asserting action at this point would amount to short-circuiting the litigation process. The groups submitted the briefs in response to two separate filings from the U.S. Justice Department under the Trump administration, one calling on the Supreme Court to take up the cases on a interlocutory basis, another calling for a stay on lower court orders against the ban. The filings on Christmas Eve urged the Supreme Court not to grant the Trump administrations request at this time for review an action typically reserved for when the litigation process is finished up through the appellate courts, not now as the cases currently stand before those courts hand down decisions. One brief filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Advocates & Defenders, which are responsible for two cases against the Trump policy, declares the litigation raises important constitutional issues, but now is not the appropriate time for this court to consider them. No court of appeals has issued any decision addressing those issues, the filings says. No case raising those issues has yet been litigated to final judgment in a district court. And this case does not present any of those constitutional issues in a suitable posture, because it involves only the governments effort to dissolve a preliminary injunction entered months earlier, which the government decided not to appeal. Another brief filed by Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN, which are behind another case called Karnoski v. Trump, asserts there is no urgency warranting this courts immediate intervention. The government rests its argument for certiorari before judgment on a nebulous and ill-defined need for immediate review it never precisely articulates much less grounds in any concrete (as opposed to hypothetical) harm, the brief says. But there is no urgency warranting the extraordinary relief the government seeks. Last month, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to take up legal challenges to the transgender military ban for review on the basis that decision must be come if justices were to adjudicate the cases fully before the end of the term in June 2019. The Justice Department made the requests as lower appellate courts considers whether an implementation plan Defense Secretary James Mattis earlier this year amounts to a change to the transgender military ban, which President Trump declared via Twitter in June 2017. Trial courts enjoined the Defense Department from enforcing the policy even before the plan was issued, the Trump administration has argued before those the courts should lift those orders in the wake of the new plan. It would be unusual for the Supreme Court to issue a writ of certiorari, or decide to take up the transgender military cases, at this time before the appellate courts have rendered their decision on the Mattis plan. On Friday, the LGBT legal groups followed up on filings urging the court not to take up the cases at this time with additional briefs urging justices to turn down the Trump administrations other request to place a stay on orders against the ban, which would effectively allow the policy to go into effect. One filing from the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Advocates & Defenders argued the balance of equities in the cases support the continuation of the injunctions ordered by lower courts. There is simply no irreparable harm, let alone a change in the balance of equities, that warrants a stay of the district courts considered judgment to leave the preliminary injunction in place, the brief says. In fact, equity strongly favors respondents, who stand to lose their safety, stature and future in the military without the preliminary relief afforded by the injunction. Another brief from Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN made a similar case, saying the U.S. military wont be harmed without a stay, but transgender service members would suffer serious irreparable injury. Plaintiffs who seek to enlist would be barred from doing so, the brief says. Plaintiff Jane Doe and other current service members who have not yet come out would be forced to either suppress their gender identity or face discharge. And those who have come out in the reliance on the Carter Policy would be forced to serve while branded as inherently inferior, unfit to serve, and a danger to their colleagues. Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said he expects the Supreme Court to issue decisions on the Trump administrations requests soon, probably within the next two or three weeks, possibly even sooner. Since the government is asking for a stay only if the court denies cert before judgment, I assume the court will consider the two petitions together, Minter added. CALIFORNIA - Some cannabis businesses throughout the state are blaming slumping sales on new regulations. Owners of some of these cannabis businesses cite factors such as high taxes, complex laws and decisions by some cities to ban cannabis stores. The store 530 Cannabis in Shasta County spoke with Action News Now about the changes they would like to see in the new year. "I would hope that California would model after the other states that have already recreationalized marijuana and they've seen great growth in that," said Gyasi Davis, assistant manager of 530 Cannabis. "But, you know, it's all a learning curve and it will take time." Davis and other employees say that sales have not fallen short, at least in Shasta County. Updated 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 - California's Attorney General has told a federal judge it is possible that PG&E could face charges including manslaughter. That could be the case if investigators find reckless operation of power equipment caused any deadly wildfires in the past two years. Camp Fire survivor Jamie Ramey told CNN reporter Doug Johnson, "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," she said, emphasizing that it was her dad that saved their lives. 86 other people were not so lucky. Reporter Johnson said that California's top prosecutor believes PG&E could, in theory, be charged with their deaths. Private attorney Mike Danko explained "The District Attorney or the Attorney General generally does not charge a company. The reason is that you can't put the company in jail." Danko's firm represents around 900 clients who lost their homes to the Camp Fire in and around Paradise. He is suing PG&E on their behalf. He explains Attorney General Xavier Becerra's announcement came from a recently submitted brief which details multiple possible consequences PG&E could face under state law. The 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 explained that the judge asked the Attorney General to explain to the court what the law is as far as criminal liability. As part of the probation hearing, PG&E must also submit what role it played, if any, in starting the Camp Fire. That request by the judge has a deadline of Monday. Attorney Danko said, "They really have to own up to them or else it's going to be big trouble for PG&E." The document due on Monday is one Danko says could expedite his clients' lawsuits. He said if his firm asked PG&E to tell them what their role was, it would take months and months to get to the bottom of it. Fire survivor Ramey says she is unsure if PG&E should be charged with anything. "Honestly, I hadn't heard anything about that until right now," she explained. She says she is still processing the information. "I don't know. There were a lot of lives lost," she added. PG&E responded to the Deputy Attorney General saying: "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. Throughout our service area, we are committed to doing everything we can to help further reduce the risk of wildfire." --- SACRAMENTO, Calif. - PG&E could now face manslaughter charges if found guilty of starting the Camp Fire, says California's top prosecutor, Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Fogg. The official cause of the fire is still under investigation, but the first flames spotted were located directly under a PG&E high-voltage tower. The Camp Fire was the deadliest wildfire in the state's history. Please click this link to see all the Action News Now FIRE WATCH stories, including coverage of the Camp Fire. Could PG&E Face Manslaughter Charges in Camp Fire? PG&E has until the end of today to respond to the California Attorney General about what part the company played in the Camp Fire. The attorney general says the utility company could face manslaughter charges for the 86 deaths connected to the fire if it is found responsible. Anderson Man Facing Charges in Shooting of Police K9 Anderson police say Dillion Sullivan of Paradise faces 17 charges for shooting a police K9. Those charges include attempted murder. Police say K9 Chance was shot in the left ear but is expected to recover and return to work soon. Gridley-Biggs Police Searching for Suspects in Armed Home Invasion Gridley-Biggs police are searching for three men suspected in an armed home invasion. Police say the masked men held a family at gunpoint Sunday morning and stole their car. No one was injured. Two Men Arrested for Stealing FEMA Trailers Redding police arrested Wayne Bergman and Zachary Crouchley for stealing two FEMA trailers meant for Camp Fire survivors over the weekend. Both trailers were later found and recovered. Chico Police Searching for Armed Robbery Suspect Chico police are on the hunt for an armed, masked robber who held a gas station clerk at gunpoint. It happened at the Valero gas station on East 8th St. Friday night. Butte County Animal Control to Close Camp Fire Animal Shelters Butte County Animal control plans to close shelters housing Camp Fire animals this coming Friday. Anyone still missing animals are encouraged to call the shelter hotline HERE. Authored by Nikhil Agarwal, Co-Founder, Brandwitty. Nikhil started his entrepreneurial journey by Co-founding Brandwitty, which is Mumbais fastest growing Internet Marketing Agency with diverse portfolio. Known for his sharp business acumen and an eye for detail, Nikhil has led Brandwitty from one milestone to another and today the organization is recognized as one of the most respected and trusted Digital Marketing agencies in the India. His first successful campaign was back in the 7th standard by setting up a firecracker stall during Diwali. His return on investment was a 150% profit and that inspired him to start his own venture some day. Influencer marketing It is one of the oldest ways of promoting anything in market. Using someones face to reach out to people is the best way to build trust and increase brand acceptability. This form of marketing is known as influencer marketing and it focuses on influential people rather than the target audience. Earlier, film stars were the face of brands but now with the growth of social media, the focus has shifted to social media influencers. In fact, over the years, social media influencers have taken over the concept of Brand Ambassadors. Further, these days, it is believed that people dont buy goods and services but they buy stories, relations and magic. Thus, it has become imperative for the brands to tell the right and interesting stories and here comes the importance of influencer marketing. So, reaching out to the bloggers, YouTubers and other popular faces on social media can definitely help you in creating your brand in 2019. Chatbots to instantly answer up to 75 per cent of customer questions Chatbots generally work alongside the existing marketing support team and use machine learning to interpret inquiries, answer customer questions and learn from new experiences. Chatbots can be used to qualify the leads in an automated fashion. General details like customer names, e-mail ids, phone numbers and purpose of chat can be easily captured via chatbot and redirected to the respective team. It can easily convert visitors on website to qualified prospects by asking pre-defined questions. Chatbots have come in existence only recently and will surely gain more popularity in 2019. Video marketing for selling products and services in 8 to 15 seconds Video has always been the powerful way of communication in advertising. Nearly 70 per cent of marketing experts across globe feel that video is the type of content which user can consume easily. Earlier, television ads were very popular but now with the people moving away from television to internet, video marketing on internet has become the norm of the day. So, whether you want to promote your brand on television or digital medium, effective video ads need to be definitely on the top in your content marketing strategy. It is important to remember that the average duration of video ad should be 8 to 15 seconds maximum. Overall, there is no doubt that the year 2019 would see plethora of digital video ads with call-to-action by most of the brands so as to increase leads and subsequent sales. E-mail personalisation What if you know minute details of your customers like Which device they use? What time they open your email? Which is the subject line they react on? Which product/services they are interested in? Well, if you know the answers to the above questions, then by using the above data points, you can send e-mails automatically five minutes before the customers usually open your e-mail with exact product/service they are interested in. This can help your e-mail to be on the top of unread e-mails in your customers inbox. By just being in the top five e-mails in the inbox of your customer, your e-mail open rate can improve by 40 to 50 per cent. What more? Personalised e-mails can also build trust in the mind of the user and lead to increased sales. Thus, given to the benefits offered by e-mail personalisation, it will surely become one of the popular digital marketing trends in 2019. Programmatic advertising When you have a big marketing budget and want to scale up the digital marketing campaign, then programmatic media buying is the best option. Programmatic advertising is the process of purchasing ad space via tools and relying on complex algorithms to deliver ads contextually. Without programmatic advertising, managing various publishers and tracking reports of each publisher can become a difficult task. In Western countries, many brands have already started to opt for programmatic advertising. In fact, it occupies a major share in the ad spends in countries like the USA and the UK. As for the Indian scenario, then the home brands have also started opting for programmatic advertising. However, at present, only 20 per cent of the ad budgets go to programmatic advertising in India. This is expected to increase by 70 to 80 per cent in 2019. Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO) When you're browsing online & suddenly you see an ad which says Leave Early, Reach Home Safe. You will be excited to know why is someone asking you to do that & a second message after that saying because it is predicted to rain heavy in your place. First time you may ignore & get stuck in the rain. But next time youll recollect the earlier situation and will not ignore the warning. There are greater chances that you may remember the company logo too, who delivered the message. Well, this is possible through DCO. DCO is a display ad technology that creates personalized ads based on data about the viewer at the moment of ad serving. You can convey various messages to the same user in real-time. Video ads can also be promoted through DCO which can give you 50-60 per cent increase in click-through-rate as compared to static ads. Hence, DCO would be another digital marketing trend to watch out for in 2019. Omnichannel marketing The line between online and offline is getting blurred as the consumer experience is becoming a seamless mix of the real and virtual world through omnichannel marketing. In simple terms, omnichannel marketing is the multichannel sales approach that provides the customer with an integrated shopping experience. The customer can shop online from a desktop or mobile device via phone or in a brick-and-mortar store. Over the years, searching for stores has become an integral shopping experience in the retail sector with a 50 per cent increase for searches like store near me. As per Google Search Internal data, there was an 80 per cent increase in searches for offline stores that sold smartphones and laptops. One of the case studies from Tata Croma states that the omnichannel shopper showed up to 33 per cent higher in-store conversion rate. Thus, in 2019, this omnichannel marketing trend is sure to attain further new heights. Accelerated Mobile Page (AMP) Search engines love websites which load faster and have maximum user-time spend. AMP helps in loading the web pages faster on mobile phones. AMP is an open-source custom web development framework created to speed up the loading time of web pages on mobile devices. As per KPMG/Google Reports, By 2020, 500 million smartphone users will be connected to internet. Thus, it will become important for the brands to move content on AMPs for better user-experience. User-generated content With the change in user behavior and inclination towards digital medium, building the brand in the local space has become very important and this can be easily done by user-generated content which is the free content generated by the customers. Real life experiences of people about a product or service in digital space can very well affect the mind of the prospective customers. These days, be it deciding the food order in a hotel or the movie to watch in the theatre or best honeymoon destination to travel, everyone depends on the reviews which is nothing but user-generated content. Thus, keeping the old saying in mind that products are made in factory but brands are created in mind, brands in 2019 will have to focus more on positive user-generated content. Conclusion To sum up, an array of digital marketing trends will take 2019 by storm and brands will need to opt for the right marketing technology to scale their business to new heights. Brands will have to take help of machine learning and artificial intelligence to collect data and read and predict future and here the important role of digital marketing agencies will come to picture. Being well-equipped to understand your business needs and the marketing technology that is best-suited for your business, the digital marketing agencies would definitely help your business conquer new grounds in 2019. This year Hyundai completed 20 years in India and to celebrate the occasion launched several high impact campaigns throughout the year. They launched the Brilliant Moments earlier this year to tap into the nostalgia element associated with their brand to strike a chord with their customers. On 27th June, they launched several brand films like The Deal With ACCENT and Army with Santro that got an overall of 500 mn views. These corporate films had an enormous impact in reiterating the customer centric values of the brand. Read more about those campaigns here. Now Hyundai has launched #BeTheBetterGuy campaign that speaks about road safety ahead of the National Road Safety Week on 11-17th January. This campaign is an extension of their global campaign Safe Move a road safety initiative. As part of the awareness drive, Hyundai has conducted ground activations at 100 Schools across 11 cities and 14 Malls across 7 cities to help both drivers and pedestrians take precautions to travel safely on roads. Phase I and II of Road Safety Campaign #BeTheBetterGuy were a huge success with over 3.84 Million views in 2016 and over 17 million in 2017. The campaign also won several accolades by eminent Indian media. In conversation with Adgully, Puneet Anand, Sr. GM & Group Head Marketing, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. speaks about the initiative, the importance of road safety and Hyundai Motor Indias game plan for the year 2019. Campaign Brief Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) in association with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways started the Road Safety initiative in 2016. #BeTheBetterGuy Campaign was released as a part of the road safety program aimed at creating a positive change in the society and inspires people to adhere to traffic rules. The campaign is a part of Safe Move, one of the key pillars of Hyundai Motor Groups long-term road-safety CSR initiative across the globe. Safe Move Road Safety Campaign in India focuses on spreading awareness about the importance of road safety to bring about a significant behavioural change amongst the masses. This film features Hyundais corporate brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan marks phase III of #BeTheBetterGuy road safety initiative by Hyundai since 2016 and draws attention to critical issues pertaining to road safety such as under age driving, dont drink and drive, usage of mobile phone, over speeding and violation of traffic signal. The film of #BeTheBetterGuy campaign is being promoted largely on all social media platforms - Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram and on many automobile portals. The video has received an overwhelming response with over 40 million views in just over a months time. Hyundai being a responsible and caring automobile manufacturer has been committed to making road safety a mass movement in India. The Road Safety Campaign #BeTheBetterGuy since inception has received an overwhelming response and has won prestigious awards on Road Safety Campaign by Eminent Indian Media Houses. The core objective is to sensitise people to drive safely and adopt safe driving habits for the safety of others as well. You are promoting car safety through your brand ambassador. Does this resonate with your customers? #BeTheBetterGuy- Road Safety awareness film features Hyundais Corporate Brand Ambassador Mr. Shah Rukh Khan persuading safe driving practices. Hyundai and Shah Rukh Khans association has been the longest and consistent in the industry, making it one of the longest brand-ambassador partnerships ever with over 20 years in India. As a mass influencer and Indias most loved Youth icon, Shah Rukh Khan helps promote the Road Safety Campaign #BeTheBetterGuy with extreme grace and poise that leaves an ever-lasting impression on people. Since inception the film has received an overwhelming response with over 60 Million Views and has won prestigious awards on Road Safety campaign by eminent Indian media. We undertake a lot of on-ground activities to connect with the audiences directly and make them aware about road safety. In addition to the social media engagement, we organize School Contact program aimed at young children, Mall Contact Programs aimed at families. Over the last three phases of the campaign, Hyundai Motor India Foundation has successfully reached out to over 243,000 students in 392 schools, 120,000 families in 29 malls and over 23,000 residents through 146 RWAs (Resident Welfare Association). In total we have reached out to over 4 lac individuals and made them aware about road safety. The automobile sector took a dip this year despite several innovations in hybrid cars. Why? Going forward in 2019 what will be your plan to action? As a technology and innovation driven brand, Hyundai India is committed to deliver Shared, Connected and Zero Emission Mobility. Hyundai has global technology to deliver every type of electric vehicle including hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), electric vehicles (EV), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). Hyundai is keen to bring its global expertise in Electric Vehicle to India and we are ready to introduce Indias first full-fledged electric SUV in 2019. Sony Music India recently joined forces with India's first multi-channel, DIY social media engagement platform, VURoll, in order to spread awareness around their first live art show for kids and families- Imaginarium. IMAGINARIUM is a made in India concept for kids where they are invited to discover, explore and expand their imagination through a host of live on-stage experiences, conducted by Indias premiere and only real-life kid influencer- ROB. The campaign was executed by VURoll which helped it reach more than 260,000 kids and parents, significantly increasing Imaginariums presence across India. Sony Music used VURolls data driven platform to discover, evaluate, and recommend influencers on Instagram to reach their target audience in and around Bangalore. With the help of VURoll, Imaginarium was able to reach 267820 people, gather 5952 total Likes and more than 7000 impressions on Instagram stories. Viraj Malik, Co-Founder, VURoll, said, We at VURoll leverage technology to give influencer marketing a new lease of life. Our technology helps our clients get new age consumer insights and remain relevant among their audience using social media communications. Influencer marketing is a critical element especially for a brand which caters to kids and parents as the market is deeply affected by references. Our strategies across social media for Imaginarium paid off well, as all our interactions and meaningful conversations were organic. Talking about the association, Roydon Bangera, Brand Manager, Sony Music said, As a music label and us developing artists and working on a lot of live events we often seem to go out and seek influencers to spread the word and VURoll did this perfectly for us when it came to aligning communication for Imaginarium - Its a wonderful world. The platform is really easy to use and the team was always available and helpful. Look forward to more campaigns together. VURoll, launched in May 2018, has been built with technology by-layers that allow advertisers to discover right influencers and content creators, identify the right pricing, manage campaigns and measure campaign results with minimal manual intervention. In its six months long journey, VURoll has worked as a social media engagement platform for a variety of renowned companies including Metropolis Labs , AVON , VIVO , MEDLIFE , Chinese President Xi Jinping [File photo: Xinhua] Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a gathering to commemorate the 40th anniversary of issuing Message to Compatriots in Taiwan on Wednesday in Beijing. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at the gathering. 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. Who shot the most amazing drone photo of the year? Youll find some suggestions at DP Review, including photographer Reuben Wus Lux Noctis" series, created with drone-mounted LED lights, and Reed Plummers shot of a school of salmon in perfect circular formation. Meanwhile, NoFilmSchool rounds up outstanding drone photography and videos from around the web, including Romain Alexandres 4K views of Icelands rugged landscape, shot with a DJI Mavic Air drone. 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. Eighteen lawmakers representing constituencies from the central Iranian province of Esfahan, where water scarcity has reached an alarming state, have resigned collectively in a symbolic move against what they believe is an unfair distribution of water resources. In response, their counterparts from three other provinces, which share the same water supplies, hit back. They demanded in a public letter that the heads of the three branches of the Iranian state president, parliament speaker and judiciary chief as well as the country's powerful Supreme National Security Council intervene to bridge the widening divide over who should have more water. The latest confrontation has not been without a precedent. Last August, Iran's interior minister reported at least 20 water-related clashes, some of them deadly, in a period of less than 140 days. Local tensions over water resources in Iran are not a novelty either. In recent years, the crisis has not only worsened but has also witnessed new implications. Provinces that were traditionally considered water-rich areas such as west Azerbaijan, east Azerbaijan, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari, Khuzestan, Mazandaran, Gilan and Golestan are already battling it out to win the bigger share, bringing the fight to political levels in the open. The collective resignation by parliamentarians Dec. 5 was specifically a protest against the government's decision to take off Esfahan province water transfer projects from next year's budget bill. The angry lawmakers are still digging in their heels. The key water supply of the province is Zayandeh Roud, central Iran's longest river originating from springs in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Distribution of water from Zayandehroud has been the main driving force behind tensions between the authorities in Esfahan and the neighboring provinces of Yazd, Chahar Mahal and Kohgiluyeh as well as Khuzestan further away in the southwest. While seeking solutions in their public letter against the resignation by their colleagues from Esfahan, lawmakers from Chahar Mahal, Kohgiluyeh and Khuzestan implicitly warned that the gesture could fan the flames of water-related conflicts. Similar differences are also growing elsewhere between the three northern water-rich provinces of Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan on the one hand, and the central provinces of Semnan and Markazi on the other. Semnan is the birthplace of President Hassan Rouhani, who only one day before the Esfahan parliamentarians' resignation promised cheering crowds there an ambitious water diversion project from the Caspian Sea. The pledge, however, was met with fury from lawmakers representing the three northern provinces on the shore of the Caspian Sea. Rouhani's words angered even his allies in parliament. This case has rallied Rouhani supporters and opponents behind one flag in the opposition against him. "This treason will not be permitted," one pro-Rouhani member of parliament warned about the project. Earlier, the water crisis had already pitted parliamentarians from Sistan and Balouchestan province against Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif over Iran's share from the Hirmand River running in from the Afghan border. An older water-related political conflict in Iran is the constant and unsettled tension between lawmakers from west and east Azerbaijan provinces, and different sitting governments over Lake Urmia's critically falling levels. Such a background of political implications of Iran's water crisis has in recent years triggered public protests, in many cases turning ugly, with security forces making arrests in their heavy-handed response. The latest of such unrest rocked Khuzestan province last summer. To overcome the crisis, the Iranian government has launched at least 10 water transfer megaprojects in the target areas. The projects, however, remain incomplete and have only complicated the situation by sparking protests in areas from which water is meant to be transferred to drought-hit regions. Given the current circumstances amid the deteriorating water scarcity, the political ramifications and the public-level tensions are expected to only grow further. The graveness of the crisis was laid bare last August by head of the country's Environment Department Issa Kalantari, who warned that Iran's water resources would completely vanish within 40-50 years. He had already raised the alarm on a mass exodus of inhabitants from the areas suffering from water shortages. This was corroborated in a 2018 NASA report that underlined a looming water crisis in Iran, where large swaths of territory could turn into complete deserts in 30-40 years' time. The study also places Iran on the fourth in a list of 45 countries believed to be on the verge of drought. With the threat getting increasingly serious, Iran's Ministry of Energy has set up the Center for Water-related Social Affairs. The director, who serves as an adviser to the country's energy minister, has made it clear that the center cannot create miracles in the short term. As a deep-rooted crisis with multiple aspects, Iran's water problem continues to unmask its social and political face. Prospects for a successful handling of the issue are also bleak as the existing statistics paint no positive picture. During last summer alone, 34.5 million Iranians across 334 cities and towns were exposed to water tension. This has also left negative impacts upon an economy already facing serious threats from US sanctions and has provoked widespread discontent from Iranian citizens. Despite the alarmingly complex situation, little has been done to contain the social tensions triggered by Iran's water crisis. To make matters worse, politicians are on no good terms and remain vigorously engaged in a conflict over how to address the problem. The continually unresolved tension could serve as a catalyst by fueling fury at different social levels. Only time will tell, therefore, where the vicious cycle will end. When Aziz Dweik and other elected members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) attempted Dec. 26 to reach the PLC in Ramallah to hold a press conference, Palestinian security forces stopped him and his entourage. Dweik, elected in January 2006 as speaker of the PLC, was told that he is no longer a member of the PLC, which was dissolved by the Palestinian Constitutional Court. President Mahmoud Abbas made the announcement of the court decision during a meeting he had with the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah Dec. 22. Commenting on the court decision, Abbas reportedly said that this decision must be enforced immediately. It is unclear when the court decision was actually made. While the pro-Hamas speaker was trying to speak out against the decision to strip him from his powers, Ahmad Harb, a Hamas parliament member who was elected as deputy PLC speaker to Dweik, was meeting with some of the Gaza-based parliament members in Gaza Dec. 26. Harb stressed his rejection of the court decision, which also called for new elections within six months. Harb has called the move to disband the PLC a violation of Palestinian Basic Law. The PLC was elected on Jan. 25, 2006, with the pro-Hamas list, headed by Ismail Haniyeh, winning a majority of 76 out of 132 seats. But after the short-lived Haniyeh administration ended with the appointment of Salam Fayyad as prime minister on June 15, 2007, the council became immobile due to the Gaza events in June 2007, when Hamas militants succeeded in removing members of the Palestinian presidential guard; Hamas has ruled Gaza since. Parallel Palestinian governments have been functioning since then in the West Bank, which is loyal to President Abbas, and in Gaza, which is loyal to the Islamic Hamas leadership. Shawan Jabarin, director of the Palestinian leading human rights organization Al-Haq, told Al-Monitor that what is happening on the internal Palestinian front is dangerous. A number of Palestinian human rights organizations have met since the announcement of the decision, and we have all agreed that what is happening is very dangerous and is not just a question of differences of opinion. Jabarin whose organization on Dec. 10 received jointly with Israeli human rights group B'Tselem the 2018 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic said that every legal entity in Palestine is being ruined. There is no longer any independent body or legal institution that people can go to in order to see justice being served. Our country is being destroyed from within, and all checks and balances are being violated. Instead of dissolving the council, Jabarin argues that the leadership should be spending its time in creating a process that allows for the participation of people through revitalized and truly representative bodies. Anis F. Kassim, editor of the Palestine Yearbook of International Law, expressed a similarly pessimistic view. Kassim told Arab News Dec. 24 that he believes the decision of the Palestinian Constitutional Court is a political decision and not a legal one. Kassim added, It reflects a political move aimed at supporting the aspiration of President Abbas. He argued that the Palestinian leadership has lost its way by pushing for such a decision that reflects the rule by law rather than the rule of law. Regardless of the opposition, Abbas plowed ahead in his efforts to implement the court order by meeting Dec. 24 in Ramallah with Hanna Naser, the head of the Central Election Commission, to stress his support for holding legislative elections within six months. But the idea of legislative elections alone has not fared well, including with some of Abbas top officials. Saeb Erekat, the secretary of the PLO's Executive Committee, said Dec. 23 that the vote must be held for both legislative and presidential positions. On the other hand, Majed Aruri, executive director of the Commission for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Rule of Law (ISTIQLAL), doesn't expect that elections will ever take place. Writing on the left-wing website Watan.tv, Aruri argues that the Palestinian leadership was well aware that a huge blowback would occur against holding elections without a political agreement, but that in the end, most people will forget about the dissolving of the PLC, which was the main goal of the Palestinian decision. According to Aruri, the real purpose of the push for a decision from the Constitutional Court was to bypass the article of the Palestinian Basic Law that deals with what happens if the presidency is vacated. The relevant Article 54.2 states: If the office of the President of the National Authority becomes vacant due to any of the above cases, the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council shall assume the powers and duties of the Presidency of the National Authority, temporarily for a period not exceeding (60) sixty days, during which free and direct elections to choose a new president shall take place in accordance with the Palestinian Elections Law. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Aruri explained that for Abbas and his PLO loyalist, the problem is Hamas speaker, Dweik. In order to bypass the possibility of a Hamas person taking over the Palestinian presidency even for a short time the leadership wanted to negate Dweik and the 2006 PLC. Aruri noted that for 12 years, the immobilized PLC was not a problem to the current political structure; the only problem they had with the council was how to overcome Article 54.2, he told Al-Monitor. While Palestine is still not an independent state, it has a number of functioning democratic institutions that have previously been a source of confidence to Palestinians living under occupation. The internal Palestinian conflict since the 2007 events in Gaza has caused major erosion in Palestinians trust of government institutions. It is important that in order to move forward, a clear and practical mechanism is created. Qatar's proposal for an airport in Gaza is still up in the air, but here on the ground it has generated strong opinions. Where the Qataris see economic benefits for Gaza, others see the nefarious hand of US President Donald Trump. Mohammed al-Emadi, Qatari ambassador to the Palestinian territories and head of Qatars Gaza Reconstruction Committee, spoke on Dec. 10 to the Palestinian news agency Sawa about Qatar's latest projects in Gaza, including the possibility of building an airport. Qatar has asked Israel about building an airport in the Gaza Strip under Qatari security supervision, so that planes can take off from Gaza to Doha and from there to anywhere in the world, Emadi said. Israel offered to give us an airport within its borders, but we refused, and we will reiterate our demand. Our goal is to find a means of transportation for Palestinians, the same as citizens in any other country in the world that has an airport and land ports. Emadi added that the airport would be under full Qatari supervision and security. Al-Monitor attempted to contact Emadi, but his office said he had nothing to add to his previous statements. Perhaps waiting for the Israelis to respond, Emadi has not revealed the proposed airports location or cost or indicated whether he has consulted with the Palestinian Authority (PA), which controls the West Bank and has imposed sanctions on Gaza to try to force Hamas to relinquish control over the territory or form a unity government to administer it. Qatar, the biggest financial contributor to Gaza, has so far managed to maintain relations with Israel, Hamas and the Fatah-led PA. A Palestinian official in Gaza who is close to Emadi told Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity, Qatars Gaza airport project aims to help the Palestinian economy. It will allow Gaza to receive foreign aid and will help create a free economy. Maher Tabbaa, public relations director at Gazas Chamber of Commerce, citing an additional benefit, told Al-Monitor, Gaza will gain from the airport since economic delegations will be able to arrive freely from abroad, and our delegations will be able to travel to conclude business deals and improve the economic situation in the Strip, as long as the Israeli siege is lifted. A number of Palestinian officials have weighed in on Emadi's statements. Mounir al-Jaghoub, media officer for Fatah, told the newspaper Donia al-Watan on Dec. 10, The Gaza airport project means that Gaza will be isolated from the Palestinian entity, as [the project] helps implement [Donald Trump's] deal of the century [for Middle East peace]. On the deals agenda is separating Gaza from the West Bank and Jerusalem. Emadi could have [instead] worked on establishing a crossing between Gaza and the West Bank to connect the Palestinian peoples, not building an airport that would completely isolate Gaza. Also speaking to Donia al-Watan the same day, was Ahmed Majdalani, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, who described the Gaza airport project as an unacceptable Qatari intervention. Qatars interference constitutes an attack on Palestinian sovereignty and pushes Hamas to get involved in the deal of the century and reject reconciliation with Fatah. The airport will further deepen the Palestinian division. We consider that Qatar should instead work to end the Israeli occupation and establish the Palestinian state. Abdallah Abdallah, a member of Fatahs Revolutionary Council and chairman of the Political Committee of the Palestinian Legislative Council, also saw the hand of the United States in the airport project. Emadi and the US envoy to the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt, are two sides of the same coin, he told Al-Monitor. Both are doing the best they can to implement the [US peace plan] and separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank. Qatars airport project serves this specific purpose. The PA does not see itself as part of this project. According to such views, the separation of Gaza from the West Bank refers to attempts to make it able to stand alone, thus killing off the Palestinian national movement, which is believed to be the crux of Trump's yet-to-be-announced peace plan. Thus, Qatar, through its financial assistance to Gaza, is viewed as complicit in the plan. Offering a somewhat different, but nonetheless negative perspective on Qatari actions, Waleed al-Awad, a member of the political bureau of the socialist Palestinian People's Party (PPP), charged in a Dec. 10 Facebook post that with the airport project, the emirate was treating Gaza like a Qatari protectorate. He declared Emadi unwelcome. Meanwhile, there has only been radio silence from Hamas. A Hamas official who spoke to Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity, said, We prefer to remain quiet about this subject [for now]. The movement has yet to come out with a clear position on the issue. Hamas spokespeople declined to speak to Al-Monitor on the issue or explain why. Hamas might prefer to remain silent until it receives more details about the project from the Qataris, or maybe it is simply deferring to the Qataris because they are the one's pushing and potentially funding the project. The PA has nothing to do with the airport in Gaza, since for all intents and purposes, it has no control over Gaza. PA officials believe, however, that the airport could harden the status quo and eventually lead to a permanent separation. Ibrahim Habib, a security studies professor at the Management and Politics Academy in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Besieged Gaza needs an outlet to the outside world through an airport. It's a humanitarian requirement. I don't think Hamas is against it, given that Qatar would supervise the airport although the management details remain unknown. This means Hamas could not smuggle weapons on planes. Fatah is opposing this project simply to keep after Hamas and keep Gaza under siege. In November 1998, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat opened Gaza International Airport, which went on to operate for three years. Israeli aircraft destroyed it in 2001 after the outbreak of the second intifada in 2000. It was later used as a field for grazing sheep and as a landfill. In June 2017, Israeli Communications Minister Yisrael Katz released a video about his idea for the construction of an artificial island off the coast of Gaza that would have included desalination plants, a power plant, a port and an airport. The project intended as an alternative to Israel's blockade against Gaza went nowhere due to opposition within the Israeli government, especially by Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman. To some observers, it seems likely the Qatari-proposed airport will suffer a fate similar to Katz's island. Saleh al-Naamy, an author and researcher of Israeli affairs who works with the London-based New Arab, told Al-Monitor, It's difficult for Israel to accept an airport in Gaza because this would infer a reward to Hamas, which threatens the current Israeli government. Although Israel is making every effort to prevent war with Gaza, this doesn't mean it wants Hamas to stand on its two feet and have an airport and a seaport. SIDON, Lebanon In a brightly lit meeting room at Ishbilia Theater and Art-Hub in Sidon a young woman fought back tears as she read a deeply personal poem about death, depression and remembrance. I knew this day would come, but I did not expect it to be so soon, she recited. I can still hear your guitar strumming as I lock myself up in my room. Taking a seat to steady herself, she continued along to the final stanzas of her poem: Youll get away from here too, youll get away eventually. Now I say goodbye to you soon, because I have to leave, essentially. The audience applauded, cheered and one person stood up to give the young poet a hug. At Sidewalk Saidas opening night Dec. 8, performers and poets of many backgrounds took the stage at an intimate event to tackle taboo topics including mental illness, love, religion and suicide. Many of them, like Nourhan Sees, 22, recited their poems in public for the first time. This is the first time that I have ever performed my writings, my feelings, my thoughts, Sees told Al-Monitor. I was shaking. My voice was trembling. Sidewalk Saida, whose name uses the Arabic word for Sidon, is the newest branch of a network of recurring open mic events that aim to showcase poets, musicians and artists across several Lebanese cities. There is also a branch in Trento, Italy, that was established after Sidewalk events began in Lebanon. But Sidewalk Saida is different. Its organizers, poets and university students from Sidon who had to overcome obstacles to get it off the ground said it is the first space of its kind in south Lebanon. By creating a unique venue for free expression, they aim to create a community of artists that exists outside of the traditional boundaries set by society in Lebanons third-largest city. Slam poetry, provocative statements about Islam and discussions about sexuality might seem commonplace in Beirut. But Sees, her fellow performers and Sidewalk Saidas organizers said that because of Sidons conservative social scene an event like Sidewalk Saida is nothing short of revolutionary. We had the opportunity to express ourselves, to be more open. Thats rare in Sidon, very rare, Sees said. After the performance I felt this strength, like I had gotten something off my chest. The more people perform, the more people are performing the faces are changing. People become more courageous. With performers hailing from other parts of south Lebanon, such as Nabatiyeh, Sidewalk Saidas impact was already apparent. The main act of Sidewalk Saidas opening night was poet and Sidewalk Beirut founder Maysan Nasser, who has been a veteran of slam poetry events for years. She is the author of a collection of poetry, Dont Tell Them, which addresses identity, sexuality, depression, suicide and her own borderline personality disorder. As a testament to the power of such performances, a poet who was not previously slated to perform got on stage after Nasser finished to read out a personal piece of his own. Hiba Zibawi, the co-founder of Ishbilia Theater, said that such instances of spontaneous inspiration are the reason why events such as Sidewalk Saida have the potential to remake Sidons burgeoning artistic community. The artistic scene in Sidon is very conventional and its very classical, she told Al-Monitor. These contemporary or modern events introduce Sidons residents to new forms of art and expression that may encourage new artists in Sidon poets and creatives in general. According to Zibawi, past conflicts and tensions in south Lebanon and Sidon have contributed to a lack of open artistic communities in the region. Sidon has been the site of political conflict as recently as 2013, when tensions between followers of an ultra-conservative Sunni leader and supporters of Shiite militant group Hezbollah spiraled into violence. Several poets at the event, including Sees, mentioned that Sidon is a devout city, and others like poet and Sidewalk Siada co-founder Mohammad Rashid suggested that local political groups have for years discouraged social liberalization. But Zibawis sister, Nahla, who is the co-founder of Ishbilia Theater, said she does not believe that Sidon is actually as conservative as it may seem. I think its a stereotype, she told Al-Monitor. Its a stereotype that each Sidonian needs to break. If what we are doing is helping in that, then we are one of these initiatives in the city that is working toward showing that the city has so much to give. The Zibawi sisters reopened Ishbilia Theater this year after it shuttered in 2007, almost 30 years after their father opened it in 1979. The theater is a special place for them, having operated for decades amid multiple wars and periods of instability. Now they have a new vision for the space and want to make it a hub for independent cinema and a place for local youth to be able to learn, work and gain exposure to new ideas. Space is one of the greatest difficulties, Rashid said about the process for getting the event off the ground. Luckily we found a great place that is kind of the perfect place for self-expression. Rashid said that he and the events co-organizer, university student and writer Malak Abu Zahr, had a tough time finding a location for Sidewalk Saida that would allow poets to talk about certain taboo subjects. Maybe in other venues they wouldnt permit this, Abu Zahir said. In addition to the difficulties of finding a location for the event, Rashid said he and Abu Zahir had to overcome personal barriers as well. Have you ever heard the story about the bird who is jailed. Then you free the bird, but the bird doesnt realize its being freed? he said. Thats kind of the situation in Sidon. Rashid added that societal restrictions have gradually diminished over the last 10-15 years in Sidon, but he and Abu Zahir could not help fear criticism from local media or conservative political groups. It was kind of a journey, an adventure, a risk, he said. But we made it and we are so proud of what we have done. Since its opening event, Sidewalk Saidas second session took place Dec. 20, and Rashid and Abu Zahir plan on continuing the events on a biweekly basis. Working hand in hand with Ishbilia Theater, they both stand poised to contribute to Sidons shifting social landscape. And in Hiba Zibawis words to finally give Sidons young artists the chance to say Were here, we exist. Birminghams Brasfield & Gorrie Construction is in the midst of $17 million in renovations over the next two years on its Birmingham office campus off 7th Avenue South. The company recently completed a revamping of its information technology center, and plans other changes to as many as five buildings on its downtown campus. The overall project will create more than 200 new jobs statewide, with 140 in the Birmingham area, the company said. Meg Burton, communications manager for the company, said the renovation is meant to create more of a campus feel for the offices, as well as accommodate growth and "create engaging work environments to foster collaboration and innovation. Were now under way on renovations within our existing headquarters building and the former LBYD building we recently purchased, Burton said. The look of the Birmingham IT center, and some of the changes to the companys corporate headquarters, are similar to a recent project at Brasfield & Gorries relocated Atlanta offices. In December, the company opened the IT center, housed in a former training facility. The renovation mixed contemporary design features - open offices and conference rooms with glass walls and open desk areas - with peeks at the buildings history. The project left the buildings structural steel exposed in its original condition. One column near the breakroom has a vintage City of Birmingham plumbing inspection sticker left visible. Original concrete floors were preserved and polished in some rooms, and the buildings pine roof deck was left exposed. Above the entrance, one sees the old board-formed concrete, which shows the old method for forming concrete surfaces. Inside, the buildings vintage terra cotta walls were left exposed. In another part of the office the original windows, which now face a brick exterior, were left uncovered, giving a view of the buildings evolution and expansion. In a large open office space, a 36-foot-long clerestory - a long, side window with a nave - allows in natural light to an area with about 30 work stations. The building also uses LED light fixtures. Employees have desks that can be raised to standing position, while conference room tables made by Magic City Woodworks use heart pine. Touch pads decorate the entryways to conference rooms. Other projects in the vicinity are ongoing. The LBYD building, across the street from the main building, is being converted to use for accounting, with some roofing and other improvements. Work on the upper floors of the main building will incorporate more of the open space looks of the IT center. There will also be a health and wellness center added, with expanded gym space and other touches. The overall campus project used several designers. Grayson Halls time as Regions Financial Corp.'s executive chairman officially ends today, closing out a 38-year career in banking that began with company predecessor AmSouth and saw momentous changes wrought by government regulation, technology and the economy. Id like to think Ive left Regions in a better place, Hall, 60, said. I have a lot of confidence in the company. I love the company. I love the team thats taking over. Theyre a great group of people, and they have an extremely bright future. John Turner, 56, was named back in July to succeed Hall as Chairman and CEO. Hall stayed on as executive chairman through the end of the year as part of the transition. He said he still expects to talk regularly with Turner and considers himself part of the Regions team, though his position is more in cheering for its success. He says hes looking forward to spending more time with his three children and four grandchildren, with one more grandchild on the way. You reach a point where its the right decision at the right time, Hall said. Im placing a lot more priority on family and Im looking forward to that. Even so, Hall remains on the boards of Alabama Power, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the Birmingham Business Alliance, among other boards. His career started back in 1980 with AmSouth as a participant in the management trainee program. He worked his way through operations, technology, consumer and commercial banking, and wealth management. By October 2009, he was named president and chief operating officer. By May 2013 he filled the roles of chairman, president and chief executive officer. Hall holds degrees from the University of the South, an MBA from the University of Alabama and attended Stonier Graduate School of Banking and executive development programs at Harvard Business School. He ascended to the highest ranks of the company in the midst of the recession, and Turner said the company reflects Halls strength of character because of his leadership during that time and beyond. He led us through a really challenging time in the industrys history and the companys history, Turner said. Birminghams financial landscape was very different a little more than decade ago. Regions and AmSouth merged about the time that national housing prices began to fall and foreclosure rates rose. For his part, Hall said his proudest achievement in eight years as CEO was refocusing the culture of the Regions on a foundation of trust and integrity. In a 2016 profile of Hall for Birmingham Magazine, he said he tried to read every customer complaint that reached his desk, while inculcating in the company a shared value culture. Initiatives were conceived in a way that looked at how they would benefit the customer, while creating value for the company and community. I think culturally, we are a different company than we were, he said. Weve tried to structure our business in a way that we have a sustainable business that can endure for an extended period of time. We have endured some challenging economic times. Weve tried to build our bank in a way that we can sustain our business through the economic cycles that are inevitable in our economy. Its been a long recovery, but its a been a slow recovery. Many of the metrics we follow remain positive. Hall said the biggest changes hes seen in his time deal with regulation and technology. There are less banks nationally now than there were when he began his career, but Regions' footprint extends into 15 states and around 1,500 branches. In 1980, a customer did most business in checks and regularly visited branches to get cash. A monthly statement arrived in the mail along with the months written checks. Today, fewer customers use cash, many never visit a branch, and check volume is about 40 percent of what it once was. Many customers regularly wield a debit card when making purchases. Now Regions, like other banks, employs a strategy of serving customers across many platforms - branches, online, mobile, and through ATMs and telephone. At the end of the day, though, some customers still want to receive information and advice from a human face. All of our customers, even millennials, want to come in and talk to a real Regions banker, he said. While how we do business has changed, what hasnt changed it still the financial advice, guidance, education and assistance we give customers. As the state prepares for another potential round of severe weather today, crews are working to rescue west Alabama residents who are trapped by flooding. Heavy rain has already caused a road to collapse in Hale County, according to County Commissioner Scott Hallman. To all Hale County Citizens. The River View Beach Road is CLOSED. There is approximately a 75 yard stretch of the road that is destroyed. Its possible that it will be at least one week before the power is restored Scott Hallman District 1 Commissioner 205-765-5434 Posted by Scott Hallman on Sunday, December 30, 2018 Crews were out this morning trying to rescue 50-100 people who were affected by flooding in the Cutoff Road area of Moundville, CBS 42 reported. The area is near the Black Warrior River. Homes on Riverview Beach Road are expected to be without power for up to a week, according to WBRC Fox 6 News. Crews were working to rescue at least 13 people who were stranded, the TV station reported. River flooding will continue to be a concern during the next few days as more rain in expected in north and central Alabama. Strong to severe storms are possible across much of the state this afternoon and tonight. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and not president Donald Trump instituted the policy of separating immigrant families at the border, according to an interview with outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly. Kellys sit down with the Los Angeles Times come ahead of his departure on Wednesday after 18 months at the White House. His tenure included overseeing what the Times called some of the Trump administrations most controversial immigration and security policies, including separating migrant children from their parents on the border last summer. He lays that decision at the feet of Sessions. 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. Sessions resigned in November at Trumps request. The former Alabama Senator was instrumental in crafting the Trumps hardline immigration policy but fell out with the president over the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Kelly said illegal immigrants, overwhelmingly, are not bad people, and that he had nothing but compassion for them, the young kids. We do have an immigration problem, he added as a caution. You can read the complete Los Angeles Times interview here. By Sarah Kaplan To ancient explorers, "Ultima Thule" was what lay past the northernmost edges of maps, beyond the borders of the known world. So when NASA chose a target for its New Horizons spacecraft that was farther than anything explored before, "Ultima Thule" seemed a fitting moniker. The far-flung space rock is an inhabitant of the Kuiper Belt, the ring of debris that encircles the icy outer reaches of solar system. Ultima Thule is so dim and so distant that scientists aren't even certain what it looks like. Some of their only information about its size and shape comes from a series of coordinated observations last summer, when astronomers measured the shadow it cast as it passed in front of a star. But New Horizons will finally fly by its target just after midnight on Jan. 1, taking close-up photographs and sophisticated scientific measurements of what it sees. By the time the first images and data stream back to Earth, the borders of the known world will have expand once more. "This is just raw exploration," said Alan Stern, a scientist at the Southwest Research Institute and the principal investigator for the mission. "No one has ever seen a Kuiper Belt object as anything but a point of light. No one has ever seen an object that's frozen almost to absolute zero. There are a lot ideas and every one of them might be wrong." He took a breath. "We'll find out Tuesday." NASA is celebrating the record-setting encounter with the solar system's nerdiest New Year's party. At the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, which built and operates the spacecraft, scientists will count down to the moment of New Horizons' closest approach, at 12:33 a.m. Eastern, then reconvene 10 hours later to watch first signals from the flyby stream onto their screens. (It takes more than six hours for light to travel from Ultima Thule back to Earth.) NASA's vaunted social media operation, which had fallen silent during the partial government shutdown, has been temporarily restored to cover the event. The countdown, signal acquisition and subsequent news conferences will be streamed live on NASA TV and YouTube. Alice Bowman, New Horizons' mission operations manager at APL, said the spacecraft entered "encounter mode" on Wednesday. This configuration limits the spacecraft's communication with Earth, commanding it to quickly address any technical issues on its own, then get back to science. Though nerve-wracking for engineers, encounter mode ensures that New Horizons makes the most of its brief time near Ultima Thule. "Because this is a flyby, we only get one chance to get it right," Bowman said. New Horizons left Earth in January 2006; it was the first mission designed to explore the most distant part of the solar system. Nine years and 3.5 billion miles later, it took the first-ever close up photos of Pluto, revealing a complex and colorful world mottled with methane mountains and a vast, heart-shaped nitrogen ice plain. After that flyby, Stern and his colleagues set about searching for a new target in the Kuiper Belt, which extends from the edge of Neptune's orbit out to about 5 billion miles from the sun. Until the 1990s, no one knew what hid out here, where sunlight is 0.05 as faint as it is on Earth. Now, the Kuiper Belt is thought to include millions of icy objects, unused planetary building blocks left over from the earliest days of the solar system. These bodies are time capsules, preserved in a deep freeze for the past 4.6 billion years. NASA says Ultima Thule is likely the most primitive planetary object ever explored. The Kuiper Belt object was discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope in 2014. Subsequent observations suggest it is small -- no more 20 miles across -- and peanut shaped. Astronomers believe it is a contact binary, comprising two objects touching each other, or perhaps even a binary system, in which two objects are orbiting one another. The encounter with Ultima Thule will be brief and technically demanding, even more so than New Horizons' Pluto flyby. Whereas Pluto is roughly the size of the United States, Ultima could fit atop Washington, D.C. This means New Horizons has to get much closer to the little space rock to examine it, and the encounter will be over much more quickly. Twenty-four hours before closest approach, Ultima Thule still takes up only two pixels in images taken by New Horizons' camera screen. As New Horizons speeds through space at 9 miles per second, it will take less than a day to turn Ultima Thule back into a speck in the rear view mirror. But New Horizons' performance so far suggests it is ready for the challenge, Stern said. Measurements taken Saturday showed that the spacecraft was within 20 miles of its intended flyby distance from Ultima Thule, and that the timing of the encounter will be within 2 seconds of what was expected. Were rendezvousing with something thats a mountain draped in black velvet in almost pitch dark conditions and were screaming up to it ... within 2 seconds of perfection, Stern said. You cant get any better than that. Major police departments across Alabama have asked the public not to celebrate the arrival of the new year by firing guns into the air. Warnings from the Huntsville, Mobile and Birmingham police departments appear to be motivated by general concern rather than a specific incident. However, they come two years after the death of a child in north Alabama who was fatally shot during such a celebration. The Mobile Police Department advised that randomly fired bullet "can travel great distances and cause significant amounts of property damage to vehicles, homes and countless other items [and] can randomly hit a person and cause bodily injury or death." Mobile police urged citizens to call 251-208-7211 to report people firing into the air. Birmingham police said they will actively try to locate shooters. "The Birmingham Police Department reports that the Shot Spotter Gunshot Location System will be utilized to combat celebratory gunfire during New Years Eve," the department said in a Facebook post. "The system will aid officers by pin pointing the exact location of the gunfire. Additional officers will be on hand to assist the overlapping patrol shifts address the citizen reports and Shot Spotter System indications of those persons who choose to participate in the reckless behavior of firing guns on New Years Eve." The Birmingham PD's non-emergency number is 205-328-9311. The Huntsville Police Department issued a statement saying that in addition to the potential for harm, celebratory gunfire "ties up our communications center and officers to investigate 'shots fired' calls when multiple calls come in around New Years. We want anyone who believes this is occurring in their area to most definitely give us call." The Huntsville PD's non-emergency number is 256-722-7100. New Year's Day sometimes brings reports of stray bullets that have pierced the walls or roofs of houses. But a more tragic case emerged on Jan. 1, 2017, in the death of five-year-old Regina Hernandez in Athens, Ala. Limestone County officials said that Fidel Rodriguez-Canchola, then 34, was firing a .22-caliber revolver outside his Athens home, where more than two dozen people had gathered for a party. He apparently was unaware Hernandez was in his line of fire, and one bullet struck her in the chest. He fled the scene and was taken into custody a few hours later. He was charged with criminally negligent homicide, a misdemeanor. Court records indicate that the charge has never been resolved. However, Rodriguez-Canchola was prosecuted on a federal charge of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. He entered a guilty plea in July 2017 and that November was sentenced to a prison term of 16 months. Records show he was released in June 2018. His status since his release is unclear. However, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement participated in the investigation and helped verify that he was a native and citizen of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States at the time of the shooting. ICE had detained him prior to the federal verdict. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Syria, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday. "I think we're in a pause situation," the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House after lunch with the president. Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trump's decision, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. The announcement also had shocked lawmakers and American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the U.S. against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey. "I think we're slowing things down in a smart way," Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Critics had contended that the U.S. withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the president's plans with the American allies. During his appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Graham previewed his arguments to Trump for reconsidering the Syria pullout. "I'm going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure that we get it right. Make sure ISIS never comes back. Don't turn Syria over to the Iranians. That's a nightmare for Israel," Graham said. And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, whos going to help you in the future? he said. I want to fight the war in the enemys backyard, not ours. Thats why we need a forward-deployed force in Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan for a while to come. Three suspects have been taken into custody in Alabama in connection with the robbery and shooting of a store clerk near Bogalusa, Louisiana, authorities said. The suspects were captured in Montgomery County, after a vehicle pursuit that ended when authorities used spike strips to halt the vehicle, the Washington Parish Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Dec. 29). Arrested on warrants accusing them of armed robbery and attempted first-degree murder were Lance Rouse, of Picayune, Mississippi; Levi Lee, 17, of Carriere, Mississippi; and Melisa M. Smith, of Tylertown, Mississippi. The three were wanted in Fridays early-morning robbery and shooting at J and Z Quik Stop on Louisiana 21, just outside Bogalusa, the Sheriffs Office said. Video evidence shows that the employee was outside the business doing his daily routine as the suspects vehicle pulled into the parking lot, according to the Sheriffs Office. Two armed suspects got out of the vehicle carrying shotguns and confronted the employee. An altercation occurred, and the employee was shot with a shotgun blast, the department said. The suspects walked past the wounded employee, went into the store and took cash and merchandise from the business before driving away, authorities said. The victim was fighting for his life at University Medical Center in New Orleans, according to the Sheriffs Office. A group of researchers from the Baylor University College of Medicine are back in Lowndes County, Alabama investigating the link between sanitation issues in the Black Belt and intestinal parasite known as hookworm, according to a report on HBOs Vice News Tonight. The recent Vice News report highlighted the extensive sewage treatment issues in Lowndes County and other areas of Alabamas Black Belt, a region across the south-central part of the state, named for its dark, heavy soil and its high percentage of black residents. The Black Belt encompasses some of the most impoverished areas of Alabama, and has struggled to attract the kind of economic development that has occurred in other parts of the state. The Baylor researchers published a peer-reviewed paper in 2017 showing that roughly one-third of Lowndes County residents tested had shown genetic material from hookworm in stool samples. Hookworm is the common name given to several intestinal parasites that live in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, including humans. The parasites' eggs are disbursed through feces, and newly hatched worms enter a new host through contact with bare skin. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the parasites were common throughout the Southeast until the early 20th century, but became much rarer due to improved sanitary conditions. The Alabama Department of Public Health said that study had failed to prove a hookworm infection, saying the researchers had not sampled enough residents to reach statistical significance and had used experimental DNA techniques in their research that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris told AL.com earlier this year that whether there were documented cases of hookworm in Lowndes County or not, state officials were working on solutions to the areas sanitation problems. Whether this one study was valid or not is almost beside the point, Harris said. There are clear problems with the wastewater infrastructure and that needs to be addressed. The Black Belt has mostly heavy, clay-laden soils where water does not easily penetrate the soil, making most standard septic tank systems ineffective, prone to failure and difficult to install. Those complications combined with the areas widespread poverty issues, means many residents cant afford to install working septic systems and so resort to straight pipes, simple PVC pipes that discharge untreated sewage into the woods or onto the ground near the home. The ADPH has conducted door-to-door surveys of residents in Lowndes County to try to determine the extent of the areas sanitation issues and is working with the U.S. Department of Agricultures Rural Development Office, as well as U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and Senators Doug Jones and Richard Shelby to find solutions for the areas sewage issues, as well as funding to implement those solutions. The full Vice News segment on Lowndes County is embedded below. A man, who was armed with an AK-47 and firing shots outside an Alabama nightclub, faces criminal charges and was being treated after a security guard shot him, authorities said. Samuel Demario Williams, 33, was sent away from the entrance of the 3208 nightclub on Huntsvilles Long Avenue after getting into a fight with another man, according to a police report. Williams went to a vehicle, grabbed an AK-47 and started shooting as he headed back toward the club, police said. When a security guard shot Williams in the thigh, he stopped firing the AK-47, a police officer wrote in the report. The 31-year-old security guard went inside to get a tourniquet and Williams fled the scene, authorities said. The shootout happened shortly before 1 a.m. Monday. No other injuries have been reported. Boosie the rapper was at the club to perform a show. In a video posted to Instagram this morning, Boosie, whose real name is Torrence Hatch Jr., described the scene. Boosie, also known as Boosie Badazz, said it was like the Wild Wild West, with club patrons fleeing. The rapper said he was outside the club where the shootout happened. He scolded the people involved, saying they need to learn how to (expletive) act at his shows. WARNING: The following video contains language that might be offensive to some people. Police said they captured Williams when he showed up at Crestwood Medical Center for treatment of the gunshot wound. Williams was being admitted to Huntsville Hospital and placed under arrest, Lt. Michael Johnson said. Williams is charged with reckless endangerment and menacing, both misdemeanors, police said. But, they said those charges are preliminary and additional counts could be added. Johnson told AL.com officers are seeking a warrant against Williams, who wasnt supposed to be carrying the AK-47 at the time of the shootout. Although its generally legal to have an AK-47 in Alabama, anyone who has been convicted of a crime of violence is banned from having a gun, according to state law. Crimes of violence include murder, armed robbery and felonious assaults. Anyone who has been convicted of such offenses can be charged with a crime for having a gun in his or her possession. Williams is a convicted felon, according to court records. He was released from prison on parole last March, court records state. He served more than 14 years after pleading guilty in Montgomery County court to six counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of felonious assault. Six other robbery charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal hatched with prosecutors in 2003, records show. Williams was sentenced to 20 years and received more than seven months of credit for time served in jail before the case was adjudicated, his court file states. Williams was charged with promoting contraband in 2005, when authorities accused him of having marijuana in prison. In that case, he was sentenced to 15 years. The sentence was imposed to run concurrently with at the same time as the Montgomery case, records state. Huntsville police said they are still investigating the shootout and Williams background. This morning, officers were monitoring him at the hospital. Heres the club where the shootout happened pic.twitter.com/IkHaTnxDcA Ashley Remkus (@aremkus1) December 31, 2018 Updated at 12:31 p.m. with information about Williams' criminal record. Authorities have released the name of a man who died after he was pulled from a burning vacant apartment complex on Birminghams Southside. The Jefferson County Coroners Office identified the man as Carley Eugene Vinson. He was 63 and transient, though he was from the Birmingham area. The Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service was called to the former site of Plaza Square Apartment in the 1600 block of 20th Street South about 8:08 p.m. Thursday, said Battallion Chief Sebastian Carrillo. Two people were removed from the building. Vinson was taken to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:42 p.m., according to the Jefferson County Coroners Office. Carrillo said the fire was contained to one unit on the top floor. Two units on either side of the burning unit sustained smoke damage. Authorities have not yet said how the fire started. The coroners office said Vinsons cause of death is pending. I was born and raised on three calendars: the Iranian, the Islamic, and the Gregorian. It may sound confusing, but it is actually quite an intriguing exercise which sculpts a contrapuntal disposition into ones character. Those of us who have gone through such an interstellar experience have the luxury of celebrating birthdays on three different days and sometimes during two different seasons! The Iranian calendar is solar and every time we say the names of its months and seasons, they sounded like we are reciting an ancient hymn: Farvardin, Ordibehesht, Khordad and then Bahar, Tabestan, Paiz, Zemestan. Pure poetry. The Islamic calendar is lunar and its logic introduces sacred rhetoric into the rhythm of our lives. Muharram we hope for in fear and ecstasy, Ramadan is fun and curious. The Gregorian calendar meanwhile casts a colonial shadow onto our lives. We are effectively ruled by it and have no reason to trust its bizarre circulations. When I moved to the United States, two other calendars were added to these three: the Chinese and the Jewish. These two calendars hardly mattered inside Iran except for the deeply learned and/or mystical. In the US they became aspects of my life first in Philadelphia, where I went to graduate school, and then eventually in New York, where I work. Put together, the Iranian, the Islamic, the Jewish, and the Chinese calendars came together and offered me a haven away from the tyranny of the imperial Gregorian calendar. I remember, when the whole Y2K song-and-dance threatened the end of the world and the coming of apocalypse in the year 2000 on the Christian calendar, I told a reporter this was calendar imperialism and meant nothing to those equally happy within an Iranian, a Jewish, a Chinese, or an Islamic calendar. The reporter thought I was being mystical. The widening gyre The avalanche of events in 2018 on the Gregorian calendar makes it impossible to pause for a moment and wonder what has happened to us over the past year. But pause we must. This year, the more obnoxiousness the world leaders displayed, the more attention they demanded. The drama king of the news was, of course, Donald Trump, followed by Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Narendra Modi; Benjamin Netanyahu and his favourite Arab Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) were not too far behind. First and foremost in this year of living dangerously were the environmental calamities which capitalist greed and unbridled abuse of our planet have caused. Dire warnings about climate change kept coming at us this past year including an inferno in Paradise, California and a flood of biblical proportions in Japan. Scientists have been concerned for decades that the increasing level of greenhouse gases is simply untenable, and yet, Trump remains stubbornly thickheaded. His reaction to the National Climate Assessment Report was dumbfounding: I dont believe it, he said. Then came the continuing deadly conflicts in the Middle East and Africa. In Yemen, the horrid murderous campaign of Prince Mohammed continues under the patronage of his US, EU, Arab and Israeli allies. Some 132 million people in 42 countries will need assistance next year, the UN says, with Yemen topping the list, along with Syria, Afghanistan and the Central African Republic. Like climate change, this calamity too is caused by unbridled greed, moronic militarism, and sheer indecency. As a result of conflicts, criminal violence and unbearable poverty caused by extractive neoliberal policies, people across the world continued to flee in 2018. Once again, the US and EU outshined the rest of the world in their cruel border policies. Families were separated and children were held at the USs southern border, while more than 2,000 died in the Mediterranean Sea, as the EU clamped down on organisations saving people from sinking boats. As the worlds attention was being drawn to these calamities, Palestinian determination and endurance kept it focused on their particular predicament. For 39 consecutive weeks, Palestinians were protesting near the Israel-Gaza buffer zone as part of the Great March of Return. Demonstrators, who launched the protests on March 30, are calling for the right of return for Palestinian refugees, under the United Nations Resolution 194, and demanding an end to the 12-year Israeli blockade. They have done so while suffering casualties under the relentless onslaught of Israeli brutalities. Since the rallies first began, more than 215 Palestinians have been killed and at least 18,000 others injured by Israeli forces. Arab leaders, meanwhile, from one end to another were busy appeasing Israel and normalising relations with the settler colony. 2018 was also marked by Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal. His re-imposition of severe economic sanctions on Iranians exacerbated the already dire economic situation in the country, while the ruling Islamists dug in even more belligerently, trying to save their beleaguered regime. Labour unrest and middle-class despair intensified. Millions of human beings braced for even worse to come. In Europe, the growing instability of the neoliberal EU project was on full display this year with never-ending Brexit drama. The public and parliamentary debates about how or when or whether to do the Brexit and do a soft or a hard Brexit made apparent the complete lack of any working vision for Europes political future. In Russia, Putin ran virtually unopposed and was re-elected for a fourth term; by its end, he will be the countrys longest-serving leader in its modern history. At home, he tightened his grip on power, clamping down on the opposition and boosting the police state. Abroad, his foreign adventures whether the military campaign in Syria, the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, or the Russian trolling and hacking ventures have pushed the world to think and talk of another cold war and impose even more painful sanctions. In China, Xi Jinping kept apace economic expansionism and the cover-up of the criminal persecution of the Uighur people. Trump, meanwhile, triggered a trade war with China and added more economic fuel to the global turmoil his presidency has caused. In Brazil, a mass fascist frenzy resulted in the election of a nefarious Mussolini wannabe as president. Fascism has arrived in Brazil, headlines screamed. Jair Bolsonaros presidency will be worse than you think. The Israeli warlord Benjamin Netanyahu, of course, rushed to embrace his Brazilian counterpart. In Sudan, a population brought to brink, came out en masse for another wave of protests against a decades-old regime. As the demands of the demonstrations shifted from socioeconomic changes to the downfall of the regime, President Omar al-Bashir unleashed the deadly force of his security apparatus, which killed dozens of peaceful protesters. The brutal murder of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi under the direct command of MBS, however, was perhaps the single most iconic event of this last year. With barbaric brutality, Saudi Arabia abused the diplomatic sanctity of its consulate to murder and butcher one of its own citizens. Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner protected the butcher, one out of greed, the other out of commitment to the Zionist cause. Twenty centuries of stony sleep Put all of these atrocities together and we might reconsider the choice of measuring the days of our lives through the Gregorian calendar, on which these horrors have historically marked themselves. Today we remember other calendars and the events of their rhyme and reasoning less consciously, except for communal, denominational, nostalgic, or otherwise purely ritualistic reasons. If we cannot change the world we live in, we can at least shift the consciousness of our lives we have forgotten. Imagine a world in which Jewish, Islamic, Chinese, Iranian or any other calendar were more meaningful measures of our daily lives in the unique way they arranged the world and our place in the universe. At the centre of all these calendars is our fragile planet, placed right next to the moon and the sun and all other countless stars. Imagine if we cared for our planet the way all these other calendars were conscious of their heavenly frames of references. Thinking in those cosmic terms in terms of saintly sages that fathomed these calendars would certainly teach us humility. Things are much calmer on all these other calendars where people continue quietly with their pieties, their poetry, their ceremonies of innocence, and their collective memories of time immemorial. Instead of moving to another country or another continent or another clime, sometimes I wish we could all pack our lives and leave this calendar for another. I am not alone in this wish. Now the New Year reviving old Desires, The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires, Where the White Hand of Moses on the Bough Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires. It was an 11th-century Muslim poet who wrote that poem. Today we remember Omar Khayyam mostly because of his precious quatrains brought to global attention by his kindred soul, the British poet and translator Edward FitzGerald. But in his own time, Khayyam was best known as a mathematician and astronomer who made enduring contributions to algebra, to the mapping of the wandering stars, and yes, to the calculation of accurate calendars. There you have it: a poet-astronomer is what our world most lacks and on this New Years Eve I send your way as my sincerest best wishes for many more New Years to come multiple lunisolar calendars. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Schipol Airport was partly shut to the public after a man in a departure hall claimed he had a bomb, police say. Parts of Amsterdams Schipol Airport have been evacuated after a man in a departure hall claimed he had a bomb, police said. The alert on Monday evening saw a large number of security services, including fire engines and ambulances, arrive at the airport, which was partly shut for the public. Police said the suspect was arrested and regular service was resuming. Local TV station AT5 showed a picture of a man lying on the ground in departure hall 3 with security personnel standing nearby. Witnesses told AT5 that people in the hall were seen running from the scene. Dutch police were already on high alert on Monday after five men in the Netherlands and Germany were detained on charges of planning an attack. The incident at Schiphol is not believed to be linked to the arrests. Four of the suspects were to remain in custody in the city of Rotterdam, police said on Monday, and the fifth a Syrian man arrested in the German city of Mainz was still in custody there. The five men were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of involvement in planning an attack. Police said the four suspects in Rotterdam were aged between 20 and 30 and came from non-Western countries. According to Dutch broadcaster NOS, one of the men had Syrian origins, and another had origins in Egypt. Six apartments were raided, but no weapons were found. The man arrested in Germany is a 26-year-old Syrian national registered as living in Rotterdam, according to Dutch authorities. Dutch police have asked Germany to extradite him. On Monday, Rotterdam police arrested another 24-year-old man on terrorism-related charges. However, the arrest was not related to those on Saturday, they said. Police declined to comment on the report from NOS. In June, police arrested two men in Rotterdam for allegedly plotting an attack on security forces. In September, a further seven men were arrested in the Netherlands on suspicion of planning a larger attack. In New Year address, Merkel says Germany will push for global solutions to climate change, migration, and terrorism. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Germany will take on greater responsibility internationally in 2019, and keep pushing for global solutions to the challenges of climate change, migration and terrorism. In her annual New Years address, the four-term chancellor said international cooperation was needed to master these problems, but said old certainties about the multilateral approach was coming under pressure. In such a situation, we must again stand up for, argue and fight more strongly for our convictions, Merkel said in a text of the message her office released before a scheduled Monday broadcast. And we must take on more responsibility in our own interests. In recent months, Germany has frequently been on the receiving end of criticism by US President Donald Trump, whose America First policy is the opposite of the unified response to world challenges that Merkel advocates for. Germany will campaign for global solutions through the United Nations, Merkel said, noting the country is spending more on humanitarian aid and defence. Berlin is due to assume a rotating seat on the UN Security Council on January 1. Merkel also pledged to fight for a more robust European Union, and vowed to maintain a close partnership with the UK despite its decision to leave the bloc. Turning to home, Merkel urged Germans to champion openness, tolerance and respect. These values have made our country strong. We must espouse them together even if it is uncomfortable and taxing, she said. It has been an extremely difficult political year, she added, acknowledging that many Germans have struggled very much with her most recent government because of persistent infighting. Merkel, who has led Germany for 13 years, said she set the stage for a new beginning in late October by announcing she will not seek a fifth term. The move followed losses in regional elections for her coalition. Merkel has since given up the leadership of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, Germanys main centre-right party. 181208085144548 Her ally Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer took over the partys leadership earlier in December. Merkel has previously said she plans to remain chancellor for the rest of this parliamentary term, which is due to run until 2021, but questions remain over whether she will remain in office for the duration due to tensions within her governing coalition. Democracy lives from change, she said in her New Years message. We build on what our predecessors left us, and shape things in the present for those who will come after us. Prominent activist loses appeal against 5-year term for criticising alleged prison torture and Saudi air raids in Yemen. Bahrains top court has rejected a final appeal by a prominent activist who was imprisoned for criticising Saudi Arabias air strikes in Yemen and accusing Bahrains prison authorities of torture. The verdict on Monday upheld a five-year prison sentence handed to Nabeel Rajab in February, according to a lawyer and a judicial source. The Court of Cassation rejected the appeal and upheld the sentence of five years in prison against Nabeel Rajab for his tweets, his lawyer, Mohamed Al Jishi, told Reuters by phone. Bahrain, where a Sunni Muslim royal family rules over a Shia-majority population, has kept a tight lid on dissent since the Shia opposition staged a failed uprising in 2011. Rajab, a leading figure in the 2011 pro-democracy protests, was sentenced for comments he made online accusing Bahraini authorities of prison abuse and criticising Saudi Arabias role in the war in Yemen. The convictions were for spreading false news and rumours in time of war, insulting foreign countries and insulting publicly the interior ministry in comments posted on Twitter, a court document seen by Reuters showed. One charge related to a social media post on March 26, 2015, the day that Saudi Arabia launched an intervention in the Yemeni civil war. The post criticised wars that bring hatred, destruction and horrors. Rajab is also serving a second two-year term in a separate case. International rights groups have previously denounced the ruling and the United States has expressed concern about Rajabs case. Bahrain has shut down the main opposition groups in the country, barred their members from running in elections and prosecuted scores of people, many described by human rights groups as activists, in mass trials. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir says election was a fraud and marred by irregularities but electoral body rejects charges. Dhaka, Bangladesh The leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has said that Sundays general election was a fraud and marred by widespread irregularities. Yesterdays election was totally fraud, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the general secretary of BNP, told Al Jazeera after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina registered an unprecedented victory. The ruling Awami League (AL) captured 288 out of 298 seats for which elections were held, winning a whopping 96 percent of the seats, drawing criticism from the opposition. Ballot papers were stuffed on the night before the election. Except for few, irregularities were found in almost all the constituencies. It was preplanned, and the result was decided much earlier, Alamgir alleged. The BNP leader said that the vote rigging was facilitated by the government agencies, the police and other law enforcement agencies in collaboration with the election commission officials. This election will destroy people's remaining faith in the election system in Bangladesh. Asif Nazrul, professor of law at Dhaka University This is a mockery of democracy. Bangladesh has lost an opportunity to come back to democracy, said Alamgir, who is among the seven BNP candidates to win their seats. The opposition party had boycotted the last election held in 2014. The massive win reminded of the controversial February 1996 parliamentary elections in which the BNP won 278 seats amid boycotts. It had triggered countrywide protests forcing the BNP out. Call for fresh election Later on Monday, the opposition alliance Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) reiterated their demands for fresh election under a nonpartisan government. A drama in the name of a national election was staged yesterday and the countrymen perceived from their hearts that how the election process of a sovereign country was destroyed, Kamal Hossain, convener of the Jatiya Oikya Front, said at a press conference on Monday. 181228093827764 Hossain, a former ally of Hasina and a well-respected jurist, became the face of the opposition alliance as the BNP leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was barred from polls because of a corruption conviction. The front said it will submit a memorandum to the election commission on Thursday. But at a press conference held at the election commission office in Dhaka, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda put to rest the opposition demand for re-election. There is no scope to hold the national election again, Huda said a day after the 11th general election. The CEC on Monday put its stamp on the unofficial results, and added that the voter turnout in the violence-marred polls was 80 percent. The fatigue of the month-long election process was visible on Dhakas roads on Monday where traffic was thin with paramilitary vehicles still making rounds of the streets. Kicked out of the polling booth Meanwhile, many Bangladeshi voters shared their stories on social media, some of them complaining of irregularities on the election day. Mahbub Uddin Khokon blamed the fraudulent election for his defeat [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera] Shaquib Ahmed, a Dhaka resident, told Al Jazeera that he was kicked out of the polling booth after he voted for the BNP. There was no curtained area in the room to vote. As I put my seal on the BNP symbol a man standing beside me snatched the ballot paper away and shouted, what do you think you are doing?, he said. The 34-year-old Ahmed says he was later abused at Dhakas Tejgaon College polling centre. I did not protest as there were other people with him and it was very intimidating, Ahmed told Al Jazeera. Mahbub Uddin Khokon, a former BNP member of parliament, blamed the fraudulent election for his defeat in Noakhali 1 constituency. The election commission and the government collectively committed fraud against the nation, the voter, and the constitution, said Khokon, who is the secretary of Supreme Court Bar Council. The night before the election, they stuffed ballot boxes in each centre with the help of the police, he alleged. I met with the chief election commissioner three times before the election to take action against the police who were lodging false cases against opposition members. He did not do anything. Hasina rejects rigging charges But Prime Minister Hasina, who is set for a fourth term in office, rejected the rigging charges, saying people voted her party to power for development work done in her 10-year rule. More than 600,000 security forces were deployed to prevent violence [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera] The countrymen have gained the benefit of the development work of my government, and thus they cast their votes for us, she told foreign observers on Monday. Hasina has led Bangladesh on a path of rapid economic growth and plans to turn this poor South Asian nation of 160 million people into a middle-income country by 2021. An election observer from India, a close ally of Bangladesh, lauded election as peaceful. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to congratulate Hasina on securing an absolute majority in the 350-member parliament. Of these, 50 seats are reserved for women. Many observers from South Asian countries, Al Jazeera spoke to, said that some polling stations were not crowded and in many cases wore a deserted look. Abdur Rahman Salah Rasheed was one of the election observers who was taken to four polling stations in Gazipur. Rasheed, the acting secretary-general of election commission of Maldives, said that in the morning polling centres were deserted. We asked them why there are not many people. They told us it was foggy and early morning. Some of the places were crowded though. Chief Election Commissioner Huda ruled out re-election [Al Jazeera] We went to Dhaka 17 centre for counting but did not find any opposition polling agent. We even asked them where is opposition? A member of the observer mission, who refused to be identified, showed his bafflement at the scale of the ruling partys victory. At least 19 people were killed in Sundays election, which was marred by reports of voting irregularities such as ballot stuffing and intimidation. A team of observers from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Sunday said the vote was peaceful. We have heard the news about the deaths, but they do not reflect the overall situation, which was peaceful, it said in a press release. The election was credible based on all acceptable standards, Hameed A Opeloyeru, the head of the observer team told reporters. The election was credible based on all acceptable standards. Hameed A Opeloyeru, head of the OIC observers' team But Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), in a written statement released on Monday, expressed concern at the allegations of misconduct during the election. It called for forming a judicial committee to investigate the allegations. Leading up to the polls, opposition complained of mass arrests and intimidation by police and ruling party supporters, but the government said the accusations were exaggerated. Asif Nazrul, a professor of law at Dhaka University, said, The election will destroy peoples remaining faith in election system in Bangladesh. It was not an election at all. It was an ugly and brutal hijacking of peoples right to choose their representative by all the state apparatus in alliance with ruling party goons. It would lead into tyranny and hurt the dignity of the society very deeply, he said. Kinshasa, DRC Vote counting has started in the Democratic Republic of Congos long-delayed election as the opposition claimed it will not accept a ruling party victory. I cannot see how Mr Shadary (the ruling partys candidate) can win. I doubt anyone will have the courage to proclaim Shadary as the winner. It will be a provocation, Martin Fayulu, leader of the opposition Lamuka coalition, told Al Jazeera on Monday. Sundays vote, which has been repeatedly postponed since 2016, was marked by long delays with many polling stations not opening and voters not finding their names on the poll register. The electoral commission (CENI) on Wednesday said at least 20 percent of the polling stations in the capital, Kinshasa, would not open because of a lack of voting machines. 181229104503491 More than 46 million Congolese registered to take part in the election to pick a successor to President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled the mineral-rich country for 17 years. As many as 21 candidates contested the poll. Early this month, a blaze destroyed the commissions main warehouse in Kinshasa. CENI said the fire destroyed 80 percent of the voting machines allocated for the capital, which is home to about 15 percent of the countrys electorate. It was deliberately disorganised. The people of the Congo are asking the truth. They are asking for their act (vote) to be reflected in the result. The result should reflect what they did on Sunday, Fayulu added. Badly organised Voting did not take place in three opposition strongholds, where at least 1.2 million people registered to vote. 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 the month. Crispin Landa, a political analyst, told Al Jazeera the postponement could lead to unrest. I think Sundays elections were the worst in terms of organisation and preparation comparatively to all elections this country has held so far, including those held during Joseph Mobutu, Landa said. Its in the oppositions stronghold that complications have been observed. It was badly organised and could lead to chaos, Landa added. Forty-six million Congolese registered to vote in the poll, which has been beset by complications [Jerome Delay/AP Photo] Fiston Kamanda, an adviser to Ramazan Shadary, told Al Jazeera the opposition should wait for official results to be announced and accept the outcome. Fayulu does not have a chance to win an election. He doesnt represent anything. He might win in Kinshasa, but not anywhere else. We are confident we will win. If he is not happy with the results when it is announced, he can go to court, Kamanda said. Provisional results are expected on January 6, while the official results of the presidential polls are due to be announced on January 15. 181228120427725 Voters are also electing representatives for the national and local assemblies. Meanwhile, the internet was heavily restricted in Kinshasa on Monday shortly after the vote tallying started. Residents in the eastern city of Goma also told Al Jazeera they were experiencing internet restrictions. Al Jazeera contacted both internet service providers and the government and is awaiting comment. 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. World Food Programme says food and aid meant for starving Yemenis has been diverted and sold on black market. The UNs food agency has accused Houthi rebels of stealing food from the mouths of hungry Yemenis, hours after an investigation by the Associated Press (AP) news agency found that both sides in the conflict had stolen aid meant for the countrys most vulnerable. David Beasley, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), said on Monday that his agency had collected evidence showing the Houthis had diverted shipments of food sent to help alleviate the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. At a time when children are dying in Yemen because they havent enough food to eat, that is an outrage, Beasley said. This criminal behaviour must stop immediately. 160607112342462 Yemens four-year war and ensuing economic collapse have unleashed the worlds most urgent humanitarian crisis with more than 22 million people needing some kind of aid to survive. Food prices have increased by an average of 68 percent, and the price of commodities such as petrol, diesel and cooking gas has increased by at least 25 percent in the past year. The WFP said the photographic and other evidence it had obtained showed trucks illicitly removing food from designated food distribution centres and local officials falsifying records and manipulating the selection of beneficiaries. It accused one local partner organisation affiliated with the Houthi Ministry of Education of committing fraud and said humanitarian food was being sold on the open market in Sanaa. This conduct amounts to the stealing of food from the mouths of hungry people, Beasley said. Al Jazeera reached out to Houthi officials for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication. Aid goes to the powerful The WFPs damning assessment came just hours after the AP reported that, along with the Houthis, forces loyal to the Yemeni government had siphoned off aid meant for thousands of families residing in the besieged city of Taiz. The army that should protect the aid is looting the aid, Nabil al-Hakimi, a humanitarian official in Taiz, one of Yemens largest cities told the AP. Al-Hakimi said that local militias, who had been absorbed into Yemens national armed forces but competed with each other to maintain their presence in sectors of the city that they control, were keeping aid for themselves. 180420223001821 The only means to achieve anyones goals is through weapons, he told the AP. Who gets on the beneficiaries lists? Those who have weapons. The poor, the most miserable and the weak cant get their names on the lists of beneficiaries, so the aid goes to the powerful. Yemen has been wracked by violence since 2014 when the Houthis stormed south from their stronghold of Saada and overran much of the country, including the capital Sanaa where they overthrew the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who accuse the Houthis of being Iranian proxies, formed a coalition that launched a massive air campaign aimed at reinstating Hadis government. With logistical support from the US, the coalition has carried out more than 18,000 raids on Houthi-held areas in an attempt to reverse their gains. According to recent estimates, as many as 85,000 children may have died from hunger since the coalitions intervention. Abdullah al-Hamidi, who served as acting education minister in the Houthi-run government before defecting to the Saudi-UAE coalition, told the AP: since the Houthis came to power, looting has been on a large scale. This is why the poor get nothing. What really arrives to people is very little. Senior Republican senator says president will make sure that withdrawal will ensure ISIL is permanently destroyed. President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of United States troops from Syria, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has said. I think were in a pause situation, the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House on Sunday. On December 19, Trump announced the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trumps decision, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. He had warned that removing the troops would hurt national security by allowing the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS or Daesh) to resurge, betraying US-backed Kurdish fighters of the YPG armed group battling remnants ISIL, and enhancing Irans ability to threaten Israel. The president had declared victory over ISIL in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. 181219235322303 Since announcing the withdrawal, two senior government officials resigned, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and US envoy to forces fighting ISIL, Brett McGurk. Critics had contended that the US withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. National Security Adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next week to discuss the presidents plans with the American allies. During his appearance on CNNs State of the Union, Graham previewed his arguments to Trump for reconsidering the Syria pullout. Im going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure that we get it right. Make sure ISIS never comes back, Graham said. What about the Kurds? The announcement of the Syria withdrawal had shocked legislators and American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the US against ISIL and face an expected assault by Turkey. I think were slowing things down in a smart way, Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. 181229063446665 And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, whos going to help you in the future? he told CNN. I want to fight the war in the enemys backyard, not ours. Thats why we need a forward-deployed force in Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan for a while to come. Trumps trip to Iraq last week was an eye-opener according to Graham and he understood the need to finish the job with ISIL. I think the president has come up with a plan with his generals that makes sense to me, Graham said. Graham said later on Twitter that Trump would make sure that any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1) ISIS is permanently destroyed 2) Iran doesnt fill in the back end, and 3) our Kurdish allies are protected. The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1) ISIS is permanently destroyed. 2) Iran doesnt fill in the back end, and 3) our Kurdish allies are protected. Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 30, 2018 Graham told reporters that Trump was committed to making sure Turkey did not clash with the Kurdish YPG forces once US troops leave Syria, and assured the NATO ally that it would have a buffer zone in the region to help protect its own interests. Turkey views the YPG as a branch of its own Kurdish separatist movement and is threatening to launch an offensive against the group, igniting fears of significant civilian casualties. US commanders planning the withdrawal are recommending that YPG fighters battling ISIL be allowed to keep US-supplied weapons, according to US officials. That proposal would likely anger Turkey. Reporting from the Turkish city of Gaziantep near the border with Syria, Al Jazeeras Mohammad Adal said Turkish forces were crossing into Syria on Sunday night. Overnight we saw dozens of tanks rolling into Syria from the Qashmili border crossing, he reported on Monday. They are said to be getting closer to the city of Manbij in preparation for all-out offensive, Adal added. The Pentagon says it is considering plans for a deliberate and controlled withdrawal. One option, according to a person familiar with the discussions, is for a 120-day pullout period. Trump decided on the Syria withdrawal in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ignoring the advice of top national security aides and without consulting legislators or US allies participating in anti-ISIL operations. Announcement comes a month after the UN documented the existence of 202 mass graves across northern Iraq. Authorities in northern Iraq have announced the discovery of a mass grave containing the bodies of civilians believed to have been killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). Police said on Sunday residents found the bodies in a sparsely populated region near the town of Hawija in Kirkuk province after heavy rain in the area exposed the corpses. As you can see, the location allowed them to hide and kill innocent civilians from the district and outside the district, said security chief Dawoud Salman al-Shameri. It was not immediately clear how many bodies laid further underground. 181106080611984 People living in the area said they had witnessed fighters from ISIL, an armed group that held large swaths of territory across northern Iraq and Syria from mid-2014 until late 2017, execute victims in broad daylight. On our way, we saw they were killing them. The victims were dressed in red suits. We could see them it was clear, said Adday Hamid Abd, who lives in the nearby village of Al Daghila. Last month, a report by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq documented the existence of 202 such mass grave sites in the Iraqi governorates of Nineveh, Salah al-Din and Anbar. A year earlier, in November 2017, graves containing the remains of some 400 bodies were found at an airbase on the outskirts of Kirkuk. Police on Sunday cordoned off the area as they waited for a team to arrive from Baghdad to exhume the bodies, a procedure that could enable authorities to convict those responsible for war crimes and possibly genocide. Kim Jong-un will be keeping North Korea watchers busy on New Years Day, when he is expected to give his annual address laying out the countrys top priorities for the year ahead. The speech, which is normally broadcast on North Koreas state-run television network, is often the best gauge of what the North Korean leadership is focussed on and what tone it will take in its dealings with the outside world. For 2019, it will be parsed carefully for clues about Kims thinking on denuclearisation talks with Washington and a second summit with US President Donald Trump, relations with South Korea and Pyongyangs efforts to get rid of international sanctions as it tries to build up its domestic economy. A look at Kims plate for the coming year: The economy This is Kims primary concern. He made that clear in his 2018 News Years address and his government has been hammering it home ever since. 180607194512806 In his first televised speech, at a military parade in 2012, Kim vowed the nation would never again have to tighten its belts, a reference to the economic hardships it has faced, including a disastrous famine in the 1990s. While they remain isolated and unable to travel or experience foreign media freely, North Koreans are aware of the yawning prosperity gap between themselves, South Korea and China. Kim has tried to address that by initiating infrastructure projects in major cities, building up the capital and allowing if not overtly supporting the spread of the market economy. Whats not clear is how far he is willing to go with the kind of fundamental, systemic reforms needed to really ensure sustainable growth. North Korea has hinted it wants to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) and be more a part of the global economic community. But that would also require some risky moves like increased transparency and commitment to global rules and norms. A big question is how much control Kim is willing to relinquish in exchange for prosperity. 180418063201529 North Korea is entering the fourth year of a five-year economic plan that Kim announced with great fanfare at a rare congress of his ruling party in 2016. If precedent is any indication, he will go into some detail outlining, sector by sector, the countrys successes so far and emphasising what remains to be done. This part of the speech is usually couched in deliberately vague, broad or aspirational language and is directed at the domestic party leadership. But if Kim is serious about change, this could be where he drops some important hints. Nuclear arsenal North Korea is still standing firmly behind the agreements it made with Trump at the Singapore summit. The problem is that North Koreas interpretation of what they agreed to is at odds with that of the Trump administration. 181013073434764 Kim never agreed to unilaterally throw away his hard-won nuclear arsenal, which he maintains is a necessary deterrent to the threat of an attack by the United States. The Norths moratorium on nuclear tests and long-range missile launches also is not part of the summit agreement and there is no explicit promise in the Singapore joint statement that the North will not continue producing or developing its missiles. So while the missiles have stopped flying for now, theres still a lot up in the air. Kim agreed the North would work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. But from the Norths perspective, it must include the removal of what it has always claimed is the reason why it has nukes in the first place the threat of a US nuclear attack. While not directly criticising Trump, a tactic it is likely to stick to until it sees the overall process as seriously off the rails, the North has tried to play him against his advisers while it pushes for security guarantees and sanctions relief. The bottom line is that North Korea has not given up much since Singapore. And it doesnt think Washington has, either. Trump has said a second summit could be held soon. The New Years speech gives Kim a golden opportunity to set the goalposts and to try to further detach Trump from his advisers. Relations with South Korea In contrast to Pyongyangs dealings with Washington, relations between North and South Koreas have seen a major thaw. With three leaders summits in 2018 and dozens of other meetings, the Koreas have opened a liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, created border buffers and no-fly zones to reduce military tensions, and jointly surveyed North Koreas outdated railways and roads with the goal of connecting them with the South. 181230092017184 They even vowed to make a bid to jointly host the 2032 Summer Olympics. But Seoul cannot proceed without the removal of the US-led international sanctions. While President Moon Jae-in sees inter-Korean reconciliation as a crucial part of nuclear diplomacy, his enthusiasm for engagement has caused discomfort in Washington. Pyongyang, meanwhile, has already begun expressing its frustration with the slowdown in inter-Korean projects and demanded that Seoul break from Washingtons lead. Some analysts expect Kim to further try to drive a wedge between the allies with a nationalistic call for stronger inter-Korean cooperation, while painting Washington as a bad-faith actor refusing to take corresponding measures to the Norths unilateral dismantlement of a nuclear test site and the suspension of nuclear and long-range missile tests. IFJ says 94 journalists and media workers died in targeted killings, bomb attacks and crossfire incidents this year. The number of journalists and media workers killed while carrying out their jobs rose again in 2018, reversing a downward trend of the previous three years, according to a new report by an international trade association. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said on Monday that 94 journalists and media workers died in targeted killings, bomb attacks and crossfire incidents this year. The figure, up from 82 killings recorded in 2017, included 84 journalists, camera people and technicians as well as 10 media staff members including drivers and protection officers. Six of the victims were women and there were also another three work-related accidental deaths, the Brussels-based groups annual report said. Highest number of media killings Afghanistan: 16 Mexico: 11 Yemen: 9 Syria: 8 India: 7 Pakistan: 5 Somalia: 5 United States: 5 Philippines: 3 Ecuador: 3 Brazil: 3 Colombia: 2 Palestine: 2 Guatemala: 2 The most dangerous place to be a journalist was Afghanistan, where 16 media workers lost their lives. At least nine journalists were killed in an explosion in Afghanistans capital, Kabul, in April after arriving at the scene to cover the aftermath of an earlier suicide bombing. In Mexico, where organised crime often targets journalists, 11 media workers were killed. Nine were killed in Yemen, eight in Syria, seven in India, six in Somalia and five each in Pakistan and the United States. Three were killed in the Philippines, Ecuador and Brazil, and two in Colombia, Guatemala and the besieged Gaza Strip Palestinian journalists Ahmad Abu Hussein and Yaser Murtaja were killed by Israeli forces in April while covering months-long mass protests along the fence with Israel. The list paints a situation of on-going safety crisis in journalism, which was highlighted by the cruel murder of the Washington Post columnist and Saudi national, Jamal Khashoggi, the IFJ said in a statement. Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October. His body has not been found. Khashoggi wrote critically of Saudi Arabias government, and the alleged involvement of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the journalists slaying has put the governments of other countries under pressure to sever economic and political ties. Jamal Khashoggi was a very well-known figure, but you know, the most shocking statistic is that we know that nine of 10 journalist murders remain unpunished in the world, IFJ President Philippe Leruth said. Leruth demanded that United Nations member states adopt a convention on the security and protection of journalists that it presented to UN missions in New York in October. This convention, supported by the profession as a whole, is a concrete response to crimes committed against journalists in full impunity, he said. Sad reminder journalists safety remains elusive The IFJ connects some 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. The group said the new report showed that journalists face dangers apart from the risks of reporting from warzones and covering extremist movements. There were other factors, such as the increasing intolerance to independent reporting, populism, rampant corruption and crime, as well as the breakdown of law and order, the IFJ said. Anthony Bellanger, the groups general-secretary, called the numbers on the groups list a sad reminder that the safety of journalists will remain elusive as long as countries boasting institutions which should be enforcing the law but have been paralysed by corruption and incompetence in the face of an unrelenting assault on journalism. He added: As such, they stand as a damning indictment of the authorities for their failure to uphold the journalists right to their physical safety and to guarantee an informed public discourse in a democracy. The man was found guilty of violating a penal code from 1960 that bans the sale of land to a foreign country. A Ramallah court has sentenced a Palestinian man to life in prison with hard labour after he was found guilty of selling land in the Old City of Jerusalem to Israeli Jews. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the Ramallah High Court found the man guilty on Monday of violating a penal code from 1960 that bans the sale of land to a foreign country. This crime can result in capital punishment under Palestinian law, but President Mahmoud Abbas has never ratified a death sentence. Israeli media identified the man as Isaam Akel, a Palestinian-American citizen and resident of occupied East Jerusalem. A source with the court confirmed to AFP news agency the man sentenced was Akel, adding that he could appeal the ruling. Such sales are considered treasonous among Palestinians concerned with Israeli settlers buying property in annexed East Jerusalem. The case has stirred controversy since the arrest. We are aware of reports that a US citizen has been sentenced by a Palestinian court, a US official said. When a US citizen is incarcerated abroad, the US government works to provide all appropriate consular assistance. Following Akels detention, Israeli police twice arrested the Palestinian governor of Jerusalem, Adnan Gheith, in connection with their investigation into the matter and raided his office. In November, US ambassador to Israel David Friedman on Twitter called Akels continuing detention antithetical to the values of the US & to all who advocate the cause of peaceful coexistence. We demand his immediate release, he said. Israeli captured the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Israel claims Jerusalem as its undivided capital, while the Palestinian Authority sees East Jerusalem as the capital of its future state. Sydney put on its biggest-ever fireworks display, kicking off a wave of celebrations for billions around the world. Revellers around the globe are bidding a weary farewell on Monday to an unsettling year filled with challenges to many of the worlds most basic institutions, including politics, trade, alliances and religion. Heres a look at how people are ushering in the new year across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas as the clock ticks past midnight. Kiribati The Pacific island nation of Kiribati was the first in the world to welcome the new year, greeting 2019 with muted celebrations after spending 2018 on the front line of the battle against climate change. Kiribati is made up of low-lying atolls along the equator which intersect three time zones. Kirbati sacana, tecnicamente seria um dos ultimos paises a entrar no ano novo, mas decidiram mudar a "linha internacional de data" por questoes de turismo. E "monetarias", afinal o 1 e o 1. Mas eu ainda quero dar uma volta la. Feliz 2019 #FelizAnoNovoTrajaza #voubuscarem2019 pic.twitter.com/QXHl2HwgBq Alexandre Callegaro (@guedxander) December 31, 2018 Much of the nations land mass, occupied by 110,000 people, is endangered by rising seas which have inundated coastal villages. The rising oceans have turned freshwater sources brackish, imperilling communities and raising doubts the nation will exist at the next New Year. Former President Anote Tong said the only future for Kiribati may be mass migration. The new year was welcomed in the capital, Tarawa, with church services and mostly quiet private celebrations. New Zealand In Auckland, New Zealands biggest city, tens of thousands gathered around Sky Tower as fireworks exploded from the top of the 328-metre structure. Across the southern hemisphere nation, thousands took to beaches and streets, becoming the first major nation in the world to usher in 2019. New Year has already arrived in New Zealand !!! Happy New Year, friends and girlfriends living in New Zealand! pic.twitter.com/BTayRfxS8j Simonov K.V. (@simonovkvramble) December 31, 2018 Fireworks boomed and crackled above city centres and harbours. Australia An estimated one million people crowded Sydney Harbor as Australias largest city rang in the new year with a spectacular, soul-tinged fireworks celebration. One of the most complex displays in Australias history included gold, purple and silver fireworks pulsating to the tune of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, made famous by Aretha Franklin, who died in August. The show used 8.5 tonnes of fireworks and featured more than 100,000 pyrotechnic effects, the citys biggest-ever fireworks display. Sydney's firework display for New Years. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/N5NvwiAoKm Ultra Pics (@ultrafree) December 31, 2018 Earlier, a thunderstorm drenched tens of thousands of people as they gathered for the traditional display, creating a show of its own with dozens of lightning strikes. More than one billion people around the world were expected to watch the fireworks on television. In Melbourne, 14 tonnes of fireworks deployed on the ground and on roofs of 22 buildings produced special effects including flying dragons. In Brisbane, an estimated 85,000 people watched as fireworks exploded from five barges moored on the Brisbane River. Philippines Dozens of people have been injured by firecrackers ahead of New Years Eve when many across the Philippines set off powerful firecrackers in one of Asias most violent celebrations despite a government scare campaign and threats of arrests. The Department of Health said it has recorded more than 50 firecracker-caused injuries in the last 10 days, which is expected to increase overnight when Filipinos usher in 2019 with a bang. Let's have a safe and healthy New Years Eve celebration! Try alternate means of welcoming 2019: Watch the community fireworks display Blow a horn Clang household items together such as pots & pans Sing#HappyNewYear2019! pic.twitter.com/56cu2DJE9h World Health Organization Philippines (@WHOPhilippines) December 31, 2018 Although still a concern, the figure is significantly lower than a year ago, partly because fewer Filipinos have purchased firecrackers due to hard economic times. Officials have urged centralised fireworks displays to discourage wild and sometimes fatal merry-making. The notorious tradition, worsened by celebratory gunfire that turned deadly, stems from a Chinese-influenced belief that noise drives away evil and misfortune. Japan At least nine people were injured, one seriously, when a driver deliberately ploughed his car into crowds celebrating New Years Eve along a famous street in Japans capital, Tokyo, according to police and media reports. With an intent to murder, a 21-year-old man drove a small vehicle into Takeshita Street in Tokyos fashion district of Harajuku at 10 minutes past midnight (15:10 GMT on Monday), a police spokesperson told AFP news agency. The driver, identified as Kazuhiro Kusakabe, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of arrested murder. According to national broadcaster NHK, he told police he was acting in retribution for the death penalty without giving more precise details. North Korea Leader Kim Jong Un will keep North Korea watchers busy on New Years Day when he is expected to give his annual address laying out the countrys priorities for the year ahead. The speech is often the best gauge of what the North Korean leadership is focused on and what tone it will take in its dealings with the outside world. Kims speech will be parsed carefully for clues about his thinking on denuclearisation talks with Washington and a second summit with US President Donald Trump, relations with South Korea, and North Koreas efforts to get out from under international sanctions as it tries to build its domestic economy. In his New Years speech this past year, Kim proposed talks with South Korea to reduce tensions and said the North would be willing to participate in South Koreas Winter Olympics, setting off a series of summits with the South and the United States. South Korea After an eventful year that saw three inter-Korean summits and the easing of tensions over North Koreas nuclear programme, South Koreans enter 2019 with hopes that the hard-won detente will expand into a stable peace. Thousands of South Koreans were expected to fill the streets of the capital, Seoul, for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall to usher in the new year. https://twitter.com/archpng/status/997416081227681792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight include famous surgeon Lee Guk-jong, who successfully operated on a North Korean soldier who escaped to South Korea in 2017 in a hail of bullets fired by his comrades. Elsewhere, about 10,000 people were expected to attend the tolling of a peace bell at Imjingak, a pavilion near the border with North Korea. China New Years Eve isnt celebrated that widely in mainland China, where the Lunar New Year in February is a more important holiday, but countdown events were being held in major cities and some of the faithful headed to Buddhist temples for bell-ringing and prayers. The city of Beijing was holding a gala with VIP guests at the main site of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The event looked ahead to the 2022 Winter Games, which also will be held in the Chinese capital. Additional police were deployed in parts of Shanghai, where a New Years Eve stampede in 2014 killed 36 people. In Beijing, outdoor revelers had to brave temperatures well below freezing. President Xi Jinping, in a message broadcast at the top of the evening news, outlined the countrys achievements over the past year and said that by hosting a series of multinational meetings in 2018, we have put forward Chinas proposals and sent out Chinas voice. In Hong Kong, festive lights on the citys iconic skyscrapers provided the backdrop for a fireworks, music and light show over Victoria Harbor on a chilly evening. About 300,000 people were expected to line the waterfront. Thailand While many celebrate New Years Eve with fireworks, hundreds of Thais travelled to Takien Temple in a suburb of Bangkok to lie inside coffins for traditional funeral rituals. Participants believe the ceremony symbolising death and rebirth helps rid them of bad luck and allows them to be born again for a fresh start in the new year. Participants held flowers and incense in their hands as monks covered them with pink sheets and chanted prayers for the dead. It wasnt scary or anything. It is our belief that it will help us get rid of bad luck and bring good fortune to our life, said Busaba Yookong, who came to the temple with her family. Bangkok is filled with modern glitzy malls and high-rise buildings, but superstitious beliefs still hold sway in many aspects of Thai society. Fireworks light up the sky around the London Eye wheel to welcome the New Year in the UK capital [Toby Melville/Reuters] Britain Cities across Europe have also welcomed 2019 with a series of firework displays, including one in London that was dedicated to the EU citizens living in the British capital. The words London is open were spoken in seven languages as the fireworks at the London Eye ferris wheel went off, while the soundtrack included the songs We Are Your Friends, Stay and Dont Leave Me Alone. By paying tribute to our close relationship with Europe as we welcome in the New Year tonight, we will once again show the world that London will always be open, Mayor Sadiq Khan said. The London mayor has been vocal about how Britains planned departure from the European Union on March 29 will affect his city. From Berlin to Athens Fireworks also lit up the skies over the Brandenburg Gate in the German capital, Berlin, as well the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where the names of this years victorious French football World Cup-winning team were projected onto the landmark. Sweden greeted the New Year with its annual tradition of a reading of Alfred Lord Tennysons poem Ring Out Wild Bells, read this year by actor Mikael Persbrandt. In the Russian capital, Moscow, the bells in the Kremlins Spasskaya Tower rang out, but the party mood was dampened by a gas explosion at an apartment building in the southern city of Magnitogorsk. Dozens of people are still missing. In Athens, where fireworks went off above the Acropolis despite pouring rain, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras promised that 2019 will be a year of rebirth for our country. Greece, which has struggled with a financial crisis for the best part of a decade, officially exited its bailout programme in August. United States Meanwhile in the United States, about a million people counted down the seconds on rainy Times Square in New York City as they watched the traditional crystal ball drop. Snoop Dogg, Sting, Christina Aguilera and Bastille were among the performers welcoming 2019 in the made-for-TV extravaganza. Happy New Years Eve! Our favorite New Years tradition is to watch the ball drop in times square. Did you know that it takes 50,000 watts to power the famous Waterford Crystal ball? #KraftElectric #NewYearsEve pic.twitter.com/6vbLvTGwUz Kraft Electric (@KraftElectric1) December 31, 2018 Security was tight as thousands of police officers patrolled with the help of bomb-sniffing dogs, 1,225 security cameras and 235 blocker vehicles used to stop potential vehicle attacks. The event went off safely, with no major disruptions, though the rain forced police to cancel plans to deploy a drone to help monitor the crowd. Christina Aguilera performs during New Years Eve celebrations in Times Square [Darren Ornitz/Reuters] Eleven journalists were invited to press the button releasing the crystal ball, the New York Times reported, as part of an effort to recognise the erosion of press freedoms at home and abroad. Los Angeles and Honolulu round out the US reverie. Brazil Hundreds of thousands of people celebrated the arrival of the New Year in Rio de Janeiro with fireworks, music and dancing. Locals and tourists mixed on the citys famous Copacabana beach to watch a 14-minute spectacle that saw several tonnes of fireworks fired into the air at midnight (02:00 GMT). Before and afterwards there was music and dancing by bands and DJs including well-known guitarist and former culture minister Gilberto Gil and popular funk singer Ludmilla. Latin Americas largest country will undergo a radical change on New Years Day, when far-right President Jair Bolsonaro is sworn in. UN chiefs message UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a bleak New Years message that called climate change an existential threat and warned that its time to seize our last best chance. He noted growing intolerance, geopolitical divisions and inequality, resulting in people questioning a world in which a handful of people hold the same wealth as half of humanity. But there are also reasons for hope, he said. As we begin this New Year, lets resolve to confront threats, defend human dignity and build a better future together. At least four dead and 68 unaccounted for after apartment block collapses in city of Magnitogorsk, say media reports. Russian rescuers are searching for people still trapped under the rubble of a city apartment block that partly collapsed in a suspected gas blast, killing at least four, according to the RIA news agency. The blast took place at 4am local time on Monday (23:00 GMT) in the southern city of Magnitogorsk, RIA said. At least 10 people have been rescued from the rubble, the news agency said, citing Russias emergencies ministry. News agency TASS said 68 people were unaccounted for, quoting Chelyabinsk regional Deputy Governor Oleg Klimov. The emergencies ministry said the blast, probably caused by a gas leak, damaged 48 apartments. National television broadcast footage of the mangled heaps of concrete as hundreds of rescue workers combed the debris in temperatures of minus 18 Celsius. The Soviet-era high-rise was built in 1973 and was home to around 1,100 people. The residents have been evacuated. A total of 110 people were registered as residents of the affected section of the building, regional authorities said. Sixteen of them have been evacuated, and another 15 were not home at the time of the blast. In one sign of how serious the accident was, President Vladimir Putin was informed of the accident in the industrial city some 1,400km east of Moscow, according to the Kremlin. There have been several similar incidents in Russia in recent years due to ageing infrastructure and poor safety regulations surrounding gas usage. In 2015, at least five people were killed when a gas explosion damaged an apartment building in the southern Russian city of Volgograd. Raghad Hussein posted the message on her Twitter account on the 12th anniversary of her fathers death. The daughter of the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has posted on her Twitter account what she said were the last words her father had for the Iraqi people, four days before his execution on December 30, 2006. Raghad Hussein, who has been living in Jordan ever since the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, posted the message on the 12th anniversary of her fathers death. Oh honourable people, I entrust you and my soul to the merciful Lord, who does not disappoint the honest believer God is great, the message read. It bore the signature of Saddam Hussein, the President of the Republic and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Raghad Saddam Hussein has been living in Jordan since 2003 [File: Khaled Abdullah/Reuters] The late president was sentenced to death by hanging on the first day of Eid al-Adha, on the order of then-Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who had insisted the execution be carried out on that particular day. Earlier this week, Raghad Hussein had broadcast a voice recording where she called on Iraqis to overcome the psychological barriers they had suffered after the 2003 US invasion of the country. I hope, dear Iraqis, that our vision for a safer and more stable Iraq will expand, she said. She also mentioned that her fathers leadership of Iraq manifested in him being the Arab worlds protector against Iranian expansionist ambitions. Prominent pro-democracy activist Ahmed Mansoor was sentenced for criticising the UAE government on social media. A United Arab Emirates (UAE) appeals court has upheld a 10-year prison sentence against prominent pro-democracy activist Ahmed Mansoor for criticising the government on social media, Amnesty International reported. Mansoor, an electrical engineer and poet, was arrested in March 2017 and sentenced in May by Abu Dhabis Federal Appeals Court for defaming the UAE through social media channels. Mansoor was among five activists convicted and later pardoned for insulting the UAEs rulers in 2011. He was arrested again in March 2017 at his home in Ajman on charges of publishing false information and rumours, and of promoting a sectarian and hate-incited agenda. Mansoor was also charged with using social media to harm national unity and social harmony and damage the countrys reputation. 181223143341540 Local media reported that the father of four, Mansoor, was handed a fine of one million dirhams ($270,000) for insulting the status and prestige of the UAE and its symbols, including its leader. Several international rights groups, including the United Nations human rights bodies, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the European Union Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights have condemned the sentencing of Mansoor earlier this year. No space for freedom Responding to Mondays decision by the court to uphold Mansoors sentence, Amnestys Middle East Research director, Lynn Maalouf said that the decision proves there is no space for freedom [of] expression in the United Arab Emirates. His only crime was to express his peaceful opinion on social media, and it is outrageous that he is being punished with such [a] heavy prison sentence she said in a statement. The authorities must ensure his conviction and sentence are quashed and release him immediately and unconditionally, the statement read. Speaking to Al Jazeera in October, Joe Odell, the campaigns manager for the International Campaign for Freedom in the UAE (ICFUAE) said that since the cybercrime law in 2012 came into force, there has yet to be a precedent where a rights activity has successfully appealed their sentence. It is unlikely that the process will be a fair and independent one, he said. His continued detention is in clear breach of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of opinion and expression, to which the UAE is a signatory, Odell added. In 2015, Mansoor won the Martin Ennals award for human rights defenders for his work in the UAE. Hes been described by the awarding body as one of the few voices within the UAE who provide a credible independent assessment of human rights developments in the country. An expert told the UN Human rights commision last year that Mansoors arrest and detention is a direct attack on the legitimate work of human rights defenders in the UAE. Human Rights Watch in March 2018 said Mansoor is believed to have been held in solitary confinement. Code of conduct negotiating draft seen by Reuters shows Hanoi wants Beijings blockades and island building outlawed. Tough negotiations lie ahead over a new pact between China and Southeast Asian nations aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea, as Vietnam pushes for provisions likely to prove unpalatable to Beijing, documents reviewed by Reuters news agency suggest. Hanoi wants the pact to outlaw many of the actions China has carried out across the hotly disputed waterway in recent years, including artificial island building, blockades and offensive weaponry such as missile deployments, according to a negotiating draft of the ASEAN Code of Conduct (COC) seen by Reuters. The draft also shows Hanoi is pushing for a ban on any new Air Defence Identification Zone something Beijing unilaterally announced over the East China Sea in 2013. Chinese officials have not ruled out a similar move, in which all aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities, over the South China Sea. Hanoi is also demanding states clarify their maritime claims in the vital trade route according to international law an apparent attempt to shatter the controversial nine-dash line by which China claims and patrols much of the South China Sea, the draft shows. 160712144537521 Going forward, there will be some very testy exchanges between the Vietnamese and China in particular over the text of this agreement, said Singapore-based Ian Storey, a veteran South China Sea expert, who has seen the draft. Vietnam is including those points or activities that they want [to be] forbidden by the Code of Conduct precisely because China has been carrying these out for the last 10 years. Le Thi Thu Hang, a spokesperson at the Vietnamese foreign ministry, said negotiations on the Code of Conduct had made some progress recently, with Vietnam actively participating and other countries showing their constructive and cooperative spirit. Vietnam wishes related countries to continue their efforts and make a positive contribution to the negotiation process in order to achieve a substantive and effective COC in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability and security in the East Sea (South China Sea) in particular and in the region in general, she said. The Foreign Ministry of Singapore, the chair of the 10-nation Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc for 2018, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. We cannot comment right now but Thailand certainly supports discussion on the single negotiating draft, said Busadee Santipitaks, a spokesperson for Thailands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which takes over as ASEAN chair in the new year. China seeks ban on outsider drills The draft also confirms earlier reports that China wants military drills with outside powers in the South China Sea to be blocked unless all signatories agree. In addition, Beijing wants to exclude foreign oil firms by limiting joint development deals with China and Southeast Asia. Experts expect both elements to be strongly resisted by some ASEAN countries. 160603205135196 That is unacceptable, one Southeast Asian diplomat told Reuters, referring specifically to the suggested ban on military drills with countries outside the region. In a statement sent to Reuters, Chinas foreign ministry said negotiations on the code were confidential, and it could not comment on their content. The next round of working-level talks is expected to take place in Myanmar in the first quarter of next year, the Southeast Asian diplomat said. In August, Chinese and ASEAN officials hailed the initial negotiating text as a milestone and a breakthrough when it was endorsed by the foreign ministers of ASEAN and China. It will be negotiated over the coming year by senior ASEAN and Chinese officials and has not yet been released publicly. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang last month called for the pact to be sealed by 2021, a timetable some envoys and analysts are sceptical can be reached. Theres a lot of tough work ahead that figure seems to have just been plucked from the air, one senior Asian diplomat said. Dead letter? The code builds on an earlier declaration on the South China Sea signed between ASEAN and China in 2002. That document did not prevent the vital international trade route emerging as a regional flashpoint amid Chinas military rise and its extensive programme of island building on disputed reefs since 2014. 181115024040656 The United States and other regional powers, including Japan and India, are not part of the negotiations but take a strong interest in the waterway that links Northeast Asia with the Middle East and Europe. Several countries, including Japan, India, Britain and Australia, have joined the US in gradually increasing naval deployments through the South China Sea. They are often shadowed by Chinese naval ships. Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnams military and diplomacy at Australias Defence Force Academy, said Hanoi was expected to prove a tough negotiator but would need support among other ASEAN members to hold a firm line against China. The Philippines successfully challenged Beijings South China Sea claims in an international arbitration case in 2016 but has reversed policy under President Rodrigo Duterte, who has avoided confronting China as he seeks to secure billions of dollars of loans and investments for his infrastructure programme. The 19-page draft remains vague in key areas including its precise geographic scope, whether it will be legally binding and how disputes will be resolved. Bonnie Glaser, a regional security expert at the Centre for International and Strategic Studies in Washington, said she believed Chinas more controversial proposals would prove unacceptable to several key ASEAN members, as well the US and its allies. People I have spoken to in the US government say that it is [the] clearest evidence yet that China wants to push the US out of the region, she said. Ten troops have been killed on the border between Niger and Nigeria in a joint operation by the two countries against bandits, Nigerien Defence Minister Kalla Moutari said on Monday. Five Nigerien and five Nigerian troops and 11 enemy fighters were killed in the operation, launched against gangs in the Maradi region on the weekend, Moutari told AFP news agency. The Nigerian defence and security forces are identifying the bodies of the bandits, Moutari also said, according to a TV report from Maradi, where he went to attend the funeral of the dead Nigerien troops. Niger is one of several countries in the impoverished Sahel region to be hit by violence by armed groups. Officials often call the attackers bandits but a security source said the joint operation targeted criminal gangs that plague the Niger-Nigeria border, holing up in dense forests. The fighting began on Saturday in the middle of the morning, the source said, adding that several troops from both countries were also wounded. 180730143613917 The groups are blamed for kidnapping, theft and cattle rustling. The troubled region lies on part of Nigers southern-central border abutting the northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara. In August, Niger sent reinforcements to the area, and in September began a three-week operation with Nigeria that led to the death of at least 30 bandits, the interior minister, Bazoum Mohamed, had said on October 16. The authorities were now fully in control of the region and are in the middle of mopping-up operations, he had maintained. Preparing an offensive Nigerian security and civilian sources also said on Monday that troops are preparing to launch an offensive in a bid to retake a strategic town captured by Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria. Fighters from ISIL-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) took control of Baga on the shores of Lake Chad on Thursday after over-running military bases. The group established full control over the fishing town on Friday after sacking a naval base, forcing personnel to flee across the lake to a village on the Chadian side of the border. Dozens of military trucks and armoured vehicles from Borno state capital Maiduguri arrived late on Sunday at the garrison town of Monguno, 135km away, in readiness for the offensive, two military officers and armed group sources told AFP on condition of anonymity. The Nigerian military has insisted the armed group has already been pushed out of Baga, but fleeing residents and security sources refuted the claim. Boko Haram was said to be roaming around the town and killing civilian armed groups. Boko Harams nine-year revolt has killed 27,000 people and displaced two million others, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis in the region. The fighting has also spilled into Nigerias neighbours Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Huawei is a massive Chinese multinational telecommunications equipment and consumer electronics company. Some basics facts about the company include: It employs over 170,000 people, It is currently the largest telecommunication manufacturer in the world, It was started in 1987 by an engineer formerly in the People's Liberation Army (PLA), It invests heavily in R&D, and Its name can be translated to mean "China is able." Huawei has been in the news lately because Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer and daughter of the company's founder, was arrested on December 1 in Vancouver as she was switching planes. Canada did this at the request of the United States which is seeking Wanzhou's extradition to face charges of violating economic and financial sanctions on Iran. But the alleged violation of Iranian sanctions is small potatoes compared to the real risk Huawei poses to national security. This mainly revolves around 5G technology. Without getting technical, 5G is the fifth generation in wireless communication. It is designed to run at a higher frequency than today's 4G technology allowing the network to transmit data much faster. 5G will be lightning fast. Verizon says that its 5G network will likely be 200 times faster than the 5Mbps speeds many of its users get on 4G LTE. That means 5G speeds will hit 1Gbps, which is currently the fastest speed you can get from Google Fiber. At that rate, you'll be able to download an HD movie in seven seconds. speeds are expected to increase even higher than 1 Gbps as well, as 5G evolves. The rollout for 5G is expected to come in 2020. From there, it is soon expected to be fully integrated into the wireless communication system in countries around the globe. And here Huawei plays a major role as the world's largest supplier of telecommunication equipment. Huawei edged out Ericsson to become the largest telecommunication provider in Europe. As such, it's products will be deeply embedded in the 5G networks going up there. National security concerns have nothing to do with how fast movies can be downloaded. Rather it's the rational fear that Huawei-made equipment could be designed with backdoors in them to allow unauthorized access by the communist Chinese government for intelligence gathering and other nefarious purposes. Huawei has vehemently denied all allegations that it might be involved in intelligence gathering for the Chinese government. The fact is that no company in China is free of government control, especially those in the hi-tech sector. In addition, China's ethical and legal standards are not those of the West. China is a grasping country and will do anything to advance itself in the world. Case in point: China's economic rise owes a great deal of its success in stealing intellectual property and deceit on trade agreements. Fortunately, the Trump administration is not as naive as past administrations. It does not turn a blind eye to trade abuses. This past summer, the president banned Huawei technology from use by the U.S. government and government contractors as part of the larger Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019. To underline how credible this national security threat is, even Democrats are worried. Sen. Mark Warner, vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is calling for sanctions on Huawei equipment and is urging Canada to similarly ban its products. And prior to the 2018 midterm elections, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) sent warnings to campaigns not to use phones or other devices from the Chinese manufacturers ZTE and Huawei, 'even if the price is low or free.' The Trump administration has been pressuring Europe to ban Huawei equipment for security reasons. As a result, countries like the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Czech Republic are carefully scrutinizing Huawei equipment as they prepare to accept quotes to build their respective 5G networks starting next year. Already it looks like this is having an effect. Britain's telecoms group BT (BT) confirmed that "it would not buy equipment from the Chinese tech company for the core of its next generation wireless network. The company also said it would remove existing Huawei technology from the heart of its 4G network within two years." And in early December, Japan announced that it is also excluding Huawei and ZTE equipment from its government contracts for fear over cyberattacks and intelligence leaks. Apart from security, Europe has other reasons to look askance at Huawei's penetration of its wireless networks. 5G is the future. Europe may be used to being left in the technological dust by the U.S., but to be left behind by China would be too tough a pill to swallow. And that is what will happen if the Continent's critical wireless infrastructure has to rely on a Chinese manufacturer. It is surreal to think that countries of the West would even consider having a critical part of their communications infrastructure dependent on a company in communist China. And why would they? Because Huawei's equipment is marginally less expensive than that which Western companies produce? To give the devil his due, there is wisdom in Comrade Lenin's observation when he said, "Capitalists will sell us the rope by which we'll hang them." And where did Huawei get the technological knowhow to advance so far, so fast in the first place? It wasn't homegrown in China. It was obtained by hook or by crook from the West, primarily America. Technology giveaways is another area that the Trump administration is addressing. The noose is tightening around Huawei (and ZTE). The company's stock is down 55 percent YTD and the exclusion from the West's 5G networks can only dim the company's future prospects. And perhaps more importantly, the point being driven home more than ever to the communist leaders in China is just how dependent their economy is based on goodwill of the West. In anticipation of her seat being the next Supreme Court vacancy to be filled by President Trump, Hollywood has come out with a fawning biopic of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg depicting how, in 1956, she overcame the sexist fortress of Harvard Law School to become the feminist icon she is today: It's 1956, and Ginsburg is one of only nine women in the class, facing the slings and arrows of sexist men of all ages. The opening scene will be deeply satisfying, especially for viewers who have joined the burgeoning cult of RBG, because they know what those students obviously didn't: That Ginsburg will end up sitting on the Supreme Court, long after most of the guys who beat her out for law firm jobs have retired to the golf course. More than that, the elderly Ginsburg will become a cultural icon of still-uncharted dimensions. "On the Basis of Sex," a full Hollywood production in which the young Ginsburg is played by Felicity Jones, is the latest entry in the popular movement that presents the pioneering women's-rights attorney as a kind of progressive superhero. The film is a myth-building exercise for a woman who's reached mythic stature in a shockingly short period of time. Without saying so, the film probably anticipates that her replacement is likely to be Justice Amy Coney Barrett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, as far from Ginsburg's secular progressive and anti-Constitution philosophy as one can get. Just as John F. Kennedy was said by some to be a stalking horse for the Vatican who would clear each major decision with the Pope, Barrett, a practicing Catholic who actually gets it right, was charged with embracing Catholic dogma so tightly that there is no room left for the Constitution and those "emanations from the penumbras" that sanctified Roe v. Wade. Catholic League president Bill Donohue addressed the issue on The Ingraham Angle on Fox: Senate Democrats grilled Barrett over how her Catholic faith would affect her views on court precedents concerning abortion cases during her confirmation process after Trump nominated her as a circuit judge in 2017. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), in particular, showed what Catholic League President Bill Donahue [sic] called anti-religion "animus" during their questioning of her religious beliefs[.] ... "Let's remember... the seminal statement by Sen. Feinstein she said the dogma screams [sic] loudly in you," Donahue [sic] told Ingraham. "That's coming awfully close to establishing a religious test." Feinstein received intense backlash after she told Barrett during her confirmation hearing, "Dogma and law are two different things. And, I think whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different. And I think in your case, professor, when you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you." On the Basis of Sex is supposed to warn us of our imminent journey from the progressive to the Neanderthal and to hide the fact that the dogma that lives within Ruth Bader Ginsburg, far from a heroic fight for women's rights, is a bizarre concoction of radical feminist angst and ideology that ignores originalist interpretations of the Constitution in favor of reliance on international law, foreign court decisions, and a flagrantly political agenda. We need only look at her 230-page book, called Sex Bias in the U.S. Code, published in 1977 by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, to see elements of her radical philosophy: The purpose of this book was to show how the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (for which she was an aggressive advocate) would change federal laws to make them sex-neutral and "eliminate sex-discriminatory provisions." Ginsburg called for the sex-integration of prisons and reformatories so that conditions of imprisonment, security and housing could be equal. She explained, "If the grand design of such institutions is to prepare inmates for return to the community as persons equipped to benefit from and contribute to civil society, then perpetuation of single-sex institutions should be rejected." (Page 101)[.] ... Ginsburg called for reducing the age of consent for sexual acts to people who are "less than 12 years old." (Page 102) She asserted that laws against "bigamists, persons cohabiting with more than one woman, and women cohabiting with a bigamist" are unconstitutional. (Page 195) She objected to laws against prostitution because "prostitution, as a consensual act between adults, is arguably within the zone of privacy protected by recent constitutional decisions." (Page 97) ... Ginsburg wrote that the Mann Act (which punishes those who engage in interstate sex traffic of women and girls) is "offensive." Such acts should be considered "within the zone of privacy." (Page 98) Ginsburg is no fan of President Trump, which is why she refuses to retire, but is a fan of bypassing the U.S. Constitution. If we needed another reminder of why it matters who is elected president and who gets to pick not only the replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg reminds us. In statements to CNN and the New York Times during the 2016 presidential election, Ginsburg called the presumptive GOP presidential nominee a "faker" and warned of the danger of a Trump administration to SCOTUS and the country. As ABC News reported: "He is a faker," Ginsburg said of Trump on Monday on CNN. "He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego[.] ... How has he gotten away with not turning over his tax returns? The press seems to be very gentle with him on that." She also told the New York Times that a Trump presidency would be unimaginable for the country and the Supreme Court. "I can't imagine what this place would be I can't imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president," she told the Times. "For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be I don't even want to contemplate that." She jokingly added that she would move to New Zealand if he were to win the election in November. She is entitled to her own political views. She is entitled even to use them in forming her court decisions. She is not entitled to use her lifetime appointment to attempt to sway Americans in an election. Her remarks show how far liberals on the Supreme Court and in lower courts have gone beyond interpreting the intent of the Founders in writing the Constitution to using the Supreme Court to advance a political and social agenda. To them, the Constitution is a "living document" written in the sand, not carved into the bedrock of American democracy. She is one of the justices who advocates incorporating foreign law and foreign constitutions into SCOTUS decisions: At the beginning of February, Ruth Bader Ginsburg traveled to South Africa, where she gave a public address on "The Value of a Comparative Perspective in Constitutional Adjudication." She defended the Supreme Court's recent practice of taking guidance from foreign law when interpreting the U.S. Constitution. She acknowledged that the practice has been criticized. She expressed concern at bills before Congress condemning the practice. In that speech in South Africa, Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg argued that if judges can consult law review articles and such in the U.S., "why not the analysis of a question similar to the one we confront contained in an opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the German Constitutional Court, or the European Court of Human Rights?" Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in a concurring opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger, affirmed the use of racial preferences in university admissions, citing the fact that the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination temporarily allows for the "maintenance of unequal or separate rights for different racial groups." Separate but equal? Justice Ginsburg shares the view that the Supreme Court is a tool not for ruling on the law and the Constitution, as the Founders intended, but for social engineering, incorporating foreign laws and opinions. She is a globalist who believes that "we the people" includes the people of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. She believes in a "living Constitution" as an Etch-a-Sketch document that can mean, as in Alice in Wonderland, whatever she chooses it to mean. She is the poster child for judicial activism and legislating from the bench. She will not be missed. Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investor's Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications. The close of 2018 has left us with quite a year in terms of media bias. There are a lot of biased presses out there, not to mention television networks, but the Washington Post is one that stands out. So here are some random thoughts I've put together for Washington Post reporters, columnists, and other opinionators to think about and the rest of us, too. It looks as though the stock market is going to rise over 1,000 points over the last four days of the year. Could it be because the market is happy that President Trump is standing his ground on issues from the border wall to trade with China? Or maybe the WaPo writers and other journalists should start to recognize that traders trade stocks up and down for myriad reasons, sometimes ones we don't know. Maybe they can look at that instead of constantly blaming Trump. I saw on ABC News last night that Trump hadn't talked with Senate minority leader Charles Schumer or House minority leader Nancy Pelosi for nineteen days. The press essentially blamed Trump, as always. Not once did these Democrat talking puppets of the press mention that Pelosi had been playing in a luxury resort in Hawaii, and that could be the problem. The media narrative is never to blame Democrats. I also would like to ask all Democrats why zoos use fourth-century technology, such as fences and walls, to keep dangerous animals in and the public out. Why don't they just use modern technology? Is it possible that the reason why the U.S economy is growing so much faster than that of other countries is better policies? Or is it just blind luck and magic? Health care costs are stabilizing in 2019 after years of significant rises. Could that be because health insurance companies no longer have a captive audience and consumers have more choices? Or is it blind luck? President Obama and others have said manufacturing jobs were gone for good. Obama said it would take magic to bring them back. Obviously, the magic consists of fewer regulations, lower taxes, more energy production, and leveling the playing field on trade. When a president and his party believe that keeping manufacturing jobs requires magic, it is no wonder that we had the slowest economic recovery in seventy years. Now we have Trump. There are frequent articles saying Trump won't win by pleasing just his base, which is probably true, but where are the stories that Democrats can't win by pleasing just their base? The base of socialists isn't big enough to win. I am sure that leading Democrats, such as Elizabeth Warren, will try to expand their voter base to include those who believe in smaller government, which, according to polls, amounts to the majority of the American people. Do Democrats understand that a significant reason for energy prices being so reasonable right now is record production? That's helping the purchasing power of the poor and middle class, and nothing is being reported. Do they understand that Democrat policies to stop energy production and block pipelines harm the poor and middle class while helping tyrants in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and elsewhere, whom Democrats pretend to be tough on? Journalists must know the truth that previous across-the-board tax cuts have helped revive the economy and made tax revenues grow, not shrink. So why does the Washington Post continue to report the lie that tax cuts shrink revenue? It is factual that the climate has always changed cyclically and naturally and that temperatures have risen and fallen for significant periods of time without a direct correlation to CO2. So why do journalists choose not to report the truth? Does anyone actually believe that politicians and bureaucrats who can't balance the budget, who refuse to spend $5 billion to secure the border, and who choose to lie continuously by saying we could keep our doctor, that we could keep our plan, that our premiums would go down and the budget deficit would go down can control temperatures, sea levels, and storm activity forever if we just hand over trillions of dollars to them? If anyone believes these known liars, he should have his head examined and go snipe-hunting instead. Success is much more likely. Democrats gladly require photo IDs for many things that we need in our daily lives, yet they choose to lie that photo IDs as a requirement to vote oppress people. I believe we all know why they lie and block those laws. How many deaths of migrant children, based on dangerous caravans and human-smuggling operations, and how many deaths of innocents and cops at the hands of illegal aliens, must occur before Democrats will choose to follow the laws that Congress has already passed? How many deaths before Democrats will secure the border and before journalists will place the blame for the deaths where it actually belongs instead of ginning up racial hate by calling President Trump and others who oppose open borders "xenophobes"? Would we get President Trump's border wall if an illegal alien attacked or killed a Washington Post journalist? There is absolutely nothing progressive about a party that continually moves toward greater government power and continually reduces the freedom and power of the people. They should be called the regressive or oppressive party, as they want to remake America to move it backward and to make more people dependent on government. Tyranny happens when government becomes too powerful. Happy New Year to all, and I hope all journalists resolve to stop using Democrat talking points as a major component of what they report. If they don't, they should register as lobbyists for the Democratic Party and report all their in-kind campaign contributions. Despite being lauded by President Obama for signing the Paris U.N. climate change accord, China is still rapidly expanding greenhouse gas emissions. President Obama and China's President Xi Jinping issued a "U.S.-China Joint Presidential Statement on Climate Change" on March 31, 2016 stating that both nations were signing the Paris Accord and would take further "concrete steps" to "use public resources to finance and encourage the transition toward low carbon technologies as a priority." The joint statement on climate change was trumpeted as creating "an enduring legacy of the partnership." President Obama's "concrete steps" for the U.S. to combat climate change included issuing an executive order "Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change," directing the Environmental Protection Agency to cut 32 percent of power plant carbon emissions by 2025, mandating higher vehicle mileage, substantially limiting oil and gas drilling on public lands, and requiring energy-efficient building codes. The Heritage Foundation estimated that if the Paris Accord Obama signed were fully implemented, it would have achieved a 0.36-degree Fahrenheit reduction in global temperatures. But the economic costs of Obama's Paris commitments over the next 20 years would have included the loss of $2.5 trillion in GDP, 400,000 jobs, over $20,000 less income per family of four, and about 17 percent higher electricity prices. The Paris Accord also commits so-called "advanced nations" to providing $100 billion in "Green Climate Fund" subsidies for reparations to developing countries to fund infrastructure improvements. With the U.S. share already set at about $22 billion, Obama's "Joint Presidential Statement" committed the U.S. to increasing climate change subsidies. Despite already being the planet's largest contributor of greenhouse emissions at 22 percent, China was required by the Paris Accord to curtail emissions' growth only by 2030. China did commit to promoting a "global clean and low-carbon energy transition, especially towards sustainable, affordable, reliable and modern energy services." To quantify China's actions since signing the Paris Accord, the GWP Foundation issued an analysis titled "China's Climate U-Turn." According to the GWP analysis, China now has the world's largest number of renewable energy installations. But as a percentage of China's total electric power production, wind accounts for 2.7 percent, and solar accounts for just 0.5 percent. Given the higher costs of maintaining interruptible power, the Chinese authorities curtailed about 50 percent of wind unit potential production. Low utilization rates are also blamed on poor wind farm siting, failing to build power grid connections, and installing inefficient wind turbines. China's air pollution levels did decline last year due to a reduction in electric power produced from coal. But greenhouse gas emissions grew due to a 15-percent increase in the use of natural gas. As a result, China's annual pollution levels remained 72 percent higher than World Health Organization guidelines. Rather than planning for a post-carbon future, the International Energy Agency reported that China has been the world's largest oil-importer since 2013. China has signed new oil supply agreements with Oman, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Angola, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Congo, South Sudan, Brazil, Venezuela, and Canada. China is set to be the world's largest LNG-importer in two years and is building natural gas import pipelines from Russia, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Turkmenistan. To keep its domestic coal miners employed, China increased its consumption of coal last year for the first time since 2013. As part of its "Belt and Road" initiative, China has plans to build 700 coal-fired electric plants across the Eurasian plain. One of Donald Trump's first actions after being inaugurated as president of the United States was issuing an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Accord. China's state news agency Xinhua led media outlets around the world in calling the Trump's move a "huge setback" in the global battle against climate change. The official China news source deemed the move a U.S. retreat from the "common aspiration of mankind for a low-carbon future." Well, the contest is over, folks. The New York Times has made its selection for president for 2020, and all those Democrats out there can pack it up. Sorry, Beto. Too bad, Joe. Bye-bye, Bernie. The winner is...Kamala Harris! That's how goofy things have become, what with the paper of record tipping its choice even before any of the debates is out or any of the Democratic candidates (you know it's going to be a Democrat they endorse) has made his case to voters. The buildup is on. Blogger Ann Althouse (hat tip: Instapundit) has gotten a load of the Times' latest Kamala-love headline (which I noticed, too, so I bet it's plenty of people who've noticed), showing Harris as the first person in the Times' lineup of names of Democrats running for president, in some fluff piece on how, well, they're running. Althouse spotted another detail: that they placed Harris's op-ed calling for free health care right there in the top-right corner, which is prime real estate for a newspaper, as it is likely to be seen by readers, and something they rarely do for an op-ed. There plenty of evidence that's whom they are gunning for. Harris has been engulfed in scandals, from misappropriation of LAPD guards to a defense of false prosecutorial testimony to sex harassment from her aides that she claims to know nothing about to deceptive videos. I went to check on whether the Times gave any coverage to her last scrap with unethical behavior: her claim that she knew nothing about her top aide's involvement with sex harassment, which led to a $400,000 payout to a persecuted junior aide. Guess what: the Times wrote nothing. Do a search of "Larry Wallace" and "Kamala Harris," and nothing comes up. Do that same search on Google, and there's an explosion of stories, all derived from the Sacramento Bee's scoop. Funny how that happens. She's also not all that popular. She comes in dead last with 2% support among Democrats in a Harvard-Harris poll six months ago, which was the best I found, with Michael Bloomberg, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and all the others named ahead of her. Her Twitter feed, before Twitter culled it, was found to be loaded with fake followers, bots that pump up her follower numbers, suggesting she has more influence than she really does. Some politicians actually buy these bots for this purpose. Another reason may be that she's not exactly nice, as winning politicians tend to be. Based on what we have seen of her, she comes off as hard, mean, and intimidating Vishinsky-like, actually, given her performance in the Democrats' fiasco over the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. She lacks that smooth and mellifluous and weirdly optimistic/downerly quality that candidate Barack Obama once had. Despite these negatives, the Times has signaled it's already in the tank for her. Why her? Well, she "looks like" Obama, being multi-racial with a black element, and obviously well educated, going to all the right sorts of schools. Kind of brings back the Obama days, right? With a #MeToo thrown in, given that she's female. Harris also is rather good-looking, same as President Obama was, and good-looking enough to have been California Democratic powerdomo Willie Brown's mistress, which is how she got her leg up in politics. Not exactly the right way to be good-looking, but they're not covering those things, right? It's stylistic, and the Times has always been abnormally focused on style. You know, like the famous crease in the pants, right? She's also someone who wears the right clothes: stiff lawyer suits that make New York Times staffers, at least, comfortable. She used to require her staffers to wear suits and it's been reported that she yelled at them when they didn't. That crease in the pants stuff is serious in the case of Kamala, because, you know, the lawyer thang. The Democrats haven't even sorted out for themselves what kind of candidate they want to run against the populist President Trump, and here the Times is, weighing in to slant the race for its sort of person, the right sort of person, affirmative-actioned and from a proper deep blue coastal state. It's as if this sort of persona is the establishment now, because the Times, being the Times, always goes with the establishment. As for the voters, including the Democratic voters, well, let's see how this works out. Now that he's heading out of office, California's Gov. Jerry Brown has let his hair down as to what he really thinks of people who don't live on California's coast. Here's an exchange reported between Brown and MSNBC's Chuck Todd, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon: "You won your gas tax fight, but rural Californians didn't like it," Todd said. "No, they don't. They don't like a lot of things. They voted against housing bonds, they voted for the Republican Cox who didn't even make 40 percent," Brown said, referring to his reelection's vote margin. He then went on to divide residents of his own state into the categories of "red" and "blue," siding with the wealthier, more Democratic residents on the coast, who have a majority and want to raise taxes on rural Californians. "There is the same divide in California as in America. The red is different than the blue, and it is associated definitely with rural areas," he said. He certainly likes to kick them when they're down now that he won't have to face them at the polls anymore. It's particularly creepy because it skirts the facts of the matter: that rural voter are suffering from Brown's gas tax, and his only response to that is his lip-curling contempt for their sufferings. Those rural voters are hardest hit by Brown's gas tax, given that they must drive long distances and pay for gas used in farm machinery, which hurts their economic interests disproportionately. As for the gas tax, well, it's used to put in bike paths and construct more highways for the benefit of urban voters. The detested tax was put up for a vote in the midterms, and sure enough, it lost, based on, you guessed it, ballot-harvesting (pre-vote polls showed it would win). Brown's explanation of their anger is amazingly contemptuous: Brown cites the fact that urban and coastal voters far are more numerous than rural voters, and his logic suggests that because the urban voter numbers are bigger, they must be better. All in for tyranny of the majority, it seems. Majority Uber Alles, is that it? He could put some left-wing lawyers out of business on that logic if he really believed it. But in Brown's mind, it applies just to rural voters. It's the kind of statement that recalls the "Rockefeller Salute" given by Nelson Rockefeller, who on his political exit famously extended his middle finger to hecklers. Since he and his kind were known as "Rockefeller Republicans," that's pretty much all that's remembered of his political legacy. Brown is far more contemptuous of voters than Rockefeller ever was, maybe the result of his having grown rich in office, contrary to his Mister Austerity reputation from years ago. Now he's heading off to Colusa to live on a bucolic boutique ranch, what with the romance of nature and all (Marie Antoinette was all into that, too, with her "playing shepherd" thing), and good luck to him when his barn catches fire, his horses get out, his horses need evacuation from a fire, or his water tank springs a leak. Rural people survive by helping each other. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when Jerry Brown needs some ranch help from his neighbors some fine day. As for the rest of us, the main thing his latest insult reminds us all of is that he won't be missed. Image credit: Freedom to Marry via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. A Politico article by an experienced attorney, Nelson Cunningham, raises an interesting legal question: We're about to find out why the chief justice of the Supreme Court decided to get involved in the special counsel's investigation[.] ... So now, in abrupt fashion, Mueller's investigation has suddenly reached the Supreme Court, and with the personal attention of the chief justice, no less. Official portrait. Nelson Cunningham had served on the White House staff and has by now probably seen everything the DOJ, the White House, and Congress can do to each other, especially in the hothouse atmosphere of impeachment proceedings. I served on the professional staff of the House Committee on Rules and as the staff action officer for the impeachment inquiry of President Clinton. I knew Cunningham's office of General Counsel well. Invoking a connection between Chief Justice Roberts and Special Counsel Mueller is interesting, and that mystery will soon be solved. Beyond that big reveal being speculated about in the Politico article, Chief Justice Roberts is already directly connected to the Mueller Probe. Roberts is 100% responsible for all issues of any legal malfeasance engaged in by the FISA court. [T]he FISC judges are unique in American history and are the wholly owned responsibility of Chief Justice John Roberts, who alone appoints them. To take the great Harry Truman quote when president: "the buck stops here," the sacred social contract of his stewardship in owning the FISC-appointed judges means that the buck stops with the chief justice. It has now been made publicly transparent that Special Agent Peter Strzok and DOJ lawyer Lisa Page had plotted to connect and engage with a sitting FISA Court judge, Rudy Contreras. This illegal activity essentially judge-tampering is shameful all around, since the American people have given the Foreign Surveillance Court significant power that essentially abrogates important constitutional safeguards for all Americans. Taken from Chairman Nunes's memo as reported by CNN, Feb. 2, 2018: Due to the sensitive nature of foreign intelligence activity, FISA submissions (including renewals) before the FISC are classified. As such, the public's confidence in the integrity of the FISA process depends on the court's ability to hold the government to the highest standard particularly as it relates to surveillance of American citizens. Let's look at one possible entanglement of FISA that is most definitely not Russia, Russia, Russia! as it relates to a history of MI6 and the Clintons. Sir Richard Dearlove, now retired head of MI6, was station chief in D.C. when Hillary Clinton was first lady. Now fast-forward to the 2016 campaign. The Brits, with MI6 deeply involved, created the Steele dossier, and all profited handsomely. It was used by the FBI/DOJ in a CI investigation to spy on President Trump, his family, and many others. It is a foundational document for a massive fraud on Justice Roberts's personally supervised FISA Court. Again, from Chairman Nunes's memo, remember that Christopher Steele is MI6 (officially "retired" as if anyone ever really retires from the spy game). The "dossier" compiled by Christopher Steele (Steele dossier) on behalf of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Hillary Clinton campaign formed an essential part of the Carter Page FISA application. Steele was a longtime FBI source who was paid over $160,000 by the DNC and the Clinton campaign, via the law firm Perkins Coie and research firm Fusion GPS, to obtain derogatory information on Donald Trump's ties to Russia. So let's leave this dynamic and ongoing issue on this New Year's Eve with an issue of FISC "judge-tampering" by asking a simple question for Chief Justice Roberts: With the media and Mueller focusing on President Trump and Russian collusion, was the fraud on the FISC actually the brainchild of both the Brits and rogue DOJ/FBI individuals? After all, Mr. Chief Justice, they produced the dossier, and Steele was publicly supported by Sir Richard Dearlove. Cold weather no longer is acting as a deterrent to the marauding mobs of teenagers (of no particular demographic characteristic, according to Chicago mainstream media) roaming through Chicago's showcase shopping district along Upper Michigan Avenue around the Water Tower. News of the attack could not be ignored, because the famous Water Tower Place Mall had to be closed and because the mob sent an innocent bystander waiting on a subway platform to the hospital. CWB Chicago, the feisty neighborhood blog that does not shy away from facing Chicago's descent toward anarchy, reports: At least four people were injured and CTA Red Line traffic was snarled as large groups of teens and young adults brought havoc to the Magnificent Mile on Saturday evening. One arrest was made. Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd) tweeted at 7:47 p.m. that "Water Tower Place will be closing at 8 p.m. tonight due to mob action by large crowds of juveniles." The latest Mag Mile mob scene began around 5 p.m. when a victim reported being battered near the Red Line station at State and Chicago. A man was arrested in connection with that attack. At the same time, employees of a nearby McDonald's reported 50 teenagers fighting inside the restaurant at 10 East Chicago. After being pushed from the restaurant, the group headed to Water Tower Place, where a disturbance was reported on the second floor at 5:45 p.m. Police estimated the crowd to be 50- to 60-strong. Police moved the teens out of the mall and followed the group as it headed east toward the lake and then back to Water Tower, sparking widespread reports of assaults and fighting. By 6:30 p.m. the mob began making its way back to the Red Line station at Chicago and State. The H&M store reported being struck by a large number of shoplifters and the McDonald's again reported being overrun by the mob. Once on the Red Line platform, members of the group began beating up people at random. Three people filed police reports for battery and an ambulance was summoned to treat the victims. The subway station where the attack took place. Photo credit: Chicago Transit Authority. Thanks to a report in the Sun-Times that was later scrubbed but preserved by CWB, we know that: Yue Lei, 28, Chicago, was beaten by a group of teenagers about 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 while waiting for a train at the Chicago and State Red Line station. His glasses were broken and his hand, lip and eye were injured. As a later version of the report noted, Mr. Lei asked not to be identified: About 7:30 p.m., the victims were waiting for a train at the Chicago station, 800 N. State St., when the teens stepped onto the platform, according to Chicago police. One of the people in the group then asked a 26-year-old man if he was recording them, which he denied. The horde of teens then approached the man, a 29-year-old woman and her 28-year-old boyfriend and started punching them, according to police and the victims, who asked not to be named. All three were treated at the scene for bruising and lacerations, according to Chicago Fire Media Affairs. The 28-year-old, who has lived in Chicago for three years, said he later went to University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, where he learned that his eye socket was fractured. Mr. Lei evidently fears reprisals. His girlfriend, who traveled half the continent to be with him, told the Sun Times that he prudently is moving: The woman who was struck had traveled to Chicago to visit him from San Jose, California. Disillusioned by the violence, he now plans to move to a "safer area" and avoid public transportation. Second City Cop, the Chicago cop blog also unshackled from political correctness, asks the obvious question: [W]ait a second, was this a hate crime? Fifty against three? Damn once again, the media fails to describe even a single offender except as a "teen." The transit police promise close examination of CCTV footage. We'll see who, if anyone, is brought to justice. Meanwhile, Chicagoans can look forward to (or dread) the return of warmer weather. CWB remembers what warmer weather brings to Chicago's showcase shipping district. Its one thing to keep the mummified body of a thousand year old pharaoh or a monk in a glass case in a museum, and another to stuff the dead body of an African warrior and display it like a trophy along with wild animals. As recently as eighteen years ago, you could have seen him at the Darder Natural History museum in the city of Banyoles, near Barcelona, Spain. He was about four and a half feet tall, slightly stooped, shoulder raised, with a spear in one hand and a shield on the other. His charcoal-colored body was covered by a small orange loincloth wrapped around his waist. For the better part of a century, generations of Europeans gaped at the half-naked body of this nameless African bushman, who was known only as El Negro or The Black Man", before an international protest forced the Spanish government to send him back to his homeland in Botswana for a proper burial. El Negro is believed to have been a member of the Khoisan ethnic group, who lived and died somewhere in Southern Africa in 1831. His death and burial was witnessed by a French collector and trader of natural history specimens named Jules Verreaux, who returned to the burial site under cover of night along with some grave robbers and dug up the African's body. Verreaux intended to ship the body back to France and so he prepared and preserved the African warrior's corpse by using metal wire as a spine, wooden boards as shoulder blades and newspaper as a stuffing material. Then he shipped the body to Paris along with a batch of stuffed animals in crates. Shortly thereafter, the Africans body appeared in a showroom at No. 3, Rue Saint Fiacre. Verreaux received lots of praise for his effort and for his fearlessness for disregarding the dangers to his own life and stealing the body of a native. A reviewer for the newspaper Le Constitutionnel observed that individual of the Bechuana people" attracted more attention than the giraffes, hyenas or ostriches, and that the specimen was a curious one. He is small in posture, black-skinned, and his head is covered in woolly frizzy hair, the newspaper described. More than half a century later, El Negro was bought by a Spanish vet named Francisco Darder, who presented him in the world exhibition in Barcelona in 1888not in person, but in a catalogue where his sketch was reproduced. In 1888, this image of the taxidermied corpse of the Negro of Banyoles appeared in a catalogue of the Barcelona museum. In 1916, he was acquired by the Darder Museum in Banyoles, a small city at the foot of the Pyrenees. The museum curator applied a layer of shoe polish over him to make him seem blacker and mounted him on a pedestal incorrectly labeled as the "Bushman of the Kalahari". By then, his origins had been largely forgotten and he gradually came to be known as El Negro. For years, El Negro shared the museums Mammal Room along with several taxidermied apes and the skeleton of a gorilla. Few appeared to have been bothered that the stuffed black oddity was once a real man who had a name and identity and a life, until the early 1990s, when Alphonse Arcelin, a Spanish doctor of Haitian origin, wrote to the mayor of Banyoles in protest asking him to remove the African mans remains from display. Arcelins request received wide publicity, attracting the attention and support of many prominent persons around the world including Kofi Annan, the Assistant Secretary-General of the UN, who condemned the exhibit as "repulsive" and "barbarically insensitive", setting in motion the wheels that would eventually result in the return of El Negros remains to Botswanabut not without resistance. The Catalan people had grown very fond of their black man and were reluctant to hand him over. To show their love and support, local residents wore T-shirts with slogans such as "Keep El Negro" and "Banyoles loves you, El Negro." At Easter children were treated to miniature chocolate reproductions of him. The mayor defended the display. "We have mummies and skulls and even human skins in the museum," he said. "What is the difference between those things and a stuffed African?" The museums curator also agreed. "El Negro is our property. It's our business and nobody else's. Human rights only apply to living people, not to the dead. This is a museum that shows different races and cultures with adequate respect. It is a racial exhibit, and racism or morbidity may be a personal attitude from visitors which the museum does not foment.... [So] the talk of racism is absurd." It was not until March 1997 that the museum succumbed to mounting international pressure and removed the African from display. Three years later, it began its final journey home in a coffin wrapped in Botswana's national blue and white flag. On 5 October 2000, he was given a Christian burial at a public park in the city of Gaborone. The metal plaque on his tomb reads: El Negro Died c. 1830 Son of Africa Carried to Europe in Death Returned Home to African Soil October 2000 It is still not known who this "son of Africa" was, what was his true name, or exactly where he came from. Although an autopsy carried out in 1995 revealed that he probably died of pneumonia. He was about 27 years old. The tomb of El Negro in Tsholofelo Park in Gaborone, Botswana. LG Electronics has now officially decided to take part in a roughly $915 million lawsuit against Qualcomm in South Korea, joining Apple, Intel, MediaTek, and Huawei and siding with the countrys Fair Trade Commission (FTC) local sources report. The case originates from back in mid-2016 and centers around alleged breaches in fair trade rules for the region following over a year of investigations. Specifically, the US-based chipset manufacturer is said to have breached the rules with its collection of royalty fees related to its standard essential patents (SEPs). It collects those based on the value of the mobile device its chips are used in rather than a preset value placed on the computing hardware itself. Thats outside of the norm since chips are normally assigned a value and then sold at that cost rather than the total value of a smartphone, tablet, or other devices which includes value derived from non-Qualcomm components, features, and design elements. As the de facto number one supplier of smartphone chips the practice was bringing in over a billion dollars in revenue for the company from a huge array of OEMs in 2016. LGs participation bolsters the case The prior chapter of the case ended in 2016 with a $915 million fine against Qualcomm but a suit was filed in response to challenge that ruling, leading to the current situation. LGs decision to take part may actually bolster the FTCs case against Qualcomm and its defense of the initial findings of the court. Thats because the initial case had also included current leading global smartphone manufacturer Samsung siding with the government agency. The company has been among the top sources of income for Qualcomm, using the chipset makers Snapdragon SoCs in its flagships and other devices sold in the US and China as opposed to its in-house Exynos chips. Samsung dropped out of the case entirely after the two companies were able to reach a more favorable agreement for the Korean tech giant in 2018. That arguably removed one the FTCs most obvious examples highlighting how Qualcomms practices impact OEMs but LG could bring significant weight to shore up the agencys arguments. Advertisement Another case, stemming from the US Federal Trade Commission, could be used by the Korean FTC as well. A US court decided in November of this year that Qualcomms practices were not in keeping with the countries regulations. The determination was based on similar allegations to those made in the Korean courts and centered around Qualcomms apparent abuse of its position compared to rivals. Because Qualcomms networking innovations are now considered standard features but only available via Qualcomm chips, the company is now required to allow rivals to purchase licenses. That ruling is also part of a larger ongoing case pertaining to its license agreements effectively forcing manufacturers to agree to additional licensing directly from Qualcomm, stifling competition. The Korean FTC may be able to point to the US cases in support of the allegations that it is not participating in its respective market fairly and according to local laws. No end in sight for Qualcomm As shown above, Qualcomms troubles with licensing and associated court cases have been going on for quite some time now. Its most recent case is currently expected and likely to extend for at least a few more years, irrespective of previous rulings, in order to ensure that the correct ruling is made. LGs participation is going to have some impact on that but it isnt immediately clear whether it will serve to speed things up or slow the process. LG is all set to unveil a follow-up to its exoskeletal robotic suit, the LG CLOi SuitBot, at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, according to a recent announcement from the company. The new device will be specifically geared toward supporting the lumbar muscles of workers in industrial jobs, reducing the burden placed on the lower back and waist during heavy lifting. Worn around the waist with a portion extending to the lower back and another portion down to the wearers legs, the bot works by first detecting when the waist is bent beyond a preset threshold. As the users waist naturally adjusts to absorb the load being picked up, the bot applies a preset level of force, providing support against the strain. Beyond the slight change in focus for the second generation CLOi SuitBot, the new bot is also said to be easier to wear. The company indicates that it has also made changes to the fit of the exoskeleton but its size consequently, the weight of the device appear to be reduced as well. Building a foundation for industrial robotic augmentations LG first introduced CLOi SuitBot at IFA Berlin 2018, showcasing its vision for supporting workers to enable a safer work environment using wearable robots. That first-generation of the Korean tech giants exoskeleton had a more direct focus on limb support for the lower body. LG says that demand for those types of solutions has increased rapidly across a wide variety of industries from industrial environments to home, medical, and commercial settings, leading the company to expand its portfolio. It also points out that, according to BIS Research, the market for wearable robotics was set at just over $89.67 million as early as 2016 but will grow exponentially over the next 6 years. By 2026, the market research firm expects wearable robotics to reach a market value of around $4.483 billion at an increase of around 4900-percent, averaging growth of over 800-percent each year. LG plans to continue expanding its offerings in the wearable robotics space moving forward with the goal of taking and holding the top position in the category. Advertisement Keeping human workers alongside autonomous workers As with the previous CLOi SuitBot, LG also maintains that its goal is to augment workers alongside other inventions in order to keep a balance between humans and robotics. The new SuitBot simply improves flexibility to keep their back and waist stable, lasting for around 4-hours and requiring approximately an hour to charge up. Its also part of a larger ecosystem of robotics, including CLOi CleanBot, LawnBot, Home, GuideBot, PorterBot, ServeBot, CartBot, and others. Each is meant to work in tandem to improve efficiency and increase convenience in environments ranging from factories, airports, and hotels to grocery and other retail locations. LGs focus here doesnt seem to extend to any military applications for now. So it doesnt seem at all likely that anything like the Exo Suits from the Call of Duty franchise will be making its way into the news anytime soon. Although there is certainly at least some resemblance in the appearance of the AI-powered exoskeletal robot as shown in images of either generation of hardware. Microsoft may be working on a much more powerful wearable for its mixed-reality (MR) lineup based on newly approved patent documentation reviewed by Android Headlines. The WIPO-issued filing doesnt betray any details about what any such gadget might bring to the table but summarizes a cooling system for wearables. Excessive heat would be captured by the described invention via a component embedded within a wearables housing and quickly moved away and dissipated via a noncontiguous portion of the device that isnt necessarily part of the main housing itself. The energy would be also removed in a controlled manner while en route to its final dissipation along surface edges that a user wouldnt typically physically interact with. HoloLens or something else? At first glance, the patent would appear to apply to a new, more powerful version of Microsofts HoloLens device since the current iteration isnt powerful enough to really require an in-depth cooling system. Recent leaks have suggested that a more capable HoloLens is incoming, with Microsoft said to be viewing mixed reality as a must win segment of the technology market. The new device would be better in nearly every regard compared to the original head-borne wearable, which shipped with a custom in-house Holographic Processing Unit (HPU) built on Intels 32-bit architecture, backed up by 2GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. For the first-generation device, that and a two to three-hour battery drove two HD-rated 16:9 light engines onto its holographic lenses and AR functionality was supplemented by a 2-megapixel camera. The whole package weighed 579 grams. Even fairly substantial improvements on that wouldnt necessarily require a new cooling system however and the images associated with the patent dont seem to support that this is a next-generation HoloLens either. Advertisement In the new patent, the cooling would take place moving to the back or outer edge of the headset and the images show three different takes on that hardware. That includes what appears to be a sunglass-style wearable, a visor, and a more traditional-looking headset that could easily be mistaken for VR. In each case, the final point of heat dissipation is on the outer portion of the rear-most edge and in the latter two designs seems to be vented out through the same type of grating associated with fan-based systems. In the sunglass-style design, its output is at three key points along the outer edge of the frame with the inner portion of the frame reinforced to prevent the inner edge from getting hot. As described in the documentation, in the apparent fan-based designs, heat energy would actually be leaked out through that outer edge at key points not touched by the wearer in a controlled manner while traveling to the final dissipation point too. Theres no telling how close Microsoft may currently be to commercializing the newly discovered concept tech, with the idea being far from the only R&D avenue the company is presently pursuing in the wearable space; earlier this month, Android Headlines tracking peoples feelingslearned Microsoft pondered an AR solution for . High heat (usually) equals high performance Low-performance hardware and associated software used to accomplish the tasks HoloLens is generally needed for usually dont generate the types of heat that Microsoft seems to be accounted for with its new design. Its not unlikely that the designs showcased will be variations on a next-generation HoloLens but the implication may be that Microsoft is going to release several new devices. If thats the case, each will most likely fit into its own niche and market segment with varying performance and uses. The sunglasses style most closely resembles HoloLens and appears to have the least complex cooling but the other two designs are aesthetically closer to VR. The new cooling system might be able to support performance and graphics computations much more akin to VR as well. Its December 31, another year is behind us, and the smartphone industry has surely been through a lot over the last twelve months, even though 2018 actually wasnt that impressive in terms of mobile innovations. So, after sensibly gifting the worlds top Android smartphone makers, its time to take a look at the class of 2018 as a whole, see how their graduations went, and attempt to predict how theyll do in the big leagues moving forward, assuming no grand catastrophe takes place, which certainly isnt a given with some of these brands. ASUS still water runs deep Its easy to forget ASUS is an Android smartphone maker seeing how its mobile division doesnt put out countless devices on an annual basis but this year saw the Taiwanese tech juggernaut deliver arguably the best gaming handset ever in the form of the ROG Phone. While the device hardly made significant waves in terms of sales seeing how it has yet to be released in most target markets, its a promising sign of things to come; after Razer, Honor, and several other phone manufacturers, its ASUS thats now quietly leading the push for mobile gaming to be taken seriously, which is certainly a praiseworthy feat for an otherwise minor Android OEM and one thats promising more choice for consumers in the future. Advertisement Google I didnt choose the notch life, the notch life chose me Google had a rather underwhelming year in terms of its mobile division as it failed to continue the tradition of delivering best-in-class mobile camera and launched a device featuring whats widely criticized as the most unbecoming display notch ever. That isnt to say the Pixel 3 range is bad but it certainly failed to continue the momentum generated by the first two generations of the Android flagship family, at least in terms of industry-leading innovations. It remains to be seen whether the lineup at least sells well relative to the Pixel 2 family but whatever happens, Google will hopefully do a better job at mobile design in 2019. Advertisement HTC most likely to go bankrupt within the next three years HTCs downward spiral continued throughout 2018 with dwindling revenues accompanied by major job cuts, product streamlining efforts, and unit consolidation. While its still business as usual at the Taiwanese company, thats primarily due to the $1.1 billion it received from Google in January, exchanging it for a significant portion of its engineering talent and unrestricted access to its patent portfolio. So, while bankruptcy isnt an immediate concern, it certainly seems like a possibility, especially given how the firms near-term plans are essentially more of the same. Huawei most likely to be deported Advertisement 2018 was arguably Huaweis most ambivalent year to date. On on hand, the company set new commercial records and is already widely believed to have overtaken Apple as the worlds second largest manufacturer in terms of both sales and shipments. Then again, it also ended up being blacklisted by U.S. federal agencies in the telecom equipment market, faced an abundance of new accusations about posing a major spying threat due to its close ties to Beijing, and had its CFO arrested earlier this month. As things stand right now, the tech giant is on course of being completely marginalized if not outright banned in the U.S., which is bound to deliver a massive blow to its ambitions. LG insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results Advertisement If HTC deserves criticism because it isnt changing its core mobile strategy even in face of a consecutive decline, that goes doubly so for LG. Sure, its situation isnt nearly as dire and its business as a whole is presently actually generating historic profits but thats precisely why the South Korean company can afford to experiment and try something new. However, instead of opting for such an approach in order to attempt revitalizing its struggling Android smartphone division, the firm spent the entirety of 2018 launching what seems like a flagship per month. Not only did LG confuse its own customer base with this years chaotic mobile strategy but it also failed to truly dominate any particular aspect of contemporary smartphone tech despite releasing what felt like two ultra-premium devices for every flagship debuted by its (much more successful) rivals. Motorola alright guys, who replaced my vitamins with Ambien? It wouldnt be fair to say 2018 was Motorolas weakest year ever or even its worst year under Lenovos corporate umbrella seeing how the company did make some inroads in terms of raw commercial performance and distribution deals but it was just so forgettable. The fact that the former Google unit failed to release a single flagship over the course of an entire year for the first time ever likely contributed to that perception, though its not like Motorola lately had any significant success in the premium segment of the market. Still, when youre an Android OEM whose most significant annual achievement is outing a gimmicky accessory promising technology that isnt there for customers who dont exist that will become available for purchase at some point that isnt clearly defined, you certainly had a year to forget. In Motorolas case, most people already forgot, so heres to hoping this iconic company stops hybernating by spring. Advertisement Nokia dont fix what isnt broken HMD Global did what it set out to do this year; it continued growing the Nokia smartphone brand and expanding its reaches far beyond the shambles that was its Microsoft era. It hardly broke any new technological grounds while doing so and is actually now pursuing a product strategy thats more vanilla than ever but the Finnish firm is hardly pressed to fix what isnt broken. So, while stock Android isnt as exciting as it once was (read: most proprietary OEM implementations were horrible), HMDs decision to double down on it by fully embracing Googles Android One program and the fact that its contemporary Nokia devices are arguably the best-supported handsets in the world in terms of software updates even compared to Apples iPhones means the company can surely be pleased with what it accomplished in 2018. OnePlus most likely to be married next year Advertisement OnePlus should really think about changing its Never Settle tagline thats now more often used as a meme template than a marketing slogan. Between yet another wave of price hikes, headphone jack removals, and display notches, the Chinese firm certainly did no shortage of settling in 2018. None of that is to say its products arent worth buying; in fact, the OnePlus 6T is currently arguably the best option for consumers looking for flagship performance that doesnt cost an arm and a leg but the companys original advertising mantra now does a poor job of combining with its latest products. And thats not even a bad thing; flow production simply isnt possible without compromises and the fact that OnePlus is now making them means its still growing and might eventually become a truly serious rival to the handful of the worlds largest OEMs. After all, competition is always good news for consumers. Samsung forever young Advertisement Samsung had a rather weak year by its standards, perhaps due to an overall lack of innovation offered by its latest Android flagships, perhaps because the global market reached a boiling point of saturation, or perhaps because its competitors delivered outstanding products. Its weaker-than-expected performance is likely a combination of all three factors and then some, though the companys main mobile marketing campaign probably didnt help its sales, having been a mixture of generic lifestyle messages and gaming features. Thats right, Samsung is now advertising its most expensive devices traditionally targeted at productivity-oriented consumers as Fortnite machines. Whether this weak attempt at being hip continues into 2019 remains to be seen, though Samsungs forever-young marketing mantra hardly found a lot of success this year. Sony soul-searching is a lifelong quest Sonys mobile division is still in the process of finding its identity for the umpteenth time and didnt really impress over the course of this year; it was a year late to embracing minimal-bezel design and is still struggling with coding software that would do justice to its imaging hardware, as evidenced by the fact that the mobile photography experience offered by its 2018 Android flagships is still behind the likes of Samsung, Huawei, Apple, and Google, despite the companys best-in-class sensors. Heres to hoping Sonys ideas actually come to fruition next year as the market could certainly use more competition and as far as this year is concerned, the Japanese firm gave consumers little reason to buy its devices. ZTE life is a party and Im a pinata ZTE just endured one of its worst years ever, largely due to its issues with the U.S. government that brought it to the verge of bankruptcy due to its inability to adhere with the terms of a 2017 settlement as part of which it pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to violate trade sanctions imposed on Iran and North Korea. Yeah, pretty serious stuff for a company most American consumers know of solely due to the label on the back of their grandmas prepaid phone. While the Chinese state-owned manufacturer resumed normal operations in late summer, its current condition is far from healthy and with new allegations now emerging, not to mention reports that White House plans to ban its telecom products entirely, the Shenzhen-based OEM is likely in for another rough year. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 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 travelers with improved online connectivity. Internet access is free for public use throughout AUH terminals, allowing travelers 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 WiFi 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 travelers. 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 travelers. Super-Fi is not just WiFi, it is incredibly fast and reliable Wifi 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. Harvey Weinsteins assistant wasnt even allowed to have a copy of the NDA she signed, or talk about it with anyone at all unless they signed NDAs as well. She broke her silence because she decided it was an immoral agreement. Now, dubbed a #MeToo law, a California bill that goes into effect Jan. 1 would ban nondisclosure provisions in settlements involving claims of sexual assault, harassment or discrimination based on sex. Los Angeles Times Mrs. T and I went to Florida for the first time in 2009. Weve returned each winter since then to see shows. This year, though, were staying home. Thereby hangs a tale that is both frightening and hopeful. A couple of years before we first met, Mrs. T was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a chronic illness about which I had occasion toin todays. Its an extremely rare disease of the lungs and heart that develops slowly and is unusually hard to diagnoseso much so that Mrs. T almost certainly had it for several years before she, or anyone else, understood what was going wrong with her. Dont be surprised if youve never heard of pulmonary hypertension. Ive yet to meet anybody other than a doctor whos heard of it, unless theyve got it themselves or know someone who does. Part of the problem is that PH (as its known to those who have it) is an invisible illness. Were you to see Mrs. T sitting down, you wouldnt guess that there was anything wrong with her. This is one of the reasons why shes long been reluctant to talk about it, or to let me discuss it in public. Now shes changed her mind. She feels, as do I, that its time for both of us to start being open about what we deal with every day. Many people with invisible illnesses encourage their friends to read The Spoon Theory, an essay by Christine Miserandino in which she explains what its like to have a chronic illness. I commend it to your attention, as well as this article by another woman who suffers from PH: If you try to walk alongside me, you may notice that I need to slow down, or may have to try and catch my breath while speaking. You might notice me gasping for air if we had to walk up a hill or some steps. People with PH are often out of breath by the time they reach the third step in a flight of stairs. I may look perfectly healthy, but I have a lung-heart disease. Those are two very vital organs that needed to do the most basic of tasks that are often taken for granted, such as going up the stairs, or bending down to tie your shoes. PH gradually wreaks havoc on your stamina, enough so that Mrs. T, who was still able to lead a near-normal life when we met and for a few years afterward, is now quite frail and must use oxygen around the clock. The not-so-quiet purr of her oxygen concentrator has grown so familiar to me that I actually get nervous whenever Im home alone and its turned off. Pulmonary hypertension is incurable, and its also terminal if left untreated. Palliative therapies can help to relieve the symptoms, though only up to a point. To this end, Mrs. T takes a dozen pills each day and wears a medicine pump and an implanted venous catheter that deliver vasodilators to her lungs around the clock. The drugs that she takes, however, are in some ways as debilitating as the disease itselfshes usually somewhat nauseated and almost always in pain, as if she were on chemotherapyand over time they lose their therapeutic effect. We are, needless to say, as grateful as its possible to be to the doctors whove kept Mrs. T alive this long. They were betting against the house. When we met, late in 2005, her life expectancy was two years. I found that out by, which isnt the best possible way to learn the likely lifespan of someone with whom youve just fallen in love. It didnt matterI knew Id met the woman of my dreams and was determined to make the most of whatever time wed have togetherbut it still scared the hell out of me. Fortunately for both of us, brand-new treatments for PH became available shortly thereafter, which is why shes still around. Weve known all along, though, that a time was coming when the palliative measures that keep Mrs. T afloat would cease to be helpful. In preparation for that day, we entered the lung-transplant program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in 2010. I say we because you cant enter a transplant program alone: you must also have a spouse, domestic partner, or close friend who is prepared to make a firm, fully informed commitment to helping you get through the surgery and caring for you afterward. The good news is that a double lung transplant removes your diseased organs and gives you a fresh start. It is, to be sure, as drastic a procedure as it sounds, but once you enter the end stages of PH, its also the only alternative towell, lets call it the dark encounter. Its been evident to both of us for the past year or so that Mrs. T would soon reach the point where there was no longer any alternative to a transplant. The catch is that there simply arent enough donor lungs to go around in the New York transplant region. To donate the organs of a loved one is the greatest gift you can give, but one that not nearly enough peoplegive. Every fifteen hours, someone in New York dies while waiting for a donor organ. As this article explains, theres a yawning gap between saying that you believe in organ donation and being willing to walk the walk: Why dont more people donate? Its a touchy question, something non-donors arent necessarily keen to answer. But experts say there is a large disparity between the number of people who say that they support organ donation in theory and the number of people who actually register. In the U.K., for example, more than 90 percent of people say they support organ donation in opinion polls, but less than one-third are registered donors. For this reason,, the wonderful doctor at New York-Presbyterian who is in charge of Mrs. Ts care there, suggested to us earlier this year that we should consider simultaneously enrolling her in a second program located in a different transplant region where organs are less scarce. So we had her evaluated last month by Philadelphias, and Penn subsequently accepted her into its lung-transplant program. All of which brings us to the reason for this posting. If you need a transplant, the time will eventually come when youre put on an active waiting list. Once that happens, youre on call 24/7. When the call comes, youre expected to go straight from wherever you are to the hospital, with no stops along the way. Very often its a false alarmthe organs, for example, may prove on closer inspection not to be suitable for transplantbut if it isnt, youll be on the operating table a few hours later. If you read this blog with any regularity, you know that Mrs. T and I have been profoundly happy throughout the decade weve spent together. Nevertheless, she is, as the saying goes, sick and tired of being sick and tired, which is why shes ready to roll the dice and undergo a double lung transplant as soon as organs become available. Dr. Arcasoy and his colleagues think shes ready, too, so New York-Presbyterian will be listing Mrs. T for transplant later this month. We expect Penn to follow suit shortly. Both of us will soon be keeping our cellphones charged and on at all times, since theres no telling when the call might come. It might be next Saturday at three in the morning, or six months from now. Thats the way it goes with transplants: you never know until the phone rings, though weve been told that you do tend more often than not to get called in the middle of the night. Weve been through this before, sort of. It looked as though Mrs. T were going to be listed a couple of years ago, and we let ourselves get excited enough to tell our friends that the Great Day was coming. No such luck. It didnt happen, and our disappointment was palpable. This time, though, its definitely the real right thing, not just at one transplant center but in two different cities at once. Just in case you were wondering, Im proud beyond belief to be the husband of and caregiver to so gallant a woman. It is a joy for me to make her life as easy as I possibly can, and there has never been anyone with whom Ive loved staying home more than her. Donald Hall said it: Nursing her I felt alive in the animal moment, scenting the predator. Her death was the worst thing that could happen, and caring for her was best. I hasten to add that the caregiving in our little family unit of two has never been a one-way affair! Mrs. T has given me at least as much pleasure and inspiration as Ive tried to give her. I have no idea where she finds the strength to cope with the day-to-day demands of the illness that has slowly gnawed away her physical vitality, or how she manages to keep her spirits so improbably high, even on the increasingly frequent days of total exhaustion that those who suffer from PH refer to as couch days. Alas, shes needed a steadily increasing amount of care in recent years, and will need still more in the weeks and months to come, not just from me but from our family and friends. We have no doubt that they will rise to the occasion, just as Ive tried to do so to the very best of my ability. Anyway, thats why were not going to Florida in January. Love it though we do, its too far away from New York and Philadelphia for us to respond in a timely way to the Big Call, and Mrs. Ts lungs and heart are no longer up to the stress of air travel. We tried taking a train two years ago, but it didnt work out very well. So the sunshine will have to wait. I should add that Ill still be flying down to West Palm Beach next Monday to rehearse Billy and Me, my new play. I agreed to do so long before we had any idea that Mrs. T would be listed in November, and shes made it clear that she expects me to honor my promise. While Im gone, shell be watched over by her family in Connecticut. Theyll stand ready to rush her to the hospital if need be, at which time Ill catch the first thing smoking. Otherwise, Ill return to her side as soon as the curtain goes up, putting my traveling shoes in the closet for the duration. We both know what were getting into. Anyone whos been in a transplant program is left in no doubt about what is to come. Mrs. Ts post-transplant life will be upended in countless ways both large (shell be under close medical supervision for the rest of her life) and small (no more raw oysters ever again!). We know, too, that no transplantto put it very,mildlyis a sure thing. But if we get lucky and do just what were supposed to do, shell also be able to turn off her oxygen concentrator for good and give it to someone who cant afford one. And after that? In the short run, shell gladly settle for being able to walk up a flight of stairs without having to gasp for breath. Beyond that, were drawing up a list of Things to Do After the Transplant. Foremost among them is to go back to Florida and spend hours each day walking up and down the shelly beaches of Sanibel Island, our favorite place in the world. Its been a long time since Mrs. T has had enough strength to take such walks with me. Were ready to begin again. One last thing: if you havent signed up to be an organ donor, please do so now, and encourage your friends to do likewise. The life you save could be that of the woman I love. * * * Mabel Mercer and Buddy Barnes perform The Best Is Yet to Come, by Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh, at New Yorks Town Hall in 1969: Louis C.K. Mocks Shooting Victims in Controversial New Stand-Up Trending News: Louis C.Ks New Stand-Up Is Getting Destroyed on Twitter Louis C.K. is trending again nearly 13 months after being accused by five women of sexual misconduct. A 48-minute audio recording of a recent stand-up show of his leaked to YouTube on Sunday, December 30,, and included jokes from C.K. about the Parkland shooting survivors and gender identity. Mocking Parkland Victims In the audio clip, labeled on the since-removed YouTube video as a December 16 show at Governors Comedy Club in Levittown, New York, the disgraced comedian mocks the younger generation, calling them fking boring. He also rips todays youth for identifying as gender neutral and wanting to use gender neutral pronouns. Related: Confused About Transgender People? That's OK - Here's What You Should Know A 2-minute clip of the routine has been posted on Twitter. i mean he's like a RW comic now. hes milo pic.twitter.com/QYOGI7TrGa jack allison (@jackallisonLOL) December 31, 2018 "They tell you what to call them. 'You should address me as they/them because I identify as gender neutral, the comedian said. OK, OK You should address me as there because I identify as a location and the location is your mother's ct!" He also took aim at the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, whose classmates were killed during the Parkland, Florida, massacre on February 14. "They testified in front of Congress, these kids. Like, what the fk? What are you doing? You're young. You should be crazy. You should be unhinged, not in a suit saying, 'I'm here to tell ...' Fk you. You're not interesting 'cause you went to a high school where kids got shot. Why does that mean I have to listen to you? How does that make you interesting? You didn't get shot!" C.K. ranted. "You pushed some fat kid in the way, and now I got to listen to you talking?!" Twitter Reacts The routine struck a nerve on Twitter, with many accusing him of being overly offensive. ANY CELEBS CHIME IN YET? And masturbator-at-large Louis C.K. mocking the articulately outspoken teenagers from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is the epitome of punching UP. pic.twitter.com/03BuLli3mj Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) December 31, 2018 LouisCK even trying for a comeback is crap, but him mocking the Parkland survivors is beyond despicable. There is no comedy there at all. David Wilson Brown (@davidwbrown) December 31, 2018 This is disgusting, offensive, insensitive, inappropriate & just wrong. @Emma4Change, @davidhogg111, @AMarch4OurLives, @StoriesUntoldUS, @students4c & others have done more in 10.5 months to make this world safer than you have in your life. Shame on you. Act like youre 51! https://t.co/zPTlb3LKYH Sarah Lerner, CJE (@mrs_lerner) December 31, 2018 To anyone who knows Louis CK, please deliver this message for me. My daughter was killed in the Parkland shooting. My son ran from the bullets. My wife and I deal with loss everyday. Why don't you come to my house and try out your new pathetic jokes? https://t.co/tZI9ThSciR Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) December 31, 2018 Not His First Controversial Set After being accused of sexual misconduct in November 2017, which included allegedly masturbating in front of women without their consent, C.K. lost his production contract with FX Networks. The 51-year-old, apologized publicly, saying he would step back and take a long time to listen. In August, he was already back trying out new material at the Comedy Cellar in New York. As with this recent set, the routine was controversial. Two women who were in attendance told Vulture that the former Louie star made a rape joke. One of the women called it so disgusting. You Might Also Dig This also happens to be the worst incident to date, with the Senna involved having sustained what appears to be serious damage. The hypercar caught fire and while we can only see footage of the aftermath, so things aren't entirely clear.In fact, here's what an emergency responder's take on the matter: "I responded to a call of an automobile on fire. As far as I know there was no vehicle collision. It is still unclear as to what the cause of the fire was @chp_westvalley is handling the investigation. Both occupants of the vehicle walked away without any injuries,"You can check out an image of the bashed McLaren Senna in the Instagram post at the bottom of the page. We've also added a YouTube video, which perfectly illustrates the story - nobody seems to know what actually caused the fire. However, there are a few aspects we are aware of.This is the McLaren Senna owned by YouTuber Salomondrin and the vlogger is fine, since he released a clip after the machine was consumed by the flames (you'll have to prepare for his aggressive attitude, though, which seems to be a constant).The accident took place in Los Angeles, which is where the social media figure lives, with the said video showing multiple post-incident scenes.Given the damage visible in the video, the insurance company that handles the case might decide to write off the 800 horsepower machine.On the other hand, McLaren is always willing to rebuild such creations. After all, the British automotive producer is only bringing 500 units of the hypercar to the world. And here's to hoping this velocity monster returns to the road.We'll remind you that the previous accidents, which did not involve fire, took place in the UK. The first happened in November and saw the Senna touching a wall. As for the second, this took place in traffic, with at least two other vehicles being involved. Yes. The Space Station is done. Maybe. I'd like to see the plan first. Target Mars now. No way, no how. The family of the first officer of the Lion Air Flight 610 is suing Boeing, claiming the 737 MAX he was helping to fly was unreasonably dangerous when it crashed into the Java Sea in late October. The pilot, who went by the single name Harvino, was among 189 people onboard when the aircraft dove into the ocean at high speed shortly after takeoff from Jakarta on Oct. 29. The suit, which is being handled by the Chicago firm of Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona, and was filed in Cook County. It also alleges the aircraft manuals didnt adequately explain the stall prevention system that is the focus of the investigation into the crash. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing unnamed sources, that improper maintenance may have been a factor. The publication reported Friday that improper calibration of an airspeed sensor started the sequence of events that led to aircraft putting itself into a dive that the pilots couldnt pull out of. The airline has rejected any claims that faulty maintenance was a factor in the crash. It is also suing Boeing as are the passengers. The suits are being filed in Chicago because thats where Boeing maintains its head office. Image: Airnoise Imagine you live close to a major airport, and since NextGen has changed many air routes in the last few years, a lot more noisy airplanes fly right over your house. Now its easy for those citizens to file a noise complaint instead of facing hours of paperwork, they can just push a button on a thumb-size device like those used by Amazon shoppers to order household goods. Barbara Deckert, who lives in suburban Maryland, told the Washington Post she has filed thousands of complaints: Clicking that button is really psychologically satisfying. Airports in areas where dismay over noise is common say they have seen dramatic increases in complaints since the Airnoise device became available. According to the Post, officials at BWI believe Airnoise is why complaints surged from 2,692 in July to 17,228 in August.The Airnoise website says so far they have logged more than a million complaints at 29 U.S. airports. They also say they plan to soon release iOS and Android apps to make it even easier to file a report. This year was largely spent in a protective crouch, with disaster looming in a number of global hot spots and all of them are still looming in 2019. Why it matters: The major calamities we feared in 2018 didn't get resolved they've merely been deferred. North Korea still has nuclear weapons. The trade war isn't over. The post-World War II global order is crumbling under threat from populism, adversaries like China and Russia, and a failure to solve systemic problems. Economic recession, a threat multiplier, is looking increasingly likely. North Korea: Pyongyang recently signaled that it will not give up its nuclear stockpile until the American nuclear threat to North Korea is eliminated. The North Koreans have skipped or postponed several meetings with the U.S., and made sporadic warnings of escalation. President Trump insists theres no hurry, but the direction of travel seems to be backwards. After the Singapore summit, a well-wired North Korea watcher told me his prediction was that Trump would go along with the process until he sees enough commentary that he was being played, and lashes out. That scenario remains possible. As Van Jackson, a former Pentagon strategist and author of the new book told me Iran: When Trump announced in May that he was unilaterally withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, there were concerns of an arms race, or even a war. So far Iran has stayed in the deal, along with Americas European allies. But with crippling sanctions again taking hold, and the U.S. hinting at a desire for regime change, there's always the possibility that Iran will change tack and that the U.S. and Israel will respond if it does. Another worrying scenario is the possibility of escalation between Israel and Iran Europe: The leaders of Europes three powers Germanys Angela Merkel, Frances Emmanuel Macron and the U.K.s Theresa May have been battered, but are still standing. They all look set for more troubles in 2019. Brexit Day is just three months away, and theres no deal in sight. Migration continues to rattle the establishment (just look at Belgium, where the government fell this month). The nationalist bloc is growing, and the liberal vs. populist divide on the continent will only intensify around European Parliament elections in the spring. What to watch... Trade: Were one-third of the way through Trumps 90-day trade ceasefire with China. If he follows through on his threats to more than double existing tariffs and add new ones, the economic impacts would be extreme. Thats not to mention potential flashpoints in Taiwan and the South China Sea, or the existential question of what Chinas rise means for the West. Were one-third of the way through Trumps 90-day trade ceasefire with China. If he follows through on his threats to more than double existing tariffs and add new ones, the economic impacts would be extreme. Thats not to mention potential flashpoints in Taiwan and the South China Sea, or the existential question of what Chinas rise means for the West. Ukraine: The confrontation between Russia and Ukraine continues to simmer following Russias seizure of three naval vessels and 24 sailors last month. Upcoming elections in Ukraine make the situation dicier still. The confrontation between Russia and Ukraine continues to simmer following Russias seizure of three naval vessels and 24 sailors last month. Upcoming elections in Ukraine make the situation dicier still. Middle East: Trumps decision to pull troops from Syria could further embolden Bashar al-Assad, or lead to fighting between Turkey and Americas Kurdish allies. His planned Afghanistan withdrawal also poses risks. Now, Trump has lost a steadying presence in Defense Secretary James Mattis as well. The bottom line: The worst-case scenario is rarely the likeliest, and there's cause for optimism out there as well. But these crises-in-waiting bubbled up during a pretty good year for the global economy. Imagine what happens if and when recession hits. President Trump is sending Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Brazil on Monday in a show of support for the Jan. 1 presidential inauguration of right-wing nationalist Jair Bolsonaro. In a press call previewing Pompeo's visit, the U.S. State Department said that Chinas predatory trade and lending practices would be among the topics of discussion with Bolsonaro and Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo. The big picture: The Trump administration hopes that Bolsonaro, who has jolted his countrys political establishment and promised to be similarly disruptive in the foreign policy arena, will join its effort to combat growing Chinese influence in Latin America. But while Brazil's new leader criticized China on the campaign trail, he's likely to assume a more pragmatic attitude toward Beijing once in office. Bolsonaro struck a combative tone toward China during his presidential campaign. In February, he traveled to Taiwan, which he has repeatedly termed a "country," in defiance of Beijing's "One China policy" that defines Taiwan as a province of China. In an October television interview, Bolsonaro warned that China is buying Brazil," and asked, "Are you willing to leave Brazil in the hands of the Chinese? Yes, but: On Nov. 5, shortly after his election, Bolsonaro met with the Chinese ambassador to Brazil and pronounced China a great cooperation partner. While Bolsonaro publicly disinvited Venezuela and Cuba from his inauguration, he stopped short of similarly disinviting China, which is sending one of President Xi Jinping's special envoys to attend. Between the lines: China surpassed the U.S. to become Brazils largest trading partner in 2009, driven by Chinese appetite for soybean and mineral products. Chinese investment flows in Brazil surged to a 7-year high of nearly $21 billion in 2017. Bolsonaro's nationalist inclinations and skepticism of Chinese communism will be constrained by the hard realities of China's importance to Brazil's economy, and its prognosis for recovery. The bottom line: Absent a clear plan from Brazil to reduce its economic reliance on China, the Trump administration should have modest expectations for the Bolsonaro government's willingness to maintain a strong stance in opposition to Chinese engagement with Latin America. Daniel P. Erikson is managing director at Blue Star Strategies and a senior fellow at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement. Lime vowed Tuesday that all rides on its electric scooters and bikes worldwide will be "carbon neutral." It's the first part of a wider, newly announced initiative called "Lime Green." Why it matters: There's growing attention to the environmental impact of shared mobility services notably ride-hailing, but other forms as well that are altering the shape of urban transit. Bike and scooter companies tout themselves as greener alternatives to cars, and steps to make up for the emissions from electricity used to charge the vehicles can help Lime make that case. Lime's move also comes as players in the growing dockless transit market try to differentiate themselves from their competitors. What they're doing: Lime said it's partnering with NativeEnergy, a firm that provides carbon offset and renewable energy credit services. "[Lime] will purchase renewable energy credits from both new and existing projects for the electricity used to charge its fleet of bikes and electric scooters," the company said. Lime also said it will buy carbon offsets that is, help fund climate-friendly projects to displace the emissions from company operations, including the fossil fuels used by fleet management vehicles. What's next: The company said a subsequent phase of the Lime Green effort will involve purchasing "clean energy" directly from power companies, exploring use of on-site solar power, and making its operations more efficient. The details: Lime said its work with NativeEnergy will include investments in an Iowa solar project and buying power from the Capricorn Ridge, an existing wind farm in Texas, in order to "green our fleet in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio." The company did not provide information about the costs of the new initiatives, but said they will not raise prices for consumers. Vice Admiral Scott Stearney, the top admiral overseeing United States Naval forces in the Middle East, was found dead in his residence on Saturday in Bahrain, CNN reports. Driving the news: The death is still being investigated by officials from both the U.S Navy and Bahrain. At this time there is no evidence of foul play. The U.S. Navy's forces in Bahrain are seen as critical to U.S. security because of the conflicts with Iran and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen that could present threats to shipping in the region, per CNN. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a press conference in Rio de Janeiro on Monday that the Trump administration doesn't want to present its Middle East peace plan before Israel's early elections on April 9. Why it matters: After Netanyahu announced the snap elections last week, a White House official said the administration would consider them as it deliberated on the timing of the plan's launch. But Netanyahu has now publicly stated that the White House will postpone the publication of the plan, saying, "It is their calculation and I am not sure they are wrong that allowing a discussion about the peace plan after the elections in Israel is better than having such a discussion before an election when the whole debate will be totally different." Go deeper: Trump, top advisers to meet about launch of Middle East peace plan Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Monday that he has reached an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on new prices of Russian natural gas for Armenia which will be set in 2019. Yesterday I spoke twice with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone, he said in a live Facebook transmission. The theme of those phone conversations was the price of natural gas supplied to Armenia. I can say that we found a solution, at least for the foreseeable future. Pashinian announced that he and Putin agreed that Armenias national gas distribution network owned by Gazprom will pay more for the gas supplied by the Russian energy giant. Nevertheless, he said, the price will remain unchanged for Armenian consumers as a result of our certain internal adjustments. He did not elaborate. Gazprom reported later on Monday that its chairman, Alexei Miller, and Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigorian signed a deal raising the wholesale gas price from $150 to $165 per thousand cubic meters. In a statement, the Russia gas monopoly said it will continue to negotiate with the Armenian government on the structure of internal gas tariffs in the South Caucasus state. The Gazprom-Armenia network has paid its parent company $150 per thousand cubic meters under a previous Russian-Armenian deal that expired on December 31. Putin and Pashinian failed to agree on a new tariff when they met in Moscow on December 27. Miller and Grigorian also reported no agreements after holding talks in Saint Petersburg on December 28. Gazprom-Armenia cut its retail prices for Armenian households and corporate consumers in late 2016. Its chief executive, Hrant Tadevosian, complained in November 2018 that the company has operated at a loss since then. It is not yet clear whether it will be compensated by the Armenian government for the higher gas price and the resulting of loss of revenue. Pashinian insisted that unlike in the past Armenia will not incur any debts or hand over any energy assets to Russia as a result of his latest understandings with Putin. He said nothing about political concessions to Moscow. Gazprom cut the wholesale price for Armenia from about $190 to $165 per thousand cubic meters in 2015 and on to $150 in 2016. Nagorno-Karabakhs three leading parliamentary parties have called on authorities in Armenia to release Robert Kocharian, the Karabakh-born former president facing coup charges, from custody. In a joint statement issued over the weekend, the Free Fatherland, Democratic Artsakh and Movement-88 parties said Kocharian should be freed pending investigation given his considerable contribution to the establishment of the two Armenian republics. The largest of those parties, Free Fatherland, is led by Ara Harutiunian, who was Karabakhs prime minister until June 2018. Democratic Artsakh is headed by the Karabakh parliament speaker, Ashot Ghulian, while Movement-88 claims to be in opposition to the authorities in Stepanakert. Kocharian was again arrested on December 7 on charges of illegally using Armenian army units against opposition supporters who protested against alleged fraud in a disputed presidential election held in February 2008. He strongly denies the accusations, saying that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian is waging a political vendetta against him. Born and raised in Karabakh, Kocharian was one of the leaders of the 1988 movement for the Armenian-populated territorys unification with what was then Soviet Armenia. He became Karabakhs top government official in 1992 during its war with Azerbaijan. Kocharian, 64, governed Karabakh until becoming Armenias prime minister in 1997. He served as the countrys president from 1998-2008. The Karabakh parties called for the ex-presidents release two days after the unrecognized republics president, Bako Sahakian, met with Pashinian in Yerevan. Sahakians office said vaguely that they discussed cooperation between Armenia and Karabakh in different areas. Pashinians press service issued no statements on the meeting. The two men met for a second time since Pashinians public spat with Karabakh Armenian leaders which erupted during Armenias recent parliamentary election campaign. One of the Armenian premiers key political allies, Sasun Mikaelian, declared during the campaign that this springs protest movement that brought Pashinian to power was more important than the Armenian victory in the 1991-1994 war for Karabakh. Mikaelians remark was condemned by Armenian opposition politicians as well as senior officials in Stepanakert, including the spokesmen for Sahakian and General Levon Mnatsakanian, the then commander of Karabakhs Armenian-backed army. Pashinian accused the critics of misinterpreting what Mikaelian meant to say. He specifically lambasted the Karabakh leadership, accusing it of meddling in the Armenian parliamentary race. Mnatsakanian was sacked on December 14. By Abdul Kerimkhanov December 31 is the day of the universal unity of the Azerbaijani nation. This holiday plays an important role in establishing contacts with Azerbaijanis living in different countries, building solidarity among them. Celebrating Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis has become a spiritual necessity for all the world Azerbaijanis. Azerbaijanis have been living in the territory of Azerbaijan, their native land for thousands of years, making a great contribution to world civilization. As a result of wars, revolutions, military conflicts, and various social and political processes in the world, Azerbaijan was fragmented, and some of the Azerbaijanis were separated. There are also Azerbaijanis living in other countries, leaving their homeland for employment and studying. Thus, the Azerbaijanis spread from the historical Azerbaijani lands to the whole world. At present, they live in many countries around the world. Large Azerbaijani communities have been established in Russia, Ukraine, other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Baltic states, Europe, America, and Eastern countries. Today more than 50 million Azerbaijanis live in the world. World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day was laid at the end of December 1989 when opening borders (USSR-Iran borders) in Nakhchivan. Border poles between North and South Azerbaijan have been destroyed. Meanwhile, the Turkish-speaking Peoples Conference was held in Istanbul. The conference has decided to celebrate the solidarity of Azerbaijanis in the world. The Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Heydar Aliyev, declared December 31 as the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day on December 16, 1991, taking into account the importance of creating a unity of world Azerbaijanis. Now, World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day is celebrated by Azerbaijanis in more than 70 countries around the world. As time passes, the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis is gaining more and more importance, because every year each of us feels stronger the need for unity among our compatriots, regardless of whether they live in their historical homeland or in a foreign land. Along with the active participation in economic, public and political life of countries in which they live, the Diaspora have received the broad options to represent the culture, wealth, language, history and traditions of Azerbaijani nation. It is the firm belief of every Azerbaijani that by doing his or her utmost and sparing no effort through consolidation of activities they will develop and prosper in the future to come. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Trend: 2018 was a successful year for Azerbaijan, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev in his congratulation to the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis and New Year. "Dear compatriots. Year 2018 is nearing the end. It is possible to say with certainty that 2018 was a successful year for our country. Our country has developed successfully in all directions. Azerbaijan has asserted itself as a strong country in the world. Our international positions have consolidated further. This year I have made 16 foreign trips. Sixteen heads of state and government have visited our country, which shows how widespread our bilateral relations are. At the same time, Azerbaijan has been successfully operating within international organizations. We have managed to secure a worthy place in the international arena. Our relations with neighboring countries have risen to an even higher level. This is very important for each country, including Azerbaijan. The work we are doing in the political, economic and other spheres together with our neighbors strengthens stability in the region. As for stability, I can say that tensions, risks and threats are rising in the world, but Azerbaijan is a place of stability. In 2018, our people lived in peace and stability. The main reason and source of this stability is the unity between the people and the government. We have further strengthened our relations with the European Union. The Partnership Priorities document signed between the European Union and Azerbaijan this year is a manifestation of the high level of these relations. This document clearly states thoughts on the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of our borders and shows again that the European Union adheres to the right position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Our role in Islamic solidarity issues is growing. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation gives a high assessment to our policy in this area and we can say with full confidence that Azerbaijan has strengthened its strong role in the Muslim world. The attention, respect and sympathy we enjoy in the Muslim world shows that Azerbaijan has achieved great success in this area as well. This year, the issue of the legal status of the Caspian Sea was also resolved. This is a historic achievement. As you know, this issue remained unresolved for years. However, it has now been resolved and Azerbaijan has made a valuable contribution to that. We remain committed to our principled position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Our position is fair. Our position is fully consistent with the norms and principles of international law. Nagorno-Karabakh is ancient Azerbaijani land. The whole world recognizes the territorial integrity of our country. The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be resolved only within the territorial integrity of our country. The resolutions of the UN Security Council must be fully implemented and the occupying forces must unconditionally withdraw from our lands. I can say that Azerbaijan made very serious steps to resolve this conflict in 2018. As you know, the regime of criminal and corrupt junta that which remained in power in Armenia for 20 years has collapsed and this represents a complete failure of Armenia's aggressive policy against Azerbaijan. I can also say that our thought-out, focused and principled policy against Armenia has yielded fruit. We have isolated Armenia from all regional and international projects, and our share in the collapse of the Armenian economy is quite large. I think there is a new situation for the settlement of the conflict today. I do hope that 2019 can be a breakthrough year in this area. Along with this, of course, I think that our strong military potential is a key factor for the resolution of the conflict. In recent years, we have significantly enhanced our military power. Today, the Azerbaijani army is among the strongest armies in the world. This year's military parade in our country shows our strength, the great potential of strong army. The Azerbaijani army has the most modern weapons and equipment, a very high combat potential, and we proved this again this year. The Azerbaijani army has carried out a successful operation in the Nakhchivan direction of the Azerbaijani-Armenian border and is now in control of 11,000 hectares of land. The takeover of strategic heights enables us to exercise full control over important communications and routes passing through Armenia. We will continue to increase our military power. We want to settle the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully, and our participation in the negotiations is a clear proof of that. However, everyone knows and should know that the military factor plays a special role for the solution of the conflict, and we will increase our military power further. A great deal has been done for the IDPs this year. New homes and apartments for 5,800 IDP families were built and made available to them. This is a record figure in recent years. A total of 626 apartments were given to martyr families and those handicapped in the Karabakh war, and we will continue this policy next year. Of course, all this requires a strong economy, which we do have. Today, Azerbaijan does not depend on anyone in terms of economic development. Azerbaijan's economy is independent and represents a factor that strengthens our independent policy. This year, the gross domestic product has grown, the non-oil sector has grown, industrial production has grown, and the non-oil sector has grown by more than 9 percent. Our exports grew by about 40 percent. $10 billion has been invested in the country's economy. The World Bank's latest "Doing Business" report ranks Azerbaijan 25th in the world. This shows that our reforms, transparency and major economic transformation are producing results, and the World Bank appreciates it. We attach great importance to modern technologies. This year, our third satellite was launched into orbit. This is a great event. Azerbaijan is a member of a limited club of space-faring nations and we are strengthening our positions in this field. This year, the Southern Gas Corridor was officially opened. In May, we celebrated this magnificent event. This is a great and historic achievement. At the same time, TANAP project was officially opened in June this year, and thus great opportunities were ushered for the completion of the Southern Gas Corridor. It is our historic achievement and the people of Azerbaijan will benefit from these projects for decades to come. This year, we celebrated the opening of the Alat Trade Seaport. This is also a historic project. Azerbaijan is becoming a very important transport hub not only of the region but also of Eurasia. The North-South and East-West corridors pass through our territory. A very strong transport infrastructure will enable us to use our transit capabilities with great efficiency. As you know, by my order earlier this year, year 2018 was declared a Year of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. We extensively celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic both in our country and in many foreign states. The present-day Azerbaijan is the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Azerbaijan has never been so strong and so independent in history. Azerbaijan has never been so liberal. This year, the presidential election was held in our country. The Azerbaijani people once again showed confidence in me and gave a high assessment to my work. Over the past 15 years, I have been working as President and serving my people with dignity. I will try to do my utmost for the further development of Azerbaijan, for the strengthening of Azerbaijan and for the prosperity of the people. I have one mission: to build a strong Azerbaijani state and serve the people with dignity. It is the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis today. Taking this opportunity, I extend my greetings to all Azerbaijanis, to all our compatriots living in the world, and wish them every success. Dear fellow countrymen, dear sisters and brothers. I sincerely wish you a Happy New Year and the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis. Happy Holidays!" - said President Ilham Aliyev in his congratulatory address. Trend: Iran will increase its gasoline output to 100 million liters per day, Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said, Trend reports citing IRNA. In the near future, the third phase of Setareh Khalij Fars Refinery will come into stream; therefore, the volume of oil production will rise to 100 million liters per day, Zangeneh said. He noted that the nominal capacity of the third phase of Setareh Khalij Fars Refinery is 36 million liters and will come to stream during this Iranian calendar month (started December 22). Iran has planned to become self-sufficient in gasoline production since several years ago. Elsewhere in his remarks, the oil minister said that during this Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2018) and also the year after it (to start March 21, 2019), Iran will not need the import of gasoline. By Narmina Mammadova Majority of Azerbaijani tourists chose Turkey as a main destination, which attracts them with coastal areas such as Antalya, Bodrum, and Kusadasi. Azerbaijani tourists often travel to Turkey for vacation in July and August. Turkey which provides high-quality and inexpensive vacation for many international tourists has become one of the most favorite destinations for many Azerbaijanis. In January-November 2018, 802,820 Azerbaijani tourists visited Turkey, which is 12.57 percent more than in the same period of 2017, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey told Trend on December 28. The share of Azerbaijani citizens in the total number of foreigners who visited Turkey during the eleven months of 2018 was 2.24 percent, the ministry said. The ministry noted, that in November 2018, 59,100 tourists from Azerbaijan visited Turkey, which is 9.51 percent more than in the same month of 2017. "The share of Azerbaijani citizens in the total number of foreigners who visited Turkey in November 2018 accounted to 3.01 percent. For comparison, this figure was 3.27 percent in November 2017" the ministry added. In November 2018, 1.9 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 19.97 percent more compared to November 2017, according to the ministry. As of January-November 2018, 37.5 million tourists visited Turkey, which is 22.25 percent more than in January-November 2017, the ministry noted. Today, the Azerbaijani government does all the best to attract more tourists to the country. To this end it is necessary to strengthen the propaganda of Azerbaijans potential beyond its borders, since this sector brings the country not only currency, but also allows to open new jobs, which is especially important for regions of the country. Numerous studies show that tourism is one of the leading positions among the spheres of non-oil sector in terms of its prospects and the country does its best to create profitable conditions for development of this sphere and attract more tourists to the country. Azerbaijan is among the developing countries in the field of tourism, occupying the 39th place among 148 countries in terms of global competitiveness in tourism. In January-November 2018, the number of foreigners traveling from 193 countries to Azerbaijan amounted to 2.5 million people. This is 6% more than it was in the same period of 2017, the state tourism agency reported. Tourists from Russia, Georgia and the Middle East accounted for 65% of the total number of travelers. Some 31.2 percent of the tourists were from Russia, 19.8 percent - from Georgia, 10 percent - from Turkey, 9.2 percent - from Iran, 3.3 percent - from the UAE. The number of tourists from the CIS countries increased by 4.7 percent in January-September 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017. As many as 88,900 people from the EU countries visited Azerbaijan (an increase of 8.9 percent). The Committee reported that 65.5 percent of the tourists visiting Azerbaijan are men, while 34.5 percent account for women. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Even for a last-minute town, we were still in shock when Neil Young announced in late April that he was getting the band back together Crazy Key numbers in Bakersfield industrial real estate The local industrial property market remains the stellar performer in local real estate. CoStar reports the overall vacancy rate is 3.7 percent and rents have increased by an average of 6.4 percent in the last year. The market got a visibility boost when it was disclosed this fall Amazon will open a four-story distribution center near Meadows Field Airport. Meanwhile, a major distribution center in Shafter and Tejon Ranch's warehouse hub near the foot of the Grapevine continue to attract big investments. The Bakersfield area's logistics vacancy rate was 4.5 percent at year-end 2018, according to CoStar. For flex space it was 3.8 percent, while only 1.3 percent of specialized industrial was empty. The local industrial market's worst vacancy rate in recent years, 9.9 percent, was in the third quarter of 2010, around the depth of the recession. CoStar said rent growth was at its worst (-4.7 percent) in the fourth quarter of 2009. The best vacancy rate, 2.5 percent, was in the first quarter of 2015, not long after the oil crash. Rent growth peaked at 6.9 percent in 2018's third quarter. Pyeongyang Press Corps/Pool/Getty Images(SEOUL, South Korea) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his commitment to denuclearization in a letter sent to South Korean President Moon Jae-in over the weekend. The move raises hopes for a positive message in his annual New Years Day policy speech to be delivered on North Koreas state television. The two-page letter, stamped with Kims signature golden logo, arrived on Sunday addressed to Revered President Moon Jae-in. Only the first sentence was released to the public. Chairman Kim Jong Un emphasized the bold step the two Korean leaders have taken to overcome the long-pending confrontation between North and South to meet three times in one year alone, read the letter, according to Kim Eui-kyeom, a spokesman for the Souths presidential office. Moon posted a response on Facebook, saying he welcome[s] chairman Kim's intentions to hold further talks. [Chairman Kim] redefined his standpoint in actively carrying out agreements in the inter-Korean summit as well as the US-DPRK summit, Moon wrote, continuing, I welcome chairman Kims intentions to meet several times in the new year to find solution for denuclearization and to solve practical problems in achieving peace and prosperity. Moon added that he witnessed a sense of frustration over Kim not having been able to visit Seoul, which the two leaders agreed to during the third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang this September. President Donald Trump has also expressed a willingness to meet for a second time with Kim in 2019. He also reiterated in mid-December that he wasn't concerned over criticism about the lack of progress in denuclearization since the two leaders met in Singapore and signed an agreement on June 12. It was almost exactly one year ago, in the wake of Kim's 2018 policy speech, that Trump threatened the North Korean dictator and said his nuclear button was "much bigger and more powerful." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged New Year greetings on Monday. Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin [File photo: China Plus] In his congratulatory message to Putin, Xi said that the year 2018 has a special significance in China-Russia relations, and both countries have smoothly completed their respective important domestic political agendas and opened a new era for China-Russia ties. During the year, China and Russia witnessed more frequent high-level exchanges, deepened mutual political trust and a series of achievements from bilateral pragmatic cooperation in various fields, Xi said. The Year of China-Russia Local Cooperation and Exchange program proceeded smoothly in 2018, and the popular support for friendship from generation to generation between the two peoples has been further consolidated, the Chinese president said. The two countries collaborated actively in international and regional affairs and played important constructive roles in safeguarding international fairness and justice as well as world peace and stability, he said. The year 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, Xi said, noting that he is willing to work with Putin to prompt bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields to make new progress and bring more benefits to the two countries and peoples. In his congratulatory message, Putin extended warm New Year greetings to Xi, and wished Chinese people happiness and good health. In 2018, the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination reached an unprecedented level with substantiated political dialogues and rapidly expanding two-way trade, Putin said. The Year of China-Russia Local Cooperation and Exchange got off to a good start, and the two countries conducted fruitful cooperation to solve major global and regional issues, he said. Russia and China will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2019, the Russian president said, voicing his belief that both sides will take the opportunity to continue effective cooperation in bilateral and multilateral affairs. Also on Monday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev exchanged New Year greetings. In his congratulatory message, Li said China would like to promote cooperation with Russia in trade, energy, finance, technology, agriculture, humanities and other areas to facilitate common development of both nations. For his part, Medvedev said that Russia highly valued the achievements of the 23rd regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of governments, and is willing to work actively with China to promote bilateral cooperation in various fields. As the New Year ball readies to drop at midnight, relive gastroenterology in 2018 with Becker's ASC Review. From new clinical guidelines to the reemergence of private equity investment, 2018 offered glimpses into the future of the specialty. Here are five of the biggest trends Becker's ASC Review reported on in 2018: Lower colorectal cancer screening guidelines The American Cancer Society lowered its recommended CRC screening age from 50 to 45 in May, citing an increase in early-onset CRC cases, setting the GI world abuzz. The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology followed later in the year, recommending it on a partial level. American Gastroenterological Association education committee chair, and medical director of the New Haven, Conn.-based Yale University's colorectal cancer prevention program Xavier Llou, MD, PhD, offered Becker's ASC Review insight into the guideline process. Revitalized emergence of private equity money After Miami-based Gastro Health closed its deal with Audax Private Equity in 2016, PE investment was stagnant until November when Southlake-based Texas Digestive Disease Consultants closed a deal with Waud Capital Partners and then in December when Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates entered into a deal with Frazier Healthcare Partners. Now many experts predict the hotbed of GI-focused PE investment is on its way with several more transactions expected to close in 2019. Artificial intelligence AI broke into GI in a big way in 2019, using machine learning to improve polyp detection rates. Although the trend is still emerging, AI-assisted colonoscopies could revolutionize the field and increase colonoscopy effectiveness greatly. Price transparency Industry-wide price transparency took on a great role, with CMS making several moves to improve consumer choice. In GI that was no different. As consumers continue to shop for care, centers embracing price transparency will be more appealing to consumers. Colonoscopy alternatives Although colonoscopy remains the gold standard for polyp detection, colonoscopy alternatives continue to market and establish themselves as effective alternates. Notably, Exact Sciences continued promoting its Cologuard test with considerable success. Several blood-based tests are also in development with promising early results. Most read GI articles of 2018 Becker's ASC Review published a slew of gastroenterology-focused articles featuring commentary, statistics and more. Here are some of the most read articles for the year: Epic has been adding major healthcare organizations outside of its typical hospital clients to its software network, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. More than half of U.S. patients already have hospital stays and clinic visits recorded on Epic's EHR. Now, with more than 95 percent of U.S. hospitals live on some type of EHR system, health IT vendors must turn to new specialty areas to fuel their growth, according to Alan Hutchison, vice president of population health at Epic. "We're moving beyond the walls" of the hospital, Mr. Hutchison told the Wisconsin State Journal. He added that one of Epic's goals is to unite all aspects of a patient's medical care into one digital records system. For example, Walgreens and CVS have linked their pharmacies to Epic for the past few years, and Premise Health, a Brentwood, Tenn.-based worksite health provider, unveiled plans to implement an Epic EHR across its 500-plus worksite-based health and wellness centers in 2017. Moving into 2019, Mr. Hutchison said Epic is talking to home health providers, hospice providers and telehealth companies about implementing its EHR software. Here are four healthcare organizations outside the hospital space that unveiled plans to implement an Epic EHR or completed an Epic EHR go-live in 2018. Organizations are listed in alphabetical order. 1. Exact Sciences Corp. (Madison, Wis.) 2. New York Life Insurance Co. (New York City) 3. Pacific Dental Services (Irvine, Calif.) 4. Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Emergency room physicians at three Pennsylvania hospitals operated by Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare are considering legal action to recoup lost wages, according to The Inquirer. Here are seven things to know: 1. At the end of October, Prime ended its contract with Brentwood, Tenn.-based Legacy Physician Partners. Legacy employed the ER physicians who worked in Prime's three Pennsylvania hospitals: Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, Roxborough Memorial Hospital in Philadelphia and Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton. 2. In October, Lower Bucks Hospital's medical director sent an email to physicians saying Legacy had not paid him in September. However, he assured physicians that Prime, Legacy and Uniondale, N.Y.-based Progressive Emergency Physicians, the staffing agency that took over for Legacy, were working on a payment plan. The physicians kept showing up for their shifts, according to The Philadelphia Tribune. 3. On Nov. 15, Legacy failed to pay physicians at the three hospitals for the time they had worked. Although Progressive Emergency Physicians agreed to cover the physicians' October wages if they entered a long-term contract with PEP, some of the physicians didn't like the contract terms and refused to sign. 4. Physicians who chose not to sign with PEP are absorbing the losses. Gerald O'Malley, DO, who formerly worked in Lower Bucks Hospital's ER, estimates he is owed $20,000. "In my line of work, people's lives are at risk, but I don't care who you are: a plumber, a doctor, or someone at Wawa," Dr. O'Malley told The Inquirer. "If you work for a company that says, 'We're not going to pay for you those six weeks, unless you agree to work for another company at 20 percent less salary,' I think any reasonable person would say that's not fair." 5. In an email to Becker's in November, Prime said the ERs remain open with all shifts fully staffed, and Prime has met all of its obligations, including payment, with Legacy and Progressive Emergency Physicians. "Like most hospitals, we contract with established medical groups to provide 24-hour coverage of our ERs. The contract with Legacy for our emergency room coverage was terminated due to our understanding that Legacy was not financially able to continue full coverage of our ERs," Prime said. "Prime Healthcare worked quickly to onboard Progressive Emergency Physicians as the new medical group to ensure that emergency care was always available to the community, and we have done everything within our power to meet physician needs. Progressive Emergency Physicians began providing care in our ERs on November 13." 6. Legacy's founder filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November for business debts, and the company is being dismantled, according to The Inquirer. 7. Patricia Pierce, an attorney working with the ER physicians at the three Pennsylvania hospitals, told The Inquirer she is gathering information about the case and evaluating how to move forward. "This is an unconscionable business practice. It's inconceivable to me, particularly the sort of carrot-and-stick behavior on part of both Prime and Progressive," she told The Inquirer. More articles on healthcare finance: Nurses claim they're paying for supplies at Oklahoma hospital Kansas hospital to close, affecting 327 jobs Baptist Health South Florida sees 66% jump in net income John W. Estabrook, former president of Omaha, Neb.-based Methodist Health System, passed away Dec. 28, at the age of 91, according to a Live Well Nebraska report. Mr. Estabrook became administrator of Methodist Hospital in 1959. He served as leader of the organization for 41 years, becoming president emeritus of Methodist Health System in 1992, according to a 2016 Omaha World-Herald report. During his tenure, Methodist grew into a three hospital system that also includes 21 health clinic locations and a nursing and allied health college. Methodist Hospital was the first hospital in Nebraska to implement electronic data processing equipment for record keeping as well as a 24/7 emergency room. Methodist honored him by renaming its cancer center the Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center in 2006. Mr. Estabrook was inspired to enter into the healthcare administration arena after he stayed at a military hospital for two years recovering from tuberculosis that he contracted during World War II. He saw many inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement at the hospital. He joined Methodist as an administrative intern in 1951. Mr. Estabrook died at the St. Croix Hospice in Delavan, Wis. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter as well as six grandchildren and one great-grandchild, according to the report. Albert Wright serves as president and CEO of Morgantown-based West Virginia University Health System. He became CEO of the system in 2016, two years after joining the organization. Previously, he was president and CEO of West Virginia University Hospitals, the system's 690-bed flagship. He also served simultaneously as COO of the system and hospital CEO. Here, Mr. Wright answers questions from Becker's regarding the primary initiative he will focus on next year and a meaningful interaction with a patient. Question: What one strategic initiative will demand the most of your time and energy in 2019? Albert Wright: My focus will be to continue building a robust, comprehensive and integrated network of care for the people of West Virginia, while further developing key clinical programs that we believe will draw patients from across the globe. Part of this will include transforming our care models, an effort that will unfold over several months or longer. Over the past four years, we have worked diligently to expand access across the state and region by recruiting physicians in a variety of specialties and sub-specialties. We also significantly expanded our footprint by opening several new clinics across the region and welcomed several new hospitals into the West Virginia University Health System. In June of 2018, we broke ground for a new $160 million children's hospital and have further made significant investments in programs such as heart and vascular, cancer, and neuroscience. Q: Tell us about the last meaningful interaction you had with a patient. AW: In October, the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute performed the first procedure in the world of a phase II trial using focused ultrasound to treat a patient with early stage Alzheimer's disease. The first patient, Judi, was one of our neonatal nurse practitioners. She had to stop working because of disease-induced short-term memory loss. Judi is a pioneer. Volunteering to have your blood-brain barrier opened for a clinical trial is incredibly brave. But Judi says she isn't participating in the trial for herself. Instead, she's doing it for all of the people who will be diagnosed with this horrible disease in the future. As a former clinician who participated in research studies herself, she knows the importance of trials like this one and felt a sense of obligation to enroll. That is both heroic and awe-inspiring. In healthcare, we are here to serve others in what can be the most difficult times in their lives. I hope that when we receive the call to do something that will advance the practice of medicine and benefit those who will come after us that we will be as courageous as Judi. Q: Can you share some praise with us about people you work with? What does greatness look like to you when it comes to your team? AW: One of the things I've learned in the four years that I've been here is that West Virginians are both very proud and very humble. They're proud of their state and are fiercely loyal to it. But, at the same time, they often sell themselves short. West Virginia is a great place full of great people, and I wish more of them took credit for that. Our organization is full of native and adopted West Virginians, like me, and it is my honor and privilege to lead them. I have never met so many people who would drop everything to do whatever they could to help their fellow man. In "Country Roads," John Denver sang that West Virginia is "the place I belong." I know I am in "the place I belong" because I am surrounded by people who lift me up and inspire me to be a better person. They are the reason I look forward to coming to work every day. They are the definition of greatness, and they are what makes our health system great. Seventy-seven patients, including newborns, were temporarily evacuated Dec. 29, after a small fire erupted at Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Medical Center, according to the Florida Times Union. The fire was contained by the hospital's sprinkler system and extinguished by the Jacksonville fire department. No injuries were reported. "They moved a total of 37 patients from the newborn intensive care unit. They also moved 20 moms and 14 babies from the third floor of the pavilion, and they moved six from labor and delivery," said Cindy Hamilton, director of public relations for Baptist Health. All patients were returned to their rooms about 10 p.m. More articles on patient flow: 53 nurses, employees sickened after mold found in New York hospital Massachusetts 911 operators to learn new protocols after patient death outside hospital's ER New York hospital requests closure of inpatient behavioral health unit Every Massachusetts 911 operator will learn new call-taking protocols to help them avoid the types of mistakes that slowed emergency responders' search for a patient who died just a few feet from CHA Somerville Hospital's emergency room, according to The Boston Globe. The more than 5,000 operators working in Massachusetts will be taught to pay closer attention to any information on the specific location an emergency caller gives. Additionally, a training module will better teach operators how to handle asthmatic callers or anyone else having trouble breathing. The Boston Globe Magazine published a story Nov. 3 about the death of Laura Levis, who suffered an asthma attack Sept. 16, 2016. The article, written by Ms. Levis' husband Peter DeMarco, details the hospital's communication errors, overburdened staff and lack of fail-safes that affected first responders and caused Ms. Levis to suffer cardiac arrest in front of Somerville Hospital's ER. Ms. Levis was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit before dying on Sept. 22, 2016, at 34 years old. The hospital publicly apologized Nov. 7 for failing to meet its own transparency and accountability standards in Ms. Levis' death. State 911 leaders pledged the call-taking protocol changes to Mr. DeMarco in person, apologizing for failing Ms. Levis and thanking him for sharing her story to improve 911 calls. "There's no way Laura's call cant change what we do, because we're sitting here today, and we shouldn't be," said Matthew Barstow, director of telecommunications for the state police. "And you shouldn't be." Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan alerted roughly 15,000 Medicare Advantage members that their personal information may have been compromised, according to Crain's Detroit Business. The potential breach occurred after an employee's laptop computer was stolen Oct. 26. The employee worked for COBX, a subsidiary of BCBS of Michigan. Members' Social Security and financial information was not accessible via the laptop, but personal information like name, address, date of birth, medication, diagnosis, provider information and enrollee identification numbers may have been compromised. BCBS of Michigan told Crain's in a news release while the laptop "was encrypted and password-protected, the employee's access credentials may have been potentially compromised." More articles on payer issues: Judge won't halt most integration between CVS, Aetna during merger review Envision reaches in-network agreement with New Jersey's Horizon Healthcare Meet the 1st hospitals to join Humana's national value-based network Several Tenet Healthcare facilities in Massachusetts and other states are set to go out of network with Cigna Jan. 1. In recent ads with Worcester, Mass.-based Telegram & Gazette, the health system has called Cigna "unsure-ance" due to the dispute. Here are four things to know: 1. Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare and Cigna have failed to reach a contract agreement after 11 months of talks. If the two parties are unable to reach an agreement by Dec. 31, commercially insured individuals will lose in-network access to several Tenet hospitals, physician clinics, freestanding surgery centers, imaging centers and urgent care centers. 2. In a recent ad with the Telegram & Gazette, Tenet wrote, "If you have Cigna, you have health unsureance." In the ad, "unsure" is emphasized in a different color. 3. Tenet spokesperson Lesley Bogdanow told the Telegram & Gazette that "If we're forced out of network, then they're (consumers are) paying premiums for a partial network. So there are less providers that they can choose from. Our position is that Cigna shouldn't get to choose where you go." She continued: "And, by dropping us from their network and refusing to provide us fair reimbursement, that's exactly what theyre trying to do. So that's 'unsureance' from an employer's perspective. And, also, from a patient's perspective, it's about disrupting access to trusted providers." 4. On its website "Save Our Healthcare," Cigna said, "Tenet Healthcare is a national healthcare chain that is putting its business ahead of people in the communities where they operate. Despite our repeated efforts to find common ground with them, we are unable to reach an agreement on what healthcare should cost at their facilities." Members in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are more at-risk to be affected if the contract expires, Cigna said on its website. In his annual "What I learned at work this year" letter, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates said he believes the next deadly epidemic will be the flu and humanity may not be equipped to handle it. In the letter, Mr. Gates reflected on the issues of the last year and predicted what may happen next year. This year marked the 100th anniversary of the Spanish flu pandemic, which infected 500 million people worldwide and killed about 50 million, according to the CDC. "I had hoped that hitting the 100th anniversary of this epidemic would spark a lot of discussion about whether we're ready for the next global epidemic," Mr. Gates wrote. "Unfortunately, it didn't, and we still are not ready. "If anything is going to kill tens of millions of people in a short time, it will probably be a global epidemic. And the disease would most likely be a form of the flu, because the flu virus spreads easily through the air," Mr. Gates wrote. "Today a flu as contagious and lethal as the 1918 one would kill nearly 33 million people in just six months." Developing a universal flu vaccine is crucial for keeping a global outbreak from happening, but researchers still face challenges in making this vaccine, Mr. Gates said. "The problem is a long way from being solved, but new research money is coming in and more scientists are working on it," he wrote. "The world needs to develop a global system for monitoring and responding to epidemics. That is a political matter that requires international cooperation among government leaders. This issue deserves a lot more focus." To read the full letter, click here. A 68-year-old patient acquired a peanut allergy after she received a lung transplant, according to Live Science. Mazen Odish, MD, a fellow in pulmonary and critical care medicine at San Diego Medical Center at the University of California, told Live Science, it is uncommon for lung transplant recipients to get a food allergy from a donor. Dr. Odisha said there have been four or five cases of organ recipients acquiring peanut allergies with anaphylaxis after a lung transplant, according to Live Science. The female patient received a new lung from a male donor. Physicians thought she was experiencing respiratory failure after she felt a tightness in her chest. She then told physicians that she ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Physicians contacted the organ agency and confirmed the previous lung donor had a peanut allergy. Dr. Odisha told Live Science, it's unclear if transplant-acquired food allergies are a lifelong concern for patients because symptoms vary from recipient to recipient. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: College students most at risk for rare bacterial infection, study finds 53 nurses, employees sickened after mold found in New York hospital Johns Hopkins hospitals do not follow 'basic safety rules,' report claims The New Jersey Department of Health discovered numerous infection control lapses, including the use of rusty equipment, at a surgery center where more than 3,700 patients were potentially exposed to HIV and hepatitis, according to ABC News. Here are four things to know: 1. Saddle Brook, N.J.-based HealthPlus Surgery Center closed Sept. 7 after health officials identified issues with sterilization processes and sanitation requirements. Infection control lapses included the presence of "rust-like stains" on sterilized instruments, medical staff members who failed to cover facial hair during procedures and a "red wet stain" on a stretcher reserved for a patient transport, which was allegedly improperly cleaned even after a health official pointed it out, according to a report made public Dec. 28. 2. The health department recommended 3,778 patients who visited HealthPlus between Jan. 1 and Sept. 7, 2018, get tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Mark Manigan, HealthPlus' lawyer, said one patient has tested positive for chronic hepatitis, but preliminary results indicated the patient was likely infected before seeking treatment at the surgery center. As of Dec. 29, HealthPlus had tested 186 other patients and discovered no infections. 3. A former patient at the surgery center, 53-year-old Lauren Marrero, filed a class action complaint against HealthPlus Dec. 28. The suit claims the surgery center demonstrated "wanton misconduct ... on a continuing basis" for exposing patients to potentially harmful pathogens, according to Reuters. It is not known whether Ms. Marrero has tested positive for hepatitis or HIV. 4. The surgery center, which reopened Sept. 28, now conducts weekly inspections and has maintained compliance with health department regulations since Sept. 27, Mr. Manigan said in a Dec. 28 statement. HealthPlus said it has also improved its infection control practices, trained new sterile-processing staff members, and cleaned and repaired all medical equipment at the facility. James T. Caillouette, MD, is The Joan and Andy Fimiano Endowed Chair in Orthopedic Surgery at Hoag Memorial Hospital and chief strategy officer of Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine, Calif. He is also chairman of Newport Beach, Calif.-based Newport Orthopedic Institute and performs around 500 joint replacements annually as well as about 100 knee arthroscopies. He has dedicated his career to innovation in orthopedic care delivery, including healthcare economics and reform as well as inventing new technology. Here, Dr. Caillouette discusses the biggest challenges and best opportunities for orthopedics in 2019. Question: What are the top two to three challenges you're facing heading into 2019? Dr. James Caillouette: Overall challenges include the current payment models, the often irrational and perverse incentives that these models create, the lack of transparency in payment determination and contracting, oligopoly status for payers in markets, etcetera; as David Johnson has quoted 'the Healthcare Industrial Complex.' These forces are not unique to HOI and the physicians practicing there, but instead distort the entire provision of care in the U.S. At the facility and practice level, there is constant and increasing pressure on creating a thriving organization that delivers value based care: best outcomes at the lowest cost while providing the best patient experience. What is different in our market is the penetration of managed care, 'The Kaiser Effect,' and how this has translated to lower reimbursement by payers. Even the CMS CJR program pays the Pacific Region less than the other eight national regions. The lack of alignment and incentives between physicians, payers, pharmaceutical and device companies, healthcare facilities and their patients is another challenge. It is a 'zero sum game,' particularly when working with the publicly traded companies that participate in healthcare. In addition, many of the current federal laws, such as Stark, are outdated and prevent optimal care delivery. If we hope to drive value, we must develop models that align all who participate. The challenges described are in need of creative solutions in our market and we are actively working on these in order to allow our practice model to remain sustainable and scalable. Q: What technology are you most excited about in the future? JC: I believe that we are on the cusp of developing regional pain management drugs and technologies that will dramatically alter the surgical experience. If we are able to create a sensory block that lasts four to six weeks, it will have vast implications for surgery that would significantly benefit the patients and lower the overall cost of care. Q: What is your best opportunity for growth? JC: We have created a physician-led, for profit enterprise that includes private practices, multiple ASCs and an inpatient 70-bed orthopedic specialty hospital in joint venture with a community not-for-profit hospital and a large health system. This allows us to control the right setting to drive the greatest value for our patients. All of these elements are aligned under Hoag Orthopedic Institute. We have a research and education arm with surgical fellows who are presenting at national meetings and publishing papers. We represent a hybrid between an academic model and a private practice model that is deeply focused on value. This unique model has significant appeal to physicians and payers throughout Southern California and beyond and we see an opportunity to increase our footprint and are actively pursuing this. There are about 20 million people living within a one hundred mile radius of our existing facilities; that's a good place for us to start. To participate in future Becker's Q&As, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com. For a deeper dive into the future of orthopedics, attend the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC in Chicago, June 13-5, 2019. Click here to learn more and register. Nicholas Grosso, MD, president of Bethesda, Md.-based The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, discusses the biggest challenges and best opportunities for the practice in the coming years. Question: What are the top two to three challenges you're facing heading into 2019? Dr. Nicholas Grosso: The No. 1 challenge for everyone in the healthcare industry right now (and for the past three to four years) is uncertainty. No one knows where the market is headed with so much upheaval. Before, when there was stable fee-for-service types of reimbursement, the 'battle lines' were drawn and everyone knew where they fit in the scheme. Now with alternate payment models, who's going to drive these models is still very much in question. For orthopedics in general and CAO in particular, both a challenge and a priority now is to be a leader in establishing these alternative payment models in our region. The second challenge for CAO is continuing consolidation, and with that, continuing to standardize policies and procedures, and ensure compliance and risk management. What keeps me and likely any leader of a large organization up at night is risk exposure and compliance measures, and as CAO continues grows, that's what were focused on. Q: What technology are you most excited about in the future? NG: While there are lots of exciting clinical advances and medical innovations coming down the pipeline, I'm most excited about consolidating all of our EMRs into one system that's orthopedic-specific for the purposes of gathering useful data, running alternate payment models and identifying divisions of CAO who are excelling. This platform will allow us to gather and compare data across all divisions in an easy-to-use way, so having a single EMR system to gather the information we need is what we're really looking forward to achieving. Q: What is your best opportunity for growth? NG: As we continue to further expand our reach beyond the D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia region, we're always looking to add new groups and partners to CAO. Alternate payment models also offer an opportunity for growth if we can structure them in a way that allows us to approach population health and coordinate care for the best clinical outcome for patients. To participate in future Becker's Q&As, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com. For a deeper dive into the future of orthopedics, attend the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC in Chicago, June 13-5, 2019. Click here to learn more and register. The head of the Ulster Farmers' Union has reiterated that a no deal Brexit outcome will be "unacceptable" for the future of farming in Northern Ireland. In a new year message, UFU president Ivor Ferguson called on politicians to deliver an agreement that will facilitate trade with the rest of the UK and with the 27 remaining EU member states. "The UFU has always made clear that what we want is free and frictionless trade," he said. "Farmers have consistently said a 'no deal' outcome would be unacceptable for the future of farming. We are uncomfortable when we are drawn into mainstream politics, but that is inescapable when the future of our farming industry is on the negotiating table. "Regardless of politics, we will continue to do our best to ensure a successful future for the industry." Mr Ferguson described "a once in a life time opportunity" to develop agriculture policy for Northern Ireland that delivers "a productive, profitable and progressive farming industry". "Northern Ireland's future agriculture policy must support active farm businesses to be productive, sustainable, while delivering public goods," he said. "The Government must allow as much time as possible for transition to the new policy. Farmers will need time to adapt their businesses. Also, flexibility for the different UK regions within a common policy framework is key. "Our local policy must suit our needs. We are also supportive of the ability to pilot new practical support measures during this period which could be subsequently rolled out more widely." Jean-Claude Juncker has called on the UK to "get your act together" over Brexit, branding some Britons "entirely unreasonable" for expecting Brussels to find 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. His 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. 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. 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. "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. He 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 his comments, saying polls suggested that fewer than 50% of Britons now want to leave the EU. Lib Dem 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." Former Brexit Secretary David Davis said he expected defeat for Mrs May's 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 dismissed ministers' warnings of the dangers of a no-deal Brexit as "scare stories". Labour's 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 SNP leader in Westminster Ian Blackford retorted: "The SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Green Party are all working together to try and get a People's Vote. "Why don't 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." DUP leader Arlene Foster has issued a warning to nationalist and republican controlled councils in Northern Ireland ahead of next year's local elections. Mrs Foster addressed the issue of equality in her New Year's message. Read More Northern Ireland will go to the polls in May 2019 to vote in local council elections. In the last council elections in 2014, the DUP secured the most seats with 130 out of 462, ahead of Sinn Fein on 105, the UUP on 88, SDLP on 66 and Alliance on 32. Belfast City Council, Newry, Mourne and Down, Mid-Ulster, Fermanagh and Omagh and Derry City and Strabane District Council have a majority of nationalist and republican councillors. Mrs Foster said that the elections would be an opportunity for people in the west of Northern Ireland to "give their verdict on their nationalist and republican controlled councils". "Repeatedly, republicans have failed to recognise the unionist minorities in those areas. We will continue to highlight this issue. Those who shout the loudest about respect and equality must start to practice what they preach," she said. It was announced last month that staff members at Derry City and Strabane District Council would be allowed to wear the Easter lily. The move will align with the one-week period staff members can wear the Poppy around the time of Remembrance Sunday. Mrs Foster said that in the elections the DUP will seek a local government mandate based on "good, sound policies", including a pledge to keep rates low and improving access to services for people with disabilities. In her New Year's message the DUP leader reiterated her desire for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union with a "sensible deal" that works for everyone involved. "The Prime Minister has promised to get changes to the legally binding Withdrawal Agreement. We will be holding her to that commitment and we will work with the Government to achieve a better deal," the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said. "We are very mindful that any deal will bind the hands of future governments and Prime Ministers therefore the legal text must be watertight for the United Kingdom. "We are also mindful of people in all sectors who are frustrated with the pace of negotiations and the lack of certainty. We share the frustration. As politicians, we have a duty to look to the long-term impact of any deal on our core industries. Thats where our energies will be focused in the coming days." Mrs Foster said that the DUP wanted to return to Stormont, but that Sinn Fein were making demands her party could not agree to. January will mark two years since Northern Ireland had a functioning Stormont Assembly. "Sinn Fein continues to veto the formation of a new Northern Ireland Executive unless we first agree to implement their narrow wish list of republican demands. Of course there is room for a balanced agreement but it is unreasonable to expect unionists to roll-over to every Sinn Fein demand," she said. "We have used our position in Westminster to help deliver the Belfast City Deal as well as additional funding for schools, roads, hospitals, broadband for rural areas in Northern Ireland and an additional 10m for mental health services. "We will work for a restored Assembly. It is in everyones interests to have a functioning devolved government which demonstrates that Northern Ireland is at peace with itself." The DUP leader said that her party was open to agreement on the various issues in 2019, but that her party would only "say yes" to the right deal. "2019 will be a challenging year with historic decisions to be made but we will work as a team to ensure the right decisions are made," Mrs Foster said. "We have proved in the past, we will say no when its a bad deal but we will stand strong for Northern Ireland and say yes when its the right deal. Writing in her own New Year's message Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald said that it was a "disgrace" that there was no Stormont Assembly in place and directed blame at the DUP and the UK and Irish governments. "Every day that the Executive is suspended undermines the political institutions. Every refusal to recognise rights undermines the political process. The threat to impose Brexit undermines the democratic process," Mrs McDonald "The DUP know that their deal with the Tories will end. They also know that the refusal of rights is not compatible with equality and power-sharing government. They should also know that there is no good or positive Brexit for the north. "Sinn Fein is ready for talks, to establish a new Executive working in genuine power-sharing, and operating to the highest standards of governance. A new Executive must include new ways of working, be inclusive of all parties and respect the rights of all the people." PSNI at the scene of an incident in Belfast A former senior police officer has blamed "appalling" funding cuts for a breakdown of trust between the public and PSNI in west Belfast. Alan McQuillan, a former Assistant Chief Constable, made the comments after a report from peace-building group Co-operation Ireland said there was a growing "general distrust" with the PSNI and criminal justice system in west Belfast. "There are major challenges," he said. "The PSNI had made some progress but that's started to go backwards in recent years. "The main problem is that the PSNI are highly underfunded. "They have 1,000 less officers out on the streets this year, far less than the Patten Report recommended. It's appalling it's been allowed to drift that way." In February, the Police Federation for Northern Ireland said 386m had been cut from the police budget since 2004. It was further reported that since 2012, neighbourhood police officer numbers had dropped from 1,332 to 311 last year. Mr McQuillan added that long delays in the criminal justice system had eroded public confidence. "Even the most basic offences can take up to 18 months to be dealt with - it's utterly sporadic," he said. "People see these dangerous offenders out on bail and banking up offences. They already know they're going to jail but that they'll end up serving their different sentences concurrently." Mr McQuillan said officers needed to be seen out in areas like west Belfast regularly. "The PSNI have made great efforts, not just in west Belfast, but they just don't have enough resources," he said. "If you ask people for their views on police, in general, you get one answer. "If you ask them about local police, people they know, it's completely different. It's vital we do this more to build up trust." The research from Co-operation Ireland said that frustration with the "slow" pace of the criminal justice system produced low levels of crime reporting and assistance to the PSNI. Some viewed so-called 'punishment attacks' as a form of immediate respite or redress, the report found. It said: "There is a general sense of distrust in the PSNI and the criminal justice system, and frustration with the slow pace of the criminal justice system has led to low levels of reporting and cooperation by the local community. "Relationships between the community and the PSNI are seen as deteriorating in recent years." The reasons include perceptions of "sporadic" community policing, leading to a spike in crime and an alleged abuse of stop and search powers. The belief that police did not act on information provided by the community and too much leniency was shown to repeat offenders were also cited. Woodbourne police station, which handles west Belfast, has seen a slight decline in total crime levels since 2016/17, PSNI figures showed. Policing priorities in the area include tackling anti-social behaviour, drugs and burglary. The Co-operation Ireland study said: "There is concern that the pace of turnover of local police teams means community and political leaders constantly have to build new relationships with the police." District Commander for Belfast, Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts, said: "We recognise that there are concerns outlined in this report. Some of these concerns were also raised and discussed with police during the recent NI Policing Board Community Consultation on Policing. "Budget cuts have resulted in a reduction in police numbers and this has clearly had an impact on community policing in west Belfast. It is not known what the impact of potential further cuts may be. However, we respect community feelings, we are listening and we want to work with the community to address any concerns." A man accused of having cocaine failed to appear in court because of blood poisoning, a judge was told today. Dominic Magee's father may have saved his life by getting him to hospital in time, according to his lawyer. The 41-year-old, of Clonaslea in Newtownabbey, faces charges of possessing Class A drugs and driving when unfit through drink or drugs. The alleged offences relate to an incident at Tates Avenue in Belfast in July. Magee, who is further accused of having a defective tyre, was due to appear before the city's Magistrates Court for the first time in connection with the case. But defence solicitor Norman Shannon confirmed his client was not present. "He's in hospital with blood poisoning," Mr Shannon disclosed. The lawyer went on to set out Magee's previous problems, adding: "His father got him to hospital, otherwise he probably would have died." The court was told Magee is expected to remain under medical care for the next six weeks. District Judge Mark Hamill agreed to adjourn the case for a month. He indicated that a medical report may be required for Magee's next scheduled appearance. A substantial development in the long-touted merger between the SDLP and Fianna Fail is set to be announced early in the new year, it has been reported. The Irish Times quotes senior sources from within Fianna Fail saying a phased process between the two parties could be announced as early as next month. Commenting on the reports, an SDLP spokesperson said: "Talks have been ongoing between the parties for some time now. But as we have consistently stated, any final decision on this matter will be brought before the party membership." Talks have been ongoing in private, with leaders Micheal Martin and Colum Eastwood refraining from updating party members. A source is quoted as saying the alignment between the parties will result in "one all-island party which will be called Fianna Fail". Another source is quoted as saying SDLP candidates may not yet run on a joint platform, but as SDLP candidates with Fianna Fail endorsement. In a tweet on Monday afternoon, the SDLP Youth branch restated its position reached at its conference in August 2018 that it was against any merger. We would like to reaffirm our position as carried at our Policy Conference in August 2018: SDLP Youth is against any merger, working arrangement, etc with any party whose values and principles are contradictory to the values and principles of the SDLP. SDLP Youth (@SDLPyouth) December 31, 2018 Suggestions of the merger have not drawn universal acceptance from the SDLP's membership. In October, the party's Brexit spokesperson MLA Claire Hanna said a merger would be a "rogue move" and would not solve the many problems in Northern Ireland, or within her own party. Sinn Fein MP Francie Molloy said the move would give voters a choice of all-Ireland parties. All-Ireland politics is the clear direction of travel for all of us on this island as the failure of partition and the disaster of Brexit unfold around us," he said. Sinn Fein has always been an all-Ireland party so this development is timely. The electorate across Ireland will now have a clear choice between the socially and economically progressive politics of Sinn Fein and the conservative politics of Fianna Fail." High-profile eurosceptic MP Jacob Rees-Mogg will appear at a fundraiser for the DUP next month, although has turned down a request to appear at a similar event for the Northern Ireland branch of the Conservative party (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg will appear at a fundraiser for the DUP next month, but has turned down a request to appear at a similar event for the Northern Ireland branch of the Conservative party. The News Letter reports the prominent eurosceptic will appear next month at an event organised by North Antrim MP Ian Paisley. Mr Rees-Mogg has been a high-profile figure during Britain's negotiations to leave the EU, and leads the European Research Group, an influential backbench committee of Conservative party MPs. In a letter to former deputy chairman Frank Shivers, the North East Somerset MP said his was party was "currently working closely with the DUP in Parliament" and as such he was happy to appear at the event. Speaking to the newspaper, Mr Shivers said he had approached Mr Rees-Mogg at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham held over a number of days at the end of September into the start of October. He said he had put the issues to Mr Rees-Mogg and followed it up with a letter. Mr Shivers said he had also raised the point that it would have been unthinkable for a member of the Conservative party to speak at a Liberal Democrat fundraiser while it was in coalition with them. A number of Conservative party MPs have previously appeared at DUP fundraisers, drawing considerable controversy. In September Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson appeared at a DUP gala dinner alongside DUP leader Arlene Foster. Details of his appearance at the event or his speech were not publicised until after the event, something which it was later claimed was due to security reasons. A fundraising dinner held in September 2017 by Ian Paisley featured an appearance by Cabinet Minister Michael Gove was investigated by the Electoral Commission. It related to the circumstances around Mid and East Antrim council purchasing a 1,500 table at the event. It emerged in September that Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council also paid 1,500 for a table at the event. Alan Dunlop, Chairman of the Conservatives in Northern Ireland said: "Back bench MPs are free to speak to anyone they wish to, there is a clear convention within the Conservative Party however, not to speak in support of rival political parties. "Jacob Rees-Mogg is a highly respected member of the Party with impeccable knowledge of UK constitutional politics and conventions and therefore will be fully aware of this. "Sadly on occasions, often in an honest defence of their principle political views, politicians find themselves making odd alliances and standing elements of their own political logic on its head. They make themselves look foolish when they do so. "We will extend understanding to our colleague Jacob on this occasion and hope that when he visits he will accept our invitation for a cup of tea so that we can discuss with him the important political issues facing Northern Ireland in 2019 in detail" A man was remanded in custody today accused of selling fake tickets for a Carl Frampton fight. Conor Lynch also allegedly traded bogus tickets to a gig by top DJ Carl Cox. The 30-year-old appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court charged with five counts of fraud by false representation. Lynch, believed to be from Northern Ireland but with an address at Walton Breck Road in Liverpool, was arrested at the weekend. The alleged offences relate to transactions on Gumtree and Facebook. Lynch is accused of defrauding two different people in June 2017 by selling Carl Frampton fight tickets to a total value of 340. According to the charges he also sold fake tickets for Carl Cox and Belsonic concerts in Belfast last year for a combined total of 200. The fifth charge relates to an alleged attempt to obtain a 2,000 loan. Police opposed Lynch's attempt to be released on bail. Refusing his application, District Judge Mark Hamill remanded him in custody to appear again in four weeks time. Two Northern Ireland academics and a top NHS doctor have joined politicians from across Parliament to demand action on 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, believed to be responsible for bowel cancer. 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, leading nutritionist Chris Gill of Ulster University, and senior cardiologist Aseem Malhotra 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 policymakers, the food industry and the cancer-care community. "We must work together to raise awareness of their risks and encourage the much wider use of nitrite-free alternatives that are safer and can reduce the number of cancer cases." Dr Malhotra said the failure to act on evidence of the harm from nitrites risked comparisons with the tobacco industry's past refusal to accept the dangers posed by cigarettes. "Nitrites are used to cure bacon and ham, but when the meat is cooked and ingested by humans they create nitrosamines," he said. "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." Dr Malhotra rejected industry claims that nitrites are essential to the preservation of processed meats. He pointed to the elimination of the chemicals from Parma ham production and the use of alternative natural processes by producers including Nestle in France and Northern Irish company 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". Aoife Donnelly with Jill and Rachel Patton with Jack at the new Pet FBI centre in Eglinton It started as a social media page to reunite lost cats and dogs with their owners, and quickly evolved into one of Northern Ireland's fastest-growing animal rescue centres. Now Pet FBI (Found By Internet) has moved into new premises near Eglinton, completing a remarkable journey from its inception as a Facebook site operated from the bedroom of its founder's home. Thousands of family pets have been returned to their worried owners since 2013, and volunteers like Lisa Patton dedicate hours out of their daily lives to caring for abandoned and neglected animals. The new centre at Eglinton still needs lots of work, including transforming the upstairs level into a cattery, creating a meet and greet area for people wanting to rehome a cat or dog, fixing floors and creating an administration area. The list seems endless and funds, which come solely from donations, are running low. Lisa said mounting vets' bills are the biggest drain on resources, but with the number of neglected animals that people bring to the doors of Pet FBI, this is an unavoidable expense. Pet FBI, which has already taken in its first four dogs at the new refuge, is in dire need of additional donations so it can meet the soaring demand. Lisa said: "Pet FBI started off as a 'lost and found' page for the Derry area in May 2013 and that is still the main part of what we do. "We have reunited so many pets with their owners and our page now has 30,000 followers from right across Northern Ireland and the Republic. "We've even had posts from people living in England whose pets may have been stolen. "Our Facebook page is a very effective means of counteracting the theft of pedigree dogs to be sold on, as it raises the alarm and makes the stolen dog too hot to handle and almost impossible to sell on." Lisa explained how the work of Pet FBI expanded quickly. "It wasn't long after Pet FBI was launched that we started to get calls about dogs that had been left to stray and dogs that had been treated very badly and abandoned," she said. "We had to find foster families for these animals and the number of cases like these kept growing - we were constantly inundated with calls, and it hasn't really stopped." With demand comes practical problems, such as space issues. Lisa added: "As well as an army of foster families, we opened a refuge two years ago, but we've outgrown that so we were over the Moon to find this place, because it has everything we need. "We just don't have the money to get the work done as quickly as we would like. We rely completely on public donations and their generosity really does restore my faith in humanity, because it is the opposite of those people who think it is acceptable to neglect, hurt and abandon dogs and cats. "We see dogs that have been reduced to skin and bones, dogs that are so badly matted they can't walk with the pain - it is just shocking some of the things we see. "Generally, people do love their pets and they are distraught when they get lost - our Facebook page is evidence of that - but in the first 10 months of this year alone we have rehomed almost 130 dogs "We couldn't do that without the donations we receive from local business and members of the public who, as well as fundraising donations, give us bowls, blankets, bedding and baskets, which are all very welcome." Aside from financial and equipment donations, Pet FBI also depends on volunteers who donate their time, helping to look after the dogs in the refuge centre and administer the social media site. Student Aoife Donnelly (19) is among those who have given up their time to help stricken animals. "I had never heard of Pet FBI but I was chatting to some people I know who told me about it, so I went to the centre in Pennyburn and offered to volunteer," she said. "I clean out the kennels, walk dogs, feed them, help with adoptions, anything that needs to be done, really. "It is important all the dogs get exercised and I don't mind it even if the weather isn't too good because so many of the dogs that come to us haven't had much love shown to them." Love them or loathe them, there's no getting away from New Year's Eve celebrations - unless you live in Northern Ireland. And that's because no public celebrations have been planned locally to bring in 2019, in stark contrast to the rest of the island and the UK. Although some merrymakers will get on the glad rags and go dancing, hit the pub or go to a restaurant, those wanting to see in the new year on a grander scale will have to head elsewhere. Belfast last hosted a New Year's Eve concert in 2008, and the lack of pomp and ceremony around the occasion since then has provoked criticism from some famous faces. Cool FM DJ Pete Snodden said it's a great shame that Northern Ireland does nothing to mark the date. "You see pictures from New Year's Eve across the world on the TV news every New Year's Day - London, Tokyo, Sydney - and Belfast is never featured because there's never anything there," he said. "It's a pretty sad state of affairs. "I'm one of these people who looks forward to the new year and it would be nice to have something that everyone could get involved in, but unfortunately that's not the case. "Maybe at some stage in the future we'll manage to organise a celebration that everyone at least has the option of going to." Celebrity chef Paula McIntyre argued local councils "have a civic duty to do something to mark New Year's Eve". "How much money would it cost, really?" she said. "Apart from anything else, by doing nothing, we stand out from the rest of the UK and Ireland. "Belfast is a great party city. "Hoteliers and restaurateurs are doing their bit, but the council should be helping." Radio presenter Stephen Clements, who's not working today for the first time in years, said it would be great to have a free street party. "In global terms, Belfast is on the map because of things like Game Of Thrones, so I think something like that would be well received," he said. "Personally, my wife's working so I'm looking forward to sitting in and keeping the kids up until midnight to watch the fireworks in the hope of them lying on the next day." Belfast City Council said a decision was taken in 2009 not to stage any more official events to mark the new year. "The decision was made due to a combination of the current economic climate and a lack of public demand for such an event," she said. Derry City and Strabane District Council confirmed that it had no plans to host a celebration. "While there is no official civic event planned for New Year's Eve, the council did host a series of hugely successful events in the run-up to the Christmas period including a Christmas Winterland Market and mayoral animation programme," it said. Deborah Girvan hopes a sat-nav route of Saint Columbanus route across Europe will be a hit with tourists 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 sat-nav 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, the Council of Europe, has been urged to bestow official status on the saint's route in the month ahead. Ards and North Down councillor Deborah Girvan, who is 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." Columbanus's journey from Ireland to Bobbio in 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-day continent. 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. 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, Austria, 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 [to Northern Ireland] 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 female healthcare worker was left shaken after having a knife pulled on her by a man during an attempted car-jacking in north Belfast. The incident happened off the Crumlin Road early yesterday as the woman was returning to her parked car at Fleetwood Street, near the Mater Hospital. The woman, who is in her 20s, attempted to get into the vehicle quickly and lock the doors as the thug ran towards her. However, he was able to grab the door handle before swearing at her and telling her to get out of the car. He then pulled a knife, described as being between six and seven inches long and caught the woman in the arm, ripping her jacket sleeve. She then ran back to the hospital to raise the alarm. Her attacker is described as being 5ft 5ins tall, skinny, and wearing a dark-coloured hat or hood. He was also wearing a dark tracksuit with stripes down the arms of the top and bottoms. He was not wearing gloves, was clean-shaven with some stubble and spoke with a Belfast accent. The PSNI said: "This was a frightening episode for this woman to experience as she finished a hospital shift helping others. "Although she was not physically injured in the incident, she was left very shocked by what happened. "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 December 30." Sinn Fein councillor JJ Magee described the attack as "shocking". He said: "This must have been a very frightening experience for the driver. "No one should have to face incidents like this and people should be able to go about their business free from fear or intimidation." Independent councillor Jolene Bunting added: "This was an absolutely disgusting incident against a healthcare worker attending to sick patients over the holiday period. "For this woman to be placed in such danger is a disgrace. I would urge anyone with information to bring it to the PSNI." Belfast Health Trust confirmed it was aware of the incident. Two Donegal men 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. The Co 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. Mr McLaughlin is from Malin and Mr Kelly is from Glengad, both on Co Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula. News of their arrests has shocked locals in the area where they are both well-known. Both men only arrived in Australia a few months ago. Neither has 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. Mr McLaughlin and Mr Kelly were arrested a short time later by police. Both men 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. Two Co Donegal men have been charged with a brutal assault on a 66-year-old man in Australia Two Co Donegal men 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. 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 arrived in Australia only a few months ago. Neither has applied for bail. The victim, who has not been named, was treated at the scene before being 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. Both men appeared at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday. They are set to appear at Burwood Local Court on January 9. Health Minister Simon Harris speaking to the media after he was briefed by Health Service Executive officials on the agencys winter plan implementation in Dublin today. Irelands health minister has described the introduction of abortion services in the country from January 1 as momentous. Simon Harris also said he is confident there are enough GPs to provide the service. Terminations will be available from midnight on Tuesday. (It) is really a momentous day, Mr Harris said. Abortion is a very sensitive issue. Were talking about women in crisis pregnancies were talking about people in very, very difficult situations. Up until now their options have been to travel or to go on the internet. All that changes (as of January 1). It follows a referendum in May which paved the way for the liberalisation of the countrys strict abortion laws. Some 66.4% of the electorate voted to repeal an amendment in the Irish constitution, which effectively banned the termination of pregnancies, and replace it with legislation to introduce abortions up to 12 weeks without restriction. Mr Harris said about 80% of terminations are likely to take place in local communities and he was satisfied that the 165 GPs who signed up to provide the service is enough to meet demand. Women will be referred to a new website, MyOptions.ie, and also a new 24/7 helpline offering advice. It will be staffed by counsellors and nurses. Mr Harris described the new service as so much better than what was previously available to Irish women. I think its momentous that women and their partners, who face situations like fatal foetal abnormalities will no longer have to travel abroad to access services. Ed Coleman, general manager of the National Wax Museum in Dublin, with waxwork of Donald Trump Ed Coleman, general manager of the National Wax Museum in Dublin, with waxwork of Pope Francis The papal visit to Ireland has ended up being a blessing for one well-known Dublin tourism spot. Visitor numbers to the National Wax Museum Plus in the Irish capital have swelled since Pope Francis made his historic visit to the country in August. National Wax Museum Plus general manager Ed Coleman said everyone wanted a selfie with Pope Francis. The museum has positioned the life-like waxwork next to the chair from the refurbished 1979 Popemobile. "You can sit in Pope John Paul II's chair beside Francis or stand beside Pope Francis and get your photograph taken with him," Mr Coleman said. Just days before the pontiff visited Ireland, the museum unveiled a waxwork of him and the refurbished Popemobile used by John Paul II during his historic visit to Ireland in 1979. Crowds gathered on O'Connell Street as the Popemobile took to the streets with the waxwork of the popes on board. "We weren't expecting the reaction that we got from (it)," he said. Mr Coleman added: "We made so many people's days when we brought Pope Francis out on to the street. So many people were stopping by and getting photos done." And the pope is not the only major attraction in the museum. "We have Donald Trump on the other side of the room," he said. Mr Coleman said the controversial US president was also proving popular with the public. "Love him or hate him, everyone wants to have their photo taken with him. Some people pose with their thumbs up, some people pose with their thumbs down," he said. "It sparks emotion and that's what we're trying to do." He added: "We want people to be immersed in the wax museum. We don't want people to manhandle (the waxworks) but we want people to get up close, put their arm around the wax figure, even give them a kiss." Mr Coleman described trading during the month of October as "unprecedented". "We weren't expecting it to be as high as it was," he said. "We saw a massive spike and we had almost 12,000 visitors in October, up 20% (on last year)... It's the busiest October since the museum opened more than 30 years ago." Mr Coleman added: "We do attribute a lot of that to the publicity we did around the pope's visit, so we feel very delighted about how it all worked out." He said it had helped the museum pull itself back from a difficult summer due to the extraordinarily hot weather the country experienced. Mr Coleman is excited about the museum's plans in 2019 for a Game Of Thrones-themed exhibition, which will open to coincide with the release of the final series of the programme filmed in Northern Ireland. "It's going to feel like you're going to be walking into one of the locations in Game Of Thrones," he said. "There's going to be a dragon coming through one of the walls. (There) is going to be a throne to sit on... and then we're going to have a few characters." Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney has said calls for a border poll if the UK crashes out of the European Union without a deal are "hugely unhelpful". Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has called for the Irish Government to commit to holding a referendum on Irish unity in the event of a no-deal Brexit next March. Earlier this month Ms McDonald said that Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to delay the so-called "meaningful vote" in the House of Commons had caused "significant concern" across Ireland. The Sinn Fein leader added that she had made Mrs May aware that "in a crash scenario" a referendum on Irish unity would "advance very quickly". Under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement the Secretary of State can call a referendum if they believe the majority of people in Northern Ireland no longer want to remain part of the UK. Mr Coveney has previously said that he wanted to see a united Ireland in his political lifetime. But speaking to The Sunday Business Post, he described Sinn Fein calls for a border poll as a "hugely unhelpful intervention" done for "party political reasons". He said: "It creates more tension on top of what is already a very tense and divisive debate in the North and Westminster. That issue is dealt with comprehensively under the Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent, which we absolutely support." Mr Coveney continued: "I have made it very clear to them (Sinn Fein) that calls for border polls, in the midst of all the other things that we are trying to find a way through on, are really unhelpful." He added that such a move would create more tension at a time when the focus should be on Brexit and restoring devolved government at Stormont. "It's polarising, and if you are trying to find a way forward that both sides can live with and accept as a compromise for the greater good, well then, polarising people into hardline positions, forcing them to take positions on awkward issues in the middle of very difficult Brexit negotiations is not helpful. And unfortunately Sinn Fein has chosen to do that for its own party political reasons." Mr Coveney said the Irish Government and nationalists need to "reach out to unionism in a more effective way than perhaps has been possible in recent years". "We are all neighbours on this island and we have to learn to live together. Unfortunately the threats of Brexit have caused a lot of tensions that we wish weren't happening," he said. "Unionists feel threatened by Brexit, nationalists feel threatened by Brexit, and others who are neither in Northern Ireland feel hugely frustrated by Brexit because of the paralysis that has come with it in the context of politics in Northern Ireland and the ability to get a devolved government back up and running." Police and Border Force agents on the beach at Lydd-on-Sea in Kent (Chris Matcham/Twitter) A group of 12 migrants including a 10-year-old child have been detained after landing on a Kent beach, the Home Office said. Nine men, two women and the child are believed to have arrived at Greatstone in a black dinghy on Monday morning. Witnesses described seeing a large police presence along the quiet stretch of coastline. Chris Matcham said: I was driving towards New Romney this morning with my sister when a police car came haring past us along the road. We then saw the police car and van on the sea side of the road a bit further down. We saw what we suspected were immigrants standing by the van on the pavement. I think we saw four or five but couldnt see for sure as we were driving past. Then I went for a walk 30 minutes later and lots of police helicopters were flying overhead. The dinghy was empty and the migrants were gone. The police van was gone, too. Expand Close Sajid Javid (Kirsty OConnor/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sajid Javid (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Kent Police said officers were called at 8.16am to a report of a group of suspected migrants in Coast Drive, Greatstone. A Home Office spokesman said: Border Force was contacted by Kent Police at around 8.25am today, Monday 31 December. Border Force officers were deployed to assist with a group of 12 migrants at Greatstone, Kent. The group consisted of nine men, two women and a 10-year-old child. They have presented themselves as Iranian nationals. They all received a medical assessment and have now been transferred to immigration officials for interview. The latest incident comes after Home Secretary Sajid Javid cut short a family holiday in South Africa to return to the UK to deal with the migrant issue, which he declared a major incident. Two more Border Force cutters will patrol the English Channel after scores of migrants risked the perilous crossing over the Christmas period, Sajid Javid has announced. The Home Secretary cut short a family holiday in South Africa to take personal control of the situation following criticism of the Governments response. Mr Javid said 230 migrants had sought to cross the Channel in December alone, with just under half prevented from leaving the continent by the French authorities. There has been a surge in the number of migrants attempting to navigate the Channels busy shipping lanes, often in small boats which cannot be detected by radar. This year, 539 migrants have attempted to travel to the UK on small boats, with children as young as nine risking the crossing. Of these, 434 made their attempts in the last three months of the year. Some 227 migrants were intercepted by the French before they made it to the UK. The Home Office revealed a group of 12 migrants, including a 10-year-old child, were detained after landing on a Kent beach on Monday morning. Expand Close Sajid Javid announced the redeployment of Border Force cutters to the English Channel after a meeting with officials in Whitehall (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sajid Javid announced the redeployment of Border Force cutters to the English Channel after a meeting with officials in Whitehall (Stefan Rousseau/PA) As well as redeploying the two cutters from overseas to join HMC Vigilant which is already in the area, the Home Secretary pledged: Better co-operation between French and UK law enforcement agencies More work on disrupting attempts to cross the Channel both directly but also in more covert ways The Government was doing everything we can to ensure migrants are returned to France where possible. But the Home Secretary acknowledged that if Border Force vessels pick up migrants in British waters, they would be taken to port in Britain. Mr Javid, who held talks with Whitehall chiefs on Monday, said the major incident remained a very serious concern. Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes warned just days ago that deploying additional craft could act as a magnet for migrants by encouraging them to risk the crossing. Expand Close Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes warned that increasing the number of patrol vessels could act as a magnet for migrants (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes warned that increasing the number of patrol vessels could act as a magnet for migrants (Victoria Jones/PA) Mr Javid acknowledged there was a balance to be struck in patrolling the seas. Speaking after a meeting with senior officials from the National Crime Agency and Border Force, he said: Its 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. The Home Secretarys actions were welcomed by Dovers Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, who had urged the authorities to get a grip on the situation. Mr Elphicke, who has asked Mr Javid to come to Dover so meet those dealing with the issue, said: I welcome the move to bring back our Border Force cutters to help maintain safety and security on our borders, this is something I have been calling for and am delighted the Home Secretary has listened. This makes it even more important we put renewed pressure on the French government to play their role in tackling this crisis, preventing these crossings from happening at all. British Red Cross chief executive Mike Adamson urged the Government to provide migrants with safe alternatives to the harrowing Channel crossing. He said: People only attempt perilous journeys like crossing the Channel because they are desperate. It is deeply concerning that men, women and children feel they have no choice but to put their lives at risk in their search for a safe place to live. Police are appealing for information after a 13-year-old boy was assaulted by two armed men (Joe Giddens/PA) A 13-year-old boy is in hospital after being attacked by two armed men in a callous and violent attack. Police Scotland have appealed for information after the teenager was assaulted in Castlemilk, Glasgow, on Sunday. The youngster was walking in a lane between Kerrylamont Avenue and Ardmory Place at about 7pm when he was assaulted by the pair, both of whom had their faces covered. This was a callous and violent attack on a 13-year-old boy. Our officers will be doing all they can to trace those responsibleDetective Constable Kenny Noble, Police Scotland He was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick children in Glasgow afterwards, with staff there describing his condition as stable. Detective Constable Kenny Noble from Cathcart Police Office said: This was a callous and violent attack on a 13-year-old boy. Our officers will be doing all they can to trace those responsible. We are currently checking CCTV and making door to door enquiries however we are appealing for anyone who was in the area last night, or has any information about this incident to come forward. The first attacker is described as being 5ft 10ins tall, of heavy build, and wearing black tracksuit bottoms and a blue long sleeved top, while the second was 5ft 4ins in height, of slim build and wearing a dark grey tracksuit. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has been accused by a Conservative MP of naked ambition after he floated plans for new military bases in the Caribbean and Far East following Brexit Mr Williamson said that the UK could be a true global player after EU withdrawal, ripping up the policy dating back to the 1960s of pulling back from regions east of Suez. But Remain-backing Tory backbencher Anna Soubry denounced his comments as utter twaddle, insisting that EU membership does not constrain UK defence policy. 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 moreGavin Williamson 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. 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. What utter twaddle. Being a member of the #EU does not impact on our defence policy & never has except that #Brexit will make our country poorer meaning less money to spend on defence. #NakedAmbition https://t.co/DOD8jcWDfM Anna Soubry (@Anna_Soubry) December 30, 2018 Ms Soubry responded on Twitter: What utter twaddle. Being a member of the #EU does not impact on our defence policy & never has except that #Brexit will make our country poorer meaning less money to spend on defence. #NakedAmbition. 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. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has suggested the UK should follow the example of low-tax Singapore as it forges a new position in the world after Brexit. In what will be seen as a bid to burnish his credentials with Tory Brexiteers, Mr Hunt hailed the south-east Asian city state for plugging into the international economic grid on gaining its independence in 1965. He also dismissed alternatives to Theresa Mays EU Withdrawal Agreement, denouncing the option of a second referendum as a dereliction of duty and warning that a no-deal Brexit could leave us poorer. Singapore has long been touted as a model for the UK after EU withdrawal by fervent Brexiteers such as former minister Owen Paterson, who last year wrote that Britain should adopt its low-tax, low-spend, low-regulation policies . Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Hunt said Singapore had transformed itself from a tiny territory devoid of natural resources into the worlds eighth richest country. He added: 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. Expand Close Singapore has become one of the worlds richest countries since independence in 1965 (Steve Parsons/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Singapore has become one of the worlds richest countries since independence in 1965 (Steve Parsons/PA) The Foreign Secretary, who backed Remain in 2016, has emerged as a potential successor to Mrs May after shifting his position to back Brexit. While acknowledging that the Prime Ministers Withdrawal Agreement is not perfect, he urged fellow MPs to back it in next months crunch vote. All other options are fraught with danger and would create more problems than they solve, he warned. A second referendum would divide the country again right at the moment when people need to come together, said Mr Hunt. And warning against the no-deal option favoured by some Leave-backing MPs, he said: 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 comments sparked a backlash from supporters of a second referendum, who warned the Singapore model would mean turning the UK into a bargain basement for business. Best for Britain spokesman Paul Butters said: The Foreign Secretary wants to turn this country into a low-tax haven for business. Nothing would help the elite out more, while stealing from the public purse vital funds for key services and damaging workers rights. Jeremy Hunt is frustrating the will of the people when he says things like this. No one voted for big business to rule over us. The public need the final say on Brexit to stop Jeremy Hunt turning Britain into a bargain basement for business. A massive bilateral trade deal between Britain and America is unlikely to be possible if Theresa Mays Brexit deal succeeds, the US ambassador to the UK has claimed. Woody Johnson said US President Donald Trump would look positively at an outcome which enabled America to strike major trade agreements with the UK. But he cautioned that if the Prime Ministers Withdrawal Agreement were to succeed, then negotiating a quick and massive trade deal between the US and UK doesnt look like it would be possible. Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: He (Mr Trump) is looking forward to and hoping that the environment will lead to the ability of the US to do a quick, very massive bilateral trade deal that could be the precursor of future trade deals with other countries around the world for Great Britain that will really take you way, way into an exciting future. We are still going through the stages of deciding where exactly the country is going. If it goes in a way that allows these kind of agreements to occur then I think that will be very positive in the presidents eyes. You can see the frustration in the Members of Parliament in trying to navigate what the people wanted when they voted on the referendumUS ambassador Woody Johnson But asked if such a deal would be possible if Mrs Mays Withdrawal Agreement is agreed, he said: It doesnt look like it would be possible. Mr Trump has previously said Mrs Mays Brexit deal sounds like a great deal for the EU. Mr Johnson also told the programme he thought it was probably true that Parliament is not providing a clear sense of where the country is going. He said: You can see the frustration in the Members of Parliament in trying to navigate what the people wanted when they voted on the referendum. And he said he detected a defeatism about Brexit, saying: If you look back and you just try to project the past into the present and the future, its going to be bleak. But youre leaving out the great thing that Britain has to offer, and that is all of the people and all of their efforts and their ability to solve problems. And if you factor that in, I think the future is extremely positive and extremely bright. On the postponed, controversial state visit to the UK, Mr Johnson said he thought Mr Trump would be in favour of it. Asked whether May 2019 would be good date, the ambassador said it would be a good time but noted that it has to be on both sides. Asked about Mr Johnsons comments, a Downing Street spokeswoman said he had also recently said we were the perfect trading partner for the US. She added: Both sides have been clear through the process, ourselves and the US, that we want an ambitious trade agreement and we stand ready to conclude such an agreement as a priority after we leave the European Union. These cane toads found an ingenious route to safety when a storm hit hitching a lift on the back of a python. The image was captured by Paul Mock, who spotted the unusual sight on his farm in Western Australia. 68mm just fell in the last hour at Kununurra. Flushed all the cane toads out of my brothers dam. Some of them took the easy way out - hitching a ride on the back of a 3.5m python. pic.twitter.com/P6mPc2cVS5 Andrew Mock (@MrMeMock) December 30, 2018 Paul was checking the state of the dam on his property in Kununurra in the early hours of Monday as a thunderstorm swept through the area bringing around 70mm of rain. I went out to lower the spillway and it was already really full, he told the Press Association. It has destroyed all the homes where the toads live. Paul said there were thousands of cane toads sitting on the grass by the lake. Then I nearly stepped on the python, he said. Its a python we know a bit because he hangs around the house. We call him Monty. Monty was making for higher ground with the toads on board, and Paul used his smartphone to snap the striking image. He sent it to his brother who posted the picture on Twitter, to the delight of some experts, one of whom stated the toads were in fact trying to mate with Monty. This is one of the most amazing videos I've seen!! Lots of *very* horny Cane #Toads (Rhinella marina) trying to mate with a large Olive #Python (Liasis olivaceus), with Giant Burrowing Frogs (Cyclorana australis) & Red Tree #Frogs (Litoria rubella) calling in the background! https://t.co/uy4yACCb8q Jodi Rowley (@jodirowley) December 31, 2018 Cane toads, an invasive species in the Australian ecosystem, are highly poisonous to many snakes. They have had a devastating impact on some reptile populations in the country, but some have learned to cohabit with them. Monty appears to be among those who have no interest in consuming the toads perhaps because he is interested in bigger prey. Montys known to eat wallabies, Paul said. And hell try and eat your chickens. The Capitol is seen amid leafless tree branches in Washington (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) House Democrats are introducing a package of bills that would re-open the US federal government without approving money for President Donald Trumps border wall. The House is preparing to vote as soon as the new Congress convenes on Thursday, as one of the first acts after Democrats take control, according to an aide. The package to end the shutdown will include one bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels, with 1.3 billion US dollars for border security, through to February 8. It will also include six other bipartisan bills, some that have already passed the Senate, to fund the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and others closed by the partial shutdown. Expand Close Donald Trump has insisted his border wall must be funded (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump has insisted his border wall must be funded (Niall Carson/PA) They would provide money through the remainder of the fiscal year, to September 30. Democrats under Nancy Pelosi are all but certain to swiftly approve the package in two separate votes planned for Thursday. What is unclear is whether the Republican-led Senate, under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will consider it or if Mr Trump would sign it into law. The partial government shutdown is in its second week over Mr Trumps demand for five billion US dollars for the wall. Republican senators left for the holidays refusing to vote on any bills until all sides, including Mr Trump, were in agreement. Expand Close A migrant family from Honduras climbs a border fence to jump inside the United States to San Diego, from Tijuana, Mexico (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A migrant family from Honduras climbs a border fence to jump inside the United States to San Diego, from Tijuana, Mexico (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP) Senators were frustrated that Mr Trump had dismissed their earlier legislation. The president continued to insist he wants to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, despite the assertions of three confidants. An all concrete Wall was never abandoned, Mr Trump tweeted on Monday. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Mr Trumps comments came after officials, including his departing chief of staff, indicated that the presidents signature campaign pledge to build the wall would not be fulfilled as advertised. White House chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published on Sunday that Trump abandoned the notion of a solid concrete wall early on in the administration. To be honest, its not a wall, Mr 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, Ms 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. Senator Lindsey Graham, a 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. Mr Graham said Mr Trump was open-minded about a broader immigration agreement, saying the budget impasse presented an opportunity to address issues beyond the border wall. Expand Close Senator Lindsey Graham (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Lindsey Graham (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) But a previous attempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of Dreamers, young immigrants brought to the US as children, broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Mr Graham told CNN before his lunch with Mr Trump that there will never be a deal without wall funding. The partial government shutdown began on 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 any funding for the wall, 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! Mr Trump suggested as much again in a tweet on Sunday: President and Mrs Obama built/has a 10-foot Wall around their D.C. mansion/compound. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The US needs the same thing, slightly larger version! Mr Trump tweeted on Monday to Democrats: Come back from vacation now and give us the votes necessary for Border Security, including the Wall. Senator Elizabeth Warren has taken the first major step towards launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency. No matter what our differences, most of us want the same thing, the 69-year-old Massachusetts Democrat said in a video that highlights her familys history in Oklahoma. To be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules and take care of the people we love. Thats what Im fighting for and thats why today Im launching an exploratory committee for president. Every person in America should be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules, & take care of themselves & the people they love. Thats what Im fighting for, & thats why Im launching an exploratory committee for president. I need you with me: https://t.co/BNl2I1m8OX pic.twitter.com/uXXtp94EvY Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) December 31, 2018 Mrs Warren burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections. President Donald Trump responded to the move by saying he would love to run against Mrs Warren. Mr Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channels All-American New Year set to air on Monday night that he hoped Mrs Warren was among the Democrats to run in 2020. He said: Well see how she does, I wish her well. I hope she does well. Id love to run against her. She quickly became one of the partys more prominent liberals even as she sometimes fought with Obama administration officials over their response to the market turmoil. Now, as a likely presidential contender, she is making an appeal to the partys base. Her video notes the economic challenges facing people of colour along with images of a womens march and Mrs Warrens participation at an LGBT event. In an email to supporters, Mrs Warren said she would more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019. Mrs Warren is the most prominent Democrat yet to make a move towards a presidential bid and has long been a favourite target of Mr Trump. Expand Close Donald Trump regularly takes aim at Mrs Warren (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump regularly takes aim at Mrs Warren (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) In mid-December, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro also announced a presidential exploratory committee, which legally allows potential candidates to begin raising money. Outgoing Maryland representative John Delaney is the only Democrat so far to have formally announced a presidential campaign. But that is likely to change quickly in the new year as other leading Democrats take steps towards White House runs. Mrs Warren enters a Democratic field that is shaping up as the most crowded in decades, with many of her Senate colleagues openly weighing their own campaigns, as well as governors, mayors and other prominent citizens. One of her most significant competitors could be senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who is eyeing another presidential run harnessing the same populist rhetoric. She must also move past a widely panned October release of a DNA test meant to bolster her claim to Native American heritage. The move was intended to rebut Mr Trumps taunts of Mrs Warren as Pocahontas. Instead, her use of a genetic test to prove ethnicity spurred controversy that seemed to blunt any argument she sought to make. There was no direct mention of it in the video released on Monday. Mrs Warren has the benefit of higher name recognition than many others in the Democratic mix for 2020, thanks to her years as a prominent critic of Wall Street who originally conceived of what became the governments Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She now faces an arduous battle to raise money and capture Democratic primary voters attention before Iowa casts its first vote in more than a year. She has an advantage in the 12.5 million US dollars left over from her 2018 re-election campaign that she could use for a presidential run. Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour during New Years Eve celebrations (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) There have been celebrations around the world to welcome in 2019. Paris The Champs-Elysees was the scene of festivities in Paris. Expand Close Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during the New Years Day celebrations (Michel Euler/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during the New Years Day celebrations (Michel Euler/AP) French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier addressed the people following a mixed year in which there were mass protests but in a year that will be remembered for the countrys World Cup victory in Russia. Berlin Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel also addressed the people ahead of fireworks over central Berlin. Expand Close Fireworks light the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate (Michael Sohn/PA) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fireworks light the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate (Michael Sohn/PA) It marked the end of a year when Mrs Merkel resigned as head of her party. Sydney Expand Close (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) An estimated one million people crowded Sydney Harbour as Australias largest city rang in the new year with a spectacular, soul-tinged fireworks celebration. One of the most complex displays in Australias history included gold, purple and silver fireworks pulsating to the tune of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, made famous by Aretha Franklin, who died in August. The show used 8.5 tonnes of fireworks and featured more than 100,000 pyrotechnic effects. Expand Close (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) Expand Close (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) Earlier, a thunderstorm drenched tens of thousands of people as they gathered for the traditional display, creating a show of its own with dozens of lightning strikes. Expand Close (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) Police said they took precautions to prevent any terrorist attack, but assured revellers there was no specific threat. In Melbourne, 14 tonnes of fireworks deployed on the ground and on roofs of 22 buildings produced special effects including flying dragons. In Brisbane, an estimated 85,000 people watched as fireworks exploded from five barges moored on the Brisbane River. New Zealand Tens of thousands gathered around Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealands biggest city, as fireworks exploded from the top of the 1,076ft structure. Across the southern hemisphere nation, thousands took to beaches and streets, becoming among the first in the world to usher in 2019. Fireworks boomed and crackled above city centres and harbours. Expand Close Fireworks explode from Aucklands Sky Tower (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fireworks explode from Aucklands Sky Tower (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) New Zealand's Auckland welcomes the new year with fireworks #NewYear2019 pic.twitter.com/acC47C5Edb ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 South Korea Expand Close People attend New Year celebrations in Seoul (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People attend New Year celebrations in Seoul (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) After an eventful year that saw three inter-Korean summits and the easing of tensions over North Koreas nuclear programme, South Koreans entered 2019 with hopes that the hard-won detente will expand into a stable peace. Expand Close Buddhists light candles during New Year celebrations at Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon). AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Buddhists light candles during New Year celebrations at Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon). Thousands of South Koreans filled the streets of the capital, Seoul, for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall. Dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight included famous surgeon Lee Guk-jong, who successfully operated on a North Korean soldier who escaped to South Korea in 2017 in a hail of bullets fired by his comrades. A peace bell was tolled at Imjingak, a pavilion near the border with North Korea. Japan Expand Close Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa lies on the mat after being knocked out by Floyd Mayweather Jr (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa lies on the mat after being knocked out by Floyd Mayweather Jr (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Japanese usually welcome the new year with a visit to a nearby temple or shrine, but some 30,000 people at Saitama Super Arena did it with Floyd Mayweather. The American boxing legend soundly defeated his opponent, Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, in the first round of what was billed as three rounds of entertainment with no official record, meaning both fighters still retain their undefeated tallies. Floyd Mayweather has just been paid $9m to do this to kick boxer who weighs 2 stone lighter than him Business #RIZIN #RIZIN14 pic.twitter.com/FbdOC0vlg4 Adam Catterall (@AdamCatterall) December 31, 2018 I told Tenshin to hold your head up high, Mayweather said of his advice after the bout. Nasukawa was floored three times in the first round, and although he kept getting up, teetering, his father in the corner threw in the towel. Thailand Expand Close Worshippers pray as they take turns lying in coffins during a ceremony at the Takien temple in suburban Bangkok (AP Photo/Sakchai lalit) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Worshippers pray as they take turns lying in coffins during a ceremony at the Takien temple in suburban Bangkok (AP Photo/Sakchai lalit) While many celebrate New Years Eve with fireworks, hundreds of Thais travelled to Takien Temple in a suburb of Bangkok to lie inside coffins for traditional funeral rituals. Participants believe the ceremony symbolising death and rebirth helps rid them of bad luck and allows them to be born again for a fresh start in the new year. Participants held flowers and incense in their hands as monks covered them with pink sheets and chanted prayers for the dead. Expand Close Monks cover worshippers lying in coffins (AP Photo/Sakchai lalit) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Monks cover worshippers lying in coffins (AP Photo/Sakchai lalit) It wasnt scary or anything. It is our belief that it will help us get rid of bad luck and bring good fortune to our life, said Busaba Yookong, who came to the temple with her family. Bangkok is filled with modern glitzy shopping centres and high-rise buildings, but superstitious beliefs still hold sway in many aspects of Thai society. United Arab Emirates Fireworks crackled at Dubais Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building, as hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered downtown to watch the spectacular display. The fireworks replace last years somewhat anticlimactic LED lightshow that ran down the facade of the 828-metre-tall (2,716-foot) tower. Moscow Russia marked the new year with a firework display over the Kremlin in Russia. Expand Close Fireworks explode over the Kremlin during New Years celebrations in Moscow (Denis Tyrin/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fireworks explode over the Kremlin during New Years celebrations in Moscow (Denis Tyrin/AP) It also marked the end of the year in which the country was praised for its staging of the World Cup. United Nations One year ago, I issued a red alert to the world. The dangers still exist, but I also see reasons for hope. In 2019, let us build on them and create a better future for all. Happy New Year. pic.twitter.com/S31Q09x1HE Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) December 29, 2018 UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres issued a bleak New Years message that called climate change an existential threat and warned that its time to seize our last best chance. He noted growing intolerance, geo-political divisions and inequality, resulting in people questioning a world in which a handful of people hold the same wealth as half of humanity. But there are also reasons for hope, he said. As we begin this New Year, lets resolve to confront threats, defend human dignity and build a better future together. United States Expand Close Confetti covers the crowd during the New Years celebration in Times Square, New York (Frank Franklin II/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Confetti covers the crowd during the New Years celebration in Times Square, New York (Frank Franklin II/AP) Raindrops fell along with confetti as revellers rang in 2019 in New Yorks Times Square, capping a soggy New Years Eve celebration that included singer-songwriter Bebe Rexhas stirring rendition of John Lennons Imagine just before midnight. Crews used squeegees to try to remove water from the stages, but New Kids On The Block still splashed up puddles while performing their hit Step By Step on a giant set of steps. At midnight, fireworks erupted over Times Square, couples kissed, families hugged and Auld Lang Syne played over loudspeakers. Human Rights Watch is urging Sudans government to instruct security forces not to use lethal force against protesters. The New York-based group says security forces have used tear gas and live ammunition against protesters who have taken to the streets since December 19 to demand that Sudans autocratic president Omar al-Bashir should step down. The statement came hours before a day of renewed of protests, with demonstrators in the capital, Khartoum, expected to try to march on Mr al-Bashirs palace to demand he relinquishes power. Expand Close Sudanese protesters set fire to the ruling party headquarters, in Atbara (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sudanese protesters set fire to the ruling party headquarters, in Atbara (AP) Amnesty International said it has reliable reports that 37 protesters were killed in the first five days of protests. The government has acknowledged 19 deaths, while Human Rights Watch said independent groups monitoring the situation in Sudan have put the death toll at 40. An umbrella of independent professional unions which called for Mondays protests in Khartoum have urged Sudanese people to take to the streets elsewhere in the country. Mr al-Bashir, who has been in power since 1989, vowed in a meeting with police commanders on Sunday that his government would not tolerate any attempt to undermine the stability and security of Sudan, according to the state news agency. Expand Close A Sudanese activist, men help women find cover during clashes with security forces at a demonstration in Khartoum (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Sudanese activist, men help women find cover during clashes with security forces at a demonstration in Khartoum (AP) An Islamist, he also sought to justify the killing of protesters, quoting from Islams holy book, the Koran, according to a video clip of his comments. He said: Its deterrence to others so that we can maintain security, which is a valuable commodity and, God willing, we will not risk the security of the citizens or the nation. The objective is not to kill the protesters, but to safeguard the security and stability of citizens. Human Rights Watchs Jehanne Henry said: President al-Bashir appears to be making public speeches that justify excessive use of force instead of condemning this brutality. With more protests planned, Sudanese authorities should send an unambiguous message to all security forces to respect the rights of protesters and not to use lethal force. Sudans economy has struggled for most of Mr al-Bashirs rule. He has also failed to unite or keep the peace in the religiously and ethnically diverse nation, losing three quarters of the countrys oil wealth when the mainly animist and Christian south seceded in 2011, following a referendum in which southerners voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence. A year earlier, Mr al-Bashir, who is now in his mid-70s, was indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide in Sudans western region of Darfur. 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) AP/PA Images / 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. US President Donald Trump has complained he is getting bad press for his decision to pull American troops out of Syria. Earlier this month, Mr Trump abruptly announced on Twitter that he was withdrawing 2,000 US troops from the war-torn country. He said Islamic State militants are mostly gone and hes slowly sending American servicemen and women back to their families. A withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan also appeared to be in the works. The decision was roundly criticised by his national security advisers and Democratic and Republican lawmakers. It prompted US defence secretary Jim Mattis to resign and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell signed a letter with other Republican senators urging Mr Trump to reconsider. I am the only person in America who could say that, Im bringing our great troops back home, with victory, and get BAD press, Mr Trump tweeted on Monday. It is Fake News and Pundits who have FAILED for years that are doing the complaining. If I stayed in Endless Wars forever, they would still be unhappy! Critics not only warn of a resurgence of Islamic State, but worry that the American exit is a betrayal of US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria and leaves them vulnerable to an attack from Turkish forces. Turkey considers the US-backed Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, which now controls nearly 30% of Syria, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. Other critics feared an abrupt withdrawal. Senator Lindsey Graham, a backer of Mr Trump and leading voice on national security and foreign affairs on Capitol Hill, had lunch with the president on Sunday and emerged from the White House saying that Mr Trump was slowing down the withdrawal from Syria. Expand Close Senator Lindsey Graham after his meeting with Mr Trump (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Lindsey Graham after his meeting with Mr Trump (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) I think were in a pause situation, Mr Graham said. It was unclear if he meant that the troop withdrawal was actually being paused, or if Mr Graham was echoing Mr Trumps promise for a strong, deliberate and orderly withdrawal of US forces from Syria. The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1) ISIS is permanently destroyed. 2) Iran doesnt fill in the back end, and 3) our Kurdish allies are protected. Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 30, 2018 I think were slowing things down in a smart way, Mr Graham said, adding that Mr Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Mr Trump on Monday reiterated that he was slowly withdrawing troops. Mr Trump tweeted: If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero. ISIS is mostly gone, were slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do! President Donald Trump is insisting he still wants to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, tweeted Mr Trump, whose demand for congressional funding to construct one has caused a budgetary stand-off. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Mr Trumps comments came after officials, including his departing chief of staff, indicated that the presidents signature campaign pledge to build the wall would not be fulfilled as advertised. Expand Close Donald Trump has been tweeting angrily about his proposed border wall (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump has been tweeting angrily about his proposed border wall (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Mr 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 on Sunday that Mr Trump abandoned the notion of a solid concrete wall early on in the administration. To be honest, its not a wall, Mr 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, Ms 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. Senator 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. Expand Close Senator Lindsey Graham (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Lindsey Graham (AP) Mr Graham said Mr 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 US as children broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Mr Graham said he hoped to end the shutdown by offering Democrats incentives to get them to vote for wall funding and told news channel CNN before his lunch with Mr Trump that there will never be a deal without wall funding. Donald Trump announced he would be withdrawing US troops from Syria (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of US forces in Syria, Republican senator Lindsey Graham has said. I think were in a pause situation, the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House after lunch with the president. Mr Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Mr Graham had been an outspoken critic of Mr Trumps decision, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. Expand Close Senator Lindsey Graham after his meeting with Mr Trump (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Lindsey Graham after his meeting with Mr Trump (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) The announcement had also shocked American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the US against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey. I think were slowing things down in a smart way, Mr Graham said, adding that Mr Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Critics had contended that the US withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. US national security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the presidents plans with the American allies. The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1) ISIS is permanently destroyed. 2) Iran doesnt fill in the back end, and 3) our Kurdish allies are protected. Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 30, 2018 Mr Graham told US news channel CNN: Im going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure that we get it right. Make sure Isis never comes back. Dont turn Syria over to the Iranians. Thats a nightmare for Israel. And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, whos going to help you in the future? I want to fight the war in the enemys backyard, not ours. Thats why we need a forward-deployed force in Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan for a while to come. Model looks: Demi Moore starred in a new campaign for the cosmetics company started by Helena Rubinstein I had a bit of a tidy-up of my bedroom recently, and realised that I owned (at least) 47 lipsticks: in addition to all the other unguents, potions, skin creams, moisturisers and assorted cosmetics.A monument to vanity? Or a modern woman's entitlement to make the best of herself and present a cheerful face to the world? Lipstick, especially, is hugely cheering and a small luxury that goes a long way. This month, we celebrated the victory of the women's vote in December 1918: yet there was another female revolution happening in parallel with the suffrage movement. It was led by two formidable matriarchs - Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden - who asserted a woman's right to cosmetic adornment, believing that such a right enhanced female confidence, advanced a woman's power, and gave her better skin all her life. Elizabeth Arden (born Florence Nightingale Graham in Canada in the 1880s - she lied about the exact date) even joined a women's suffrage march in New York in 1909. The astonishing aspect of the march - for the period - was that the participants all wore bright red lipstick, as a symbol of assertive feminism. Before World War I, only actresses and prostitutes wore lipstick. As late as 1934, according to Lindy Woodhead's biographical history, War Paint, an entry in a standard reference book read: "Face: painted. See also under whore." But Miss Arden was delighted the feminist marchers wore lipstick. Good for business to see cosmetics linked to female power. Helena Rubinstein- born into a strict Jewish neighbourhood in Krakow in 1872 - was just as much a campaigner for beautification. "Beauty is power," she'd say. Emigrating to Australia as a young woman in search of opportunities, she observed that the skin of Australian women was ruined by exposure to sun. "The sun is woman's mortal enemy," she proclaimed. From this she developed her mantra of "moisturise, moisturise, moisturise". It happened that Helena's mother (a religious woman who had borne 15 children, of whom eight survived) possessed a herbal recipe for face cream, and Helena took this with her to Melbourne. She worked hard researching the cream's ingredients, which included herbs, pine bark, sesame, almond essence, oil and wax. But something was missing, and Rubinstein found it among Australia's sheep wool: lanolin. Her career was launched and she established her first salon in 1902. But there was a struggle for acceptability. Cosmetics were stigmatised, not just by moralists, but sometimes by serious-minded women - like many of the suffragettes - who thought primping up your face was frivolous. High-minded writers like George Eliot considered vanity a feminine weakness. Women should focus on their minds, not on their appearance. Elizabeth Arden, who was a social-climbing snob, yearned to be accepted by New York high society when she moved there in the 1900s. But it took her over 30 years to gain entry. Make-up wasn't entirely respectable until after the Second World War. Yet, Rubinstein's biographer, Michele Fitoussi, notes that beauty expertise went in step with women's progress throughout the 20th century. And both Rubinstein and Arden were adroit in their timing: the cinema, modern photography and the enormous expansion in women's magazines that started in the 1930s all enhanced the cosmetic arts. There have always been sceptics about make-up. The feminist Naomi Wolf, in her book The Beauty Myth, argued that women were manipulated and sold an illusion by the beauty industry. The same charge was made by a landmark book back in the 1930s called Skin Deep. The plain fact is that nothing holds back time; skin tissue isn't renewed; some claims are dubious, some downright mendacious. And some products on the market then were unsafe. There's a grain of truth in the notion that there's an element of buying into an illusion. But Helena Rubinstein wasn't wrong in her diktat that exposure to sun and wind is terrible for the skin, and women who never touch their faces with anything other than soap and water do tend to look more weather-beaten. These 'beauty queens' made great fortunes - Arden earned more money than any other woman in America, in her time. And they were both tough businesswomen. They also genuinely believed in their mission to enhance women's lives. Later they were followed by others - Dorothy Gray, Estee Lauder. There had been men in the business too - Eugene Rimmel, Charles Revson (of Revlon) and the Hollywood make-up artist Max Factor, who arrived as a refugee from Russia as Maksymilian Faktorowicz. Cosmetics have featured in history since Cleopatra, but until modern times they could be dangerous - Madame de Pompadour died from lead poisoning. Lead was commonly found in face powder at the time. We wouldn't suggest that the invention of the twist-up lipstick (launched by Arden and Rubinstein) was as significant as the vote in women's history: but it deserves its little place of honour just the same. Twenty-five years ago I saw a man with tights on his head and a knife in his hand running up an alleyway in East Way, Rathcoole, in Newtownabbey, a short distance from my grandparents' home. My abiding memory of the incident was how alien he looked, his features horribly distorted by the beige-coloured silk stocking clinging to his face. The adrenaline coursing through his body made him behave erratically. I found his whole demeanour at once disturbing and amusing. It was as if he had dropped into the estate from another planet. Along with some of my pals, we gave chase. It was a scene redolent of that famous sequence from the classic movie Rocky. But the person we pursued that day wasn't some underdog champion from within our local community. No. We were quick to realise that - on the balance of probabilities - this man was a petty criminal. The street conditions you to make a judgment call on people within minutes of encountering them. On that day I realised that this wasn't someone to emulate; this was someone to fear. Growing up in an estate like Rathcoole, you come to accept that the only time you can reasonably expect to see a man in a mask is whenever he is letting loose a few live rounds at a so-called "show of strength". He is usually maniacal in his fanaticism as an assembled crowd cheers him on. Terrorism is about sending a message and the threat of violence combined with spectators tends to give it more oomph. On the day I spotted the petty crook he was on his own. He was also hyper-aggressive. He turned to me abruptly, snarled, then barked out an uncouth "F*** off" as he made good his escape. Feeling somewhat emboldened by being given an ultimatum by a man dressed in hosiery, I ignored him. Creeping forward, carefully, I caught a glimpse of his solitary figure disappearing into the middle of a block of flats. It was the last I ever saw of him. Moments later I was retracing my steps back to my friends and joining in a chorus of laughter as we poked fun at the ridiculous-looking figure who'd just ran past us. As we made our way back down to East Way we spotted a woman, clearly distressed, being comforted by a tiny knot of people across the street. I recognised her immediately. She was one of the women who worked in a local shop. She'd obviously been robbed by the knifeman, who'd made good his escape. She was visibly shaken by the whole ordeal. Later on that evening several eyewitnesses to the incident were cross-examined about what they saw. The people who asked the questions weren't police officers from the RUC. They didn't wear uniforms, nor did they carry warrant cards, or their weapons openly, for that matter. Although we never acknowledged it at the time, these men belonged to a local paramilitary faction. At that time Rathcoole was home to 10,000 people, making it one of the largest housing estates in Western Europe. It had one part-time community police officer. RUC officers based in nearby Whiteabbey police station spent most of their time cruising around in armoured Land Rovers, mostly in republican areas. To these officers - perhaps rightly - they saw their main enemy as the Provisional IRA. They had neither the time nor the inclination to investigate everyday crime in estates like Rathcoole. As a result a gulf grew up between local people in the estate and the RUC. "They're never around to do anything," was a common complaint. In the absence of the legitimate forces of law and order, paramilitary groups filled the void. Within 24 hours of the mugging the shop's takings were returned, an apology issued and the community assured that the perpetrator had been summarily dealt with. "He wouldn't be doing that again," they said. I'd subsequently learned "on the grapevine" of the mugger's fate. He'd been beaten and kneecapped. Such was the efficiency of locally-based paramilitary groups in policing their areas. During the Troubles this type of "rough justice" was an everyday occurrence in deprived communities across Northern Ireland. "Paramilitaries provided a community service," their apologists frequently claimed. In an important study, published in 2004, Dr Rachel Monaghan, a leading authority on paramilitary-style attacks, argued that such "rough justice" existed for three main reasons: the absence of a perceived legitimate, or adequate, policing service; the rising levels of petty crime and 'anti-social behaviour', and the perceived failure of the formal criminal justice system. According to Dr Monaghan, the high-water mark of loyalist rough justice came in 1992, the same year I caught sight of the mugger. Apart from another peak in 1996, the number of assaults and shootings has remained highest within loyalist controlled areas, with over 50 attacks recorded in 2017/18. The continuation of paramilitary attacks a quarter-of-a-century after the 1994 ceasefires and a decade since they announced an end to their armed campaigns is alarming. Those who haven't had their heads buried in the sand know the reality: paramilitaries rule with an iron fist in those communities that first gave birth to them half-a-century ago. And, if we are honest with ourselves, we know they do so because they are tolerated by some in the community. Those who know the areas where paramilitary activity thrives also know that a solution to the problem remains elusive. Tactically, the joint PSNI-National Crime Agency-HMRC Paramilitary Crime Task Force is having modest success. However, it is at the strategic level, with the formation of the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme, that has the greatest potential to remove these structures once and for all. Their #endingtheharm public awareness campaign is as hard-hitting as the old DoE ads for road deaths. But it is not enough. Paramilitary groupings have long been part of the fabric of society in Northern Ireland. In order to transform this situation we must challenge the context which breeds such militancy. Structurally speaking, multiple deprivations help foster gang sub-cultures around the world. Yet, the persistence of paramilitarism is also spurred on by the divisions between unionists and nationalists. People live in separate housing estates, socialise separately, engage in separate recreational activities, send their children to separate schools and attend separate churches. This separateness is reinforced by the different newspapers they read, by the premium they put on different dates on their calendars and by the different political parties they vote for. Not only is the basis of such division not challenged, it is positively reinforced by the architecture of the "peace process". On top of this perverse celebration of difference, there are repeated attempts made to refight the conflict through a rewriting of the past. Additionally, Brexit has served to pit these diametrically opposed worldviews against one another even further. For the meantime it is camouflaged beneath deeply troubling rhetoric from extremists on both sides, many of whom were born years after major hostilities ended. Twenty-five years since I witnessed a violent mugging in Rathcoole, the PSNI is still ignoring requests to investigate everyday crime in working-class areas. The Chief Constable says that tight budgets are to blame. Such claims ring hollow. Ordinary people on the ground know the truth. For as long as there is a societal failure to challenge the perverse logic underpinning the thuggery in our midst, the longer we risk a relapse into conflict within and between our communities. Dr Aaron Edwards is an historian, writer and academic. His most recent book is UVF: Behind The Mask (Merrion Press) Mrs Brown's Boys has beaten the Queen to win the Christmas Day TV ratings battle in Northern Ireland for a sixth successive year. Northern Ireland went against the UK-wide trend, with Brendan O'Carroll's foul-mouthed Mrs Brown comfortably seeing off all-comers to claim the crown of the most watched TV programme in the province on Christmas Day. Read More According to independent audience research figures, 283,000 homes in Northern Ireland tuned in to watch Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas special on BBC One and see Agnes take part in Fr Damian's Christmas decoration contest. The Christmas night TV audience for the comedy was up yet again on last year's figures. The Queen's traditional Christmas message in the afternoon, which was the UK's most popular programme, attracted a combined audience of 187,000 Northern Ireland homes watching on BBC and UTV. This was the second most popular programme in Northern Ireland, but the figure was well down on last Christmas. In third place was the Strictly Come Dancing special, with Michael McIntyre's Christmas special, also on BBC, the other star performer of the day in fifth place. Until the first appearance of Mrs Brown at the top of the charts in 2013, the soaps traditionally took the top slots, however, this year all three soaps showed a drop in viewing figures. ITV's Coronation Street topped the soaps chart, finishing in fourth place with 170,000 homes tuning in across Northern Ireland to see the hour-long special from the cobbled streets of Weatherfield - but that is a significant drop on last year's figures. It finished ahead of Emmerdale in sixth place with 155,000 viewers, and EastEnders in joint seventh place with 148,000 local viewers. The top 10 is completed by the ITV Evening News, with Call the Midwife on BBC One and film The Jungle Book sharing joint ninth. The big misses of Christmas night included The Great Christmas Bake Off which was viewed in just 94,000 households after its switch to Channel 4. ITV's prestige ice-skating drama Torvill and Dean - filmed largely at Dundonald Ice Bowl - proved a big a turn-off for many people, with just 89,000 homes here watching the feature-length biopic. The top 10 1. Mrs Brown's Boys 283,000 2. Queen's Broadcast 187,000 3. Strictly Come Dancing 177,000 4. Coronation Street 170,000 5. Michael McIntyre's Christmas Special 167,000 6. Emmerdale 155,000 Joint 7. EastEnders 148,000, ITV evening news 148,000 Joint 9. Call the Midwife 142,000, Jungle Book 142,000 A Rohingya refugee family walks back with relief material collected from aid agencies inside the Balukhali refugee camp near Cox's Bazar district in Bangladesh, Nov. 17, 2018. As Bangladeshis voted Sunday in a general election plagued with accusations of irregularities, more than 1 million Rohingya refugees were corralled in southeastern camps because local authorities had ordered them to stay put over the weekend as polling unfolded, officials said. The restriction of movement affected refugees at 32 camps in Coxs Bazar district, where more than 700,000 Rohingya fled following a military crackdown in Myanmars Rakhine state in 2017. Their movement has been restricted to ensure that none can use them in favor or against any candidate in the 11th parliamentary election on Dec. 30, Relief and Refugee Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam told BenarNews. According to a special directive issued by the commission, Rohingya refuges were not allowed to leave the camps from 7 p.m. on Saturday until 8 a.m. on Monday, local news reports said. Additional police officers and soldiers were deployed to provide security in the camps, Kalam said. Saifur Rahman, a Rohingya community leader at the No. 12 camp in Ukhia sub-district, confirmed that the directive had been issued. The camp-in-charge instructed us not to go outside the camp, Rahman told BenarNews on Saturday. During emergency cases, we will have to seek permission to go outside. The camps are being guarded to implement the instruction. We have told everybody that it is a big election for Bangladesh. Untoward incidents may happen if anybody goes outside, he said. Thousands died during the widespread violence that included torture, rape and arson when Myanmars security forces committed ethnic cleansing and genocide against the Rohingya Muslims during their crackdowns in 2016 and 2017, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. The United Nations, rights groups and the United States have described the violence as ethnic cleansing." Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, additional superintendent of police in Coxs Bazar district, said barriers had been installed and checkpoints mounted at nine points on roads leading to the refugee camps. More than 264,000 people in Coxs Bazar were eligible to vote in Bangladeshs 11th parliamentary elections. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina smiles while speaking at a press conference in Dhaka after the ruling coalition scored a landslide victory in the nations 11th general election, Dec. 31, 2018. Bangladeshs main opposition alliance declared Monday that its victorious candidates would not take the oath as new MPs to protest alleged vote-tampering in Sundays national polls, while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her ruling coalition had won a credible and transparent election through a landslide. The National Unity Front (NUF) opposition bloc won a mere seven parliamentary seats compared with the Grand Alliance coalition, which took 288 seats out of 299 that were up for grabs in the polls, according to the nations Election Commission. We have rejected the results of the election, so we will not go to parliament. Our MPs will not take the oath, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), one of the leading parties in the opposition alliance, told reporters in Dhaka. As many as 83.2 million people, or 80 percent of eligible Bangladeshi voters, cast ballots in the 11th general election the first national polls contested in a decade the commission reported on Monday. It turned down calls from the opposition that the votes be thrown out and polls be held again because of allegations of massive ballot rigging. The Awami League has snatched the peoples rights to franchise in a premeditated way. We completely reject this election, said Alamgir, who was elected to parliament from the Bogra constituency, adding that the NUF demanded that new elections be held under a neutral caretaker government. Our MPs cannot take the oath and sit in the assembly, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, a key leader of the recently formed NUF coalition, told BenarNews. If our MPs go to parliament, we will contradict ourselves. PM: They overwhelmingly voted for us Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hasina, 71, spoke to reporters for the first time after securing a record fourth and third consecutive one. The people had once again picked her Awami League party, which heads the Grand Alliance, because it had brought the country positive economic change, including reducing the poverty rate change and raising the Gross Domestic Product, the state-run BSS news agency quoted her as saying. They (the people) wanted continuity of the government, [and] development for which they overwhelmingly voted for us, said Hasina, who received congratulatory messages on Monday from Bangladeshs giant neighbors to the west and east, India and China. The Asian rivals both maintain bilateral relations with Dhaka and have sizeable economic investments in the country of 160 million people. Awamis victory was credible and transparent, but the opposition NUF lost because people did not know who the opposition leader was, Hasina added. Kamal Hossain, 84, a former Awami stalwart who had worked under Hasinas father the founding leader of Bangladesh who was assassinated in a coup in 1975 spearheaded the NUF during the election campaign but was not running for any parliamentary seats. The NUF had forged an alliance with the BNP, Awamis traditional rival party whose leader, Khaleda Zia, was disqualified from participating in the election because she was convicted and jailed over corruption charges which, her supporters said, were politically motivated. While Hasina basked in the glow of her partys victory by saying it would prolong the countrys economic stability, Nizam Uddin Ahmed, a political science professor at Chittagong University, suggested that Awamis landslide victory would create further political instability. People will definitely question the result. They will not accept the outcome, he told BenarNews. When a ruling party candidate gets 250,000 votes while a BNP gets 10,000, [this] is unacceptable to the voters. All political parties contested the election. We had an opportunity to bring long-term political stability. But this chance is lost, Ahmed added. A Bangladeshi man collects election posters in Dhaka, a day after the ruling coalition won almost every seat in parliament through the countrys 11th general election, Dec. 31, 2018. [AP] This is not a vote According to a statement from Bangladeshs government, the Election Commission had declared that Awami won a substantial majority in parliament by taking 267 seats in Sundays vote, although results from one constituency were postponed because of alleged irregularities at three polling centers. Nationwide, polling was suspended at only 16 centers in all, the statement said. In the end, almost all foreign observers have issued statements affirming that the elections were orderly, fair and mostly peaceful, the government said. Among the 18 countries and organizations that were approved to send 176 observers to monitor the polls, the United States deployed the largest contingent, made up of 65 observers, according to a list from the Election Commission. In the week before the vote, the U.S. State Department and American ambassador to Dhaka issued statements expressing concern that the polls be free and fair as well as staged in a safe atmosphere. On Monday, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), which was accredited to send observers, told Benar it could not comment on whether the Bangladeshi elections were held in a free and fair manner. K.M. Nurul Huda, the embattled head of the Election Commission whom the opposition had accused of being biased for the government during the run-up to the polls, on Monday described Sundays vote as peaceful and fair. Police, however, had said that at least 16 people were killed in political-related violence nationwide on Saturday and Sunday. No, we will not hold a fresh election; there is no scope for holding an election anew, Huda told reporters in Dhaka. He also rejected allegations from the NUF that officials and activists from the ruling Awami League party had been spotted stuffing ballot boxes ahead of the 11th general election. This is a totally untrue statement, the elections chief said, adding, We, the election commission, are satisfied We have not received a single written allegation of irregularities. As soon as Huda left the media briefing room, Mahbub Uddin Khokon, a barrister and BNP candidate, came in, saying he had filed written complaints with the commission about alleged voter fraud in his constituency. Across the country, the style of rigging was the same, Khokon told BenarNews. The police, the ruling party armed cadres, the administration and the election commission officials stuffed the ballots in advanced to get the ruling party candidates elected, he alleged. They kicked the agents of Sheaf of Paddy out of the centers and cast false votes in the presence of the police and administrative officials. He was alluding to the symbol of the NUF coalition. On Sunday night, Islami Andolon, a faith-based independent party, said it had filed written complaints about fraud in at least 24 constituencies, where its appointed poll monitors were allegedly beaten and forced out of polling centers. The party said other irregularities had occurred, including the stuffing of ballot boxes, the closing of police centers at 11 a.m., and the casting of falsified votes. The party fielded candidates for all 299 seats but did not win a single one. This is not a vote. This is a farce. We reject this election, Yousuf Ahmad, the secretary general of Islamic Andolan, told BenarNews. Meanwhile, a BenarNews correspondent who on Sunday visited a polling center in Rupganj, a sub-district near Dhaka, said he saw no voters at the polling booths. Some local people, including a 12-year-old boy, were stamping seals on ballot papers in the presence of a police constable. When the group saw that journalists were observing them, they ran away. There may be one or two such cases. Very peaceful voting is going on. By 12:45 p.m., over 2,400 out of 3,100 votes have been cast. You go, now, a presiding officer, who was on site but declined to identify himself, told the Benar reporter. Bomb experts look for evidence after suspected Muslim militants exploded a homemade bomb outside a shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Cotabato, Dec. 31, 2018. Suspected Muslim militants detonated an improvised bomb at a packed shopping mall in the southern Philippine city of Cotabato on Monday, killing two people and wounding at least 24 others, a general said. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack. The explosion ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations occurred amid heightened security in the south and weeks before the troubled region was due to go the polls to vote on ratifying a law signed by President Rodrigo Duterte for expanding autonomy in the south. The suspects apparently left the improvised bomb near the entrance of the South Seas Mall. Closed-circuit television footage showed the area packed with holiday makers when the blast occurred, setting off panic. Our EOD guys are scouring the area to check on what kind of bomb was used. Another IED (improvised explosive device) was recovered nearby, said local military chief Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana. Bomb experts were checking what trigger mechanism was used to set off the explosion, he said. It was the latest in a spate of bombings in the south since early this year. While it was too early to pin blame on a particular group, Sobejana said he was inclined to believe the suspects could either be members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) or Daulah Islamiyah, a loose grouping of radical militants. Both groups rejected last years passage of a Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which was signed by Duterte in July, four years after the government approved a peace deal with a former separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, the mayor of Cotabato, condemned the incident as an "act of terror." It is unimaginable how some people can start the New Year with an act of cruelty, Guiani-Sayadi said. This is not just another terroristic act but an act against humanity. I cannot fathom how such evil exists in this time of merry making. We will stand up against terrorism, she said. We will fight against evil. Boosting recruitment efforts Security analysts had said earlier that if the south failed to ratify the BOL in January, it could lead to trouble. Islamic State-linked groups, such as the BIFF and the Daulah Islmiyah, could take advantage of the situation to boost their recruitment efforts, analysts warned. The military, under Sobejana, launched massive offensives against the two groups last week, ahead of the polls. This is part of the retaliation, but the problem is, they are targeting civilians, he said. The citys police chief, Senior Superintendent Molly Octavio, said the explosion killed two civilians and wounded about two dozen others. We have a terror threat report before the blast. Right now, we have witnesses and hopefully we can get the suspects, he said. Earlier, a MILF field commander, Wahid Tundok, warned of potential violence if the plebiscite results did not favor the expanded autonomy. If they will not accept it, we will have a conflict against each other, he said. Tundoks warnings carried some weight. He was implicated in a January 2015 clash that left 44 police commandos dead. Some two million people in the Muslim provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawu-Tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur are expected to join the plebiscite on January 21 to ratify the BOL. The law aims to give Muslims in the south full control of the autonomous region, where they will be allowed to form an elected parliament and administration in Islamic-majority areas. Historical markers dot the county This marker sits in the median at Highway 17-A and Highway 52 in Moncks Corner. According to the World Health Organization, at any given time over 1.4 million people across the globe suffer from a nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) of a healthcare facility by definition involves a variety of factors such as thermal (temperature and relative humidity) conditions, presence of chemical components & contaminants as well the outdoor air quality. IAQ is vital in relation to environment inside hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare facilities. Poor hospital IAQ may cause outbreaks of building-related illness such as headaches, fatigue, eye, and skin irritations, and other symptoms. The pre-requisite for any hospital facility is to provide for and ensure a good IAQ to safeguard patients, nursing staff and visitors from the hazards of occupational diseases and nosocomial or hospital-acquired infections (HAI). According to the World Health Organization, at any given time over 1.4 million people across the globe suffer from a nosocomial or HAI. HAIs account for 2 million cases and about 80,000 deaths a year. Understanding the well-being of its patients and workers and safeguarding their health is a matter of utmost importance to healthcare facilities. Nosocomial infections are a major threat to the patients' safety in any health-care facility. However, the prevalence is higher in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) than other areas of the hospital. This increased prevalence of nosocomial infection not only influences the mortality and morbidity pattern of ICU but also poses a significant financial burden to the patient and the society. Further to this a 2008 study by the International Society of the Built Environment of indoor and outdoor air quality in hospitals in India revealed the counts of bacteria higher in ICUs and wards namely the orthopaedic ward, neonatal ward, dialysis ward and post-operative ward beyond the recommended levels. The mere presence of fungi in hospital air was a matter of great concern as many spores can be released leading to an incidence of HAIs and occupational infections. Noteworthy is the finding that the high counts were influenced by the activity of ventilation provided. SICK BUILDING SYNDROME (SBS) The issue of improving air quality in buildings has previously been mainly related to SBS. It is a situation in which occupants of a building experience linked to time spent in the building with no specific illness. Symptoms of SBS are acute discomfort, headaches, dizziness, eye, nose, throat irritation, dry cough, itchy skin, nausea etc. Recently many researchers have worked on SBS issue and its effect on office workers and noticed that SBS is not linked to the type of ventilation or air conditioning system used but it is more likely to be a function of how well system are installed, managed and operated. Therefore Operation & Maintenance of HVAC systems in hospitals are more critical than other buildings. Active Ionisation technology to improve IAQ Active Ionisation technology has an elevated antibacterial power and is proven to be active on pollen, fine dust, toner, mould, smog, viruses, bacteria and tobacco smoke. These contaminants, according to their size, can enter the body and damage certain organs. Among the most dangerous airborne substances we find Legionella, a very topical problem that causes millions of deaths every year. With Evergens Active Ionisation air cleaners, this problem is eliminated as pollen, dust mites, fungus and other contaminants are captured and inactivated. The technology is extremely efficient and is proven at removing 98-99% of: - Airborne bacteria, such as Micrococcus luteus; - Yeast, such as Rhodotorula rubra; - Bacillus Anthracis; - Moulds and germs present in the natural spectrum of air. Maintaining the humidity levels The heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems of buildings and their components, as well as sanitary equipments, can nurture and amplify the diffusion of airborne substances. Among these, Staphylococcus Aureus and Legionella are seen as particularly dangerous. The first cases of legionellosis were in fact attributed to airborne substances containing bacteria from cooling towers, evaporative condensers or humidification sections of the air handling units of AC systems. Infections are also caused by contamination of water supply networks, sanitary appliances, oxygen therapy equipment, fountains and ultrasonic humidifiers. Conclusion Hospitals are the backbone of health care delivery system in India; this again highlights that maintaining a healthy IAQ and demands immediate attention of hospital authorities towards taking the necessary measures to maintain a sound and healthy atmosphere for the patients, healthcare workers and others. Sukhbir Sidhu, Founder & CEO Evergen Systems People suffering from diabetes need dedicated follow-up care plan and lifestyle management. Diabetes is today among the most prevalent of the lifestyle diseases plaguing the country today, and with all strata experiencing a rise in their living standards. Diabetes has also become one of the fastest-growing diseases in its prevalence in India. The latest Lancet study, Type 2 Diabetes in South Asia, states that there has been an increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and related risk factors in India. There are about 98 million people in India who may have the type 2 diabetes by 2030. It further states that there has been a decline in the quality of nutrition, coupled with reduced physical activity, and an increase in sedentary behaviour observed among Indians. These statistics clearly indicate that India is witnessing rapid demographic changes which will soon result in a deluge of lifestyle disorders (cardiovascular disorder, diabetes and cancer, etc.) reaching epidemic proportions. Challenges in diabetes management Given the prevalence of diabetes, an important debate occurs around the crucial role being played by healthcare companies providing diabetes treatment and management, mainly the ones dealing with outpatient care. Considering the huge population, there is a shortage of skilled healthcare professionals to manage the existing disease burden, thus creating a gap between appropriate monitoring and routine follow-ups. Moreover, healthcare providers have so far mainly focussed on acute management rather than preventive care or treating the factors that contributed to onset of an illness. The intensive treatment of the disease throughout ones life calls for the high spend. While the awareness and understanding of diabetes is inadequate among the average citizen, which delays the diagnosis and recognition of complications, we need to streamline effective strategies to tackle these problems. Need For Follow-up Care Services -- Stopping a looming crisis People suffering from diabetes need dedicated follow-up care plan and lifestyle management. To address this concern, hospitals require a concrete multi-disciplinary approach like an external follow-up care service to dwell deeper into diabetes care. This will enhance patient care and improve patient satisfaction with better doctor-patient relationship and increase the patients quality of life. Furthermore, there has been a rising demand for elderly care with rapid urbanization and emerging trend of nuclear families. The elderly population is left alone after their children leave home for professional pursuits, thus facilities like healthcare services at home and follow-up care helps them in self-management and has a huge scope of growth in India. From an economic point of view, in follow-up services, the adherence to treatment guidelines could be interesting as it could prevent hospital readmissions related to complications and reduce the high substantial costs attached to it, also a proper management program ensures higher quality of life along with increased longevity/Life expectancy. Coalise efforts for better Diabetes Management The hospitals and follow-up care providers need to come together to provide proper and early diagnosis and a planned routine care for patients to monitor their day-to-day progress. As diabetes is linked to several other conditions, such as (cardio-Vascular diseases CVD) heart diseases and strokes, Retinopathy & etc., one needs to keep a check on the disease. This could be done through understanding and enriching the concept of disease management in the healthcare system. There is a need for more health educators to counsel and educate patients about their condition. With rapid development in medicine and healthcare industry, there is a positive shift in the healthcare industry. From a doctor-centric treatment to patient-preferred healthcare, technology is creating a positive impact on the ability to manage lifestyle diseases and personal health. We are now quite familiar with the concept of personalized medicines in diabetes and for other ailments as well. Personalized medicines will help in identifying and addressing barriers in the selection of appropriate treatment that would further improve the care-giving process. Conclusion Over the years, diabetes has become an epidemic in India and now the main aim should be to concentrate more on the preventive measures and early diagnosis by educating people about the disease and its management. Healthcare, along with technology, gives healthcare industry and healthcare providers the ability to simplify processes and offer personalized care with greater efficiency. The adoption of patient-centric approach, coupled with technology, is expected to change the face of the industry by making healthcare services efficient and more accessible. Dr. Jagadeesh, Consultant-Diabetologist, Eldricare First tie-up for manufacturing co-branded industrial wear in India Arvind Ltd. and JCB India Ltd. has announced a partnership to introduce protective, smart, comfortable, and stylish ready-to-wear Industrial Uniforms. This partnership is the first of its kind to offer co-branded protective wear and industrial uniforms for Indias workforce. The product range will be made available through Arvind & JCB Indias distribution network and point-of-sale locations across the country. Industrial uniforms have become essential in view of the increasing focus on occupational safety and health (OSH) and regulatory compliance in India. Stringent government norms, growing awareness about safety regulations, globalization of domestic companies, and the growing number of MNCs setting up manufacturing facilities in India have contributed to the increase in demand for safety-compliant and comfortable industrial uniforms. While the OSH market is growing, there is limited choice in branded ready-to-wear industrial uniforms in the country. The partnership between Arvind and JCB India will unlock new opportunities in this market segment by offering best-in-class products for core sectors like healthcare, pharmaceuticals, iron & steel manufacturing, mining, automobiles, defence, armed forces, and construction, among others. Arvind will complement JCB Indias safety shoes business with its value-added protective wear and personal protective equipment (PPE) product basket, which includes coveralls, dungarees, rain wear, and balaclavas. These products are fire-resistant, chemical-resistant, and shock-resistant, and possess other such properties that serve to protect factory workers, fire-fighters, construction crew, soldiers, healthcare professionals, and security personnel from the harsh operating environments that their respective jobs entail. Commenting on the partnership Mr. Ashish Kumar, CEO Advanced Materials Division & Arvind Envisol, Arvind Limited said, We are transforming our business quickly through technologies and partnerships that enable us to explore and create new opportunities. Extending textile manufacturing beyond fashion and into areas like safety and protection, is one of the areas we are focusing on. This partnership will leverage JCBs market presence with Arvinds textile manufacturing capabilities to provide industrial wear that will meet the highest standards of safety and protection. Safety is of paramount importance for us at JCB. It does not get limited to our machines on Construction sites only, but is an overarching philosophy. We are committed to introducing products which enhance safety and protection and our partnership with Arvind Limited gives us an exciting opportunity to do just that in the area of apparel. In Indias rapidly growing occupational safety and health market, we look forward to working together to create a market presence for value-added protective wear and personal protective equipment," said Mr. Vipin Sondhi, MD and CEO, JCB India Limited NTTF in collaboration with Stratasys launches Indias first additive manufacturing certification course at Stratasys India User Forum 2018. Stratasys India, a subsidiary of Stratasys, organized the 2nd edition of Stratasys India User Forum 2018 in Bengaluru recently. This 3D printing forum is an annual industry congregation hosted by Stratasys to promote the adoption of 3D printing technology across the region. The forum strives to provide a platform for key industry players and end-users to exchange insights on the latest 3D printing trends, applications, and best practices. On this occasion, Stratasys announced a collaboration with NTTF (Nettur Technical Training Foundation) to launch Indias first additive manufacturing certification course. This training program is designed to help students to learn new technologies in 3D printing and make them future industry ready. Themed Shaping what is Next, the event witnessed coming together of Stratasys leaders, industry bests and end-users, to share knowledge on the latest 3D printing trends. 3D printing demonstrations in manufacturing, automotive, aerospace & defence, healthcare, and education were showcased during the event. These are some of the key sectors likely to see the highest 3D printing adoption according to solution users and industry speakers at the forum. Commenting on the occasion, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, India & SEA, Stratasys said 3D printing has immense growth potential in India, but the uptake has to be faster. We notice there is a lack of awareness on the diverse applications of 3D Printing. Companies usually hold back on innovation ignorant of cost-benefit ratio, which if taken into consideration can help businesses deliver solutions faster, cheaper, better and easier. Stratasys India User Forum strives to bridge this gap and provide a platform for industry leaders to exchange knowledge and discuss the ever-changing dynamics of the industry. On the healthcare track, the speakers presented interesting case studies that highlighted the uses of 3D printing in the field of healthcare. Ravi Shankar, Managing Director, Accreate Additive Labs shared his views on how bioprinting is soon to become a trend leading towards the area of 4D printing. Chetan Pakhare, Research Assistant, IIT Bombay- Biomedical Engineering and Technology (Incubation) Centre spoke on the potential 3D printing is offering to develop innovative and customised medical devices. Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Senior Scientist, Biomedical Instrumentation Unit, Assistant Professor, Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIR-CSIO) focused his opinion on the applications and advantages of 3D printing in the healthcare sector. CO2 lasers are increasingly becoming a first line treatment of early stage airway cancers, especially in the larynx. Lumenis Ltd, worlds largest energy-based medical device company for surgical, aesthetic and ophthalmic applications, recently organized a two-day laser workshop for head & neck oncologists at Indias best cancer treatment and research Centre, The Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai. The event was specially designed to provide training for oncologist surgeons practicing in the field of head & neck oncology. Various eminent doctors conducted knowledge enhancement sessions using breakthrough laser technologies namely AcuPulse DUO, used widely in trans-oral laser microsurgery. AcuPulse DUO CO2 laser microsurgery is most beneficial in delicate and precision surgical procedures. Unlike open surgery, CO2 lasers can remove cancer with fewer disturbances to structures, nerves, and tissue. Due to the minimally invasive operative method, CO2 lasers are increasingly becoming a first line treatment of early stage airway cancers, especially in the larynx. Professor Vinidh Paleri, Consultant Head & Neck Surgeon, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, UK said We re are very thankful to Lumenis for bringing all doctors together on the same platform and help keeping the doctors abreast with the latest technology. The AcuPulse DUO is a versatile technology which enable us to address surgical challenges and broad range of clinical indications with precision. Professor Prathamesh S. Pai, Consultant Surgeon, Convener- Head Neck Disease Management Group, Department of Head Neck Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, said, Lumenis has always been a front runner when it comes to imparting knowledge sharing session to the medical fraternity. Such regular workshops keep doctors abreast with the latest and path-breaking technology available in medical filed. On the occasion, Bijal Shah, Country Manager, Lumenis India, said, As a leader in energy based medical device market, we are proud to be associated with Indias leading specialist cancer & research center, Tata Memorial Hospital to conduct such scientific sessions, enhancing doctors knowledge and abreast them with latest laser advancements available in market. The live demonstrations and hands on sessions organized with Lumenis technologies like AcuPulse DUO makes it more experiential and promotes real-time learning for doctors. Along with the hands on training using laser techniques the workshop includes theoretical session like basics of laser technology, application of lasers in Head & Neck cancers, Speech & Swallowing and Narrow Band Imaging. The other distinguished faculty of the workshop were Dr Rakesh Shrivastava, Prof. Alok Thakkar, Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi , Dr Sudhir Nair, Dr Deepa Nair, Dr Gouri Deshmukh , Dr Anuja Deshmukh among others. This software analyzes image findings from cardiac, lung perfusion and pulmonary vessels in combination with the patient's clinical history Bayer announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Device Designation to the Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) Artificial Intelligence (AI) Pattern Recognition Software, which Bayer is currently developing jointly with Merck, known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada. Being a rare disease, physicians may not always recognize CTEPH. Computed Tomography Pulmonary Angiography (CTPA), as well as a ventilation/perfusion scan (V/Q scan), is used to determine if the thromboembolic occlusion is causing pulmonary hypertension. Radiologists may have the first opportunity to identify CTEPH in a patient; therefore it's important they accurately detect CTEPH indicators on CTPA scans and images. Development of the CTEPH Pattern Recognition AI Software will use deep learning methodology to support radiologists by identifying signs of CTEPH in CTPA scans. This software analyzes image findings from cardiac, lung perfusion and pulmonary vessels in combination with the patient's clinical history. If the development is successful, the software could be deployed via Bayer's Radimetrics software, an informatics technology platform that connects contrast medium, injector and scan information to provide important insights. The FDA Breakthrough Device Program is intended to help patients have more timely access to devices and breakthrough technologies that provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis for life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating diseases by expediting their development, assessment, and review. While the FDA Breakthrough Device Designation is expected to expedite the software's assessment and review, its development remains complex given the nature of the disease and technology. Dr. Vaishya informed that the medical science is now blessed with new techniques in orthopedics and it is now becoming possible to save the human bodys natural joints, which have become defective, by regenerating their tissues instead of replacing them with artificial joints The 5th International Congress of Indian Cartilage Society (ICS) concluded today in the Rajasthan capital Jaipur where specialists discussed on measures to ensure the health and longevity of human bodys natural joints for a long time with the help of cartilage regeneration and restoration. In this two-day conclave, around 200 cartilage specialists from India and foreign countries like US, Britain, Poland, Hungary, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan have participated. Internationally acclaimed cartilage scientist Dr Bruce Ryder of US inaugurated the conclave. The main theme of this years conclave was: Regeneration is better than replacement. Inaugurating the conference, Dr. Ryder said new techniques of cartilage regeneration and restoration have now triggered the hope that knee and other joints which become defective and worn out because of osteoarthritis and other causes may not be required to get replaced. Instead, natural joints should be repaired and rejuvenated through these new medical techniques. Besides Dr. Ryder, renowned international experts like Dr. Jaikak Valvaski and Prof. Raji have participated in this conference. These experts also deliberated on new techniques like articular cartilage implantation, stem cells therapy and scaffold. In his presidential address, Dr Raju Vaishya, President of Indian Cartilage Society (ICS), dwelt upon various methods in India for treatment of injuries to cartilage. The problem of arthritis among the youths has become extremely alarming now because it is leading to their knee replacement, he said. Dr. Vaishya informed that the medical science is now blessed with new techniques in orthopedics and it is now becoming possible to save the human bodys natural joints, which have become defective, by regenerating their tissues instead of replacing them with artificial joints. Cartilage regeneration techniques developed in recent times help in forming natural cartilage; and because of this the need for replacement of a joint is either completely eliminated or it can be delayed. In particular, such types of techniques will be beneficial for those youths whose knee or other joints have become defective because of injuries to cartilage or due to arthritis, he pointed out. Dr. Ajay Agarwal, who is based in the US, discussed about measures to preserve hip joints in youths. In this conference, stem cell therapy also came up for deliberations. Dr. Saurav Mathur, Organising Secretary of the conference, said that cartilage is an extremely important cellular component of the human body. It is a strong tissue but is softer and more elastin as compared to the bones. Cartilage is formed of special cells which are called chondrolysis, and these cells produce in large quantities collagen fiber, proteoglycan, and extracellular matrix compounds made of elastic fibers. Dr. Deepak Goyal, former President of ICS, informed that the tissues of cartilage have the potential to repair themselves, but this potential is extremely limited because it does not contain blood cells and blood is required for the healing process. Dr. Nishith Shah, who is also a former President of ICS, said these days several new techniques are being used for regeneration of cartilage, and researchers are trying to develop new methods for production of cartilage which can help people get rid of severe pain from osteoarthritis and enable them to live a longer life with their natural joints. This is the second expansion by the Group in Delhi NCR, after the takeover of PrimaMed Hospital earlier this year. Nayati Healthcare has announced a collaborative agreement with Sunder Lal Jain Trust to manage and operate Sunder Lal Jain Hospital in Ashok Vihar, New Delhi. Through this agreement, Nayati will extend its superlative clinical and technological expertise with the goal of enhancing the delivery of high-quality health care to people of the region. This is the second expansion by the Group in Delhi NCR, after the takeover of PrimaMed Hospital earlier this year. Located in the largest and the most populous North-West district of Delhi, Sunder Lal Jain Hospital is a well-established institution, set up in 1986, which has over the years garnered a tremendous amount of goodwill in its primary catchment area and beyond. Post this agreement, the hospital will offer latest state-of-the-art tertiary level care in multiple specialties, along with an enhanced capacity from the current 200 beds to 500 beds. The addition of the new hospital will help Nayati consolidate its position in North India by taking world-class healthcare facilities closer to the masses. Sunder Lal Jain Hospital spread over 3.14 acres in a prime locality at Ashok Vihar, North West Delhi, is scheduled to begin operations under its new brand name Nayati Sunder Lal Jain Super-specialty Hospital, in a phased manner. Nayati will extend its expertise in terms of operating and running hospitals and the ensuing best practices towards patient welfare and safety. The plan is to initially launch 75 beds in April 2019 followed by additional 75 beds in November 2019, taking the total number of beds under the Nayati brand to a consolidated 1300 beds by the end of next year. Further, it will be developed into a 500-bedded multi super specialty hospital with all key specialties by 2021. The study clubs are created to hold education based programs at local level. The concept is of informal meetings to provide an opportunity to learn from one another In a step that would go a long way in opening a window to the latest advancements happening worldwide in dentistry for the local dentists, the inaugural meet of International team for Implantology (ITI) Kolkata Study Club was organised at Medica Superspecialty Hospital on Sunday. Dental implants are planned in individuals who have lost their teeth due to periodontal diseases, tooth injuries, or aging. The one day seminar was inaugurated by Mrs Ranjit Kaur, Marketing Head, Straumann India. It was attended by over 50 well known dental practitioners and implantologists from all over the Eastern India. Dr. Manas De, Professor of Maxillofacial Surgery, Buddha Dental College was the chief guest at the event. The study clubs are created to hold education based programs at local level. The concept is of informal meetings to provide an opportunity to learn from one another. Availability of implants as a solution for replacing missing teeth is gaining traction, said Dr. Udey Vir Gandhi who is the Director of the newly formed Kolkata study club, while explaining the vision behind organising the event. At the conference, there was discussion on devicing ways & means of minimising complications and maximising success in clinical implant practice. The different ways to handle medical emergencies was also looked at. The largest group of adolescent girls, boys, men & women present under one roof to gather awareness on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Motherhood Hospitals, Indias fastest growing network of women & childrens hospital join hands with Spherule Foundation (an NGO that works on various development & educational program for women -empowerment & health) attempting Guinness Book of World Records by taking the initiative of educating adolescent girls on the importance of menstrual health and hygiene. Dr. Rajeshwari Pawar, Gynecologist & Obstetrician with over 3 decades of experience practicing at Motherhood Hospitals, Pune, addressed a gathering of over 2500 people in Kendriya Vidyalaya on the importance of menstrual hygiene, breaking stereotypes and myths that accompany menstruation. This joint initiative has been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records where they saw the largest group of adolescent girls, boys, men and women present together to talk about menstrual health and hygiene. In India only 18% of the 355 million menstruating women use sanitary napkins and with the remaining 82% of women unable to afford sanitary napkins, they resort to using unhygienic substances such as newspapers, sand, leaves, mud or unsterilized clothes/rags. Such unhygienic practices lead to itching, burning, vaginal and urinary tract infections, infertility and other reproductive health complications. According to a survey conducted by UNICEF, 80% of surveyed women store their menstrual cloth in a hidden dirty place for repeated use. 40% failed to change their clothes frequently or wash them with soap after use. They are too ashamed to wash their sanitary clothes in open and wear over soaked and dirty cloth for an entire day without a change. 50% failed to dry their menstrual rags outside and in full sun which is an essential condition required to kill bacteria. Lack of privacy, safety and toilets make things worse. This initiative is trying to help our society understand the importance of menstruation and how to overcome the stigma around it. The babys parents decided to outfit him with the latest cochlear implant Nucleus 7 (N7) devices, making him the youngest patient in the country to get bilateral simultaneous cochlear implant using the N7 device Hearing loss impacts one throughout life. While people with mild to moderate amount of hearing loss can cope with this disability with the help of hearing aids, the ones who suffer from severe to profound hearing loss require cochlear implants to deal with the deafness. If the hearing loss is not treated early enough, the children born with hearing loss will not develop normal speech and language. Diagnosed at birth with severe hearing loss in both his ears, the baby is a resident of Punjabi Bagh, New Delhi. His parents bought him to Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in an effort to find a treatment to restore his hearing. At the hospital, his case was referred to Dr. (Prof) Ameet Kishore, and then assessed by the audiologists at SpHear Speech & Hearing clinic (which supports the Apollo Cochlear Implant programme). He was initially fitted with hearing aids to ascertain the level of benefit, as per international protocol. The team eventually confirmed that the child would not get normal hearing with hearing aids, and the family was counselled for cochlear implants. Even though his young age of eight months presented a huge challenge, the doctors with the consent of parents decided to go ahead with the surgery. Dr. (Prof) Ameet Kishore, Senior Consultant, ENT & Cochlear Implant Surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi said, When dealing with hearing loss in children of such a young age, the most important part is to restore the hearing of the child as early as possible. In the childs case the treatment of choice for good hearing restoration was cochlear implant, and on top of that, it was a important to restore hearing in both his ears (bilateral simultaneous cochlear implant), which means that implantation was done in both ears at the same time. It requires extensive surgical expertise and efficiency to safely handle a small eight months old baby, weighing just 10 kg, which is why many people would hesitate to do this surgery on such a little baby. With our experience of close to 1000 cochlear implants, this was not a concern as we have operated on many small babies safely and efficiently. The babys parents decided to outfit him with the latest cochlear implant Nucleus 7 (N7) devices, making him the youngest patient in the country to get bilateral simultaneous cochlear implant using the N7 device. This has also been verified by Cochlear Corporation Company. He is probably one of the youngest children to have bilateral simultaneous cochlear implant in the country, and certainly one of the youngest in Apollos bilateral cochlear implant programme. added Dr. Kishore. Dr. Kishore further highlights, Nucleus 7 (N7) devices are the most recent cochlear implant devices in the world right now. N7 implants have a better chip and connectivity with digital devices. So such improvement in the quality of hardware and software further enhances the quality in sound that the patient gets, making it extremely good and clear. Getting the latest and most sophisticated cochlear implant will help the baby to do very well in the future. The implantation surgery went well without any complications, said Dr. Kishore, Post the surgery, N7 devices have been switched on by the audiologists at SpHear Clinic where he is also receiving the much needed hearing and speech therapy. He has accepted the cochlear implants, is attending the clinic for habilitation twice a week and doing very well so far, Ms. Neevita Narayan, Audiology Director & Cochlear Implant Specialist at SpHear Clinic added. The aim of the conference is to understand the evolution of yoga as a form of therapy, both historically and in the current context. Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institutes International yoga conference Yoga as Therapy - Scope, Evidence and Evolution to be held from 27th 30th December 2018 in Lonavala was inaugurated today. Present at the inauguration were Swami Maheshananda (Chairman Kaivalyadhama), Dr. D. R. Karthikeyan (Former Dir. CBI and Member of Kaivalyadhama Advisory Board), Justice (Retd.) B. N. Shrikrishna (former Judge of Supreme Court of India and Chairman Kaivalyadhama Advisory Board), Shri. P.N. Ranjit Kumar (Jt. Secretary Ministry Of AYUSH, Government of India), Dr. Pradeep Vyas (Principal Secretary - Public Health department Government of Maharashtra), Prof. Rajan Welukar (Vice Chancellor Raisoni University, Member Advisory Board Kaivalyadhama), and Shri O P Tiwari (Secretary Kaivalyadhama). Speaking on the same, Mr. Subodh Tiwari, CEO Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute said; Over the next few days, brilliant minds from all over the globe will come together to discuss the place of yoga in the realm of healing. Through multiple academic plenary sessions and panel discussions, our endeavour would be to delve deeper into the intricate aspects of understanding yoga as a therapy. At Kaivalyadhama, we believe that we can set the proper context for conversation and truly be able to recognize that yoga, unlike many other disciplines, provides an all-encompassing method for therapy. The aim of the conference is to understand the evolution of yoga as a form of therapy, both historically and in the current context. To add, the discussions will set the tone about the future scope of yoga therapy, studying its place in various fields: academia, modern medicine, and yoga teaching. Some of the topics discussed at the conference were - Evidence-based yoga and its integration into professional therapy practice the Western scenario, the future roadmap integrating yoga as complementary therapy into mainstream medical and mental healthcare, and yoga as therapy in womens health. Dr. Satbir Singh Khalsa, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Hardvard Medical School, USA mentioned during the inauguration ceremony Today, there is a disconnect. Weve taught dental hygiene, but not mental hygiene. Now, through the lens of yoga, as a form of healing, both from the scope of prevention and cure, we must ask ourselves how do we go from where we are now to where we need to be? I believe this conference will help answer this question and establish a roadmap for the practice & discipline of yoga therapy. Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institutes International Yoga Conference - Yoga as Therapy - Scope, Evidence and Evolution will see illustrious names from the various fields - yoga, general and holistic medicine, surgery, eastern philosophy, Sanskrit, psychology and other various academic fields - come together to discuss and dissect the current definition of yogic therapy as well as synthesize evidence-based research. Some of the eminent international names at the Conference are Dr. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa (Asst. Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, USA), Goran Boll (Yoga teacher, therapist and Founder of Medi Yoga, Sweden), John Kepner (Executive Director, IAYT, USA), Dr. Arthur Brownstein (Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, USA), and Dr. Luciano Bernardi (Professor of Internal Medicine, Italy) amongst others. Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION PR Newswire SHANGHAI, Dec. 30, 2018 SHANGHAI, Dec. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Luye Pharma Group, an international pharmaceutical company dedicated to the R&D, manufacturing and sale of innovative medications, today announced that it has entered the final stage of New Drug Application (NDA) submissions for the innovative drug, Risperidone Extended Release Microspheres for Injection ('LY03004), after previous positive pre-NDA meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and subsequent related procedures. Luye Pharma had previously requested an NDA number for LY03004 and received a Pre-Assigned NDA application number (212849) from the FDA in 2018. The submission dossier for LY03004 is completed and being published in eCTD format according to FDA requirements. Luye Pharma successfully reached an agreement with the FDA to waive all paediatric clinical studies of LY03004, and obtained FDA's approval of using Rykindo as LY03004's brand name for the treatment of Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective Disorder. A senior managing representative at Luye Pharma Group commented: "We have been working diligently on the submission packages, assembling the regulatory, clinical, nonclinical, and most recently, CMC components of LY03004, and plan to submit the formal NDA soon. We expect LY03004 will be launched in the U.S. and China markets by the end of 2019." In addition to LY03004, Luye Pharma has numerous pipeline projects targeting the central nervous system therapeutic area, for development both in the U.S and European markets, with projects such as Rotigotine extended release microspheres for injection (LY03003) for Parkinson's disease, Ansofaxine Hydrochloride extended release tablets (LY03005) for anti-depression, Rivastigmine multi-day transdermal patch (30410) for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, and Paliperidone Palmitate injectable suspension for intramuscular use (LY03010). Moreover, registration of Rivastigmine single-day transdermal patch has already been accepted by National Medicine Products Administration in China. The registrations of above products are progressing well in strategic markets such as China, the U.S., Europe and Japan, expecting to launch in these countries and further expand into the global market. About Luye Pharma Group Luye Pharma Group is an international pharmaceutical company dedicated to the R&D, manufacturing and sale of innovative medications. The company has established R&D centers in China, the U.S. and Europe, with a robust pipeline of more than 30 drug candidates in China and more than 10 drug candidates overseas. The company currently has a number of new drugs and new formulations in the central nervous system and oncology therapeutic areas under study in the U.S. and Europe. Luye Pharma has reached a high level international standard in advanced drug delivery technologies such as microspheres, liposomes and transdermal drug delivery systems. The company is forward looking, with strategic development of innovative new compounds and antibodies, gene & cell therapies and smart formulations. Luye Pharma has set up 7 manufacturing sites with over 30 production lines in total, establishing GMP quality management and international standard control systems. The company offers more than 30 products covering the 4 largest and fastest growing therapeutic areas -- oncology, cardiovascular, metabolism and central nervous system, with business conducted in over 80 countries and regions around the world, including the largest pharmaceutical markets - China, the U.S., Europe and Japan, as well as fast growing emerging markets. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/luye-pharma-announces-innovative-drug---risperidone-extended-release-microspheres-for-injection-has-reached-final-stage-of-nda-process-300771387.html SOURCE Luye Pharma Group A CAMCORDER VIDEO CAPTURES THE SETTING OF THE STORY, AN ANTIQUE PADDLE WHEELER BOAT ON THE MOVE - THREE TIERS OF WHITE EDWARDIAN ... Christian Men Concerned for America to Gather in DC January 18, 2019 TEN GOOD MEN to host STAND IN THE GAP-- A Gathering of Christian Men Concerned for America Prayer. Training. Inspiration. Mobilization --January 18, 2019, Washington, DC WASHINGTON Dec. 31, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- Ten Good Men, a Christian, pro-life organization, has announced plans to hold a prayer and training event in Washington, DC on January 18, 2019 from 7 AM until 11 AM. The purpose of the event is to provide inspiration and practical training to Christians seeking to impact America culture with Biblical values. The schedule of the Stand In The Gap event is: 7:00 AM Prayer at an abortion center in Washington, DC 8:30 11 AM Stand In The Gap Training Rally 12:00 PM Participate in the March for Life on the National Mall The Mission of Ten Good Men is to save lives, end the killing of pre-born children, and promote a movement of Christian men creating positive cultural change in America. Of this event, the Founder and Executive Director of Ten Good Men, David E Long, stated, "America has reached a tipping point. Our future hangs in the balance. No nation can continue to shed the blood of the innocent pre-born children by the millions and not incur God's judgement. The time is now for Christians to take a more visible stand for righteousness while there is still time. Christians need to become equipped to influence all spheres of American culture. As it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah and of the times of the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 22), God is looking to see if there is a consensus of Christian men and women willing to "Stand In The Gap" for our nation, praying and taking strategic action to foster a restoration of Godly values." There is no cost to attend this event. The location of the abortion center and training will be released to those who register for the event FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: David Long, Executive Director Phone number: 315-289-8453 Paris, TX (75460) Today Rain diminishing to a few showers by morning. Thunder possible. Low 61F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Rain diminishing to a few showers by morning. Thunder possible. Low 61F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Figure skating champion Kaetlyn Osmond will be receiving the highest honour in her home province the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Canada's Kaetlyn Osmond reacts at the end of her performance in the women's figure skating free program at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Friday, February 23, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Figure skating champion Kaetlyn Osmond will be receiving the highest honour in her home province the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador. Osmond, 23, left Marystown, N.L., for Edmonton at a young age, but her province and hometown continue to cheer for her, even re-naming the local arena after her in 2014. "When you see her on the ice, that's it. That's the town, that's the pride, that's the pleasure," said Dominic Lundrigan, the now-retired arena manager who remembers when Osmond first laced up her skates as a kid. Osmond won the world figure skating championship and an Olympic bronze medal in 2018, and is a three-time Canadian champion. Lundrigan said the young woman has put the small town of just over 5,000 on the map with her talent and success, and said she brings excitement to Marystown with every return visit. "She lifts the spirits of the whole town when she comes home." Osmond and artist Christopher Pratt were among 10 people named Monday as recipients of the order, granted for "excellence and achievement" to former and current residents of the province. They will be inducted at a Jan. 29 ceremony. Lt.-Gov. Judy Foote said in a statement that this year's recipients represent the diversity of the province. "While they vary in age, gender and the nature of their accomplishments, two things they all have in common are their love for Newfoundland and Labrador and their desire to make the world a better place," Foote wrote. Osmond was greeted with a parade when she visited Marystown in April, later meeting with young skaters and performing at the packed arena. Her visit also saw the official re-naming of a highway from Red Harbour, N.L., to Marystown as Osmond Way. A ceremony recognized Osmond and Paralympic silver medallist Liam Hickey, the 19-year-old sledge hockey player from St. John's. Premier Dwight Ball issued a statement in April praising the young athletes as inspiring role models and a source of pride for Newfoundland and Labrador. "This province is incredibly proud of Kaetlyn and Liam's accomplishments and I know they have inspired countless young people throughout our province, our country and the world," Ball wrote. Osmond and her older sister Natasha began skating at the Marystown arena as young kids, spending long hours on the ice. Lundrigan remembered Osmond as an enthusiastic young athlete who always pushed herself to skate faster and jump higher. He said the sisters' dedication to the sport made them a "pleasure to watch" when he supervised their early-morning and late-night practices, and even as a young kid Kaetlyn's passion for skating was evident. "It was the excitement in her face, it was the way she moved, the way she jumped," Lundrigan said. "When you see her, she put her heart and soul in it." After a wildly successful year, becoming the first Canadian woman in 45 years to win the world championship, Osmond announced in August that she would be taking the next competition season off. "I have had some time to reflect this summer on my future and believe taking this year off to evaluate my next steps is important in making the best personal decision," she said. Osmond has been touring the country this fall, skating alongside teammates Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Patrick Chan, and Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford for "The Thank You Canada Tour." TROUT BROOK, N.B. - Kevin Vickers, who became Canada's ambassador to Ireland after being hailed as a hero for helping to end the 2014 attack on Parliament Hill, is considering a move into politics. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Kevin Vickers, Canadian Ambassador to Ireland and former Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Commons, speaks during the annual Press Gallery Dinner at the Museum of Nature in Gatineau, Que., on June 4, 2016. Canada's ambassador to Ireland says he's considering a run for Liberal leadership in New Brunswick -- though he says he's a "long ways from making a decision." Kevin Vickers, a former member of the RCMP and sergeant-at-arms of the Canadian House of Commons, has been hailed as a hero for helping to end the 2014 shootings at Parliament Hill. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang TROUT BROOK, N.B. - Kevin Vickers, who became Canada's ambassador to Ireland after being hailed as a hero for helping to end the 2014 attack on Parliament Hill, is considering a move into politics. The former sergeant-at-arms of the House of Commons said Monday he's considering a run for the Liberal leadership in his native New Brunswick. Vickers has already met with at least one potential supporter in caucus. "He has a great array of experience from all of his different careers that he's held, and he understands what's happening in this world," said Lisa Harris, Liberal MLA for Miramichi Bay-Neguac, who has met with Vickers. On Oct. 22, 2014, Vickers fired the shots that killed gunman Michael Zihaf Bibeau, who had stormed into Centre Block on Parliament Hill after killing a soldier at the National War Memorial. Harris said Vickers would be an exciting candidate for the party's leadership. Their meeting came about after she had heard "rumblings" that Vickers was considering a political run a few weeks ago, and she said the two had a chat about current issues in the province and her experiences as an MLA. Former premier Brian Gallant announced recently that he'll be stepping down as Liberal leader earlier than planned, saying the party needs to move on. Vickers said he's a "long ways from making a decision," noting that he's been in public service for nearly 43 years, and there's much to consider before making another four-year commitment. "It's a long haul," he said in an interview from Trout Brook, N.B. Vickers said that if he decides to run, he would hope to heal relations between the province's English and French-speaking residents a contentious issue during the recent provincial election. "I don't think there's a linguistic divide; I think there may be a divide based on misunderstandings, misinformation," said Vickers. "There's so much negativity, there's so much misinformation that's used for promotion of agendas that are based not on fact." Vickers also said he sees a lot of misinformation about the province's economic state, saying New Brunswick holds a lower debt-to-resident ratio than Quebec, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Vickers said he wants to carry on the legacy of his father, Bill, who began the Northumberland co-op dairy in the province decades ago. He said the business, along with a credit union run by his father's friend, Martin Legere, gave the province a much-needed boost. "They brought a lot of jobs, a lot of great times ... (their) story became a success story all across the province of New Brunswick," he said. "There's that legacy that I look at." He added that he'd like to see a better province for his three grandchildren. While he said his wealth of experience in public service would help him for a potential run for Liberal leadership, he still needs some time to think it over. The next Liberal leader could have a shot at power within 18 months. The Liberals handed power to Blaine Higgs' Tories in November after losing a confidence vote in the legislature. But the Tories are dependent on the People's Alliance, which agreed to support them during confidence votes for at least 18 months. The Liberals won just 21 seats in September's election one fewer than the Tories while the Greens and People's Alliance each won three seats. Vickers had a lengthy RCMP career before joining the House of Commons security staff in 2005. According to an Ontario Provincial Police investigation of the 2014 shooting, Vickers found himself that morning on the opposite side of Zehaf Bibeau, a pillar between them. Vickers peeked around and saw what he thought was a double-barreled shotgun and dove to his left and fired up at Zehaf Bibeau, who fell to his knees. Vickers rolled into a sitting position one metre from Zehaf Bibeau and kept firing until his magazine was empty. RCMP officers fired as well. In a 2015 convocation address to students at Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., he said he found himself in tears the morning after the shooting in what he called "the loneliest moment of my life." Vickers was appointed ambassador to Ireland by then-prime minister Stephen Harper in 2015. In 2016, Vickers tackled protester Brian Murphy during a centenary ceremony to remember British soldiers killed in the 1916 Easter Rising. Vickers' son, Const. Andrew Vickers, has been commended for saving the lives of two women as a police officer in Miramichi, N.B. -- rescuing a woman from the icy Miramichi River following a 2011 car crash, and preventing a 2016 suicide. By Alex Cooke in Halifax TORONTO - Police street checks widely known as carding have little to no value as a law enforcement tool and should be significantly limited across Ontario, a judge tasked with reviewing the practice said Monday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - Police street checks widely known as carding have little to no value as a law enforcement tool and should be significantly limited across Ontario, a judge tasked with reviewing the practice said Monday. The report from Justice Michael Tulloch outlines certain circumstances in which police may have legitimate grounds to conduct street checks, or stop people at random and request identifying information. But Tulloch, who was appointed by Ontario's previous Liberal government to assess the effectiveness of new regulations meant to limit the impact of street checks on racialized groups, said those circumstances are very specific and the practice as a whole should be sharply curtailed. "There is little to no evidence that a random, unfocused collection of identifying information has benefits that outweigh the social cost of the practice," Tulloch wrote in his 310-page report. "Given the social cost involved with a practice that has not definitively been shown to widely reduce or solve crime, it is recommended that the practice of randomly stopping individuals to gather their identifying information for the creation of a database for intelligence purposes be discontinued." Tulloch, who previously led a review into Ontario's complex police oversight system, was asked to turn his attention to carding months after the previous government made moves to eliminate what it described as systemic racism in law enforcement. Street checks started coming under intense scrutiny several years ago amid data showing officers were disproportionately stopping black and other racialized people. In 2016, Ontario introduced rules dictating that police must inform people that they don't have to provide identifying information during street checks, and that refusing to co-operate or walking away cannot then be used as reasons to compel information. The aim was to end arbitrary stops, especially those based on race, though anti-carding advocates have called for the practice to be abolished entirely. Race is prohibited as forming any part of a police officer's reason for attempting to collect someone's identifying information. Police had long argued that street checks have value as an investigative tool, a notion Tulloch challenged in his report. "A widespread program of random street checks involves considerable time and effort for a police service, with little to no verifiable results on the level of crime or even arrests," he wrote. "Some police services reported that there are other ways to gather data or use data that they already have more effectively." Tulloch's report also debunked the notion that carding had played a role in solving the high-profile killing of Cecilia Zhang, a nine-year-old girl who was abducted from her Toronto home in the middle of the night in 2003. Tulloch said many of the more than 2,000 people consulted for the report cited the arrest of Min Chen, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Zhang's death, as an example of a carding success story. Tulloch said, however, that Chen's name first came to be in police files as a result of a non-random stop that did not fit the definition of carding. Chen was stopped in response to a complaint of illegal fishing filed weeks before the girl was killed, Tulloch said, adding the information gathered during that interaction later gained relevance when Chen's name surfaced in the Zhang investigation. "The Cecilia Zhang case does not support the proposition that the police should be authorized to randomly request and record identifying information," Tulloch wrote. "It simply reinforces that when identifying information is properly obtained during a police investigation, as it was in that case, that information might be useful to help solve a crime." Tulloch said street checks have value in cases where there are clear suspicious circumstances, or when police need to identify the identity of a missing person or crime victim. Among his many recommendations to the new Progressive Conservative government were some stating the 2016 rules should not apply in such cases. But other recommendations advise the government to take a harder line on street checks, tightening definitions of terms such as "identifying information" and "suspicious circumstances" and broadening protections during vehicle stops. Tulloch also recommended an overhaul of the training that was put in place when the new rules took effect. He said it lacked the critical component of explaining why the changes were being made, which left some officers hesitant to get on board. "Implementing new rules for police officers to follow has little value and will not achieve the intended goal if officers are not effectively and adequately trained on the reasons why the changes were necessary," Tulloch wrote. He also recommended officers at all levels "should learn how the widespread use of carding by some services and some officers has been abused in the past." Correctional Services Minister Sylvia Jones said the government is taking time to go through Tulloch's findings, but said his work would "inform" efforts to reform police legislation in the province. "We are committed to developing legislation that works for our police and for the people of Ontario," Jones said in a statement. "Our new police legislation will reflect a simple principle: racism and discrimination have no place in policing." Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version incorrectly said the new rules on street checks were introduced last year. BURLINGTON, Ont. - The Burlington, Ont.-based band Walk off the Earth has announced the death of keyboardist and vocalist Mike Taylor. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2018 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Walk Off The Earth's Mike Taylor, known as "Beard Guy" attends the announcement of the nominees for the Juno Awards at an event in Toronto on February 2, 2016. The Burlington, Ont.-based band Walk off the Earth has announced the death of keyboardist and vocalist Mike Taylor. In a post on various social media sites on Sunday, the band says Taylor died "peacefully from natural causes last night in his sleep." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young BURLINGTON, Ont. - The Burlington, Ont.-based band Walk off the Earth has announced the death of keyboardist and vocalist Mike Taylor. In a post on various social media sites Sunday evening, the band says Taylor died "peacefully from natural causes last night in his sleep." His bandmates express their "deepest sympathies" for Taylor's two children and ask for privacy for his family. "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved brother and band member, Mike 'Beard Guy' Taylor," the post stated. "Mike had a love for life that was unmatched and a willingness to give that went beyond ordinary means." Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward also expressed her condolences on Twitter, calling Taylor's death a "tragic loss." "Our city's condolences go out to the family, friends and bandmates of Mike. We are thinking of you," Meed Ward tweeted. Walk off the Earth was founded in 2006 and shot to fame in 2012 when their cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" went viral. A YouTube video for the song, featuring all five band members simultaneously playing a single guitar and singing in harmony, has garnered more than 185 million views. The band was scheduled to kick off a 2019 world tour with a New Year's Eve show in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Monday night. A representative for Walk off the Earth says they won't be performing, but the show itself which also features The Sheepdogs and Burton Cummings will go on. Police forces across the Maritimes are urging the public to ring in 2019 safely and responsibly tonight. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. An RCMP Constable holds a breathalyzer test in Surrey, B.C., in this September 24, 2010 photo. Police forces across the Maritimes are urging the public to ring in 2019 safely and responsibly. Halifax Regional Police public information officer Const. John MacLeod says there will be random police checkpoints throughout the municipality, and extra officers will be working tonight. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Police forces across the Maritimes are urging the public to ring in 2019 safely and responsibly tonight. Halifax Regional Police Const. John MacLeod says there will be random police checkpoints throughout the municipality, and extra officers will be working. He asked that anyone who plans to drink or use cannabis plan a ride home instead of driving, and notes that local transit will have free, extended service. "We just would really like for everyone to have safe and happy holiday," he said. "What we'd hope is that people would plan ahead." MacLeod said those who plan to host parties should also help ensure that impaired drivers stay off the road. "If you can help to arrange for designated drivers, or for people to get taxis ... so that they can get home safe, in the way that you'd want your friends and families to get home," he said. A release from the RCMP on Prince Edward Island suggests that people make plans to get home in advance by designating either a taxi or a sober driver, or going somewhere within walking distance. They add that anyone who plans to be outside for long should dress warmly. "If you have any plans to be outside at all, make sure you aren't out very long and ensure you have proper clothing," the Mounties said. "Often celebrations lend themselves to lighter clothing but that won't mix well with winter temperatures." In a tweet on Friday, the Fredericton Police Force asked that anyone who sees a suspected impaired driver call the police. Trish Dromey looks at what funding challenges lie ahead for Irish startups in the coming 12 months. The most exciting trend in the Irish startup space in 2018 has been the emergence of companies in the deep tech area. Innovative startups being supported by Enterprise Ireland this year have included a growing number of tech companies using artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things, blockchain, virtual reality, and augmented reality. According to Enterprise Irelands high-potential startup manager Joe Healy, these are the key enabling technologies that will drive the scaling of businesses of the future. We are seeing artificial intelligence/machine learning being more widely used in the development of platforms and software solutions across all verticals. These technologies are being adapted for things as complex as big data solutions, but also in many practical enterprise software solutions, he said. This follows a global trend which has seen the emergence of deep tech companies, using cutting edge and disruptive technologies based on scientific research, setting to work on solving some of the worlds major problems. Irish companies operating in the deep tech space include AidTech in Dublin, the overall winner of the 2018 innovation award, which used blockchain to develop a secure way to deliver aid. Its technology has already been used to deliver international aid to Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Another Enterprise Ireland high-potential startup client this year included ServisBot, based at ArcLabs in Waterford, which uses AI conversational to enhance the customer experience. At the Rubicon Centre in Cork, start-up FourTheorem describes itself as a new breed of software consultancy focused on cloud architecture, DevOps, and artificial intelligence. According to its website, it provides solutions which enable customers to be leaders in the fourth wave of industrialisation. Companies such as ServiceBot, RecommenderX, which transforms AI to business intelligence, and AidTech not only have compelling business models but are numerous enough to attract international venture capital to Ireland, said Mr Healy. In addition to providing support for deep tech companies at high-potential startup level, Enterprise Ireland has also encouraged early stage startups in this space. In July, it put out a call offering 750,000 in competitive start funding for fintech and deep tech companies, the first call to offer specific support for deep tech. The call was one of nine during the year which provided a total of 5.75m, offering 50,000 competitive start funding to 115 companies. This was at the same level as in 2017 when 91 companies availed of it. Other such funding calls made during the year were for graduate entrepreneurs, international entrepreneurs, and experienced business professionals, an initiative started last year. A 1m call was made for female entrepreneurs. Asked about female participation in Enterprise Ireland programmes, Mr Healy said that both participation and levels of funding approval have been on an upward trajectory. Figures for the total amount of start-up support provided by Enterprise Ireland in 2018 arent available yet, but it has been revealed that it invested in over 150 startups during the year. But Mr Healy said that 2018 was a more challenging year for startups than 2017. 2018 was more challenging for early stage startups due to the tightness at the early seed stage which was not helped by recent restrictions on family members in relation to investing by way of the EIIS [employment andinvestment incentive] scheme. For 2019, he said a key aim of Enterprise Ireland will be to grow the pipeline of deep tech companies and develop Ireland as a powerhouse of deep tech. Deutsche Bank is strong and its turnaround strategy is bearing fruit, chairman Paul Achleitner has said, ruling out the need for state aid and playing down speculation that the loss-making German bank should merge. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, Mr Achleitner added that he would not step down after a tough year in which Deutsche replaced its chief executive, was targeted in money laundering probes, and saw its share price halve. Lets look at the facts: Deutsche Bank has a very strong capital basis compared to its competitors, he told the Sunday paper, adding that new chief executive, Christian Sewing, was getting costs under control. Deutsche hopes to return to the black this year after three consecutive years of losses. Mr Sewing, hired in April, has pushed back against speculation that Deutsche could merge with struggling rival Commerzbank in the near future. Mr Achleitner reiterated that stance and, asked whether Deutsche may need financial support, said: This scenario will not come about. Earlier this month, Mr Sewing said Deutsche Bank is not at risk of a takeover, even after its shares fell to a record low in the wake of a two-day raid related to money laundering allegations. We are on track to make our first profit for three years. It is only a matter of time before this progress is reflected in the share price, he said. The bank also dismissed, as far back as in September, reports that it could consider tie-ups with Switzerlands UBS or German peer Commerzbank. Mr Sewings remarks, earlier this month, followed a two-day raid as part of an investigation linked to the so-called Panama Papers leak of documents about offshore finance. Police searched the offices of all the banks board members, something with which Mr Sewing said he didnt have a problem with. Investigators were looking at the activities of unidentified Deutsche Bank employees alleged to have helped clients to set up offshore firms to launder money. Reuters Producers of Christmas seasonings, thickeners, bulking agents, sweeteners and flavours formulated by the big food producers such as Glanbia, Ornua and Kerry Foods, were not the target of the new EU regulation released at the end of December. No, it is the likes of McDonalds, who buy their ingredients from them, and also the likes of Tesco and Aldi, who are in the crosshairs of the commission. These giant food chains are increasingly squeezing the smaller producers, making it very difficult for them to grow and scale up to a more competitive size across Europe. As has been the case so often in the past, the EU has come to the rescue of the smaller food producer and has banned unfair trading practices by supermarket chains and major food wholesalers as well as retailers. The intention is to stop major supermarkets using their size to bully smaller business in the supply chain. The move by Brussels comes at a particularly important time for Irish producers who rely heavily on the UK market and are anxious to move away from a Brexit-torn British market. The perception that the big supermarket chains across Europe would squeeze the smaller supplier in Ireland for upfront hello money, to ensure shelf space, or last minute order cancellations, late payments and threats of retaliation, has been quoted as a prime blocker to entering the markets. Taking food and beverage exporters on a recent fact-finding mission around supermarkets in the Berlin and Paris regions, was an eye opener for many of the small Irish producers. The eye-catching packaging, very competitive retail pricing, and vast range of competing products, showed just how difficult the task of entering into these European markets can be. However, one product caught all our attention. The distinctive packaging of the Flahavans porridge oats range was to be seen in a number of French and German stores. Now, this is not a large multinational, but a small Irish family business started in 1785, which has managed with iconic packaging and a recipe that appeals to Irish, British and European tasks alike to expand from humble beginnings into international markets, selling extensively into Europe, the US, Canada, Asia and the Middle East. There are many Irish products that have, at least, the same potential for export sales into Europe, but brand development will be essential, which does not come cheap. Flahavans built a new plant in 2015 to expand its range into granola and flapjack products. However, not many will have the tenacity to wait 230 years to get market recognition. Whereas the new EU measures will be helpful in setting a common European framework and granting a minimum level of protection for producers with a turnover of less than 350m, it is not a panacea for lost sales in the British market. It takes time and money to build up a new market, get to know the buyers and put in place a reliable transport arrangement. The Brexit Barometer survey of Irish food exporters, carried out by Bord Bia, found that over 32% of respondent companies believe there are viable alternative markets to the UK in other European countries. However, there seemed to be a lack of awareness that these potential new markets come at a cost. Like it or not, exporting to other parts of Europe will be more complex, with higher risks than trading into the UK. Transportation costs are a significant part of the cost of getting food and beverage products into any market. With limited direct transport to mainland Europe and using the UK as a land bridge to get there, a hard Brexit could cripple the transport route to the market, even for those already in European markets. Transport costs are very sensitive to volume and type of product. Products such as yoghurts that have temperature requirements and eggs, cheese, meats with shelf life constraint, will push up transportation costs. The faraway hills look greener, but getting there will require investment and realistic management. The promise of added state aid in the Governments recent plan for a hard Brexit could be a key ingredient in getting to those hills. John Whelan is managing partner of international trade consultancy The Linkage-Partnership. Though at the time of writing the final figures arent in, it already looks like 2018 has been a record year for tax collection. There are more people in work now some 200,000 more than at the time of the last general election and that means more income tax, USC and PRSI being collected. Its hard to know where government policy starts and stops in driving the recovery. Its a crude measure of government productivity, but the number of acts passed in the Oireachtas is in decline. In 2015, which was the last full year where a majority government was in power, there were 74 acts added to the Irish statute book. In 2017, the first full year of a minority government, there were just 44. There wont even be that many this year. As against that, many of the jobs initiatives seem to be paying off, ministers managed to keep Irish concerns at the very top of the Brexit agenda, and we find ourselves in a robust position to attract foreign direct investment because of measured responses to EU and OECD-led initiatives to change the corporation tax rules. With stronger economic growth, there have been modest increases appearing in the pay packets of workers. The tax bands and allowances have not kept pace with these modest increases, and the net effect is a higher burden of taxation. The terms of the Fine Gael-led minority government confidence and supply arrangement permeated Budget 2019. As in previous years, the finance minister stuck strictly to the agreement between his party and Fianna Fail when pulling together his budget. The Fianna Fail priority of universal social charge (USC) reduction was accommodated, alongside the Fine Gael priority of widening the 20% band. Budget 2019 marked the completion of the confidence and supply term, and the option to renew has been since taken up. This year saw a ramping up in preparations for a new PAYE system operable from January 1. Known as PAYE Modernisation, it introduces significant additional costs for employers. Running the payroll will now be as much about satisfying Revenue as it is giving employees their proper dues. A more accurate PAYE system should, ultimately, benefit everyone but there will inevitably be initial problems with it. This year was also the year when Revenue took it upon themselves to review, and by all appearances, phase out the system of flat rate expenses for employees. These are the standard tax deductions granted to different categories of workers to reflect money they have to spend on exclusively work-related items, like cleaning their uniforms. This administrative decision would have resulted in considerable disruption on top of the revamped PAYE system, but after some clamour, its impact has been deferred by a year. Thats not adequate. The project should be dropped entirely, if for no other reason that it stops Revenue having to deal with large-scale, sometimes erroneous, claims for expenses claims which might never have arisen if a flat rate expenses regime operated. The changes to USC and tax bands in the budget will leave many workers with a few euros more a week after tax this year, but the elusive feelgood factor remains missing. A suggestion at the start of the year that a reduction to the Vat rate of 13.5% on housing might boost the supply of housing units got nowhere. Such a move, according to a response to a parliamentary question from the minister for finance, might cost in the order of 240m per annum. It doesnt seem to be the amount involved that presents the problem, as much as the very notion that a property tax incentive could be part of a solution to the current market failure. Perhaps less pressing, but affecting substantially more people than even the homelessness crisis, is the so-called pensions timebomb. The pension funding situation is getting worse for reasons that cannot really be controlled by the worker. The era of permanent and pensionable work a job for life is largely over for most people in the private sector. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that private sector workers will change jobs and careers multiple times. That makes longer term pension planning more difficult. One of the proposals put on the table again in 2018 is auto enrolment. This, in effect, means that a worker is automatically put into a contributory pension scheme the day they start their job. It could be of significant help in tackling pension funding shortfalls. A decade ago, we were dealing with the banking collapse and the recession it triggered. Measured against 2008, 2018 was a pretty good year when economic growth got us close to optimum levels of employment. But how much better might it have been without the indigenous infrastructure problems, particularly housing, and the protectionism and isolationist approach of the British? Brian Keegan is director of public policy and taxation with Chartered Accountants Ireland. The Chief Executive of the Irish Restaurants Association, Adrian Cummins has warned that the 50% increase in VAT for the sector is going to lead to the closure of restaurants and job losses. He also denied a Dept of Finance assertion that the reduced VAT, which was introduced in an attempt to boost the industry, had meant a loss of 2.6 billion to the Exchequer. Increased consumption had meant increased taxes, he told RTEs Morning Ireland. The increase in VAT will be passed on to the consumer, added Mr Cummins. The Government didnt take Brexit into account. "Its just 88 days away and will have a huge impact on tourism especially in border areas. He pointed out that the nine per cent VAT rate had been the norm in Europe while the new 13.5% rate will be the third highest in Europe. It doesnt make us competitive. This is going to have a huge effect on the industry. The Minister was wrong to change the VAT rate. Lots of businesses are going to have to decide if they are viable. The Government needs to sit down and review this, he urged. On the same programme, Ruth Mulkern of the award-winning Stef Hans Cafe in Thurles told of their decision to close the restaurant. It was a layered decision. We spoke with our accountant and looked at the figures. A 50% jump in VAT just doesnt make sense. The restaurant, which featured in numerous good food guides, had between seven and 10 employees, some full time and some part-time. It used produce from local suppliers who will also be impacted by this decision, added Ms Mulkern. Any one who tries to do anything for themselves is punished. It may turn out that vulture funds will, indeed, strike the necessary deals with distressed Irish households and write down impossibly underwater mortgages. Last week thats what Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he believes may likely happen as the foreign-owned funds prepare to acquire large parts of the loan books from mainstream lenders in the coming months. But his remarks involve an article of faith on the intentions of the vulture funds the US-owned funds and Wall Street investment banks that generate profits to pay dividends to their shareholders back home. Thats because the funds currently own a relatively small share of the Irish homeloan books. And, despite what the Taoiseach may believe, there are no compelling numbers that can tell how the funds will behave with ordinary Irish households. Along with the Central Bank and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, the Taoiseach has now given his outright support to the three Irish mortgage lenders over which the Government in part or fully controls to sell vast amounts of distressed residential mortgages to the foreign funds. This means that Ireland is about to embark on a big experiment that few other countries would embrace: Funds with no long-term grounding here will take control over many billions worth in long-term mortgages originally written by banks licensed and bailed out by the State. After the misery of Irelands property and financial crash, theres no mystery that Irish banks hold huge amounts of non-performing home loans. The banks were given little incentive to write down distressed mortgage debt. Expensively recapitalised after the disastrous lending binge of the boom years, Irish lenders did, nonetheless, enthusiastically strike deals over corporate mortgage debt. Over the past six years, the lenders and the State have written down debt or sold distressed loans to vulture funds on all sorts of Irish businesses such as pubs and small retail outlets. The sales attracted relatively little fuss. And in some cases, the big funds tapped generous tax breaks and handsome returns on Irish office developments underpinned by discounted loans, as market prices roared back. But consider the pub owner whose long-term loans were sold to a foreign fund by an Irish bank and was subsequently turfed out of the business after failing to keep up with the new and costlier loan terms. There is no affordable route to the High Court for any beaten down small business owner to help out in the unequal legal struggle with the worlds largest investment funds. The regulator of regulators, the ECB, now wants Europes problem children, namely Ireland and Italy, to sort out their crisis-era loans once and for all. Supposedly healthy banks, the ECB has rightly pointed out, dont carry large amounts of non-performing loans. A tad disingenuously, the ECB adds it has no favoured way to cleanse European banks of their soured loan books. The end result is there are now no barriers financially or morally stopping Irish banks selling the mortgages of distressed households. Having failed to write down hopelessly indebted home loans, they gaze at potential higher credit ratings and an improvement in Irish bankings mediocre profitability scores that the loan sales may entail. But for distressed households, there is little to no evidence to suggest that vulture funds are the answer. There is no guarantee Irelands mortgage debt problem will end happily. Im always reluctant to use the term vulture funds because it is a political term. What were talking about here is investment banks, investment funds, finance houses, there are lots of different things and lots of different financial entities there and the term is used, vulture funds, the Taoiseach told reporters last week. But youll know from the numbers that theyre often better at write-downs of loans than our own banks. Our own banks tend to extend and pretend rather than coming to settlements with people. Increasingly theyre covered by the same regulations and the same consumer protections as the banks, he said. Experts who have long tracked the arrears crisis are not so sanguine about the unfolding vulture fund experiment. Well over half of the countrys most distressed mortgages will end up in the hands of so-called non-bank firms if the planned homeloan sales go ahead, leading legal and debt adviser Paul Joyce of the Free Legal Advice Centres has estimated. The latest mortgage arrears figures from the Central Bank were released earlier this month. They showed the number of accounts in arrears for over two years, a category that captures the most distressed loans, was little changed, at almost 28,000 at the end of September. By any reckoning, the number of people in arrears is huge. Assuming that four people are linked to a single distressed mortgage account, the figures suggest that a population larger than that of Galway city has struggled to pay their mortgages for many years. Bit by bit the cases of early arrears are diminishing but long-term arrears of anything over two years remain stubbornly high. It is a significant number of households and the question is where are they going in the long run, when the new fund owners take control, Mr Joyce has said. The latest arrears figures do not capture the high-profile announcements and proposed loan sales by Permanent TSB, Ulster Bank, and other lenders. And the vast majority of as many as 14,000 loan sales in the pipeline will likely be in long-term arrears. Mr Joyce estimates well over half of long-term arrears and the mortgages of the countrys most vulnerable households will be controlled by so-called non-banks, which include vulture funds. There is another side to the Irish mortgage crisis: About 13% of all the huge amount of households whose mortgages have been restructured have failed to keep up with the new terms. And a huge number of ordinary mortgage accounts have been restructured almost 113,900 loans since the crisis started. With no track record to go on, transferring or outsourcing underwater mortgage loans to foreign funds is highly questionable. For Cork, 2018 was another year where it bolstered its reputation as a burgeoning region for the tech revolution taking place globally. Some of the most talked-about growing IT companies punted for the city as their European base, with all unanimous in their belief in the talent in Cork. Data backup and management firm Rubrik, from Silicon Valley, picked Cork as its new European base, with more than 50 jobs to be created initially. Rubrik has been described as one of the fastest growing tech companies in Silicon Valley with clients such as the Mercedes Formula 1 motor racing champions, US government departments and online travel giant Expedia. Companies like Rubrik could have gone to a number of European cities, but input from the likes of the IDA, UCC and CIT sealed the deal for Cork. Senior vice-president of global customer support, Giri Iyer said of Cork: Having world-class institutions like UCC and CIT wanting to partner with a company like Rubrik means we can have input into curriculums, how we can shape the next generation of engineers, and that is a very refreshing model. It was similar for Texan global cybersecurity firm Forcepoint when it came to choosing a European home. Cork was chosen with 100 jobs to come initially. Forcepoint stops the likes of spam, malware and malicious threats before it can even be accessed by employees of organisations. Majority owned by military industrial complex defence giant Raytheon, Forcepoint analyses up to five billion web threats from 155 countries daily. Chief executive Matt Moynahan said: I get about a dozen calls or emails from various development authorities from around the world. It is a very competitive environment. You always have a vision of where you want to be and the representation of the country tells you whether you were right or not. There are two types of talent there is the new talent coming from universities, which is the feeder system, almost like in baseball where youve got the teams that are feeding the teams that are professional. Universities are a big part of it. The other element is that Corks employee base has matured. Its the perfect time to come here because you have those two things converging. Last month, Park Place Technologies said it would invest in 70 new tech jobs over the next two years in Cork. The Cleveland, Ohio-headquartered firm said Cork was chosen because of the talent pool, as well as the influence of its senior vice president for advanced engineering and call centre, Cork native Nicola Buckley. Founder and chief executive Ed Kenty said: When you see well-established technology companies who have been here 20 years, even though they are competitors, you know this is the right place for us. With a 63% increase in employment in the last five years, and more than 13,000 workers currently employed in over 60 IDA supported companies, Cork continues to position itself as a city of tech supremacy. The role of voluntary tech advancement body IT@Cork in promoting the region has been lauded by political and business leaders for furthering the regions ambition. Its annual Tech Summit continues to wow the crowds in attendance. The 2018 events co-chair and IT@Cork director, Gillian Bergin, said: Representing over 300 member companies, the board is made up of volunteers from industry, academia and Government who are passionate about bringing these three areas together, along with the legal and financial services community, to drive greater collaboration, innovation, attract and retain tech talent in the region and ultimately create a tech cluster. The entire board and staff of IT@Cork give generously of their time for the greater good of the region and are making a significant impact. The organisation goes from strength to strength each year. It is difficult to predict how much more Corks IT sector can grow but it will continue to see more jobs in the near future, Ms Bergin said. With the increasing demand for talent by the tech companies, the calibre of graduates coming out of our universities and colleges and the cost of living in Cork being almost 20% less than that of Dublin, Cork remains a compelling value proposition. Technology is so pervasive in all businesses and sectors today, that building a strong talent pipeline in Cork will benefit the whole region, she said. The nature of business and the workplace globally is changing, enabled by connected devices, IoT and smart machines. These enabling-technologies can transform small companies into big players very quickly and with cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data analytics becoming areas of increasing interest for everyone, I can only see this growth going one way up. That means attracting more young women into the industry, which has been a major focus for IT@Cork. The Export Unit Value Index in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi was up 10.7 per cent to 88.3 per cent during Q3, against 79.8 per cent during the same period in 2017, a media report said. In the meantime, the Import Unit Value Index declined 4.8 per cent to 106.3 from July through September 2018 from 111.8 per cent during the same period last year, reported state-run news agency Wam, citing Statistics Centre- Abu Dhabi (SCAD). The UAE is one of the developed countries that has established its position on the global trade map. It has maintained its position as the most important market for commodity exports and imports in the region. It has also strengthened its role in the international trade scene strongly over the past years, with the economic development of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi taking on a great deal of interest in the political leadership and government plans for achieving progress and development and keeping pace with the developed world. The SCAD is the official body in charge of issuing all official statistics, which in turn fulfil the requirements of Abu Dhabi Plan in providing accurate statistical information and data to support the decision-making process. Update: Zoe Hitchcock has been found safe and well. Earlier: Gardai 'concerned' for missing teenager who is seven months pregnant A pregnant 16-year-old girl has gone missing from her home in Dublin. Gardai are asking for help to find Zoe Hitchcock who has been missing from her home in Dublin 1 since Christmas Day. Zoe is seven months pregnant and she failed to attend the Coombe Hospital this morning for a scheduled appointment. Gardai, who have said they are concerned for her welfare, said she was last seen in Dublin city and is known to frequent the Tallaght area. She is five foot one inch tall with a medium build, fair hair dyed blonde and blue eyes. She was wearing long-sleeved black and white top, pink and white fur body warmer, black dress and pink boots when last seen. Anyone with information is asked to contact Mountjoy Garda Station on 01 6668600 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Next year will be even more turbulent politically than 2018, according to the Labour leader. In 2018 politicians grappled with Brexit, a Presidential election and the abortion referendum among other issues. The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) says it is a "national disgrace" that 7,000 operations were cancelled this year because of hospital overcrowding. Figures released to the Irish Daily Mail show 25 procedures had to be put on hold every day between January and September this year. A Garda support service set up two-and-a-half years ago has seen a significant jump in officers seeking help. The number of face-to-face meetings of officers with counsellors jumped significantly from 1,672 in March 2018 to 4,455 to December 16 of 2018. Since, the official 24/7 Independent Counselling Service for Garda members, civilian staff and reserves was established on June 24, 2016, concerns dealt with centre around work and personal issues. Figures released by the Garda Press Office show that, 1,040 phone-calls have been received, while 925 officers of all rank and other staff members have used the service. There are currently 12,859 officers of all rank and file stationed across the country. Former Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan established the free and confidential service, which aimed to provide counselling on a wide range of issues including critical incidents, trauma, financial, relationships, bereavement, stress, conflict, and health. Former Garda Commissioner Noirin OSullivan The service, which was delayed on several occasions due to tendering issues and the scandal hitting former suicide support service Console which had been due to provide assistance, was first recommended 16 years ago by the Gardais sole voluntary psychologist Mark Reddy. The current service gives employees immediate support from accredited counsellors over the phone and then, if needed, up to eight face-to-face counselling sessions. These face-to-face sessions take place in a location within one hour of the employees home or place of work. The Independent Counselling Service is delivered by EAP Consultants/Carecall, which has specialist knowledge of working with policing and security personnel having worked with the Police Service Northern Ireland, Defence Forces, the Prisons Service, and the Probation Board. A Garda spokesperson said: "It is anticipated that this (service) will continue to be made available to all staff of An Garda Siochana for the foreseeable future". The service is financed through public funding. Commenting on the rise in face-to-face intervention by officers, Mark Reddy, a leading psychologist and psychotherapist who runs the independent support website, www.gardasupport.ie, which also supports officers said: The 24hr service was my recommendation from 2002 but was never meant to act alone. The research then and now show a massive issue in welfare, in trust in the service and a breakdown of any look at the issues. "The regeneration plan is insufficient, welfare is a serious issue that if not addressed will impact in any change to the service. Welfare is not just mental health which all associations believe it is, welfare is about finding solutions to problems to aid in resolving issues before they become serious issues. Seeing welfare as just mental health issues is narrow minded and shortsighted. Welfare in the Gardai starts with listening and acknowledging the issues, assuring support, addressing areas that cause upset, advising in proactive processes to ensure members are better able to manage the work and therefore are better for us as the public. You can have the best equipment, manpower etc but without proper welfare and mental health support it will be wasted. A large telecommunications provider has been ordered to pay 26,100 to a senior female employee over her job being gone after her planned return from maternity leave. In the case before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), WRC Adjudication Officer, Penelope McGrath has ordered the firm to pay the Financial Administrator 20,000 for discriminating against her on the gender ground under the Employment Equality Act and a further 6,100 for breaches under the Maternity Protection Act. The woman has remained out of work on sick leave with Ms McGrath reporting that a "state of stalemate appears to have been reached". According to Ms McGraths report on the case, the woman gave very compelling evidence on how devastating the situation was for her ahead of her planned return to work. Prior to going on maternity leave, the womans position was integral to the smooth running of up to 1,800 telecommunication mast sites and that she would have seen herself as the go-to person for all sorts of outside providers, users and support services who had an interest in the services available through the countrywide mast sites. However, as part of a company-wide reorganisation which took place while the woman was on maternity leave, the employee was directed to move to an entirely new team, on a different floor, and under an entirely different manager to the one she had been advised she would be working with at the start of her maternity leave. The company stated that new accountancy regulations deemed it inappropriate that so much of the work which the complainant had heretofore been carrying out, was being done without an appropriate level of accountancy skill and qualification. Ms McGrath said: Heretofore, she saw herself as having purpose, being competent and possessing high-level interaction and integration. She gave evidence that she was returning to the workplace in a vacuum with no real job description, no direction and no clear career trajectory. It all seemed very transitory and dead-end to her. "She gave evidence that many external clients and competitors saw her as the point of contact for all sorts of issues relating to this specific infrastructure and she feared that her removal without explanation would be misinterpreted as some sort of malfeasance on her part. The woman returned to work in March 2018 briefly having been out of certified sick leave after her maternity leave. Ms McGrath said: The Complainant only remained in the workplace for two days at that time. To her mind, this was not her job and bore no resemblance to her job and did not amount to suitable alternative employment as it had nothing to do with the skill set she had crafted in nine years of employment. Ms McGrath said that, on balance, I have to accept that the Complainant was not given a job description which would afford her any comfort. She added that some of the correspondence tends to show that the Complainant, presumably as she was coming back from maternity leave, was a problem that needed to be solved. Ms McGrath said: It seems to me that very little thought was given to the Complainant in her absence on what was a recognised protected leave. In the circumstances, she was treated less favourably than a person who remained in the workplace. The Complainant was therefore discriminated against by reason of taking her maternity leave and was therefore discriminated against on the gender ground. Ms McGrath found that the change in the regulations governing Corporate Finance does not of itself amount to a justification for no attempt being made to ensure that the Complainant be so comprehensively disadvantaged for having to be away from the workplace by reason of the birth and nurturing process. Ms McGrath also accepted that the employer failed to allow the complainant return to the job she held immediately before the start of her maternity leave and nor was she offered suitable alternative work under a new contract of employment. Ms McGrath said: There is no doubt in my mind that finding suitable alternative employment should be the objective of this employer. Three men are due in court later this morning after a shop was held up in Dublin. They were arrested after the robbery in Stillorgan. Two men burst into a grocery store in Stillorgan at around 6.15pm on Saturday evening. They were armed with a hatchet and knife and threatened staff. They left the scene on foot with a sum of cash. Gardai who were responding to the raid stopped a car as it tried to leave a car park outside the shop. An amount of money along with a hammer and axe were recovered from the car. No one was injured during the raid. Three men - two in their 30s and a man in his 40s - who were arrested are expected to appear before Dublin District Court later this morning. Two young Donegal men have been charged with an alleged assault after a pensioner was found critically injured in Sydney, Australia. 24-year-old Christopher McLaughlin from Malin, and 21-year-old Nathan Kelly from Glengad, were arrested nearby. 2,300 Irish citizens in distress abroad have received consular help from Irish Embassies. The Department of Foreign Affairs says many have been caught up in a number of major incidents overseas including serious injuries, imprisonments and natural disasters. The Department of Foreign Affairs is continuing to support high number of Irish citizens in distress abroad who've needed help in recent years as they travel more - and more widely - than ever before. Case officers at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin, staff at 80 embassies and consulates-general, and its 94 Honorary Consuls around the world, stepped in to help in a wide variety of situations. Almost 300 families needed the services of the Department following the death of a loved one abroad. In 2018, it supported Irish people caught up in major incidents overseas, including wildfires in California, Greece and Portugal, earthquakes in Indonesia, and terrorist attacks in Strasbourg and Toronto. Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based aluminium smelter, said it has started the biggest furnace in its history with the first cold charge of Furnace 3 in its new Casthouse 4. Part of Albas ambitious Line 6 Expansion Project (one of the largest brownfield developments in the region), Casthouse 4 has a total design value-added capacity of 530,000 tonnes per annum. The first cold charge of Furnace 3 is a significant part of the process of commissioning Casthouse 4, which is set to produce soon, said the statement from Alba. Albas chairman of the board of directors Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa witnessed the first cold charge at Casthouse 4, which was also attended by Alba deputy CEO Ali Al Baqali, Alba executive management team, Casthouse 4 start-up team, Bechtel and other major contractors. Speaking on the occasion, Shaikh Daij said: "We are pleased with this milestone, which is another turning point in Albas journey towards becoming the largest smelter in the world." "With this landmark, we are on track to cast final products from CH 4 - another success in the safe start-up of Line 6. I thank all teams for their commitment to achieve this milestone safely and on time," he added. Alba, one of the largest and modern aluminium smelters in the world, is renowned for its premium grade aluminium products, technological strength and innovative policies, strict environmental guidelines and high track record for safety. The companys major shareholders are Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (69.38 per cent), Sabic Industrial Investment Company (20.62 per cent) and the General Public (10 per cent) Established in 1971 as a 120,000-tonnes-per-annum smelter, Alba today produces more than 981,000 tonnes per annum of the highest grade aluminium, with products including standard and T-ingots, extrusion billets, rolling slab, properzi ingots, and molten aluminium. It is listed on both the Bahrain Bourse and London Stock Exchange.-TradeArabia News Service A grieving father whose wife has been charged with their toddler twins' murder, has said support from strangers is helping him through the death of his twin children. On December 29, Samantha Ford appeared in court Read More: Ms Ford was arrested last Thursday after two children, both aged 23 months, were found at a house in Castle Drive, Margate, in the early hours of the morning, Kent Police said. Less than an hour before the youngsters were found, Ms Ford was involved in a car crash and taken to hospital. Jake and Chloe's father, Steven, has since thanked the public for their support on social media. He took to Twitter to say all the messages helped. "I keep reading the all of the kind words of support from everyone," he wrote. "People don't even know me but they care. Every message helps, even if it's just for a moment." I keep reading the all of the kind words of support from everyone. People don't even know me but they care. Every message helps, even if it's just for a moment Steven Ford (@Steven4rd) December 30, 2018 On Sunday, he posted a picture of himself with the twins, writing: "I want the world to see my beautiful babies. Jake and Chloe forever." I want the world to see my beautiful babies. Jake and Chloe forever xxx pic.twitter.com/G5g2FFm4Uq Steven Ford (@Steven4rd) December 30, 2018 Mr Ford also shared a photo of Jake and Chloe saying: "Daddy's twins xxx my beautiful babies. I love you". Daddy's twins xxx my beautiful babies. I love you pic.twitter.com/hnGUXorNg1 Steven Ford (@Steven4rd) December 29, 2018 Samantha Ford was due to appear at Maidstone Crown Court via video link today charged with murdering Jake and Chloe on December 26. She had been available earlier in the morning but had "gone back to health care" by the time of the hearing, Ronnie Manek, for the defence, said. David Griffith-Jones QC, honorary recorder of Maidstone, agreed that proceedings should continue in her absence. Ford was remanded to appear at Maidstone Crown Court on January 31. Any trial is estimated to last around three weeks and a provisional date has been set for June 24. - Additional reporting by PA Dubai-based AESG, a specialist consultancy and commissioning firm with expertise in building engineering and design, has registered triple digit growth in 2018 following introduction of new services in the region and expansion across verticals. Following its concerted efforts to better cater to the regions growing demand for specialised consultancy services by diversifying its services portfolio and expanding its geographic footprint, AESG, has posted growth figures of over 150 per cent for 2018. With a strong project pipeline that increased by over 90 per cent in the last 12 months, the Dubai-based consultancy expects to build on this momentum through 2019 and has recently undertaken a strategic expansion to better align its divisions and services with the needs of the market. "By expanding our portfolio, both in terms of geographies and market sectors, we have successfully gained traction in a number of new markets and verticals," remarked Saeed Al Abbar, the managing director at AESG. "This has resulted in new and strong partnerships with key clients which provides us with a robust and stable platform for growth even in the current challenging economic climate," he stated. "In fact, financial pressures are driving clients to become ever more focused on maximising value on their projects. This, in turn, drives demand for consultants that can offer more tailored, strategic and higher value advice. For AESG, which is committed to working closely with clients, understanding their needs and introducing innovative ideas and approaches based on these requirements, this presents a significant opportunity for further growth in the year ahead," he added. Through 2018, AESG invested heavily in increasing its workforce by 167 per cent, establishing new offices in Saudi Arabia, employing senior directors in the UK, and doubling the office space at its headquarters in Dubai. Along with this, the company has realigned its business units to better cater to the needs of their clients with verticals in building engineering and design, land development and infrastructure, industry and oil and gas, strategy and advisory and commissioning and innovation. According to AESG, these investments and approaches will together enhance the companys ability to deliver more compelling and holistic offerings to clients, ideally positioning it to rapidly address and capitalise on new market demands. Offering an example of how the company continues to offer new services based on client needs, Al Abbar said: "Recognising the global trend towards health and wellbeing, we have built expertise in designing healthy workplaces and have carried out a number of Well certified projects." "In addition to this we see the need for the building industry to move towards net zero developments and we are already working with Clients in this space off the back of some research we developed around net zero buildings," he stated. "In recent months, the company has also expanded its offerings in building simulation, notably in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling, parametric design techniques and the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) for data and asset management," he added. In recognition of these achievements, AESG has received a number of industry accolades through 2018 which include the Commissioning Company of the Year at the Climate Control Awards and the Sustainable Consultancy of the Year at the Middle East Consultant Awards as well as top honours for Al Abbar who was recognised as the Sustainability Leader of the Year at the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Business Leadership Awards and the 'Executive of the Year' at the Big Project Middle East Awards.-TradeArabia News Service Missing Isabella Plains man found Were sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss The couple enlisted the help of their dog Axel to stand guard while they headed off for breaks. Balmain residents Marie Fox, 60, and Mark Cole, 58, began their stakeout two days ago in an effort to secure the perfect fireworks viewing bench at Ballast Point Park in Birchgrove. Campers flooded into Milson Point as early as 5pm Sunday afternoon, with grass areas in Cremorne lined with tents and folding chairs by sunrise. "He was quite happy to sort of sit and wait for an hour at a time for us while we popped off for some dinner," he said. "Unfortunately though Axel wouldn't be staying for the fireworks as the loud noise would scare him too much, so we will take him home just beforehand and leave the radio on for him to listen to instead." Other fireworks watchers raced for the chance at the perfect spot, sprinting against one another when Mrs Macquarie's Chair opened at 10am. But not everyone is embracing Sydney's harbour views, with most of us avoiding the city. According to a poll commissioned by the Tourism & Transport Forum, a majority of Sydneysiders will simply be watching the fireworks from the comfort of the couch. Crowds have flocked to the Brisbane River to watch the skies coming alive to farewell 2018 in near-perfect summer conditions. Tens of thousands of people were expected to cram into prime viewing locations across Brisbane on New Year's Eve, with fireworks to be launched from four river locations. People watch the fireworks ahead of New Year's Eve 2018 at South Bank. Credit:AAP/Glenn Hunt. Revellers began staking out positions with deck chairs at South Bank early on Monday for the city's biggest party. Organisers were expecting more than 85,000 people to visit the alcohol-free zone to watch pyrotechnics fire from five river barges between the Victoria and Goodwill bridges. Critics are calling for the full roll out of My Health Record to be delayed again, after the digital record-keeping system sustained 42 data breaches in the past year. One breach occurred after a child was mistakenly given parental authorisation to view a record, 24 breaches arose from suspected cases of Medicare fraud, and 17 were due to "intertwined" Medicare records - where a single record is used interchangeably by two or more individuals. Health Minister Greg Hunt. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer "We've been consistently reassured by the Minister that no such privacy breaches had occurred," Kerryn Phelps, independent MP and former president of the Australian Medical Association, said. "This was confirmation that there have been privacy breaches, some serious, and it shows the potential for further privacy breaches as this data base comes online and becomes more used." A distressed Leisha Harvey arriving at court in 1989. She was sentenced to five months' imprisonment. Credit:Fairfax Archives Mr Ahern's cabinet made several reforms, including creating a foreign land interests register, public accounts committee, public works committee and moving the police complaints tribunal from the Police Department to the Justice Department to stop the police from investigating themselves. That paved the way for the Criminal Justice Commission, which has since morphed into the Crime and Corruption Commission. Mr Ahern held his ministers to account by tabling their ministerial expenses in Parliament where they could be scrutinised. Greater scrutiny led to ministers Brian Austin, Leisha Harvey, Don Lane and Geoff Muntz being sentenced to jail for misappropriating public money. During the year, commissioner Tony Fitzgerald sought an expansion of his terms of reference and the power to appoint assistant commissioners, which were granted, along with a special prosecutor. "Tony Fitzgerald came to me and he said, 'listen, this started out as a police inquiry, and now I've found that a number of key players who are clearly involved in corruption are telling us that 'I'm not a policeman, you can't say anything about me and I won't appear if you summon me to appear'," Mr Ahern said. Mr Ahern said he knew it would be difficult to get through cabinet and the party machine, which was "groaning through all of this". "So I decided to take it to the cabinet as the lone ranger," he said. "And I say, you can either do this and get it done or you can leave it for a month and let the press kick us around for a month and then do it." Mr Ahern said he received support from former deputy premier Bill Gunn and attorney-general Nev Harper. Mike Ahern and his deputy Bill Gunn give a victory salute in Mr Ahern's first press conference as premier. Credit:Fairfax Archives "There was no written submission because that would flag it to all and sundry. I took it up verbally. So I said, good, I'll call him [Mr Fitzgerald] after lunch and tell him he's got it," he said. Despite achieving significant reforms, Mr Ahern was overthrown by his own party just two months before the 1989 election, which the Russell Cooper-led Nationals lost to Wayne Goss and Labor. Mr Ahern was premier for less than one year and 10 months. He said he had no regrets from his short time as premier. "I did what was mine to do, and I knew that things were stirring, but the reality is that in life you get given to do some things and you get on and do them," he said. "I think it was a year of necessary change. But my ego and the egos of others, in my view, are not important." Digital Technology Minister Mick de Brenni said Mr Ahern took the helm as premier in "extraordinarily difficult" circumstances when the Fitzgerald Inquiry was in full swing. "As the Fitzgerald inquiry revealed what can only be described as damning allegations of corruption, Mr Ahern became a leader of a government that had lost a lot of trust with Queenslanders," he said. Mr de Brenni said some "graphically disturbing content" was not included in the release of cabinet papers on New Year's Day 2019. "In addition to that, any content related to the reopened Whisky Au Go Go inquest has also been removed so as to not unduly interfere or influence the inquiry announced just recently by the Attorney-General [Yvette D'Ath]," he said. Boggo Road Prison was a powderkeg Prisoners on the roof of Boggo Road during the 1987 protests. Credit:Fairfax Archives There was discontent and threats of strike action among prison guards, and after guards shot a prisoner during a riot in February, prisoners began a hunger strike, with five taking to the roof with protest signs made from bed sheets. Solicitor Anthony Marinac, who compiled an overview of the cabinet documents, said visits were not regular and prisoners in one block were using buckets instead of toilets overnight because there was no plumbing to cells. "It was positively ancient," he said. New minister Russell Cooper announced the Kennedy prison review, which was scathing of the department and prison service, with cabinet approving legislation to address some of the issues. The notorious "black hole" isolation cell under the oval was closed. "There was probably widespread agreement among both the guards and the prisoners that the prisons were overcrowded and that they were old and fairly unsavoury places to work," Mr Marinac said. A Boggo Road prisoner holds his fist in defiance after a day of rioting. Credit:Fairfax Archives South Bank could have featured an artificial island in the Brisbane River with a skyscraper, World Trade Centre and casino. Following the overwhelming success of World Expo 88, which attracted more than 15 million visitors, the attention of the Queensland government turned to the future of the South Bank site. World Expo 88 on August 14, 1988. Credit:Fairfax Media As revealed in cabinet minutes from 1988, which can now be released after 30 years, tenders were called and a shortlist was assessed by cabinet without public consultation. The preferred developer, River City 2000, wanted to cut a canal into the shorefront area at South Bank and use that material to create Endeavour Island on the southern side of the river. Japan has imported 26.528 million barrels of crude oil from the UAE in November 2018, a media report said. This accounts for 28.3 per cent of Japan's total crude imports, reported Emirates news agency Wam, citing data released on Sunday by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy in Tokyo Japans total crude oil imports in November amounted to 93.6 million barrels, the agency that belongs to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, reported. Queensland was in the grips of AIDS hysteria in 1988, following the Grim Reaper TV ads that began the year before. As the HIV/AIDS epidemic raged worldwide, the Ahern government took the crisis seriously and created an interdepartmental committee to manage the issue across the government, cabinet minutes from 1988 reveal. Former Queensland premier Mike Ahern (left), with deputy Bill Gunn. Credit:Mike Larder A cabinet briefing on January 18, 1988, said gay and bisexual men were the major risk groups, with intravenous drug users "increasing in importance and are the major portal into the heterosexual community". "Additional resources must be allocated now, as failure to control the transmission of the disease will be disastrously expensive in the long term," the minutes say. Cairo: An umbrella group of independent professional unions has called on people to march on the presidential palace in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, to demand that leader Omar Bashir step down, signalling that protests against the 29-year rule of the autocratic president are showing no sign of abating. It's the second time that the umbrella group, which enjoys the support of opposition parties, has called for a march on the presidential palace since protests began more than a week ago. A plain-clothed policeman points his rifle at protesters during clashes in Khartoum on Christmas Day. Credit:AP On Christmas Day, thousands attempted to reach the Nile-side palace in central Khartoum, clashing with police, who used tear gas and batons to disperse them. The day also witnessed protests in a string of Sudanese cities. Although the protesters never reached the palace, their action on Tuesday showed the depth of popular discontent with Bashir's rule. Protesters numbering in the hundreds or very low thousands gathered in dozen or so venues across the city and fought pitched battles with police for hours before they dispersed after nightfall. London: Day after day, news reports in Britain prominently feature migrants making the perilous trip across the English Channel in small boats, including a dozen who landed on Monday. Headlines and anti-immigration politicians call it a crisis, and the Cabinet member in charge of migration policy has labelled it a "major incident" fuelled by criminal gangs. The total number of people, primarily from Iran, who have made the journey and requested asylum since early November is only about 240, in a country that has averaged about 25,000 asylum applicants per year over the past decade. Migrants aboard a rubber boat after being intercepted by French authorities off the port of Calais in northern France. Credit:AP What is new is that they are regularly smuggled into Britain by boat which used to be fairly rare supplying jarring pictures of people being pulled from foundering little craft in rough seas, or being taken into custody on beaches. And it comes at a tense moment in the nation's politics, as Prime Minister Theresa May tries to arrange a divorce from the European Union a process largely driven by anxiety over immigration while fending off calls from Brexit opponents for a second referendum on the matter. London: In mediaeval times thousands of people flocked to Britain's cathedrals to celebrate saints, and the majestic buildings competed for the largest audience. The rivalry between two of Britain's most beautiful cathedrals became ugly, a historian has found and even led to arson. Dr Emma Wells has been exploring the Gothic sweep of cathedrals across Britain in the 12th century, and found that Canterbury's stunning Eastern Crypt, storing the body of St Thomas Becket, was built after a fire ripped through parts of the building just a year after he was canonised. Canterbury cathedral. Dr Wells, a history professor at the University of York, said her research has led her to believe that monks at Canterbury Cathedral set the fire to enable them to build the crypt and compete with Durham's architecture. London: Theresa May says Britain will begin a new chapter in 2019, calling on Remainers and Leavers to put their differences aside, just two weeks out from the make-or-break parliamentary Brexit vote. In her New Year's message, the British prime minister, who narrowly survived a vote of no confidence in her leadership less than a month ago, said Britain could "turn a corner" if the parliament backed her deal in the Commons. Theresa May: hoping for better times ahead. Credit:AP "New Year is a time to look ahead and in 2019 the UK will start a new chapter," May said. "If Parliament backs a deal, Britain can turn a corner." Acknowledging the 2016 EU referendum was "divisive," May said everyone wanted the best for the country. Washington: 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 on Sunday. The comments further muddy the administration's position as Trump demands that Democrats provide $US5 billion ($7.1 billion) in funding for a wall on the south-western 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. A migrant climbs the border fence to get from Tijuana, Mexico to San Diego in the US. Credit:AP They were also notable given Trump's 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, it's not a wall," Kelly told The Los Angeles Times. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC Gowanus Black is the new black! Brooklyns Nautical Purgatory is officially trending among fashionistas, with iconic New York City-based brand Calvin Klein hawking jackets in a hue called Gowanus Black. The toxic Gowanus Canal is notoriously filled with noxious sludge often referred to as black mayonnaise, and some Gowanusaurs speculated that the gross stuff lurking at the bottom of the fetid waterway served as the inspiration for the jackets color which to the naked eye looks no different than any other shade of black. So Gowanus Black is a color? As in mayonnaise? tweeted locals Jamie Courville and Chris Reynolds, who together are working on a documentary about the long-time industrial neighborhood that the city wants to upzone to make way for more residential buildings. One of the Calvin Klein garments cut in Gowanus Black cloth, the so-called mens Foundation Trucker Jacket, was nearly sold out by press time, with just one of the cotton-denim-and-polyester coats emblazoned with a black-and-white flag on the back available for $76. But a second Graphic Denim Trucker jacket for women, featuring a modern graphic logo in red stitching on the front, is still available in spades in Gowanus Black, according to Calvin Kleins website, which shows the piece stocked in sizes from extra small to extra large for $69.99. The womens jacket also comes in a color inexplicably named Gowanus White which this newspaper speculates is a reference to the recent announcement that part of the filthy canal is the cleanest it has been in more than a century, thanks to a recently completed dredging-and-capping program the Feds conducted in the Fourth Street Turning Basin as part of the Superfund sites cleanup. Calvin Klein reps did not immediately respond to questions about the origins of the Gowanus black and white colors, when the jackets first hit shelves, and whether they are sold exclusively online or in stores. Reach reporter Julianne Cuba at (718) 2604577 or by e-mail at jcuba @cngl ocal.com . Follow her on Twitter @julcuba. The Saudi Arabia Hotel Investment Conference (SHIC) has launched a dedicated award celebrating hospitality leaders of the future. The SHIC Young Leader Award will recognise Saudi Arabias exceptional young talent in the hospitality sector. The second edition of the Saudi Arabia Hotel Investment Conference (SHIC) takes place on January 21 and 22 at the new Marriott Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter. Following incredible support from the AHIC Advisory Board and partners, the SHIC Young Leader Award is open to Saudi nationals aged 30 years and younger, with the recipient of the award achieving wide recognition from the industry, as well as a full access pass to SHIC and a two-day leadership course at the prestigious Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management in Dubai, including flights and accommodation. Jonathan Worsley, chairman of bench events and co-founder of SHIC, explained: It is important for the future of our industry to nurture the workforce of tomorrow and showcase young leaders at events like SHIC and AHIC. The hospitality industry needs young talent to succeed in growing the industry and helping to facilitate world-class projects like those planned in Saudi Arabia. Testament to the significant role that young talent plays in the continued growth of the kingdoms burgeoning hospitality sector, the judging panel includes a veritable whos who of the regions hospitality leaders, including Dr Badr Al Badr, chief executive officer at DUR Hospitality; Shuja Zaidi, principal at Equinox Hospitality; and Gasem Al Maimani, CEO at Taiba Holding Company. Nominations for the SHIC Young Leader Award are open now and can be made online at https://www.arabianconference.com/shic/young-leader-award until 6th January 2019. The winner will be announced at a special ceremony during SHIC. SHIC will feature keynote sessions from the kingdoms leading industry experts, including interviews with Eng Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Issa, chairman of Dur Hospitality Company; and Abdullah AlDawood, group CEO of Altayyar Travel Group. Organised by Saudi Event Management and Marketing (Semark), in partnership with Bench Events, Meed and DUR Hospitality, SHIC will provide a forum for more than 300 hotel investors, owners, developers and operators to discuss the growth of the hospitality industry in the kingdom. Access to the Saudi Arabia Hotel Investment Conference is available in conjunction with the AHIC VIP Package which includes other high-end experiences and access to exclusive content at AHIC 2019. -TradeArabia News Service 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 As many as 257 terrorists were killed across this year, Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said Monday, asserting that counter-insurgency operations would continue in 2019 with major focus on strengthening border and hinterland security. He said 91 security personnel also laid down their lives fighting militancy in the state during the year, which ended at a high note with smooth conduct of the annual Amarnath yatra and elections to panchayats and local bodies after a long gap despite security concerns and challenges. The police chief asked the youth to focus on studies and their careers and not indulge in violence by getting swayed by the propaganda sponsored by and its stooges within and outside the Valley. "On militancy front, we have registered a major success by killing 257 terrorists this year which is highest in the past 10 years. The dead include top commanders of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba and (JeM) outfits. At the same time we have lost 91 security personnel, including 45 policemen," Singh told reporters here. He said the state is faced with a three decades long insurgency which is consuming lives of people and that was "very painful". " is sponsoring terrorism in the state, trained militants are sneaking from across the border and misguide the local youth and also force them into militancy," the DGP said. He said after suffering heavily, the militants under frustrated targeted the families of the policemen and killed civilians by branding them as informers but the civil society rose to the occasion and expressed their resentment. Asked about the number of active militants in the state, Singh said since militancy is Pakistan-sponsored, it is continuously making attempts to send as many ultras as it could to maintain the strength of the terrorists. "The infiltration from across the border was sizeable this year as well and despite neutralising such a huge number of terrorists, there are still about 300 active militants present in the state. We are trying to further strengthen the border security as well as the security in the hinterland while the counter-insurgency operation will continue during the next year as well," he said. The DGP asked religious leaders to talk about peace as "we have now enough of politics of violence". "We will not tolerate those who indulge in wrong activities and play with the career of our students who are interested in their studies and want better future," he said. "I want to ask the students to focus on their studies and careers and not indulge in violence by getting swayed by the propaganda sponsored by and their cronies on this side and that side. Students are interested in studies and they need a peaceful atmosphere," Singh said. On the alleged harassment of a militant family in south Kashmir, he said, "We have taken note of the incident and will look into it." However, the police chief said there are two faces to every coin and if you do not investigate any militancy-related incident you would not move forward but sometimes allegations do come. "If there is an issue of highhandedness, we will certainly look into it," he said. On the looting of four weapons from policemen guarding a politician in Srinagar, Singh said, "Such incidents are not worth ignoring. Such incidents show our shortcomings and we are taking appropriate action in this case." In response to a question about various militant outfits joining hands and working in close coordination, the DGP said, "We too are working together -- the police, Army, CRPF, and other forces. If they have come together it is part of their strategy, but we will continue with our counter-insurgency operations to deal with them."He said the killing of a large number of militants this year also indicates increase in violence though it is an achievement of sorts for the forces but at the same time the increase in the level of violence is a "concern for all of us". Singh said police is working on fixing problems with CCTV cameras in the winter capital and getting more gadgets and high-tech equipment for improving security in the state. "We are doing manual checks of vehicles and we are planning to get scanners. We are working on it," he said. On the misuse of social media by elements inimical to peace, he said a mechanism is in place but needed refinement to take on the challenges as various social media platforms are being run from Pakistan. "We are trying to further improve our mechanism. Police has blocked many such platforms but those running these platforms manage to cause damage before getting blocked," the DGP said. In response to another question about the activities of Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) along the borders, he said the and the troops deployed on the Line of Control and the International Border are competent enough to deal with it. Terming the drug menace in the state as a "major challenge", he said smuggling and consumption of drugs has gone up this year even as police launched massive campaigns, arrested 1,291 people and recovered 28 kgs of heroin, 362 kgs of charas and ganja and 19,873 kgs of opium and poppy straw this year. "As many as 56 drug peddlers were also booked under the Public Safety Act. We need to do more in this direction," he said. Singh said crime chart in the state has shown a marginal increase with over 26,000 cases being registered this year compared to 25,500 cases last year. On December 28, the Government of India okayed Indias first human spaceflight programme at a cost of Rs 9,023 crore. The programme will attempt to launch three Indian astronauts to low-Earth orbit for as many as seven days. If the mission slated to happen in 2022 succeeds, India will become only the fourth country in the world able to launch astronauts into space. It is not yet clear what the astronauts will do in space. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which is leading the programme, has said they will perform some science experiments on their ... divers on Monday again entered the flooded mine in Meghalaya, where 15 miners are trapped, and said the search would be feasible only after the water level inside the shaft is reduced to a safe diving limit of 30 metres. On the 18th day of the operation, the Navy divers stayed inside the shaft for three hours with a hi-tech gadget, Under Water Remotely Operated Vehicle (UWROV), and found visibility to be very poor at only one foot, operation spokesperson R Susngi said. "The suggested that the administration dewater using pumps to reduce the water level inside the mine shaft till about 30 metres (98 feet) or within safe diving limit before they commence diving," Susngi said. ALSO READ: Navy divers join firefighters in rescue operation for Meghalaya miners According to the Navy, all precautions are being taken to ensure that divers do not suffer from decompression sickness, which is usually experienced in a compressed environment as that of the mine in Lumthari village. Fifteen miners are trapped inside a 370-foot-deep illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district since December 13 after water from a nearby river gushed in, puncturing the mine wall. The depth of water from the surface till the bottom of the pit is expected to be over 150 feet, Navy officials said. Six divers from the Navy and the NDRF went down the shaft of the mine on Sunday and spent around two hours to trace the miners but could not detect anything. However, Susngi said, during their three-hour stay inside the shaft on Monday, the divers found some wooden structures and a horizontal hole, commonly termed as "rat hole", with coal at its mouth. The site is being cleared for the Odisha Fire Service to start pumping water from the main shaft, he said. At least 10 high-powered pumps from the Odisha Fire Service, along with 21 personnel, have reached the spot on Sunday. There are at least 80-90 other abandoned mine shafts that are full of water near the affected mine. Ace mining mishap expert Jaswant Singh Gill suspected that the mines in the area are inter-connected and the theory was also agreed to by locals. A submersible pump from the Coal India Limited (CIL), which was expected to reach the mine by Sunday night, is yet to arrive till last reports came in. Though the prosecution "tried", it failed to prove any "politician-police" nexus in the alleged fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsiram Prajapati, a special had said while acquitting all the 22 accused on December 21. Special CBI Judge S J Sharma had acquitted all the accused due to insufficient evidence while expressing sorrow over the loss of three lives. "I have no hesitation to conclude that the evidence which has been laid and adduced and discussed and appreciated vividly, though the prosecution has tried, it failed to prove any politician-police nexus," he said. The remarks were part of the 358-page judgement. Copy of the full judgement was only made available on Monday. The court stated that the CBI probed the alleged fake encounter killings with a 'pre-conceived and premeditated' theory to implicate political leaders. Of the 22 accused who were acquitted, 21 were junior level police officials from Gujarat and Rajasthan police. The court has noted in its judgement that it was incumbent on part of the prosecution to procure sanction from appropriate authority to prosecute the 21 accused as they were all government servants. "The 21 accused were certainly acting in discharge of their official duties. The 21 accused were doubtlessly public servants when the alleged offence is alleged to have been committed," the judgement said. "In such circumstances, it was necessary for the investigation agency to obtain sanction of competent authority before filing charge sheet. In absence of the sanction, the accused are entitled for acquittal," the court said. According to the CBI, the police officials were part of teams which abducted and killed Shaikh, his wife and Prajapati in staged encounters. The court said there was nothing to show that service weapons of the accused policemen were used in the killings. The three victims who were returning to Sangli in Maharashtra from Hyderabad in a bus were taken into custody by a police team on the intervening night of November 22-23, 2005. The couple was taken in one vehicle and Prajapati in another. The CBI had said Shaikh was killed on November 26, 2005, allegedly by a joint team of Gujarat and Rajasthan police, and Kausar Bi three days later. Prajapati, who was lodged in Udaipur Central Jail, was killed in an encounter on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border on December 27, 2006, the investigation agency had alleged. The court also noted that the prosecution had failed to prove that Prajapati was killed in a fake and staged encounter. "No doubt that Tulsiram Prajapati suffered a homicidal death," the court said. It added that statements of witnesses on Prajapati escaping from the custody of Rajasthan police in December 2006 appeared "cogent and convincing". The court noted the evidence showed that there was an incident of cross firing between Prajapati and a police team. The CBI had charged 38 persons, including BJP chief Amit Shah, who was the then Gujarat home minister, Gulabchand Kataria, the then Rajasthan home minister, and senior IPS officers like D G Vanzara and P C Pande in the case. The prosecution examined 210 witnesses, of which 92 turned hostile. Shah was arrested in the case in July 2010, but released on bail by the in October that year. He was discharged by the in December 2014. The December 21 verdict was Judge Sharma's last judgement of his career. He is set to retire on December 31. 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 Unravelling the mystery behind the deaths of 11 members of a family in Burari, naming Chief Minister in a charge sheet in the chief secretary assault case and cracking the CBSE board papers leak case were some of the cases that kept Police busy in 2018. The year also saw Police concluding its investigation in the Sunanda Pushkar death case as it filed a nearly 3,000-page charge sheet in a city court in May accusing senior Congress leader of abetting his wife's suicide. Ever since Pushkar was found dead in the suite of a south Delhi hotel on January 17, 2014, the case remained in news and the police also earned criticism for its probe. The uneasy relationship between the AAP dispensation and continued as the police filed a charge sheet against Kejriwal and his deputy naming them as accused along with 11 AAP MLAs in the assault on chief secretary Anshu Prakash in February. The AAP ministers dubbed the police charge sheet as "bogus" and said it was another example of a witch hunt by the Modi government. again came in for criticism from the government for its "lax security" after a man threw chilli powder at Kejriwal outside his office in the Delhi Secretariat in November. The adopted a government resolution claiming that the city has become the " crime capital" which was met with rebuttal by the police which said it was incorrect as the number of heinous crimes declined this year from that in 2017. The Crime Branch and Special Cell of had a busy year as they worked on many cases that were transferred to them from the local police. While the Umar Khalid attack case was transferred to the Special Cell which said the attack on the JNU student leader in August was carried out by cow vigilantes, the Crime Branch was tasked with investigating the flight attendant suicide case as her family felt the local police was carrying out a "biased" probe. The Special Cell had some big catches which included the arrest of Bilal Ahmed Kawa, suspected to be involved in the 2000 Red Fort attack, and Abdul Subhan Qureshi, known as 'India's Osama bin Laden' who was wanted for being the main conspirator of the 2008 Gujarat serial blasts. The unit was also involved in busting the "self-styled" vigilante group Kranti Gang, in June after several months of tracking. Touted to be one of the biggest encounters by the unit, gangster Rajesh Bharti and his three associates were killed while eight police personnel were injured in south Delhi's Chhatarpur. The year also saw several gunfights among gangsters. In north Delhi's Burari area, two criminal gangs opened fire at each other in June, killing three persons, including a woman passer-by. The bloodbath was a result of the gunfight between the Tillu and Gogi gangs, believed to be involved in cases of extortion and murder in the city. Few days after this incident, Burari was in the news again as 11 members of a "prosperous" and "god-fearing" family were found dead. While bodies of 10 members of the family were found hanging with their hands and feet tied and their mouth gagged, the matriarch was found dead in a separate room. The discovery of 11 registers, which had notings about a set of rituals to be carried out to appease God lifted the mystery off the deaths and a psychological autopsy revealed that the 11 members did not commit suicide, but it was an "accident that occurred during a ritual". Before the Crime Branch got into solving the Burari case, it handled the CBSE papers leak case. Fate of lakhs of students was put at stake after an Una-based teacher allegedly leaked CBSE Class 12 economics paper and Class 10 Mathematics paper in March. Crime against women continued to be on the rise with 1,983 cases of rape reported till November 30. Cases of child sexual abuse underlined how vulnerable are the children in the spaces usually considered safe for them. From an eight-month-old girl being raped by her cousin in northwest Delhi's Subhash Place to a Class 2 student of a New Delhi Municipal Council-run school being raped in the upscale Gole Market area by an electrician on the institute premises in August, police officers grappled with cases of sexual abuse that demanded utmost sensitivity from them. Among the 459 cases of murder that were reported until November 30, some of the sensational ones included the killing of Ankit Saxena by the family members of a woman whom he was in love with since they belonged to different communities. In June, the killing of an Army Major's wife by a fellow officer since he was obsessed with her grabbed headlines. The police had their plate full as they also solved cases which drew the social media ire after videos of some incidents went viral. A Delhi policeman's son was arrested after a video in which he could be seen brutally thrashing a woman went viral, prompting the Union Home Minister to tweet that he had directed Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to take action in the matter. Another video that shocked netizens was one in which Ashish Pandey, son of a former BSP MP, could be seen brandishing a pistol at guests at a five-star hotel in October. The railways is likely to line up its highest-ever capital expenditure of Rs 1.65-1.7 trillion for the upcoming Budget. The national transporter is also knocking on the doors of the finance ministry to increase gross budgetary support (GBS) by 28 per cent from the budgeted Rs 53,060 crore in 2018-19 to around Rs 68,000 crore in 2019-20. Sources, however, indicate that the Centre is likely to cut budgetary support to the railways by around Rs 5,000-10,000 crore for 2018-19, out of the total budgeted GBS of Rs 53,060 crore. Due to this cut in GBS, the railways is likely to depend ... India and South Africa this year celebrated the birth of Mahatma Gandhi's 'Satyagraha' movement 125 years ago in this nation which became a force for India's independence, even as New Delhi took determined steps to expand its economic and development footprint across resource-rich Africa. In June, External Affairs Minister was the special guest at the railway station in Pietermaritzburg city where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as a young lawyer was unceremoniously thrown off a train compartment reserved for white people, sparking his path of 'Satyagraha', which would see him lead both South Africa and India to oppose colonial rule. A unique bust of Gandhi was unveiled at the station - with one side featuring him in Western attire he wore when he came to South Africa, while the other side depicts him in Indian dress in which he left South Africa after 21 years, returning to eventually lead India to freedom. Prime Minister also visited South Africa in July where he attended the summit and held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other leaders. Representing over 40 per cent of the world's population, the countries' growth rates surpass those of developed nations of the G-7. The handprints of Prime Minister Modi were also embedded for posterity at the 'Cradle of Humankind' site in South Africa, alongside those of leaders of the other four countries - Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa at the BRICS Summit. The plaques of the leaders' handprints were then installed next to one containing the handprints of late South African president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela at the site where some of the oldest remains of early man are on public display. Earlier, Modi also travelled to Rwanda, becoming the first Indian premier to visit the East African nation as India extended a $200 million line of credit to the country. He then visited Uganda - the first bilateral tour there by an Indian prime minister since 1997 - where he held wide-ranging talks with President Yoweri Museveni and also addressed the country's Parliament. India extended two lines of credit worth nearly $200 million to Uganda in energy infrastructure, agriculture and dairy sectors. As a precursor to the BRICS Summit, the Indian High Commission hosted the India-South Africa Business Summit in April, with participation from delegations across Africa. "We feel that there is a huge potential that exists between these two regions," said Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Civil Aviation, as he shared a platform with his counterparts from South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique. Prabhu said India's commitment to trade relations with Africa is very strong and it is trying to determine how the credit extended for project financing in some of these countries can be further improved, which will further benefit the countries where these projects are going to be implemented. South Africa was also rocked by the resignation of President Jacob Zuma after a long legal battle over several corruption and fraud charges. Zuma was also implicated in reports of 'state capture' over his links with the influential Indian-origin Gupta family. Facing a motion of no confidence in Parliament, Zuma resigned on February 14 and was succeeded by Ramaphosa as president. While economic relations between India and South Africa were boosted by a series of sector-specific events, they were dampened slightly by the departure of one of India's leading public sector banks, the Bank of Baroda, after it decided to close down operations in South Africa. The Bank said the closure was in line with a revision of its global strategy, but the local branch came under pressure for being the only bank that had been working with companies of the controversial Gupta brothers after all South African banks had severed ties with them following allegations of links of business barons Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta with cases of state capture and graft involving billions of rands which was among a host of reasons that led to Zuma's downfall. South Africa also marked the 125th anniversary of the historic address in Chicago by Swami Vivekananda. The Indian Cultural Centres, run by the Indian missions in both Johannesburg and Durban, were renamed in Vivekananda's honour, and local followers of his teachings from the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa organised a symposium. In Pretoria, the Indian government's partnership with one of South Africa's largest institutions for technical training, the Tshwane South Technical and Vocational Education and Training Centre, saw the official launch of the Gandhi-Mandela Centre of Specialisation for Artisan Skills in August by South African Minister of Higher Education Naledi Pandor and Indian High Commissioner Ruchira Kamboj. "This is an extremely exciting birthday gift for these two great leaders," Pandor said as she commented on the project, which jointly marks the upcoming 150th birth anniversary of in 2019 and the centenary of Mandela's birth in 2018. Expanding India's outreach across Africa, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu in November visited Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi, describing his trip as "extremely productive" for taking India-Africa relations to the next level by reinforcing existing ties and forging cooperation in new areas. Even as the number of bank accounts has grown exponentially owing to the Modi governments Jan Dhan scheme, there has been a commensurate rise in the number of banking frauds and the amount involved in these frauds. The Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) latest report on Trends and Banking in India 2017-18 notes that Rs 412 billion worth of frauds were committed across Indian banks in 2017-18 a 112 per cent increase over 2014-15 when the Modi government came to power. 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 stock of the contagion risks posed by Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) crisis, the Financial Stability Report (FSR) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) underlined the need for fine-tuning the oversight framework related to financial conglomerates (FCs) for more timely action. A risk-sensitive FC oversight regime where the intrusiveness of oversight of FCs is proportionate to a combination of the size of the entity and the likelihood of an adverse event (say, over a one-year horizon), may make possible remedial measures more timely. 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 Prime Minister and the ruling BJP face a tough challenge in the Lok Sabha elections in the coming summer in the wake of its defeat in the recent Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and mounting worries on the economic front. Even at the end of 2017, no one would have given the opposition a chance in the next general elections after BJP's sweeping success in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in the wake of demonetisation and surgical strikes on terror hideouts across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and its ability to come to power in other states where it was not the largest party. However, the BJP was contained in Modi's home state of Gujarat in the year-end Assembly elections where it was stopped short of the 100-mark, signalling the green shoots of recovery for the Congress. The change in the last one year became evident after a united Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samajwadi Party defeated the BJP in the Lok Sabha by-elections in its strongholds like Gorakhpur and Phulpur and along with the RLD, in Kairana in Uttar Pradesh. The Congress worsted the BJP in parliamentary by-elections in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and in Karnataka. Also, the Congress was quick to learn from BJP's game elsewhere and surrendered the Chief Minister's post to the JD-S in a post-poll tie up to keep the BJP out of power in Karnataka, despite the saffron party emerging the single largest in the summer of this year. The results of the recent Assembly polls in five states, where the Congress snatched power from the BJP in the Hindi heartland, has given a major boost to the opposition parties and could be a factor in the battle for control of the next Lok Sabha. During the year, the BJP had lost seven out of the 13 by-elections in parliamentary constituencies. Of these, it held nine since 2014. It could retain only Palghar in Maharashtra and Shimoga in Karnataka. Since 2014, the BJP managed to retain just six Lok Sabha seats in by-polls. Besides Palghar and Shimoga, it had won Lakhimpur in Assam, Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh, Beed in Maharashtra and Vadodara in Gujarat. In the last four-and-half-years, the party has lost Lok Sabha by-polls in Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, Gurdaspur in Punjab, Alwar and Ajmer in Rajasthan, Kairana, Phulpur and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Bhandara-Gondiya in Maharashtra and Bellary and Mandya constituencies in Karnataka. The BJP's tally in the Lok Sabha has come down to 268 from 282 in 2014. The results of the recent Assembly polls and the by-elections may have signalled the weakening of the "Modi wave" of 2014. The road ahead may not be easy for the saffron party, given the fact that major parties like SP and BSP in Uttar Pradesh are planning an anti-BJP alliance and formation of the RJD-led alliance in Bihar. The two states send 120 of the 543 elected MPs to the 545-member Lok Sabha, where two members are nominated. Although the BJP-led government has been counting various of its schemes including Mudra, Ujwala, Saubhagya, opening of 'jan dhan' bank accounts, One Rank One Pension, and decisions on demonetisation, GST and the surgical strikes across the border in Pakistan as its major achievements in last four-and-a-half-years, the issues related to farmers and impacts of demonetisation and GST, NPAs crisis have come as a major dampener for the ruling party. Unlike in 2014, when they were the challenger at the Centre and in many states, when an untested Modi made various promises, he and his party would now face a lot of questions to answer on the "achhe din" they had offered to the electorate. During the last election campaign, Modi had promised 10 million jobs a year and depositing of Rs 1.5 million in each person's account from the black money to be repatriated from abroad. The opposition is likely to rake up the issues and demand answers over the crisis of unemployment and agrarian distress among others. Besides, the party is also facing the heat from the VHP and RSS, which have been mounting pressure on the government for constructing a Ram temple at Ayodhya by bringing a law or ordinance. Opposition parties allege that the Sangh Parivar, headed by RSS, may like to raise the political temperature on their pet issues to polarise the political situation. Although the Supreme Court has given a clean chit to the government on the Rafale fighter jet deal, the issue remains alive as the Congress has been pushing for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe. In the Hindi heartland of Bihar, where the BJP had won 22 of the 40 seats in 2014, Chhattisgarh (10 out of 11), Haryana (10-10), Himachal Pradesh (04-04), Jharkhand (12-14), Madhya Pradesh (16-29), Rajasthan (25-25), Uttarakhand (05-05), Uttar Pradesh (71-80) and Delhi (07-07), 182 out of 225 seats came into the party's kitty in 2014. In the present political scenario, political analysts feel the BJP is unlikely to repeat its performance of 2014, especially in key states like Uttar Pradesh as the coming together of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh, social equations are likely to change. In Bihar, the 'mahagathbandhan' of Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Samata Dal has already been formed. Though the Janata Dal-United has now allied with the BJP and the LJP, the grand alliance remains focussed on social engineering of Maha Dalits, extremely backward communities, along with RJD's traditional Muslim-Yadav votebank. In Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, the BJP has already lost power to Congress and the BJP's numbers are likley to drop in 2019. In Maharashtra, the BJP ally, the Shiv Sena, may cause anxiety as both the parties don't share good vibes. Maharashtra is the largest state after Uttar Pradesh as it sends 48 MPs to Lok Sabha. In the last election, the BJP won 23 seats and the Shiv Sena won 18. In Gujarat, which is considered the BJP's bastion and the Hindutva laboratory, the state to which Modi and BJP President Amit Shah belong, it may not be easy to repeat the 2014 performance given the Congress' fightback in last year's Assembly polls. Andhra Pradesh has 25 seats in the Lok Sabha. Earlier, the BJP and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) fought together, with the BJP winning two seats and the TDP 15. Now, the TDP is out of its fold, the BJP is trying to woo a new ally in the form of YRS Congress -- at least post poll. In Tamil Nadu, where it is facing heavy headwinds, the party is trying to woo the ruling AIADMK, which is itself split, to take on a formidable DMK-Congress combine in which a number of other regional parties will also find a place. The state has a tradition of voting one way and the results in 40 seats including one in Puducherry will be crucial to the national outcome. China has put into service its much-touted lightweight battle tank which the military seeks to deploy in the mountainous regions, like Tibet, to boost its combat capabilities in the high-altitude areas. The new-generation tank, identified as Type-15 by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), was displayed for the first time at an exhibition, organised last month to mark the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up, at China's National Museum as part of new weapons developed by the country. Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Wu Qian confirmed that the tank has been handed over to troops for deployment. "As for the Type 15 light tank, according to my information, it has been handed over to our troops," Wu told the media last week. The indigenously-developed tank had undergone combat ready exercises on the plateaus of Tibet in June last year when the armies of China and India were engaged in an eye-ball to eye-ball 73-day-long standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim sector. Indian troops had opposed the construction of a road by Chinese soldiers near a trijunction border, as it was too close to the main highway, the Chicken Neck corridor, connecting the North East with rest of India. The area was also claimed by Bhutan. The relations between India and China as well as the militaries normalised this year with concerted efforts by both sides after the People's Liberation Army (PLA) halted the road construction. ALSO READ: PLA holds ground combat drills in Tibet to test their skills According to Chinese official media, the lightweight battle tank is equipped with a hydro-pneumatic suspension system that ensures good manoeuvrability and survivability in mountainous regions. Its main weapon is the 105 mm gun that can fire armour-piercing shells and launch guided missiles, it said. The Type 15 tank has a 1,000 horsepower engine which is significantly lighter than the PLA's other main battle tanks in service, and weighs about 32 to 35 tonnes, compared to the Type 99 tank, which weighs 54 to 58 tonnes, and the Type 96 one weighing about 42.8 tonnes, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. Military analysts said the tank could be quickly deployed to sensitive regions such as Tibet and the plateau border area if a dispute broke out, the SCMP report said. Beijing-based military affairs commentator Song Zhongping said the PLA Marine Corps needed to upgrade some of its key equipment. He said they were using the Type 62 tank, which only has about 500 horsepower and an 85mm main gun. "The Type 62 tank is lagging behind. The Type 15 tank has much better protection capability and manoeuvrability," he was qouted as saying in the SCMP. US President compared the wall he wants to build along the with the protection at the Washington DC home of his predecessor, "President and Mrs. Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their DC mansion/compound. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The US needs the same thing, slightly larger version!" EFE news quoted Trump as saying on Sunday. Trump made the comparison amid the controversy generated by his adamant demand for lawmakers to allocate $5 billion in the federal budget to build portions of the wall, a stance that led to a partial - and ongoing - shutdown of the government after consensus could not be reached on the matter by Republican and Democratic legislators. Specifically, the partial shutdown affects some 25 per cent of the government, 10 government departments, including Transportation and Justice, as well as dozens of national parks, which normally are huge tourist attractions over any and all holidays. Some 800,000 of the 2.1 million federal works have been idled and will not receive paychecks while their portions of the government remain closed due to lack of approved funding. After the Obamas left the White House in January 2017, they leased a nine-bedroom, eight-bath home in the Kalorama neighborhood, one of the capital's most select districts. Built in the 1920s and renovated in 2011, the home has some 763 square meters (8,200 square feet) of floor space, rents for $22,000 per month and is valued at between $5.4 million and $6 million, according to the specialized real estate company Zillow. President has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of US forces in Syria, Republican Sen Lindsey Graham has said. "I think we're in a pause situation," the South Carolina Republican said on Sunday outside the White House after lunch with the president. Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trump's decision, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. The announcement also had shocked lawmakers and American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the US against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey. "I think we're slowing things down in a smart way," Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Critics had contended that the US withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the president's plans with the American allies. During his appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Graham previewed his arguments to Trump for reconsidering the pullout. "I'm going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure that we get it right. Make sure ISIS never comes back. Don't turn over to the Iranians. That's a nightmare for Israel," Graham said. "And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, who's going to help you in the future?" he said. "I want to fight the war in the enemy's backyard, not ours. That's why we need a forward-deployed force in Iraq and and Afghanistan for a while to come. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 31) An explosion rocked a mall in Cotabato City in the afternoon of December 31. Major General Cirilito Sobejana, 6th Infantry Division commander, said an explosion was reported at 1:50 p.m., by the entrance where the firecracker stalls are located. Authorities were identifying the type of explosive used for the blast. An undetonated improvised explosive device was also recovered inside the mall. "Initial information from the 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army revealed that an unidentified individual allegedly dropped a wrapped box along Magallanes Street in front of the South Seas mall entrance, which immediately exploded at around 1:59 p.m. Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams and SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) are now in the area to process the scene and identify what kind of explosive was used," Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Benjamin Madrigal confirmed in a statement. Police estimated that the explosion killed two people and injured 32 others. Cotabato blast kills 2, injures dozens on New Year's Eve | https://t.co/sDo55hwVGt pic.twitter.com/5qglJeLKpl CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) December 31, 2018 Police Chief Oscar Albayalde had directed the creation of a task force to investigate the incident. "I have immediately directed the creation of a Special Investigation Task Group to get into the bottom of this incident. We appeal to the public to remain calm but watchful and to immediately report to authorities (PRO12 Hotline Numbers: 09219898174; 09266500628) any information that may lead us to the suspects and help us crack this case," Albayalde said in a statement. Cotabato City Mayor Cynthia Guiani, in a statement, called the act "terroristic." "This is not just another terroristic act but an act against humanity. I cannot fathom how such evil exists in this time of merry making of our fellow Cotabatenios," Guiani said. In his address to the parliament of Tajikistan, President Emomali Rakhmon named three most important events of this year, including launch of the Rogun Dam's first unit. Launch of the second stage is scheduled for April of 2019. According to head of state, it's planned to spent almost 423 million dollars on it. Emomali Rakhmon recalled that Tajikistans hydropower plant with a capacity of 1,500 kilowatts was commissioned in September of 2018, and its total cost reached 8.47 dollars. "Electricity in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region will be fully provided thanks to it. Right now we're carrying out technical study before construction of two more hydropower plants in this region - Sanobod and Sebzor - with a total capacity of 211 megawatts. We will continue to work to with international organizations to find and attract more investments," he said. According to Rahmon, launch of the Rogun Dam's first stage is one of the most important events for the entire of Tajikistan. Its opening took place on November 16, on the same day as celebration of the Presidents Day. Opening eremony, which took place in the hydropower plants machine room, was attended by representatives of foreign countries, in particular countries participating in the CASA-1000 project, international organizations, diplomats and journalists from the world's leading media. Launch of the Rogun Dam's second unit will take place in 2019. The Rogun Dam with a capacity of 3,600 megawatts will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in the Central Asian region. Emomali Rakhmon noted in his message that "Tajik people patiently waited for nearly three decades for this event to come, so it certainly can be called historical." "For Emomali Rahmon, the Rogun Dam is similar to pyramids for Ancient Egyptian pharaohs. It defines his status and legitimacy, it's a demonstration of his superpowers when it comes to implementation of megaprojects, despite everything that's happening in the country, including lack of funds and hostile attitude of external influence," political scientist, deputy director general of the Strategic Forecast Center Igor Pankratenko told Vestnik Kavkaza. Several years ago Dushanbe announced tender for the construction of the Rogun Dam, which has been won by the Italian company Salini Impregilo S.p.A. Funds for its construction were gatherd through sale of eurobonds. Initial revenue of this sale amounted to 500 million dollars. However, according to Igor Pankrapenko, the main question - who needs the Rogun Dam that operated at full design capacity (producing 3,600 megawatts) - remains unanswered. Beijing isn't interested in it, since it doesnt match its vision of the Tajik section of the One Belt and One Road initiative in any way. Despite Rahmon's best efforts, Riyadh didn't agree to finance this mega-project. Tashkento is still against this project, the Uzbek side just doesnt discuss it for the time being. Only Islamabad and New Delhi can be interested in it, but there are so many small issues that still must be resolved, Pankratenko believes. Expert believes that planned production of the Rogun Dam will be justified only if the electricity will be exported, especially since first two units are enoguh to satisfy Tajikistan's needs. Considering Dushanbe's agreement with Tashkent on Uzbek side's participation in construction of two hydroelectric power stations with a capacity of 300 MW on the Zarafshan river, there should be no need for any other sources. Everything else is just Rakhmons dream of making Tajikistan the largest exporter of electricity, especially if the CASA-1000 project will be implemented. At least two people were killed and 23 others injured in an explosion outside a shopping mall in Cotabato city on Monday. CNN quoted Cotabato City Police spokesman Christopher Lee as saying, "There was a suspected IED explosion outside the South Seas Mall in Cotabato City on the island of Mindanao." The injured people have been taken to local hospitals, said a spokeswoman for the Office of Civil Defense in General Santos City, Minda Morante. Citing Philippine News Agency, CNN stated that the police are still trying to determine whether the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device or by illegal powerful firecrackers that accidentally went off in the area. Meanwhile, Cotabato Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi condemned the incident terming it "act against humanity". "I strongly condemn the bombing incident that happened in front of South Seas Mall today, a day before the New Year, the took away several innocent lives and injured dozen others. This is not just another terroristic act but an act against humanity. I cannot fathom how such evil exists in this time of merry making," she wrote on Facebook. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], Dec 31 (ANI): Complete synergy between security forces and freedom of operation given to the services resulted in the neutralisation of 311 terrorists this year, former DGMO and 15 Corps Commander Lieutenant General Anil Bhatt said on Monday. Speaking to ANI after his troops foiled a Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) attack on Indian posts in the Naugam sector and killed two terrorists, Lieutenant General Bhatt said: "The forces have been successful in killing 248 terrorists including top terrorist commanders along with the apprehension of 58 of them. Five of the terrorists have surrendered before us. So, till December 31 morning, security forces have been successful in neutralising 311 terrorists in our area of operations." Lauding his troops for the operation, Lieutenant General Bhatt said the credit for the success of forces should be given to the synergy between the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and paramilitary forces operating in the Kashmir valley. "The synergy between the forces is at all levels. We can see complete coordination from the top to the operational level where the commanders are interacting and coordinating their actions," the top army commander said. In the past few years, the Army has killed over 200 terrorists every year. In 2018, the number of terrorists killed has increased. The Srinagar-based 15 Corps is the main force responsible for the anti-terrorist operations in the Kashmir Valley with a significant contribution coming from the Jammu-based 16 Corps which looks after the operations in the Jammu area. Lieutenant General Bhatt said that the major successes have been achieved by the forces despite long intervals in intensive operations due to the unilateral ceasefire declared by forces in Ramzan and their deployment during Amarnath Yatra. Lieutenant General Bhatt said that the troops are also carrying out operations with complete freedom as they know that the top leadership would back them fully in all right actions and operations. This could be seen last year when Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had backed Major Leetul Gogoi, who had tied an alleged stone-pelter to his jeep's bonnet to protect his men and other civilian staff under his responsibility from other stone-pelters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four people lost their lives while five others were injured in a road accident at Guntur Laalur Highway after a car hit a lorry on Monday. Police said that the victims were heading to Vijayawada for New Year celebrations. The lorry driver and cleaner too have suffered injuries. "The car was at a speed of 160 kilometres per hour and hit the lorry. Due to the impact of the hit, the lorry also fell. The accident occurred at 11 am on Monday," a police official said. Out of the nine people affected by the accident, seven of them are engineering students and have been identified as well. Further investigation is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the opposition Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) crying foul over rigging, fraud and government intimidation in recently-held parliamentary elections, the Bangladesh Election Commission on Monday rejected their claims, ruling out any chance of re-election. Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda was quoted by The Daily Star as saying: "There is no scope to hold the national election again." Playing down allegations of ballot stuffing a day before the elections, Huda said that such things were "completely untrue." Acknowledging that there were violent incidents across the country on the polling day, the Chief Election Commissioner stated that the electoral body took cognisance of the matter and a probe has been initiated. Sheikh Hasina's Awami League-led Grand Alliance, which includes 14 parties in total, won 288 seats, while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) helmed Jatiya Oikya Front suffered a massive rout by bagging only seven seats in total, according to The Daily Star. Despite tight security arrangements, violence raged on in various pockets of Bangladesh claiming 18 lives in total and injuring around 200 people. Moreover, nine people were arrested in poll-related violence across the nation. Polling for the 11th general elections began at early morning on Sunday at around 8 am and continued till 4 pm in the evening. As the counting process was underway on Sunday and showed Hasina's party leading the way, the Jatiya Oikya Front called the polls a "farce", alleging that it was completely rigged demanding re-election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A "likely treacherous" New Year eve attack by a Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir was foiled by the Indian Army, which killed two intruders and forced others to retreat. The Pakistani Army provided heavy cover fire, using mortars and rockets, to the intruders who were wearing combat dress like that of Pakistani regulars and tried to sneak into Naugam sector, the Army said. Some intruders were seen in BSF and old pattern of Indian Army dress for deception, the Army said in a statement. "Army foiled a major BAT attempt to strike a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector in the early hours of 30 December 2018," the statement said. The operation to foil the BAT action was started after the Indian troops sensed suspicious movement near an Indian post of Karal Kot along the Line of Control. BAT is a small unit generally comprising Pakistani Army personnel and terrorists who sneak across the LoC or International Border to carry out an attack. "The movement was detected simultaneously with ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops from 6 PM on Saturday," an Army official said. "The intruders attempted to move by exploiting the thick jungles close to LoC and were assisted by a heavy cover fire of high calibre weapons such as mortars and rocket launchers from the Pakistani posts," said the Army statement. The movement was nonetheless detected by the vigilant Indian Army troops and the intruders were challenged, the Army said. In the gunfight, which continued the whole night, two "likely Pakistani soldiers" were eliminated and a few other intruders reportedly managed to escape across the LoC, taking advantage of the Pakistani firing and adverse weather and visibility conditions, the Army said. "After the firing subsided, the forces in the Kissan battalion area flew a Quadcopter to assess the damage done to enemy troops and spotted the bodies of two intruders near the post," the official added. "The alertness and resilience of the own troops, who engaged and neutralised the intruders, thus eliminated a likely treacherous attack on the Army forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) on the eve of New Year," it said. The Indian Army troops conducted prolonged search operations in thick jungles, including deploying drones, to ascertain the situation. The Army said Pakistan will be asked to take back the mortal remains of the deceased "likely Pakistani soldiers since Pakistan did provide full covering fire support to these intruders." "The Indian Army's resolve to keep a strict vigil along the LoC and defeat all such nefarious designs of Pakistan will continue to remain firm and consistent," the statement read. Army sources said Quadcopters were used to locate dead bodies of suspected Pakistani soldiers Quadcopters are small drones which are used by the Army to carry out surveillance and reconnaissance in operational areas. These small drones are very useful for the forces as they can locate movement of terrorists and Pakistan Army regulars in a stealthy manner and also avoid the risk of exposing men to terrorists who may be hiding to ambush them. According to the statement issued by the Indian Army, a large cache of warlike stores, i.e., two AK-47 rifles, 480 rounds of ammunition, three communication sets, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), cameras and petrol bottles. From the recovery, it was estimated that they (BAT) intended to carry out a gruesome attack on the Indian Army forward post in Naugam sector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) has made a record victory in Sunday's elections which were plagued by allegations of massive vote rigging and the death of 20 people. As per the official results, which were announced by the Election Commission (EC) early Monday, the Awami League-led ruling alliance Mahajote (Grand Alliance) bagged 288 seats while the prime opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led Jatiya Oikya Front secured only seven. The EC stayed the results of Brahmanbaria-2 constituency. It earlier suspended the elections process at the Gaibandha following death of a contestant. Awami League alone got 259 seats while Jatiya Party 20 after the widely expected results. Independent candidates secured three seats while Workers Party got three, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD), Bikalpa Dhara, and Gana Forum got two each and Tarikat Federation and JP got one each. The massive victory gives Sheikh Hasina a third straight term as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. The opposition coalition of Jatiya Oikya Front has already rejected the results of the parliamentary elections and called for fresh polls under a neutral caretaker government. "We demand fresh elections to be supervised by a neutral caretaker government," said the Front leader, Kamal Hossain, at a press conference following the elections, which he said was plagued by ballot stuffing overnight, forcing out opposition polling agents, and killing of people. In an instant reaction to journalists on Sunday, Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir termed the national election as a 'cruel mockery' with the nation. "Today's (Sunday's) election is a cruel mockery with the nation. This type of election is very dangerous for the nation. The future of the nation faces a great loss through the election," he said. Yet, election observers from India, Nepal, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have expressed their satisfaction over the election process of 11th parliamentary polls in Bangladesh. The elections were peaceful and organised, said the election observers after visiting several polling centres on Sunday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chandigarh Police on Monday arrested one person in connection with the rape of British in a hotel here. The accused, identified as Farhanuz Zama, had been working at the hotel for the last two years. The 28-year-old was arrested from Kishangarh Chowk area. On December 27, the British had alleged that she was raped at a hotel's 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," the complaint said. Following the complaint, a case was registered under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Monday threatened to withdraw support to Congress party in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. While asking the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan government to withdraw cases filed during the 'Bharat band' held earlier this year over the alleged "dilution" of SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, BSP said that if the Congress fails to do so then it would reconsider its decision to give outside support to the Congress in both states. A statement released by the party reads, "We demand that cases filed by the then BJP government in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan during the 'Bharat band' held on 2 April 2018 for SC/ST Act 1989 and reservation in promotion of government workers to be withdrawn. If these demands are not met, we'll reconsider our decision to give outside support to Congress." On December 12, Mayawati-led party extended its support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to help the party form the government in both states. In the 230-member strong Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh, BJP -- that ruled the state for 15 years, trailed marginally at 109, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) won 1 seat and Mayawati's BSP bagged two seats. On the other hand, Independents won four seats all over the state. Meanwhile, in the 199-seat Assembly of Rajasthan, the Congress again bagged 99 seats to dethrone the Vasundhara Raje led BJP which won 73 seats. The CPI-M won two seats, BSP six, Independents 13 and others six. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The current development of Azerbaijan is an example of the ability to combine national traits, identity, openness to the world and, first of all, the relations with neighbors, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said summing up 2018 in an interview with Russia 24 TV Channel. According to him, in Azerbaijan, there are more than 340 schools where the studies are conducted in Russian and more than 3 thousand schools where the Russian language is taught: "For comparison, I can say that there are about 4.5 thousand schools in the country. That is, the absolute majority of our schools teach Russian, and more than in 340 schools, the studies are in Russian, and the number of these schools is growing. In this case, our policy of preserving the Russian language brings good results. I often visit schools, especially on the eve of the new school year, and I see that the new Russian branches are being created, and there is such a need. Of course, every citizen of the country must, first of all, know his own state language, and there are no problems with this in Azerbaijan. The state language is Azerbaijani, and all paperwork is conducted in Azerbaijani, as it should be. But knowledge of the Russian language is both a need and a tribute to our historical ties. Today I see how it is in demand in society. About a million Russians come to our country because they feel comfortable here. And this is very important. Therefore, our policy to preserve the Russian language, to create the best conditions for its development is absolutely correct, and we see the positive results." According to the President of Azerbaijan, paying tribute to the Russian language, the country does not in any way impair its own language: It is simply impossible. I believe that today's development of Azerbaijan is an example of the ability to combine national traits, identity, openness to the world and, first of all, the relations with our neighbors. In recent years, we have created two branches of leading Russian universities - the Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Sechenov Medical Academy, where the studies are also conducted in Russian by the teachers from Russia. Therefore, the cultural and humanitarian sphere, the educational sphere - these are the spheres that will constantly contribute to maintaining the relations between our countries and peoples. You noted that 27 years have passed since the Soviet Union collapsed and a new generation has grown up. Of course, we want our citizens to know both Russian and English, first of all, of course, our native language. They should know as many languages as possible so they can easily communicate without an interpreter. Answering the question about his expectations from 2019, Ilham Aliyev assured: "In 2019, our country will develop progressively. The reforms we are implementing will manifest themselves in 2019. We will complete the transformation process of the Azerbaijani economy, therefore, I think that all plans will be implemented in terms of economic development. The state budget has already been adopted. It is socially oriented, as usual, so all social programs will be implemented. Next year, we also plan to commission more than 4 thousand apartments for internally displaced persons and refugees, and more than 800 apartments for families of those who were killed in the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. That is, the social orientation of our economy will be very significant. Also in 2019, I think, the important steps will be taken to turn Azerbaijan into an international transport hub. Today, the North-South and East-West projects pass through the territory of our country. We are the only country that participates in these two projects, and the number of countries that join these projects is growing every year. We have created the most modern transport infrastructure in Azerbaijan - rail transportation, shipping, air transportation, built 6 international airports, roads. I can say that, according to the Davos Economic Forum, Azerbaijan ranks 34th in the world for the quality of highways. This is a fairly high indicator, which shows how much attention we pay to these projects. As a chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, we will actively work in the international arena and provide support to member countries." The President of Azerbaijan expressed hope, that in 2019 there will be positive movements in the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: I think that the events of this spring in Armenia are an indicator of the futility of the policy of maintaining the status quo on the part of Armenia. Over the years, we have come a very long way in development, and the balance of the economic potential and all other components between Azerbaijan and Armenia has long been broken. I think our policy to increase economic potential, energy and transport projects in a certain extent became the reason for what happened in Armenia. In addition to all other issues that troubled the Armenian society, one of the factors behind the spring events was the difficult socio-economic situation in which Armenia appeared or trapped itself in. And this, I am deeply convinced, occurred as a result of the unresolved Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Therefore, I think that there will be more understanding from the side of the Armenian society and the authorities, that only with a fair settlement of the conflict, only after the liberation of the occupied territories, the Armenian economy will grow significantly. Otherwise, I think that it will be hard to expect serious socio-economic transformations in Armenia. That is, we see the results of our policy, we always wanted and still want to resolve the conflict through the negotiations. But for this, we need very serious levers. We have been and will continue to pursue a policy of demonstrating what advantages peace will bring to the region and what difficulties will exist in Armenia if there is no peace. I am deeply convinced that the only way for the new Armenian leadership to be able to carry out all its plans to transform the country is to resolve the conflict with Azerbaijan. And for this, they need to de-occupy the territories that do not belong to them and to make sure that hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis return to their lands. Therefore, we hope that there will be more understanding in this regard. I can not guess, as they say, time will tell. But we will consistently pursue the policy of which I spoke, as far as it brings results. " A plane from Baghdad carrying 30 Russian children whose mothers remain in Iraqi prisons for joining an Islamist terror group landed at a Moscow airport on Sunday, airport authorities said. "The plane made a regular landing at around 8:27 p.m. [17:27]," a spokesperson of the Zhukovsky airport told Sputnik. The children including 16 girls and 14 boys aged three to 15, were taken to a national health center for a medical examination, the press office of the Russian Health Ministry said in a statement. Kheda Saratova, a member of the Russian working group that assisted in the effort, said that many children were ill after spending time in jail in Iraq and needed medical and psychological help. The working group estimates 115 children, whose mothers brought them to Iraq and joined the Islamic State (IS, banned in Russia) terror group, remain in an Iraqi prison. A hundred women and their children, mostly from Russia's Muslim-majority Caucasus region, have been repatriated since 2017. Russian authorities are now working to bring back children of Russian mothers who were born in Syria and Iraq. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese on Monday filed a complaint at the Tourist Police Station here alleging that she was raped in Madhya Pradesh's Khajuraho According to the complaint filed at the Tourist Police Station, the woman arrived in Khajuraho on December 28. On December 30, after checking out from the hotel, the victim headed to the museum. "On way to the museum, I met some guys, who were sitting outside a tea shop. They invited me to have tea with them. I had two cups of tea and headed to the museum. After reaching there I felt dizzy," the complainant said. Narrating her ordeal further, she said that after she was coming back from the museum, she met the same people, who were walking on the street but as soon as they met her again, they decided to come back to the tea stall. "My last memory is that one man in my eyes, he told me that 'sometimes we have different feelings, I understand your feeling and just notice one point and not another place.' I doubt that I was raped and some drugs were mixed into the tea," the complaint read further. Speaking to ANI over the phone, Circle Officer, Taj Suraksha and Tourist, Mohsin Khan, said, "We have registered a case on the basis of the complaint filed by the victim. A medical examination of the victim is underway. We will transfer the case to the Madhya Pradesh Police soon." The police have registered a zero FIR in the case under Section 328 (Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence) and 376 (Punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code. A 'zero' FIR is filed when the place of the occurrence of crime is out of the jurisdictional limits of the police station where the complaint is being filed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Ashok Chavan on Monday slammed the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for holding a press conference on AgustaWestland chopper scam and targeting Congress leaders for their alleged complicity in the VVIP chopper deal. "The allegations made by the Chief Minister in the AgustaWestland case are like a thief complaining against about robbery," said Chavan, adding that the Chief Minister should hold a press conference on farmers' suicide, drought, ministers' scandals, Bhima Koregaon riots, and on Sanatan Sanstha. "More than 17,000 farmers have committed suicide in the state. More than half of the ministers in the state Cabinet are accused of scams. There is a terrible drought situation. The Chief Minister of the state has never held a press conference on the issues related to Bhima Koregaon, Sambhaji Bhide, Milind Ekbote, and Sanatan Sanstha's bomb production factory," he said "But today, during a press conference on AgustaWestland, the Chief Minister has made false allegations against Congress leaders. His press conference is that of a thief complaining about a robbery. Why doesn't he speak out against the Rafale aircraft scam," asked Chavan while addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan here. Chavan alleged the BJP has launched a programme to make 'false allegations' by calling a press conference to defame Congress leadership while keeping the upcoming elections on the mind. "Hiding behind Christian Michel, the BJP government is trying to cover its own corruption and scams. Why did Prime Minister Narendra Modi whitelist the parent company of AgustaWestland, which had been blacklisted by the Congress government," he asked. The Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, finalised during the previous government headed by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, are mired in the allegations of kickbacks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the last three years, the Defence Ministry has given nod for 111 military projects worth over Rs 1.78 lakh crore for producing military hardware under the Make in India in the defence sector. Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre informed the Lok Sabha, "In the last three financial years from 2015-16 to 2017-18, the government has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to 111 proposals, worth Rs 1,78,900 crore approximately, under 'Buy (Indian-IDDM)', 'Buy (Indian)', 'Buy and Make (Indian)' or 'Make' categories of capital procurement as per Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP), which means Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued only to Indian Vendors." Furthermore, he stated, "In the same timeframe, 99 contracts worth about Rs 65,471.28 crore have been signed with Indian vendors for the procurement of defence equipment. DPP stipulates a time schedule for completion of the procurement cycle." Make in India in defence has been one of the key programmes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several projects such as helicopters, fighter aircraft, and submarines are planned to be manufactured under this in the coming years. On a separate query on the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas project, the Minister said that that out of the 16 Initial Operational Clearance planes, 10 have been delivered to the Air Force till now. "Till date, out of 16 IOC fighter aircraft, 10 fighters have been delivered by HAL and are operational with IAF's 45 Squadron. The delivery of remaining 6 IOC fighter aircraft is planned by March 2019," the minister added. Bhamre said that the four trainer aircraft to be supplied to the 45 squadrons of Air Force would be taken up after design clearance from the Aeronautical Development Agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated that the United States would withdraw from Syria in a manner that will ensure that the ISIS is permanently destroyed while keeping Iran at bay in the region. "I learned a lot from President @realDonaldTrump about our efforts in Syria that was reassuring," Graham tweeted on Sunday (local time) after meeting with US President Donald Trump. He further stated, "The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure - (1) ISIS is permanently destroyed, (2) Iran doesn't fill in the back end, and (3) our Kurdish allies are protected." Graham, who was one of the first to strongly criticise the US President's decision to pull troops out from Syria, put out a positive front on the social media platform regarding the very same decision after the meeting. "President @realDonaldTrump is talking with our commanders and working with our allies to make sure these three objectives are met as we implement the withdrawal," Graham stated. Graham was at the forefront about seeking answers from Trump regarding the troop withdrawal, taking regularly to Twitter to urge the President in re-evaluating his decision. "Mr President, we will never have partners in the future. Our nation is better than this. Please reevaluate the Syrian withdrawal strategy," Graham had tweeted on December 21. He had earlier publicly refuted Trump's claims of having defeated the ISIS in Syria, which was the reason Trump had cited before announcing his decision to withdraw. "With all due respect, ISIS is not defeated in Syria, Iraq, and after just returning from visiting there - certainly not Afghanistan," Graham had tweeted on December 19. The US had announced its decision to withdraw from Syria on December 19, which spurred massive criticism from all quarters. Speculations are rife that a US exit from the region would increase the influence of Russia and Iran in Syria. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Hyderabad Police on Monday arrested two drug peddlers and seized 89 grams of cocaine from their possession. Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said that the two accused, Livio Joseph Almeida and U Shankar used to deliver the narcotic substance to the customers at Film Nagar and Banjara Hills in Hyderabad and also in Goa. They were apprehended by the sleuths of the Commissioner's Task Force, West Zone team. "We seized 89 grams of cocaine and three cell phones from them. The duo used to sell cocaine in Goa and also used to procure it in Hyderabad. They sold 1 gram of cocaine for Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 in Goa," said Kumar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, Dec 31 (ANI) Contrary to the Congress claims, AgustaWestland and its sister companies under the Leonardo Group are still prohibited from doing business in India, according to documents accessed by ANI. The documents show that the Indian Defence Ministry had, as latest as November 8 this year, extended an order prohibiting Italian Group Leonardo, Finmeccanica's latest avatar, from doing business in India for six months. "The matter has been again considered in the ministry and the competent authority has decided to further extend the period of suspension of business dealing with Leonardo (erstwhile Finmeccanica) for a period of 6 months with effect from 8 November 2018," reads the order, which is in possession of ANI. The documents reveal that the last order extending the ban was issued on May 8, 2018. The first order banning the company from doing business in India was issued on July 3, 2014, soon after the BJP government took over. At that time, Arun Jaitley was holding the Defence portfolio. The revelation comes a day after the Opposition Congress alleged that the NDA government had removed AgustaWestland from the blacklist. AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Finmeccanica Group, is mired in a controversy in the wake of allegations that bribes were paid to swing a Rs 3600 crore deal for supplying 12 VVIP helicopters to India in 2010 during the UPA government. Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala yesterday alleged that the Modi government modified the orders related to business dealings with AgustaWestland and allowed the Finmeccanica group to do business with India if contracts were under execution with one of its subsidiaries, spares and upgrades were required or the vendor was a sub-contractor. Finmeccanica was also allowed to participate in the Aero India-2015 exhibition in Bangalore in 2015, less than a year after it was blacklisted, Surjewala had claimed. After the allegations surfaced, the deal was scrapped by the former UPA government and a probe was initiated. The Indian government recently managed extradition of alleged middleman Christian Michel from United Arab Emirates (UAE) and he is now in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate which is probing money laundering allegations. The ED recently told a Delhi court that Michel had named "Mrs Gandhi" but did not specify who exactly she was and in what context he had named her. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The election observers of India, Nepal, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have expressed their satisfaction over the election process of 11th parliamentary polls in Bangladesh. The observers on Sunday afternoon said that the elections were peaceful and organised. Neighbouring India sent a three-member team to Bangladesh. "We've observed the elections in different places. Bangladesh Election Commission has finished the elections in an organised and clean manner. We found a festive mood in the polls," said Ariz Aftab, visiting chief electoral officer of India's West Bengal in a press conference at a hotel here. The Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also held a press briefing at the same hotel. The OIC's high-level election observation team led by assistant Secretary-General of the OIC, Hamid OpeloyeruIndia, visited several polling centres. "We visited the voting centres at Wari, Munshiganj and Narayanganj. We are satisfied seeing a peaceful atmosphere and spontaneous presence of the voters," OpeloyeruIndia said. Asked about the deaths due to poll-related violence, the OIC leader said the incidents can be termed as sporadic incidents. "The incidents of death are accidental," he stated. About the credibility of the elections, he said the election officers worked timely and in a disciplined manner. If these international standards are met, it means the elections were credible, OpeloyeruIndia added. The OIC leader also said he saw agents of the AL, BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Workers Party at the polling booths. At another press conference, two members of Nepalese election observers said that as they were curious about EVM voting, they observed the election processes at Dhaka-6 and Dhaka-13. The team leader of the Nepalese observers, Dependra Kandal, said the election atmosphere was fair and uncontaminated. "I've so far visited five centres. I'm proud of being a witness of this election. I saw voters cast their votes at every centre with joy," a representative from SAARC said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his New Year greeting messages to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasised that Russia-India relations are developing in a constructive and dynamic manner. Referring to the October summit, which was held in New Delhi, Putin noted that the agreements reached between India and Russia will contribute to strengthening the privileged strategic partnership between the two countries. He also expressed confidence that joint efforts will lead to further growth of mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas and greater coordination of efforts on key issues on the regional and global agenda within the UN, BRICS, the SCO, the G20 and other multilateral bodies. New Delhi and Moscow have been close allies and partners. Last week, they reiterated their support for Afghan-led and Afghan-owned inclusive peace and reconciliation process in the war-torn country. Earlier this month, Chief of the Russian State Duma (or Parliament), Vyacheslav Volodin, had also visited India. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu during the visit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japan's Ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu said on Monday that Japan's involvement in the metro project in India emphatically denotes the mutually complementary and friendly relations existing between New Delhi and Tokyo. Speaking after the inauguration of Pink Line's Lajpat Nagar to Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 stretch, Hiramatsu said: "Japan is proud of partnering in the construction of the Delhi Metro, technically and financially, from its very beginning. The support of the Japanese government covers the construction of about 116 km section out of a total of 159 km of the Delhi Metro Phase 3, utilising Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan." "Last October, during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Japan, I signed and exchanged the notes relating to the provision of an additional ODA loan, amounting to JPY 53.7 billion, approximately Rs 3,500 crore, for the Delhi Metro Phase 3. We have disbursed JPY 276.8 billion, or approximately Rs 18,000 crores so far for the project," he further noted. Underlining that the Japanese expertise would spur urban development initiatives in India, the Japanese envoy said that its proficiency in infrastructure is recognised as one of the finest urban development models all over the world. Noting the close partnership of Japan in the Delhi Metro project, Hiramatsu elaborated: "The Japanese principles of safety in project management are being implemented in the Delhi Metro. Oriental Consultants, a premier consultancy firm that specialises in public transport construction management, is securing the safety and efficiency of the construction sites. In addition, Japanese technologies and quality control are also being applied, with Mitsubishi Electric supplying the propulsion system for the rolling stocks, and Mitsui & Co. roped in for rail procurement." The ambassador underscored that the Japanese government is supporting other metro projects in various Indian cities, such as the Chennai Metro. The ambassador recalled that he signed an agreement amounting to approximately Rs 4,800 crore with special concessional terms for the project. He further stated that Japan would continue to extend its support to various Metro projects including Phase 4 of Delhi Metro. "Delhi Metro perfectly exemplifies the longlasting and cooperative relationship between India and Japan. We will continue working together with sincerity and commitment in the years to come," Hiramatsu said. Earlier in the day, the Lajpat Nagar- Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 section of Pink Line was flagged off by Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia at Metro Bhawan Auditorium. The Japanese envoy was also present on the occasion. Lauding the DMRC for the successful launch, Hiramatsu said that the stretch would considerably ease the connectivity in South Delhi and will also prove to be a catalyst for the environmentally-friendly, transit-oriented, urban development technology, thereby bringing about better access to residential, commercial, and leisure spaces. The 9.7 km-long corridor that was flagged off has been made operational for commuters from 4:00 pm today. The section will connect Lajpat Nagar and Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 through four metro stations -- Vinoba Puri, Ashram, Hazrat Nizamuddin and Mayur Vihar 1. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held two telephone conversations with the acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the results of which allowed the parties to reach an agreement on the cost of Russian gas. Pashinyan himself announced this, there is no official confirmation from the Kremlin press service about these telephone conversations. Yesterday, I held two telephone conversations with Russian leader Putin, the topic of these conversations, of course, was the price of gas, Pashinyan said during a live broadcast on Facebook. Awami League Chief Sheikh Hasina on Monday said that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) lost the 11th General Elections of the country as the alliance was indulging in "criminal activities." While speaking to journalists and foreign observers at her 'Ganabhaban' residence here, Hasina said that the opposition alliance won fewer seats in the polls as they did not nominate eligible candidates, according to Bangladeshi media reports. Hasina's Awami League-led Grand Alliance, which includes 14 parties in total, won 288 seats out of 300 seats, while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) helmed Jatiya Oikya Front suffered a massive rout by bagging only seven seats in total, according to The Daily Star. She said that the people of Bangladesh have reposed their faith in the Awami League and voted for the party again because of various development works carried out by her government. Responding to allegations of rigging and ballot stuffing, Hasina said that she advocated for a transparent manner of voting as the people would feel free to exercise their franchise. Polling for the 11th General Elections began at early morning on Sunday at around 8 am and continued till 4 pm in the evening. Despite tight security arrangements, violence was reported from various pockets of Bangladesh claiming 18 lives in total and injuring around 200 people. Moreover, nine people were arrested in poll-related violence from across the nation. As the counting process was underway on Sunday and showed Hasina's party leading the way, the Jatiya Oikya Front called the polls a "farce", alleging that it was completely rigged, demanding re-election. However, the Bangladesh Election Commission rejected their claims, ruling out any chance of re-election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A SpiceJet Ahmedabad-Jodhpur flight departed from here at 1509 hours for Jodhpur on Monday. At 1515 hours, the pilot informed Ahmedabad Air Traffic Control (ATC) that the aircraft had pressurisation failure. ATC immediately facilitated priority landing of the aircraft. The flight landed safely at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport As per a statement from SpiceJet, "The total number of persons on board was 83 including two infants and four crew. All the passengers are safe and the airline is making arrangements to connect the passengers to Jodhpur either via Delhi or Mumbai." Moreover, the passengers have also been offered road transport. "Those passengers who have desired to cancel their journey have been given a full refund of the airfare," added the statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four members of the Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) have written to Maharashtra government, seeking permission to visit Bhima Koregaon on January 1. KKM's letter comes after the authorities issued a Section 144(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) notice and were asked not to visit the area and other villages surrounding till January 2. In the letter, all the members have stated that the government authorities should accompany them in a government vehicle and allow them to offer prayers at the Bhima Koregaon site. It is, however, important to note that out of these four people who have written to the government for permission, three of them are already accused in Bhima Koregaon case. Earlier in December last year, the Pune Police registered a fresh FIR against five more accused in connection with Bhima-Koregaon violence case. With that, a total of 33 FIRs have so far been registered by the police on the complaints of the affected people. On January 1 last year, violence had erupted during 200th anniversary celebrations of Bhima-Koregaon battle, leaving one person dead and several others injured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While we are freezing in Delhi's winters, covering ourselves up with all the clothes we can possibly wear, Kendall Jenner was out there posing in the middle of snow, wearing nothing but a bikini on Sunday. The American model took to her Instagram page to share a picture of herself, wearing a pink itsy bitsy string bikini paired with an open jacket and ski boots, while standing in deep snow during a family trip to Aspen. "F**k it's cold," Jenner captioned the snaps. It should be noted that earlier during the same trip, Kendall had posted an Instagram story of her car's thermostat, which showed it was -2 degree Fahrenheit outside. The whole Kardashian gang, including Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Kimye's three children, Kourtney Kardashian, Kourtney's ex Scott Disick, their three children, and Scott's girlfriend Sofia Richie, flew to Aspen on Friday for a New Year trip. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kolkata police here on Sunday midnight has seized 135 grams of coloured drugs tablets. The Kolkata police along with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the BSF Kolkata at 1215 hours in a handover case seized 1300 Methamphetamine tablets along with a Pulsar motorcycle. However, no person has been arrested till now in this case. Follow-Up action will be done today after obtaining the necessary details from the concerned RTO. The seized contraband worth Rs 6.5 lakhs in the illegal market will be produced before the Court of Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Balurghat on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Things did not fare well for US newspapers over the last weekend of the year as a suspected malware attack affected their publication. According to Mashable, initially what was thought to be a server outage, turned out to be an attack that delayed distribution of Saturday's Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune newspapers. The company suspected it to be an attack through a computer virus originating from outside of the US with an alleged intention of disabling infrastructure and not specifically to steal information. (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 Monday urged political parties to give 33 per cent reservation to women in the Parliament and the state Assemblies. Chief Minister Banerjee, who was addressing media persons here, said, "We are in favour of women issues. I request all political parties to give 33 per cent reservation to women." "Wherever we feel that injustice is being done to women, we will fight against it and will support all the causes that ensure justice. The BJP cannot make it a political issue just because it suits them," she added. On December 27 the day when the Triple Talaq bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha, opposition parties including Congress, AIADMK and Trinamool Congress (TMC) staged a walkout just before the bill was put to vote as their demand for sending it to the Select Committee of Parliament was not accepted. TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay had pressed for sending the Bill to the Select Committee, as did AIADMK's P Venugopal. Recently, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu had also appealed to all political parties to arrive at a consensus and ensure the passage of Women's Reservation Bill for providing reservation to women in the Parliament and state legislatures. Naidu had pointed out that reservation of seats for women in Panchayats and Municipalities has proved to be successful. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Manmohan Singh was not an accidental but excellent Prime Minister, said Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat here on Monday. "The movie titled 'Accidental Prime Minister' on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's propaganda to divert the people's attention from the real issues. Manmohan Singh was not an accidental but an excellent Prime Minister," he said. He also slammed actor Anupam Kher for playing the role of former Prime Minister in the movie. "Who is Anupam Kher? He is a leader of BJP and a very old member of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. This is Modi designed propaganda to divert the attention," added Rawat. "Manmohan Singh was an excellent Prime Minister. It was during his tenure that average growth rate of more than 8.5 per cent was achieved, Right to Education Act, Right to Information Act, MNREGA Act, and so on came into existence which speaks louder than words about what Manmohan Singh has done," he said. Talking about the raging controversy over the VVIP chopper deal, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Rawat said: "The Congress government blacklisted the mother company of AgustaWestland while the BJP when came to power made the firm a partner in defense manufacturing." "Lie on AgustaWestland cannot save the BJP from sinking. In 2012, we blacklisted the mother company of AgustaWestland, Finmeccanica while Prime Minister Modi led BJP government invited made Finmeccanica a partner in defense manufacturing," said Rawat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said the Triple Talaq Bill should be sent to the Select Committee of Parliament, and the Centre should not frame a separate law to target Muslims. Talking to reporters after the release of 9th white paper on 'Industry, Employment and Skill Development' in the state, Chief Minister Naidu said: "A separate law should not be made to target Muslims. They should be treated under normal judicial process. We are asking the government to send the bill to the Select Committee of Parliament." The legislation, which makes the Triple Talaq practice a criminal offence with a provision of a three-year jail term for the erring husband, replaces an Ordinance issued by the Central government in September 2018. It was passed by the Lower House of Parliament last week after the Central government asserted that it should not be seen from the prism of politics as 20 Islamic countries have already banned the practice and not secular India. Reiterating his call for special status to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Naidu further said that industries in the state will be benefited if special status was given by the Centre. "Post-bifurcation, agriculture sector in the state increased considerably. We achieved 10.5 per cent growth rate in industries. Higher growth rate should be achieved in industries and service sectors. Only then the per capita income will increase. We are working in that direction," he said. Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central government, the TDP supremo alleged that grants were not allotted for Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor, while the government invested in the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, which he said was a 'betrayal.' "The Centre did not fulfill the re-organisation assurance of setting up a green-field petrochemical corridor. They did not fulfill the assurance of setting up a steel factory at Kadapa. We are developing food processing industries and focusing on skill development. Tourism is crucial in the service sector. Health tourism and education tourism are important growth engines," he said. "Before 2014, Andhra Pradesh was lagging behind in manufacturing growth rate for ten years, which was less than the average. The state could not get the financial incentives given to the special status states. During 2009-14, only Rs 312 crore per annum was released for industrial incentives. After 2014, the figures rose four times and became Rs 1,218 crore per annum," added Naidu. "The Centre is not setting up the petrochemical corridor at Kakinada. We are taking the initiative. The Centre said it will establish an IT corridor in Visakhapatnam, but did not keep its promise. We will develop Bhavanapadu, Krishnapatnam and Machilipatnam ports as state ports," said Naidu. The Chief Minister further said that a special corporation has been set up for MSMEs, while loans amounting to Rs 82,097 crore have been given to MSMEs during 2014-18. "Many companies are coming to the state in the areas of food processing, jute, automobile, pharmaceuticals, and tourism sectors. We are developing three industrial nodes under CBIC, at Krishnapatnam, Orvakallu, and Hindupuram," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Nepali Congress on Monday celebrated the 43rd National Unity and Reconciliation Day across the country with various programmes. The Day 16 of Nepali month of Poush marks the return of the first democratically elected Prime Minister BP Koirala and other NC leaders like Ganesh Man Singh, Shailaja Acharya and Khum Bahadur Khadka from their exile in India with a proposal of reconciliation with the then king Birendra in order to establish and safeguard sovereignty of the country. The NC's Mahasamiti meeting that was held from December 14 to 29 in the capital decided to observe the day. As part of the occasion, various programmes like mass gathering and seminars will be organised across the country, the party spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma said to Rastriya Samachar Samiti, adding that the NC has also deployed its central representatives in all 77 districts to this effect. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's counter-espionage agency says it arrested a U.S. citizen in Moscow on Friday, identified as Paul Whelan, and charged him with espionage, AXIOS reports with a reference to the BBC report. This comes weeks after Russian spy Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in U.S. federal court. The U.S. has not yet confirmed Whelan's arrest, per the BBC; he faces 10-20 years in jail in Russia if found guilty. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday called for exploring ways and means to bring down Delhi Metro fares. Speak at the inauguration of Lajpat Nagar to Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 Section of Line-7 of the Pink Line, Sisodia said, "I think the fares of Delhi Metro are very high and need only commitment and acceptance to bring down the fares". Terming the Delhi Metro as a marvel of engineering, Sisodia said, "When our engineers have made the impossible possible, the same way economic engineering should show how the fares could be brought down." Stressing that commitment would help in lowering the metro fares, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said, "If we work with commitment and acceptance, then we would be able to find a solution to bringing down the fares". Sisodia also said that before comparing the fares with those of other countries, one should see their basic per capita income. "We need to take a decision on the fares on the basis of per capita income and the economy of Delhi," he said. Delhi metro fares were raised twice in 2017. The Delhi Minister also said that the metro services should be able to reach every person of the capital. Flagging off the 9.7 km line, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Development Hardeep Puri praised the DMRC for connecting the capital with metro services. He said that this year there was a record of operationalisation of 96 km of lines by the DMRC. He said so far the metro has traversed 327 km with 236 metro station across Delhi. Japanese Ambassador to India was also present at the event. The metro service on this section will officially start at 4 pm today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader will no more be treated as a 'VIP' at Patna Airport, informed Jay Prakash Narayan Airport's Director Rajendra Singh Lahauriya on Monday. Lahauriya said that Sinha will no more be exempted from security checks and regular frisking. Former Union Minister Sinha previously had the permission of bringing his vehicle to the tarmac apart from being exempted from the security frisking. "The facilities were extended to Sinha for a period which ended in June this year. No orders have been received for extending the same", informed Jay Prakash Narayan Airport's Director Lauhariya. Lauhariya was replying to queries about facilities extended to the former Union Minister. (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.) A united Opposition on Monday thwarted the government's attempt to push the instant Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha as it insisted on referring it to the select committee of Parliament. The Bill, which proposes to criminalize the practice of Muslims men giving divorce to their wives by uttering the word "Talaq" thrice in quick succession, was passed by Lok Sabha three days back. It needs to be passed by the Rajya Sabha to become a law. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2018 was slated to be taken up by the Rajya Sabha this afternoon for consideration and passing. However, as soon as an effort was made to take this Bill up, an uproar erupted in the house. TMC leader Derek O Brien said all opposition parties unanimously want the Bill to be sent to a select committee for proper scrutiny. Echoing similar sentiments, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, said, "This is such an important bill which can positively or negatively affect the lives of crores of people can't be passed just like this without going to a select committee." As the House was not in order, deputy chairman Harivansh adjourned the house for 15 minutes. But when the House reconvened, uproar continued. Congress leader Anand Sharma said that a legislative scrutiny was critical of the Bill before it could be taken up by the house. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affair Vijay Goel attacked the opposition for stalling the Bill, saying they had no sympathy for the Muslim women. Amid the uproar Harivansh adjourned the house for the day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The contentious Triple Talaq Bill is facing stiff resistance from as many as 11 opposition parties including Congress in the Rajya Sabha, which recently got united to put forth their demand of sending the legislation to the Select Committee for further scrutiny. As per the latest dossier issued by Rajya Sabha secretary-general Desh Deepak Verma on Monday all India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Samajwadi Party, Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Aam Aadmi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Indian Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party, Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist) have withdrawn their support in turning the Bill into the law. On December 27, the Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha amid huge uproar by some opposition parties. It is now set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill proposes to make the practice of instant triple talaq a punishable offence under the Indian Penal Code with the provision of a three-year jail term for the erring husband. Earlier today, TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also held a teleconference with his party MPs over the Bill and discussed the strategy to be adopted in the Rajya Sabha today. "I have appealed to them (Mamata Banerjee and Rahul Gandhi) to obstruct the harassment of Muslims. All of them are united. All opposition parties should fight united against the anti-Muslim attitude of BJP. The government is forcibly imposing it. The triple talaq act is dangerous for secularism, integrity and safety. All citizens should be considered under single Act. Separate acts for separate communities should not be there. Muslims should not be ill-treated," Naidu said. "Already, attacks on minorities are increasing. Muslims are feeling insecure, which is harmful for the integrity. Centre's acts should not be detrimental to nation's future. Non-BJP parties should unite, and save the rights of minorities. The greatness of Indian secularism should be raised. TDP MPs should raise their voice strongly in parliament for Muslims rights," he added. On Sunday, Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP, AP Jithender Reddy had stated that the Centre under the pretext of protecting women's rights, is aiming to mess with the integrity of the country. "Modifying religious practices is not the purpose of this House. This Bill is entirely arbitrary. We should ensure the integration of minority community into the majority, not alienate them. This Bill is misconceived," he added. The issue of triple talaq was taken up in the Parliament in August last year, after a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled "unconstitutional" a law that allows Muslim men to divorce their wives simply by uttering "talaq" three times in quick succession. In a landmark 3-2 verdict, the apex court found the practice un-Islamic and "arbitrary", and disagreed that triple talaq was an integral part of religious practice. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Philippines has tried to shoot down molestation claims made by its President Rodrigo Duterte, wherein he described in detail how he had molested one of his maids while he was a teenager. Salvador Panelo, the Presidential Spokesman told CNN that Duterte had "made up" the comments at the behest of a priest who had urged him to confess. "He purposely added and spliced the story with vulgarity to characterize the behaviour of the priest who insisted to hear more sins during their confessions when there were none," Panelo said. He further outlined that Duterte shared the "laughable anecdotes" to "dramatize the fact of sexual abuse that was inflicted on him and his fellow students when they were in high school." Duterte had claimed that he had once confessed to a priest during a confessional to inappropriately touching his maid as a teen, while she was sleeping in her room. He went on to give a detailed description of the incident on Saturday during a speech. He had also claimed that he was touched by the priest during the confession. Duterte said that this was something "every child goes through". The Philippines leader has earlier invited criticism due to his remarks, including comparing himself to Hitler and making derogatory remarks towards former US President Barack Obama. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After much public outcry in the alleged case of harassment of a terrorist's sister by the cops in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday said that he will direct all police officers and staff to not harass the women relatives of militants or treat them inappropriately. He said that he would direct the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Kashmir, to look into the incident and take necessary action if required against the accused police personnel. "I have been informed that there has been no tearing up of a lady's clothes or her being harassed by the police. I reiterate that all police officers and staff will be directed not to harass ladies who happen to be relatives of militants or treat them in an unbecoming manner," said Malik. He said that it has been widely reported in media that three close relatives of a militant were allegedly arrested and harassed by the J&K Police. "It has also been alleged that the clothes of a lady, who was one of those arrested, were also torn," said Malik. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday visited Rubina of Petipora Pulwama, the sister of a terrorist, who was allegedly thrashed by policemen in Jammu. After meeting Rubina, Mufti said that this was an unfortunate incident and should not occur again. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three days after RBI stated that banks lost Rs 41,167 crore to fraud in 2017-18, Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the "watchman" is looting India by helping his close friends, who default on hefty bank loans and flee the country. The Congress party president tweeted, "??????? ?? ???,????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? 41,167 ?????, ????? ????? ????????? ???? (He is working as a thief by portraying himself as the watchman of the country. He gave away Rs 41,167 crore of bank money to his close aides.) The Congress president claimed that with the amount of Rs. 41,167 crore, the central government could have waived off the loan of farmers of three states, opened 40 AIIMS and run MNREGA for at least one year without any hassle. The RBI on Friday issued a report, saying that fraudsters in the financial year 2017-18, looted Rs 41,167.7 crore from the banking system, which is 72 percent more than the previous year's Rs 23,933 crore. In the year 2017-18, a little less than 6000 cases of bank fraud were reported as against 5,076 in the previous fiscal. "Current figures show that the cases of fraud are increasing for the last four years - 2013-14 saw cases of fraud worth Rs 10,170 crore. In comparison, this figure has increased four times in 2017-18. In 2017-18, however, fraud related to off-balance sheet operations, foreign currency transactions, deposit accounts, and cyber-activity is important. Banks reported more cyber fraud during the year, loss of Rs 109.6 crore in 2,059 cases in 2017-18, compared to 423 crore in the previous year with 1,372 cases", the RBI report read. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Adelaide Striker spinner Rashid Khan, who lost his father on Sunday, has decided to participate in his side's Big Bash League clash against Sydney Thunder in honour of his late father. The report was confirmed by the Adelaide Strikers in an official statement. "Rashid Khan wants to play in tonight's match against the Sydney Thunder at Adelaide Oval in honour of his late father. Rashid's father passed away last night and Rashid has decided that he will stay in Adelaide and play tonight," the statement read. "The Strikers give their condolences and full support to Rashid and his family during this difficult time. The family have asked that their privacy is respected," the note added. Khan had announced the news of his father's demise on Twitter. "Today I lost the most important person in my life,father-the everlasting candle.Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. Now I know why u always asked me to be strong,bcz u knew that today I would need the strength to bear your loss. Will be always in my. I miss u #plztalktomeOnce," he wrote. Khan, who is appearing in his second BBL season, has taken five wickets in three matches so far. Adelaide Strikers will take on Sydney Thunder on December 31 at the Adelaide Oval. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) H.E. Roy Fernandes, who is currently 33, is already leaps and bounds ahead of his generation when it comes to working for the greater good. Most of us today are way too much invested in our own life and the social circle around us. But this young Indian lad has shown his prowess and ability to tackle one of humanities is biggest difficulties today, i.e malnutrition. Providing his expertise and guidance to 'The Intergovernmental Institution' for the use of micro-algae Spirulina against Malnutrition (IIMSAM) Roy has been an active campaigner in his fight against malnutrition. His greatest ability is that he organises and curates' campaigns without drawing an iota of attention towards him because it is all for the greater good and he is here to serve. A man of profound thinking and a vision for a better tomorrow surely comes across as figure the youth should look upto. Being a protocol officer by profession he is frequent contact with presidents of various nations and personally takes care of each and everything for a said event. As a member of the IIMSAM Secretariat and UN Goodwill Ambassador, Fernandes expanded the IIMSAM Network to further the Institutional Development of IIMSAM which has helped to reach out humanitarian activities further. He setup the IIMSAM Flagship Programme the "Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Free Spirulina Feeding Centre" in Kisumu, Kenya is one of the renowned free feeding centers serving thousands of people since it was found in 2009. In conclusion one could say, Roy is leading role model in today's times and deserves more appreciation and acknowledgement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) School children in Gujarat from January 1 will say 'Jai Hind' or 'Jai Bharat' to register their attendance in the classroom, instead of 'Yes Sir' or 'Present Sir' during the mandatory roll call. Notifications to this effect were issued by Gujarat government on Monday, which would be applicable to the children studying in Class I to VIII and Class IX to XII either in government or private schools across the state. All officers have been instructed to ensure the compliance of the order with effect from January 1, 2019. Notifications were issued by Directorate of Primary Education, Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Board. As per the notification, the decision was taken by Gujarat Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama during a review meeting held on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has announced he would travel to Turkey and Israel next month, as the U.S. begins its withdrawal of military forces from Syria, Hurriyet Daily News reports. Bolton said he would discuss security issues within the region, as well as next steps in the fight against ISIL as the U.S. leaves the area. "We will discuss our continued work confronting security challenges facing allies & partners in the region, including the next phase of the fight against ISIS, as the U.S. begins to bring troops home from Syria," Bolton said on Twitter, using another name for ISIL. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday ordered the District Magistrate (DM) to take over the management of Dwarka shelter home soon after the reports surfaced that minor girls were abused by the staff members. Sisodia also asked the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to conduct an inquiry and submit a report regarding the same within 15 days. DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal had approached the Deputy Chief Minister in connection with a case of abuse of two minor girls in a shelter home in Dwarka, requesting him to hand over the management of the home to the concerned District Magistrate as per directions of the Supreme Court. On December 29, 2018, the Expert Committee constituted by the Commission for the purpose of a social audit, conducted a visit of the shelter home and learned that the staff used to apply chili powder in the private part of inmates to punish them. The girls were also forced to perform domestic chores of the home. This abuse had been going on for several months. A case under Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act was registered against the erring staff. Further probe is going on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defending UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former Defence Minister AK Antony on Monday said that the duo did never interfere in defence deals during the UPA regime. Speaking at an event here, Antony who was India's Defence Minister from 2006 to 2014, when AgustaWestland deal was signed, said: "It was during my tenure as the Defence Minister, the procurement of AgustaWestland took place." "I would like to say categorically that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in deals and procurement. AgustaWestland was selected after the evaluation was done by a team of officials," added the former Defence Minister. He said that the UPA government ordered a CBI probe after the Italian government raised concerns that there was corruption in the deal. Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government's track record with regard to deals and corruption charges, Antony said that when media reports talked about corruption in any deal, an inquiry was initiated. "We took the decision to blacklist five to six powerful companies, including one American, Russian and Singapore's company. That was our track record, but what is the track record of the present government," he questioned. Echoing similar sentiments, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said that the Special Public Prosecutor in the case is working as per the instruction of Prime Minister Modi, adding that the Congress party does not trust any investigating agency now. "It's shocking! How can a public prosecutor who is representing both ED and CBI come to court and play He is doing as he is instructed by the Prime Minister. We do not have any faith in any agency now," he said. Sibal's remarks came days 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 the 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.) Congratulatory messages poured in for Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday, a day after her ruling Awami League party's decisive victory in the parliamentary elections, confirming her re-election for a third consecutive term. The messages have come from the leaders of several countries including India, China and Bhutan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Sheikh Hasina on Monday and conveyed his "heartiest congratulations" on the decisive results of the election. He also expressed confidence that the partnership between India and Bangladesh will continue to flourish under the far-sighted leadership of PM Hasina. Prime Minister Modi also reiterated the priority India attaches to Bangladesh as a neighbour, a close partner for regional development, security and cooperation. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang also extended their heartfelt congratulations to the Bangladeshi leader on securing her party's absolute majority in the 11th parliamentary elections, according to a message received from Dhaka. Meanwhile, Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Chief Minister of Tripura Biplobi Kumar Deb also congratulated Sheikh Hasina on the re-election of her party with an absolute majority in the national polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four police personnel were dismissed from service, a day after suspected terrorists looted four AK-47 rifles from the residence of former Congress MLC Muzaffar Parray from Jawahar Nagar area in Srinagar. The four cops, who were deployed as Personal Security Officers at former Congress legislator's residence, have been dismissed from service for dereliction of duty and unauthorised absence. A case has been registered by the Jammu and Kashmir police and investigation is underway. An alert has also been sounded in the area. Sharing details of the incident, police had informed that reportedly four AK-47 rifles went missing from the guard room of the former legislator's official residence. Further details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British businesswoman Susanna Dinnage has refused to accept the position of chief executive of the English Premier League. In November, Dinnage was named as a replacement for Richard Scudamore who had been holding the post for 20 years. The development was confirmed by the English Premier League through an official statement. "Despite her commitment to the Premier League in early November, Susanna Dinnage has now advised the Nominations Committee that she will not be taking up the position of Chief Executive," the official statement read. "The Committee has reconvened its search and is talking to candidates. There will be no further comment until an appointment is made," the statement added. Dinnage is currently serving as the global president of Discovery's Animal Planet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke resigned on Monday. Burke, who joined the Vatican in 2012, resigned from the position of Director of Vatican Press Office along with with his Deputy Paloma Garcia Ovejero. Confirming his resignation Burke tweeted, "Paloma and I have resigned effective Jan. 1. At this time of transition in Vatican communications, we think it's best the Holy Father is completely free to assemble a new team." In another tweet, he thanked Pope Francis and stated that his experience in the Holy City was "fascinating, to say the least." The Vatican in a statement confirmed that Pope has accepted their resignation, reported Sputnik. Burke previously worked as a journalist with Fox News. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Listing of CPSEs shall unlock their value and encourage investor participation in the CPSEs The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval to list the following seven Central Public Sector Enterprises(CPSE) on the Stock Exchange through Initial Public Offering (IPO) /Further Public Offer (FPO): * Telecommunication Consultants (India) [TCIL]- IPO * RailTel Corporation India - IPO * National Seed Corporation India (NSC) - IPO * Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) - IPO * Water & Power Consultancy Services (India) [WAPCOS Ltd.] - IPO * FCI Aravali Gypsum and Minerals (India) [FAGMIL]- IPO * Kudremukh Iron Ore Company (KIOCL) - FPO The listing of CPSEs on the exchange shall unlock their value and encourage investor participation in the CPSEs. Further, Alternative Mechanism comprising of the Finance Minister, Minister of Road Transport & Shipping and the Minster of concerned administrative ministry has been empowered to decide on extent, mode of disinvestment, pricing, time etc of listed CPSEs (including CPSEs to be listed in future). The scope of eligibility criteria for listing of CPSEs has been expanded. CPSEs with positive net worth and net profit in any of the immediately three preceding financial years shall be eligible for listing on the Stock Exchange. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Export incentives granted for Onions doubled from existing 5% to 10% The Government has increased the export incentives granted for Onions under the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) from existing 5% to 10% in the interest of farmers. This will result in better price for Onion in domestic markets. It may be noted that the Onion arrivals have increased in the market at present due to which the prices in the Mandis are subdued. To contain the situation, it has been decided by the Government to encourage exports of Onions so that the domestic prices stabilize. Thus, export incentives for Onions have been doubled to 10% from what is being currently provided under MEIS scheme. The export incentive for fresh inions was zero before July, 2018. During July, 2018, the incentives were introduced at the rate of 5%. Now, with the current increase, Onions enjoy one of the highest incentives for Agro-exports. This timely intervention would help the farmers who have recently harvested their produce and who have sowed/ recently transplanted their seeds, expecting better prices. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trading for the day began on a positive note as Asian stocks rose. At 9:30 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 51.08 points or 0.14% at 36,127.80. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.31%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.35%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 1586 shares rose and 1064 shares fell. A total of 148 shares were unchanged. Overseas, Asian stocks were trading higher after US President Donald Trump reported big progress in trade talks with his Chinese counterpart. US stocks halted a two-day rally on Friday as thin trading added to already-volatile markets ahead of the weekend. Back home, Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 0.59%. RIL said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Reliance Industrial Investments and Holdings ('RIIHL'), has entered into a binding agreement with Kanoda Energy Systems ('KESL') for acquisition of equity shares for a cash consideration not exceeding Rs 75 crore. The said investment upon completion will translate into 88% equity stake in KESL on a fully diluted basis. The total investment is likely to be completed by March 2020. KESL is a renewable energy services company incorporated on 24 August 2007. It has presence in specialized fields of solar advisory, product design and technology validation and recently forayed into engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) and operation & maintenance (O&M) of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The aforesaid investment will assist in the group's initiatives to use renewable energy sources. The announcement was made on Saturday, 29 December 2018. Housing Development and Infrastructure (HDIL) jumped 5.6% to Rs 26.40. HDIL's board approved allotment of 2 crore warrants at an issue price of Rs 31.10 per warrant to Sarang Wadhawan, promoter of the company, upon receipt of minimum subscription amount. Consequently, as on date there is no change in the paid up equity share capital of the company. The announcement was made on Saturday, 29 December 2018. Rane Holdings lost 1.58%. Rane Holdings is exercising the entire 3,65,630 warrants (convertible into equity shares) held in its subsidiary, Rane (Madras) (RML), the allotment committee of the board of directors of RML has at its meeting held on 28 December 2018 allotted equivalent number of equity shares i.e., 3,65,630 equity shares of Rs 10 each as fully paid-up, to Rane Holdings. The announcement was made on Friday, 28 December 2018. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sensex provisionally settled with small decline on last trading session of calendar 2018 after alternately swinging between positive and negative zone during the day. The barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, fell 8.39 points or 0.02% at 36,068.33, as per the provisional closing data. The market had logged gains in prior three trading sessions. Trading for last session of calendar 2018 began on a positive note. The Sensex continued to trade with modest gains in morning trade. The Sensex trimmed almost entire intraday gains in mid-morning trade. Stocks reversed intraday gains to sink in negative zone in early afternoon trade. The index regained zone in afternoon trade. The Sensex hovered with small gains in afternoon trade. The index once again sink in negative zone in late trade. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 0.51%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.69%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 1513 shares rose and 1089 shares fell. A total of 191 shares were unchanged. Tata Steel (up 1.59%), Vedanta (up 1.48%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 1.42%), Tata Motors (up 1.05%) and IndusInd Bank (up 1.04%) were the major Sensex gainers. Reliance Industries (RIL) fell 0.42%. RIL said its wholly-owned subsidiary, Reliance Industrial Investments and Holdings ('RIIHL'), has entered into a binding agreement with Kanoda Energy Systems ('KESL') for acquisition of equity shares for a cash consideration not exceeding Rs 75 crore. The said investment upon completion will translate into 88% equity stake in KESL on a fully diluted basis. The total investment is likely to be completed by March 2020. KESL is a renewable energy services company incorporated on 24 August 2007. It has presence in specialized fields of solar advisory, product design and technology validation and recently forayed into engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) and operation & maintenance (O&M) of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The aforesaid investment will assist in the group's initiatives to use renewable energy sources. The announcement was made on Saturday, 29 December 2018. Larsen & Toubro shed 0.04%. The power transmission and distribution business of L&T Construction has secured engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) orders worth Rs 2084 crore. The announcement was made during trading hours today, 31 December 2018. Power Grid Corporation of India declined 0.61%. The company announced that it has entered into a loan agreement for EUR 200 million with KfW, Germany on 28 December 2018 towards financing of transmission project for integration of clean energy and system strengthening. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 28 December 2018. On the macro front, the government will announce data on infrastructure output for November after market hours today, 31 December 2018. Overseas, European stocks were trading higher on the final day of 2018. Stocks in Hong Kong gained in an abbreviated trading session Monday, as investors were encouraged by signs that the US and China are working toward a trade deal. Most Asian stock markets, including Japan's Nikkei, Korea's Kospi and mainland China indexes, were closed ahead of the New Year's holiday, and will be closed again Tuesday. In Europe, the deadlock around Brexit continues to concern investors. On Sunday, UK Trade Minister Liam Fox reportedly said there is a 50-50 chance that Brexit may be stopped if Parliament rejects the government's divorce deal with the European Union next month. The UK Parliament is set to vote on the Brexit deal in the week starting January 14. On the macro front, an official gauge of China's factory activity fell. The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index dropped to 49.4 in December from 50 in November, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday. The result was the lowest since February 2016. China's official nonmanufacturing PMI, also released Monday, rose to 53.8 in December from 53.4 in November. On Sunday, the US was reportedly seeking more details from China on trade proposals, hoping to reach an agreement before the March 1 deadline that would raise US tariffs on Chinese goods jump from 10% to 25%. US stocks halted a two-day rally to end mostly lower in a choppy Friday session in a turbulent holiday environment marked by wild swings between gains and losses. A still-unresolved government shutdown remained as an overhang for stocks, as did concerns about the economy and the next round of company earnings. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The fire occurred today in one of the apartments on Gagarin Street in Nalchik, the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Kabardino-Balkaria reported. The apartment was on the first floor, so the firefighters managed to quickly eliminate the fire. They also helped an adult and three children. The injured were hospitalized. The causes of fire and damage are being established. The Sensex was moving in a small range in mid-afternoon trade amid divergent trend in index pivotals. At 14:28 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 18.43 points or 0.05% at 36,095.15. Broader market continued trading on a firm note. Trading for last session of calendar 2018 began on a positive note. The Sensex continued to trade with modest gains in morning trade. The Sensex trimmed almost entire intraday gains in mid-morning trade. The indices turned flat in afternoon trade. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.57%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.6%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was positive. On the BSE, 1425 shares rose and 995 shares fell. A total of 149 shares were unchanged. Tata Steel (up 1.94%), Vedanta (up 1.65%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 1.61%), Tata Motors (up 0.94%) and IndusInd Bank (up 0.8%) were the major Sensex gainers. Syndicate Bank shed 0.63%. Syndicate Bank announced that Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services has conveyed the sanction of the President of India for release of Rs 1632 crore to Syndicate Bank towards contribution of the central government in the preferential allotment of equity shares (special securities/bonds) of the bank during the Financial Year 2018-19, as government's investment. The announcement was made on Friday, 28 December 2018. Aavas Financiers (Aavas) rose 1.06%. Aavas Financiers has received fresh refinance assistance of Rs 400 crore in addition to the approval of undrawn limit of Rs 100 crore pertaining to previous year, in December 2018. Such refinance assistance will further strengthen liquidity position of the company, post the successful round of fund raise of Rs 200 crore from CDC Group through issuance of rupee denominated masala bonds. The National Housing Bank (NHB) funds are for a tenure up to 15 years which will provide a strong boost to our retail home loan lending activities in semi-urban and rural areas. Such refinance facility will be disbursed in accordance with the norms of refinance schemes of NHB. The announcement was made on Friday, 28 December 2018. On the macro front, the government will announce data on infrastructure output for November after market hours today, 31 December 2018. Overseas, European stocks trade slightly higher on the final day of 2018. Stocks in Hong Kong rose more than 1% in an abbreviated trading session Monday, as investors were encouraged by signs that the US and China are working toward a trade deal. Most Asian stock markets, including Japan's Nikkei, Korea's Kospi and mainland China indexes, were closed ahead of the New Year's holiday, and will be closed again Tuesday. In Europe, the deadlock around Brexit continues to concern investors. On Sunday, UK Trade Minister Liam Fox reportedly said there is a 50-50 chance that Brexit may be stopped if Parliament rejects the government's divorce deal with the European Union next month. The UK Parliament is set to vote on the Brexit deal in the week starting January 14. On the macro front, an official gauge of China's factory activity fell. The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index dropped to 49.4 in December from 50 in November, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday. The result was the lowest since February 2016. China's official nonmanufacturing PMI, also released Monday, rose to 53.8 in December from 53.4 in November. On Sunday, the US was reportedly seeking more details from China on trade proposals, hoping to reach an agreement before the March 1 deadline that would raise US tariffs on Chinese goods jump from 10% to 25%. US stocks halted a two-day rally to end mostly lower in a choppy Friday session in a turbulent holiday environment marked by wild swings between gains and losses. A still-unresolved government shutdown remained as an overhang for stocks, as did concerns about the economy and the next round of company earnings. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sensex trimmed almost entire intraday gains in mid-morning trade. At 11:27 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was up 4.24 points or 0.01% at 36,080.96 Trading for last session of calendar 2018 began on a positive note. The Sensex continued to trade with modest gains in morning trade. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was up 0.46%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 0.48%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, 1360 shares rose and 833 shares fell. A total of 130 shares were unchanged. Tata Steel (up 1.71%), Vedanta (up 1.18%) and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 0.98%) edged higher from the Sensex pack. Larsen & Toubro rose 0.51%. The power transmission and distribution business of L&T Construction has secured engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) orders worth Rs 2084 crore. The announcement was made during trading hours today, 31 December 2018. KIOCL rose 9.08% after Union Cabinet decided to sell stake in the company via follow-on public offer. As on 30 September 2018, the government held 98.996% stake in KIOCL. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for initial public offering (IPO)/further public offer (FPO) in seven Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE). The listing of CPSEs on the exchange shall unlock their value and encourage investor participation in the CPSEs. Further, alternative mechanism comprising of the Finance Minister, Minister of Road Transport & Shipping and the Minster of concerned administrative ministry has been empowered to decide on extent, mode of disinvestment, pricing, time etc. of listed CPSEs (including CPSEs to be listed in future), Ministry of Finance said in a statement on 28 December 2018. On the macro front, the government will announce data on infrastructure output for November after market hours today, 31 December 2018. Overseas, stocks in Hong Kong rose more than 1% in an abbreviated trading session Monday, as investors were encouraged by signs that the US and China are working toward a trade deal. Most Asian stock markets, including Japan's Nikkei, Korea's Kospi and mainland China indexes, were closed ahead of the New Year's holiday, and will be closed again Tuesday. On the macro front, an official gauge of China's factory activity fell. The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index dropped to 49.4 in December from 50 in November, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday. The result was the lowest since February 2016. China's official nonmanufacturing PMI, also released Monday, rose to 53.8 in December from 53.4 in November. On Sunday, the US was reportedly seeking more details from China on trade proposals, hoping to reach an agreement before the March 1 deadline that would raise US tariffs on Chinese goods jump from 10% to 25%. US stocks halted a two-day rally to end mostly lower in a choppy Friday session in a turbulent holiday environment marked by wild swings between gains and losses. A still-unresolved government shutdown remained as an overhang for stocks, as did concerns about the economy and the next round of company earnings. In Europe, British lawmakers reportedly plan to force a Brexit delay if Prime Minister Theresa May's deal fails to get approved by Parliament in January. Senior members of both the Conservative and Labour parties plan to force the March 29 deadline back until July, at the latest, in order to avoid a no-deal Brexit that could be an economic catastrophe. May's deal is expected to be rejected. While the move might anger hard-line Brexit supporters, the EU has indicated it may allow a delay, though it has ruled out renegotiations. It's also conceivable that a delay could provide time to hold a second Brexit referendum, which could reverse the 2016 decision for Britain to leave the EU. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actual amount of borrowings and participating states would be intimated two/three days prior to actual auction day The Reserve Bank of India, in consultation with the State Governments, has announced the quantum of total market borrowings by the State Governments for the quarter January - March 2019 to be in the range of Rs 219056 crore to Rs 225587 crore. The state wise borrowing in Rs crore is as follows Andhra Pradesh - 2869 Assam - 4696 Bihar - 14300 Chhattisgarh - 10225 Gujarat - 12000 Haryana - 1500 Himachal Pradesh - 2700 Jammu & Kashmir - 2600 Jharkhand - 500 Karnataka - 22000 Kerala - 5500 Madhya Pradesh - 8200 Maharashtra - 28000 Meghalaya - 550 Mizoram - 400 Nagaland - 370 Odisha - 7532 Punjab - 5322 Rajasthan - 9420 Sikkim - 367 Tamilnadu - 18000 Telangana - 7400 Tripura - 400 Uttarakhand - 2250 Uttar Pradesh - 25500 West Bengal - 26455 The actual amount of borrowings and the details of the states participating would be intimated by way of press releases two/three days prior to the actual auction day and would depend on the requirement of the State Governments, approval from the Government of India under Article 293(3) of the Constitution of India and the market conditions. RBI would endeavour to conduct the auctions in a non-disruptive manner, taking into account the market conditions and other relevant factors and distribute the borrowings evenly throughout the quarter. RBI reserves the right to modify the dates and the amount of auction in consultation with State Governments. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A known name in southern films, actress Shubra Aiyappa is now driving all her energies to enter Bollywood. She feels that acting is not the kindest career to opt for but the satisfaction it delivers is unmatched. "Acting is not the kindest career to choose but the satisfaction it delivers is unmatched. I chose this career and I believe I am here to make a mark and to stay. Things are looking up and moving in the right direction," Shubra told IANS over an e-mail when asked if she is satisfied with the way her acing career is moving. "I am spending all my time in honing my craft and in the process have managed to become a better actor, dancer and fitness fanatic," she added. The actress appeared in several commercials before signing on to make her acting debut in 2014 released film "Prathinidhi" portraying a journalist. She later appeared in "Sagaptham", a Tamil film noted for its launch of Shanmugapandian, the son of actor-politician Vijayakanth. She also made her first appearance in a Kannada film during the same year titled "Vajrakaya". She was a successful model too before taking up acting as she walked for the country's biggest fashion designers. She credits her modelling background for building confidence in her. "My modelling career has built my confidence immensely and shaped my personality positively," said the actress and added that "Bollywood is definitely on the cards." "I am driving all my energies in that direction. My dream role would be that of 'Wonder Woman', 'Black Swan', an athlete biopic or Alia Bhatt's performance in 'Highway' to name a few," she said. Talking about the current projects, she can be seen showing her sexy avtar in Kingfisher Calender 2019. Asked if this is an attempt to break her girl next door image, she said "No as I believe I am an actor first and any character that I feel will complement and challenge me, I would consider this gladly." "All through my growing years as a model, each photographer I worked for or with always saw me through their lens and gave me a versatile imagery. Yes my portfolio of my modelling work will seem like that of a girl next door because of me having endorsed some of the largest jewellery and sari brands down south. "When Atul Kasbekar (the ace photographer who shot Kingfisher Calender 2019) approached me with his belief in taking on this assignment, I again chose to trust the lens to explore my versatility and agreed to do my first ever swim suit shoot," she added. Featuring four top models, the calendar in its 17th edition is a lifestyle property from the King of Good Times. Apart from Shubra, this year's calendar will also feature Sushrii Mishraa - beauty queen from Orissa, supermodel Diva Dhawan and Hayley Parr from the UK who flew to the exotic Island of Sardinia - an Italian island in the Mediterranean- to shoot for it. Talking about the experience, the actress said, "Being a part of this year's Kingfisher Calendar campaign was indeed a one of kind experience. The team was outstanding, the destination was divine and the entire journey was more than memorable." (Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in) --IANS nv/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has been extended for six more months in Nagaland, with the Home Ministry declaring the entire state "disturbed area". The controversial act implemented with effect from December 30 and will be in force till June end. "Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958), the central government hereby declares that whole of the said state to be a 'disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from 30th December, 2018, for the purpose of that Act," a Home Ministry notification said. The move is stated by Ministry officials as a result of ongoing killings, loot and extortion in various parts of Nagaland. There have been demands from various northeast organisations for repealing AFSPA, which, they say, gives "sweeping powers" to security forces. AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice. --IANS rak/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the decks cleared for functioning of separate high courts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from New Year, employees and lawyers of Andhra Pradesh at the High Court of Judicature in Hyderabad left for Andhra Pradesh capital Amaravati on Monday. About 900 employees left for Amaravati in special buses as their Telangana counterparts saw them off. Some employees turned emotional on leaving Hyderabad. The Hyderabad High Court has been serving as the common High Court for both the Telugu states since June 2014 when Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated to carve out Telangana state. Earlier, the Supreme Court refused to take up for immediate hearing a petition filed by Andhra Pradesh Lawyers Association for postponing shifting of High Court to Amaravati till the construction of High Court building was completed there. The Supreme Court will take up the petition for hearing on Wednesday. The petitioners say that completion of High Court building could take about 10 months. The Centre had last week issued a notification for bifurcation of the High Court between the two states. The gazette notification said January 1 would be the appointed day for the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which will start functioning from Amaravati, while the High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad will become the High Court for Telangana. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had criticised the Centre for not giving sufficient time to make preparations for shifting of the High Court. He said 15 days to a month should have been given so that employees prepare themselves mentally for shifting to Amaravati. Naidu said as the completion of building for High Court could take some time, it would start functioning from the building which earlier housed Chief Minister's official residence. He had said on Friday that efforts were being made to provide suitable accommodation to judges and other court officials. --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the suddenness of revelation, withdrawal from Syria and "drawdown" from Afghanistan have been announced by Donald Trump. In the past, such announcements were followed up with a tidy pattern: Two steps forward, one step back. But this time debate and hesitation have been foreclosed. Witness the way Defence Secretary James Mattis is being shown the door because he finds himself not on the same page as the President. Pundits will have difficulty digesting the proposition that President Trump is setting out to do in Syria, Afghanistan, the Mexican border, Russia, what he had promised during the election campaign right up to its closing days in November 2016. He suddenly turned up in Baghdad to signal his disapproval of the mess his predecessors made of that expedition. Some cameos will be forgotten in the rush of news that must be expected. I have followed Syria closely since August 2011 when I found myself in President Bashar al Assad's office in Damascus. His adviser, Bouthaina Shaaban, knitted her brows when I pointed out the ease with which US Ambassador Robert Stephen Ford, along with his French counterpart, were driving around Hama, Homs, Daraa, all centres of agitation, meeting anti-Assad insurgents. "Just shows how penetrated we were," Shaaban said. The past tense is important. Like colour revolutions elsewhere, the initial ignition was amplified by the global media to mobilise opinion in the region and beyond. An article by James Glanz and John Markoff in the New York Times gave graphic descriptions of the technology designed by the Obama administration to bypass state communication controls and to deploy "shadow" Internet and mobile phone systems that "dissidents can use to undermine repressive governments". Did I hear someone wail that Russia interferes in other countries? Against this backdrop, let me fast forward to Trump's interview with Jake Tapper of the CNN just before the elections. "Where do you think have billions of dollars' worth of arms -- and cash -- gone in the course of our involvement in Syria? To the extremists, of course: I believe so." Trump was right. Obama's Defence Secretary Ashton Carter made several humiliating Syria-related announcements. His face in the lower mould, Carter announced that the $500 million project to train "rebels" in Syria was discontinued because arms reached groups the US intended to fight. That the US intelligence agencies were mixed up with militant groups became more or less clear in subsequent leaks. An admission that Obama made to Thomas Friedman of the New York Times in August 2015 when the rise of the ISIS was the big story is revealing. Friedman asked Obama why he had not bombed the ISIS when it first reared its head. The interview was given in August 2015. Obama minced no words. "That we did not just start taking a bunch of air strikes all across Iraq as soon as the IS came in was because that would have taken the pressure off Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki." ISIS was, in other words, an asset then. Maliki was in bad odour with the Obama establishment because he refused to sign the Status of Forces Agreement, "that would have involved the surrender of Iraqi sovereignty". In this stand Maliki had the support of the Shia establishment at Najaf led by Grand Ayatullah Sistani. This stance of Sistani's placed him on the wrong side of the American media. There is delicious irony in this. The media sang paeans of the high priest in 2005. In fact Friedman had written a column proposing Sistani for the Nobel Prize for the constructive role he played in inviting Iraqi Shias, an overwhelming majority in the country, to help stabilise electoral democracy. True, a structure for the practice of democracy is in place in Baghdad but the Two River Civilisation has been ripped apart and terrorism is endemic. On this too Trump, in his conversation with Tapper, pulls no punches: "Saddam Hussain and Qaddafi may have been bad men but there was no terrorism in their countries. What we have created is terrorism." There have been many false troop withdrawal alarms in the past, even during the Trump years. The Syrian army, aided by the Russians, appeared to be in control, until the next eruption, in Aleppo, Del Azour, Idlib, anywhere. The motivation to keep the pressure up on Assad came principally from Riyadh. But a somewhat lame duck post-Khashoggi, it is winding down in Yemen and probably lacking in spunk vis-a-vis Syria. A greater credibility therefore attends announcement of troop withdrawal on this occasion. Trump's announcement of drawing down troops in Afghanistan has coincided with the appointment of Amrullah Saleh as Minister of Interior. He is a Tajik, former spymaster and close adviser to the late Ahmad Shah Masood and a persistent critic of Pakistan's role in the Afghan civil war. Let me share with you a flavour of Saleh's thinking when I met him in Kabul a few years ago. "The enemy is headquartered in Pakistan and he should be defeated there. For the US, the 'expendable' part of the Taleban is in Afghanistan. Why would we ever collaborate with NATO who wish to kill Afghans they consider expendable? NATO has no strategy in the region because it has no policy towards Pakistan. They know they cannot defeat the Afghan Taleban without hitting hard at their bases in Pakistan." Much water has flown down the Kabul river since Saleh spoke to me. Trump's newly-appointed Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has also tried to correct the image attached to him, that of being anti-Pakistan. During a recent visit to Islamabad, Secretary of State Mike Pampeo gave Khalilzad a high profile in his delegation. Much was made of the fact that Khalilzad visited Islamabad before New Delhi. Obviously, Khalilzad would like to get rid of the perception that he proposes a higher profile for India in Afghanistan. Anyone interested in visually observing the success of India's policy of " by default", a slow tortoise-like movement, should visit Hauz Rani opposite Max Hospital in Delhi where a virtual Afghan colony has sprung up, eateries et al, harmoniously merging with the landscape. (A senior commentator on political and diplomatic affairs, Saeed Naqvi can be reached on saeednaqvi@hotmail.com. The views expressed are personal.) --IANS naqvi/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on Monday flagged off the export of mandarin fruits produced in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam to Dubai and Hong Kong. The event was jointly organized by Industries and Commerce Department, Airport Authority of India (AAI) and AAI Cargo, Logistics and Allied Services Co Ltd. "Assam as well as the North Eastern Region is considered an organic hub. With a view to creating a sustainable market for the producers of the region, Industries and Commerce Department has initiated efforts to encourage and provide logistic and infrastructural support for export of agri-horti produces of the state," said Patowary. The Minister thanked SpiceJet and SpiceFresh for coming forward in this endeavour to boost the huge potential of this region by providing domestic as well as international market. --IANS ah/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A bacteria discovered in the soil from Northern Ireland can halt the spread of several antibiotic resistant superbugs, new research has found. The soil the researchers analysed originated from an area of Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, which is known as the Boho Highlands. It is an area of alkaline grassland and the soil is reputed to have healing properties. The researchers named the new strain of bacteria Streptomyces sp. myrophorea. The findings published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology showed that the newly-identified strain of Streptomyces inhibited the growth of four of the top six multi-resistant pathogens identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as being responsible for healthcare-associated infections. The four multi-resistant pathogens against which the new strain of bacteria was found effective are -- Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumonia, and Carbenepenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii. "Our discovery is an important step forward in the fight against antibiotic resistance," said Paul Dyson, Professor at Swansea University Medical School in Britain. The researchers also found that Streptomyces sp. myrophorea inhibited both gram positive and gram negative bacteria, which differ in the structure of their cell wall. Usually gram negative bacteria are more resistant to antibiotics. "The discovery of antimicrobial substances from Streptomyces sp.myrophorea will help in our search for new drugs to treat multi-resistant bacteria, the cause of many dangerous and lethal infections," said lead researcher Gerry Quinn from Swansea University. "We will now concentrate on the purification and identification of these antibiotics," Quinn added. --IANS pb/gb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured a new term with a landslide victory, the country's Election Commission said on Monday, in an election marred by deadly violence and condemned by the opposition as "farcical" amid vote rigging claims. Hasina's ruling Awami League (AL) party and its allies won a total of 288 of the 300 parliamentary seats contested in Sunday's poll, well above the 151 seats needed to form a government. With this tally, the AL surpassed its previous election wins, making Hasina the Prime Minister for an unprecedented fourth term. The opposition alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of jailed former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia took just seven seats and condemned the vote as "farcical". They demanded a new vote, bdnews24.com reported. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Hasina over telephone and congratulated her on the victory. "Wished her the very best for the tenure ahead," he tweeted. Modi also reiterated India's continued commitment to work together for the development of Bangladesh and further strengthening of bilateral relations. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also congratulated Hasina in a tweet. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang also extended their congratulations to the Bangladesi leader. Bangladesh's Parliament has 350 seats in total, 50 of which are reserved for women and allotted proportional to the overall vote. Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said there was an 80 per cent voter turnout in the 11th national parliamentary elections. Voting was suspended at 16 of the over 40,000 polling centres. BNP's Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called the election "a cruel joke with the nation" and said that the party's decision to stay away from the general election five years ago was not wrong. "The so-called participatory election has caused long-term damage to the nation," he said, adding, that "many think that the BNP was wrong not to join the 2014 election. Today's election has proved that it was not a wrong decision at all." There were claims of "irregularities" in 221 of the 300 seats involved in the contest. The opposition Jatiya Oikya Front also rejected the vote and demanded a fresh election, accusing the AL of stuffing ballot boxes. "We urge the Election Commission to void this farcical result immediately," the alliance's chief Kamal Hossain said. However, the demand to conduct fresh polls were rejected by the poll body, bdnews24.com reported. "To the claims of large-scale irregularities, the boycott of the vote and the demand for fresh polls I say: 'No, we will not hold a new election. There is no scope for a new election'," said Election Commissioner Huda. The Awami League, led by Hasina, has been in power since 2009 and won the last election in January 2014 with a resounding majority amid a boycott. But Hasina has since been accused of authoritarianism and harassment of the media and opposition figures, even as she presides over strong economic growth. This time also her government has been accused of human rights abuses during the election. At least 17 people were killed in clashes between ruling party supporters and the opposition on Sunday. The military was deployed across the country to try to prevent the violence seen during the polls, which were boycotted by the largest opposition group and its allies. Human Rights Watch South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly said on Twitter that "with serious allegations of voter intimidation, restrictions on opposition polling agents and several candidates seeking a re-poll, there are concerns about the credibility" of the election. At least 47 candidates from the main opposition alliance withdrew before polling closed, alleging vote rigging and intimidation. --IANS soni/sed (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 2018 was the year of stability and execution of global economic projects for Azerbaijan, the deputy of the Milli Mejlis, Asim Mollazade, the deputy director of the Trend international agency Arzu Nagiyev and the economist Rovshan Ibrahimov told in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza. The succession of development of Azerbaijan in 2018 was primarily indicated by Asim Mollazade. "It is important that stability is maintained in Azerbaijan, the economy grows. The republic implements a significant number of strategic programs that will further enlarge the country's welfare. At the same time, the main thing for us is still the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. We hope that the international organizations will help Azerbaijan to ensure peace, stability in the region, and the conflict will be resolved, "he said. "The main result of both domestic and foreign policy of Azerbaijan is its stability. Azerbaijans foreign policy strategy is to maintain the mutually beneficial relations at the partnership level. Azerbaijan seeks to achieve similar relations not only with its neighbors but also with all major centers of power," the deputy of Milli Majlis said. "In 2018, all strategic economic programs were executed according to plans - this is the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars transport corridor, which Azerbaijan created to link the East and the West, and the launch of the TANAP pipeline in Turkey, an essential part of the important Azerbaijani project Southern Gas Corridor. The work on the final part of the SGC -TAP pipeline continues. We hope that the next year the project of the International Transport Corridor North-South will be completed. In general, this year was successful for the strategic Azerbaijani projects, and we look forward to the development of these achievements in the near future", Asim Mollazade concluded. Arzu Nagiyev agreed that 2018 was a good year for Azerbaijan. Undoubtedly, the biggest problem - the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict - has not gone away, and yet, diplomatically, Azerbaijan has achieved certain results in this direction. Azerbaijan also managed to eliminate all the slightest security threats during the year, despite the interference of external forces to the internal affairs of the republic. In general, in all directions, 2018 was a good year for Azerbaijan, and now we expect 2019 to be the culmination of the process of solving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem when both the OSCE Minsk Group and the occupiers finally move from the declarative statements to the concrete actions. These are the expectations of the Azerbaijani people, and what was started in 2018 will be the basis for the further implementation of the state reforms, "he said. "With regard to the foreign policy agenda, the 6th Global Forum, a meeting of the NATO and Russian generals were held in Azerbaijan, which demonstrates Bakus perception as an effective platform for the international dialogue at the world level. A very important event is the adoption of the Convention on the Status of the Caspian Sea, "the deputy director general of the Trend International Agency said. "Our non-oil sector began to develop actively, including tourism. Many reforms were carried out in agriculture, long-term business contracts were concluded with many foreign countries, including European ones. Finally, we completed several mega-projects - the Trans-Anatolian TANAP pipeline was launched, Arzu Nagiyev added. Rovshan Ibragimov specified exactly what reforms of the non-oil sector were especially important. "The greatest importance was given to such sectors as agricultural, transport and petrochemical. It is worth noting that in all these sectors, the new enterprises were initiated and projects were started, some of them have already been completed. We will see the results of these investments in the coming years. The new tax code was approved at the end of 2018, which will also contribute to the development of the non-oil sector of the economy. These two factors are very significant in order to have a completely stable economic situation in the country, "he said. "Azerbaijan also hosted a number of major international conferences, including the Baku Humanitarian Forum. The year was quite intensive at the bilateral level - for the first time Azerbaijan was visited by German chancellor and Italian president with official visits, which shows an increase in the importance of Azerbaijan in the international arena. Azerbaijan became a platform for negotiations between the highest command of NATO and Russia, which has become a tradition and once again confirmed the status of Azerbaijan as a neutral state and a country that can be trusted ", Rovshan Ibrahimov added. The political slugfest over the VVIP chopper deal case on Monday intensified with BJP chief Amit Shah accusing the Gandhi family of having "deep friendship" with arrested AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel, while the Congress accused the Narendra Modi government of misusing central agencies to pursue its "vendetta politics". The last day of the year witnessed the Centre's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching a frontal attack on UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi after the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the multi-crore rupees AgustaWestland choppers deal case, told a special court that Michel referred to one "Mrs Gandhi" and "big man 'R'", perceived as being Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Taking to Twitter, Shah alleged that "the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time-tested and deep". "Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs Gandhi herself? Why?" asked Shah. The BJP President demanded Michel's lawyer Aljo Joseph -- a former Youth Congress leader -- to "reveal about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi". Shah called Joseph a "conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi" and said his expulsion by the Congress was a "sham". "Michel's lawyer has admitted that the paper was indeed passed on to him. He thought that it was a list of medicines, which could have been transparently given in any case," said Shah and took a swipe at the Gandhi family saying people have heard of the Zandu Balm and Tiger Balm -- medicines used to relieve pain -- but what is this "family balm". Countering the Congress' onslaught on the Modi government over alleged irregularities in the Rafale fights jets deal, the BJP also fielded its Chief Ministers to launch a multi-pronged attack. If Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis demanded the Congress and the Gandhi family to reply to the corruption charges made against them, his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath sought to know "Who is this Mrs Gandhi that Michel is talking about". "The Congress has benefited from Michel, which has been brought forth by the ED. The Congress and the Gandhi family must clarify," said Fadnavis wondering why the name of "only one family" keeps recurring in all defence deals involving corruption charges. Retaliating to the BJP's charges, former Defence Minister and Congress veteran A.K. Antony accused the Modi government and the BJP of "manufacturing lies" to malign the Gandhi family and asserted that neither Sonia nor Rahul ever interfered in any defence deals. "Lies, lies and lies the Modi government and the BJP are trying to manufacture something out of nothing, they are misusing the agencies to manufacture lies. I want to say categorically that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in defence deals," Antony told the media here. "Without any iota of truth, they are pursuing a of vendetta. At no point either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi interfered in my functioning as the Defence Minister," said Antony who was at the helm of the Defence Ministry from 2006 to 2014. Antony also attacked the Modi government for "favouring" the AgustaWestland, which was blacklisted by the earlier Congress-led UPA government. "As soon as we came to know about corruption in the deal, we ordered a CBI inquiry. We fought against Agusta in Italy courts and blacklisted the company. "But after we left, the present government has done nothing against Agusta. Instead, they are favouring the company by making them a partner in 'Make in India'. Instead of following up on the action by the UPA and punishing Agusta, the present government is favouring them," alleged Antony. Following Michel's extradition from the the United Arab Emirates earlier this month, the BJP has been on the offensive against the Congress and the Gandhi family with Prime Minister Modi himself alleging that the British national has taken Sonia Gandhi's name and will "spill the beans" about the deal. --IANS and/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A BJP legislator in Bihar allegedly having close links with outlawed Maoists is facing their wrath as he reportedly failed to return Rs 5 crore he was given by the Maoists to exchange banned currency notes after demonetisation in 2016, the police said on Monday. A day after Maoists shot dead the uncle of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Rajan Singh, and set a house and 10 vehicles on fire in the state's Aurangabad district, some posters left behind by the ultra-left wing extremists were found. The posters said that their attack was to teach Singh a "hard lesson" for betrayal with them for not exchanging the banned notes of Rs 5 crore that they gave him in good faith after demonetisation but he never returned. Aurangabad Superintendent of Police Satya Prakash said BJP Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Rajan Singh was the main target of Maoist attack at his house in Sudi Bigaha village but he was not there at that time. "Maoists in their posters claimed that they gave Rs 5 crore to the BJP legislator to exchange banned currency notes after demonetisation, but he has neither exchanged nor returned the money." The police did not rule out the alleged link between the BJP legislator and Maoists. However, the legislator refuted Maoists allegations and said he has no connection with the Maoists. It was all baseless allegations, he said, adding: "I have nothing to do with Maoists." Hours after Maoists attacked his house to eliminate him, Rajan Singh said the police and the state government were responsible for the attack. "The Maoist attack in the village is the result of mistakes of both the administration and the state government," he said. "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 has been taken. The administration and the state government are responsible for the incident," Singh said. However, district police officials told IANS that contractor-turned-politician BJP legislator Rajan Singh is on the hit list of Maoists for huge levy that he did not pay. "The BJP legislator has been running contract works in the Maoist stronghold of Aurangabad. He can't work without his closeness with Maoists." --IANS ik/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least two people were killed and 23 others, including a four-year-old girl, were wounded in an explosion outside a shopping mall in the Philippines' Cotabato City on Monday. Cotabato City Police spokesman Christopher Lee told CNN there was a suspected "IED explosion" outside the South Seas Mall on the island of Mindanao. The blast went off in the afternoon near a baggage counter outside the mall when hundreds of people were shopping for the New Year's Eve revelry, said Guerlie Frondoza, a staff of the Cotabato city government. An unidentified man dropped a wrapped box in the area shortly before the explosion, the police said, adding that another unexploded IED was recovered from the site. The police said they were investigating the incident and trying to identify the type of IED used by the perpetrators. No group claimed responsibility for the attack. In a Facebook post, Cotabato Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi called the blast an "act against humanity". "I strongly condemn the bombing incident that happened in front of South Seas Mall today, a day before the New Year, that took away several innocent lives and injured dozen others," she wrote. "This is not just another terrorist act but an act against humanity. I cannot fathom how such evil exists in this time of merry making," added Guiani-Sayadi. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday rejected allegation of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal while asserting that a lie repeated again and again cannot become truth. "The Congress should understand that a lie spoken many a times a cannot turn into truth. We have been ready for a discussion from the very first day. But why is the opposition party running away (from a discussion)," Singh said in the Lok Sabha. He was responding to Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's accusations on the issue during Zero Hour amid protests and slogan shouting by opposition members including those of Congress, AIADMK and the TDP on different issues. Raising the issue, Kharge reiterated his party's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the deal alleging that it was one of the biggest "scams" of the country. "We are demanding a JPC probe for three weeks. Allow it," he said, questioning the government for not disclosing the price of the aircraft. He claimed that the Rafale fighter jets have been purchased at a price three times higher than the UPA government's deal. "Why the government is not disclosing the prices even as the French President has said it can be disclosed," he said. Not satisfied with the government's response, the Congress members continued with their protest. Earlier, the Lok Sabha witnessed a brief adjournment during question hour. Congress members trooped near the Speaker's podium demanding a JPC probe into the Rafale deal. AIADMK members were protesting against the proposed construction of a dam across river Cauvery. TDP members sought special status for Andhra Pradesh. --IANS rak-bns/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday demanded that in view of the revelations made in the AugustaWestland helicopters deal, the Congress and the Gandhi family must reply to the corruption charges made against them. "James Christian Michel is a key person in the AugustaWestland deal. The Congress has benefited from him. This is what the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has brought forth before the court. The Congress and Gandhi family must clarify," said Fadnavis. He also sought to know why the name of only one family keeps recurring in all defence deals involving corruption charges. Speaking to the media, he said three companies had bid for the VVIP helicopters - used by President, Prime Minister and others. Of this, AugustaWestland company of Italy bagged the deal for supplying 12 helicopters worth around Rs 3,200 crore. Later, it emerged that there was massive corruption in this deal that some officials, Indian Air Force officers and politicians were bribed. "Two officials were arrested and tried by the Italian courts which have sentenced them to jail terms. On page no. 193 of the judgement, Sonia Gandhi's name appears four times. It also said that a commission of Rs 125 crore at the rate of 10 percent was finalized, of which the Congress got nearly 52 percent, 20 percent went to IAF and the rest to other officials," Fadnavis said, reading from a prepared statement. Elaborating, he said that in 2017 Michel was arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and extradited to India recently. The documents and diaries seized from him by the investigators revealed references like Mrs Sonia Gandhi, a letter 'R', 'family', 'son of an Italian woman who could be Prime Minister' and other hints. "The ED informed the court last week that it wants to investigate all these links and even Michel's lawyer did not object to it," Fadnavis pointed out. He said that shell companies were formed for the money to be siphoned off, and (Congress President) Rahul Gandhi - who has been shouting 'Chor, Chor' (Thief, Thief) - must reply to all these issues. --IANS qn/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress, which has been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Probe (JPC) probe on the Rafale fighter jet deal since the beginning of the Winter Session of Parliament, on Monday said that it was ready for a debate on Wednesday over the controversial deal. "Jaitley ji has thrown a challenge ... we accept it... we are ready for a debate on January 2. Please decide a time," Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said in the Lok Sabha just as it was about to adjourn for the day. He was responding to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who said that the Congress should begin the discussion on the issue immediately. The minister had alleged that the Congress was "running away" from a discussion and was spreading "lies" over the deal. "If you have the courage, begin the debate immediately," Jaitley said soon after the House voted the Supplementary Demands for Grants amid din and slogan shouting by the Congress demanding a JPC probe on the Rafale deal. During the debate, BJP's Nishikant Dubey too accused the Congress of making a hue and cry over the issue and charged that the Congress was running away from a discussion. As Speaker Sumitra Mahahjan was about to adjourn the House for the day, Kharge reminded her about Jaitley's challenge and asked her to fix the time for a discussion on January 2. "I am not saying no...why should I say no...In fact the House was prepared for a debate but something happened and you (Congress) started demanding JPC probe...you keep your challenges to yourself... don't challenge me. When the debate will take place, I will decide...you will decide," Mahajan remarked and then adjourned the House for the day. The government has been saying that it was ready for a discussion on the issue. Earlier in the day, Home Minister Rajnath Singh rejected allegations of corruption in the Rafale deal while asserting that a lie repeated again and again will not become a truth. "The Congress should understand that a lie spoken many a time cannot turn into truth. We have been ready for a discussion from the very first day. But why is the opposition party running away (from a discussion)," Singh said. He was responding to Kharge's accusations on the issue during Zero Hour amid protests and slogan-shouting by opposition members including those of Congress, AIADMK and the TDP on different issues. Raising the issue, Kharge reiterated his party's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the deal alleging that it was one of the biggest "scams" of the country. "We are demanding a JPC probe for three weeks. Allow it," he said, questioning the government for not disclosing the price of the aircraft. He claimed that the Rafale fighter jets have been purchased at a price three times higher than the UPA government's deal. "Why the government is not disclosing the prices even as the French President has said it can be disclosed," he said. Not satisfied with the government's response, the Congress members continued with their protest. --IANS bns-rak/vsc/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With widespread flouting of minimum wage norms in several government and private establishments, the Delhi government on Monday asked its department heads to enforce the minimum wage law for workers in their respective industries. During its 10-day-long 'Operation Minimum Wage' undertaken during December 10-21, the Labour Ministry found several workplaces not complying with the minimum wage law by either not paying the wages on time, paying less wages, or taking the money back once transferred into the bank account. In an advisory issued on Monday, the labour ministry asked the principal secretaries, secretaries, and the heads of departments of the Delhi government to "ensure that workers/employees engaged in their respective department through contractors are paid wages on time". It also issued a warning of punishment against employers and contractors if they choose to breach the act. "Any violation of these provisions attracts prosecution/challans under the relevant provisions of labour laws both against the principal employer as well as the contractor," it read. The government has fixed wages of various categories on the basis of skills. The minimum wage for the unskilled labourers is Rs 14,000 per month while that for semi-skilled is Rs 15,400 per month and for the skilled, it is Rs 16,962 per month. The violations noticed during the drive included late payment of salary, employers taking back the money from the worker after transferring it into his account and keeping the passbook and signed bank chequebooks of workers. -- IANS vn/oeb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said her government will further reinforce its ties with Tripura, other northeastern states and with India as a whole, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said. Deb talked to Hasina over phone on Monday and congratulated her on being re-elected in general elections. She is set to become Prime Minister for a third straight term. The ruling Awami League led by Hasina won a landslide victory in Sunday's 11th parliamentary election by winning a record 288 seats out of the 299 parliamentary seats, surpassing its previous election wins. "The Bangladesh Prime Minister assured me that any issues and projects relating to Tripura, other northeastern states and Indian government would be given priority by her government," Deb told the media. The Chief Minister said: "I have invited her (Hasina) to visit Tripura immediately after the formation of her new government. She responded positively." He said Hasina, who visited Agartala in January 2012, congratulated him after he assumed office as Chief Minister on March 9 this year. "I considered her (Hasina) like my mother," said the 48-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party leader turned Tripura Chief Minister, whose ancestral home still exists in Chandpur in Chittagong division in southeast Bangladesh. Hasina told Deb that her government would maintain good relations with his government to promote mutual interests. The Bangladesh Prime Minister helped Tripura during the previous Left Front government's tenure in transporting heavy machinery for a 726 MW Oil and Natural Gas Corp power project in southern Tripura and food grains through her country's territory. --IANS sc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The divers of Indian Navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Monday resumed their operation to trace and rescue 15 miners trapped inside an illegal coal mine for the last 19 days in this remote Meghalaya village. Congress women workers staged a token protest at the Meghalaya Congress headquarters in Shillong against the Conrad Sangma-led government for the "slow process" in rescuing the trapped miners. "Divers of the Indian Navy have entered the main shaft of the coal mine to survey the bottom of the sheet using underwater remotely operated vehicle," spokesperson of the rescue operations, R. Susgni said. He said the Navy has requested the East Jaintia Hills district authorities to assist in dewatering the pit to 30 meters or within safe diving limit so that the divers can resume diving. The spokesperson said firefighters of Odisha fire services are also on the job to dewater at least three abandoned mines flooded nearby the 370-feet-coal pit where 15 trapped miners are trapped. "We are carrying out these safety measures to rule out decompression sickness of the divers," Susgni said. He said the NDRF is providing all support and assistance to other agencies involved in the rescue operations. The NDRF is also providing all logistics and human resource help to Indian Navy. More than 200 rescuers, including 14 members of the Indian Navy, 72 NDRF rescuers, 21 Odisha firefighters, 35 Coal India Limited (CIL) officials besides a team of Meghalaya-owned State Disaster Response Force are deployed to carry out the rescue operations. General Manger of Coal India Limited (Northeastern Coalfields) J. Borah said one of the eight submersible pumps that drain out 500 gallon of water per minute has reached the area. "Two more pumps will be reaching the site and another two tomorrow along with the auxiliary pipes and other materials which are not available in Jaintia Hills or Shillong," Borah told IANS. Mining expert and award-winning rescuer Jaswant Singh Gill lamented on the lack of coordination between the state government and rescuing agencies. "The rescue operations is very slow because lack of coordination from the state and central agencies," Gill told IANS. Gill, who shot to fame after he successfully rescued 64 miners from a flooded quarry in West Bengal in 1989, hoped the trapped miners could be "rescued alive". "There are instances that trapped miners can be rescued even after 22 days. Normal people can survive even for a month as there is water in the pit," he noted. Staging a protest in Meghalaya Congress headquarters in Shillong, state Mahila Congress President Joplin Scott Shylla lambasted the Conrad Sangma-led government for the "slow process" in rescuing the trapped miners. "The government was in its slumber and woke up only after Congress President Rahul Gandhi lamented on the slow progress of the rescue operation," Shylla said. The accident inside the illegal coal pit on December 13 was of significance, especially because the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in the state from April 17, 2014. Chief Minster Conrad Sangma had promised that "appropriate action will be taken at appropriate time against the people who are involved in the illegal mining and this is not acceptable to us." --IANS rrk/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hitting out at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for holding a press conference to level charges against the Congress leadership on the AgustaWestland deal, Maharashtra Congress President Ashok Chavan said here on Monday that it is akin to "a thief complaining about robbery". Chavan hit back after Fadnavis earlier in the day demanded that in view of the revelations made in the AgustaWestland helicopters deal, the Congress party and the Gandhi family must reply to the corruption charges made against them. The CM also sought to know why the name of only "one family" keeps recurring in all defence deals involving corruption charges. "Half the ministers in the state cabinet face scam allegations, more than 17,000 farmers have committed suicide, there is a terrible drought situation, but Fadnavis takes time for speaking on AgustaWestland deal to make false allegations against Congress leaders," Chavan told the media this evening. Holding a retaliatory media briefing, he pointed out that the CM has never spoken to the media on issues like Bhima-Koregaon, Hindutva leaders Sambhaji Bhide 'Guruji', Milind Ekbote or the Sanatan Sanstha bomb production factory. "His press conference today (Monday) on AgustaWestland deal is that of a thief complaining about a robbery. Why doesn't he speak out against the Rafale fighter jets deal? This is a programme started by the BJP to make fake allegations and defame the Congress through press conferences with an eye on the upcoming elections," he said. Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of hiding behind James Christian Michel to cover its own corruption and scams, Chavan demandd to know why Prime Minister Narendra Modi lift the Congress government's blacklisting of the AgustaWestland company and even allowed them to participate in the Make In India initiative. He cited records of the deal right from the contract process in February 2010 for procuring 12 VVIP helicopters worth around Rs 3,546 crore from AgustaWestland and its parent company Finmeccanica, but after media reports, the then UPA Government ordered a CBI probe into the deal in February 2013. Former Defence Minister A.K. Antony even proposed a JPC probe which was opposed by the BJP and in January 2014. The UPA government cancelled the contract though three helicopters were received by India against Rs 1,620 crore paid. Later, the UPA Government confiscated Rs 240 crore from AgustaWestland's Indian bank accounts and filed a case in Italian court, which it won in May 2014. Against the Rs 1,620 given in August, the government recovered a total of Rs 2,054 crore, though a year before in February 2013, the UPA had started the process to blacklist the company and in July 2014 and initiated the probe into the deal before cancelling the contract. "However, in August 22, 2014, the BJP Government lifted the ban on AugustaWestland and Finmeccanica, in August 2015, they participated in the 'Make In India' through 'Aero India 2015', in October the government permitted a joint venture with Indian Rotorcraft Ltd to manufacture AW-199 military helicopters in India through AgustaWestland and Tata through the FIPB, and in 2017, another 100 naval choppers were included in the purchase process," said Chavan. He sought to know why the Modi government shows such favours on blacklisted companies and said it lost all the cases against AgustaWestland in Italy, and the High Court of Milan said there was no corruption by Indian officials in the deal, but even there the present government did not appeal and lost. "The false story of Michel was written by the Modi government and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July 2018 to hide their corruption and scams. In July 2018, Michel's lawyer and others had given interviews on the government and ED's offers to them if they named Congress leaders. This is part of a planned conspiracy in which the government is playing dirty defamatory using Michel," Chavan said. He also posed six questions on the deal and said the Sahara diary has named BJP leaders which should be investigated before seeking explanations from the Congress. --IANS qn/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As 2018 speeds by, bibliophiles will have an opportunity to ring out the old and ring in the new with major literary festivals, awards and, as always, several promising offerings slated to hit the stands in January 2019. The 10th edition of the Appejay Kolkata Literary Festival, slated for January 18-20, will feature some phenomenal writers and figures of public interest from India and abroad. The shortlist for the Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize will also be announced at the festival on January 19. This will be followed by the Jaipur Literature Festival Festival (JLF), and its publishing forum Jaipur Book Mark (JBM), from January 23 to 28, during which the Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize, along with some other awards will be presented to the winners. The annual event, often referred to as "the greatest literary show on earth", will feature some of the best minds from the fields of science, literature, journalism and other similar issues of contemporary relevance. The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature will be announced at the Tata Steel Literary Festival in Kolkata, which will coincide with JLF. These festivals will also serve as venues for major book launches, and for conversations on books releasing this January. The first major title will be a posthumous release of a collection of a veteran journalist's view of India's political and cultural life over four decades. "On Leaders and Icons from Jinnah to Modi" by Kuldip Nayar, who began his career as an Urdu reporter in the 1950s, who was arrested during the Emergency of 1975-77 and passed away in 2018, will be highly anticipated among his readers. "In this frank and freewheeling narrative, journalist Kuldip Nayar recounts his experiences of meeting the many men and women who shaped the destiny of pre- and post-Independence India, from Mahatma Gandhi, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, to prime ministers Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi. This ringside view of history includes an encounter with Mohammed Ali Jinnah, when Nayar was a law student in Lahore in 1945. "Even at that young age, he was not afraid to dispute Jinnah's two-nation theory, predicting that it would lead to an unbridgeable schism between India and its neighbour. Later, he met Abdul Qadir Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, who initially received Nayar as a fan, but turned against him when he revealed that Pakistan had the bomb. He asked Nelson Mandela how he had survived twenty-one years in jail; Mandela's reply was that the lights in Cape Town always impelled him to think that South Africa would roll back the darkness one day," publisher Speaking Tiger informed IANS about the upcoming book. "We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World" by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, the educational campaigner from Pakistan's Swat Valley who came to public attention by writing for BBC Urdu about life under the Taliban, is said to be an incredibly moving follow-up to her internationally bestselling memoir "I Am Malala". In the book, she introduces some of the faces behind the statistics and news stories we read or hear every day about the millions of people displaced worldwide. Publisher Hachette India said that Malala's experiences travelling the world and visiting refugee camps caused her to reconsider her own displacement -- first as an Internally Displaced Person when she was a young child in Pakistan, and then as an international activist who could travel anywhere in the world, except to the home she loved. "We Are Displaced" not only explores her own story of adjusting to a new life while longing for home, but she also shares the personal stories of some of the incredible girls she has met on her various journeys -- girls who have lost their community, relatives, and often the only world they've ever known. The next offering seeks to answer: How did Dawood become the undisputed king of the Mumbai underworld and who was his mentor? "Dawood's Mentor: The Man Who Made India's Biggest Don", is a non-fiction account by India's No. 1 crime writer and the author of several bestselling books S. Hussain Zaidi. In the book, Dawood meets Khalid (Khan Bachcha) and they eventually forge an unlikely friendship. Together they defeat, crush and neutralise every mafia gang in Mumbai. Khalid lays the foundation for the D-Gang as Dawood goes on to establish a crime syndicate like no other and becomes India's most wanted criminal. "Thinking Aloud: Reflections on India" by Prasoon Joshi will also release in January. Publisher Rupa asserted that the book will allow its readers to enter into the labyrinths of the adman and lyricist's mind. Joshi's musings, are divided into four sections, each exploring a specific theme, and all of them tied together by a common thread. They stem from ideas he has stumbled upon whilst working on and interacting about various projects, films, forums, literature festival discussions and so forth. Creativity is considered one of the most valuable skills to possess in today's volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world. A compelling narration that combines personal anecdotes with history and neuroscience, "Creativity Unleashed" by Gopi Krishnaswamy aims to help readers understand that creativity is well within their reach. Not stopping at that, this book, according to Bloomsbury, offers a powerful method of enhancing creativity through simple step-by-step practices of mindfulness meditations and methods. (Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in) --IANS ss/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the New Year-eve, the residents of Jaipur came across posters with a unique message: "Daaru peekar nahin, doodh peekar karo navvarsh ka swagat" (welcome the New Year by sipping milk, not liquor). Under the drive organised by several NGOs and social organisations, several quintals of milk was offered free of cost in different parts of Jaipur, as these organisations decided to celebrate the New Year as "Doodh Mahotsav" (milk festival). Under the aegis of Rajasthan Youth Students Association and Indian Asthma Care Society, a camp was organised at the main entrance of Rajasthan University where free of cost milk was supplied to visitors from 6 p.m till 12 midnight. Around 8,000 litres of milk was distributed to around 40,000 people, said Deepak Vohra, General Manager, Lotus Dairy. "There is a strong message we want to give to the society through this drive: stop consuming liquor," he said. The Rajasthan Jaat Mahasabha also organised a similar programme where local residents and passers-by at Kesar Square were offered milk free of cost. Congress leader Pushpendra Bharadwaj with the help of Milk Club of Rajasthan also organised a milk festival in all 13 wards of Sanganer. Here milk was be offered to people from 7 p.m till 12 midnight. On the same lines, Gayatri Shaktipeeth Vatika with Lotus Dairy also offered free milk at different locations of the city such as JLN Road, Sirsi Road and many others. The Rajasthan Nurses Association has also announced to distribute hot milk at SMS Hospital on January 1. Vohra said: "Milk is being served to people by our group for the last 13 years. However, in the last five years, there has been a phenomenal rise in the number of visitors who supported our cause and said no to liquor on the New Year-eve." --IANS arc/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Those planning to down a few beers and drive around Goa during New Year's eve may be in for a shock, as Goa Police plan to crack down on drunken driving in the coastal state, known for its nightlife. A circular issued to all police stations by Director General of Police Muktesh Chander on Monday has asked police to crack down on drunk driving through New Year's even and on January 1. "All police station in-charges and traffic circle in-charges should ensure that tonight, effective prosecution of drunken driving is done apart from traffic regulation," Chander said. Police stations and traffic cells in both the districts have been directed to report all drunken driving-related statistics to the police control room by January 1 noon. Road accidents, especially those emanating from drunken driving, have emerged as an area of concern for the BJP-led coalition government's administration, which has asked police to specifically crack down on the menace. Goa is one of the top tourism and nightlife destinations in the country and has emerged over the years as a popular destination for Christmas and New Year vacationing. The state attracts more than seven million tourists every year. --IANS maya/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) constituted to look into the various aspects of the contentious Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is likely to submit its report by January 7, 2019 during the present session. The Committee headed by BJP's Lok Sabha member Rajendra Agarwal met on Monday and discussed clause by clause the Bill that seeks to grant easy Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. "Today we had a clause by clause discussion on the Bill. Some of the proposed amendments were considered, some were rejected. We are aiming to table the report by January 7," Agarwal told IANS after the meet. However, he refused to go into the specifics. The joint committee has members from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha including members from Assam. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba also deposed before the panel on Monday. Sources close to the development said the ruling party tried to fervently push for most of its points even inside the Committee, but the government is unlikely to bring the Bill immediately in Parliament. The All Assam Students Union (AASU) and various other groups in Assam and even the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally in Assam state government, Assom Gana Parishad (AGP), have been vociferously protesting against the Bill and have warned the government against it. The Assamese groups see the Bill as violative of the Assam Accord of 1985 and feel that if the Bill is brought, it would bring the whole National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise being undertaken in the state to a nought. Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government has already issued two gazette notifications -- Foreigners (Amendment) Order, 2015 and the Passport (Entry into India) Amendment Rules, 2015, to exempt from the application of Foreigners Act, 1946 six minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution and entered the country on or before December 31, 2014. The exempted communities include the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and the Christians. Notably, the notifications exclude the Muslims. The notifications have exempted members of these communities who came with or without valid travel documents. Legal experts have also pointed out that the Bill seeks to discriminate on religious lines and hence its provisions are unconstitutional. The Assamese groups are already preparing to move the Supreme Court on the Bill. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Joint Committee of Parliament constituted to look into the various aspects of the contentious Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is likely to submit its report by January 7, 2019 during the present session. The Committee headed by BJP's Lok Sabha member Rajendra Agarwal met on Monday and discussed clause by clause the Bill that seeks to grant easy Indian citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. "Today we had a clause by clause discussion on the Bill. Some of the proposed amendments were considered, some were rejected. We are aiming to table the report by January 7," Agarwal told IANS after the meet. However, he refused to go into the specifics. The joint committee has members from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha including members from Assam. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba also deposed before the panel on Monday. Sources close to the development said the ruling party tried to fervently push for most of its points even inside the Committee, but the government is unlikely to bring the Bill immediately in Parliament. The All Assam Students Union (AASU) and various other groups in Assam and even the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally in Assam state government, Assom Gana Parishad (AGP), have been vociferously protesting against the Bill and have warned the government against it. The Assamese groups see the Bill as violative of the Assam Accord of 1985 and feel that if the Bill is brought, it would bring the whole National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise being undertaken in the state to a nought. Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government has already issued two gazette notifications -- Foreigners (Amendment) Order, 2015 and the Passport (Entry into India) Amendment Rules, 2015, to exempt from the application of Foreigners Act, 1946 six minority communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution and entered the country on or before December 31, 2014. The exempted communities include the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and the Christians. Notably, the notifications exclude the Muslims. The notifications have exempted members of these communities who came with or without valid travel documents. Legal experts have also pointed out that the Bill seeks to discriminate on religious lines and hence its provisions are unconstitutional. The Assamese groups are already preparing to move the Supreme Court on the Bill. --IANS mak/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of people gathered at various locations in Chandigarh, Amritsar and other places to welcome the New Year. Amritsar attracted large crowds of people who had come to offer prayers for the New Year and thank the almighty for the year gone by. "This place has so much of spirituality and a calming effect. We are blessed to be here to usher in the New Year by offering our prayers," Vishal Bhatia, a resident of New Delhi, who came to Amritsar on Monday, said. Reports of New Year celebrations came from Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala in Punjab and Ambala and other places in Haryana. In Chandigarh, revellers gathered at the Sector 17 Plaza, the Sukhna Lake, Elante Mall and other places to celebrate the New Year. "The atmosphere is so nice in Sector 17 with so many people enjoying the New Year celebrations," Rachna Singh, a homemaker from Mohali said. Tight security arrangements were made by the police to keep a check on the New Year revellers. A Chandigarh Police spokesman said that New Year was being celebrated at 115 locations across the union territory, including clubs, hotels and restaurants. Nearly, 1,500 police personnel, including a special women's squad, were deployed, with 55 internal and 18 outer border nakas (police check points). Special anti-sabotage checks were carried out at important places to rule out use of explosives, the police spokesman said. "Nine PCR (police control room) vehicles with women staff were deployed at different places in the city. They will provide pick and drop vehicles for women in case any call is received in the control room," the spokesman said. Traffic has been regulated on the popular 'Geri Route' in Sectors 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 to keep a check on mischievous elements. --IANS js/oeb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday hit out at the Congress, accusing it of "killing" the CBI in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh-Tulsiram Prajapati and Kausar Bi's alleged encounter killing case. He also said the principal Opposition party, which has been raising concerns over institutional independence, needs "serious introspection". "This is an irrefutable evidence of what the Congress did to our investigative agencies. Those who have recently shown a belated concern for institutional independence should seriously introspect as to what they did to the CBI when they were in power," Jaitley said in a Facebook post. He was referring to the judgement delivered by special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in the politically sensitive Sohrabuddin Sheikh-Tulsiram Prajapati and Kausar Bi's alleged encounter killings case. The court acquitted all the 22 accused saying "witnesses and proofs provided were not satisfactory". The court also said it was targeted "to act upon a script" and "anyhow implicate political leaders". Jaitley slammed Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his veiled dig at the Narendra Modi-led Central government over judicial verdicts in the case, saying "no one killed...they just died". "The Congress President on the day of the judgement raised the issue 'that nobody killed Sohrabudin'. It would have been more appropriate if he had asked the right question, namely who killed Sohrabudin case investigation, he would have got the right answer," he said. He said the Special CBI Judge, Mumbai, who deals with CBI cases has acquitted all the accused in the Sohrabudin case. "More relevant than the order of the acquittal is the observation of the judge that in the investigation, from the very beginning, the investigating agency did not investigate the case professionally in order to find out the truth but to divert it towards certain political persons," he said. The senior BJP leader also shared a letter written to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 27, 2013 as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha about the alleged politicisation of the investigation in the Sohrabudin, Tulsi Prajapati, Ishrat Jahan, Rajinder Rathore and Haren Pandya cases. "Every word of what I have said in the letter, over the next five years, have proven to be true," he said. Special CBI Judge S.J. Sharma in a strong indictment of the CBI had said that the entire investigation was targeted to act upon a script to achieve the said goal and in the process of its zeal to anyhow implicate political leaders. "It clearly appears that the CBI was more concerned in establishing a particular preconceived and premeditated theory, rather than finding out the truth," said Special Judge Sharma. --IANS bns/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2018 which seeks constitution of a Board of Governors that will exercise the powers of the Medical Council of India (MCI) was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The Bill was introduced on December 14 in the Lok Sabha by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister J.P. Nadda which was earlier brought in as an ordinance on September 26 this year when the Parliament was not in session. Under the new amendment, the Bill provides for the supersession of the MCI for a period of one year. "In the interim period, the Central government will constitute a Board of Governors, which will exercise the powers of the MCI. The Bill allows for eminent administrators to be selected on the Board. Further, the Bill provides for the Board of Governors to be assisted by a Secretary-General appointed by the Central government," the bill says. "Reputed doctors from pioneer institutions of the country have been brought for the constitution of the Board and it has been working under the Board's guidance," Nadda said in the Lok Sabha. NITI Aayog member Dr V. K. Paul has been appointed the chairman of the board, which also includes AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria; PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram; NIMHANS director Dr B.N. Gangadhar; Dr Nikhil Tandon, professor, department of endocrinology and metabolism, AIIMS; Dr S. Venkatesh, director general of health services, Health Ministry and Balram Bhargava, Secretary, department of health research and director general of Indian Council of Medical Research. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare in its 92nd report in March 2016 had severely indicted the MCI. The Committee recommended that the government should bring a new comprehensive Bill in Parliament at the earliest so as to restructure and revamp the regulatory system of medical education and medical practice and to reform the MCI. --IANS som/oeb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed two brief adjournments during the pre-lunch session following protests by opposition parties on various issues, including the Congress demand for a JPC probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal. However, Lok Speaker Sumitra Mahajan conducted the Question Hour and Zero Hour amid the protests. Soon after the House reassembled at noon after a brief adjournment, Congress, AIADMK and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) members trooped near the Speaker's podium and started sloganeering. Raising the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that it was one of the biggest "scams" of the country. "We are demanding a JPC probe for three weeks. Allow it," he said, questioning the government for not disclosing the price of the aircraft. He claimed that the Rafale fighter jets have been purchased at a price three times higher than the UPA government's deal. "Why the government is not disclosing the prices even as the French President has said it can be disclosed," he said. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh rejected the allegation asserting that a lie repeated again and again cannot become truth. "The Congress should understand that a lie spoken many a times a cannot turn into truth. We have been ready for a discussion from the very first day. But why is the opposition party running away (from a discussion)," Singh said. Amid the din, Mahajan conducted the Zero Hour but she had to adjourned the House till 2 p.m. when the agitating members continued with their protests. Amid the din, BJP member Ravindra Kumar Pandey raised the instances of jobs not being provided under MNGREGA in Jharkhand while BJD's Bhratruhari Mahtab raised the issue of UPSC candidates not from English background being affected by the introduction of CSAT in the civil service examinations. Several other members too raised their issues despite the opposition protest. The Congress members were demanding a JPC probe in the 36 ready-to-fly Rafale fighter jets dealA while the AIADMK members demanded that the proposal to construct a dam across the Cauvery river at Mekadatu must be withdrawn. The TDP raised several issues related to their demand for special status for Andhra Pradesh. Mahajan, earlier, conducted the Question Hour amid the din when the House met for the day. As the disturbances continued, she adjourned the House till 12 p.m. for 10 minutes. --IANS rak-bns/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to woo farmers ahead of new year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a yearly financial aid worth Rs 5,000 per acre for all the peasant family in the state. Banerjee also announced a life insurance coverage worth Rs 2 lakh for each of the state's farmers within the age group of 18-60 years under a state-sponsored scheme, Krishak Bondhu, from 2019. "Bengal has a vast stretch of agricultural land. We have 72 lakh families who earn their livelihood through farming. Our government will provide a financial aid of Rs 5,000 per acre to each of these families every year in two instalments. This includes both farmers and agricultural labourers," Banerjee told reporters here. "All the farmers within the age group of 18 to 60 years will be provided life insurance coverage of Rs 2 lakh by the state government. In case of their death, be it natural or unnatural, the families would be provided the money," she announced. --IANS mgr/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 29, 2018 | 11:03 AM | PADUCAH The McCracken County Sheriff's Department is encouraging everyone to "ACT Now!" during the New Year's holiday to protect their valuables.Sheriff Matt Carter suggests residents Assess, Catalog and Take pictures of firearms, electronics and jewelry so there is a record in the event of a theft.Listing the description, make, model, serial number and approximate value of each item now could save time and worry if a crime occurs. Attaching photographs to an inventory sheet means no items are forgotten and everything is provided for law enforcement as they try to recover the valuables and solve the crime.Keeping the information in a secure place means it is available when it's needed. An added tip is to email the list and the photos to yourself so it's accessible online. This prevents the chance of losing the list or having it destroyed by fire or other disaster.The "ACT Now!" sheet is available through the link below. On the Net: It took a year since the #MeToo wave hit Hollywood for its tides to be felt in India across the showbiz, media, art, literature and political worlds. But it has led to, hopefully, a social awakening about gender dynanics and prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace. In September, former beauty queen and actress Tanushree Dutta sparked the fire when she renewed an old allegation against acting veteran Nana Patekar of harassment on the sets of a 2008 film, "Horn OK Pleasss". Nana, has denied the allegations -- as have several other popular celebrities who have been named and shamed. But amidst the accusing-and-denying game, efforts have been stepped up to ensure sexual harassment and abuse are either kept at bay, or dealt with sternly. Former journalist-turned politician M.J. Akbar had to put in his papers following a slew of accusations against him. Filmmaker Sajid Khan has been suspended from the Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA) and actor Alok Nath has been expelled from the Cine And TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA). Vinta Nanda, a writer-director who has accused Alok of sexually violating her years ago, is hopeful of positive change. "The MeToo movement has brought about a tectonic shift in a deep-rooted patriarchal mindset. It's impact is so deep that it won't be long before we witness our politics, our economy and justice system being readjusted to accomodate 50 per cent of the population of the woprld, which has since forever been isolated from the mainstream for no rhyme or reason," Nanda told IANS. IFTDA President Ashoke Pandit feels the #MeToo movement has set the tone for posterity, establishing that voice of a victim -- whether a man or a woman -- will go unheard. "However big you may be, but if you are a sexual abuser, you will not go scot-free. This movement was a much-needed cleansing act for all industries to make the work environment safe, especially for the womenfolk," Pandit told IANS. The Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act has been reinforced by organisations across the board, warning predators against inappopriate behaviour. That demand for sexual favours is rampant in the fashion world has been depicted in films freely for the past few years. But it was model Kawaljit Singh Anand's open accusation aimed at designer Vijay Arora which opened the MeToo discussions about the harassment that models face. The MeToo wave hit the political realm with journalist Priya Ramani's tweet on Akbar. Ramani had written an article on Akbar in 'Vogue India' last year without naming him. In her article titled "To the Harvey Weinsteins of the world", she recounted how Akbar called her to a hotel room in Mumbai and made her uncomfortable with his behaviour. As if a simmering geyser of helpless resentment suppressed underneath the layers of societal disapproval, job insecurity and social stigma found a vent, a slew of women journalists came out with their horror stories involving Akbar. Journalist Ghazala Wahab wrote the most hard hitting piece with others, including Pallavi Gogoi and Suparna Sharma, revisiting their insults at the hands of then editor and now a resourceful Union Minister. Before a sceptic could cast aspersions on the veracity of the women's claims on grounds of their long silence, the "predator" himself gave the answer by hiring a powerful law firm with a battery of 97 lawyers to represent him in a court against Ramani who, by her own admission, could afford just one lawyer to battle the defamation suit filed by Akbar. Probably Akbar could silence Ramani, or a few others who dared to speak up, but he had no control over the political churning that was taking place all this while. Akbar had to resign from the Union Council of Ministers on October 17 in face of pressure from the opposition and the civil society. Reputed names from the art world such as Jatin Das and Riyas Komu were also accused of sexual harassment, prompting the organisers of art festivals, galleries and auction houses to pay heed to the rising tide of MeToo movement in India. Sotheby's India Managing Director Gaurav Bhatia was sent on leave soon after stories of sexual misconduct surfaced, followed by Subodh Gupta, who, just recently, "stepped back" from his curatorial role at Serendipity Arts Festival. An Instagram page "Scene and Herd", despite being anonymous, has shun light on several prominent figures by posting alleged accounts of sexual harassment. In the literary space that is fast turning into a glamorous affair with the rise of lit fests and many writers emerging as celebrities, the MeToo movement brought down some prominent names. These included bestselling author Chetan Bhagat, veteran Kiran Nagarkar, poet-journalist C.P. Surendran and lit-fest regular Suhel Seth. It was interesting to note that women from the writing fraternity led the movement, both on social media and in talks organised at book stores and other literary forums, urging publishers and organisers of literary events, Jaipur Literature Festival in particular, to create a safe space for women. While there was no response whatsoever from the publishers' end who went ahead with their book deals with some of the authors "named and shamed" on social media, literary festivals stayed away from featuring them at their events. Industry insiders, however, seem to suggest that the movement has turned into witch hunting, pointing out that those who have been accused had just the same right to put forth their side of stories as those accusing them; that they should be given the benefit of doubt until actually proven guilty of what they have been accused of. (Radhika Bhirani can be contacted at rbhirani@gmail.com) --IANS rb-mak-ss-sj/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq on Monday asked people to remain vigilant and expose "anti-Islam" and "anti-movement" elements responsible for desecration of the Jamia Masjid. Addressing people at the Jamia Masjid in old city Nowhatta area, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said: "Black sheep responsible for the desecration of Jamia Masjid must be exposed. People have made sacrifices since 1931 and we must remain united to guard against such enemies of Islam. "People have the greatest attachment with the grand mosque and any ill-treatment to it will not be tolerated." Earlier, Mirwaiz Umer and Muhammad Yasin Malik called on senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani where the desecration of the pulpit at Jamia Masjid by some masked youths displaying black flags the last Friday was discussed. --IANS sq/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina over telephone and congratulated her on being reelected in the country's general elections. "Spoke to Sheikh Hasina Ji and congratulated her on the resounding victory in the Bangladesh elections," Modi tweeted. "Wished her the very best for the tenure ahead," he said. Modi also reiterated India's continued commitment to work together for the development of Bangladesh and further strengthening of bilateral relations. Hasina won a new term with a landslide victory, the country's Election Commission said on Monday. Her ruling Awami League party won a landslide of 288 votes out of the 300 parliamentary seats contested in the Sunday elections, surpassing its previous election wins and making her the Prime Minister for an unprecedented fourth term. "We welcome the successful completion of the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement here. "India warmly congratulates the people of Bangladesh for reaffirming their faith in democracy, development and the vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," it said. According to the statement, Modi, in his conversation with Hasina, expressed confidence that the partnership between India and Bangladesh will continue to flourish under her far-sighted leadership. "The Prime Minister also reiterated the priority India attaches to Bangladesh as a neighbour, a close partner for regional development, security and cooperation, and a central pillar in India's Neighbourhood First Policy," it stated. It also said that Hasina thanked Modi for being the first leader to call her to convey congratulations. "She also thanked India for their consistent and generous support which has benefited Bangladesh's development, and appreciated PM's reiteration of this commitment," the statement said, adding that the conversation was "very cordial, fully reflecting the close and traditionally friendly relations between India and Bangladesh". Ties between India and Bangladesh have remained strong and positive under the prime ministership of Hasina since 2009. --IANS ab/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is inching closer to creating history once again as it approaches for a close encounter of the ancient Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69 - nicknamed Ultima Thule - on New Year's Day. The Ultima flyby on January 1 will be the first-ever close-up exploration of a small Kuiper Belt object and the farthest exploration of any planetary body in history, shattering the record New Horizons itself set at Pluto in July 2015 by about one billion miles, according to NASA. "NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is on track to perform the farthest flyby in history, when it zips past a Kuiper Belt object nicknamed Ultima Thule - more than four billion miles from Earth - at 12:33 a.m. EST on January 1," the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory said in a statement on Sunday. Located in the Kuiper Belt, Ultima Thule means "beyond the known world". The New Horizons flyby of Ultima Thule is expected to help scientists better understand what conditions were like when our solar system formed billions of years ago. The spacecraft would fly about three times closer to MU69 than it did to Pluto in July 2015. New Horizons extended mission also includes observations of more than two-dozen other Kuiper Belt objects, as well as measurements of the plasma, gas and dust of the Kuiper Belt. The partial US government shutdown will not impact broadcast of New Horizons live events on NASA Television or its social media updates as the contract for these activities was "forward funded". "Need some space to ring in the new year? @OSIRISREx will go into orbit around Bennu and @NASANewHorizons will fly by #UltimaThule this #NYE2019. Watch both events live: https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted on Saturday. NASA's first asteroid sampling spacecraft Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) arrived at asteroid Bennu on December 3. Bennu will become the smallest planetary object ever orbited by a spacecraft when OSIRIS-REx begins orbiting it for the first time on on New Year's Eve. --IANS gb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian naval divers on Monday found wooden structure, coal and a rat-hole coal inside the 370-feet flooded coal mine with the help of an underwater remotely-operated vehicle (UROV) machine where 15 miners are trapped for the last 19 days in this remote Meghalaya village. "Two divers dived beneath the surface of the coal mine with UROV and found that there are some wooden structure, coal lying beneath and one rat-hole with coal at its mouth after spending three hours inside the flooded mine," said a spokesperson for the rescue operations, R. Susngi. He said none of trapped miners were located inside the coal mine. Susngi said that visibility was very poor. "The Navy divers said that if the level of the water could be drained out further, the search for the trapped miners will be feasible," the spokesperson said. "At present the site is cleared for the Odisha firefighters to start draining out the water from the main shaft where the miners are trapped. The firefighters are setting the high-capacity 100 horsepower pumps in nearby abandoned mines to enable to operate the pumps," Susngi said. More than 200 rescuers, including 14 members of the Indian Navy, 72 NDRF rescuers, 21 Odisha firefighters, 35 Coal India Ltd officials besides a team of Meghalaya-owned State Disaster Response Force are deployed to carry out the rescue operations. The General Manger of Coal India Ltd (Northeastern Coalfields), J.A. Borah, said one of the eight submersible pumps that drain out 500 gallon of water per minute had reached the area. "Two more pumps will be reaching the site and another two tomorrow along with the auxiliary pipes and other materials which are not available in Jaintia Hills or Shillong," Borah told IANS. Mining expert and award-winning rescuer Jaswant Singh Gill lamented on the lack of coordination between the state government and rescuing agencies. "The rescue operations is very slow because lack of coordination from the state and central agencies. In this kind of an emergency situation, we expect they should work like a machine and synchronized like a machine," Gill told IANS. Gill, who shot to fame after he successfully rescued 64 miners from a flooded quarry in West Bengal in 1989, hoped that the trapped miners could be "rescued alive". In Meghalaya's capital Shillong, Congress women workers staged a protest at the Meghalaya Congress headquarters against the Conrad Sangma-led government for the "slow process" in rescuing the trapped miners. "The government woke up only after Congress President Rahul Gandhi lamented on the slow progress of the rescue operation," state Congress women's President Joplin Scott Shylla said. "The NDRF demanded high-capacity pumps for three or four days after the pumps which was used in draining out became ineffective. What took so long for them to get those high-capacity pumps," she said. The accident inside the illegal coal pit on December 13 was of significance, especially because the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered an interim ban on "rat-hole" coal mining in the state from April 17, 2014. Chief Minster Conrad Sangma had promised that "appropriate action will be taken at appropriate time against the people who are involved in the illegal mining and this is not acceptable to us". --IANS rrk/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the Central government's move to move the triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha, the Opposition parties on Monday held a meeting and decided to demand that the bill be referred to the select committee for further deliberations. The meeting, chaired by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad in his parliament house chamber, was attended among others by leaders of 12 opposition parties including Samajwadi Party's Ram Gopal Yadav, TMC's Derek O'Brien, CPI's D. Raja and Kerala Congress' Jose K. Mani. Sources present in the meeting said that most of the parties present in the meeting were of the view that the bill needs to be sent to the select committee. DMK leader and Rajya Sabha member, K. 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 do not allow instant triple talaq. We will vote against the bill and it is the stand of the DMK that it (bill) be referred to a select committee," she told reporters. TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu made an appeal to all his MPs to obstruct the harassment of Muslims. "All Opposition parties should fight unitedly against the anti-Muslim attitude of BJP. The government forcibly imposing triple talaq bill is a danger for secularism and national integrity," he said. Keen on enacting the legislation, the government has got the bill on criminalising triple talaq listed in the Rajya Sabha for consideration on Monday, giving it the top priority notwithstanding the fact that it may find it difficult to get the bill through. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 has been listed as the number one item under the head legislative business in the Upper House where the opposition has greater numbers, given the fact that BJP's friendly party, AIADMK, has also opposed the legislation. The Lok Sabha has passed the bill although Congress and other opposition parties and AIADMK walked out of the House before the bill was put to vote as the government had rejected the demand for referring it to a joint select committee. Besides Congress, the AIADMK, Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have also opposed the bill in the lower house. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also chaired a meeting with top party leaders in the parliament house which was attended by BJP President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have issued whips to their Rajya Sabha members. In the absence of majority in the Upper House, the BJP is likely to face difficulties in getting the bill passed. --IANS bns/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Smugglers and migrants are using to buy boats for crossing the Channel from the French port city of Calais to come to Britain, The Telegraph reported. The "Marketplace" has been favoured by groups of Iranians and Iraqis intent on organising their own Channel crossings, because they can club together and buy a boat at a much lower price than if they had to pay a smuggling gang, the paper reported on Sunday. The Telegraph spotted online advertisements for 25 boats for sale within a 40-mile radius of Calais that cost under 15,000 euros on a single day. It is believed that smugglers are also finding the "Marketplace" a convenient place to buy boats as it allows them to source their vessels from a nearby place. Marketplace was introduced in 2016 as a place for Facebook users to buy and sell within their local communities. Responding to the issues raised by The Telegraph, Facebook said that any ads, posts, pages or groups that co-ordinate people smuggling are not allowed on Facebook. "We work closely with law enforcement agencies around the world including Europol to identify, remove and report this illegal activity, and we're always improving the methods we use to identify content that breaks our policies, including doubling our safety and security team to 30,000 people and investing in technology," a Facebook spokesperson was quoted as saying. Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Monday that it has detained a US citizen on suspicion of espionage. American citizen Paul Whelan was arrested over three days ago in the Russian capital, the FSB was cited as saying by TASS news agency. A criminal investigation was launched against the man. If found guilty, he faces between 10 and 20 years in jail. In recent months the FSB has reported an increase of western-led espionage within Russian borders at a time when the country is also facing allegations of spying and interference in Europe and the US. Earlier in December, Norwegian citizen Frode Berg was detained in Russia for similar charges of espionage. The court hearing on his case is set for February. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leading private insurer SBI Life Insurance on Monday said it has signed a 'bancassurance' pact, with state-run Allahabad Bank to offer a financial planning solution to consumers. One of the largest bancassurance partnerships in the country will see 3,238 branches of the bank across the country offering the insurer's a range of protection, wealth creation and savings products to its customers. This will empower the consumer to address their complete financial needs under one roof. The public sector bank's MD and CEO Mallikarjuna Rao highlighted the bank's objective of offering wider choices of life insurance products to the customers and also augmenting non-interest income of the bank. "Consumers will now have a direct access to our range of products, providing a holistic financial planning solution. We believe strengthening our distribution network will go a long way in making insurance more accessible to the general public and our partnership with the bank is a step in that direction" the insurer's MD and CEO Sanjeev Nautiyal added. --IANS bdc/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The last trading session of 2018 on the Indian stock markets ended on a flat note with the Sensex declining 8 points and the Nifty adding just 2 points to its previous close. "Quite a volatile and eventful year, closed on a very steady and benevolent note. Equity markets and bond yields are very close to last year's levels. Crude is down and rupee has recovered substantially. Hope for steadier and stable markets in 2019," Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg tweeted. Although the indices were in the green for most part of the day, they were dragged down from the highs by weakness in key sectors like realty, oil and gas and energy. "European stocks traded slightly higher on the final day of 2018, while stocks in Hong Kong rose more than 1 per cent in an abbreviated trading session," said Abhijeet Dey, Senior Fund Manager for Equities at BNP Paribas Mutual Fund. "Investors were also encouraged by signs that the US and China are working towards a trade deal." Earlier, domestic stocks, in line with global markets, edged up after US President Donald 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," he added. The S&P BSE Sensex settled 8.39 points or 0.02 per cent lower at 36,068.33 after touching an intra-day high of 36,285.46 and a low of 36,033.95. The Nifty 50 ended at 10,862.55 up 2.65 points or 0.02 per cent. The benchmark Brent Crude price was also flat at $54.10 per barrel ahead of the production cut by OPEC and other oil producers which will take affect from January 1. "OPEC had earlier said that they consider the $50-60 per barrel range as stable. Now that the Brent crude price slid below 50 earlier in December. We expect a further production cut," Anuj Gupta of Angel Broking told IANS. The Indian currency ended at 69.76 per dollar. It had closed at Rs 69.94 last week. According to the provisional figures from the stock exchanges, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) sold shares worth Rs 326.87 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought Rs 321.98-crore stocks. Stock-wise, Tata Steel gained close to 1.59 per cent on Monday. Vedanta, Sun Pharma, Tata Motors and IndusInd Bank also rose above 1 per cent. In contrast, telecom major Bharti Airtel lost 1.04 per cent, the most among the 30-stock Sensex. Axis Bank, Hero MotoCorp, Coal India, Maruti Suzuki and HDFC lost up to 1 per cent. --IANS ravi-mgu-rrb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Advertisement By The Associated Press Dec. 30, 2018 | WASHINGTON By The Associated Press Dec. 30, 2018 | 10:18 AM | WASHINGTON President Donald Trump claims that two Guatemalan children who died in U.S. custody were already ill, yet both young migrants passed initial health screenings by border officials. As Democrats criticized Trump for also tweeting Saturday that Democratic immigration policies were responsible for the deaths, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen visited medical officials and Border Patrol agents at the southern border in Arizona and Texas amid promises of additional wellness screenings for migrant children. 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 Guatemalan 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 west of Guatemala City. 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 death of Felipe and the death Dec. 8 of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal. 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 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. 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. Nielsen was in 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." 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 bridge's 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, 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 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. 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 America's 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. Major equity indices in India advanced during the afternoon session of trade after opening higher in line with global markets on Monday over signs of progress in the US-China trade stand-off. The indices had, however, slipped in the red for a short while -- 12-1 p.m. -- as oil and gas and energy stocks witnessed selling pressure. Asian stocks also traded in the green after US President Donald Trump said: "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!" he said. At 1.24 p.m., the S&P BSE Sensex traded 24.48 points or 0.07 per cent higher at 36,101.20, after touching an intra-day high of 36,285.46 and a low of 36,033.95. The broader 50-scrip Nifty 50 was up 0.74 per cent and stood at 10,859.90 points. The benchmark Brent Crude price was also flat at $53.21 per barrel ahead of the OPEC and other oil producers' production cut which will take affect from January 1. "OPEC had earlier said that they consider the $50-60 per barrel range as stable. Now that Brent crude price slid below 50, we expect further production cut," Anuj Gupta of Angel Broking told IANS. The Indian currency was trading at 69.91 per dollar after closing at Rs 69.94 last week. --IANS ravi/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid the political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress over AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel making apparent reference to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, former Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Monday asserted they never interfered in defence deals and accused the BJP of using central agencies to "manufacture lies". "Lies lies and lies they (BJP) are trying to manufacture something out of nothing, they are misusing the agencies to manufacture lies," Antony told the media here. "I want to say categorically that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in defence deals. In my entire period as the defence minster, they never interfered in defence deals," added Antony. The Congress veteran's assertions came amid the BJP targeting the Gandhi family after the Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the multi-crore rupees AgustaWestland chopper deal case, told a special court that Michel referred to one "Mrs Gandhi" and "big man 'R', perceived as being Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Following Michel's extradition from the United Arab Emirates earlier this month, the BJP has been attacking the Gandhi family claiming that the British national will "spill the beans" on the involvement of Sonia and Rahul in the bribery case. The Congress on the other hand has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of abusing central agencies to target the Gandhis. --IANS and/oeb/vm (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 said on Monday that speaking for militants was a political compulsion for PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Mehbooba Mufti had warned on Sunday the Governor-led administration of dire consequences if families of militants were harassed by police. Speaking on the sidelines of a function here, Governor Malik said: "I do not mind what Mehbooba has said because she is my friend's daughter. But one thing is clear that speaking for militants is their compulsion in view of upcoming Assembly elections." The Governor said if anything wrong had happened anywhere he would order a high-level probe. "We have nothing personal against families of militants and strict instructions have been issued to the government forces to be careful during counter insurgency operations." He termed 2018 year as an overall successful year in many aspects as halted developmental schemes were resumed and people had started realizing that if peace prevails, progress will automatically take place. He also spoke of the successful and peaceful conduct of Panchayat and civic urban bodies elections held this year under the Governor's rule. --IANS sq/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of Asias biggest electronic music festivals, Sunburn 2018, completed its first two days on Sunday with exhilarating visuals and tributes to Swedish legend Avicii, and EDM-pumped performances by international and Indian DJs like Armin Van Burren, Alan Walker, Nucleya and Axwell-Ingrosso setting the temperature high in the month of December. The 12th edition of the musical extravaganza opened on Saturday for its loyalists from across the globe who count every single day, anxiously waiting round the year for the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) giant's indulgence to begin their New Year with zeal. The festival saw lakhs of EDM enthusiasts, young and old - packing the 100-acre Oxford Valley here for thumping performances by DJs on four separate stages. On the first day, the main stage, named 'Cubezoid 4.0', with 7,000 sq. ft of LEDs, witnessed spectacular performances from Julia Bliss, Sara Santini, Anish Sood, Vini Vici, Don Diablo and Axwell-Ingrosso creating a perfect celebratory atmosphere. What stole the show on the first day of the festival was Axwell-Ingrosso's (2/3rds of the Swedish House Mafia) performance with their everlasting anthemic songs like "Sun Is Shining," "Reload", "Out Of My Mind", "Daning Alone" and "More Than You Know". The pair closed out their emotive set with Klahr's "Falling In Love" under an aura of flushed smoke and slowly-rising sparklers. Towards the end, they paid their respects for the passing away of Avicii by playing "Wake Me Up" on "Don't You Worry Child". Thousands of people also scribbled Avicii's name and drew his logo on a long black chalkboard as a tribute to the 28-year-old DJ who took his life earlier this year. As per speculation, this may have been one of the last performance by Axwell-Ingrosso, as the complete group - Swedish House Mafia - prepares for its 2019 relaunch. On the other stage - Zee 5 - desi bass king Nucleya set the stage on fire with his street-style music from "Raja Baja", "Bass Rani", Tota Myna, and some occasional Bollywood drops. Kash Trivedi, Amann Nagpal, Ritviz, Paratra, Sara Santini, 39 Kingdom, Zenith, GREFF, 18 East, Dual Vibes, Basspatch, Hugel, David Gravell, and Progressive Brothers also took to the stage and amped-up the audience on day one. "With Sunburn moving to Pune, the festival has become more affordable and accessible to our audiences. Pune is a fantastic host city with the right mix of the people and the infrastructure to support a festival of such magnitude. This year due to heightened security measures, we have adopted extensive state approved measures to ensure a catastrophe-free festival given that visitors' safety has always been paramount at the event," Sunburn Global CEO Karan Singh said. The second day, on the other hand, was all about Armin Van Buuren, and Alan Walker's performances in the evening as the venue got packed with people as soon as it hit 7 p.m on the clock. "On the second day, we saw a 10 per cent increase in turnout from Day 1 and expect a further 15 per cent increase on Day 3 as we have been able to deliver an improvised experience to our festival goers," the CEO said in a statement. While performances by Salvatore Ganacci, Ravtek, Madoc, Shashank, DJ Chico, Rave N Crave, Akade, Kalpanik Bass, Kryll, Shaan Gidwani, Basshunk, Zylor, VDJ Cas, Twisted Bass, NDS, Ishani X BobKat, Afro Bros, Candice Redding and Throttle built the anticipation levels for the headlining acts of the evening, Norwegian DJ and producer Alan Walker proved that he is a true force to be reckoned with within the contemporary electronic music scene. The introduction to Walker's set was "The Spectre," followed by a remix of Sia's "Move Your Body" and "Sheep" by Chinese musician Lay. "Alone" had strong melodies and atmospheric vocals. He closed his versatile set with his international hit "Faded," where he left the main stage crowd thirsty for more. As fireworks lit up the arena and booming sounds blared from the speakers, one of dance music's busiest DJs, Armin van Buuren, took to the stage for an unforgettable act. Tracks like "Blah Blah Blah", "The Last Dancer", "Just As You Are", "Popcorn", "Sex, Love & Water", "Our Origin", "Wild Wild Son" and "Ready To Rave" had the entire arena exploding with sound and energy. Known for his emotive sets, he performed "This Is What It Feels Like", dedicated to his son, and also the "Barso" remix by Ritviz. (Shreya Das is attending the Sunburn festival at the invitation of its organisers. She can be reached at shreya.d@ians.in) --IANS sd/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tens of thousands of holidaymakers on Monday gathered across resorts in Himachal Pradesh to bid goodbye to 2018. Seeing the tourist rush, the police advised the revellers to start leaving the Ridge, the most famous promenade in Shimla, as the clocks strike midnight. "Our policemen will greet tourists after midnight and will request them to vacate the Ridge and the Mall," a senior police officer told IANS. He said this step would be taken as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident. The most sought-after destinations were Shimla, Kufri, Narkanda, Kasauli, Chail, Dharamsala, Palampur, Dalhousie and Manali and the revellers have to be prepared to sleep out in cars overnight if they did not get hotel bookings in advance. Most of the hotels have been sold out in advance, members of the hospitality industry warned. "Most of our properties in Shimla, Chail, Kufri, Kasauli, Dharamsala, Palampur and Manali have been sold out till January 3," Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) General Manager Sarla Chopra told IANS. She said most of the guests have been enquiring about the possibility of snowfall on the New Year's Eve and later. Over 50,000 tourists are expected to visit the state to ring in New Year, tourism industry experts said. The popular tourist town of Narkanda, some 65 km from Shimla, saw last spell of snow on December 12 but it melted within a few days. So was Shimla, known for the imperial grandeur of buildings that were once institutions of power when it was the summer capital of British India, where the entire snow cover disappeared. Shimla's meteorological office Director Manmohan Singh told IANS tourist towns like Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Manali and Dalhousie, located in mid-hills, may witness moderate snowfall from January 1. The mountain peaks viewed from Shimla's historic Ridge, Dharamsala and Palampur towns are wrapped in a thick white blanket of snow. Manali is a magnet for holidaymakers these days owing to plentiful snow in its nearby hills. "Nearby hills of Manali that have good accumulation of snow have been attracting the tourists," a Manali-based travel agent Gobind Thakur said. Gauri Saklani, a tourist in Shimla, said: "I prefer to travel to the hills from Delhi in winter when the plains are foggy and the mountains are basking in the mellow sun." Himachal Pradesh has no tourist accommodation in far-off areas. Rural home-stays that started in 2008 were driving tourists to the interiors and that were the best option to stay. At present, over 900 home-stay units have been registered in the state. Out of these, over 250 are in the Kullu-Manali region. The state's economy is highly dependent on tourism, besides hydroelectric power and horticulture. The state has attracted 196.02 lakh tourists last year, 2.9 times of its population, said state's Economic Survey 2017-18, adding that it has 63 operational helipads. --IANS vg/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Blaming successive governments for undertaking economic and labour reforms hostile to workers, a joint forum of central trade unions (CTUs) on Monday demanded universal social security coverage for every worker and that all contract workers be made permanent. The Confederation of Central Trade Unions (CONCENT) comprising the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC) and National Federation of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU), at its national convention here resolved to fight against the government's moves to privatise railways, defence establishment, banks and ports. "Universal social security coverage should be provided to each and every worker under Employees' State Insurance Corp (ESIC) and the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation, (EPFO). Scheme workers like Angadwadi Asha, mid-day meal should be declared as government employees and until then be provided minimum wages of Rs 18,000," BMS President C.K. Saji Narayanan told the convention here. The charter of demands signed by the representatives of the four CTUs include making all contract workers permanent, strongly implementing all labour laws and raising minimum wages for all categories to Rs 18,000 per month throughout the country. "In the name of simplification and codification, existing rights of workers should not be snatched. The burning issues of sectors like railways, coal, defence, banks, ports, airports, electricity, tea and other plantations should be taken up separately by the concerned ministry," they said in the charter of demands. They also demanded labour and farmers representation in NITI Aayog. --IANS and/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The revised triple talaq bill, which the government is keen on pushing through Parliament, could not be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Monday as the opposition insisted on sending it to a select committee. The treasury benches said the passage of the bill is being delayed deliberately. The stalemate saw heated arguments between the opposition and the government, forcing Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh to adjourn the house for the day. Both sides accused the other of "doing politics". When the House met for the post-lunch sitting following an earlier adjournment, the Deputy Chairman said that the House will be taking up the triple talaq bill, passed by the Lok Sabha last week. However, opposition members were on their feet demanding that the bill be sent to the select committee. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government has been disregarding since 1993 the practice of sending important bills to the standing committee for legislative scrutiny. "Since the government does not send such bills to the standing committee, the opposition in the Rajya Sabha is forced to fight for sending them to select committee," he said. Azad said the bill would affect crores of people in a positive or negative way and its scrutiny by parliament was essential. He said the opposition parties want to move a resolution that the bill should be sent to select committee. Referring to the protest in the House by AIADMK members over a proposed dam on Cauvery river, he said 90 per cent of the opposition parties want the House to function. Trinamool Congress member Derek O'Brien said most opposition parties are united in their demand for select committee and are willing to debate and pass it after due parliamentary scrutiny. He said he had given notice for sending the bill to select committee. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said that the opposition is delaying the passage of the bill by demanding scrutiny by select committee. "A message should go to the country that the opposition is creating road blocks to the passage of the bill. They are not in favour of Muslims. They are not in favour of giving women their rights. They are doing politics," he said. "We are ready to debate it. The debate should begin now," he added. As the stalemate persisted, the Deputy Chairman adjourned the House for 15 minutes. When the House reassembled, opposition members were again on their feet, persisting with their demand. Congress leader Anand Sharma said the minister has cast aspersions on the opposition and made false allegations. He said the opposition is not opposed to the bill. "The government is doing Without legislative scrutiny, the bill cannot be passed," he said. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the issue concerns humanity. "Triple talaq is taking place despite Supreme Court outlawing it. The bill should not be delayed. The government is willing to consider suggestions of the opposition," he said. Harivansh had earlier expressed his anguish over repeated adjournments of the House, saying the entire country is watching. He said people are seeing that Lok Sabha is conducting its business but the upper house is not functioning. --IANS mak-bns-ps/vsc/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump called on Democratic lawmakers to return from their holiday break to approve more budget funds for border security and thus reopen the portions of the government that have been shut down for the past 10 days. "I'm in the Oval Office. Democrats, come back from vacation now and give us the votes necessary for Border Security, including the Wall. You voted yes in 2006 and 2013. One more yes, but with me in office, I'll get it built, and Fast!" EFE news quoted Trump as saying on Monday. Trump said that a "properly built" wall along the southern border will serve to cut illegal immigration by "almost 100 percent" and prevent drug and arms trafficking along the frontier as well. The US President said that it is "incredible" that Democrats are saying building a wall is an old idea that doesn't work. "It's incredible how Democrats can all use their ridiculous sound bite and say that a wall doesn't work. It does, and properly built, almost 100%! They say it's old technology - but so is the wheel. They now say it is immoral- but it is far more immoral for people to be dying!" he tweeted, evidently referring to the deaths of two young Guatemalan migrants in December after being apprehended by US border agents. The administration entered its third partial shutdown on December 22 after negotiations between congressional Republicans and Democrats reached an impasse because of Trump's demand that the budget include more than $5 billion for his much-touted wall along the US-Mexico border. Specifically, the government paralysis affects agencies in 10 departments, including Transportation and Justice, as well as dozens of national parks, which are normally a great tourist attraction. The closure also idles some 800,000 of the 2.1 million federal workers, who will not receive paychecks while their departments and agencies are shut down due to a lack of funding. Both the government and lawmakers have suggested that the shutdown could last into early January, when Democrats are scheduled to take over control of the House and could approve a government budget that does not include funds for Trump's wall, which Democrats regard as anathema and against American values. This is the third government closure Trump has faced since he came into office in early 2017. The first came in January 2018 and lasted three days, while the second was in February and lasted just a few hours. --IANS vin/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former top US commander in Afghanistan Retired General Stanley McChrystal has said that the withdrawal of half of 14,000 American troops stationed in the war-torn country would jeopardize the peace efforts as it would reduce the incentive for the Taliban to negotiate a deal to end the 17-year war. "If you tell the Taliban that we are absolutely leaving on date certain, cutting down, weakening ourselves, their incentives to try to cut a deal drop dramatically," retired four-star Army Gen. McChrystal said on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday. McChrystal added that he was worried that the Afghan people will lose confidence in the US as an ally that can be counted on. This came as reports had emerged earlier suggesting that US President Donald Trump was mulling withdrawal of nearly 7,000 troops from the country. However, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Military Marine General Joseph Dunford last week said that the mission for the US troops in Afghanistan continued as planned. "There's all kinds of rumours swirling around," Gen. Dunford was quoted as saying in a report by Stars and Stripes. Meanwhile, Gen. McChrystal also criticized Trump for his approach to the presidency and labelled him as "dishonest" and "immoral". "I don't think he tells the truth," he said. Talking about Defence Secretary James Mattis' resignation, Gen. McChrystal said: "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 okay, why did he do it?" "We ought to ask what kind of Commander-in-Chief he had that Jim Mattis that the good marine felt he had to walk away." In November, McChrystal wrote in a column for CNN saying that "America is facing a leadership crisis". "We've become increasingly obsessed with what national leader we're for or against," he said. "President Trump is just the most bombastic example of this phenomenon, which has been playing out for decades." --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 31) More businesses are canceling plans to drop thousands of balloons to welcome the New Year. The Peninsula Manila in Makati on Monday cancelled its tradition of dropping balloons throughout its entire hotel lobby once the clock strikes 12. A post of a netizen showed that 15,000 latex balloons have been inflated for the said event, according to an alleged now-deleted Facebook post of the event supplier. The official Facebook page of the hotel recognized that their tradition comes with at the expense of the environment, leading to its cancellation. "It is also possible for the New Year's celebrations to be environmentally-friendly as well as enjoyable, which is why we will no longer be having our traditional balloon drop," it said on Monday, New Year's Eve. It said the festivities at the hotel will continue despite the absence of the balloon drop tradition. Eastwood City in Quezon City also announced it will no longer hold its "Emoji Drop" along with its countdown concert party. Crimson Hotel in Filinvest, Muntinlupa City also scrapped its own balloon drop event. "We'll keep the festive spirit and bring in positive vibes with our Totally 80's New Year's Eve Party at the Crimson Grand Ballroom, band & DJ performances and countdown at the Gallery," the hotel said in a Facebook post. Nightclub Cove Manila came under fire over the weekend for its plan to fill its indoor establishment with 130,000 balloons on New Year's Eve. The Paranaque nightclub will no longer push through with the balloon drop stunt in response to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The online community also rallied against the nightclub's plan. Related: Cove Manila scraps balloon drop stunt Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu thanked the establishments for listening to the call of the public to protect the environment. "It is, indeed, laudable on the part of the various establishments to voluntarily cancel their "balloon drop or release" activities in the name of environmental protection," he said in a statement. Environmental groups have slammed the plans to use thousands of latex balloons that harm the environment and add to the tons of trash. Although latex balloons are considered biodegradable, it will take 6 months to 4 years to decompose. It is also hazardous to animals as the balloons can be mistaken as food. A workday for Nick Schoeppner 11 might go something like this: use a chainsaw to remove hazardous trees, respond to a domestic dispute, clean the windows on a lighthouse tower. All of these varied activities take place against the backdrop of Oregons spectacular forests and coastline, as Schoeppner is a park manager at Bullards Beach State Park, near Bandon in the southern part of the state. Theres no such thing as a typical day. Oregon State Park rangers dont specialize in one particular field, which means Ive had an opportunity to play a role in all aspects of park operations, Schoeppner says. We oversee our own water and wastewater facilities, construct and repair structures, maintain trails and patrol beaches. At Bullards Beach we operate a 206-site campground and provide interpretation and outreach to park visitors. As park manager, Schoeppner is also responsible for budget, planning, community relations and staff development. He adds with a laugh, I do spend some time cleaning restrooms as well, just to keep it real. Hes come a long way from when he started as a volunteer at L.L. Stub Stewart State Park near Buxton, northwest of Portland, in 2011. The next year, he was hired as a summer seasonal assistant at Cape Lookout State Park, on the coast near Tillamook. In 2013 came a full-time job as a park ranger at Bullards Beach, where he worked his way up to the manager role. A political science major and environmental science and economics minor at Willamette, Schoeppner was inspired by the community spirit of faculty and fellow students to think about a career in public service. Then he took a class that spurred his interest in the recreation field. As part of the Forest Ecology and Policy course taught by professors Joe Bowersox and Karen Arabas, students participated in a two-week field tour and met a variety of natural resource managers. I saw how they were working on the front lines of balancing resource conservation with development and recreation, says Schoeppner, and that challenge of working towards seemingly conflicting goals stood out to me. Schoeppner also credits his double major with helping him thrive in his career. My senior thesis looked at the effectiveness of collaborative decision-making processes in natural resource management, he says. I had the opportunity to cross over between the political science and environmental science departments while working on my thesis, and that flexibility and the ability to look at an issue through differing lenses has allowed me to be effective in my current role. In addition to enjoying the variety of his job, Schoeppner particularly appreciates the camaraderie shared with his crew. The unique nature of work as a park ranger and the many responsibilities that come along with it result in a shared bond and sense of humor. I look forward to coming into work every day, he says. The ability to play a role in providing park visitors the opportunity to recreate and engage with outstanding places and through that process develop a deeper relationship with their self, each other and their environment is also pretty fantastic. Schoeppner finds it difficult to pick a favorite from all the Oregon state parks hes worked at and visited. But he admits one location holds a special place in his heart. Probably one of the most significant places to me would be the sea cliffs just north of Shore Acres, overlooking the Cape Arago lighthouse, he says. Thats where I proposed to my wife, Chelsea. This article was originally published in the fall 2018 issue of Willamette magazine. While loss of a loved one or breakdown of a relationship is often linked to a "broken heart", not much is known why such emotional trauma could make someone physically ill. New research suggests that the body's own immune response could play a key role in the condition. Symptoms of broken heart syndrome include shortness of breath and chest pain and as such it is often mistaken for a heart attack. However, unlike in a heart attack, patients do not suffer from a blockage of the arteries that supply the heart with blood. The cause of broken heart syndrome is not clearly understood but often is a result of intense emotional or physical trauma, which is thought to induce a strong response that affects the heart tissue. "We found that broken heart syndrome triggers a storm in the immune system which results in acute inflammation in the heart muscle. The heart muscle then spills inflammatory signals that are circulating throughout the body," said lead researcher Dana Dawson, Professor at University of Aberdeen in Scotland. There is currently no treatment for broken heart syndrome, or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The new study, published in the journal Circulation, suggests that drugs that target inflammation could offer hope of fixing broken hearts. In the study, 55 patients with acute Takotsubo cardiomyopathy were recruited from five Scottish cardiac centres. Using sophisticated MRI techniques, the researchers found that the inflammatory immune response in the hearts of those with broken heart syndrome was heightened compared to healthy volunteers. This study also showed that signs of inflammation were still found five months later, albeit at a much lesser level. "Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a serious stress-induced condition which affects mainly women and can cause long-lasting damage and scarring to the heart muscle. Surprisingly, there are still large gaps in our knowledge of its underlying biology," said Professor Metin Avkiran, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation which funded the study. "The discovery that it is accompanied by inflammation within the heart and in the rest of the body is an important step forward," Avkiran said. "We now need further research to understand if inflammation causes Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and determine if drugs that target inflammation could be the key to fixing broken hearts," Avkiran said. --IANS pb/gb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress party in Kerala on Monday asked the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government to ensure that all farmers' loans up to Rs 2 lakh are written off, or face massive protests. Addressing the media here, state Congress President Mulappally Ramachandran said that the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is "duty bound to do so". "The CPI-M backed Kissan Sabha had organised numerous farmers protests in central India and the new state governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have all done it. So the CPI-M must do it here," said Ramachandran. Ramachandran added that the agrarian economy is in doldrums as all cash crops have suffered huge drop in prices. "Agriculture in Kerala is reeling and farmers are in dire straits after the state witnessed the worst ever floods in a century in August. Hence, the Vijayan government should immediately take steps to write off all farm loans up to Rs 2 lakh," he said. "If he fails to do so, he will have to face a massive protest by the Congress led UDF," said Ramachandran, who is a Lok Sabha member from Badagara constituency in Kozhikode district. He also said Congress President Rahul Gandhi will arrive in the state in the last week of January and will address party workers. --IANS sg/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It did not take long for the results of the general election in the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh to become clear: It was a landslide in favour of the ruling Awami League, which won a record third consecutive term, taking, along with its allies, 288 of the countrys 298 parliamentary seats on offer. The opposition coalition, led by the Bangladesh National Party, or BNP, was nearly wiped out. 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. 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Digital Editor Subscribers of the retirement fund body may get an option in the new year to invest more of their savings in the equity market, besides a host of other social security benefits and digital tools to manage their funds. At present, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) invests up to 15 per cent of its investible deposits into the (ETFs) and so far such investments total about Rs 550 billion. However, the investments do not reflect in members' account and they do not have an option to increase the proportion of their retirement savings to be invested into stocks. The is now developing a software that would help show retirement savings in cash and ETFs components separately. At present, the account only shows the savings as gross cash component. Once the cash and components are shown separately in the EPF accounts, the next big leap for the would be to give an option to subscribers to increase or decrease investments in stocks. Earlier this year, the EPFO's apex decision-making body, the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), had suggested exploring the possibility of giving such options. Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar who is also chairman of the CBT told PTI, "By introducing numerous digital tools, the service levels for workers as well as employers have been eased a lot." "By way of supplementing the employer's share of contribution at the rate of 12 per cent, a good number of approximately 9 million new employees are extended the benefit of social security net through the EPFO," he said. Under Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY), the Government of India is now paying full employer's contribution (EPF and EPS both) with effect from April 1, 2018, for a period of three years to the new employees as well as to the existing beneficiaries for their remaining period of three years. In 2018, a pensioners' portal was also launched through which all EPFO pensioners can get details of pension-related information. The EPFO presently covers 190 industries (mentioned in Schedule 1 of the EPF Act) with over 200 million accounts in over 1.13 million covered establishments. For the EPFO's 6.32 million pensioners, 5.53 million Jeevan Praman have been received as on October 29, 2018, and 4.94 million have been approved. Congress leader Sajjan Kumar has to surrender before Karkardooma Court or Tihar jail authorities here on Monday. In view of this, HS Phoolka, one of the petitioners in 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, has appealed to the victims of the riot to not go to the court on Monday. In a statement, Phoolka said: "It is apprehended that Sajjan Kumar might try to create disturbances around the court tomorrow, to use as an excuse not to surrender and ask for an extension. I request 1984 Sikh genocide victims not to go to the court tomorrow. He has not got any relief from the Supreme Court. So, he ... In a scathing attack on for his critical remarks on the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Chief Minister dubbed the president as a "shameless liar" who was desperate to see the state fail. Rupani said people of Gujarat have recognised Gandhi's "hatred" for the state and have continuously rejected the Congress, and will keep doing so. Gandhi had on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that "cynical" sponsors of the investor summit no longer wanted to be associated with an event presided over by him. "At the 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," he had said. At the 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.https://t.co/WeLmQLjxB6 (@RahulGandhi) December 30, 2018 The chief had quoted a media report to target the summit, conceptualised in 2003 by Prime Minister Modi when he was the chief minister of the state to promote investment in Gujarat. The report claimed that the United Kingdom, after refusing to be a partner country for the 2019, said it had decided to withdraw from the "showpiece 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. Reacting to Gandhi's tweet, Rupani Sunday night claimed that the investor meet was seeing even more participation this time. "Such a shameless liar you are This time Vibrant Gujarat is seeing even more participation. Here are the facts:," he said in a tweet along with a link to a media report. Such a shameless liar you are Rahul Gandhi. This time Vibrant Gujarat is seeing even more participation. Here are the facts:https://t.co/BWYLWDF6Bt (@vijayrupanibjp) December 30, 2018 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 & will keep doing so!#RaGaJhoothKiMachine (@vijayrupanibjp) December 30, 2018 The report had recently quoted the chief minister saying that unlike the previous edition where 10 nations were partner countries, this time in 2019 the summit will have 16 partner countries. "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," Rupani said in another tweet. Gujarat will host the ninth edition of the annual industry summit 'Vibrant Gujarat' from January 18 to 20, 2019, in Gandhinagar. The summit focuses on establishing Gujarat as a preferred investment destination in India. Over the years, the summit has evolved into a platform for brainstorming on agendas of global socio-economic development, in addition to becoming a platform for forging strategic public-private partnerships. Pakistan said on Monday that "unprovoked firing" by Indian forces across the Line of Control (LoC) killed a woman. "Indian troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation along the LOC targeting civil population in Shahkot sector," Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said. One woman, identified as Asia Bibi, died while nine people were injured in the firing, he said. Ghafoor said Pakistani troops responded effectively to the Indian firing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ten troops have been killed on Niger's border with Nigeria in a joint operation by the two countries against "bandits", Nigerien Defence Minister Kalla Moutari said on Monday. "Five Nigerien and five Nigerian" troops and 11 enemy fighters were killed in the operation, launched against gangs in the Maradi region at the weekend, he told AFP. "The Nigerian defence and security forces are identifying the bodies of the bandits," Moutari also said, according to a TV report from Maradi, where he went to attend the funeral of the dead Nigerien troops. Niger is one of several countries in the impoverished Sahel region to be hit by jihadist violence. Officials often call Islamist attackers "bandits" but a security source said the joint operation targeted criminal gangs that plague the Niger-Nigeria border, holing up in dense forests. The fighting "began on Saturday in the middle of the morning," the source said, adding that several troops from both countries were also wounded. The groups are blamed for kidnapping, theft and cattle rustling. The troubled region lies on part of Niger's southern-central border abutting the northwestern Nigerian state of Zamfara. In August, Niger sent reinforcements to the area, and in September began a three-week operation with Nigeria that led to the death of at least 30 "bandits," the interior minister, Bazoum Mohamed, had said on October 16. The authorities were now "fully in control" of the region "and are in the middle of mopping-up operations," he had maintained. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dec 31, 2018 | By Cameron The first 3D printed house in Saudi Arabia took only two days to complete. 3D printed houses have been popping up all around the world throughout 2018 and the Saudi Kingdom did not want to be left without its own, especially considering their goal of reaching 60% homeownership by 2020 and 70% by 2030. Construction costs are much lower for 3D printed homes, mostly because they require less time and human labor, so it follows that homeownership will increase with more printed homes. Dutch company CyBe 3D printed the concrete house in Riyadh on Housing Ministry land west of King Khalid International Airport where it was later inspected by Saudi Housing Minister of Housing, Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, and Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Eng Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al-Abdul Karim. As the head of AEC and manufacturing at Autodesk, Naji Atallah points out that Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 strategy cannot be achieved without widespread adoption of 3D printing and augmented reality. The project is intended to prove the feasibility of 3D printing homes and encourage more private industries to invest in the technology. Minister Majed bin Abdullah Al-Hogail relates, This experiment gives us an idea about the future of construction in the coming years and the Kingdoms role in leveraging modern technologies to achieve prosperity for its citizens. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: ufuk wrote at 1/29/2019 10:31:34 AM:Im curious about, these printers use support and i they use how it works ? : As many as 103 inmates of a boys remand home here took ill Monday in a suspected case of food poisoning, an official said. They were taken to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health and were now out ofdanger, the official said quoting doctors. The health officer of Bengaluru urbandistrict K S Prakash told PTI that the children started complaining of vomiting and stomach pain soon after having breakfast. "We are waiting for the lab report on the food sample sent for tests," the officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Monday surrendered before a Delhi court to serve life sentence in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which he was convicted by the Delhi High Court. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg. The 73-year-old former Congress leader was sentenced to life for the "remainder of his natural life" by the Delhi High Court on December 17. It had set a deadline of December 31 for Kumar to surrender. The high court had on December 21 declined his plea to extend the time of his surrender by a month. He has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the conviction and the life sentence awarded by the high court. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area of Palam Colony in southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar surrendered before a Delhi court on Monday to serve the life sentence awarded to him by the Delhi High Court in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg. The HC had set a deadline of December 31 for Kumar to surrender and on December 21 declined his plea to extend the time by a month. Kumar (73) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the conviction and life sentence awarded to him by the high court on December 17. After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. Earlier in the day, former MLAs Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were also convicted in the same case, surrendered before the court to serve their 10-year jail term. Media has not been allowed inside the courtroom. The Delhi High Court on December 17 convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". Besides Kumar, the others convicted in the case were former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal. In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots which was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions". It also said the riots were a "crime against humanity" perpetrated by those who enjoyed "political patronage" and aided by an "indifferent" law enforcement agency. The high court had further said there has been a familiar pattern of mass killings since Partition, like in Mumbai in 1993, Gujarat in 2002 and Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh in 2013, and the "common" feature of each was the "targeting of minorities" with the attacks being "spearheaded by the dominant political actors, facilitated by law enforcement agencies". The high court had set aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar Monday reached a court here amid tight security and surrendered to serve the life term for the "remainder of his natural life" awarded by the Delhi High Court in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Kumar came to the courtroom surrounded by two-three commandos along with 20-25 Delhi Police personnel, including women, a police officer said. He had Z-category security for the last two decades due to the threat perception to his life as he was also facing prosecution in other cases arising out of the 1984 riots. Clad in a black coat and trousers, a cream coloured muffler and a blue cap, Kumar arrived at the Karkardooma court at 2:15 pm and surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg, who directed that he be lodged in Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi. Kumar came to the courtroom flanked by his lawyers and surrounded by scores of security personnel. He was accompanied by his confidante Kailash and four-five advocates. Outside the court complex, a group of Sikhs gathered raising slogans and showing the victory sign after Kumar surrendered. Later, he was taken to the jail in a separate prison bus with two escorting vehicles. Two other convicts -- Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav -- who surrendered earlier in the day were also taken to Mandoli jail. The high court on December 17 convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots which was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions". The high court had set aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Monday surrendered before a court here amid tight security to serve the life sentence awarded to him by the Delhi High Court in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Kumar, 73, was sent to Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi by Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg, who directed that he be provided a separate van for commuting due to "security threat". Clad in a black coat and trousers, a cream coloured muffler and a blue cap, Sajjan Kumar was flanked by his lawyers and surrounded by scores of security personnel as he arrived at Karkardooma court at 2.15 pm on Monday, the deadline for surrendering set by the High Court which had on December 21 declined his plea to extend the time by a month. Outside the court complex, a group of Sikhs gathered raising slogans and showing the victory sign after Kumar surrendered. Media persons were not allowed inside the court room by the judge and security officials. The trial court declined the plea of Kumar's lawyer that he be sent to high-security Tihar Jail as the case pertains to Delhi Cantonment area which comes under Tihar Jail's jurisdiction. The court was informed by jail authorities that from Karkardooma court, all convicts are first taken to Mandoli jail and from there, the authorities may shift them to another jail, if they deem it appropriate. "The convict is taken into custody and be sent to jail as per rules. Since, there is security threat to the convict, he be provided a separate van for commuting from court to jail and from jail to court," the magistrate said in the two-page order. Kumar came to the courtroom surrounded by 2-3 commandos along with 20-25 Delhi Police personnel, including women, said one of the police officers. He was flanked by his confidant Kailash and 4-5 advocates. No family member or Congress leader accompanied him. The court was informed by Kumar's counsel that the fine imposed by the high court is yet to be deposited. Earlier in the day, former MLAs Krishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were also convicted in the same case, surrendered before the court to serve their 10-year jail term. They were accompanied by family members and relatives. The court allowed Yadav to take spectacles and walking stick to jail. They both were sentenced to three years jail by the trial court for the offence of rioting and armed with deadly weapon, but the high court enhanced their jail term by convicting them for criminal conspiracy, mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion and injuring a place of worship to insult the religion. The counsel for Yadav and Krishan told the court that they have deposited the fine imposed on them by the trial court in its May 9, 2013 order and they are yet to deposit the fine imposed by the high court. Kumar, a former Member of Parliament, has already filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the conviction and life sentence awarded to him by the high court. There is also another anti-Sikh riots case pending against him. The high court on December 17 convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. Besides Kumar, Yadav and Krishan, the others convicted in the case were former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal. In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots which was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions". It also said the riots were a "crime against humanity" perpetrated by those who enjoyed "political patronage" and aided by an "indifferent" law enforcement agency. The high court had further said there has been a familiar pattern of mass killings since Partition, like in Mumbai in 1993, Gujarat in 2002 and Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh in 2013, and the "common" feature of each was the "targeting of minorities" with the attacks being "spearheaded by the dominant political actors, facilitated by law enforcement agencies". The high court had set aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former on Monday surrendered before a court here to serve the life sentence awarded to him by the High Court in connection with a 1984 riots case. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg who directed that Kumar be lodged in Mandoli jail in northeast The court rejected Kumar's petition to be lodged in the high-security Tihar jail, but allowed his plea for security and directed the police to take him to the prison in a separate vehicle. A lawyer present in the courtroom said the court considered Kumar's plea for security since there was a threat as he was also facing prosecution in another riots case. While declining his plea to be sent to Tihar jail, the court said he was being sent to Mandoli jail in accordance with the rule. The HC had set a deadline of December 31 for Kumar to surrender and on December 21 declined his plea to extend the time by a month. The 73-year former has filed a petition in the challenging the conviction and life sentence awarded by the HC. The high court on December 17 convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the party. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony of southwest on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister on October 31, 1984, by her two bodyguards. Earlier in the day, former MLAs Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were also convicted in the same case, surrendered before the court to serve their 10-year jail term. Besides Kumar, the others convicted in the case were former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal. In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the capital during the 1984 riots which was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions". It also said the riots were a "crime against humanity" perpetrated by those who enjoyed "political patronage" and aided by an "indifferent" law enforcement agency. The high court had further said there has been a familiar pattern of mass killings since Partition, like in in 1993, in 2002 and Muzaffarnagar, in 2013, and the "common" feature of each was the "targeting of minorities" with the attacks being "spearheaded by the dominant political actors, facilitated by law enforcement agencies". The high court had set aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case. Suspected Muslim militants remotely detonated a bomb near the entrance of a mall in the southern Philippines on Monday as people did last-minute shopping ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations, killing at least two and wounding nearly 30, officials said. The bomb went off near the baggage counter at the entrance of the South Seas mall in Cotabato city, wounding shoppers, vendors and commuters. Authorities recovered another unexploded bomb nearby as government forces imposed a security lockdown in the city, military and police officials said. Maj Gen Cirilito Sobejana said by phone that an initial investigation showed the design of the bomb was similar to those used in the past by local Muslim militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Government forces launched an offensive against the militants belonging to a group called Daulah Islamiyah last week and at least seven of the militants died in the fighting, Sobejana said. "This is a part of the retaliation, but the problem is they're victimizing innocent civilians," he told reporters. Supt Romeo Galgo Jr, the deputy police director of Cotabato, said witnesses saw a man leave a box in a crowded area near the mall's entrance where vendors and shoppers were milling. The explosion shattered glass panels and scattered debris to the street fronting the mall. Two of the roughly 30 people hit by the blast died while being brought to a hospital, Sobejana said. Cotabato Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi condemned the bombing and called on residents to help fight terrorism. "This is not just another terroristic act but an act against humanity. I cannot fathom how such evil exists in this time of merry making," she said. "It is unimaginable how some people can start the new year with an act of cruelty but no matter how you threaten us, the people of Cotabato are resilient. ... We will stand up against terrorism," she told reporters. The bombing, the latest in a number of attacks blamed on militants in the volatile region, occurred despite on-and-off military assaults against pockets of militant groups operating in the marshlands and hinterlands not far from Cotabato and outlying provinces. Hundreds of militants aligned with the Islamic State group laid siege in the southern Islamic city of Marawi in May last year, sparking five months of intense fighting and military airstrikes that left more than 1,100 mostly militants dead and displaced hundreds of thousands of villagers. President Rodrigo Duterte placed the southern third of the country under martial law to deal with the Marawi siege, the worst security crisis he has faced since taking office in mid-2016. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two former friends of gangster D K Rao's close aide T P Raja have been arrested for allegedly stabbing him to death on December 7, police said Monday. Police suspect some contentious financial dealing among the trio as the cause for Raja's killing. Marimutthu Periswami Devendra alias 'T P Raja' was stabbed to death in his residence at Mhada building in Kokri Agar area in Sion Koliwada. During the investigation, it came to light that Raja was involved in the murder of one Krishna Devendra who was shot dead outside Sewree court in south Mumbai in 2006, a police official said. Devendra's killing was executed by Raja with his aides Imran Munna Qureshi and Amjad Maqbul Khan, he said. While investigating Raja's murder, a team of Wadala Truck Terminus (TT) police found that Imran and Khan had been missing, he said. A police team arrested Khan from Rajsaman in Rajasthan on December 16, he said. During Khan's interrogation, the role played by him and Imran in the killing came to the fore. Three serious offences were registered against Khan at various police stations, he said. The police team, which was on hunt of Imran, received a secret information that he would be visiting his residence in Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai, following which a trap was laid and he was arrested. "According to preliminary investigation, T P Raja was killed by two of his friends for financial transactions and property dealings," said N Ambika, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-IV. Our teams are working on the case, she said. While the first accused (Khan) was arrested from Rajastan, another accused (Imran) on Monday, she said. At the time of murder, Raja was wearing gold ornaments, weighing nearly one kg but his killers left them untouched, another official said. Raja was a long-time active member of the DK Rao gang who worked for a builder lobby, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The storming to power ending 25 years of rule was the major news in Tripura in 2018 which saw some cracks in the ruling alliance with the IPFT fighting the panchayat elections separately and also raking up its separate Triparaland demand. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) also differed sharply on the issue of a Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state like the one in neighbouring Assam. The Lotus bloomed in Tripura in March after which a nine-member ministry headed by Chief Minister took oath in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress, which hitherto used to be the main challenger to the Front in the state, lost ground and could not get even a single MLA elected to the 60-member House in the February poll. Sudip Roy Burman, who headed the state in the 2013 Assembly elections but switched over to the this time, said, "In 2013, the CPI(M) faced strong anti-incumbency but central leadership had helped the CPI(M) in the state clandestinely for enjoying the party's support in Parliament." workers celebrated the end of the red bastion in Tripura by bringing down a five-feet-tall statue of former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin at Belonia town, the district headquarters of South Tripura district on March 4. The BJP government initiated several steps to erase the legacy of the long rule. A week before Deb shifted to the chief minister's residence, the state government changed the name of the road leading to it from 'Marx Angel's Sarani' to 'Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Lane'. After taking charge, Deb was in the news for the wrong reasons. He made several remarks that triggered widespread criticism -- the Internet and satellite communication existed during Mahabharata era, civil and not mechanical engineers should opt for civil services, educated youths should set up paan shops instead of seeking government jobs and youths should explore a career in the dairy field and keep cows. He was also rapped for questioning the crowning of Diana Hayden as Miss World in 1997 and claiming that Rabindranath Tagore had rejected his Nobel prize in protest against the British government. The new government conducted by-elections to 3,386 seats of local bodies -- 3,200 gram panchayat, 161 panchayat samiti and 18 zilla parishad -- in September after these fell vacant following large-scale resignations of elected representatives of the Left parties. The BJP won unopposed 96 per cent of the gram panchayat and panchayat samiti seats and all the 18 zila parishad seats in the polls. In November, the Tripura government announced doing away with the school curriculum of the Left regime from next academic session and replacing it with CBSE syllabus and also decided introduction of NCERT books for students. The shift of power witnessed violent clashes between the CPI(M) and the BJP at many places during 2018. The state secretary had on March 4 alleged that at least two persons were murdered and 240 leaders and workers of the party were injured in BJP-IPFT sponsored post-poll violence in the state. On April 10, CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat visited some areas in West Tripura district and said his party would not "tolerate attacks on democracy". While the BJP and the IPFT bonded to overthrow the Left Front from power, differences soon started cropped up between them on several issues. The IPFT fought the election to three-tier local bodies separately but could not stop the BJP's forward march in the state. Soon after the publication of the final draft of the NRC in Assam on July 30, Deb said there was no demand for such a citizens' register. But the IPFT differed and demanded citizens' registration in the state. On October 8, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Tripura government in response to a writ petition seeking revision of the NRC. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi issued the notice to the state and central asking for their views. In October, the IPFT renewed its demand for a separate Tipraland state for tribals to protect and safeguard their socio-economic and political interests. The IPFT placed the demand to a high power committee set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the socio-economic, cultural and linguistic problems faced by Tripura's tribal communities. As the year drew to a close, Tripura is set to get a waterway between Sonamura in Sipahijala district and Ashuganj port in Eastern Bangladesh covering a distance of about 70 km. This would facilitate transportation of goods from Kolkata to Ashuganj and then to Sonamura by small ships. 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). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There's a thin line between caricature and real, says actor Anupam Kher, describing his portrayal of former premier Manmohan Singh in "The Accidental Prime Minister" as his "proudest role" yet. The former prime minister will create a space for himself in the hearts of the people of India after the film, based on Singh's former media advisor Sanjaya Baru's 2014 book of the same name, Kher said. The film found itself at the centre of a political controversy with the BJP sharing the trailer on its official Twitter handle, terming it a "riveting tale of how a family held the country to ransom for 10 long years". The Congress said it was BJP's "propaganda" ahead of the 2019 general elections. The Maharashtra Youth Congress initially asked that the film be shown to them before the release but withdrew the demand with the party saying they were not seeking a ban on its release. One has to live in such times, Kher told PTI in reference to the controversy over the film, which releases next month. The trailer seems to portray Singh as a victim of the Congress' internal politics but Kher said the filmmakers have treated the 10 years of the UPA government with utmost authenticity. "Certain sections of the Congress party are like 'this is not be taken seriously' and we have made fun of him (Singh) in the film. I feel, after this film, he (Singh) will get inside every household and the hearts of the people of India," Kher said. "I was expecting (controversies). My logical point is, the Congress party should have sued Mr Sanjaya Baru and the book should have been banned. It has been in the public domain for four years. The rights have been taken," he added. Kher is happy with the appreciation coming his way for his portrayal of the former PM. "There is a thin line between caricature and real. I became obsessed and put my life into it. I feel on top of the world. The biggest compliment an actor can get is when people say I am just like him. I have worked very hard for about seven-eight months to get that result," he said. There was no regret in playing the role, he said, adding that it was his "proudest role". "He (Singh) doesn't change his expressions and in the film I had to convey hurt, anger, dejection, loneliness on screen. I believe, the more difficult you make your job, the more rewarding it will be, he added. The actor is of the opinion that protests happen everywhere. "There will be good and bad people both, there will be tolerant and intolerant people as well. There were films like Aandhi' that were banned. Some books have also been banned, he added. Asked if any publicity is good publicity, Kher said, "No. Unfortunately for the media, negativity sells. If the film is good, the publicity will make it fly and if not good, it will fall flat on the face. At a time when anyone can give their opinion on everything and anything, Kher said social media gives any random person the power to tweet and everyone will follow it. We have seen people protesting against M S Dhoni or Sachin Tendulkar, etc. Some random person will get up and say something about the country or anyone. We have to live in these times. In this country, it is the easiest thing to collect some people and protest and call for a ban. Controversies have nothing to do with creativity, he said. The film featuring Akshaye Khanna as Baru is set to release on January 11. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seeking to shield Sonia and from allegations in the AgustaWestland bribery case, former A K Antony Monday said the two top leaders "never interfered" in the VVIP chopper deal or any defence contract during the UPA regime. The assertion by Antony in which he also accused the and the government of "manufacturing" lies came on a day of escalating political war of words in the AgustaWestland chopper deal with Amit Shah leading the party offensive against the Gandhis. In a series of tweets, Shah said the "friendship" between Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the deal, and Congress' top leadership is "time tested and deep". He also asked what is this Family Balm' that every middleman wants. As part of its nation-wide campaign to attack the over Michel's statement to the Enforcement Directorate(ED), the fielded its chief ministers and top leaders in state capitals across the country. Yogi Adityanath, Devendra Fadnavis, and Trivendra Singh Rawat--the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand respectively--were among those who addressed news conferences. Adityanath claimed that the Rs 3,700 crore AgustaWestland deal during the UPA regime involved a bribery of around Rs 360 crore, out of which the leaders got Rs 150 crore. He, however, did not elaborate on his claim. The BJP's senior state leaders also spoke to reporters in Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan, according to a party leader in The BJP stepped up its attack on the Congress and its leaders in the wake of the alleged reference made by Michel about one "Mrs Gandhi", as told by the ED to a court. The Congress, has, however, rejected the allegations and has counter-alleged that it was the that was a "protector, benefactor and promoter" of AgustaWestland as it lifted a ban imposed on the helicopter maker during the UPA rule and allowed it to bid for 100 naval utility helicopters. "I would like to say categorically that (UPA chairperson) and (Congress president) never showed any interest ... never interfered in the AgustaWestland deal. During my entire tenure as defence minister, or never interfered in any defence deal," Antony told a press conference in Parliament premises, "The Government and the BJP are misusing agencies to manufacture lies. I am surprised to know that the present government is spreading lies....is trying to manufacture something out of nothing," Antony said. "Without any iota of truth, they are trying to follow vendetta " Antony further said it was the Congress-led UPA government that ordered a CBI inquiry the moment it came to know of corruption allegations in the AgustaWestland deal and initiated proceedings to blacklist the company. Antony claimed that the UPA government fought the case "unusually" in a Milan court against the chopper-making company and won it too. "We cancelled the contract and started proceedings of blacklisting. But after we left, the did nothing against AgustaWestland. Instead of acting against the company, they favoured the company," he said. Antony said if the Congress had anything to hide, it would not have ordered a CBI probe or gone to to fight the case. On the BJP's charges of the Congress being jittery ever since Michel was extradited to India, Congress chief spokesperson said this was like "chor machaye shor" (the thief is making noise). In his tweets, Shah asked if Michel wanted details of his questioning by investigators to be passed onto "Mrs Gandhi". "Trails of the AgustaWestland Casethe SOS of Christian Michel. Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs. Gandhi herself? Why?" he tweeted. Shah said Michel's lawyer had admitted that the alleged middleman indeed passed a paper to him and claimed that he thought it was a list of medicines. In this context, the BJP took an apparent swipe at the Gandhi family, saying people have heard of Zandu balm and Tiger balm -- medicines used to relieve pain -- but what is this "family balm" that every middleman wants. "In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michel's lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a sham. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi!" Shah said. The Congress had expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. "In interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep," Shah said. Fadnavis said Rahul Gandhi and need to answer questions related to allegations of corruption in the AgustaWestland scam. Gujarat BJP Jitu Vaghani claimed the Congress was trying to give a "political colour" to the chopper case and questioned why the party was scared of a probe. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Monday alleged that investigations in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case indicate that the Congress was "neck deep" in corruption. The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case is currently being heard in a Delhi court over claims of money laundering and kickbacks paid to middlemen. The Delhi court on Saturday imposed restrictions on alleged middleman Christian Michel meeting his lawyers in the Enforcement Directorate's (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'. "Investigations have been carried out by Italy's investigative agencies and its reports have also been corroborated by ED's report. Even Christian Michel has clearly named Sonia Gandhi and hinted at her son Rahul Gandhi. So not only Congress', but involvement of several other leaders has been established," Fadnavis told reporters here. "This has exposed that they (Congress and its leaders) are neck deep in corruption," he said. He said Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi need to answer questions related to allegations of corruption in the AgustaWestland scam. The Congress has been "exposed enough". It needs to clarify its stand "though it will be tough for it," he said. "When Rahul Gandhi can frequently talk about Rafale case and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), why doesn't he speak now?" the chief minister asked. He claimed the evidence gathered by probing agencies suggested that the deal was struck with Michel and Rs 225 crore was to be paid as brokerage, out of which Rs 125 crore has been paid. "HAL was deliberately ignored and kept out of the deal. The Congress and its senior leaders have benefited by this corrupt deal and ED has reiterated the same," he said. To a question why NCP chief Sharad Pawar was supporting the Congress over some issues, Fadnavis said Pawar was "aware" about the whole "corruption". "I am not sure why Pawar is advocating for the Congress," he added. Asked why the BJP was not replying to ally Shiv Sena's attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the Rafale jet deal, Fadnavis said, "We don't give any importance to Shiv Sena's allegations. But we will give a befitting reply at the right time." The chief minister said his government has made best possible efforts to help the onion farmers and also written to the Centre to provide export incentives. Fadnavis also said that he has sent a notice to Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, asking him to retract his allegations over the Mumbai Development Plan or else be ready to face a defamation case. Vikhe Patil had last week alleged that several illegal amendments have been made to the Mumbai Development Plan for the benefit of builders' lobby. If Fadnavis does not scrap these amendments, he will file a public interest litigation, the Congress leader had said. Fadnavis said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had appointed a panel and then its report was sent to the improvement committee which was scrutinised by various representatives and stakeholders, followed by the civic body and government officials. The report was later sent to BMC's general body which made necessary amendments and it was then referred to the government, he said. The government formed a four-member committee and drafted its own report and sought BMC's viewpoint on it. It was then published and objections and suggestions were invited, he said. After completion, the report was again sent back to the BMC and when it came to the government, it was accepted, the chief minister said. "Therefore, the process involved in making the Development Plan is an outcome of collective wisdom and the allegations levelled by Vikhe Patilji are absurd and baseless," Fadnavis said. The Chief Minister's Office had said last week that the development plan had reserved 65 plots for open space and playground and it was not prepared for builders' interest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena Monday said NCP's support to the BJP in the Ahmednagar civic body's mayoral election was not a jolt for it and that the new pattern has only highlighted the "old illicit political relations" between the two parties. BJP's Babasaheb Wakale was last week elected mayor of Ahmednagar after polling 37 votes despite the party having just 14 seats in the 68-member civic body. NCP's 18 corporators, four from the Bahujan Samaj Party and one Independent voted for him. The Shiv Sena is the largest party in the civic body with 24 seats. Five Congress corporators in the civic body had abstained from voting. "The Shiv Sena has not received any jolt due to the played by the BJP and NCP. The BJP and NCP's illicit political relation is old and the present Maharashtra government was basically born out of this relationship," the Sena said in an editorial of its mouthpiece 'Saamana'. "The new pattern (seen) in Ahmednagar has only highlighted it," it added. It recalled that the NCP had offered unconditional support to the BJP after the latter emerged as the single largest party in 2014 Maharashtra Assembly polls. The Shiv Sena was the distant second largest party in that election, winning over 60 seats. "They (the BJP and NCP) keep saying there is no illicit relationship between them. But it (mayor's election in Ahmednagar) has only exposed them and Maharashtra is laughing at them," the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said. The Sena also questioned BJP's victories in the Jalgaon and Dhule civic polls and attributed its success there to "money game, use of pressure tactics through power and technical scam". "They could not engage in such a scam in Ahmednagar because the situation there was in favour of the Shiv Sena," the Marathi daily said. The Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra, was also not impressed by NCP's claim that its leadership was "clueless" about its corporators supporting the saffron party in the Ahmednagar civic body. It also dubbed the NCP's announcement of taking action against its corporators as a "mere sham". "It is now being told that NCP chief Sharad Pawar or the party's state leaders did not have any clue about the BJP-NCP 'chapter'. Only Pawar knows whether he knew about it (such a tie-up) or not. But this 'democracy' in Ahmednagar can be an anarchy tomorrow," the Sena warned. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Online sellers' representative body AIOVA Monday alleged that Flipkart's delivery unit Ekart has fired about 300 seasonal workers, but the Walmart-backed e-tailer said such workers were hired through local third-party vendors for limited duration especially during festive time. In a tweet, the All India Online Vendors Association said: "Employment practices of Ekart, owned by Flipkart and Walmart $wmt under scrutiny. 300 seasonal workers fired in Kheda. Lot of sellers blacked out. 100 years ago MK Gandhi started first Satyagraha from Kheda". Flipkart in a statement said it continues to work with many reputed local third-party vendors who support in temporary staffing solutions to cater to festive demands. "In cases where we have to reduce our contractual employee strength (contracted by the vendor), we do offer pre-agreed-upon severance packages, which has been the case here as well. We are working closely with our third-party vendors to ensure that they fulfil their obligations, statutory or otherwise, with full fairness," the statement added. Flipkart said it remains committed to be a partner with Gujarat to foster inclusive growth in the state. "We continue to make deep infrastructure investments including in warehouses and fulfilment centres, and are proud to create thousands of new local jobs, contributing to the local economy," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All amendments moved by the opposition in the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, were defeated on Monday. Now, the draft will be finalised by the JPC, headed by BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal, in its next meeting to be held on January 3. It will be presented in the Lok Sabha next week in its original form. All opposition-sponsored amendments were defeated at the JPC meeting held on Monday, a Rajya Sabha MP, who attended the meeting said. The numerical advantage of the BJP in the 30-member panel was clearly reflected in the clause-by-clause voting in each of the amendments moved by the opposition members, a source said. 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 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 Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI(M) and a few other parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill claiming that citizenship cannot be given on basis of religion. Congress member Bhubaneswar Kalita and BJD's Bhartruhari Mahtab moved separate amendments to exclude Bangladesh from the purview of the bill but both the amendments were defeated, another MP said. The bill is likely to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on January 7. The Winter Session of Parliament comes to an end on January 8. 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. An opposition member said since all the amendments were defeated, if the bill in its present form comes into effect, then it will nullify the Assam Accord under which anyone entering the state illegally after March 1971, should be declared foreigner and deported. 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. TMC members raised five points in the meeting. The party alleged that out of 38 lakh people whose citizenship is under threat, about 28 lakh are Bengali-speaking Hindus. The TMC members alleged that Bengali-speaking Hindus were being targeted as outsiders by vigilante groups in Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya and other states. It claimed that Bengali-speaking Hindus were targeted in the Tinsukia massacre, where hand of senior BJP leader was suspected and non Bengali-speaking Hindus who did not fulfil NRC criterion have been assured that they will be included in the NRC. The JPC 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 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.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh extended his greetings to people on New Year's Eve on Monday and exhorted them welcome 2019 with the promise to work collectively towards building a better India rooted in love, tolerance and peace. He expressed confidence that the coming year would usher in a new era of overall development and growth for Punjab. In his message, Singh urged people of the state, as well as Punjabis living across the country and other parts of the world, to work for the growth and development of Punjab. The chief minister reiterated his government's commitment to propel the state on the path of growth, besides cementing the bonds of communal harmony, peace, amity and brotherhood. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Jitendra Singh Monday asked women politicians to support the triple talaq bill brought in Parliament by the Narendra Modi government. Talking to reporters outside Parliament, he said if the women politicians, who seek votes in the name of empowerment, demonstrate such a strong bias against their own gender, what moral authority do they have to claim to be protagonists of women's cause. Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), said it is appalling to see some of the prominent women politicians also throwing their weight behind those who are opposing the abolition of triple talaq. The Rajya Sabha Monday failed to initiate a discussion on the contentious bill, with a united opposition led by the Congress demanding that the Muslim women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) bill, 2018 or triple talaq bill, be sent to a select committee for scrutiny. Singh said the triple talaq legislation is one of the many revolutionary decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which will bring relief to a large number of silently suffering Muslim women in India. "At least the women politicians should support the triple talaq bill," he said. Singh said the most hilarious part of the entire sequence of events is that the Congress party and its allies publicly claim they are not opposed to the triple talaq bill. Once they are inside Parliament, they make sure that the process for passage of the bill gets stalled so that it may not become a law, he said. "This has exposed the duplicity of these parties and the people of India will not forgive them for this," the minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Axis Bank on Monday said its Managing Director and CEO has retired, effective December 31, 2018. "We wish to inform you that Shikha Sharma, Managing Director and CEO of Axis Bank Limited, has retired from the services of the bank and has accordingly ceased to be the Managing Director and CEO of the bank, with effect from close of business hours on 31st December 2018," it said in a regulatory filing. Amitabh Chaudhry will be the new managing director and CEO of the bank with effect from January 1, 2019, it said further. Chaudhry, the former MD and CEO of HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company, was in September named the MD and CEO of Axis Bank for a period of three years, with effect from January 1, 2019. Earlier on December 8, Axis Bank had inducted Chaudhry as additional director on its board, three weeks ahead of his taking over as the new managing director and CEO of the private sector lender. Chaudhry, 54, started his career in corporate banking with the Bank of America in 1987, where he worked in diverse roles. He is a BTech (Electronic & Electricals) from the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani and an alumnus of the lndian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. In July 2017, the board of Axis Bank had approved the reappointment of Sharma, who was to start her fourth term as MD and CEO from June 2018. However, in April this year, Sharma wanted her new term to be reduced to seven months from a three-year tenure without citing any reasons, which was accepted by the board. It was learnt that the RBI had asked Axis Bank's board to reconsider the decision to reappoint Sharma amid concerns over rising bad loans on the bank's books. She had completed her third term as the bank's head on May 31. Bangladesh's election chief on Monday ruled out any scope of holding fresh election as demanded by opposition alliance, saying the allegations of ballot stuffing on the night before election is "completely untrue." Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling alliance swept to a landslide victory in the elections. The opposition Jatiya Oikya Front - National Unity Front (NUF) - rejected the results and urged the Election Commission to immediately scrap the "farcical election" and hold a fresh one under a non-partisan interim government. "We are not going to hold a new election. There is no scope to hold the national election again," Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda told the media Monday, a day after the 11th parliamentary election was held. Rejecting the allegation of ballot stuffing on the night before election, Huda said: "It is completely untrue." NUF chief and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain called the polls a "farce", citing widespread polling frauds. "We have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres...You (the EC) must cancel this election right away. We reject the so-called results and demand a new election under a neutral government," Hossain said. Jailed ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in the absence of Zia, described the polls as a "cruel farce". However, the election commissioner expressed complete satisfaction over the election and said the voter turnout in the polls was 80 per cent. Huda said the election took place with festive atmosphere but there may have some unfortunate incidents during the voting and the commission will investigate the incidents, the Daily Star newspaper reported. The CEC said he had not received written complaints about the vote. He said that the allegations would not prevent him from releasing the gazette of the results, the Bdnews24.com reported. Asked what steps would be taken on the gazette if written complaints from the BNP came in, he said: "Even if we receive written complaints, it does not prevent us from issuing a gazette of the results." The results reflect the beliefs of the people, Huda said, adding that the media reports as well as local and foreign election observers have described the polls as acceptable. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scientists have discovered a strain of bacteria in Irish soil that can effectively fight superbugs resistant to antibiotics. The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes the problem of antibiotic resistant superbugs as "one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today". The strain, named Streptomyces sp myrophorea, was discovered by a team based in Swansea University in the UK. The soil they analysed originated from an area of Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, which is known as the Boho Highlands. It is an area of alkaline grassland and the soil is reputed to have healing properties. The search for replacement antibiotics to combat multi-resistance has prompted researchers to explore new sources, including folk medicines: a field of study known as ethnopharmacology. They are also focusing on environments where well-known antibiotic producers like Streptomyces can be found. One of the research team, Dr Gerry Quinn, a previous resident of Boho, County Fermanagh, had been aware of the healing traditions of the area for many years. Traditionally a small amount of soil was wrapped up in cotton cloth and used to heal many ailments including toothache, throat and neck infections. This area was previously occupied by the Druids, around 1500 years ago, and Neolithic people 4,000 years ago. The main findings of the research were that the newly-identified strain of Streptomyces inhibited the growth of four of the top six multi-resistant pathogens identified by the WHO as being responsible for healthcare-associated infections: Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneumonia, and Carbenepenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumanii The bacteria also inhibited both gram positive and gram negative bacteria, which differ in the structure of their cell wall; usually gram negative bacteria are more resistant to antibiotics. It is not yet clear which component of the new strain prevents the growth of the pathogens, but the team are already investigating this. "This new strain of bacteria is effective against 4 of the top 6 pathogens that are resistant to antibiotics, including MRSA. Our discovery is an important step forward in the fight against antibiotic resistance," said Paul Dyson of Swansea University. "Our results show that folklore and traditional medicines are worth investigating in the search for new antibiotics. Scientists, historians and archaeologists can all have something to contribute to this task. It seems that part of the answer to this very modern problem might lie in the wisdom of the past," said Dyson. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's alliance has won the parliamentary vote with a thumping majority, officials said Monday, even as the main opposition rejected the "farcical" elections which claimed 18 lives and left over 200 injured, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country. The ruling Awami League-led grand alliance has won 288 seats in the 300-member Parliament, Election Commission (EC) secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said. The opposition Jatiya Oikya Front - National Unity Front (NUF) - has secured seven seats, he said, adding that others have won three seats. Voting was postponed in one constituency and result not declared in another due to the death of a candidate, Ahmed said. Rejecting the results, the opposition NUF urged the EC to immediately scrap the "farcical election" and hold a fresh one under a non-partisan interim government. NUF chief and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain called the polls a "farce", citing widespread polling frauds, bdnews24.com reported. "We have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres. "You (the EC) must cancel this election right away. We reject the so-called results and demand a new election under a neutral government," Hossain said. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in the absence of imprisoned former prime minister Khaleda Zia, described the polls as a "cruel farce". He said the elections proved that free and fair polls were not possible under a partisan government. The BNP's decision to stay away from the general election five years ago was not wrong, he said. The NUF is a coalition of opposition parties such as the BNP, Gono Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League. With the overwhelming majority in the 11th general elections, Hasina is set to take office of the prime minister for the third consecutive time and fourth time overall. The ruling alliance has bettered its previous best performance of 2008 when it won 263 parliamentary seats. The BNP, which has been out of power for 12 years and had boycotted the 10th general elections in 2014, is part of the opposition alliance. EC secretary Ahmed told reporters: "This is a huge event in the history of Bangladesh as the voting to the 11th parliamentary election took place in a very free, fair and peaceful environment under a political government. "My congratulations to the Awami League". While Hasina was seeking re-election for the fourth term as the prime minister, her arch-rival Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail where she is lodged after her conviction in corruption cases. The EC said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence. At least 18 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed and more than 200 others injured in poll-related violence, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country, the Daily Star reported. Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists, while others were workers of the BNP or its allies. As many as 299 out of the 300 parliamentary seats went to the polls that took place across Bangladesh from 8 AM to 4 PM (local time) Sunday. The EC 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. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's alliance has won the parliamentary vote with a thumping majority, officials said Monday, even as the main opposition rejected the "farcical" elections which claimed 18 lives and left over 200 injured, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country. The ruling Awami League-led coalition has won over 267 seats in the 300-member House, according to the Election Commission (EC). The opposition National Unity Front (UNF) led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) - which has been out of power for 12 years and had boycotted the 10th general elections in 2014 - managed to secure only eight seats, media reports said. The opposition Oikya Front demanded that the EC immediately scrap the "farcical election" and hold a fresh one under a non-partisan interim government. Front chief and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain called the polls a "farce", citing widespread polling frauds, bdnews24.com reported. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in the absence of imprisoned former prime minister Khaleda Zia, described the polls as a "cruel farce". He said the elections proved that free and fair polls were not possible under a partisan government. The EC 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. The National Unity Front (NUF) is a coalition of parties, including BNP, Gono Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya Front and Krishak Sramik Janata League. Rejecting the polls, Hossain said "we have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres". While Hasina was seeking re-election for the fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. The EC said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence. At least 18 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed and more than 200 others injured in poll-related violence, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country, the Daily Star reported. Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists, while others were workers of the 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's exports of basmati rice grew by 11.54 per cent to Rs 16,963 crore during April-October this fiscal, Parliament was informed Monday. In April-October 2017-18, the exports stood at Rs 15,208 crore, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. In volume terms, however, the exports declined to 22.95 lakh tonnes in April-October 2018-19 as against 23.72 lakh crore in the same period last fiscal. "While there is a marginal decline of 3.28 per cent per cent in quantity terms, in value terms the exports have grown by 11.54 per cent," the minister said. The major export destination for basmati rice are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Yemen, the US, and UK. The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous organisation under the Department of Commerce, has registered Basmati Rice as a Geographical Indication (GI) in February 2016, a move aimed at promoting outbound shipments. A GI tag is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin. Darjeeling Tea, Tirupathi Laddu, Kangra Paintings, Nagpur Orange and Kashmir Pashmina are among the registered GIs in India. Replying to a separate question, Chaudhary said as on December 24, 330 GIs have been registered. Out of this, 171 are from handicrafts sector and 93 from agriculture segment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry extended congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her victory by a huge margin. Her immense hard work and commitment is appreciable, the Chamber president Indrajit Sen said here on Monday. "The BCC&I had worked together very closely and successfully with the Bangladesh government and Chambers of Commerce in Bangladesh in the fields of Trade, Commerce and cultural ties in the recent past, he said. "We look forward to strengthening our association further and achieving new milestones in the near future," he added. Sen also said that he believes that Hasina's leadership and influence would continue to encourage the bilateral relations between the two countries in future, and foster long-term economic ties. "We are most encouraged to note that the GDP growth of Bangladesh is so promising and that it has made such strong strides in becoming a developing economy," Sen said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP women's wing Monday gheraoed the state crime branch police headquarters demanding justice for 2011-12 Pipili gang rape and murder victim and alleging that the prosecution botched the investigation into it. The BJP Mahila Morcha activists led by its president Pravati Parida held a rally from the district party office here and marched towards the police headquarters at Buxi Bazaar, which also houses the crime branch headquarters. Initially, there was a commotion near the gates of the police headquarters when the activists tried to barge into the prohibited areas by breaking through the barricades and the police cordon. Normalcy was restored after some activists were taken into preventive custody. They were later released. A senior police officer denied charges that the police misbehaved with the women activists. Addressing the protest rally, Parida said her party had earlier doubted the crime branch probe into the Pipili gangrape and murder case as local BJD legislator and minister Pradeep Maharathy allegedly shielded the accused. "Our suspicion are now confirmed after six years when a trial court exonerated the two key accused in the case for lack of evidence," Parida said alleging that the prosecution botched the investigations by destroying evidences. The first additional session court of Bhubaneswar earlier this month acquitted key accused in the case Prashant Pradhan and his younger brother Sushant. The trial court however, has held that the 19-year-old girl was murdered. The crime branch decided to challenge the verdict in the Orissa High Court. A 19-year-old woman was found unconscious and semi- naked in a paddy field in Pipli on November 28, 2011. She succumbed on June 21, 2012 after remaining semi-comatose in SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Maharathy had to resign from the ministry in 2012 in the face of a statewide hue and cry for allegedly sheltering the accused persons. Maharathy again became a minister in 2014. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Monday said the coming together of NCP, its ally, and the ruling BJP in the Ahmednagar civic body was "not right" and added that the Sharad Pawar-led party should take precaution against it. The Congress and the NCP are currently holding seat- sharing talks with like-minded anti-BJP parties to forge a grand alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. BJP's Babasaheb Wakale was last week elected mayor of Ahmednagar after polling 37 votes despite the party having just 14 seats in the 68-member civic body. NCP's 18 corporators, four from the Bahujan Samaj Party and one Independent voted for him. Five Congress corporators in the civic body had abstained from voting. "We are making an honest effort to bring all like- minded parties to form a grand alliance. I don't know how much of what happened in Ahmednagar is agreeable to them (NCP leadership). But it is a serious matter," Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan told reporters here. He said it would be better if the NCP explained its position on the issue. Chavan said it was a fact that the BJP could install its mayor in the civic body after the joining hands with the NCP. "But whatever has happened is definitely not right (in view of the Lok Sabha polls). The NCP, therefore, should take required precaution," he added. Asked about seat-sharing talks among the opposition parties, Chavan said that the ball was in the court of Delhi (the central leaderships of the parties). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Doctors at a private hospital here have removed parts of a bullet from an Omani teenagers brain and chin in an eight-hour surgery. Abdul Qader Mohammed Hamed Al Alawi, 17, accidentally fired his gun at himself while he was trying to kill a cat which attacked birds at his chicken farm in Jalan Bani Bu Ali, around 280 km from Muscat on November 20. A part of the bullet remained inside his chin while another part pierced through his tongue and nose and landed in his brain, a hospital release said Monday. Though the bullet parts inside his chin was partly removed at a government hospital in Oman, he was brought to the VPS Lakeshore Hospital here on December 18 to remove those inside his brain and chin, it said. Dr Sudish Karunakaran, Head of Neurosurgery, who led the team of doctors who performed the task, said the surgery was done in two parts. First, they did the frontal craniotomy to open the skull in order to access the brain, the release said. Later, a team of ENT and oral and maxillofacial surgeons removed the remaining bullet part inside the boy's chin. The team took eight hours to complete the surgery that took place on December 20. "I was on ventilator support for four days after the surgery and I am now fully recovered and ready for discharge," Abdul Qaderis quoted as saying in the release. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Manisha Koirala, who won a tough battle against ovarian cancer, feels the disease came into her life as a gift as her vision is now sharper, mind clearer and her perspective realigned. As she completes six years of being cancer-free, she shares her story - one marked by apprehensions, disappointments and uncertainties - and the lessons she learnt along the way. In her memoir "Healed: How Cancer Gave Me a New Life", she talks about her treatment in the US and the care provided by the oncologists there to how she rebuilt her life once she returned home. Manisha says her book is a result of intense soul-searching and she has plunged deep into the dark, bottomless pit of painful memories and woven a story out of them. "It has taken a lot of courage to confront and relive my experiences. But I needed to do so in order to become a true storyteller for the readers' sake as well as my own," she says. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. Manisha says for a decade, she had abused her body. "The poor lifestyle I had been leading made my body susceptible to diseases. Had it not been cancer, some other malady would have struck me. In hindsight, on a dark, lonely night, I still wonder what it could have been and whether it would have been better or worse," the book, co-authored with Neelam Kumar and published by Penguin Random House, says. "I think cancer came into my life as a gift. My vision is sharper, my mind clearer, my perspective realigned. I have succeeded in transforming my passive-aggressive anger and anxiety into more peaceful expressions," Manisha writes. She says post-recovery, she has succeeded in transforming her passive-aggressive anger and anxiety into more peaceful expressions. Born into the prominent Koirala family in Nepal, Manisha made her Bollywood debut with "Saudagar" in 1991 and went on to act in films like "1942: A Love Story", "Akele Hum Akele Tum", "Bombay", "Khamoshi: The Musical", "Dil Se", "Mann", "Lajja" and "Company". She took a break from acting in 2012 and returned five years later with the coming-of-age drama "Dear Maya", Netflix's "Lust Stories" and "Sanju". The comeback was not so easy. "At first it was difficult for me to take on the role of a character artist as I had been used to playing the heroine. Then I saw the blessing in this. Having plunged into the depths of my emotions, I could now express the intricate complexities, deeper nuances and profounder layers of each character." In her words, she began her "second innings hesitatingly", with a Kannada film. Manisha looks back at the period just after her foray into films in the early '90s with a "lot of regret and sadness". When films happened suddenly, she was just 19-years-old and not ready to handle Mumbai. "Its unfamiliarity and expanse scared me. For a young, unexposed Nepalese girl, Bollywood was a terrifying experience. Unsure of how I should be behaving and interacting on the film set, I hid myself behind books. They protected me from my fear of interacting with everyone who seemed to be so sure of themselves," she says. She then decided to do something to overcome her shyness and feeling of awkwardness. "Alcohol came to my rescue. I loved the feeling of confidence it gave me, loosening me up, wiping out my inhibitions. Fortified by drinks, my shyness disappeared and I became quite at ease while socialising. Emboldened, I took to drinking more and more, she writes. Parties became a way of life for her. Either friends would party at her house or she would go over to theirs, Manisha says. In school, too she was a shy, introverted girl who found solace in books. "I think reading a lot of books does that to you. I was ahead of my classmates in some ways. While they were enjoying Mills & Boons, I was reading Ayn Rand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fresh tussle between the Centre and Delhi government appears to be brewing after the AAP dispensation imposed a condition of 50-50 per cent operational loss sharing while giving approval to the Phase-IV of Delhi Metro. Though Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry officials said it is examining the condition that the Centre equally share any operational loss with the AAP government, they asserted that it was a state subject and that other states may raise similar demands. Earlier this month, the Arvind Kejriwal Government had approved the much-awaited Phase-IV of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). An official of the ministry said Delhi government has also put a condition in its approval that it will not have any liability on loan provided by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to fund the project. "We are examining both conditions imposed by Delhi government in approving the Metro Phase-IV. Why should the central government bear operational loss? It is a state-subject. "State government has the responsibility of operations of Metro. If we agree on these conditions, other state governments will also raise same demands. However, we are currently examining Delhi government's conditions," an official said. The finance department of Delhi government had in a recent report said that some routes of Phase-IV are not financially viable. A Delhi government official confirmed that the two conditions were part of the approval to Phase IV. "Delhi government has never borne any liability in the past also.... This condition was put in just to make things clear," official said. "In the past one year, the ridership has gone down due to various reasons. So, if Delhi has to pay 100 per cent of the operational loss, it will not be financially viable for it," the official said. Also, there are certain corridors that may not be profitable in future or even do not reach the break even level, the official added. Among the projects chosen under Phase-IV, are Rithala-Narela (21.73 km), Janakpuri West-R K Ashram (28.92 km), Mukundpur-Maujpur (12.54 km), Inderlok-Indraprastha (12.58 km), Tughlakabad-Aerocity (20.20 km), and Lajpat Nagar-Saket G-Block (7.96 km). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling on Monday urged the people of the state to uphold the hard-earned peace, goodwill, security and freedom that prevails in the Himalayan State. Chamling in his message to the people on the New Year's eve also exhorted the people to pledge to take the name, fame and image of Sikkim the most developed, wealthy, happy and prosperous state. Sikkim, he said, has been freed from the clutches of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and unemployment. "Let us resolve to be on our guard to uphold the hard-earned peace, goodwill, security and freedom that prevail in Sikkim ... May Sikkim be kept from destruction, unrest and hatred from racial, communal and religious differences," Chamling said. Speaking of the achievements of his government over the past 24 years, the chief minister said that he was happy with the "world-class performance" of his government which must be leveraged to take Sikkims name, fame and glory across the globe next year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Presenting an upbeat picture of China's achievements in 2018 amid the ongoing trade war with the US, President Xi Jinping on Monday said China will remain resolute in defending its sovereignty and push ahead with his pet project the Belt and Road initiative (BRI). In his annual New Year eve address to the nation telecast live all over the country, Xi played down concerns about the slowing down of Chinese economy, saying China's economy stayed within a "reasonable" range in 2018. China's economy grew at 6.5 per cent in the third quarter posting slowest growth since 2009 as it grappled with the intensifying trade war with the US and the mounting local governments' debt which rose to USD 2.58 trillion. Xi is regarded as the most powerful leader of China after Mao Zedong as he was declared a core leader by the ruling Communist Party. He heads the party, the presidency and the military. He is expected to remain President for life after a constitutional amendment this year removed two-term limit for President. In a veiled reference to China's increasing hold over the disputed South China Sea, he reiterated that China will protect its sovereignty and security "resolutely". "Looking at the world at large, we're facing a period of major change never seen in a century. No matter what these changes bring, China will remain resolute and confident in its defence of its national sovereignty and security," he said, adding that China's sincerity and goodwill to safeguard world peace will remain unchanged. He said "China enlarged its circle of friends" in 2018 and referred to host of international events hosted by the country. On the BRI, he said, "We will continue to push ahead with the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and continue to advocate for the development of a community of shared future for mankind." Touted as Xi's ambitious project, the BRI initiative focuses on improving connectivity and cooperation among Asian countries, Africa, China and Europe. Highlighting the achievements of his government on the domestic front, Xi said the campaign to prevent and control pollution of air, water and soil was going smoothly. "The improvement of the people's well being speeded up and their living standards were steadily improved," he said. He said China successfully launched the Chang'e-4 lunar probe to land on the dark sides of the moon, besides a second aircraft carrier which had set sail on its maiden voyage. Xi said China's domestically-made large amphibious aircraft performed its first water launch while the BeiDou Satellite Navigation System, which is stated to be rival to America's GPS, has gone global. We have also made great strides in our poverty alleviation efforts in the past year. Another 125 poor counties and 10 million poverty-stricken rural residents were lifted out of poverty in 2018," he said referring to progress to his pledge that China will eradicate poverty by 2020. He said about 13 million Chinese found jobs in cities in 2018. 2019 will also see China celebrating 70 years since its founding as a nation. "Next year China will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Our country has braved thorny paths and confronted stormy weather over the past seventy years," he said, adding that 2019 will see both opportunities and challenges that will require us to work together shoulder to shoulder. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang on Monday congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her landslide victory in the general elections and hoped that the strategic and mutual cooperation between the two countries would continue during the upcoming tenure. Hasina's ruling Awami League-led alliance won 288 seats in the 300-member Parliament, according to the Election Commission. A spokesman of the Prime Minister's Office here said Beijing's envoy in Dhaka, Zhang Zuo, carried the Chinese leaders' congratulatory messages to Hasina's Ganobghaban residence. "The ambassador said China expects Bangladesh to turn into a middle income country under her dynamic leadership by 2021, highly appreciating her leadership for the country's development," Hasina's press secretary Ihsanul Karim told PTI. Zhang, he said, also expressed hope that the strategic and mutual cooperation between Dhaka and Beijing would continue during the upcoming tenure of her government. Bhutanese King Jigme Singye Wangchuck also greeted Hasina and hoped that Bangladesh would continue to enjoy development and prosperity under her leadership. China has vowed to boost military-to-military ties with Bangladesh by stepping up defence relations, including broadening of personnel training and cooperation in equipment technology. Earlier, China said it planned to provide Bangladesh with a whopping USD nine billion low-interest loan to build six rail projects, including one close to the Indian border. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The closure of mining major Vedanta group's Sterlite Copper plant following protests over pollution concerns and labour unrest in automobile units cast a shadow on Tamil Nadu's reputation as a favourable investment destination in 2018. The state also witnessed a shutdown by fireworks industry protesting restrictions on bursting crackers and agitations against proposed ban on single use of plastics and the proposed Rs 10,000 crore Greenfield Chennai-Salem Expressway project. On the positive side, the city hosted the prestigious Defence Expo while the Centre announced the first of the two proposed Defence Corridors in the country in Tamil Nadu, linking Chennai and Bengaluru. Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced a slew of pro-industry measures, including an agency to attract foreign investment in the micro, small and medium enterprises even as the second edition of Global Investors' Meet (GIM), which missed its date in 2017 following political turbulences that hit the ruling AIADMK, is set to be held next month. The state government ordered the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to seal and "permanently" close Sterlite's copper smelting unit in Tuticorin in May this year after violent protests against it led to the killing of 13 people in police firing. However, allowing an appeal, the National Green Tribunal set aside the closure order, holding that "it was non-sustainable" and "unjustified". A bench headed by NGT Chairperson A K Goel asked the TNPCB to pass a fresh order of renewal of consent within three weeks, subject to appropriate conditions for protection of environment. It also asked the Vedanta group to utilise ?100 crore over the next three years for the "welfare of the inhabitants" of Tuticorin. But, Sterlite's attempts to re-open the unit hit a block with the Madras High Court's Madurai bench ordering a status quo as existed before the NGT's December 15 order that had allowed the companys appeal against the closure order. Section of workers of Royal Enfield and India Yamaha Motor struck work for more than two months since July over trade union issues, affecting production at the facilities located at nearby Oragadam, known as the Detroit of India for large concentration of automobile units. The year saw the Centre's ambitious "Defexpo" being held near here from April 11 to 14 with the main theme of showcasing India as a major hub of defence production in the world. The exhibition held at Thiruvidanthai, about 45 kms from here, saw the participation of over 670 defence firms, including 154 foreign manufacturers, who displayed their weapons and military hardware. The Centre announced the first Defence corridor linking Chennai and Bengaluru that will pass through Coimbatore and several industrial clusters, giving an impetus to domestic defence production. The state government geared itself for holding the GIM, whose first edition was inaugurated by then Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa in September 2015 and attracted investments of about Rs 2.32 lakh crore. While it was anticipated that the biannual event would be held last year, the government later announced that the two-day meet would be held on January 24 and 25, 2019 and allocated Rs 75 crore towards it. Jayalalithaa's death in December 2016 and subsequent political turmoil in ruling AIADMK triggered by a revolt by a section of party MLAs loyal to ousted leader T T V Dhinakaran appeared to have cast a shadow on the industrial climate in the state. In a bid to retain Tamil Nadu's industry-friendly tag, the government organised roadshows across the country and abroad and announced a slew of sops for various sectors, including the MSME. In a major boost to the government, Korean-auto major Hyundai said in November it would sign a memorandum of understanding during the GIM to take up expansion work at its Sriperumbudur plant with investments of Rs 7,000 crore. The 277.3 km Salem-Chennai eight-lane expressway project, announced by the chief minister, encountered opposition from a section of farmers whose lands would be acquired. The matter was also taken to the high court, which has reserved its orders on pleas against the major infrastructure project. The project, proposed under the Centre's 'Bharatmala Pariyojana', would stimulate growth like the Mumbai-Pune and Delhi-AGra expressway projects, Palaniswami said in the state assembly. The country's fireworks hub in Sivakasi in southern Tamil Nadu, employing lakhs of people, is on an indefinite closure since November protesting the Supreme Court's order restricting bursting of crackers on Diwali day and allowing only green crackers. Though the apex court declined to impose a blanket ban on firecrackers, much to the relief of the industry, its stress on low emission green crackers has not gone down well with the manufacturers. General secretary of the firework manufacturers' association K Mariappan while welcoming the court's refusal to ban crackers expressed "We need to explain to the (Supreme) Court that we cannot produce such firecrackers (green crackers)". We may reduce the chemicals used in them, but that would take time," he told PTI. The association has also decided to file a review petition. Sivakasi, where fireworks making is a cottage industry, meets a major portion of the domestic demand for the crackers. The industry employs eight lakh people in and around Sivakasi and its turnover has fallen from Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 4,000 crore over the years due to various factors, according to the manufacturers. The state government's proposed ban on single use plastic from January 1, 2019, has expectedly drawn opposition from manufacturers who contend that the move was "discriminatory." Coinciding with the World Environment Day in June, Palaniswami had announced in the assembly that manufacture, sale, storage and usage of items such as plastic paper, cups, water sachets, straws and carry bags would be banned with effect from January 1, 2019. However, polythene sachets used for packaging milk, curd, oil and medical equipment would be exempted from the ban. The Tamil Nadu Plastic Manufacturers' Association alleged that the government order was "discriminatory" in nature as it allows the use of plastics in many government and large scale private sectors, while the same was banned from public and small-scale private sectors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Monday denied abandoning his plan for a "concrete wall" along the border with Mexico and said that part of the proposed barrier will be 'see-through'. "An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media, he tweeted after his outgoing chief of staff Gen (rtd) John Kelly said the idea of the concrete wall was abandoned very early in the Trump Administration. "Some areas (of the wall) will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me!" Trump tweeted. Trump has been seeking a USD5 billion in Congressional funding for the wall, which he believes is essential to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the US. The opposition Democratic party has opposed such a funding and blocked its passage from the Congress. The stalemate has resulted in a partial federal government shutdown for more than a week now. Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said that the party would vote for a responsible end to government shutdown this week. The Democratic party enjoys a majority in the US House of Representatives. Pelosi is the Speaker designate to the House of Representatives. The ruling Republican Party enjoys majority (53) in the 100-member Senate, but is seven seat short of the 60 votes required for the passage of some of the key legislations. Trump has said that he will not pass the spending bill which does not has provisions for a wall along the US-Mexico border. "I campaigned on Border Security, which you cannot have without a strong and powerful Wall. Our Southern Border has long been an 'Open Wound,' where drugs, criminals (including human traffickers) and illegals would pour into our Country. Dems should get back here an fix now! Trump said. Trump cancelled his planned vacation to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and stayed at the White House throughout Christmas and New Year holidays. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat BJP president Jitu Vaghani Monday claimed the Congress was trying to give a "political colour" to the AugustaWestland VVIP chopper case and questioned why the party was scared of a probe. The AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case is currently being heard in a Delhi court over claims of money laundering and kickbacks paid to middlemen. Referring to a past judgement by an Italian court in the case, Vaghani claimed the mention of (UPA chairperson) Sonia Gandhi, (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi and (senior Congress leader) Ahmed Patel in that judgement indicated they were involved in the scam. He said even the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agency investigating the AgustaWestland case, had told a court that alleged middleman Christian Michel had made a reference to 'Mrs Gandhi'. The ED had on Saturday told the court that Michel, who was extradited from Dubai and arrested by the agency on December 22, had made a reference to 'Mrs Gandhi' during interrogation on December 27. "Instead of giving a political colour to the ongoing probe, Congress leaders must first explain why the name of a Gandhi family member crops up whenever a foreigner is caught for corruption," Vaghani told reporters. Referring to Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala's recent accusation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government were AgustaWestland's "protectors and promoters", the BJP leader said the Congress was trying to divert the issue by dragging Modi's name. "Why is the Congress now feeling uneasy? They are worried because their leaders indulged in scams during UPA rule. It was the UPA government, not us, which handed over the probe to the CBI. The BJP government is only taking the probe ahead," Vaghani claimed. "Earlier, an Italian court's judgement had a mention of Sonia Gandhi. She was referred to as Signora Gandhi, that is Mrs Gandhi. Names of Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel had also cropped up. Now, (Christian) Michel took Sonia Gandhi's name. "It shows that Congress leaders were involved in the scam," he alleged. "Modi won't spare anyone involved in corruption. The Congress is trying to divert the issue by taking Modi's name. It is their strategy to hide their own corruption. The Congress needs to first come clean over the allegations," the state BJP chief said. The Congress has continually refuted allegations of any involvement in the VVIP chopper procurement case. On Monday, former defence minister A K Antony tore into the BJP for allegations against the Congress' top brass and said Sonia and Rahul never interfered in any defence deals. "Government, BJP misusing agencies to manufacture lies. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in defence deal," he told reporters in Delhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das hit out at the Congress on Monday, demanding an apology from the party for allegedly compromising national security in the AgustaWestland chopper deal. People have the right to ask and the Congress must provide answers, Das told a press conference here. "Sonia Gandhi (UPA chairperson) and the Congress party should apologise to the country for compromising with national security," the chief minister said. As part of its nation-wide campaign to attack the Congress over the statement of Christian Michel -- the alleged middleman in the deal -- to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the BJP fielded its chief ministers and top leaders in state capitals across the country. The BJP stepped up its attack on the Congress and its leaders in the wake of the alleged reference made by Michel about one "Mrs Gandhi", as told by the ED to a Delhi court. "The ED investigation has made it clear how the irregularities were committed in the deal," Das said. The Congress, has, however, rejected the allegations and has counter-alleged that it was the Modi government that was a "protector, benefactor and promoter" of AgustaWestland. The party has also expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A belligerent Congress Monday again sought to raise the issue of alleged scam in the Rafale deal in the Lok Sabha, with Home Minister Rajnath Singh saying that repeating a lie would not make it a truth. Congress members have been raising the Rafale deal issue since the start of the Winter Session of Parliament on December 11, demanding that a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) should probe the matter. During the Zero Hour, party members trooped into the Well displaying placards and shouting slogans on the matter. Raising the issue, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said there has been a scam in the deal and asked why the government was not disclosing the price of jets. He also demanded a JPC probe into the issue amid loud protests from BJP members. In response, Singh said repeating the same lie again and again would not make it a truth. The government is ready for discussion on the matter but why is the Congress running way, the minister asked. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was present in the House. The Opposition has also been raising the issue outside Parliament. Besides, members from the AIADMK and the TDP engaged in sloganeering in the Well as they sought to raise various other issues. While the AIADMK demanded that construction of a dam across the Cauvery river should be stopped, the TDP continued to seek special status for Andhra Pradesh. More than 20 members from the Congress, the AIADMK and the TDP were in the Well during the Zero Hour. Despite the din, many members raised various issues. PDP member Muzaffar H Baig said there has been a steep rise in killing of civilians in Jammu and Kashmir even as he acknowledged that security forces are working in a difficult environment. Prem Singh Chandumajra (SAD) raised the issue of poor law and order in Punjab and referred to recent local polls where police, he alleged, was used to scare away voters. Congress members were heard objecting to him being allowed to raise a state issue. Anurag Thakur (BJP) spoke about monkey and stray cattle menace in Himachal Pradesh and said they were harming crops. Kaushalendra Kumar (JD-U) demanded that all people above the age of 60 should be given pension. Rama Devi (BJP) raised the issue of dues of sugarcane farmers pending in her constituency, Sheohar, and sought steps to ensure farmers are paid their dues. Nishikant Dubey (BJP) demanded Assam-like National Register of Citizens in Jharkhand as well, saying the presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants has impacted demographic balance in parts of the state. Sharad Tripathi (BJP) demanded that a cancer treatment hospital be opened in Sant Kabir Nagar due to rising number of cancer cases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Alleging that the TRS had won the recent Assembly elections in Telangana by "utilising administration" and "manipulating EVMs", Congress Monday said it would meet the President and other top functionaries next week over the issue. "Won elections by utilising administration. With all the papers, in the next week, to meet the Chief Election Commissioner, President of India, Vice President of India...," R C Khuntia, AICC in-charge of Congress affairs in Telangana, told reporters. He was speaking after a meeting he had with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other party leaders on reviewing the loss in the Assembly polls and preparations for coming Panchayat and Lok Sabha electins. Khuntia also alleged that EVMs have been "manipulated" in the recent polls. Reddy said the party reviewed the future course of action, including legal battle, to be taken vis-a-vis constituencies which the party lost narrowly. Congress decided to continue its fight on alleged reduction of reservations for backward classes in gram panchayat elections, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Health parameters of the tribal population have considerably improved over the years though some gaps still exist in comparison to the general population, the Centre informed Parliament Monday. "There have been considerable improvements in the socio-economic conditions of Scheduled Tribes (STs). For example, infant mortality rate (among STs) has declined from 62.1 (per thousand live births) in 2005-06 to 44.4 in 2015-16," Minister of State, Tribal Affairs, Jaswantsinh Bhabhor told the Lok Sabha. Under-five mortality rate among the tribals has declined from 95.7 in 2005-06 to 57.2 in 2015-16. In the same period, full immunisation increased from 31.3 per cent to 55.8 per cent and institutional delivery improved from 17.7 per cent to 68 per cent, he said. "However, there are still some gaps as compared to figures of the total population," the minister said. For example, the overall infant mortality rate was 40.7 in 2015-16. Also, under-five mortality rate in 2015-16 was 57.2 for Scheduled Tribes as compared to 49.7 for all population, Bhabhor said. A report by an expert committee constituted by the ministries of health and tribal affairs in 2013 recently said the health status of Scheduled Tribes had significantly improved over the last 25 years, and "yet, it is the worst when compared to other social groups. The comprehensive analysis of tribal health had revealed that tribals account for 30 per cent cases of malaria in India, and non-communicable and lifestyle diseases were the major health problems faced by them. The report also said an "unacceptably high" number of tribals suffered from malnutrition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre Monday approved the release of Rs 1,146 crore to for the people affected by 'Gaja', which had claimed 46 lives and left a trail of destruction in over 10 districts in the state. The approval for the financial assistance was given at a high level committee chaired by Home Minister The high level committee approved the additional assistance of Rs 1,146.12 crore to from the Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), a statement from the said. Earlier on December 3, the central government had released Rs 353.70 crore as an interim relief, in order to support the affected people of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, and Vice Chairman, Niti Ayog, attended the meeting. Last month, the had sought about Rs 14,910 crore as central assistance towards relief and rehabilitation activities in 'Gaja' affected districts in the state. According to the abstract of memorandum submitted to the central government, the had sought a total sum of Rs 14,910 crore towards permanent renovation activities in various areas, including the power sector which has been badly hit. Over one lakh electric poles had been uprooted and a significant number of power sub-stations damaged, with reports suggesting that many parts are still without 'Gaja' had crossed the Tamil Nadu coast early on November 16 between Nagapattinam, about 300 km from here, and nearby Vedaranyam. It had claimed 46 lives and left a trail of destruction in over 10 districts, including Nagapttinam, Thiruvarur, Puthukottai and Thanjavur. Assembly elections in nine states, loss of hundreds of lives in Kerala caused by flood and rains, and a number of major bank frauds made the headlines in the year 2018. The Supreme Court delivered some pathbreaking judgements this year including decriminalising homosexuality, lifting Sabarimala temple's ban on women devotee, and invalidating Aadhaar for bank services as well as to avail new mobile connections. While sexual harrasment allegations against some of the most prominent names from media, art, and film world gave a renewed push to India's #MeToo movement this year, the country also came together to mourn the deaths of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Bollywood celebrities including Sridevi, Shashi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, and Mrinal Sen among others. Following is the diary of domestic events in the month of January: Jan 1: New Delhi/Islamabad: India awaits consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and other Indian nationals in Pakistan's custody, the external affairs ministry said today, as it exchanged with Islamabad the list of civilian prisoners and fishermen lodged in each other's jails. Jan 2: New Delhi: Rajinder Khanna, former chief of the country's external intelligence agency RAW, was today appointed as Deputy National Security Adviser, according to an official order. Jan 3: New Delhi: The Railways has said Aadhaar is not compulsory for booking tickets for rail journey, but it is encouraged by the transport behemoth by promoting it on a voluntary basis by incentivising it. Jan 4: Guwahati/Kolkata: The Assam Police today registered an FIR against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on complaints over her allegation that the Centre was conspiring to drive Bengalis out of Assam with the state's National Register of Citizens (NRC) that is being updated. Jan 5: New Delhi: The Congress today held the BJP responsible for the impasse in the Rajya Sabha due to which the triple talaq bill could not be taken up, and accused the ruling party of trying to use Parliament as a "rubber stamp". Jan 6: Ranchi: A special CBI court today sentenced RJD chief Lalu Prasad to three-and-a-half years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on him in a fodder scam case relating to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury 21 years ago. Jan 7: New Delhi: The electoral bonds mechanism is a substantial improvement in transparency over the present system and the government is open to suggestions to further cleanse political funding, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said today. Jan 8: New Delhi: The Supreme Court today agreed to reconsider its 2013 verdict criminalising gay sex and referred to a larger bench the plea challenging the colonial penal provision, observing societal morality "changes from age to age." Jan 9: New Delhi: Reversing its order, the Supreme Court today held that playing of national anthem in cinema halls before screening of films is no longer mandatory and left it to a government panel to frame guidelines on this sensitive matter. Jan 10: New Delhi: In big bang reforms ahead of BJP government's last full Budget, foreign airlines were today allowed to buy up to 49 per cent stake in Air India while easing FDI rules for several sectors including single brand retail and construction. Jan 11: New Delhi: The Income Tax Department seizes gold jewellery, bullion and cash valued at more than Rs 20 crore as part of its anti-black money drive against illegal private vaults operating in the national capital. Jan 12: New Delhi: Warning that democracy is at stake, four senior judges of the Supreme Court mount a virtual revolt against the country's chief justice, raising questions on "selective" case allocation and certain judicial orders, sending shockwaves across the judiciary and polity. Jan 13: New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today conducted searches at ten premises linked to Karti Chidambaram, including the residence of his father and Congress leader P Chidambaram in Delhi, in connection with its money laundering probe in the Aircel-Maxis case. Jan 14: New Delhi: The government is planning to raise 15 new battalions in the country's two important border guarding forces -- the BSF and the ITBP -- to fortify defence along the strategic frontiers with Pakistan, Bangladesh and China. Jan 15: New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu today held "wide-ranging and intensive" talks to bolster cooperation in key areas such as defence and counter-terrorism. Jan 16: New Delhi: There will be no subsidy for Haj from this year and the funds saved will be used for providing education to minorities, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said today, while projecting the move as an effort by the government to "empower minorities" without appeasement. Jan 17: Chennai: Amid hype over their political entry, the Tamil film industry's top two actors, Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, today shared the dais at a function here with the former saying only time will tell whether he will forge an alliance with the latter, who seconded the view. Jan 18: Balasore (Odisha): India successfully test-fires its nuclear capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5 - the most advanced missile in the Agni series with a strike range of over 5000 km -- from a test range off Odisha coast. Jan 19: New Delhi: In a blow to Delhi's ruling Aam Admi Party, the Election Commission recommends to the President the disqualification of 20 of its MLAs for holding office of profit, setting the stage for their ouster from thes Assembly. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence(DRI) seized 799800 Chinese cigarettes worth Rs 1.19 crore from New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express from Guwahati at Patliputra railway station in Patna, DRI sources said on Monday. Acting on a specific information that the cigarette consignment was being smuggled to Delhi, the DRI officers raided the train Sunday evening when it arrived at the station and seized 799800 king size Chinese cigarettes worth Rs 1,19,97,000. The cigarettes had been smuggled from Myanmar and were being taken to New Delhi, the sources said. The cigarettes were loaded at Guwahati, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The (FDI) norms related to should be implemented on domestic online players also to restrict them from adopting any unethical practices, traders' body CAIT said Monday. In a communication to Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, the Confederation of All Traders (CAIT) also urged the minister to immediately release the proposed policy for the sector. The ministry is working on the policy and would soon come out with a draft for public views. "The norms as spelled out in the policy should also be made applicable on domestic players as well to restrict them from adopting any unethical practices and remain at par with other players," it said. Tightening norms for having foreign investment, the government barred online marketplaces such as and from selling products of where they hold stakes and banned exclusive marketing arrangements that could influence product price. The Confederation also asked the minister to set up an independent regulatory authority for the sector. Further, it alleged that certain associations are criticising the revised norms and the government should not "bow down" under any kind of pressure. : The Hyderabad High Court premises witnessed emotional scenes Monday on the eve of coming into being of separate high courts for the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with advocates going down nostalgic lane. The Hyderabad High Court had jurisdiction over the two Telugu states even after Telangana was carved out of a united Andhra Pradesh in June 2014 but it would no longer be the case from Tuesday. The new Andhra Pradesh High Court would formally start functioning from the state capital of Amaravati while the Telangana High Court would function from the existing premises here. An informal farewell on the premises of the Hyderabad High Court saw some advocates turning emotional recalling the 'togetherness' with which advocates in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana worked over the years. A group of judicial officers, some employees and advocates left for Andhra Pradesh Monday with members of legal fraternity of Telangana giving them a warm send-off. President of the Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocates Association K B Ramanna Dora said advocates from Andhra Pradesh were not opposed to the bifurcation of the High Court but there were some apprehensions with regard to 'inadequate' court facilities in Amaravati. "Our association with Telangana people is very good. There were some emotions but it is quite natural. From tomorrow, we (Andhra Pradesh advocates) may not be here," Dora said. "We have no grievance over bifurcation of the High Court," he said. "(But) there is no enough infrastructure there (Amaravati). Construction of the High Court (in Amaravati) is not over," he said listing them as among the concerns. About 1,600 employees were working at the Hyderabad High Court and they would be allocated in the 58:42 ratio to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state, an official said. Asked about the division and allocation of employees between the High Courts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states, the official said a section of employees was sent temporarily to Andhra Pradesh and they would work there till the final allocation was done. The process of shifting files pertaining to the Andhra Pradesh High Court has started and it would continue, the official said. Advocates from Telangana have been in a celebratory mood over formation of a separate High Court for the state. President of the Telangana High Court Advocates Association C Damodar Reddy told PTI: "Advocates from Telangana are very happy as a long-pending dream of having a separate High Court for Telangana has been realised. When two states are formed then separate High Courts must be established". He said formation of a separate Andhra Pradesh High Court would also be convenient to litigants and added that the Constitution says every state should have its own High Court. There were over 2.6 lakh cases currently in the Hyderabad High Court, of which about 60 per cent belong to Andhra Pradesh, sources said. Meanwhile, a group of advocates staged a protest near the Hyderabad High Court premises here holding placards that read 'Black Day for Rayalaseema.' The protesting advocates opposed to establishment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in Amaravati raised slogans against the state Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and demanded that it be located in Rayalaseema region of that state. President Ram Nath Kovind had last week issued orders for a separate high court which would function from Amravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh from January 1. Governor ESL Narasimhan would administer the oath of office to the Chief Justice of the new High Court for Telangana Thottathil Bhaskaran Nair Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan here. Other judges would take oath at the High Court here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Nashik sessions court in Maharashtra Monday acquitted late Abdul Karim Telgi and seven others in a 2004 multi-crore fake stamp paper case in absence of "solid evidence" against them. Telgi, who was convicted in several cases in connection with the scam and sentenced to imprisonment of 30 years in total, died in Bengaluru in October last year while serving his jail term. Charges against Telgi, believed to be the kingpin of the scam that was spread over several states, were abated after his death. In his order, district and sessions court judge, first class, P R Deshmukh acquitted Telgi and seven others for want of evidence against them. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a chargesheet against Telgi and others in a Nashik court in August 2004 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The CBI had contended that the accused, including the officers and constables of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), colluded with Telgi by selling him stamp papers by opening sealed packets when they were transported to the Nashik railway yard from the city-based India Security Press, said defence advocate M Y Kale. These stamp papers were meant to be dispatched to treasuries of various state governments. The India Security Press (ISP) is a subsidiary of the Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India (SPMCIL), a public undertaking of the Union government. ISP, located in Nashik, is tasked with printing passports, visas, postage stamps, post cards, inland letters, envelopes, non-postal adhesives, court fees, fiscal, and Hundi stamps in the country. The court had framed charges against the eight accused in February 2015, Kale said. The court examined 49 witnesses during the trial, he said, adding that the accused were acquitted by the judge in absence of "solid evidence". Besides Telgi, other accused acquitted Monday are identified as RPF officials Rambhau Pawar, Brijkishore Tiwari, Vilaschandra Joshi, Dyaneshwar Barke, Pramod Dahage, Mohammed Sarvar and Vilas More. It cannot be immediately confirmed whether these officials are still serving with the RPF or are retired from service. The government pleader, who represented the CBI in the case, didn't talk with reporters. Telgi had printed fake stamp papers allegedly in connivance with government officials and politicians, and sold them to banks, stock brokerage firms and insurance companies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The agriculture sector, which remained in distress during 2018 as crop prices slumped due to bumper production, will be in spotlight in the new year as the BJP-ruled central government is set to roll out a big package to assuage the angry farming community ahead of the general elections. The proposals being considered range from waiving off interest for farmers who repay crop loans on time to lowering the insurance premium and providing income support for meeting input costs, according to sources. During the year, the Centre did take several measures to address the farmers' issues. One of the major decisions was to fulfil its 2014 poll promise of fixing the minimum support price (MSP) at least 1.5 times the production cost, even as critics questioned the method adopted to ascertain costs. The government also announced a Rs 15,000 crore 'PM-AASHA' scheme to ensure that farmers get the MSP as part of its objective of doubling farmers' income by 2022. Various incentives were given to sugar mills to help them clear arrears of sugarcane growers. Agriculture credit target was raised by Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 11 lakh crore for this fiscal. Import duties were raised on many goods like edible oils and pulses while exports incentives were given for items like sugar and onions to protect farmers. Despite these steps, farmers continued to face the challenge of selling their produce at remunerative prices in both domestic and international markets. In fact, farmers' financial crisis deepened during 2018 as an all-time high production of foodgrains at nearly 285 million tonnes and bumper output of oilseed, sugarcane, cotton as well as horticulture crops led to a decline in market prices. The prices of many crops fell below MSP as well as input cost. Reports of farmers dumping their produce on the streets or selling at throwaway prices were common through this year. Some cases of suicides were also reported. Droughts in several parts of states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Rajasthan only aggravated the crisis. Farmers marched to the national capital more than once this year and held massive protests in many parts of the country to share their plight and make various demands, including better crop prices as well as loan waiver. While the BJP-ruled central government ruled out a loan waiver, the opposition Congress did promise the same during the state elections held this year. The Congress achieved success in four states -- Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh --- largely riding on the promise of farm loan waiver. The poll promise was implemented within days of the new governments taking charge in these four states, putting pressure on the Centre to take more pro-farmer initiatives. With general elections due in the next few months, it is certain that the BJP-led NDA and the opposition parties will engage in one-upmanship in wooing farmers and promising dole outs for securing their crucial votes. The Centre is expected to soon announce a relief package for farmers, while the Congress will, in all probability, promise to waive farm loans at the national level, as it had done before the 2009 general polls. However, former agriculture secretary S K Pattanayak, who retired recently, did not agree with the prevailing view of the sector being in large-scale distress. "Distress cannot be there when there is more production. It is a question of some deprivation. Farmers may not have got expected prices," he said. "There may be distress in pockets because of failure of crops and borrowing at higher rate. These local problems are not new in the sector and it always existed. That should be isolated from the general distress," Pattanayak told PTI. Stating that farm loan waiver is not the long-term solution, he said: "If the government has the capacity to give farm loan waiver, it is good. If it is at the cost of cutting the budget elsewhere, then it is not necessarily the best thing to do." Ashok Dalwai, chairman of a high-level committee on doubling farmers' income, said the government realises that the challenge lies in marketing and has taken several initiatives from the long-term perspective, which will show results in due course of time. He said farmers distress is a "sensitive subject" and the opposition parties are bound to raise it in an election year. "But the government has taken several steps. It has done so much that it has to just reach out to the people," Dalwai said. In short, it looks like over agriculture will play out in a big way in 2019 general elections, given that farm sector absorbs half of the country's 1.3 billion population. apart, farmers will definitely need hand-holding from both the central and state governments as foodgrains production is expected to be bumper in 2018-19 crop year (July-June) as well, limiting any chance of improvement in prices. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Most of the fishing harbours and beaches adjacent to fishing villages have occurrence of "high" beach litter, the government said Monday. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Mahesh Sharma said plastic litter from tourism accounted for 40 per cent at Elliot's Beach in Chennai and 96 per cent at Gopalpur Beach in Odisha. He said in recent years, plastic pollution has been identified as a key component of marine debris in beaches all over the world. Among different coastal segments studied, beach pollution was observed to be high at places that were in close proximity to the river mouths. The beaches adjacent to rivers exhibit relatively higher beach debris compared to those influenced by tourism and fishing activities, the minister said. "According to the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), studies on qualitative analysis of litter on different beaches along the east and west coast of India shows that plastic litter from tourism accounted for 40 per cent at Elliot's Beach in Chennai and 96 per cent at Gopalpur Beach in Odisha," he said. Indian beaches attract thousands of tourists and the hotels and small-time vendors operating at the tourist hot spots eventually contribute to plastic waste such as single use carry bags, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, packing materials, styrofoam food wrappers or containers, straws and plastic tea cups, which results in beach littering, he pointed out. "The recent studies carried out by the Ministry and Ministry of Earth Sciences reveal that most of the fishing harbours and beaches adjacent to fishing villages have occurrence of high beach litter. "Being the most important fishing states, Kerala and Karnataka beaches, especially Fort Kochi (in Kerala) and Karwar (in Karnataka) have profound influence of beach debris, especially synthetic materials like biologically non-degradable nylon fabrics, widely used in the preparation of fishing nets," Sharma said. The minister was asked whether according to a recent study by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), India had to cope up with a new category of pollution--beach pollution-- in addition to the existing water and air pollution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Targeting the Gandhi family, BJP chief Monday said the "friendship" between Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland deal, and the Congress' top leadership is "time-tested and deep". In a series of tweets, Shah also asked if Michel wanted details of his questioning by investigators to be passed onto "Mrs Gandhi". "Trails of the AgustaWestland Casethe SOS of Christian Michel. Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs Gandhi herself? Why?" he tweeted. Shah said Michel's lawyer had admitted that the alleged middleman indeed passed paper to him and claimed that he thought it was a list of medicines. The BJP president took an apparent swipe at the Gandhi family, saying people have heard of Zandu balm and Tiger balm -- medicines used to relieve pain -- but what is this "family balm" that every middleman wants. "In any case, what must be told again and again is the background of Michel's lawyer. The so-called expulsion remains a sham. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi!" Shah said. The had expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. "In interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in is time-tested and deep," Shah said. A had Saturday imposed restrictions on Michel, the alleged middleman in the purchase of VVIP choppers during the UPA's tenure, meeting his lawyers in Enforcement Directorate's custody. The directions were given after the probe agency said he was misusing legal access by passing chits to the advocates asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi". The agency also claimed that he has spoken about "son of an Italian lady" and taken "Mrs Gandhi's" name in reference to a query. The BJP has used this disclosure to attack the Congress, especially the Gandhi family. 'Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne' - that is how vision and dream to run cargo ships on the Ganga used to be the butt of many jokes - recalls Nitin Four years down the line - 80 lakh tonnes of cargo sailed on Ganga waters this year and is set to swell to 280 lakh tonnes next year - isn't it a mini revolution, asks the man in-charge for Shipping, Ganga Rejuvenation, Water Resources and River Development in Prime Minister Cabinet. In a landmark achievement, the country's first inland voyage by a container ship since it gained independence ended when the vessel, carrying cargo equivalent to 16 truckloads, docked in the holy city of in November. The 1,390 km stretch from Haldia to is one of the 111 waterways spanning 20,276 km that the country is developing. "Initially, when I used to talk of revolutionising waterways in the country, some used to ridicule me. It was like 'Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne' for some. But the dreams have come true...Now the same people congratulate me...I have always said I am not a person of empty words... rather I am a person with strong commitment who has a track record of actualising dreams which he shows," told PTI. The minister said that he wanted to revolutionalise the entire sector and massive work is underway on the Ganga and various other projects, including plans to convert 111 rivers into waterways. This apart, the government is exploring the use of new kinds of vehicles like hybrid aeroboats that combine land, water and aviation technology and can run on land, water and air at speed greater than 80 km per hour. "Hybrid aeroboats from top Russian companies could be roped in for Kumbh and we may start a pilot project between and and between and on January 26. Top Russian firms, which manufacture these all-terrain aeroboats that can run on water, marshy land with just 10 cm water, snow or ice, fuelled by petrol, or methanol with a speed of about 170 km per hour, has made presentations to the ministry. The boats are made of aluminium, which take about 15 minutes to assemble and has a passenger capacity of 11. He expressed regret that despite coming out with a set of rules for seaplanes, so far the players have not come forward and may be they were apprehensive about its viability, but expects that eventually this space will thrive in India. Talking about the Ganga, the minister said about 70 to 80 per cent work of cleaning will be done by March and the entire cleaning will be done by March 2020. Also, he said, steps have been taken to ensure flow of the river throughout the year. "Waterways revolution will be a gamechanger for the country's economy and reduce the transportation cost by about 50 per cent...Varanasi to Haldia, we are looking at all kinds of cargo transportation - cement, etc, and it would boost the economic growth of states like Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and "Another priority is linking rivers and five projects are set for cabinet approval that will change the rural and agricultural economy," the minister said. Claiming to have done work worth Rs 10 trillion in shipping, highways and waterways, said that the work done by the in four years surpasses the progress in previous 50 years. The year 2018 has been a significant one for the Ministry of Shipping. Bolstered by progressive policy interventions like amendment of Model Concession Agreement, revision of tariff guidelines and the various steps taken towards facilitating ease of doing business, the major ports kept up their impressive performance. The ambitious Sagarmala Programme - a port-led development programme for the country - saw the completion of 89 projects, while 443 projects worth Rs 4.32 trillion are under various stages of implementation and development. The year was especially remarkable for developments in the inland water transport sector. The inauguration of the multi modal terminal on River Ganga at Varanasi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first ever post-independence movement of container cargo from to Varanasi, and the commencement of integrated movement of cargo from Kahalgaon in to Pandu in Assam over three waterways - the Ganga, Brahmaputra and the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route - established that the vision of inland water as a cheaper and environment friendly mode of transport is becoming reality. Cruise tourism was another area with important developments like the inauguration of a modernised international cruise terminal at Chennai Port and the launch of Mumbai- service. Ports in India handle 90 per cent by volume and 70 per cent by value of India's external trade. The 12 major ports in the country have a capacity to handle 1,451.19 million tonne cargo per annum while they handled 403.39 million tonne cargo by October this year. India has 12 major ports -- Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore, V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and (including Haldia). Incarcerated mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed allegedly assaulted a Lucknow-based businessman in Deoria jail after getting him abducted and forced him to sign away property worth Rs 40 crore, following which the Uttar Pradesh government on Monday ordered that he be shifted to high-security Bareilly jail. As the alleged incident left it red-faced, the state government also initiated disciplinary proceedings against Deoria jail superintendent Dilip Kumar Pandey and jailor Mukesh Kumar Katiyar, besides suspending several others. A government order issued by the prisons department (Prisons Administration and Reform Services, UP) said, "Approval has been given for shifting undertrial Atiq Ahmed, who is currently lodged in Deoria district jail, to Bareilly district jail on administrative grounds." Deputy jailor Dev Nath Yadav, head warder Munna Pandey and warder Rakesh Kumar Sharma have been suspended and disciplinary proceedings have been started against them, a home department release said. "The government has sought a report from ADG Prison, so as to fix responsibility regarding the lapse in Deoria jail. Action will be taken accordingly. An FIR has been filed at Krishnanagar police station and of the four named accused, two have been arrested," UP Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar had said in a late night statement Sunday. In his police complaint, the real estate businessman, Mohit Jaiswal, alleged that Ahmed, a former Samajwadi Party MP, his son Umar and about 15 others forcibly took away his SUV in which he was driven to Deoria from the state capital. Jaiswal alleged that he was assaulted by Ahmed and his supporters and forced to sign papers to handover his property worth Rs 40 crore before he was let off. Police booked Ahmed, his son Umar, and accomplices Farooque, Zaki Ahmed, Jafar Ullah, Ghulam Sarvar and 10 to 12 unidentified people on various charges, including attempt to murder, after Jaiswal filed the complaint at the Krishna Nagar police station in Lucknow. Circle Officer, Krishna Nagar, Lal Pratap Singh said according to Jaiswal, Ahmed's henchmen took him to the Deoria jail on December 26 in Jaiswal's own SUV and assaulted him inside the barrack where the gangster is lodged. The jailor said, "Jaiswal had come to meet Atiq Ahmed on December 26. The meeting took place as per the jail rules. I have no information on whether he was abducted and forced to come here or assaulted. He didn't tell anyone about it while leaving." When contacted, District Magistrate of Deoria Amit Kishore said, "Police searched all the barracks. It seems that the CCTV recording has been tampered with... Some parts of the footage are missing. We have taken cognizance of it."He said the DIG (prisons), Gorakhpur, will conduct a probe. Also, a committee under ADM (administration) will go into each and every aspect and submit its report by Tuesday, he said. Ahmed, a history-sheeter with at least 70 cases against him, including the killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005 in Allahabad, is lodged in Deoria district jail since March last year after being transferred from Allahabad's Naini jail. He has been incarcerated since February, 2017 after being booked for allegedly assaulting faculty members of an agriculture institute in Allahabad in 2016. A former SP MP and five-time MLA from Allahabad West, Ahmed unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha bypoll from Phulpur as an Independent this year. In 2004, Ahmed was elected to the Lok Sabha as an SP candidate. He contested the 2009 general elections from Pratapgarh as an Apna Dal candidate, where he lost. He also fought the 2012 Assembly election from Allahabad West under the Apna Dal but lost again. It may be recalled that gangster Munna Bajrangi was shot dead by another inmate, considered to be one of his rivals, on Baghpat jail premises in July this year. Bajrangi was lodged in Banda jail and was shifted to Baghpat in connection with his appearance in a case in the district court. After Bajrangi's killing, the state government had set up a high-powered three-member committee under the chairmanship of former DGP Sulkhan Singh to give a report to upgrade the security of all jails across the state. The committee had the mandate to suggest measure to be taken to curb smuggling of firearms and sharp-edged arms. Gangsters such as Mukhtar Ansari, Brajesh Singh, Sundar Bhati, Anil Dujana, Amit Kasna, Babloo Srivastava and Khan Mubarak have been reportedly running their crime syndicates from inside jails. A video has emerged purportedly showing inmates of a Raebareli jail having drinks inside the barrack. The video went viral on social media Monday, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to suspend six officials, including a senior jail superintendent. Uttar Pradesh jails have been plagued with issues like overcrowding, porous security and paucity of staff. Even the CCTV camera installed on various premises, metal detectors and other such security checks are usually found non-functional. Jail authorities in Uttar Pradesh have often come under fire for being allegedly hand in glove with inmates while letting them continue their illegal activities and extortion networks from inside the jails. After the BJP came to power in the state in March last year, over 100 criminals were shifted from one jail to another to neutralise their crime machinery. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat BJP chief Jitu Vaghani Monday asked senior Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry to "go and live" in Pakistan for suggesting to open the Indo-Pak border at Suigam village in the state to enable farmers to export their farm produce to the neighbouring country. Hitting back, Congress asked Vaghani to first explain why the BJP government at the Centre is "going soft" on Pakistan. "Madhusudanbhai should go to Pakistan and live there", said Vaghani when asked to comment about the Congress leader's suggestion, which he had shared during a party rally held near Himmatnagar town in Sabarkantha district on December 29. At that programme, the Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat had said that opening of the Indo-Pak border at Suigam village in Banaskantha district would benefit farmers of three northern districts in the state. "During my visit to Idar town some years ago, local farmers complained that their produce of tomatoes takes three days to reach the Wagha border (in Punjab) and lie their for another two days before it reaches Pakistan. As a result, farmers are not getting the desired price for the produce," Mistry had said. Mistry further said he had told farmers in the past that the BJP government lacked vision. "Suigam is just 125 kms away from Idar. If you open the border at Suigam, farmers can export many commodities to Pakistan. It will increase trade and eventually benefit farmers of Banaskantha, Sabarkantha and Patan," he had said. Responding to Vaghani's barb at Mistry, Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi Monday said the BJP leader should first clear his party's stand on the "invitation extended by the Gujarat government to Pakistan for the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit". "BJP leaders had promised to teach a lesson to Pakistan ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls. But now, their government is spreading a red carpet for Pakistan. The BJP should first explain this sudden change. They owe an explanation to the people of the country," said Doshi. After the invitation was extended to Pakistan, office-bearers of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) had claimed that it was only a "general circular" meant for around 285 global trade bodies, and final invitation will be sent only after scrutiny. On December 27, Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation Vice Chairman and Managing Director D. Thara said a Pakistani trade delegation may attend a two-day convention for the MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) sector during the upcoming summit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP government in Gujarat has asked schools to ensure that students respond with 'Jai Hind' or 'Jai Bharat' during roll call instead of customary 'Yes Sir', which it feels will instill "a feeling of patriotism". The move has drawn flak from opposition parties which said the government should rather work towards improving the "deteriorating quality of education". As per notifications issued Monday (December 31) by the Directorate of Primary Education and Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB), students of class 1-12 of the government, grant-in-aid and self-financed schools will have to respond to attendance call with 'Jai Hind' or 'Jai Bharat', starting January 1.The objective of the new practice is to "foster patriotism among students right from childhood", the notifications stated.Defending the move, Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said Tuesday that the government should be open to accepting "good suggestions"."'Jai Bharat' and 'Jai Hind' are much better than 'Yes Sir'. Saying 'Jai Hind' or 'Jai Bharat' creates a feeling of patriotism, which is why I have decided to make the change," he told reporters.The minister said schools affiliated to the CBSE and other boards have also been asked to follow the new guidelines."Even local private schools have said that this is a good decision of the state government," he claimed.Criticising the Gujarat government, state Congress unit president Amit Chavda said the new practice "will not change the quality of education" in the government and affiliated schools."The BJP government has made several efforts to instill patriotism among school students. Altering a certain practice will not improve the standard of education," he said.Chavda alleged that the quality of primary education is going down in Gujarat. "The quality is even worse than many other under-developed states," he said."The standard of primary eduction in Gujarat has gone down significantly over the last several years. The BJP government engages only in talks and programmes in the name of improving quality," the Congress leader alleged.He asked the Gujarat government to focus on improving school infrastructure, recruiting teachers to fill huge backlog of vacancies and "not forcing teachers to do non-teaching jobs for the government".Patidar leader Hardik Patel said the children and youths of Gujarat should not be forced to express their patriotism, "as that feeling runs in their blood".He said the government should prioritise improving the "significantly deteriorated" quality of education in the state."Instead of improving the quality of education, the education minister is talking about teaching patriotism to Gujarat's youth and children. He should know that everybody here is born with the feeling of patriotism," Hardik Patel said.Nobody has the right to force anybody to say something he/she dislikes, he said."This is an attempt to deflect from the right issue. Schools are getting closed. Shortage of teachers is also an important issue," Hardik Patel said. A trainee police sub inspector Monday allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with a relative's revolver in Ahmedabad's Chandlodiya locality, police said. PSI Devendra Rathod, who was undergoing training at the Gujarat Police Academy in Karai in Gandhinagar, shot himself in the afternoon on Monday at his residence, Inspector DH Gadhvi of Sola police station said. "On Monday afternoon, he told his wife that he was going to rest. His wife heard a gun shot and rushed to the room and found him lying in a pool of blood, with a revolver by his side," he said. The official added that no suicide note was found from the spot but Rathod's kin had claimed that he was depressed as he was suffering from migraine and back pain. The PSI is survived by his wife and two-year-old daughter, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court Monday refused to pass any orders to the Pune Police to permit the Bhim Army to conduct public meetings in the city. A vacation bench of Justice C V Bhadang directed the Pune Police to file its affidavit in response to a petition filed by activist Datta Pol, chief of the Bhim Army's Pune unit. Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad was to address a rally at the SSPMS College ground in Pune on Sunday evening, however, it was cancelled as the organisers failed to get required permissions. On Saturday, his supporters alleged that he was "detained" at his Mumbai hotel, a charge denied by the police. The firebrand Dalit leader was also scheduled to have an interaction with students at Savitribai Phule Pune University Monday, but varsity officials said no permission had been granted for the programme. In the petition, Pol sought a direction to the Pune Police to grant them permission to hold public meetings. According to the petition, the Bhim Army had filed several applications to the Pune Police seeking permission to conduct public meetings and gatherings on December 30 and 31 in the city. "However, till date, police have not replied to it. We later learnt from the media that our applications have been rejected. Hence, this petition has been filed seeking a direction to police to allow us to hold public meetings," Pol's advocate Nitin Satpute said. The petition further claimed that Azad and Bhim Army's Mumbai chief Ashok Kamble were placed under house arrest by the Mumbai Police to ensure that they do not go to Pune. Justice Bhadang was on Monday informed by an advocate appearing for the Pune Police that Azad was never detained or placed under house arrest, as claimed by the petition. The high court refused to pass any interim order and directed police to file its affidavit while posting the petition for hearing on January 4. Apart from permission to hold public meetings, the petition had sought a direction to police to refrain from taking any action against the Bhim Army and its activists. It also sought a compensation of Rs 10 crore from the state government to Azad and other activists of the Bhim Army for "illegal detention". The Bhim Army had planned events in Mumbai on Saturday and in Pune on Sunday, days ahead of the first anniversary of the Koregaon-Bhima violence. Azad is slated to visit Koregaon-Bhima village 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. The area around the village had witnessed violent caste clashes on January 1 this year during celebrations to mark the bicentenary of 1818 battle, leaving one person dead and several injured. 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.) The Hyderabad High Court Monday set aside an Enforcement Directorate order provisionally attaching Rs 822 crore worth of fixed deposits belonging to Satyam Computer Services Ltd, which was acquired by Tech Mahindra. In 2012, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued provisional attachment orders freezing fixed deposits of Satyam (now merged into Tech Mahindra) in connection with its probe in the money laundering case. The agency provisionally attached the amount alleging that it was ill-gotten proceeds of Satyam Computers. A bench of Justices V Ramasubramanian and J Uma Devi Monday set aside the ED's orders. Vivek Reddy, counsel for Tech Mahindra, told PTI they argued that there was no money when the Tech Mahindra took over the fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services Ltd (SCCL) in 2009 and on the other hand, the Mahindra group company had to infuse money to revive the B Ramalinga Raju-founded company. "Our argument was that there was no proceeds of money when Tech Mahindra (TechM) took over the company (SCSL). There was no money in the company then and they (TechM) had to infuse money into the company. "So where is the question of any ill-gotten money when the company had negative balance?" he said. P V P Suresh Kumar, representing the ED, said the agency might approach the Supreme Court challenging the high court's order. "One of the strongest grounds (for an appeal in the apex court) was that the CBI special court had earlier convicted Ramalinga Raju and brothers. "In view of that conviction, it clearly shows that there was a contravention of the Money Laundering Act and IPC provisions. In such a situation, the attachment order passed by the Enforcement Directorate was valid and correct, according to the contravention," Kumar said. "The ED will approach the Supreme Court after going through the order copy," he said. Earlier, a single bench judge had stayed all further proceedings pursuant to the ED's attachment order. Challenging the single judge order, the investigating agency had filed a writ appeal before a division bench. The bench had on December 31, 2014 issued orders dismissing the ED's appeal, saying the act of the agency was contrary to rules. Tech Mahindra argued that it was a victim of fraud and no proceedings could go under the provisions of the PMLA against "victims of fraud". The ED had attached the accounts of SCCL as its probe claimed to have found that B Ramalinga Raju and his associates "wrongfully" offloaded inflated shares of the company by way of sale or pledging of shares. A trail of loans derived from front companies revealed that Rs 822 crore out of Rs 2,171.45 crore found their way to Satyam Computers and were used for day-to-day expenses like payment of salaries among others, the ED had said in its order. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The HRD Ministry has not received any complaints regarding charging of exorbitant fees by the deemed to be universities, Parliament was informed Monday. The information was shared by Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) Satya Pal Singh in response to a written question in the Lok Sabha. "No specific complaints are received by this ministry regarding charging of exorbitant fee by the deemed to be universities. As per the University Grants Commission norms, deemed to be universities are not allowed to accept payment towards certain heads on the pretext of admission fees and other fees," Singh said. As per norms, deemed to be universities cannot charge any fees towards a capitation fee or donation; any amount other than charges for admission which has been declared by it in the prospectus for admission against any such seat and on the website of the institution and any payment without a proper receipt in writing issued for such payment to the student concerned admitted in such an institution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Monday urged the Delhi Metro to work on "lowering fares" for commuters, asserting that it was possible to do it if pursued with commitment. He said this in the presence of Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Hardeep Singh Puri, DMRC chief Mangu Singh and HUA secretary D S Mishra after the inauguration of 9.7-km Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor of the Pink Line at the Metro Bhawan here. "We all take pride in Delhi Metro and we salute the engineers and others who have built it... But, Metro is a need of Delhi and not a leisure that sometimes people would go out with the family for a ride. It is part of our daily lives. And, I feel, the fares are high as far as the common man is concerned," Sisodia said. "We will have to find ways to lower it," he added. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials, however, did not comment on Sisodia's remarks. "Delhi Metro goes under Shastri Bhawan and below some of the crowded areas in old Delhi, and through elevated lines in other areas. If we can solve technical problems through engineering, similarly it is possible to economic engineering to bring down the fares. It is possible if we have full commitment," the deputy chief minister said. He asserted that once it gets accepted that fares need to be lowered and ways can be found out, it can be done "if pursued with full commitment," he added. Sisodia said while deciding fares for a metro in a city like Delhi or a country like India, the socio-economic structure will have to be factored in. "Our metro fares are lower, compared to metros in other countries. But, we need to consider per capita income and minimum wages. If we want a labourer earning Rs 13,000 to use a metro, then we need to lower rates, otherwise, they will use road transport. So, we still need to lower it," he said. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in March, during the opening of the Majlis Park-Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus section of the Pink Line, had raised the issue of hike in Delhi Metro fares. "If we can work together, the Delhi government, Centre and the metro, we can find a solution to it. The fare fixation committee had increased fares of metro, and I believe that the committee will set an example by reducing fares this time," he had said. The deputy chief minister, who is an MLA from Patparganj, thanked the Delhi Metro for opening the new line, and described it as a "New Year gift". The Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor has five stations -- Lajpat Nagar, Vinobapuri, Ashram, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1. Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 are elevated stations and the rest are underground. Mayur Vihar Ph-I is also an interchange station. "This is personally important for me as Patparganj is my Vidhan Sabha area. And, this is an important connectivity for east and south Delhi. Now, people can come to south Delhi, without using ant bridges," he said. He also urged DMRC officials to "restore" a park in east Delhi, which was "taken up by the Delhi Metro during construction work". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The telecom department (DoT) will hold a meeting on January 4 with telecom operators, airlines and shipping companies to discuss a road map for in-flight and maritime mobile services. The government has so far received application from only two companies Hughes and Tata Telenet for in-flight and maritime connectivity (IFMC) and is expecting a rise in the number of applicants in days to come. "DoT will hold a meeting with IFMC applicants, telecom operators, airlines and shipping companies on January 4 to discuss road map of the service. We expect more companies to apply for the licences," an official source told The government has notified rules for providing mobile phone services during and ship voyage within the Indian territory. Indian and foreign airlines and shipping companies operating in the country can provide in-flight and maritime voice and data services in partnership with a valid Indian telecom licence holder. The in-flight and maritime connectivity (IFMC) can be provided using telecom networks on ground as well as using satellites. Hughes India, one of the applicants, has warned that high satellite bandwidth charges are likely to play a spoiler in the uptake of in as these would make the facility costlier by 30-50 times at Rs 700-1,000 for a two-hour journey. The chief technology officer of broadband technology firm Hughes India, K Krishna, told that satellite bandwidth charges in are 7-8 times higher compared to other parts of the world due to the condition that bandwidth can be procured from only. "Passengers are not going to pay 50 times higher price for Internet on a two-hour flight. It has to be extremely affordable and for that to happen open sky mechanism is very much required. You can't be restrictive that only Indian satellite needs to provide capacity. Monopolistic policy won't work. The policy will become a duck if these issues are not addressed," Krishna had said. The Hughes India CTO also said restriction imposed in the licence that an Indian service provider can provide connectivity within Indian airspace and waters would be a disadvantage for both the service provider as well as airlines and shipping firms. Russian has sent new year messages to and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said relations between the two countries were developing in a constructive and dynamic manner. Putin, conveying his greetings to the two leaders, also noted that agreements reached during Indo- annual summit in October contributed to strengthening the privileged strategic partnership between the two nations, according to the Russian Embassy here. In his new year messages to Kovind and Modi, the Russian emphasised that relations between the two countries were developing in a constructive and dynamic manner, the embassy said. " expressed confidence that joint efforts will lead to further growth of mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas and greater coordination of efforts on key issues on the regional and global agenda within the UN, BRICS, the SCO, the and other multilateral bodies," it said. In the annual summit here, inked a USD 5 billion deal to purchase the much-vaunted S-400 air defence system from Russia, notwithstanding US warnings of punitive sanctions against nations doing military transactions with A number of other pacts were also signed following talks between Modi and Putin. Iran said Monday that the Afghan Taliban have visited Tehran for a second round of peace talks in just a few days aimed at bringing an end to 17 years of conflict. Iran has made a more concerted and open push for peace in neighbouring Afghanistan since US President Donald Trump indicated there would be a significant withdrawal of American troops. "Yesterday (Sunday), a delegation of Taliban were in Tehran and lengthy negotiations were held with Iran's deputy foreign minister... (Abbas) Araghchi," said spokesman Bahram Ghasemi at a televised press conference on Monday. That came just days after Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, visited Kabul and told reporters that talks had been held with the Taliban in Afghanistan. "The Islamic Republic has always been one of the primary pillars of stability in the region and cooperation between the two countries will certainly help in fixing Afghanistan's security issues of today," Shamkhani told the conservative Tasnim agency. There have been reports in the past of talks between Iran and the Taliban, but they have typically been denied by Tehran. Ghasemi said Iran's priority was "to help facilitate negotiations between Afghan groups and the country's government." The current peace push will be viewed with concern by hawks in Washington, who fear that Trump's planned withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan will cede regional influence to Iran. An American official told AFP on December 21 that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces from Afghanistan, but the White House has yet to confirm the widely-publicised move. Senior Republican senator Lindsey Graham met with Trump on Sunday and urged him to delay any withdrawal from Syria to make sure "Iran doesn't become the big winner of our leaving." Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of US and international forces in Afghanistan, told ABC: "Iran has increased influence across the region now. If you pull American influence out, you're likely to have greater instability." The Taliban also met with the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the United Arab Emirates earlier in December, but have so far refused to meet a delegation from Afghanistan. Araghchi will travel to Afghanistan in the next two weeks, Ghasemi said, without giving further details. "Considering our long border with Afghanistan and the cultural and historical ties, and our important role in the region's stability, the Islamic republic was interested... to enter and play a more important role in peace development in Afghanistan," the spokesman added. Iran and Afghanistan share a nearly 600-mile border, and have had a complex relationship in recent years. Tehran has long supported its co-religionists in Afghanistan, the Shia Hazara minority, who were violently persecuted by the Taliban during its rule in the 1990s. Iran worked alongside the United States and Western powers to help drive out the Taliban after the US-led invasion in 2001. But there have been allegations, from Western and Afghan sources, that Iran's Revolutionary Guards have in recent years established ties with the Taliban aimed at driving out US forces from Afghanistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iraq sentenced more than 600 foreigners including many women and dozens of minors in 2018 for belonging to the Islamic State group, the judiciary said on Monday. Iraq declared "victory" over IS at the end of 2017 after a three-year war against the jihadists, who once controlled nearly a third of the country as well as swathes of neighbouring Syria. Around 20,000 people suspected of links to IS have been arrested since 2014. Judicial spokesman Abdel Sattar Bayraqdar said Monday that "616 men and women accused of belonging to IS have been put on trial" in 2018 and sentenced under Iraq's anti-terrorism law. They comprised 466 women, 42 men and 108 minors, he said. Bayraqdar did not, however specify the punishments. Under Iraq's anti-terrorism law courts can issue verdicts, including death sentences, against anyone found guilty of belonging to the jihadist group, including non-combatants. In April, judicial sources said that more than 300 suspects linked to IS had received death sentences and more than 300 others were sentenced to life, which in Iraq is equivalent to 20 years. Most of the women sentenced for IS links were from Turkey and republics of the former Soviet Union. Three French citizens -- two women and a man -- have been sentenced to life imprisonment while a German woman, a Belgian man and a Russian man have been sentenced to death. Many women had travelled to Iraq with their children to join their husbands who fought in the ranks of IS. Some are still waiting to be repatriated to their home countries. On Sunday, 30 Russian children whose mothers are in prison in Iraq for links to IS were flown from Baghdad to Moscow as part of a repatriation programme championed by Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after four rifles belonging to the personal security officers of a Congress legislator went missing from his official residence here, the Jammu and Kashmir Police Monday dismissed the personnel for dereliction of duty. The weapons of Member of Legislative Council Muzaffar Parray's personal security officers (PSOs) went missing from the guard room of his official residence in Jawahar Nagar area of the city on Sunday. "Four police personnel who were deployed as PSOs with senior Congress leader and MLC Muzzafar Parray have been dismissed from service for dereliction of duty and unauthorised absence," a police spokesman said. The police had on Sunday said there was no armed intrusion into the official quarters, but called it a negligence on part of the security personnel. Parray was not at his official residence at the time of the incident. (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 Monday promised a high-level probe into the alleged torture of some family members of a militant in the valley as strict orders have been given to the forces not to harass families of terrorists. The governor made the remark a day after former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met a suspected militant's sister, who was allegedly beaten up by Jammu and Kashmir police, and warned of "dangerous consequences" if harassment of militants' families is not stopped. "We have no fight with the families of the terrorists and had already passed strict orders to the forces not to indulge in excesses against them. If something like that happened as she (Mehbooba) is claiming, I will certainly order a high-level probe into it, the governor told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. Mehbooba, after meeting the family in south Kashmir's Pulwama district Sunday, tweeted, "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." "I want to ask the governor 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 had said. Responding to a question about the issue raised by the former chief minister, the governor said, "She will address me because I am the governor of the state. I am not taking her words in a bad taste because she is the daughter of my friend (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed). And the elections are coming so they will talk like this because of their compulsions... On the successful foiling of the Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) action along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector this morning and killing of two heavily-armed intruders, Malik said, "Those who will try to sneak here to vitiate the atmosphere, will face the same fate. Our forces have a very good coordination and we are getting support from the local populace (to deal with terrorism), he said. Asked about his views on the outgoing year, the governor said, I am looking at 2018 as a great year for varied reasons - the democracy took roots and the elections to panchayats and urban local bodies were held without even a bird getting harmed. Work on languishing projects was started and is going on in full pace. The people understand that development is linked to peace, he said. On the change of guard in Pakistan and the need for dialogue, he said, This is not my issue. It is the issue of New Delhi." Meanwhile, in a statement here this evening, the governor requested political parties to understand the fragile security situation in parts of the state and not to upset this through motivated statements and false allegations. This will only demoralise a hard-working police force, he said. He said the family members of the militant including his sister were questioned in Jammu district based on very specific intelligence inputs. "I have been informed that there has been no tearing up of a woman's clothes or her being harassed by the police, Malik said. The governor said, I once again reiterate that all police officers and staff will be directed not to harass ladies who happen to be relatives of militants or treat them in any unbecoming manner. Any questioning should be done as per normal practice only in the presence of a lady constable, he said. He said he would also direct Inspector Genral of Police, Kashmir to look into this incident to see whether the woman has been harassed or her clothes have been torn as is being alleged. If necessary, action will be taken against any police staff found acting wrongly, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kim Jong Un will be keeping North Korea watchers busy on New Year's Day, when he is expected to give his annual address laying out the country's top priorities for the year ahead. The speech, which is normally broadcast on North Korea's state-run television network, is often the best gauge of what the North Korean leadership is focused on and what tone it will take in its dealings with the outside world. For 2019, it will be parsed carefully for clues about Kim's thinking on denuclearisation talks with Washington and a second summit with President Donald Trump, relations with South Korea and Pyongyang's efforts to get out from under international sanctions as it tries to build up its domestic economy. This is Kim's primary concern. He made that clear in his 2018 Year's address and his government has been hammering it home ever since. In his first televised speech, at a military parade in 2012, Kim vowed the nation would never again have to tighten its belts, a reference to the economic hardships it has faced, including a disastrous famine in the 1990s. While they remain isolated and unable to travel or experience foreign media freely, North Koreans are aware of the yawning prosperity gap between themselves, South Korea and China. Kim has tried to address that by initiating infrastructure projects in major cities, building up the capital and allowing if not overtly supporting the spread of the market economy. What's not clear is how far he is willing to go with the kind of fundamental, systemic reforms needed to really ensure sustainable growth. North Korea has hinted it wants to join the World Trade Organization and be more a part of the global economic community. But that would also require some risky moves like increased transparency and commitment to global rules and norms. A big question is how much control Kim is willing to relinquish in exchange for prosperity. North Korea is entering the fourth year of a five-year economic plan that Kim announced with great fanfare at a rare congress of his ruling party in 2016. If precedent is any indication, he will go into some detail outlining, sector by sector, the country's successes so far and emphasising what remains to be done. This part of the speech is usually couched in deliberately vague, broad or aspirational language and is directed at the domestic party leadership. But if Kim is serious about change, this could be where he drops some important hints. North Korea is still standing firmly behind the agreements it made with Trump at the Singapore summit. The problem is that North Korea's interpretation of what they agreed to is at odds with that of the Trump administration. Kim never agreed to unilaterally throw away his hard-won nuclear arsenal, which he maintains is a necessary deterrent to the threat of an attack by the United States. The North's moratorium on nuclear tests and long-range missile launches also isn't part of the summit agreement and there is no explicit promise in the Singapore joint statement that the North won't continue producing or developing its missiles. So while the missiles have stopped flying for now, there's still a lot up in the air. Kim agreed the North would "work toward the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula." But from the North's perspective, it must include the removal of what it has always claimed is the reason why it has nukes in the first place the threat of a US nuclear attack. While not directly criticizing Trump, a tactic it is likely to stick with until it sees the overall process as seriously off the rails, the North has tried to play him against his advisers while it pushes for security guarantees and sanctions relief. The bottom line is that North Korea hasn't given up much since Singapore. And it doesn't think Washington has, either. Trump has said a second summit could be held soon. The New Year's speech gives Kim a golden opportunity to set the goalposts and to try to further detach Trump from his advisers. In contrast to Pyongyang's dealings with Washington, relations between North and South Korea have seen a major thaw. With three leaders' summits in 2018 and dozens of other meetings, the Koreas have opened a liaison office in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, created border buffers and no-fly zones to reduce military tensions, and jointly surveyed North Korea's outdated railways and roads with the goal of connecting them with the South. They even vowed to make a bid to jointly host the 2032 Summer Olympics. But Seoul cannot proceed without the removal of US-led international sanctions. While President Moon Jae-in sees inter-Korean reconciliation as a crucial part of nuclear diplomacy, his enthusiasm for engagement has caused discomfort in Washington. Pyongyang, meanwhile, has already begun expressing its frustration with the slowdown in inter-Korean projects and demanded that Seoul break from Washington's lead. Some analysts expect Kim to further try to drive a wedge between the allies with a nationalistic call for stronger inter-Korean cooperation, while painting Washington as a bad-faith actor refusing to take corresponding measures to the North's unilateral dismantlement of a nuclear test site and the suspension of nuclear and long-range missile tests. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bishop of Pune diocese, Thomas Dabre has appealed to churches and institutions in the west Maharashtra city to hold prayers for "peace and harmony" during the 201st anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle that falls on January 1. Against the backdrop of caste clashes around Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018, a heavy police bandobast is put in place around villages near "jay stambh" or the victory pillar which is visited by lakhs of people, mainly Dalits, to commemorate the 1818 battle between the British and the Peshwas. One person was killed and several others injured in the violence on January 1 which had broken out a day after the Elgaar Parishad conclave was held in historic Shaniwarwada in Pune. "As the Bishop of the Diocese of Ponna (Pune), I have issued a circular to around 60 churches and 20 institutions in the city to hold prayers for peace and harmony to be prevailed in Koregaon Bhima and in the Pune district during the 201st anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle," said Dabre. Despite whatever differences we have have, be it social, political and religious, we are Indians first and we should go beyond all these differences and considered ourselves fellow citizens, he said. "All should strive to live in complete harmony, unity, peace. As fellow citizens, one should not indulge in violence and rioting activities," he said. In the Koregaon Bhima battle, the British Army, comprising mainly of dalit Mahar soldiers, had defeated the Peshwas. Bhim Army chief and dalit leader Chandrashekhar Azad is slated to visit Koregaon Bhima on January 1. He had said he would visit the place even if the state government uses force to stop him. Meanwhile, the bishop said there are over 80 churches and institutions under Diocese of Ponna and the circular was issued to all of them on Sunday. Besides, the diocese also appealed the churches to hold prayers for the victims of recent tsunami in Indonesia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lakhs of women from across are expected to form a 620 km state sponsored 'Women's Wall Tuesday to uphold gender equality and rennaisance values, in the backdrop of frenzied protests in after the ruling LDF decided to implement the verdict, allowing all women to pray at the Ayyappa shrine. The women will form the wall from Kasargod in northern to the southernmost district of Thiruvananthapuram. Health minister K K Shylaja will lead the chain at Kasargod and CPI(M) will be the last person at the end of the chain in Thiruvananthapuram. In order to ensure the success of the proposed wall, meetings were held at various levels-from ward level to district and constituency level. The participants will gather at the designated centers on Tuesday at 3 PM, where a rehearsal will be held. The Wall will be formed between 4 and 4.15 PM, with participants taking a pledge to uphold gender equality and renaissance values. The proposed wall was suggested at a meeting called by the government in the backdrop of frenzied protests by right-wing parties and a section of devotees over the states decision to implement the September 28 apex court order, allowing women of all ages In to "Finding a solution to the issues faced by women is seen as part of the class struggle,"Chief Minister said Monday, adding that ensuring gender equality was part of class struggle. In Marxist ideology, class struggle is the conflict of interests between workers and the ruling class in a capitalist society. "The protests by communal forces against women's entry in prompted the government and other progressive organisations to build Women's Wall in the state," Vijayan had said, adding that all women, cutting across castes and religions, would join the wall "to save Kerala from the being dragged back into the era of darkness." The Universal Records Forum, the team which records amazing feats across the globe, is also understood to have reached the state to witness the exercise. The pledge for the women's wall, which was released by the Chief Ministers office Sunday, calls for upholding gender equality and renaissance values. It also bats for secularism and to oppose the move to turn the state into a 'lunatic asylum.' Though the state government had initially claimed that it would extend all support to the proposed wall, it withdrew the he order, allotting funds for it after a controversy erupted. While senior has described the initiative as a 'wall of contradiction', UDF MLA M K Muneer had has termed it as a 'communal' wall for inviting participation only from 'progressive Hindu organisations'. The government has spared no effort to make the wall a huge success with all ministers given charge of either a district or a particular place for the success of the event. The event is organised by the ruling CPI(M), along with over 176 other socio-political organisations, including the CPI, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) and Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS). The Nair Service Society (NSS), a prominent caste-based organization, RSS and the right-wing groups have opposed this move and formed Ayyappa Jyothi (lighting of sacred lamps) across the state on December 26 to counter it. Thousands had taken part in the Ayyappa Jyothi, which was undertaken by the Sabarimala Karma Samiti. The Kudambashree Mission had earlier informed that it alone will field over 1.25 lakh women on January 1. Many prominent personalities from all spheres of life are expected to take part in the event. The Centre has given 'in-principle' approval to the Maharashtra government's proposal for converting decommissioned warship INS Viraat into a museum or hotel, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Monday. In a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha on whether the Maharashtra government has put forth the said proposal before the defence ministry, Sitharaman replied in the affirmative. "Proposal of Government of Maharashtra regarding conversion of INS Viraat, post decommissioning, as a museum/hotel has been approved in-principle," she said. INS Viraat was decommissioned last year after 30 years with the Indian Navy. The aircraft carrier, in its earlier avatar, had won the Falklands War against Argentina in 1982 for the Royal British Navy. It weighs about 27,800 tonnes and served in the British Navy as HMS Hermes from November 1959 to April 1984. After refurbishment, it was commissioned into the Indian Navy, which purchased it at the cost of USD 65 million. It was recommissioned on May 12, 1987. Responding to a question on allowances to non-commissioned officers, Sitharaman said the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC) had considered all aspects with regard to applicability of military service pay (MSP), including the rates while making its recommendations. "The 7th CPC has consciously decided not to create additional categories of personnel for the grant of Military Service Pay or to disturb the slab rates for the four categories for which it is being paid up to the level of Brigadiers. The government, after carefully considering the recommendations of the 7th CPC in respect of MSP, has accepted and notified the same," she 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 Monday congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her landslide victory in the general elections. Bangladesh went to polls on Sunday to elect a new Parliament, the results of which were declared in the morning. Hasina cruised to victory for a third consecutive term as the ruling Awami League-led coalition bagged over 260 seats in the 300-member House. The CM said she telephoned Hasina in the morning following the declaration of the result. "The West Bengal government is happy that Sheikh Hasina won the elections. I have spoken to her personally and congratulated her. I also congratulate the people of Bangladesh," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat Monday afternoon. Hoping that the new government will boost ties between India and Bangladesh, Banerjee said both the countries should work towards maintaining peace and stability. "We have a cordial relation with Bangladesh. I want that relationship to strengthen with time," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man who had boasted of killing and eating a rhesus macaque monkey, a protected species, on social media, was arrested in Meghalaya, police said Monday. The man was booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Rhesus macaques, protected under the same Act, are familiar brown primates with red faces and rears. They have close-cropped hair on their heads and their natural range includes Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Southeast Asia, and China. The accused was arrested from West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya after the state forest department lodged an FIR, Superintendent of Police MGR Kumar told PTI. After the man allegedly killed, burnt, and cooked the monkey, he posted photographs of it on social media from where PETA India came to know about it and urged the authorities to arrest him. A PETA India statement released in Guwahati said following its request, the deputy commissioner ordered the SP and the divisional forest officer of West Garo Hills to form a joint team to investigate the matter and arrest the accused, Sengkud Sangma. In the statement, the animal rights body said, "We commend the Superintendent of Police, the Deputy Commissioner, and the Divisional Forest Officer of West Garo Hills District for sending out a strong message that such cruelty will not be tolerated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A luxury Philippine hotel and casino has called off a world record attempt for releasing tens of thousands of balloons to mark the New Year following complaints from environmental groups and a government warning. Okada Manila, a sprawling resort in the country's capital that includes a hotel, casino and restaurants, had planned to ring in 2019 by dropping 130,000 balloons in one of its nightclubs to set a new world record. But in a statement late Sunday, the Okada Manila resort said it had voluntarily cancelled the stunt as a "sign of respect" to environmentalists' warnings, and "in support of the Government's campaign to protect and save the environment". The country's Department of Environment and Natural Resources had joined green groups in criticising the planned balloon drop, saying it would generate huge amounts of waste, but did not have the authority to stop it. In a statement Monday, DENR chief Roy Cimatu described Okada Manila's decision as "laudable". He said other hotels and resorts had also cancelled similar balloon drops for New Year's Eve. Okada Manila had initially insisted the balloons were biodegradable and would be recycled after the event. In recent years, setting Guinness World Records has become a popular activity in the Philippines, with feats achieved including "largest charity walk" and "most hamburgers eaten in one minute". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Virtually putting the Congress-led governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on notice, the BSP supremo Mayawati Monday said she might have to "reconsider" her party's outside support to them if cases against "innocent" persons framed in Bharat Bandh on April 2 were not withdrawn. "If the newly-elected governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan do not act swiftly and withdraw the cases against the innocent persons framed in Bharat Bandh, the BSP may have to reconsider extending the outside support to the Congress governments," she said in a hard-hitting press release here. Mayawati said the cases against the innocent people framed out of political and caste considerations in Uttar Pradesh and other BJP-ruled states including MP and Rajasthan, which were previously under the BJP. She said now that MP and Rajasthan are ruled by the Congress, the new governments should immediately withdraw such cases, failing which her party would have to reconsider its decision of extending outside support. The BSP has two members in Madhya Pradesh's 230-member assembly, while in Rajasthan her party has six seats in the House of 200 MLAs. The BSP extended outside support to the Congress to form governments in these two states as it had failed to reach majority on its own. Mayawati also said the governments formed by the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan should not work like the BJP, which did not fulfil its promises made to the farmers and the unemployed. "The warning to the Congress is necessary, as now merely making announcements is not enough. People are of the view that in making promises on papers, the Congress and the BJP are two sides of the same coin. Now, it depends on the Congress whether it is able to change this perception," she said in the statement. She said had the Centre left its "stubborn" behaviour pertaining to triple talaq bill, 2018, and sent it to the joint select committee of Parliament as demanded by the entire Opposition, it would have been better. The BSP chief said in the past five years, there have been non-fulfilment of promises, and by showing dreams of 'achchey din', demonetisation and GST have been implemented in an immature manner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Terming the triple talaq bill as an "assault" on Muslim families, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday asked the Centre to desist from interfering in the religious affairs of the community. Her comments came on the day when the contentious Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, which seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among the community, was tabled in the Rajya Sabha. However, the Upper House of Parliament failed to initiate a discussion on the bill, with a united opposition led by the Congress demanding that the draft law be sent to a select committee for scrutiny. "As a Muslim and a woman who has gone through a broken marriage, I thought it is my duty to speak when there is an assault on the family structure of Muslims," Mufti told reporters here. She said Muslims take pride in their family structure which is very strong and accused the Centre of trying to disturb the community through the bill. "Our family structure is very strong. But unfortunately, after the economic onslaught on Muslims through curbs on meat and leather, now they (Centre) have entered our homes through the triple talaq bill, which would not only disturb our family life, but also put our women into economic distress," the People's Democratic Party (PDP) president said. Mufti said while deserting a woman was very wrong, marriage is a contract between two people. "If two people do not want to live together, they can live apart through consensus. The biggest challenge that a woman faces after her marriage breaks is economic," she said. She alleged that while the BJP rejected reservation for Muslims in education and jobs, it chose to go ahead with a law like this, which is also based on religious lines. "The Supreme Court has already ruled (that) it (practice of triple talaq) (is) invalid and Islam also rejects it, but despite that they went ahead with it (triple talaq bill)," she added. The PDP chief called for a consensus over the issue. "Democracy is not run through brute majority, it is about consensus. BJP claims (its motto is) 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', but by bringing such a bill, which would create division in Muslim families, they are doing everything wrong," Mufti said. She said Jammu and Kashmir, despite being a Muslim-majority state, had aligned with Mahatma Gandhi's secular India. "However, by acts like changing names of cities or islands, distorting history and banning beef and leather, and now this onslaught, I want to tell the Centre that you are not doing any service either to India or the Hindus. We do not want to create Zia-ul-Haq's Pakistan in Gandhi's India," she said, referring to the Pakistani dictator and former president. Mufti warned that there would be "consequences in the future" if the Centre did not stop interfering in the religious affairs of Muslims. "What message are you giving to 25 crore Muslims in the country. I do not think this is the legacy of Vajpayee whose statue they (BJP) want to build," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Targeting the Congress leadership, BJP chief Amit Shah Monday said AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel's mention of "Mrs Gandhi" has brought the truth about the opposition party and the "Gandhi family" out before people. In a statement, Shah said the "friendship" between Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland deal, and the Congress' top leadership is "time tested and deep". He also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to seek apology from the country for the AgustaWestland "scam", a reference to the alleged corruption in the purchase of VVIP choppers during the UPA government's tenure. The Congress has accused the BJP and the government of "manufacturing" lies in the AgustaWestland case, and said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals during the UPA regime. "The government and the BJP are misusing agencies to manufacture lies. I am surprised to know that the present government is spreading lies....is trying to manufacture something out of nothing," former defence minister and senior Congress leader A K Antony said. Hitting back, Shah said it has become a habit of the Congress and its leaders to speak brazen lies to deny the truth. Leading the BJP's nation-wide campaign against the Congress, he tweeted, "Trails of the AgustaWestland Casethe SOS of Christian Michel. Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs. Gandhi herself? Why?" It needs to be known what the relationship between Michel and Mrs Gandhi is, he said. Shah said Michel's lawyer had admitted that the alleged middleman indeed passed on a paper to him and claimed that he thought it was a list of medicines. The BJP president took an apparent swipe in a tweet at the Gandhi family, saying that people have heard of "Zandu balm and Tiger balm (medicines used to relieve pain) but what is this 'Family Balm' that every middleman wants". "In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michel's lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a sham. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi!" Shah said. The Congress had expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. "In national interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep," Shah further said. While on the one hand the Congress is working to save the likes of Michel, on the other, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is striving to save the money looted from the country, he claimed. A Delhi court had Saturday imposed restrictions on Michel, the alleged middleman in the purchase of VVIP choppers during the UPA's tenure, meeting his lawyers in the Enforcement Directorate's custody. The directions were given after the probe agency said he was misusing legal access by passing chits to the advocates asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi". The agency also claimed that he has spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and taken "Mrs Gandhi's" name in reference to a query. The BJP has used this disclosure to attack the Congress, especially the Gandhi family. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday conveyed his "heartiest congratulations" to Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina on her landslide victory in the parliamentary elections and expressed confidence that ties between the two countries will continue to flourish under her "far-sighted" leadership. In a telephonic conversation, Modi reiterated to her the priority India attaches to Bangladesh, calling it a central pillar of India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, the Ministry of External Affairs said. Hasina lead her Awami League to a landslide victory for a record third consecutive term. The Awami League-led grand alliance won 288 seats in the 300-member Parliament. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has telephoned PM Sheikh Hasina earlier this morning to convey his heartiest congratulations on the decisive results of the election. He expressed confidence that the partnership between India and Bangladesh will continue to flourish under her far-sighted leadership," the MEA said in a statement. Hasina also thanked the prime minister for being the first leader to call her to convey his greetings. "The PM also reiterated the priority India attaches to Bangladesh as a neighbour, a close partner for regional development, security and cooperation, and a central pillar in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy," the MEA said. The MEA said the conversation was very cordial, fully reflecting the close and traditionally friendly relations between India and Bangladesh. It said India warmly congratulated the people of Bangladesh for reaffirming their faith in democracy, development and the vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "PM Sheikh Hasina thanked Prime Minister for being the first leader to call her to convey congratulations. She also thanked India for their consistent and generous support which has benefited Bangladesh's development, and appreciated PM's reiteration of this commitment," the MEA said. In Dhaka, the press secretary of Bangladesh PM, Ihsanul Karim, told PTI that during the conversation, Modi said that "Hasina's victory was the reflection of Bangladesh's stunning development under her dynamic leadership." "Prime Minister Modi assured her of India's continued support to Bangladesh's developmental strides," the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister has hit out at Prime Minister for terming the state government's loan waiver scheme for farmers "one of the most cruel jokes", accusing him of misleading the country for "political gains". Reaffirming the JD(S)- coalition government's commitment towards implementation of the massive scheme announced by it, he claimed that about 60,000 farmers have been benefitted by it so far. "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 and made significant payments." "It is very sad that he (Modi) sees it as a 'cruel joke on farmers,' (thus) misleading the people of the nation without obtaining the full facts about the scheme," Kumaraswamy was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office here on Sunday. Taking on the state government over its much-touted loan waiver scheme, Modi, while addressing party workers of the state via video conference, on Friday had said, "What they have done in the name of loan waiver will go down in the history as one of the most cruel jokes on farmers. After six months in power, reports said the government could only benefit a handful of farmers with their loan waiver scheme." "These people go around the country claiming credit for what they have done for farmers. Will they also take credit for the farmers committing suicide in Karnataka," Modi had posed. The Kumaraswamy-led state government had announced over Rs 450 billion loan waiver scheme in July soon after coming to power. But it has been bogged down by several issues relating to banks. Asserting that making such remarks "is indeed not expected on the part of the honourable prime minister," Kumaraswamy accused the Centre of not coming to the rescue of farmers. "Despite making repeated requests, the Union government has not come to the rescue of farmers and now the honourable prime minister demeaning the state government for political gains by making such incorrect remarks is inappropriate on his part," the chief minister said. He said the Centre had not responded to the protests of distressed farmers in New Delhi and was now mocking the Karnataka government's serious efforts to bail out the farmers, which is very undesirable. Sharing some facts about the loan waiver scheme, Kumaraswamy asked Modi to "kindly note" them before making such "incorrect statements". Noting that the crop loan waiver scheme was an open book and the information was available online unlike any other state, the chief minister said the Karnataka government was handling honest tax payers' money with caution to reach out to true farmers. It is being ensured that every genuine farmer gets the benefit. It would also make sure that all middlemen, particularly in the co-operative sector, are weeded out, he said. "So far, Rs 3.5 billion has been paid electronically into individual bank accounts of about 60,000 farmers. Payments are being made every week electronically into farmers' loan/savings bank account. Next week, another one lakh farmers will get about Rs 4 billion," Kumaraswamy said. Pointing out that as many as 850,000 farmers have given their Aadhaar, ration card and RTC details out of 2.1 million farmers in commercial crop loans in about 10 days, he said, "We will cover all genuine farmers by the end of January 2019." Addressing a rally at Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh last week, the prime minister had said the promised loan waivers to lakhs of farmers, but the JD(S)- coalition did not deliver. "Lollipops" were handed out. The loan waiver was given to only 800 farmers, Modi had claimed. Over one million tourists visited Nepal in 2018 and the country aims to double the number by 2020, the tourism authority said on Monday. Nepal Tourism Board organised a special programme to mark the 20th anniversary of its establishment. The board was set up in 1998, when Nepal observed 'Visit Nepal Year' in an effort to attract half a million foreign tourists. The latest data shows in total 10,97,458 people visited Nepal in 2018. Nepal aims to double the number by next year as the country is observing 'Visit Nepal Year 2020', the board said. "It's a matter of pleasure to announce that tourist inflow has crossed one million mark in 2018," Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari said. "Nepal has a bright future for tourism industry," Adhikari said while speaking at the event. Nepal has achieved great success in tourism and the credit for that goes to the private sector, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mumbai Fire Brigade has acted against owners of 31 establishments, including malls, eateries and multiplexes, in the past four days for violation of norms, a senior official said Monday. Chief Fire Officer PS Rahangdale said the drive was carried out between December 27-30 and involved checking of fire-fighting equipment etc. "A total of 377 establishments like malls, eateries and multiplexes were checked and action was taken against owners of 31 places. Action included demolition, encroachment removal, LPG cylinders seizure, inspection report submission and notice issuance," he informed. The city has been rocked by fire incidents in the past few days, prime among them being one at the ESIC Hospital in Andheri on December 17 which killed 11 people and another in a high-rise in Tilaknagar area on December 27 that took five lives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stock market is expecting a volatile year ahead with a host of domestic and international factors expected to drive its movement and these include national elections, a pre-poll union budget, issues and prices. Experts believe the overall movement for the benchmark Sensex may also end up in 2019 at around 5 per cent, the same as 2018. "The first few months of 2019 are likely to be volatile as it will be very event-heavy. like certainty and continuity and post the events, should stabilise," Essel Mutual Fund CEO Viral Berawala said. Anand Shah, Deputy CEO and Head of Investment at BNP Paribas Asset Management India, said, "While the first half of 2019 will have multiple events which will keep more focused on macro variables, we believe the second half will see micros take centre stage." According to Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services, this ongoing volatility may continue in the near-term, impacting the performance during the initial part of 2019. The reasons why this muted performance can continue are premium valuation of main market, slowdown in the domestic economy, a muted earnings growth for next two quarters, while liquidity crunch can have a cascading effect on urban and rural market, Nair said. Effect of elections in the short-term with risk of populist measures and uncertainties in the global market may also weigh on the market performance, he added. Nair further said some stability may come in as the new year progresses and create a better investment period with positive returns in the broad market. "We have a target of 11,500 for Nifty 50 by December 2019," Nair said. As per Manav Chopra, CMT, Head Research Equity, Indiabulls Ventures, markets are likely to witness increased volatility in 2019 due to Budget and upcoming general elections. "We expect markets to consolidate and form a higher base around the 10,400 levels for Nifty. The index is likely to witness some consolidation before any range breakouts on the upside. The overall structure for the Indian markets remains bullish and likely to see levels of 11,600-11,850 by year-end and Sensex around 39,300-39,650 levels," he said. "The road ahead for Nifty and Sensex in 2019 seems to be accommodating volatility which has been cyclically down for the last couple of years. With events, ahead of us such as the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and global markets continue to break important supports we expect headwinds will be there, " Epic Research CEO Mustafa Nadeem said. "Though on the other hand, we have crude which is around $42, below the $50 mark, which is a boon for Indian economy hence we will see bulls try to make their way out of it. For Nifty the range seems to be 12,100 on the upside to 9,400 on the downside. Sensex may oscillate between 39,800 and 32,300," Nadeem added. On the driving factors, Nadeem said, "The most important factor that was hurting the overall market sentiment was depreciation in rupee and appreciation in prices which were up to $75. "Crude is now below $45, while rupee is showing some strength as it is now back to $70 mark. The most important factor on the domestic front would be then a mandate that is seen with the party that is winning." On whether 2019 is going to be different from 2018 for the stock market, Berawala said, "In terms of volatility 2019 will likely be similar to 2018. There are a number of events which will impact the markets Brexit, direction of post the 90-day dialogue period, the 6-month window for oil exports by Iran ends in May and general elections in India."On sectors that are likely to outperform in 2019, Nair said, "We feel that after the initial hiccup, liquidity and rate-sensitive sectors like finance, auto, infra and industrial will do better. At the same time improvement in external factors will provide supportive vibes to IT, pharma and chemicals. During this volatile period defensive and stable sectors like FMCG, consumer and IT will continue its modest and positive trend. Researchers have devised a new model for the universe -- one that may solve the enigma of dark energy. The study, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, proposes a new structural concept, including dark energy, for a universe that rides on an expanding bubble in an additional dimension. We have known for the past 20 years that the universe is expanding at an ever accelerating rate, said researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden. The explanation is the "dark energy" that permeates it throughout, pushing it to expand. Understanding the nature of this dark energy is one of the paramount enigmas of fundamental physics. It has long been hoped that string theory will provide the answer. According to string theory, all matter consists of tiny, vibrating "stringlike" entities. The theory also requires there to be more spatial dimensions than the three that are already part of everyday knowledge. For 15 years, there have been models in string theory that have been thought to give rise to dark energy. However, these have come in for increasingly harsh criticism, and several researchers are now asserting that none of the models proposed to date are workable. The scientists propose a new model with dark energy and our universe riding on an expanding bubble in an extra dimension. The whole universe is accommodated on the edge of this expanding bubble, researchers said. All existing matter in the universe corresponds to the ends of strings that extend out into the extra dimension, they said. The researchers also show that expanding bubbles of this kind can come into existence within the framework of string theory. It is conceivable that there are more bubbles than ours, corresponding to other universes. The scientists' model provides a new, different picture of the creation and future fate of the universe, while it may also pave the way for methods of testing string theory. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : One person was killed and six others were injured Monday when theircar fell into a gorge after the driver lost control over the vehicle on the Kodaikanal-Palani Road, police said. The seven people, including the driver, were all friends from Thrissur in Kerala and were on the way to Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu to celebrate the new year there, the police said. Three of the six injured were rescued from the wreckage and hospitalised in Palani, while efforts were on to remove the rest from the accident site, they said. Motorists who were passing by saw the damaged car and informed the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to review its decision to place 172 people, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and the Sindh Chief Minister, on the Exit Control List (ECL) after they were named in a money laundering scam. Last week, the names of 172 people - including politicians, bankers and businessmen who were named in the court-ordered joint investigation team's (JIT) probe report - were placed on the no-fly list. A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar expressed anger over the placement of the suspects' names on the ECL and summoned "the minister responsible" for the move to court. Justice Nisar summoned State Minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi in the court and asked why the cabinet discussed the JIT report when it was still sub-judice. The court was hearing a suo motu case on a delay in a 2015 probe into fake bank accounts allegedly used to launder billions of rupees. Several bigwigs, including Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and several other top politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats are in the list. Review this decision, take it back before the cabinet, the chief justice said. He also directed the minister to submit the names of those on ECL in the court and adjourned hearing until January 7. The chief justice expressed displeasure over name of Sindh chief minister in no-fly list and asked the attorney general how the government banned the chief minister of second biggest province from leaving the country. Speaking to the attorney general, Justice Nisar said: "You placed the name of the chief minister of the second largest province on the ECL. Tomorrow, you will place the name of National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) chairman on the ECL and tell him to continue working." "Maybe we should place four ministers' names on the ECL so that there is a balance," the chief justice suggested. The court expressed anger at the discussion on the JIT report in media when the court has yet to give its ruling over the report. The bench also asked Zardari's defence counsel, Farook H Naek, to continue representing his client though his name was in JIT report. Naek had requested the court to allow him to recuse from the case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Monday demanded Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to state in public what "dirty secrets" he had about the Rafale fighter jets deal that he continued to hold the top post despite his ill-health. Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed that Parrikar was learnt to have lost his cool during a recent cabinet meeting in Goa and said he could not be removed as he had many secrets of the Rafale file with him. There was, however, no statement from Parrikar or his office on the claim made by the opposition party. "There are reports, which are now circulating in the public domain, that two days ago, when there was a cabinet meeting in Goa, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is the former defence minister, lost his cool over his cabinet colleagues and said he cannot be removed as he has a copy of the Rafale file. "The nation would like to know whether that is a correct fact? The people of India would like to know whether the reason for the non-removal of Parrikar, despite his ill-health and incapacity to perform as the chief minister of Goa, is some dirty secrets hidden in the Rafale file which neither Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi wants to show to the Supreme Court nor to the JPC, which the Opposition is demanding," Surjewala told a press conference here. He said if these assertions made by Parrikar that he could not be removed as he had secrets about the Rafale deal in his possession were correct, then it was an extremely serious matter coming from a current chief minister. "We will like Parrikar to come out and state in the public domain if this is what had transpired in the cabinet meeting. What is the Rafale file paper that he has? What are the dirty secrets hidden therein and what is the reason that those papers cannot be shown either to Parliament or to the Supreme Court or to the people of India? These are important questions that need to be answered. "We call upon Parrikar and his sense of propriety to come out in the open and answer these questions, so that once and for all, this web of deceit and lies over the entire Rafale deal gets clear," Surjewala said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Headlined by the murky fight that split the CBI and forced the ministry to send the premier investigating agency's two top officers on leave, 2018 was also a year that saw the Personnel Ministry finally open the doors for a and take key decisions to curb corruption. In October, the ministry divested CBI's feuding duo, director and Special Director Rakesh Asthana, of their powers and sent them on leave. It was an unprecedented move by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions -- which is under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direct charge and acts as the CBI's nodal department -- evoking strong political criticism for the ruling BJP by the opposition parties. The case has now reached the Supreme Court and is pending decision. The ministry also processed a large number of senior-level appointments in government organisations, took key decisions on bureaucracy, reforming pension-related procedures, public grievances and on anti-corruption issues during the year. ALSO READ: Kilkenny cat fight between top 2 officers kept CBI in news in 2018 In a major decision to further intensify its effort to checking graft, changes were brought in the 1988 Prevention of Corruption Act to punish bribe givers. One of the important achievements of the year is the passage of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018, after a gap of 30 years. The law has clauses to punish bribe givers and to provide safeguards for performing officers, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh told PTI. He said the government is committed to ensuring zero tolerance towards corruption and has been taking all possible steps to check it. The ministry also recommended that no corrupt bureaucrats be allowed to get a passport. The Personnel Ministry, which is the cadre controlling authority for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), came out with draft appraisal forms for the bureaucrats. The officers' annual performance report will carry details of their ability to take timely and effective decision, especially in complex, ambiguous and critical situations, according to the proposal. It also came out with a proposal of lateral entry to allow private sector specialists for appointments to key government departments as joint secretaries. The post of joint secretary is usually held by civil service officers. A total of 6,077 applications have been received for 10 joint secretary posts in select government departments, including revenue, financial services, economic affairs, civil aviation and commerce. ALSO READ: Interim CBI director Nageswara Rao promoted to rank of additional director The task of selecting candidates for lateral entry has been entrusted to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts the civil services examination to select officers of the IAS, Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. The ministry in September constituted an eight-member search committee, to be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, to recommend the chairperson and members of an anti-corruption ombudsman The decision to constitute the search committee comes five years after the and Lokayuktas Act, which envisages the establishment of anti-graft body Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states to look into cases of corruption against certain categories of public servants, came into force on January 1, 2014. ALSO READ: CBI asks Sathish Babu to verify complaints in Rakesh Asthana bribery case The move assumes significance as the government decided to go ahead with the formation of the search committee despite Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, boycotting meetings of the Lokpal selection panel, headed by Modi. Kharge said he was not made a full-fledged member in the panel. He rejected the invitation extended to him to attend the meetings of the selection committee held this year on six occasions-- March 1, April 10, July 19, August 21, September 4 and September 19 -- as a "special invitee", officials said. The eight-member search committee is mandated to recommend a panel of names for the appointment of the Lokpal and its members. As per the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, only the leader of the opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha is a member of the selection committee and Kharge is not part of the panel since he does not have that status. A party should have at least 55 seats or 10 per cent of the strength of the Lok Sabha for its leader to get LoP status. The feud in the CBI led to the registration of an FIR against Asthana and others in an alleged bribery case. On October 15, the CBI registered an FIR against Asthana for allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 20 million from Hyderabad-based businessman Sana Sathish Babu to sabotage the probe against meat exporter Moin Qureshi. On August 24, Asthana, in his complaint to the cabinet secretary, levelled allegations against Verma that he got a bribe of Rs 20 million from Sana to help him get relief from questioning in the matter. Verma challenged his ouster from the CBI in the Supreme Court saying he has been given two-year fixed tenure which cannot be altered. Verma was appointed CBI director on February 1, 2017. M Nageswara Rao has been working as interim CBI director. He was recently promoted to the rank of additional director by the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Monday and conveyed his heartiest congratulations on her party's decisive victory in the parliamentary elections. The Ministry of External Affairs said Modi expressed confidence that the partnership between India and Bangladesh will continue to flourish under her "far-sighted" leadership. Hasina also thanked the prime minister for being the first leader to call her to convey his congratulations. "The PM also reiterated the priority India attaches to Bangladesh as a neighbour, a close partner for regional development, security and cooperation, and a central pillar in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy," the MEA said in a statement. The MEA said the conversation was very cordial, fully reflecting the close and traditionally friendly relations between India and Bangladesh. It said India warmly congratulated the people of Bangladesh for reaffirming their faith in democracy, development and the vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "PM Sheikh Hasina thanked Prime Minister for being the first leader to call her to convey congratulations. She also thanked India for their consistent and generous support which has benefited Bangladesh's development, and appreciated PM's reiteration of this commitment," the MEA said. Hasina's party Awami League emerged victorious in the elections, winning over 267 seats in the 300-member House, according to the Election Commission (EC). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Karnataka government Monday ordered a quality audit check on the first phase of the Bengaluru Metro Rail, days after a rail beam at the Trinity station developed a crack. "We have decided to carry out the quality audit check of the entire Metro Rail Phase-1, which may require three to four weeks. Any fault in the line would come to light due to thisexercise," deputy chief minister G Parameshwarasaid after inspecting the damaged Metro Rail beam. Parameshwara, who holds the portfolio of Bengaluru development, said repair work was being carried out. Metro rail services were suspended between Indiranagar and Mahatma Gandhi Road from December 28 evening so that repair work would be carried out. Normal services would resume fromJanuary 1 noon, he said. In mid-December, the 'honeycomb' phenomenon was noticed on the metro beam. Honeycomb is the air arrested inside the concrete molding resulting in bubbles and further weakening of the structure. Metro Rail authorities have decided to run free bus services from Cubbon Park Railwaystation to Indiranagar Railway Station till 2 am of January 1, 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP in Chhattisgarh Monday sought "clarification" of Congress president Rahul Gandhi on "revelations" made by Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case. State unit BJP president Dharamlal Kaushik has accused Congress of "committing corruption" in every defence deal during its tenure at the Centre. Addressing a press conference here, Kaushik said Congress is afraid of getting "exposed" since the Modi government successfully extradited Michel to India. "The allegations levelled against Congress in the AgustaWestland chopper scam are being substantiated by the revelations being made by Michel. Michel took names of 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'R' (as per Enforcement Directorate). There is no need to tell who 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'R' are," he said. Those who call the "chowkidar" (as Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses himself) a thief are now being proved to be the real thieves, he said. "Congress' involvement in every kind of defence scam in the country in known to everyone, and it is not a new thing. Be it the Bofors or Agusta, in every case Congress has been facing serious charges of receiving kickbacks," he said. I ask Rahul Gandhi to clarify his stand on Michel's reference to 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'R', he said. "Bribe to the tune of multi-crore rupees was unearthed in the VVIP chopper deal. The Italian court also believed that politicians and bureaucrats in India were given a bribe of Rs 15 million dollars to push the deal. "The court had pointed out that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had played a key role in the deal," he claimed. In the context of Rafale aircraft deal (of the BJP government), Rahul Gandhi had been favouring HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) while the same public sector company was neglected in the VVIP helicopter deal, Kaushik said. He said, "Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have well-maintained the tradition of committing corruption by Congress in defence deals and carried out an institutional scam in the Agusta deal through middlemen". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 31) More areas are reeling from the aftermath of Usman, previously classified as a tropical depression. Sorsogon Governor Bobet Lee Rodrigueza said the province was placed under state of calamity on Sunday after 8 died in the area due to landslides caused by heavy rains. Camarines Norte risk reduction management council on Monday also unanimously approved the recommendation to declare the province under the state of calamity. Eight towns in Oriental Mindoro, namely Baco, Bongabong, Bansud, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Pola and Calapan City, are also under a state of calamity. The provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay were earlier placed under a state of calamity. Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara said this resolution was passed "in order to implement, complement and sustain the disaster quick response and recovery activities." Once a state of calamity is declared, price controls would be imposed on basic necessities and prime commodities and local government units could appropriate calamity funds. He said residents were warned about the possible effects of the tropical depression, but many did not expect the amount of rain dumped by Usman. Ten residents were killed due to landslides in Albay, while one was carried away by a strong current. He said some residents remain missing. The governor said the calamity funds will be used to attend to the needs of the residents, especially the displaced ones. More than 10,000 families have been evacuated in Albay in the aftermath of Usman. Speaking to CNN Philippines, Albay public safety officer Eugene Escobar said they are still assessing the safety of affected areas. "'Yung mga report mga nakalagay samin as of now, we have 15 casualties, but we're still awaiting reports coming from the LGUs, including damage reports on infrastructure and agriculture. Out of 15 deaths, meron ding 11 na missing, and continue pa din po ang search and retrieval operation dun sa mga respective areas," he said. Usman poured 84 percent of the monthly rainfall when it battered Albay, resulting in damage to property and infrastructure. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said according to the unverified reports it has received, the death toll has reached 68 in the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas, as of Monday. Nineteen people remain missing in the wake of Tropical Depression Usman, which was downgraded to a low-pressure area after making landfall in Eastern Samar Saturday morning. The Office of Civil Defense said the death toll could rise further as reports come in. Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio announced Monday that they have extended the terms of an agreement for acquisition of wireless assets of the Anil Ambani-owned firm, to June-end. The breather of sorts for Reliance Communications comes at a time when its spectrum sale deal is in a limbo, awaiting clearance from the telecom department. The Department of Telecom (DoT) has so far stuck to its position that the deal cannot be cleared unless clarity emerges on past liabilities, payment of dues and associated charges, particularly as the Mukesh Ambani-led Jio has refused to take any payment liability of his younger sibling's firm RCom to conclude the spectrum trading deal between the two firms. In a regulatory filing on Monday, Reliance Industries informed that Jio, its subsidiary, has extended the term of the definitive agreement for the acquisition of specified assets of Reliance Communications Limited and its affiliates to June 28, 2019. The acquisition is subject to receipt of requisite approvals from governmental and regulatory authorities, consents from all lenders, release of all encumbrances on the said assets and other conditions, it said. In another filing, Reliance Communications said the company and Reliance Jio have "extended the validity of the agreements signed on 28th December 2017 for sale of towers, fiber, MCNs and spectrum of RCOM and its affiliates to 28th June 2019". "The transactions are to be consummated subject to various approvals that are presently in progress," RCom added. Reliance Communications has been urging the telecom department to grant it the "long-awaited no-objection certificate". But DoT officials point out that giving a green signal would be difficult, in the light of Jio's purported reluctance to take on past liabilities of Reliance Communications, and given that both the parties are not willing to take on responsibility of payment of dues. Senior officials of Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio had also met the telecom secretary this month to discuss outstanding issues raised by DoT on payment related to spectrum sale deal between the two companies. The Anil Ambani-owned company had, earlier, asserted that "being a continuing licensee", it remains committed to discharging any outstanding or disputed amount subject to final adjudication. Reliance Communications had said that the requirement of giving bank guarantee as per Telecom Department's demand has been substituted by the orders of telecom tribunal and the Supreme Court, and that its unit Reliance Realty had provided a non-disposal undertaking and corporate guarantee. "Hence, compliance with the trading guidelines is met," RCom had asserted in an earlier statement. Last year, RCom signed a blockbuster deal with Reliance Jio for the sale of wireless spectrum, tower, fibre and media convergence nodes assets - the proceeds of which were to be used to pare its staggering Rs 46,000 crore debt. From that deal, RCom has so far announced the completion of the sale of optical fibre assets worth Rs 3,000 crore and sale of its media convergence nodes worth Rs 2,000 crore to Reliance Jio Infocomm. RCom has to pay dues of Rs 550 crore to Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson, and about Rs 230 crore to Reliance Infratel minority stakeholders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Realme, which spun off as an independent entity from Chinese smartphone major OPPO, Monday said it would expand its offline presence in the country and partner 20,000 retailers across 150 cities by the end of 2019. The company, which was selling its devices online through Flipkart and Amazon, struck an exclusive partnership in November with Reliance stores to kick off offline sales. This provided Realme access to over 1,300 Reliance Digital and My Jio stores in over 130 cities. In a statement Monday, Realme said it would start with top cities of the country, gradually moving towards 150 cities phase by phase. "Realme will start with 10 cities across the country in January 2019, eventually adding 50 cities every quarter. With the city expansion, the smartphone brand will establish 20,000 outlets throughout the country," the statement said. The retail outlets will have all the models that the smartphone brand has launched, it added. "Strengthening our commitment, we are expanding our footprints to meet the rapidly growing customer demands. With the new offline store, we are extending our sales channels reaching out to our offline customers in every region," Realme India Chief Executive Officer Madhav Sheth said. Offline retail is expected to continue to remain an important part of smartphone makers' strategy, as a set of recently introduced norms bar e-commerce marketplaces from striking exclusive partnerships with brands. The rules, which come into effect from February, would also prohibit these online marketplaces from offering discounts and cashbacks -- a strategy often used to woo customers. Many smartphone makers, including Motorola and Xiaomi, had entered the Indian market by selling their devices exclusively online and then extended sales to offline retail as well. Brick-and-mortar stores still account for over half of the phone sales in India, which is the second-largest smartphone market globally after China. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior Congress leader Monday took aim at regional parties, claiming they lacked national perspective and arouse local feelings to capture power. "All regional parties are formed only to protect regional interests; basically all regional parties are created without having a national perspective, or national strategy," the AICC in-charge of the party affairs in Telangana, R C Khuntia said. He made the comment when asked for his views on the efforts of Telangana Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao to forge a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties. "They (regional parties) have regional strategy...strategy is to capture power, fight the election and create more regional feelings so that it (electoral verdict) will go in their favour," Khuntia told PTI. "So, after being elected (in Telangana)... (TRS) telling that in national interest, we (regional parties) are uniting...it has no relevance, and I think KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao) will not succeed," he said. Alleging that KCR was "not anti-BJP" and was "working as the 'B' team of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi", Khuntia noted that the TRS chief had supported the NDA on "every issue", including demonetisation, GST and presidential and vice-presidential elections. "There is no justification for the federal front. What they (TRS) are telling 'national interest' (to forge such a front) is wrong," he said. In the December 7 polls to the 119-member Telangana Assembly, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) returned to power with 88 seats, pushing the Congress to a distant second position with 19. The Congress had formed 'Prajakutami' (People's front) along with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) to take on the TRS, but the grouping came a cropper at the hustings. The TDP led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu bagged just two seats, while both the TJS and CPI drew a blank. Asked if the Prajakutami would continue for the Lok Sabha elections, Khuntia said, "It is (the alliance) continuing. We have not taken any decision to dissolve it". "Now with the TDP and CPI, we have an alliance at the national level. So virtually at the national level, they are already in the joint action programme of the Congress," he said. CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said the issue of whether to continue with the alliance or not for the Lok Sabha elections was yet to be discussed among the partners. "Right now, the front continues. For the Lok Sabha elections, it may continue," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thirty Russian children whose mothers are in prison in Iraqi for belonging to the Islamic State arrived Sunday in Moscow from Baghdad, Russian authorities said. The fathers of the children, aged three to 10 years, 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 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. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was brought to Mandoli jail after he surrendered before the Karkardooma court Monday. Sources said he will be lodged in jail number 14. He was brought by the police to the jail following a medical examination at a Delhi government hospital. They added his medical examination by a jail doctor is currently underway. He was brought to the prison in a separate prison bus with two escorting vehicles, following the court's directions. Kumar, 73, surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg who directed that he be lodged in Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi. The Delhi High Court had set a deadline of December 31 for him to surrender and on December 21 declined his plea to extend the time by a month. The High Court on December 17 convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The riots happened after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar Monday surrendered before a city court on the last day of the deadline set by Delhi High Court and was sent to jail to serve his life sentence in a case relating to the deadly anti-Sikh riots in 1984. Kumar, 73, was brought to Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi shortly after he surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg, who directed that he be provided a separate van for commuting due to "security threat". Clad in a black coat and trousers, a cream coloured muffler and a blue cap, Kumar, a former Lok Sabha MP, was flanked by his lawyers and surrounded by scores of security personnel as he arrived at Karkardooma court at 2.15 pm. Calling it a "big relief" for the riots victims who have been fighting for justice for the past 34 years, Shiromani Akali Dal member Manjinder Singh Sirsa said millions of people who have harboured the pain of 1984 in their hearts want to see "big fish" Sajjan Kumar surrender. This will be the beginning of justice and punishment for the main Congress leaders involved, he said. "We will not rest till everyone guilty in the anti-Sikh 1984 riots are brought to justice," he added. Kumar is the first big politician to be convicted in the riots. In its judgment on December 17, the high court noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital, holding that the riots was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions". The riots broke out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. Outside the court complex, a group of Sikhs gathered raising slogans and showing the victory sign after Kumar surrendered. Media persons were not allowed inside the court room by the judge and security officials. The trial court declined the plea of Kumar's lawyer that he be sent to high-security Tihar Jail as the case pertains to Delhi Cantonment area which comes under this jail's jurisdiction. It was informed by jail authorities that from Karkardooma court, all convicts are first taken to Mandoli jail and from there, the authorities may shift them to another jail, if they deem it appropriate. "The convict is taken into custody and be sent to jail as per rules. Since, there is security threat to the convict, he be provided a separate van for commuting from court to jail and from jail to court," the magistrate said in the two-page order. Kumar came to the courtroom surrounded by 2-3 commandos along with 20-25 Delhi Police personnel, including women, said one of the police officers. He was flanked by his confidant Kailash and 4-5 advocates. No family member or Congress leader accompanied him. The high court convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life" and set a December 31 deadline for him to surrender. On December 21, it refused to extend the deadline by one month as pleaded by him. After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. Kumar has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court challenging the conviction and life sentence awarded to him. There is also another anti-Sikh riots case pending against him. As a precautionary measure, sikh prisoners in Mandoli Jail complex will be kept away from Kumar's ward, jail sources said. The sources said he will be lodged in ward 14. He was brought by the police after a medical examination at a Delhi government hospital. Shiromani Akali Dal Badal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said Congress president Rahul Gandhi had a lot of questions to answer as to why his family protected Sajjan Kumar, Kamal Nath and Jagdish Tytler. "Even now Tytler not expelled. Kamal Nath made CM of MP. Clear culprits know Gandhi family role in genocide against Sikhs and that is why Rahul is protecting them," he said. Magistrate Garg was informed by Kumar's counsel that the Rs 1 lakh fine imposed by the high court is yet to be deposited. Earlier in the day, former MLAs Krishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were also convicted in the same case, surrendered before the court to serve their 10-year jail term. They were accompanied by family members and relatives. The court allowed Yadav to take spectacles and a walking stick to jail. They both were sentenced to three years jail by the trial court for the offence of rioting and armed with deadly weapons, but the high court enhanced their jail term by convicting them for criminal conspiracy, mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion and injuring a place of worship to insult the religion. Besides Kumar, Yadav and Krishan, the others convicted in the case were former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal. Setting aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case, the high court also held that the riots were a "crime against humanity" perpetrated by those who enjoyed "political patronage" and aided by an "indifferent" law enforcement agency. It further said there has been a familiar pattern of mass killings since Partition, like in Mumbai in 1993, Gujarat in 2002 and Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh in 2013, and the "common" feature of each was the "targeting of minorities" with the attacks being "spearheaded by the dominant political actors, facilitated by law enforcement agencies". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A peon working in a government school was arrested here for allegedly outraging the modesty of a minor student, police said on Monday. Arif Choudhary, 35, was arrested Sunday evening after parents of an 11th class student lodged a complaint with Gandhi Nagar police station alleging that he had raped their daughter inside the school premises in the city, a police official said. He said a rape case was registered and a medical examination of the teenager was conducted, the report of which is awaited. In another shocking incident, the official said an 18-year-old girl of Reasi district lodged a complaint with police on Sunday accusing her father of raping her. The accused is absconding and the efforts are on to nab him, he said adding a rape case was registered in this connection. He said the victim alleged that her father outraged her modesty during the intervening night of December 21-22. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scientists have modelled the processes that led to the formation of glaciers at the cratered poles of Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun. The researchers at the University of Maine in the US studied the accumulation and flow of ice on Mercury, and how the glacial deposits on the smallest planet in our solar system compare to those on Earth and Mars. The findings, published in the journal Icarus, add to our understanding of how Mercury's ice accumulations -- estimated to be less than 50 million years old and up to 50 metres thick in places -- may have changed over time. Changes in ice sheets serve as climatic indicators, researchers said. Analysis of Mercury's cold-based glaciers, located in the permanently shadowed craters near the poles and visible by Earth-based radar, was funded by NASA, and is part of a study of volatile deposits on the moon. Like the moon, Mercury does not have an atmosphere that produces snow or ice that could account for glaciers at the poles. Simulations by the team suggest that the planet's ice was deposited -- likely the result of a water-rich comet or other impact event -- and has remained stable, with little or no flow velocity. That is despite the extreme temperature difference between the permanently shadowed locations of the glaciers on Mercury and the adjacent regions illuminated by the Sun. The researchers reconstructed the shape and outline of past and present ice sheets on Earth and Mars, with findings published in 2002 and 2008, respectively. "We expect the deposits (on Mercury) are supply limited, and that they are basically stagnant unmoving deposits, reflecting the extreme efficiency of the cold-trapping mechanism" of the polar terrain, the researchers said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asian Games gold medallist Divij Sharan is set to play only his second-ever Davis Cup tie and first since 2012 after being included in the Indian team for the World Group Qualifier rubber against Italy, scheduled for February 1-2 in Kolkata. An AITA source told PTI that the new selection committee, led by Rohit Rajpal, has largely gone by the rankings. "It picked the best four available singles players and the top-two doubles player," said the source. Sharan had missed out on playing the Serbia tie due to a shoulder injury. The left-hander from Delhi, ranked 39, will play the doubles alongside Rohan Bopanna, ranked 37th with whom he has paired for 2019 on the Pro Tour. Sharan had made his Davis Cup debut against New Zealand, playing the doubles rubber with Vishnu Vardhan, in India's 5-0 whitewash of the visitors. As Yuki Bhambri continues to miss action due to his knee injury, the singles duty will done by Prajnesh Gunneswaran (110) and Ramkumar Ramanathan (132). Saketh Myneni (259), who ended a runner-up at the Bengaluru Challenger and has qualified for the Tata Open Maharashtra, has retained his place. N Sriram Balaji, who played the inconsequential fourth rubber against Serbia's Pedja Kristin, has been dropped from the squad along with Arjun Kadhe who was a reserve member. The team has a new member in young Sasi Kumar Mukund, who was impressive in the 2018 season. He has zoomed to 295 after beginning the 2018 season at a low 426. Veteran Leander Paes continues to remain on the sidelines. He is country's third highest-ranked player at 63 in the world. India will host Italy on grass courts of South Club. A total of 24 teams will play in the knockout qualifiers on February 1 and 2 to decide which 12 teams will play the year-end Finals. Twelve winners in February will join these six teams for the 18-team Finals in Madrid in November 2019. According to the new format, only four semifinalists from 2018 season along with two wild cards Argentina and Britain have a direct entry. India lost their World Group Play-off to Serbia while Italy lost their quarterfinal to France. Since India are ranked 20, they again got a shot at World Group. The Indian squad: Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Divij Sharan, Rohan Bopanna, Saketh Myneni and Sasi Kumar Mukund. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh's iron lady Sheikh Hasina, who won a historic fourth term as prime minister becoming the country's longest-serving leader, is credited by her supporters for the Muslim-majority nation's impressive economic growth, but her opponents see her as an authoritarian who stifled the Opposition. Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won the 11th parliamentary elections with a landslide victory even as the Opposition rejected the "farcical" polls marred with violence that claimed 18 lives, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country. The 71-year-old chief of the Awami League was pitted against a united opposition Jatiya Oikya Front (United National Front) led by octogenarian Kamal Hossain, an Oxford-educated jurist and former foreign minister. Her arch-rival ex-premier and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khalida Zia, who has been serving a 17-year sentence for corruption, was barred from contesting the polls. Born on September 28, 1947 at her parental home of Tungipara in northern Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), Hasina is the eldest among the five children of Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh. Hasina married nuclear scientist M A Wazed Miah in 1968. Her husband died in 2009. They have one son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and one daughter, Saima Wazed Hossain Putul. Though she took active interest in throughout her student life, Hasina formally joined the Awami League as its leader following the tragic assassination of Rahman, his wife and three sons in 1975. While living in self-exile with her husband in India, Hasina was elected the president of the Awami League in 1981, and since then she has been the president of the party. Ending six years in exile, she returned home on May 17, 1981. In 1983, Hasina formed an alliance to oust military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Hasina joined forces with Zia's BNP to help oust the military dictator in 1990 but the two soon fell out and their rivalry is popularly known as the "Battle of Begums". Hasina and Zia, the 73-year-old widow of military dictator Ziaur Rahman, share a long and bitter rivalry and have alternated in power for most of the past 28 years. Hasina was first elected prime minister in 1996 after defeating her arch-rival Zia, who eventually regained power in 2001. She was the first democratically elected prime minister of the country to complete the term. In 2008, Hasina returned as the prime minister with a landslide victory. In January 2014, she became the prime minister for a third term in an unopposed election as BNP boycotted the polls. She has been in power ever since, presiding over economic expansion of more than six per cent every year since 2009. Since she took power in 2008, Bangladesh's per capita income has seen a threefold increase. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) stood at USD 250 billion in 2017 and it clocked a growth rate of 7.28 percent last year. The garment industry has emerged as one of the main pillars of the economy, providing jobs to 4.5 million people. Hasina has been praised by her supporters for cracking down on Islamist extremists after five homegrown terrorists stormed a Dhaka cafe in 2016, killing 20 hostages, including one Indian. She also launched trials of the powerful Islamist opposition over crimes committed during the 1971 independence war. Her critics, however, have described her as an authoritarian since she pushed on with an uncontested general election in 2014. Her opponents accuse her of crushing the opposition and creating a one-party dominant political system in Bangladesh. Hasina will serve as the prime minister for the fourth term - a record for any Bangladeshi leader since the country came into existence in 1971. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising the state government's farm loan waiver scheme and called him "anti-farmer". Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he questioned Modi's moral right to criticise the state government on the issue. "I had twice led delegations (to Modi) as a chief minister, he did not agree to waive a single rupee. What moral right does he have?" said Siddaramaiah who is also head of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coordination committee in Karnataka. Alleging that Modi and his government were against the agriculture sector, he questioned their contribution to the farming community. "Ok we have given lollipop, what pop has he given? What has he given?" Siddaramaiah asked. "What has he and his party governments done in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh until recently, and in Bihar and other states where the BJP is running a coalition government?" he questioned. Addressing a rally at Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh last week, Modi had said that the Congress promised loan waivers to lakhs of farmers, but the JD(S)-Congress coalition in Karnataka did not deliver. "Lollipops were handed out. The loan waiver was given to only 800 farmers," he had claimed. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has also hit out at Modi for terming the state government's loan waiver scheme for farmers "one of the most cruel jokes", accusing him of misleading the country for "political gains". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former defence minister and senior Congress leader A K Antony accused the ruling BJP and the government Monday of "manufacturing" lies in the AgustaWestland case and said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deal during the UPA regime. "The government and the BJP are misusing agencies to manufacture lies. I am surprised to know that the present government is spreading lies...is trying to manufacture something out of nothing," he told reporters here. "I would like to categorically say that Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi never showed any interest and never interfered in the AgustaWestland deal. Not only that, in the entire period of my defence ministership, Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi never interfered in defence deals and procurement," the veteran leader said. Addressing a press conference in Parliament, Antony said, "Without any iota of truth, they (government and BJP) are trying to follow vendetta " The comments came following a slugfest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday. While the opposition party alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government were AgustaWestland's protectors and promoters, the saffron party accused it of defending Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the deal, and asked why was it scared of a probe into the case. Antony said it was the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government that had ordered a CBI inquiry the moment it had come to know of the corruption allegations in the VVIP AgustaWestland helicopter deal and initiated the proceedings to blacklist the company. He claimed that the UPA government fought the case "unusually" in a Milan court against the chopper-manufacturing company and won it too. "We cancelled the contract and started the proceedings of blacklisting. But after we left, the Modi government did nothing against AgustaWestland. Instead of acting against the company, they favoured the company," Antony said. He added that if the Congress had anything to hide, it would not have ordered a CBI probe into the AgustaWestland deal or gone to Italy to fight the case. The senior Congress leader alleged that the government and the BJP were trying to divert attention from the allegations raised by his party on the Rafale fighter jets deal and not ordering an inquiry or a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the charges. "During our time, whenever there were allegations, even in media reports, we took action and held an inquiry," Antony said. On the BJP's charges of the Congress being jittery ever since Michel was extradited to India, the chief spokesperson of the opposition party, Randeep Surjewala, said this was like "chor machaye shor" (the thief making noise). Antony said in this case, AgustaWestland was selected after a first technical evaluation by a team of officials and a detailed field evaluation by a team comprising Air Force, Special Protection Group (SPG) and defence ministry officials. "They had selected AgustaWestland out of these two companies which were suited and eligible. So, the Field Evaluation Committee had recommended AgustaWestland. It was not a political issue. It was purely an official decision, based on recommendations by a team consisting of Air Force, SPG and defence ministry officials," he said. On whether the BJP government renewed its attacks on the Congress leadership to counter the alleged Rafale scam, the former defence minister said, "There is a possibility, because even now, the present government is not able to answer many of the questions we posed. "I posed five questions, they did not answer those. We posed many questions and the entire Opposition is demanding a JPC on Rafale in a House in which they have got a majority. Their chairman will be there. So, they are panicking. May be they want to divert attention." Whether the Congress will launch a counter-offensive against the BJP's propaganda, he said, "They are going to propagate lies. We are propagating the truth. So, lies will not stand in the face of truth."Responding to a question on the BJP's claim that blacklisting of AgustaWestland could have affected operational preparedness, Antony said it had nothing to do with operational preparedness. "This helicopter is not for military operation. It is for VVIP movement, for the president, vice-president and the prime minister. It was cancelled in 2014. After that, the present government also has not taken any step to procure another helicopter. Instead, during our time and the NDA's time also, for VVIP usage, the government is using the Russian MI-18 upgraded helicopters. It has nothing to do with operational preparedness, it is VVIP movement. That is going on smoothly from about 2014 till today with Russian Helicopters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Outgoing US Defence Secretary James Mattis, who resigned due to his differences with President Donald Trump over policy issues, in a farewell message on Monday urged American troops and defence employees to stay focussed on their mission. Quoting a telegram, which was sent by former president Abraham Lincoln to General Ulysses Grant in February 1865, near the end of the American Civil War, Mattis said, "Let nothing which is transpiring, change, hinder, or delay your military movements, or plans." "Our Department is proven to be at its best when the times are most difficult. So keep the faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes," he said. Mattis resigned earlier this month after Trump announced to withdraw US troops from Syria and Afghanistan. "Our Department's leadership, civilian and military, remains in the best possible hands. I am confident that each of you remains undistracted from our sworn mission to support and defend the Constitution while protecting our way of life," Mattis said. In his resignation letter, Mattis had expressed his desire to stay in office till February 28 to ensure a smooth transition. However, Trump asked him to leave by December 31 and appointed his Deputy Patrick Shanahan as the Acting Defence Secretary. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the eve of the 201st anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle, thousands of visitors Monday paid tribute at the 'jay stambh' near Perne village in Maharashtra's Pune district amidst heavy security while locals accorded them a "warm" welcome and arranged for their food. Around 18,000 to 20,000 visitors who have come from various parts of Maharashtra visited the victory pillar, police said. Contrary to the scene of January 1 this year when caste clashes had broken out around Koregaon Bhima village, the villagers were Monday seen welcoming the visitors with roses and water bottles, they said. Arrangements were also made for food, water and providing other logistical support. "Majority of the visitors, mainly youths, reached here today from the Vidarbha and the Marathawada regions of the state and paid tribute at the memorial," said a police officer. The 'jay stambh' had been erected by the British as a memorial for the soldiers killed in the Koregaon Bhima battle on January 1, 1818. In the Dalit narrative, the battle is the victory over casteism as the British army comprising a large contingent of dalit Mahar soldiers had defeated the forces of Peshwas--the Brahmin custodians of the Maratha kingdom. Unlike January 1 this year, all shops, hotels, lodges and commercial establishments remained opened in the area, with people offering visitors free food and other refreshments. Ashok Athawale, a resident of Sanaswadi whose house and a fabrication unit were torched during the violence earlier this year, said his entire family is offering food to visitors and ensuring that they are not inconvenienced. "We are expecting a huge footfall to the tune offew lakhs on Tuesday but the police and district administration are all geared up to provide them necessary facilities, and all arrangements have been done," said Sandip Patil, Superintendent of Police, Pune Rural, who is camping at the memorial. Special IG, Vishwas Nangare Patil said the police will focus on areas like crowd and traffic control and maintaining law and order while keeping eye on any sabotage activities. As part of a security measure, police held a route march around the memorial this evening. Meanwhile, dalit leader and Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad Monday reiterated his plan to visit the victory pillar even if the government uses force to deter him. Azad could not hold a public rally in Pune, after the Bombay High Court Monday refused to pass any orders to the Pune Police to permit the Bhim Army to conduct public meetings in the city. Azad visited historic places such as Phule Wada, Lal Mahal and held meetings with members of his outfit in the day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three persons were killed when two mini trucks collided near Mangli village here Monday, police said. All the three victims were coming to Ludhiana to purchase fruits and vegetables from the 'mandi', they said. Additional DCP Surinder Lamba said the victims were identified as Balbir Singh (27), Pancham (26) and Uma Sahni (45). They all belonged to village Katani Kalan. Police said it was was a head-on collision as one truck was coming from the wrong side. Police further said that visibility was poor due to fog in the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : A two-month-old baby was Monday reunited with her mother by police, less than 24 hours after she allegedly handed it over in an inebirated state to a man near Osmania General Hospital here, police said. They said the woman handed over the baby to the man Sunday night,saying she would be back after some time. However when she did not turn up The man then took the wailing child to his house and vainly tried to feed it milk. He informed his friends and relatives and they handed over the baby to the Afzlgunj Police Station, an official release said. Constable M Ravinder on night duty there, informed his wife, also a constable at another station and who was on maternity leave, of the baby's plight and she came to the spot and fed the baby, it said. Later, the baby was shifted to the Government Maternity Hospital at Petlaburz. During efforts to trace the mother, police found a a woman crying at Chanchalguda area, who narrated the sequence of events. The woman claimed that she had forgotten the area where she had given the baby to the man as she was drunk at that time. She was then taken to the hospital, where she identified her child. After verification and confirmation, the baby was handed over to the woman, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), was for the socio-economic development of women, but was against using religion in politics to get justice for them. Banerjee, who was commenting on the Opposition stalling the "triple talaq" bill following which the Rajya Sabha was adjourned, said her party was "totally in favour of women". She said the TMC had 33 per cent elected women representatives and urged other political parties to follow suit. "We are totally in favour of women. We are for the socio-economic development of women. Women should not face any injustice. But if there is any politics with their religions, I think the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members are capable of catering to the situation," she told reporters at the state secretariat. The TMC supremo said party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay spoke on the "triple talaq" bill in Parliament on December 28 and said the bill should be sent to the Joint Select Committee. All opposition parties shared the same opinion, she added. "Without the party instruction, he (Bandyopadhyay) cannot speak," Banerjee said. Elaborating on her party's support to women, she said, "It is only in the TMC that we have more than 33 per cent elected women members. I request all the political parties to give 33 per cent reservation to women. "In (West) Bengal, we have 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayat as well as in municipal areas," the chief minister added. "If you want to give justice to women, you cannot be unjust to others. So, wherever justice is needed, we support the people, but wherever there will be injustice, we will not support it. We will fight it out," she said. Alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) punished or penalised people whenever a certain issue did not suit it, Banerjee, a strident critic of the saffron party, said, "I do not agree with this. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal BJP Monday accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of spreading canards against the BJP led central government over "non-availability" of funds for central schemes. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh also dared Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee to make public data in this regard. Ghosh's statement came after Banerjee direction to officials on Thursday to rename central schemes, claiming that the state is bearing 80 per cent cost of these programmes but the Union government is taking credit for these. "Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the TMC is spreading canards against the BJP government regarding the non-availability of funds for central schemes. The Centre has regularly been providing its share of money to the state. The state government should come out with data if it has the guts," Ghosh told reporters. The BJP leader also denied Banerjee's claims that the Centre is taking credit for paying the farmers under the Fasal Bima Yojana, though the state government was actually making the payments. "The Centre regularly pays the money for the Fasal Bima Yojna. The allegations are false and politically motivated," Ghosh said. The TMC government has made it a habit to criticize the central government at every given opportunity, he said. On the issue of illegal infiltration in West Bengal, Ghosh charged the TMC with using infiltrators as their vote bank. "The TMC is using infiltrators as their vote bank and that is why it has opposed the Aadhaar Card system being made mandatory," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday said it is committed to work for the farmers and the poor, and will support any political party making efforts in the same direction. Banerjee, also the chief minister of West Bengal, said the TMC would fight in every corner of the country for the development of the masses, if the people give them an opportunity. "On the eve of the party's foundation day, I can assure you that as long as I am alive, as long as TMC is alive, we will work for the farmers, the poor and the workers. We will fight to protect our sisters and mothers," she said in Hindi in an audio-visual message. "The TMC is a poor party. We are not a rich party like the BJP. But, our party symbol symbolises human approach," she said. Banerjee urged all opposition parties to fight together for the welfare of people and "any political party which would work for their development, we would support them". "In the unorganised sector, the condition of workers is bad after demonetisation. The agricultural sector is in distress, and the democracy is under threat. They (the BJP) don't accept the Constitution. At times, they lynch innocent people and at times they lynch policemen," she alleged. The TMC was founded by Banerjee on January 1, 1998. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after a US based was questioned by police for interviewing people at Tuticorin over the plant issue, authorities are exploring legal options, including filing a case and deporting him for alleged violation of visa rules. Mark Scialla, a freelance from the U.S.A interviewed a host of people on December 28 and 29 in and around Tuticorin, the Anti- Movement's (ASM) Cardoza, who helped him as an interpreter, said. The journalist, who arrived in that coastal town on Thursday, posed questions to them on the "health issues" they faced before and after the closure of Sterlite's shut copper plant at Tuticorin and also met a victim of the May 2018 police firing (who sustained a bullet injury), he said. A senior police officer told that all legal options were being "looked at," including registration of a case and deporting him in view of the violation of visa norms. A foreigner on a tourist visa cannot do journalistic work as per norms, he said. The official said that the enquiry of local people who interacted with the US was still not complete. They were being questioned on the basis of what Scialla had told police in connection with his work, he said. "As a tourist, Mark is free to go anywhere, but he cannot interview people and he has agreed to follow the rules," the official said to question. Despite repeated attempts, Mark could not be reached for his comment; he neither answered text message nor a phone call. The hotel where he stays at Tuticorin, however, confirmed that he continued to stay there. According to Mark's twitter handle, he is an "independent writer and video covering environmental conflict and social issues." When contacted, a U S Consulate spokesperson here said "We are aware of media reports concerning the American citizen. However, due to privacy laws, we do not comment on matters involving U S citizens." told that police took him around Tuticorin for several hours on Saturday night in a vehicle before he was eventually questioned for helping Scialla. He said he received a summons from police on Monday to appear within hours. However, he said he has replied that he would appear "at the earliest," and not today. Fatima Babu, another leading anti- activist said it was not their task to check under what visa a foreigner had arrived. She led an agitation when police detained for several hours for questioning. On December 15, the Green Tribunal set aside the government order for closure of mining company Ltd's plant at Tuticorin, which was at the centre of massive protests over alleged pollution, saying it was "non sustainable" and "unjustified". Thirteen people were killed in police firing on May 22-23 and several injured after the protests against Sterlite turned violent in Tuticorin. In Search of a Martyred Assyrian Ancestor (BBC) -- Eastern Turkey had a large and thriving community of Christians a little over 100 years ago, but since then most have been dispersed or killed. The BBC's Eli Melki went to look for traces of a relative, who was martyred at the age of 33. One evening in June, I sat in the sunset among the Roman ruins of Zirzawan hill, in south-east Turkey. This is where it's said the remains of one of my ancestors are buried in a mass grave. Leonard Melki was about 33 years old at the beginning of World War One, and his fate was determined by his Christian faith. At that time, between a fifth and a quarter of the inhabitants of eastern Turkey - then part of the Ottoman Empire - belonged to an array of Eastern denominations of the Christian Church, including the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Syriac Church, the Church of the East (Nestorians) and the Chaldean Church. All except the Armenians worshipped in Syriac - a dialect of Aramaic, the language of Christ. They lived among the empire's Muslim majority and, while many prospered, at some times and in some places they were subject to outright persecution; in World War One, it went far, far beyond that. Leonard, my great-grandfather's cousin, was born a member of one of the Eastern churches - the Maronites - but later became a Capuchin friar, and in his mid-20s he was sent to run the order's school in the city of Mardin, close to what is now the border between Turkey and Syria. At this point Christians represented between 35% and 40% of Mardin's inhabitants. The Capuchin monastery, where Leonard taught boys the rudiments of the Christian faith, stood alongside a Franciscan monastery in a prominent position in the city centre. To find out more about Leonard, I spoke to his great-nephew, Fares Melki, who has set up a website dedicated to Leonard and other missionaries from Baabdat, the small town near Beirut where we were both born. As we sat under our family oak tree, he told me that Leonard was born Yusuf (Joseph in Arabic) in about 1881, one of 11 children. As a boy he would have tilled the land around where we were sitting. Fares showed me some yellowed letters and photographs Leonard sent to relatives and to his superiors. They reveal a young man dedicated to his faith, attached to his sister Tamar, and eager - despite problems with his health - to embark on a mission 1,000km from his picturesque and prosperous home in Mount Lebanon. In one letter, written in 1912, he wrote about young Muslim men from Mardin being sent to fight in the Balkan Wars. "Poor souls, I pity them. They are marching like sheep to the slaughter, poorly trained and equipped, but displaying an admirable courage despite of it all. Lacking everything - even bread - they end up by devastating everything and terrorising people wherever they set foot. May God put an end to all this misery, and grant peace and tranquillity to the land." But not long afterwards, World War One did the opposite, and the nationalist Young Turks then in control of the Ottoman Empire began to fear a possible alliance between the local Christian populations and Russia, which had quickly gone on the offensive. The decision was taken to deport the Armenian population into the interior provinces - though in practice men were often simply executed, and women and children forced into convoys that morphed into death marches. While these actions were directed against the Armenians, they had the effect of signalling that all Christians in the region had lost the protection of the state. The result was a wave of pogroms, carried out both by the local Ottoman authorities and some Kurdish tribesmen. Some Syriac Christian churches are estimated to have lost up to half their congregation in the violence. They call this Seyfo, the Year of the Sword, and Leonard was one of the victims. Today, almost nothing remains of Mardin's ancient Christian heritage. There is no trace of the Capuchin monastery in Mardin, though by chance I met a local historian - possibly the last Armenian living in the city - who was able to point out the precise location of the neighbouring Franciscan monastery. Using old photographs and the memoirs of her grandmother - once a pupil at the girls' school run by Franciscan nuns - she has been able to pinpoint exactly where each arch of the building stood. Today the site is a busy and noisy car park among the narrow shopping streets of this Turkish city. It's hard to imagine now the sounds of the schoolyards and the monastery bells. But below ground level, in a former public bath building, my Armenian guide showed me an archway, a remnant of one of the two defunct monasteries. And suddenly in my mind's eye I could see Leonard and his pupils passing by - or being dragged along after his arrest. Leonard was seized in June 1915, when the authorities rounded up a number of clergymen and other notables of the city on trumped up charges of collaboration with the enemy, usually the French. Christians had widely come to be seen as a fifth column of the Western powers, and the missionaries treated as enemy agents. We walked along the winding old main street referred to by a Dominican monk, Jacques RhAtorA, in his account of the arrests. "Father Leonard, a Capuchin, was in front of the convoy of detainees, between two students of Saint Francis's school. As he passed by his convent, he looked upward, in a last salute to the holy house where he lived in the bliss of doing good deeds. There, the soldier flanking him dealt him a blow on the head with a club, yelling at him: 'Walk straight you dirty Fraranji (Frenchman)!'" The convoy, one of many, was led towards the city of Diyarbakir, where the detainees were to be tried for treason. However, in the middle of the journey, the column of detainees, now in a sorry state, was led to the hill of Zirzawan. Their final hour was recounted by another Dominican, Hyacinthe Simon. "They were killed by groups of four, with knives, daggers and scimitars, or clubbed to death, then their bodies were thrown in the wells. The old fortress still holds their bones and the secret of their last moments," he wrote. Sitting on Zirzawan hill, I wondered what must have gone through Leonard's mind as his life was about to end. Did he remember our peaceful hometown, the family land with its majestic oak tree, his fellow friars, his beloved sister? For me, Leonard personifies the tragedy of hundreds of thousands of mostly innocent and unarmed people, who were were killed during the fateful spring and summer of 1915 in the eastern part of the Ottoman Empire. It helps me to fathom the enormity of this disaster. In the distance, I could still see the sprawling new city of Mardin. The old road taken by the death march has now been replaced by a motorway, emblematic of a resurgent Turkey, a country where the two-millennia-old Christian presence has been reduced to the ruins of places of worship. And to about 2,500 Syriac speaking people, who still cling, against all odds, to a handful of towns and villages in the nearby region of Tur Abdin, the "Mountain of the Worshippers". What was once one of the most ancient and dense Christian presences in the world now stands on the brink of extinction. Trade Unions have demanded universal social security and a minimum monthly wage of Rs 18,000 with indexation across India under a 20-point agenda. The agenda, which called for universal social security coverage for all workers in the country through the retirement fund body EPFO and Employees' State Insurance Corporation, was approved on Monday at the national convention of the Confederation of Central Trade Unions (CONCENT), according to a statement. CONCENT is a joint front of the RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh; a faction of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC); the Trade Union Coordination Centre; and the National Federation of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU). Also, the front has demanded a minimum monthly wage of Rs 18,000 for Aanganwadi, Asha and Mid Day Meal workers across the country with indexation and status of government employees. They should be paid a minimum monthly wage of Rs 18,000 till these workers become government employees. The front also demanded that all the contractual employees should be paid at par with the regular employees as guided by the apex court and all types of pension should have government subsidy at par with the central contributory scheme. It also pitched for increasing the payment of gratuity from 15 days pay per year of service to 30 days pay and bring more workers under its ambit by reducing the threshold of five year minimum service to one year. The front has also demanded for representation of labourers and farmers in government think-tank Niti Aayog and withdrawal of the provision of fixed-term employment rule from labour laws. It is also against the disinvestment of public sector under takings and foreign direct investment here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tripura resumed trade with Bangladesh on Monday following a two-day hiatus at the check posts in view of elections in the neighbouring country, an official said. Bangladesh went to polls on Sunday to elect a new Parliament, the results of which were declared this morning. The ruling Awami League-led alliance cruised to victory, bagging 260 seats in the 300-member House. All seven land custom stations in the state, which were closed since Saturday, recommenced operations along the border, PK Joardar, Assistant Commissioner of Customs Department (Tripura circle), said. "There was no official communication from Bangladesh and we kept our offices open, but there was no trade along the Indo-Bangla border," he told PTI. Trucks carrying goods from Bangladesh entered India in the morning through Agartala-Akhaura Integrated Check Post (ICP), one of the largest trading points between the two countries, Khokan Bhowmick, the spokesperson of a trade association, said. "We hope that export and import would begin in full swing from tomorrow. Much of the operations were withheld as truck drivers in Bangladesh had gone to their native places to cast their votes," Bhowmick of Agartala Exporter Importer Entrepreneur Sangha said. Tripura Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TCCI) president ML Debnath hoped that trade balance will be established along the border with the formation of new government. "India imported goods worth Rs 300 crore from Bangladesh in the last financial year through Agartala-Akhaura ICP, but the value of total exports did not exceed Rs 80 lakh," Debnath added. Tripura imports fish, cement and plastic products from Bangladesh, while exporting rubber latex, bamboo-based products, broomstick and soybean seeds, CNG-run vehicles and maize to the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump on Monday defended his decision to withdraw American troops from war-torn Syria and said that by doing so he's fulfilled one of his campaign promises. Trump in a tweet said that during the 2016 presidential elections, he had campaigned to get out of Syria and other places. "I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now when I start getting out the Fake Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do!" Trump said. His decision to withdraw troops from Syria has been widely condemned by US lawmakers and the influential think-tank community. Defence Secretary James Mattis resigned in protest. The US has some 2,000 troops in Syria, which will gradually return from this war-ravaged country. Trump said that there is no need for US troops in Syria after the defeat of the Islamic State. The left over ISIS would be taken care of by neighbouring countries, Turkey in particular, he said in a recent tweet. Saudi Arabia has agreed to invest heavily in the development of Syria. "If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero. ISIS is mostly gone, we're slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants," Trump tweeted Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two men, who fired gun shoots at police personnel in Dwarka, have been arrested, officials said Monday. The accused were identified as Sameer (28), a resident of Mahavir Enclave Part-II and Nadeem Ahmed (25), a resident of Mahavir Enclave Part-I. During patrolling in Dabri area, police kept a watch on the movement of two persons based on suspicion. On seeing the police, the two tried to run away. Subsequently, Ahmed took out a gun and fired at the officials. However, the accused were overpowered and apprehended, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse. During interrogation, Sameer revealed that after his release from jail in 2016, he and his girlfriend started an online fraud through which they defrauded unsuspecting persons of around Rs 13.5 lakh, Alphonse said. They would make friends on social networking site Facebook on fake identities and on the pretext of getting them jobs in Delhi they would ask their 'friends' to deposit money in a bank account they had access to, the DCP said. A case had been registered at Patliputra Police Station, Patna, DCP said. Sameer is an absent criminal of Dabri Police Station, officials said, adding that a country-made pistol and two live cartridges were recovered from their possession. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian tyre industry may log 7-9 per cent growth over the next five year backed by favourable outlook for the domestic automotive industry, rating agency Icra said in a note Monday. Icra, in the note also forecast the industry to see a capital expenditure of around Rs 20,000 crore during this period. Besides, the domestic tyre industry margins, which declined by 120 bps year-on-year in the September quarter, are expected to improve in the second half of the current fiscal due to the falling crude prices and stable prices of the natural rubber, it said. "Tyre demand is estimated to grow by 7-9 per cent over the next five years (FY2019-23) supported by favourable outlook for the domestic automotive industry," Icra said. The rating agency also said said it has a stable outlook on the Indian tyre industry. Amidst continued investments towards capacity additions (partly being debt funded), the liquidity position, capitalisation and coverage indicators of the industry players are expected to remain comfortable largely supported by the stable earnings and healthy cash reserves available with most of the players, Icra said in the note. According to an industry report, the domestic automobile industry, which is currently the fourth largest in the world, is expected to become the third largest by 2021. The industry (including component manufacturing) is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 5.9 per cent and reach USD 251.4-282.8 billion by 2026, thereby becoming the fastest growing industry in the country, as per the report. The domestic tyre industry has benefited from strong growth in both original equipment (OE) and replacement segments in the ongoing fiscal, according to Icra note. "While there have been some headwinds like Kerala floods, tightened financing, insurance related regulatory changes impacting two-wheeler (2W) demand, rising fuel and interest costs, among others, the YTD (year-to-date) sales growth across most segments have been robust leading to healthy OE tyre demand growth," it said. Replacement tyre demand, especially in the truck and bus segment, too has recovered sharply in the last one year supported by post-effects of goods and service tax (GST), pick-up in infrastructure activities, and healthy consumption driven demand, it said. Besides, tyre exports have been steadily increasing in the last one year with recovery in tyre demand from overseas markets and rising competitiveness of Indian tyre makers, both in terms of quality and pricing, Icra stated. The tyre industry in the country has witnessed large capacity additions in the last decade with a cumulative spend of around Rs 27,800 crore, of which about 70 per cent was spent in the last six years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain's tortuous breakup with the European Union took a bizarre turn Monday after it emerged that London has awarded an emergency ferry services contract to a company without any ships. Prime Minister Theresa May's government is ramping up preparations to avert chaos should Britain split from the EU in March without an agreement on future trade ties. May's cabinet will meet next week for more "no-deal Brexit" planning in case the British parliament fails to approve a draft deal London and Brussels have reached after nearly two years of talks. The plan is deeply unpopular in London and May was forced to abort a December debate about the arrangement after admitting it faced heavy defeat. A new vote in the House of Commons is scheduled for the week starting on January 14. But the cabinet's bid to show it was ready for anything was set back when the BBC discovered the ferry contract awarded to a firm without any actual vessels in place. Britain reached three commercial agreements to move cargo should the main cross-Channel sea route grind to a halt after Brexit takes place on March 29. Two of them went to established companies in Denmark and France. The smallest of the three was won by Seaborne Freight -- a London-based firm that only intends to start providing ferry services next year. Britain's transport department did not explain why Seaborne was handed the 13.8 million pounds (USD 17.7 million, 15.4 million euro) deal. "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," the ministry said in a statement released to AFP. "As with all contracts, we carefully vetted the company's commercial, technical and financial position in detail before making the award." But a local councillor said it seemed unlikely that Seaborne could have everything set up in time. "Why choose a company that never moved a single truck in their entire history and give them 14 million pounds?" councillor Paul Messenger asked. "I don't understand the logic of that." May's critics in the Labour main opposition party also pounced. "Nothing could sum Brexit up better than the utter stench of this latest (transport department) mess. Reeks," said Labour MP Neil Coyle. The BBC said the narrow berths at Ramsgate port in southeast England made them unsuitable for most existing commercial ships. The port has not been used commercially since 2013. Seaborne said in a statement that it has spent two years working on plans to get Ramsgate up and running by early 2019. "It was intended to start the service in mid-February but this has now been delayed until late March for operational reasons," Seaborne said. Seaborne chief executive Ben Sharp told the BBC he planned to start operations with two ships before "very quickly" expanding that number to four. The ferries are due to link up Britain with Belgium. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK government on Monday was struggling to find a solution to an escalating crisis involving small boats of migrants crossing the English Channel from France to seek refuge in Britain. Most of the migrants are from the Middle East, with a latest group of 12 Iranians detained from a dinghy off the Kent coastline. UK home secretary Sajid Javid cut short his Christmas and New Year holiday to return to work on Monday to chair a crisis meeting with Border Force officials in an attempt to find a solution. In a column in 'The Daily Telegraph', the senior Pakistani-origin UK Cabinet minister described the rise in perilous attempts to cross the English Channel as "deeply concerning" and vowed that the government "will not stand by and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of some of the most vulnerable in our global society". "The weather conditions are often treacherous and the inflatable boats being used are woefully ill-equipped to make such a dangerous journey," he wrote, amid growing criticism from within his own Conservative Party ranks of not doing enough to stem the crisis. "The migrants who choose to make the journey are putting their lives in grave danger," he said. After the detention of the latest set of migrants on Monday morning, the UK Home Office said: "They all received a medical assessment and have now been transferred to immigration officials for interview." Over 100 migrants have travelled from France to the UK in dinghies and other small vessels over the Christmas period. The rise in the dangerous journeys is believed to be fuelled by instability in the Middle East, organised crime and tighter security at Calais in France. "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," said Javid, who had declared a "major incident" on Friday after dozens of migrants in small boats arrived on the Kent coast during the course of the week. The minister is discussing the problem with Border Force, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and other officials in an attempt to curb the increasing flow of migrants. Calls for additional patrol boats on England's Strait of Dover are not seen as an optimal solution because such boats could end up more as rescue vessels for migrants in trouble. The UK's Opposition Labour Party has accused the government of "whipping up" migration fears in the lead up to a crucial parliamentary vote on British Prime Minister Theresa May's controversial Brexit deal later this month. "People are being whipped up about migration issues, because the government thinks this is the best way of frightening people to vote for their (Brexit) deal," said Diane Abbott, Labour's shadow home secretary. British politicians are split between turning the desperate migrants back or welcoming them in. Labour Party leader Jeremy 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Lucknow-based businessman has alleged that he was abducted from this city last week and driven almost 300 km to Deoria jail where inmate gangster Atiq Ahmed and his accomplices assaulted him and forced him to sign away property worth Rs 40 crore. In his police complaint, the real estate businessman, Mohit Jaiswal, also alleged that Ahmed, a former Samajwadi Party MP, his son Umar and about 15 others forcibly took away his SUV in which he was driven to Deoria. "The government has sought a report from ADG Prison, so as to fix responsibility regarding the lapse in Deoria jail. Action will be taken accordingly. An FIR has lodged in Krishnanagar police station and out of four named accused, two have been arrested," Uttar Pradesh's Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said in a late night statement Sunday. Ahmed, a history-sheeter with at least 70 cases against him, including the killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005 in Allahabad, has been lodged in Deoria district jail since March last year after being transferred from Allahabad's Naini jail. In his FIR, businessman Mohit Jaiswal has named Ahmed, his son Umar, and accomplices Farooque, Zaki Ahmed, Jafar Ullah, Ghulam Sarvar and 10 to 12 unidentified people in charges, including attempt to murder, at the Krishna Nagar police station in Lucknow, police said. Jaiswal alleged that he was assaulted by Ahmed and his supporters and forced to sign papers to handover his property worth Rs 40 crore before he was let off. Circle Officer, Krishna Nagar, Lal Pratap Singh said according to Jaiswal, Ahmed's henchmen took him to the Deoria jail on December 26 in Jaiswal's own SUV and assaulted him inside the barrack where the gangster is lodged. Ahmed has been incarcerated since February, 2017 after being booked for allegedly assaulting faculty members of an agriculture institute in Allahabad in 2016. A former SP MP and five-time MLA from Allahabad West, Atiq Ahmed unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha bypoll from Phulpur as an Independent this year. In 2004, Ahmed was elected to the Lok Sabha as an SP candidate and contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from Pratapgarh as an Apna Dal candidate, where he lost. He also contested the 2012 Assembly election from Allahabad West under the Apna Dal but lost again. It may be recalled that gangster Munna Bajrangi was shot dead by another inmate, considered to be one of his rivals, in Baghpat jail premises in July this year. Bajrangi was lodged in Banda jail and was shifted to Baghpat in connection with his appearance in a case in the district court. After Bajrangi's killing, the state government had set up a high-powered three-member committee under the chairmanship of former DGP Sulkhan Singh to give a report to upgrade the security of all jails across the state. The committee had the mandate to suggest measure to be taken to curb smuggling of firearms and sharp-edged arms. Gangsters such as Mukhtar Ansari, Brajesh Singh, Sundar Bhati, Anil Dujana, Amit Kasna, Babloo Srivastava and Khan Mubarak have been reportedly running their crime syndicates from inside jails. A video has emerged purportedly showing inmates of a Raebareli jail having drinks inside the barrack. The video went viral on social media Monday, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to suspend six officials, including a senior jail superintendent. Uttar Pradesh jails have been plagued with issues like overcrowding, porous security and paucity of staff. Even the CCTV camera installed on various premises, metal detectors and other such security checks are usually found non-functional. Jail authorities in Uttar Pradesh have often come under fire for being allegedly hand in glove with inmates while letting them continue their illegal activities and extortion networks from inside the jails. After the BJP came to power in the state in March last year, over 100 criminals were shifted from one jail to another to neutralise their crime machinery. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Left backed organisation has sought the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to end the alleged human rights violation of adivasi communities in Khunti district of Jharkhand. In a memorandum to NHRC on December 24, the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM) has appealed it to take appropriate measures to uphold the rights of adivasis in Khunti district, a Fifth Schedule area of the state. The Jharkhand government has recklessly and illegally used the draconian IPC Sec 124 A in open FIRs against more than 15,000 adivasis accusing them of sedition, the AARM said in a statement Monday. CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat who is also vice chairperson of AARM alleged that the Raghubar Das led BJP government in Jharkhand has systematically curbed the rights of adivasi people and slapped sedition laws on those who had raised voice for adivasi people's democratic rights. "The use of Sec 124 A is totally unwarranted. This is a serious violation of the constitutional protection to adivasis of their customary laws and practices," Karat alleged. In the memorandum, the AARM claimed that since 2017 end, atrocities on adivasis in Jharkhand began with tribal's 'pathalgarhi' movement- that is erecting stones at the boundary of the village, to demarcate them. These were erected as the community felt that their rights to forest land and resources were being diluted by the enactment of anti-adivasi laws. The adivasis then etched statements on the walls to assert that no project or programme can be conducted in the village without the consent of the gram sabha, the statement said. This soon escalated to a confrontation with government authorities who claimed that some elements in the name of 'pathalgarhi' were misleading the villagers not to permit the entry of outsiders and were targeting government officials and were not allowing the functioning of government schemes. "What is shocking and of great concern is that most of these open FIRs, include Sec 124 A, a serious charge of sedition," the AARM added in the memorandum. "We have requested the NHRC to examine this case and to take the appropriate measures to uphold the rights of adivasis in Khunti district and to prevent the violation of their human rights", Karat added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : The Judicial Commission appointed by the state government to look into alleged lapses in the Rs 7,525 crore Vizhinjam Port project Monday submitted its report to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The government had in May 2017 constituted the inquiry commission to look into the Vizhinjam Port Project with the Guatam Adani group in the backdrop of a Comptroller and Auditor General report finding lapses in the deal. Retired High Court judge Justice C N Ramachandran Nair, who headed the three-member commission, said that corruption was outside the scope of the enquiry. Asked about media reports that a clean chit had been given to former Congress-led UDF government, he said "nobody came forward with any specific corruption charges against any individual and nobody ventured to give any evidence. When there is no allegation of corruption against anyone, there is no need to investigate corruption against anyone. That is why commission has not found corruption against anyone," Justice Nair told PTI. On the lapses pointed out by the CAG on various aspects of the contract, he said the commission had made enquiries. "We have made our comments, some agreeing, some disagreeing" The nearly 100 page report will be placed before the state Assembly. The decision to set up the panel under the Commissions of Enquiry Act was taken following the findings by the CAG that the "state's interests were not protected while signing the agreement and there were lapses." Retired IAS officer K Mohandas and former Indian Audit and Accounts Service official P J Mathew are the other members of the inquiry commission. The agreement for the Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport was signed with Gujarat-based Adani Ports and SEZ Private Ltd during the previous Congress-led UDF state government headed by Oommen Chandy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal government announced two welfare initiatives for farmers on Monday. Both initiatives, which are part of the 'Krishi Krishak Bondhu' scheme, will come into effect from New Year's Day. The first of the two initiatives will provide Rs 2 lakh to the family of a deceased farmer, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters at the secretariat. Under the second initiative, farmers would get Rs 2,500 twice a year for growing a single crop on one acre of land, she said. The Mamata Banerjee government has already waived tax and cess on agricultural land "to help farmers in distress". If a farmer aged between 18 to 60 years dies a natural or unnatural death, the state government will pay his family Rs 2 lakh," the chief minister said. "We have a total of 72 lakh farmer families in the state. We do not want them to suffer. We will start the scheme from tomorrow and the farmers will be able to start applying for the same from February 1," she said. "The step is to ensure that a farmer's family has a good future even if a tragedy occurs," she explained. Elaborating on the other initiative, Banerjee said the government will provide each farmer Rs 5,000 in two installments for growing any particular crop on one acre. They will be able to apply for this scheme from February 1, the amount will be calculated from January 1, 2019," she said. The agricultural department will spend over "hundreds of crores of rupees" for this scheme, she added. Banerjee accused the BJP-led central government for making false claims of providing crop insurance to farmers in West Bengal and said the state has paid 80 per cent of the insurance payout. She said her Trinamool Congress government has undertaken a slew of measures for farmers, including raising the minimum support price for paddy and steps to ensure direct cheque payment to farmers at paddy procurement centres by removing middlemen. The chief minister also warned middlemen against exploiting farmers by paying them less for their produce. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai Monday asked the Congress why it was scared of Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, and what is the truth that it wants to hide. The Enforcement Department investigating the AgustaWestland case, had told a Delhi court on Saturday recently that Michel has made a reference to "Mrs Gandhi" during interrogation. The Congress then hit out at the BJP-led government at the Centre, accusing it of using agencies to put pressure on Michel to "name a particular family" as elections were near and it has no real issues. "Why the Congress party is making a hue and cry on Christian Michel and what is the truth that it wants to hide? The Congress getting jittery on the issue makes things more evident as why it is creating a furore over the matter," Rai told reporters here at the party office. An Italian court in its order noted that Rs 360 crore was paid as kickbacks in the Rs 37 billion dollar chopper deal and politicians and bureaucrats received Rs 125 crore as bribe, Rai said. "The court also mentioned the name of Sonia Gandhi four times in its order which shows her involvement in the deal," he said. Rai said these accusations of corruption were raised not by the BJP or any central agency but by an Italian court. Michel has revealed many names using codes such as "big man, son of Italian lady, party leader and R" which all suggest to a single family, he claimed. The Congress is trying to deflect attention of the people by questioning the Narendra Modi government on the AugustaWestland deal, he said. The BJP leader, however, dodged a query about the Congress' charge of the Modi government ending AgustaWestland's blacklisting. The truth of the Congress is before the people who will give the party a befitting reply, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a veiled attack on the Shiv Sena for borrowing Congress' "chowkidar chor hai" barb aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Monday said he would give a "befitting" reply at the "right time". He also said the BJP didn't attach importance to bickering ally Sena's diatribe against Modi, and hailed the prime minister for "spending each moment of his life to work for the country". On Sena's criticism of BJP after the latter joined hands with the NCP to install its mayor in Ahmednagar civic body last week, Fadnavis said his party was ready to offer "unconditional support" to the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which allegedly did not respond. In the same breath, the chief minister also clarified that BJP did not seek the NCP's support in the corporation, but it was the latter that gave votes. He also ruled out the possibility of BJP joining forces with the Sharad Pawar-led party in upcoming polls, saying BJP would contest elections against the Congress and the NCP. "We will take information on what did they said, to whom and we will give a befitting reply at the right time. Wait for my reply...that right time will come...I will give a befitting reply to it," the CM told reporters here, without naming anyone or any party, in response to a query. Addressing a rally in the temple town of Pandharpur on December 24, Thackeray had mouthed the Congress' oft-repeated jibe of "chowkidar chor hai" made in the context of the Rafale fighter jet deal to launch a veiled attack on Modi and BJP. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly hurling the "chowkidar..." jibe at Modi to claim irregularities and favouritism in the Rafale fighter aircraft deal. Thackeray had used the slogan in a different context while narrating an incident during the rally. Replying to another question, Fadnavis said BJP didn't attach "importance" to Sena's criticism of the prime minister. "People of the country know what the prime minister is. India has a prime minister who is spending each moment of his life for the country and is not bothered about his family or accumulating properties. Where will the saliva land if one spits at the Sun? Not on the Sun," he said. He also said there was no proposal from Sena over joining hands in the Ahmednagar civic polls, which had thrown up a hung verdict earlier this month. BJP's Babasaheb Wakale was elected mayor after polling 37 votes despite his party winning just 14 seats in the 68-member civic body. NCP's 18 corporators, four of the BSP and one Independent voted for him. The Sena is the largest party in the civic body with 24 seats. "I then allowed our people to take whatever decision they wanted in case Shiv Sena did not seek support (to instal mayor)," the chief minister said. "Accordingly, our people (the BJP) decided to contest polls. We did not back the NCP. We contested both the mayoral and deputy mayoral polls. Their (of the NCP) people gave us votes," he added. Criticising coming together of the two parties for the mayoral election, Sena Monday said NCP's support to BJP in the Ahmednagar civic body's mayoral election has only highlighted the "old illicit political relations" between the two parties. Sena made these remarks in an editorial in the party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's surrender to serve his life term following his conviction in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case has brought relief to Sikh leaders but they have vowed to continue their fight till everyone involved in anti-sikh riots be brought to justice. Kumar, 73, surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg who directed that he be lodged in Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi. The Delhi High Court had set a deadline of December 31 for him to surrender and on December 21 declined his plea to extend the time by a month. The high court on December 17 convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. Calling it a "big relief" for the victims who have been fighting for justice for the past 34 years, Shiromani Akali Dal member Manjinder Singh Sirsa said "millions of people who have harboured the pain of 1984 in their hearts want to see big fish Sajjan Kumar surrender which will be the beginning of justice & punishment of main leaders involved in killing of Sikhs". "We will not rest till everyone guilty in the anti-Sikh 1984 riots are brought to justice," he said. Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president, Manjit Singh GK, said Kumar going behind bars would encourage other witnesses, who were scared earlier, to come forward. "We will also demand day-to-day trials into the deaths of witnesses who wanted to come forward," he told PTI. R P Singh, BJP National Secretary, said it is a "big big day" for the Sikhs. "This sends the message across that no one will escape (guilty in 1984 anti-Sikh riots) and we demand Kamal Nath (MP chief minister) and (Congress leader Jagdish) Tytler be convicted for their crimes too," Singh said. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Nidhi VermaNEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's finance ministry has exempted rupee payments made to the National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC) for crude oil imports from a steep withholding tax, according to a government order reviewed by Reuters.The exemption, put in place December 28 but backdated to November 5, will allow Indian refiners to settle about $1.5 billion of outstanding payments to NIOC. Those have been building up since Tehran was put under stringent U.S. sanctions in early November.The two countries on Nov. 2 signed a bilateral agreement to settle oil trades through an Indian ... (Reuters) - The government is actively considering a global search to fill in top positions at the flag carrier Air India, Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu said in an interview, according to a Press Trust of India report carried by the Mint daily.The government has been working on a package for the beleaguered airline after plans to sell a majority stake in the state-owned company failed earlier this year due to a lack of interest from bidders.The sale was key to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plans to help keep the fiscal deficit at 3.3 percent of GDP, a goal which is already under ... (Reuters) - India's central bank on Monday said the proportion of commercial lenders' non-performing assets (NPAs) may fall slightly to 10.3 percent by March, thanks to measures including the creation of a bankruptcy code. In June, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had said commercial lenders' ratio for gross bad loans might even increase to 12.2 percent by March 2019, but they had fallen to 10.8 percent by end-September and now look to dip lower still."Stress test results suggest further improvement in the NPA ratio, though its current level remains still high for comfort," Shaktikanta ... Oil prices climbed on the last trading day of the year on Monday, taking a cue from firmer stock markets, but were on track for the first yearly decline in three years amid concerns of a persistent supply glut. Hints of progress on a possible US-China trade deal helped bolster sentiment, which has been battered by concerns over a weaker global economic outlook. Brent crude futures - the international benchmark for oil prices - rose 42 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to $53.63 a barrel by 0250 GMT. Brent declined nearly 20 per cent in 2018 following two years of growth. U.S. West ... Online exclusive brands are planning a slew of measures in the wake of the recent changes in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms for the e-commerce industry. Earlier these brands used to sell their products on one particular platform to maximise sales and profit. Now that new norms will soon be in place from February 1, these brands have started talking to multiple e-commerce companies to sell products, which might help them reduce the impact on sales. Many of them are also planning to open offline stores to enhance sales. The FDI new rules are forcing the online-exclusive brands to adopt new strategies to stay relevant in the market. As per the revised FDI policy, the "e-commerce marketplace entity will not mandate any seller to sell any product exclusively on its platform only". Notably electronic and smartphone brands like Vu, BPL, MARQ, TCL, Sanyo, Blaupunkt TV, Thomson, Xiaomi, OnePlus, etc, operate as online-exclusive brands on online marketplaces like Amazon India and Flipkart. Companies like VU, BPL, TCL, IFFalcon, Kodak, and Sanyo have already started finalising the alternative strategy to work around the FDI policy. BPL, which claims to be the largest seller of 32 inch TV on Amazon, says the company may become a seller by itself. The company may either become a seller by itself on the platform or start offline sales in a controlled manner as Plan B, the Economic Times quoted Manmohan Ganesh, Amazon-exclusive BPL's COO, as saying. Also read: Flipkart, Amazon may not be able to offer big discounts as govt tightens e-commerce norms Similarly, iFFalcon, a Flipkart-exclusive brand, is planning to initiate talks with both Flipkart and Amazon to avoid the new FDI regulations. The company is also planning to launch its e-store to maximise its sales. Besides, brands like Xiaomi and Oneplus, which forayed into the country as online exclusive brands, have already started spending on retail expansion to gain the market share. The new FDI policy will also affect companies that were trying to enter the Indian market through the online route, say market analysts. The government's changing stance on regulating the e-commerce industry in India has been termed as a body blow to e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart, both of which tried to enter India the FDI route. But, the new policy could end their dominance in the domestic market, say experts. The government has already said that the revised norms are aimed at protecting the interest of domestic players, who have to face tough competition from e-retailers having deep pockets from foreign investors. Also read: Kishore Biyani hails new e-comm FDI policy; says Amazon, Flipkart can't build brands now Also read: E-tailers, traders welcome new FDI policy; small vendors say 25% limit will deter entrepreneurship Edited by Manoj Sharma The Modi government's vision of clean energy programme will require an investment of over USD 150 billion on annual basis until 2040, says Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, on Monday. Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha, the Minister said that as per draft National Energy Policy of the NITI Aayog, the country's think-tank, USD 150 billion capital investment is needed in the energy sector on an annual basis until 2040. Rolled out by the NITI Aayog, the National Energy Policy aims to improve the energy security of the country by reducing the dependency on imports. As of now, India is heavily dependent on oil and gas import. Pradhan said that the government has agreed to establish the gas trading exchanges in the country wherein the natural gas can be freely traded and supplied through a market mechanism. However, due to the administrative, legal, operational issues, a precise timeframe for operationalising the gas trading exchanges cannot be indicated at this stage, he said. Also Read: India's core sector growth slows down to 16-month low of 3.5% in November The minister informed the Lower House that in order to develop the national gas grid, the government has taken a decision to provide a capital grant of Rs 5176 crore (i.e. 40% of the estimated capital cost of Rs 12,940 Crore) to state-run GAIL for development of a 2655 Km long Jagdishpur-Haldia/Bokaro-Dhamra Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL) project. This pipeline will transport natural gas to the industrial, commercial, domestic and transport sectors in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, he said. Commenting on the expansion of City Gas Network in the state of Jharkhand, the minister said that PNGRB has authorised Bokaro, Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts area, Giridih and Dhanbad districts area, Ranchi district and East Singhbhoom district at an average investment of Rs 400 crore per district during the work plan period. The minister also informed the House that oil public sector companies including Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have decided to set up an integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex with a refining capacity of 60 MMTPA (Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum) at Babulwadi, Taluka Rajapur in Ratnagiri District in the state of Maharashtra. Edited by Chitranjan Kumar The government has proposed to contribute Rs 1,227 crore through electronic development fund to boost intellectual property rights in the field of information technology and electronics. According to information updated on Ministry of Electronics and IT, the total corpus recommended to be invested by 22 daughter fund in technology firms is around Rs 10,906 crore, in which government has proposed to contribute Rs 1,227 crore, subject to final approval of the EDF board. Also Read: PM Modi lays foundation of 50 MW LNG-based power project in Andaman When contacted about the status of EDF, a Meity official said the government has so far approved investment in 13 daughter funds. "EDF will be investing in 13 daughter funds over a period of 4-5 years. The total targeted corpus of these 13 daughter funds is Rs 6,950 crore and the amount committed by EDF to these 13 daughter funds is Rs 857 crore," Meity spokesperson said. Electronics Development Fund (EDF) is set up as a "Fund of Funds" to participate in professionally managed "daughter funds". The daughter funds, which directly connect with beneficiaries, in turn, are providing risk capital to companies developing new technologies and IPRs in the area of Electronics, Nano-electronics and Information Technology (IT). Canara Bank's wholly owned subsidiary Canbank Venture Capital Funds Ltd (CVCFL) manages EDF and the Meity is anchor investor of EDF, which was launched in February 2016. At the end of second quarter of 2018-19, EDF has invested Rs 53.52 crore in six daughter funds, which have made investments of Rs 177.37 crore in 47 ventures and startups. "Total employment in supported startups was around 4,200," the spokesperson said. According to the website, nine of the daughter funds with a corpus of around Rs 2,938 crore under EDF are already operational. Also Read: Sheikh Hasina's party wins Bangladesh election; opposition claims votes rigged Also Read: Ghatkopar crash: Aircraft was on 'illegal test flight', illegally insured, says report Loss-making carrier Jet Airways is in discussions with the State Bank of India for raising Rs 1,500 crore short-term loan to meet its working capital requirement and some payment obligations, a source said. Jet Airways strategic partner and Middle-east carrier Etihad, which holds 24 per cent stake in the Indian full-service carrier, is likely to provide a guarantee for the loan, he said. Significantly, the talks for availing loan are going on at a time when EY is carrying out a forensic audit of the Jet Airways on the orders of the airline's largest lender for alleged irregularities. "Jet Airways is in discussions with its largest lender to SBI for raising short-term loans worth Rs 1,500 crore. The airline is looking to mop up these funds to meet its working capital requirement as well as for meeting some payment obligations. Jet Airways is expected to provide Etihad Airways' guarantee for this financing," an airline source told PTI. The Naresh Goyal-controlled airline, which has posted three consecutive quarterly losses of over Rs 1,000 crore each since March, already has as much as Rs 8,052 of debt on its books as on September 30. Rating agency Icra has already cut the rating on Jet Airways borrowing programmes. When contacted, SBI spokesperson said, "It is the policy of the bank not to comment upon individual accounts and its treatment". While Jet Airways did not respond to PTI queries on this issue, an Etihad Airways in an e-mail response to PTI from Abu Dhabi said, it "does not comment on rumour or speculation". "Jet Airways has been seeking these funds as its earlier proposal of raising USD 350 million Etihad-guaranteed loans from overseas lenders is still at the negotiations table and expected to take time," the source said who is privy to both the discussions. With its financials in perils and the airline facing cash drought, promoter Goyal is looking to infuse capital in a manner where he does not have to lose control of the Jet Airways, which he set up 25 years ago. At an emergency board meeting late this month, he asked his team to look for alternate routes of funding while resurrecting the airline. His airline has already held preliminary level discussions with Tata Group for a possible stake sale a couple of months ago. However, reportedly "unhappy" over the deal, he turned back to his Gulf friend once again to rescue the airline. In 2013, Etihad had bailed out Jet Airways by acquiring 24 per cent stake in the airline for Rs 2,060 crore, besides extending the low-interest loan of USD 150 million as well as purchasing 50.1 per cent stake in its loyalty programme JetPrivilege. While down-grading Jet Airways long-term borrowing ratings from 'B' to 'C' on December 10, Icra said its action considered delays in the implementation of the proposed liquidity initiatives by the management, further aggravating its liquidity, as reflected in the delays in employee salary payments and lease rental payments to the aircraft lessors. The carrier has a backlog of over two months in salary payments to its senior staff, including pilots and engineers. By Bloomberg / Dec 31, 2018 09:50 AM / Business & Tech China has approved 80 new video game titles in the first batch of licenses granted by the media regulator after the end of a nine-month freeze. The initial games were mostly local, mobile titles and didnt include any from industry giants Tencent Holdings Ltd. or Netease Inc. The notice of approvals was posted online by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Chinas gaming industry, which generates more than $30 billion of revenue, has been hammered this year after regulators froze the approval process for new games, preventing companies from making money off hit titles. That threw Tencent into disarray, spurring its first profit drop in at least a decade and wiping about $200 billion off its market value since a January peak. Tencent gained as much as 1.4 percent in Hong Kong. Although Tencent and Netease werent in the initial batch of approvals, both should benefit as the dust settles, Karen Chan, an analyst with Jefferies, wrote in a Dec. 30 report. Tencent and peers from South Korea to Japan have rallied after the official China Securities Journal reported that regulators had reviewed and passed an initial batch of online games. It cited Feng Shixin, deputy director of the Communist Partys influential propaganda department, telling an industry forum that the government was prepping licenses for green-lit titles. The suspension stemmed from Beijings campaign to combat gaming addiction and a reshuffle of regulators, casting uncertainty over Tencents main business. Chinas largest social media and gaming company -- which remains barred from making money off global blockbusters like Fortnite and PlayerUnknowns Battlegrounds -- is said to be cutting its marketing budget to tide it over the dry spell. Tencent distributes its own games as well as titles from external studios. Developers that supply the company include Capcom Co., Nexon Co., Activision Blizzard Inc. and Electronic Arts Inc., according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Related: Charts of the Day: Slowed Growth in Games Market After 10-Month Freeze Service Canada works closely with employers to ensure that the Employment Insurance (EI) program is run fairly and efficiently. As an employer, you are responsible for: For more information, consult PIPEDA . If you require further clarification about PIPEDA, visit the website of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada . Subsection 7(3) of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) allows an employer to disclose personal information without the knowledge or consent of the individual if the disclosure is made to a government institution that has identified its lawful authority, and if it is for the purpose of enforcing any law of Canada. Under subsection 126(14) of the EI Act , Service Canada has the lawful authority to request information on current or former employees as it relates to past, present or future EI claims. 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The payroll information employers send us on these completed forms helps us identify cases where employees may be collecting EI benefits while working and are either not reporting or misreporting their earnings. While most claimants declare their work and earnings accurately, there are some exceptions. When we identify an overpayment, we conduct an investigation. Any overpayments we identify must be repaid by the individual. As an employer, you pay EI premiums, so ensuring that EI benefits are being paid to the right person at the right time is in your interest as well as Service Canadas. We all want to maintain the integrity of one of Canadas key social programs. You can help detect and prevent EI abuse by responding promptly to Request for Payroll Information forms we send you and by participating in the Automated Earnings Reporting System or the Report on Hirings program. The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act allows businesses to disclose personal information without the knowledge or consent of an employee if the disclosure is made to a government institution, such as Service Canada, that has the lawful authority to request the information. This information is used for the purpose of administering the Employment Insurance Act. news, latest-news 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. 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. The bureau said there was a 50 per cent chance of showers and an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon and early evening, although only one millimetre is expected to fall. Canberrans will otherwise be treated to a partly cloudy top of 30 degrees on the last day of 2018, as the ACT's summer heatwave rolls into a second week. Revellers will be able to catch buses every 20 minutes between major town centres until 2am on Monday night, with Transport Canberra offering partygoers a $10 discount on Uber fares from bus stops to their homes. Transport Canberra will run late night services between Gungahlin and Kingston and between Belconnen and Tuggeranong via the city and Woden. Northbound bus services depart platform 5 in the City Bus Station, while southbound services depart platform 7. ACT Policing's New Year's Eve operations commander, Mick Calatzis, said Canberrans should expect a heavy police presence around Civic. Mr Calatzis said officers would be targeting alcohol and drug-related violence, as well as drink driving. "Our outcome is that we want everyone to have a very safe and happy event," Mr Calatzis said. "But like all good planning, we expect the best but also plan for the worst." Tourist Lou Loui, who spent Sunday afternoon at Commwealth Park, was excited to celebrate New Year's Eve with friends she had made during her travels in Australia. A number of road closures will be in place throughout the city during the New Year's Eve festivities. London Circuit, between Northbourne Avenue and Akuna Street, will be shut from 5pm on Monday to 2am on Tuesday, January 1. Northbourne Avenue's southbound lane, between Cooyong Street and Vernon Circle, will be shut from 8.40pm to 9.30pm and from 11.40pm to 12.30am on Tuesday, January 1. Vernon Circle between Commonwealth Avenue and Northbourne Avenue will also be closed to traffic during that time. The RSPCA is advising owners to take extra care of their pets to help them cope with the fireworks displays, which are known to scare and confuse animals. The animal welfare agency recommended owners exercise their pets during the days to help them settle at night, play music to distract them from the fireworks and avoid tying them up. with Jasper Lindell. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/1b67d43e-b267-4bb3-8b4b-4cb73f6844e3/r0_283_5574_3432_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news When Graeme "Duck" Tonge joined the old Civil Defence in 1968, the precursor to the ACT Emergency Services Agency had a simple, and somewhat foreboding, purpose. "Back in those days we were actually planning for a nuclear war," Duck says. "The theory was that if you can handle the aftermath of all that destruction then you can handle anything." Nuclear war didn't break out. The apocalypse never eventuated. But catastrophe has manifested in other forms. There have been freak floods and wild storms, deadly bushfires, and stray hikers whose misadventures have sparked frantic rescue efforts. And for 50 years, Duck - never Graeme, always Duck - has been there, dressed in his bright orange SES overalls, ready to lend a hand. Duck was this month awarded a special ACT Emergency Services Agency medal in recognition of his 50 years of service. He's the first volunteer to reach the milestone. In fact, the award, presented at a ceremony at Government House, was created especially to honour his achievement. The Canberra Times this week sat down with the 67 year old at his home in Williamsdale, south of Tuggeranong, to chat about responding some of the ACT's major disasters, the pain of unsuccessful rescues and the day he spent hours carefully extricating a fallen tree from a elderly woman's home in order to save her beloved plant. 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. "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. "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. A large tree had fallen onto an elderly woman's home, and she was refusing to enter for fear of the roof collapsing. "We did an inspection and it was pretty safe, so we got her inside and she just burst into tears and said 'Oh my Rhododendron' - which was sitting right under the tree," Duck says. "We spent a lot of time pulling the tree down and we didn't break a petal. The joy in her face when she saw her rhododendron ... it was worth the extra time." "That is what we're here for. Not only to help people, but to make sure they are happy with the job that we do." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/5cee90af-2e04-45fa-9838-80c563dd4ba5/r0_214_4256_2619_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news 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, 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. While the AFP was restrained in its official response to the tragic suicide death of an AFP sergeant last weekend, a statement said that while there were "... unique considerations in the delivery of health and wellbeing services for high-risk organisations such as the AFP", it "... will consider measures that may contribute to ... improvements". A core service of the NSW program is assisting police moving from operational duties into retirement or alternative employment but it is now experiencing a huge increase in demand for its services from those serving officers still "in the job" because of the range of support it offers. Esther McKay, a former NSW police forensic pathologist and now the project coordinator, was badly affected by work-related post-traumatic stress disorder and wrote about her confronting experiences in her 2006 book, Crime Scene. She was involved in police post-trauma support before joining Backup. Ms McKay said that having a psychotherapist who was a former serving police officer attached to the team had been a vital adjunct and she was aware of AFP officers using Backup services in preference to their own network. "The AFP is currently experiencing the type of spike in trauma and suicide-related issues which affected NSW Police some years ago and which led to our program being set up," Ms McKay said. "We are now coming into our fourth year and we will be looking to grow the program with our next funding round. "In NSW, police and government identified the problem and got it fixed. I've spoken to Angela [Smith] about our program several times and we would be happy to help out if there was an appetite to set up something similar for the AFP." Strong momentum gathered for the NSW well-being program after the formation of a Facebook page for the "Forgotten 300", supporting officers with work-related trauma and mental health issues. The page had 54,000 followers but was taken down in 2016 after NSW Police expressed concern about posts which it considered detrimental to the "health and well-being of particular serving officers". /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/7538df49-ddb7-49ae-aefe-882202702dee/r0_140_2000_1270_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. The Hanover Insurance Group heads into 2019 free of its Chaucer international specialty business. Thats thanks to China Reinsurance Group, which closed its purchase of the division on Dec. 28, according to announcements from both companies. In the end, The Hanover stands to get $930 million to $940 million from the sale. The Hanover first announced in September that China Re was buying Chaucer, its Lloyds focused international specialty arm, enabling it to focus more on the successful expansion of its domestic business. The Hanover CEO John Roche, in prepared remarks issued after the sale closing, said the Massachusetts-based insurer will leverage its strong agency relationships to invest in areas including personal lines, small commercial business, targeted middle market industries and a growing specialty lines business. Roche added the company will also double down on innovation in all of its business lines. Back in September, Roche stated that some of the proceeds from the Chaucer sale could be used to fuel organic growth, pursue select acquisitions and hire top talent from rivals. China Re said the Chaucer acquisition will help propel the ongoing expansion of its global footprint and help focus on reinsurance as its core business. Yuan Linjiang, chairman of China Re, noted in prepared remarks that the Chaucer deal is part of its corporate strategy dubbed One Core, Three Breakthroughs and Five Cross-overs. *Material from an Insurance Journal article was used for this story. Sources: Hanover Insurance and China Re Belarus looks to increase cement sold via commodity exchange 31 December 2018 Belarus' Architecture and Construction Ministry is in favor of exporting more cement via the country's commodity exchange, according to Deputy Architecture and Construction Minister, Alexander Sidorov. "Weve previously agreed that we are going to sell 10 per cent of the total amount of cement exported by Belarusian cement mills via the commodity exchange. If the demand of foreign buyers rises, we are ready to raise the share of cement exported via the exchange. It is the official view of the ministry," said Alexander Sidorov at the exchange committee on cement in the headquarters of the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE). Vladimir Kiselev, director general of Belarusian Cement Company, noted the benefits of the commodity exchange. "Cement is a seasonal product. Demand for cement drops considerably in winter, bringing down prices. This is why exchange trade offers a way to get additional profits thanks to competition among buyers and a way to diversify target markets," said Mr Kiselev. Participants of the exchange committee on cement also looked at the possibility of more actively placing bids for selling cement in the direction of Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine. In September-December 2018 the BUCE helped export 24,400t of cement worth a total of USD1.2m. Published under Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 1) Filipinos will pay more for fuel at the beginning of 2019 because of an additional excise tax provided by law. Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, an additional 2 per liter excise tax is imposed on diesel and gasoline, 1 for every liter of kerosene, and 1 for every kilogram of cooking gas or liquified petroleum gas (LPG) beginning January 1, 2019. Senate economic affairs committee chair Win Gatchalian said the increase in fuel excise taxes would impact pump prices by around 2 to 3 per liter. But gas prices should not shoot up immediately. In fact, at least one gas company would roll back pump prices by up to 1.90 per liter. The Department of Energy (DOE) earlier told oil firms to empty their gas inventory from 2018 first before applying the fuel excise taxes. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said those who apply the new tax on old stocks would be violating the law and may face administrative penalties such as closure and "large-scale" estafa. However, Gatchalian warned that there may be oil firms which would take advantage of the latest round of fuel tax hikes by increasing prices of fuel imported before the implementation of the additional taxes. The senator said the DOE should closely monitor the inventories of oil firms to avoid them from profiteering off the tax hike by selling old oil stocks at a higher price, even if they bought it cheaper. The government initially suspended the implementation of the second of three consecutive yearly fuel tax hikes under TRAIN amid rising prices of goods, only to change its stance when oil prices in the world market slumped. Filipinos would be dealing with even heftier oil taxes when the clock strikes midnight on the first day of 2020, when gasoline would cost 11.20 higher per liter, while diesel and kerosene would climb by 5.04 and 5.60 per liter, respectively. LPG would also cost 3.36 higher per kilogram by that time. Racer Lil' John Ownbey of Cleveland took a nasty roll over while racing for the lead during a B-Main event of the annual "Hangover" race at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tn. on Saturday. Ownbey was sent immediately to a local hospital in the Knoxville area where he received multiple scans, due to possible brain trauma within concussion protocol. Kept overnight, Ownbey has been ordered out of the driver's seat of his #J0 "Sam's Restaurant Equipment, Elliott's Tire Center, Chambers Equipment, Fraziers Apt. Rentals, Powell Motorsports" race car for at least three months, in order to best heal. His wife Ariana said, "John is in good spirits, is talking racing and looking forward to getting released from the hospital." Her "Salon at 22nd/Limelife by Alcone" driver also said he'll be back in action, way before the three-month time frame. Fan shot video, released on social media, shows Ownbey's car violently flipping while trying to get underneath the race leader in turn four. The racer rolled up the track and was never contacted with any other Super Late Model racing car. Ownbey can be followed online on his Facebook account. An attorney for businessman Greg Vital said one route TVA is considering to place a high-voltage line across his Meigs County farm would go through a section of virgin forest. Federal Judge Sandy Mattice earlier signed an order granting TVA access to the Vital farm and several nearby properties. TVA said it wants to carry out surveying and other work toward the line that would go to a planned new $300 million power control center. The landowners are asking the judge to reconsider the order, while TVA says it should stand. Chattanooga attorney Crews Townsend said, "The impact this uncertainty could have is illustrated by Mr. Vitals property. The TVA has given Mr. Vital four possible routes it could use to run power lines over his property. Three of these run straight through virgin forest, which Mr. Vital uses for hiking, horseback riding, and other purposes. One option also runs through a field on which he grows crops and uses as a dove field during season. Mr. Vital has no idea what his present rights are or what the TVA will do to his property before a formal condemnation proceeding is filed. "Presumably, the TVA will investigate all four routes and will alter his property with respect to each. The TVAs brief does not clarify what it will do with Mr. Vitals property nor does it specify what it can do. Most of Mr. Vitals property is at risk to what the TVA might do. Because the rights retained by Mr. Vital are completely undefined, it is not certain that he can do anything to influence the TVAs actions in any way. "The severe language of the Order and the undefined property right is especially impactful with a residence. Whatever work the TVA does on the Vantieghams property will be near where they live. They cannot protect their rights if TVAs work becomes intrusive without knowing what property rights they have. Again, the language of the Order is severe and seems to say that they have no right to object to anything." The four landowners are asking that the present Order of Possession be set aside, and "that the TVA be required to perform its statutory duties before it is given the right of entry onto the Defendants properties. This Court should give meaning to requirements imposed by Congress. The TVA should clearly define the property rights it seeks and then fairly estimate the value of the property interest it takes. The relief requested is not much. But, holding the TVA to its duties helps insure that the TVA will protect the rights of the landowners affected by its actions." Racks were knocked over and merchandise destroyed as officers tried to get a man into custody in the Gunbarrel Road Walmart on Saturday. Randall Lee Taylor, 48, of 1403 Woodmore Lane, was charged with aggravated assault on police, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and vandalism. Police were summoned to the Walmart on a report that Taylor was yelling at employees in the electronics department. Officers said the man smelled strongly of marijuana. When an officer told Taylor to put his hands on the counter, he refused to comply, saying he had done nothing wrong. An officer finally tased Taylor, but police said that enraged him and he grabbed the taser and activated it. He was finally handcuffed when backup officers arrived. The officers said at 6'2" and 222 pounds he was bigger than them. Holidays are a big deal in the royal family. And, although Christmas tends to be their favorite, the royal family also enjoys a good New Years Eve celebration. How will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spend New Years Eve this year? Keep reading to find out. How do Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrate New Years? With their due date fast-approaching (Meghan Markle is due in early spring 2019), Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are likely soaking up their last moments as a family of two. Infamous for their travels, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex skipped town this year without telling anyone. After a festive holiday season spent with their entire family at Sandringham Estate (where the royal family celebrates Christmas every year) it is likely that the newlyweds and parents-to-be want some time for themselves. But, where did they go? According to some reports, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might have gone back to Monaco, where they rang in the New Year last year. Others believe they could have traveled to Botswana, Africa where Prince Harry spent many New Years Eves before marrying Meghan Markle. However, some royal experts suggest they are staying somewhere closer to home, as Meghan Markle might not want to travel far while pregnant. How does the royal family celebrate New Years Eve? As for the rest of the family? Their plans change every year, too but typically involve travel of some kind. Below, we take a closer look at how Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and other royals ring in the New Year. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Every year, the family joins Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philp at Sandringham House for Christmas. And, now that they have left, Her Majesty and His Royal Highness invite friends and other family members (those that dont celebrate Christmas with the couple) to join them at their Norfolk, England estate. On New Years Day, the queen and Prince Philip attend a church service and then Her Majesty usually spends the rest of her day riding her horses which, at 92-years-old is quite impressive. Prince William and Kate Middleton Because they usually spend Christmas with Prince Williams side of the family, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge typically ring in the New Year with Kate Middletons side of the family. In the past, the couple has celebrated at the Middletons family home. However, they have also rented gorgeous vacation homes together, too. One year, Kate Middletons sister, Pippa Middleton even rented a massive, 100-person kata (used by reindeer hunters) to ring in the New Year in winter wonderland style. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles also head out of town for the New Year. The two typically travel to Scotland, where they own a home (Birkhall) on the queens Balmoral Estate. After Christmas at Sandringham, they head to their home away from home for some much-needed downtime. Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank Princess Eugenie and her new husband, Jack Brooksbank first met while on a New Years trip in 2010 which means the holiday is particularly special for them. Much like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the two tend to celebrate the New Year on vacation with friends and family. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Its no secret that the royal family loves a good celebration just take a look at the royal weddings, Trooping the Color, Christmas, and other celebrations they threw in 2018. But, how does the royal family celebrate New Years Eve? Ahead, we take a closer look at the royal familys favorite way to ring in the new year. How does the royal family celebrate New Years Eve? Christmas might be the royal familys favorite holiday, but that doesnt mean they let New Years Eve fall to the wayside. Like many of us, members of the royal family ring in the new year with friends and family and their plans often change. See how Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Queen Elizabeth, and other members of the royal family celebrate a new year, here. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Queen Elizabeths favorite holiday is, without a doubt, Christmas. However, she does enjoy a good New Years Eve celebration. After her family leaves Sandringham where they all spend Christmas together the queen and her husband, Prince Philip invite friends and even some other family members who werent there for Christmas to stay for the New Year. The Queen and Prince Philip always go to church on New Years Day and Her Majesty spends the rest of the day riding her horses. Prince William and Kate Middleton The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge like to lay (somewhat) low on New Years Eve. The two often spend the holiday with Kates side of the family, as they either rent a vacation home together or celebrate in the familys backyard. Kate Middletons sister, Pipa once took their backyard celebrations to a whole new level by renting a massive 100-person kata (used by reindeer hunters) for a New Years Eve celebration. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Before Prince Harry met Meghan Markle, the duke would typically spend New Years Eve in Africa one of his favorite places or on ski vacations. He sometimes even stayed local(ish) and would celebrate somewhere in England. Hes also rung in the new year in Los Angeles, California where, ironically, Meghan Markle is from. Now that they are a married couple, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex like to get away for the new year. Last year (when the two were engaged) they escaped to Monaco to ring in the new year. As for this year? The couple has apparently gone on a mysterious vacation that they didnt tell anyone about. Perhaps they went to their favorite African country, Botswana ahead of their new baby. Or, they could have gone back to Monaco, as some suggest. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles love Scotland, so it should come of no surprise that its typically where they ring in the new year. After they are finished celebrating Christmas at Sandringham, they head to their Scottish home, Birkhall, which is located on the queens Balmoral estate. Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank Much like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Princess Eugenie and her new husband, Jack Brooksbank are likely traveling for the new year. As it turns out, the two first met over a New Years trip in 2010 to Verbier, Switzerland (Prince Harry was allegedly also there!). Princess Beatrice Like her sister, Princess Beatrice also likes to travel on New Years Eve. The princess has gone to various hot spots around the world both winter wonderlands and tropical oases and has even accompanied her sister on some trips. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The Duggars have built a reputation for young marriages and short courtships. Its nearly unheard of that a Duggar waits more than a few months, let alone a few years, before getting engaged. However, there are some Duggar courtships that were much, much shorter than the rest. So, how long were each of the Duggars courtships, and who had the shortest one? You might be surprised. Josh Duggar and Anna Keller: About two years Josh Duggar had the longest courtship of any of his siblings. The couple met back in 2006 when they attended the same Christian homeschooling convention. They courted for about two years before getting engaged, and they were married in 2008. However, the couple faced many speed bumps, including Duggars sex abuse scandal and cheating scandal. But in 2017, they announced that their marriage was stronger than ever and they were expecting a fifth child. Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald: 11 months Jessa Duggar met her husband, Ben Seewald, after her father suggested Seewald text his daughter about the scripture. The two hit it off, and they actually had a fairly long courtship compared to other Duggars. They dated for nearly a year before getting engaged. Now, they have two young boys together. Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard: Less than five months Jill Duggar got engaged only a few months before her younger sister, Jessa. Jill also met her husband, Derick Dillard, through her father. Dillard was working in Nepal when he and Jill began talking. She eventually went to Nepal to meet him, and the two had a strong connection. They began courting in November 2013. Dillard asked her father for permission in February 2014, and the two were engaged by March 2014. Joy Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth: Four months Joy Anna had a short courtship with her current husband, Austin Forsyth. She also married Forsyth when she was only 20, which is even young for a Duggar. Joy Anna got pregnant as soon as the two tied the knot (although some think it was before!), and she and Forsyth welcomed their first child in February 2018. Joseph Duggar and Kendra Caldwell: Less than three months Joseph Duggar was another one to have a super quick courtship. He began courting Kendra Duggar just three months before the two got engaged. Joseph said he had known Kendra for about five years and was close with her for the last six months before asking her to enter a courtship. She said yes, and the two didnt wait long to get married. Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson: 41 days Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson were family friends for a while before they took a trip to New Zealand with a bunch of others. As soon as they returned home, they announced their courtship. It appears things heated up while abroad, because the couple did not wait long before getting engaged; he proposed after less than two months. Jeremy Vuolo and Jinger Duggar: 36 days Jinger Duggar and Jeremy Vuolo met through Jessas husband, Ben Seewald. Seewald introduced the two, and Jinger and Vuolo immediately fell for each other. Their courtship was incredibly quick the two were engaged in just over one month. However, they did talk back and forth for a while before meeting in person. John David Duggar and Abbie Burnett: 29 days The quickest Duggar courtship belongs to John David Duggar and Abbie Burnett. The couple is older than the other Duggars were they were 28 and 26 (respectively) when they began courting. They didnt wait very long to tie the knot, either. The couple reportedly only courted for 29 days before John David proposed. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Israels Foreign Ministry has issued a protest after a Jordanian spokeswoman was photographed stepping on the Israeli flag during a meeting in Amman. The ministry said it was a desecration of the flag. The ministry added that it "looks gravely upon the act of disrespect toward the Israeli flag committed by a minister in the Jordanian government in the engineers' union building in Amman." The flag is painted on the floor of the headquarters of Jordans professional unions in Amman, according to Reuters. Jumana Ghunaimat, Jordans minister for media affairs and communications, walked over the painted flag Thursday on her way to a meeting with Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al Razzaz and union representatives. The flag was reportedly painted on the buildings floor years ago to encourage people to step on it. It also has painted footprints printed across it. The countries of Israel and Jordan have a peace agreement, but the two countries share a hostile relationship at times, according to reports. Jordans Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Qatarneh said Jordan respects the 1994 peace treaty and Ghunaimat entered a private building by its main entrance to attend the meeting. Prime Minister Razzaz entered through a back door to avoid walking on the flag. Photo courtesy: Pixabay Plenty of todays evangelical leaders look back to Urbana conferences over the years as the catalyst that drove them to ministry. But for the shrinking crowd at InterVarsity Christian Fellowships (IVCF) triennial conferenceheld over the past few days in St. Louisthe path to the mission field appears more complicated. The college students who attended Urbana 18, though passionate about Christ, hold different expectations for life after graduation, often taking longer to settle into a vocation, and carry stress over growing student debt. This is changing the way that InterVarsity and mission agencies are engaging with participants, said Greg Jao, senior assistant to IVCF president Tom Lin. We need a longer-term strategy to help people who may make decisions about the missions field while theyre at Urbana as college students sustain their interest and commitment over the longer period of time that it takes to figure it out. Determining how to navigate these challenges as Generation Z enters college is crucial for ministries like Urbana. Attendance at the historic conference is down to its lowest in at least 20 years, with around 10,000 attendees in 2018, compared to 16,000 in 2015. But the crowd and speakers were more diverse than ever, already resembling the majority-minority demographics of the next generation: 64 percent of attendees were non-white. At the conferences that Ive been to that have been less diverse, I felt I was unrepresented and it was hard for me to worship well, Daniela Bushiri, an engineering major at New Jersey Institute of Technology, told CT. Seeing minorities on the stage means a lot because it shows us that we have a role to play in this community. Todays youngest believers are more likely to find themselves as outliers for their faith. Barna Research found that while roughly 6 in 10 of Gen Z (the 70 million people born between 1999 and 2015) identify as Christian, only 1 in 11 can be characterized as an engaged Christian, whose beliefs and practices are shaped by their faith. Religious and non-religious young adults alike are struggling to find hope, so leaders at Urbana are praying this generation embrace a view of the kingdom that combats their current cynicism. There is a lot of anger against injustices like sexism, racism, classism, privilege, and white supremacy, said Rene Breuel, a Brazilian pastor in Rome, who who taught several plenary sessions. Young people pick that up and feel that very strongly, but dont always have a Christian vision of how the world will be mended and restored. The tension between the youthful perspective of 20-somethings and the sacrificial call to missions is not unique to Generation Z. Over 20 years ago, CT reported from Urbana 96 that their parents cohort also had a shift in commitments. Generation X is often characterized as one of slackers, Urbanas former director Dan Harrison said, citing caution over long-term commitments due to concerns about broken marriages and job security. They're not slackers or uncommitted at all, but they define commitment differently than I do. With a new generation and new challenges before them, conference organizers turned to the timeless truths of Scripture, selecting a text with a sobering understanding of reality: Revelation. Passages from the apocalyptic book were used for daily Bible studies, taught by plenary speakers, and recited in other languages including Spanish and Hawaiian. Revelation takes anger by hand to a place that is healing, that exalts Christ, where the nations flourish, and where we reign in serving each other under the throne of the lamb, said Breuel. It can be a healing experience of that anger portrayed in a good way. Conference sessions named and condemned injustice from the stage, including calling out atrocities committed in the name of Christ: the Rwandan genocide, Canadian residential schools that separated First Nation children from their families, and Martin Luthers anti-Semitism. I did a lot of praying and asking God what he wanted me to do with my life, said Samuel Chow, a sophomore at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Seeing all the bad things that the church has done and the repercussions of it has led me to be more conscientious about how I convey myself as a Christian and as a child of God to others who do not know him. The presentations on historic injustice resonate with young people who crave transparency. Ive been talking to pastors whove asked Why are we talking about the failures of missions in the past? Why arent we talking more about where to go or unreached people groups? said IVCFs Jao. What Ive wanted to say is this generation requires a level of honesty and authenticity about our failures in the past before theyre willing to embrace the future. The historic missions conference has also had a long history in pursuit of racial justice, beginning with evangelist Tom Skinners keynote at Urbana 70. Urbana 15, also held in St. Louis, spoke directly to racial tensions in the US, with members of the worship team wearing Black Lives Matter shirts and speakers such as Michelle Higgins challenging the evangelical response to shootings such as Michael Browns in nearby Ferguson, Missouri. Some at this years conference speculated whether the pushback over Black Lives Matter at the last conference or an IVCF staff policy on sexuality that went into effect in 2016 hurt attendance. Though Urbana has drawn well-known speakers from Elisabeth Elliot to David Platt in years past, the 2018 lineup focused on personal narratives over popular names. Each person that gets up there, youll hear them say, This is my blank Urbana or This is what happened to me at Urbana 03 or 06, said Steven Grahmann, IVCFs Arizona area director. Thats what Gen Z and millennials want to know. This person has been here. Their experience here changed them. That could happen to me. Students listened for perspectives that could apply to their own walk with Christ or their future vocation. Its very vulnerable of them to go in stage in front of thousands of people and share a struggle that theyve faced and a struggle theyve gone to in their life, said Christine Lui, a biochemistry major at University of Texas. That really shows their heart to share who God is and what God has done for them. It makes them seem more human. Others told CT about rethinking ways to incorporate missions into their career fields as a result of the Urbana sessions. Over the next couple weeks, as thousands of students will return to classrooms and campus ministries, IVCF will be left to evaluate Urbana 2018, which concludes today. With an attendance decline of nearly a third, the organization will examine what kept students away from the eventwhether shifting priorities, scheduling conflicts, or other factors. (In just a few days, the Cross Conference will take place in Louisville, Kentucky, drawing a more Reformed and Southern Baptist crowd, and featuring former Urbana speaker David Platt.) Just about 60 percent of the 10,000 who showed up for Urbana 2018 were students. What we need to do after Urbana is ask the question, How has the ecosystem of Christian conferences changed? Is this a shorter-term trend or a longer-term trend?, said Jao. What we do know, especially because of Revelations, is that God is sovereign. He brought these 10,000 and so thats our focus during this week. CT has previously reported on contemporary challenges to student ministry, including InterVarsitys legal fights over faith requirements, Princeton Christian Fellowships decision to drop evangelical from its name, and Fuller Youth Institutes research on churches with growing young adult demographics. Denying virgin birth, treating it like 'unscientific nonsense' denies Christs divinity: pastor Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Going along with secular theories that deny Jesus was born of a virgin is to deny Christs divinity and impeccability, an evangelical pastor has warned. Stephen Kneale, pastor of Oldham Bethel Church in the U.K., said Monday on his website that much of secular society treats the concept of Mary being a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus as "unscientific nonsense." He said that on one hand, since the Hebrew word translated as virgin can mean young woman, some believers also justify abandoning that belief while still maintaining "the main shape of the Christmas narrative." Kneale, who says that he subscribes to the traditional tenets of evangelicalism, warned that there are several concerns with taking such an approach. For instance, it denies the miraculous work of God, and the accounts of Joseph, Mary's husband, as recorded by Matthew in the Bible, he said. What is more, the pastor argued that the denial also goes against claims of Christ's divinity. "If there was no virgin birth, Jesus was born in a usual way that every other man is born. But this has the knock-on effect of limiting Jesus to nothing more than a mere human," he continued. He said that it means Christ would not have been able to pay the "infinite punishment for sin." Kneale also argued that if Jesus was born like everyone else, it denies His impeccability, as He would have inherited the same sinful nature as all the children of Adam. "As such, He would have sinned like any other man. As a result He could offer no perfect sacrifice on behalf of His people. There would be no perfect life to impute to anyone else because He would not have been capable of living the perfect life that God demands, he added. What is more, the pastor insisted that denying the virgin birth means "denying a savior who can save." "If Jesus is neither God nor impeccable, then there is no salvation from sin. The one presented as the only means of atonement is simply incapable of providing it. We lose scripture as a faithful record of Gods revelation to man and we lose a Savior who has even the remotest capability of saving anybody, he wrote. On Christmas Day, the Pew Research Center retweeted a study from December 2017 which found that fewer Americans believe the birth of Jesus occurred as depicted in the Bible. The survey found that 66 percent of respondents say that He was born to a virgin, which was down from the 73 percent share when the same question was asked in 2014. Theologians have long warned about the importance of maintaining faith in the virgin birth, however. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, wrote in an op-ed in The Christian Post in 2004 that a person cannot reject the virgin birth and call themselves a Christian. "Even if the virgin birth was taught by only one biblical passage, that would be sufficient to obligate all Christians to the belief. We have no right to weigh the relative truthfulness of biblical teachings by their repetition in Scripture," Mohler positioned back then. "We cannot claim to believe that the Bible is the Word of God and then turn around and cast suspicion on its teaching." Dennis Quaid on performing song for free speech documentary: 'Our culture has become intolerant' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Award-winning actor Dennis Quaid is lending his talents to an upcoming docudrama on efforts to ban free speech. Quaid and his band The Sharks released their first-ever studio album in November and it's his rock song "Out of the Box" that will be featured in the film, "No Safe Spaces." According to the New York Post, the actor wanted to be a part of the documentary created by Adam Carolla and Dennis Prager because he fears Americans are becoming intolerant of opposing views, which is evident in Hollywood and on college campuses. Its not just Hollywood. Our whole culture has become intolerant, Quaid told the Post. The 64-year-old explained that his song is about being open to other points of view and not mindlessly giving yourself over to an ism." I dont give myself to any party or ism," Quaid asserted. "I dont march lock step with anything or anybody except for God and the values my mom taught me back in Texas." Quaid starred in the blockbuster hit I Can Only Imagine and spoke about his Christian upbringing during promo runs for the film. He grew up attending a Baptist church and was baptized at age 9. As he grew older he sought answers to the question: "Who is God?" While he's politically independent, Quaid will be portraying the late Republican President Ronald Reagan in a new movie and said he believes Reagan was the best president of his lifetime. If a president does great things I can acknowledge that no matter his party," Quaid told the Post. "Ive voted for candidates from both parties. "No Safe Spaces" Indiegogo page says the film exposes the dangerous trend of suppressing free speech, and how our future depends on stopping it. It features commentators Van Jones, Alan Dershowitz, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Dave Rubin, Cornel West and "Last Man Standing" star Tim Allen, among others. The movies producer, Mark Joseph, believes Quaids song for No Safe Spaces is a perfect fit. When I heard Out of The Box it was so obvious that this belonged in the film, Joseph said. "Think out of the box ... Your life is not your own/ God owns your very bones," Quaid sings in the song. 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 Facebook apologizes to Franklin Graham for temporary ban Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Facebook apologized to Rev. Franklin Graham for temporarily banning his page over a 2016 post about transgender bathroom use and Bruce Springsteen. Graham posted on Friday that his page was banned for 24 hours last week for a 2016 post about a North Carolina debate over HB 2, a "bathroom bill" regarding transgender bathroom use. Graham had criticized rock star Bruce Springsteen for canceling a concert in North Carolina over the bill at the time. "Bruce Springsteen, a long-time gay rights activist, has canceled his North Carolina concert. He says the NC law #HB2 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. Im 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," the post read. Sunday morning, Graham posted a screenshot of an apology he was sent from Facebook. "It looks like we made a mistake and removed something you posted on Facebook that didn't go against our Community standards. We want to apologize and let you know that we've restored your content and removed any blocks on your account related to this incorrect action," the message said. Facebook also made a statement to Fox News, saying, A Page admin for Franklin Grahams Facebook Page did receive a 24-hour feature block after we removed a post for violating our hate speech policies. Upon re-reviewing this content, we identified that the post does not violate our hate speech policy and has been restored. With the screenshot, Graham thanked Facebook for the apology. "Thank you to Facebook for the apology, the admission that my April 9, 2016 post didnt go against your Community Standards, and the corrective action taken," he wrote. Graham is a popular figure among evangelicals and is the son of famed late evangelist Billy Graham. He's also president of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His Facebook page has over 7.4 million followers. Graham appeared on Fox News' "Fox and Friends" Sunday morning to talk about Facebook's apology. While thanking Facebook for its reversal, he added, "the problem with Facebook is ... if you disagree with their position on sexual orientation then you can be classified as hate speech or that you're a racist, and this is a problem." Thursday, The New York Times took a critical look at how Facebook monitors its content. Facebook has 15,000 moderators, "largely unskilled workers," the article said, and every other Tuesday, several dozen Facebook employees, "mostly young engineers and lawyers," gather to review the company guidelines. The moderators are mostly in distant locations, like Morocco and the Philippines, and some rely upon Google translate. "The closely held rules are extensive, and they make the company a far more powerful arbiter of global speech than has been publicly recognized or acknowledged by the company itself," The New York Times wrote. An unnamed whistleblower at Facebook who "feared that the company was exercising too much power" provided The New York Times with over 1,400 pages from Facebook's internal rulebooks. Those pages "consist of dozens of unorganized PowerPoint presentations and Excel spreadsheets." The hate speech guidelines consist of "200 jargon-filled, head-spinning pages." The New York Times concluded, "An examination of the files revealed numerous gaps, biases and outright errors. As Facebook employees grope for the right answers, they have allowed extremist language to flourish in some countries while censoring mainstream speech in others." Facebook posted a response Friday, arguing the story "couldn't be further from the truth." "What the Times refers to as a gathering 'over breakfast' among 'young engineers and lawyers' is, in fact, a global forum held every two weeks where we discuss potential changes to our policies. It includes experts from around the world with deep knowledge of relevant laws, online safety, counter-terrorism, operations, public policy, communications, product, and diversity. Yes, lawyers and engineers are present, but so are human rights experts, people who have studied hate and extremist organizations, former law enforcement and other public servants, and academics," Facebook added in part. Top 5 transgender activism moments in 2018 Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In the past year transgender activists made waves both domestically and abroad with moves that touched the realms of parental custody, social media and free speech, and education, among others. From the Ohio couple who had their gender-confused child removed from their home because of their disagreement with transgender medical treatments, to a prominent feminist writer who was banned from Twitter for writing things like "men aren't women," to telling children that males can menstruate, the headlines proved almost unbelievable. In the United States, the Trump administration appears to be pushing back against the encroachment of this ideology. Reports emerged this fall of a leaked government memo outlining that federal agencies were returning to the long-held definition of gender as biologically based, scrapping the notion of "gender identity" the previous administration had embraced. Here are the top 5 moments in transgender activism and repercussions of transgender ideology on which The Christian Post reported in 2018. Ohio fails to override Kasich's veto of 6 week heartbeat abortion ban Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Ohio state legislature has failed by one vote to override Gov. John Kasich's veto of a bill banning abortion as early as six weeks, which is when a baby's heartbeat can first be detected. Had it passed it would have been one of the most restrictive measures on abortion in the country. The fetal heartbeat bill would have made it illegal for doctors to perform surgical abortions at that stage, subjecting them to one year in prison if found guilty of doing so. The state Senate needed 20 votes for an override. Without debate, only 19 senators voted to do so and 13 voted against the veto on Thursday. The bill is likely to return next year and Governor-elect Mike DeWine, a Republican and longtime pro-life voice, has indicated he would support it. Should he sign it into law it's expected to be challenged in court. In vetoing the bill, Kasich, a Republican who has supported pro-life measures in the past, said the state would be mired in expensive litigation. Last year, Kasich signed a bill into law banning abortions solely on the basis of a Down syndrome diagnosis. "The key vote was cast by Republican Sen. Bill Beagle, R-Tipp City, who is term-limited out of office in a week and will join the treasurer's office. Earlier this month he voted for the bill; Thursday he joined four other Republicans in voting against an override," Cincinnati.com reported Wednesday. Pro-life advocates are voicing their disappointment with Kasich and the legislature's failure to override his veto, but are hopeful for what is likely to occur in 2019 with DeWine in office and Republican majorities in both chambers of the legislature. "To blame his decision on the overtly unconstitutional Supreme Court abortion decision is a terribly weak excuse; and meanwhile, babies keep dying," said Jenna Ellis, director of public policy for the James Dobson Family Institute in a statement to The Christian Post on Friday. "[B]ut we remain encouraged that Ohio will pass the Heartbeat Bill in the next session and we encourage them to do so as quickly as possible to save the lives of our smallest children. We are also hopeful that more states will gain courage and conviction to pass similar legislation. Abortion should not just be illegal; it should be unthinkable, she said. Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof said of those gathered in the Senate gallery cheering the demise of the Heartbeat Bill that their celebration "will be short-lived." The National Abortion Rights Action League Pro-Choice Ohio put out a statement saying Thursday's vote was a "small and brief" victory. The proposed Ohio bill is being seen as potential legislation that could trigger a Supreme Court review of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark case legalizing abortion nationwide. Proponents of the measure have not hidden this goal and are more hopeful now that the high court appears to be headed in a more conservative direction following the retirement of long-time swing vote Justice Anthony Kennedy and subsequent installment of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the bench. This legislation is 100-percent crafted to be an arrow that goes at the heart of Roe v. Wade, Republican Rep. Christina Hagan, the primary sponsor of the legislation, said last week. Doctors speak out: Lupron and the 'diabolical' push to sterilize, gender-transition confused kids Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pediatric endocrinologists, whose voices are being stifled, are sounding the alarm about a "diabolical" push to put children confused about their bodies on puberty suppressants and hormone blockers like Lupron to change their physical sex. According to Drs. Paul Hruz, Michael Laidlaw and Quentin Van Meter, all of whom spoke recently with The Christian Post, Lupron a hormonal agent that's employed to fight prostate cancer in men and is sometimes used to treat sex offenders is now being injected into children who suffer from gender dysphoria. The drug has never been green-lighted by the FDA for that purpose, nor have there been any peer-reviewed studies done on the drug's long-term physical and psychological side effects on children. Lupron and synthetic hormones are ravaging their developing bodies, altering their psyches, and putting them on a pathway to permanent sterilization, these doctors say. Many of the long-term repercussions will not be felt for years. At present, endocrinologists who refuse to back these experimental treatments struggle to be published, and many in the medical field remain unaware of what is going on in dozens of transgender clinics at children's hospitals across the nation. Pushing 'pause' on puberty? To many people, the sheer fact that gender has been medicalized with high-powered drugs is nothing short of horrifying, and they wonder how this can be legal or allowed to happen. "It's not unusual, actually, in pediatrics to prescribe a drug off label. However, whenever a physician does that they are taking on significant risk because if something goes wrong without the evidence, they are liable," Hruz, who is an associate professor of pediatrics and endocrinology at Washington University of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, told CP, when asked how it was possible that a high-powered drug like Lupron could be given to a dysphoric child given the lack of governmental approval for that purpose. "There's just a lot we don't know about this form of intervention. It's often claimed that medical blockade of puberty allows a child more time to sort out issues of their gender identity, that it alleviates dysphoria in affected children, and that it makes it easier if and when they choose to go on and get other treatments, namely [sex change] surgery. It's also claimed that it's completely safe and reversible." But among the many problems with that approach is that a normal developmental process is interrupted. Even if the hormone treatment is stopped after administering it for a few years and the normal signals for puberty resume, it's impossible to go back in time, he explained. As a class of medications, hormone blockers like Lupron are indeed approved for and are used in children to treat precocious puberty where kids go through puberty at an abnormally early age. It's given to children to delay the pubertal signals so that they, among other reasons, are not socially pressured into acting their pubertal age or subjected to hormonal drives that they are not prepared to handle. But when used to suppress the normally-timed pubertal processes, the drug actually causes a pathological condition. "So on its face value, what [transgender activists] are saying is really contradictory from what we know about normal development," Hruz said. Clear evidence exists that the drug influences bone density, he continued. During adolescence and teenage years, youth accumulate bone mass, which is important for the rest of one's life. "And there is conflicting information about how much of that bone density can be gained back" after going off the drug. Strong ideological influences driving this entire paradigm cannot be ignored, he said, when asked how this is happening, especially given that most people expect doctors to govern their practices based solely on medical science. The first ideological error many make is trying to redefine what "sex" actually is, Hruz said. "In much of the discussion, people have lost sight of what sex is in relation to reproduction and that is the only way you can make these claims about someone being born in the wrong body or make assertions about sex being 'assigned' at birth. It's not assigned; it's recognized," he maintained. The vast majority of the children who are being put on these puberty blockers have normally functioning sex organs. Physicians prescribing this kind of treatment are doing so under the understanding that it's benefiting patients but are simply not looking at the evidence, he said, and they are willing to dismiss the evidence when contrary to the prevailing politically correct narrative. Overwhelming evidence exists that the vast majority of affected children will spontaneously realign their gender identity with their biological sex when left alone, Hruz said of the relevant medical literature on the subject. And if they do realign, they're not going to be tethered to the medical establishment for the rest of their lives because their bodies are not dependent on the chemicals. "The reality is that there is no long-term data about treating children, and the only data that we have in adults indicates that medical interventions to align the appearance of the body to a transgendered identity does not fix the problem," he said. The manipulation of infertile kids What's often said in public opinion forums and even within some medical circles is that despite the risks, it's better, necessary even, that children receive this controversial medical treatment rather than wind up dead by suicide. Worse still, if parents express hesitation or opposition, activists and some physicians will hint at or tell them they will be guilty of "medical neglect," Hruz noted. But that's patently untrue. "[Parents] need to continue to love their children. They need to continue to affirm their human dignity. Yet they shouldn't have to jettison biological reality to be able to put what they're being told into practice, in terms of disrupting normally timed puberty." He added that the largest studies that have been done in post-transition adults continue to show rates of death by suicide that are markedly above the background population. "We need to be very objective, thoughtful. We can't close the door on what I would say are alternative hypotheses, other ways we might be able to address this very real and concerning problem. And the dialogue has shifted really far away from that," Hruz said. How Lupron works The first well-documented case report of a puberty blocker like Lupron (a similar medication called triptorelin which has an identical mechanism of action) being used in a young patient with gender confusion was published out of Holland in 1998 where a pediatric endocrinologist, working together with a psychiatrist, decided to use the medication on a 13-year-old girl suffering from gender dysphoria, according to Dr. Michael Laidlaw, a Rocklin, California-based board-certified physician who specializes in endocrinology and diabetes. The rationale was that the patient should have the drug because the effects of going through puberty would be too traumatic to endure and that "pausing" those signals in the brain would give the person time to adjust and then later decide whether to move toward surgical transition. When puberty is initiated in the human body, the hypothalamus increases its pulsatile release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This, in turn, triggers the pituitary to release LH and FSH hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones then affect the gonads and cause the release of testosterone from the testicles of boys or estrogen from the ovaries of girls. These same LH/FSH hormonal signals from the pituitary are released in adults to maintain testosterone or estrogen levels. Lupron, also known as Leuprolide, blocks the release of LH/FSH, thereby stopping testosterone from being produced and released from the testes or estrogen from the ovaries. It is used to treat prostate cancer because testosterone will grow prostate tissue, including prostate cancer tissue. The therapeutic idea is that when the hormone is decreased to a very low or undetectable level, cancer growth is prevented. The drug is also used to treat endometriosis in women by lowering estrogen levels through the same pituitary mechanism. Intimidation games Being from Rocklin, Laidlaw got a swift education into the world of transgender medicine when an area charter school read the I am Jazz transgender children's book and reportedly facilitated a gender transition ceremony for one of the 5-year-olds during class, traumatizing other students, as CP previously reported. The school put out a statement disputing that this happened. "The awareness of what is going on today, even within the medical community, has been very low," he explained, speaking of his own journey. Behind the push toward this particular medical paradigm is a highly politicized group called the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, an organization that has effectively overhauled the entire conversation. "What they did very cleverly was get involved with the largest global professional organization representing the field of endocrinology, called the Endocrine Society," of which Laidlaw is a member, he said. "The Endocrine Society put out guidelines for everything to do with gender affirmative therapy from medications to surgical treatments for adults and children in 2009 and then revised them in 2017." Pro-transition recommendations were given the group's formal stamp of approval. Laidlaw knew of no organized opposition to the change. Other medical groups have since published similar guidelines, lending further professional-sounding credence to them. Thus, when someone sees that a prominent group like the Endocrine Society or the American Academy of Pediatrics has endorsed this, they think it's fine when it's not, he pointed out. But these professional organizations have been co-opted by WPATH and other radical activists. "And then there is the fear factor, of course, where physicians who are leery about this treatment are afraid to say anything because maybe they work for say [health care provider] Kaiser. I have been told by a Kaiser doctor: 'Well, I can't say anything about this or I may lose my job. I have a family to feed.'" "There have been few physicians willing to stand up and say, 'We need to question this, there is something wrong here. Why are we using cancer drugs on kids without cancer and stopping normal puberty?" he said. Many times parents who initially thought it was a good idea to help their children transition later change their minds, but are strong-armed into continuing by being told that their child might commit suicide without the treatment, he said. "It's another bully tactic," Laidlaw emphasized. "It's a gun to parents' heads, the way I look at it. These kids should be getting psychological therapy and counseling, not hormones." Such bullying has also been legally used in courts to remove children from their parents. Earlier this year, Judge Sylvia Hendon in Hamilton County, Ohio, ruled that a 17-year-old should be removed from the custody of her parents due to their objections to transgender medicine. "Gender dysphoria is not an endocrine condition, but is a psychological one and should, therefore, be treated with proper psychological care. But it becomes an endocrine condition once you start using puberty blockers and giving cross-sex hormones to kids," Laidlaw stressed. While admitting he's not a psychologist, he knows of no psychological condition that is treated by putting hormones out of alignment from their normal levels. "In other cases, like hyperthyroidism, for example, patients might have high anxiety and even psychotic features due to high thyroid hormone levels. What we're doing as endocrinologists is bringing those hormones back into balance to in turn balance their psyche. With gender affirmative therapy they are doing exactly the opposite, taking hormone levels from being in most cases in balance, to then extremely out of balance." "And there is a form of psychological addiction happening when they are giving puberty blocking medications either because of a direct psychotropic effect or because the child can reassure themselves that they are not growing into an adult male body or an adult female body. It continues the illusion." The endocrinologists with whom CP spoke explained that the average endocrinologist in the United States doesn't know what's going on because it's an area where they haven't had any experience and therefore feel inadequate. They then scramble to find resources and what many end up doing is going to their Endocrine Society guidelines, which are now in favor of transitioning children. Why would a national society publish guidelines based on low to very low-quality scientific evidence, they ask themselves. Doctors are usually preoccupied enough with their practices so they ultimately defer to the guidelines and send patients to the transgender specialist. This is, unfortunately, a standard situation and a weakness in the endocrine community, they say. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The churches in America are Gods footprints in our nation. Gods churches are blessed and anointed by Him, and the greatest network our nation has for prayer and the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 350,000+ churches and 200 denominations have the opportunity to impact America on one day in 2019: The National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 2. As the president of the National Day of Prayer and senior pastor of a local church, I am convinced that we cannot complete our mission of mobilizing unified public prayer for America without the support of the pastors and churches in America. Additionally, each denomination and network of churches can be involved in advancing the Kingdom of God together, which far surpasses our own church and denomination. If there is any one day annually that we can work together for the greater good of Gods Kingdom, it can be the annual National Day of Prayer, which is the first Thursday of May annually. Our priority must be to mobilize pastors, churches, and denominations to pray for America. Will You Enter Your Community and Participate? Pastors and churches, will you enter your community individually or even together, to join us in praying for America on Thursday, May 2, 2019? Imagine with me for a moment: What would happen if each pastor and church in America established a prayer service or observance on the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 2, 2019? It would become the most prayed-for day in America. Each pastor, church, or denomination can do any one of these options: Connect with and mobilize your church to an existing observance somewhere in your community. Create a new observance in your community in order to mobilize more people to pray for our nation. Realize you can create as many observances in your community as desired and there will still not be enough of these to mobilize your entire community to pray for America. On each National Day of Prayer, there should be no less than 100,000 gatherings for prayer nationally, due to pastors, churches, and denominations leading the way or working together for the greater good of Gods Kingdom. Every Christ follower should want to take an hour on the National Day of Prayer to pray for America in a public prayer worship observance. What Every Pastor, Church, and Denomination Needs to Know If I had the opportunity to personally speak with every pastor and church in America, as well as each denominational leader, I would explain to that the National Day of Prayer provides a unique opportunity to engage all kinds of people in their communities who love America and hope for her best. Some of these community members may not know Christ personally, but this service or observance can introduce them in a positive, non-threatening way to the things of God and the claims of Jesus Christ. Regardless of your perception or what others may say, I believe the people of America love our nation. They realize our nation is broken and in trouble. Most also realize it will take some kind of divine intervention to see our nation move forward together positively. The National Day of Prayer on May 2, 2019, provides a way to connect with one another in a positive, unifying way to pray for America. Pastors and churches are always seeking a way to create good will in the community. The National Day of Prayer is a wonderful way to do this. They will appreciate your participation and leadership in it. Pastors, Churches, and Denominations, Whats Next? Right now, get out your phone or calendar and mark this date: Thursday, May 2, 2019. Please mark your personal and your church calendar. Determine to schedule the National Day of Prayer as a priority on your personal and church calendar. Go to our National Day of Prayer website and sign up to host an observance in your community in 2019. Talk to your staff team or church leaders and determine to become a strong participant in the National Day of Prayer. Also, on our National Day of Prayer website, watch this brief video on how pastors and churches can be involved in The National Day of Prayer in 2019. The church in America should stand strong on the National Day of Prayer in thousands upon thousands of gatherings, proclaiming we believe in the power of prayer, even prayer for our nation. We need to become proclaimers of hope for our nation. Why would we not want to do this? In humility, I appeal to all pastors, churches, and denominations in America: On Thursday, May 2, 2019, lets plan to unite together, participate, or even lead, the National Day of Prayer in our communities. This may be one of the greatest ways you can add value in your community in 2019. God blesses pastors, churches and denominations that that value on the power of prayer. Originally posted at ronniefloyd.com Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Over the years, I have rarely addressed the question of immigration. Thats because I have no expertise in the matter and find it much better to solicit the wisdom of experts. Why give my opinion if its no better than yours (or, perhaps, less worthy than yours)? So, this article has no hidden agenda. Im genuinely asking questions. First, allow me to share these three different examples. 1) Last week, I was speaking with a South African woman who has lived in the States with her husband and children for more than 15 years. She was ecstatic, telling me that just that morning, they had all become American citizens. It meant the world to them. 2) Not everyone is so fortunate. In the early 2000s, one of our ministry school grads wanted to stay here in the States and applied for citizenship, along with his wife. They were from Norway, they were well-educated, they had a stellar track record, and he was an employee of our school. Despite our best efforts, including hiring an immigration lawyer, they were denied a path to citizenship and had to return home. 3) A few years ago, I was contacted via social media by the son of a Vietnamese couple who had fled Vietnam when we pulled our troops out, suffering terribly before reaching our shores. They were among the Boat People of the late 1970s to early 1980s, and their stories were heartbreaking. My wife, Nancy, and I were part of a church that got involved in sponsoring these refugees, so if we had a spare bed or couch, we welcomed them into our homes. This couple was the first of a number of Vietnamese refugees to live with us, together with their baby boy. We had not been in touch with them for quite a few years, and it was another son who was now contacting us. But he wanted to put me back in touch with his parents, which was an incredible experience for all of us. The father told me he had recently become an American citizen and chose my name, Michael, as his new name. Incredible! Now, I present these three diverse cases here simply to say this: For many decades now, people come to our shores (or, across our borders) to find refuge in this land of opportunity, or to start a new life, or simply to continue on the path most important to them. And we have a process by which people become American citizens. There will always be more refugees and potential immigrants wanting to come to our country than is possible for us to absorb. (Again, we have little idea how much opportunity America presents, especially when compared to the many impoverished and war-torn nations of the world.) But we must have an orderly system to process these refugees and potential immigrants. Otherwise we will have chaos. If youve ever crossed the border into Canada or Mexico, you know that sometimes you can wait for several hours to get through, depending on the busyness of the traffic. And its not uncommon to get questioned at length if the officers are not happy with your answers. As annoying as this can be, countries need borders. As for American policy, an immigration website notes that, The United States has been the top destination for international migrants since at least 1960, with one-fifth of the world's migrants living there as of 2017. Despite its long history of immigration, the United States has oscillated between perceiving immigration as a valuable resource and as a major challenge. According to Wikipedia, In absolute numbers, the United States has a larger immigrant population than any other country, with 47 million immigrants as of 2015. This represents 19.1% of the 244 million international migrants worldwide, and 14.4% of the U.S. population. Those are some amazing stats, and all of this leads me to my questions, which Im not asking as a Trump-supporter or a Trump-basher. Im asking in the most objective way possible. First, if illegal immigrants are flooding our country, whats so controversial about building a border wall? Theres a legal process for immigration and we take in hundreds of thousands of immigrants each year. Whats wrong with keeping the illegals out? Second, since when has anyone been able to force us to take in immigrants? Who decided that the way we treat a migrant caravan one that was ostensibly stirred up by leftwing activists is now a test of our national compassion? Dont we have a long-term track record of compassionate response to refugees? Third, whats so controversial about wanting to preserve our national identity? After all, people want to come to America for a reason. If we cease to be America, theres no reason for people to come here. Can we learn nothing from what some European countries are now experiencing due to a massive influx of Muslim immigrants, many of whom have little or no desire to become incorporated into the host countrys national culture? Fourth, why would it be so hard to make a path for citizenship, with penalties, for those who came in illegally years ago but have been working jobs, obeying the laws, and contributing to the good of the society? Why must they be deported according to some hardliners? Is there no middle ground? Again, Im not asking these questions to prove a point or to support or undermine the president. And, to repeat, I dont talk about this much because its not an area of focus or expertise for me. But the current caravan crisis, coupled with my conversation with the South African woman prompted me to put these on the table for your input. How about some common sense responses without political vitriol? Ill read your comments with interest. Thanks! Asia Bibi's neighbors want her dead: There is no forgiveness for insulting Muhammad Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Asia Bibis former neighbors believe she deserves to be executed for allegedly insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad even though her confession was coerced. She confessed her crime in front of them, how can they forgive her? asked 50-year-old Mohammad Bota in an interview with The Telegraph on Thursday. Ittan Wali in rural Punjab, Pakistan, is where Bibi, a Christian mother of five, was first accused nearly 10 years ago by fellow Muslim laborers of having insulted the Islamic prophet, a charge she has always denied. The accusation of blasphemy, one of the most serious crimes in the Islamic-majority country, led to Bibi's imprisonment on death row for eight years before she was finally acquitted by the Pakistani Supreme Court in October and granted freedom, though she is still being detained and unable to leave the country. The controversial decision to free Bibi sparked widespread unrest and protests by Islamic hardliners in the country who declared their opposition to international pressure influencing the judges. While persecution watchdog groups and human rights organizations have condemned Pakistan for its blasphemy laws, the villagers in Ittan Wali told the Telegraph that Bibi confessed to insulting their faith at the time and her death sentence should stand. I would die in the name of my religion and if someone has committed blasphemy, then they are not forgiven, said 62-year-old farmer Shawkat Ali. If the Supreme Court has some faith in religion and if they are Muslims, they should execute her. The villagers insist that after arguing with her co-workers, Bibi was sent to a local cleric to explain her words, which is where she allegedly confessed to insulting the Islamic prophet. Qari Muhammad Salam, the cleric in question, argued that the Supreme Court's ruling was very disappointing," and said Bibi "deserves the death sentence according to the law." If you start forgiving people on this issue, then it will become routine that people will commit blasphemy and just ask for forgiveness, he said. We wish that if she had not uttered such remarks, and she had been living like before it would have been peaceful. But if someone says this, then there's no compromise on the dignity of the prophet [Muhammad]. Being Muslim, we believe that these are testing times and we should be ready for them. Bibi's family continues to live in danger in Pakistan where they spent Christmas waiting for an asylum offer from another country. In October, Eisham Ashiq, one of Bibi's daughters, thanked God and Christians worldwide for praying for her mother and her family. "Thank you everybody for praying for my mother. I'd also like to thank the brave judges and the Pakistani justice system that recognize my mother's innocence, Ashiq said in a video supplied by Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need. "Thanks God, she (Bibi) is free and I hope our entire family is finally happy and free. Thanks to all of you for praying for my mother and persecuted Christians," she added. Earlier this month, Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Southern Baptist pastor, issued a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump asking him to grant Bibi and her family asylum. The United States is without question the safest place of refuge for Asia Bibi and her family. We have a 230-plus year commitment to religious freedom and tolerance, read an email by My Faith Votes, the organization seeking to encourage people to vote based on their convictions. That the United States isnt being mentioned as her ultimate destination is a betrayal of those principles and an abdication of our responsibilities, it warned. Fulani Muslims kill 7 Christians day after Christmas; media narrative of clashes is false, watchdog says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Islamic Fulani radicals murdered seven Christians in a Nigerian town the day after Christmas, according to persecution watchdog group International Christian Concern. The ICC, which has been documenting the targeted killings of believers in Nigeria, said that armed Fulani militants attacked the town of Rawuru in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State on Wednesday. The village suffered another deadly incident in June, when 230 Christians were murdered by militants. The size and coordination of those attacks showed that this could not just be another small local clash. It was clearly a well thought out and preplanned attack meant to kill as many people as possible, ICC said. These types of attacks are not the normal farmer-herder conflict that the Nigerian government has been trying to claim they are, they continued, referring to both government and international mainstream media reports attempting to portray the murders as a result of clashes between nomadic Fulani herdsmen and Christian farmers. They are clearly meant to kill, terrify, and displace local villagers from their land. If the Nigerian government does not end this conflict sometime soon, there could be continued violent conflict which turns into a civil war. AFP also reported on the attack in Rawuru, though it said that five people were killed, while another two were injured. State police spokesman Tyopeeve Terna said the victims were returning home late Wednesday from a birthday party in the neighboring Pugu village when they were ambushed. Terna vowed that police will hunt down the killers and bring them to justice. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who is preparing for elections in February, has been criticized by Christian leaders in the country for failing to protect citizens and stand up to the Fulani militants. The Rev. Dacholom Datiri, president of the Church of Christ in Nigeria, revealed that he delivered a report to Buhari in November highlighting the slaughter of 646 Christians in Plateau state between March and October. The devastation in terms of massacre of lives and destruction of property is unimaginable. Pastors and members in their thousands have been killed in cold blood, either shot dead or slaughtered like animals or burned to death. Houses and businesses have been burned or looted and farmlands have been destroyed, Datiri said, reflecting on years of attacks. The proficiency and mode of operation in all of these attacks, as testified by the surviving victims, leaves us in no doubt of the complicity of the military being used as hired mercenaries by the Fulani militias, he added. On this, we are disappointed, and sadly so, that the government has not delivered on her constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property. ICC said that by its estimates, 1,700 people were killed in 2018 at the hands of Fulani radicals, though other Christian leaders have said that thousands more believers have been massacred. The watchdog group said that the 1,700 number alone is already three times as many deaths as those committed by Boko Haram, the terror group that has been killing Christians and other civilians en masse since 2009. Brexit chaos weighs heavy on minds of bishops at start of new year The Bishop of Burnley is praying for a 'new start' in British politics weeks before Parliament votes on a divisive Brexit deal. Ahead of the key vote set for mid-January, Bishop Philip North appealed in his New Year's Message for Leavers and Remainers to listen to each other. 'As we begin this new year, where in your life would you like to see or make a new start? I am praying at the moment for three new starts. The first is for a new start in our political life,' he said. 'May the angry and discordant voices that bombard us at the moment sit down together and listen to each other so that together we can carve out a new future for our nation and go on being a voice for peace and justice in our world.' The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Julian Henderson, shared his concerns over Brexit as he called on people to live in such a way as to bring peace not only to themselves but to their neighbours. 'At the moment we are living in a time of political chaos and who knows where the Brexit negotiations are going to end up as we enter into 2019,' he said. 'I'm sure we all wish for a level of pattern and order, stability, in our political life as we move forward. Whatever our relations are going to be with the European Union we want order.' MPs will be voting on the UK's Brexit deal the week beginning January 14. In an interview with the Sunday Times, trade minister Liam Fox said there was a '50-50' chance of Brexit being cancelled completely if Parliament votes down Theresa May's deal. 'If we were not to vote for that, I'm not sure I would give it [Brexit] much more than 50-50,' he told the newspaper. In an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker told Britain to 'get your act together' over its withdrawal from the EU. '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,' he said. The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019, regardless of whether a deal has been secured, but the Observer reports that senior Tory and Labour MPs have been working behind the scenes to delay Brexit by several months. An unnamed Tory backbencher told the newspaper: 'I have had these discussions with ministers. They will not say so in public but of course the option of a delay has to be looked at in detail now. 'If we are determined to avoid a no deal, and the prime minister's 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.' Egypt's new agency to fight sectarian violence welcomed by Church leader The head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK has welcomed the creation of a new committee in Egypt to tackle sectarian violence. The Supreme Committee for Confronting Sectarian Incidents was formed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi following repeated attacks by Islamist extremists on the country's churches and minority Christian community. It is to be headed up by Egypt's ex-Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghaffar and has been tasked with 'developing a general strategy to prevent and confront sectarian incidents'. Archbishop Angaelos said the committee, announced days before the Coptic Christmas on January 7, was a 'welcomed step for Egypt'. 'This strategic approach to determine, address and counter ideologies of intolerance and targeted attacks on Coptic Christian community has always been needed. Praying wisdom upon those involved, and peace and safety upon all,' he said. International Christian Concern's regional manager Claire Evans said tensions between Muslims and Christians in Egypt were often labelled as sectarian. She welcomed the formation of the agency but said it would only be effective if Egypt's Christians are treated as equals in society. 'It is also worth noting that Christians are regarded as second-class citizens in Egypt, which is officially an Islamic country although the constitution alleges to protect the rights of Christians,' she said. 'However, although most of the Middle East's Christians live in Egypt, they are given few opportunities to take an active role in their own government. 'This new committee, while a positive step forward, will have limited success if Christians are not allowed to be regarded as equals in their own country.' Facebook apologises to Franklin Graham after banning him for 24 hours over transgender bathroom post Franklin Graham has accused Facebook of 'censoring free speech' after he was banned from the social media platform for 24 hours over a 2016 post. Graham, who is the son of late evangelist Billy Graham, said that in the post removed by Facebook he had challenged allowing transgender people to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with. 'Well, now we know. Facebook has a secret rulebook for policing speech. I was banned from posting on Facebook last week for 24 hours,' he said. 'Why? Because of a post from back in 2016 about North Carolina's House Bill 2 (the bathroom bill). Facebook said the post went against their "community standards on hate speech." 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. 'They're making the rules and changing the rules. Truth is truth. God made the rules and His Word is truth. Actually, Facebook is censoring free speech. The free exchange of ideas is part of our country's DNA.' Graham, who also heads up Samaritan's Purse, said Facebook later unblocked him and issued an apology in which it said it had 'made a mistake'. The post about transgender bathroom access was also restored. Graham responded by saying he accepted the apology. 'I thank Facebook for their apology and I accept it. All truth is in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life." I would encourage all Christiansas well as Facebookto stand on God's Word and His truth,' he said. .@Facebook is censoring free speech. Theyre making & changing the rules. Truth is truth. God made the rules & His Word is truth. The free exchange of ideas is part of our countrys DNA. You can read the post that Facebook took down last week here: 2/2 https://t.co/SIbgivZjTo Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) December 29, 2018 Christians and conservatives have long accused Facebook of being biased towards their views. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was challenged on the accusations when he was brought before Congress for questioning in April. Specifically, he was asked about the treatment of Diamond and Silk, the Trump-supporting duo who were told by Facebook that their content was 'unsafe'. Republican Rep Joe Barton of Texas asked Zuckerberg during the two-day hearing: 'Why is Facebook censoring conservative bloggers such as Diamond and Silk? Facebook called them 'unsafe' to the community. That is ludicrous. They hold conservative views. That isn't unsafe.' Zuckerberg responded: 'Congressman, in that specific case, our team made an enforcement error and we have already gotten in touch with them to reverse it.' Just before Christmas, Facebook was again accused of censorship after it blocked a festive image of Santa kneeling before baby Jesus. Facebook did not remove the post but obscured the image so that users had to click on an 'Uncover Photo' button in order to view it. The blurred image was accompanied by a warning from Facebook that 'this photo may show violent or graphic content'. 'This photo was automatically covered so you can decide if you want to see it,' it added. In October, the makers of pro-life movie Gosnell said Facebook had blocked their advertisements. The movie, starring Dean Cain, tells the story of Kermit Gosnell, the notorious late-term abortionist who was given life without parole for the murder of three babies born alive in his clinic. Producer Phelim McAleer said some supporters had reported trying unsuccessfully to 'boost' their Facebook posts about the movie. McAleer blamed a liberal bias in Silicon Valley. 'The Silicon establishment do not want this story told,' McAleer said. 'They [Facebook] simply state it's not been approved and to check their standards, but it does not give you a specific reason why this post could not be promoted at all to a wider audience. 'It's clear it is the pro-life audience that they don't want to encourage or provide content to. They really hate anyone who doesn't subscribe to the liberal world view.' Francis Chan shares his tip for a better prayer life Francis Chan has said that humility coming before God with a proper understanding of His greatness is the key to improving one's prayer life and developing a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. In a recent video posted on The Gospel Coalition website, Chan, author of Crazy Love and founder of We Are Church, responded to the question: "What's one practical thing I could do to improve my prayer life?" "Be humble. Seek humility. Humble yourself," he responded, advising believers to "think about that scene in Revelation 4 and 5," where the Apostle John saw a blinding vision of part of the celestial kingdom. "Do I dare approach that throne?" Chan continued. "And yet now Scripture says I can. Who am I to come before that throne?" The pastor pointed out that the Scriptures say, "We do not know how to pray as we ought," (Romans 8:26); therefore, the "Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." "Our response of humility should sound something like this: 'I'm coming before Him? The King? I don't even know what to say, but He says that I can pray in the Spirit, and the Spirit is going to intercede for me and through me. And, oh God, this is insane. OK, I'm going to come before you. I'm going to need the Holy Spirit. God give me the words to say,'" Chan continued. Unfortunately, most people don't understand what an honor it is to come before the throne of God, the pastor lamented, adding: "Instead, I hear people that almost act like they're doing God a favor by showing up to a service." "We're so used to people begging you to show up for a prayer meeting," he charged. "So when they finally attend, everyone is patting them on the back, and they end up feeling pretty good about themselves. We can't approach the throne like that." "We must come humbly before God's throne," he concluded. "Just think to yourself, 'Are you kidding me that I get to do this right now? Unreal. I'm about to come before him in prayer!'" A 2017 survey from the Barna Research Group found that American adults who pray with regularity do so with varying motivations, the most common being to offer "gratitude and thanksgiving" (62 percent). An equally popular prayer incentive is the "needs of their family and community" (61 percent), followed by "personal guidance in crisis" (49 percent). Chan often addresses the subject of prayer and stresses the importance of maintaining a posture of humility when coming before God. Previously, he warned that too many Christians today are praying the wrong way, focusing on themselves rather than on God's mission. When approaching God in prayer, don't just go and start talking, Chan advised; rather, come silently, come slowly, and be careful. "As I look at the way the disciples prayed back then and as I look at the way Jesus taught us to pray, I realize it's a lot different from what I was taught," he said. "Prayer to them was really different, they asked for things that were different from what I typically asked for." "When you pray, is your desire the same desire as God's?" he asked. "Are you after this Kingdom? Are you after this mission? Or are you after your own kingdom?" God wants people who are "committed to Him because He wants to strengthen them and answer their prayers," the pastor said. "He's longing to show off His power but maybe we haven't seen His power because we haven't been praying for the things that He wanted us to pray for," Chan contended, concluding that if Christians began to pray for the things that God cared about, the church would begin to see the supernatural just like the apostles did. Courtesy of The Christian Post Scottish churches use New Year's Eve celebrations to help the lonely Two churches in Glasgow, Scotland, are giving over their New Year's Eve celebrations to support lonely people in their local community. Tron St Mary's, Springburn Parish Church and Colston Wellpark in Glasgow are hosting a community ceilidh, quiz and church service for New Year's Eve, known as Hogmanay in Scotland. Rev Rhona Graham, minister of Tron St Mary's, said many people were celebrating the New Year struggling with grief or poverty. Springburn and Colston Wellpark are two of the Church of Scotland's 'priority area congregations', meaning that there are many low income families in the vicinity. Rev Graham said: 'We spend all year with people who are vulnerable, and Hogmanay can be a difficult time of year for some of them. 'Maybe loneliness, grief, addictions, poverty, means when the world is celebrating the New Year, some of our folks hide and dread it. 'This year, we wanted to provide a space where folks who want to do something, not be alone but with friends from the church, in a safe, alcohol free space. 'So, our parish grouping will host a free evening of fun, food and friendship to end maybe a difficult year.' The truth about Christians who sexually assault others It was years ago. But it's hard to forget the time you had to tell your team leader that you are experiencing sexual harassment. I'd had weeks of inappropriate sexual comments from a male team member. This wasn't innocently showing interest in a girl. I was receiving overtly sexual comments, and when I reacted against them, he told me to stop being so serious. "Can't you take a joke?" he'd say. It was so persistent that I knew my comfort level didn't interest this man. I had told him verbally more than once that what he was doing wasn't right. It was time to come forward. But I could hardly believe this was happening, especially because it had been happening in a Christian ministry. Here, we prayed together and talked about faith together. This was one place you'd hope this behaviour wouldn't happen. Sadly, it can and it does. How does this happen? When the #MeToo movement hit in 2017, it was a wake-up call for anyone who didn't already know that sexual abuse is rampant. The #ChurchToo movement a Christian sister to the original concept just reminded Christians that they weren't immune. Thousands of women and men told their own stories of abuse and harassment in Christian spaces, using the hashtag #ChurchToo. Like many others, it made me wonder: how do Christians not see or believe that this happens in their own churches? There are lots of reasons. "It couldn't happen here" mentality Like anyone, Christians can simply have their blinders up. We think of our churches, Christian charities and other Christian organisations as places of trust and honesty, and that everyone is trying to do the right thing. Reporting serious misconduct is a big deal in any context, but especially in a culture where it's often not even on the radar. Disbelief Given that sexual misconduct almost always happens in private, there are rarely witnesses to corroborate. Sexual abuse also classically involves a power imbalance, making it easier to believe the accused than the victim. Without absolute proof, other Christians can easily second-guess themselves and not report their abuse. This, then, allows it to continue. Shame Plain and simple. Christians haven't always spoken up because they feel embarrassed or afraid. Skewed values The Bible can be weaponized by humans to cause harm. This could include ideas of "radical forgiveness" (pressuring an abuse victim to return to their abuser), or men thinking they have the right of sexual dominance over women. Others have the (frankly concerning) theology that criticising Christians or the church is the same as criticising God. So they stay silent, or try to keep it "in-house" and the abuse continues. Good intentions, lack of plans Even if the victim is believed, many Christian churches don't have a structure in place for what happens next. Across the West, churches tend to believe that they are safe spaces for victims of abuse but, ironically, don't have any policy for addressing issues when they come up. Whether it was knowingly or not, the result has been the same: Christians haven't supported victims. And it can have extreme results. In one disturbing article I read, titled "Sex Offenders Groom Churches, Too", many sex offenders practised criminal behaviour in churches because they believe "religious people are even easier to fool than most people." And as more pastor sex scandals emerge across the Western church, it could be the tip of the iceberg. What do we do? The hashtag may fade from memory. But the truth is, there's no reason to believe this kind of behaviour has gone from the church. To prevent it, we need to act to make our Christian communities safer. Our first response needs to be to take allegations seriously. Reports should be taken seriously in the first instance. This isn't the same as taking a side, but it is giving the victim the dignity of having their concerns followed up and investigated. Historically, victims have tended to be ignored or dismissed, even though the rate of false reporting is very low. When victims come forward, their case needs to be listened to and acted upon to find the truth. Forgiveness can't be demanded. Keeping the peace can seem like a Christian thing to do, but not if it's covering up a worse sin. I remember being asked if I could forgive my accuser, but it was partly motivated out of protecting my accuser's reputation. Demanding forgiveness because it maintains the peace is another kind of abusive behaviour. Talk about abuse and harassment, even if you don't believe it's happening. Christian communities need to be more open about these topics. When we never discuss them, it's even harder to discuss them when it matters. Shame is also a powerful motivator to silence when victims are in these situations. Appearances can indeed be deceiving. Know how to respond. Considering our climate, not having a plan in place to deal with reports of abuse is no longer okay. Church leadership needs to consider very carefully how they'll respond. But it's not just at a corporate level. If we haven't already, it's up to each of us to educate ourselves on warning signs and how to respond. Who would you go to? What would you do if it were you? Are you confident you'd be believed? What's clear is that the church hasn't dealt well with abuse, and now the problems are coming home to roost. We need God's wisdom to ensure that this kind of behaviour can't continue among Christian communities. If there's ever a time to be "wise as serpents, innocent as doves" (Matthew chapter 10 verse 16), it's now. Courtesy of Press Service International Vatican spokesman Greg Burke and deputy in surprise resignations The spokesman for the Vatican and his deputy announced their resignations on Monday. American Greg Burke said he was stepping down as director of the Vatican Press Office in order to allow the Pope to assemble a completely new communications team. His deputy, Paloma Garcia Ovejero, from Spain, is also resigning her post. The surprise announcement was made on Monday and follows the Pope's decision two weeks ago to appoint his close friend and Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli as editorial director of Vatican communications. Burke said on Twitter: 'Paloma and I have resigned, effective Jan. 1. At this time of transition in Vatican communications, we think it's best the Holy Father is completely free to assemble a new team.' In a second post, he thanked the Pope for his time at the Vatican, where he has served since 2012. 'I joined the Vatican in 2012. The experience has been fascinating, to say the least. Thank you, Pope Francis. Un abrazo muy fuerte,' he said. Burke, 59, previously worked for Fox News before joining the Vatican's Secretariat of State and eventually becoming its spokesman in 2016. I joined the Vatican in 2012. The experience has been fascinating, to say the least. Thank you, Pope Francis. Un abrazo muy fuerte. pic.twitter.com/joxX4YoYSn Greg Burke (@GregBurkeRome) December 31, 2018 Ovejero tweeted in Spanish: 'A stage ends. Thank you, Holy Father, for these two and a half years! Thank you, Greg, for your trust, your patience and your example.' Italian journalist Alessandro Gisotti has been confirmed as interim spokesman. The 44-year-old has until now been the social media coordinator of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication. The Prefect of the Dicastery of Communication, Dr Paolo Ruffini, said in a statement that the resignations of Burke and Ovejero came at a time of 'important reform' within Vatican communications. He thanked them for their 'professionalism, humanity, and faith' as he said the reforms would continue in the new year. 'Today, faced with what is their independent and free choice, I can only respect the decision they have taken. Greg and Paloma were the first Director and Deputy Director of the Press Office following the start of the reform of the Holy See's communication system, decided by the Holy Father,' he said. 'Their significant commitment has contributed to the path of reform that today, according to them, in order to be carried out, requires a rapid hand-over of testimony, in the spirit of service to the Church that we all share. It is precisely with this spirit of service and fidelity to the Holy Father that I myself will carry forward the complex path of this important reform. 'The year ahead is full of important events that require the greatest effort in communication. 'I have full confidence that Alessandro Gisotti, until now Social Media Coordinator of the Dicastery for Communication, and former Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Vatican Radio, will be able to guide the Press Office ad interim, waiting for its new structure to be defined as soon as possible.' Texas' manufacturing sector could slow down in 2019. Production in the sector was the lowest since August 2016, according to a monthly survey of Texas business executives by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and perceptions of general business conditions notably worsened. Manufacturing is still increasing, but December's index of 7.3 shows a second month of slowed production after the index dropped 9.2 points from October to November. Meanwhile, perceptions of business conditions in Texas turned negative for the first time since September 2016. More than 20 percent of manufacturers reported that their outlooks worsened in December. While manufacturers still expect general business conditions for the next six months to improve overall, confidence is much rockier than last month the survey showed a 22.5 point decrease compared with November. The state's economy continues to grow, but it has begun to show signs of a slowdown. With oil headed for its first annual loss since 2015, experts at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas say Texas' job growth may decelerate. While the Dallas Fed numbers suggest manufacturing could slow in 2019, The Greater Houston Partnership, a business-financed economic development group, sees steady growth ahead for the economy at large, particularly in health care. The group projects that Houston will add about 71,000 jobs next year. Gia Gunn wants you to relax. The transgender performer says she knew exactly what she was doing on "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" 4. And it made you talk about her, right? She stirred the pop. She shaded other queens. She showed us a lovely kabuki performance. And when she flailed as Jenny Bui during Snatch Game of Love, she was sent home. Now that it's all over, Gia spoke freely about her time on the show and her moment of "confirmation" just before being eliminated. She performs Friday night at Rich's Houston. You filmed months ago but we're all just getting to see it play out now. What's it feel like watching it all unfold? Oh my gosh, I'm loving it. Are you kidding me? I'm literally cracking up and just loving all the memes and gifs of legendary things. I think it's great. There's a lot of interesting parts. You just remember being there filming for so long but you kind of forget about certain things and don't really fully remember it all. It's really cool just to see it all come together. For me, it's super-entertaining, super-hysterical. I'm literally just sitting back relaxing and enjoying the show. MALIBU, BABY: Ranking the Snatch Game of Love performances Lots of viewers say, "Oh, she's so mean" or "She's stirring the pot." But was it just about good TV for you? Of course, yeah. I think as much as "Drag Race" is a competition about drag, it's also very much so a reality show that, likes any other reality show, revolves around drama, cattiness, suspense, etc. I am kind of moving forward from drag and diving into my own aspirations in life that are kind of outside of drag but still using drag as a way to transmit my message to people. It wasn't that serious for me as it was for other drag queens there who were completely calculated or really worried about what fans were gonna say and worried about how they were going to be viewed. I was just there to have a good time and create what I know is good TV and what was gonna get people to talk. Because that's why we're on there. What were your original reasons for saying yes to the show? My one and only motivation on saying yes to "All Stars" was my community, and by that, I mean even more specifically the trans community. Me now living my authentic truth and representing the trans community as someone that does drag, this was my one and only opportunity to be able to come to this show that has such a great influence on the world and how people view gender and how people the LGBT (community). That being said, I feel that up until this point, the "T" has been very silent. I was honored to be offered the opportunity and realized this was my one and only chance before I had breast augmentation surgery to go on the show and really represent my community. You had a moment of realization during your conversation with Manila Luzon about being a trans woman and doing drag. I think as much of a realization that it was, it was a definite confirmation that "RuPaul's Drag Race" has done what it's done for me. It has allowed me to be the openly trans woman that I am and be proud and unapologetic about that. But I definitely think it was a confirming moment for me to be able to look myself in the mirror and look at my other sisters there and realize, "This is not my reality. I don't want this like the rest of you do, because I am not one of you. That's not to say that I'm better or worse, but I'm a trans woman, which is very different from a drag queen. It's time to move on." I just hope that people realize the big difference. A lot of people, heterosexual and queer, don't know the difference. GETTING HER JUSH: Jasmine Masters has something to say What are your relationships like today with other girls, particularly Farrah Moan? I don't have a personal connection with all of them. I think that's a big misconception that people think (is true) just because we're all on a television show or we tour together. As much as we are "Drag Race" sisters, we're also coworkers. Like any other job, you don't necessarily share your full personal lives and communicate with your coworkers each and every day of your life. My relationships with all of them are either nonexistent or very much so abundant. I still keep in touch with a few of them. I have a lot of girls that are on my side and a lot of girls that continue to inspire me every day to stop worrying about the haters and continue on my journey. Do you wish you have fought harder to impersonate Caitlyn Jenner on Snatch Game of Love? No, just because I already knew that Snatch Game for me was going to be a very difficult challenge just because playing other characters and impersonating other people other than myself is difficult. I think we even saw on TV, me playing Gia Gunn was also a little bit difficult. But someway, somehow, being there as the only trans person, I kind of felt cornered to be bigger and be better and kind of make my mark. I think that's where a lot of the over-the-top, dramatic, insecure behavior came from. In my eyes, I was at a little bit of a disadvantage because I was a woman and I wasn't sure if that woman was fully accepted by everybody there. I felt proud and glad to be able to let Trinity (the Tuck), who is also a personal friend, play Caitlyn. I also knew there was probably going to be some controversy around me playing another trans woman. I was happy to just let that all unload on her. While most Americans will ring in 2019 with a champagne toast, countries around the world will say goodbye to the past year with their own time-honored traditions. From smashing plates to partying in red underwear, click through the photos above to see how countries from Spain to Iceland celebrate the New Year, according to Newsweek. As the new year begins, The Courier is looking back on the top headlines from some of the biggest news of 2018 in Montgomery County. Its no doubt the countys political scene saw plenty of shake-ups, a growing Democratic party and the seating of a first ever elected board for the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District. However, Montgomery County residents had the honor to take part in paying their respects to former President George H.W. Bush in December as the Union Pacific train carrying his body to its final resting place passed through Magnolia. Law enforcement also had a busy year, netting more than 70 people in sting to combat human trafficking and prostitution, closing a girls home following allegation of abuse and the scandal of a priest accused of sexually assaulting two young children years ago in Conroe. Below are more details about these big stories and several other news makers. Top 10 Montgomery County headlines Political hotbed While politics have remained a large part of the county culture, the March Republican Primary was no exception. After a controversial first term as county judge, Craig Doyal could not overcome an aggressive campaign from challenger Mark Keough, who upset the incumbent to win the Republican bid for the county's top elected position. Keough went on to face Democrat Jay Stittleburg in the November general election and easily pulled in the win with 139,352 (74.70 percent) votes compared to Stittleburgs 47,187 (25.30 percent) votes. But while the Republican party continues to have a stronghold on the county, for the first time in 25 years the Democrats had a full slate of opponents for the general election. Local party chairs Republican Dr. Wally Wilkerson and Democrat Marc Meyers agreed residents were energized with one of the highest voter turnout in years. However, turmoil in the Republican party led to the partys executive committee adopting new bylaws and forming a seven-member steering committee to make major decisions for the local GOP. Wilkerson would be just one member of that committee. The move to strip Wilkerson of power came four months after the 87-year-old staved off a tea party challenger, Terrance Boggs, in the March 6 Republican primary. Wilkerson believes the effort to wrest control of the party from him was driven by the outcome of that election. LSGCD new board The first ever elected board of directors for the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District took their oath of office Nov. 16. Board members include Stuart Traylor, Jon Bouche, Jonathan Prykryl, Harry Hardman, Webb Melder, Larry Rogers and Jim Spigener State Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, who authored HB 1982 establishing the elected board, said the elected board will help ensure transparency for residents. The bill was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 18, 2017. Before the passage of HB 1982, the seven members of the board were appointed including two from the Montgomery County Commissioner's Court, one from the city of Conroe, one from the smaller incorporated cities in Montgomery County, one from the Woodlands Joint Powers Agency, one from the Municipal Utility Districts east of Interstate 45, one from the Municipal Utility Districts west of I-45, one from the soil conservation district and one from the San Jacinto River Authority. Texas 249 toll road Just over two months after a county-commissioned study indicated the controversial Texas 249 toll road would generate millions of dollars a year, in April the Montgomery County Toll Road Authority awarded a $56 million contract to Houston-based SpawGlass Construction Corp. for the construction of the 3.6 miles that will connect two sections of the tollway funded and constructed by Harris County to the south and the Texas Department of Transportation to the north. MCTRA, which consists of the five members of the Montgomery County Commissioners Court. The county's 3.6-mile toll road, a $73 million project, is expected to open to traffic on Jan. 1, 2020, and net about $4.4 million that first year. However, Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack, who remain vocal about his opposition, pushed to delay the project in light of changes on the Commissioners Court, including Doyal and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark losing their bids for re-election. Doyal has pushed for revenue bonds to fund the Texas 249 project, which means revenue from the tolls would be pay the debt on the bonds sold. Revenue bonds, unlike general obligation bonds which are paid back through property tax revenue, do not require voter approval in most cases. Doyal said the county will have a 20-year payout on the project. However, if the road generates more revenue than expected, a future court could use that revenue to pay off the Texas 249 toll road debt early, or put those funds to another project in the county. According to the study, tolls will be $1.25 at the main lane toll gantry and 50 cents at the ramps. The toll will be escalated annually by 2 percent per year. The first toll increase would be .025 cents. MCTRA will construct the four-lane stretch of the Texas 249 toll road that will extend from the Spring Creek Bridge to Pinehurst. Currently there are three feeder lanes in each direction. The tolled section will be between the feeders. Motorists who do not want to pay the toll will continue to have the option to use the feeders that will remain free. In June 2017, the MCTRA agreed in a 3-2 vote to move forward with the project. Noack and Clark were the nay votes. The entirety of the project is referred to as the "Aggie Expressway" and will connect Houston to College Station. Bush funeral train Thousands of well-wishers braved the chilly, wet morning Dec. 6 and gathered along the railroad tracks in Magnolia to pay their final respects to the nations 41st president, George H. W. Bush. His journey northwest in Locomotive 4141 through the rural towns peppered north of Houston was the last leg in a journey that took Bush and his family to Washington D.C. for the last time, then back to Houston for a final day of mourning. After a private funeral at St. Martins Episcopal Church early Thursday, the presidential motorcade made its way to the Union Pacific Railroad Westfield Auto Facility in Spring, where the train, bound for the presidents final resting place in College Station, departed at 1 p.m. Those standing along the tracks remembered Bush for his statesmanship, his ethics, his humor and his fierce devotion to his family. The entire route passing through Montgomery County fell into Commissioner Charlie Rileys Precinct 2. The planning was a whirlwind, he said, but coordinating efforts between the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, the Magnolia Police Department, the Commissioners Office and the Secret Service went smoothly as they planned the event, which drew more visitors than officials could have imagined. He was a great man, Riley said. I am incredibly honored. Bush was buried in College Station on the grounds of his presidential library alongside his wife, Barbara and the couple's daughter, Robin, who died of leukemia at the age of 3 in 1953. Priest arrested A former Conroe priest was charged in September with sexually abusing two people when they were teenagers some two decades ago and was released on bond. The priest, Manuel La Rosa-Lopez, turned himself into the Montgomery County Jail Sept. 11. He is charged with four counts of indecency with a child, each of which carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison. The abuse is alleged to have occurred during the years 1998 to 2000. The two accusers said they were sexually abused when La Rosa-Lopez was based at Conroe's Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He was released from the Montgomery County Jail after paying for a $225,000 bond amount, according to Lt. Scott Spencer of the county sheriff's office. The Archdiocese of Houston-Galveston said in a written statement that La Rosa-Lopez has denied the allegations of sexual abuse. The case is still pending. Prostitution sting A human trafficking and prostitution sting in The Woodlands area in October netted 75 arrests and the recovery of five trafficked individuals, one of which was a juvenile. During a press conference Nov. 5, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office released the details of Operation Cross County where officials work with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to address the growing problem of human trafficking in Montgomery County. Several non-governmental organizations were also involved in the operation. Agencies working with sheriffs office were the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office, Houston Police Department, Conroe Police Department, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constables Office, the Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Attorney Generals Office, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. State Department. According to sheriffs Lt. Tim Cannon, the sting ran from Oct. 15-30. Undercover agents, Cannon added, posed as sex workers and Johns, using the Internet to find individuals who were seeking sexual favors for money. Of the 75 arrests, Cannon said 32 were men, 11 of which were pimps. He added 28 were woman, with some of the women in possession of controlled substances and/or handguns. Sheriff Rand Henderson said he was so proud of the work that was done. He said when he took office in 2017, his department recognized different growing crime trends including human trafficking with a goal to address them aggressively. Cases are still pending. Care Cottage Five staff members were fired from two residential treatment facilities for girls before Montgomery County law officials raided the facility in May, part of an ongoing criminal investigation into complaints of neglect, improper supervision, physical and sexual abuse, according to state officials and law enforcement. Troubling living conditions including broken windows, moldy bathrooms and holes in the wall and a lack of employee background investigations at the Care Cottage treatment facility for girls in Willis have been documented in state inspections. The Care Cottage facilities, which are licensed for 65 girls ages 6 to 17, are operated by the private HTK Care Foundation Inc, which is registered to Harold Taylor and his wife, Tabitha. In July, Child Protective Services remove girls from Care Cottage North. County Attorney J.D. Lambright said the last girl from the north facility was moved July 13. Care Cottage South remained open with about 25 girls still residing at the facility. This is not the result of any court order, Lambright said adding CPS officials made the decision following the raid. CPS started seeing the (extent) of the problems there. The investigation started after officials with the Willis Independent School District contacted Lambright to report numerous incidents involving girls who lived at the facility and attended classes in the district. The case is still pending. Lawsuit dismissed A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Montgomery County that claimed Precinct 1 Judge Wayne Macks courtroom prayer by volunteer chaplains violated part of the First Amendment. The lawsuit was filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in March 2017. The judgment was filed Sept. 27. The FFRF does have the option to appeal the courts decision. In January, Mack was dismissed from the suit after the plaintiffs with the FFRF clarified their intentions stating they were suing Mack in his official capacity as a justice of the peace. According to Griffin, by suing Mack in his official capacity, the plaintiffs effectively sue the county. In the suit, two attorneys and another person who were in Mack's courtroom on official business claim they felt prejudiced by Mack during separate dockets in 2014. The Freedom from Religion Foundation believes the religious prayer practice Mack initiated in his court violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. However, one of the plaintiffs was dismissed because there was no standing. In his courtroom, Mack allows for voluntary chaplains to open ceremonies with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. The volunteer chaplaincy program includes leaders from multiple faiths, such as Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Mormon religious leaders. Ghost girl A shocking video captured by a door bell camera showing a disheveled woman with restraints on her arms left the community stunned in August and ultimately one man dead. Dennis Ray Collins, 49, committed suicide after video surfaced of the girl, who was his girlfriend, seeking help door-to-door. The woman told police Collins had tied her up. Following the release of the video, police say Collins ex-wife received several text messages and believed he may hurt himself. They also said the ex-wife had met the girlfriend several times and believed that she was the woman seen in the doorbell videos. The ex-wife arrived at the house worried about Collins and contacted law enforcement who made entry into the home. Collins was pronounced dead on the scene. The case is closed. Man sentenced in officer, boys death Garrett William Nee was sentenced to 15 years in prison Jan. 30 after he was found guilty of four felony charges stemming from the deaths of Patton Village Police Sgt. Stacey Baumgartner and 11-year-old Adan Hilario Jr. in the wreck. Two charges were for evading arrest/detention causing death, and the other two for evading arrest/detention causing serious bodily injury due to the injuries of two other Hilario family members. Baumgartner, 39, responded to the original call that a man was urinating in public and reportedly exposed himself to passersby at a gas station near the intersection of Texas 242 and U.S. 59. After speaking with the Nee, Nee returned to his vehicle. Nee reversed and almost hit Baumgartner's patrol car and left the parking lot with Baumgartner in pursuit. They traveled west at a high rate of speed approaching the intersection of Texas 242 and FM 1485. The Scion driven by Nee cleared the intersection. At the time the officer entered the intersection, a 1998 Chevrolet Suburban occupied by the Hilario family entered as well, and the two vehicles collided at the middle of the intersection at Texas 242 and FM 1485. The force of the collision pushed the officer's vehicle to the immediate right, into a traffic light pole. Baumgartner was trapped inside his vehicle and was transported to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Adan Hilario Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck. A state representative for Fort Bend County has introduced a bill in the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature that would allow the city of Richmond to capture sales, hotel and mixed-beverage tax revenue to fund a hotel/convention center. District 85 State Rep. Phil Stephenson, R-Wharton, introduced House Bill 486 on Dec. 7. Fort Bend County Commissioners Court adopted a Dec. 4 resolution to support the citys pursuit of proposed legislation enabling development of a hotel and convention center project. Its good usage of the hotel occupancy tax for economic development in central Fort Bend County, said Matt Minor, chief of staff for Stephenson. It would build basically a hotel/convention center smack dab in the middle of Fort Bend County. It has the potential to have a good positive economic impact on the Richmond/Rosenberg area. Minor said he and Stephenson worked with Cameron Goodman, executive director of the Development Corporation of Richmond. March minutes of the development corporation board refer to approving economic development incentives, including using public funds to attract and retain high quality, full-time and high-paying primary jobs. Also to attract and retain commercial tax base, including property tax, sales tax and hotel occupancy tax. Terri Vela, city administrator, City of Richmond, said, The legislation is not designated for one specific location or project, which gives Richmond the flexibility to pursue a developer and location that best fits the needs of our community, she said. She added there are no figures attached to the number of hotel rooms or the size of the conference center at this time. The proposed legislation would require Richmond to sign an agreement with a developer to construct a hotel and convention center project by Sept. 1, 2021. One possible site is Circle Oak, which is owned by The George Foundation and is within the city of Richmonds extraterritorial jurisdiction at Interstate 69 and FM 762. The foundation has worked with the city on aspects of the project, which Roger Adamson, CEO, The George Foundation, described as asset management of the real estate. A Municipal Utility District (MUD 207) has been created within the boundaries of the property and The George Foundation has also entered into a Strategic Partnership Agreement and a Development Zone Agreement with the City of Richmond to help facilitate high-quality development at some point in the future on the property. The George Foundation will not develop the property, but these steps help enhance the value of our property when the time is right to engage a third-party developer, said Adamson. He said the proposed legislation could be another tool to help facilitate development at Circle Oak through state-funded incentives. Vela said, The legislation would allow Richmond to receive the same benefits afforded to 37 other Texas cities, including several in the Houston area. House Bill 2445, effective in June 2017, relates to the imposition of the hotel occupancy tax by certain cities and counties. Those cities include Sugar Land, Katy, League City and Kemah. This legislation would allow the city of Richmond to capture qualified state taxes within a 1,000-foot radius of a hotel and convention center project for a period of 10 years, explained Vela. These captured revenues would be used to help pay for infrastructure costs associated with the development. The Dec. 17 Richmond City Commission agenda included review and action on a resolution to support HB 486 as a tool for utilizing state taxes to encourage higher use development in the citys extraterritorial jurisdiction. In part, HB 486 reads, A municipality that is the county seat of a county that has a population of at least 585,000 and is adjacent to a county with a population of 4 million or more, except that the municipality may also pledge revenue derived from the tax imposed under this chapter from a hotel project that is owned by or located on land owned by a nonprofit corporation or eleemosynary foundation acting on behalf of or in concert with the municipality. The bill would become effective after two-thirds of all the members of each house vote for it. If it does not receive the votes necessary for immediate effect, it would become effective Sept. 1, 2019, according to the bill. Vela refers to forecasts of continued strong growth in Fort Bend County with a predicted 2.1 million residents by 2050. Richmond which serves as the county seat of Fort Bend County is positioned at the center of this path of growth, said Vela. This fast rate of growth and a current lack of available meeting and event space within Richmond and the central Fort Bend area has helped to generate a healthy demand for this type of project. Additionally, tourism is seen as an important economic development strategy. New visitors to the city would help support local businesses with dollars brought in from outside the local economy and employment from the hotel and convention center would provide quality job options for local residents. karen.zurawski@chron.com A blurry photo of a red pickup truck taken moments before the pre-dawn slaying of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes near a Walmart in east Harris County is one of the few clues detectives hope will lead to her killers capture. A security camera from a nearby business spied the unidentified gunman cruising south along the feeder road near Wallisville Road on Sunday morning. He seemingly targeted the girls family her mother and three siblings, ages 6, 13 and 15 at random during their shopping trip, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said during a news conference Monday. The family never made it to the store, Gonzalez said. As far as investigators know, the family did nothing to spark the gunmans ire and he made no attempt to communicate before opening fire around 6:50 a.m. from the next lane over. One of the detectives handling the investigation, Lt. Christopher Sandoval, said the eldest girl in the car managed to get a look at her sisters assailant. She described him as a bearded man in his 40s wearing a red hoodie. The man is believed responsible for killing the little girl in the backseat and striking her 30-year-old mother, LaPorsha Washington, in the arm, according to police. CLOVERLEAF: 1 dead, 1 injured in possible gang-related shooting The mother managed to flee the gunfire toward Beltway 8, police said. She pulled over to the shoulder to call 911 when she realized Jazmine wasnt breathing. Her daughter died in the vehicle. First responders at the scene were especially distraught by the girls death, Sandoval recalled.Nobody deserves to die, especially not a 7-year-old girl. If you could have been on that scene yesterday and seen her lifeless body being pulled from the car, you would be absolutely upset. The youngest sibling in the car was hurt by shattered glass, the sheriff said, adding that Washington remained hospitalized in stable condition as of Monday afternoon. The shooting death capped the end of 2018 with heartbreak as Jazmines father, Christopher Cevilla, issued a tearful plea at the press conference for help in finding the suspect responsible for taking the life of his daughter. She was a second-grader at Monahan Elementary School in east Houston and was slated to turn 8 in February, according to officials. My daughter was 7 years old, Cevilla said, describing her as loving, caring, very passionate with people, very sweet, innocent. Just a lot of things that have been robbed of me and my family that we will never get back, Cevilla said, as two photos of Jazmine were displayed on TV monitors. What if that was your daughter, he asked. Help me and my family get justice for my baby girl. MISSING MAN: County worker found dead in Buffalo Bayou identified Sheldon ISD officials identified Jazmine as one of their students and asked parents of her classmates to break the news to their children now and comfort them while they are still on break. Authorities have not narrowed down the motive for the attack. It is our belief that it was totally unprovoked, whatever it was. Were leaving no stone unturned. Were going to leave every motive out there as a possibility, Gonzalez said. Authorities acknowledged that tracking down a killer on the vague description of a pickup truck will be a challenge in a sprawling metropolis teeming with similar vehicles. Yes, we know were in Texas. Yes, we know we have a lot of pickup trucks out there, Gonzalez said. But when you put the pieces together, consider that were looking for a bearded man, possibly in his 40s, driving a red pickup truck. This could be your neighbor. This could be your co-worker. He appealed for the publics help, especially those with security cameras attached to their homes and businesses, to look for any sign of the man in the red truck. And to the killer, should he be listening, Gonzalez had sharp words. I would suggest that you do the right thing and turn yourself in. Theres no need for anyone else to get harmed, he said. Keri Blakinger contributed to this report. In December, that strange suspended-in-motion month between his election and taking office, K.P. George was checking out the quaint old domed Fort Bend County Courthouse, soon to be his domain. In November, to the surprise of almost everyone outside his campaign, George had been elected Fort Bends county judge which is to say, the top boss of one of the United States fastest-growing counties, with 765,000 residents, nearly 3,000 employees, and an annual budget over $370 million. When George takes office on Jan. 1, hell become arguably the most powerful Indian-American in U.S. government as well as a potent symbol of the new Fort Bend, and of Asian-Americans growing power in Texas and American politics. Its heady stuff for a man who was born in Kakkodu, a village in southern India that didnt have electricity. His father, a truck driver, earned only a couple of dollars a day, but managed to educate all seven of his children. As a kid, George did homework by the light of a kerosene lamp. INVOLVED: Outgoing Harris County judge vows to stay engaged For Fort Bend, too, its a historic moment. The latest Census estimates indicate that Fort Bend is now the most diverse county in Texas, and among the most diverse in the country: 35 percent Anglo, 24 percent Hispanic, 21 percent Asian and others; and 20 percent African-American. But until now, the countys government didnt much reflect that diversity. Of the four county commissioners serving in 2018, one was African-American, and the other three were Anglo. And until now, only Anglo men have occupied the top slot as county judge. From the courthouses first floor, George, 53, and his aide Taral Patel, 24, admired the dome above them. Up on the second floor, in the hallway balcony, hung portraits of previous county judges. George smiled, thinking how much his brown face would stand out in that row. I broke a glass ceiling, he said, looking up. People from all sorts of minority backgrounds, they all want to talk with me. Its a wonderful thing, to inspire people. A historic election K.P. George is now the most prominent Indian-American to hold an executive position in U.S. government, said Rice professor Mark Jones. The word executive is an important qualifier: California Sen. Kamala Harris, discussed as a presidential candidate, is far more visible, and there are also Indian-Americans in the House of Representatives. As governors, Nikki Haley and Bobby Jindal each held more power but neither currently holds an executive, buck-stops-here job. George, Jones said, will govern a county with a larger population and budget than theIndian-American mayors of cities like Anaheim, Calif., and Hoboken, N.J. And besides, as a county judge, George will wield more outright power than most mayors can muster. And still, to most political insiders, Georges election came as a surprise. He was not someone on our radar, said Gautam Raghavan, executive director of the Indian-American Impact Fund. It wasnt a race we engaged in. In hindsight, thats a lesson for us: In some of these places with fast-shifting demographics, like the Texas suburbs, there are huge opportunities for us. For Republicans in Fort Bend County, Donald Trump is a real liability, Jones said. Socially and fiscally conservative Asian-Americans used to vote for more Republicans. But Trumps rhetoric and policies are seen as anti-immigrant anti-Latino, but also anti-Asian. Many Trump administration policies, such as targeting Muslims as terrorists, dont play well with Asian-Americans. Indian-Americans may not love Pakistanis, but the same racial discrimination that targets Pakistanis targets them. In Fort Bend, there was a double whammy for Republicans. A much larger proportion of Asian-Americans voted for Democrats, and Asian-Americans also turned out at a much higher rate than they had previously. Observers have long predicted that Texas changing demographics will eventually turn the most Republican of states into one thats more bipartisan or even reliably Democratic. Thats already true of Texas cities. Now the battles have shifted to the suburbs. Notably, George is a Democrat. Its a historic election for Texas, said Jones Fort Bend is the first exurb to elect a Democrat to the top of its county government. It could portend the future for diverse counties such as Denton and Collin. Thank you, U.S. of A.! In Kakkodu, an isolated village in southern India, George grew up speaking a language called Malayalam and lived in a straw-thatch hut. His three kids have a hard time imagining that world. George got his first shoes, a pair of slippers, when he was in fifth grade. When his son first heard that story, he couldnt get his head around the idea of walking barefoot. How did you get to school? the boy asked. And, Did you at least have a pair of socks? When George was 15, his family moved to a larger town, where George attended college. After graduating, he got a job in Mumbai, where for the first time, he started speaking English. He worked awhile in the Middle East, then in 1993, moved to New York to work for a financial firm. He met his wife, Sheeba, there. Around six years later, a recruiter called to ask whether George would be interested in a job in Texas. George told the recruiter no. But over the following weekend, he talked with his wife. What if that was a call from God? he asked her. (George, a devout Christian, talks a lot about Gods plans.) On Monday, he called the recruiter back, and by the end of 1999, he and his family were installed in Sugar Land. We celebrated the millennium here, he said. He now owns and manages a financial planning firm, and his family lives in a two-story, red-brick house. Im not a doctor or an engineer. I dont work in IT, he said. I dont do the things Indian people are known for. Its not been an easy journey, but we have a nice life. A comfortable, middle-class life. He first ran for office in 2010, hoping to be elected county treasurer. Do you know how many times people asked me in Richmond and Rosenberg, Why are you running? Its not easy for a person like me, brown in color, with no political power, no name recognition. Id say, Because I can. Im not a felon. Im a citizen. Thank you, U.S. of A.! I hold your values close to my heart. But that Tea Party-dominated year was disastrous for low-on-the-ballot Democrats. Georges younger daughter cried when he lost. In 2014, he again ran for office: This time, for Fort Bend ISD school board. He won, and in 2017 he was re-elected with 63.8 percent of the vote. (He remembers the digit after the decimal proudly.) I was building a brand, he said. People in Fort Bend knew me. Around that time he decided to run for county judge. Hed noticed that a large chunk of Fort Bends Asian voters had supported Hillary Clinton, but not the Democrats below her on the ballot. I thought I had a chance with them, he said. His opponent, incumbent Robert Hebert, had held the job for 16 years. But George campaigned in places that werent used to seeing county candidates. He visited mosques, churches, booming Sugar Land and Katy. He explained, over and over, what a county judge is, that the job has nothing to do with trials. He talked about the need for better emergency preparation, the possible need for a county flood-control district, the need for more transparency in government. Around 250 people showed up at his victory party. As with the 2010 election, his younger daughter cried when she heard the election results. But this time, she told him, its for a different reason. A man died inside his home and a second person was injured after a shootout between possible gang members in Cloverleaf early Monday, authorities said. The shooting happened at about 1:30 a.m. on Duncannon Drive and Barbara Mae Street. An inmate was found dead inside a southeast Houston lockup late Sunday, police said. Thomas Edward Loyd, 55, was in the Houston Police Department Southeast Patrol Station jail in in the 8300 block of Mykawa Road on a felony theft charge from Dec. 21, according to court records. A jailer conducting night-shift checks on prisoners in the male housing area found Loyd unresponsive around 10:40 p.m. Sunday, authorities said. The jail's medical personnel and paramedics with the Houston Fire Department responded but pronounced the man dead. GANG SHOOTOUT: 1 dead, 1 injured in Cloverleaf shooting Police said Loyd had a history of medical conditions, although his cause of death will be determined by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. HPD's Homicide Division Special Investigations Unit and the department's Internal Affairs Division are investigating. Loyd's rap sheet shows that he has been in and out of jail since 1980 for several theft, DWI and assault charges, according to court records. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A man was arrested after allegedly leading police on a chase to Channelview Monday morning. Patrol officers saw the man driving erratically and at a high speed around 2 a.m. on Uvalde Street, said Lt. Larry Crowson of the Houston Police Department. He refused to stop for the police and instead drove until he pulled into a driveway on Grassington and Moorside in Channelview. FATAL GUNFIRE: Gang violence suspected in deadly Cloverleaf shootout The driver was then arrested. He has a warrant for a prior DWI and resisting arrest, Crowson said. Its unknown whether he was intoxicated at the time of the chase. A woman who was also in the car was released. Google Maps No injuries were reported Monday morning after a fire destroyed a home near Missouri City in the 9800 block of W. Bellfort Ave., authorities said. Capt. Josh LaCour of the Houston Fire Department said the home likely will need to be gutted. He said the call was received around 7:30 a.m., and it's unclear how many people were inside at the time. A man who was found dead Thursday afternoon in Buffalo Bayou has been identified as a man who went missing after walking out of a Houston hotel two weeks ago. Chris Snellings, 52, was found at 2:45 p.m. Thursday at 900 North York, near the Sidney Sherman Bridge and East Loop, police said. Sea levels are rising globally from ocean warming and melting of land ice, but the seas arent rising at the same rate everywhere. Sea levels have risen significantly faster in some U.S. East Coast regions compared to others. A new study led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) reveals why. Over the 20th century, sea level has risen about a foot and a half in coastal communities near Cape Hatteras in North Carolina and along the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. In contrast, New York City and Miami have experienced about a 1-foot rise over the same period, while sea levels farther north in Portland, Maine, rose only about half a foot. The reason is a phenomenon called post-glacial rebound, explains Chris Piecuch, lead author of a study published on Dec. 20, 2018, in the journal Nature. Essentially, land areas in the Northern Hemisphere that once were covered by mammoth ice sheets during the last Ice Age such as Canada and parts of the Northeast U.S. were weighed down like a trampoline with a boulder on it. At the same time, land around the periphery of the ice sheets- along the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast, for example rose up. As the ice sheets melted from their peak at the Last Glacial Maximum 26,500 years ago, the weighed-down areas gradually rebounded, while the peripheral lands started sinking, creating sort of a see-saw effect. Even though the ice sheets had disappeared by 7,000 years ago, the see-sawing of post-glacial rebound continues to this day. To explore why sea levels rose faster during the last century in areas such as Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia and the Outer Banks in North Carolina, Piecuch and colleagues gathered tidal gauge measurements of sea levels, GPS satellite data that show how much the land has moved up and down over time, and fossils in sediment from salt marshes, which record past coastal sea levels. They combined all of this observational data with complex geophysical models something that has not been done before to give a more complete view of sea level changes since 1900. The research team found that post-glacial rebound accounted for most of the variation in sea level rise along the East Coast. But, importantly, when that factor was stripped away, the researchers found that sea level trends increased steadily from Maine all the way down to Florida, Piecuch said. The cause for that could involve more recent melting of glaciers and ice sheets, groundwater extraction and damming over the last century, Piecuch says. Those effects move ice and water mass around at Earths surface, and can impact the planets crust, gravity field and sea level. Post-glacial rebound is definitely the most important process causing spatial differences in sea level rise on the U.S. East Coast over the last century. And since that process plays out over millennia, were confident projecting its influence centuries into the future, Piecuch explains. But regarding the mass redistribution piece of the puzzle, were less certain how thats going to evolve into the future, which makes it much more difficult to predict sea level rise and its impact on coastal communities. Source: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Say youre on your laptop at Starbucks, minding your own business, when an acquaintance of yours across the room isnt minding his. Unbeknownst to you, hes using the same store Wi-Fi as you to conduct a virtual invasion of your smart home: accessing your light switch app and using it to disable your homes security camera so real thieves can break in or walk in, if hes disabling the smart lock, too. And youre none the wiser until you get home and discover your homes been hacked. And burgled. This is just one scenario demonstrating one of many inherent flaws that computer scientists at the College of William and Mary discovered in internet-connected smart home devices during tests they conducted over the summer. This particular flaw allows hackers to attack a smart homes low-security device a light switch or thermostat, for instance and use that access to attack a high-security device they could not otherwise access. Its one example of whats called lateral privilege escalation, and experts warn that such smart home hacks are easier than you might think. They can lead to all kinds of potential mischief, if not outright harm, from switching off your security system to cranking up your smart oven until it overheats and burns the house down. The possibilities are limitless, said Adwait Nadkarni, lead investigator and assistant professor of computer science. There are so many devices in the home that affect your security, affect the integrity of your home. Experts say that in just two years there will be 20 billion smart home products in use. You can imagine the possible combinations of these kinds of attacks will obviously increase as well have more interconnected devices, said associate professor Denys Poshyvanyk. At this point, its hard for us to imagine what else people will do. Nadkarni and Poshyvanyk co-authored a paper on their work that theyll present at the 9th annual ACM Conference on Data and Application Security and Privacy in Dallas in March. Student co-authors include Kaushal Kafle and Sunil Manandhar and post-doctoral fellow Kevin Moran. In the paper, they lay out the potential misuses of the computer routines or portions of code that control smart home products and offer 10 key findings with serious security implications. The diversity of these products is staggering, the paper states, ranging from small physical devices with embedded computers such as smart locks and light bulbs to full-fledged appliances such as refrigerators and HVAC systems. And the risks, it states, can be rather alarming. Because many of these products are tied to the users security or privacy (e.g., door locks, cameras), it is important to understand the attack surface of such devices and platforms in order build practical defenses without sacrificing utility. For their research, Nadkarni and Poshyvanyk focused on two of the most popular smart home platforms Google Nest and Philips Hue that implement home automation routines. Routines are the interactions between smart home devices and the apps that control them. They are becoming the heart of seamless home automation. According to the paper, there are two broad categories of routines: one that allows users to chain together a variety of devices using a third-party app interface, and one that uses a centralized data store as a sort of switchboard where devices and apps can communicate with each other over the internet. Both are intended to make smart home automation more seamless for the user, and both were found to be vulnerable, giving hackers the ability to attack all the internet-connected devices in the home. For the centralized data store platform, for instance, when you use your mobile app to communicate with a low-security device say, a light switch the device accesses your smart home using an authorization token. Anybody can steal that access token, Nadkarni said, and use it to, say, make your smart home think youre inside and turn off the security camera. The scientists insist its not that hard. You dont need any specialized education, said Poshyvanyk. You just need to know how to run certain programs. Even a high schooler could do that. They blame the vulnerabilities on consumer demand and the headlong rush to meet it. Manufacturers race to release these systems without having a good understanding of how they will be used in the wild, Poshyvanyk said. After the researchers identified the security flaws, they contacted platform vendors Google and Philips and app developer and manufacturer TP Link to report what they found. TP Link fixed the flaw in its latest Kasa Switch light dimmer app, which prevents the type of theoretical lateral attack outlined earlier. Philips is expected to roll out a fix to its platform and Google is working to address vulnerabilities. But the issue is bigger than one company its the industry overall that needs to get smarter. Were basically arguing that we need a systemic effort in terms of properly designing these systems with security in mind, Poshyvanyk said. Because these problems will get worse with time. More devices will be added. (If) theyre not thinking about designing in security in the first place, were going to be having even bigger problems down the road. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A middle-aged male former labor analyst at Disney Cruise Line claims his younger female manager created a hostile work environment by bullying him about his age, bragging about sleeping with married men in the office and passing him over for promotions, according to a federal lawsuit. Anthony McHugh claims in the lawsuit filed last month that his former female manager discriminated against him because of his sex and age, a scenario that legal experts say is rare given the genders of the employee and supervisor. The unidentified female supervisor called McHugh a stuffy old fart in front of staff, moved his office to a windowless space, wouldnt provide him with an iPhone or tablet like she did for staff younger than 40 and passed him over for promotions even though he says he was more senior and qualified, the lawsuit said. Disney Cruise Line said in a statement that the claims in the lawsuit are without merit and we will respond to them in court. The Florida-headquartered cruise line is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Co. and operates four ships. McHughs attorney, John Zielinksi, said they wouldnt comment for the time as the lawsuit is being litigated. The lawsuit doesnt say how old the supervisor or McHugh were, other than McHugh was older than 40 and the manager was younger than 40. Zielinski didnt respond to an email asking his clients age. Experts in workplace law say its uncommon for a female manager to be accused of sex discrimination against a male underling and creating a hostile workplace. The vast majority of cases are brought by women. Rebecca Pontikes, an employment lawyer in Boston, said it is rare to have this exact scenario. Its not rare to have a sexual harassment scenario with male harassed for being gay or a transgender man, Pontikes said in an email. Its also not unheard of to have a case with male on male sexual harassment where you have this sort of behavior among men. The law protects workers against discrimination because of their sex, said Stephanie Bornstein, a law professor at the University of Florida. That means, if a man believes he was discriminated against or experienced a hostile work environment because he is a man, he can allege sex discrimination, Bornstein said in an email. Because of sex also includes because of gender stereotypes meaning feminine or masculine dress or behavior. Complaints of age discrimination have become more common as the workforce has gotten grayer with the aging of Baby Boomers, both Pontikes and Bornstein said. Federal law protects workers age 40 and older from discrimination. In the complaint, McHugh, a labor analyst who had worked at Disney for 18 years until he was fired last year, said all of the top executives and senior managers in the division he worked in were female and didnt reflect the gender makeup of the divisions workforce. Starting two years ago, his female senior manager bragged about the married men she had slept with in order to embarrass McHugh and said she booked sex rooms on Disney Cruise ships where she would entertain partners, according to the lawsuit. Further, the senior manager sought to embarrass plaintiff by sharing with the plaintiff the various sex acts that she participated in with her many partners, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit also claims the manager stole drugs McHugh took for attention deficit disorder and anxiety. McHugh said he was fired last year after complaining about his managers behavior to the human resources department. The given reason for his dismissal was using illegal substances. He was replaced by a younger woman, and every leader on his work team over age 40 was either systematically terminated or resigned during the managers tenure, according to the lawsuit. Employment discrimination cases, more often than not, dont make it to a jury. They are either settled or dismissed on a procedural motion, Bornstein said. If McHughs case reaches a jury, he may have a greater challenge than a female plaintiff. Of course, because it is less common, it may be harder for a male employee to convince a jury or judge that what he experienced was caused by discrimination based on his sex or gender, rather than caused by some other reason, simply because it is a less common occurrence, Bornstein said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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 NE Ohio: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Geoff Greenfield knew exactly what he wanted his second job to be well before he launched it. Greenfield, who is sometimes described as a serial entrepreneur, wanted his side hustle to work hand-in-glove with his main occupation, and passion, as a solar contractor. New Resource Solutions is a side hustle that began in 2012 partly as a reaction to a rebuke that Greenfield had to endure from an East Coast financier over a proposed solar project in Ohio. Greenfields main company, Third Sun Solar, began as a DIY project when he discovered that were no solar contractors in his region. In 1998, Greenfield and his wife Michelle wanted to build a net zero solar home just outside of Athens, Ohio. They were focused on sustainability before most people had ever heard of the word. But they couldnt find a solar company in Ohio. They ended up doing a lot of research and installing an array themselves. Geoff and Michelle Greenfield wanted the home they built in Athens, Ohio in 1998 to be "net zero" in electrical use. They installed a sufficient number of solar panels to generate as much, or more, electricity than the home typically uses. Greenfield at the time was working with the Athens-based Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Development as an affordable housing developer in 33 rural counties. That job involved a lot grant writing and financial work for the construction of new homes and other projects for poor families. Earlier in the decade, following his graduation from Miami University with a degree in political science and government, he had spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer developing water projects in Zaire-Congo. It had been life-changing. Following the Peace Corps experience, Greenfield earned a masters degree in international affairs from Ohio University. The news that he had solarized the new house spread by word of mouth, said Greenfield, and there were requests from friends who also wanted home solar arrays. And then requests from friends of friends. Greenfield became a solar consultant and then an installer, incorporating Third Sun Solar and Wind Power, LTD in September 2003. I decided this was my passion. I decided to go all-in, he described his decision. Solar was considered a fringe technology. No one believed it could work in Ohio. Today, the typical mindset is that it works. Its practical. Most of those early solar installations were residential solar arrays, but as the 30 percent federal tax credits for solar projects arrived in 2005, the technology advanced, and costs began declining, the company took on larger and larger projects. Thats when financing became an issue, and Greenfield found himself trying to deal with banks. Most of the banks were not interested in financing residential or small commercial solar, he said, and those that were had so many consultant fees that the medium-sized projects became financially untenable. There are thousands of library-sized projects that are good projects," explained Greenfield. But they are not getting done. An example of such a project, he said, was a solar array he built in 2013 for the Athens County Library, which in todays dollars would cost about $150,000 -- too costly to come out of library operating funds but not large enough to attract a lot of competition from banks. Third Sun Solar built a solar array on the roof of the The Athens Public Library in 2013. In today's dollars, the cost of the project would approach $150,000, too much for the library to pay for out of its operating budget and too small for most bank financing. Like other solar installers, Greenfield turned to private equity groups to finance projects for small businesses, schools, churches and libraries. Thats where his career path changed again. We needed a PPA financing partner, said Greenfield of a specific school project, and a confrontation that sparked his desire for a side hustle. A PPA is a Power Purchase Agreement, at the heart of a deal in which the solar installer and customer turn to a third party for the cash to build the array. That third party can be a finance company, a hedge fund, an independently wealthy individual or include a number of private investors looking for a safe and reasonably profitable investment. The PPA partner pays for the construction, owns the array and gets the 30 percent federal tax break. The customer signs a long-term agreement to buy the power at a fixed rate. That rate includes a profit for the investors supplying the money but is still less than the utility electric rate and is guaranteed not to increase. I had a project, I think it was a school. We had put a lot of work into designing it, Greenfield recalled the confrontation that changed his business life. The customer liked us and was ready to do the solar. I was introduced to a company out of New York City that did this [PPA financing], he continued. The guy told me, I dont want to hire your firm to build it. Were going to use our own people. I said its my customer. I am just bringing the deal to you. Youre not bringing the deal to me. Im the guy with the money. I write the checks and thats who controls the deal, Greenfield recalled. I learned that some private equity companies are less interested in solar and more interested in making as much money as they can. Greenfield walked away. Maybe its a Midwestern value of relationships and lets do lots of business together, and trust each other and do business for 40 years versus If I can screw somebody and get another five cents, I get extra points for that and I feel good, he said. Greenfield decided to create a PPA financing company, one that would match investors looking for low-risk but reasonably profitable investments in solar projects backed by 20-year or 25-year power purchase agreements. He founded Newtility Energy Finance in 2012. The idea was to structure financing for his own projects. The company was initially more of an idea than a working enterprise. But his awareness of impact investors, wealthy individuals and foundations looking for ways to have an impact on society with their investments, made the idea look more and more like a no-brainer. The idea got the attention of investors, by word of mouth, and began growing, just as Third Sun Solar got started by word of mouth. Greenfield began searching for investor partners. By 2016 he had persuaded five investors to become part of Newtility, including Athens native John Haseley, an attorney, the former chief of staff for Gov. Ted Strickland and former assistant to Sen. John Glenn and a principal in the Columbus-based political consulting firm Remington Road Group. Greenfield changed the name of his company to New Resource Solutions and filed new incorporation papers with the state in 2016. The new company is planning to seek additional investors in 2019. Haseley, as well as Jen Lynch, Stricklands policy advisor and also a principal in the Remington Road Group, are on the board of New Resource Solutions. Greenfield is the board chair. The new company has three employees including Greg Buzzell, CEO, an initial partner and co-founder. He has a background in fintech," financing of renewable energy projects. Fintech, short for financial technology, is the future of project financing, said Greenfield. Its sophisticated software and its Internet-based presence can introduce developers to distant investors and quickly create transparent deals with predictable rates of return and outcomes. We think that facilitating the transaction, bringing investors and capital into clean tech deals and structuring that space where the two meet, that is where we are focused, said Greenfield. New Resource Solutions has so far created financing packages for four of the 16 mid-sized to larger solar projects built by Third Sun Solar using PPA financing, he said. So whats different about New Resource Solutions? We are mission driven. And the mission is Lets get as much solar deployed as possible and figure out how we can accelerate deployment, he said. Will New Resource Solutions ever become Greenfields main passion? Maybe, he says. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An apparent assault victim dismissed a police officers attempt to glean information from him by saying that Cleveland happened, according to a police report. The man refused to provide any information to officers who found him bleeding from his left leg Saturday at the Good Times Cafe on East 55th Street at Drake Avenue, in the Slavic Village neighborhood, police reports say. The man was already injured when he walked into the bar about 10 p.m. and tried to order a drink. The bartender saw him bleeding and thought hed been shot. Officers initially responded to a report of a man who suffered a gunshot wound, but MetroHealth doctors later determined the man had five severe lacerations on his left leg, rather than a gunshot wound, police reports say. Cleveland police officers came to investigate, but the man refused to say how he got his injuries and where they happened. He only told them that Cleveland happened, and that he just wanted a drink, police reports say. The man did not have an ID on him. Doctors sedated him at MetroHealth, so investigators could not interview him at the hospital. Detectives from Clevelands Third District are investigating. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Seven vehicles were found vandalized with racial slurs Monday in Cleveland, police said. Six of the vehicles were vandalized near West 120th Street, in the First District on the citys far West Side. The seventh vehicle was found vandalized on Dove Avenue, in the Fourth District on the citys far East Side, police said. Each of the incidents involved vehicles being spray-painted with racial slurs, police said. Further details were not immediately available Monday afternoon. A Cleveland police spokeswoman did not say if investigators believe the various incidents are related. Anyone with information about the vandalism is being asked to call Cleveland police. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments page. WASHINGTON (AP) - House Democrats are unveiling legislation to re-open the government without money for President Donald Trumps border wall. The House is preparing to vote on the package Thursday when the new Congress convenes. This is according to an aide who was not authorized to discuss the plan publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. It will include one bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels through Feb. 8, with $1.3 billion for border security. The package will also include six other bipartisan bills to fund the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and others closed by the partial shutdown. Some have already passed the Senate. Those bills will provide money through the remainder of the fiscal year, to Sept. 30. The partial government shutdown is in its second week over Trump's demand for $5 billion for the wall. __ President Donald Trump says he's waiting in the Oval Office for Democrats to return to Washington and negotiate an end to a partial government shutdown. Trump tweeted to Democrats on Monday: "come back from vacation now and give us the votes necessary for Border Security, including the Wall." There has been little contact between the White House and congressional Democrats for more than a week, other than the Republican president's Twitter barbs, as the two parties remain divided over his insistence on funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump says Democrats supported border security funding before, though that funding provided for fencing, not a wall. Trump tweets: "You voted yes in 2006 and 2013. One more yes, but with me in office, I'll get it built, and Fast!" Trump promised on the campaign trail that Mexico would pay for the wall, but Mexico refused. (CNN) A prominent cardinal resigned in disgrace. Grand jurors accused hundreds of Catholic clerics of secretly abusing children. A former Vatican ambassador urged the Pope himself to step down. It was enough for New York's Cardinal Timothy Dolan to call it the Catholic Church's "summer of hell." The cardinal may have been overly optimistic. In fact, the church's hellish year began in January, when Pope Francis forcefully defended a Chilean bishop he had promoted. He later had to apologize and accept the bishop's resignation. But the clergy sex abuse scandal shows no signs of abating, with a federal investigation and probes in 12 states and the District of Columbia in the works. The Pope has convened a meeting of bishops from around the world in Rome next February 21-24, saying he wants the church to tackle the scandal together. But lay Catholics and law enforcement officials appear to be losing patience with the church's hierarchy. "The Catholic Church cannot police itself," said Lisa Madigan, Illinois' attorney general, in announcing that Catholic leaders had withheld the names of 500 clergy members accused of abuse. The church's institutional crisis was mirrored by individual soul-searching, as American Catholics questioned whether to stay in the church. 2018 saw parents challenging priests at Mass, prominent Catholics urging the faithful to withhold donations and parents worrying whether their children are safe in the sacristy. One Catholic historian called it the church's greatest crisis since the Reformation in 1517. Here's a guide to how the Catholic Church got to this point in 2018: January The Pope began the year with an apology to sexual abuse survivors in Chile, where he aroused anger by saying he had seen no "proof" against Bishop Juan Barros, who has been accused of covering up for an abusive priest. Francis' top adviser on the issue, Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, called the Pope's comments "a source of great pain" for survivors of sexual abuse by clergy. Barros denied the accusations and the Pope continued to defend him, even as he sent the Vatican's top sex abuse adviser to Chile to investigate the allegations. February The Pope had received a letter from a Chilean abuse survivor in 2015, saying that Barros had witnessed a priest molesting teenagers, according to the author of the letter and another source. The news raised questions about whether the Pope had read the letter and what, if anything, he did about it. April In a dramatic reversal, the Pope admits he made "grave errors" in handling the accusations against Barros. After reviewing his investigator's report on Chile, Francis said his previous comments were based on a "lack of truthful and balanced information." The Pope later meets with three Chilean survivors of sexual abuse, including Juan Carlos Cruz, who says Francis told him, "I was part of the problem. I caused this and I apologize to you." May Vatican treasurer Cardinal George Pell stands trial on multiple counts of historical sexual abuse in his native Australia. Pell is the most senior figure in the Catholic Church to face criminal charges for alleged assault. Also in Australia, Archbishop Philip Wilson is convicted of covering up sexual abuse, though his conviction was later overturned. All of Chile's 34 bishops offer to resign, after a three-day emergency summit at the Vatican. The simultaneous resignation of all the bishops in a single country is thought to be unprecedented in the modern history of the Catholic church. The Pope would later accept the resignation of seven bishops, including Barros. June Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the former Archbishop of Washington and an influential voice in the church and international politics, is removed from public ministry by Pope Francis after a church investigation finds an allegation that McCarrick sexually abused a minor in the 1970s "credible and substantiated." McCarrick said he had "no recollection" of the alleged abuse. McCarrick is also accused of sexual misconduct with adults "decades ago" while he served as a bishop in Metuchen and Newark, New Jersey, the bishops of those cities said. Two of those allegations resulted in settlements, the bishops said, raising questions about how McCarrick rose through the church's ranks despite rumors about his conduct. McCarrick has not commented on those allegations. July After more media reports accuse McCarrick of abusive conduct with seminarians and a young boy, Pope Francis demotes him from the College of Cardinals, a rare step. McCarrick is ordered to lead "a life of prayer and penance until the accusations made against him are examined in a regular canonical trial." Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson, the highest-ranking Catholic official ever to be convicted of covering up sex abuse. August A sweeping report by a grand jury in Pennsylvania accuses more than 300 "predator priests" of sexually abusing more than 1,000 children in six dioceses since 1947. Though most of the accusations date back decades, before the church instituted new protocols, the report plunges the church into crisis, as Catholics across the country express outrage. Two days later, a Vatican spokesman calls the alleged abuses detailed in the Pennsylvania report "criminal and morally reprehensible." Pope Francis pens a letter "To the People of God," in which he apologizes for the Catholic Church's failure to protect children from abusive clergy. "We showed no care for the little ones; we abandoned them." The Pennsylvania grand jury report prompts law enforcement officials in other states to begin investigating the Catholic Church. Eventually, 12 states and Washington, DC, would announce probes of varying scope. During a visit to Ireland, where government reports have found widespread abuses by Catholic clergy, the Pope says the failure of church officials to address "these appalling crimes has rightly given rise to outrage and remains a source of pain and shame for the Catholic community." In an 11-page "testimony" released to conservative Catholic media, a former Vatican ambassador to the United States, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, accuses Francis of ignoring his warnings about McCarrick's conduct and calls on the Pope to resign. The Pope declines to answer Vigano's accusations, telling journalists to dig for the truth. New York's attorney general issues civil subpoenas for all eight Catholic dioceses in the state to investigate how they handled accusations of clergy sexually abusing children. New Jersey's attorney general forms a task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse by clergy and any attempted cover-ups. September Vigano unveils a new charge against Francis and other high-ranking Vatican officials: that they have told untruths about the Pope's controversial meeting in 2015 with Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to sign same-sex marriage certificates. The Vatican announces that Pope Francis has summoned leaders of national bishops' conferences from around the world to Rome to discuss the clergy sex abuse crisis, an unprecedented step in the history of the church. Pope Francis accepts the resignation of West Virginia Bishop Michael Bransfield and orders an investigation into allegations that Bransfield sexually harassed adults. A week after meeting with Pope Francis in Rome, leaders of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops say they intend to adopt new policies to hold bishops accused of abuse or cover-ups accountable More than 46,000 Catholic women sign an open letter asking Pope Francis to answer Vigano's charges. Francis and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, remain silent on the matter. A report from Germany's Catholic bishops admits to "at least" 3,677 cases of child sex abuse by the clergy between 1946 and 2014. October The sex abuse scandal sends the Pope's approval ratings among Americans to a new low, according to Pew Research Center survey. Michigan authorities seize records from every Catholic diocese in the state as part of an investigation into possible sexual abuse by clergy Under pressure to respond to Vigano's allegations, the Vatican says Pope Francis ordered an investigation last year into the accusations against Archbishop McCarrick, adding that the results will be released "in due course." Pope Francis accepts the resignation of Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the embattled archbishop of Washington, after the Pennsylvania grand jury report accuses the former Pittsburgh bishop of mishandling clergy sex abuse cases. Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia subpoena records from every diocese in Pennsylvania, the first federal investigation of that size into the abuse of children by priests and the cover-up of those crimes by Catholic leaders. The same federal prosecutor tells every Catholic diocese in the country not to destroy records pertaining to child sexual abuse. Attorneys general in Washington, DC, and Virginia launch investigations into the Catholic Church's handling of clergy sexual abuse. A bishop in New York is removed pending an investigation into allegations that he sexually abused a minor. The bishop denied the allegations. November The Vatican dramatically intervenes in the US Catholic bishops annual meeting, instructing them not to adopt new policies to hold bishops accountable for misconduct and failing to protect children from sexual abuse. Law enforcement officials in Texas raid the offices of Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Houston, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, looking for files related to a priest accused of abusing a minor. DiNardo's diocese said it is cooperating with the investigation. December An Australian court overturns the conviction of Archbishop Philip Wilson, saying there was reasonable doubt that he covered up the abuse of children. Pope Francis removes three cardinals from his small council of advisers. Two have been the subject of allegations relating to sexual abuse or covering it up. Four Jesuit regional provinces in the United States reveal that at least 230 Jesuits had been credibly accused of abusing minors since the 1950s. A fifth province will release its list of abusive clergy in January. Illinois' attorney general says the state's six dioceses have failed to disclose accusations of sexual abuse against at least 500 priests and clergy members. In a speech to the Vatican curia, Pope Francis tells priests who abuse minors to turn themselves in to civil justice authorities and "prepare for divine justice." This story was first published on CNN.com. "How 2018 became the Catholic Church's year from hell." An Orlando clinic is using a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop virtual reality (VR) technology for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans and emergency services workers. The University of Central Florida's RESTORES clinic has been testing VR therapy, which uses the tech to expose veterans to the scenes and sounds of warzones, since 2010. After the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, RESTORES expanded its services to treat first response personnel and mass shooting survivors suffering with PTSD. Since the clinic opened, it has treated 450 veterans and first responders. "This is cutting-edge technology for people in the fire service, police officers and so on. They suffer with PTSD as much as veterans, but there's no VR technology available for first responders right now," Deborah Beidel, founder and director of the clinic, told CNBC over the phone this month. The PTSD treatment is a three-week program that combines VR with group therapy sessions. VR sessions expose patients to videos and scenes that trigger their trauma, such as warzones, which are coupled with the sounds and smells of gunfire and smoke. Exposure to these sensations is intended to reduce the stress associated with the patients' memories of them. In October, the Department of Defense donated $3 million to the clinic to help it continue developing the treatment. RESTORES plans to invest the funds into new tech, with a view to roll the system out commercially by 2021. Developing software in-house will allow clinicians to create VR scenes for more non-military patients. Shah's comments come days after ED stated in court that Christian Michel had made reference to 'Mrs Gandhi' during probe. New Delhi: In a series of tweets, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday fired multiple salvos on the Congress leadership for their alleged role in Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper procurement scam. "Michel's lawyer has admitted that the paper was indeed passed on to him. He thought that it was a list of medicines, which could have been transparently given in any case. We have heard of Zandu Balm and Tiger Balm but what is this 'Family Balm' that every middleman wants," said Shah in a tweet. Michels lawyer has admitted that the paper was indeed passed on to him. He thought that it was a list of medicines, which could have been transparently given in any case. We have heard of Zandu Balm and Tiger Balm but what is this Family Balm that every middleman wants? Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 31, 2018 "In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michel's lawyer," said Shah in one of his tweets. "In the national interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the Existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs. Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time-tested and deep," he said in another tweet. In national interest, Michels lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs. Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep. Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 31, 2018 In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michels lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a SHAM. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs. Gandhi! Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 31, 2018 Further taking a jibe at the Congress, BJP president stated, "Trails of the AgustaWestland Case. the SOS of Christian Michel. Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs. Gandhi to his Lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs. Gandhi herself? Why?" In national interest, Michels lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs. Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep. Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 31, 2018 These tweets from Shah comes days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated in the court that Christian Michel had made a reference to "Mrs Gandhi" and the "son of an Italian lady" during its investigation. The 54-year-old Michel is an accused in the case along with others including former Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief SP Tyagi. 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 filed in a court here two years back, 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 allegations. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Worried about a down year in 2019? It's statistically unlikely. 2018 is ending on a downer, with the down six percent (down four percent when dividends are included) for its first real down year since 2008 (the S&P was down 0.7 percent in 2015 on a price basis, but on a total return basis including dividends was up 1.4 percent). Could 2019 see a second down year in a row? It's certainly possible a 10-year win streak would argue for some kind of mean reversion but even so, consecutive down years in the S&P 500 are remarkably rare. The last time the S&P was down two or more consecutive years on a total return basis (including dividends) was way back in 2000 to 2003, when it was down three consecutive years, according to data from the Stern School at NYU. But that is rare: there have only been four instances since 1929 when the S&P declined two or more years in a row. In the worst case, the S&P was down four consecutive years, from 1929 to 1932. The S&P was down three consecutive years twice: 1939 to 1941, and 2000 to 2002. It was down two consecutive years only once: 1973 and 1974. Think about that: for all the worry about down markets, the S&P has dropped two consecutive years or more only four times since 1929. That's pretty remarkable. All other down years were one-offs (there were 12 of them), and the market was higher in the next year. There's something else to note about the consecutive down years: they follow big economic events, wars or big geopolitical conflicts. The Great Depression: 1929 to 1932 declines. Wars: World War II (1939-1941), Afghanistan/Iraq post 9-11 (2000-2002) Geopolitical Events: Israel/Saudi oil embargo (1973-74). "If one wants to be bearish on 2019, geopolitical issues are the only historically accurate argument," Nicholas Colas from DataTrek tells me. Unfortunately, there are no shortage of those for 2019. Traders are grappling with: 1) Central banks removing the stimulus of low rates, 2) a tariff war that has not been resolved, and 3) the prospect of China slowing down, with or without tariffs. And while "political risk" is not a risk we have seen so far as a factor in consecutive down years, it could possibly mix with those other concerns to produce a toxic stew for earnings. It's the presence of these risks that should make students of market history hesitant to confidently declare 2019 will not be a down year. The next avocados you buy at a grocery store might stay fresh at least twice as long as they used to, and it's all because James Rogers didn't listen to his mother. Rogers is the founder and CEO of Apeel Sciences, a Southern California-based food technology startup that is trying to battle food waste. It's a problem that the United Nations estimates costs the world roughly $2.6 trillion each year, much of which stems from fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods going bad before they're consumed. Rogers' Apeel, recently named to the 2018 CNBC Disruptor 50 List, thinks it can combat the problem of food waste with its primary product, a tasteless, odorless, edible coating made from plant materials. Apeel can keep produce like avocados or oranges from going bad for weeks longer than usual it can double the shelf life in some cases even without refrigeration. The trick to keeping produce from spoiling, Rogers tells CNBC Make It, is relatively simple. "The two leading causes of produce spoilage are water loss and oxidation that's water evaporating out of the produce and oxygen getting in," Rogers says. The point of the Edipeel coating is, simply, to act as a physical barrier that slows down the evaporation process and regulates how much oxygen gets into produce. And because Apeel makes its invisible coating out of the fatty acids and other organic compounds taken from the peels, seeds and pulp of other fruits and vegetables, the FDA has deemed it safe to eat. Avocados sprayed with Edipeel are already being sold at grocery stores like Kroger, Costco and Harps Food Stores across the U.S. "Our philosophy is: The only thing that belongs on food is food," Rogers tells CNBC Make It. Rogers founded Apeel in 2012 and the company has raised a total of $110 million in funding from investors who include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation as well as investment firms Viking Global Investors and Andreessen Horowitz. Rogers, 33, got the idea for Apeel when he was working on his Ph.D. in materials science at UC Santa Barbara, where he was trying to develop a solar paint that could harvest the sun's energy much like solar panels. One day in 2012, he was driving between Santa Barbara and the university's Berkeley Lab and he was listening to a podcast about world hunger while looking out at acre after acre of abundant farmland. He wondered why so many people in the world were going hungry (roughly one in 10 people) when the world actually produces more than enough food to feed everyone on the planet. "The problem came down to distribution," Rogers says he came to learn. "We couldn't get the food that was being grown to where the people were who need to eat it. And so I was curious what precludes us from distributing food and it all comes down to this notion of perishability." Rogers started researching how water loss and oxidation spoil produce, and it reminded him of how the steel industry uses coatings to prevent metal from rusting. He thought he could come up with a similar solution to coat produce and prevent fruits and vegetables from spoiling so quickly. It was kind of a wild idea, especially considering Rogers had no agricultural experience, which is exactly what his mother told him when he called her and explained his idea for fighting world hunger by inventing a protective coating for produce. "I called my mom and I said, 'Hey, Mom, I got this idea for a company,'" Rogers tells CNBC Make It. "And, she said, 'That sounds really nice, but you don't know anything about about fruits and vegetables.'" Rogers had to admit that his mother was right, but he didn't let that stop him from diving into his idea. He went to the library and checked out a pile of books about the biology of plants. In fact, he learned enough that he was able to flesh out his idea and apply for a research grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which gave him $100,000 that marked the beginning of Apeel. Rogers hired two researchers he knew from his Ph.D. program and they got to work developing the product that would become Apeel. Six years later, Rogers has legitimate hope that Apeel can make a real difference in fighting the global hunger epidemic. Apeel's business is starting to take off thanks to selling the coating to major fruit and vegetable producers like Del Rey Avocado, Horton Fruit and Eco Farmsand, and partnering with US retailers (who currently lose more than $18 billion a year due to wasted food). But, Apeel is also working with farmers in Kenya and Nigeria, where Edipeel is awaiting regulatory approval, in order to help them keep their produce fresh long enough to be transported from rural areas to larger markets where they can feed the local population. At the moment, Apeel's coating is only being sold on avocados, but the company is also working on selling it to produce growers to use on asparagus and various citrus fruits, among other produce. (The Apeel formula differs for each variety of fruit or vegetable.) Looking back now, Rogers can chuckle at the fact that his mom initially threw cold water on his produce plans. But, he says there's an important lesson in that story. "Don't not do something because there's a part of it you don't know about," he tells CNBC Make It. Instead of giving up because you're not fully versed on something, even if it's a major aspect of what you want to do, you can just commit to learning more and filling in those gaps in your knowledge, Rogers says. "It's oftentimes the combination of the stuff that you know about and the willingness to learn the stuff that you don't know about which leads to some really cool innovations." Correction: This story has been revised to reflect that coating is now called Apeel. Don't Miss: Kevin O'Leary: If you want to get rich, start working 25 hours a day, 7 days a week Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Looking back on a tumultuous year where the majority of asset classes were deep in the red, cocoa futures turned out to be one sweet spot. In fact, a look at the top year-to-date performers among major futures markets reveals that cocoa has returned a whopping 28 percent this year. (The only trade that did better were complicated bets in volatility futures, which gain in value along with the Cboe Volatility Index. Volatility is not a pure asset class like a commodity or other security.) Source: Finviz.com (Through Dec. 28) While the stock market and other risk assets were battered this year on fears of slowing global growth and trade battles, cocoa prices enjoyed a surge because of short supply as the dry weather in top producing areas such as Ivory Coast hurt production. "The main crop harvest is continuing in West Africa. Conditions are hot and dry. Main crop production ideas for Ivory Coast and Ghana are being reduced, with Ivory Coast now estimating its main crop production at 1.985 million tons, down from previous estimates just over 2.0 million tons," said Jack Scoville, senior softs analyst at Chicago's Price Futures Group, in a note on Friday. "Conditions appear good in East Africa and Asia. Demand is said to be improving as offers from the new harvest start to increase," Scoville added. The higher cost of cocoa, which is used to make chocolate, has put pressure on candy companies this year. The Hershey Co. and Tootsie Roll Industries have both lost about 6 percent in 2018, while Nestle is set to finish the year flat. "We had some commodity and packaging headwind of about 20 basis points in the first half," Francois-Xavier Roger, Nestle's chief financial officer, said on an earnings call in July. The company's "cost savings were partially offset by higher commodity and packaging costs. ... In 2019 and 2020, I'm more encouraged by some of the internal projects we have underway to reduce our commodity costs." Other than trading futures, investors could have also accessed the winning commodity through the iPath Bloomberg Cocoa SubTR ETN, which has gained 22 percent this year. European stocks closed higher on the final day of 2018 but marked the year as its worst in a decade. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed 0.38 percent higher. The FTSE 100 closed trading on the final day of the year, down 0.2 percent. The French CAC, meanwhile, closed more than 1 percent higher. The German DAX is closed on Monday. U.K.'s FTSE index is down more than 12 percent since the start of the year and has suffered its biggest one-year fall since the financial crisis in 2008 as investors digest uncertainty surrounding the country's exit from the European Union. The pan-European Stoxx 600 has ended the year down 13 percent - its worst since the financial crisis. The DAX, has followed a similar trajectory, down more than 18 percent since the start of the year. Market focus is largely attuned to the progress on the U.S.-China trade standoff after hints emerged when President Donald Trump said he had a "very good call" with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday to discuss trade. He also claimed that "big progress" was being made on this front. His statements have brought optimism to stocks worldwide that have been under pressure this year. Following the tweet, however, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump "may be overstating how close the two sides are to an agreement," citing sources "familiar with the state of negotiations." Trump's comments came after both he and Xi earlier this month agreed to a 90-day pause in tariff escalation. However, market sentiment remained on edge after survey data out of China on Monday suggested that China's manufacturing activity in December contracted even more than expected. Back in Europe, the deadlock around Brexit continues to concern investors. On Sunday, U.K. Trade Minister Liam Fox said there is a "50-50" chance that Brexit may be stopped if Parliament rejects the government's divorce deal with the European Union next month. The U.K. Parliament is set to vote on the Brexit deal in the week starting January 14. The German DAX has had its worst year in a decade amid persistent market volatility across the globe. The stock index is down more than 18 percent since the start of the year, after it briefly fell into bear market territory earlier this month. A bear market is when stocks see a 20 percent decline or more from a recent high but they're also marked by overall pessimism. According to Reuters data, the DAX is down 14 percent in the final quarter of this year and is on pace for its worst such period since the third quarter of 2011 when it lost more than 25 percent. The index is also on pace for its worst year since 2008 when it lost more than 40 percent. Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg, told CNBC via email on Monday that the underperformance of the DAX has nothing to do with the German economy. "It can largely be explained by three factors: Most importantly, German companies are very outward looking. As exporters of mostly highly cyclical goods such as cars and machine tools, they react more strongly to a loss of momentum in the global economic cycle," Schmieding said. "Second, the peculiarities of the German banking sector with its myriad of non-listed public and semi-public banks and the weaker listed banks shows up in the DAX. Third, the German car sector is facing specific issues mostly related to tougher environmental standards and a belated shift to e-mobility." House Democrats said on Monday that they have put forward legislation to end the ongoing partial government when they take control of the chamber starting Thursday. The House will vote on six appropriation bills to fund most agencies through September 30 with the exception of The Department of Homeland Security. The chamber will vote on a separate continuing resolution to fund DHS through February 8. The legislation does not include new funding for a border wall and is nearly identical to bills that passed the Republican-controlled Senate on a bipartisan basis, according to Rep. Nita Lowey, who is set take over as chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee. In a statement, House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer put the onus on Senate Republicans to support the legislation. "It would be the height of irresponsibility and political cynicism for Senate Republicans to now reject the same legislation they have already supported," the Democrats said. Pelosi and Schumer said Senate Republicans would otherwise be "complicit with President Trump in continuing the Trump shutdown and in holding the health and safety of the American people and workers' paychecks hostage over the wall." Democrats will gain control of the lower chamber of Congress on Thursday, when the 116th Congress is sworn in. The proposals are likely to face strong opposition from Trump, who has vowed to do "whatever it takes" to secure funding for the wall. WATCH: What walls in history can tell us about the fight over Trump's border barrier A senior Republican U.S. senator said he emerged from a White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Sunday reassured that Trump is committed to defeating Islamic State even as he plans to withdraw American troops from Syria. Senator Lindsey Graham had warned that removing all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria would hurt national security by allowing Islamic State to rebuild, betraying U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters of the YPG militia battling remnants of the militant group, and enhancing Iran's ability to threaten Israel. During a morning television interview, Graham said he would ask Trump to slow down the troop withdrawal, which was announced earlier this month and drew widespread criticism. An ally of Trump, although he has opposed some of his foreign policy decisions, Graham was more upbeat after the meeting. "We talked about Syria. He told me some things I didn't know that made me feel a lot better about where we're headed in Syria," Graham, an influential voice on national security policy who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters at the White House. "We still have some differences but I will tell you that the president is thinking long and hard about Syria - how to withdraw our forces but at the same time achieve our national security interests," Graham said. Asked if Trump had agreed to any slowing down of the troop withdrawal, Graham said: "I think the president's very committed to making sure that when we leave Syria, that ISIS is completely defeated." He said Trump's trip to Iraq last week was an eye-opener and he understood the need to "finish the job" with Islamic State, also known as ISIS. "I think the president has come up with a plan with his generals that makes sense to me," Graham said. Graham said later on Twitter that Trump would make sure that any withdrawal from Syria "will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1)ISIS is permanently destroyed 2)Iran doesn't fill in the back end. And 3)our Kurdish allies are protected." The Pentagon says it is considering plans for a "deliberate and controlled withdrawal." One option, according to a person familiar with the discussions, is for a 120-day pullout period. Check out the companies making headlines before the bell: Amazon.com Amazon is planning a significant expansion of its Whole Foods grocery stores, according to The Wall Street Journal. The paper said Amazon is scouting new locations in more suburbs, and in areas where Whole Foods is already growing in popularity. Deutsche Bank Deutsche Bank chairman Paul Achleitner told a German newspaper that the bank is strong and that its turnaround strategy is working, adding that there is no need for either state aid or a merger. Tribune Publishing Tribune was hit by a cyberattack over the weekend that caused printing and delivery disruptions for newspapers like the Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun. Verizon, Walt Disney The two sides reached a distribution agreement ahead of a Monday deadline, meaning that Verizon FiOS customers will continue to receive Disney-owned channels like ESPN. Apple, Alphabet Apple and Alphabet's Google unit could be threatened by a new app store from Fortnite creator Epic, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Epic app store reportedly gives developers 88 percent of revenues from their apps, compared to 70 percent from Apple and Google. Alibaba The China-based e-commerce giant will pay $75 million to settle a California class action lawsuit, according to an SEC filing. The suit had been brought in October 2015 on behalf of shareholders who had purchased Alibaba's American Depositary shares. Berkshire Hathaway Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is poised to outperform the S&P 500 for the third straight year. Berkshire has beaten the S&P in seven of the past ten years. Pacific Gas & Electric The utility could face charges if investigators find that various deadly wildfires over the past two years were caused by reckless operation of power equipment. California's attorney general has told a federal judge that the charges could be as serious as murder. Tencent Holdings Tencent was excluded from the first approvals of video games by the Chinese government since March. Aflac The disability insurer is making a $20 million minority equity investment in Singapore-based life insurance company Singapore Life. Canada Goose The retailer of outdoor wear is seeing large crowds at its new Beijing store, its first in mainland China, which opened Friday. Camping World The camping equipment and recreational vehicle retailer said President Roger Nuttall resigned on December 21, effective immediately. Camping World made that disclosure in an SEC filing. Part of mischief reef in the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea on April 21, 2017. Tough negotiations lie ahead over a new pact between China and Southeast Asian nations aimed at easing tensions in the South China Sea, as Vietnam pushes for provisions likely to prove unpalatable to Beijing, documents reviewed by Reuters suggest. Hanoi wants the pact to outlaw many of the actions China has carried out across the hotly disputed waterway in recent years, including artificial island building, blockades and offensive weaponry such as missile deployments, according to a negotiating draft of the ASEAN Code of Conduct (COC) seen by Reuters. The draft also shows Hanoi is pushing for a ban on any new Air Defence Identification Zone - something Beijing unilaterally announced over the East China Sea in 2013. Chinese officials have not ruled out a similar move, in which all aircraft are supposed to identify themselves to Chinese authorities, over the South China Sea. Hanoi is also demanding states clarify their maritime claims in the vital trade route according to international law - an apparent attempt to shatter the controversial "nine-dash line" by which China claims and patrols much of the South China Sea, the draft shows. "Going forward, there will be some very testy exchanges between the Vietnamese and China in particular over the text of this agreement," said Singapore-based Ian Storey, a veteran South China Sea expert, who has seen the draft. "Vietnam is including those points or activities that they want forbidden by the Code of Conduct precisely because China has been carrying these out for the last 10 years." Le Thi Thu Hang, a spokeswoman at the Vietnam Foreign Ministry, said negotiations on the Code of Conduct had made some progress recently, with Vietnam actively participating and other countries showing "their constructive and cooperative spirit". "Vietnam wishes related countries to continue their efforts and make a positive contribution to the negotiation process in order to achieve a substantive and effective COC in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, contributing to the maintenance of peace, stability and security in the East Sea (South China Sea) in particular and in the region in general," she said. Singapore's Foreign Ministry, the chair of the 10-nation ASEAN bloc for 2018, did not respond to a request for comment. "We cannot comment right now but Thailand certainly supports discussion on the single negotiating draft," said Busadee Santipitaks, a spokeswoman for Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which takes over as ASEAN chair in the new year. People must come together to make positivity viral: PM Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays homage to noted freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in the premise of Cellular Jail in Port Blair. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed hope that sanitation will be maintained along with reverence at the ardh Kumbh Mela starting in January next year, saying it will send a positive message far and wide. In his monthly Mann ki Baat radio address, the last this year, he said this time much emphasis is being laid on cleanliness during the ardh Kumbh. "If during the course of this event sanitation prevails along with reverence, then it will lead to a positive message reaching far and wide," the Prime Minister said. 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. "This can be a huge learning experience especially for the youth," he felt. The ardh Kumbh Mela will commence from January 15 at Prayagraj. The Mela draws lakhs of pilgrims over the course of approximately 55 auspicious days to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. Spreading negativity is fairly easy, but people must come together to make positivity viral, he said adding that collective efforts of the people have ensured that India achieved a lot in 2018. "I sincerely hope that India's journey on the path of advancement & progress continues through 2019 too. Taking her to newer heights with her inner strengths. "...Let's 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. The Twitter Inc. account of U.S. President Donald Trump, @realDoanldTrump Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images President Donald Trump's Twitter habit grew even more prolific in 2018. Trump sent more than 3,400 tweets this year an average of nearly 10 tweets a day, and a sizable increase from the president's first year in office, according to data collected by the Trump Twitter Archive and reviewed by CNBC. And despite the seemingly constant din of news bombshells breaking around his White House this year, Trump became even more reliant on Twitter as the primary means of communication for both his administration and himself. White House press briefings, which nearly disappeared in the second half of 2018, have been largely supplanted by salvos of 280 characters or less, launched most mornings from Trump's official account. In the past six months, Trump's tweet-rate ramped up even more, to an average of nearly 12 per day from 8 per day in the first half. That inflated volume hasn't diluted the president's penchant for hurling invective toward his detractors and political adversaries, however. Through his tweets which the Justice Department treats as official presidential statements Trump criticized foreign leaders such as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, calling the former "weak" and the latter "short and fat"; repeatedly vented rage against the probe of Russian election meddling and possible collusion helmed by special counsel Robert Mueller; excoriated critics of his trade and immigration policies; and even lashed out at officials serving in his own administration. The president's tweets have affected U.S. lawmakers, global alliances and the stock market. Here are 10 of Trump's most explosive tweets in 2018: Jan. 2: 'I too have a Nuclear Button' Trump tweet 1 Trump started the new year off with a rhetorical bang which some feared could increase the risk of a literal one. The warning shot came a day after the New Year's Day address by North Korea's Kim, in which he said that his country's nuclear weapons can reach anywhere in the United States and threatened that he has a nuclear button on his desk. Months later, Trump and Kim backed away from brinkmanship and met face-to-face in Singapore for an unprecedented diplomatic meeting. Jan. 6: 'A very stable genius' Trump tweet 2 Trump tweet 3 Trump tweet 4 Michael Wolff's White House expose "Fire and Fury" roiled Washington with its salacious allegations about the turmoil within the Trump administration. Some details in the book raised questions about the president's mental capacity, prompting Trump to retort in a trio of tweets that "actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart." March 2: 'Trade wars are good, and easy to win' Trump tweet 5 A day before his confident defense of a protectionist U.S. trade policy, Trump said he would impose 25 percent tariffs on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum to try and force trade partners into "fairer" agreements. Trump also appeared to reference his recent remarks about the U.S.-Mexico trade deficit at the time, by suggesting that "when we are down $100 billion with a certain country and they get cute, don't trade anymore-we win big. It's easy!" Trade experts are often quick to point out that a trade deficit is not identical to losing money to other countries. April 13: 'All made up by this den of thieves and lowlifes!' Trump tweet 6 Trump sent one of his most scorching tweets of the year after reports that the Justice Department had received a referral recommending that Andrew McCabe, the FBI's former No. 2 official, be charged with lying to officials from that agency. McCabe said he was being "singled out" for political purposes related to his treatment of the firing of ex-FBI Director James Comey, who was dismissed by Trump in May 2017. Comey's ouster came shortly before the appointment of special counsel Mueller, who is conducting an ongoing probe of Russian interference during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, possible collusion between the Kremlin and Trump campaign-related figures, and obstruction of justice. Trump vented rage against McCabe and Comey in the April 2018 tweet, declaring "McCabe was totally controlled by Comey - McCabe is Comey!! No collusion, all made up by this den of thieves and lowlifes!" May 3: 'Money from the campaign ... played no roll in this transaction' Trump tweet 7 Trump tweet 8 Trump tweet 9 The president's highly lawyered tweets above came on the heels of a revelation made by his lawyer, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, that then-candidate Trump himself had reimbursed his ex-attorney Michael Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. That payment was made as part of a nondisclosure pact Daniels had signed barring her from discussing an alleged affair with Trump years earlier. Trump had previously said he was unaware of the payment; Cohen had told The New York Times that "Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction" with Daniels. In the string of tweets, Trump waved the controversy away as a quotidian part of life for celebrities and the ultra-wealthy. He also repeated his denial of the affair. June 6: 'It may be a big Red Wave' Trump tweet 10 Trump predicted Republican dominance in the November midterms as he took credit for the success of John Cox, his party's top-voted candidate in the California gubernatorial election. Cox lost to Democrat Gavin Newsom by a 62-38 margin in the general election, however. And analysts have described the results of the November midterms overall as something much more like a "blue wave," since Democrats gained 40 seats to take majority control of the House of Representatives, even as they lost seats in the Senate. June 13: 'There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea' Trump tweet 11 Upon his return from the historic summit with North Korea's Kim in June, Trump proclaimed that that regime was "no longer a nuclear threat." "Everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office," Trump added on Twitter. A month later, The Washington Post reported that U.S. spy agencies still believed that North Korea was continuing to construct new missiles. Nov. 2: 'Sanctions are Coming' Trump tweet The Trump administration picked a unique way to hype an upcoming deadline for the U.S. to impose new sanctions on Iran: by borrowing the iconic imagery and sayings of HBO's fantasy series, "Game of Thrones." HBO told CNBC it was "not aware" of the administration's plan to reference the television show in order to advertise economic sanctions on an adversarial power, and "would prefer our trademark not be misappropriated for political purposes." HBO's official Twitter account followed up soon after, asking, "How do you say trademark misuse in Dothraki?" referring to a fictional language used by one of the groups in the show. HBO tweet Dec. 4: 'I am a Tariff Man' Trump tweet Trump tweet Trump tweet Trump tweet After meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping for trade talks at the G-20 summit in Argentina, Trump said his officials would start looking into whether a "REAL deal with China is actually possible." "President Xi and I want this deal to happen, and it probably will," Trump said. "But if not remember, I am a Tariff Man." That self-applied honorific signaled Trump's willingness to ratchet up tariffs even further beyond the $250 billion in duties already put on Chinese goods. The White House had promised tariffs on a separate $267 billion unless Beijing changes its trade practices. China has imposed duties on about $110 billion in U.S. products. On Saturday, Trump said that a possible trade deal between the United States and China was moving along steadily. Dec. 19: 'We have defeated ISIS in Syria' Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. REFINITIV 15 The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form New UK visa rules keeping Indian students out to have no impact: MEA The Indian Government has maintained that new rules keeping Indians out of "low risk" visa list "will not have any impact" on the existing application process, or on those who are already pursuing their studies in UK. Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj. Photo courtesy: MEA In reply to a question, the Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj told Rajya Sabha (the Upper House of Parliament) that India was not part of the expanded list of countries which fell in "low-risk visa" category issued by the UP Government in June this year. "The announcement will not have any impact on the existing visa application process for Indian students, nor will it impact on Indian students already studying in the UK," the Minister said. "The UK High Commission in New Delhi in its Note Verbale dated July 9, 2018 to the MEA stated that Indian students will face no difference in procedures compared to the previous years as a result of the announcement," the minister added. "Issues relating to Indian students have been consistently raised by the Government of India in all bilateral discussions with the UK at various levels. Currently, all consular-related issues are discussed regularly by the two sides at the working level both in New Delhi and London," The minister informed the House. "There are also two institutional mechanisms at the level of Minister of State for Home Affairs and Secretary (Home Affairs) wherein all Consular and visa matters are discussed once every six months," the minister added. According to the reply of Swaraj in the Parliament, on June 15, 2018, the UK Government announced the Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules affecting a number of visa categories, including student visas. As per the new rules, the UK side has expanded the list of countries (called Appendix H) whose citizens qualify for a streamlined visa application process for Tier-4 Visa. A total of 26 countries (16 old, and 10 new) will now benefit from the change. India is not part of this list. These countries are: Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Botswana, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, The Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, The Maldives, Mexico, New Zealand, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, and United States of America The question was asked by Biju Janata Dal MP Anubhav Mohanty who wanted to know whether UK Government's move would deprive the Indian students the privilege of reduced checks on educational, financial and English language skill requirements to study in British Universities. Mohanty also queries whether Indian Government would take up the matter with the U.K. Government at the appropriate level to ease out the situation as India was one of the top three nations sending students to the United Kingdom. British MP of Indian origin Priti Patel. Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Curiously, British MP of Indian origin Priti Patel had asked the same question in House of Commons from Caroline Nokes, Minister of State for Immigration on July 2, 2018 but the reply was more explicit, clearly stating "India did not meet the objective criteria" with respect to immigration rules compliance risk. The reply of Indian minister comes at a time when the standoff between UK and India with respect to illegal students is easing after both sides signed a MoU on deportation of illegal Indian immigrants in the UK, including many students from Punjab The pact comes after sustained pressure by Theresa May-led Government that India must take back all those immigrants who entered the UK on student visas, mostly from Punjab, and have continued to stay on for years by dodging authorities. The MoU will ensure the return of persons "who have no lawful basis to be in the territory of the other party after verification of nationality to its satisfaction." On the other hand, those abiding the law stand to benefit. "The MoU will facilitate liberalisation of UK Visa Regime for those who are travelling to the UK legally, after the conclusion of the MoU," the Indian government said. Tough-talking British Prime Minister Theresa May had categorically told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that liberalisation of visa regime was tied to Indian government taking back all those who mostly entered on student's visa and now have no business to continue staying there. Photo courtesy: Twitter "It will help in streamlining the procedure of return of nationals who are caught to be staying illegally, belonging to the other party in a specified time-frame," it added. Tough-talking British Prime Minister Theresa May had categorically told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that liberalisation of visa regime was tied to Indian government taking back all those who mostly entered on student's visa and now have no business to continue staying there. "The UK will consider further improvements to our visa offer if, at the same time, we can step up the speed and volume of returns of Indians with no right to remain," May told media persons after her talks with Modi during her visit to India in 2016. There is no accurate figure of illegal immigrants staying in the UK, but according to Home Office estimates, Indians are a top nationally amongst them and numbers run in tens of thousands, mostly using student visa channel. Many destroy passport to make their deportation difficult after being caught. MoU puts the onus on confirming the nationality on Indian authorities time-bound within 70-days. "The agreement on returns paves the way for a quicker and more efficient process for documenting and returning Indian nationals who have no right to be in the UK to India. This has proven difficult in the past due to some Indians not having the required paperwork or travel documentation for them to be accepted back in their home country," UK Home Office said in a statement. Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs Kirren Rijiju and UK Minister of Immigration Caroline Nokes signed an agreement on deportation of Indian students illegally staying in UK on January 11 this year. Photo courtesy: Kirren Rijiju, Facebook The agreement to this effect was signed by Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs Kirren Rijiju and UK Minister of Immigration Caroline Nokes on January 11 this year. This agreement commits both countries to taking a more flexible approach to verifying the identity and nationality of individuals, which will help speed up the returns process," the statement added. MPs urge Javid to accept Royal Navy assistance in policing the Channel The Home Secretary warns there are no easy answers Daily Telegraph It would be more effective to just send people home who have no right to be here The Times Leader French interior minister pledges to continue to disrupt people-smuggling gangs FT More Iranian illegal immigrants land in the South East The Sun People will die if these journeys are allowed to continue The Sun Says It is better to die than be sent back to Calais The Times Father and son launch their own coastal patrol Daily Mail Conservative MPs criticised Mr Javid for not deploying another cutter, the high-speed patrol boats used by the Border Force, in the Channel. At present one is in use, supported by two smaller patrol boats. Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, offered Mr Javid the use of naval vessels. More than 220 people have tried to cross the Channel in small boats since the start of last month, according to official figures. Since Christmas Day at least 100 migrants have been detained after being found on beaches near Dover or being rescued from the sea, including 40 on Christmas Day. An average of 2,500 asylum seekers reached Britain each month last yearTim Loughton, the longest-serving Conservative MP on the Commons home affairs committee, said that Mr Javid needed to do more. Its good that the home secretary is taking personal control of this but frankly he needs to show a much greater sense of urgency, Mr Loughton said. 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. The Times Opinion Hammond accused by Cabinet colleagues of not releasing the money for No Deal James Brokenshire, the Housing Secretary, has written to the Treasury warning that a no-deal Brexit could put pressure on councils as they face a potential influx of elderly expats and the risk of civil unrest on the streets. His department was given 35million to help councils prepare for Brexit, less than half of the amount it requested. Mr Brokenshire warned that the failure to provide more funding would lead to a significant risk of disruption. The Daily Telegraph understands that at least one other department has complained about the Chancellors failure to release more money for no-deal preparations. A source said: The Treasury is not releasing the money. Its all very well Philip Hammond to tell Cabinet that hes putting 2bn into no-deal preparations, but its no good if they wont actually release the money. Daily Telegraph Concern as No Deal freight contract is awarded to firm with no ships and no trading history The Times American banks struggle to persuade employees to move to Frankfurt and Paris from London FT Record numbers of Brits seek Irish passport The Guardian Mundell appeals to Sturgeon to pursue spirit of compromise in 2019 Daily Telegraph Blitz spirit nostalgia is an insult Matthew dAncona, The Guardian >Yesterday: ToryDiary: Our survey. Support for No Deal hardens as it becomes more likely. US Ambassador warns that Mays deal would prevent the hoped-for quick, massive trade deal Five ways the deal went wrong including that it was written by Brussels FT We are about to enter a period of huge uncertainty Roger Bootle, Daily Telegraph Juncker says the UK must get its act together and make clear demands FT Pacific states launch bold trade pact Daily Telegraph There must be more to public policy than Brexit FT Leader Donald Trumps UK ambassador today warned a deep trade deal with the US could be impossible if Theresa Mays Brexit plan goes through. Woody Johnson said America is watching closely to see how the situation develops. He insisted the US President was eager to strike a quick, massive agreement with Britain after it leaves the EU. But he added: It doesnt look like it would be possible. In an interview with BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Mr Johnson also said the UK was in need of leadership. And he said May of next year would be a good time for Mr Trump to make his state visit to Britain although he stressed nothing had been finalised. Daily Mail >Today: Shanker A. Singham on Comment: Brexit and a new strategy for a New Year Shrimsley: Johnson is still in with a chance to win the leadership He may deserve to be dismissed but, in a field of stolid political performers, Mr Johnson cannot be discounted. He seems simply more vivid than the monochrome alternatives. Through opportunism, wit and sheer refusal to be marginalised, he enters the new year still in contention for the top job in British politics. Indeed, if it is ever to happen for him, it will almost certainly have to be in the next 12 months. Most Tory MPs assume that Theresa May will be replaced as prime minister in the coming year, although this is not a given. The odds favour a change not least because 2019 is likely to bring the next stage of the Brexit negotiations the one that will determine the future relationship with the EU and there are too many MPs who do not wish to entrust this to Mrs May. This is Mr Johnsons opportunity. FT There should be more outrage about Japans whaling Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph The tinsel is still up, but ministers are plotting already Jack Doyle, Daily Mail Gove attacks moral scandal of food waste Daily Telegraph Duchess of Cornwalls nephew joins the Conservative candidates list The Sun >Today: ToryDiary: Our survey. Next Tory leader. Johnson is top again. Javid second, Raab third. Hunt is now fourth. The poor have worse access to GPs than the rich People in Sandwell find their health concerns are ignored FT Junior doctors are forced to plug gaps in unfamiliar hospital departments The Sun High levels of concern about the failings of youth mental health services The Guardian Nearly 70,000 operations cancelled due to lack of staff, beds or equipment Daily Mail The Prime Minister thanks NHS volunteers Daily Mail Im stunned by the generosity of the public Sir Tom Hughes-Hallett, Daily Mail Scientists hail possible tipping point in Alzheimers prevention The Sun Loneliness minister considers compelling employers to give time off to care for elderly relations Rich and poor people in England receive different standards of care from the UKs universal free health service, with some poorer communities being left behind when accessing GP services, according to data analysed for the Financial Times. The findings raise questions about how well the 70-year-old National Health Service is meeting its founding principles of equity and intensifies pressure on the NHS to outline plans to reduce health inequalities when it publishes its long-awaited spending plan next month. Differences in health outcomes have long been a fact of life in the NHS and are generally ascribed to factors beyond the control of the health service, such as unhealthy lifestyles or poor living conditions. However, the disclosure that there is a difference in the level of service received by poorer communities casts new light on these contrasts. It is also unexpected, since the NHSs funding formula is designed to funnel more money to the neediest areas. FT Families should take grandparents on holiday, says the loneliness minister. Mims Davies wants Brits to be like the Europeans, who include OAPs more in their livesShe said communities had a moral duty to stop the elderly feeling abandoned, and urged employers to give staff more time off to care for themThis year a Gransnet survey found almost three-quarters of elderly respondents felt lonely. Ms Davies is considering plans for employers being required to allow staff time off to care for lonely relatives, much as Armed Forces reservists get time off to serve. The Sun In a trial, postmen are being deployed to check on elderly people The Times China is accused of waging war on critical academics and think-tanks in the UK A reformed China offers great hope for the future Liu Xiaoming, Daily Telegraph Americas withdrawal from the world stage is going to change all our lives Daily Telegraph Leader Academia helps advertisers to control our thoughts George Monbiot, The Guardian President Xis regime donates up to 60,000 a year to British research organisations and a Chinese state-run scholarship programme has links with 22 British universities, according to a Henry Jackson Society (HJS) report. The British foreign policy think tank has raised concerns that such activity represented a growing trend of Chinese influence operations in British public debate that has grown since 2014The HJS said that it was also alarmed by reports that the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, a Sino-British joint venture in China, had removed a British academic from its board this summer after he wrote an essay criticising Communist Party-supported programmesMicrosoft informed the HJS that the emails of its Asia expert, John Hemmings, a critic of President Xis regime, may have been compromised. Microsoft told the think tank in correspondence seen by The Times: Elements of the activity we have detected give us reason to believe it is state-sponsored. The HJS also claimed that officials from the Chinese embassy in London had turned up at its events in parliament and intimidated others attending by photographing those who asked questions critical of Beijing. The Times >Yesterday: Bob Seely on Comment: Williamson is right. China and Huawei are threats to our security. Thirty-nine people arrested over stabbing in London Police have arrested 39 people at a house party in London after a man was chased and stabbed by a gang following a row in a shop early this morning. The victim, believed to be in his mid thirties, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries after cops were called to Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, at 1amOfficers say the man had been chased by a number of suspects both men and women following an altercation in a shop. Scotland Yard say the group were then seen entering a nearby house, which was hosting a party. Police attended the address in an attempt to speak with a number of people inside but were met with resistance. A Met Police spokesperson said: As the occupants failed to co-operate with police, a total of 39 people were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The Sun Scottish police hunt convicted killer The Sun Blair attacks the false hope offered by the finger-jabbing far Left Corbyns pro-Brexit stance wont hurt him at the ballot box Stephen Bush, The Times Halfway through Burnhams mayoralty, how is he doing? Manchester Evening News Bolsonaro plans to extend gun rights in Brazil Blair was the star turn at the end-of-year fund-raiser for centrist think-tank Progress, where a copy of the 1998 Good Friday agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland, signed by Blair and former U.S. President Bill Clinton, went for 3,500. But it was Blairs words that caused the stir. Urging his followers to fight Momentum, he attacked the finger-jabbing, shouting party members trying to unseat Corbyns critics. I remember the same faces from photos from the Eighties, he added. Without naming Corbyn, he went on: These guys on the far Left are offering false hope. Theyre trying to present people with easy solutions rooted in the past, as if some resolution passed at party conference is the same as governing sensibly. I know your backs are against the wall, but if Labour is to have any future and to win again, it will be because the politics, philosophy and values of Progress ultimately succeed. Daily Mail Jair Bolsonaro, who will be sworn in as president of Brazil tomorrow, plans to guarantee the right to own a gun to people without a criminal record. Mr Bolsonaro, a former military officer who entered politics in 1988, has been campaigning to dismantle Brazils firearms legislation, which he says is expensive and overly strict. That message has appealed to many voters who want to use guns for self-defence, amid nearly 64,000 homicides last year. By decree, we plan to guarantee the ownership of firearms by citizens without criminal records, Mr Bolsonaro, who will become the countrys 38th president, wrote on Twitter at the weekend. It was not clear what mechanisms he would have at his disposal to carry out such a decree. Parliament is already discussing measures to loosen gun ownership laws that limit the sale of weapons to small calibre guns. The Times All about Brazils Bolsonomics FT Democratic institutions are the best restraint on authoritarian strongmen The Times Leader Trump freezes wages in budget battle The Times The President attacks Mueller again Daily Mail News in Brief Before this event, the PM visited the Cellular Jail and paid homage to those who were exiled and hanged as political prisoners in colonial India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for a picture in Port Blair on Sunday. Thinking about the brave heroes of our freedom struggle, who gave their lives for our freedom, PM Modi posted along with this picture in his instagram account @narendramodi. (Photo: PTI) Port Blair: 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, Mr 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 Indias 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. Mr 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 Martyrs 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. Mr Modi also visited the Marina Park here and hoisted a national flag on a 150-feet high mast, besides paying floral tribute at Netajis 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, Mr 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 Indias 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. Six years ago, the TaxPayers Alliance reported that in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories. Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts. Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply dont apply in the same number as Labour supporters. To help remedy this, every week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented. Consumer Council for Water Chair The Chair has the following leadership responsibilities: lead on formulation of the Councils strategy; leading the board in its relationship with the Executive, providing support but constructively challenging where necessary; acting as the public face of CCWater to raise its profile not only with consumers but also policy makers and government; campaigning on behalf of consumers and championing their views to Ofwat, policy makers and Government; ensuring that the board, in reaching decisions, takes proper account of guidance provided by Welsh ministers and/or the Secretary of State of appropriate departments; promoting the efficient and effective use of staff and other resources; and delivering high standards of regularity and propriety. Time: Two days per week. Remuneration: 33,280 per annum. Closes: 07 January Home Office Designate Commissioner for Domestic Abuse Domestic abuse is a terrible crime. Two million adults a year experience it, yet it remains largely hidden, as most victims do not speak to the police or other public bodies. And when they do the quality of the services which they receive will vary significantly according to where they live. Transforming the response to domestic abuse is a key priority for the Government, so we are establishing a Designate Domestic Abuse Commissioner, which will offer a unique opportunity to make a huge difference to victims and survivors of domestic abuse across England and Wales. The post holder will provide public leadership on issues of domestic abuse, ensure that the voices of victims and survivors are heard, and drive real improvements in the provision of services. Time: 2-3 days per week. Remuneration: 108,000-140,000 per annum pro rata. Closes: 07 January Ministry of Justice Victims Commissioner The Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses (Victims Commissioner or the Commissioner) is a statutory role, established in legislation under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and amended by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The Secretary of State for Justice (Justice Secretary) is responsible for appointing the Commissioner and in doing so must consult the Attorney General and Home Secretary. The role is independent of government The Commissioner may, for any purpose connected with the performance of their duties as above, make proposals to the Justice Secretary for amending the Victims Code (at the request of the Justice Secretary or on their own initiative); make a report to the Secretary of State; make recommendations to an authority within their remit and consult any person they think appropriate. Time: Full-time. Remuneration: 108,000 per annum. Closes: 11 January UK Statistics Authority Non-Executive Director The non-executive members of the Authority are responsible for: strategy: setting the overall strategic direction and vision of the Authority and its executive office, within the policy framework laid down in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007; governance: providing strong governance of the Authoritys executive office, ONS; working with executives: providing oversight, guidance and support to the National Statistician as the Chief Executive of the Authority, and the Director General for Regulation as the Authoritys principal adviser on the ongoing development and operation of the Authoritys assessment work; support and challenge: supporting and challenging the Government Statistical Service and ONS in delivering the Authoritys strategy; advocacy: acting as effective advocates and influential ambassadors for the UK Statistics Authority among key stakeholders; Independence: ensuring that the Authority remains beyond reproach on the question of independence, and reports as necessary to Parliament and the devolved legislatures Time: Two days per month minimum. Remuneration: 15,000 per annum. Closes: 18 January Prison Service Pay Review Body Chair As Chair of the Prison Service Pay Review Body you will have responsibility for working corporately with members to advise the Government annually on the pay of Governors, Operational Managers, Prison Officers and support grades in England and Wales and equivalent posts in Northern Ireland. The appointed individual should be available for Review Body duties from the end of May 2019. Candidates for the PSPRB post who are the Chair or members of other Review Bodies may apply, but would need to resign their current position if they were appointed. This role represents an influential, worthwhile and intellectually stimulating challenge. We are looking for a new Chair with senior management level experience, and a strategic/senior level understanding of unionised environments and employee relations. To help you decide if you have the qualities and skills required for this post, we have listed below the criteria that we will apply when assessing candidates. Time: ~35 days per annum. Remuneration: 350 per diem Closes: 21 January Department for International Development Independent Commissioner for Aid Impact A Board of Commissioners is being recruited to ICAI for a single four-year term from 2019. As a Commissioner you will use your professional expertise, experience and senior leadership skills to set the direction for ICAIs work, ensuring it delivers high quality, impartial scrutiny of the impact and value for money of UK aid. You will work as part of teams to generate credible assessments of UK aid spending. You will work independently to hold Government to account, reporting directly to Parliament. A full information pack, along with supporting documentation, can be found at the foot of the advert. To be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate successful leadership within your specialism with extensive experience in international development and in at least one of evaluation, audit or finance contexts as well as an understanding of public policy. Time: 70 days per annum. Remuneration: 381 per diem, plus expenses. Closes: 23 January Civil Nuclear Police Authority Independent Members The Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) is a body corporate established by the Energy Act 2004 and an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The CNPA has a statutory responsibility for maintaining an efficient and effective Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC). The CNC provides an armed response capability for the UKs civil nuclear industry, operating from units based at licensed nuclear sites throughout the UK and providing armed escorts road and marine for movements of nuclear materials within the UK and overseas. The CNPA sets the strategic direction for the CNC and ensures that its policing meets the needs of the nuclear operating companies. This could mean denying unauthorised access to nuclear material or recovering control of nuclear material lost to unauthorised persons. Time: 35 days per annum. Remuneration: 17,500 per annum. Closes: 27 January Adding calorie counts to menus has been a popular point of discussion recently. While some believe its key to pushing consumers to make healthier food choices, others are convinced the act is pointless. Though researchers have spoken out on both sides of the argument, a group of researchers from Dartmouth College recently found that restaurants that have both pictures of food and calorie counts are more likely to sway consumers ordering habits. Our findings suggest that calorie-labeling may alter responses in the brains reward system when considering food options, said researcher Andrea Courtney. Moreover, we believe that nutritional interventions are likely to be more successful if they take into account the motivation of the consumer, including whether or not they diet. The brains role The researchers had 42 undergraduates participate in the study, with students looking at nearly 200 images of food both with calorie counts and without. The group was split almost evenly between those who dieted and those who didnt, as the researchers believed the two groups would make different food choices. Everyone was shown the same images, and most of them included fast food items. While hooked up to an fMRI machine, the participants were asked to rate how much they wanted to eat the food on a scale from one to four, and then how likely theyd be to choose the food items in the dining hall on the same scale. The researchers found that both dieters and non-dieters were affected by the combination of food pictures and calorie counts. After seeing both, the participants were less likely to choose the unhealthy items. However, when the calorie counts came off the food pictures, the results were a bit different. Those who dieted regularly were more likely to continue to avoid fattier foods, whereas the non-dieters didnt have the same response. The researchers saw these results as positive, as they further prove that consumers who are looking for healthier options will continue to seek them out when calorie counts arent available. However, when calorie counts are present, they help guide consumers choices. In order to motivate people to make healthier food choices, policy changes are needed that incorporate not only nutritional information, including calorie content, but also a public education component, which reinforces the long-term benefits of a healthy diet, said researcher Kristina Rapuano. Posting calorie counts Earlier this year, chain restaurants with at least 20 stores were required to start providing customers with calorie information as part of the Affordable Care Act. Though experts went back and forth on the pros and cons of this venture, the goal was to have consumers making healthier choices when they eat out. Later in the year, researchers explored the effects of having calorie counts on menus and found that consumers were more likely to order something with fewer calories when the calorie information was in a prominent place. What this paper shows is that a trivially simple intervention could increase the power of calorie information on menus, said researcher Steven Dallas. The calorie labeling policy should not necessarily be deemed a failure, and could in fact become a powerful tool in combating the obesity epidemic. 12/31/2018 Photo (c) Tzogia Kappatou - Getty Images Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has reached a settlement with Pulte Homes that resolves mounting complaints about residential home construction at several developments in the state. The consent decree resolves Bondis two-year investigation that resulted in the state charging the homebuilder with violations of Floridas Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act. According to the complaint, Pulte didnt make required disclosures to homebuyers and denied warranty coverage that should have been provided. Pulte, in fact, has spent a lot of money repairing Florida homes in recent years. Bondi says that the company spent at least $64 million to correct a wide range of defects before and during her investigation. In her complaint, Bondi charged that Pulte failed to disclose that some homes contained elements that did not meet applicable building codes. In some instances, she charged that Pulte denied warranty coverage by blaming lack of maintenance for the damage, when it was in fact attributable to improper construction techniques. Orlando condo owners take action In November, the Orlando Sentinel reported a dispute by homeowners in a Pulte townhome development in Central Florida resulted in an independent inspection before the case went to arbitration. The newspaper reports the inspectors documented construction defects in at least 70 of the developments 140 homes. A spokesman for Pulte said the builder will work toward resolving all homeowner disputes. As a result of the settlement with Bondis office, Pulte has agreed to repair homes that are up to 10 years-old and meet the criteria set out in the consent decree. In addition, the company has agreed to pay $4.7 million to homeowners to compensate them for out-of-pocket expenses for repair work. Bondi says that as her investigation unfolded, Pulte spent $10 million to upgrade building materials, improve building techniques, and increase training of its employees and subcontractors in Florida. The complaint puts the total of Pulte spending to provide relief to homeowners at $78.7 million. We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds.. The site you specified has a disallow rule. At the origin of the Internet links were basically a signal of "likes". In a way, so likes, tweets and shares have now the natural explicit meaning of links. CoolSocial is an analyzer you can use to improve your site social media impact. You can also check for your competitors. Rahul doesnt even have learners licence to drive alliance wagon: Naqvi New Delhi: 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 doesnt even have a learners licence and could drive it into a ditch. Mr 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. Mr Naqvi said that the NC chief is an experienced politician and senior people should understand that the person sitting on the drivers seat of the alliances wagon does not even have a learners 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. Mr 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 Modis naam (name), this time we are fighting the polls on his kaam (work), the Rajya Sabha MP said. Staff at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines have celebrated the end of a successful 2018, which has seen the company boast record sales and launch its first-ever dedicated river cruise ship, according to a statement. Staff came together at Fred. Olsens Head Office, Fred. Olsen House, in Ipswich, Suffolk, to raise a glass to a number of successful campaigns in 2018. This year also saw the most successful Monday in the cruise lines history on Nov. 19 2018, when total sales reached nearly 1.6million. The year also marked the company's 170th year in shipping, inspiring the historic coming together of Fred. Olsens ocean fleet Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch as they united for only the second time in the cruise lines history, at its Captains in Cadiz celebration. 2018 was also a milestone year for Fred. Olsen, as it launched its first dedicated river cruise ship, 156-guest Brabant, serving the Rhine, Main, Moselle and Danube rivers across Europe. Mike Rodwell, Managing Director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: 2018 has been a year of many triumphs for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. For the first time ever, we are able to offer our guests holidays along some of Europes finest rivers, as well as the worlds most impressive oceans, and we have witnessed the spectacle of our magnificent fleet docked side-by-side at our historic Captains in Cadiz event. The number of awards that we have won this year is a true testament to the dedication and hard work that all of our staff both here onshore and across our fleet invest into creating unique and exciting holidays for our guests. We have an awful lot to be proud of, and I cant think of a better way to see out my final year as Managing Director, after an incredible three decades with Fred. Olsen! The addition of Brabant, along with continuous development of its itineraries and the completion of its extensive multi-million-Pound refurbishment across it ocean fleet, have proved fruitful for Fred. Olsen, with guest numbers up by more than 10 percent on 2017, the company said. The company;s December cruise sale saw a 25 percent bump in sales, and river itineraries are well booked for 2019, according to a press release. Among new itineraries, guests heading to the Caribbean will be able to visit La Romana in the Dominican Republic with Fred. Olsen for the first time. Those looking to make a little more out of their holiday will also be able to give something back to communities in Dominica and St Lucia with the cruise lines new voluntourism experiences. In May 2019, Braemar is also set to break a world record, when the 196-meter-long ship will become the largest ever to travel through the size-restricted Corinth Canal, in Greece. 73-year-old ex-Congress leader was sentenced to life for 'remainder of his natural life' by Delhi HC on Dec 17. Sajjan Kumar was convicted and sentenced in killing of 5 Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area of Palam Colony in southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Monday surrendered before a Delhi court to serve life sentence in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which he was convicted by the Delhi High Court. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg. The 73-year-old former Congress leader was sentenced to life for the "remainder of his natural life" by the Delhi High Court on December 17. It had set a deadline of December 31 for Kumar to surrender. The high court had on December 21 declined his plea to extend the time of his surrender by a month. He has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the conviction and the life sentence awarded by the high court. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area of Palam Colony in southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984, and burning down of a gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. Norwegian Cruise Line today announced a new value-added initiative allowing guests to enjoy all six Free at Sea options at no cost. In celebration of an incredible year for our brand, including the unprecedented and incredibly successful debut of Norwegian Bliss, we are so pleased to offer our guests all six Free at Sea options across many of the ships in our fleet, said Andy Stuart, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. Were ready to cruise into the new year providing guests the best vacation possible, allowing them to create unforgettable experiences with friends, family and loved ones. Following its recent offer for 2019 Norwegian Joy cruises, the company launched Norwegians New Year Big Savings promotion available on many of its ships across its fleet. All guests who book a balcony stateroom or higher category stateroom will receive a beverage package, shore excursion credits, a specialty dining package, and an internet package, all for free, the company announced. Guests can also take advantage of the free and reduced airfare initiative as well as Norwegians Friends and Family Sail Free option, which allows the third and fourth guests in a stateroom to sail complimentary. Norwegians New Year Big Savings initiative, which equals up to $4,000 in savings, is available through Jan. 2, 2018. Bob Brier, considered one of the worlds foremost Egyptologists, will be offering a free talk, Excavating Egyptomania, at the Pequot Library in Fairfields Southport section. From Napoleons Egyptian Campaign to Howard Carters discovery of the intact tomb of Tutankhamun, Brier will talk about events and discoveries that fanned the flames of Egyptomania, the library said in a news release. The Tuesday, Jan. 8, program will demonstrate how the love of all things Egypt has influenced art and culture from the 19th century to today, the library said. As senior research fellow at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, Brier conducts pioneering research in mummification practices and has investigated some of the worlds most famous mummies, including King Tut, Vladimir Lenin, Ramesses the Great, Eva Peron, Marquise of Tai and the Medici family of Renaissance Italy. In 1994 Brier became the first person in 2,000 years to mummify a human cadaver using the exact techniques of the ancient Egyptians. This research was the subject of a National Geographic TV special titled Mr. Mummy. His research has been featured on CNN, 60 Minutes and in The New York Times. Brier has also hosted several award-winning television specials for TLC, including Pyramids, Mummies & Tombs and Mummy Detective. More recently, National Geographic TV presented his research in a documentary called The Secret of the Great Pyramid that presents a new theory of how the Great Pyramid of Giza was built. Briers book Cleopatras Needles: The Lost Obelisks of Egypt was published in 2016. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Jan. 22, guests are invited to enjoy an outing in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour: Egyptian Art from noon to 3 p.m. Meet Pequot staff at noon at the Petrie Court Cafe to enjoy a light lunch before a guided tour of the Mets Egyptian art collection, including the special exhibition Nedjemankh and His Gilded Coffin. Discover the aesthetic values, history, religious beliefs, and daily life of the ancient Egyptians. The cost is $85 per person and includes lunch and a guided tour. Participants must arrange their own transportation. Registration is required by Friday, Jan. 11. Pequot Library, 720 Pequot Ave., Fairfields Southport section. Tuesday, Jan. 8, 7 p.m. Free. 203-259-0346, ext. 115; pequotlibrary.org DANBURY State police and local officials would not release any more details Monday about a police shooting that left one man dead and a woman injured over the weekend. A Danbury officer shot and killed a man who charged at the officer with a knife during an incident Saturday night at the Glen Apartments, a senior housing complex near Rogers Park, according to an initial state police report. A woman living in the apartment, who is related to the man, also was injured during the incident. Officials would not comment on her health Monday. The shooting is the first involving a Danbury police officer in at least 20 years. Several shooting incidents involving police around the state over the past two years, and repeated high profile controversies across the country, have cast a national spotlight on how often and who officers shoot. Both state and local police remained tight-lipped about the exact circumstances surrounding the shooting Monday, citing an ongoing investigation into the officers use of force. State police routinely wait several days or more than a week to identify the victims or officers involved in a police shooting. Police officers responded to the apartments on Memorial Drive in Danbury around 9:30 p.m. for a report of suspicious man. After a brief confrontation, the officer tried to use a Taser but it was ineffective. When the man charged while holding a knife, the officer fired multiple rounds and hit the man at least once, according to the initial police report. The woman was injured when the shots were fired, but Mayor Mark Boughton said earlier she was expected to be OK. Boughton and hospital officials declined to comment on the womans medical condition Monday. Out of respect to her family and next of kin, I just cant release any more about that, Boughton said. Boughton and police would not confirm the identity of either the woman or the man, although law enforcement sources suggested the man was known to officers and has an extensive record with the law. Attempts to reach the woman and mans family members were unsuccessful Monday. Officials also would not identify the officer involved. The Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime Squad is investigating at the request of the states attorneys office, which will determine whether the shooting was justified. Boughton and law enforcement sources argued prosecutors will confirm the officer fired in self defense. Danbury Police policies require a minimum 72 administrative leave for an officer involved in a shooting to evaluate the incident and the officers physical and mental health after the incident, Chief Patrick Ridenhour said. After that period ends, administrators and the officer decide together whether the officer should turn to duty or stay on leave. Depending on the results of the state attorneys review, the department could conduct an internal investigation to determine whether any department policies were broken, Ridenhour said. Local training officers also will examine the circumstances of the incident to decide if there are any lessons to incorporate into officer training. You always want to take a look at any type of force, whether its a taser or physical force or, unfortunately in this case, lethal force to see if there are any training issues we need to address, Ridenhour said. The state attorneys office investigations typically take months to complete and details about police shooting incidents are often withheld until the conclusion of that report. The state attorneys office took more than a year to conclude in a report, released two weeks ago, that a New Milford police officer was justified when he fatally shot a man during a brief standoff in August 2017. In that case, state police waited a week to identify the victim and officer involved in that shooting. Prosecutors also took more than nine months to conclude in January 2018 that a Bridgeport police officer was justified when he shot and killed 15-year-old Jayson Negron in early May 2017. That incident led to emotional protests throughout 2017, with activists decrying the investigation, its duration and ultimately its conclusions. Danbury police are expected to compose their report on Saturday nights incident after the holiday this week. State police would not give a time frame on when investigators would release more information. zach.murdock@hearstmediact.com From disease-ridden mosquitoes to hospital mergers and acquisitions, health and health care were in the news a lot in 2018. Here are some of the major health stories that made headlines in the state (and, in some cases, beyond) in 2018. 1. The Flu: The 2017-18 flu season was a brutal one nationwide, and it was particularly rough in Connecticut. There were 154 flu-related deaths in the state last season, making it the deadliest flu season in five years. Those who died included at least three young children. Nationwide, more than 80,000 people died from flu last year. At least part of the reason the last flu season was so difficult was that last seasons flu vaccine was, on average, only 36 percent effective at preventing flu infections. This flu season has not yet spiked, but activity has started to pick up, and there have been at least three flu-associated deaths this season. 2. Hospitals and health systems cut deals: Theres no denying 2018 was a big year for hospitals and health systems in the state either swallowing each other up, or getting swallowed by new, and, in some cases bigger, owners. In March, Ascension Health announced it had started the process of selling St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport to Hartford HealthCare. Shortly after that, Western Connecticut Health Network which includes Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford hospitals announced it would join forces with Health Quest Systems, a four-hospital group in New York, to form a $2.4 billion medical system. In June, Milford Hospital announced it was planning to merge with Bridgeport Hospital, part of the Yale New Haven Health System. Such deal-making is becoming the norm in the health care industry, said an expert quoted in a story about the Bridgeport-Milford plan. Its very unusual to see a standalone hospital any more, said Angela Mattie, professor and chairwoman of Quinnipiac Universitys Department of Healthcare Management and Organizational Leadership, during a June interview. For the most part, its just not fiscally possible. 3. West Nile Virus: The state had its worst season ever for the mosquito-borne West Nile virus in 2018, with at least 23 human cases of the illness and one death of a West Haven resident. The death was the first West Nile-linked fatality in the state since 2006. Its possible that one of the 23 human cases of West Nile was acquired in Rhode Island, not Connecticut, but the victim was a Connecticut resident, and the state still had a record number of human cases. West Nile virus is primarily spread to humans and animals through mosquito bites. The illness has been detected in the state every year since 1999. 4. Open enrollment and the battle for affordable health care: It was a crucial year for the Affordable Care Act the sweeping health reform legislation known as Obamacare as it was the first where there was no financial penalty for not enrolling in health insurance coverage for the following year. Those who didnt enroll in an insurance plan in 2018 will have to pay a penalty of either 2.5 percent of their yearly household income or $695 per person (and $347.50 per child) whichever is higher when they file their 2018 tax returns. But the penalty was eliminated for 2019 under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This was seen as an attempt by President Donald Trump, who has long been an opponent of the Affordable Care Act, to undercut the legislation. The open enrollment period was also intended to be the shortest to date, running from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. But, in mid-December, the states health insurance exchange, Access Health CT, announced it was extending the deadline to Jan. 15. 5. Fighting the opioid crisis: Opioid overdoses and deaths continued to be a major problem both nationwide and in Connecticut in 2018. According to the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, there were projected to be 1,030 accidental drug intoxication deaths in 2018. If those numbers turn out to be accurate, they represent a slight decrease from 2017, when there were 1,038 such deaths. Still, hospitals, emergency responders and others worked to stem the crisis. In April, the Connecticut Hospital Association, the Connecticut State Medical Society and the Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians endorsed an updated set of voluntary opioid prescribing guidelines to help emergency medical staff treat patients with chronic pain conditions. Individual hospitals also took on prevention and education efforts, including Griffin Hospital, which, in February, hosted free training on how to identify an overdose, how to administer naloxone (a medication, also known as Narcan, used to combat overdoses), and other important information. In September, the state even received $22 million in federal grant money over two years to, among other things, buy 10,000 doses of naloxone and distribute them throughout the state. MILFORD-Police arrested a 34-year-old Massachusetts man for kidnapping and assault a woman with a razor blade. Police were dispatched just before 8 a.m. Dec. 30 to Woodmont Road near the I-95 off ramp after a woman was seen walking away from a car. The car was stopped and the investigation led to the arrest of Carlos Rosario-Infante, of Holyoke, Mass. Rosario-Infante is being detained on $190,000 bond pending an appearance in Milford Superior Court. He was charged with kidnapping, threatening and assault all in the first-degree. Additionally police filed charges of disorderly conduct and possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle. The victim said she was driven from Massachusetts to Connecticut. During the ride she accused Rosario-Infante of cutting her several times with a razor blade and claiming he was going to kill her. Police found a BB gun near the console of Rosario-Infantes car. A New Haven man was arrested shortly after midnight Sunday after allegedly leading state police on a high-speed chase and hitting a Guilford police vehicle. According to state police, a trooper was conducting motor vehicle stops at Interstate 95 at exit 67 in Old Saybrook when he reportedly saw a vehicle driving at 93 to 94 miles per hour. The trooper allegedly pulled behind the vehicle and attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop. However, police said, the car driven by Jayronn Sessions, 28, of New Haven accelerated at a high rate of speed, engaging the trooper in pursuit. The accused reportedly continued southbound on 95, traveling between 95 and 105, using all lanes travel. More troopers reportedly joined the pursuit, and police said stop sticks were used and successfully deflate one of Sessionss tires. However, Sessions reportedly continued southbound, taking exit 55 and heading northbound on Route 1 in Branford. Police said Sessions then continued into Guilford, where he made a u-turn, then headed back toward Branford. While heading toward Branford, Sessions allegedly struck a Guilford Police vehicle and came to a stop. He then reportedly got out of the vehicle and fled on foot. Eventually, a trooper with the help of a K-9 officer, Guilford police and other state troopers apprehended Sessions, police said. Sessions was sent to the Guilford Yale Clinic for evaluation and there were reportedly no injuries. Police said the pursuit lasted about 22 minutes and covered 29.7 miles. Sessions was found to have four outstanding warrants with bonds totalling $80,000. He was charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle with license under suspension, reckless driving (for operating a vehicle at more than 85 miles per hour), operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, failure to drive in the proper lane, failure to obey traffic signals, interfering with an officer and first-degree reckless endangerment. He was held on $20,000 bond for those charges which, in combination with the outstanding warrants, brought his total bond to $100,000. Sessions is scheduled to be arraigned at Middletown Superior Court on Monday. BRIDGEPORT Brandon Roberts, a comic book-like Joker tattoo on the left side of his neck, stood before a judge Monday morning to faced charges in the murder of a young Bethel woman he met online. These are very serious allegations, said Senior Assistant States Attorney Kevin Dunn, as the 26-year-old Roberts stood staring at the courtroom floor. Superior Court Judge Eugene Calistro Jr. agreed and ordered Roberts held in lieu of $2 million bond. There is a risk of flight and I find he has no ties to the community, the judge added. Calistro continued the case to Jan. 15 and, at the urging of Assistant Public Defender Joanna Carloni, ordered Roberts to undergo mental health evaluation and treatment. A 2002 graduate of Ansonia High School, Roberts grew up in Ansonia and Bridgeport and still has family in the area, Carloni told the judge. Roberts, who was arrested at his fathers home in Ohio, is charged with murder, felony murder, first-degree robbery, using a firearm in the commission of a felony and carrying a pistol without a permit. He is accused of shooting 25-year-old Emily Todd in the back of the head near the boat ramp on Seaview Avenue in Bridgeport on Dec. 9. Police said Roberts confessed to killing Todd and to shooting another woman in Washington Park in 2017. Several members of Todds family were in the courtroom Monday, but they declined comment. Todd, a therapist at a Danbury senior center, was found lying face down in the sand along the shore. She was fully dressed and appeared to be wearing a long, blond wig. She had been shot in the back of the head and a single spent bullet shell casing was found near her feet, police said. Police said Todds mother later told detectives that her daughter had met Roberts, who was staying with relatives at a Stratford hotel, through an online dating app. After several dates, police said, Todd called off the relationship. But they said Roberts convinced Todd to meet him one more time, luring her to the area of the boat ramp. Police said that after killing her, Roberts took Todds car, cell phone and credit cards. Video surveillance from the day of the shooting showed Roberts driving Todds car into the drive through at the Peoples United Bank in Trumbull, where officers said, he used Todds debit card to withdraw $400 from Todds bank account. Police raided the Stratford hotel room after finding Todds car in the parking lot. However, they said, Roberts uncle told them that Roberts had left without saying goodbye. When the uncle later called Roberts to let him know police were looking for him, police said Roberts told the uncle sorry unc, and hung up. Police arrested Roberts at his fathers home in Shaker Heights, Ohio, on Dec. 14, without incident. He was held in jail in Ohio before his extradition to Connecticut late last week. The year 2018 will go down as another year of budget cuts for many public school districts in the state, but thats nothing new. It is something Bridgeport has endured for years and which many other local districts are starting to get a taste of, with state finances the way they are. Despite that, the year just ending brought the area new buildings, new leaders and a swell of student activism sparked by yet another deadly school shooting. The mass shooting took place in Parkland, Fla., on Valentines Day, but it helped thousands of young people across the nation to galvanize and find their voice. New activism On March 14, students across southwestern Connecticut and across the nation walked out of class to show solidarity. Among the march organizers were students from Newtown. Some like Jackson Mittleman, said it was like taking care of unfinished business. The walkout was followed by a second in April, then a summerlong push that began in Chicago and ended in Newtown to encourage more young people to register to vote in Novembers midterm election. The effort seemingly paid off when 31 percent of voters ages 18 to 29 cast ballots, according to a Tufts University study, a turnout 10 percent higher than for the 2014 midterms. New tensions The strain of funding the rising cost of education exposed strained relations in at least two Naugatuck Valley communities. In Ansonia, a disagreement over what the city is legally obligated to contribute toward the education of the school districts 2,304 students last spring led to a threat by Schools Superintendent Carol Merlone to end the school year early. She did not follow through with the threat, but the matter and a contested $600,000 in city funding ended up in court and is subject to a state Board of Education inquiry, which will be held in Hartford on Jan. 3. In Shelton, city and school officials also went to court over school buses. The city owns a fleet of them, but Mayor Mark Lauretti threatened not to let the school system use the propane-fueled buses after the district awarded a new contract to a private vendor instead of the city. School officials say they had no other choice because the city failed to offer a specific plan or price for transporting some 3,500 students to school each day. Just before the start of school last fall, a compromise was reached that will turn the operation over to the city in the 2019-20 school year. New economies Buses also played into Stratford school finances. After spending two decades transporting elementary students all over town in the name of maintaining a state-mandated racial balance in its schools, the school board voted last spring to convert Stratford Academy Magnet School into a neighborhood school, sending nearly 1,000 students districtwide back to their home schools and helping the district reduce the number of buses it used. Some parents protested, but the change took effect anyway. New alliances? Finite resources was also the driving force behind a committee formed to see if the Derby and Ansonia school districts should become one. The committee hired a consultant this fall and will spend much of 2019 figuring out if a merger makes sense before taking the findings to votes. New digs While short on operating funds, new schools were opened in several communities. In Bridgeport, a brand new $107 million Harding High School opened a half mile away from the original building on Bond Street in the citys East Side. After several years of renovation, Central High School in the city also was declared good as new. Meanwhile, the Monday after Thanksgiving, the 963 students at Stratford High School relocated to a new building on the other side of Kings Street, signaling a major milestone in that $126 million project. Much of the existing 1925 building is being torn down and replaced with a new auditorium and other spaces that connect to the new main building via a breezeway. In the fall, Housatonic Community College cut the ribbon on a renovation and expansion of Lafayette Hall while Sacred Heart University began settling into the former General Electric headquarters on Easton Turnpike in Fairfield, dubbing it the West Campus. Across town, Fairfield University started the 2018-19 academic year with a new residence hall, 42 Langguth. Recognitions In October, the state named its 2019 Teacher of the Year, Sheena Graham, a music teacher at Harding High School in Bridgeport. Graham will represent the state in a national Teacher of the Year competition. Finalists will be named in January. Rejections In April, the New England Association of Schools and College issued a strongly worded rebuke of a plan to merge the states 12 community colleges into one. The so-called Students First plan was promoted as a way to save money. The accrediting body called the plan unrealistic. Many who objected to the change saw the plan as ill-conceived and stripping the institutions of their community identity. Undeterred, system president Mark Ojakian pledged to proceed with the plan in smaller doses. For the time being, he has kept in place staff sharing, with Housatonic Community College President Paul Broadie also serving as interim president at Gateway Community College in New Haven. Comings and goings The year saw new leadership at some area colleges and announced departures at others. The University of Bridgeport found a replacement for retiring President Neil Salonen in Laura Skandera Trombley, who took office in July. She quickly announced an academic reorganization that merged 14 distinct schools and programs into a three-college structure. In doing so, a number of dean positions were eliminated. Quinnipiac University in Hamden also saw new leadership, when longtime president John Lahey passed the baton to Judy Olian in July. Meanwhile, University of Connecticut President Susan Herbst announced right after commencement in May that she would step down in a years time not to retire, but to return to the classroom, and at the UConn-Stamford campus. The university is expected to name her successor as soon as January. Alex Bergstein joins the Connecticut Senate next week as a curiosity in the large new class of Democrats: She is a Greenwich Democrat, the first elected to the state Senate since the mid-term elections of 1930, when Republicans were wounded by a deepening Depression and an unpopular Herbert Hoover. One of nine freshman Democrats, Bergstein and her classmates offer an opportunity for a reboot of a frequently dysfunctional Democratic caucus, weakened by personal and philosophical conflicts and an evenly divided chamber. With a net gain of five seats, Democrats won a solid 23-13 majority in November. The new class has two women on opposite sides of the debate over how Connecticut should shrink its massive unfunded pension liabilities Julie Kushner of Danbury, a former UAW official and one-time leader of the leftist Working Families Party, and Bergstein, one of the Democrats not cross-endorsed by the WFP. Were still in the stage of getting to know one another, Bergstein said. I have a deep respect for my colleagues, and I want to learn from them and their perspectives from Christine Cohen; a small business owner; from Julie Kushner, a formidable labor leader. Were all fighting for the same thing, which is fairness and opportunity and security for every one. Bergstein, 51, once practiced law at the white-shoe law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, stepping away from corporate law to raise three children. Currently, she is a Ph.D candidate in environmental science at Yale. Her husband is a Morgan Stanley investment banker. Her mother was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in New Jersey in 1984. When she first considered a run for the Senate, Bergstein was an unaffiliated voter. She enrolled as a Democrat in April. I would truly say that I am not partisan, Bergstein said. I am just focused on solving problems for the greater good and crafting long-term solutions based on best practices, based on actual fact. You know, doing what were supposed to do, what grownups are supposed to do for the benefit of children in the next generation, which is being the wise elders. Bergstein said the state needs to stabilize its finances and grow its economy, two broader issues that she sees making the state more attractive to business investment and modernizing an aging transportation infrastructure that threatens to choke the Fairfield County economy. She co-authored a Bloomberg opinion piece in August that suggests a radical new approach to public pensions in the U.S. negotiating a shared risk plan with unions that would guarantee a base level of benefits for retirees and higher benefits if regular stress tests show the pension funds can support them. A coalition of state-employee unions agreed to concessions in 2011 and 2017 that imposed pay freezes, raised the retirement age, increased employee contributions for pensions and health care, and created a hybrid pension/defined-contribution plan for future employees. But Bergstein says the benefits still are not sustainable. Bergstein said Kushner already has called her on the language shes used in describing a need for pension reform. I said something like we have to address the pension crisis with bold, structural fixes not just little temporary fixes, and very calmly she said, Alex, you may have meant that well, but people who have already taken cuts dont think about them as little fixes. I immediately apologized. Point taken. The median pension for retired state employees was $32,108 as of November, but more than 1,000 retirees have six-figure pensions, with a few topping $250,000. So, will I have different views than my colleagues in the caucus? Absolutely, Bergstein said. And thats OK, because were building trust, were building respect for one another, and we will agree on many more things than we disagree on. Three of the five freshman Democrats who won Republican seats are from suburban districts with significant numbers of college-educated, relatively affluent voters, a demographic that rejected President Trump in 2016 and effectively rebuked him in the 2018 mid-terms. Bergstein is one, defeating Republican L. Scott Frantz in a district that covers Greenwich and portions of Stamford and New Canaan. Another is Will Haskell of Westport, a 22-year-old Georgetown University graduate who unseated Republican Toni Boucher in the other big Fairfield County upset. The third is Norm Needleman, a wealthy business owner and Essex first selectman who won an open race for a seat that had been held by Republican Art Linares. Bergstein and Needleman largely self-funded their campaigns. Final reports are not yet filed, but as of last count Bergstein had loaned her campaign $260,000; Needleman spent at least $426,000. Haskell participated in the voluntary public financing program. Kushner and Mary Daugherty Abrams of Meriden also unseated Republicans: Kushner beat Michael McLachlan in a long-held GOP district composed of Danbury and the suburbs of Bethel, New Fairfield and Sherman; Abrams, a former special-education teacher and school administrator, defeated Len Suzio in a district that seesaws between the parties. Kushner, 66, who says she never entertained seeking elective office before this year, described the incoming freshman Democrats as people who are absolutely willing to have deep conversations about whats better for us as a state. I feel excited about that, she added. Ive enjoyed my conversations with Alex about that. The other new Democrats are: Christine Cohen of Guilford, a former Stanley Black & Decker executive who owns Cohens Bagel Company; Matt Lesser of Middletown, now a state representative; Dennis Bradley of Bridgeport, a lawyer and school board member; and James Maroney of Milford, an educational consultant and former state representative. I dont think we have any wallflowers in our caucus room, said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said Bergstein will not be the first voice in the caucus offering a more conservative view on state finances and taxation. But over the past two years, a trio of fiscal conservatives felt marginalized, and they ultimately voted with Republicans to block a Democratic budget. Gayle Slossberg of Milford and Paul Doyle of Wethersfield did not seek re-election. Joan Hartley of Waterbury remains. Attorney General George Jepsen, a former state Senate majority leader, said the chamber is a relatively intimate institution, where the tone and effectiveness of the majority rest on personal relationships, not just politics and policy. It will be interesting to see how this group comes together, given the diversity of their backgrounds, Jepsen said. Having grown up in Greenwich, represented Stamford and worked politics at that end of the state, I never dreamed there would be a Democrat from Greenwich or Westport. Karan Chowdhary was attacked and threatened by a man at gunpoint on Sunday near a petrol pump in Delhi's Shahdara. A CCTV footage showed that Chowdhary did his best to thwart the attack by the man. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: A student foiled an attempt to loot him after he was attacked and threatened by a man at gunpoint on Sunday near a petrol pump in Delhi's Shahdara. Karan Chowdhary, who has been praised for his brave attempt, said he left for his institute at 6 am on Sunday and stopped his bike midway to fill petrol, according to news agency ANI. When he moved a few steps ahead from the petrol pump, he was attacked by a man who asked for his motorcycle's keys at gunpoint. A CCTV footage showed that Chowdhary did his best to thwart the attack by the man. "He asked me to give him my bike keys but I refused to do so. I stepped down from my bike and ran away from the spot to seek help from people at the petrol pump; they all refused to help and went away from there and locked themselves in a room," the student said. "However, I fought with the miscreant all alone and snatched a pistol from his hands. Then he immediately ran away," he added. Chowdhary said there were three-four people on the other side of the road. Erie has a child care 'crisis.' But help could be on the way Showdown likely as Opposition parties are determined to refer it to a joint select panel, but govt wants to get it passed in the House. New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha was all set to witness a faceoff between the government and the Opposition over the triple talaq bill on this years last day, with both sides determined to slug it out over their respective stands. The Opposition is determined to send the bill to a joint select committee, while the BJP-led government is insistent on passing it in the Upper House, though it is short of a majority there. The treasury benches and the Opposition have issued whips to their members to be present on Monday when the bill is taken up in the Rajya Sabha. It was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, with 245 votes in favour and 11 opposed. The Congress and some other parties had staged a walkout as the bill was being passed. The Opposition parties, led by the Congress, will hold an early morning meeting on Monday at Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azads chamber in Parliament. Sources said a resolution has been prepared by the Opposition seeking to refer the bill to a select committee that has been signed by at least 12 parties, including the Trinamul Congress, Congress, CPI(M), CPI, DMK, TDP, RJD and some others. The AIADMK, which has of late largely been pro-government, has also opposed the bill. Sources said the Opposition is also likely to raise the issue of an earlier bill that was turned into an ordinance but has not been withdrawn from the Rajya Sabha yet. If this government thinks it can bulldoze all legislation through, we will not let that happen. All institutions are being destroyed, including parliamentary procedures. We are not going into the merits and demerits of the bill, we want it to go for further scrutiny, said Derek OBrien, leader of the Trinamul Congress Parliamentary Party. The government, however, appeared equally determined to make its point by trying to pass the bill. I appreciate the maturity of the Rajya Sabha and the sensitivity of the issue. We believe well get support in the Rajya Sabha, law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. The bill seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims. 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 on a complaint from the wife. WASHINGTON President Trumps decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Syria is already having unintended consequences. The U.S. departure could lead to the release of 1,100 Islamic State fighters now held in detention camps in northeastern Syria creating a dangerous new terrorist threat to the West. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) the Kurdish and Arab proxy forces whom the United States armed and trained to fight the Islamic State do not have the capacity to guard and feed so many terrorists without U.S. support. And The Post reports that their home countries are refusing to repatriate their citizens, citing the risk that they would spread radical ideology or perhaps carry out attacks back home. If the SDF is abandoned by its U.S. patrons, it might have no choice but to release them. How much damage could these terrorists cause? To put it in perspective, the Islamic State had only about 700 fighters left when President Barack Obama withdrew U.S. forces from Iraq in 2011 yet from that tiny nucleus, the Islamic State grew into the worlds largest, most powerful terrorist network, until Trump unleashed our military to beat the group back. Imagine what destruction an influx of 1,100 terrorists into the global ecosystem could wreak. The Islamic State detainees hail from 32 countries, including many believed to be from Europe. As a Syrian Kurdish foreign affairs official noted, the U.S. withdrawal would create a security vacuum that these criminals could exploit to escape and pose a danger to all of us, adding that they could make their way back to their home countries and carry out bombings. The optimal solution would be for Trump to reconsider his withdrawal plan so that we can keep these detainees in Syria under the watchful eye of U.S. intelligence and Special Operations forces. But there is also another possible solution one that would help the president keep another campaign promise: Send them to Guantanamo Bay. In January, President Trump issued an executive order that authorized the U.S. military and intelligence community to transport additional detainees to U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay when lawful and necessary to protect the Nation. During his State of the Union address, Trump asked Congress to ensure that, in the fight against ISIS and al-Qaida, we continue to have all the necessary power to detain terrorists wherever we chase them down, wherever we find them. And in many cases for them it will now be Guantanamo Bay. In March, Congress responded by approving more than $200 million in new construction for Guantanamo Bay as part of the omnibus spending bill. And this spring, the Pentagon formally authorized the station to receive new detainees who pose a continuing, significant threat. Transfer to Guantanamo is a less than optimal solution, because right now high-value detainees held on the battlefield in Syria do not have access to lawyers and cannot challenge their detentions in court which means they can be effectively interrogated for intelligence purposes. But once transferred to Guantanamo, they would immediately get lawyers and the right of habeas corpus which dramatically reduces their intelligence value. Instead of transferring these terrorists, we should keep them where they are and continue supporting the SDF until the estimated 30,000 Islamic State fighters still at large in Iraq or Syria are all killed or captured. But this much is clear: We cannot allow more than a thousand dangerous terrorists to be released into the world so that they can return to the fight. Marc A. Thiessen is syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group. Surjewala alleged that the government was pressuring Michel to make false claims against the Gandhis. New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday said that it was fully committed to probing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government's "collusion" with AgustaWestland if it comes to power in 2019 even as it termed the Enforcement Directorate as an embarrassing disaster under the present dispensation. The Party claimed that after the BJP came to power at the Centre, the Defence Ministry lifted the ban on AgustaWestland which had been imposed during UPA reign and allowed it to bid for 100 naval utility helicopters. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said: "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". "Under Modi, the ED has become an embarrassing disaster". On Friday, ED, which was investigating the AgustaWestland case, told a court that accused middleman Christian Michel has made a reference to "Mrs Gandhi". Mr Surjewala alleged that the government was pressuring Michel to make false claims against the Gandhis. He dared it to place in the public domain any such evidence it has against the Congress leadership and accused the government of trying to hide its own "collusion" in AgustaWestland case. "They are using Christian Michel as a sounding board to defend its own wrong doings and misdeeds, he added. Panicking and running scared, PM Modi and his government are now raking up controversies to hide its own government's connivance," he said adding it is now clear that the 'chowkidaar is daagdaar' (the watchman is tainted). The tinsel is still hanging on the Christmas tree and Brexit plotting is supposed to be on hold, but senior Conservative politicians have been out in force in recent days as they anticipate a possible New Year leadership race. Until last week Sajid Javid was having a good year. Appointed Home Secretary after the Windrush scandal, he was widely seen as having handled the issue well. So far had his star risen that several bookmakers made him favourite to succeed Theresa May, if she is a casualty of Brexit. But, like many of his predecessors in the Home Office, Mr Javid has discovered why this department has long been seen as a political graveyard. Until last week Sajid Javid was having a good year. Appointed Home Secretary after the Windrush scandal, he was widely seen as having handled the issue well Over Christmas, reports began to mount of Iranian migrants taking advantage of the unusually calm seas and mild weather to cross the Channel in small boats and claim asylum in Britain. On Friday, with the latest reports of boats arriving and numbers growing, pressure mounted. Stung into action late that afternoon, the Home Office released a statement saying that Mr Javid had declared the situation a major incident and taken control of the response. But what didnt become public until Saturday morning, when it appeared on the Mails front page, was that Mr Javid was on holiday at the time with his family in South Africa. This raised more than a few eyebrows in Westminster. How could he be in charge of the crisis from 6,000 miles away, MPs asked. Allies of other leadership candidates twisted the knife, suggesting the incident raised questions about his judgment. To compound his misery, its not the first time Mr Javid has been abroad at a time of crisis. In March 2016, as Business Secretary, he faced calls to quit for being in Australia when tens of thousands of jobs were at risk at the Port Talbot steelworks. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced the opening of two new military bases and called for more optimism about Britains post-Brexit future By Saturday afternoon, reporters were briefed that Mr Javid would be returning home from South Africa, apparently fearing a similar backlash. In the Sunday papers, anonymous MPs compared him to Macavity, TS Eliots disappearing cat, and a character from Dads Army. Reports even suggested that Downing Street would have hauled him back if he had not come voluntarily. Among allies of Mrs May, there was a degree of satisfaction at what one called a misguided decision to put himself centre stage of the crisis. The Home Secretary has caused dismay at No 10 in recent weeks by pushing for a softer line on immigration and by publicly distancing himself from the Governments tens of thousands migration target. Its safe to say many in Downing Street will enjoy his discomfort. Meanwhile, other contenders for the Tory crown have been brandishing their leadership credentials. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced the opening of two new military bases and called for more optimism about Britains post-Brexit future. Pictured in his office at the Ministry of Defence, in front of a portrait of Winston Churchill and a Union flag, he even offered Mr Javid the support of the military to try and stem the flow of migrants in the Channel. We have not had any requests as yet, but if the Home Office is in need of Armed Forces support then our Navy, Air Force and Army stand ready to assist, he said. Elsewhere, Jeremy Hunt suggested Britain could emulate low-tax Singapore once outside the EU. In an article for The Mail on Sunday, the Foreign Secretary hailed Britains assets and dismissed the idea of a second referendum. The article was seen as a pitch to small government Tory MPs from a former Remainer keen to brandish his born again Brexiteer credentials. Also yesterday, International Trade Secretary Liam Fox helpfully evealed in an interview with The Sunday Times that he has flown 290,000 miles to help set up post-Brexit trade deals. Elsewhere, Jeremy Hunt suggested Britain could emulate low-tax Singapore once outside the EU And three days before Christmas, Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd another likely runner rounded on European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, calling him ghastly. Optimists in No 10 still believe the Prime Minister will win the vote on her Brexit deal when it comes back to Parliament in two weeks time and the prospect of a second referendum will bring rebel MPs into line. But by announcing that she will not fight another election, Mrs May has fired the starting gun on the race to succeed her. And judging by the actions of her potential successors, many of them believe a vacancy could arise in short order. WHAT TO DO For flexible hips, try a seated butterfly stretch, says celebrity personal trainer Nadya Fairweather (u-shape.co.uk). Sit on the ground and place the bottoms of your feet together, with knees out. Gently allow your knees to drop open towards the floor. If this feels fine, push down on your knees until you feel more of a stretch. Hold for 1 minute. Relax and then try again. Aim for 3 to 5 reps. This is best done after a workout. You may be more comfortable sitting with your back to the wall for support. Celebrity personal trainer Nadya Fairweather, recommends trying a seated butterfly stretch to improve the flexibility of hips WHAT TO EAT To keep your hips healthy and strong, nutritionist Shona Wilkinson (shonawilkinson.com) recommends the following foods. Anchovies contain omega-3 essential fatty acids, which can help with heart health and inflammation, while also enhancing joint mobility. Fresh ginger will help to stimulate the circulatory system, which can help with flexibility and reduce inflammation. Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water, if you want flexible hips. Our muscles are largely composed of water, which is a key to elasticity. Sip water throughout the day. WHAT TO WEAR On New Years Eve, theres no greater sartorial superhero than a well-placed fashion accessory. Cinderella heels, wow earrings and a pop of bright lippy your host will struggle to get off the champagne glasses they are all part of a womans instantly transformative kit, items that can change you from wrung-dry multi-tasker to social animal with sparkling conversation. But this year theres a new player: the Alice band. Dont worry. Were not talking something plasticky with scratchy comb teeth, but instead the new grown-up hair piece. Miuccia Prada often pops one into her collections for Prada and Miu Miu, but for the spring/summer 2019 show every Prada model walked down the runway crowned with a supersized hair band. Sarah Bailey shared advice for embracing the Alice band trend as seen on Rita Ora (pictured) this New Year The look conjured images of Anne Boleyns regal headwear (despite many bands being decorated with studs). At London Fashion Week, Faustine Steinmetz accessorised all of her autumn/winter 2018 looks with tortoiseshell hair bands, barrettes and plain, old-fashioned hair clips. The High Street has taken note with some fantastic options, such as the Johnny Loves Rosies Cara headband (26, johnny-loves-rosie.com) that gives Dolce & Gabbana a run for its money. Or try a sleek black band at Accessorize perfect if your desired effect is Sixties Catherine Deneuve (3.50, accessorize.com). So, why are hair bands, and hair accessories in general, having a renaissance? Pearl-encrusted barrettes by Simone Rocha are beloved by celebrities such as Alexa Chung, while Vogue fashion director Venetia Scott is said to eschew jewellery for clusters of hair accessories worn on her signature slightly messy bun. Even on the red carpet, Ive spotted slightly undone hair embellished with gorgeous crystal barrettes. Slightly mussed-up hair is key. Where once glossy, blow-dried, religiously ironed hair was the ultimate night-out look, now women are too busy to spend hours in a hairdressers chair before going out. That is where the superhero hair accessory comes into its own. Wash, comb, put a band on it . . . and go! I have a Valentino Rockstud hair band which has been getting me into the party spirit for years. But do experiment with cheaper options before investing. Sarah advises wearing Alice bands on slightly mussed hair rather than polished blowdries (pictured: Dolce & Gabbana) Comfort is important a hair band thats too pinchy can give you a headache before youve even got out of your Uber. But as trying on in store is not encouraged, youll have to make your best judgment look out for some padding. There are also plenty of knotted, turban styles in the shops this winter. Mango has a beautiful satin, crystal-embellished number thats pure femme fatale (8.99, mango.com). And check out Anthropologies emerald green satin band with leopard-print beading (34, anthropologie.com). It delivers glamour with a capital G. Its been a big year for velvet, and Ive spied velvet hair bands popping up on the heads of the cool, young accessory buyers in my Net-a-Porter office. Just dont wear one with a striped shirt with the collar popped and no pearls or penny loafers, unless you want to look like a Sloane Ranger circa 1985. What are the rules for wearing Alice bands? Avoid pairing a velvet band with ladylike pearls or loafers (too Sloaney!). Wear on slightly mussed hair rather than polished blowdries. Turban-inspired bands can look severe if you dont have a fringe. Try padded bands so you dont feel the pinch. Advertisement One thing is for sure: the Alice band trend will be staying with us well into the New Year, with ballet-inspired minimalist bands on the runways at Dior for spring/summer 2019. Channel this look with H&Ms hair band in mustard yellow (4.99, hm.com). And, of course, those showstoppers at Prada will be the standout spring accessories. So go on, get in with the band this new year. Just think of all that time youll save by not straightening your hair! Sarah Bailey is executive brand editor for Porter magazine. After years of phantom headaches, mystery stomach upsets and overnight flus, Ive finally found the perfect party excuse. Shes six years old, weighs 8lb and chases pheasants. Shes called Rags and she is my brothers Chihuahua-Pomeranian. Ed has gone to Puglia and Im holding the (fluffy) baby. Tonight: its Hogmanay at home with the Ragamuffin. Champagne and a show? Then back with the drunks on the train? Sorry, I cant, Im dog-sitting. Bonfire on the common? Mulled wine, turkey curry, the last of Hestons mince pies? Too tempting, but the rockets, the sparklers ... the dog wouldnt like it. As I write, accusing eyes are looking over the top of the basket: Dont blame me! The truth is, dog or not, the prospect of a New Years Eve party is enough to send me barking. Laura Freeman questions the age to retire from partying on New Year's Eve (file image) The expectation is that one must start the New Year as one means to live it: at full throttle and in full- sequined fig. Is 31 too young to retire from blinis, Bellinis and blotto karaoke to Auld Lang Syne? Last New Years Eve, at a party in Kings Lynn, I looked at my watch, thinking, Well, this has been jolly, must be midnight soon, and nearly shrieked when I saw it was barely after eight. It was a long slog to the chimes. Good food, nice company, but something funny happens to time on New Years Eve. It stretches like strands of cheese fondue, a never-ending stringing-out of hours until Big Ben bongs and you can reasonably start looking for your coat. Then the gauntlet home. Ubers surging, taxis taken, buses full of the queasy, the sleazy. No. No, thank you. So, as the nation Hootenannies to Jools Holland, Rags and I will be going to bed early with a novel, a cup of tea and a bowl of kibble. Happy New Year? We couldnt be happier. Lynda Maggar is a part-time mature model who lives in London. She is divorced and has two grown-up children, David, 40, and Carina, 28. MID-LIFE MODELLING When I was 60, in 2010, I starred in the Boots No 7 Ta Dah! campaign. It gave me such a buzz and inspired me to model part-time. I find it so empowering, especially as I used to model until, at 25, some agencies started telling me I was too old! This campaign taught me that I can do anything, at any age. NON-SURGICAL NECK LIFT Every month, I get a Mesolift to revive my face and neck (200, drdray.co.uk). Its a non-surgical treatment in which a cocktail of hyaluronic acid and other antioxidants is injected into the skin. Afterwards, I feel ten years younger and my skin looks plumper and firmer. Lynda Maggar, 68, (pictured) from London revealed taking three collagen supplements each night has contributed to her ageless appearance DIY DAILY FACIAL As Ive got older, Ive had to intensify my skincare regimen it now has five steps both in the morning and at night. When I wake up, I use Decleor Cleansing Milk (23, decleor.co.uk) followed by Garnier Rose Water Toner (1.75, amazon.co.uk), LOreal Paris Age Perfect Golden Age Day Cream (7.50, tesco.com), Clarins Double Serum (57) and Beauty Flash Balm (32, both boots.com). At night, its Neom Cleansing Balm (32, johnlewis.com) and my Garnier toner, then Gatineaus Age Benefit Integral Regenerating Cream (98), Eye Cream (66) and Firming Throat Gel (49, all gatineau.co.uk). Its like a mini facial general maintenance is key. COLLAGEN TOP-UP At night, I take three Proto-Col Pure Collagen supplements (29.95 for 90, proto-col.com). They claim to boost the natural production of collagen in the body, to strengthen nails, improve skin elasticity and keep hair healthy. After 15 years, I think its made a big difference, especially to my hair, which is still thick. FRIENDS OF ALL AGES Its important to spend time with people of different ages. My daughter, whos 28, keeps me up-to-date with new trends, from Netflix to fashion. But I also visit two friends who are in their mid-80s every week. Theyre amazing role models, with so much life experience. I love hearing their stories. Do you look good for your age? Reveal your secrets to: inspire@dailymail.co.uk After announcing that she was 20 weeks pregnant just before Christmas, Kayla Itsines has now revealed potential baby names and her future plans for her baby. Taking to her Instagram stories the 27-year-old fitness star from Adelaide answered several of her followers' questions. Kayla shared that she and her fiance, Tobi, want a Greek name for their little one who is due in May 2019. Although her parents don't know the gender of the baby - which Kayla said she will share with everyone soon - they are already throwing around suggestions. Scroll down for video After announcing that she was 20 weeks pregnant Kayla Itsines has now revealed potential baby names and future baby plans 'For the people wondering if mum and dad will be offended if we don't name the child after them, their two name suggestions were "Sam" and "Charlee",' Kayla wrote. Instead, she and Tobi want a 'Greek name'. The fitness expert told her followers that she knew instantly that she was pregnant because she always notices any slight changes in her energy levels. 'I first noticed it when I went for a walk and kept checking my watch to see how long I had left because I was super tired for some reason and it felt like I was walking up hill when I wasn't,' Kayla said. 'I then noticed these weird stabbing pains in my tummy that maybe lasted one to two seconds which I've NEVER had before.' Kayla shared that her and Tobi - who she got engaged to in April - want a Greek name for their little one Kayla Itsines (pictured) has announced that she is 20 weeks pregnant with her partner, Tobi Pearce - the couple got engaged in April this year 'I started to feel more and more tired and even though I took two tests and they both said negative, we BOTH knew,' she added. The 27-year-old said she waited another week before taking another test and when this one gave a positive result she cried happy tears. As Kayla had been on the pill she very much had to plan this pregnancy and work with her body's hormones. This meant that she had to wait a few months to resume her regular periods after going off the pill. Confirming the news on Instagram with a video, Kayla (pictured with Tobi) wrote 'Tobi and I do not even have words to describe how happy and excited we are to bring you this news!' She explained that she and Tobi (pictured at their scan) and their families are 'absolutely over the moon excited' to announce that they are expecting their first baby in May next year After the necessary blood tests and once her boot camps for 2018 were finished, they started trying - and she luckily found out she was pregnant straight away. The reason Kayla and Tobi made the decision to conceive before the wedding is because this is what they, as well as all of their family members, preferred. There's nothing that we want to see more than my grandparents hold our baby 'When you are married you move out together, buy a house together, maybe buy a dog and set up your future,' she said. 'Tobi and I have done all of that so we had a choice, plan a wedding OR plan to have something we've always wanted - a baby. 'And most importantly, we still have my grandparents and there's nothing that we want to see more than my grandparents hold our baby. The wedding can wait till 2020, we don't need a wedding to tell us we are going to be together forever.' 'A different sort of progress picture. I cant wait to see what my body does in 2019, its so exciting to be on this journey!' She captioned this picture As for exercise, Kayla revealed that she hasn't given it up but has simply adjusted her routine to suit her changing hormones and body. She said the first 16 weeks of the pregnancy were really hard in terms of exercise but the last five weeks have been 'a lot better'. 'Pregnancy is not the same for me as my normal energy. A 30 minute workout is hard for me mentally but I get it done because I want to be healthy and strong for baby muffin,' the fitness queen said. The couple have been together for six years, and Kayla said that they have always been excited to start a family together. 'Tobi and I have done all of that so we had a choice, plan a wedding OR plan to have something we've always wanted - a baby,' she said As for exercise, Kayla revealed that she hasn't given it up but has simply adjusted her routine to suit her changing hormones and body 'I've wanted kids ever since I met Tobi and it's something we have always talked about,' the young Rich Lister said in a statement. 'It turns out that when we were ready it was just perfect timing. I think he will make the most perfect father, I've never seen him so excited about anything. He has already planned the funniest fluffy outfits for our winter baby and he talks to my tummy every morning and night.' I've wanted kids ever since I met Tobi and it's something we have always talked about Tobi went on to say that he is 'beyond excited to begin this new chapter of our lives together'. 'It's definitely our largest achievement to date and I can't wait to be a dad. Kayla has made me so proud as she has taken this on so naturally. It's been a priority for me to support Kayla as much as I can during this time. 'I also couldn't resist giving our baby a nickname, so for now it's Baby Muffin.' An Antiques Roadshow presenter has revealed he had an emotional reunion with his best friend from childhood after 63 years apart following an episode of the BBC show in 2017. Ronnie Archer-Morgan had been evaluating a number of Sooty and Sweep puppets owned by the show's creator when he said his 'childhood came flooding back' to him. Clearly emotional at the recollection, he described puppeteer Harry Corbett's visit to his children's home Southport, Merseyside, in 1955 as his 'fondest memory' from his younger years. His story of Harry letting him play with his puppets touched viewers with many sending in letters to the Antiques Roadshow following the episode. One of these letters came from a family who had looked after Ronnie on the weekends, and included a photo of Ronnie and his childhood friend Anna at age four or five. Antiques Roadshow presenter Ronnie Archer-Morgan has revealed how an episode of the show featuring Sooty and Sweep dolls led to an emotional reunion with a childhood friend after 63 years apart In 2017, while evaluating two puppets belonging to the show's creator Harry Corbett, Ronnie revealed he had met him in 1955 when the kind-hearted puppeteer visited his children's home Ronnie and Anna had been friends during the time that he was cared for by the family who are believed to have taken the photo of the pair. Ronnie said: 'I haven't seen her for 63 years and when I received that photograph I did shed a tear or two. 'I could not believe it, that all this had culminated from that moment when I opened that box with Sooty and Sweep in it.' After being put in touch with Anna, Ronnie discovered she had moved to New Zealand - but had missed him just as much as he had missed her. Eventually, she came to England to visit him in August, leading to an 'extraordinary' reunion which Ronnie described as being 'in the stars'. He said: '[It was] unbelievable. We met at the V&A on one rainy August day, and we just couldn't stop hugging, it was really extraordinary. And it was other-worldly really. The emotional story led to a flood of letters - including one containing this snap of Ronnie and his best friend Anna when they were around four or five The two had been inseparable as kids at the children's home, but one day Ronnie was sent away with no warning, and the pair had no way of getting in touch as they did not know each other's surnames As a result, Ronnie was able to meet up with Anna when she visited the UK from her home in New Zealand. Pictured: The two friends during Anna's visit to the UK 'She told me actually that she'd had this picture on her wall all her married life, and often wondered and discussed with her children what could possibly have happened to me. 'Because we didn't know each other's surnames, so we had no means of finding out about each other. 'She missed me as much as I missed her, because when I left, we weren't warned that I was leaving, one day I was just spirited away. 'And on the same day, she wondered what had happened to me and was never told.' The incredible tale was revealed during last night's episode of the show, which featured a selection of the presenter's favourite finds over the past 40 years. He said: '[It was] unbelievable. We met at the V&A on one rainy August day, and we just couldn't stop hugging, it was really extraordinary. And it was other-worldly really' Viewers of the show were left in floods of tears at the emotional reunion and took to social media to talk about the lovely clip Viewers of the show were left in floods of tears after watching the emotional story. Sylvie Collett wrote: 'The piece with Ronnie Archer-Morgan was lovely. I think I have something in my eye. #AntiquesRoadshow.' Nina Marshall added: '#AntiquesRoadshow I desperately hope that lady with all the Sootys gave that one to him. Crying my bloody eyes out.' Another user tweeted: 'Watching #AntiquesRoadshow and the sooty and sweep story is the most beautiful story with a lovely ending. Smiles and tears here.' A woman has been forced to tell strangers she 'doesn't have cancer' after taking the brave decision to shave her head having battled alopecia all her life. Zoe Wright, 21, from Harpenden, spent years desperately trying to hide her baldness before taking the plunge and shaving her entire head. While Zoe is believed to have shown signs of alopecia at the young age of two, it wasn't until she was 14 that she had to start taking more drastic measures to cover the bald patches as they got bigger and more noticeable. She said: 'When I was in primary school, one boy shouted in front of the whole classroom, "Haha Zoe, you have a bald patch!" - I cried for ages about that, I was mortified. Zoe Wright, 21, from Harpenden, spent years desperately trying to hide her baldness before taking the plunge by shaving her entire head. She is now embracing her new look and despite a whole host of compliments, it has caused some strangers to believe she's battling cancer. The Other Art Fair intern doesn't take offence though and is quick to tell people the real reason behind her baldness. Zoe said: 'Some people presume I have cancer and start sharing stories with me about their friend or family member that are battling the disease, or have recently made a recovery. 'Once I explain my situation is very different and not life-threatening, they often speak of the bravery it takes for someone to shave off their hair which is kind. 'I actually don't mind people asking me if it's cancer or not as I like to spread awareness of alopecia because many people are unaware of how bad it can be.' Zoe (pictured wearing a wig on a night out) says that she doesn't mind people asking her about her condition as she prefers to raise awareness of alopecia Zoe's mum, Lois (pictured with her daughter), has set up a support group, in association with Alopecia UK, in Newcastle for children and young people with the condition. Zoe admits that she was apprehensive when it came to shaving her head but felt she had no other choice. She continued: 'I was petrified when I first decided to shave it but I felt I had no other option at the time as the hair loss had become so extensive, I couldn't cover my hair loss patches any other way. 'I felt the only way to gain power over this uncontrollable condition was to take control of it so I like to say to myself that it's my choice, I'm shaving it.' Prior to shaving her head, Zoe was worried she would look 'ugly and unattractive' but as months has past she has found a newfound confidence. She added: 'I love having a shaved head now - it's so liberating! Prior to shaving her head, Zoe was worried she would look 'ugly and unattractive' but as months has past she has found a newfound confidence Zoe is now embracing her new look and says that she enjoys the freedom that comes with having no hair 'The simple, generic things like not having to plan when to wash my hair, not buying shampoo, and not having to pay for overpriced hairdressers is great. 'A woman actually stopped me on the tube the other day to pay me a compliment, which was nice, and others have said they love what I've done with my hair and wish they were brave enough to do it themselves. 'Luckily when I went to high school I wasn't bullied about it, appearances are a dominant cause of bullying in schools so I was lucky, especially as I had been so insecure about it for so long.' Zoe's mum, Lois, 52, has even set up a support group (in association with Alopecia UK) in Newcastle for children and young people with the condition. With alopecia being so unpredictable Zoe's hair could grow back at any point, or not at all Zoe says that even if her hair was to grow back she would still shave it because it is 'so liberating' WHAT IS ALOPECIA? Alopecia, which causes baldness, is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. The immune system - the body's defense system - turns on itself. What are the symptoms? 'Typically, one or more small bald patches, about the size of a 50p piece, appear on the scalp. The hair can start to regrow at one site, while another bald patch develops. Hair may also begin to thin all over the head,' says Marilyn Sherlock, chairman of the Institute of Trichologists. What causes it? 'For some reason, the body's immune system begins to attack its own hair follicles. Special white blood cells in the body, known as T-lymphocytes, cause the hair to stop growing,' she adds. Can worry make it worse? Stress has been shown to prolong the problem. Is it an inherited condition? There is strong evidence to suggest that alopecia, like other auto-immune diseases, runs in families. About 25 per cent of patients have a family history of the disorder. Who gets it? Alopecia areata usually affects teenagers and young adults, but it can affect people of any age. It is just as common among men as women. Is there a cure? There is no known cure, although there are various treatments which may be effective for some people. Advertisement She added: 'My Mum always picks discrete venues in case people don't want to be seen in large crowded places. 'She will sometimes do fun things like hire a steel drumming instructor for the kids to do whilst the parents chat about the nitty gritty things - a family friend of ours who is a Dermatologist has come along once to answer any questions people may have too.' Zoe also said her friendship group have played a vital role in making her realise that appearances aren't everything as it's easy to get caught up in the aftermath of alopecia. 'Emotionally, it's affected my life so much with so many ups and downs because it's so unpredictable.' 'I always used to relate it to illness, even though I'm not actually ill, so obviously I wasn't going to think positively about it. 'More recently, with the support I've received from shaving my head, it's affected me in the best way possible.' Since her move to London from Newcastle, Zoe has felt less self conscious with people being a lot more accepting and diverse - rather than people presuming it's an illness, people have come up complimenting her thinking it's a fashion choice. With alopecia being so unpredictable Zoe's hair could grow back at any point, or not at all. She said, 'Even if it was to grow back tomorrow, I'd still keep it shaven because I've grown to love it and find it so liberating. 'I want to be a help to others with alopecia, as I wish I had someone to look up to when I was a teenager struggling with it - I've even had a friend of a friend 'come out' and tell the world about her battle with alopecia because of me.' (CNN) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a rare personal letter to his South Korean counterpart, President Moon Jae-in, expressing his willingness to meet again in 2019 and discuss denuclearization on the divided peninsula. Wrapping up an extraordinary year where the two leaders met three times, Kim shared his wish to go together towards peace and prosperity in the coming year, according to Moon's office. Kim added that he was sorry his plan to visit Seoul later this year -- in what was to be their fourth meeting of 2018 did not take place as agreed at their third summit in Pyongyang in September. But he expressed a strong will to visit the South Korean capital in the future. In response, Moon said on his social media account that he was "very glad" to see Kim's "willingness to meet often in the new year to resolve the practical issues of peace and prosperity and the denuclearization issue." "If we meet together with sincerity, there is nothing we cannot achieve," added Moon. "It took a long time to get here and much has changed in one year." The South Korean President said he hoped to see Kim in the new year, and that his welcome to the country "remains unchanged." Historic 2018 for Koreas It marks the end of a historic year in North-South relations, with the leaders hugging each other on the tarmac of Pyongyang International Airport in their most recent meeting in September -- believed to be the first time Kim had greeted visitors at the airport since taking power in 2011. It was also the first time since 2007 that a South Korean president had traveled North. Though fighting ended 65 years ago, the Korean War has never been formally ended with a peace treaty. While a formal peace regime officially ending the Korean War would need buy in from the US and China -- the other participants in the conflict -- experts agree that there is nothing to stop the two Koreas declaring an end to the war themselves, or signing a bilateral peace treaty. The meetings followed a rollercoaster few years of relations between US President Donald Trump and Kim -- nosediving with Trump's famous "Rocket man" speech at the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, and peaking with their highly anticipated summit in Singapore earlier this year. It was the first-ever summit between the sitting leaders of the two countries. Trump hailed the new friendship and a document signed by both parties reaffirming Kim's "unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization." As 2018 draws to a close, Kim has again vowed to resolve the denuclearization issue in his letter to Moon -- but visible steps showing North Korea has indeed stopped developing its nuclear arsenal remain to be seen. This story was first published on CNN.com. "Kim Jong Un sends rare letter to South Korean leader after extraordinary year." RC Khuntia added that local parties uniting in national interest has no relevance in national politics. All regional parties are formed only to protect regional interests; basically all regional parties are created without having a national perspective, or national strategy, AICC in-charge of the party affairs in Telangana, R C Khuntia said. (Photo: Twitter | @rckhuntiainc) Hyderabad: A senior Congress leader on Monday took aim at regional parties, claiming they lacked national perspective and arouse local feelings to capture power. "All regional parties are formed only to protect regional interests; basically all regional parties are created without having a national perspective, or national strategy," the AICC in-charge of the party affairs in Telangana, R C Khuntia said. He made the comment when asked for his views on the efforts of Telangana Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao to forge a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front of regional parties. "They (regional parties) have regional strategy...strategy is to capture power, fight the election and create more regional feelings so that it (electoral verdict) will go in their favour," Khuntia told PTI. "So, after being elected (in Telangana)... (TRS) telling that in national interest, we (regional parties) are uniting...it has no relevance, and I think KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao) will not succeed," he said. Alleging that KCR was "not anti-BJP" and was "working as the 'B' team of (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi", Khuntia noted that the TRS chief had supported the NDA on "every issue", including demonetisation, GST and presidential and vice-presidential elections. "There is no justification for the federal front. What they (TRS) are telling 'national interest' (to forge such a front) is wrong," he said. In the December 7 polls to the 119-member Telangana Assembly, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) returned to power with 88 seats, pushing the Congress to a distant second position with 19. The Congress had formed 'Prajakutami' (People's front) along with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) to take on the TRS, but the grouping came a cropper at the hustings. The TDP led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu bagged just two seats, while both the TJS and CPI drew a blank. Asked if the Prajakutami would continue for the Lok Sabha elections, Khuntia said, "It is (the alliance) continuing. We have not taken any decision to dissolve it". "Now with the TDP and CPI, we have an alliance at the national level. So virtually at the national level, they are already in the joint action programme of the Congress," he said. CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy said the issue of whether to continue with the alliance or not for the Lok Sabha elections was yet to be discussed among the partners. "Right now, the front continues. For the Lok Sabha elections, it may continue," he said. Buying the perfect Christmas gift when your family are royalty must be a daunting task, but Sarah Ferguson has come up with the perfect solution: personalised presents. The Duchess of York, 59, is understood to have sent out hampers containing tea bags and reed diffusers to close family and friends, under the brand name 'Sarah Senses'. An image of the package - featuring a gold monogrammed 'S' - was shared by Fergie's personal assistant Antonia Marshall on Twitter this week, who thanked her for the 'wonderful Christmas presents'. The diffuser scent was named 'Dark Nights', and each hamper contained an image of Fergie herself, wrapped in a headscarf and smiling for the camera. Fergie, pictured in Dubai earlier this month, is understood to have sent out hampers containing tea bags and reed diffusers to close family and friends as Christmas gifts this year This image of Fergie's hamper - featuring a gold monogrammed 'S' - was shared by Fergie's PA Antonia Marshall on Twitter, who thanked her for the 'wonderful Christmas presents' However, while Antonia credits the gifts to Sarah's 'amazing new brand', it is understood that the hampers were a one-off gesture. While Prince Andrew's ex-wife is indeed planning to launch a range of tea bags in the New Year, her Christmas hampers are thought to be unrelated. Like her upcoming tea range, Fergie's Christmas hampers are promoting Sarah's charity, Street Child, and contain a leaflet urging recipients to donate. Her teas have been created to smell and taste like her favourite desserts, from jam roly-poly to chocolate tart, and strawberries and cream - and Fergie has credited them with helping her to keep her weight down. Another snap showing Fergie's fragrance set. However, while Antonia credits the gifts to Sarah's 'amazing new brand', it is understood that the hampers were a one-off Fergie's Christmas hampers are thought to be donating a portion of their profits to Sarah's charity, Street Child, and contained a leaflet urging recipients to donate (pictured with a snap of the duchess) Fergie and her PA are thought to have spent the festive season together in Germany, while Sarah's daughters Eugenie and Beatrice spent it in Sandringham with the royal family. The two princesses, along with Eugenie's new husband Jack Brooksbank, joined the Cambridges and the Sussexes for the annual family fathering at the Queen's beloved Norfolk estate. This weekend, Princess Anne's son-in-law Mike Tindall gave a fascinating insight into Christmas at Sandringham, saying: 'It's quite a strange day because normally I spend the whole day either in my boxer shorts or my trackie Ps. Fergie and her PA are thought to have spent the festive season together in Germany, while Sarah's daughters Eugenie and Beatrice spent it in Sandringham with the royal family (pictured: Beatrice arriving at church on Christmas Day with Autumn Phillips) Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, joined the Cambridges and the Sussexes for the annual family fathering at the Queen's beloved Norfolk estate (pictured arriving at church on December 25) 'But by the time I would have normally got up I've been to church twice which is quite strange for me as I'm not really from a massive church-going background so yeah it's completely different. I've never had to take as many outfits anywhere.' Meanwhile 2019 is looking to be a busy year for Fergie, who recently announced plans to renew her helicopter license in the New Year. Fergie is currently championing Street Child's Count Me In campaign, to help provide children around the world with access to education. A star-studded congregation descended on Windsor for the royal wedding in May, so it's of little surprise that Jamie Oliver wanted to be part of the big day. The TV chef, 43, has revealed that he personally wrote to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex ahead of their nuptials offering to provide food for their VIP guests - but claims he was met with a wall of silence. Appearing on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, Oliver explained his vision of bringing 'the best of British and American chefs' together to do the catering - and said he'd been happy to do it for free. But he blames 'slick' palace protocol for the lack of response, admitting his food empire would have been a 'renegade' choice for such a prestigious occasion. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leaving their wedding ceremony at Windsor Castle on May 19. It was Northern Irish chef Clare Smyth who landed the gig of a lifetime when she was chosen to provide the food for VIP guests at the couple's evening reception MailOnline has contacted Kensington Palace for comment. Speaking to Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer this weekend, Oliver said: 'I did actually write and say if they want the food sorted I would bring the best of British and American chefs together to do the catering... I didn't get a reply. That is a true story.' The father-of-five added: I would have done it for free, you know, I like a bit of a moment.' Explaining his theory on the lack of response, the father-of-five added: '[The palace is] very slick at protocol and getting those gigs done, so probably we're a bit renegade.' It was Northern Irish chef Clare Smyth who landed the gig of a lifetime when she was chosen to provide the food for VIP guests at the royal wedding in May. Jamie Oliver, pictured alongside actors Miles Jupp and Emilia Fox, spoke about his offer of catering for the royal wedding during an appearance on Sunday Brunch this weekend Chef Clare Smyth said Meghan and Harry (pictured leaving Windsor Castle ahead of their evening reception) were heavily involved in menu planning ahead of their big day Harry and Meghan's wedding day menu was 'very important to them', according to the Northern Irish chef, who has just been presented with two Michelin stars for her London restaurant Core by Clare Smyth Smyth, who was recently named World's Best Female Chef 2018, has previously described catering for Harry and Meghan's evening reception at Frogmore House as a 'surreal' experience. 'The fairytale story was my lasting memory from the wedding,' she told Hello!. 'It couldn't have been more perfect... it was completely surreal.' Clare, who became the first woman to hold three Michelin stars when she presided over Gordon Ramsay's restaurant on Royal Hospital Road, called the couple 'just brilliant'. Clare Smyth, seen in Monaco in 2012, was the lucky chef chosen to provide catering for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's evening reception at Frogmore House in May 2018 The great and good of showbiz and society circles descended on Frogmore House, pictured, for Harry and Meghan's evening reception, so it's of little surprise that Jamie Oliver wanted to be part of the big day on 19 May 'They were involved in the menu, it was very important to them... it's a once in a lifetime thing so it's nice to be a part in it,' she told the magazine. Clare is believed to have prepared an organic menu that included posh burgers with Wagyu beef and pork belly for guests invited to the Frogmore House reception following Harry and Meghan's spectacular ceremony on May 19th. Not only was she tasked with catering the royal wedding in the spring, Clare was also this year awarded two Michelin stars for her London restaurant, Core by Clare Smyth in North Kensington. Sunday Brunch continues on Channel 4 next week and is available on All4 now Mount Olive, a town in North Carolina, will host its annual New Year's Eve pickle drop this evening. The event, which has been a tradition since 1999, sees thousands of people gathering to watch a gigantic three-foot pickle descend from a 45-foot flagpole. And if you plan on attending the festive event, you'd want to arrive on time, because according to the organizers, the 'whole thing' is over within five minutes. A popular New Year's choice: Since 1999, Mount Olive, North Carolina, has hosted a New Year's Eve pickle drop that sees thousands of people gather to watch the event Tradition: This year marks the 20th anniversary of the annual event that sees a three-foot pickle descend from a 45-foot flagpole into a preserved redwood pickle tank The annual New Year's Eve event is held every year in Mount Olive, and is attended by thousands. Lynn Williams, a spokesperson for Mt. Olive Pickle Company, said: 'This has turned into a great event for families and children, as well as older adults, said Lynn Williams, company spokesperson. 'Its early, its quick, and its just a lot of fun.' The company announced the details of this year's pickle drop on their Instagram page on Sunday in a post. It read: 'Mark your calendars: Mt. Olive Pickles will hold its annual New Years Eve Pickle Drop Monday, December 31, 2018 at the Corner of Cucumber & Vine in Mount Olive, NC. 'The New Years Eve Pickle descends down the flagpole at the stroke of 7 p.m. midnight thats 7 oclock EST, which also happens to be midnight Greenwich Mean Time. 'That way, we are official, we shout Happy New Year! and we dont have to stay up until midnight,' it read. The post also detailed that anyone who can't attend the pickle event can live stream all the activity through the website MtOlivePickles.com. This year's event will mark the 20th year in a row that the pickle drop has taken place in Mount Olive, North Carolina. Pickle passion: The event is organized and held by Mt. Olive Pickle Company, who will also be live streaming the event on its website for anyone who can't make the pickle drop Family fun: The pickle drop begins at 7:00pm, and concludes at 7:05pm, and is a popular choice for people in the area with young children Live music and free refreshments are on the agenda for the event, which is set to kick off at 5:30pm. Prizes, including a similar pool pickle to the one that drops down the pole, will also be up for grabs. And pickles aren't the only bizarre object used to symbolize the beginning of a new year. Chocolate, coal, mushrooms and beach balls are all among the random objects used to ring in the new year in different places. The Shamokin coal drop, which takes place in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, sees a giant lump of coal being descended down a height on New Year's Eve. Similarly, Hershey, Pennsylvania, has quite a bizarre New Year's Eve tradition. Hershey's annual celebration of the new year involves a gigantic 300-pound, 7-foot Hersheys Kiss being lowered at midnight in Chocolatetown Square. Passaic, New Jersey, on the other hand is beginning a new tradition for the first time this year. The town will lower a confetti-filled pinata from the tallest building in the area while those attending enjoy music and refreshments. As the world rings in 2019, revelers from Sydney to Los Angeles are popping bottles and toasting to the New Year. But according to several wine experts who spoke with Today Food, there's a right way to do it, and a wrong way. So before opening a bottle of bubbly tonight, take in these quick tips for how to pop the cork, pour, and store leftovers that is, if there are any. Happy new year! Champagne should always be chilled before opening, both for taste and for easier cork removal First off is the proper bottled-opening method, which is particularly important given the prevalence of cork-related injuries. According to American Academy of Ophthalmology, hundreds of people suffer eye injuries from wayward champagne corks, which can travel up to 50mph when they shoot out of the bottle. Instead of taking someone's eye out which is sure to put a damper on the festivities make sure you know what you're doing. Always begin with a chilled bottle. Not only does cold champagne taste better, but it makes the bottle easier to open and gives the opener more control over the cork. Remove the foil, then unwind the wire around the cork. 'Point the bottle away from your face and keep your thumb on the cork, at all times!' says Serena Carl, the wine curator at QT Hotel Sydney. Then twist the bottle not the cork. When you feel the pop, ease the cork out of the bottle slowly. It may look cool when champagne sprays everywhere in a music video, but it certainly won't be fun to clean up at your own celebration. Bubbly tips: Point the bottle away from your face and keep a hand on the cork at all times. Pour carefully, and consider swapping flutes for wine glasses Once you've avoided bodily harm from a flying cork, it's time to get pouring and in this case, there are a few routes you can take. 'Its tricky and there are many methods,. Some Champagne is delicate and needs careful pouring by tilting the glass at an angle. Others need a bit of "opening up" by pouring straight into the glass from a distance,' explained Carl. She also noted that while most people reach for champagne flutes, those aren't actually the best for tasting champagne a regular wine glass is, since the wider rim exposes it to more oxygen. Finally, while it's probably best to just polish off the whole bottle, you can store leftovers but just for a little bit. 'A Champagne stopper is ideal, but few people have those, so its fine to use a traditional wine cork,' Carlton McCoy, the Master Sommelier and Wine Director at The Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado, told Today. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours: After that, it'll still be drinkable, but it'll likely be flat. Matthew Kaner, who owns Augustine Wine Bar in Sherman Oaks, California, also offered a trick for keeping champagne bubbly for a bit longer: He puts a metal spoon in the bottle, handle side down, and swears that it keeps it fresh a day or two longer. Dry January may be a waste of time and efforts should be focused only on people with real alcohol problems, an addiction expert has said. Ian Hamilton, a lecturer in mental health and addiction at the University of York, said the evidence to show the tee-total month works is weak. Millions are expected to ditch the drink for the month as part of the campaign, ran by Alcohol Change UK. Efforts to support participants of Dry January should be focused on people with addictions, Ian Hamilton, a lecturer in mental health and addiction at the University of York said But Mr Hamilton told MailOnline: 'Generally the evidence for short term abstinence producing longer term positive behaviour is not clear.' He said not enough is being done to target the population who need help to curb their alcohol intake - heavy drinkers. People with alcoholic dependence are not advised to sign up to the challenge, which is targeted to more casual drinkers. Mr Hamilton said this 'distracts energy and resources away' from the people most at risk of liver disease and premature death because of their consumption. But Mr Hamilton said those who are dependent on alcohol wouldn't sign up anyway, and are at risk as there are cuts to treatment funding year on year. 'I suspect they need a different type of support which just isn't there because there has been such drastic cuts to treatment,' he said. It comes after a study by the University of Sussex last week revealed the variety of benefits that people can achieve by taking part in Dry January. OFFICIALS RECOMMEND TWO DRINK-FREE DAYS A WEEK Drinkers should have at least two alcohol-free days a week, health chiefs said this month. Public Health England's Drink Free Days campaign is urging regular drinkers to set a weekly target of non-drinking days to improve health and avoid dependency. One in five people drink above the recommended limit of 14 units a week, equivalent to a small 150ml glass of wine every day, a survey found. Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Public Health England, said: 'Many of us enjoy a drink, but it's all too easy to let our drinking creep up on us. 'While the link with liver disease is well known, many people are not aware that alcohol can cause numerous other serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, as well as several cancers. 'Setting yourself a target of having more drink-free days every week is an easy way to drink less and reduce the risks to your health.' Advertisement Nearly 3,000 people who gave up alcohol for the month were quizzed to discover that 88 per cent saved money and nearly two thirds lost weight. But Mr Hamilton warned it is too difficult to attribute these benefits directly to giving up alcohol for a month. He said people may also take up exercise, become vegan or change their sleep routine at the start of the year as a resolution. Mr Hamilton said there needs to be more research following a large group of people over a long period to show the campaign is worth the money. Mr Hamilton added that the campaign is a 'welcome distraction' for the alcohol industry because it deflects attention away from those most at risk. Just four per cent of the population consume almost a third of all the alcohol sold in England, according to data from Public Health England last January. 'If you're a business and only a few percent of customers are consuming a third of a product, that's a loyal group of people you want to protect,' he said. 'It's a huge proportion of your sales. 'I don't think the alcohol industry likes Dry January but I don't think they worry about it.' Alcohol Change UK spent 50,816 in 2017 to 2018 Dry January campaign. Evidence shows that in 2015, a time when the campaign was run by Alcohol Concern in alliance with Public Health England, media coverage cost over 8million. An estimated 4.2million people in the UK - one in 10 people who drink - are already planning to do Dry January in 2019, according to a YouGov poll undertaken for Alcohol Change UK. An Alcohol Change UK spokesperson said: 'While Dry January isnt suitable for people at the highest risk of severe harm and death as a result of alcohol, it has been shown to be highly effective at helping people at increasing risk of harm, who might one day be at severe risk, to cut down long term. 'Thats hundreds of thousands of people each year at reduced risk as a result of a low-cost intervention, which results in less pressure on our overburdened alcohol treatment services. 'Dry January is a month when the UK talks openly about alcohol - the harm it can cause, and the need for many of us to think about our relationship with it. Dry January can help to challenge the stigma surrounding alcohol problems. 'The drastic cuts to alcohol treatment budgets are unacceptable, and are putting thousands of lives at risk. 'Challenging these cuts and working with the government, local authorities and the treatment sector... is a priority for us at Alcohol Change UK.' The strength of cannabis being sold in Europe has doubled over the past 11 years, according to the first study of its kind. Concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - which causes the high - in herbal cannabis have risen from five per cent in 2006 to 10 per cent in 2016. Experts have long warned of the dangers of high potency cannabis because of its established links to psychosis and mental health issues. Concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in herbal cannabis have risen from five per cent in 2006 to 10 per cent in 2016 Scientists at Bath University drew on data collected from across 28 EU member states, as well as Norway and Turkey. The findings, derived from figures from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, were published in the journal Addiction. Concentration of cannabis resin - which typically also contains cannabidiol (CBD) - also jumped over the same time frame. The research by Dr Tom Freeman and colleagues found THC content in resin went from eight per cent in 2006 to 17 per cent in 2017. When present in cannabis, CBD may offset some of the harmful effects of THC such as paranoia and memory impairment. However, new resin production techniques in Morocco and Europe have increased levels of THC but not CBD, researchers warned. THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THC AND CBD Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are both derived from the cannabis plant. Together, they are part of the cannabinoid group of compounds found in hashish, hash oil, and most strains of marijuana. THC is the psychoactive compound responsible for the euphoric, 'high' feeling often associated with marijuana. THC interacts with CB1 receptors in the central nervous system and brain and creates the sensations of euphoria and anxiety. CBD does not fit these receptors well, and actually decreases the effects of THC, and is not psychoactive. CBD is thought to help reduce anxiety and inflammation. Advertisement Dr Freeman said: 'CBD has the potential to make cannabis safer, without limiting the positive effects users seek. 'What we are seeing in Europe is an increase in THC and either stable or decreasing levels of CBD, potentially making cannabis more harmful. 'These changes in the illicit market are largely hidden from scientific investigation and are difficult to target by policy-makers.' Dr Freeman added that an 'alternative option' could be to attempt to control THC and CBD content of herbal cannabis through regulation. The study also revealed the prices of cannabis have risen over the same time frame. Herbal cannabis has jumped from 7.36 (6.61) per gram to 12.22 (10.97) between 2006 and 2016. Resin now costs 12.27 (11.02), up from 8.21 (7.37). It is estimated that around seven per cent per cent of European adults in the region of 24 million people have used cannabis in the past year. Across the world, 192 million people use the drug in a variety of markets ranging from heavily sanctioned prohibition to commercialised legal sale. Recreational use is legalised in Canada and several US states, with medical use permitted in many more countries. Skunk, the potent form of the drug, is responsible for a quarter of new cases of psychotic mental illness, KCL researchers announced two years ago. They found skunk to be so powerful that users are three times more likely to suffer a psychotic episode than those who have never tried it. Customers who were treated for laser tattoo removal by the same business have shared their horrifying photos of when the procedure went wrong. Toni Gordon, John Westby, Bee Clark and Paul Ellis were treated by Invisible Ink Mcr, a tattoo removal business in Manchester. They claim to have experienced blistering and burning sensations, after paying as little as 35 and up to 400 for the treatment. But the tattooist who removed all of their inkings, Steven Anthony Prophet, said he is 'safe' and the reactions are normal. There is no licensing regime or specific legislation dealing with the use of lasers for the removal of tattoos. Toni Gordon, from West Didsbury, paid 230 at Invisible Ink Mcr to remove two tattoos on her hands ahead of a wedding she was attending. Pictured, after the treatment Ms Gordon said: 'The blisters popped and it went into holes. There was gunk coming out' Mr Prophet began treating people in June this year after setting up his business on Facebook. He has since closed his operation down, and is trying to get the money together to refund the angry customers. Toni Gordon, from West Didsbury, paid 230 to remove two tattoos on her hands ahead of a wedding she was attending. She said: 'I expected it to hurt and it was stinging afterwards. It was the next day when it started to blister - I thought maybe that's not what it's supposed to do. 'It just got worse and worse. The blisters popped and it went into holes. There was gunk coming out. 'I was ready to go to the doctor - my partner wanted me to but I think I was just embarrassed because it was him who paid for it. 'I didn't have any other symptoms so I ended up going to the chemist and buying dressing and cream.' Ms Gordon's blistering began to heal although she believes she will be left with permanent scarring. HOW DOES LASER TATTOO REMOVAL WORK? The body does try to get rid of tattoo ink the same way it would a splint, but the ink particles are larger than the white blood cells, making this process extremely slow. The energy from the laser breaks down the tattoo ink into tiny fragments which can be absorbed into the bloodstream and safely passed out of the body. Different types of ink and colours can take longer to remove. Footage of people getting laser tattoo removal makes it look like the ink instantly disappears, but this is just water in the skin being heated up and temporarily obscuring the tattoo. Private clinics in the UK usually charge around 150 per session for the removal of a small tattoo. Advertisement John Westby, 26, shared an image of his 'burns' around a love heart on his arm tattoo after one session of treatment. He said: 'This is what he did to my arm but it was worse than that, as this was when I spotted it. 'As you can see, where the holes are and the love heart, I didn't want touching as me and the missus have matching ones and I wasn't happy at all. 'I know I only paid 35 quid but that's not the point I work hard for that money and spent it on my arm to get this tattoo lasered.' Another customer, Bee Clark, shared images of the blistering on her arms that she paid 175 to have three sessions on. She said: 'It was painful and now it's in a bit of a mess. I'm waiting to speak to a specialist because I have psoriasis anyway. 'I would say if you're thinking about laser tattoo removal, make sure they are professional and qualified.' Paul Ellis paid 400 for 'as many sessions as required' for two tattoos to be removed - one on each arm around the bicep area. He said the first session left him 'blistered and burnt' and took six weeks to heal. Mr Ellis assumed this was normal for the process, although he claimed there were no medical questions asked before he had the treatment. Mr Prophet said he treated some people while working at a premises but mostly operated as a mobile business. He insisted he completed a day's training course with professionals and further training online prior to using the laser machine. Asked about the images of Ms Gordon's arm, he said this was a result of her not carrying out proper aftercare. John Westby shared an image of his 'burns' around a love heart on his arm tattoo after one session of treatment. He said he paid 35 but it was hard-earned money Steven Anthony Prophet said he is trying to pay refunds, but claims he 'is safe'. He said blistering is '100 per cent normal' and that he had proper training He said: 'Blistering is 100 per cent normal. You have to keep the area clean and keep it moisturised - it's your own personal hygiene. 'I've got a whole lot of happy customers, it's only a small minority [who are making complaints]. 'Everybody blisters, people react to it differently. Every time I go to a house I would always ask if there's any health issues I need to be aware of. I am safe.' Mr Prophet concedes that he has been forced to close partly due to the images shared by unhappy customers. He said: 'I fully accept some people want refunds. Anyone who wants a refund, or to continue their treatment, I will do that. 'I'm trying my very best to raise funds, I've already tried to get a loan. I'm not hiding, far from it.' Tattoos were once considered permanent, but advances in 'Q-switched lasers' led to complete or partial removal becoming possible in the 1990s. The industry is now a fast-growing market, and a recent survey by the British Association of Dermatologists found as many as one in three people now regret a tattoo and would like to have it removed. The laser works by breaking down the ink particles and allowing them to be absorbed by the body's natural healing system. Depending on the size and complexity of a tattoo, it can take between six to ten sessions to be completely removed. In the UK, private clinics charge about 150 a session to remove a small tattoo and up to 800 for a larger one. Experts say the procedure isn't gentle, regardless of which laser system is used, and you should expect some degree of scarring. Officers at Trading Standards are now assessing if there has been any wrongdoing by Mr Prophet. The Health and Safety At Work Act does apply if the work was carried out in a premises as businesses have a duty to ensure that customers do not face unacceptable risks resulting from their work activity. If the work was taking place in a domestic premises then the enforcement responsibility would be the Health and Safety Executive. The NHS advise to take time 'to find a reputable practitioner who practices in a clean, safe and appropriate environment'. Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, said: 'Individuals who practise laser tattoo removal are obliged to adhere to the Health and Safety at Work Act and must ensure their customers do not face unacceptable risks as a result of their work. A woman was left needing emergency surgery after she swallowed a toothpick which ended up in her liver. Doctors did not explain exactly how the sharp object punctured through the unnamed 61-year-olds liver. However, similar cases of people who have ingested toothpicks show they can easily penetrate organs inside the stomach. The woman, believed to be from Beirut, had been suffering in pain all over her body for two months before she decided to go to hospital. Doctors at Saint Georges Hospital University Medical Center carried out a series of tests - but all considered causes of her pain came back as negative. Even an ultrasound on her abdomen, which was where she felt the most amount of pain, did not raise any flags. A 61-year-old woman from Lebanon was ill for two months after swallowing a toothpick which ended up in her liver and had to be removed in surgery An early CT scan of the woman's abdomen revealed there was a 3cm lesion in her liver, which the authors call an abscess cavity. The doctors began to question if a foreign object had caused the internal injury. There were also signs of fat stranding, a sign of inflammation, between part of the large bowel and the liver, which is how the two organs 'communicated'. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A FOREIGN OBJECT TO PASS THROUGH THE BODY? A group of Australian doctors each swallowed a piece of Lego as part of an odd experiment to work out how long it really takes for it to pass through the body. As children are often rushed to hospital after swallowing small items, such as Lego, researchers from the University of Melbourne enlisted the help of six medical professionals and had them swallow the head of a Lego man. The bizarre experiment, which the team branded 'dedication to paediatrics', was published in the Journal of Paediatric and Child Health. Participants ingested a Lego head, after which it was a case of searching for the item in faeces, with the 'search technique decided by the participant'. The study found the small toy should be out within one to three days. However, one patient never found the piece they swallowed in their faeces, searching for two weeks. They added that although it is possible children's digestion time would be different from an adult, there is no evidence to support this. Advertisement The woman was put on two weeks on antibiotics, but her symptoms persisted, according to the tale published in Clinical Case Reports. An MRI scan then showed the lesion had doubled in size and surgeons decided to operate, according to author of the report, Dr Antoine El Asmar. The team of medics came across a fine wooden tip protruding from the site, which they discovered to be a toothpick. Around 136 cases of toothpick ingestion causing stabbing of organs in the stomach area have been reported in the US, medical literature states. Of these, toothpicks made their way to the liver and patients needed surgery in 15 of the cases. This is believed to be the first case of its kind, the authors said, because of the toothpicks route to the liver, which was by exiting the large bowel through the hepatic flexure, which is next to the liver - it is not clear how toothpicks have migrated in other cases. Most swallowed foreign bodies pass harmlessly through the body. However, patients commonly end up with bowels obstruction, either with the object making piercings where it shouldn't and tears between organs. Recurrent abdominal pain and fevers from an unknown origin are common symptoms - all of which the case study presented - and nausea, constipation and diarrhoea. Foreign body ingestion is responsible for around 1,500 cases of death in the United States every year, the report said. The figures in the UK are unclear. Elderly people, children, patients with psychiatric disorders or neurodevelopmental delay, and body packers (people who swallow packets of drugs for transport) face the highest risk. Figures of past medical cases show that one in ten patients who swallow a tooth pick go on to die. This could be because although it is a medical emergency, and perforations of the intestine are associated high mortality, foreign body ingestion can be difficult to diagnose. Surgical intervention can also be complicated and challenging, the authors said. Gemma Greenwood, who died of bowel cancer, tied the knot on December 20 A bowel cancer patient whose symptoms were dismissed for ten months has died just two days after getting married in a hospice. Gemma Greenwood, who tied the knot on December 20, was repeatedly told by doctors 'nothing was wrong' - despite filling cups with blood. The 37-year-old was battling for her life and had to pay around 2,000 a month for drugs she could not get on the NHS. Her family and friends had also desperately tried to raise the cash for last-ditch treatment in Germany that they hoped could help her. However, Mrs Greenwood, nee Epstein, lost her battle just before Christmas as the cancer was so aggressive that no treatment could aid her. Tributes have flooded in for the 'beautiful' Mrs Greenwood, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2016. Her heartbroken sister, Becky, uploaded an emotional post to Facebook to confirm her passing. In the post which attracted 300 heartfelt comments, She wrote: 'Gemma passed away this morning at 8am with her husband by her side. 'An unbelievably beautiful, courageous and inspirational lady who touched so many people throughout her life. 'We are so very proud of how bravely and fiercely she fought her illness, right until the very end, she is now at peace. RIP my beautiful big sister.' Georgina Weymont wrote: 'Love you all, cant express how much Gemma touched our hearts.' Trisha Sharkey wrote: 'I only knew your beautiful sister for such a short time but what an inspirational woman she truly was.' Kevin Williams wrote: 'RIP Youre going to be missed auntie Gem love you. Thanks for being such a great aunt. All my thoughts and prayers are with you and the family.' The 37-year-old was battling for her life and had to pay around 2,000 a month for drugs she could not get on the NHS (pictured left with her sister Becky Epstein) Her heartbroken sister, Becky, uploaded an emotional post to Facebook to confirm her passing. It attracted more than 300 heartfelt comments WHAT IS BEVACIZUMAB? Bevacizumab, which costs roughly 42,000 for a year's supply, targets a cancer cell protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The drug blocks this protein and stops the cancer from growing blood vessels, so it is starved and can't grow. Patients usually have Bevacizumab (Avastin) every two to three weeks and treatment continues for as long as it controls your cancer. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) doesn't recommend the use of the drug on the NHS in England and Wales. Avastin, made by pharmaceutical firm Roche, was previously available on the Cancer Drugs Fund before it was cut in 2015. Advertisement Mrs Greenwood, who married her partner Ben at Pendleside Hospice in Burnley in a 'private and emotional service', first went to her doctor in the spring of 2015. She had visited a number of GPs and walk-in centres over a ten month period before her diagnosis but could not get answers. It was not until April 2016, after repeated visits to GP practices that Mrs Greenwood was finally referred to a consultant. Her sister revealed earlier this month that she was going to the GP in pain and was 'filling cups of blood'. She added: 'They kept telling her nothing was wrong and they couldn't find anything. If the cancer was caught sooner, it would have been operated on sooner.' Mrs Greenwood started to pay for life-extending drug Bevacizumab, not provided by the NHS on cost grounds, in the hope it would shrink her tumours. Mrs Greenwood, who married her partner Ben at Pendleside Hospice in Burnley, first went to her doctor in the spring of 2015 It was not until April 2016, after repeated visits to GP practices that Mrs Greenwood was finally referred to a consultant (pictured holding her husband's hand) Mrs Greenwood started to pay for life-extending drug Bevacizumab, not provided by the NHS on cost grounds, in the hope it would shrink her tumours The drug, branded as Avastin, costs roughly 42,000 for a year's supply and targets a cancer cell protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The drug blocks this protein and stops the cancer from growing blood vessels, so it is starved and can't grow. Mrs Greenwood was told on December 12 that the cancer was too aggressive for the drug to work any longer. Her 34-year-old sister said today: 'The doctor told her no more Avastin, no more chemo. Take each day as it comes. She broke down. 'She deteriorated every day and we didnt know how long she had left. The day before she died, she said "I dont think I will be here tomorrow". 'Becky said that despite her sister appearing to know her fate, it was still a shock when she died. Nothing can prepare you for that. It was such a shock. 'It is such a shame. We didnt even have enough time to get used to her new name [Greenwood].' Mrs Greenwood was told on December 12 that the cancer was too aggressive for the drug to work any longer (pictured with her sister Becky) Mrs Greenwood's photos from her wedding were shared on Facebook by her sister Her family and friends had also desperately tried to raise the cash for last-ditch treatment in Germany that they hoped could help her Kevin Williams wrote: 'RIP Youre going to be missed auntie Gem love you. Thanks for being such a great aunt. All my thoughts and prayers are with you and the family' Trisha Sharkey wrote: 'I only knew your beautiful sister for such a short time but what an inspirational woman she truly was' Flu activity suddenly jumped up across the US over Christmas, health officials warn. Nine states and New York City now have high rates of influenza-like illness circulating, up from just two states (Colorado and Georgia) the week before. Eleven children have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is no official count for adult deaths yet. Though these figures are mild compared to last year's deadly epidemic, which killed 80,000 Americans, doctors say that is no reason to be complacent. Part of the reason why infections and deaths are lower this year is because the flu shot is more effective against this season's strain. Nine states - Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Carolina - and New York City are experiencing high levels of flu activity Doctors are saying one piece of good news, despite the rocketing infection rates, is that this year's flu shot is more effective than last year's. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, last year's vaccine effectiveness was 36 percent overall, making the 2017-18 season one of the most severe on record. During the last full week of January, the CDC reported that one of every 14 visits to doctors and clinics nationwide that week was for symptoms of the flu. That made it the highest level since the deadly swine flu pandemic in 2009. Nearly 80,000 Americans died last year of flu-related illnesses, 179 of which were children. The CDC said 80 percent of the children who died were not vaccinated. Another positive of the most recent report is that the majority of states - 22 and the District of Columbia - are experiencing low levels of activity this year. Between December 15 and December 22, just 3.3 percent of outpatient visits were for flu symptoms. By comparison, this time last year that number was nearly six percent. Health care providers are urging anyone who has not gotten the flu vaccine to visit their doctor or local pharmacy as soon as possible. The CDC recommends getting the vaccine either in the form of a shot or a nasal spray. For those who choose to go with the injectable, there are two options. Between December 15 and December 22, just 3.3 percent of outpatient visits were for flu symptoms. By comparison, this time last year that number was nearly six percent The first is a trivalent vaccine, which protects against two influenza A strains, H1N1 and H3N2, and one influenza B strain. The second option, the quadrivalent flu vaccine, protects against the same strains as the trivalent vaccine, as well as an extra influenza B virus. The nasal spray, FluMist, uses live, weakened viruses which are meant to teach the body to recognize and ward off flu strains if you become infected. The only group of people who are ineligible for the vaccine - shot and spray - are babies under six months old. Doctors say taking preventative measures is just as important as getting the vaccine such as washing your hands, not touching your face, coughing into your elbow or a tissue and staying home if you are ill. Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah also claimed that PM Modi and his government were against agricultural sector. I had twice led delegations (to PM Modi) as a chief minister, he did not agree to waive a single rupee. said Siddaramaiah. (Photo: File) Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising the state government's farm loan waiver scheme and called him "anti-farmer". Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he questioned Modi's moral right to criticise the state government on the issue. "I had twice led delegations (to Modi) as a chief minister, he did not agree to waive a single rupee. What moral right does he have?" said Siddaramaiah who is also head of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coordination committee in Karnataka. Alleging that PM Modi and his government were against the agriculture sector, he questioned their contribution to the farming community. "Ok we have given lollipop, what pop has he given? What has he given?" Siddaramaiah asked. "What has he and his party governments done in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh until recently, and in Bihar and other states where the BJP is running a coalition government?" he questioned. Addressing a rally at Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh last week, Modi had said that the Congress promised loan waivers to lakhs of farmers, but the JD(S)-Congress coalition in Karnataka did not deliver. "Lollipops were handed out. The loan waiver was given to only 800 farmers," he had claimed. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has also hit out at Modi for terming the state government's loan waiver scheme for farmers "one of the most cruel jokes", accusing him of misleading the country for "political gains". 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. 2018 saw 10,000 restaurant workers lose their jobs, compounding the worst year many High Street watchers can remember. Restaurant closures at chains such as Jamie's Italian, Gaucho and Prezzo as well as burger spots Byron Burger and Gourmet Burger Kitchen, resulted in scores of job losses each week. Acquired taste: 2018 was a year where scores of restaurants have been closed Research by the Centre for Retail Research suggests that 2019 may be even worse with thousands of job losses expected at smaller independent restaurants. The Centre's director Professor Joshua Bamfield explained: 'Many of the large chains have already made cuts and, in 2019, we expect the smaller and independent restaurants to bear the weight of the losses.' Restaurant Reckoning The year started with Byron Burger tabling 20 restaurant closures across the country. In February, Italian chain Prezzo, announced it would almost 100 outlets leading to a hundreds of job losses. Celebrity power proved unable to save Jamie Oliver's steak chain Barbecoa from going bust leading to 78 job losses earlier this year. A string of sites closures for the chefs self-tiled Jamie's Italian and saw further staff without work. Struggling: A difficult 2017 turned into a difficult 2018 for celebrity chef Jamie Oliver Last month Gourmet Burger Kitchen confirmed 17 of its 80 restaurants have been earmarked for closure a move affecting 250 of it's 2,000 employees. Difficult trading A range of factors have weighed on the high street and restaurant trade specifically in 2018. The weakness of the pound following the Brexit vote has led to increased food prices for restaurants at a time when consumers are keeping an eye on their household budgets. Walking on: Rising business rates, wage costs and customer budgeting has led to closures In addition both business rates and minimum wage costs have risen. The troubles of the restaurant industry echo the wider woes of the High Street. December saw the worst festive period on record with shop visits down by 44 million compared to December 2017. Analysts warned that as many as 164,000 jobs will be lost in the British retail industry next year. Aerospace firms in Britain are on track to make 2018 a record year for manufacturing British aerospace firms are on course to make 2018 a record year. Manufacturers delivered 168 aircraft in November the highest ever for the month and the third best figure for any month. It means manufacturers are likely to have delivered around 1,600 aircraft this year, beating the record of 1,498 in 2017. The November deliveries were worth as much as 3billion to the economy, taking the value of deliveries so far in 2018 to 26billion, according to industry body ADS Group. Industry experts had been hoping to hand over 1,710 aircraft this year, but the number has fallen short because engine deliveries proved to be slower than they had predicted. Advertisement It's been a busy year for Prince Harry. In May millions of people around the world watched him become the Duke of Sussex as he married Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle. A few months later in October the couple announced they are expecting their first baby and just days later they flew to the other side of the world for a 16-day tour Down Under. But it's not just Harry who's been busy. The prince's hectic schedule has made for a jam-packed 2018 for his lookalike, Rhys Whittock, too. Rhys, 35, is almost exactly the same height as the Duke of Sussex, 34, and nearly the same age, as well as sporting the same head of red hair. Spitting image: Rhys Whittock, 35, is pictured with one of his Meghan lookalikes Olivia Marsden posing up for the same pictures Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did at Kensington Palace on the news of their engagement in November 2017 The Welsh property developer is pictured in a replica Prince Harry groom outfit with his second Meghan lookalike Inmaculada Santisteban outside Buckingham Palace as part of the Best Harry and Meghan Lookalike in Europe competition 2018 The Royal McCoy! The new Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pictured riding through Windsor after their wedding at St George's Chapel on May 19 this year Friends, family and strangers have been pointing out his royal resemblance for years, but it wasn't until Harry-and-Meghan-mania swept the country with news of their engagement in November last year that he started to take them seriously. In just a few months the Welshman went from a quiet life as a property developer in the sleepy Kent village of Greenhithe to travelling the world as a fully-fledged Prince Harry lookalike. He told MailOnline: 'Since March, I've been on the side of a London bus, flown to Hong Kong to play Harry at a millionaire businessman's birthday party and been on live TV. It's surreal. 'I never used to think much of it when people would stare at me at weddings and tell me I looked like Prince Harry. 'Most lookalikes don't see the resemblance between them and the person they're impersonating. 'But the more photo shoots I do and the more pictures I look at, sometimes I have to ask myself, is it me or is it him?' Strutting their stuff: Harry lookalike Rhys and Meghan impersonator Olivia are pictured walking through the streets of London (left) with Harry and Meghan pictured as they leave their wedding party at Frogmore House in Windsor (right) In character: Rhys, who lives in Kent, is pictured with his second Meghan lookalike Inma, who lives near Seville, Spain, outside Kensington Palace on her recent visit to the UK. The pair met through a European lookalike competition While there's only one Meghan for Harry, Rhys has worked with as many as six in his new part-time job as a Harry doppelganger. He is signed up with six agencies in the UK, as well as ones in the USA, Germany, Belgium and Holland, which have sent him on jobs the length and breadth of Britain and overseas. Rhys says it all started seven years ago, explaining: 'From around 2011 people have been coming up to me in the street telling me I look like Prince Harry. My family and friends have always said it a lot as well. 'So I decided to get in contact with a few agencies for lookalikes but I didn't get any response, so I thought that was the end of that.' 'That was around the time Harry was in the Army so I think they wanted him to keep a low profile, which meant there was no demand for lookalike work. Au natural: The lookalikes are pictured outside Kensington Palace without their Harry and Meghan outfits in casual clothes This is Rhys's third Meghan lookalike, Sarah Mhlanga, who he appeared with on ITV's Loose Women in the run up to the wedding earlier this year The Dupe and Duchess of Sussex! Rhys is pictured with Meghan impersonator Sarah in Windsor on the day of the Royal wedding (left). Harry and Meghan are pictured on November 27 at Kensington Palace for their engagement (right) 'But in November last year when they announced the engagement one of the agents phoned me up and asked me: 'Do you still look like Prince Harry?' 'And I said, 'I think so,' so I went to their offices for a meeting. 'They put me on their books but then that was it until about March time, which is when more and more work started coming up.' After making a name for himself on social media and creating his own website, he entered a royal lookalike contest. And it was a Spanish woman called Inmaculada Santisteban who he teamed up with to eventually be crowned the best Harry and Meghan lookalikes in Europe. Despite not speaking the same language, Inma, 33, has struck up a firm friendship with her English Harry lookalike. The pair insist they are just friends and will not be following in their royal counterparts' footsteps and entering a romantic relationship. Drinks for the Duke and Duchess! Rhys is pictured on a photoshoot with one of his Meghan lookalikes Tajah Williams On another photoshoot with 'Meghan' Danielle Tottman, Rhys was accompanied by a professional harpist and food and a champagne hamper The 35-year-old doppelganger is pictured with Ruth Johnson for a Harry and Meghan lookalike photoshoot in London Rhys said: 'After we won the competition she invited me to visit her in Seville, we had a wonderful time, but we're just very good friends.' Naturally the week of the Royal wedding was Rhys's busiest, with him rushing to six jobs in six days. But it has proven lucrative, with some appointments earning him more than 1,000 an hour. Rhys, pictured with Inma, has been mistaken for Harry in and around Kensington (pictured) where the royal couple live On the day of the wedding, Rhys got up at the crack of dawn to get the train to Windsor. He said: 'The week of the wedding was really crazy. I was doing at least one if not two jobs a day. I was exhausted. 'On the day when I got to Paddington to get the train someone shouted at me 'Don't be late for the wedding Harry! 'I do get people staring at me on the Underground, but they soon remember Harry would never take public transport, so it couldn't be him.' The impersonator did some TV interviews and was meant to have a spot inside the castle grounds with one of his many Meghans, but the crowds were too big by the time he arrived. He said: 'I managed to see the carriage go down the High Street. 'When it was finished I went back to London in the evening to do a Thames boat cruise with William and Kate lookalikes.' Rhys's family, who are originally from Cardiff, are very pleased with his new life as a Harry double and are big fans of the royal family. His sister met the Queen when she visited her during her school years at Cheltenham Ladies College and his father was at the University of Aberystwyth at the same time as Prince Charles and often caught glimpses of him around campus. But although he impersonates him, he says his son Prince Harry isn't his hero. He said: 'I like him, but I'm not an obsessive. I'm pleased he's found someone he can settle down with, after all the trouble he's had in his life, with his mum and everything. And Meghan seems really nice, she has a lovely smile.' The furthest Rhys has been sent for a job is the Chinese gambling haven of Macau for the 75th birthday of billionaire businessman Quek Leng Chan. He is pictured with fellow lookalikes who impersonate the Queen, Mary Reynolds, Prince William, Simon Watkinson, and Prince George Malaysian tycoon Quek Leng Chan is worth $7.2billion and is a fan of all things British, asking for Royal lookalikes to attend his special day at a luxury casino. His wedding cake, in the shape of the royal carriage, is pictured With Harry's popularity, Rhys says his royal act is usually well-received. He added: 'Some lookalikes play bad guys. But everybody universally adores Harry, so I'm pleased with that. I usually get a good response from people.' The 35-year-old says he hasn't had to make too much of an effort to maintain his 'Harry look' as his wardrobe isn't as varied as his wife's. But having the same features as the prince is more rare, he claims. 'There aren't very many of us. There are only about six in the whole country. 'But there are a lot more Meghans - more like 20. It's easy to look like her I think. Anyone can have long black hair and look pretty, but with Harry you have to be tall with red hair. I think it's harder. There's no place like home! Rhys Whittock is pictured outside the gates of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's home at Kensington Palace in central London. They will move to Frogmore Cottage at Windsor Castle in the New Year Visiting granny! Rhys is pictured in his best Prince Harry blue suit outside the gates of Buckingham Palace on a trip to London 'I have to keep up to date with what he's wearing and whether he has facial hair or not. 'But clothes-wise it's pretty easy, I've been given the wedding outfit to wear and I just have his blue coat.' While being on TV on ITV's Loose Women was daunting, he adds that the strangest experience he's had is having his picture taken with Prince William, Charles and the Queen lookalikes in his swimming costume. He said: 'The weirdest job I've been asked to do was sit in a hot tub on top of a canal boat in London with lookalikes for the Queen, Prince William and Prince Charles. 'I had to wear Union Jack Speedos and it was freezing. It was bizarre.' The furthest Rhys has been sent for a job is the Chinese gambling haven of Macau for the 75th birthday of billionaire businessman Quek Leng Chan. The Malaysian tycoon, worth $7.2billion is a fan of all things British and asked for Royal lookalikes to attend his special day at a luxury casino. Rhys and Inma (circled, right) battled it out with other Harry and Meghan lookalikes to be crowned the best in Europe this year Judges preside over which couple (Rhys and Inma circled) should be crowned the best Harry and Meghan lookalikes in Europe on a London rooftop Rhys and other royal lookalikeswere joined by Elton John and Adele tribute acts, as guests drank champagne and and tucked into a jaw-dropping birthday cake. While the security guards at Meghan and Harry's home at Kensington Palace have got used to seeing him posing for photos - they were nearly fooled by his Harry impression once. He said: 'One day I was doing some promotional shots for my social media pages when I decided to go to Harry's gym. 'The bodyguards started to let me in because they thought it was him. But they quickly realised I had no security team, so it couldn't be. It was quite funny.' Rhys says there is not quite enough demand for him to give up his day job, but with Harry and Meghan's baby expected next year, that could change and he might consider it. The remote and rural village of Yalambojoch in Guatemala is mourning the death of the second child who died in U.S. custody near the Mexican border. The family of Guatemalan boy Felipe Gomez Alonzo cried and lit candles at a makeshift altar for the eight-year-old child who died suddenly on Christmas Eve after being held at a border facility for two weeks. The family posted his photos, placed white flowers and flickering candles at the atar, and wrote the epitaph 'Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Died Dec. 24 2018 in New Mexico, United States.' The child's tragic death sent shock waves through the nation and shed light on how migrants passing through the borders are treated when they're held in detention centers and border facilities awaiting word from border control. Guatemalan boy Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8, died on Christmas Eve while in U.S. Custody after suffering a cough, vomiting and fever, authorities said. The cause is under investigation Felipe's mother Catarina Alonzo pictured center crying over the loss of her eight-year-old son On Saturday Felipe grandmother Catarina Perez led a candle light vigil for Felipe in his home in the rural village of Yalambojoch, Guatemala She bent her head and broke down in tears as she and relatives lit candles in Felipe's memory Calla lilies and candles adorn a makeshift altar honoring 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo, in his mother's home in Yalambojoch, Guatemala A poster with photo copies that show Felipe Gomez Alonzo is taped to a wall as part of a makeshift altar honoring the 8-year-old, inside his mother's home in Yalambojoch, Guatemala On Monday morning, 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. He was 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. 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. He was apprehended in the U.S. with his father on December 18 near the Paso del Norte bridge connecting El Paso, Texas, to Juarez, Mexico, according to border officials. They were both were held at the bridge's processing center and then the Border Patrol station in El Paso before being transferred on Dec. 23 to a facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 90 miles away. And he's not the first child to die in U.S. custody. Guatemalan girl Jakelin Caal, seven, died on December 8 in a hospital in El Paso, Texas, in the early hours of the morning, after showing signs of sepsis. 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 death of the two childrens have led to bitter criticism of President Donald Trump, who blamed their death on Democrats. In response, his Homeland Security secretary has vowed to mandate additional health screenings for detained migrant children. As for Felipe's crushed family, they never expected such a tragedy to strike. The family in the village also had no idea that thousands of migrant children were separated from their parents after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. 'We don't have a television. We don't have a radio,' Catarina Gomez, Felipe's sister, said Saturday. 'We didn't know what had happened before.' Felipe comes from an impoverished village surrounded by mountains. There's just a single small school, dirt roads that become flooded in the rainy season, and small homes without insulation, flooring, water, or electricity. Women in Felipe's family pictured above with their heads hung at Saturday's vigil Felipe and his father ventured to the U.S. alone. The father called his wife Catarina Alonzo (above) on Christmas Day to give her the heartbreaking news of their son's sudden death Maria Gomez, aunt of Felipe Gomez Alonzo, an 8-year-old Guatemalan boy who died in U.S. custody, cries as she retells memories of him in his home village of Yalambojoch, Guatemala According to his autopsy, the child passed away of the flu while in the care of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agency. His grieving mother Catarina Alonzo Perez pictured above Artwork by Felipe Gomez Alonzo, an 8-year-old Guatemalan boy who died in U.S. custody, is taped to a door of the Gomez home in Yalambojoch, Guatemala Felipe's six-year-old brother Mateo rests his head on his mother's lap in their home in Yalambojoch, Guatemala on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018 Felipe comes from an impoverished village surrounded by mountains. There's just a single small school, dirt roads that become flooded in the rainy season, and small homes without insulation, flooring, water, or electricity Magdalena Gomez Lucas, center, a sister of Felipe Gomez Alonzo, holds her stepbrother Oliver at their home in Yalambojoch, Guatemala on Saturday Felipe's sister said they didn't know Felipe and his dad would be separated: 'We don't have a television. We didn't know what had happened before' Felipe's body is expected to be sent back to Guatemala around mid-January There are no jobs and resident say that the Guatemalan government has turned a blind eye to their plight, a complaint that can be heard in other impoverished villages in the country. Many families fled Guatemala during the 1960-1996 civil war then returned after the signing of peace accords. But with no job opportunities, they've left again. Felipe's sister, Catarina, said that in recent years 'everyone started heading for the United States,' so much so that a local project to boost education financed with Swedish help was abandoned because there were practically no more young people to take the classes. Felipe's father Augustin Gomez decided to leave too, due to the extreme poverty and in hope of a better life. He took Felipe, his eldest son, with him. They never thought the trip would be life-threatening. 'I didn't think of that, because several families had already left and they made it,' the boy's mother, Catarina Alonzo said in the indigenous Chuj language. Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 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 on December 8 in US custody Trump blamed the Democrats' 'pathetic' immigration policies for the children's death 'If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try!' Trump said of families attempting to cross into the US via the southern border Felipe was healthy when he left. He last spoke to his mother a day before they were taken to detention facilities at the border. He said he was well, he ate chicken, and that the next time he'd talk to her would be by the phone in the U.S. The next call she got was on Christmas Day from her husband who gave her the news that Felipe had died one day prior. Felipe's mother Catarina Alonzo wiped tears as she recalled how her young son promised before leaving that when he was grown, he would work to send money home. Felipe also wanted to buy her a cellphone so she could see pictures of him from afar. Now she hopes for only two things: That Felipe's body is returned as soon as possible for burial, and that her husband can remain in the United States to work off debt and support their other kids. The Guatemalan Consulate in Phoenix has said that Agustin Gomez was released on a humanitarian license allowing him to remain in the United States for now. Felipe's body is expected to be sent back to Guatemala around mid-January. Trump claimed Felipe and Jakelin were both 'very sick' before they reached the border, though both young migrants passed initial health screenings by Border Patrol. No child had died in the agency's custody in more than a decade before this month, according to Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan. He's called for a 'multifaceted solution' on immigration, including not only better border security and new immigration laws but more aid to the Central American countries the migrants are fleeing from. Referring to the U.S. pledge earlier this month of $5.8 billion in development aid for Central America, McAleenan called it 'a tremendous step forward.' '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,' he said on ABC's This Week. Christopher Francis Walker, 36, was arrested in April this year A mum-of-three strangled by a violent man she met on Tinder is terrified her former love will return to his dating app profiles and torment other women on his release from prison. Kellie Butchard, 38, from Huyton, Liverpool, thought she was going to die when boyfriend Christopher Francis Walker, 36, wrapped a phone cord around her throat and threatened to throw her over the banister in her home on April 16 this year. After first meeting Walker earlier this year on the dating app, mum-of-three Kellie thought she'd found the man of her dreams. But just two months later, his behaviour turned violent and he subjected her to two horrific assaults that left her covered in bruises. Walker, from Litherland, Merseyside, was sentenced to eight weeks in prison at Liverpool Crown Court on November 22 after being found guilty of two accounts of assault. After first meeting Walker earlier this year on Tinder, mum-of-three Kellie thought she'd found the man of her dreams Kellie Butchard, 38,from Huyton, Liverpool, showing bruises on her face and arm from when Walker attacked her He was also given a five year restraining order but was released from prison just before Christmas and Kelly is now sharing her story to warn others about meeting men on dating apps. The full time carer said: 'After first meeting Chris on Tinder at the start of the year, I thought I'd met my soulmate. 'But he put me through two months of hell. The final straw was being strangled with the phone cord, I couldn't breathe. 'I'm utterly disgusted that he has served such a short sentence. He will never change. 'He could have taken me from my children and left them motherless. The phone charging cable Kellie claims she was strangled with by Christopher Francis Walker Christopher Francis Walker's Tinder profile in which he describes himself as 'dead easy to get on with' 'I was lucky to survive, and to have escaped him. 'Tinder, POF, Bumble - all dating apps should have tighter controls on them to stop convicted abusers joining them. 'I was lucky but his next victim might not be - as he constantly uses dating sites.' After officially beginning their relationship on February 2, Walker moved into the family home one month later to live with Kellie, her five-year-old disabled twins, Rudi and Kenny, and her eight-year-old daughter, Layla. But Kellie said Walker quickly became verbally abusive before physically assaulting her on two separate occasions. Kellie said: 'We had so much in common and I was enjoying to get to know him. 'Our relationship moved quickly and he was soon living in my home. Kellie said Walker became verbally abusive before physically assaulting her on two separate occasions 'It was then that I saw his real side, he'd get angry over the smallest things, like who I was talking to. 'He'd verbally assault me, calling me vile and disgusting. 'When I tried to stand up to him, it turned physical. 'One night, when he'd been calling me boring, evil, I tried to walk away - but he raised his fist to punch me instead. 'After he punched me I felt trapped as he manipulated me into thinking no one would believe me. 'But the second assault on April 10 was the final straw, I saw the look in his eye - one of pure hatred. 'He went for me like he was going to kill me, my boys were sleeping in their rooms and I could only think of how much they needed me. 'They have so many special needs including autism, and Angelman Syndrome. Kellie next to a bedroom door upstairs that she claims was damaged during one of the attacks The bedroom door was significantly damaged in one of the attacks by her boyfriend Walker 'All I could hear was my son, Rudi - he'd woken and was screaming. 'He saved my life. Because of Rudi, Chris paused and I was able to get to my boy.' The second attack made Kellie determined to report Walker, and with the help of her social worker, who helps with her son's additional needs, Kellie made sure he was brought to justice. The mum is hoping her story will help others spot the warning signs before things turned violent. She said: 'Now I have to rebuild my life, but I'm terrified, with flashbacks and nightmares. 'I truly believe there should be a domestic abuse register, so prospective partners know. 'There's no controls in place - the register should be in place and should be rolled out nationwide to prevent the devastating effects that I had, to stop this happening to other women or men.' The mum-of-two suffered horrendous bruises (right) during the attacks which took place earlier this year Tourists and foreign students in Australia are racking up millions of dollars in hospital fees each year before skipping the country. The revelation has prompted calls for a new national system where all hospital visitors must pay their way. In September, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard proposed a system where foreign guests take out private health insurance in addition to travel insurance. Tourists and foreign Australia are accumulating millions of dollars in hospital fees before skipping the country (stock image) Mr Hazard saw his proposal tentatively backed by several states across Australia as well as federal Health Minister Greg Hunt. 'Regardless of who you are, if you are sick you should be able to access healthcare,' Mr Hunt told News Corp. 'However, there is a cumulative effect with temporary visa holders, often here on holiday, who access our public health system, incur costs and then leave the country with debts unpaid.' The need for a revamped system was highlighted after an uninsured patient from China was unable to pay a bill of $250,000 in NSW when recovering from a brain haemorrhage. According to the Australian, Western Australia has seen a spike in mining workers requesting expensive drugs, while in Victoria the debt in public hospitals was close to $16.5million. Queensland's outstanding debt was an estimated $11million. Medical bills in Australian hospitals are often left unpaid by tourists and foreign students (stock image) Rachel David, the head of Private Healthcare Australia, said Mr Hazzard's proposal would only be successful if all the state health ministers were on the same page. 'Travel insurance is meant to cover emergency treatment, whereas health insurance covers elective surgery, admissions for mental health and basic dental care,' she said. 'There needs to be a solution which makes sense.' There's a range of price rises - and the odd cut - that will come into force in Australia on January 1, 2019. It's good news for those keen to borrow money, with a range of measures being brought in to make borrowing fairer. But regular motorist will be hit, again, with toll hikes on roads in three different states. Some new mums will benefit from a government baby bundle designed to help them get through the first days of motherhood. While women will be able to buy tax-free tampons for the first time. Here is a complete rundown of the price rises that come into force from Tuesday, January 1 - and how they will impact your bank account. Australians can expect a raft of changes from January 1, including cheaper feminine hygiene products, an increase in car tolls and train fares and cheaper gas and electricity ROAD TOLLS It's bad news for motorists as road toll operators plan to increase prices in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Cars travelling northbound in Sydney's Eastern Distributor toll road will have to pay an extra seven cents from $7.46 to $7.53. The toll for cars travelling on the Hills M2 Motorway, which runs from the city's far north-west, tolls will increase between two and seven cents, depending on the exit taken. Cars entering the M2 from the Windsor Road ramp will pay $2.64, up from $2.61. Sydney motorists travelling on the M4 will pay an increased road toll of $4.93. Car tolls across Sydney, Melbourne and Victoria will increase from two to ten cents The Sydney toll price rise comes despite motorists already being hit by a rise in October 1, just three months ago. In Brisbane, car tolls on the AirportLinkM7 increase by 10 cents from $5.46 to $5.56. Melbourne cars on CityLink will pay an extra one to four cents for tolls. FREE CAR REGISTRATION More than 300,000 drivers will be eligible for half-priced or free-registration based on their toll spend, but they'll have to wait until July to earn their savings. Depending on how much drivers spend on tolls, they will be eligible for half-priced or free car rego PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARES Train, tram and bus fares will increase across Victoria, with the two-hour full-fare tickets increasing from $4.30 to $4.40, while all-day tickets will cost $8.80, up from $8.60. Meanwhile, the annual full-fare Myki passes will increase from $1,683.50 to $1,722.50, while the concession pass will rise from $841.75 to $861.25. Two hour Concession rates in Zone one and two will rise from $2.15 to $2.20. Zone one and two full-fare seven day passes will cost $44.00 from $43.00 and $22.00 for Concession, up from $21.50. Two-hour full-fare tickets and all-day tickets will increase by ten cents while an annual full-fare Myki pass will cost $1,722.50 from $1,683.50 In Brisbane, a single-zone ticket will increase from $4.70 to $4.80 and an eight-zone ticket will increase from $28.40 to $28.90 for adults, from January 7. New South Wales introduced transport fare adjustments in July, adding about 39 cents a week to the average commuter's bill. TAMPON TAX AXED Women's tampons, pads and panty liners will be exempt from the 10% goods and services tax (GST) from January 1. The move comes after Treasurer Josh Frydenberg secured an agreement from state treasurers to axe the 'tampon tax' in October - which will cost Treasury about $30 million every year. Female sanitary products such as tampons, pads and panty liners will be exempted from the ten per cent goods and services tax (GST) Nicotene patches, sunscreen and Viagra are among other health products exempt from GST. ATM FEES REINTRODUCED National Australia Bank (NAB) customers will be forced to pay $2 when withdrawing money from over 3000 ATMs previously used for free since 2009. The new fee comes as NAB parts ways with the RediATM network, which are owned and operated by payments provider Cuscal. Last year, the big four banks announced they were ditching the ATM withdrawal fees, which costed consumers about $500 million a year. National Australia Bank (NAB) customers will be forced to pay $2 when withdrawing money from over 3000 ATMs previously used for free since 2009 PLASTIC BAG BANS AND PENALTIES All plastic bags with handles with a thickness of 35 microns or less, even if they are biodegradable, will be completely banned in Western Australia. The ban applies to all retailers and not just major supermarkets. Any retailer, which refuses to comply with the ban can face potential prosecution and fines up to $5,000. Western Australia will introduce a complete plastic bag ban, which applies to all retailers including take-away restaurants and not just supermarkets 'From January 1, 2019 it will be an offence for retailers to supply lightweight plastic bags - this includes small retail shops, takeaway food outlets and markets,' said WA environment minister Stephen Dawson. TEN DAYS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE New South Wales public sector workers will be entitled to ten days of paid domestic violence leave per year. Nurses, teachers and police officers are among those who are entitled to the leave. Previously, public service employees who were victims of domestic violence were entitled to five days of leave per year. Nurses, teachers and police officers are among those who are entitled to ten days of domestic violence paid leave 'NO JAB NO PLAY' Western Australia are taking strict action on children who fail to have proper vaccinations with the introduction of a 'No Jab No Play' policy. The state's health department will use data to chase families for vaccinations and will necessarily exclude children from childcare facilities and schools if a disease breaks out. Parents will be slapped with potential fines of $1,000 if they permit a banned child to attend the facility. Western Australia are taking action on under-vaccinated children with the introduction of a 'No Jab No Play' policy Childcare facilities will be required to collect and report on the immunisation status of all students. The state's chief health officer may shut down facilities in the event of an outbreak of vaccine-preventable contagious disease. TAXPAYER-FUNDED 'BABY BUNDLE' FOR NEW MUMS Mothers who have given birth and are discharged from hospital on January 1 will receive a taxpayer-funded 'Baby Bundle' valued at $300. The package includes a sleeping bag, play and change mats, baby wipes, thermometers and a first aid kit. A baby toothbrush, hand sanitiser, breast pads, board books and a face cloth are among other items included in the package. Mothers who have given birth and are discharged from hospital on January 1 will receive a taxpayer-funded 'Baby Bundle' valued at $300 The packages will be delivered to the nominated New South Wales address free of charge. SECURITY The New South Wales government have the right to apply to the Supreme Court to protect information on accused terrorists from them and their lawyers. The measure is part of new anti-terror laws introduced to parliament in November, which also gives law enforcement agencies the right to use surveillance devices in prison cells. FREE EDUCATION 30 non-apprenticeship and 20 apprenticeship pathway courses in TAFE will be covered by the state government in Victoria. PRESCHOOL SUBSIDIES EXTENDED Three-year-old children will have access to two days a week of subsidised preschool education in New South Wales. The subsidies makes the NSW the first state to help families save $800 a year to help provide a start to early education. The subsidies makes the NSW the first state to help families save $800 a year to help provide a start to early education AFFORDABLE ELECTRICITY AND GAS Electricity prices will decrease for AGL customers in Victoria, with an average saving of $23 a year per household and $60 for small businesses. About 230,00 concession card holders in New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland on standing offers or non-discounted energy plans will receive an automatic 10% discount on electricity, for an average saving of $169. Electricity prices will decrease for AGL customers in Victoria with an average saving of $23 a year per household and $60 for small businesses A decrease in gas prices for residential customers and small businesses for AGL customers in Victoria will see households save $11 and $56 a year respectively. CHILD RIGHTS Approved education, care and children's services; and certain libraries, zoos, parks and gardens must report all allegations of suspected criminal conduct in relation to children under the Reportable Conduct Scheme. Facilities will need to report allegations of suspected criminal conduct in relation to children under the Reportable Conduct Scheme NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME Queenslanders in Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast will have access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS is estimated to support about 91,000 people with a disability in Queensland and about 46,000 people nationally. The NDIS is expected to create more than 12,900 jobs and add $2.5 billion into the state economy. CREDIT CARD ISSUERS CRACK DOWN Australia's ten biggest credit card issuers have agreed to clean up their act when it comes to dealing with customers in debt. In a bid to make trading fairer some credit card issuers will restrict the amount by which consumers can exceed their limit to ten per cent. They are also planning on allowing interest-free periods on new purchases. Australian credit card issuers will crack down on nearly two million people who are struggling to pay credit card debt Mandatory law reforms include a three-year responsible lending assessment, meaning banks cannot provide a credit card with a limit the consumer cannot repay within three years. PARKING FINE RELIEF New South Wales motorists will be given a ten minute 'grace period' for parking fines after their ticket expires, given the printed ticket already paid was for one hour or more. DISABILITY SUPPORT IN PRISON Disability support pension recipients who wind up in prison will be able to receive the payment only once they've been released. Prisoners cannot receive the pension while behind bars but can suspend the payment off for two years. Disability support pension recipients in prison will be able to receive the payment once they've been released FAIR TRADING Consumers will find it easier to deal with defective gifts with changes to fair trading laws in late December. The Fair Trading Commissioner will be have powers to direct traders to refund, repair or replace eligible goods. VESSEL TRACKING UNITS Net, line and crab fishing vessels will need to have tracking units installed as part of a sustainable fisheries strategy plan in Queensland. Vessel tracking will be required on all commercial fishing boats by 2020, with the priority on net, line and crab commercial fishing boats GAMBLING TAX An eight per cent point of consumption tax will be payable by wagering service providers on net gambling revenue. ANIMAL ID TAGS Lambs and goats born interstate will need electronic ID tags if they are to be imported into Victoria. GOING UP IN 2019 - Road tolls in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland - Train, tram and bus fares in Victoria and Brisbane - National Australia Bank (NAB) ATM fees - Gambling tax Advertisement A former member of staff at a prestigious private school has been charged with sexual assault. Jacob Charles Woods, a former housemaster at The Armidale School, in northern NSW, has been charged with assaulting an 11-year-old boy. It comes just three months after a female housemistress from the same school was given a suspended jail sentence for having sex with five male students aged 15 to 17. Woods, 36, is accused of allegedly assaulting the boy, who was in his care while he was a 17-year-old housemaster at the school in 2001. Mr Woods has been charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault and one of aggravated indecent assault against a person under 16 years. A prestigious private boarding school is under fire for the second time in a matter of months after a second staffer was charged with sexual assault There is no link between the allegations made against Woods' and that of the female housemistress, who cannot be named for legal reasons. The 25-year-old woman's offending took place between 2014 and 2015. She was given an 'extraordinarily lenient' two year suspended sentence for her crimes, after a judge deemed her 'extremely psychologically vulnerable'. A newsletter was sent to parents at the school as well as the wider school community warning them of the accusations, Sydney Morning Herald reported. The headmaster, Murray Guest, pleaded with anybody who felt as though they may have been victimised to come forward, despite no other current allegations against Woods. The headmaster, Murray Guest (pictured), pleaded with anybody who felt as though they may have been victimised to come forward, despite no other current allegations against Woods 'It is also important for our current families to be aware that we remain vigilant against all forms of inappropriate behaviour and that our students know to tell someone straight away if anyone makes them feel uncomfortable,' Mr Guest said. 'No concerns were raised with us about his behaviour towards any students until May this year when a solicitor for a former student contacted the school.' 'When Mr Woods was employed by the school he had been recommended by his principal, was background checked and he attended a child protection seminar,' he said. Woods, who hails from Tamworth, was denied bail in Tamworth Local Court and is expected to front court again early in the new year. Queenslanders are bracing for a potentially devastating tropical storm that could develop into a cyclone in the early hours of the new year. The deluge in the state's north is continuing to lash the region, as experts warn Cyclone Penny could form in the neighbouring Gulf of Carpentaria come Tuesday morning. Residents have been facing strong gusts of winds and heavy rain for days, with the weather expected to get worse as the tropical low turns back towards land. The Bureau of Meteorology told Daily Mail Australia as the weather system moves west, it would slow down before building momentum and circling back. Queenslanders are bracing for a potentially devastating tropical storm that could develop into a cyclone in the early hours of the new year The deluge in northern Queensland is continuing to lash the area as experts warn Cyclone Penny could form in the neighbouring Gulf of Carpentaria come Tuesday morning 'There's a high chance it could turn into a cyclone on Tuesday morning as it's in an environment favourable for development,' Metorologist Jess Gardner said. Authorities are urging residents in the north to work with emergency services as it starts to become a more potent cyclone. While there's a moderate chance the system will accelerate into a cyclone on Monday afternoon, it's much more likely it will happen on Tuesday. 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 weather warning continues to stay in place for areas north of Cairns, with heavy rain, damaging winds and a floodwatch on alert. 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. Ms Gardner said the system would likely build up in the Gulf of Carpenteria to the peninsula's west, before reversing track and heading straight towards the mainland. The Bureau of Meteorology told Daily Mail Australia as the weather system moves west, it would slow down before building momentum and circling back Authorities are urging residents in the north to work with emergency services as it starts to become a more potent cyclone Ebony King, 34, has been missing walking into rapid flood waters in Rossville 300km north of Cairns on Thursday and is yet to be found. 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. 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) 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 (pictured resident sandbags a home in Parramatta Park, Cairns after heavy rain earlier this month) However, down south has been enduring balmy post-Christmas weather with blistering heat in both Sydney and Melbourne. But the sunshine could come to an end on Monday evening, as thunderstorms could light the Harbour City before 2018 comes to a close. BOM has been tracking a low pressure system that was seen moving across the southern states. 'We're looking for the system to pick up moisture as it moves into western parts of the state on Monday,' duty forecaster Jordan Notara said. 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 forecaster said it was difficult to predict the storm's exact movements given the size of the area it would cover. '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 firework 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. The post-Christmas heatwave could draw to an abrupt close on Monday evening after forecasters warned of possible thunder storms It is very unfortunate that attempts are being made to tarnish her reputation, said Cong leader Ashwani Kumar. Kumar's remarks came a day after Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh told Delhi court that the alleged AgustaWestland middleman, Christian Michel named a Mrs Gandhi during interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate. (Photo: G.N. Jha) New Delhi: 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 politics 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. Unruly prisoners have been sprayed with tear gas after they began rioting in protest at what they claim are insufferable conditions inside sweltering cells. About 70 inmates at Alice Springs Correctional Facility in the Northern Territory broke into a maximum security area of the prison and smashed security equipment on Saturday night. The prisoners demanded ice and cordial to help them deal with the heat inside their cells. About 70 inmates at Alice Springs Correctional Facility (pictured) in the Northern Territory broke into a maximum security area of the prison and began breaking security equipment An NT Department of the Attorney-General and Justice told Daily Mail Australia the riot was caused by scorching temperatures, which have soared to 50C in parts of central Australia. 'A number of prisoners refused to return to their accommodation cells due to the high temperatures currently being experienced in the region,' a spokesman said. 'Officers negotiated a temporary solution for prisoners to utilise alternative accommodation within the block for the night where there is better airflow. Some prisoners took the opportunity to cause a disturbance and began damaging property. 'Once attempts to negotiate those prisoners back into their cells failed, chemical spray was used in accordance with standard procedure to subdue them and swiftly bring the situation under control.' The spokesman disputed claims from a prison officer that the facility is overcrowded. 'Alice Springs Correctional Centre is currently operating under maximum capacity. ASCC has the operational capacity to hold 650 prisoners and the prison total on Saturday was 543,' he said. A prison officer told the NT News the facility was ill-equipped to deal with a rapidly growing population. 'That place was built for 350 (people) and there's 650 in there. It's a toxic environment. It's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt,' he said. 'This is what happens when you've got 16 prisoners sharing a dorm with no aircon and the temperature hitting 50C outside for days. 'This morning it was 37C at seven in the morning so you can imagine what these guys are feeling like.' Prisoners were out of a secure area in the facility for hours before officers used tear gas to force them back inside. Prison officers said the riot was caused by overcrowding at the prison and scorching temperatures, which have soared to 50C in parts of central Australia (stock image) Temperatures in the mid 40s are expected for Alice Springs during the first week of 2019, reaching a high of 45C on Friday. The NT Department of the Attorney-General and Justice spokesman said the riot was caused by 'extreme weather conditions'. 'To ensure prisoner comfort in these extreme temperatures, ice and additional fans have been provided in the affected cells and dormitories.' Smallville actress Allison Mack, who is believed to be second-in-command of the notorious alleged sex slave cult NXIVM, is claiming that leaking members' nudes and enforcing labor in the group doesn't count as 'serious harm'. Mack, 36, and cult founder Keith Raniere, 58, face charges of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and forced labor for running the cult that pulled members from Hollywood. Members submitted naked photos and made disparaging statements about their family members to the group's leaders which were allegedly used as blackmail if members refused to comply with the cult's demands of forced labor and sex with Raniere. Mack's accused of threatening to release those incriminating pictures and statements, but her lawyers argued the threat wasn't of 'serious harm' on Saturday in papers filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, according to Fox. Allison Mack's lawyers defended her threat to leak NXIVM members' nude photographs saying it would result in embarrassment but not 'serious harm' Mack pictured heading to Brooklyn Federal Court with her lawyers on October 4 'The government argues that Ms. Mack obtained forced labor through "threats of serious harm" with serious harm being the embarrassment that would result from the exposure of one's collateral,' the court papers filed Saturday said. 'Courts have found, however, that such an outcome, albeit embarrassing, does not amount to serious harm under the statute,' the filing added. The documents referred to a 2009 case where a couple unsuccessfully sued the Church of Scientology for forced labor. 'The court did not find that plaintiffs were compelled to remain in the organization even though, if they chose to leave, they would be "excommunicated" from their friends and family and labeled a "dissenter,"' Macks lawyers said. 'The threat of reputational damage and isolation from loved ones therefore did not qualify as serious harm,' they added. Her lawyers argued that blackmailing members to keep them in the group isn't a crime if the Church of Scientology does the same thing. They also said that if the Church of Scientology wasn't found guilty of forced labor in the past, then NXIVM isn't guilty of it either Mack is currently out on $5million bond after she was arrested in the spring for sex trafficking along with Raniere. If convicted, both Mack and Raniere face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison Raniere and Mack are accused to leading NXIVM, which posed as a women empowerment group, but actually reportedly starved, beat, and branded their recruited members Mack is currently out on $5million bond after she was arrested in the spring for sex trafficking along with Raniere. If convicted, both Mack and Raniere face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. Raniere and Mack are accused to leading NXIVM, which posed as a women empowerment group based in Albany New York, but actually reportedly starved, beat, and branded their recruited members. Mack pictured above on the show Smallville, from where she rose to fame According to court filings NXIVM 'maintains features of a pyramid scheme, as its courses cost thousands of dollars each and participants ('Nxians') are encouraged to pay for additional classes and to recruit others to take classes in order to rise within the ranks of NXIVM'. Within the cult there was a elite and secret inner circle called DOS which stands for a Latin phrase that translates to 'Lord/Master of the Obedient Female Companions' or 'The Vow.' In DOS women were branded and were expected to recruit other slaves of their own, according to the Justice Department. 'Raniere stood alone at the top of the pyramid. Other than Raniere, all members of DOS were women. Mack is one of the women in the first level of the pyramid immediately below Raniere,' the Department said. Michael Gove has appointed a food waste tsar to end the 'moral scandal' of Britain's throwaway culture. The Environment Secretary has made the Duchess of Cornwall's nephew, businessman Ben Elliot, responsible for tackling discarded produce. He will attempt to slash the 10.2million tons of food needlessly thrown away by households and businesses each year. The announcement is particularly timely, coming just after Christmas, when many families find themselves throwing out food having bought too much for the festive period. The Duchess of Cornwall's nephew, businessman Ben Elliot - pictured with his aunt Camilla in June 2012 - is now responsible for tackling discarded produce Fixer with plenty of friends in high places Britain's new food waste tsar is a fixer to the super-rich with impeccable connections starting with his aunt Camilla. Ben Elliots wedding was attended by the Duchess of Cornwall and her husband Prince Charles. Camillas son Tom Parker Bowles was best man as Mr Elliot, a former flame of Jade Jagger, tied the knot with another rockers child, Mary-Clare Winwood daughter of Steve. Confirming his close links to the rest of the royals, Mr Elliot, 43, received a coveted invitation to attend the wedding of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge. Such a stellar contacts book must come in handy when dealing with the clients of his luxury concierge service, Quintessentially. Mr Elliot has shown he is able to cater to the most extravagant whims once arranging for Sydney Harbour Bridge to be closed for a rather spectacular marriage proposal. Michael Gove (pictured earlier this month) condemned food waste as 'an economic, environmental and moral scandal' The Old Etonian also enjoys close ties to the Tories, having acted as treasurer for the partys 2016 London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith godfather to his children. Mr Elliots new job was announced yesterday by his long-time friend Michael Gove. The pair bonded over poker, and Mr Gove attended last years quiz night run by Quintessentiallys charitable wing. Yesterdays appointment is not the first role handed to Mr Elliot by a member of the Cabinet, however. In 2016, he was made a trustee to the board of the Victoria and Albert Museum by Theresa May. Despite his riches and growing commitments he says he is happiest when walking by the Thames with his wife, their two sons, and their miniature dachshund. Advertisement Revealing Mr Elliot's appointment yesterday, Mr Gove condemned food waste as 'an economic, environmental and moral scandal', adding: 'We must end it. That's why I am delighted Ben Elliot is taking up this position and know he will bring the enthusiasm and skills this important role needs.' Mr Elliot, 43, runs a luxury concierge service, Quintessentially. Its charitable arm has raised 13million to date, and is already working with the Felix Project, which tackles food waste. Both groups have worked on a government-backed scheme to divert up to 1billion of surplus food to those in need. Mr Elliot, an Old Etonian, will now be in charge of distributing taxpayers' money to support such charitable projects. He will also be tasked with encouraging supermarkets and businesses to address the scandal. In addition, he will help to develop a national strategy to tackle our throwaway culture, and ensure surplus food ends up with those who need it most. Around 43,000 tons of surplus food from retailers and manufacturers is already redistributed every year, according to Whitehall figures. However, the equivalent of 250million meals a year is still estimated to go uneaten. Food waste is likely to be particularly high over the festive period. Figures from the charity Wrap suggest Britons binned as many as 3.5million mince pies and 7.1million pigs in blankets last year. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates that 10.2million tons of food are wasted every year. Of this, 1.8million tons comes from food manufacturers, another million from the hospitality sector, and 260,000 from retailers. The remainder more than 7million tons comes from households. The appointment of a 'food surplus and waste champion' is part of the Government's Resources and Waste Strategy. Ministers aim to end the practice of sending food waste to landfill by 2030. Mr Elliot will serve in the role, which is unpaid, for a year. He said yesterday: 'Whilst families all over the country struggle to put food on the table and children still go to school each day with empty stomachs, there continues to be an unforgivable amount of food waste which is both morally deplorable and largely avoidable. 'As a nation, we need to stop this excessive waste and ensure that surplus food finds its way to people in our society who need it most, and not let it get thrown away and go to landfill.' The Resources and Waste Strategy sets out plans to make food firms file annual reports of surplus and wasted stock. Defra could also set mandatory targets for preventing food waste, if progress is not quick enough. Earlier this year, the department announced a 15million pilot scheme to reduce food waste from retailers and food manufacturers, as well as a 500,000 Food Waste Reduction Fund. Funding has already been provided to eight charities fighting food waste. President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Syria, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday. 'I think we're in a pause situation,' the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House after a two-hour lunch with the president. 'I feel pretty good about where we're headed' in Syria, Graham said adding that the president 'told me some things I didn't know that make me feel a lot better about where we're headed in Syria.' 'He promised to destroy ISIS. He's going to keep that promise,' Graham said of Trump. 'We're not there yet. But as I said today, we're inside the 10-yard line and the president understands the need to finish the job.' Scroll down for video Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaks to members of the media outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, after his meeting with President Donald Trump, Sunday Graham walks out of the West Wing of the White House in Washington to speak to members of the media, after his two-hour lunch meeting with Trump Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trump's decision, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. The announcement also had shocked lawmakers and American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the U.S. against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey. 'I think we're slowing things down in a smart way,' Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Critics had contended that the U.S. withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A picture taken on December 30, 2018, shows a US soldier riding an armored personnel carrier as a line of US military vehicles patrol Syria's northern city of Manbij U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks to U.S. troops in an unannounced visit to Al Asad Air Base, Iraq on December 26 National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the president's plans with the American allies. During his appearance on CNN's 'State of the Union,' Graham previewed his arguments to Trump for reconsidering the Syria pullout. 'I'm going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure that we get it right. Make sure ISIS never comes back. Don't turn Syria over to the Iranians. That's a nightmare for Israel,' Graham said. 'And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, who's going to help you in the future?' he said. 'I want to fight the war in the enemy's backyard, not ours. That's why we need a forward-deployed force in Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan for a while to come.' Tasmania could become the second state in Australia to have voluntary euthanasia by the end of 2019. Victoria last year became the first state in Australia to allow assisted dying for the terminally ill - two decades after the Northern Territory became the first place in the world to legalise it. Tasmania's Liberal Premier Will Hodgman, who in 2017 voted against a euthanasia bill, has indicated he would now be willing to work with the Labor Opposition and the Greens to make it happen. Tasmania could become the second state in Australia to have voluntary euthanasia by the end of 2019 (stock image). Victoria last year become Australia's first state to allow assisted dying 'I would approach a debate as I have previously: with a very open mind, encumbered with the burden of considering a very sensitive issue,' he told The Australian, adding he would want to ensure a euthanasia law protected the vulnerable. However, the father of Australia's first euthanasia law Marshall Perron is concerned Mr Hodgman could frustrate attempts to allow assisted dying, which is being led by Tasmanian Greens leader Cassy O'Connor. 'I am skeptical about the leopard changing his spots but would like to see it happen,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Monday. 'The last time the Tasmanian Parliament voted on the issue, 100 per cent of Liberals voted no despite 85 per cent of their constituents wanting them to vote yes.' In February 1995 Mr Perron, as Northern Territory chief minister, introduced a private member's bill to allow voluntary euthanasia for those suffering from a terminal illness. Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman (pictured), who in 2017 voted against a euthanasia bill, has indicated he would now be willing to work with Labor and the Greens to make it happen The father of Australia's first euthanasia laws Marshall Perron (pictured) is concerned Mr Hodgman could frustrate attempts to allow assisted dying The former Country Liberal Party leader said that while opinion polls showed 80 per cent of Australians supported euthanasia, the Catholic Church in particular was effective in running a political campaign to stop it. 'It's still the Catholic influence throughout the right wings of the Liberal Party that are the strong opponents,' he said. In March 1997, the Northern Territory's Rights of the Terminally Ill Act was overturned by the federal Parliament, following a private member's bill from conservative Liberal MP Kevin Andrews. By that time, four terminally-ill people in the NT had been assisted to die, during the nine months of the territory's euthanasia laws. Two decades later, Victoria's Parliament legalised voluntary euthanasia for those who had lived in the state for a year and had just 12 months to live. Under the Northern Territory's overturned laws, anyone with a terminal illness could have assisted dying provided the patient had obtained the medical opinion of a specialist, a general practitioner and a psychiatrist. The father of Australia's first euthanasia laws Marshall Perron is concerned Mr Hodgman could frustrate Tasmanian Greens leader Cassy O'Connor's (pictured) push for euthanasia The terminally-ill person didn't need to have been diagnosed with an illness giving them less than a year to live. EUTHANASIA AT A GLANCE Victoria last year became the first state in Australia to legalise voluntary euthanasia. It comes into effect in June 2019. Assisted dying will be available for those who have lived in the state for a year, have been given just 12 months to live and 'cannot be relieved in a manner the person deems tolerable'. The Northern Territory had euthanasia from July 1996 to March 1997, when it was overturned by federal Parliament. During that time, four people opted for legalised assisted suicide under the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act, which was the world's first euthanasia law. Advertisement 'In my view, if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness, what you want is the satisfaction of knowing that if the suffering becomes too bad, you could put up your hand and say, "That's enough, I'm ready to go now" and in the meantime you can get on with your life,' Mr Perron said. 'Under systems where you put a term on it, such as six months or 12 months as Victoria has done, it means that ... you've got to endure until those periods come along.' Mr Perron was reluctant to predict when every state and territory would legislate for voluntary euthanasia but said Western Australia and South Australia could be next. He also compared the fight to allow assisted dying with legalising abortion and gay marriage. Victoria's euthanasia laws come into effect in June 2019. Tasmania's euthanasia bill would pass with the support of Liberal Speaker Sue Hickey even if government MPs, who are being given a conscience vote, opposed it. Britain's new food waste tsar is a fixer to the super-rich with impeccable connections starting with his aunt Camilla. Ben Elliots wedding was attended by the Duchess of Cornwall and her husband Prince Charles. Camillas son Tom Parker Bowles was best man as Mr Elliot, a former flame of Jade Jagger, tied the knot with another rockers child, Mary-Clare Winwood daughter of Steve. Confirming his close links to the rest of the royals, Mr Elliot, 43, received a coveted invitation to attend the wedding of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge. The Duchess of Cornwall's nephew, businessman Ben Elliot - pictured with his aunt Camilla in June 2012 - is now responsible for tackling discarded produce Such a stellar contacts book must come in handy when dealing with the clients of his luxury concierge service, Quintessentially. Mr Elliot has shown he is able to cater to the most extravagant whims once arranging for Sydney Harbour Bridge to be closed for a rather spectacular marriage proposal. The Old Etonian also enjoys close ties to the Tories, having acted as treasurer for the partys 2016 London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith godfather to his children. Mr Elliots new job was announced yesterday by his long-time friend Michael Gove. The pair bonded over poker, and Mr Gove attended last years quiz night run by Quintessentiallys charitable wing. Yesterdays appointment is not the first role handed to Mr Elliot by a member of the Cabinet, however. In 2016, he was made a trustee to the board of the Victoria and Albert Museum by Theresa May. Despite his riches and growing commitments he says he is happiest when walking by the Thames with his wife, their two sons, and their miniature dachshund. Festival-goers have been sent a chilling text message warning them about the dangers of using drugs, telling them 'one pill can kill'. Revellers at Falls Festivals in Byron Bay, NSW, Lorne in Victoria and Marion Bay in Tasmania being held this week, were sent the harrowing message. 'SERIOUS DRUG ALERT: There is an extremely dangerous orange pill in circulation. Regardless of pill variation, one pill can kill,' the message reads. The text comes after Joshua Tam's death at Lost Paradise held in Glenworth Valley on the NSW Central Coast. Partiers at Falls Festivals in Byron Bay, NSW, Lorne in Victoria and Marion Bay in Tasmania being held this week, were sent this harrowing message The text comes after Joshua Tam's (pictured) death at Lost Paradise held in Glenworth Valley on the NSW Central Coast 'SERIOUS DRUG ALERT: There is an extremely dangerous orange pill in circulation. Regardless of pill variation, one pill can kill,' the message reads (stock image) Event organisers also shared a warning on the Falls Festival Facebook page (stock image) Event organisers also shared a warning on the Falls Festival Facebook page. 'Although we've had a safe Falls Festival to date, our medical teams have alerted us to a dangerous orange pill that is currently in circulation across Australia,' organisers posted. 'Regardless of pill variation, 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.' Mr Tam, 22, had taken an 'unknown substance' before he suffered a reaction about 8pm on Saturday at Lost Paradise, and was taken to hospital where he later died. A charity warned of a mystery 'yellow drug' being falsely sold as MDMA two days before Mr Tam died. Lost Paradise is a boutique festival located in the pristine Glenworth Valley, equipped with luxury glamping, yoga and spa treatments. Mr Tam, 22, had taken an 'unknown substance' before he suffered a reaction about 8pm on Saturday at Lost Paradise While over 40 officers are stationed at the festival monitoring attendees and checking cars before entrance, illicit substances still made their way inside at Lost Paradise Falls Festival organisers warned people that they would not know 'how your body will react' after taking illicit substances Two other people, a man and a woman, remain in Gosford Hospital in a stable condition, after also ingesting an 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'. '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. Mephedrone, also referred to as 'meow meow', causes psychosis in users but oftentimes shares similar side effects to that of MDMA. 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 Mr Tam's death at Lost Paradise 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 revellers a better understanding of what they could be ingesting. A manhunt is underway after the brazen daylight robbery of an elderly woman was caught on camera. The West Australian woman, 80, had just withdrawn cash from an ATM in Toorak, Melbourne at about 12.05pm on Christmas Eve when an unknown man struck. Footage shows a man wearing a black cap, sunglasses and pink shorts talking on his mobile phone a few feet behind the woman for around 20 seconds. A manhunt is underway after the brazen daylight robbery of an elderly woman was caught on camera (pictured man wearing a black cap, sunglasses and pink shorts talking on his mobile phone a few feet behind the woman for around 20 seconds) When her money was dispensed, the man described by police as being in his 20s or 30s lunges at her while still holding the phone to his ear When her money was dispensed, the man described by police as being in his 20s or 30s, lunges at her while still holding the phone to his ear. CCTV footage shows a struggle ensue between the two as the man snatched the cash from the elderly woman's hand, causing his hat to fall off. With the money in hand, the man can then be seen picking up his hat from the pavement and fleeing the scene. Victoria Police want to speak to the man - who is described as Caucasian in appearance, about 177cm tall with a thin build, black hair, beard and a moustache. He was wearing a black t-shirt, pink shorts, a black cap and sunglasses. Anyone with information or who may recognise the man is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online. CCTV footage shows a struggle ensue between the two as the man snatched the cash from the elderly woman's hand, causing his hat to fall off. With the money now in hand, the man can then be seen picking up his hat from the pavement and fleeing the scene. Heartbreaking storylines about sepsis in Call the Midwife and The Archers prompted more than 20,000 calls to a BBC helpline, it emerged yesterday. Around 15,000 Archers listeners sought advice and support from the BBCs Action Line in February and March when Nic Grundy, a character in the Radio 4 soap opera, died from sepsis after a cut on her arm became infected. And more than 5,000 Call the Midwife viewers contacted the helpline for support in March following the death of nurse Barbara Gilbert in the BBC1 drama, also from sepsis. Heartbreaking storylines about sepsis in Call the Midwife and The Archers prompted more than 20,000 calls to a BBC helpline, it emerged yesterday (pictured: Jennifer Kirby and Helen George in Call the Midwife) Both shows helped raise awareness of the blood condition. Becky Wright, who played Nic Grundy, even met someone who said her life was saved as a result of her characters storyline. The BBC figures emerged after Melissa Mead was given an MBE in the New Years Honours List for raising awareness of sepsis. She campaigned on behalf of the UK Sepsis Trust after her 12-month-old son William died in 2014 following failures to detect the infection. His death also triggered the Daily Mails End The Sepsis Scandal campaign. Peter Dutton has been criticised by his own colleagues after he unleashed on dumped Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Speaking to News Corp on Sunday, the Home Affairs Minister labelled Mr Turnbull 'spiteful' and 'incompetent', before claiming he sparked his own demise due to his lack of political nous. 'Malcolm is charming and affable but he doesn't have a political bone in his body,' Mr Dutton said. 'It's not a criticism, but without political judgement you can't survive in politics and he didn't. Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured right) had his credentials as a politician savaged by home affairs minister Peter Dutton Home affairs minister Peter Dutton (pictured) has been criticised by his own Liberal colleagues after a savage attack on ex Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull 'Malcolm had a plan to become prime minister but no plan to be prime minister.' Some of Mr Dutton's Liberal colleagues said the savage criticism of Mr Turnbull was excessive. A Liberal MP told the Australian the attack was 'a bit rich coming from the bloke who can't count' - a reference to Mr Dutton's failed bid to secure numbers to become prime minister back in August. 'There is a bit of history being re-written there, if I am being polite,' the MP said. Another MP stated following Mr Dutton's public attack 'now it is best if we put a line under it and move on as best as possible.' Mr Turnbull chose not to respond to Mr Dutton's comments. Home affairs minister Peter Dutton (pictured) has been labelled 'selfish' and 'arrogant' after unleashing on dumped PM Malcolm Turnbull Currently, the Gandhi Maidan parking, situated adjacent to the Chandni Chowk Metro Station, can accommodate 650 cars. New Delhi: The Delhi high court has directed the North Delhi 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 Delhi Urban Arts Commission, the Heritage Conservative Committee and other local authorities to give no objection certificates (NOC) for the Rs 445-crore multi-level parking project by January 31, 2019. It also directed the environment ministry to forthwith process the corporations application for getting environment clearance for the project and convey its decision to the 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, 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. The art of great relationships lies in good communication. Thats why the Transit of Mercury will have a profound influence on how we feel about love this year. Mercury is the winged messenger who whispers sweet nothings and facilitates mutual understanding. Although the transit is in November, the build-up towards its visible journey across the Sun will influence all interpersonal interactions throughout 2019. Jupiter, at home in its own sign, brings extra magic to the astrological mix, adding adventure and a yearning for excitement. We will embark on quests for knowledge about one another, fuelled by the desire to seek better understanding of ourselves, and our nearest and dearest. Valentines Day gets some extra va-va-voom, as passionate Mars moves into sensual Taurus making February 14, 2019, a day to remember! But what does the year hold for our finances? The Transit of Mercury will signal a watershed moment in world fortunes as we watch the shadow of the elusive planet, which represents commerce, slip backwards across the star at the heart of our solar system. This is a cosmic invitation to re-examine our financial systems and our investment priorities. In March, when Uranus, the great innovator, moves into earthy Taurus (which rules money), disruption and unpredictability will lead to a recalibration of expectations and a more realistic approach to global financial restructuring. With Jupiter, Neptune and Saturn all in their own signs and making important alignments over the course of the year, sustained growth, driven by carefulness rather than greed, becomes a viable possibility. The Transit of Mercury brings hope that our 2019 decisions will reveal a different approach to how we think about wealth. A new way of sharing is possible, with contentment and appreciation as the rewards. So what does the coming year mean for you? ARIES (March 21 April 20) Love and relationships: The Supermoon Lunar Eclipse in January is the first hint that 2019 is special for matters of the heart. Taking place in the part of the sky associated with romance, it sparkles with creativity, and challenges you to look at what you want to achieve from your relationships. As Uranus leaves Aries in March it encourages you to shake things up, while the Transit of Mercury focuses on ways to bring more love and harmony into your life. If you want positive and healing change this year, you can create it. Finance and Fortune: With Uranus, the innovator, moving out of your sign into the sector of the sky representing your resources and personal security, there are electrifying changes on your horizon. If you find yourself caught up in drama, Mercurys influence insists that, through a process of thoughtful dialogue, youll discover the key to greater financial security. You can find creative ways past any obstacles on your path to success. TAURUS (April 21 May 21) Love and relationships: The build-up to the rare Transit of Mercury in November (in your opposite sign) permeates your year, bringing opportunities for healing past hurts. A new appreciation will dramatically improve your relationships. With revolutionary Uranus move into your sign in March, youll find the confidence to embrace change and be freed from a burden. Your growing sense of inner freedom will enable you to attract the love and support you so deserve. Finance and Fortune: The year finds you dealing with situations that others struggle to cope with. Uranus brings change. So when the planet of innovation moves into your sign in March, it brings such a spark of brightness that people will seek your advice. As long as your policies are forward-thinking and contain elements of reform, youll benefit from the support offered by Saturn the cosmic teacher. The Transit of Mercury brings the chance to rethink any work-related partnerships. The more you share, the more youll receive. GEMINI (May 22 June 22) Love and relationships: The years headline-grabbing event involves the symbolic movement of your elusive ruling planet Mercury, transiting the face of the Sun. This powerful event influences your year, encouraging innovative thinking as it brings creative ways to move away from stress-inducing situations. As Jupiter, planet of luck and adventure (in your opposite sign) brings magic to your most intimate relationships, it generates opportunities for emotional growth and maturity. If you have high hopes for love this year, you wont be disappointed. Finance and Fortune: The Transit of Mercury calls you to re-evaluate your relationship with work. Your ruler will be in the part of your chart focused on diligence. On its journey through the year, the winged messenger shows you where you can make light, easy, effective changes which will influence your well-being. A gentle, growing sense of hope will dominate your mood as you step off the financial roller-coaster and relax into a steadier lifestyle. CANCER (June 23 July 23) Love and relationships: The idea of major changes in your love life may be exciting, but they usually only occur when things are going well or badly. So Januarys Supermoon Lunar Eclipse is a signal that, even though it rests on a foundation of tranquillity, your journey through 2019 will include drama, intensity and passion. The Transit of Mercury brings choices with heartfelt consequences. If youre prepared to celebrate and appreciate the new, your relationships will be greatly changed . . . for the better. Finance and Fortune: Lucky you! You have Jupiter, the planet of opportunity and growth, in the part of your chart associated with work. It brings opportunities to maximise your strengths and use your skills to great effect. The January Supermoon Lunar Eclipse is your promise that you can create a new paradigm, which gives you an encouraging vision for your future. As you take steps towards changing your present to fit your dreams, youll move away from stress towards a more genuine sense of security. LEO (July 24 August 23) Love and relationships: The cosmos encourages you to show your playful side in matters of romance. The January Supermoon Lunar Eclipse, in your sign, is a promise that the year holds great potential for emotional fulfilment. The influence of Mercurys transit across the Sun suggests that, if youre willing to share, listen and believe, your social, family and love life will benefit. Finance and Fortune: In March, as Uranus moves into the part of the sky representing your career and achievements, it questions what constitutes success. Youll find ways to invigorate tired formulas as you develop a creative approach on how to best invest your energy and your resources. The Transit Of Mercury reveals the insight to negotiate the best way forward through a detailed analysis of your past. You might face uncomfortable truths; but with determination, whatever you invest in holds exciting potential. VIRGO (August 24 September 23) Love and relationships: The anticipation of your ruler Mercurys visible transit across the Sun radiates throughout 2019. Youll increase self-awareness, providing insight into new ways of sharing from your heart. Saturns links to Neptune suggest some people may struggle to live up to your high hopes, but youll find new ways of fulfilling your expectations. As you find your voice, and express your needs, expect to find them answered. Finance and Fortune: As Mercury moves towards its transit of the Sun, it influences the whole year, highlighting the gifts brought by your past learning. Youve gained so much knowledge. And, with information being at a premium this year, youll find yourself in an unusually powerful position. No one knows all the answers; and Neptune, in your opposite sign, brings opportunities to continue to learn from surprising sources. With that wisdom youll find innovative ways to help yourself and enable others to prosper. LIBRA (September 24 October 23) Love and relationships: A sense of stability and relief helps you to become more confident of your power and of speaking your truth. As Uranus moves out of your opposite sign in March, youll find youre standing on a more secure base, from which you can make innovative progress. Once you know what you want to happen, the Transit of Mercury indicates you can control how you communicate with the people you love, and respond in a more inspired way. This will make a tangible difference to your happiness. Finance and Fortune: As Uranus moves out of your opposite sign in March, exciting ways of working with others bring extra financial potentials. With the Transit of Mercury taking place in the part of the sky associated with your disposable income, its important to focus on the direction youre heading in rather than the past. If you tap into your adventurous side, youll deal with demanding situations more easily and make surprising gains. SCORPIO (October 24 November 22) Love and relationships: The Transit of Mercury across the Scorpio Sun will influence 2019 in a powerful way. It symbolises the transformation possible, as you develop the confidence to share your feelings with the key people in your life. In March, as Uranus moves into your opposite sign (which governs relationships), there are surprises ahead. With your improved communication skills, these can lead to progress. With Saturns stabilising influence, you can fulfil a long-held dream and find emotional contentment. Finance and Fortune: Jupiter and Neptunes relationship in the year suggests that by relaxing control of the financial reins youll allow your resources the freedom to grow exponentially. The promise of the Transit of Mercury, the planet of communication and commerce, taking place in your sign, indicates a series of breakthroughs. With the courage to stand up for what you value, the rewards will manifest on both a material and an emotional level. SAGITTARIUS (November 23 December 21) Love and relationships: Jupiter, in your sign for most of the year, ensures that your love-life will be action-packed, but the adventures will be enriching, and in good company, as you demonstrate greater emotional empathy and allow intimate connections to develop. Neptune enables you to explore your sensitive side and find special, even spiritual meaning in a close relationship. Theres every chance that your heart will gain all it has longed for in 2019. Finance and Fortune: Jupiter, planet of wealth, is in your sign for most of the year, boding well. Although Jupiters relationship to Saturn, the cosmic teacher, will force you to slow down, it ensures important decisions are sustainable. Exploring opportunities with diligence will prevent excess. A thoughtful approach is the way to lasting prosperity. CAPRICORN (December 22 January 20) Love and relationships: The year-long presence of your ruler in its own sign makes you keen to build on your relationships and a little reluctant to approach things differently for fear of undermining them. Yet, as Saturn and Neptune form encouraging links, youre in a position to frame your emotional needs so that they can be fulfilled. As the Transit of Mercury encourages you to reimagine your future, you can discover new ways to connect with others that will revive your relationships. Finance and Fortune: Links between your ruler and Neptune bring innovative opportunities. With Jupiter, planet of luck and wealth, bringing a spirit of adventure, youll experience greater prosperity if you take risks. As Uranus, the change-maker, moves signs in March, it brings a creative breakthrough which can lead to new means of generating resources. The Transit of Mercury highlights the fusion of vision and determination that will lead you towards success this year. AQUARIUS (January 21 February 19) Love and relationships: Your emotional resources will become more visible to others. As your sensitivity is heightened, by Januarys Supermoon Lunar Eclipse, it brings a chance to renegotiate a key relationship. When your ruler settles into a new home (in March) youll lay progressive foundations and find a better balance between head and heart. As you grow more confident about expressing desires, the Transit of Mercury brings the momentum to ensure satisfaction. Finance and Fortune: The year holds the potential to reach a rewarding goal. As your innovative ruler moves into Taurus (home of security and finance) you can be part of a creative team. Jupiters influence ensures the support you depend on will be enjoyable and enriching. The Transit of Mercury highlights your ability to communicate, and focuses on a fusion of intellect and emotions. With faith in friends and renewed self-confidence you can achieve something special. PISCES (February 20 March 20) Love and relationships: Your ability to act instinctively means you seek a deep sense of purpose in your relationships. This years Transit of Mercury indicates that, through a journey of self-questioning, youll gain the wisdom needed to discern how to address your emotional needs. With Neptune and Jupiter linked in dynamic alignments, as long as your heart is open to innovative ideas about love, and where to find it, this year brings the promise of commitment. Finance and Fortune: With Jupiter spending much of the year in the area governing your long-term goals, 2019 looks exceptionally bright. Youll explore meaningful opportunities that improve your status. Saturns links with Neptune suggest youll find support through new relationships which, though sometimes restricting, create boundaries that help to focus you on your goals. As the Transit of Mercury lets you communicate your faith in a more prosperous future, the rewards will manifest in your life. New York Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has fired back at Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill who described her as a 'thing' and a 'bright shiny new object' while speaking in an interview with CNN last week. Ocasio-Cortez, 29, who became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress in November, took to Twitter Saturday afternoon to express her disappointment over the outgoing senator's remarks. The socialist firebrand said: '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.' McCaskill took to the comments section Sunday morning and insisted she is rooting for her. 'In the same interview I said I "wish you well and hope you hang the moon,' McCaskill wrote. 'My point was that results, not rhetoric is what really matters. Most folks are very cynical about all the promises, when they arent followed by real accomplishments. I look forward to cheering yours!' Scroll down for video New York Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fired back Saturday at Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill who described her as a 'bright shiny new object' McCaskill took to the comments section Sunday morning and said: 'In the same interview I said I "wish you well and hope you hang the moon"' Last week, McCaskill told CNN she was baffled as to why incoming freshman congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez attracted so much attention since her surprise victory 'I'm a little confused why she's the thing,' McCaskill told CNN Last week, McCaskill said she was baffled as to why incoming freshman congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez attracted so much attention since her surprise victory in New York. McCaskill said she doesn't know Ocasio-Cortez, and cannot say whether the democratic socialist is one of the 'crazy' politicians within the Democratic Party that she spoke out against. 'I'm a little confused why she's the thing,' McCaskill told CNN. 'But it's a good example of what I'm talking about, a bright shiny new object, came out of nowhere and surprised people when she beat a very experienced congressman.' In the November general election, McCaskill lost her reelection bid to Republican challenger Josh Hawley. She has a week left in office. Senator Claire McCaskill is pictured left after losing the Senate race in St. Louis, MO on November 6, 2018. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is pictured right after the freshman class photo on the East Front of the Capitol on November 14, 2018 New members will be sworn in on Jan. 3, and Ocasio-Cortez will be part of a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, having beat out exiting Rep. Joe Crowley over the summer in an intra-party challenge. Her antics since Election Day, including her participation in a protest in likely House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office on Capitol Hill and an announcement this month that she was taking a week off for self-care before taking office, have been extensively covered by the media and have drawn strong reactions online. McCaskill admitted in an exit interview with CNN that she doesn't understand why the young politician is getting so much attention. 'I'm not sure what she's done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm, but I wish her well. I hope she hangs the moon,' McCaskill said of the incoming congresswoman. She added: '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.' In a parting shot at some of her colleagues, McCaskill said, 'The rhetoric is cheap. Getting results is a lot harder.' Ocasio-Cortez generated controversy this week after she claimed that Jesus and Mary were refugees when Jesus was born Earlier this month Ocasio-Cortez said she was taking a week off for self-care before taking office Ocasio-Cortez led the way this past week in saying that the rules should be changed in the future to stipulate that in the event of full or partial government closure, federal legislators do not get paid until it is over. 'Next time we have a gov shutdown, Congressional salaries should be furloughed as well,' she wrote on Twitter on Saturday. 'It's completely unacceptable that members of Congress can force a government shutdown on partisan lines & then have Congressional salaries exempt from that decision. Have some integrity.' The statement garnered attention from the left and the right on the first day of the government shutdown. Almost as quickly as she earned new respect from conservatives, she irritated Twitter users on Christmas Day, however, when she claimed that Jesus was born a refugee. A tweet read: 'Joy to the World! Merry Christmas everyone - here's to a holiday filled with happiness, family, and love for all people. (Including refugee babies in mangers + their parents.)' Many social media users pointed out that Joseph and Mary were not refugees when Jesus was born, and her telling of the first Christmas was therefore inaccurate. The Gospel of Luke says that the family was in Bethlehem to participate in a census when Jesus was born. Mary gave birth in a manger, the Bible says, because there was no room left at the local inn. Ocasio-Cortez insisted she was correct, however, sharing an article that supported her viewpoint. She called those who disagreed with her 'anti-immigrant pundits' in a follow-up tweet that claimed they were 'uncomfortable' admitting that Jesus Christ was indeed a refugee. Mothers and babies are being put at risk in half of NHS maternity units, inspection reports reveal. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated 49 per cent of services as either 'inadequate' or 'requiring improvement' for safety. Some units were dangerously understaffed and many women were waiting too long for assessments, pain relief and emergency caesareans. Inspectors also found a widespread lack of training among midwives and doctors. Many were not up-to-date on resuscitation methods or monitoring babies' heart rates. Mother who died after four-hour delay to urgent surgery Nanaaishat Momodu died after suffering a 'catastrophic' bleed following delays at a maternity unit. She was 23 weeks pregnant with her third child when she began experiencing abdominal pains in October 2015. Mrs Momodu, 32, was admitted to North Manchester General Hospital, where a scan showed her baby had died. It was eventually discovered that Mrs Momodu had suffered a placental abruption, which causes significant internal bleeding into the uterus. She died during surgery. An inquest in Manchester heard there had been a four-hour delay to take her to theatre while doctors discussed her diagnosis. At its conclusion in July, coroner John Pollard said there had been 'significant failings and missed opportunities to render care of an optimal standard'. A hospital spokesman said there had been many changes to improve the care of patients since Mrs Momodu's death. Advertisement In one of the worst examples, they found that newborn babies had died or come to harm at the North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple because staff had failed to follow guidelines. 'Healthcare professionals were not always following guidelines and best practice,' inspectors noted. 'This had led to the mismanagement of some cases, resulting in harm or death to the babies.' At the Royal London Hospital in East London, the CQC found that 41 per cent of emergency caesareans were performed late. They are meant to be carried out within 75 minutes of a decision by a doctor. In one of the worst examples, they found that newborn babies had died or come to harm at the North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple (pictured) because staff had failed to follow guidelines Women in labour were waiting three hours to be assessed after they arrived at the hospital. Others were waiting six hours for an epidural, a painkilling injection into the spine. Women needing to have their labours induced were frequently sent away and told to come back the next day. Yesterday Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised to make the NHS the 'best place in the world to give birth' with new measures to improve care. This includes more specialist nurses to look after critically ill babies, electronic maternity records and one-to-one support for new mothers. But unions said the pledge would only be achieved with a significant rise in funding and a determined effort to increase midwife numbers. The CQC's shocking findings coincide with the unfolding scandal over maternity services at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Trust in Shropshire. At the Royal London Hospital in East London (pictured), the CQC found that 41 per cent of emergency caesareans were performed late An NHS review team is investigating 220 incidents over two decades, including mother and baby deaths. Experts believe the problems are worse than those previously recorded at the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay trust, where 16 babies and three women died needlessly. Maternity services across England are struggling to cope with the high birth rate and the rising number of more complex deliveries. Women are having babies when they are older, they are more likely to be obese and there are higher rates of twin and triplet births following IVF, which are more risky. An analysis of 182 of the latest CQC inspection reports for maternity and gynaecology services show 3 per cent had been rated 'inadequate' for safety and 46 per cent as 'requires improvement'. Of the rest, 50 per cent were 'good' and only 1 per cent 'outstanding.' James Titcombe, a patient safety campaigner whose son Joshua died in 2008 in the Morecambe Bay scandal, said: 'The latest findings from CQC inspections mirror what large number of other inquiries and reports have found that our maternity services simply aren't as safe as they should be. 'In many units culture remains a problem and staffing pressures can sometimes mean staff simply aren't able to provide the standard of care they want to.' Labour's health spokesman, Jonathan Ashworth, said: 'It's not good enough to neglect these services like this.' Professor Ted Baker, the CQC's chief inspector of hospitals, said: 'Every woman deserves to receive safe, high-quality and compassionate care when having a baby, and so I am glad that our ratings of NHS maternity services, as well as what women themselves have told us in the latest survey, indicate that the majority are experiencing this during pregnancy and birth. 'However, while most maternity services are currently rated as either good or outstanding overall, we know that a significant number still need to improve to ensure they provide a good standard of care.' Announcing the new measures, Mr Hancock said: 'Having a baby is one of the best moments of our lives, so I want our NHS to be the best place in the world to give birth. 'Today, we will take steps to ensure every expectant mother is supported from pregnancy, to birth, to those critical first months of parenthood with a comprehensive package of personalised, high-quality support.' Theresa May has thanked the tens of thousands of Daily Mail readers who have signed up to become NHS volunteers. The Prime Minister praised the 'overwhelming success' of this newspaper's campaign and said the public response had been 'really heartening'. By 9pm yesterday, the number of people who had registered to volunteer had reached 30,000. Readers only have a few hours left to sign up, as the campaign closes today at midnight. Theresa May thanked the thousands of volunteers who turned out to support the NHS over the difficult Christmas period Scores of famous faces have given their support to the campaign which has seen over 30,000 volunteers sign up The head of NHS England, Simon Stevens, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock also paid tribute to the extraordinary response over the last four weeks. Previously, there had been an estimated 78,000 volunteers in the health service. However, the Mail's campaign, in partnership with the charity Helpforce, will increase that number by a third. Volunteer roles include supporting dementia patients, helping stroke victims exercise, entertaining sick children and delivering blood supplies on motorbikes. Mrs May said: 'Our NHS is part of the social fabric of this country something that we all rely upon for help and care in both the best and most difficult times of our lives. 'And as the service treats more patients and offers more advanced care than ever, the overwhelming success of the Daily Mail's campaign to encourage more volunteers is really heartening. Kate Garraway helps out by joining the tea trolley doing the rounds with volunteer Guides Henry and Loretta at Whittington Hospital in North London 'Something as simple as having a cup of tea and a chat with someone recovering from an operation can make a big difference, and it's those small but crucial things that will happen far more often all over the country in future. It's something your readers can be very proud of and it's a tribute to everyone who has pledged to give up their time for a noble cause.' The Mail launched the Christmas campaign in partnership with Helpforce on December 1, with some 7,000 readers signing up in the first 48 hours. That number now stands at 30,000, with a combined total of 1,694,700 hours pledged. This includes 17,075 people who have pledged three hours a week, and 12,925 who have signed up for one day a month. Rupert Everett photographed with the NHS volunteers at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London Although this is the last chance to join our campaign, readers can still become NHS volunteers if they miss the deadline. They can register interest on the Helpforce website or contact their local hospital or health trust about volunteering opportunities. Mr Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: 'As we prepare to publish the NHS Long Term Plan, which will deliver real improvements in care over the next decade, the generous response from Mail readers is a major boost for staff and patients.' Next month NHS England will promise to double its volunteer army to 156,000 in three years as part of its Long Term Plan. This is in recognition of the huge benefits volunteering brings to both patients and helpers. Mr Hancock said: 'It is wonderful to see people from all walks of life giving up their time to help support staff, support patients and support our NHS. I pay tribute to the Daily Mail and to Helpforce for a hugely successful campaign it has been truly inspirational.' Claudia Winkelman making tea for the nurses with Olivia Lambert 'staff nurse' and Emily Eastwood 'nurse in charge' Thefts of disabled parking permits have soared by almost half, raising fresh fears the scheme is being widely abused. Figures show the number of blue badges reported stolen increased by 45 per cent over the past year to 4,246. But despite the surge, data from the Department for Transport reveals the majority of councils have failed to take action against a single motorist for misusing disabled parking permits over this period. Figures show the number of blue badges reported stolen increased by 45 per cent over the past year to 4,246 (file photo) Ninety-four out of 152 English local authorities (62 per cent) did not pursue anyone for abusing the blue badge scheme in 2017/18. This includes 31 councils who did not catch anyone despite claiming to have a policy for prosecuting offenders. Local authorities in Nottingham, Middlesbrough, Shropshire, Luton, Milton Keynes, Bournemouth and Reading were among those to record zero prosecutions. Almost every case involving the 1,215 prosecutions which were launched involved drivers using someone else's blue badge. Around 2.4 million disabled people in England have blue badges, which are issued by councils Around 2.4 million disabled people in England have blue badges, which are issued by councils. The permits allow holders to park free of charge in pay and display bays and for up to three hours on yellow lines, while those in London are exempt from the congestion charge. Across England, the largest number of prosecutions were made by the London boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham (137) and Newham (88). Leeds (78) was in third place. Blue badge fraud is estimated to cost the UK around 46million a year. An estimated one in five blue badges are misused - according to Whitehall's now defunct Audit Commission. This also includes those badge holders who give the permit to friends and family to use, when they are not in the car. The permits allow holders to park free of charge in pay and display bays (stock image) Phil Talbot, of the disability charity Scope said: 'It's disgraceful that so many local councils have failed to take action against people misusing blue badges particularly at a time when thefts are on the rise. 'Stealing blue badges isn't a crime without consequences. They are a vital lifeline for those who genuinely need them.' He added: 'Many disabled people rely on their blue badge to live independently, be part of the local community and contribute to their local economy. 'The police and councils need to do all they can to ensure they are serving their disabled residents by cracking down on this abuse.' The Local Government Association blamed lack of funds and claimed the disparity in enforcement levels across the country is likely to reflect 'different levels of pressures on available parking'. It added that people can help councils win the fight against blue badge fraud by tipping it off about suspected offenders. Martin Tett, the transport spokesman for the LGA, said: 'Councils have to take tough decisions on targeting limited resources on enforcement. 'Gathering evidence and mounting a prosecution can be time-consuming and expensive but councils know their areas and are best placed to decide the most effective way to tackle it.' The owner of a wedding dress shop is suing a bride for 15,000 in damages over a series of one-star reviews she posted across social media sites. Yvonne Watson has raised the unusual defamation action against disgruntled bride Marie Aitken over claims her posts cost The Bridal Boutique in Dundee lost trade. Ms Watson is seeking damages along with an interdict banning the newlywed from posting further 'defamatory statements' about the Broughty Ferry bridalwear shop. Miss Aitken - now Marie Mason after marrying Steven Mason in Perth in June - took to social media with her complaints after falling out with the shop over the mermaid-style dress she ordered. Yvonne Watson has raised the unusual defamation action over claims a disgruntled bride's online posts cost The Bridal Boutique lost trade (pictured: Ms Watson and daughter Rebekah) Marie Mason took to social media with her complaints after falling out with the shop over the mermaid-style dress she ordered She ordered the 2,000 Pronovias Druida dress, along with a veil and tiara, from the shop in September last year but claims there were problems with the size and colour of the dress which arrived. Mrs Mason took to various online platforms - including Facebook, Google Reviews, Trust Pilot and the You & Your Wedding bridal forum - to express her anger about the way she claims the store treated her. Within a 722-word rant, Mrs Mason, from Perth, said: 'DO NOT GO HERE! I have received the worst experience possible. 'I was pretty disgusted with her attitude. To my horror the dress was the wrong colour!! They then proceeded to try tell me that it was my dress as it comes in no other colour - load of rubbish! 'Not only that the veil and tiara i choose she told me she had sold to someone else by mistake! I am entitled to a full refund which she is refusing to give! 'This is supposed to be one of the most happiest times of my life and now it has turned into one of the most stressful!!!! I am taking this all the way i guess i will see her in court! Mrs Mason, formerly Miss Aitken - married Steven Mason in Perth in June. She said what was supposed to be one of the happiest times of her life 'has turned into one of the most stressful!' Mrs Mason ordered a 2,000 Pronovias Druida dress, along with a veil and tiara, from the shop in September last year but claims there were problems with the size and colour of the dress which arrived 'The whole experience has been disgusting! The way i have been treated and spoken to has just been vile. 'In short she has been paid 2000 and in return she ordered me 2 wrong dresses and sold my tiara and veil!!!!!!! Do not go here!!!!!!' Ms Watson has lodged an action at Perth Sheriff Court demanding the newlywed remove all the negative posts and imposing an interdict banning her from repeating any of them. The shop owner said Mrs Mason had falsely claimed that the dress she was given was either 'fake or second hand.' In addition, she is seeking 15,000 from Mrs Mason as compensation for the damage she claims was caused to the business by her reviews. Her action states: 'As a result of defamation the pursuer has suffered loss, injury and damage. The defamation occasioned great distress. Ms Watson is seeking 15,000 from Mrs Mason as compensation for the damage she claims was caused to the business by her reviews Her action states: 'The majority of allegations were false and calumnious and, as she well knew, wholly without foundation. The dress was new and genuine' 'The pursuer's reputation has been injured. The business has been negatively affected by these comments. Clients have cancelled appointments due to the defamatory statements. 'The majority of allegations were false and calumnious and, as she well knew, wholly without foundation. The dress was new and genuine.' A solicitor for the bride told the court that her posts were a narration of her experience in the store and that other people had posted comments for which she was not responsible. 'If true, it would suggest that other customers have had a similar experience of the store,' her court answer states. 'The social media posts are true and not defamatory.' She has called upon The Bridal Boutique to prove any losses were directly attributable to the comments she posted, rather than to further posts by unknown third parties. The shop owner said Mrs Mason had falsely claimed that the dress she was given was either 'fake or second hand' The saga began when the then Miss Aitken paid 2,000 for a Platinum Bridal Package in autumn 2017 and said it was the wrong colour when it turned up in February 2018. Ms Watson said a replacement arrived in March and Miss Aitken spent 45 minutes walking around the shop in it before agreeing she was happy with it and taking it home. But Miss Aitken claims she ordered a UK size 6 and the dress she was given was too big because it was a UK size 8. She said she was 'distressed' but had no choice other than taking the dress because there was not enough time to get a replacement before the wedding. The shop owner said the bride-to-be made an 'abusive and threatening' phone call in which she accused her of supplying a fake or second-hand dress. Ms Watson said she had confirmed with Spanish dressmaker Pronovias that the dress was genuine and new. 'The defender demanded payment of 400 pounds and threatened that if she did not receive it she would publish bad reviews on social media websites to damage the pursuer's business,' her action states. Mrs Mason was unavailable for comment, but her husband said: 'She just wishes the whole thing would go away now. It has already cost us 1,500 pounds in legal fees.' Speaking outside her farmhouse in Carnoustie, Angus, Mrs Watson said the whole affair had been an 'utter nightmare.' She and daughter Rebekah opened the boutique four years ago and won a Dundee business award in 2017. The court case is scheduled to be heard early in the new year. Sir Tom Hughes-Hallett, 64, set up Helpforce two years ago Two years ago philanthropist Sir Tom Hughes-Hallett, 64, had a dream to bring an army of volunteers into the NHS. Today thanks to warmhearted Daily Mail readers that dream has become a reality. I am utterly humbled by the warmth, the generosity and the sheer determination to be a force for good of the great British public. An incredible 30,000 volunteers are about to transform the lives of thousands of our most vulnerable, needy people. Together they will fill that crucial gap between what patients need and what they rightly expect. And in doing so, as I know from my own experience as a volunteer, we are going to improve our own lives too. I cant think of a more exciting way to start 2019. Of course I knew the Daily Mail talks to the heart of Britain but I didnt realise just what a big heart that is. When I started this initiative with the Daily Mail to recruit volunteers, I dared to hope that 7,000 or possibly even 8,000 readers might volunteer. Instead almost four times that number have signed up. In reaching 30,000 volunteers, we have achieved a 38 per cent increase on the number already volunteering in the NHS. The initiative has seen Daily Mail readers sign up in their droves to help the NHS over Christmas Scores of famous faces have given their support to the campaign which has seen over 30,000 volunteers sign up What makes it so unique is that this is the first ever Christmas Appeal asking for time not money. It has sparked what I can only describe as a social movement for people to get stuck in. Everyones enthusiasm has left me floored. The call has been answered by people aged 18 to over 80. There are literally thousands of millennials the so called Snowflake Generation volunteering because theyve seen the need when theyve visited elderly relatives in hospital. I am convinced there is a change of mood in this country a need to get more involved in public service. Instead of being spoon-fed, we want to take back control of the NHS and help to make this wonderful organisation run more smoothly. I have been amazed by how people from every walk of life have got behind the campaign. Kate Garraway helps out by joining the tea trolley doing the rounds with volunteer Guides Henry and Loretta at Whittington Hospital in North London The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall hailed it as a call to arms. Samantha Cameron wrote very movingly about how the volunteers she met when her son was ill made a difference not just to his short life but to the whole familys. Charlie Gards mother said the same. The Archbishop of Canterbury, J K Rowling, Rupert Everett. The names go on and on testament to how this campaign has struck a chord throughout the country. I look back at the moment two years ago when I was sitting in a traffic jam with my wife, Jules, and realised I had to do something to help improve the NHS I loved so much. As Chairman of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital I was acutely aware of how crazily busy the staff were. Numbers of patients were growing every year but funds were static. Clinical staff long to comfort anxious families or sit with dying patients but they simply dont have the time. Rupert Everett photographed with the NHS volunteers at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, London Then I thought about my 12 years as Chief Executive of the Marie Curie Trust when volunteers contributed so much to the charity and got so much out of doing so. As our wonderful volunteers are about to find out, you really do get out of life what you put in. I came up with a name, ploughed in some money (the most Ive ever spent apart from on a house) and in December 2016 Helpforce was born. And now, thanks to Daily Mail readers, together we are about to transform the face of the NHS. I know I have got back in spades all that I have put in. And I am convinced volunteers will do so too. There are so many exciting new initiatives. I hope one day soon volunteers will accompany patients who need support to GP appointments, outpatient visits and hospital stays right the way across the patient journey. I am hugely excited about meeting as many volunteers as possible. In fact my dream is to bring everyone together one day soon so we can all celebrate the work weve done. I suspect we might need Wembley Stadium. But what a celebration it will be. A beloved family dog has miraculously survived a 10-metre fall from a multi-storey car park. Trentt Cullen and his brother Hoane were taking Toa, a Staffordshire Terrier cross, along with them to visit their brother Correy who is recovering from cancer at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. The brothers stopped at nearby Buranda Village shopping centre after visiting Correy when Toa suddenly jumped over a wall in the car park. Trentt Cullen and his brother Hoane were taking Toa (pictured), a Staffordshire Terrier cross, along with them to visit their brother Correy (pictured) who is recovering from cancer at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane Toa fell about 10 metres onto concrete, but incredibly only suffered a hyperextension injury to his wrist 'He is a smart dog but he loves to jump. We were about to walk down stairs and Trentt has called out to Toa and he must have thought this wall was a fence,' Trentt Cullen told the Courier-Mail. 'He has just jumped over, obviously thinking there was grass on the other side.' Toa fell about 10 metres onto concrete, but incredibly only suffered a hyperextension injury to his wrist. The pet has an 'unbreakable bond' with Correy Cullen, who has chronic chromosomal inherited multicentric osteitis with nephropathy. The pet has an 'unbreakable bond' with Correy Cullen, who has chronic chromosomal inherited multicentric osteitis with nephropathy The pair video call each other every day, and Toa sleeps with Correy when he is not in hospital. Surgery for Toa will cost $6000, but the Cullen family don't have the money required for the operation. Trentt Cullen said the cost of caring for Correy means the family is struggling to fund Toa's recovery. Donations to the Cullen family can be made to the Pet Medical Crisis Fund. A man suffered horrific burns to 30 per cent of his body after an explosion on his boat in Sydney Harbour. Emergency services were called to Birkenhead Point Marina in Drummoyne after a vessel burst into flames with the man, 41, on deck at about 8.45am. Authorities told Daily Mail Australia that the explosion happened when the man was refueling the boat. A man, 41, suffered horrific burns after his boat exploded as he attempted to refuel the vessel He suffered burns to over a quarter of his body including his legs, face, shoulders and left arm The man was said to have sustained injuries to his legs, face, shoulders and left arm. A large wave of black smoke was seen emerging from the boat,and could be seen for miles. The man was treated at the scene by Careflight, police and paramedics before being taken to the Royal North Shore Hospital in a serious but stable condition. The man was surrounded by family, who were not on-board during the incident. A ferry passing by the boat began hosing the blaze. New South Wales Fire and Rescue crew have placed containment booms around the boat to capture any oil seeping through. Emergency authorities who settled the fire with a hose are removing the debris in the water caused by the blast after the vessel had sunk Emergency services managed to extinguish the fire from a safe distance. The boat has now sunk and emergency services are in the process of removing the debris in the water caused by the blast. DJ Pete Tong's plan to drop 130,000 balloons at a New Year's Eve party in the Philippines has been scrapped after a green protest. A nightclub in Manila had planned to set a record for the world's biggest balloon drop at a 2019 party headlined by the 58-year-old radio host. But critics said the stunt would waste plastic and harm marine wildlife, and a government department urged the Cove Manila club to cancel the event. The venue had initially vowed to press ahead but today it bowed to the pressure and vowed that the Guinness World Record attempt had been called off. A poster for the club's New Year's Eve party featuring DJ Pete Tong, advertising the world record attempt balloon drop which has been called off under pressure from the government BBC Radio 1 host Tong is the star of the event which costs 2,000 Philippine peso (30) for general admission or 4,000 (60) for VIP entry. It came into the spotlight when Filipino officials said the planned balloon stunt was environmentally threatening, praising activists who had campaigned against it. Even biodegradable balloons could take four years to decompose, posing a danger to wildlife and contributing to waste, officials said. On Saturday the club stuck by its plans, saying they were not just a 'whimsical' effort and that the balloons would be recycled. BBC Radio 1 host Pete Tong, pictured, is the star of the event which costs 2,000 Philippine peso (30) for general admission or 4,000 (60) for VIP entry 'It is an earnest effort not only to make a new world record for the country, but also to demonstrate that we can have a lot of fun but still remain responsible,' they said. But last night they reversed course as a 'sign of respect' to the government. They said in a statement: '[We have] explained to the public that the event will not harm the environment, as the event will be held indoors and the balloons will not be released in the air. 'The balloons are made of biodegradable latex materials and will be recycled properly after the event. 'However, the management has voluntarily decided to cancel the Balloon Drop event as a sign of respect to the [official] recommendation and in support of the Government's campaign to protect and save the environment.' The Philippines will be among the earliest countries to mark the arrival of 2019, reaching January 1 eight hours ahead of the UK. Plea says the organisation would take care that no public law and order would be disturbed. Mumbai: A petition has been filed in the Bombay high court against the detention of Chandrashekhar Azad, the chairman of the Bhim Army. The petition alleged that the government is violating Mr Azads fundamental rights by not allowing him to attend the function commemorating the Battle of Koregaon at Bhima-Koregaon. The petitioner, the Pune district president of the Bhim Army, also challenged the denial of permission by the state to conduct a public meeting at SSPMS Ground near Bhima-Koregaon. The petition has been filed by Dutta Balbhim Pol, a Right to Information activist who professes to fight for the rights of the poor and Scheduled Caste communities. The petition stated that on December 30, the Bhim Army had planned to organise a public meeting at 4 pm at SSPMS Ground near the RTO office in Pune called the Bhima Koregaon Sangharsh Mahasabha. Dalit leaders and scholars of history and literature such as Rajratan Ambedkar, Amorl Meetkari, Sarfaraz Shaikh and Mr Azad were to deliver speeches at the event. Mr Pol stated that several applications to the state government were made to obtain permission to conduct public meeting but no reply was given till Satur-day and that his organisation has spent a huge amount of money for the public meeting. He also stated that on Saturday he came to know via TV that the police had rejected his permission. The petition stated that no hate speeches would be delivered in the meeting and scholars would only address the issues of the downtrodden. Stating that the organisation would take care that no public law and order would be disturbed, the petition also mentioned that on Saturday, the Mumbai police had also refused to allow a cultural programme to be held at Jambori Maidan in Worli. The petition stated that state has not merely put Mr Azad under house arrest but also violated his fundamental rights. It also said that due to the illegal acts of the state government, many workers and volunteers were arrested and, therefore, it appears that the police has curtailed their rights. Advocate Nitin Satpute, who represented Mr Pol, told The Asian Age that Justice C.V. Bhadang will hear the petition on Monday. Dalit Panthers hold rasta roko Dalit Youth Panther worker held rasta roko in the intervening night of Friday and Saturday in eastern suburbs of Mumbai demanding the release of BHIM army chief Chandrashekhar Azad. The protestors had blocked the Eastern Express highway for a while. They also waved blue flags and slogan in support of Azad. Later, the police finally managed to control the protest. Nilesh Mohite, chief of Dalit Youth Panther told the Asian Age that, Many Dalit organisations exist in the state and they have supported Mr Azad through social media. Some of them posted messages on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp but only Dalit Youth Panther have protested demanding the release of Mr Azad. After completion of MP Ramdas Athavales programme, we had blocked Eastern Express Highway for around 25 minutes near Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar at Ghatkopar. We wrapped up rasta roko after watching police force began to gather, said Mr Mohite. Dalit Youth Panther will attend Bhima-Koregaon function on Monday, said Mr Mohite. Mr Azad, on Friday, claimed that he was put under house arrest by the Mumbai police citing security concerns and absence of permission for his rally scheduled on Saturday. On Friday, a team of Dindoshi police had arrived outside Hotel Manali and allegedly asked Mr Azad to abort his plan to hold a rally in Worli. Although, the police have not granted permission for holding the rally, he is determined to conduct one. The police, however, denied the claims made by Mr Azad. Mr Azad is neither under house arrest nor has he been arrested. The permission for the rally has not been granted yet, said Manjunath Singe, Mumbai police spokesperson. On Sunday, Mr Azad left the city to attend Bhima-Koregaon event along with his Bhim Army workers. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is set to rule within the next few days as to whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller can subpoena an unknown government-owned foreign corporation. Anticipation is growing in Washington, D.C. as the nation is set to learn the identity of the state-owned entity that has tried to block Mueller from revealing its alleged role in the Russia investigation. Roberts surprised legal analysts last Sunday when he temporarily blocked the subpoena and forced Mueller to explain why the government was investigating a foreign-backed corporate entity whose government has been trying hard to avoid cooperating. Muellers prosecutors filed a brief on Friday night, according to Politico. Roberts will review Muellers submission and then decide whether to uphold the ruling of the lower court - the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals - which said earlier this month that the corporation was required to abide by the subpoena. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is set to rule within the next few days as to whether Special Counsel Robert Mueller can subpoena a government-owned foreign corporation Roberts could decide to deny the companys appeal, or he could rule that the case needs to be heard by all nine Supreme Court justices. The case is unusual since the unnamed country involved has gone to great lengths to fight Muellers subpoena - leading to speculation that it has something to hide in the ongoing Russia investigation. In its arguments before the D.C. Circuit Court, the company claimed that complying with the subpoena meant violating the laws of its home country. But the judges unanimously rejected this argument. Last Sunday, Roberts shocked legal observers when he agreed to take up the companys emergency petition and stay the lower courts ruling. The mystery remains as to what Roberts saw in the filing documents that made him cast doubt on the ruling of the D.C. Circuit Court. This is the first known legal challenge in the Mueller investigation to make its way to the Supreme Court. The range of possibilities on the company's identity is vast, CNN reports. It could be anything from a sovereign-owned bank to a state-backed technology or information company. These types of companies have been frequent recipients of requests for information in Mueller's investigation. The company had been required to turn over 'information' about its commercial activity in the criminal investigation, CNN reported. The appeals court also said the company could face fines for every day of noncompliance. Roberts' holding order also puts a pause on any fines it would wrack up. There has been an usual level of secrecy surrounding the unidentified company and the case. When it was argued at the D.C. circuit court earlier this month, the courtroom was closed to the public, Politico reported. Court personnel ordered journalists to leave the floor where lawyers were presenting their positions. Mueller and multiple congressional committees are looking into allegations that there was collusion between Russian operatives and Trump associates during the presidential campaign and transition. The case is unusual since the unnamed country involved has gone to great lengths to fight Muellers subpoena - leading to speculation that it has something to hide in the ongoing Russia investigation In January 13, 2017, the Senate select committee announced that it was conducting a probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential Election. The investigation was sparked by a declassified report from the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) that described a multifaceted effort led by Russian President Vladimir Putin to interfere with the election by releasing damaging information about Hillary Clinton to help Donald Trump. It is understood that the company's challenge of the subpoena appears to have begun in September. In its ruling this past week, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia gave few clues about the company and its country of origin or what Mueller's team sought. In a three-page decision obtained by CNN, the Supreme Court judges describe how they had learned confidentially from prosecutors that they had 'reasonable probability' the records requested involved actions that took place outside of the United States but affected the U.S. Prosecutors claim that the Mueller team is also examining actions related to Turkish, Ukrainian and other foreign government interests. Mueller has already indicted three Russian companies and 25 Russians for their alleged contributions to a social media propaganda scheme meant to influence American voters and to the hack of the Democratic Party. The special counsel and other Justice Department units continue to pursue several investigations related to Mueller's investigation. Mueller and multiple congressional committees are looking into allegations that there was collusion between Russian operatives and associates of President Donald Trump (above) during the presidential campaign and transition It is thought that Mueller is nearing the end of his investigation and could submit his confidential report to the attorney general as early as February. Mueller is now tying up loose ends in his investigation into allegations of 'links and/or coordination' between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, U.S. officials and others familiar with the situation told NBC News. Nineteen months into his investigation, Mueller has yet to publicly provide evidence of the central crime he was appointed to investigate: a conspiracy between members of Donald Trump's campaign and the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. Mueller is also known to be investigating Trump for possible obstruction of justice, including over the firing of FBI Director James Comey. When it is complete, Mueller's report will likely go to Bill Barr, Trump's appointee as attorney general who has yet to be confirmed. The identity of a terror suspect arrested at Luton Airport has been revealed as a north London man who fought against ISIS for two years in Syria, according to reports. Ozkan Ozdil, 32, was taken in by Metropolitan Police officers on arrival at the airport on Thursday evening on suspicion of 'preparation of terrorist acts'. He was questioned at a police station and released on bail until mid-January. Ozkan Ozdil, 32, was taken in by Metropolitan Police officers on arrival at the airport on Thursday evening on suspicion of 'preparation of terrorist acts' (stock image) The arrest was 'Syria-related and not related to any offences at the airport', the Metropolitan Police said. Ozdil travelled to Syria in September 2016 to fight with Kurdish rebels against ISIS and spent several months with a combat medical unit. As he awaited deployment to the frontline in Raqqa in January, he admitted: 'I'd rather die for something than for nothing. 'We have people of all faiths and creeds working together for a just society that is fair to all people. It's beautiful.' When he was contacted by the Telegraph on Sunday, Mr Ozdil did not want to talk about his time in Syria. The arrest was 'Syria-related and not related to any offences at the airport', the Metropolitan Police said (stock image of Luton airport) He said: 'I'm not used to this. It's all new to me. I don't know how it will affect me.' Ozdil was born in Turkey and his family moved to the UK in the late 1980s. He had spent his formative years supporting anti-war groups and raising awareness of Kurdish rebel fighters. Having become disillusioned with British politics and spending vast sums of his money on rent, Ozdil, who had no military training, decided to travel to northern Syria. Ozdil was described as a 'very brave' medic who fought in Raqqa. He was also among a group of foreign fighters captured by Iraqi Kurds during 2017. He told Russian news agency Sputnik that romantic relationships between men and women in the battalions were 'strictly forbidden' and would cause a 'huge disgrace'. Ozdil was friends with several Britons who travelled to Syria to fight with Kurdish forces, including Jac Holmes (pictured) Ozdil was friends with several Britons who travelled to Syria to fight with Kurdish forces, including Jac Holmes, an IT worker from Bournemouth who was killed, and Ryan Lock, who was killed in Syria in December 2016. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said at the time of the arrest: 'At approximately 20:30hrs on Thursday, 27 December, officers from the Mets Counter Terrorism Command arrested a 32-year-old man after he arrived at Luton Airport on an inbound flight. Jac Holmes, an IT worker from Bournemouth who was killed fighting ISIS 'He was arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts, contrary to Section 5 Terrorism Act 2006 and has been detained under PACE. 'He was taken to a police station in the Bedfordshire area where he remains in custody. 'The investigation is being conducted by detectives from the Mets Counter Terrorism Command. 'The arrest is Syria-related and not related to any offences at the airport. Enquiries continue.' A second reveller has been rushed to hospital after a suspected overdose at a music festival. A man in his 20s was attending Beyond the Valley in Lardner, south-east of Melbourne, when he collapsed on Monday. He was rushed by air ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital where he is now in a stable condition, Nine News reported. Another man, also in his 20s, is currently being treated at Dandenong Hospital after a drug overdose at Beyond the Valley on Sunday. A second reveller has been rushed to hospital after a suspected overdose at a music festival just days after a 22-year-old man died In the most recent incident, a man in his 20s was attending Beyond the Valley (pictured) in Lardner, south east of Melbourne, when he collapsed The suspected drug-related incidents follow the tragic death of 22-year-old Joshua Tam who died after he collapsed at New South Wales festival Lost Paradise on Saturday. Authorities believe he died due to a mix of alcohol and ecstasy tablets. It's since been revealed a quarter of all those who attended Lost Paradise were found with drugs on them - despite the event being labelled as 'strictly drug free'. Mr Tam, from Toowong in Brisbane, was rushed to Gosford hospital at 8pm on Saturday after he ingested an unknown substance but died soon after he arrived. He attended the festival with a group of friends, some of which were forced to identify his body, police said. 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. '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. 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 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 six bags of cocaine. A 21-year-old man from Drummoyne who was charged with supply a prohibited drug was allegedly found with 105 MDMA pills. Both men are will appear in Gosford Local Court on January 18 2019. A 23-year-old Glendale man was allegedly caught with 26 MDMA pills and was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for supply a prohibited drug. He is due to appear at Gosford Local Court on February 5 2019. 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. 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 '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.' 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. 'People aren't carrying it in their pockets. They aren't that careless,' he said. A sign along the quiet road into the festival read: 'all vehicles will be searched' Safety messages were plastered behind the stage during the Lost Paradise Festival encouraging people to look after their mates (pictured) '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. 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. A man has died and two people are being treated after taking an unknown substance at a music festival west of Gosford on Saturday '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.' An estimated crowd of 11,000 people attended the Lost Paradise Music Festival at Glenworth Valley, which started on Friday and concludes on New Years Day. 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. A bestselling author who is writing a book with Ivan Milat says the serial backpacker killer is so convinced he is innocent he could pass a lie detector test. Amanda Howard, who has written 26 books on crime, has been interviewing the convicted multiple murderer since the late 1990s, after he was condemned to seven consecutive life sentences. The 74-year-old serial killer, who murdered seven young people between 1989 and 1993, has been protesting his innocence ever since a jury found him guilty in 1996. Scroll down for audio A bestselling author who is writing a book with serial backpacker killer Ivan Milat (pictured) says he is so convinced he is innocent he could pass a lie detector test For more than two decades, he has also written letters claiming he didn't kill backpackers, aged 19 to 22, in the Belango state forest, south-west of Sydney. Ms Howard, who has challenged Milat on the evidence that saw him locked up, said the backpacker killer had shown no remorse. 'I really believe that if he took a lie detector test that he would actually pass it because he's so convinced of his own innocence,' she told Sydney radio 2GB broadcaster Chris Smith on Friday. She described the relationship between her and Milat as 'interviewee and interviewer' and stressed she had visited him in the Goulburn Supermax prison, in southern New South Wales, to challenge him on his claims. Author Amanda Howard (pictured) has been interviewing the convicted multiple murderer since the late 1990s, after he was condemned to seven consecutive life sentences 'I go to him with each piece of evidence and say to him, "Explain this to me then",' she said. Ivan Milat, who murdered seven young people between 1989 and 1993, has been protesting his innocence ever since a jury found him guilty in 1996 'Ivan and I are about to write a book on me challenging him on all this evidence.' Milat's most recent letter proclaiming his innocence runs for 10 pages, with the serial killer obsessed about his media coverage. 'We're still talking about him,' Ms Howard said of the former road worker. Retired detective Clive Small, who led the police investigation into the Milat murders, said it was 'very frustrating' how the serial killer hadn't been challenged on his outlandish claims. 'The amount of evidence, if it's listed, it leaves no doubt that hes the murderer of the seven backpackers,' he told 2GB. 'He believes that if he says it often enough, people will just start believing him.' Milat's victims included three backpackers from Germany, another two tourists from Britain and two Australian travellers from Melbourne. Milat (pictured) is obsessed with media coverage about him and has been writing letters proclaiming his innocence since the 1990s Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham slammed CNN anchor Dana Bash's account of Obama's withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 and called it 'a bunch of bulls***.' Graham appeared in a 'State of the Union' segment early Sunday, when he discussed foreign policy and President Trump's decision to withdrawal of US forces in Syria. While speaking to Graham, the CNN anchorwoman and political correspondent said about the decision: 'You have said this could pave the way for a second 9/11 in the US... If ISIS reconstitutes itself after the US leaves, does President Trump bear responsibility?' Graham replied:' Well, number one, everything we're dealing with today falls on Obama's watch. He's the one who withdrew from Iraq.' The Obama administration pulled American forces out of Iraq at the end of 2011, in part because United States diplomats failed to close the deal on a Status of Forces agreement that could have provided a legal framework to keep some American troops in place to keep the peace. Scroll down for video Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham slammed CNN anchor Dana Bash's account of Obama's withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 as 'a bunch of bulls***' Graham appeared in a 'State of the Union' segment early Sunday, when he discussed foreign policy and President Trump's decision to withdrawal of US forces in Syria Bash chimed in and said: 'But he did it because there was a status of forces agreement in Iraq, right?' Graham replied: 'No, that's a bunch of bullsh*t... pardon my French. That's a complete lie. That's a complete absolute lie. I've been there. 'Obama wanted to get to zero, he got to zero. On October 21, 2011, I said that I hope the president is right and I'm wrong, but I fear this decision will come back to haunt us,' he said. 'ISIS came about as a result of our withdrawal from Iraq.' Meanwhile, Graham said Sunday that Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of US forces in Syria. 'I think we're in a pause situation,' the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House after lunch with the president. Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The Obama administration pulled American forces out of Iraq at the end of 2011, in part because United States diplomats failed to close the deal on a Status of Forces agreement that could have provided a legal framework to keep some American troops in place to keep the peace. Obama is pictured on December 12, 2018 in New York US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet members of the US military during an unannounced trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq on December 26, 2018. Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trump's policy, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. The announcement also had shocked lawmakers and American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the US against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey. 'I think we're slowing things down in a smart way,' Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Critics had contended that the US withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the president's plans with the American allies. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks to members of the media outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, after his meeting with President Donald Trump, Sunday, December 30, 2018 A 16-year-old boy from Kansas is set to graduate from high school and Harvard in the exact same month. Child genius Braxton Moral is a senior at Ulysses High school and has simultaneously been taking classes at Harvard's Extension School. Braxton is set to get his diplomas from his high school and the esteemed Ivy League university in May. His family says they'll head to the East Coast to attend the milestone commencement ceremony in person. He'll be making history as the only student to successfully pursue a four-year high school degree and achieve a bachelor's degree from Harvard, according to The Hutchinson News. Kansas boy Braxton Moral, 16, will be the first student to successfully pursue a four-year high school degree and achieve a bachelor's degree from Harvard Braxton enrolled in Harvard's Extension program when he was still in middle school. He attended his regular high school and spent his sophomore and junior year summer on Harvard's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts His father says Braxton will be 'the one and only' pupil to boast that achievement by the age of 17. 'Ive been going to Harvard now half as long as Ive been going to regular school, so its really become a part of my life,' Braxton said to the New York Times. 'To see the conclusion and the results and the rewards of that, its a really an exciting prospect for me,' he added. Despite his impressive accolades, Braxton tries to downplay his intellect. 'Im a really ambitious person. I think its important to have goals and achieve those goals, and its important to be charismatic and likable. You want to be relatable,' he said to the Times. Braxton's family and teachers knew early on that he was a bright child. Braxton was raised in Ulysses, Kansas and is the youngest of four children. There's an about 10 year age gap between Braxton and his twin sisters, Brittney and Brandi, 28 and brother Bryce, 26. His mom Julie Moral says that she's take him to his siblings' school volleyball games and at the age of just two or three he'd calculate the mathematical differences in the scores to the delight of families in the bleachers. She added that during family conversations he would jump into discussions and sound just as mature as an adult. His third grade teacher alerted the parents the Braxton would no ordinary student. 'They told us: "You need to do something. He's not just gifted. He's really, really gifted,"' father Carlos Moral said. His parents then took him to Seward County Community College where he was tested and the results shocked the family. 'They thought the machine was broken. He was like off the scale, beyond an associates degree,' the father said. 'Ive been going to Harvard now half as long as Ive been going to regular school, so its really become a part of my life,' Braxton said When he was just in third grade his teacher told his parents: 'You need to do something. He's not just gifted. He's really, really gifted' 'Ideally, I would be going to Harvard Law School...Politics is end game for me,' the star student said After that Braxton skipped the fourth grade. Despite his smarts, Braxton grew depressed at a young age. In elementary school he was contacted by the Duke University Talent Identification Program, a non profit that helps gifted children. 'They said he was having existential depression. Its where youre like, "Whats my purpose? Is there a God?" Its something that most people have a midlife crisis. He had it like, in fifth grade,' Julie Moral said. The program leaders said Braxton needed to be stimulated, which led the family to research and find the Harvard Extension School. The extension school is a program frequented by adults who work and cannot attend classes full time on Harvard's campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He's the only student to successfully pursue a four-year high school degree and achieve a bachelor's degree from Harvard at the same time. Ulysses High School pictured above In middle school he started out taking high school classes, then courses at the nearby Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Soon afterwards he was admitted into Harvard and devoted his time to studying government in his bachelor of liberal arts, all while he was still in middle school. He took classes online and spent his sophomore and junior year summers at Harvard's campus. The sky's the limit for the ambitious student who wants to enroll in Harvard's Law School next. The genius has hopes to one day enter politics and maybe even become the president, all the while he's still too young too vote. 'Ideally, I would be going to Harvard Law School...Politics is end game for me,' he said, citing former presidents Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower as his role models. 'I told him, he can do whatever he wants, as long as he changes the world and makes it better,' his doting mother said. More than two dozen male and female staffers from Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign want to hold a meeting with the Vermont Senator and his senior aides to discuss the issue of sexual violence and harassment that took place during the failed bid for the Democratic nomination. In recent weeks there has been an ongoing conversation on social media, in texts, and in person, about the untenable and dangerous dynamic that developed during our campaign, the staffers wrote in a letter obtained by POLITICO. The letter was not meant to become public, but staffers did confirm the existence of the letter on Sunday. Friends of Bernie Sanders, the senators principal campaign committee, put out a statement in response to queries about the letter. We thank the signers of the letter for their willingness to engage in this incredibly important discussion, the statement reads. We always welcome hearing the experiences and views of our former staff. We also value their right to come to us in a private way so their confidences and privacy are respected. More than two dozen staffers from Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign want to hold a meeting with the Vermont Senator and his senior aides to discuss the issue of sexual violence and harassment that took place during the failed bid for the Democratic nomination In recent weeks there has been an ongoing conversation on social media, in texts, and in person, about the untenable and dangerous dynamic that developed during our campaign, the staffers wrote in a letter And we will honor this principle with respect to this private letter. The committee said that during Sanders run for re-election in 2018, staffers could have called a toll free hotline run by a third party to report any incidents. The initial letter did not specify any alleged incidents that took place during the 2016 campaign - nor did it name anyone who is said to have engaged in that sort of behavior. It was circulated over the weekend among former staffers who added their names in support. The letter seeks a meeting with top Sanders aides including 2016 campaign manager Jeff Weaver; Chief of Staff Caryn Compton; Deputy Chief of Staff Ari Rabin-Havt; 2018 re-election campaign manager Shannon Jackson; and Arianna Jones, a communications official. Sanders is also asked to attend. The staffers said that the letter is hoping to address what they say is a culture of toxic masculinity not just on Sanders campaigns but in other campaigns as well. This letter is just a start, said one of the organizers who spoke on condition of anonymity. We are addressing what happened on the Bernie campaign but as people that work in this space we see that all campaigns are extremely dangerous to women and marginalized people and we are attempting to fix that. Sanders 2016 campaign for the Democratic nomination was considered a success, even though he fell short to the eventual nominee, Hillary Clinton. Initially, Sanders was considered a longshot, but he did manage to win primaries. Sanders won a large enough chunk of the votes that he gained a following within the Democratic Party, forcing it to adopt a number of his positions. He is considering another run for the Presidency, though he will likely face stiffer competition in 2020. Some two dozen senior and former Democratic Party officials, including former Vice President Joe Biden; House Rep. Beto ORourke; Senator Kamala Harris; and Senator Corey Booker, among others; are also mulling a presidential bid. A cringe-inducing compilation of commuters falling down escalators has shown Australia's New Year's Eve revellers exactly what not to do as they close out 2018. Queensland Rail have released some of the most embarrassing incidents to befall those using their transport network's escalators, stairs and train doors this year. Those unlucky enough to make the cut included a woman who fell over while trying to walk down an up-escalator. A cringe-inducing compilation of commuters falling down escalators has shown Australia's New Year's Eve revellers exactly what not to do as they close out 2018 Another clip showed a man suddenly losing his footing, hitting his head and then being dragged up an escalator while lying down. The sunshine state's transport body said 590 people have slipped, tripped or fallen at their stations this year. They also warned alcohol could be a contributory factor on one of the busiest nights of the year for Australia's public transport network. Extra train services have been laid on across the country's capital cities, with Sydney alone having thousands more journeys added to its network on New Year's Eve. Queensland Rail's word of warning to its passengers comes after Metro Trains bosses in Melbourne started a safety campaign to inform its users how to ride its escalators properly. Signs dotted around Parliament station advise people to hold onto the rail and ride safely, while others warn about the danger of wearing heavy bags. This is the terrifying moment a car speeds towards oncoming traffic on a busy Sydney motorway. A silver sedan is seen racing past trucks and weaving in and out of traffic on the M5 in Milperra in Sydney's south west, in footage that emerged this week. In a video uploaded to Snapchat, the car is seen on the wrong side of the concrete barrier. This is the terrifying moment a car speeds into oncoming traffic on a busy Sydney motorway The driver doesn't seem to worry, as they move past a truck and continue down the six lane highway. Sitting in the farthest lane, the car then continues straight on and driving into traffic coming in the opposite direction. It continues to weave in and out of traffic while it travels down the shoulder of the motorway, before turning around and driving int he right direction. NSW Police Chief Inspector Phil Brooks described the dangerous actions as a 'social media stunt' which could have been catastrophic, The Daily Telegraph reported. '(This is) what appears to be a social media stunt. This is a number of road users taking risks to try and make themselves popular on Facebook,' Mr Brooks said. 'You've got two drivers that are driving at high speed, one operating a mobile phone whilst driving, the other driving in the breakdown lane going up the wrong way along the M5. 'The outcome of this could have been quite catastrophic.' Authorities are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or could identify the driver to contact police immediately. They're also on the lookout for the driver who filmed the act, as they were illegally using their phone while driving. A silver sedan is seen racing past trucks and weaving in and out of traffic on Sydney's M5 motorway The video has been viewed more than 10,000 times and has garnered attention on social media, with many worried that the driver was putting other people's lives at risk. 'This is not cool or funny! People want to risk there own life fine, dnt (sic) do it at someone else's expense,' one Facebook user wrote. 'Running a mock.. or more like the driver is digging his own grave,' another person commented. Other people are bewildered the driver wasn't caught by police, especially since double demerits are in place state-wide. 'Did he forget it's still double demerits in Sydney,' one user commented. New South Wales Police are aware of the video and have been investigating the incident, but aren't aware why the car was travelling on the wrong side of the road. Disgraced comedian Louis CK sparked outrage for making fun of the Parkland High School shooting victims and saying he would rather live at the site of a former Nazi concentration camp than New York City during a stand-up set earlier this month. Audio has been leaked of CK performing at a Long Island comedy club on December 16 in what was the comedian's sixth sold-out show at the venue. During the set, the comedian also told the crowd that he lost $35 million in a single day. The appearance showcased the brash and unapologetic personality the comedian has adopted since he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple woman, and leaked at the same time DailyMail.com spotted a carefree Kevin Spacey in Baltimore. Spacey has also chosen comedy to undermine that accusations leveled at him, despite the fact that he will be arraigned on criminal charges next week. Scroll down for videos Comedian Louis CK attacked the Parkland high school shooting victims in leaked auto of his recent stand-up set performed at Governor's Comedy Club on December 16. Pictured above performing in 2016 CK ranted about Parkland high school shooting survivors who have turned into gun reform activists saying: 'Why do I have to listen to you? You didn't get shot. You pushed some fat kid in the way.' Parkland survivor David Hogg pictured speaking at the March For Our Lives rally against gun violence in Washington DC on March 24, 2018 'They testify in front of Congress these kidsWhat are you doing? You're young you should be crazy, you should be unhinged. Not in a suit saying 'I'm here to tell you' F**k you,' he said in the clip. 'You're not interesting because you went to a high school where kids got shot. Why does that mean I have to listen to you? Why does that make you interesting. You didn't get shot. You pushed some fat kid in the way and now I gotta listen to you talking.' All the while the audience can be heard laughing during what was the comedian's sixth sold-out show at the club. Students David Hogg, 18, and Emma Gonzalez, 19, became faces of the gun reform movement following the devastating Parkland shooting on February 14 where 17 people were killed at the hands of gunman Nikolas Cruz. The comedian also made fun of youngsters and belittled gender-identity terms in his set. THE RACIST, ABELIST, VILE JOKES OF CK'S LEAKED GIG AUSCHWITZ 'I live in New York. I f**king hate it now. I loved New York for 20 years. Now I'd rather be in Auschwitz, honestly. I mean Auschwitz now.' PARKLAND MASSACRE - '[The Parkland survivors] testify in front of Congress these kidsWhat are you doing? You're young you should be crazy, you should be unhinged. Not in a suit saying 'I'm here to tell you' F**k you. You're not interesting because you went to a high school where kids got shot. Why does that mean I have to listen to you? Why does that make you interesting. You didn't get shot. You pushed some fat kid in the way and now I gotta listen to you talking.' GENDER IDENTITY - '[Young people] are like royalty. They tell you what to call them. 'You should address me as they/them. Because I identity as gender neutral.' Okay. You should address me as 'there,' because I identity as a location. And the location is your mother's c***. It doesn't have to be that nasty, but it can be.' JEWISH DOCTORS - 'You need to stop eating ice cream.' I said, 'You need to go f**k yourself. And don't ever touch me again, you old fa**ot. You old f**king Jewish f*g. Get your f**king hands off me.' You're f**king with my ice cream, I get upset. STOPPING USING THE WORD 'RETARD' - 'But we started to feel shitty about it, so we changed it to 'intellectually challenged.' What the f**k, it'sdon't name the kid a thing he can't say out loud. An intellectual challenge is can you translate Shakespeare into Latin and make it rhyme. These kids are not intellectually challenged, they're intellectually f**kin' done. They are! It's not their sport! But we decided we didn't want to call them retarded because we call each other that, so we went back to Nelson and we said, 'Listen, Nelson, I have something to tell you. You're not retarded anymore.' 'You mean I'm cured?' 'No, not at all. We just don't call you that, 'cause it's a terrible thing to call somebody.' 'But you called me that with' 'Yes, but not anymore, because we shouldn't.' And he's trying to wrap his head around this, which is difficult for Nelson, 'cause he's f**king retarded. BLACK STEREOTYPES 'Whatre you, gonna take away my birthday? My life is over, I dont give a s**t. You can, you can be offended, its okay. You can get mad at me. Anyway. So why do black guys have big d**ks? Lets talk about that for a minute.' HIS OWN BAD YEAR - 'So what kind of a year did you guys have? I bet none of you had the same year that I had. You ever had a whole bad year. Did you ever have a year that sucks 365 s*** c*** days in a row. Did you ever have a time that it so sh**** that it starts to get funny? - 'I lost so much f***ing money. In a day. In one day I lost, I'm not going to tell you, but millions and millions of dollars. So you know it's at least four, because three is millions and million. It was $35 million. I don't give a f***, I'll tell you.' Advertisement 'I'm so disappointed in the younger generation honestly because I'm 51 years old and I was 18 and in my 20s we were idiots. We were getting high doing mushrooms and sh*tI was kind of excited to be in my 50s and see people in my 20s and be like these kids are crazy, these kids are nicebut they're not!' he said. 'They're just boring. F**king telling me you shouldn't say that. What are you an old lady?...You should address meas they/them because I identify as gender neutral. You should address me as therebecause I'm a locationand the location is your mother's c***,' he added. He compared them to royalty for demanding specific gender titles that they feel comfortable with. The video of his set was posted on YouTube. In his hour-long spiel he talked about his difficult year and how he lost $35million and alluded it to the sexual misconduct allegations against him. 'I live in New York. I f**king hate it now. I loved New York for 20 years. Now I'd rather be in Auschwitz, honestly. I mean Auschwitz now,' he said. In previous sets he said he feels that everyone hates him and was booed in public. The clip sparked outrage on Twitter with users calling him a 'monster'. Parkland shooting survivors Emma Gonzalez, David Hogg and Cameron Kaskey pictured above at a press conference for the March for Our Lives movement on June 4, 2018 The pair were quickly became nationally recognized activists for gun reform. Pictured above at the 2018 TIME 100 Gala in New York on April 24 'I'm listening to the leaked Louis set and it's very clear hes just going to tour red states for the rest of his life to rapturous crowds, like Trump,' one Twitter user said. 'There was always part of me that was hoping he'd turn things around, put out a better apology, and make a huge comeback...but I think that part of me just died listening to this,' another said. 'OMG, I just...I'm so embarrassed that I used to think he was funny. This isn't even doubling down. He just went full on monster,' one former fan tweeted. 'Why were people in the audience laughing? He was mocking child survivors who watched their classmates get slaughtered?' a critic wrote. 'Making fun of the Parkland' survivors/activists sure is a bold way to begin rebranding after sexual assault allegations. Yikes,' another added. The comedian returned to the comedy stage in August. There are no tour dates listed for him on his professional website. Five women accused Louis CK of sexual misconduct in November 2017, which he later admitted to. The women were mostly comedians who said he asked to watch them masturbate or forced them to watch him masturbate. For years rumors swirled that the comedian used his status and power to harass female comedians. After the allegations arose, the comedian immediately confessed they were true. 'These stories are true. What I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your d*ck isn't a question. It's a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly,' he said in a statement released just a day after the allegations came forward. Despite his confession, he faced no legal consequences for the sexual misconduct. However, his stand-up special was cut from Netflix and his relationship with HBO and FX were also axed. Just nine months later he returned to the spotlight. The five-year grant from the Department of Defence will fund the study of regenerating segments of missing bone. The US military has given a USD 2 million grant to a University of Arizona research team developing bone re-growth technology, with the hope it could one day help wounded soldiers. The five-year grant from the Department of Defence will fund the study of regenerating segments of missing bone through a combination of adult stem cells and 3D printing, the Arizona Daily Star reports. John Szivek, a professor of orthopaedic surgery at the Tucson school and a biomedical engineer, is leading the group. Team members use a 3D printer to construct a piece of plastic scaffolding they designed. The scaffolding has grooves and small cavities and a sponge-like structure. It can be customised for each patient. The scaffolding will then be seeded with the patients stem cells and calcium to expedite the process. Were trying to find a way to regrow that segment of bone using a persons own living cells, Szivek said. Adult stem cells can evolve into bone cells that create bone tissue. Currently, most bone-shattering injuries are helped with a support rod and a cadaver bone. But the cadaver bone inevitably cracks and breaks within a couple of years, according to Szivek. Also, the living bone can connect to a cadaver bone at both ends but doesnt connect across it to make one piece of living bone. David Margolis, a co-investigator on the grant and a doctor in orthopaedic surgery, said most of the options out there leave patients disappointed. Nothing is guaranteed to work, and each one has different risks and benefits, Margolis said. None give you back what you had before. So far, the team has tested its methods only on sheep. But its members were excited by the results. According to Szivek, there was a complete bridging between bone segments within two months. And within six months, they saw remodelling or the process of smoothing out the new bone. We really want to push the system to run as quickly as possible. We want it to form any kind of bone at all. It doesnt matter it could be the crappiest bone on earth, but once its there, it will remodel itself, he said. The team also examined how exercise affects the recovery rate. Szivek wants to use the grant money to try placing sensors into a new bone so they can get feedback on the impact of exercise. He thinks one day they can have sensors that send updates to patients phones. They will know if they are running or jumping too vigorously. The technology would also one day be made available to civilians such as people injured in car crashes or surgical cancer patients who had bone removed. (Source) A western Indiana construction worker who was fatally shot by a state trooper who believed he reached for a handgun during a confrontation on a highway was seen on cell phone video struggling to move as he was forced to walk toward officers. Authorities would not release the name of the officer who shot 56-year-old Glenn A. Rightsell after the Linden man failed to follow his orders and allegedly grabbed a handgun on his own waist Friday night. He died at a hospital. The trooper was not injured. Police said the trooper had tagged an abandoned sport-utility vehicle Friday afternoon along US 231 in Montgomery County. The shooting occurred three hours later when the trooper noticed a car parked in front of the SUV, with its hood up, and stopped to investigate. Rightsell's nephew, Matt Clark, told the Journal & Courier his uncle was trying to fix his daughter's stalled SUV and he always carried a gun on his belt. An Indiana man was fatally shot by a state trooper who said he reached for a handgun during a confrontation on a highway. Glenn A. Rightsell, 56, is circled above lying on the ground behind his daughter's car after being shot An unnamed officer shot Rightsell after the Linden man failed to follow his orders and allegedly grabbed a handgun on his own waist Friday night. Police then made him walk toward them as he bled out Police said the trooper had tagged an abandoned sport-utility vehicle Friday afternoon along US 231 in Montgomery County An officer can be heard repeatedly telling Rightsell in the clip: 'Do not reach for the gun. Do you understand?' 'Glenn always carried a gun on his belt, so who knows what the officer might have thought,' Clark said. 'A lot of bad coincidences and an officer that used a shoot-first, ask-questions-later mentality.' Sgt. Kim Riley said that the trooper 'noticed a handgun on the waist of Mr. Rightsell as he pulled around behind the Tahoe.' Riley added: 'The trooper wasnt sure whether someone was there stealing something or what.' Riley did not reveal whether the man was shot more than once. Rightsell's nephew, Matt Clark, told the Journal & Courier Rightsell (pictured) was trying to fix his daughter's stalled SUV and he always carried a gun on his belt A man named Jon Johnson published the cell phone footage he took from inside his home. Johnson wrote in a YouTube description: 'This man was killed outside my front door last night. He had been shot by police prior to me filming. 'He died shortly after he was taken into custody. IMO LE Inaction and incompetence led to this man unnecessarily dying. They also endangered the public by not closing off the scene. 'I honestly dont know... I do know they took a really long time to secure the scene. If the shooting is justified, then this video can only help.' Rightsell (pictured) died at the hospital Friday night Clark said about his uncle: 'Glenn always carried a gun on his belt, so who knows what the officer might have thought'. Rightsell is pictured An officer can be heard repeatedly telling Rightsell in the clip: 'Do not reach for the gun.' Rightsell was seen lying behind his daughter's white car after being shot and calling out for help. The man is eventually seen walking toward officers who refused to assist him while he was bleeding out the ground. The trooper has not yet released comment. Clark told the Journal & Courier that he has doubts about the officers' side of the story. 'I have witnessed him having laughs with police officers at the American Legion while armed, as he always is,' Clark said. 'If he, in fact, did reach for his weapon, it would have only been to disarm himself. I feel that there must be an independent investigation to ascertain the truths of this situation.' Richard Darren Emery is seen above in his mugshot Prosecutors say a St. Louis-area man charged with fatally shooting his girlfriend, her two young children and her mother could face the death penalty once the investigation is complete. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that authorities are still investigating what led to the shooting late Friday. Richard Darren Emery of St. Charles, Missouri, is facing 15 charges, including first-degree murder. Emery, who often goes by his middle name Darren, exchanged gunfire with officers as he fled. He was captured several hours later - wounded and covered in blood. St. Charles is a city of about 70,000 residents on the Missouri River northwest of St. Louis. A candlelight vigil was planned Sunday evening to honor the victims: 61-year-old Jane Moeckel, 39-year-old Kate Kasten, eight-year-old Zoe Kasten and 10-year-old Jonathan Kasten. Scroll down for video Richard Darren Emery, 46, shot dead his girlfriend Kate Kasten, 39, at her St Louis, Missouri home Friday night Emery also killed Kate's daughter Zoe Kasten, 8; her brother, Jonathan Kasten, 10, and their grandmother, Jane Moeckel, 61 (not pictured) The motive for the slayings was unclear. Calling the incident 'horrific', CBS News reported St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said during a news conference: 'What can possess someone to take the life of a child, is beyond on me - and we may never know. '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.' Emery could face 30 years to life in prison for his crimes which include first-degree murder. 'It's 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,' Lohmar added. The children's father Kory Kasten passed away after losing his battle with cancer last summer. Cops did not know the motive for the slayings as of Saturday, they said in a press conference St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said during a news conference Saturday: 'This one in particular was the worst example of a domestic violence case' Four people were fatally shot inside a home in St Charles, Missouri, (pictured) on Friday night before the suspected gunman fled on foot, sparking a seven-hour manhunt His aunt Diane Kasten posted a tribute to the family on Saturday. 'My beloved nephew, Kory, with the family he loved so much,' she posted on Facebook alongside a snap of her late family. 'All stolen from us - Kory by cancer, and now Kate, Jonathan, and Zoe, by a man with a gun. I will miss you all everyday for the rest of my life. There are no words.' Three victims were found dead inside the home in the suburb of about 70,000 people on the Missouri River northwest of St Louis. Kate Kasten was taken to a local hospital and died there, according to St Charles Police Lt Tom Wilkison. Police stopped Emery as he tried to drive away from the home, and a short gun battle followed. The late husband of Kate Kasten is pictured left in a Facebook tribute from his aunt Diane Kasten on Saturday. She captioned the image: 'All stolen from us - Kory by cancer, and now Kate, Jonathan, and Zoe, by a man with a gun. I will miss you all everyday for the rest of my life' St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said during a news conference: 'What can possess someone to take the life of a child, is beyond on me - and we may never know' Coffee shop workers with the unfortunate task of having to hold down the fort on New Years Day will be comforted by a welcome bonus to their pay slip. With government policy now dictating that employers have to pay at least 225 per cent of their worker's government wages, the smile on your barista's face on January 1 may be a little wider than usual. A casual retail worker will need to be paid at least $51.63 an hour on New Year's Day, while those working in the hospitality industry will get $46.68 for every hour worked. But while employees working on the first day of the year will be raking it in, the raised rates are less than good news for business owners. A casual retail worker will need to be paid at least $51.63 an hour on New Year's Day, while those working in the hospitality industry will get $46.68 for every hour worked (stock image) While employees working on the first day of the year will be raking it in, the raised rates are less than good news for business owners (stock image) One Melbourne coffee shop owner told The Sydney Morning Herald he was not keeping his store open. 'With Dumbo being a smaller cafe, we won't make money on a public holiday like this,' said Liam Thornycroft, owner of eatery Dumbo. Award Rates - per hour Hospitality Level 1 food and beverage Full time and part time hospitality employees: $43.81 Casual hospitality employees: $48.68 Casino and gaming assistants, full and part-time: $33.04 Casino and gaming, casual: $51.63 Fast Food Level 1, full or part time: $46.78 Level 1, casual: $51.98 Pharmacy assistant Level 1, full or part-time: $46.78 Level 1, casual: $51.98 Retail Level 1 worker, full time or part time: $46.78 Level 1 worker, casual: $51.98 Advertisement After analysing the figures, the business decided it was better for the business to stay closed - due to penalty rate requirements and providing employees with some down time before an anticipated busy few weeks in January. 'Every public holiday we assess very differently. It depends on when it falls, how it falls and all those other conditions. How does it affect us, and it affects our staff,' Mr Thornycroft said. Comparatively, executive director of the Australian Retailer's Association, Russell Zimmerman said retail workers can expect a calmer shopping day following the Christmas and New Years rush. Mr Zimmerman said from past experiences it's a very quiet day for retailers. 'And you've got to weigh that up versus the amount of business you're going to get out of it (opening). I suspect most retailers will close,' he said. Nancy Pelosi often quotes Abraham Lincoln saying public sentiment is everything. It's a theory that will be put to the test when the new House Democratic majority gavels in this week and votes to end the government shutdown without money for President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico. The high-stakes move to reopen the government will be the first big battle between Trump and Pelosi as Democrats come into control ready to reassert the power of the legislative branch and confront the White House. Trump is counting on public support as he holds out for $5 billion to build the wall. He's signaled he's in no rush to give up on a signature campaign issue as he launches his own re-election bid in 2020. But Pelosi just as strongly believes the public will be on Democrats' side as they try to get government working again, and move on to health care and other priorities - including oversight of the White House. As the shutdown drags into a second week, shuttering popular Smithsonian museums and creating hardship among some 800,000 federal workers, the stalemate is fast becoming a test of wills rarely seen when Republicans had monopoly control of government in Washington. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California is expected to be elected Speaker Jan. 3 'We're going to do our job,' said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the incoming chairman of the Rules Committee, vowing to pass legislation to re-open government. 'The president should take 'yes' for an answer and go back to tweeting.' As Republicans relinquish their hold on Congress, and House Speaker Paul Ryan gives up the gavel, the White House is eager for a showdown with Pelosi believing the crisis will tarnish the opening of the new legislative session, and with it, her expected return to the speaker's office. Trump is committed for the long haul, according to administration officials unauthorized to speak publicly and granted anonymity. After early threats to shut down government over the wall, he now believes he's got public opinion and, at very least, his base of supporters behind him. The president has not said he would veto the Democratic legislation, if it lands on his desk. But the idea of clouding Pelosi's speakership only emboldens Trump, the officials said. A prolonged crisis could hobble House Democrats' ability to launch their agenda, which includes investigations of the president and oversight of his administration, including Russian interference in the election. President Donald Trump has mostly remained in Washington throughout the partial shutdown while carrying out a quick trip to Iraq to visit U.S. troops National Archives and Records Administration closed due to the Gorvernment shutdown US Government shutdown, Washington DC, USA - 28 Dec 2018 The U.S. Government shutdown continues into its first week during the holidays and into the the new years of 2019 as President Trump remains in the White House and the democrats prepare to take over control of the US House of Representative House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, and Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., left, walk out of the West Wing to speak to members of the media outside of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, following a meeting with President Donald Trump Rather than reach out for negotiations, the president has been holed up at the White House, tweeting. 'Veterans on President Trump's handling of Border Security - 62% Approval Rating,' Trump tweeted Sunday, referring to AP VoteCast, 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. It found that veterans overall approved of Trump's job performance, but women, the fastest growing demographic group in the military, defied that trend with a majority disapproving of him. Other Republicans, though, are more wary of the White House's approach. Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said Sunday a prolonged standoff only makes all sides look 'silly.' 'If we blame each other, this could last a long, long time,' Shelby said on CBS' 'Face the Nation.' ''It's not a question of who wins, who loses ... Nobody wins in a shutdown, we all lose.' Vice President Mike Pence, center, listens as President Donald Trump argues with House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, in Washington before the shutdown Pelosi, meanwhile, shows no signs of wavering, eager to both re-open government and to launch the Democratic agenda. When the House gavels open Thursday, one of the first votes will be on Pelosi's return as speaker. The California Democrat is confident she has the support needed to win. Democrats in the House are preparing three legislative options to keep government running Day One, aides said. One would be a temporary measure, similar to the Senate-passed bill before Christmas, to keep border security at existing funding levels, $1.3 billion, and re-open government through Feb. 8, but no money for the wall. The others would also keep border funds at current levels, without wall money, but for the remainder of the fiscal year, though Sept. 30. On the other side of the Capitol, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has shown little daylight with Pelosi, and has been able to hold Democrats together, effectively neutralizing the White House's attempt to split his ranks, even after their November losses in the Senate. Schumer immediately began approaching Democratic senators after the midterm election to hear their views on Trump's $5 billion demand for the wall, according to a person familiar with the talks but unauthorized to speak publicly. He quickly learned that even the most vulnerable senators from states Trump won in 2016, while favoring border security, did not want to spend the money on the wall. One red-state Democrat, Montana Sen. Jon Tester, said Sunday that Trump campaigned on having Mexico pay for the wall, but if the president is now saying, 'We're still going to build the wall, but were going to have the American taxpayer pay for it - we're going to use the American taxpayer like an ATM machine - that's not the direction to go.' Republicans, who will still control the Senate under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, have not signaled their next move. They have largely left the negotiations to Trump and Democrats, and it's unclear if McConnell would consider any of the bills the House, under Pelosi, could pass. Republican senators are eager to get back to confirming Trump's judicial nominees, and they say they don't want to consider any more shutdown legislation unless they know Trump would sign it into law, after the president rejected their Senate-passed bill. House Democrats are pushing forward with other priorities in the first weeks of the new Congress, including a Rules package that will impose new transparency and oversight on legislative operations - including a requirement that all bills be considered in committees before coming to the floor for votes. They're also planning early moves on health care, including a resolution to fight the legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. Rep. Lucille Roybal Allard, D-Calif., the incoming chairwoman of the appropriations subcommittee that handles Homeland Security, said in an interview that her office is preparing legislation to keep government running and moving forward. 'Our goal is to make sure we move on our promises,' she said, noting that the public has 'tremendous influence on what happens' in Washington. And if the shutdown drags into the new Congress? 'I don't even want to think about that.' Advertisement Tens of thousands of revellers are preparing to bid farewell to 2018 at the annual Falls Festival in Byron Bay. Festival fanatics flocked to the North Byron Parklands on New Year's Eve for the three-day music event. Among the masses were a slew of high-cut shorts paired with barely there crop tops - along with a collection of more one-off pieces. With temperatures reaching over 27C on Monday, party-goers were seen in short skirts, tank tops and bikinis as they danced to the likes of Vance Joy and Hilltop Hoods. Party goers have dressed up to farewell the year during musical fun at Falls Festival Byron Bay Tens of thousands of revellers are preparing to bid farewell to 2018 at the annual Falls Festival in Byron Bay Festival fanatics flocked to the North Byron Parklands on New Year's Eve for the three-day music event A number of punters embraced summer temperatures dressed in barely-there crop tops, singlets, short skirts and flowing dresses Attempting to beat the heat, some partiers chose to take a dip in a nearby pool, with the help of some colourful floaties With temperatures reaching over 27C on Monday, party-goers were seen in short skirts, tank tops and bikinis as they danced to the likes of Vance Joy and Hilltop Hoods Among the masses were a slew of high-cut shorts paired with barely-there crop tops - and fishnets Music festivals have become a chance for attendees to not just see favourite bands play but to experiment with fashion that would be deemed to wild or risque during their daily lives Others opted for colourful garb and barely-there festival sets - busting out their most outlandish threads as Australia's biggest summer festival reached a crescendo. In total more than 20,000 punters are expected to stream into the North Byron Parklands for festivities which will run until January 3. Attempting to beat the heat, some partiers chose to take a dip in a nearby pool, with the help of some colourful floaties. Falls Festival also hosts events at Lorne, in western Victoria, and at Tasmania's Marion Bay - acting as a guaranteed good time for its thousands of attendees. Falls Festival also hosts events at Lorne, in western Victoria, and at Tasmania's Marion Bay - acting as a guaranteed good time for its thousands of attendees Festivals often act as the perfect opportunity to dress up in colourful and eccentric outfits Falls Festival also hosts events at Lorne, in western Victoria, and at Tasmania's Marion Bay - acting as a guaranteed good time for its thousands of attendee Falls Festival has been running for over two decades and provides guaranteed fun in welcoming in the new year Festival-goers were dressed to the nines as they prepared to dance to the likes of Vance Joy and Hilltop Hoods Others opted for colourful garb and barely-there festival sets - busting out their most outlandish threads as Australia's biggest summer festival reached a crescendo However, the New Years celebrations come under a cloud of worry for many party goers with warnings being issued for those who may be tempted to take drugs. It comes after the death of Josh Tam, 22, who died from a suspected overdose 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. Revellers were seen in barely-there outfits across the North Byron Parklands Despite the festivities the New Years celebrations come under a cloud of worry for many party goers with warnings being issued for a 'serious drug alert' Other punters busted out some outlandish threads as Australia's biggest summer festival reached a crescendo The summer festival season often provides the perfect opportunity to break out some creative costuming The tragedy sparked warnings across Australia. Falls Festival sent an unnerving text message warning, telling party goers of a 'serious drug alert'. 'There is an extremely dangerous orange pill in circulation. Regardless of pill circulation, one pill can kill,' the text read. Falls Festival also hosts events at Lorne, in western Victoria, and at Tasmania's Marion Bay - acting as a guaranteed good time for its thousands of attendees Please help me Mom - that is the heartbreaking text message that Michael Stewart, 40, sent to his mother about 10 days ago, when he was last seen alive in a case that authorities are treating as a suspected homicide. New York police are investigating the disappearance of Stewart, who has been missing since December 20. His family grew worried when he never showed for Christmas to see his two children - a four-year-old daughter and a son, 11. He was last seen in person leaving ONeills Irish Pub on Forest Avenue in Staten Island. After he left the bar, surveillance footage showed him arguing with two men outside a nearby barber shop, according to the New York Post. New York police are investigating the disappearance of Michael Stewart, who has been missing since December 20 His family grew worried when he never showed for Christmas to see his two children - a four-year-old daughter (seen with her father above) and a son, 11 He was last seen in person leaving ONeills Irish Pub on Forest Avenue in Staten Island He loves his daughter, Stewart's aunt said. Shes been crying every night for him. Shes starting to see that somethings wrong The footage shows a slight altercation with people who entered the barber shop, according to Jaclyn Tantao, a childhood friend of Stewarts. We see some things that dont look correct, she said. At around 1.55am on December 21, he sent the text message to his mother. Detectives are telling us he was hurt, his aunt, Roxanne, told the Post. Stewart has a four-year-old daughter. He loves his daughter, his aunt said. Shes been crying every night for him. Shes starting to see that somethings wrong. Police have a man and a woman in custody, according to the New York Daily News. Stewarts aunt said investigators are focusing on residents of a home in the West New Brighton section of Staten Island as well as a home in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Me and his mother both feel he has been murdered, the aunt said. Tantao said it was unusual for him to miss Christmas with his children. Theres no way he would miss Christmas with his daughter, she said. He loves his daughter. They do everything together. Detectives are telling us he was hurt, his aunt, Roxanne, told the Post Stewart is a union carpenter and construction worker who helped rebuild Ground Zero after the September 11, 2001 attacks that brought down the World Trade Center For him to not show up for Christmas or Christmas Eve was completely unheard of. Tantao believes that Stewart got drunk and may have left with the barber shop with the man with whom he got into a fight. From what I know, the kid looks sketchy, he was drinking as well, she said. Something probably went wrong. We havent seen that kid, he didnt come back this week for a haircut. He is described as a Hispanic man standing at 5ft7in and weighing 170 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes, light skin, and a tattoo on his neck A hairstylist who was there that day told the Daily News that Stewart left the barber shop alone after he hectored another customer. The hairstylist said: Somebody came in after him and [Stewart] was like, Hey, how are you? What's your name? The guy was like, I'm here to get a haircut. He was like, Where are you from? And the guy was like, I'm from Staten Island. The hairstylist then said he asked Stewart to leave. I went over there and was like, Yo, why are you asking them those questions, you know, leave. But that was it. Stewart also has a scar on the left side of his face. He was last seen wearing a green polo shirt, blue jeans, and white-blue-and-orange sneakers Law enforcement sources told the Daily News that Stewart went with a man and his girlfriend to their home on Staten Island. Both the woman and her boyfriend have been taken into custody, though it is unclear if police plan to recommend charges. Stewart is a union carpenter and construction worker who helped rebuild Ground Zero after the September 11, 2001 attacks that brought down the World Trade Center. He is described as a Hispanic man standing at 5ft7in and weighing 170 pounds. He has brown hair, brown eyes, light skin, and a tattoo on his neck. Stewart also has a scar on the left side of his face. He was last seen wearing a green polo shirt, blue jeans, and white-blue-and-orange sneakers. A GoFundMe page has been started to raise money for a private investigator to help track down Stewart. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. Workers were forced to flee a support centre on Monday afternoon following a false bomb threat. Police confirmed the Coles Support Centre in Hawthorn East received a threat at about 12pm. Staff quickly implemented their emergency management plan and evacuated the store. Police on the scene in Hawthorn East following a hoax bomb threat on Monday afternoon Police were quickly on the scene in Melbourne amid reports of a bomb scare at a supermarket in Hawthorn East Officers then conducted safety checks, eventually deeming the area as safe. 'The matter is being treated as a hoax and is now under investigation,' a spokeswoman for Victoria Police said. MORE TO COME The Colorado man accused of killing his missing fiancee is due to appear in court Monday. Patrick Frazee, 32, is expected to appear in court in Teller County, Colorado, at 8.30am Monday for his arraignment, during which he will be charged and could enter a plea, according to KOAA. Frazee was arrested December 21 on suspicion of first-degree murder and solicitation of first-degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Kelsey Berreth, his missing fiancee, who was last seen on Thanksgiving. Patrick Frazee, 32, is due in court for his arraignment Monday and could enter a plea in the case of his missing fiancee, Kelsey Berreth, 29, who was last seen on Thanksgiving Frazee (in stripes) was last in court for an emergency custody hearing on December 27 A surveillance video image showing Berreth, with one-year-old daughter Kaylee, inside a store on Thanksgiving Day. It said to be the last image of Berreth that police have found Berreth is also the mother of Frazee's one-year-old daughter, Kaylee. Investigators haven't released details about what led to Frazee's arrest or how the Berreth, a flight instructor, died. However, they have said evidence suggests she was killed at her home in a mountain town near Colorado Springs and that her cellphone was tracked to Idaho three days after Thanksgiving. Authorities haven't said whether they have found Berreth's body. Frazee was last in court on December 27 for an emergency custody hearing over Kaylee. The judge ultimately awarded custody of the child to her maternal grandparents on a temporary basis. Several motions have been filed by both the prosecution and defense prior to Frazee's scheduled court appearance Monday, including an effort to limit pre-trial publicity, preserve evidence and seal Frazees arrest warrant sealed, according to KOAA. A judge granted temporary custody of Kaylee (with Berreth and Frazee) to Berreth's parents Kelsey Berreth's family shared a shot of her with her one-year-old daughter with a graphic reading 'Always in our hearts' after police revealed she is believed to be dead Frazee's lawyer hasn't commented on the allegations but has asked that authorities notify him before trying to question Frazee or seeking evidence like DNA samples. Frazee is also expected to be back in court on January 3 for a pre-trial hearing. Berreth was last seen on Thanksgiving day entering a supermarket near her home in Woodland Park, Colorado, with her infant daughter Kaylee, before handing over the girl to Frazee. There has still been no body found in the case, but that did not stop authorities from charging Frazee with first-degree murder. Police arrived at Frazee's Teller County home before daybreak on December 21 and were seen cuffing Frazee at dawn in images obtained by ABC News. He was transported to the Teller County Jail, a source with knowledge of the investigation told DailyMail.com, and the FBI and members of the CBI searched the property. Law enforcement arrived at Berreth's home on December 21, the day of Frazee's arrest The property where Frazee lives with his mom, which authorities have searched multiple times Sheila Frazee, the mother of the suspect, was briefly detained by authorities but not placed under arrest. The divorced mother-of-four, who is a registered nurse, lives with her youngest son at the ranch, which she outright owns according to public records. She also owns two additional properties in the area. Her son meanwhile attends to the ranch and also breeds dogs. That same source said that Frazee's arrest came after authorities obtained new information about Berreth that has lead them to believe she is no longer alive. Frazee was arrested after cell records and data provided new details regarding Berreth's disappearance, according to officials. The solicitation charge was addressed at a news conference on December 28, with officials saying that Frazee asked someone to commit some sort of crime but refusing to elaborate beyond that at this time. Frazee is being held without bond pending his Monday court hearing. Police have arrested thirty-nine people after a man was chased by a group of men and women and then stabbed 'near the heart' over a 'minor argument' in a shop. The victim, who is in his mid-30s, is currently fighting for his life after a knife attack in Hammersmith in west London at about 1am this morning. It is believed that the man had got into an altercation with several people at a nearby shop before being chased. The teenagers shouted 'Get him! Get him!' as a member of their group challenged the victim with a knife while a girl pleaded for him to stop, eyewitnesses claimed. They said blood squirted from the victim's chest when he was knifed just before 1am outside a Sainsbury's store in Hammersmith, west London. The group then fled into a nearby house party, and after the occupants refused to co-operate with police, 39 people inside the property with arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and taken to several different police stations across the city. Scroll down for video Police officers line up and arrest 39 people (pictured) on suspicion of attempted murder following a stabbing nearby Police have arrested thirty nine people after a man was chased by a group of men and women and then stabbed in west London Eyewitnesses claimed the victim was a white man who was chased across the road by a gang of black 'school kids' following an argument at a newsagents. The teenagers shouted 'Get him! Get him!' as a member of their group challenged the victim with a knife while a girl pleaded for him to stop, eyewitnesses claimed. They said blood squirted from the victim's chest when he was knifed just before 1am outside a Sainsbury's store in Hammersmith, west London. One eyewitness, who lives on the same street as where the man was stabbed, said: 'I was crying - I thought "what if that was my boyfriend or brother?" 'I heard a lot of commotion, like kids entertaining themselves in the street. 'I had a feeling something wasn't right, and then the kids kept running backwards and forwards screaming "Get him! Get him!" 'Then I saw a knife there - it was shining - and somebody was going to get hurt. The person that did the stabbing - I heard him say "Come on then!" 'I could hear others saying "Leave them! Leave them!" and "F*ck him!" and a girl's voice say "No, don't". Whoever that girl was, was probably the only one with sense. An eyewitness who phoned the police and led them to the party points to the flat above the Apple Repair shop where 39 people were arrested 'That man, whoever he was, was on his own, maybe waiting for a bus. 'They stabbed him next to his heart so the intention is to kill him. I don't know how somebody can put a knife into another person.' She said the group, believed to be aged 16 to 20, ran into a nearby house where a party was said to be taking place. Residents told how they heard music coming from the address and saw a person look out the window as the group ran through the brown door and upstairs to the flat. The woman added: 'When I arrived home, I heard music and it sounded like people were having fun. 'I saw them running into the house and anybody in that house has a part to play in what happened; you are guilty by association.' A woman told how she warned police during a 999 call that a man was 'about to be stabbed' moments before she watched him get knifed in the street. Police officers on the scene shortly after 39 people were arrested at a house party following a stabbing nearby She said she sobbed when she saw the victim laying 'naked' on the pavement with medical tubes in his arms as paramedics battled to save his life. The knife thugs then ran in to a house where a party was taking place, before police arrived and arrested all 39 people in the property on suspicion of attempted murder. The woman said: 'I said to the 999 woman "they are going to stab someone, they have got a knife". In that moment, somebody got stabbed. 'They all rushed into that house - there were more than 30 school kids and their voices were so young. 'I put my clothes on and when I got to the corner, I saw a guy on the floor and he had been stabbed right in the centre of his chest.' Police say 39 people at the flat were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after they failed to cooperate with officers when questioned. Polive officers cordoned off a road in Hammersmith, west London in the early hours of this morning following a stabbing The victim remains in hospital in a critical condition with multiple stab wounds. The local resident added: 'There was no way the man was part of the same group. He was of a different age bracket and there is no way he kept that kind of company. 'He was a white man in his thirties and he had a tattoo on his left arm.' Forensics officers arrived at the scene earlier, and officers in blue body suits entered the period terraced house which is surrounded by police tape. A tattoo parlour, a pub and a Sainsbury's supermarket are all within the cordon, while a Conservative Association office is nearby. A neighbour, Mason El Hage, 22, said he saw around 50 police officers interrogate around 30 to 40 young men and women as they were lined up on the road. 'I have never seen something like that in my life. It was very extreme in terms of the amount of people involved,' he said. The graphic designer said he heard noise and dogs barking at around 1.30am and looked outside believing it was a drugs raid. 'After that, three riot vans rocked up and about 50 police officers marched down the road, went into the house next door and brought around 30 to 40 people outside,' he said. It is believed that the man had got into an altercation with several people at a nearby shop, thought to be a Sainsbury's Local, before being chased by the group Officers rushed to the scene and a total of 39 people were arrested at a house near the scene of the attack on suspicion of attempted murder 'They lined them up and interrogated them for about an hour.' Mr El Hage said the group, including young men and women were arrested in 'single file' in a 'very, very swift operation'. Neighbours of the flat in Greyhound Road, where the arrests are believed to have been made, said a group of people outside at about 11pm on Sunday, while others could be seen in a first floor window. One woman said they were in their late teens or early 20s and the atmosphere appeared to be 'quite relaxed and chilled'. 'We just heard normal talking. It sounded like squealing girls like you get on a night out,' she said. Her friend, who is visiting London for New Year's Eve, saw police in the street after the stabbing. 'It was a bit mad,' he said. 'I woke up about 3am and there was about 25 police officers down here and about 30 or so people; some handcuffed, some weren't handcuffed. 'More people came out of there [the flat] and more police went in there. At about 5am, the forensics turned up.' A can of vegetable oil lays in the road behind a police cordon after last night's incident in west London The London Ambulance Service treated the man at the scene before he was transferred to a nearby hospital Metropolitan Police confirmed that two knives had been recovered at the scene of the attack. The London Ambulance Service treated the man at the scene before he was transferred to a nearby hospital, where he is now in a stable but critical condition. Superintendent Mark Lawrence said: 'What appears to have been a minor argument has resulted in a man sustaining life-threatening injuries. 'Officers were quickly on the scene and provided him with first aid prior to the arrival of our colleagues in the LAS. 'He has been taken to hospital where he continues to receive treatment for his injuries. 'Whilst it is unusual for so many people to be arrested in the early stages of an investigation such as this, due to a lack of co-operation and the necessity of securing essential evidence following a serious assault, this action was appropriate.' A police officer has been rushed to hospital after allegedly being punched in the head during a wild brawl. Five people were arrested after the fight broke out in a car park on Dee Why Parade, Sydney's Northern Beaches, at about 2pm on Monday. Officers attempted to stop the allegedly stolen VW Amarok, but the vehicle sped away before crashing into a parked car, police claim. Five people were arrested after the fight broke out in a car park on Dee Why Parade, Sydney's Northern Beaches, at about 2pm on Monday The group allegedly resisted police attempts to be arrested and a physical confrontation ensued. Confronting video footage captured from the scene allegedly shows a police officer cop a punch to his face during the brawl. Some officers were seen displaying their guns during the commotion. They deployed OC spray and a Taser to help control the group. A woman sitting in the drivers seat of the parked car suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. The group allegedly resisted police attempts to be arrested and a physical confrontation ensued Confronting video footage captured from the scene shows a police officer cop a punch to his face during the brawl (pictured) A male senior constable, who was punched multiple times in the face, was taken to Northern Beaches Hospital for treatment. Three men, aged 27, 22 and 21, and two women, believed to be aged in their early 20s, were arrested. They were taken to Manly Police Station where they are assisting with inquiries. The incident was reported by iDropNews, which took place on December 12 this year. Josh Hillard, who lives in Ohio, claimed that he felt his iPhone turning hot in his pants, which he kept in his back pocket. A while later, he witnessed thick smoke coming out from the phone. At the time of the incident, he was on a lunch break in a break room with a colleague. And when he noticed the smoke, he ran outside, took his pants off and another company colleague used a fire extinguisher to put out the flame. (Photo: Josh Hillard / iDrop News) A man from Ohio, US, claimed that his Apple iPhone XS Max went up in flames in his back pocket. He stated that the phone was just three weeks old and the fire burned his skin and caused damage to his clothes. Josh Hillard, who lives in Ohio, claimed that he felt his iPhone turning hot in his pants, which he kept in his back pocket. A while later, he witnessed thick smoke coming out from the phone. At the time of the incident, he was on a lunch break in a break room with a colleague. And when he noticed the smoke, he ran outside, took his pants off and another company colleague used a fire extinguisher to put out the flame. The incident was reported by iDropNews, which took place on December 12 this year, around noon. When he felt a strong heat burning his skin, he saw green and yellow coloured smoke coming from his back pocket. Left no other option, I had to exit the room since there was a female in the break room with me and remove my pants. I ran to the boardroom where I got my shoes and pants off as fast as possible. A VP of our company put the fire out with a fire extinguisher because he heard me yelling. Once the phone was extinguished, I was left with a hole in my pants, fire extinguisher on my pants/shoes, and some pain/irritation in my buttocks region where the pocket of my pants was located, claimed Hillard, as reported by iDropNews. From the time of first noticing the fire and between removal of the pants and taking the phone out of my pocket and placing it outside, I inhaled A LOT of smoke. Later in the day, the team told me about the video that the office security camera captured, he added. Hillard, later that evening, went to the Apple Store with the burned phone, who in turn had to call in the safety team, who then took it into a back room, leaving Hillard waiting at the store for almost 40 minutes. Sadly, after receiving this cold treatment with zero engagement from the team while waiting, I found a manager to locate the employee with my phone, claimed Hillard. The employee resurfaced with the phone already packaged and told me that they were going to send it back to the engineering team. The manager then came up to me and said that this is the only way that I could receive a replacement phone, he added. He also asked for compensations with regards to his burned skin, damaged clothes and that he had inhaled toxic smoke which could cause him a health hazard. But he had to leave the store with just a new phone replacement. He later went home, contacted Apple Care and started the entire process again, to which he received an email asking him to send in photos of the damaged phone, his burned clothes and any other injuries that may have been caused. Sadly, though he could send images of the phone and his clothes, he would be uncomfortable sending images of the private regions of his body, even though they were visible injuries. I called back the next day and since the team member who I had spoken to only worked Sun-Wed, I asked to be directed to a supervisor. I was given to a supervisor still from the safety department but he said that he sat in the corporate office. He looked at the file and viewed the pictures and essentially offered a new phone, said Hillard. The iDropNews report stated Hillard reporting that a new iPhone isnt an acceptable remedy for the situation, and is also seeking restitution for the clothes and shoes ruined in the incident, as well as costs to cover his wireless service which he was unable to use during his time negotiating with Apple. Hillard also notes that hed like to brag about the great company that Apple is, however he seems to have lost faith in the company at this point in time. Hillard is currently contemplating legal action. A fireball has destroyed a Russian apartment block, killing at least four and leaving 68 unaccounted for after a gas explosion ripped through the building. The blast rocked the high-rise building at 6am as people were preparing to celebrate New Year's Eve in Magnitogorsk in the country's Chelyabinsk region - but the death toll is expected to rise. Officials say dozens are missing after the fireball resulted in seven upper floors of the building giving way. Several hundred rescuers were scrambling to pull adults and children from the debris after the building collapsed 'like a house of cards'. There are reports that some residents jumped from windows in a desperate attempt to escape. President Vladimir Putin flew into Magnitogorsk late on Monday afternoon, visiting the injured in hospital and meeting with local authorities, state television showed. Putin looked on as rescue workers toiled in temperatures of -22 Celsius (-8 Fahrenheit) to locate people trapped in the debris. Dozens are missing after a high-rise block of flats collapsed in Russia when the building was rocked by a gas explosion Four people have been confirmed dead in the New Year's Eve disaster in Magnitogorsk in the country's Chelyabinsk region - but the death toll is expected to rise A total of 48 apartments were damaged in the 10-storey building. A huge fire broke out after a suspected gas explosion Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting in the Emergencies Ministry's rescue operation headquarters on the site of the gas explosion in an apartment building in Magnitogorsk, today Putin visited survivors of the blast at a nearby hospital and was seen talking to young victims A total of 48 apartments were damaged in the 10-storey building. Of some 120 people registered or living in the building, it is known four died, four are in hospital, 16 including seven children were evacuated, and 28 more are known to be alive having contacted the authorities. This leaves 68 currently unaccounted for at 1pm local time in Magnitogorsk (8am GMT). Some may have been away from home for the New Year holiday but others may have been staying with residents unknown to the authorities. Local media complained that officials were holding back the scale of the New Year's Eve horror. Law enforcement sources discounted terrorism as a cause and are focusing on a gas leak. A witness said: 'Looking from the backyard side, the whole of the block collapsed like a house of cards. It is not likely that anybody is alive there. 'People from the next entrance are being evacuated with the help of fire brigade ladders.' The carnage was at 164 Karl Marx Prospect. Two Il-76 and Sukhoi Superjet 100 are ready to fly from Moscow pick up the injured, said reports. Rescuer have been digging through the rubble after the building collapsed in the wake of a gas explosion Officials say 68 people are missing after the 6am blast created a fireball which resulted in seven upper floors of the building giving way Several hundred rescuers were scrambling to pull adults and children from the debris after the building collapsed 'like a house of cards' The governor of Chelyabinsk region Boris Dubrovsky arrived in Magnitogorsk. The disaster came as Russians prepared to celebrate New Year - which is like Christmas and Hogmanay rolled into one. 'Vkladimir Putin was immediately informed about the tragedy,' said a Kremlin spokesman. Putin has ordered Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova to do everything in her powers to assist those injured and bereaved families. Local man Georgy said: 'I went to work early in the morning and heard a strong crack, and everything shook. 'Let God help keep the victims to as small a number as possible.' Other local residents confirmed that the explosion was 'very strong'. The tragedy comes as Russians prepared to celebrate the most important evening off the country's calendar - when by tradition Grandfather Frost, or Santa, visits children. All those killed were adults, an official said, adding that three injured, including one child, were taken to hospital Judging by the destruction, the explosion occurred on the second floor above an arch in the building Ministry of Health official Maria Khvorostova said doctors were treating 12 people injured in the building collapse All those killed were adults, an official said, adding that three injured, including one child, were taken to hospital. Judging by the destruction, the explosion occurred on the second floor above an arch in the building. Earlier it had been thought the explosion was higher in the building. With 68 people reported missing, in a grim message the head doctor of the third city hospital in Magnitogorsk, Mikhail Scherbakov, told reporters: 'The critical time for medical help has ended. 'So we do not think that anyone alive will now be brought to us.' Ministry of Health official Maria Khvorostova said doctors were treating 12 people injured in the building collapse. 'Four injured were hospitalised, among them one child, born in 2005,' she said. 'The rest did not need the hospitalisation. The condition of all 12 people is assessed as satisfactory.' Residents jumped from windows to escape the appalling tragedy, it was revealed. Magnitogorsk MP Pavel Verstov said: 'The explosion was early in the morning. As people told me, there was a pause of several minutes between the explosion and the building collapsing. 'People had a small chance to survive and they used it. They were jumping out of windows, they tried to use every possibility to evacuate. Altogether 48 flats were destroyed.' Russian rescue workers search through debris after a gas explosion in an apartment building in the city of Magnitogorsk The mangled ruins of the building are shown in another picture of the disaster. There have been several similar incidents in Russia in recent years due to ageing infrastructure and poor safety regulations surrounding gas usage Emergency crews work at the scene of the collapsed apartment building in Magnitogorsk, a city of 400,000 people, about 870 miles southeast of Moscow As many as 40 people could still be trapped in the rubble of a Russian apartment block that partially collapsed in an explosion on Monday, killing at least four people, news agencies reported A shocking video shows the moment of the explosion in a ground floor office in the building hit by the 'gas blast'. The walls shake and glass breaks in the footage. The video shows the blast was at 6am local time. Survivor Olesya, whose flat was on the fourth floor, said: 'I woke up from a loud rumble. 'Windows in the whole apartment were smashing. There was a strong smell of burning. I heard neighbours shouting at the entrance. 'I woke my child, and quickly dressed him. We left from the apartment, and instead of the entrance - there was just debris. Men helped us down. 'By this time there were firefighters already in the yard.' There have been several similar incidents in Russia in recent years due to ageing infrastructure and poor safety regulations surrounding gas usage. In 2015, at least five people were killed when a gas explosion damaged an apartment building in the southern city of Volgograd. Donald Trump's UK ambassador Woody Johnson has admitted a trade deal with the US is still up in the air Donald Trump's UK ambassador today warned a deep trade deal with the US could be impossible if Theresa May's Brexit plan goes through. Woody Johnson said America is watching closely to see how the situation develops. He insisted the US President was eager to strike a 'quick, massive' agreement with Britain after it leaves the EU. But he added: 'It doesn't look like it would be possible.' In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Johnson also said the UK was 'in need of leadership'. And he said May of next year would be a 'good time' for Mr Trump to make his state visit to Britain - although he stressed nothing had been finalised. Mr Trump has branded the Prime Minister's Brexit plan a 'good deal for the EU'. He claims it would kill off the chances of a UK-US trade deal because Britain would remain so closely aligned to Brussels. The US president also said he would have done the Brexit negotiations 'much differently' and claimed the Prime Minister did not listen to his advice, including to consider suing the EU. Speaking when he visited the UK in July, the US president said: 'If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal. 'If they do that, then their trade deal with the US will probably not be made.' And Mr Trump said last month that he wanted the Prime Minister to 'do something' about her agreement to ensure the UK can trade with the US more freely. He told reporters: 'Sounds like a great deal for the EU. I think we have to take a look at, seriously, whether or not the UK is allowed to trade. 'Because, you know, right now, if you look at the deal, they may not be able to trade with us. And that wouldn't be a good thing. I don't think they want that at all. 'That would be a very big negative for the deal.' Mr Johnson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'He (Mr Trump) is looking forward to and hoping that the environment will lead to the ability of the US to do a quick, very massive bilateral trade deal that could be the precursor of future trade deals with other countries around the world for Great Britain that will really take you way, way into an exciting future. Trump and May speak at the G20 in Buenos Aires last month shortly after the US president said Mrs May's Brexit deal sounded 'like a great deal for the EU' 'We are still going through the stages of deciding where exactly the country is going. If it goes in a way that allows these kind of agreements to occur then I think that will be very positive in the president's eyes.' But he added: 'It doesn't look like it would be possible.' Mr Johnson said having toured the UK he was 'feeling the country is in need of leadership'. He said: 'You can see the frustration in the Members of Parliament in trying to navigate what the people wanted when they voted on the referendum.' And he said he detected a 'defeatism' about Brexit, saying: 'If you look back and you just try to project the past into the present and the future, it's going to be bleak. 'But you're leaving out the great thing that Britain has to offer, and that is all of the people and all of their efforts and their ability to solve problems. And if you factor that in, I think the future is extremely positive and extremely bright.' On the controversial plans for Mr Trump's state visit to the UK, Mr Johnson agreed that May would be a 'good time'. Jean-Claude Juncker was hit by a furious backlash yesterday after he claimed most MPs 'deeply distrust' Theresa May over Brexit as talks appeared to stall again. The EU Commission chief told the UK to 'get your act together', and insisted it is not for Brussels to find a way through the impasse over the Irish 'backstop'. Asked yesterday what the EU's future relationship with Britain should be, he said: 'It is not us who are leaving the UK it is the UK that is leaving the EU. 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.' Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured with Theresa May) has called on the UK to 'get your act together' over Brexit He said if MPs ratified the deal next month, talks on the future relationship could begin immediately and would not have to wait until after March 29, when the UK leaves the EU. Taking aim at MPs who claim Brussels is trying to keep Britain in the bloc, he said: '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.' The intervention enraged MPs, with former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith warning that Mr Juncker had 'picked on the wrong nation'. He added: 'Juncker has descended yet again into shallow arrogance in lecturing the UK. They're trying to say it's the UK's fault, that they don't know what we want, but of course they know this is just a stupid game.' Fellow Tory MP Andrew Rosindell said: 'Mr Juncker has severely underestimated the British spirit if he thinks the people of this nation will capitulate to his threats.' Mr Juncker's intervention follows a heated summit earlier this month, which saw the Prime Minister confront him and angrily accuse him of calling her 'nebulous'. Mrs May is still hoping Brussels will offer concessions on the Irish backstop to help it pass a Commons vote. MPs want 'legally binding' reassurances that the backstop designed to prevent a hard border emerging in Ireland will be time limited. Cabinet minister Liam Fox threw his weight behind Mrs May's deal, telling The Sunday Times that if MPs failed to back it in next month's vote 'I'm not sure I would give it much more than 50-50' for Britain to leave the EU. A No 10 spokesman said: 'Discussions with EU partners have shown that further clarification on the backstop is possible and these discussions are continuing to secure the legal and political assurances Parliament need.' South Korea is to ban disposable plastic bags from all supermarkets, it has emerged. The country's Ministry of Environment said the crackdown on single-use carriers was aimed at conserving natural resources and managing recyclable waste. Some 2,000 large supermarkets and 11,000 shops with sale floor spaces of 1,776ft or more will be affected by the ban, which comes into force tomorrow. South Korea is to ban disposable plastic bags from all supermarkets, it has emerged (file picture) They are already barred from giving out plastic bags for free. But the new rules will mean single-use bags will now be outlawed - except for wet goods such as meat or fish, CNN reports. Anyone caught flouting the rule could face a fine of up to three million won (2,120). Customers will be offered alternatives, like cloth and paper bags instead. Officials are probing crackdowns on other products, including plastic drinking straws. It comes after ministers in Britain launched a consultation on plans to double the charge for single-use carrier bags in England from 2020 and extend the scheme to cover all shops in a bid to cut plastic waste. Since October 2015, large retailers in England have been legally required to impose a charge of 5 pence for plastic bags, a measure which the government says has taken 15 billion bags out of circulation. However, Britain's seven largest supermarkets still supplied about 1 billion bags with smaller shops supplying another 3.6 billion. In August, the government announced plans to extend the charge to all retailers and increase the minimum price to 10p from the beginning of 2020 and on Thursday launched a consultation on its proposals. 'We would like to see an overall reduction by 90 percent on figures ... before the levy,' junior environment minister Therese Coffey told BBC radio. The Marine Conservation Society says since the charge was brought in, there had been a significant fall in the number of bags found on beaches. There was no sign of a New Year Brexit truce today as Cabinet ministers turned on Philip Hammond over funding for no-deal plans. The Chancellor has allocated billions of pounds to contingency preparations in case the UK crashes out of the EU in March. But Mr Hammond - known as one of the fiercest opponents of no-deal Brexit - has been berated for dragging his feet about releasing the money. The Chancellor (pictured right with Theresa May earlier this month) has allocated billions of pounds to contingency preparations in case the UK crashes out of the EU in March Communities Secretary James Brokenshire has written to the Treasury warning that councils face huge pressures with a potential 'influx' of elderly expats and the threat of civil unrest, according to the Telegraph. His department had asked for more than double the 35million it was handed by Mr Hammond to bolster preparations by local authorities. Mr Brokenshire apparent warned that failing to provide more funding meant a 'significant risk of disruption'. At least one other department is believed to have raised concerns about the situation. A source told the Telegraph: 'The Treasury is not releasing the money. It's all very well for Philip Hammond to tell Cabinet he's putting 2billion into no-deal preparations, but it's no good if they won't actually release the money.' The Treasury said it did not comment on leaks, but a source said 4.2billion had been committed on Brexit preparations since 2016. It is understood the Ministry of Housing did not bid for any no-deal Brexit funding for 2018-19. It is said to have asked for 500million in total - nearly a quarter of the total available. The latest infighting emerged after Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox said the chances of Britain leaving the European Union will be little more than '50-50' if Theresa May's Brexit deal is rejected by Parliament in a crunch vote next month. The International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's package would be 'incendiary' and said it was 'a matter of honour' for them to support the PM. EU commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has called on the UK to 'get your act together' over Brexit He 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. New Year's revellers who have been queuing for the perfect fireworks position have been drenched by rain as storm clouds loom over Sydney. While the Bureau of Meteorology predicted the harbour city would experience a cloudy and humid evening with little chance of rain, the CBD battled showers and thunder just before 7pm. Partygoers packed into Circular Quay and fireworks hot-spots were forced to deploy their umbrellas in an attempt to stay dry - after days of clear and sunny conditions. New Year's revellers who have been queuing for the perfect fireworks position have been drenched by rain as storm clouds loom over Sydney Partygoers packed into Circular Quay and fireworks hot-spots were forced to deploy their umbrellas in an attempt to stay dry - after days of clear and sunny conditions While the Bureau of Meteorology predicted the harbour city would experience a cloudy and humid evening with little chance of rain, the CBD battled showers and thunder just before 7pm A Bureau spokesman said there was a slight chance of a thunderstorm over western Sydney while those on the harbour may capture a few lightning flashes and roars of thunder. An estimated one million people are expected to decend on Sydney Harbour to ring in the new year. Many of the celebrators have spent hours camped out around the harbour to ensure they have the best seat for the midnight light show. The Bureau have also warned of severe thunderstorms for parts of NSW including Illawarra, Central West Slopes and parts of Mid North Coast. Disappointed revellers took to social media to complain about the change in weather conditions. An estimated one million people are expected to decend on Sydney Harbour to ring in the new year Disappointed revellers took to social media to complain about the change in weather conditions (pictured) 'After days of the amazing weather, Sydney has turned on quite a storm to farewell 2018 #newyearseve,' one person wrote on Twitter. 'Such superb weather in Sydney all week and now that its NYE it decides it needs a shower! #sydney #nye #sydneyweather,' tweeted another. One social media user questioned their plans: 'What in the world is with this weather Sydney? Definitely not heading into the City now!' Investigators have found two new cracks in Sydney's Opal Tower one week after residents were evacuated on Christmas Eve. Dozens of tenants were kicked out of the troubled tower in Sydney's west after hearing loud 'cracking' sounds, prompting them to notify emergency services. While some were initially let back into their homes, all residents were forced out of the tower on Thursday for at least 10 days while the cracks are repaired and the tower is investigated. But on Monday, two new cracks were found by structural engineers on level four and a crisis meeting was held, The Australian reported. Scroll down for video Investigators have found two new cracks in Sydney's Opal Tower a week after residents were evacuated on Christmas Eve They have installed metal supports to prevent further cracks on both level four and level 10 - where the cracks were initially found. Reports suggested cracks on level four had grown from 3mm in width to 20mm in just a week. According to Guy Templeton, the president and chief executive of engineering firm WSP Australia & New Zealand, said the reports were 'completely not true'. 'We've gone through the rest of the building, that (cracking) has been there for an indeterminate amount of time, not necessarily the same,' Mr Templeton said. 'It's been monitored and it hasn't moved at all. It's just a bit of cracked concrete, not very exciting.' Mr Templeton said there was no other areas of damage to the extent of level 10 and the building was still structurally sound. Residents were kicked from the troubled tower after hearing loud 'cracking' sounds which prompted them to notify emergency services A 'progressive reoccupation' of the block is expected, according to the firm, but residents living in apartments near the cracks will be likely waiting a while longer. 'Units that are in the vicinity of required repairs, or are obstructed by propping, will not be able to be occupied until repairs are complete,' a statement from WSP said. Those evacuated have been put up in hotels, with some unlucky residents being relocated a second time due to pre-existing New Year's Eve bookings. The tower is subject to an internal and governmental investigation. A call centre worker has splashed thousands on stockpiling food, medical supplies and camping gear as he believes the UK will fall into 'riots and disorder' after Brexit. Mark McLean has already spent more than 2,000 hoarding the items, which also include army rations and camping gear, ahead of the March crunch date in Britain's EU exit process. The 33-year-old customer services manager thinks riots and public panic 'is a guarantee' but plans to flee his Glasgow city centre flat to live off the land in the remote Scottish Highlands. Mark McLean, 33, from Glasgow, has collected food, rations packs and a first aid kit in preparation for Brexit as he believes 'riots and public disorder is a guarantee come March' Mr McLean has trained himself to hunt squirrels and collect rainwater to drink. He's even made plans to build an underground bunker and tunnel system as he sees a Russian invasion post-Brexit as likely. The 'prophecy prepper' has spent the last six months practising for the doomsday scenario and has all of the camping gear required - even an Axe. But while he plans to help protect his immediate family, his warning to any ex-partners who may need his help is: 'good luck to them'. Mr McLean said: 'Riots and public disorder is a guarantee with Brexit come March. It won't be pretty for sometime I believe. 'The last period of riots saw the people focus on big businesses and government. This will still be the case. But the division in the Brexit argument might not see all the people join as one voice. This will make it all the [worse]. 'When people in this country start to realise what is happening it will be too late. 'It is due to the amount of confusion surrounding Brexit, the government has never been so unclear, this uncertainty isn't good for anyone. 'If food supplies and medical supplies are disrupted for longer than a week, that is when we will see it really kick off. You should never go against law and order, but how else would we get them [Government] to listen?' Mr McLean, pictured with a gun, has spent the last six months practising for the doomsday scenario and has all of the camping gear required to survive in the remote Highlands The call centre worker's camping haul, pictured, includes tents, sleeping bags, tarps, a bushcraft knife and axe, a head torch, rucksack, clothing and winter clothing His stockpiling has seen Mr McLean amass two weeks' worth of tinned and frozen food along with a first aid kit including plasters, bandages, sterile wipes and basic medications. A pal has given him British Army ration packs, which include meals, snacks as well as tea bags, electrolytes and water proof matches. His camping haul includes tents, sleeping bags, tarps, a bushcraft knife and axe, a head torch, rucksack, clothing and winter clothing. Mr McLean estimates he has spent more than 2,000 and that's not including his cameras and accessories for YouTube filming, which he still plans to do through the rioting. Now he hopes to add to his stash during the January sales. He said: 'I don't have any budget. If I feel I need something or I like the look of something and its purposes, then I will buy it or plan to buy it. 'Once my rations have gone and it starts getting serious I will hunt or fish for my food. 'Living off the land in the UK I would be hunting and eating rabbit, squirrel, deer, fishing. There are wild berries too. Less appealing sources would be tree roots and plants. Mr McLean, pictured, said he'll head to the mountains to get away from riots as its far away from military bases which could be 'targets of an invading army such as Russia' 'If I head to the mountains in Scotland it will be far north west. I have been camping up that way and it is very remote. Away from riots and division of the people which will be in the cities. 'Also, its furthest away from military bases as far as I am aware. These will be targets of an invading army such as Russia. 'The more remote and isolated, the better chance to avoid getting hurt or killed. As long as I know how to live of the land I will wait it out.' While Mr McLean is single and has no children, he does plan to use his survival skills to help his parents, brother and other family members including nieces, aunts, uncles and cousins. However his plans for a deep bunker, dug using heavy machinery, will have to be put on hold - as Mr McLean currently lives in a city centre flat. He said: 'I currently live in a flat which is too small. To build a bunker requires a lot of planning and work. My current life situation would not permit this.' Mr McLean is not alone in his beliefs. Fellow prepper Andrew. J. Rawson has even written a book entitled ' Brexit: How to Survive the Food Shortage'. Andrew Rawson is another prepper who is stockpiling food, left his storeroom, and even hides tins, right, underneath cupboards. He said: 'Prepping is a secretive thing, maintaining security of one's supplies is a key principle' His in-depth guide tells readers where to start, what to buy, how to store supplies, prepping for babies and young children and even chapter on prepping for your pets. But most importantly to Mr Rawson and his three children is 'maintaining good morale in difficult circumstances'. Mr Rawson lives in a rural part of England but refuses to divulge exactly where and said: 'You are likely to find prepping is a secretive thing, maintaining security of one's supplies is a key principle. 'Food is already getting noticeably more expensive in the last few months. There will be shortages and big price hikes. At least we can stockpile food.' However Mr McLean doesn't view the supposedly on-coming breakdown of society as necessarily an all-bad thing. He said: 'If there's any shortages of food at the shops, we'll have to go back to a humble way of life. 'We already waste too much. You only have to look at Christmas and how much we waste or throw away. People will have to get thriftier. We need to start saving more. 'It will be the close-knit communities outside the cities that will come together more easily and help support each other post Brexit.' This is the heartwarming moment a young dog is finally reunited with his owner after months apart. Devin Ekstrom returned home to Northwood, New Hampshire, U.S. after ten weeks of US Army Basic Training, and his dog Indus was over the moon. Mr Ekstrom's partner Morgan, 24, filmed their meeting earlier this month and shared it online. Pure happiness: Devin Ekstrom returned home after ten weeks of US Army Basic Training and was greeted by his overjoyed two-year-old crossbreed dog Indus The footage shows an overjoyed Indus jumping with joy and cuddling up to Mr Ekstrom. Indus, a two-year-old Siberian Husky-Alaskan Malamute crossbreed, is seen being unable to contain his happiness as he runs back and forth and plays with his owner. Ms Ekstrom, a medical biller, recorded the happy moment at the couple's house in Northwood on December 19. Emotional: Mr Ekstrom's partner said the reunion brought the whole family to tears Reunited: Indus could not believe his eyes when his beloved owner returned She said the reunion brought the whole family to tears. She said: 'Indus' 'dad' was so happy, and blown away by the love he gave him once he realised it was him. 'I was crying along with the rest of the family.' A 15-year-old girl illegally hired by a Chinese kindergarten to be a teacher has been accused of hitting her pupils and forcing them to eat food scraps as punishment. The underage teacher, known as Xiao Wen, has been caught on camera forcing a number of 'naughty' pupils to queue up to be beaten during lunchtime and feeding one of them with food scraps from a classmate on December 18. Speaking to Chinese media, Xiao Wen claimed she gave the pupil scraps as she was worried he had not had enough food. Xiao Wen, a former teacher at the Zhangwu Central Kindergarten in central China, is seen punishing one boy (circled) during lunch time. The female teacher was found to be underage The kindergarten's headmaster claimed to have sacked the teacher after parents filed complaints against her, but police said no punishment could be given to the teenager as she is not yet 16 years old, it is reported. The incident took place this month at the Zhangwu Central Kindergarten in the city of Anyang, central China's Henan province. The state-run kindergarten is said to have around 140 pupils and 12 teachers. Mr Ma, the father of a pupil at the kindergarten, told Chinese news outlet Shangyou Xinwen that his son had been given a lunch meal which had been eaten by another child as punishment. The furious father said he discovered the situation after noticing that his five-year-old son, Xiao Lie, had not been able to sleep well at night. He also said that his son kept asking him to find a new kindergarten for him. After Mr Ma asked Xiao Lei what had happened, the boy told Mr Ma that he had been beaten by his teacher and told to eat his classmate's leftover. A furious father accused that Xiao Wen had hit his five-year-old son and given him food scraps to eat as lunch. The teacher has been sacked by the kindergarten and investigated by police The boy's family and the kindergarten are trying to reach a settlement for the matters. Police said no punishment could be given to the teenage educator as she is not yet 16 years old Apparently, Xiao Lei wasn't the only pupil that had been penalised by the underage educator with harsh methods. Surveillance footage released by Chinese media shows her hitting one boy's arm on December 6, dragging another boy by the ear on December 14 and beating Xiao Lei and two other boys on December 18. More surprisingly, Mr Ma said after he pressed for information of the teacher, he discovered that she was only 12 years old according to her ID card - four years younger than the minimum working age of 16 in China. Police officers from the Anyang Public Security Bureau however claimed that the teacher was 15 years old and there had been a mistake on her ID records. Her mother also claimed so. Xiao Lei's class teacher told Pear Video that Xiao Wen was fired the day after the incident occurred. She claimed: 'The other child had only taken one bite into the food [that was given to Xiao Lei]. The teacher then took the food over and gave it to another pupil.' China has seen several high-profile child abuse cases by kindergarten teachers this year. Last week, a former teacher of a high-end bilingual kindergarten in Beijing (pictured) was jailed for 18 months for jabbing her pupils with 'needle-like objects' in a case that shocked the country The class teacher explained that there had been a shortage of teachers at the kindergarten, therefore Xiao Wen was hired without having her ID checked. Xiao Wen claimed that she was 18 during the interview, according to the class teacher who added '[Xiao Wen's] life is poor, her mother is crippled and her father is mute'. The kindergarten's management said they were willing to bear the full responsibility. The kindergarten and Xiao Lei's family are in the process of reaching a settlement. The physical and emotional abuse towards kindergarten pupils by their teachers are not uncommon in China. The country has seen several high-profile cases this year. Just last week, a former teacher of a high-end bilingual kindergarten in Beijing was jailed for 18 months for jabbing her pupils with 'needle-like objects'. Last month, eight former employees of a day care centre in Shanghai were given a year to 18 months imprisonment for child abuse that included rubbing wasabi into children's mouths. Experts previously told South China Morning Post that abuse in Chinese schools was due to a mindset widely accepted in society that adults can use methods they themselves deem appropriate - like beating, scolding and emotional abuse or 'cold violence' - to control or educate children. London's bloodiest year in a decade will end tonight with more than 130 people murdered in the capital over the past 12 months. Rising gun and knife crime has brought the total 2018 figure of homicides being investigated by Scotland Yard to 134 - the highest since 2008 when there were 154. Police are battling against 180 violent gangs across London dragging children into crime, amid more than 70 deaths this year involving a knife, and a dozen with a gun. Vijay Patel (left), 49, died on January 6 after being beaten in Mill Hill, while Hannah Leonard (right), 55, was stabbed in a flat in Camden a month later on February 8 Nikolai Glushkov (left), 68, died from compression to the neck in New Malden on March 13, while Tanesha Melbourne (right), 17, was shot on April 2 in a drive-by shooting in Tottenham Rosina Coleman (left), 85, was found battered to death at her home in Romford on May 15, while Katerina Makunova (right), 17, was stabbed to death in Camberwell on July 12 Jordan Douherty (left), 15, was stabbed to death after a birthday party in Romford on June 23, and Joel Urhie (right), seven, died in an arson attack on his Deptford home on August 7 Guled Farah (left), 19, was sitting in a car in Walthamstow when he was attacked on September 22, while Ian Tomlin (right), 46, was killed in Battersea on October 17 Ayodeji Azeez (left), 22, was killed after suffering stab wounds on a street in Anerley on November 4, while Aron Warren (right), 18, was stabbed to death in Greenwich on December 8 This year will be the worst on record for the knife murders of young people - with 37 children and teenagers stabbed to death in Britain, including 24 in London. Murders in London peaked in February when the rate rose past that of New York, with Scotland Yard looking at 15 suspicious deaths and the NYPD investigating 11. HOW THIS YEAR'S MURDER RATE COMPARES TO THE PAST DECADE YEAR LONDON MURDERS 2 008 154 2009 131 2010 124 2011 119 2012 105 2013 107 2014 94 2015 122 2016 111 2017 118 2018 134 The year of murders which was spread across the capital began on New Year's Eve 2017, with four people stabbed to death either side of midnight. And it concluded as 39 people were questioned on suspicion of attempted murder after a 'minor argument' in a shop ended in a man being chased down and stabbed in Hammersmith, West London, early this morning. Although not confined to certain areas, the boroughs of Greenwich and Southwark registered the highest murder rate, with three people killed per 100,000 population. The two bloodiest months, February and March, saw 16 and 21 people die - and the longest period without murder was just 16 days from September 25 until October 10. According to Home Office figures, the number of police-recorded homicides in London, for both the Metropolitan and City of London forces, was 118 last year. Similar murder figures of 111 and 122 were recorded in 2016 and 2015 respectively with just 94 in 2014, which was the lowest rate in the capital since 1990. This map shows where the murders across London have happened over the past year The homicides recorded in London boroughs over the past 12 months show high murder levels in Greenwich and Southwark - along with Haringey (Press Association calculation as of Dec 15) Offences involving knives are also on the way up, with more than 22,000 in the past year Knife offences across England and Wales are rising too, with 40,000 recorded in the past year In 2018 there were 72 deaths involving a knife, 13 involving a gun, one involving a knife and a gun and one a crossbow. Knives seized at ports and airports doubles The number of knives seized at UK ports and airports more than doubled in a year to almost 8,000, Government figures revealed last week Border Force officials confiscated 7,668 bladed items in the 12 months to September, up from 3,800 the year before. In the same period, there was also a 61 per cent increase in the number of other 'offensive weapons' seized, to 6,534 from 4,056. The combined haul of prohibited knives and offensive weapons found by the agency was 14,202, compared with 7,856 in the year before. Advertisement Just over a third of victims, 44, were aged 16 to 24, of whom 10 were shot, 32 were stabbed and one was killed in an attack involving a knife and gun. Earlier this month Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick insisted the tide was turning against knife and gun offences. This came after September to November this year saw 176 fewer victims of knife crime with injury aged under 25 than in the same three months in 2017. Scotland Yard has acknowledged the high numbers and said they are committed to tackling it, with special task forces in operation but insist numbers are 'stabilising'. Mayor Sadiq Khan has been under fire over the rise but said keeping Londoners safe is his 'number one priority' despite Government cuts limiting what he can do. In mid-November, the number of killings in London soared past the total in the whole of 2017, following a week of violence that brought the total to 121. Police and forensic officers investigate after a murder in Queensbury, North London, in May Forensics investigate at Turnpike Lane Tube station in North London after a stabbing in June Police carry out fingertip searches in Hackney, East London, in April after a boy was stabbed A woman holds flowers as people take part in an anti knife and gun rally in Hackney in April Earlier this month, Prince Charles called for action to combat spiralling knife crime in Britain, declaring: 'Enough is enough.' How it's not just London battling rise in murders National figures show forces in England and Wales have also registered a jump in recorded homicides and offences involving a knife or sharp instrument. Criminals using knives include ruthless county lines gangs which send young people out from large cities to smaller towns and villages to sell drugs. Some police forces outside London have experienced increases in knife crime of 150 per cent, linked to the spread of county lines gangs. One of the largest increases in blade-related incidents was in Hertfordshire - from 229 in 2014 to 573 in 2017. In West Mercia, it rose from 324 in 2015 to 470 in 2017. Advertisement He made the appeal with Prince Harry at a summit on youth violence at Clarence House. Two in five murders in London have been linked to gang violence on streets increasingly resembling the Wild West. Last month, it also emerged that the number of children being admitted to hospital with stab wounds has almost doubled in four years. A total of 573 under-18s were taken to A&E with potentially life-threatening knife injuries last year. This was up 86 per cent from 308 in 2014 to 2015. Around 50 who received treatment for wounds were aged ten to 14. Ministers have announced a number of measures designed to combat the rise in violent crime. A key plank of the crackdown is the Offensive Weapons Bill, which includes a proposed ban on delivering potentially dangerous bladed items to a buyer's home following warnings that age-verification checks can be sidestepped online. A Scotland Yard spokesman told MailOnline today: 'The total number of homicides in 2018 in London currently stands at 134. 'However, there are a number of these investigations that may be reclassified as not being homicides as our enquiries continue.' It would be the latest step by the Trump administration to cut Huawei Technologies Cos Ltd and ZTE Corp. The executive order, which has been under consideration for more than eight months, could be issued as early as January. (Photo: AP) President Donald Trump is considering an executive order in the new year to declare a national emergency that would bar US companies from using telecommunications equipment made by Chinas Huawei and ZTE, three sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. It would be the latest step by the Trump administration to cut Huawei Technologies Cos Ltd and ZTE Corp, two of Chinas biggest network equipment companies, out of the US market. The United States says the companies work at the behest of the Chinese government and that their equipment could be used to spy on Americans. Huawei and ZTE did not return requests for comment. Both in the past have denied that their products are used to spy. Rural operators in the United States are among the biggest customers of Huawei and ZTE and worry that they may also have to rip out existing Chinese-made equipment without compensation. Industry officials are divided on whether the administration could legally compel operators to do that. The executive order, which has been under consideration for more than eight months, could be issued as early as January and would direct the Commerce Department to block US companies from buying equipment from foreign telecommunications makers that pose significant national security risks, sources from the telecoms industry and the administration said. While the order is unlikely to name Huawei or ZTE, a source said it is expected that Commerce officials would interpret it as authorisation to limit the spread of equipment made by the two companies. The sources said the text for the order has not been finalised. The United States and China are locked in a trade war that has disrupted the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars of goods. The executive order would invoke the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a law that gives the president the authority to regulate commerce in response to a national emergency that threatens the United States. The issue has new urgency as US wireless carriers look for partners as they prepare to adopt next-generation 5G wireless networks. In August, Trump signed a bill that barred the US government itself from using Huawei and ZTE equipment. A White House official said the United States was working across government and with our allies and like-minded partners to mitigate risk in the deployment of 5G and other communications infrastructure, but stated that the White House had nothing further to announce. The Wall Street Journal first reported in May that the order was under consideration, but it was never issued. Chinas Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday that she did not want to comment on the order as it had not been officially confirmed. Its best to let facts speak for themselves when it comes to security problems, Hua said. Some countries have, without any evidence, and making use of national security, tacitly assumed crimes to politicise, and even obstruct and restrict, normal technology exchange activities, she added. This, in reality, is undoubtedly shutting oneself off, rather than being the door to openness, progress and fairness. While the big US wireless companies have cut ties with Huawei in particular, small rural carriers have relied on Huawei and ZTE switches and other equipment because they tend to be less expensive. Huawei is so central to small carriers that William Levy, vice president for sales of Huawei Tech USA, is on the board of directors of the Rural Wireless Association. The RWA represents carriers with fewer than 100,000 subscribers. It estimates that 25 per cent of its members had Huawei or ZTE equipment in their networks, it said in a filing to the Federal Communications Commission earlier this month. The RWA is concerned that an executive order could force its members to remove ZTE and Huawei equipment and also bar future purchases, said Caressa Bennet, RWA general counsel. It would cost USD 800 million to USD 1 billion for all RWA members to replace their Huawei and ZTE equipment, Bennet said. Separately, the FCC in April granted initial approval to a regulation that bars giving federal funding to help pay for telecommunication infrastructure to companies that purchase equipment from firms deemed threats to US national security, which analysts have said is aimed at Huawei and ZTE. The FCC is also considering whether to require carriers to remove and replace equipment from firms deemed a national security risk. In March, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said: hidden backdoors to our networks in routers, switches and virtually any other type of telecommunications equipment - can provide an avenue for hostile governments to inject viruses, launch denial-of-service attacks, steal data, and more. In the December filing, Pine Belt Communications in Alabama estimated it would cost USD 7 million to USD 13 million to replace its Chinese-made equipment, while Sagebrush in Montana said a replacement would cost USD 57 million and take two years. Sagebrush has noted that Huawei products are significantly cheaper. When looking for bids in 2010 for its network, it found the cost of Ericsson equipment to be nearly four times the cost of Huawei. (Source) City workers have been warned they will not be paid to commute from London to Paris or Frankfurt if jobs move after Brexit. Thousands of posts could be relocated to the EU after the UK leaves in March - although the scale of the shift looks to be far lower than originally feared. Many bankers were hoping they could keep their families in the British capital, which is seen as having far better schools and amenities than rivals. However, four big US banks are said to have made clear that commuting weekly from London to the new location of jobs is 'not a long-term option' after Brexit. Many bankers were hoping they could keep their families in London, which is seen as having far better schools and amenities than rivals French President Emmanuel Macron has been trying to woo business from the City to Paris Staff have been told that while travel and accommodation costs will be met for the first few months, it will then be withdrawn, according to the Financial Times. 'It's dawning on people that commuting isn't a long-term option,' one executive at a large US bank told the newspaper. EU regulators are adamant that individuals who control large-scale operations in the bloc should be based there. No-deal Brexit could leave UK a 'haven' for child abusers, charity warns The UK could become a 'haven' for child sex offenders if there is no Brexit deal, the NSPCC has warned. The charity has raised concerns that loosening law enforcement ties could allow abusers to slip through the net. Almudena Lara, head of NSPCC policy and public affairs, told the Telegraph: 'Whatever the terms of Brexit, the UK (must keep) access to vital EU security tools that help keep our children safe. 'We must not find ourselves in a situation where the UK becomes a haven for child sex offenders who want to avoid the quick justice that the EAW (European Arrest Warrant) guarantees, or that child abusers in the UK escape justice by fleeing to another EU country to try and avoid extradition.' Advertisement The ability of UK-based firms to function freely in the EU is expected to be curbed whether or not a Brexit deal is finalised. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, JPMorgan and Bank of America are set to relocate up to several hundred workers each after March although their specific support plans have not been made public. Morgan Stanley is reportedly offering 'short-term support' for those who want to commute but would prefer employees to live in the places where their roles are based. French President Emmanuel Macron has been trying to woo business from the City to Paris. Frankfurt has also been trying to tempt firms to shift, while Dublin is another potential beneficiary from the change. The financial services sector is often regarded as the driver of the UK economy, and is far bigger than its equivalents across the EU. Separately, the NSPCC has warned that the UK could become a 'haven' for child sex offenders if there is no Brexit deal. The charity has raised concerns that loosening law enforcement ties could allow abusers to slip through the net. Almudena Lara, head of NSPCC policy and public affairs, told the Telegraph: 'Whatever the terms of Brexit, the UK (must keep) access to vital EU security tools that help keep our children safe. 'We must not find ourselves in a situation where the UK becomes a haven for child sex offenders who want to avoid the quick justice that the EAW (European Arrest Warrant) guarantees, or that child abusers in the UK escape justice by fleeing to another EU country to try and avoid extradition.' Fifteen men have been charged with terrorism offenses over the beheading murders of two Scandinavian women in Morocco. The charges include forming a gang to prepare and commit terrorist acts and premeditated murder, Morocco's public prosecutor said in a statement. Three of the suspects face additional charges for allegedly urging the others to commit acts of terrorism. 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. Authorities have described the slayings as an alleged attack by ISIS followers. The 15 suspects were referred to an investigating judge who handles terror-related cases. More suspects are expected to be charged in the coming days. It comes after Moroccan authorities arrested a Swiss-Spanish national in connection with the murders. 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 The Scandinavian hikers had set up camp at an isolated mountain site around two hours from the tourist village of Imlil when they were attacked. 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 ISIS in a video made three days before the tourists' bodies were found. Fifteen men have been charged with terrorism offenses over the beheading murders of two Scandinavian women in Morocco 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. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has sparked outrage after describing how he 'touched' his maid while she was asleep when he was a teenager. Women's rights groups have denounced the 73-year-old leader's 'repulsive' comments and accused 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. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has sparked outrage after describing how he 'touched' his maid while she was asleep when he was a teenager '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. Women's rights groups have denounced the 73-year-old leader's 'repulsive' comments and accused him of attempted rape and encouraging sexual abuse Duterte 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. 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. A gang of crooked security guards who stole an 200,000 worth of iPhones were caught when they bragged about their crimes on social media. Mohammed Miah, 43, Jaleel Khan, 30, Soyfur Rahman, 38 and Mohammed Aamar, 28, have been jailed for more than 11 years after stealing the gadgets from a UPS distribution centre where they worked. Employed as security guards at the warehouse in Birch Coppice Business Park, Dordon, Warkwickshire, they used their positions to steal hundreds of expensive phones. Warwick Crown Court heard that police found an 'Aladdin's cave' of hundreds of stolen items which they hid in their homes, vans and storage units. Mohammed Miah (left), 43, and Jaleel Khan (right), 30, stole gadgets from a UPS distribution centre where they worked in Birch Coppice Business Park, Dordon, Warkwickshire The brazen group drove out the warehouse with boxes of phones before boasting about how easy it was on social media. All three men had been selling the stolen phones and other items on eBay in order to make a profit form their ill-gotten goods, a court heard. Covert security cameras installed after losses from the centre captured Miah and Khan shifting consignments of iPhones in August 2015. Five boxes, each containing 70 iPhones, destined for Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse, were stolen in just one weekend. And when Miah was arrested he had 29 iPhones in his possession. He claimed he had stolen only 57 phones during the course of his employment, but boasted on social media about having 150 at one stage, a court heard. A total of 535 stolen items worth 3,753 were found at Khan's home, and goods worth 7,476 at Rahman's home. Soyfur Rahman (left), 38 admitted theft at Warwick Crown Court on Friday while Mohammed Aamar (right), 28, leaded guilty to receiving stolen property Aamar received stolen goods worth about 1,300 from them which he then sold. Miah, Khan and Rahman admitted theft at Warwick Crown Court on Friday while Aamar pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property. Miah, of Birmingham, and Khan, of Walsall, were each jailed for four-and-a-half years. Rahman, of Birmingham, was jailed for 21 months, while Aamar, also from the city, was jailed for 13 months. Judge Anthony Potter said: 'The only purpose for you to be there was to ensure that customers, be they large organisations like Apple, Vodafone and Carphone Warehouse, or individuals who had ordered products by post, could be confident that their packages will arrive. Employed as security guards at the UPS centre in Birch Coppice Business Park, Dordon, Warkwickshire (pictured), they used their positions to steal hundreds of expensive phones 'When there is wholesale disruption to that process, it is a crime that strikes at the heart of the community. 'That you were here employed to guard against this danger is the most aggravating feature one can think of. 'The sheer scale of the thefts is encapsulated by the fact that it took the police over 600 hours to catalogue over 2,400 items that were recovered from your properties - and that is only a fraction of what you Miah, Rahman and Khan had stolen. 'The extent of your dishonesty, Mr Miah, is such that you had rented a Transit van and a storage facility in Wednesbury to disguise the amount of property you had stolen. 'When the police turned up at your property they found 311 stolen items at your house, 434 in the Transit, and at the storage unit a veritable Aladdin's cave of 686 items. Delroy Henry, defending Miah, said: 'His greed undoubtedly got the better of him.' Martin Liddiard, defending Khan, said: 'He spoke of Mr Miah, who had been working there before and who had cajoled him and told him he had been taking stuff from the place where they worked. 'He had something of a gambling problem. Mr Miah had lent him some money, and it was suggested at an early stage he would be doing Miah a favour and repaying some of the money he owed.' Advertisement Crowds enjoying New Year's Eve celebrations across Britain tonight can expect dry and mild weather as the clocks strike midnight - before temperatures plunge at the start of 2019. Those with tickets for London's fireworks show or Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations will see warmer than usual temperatures of around 8C (46F), but are still being urged to wrap up warm for the outdoors. Today brought a grey start for many, with conditions expected to brighten up throughout the day - but New Year's Day could see daytime temperatures plunge from 14C (57F) to 6C (43F), and drop below 0C (32F) at night. And forecasters have warned Britain could face another Beast from the East within a fortnight following an atmospheric event known as Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) that has happened over the last week. End of the year show.... 2018 goes out in a blaze of colour as the last rays of the setting sun light up the sky above Newcastle city center The sky above Newcastle was a rainbow riot of colour tonight, as the final rays of the sun of 2018 bounced off wispy clouds Sunset is pictured today over Whitey Bay in Tyne and Wear. Those celebrating the New Year across Britain tonight can expect dry and mild weather as the clocks strike midnight Those with tickets for London's fireworks show or Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations will see temperatures of 46F (8C) Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the Auld Lang Syne Fell race today Two competitors take part in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race today, which attracts hundreds of runners every year New Year's Day could see daytime temperatures fall, and drop below 32F (0C) at night - before remaining cold the next day This is where the temperature suddenly rises high up in the stratosphere, between six and 30 miles above the North Pole, and it can result in a chain reaction that leads to very cold conditions from eastern Europe and Russia. Met Office forecaster Ellie Creed said the SSW happened a week ago, and if it translates to the earth's surface - Britain would most likely see the effects by mid-January with colder than average temperatures and snow. What's the forecast for midnight tonight in your area of Britain? London : 8C, 0% chance of rain, 7mph winds : 8C, 0% chance of rain, 7mph winds Cardiff : 8C, 2% chance of rain, 11mph winds : 8C, 2% chance of rain, 11mph winds Edinburgh : 10C, 10% chance of rain, 18mph winds : 10C, 10% chance of rain, 18mph winds Belfast : 9C, 4% chance of rain, 9mph winds : 9C, 4% chance of rain, 9mph winds Birmingham : 7C, 2% chance of rain, 8mph winds : 7C, 2% chance of rain, 8mph winds Manchester : 8C, 14% chance of rain, 9mph winds Advertisement However, she added that this is 'by no means certain' and the impact on Britain 'depends on the circumstances of the weather at the time'. The last Beast from the East to hit the UK, in February, caused widespread travel chaos. More pressingly - tomorrow, forecasters have also warned of hard frosts and freezing fog overnight, and say the cold snap could last for at least a week. Snow is possible even at low levels as far south as the Peak District. The early evening is forecast to be wet and windy across Scotland, particularly in northern parts, where gusts could reach between 40mph and 50 mph. A yellow weather warning has been issued from 5pm on New Year's Eve to 5am on New Year's Day for Orkney and Shetland, where transport is expected to be delayed due to winds of 70mph. The weather in Edinburgh should improve further into the evening as the new year approaches, due to a band of patchy rain moving southwards. The change in weather from tomorrow is being brought about by a shift in the position of an area of high pressure, which has been centred over northern France and brought mild air from the west over recent days. The cold spell dubbed 'the Beast from the East' was caused by a jump in temperatures high over the Arctic, known as 'sudden stratospheric warming'. This is where the temperature suddenly rises high up in the stratosphere, between six and 30 miles above the North Pole, and can result in a chain reaction that leads to very cold conditions from eastern Europe and Russia Yesterday temperatures reached 13.3C (56F) at Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, compared with average levels for late December of 6C to 7C (42 to 44F) in northern England and 8C to 9C (46F to 48F) in the South. What is Sudden Stratospheric Warming? Severe conditions that hit Britain early this year were described by the Met Office as a 'cocktail of weather events'. The cold spell dubbed the 'the Beast from the East' - which also coincided with the arrival of Storm Emma - was caused by a jump in temperatures high over the Arctic, known by meteorologists as 'sudden stratospheric warming'. The phenomenon, which in Britain usually leads to cold periods, begins 30 miles into the atmosphere in the high altitude jet stream, which usually flows from west to east, bringing relatively warm and wet air from the Atlantic into the UK. A disturbance hits the jetstream, pushing its waves down towards the Arctic and reversing the stream from east to west. As the air is compressed over this region, it begins to warm. This leads to high pressure over the North Atlantic, blocking the usual flow of mild air that flows into Britain from the west. Instead, colder air from the east is sucked over the British Isles, resulting in colder temperatures. Advertisement Outlining the change, Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: 'Through the course of New Year's Day, we'll see a weak cold front pushing across the UK, which will introduce the colder air mass. 'The high pressure is due to move position, bringing polar air, which then stays, leading to mostly bright days and very cold nights. Where fog lingers during the day, places will be dull and cold. 'Cold air will be stuck over the UK. If any further weather fronts make it - and our predictions do not suggest any until the middle of next week - they could give some snow as far south as the Peak District. 'The snow is likely to be mostly at high levels but there could be some at low levels at times.' Mr Dewhurst said night time temperatures could fall to -3C (27F) on New Year's Day into Wednesday, and -4C (25F) the following night in rural areas of England and Wales. By Thursday night, -6C (21F) is possible in rural areas and most cities could also experience a frost, except London. Daytime temperatures are likely to be between 3C and 6C (37-43F), apart from on some southern coasts where it could reach 7C to 8C (45F to 46F), Mr Dewhurst added. Environmentalists warn the sudden change in the weather could have a severe impact on plants, animals and birds. Ian Rotherham, professor of environmental geography at Sheffield Hallam University, urged households to leave out seeds, fat balls and water for birds, and cat food for hedgehogs. 'They will need food before they can go back into hibernation,' he said. A couple who got married in Las Vegas just days after matching on dating app Bumble reveal they consummated their marriage on their wedding night. Paul, 36 and Sarah Edwards, 34, were seen laughing and smiling as they arrived together at Gatwick airport yesterday - the same place they met for the first time only days earlier. The couple shared their first night of passion after their whirlwind wedding at the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas - where the couple jetted off to get hitched. And the newlyweds said their first night together beneath the sheets 'certainly lived up to expectations.' Paul and Sarah Edwards, pictured at Gatwick airport yesterday, have arrived back in the UK after they flew to Las Vegas to get married only 12 days after matching on dating app Bumble When asked if they had consummated their marriage, Paul said: 'Yes! Yes! Yes!' And Sarah said: 'Paul and I both have very high sex drives, so it has been hard to find somebody who can keep up with that. 'We consumated our marriage on our wedding night - and it certainly lived up to expectations.' She added: 'It was quite nice because if you have a traditional wedding, the bride and groom can be quite drunk by that time, but we weren't. 'It was a very special night and we discovered we are completely compatible in that way too.' Sarah Elliot and Paul Edwards arrive back in the UK at Gatwick Airport yesterday (pictured) And the new Mrs Edwards, who is excited to meet Paul's two teenage daughters, has revealed that they've already discussed starting a family through IVF. Sarah said: 'We share so many of the same values and passions, we are both ambitious and want to support each other to be the best we can be. 'We've both said we want children in the future - it will have to be through IVF, but Paul and I already discussed that before the engagement. 'I am also very excited to meet Paul's two daughters - they will be my girls too now as you don't just marry a person, you marry into the family.' The couple are pictured in a pub garden after landing back in Britain following their wedding Paul, who has two daughters, aged 13 and 15, is also looking forward to living with Sarah who he described as 'a beautiful, wonderful person.' The happily-wed couple only spoke on the phone for the first time on December 22 - and the very next day they decided to get married. They met each other at Gatwick Airport on Christmas Eve - wearing their full wedding outfits - and boarded a plane to Las Vegas to get hitched. Paul, 36, even got down on one knee to pop the question at the airport with a 800 vintage diamond cluster ring. The lovebirds flew back into Gatwick on Sunday afternoon following their whirlwind wedding - and described their big day as 'perfect.' The couple said 'I do' in front of the fountains at the Bellagio (left) and enjoyed a Cirque du Soleil show while on honeymoon (right) in Las Vegas Sarah and Paul said they held hands throughout their entire stay in Vegas where they wed in front of the famous Fountains of Bellagio. During their stay, the newlyweds explored Vegas, enjoyed a Cirque du Soleil show and went dancing in the resort's famous nightclubs. Sarah said: 'One thing I learned about Paul during the trip was that he is an amazing dancer because he just doesn't care. 'We had our first dance at a club in Vegas where we danced together until 3am. 'We didn't drink that much, but the next day I was feeling hungover and Paul went out to get me some water and a banana.' 'It was a very special night and we discovered we are completely compatible in that way too.' Paul, of Chichester, West Sussex, described the moment he met Sarah for the first time in person at Gatwick Airport on Christmas Eve. He said: 'I was panicky before meeting Sarah at the airport and I had to go to the pub to calm my nerves. Then Sarah said 'I am here' so I went to the check-in. Paul got down on one knee to pop the question with a 800 vintage diamond cluster ring when they met for the first time in Departures 'I was looking left and right and then she poked her head around the pillar with a massive smile and I thought 'that is her, that is Sarah.'' During their 10-hour flight to Vegas, Sarah and Paul spoke throughout the entire journey. Sarah said: 'We both agreed that if either of us were having doubts, we could just make this a fantastic holiday. But we both felt the connection and wanted to commit to one another for life.' Now they are looking forward to 'married life' and plan to move in together immediately. They were heading to Brighton, East Sussex, for Paul to meet the first of Sarah's friends. And they will begin searching for rental properties in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, close to where Sarah works as a nanny and just an hour's drive from Paul's new electrician course. The couple pictured meeting in public for the first time at Gatwick Airport (left) and with their luggage as they prepare to board a flight to Las Veas Sarah said: 'The wedding was so romantic - it was the perfect day. Our wedding kiss was our first and there aren't many couples who can say that. 'We kissed in front of the Bellagio; the fountains went off and Christmas music was playing in the background with bells ringing - I even got bells on my wedding day. 'The minister kept telling us how strong a connection we had and told us to stay cute and to stay adorable. 'Tourists were cheering and then we walked around the city in our wedding outfits taking it all in. It was magical.' During their honeymoon Paul said he's learnt many interesting things about his new wife. He said: 'Some interesting things I've learned about Sarah in the six days we've spent together is that her favourite meal is plain rice and mince meat - just that. 'She also loves taking baths and we are even comfortable using the bathroom at the same time. The couple were all smiles after landing back in the UK and now plan to meet each others friends and family - including Paul's two teenage daughters 'We can just be ourselves while we are getting to know one another and it feels like we have known each other for so much longer than just a few weeks.' The couple are also making plans to meet their respective in-laws. Sarah said: 'My parents and my cousins are all still in New Zealand, on North Island, so of course I'd love for Paul to meet them, but we haven't got that far yet. 'I'm also looking forward to introducing Paul to my friends, getting back to normality and just enjoying married life with him. 'When I first told them about Paul and our plans to get married, they were speechless and they asked 'why the rush?' 'But after they spoke with him on the phone and saw what an amazing person he was, they understood and wished us well for the wedding. 'I was amazed because they are very traditional, but they were very positive and that shows what kind of a person Paul is.' But Sarah has not spoken with her two best friends since she told them about the wedding, when they said 'it was a bad idea' and that she was 'making a mistake.' Sarah added: 'So many people think we did this on a whim but we discussed it and take this seriously - for us, it is a commitment for life. 'It was hard to be alone the weekend before my wedding - my friends were not there - but I was so adamant this can work and I believe in the power of my convictions.' Duke of Edinburgh has finally succeeded in growing a crop of black truffles after 12 years of trying The Duke of Edinburgh is believed to have become the first person in Britain successfully to grow a crop of black truffles. His - up until now fruitless - 12-year quest to cultivate the delicacies on the Sandringham estate has become something of a running joke but an expert has announced this year's crop has been 'highly successful'. Prince Philip, 97, planted more than 300 15 saplings impregnated with truffle spores on the royal estate in Norfolk back in 2006. The ground on the 20,000-acre east anglian estate is said to be well-suited for truffles because of its alkaline soil. But the royal fruit farm, which successfully produces apples, gooseberries, and blackcurrants - including some used in the manufacture of popular children's dirnk Ribena - remained stubbornly inhospitable to the tasty fungi. Each year truffle-sniffing dogs would be brought in to discover whether the spores had germinated successfully, and each year the dogs and the Prince would be left disappointed. A basket of Perigord black truffles pictured at a French market. Prince Philip now has his own crop of the delicacies The truffles, known as 'black diamonds' can change hands for as much as 200 for 3.5oz Truffles are an important component of some haute cuisine dishes in French and Italian cuisine Sorellina, considered one of the finest restaurants in Boston, USA, makes the fungi look rather more appetising in this halibut, potato gnocchetti, leek brodo, and black winter truffle dish But now Adrian Cole, a director of Truffle UK which supplied the trees, has told The Times: 'They have been highly successful. The majority have been the French Perigord black truffle, [which are] as good as you can get.' Black truffles, sometimes called the 'black diamonds of the kitchen', can sell for as much as 200 for 100g (3.5oz), but none of the royal fungi have been brought to market. Initially the Duke planted the truffle spores with a view to selling his crop to contribute to the upkeep of the estate, which is the Queen's private property and has been managed by the duke since 1952. The royal fruit farm at Sandringham (pictured) also produces apples, gooseberries, and blackcurrants - including some used in the manufacture of Ribena But Mr Cole said the first crop had been shared among the royal family, saying: 'From what I gather, none has been sold. They have gone to the house or family.' He said he would not reveal the size of the harvest, adding: 'You will never get that information out of a truffle plantation owner. They are very secretive about it.' Dogs, which are considered more reliable than pigs for sniffing out truffles beneath the soil, are usually deployed in the autumn, but their finds have only recently been confirmed. The duke is thought to have inspected the orchard before Christmas. The 12 years the Duke has waited patiently for fecund fungi may seem like a long time, but eight years ago Italian experts warned him it might take until 2021 before the first crop could be harvested. Kate Garraway was left speechless after a pro-migrant activist shouted 'let me speak!' during a heated debate about the ongoing crisis in the English Channel. The Good Morning Britain co-presenter locked horns with Bridget Chapman, a member of the Kent Refugee Action Network on this morning's show. Ms Garraway quizzed the guest over the influx of migrants attempting to land on Kent beaches, with as many as 220 since the start of November. However the pair quickly began interrupting each other as Ms Garraway asked Ms Chapman what she thinks the Home Office should do in response to the crisis. Kate Garraway was left speechless after a pro-migrant activist shouted 'let me speak!' during a heated debate about the ongoing crisis in the English Channel Ms Chapman said: 'I don't think we have a migrant crisis here. I think we have a moral crisis.' Ms Garraway then replied: 'This is what people said about EU immigration and freedom of movement, they said "oh no people won't want to come" and then too many people did and it upset a lot of people.' Speaking over the TV personality, Ms Chapman said: 'That's a totally different argument... look...', before shouting: 'Let me speak. Please.' Ms Garraway then tried to get Ms Chapman to reveal how many migrants she would allow into the UK. The Good Morning Britain co-presenter locked horns with Bridget Chapman (pictured), a member of the Kent Refugee Action Network on this morning's show Ms Chapman then clashed with Dover MP Charlie Elphicke (right), lashing out at the minister after he claimed she was in support of 'uncontrolled immigration' 'Bridget, when would you stop?' asked Ms Garraway. 'Would you take in 250,000 people a month? How would you feed them, how would you house them? 'These are the practical problems. You're looking at me and laughing, but this is what people feel. ' Ms Chapman replied: 'I can't get a word in edgeways. It's a false narrative by the media. 'In the seventh biggest economy in the world we can afford to look after people who need it. 'I don't know what the answer to that question is. What we're doing right now is completely immoral.' Ms Chapman then clashed with Dover MP Charlie Elphicke, lashing out at the minister after he claimed she was in support of 'uncontrolled immigration'. 'That's just ridiculous Charlie and you are being rude and that's unnecessary. You are being irresponsible; you and your government have a moral crisis.' A naked pedestrian has died after he stepped in front of an Ambulance in the early hours of the morning. The 23-year-old man was hit on Cranbourne Road in Frankston, Melbourne's south-east, at about 2.30am. The two female paramedics treated the man at the scene but failed to revive him. A naked pedestrian has died after he stepped in front of an Ambulance in the early hours of the morning Reports suggest the man was drug affected and naked at the time of the accident and the paramedics only noticed him at the last possible second. Ambulance Victoria acknowledged the crash in a statement: 'Sadly the patient passed away at the scene.' 'A full investigation will be conducted into the circumstances of this tragic accident. 'We extend our deepest sympathy to the patient's family.' Olga Bartasek from Ambulance Employees Australia told reporters the incident was 'tragic'. The two female paramedics treated the man at the scene but failed to revive him Reports suggest the man was drug affected and naked at the time of the accident and the paramedics only noticed him at the last possible second 'When you go to work wanting to help others and you are involved in an incident where you've caused a death of a person, then that's absolutely tragic,' Ms Bartasek said. Neighbours who responded to the scene after being woken by a bang said the two female paramedics were visibly shaken, Nine News reported. 'I saw (the paramedics) gave her a hug, you know, like, she was pretty freaked out,' local Rose Luo said. A Palestinian man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for stabbing a British woman to death in Jerusalem last year. Jamil Tamimi, 59, killed 21-year-old exchange student Hannah Bladon on a tram as she was going to the church where she volunteered, the court heard. He targeted her at random when she came within his reach after offering her seat to an older woman, stabbing her at least seven times. Killed: University student Hannah Bladon, 21, was stabbed to death by Jamil Tamimi, 59, on a tram in Jerusalem on Good Friday in 2017 Jailed: Tamimi has been sentenced to 18 years in jail under a plea bargain acknowledging he is mentally ill An Israeli court sentenced Tamimi under a plea bargain acknowledging he is mentally ill. 'This was not a terrorist incident ... This was a terrible murder carried out by a mentally ill person,' the prosecutor said, explaining why a life prison sentence had not been sought, according to a court transcript. Tamimi's lawyer said the defendant attacked Bladon in a rage at his sons' insisting that he stay in a mental institution rather than with them. 'This drove him to stab a person to death so that he would be shot dead,' the lawyer said. Miss Bladon, who was a student at the University of Birmingham, had travelled to Israel to study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Attack: Security forces guard the tram following the deadly incident in 2017 Miss Bladon, who was a student at the University of Birmingham, travelled to Israel to study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem In the April 14, 2017 incident, Tamimi was overpowered and arrested. Dozens of Palestinians who carried out similar attacks, many of them as a political act against Israel, have been shot by security forces or armed civilians. Bladon's relatives said the sentence was too lenient. 'For the family, it makes no difference whether this was a terror attack or just another crazed murderer,' the family's representative, Israeli lawyer Maurice Hirsch, told Reuters. 'They are outraged by the leniency of the sentence. They expected that Hannah's murderer would spent the rest of his life behind bars.' The court transcript quoted Tamimi as saying after sentencing: 'I'm sorry. I wish I could take her (Bladon's) place. I did not mean to murder her. I don't know how it happened.' During Friday prayers, al-Sumaidaie said that it was "impermissible" for Muslims to celebrate Christmas or New Year. The Chaldean patriarch slammed such "rhetoric of hatred" that sows "divisions". In his New Year message, he calls for openness and deeper sharing. Baghdad (AsiaNews) Iraqi Christians and Muslims have reacted with outrage to a statement by Iraqs Grand Mufti Abdul Mehdi al-Sumaidaie, who recently said that it is impermissible for Muslims to celebrate Christmas and New Year since they are Christian holidays. Al-Sumaidaie is one of the countrys most important religious figures and has close ties to the government. The controversy began last Friday, following his sermon at the end of Friday prayers in a mosque in central Baghdad. In it, the prominent Sunni cleric urged Muslims not join Christians on their holy days, noting that those who do so believe the Christians religious doctrine. The mufti adheres to a particular brand of Islam that is inspired by Salafism. His views have incensed many people, including non-Christians. Some have called for him to be removed from office for dividing Iraqi society. One of the first people to slam the Islamic leader's claims is the Chaldean patriarch, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, who noted that a man of faith, whatever his religion, should favour brotherhood, tolerance and love, not division and sedition. The patriarch called on the Iraqi government to prosecute those who spread such rhetoric, especially when they do it from official platforms. These are misconceptions, misguided and far from the correct knowledge of religions," Sako said. "Our people today need to deepen the common denominators in order to contribute to the achievement of coexistence, not treachery, atonement and incitement to hatred, he added. The Chaldean primate mentioned the issue again in his New Year message, which he sent to AsiaNews. He also praised the Iraqi government for declaring Christmas a national holiday for all citizens. In the recent past, Christians and others have been targeted to drive them out of their land. In light of this, the muftis words are ominous because they can inspire "hatred and exclusion". Instead the prelate calls on Christians and Muslims to "open up to the other" and "deepen" what they share so that they can build a "bright future". Many ordinary Christians and Muslims have reacted to the muftis words with scorn. On social media, al-Sumaidaie has come in for criticism, with many demanding he retract his statement. Many Iraqi Muslim clerics have also expressed support for and solidarity with Christians, chief among them the head of the Sunni Endowment Authority Abdul Latif al-Heymem who yesterday visited the Chaldean patriarchate and met Card Sako as a show of solidarity and closeness. During their talk he said that Christians are an "essential" part of the nation, with "strong bonds" and "extended roots" that sink deep into the countrys history. Without mentioning the mufti, he called on ordinary Iraqis to oppose those who want to meddle with Iraqs unity and the countrys social and political fabric. "We deplore the offensive terms" used against Christians, al-Heymem said, which "do not represent" the Sunni community and undermine national unity". A four-month-old baby girl in China may need to have one of her toes amputated after it got tightly trapped in a loose thread from her sock. Doctors from southern China's Hunan province said the cotton thread had wrapped around the baby's fourth toe on the left foot for about a week. Dr Zeng Ming, who treated the baby, said the thread had cut off the blood circulation in her toe and caused toe tissue to die. The injury also damaged the tendon in the baby's left foot and led the toe to suffer from an infection. Four-month-old Ying Ying may need to have a toe amputated after it got trapped in a thread Her mother has one son and three daughters all under the age of six. She told Chinese media she had a hard time looking after the children, and was oblivious to the baby's condition. She also said hadn't given the baby a bath for 'quite a while' because of cold weather, and had not checked her socks and feet. She said the baby wouldn't stop crying and she thought it was caused by stomachache. Doctors from China's Hunan province said the loose thread had cut off the blood circulation in the baby's toe, caused toe tissue to die, damaged her tendon and led to infection The baby girl, named by Chinese media as Ying Ying, suffered from a clinical condition known as the 'hair tourniquet syndrome'. WHAT IS HAIR TOURNIQUET SYNDROME AND HOW IS IT TREATED? Hair tourniquet syndrome is a medical condition where a hair or thread becomes tightly tied to a finger, toe or genitals, cutting off circulation and potentially leading to infection and amputation. The problem usually affects young babies and is most common when mothers are shedding hair post-pregnancy. The hair can become trapped in blankets, socks or baby-grows and wrap around the appendage. The hair is often so thin it can be easily missed by parents - and doctors. It is identified with magnification and cut away usually with small scissors. Sometimes surgery is required to remove the ligature. Antibiotics may be prescribed for any infection. Advertisement The syndrome occurs when a strand of hair or a thread wraps around a body part and cuts off blood circulation. Symptoms include excessive crying, red or discoloured fingers, toes, genitals, tongue or umbilical cord, mild to severe swelling, an indentation even if the hair or thread isn't visible. Most children who suffer from toe tourniquet syndrome are four days to 19 months old and usually present to doctors inconsolably crying and in obvious distress. Ying Ying's mother, from the county of Xinhua in Loudi city, told Xiaoxiang Morning Post that Ying Ying had been crying constantly for a few days. She initially thought Ying Ying had suffered from stomachache, so she gave relevant medicines to the girl, but it did not stop her from crying. The mother said she decided to give the girl a bath last Friday and after she took off her socks, she discovered the thin piece of cotton rightly wrapped around Ying Ying's toe. Ying Ying's toe was swelling, bleeding and had a 'very deep cut', the mother added. Dr Zeng said he and his colleagues would treat the infection on Ying Ying's toe as the first step. They would then arrange surgery to repair her broken tendon. If Ying Ying's condition worsens, there is a chance that she would need to have her toe amputated, according to the doctor. Dr Zeng advised parents to look for loose threads on clothing before dressing their children. Parents should also take off their babies' socks and gloves every day and check their digits, according to the doctor. The Putney Pusher's distinctive running style and 'pent up fury' body language should help police crack the case, an expert revealed today. The wanted man, who was caught on CCTV pushing a woman into the path of a London bus in May 2017, runs with clenched fists and an unusually straight back that shows he is prone to 'red mist'. Judi James, one of Britain's leading body language experts, says he is likely to be a successful person without empathy because he knocked over his victim and kept running 'without breaking his stride'. And his upright jogging style would be easily recognisable to anyone who knows him, she says. The hunt for the so-called 'Putney Pusher' was called off in June this year with the police admitting defeat in the hunt for the culprit. He almost killed his victim on the morning of May 5, 2017, but the Met was criticised for failing to launch an appeal for information until three months later. Police should focus on the Putney Pusher's 'pent up fury' running style because someone will recognise it, a leading body language expert has said One theory is that that the violent jogger is a foreign national who may now be abroad after a stint in London. Judi James says footage shows the pusher is supremely confident and didn't 'miss a beat' after the attack - but he 'may not be a typically aggressive or tempestuous person'. She told The Sun: 'This terrifying behaviour could be totally in character but it could also be an extreme version of a red mist flare-up. 'This man could believe that section of road is his by right and believe he was justified in claiming it all.' Describing the telling moments before and after the attack she added: 'In terms of his running he barely misses a beat before or after. The push looks as though he places his hands high to her shoulders before almost flicking her away dismissively. 'This could be down to a sense of entitlement about the space.' Officers questioned more than 50 suspects since the attack on the morning of May 5, 2017, but are no closer to identifying the suspect. The driver of the number 430 bus, hailed a hero for his quick-thinking, managed to steer his 12-ton double decker London bus away from the 33-year-old victim after she was pushed by a jogger passing by in the opposite direction. Oliver Salbris, 45, said his bus was close to hitting her head and said at the time: 'The consequences could have been terrible for her - and for me.' He added that 'unless he's a blind jogger', it appeared to be deliberate. In light of the police hunt being called, off Mr Salbris said: 'I think the police have done all they can do, but it's sad he will not be caught. 'He should hand himself in. He needs to face up to what he's done.' Although the horrifying incident took place on Putney Bridge, in South West London, in May 2017, police chose not to publicise it until the August CCTV footage of the attack showed the woman walking along the bridge heading to work at 7.40am with the jogger coming towards her Since the police appeal in August, they have followed a number of leads, but have failed to find the true perpetrator of the freak crime Although the horrifying incident took place on Putney Bridge, in South West London, in May, police chose not to publicise it until August. CCTV footage of the attack showed the woman walking along the bridge heading to work at 7.40am with the jogger coming towards her. But as he passed her on the pavement the man shoved her into the path of the oncoming bus. She stumbled head-first but Mr Salbris, whose bus was only travelling at 12mph, was able to move out of the way. Since the police appeal in August, they have followed a number of leads, but have failed to find the true perpetrator of the freak crime. In September last year a 41-year-old American businessman was arrested at his 2million flat but it was later proven that he was in the US at the time of the attack. Another man was also quickly questioned after the appeal but was cleared of any involvement. Four months after that, detectives released a further image of the suspect, who has brown hair and eyes and is thought to be in his thirties. But the search has now come to a close after seemingly unfruitful investigations. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'Officers looked at over 50 people of interest during the course of the investigation; all of them were researched, reviewed and eventually eliminated. 'The matter was investigated fully with all reasonable lines of enquiry completed. 'As a suspect has not been identified and as all lines of enquiry have now been exhausted the investigation has been closed. 'Should any new information come to like this will be explored.' A man accused of murdering his teenage wife on Christmas Day was told in court today he is expected to stand trial in June. Mohammad Qoraishi, 27, is alleged to have killed 19-year-old Parwin Quriashi at their home in Maidstone, Kent. Appearing at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent today via video link, he spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and Afghan nationality. He is expected to enter a plea to the charge of murder at a plea and trial preparation hearing on January 18, with any trial fixed to start on June 3. Police at the Kentish Court block of flats where Kent Police were called to on December 25 and found the body of a 19-year-old woman Police were called to an address in Maidstone, at 1.18pm on Christmas Day, where an officer is seen in this photo It is expected to last up to 10 days. Prosecutor Sarah Ellis told the court the case involved 'complex' pathology evidence which would take up to three months to complete. Kent Police and the South East Coast Ambulance Service attended the couple's flat at Kentish Court in London Road at 1.18pm on Tuesday, December 25. Mrs Quriashi was discovered with significant injuries and confirmed dead at the scene. Her husband was arrested later the same day. Qoraishi could be seen on the link with HMP Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, wearing a grey jumper and sitting at a table. Qoraishi appeared at Maidstone Crown Court (pictured) this morning and will stand trial in June Adjourning the hearing, Judge David Griffith-Jones QC told him: 'Your trial ... is set to commence on June 3, but the next hearing in court when the case will be considered and appropriate decisions for trial made will be on January 18. 'On that date you will be required to formally enter your plea.' Qoraishi was remanded in custody until January 18. He is expected to again appear at court via video link. Twelve more Iranians including a 10-year-old child were detained in Britain today after arriving on a dinghy - as Sajid Javid cut short his family holiday to deal with the crisis. The latest group brings the total making the perilous journey across the Channel to 123 in just seven days. The inflatable they arrived on also revealed more about the crude steps being taken to minimise the dangers - with petrol cans, life jackets, pumps and drinking water found on board. The Home Secretary was back at his desk holding emergency talks with senior officials this afternoon, having returned from South Africa overnight and only stopped briefly at his London home to freshen up. But despite facing anger from some Tory colleagues, Mr Javid warned against expecting 'easy answers', saying the causes of the problem are 'complicated' and often 'outside of our control'. A rigid-hulled inflatable boat (pictured) was found on the beach near Dungeness this morning The inflatable was stocked with items apparently intended to help the passengers endure the perilous crossing The latest group of migrants landed shortly after 8am today at Greatstone, near Lydd-on-Sea The latest group of migrants landed shortly after 8am at Greatstone, near Lydd-on-Sea on the Romney Marsh coast of Kent about 20 miles south west of Dover. The group was made up of nine men, two women and a child. The dinghy was well equipped for the treacherous crossing with a pump to re-inflate the boat as well as a pump and cut open plastic bottles to bale out the seawater. There were also two petrol cans, food, water, insulation blankets and life jackets. Witnesses described seeing a large police presence along the quiet stretch of coastline. Chris Matcham said: 'I was driving towards New Romney this morning with my sister when a police car came haring past us along the road. 'We then saw the police car and van on the sea side of the road a bit further down. 'We saw what we suspected were immigrants standing by the van on the pavement. I think we saw four or five but couldn't see for sure as we were driving past. 'Then I went for a walk 30 minutes later and lots of police helicopters were flying overhead. The dinghy was empty and the migrants were gone. 'The police van was gone, too.' Kent Police said officers were called at 8.16am to a report of a group of suspected migrants in Coast Drive, Greatstone. A Home Office spokesman said: 'Border Force was contacted by Kent Police at around 8.25am today, Monday 31 December. 'Border Force officers were deployed to assist with a group of 12 migrants at Greatstone, Kent. 'The group consisted of nine men, two women and a 10-year-old child. They have presented themselves as Iranian nationals. 'They all received a medical assessment and have now been transferred to immigration officials for interview.' The boat arrive this morning on the Romney Marsh coast about 20 miles south west of Dover 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. '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. 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 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.' Yesterday a boat carrying another six migrants landed at Kingsdown, near Deal in Kent, bringing the total to 100 in a week and 220 since November. The National Crime Agency said the French authorities prevented another attempt to cross the Channel on Saturday night. It has been revealed there are no organised patrols by the French between Calais and Dover and surveillance is 'pitifully inadequate'. Meanwhile the United Nations warned that Facebook is allowing smugglers to lure migrants 'to their deaths' with promises of safe passage to Europe. Most of the migrants risking the winter crossing are Iranian men who have paid thousands to traffickers for 'guaranteed' passage. Mr Javid has refused an offer of military assistance from Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, and rejected calls for more Border Force boats between Dover and Calais. There is currently one British cutter in the Channel. Home Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured outside his home in London this morning) has battled through a chastening fortnight including the Gatwick drone fiasco and the migrant crisis Mr Javid arrives home from his holiday to South Africa this morning (left), before leaving shortly after (right) to deal with the migrant crisis A former Cabinet minister said Mr Javid had 'totally lost his grip.. and is floundering', adding: 'They are praying it goes away and they don't have to do anything.' But allies of Mr Javid, seen as the frontrunner to succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader, defended his handling of the crisis. One supporter accused Number 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 revealed 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. 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. The Home Office could not provide MailOnline with a total number of migrants who have crossed since December 25, but this website's calculations put the figure at 119 - and this was not disputed. Trying to play down expectations of a swift solution today, 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.' Four immigrants who allegedly stormed a ship and smeared faeces on its windows as they attempted to enter Britain faced court today. The men tried to take control of the 77-ft Grande Tema cargo vessel, which was coming to the UK from Nigeria, magistrates heard. Crew members had fed and clothed the stowaways after discovering the men aboard. But the men are said to have demanded that the ship be moved closer to shore so they could swim to England. SBS agents seized the ship (pictured) after it was allegedly stormed by four men who reportedly wanted to be brought closer to the UK shore Four men appeared in court this morning after being accused of affray after the ship was seized and docked in Tilbury (pictured, officers at the scene) following the alleged incident An SBS rescue team seized the ship and the men faced Chelmsford Magistrates' Court in Essex this morning. Samuel Jolumi, 26, Ishola Sunday , 27, Toheeb Popoola, 26, and Joberto McGee, 20, were all charged with affray after the alleged raid on December 21 near the port of Tilbury. They stood behind the reinforced glass of the dock in Court Room 3 for the brief hearing with the help of three interpreters and six security guards but did not enter a plea. The case will be put back for 21 days as further charges are considered including the Aviation and Maritime Security Act, which could carry a life sentence. Wearing red and green prison issued-jumpers the men sat still as this was heard. Prosecutor Sam Doyle spelled out the case in the short hearing, before asking for a three week adjournment as the case 'appears to be under charged'. Ms Doyle said: 'These are four Nigerian nationals who boarded a ship as stowaways, that ship was headed towards Tilbury in Essex. The immigrants are said to have smeared faeces on the ship (pictured) and this morning appeared before magistrates in Chelmsford 'They were discovered on that ship that had departed from Lagos in Nigeria and they were held in a quarantine cabin behind the bridge. 'The crew welded a set of bars over a port hole and secured bars over the exterior of the door. 'It is a working vessel and it wasn't possible to have four stowaways left to roam the ship. 'On the morning of Friday 21st December they were quarantined and the bar fitted across the window was bent down allowing one of them to escape through the window and remove the bars across the door.' The crew managed to maintain control of the ship and called police who contacted the SBS who quickly detained the men. Defence Mitchell Cohen argued the case should not be delayed as the men were being held without further charge it was 'anathema to English justice' to slow proceedings. Chair of the bench Dr James Bettley disagreed and the four men will appear at Southend Magistrates Court on January 18th. A property owner who leased out his home while he was overseas caring for his sick father claims he returned to find the property unlivable and the tenant gone. Perth man Darius Molaee said he leased his Medina home privately to a mother-of-three in March while he was in Germany looking after his father. But after returning in October, what he found stunned him and has left him thousands out of pocket. His fully renovated home had been turned to squalor within months and the tenant was nowhere to be found. Scroll down for video A property owner who leased out his home while he was overseas caring for his sick father claims he returned to find the property unlivable and the tenant gone He claims his property had become a virtual bio-hazard zone, requiring protective equipment to even step inside, Perth Now reported. 'Everything was covered in fleas, cockroaches, food, faeces,' he told the publication. Insurers are still waiting to enter the home for assessment because there are fears there could be toxic levels of methamphetamine inside. The house is also infested by cockroaches, which have proven increasingly difficult to eradicate. 'This is after five times fumigation. Five times of fumigation? Five times of fumigation,' Mr Molaee said. 'I feel raped. I really do feel like I've been taken advantage of and I can't do anything about it.' Fumigation typically costs $1 to $3 per square foot. A 2,000sq. ft home could cost between $2,000 to $6,000. His property had become a virtual bio-hazard zone, requiring protective equipment to even step inside with fumigation doing little to clear out the host of cockroaches and pests (file photo) The RSPCA also confirmed to Perth Now they had to remove several animals from the home. Mr Molaee said he decided to do what he could to clean up his home, only to discover his tools had also been stolen. A 31-year-old woman was arrested after allegedly trying to sell a stolen chainsaw to a pawn shop and has been charged with fraudulently selling the item. New Year's Eve is considered by many as one of the biggest party of the year - but one tiny Australian town has three times the reason to celebrate. Cameron Corner, which straddles the borders of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia, is more than 1300km from Brisbane - the nearest capital city. Due to this unique position, the town is between the three state's time zones, which are each 30 minutes behind one another. Scroll down for video New Year's Eve is considered by many as one of the biggest party of the year - but one tiny Australian town, Cameron Corner, has three times the reason to celebrate This means each New Year's Eve, locals and far flung party goers alike ring in the countdown with each state. Typically the town only has two permanent residents, but on at year's end, the crowds come flocking for a good time. For resident Fenn Miller, the celebrations are by far the most notable date on the region's calendar. 'We go over to the corner post, we do the big happy new year in New South Wales then we slide into South Australia and half an hour later we do it all again, and half again later we do it all again in Queensland,' Mr Miller told Nine News. For resident Fenn Miller, the celebrations are by far the most notable date on the region's calendar 'It's a bit of novelty, and a bit of fun.' However, Cameron Corner's position also provides some components, unlikely to be found in any other outback town. Servicing its two residents, Cameron Corner has a Queensland liquor licence, a New South Wales postcode, and a South Australian telephone number. Fake MDMA tablets containing pesticides and paint have been seized at a music festival where a young woman was groped last year. The drugs were seized at Rhythm and Vines, an annual new years festival held in Gisborne, New Zealand. Revellers were notified about the drugs, which contained antibiotics, traces of paints and pesticides in a warning sent to their phones by organisers of the festival - after the drugs were found by authorities on Monday, Stuff reported. Rhythm and Vines event manager Dan Turner said the warning was issued promptly so that all festivalgoers were wary. Fake MDMA tablets containing pesticides and paints have been seized at Rhythm and Vines, an annual new years festival held in Gisborne, New Zealand 'We're trying to educate the kids, to say ''look, what you're taking may not be what you think it is''. That's what we tried to achieve with the push-notification,' he said. Festival organisers and emergency services recommend that anyone who consumed drugs and felt unwell should seek medical attention. Last year, the New Zealand music festival made headlines when a video emerged of a woman being groped by a fellow reveller. The man crept up on the woman, who decorated her breasts with glitter, while she was walking with a friend and touched her before running away. The two women then turned in unison, following the man back to his perch on the grass and launching into a surprise attack. He cowered as the topless woman threw punches and her loyal friend tossed her drink in his face. Revellers were notified about the drugs, which contained antibiotics, traces of paints and pesticides in a warning sent to their phones by organisers of the festival Last year, the New Zealand music festival made headlines when a video emerged of a young woman being groped by a fellow reveller (pictured) The Rhythm and Vines drug warning comes amid a series of arrests and court orders given out at New Year's festivals in Australia - where one reveller died over the weekend. Joshua Tam, 22, died after collapsing at New South Wales festival Lost Paradise on Saturday. Authorities believe he died due to 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. On Saturday morning, police said they had already conducted searches using drug dogs on 184 people and 97 cars. Rhythm and Vines event manager Dan Turner said the warning was issued promptly so that all festivalgoers were wary The Rhythm and Vines drug warning comes amid a series of arrests and court orders were given out at new years festivals in Australia - where one reveller died over the weekend Of these, 50 people have been issued court attendance notices for drug possession, and seven given cannabis cautions. Two revellers who were attending Beyond the Valley in Lardner, south-east of Melbourne, were rushed to hospital for suspected drug overdoses. A man in his 20s was attending the festival when he collapsed on Monday. He was rushed by air ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital where he is now in a stable condition, Nine News reported. Another man, also in his 20s, is currently being treated at Dandenong Hospital after a drug overdose at Beyond the Valley on Sunday. A British woman claims to have been sexually assaulted by a male masseur at a five-star hotel in northern India. The 54-year-old went to a spa in the unnamed hotel in Chandigarh on December 20 when the accused, who is in his 20s, allegedly assaulted her during a massage. She told police the accused, whose name has not yet been disclosed, touched her inappropriately and without her consent while she was having a massage. Allegations: The British woman, 54, claims she was receiving a massage in a spa in an unnamed five-star hotel in Chandigarh, northern India, (pictured) when the man assaulted her Police said the tourist had come to India on a tourist visa and had been staying at the hotel with her male partner for some time. Police registered the case under rape charges as per India's amended rape laws of 2013 but said the accused had absconded Chandigarh, which is a four hour drive from New Delhi. They have now launched a manhunt to find the attacker. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Harjeet Kaur, said' 'We have booked the accused under rape charges as the woman alleged in her complaint that the accused touched her inappropriately and inserted his fingers into her vagina while giving her the massage.' Police said the woman had complained to the hotel authorities the same day but lodged a formal complaint only after returning from trip to Shimla on December 27. The woman was taken for a medical examination and her statement was recorded in front of a magistrate. Police said they are examining CCTV footage and call records for any clues as to the man's whereabouts. Kaur added: 'We haven't arrested the accused yet as he has absconded. 'We are investigating the case and very soon the accused will be arrested.' The shocking incident happened on the same day as another British tourist was raped in the western Indian resort state of Goa. The 48-year-old British tourist was raped in the same Goan town where just 19 months ago Irish backpacker Danielle McLaughlin was raped and murdered. The PM (pictured at church on Christmas Day) has been ringing round counterparts as she tries to obtain 'legally binding' assurances that the UK will not be stuck in the Irish border backstop Theresa May has launched a fresh diplomatic blitz on EU leaders - as No10 admitted she still has not managed to get concessions to help sell her Brexit deal to MPs. The PM has been ringing round counterparts as she tries to obtain 'legally binding' assurances that the UK will not be stuck in the Irish border backstop. The frantic New Year push comes with just over a fortnight to go until the Commons is due to hold a crunch vote on the package thrashed out with Brussels. The EU has flatly dismissed the idea of reopening the Withdrawal Agreement painstakingly put together over two years of negotiations. The bloc also insists there cannot be a time limit on the backstop - although both sides say it should be temporary and fall away once a wider trade pact is sealed. However, senior Cabinet ministers are understood to be convinced that they will get movement from the EU that could win round enough MPs. Under the backstop arrangements, the whole UK would stay in a customs union with the EU to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland - while Northern Ireland would obey some single market rules. Brexiteers have condemned the proposals as they could restrict the UK's ability to do trade deals elsewhere. And the DUP, which is propping up Mrs May in power, has voiced fury that it would leave Northern Ireland operating under different rules to the rest of the UK. The PM's spokeswoman conceded today that there was as yet no breakthrough. 'She has been in touch with European counterparts over the break and you can expect more of that to continue this week,' the spokeswoman said. 'There is still work to do.' Meanwhile, there is no sign of a New Year Brexit truce in Cabinet as ministers turned on Philip Hammond over funding for no-deal plans. The Chancellor has allocated billions of pounds to contingency preparations in case the UK crashes out of the EU in March. But Mr Hammond - known as one of the fiercest opponents of no-deal Brexit - has been berated for dragging his feet about releasing the money. Communities Secretary James Brokenshire has written to the Treasury warning that councils face huge pressures with a potential 'influx' of elderly expats and the threat of civil unrest, according to the Telegraph. His department had asked for more than double the 35million it was handed by Mr Hammond to bolster preparations by local authorities. Mrs May and Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured) had some tense exchanges at an EU summit earlier this month The Chancellor (pictured right with Theresa May earlier this month) has allocated billions of pounds to contingency preparations in case the UK crashes out of the EU in March Mr Brokenshire apparent warned that failing to provide more funding meant a 'significant risk of disruption'. At least one other department is believed to have raised concerns about the situation. A source told the Telegraph: 'The Treasury is not releasing the money. It's all very well for Philip Hammond to tell Cabinet he's putting 2billion into no-deal preparations, but it's no good if they won't actually release the money.' The latest infighting emerged after Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox said the chances of Britain leaving the European Union will be little more than '50-50' if Theresa May's Brexit deal is rejected by Parliament in a crunch vote next month. The International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's package would be 'incendiary' and said it was 'a matter of honour' for them to support the PM. EU commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker has called on the UK to 'get your act together' over Brexit He 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. by Sumon Corraya The ruling coalition takes 276 seats out of 300. Outside the capital, clashes leave 18 people dead. The opposition calls the election a farce, demands for a new poll. Bangladeshs only Catholic lawmaker, Jowel Areng, is re-elected. Dhaka (AsiaNews) The government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League (AL) won a landslide victory in yesterdays parliamentary elections. One of the lawmakers re-elected was Jowel Areng, the only Catholic member of parliament, who ran with the AL. For Prime Minister Hasina, this is the third consecutive victory since she came to power in 2009. The opposition slammed the election, saying it was marred by fraud and corruption at polling stations. For this reason, it has already filed a complaint with the Election Commission calling for the vote to be cancelled and a new vote held. Despite the fear of violence, like during the electoral campaign, voting took place yesterday in a mostly peaceful atmosphere, the exception being outside the capital. Contrary to claims that internet services had been suspended, some noted that they had access to the web. In Dhaka merchants reported that streets were empty and that the atmosphere was surreal, as if it were a holiday, noting that in the capital, the prime minister is too strong and the government would never allow clashes. Outside the capital, at least 18 deaths were reported. The outcome of Bangladeshs 11th general election was never in doubt. Although counting continues (picture 2), Sheikh Hasina is certain to win. With 66 per cent of the vote in, the Awami League and the Grand Alliance lead with 81 per cent majority. The opposition Oikya Front received 15 per cent of the vote. This translates into 276 seats out of a total of 300 for the ruling coalition. Another 50 are reserved for women and allotted proportional to the overall vote. The main opposition force, the Oikya Front, is led by a famous lawyer, Kamal Hossain, who served in the cabinet of Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasinas father, but became the main opposition leader after Khaleda Zia, head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was convicted of corruption and sent to prison. Hossain demanded the election be cancelled calling it a "farce". A local source told AsiaNews that at least 50 Oikya Front candidates dropped out of the race complaining of fraud and are now calling for new elections. "Even if the fraud were true, denying ALs overwhelming victory would be crazy, said the source. Now there is the danger that the opposition will take to the streets to protest. However, "they are too weak and the government will not allow them to cause damages." (Photo 2, credit: Dhaka Tribune) President Donald Trump insisted Monday that he hasn't ruled out concrete slabs as elements of the border 'wall' he promised while he ran for president. 'An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media,' the president insisted in a morning tweet on the last day of 2018. 'Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me!' He also reminded members of Congress that the fate of his border barrier hangs in the balance as the last 72 hours of the legislative session tick away. 'I campaigned on Border Security, which you cannot have without a strong and powerful Wall. Our Southern Border has long been an Open Wound, where drugs, criminals (including human traffickers) and illegals would pour into our Country. Dems should get back here an [sic] fix now!' he tweeted. President Donald Trump pushed back against outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly on Monday, insisting he's never completely abandoned the idea of building sections of concrete wall along the U.S.-Mexico border The president tweeted that concrete slabs could be one part of a hybrid system of different kinds of barriers A man holds a Mexican immigrant child as he jumps the border fence to get into the U.S. from Tijuana to San Diego on Saturday The president also jabbed congressional Democrats for holding up his wall funding and running out the clock until noon Thursday when they take over the House of Representatives And hours later, as he claimed to be isolated in the Oval Office awaiting Democrats' offer to reopen the government, he slammed them for their belief that walling off the United States from Mexico won't improve national security. 'Its incredible how Democrats can all use their ridiculous sound bite and say that a Wall doesnt work. It does, and properly built, almost 100%!' he wrote. 'They say its old technology - but so is the wheel. They now say it is immoral- but it is far more immoral for people to be dying!' Outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that 'early on in the administration' the president and his advisers gave up onthe idea of a solid wall of concrete. 'The president still says "wall" oftentimes frankly hell say "barrier" or "fencing," now hes 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.' White House counselor Kellyanne Conway is calling 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,' she said on '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.' The president is sparring with Democrats over how to reopen the federal government, insisting on funding for a border wall that they don't want to see him build White House counselor Kellyanne Conway backed away from promising to build what would be technically called a border 'wall,' calling the semantic arguments over what it's made of 'silly' ones As John kelly prepares to leave the White House, he told the Los Angeles Times that Trump long ago abandoned the idea of a Game of Thromes-style solid wall on the southern border The president began his politically explosive quest to block drug traffickers and illegal immigrants from traveling north into the U.S. by describing a 'fence' early in 2015. That later changed to a 'wall' during campaign rallies. But as president, he has embraced the idea of see-through metal barriers that can allow U.S. Border Patrol agents to keep an eye on the other side. In a January 2015 interview in Des Moines, Iowa, an optimistic Trump described his gfencing plan as a lark compared to the steel and stone skyscrapers he was accustomed to erecting. 'The fence would be done at a very reasonable cost, relative to the value, and nobody would be able to penetrate that fence,' he said then. Minutes later onstage the future president said: 'It has to be a beauty. Who can build better than Trump? I've built lots of buildings. Fences are easy believe me.' 'If I run and if I win, I would certainly start by building a very, very powerful one.' A dead body has been discovered at a building site on Filey Avenue, in Hackney in London. At 9.18 the London Ambulance Service received a call that a man on the site was unwell. When they arrived they found the man deceased and called the Metropolitan Police at 9.27am. Police are currently treating the death as unexplained. The London Fire Brigade were seen trying to access the building site at high level earlier today using a cherry-picker. Police are treating the death of a man found in a building site in Hackney as unexplained Emergency services attended the scene innorth London at around 9.30am today A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at around 09:27hrs on Monday, 31 December to a man found deceased at a building site on Filey Avenue, Hackney. 'Officers attended the scene. At this early stage the death is being treated as unexplained. Next of kin have not yet been informed. Enquiries continue.' A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said: 'We were called at 9:18am today (31 December) to Filey Avenue, Hackney to reports of a person unwell. 'We sent an ambulance crew and a single responder in a car to the scene. 'Sadly, a person was found dead at the scene.' A sky-high price was paid for a luxurious marijuana cigar at a Paiute dispensary near downtown Las Vegas on Friday making it the most expensive pot product ever sold. Brandon Hawkins, 36, a restaurateur from Los Angeles, bought a 24-karat gold leaf-coated, hemp flower-wrapped 'cannagar,' or cannabis cigar, with $11,000 in cash, according to the Las Vegas Sun. 'I've always been a proponent of the industry and I'm happy that it has come this far,' said Hawkins who brought stacks of $20 bills to the NuWu Cannabis Marketplace on behalf of an anonymous business partner. The previous record holder, a similar gold-covered cannagar nicknamed 'the El Dorado,' sold for $10,000 at the Diego Pellicer dispensary in Washington last June. A sky-high price was paid for a luxurious marijuana cigar at a Paiute dispensary near downtown Las Vegas on Friday making it the most expensive pot product to date Brandon Hawkins bought the expensive cannagar on behalf of an unnamed business partner for New Year's Eve The wrapping in hemp and gold leaf for the $11,000 cannagar was handcrafted by Ariel Payopay (shown) Both of the ultra-decadent products were crafted by Leira, a luxury marijuana brand that advertises their products being made from 'organic flowers, glazed in solvent free rosin, and sealed in cannabis leaves, providing hours of enjoyment.' The Las Vegas cannagar was filled with local grower Virtue's hybrid 'Pure Haze' flower. It was then hand-wrapped in hemp and gold leaf by Leira's owner Ariel Payopay in a process that took two hours. Brandon Hawkins, 36, of Los Angeles, owner of the Hudson in West Hollywood, brought $11,000 in cash to purchase the high-end marijuana cigar in Las Vegas The final product came packaged in a wooden box lined with purple velvet, according to the cannabis information website, Leafly. Payopay adds that the gold leaf burns to ash upon smoking and should be safe to consume. The cash-flush Hawkins and his business partner had contacted Ranson Shepherd of Virtue to have something similar to the Washington state 'El Dorado' to celebrate the New Year. Shepherd in turn connected with Leira's Payopay to bring the cannagar-maker to Las Vegas, in a process that took months to bring together. 'We're going to have a hell of a New Year's party,' said Hawkins. On December 15, Virtue, the Las Vegas-based cannabis grower, posted a preview of the luxury cannagar to come Ariel Payopay, founder of Leira, a luxury cannabis product business based out of Washington state Due to marijuana still being a restricted substance under federal law, the Leira is unable to ship their products out of Washington state, so came to Vegas to complete this sale. 'This is what marijuana table service will look like in Las Vegas,' Benny Tso, council member and former chairman of the Las Vegas Paiutes, told the Sun. The NuWu Cannabis Marketplace is the 'largest medical and recreational marijuana marketplace worldwide' according to its website. It also offers a drive-thru service. 'They're pushing the boundaries on the industry and creating economic impact,' Ranson Shepherd said of the tribe. 'These are all minorities coming forth to change the stigma of the industry.' Donald Trump vented Monday morning, after a weekend of critical coverage of his Syria strategy, that he's right to pull U.S forces out of Syria. Trump said in tweets that he'd be considered a 'national hero,' if he were anyone else. He said it's 'failed Generals' who are wrong about staying long enough to defeat ISIS. 'I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do!' he tweeted. Donald Trump vented Monday morning, after a weekend of critical coverage of his Syria strategy, that he's right to pull U.S forces out of Syria. He's seen here on Dec. 26 speaking to the troops in Iraq at Al Asad Air Base Trump told the troops they would be leaving Syria immediately, and the 2,000 American soldiers there would be coming home now or after a tour in Iraq Trump said in tweets on Monday that he'd be considered a 'national hero' if he were anyone else He said it's 'failed Generals' who are wrong about staying long enough to defeat ISIS President Trump says he will stop the never-ending wars the U.S. has been in - suggesting that he will pull troops out of Afghanistan, in addition to Syria The president could have been talking about any number of current or former generals who oppose his Syria withdrawal, including his outgoing chief of staff or his exiting defense secretary. Both are leaving the administration this week. They have each admitted to differences of opinion with the president when it comes to the deployment of American forces in conflict zones. Trump referred to a broad group of generals in a surprise visit to Iraq last week who he said were advising him not to eliminate the U.S. presence in Syria at this time. 'Our presence in Syria was not open-ended, and it was never intended to be permanent. Eight years ago, we went there for three months, and we never left. But now were doing it right, and were going to finish it off,' he told American forces. He revealed that when he told office he gave 'our generals six more months in Syria,' and has offered extensions two times since. 'I said, Go ahead. Get them. And it turns out it was really a year and a half ago. I said, Go get them. We need six months. Go get them. Then they said, Give us another six months. I said, Go get them. Then they said Go can we have one more, like, period of six months? I said, Nope. Nope. ' Trump said it is up to regional powers such as Turkey to come in and finish the job. 'They have to confront those remnants of ISIS and take them out very easily if, after were totally finished, theyre even left at all,' he announced. Retired four-star general Stanley McChrystal said Sunday on 'This Week' that the troop withdrawal in Syria will lead to further 'instability' in Syria, where Russia's and Iran's influences are on the rise. 'I don't believe ISIS is defeated. I think ISIS is as much an idea as it is a number of ISIS fighters. There's 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. 'Doesn't mean we didn't do well against ISIS in Iraq and in much of Syria. But ISIS is an idea and as long as the fertile ground exists, the causes that cause people to flock to a movement as extreme as ISIS exists, you're going to have it flare back up again.' McChrystal said that General James Mattis must have agonized over his resignation as secretary of defense after the president's unexpected announcement on Twitter that American troops would be returning from Syria imminently. '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,' the former Afghan commander said. He told ABC News, '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 isn't the only four-star general and marine leaving the president's Cabinet this week. Retired general John Kelly is departing after the New Year holiday, as well. Trump came back around and sent one more tweet defending himself an hour and a half after the first round Among the departing generals is James Mattis, the secretary of defense who resigned over Trump's decision to withdrawal troops from Syria against the advice of the Pentagon Retired four-star general John Kelly is also leaving the administration this week. He is Trump's chief of staff In an interview with the Los Angeles Times that came out on Sunday evening, Kelly did not talk about the troop withdrawal in Syria. But he did take credit for convincing the president not take a similar, tactical approach to the war in Afghanistan. Kelly said his legacy in the Trump administration should be judged by what he kept the president from doing. 'When I first took over, he was inclined to want to withdraw from Afghanistan,' Kelly offered. Kelly said he made sure the president had access to a variety of viewpoints before he executed a policy. 'Its never been: The president just wants to make a decision based on no knowledge and ignorance,' he said. 'You may not like his decision, but at least he was fully informed on the impact.' Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is among the advisers to the president telling him that he's moving forces out of Syria, where ISIS has mostly been defeated but continues to linger, too fast. He indicated Sunday that Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford shares his opinion. 'The president is reconsidering how we do this. He's frustrated. I get it. People should pay more. They should fight more. But we're not the policemen of the world here. We're fighting a war against ISIS. They're still not defeated in Syria,' he said. Graham went to the White House for lunch with Trump after the interview with the intention of changing the president's mind about the troop withdrawal in Syria. He suggested that he'd successfully convinced the president to slow the process as he spoke to reporters after the meal from the driveway of 1600 Penn. 'I think we're in a pause situation where we are re-evaluating what's the best way to achieve the president's objective of having people pay more and do more,' the senator said. It's unclear what the president committed to the White House has yet to affirm Graham's comments or reports that Trump has decided to give the Pentagon more than 30 days to withdrawal U.S. forces from Syria. Trump said that the U.S. would be leaving Syria immediately, and the 2,000 American soldiers there would be coming home now or after a tour in Iraq. 'Because of these gains, our service members in Syria can now return home to their families,' he said last Wednesday at Al Asad Airbase. 'Some will come here for a stay, but a lot of them are going to be going back home, where they want to be, with their families. Theyve done a fantastic job.' China will continue market reforms and open its doors to the world in the face of a challenging geopolitical landscape, President Xi Jinping pledged Monday in a New Year speech. Xi said that in 2018 - 40 years since the transformation led by Deng Xiaoping - the country had enacted 'systematic, holistic and reconstructive reforms of the party and state institutions'. 'The pace of our reform will not stagnate, and the open door will only grow bigger and bigger,' he said in a speech broadcast by the state-run CCTV. China's President Xi Jinping said the pace of reform 'will not stagnate, and the open door will only grow bigger and bigger' as he addressed to 1.4 billion today in 2019 New Year Speech China recently marked the anniversary of the momentous policy shift agreed at a Communist Party gathering on December 18, 1978 under late paramount leader Deng, who is considered the architect of the country's opening up to the world. Xi said on Monday that China had welcomed many 'new and old friends' to the country, hosting several international forums this year. 'My colleagues and I visited five continents... had extensive exchanges with leaders of various countries, consolidated friendship, enhanced trust, and expanded our circle of friends,' he said. Xi has been widely considered as China's most powerful leader since the nation's founding father Chairman Mao. He could potentially rule China for life after Chinese lawmakers in March this year abolished presidential term limits that had been in place for more than 35 years. Xi has been widely considered as China's most powerful leader since Chairman Mao Touching on geopolitics, Xi said the world is in an unprecedented situation under the toughest conditions in a century. 'No matter how the international situation changes, China's confidence and determination to safeguard national sovereignty and security will not change,' he said. 'China's sincerity and goodwill to maintain world peace and promote common development will not change.' Xi also praised the fast development of several of the country's economic zones, such as the Jing-Jin-Ji urbanised region in the north, the Yangtze River economic belt in the east and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Great Bay Area in the south. A number of engineering, scientific and military projects that were complete in 2018 have been named as well, including the world's longest sea-crossing bridge Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, the launch of the Chang'e-4 lunar probe mission to the dark side of the moon and the sea trial of China's first domestically developed aircraft carrier Type 001A. China has been locked in a trade war with the U.S. and is facing a slowing domestic economy Xi said China would carry on with the 'One Belt, One Road' project in 2019 and continue to build a 'common body for the fate of human beings'. 'One Belt, One Road' is a multitrillion-dollar initiative that involves hundreds of projects, most of them built by Chinese contractors and financed by loans from Chinese state-owned banks, across an arc of 65 countries from the South Pacific through Asia to Africa, Europe and the Middle East. China has been locked in a bruising trade war with the United States and is also facing a slowing domestic economy. Washington and Beijing have imposed tit-for-tat tariffs on more than $300 billion (234.3) worth of goods, and the trade conflict has spooked markets worldwide. But both countries on December 1 agreed to a 90-day truce after Xi met with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. 2019 will also see China celebrating 70 years since its founding as a nation. 'Seventy years of challenges, 70 years of wind and rain,' Xi said. 'Along the way, the Chinese people have become self-reliant and hard-working, creating a Chinese miracle that has attracted worldwide attention.' First-hand accounts by Americans living in Berlin during the Second World War have revealed how Germans fell under Hitler's spell. One US journalist described crowds of young nurses screaming their approval at the top of their voices as the Fuhrer vowed to 'turn British cities to ash'. A new book includes another account of how a brainwashed seven-year-old boy went door-to-door to demand money for the Nazi regime while doing Hitler salutes. First-hand accounts by Americans living in Berlin during the Second World War have revealed how Germans felt under Hitler's spell. Pictured: Women, children and servicemen give Hitler salutes on June 19, 1940, at an unknown location in Germany One US journalist described crowds of young nurses screaming their approval at the top of their voices as the Fuhrer vowed to 'turn British cities to ash'. Pictured: A huge Nazi rally in Germany British historian Robert Lyman has trawled through the diaries and correspondence of more than 50 Americans living in Berlin between September 1939 and the end of 1941 to better understand life under the Nazis. Pictured is US photographer Toni Frissell, known for her moving wartime pictures Surprisingly, American journalists were granted an almost free rein to write what they saw fit about daily life under the fascist regime. This is because Hitler was convinced the US could be an asset to him by persuading Britain to surrender. After war was declared, Britons living in the German capital were interned or sent home. But US citizens, due to their country's neutral status at that point, were able to carry on living there without restrictions - and write about the horrors they encountered. British historian Robert Lyman has trawled through the diaries and correspondence of more than 50 Americans living in Berlin between September 1939 and the end of 1941 to better understand life under the Nazis. The accounts, which are published in 'The Rise of the Third Reich', shed new light on the enormous power of Nazi propaganda. Mr Lyman uncovered a fascinating exchange between an American journalist Bill Shirer and his German maid, who asked him why the British were bombing her city. The maid, who had been indoctrinated by the Nazi regime, believed the Luftwaffe only bombed military targets - and avoided civilian areas. Mr Shirer wrote: 'I asked "will the British come over tonight?" '"For certain", she sighed resignedly. All her confidence, all the confidence that five million Berliners had that the capital was safe from air attack, is gone. '"Why do they do it?" she asked. '"Because you bomb London", I said. "Yes, but we hit military objectives, while the British, they bomb our homes". uncovered a fascinating exchange between an American journalist Bill Shirer and his German maid, who asked him why the British were bombing her city. Pictured: A British boy sits in rubble during the Blitz 'She was a good advertisement for the effectiveness of Goebbels' propaganda. '"Maybe you bomb their homes too", I said. '"Our papers say not", she argued. She said the German people wanted peace. '"Why didn't the British accept the Fuhrer's offer?" she wanted to know. 'This woman comes from a worker's family. Her husband is a worker, probably an ex-Communist or Socialist. 'And yet she has fallen a complete victim to the official propaganda.' In another passage, Shirer said he witnessed German nurses and social workers leaping to their feet and screaming approval when Hitler said he would 'turn the British cities to ash'. He writes: 'The war, of course, was blamed on Herr Churchill. Cheers and clapping. 'The air attacks on Germany would be responded to by the levelling of British cities, turning them to ash. 'Hysterical applause forced the Fuhrer to stop. 'When silence returned, he said: "We will stop the handiwork of these air pirates, so help us God". 'At this the young German women hopped to their feet and, their breasts heaving, screamed their approval. William Shirer (pictured, centre, at Compiegne, France in 1940) said he witnessed German nurses and social workers leaping to their feet and screaming approval when Hitler said he would 'turn the British cities to ash' '"The hour will come," Hitler went on, "when one of us will break, and it will not be National Socialist Germany". 'At this juncture the raving maidens kept their heads sufficiently to break their wild shouts of joy with a chorus of: "Never! Never!"' Another journalist, Howard Smith, described a disturbing encounter with a boy who came to his door to demand he donated to the Nazi Winter Relief Collection. He said: 'Children were easily the most fanatical of Hitler's supporters, and the German leader made much of them. 'They loved the tinsel and baubles of Nazidom, the marching, drums and trumpets. 'They ached to get into the fight. It was always children, boys and girls, who made the rounds for the Nazi Winter Relief collections. 'I have never seen so completely military a German as the little seven-year-old boy who knocked on my door one day and, when I had opened it, snapped to rigid attention, shot his arm high and shouted at me a falsetto "Heil Hitler!" 'After which he asked me in the clipped sentences of a military command would I donate twenty pfennigs to "support the Fuehrer and the Fatherland in this, our life-and-death struggle".' As well as journalists, several hundred Quakers lived in Berlin who helped over 1,000 Jewish women emigrate to Australia. They were well regarded by the Nazis for their work in helping starving Germans in the aftermath of the defeat in World War One. One Quaker, 28-year-old Leonard Kenworthy, described the moment he was almost killed when the Allied bombs pulverised Berlin. He wrote: 'I decided to stay in my own bed when the sirens went off. 'One night, however, when Berlin experienced a noisy raid, I decided that I would henceforth obey the sirens when they began their doleful wails. 'Staying in my room was a fearful mistake. At one point it seemed as if a missile had zoomed into my stomach. I lay there a while as if paralysed, drenched in sweat. 'Then I got out of bed, took my bag, and scurried to the shelter, determined thereafter to heed the warning signal as soon as it sounded.' Former Army Major Mr Lyman, 55, from Windsor, Berks, said the American accounts of what was going on, which were reported back to their homeland and Britain, were of vital importance. Without them, the happenings in the German capital would have remained a mystery. The accounts are described within the book, The Rise of the Third Reich: The Takeover of the Continent in the Words of Observers He said: 'These accounts were written in a time long before social media and the Nazi regime controlled the newspapers and radio. 'As a result, you can see the level of indoctrination and fanaticism in Hitler and his regime.' He added: 'From going through over 50 memoirs and diaries it is clear that the Americans in Berlin quickly picked up on the horrors of the Nazi regime and saw it for what it was. 'In contrast, what is often overlooked is that 99 per cent of the British people actually favoured appeasement in the 1930s. 'At the outbreak of the war, all British people were persona non grata and put in internment camps or sent home. 'All of a sudden, we had no accounts to tell the stories of what was going on within Germany and the occupied territories. 'It was vitally important for Britain that these American observers provided this access. 'It is remarkable how much freedom they were granted, because Hitler believed the United States would persuade Britain to surrender to Germany. 'It was only after Germany declared war on the United States in 1941 that these Americans became persona non grata too.' The Rise of the Third Reich: The Takeover of the Continent in the Words of Observers, by Robert Lyman, is published by Amberley and costs 20. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren penciled in her 2020 White House lotto ticket on Monday, staking out early territory in what will likely be a crowded field of Democrats itching for a swing at Donald Trump. But Trump aides licked their chops and laughed as they anticipated a battle between the president and the ultra-liberal swashbuckler he regularly mocks as 'Pocahontas.' 'It's a dream come true,' said one official with knowledge of the president's thinking, adding a fond hope that Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal would follow Warren into the race. 'Can we get Blumenthal to run too? More phony Democrats, please,' said the official, who is not authorized to speak to the media. Trump has long been critical of Warren for claiming to have Cherokee ancestry, a move the president claims gave her preferential treatment in university hiring at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. Warren conceded this month that she is 'not a person of color,' following her embarrassing October release of DNA test data that concluded her proportion of American Indian blood might be as small as 1 part in 1,024 lower than average European-Americans. How she announced: Elizabeth Warren used New Year's Eve morning to make her presidential move in a video recorded in her kitchen but slickly produced She's (almost) running: Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren used New Year's Eve to announce she is setting up an exploratory committee for a 2020 bid President Donald Trump has said he would love to face Warren, and has already spent two years publicly mocking her to soften the ground Trump has similarly weaponized Blumenthal's past missteps, turning his military career into a case of stolen valor because he has falsely claimed to have fought in Vietnam. Blumenthal served in uniform as a U.S. Marine reservist for six years but spent the war thousands of miles from harm's way. A second administration official said Monday that Warren 'will go down in flames,' and cracked a subtle Native American joke. 'She's going to somehow ride her far-left platform into the White House?' the official asked. 'How?' Warren's New Year's Eve launch guaranteed she had the nation's political spotlight largely to herself. 'Americas middle class is under attack, the 69-year-old Massachusetts Democrat said in a launch video. 'How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie. And they enlisted politicians to cut them a bigger slice.' She tried to strike a uniting tone, declaring that 'no matter what our differences, most of us want the same thing: 'to be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules and take care of the people we love. That's what I'm fighting for.' The Republican National Committee blasted out a scathing reply. Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said that Warren 'couldnt be more out of touch. With her lack of support from voters including in her home state on top of her phony claim to minority status, now that she is formally running Americans will see her for what she is: another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud.' Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal is another liberal Democrat who Trump aides would like to see enter the 2020 contest, because of his false claims to have fought in Vietnam On the blocks: In an email to supporters, Warren said she'd more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019. She can now raise money for a run Target: Donald Trump hit Elizabeth Warren repeatedly as a fake Native American and nicknamed her 'Pocahontas' Warren burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections. She quickly became one of the party's more prominent liberals even as she sometimes fought with Obama administration officials over their response to the market turmoil. Now, as a likely presidential contender, she is making an appeal to the party's base. Her video notes the economic challenges facing people of color along with images of a women's march and Warren's participation at an LGBT event. In an email to supporters, Warren said she'd more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019. Warren is the most prominent Democrat yet to make a move toward a presidential bid and has long been a favorite target of President Donald Trump. In mid-December, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro also announced a presidential exploratory committee, which legally allows potential candidates to begin raising money. Outgoing Maryland Rep. John Delaney is the only Democrat so far to have formally announced a presidential campaign. But that's likely to change quickly in the new year as other leading Democrats take steps toward White House runs. Greatest hits: Trump is likely to make use of his previous assault on Elizabeth Warren's claims of Native American roots, which he stepped up in the wake of her DNA test Warren enters a Democratic field that's shaping up as the most crowded in decades, with many of her Senate colleagues openly weighing their own campaigns, as well as governors, mayors and other prominent citizens. One of her most significant competitors could be Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who is eyeing another presidential run harnessing the same populist rhetoric. She must also move past the widely panned October DNA test stunt meant to bolster her claim to Native American heritage. Instead, the use of a genetic test to prove her ethnicity emboldened Trump's taunts of her as 'Pocahontas.' There was no direct mention of the controversy, or of Trump, in Monday's video. It did include images of the president and his inner-circle current and former aides who her base most loves to hate: Kellyanne Conway, Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon. Warren has the benefit of higher name recognition than many others in the Democratic mix for 2020, thanks to her years as a prominent critic of Wall Street who originally conceived of what became the government's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She now faces an arduous battle to raise money and capture Democratic primary voters' attention before Iowa casts its first vote in more than a year. She has an advantage in the $12.5 million left over from her 2018 re-election campaign that she could use for a presidential run. Warren's campaign is likely to revolve around the same theme she's woven into speeches and policy proposals in recent years: battling special interests, paying mind to the nexus between racial and economic inequities. 'America's middle class is under attack,' Warren said in the video. 'How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie. And they enlisted politicians to cut them a fatter slice.' Two human traffickers have been sentenced to death in China for snatching nine boys from their neighbours before selling them on, according to Chinese media. All of the children were abducted between 2003 and 2005 in the southern Guangdong Province. They remain missing after more than 13 years. The key figure of the case, a middleman nicked named 'Aunt Mei' who was responsible for finding the buyers for the kidnapped boys, is still at large. Shen Junliang (middle), whose son was robbed from their home in 2005 by the gang, poses outside the court after the sentencing on Friday. He said he felt torn by the death penalties as he was afraid that the clues leading to his son's whereabout could die out after the executions Criminals Zhang Weiping and Zhou Rongping were given the capital punishment last Friday by a judge at the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court. Two of their accomplices, Yang Chaoping and Liu Zhenghong, were sentenced to life in prison; while the fifth gang member, Chen Shoubi, was jailed for 10 years. Police said it would be difficult to track down the victims unless they could catch 'Aunt Mei'. Guangzhou Zengcheng Police last year released to the public a sketch with the likeness of 'Aunt Mei' in hope of gathering clues. Around 200,000 boys and girls are reported to be missing every year. Among them, only 200, or 0.1 per cent, would be able to find their parents at some point of their lives. According to Liaoning Satellite Television Station, the human-trafficking gang was led by Zhang Weiping who had been sentenced life to prison for human trafficking once before. It is claimed that the gang only targeted at boys. They were said to have moved around the city of Guangzhou and approached neighbouring families who had sons and lived in rented flats. Mr Shen (left) has been looking for his son constantly for 13 years after he was abducted from their home and sold to a new family through a middleman 'Aunt Mei' (right) who is still at large The criminals worked together to carry out the abductions. While Zhang pretended to chat with the families, others snatched the children when the adults were not looking, according to The Paper which cited the court. In one extreme case in 2005, the gang robbed an 11-month-old baby boy from one family in broad daylight. The report said that four of the gang members - Zhou, Yang, Liu and Chen - broke into the family when the mother was looking after her son. They tied the mother with ropes before taking away the baby by force and giving it to Zhang to sell on. The baby's father, Shen Junliang, has spent the past 13 years looking for his son while his wife was traumatised by the incident and is still being treated for her mental illness. Mr Shen told The Paper he felt torn after hearing the criminals had been given death sentences. He said on one hand he felt comforted by the ruling, but on the other he worried that nobody would be able to identify 'Aunt Mei' and provide more clues to the whereabouts of his son after the executions. Mr Shen said he knew his son had initially been sold to a family in a nearby county called Zijing for 13,000 yuan (1,477). He has had thousands of flyers with his son's likeness printed and distributed in the county, but has yet to find him. The ruling were given out during the first trial of the case. It remains unclear whether or not the five criminals would appeal against the decision. Darren Lambert-King (pictured) created a fake profile in her name on a swingers website for his ex-wife An ex-wife was bombarded with messages from strangers after her estranged husband created a fake profile in her name on a swingers website, a court heard. Darren Lambert-King was furious after the break-up of his marriage, waging a ten-day campaign of harassment against former wife Emily. A court heard he repeatedly sent friend requests to her on Facebook, messages on Instagram under false names and showered her with emails. The 30-year-old even went as far as placing his ex-wife's email address on the profile, leading to strangers sending her rude and explicit messages. Southampton Magistrates' Court heard Lambert-King and his ex-wife had been on holiday to Tenerife in September this year, but split up on their return to the country. Struggling to deal with the split, he started turning up at the takeaway Mrs Lambert worked in and standing outside, as well as sending her emails. Lambert-King also sent numerous requests under false names on social media accounts, in an attempt to speak to his ex-wife. Prosecutor Graham Heath told the court: 'Mrs Lambert said she believed Lambert-King had set up an account for her on a swingers website. 'This led to some people on social media contacting her. 'The profile had her name and her email address on the account and she started to receive messages from people which were unwanted and unwelcome.' The court heard that Lambert-King's 10-day reign of abuse was ended when the fake account was reported to the police. Southampton Magistrates' Court (pictured) heard Lambert-King and his ex-wife had been on holiday to Tenerife in September this year, but split up on their return to the country Mr Heath told the court the couple had been together for eight years, but the relationship had broken down after 'infidelities on both sides'. In an impact statement read to the court, Mrs Lambert said how the campaign of abuse had caused her to fear being in public by herself. It said: 'I am only comfortable in the company of others and will not go outside for a cigarette unless someone is with me. 'I am increasingly suffering at his actions and just want him to stop and leave me alone.' Lambert-King, of Totton, Hants, represented himself at the hearing, telling magistrates he had struggled after his mother had been diagnosed with cancer and claiming his wife had been cheating on him. He admitted one charge of harassment and was handed an 18 month community order by magistrates, which includes 10 rehabilitation activity days and ordered to pay an 85 victim surcharge. Terrifying video footage has emerged in which a man slaps, punches and chokes his girlfriend during an argument inside her home in Brazil. Victor Junqueira, 24, was caught on a hidden cellphone camera, attacking Luciana Sinzimbra, 26, after the couple had returned from an outing with friends at a local restaurant on December 15, in the city of Goiania, Brazil. Sinzimbra, a lawyer, told news outlet TV Globo G1 that she had left a gift at the bar, which angered her pilot boyfriend. 'You can't believe that the person you spent three years with will hurt you, will hit you or [try] to kill you,' Sinzimbra said on Sunday. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES Victor Junqueira (left) was caught on a cell phone video beating his girlfriend Luciana Sinzimbra (right) during a domestic dispute on December 15 A Brazilian man chokes his girlfriend on top of her bed inside her apartment located in Goiania, Goias. A hidden cell phone captures the violence incident Victor Junqueira (right) has been ordered by a court not to have any direct contact with Luciana Sinzimbra (left) following an incident at her home when the boyfriend got angry because she left a gift at a bar and then attacked her later Sinzimbra said she feared the argument could escalate and so hid her cellphone in her room, with the camera facing them, and hit record. The footage, which she says was released without her approval, showed Junquiera sitting directly in front of a crying Sinzimbra on the bed. Suddenly he slapped her face, and repeatedly hit her legs as she tried to kick him off. 'Stop hitting me,' Sinzimbra is heard saying on the video. 'You're hitting me again.' During the domestic dispute, Junquiera accuses Sinzimbra of lying. 'I'll beat you up more,' he threatened before adding, 'you lied to me that whole time.' Luciana Sinzimbra says her boyfriend slapped her before punching and choking her because she asked him to leave the home after the couple argued inside her home Luciana Sinzimbra opens up to TV Globo on Sunday, saying: 'You can't believe that the person you spent three years with will hurt you, will hit you or [try] kill you' Moments later, he jumped onto the bed and grabbed Sinzimbra by the neck and slammed her into the bed. According to news outlet R7, the victim appeared at a local police station on the day of the assault and pressed charges against Junqueira. Junquiera was not arrested but 'precautionary measures' were imposed against him, including barring him from contacting Sinzimbra while the Public Ministry in Goias looks over the case. Junquiera was charged with bodily injury, threat and domestic violence. He faces up to four years and six months in jail if found guilty. (CNN) Kim Jong Un shocked the world in 2018 by transforming his image from nuclear-armed tyrant to global statesman. So what does he have up his sleeve for 2019? Analysts believe that key clues will emerge during his annual New Year's Day speech essentially North Korea's version of the State of the Union in the United States. Experts will be watching for any mention of a second summit with US President Donald Trump or anything on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. Kim could also reveal key decisions on economic policy and inter-Korean relations. In a sign of his new diplomatic push, Kim sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday. In it, Kim said he regretted that he regretted not being able to visit Seoul in 2018 but expressed a strong will to travel to the South Korean capital in the future. Few expect Kim to rock the boat dramatically in Tuesday's speech. Many believe the young leader holds some of the best cards of all the geopolitical players with a stake in the future of the Korean Peninsula. Most do not expect Kim to risk his standing in a speech that's largely intended for a domestic audience. "He's got the United States and South Korea where they want them right now," said Evans Revere, a former US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and current senior director with the Albright Stonebridge Group. North Korea's diplomatic achievements in 2018 would have been unthinkable a year earlier. In the lead up to Kim's 2018 New Year's speech, Pyongyang had tested its most advanced long-range missile to date and its most powerful nuclear bomb, after months of similar weapons tests and saber-rattling between North Korea and the US. Few would have predicted that the following year, Kim would meet Moon three times, leave his country for the first time since taking power in 2011 and become the first North Korean leader to sit face to face with a sitting US President. That dramatic shift began with the New Year's address. Kim spoke warmly of the importance of inter-Korean relations, and wished his South Korean compatriots well in hosting the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Moon would go on to seize Kim's olive branch as an opportunity to jumpstart cross-border relations. "It was a seminal, critical and central document in terms of understanding North Korea's game plan and North Korea's intentions," Revere said. "I've never seen a game plan more transparently laid out than it was laid out in that speech." Nuclear weapons Kim kicked off the last two years with speeches that broke news, revealed major policy decisions and dropped rhetorical hints as to what the rest of the world should expect from his country in the coming year. In 2017 he used the speech to say his country was close to testing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) -- the type necessary to delivery a nuclear weapon to the continental US. Pyongyang went on to test two ICBMs that year. The young leader opened 2018 by offering to send a delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, but also pledging to mass-produce nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles and warning Washington that the nuclear launch bunch was "always on the desk in my office." Recent reports from open-source intelligence analysts appear to confirm that North Korea has not stopped working on its weapons program, though Kim has kept his promise not to test-fire missiles or nuclear bombs. Though continued work on these weapons may violate the spirit of Trump and Kim's summit in Singapore, the North did not commit itself to halting all work on its nuclear program in 2018. The two leaders agreed to start rebuilding the bilateral relationship and bring peace to the Korean Peninsula. In terms of nuclear weapons, North Korea committed "to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," a vague term that experts say Washington and Pyongyang interpret differently. Critics accuse the Trump administration of failing to get Pyongyang to agree to anything specific. North Korea has not agreed to any timeline to give up its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, nor has it committed itself to declaring its weaponry and key weapons facilities steps that experts say are crucial in any disarmament talks. Experts will be watching for any mention of the nuclear program in next year's speech, especially if it strikes the defiant tone of this year's address when Kim declared that "no force and nothing" could reverse the gains his country had made in nuclear weapons development. "He said that this January, but he's engaged in this diplomatic process with the US," said Duyeon Kim, a adjunct fellow at the Center for New American Security. "It'll be interesting to see how Pyongyang negotiates going forward because Kim Jong Un claimed this year that nobody could reverse their nuclear capabilities." Economics Clues about what Pyongyang sees as the speech's key passages often come in the form of rhetorical devices, such as when Kim switches to a first-person voice, according to John Delury, a professor at Yonsei University's Graduate School of International Affairs in Seoul. Delury said he'll watch closely for comments about the country's economic development, something likely to be highly scrutinized inside North Korea and which could prove to be the most important part of the speech. In the 2018 speech, Kim acknowledged that the moribund economy was in need of a boost and committed himself to improving it. However North Korea does not make its economic statistics available internationally, making it difficult to precisely track its economic performance and determine what proportion of its population works in more modern fields. Just days before his first summit with Moon in April, Kim took the drastic step of declaring that North Korea had successfully completed its nuclear weapons program and would suspend nuclear and missile tests. It would now solely focus on effort to "dramatically raise people's lives" by developing a "strong socialist economy." The two-pronged strategy of nuclear and economic development, known as "byungjin," had been in place since shortly after Kim took the reins from his father in 2011. Abandoning it represented a significant policy shift. However, the regime has yet to articulate a coherent vision or plan with respect to development. "There's some pressure in this year's New Year's speech to articulate a vision of a real focus on economic development," Delury said. "How does Kim Jong Un reflect this strategic shift to economic development?" In recent months, North Korean state media has focused heavily on economic issues, often touting the importance that people inside the country work vigorously to increase production. But that hardly constitutes a plan. Investors see North Korea as a land ripe with opportunities, and they're looking for a strategy that would allow for infrastructure investments connecting South Korea to Russia by rail or opening up North Korea's relatively well-educated, low-wage workforce to manufacturers from the region. All of that, however, is off-limits at the moment due to the sanctions levied on Pyongyang as punishment for its nuclear weapons program. And Delury says it's unlikely for Kim to come out and just announce a detailed strategic shift. As is everything with North Korea, the devil will be in the details. "I wouldn't expect a kind of revolutionary statement of a new economic concept, but you kind of have to look within their language for what are progressive ideas by North Korean standards," Delury said. This story was first published on CNN.com. "Nuclear tyrant or global statesman? Kim Jong Un's 2019 game plan for North Korea awaits." by Bernardo Cervellera Celebrating Christmas and New Year are banned in Iraq, India and China because they are "foreign festivities. Christianity is associated with the West. Religious opposition is politically motivated, in the West as well. The United States and the United Kingdom want to defend Christians in the Middle East but have provided weapons that have ended up in the hands of Islamic fundamentalists in Syria. In Italy, some politicians have warned against an "Islamic invasion" but have failed to adopt policies that help families and boost the birthrate. Building bridges and working for coexistence in mutual respect and witness should be the goal. Rome (AsiaNews) Based on how 2018 is ending, it appears likely that religious wars will make a comeback in 2019. Some of signs are there to be seen. The latest is the fatwa issued by the Grand Mufti of Iraq Abdul-Mehdi al-Sumaidaie, who in a sermon on Friday, banned all Muslims from celebrating Christmas with Christians and the New Year because this means they "believe in the Christians' religious doctrine". Apart from defining the New Year festivities as "Christian", the Mufti's attitude is not new. It follows indications coming from Saudi Arabia and spread by several imams in France that ban Muslims from wishing "Merry Christmas" or "Happy New Year" to Christians. This attitude is echoed in India by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, a Goa-based organisation, which two days ago urged all Indians not to celebrate "the Christian New Year" because it leads to "perversion" among young people. Instead, the group calls on its compatriots to celebrate the New Year in April, during the Hindu festival of Gudhipadwa. Samiti's attitude is only the tip of the iceberg of the fight Hindu fundamentalist groups have waged against Christian schools, churches, priests, seminarians, pastors as well as mosques and imams in order to put into practice Hindutva, the ideology according to which India can be only Hindu. What can be said about a trend that is a throwback to the Boxer Revolution (1900) in China? Here, middle and elementary school students have been required to swear never to celebrate Christmas and New Year because they are an aggression against Chinese culture". To make the ban even more effective, Christmas decorations, Christmas trees and Christmas parties have been proscribed in various cities; churches have been closed and meetings of university students have been placed under close supervision. In all these examples, grouping Christmas Mass and New Year shows that the struggle is above all against Western economic and cultural invasion. Using old cliches, Christianity is blamed for being "the religion of the West", overlooking the fact that Jesus was born in Asia and that Christians have done a lot in Iraq, India and China for those nations, paying the ultimate price in some cases. It is important to note that, opposition is not based on economics or globalisation, but on religion without due consideration for history and differences. This is a clear case where religious antagonism is used for political reasons. All the talk about invasion serves to stir the deepest feelings of the masses and bring support to political elites, who are increasingly remote from the problems of ordinary people. This is evident in Iraq, where people complain about the failure of redistributive policies; in India, where a fast-growing economy has left millions of poor people behind; and in China, where the economy is showing signs of weakness, with rising unemployment. Targeting an external enemy, a religious enemy, as the cause of all evil is very easy. It sets hearts ablaze favours attacks against individual Christians who are typically non-violent and easy prey. It must be said that even in the West there is a danger that religion will be used for political ends. In the United States, top Trump administration officials like Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have spoken out in defence of the persecuted Christians of the Middle East and China. In the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced plans to draw up a map of the persecution of Christians and defend religious freedom in the world. Even in Italy, some politicians have tried to mobilise Christians in the defence of European civilisation against a "Muslim invasion". To the former I would say that if they want to defend Christians in the Middle East, it would be better to stop supplying weapons to Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, who in the past few years have supported fundamentalist groups in Syria against Christians (and all Syrians). To the latter, I would point out that "the Muslim invasion" (demographic trends indicate nothing of the sorts at least until 2100) can be simply countered with policies that favour families and children. Thus, even in the West, political elites, increasingly distant from the people, have been exploiting religious sentiments to buttress their claim that they are "servants of the people" whilst in reality they have preparing for war to boost a faltering world economy. All this shows that religion, deemed dead decades ago, is back in the limelight. However, to ensure that religious beliefs are not used for political reasons or war, it is necessary that religious believers in every culture build bridges as Pope Francis always says and work for coexistence to guarantee mutual respect and witness. Ethical, diverse and not a silicone breast in sight - feminist filmmakers are standing up to mass-market porn with adult movies free of male domination and gender stereotypes. Their films aim to show realistic, consent-based and egalitarian sex instead of the superhuman bedroom exploits of macho studs and submissive women. 'Feminist porn is part of a fight against misogyny on the same territory and with the same weapons as the sex movie mainstream,' French filmmaker Ovidie, 38, told AFP at a recent film festival on the subject in Berlin. To be truly 'feminist' the productions must meet several criteria, explained Laura Meritt (pictured), a German linguist and specialist on the movement. In addition to portraying the desires 'of all genders' - including of men, who in most porn are 'merely reduced to their penis' - the cast must be 'varied physically and culturally' and not of uniformly perfect physique, she said The first attempts at feminist pornography date back to the 1980s in the United States, but the movement has received a new lease of life in response to a flood of free online porn in the internet age. The easy availability of even hardcore porn online has raised concerns that a generation of young people is being exposed to material that could warp their sexual attitudes and expectations. To counter this effect, Berlin's centre-left Social Democrats who govern the city-state in coalition with the Greens, are now proposing to use feminist adult films in sex education programmes. Traditional adult films 'always follow the same kind of choreography... men dominate women,' said Ovidie, who has spearheaded the 'femporn' movement in France. In her 'Stories of Sex(es)' and 'X-Girl vs. Supermacho', women are no longer reduced to objects - on the contrary, they are in charge. To be truly 'feminist' the productions must meet several criteria, explained Laura Meritt, a German linguist and specialist on the movement. In addition to portraying the desires 'of all genders' - including of men, who in most porn are 'merely reduced to their penis' - the cast must be 'varied physically and culturally' and not of uniformly perfect physique, she said. Condom use is a must and so are ethical 'working conditions, based on consent, where everyone has the choice to take part in certain practices or not,' Meritt said. An actress who goes by the name of Misungui Bordelle said that the sex scenes are usually shot with 'the least possible' interruption, rather than through the mainstream industry's 'methodical execution... with many takes'. French filmmaker Ovidie (pictured) poses during the screening of her movie 'Everything is Better Than a Hooker' The American director Jennifer Lyon Bell, a 49-year-old Harvard graduate, in 2004 launched her company 'Blue Artichoke Films', specialising in movies that 'portray sexuality in an emotionally realistic way'. She sees her work as part of 'sex-positive feminism' which, rather than seeking to abolish pornography, sees sexuality as the arena in which women must win their emancipation. In 2006, Toronto hosted what organisers billed as the world's first 'Feminist Porn Awards' at its adult film festival, and similar events followed in Lausanne, Lisbon and Sydney. In Europe, the biggest festival is organised annually in Berlin, attracting 10,000 visitors this autumn. Despite this, feminist pornography is far from breaking into the mainstream. 'I have very little relationship with the mainstream industry. The festivals and modes of income are different, these are circles that rarely intersect,' said French director Lucie Blush, 30. It is a view reflected in the global sex movie industry, where many are yet to see this type of film-making as competition, said Gregory Dorcel, manager at Marc Dorcel, one of the leading porn media groups. These 'ethical' productions remain 'a drop in the ocean of porn' online, said Camille Emmanuelle, a writer specialised in issues of sexuality. Lacking broad distribution channels, the business model is based on subscription systems - a limiting factor since 'people, especially young people, are now used to free porn'. The Swedish Film Institute in 2009 pioneered a series of 12 short films directed by feminists and produced by Mia Engberg. Inspired by Sweden's example, the proposals by Berlin's Social Democrats to use such films in sex education may make them eligible for state funding. The party's Ferike Thom said that 'it would be great if this alternative porn, which portrays sex differently, could be as easily and freely accessible as the classic sex movies'. Nurses at a New York hospital want the entire maternity ward to be moved following the discovery of elevated mold levels and traces of anesthetic gasses found in the unit, which staffers believe are making them sick. The nurses told the New York Daily News that 53 people working at Staten Island University Hospital North, in Staten Island, New York, have reported experiencing headaches, dizziness, swollen throats and other symptoms in the past few months. Their symptoms, apparently, started manifesting after air quality monitoring devices detected mold and trace amounts of anesthetic gases in the hospital's maternity unit. Nurse Robyn Jacobs (left) said that she has experienced symptoms each of the six times she has been in the maternity ward while nurse Darlene Stango worries about increased patient load when nurses have to go home sick after falling ill Nurses and staffers at Staten Island University Hospital North have reported feeling ill after mold and traces of anesthetic gasses were found in the nursery this fall Maternity ward staffers first noted a strange chemical smell in the nursery in September, with eight staffers then reporting 'really bad headaches and getting dizzy, light-headed,' per diem nurse Robyn Jacobs, 65, told the newspaper. Jacobs said that she herself has gotten sick each of the six times that she has been in the maternity ward, with her complaints including headaches, losing her voice and chest tightness that feels 'like an allergic reaction.' After the initial chemical smell was reported, babies were moved to a backup nursery unit at the hospital. Meanwhile, the hospital began testing the air quality, finding moderately elevated levels of mold, hospital authorities told the Daily News. Workers then located and decontaminated water-borne mold found behind a sink wall. But, mold isn't the only thing that the nurses are worrying about. In December, the hospital said it found traces of anesthetic gasses sevoflurane and nitrous oxide during air testing, but the level were 'significantly below' the exposure limit (file image) Nurse Dawn Cardello (left) is concerned about the possibility of newborns being exposed to potential harmful substances. Hospital executive director Dr. Brahim Ardolic said that nearly 30 tests have been done and that the maternity unit is safe for staffers, patients and visitors Recently, on-going air testing in December revealed the presence of sevoflurane and nitrous oxide, anesthetic gasses which are 'routinely used during surgical procedures,' the hospital said in a statement to the newspaper. The gas levels found were said to be 'significantly below' the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Healths recommended exposure limit and were not a danger to anybody in the hospital. Specialists were also brought in to determine if there were any leaks in the hospital's gas system infrastructure, but could not find any leaks. The hospital maintains that the air is safe to breathe and it is currently working on rebuilding the original nursery. Nurses said that the smell has been coming and going since the original report was made, but that people are still experiencing the same symptoms. Despite the hospital's claims about air safety and the fact that there don't appear to be any reported systems in any of their patients, nurses are concerned that babies still could be at risk. 'Ethically, as a nurse, Im supposed to advocate for a patient,' nurse Dawn Cardello, 53, told the Daily News. 'If I know my newborn is exposed to something that could potentially be harmful, its my role as a professional to speak up.' There's also the fact that nurses having to go home sick means 'now you're working short (on staff)' which results in higher patient loads for those who've stayed behind, nurse Darlene Stango, 60, said, Staten Island University Hospital North's executive director, Dr. Brahim Ardolic, said that he didn't know why staffers were continuing to report experiencing headaches, dizziness and other symptoms after the mold was removed. As for the nurses' demands that the entire maternity ward be moved somewhere else, Ardolic said that there was no reason to make such a drastic move when nearly 30 tests have revealed that there are no risks to be had in the ward's current location. Ardolic said he understood 'where the fear and concern comes from,' but at the same time, 'We cant move patients and a floor and take those types of risks without having some justification for doing that.' 'The unit is safe for people to be in, the unit is safe for moms, the unit is safe for children,' Ardolic told the newspaper. 'There really isnt any more testing that we can do at this point.' 'They keep telling us its safe, its safe, its safe,' Jacobs said. 'How safe is it? Because were all getting sick.' DailyMail.com has reached out to the hospital for a comment. The eurozone is to stop printing 500 banknotes with most of the 19 nations in the currency bloc stopping to issue them in January. The move comes two years after authorities said they'd halt issuing new notes as there were concerns the violet-coloured bills were favoured by criminals. Writing on their website the European Central Bank said: 'As of 27 January 2019, 17 of the 19 national central banks in the euro area will no longer issue 500 banknotes.' However, Austria and Germany will both continue printing the banknotes until April 26 'in order to ensure a smooth transition and for logistical reasons.' Europe will stop printing 500 notes by the end of January over fears they are favoured by criminals (file picture) The notes in circulation remain legal tender and can still be used to make payments. The ECB announced in May 2016 that it would halt issuing new 500 notes, saying at the time that it expected to do so around the end of 2018, due to 'concerns that this banknote could facilitate illicit activities'. The largest denomination banknote in the single currency area is one of the world's most valuable bills, alongside the 1,000 Swiss franc ($1,017, 888 euros) note. Because of its high value and portability, experts believe the 500 note had become prized by criminals for money laundering. Notes in circulation remain legal tender and can still be used to make payments (file picture) They also worried that the 500 note was being used for terrorist financing, earning the nickname 'Bin Laden' in some circles. According to ECB statistics, 500 bills account for just 2.4 percent of the total number of banknotes in circulation, but a little over 20 percent of the total value. At the end of November there were 521 million of the banknotes in circulation. The 500 banknotes were actually last printed in 2014, with demand satisfied since from stocks. Advertisement A grand Georgian home built for a real-life Poldark character is on the market for the first time in more than 100 years for 1,200,000. The Grade II listed property in St Ives, Cornwall, was built for James Halse, a wealthy Cornish landowner and MP. Like the protagonist of Winston Graham's Poldark series of books - recently played to breathless acclaim by a shirtless Adian Turner in a BBC adaptation - Halse was an eighteen century Cornishman who built his family's money from tin mining. Halse made his fortune through tin mines in Wheal Reeth and Consols and built the village of Halsetown on the outskirts of St Ives to house his workforce. He settled in St Ives in 1790 and ran a solicitors practice. He became town clerk and an Alderman and then an MP in 1826. The impressive four-storey house has uninterrupted panoramic views over the harbour, St Ives Bay and along the Cornish coastline. The property was built by James Halse, a wealthy eighteenth century Cornish landowner who revived his family's fortunes through tin mining - in a tale reminiscent of the literary character Ross Poldark, recently played by Aidan Turner (pictured) He had the impressive four-storey house built as there was a decree that MPs should own a property in the borough they represent. At the time it was known as Halse Folly as it was built on a granite outcrop overlooking the harbour. The property has not been on the market since 1912 when it was bought by a solicitors firm, which has since relocated to more modern premises. The house has uninterrupted panoramic views over the harbour, St Ives Bay and along the Cornish coastline. The internal layout is believed to be very much as it was in the early 1900s with a grand staircase, large halls and landings, broad panelled doors and sizeable rooms with large sash windows and some beautiful mouldings and fireplaces. The internal layout of the Georgian home in St Ives, Cornwall, is believed to be very much as it was in the early 1900s The property boasts a grand staircase, large halls and landings, broad panelled doors and sizeable rooms with large sash windows and some beautiful mouldings and fireplaces. The grand Georgian home is on the market for the first time in more than 100 years for 1,200,00 and has original features The home's original owner, James Halse made his fortune through the tin mines in Wheal Reeth and Consols in Cornwall The huge four-storey property has 18 full-sized rooms, but no kitchen or proper bathrooms just male and female staff toilets It has 5,667 sq ft of accommodation but because it has been used as an office for the last century it is essentially a blank canvas and would need some refurbishment to make it a stunning home again. The property has 18 full-size rooms spread over four storeys but does not currently have a kitchen or proper bathrooms, with just male and female staff toilet facilities. Once renovated, the family home could have a sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room on the ground floor with games and cinema rooms on the basement level, and eight bedrooms and four bathrooms on the top two floors. Estate agents Lillicrap Chilcott say once renovated, the home could have a sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room on the ground floor with games and cinema rooms on the basement level, and eight bedrooms and four bathrooms on the top two floors The original architrave mouldings and plasterwork make the 1820 building highly desirable The Georgian mansion is considered one of the most 'handsome and important' buildings in St Ives, said the estate agents James Halse: a real life Poldark James Halse, born 1769, died 1939, was a lawyer and wealthy landowner in Cornwall. He settled in St Ives around 1790, where in addition to his solicitors's practice, he became town clerk and an alderman. He made his fortune through tin mines, mostly from the Wheal Reeth mine, but also from the St. Ives Consols mine. He used the Consols mine to create a political base for himself, by building the village of Halsetown to accommodate the mine-workers. The village was within the boundaries of the parliamentary borough of St Ives, allowing Halse patronage of the borough's two seats in Parliament. In the Winston Graham books, Ross Poldark, is a British Army officer who returns to his home in Cornwall from the American War of Independence only to find that his fiancee Elizabeth Chynoweth believed him dead and is about to marry his cousin Francis Poldark. He attempts to restore his own fortunes by reopening one of the family's derelict copper mines. Advertisement A spokesman for estate agents Lillicrap Chilcott said: 'This historically and architecturally important Grade II listed Georgian home is offered for sale for the first time in over 100 years. 'It is in a prominent location with uninterrupted panoramic views and has enormous potential for any number of uses. 'It was originally built for James Halse, one of the area's most famous and wealthy landowners and MPs, and is one of the most handsome and important buildings in St Ives. 'The building has enjoyed a rich and colourful history and we are excited to hear what plans potential purchasers have for its future. 'The outlook from the rear is absolutely dramatic as the elevation of the property provides uninterrupted views over the sandy expanse of harbour and beach framed by the church tower of St Ia and Godrevy Lighthouse on the other side of St Ives Bay. 'The views over the azure waters stretch on along the north Cornish coastline and out to sea. 'It has taken over 100 years for this property to be available on the open market again and we strongly advise anyone interested not to miss this opportunity.' As an MP, James Halse campaigned for the construction of a new road leading into St Ives - which somewhat suspiciously he managed to direct past his house. He died in 1838. Prosecutors on Monday revealed that there are two theories regarding how missing Colorado mom Kelsey Berreth was murdered around Thanksgiving, including that she may have been killed as a result of a robbery. This was all revealed as her fiance Patrick Frazee, who was arraigned on five counts relating to her murder. He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder under the separate theories and three counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. This means that Frazee may have asked an individual to kill his fiancee on three separate occasions. Scroll down for video Patrick Frazee leaves the Teller County District Court in Cripple Creek, Colorado, Monday New details: Prosecutors said on Monday that there are two theories regarding the death of Kelsey Berreth, the Colorado mom who went missing around Thanksgiving (Kelsey with her mother and daughter Kaylee) Defendant: This was revealed in court, where her fiance Patrick Frazee was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of solicitation to commit murder (Frazee above) Silence: The prosecution also managed to successfully argue for the arrest warrant in the case to remain sealed, but Frazee will get to see it Monday afternoon There was little else revealed about the case however, with prosecutors stating that it is important to keep much of the information they have obtained under wraps for the sake of the ongoing investigation. Frazee said nothing during the proceedings and will return to his cell at the Teller County Jail where he is being held without bond. ABC News captured Frazee making his way out of the courtroom on Monday in shackles. The prosecution also revealed that the arrest warrant in the case must remain sealed, noting that publication of the details could 'seriously jeopardize the physical safety of potential witnesses in this investigation.' Frazee and his lawyers will see that warrant for the first time on Monday afternoon, and may after that decide to enter a plea in the case. Berreth's family was not in the courtroom on Monday, but Frazee's mother was seated in the front row as she is now fighting for custody of her son's daughter. A judge awarded custody of Kaylee to the maternal grandparents on a temporary basis. Court records filed after a hearing last week also revealed that a custody battle could be brewing between the families. 'Paternal grandmother file a motion to intervene. The parties agreed to reserve for later hearing paternal grandmothers motion to intervene and placement request,' read a summary of the hearing. 'The court continued the temporary custody of the minor child with maternal grandparents.' Court documents show that Frazee will be fighting the charge of first degree murder as he has asked that all evidence in the case be turned over to his legal team and filed a motion asking to limit pretrial publicity. Police have yet to find the body or any remains of Berreth. Sheila Frazee, the mother of the suspect, was also briefly detained by authorities but not placed under arrest at the time of her son's arrest. The divorced mother-of-four, who is a registered nurse, lives with her youngest son at the ranch, which she outright owns according to public records. She also owns two additional properties in the area. Her son meanwhile tends to the ranch and also breeds dogs. This now the second high-profile case to emerge from Colorado involving the murder of a partner in just the past six months. In August, Chris Watts killed his wife, unborn son and two young daughters just 150 miles north in Weld County. Mommy dearest: Sheila Frazee, the mother of the accused murderer, was also led off in handcuffs (right) when her son was arrested to be detained Last image: She was last seen at a supermarket on Thanksgiving with her daughter Kaylee, 1, (above) but Frazee previously told authorities he saw his fiancee later that day It was also revealed early on in the investigation that authorities believed Frazee was the last person to see Berreth before she disappeared on Thanksgiving. She was last seen on surveillance video entering a grocery store on Thanksgiving Day with her daughter. Frazee later told police that the couple met later that afternoon so that he could pick up the couple's daughter. The two did not live together despite being engaged, a fact that many on social media suggested was a bad omen after learning of the disappearance. It was Berreth however who had been hesitant to move in with her fiance because he still lived with his mother. She instead decided to get her own home after moving to Colorado from Washington to be with Frazee. In May, Berreth paid $184,900 for a two-bedroom home in Woodland Hills, where she lived with her daughter. A family member claimed soon after Berreth went missing that she had split with Frazee on the day she was last seen, but that has never been confirmed by investigators. There were a number of details that had puzzled the public in the wake of Berreth's disappearance, including the fact that she had just baked fresh cinnamon buns before she went missing. Frazee also failed to report her missing, despite have their daughter Kaylee that entire time. President Donald Trump will ring in 2019 at the White House with an interview on Fox News instead of his usual tradition of celebrating at Mar-a-Lago with his family. Trump is believed to be alone at the White House - a situation he complained about via Twitter on Christmas - with his wife and children in Florida. The network announced Monday morning that Pete Hegseth spoke with the president about the government shutdown, his New Year's resolutions and what he hopes to accomplish in the coming year. That interview will air during the All-American New Year special Monday night, which begins at 10 p.m. ET. President Donald Trump will ring in 2019 at the White House with an interview on Fox News instead of Mar-a-Lago, where he spent last year with Melania and Barron Trump gave an interview with Fox News on New Year's Eve 2015 when he was a presidential candidate Trump celebrated the new year in a similar manner three years ago when he spoke with Fox News from his Mar-a-Lago estate surrounded by his family. Things were a bit different then: Trump had announced his candidacy for the White House and was preparing for the primary season. 'We're going to have a great time next year. It's going to be an amazing year and we're going to make America great again,' he said as 2015 prepared to roll into 2016. Trump was surrounded by his wife Melania, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Eric and Lara Trump, and Donald Jr. and Vanessa during his interview. The Fox special was co-hosted by Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is now dating Donald Trump Jr., who is in the process of divorcing Vanessa. Trump chatted about his plans for presidential campaign and his resolution for 2016: 'My resolution is to make America great again and that's what we're going to do.' He also had a warning for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton: 'I think I'll be her worst nightmare but we're going to find out.' And he told other candidates for the Republican presidential nomination: 'I have a very big lead and we intend to keep it.' The 2015 New Year's Eve special had its awkward moments: Trump had a hard time hearing the hosts through his ear piece (they were in New York and he was in Florida) and he missed the actual ringing in of the New Year so he held his own countdown about 10 seconds after the clock turned over to midnight. He gave Melania a big kiss after he declared it 2016. This year Trump will be in White House instead of Mar-a-Lago, where he has rang in the new year for more than a decade. 'He's canceled his plans for Christmas - now he's canceled his plans for New Year's,' Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told 'Fox and Friends' on Friday. The president was originally supposed to spend 16 days over the holidays at his Florida estate. But he changed his plans when the government shut down on Dec. 21. Trump with Melania at Mar-a-Lago in December 2016 after he won the election Trump spent December 31, 2017 at Mar-a-Lago Negotiations to reopen it are at a standstill and no progress is expected until Democrats take control of the House of Representatives on Jan. 3. First lady Melania Trump and the couple's 12-year-old son Barron are in Florida. The first lady returned to the White House for Christmas Eve and to join the president on his visit to U.S. troops in Iraq. But she flew back to Florida on Thursday. Before she arrived at the White House, Trump took to Twitter to complain: 'I am all alone (poor me) in the White House.' He could be in a similar situation for this holiday. Trump's children Donald Jr. and Eric and Lara Trump are believed to be in Mar-a-Lago. New Year's Eve is Donald Jr's birthday. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump also are believed to be in Mar-a-Lago. They were spotted there over Christmas. Kushner was seen in Washington D.C. over the weekend when he joined the president and Mulvaney at Vice President Mike Pence's home Saturday night for dinner. But Ivanka Trump's assistant emerged from the couple's Washington D.C. home on Monday to say the couple would return Tuesday night, indicating they are in Florida. The White House did not respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries for details on how the president will spend his new year's eve and with who. Melania Knauss, Donald Trump, Trump's son, Eric, and the latter's girlfriend (and future wife) Lara Yunaska on December 31, 2002 Trump took to Twitter last year to wish people a happy new year Last year, the president hosted his family, celebrities and members of his Cabinet at Mar-a-Lago. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was there with his wife Louise Linton as were Fox Business host Lou Dobbs and former New York Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez. Traditionally, Mar-a-Lago puts out a red carpet for its black-tie New Year's gala. 'We're going to have a fantastic 2018,' Trump told reporters as he strolled down the red carpet at the end of 2017. The president and his son, Barron, both wore tuxedos to the event and Melania Trump wore full length rose colored glittery gown. This year, tickets for the event cost $1,000 for club guests and $650 for club members, up from $750 and $600, respectively, according to the Palm Beach Post. Hundreds of guests usually attend the gala, which begins with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. That's followed by a four-course dinner that ends with a signature dessert - the meringue-topped baked Alaska. Ivanka Trump, her husband Jared Kushner and their children Arabella and Joseph at Mar-a-Lago on New Year's Eve last year Eric Trump and Lara Trump at Mar-a-Lago last year Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and his wife Louise Linton walked the red carpet at Mar-a-Lago's New Year's Eve gala However the president spends his new year's this year and with whom, he will likely be active on Twitter. Last year he posted a video that cited his success in confirming a justice on the Supreme Court (Neil Gorsuch) and the Republicans' tax cut, which he falsely described as the 'largest tax cut in the history of our country.' 'What a year it's been, and we're just getting started. Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Happy New Year!!' he tweeted. He also wrote: 'As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year. 2018 will be a great year for America!' Two men hid their assault rifles inside two gift boxes before entering a Mexican shopping center and robbing private security officers who were delivering money to a Santander Bank. Surveillance cameras capture the moment the armed men opened fire on Friday morning at Plaza Diamante in Acapulco, sending panicked holiday tourists and residents scrambling for safety. The pair were able to seize more than $50,000 before they fled. No arrests have been made. Security camera shows the moment a man (front center) fires his handgun in direction of two private security guards, who were making a cash drop at a local Santander Bank branch in Acapulco, Mexico, on Friday morning Law enforcement agents canvass the area outside a Santander Bank in Mexico after an armed robbery. Over $50,000 were stolen. No arrests have been made Witnesses said two men were seen at a restaurant outside the branch at 11:00am local time, and enjoyed an early meal before carrying out their brazen attack. The suspects even placed their two AR-15 rifles inside a pair of large boxes covered with Christmas gift wrapping paper, according to Mexican news outlet Jornada. The men then placed the boxes on the ground as they waited for two guards, who had just arrived at the site on an armored truck to drop off cash at the bank, located in the vibrant Mexican Pacific coast beach resort town. Video images shows mall visitors hiding under tables while another group is spotted running towards the opposite end of the floor as the robbers and guards exchanged gun fire. Bank visitors and employees were trapped inside during the chaotic scene. Both of the guards suffered gun shot wounds during the gun battle and were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Acapulco local daily El Sur reported that one of the private security officers had been shot in his bulletproof vest. The third guard, who was remained inside the armored van, reportedly drove to alert local police agents. A shopping plaza in the resort town of Acapulco was the site of a morning gun battle between bank robbers and security guards making a cash drop A bank robbery suspect (left) covers his two accomplices (center and right) as he fires at security guards A team of suspected bank robbers escapes with over $50,000 after attacking two guards Despite the senseless murder stories, the number of tourists jet-setting to Mexico has only increased and more than 35million people visited the country last year. In October 2018 Mexico saw 688,000 visitors from the U.S., a seven per cent increase from the year prior One of the suspects appears in the video firing multiple times at the security guards. He then carefully backtracks and continues to fire while a pair of accomplices, including one who is seen clutching an assault rifle, join him in fleeing the scene. Authorities recovered an AK-47 inside a gift wrapped box as well as multiple bullet shells outside the front door entrance to Santander Bank. In 2017 alone there were a staggering 953 homicides in Acapulco, a jump from 918 in 2016. The violence was so dangerous the U.S. State Department warned Americans to stay away. Last year there were more than 35 million visitors to Mexico. In October 2018 Mexico saw 688,000 visitors from the U.S., a seven per cent increase from the year prior. A favorite destination for American tourists, Acapulco and the rest of Guerrero state have been plagued by gang violence and are currently subject to a level-four "do not travel" advisory by the U.S. State Department. Dramatic footage of China's latest lightweight battle tank participating a live-fire drill has emerged. The Type 15 tank is reported to be a new secret weapon for China's People's Liberation Army and was designed to safeguard the country's high-altitude and mountainous regions, such as Tibet. The armoured fighting vehicle has been put into service, according a spokesperson from China's Ministry of National Defense during a press briefing last Thursday. The name of the lightweight tank, Type 15, was introduced as the Chinese military authority displayed models of the tank during an exhibition (pictured) in Beijing in November The Type 15 lightweight tank is armed with a latest 105mm tank gun, reported Sohu.com. When paired with the 105mm ammunition developed by the Chinese military, the tank could destroy any weapons owned by China's neighbouring countries in the south and south-west, the Sohu report said. These countries include India and Vietnam, both of which have had territorial dispute with China. The Type 15 tank reportedly weighs between 32 tonnes and 35 tonnes. A video released by CCTV.com on Weibo shows the Type 15 tank during a recent live-fire drill The video report did not reveal the exact date or location of the military exercise (pictured), but the Type 15 tanks allegedly appeared in Tibet in late November to prepare for a drill It is equipped with FY-4 or FY-X, two types of re-active armour which allows it to withstand the attacks of any anti-tank missiles owned by India and Vietnam, said Sohu.com. The article also said the tank would be equipped with the latest tank power system which has 1,000 horsepower. Information of the tank was first released in 2012, but it wasn't until last month did the Chinese military authority introduced its official name as they displayed its models during an exhibition in Beijing. A Chinese military blogger posted pictures which apparently shows the Type 15 in Tibet The video of the tank firing was released by a social media account affiliated to China's state broadcast CCTV on December 19. The date and location of the drill remain unknown, but the post claimed that the drill took place not long after the tank's name was released. The post also said this was the first time the Type 15 Tank had appeared in a drill. The tank appeared in Tibet for a possible drill in late November, according to Sina.com citing pictures posted by military bloggers. The Chinese media have billed Type 15 as a landmark weapon for the country's army and another significant tank after the Type 99A, China's most powerful battle tank. A Florida man landed in jail on Christmas morning after he allegedly tried to stab his roommate to death following an argument about nude photos. Donavon Lee Foster, 30, has been charged with premeditated attempted murder and violating parole for the attack on his roommate William Melton. Foster and Melton had only lived with each other at a residence in Holiday for three days before the fight broke out. Melton told police that Foster had shown him nude pictures of his girlfriend on a previous day, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Donavon Lee Foster, 30, was arrested after he allegedly tried to stab his roommate to death following an argument about nude photos When Foster and his girlfriend spoke over the phone just after midnight on Christmas morning, Melton told her he had seen her nude photos. Foster then allegedly hung up the phone, grabbed two knives from his bedroom, and told Melton: 'You are going to die today'. Authorities said Foster broke Melton's nose and stabbed him seven times on his arms and neck during two separate attacks. William Melton told police that Foster had shown him nude pictures of his girlfriend. When Foster called his girlfriend on Christmas day, Melton told her he saw the photos Melton told police that Foster then called his girlfriend back. When he told her what happened, she convinced him to take Melton to the hospital. Pasco County Sheriff deputies took Foster into custody several hours later at the Medical Center of Trinity. Foster told police that Melton had made sarcastic comments about his girlfriend's body and had started a fight after he confronted him. Authorities said Foster broke Melton's nose and stabbed him seven times on his arms and neck during two separate attacks He claimed he pulled a knife out to defend himself from Melton, and claimed he had only cut his roommate's arms. Authorities said Foster only had superficial injuries to his arm and had no explanation for Melton's stab wounds. At the time of his arrest, Foster was on parole for felony battery and domestic battery by strangulation. Meet the real-life Dr Dolittles who keep a small zoo of 46 pets including guinea pigs, dogs, horses and budgies. Animal-lover and pharmacist Bella Wyllie, 41, from Mauchline, East Ayrshire, encouraged her young daughters Poppy, aged seven, and Holly, 12, to take responsibility for the 'small zoo' they keep at home. The menagerie includes an astonishing 24 rabbits -with the most recent acquisitions, Sylvester and Spud, arriving just before Christmas. Seven-year-old Poppy Wyllie looks after 46 pets with her family in Mauchline, East Ayrshire, Scotland Mother Bella Wyllie, 41, encouraged her young daughters Poppy (pictured), and Holly, 12, to take responsibility for their 'small zoo' at home Inside their home the family also have 11 guinea pigs, five horses, three budgies, two dogs and a gecko The home also has 11 guinea pigs, five horses, three budgies, two dogs and a gecko. Ms Wyllie: 'I was verging on embarrassment at how many we've got, but we're in pet shops a lot and I'm a huge animal lover so I encourage it. 'Horses are definitely the most expensive. 'We are up at the yard first thing to exercise them before anything else. 'We have to plan trips or holidays very carefully around the animals needs and days out revolve around the horses, they have to be dealt if we have any weekend plans - which is rare. 'The animals are a huge amount of work, especially as I work too, but they are all worth it. 'As for my hubby, he thinks we are all crazy.' When Poppy heard about a pet rabbit which was cruelly kept in a drawer she became inspired to make a hand-drawn poster urging owners to take proper care of their pets Mother Bella Wyllie admitted that the horses were definitely the most expensive to look after Pictured: Poppy Wyllie with her horse in Mauchline, East Ayrshire Poppy, seven, said: 'I love looking after them because every night I know my animals are all cared for. I love them all very much' Poppy and her sister wake up every morning to tend to the bunnies and guinea pigs at her home Little Poppy said: 'I love looking after them because every night I know my animals are all cared for. 'I love them all very much.' Older sister, Holly, added: 'They're all a big extension of the family, and every day involves changing waters, feeding and haying them. 'They get green treats like kale or cabbage twice a week and they are all cleaned out twice a week too. 'It's a lot of work but it's all worth it to know our animals are happy and healthy.' Every morning the sisters get up early before school to tend to the bunnies and guinea pigs, which takes about 30 minutes. Twice a week, Holly and Poppy clean out the pets' cages and feed the rabbits and guinea pigs green vegetables. Ms Wyllie: 'The horses are on something called full livery so they are cleaned out for us and looked after by our fabulous yard manager when we are at school and work. Inside their East Ayrshire residence, the Wyllie's also have a gecko called Angel Poppy and her sister also clean out the pets' cages and feed the rabbits and guinea pigs green vegetables Ms Wyllie added that owning the animals has taught her daughters a lot about responsibility 'We spend roughly two to three hours on a Thursday and Friday after school grooming and exercising the horses, and are there most Saturday mornings and all day Sunday. 'Twice a week we clean out all the small animals, which takes about two to three hours per clean.' Compassionate Poppy was so moved when she heard about a pet rabbit which was cruelly kept in a drawer, that she was inspired to make a hand-drawn poster urging owners to take proper care of their pets. The hand-drawn poster was so successful that it appeared in pet shops. Poppy's handmade poster showed a rabbit with a speech bubble telling the public: 'To make me have a better life I need...' 'A big spaced cage, hay, fresh water daily, food, love and attention. cared for and cleaned. 'Don't just make my life a good Christmas, make it a good life - forever.' Ms Wyllie added: 'Poppy's always been around animal's as I've always kept them. 'Holly is also very involved and does the most of the cleaning out the cages - she loves the animals as much as Poppy. 'It teaches the children a lot about responsibility, especially when they have to get up early to tend to them and feed them in all weathers. 'The animals definitely come first in our lifestyle.' A five-year-old boy has been critically injured after shooting himself in the face at a Wendy's drive-thru. The boy, whom police have not publicly named, freed himself from a car booster seat at about 12.45pm on Sunday as his mother pulled up to the restaurant in Randleman, North Carolina. Police said that the boy then reached into the seat-back pocket on the front passenger seat and retrieved a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun, WGHP-TV reported. Police secure the scene at a Wendy's in Randleman, North Carolina on Sunday, after a five-year-old boy shot himself in the face at the restaurant drive-thru Investigators collect evidence at the scene of the shooting on Sunday in North Carolina The boy then shot himself in the face with the handgun. The mother and the child were the only people in the car at the time. The child was flown by medivac to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and remains in critical condition. Police determined that the handgun belonged to the father, who said he had put it in the seat-back pocket two days prior while vacuuming, and then forgotten about it. Police released the scene after several hours but the Wendy's remained closed all day The mother told police that she was not aware that the handgun was in the seat pocket. The district attorney is scheduled to review the case to determine if any charges are merited. The Wendy's remained closed for the rest of the day on Sunday. A defiant Emmanuel Macron used his New Year's Eve address to hit out at the 'hateful mob' on the fringes of the Yellow Vest movement. But the French President vowed to press on with economic reforms which were thrown into question after he axed his fuel tax hike and announced billions in aid for the low-paid to try to tame the revolt. In a 16-minute speech, he insisted the French government 'can do better' at improving citizens' lives as Yellow Vest protesters again took to the streets across the country. President Macron mobilised thousands of police officers to quell demonstrations on the streets of Paris A yellow vest protester watches illuminations over the Arc de Triomphe before the New Year's Day celebrations French police secure the area as revelers begin to gather along the Champs-Elysees 'We can do better and must do better,' Macron said from the Elysee palace while urging the French to 'accept the reality' that increased public spending was not the answer to their problems. Macron's speech had been keenly awaited, coming at the end of a torrid six weeks for the centrist, whose leadership has been severely rattled by six weeks of demonstrations that have repeatedly turned violent. On Monday, he attempted to turn the page on the crisis and start 2019 on an upbeat note. 'I believe in us,' he said. Citing hopes for more 'truth, dignity and hope' in 2019, he urged the French: 'Let's stop running ourselves down and making believe that France is a country where solidarity doesn't exist.' Demonstrators clad in high-visibility yellow vests again gathered in Paris on Monday evening A group of yellow vest protesters holds a board reading People requires justice 'We live in one of the biggest economies in the world, with some of the best infrastructure in the world, we pay little or nothing for our children's schooling and we are treated by excellent doctors at some of the lowest costs in the developed world,' he said. While acknowledging the need for improved public services, particularly in rural areas where the yellow vest movement sprang up over anger at fuel taxes, he noted that public spending already amounted to over half of the country's output. As he spoke, demonstrators clad in high-visibility yellow vests again gathered in Paris and other big cities to demand more measures in favour of the working poor and a greater say for ordinary people in the running of the country, in the form of citizen-sponsored referendums. Several dozen protesters joined tens of thousands of tourists gathered on the famous Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris - the scene of pitched battles between protesters and police on several consecutive weekends before Christmas - for a New Year's fireworks display. French police officers dressed in riot gear stand guard near the Eiffel Tower and on the Champs Elysee yesterday People march during a 'yellow vest' (gilets jaunes) anti-government demonstration in the northern city of Lille on December 29 In the southwestern city of Bordeaux, dozens of 'yellow vests' occupied a major bridge. As in Paris, the protesters said they intended the evening to be one of celebration, not of unrest. The protests look set to continue into 2019. Nearly 150,000 security force members were deployed around the country to keep the peace. Macron took aim at the radical fringe of the yellow vests and their supporters on the far right and hard left, saying 'some who claim to speak in the name of the people' merely acted as the 'megaphones of a hateful mob'. French yellow vest protesters run out of speed cameras to destroy French yellow vest protesters have run out of speed cameras to destroy in some parts of the country after weeks of demonstrations, it has been reported. There have been relentless attacks to the point where no fixed cameras are working in the Vaucluse department and just three out of 49 are functioning in Lot-et-Garonne. It comes just weeks after it was reported that half of France's speed cameras are out of action because of widespread acts of vandalism during yellow vest protests. French yellow vest protesters have run out of speed cameras to destroy in some parts of the country after weeks of demonstrations, it has been reported. Pictured: A spray painted camera in Bonnemain, western France A car drives past the ruins of a speed camera trashed in Ajaccio on the French Mediterranean Island of Corsica. Vandals dumped a motorised scooter on top of the device By December 11, The Local reported, 250 of France's 3,275 fixed speed cameras had been damaged beyond repair while 1,500 more had been damaged to a point where they were out of order. It will take 'millions of euros' to fix the devices, France's Road Safety association said. The Newspaper.com, which highlighted the Vaucluse and Lot-et-Garonne figures, gave examples of some of the techniques used to put cameras out of use. One, in Domalain, was covered with a blue gift box on Christmas Day, while another in Renty was 'blinded' with spraypaint for the tenth time this year. Others around the country have been wrapped in clingfilm or torched, while over the border in Germany, protesters turned one camera into a giant candy cane. Advertisement 'Those who claim to speak for the people, but in fact speak for a hateful mob - attacking elected representatives, security forces, journalists, Jews, foreigners, homosexuals - are quite simply the negation of France,' he said. 'Republican order will be ensured with no leniency,' he vowed, listing 'lawmakers, the security forces, journalists, Jews, foreigners, homosexuals' as being the objects of physical and verbal attacks. He also vowed not to be swayed from his reform agenda, which was thrown into question after he jettisoned his controversial fuel tax hike and announced 10 billion euros in aid for the low-paid to try to tame the revolt. Among the priorities he listed for 2019 were trimming the bloated public sector, as well as the unemployment and pension systems. French riot police holding up protective shields covered in yellow paint as they clash with protesters in Toulouse over the weekend A protestor runs next to burning trash during a yellow vest anti-government demonstration in Nantes With an eye on European Parliament elections in May, he also announced plans to put forward a 'renewed European project' based on 'regaining control of our lives', citing fiscal justice, agriculture, migration and security as areas where joint EU action was needed. The 'yellow vest' movement has waned dramatically in the last fortnight but the prospect of protesters mixing in with revellers poses a challenge for the police. France remains on high alert due to the threat of terrorism, with the latest attack dating to December 11 when five people were killed by a gunman at a Christmas market in Strasbourg. New Year's Eve also sees many French youths from poverty-wracked areas of the country set fire to hundreds of cars in what has become a grim annual tradition that ties up police officers. A new poll out on Monday showed that 31 percent of respondents had a positive opinion of Macron, down one point in a month. Protesters are still campaigning against harsh tax conditions imposed by Emmanuel Macron's government Protesters walk up stairs as tear gas is fired near the Passy area in Paris on Sunday afternoon The figure was sharply higher than other polls, however, some of which show him with an approval rating in the low 20s. The president faced fresh embarrassment on Monday from his disgraced ex-bodyguard who revealed that he continued to exchange messages regularly with the president even after he was forced out of his job in July over a scandal. Alexandre Benalla caused severe embarrassment for Macron after he was caught on video roughing up protesters at a demonstration in May while wearing a police helmet. Last week it was revealed that, despite being sacked from his job, he has continued to travel widely on a diplomatic passport. President Macron is due to address the nation on New Years Eve to show 'authority and togetherness', his office said, as he looks to start 2019 on a more positive footing President Donald Trump invited Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi to the White House on Monday, saying he is 'ready, willing and able' to negotiate a path to reopening the federal government. 'I'm in Washington, I'm ready, willing and able. I'm in the White House, I'm ready to go. They can come over right now, they could've come over anytime,' the president told Fox News in an interview to be broadcast on New Year's Eve. 'I spent Christmas in the White House, I spent New Year's Eve now in the White House. And you know, I'm here, I'm ready to go. It's very important. A lot of people are looking to get their paycheck, so I'm ready to go whenever they want. No, we are not giving up. We have to have border security and the wall is a big part of border security. The biggest part,' he added. Pelosi arrived at the U.S. Capitol late Monday afternoon after a holiday trip to Hawaii. She is preparing to take over as speaker of the House on Thursday. Trump's invitation comes after Democrats dropped a plan to reopen the government when they retake control of the House next week that won't include the funding the president wants to build his border wall. He is spending New Year's Eve at the White House while his wife and children are at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. House Democrats - led by Nancy Pelosi - have a plan to reopen the government President Trump (left) has said he won't sign legislation that doesn't include money for his wall and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (right) office has said the Senate won't take up any measure the president won't sign They intend to hold the vote on Thursday when they take power but the president doubled down on his threat not to sign any measure that doesn't fund his wall. And the Senate has said they will not take up any legislation that Trump won't sign - a signal the stand off will continue. 'While President Trump drags the nation into Week Two of the Trump Shutdown and sits in the White House and tweets, without offering any plan that can pass both chambers of Congress, Democrats are taking action to lead our country out of this mess. This legislation reopens government services, ensures workers get the paychecks they've earned and restores certainty to the lives of the American people,' incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement Monday. Their move puts the president and Republicans on the defense as the government enters day ten of a partial shutdown amid of a show down over $5 billion in funding for Trump's border wall. Trump has attacked Democrats repeatedly on Twitter. The president has complained he is the only one in Washington working while lawmakers are gone for the holiday season. Now House Democrats are hitting back with a two-part plan that would fund the Department of Homeland Security until Feb. 8 and fund all other closed departments - such as Justice, Interior, Transportation, Commerce and Agriculture - for the rest of the fiscal year through Sept. 30. An estimated 380,000 federal employees in those departments have been furloughed and another 420,000 will have to work without pay. The clock is ticking to Jan. 11 - the first pay period for those workers that will encompass the entire time period of the shutdown. The Democrats' proposal would allow the debate over wall funding to continue without tying the rest of the government to it. Wall money is appropriated through the Department of Homeland Security. The six bills to fund the other departments have bipartisan support in both chambers but have been held up over the dispute over funding Trump's wall. Trump, however, 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 will include that $1.3 billion in the measure they plan to pass on Thursday. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi is expected to be elected speaker on Thursday and will push for a vote as one of her first moves. But the White House is already threatening to veto anything Democrats do. Asked on Sunday if Trump will sign or veto a bill that Democrats pass, White House counselor Kellyanne 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. Nancy Pelosi was spotted spending the holidays in Hawaii The hallways of the U.S. Capitol were quiet on Monday The House of Representatives is preparing for the power handover to Democrats Trump has been hitting Democrats hard on Twitter A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told the Wall Street Journal on Monday that the chamber wouldn't take up legislation without public support from the president. 'It's simple: The Senate is not going to send something to the President that he won't sign,' said Don Stewart, a spokesman for McConnell. Trump, meanwhile, has not let up the pressure for Congress to send him something to sign. 'I'm in the Oval Office. Democrats, come back from vacation now and give us the votes necessary for Border Security, including the Wall. You voted yes in 2006 and 2013. One more yes, but with me in office, I'll get it built, and Fast!,' he tweeted on Monday. The partial government shutdown began December 22 after Trump bowed to conservative demands that he fight to make good on his pledge to build the wall. He pushed House Republicans to vote on the matter before they lost control of the lower chamber. And while it passed in the House it failed in the Senate where Republicans don't have enough votes to pass it without Democratic support. Both sides have essentially shut down during the holidays. The House and Senate have gaveled into session for short, pro forma sessions - averaging about 5 minutes and containing no votes. Trump canceled his plans to go to Mar-a-Lago for the holidays to stay at the White House but he did not urge GOP leaders to keep Congress in session, which they have the power to do. The new Congress is sworn into office on Thursday. Republicans will have a stronger majority in the Senate then but it will not be enough to pass any controversial legislation without Democratic support. The White House slapped back at suggestions on Monday that the president was not in the Oval Office working when he said that he was in a morning tweet. The Marine sentry who stands guard outside the West Wing whenever the president is in it was not as his post, suggesting the president was elsewhere. Deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said in an afternoon tweet that Trump was, in fact, in the Oval Office, even though a Marine was not standing guard outside. 'I just looked into the Oval Office myself, and @POTUS was in fact sitting behind the Resolute Desk working,' he said. The White House slapped back at suggestions on Monday that the president was not in the Oval Office working when he said that he was in a tweet The Marine sentry who stands guard outside the West Wing whenever the president is in it was not as his post, suggesting the president was elsewhere Trump has not been seen in the Oval Office by reporters since Christmas Day Sources inside and outside the White House have been unable to explain to DailyMail.com where the Marine, who is on a four-man rotation, has been over the past week. On several occasions over the holidays when Trump claimed to within, the Marine was not standing outside, including on Monday morning when Trump tweeted to say he was 'in the Oval Office' waiting for Democrats to approve the funding for his border wall. A 10:37 am tweet said: 'Im in the Oval Office. Democrats, come back from vacation now and give us the votes necessary for Border Security, including the Wall. You voted yes in 2006 and 2013. One more yes, but with me in office, Ill get it built, and Fast!' White House reporters posted photos of the West Wing entrance and noted that the Marine was missing. Marine sentries guarding the West Wing normally rotate through their shifts every half-hour when Trump is his office and have done so for the last decade. No one could explain to DailyMail.com on Monday why they have not been seen at their posts for more than a week. The Pentagon directed a request for comment to the White House. The White House suggested calling the Pentagon for up-to-date information. Marine sentries act as the doorman for the president and a symbol of his presence 'whenever he is in the West Wing working,' a December 2009 video released by Barack Obama's White House explains. They are responsible for opening the door for guests and staffers who enter and exit the West Wing, as well. Secret Service alerts them to movements by the president and approaching guests with a buzzer. Four sentries working 30-minute shifts guard the West Wing from the time the president enters until he departs. Reporters use the West Wing Marine to track the president's comings and goings from the Oval Office to the residence and other locations on and off the White House grounds. Last week, when the Marine was not at his post all morning, journalists suspected the president had made a covert trip to an American outpost overseas. The president and his wife were in Iraq on a secret visit to Al Asad Airbase. Trump's deputy spokesman insisted on Monday that Trump was not only in the United States but at his desk working. He said he'd seen the president with his own eyes in a 12:50 pm tweet bashing reporters who did not inquire to the press office about the president's whereabouts. President Trump has not been out in public since he dined at the vice president's residence on Friday night. The last time he was seen in the Oval Office by journalists was on Christmas Day. Last week, when the Marine was not at his post all morning, journalists suspected the president had made a covert trip to an American outpost overseas. He did - he was in Iraq Twice on Christmas Eve the president claimed he was in the Oval, even though the West Wing Marine was not outside at the time of his tweets. He claimed in one that he was was receiving a briefing on North Korea, as he sent out a photo of himself and two specialists in the administration who work on that issue area. Another tweet said: 'I am in the Oval Office & just gave out a 115 mile long contract for another large section of the Wall in Texas. We are already building and renovating many miles of Wall, some complete. Democrats must end Shutdown and finish funding. Billions of Dollars, & lives, will be saved!' The president claimed in a Saturday morning tweet that he was 'in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security' as he mocked reports describing them as giddy to investigate him. That tweet notably stated that he was at the White House complex and did not claim that he was in the Oval Office. A Las Vegas woman has been tragically killed over a $35 manicure after she tried to stop a customer from walking out without paying the bill. Nhu Nguyen, 53, was working at the Crystal Nails & Spa Salon on Saturday afternoon when the female customer tried to pay for the manicure with a credit card. She swiped the card three or four times but it kept being declined. The customer then told Nguyen she was going to get money from her car. Nguyen and her boyfriend Sonny Chung, who helped run the salon with the mother-of-three, then followed the woman outside to try to stop her from fleeing. Nhu Nguyen, 53, was killed outside her own nail salon over a $35 manicure after she tried to stop a customer from walking out without paying the bill Nguyen was working at the Crystal Nails & Spa Salon (pictured) when the customer tried to pay for the manicure with a credit card and then said she would get money from her car The woman, who has not been identified, got into a black Chevrolet Camaro. The rear windshield was broken out, so Nguyen tried to hold onto the frame. 'My wife ran out and tried to stop her, and then she rolled forward,' Chung, who lived with Nguyen for 13 years, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'She kept pushing the gas, and my wife fell off, and she kept pushing more, and she dragged her.' Chung said that the woman dragged Nguyen from the parking spots in front of the salon toward a McDonald's located 50 feet away. He said that the woman didn't put the brakes on even once, which would have allowed Nguyen to escape the car's path. 'I tried to hold the car back, but I'm not Superman,' he said. 'She ran off for $35 and killed my wife - $35 to run my wife over.' Nguyen was rushed to University Medical Center, where she died from her injuries later that night. Nguyen and her boyfriend Sonny Chung (pictured together), who helped run the salon with the mother-of-three, then followed the woman outside to try to stop her from fleeing Authorities soon discovered that the black Chevrolet Camaro was a rental car and had been stolen three weeks before the incident. Police found it abandoned and unoccupied at a nearby apartment complex on the same night of Nguyen's death. Metropolitan Police Department Lt Ray Spencer said investigators do not believe the person who originally rented the car is a suspect. Nguyen's family came to the salon on Sunday morning, placing flowers, candles, and a framed photo of her in the front of the store. A sign on the door said the salon will be closed 'until further notice'. Nguyen's three daughters - aged 20, 25, and 28 - live in California but were in town to visit their mother and Chung for the holidays. Chung said Nguyen was an extremely hard worker, opening the salon at 11am and closing it at 11pm and cleaning it until 2am or 3am every day, seven days a week. Nguyen's family came to the salon on Sunday morning, placing flowers, candles, and a framed photo of her in the front. A sign on the door said the salon will be closed 'until further notice' A note at the salon from one of Nguyen's relatives reads 'I love you auntie, we will miss you Auntie Annie' 'She was a hard worker. She worked every day,' he added. Nguyen put her three daughters through college and also supported her mother, siblings, and two grandchildren, according to her GoFundMe. 'Allowing them to have a greater opportunity in life, she worked endlessly to the point where she would skip eating until after hours so they would not have to work as hard as she did,' it reads. 'She never asked for anything in return, besides more grandchildren. Although she suffered for the sake of her family, we hope she knows that she is loved by many.' Police have since offered a $2,000 reward for any information that could lead to an arrest. Anyone with information should contact Metro at 702-828-3521. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555. The shark was tagged for research purposes before being put back in the water Nigel Farage posted a tweet on New Year's Eve showing off a massive catch following a year of political turmoil. Farage said the bronze whaler shark was caught and then tagged for research purposes before being put back in the water. Earlier this month he announced had quit Ukip over disagreements with the party. Nigel Farage posted a tweet on New Year's Eve showing off a massive catch. He said the bronze whaler shark was caught and then tagged for research purposes before being put back in the water He opposed new leader Gerard Batten's appointment of Tommy Robinson as an adviser on rape gangs and prison conditions. He said on his LBC show at the time: 'Mr Gerard Batten seems to be pretty obsessed with the issue of Islam, not just Islamic extremism, but specifically, Islam. 'Ukip was not founded to be a party based on fighting a religious crusade'. This year he also opposed Theresa May's Brexit deal and a transition period. He appeared at a Leave Means Leave rally alongside Jacob Rees-Mogg in London earlier this month, and warned those at the rally 'to get ready for every situation'. He said at the rally: 'I think they will in the next few months betray us completely and let us be ready not just to fight back, but if it comes we will win it next time by a much bigger margin'. In March, the former Ukip leader threw two crates of haddock in London's River Thames. The protest, which took place near Parliament in March, was against the Government's transition deal which would keep Britain in the Common Fisheries Policy. Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nigel Farage both spoke at the Leave Means Leave rally, held in central London earlier this month Nigel Farage threw fish into the River Thames in March to protest at Britain's 'capitulation' to Brussels over the Brexit transition deal Kevin Spacey will be in court next week to be arraigned on criminal charges for a 2016 sexual assault. Judge Thomas Barrett ruled on a motion submitted by the Oscar winner and his legal team last week, which argued that the actor's appearance would result in negative publicity. The defense team's belief that Spacey attending his arraignment would 'amplify the negative publicity already generated' and 'heighten prejudicial media interest in the case' ultimately failed to pass muster with the court. In the same filing, it was also revealed that Spacey would be entering a plea of not guilty. Space was spotted over the weekend in photos taken in Baltimore outside the $7 million home of his manager amd former pop star Evan Lowesetein. Troubles: Judge Thomas Barrett ruled on a motion submitted by the Oscar winner and his legal team last week, rejecting their request (Spacey above and an employee at the bar where the actor allegedly assaulted a teen) Pizza, pizza: He was photographed outside the $7 million Baltimore home of his boyfriend Evan Lowenstein over the weekend (above) The young man who claims he was sexually assaulted by Kevin Spacey back in 2016 at a Nantucket bar did not film evidence of the actor groping him or touching him in an inappropriate manner, according to court testimony. In a court hearing on December 20, the actor's lawyer tore apart one of the claims made in the police report filed by State Trooper Gerald Donovan. The claims in that report were all based on interviews with the alleged victim and eyewitnesses at the bar that night. In that report, Donovan writes: '[Redacted] said his girlfriend did not believe him so that's when he snapchatted the video.' That claim, which was submitted with the criminal complaint and filed in Nantucket District Court, led to multiple outlets reporting that there was evidence of the alleged assault, but as Donovan himself testified last week that is not the case. 'What the video shows is a person's hand make contact with the shirt, correct?' Spacey's lawyer Alan Jackson is heard asking in audio obtained by the Boston Globe. 'Yes,' responded Donovan. 'Okay. Not the -- any body part,' asked Jackson. 'Correct, you don't see any body parts,' confirmed Donovan. The case stems from an incident that allegedly occurred in the early morning 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 this fly, stuck his hand in his pants and began to rub his penis. Jackson questioned why the victim allowed himself to be assaulted by the actor for three minutes, stating: 'Thats an incredibly long time to have a strange mans hands in your pants.' He also used the hearing to address the fact that the alleged victim lied about his age, claiming he was 23, and was drinking heavily when the alleged assault took place. 'He may have been so drunk that he was black out drunk, but he didnt black out at the Club Car, he may have blacked out once he got home,' said Jackson while Donovan was on the stand. 'That's correct,' replied the trooper. Jackson may soon have a second case on his hands with Spacey as well, which would put him back on his home turf. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office revealed that a probe into Spacey's alleged criminal behavior that was launched back in August is still ongoing at this time. A previous investigation was ultimately dismissed by the DA. Jackson is familiar with the workings of that office, having spent close to two decades as a Deputy Assistant for the same office before going into private practice. A spokesperson for the organization spoke with DailyMail.com and said: 'A sex assault case was presented yesterday to our office by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department involving Kevin Spacey. It remains under review.' This news comes a year after the two-time Oscar winner was accused of sexually assaulting a then-underage Anthony Rapp at his Manhattan apartment. Spacey responded by coming out as gay and entering a rehab facility in Arizona, where he remained for weeks. Trying time: The alleged victim's mother, Heather Unruh (above), said last year that her son was eventually able to get away when a woman walked over to him while the actor was in the bathroom and said: 'Run!' House of cards: Spacey will be arraigned on one count of Indecent Assault & Battery when he appears in a Nantucket courtroom early next month (Spacey above in his now-cancelled Netflix show House of Cards) The incident that spurred Spacey's downfall allegedly took place at Spacey's apartment in 1986 when the actor invited Rapp to a party while they were both appearing on Broadway. In an interview with Buzzfeed, Rapp said that he found himself alone in the apartment at the end of the night and that Spacey then began to make his move. 'He picked me up like a groom picks up the bride over the threshold. But I don't, like, squirm away initially, because I'm like, 'What's going on?' And then he lays down on top of me,' said Rapp, who detailed being pressed up against the bed before being able to squirm away and ultimately leave the house without being assaulted by Spacey. Spacey made the decision to come out of the closet in a statement apologizing to actor Anthony Rapp, who said in an interview that the actor attempted to sexually assault him in 1986, an incident Spacey says he does not remember. Rapp was 14 at the time while Spacey was 26. It was in the aftermath of Rapp sharing his story that the mother of the victim in the Nantucket case, a former news anchor in Boston Heather Unruh, came forward on Twitter and later went public. Spacey is facing up to five years in jail. A conservative earl who owns the castle that features in Downton Abbey is in the running for a place in the House of Lords. George Herbert, the eighth Earl of Carnarvon, is one of 16 hereditary peers competing for a seat for life in Parliament. Only hereditary peers can stand in the election a hangover from attempts to reform the Lords and only members of the House of Lords can vote. Lord and Lady Carnarvon in front of their home Highclere Castle, behind the scenes of Downton Abbey If he wins, the 62-year-old peer will be able to shape laws and claim 300 a day, in parliamentary attendance allowances, until his death or retirement. From 2011 to 2015, his country home, Highclere Castle in Hampshire, doubled for Downton Abbey in the hit ITV period drama. It will feature again in the film due to be released this year. Lord Carnarvon said: I want to give something back to my country. That is why I am standing for election. Lord and Lady Carnarvon in the Library at Highclere Castle Highclere Castle, Highclere Park, Newbury 'I want to give back having gained and learned so much at Highclere from tourism, intellectual property and new technology. 'I want to help Britain be a modern and progressive society. I would like to hope I can make a modest difference. Lord Carnarvon would be the eighth generation of his family to sit in the Lords. In 1866, the fourth Earl, Henry Herbert, played a key role in the formation of Canada with the British North America Act and also in getting the 1866 Reform Bill passed. Highclere Castle was a filming location for the British award-winning period drama Downton Abbey Unusually for his time, he campaigned for votes for women. Under a controversial system, ten Conservatives, five crossbenchers and one unaffiliated peer will contest the election on January 22 for a vacancy created by the death of Lord Skelmersdale. As a result of the reform of the House of Lords by Tony Blairs government two decades ago, only 92 hereditary peers remain in the upper chamber. Earl and Countess of Carnarvon at Highclere Castle near Newbury, the location of TV period drama Downton Abbey When one retires or dies there is an election in which only the other hereditary peers can vote. This has led to calls for reform of the system. The polls each cost more than 1,140 to run. The Earl and Countess of Carnarvon open Highclere Castle to the public for tours, weddings and special events. They are friends with Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and his wife, Lady Emma Kitchener-Fellowes. Lord Fellowes was partly inspired to write Downton Abbey after staying at the 300-room castle. A delivery man was beaten by two men after he parked in front of the motorcycles at the Hell Angels' headquarters in Manhattan. The 22-year-old was dropping off food to a nearby location around 2am on Monday morning when he stopped his car in front of the East Village clubhouse. Authorities said that a man in his sixties approached the driver and told him he wasn't allowed to park in front of the motorcycles. The 22-year-old ignored his demand and completed the delivery, according to the New York Post. A deliveryman was beaten by two men after he parked in front of the motorcycles at the Hell Angels headquarters in Manhattan (pictured in file photo) The 22-year-old deliveryman was dropping off food to a nearby location around 2am on Monday morning when he was told he couldn't park in front of the East Village clubhouse When the delivery man returned, he was approached by two men. One man held the delivery man by the neck while the other man punched him in the face, law enforcement sources revealed. The delivery man suffered minor facial injuries but did not require medical attention. This is hardly the first time the Hells Angels' East Village clubhouse has made headlines. David Martinez was allegedly shot in the stomach by Hells Angels 'prospect' member Anthony Iovenitti in front of the headquarters in December 2016. Martinez, who was 25 at the time, had tried to move a traffic cone in front of the clubhouse so his friend's car could squeeze past a taxi in the road. Authorities said that man in his sixties approached the delivery driver and told him he wasn't allowed to park in front of the motorcycles The 22-year-old ignored his demand and completed the delivery. When the deliveryman returned, he was approached by two men. One man held the deliveryman by the neck while the other man punched him in the face He reportedly riled up several Hells Angels members who left the clubhouse to confront him and told him to leave the cone alone. Sources said Iovenitti threw a punch and then pulled out a gun to shoot Martinez. Days later, the New York Police Department raided the headquarters and handed out summonses for any minor infractions they could find after the group failed to cooperate with police in the shooting investigation. Iovenitti's case was dismissed last September after he died of an aneurysm while on a motorcycle trip. The Hells Angels' clubhouse in the East Village has frequently found itself in trouble with law enforcement over the parking spots The Hells Angels have occupied the East Village building since 1969, gaining a reputation for throwing rowdy parties and clashing with police. In 1985, police raided the clubhouse, making 15 arrests on drug and other charges. The city used the case to try to seize the building in the early 1990s in a federal lawsuit, but a jury sided with the bikers. The Hells Angels countered with their own litigation, accusing police of illegally searching the headquarters in 1999 and again in 2000. The city agreed to settle the lawsuit by paying the club more than $800,000. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren dodged questions on Monday about her biggest political liabilities as she jumped headfirst into the 2020 Democratic presidential primary process. But President Donald Trump signaled he intends to keep pounding his rival, telling Fox News in an interview when asked whether she could win: 'Youd have to ask her psychiatrist.' In announcing the formation of a presidential exploratory committee, Warren staked out the first significant territory in what will likely be a crowded field of Democrats itching for a swing at Donald Trump. But she showed no sign she's ready to overcome the self-inflected scandal that has dogged her for years: her questionable claim of American Indian ancestry. The result was an unsteady performance that none of the three major cable news networks broadcast live from beginning to end. Asked in her first question as a candidate-in-waiting how she will respond to Democrats who worry that her slow-motion ancestry gaffe had left her too vulnerable to be electable, Warren defaulted to talking points. 'I'm in this fight because I understand what's happening to working families,' she said outside her home near Boston, standing alongside her husband Bruce Mann. Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren spoke to reporters with her husband Bruce (left) at her side, after announcing she has formed an exploratory committee to run for president in 2020 The first question from a reporter as she entered the 2020 fray was about her electability given her Native American DNA scandal and she avoided answering it President Donald Trump has hit Warren repeatedly as a fake Native American and nicknamed her 'Pocahontas' President Donald Trump has long been critical of Warren for claiming to have Cherokee ancestry, a move the president claims gave her preferential treatment in university hiring at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. He brought up the issue in an interview with Fox News to be broadcast New Years' Eve. 'Elizabeth Warren will be the first,' Trump told the network. 'She did very badly in proving that she was of Indian heritage. That didn't work out too well. I think you have more than she does, and maybe I do too and I have nothing,' the president told interviewers Pete Hegseth and Lisa Kennedy Montgomery. 'So, well see how she does, I wish her well, I hope she does well, Id love to run against her,' Trump said. Asked whether Warren could win, Trump responded: 'Well, that I dont know, youd have to ask her psychiatrist.' Warren conceded this month that she is 'not a person of color,' following her embarrassing October release of DNA test data that concluded her proportion of American Indian blood might be as small as 1 part in 1,024 lower than average European-Americans. She sidestepped a separate question on Monday about whether her far-left brand of populism will polarize American voters, denying her meaningful support outside the liberal northeast U.S. and California. Instead she acknowledged only that CEOs and investment bankers won't like her. 'The problem we've got right now in Washington is that it works great for those who have money, to buy influence,' said Warren, 69. 'And I'm fighting against that, and you bet it's going to make a lot of people unhappy.' The 69-year-old Democrat would not, however, rule out accepting help from super PACs built with their political contributions. 'Would you take support from super PACs,' a reporter asked. Despite a crush of TV cameras covering Warren's announcement and her short Q&A with reporters, none of the three big cable TV news networks broadcast the entire event live Warren, pictured walking away after the short press availability, said she's no fan of super PACs or the billionaire who fund them, but didn't rule out accepting their help in 2020 How she announced: Elizabeth Warren used New Year's Eve morning to make her presidential move in a video recorded in her kitchen but slickly produced A flustered Warren said only that 'I don't think we ought to be running campaigns that are funded by billionaires, whether it goes through super PACs or their own money that they're spending.' That fell short of a pledge to shun their help as she runs for the White House. 'I've already received donations from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico,' she boasted, before revealing that she would spend New Year's Eve with her husband doing what they always do: watching the 1942 film 'Casablanca.' Trump aides licked their chops and laughed as they anticipated a battle between the president and the ultra-liberal swashbuckler he regularly mocks as 'Pocahontas.' A Trump administration official with knowledge of the president's thinking said Monday that Warren 'will go down in flames,' and cracked a subtle Native American joke. 'She's going to somehow ride her far-left platform into the White House?' the official asked. 'How?' 'It's a dream come true,' said a second official, adding a fond hope that Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal would follow Warren into the race. 'Can we get Blumenthal to run too? More phony Democrats, please,' said that official. She's (almost) running: Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren used New Year's Eve to announce she is setting up an exploratory committee for a 2020 bid President Donald Trump has said he would love to face Warren, and has already spent two years publicly mocking her to soften the ground Trump has similarly weaponized Blumenthal's past missteps, turning his military career into a case of stolen valor because he has falsely claimed to have fought in Vietnam. Blumenthal served in uniform as a U.S. Marine reservist for six years but spent the war thousands of miles from harm's way. Warren's New Year's Eve launch guaranteed she had the nation's political spotlight largely to herself. 'Americas middle class is under attack, the 69-year-old Massachusetts Democrat said in a launch video. 'How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie. And they enlisted politicians to cut them a bigger slice.' She tried to strike a uniting tone, declaring that 'no matter what our differences, most of us want the same thing: 'to be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules and take care of the people we love. That's what I'm fighting for.' The Republican National Committee blasted out a scathing reply. Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said that Warren 'couldnt be more out of touch. With her lack of support from voters including in her home state on top of her phony claim to minority status, now that she is formally running Americans will see her for what she is: another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud.' Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal is another liberal Democrat who Trump aides would like to see enter the 2020 contest, because of his false claims to have fought in Vietnam On the blocks: In an email to supporters, Warren said she'd more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019. She can now raise money for a run Warren burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections. She quickly became one of the party's more prominent liberals even as she sometimes fought with Obama administration officials over their response to the market turmoil. Now, as a likely presidential contender, she is making an appeal to the party's base. Her video notes the economic challenges facing people of color along with images of a women's march and Warren's participation at an LGBT event. In an email to supporters, Warren said she'd more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019. Warren is the most prominent Democrat yet to make a move toward a presidential bid and has long been a favorite target of President Donald Trump. In mid-December, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro also announced a presidential exploratory committee, which legally allows potential candidates to begin raising money. Outgoing Maryland Rep. John Delaney is the only Democrat so far to have formally announced a presidential campaign. But that's likely to change quickly in the new year as other leading Democrats take steps toward White House runs. Greatest hits: Trump is likely to make use of his previous assault on Elizabeth Warren's claims of Native American roots, which he stepped up in the wake of her DNA test Warren enters a Democratic field that's shaping up as the most crowded in decades, with many of her Senate colleagues openly weighing their own campaigns, as well as governors, mayors and other prominent citizens. One of her most significant competitors could be Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who is eyeing another presidential run harnessing the same populist rhetoric. She must also move past the widely panned October DNA test stunt meant to bolster her claim to Native American heritage. Instead, the use of a genetic test to prove her ethnicity emboldened Trump's taunts of her as 'Pocahontas.' There was no direct mention of the controversy, or of Trump, in Monday's video. It did include images of the president and his inner-circle current and former aides who her base most loves to hate: Kellyanne Conway, Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon. Warren has the benefit of higher name recognition than many others in the Democratic mix for 2020, thanks to her years as a prominent critic of Wall Street who originally conceived of what became the government's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She now faces an arduous battle to raise money and capture Democratic primary voters' attention before Iowa casts its first vote in more than a year. She has an advantage in the $12.5 million left over from her 2018 re-election campaign that she could use for a presidential run. Warren's campaign is likely to revolve around the same theme she's woven into speeches and policy proposals in recent years: battling special interests, paying mind to the nexus between racial and economic inequities. 'America's middle class is under attack,' Warren said in the video. 'How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie. And they enlisted politicians to cut them a fatter slice.' President Donald Trump claimed Monday that that heads of state are calling him to ask why the Senate's top Democrat is holding up the confirmation processes for U.S. ambassadors to their countries. Trump said they want to know why Sen. Chuck Schumer, the minority leader in the chamber that is controlled by Republicans, is refusing to green light the president's appointees to the posts. 'Heads of countries are calling wanting to know why Senator Schumer is not approving their otherwise approved Ambassadors!?' Trump claimed in a New Year's Eve tweet. He also claimed in year-end messages that a total of 360 of nominees were being blocked in the Senate, because Schumer won't let them serve in the Trump administration. 'These are people who have been approved by committees and all others, yet Schumer continues to hold them back from serving their Country! Very Unfair!' he charged. President Donald Trump claimed Monday that that heads of state are calling him to ask why the Senate's top Democrat is holding up the confirmation processes for U.S. ambassadors to their countries Trump said they want to know why Sen. Chuck Schumer, the minority leader in the chamber that is controlled by Republicans , is refusing to green light the president's appointees to the posts It was not clear where the president derived his number from - his claim does not jive with publicly available information about the number of open positions that require Senate confirmation It was not clear where the president derived the number from. His claim does not jive with publicly available information about the number of open positions that require Senate confirmation. A total of 330 positions are open, and 126 of them are empty, in part, because Trump has not nominated anyone to fill them. Yet, twice in the last week the president has used numbers that are higher than that the first time he said that 350 people are being prevented from accepting positions in his 23-month-old government. A publicly available database run by the Partnership for Public Service shows nine of Trump's nominees have not been formally put forward and 195 that went through the proper channels have not been approved by the Senate for one reason or another. Of those, 65 of the nominees are within the State Department and 49 are ambassador appointees. They include John Abizaid, nominated as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and Matthew Tueller, Trump's appointee to represent the United States in Iraq. They were referred to the Republican-controlled Foreign Relations Committee on Nov. 15 of this year, and the committee has not acted. Trump's nominee to serve as ambassador to Yemen, Christopher Paul Henzel, has been approved by the committee and awaited action in front of the full Senate as of Dec. 13. Others such as Kathleen Ann Kavalec, nominee to be ambassador to Albania, have been waiting for confirmation for much longer. Her appointment landed in front of Foreign Relations Committee last July. The career State Department official communicated with dirty dossier creator Christopher Steele, an ex-British intelligence agent, according to emails that the Justice Department provided to Congress, the Washington Examiner reported in August. Her contacts with former spy and DOJ official Bruce Ohr, who was also in touch with Steele, could be reasons that she has not been approved. A publicly available database shows that 49 ambassador appointees have not been approved by the Senate compared to the 14 diplomatic posts that Trump hasn't nominated anyone to fill Career State Department official Francisco Luis Palmieri's appointment to be the next ambassador Honduras has been held up for no apparent reason since Sept. 28, when he was favorably reported out of the Foreign Relations Committee for the job. Would-be Irish ambassador Jeffrey Ross Gunter has been waiting for a vote in the upper chamber after a favorable recommendation since Nov. 28. His appointment was not even announced until late August, however. The tracker on Trump's nominees that is updated every Monday and was last updated this morning shows that 126 positions requiring Senate confirmation do not have nominees at all, meaning that the president is responsible for the vacancies, because he has not put anyone forward. He has not named ambassadors to 14 countries: Belize, Chile, Cuba, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, Jordan, Libya, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, Singapore, Tanzania and Turkey. A spokesperson for the president did not respond to a request for comment on the tracker and for additional information on where the president is obtaining his vacancy numbers. Trump claimed in May that 300 appointees were being blocked, and in a Dec. 27 tweet contended that the minority party is keeping 350 of his nominees from taking government jobs. 'The Democrats OBSTRUCTION of the desperately needed Wall, where they almost all recently agreed it should be built, is exceeded only by their OBSTRUCTION of 350 great people wanting & expecting to come into Government after being delayed for more than two years, a U.S. record!' he claimed earlier this month. By Monday Trump was arguing that the number of appointees being blocked had risen to 360 in tweets that blamed the vacancies on Schumer. That number included 'government lawyers and others are being delayed at a record pace,' according to Trump. A Schumer spokesperson did not immediately respond to the charge. A Washington woman was critically injured after her ex-boyfriend violated a restraining order and T-boned her car while driving at more than 50 mph. The Pierce County Sheriff's Department said in a media alert that the 34-year-old woman was driving her Honda down a street in Parkland, Washington, on Sunday morning when her ex-boyfriend apparently spotted her car. The ex-boyfriend, 37, then used his Volkswagon to T-bone the woman's car. He was said to have been driving at speeds of at least 50mph at the time of the impact. Authorities said a 34-year-old woman's ex-boyfriend T-boned her car on Sunday morning The ex-boyfriend, 37, was driving at speeds of at least 50mph when he struck the woman's Honda. The impact flipped his own car onto its roof and it struck a nearby building The side of the woman's Honda was crushed during the incident and the woman was critically injured. Meanwhile, the man was injured when his Volkswagon flipped over onto its roof and struck the side of a nearby apartment building. Police and firefighters arrived at the scene at about 9.40am, with firefighters being required to extricate both the male and female from their respective cars. Both drivers were then taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Both the man and women were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries The woman is said to have been critically injured during the incident, while the man was released from the hospital and has been taken into custody at Pierce County Jail Authorities later revealed that the woman had recently obtained a restraining order against the ex-boyfriend. After being released from the hospital later on Sunday, the man was taken into custody and booked into the Pierce County Jail. The man now faces charges of first-degree domestic violence assault, second-degree assault, felony violation of a domestic violence no contact order, three counts of reckless endangerment, violation of a domestic violence protection order, and driving with a suspended license. It appears that the man, who has not been publicly identified yet, is still in jail. Jean-Claude Juncker used private jets for nearly half his worldwide 'missions' this year, official figures reveal. These 'air taxis' should only be used when no suitable commercial flights can be found, according to EU Commission rules. But Mr Juncker chartered private jets for 21 out of 43 official trips between January and November, racking up a bill that is likely to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, a Daily Mail analysis reveals. The revelation sparked calls last night for the EU Commission president to be investigated over his allegedly 'excessive' use of private flights, which are funded by EU taxpayers. Scroll down for video Juncker chartered private jets for 21 out of 43 official trips between January and November The cost of one private jet for a one-night trip to Tunisia alone was up to 32,943. The EU Commission declined to give the exact bill, but confirmed that Mr Juncker flew with a 13-person delegation and that travel costs averaged 2,357 per person. He met Tunisian officials to discuss projects between the north African country and the EU during the trip in October. In addition, Mr Juncker, who after a pay rise will earn more than 350,000 a year, claimed 428 for a hotel and 47 for 'daily allowances'. The cost of another private jet for a visit in November to Helsinki in Finland, where he had dinner with world leaders before attending the European People's Party conference, was up to 23,422. Again the EU Commission declined to give the exact bill, but confirmed that Mr Juncker went with an 11-person delegation and that travel costs averaged 1,953 per person. The most expensive 'per person' private jet trip was a one-night visit to Madrid for a lecture and to meet King Felipe VI of Spain before attending an exclusive ceremony for the Marquis de Villalobar award. Travel per person is listed as 6,734, but the overall cost of the private jet has not been revealed. A four-night tour of West Balkan countries was the second most expensive per person for travel, at 6,374. Other private jets were used when Mr Juncker was giving speeches and two were for 'working' dinners and lunches with German chancellor Angela Merkel. He took six private jets to events in neighbouring Germany. Mr Juncker sparked fury in 2017 after it emerged that he chartered a 24,000 private jet to fly to Rome with a delegation of nine Mr Juncker sparked fury in 2017 after it emerged that he chartered a 24,000 private jet to fly to Rome with a delegation of nine. The new disclosures come as Britain is set to pay a Brexit 'divorce' bill of 39billion if it agrees a Brexit deal with the EU. Responding to the revelations, Tory MEP David Campbell Bannerman said: 'It seems that 'Air Force Juncket' breaches the guidelines laid down on excessive use of private jets by the EU. 'This is another example of the EU burning UK and European taxpayers' money. 'Why Mr Juncker hasn't taken up the good quality commercial alternatives that fly across Europe is a mystery, a mystery the EU's auditors should look into.' Pieter Cleppe, of the think-tank Open Europe, said: 'This appears as more evidence of a culture within the EU institutions where there is insufficient respect for taxpayers.' Details of the private planes are tucked away in a section of the EU Commission's website which does not immediately make clear when one has been taken. Rather than giving the total cost of chartering each jet, it states only the 'average cost per person on the flight'. But it does not state how many people were on each flight, making it almost impossible to calculate the total cost of each jet. Details of the Tunisia and Helsinki trips were given by the EU Commission after the Mail asked a series of questions. It did not give further details for any of Mr Juncker's other listed 'missions', but confirmed that between January and November he flew by private jet to 21 of the 43 overseas destinations listed on his webpage. Most were in Europe. For long-haul trips, such as EU-China and EU-Japan summits and a meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington in July, he used commercial airlines. Mr Juncker used his 2018 State of the EU speech to warn of the threat of climate change, which campaigners say is fuelled by emissions from air travel. He said Europeans want to 'leave a cleaner planet for future generations'. But many of the flights he took were over relatively short distances. For example, Brussels is only 405 miles from Berlin as the crow flies. A spokesman claimed yesterday that the EU Commission is 'one of the most transparent administrations in the world'. He also pointed out that delegations formed of several people use the private jets, bringing down the cost per head. 'The Commission has rules which ensure that we carry out our work including travel in the most cost-effective way possible,' he said. 'The way we spend the EU budget is controlled annually by the democratically elected European Parliament.' The spokesman claimed 'the bulk of travel' by Mr Juncker is on commercial airlines, adding: 'By our own rule, the use of chartered air transport can only be considered when commercial flights are not available to reach a destination, when they cannot fit with the president's diary commitments or for security reasons.' As migrants risk their lives trying to cross the Channel in small boats, around ten people a night are still getting into Britain illegally in lorries, fellow refugees said yesterday. Using a method last witnessed in large numbers before the closure of the Calais 'Jungle' two years ago, migrants living rough around Dunkirk in northern France now said to number 1,000 are dismissive of their chances on dinghies, instead opting to hide on trucks. Britain's National Crime Agency warned at the weekend that most people are still smuggled into the country on HGVs rather than in small boats. Home Secretary Sajid Javid speaking to the media at the Home Office in London about the issue of migrants crossing the Channel, which he has declared a major incident A rigid-hulled inflatable boat (pictured) was found on the beach near Dungeness this morning More than 100 mainly Kurdish migrants in Dunkirk yesterday received food from charitable donations out of a Transit van by a lake in the shadow of a motorway linking the port town with Calais, 30 miles away. But their true numbers are said to be far larger, with migrants resorting to bedding down in the wooded surroundings and changing their habits night after night. A small number of Afghans and Iranians have also settled in Dunkirk rather than the more targeted settlement at nearby Calais. The inflatable was stocked with items apparently intended to help the passengers endure the perilous crossing The latest group of migrants landed shortly after 8am today at Greatstone, near Lydd-on-Sea Saman Aziz, 38, an Iraqi Kurd who previously lived in Britain for eight years, said that jumping on lorries was still the most successful route to Britain. The former factory worker, who lived in Sheffield and Birmingham, said: 'Most of the people here will go by the lorry. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But it is easier than by boat. 'We have heard about the Channel crossings. It's not about paying less or more. What can I say which way is faster to go there, people will try that way. 'People keep trying. They don't care about what is dangerous or what is safe. 'I would say ten people every night are successful on lorries. It is the best way. You cannot try every night. There is almost a queue here, you know? 'Tonight it might be my turn, tomorrow someone else's turn. You see the same people so you talk about who is going to try that night. It's easier because you can jump in any time you want. 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 'If you go by boat then first you need to get a boat, then you need to get to the seaside.' Mr Aziz, who has been living in Dunkirk for six months, was no stranger to boat crossings, either. He said that he had bought a boat with a group of 11 other men and sailed it from Turkey to Greece to escape Iraq for a second time after initially returning from England in 2010, when he said he had claimed asylum, to care for his sick mother. He said his asylum seeker status has since expired. His companion Hawkar Rasul, 26, also from Iraq, said he had been caught attempting to reach England on a lorry three times, but would use any means necessary. He hopes to travel to Manchester, where he has friends. Speaking as he drank tea handed out by volunteers visiting the camp from Northern Ireland, he said: 'I was hanging on to the axle. The [border control] dog got me.' He added: 'If I have to, I will try a boat, why not? I have heard a lot of people are reaching England that way now. 'I will do whatever way is faster to get there. I have sat in freezer lorries with frozen meat for 20 hours ... it's crazy. I just want to get to England and don't care how I get there.' President Donald Trump claimed that President Obama has a 10-foot 'Wall' surrounding his Washington D.C. home is being contradicted by neighbors, who say the home's steel fencing was installed 'tastefully.' Trump brought up the multi-million home Barack and Michelle Obama share on Sunday amid a continued standoff with congressional Democrats over the $5 billion Trump is demanding for a wall on the Mexican border. 'President and Mrs. Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their D.C. mansion/compound,' the president wrote. 'I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The U.S. needs the same thing, slightly larger version!' Trump also used of the word 'compound' loosely. The term might invoke the a set-back structure like the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Mass. BUILD THAT FENCE! Brick pillars and steel posts were installed to provide additional protection around the Obama home. Its height is unknown. President Trump used it to call for a border wall But although the Obamas' $8.1 million, nine-bedroom, 8,200 square foot home is roomy and located in one of the nation's capital's premium neighborhoods, it is set closely between other homes, with the only additional structure being a guard shed constructed for the Secret Service. Agents protect former presidents. Neighbors contacted by the Washington Post aren't calling it a wall. 'Theres a fence that goes along the front of the house, but its the same as the other neighbors have, one neighbor said. Its tastefully done. Another neighbor told the paper the House was '100 percent visible from the street,' adding: 'There is no 10-foot wall in the front, back or sides of the house and no wall is going up.' Trump has been using every argument he can to try and get funding for his wall. He stated the Obamas have a ten foot wall Security upgrades were made to the home before the Obamas moved in STEEL SLATS? The wall was added to the home before the former first couple moved in as part of a security upgrade 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 Post's fact-checker noted that the Obamas moved in workers added heavy security fencing to an enlarged retaining wall. 'But there is not a ten-foot wall around the house; the front steps are open to the sidewalk. Chain link fencing, but no wall, was added to the back.' The Post issued a correction to an earlier claim that the Obama's Tony Kalorama neighborhood is home to Post owner Jeff Bezos. According to the correction: 'A previous version of this article said Kalorama is home to Jeffrey P. Bezos. Bezos purchased a property in the neighborhood, but his primary residence is in the Seattle area.' Washington State has no income tax, whereas Washington D.C has high income taxes compared to other jurisdictions. Trump may have meant fencing when he tweeted the Obamas have a wall having himself at times both demanded a wall and said he'll call it whatever Democrats wants. 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. Disgraced comedian Louis CK is being eviscerated by former friends and others on social media after audio of his recent stand-up set was leaked on Sunday. 'I hope Louis CK gets raped and shot at,' said Ellen Barkin on Twitter. When called out for her response, Bakin replied: 'For all of you ready to jump on my back, think for a minute about how louis ck must talk about the women who outed him? what do you think he wishes on them? do you think he will assault a woman again? read up on serial sexual assault.' Gemma Chan reacted by writing: 'Masturbating in front of your colleagues and feigning remorse about it doesn't make you interesting either.' Scroll down for videos Comedian Louis CK attacked the Parkland high school shooting victims in leaked auto of his recent stand-up set performed at Governor's Comedy Club on December 16. Pictured above performing in 2016 CK ranted about Parkland high school shooting survivors who have turned into gun reform activists saying: 'Why do I have to listen to you? You didn't get shot. You pushed some fat kid in the way.' Parkland survivors David Hogg and Emma Gonzalez pictured at the March For Our Lives rally against gun violence in Washington DC on March 24, 2018 Judd Apatow was also bothered by the comedian, writing: 'This hacky, unfunny, shallow routine is just a symptom of how people are afraid to feel empathy. Its much easier to laugh at our most vulnerable than to look at their pain directly & show them love and concern. Louis CK is all fear and bitterness now. He cant look inward.' CK sparked outrage for making fun of the Parkland High School shooting victims and saying he would rather live at the site of a former Nazi concentration camp than New York City during a stand-up set earlier this month. Audio has been leaked of CK performing at a Long Island comedy club on December 16 in what was the comedian's sixth sold-out show at the venue. During the set, the comedian also told the crowd that he lost $35 million in a single day. The appearance showcased the brash and unapologetic personality the comedian has adopted since he was accused of sexual misconduct by multiple woman, and leaked at the same time DailyMail.com spotted a carefree Kevin Spacey in Baltimore. Spacey has also chosen comedy to undermine that accusations leveled at him, despite the fact that he will be arraigned on criminal charges next week. 'They testify in front of Congress these kidsWhat are you doing? You're young you should be crazy, you should be unhinged. Not in a suit saying 'I'm here to tell you' F**k you,' he said in the clip. 'You're not interesting because you went to a high school where kids got shot. Why does that mean I have to listen to you? Why does that make you interesting. You didn't get shot. You pushed some fat kid in the way and now I gotta listen to you talking.' All the while the audience can be heard laughing during what was the comedian's sixth sold-out show at the club. Students David Hogg, 18, and Emma Gonzalez, 19, became faces of the gun reform movement following the devastating Parkland shooting on February 14 where 17 people were killed at the hands of gunman Nikolas Cruz. The comedian also made fun of youngsters and belittled gender-identity terms in his set. THE RACIST, ABELIST, VILE JOKES OF CK'S LEAKED GIG AUSCHWITZ 'I live in New York. I f**king hate it now. I loved New York for 20 years. Now I'd rather be in Auschwitz, honestly. I mean Auschwitz now.' PARKLAND MASSACRE - '[The Parkland survivors] testify in front of Congress these kidsWhat are you doing? You're young you should be crazy, you should be unhinged. Not in a suit saying 'I'm here to tell you' F**k you. You're not interesting because you went to a high school where kids got shot. Why does that mean I have to listen to you? Why does that make you interesting. You didn't get shot. You pushed some fat kid in the way and now I gotta listen to you talking.' GENDER IDENTITY - '[Young people] are like royalty. They tell you what to call them. 'You should address me as they/them. Because I identity as gender neutral.' Okay. You should address me as 'there,' because I identity as a location. And the location is your mother's c***. It doesn't have to be that nasty, but it can be.' JEWISH DOCTORS - 'You need to stop eating ice cream.' I said, 'You need to go f**k yourself. And don't ever touch me again, you old fa**ot. You old f**king Jewish f*g. Get your f**king hands off me.' You're f**king with my ice cream, I get upset. STOPPING USING THE WORD 'RETARD' - 'But we started to feel shitty about it, so we changed it to 'intellectually challenged.' What the f**k, it'sdon't name the kid a thing he can't say out loud. An intellectual challenge is can you translate Shakespeare into Latin and make it rhyme. These kids are not intellectually challenged, they're intellectually f**kin' done. They are! It's not their sport! But we decided we didn't want to call them retarded because we call each other that, so we went back to Nelson and we said, 'Listen, Nelson, I have something to tell you. You're not retarded anymore.' 'You mean I'm cured?' 'No, not at all. We just don't call you that, 'cause it's a terrible thing to call somebody.' 'But you called me that with' 'Yes, but not anymore, because we shouldn't.' And he's trying to wrap his head around this, which is difficult for Nelson, 'cause he's f**king retarded. BLACK STEREOTYPES 'Whatre you, gonna take away my birthday? My life is over, I dont give a s**t. You can, you can be offended, its okay. You can get mad at me. Anyway. So why do black guys have big d**ks? Lets talk about that for a minute.' HIS OWN BAD YEAR - 'So what kind of a year did you guys have? I bet none of you had the same year that I had. You ever had a whole bad year. Did you ever have a year that sucks 365 s*** c*** days in a row. Did you ever have a time that it so sh**** that it starts to get funny? - 'I lost so much f***ing money. In a day. In one day I lost, I'm not going to tell you, but millions and millions of dollars. So you know it's at least four, because three is millions and million. It was $35 million. I don't give a f***, I'll tell you.' Advertisement 'I'm so disappointed in the younger generation honestly because I'm 51 years old and I was 18 and in my 20s we were idiots. We were getting high doing mushrooms and sh*tI was kind of excited to be in my 50s and see people in my 20s and be like these kids are crazy, these kids are nicebut they're not!' he said. 'They're just boring. F**king telling me you shouldn't say that. What are you an old lady?...You should address meas they/them because I identify as gender neutral. You should address me as therebecause I'm a locationand the location is your mother's c***,' he added. He compared them to royalty for demanding specific gender titles that they feel comfortable with. The video of his set was posted on YouTube. In his hour-long spiel he talked about his difficult year and how he lost $35million and alluded it to the sexual misconduct allegations against him. 'I live in New York. I f**king hate it now. I loved New York for 20 years. Now I'd rather be in Auschwitz, honestly. I mean Auschwitz now,' he said. In previous sets he said he feels that everyone hates him and was booed in public. The clip sparked outrage on Twitter with users calling him a 'monster'. Parkland shooting survivors Emma Gonzalez, David Hogg and Cameron Kaskey pictured above at a press conference for the March for Our Lives movement on June 4, 2018 The pair were quickly became nationally recognized activists for gun reform. Pictured above at the 2018 TIME 100 Gala in New York on April 24 'I'm listening to the leaked Louis set and it's very clear hes just going to tour red states for the rest of his life to rapturous crowds, like Trump,' one Twitter user said. 'There was always part of me that was hoping he'd turn things around, put out a better apology, and make a huge comeback...but I think that part of me just died listening to this,' another said. 'OMG, I just...I'm so embarrassed that I used to think he was funny. This isn't even doubling down. He just went full on monster,' one former fan tweeted. 'Why were people in the audience laughing? He was mocking child survivors who watched their classmates get slaughtered?' a critic wrote. 'Making fun of the Parkland' survivors/activists sure is a bold way to begin rebranding after sexual assault allegations. Yikes,' another added. The comedian returned to the comedy stage in August. There are no tour dates listed for him on his professional website. Five women accused Louis CK of sexual misconduct in November 2017, which he later admitted to. The women were mostly comedians who said he asked to watch them masturbate or forced them to watch him masturbate. For years rumors swirled that the comedian used his status and power to harass female comedians. After the allegations arose, the comedian immediately confessed they were true. 'These stories are true. What I learned later in life, too late, is that when you have power over another person, asking them to look at your d*ck isn't a question. It's a predicament for them. The power I had over these women is that they admired me. And I wielded that power irresponsibly,' he said in a statement released just a day after the allegations came forward. Despite his confession, he faced no legal consequences for the sexual misconduct. However, his stand-up special was cut from Netflix and his relationship with HBO and FX were also axed. Just nine months later he returned to the spotlight. Britain will be able to tackle important issues such as housebuilding and the NHS if MPs back her withdrawal agreement, Theresa May declares today. In her New Year message, the Prime Minister says this country can thrive and 'start a new chapter with optimism and hope'. But to do so we need 'to put our differences aside and move forward together'. Her comments came as Andrea Leadsom told MPs they would undermine democracy if they did not back Mrs May's plan for Brexit. Mrs May said during her New Year address that 2019 would mark a 'new chapter' for Britain Mrs Leadsom, who was a leading pro-Leave figure in the referendum campaign, said the agreement hammered out with Brussels delivered on the 2016 vote. In an article for the Daily Mail, right, she challenged fellow Eurosceptic Tory MPs to get behind the policy or risk renewed calls for a second referendum, which she pledged to 'fight tooth and nail'. The Leader of the House said: 'We can come together to support this deal, or we can throw the negotiations back into limbo and undermine our democracy. 'Should that happen, I know many will be demanding a second referendum and/or an extension to Article 50. 'I will fight tooth and nail against any such outcome. She urged MPs to back her Brexit withdrawal agreement which she agreed with EU leaders, such as Emmanuel Macron (pictured), earlier this year 'The people spoke in 2016, and Parliament must deliver.' Mrs May will this week embark on a fresh round of telephone calls with EU leaders as she seeks to secure a legally-binding declaration making the Northern Ireland 'backstop' time limited. Downing Street yesterday said the Prime Minister had 'been in touch with European counterparts over the break' but there was still work to do. MPs are due to debate the withdrawal agreement from next Wednesday before voting on it the following week. Having been forced to pull the vote in December in the face of almost certain defeat, Mrs May needs something fresh to offer her critics in the Tory ranks. In her message, Mrs May said: 'New Year is a time to look ahead and in 2019 the UK will start a new chapter. The Brexit deal I have negotiated delivers on the vote of the British people and in the next few weeks MPs will have an important decision to make. The Prime Minister said Brexit was not the only issue facing the country over the coming months 'If Parliament backs a deal, Britain can turn a corner. 'The referendum in 2016 was divisive but we all want the best for our country and 2019 can be the year we put our differences aside and move forward together, into a strong new relationship with our European neighbours and out into the world as a globally trading nation.' The Prime Minister said Brexit was not the only issue facing the country: 'By agreeing a good Brexit deal, we can focus our energy on those things strengthening our economy and opening up new markets for our businesses to create new jobs and opportunities across the UK, building the housing our country needs so everyone can have a home of their own, and transforming technical education so everyone gains the skills they need to get on. 'Our long-term plan for the NHS will put a record investment into our most precious public service so it is there for us when we need it. Mrs May pledged extra funding for the NHS and for homebuilding if MPs get behind her deal 'We will introduce a new skills-based immigration system to replace freedom of movement, and by protecting and enhancing our natural environment, we will make Britain a healthier place.' Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster used her New Year message to warn the PM that she will need to get significant changes to the withdrawal agreement. Mrs Foster, whose party is in a confidence and supply arrangement with the Conservative Government, said: 'The Prime Minister has promised to get changes to the legally binding withdrawal agreement. 'We will be holding her to that commitment and we will work with the Government to achieve a better deal. 'We are very mindful that any deal will bind the hands of future governments and prime ministers therefore the legal text must be watertight.' As Vicky Green cuddles her newborn twins, she cannot believe that she has made medical history. Amazingly her twins were born nearly two weeks apart. Miss Green gave birth first to Presley, who weighed just 1lb 8oz, when she was 26 weeks pregnant. But then her labour stopped, keeping his twin sister Paisley inside her womb. Finally she gave birth by caesarean to Paisley 12 days later. She weighed 2lb 8oz. Vicky Green (pictured) gave birth first to Presley (pictured right), who weighed just 1lb 8oz, when she was 26 weeks pregnant and then Paisley (pictured left) 12 days later And now they have have the record as the longest time apart for twins to be born in England. Miss Green, who has finally brought her babies home from hospital, said: 'I couldn't believe it when one was born and the other stayed inside. I just had to hope and pray they would survive.' Miss Green, 32, a teaching assistant at a special needs school in Manchester, and partner Darren Bradshaw, had only found out she was pregnant four weeks earlier. She said: 'My monthly periods had stopped but I just put it down to stress. Then I did a pregnancy test.' But there was another shock in store as a scan also showed she was carrying twins. She said: 'I couldn't believe it. I hadn't had a baby bump at all by this stage. Doctors said that it was because both the twins had been lying back against my spine.' Miss Green had two weeks to get used to the idea of twins before she went into premature labour. Doctors at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, tried to stop her labour but could not and Presley was born. Presley, pictured left, and Paisley were born at St Marys Hospital in Manchester, twelve days apart Miss Green said: 'Presley was just so incredibly tiny, but right from the start he has been such a fighter.' After his birth, her labour contractions stopped before she could give birth to her second twin and she was sent home. She said: 'It was a really strange sensation I'd just given birth to one baby who was at the hospital, and then I still had another baby inside me.' Doctors had decided to leave the second twin as she was showing no signs of distress. But 12 days after Presley's arrival, they decided to deliver the second baby because Miss Green had developed a potentially life threatening infection. The twins stayed in hospital while they grew stronger and now, at five months, have been allowed home. Miss Green said: 'They are doing incredibly well and they are gaining weight each day.' Sajid Javid performed a humiliating U-turn yesterday in the Channel migrant crisis. Already forced to cut short his safari holiday, the Home Secretary has now bowed to pressure from Tory MPs to recall two ships to British waters. He had previously insisted the move was a risk and aides repeatedly rejected the idea, saying it might encourage more migrants to make the dangerous crossing. Home Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured outside his home in London this morning) has battled through a chastening fortnight including the Gatwick drone fiasco and the migrant crisis Mr Javid arrives home from his holiday to South Africa this morning (left), before leaving shortly after (right) to deal with the migrant crisis His about-face means that two Border Force cutters will be brought back from the Mediterranean to bolster the lone ship on patrol in the Straits of Dover. At least 139 migrants have been caught crossing from France over the festive period. As MPs called for more to be done to bring the crisis under control: Another 12 people claiming to be Iranians, including a child of ten, arrived on the Kent coast yesterday; It emerged that anyone picked up in English waters will be brought to the UK; The Border Force cutter off the Kent coast deactivated its location beacon amid fears that migrants have used a smartphone app to track and avoid the vessel; A senior French politician said there were no organised sea patrols off Calais and surveillance was pitifully inadequate; Iranians are said to know they will not be sent home because of their countrys human rights record; Migrants claimed that around ten people a night are still getting into Britain in the back of lorries crossing the Channel. Home Secretary Sajid Javid speaking to the media at the Home Office in London about the issue of migrants crossing the Channel A rigid-hulled inflatable boat (pictured) was found on the beach near Dungeness this morning Mr Javid yesterday held crisis talks in Whitehall after cutting short his family safari holiday in South Africa. Speaking after a meeting with senior officials from the National Crime Agency and Border Force, he said: I have made a decision today to redeploy two of the Border Forces 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. The inflatable was stocked with items apparently intended to help the passengers endure the perilous crossing Mr Javid said about 230 migrants had sought to cross the Channel in December, although just under half of them were disrupted by the French and never left the their coast. The Home Secretary said that as well as deploying the cutters, efforts are being stepped up to return migrants to France. He also promised that covert action would be taken on the other side of the Channel to disrupt smuggling rings as part of improved cooperation with French authorities. The latest group of migrants landed shortly after 8am today at Greatstone, near Lydd-on-Sea However, Mr Javid confirmed that anyone picked up in English waters would, at least initially, be brought to the UK to have their asylum claim heard. Under international maritime law, the Channel is divided in half for search and rescue operations. If migrants are picked up in the UK half, then they are usually taken to Britain. But if they are picked up on the French side, then they are usually taken to France. Appearing before a committee of MPs in November, the Home Secretary had said: I have thought about: do we bring back one of the cutters we have in the Mediterreanean and put it to work in the Channel? That becomes a humanitarian and rescue mission and we have seen the risk in other countries that that can encourage more people to try and cross the Channel. Charlie Elphicke, the Tory MP for Dover and Deal, last night welcomed Mr Javids announcement but warned more action must be taken. He said: This makes it even more important we put renewed pressure on the French government to play their role in tackling this crisis, preventing these crossings from happening at all. I have written to the Home Secretary asking him to visit me in Dover and meet those on the frontline in dealing with this issue. 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 British Red Cross chief executive Mike Adamson last night urged the Government to provide migrants with safe alternatives to risking the Channel crossing. He said: People only attempt perilous journeys like crossing the Channel because they are desperate. It is deeply concerning that men, women and children feel they have no choice but to put their lives at risk in their search for a safe place to live. Ben Bano, of migrant support group Seeking Sanctuary, told the BBC: We have to hold on to the fact that people, however desperate they are, are our brothers and sisters in humanity. Thats what we have to remind people about and they are refugees unless proved otherwise. n Britain has only five high-speed cutters to patrol 7,723 miles of coastline, while Italy has 600 vessels to cover 4,722 miles; Meanwhile, former international development secretary Priti Patel called on ministers to use more of the 14billion foreign aid budget to deal with the crisis, which she claimed had for too long been ignored. She said: The migrant crisis requires significant leadership so that we demonstrate once again that we are in control of our security, as well as being absolutely firm with other countries that need to be taking on their responsibilities. We use our leadership to influence other countries, we should do that more to make sure that France and other EU countries are not just foisting people by passing them on. We have many levers in terms of safeguarding our borders through the use of patrol boats, through military assets if required, but also deploying our ODA [official development assistance] budget in the right kind of way to stop migrants fleeing their countries in the first instance. Since the end of the Second World War, there have been few more momentous years in British history than 2019 promises to be. We will be leaving the European Union, and I, like millions of others around the UK, have faith that Britain will flourish outside it. The British people voted to leave a union that had too much say on the direction of this country, and as parliamentarians, we are responsible for delivering on this mandate. As a proud Brexiteer, I am confident the Prime Ministers deal delivers on the referendum result. We should not underestimate how challenging the negotiating process has been and how hard our negotiators have fought for the UKs interests. At every turn we were reminded of the things we would never get. That we were fanciful, and what we wanted did not exist. Look how far weve come. Andrea Leadsom recently warned rebel MPs over the dangers of voting against Mrs May's deal The EU wanted the whole withdrawal agreement to be overseen by the Court of Justice of the EU. But we have now agreed it will be overseen by a political joint committee and, if that fails, an independent panel. We were told the divorce bill would cost us more than 100billion, but we have agreed to pay less than half of that, between 35billion and 39billion, much of which is to secure an implementation period something UK businesses and citizens wanted. The EUs proposal for a backstop would have split the UKs customs territory, threatening our United Kingdom but the deal has maintained the integrity of our four nations. The EU said we would not be able to share security capabilities as a non-member state without free movement, and outside of the Schengen area. But the political declaration makes stronger commitments than the EU has with any other non-member state something that is clearly in all of our interests. These are profoundly important achievements we were told were impossible. But in the face of fierce opposition from some in the European Commission, and at home from those willing her to fail, these are things the Prime Minister has achieved. Her deal takes back control of our borders, our money and our laws. It provides greater trading opportunities for our fishermen and farmers, ends free movement, makes immigration fair to the whole world as well as to our own people, and ultimately gets us out of the single market and customs union. Theresa May's withdrawal agreement is to be debated in the Commons next week as the date for the vote draws nearer Particularly when we look at the alternatives, it is the best available compromise for the UK. So the Prime Minister is right to go back to the EU to seek legal and political assurances on the backstop. This is worth fighting for, if it delivers a deal we can all get behind. The free trade area negotiated by the Prime Minister is a key marker of this deals success. Nobody wants to see tariffs, fees or restrictions applying to essential goods. The EU is our biggest trading partner, and there is no doubt that continuing the freest possible trade with our European friends and neighbours is in the UKs interests. The deal is by no means perfect, but after two gruelling years of negotiations, it will result in the UK as the only major economy with such an open and cooperative relationship with the EU. Vitally, the Prime Ministers deal means we will in future be able to strike trade deals with countries right around the world. This provides the UK with huge economic opportunities. Developing economies around the world have expressed a keen interest in building closer ties with Britain, and this deal will enable us to tap into these emerging and fast growing markets. After thousands of hours of negotiations over the past two years, all of us in Parliament now face a choice. We can come together to support this deal, or we can throw the negotiations back into limbo and undermine our democracy. Should that happen, I know many will be demanding a second referendum and/or an extension to Article 50. I will fight tooth and nail against any such outcome. The people spoke in 2016, and Parliament must deliver. I hope we can all come together in the national interest to back this deal. The country wants us to get on with it, and I look forward to voting to do just that. A knife attack which saw two rail passengers and a policeman stabbed by a man shouting 'Allahu Akbar' is being treated as terrorism, Manchester police have said. Anti-terror officers raided the 25-year-old suspect's home in the Cheetham Hill area of the city today as they confirmed two of the victims will be in hospital 'for some time'. Neighbours of the property raided say they believe it is home to a Somali couple and four of their five children, who all moved to the UK from the Netherlands around 12 years ago. Footage of the aftermath of the 'frenzied' attack at Manchester's Victoria Station last night shows a man being pinned down by five police officers, with blood stains on the pavement. Another video shows the suspect shouting 'Allahu Akbar', meaning 'God is most great' in Arabic, as he was put in the back of a police van. He was also heard screaming: 'Long live the Caliphate', a reference to the enclave carved out by terror group ISIS. A witness said he also shouted: 'As long as you keep bombing other countries, this sort of s*** is going to keep happening.' A witness who considered jumping onto the tracks to escape the knifeman took this photo of the aftermath after two rail passengers and a policeman were stabbed last night Pictures of the aftermath show the suspect's trainer on the floor as an officer removes the knife. It is thought the attacker was armed with two knives Anti-terror police have raided a house in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester A number of people, thought to be the suspect's family, were led away by police this afternoon Police have been coming and going from the Cheetham Hill property, where neighbours say a Somali family have lived for 12 years Nousha Babaakachel, a neighbour of the home raided, said a Somali family live at the address. She said the couple have two sons are at university, one working at Manchester Airport and the youngest son is back in Somalia. They also have a daughter. Both parents attend a local mosque, Ms Babaakachel said. Witnesses to last night's events have praised the British Transport Police officer who was stabbed in the shoulder after 'bravely and immediately' confronting the attacker during a routine patrol. BTP Assistant Chief Constable Sean O'Callaghan said: 'I am incredibly proud of the four officers who were immediately on scene last night, detaining a man who was wielding a knife. 'They were fearless, running towards danger and preventing further harm coming to passengers. 'Unfortunately however, one of our police officers suffered a stab injury to their shoulder and we're all relieved that this is not more serious. It is good news that he has now been discharged from hospital, we are all wishing him a speedy recovery.' Prime Minister Theresa May said: 'My thoughts are with those who were injured in the suspected terrorist attack in Manchester last night. I thank the emergency services for their courageous response.' Home Secretary Sajid Javid tweeted on Tuesday evening: 'Just had an update from @TerrorismPolice about last night's ManchesterVictoria incident and their investigation. Can't praise police and emergency services response enough - swift and brave.' In footage, said to show the suspect being put in the back of a police van after his arrest, he can be heard shouting 'Allahu Akbar' It is understood the property is the last known address of the man being questioned by police A police officer stood guard outside the home, where a Somali family of seven are said to live A man and a woman were pictured receiving treatment after the incident on Monday evening A witness told the Daily Mirror: 'As soon as I heard the screaming they were running to the scene to protect everyone. They are heroes.' Police said a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody as his home is searched. They could not confirm whether he had previously been flagged to them. Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson said a couple in their 50s suffered multiple stab wounds in the 'frenzied' and 'random' attack around 9pm, during which the attacker wielded two knives. Mr Jackson said: 'We believe we have identified the man in custody. In fact we are currently searching an address in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester. 'We know the attacker arrived at the location and soon after he attacked two people, a man and a woman, who have suffered very serious injuries. Whilst serious, thankfully these are not life threatening.' Police have stepped up patrols in Manchester today in the wake of the terror attack Forensics experts have been working at the scene of the attack as part of the investigation Chief Constable's full statement on terror Manchester Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: 'Last night we experienced a horrific attack on people out to simply enjoy the New Year's Eve celebrations in Manchester. My thoughts are with the couple who are still being treated in hospital for their serious injuries and with the brave British Transport Police officer who was also stabbed during the attack. 'I know that the events last night will have affected many people and caused concern. That the incident happened so close to the scene of the terrorist attack on 22 May 2017 makes it even more dreadful. Let me give you the details of what happened last night. 'Just before 9pm the British Transport Police officers at Victoria Train Station responded to a man armed with a knife and swiftly detained him. The officers acted with incredible bravery in tackling the armed attacker at the busy Metrolink station and ensured he was immediately detained. He remains in custody here in Manchester. 'We are treating this as a terrorist investigation which is being led by counter terrorism officers with support from Greater Manchester Police. They were working throughout the night to piece together the details of what happened and to identify the man who was arrested. 'This detailed work will continue and we are currently searching an address in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester which is believed to be where the man had most recently been living. Our work will continue to ensure we get to the full facts of what happened and why it took place.' Advertisement The station where the attack unfolded is next to Manchester Arena, where suicide bomber Salman Abedi killed 22 people on May 22. The area was reopened after a cordon was lifted this morning. Witness Sam Clack, who came within touching distance of the attacker, said he heard the man shout 'Allah' as he launched the attack. Mr Clack, a BBC producer, was on a platform at Manchester Victoria railway station waiting for a tram home when he witnessed the attack. The 38-year-old said: 'I just heard this most blood-curdling scream and looked down the platform. What it looked like was a guy in his 60s with a woman of similar age and another guy all dressed in black. 'It looked like they were having a fight but she was screaming in this blood curdling way. I saw police in high-vis come towards him. 'He came towards me. I looked down and saw he had a kitchen knife with a black handle with a good, 12-inch blade. It was just fear, pure fear.' Mr Clack said police officers used a Taser and pepper spray before 'six or seven' officers jumped on the man and held him down. He said he heard the suspect saying: 'As long as you keep bombing other countries this sort of s*** is going to keep happening.' Mr Clack said it looked like both the man in his 60s and the woman with him had been stabbed, but both were conscious and were walked to a waiting ambulance. He said he also heard the knifeman shouting 'Allah' before and during the attack. Police appeared 'within seconds' and the knifeman backed down the platform towards where Mr Clack was standing alone. A close-up of a police officer at the scene shows the suspect's knife lying on the ground A discharged taser pictured on the platform alongside police restrained the suspect on Friday evening Mr Clack described how he feared the man would attack him. 'I just had a feeling in the pit of my stomach,' he said. 'Here's a man who's very agitated, angry, skittish. It appears he had already attacked someone. He had police coming towards him and he's coming towards me. 'I thought what I need to do is jump onto the tracks because next thing he's going to do is turn around and stab me. He's looking about, side to side and jumpy. 'At one point one of the police officers fired the Taser but it missed him. Then he got pepper sprayed and tasered and he want to the ground. 'The guy, his exact words were, he said: 'As long as you keep bombing other countries, this sort of s*** is going to keep happening'.' He added: 'It was scary. I have never been so scared in my life. Someone with a knife six to eight feet away, he had just stabbed someone. It was the proximity. 'It just highlights the fact that it can happen anywhere. It's just a guy with a knife on a platform. It can happen anywhere. Anyone can do it.' A police officer (right) could be seen bending down to pick up what appears to be a long knife and put it in an evidence bag as the attacker is restrained just a few feet away Police officers were quickly on the scene and one witness said he heard the knifeman shout 'Allah' A police sergeant in his 30s injured in the attack has been released from hospital, while the other two victims are currently receiving treatment. A British Transport Police spokesperson said the woman has injuries to her face and abdomen and the man has injuries to his abdomen, while a BTP officer has a stab wound in his shoulder - all of which are described as 'serious but not life-threatening'. In footage posted on Snapchat reportedly showing the suspect being put in the back of a police van, he can be heard shouting 'Allahu Akbar' as he is led away by officers. Another eyewitness, named only as Rebecca, told Mirror Online: 'I heard the most bloodcurdling scream I've ever heard and turned to see everyone running towards me. 'Some guy told me to run. 'Keep running' was all he kept saying - 'just keep running'. I jumped off the tram track and started to run down the tram lines and hid behind some concrete slabs under one of the arches. The Metrolink has been cordoned off and the station is currently shut down while police investigate the scene. Police worked quickly to cordon off the scene of the attack and Metrolink services have since been suspended as they investigate A view of the platform where the attack took place shows a discarded shoe lying on the ground Paramedic equipment was also left at the scene after emergency services attended The attack took place just a few hundred meters away from the Manchester Arena, scene of the deadly bombing in May 2017 which killed 23 revellers at an Ariana Grande concert. British Transport Police said in a statement: 'Officers are attending Manchester Victoria station following reports of a man wielding a knife. We received the call at 8.52pm on Monday, 31 December. 'A man has been detained and two members of the public, a man and a woman have been taken to hospital with knife injuries. 'A BTP officer is also receiving treatment for a stab wound to the shoulder. British Transport Police remain at the scene along with colleagues from Greater Manchester Police and the North West Ambulance Service.' Praise for bystanders who rushed to aid of Manchester stabbing victims A woman who went to the aid of a man and woman injured in a knife attack in Manchester last night has been praised online. Two train passengers and a policeman suffered knife wounds when a man shouting shouting 'Allahu Akbar' went on the rampage at Manchester Victoria station last night. Pictures from the scene show two of the victims, who are both in their 50s, being helped by two women police officers and members of the public. Social media users praised one of the women helping, saying the good actions of passers-by should receive as much attention as those of the attacker. Social media users have praised a woman seen with her arm around one of those injured in the Manchester knife attacks last night Former prosecutor Nazir Afzal was among those praising the woman's actions Former top prosecutor Nazir Afzal tweeted: 'Awful news but Manchester has shown how it responds to those who try to divide us 'The woman with hijab helping victims is far more reflective of Muslims than the idiot with a knife.' Another Twitter user from Manchester added: 'Reading reports about the Victoria Station attack and got to say the only photo that should go viral is of the Muslim lady wearing a hijab helping the victims. 'Good people exist. We can't let the actions of a few taint our view of the many.' Police have yet to say whether the knifings were a terrorist attack, although anti-terror police are investigating. A spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain said: 'Despite unverified speculation, it is unclear what the motives are behind this horrible attack. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, including a brave policeman. 'We hope the perpetrator is brought to justice. We must not allow this act to overshadow our hopes for a positive year ahead.' Advertisement ISIS urge British extremists to carry out 'horror and misery' UK attack during festive season by Larisa Brown, Middle East Correspondent for the Daily Mail Islamic State jihadists yesterday used encrypted apps to urge extremists in Britain to carry out a knife attack in Westminster during the festive season. They told members of closed groups on the encrypted Telegram messaging app to bring 'horror and misery' to non-believers over the New Year, it can be revealed. One image circulated showed a crowd of people outside Big Ben watching fireworks with a man carrying a bloodied knife. There was also a splatter of blood over the image of Parliament. In Arabic and also translated in English, it read: 'Hunt them O Muwahid (a believer in Allah).' It had chilling echoes of the Westminster terror attack in March 2017 when Briton Khalid Masood drove a car into pedestrians before fatally stabbing an unarmed police officer. Armed police patrolling through central London on Monday night as New Years Eve celebrations got underway In a separate document posted on the app, known for its use by terrorists, IS extremists explained in graphic detail who to target with a knife. The terror manual suggested targeting a 'drunken kafir (non-believer)' or someone 'in an alley close a night club or another place of debauchery'. 'It may also help to carry a baton or some kind of concealable blunt object, such as a baseball bat, to strike the victim's head', it said. This would immobilise him 'before cutting his throat or stabbing him in other lethal areas to finish him off', it recommended. The call to inflict bloodshed in Europe has significantly increased in recent days, with the group appearing to have a 'new energy', according to intelligence experts. The documents were circulated in closed groups on Telegram and intercepted by cyber intelligence company Global Intelligence Insight. They said most of the accounts are managed by individuals with extensive operational experience, both in recruitment and radicalisation. 'According to our analysis we have been seeing a growing increase in the level of threat that has been used,' a spokesman for the company said. There were also threats against the US, France, Italy and Spain in numerous languages including in Arabic, English and Russian. A Metropolitan Police boat patrols the River Thames as revellers wait for the start of fireworks on London's Embankment for the New Year celebrations Some of the Telegram groups have hundreds of members, others with just a few which are used for 'operational tasking'. They are also actively pushing and circulating old terror manuals from Rumiyah Magazine. These are urging extremists to inflict mass casualties with vans such as the one used in the London Bridge attack. Vasco Amador, CEO of GGII, who intercepted the terrorists communications, said: 'They are putting a lot of effort into increasing their online reach in order to stimulate terror attacks and recent trends in activity are greater than we have seen for some time. 'There are thousands of people interacting in theses communications channels all over the world and it is clear there are British supporters in there as well.' Philip Ingram MBE, a former Colonel in British military intelligence and chairman of GII, said there was a seeming 'new energy' in IS's online radicalisation efforts. He said: 'The volume of information that is circulating about how to carry out attacks, where to acquire weapons, how to manufacture explosives, how to maintain security, is huge. 'Extremist terrorism has not gone and the threats to Europe and the UK through 2019 will remain extremely high.' IS has nearly been defeated militarily in Syria and Iraq but many have fled to countries such as Afghanistan. There are fears battle-hardened jihadists could also try to return to the UK. 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. Scroll down for video 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. 2018'S DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARES Wave after wave of privacy scandals along with a seemingly neverending slew of hi-tech issues made 2018 a night for tech firms. The problems include: Facebook's role enabling the harvesting of our personal data for election interference High-tech tools for immigration crackdowns. Uber and Tesla were investigated for fatal self-driving car crashes 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. Advertisement 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. 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. Google CEO Sundar Pichai appears before the House Judiciary Committee to be questioned about the internet giant's privacy security and data collection, on Capitol Hill in Washington. 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.' FACEBOOK'S PRIVACY DISASTERS April 2020: Facebook hackers leaked phone numbers and personal data from 553 million users online. July 2019: Facebook data scandal: Social network is fined $5billion over 'inappropriate' sharing of users' personal information March 2019: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised to rebuild based on six 'privacy-focused' principles: Private interactions Encryption Reducing permanence Safety Interoperability Secure data storage Zuckerberg promised end-to-end encryption for all of its messaging services, which will be combined in a way that allows users to communicate across WhatsApp, Instagram Direct, and Facebook Messenger. December 2018: Facebook comes under fire after a bombshell report discovered the firm allowed over 150 companies, including Netflix, Spotify and Bing, to access unprecedented amounts of user data, such as private messages. Some of these 'partners' had the ability to read, write, and delete Facebook users' private messages and to see all participants on a thread. It also allowed Microsoft's search engine, known as Bing, to see the name of all Facebook users' friends without their consent. Amazon was allowed to obtain users' names and contact information through their friends, and Yahoo could view streams of friends' posts. September 2018: Facebook disclosed that it had been hit by its worst ever data breach, affecting 50 million users - including those of Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg. Attackers exploited the site's 'View As' feature, which lets people see what their profiles look like to other users. Facebook (file image) made headlines in March 2018 after the data of 87 million users was improperly accessed by Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy The unknown attackers took advantage of a feature in the code called 'Access Tokens,' to take over people's accounts, potentially giving hackers access to private messages, photos and posts - although Facebook said there was no evidence that had been done. The hackers also tried to harvest people's private information, including name, sex and hometown, from Facebook's systems. Zuckerberg assured users that passwords and credit card information was not accessed. As a result of the breach, the firm logged roughly 90 million people out of their accounts as a security measure. March 2018: Facebook made headlines after the data of 87 million users was improperly accessed by Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy. The disclosure has prompted government inquiries into the company's privacy practices across the world, and fueled a '#deleteFacebook' movement among consumers. Communications firm Cambridge Analytica had offices in London, New York, Washington, as well as Brazil and Malaysia. The company boasts it can 'find your voters and move them to action' through data-driven campaigns and a team that includes data scientists and behavioural psychologists. 'Within the United States alone, we have played a pivotal role in winning presidential races as well as congressional and state elections,' with data on more than 230 million American voters, Cambridge Analytica claimed on its website. The company profited from a feature that meant apps could ask for permission to access your own data as well as the data of all your Facebook friends. The data firm suspended its chief executive, Alexander Nix (pictured), after recordings emerged of him making a series of controversial claims, including boasts that Cambridge Analytica had a pivotal role in the election of Donald Trump This meant the company was able to mine the information of 87 million Facebook users even though just 270,000 people gave them permission to do so. This was designed to help them create software that can predict and influence voters' choices at the ballot box. The data firm suspended its chief executive, Alexander Nix, after recordings emerged of him making a series of controversial claims, including boasts that Cambridge Analytica had a pivotal role in the election of Donald Trump. This information is said to have been used to help the Brexit campaign in the UK. Advertisement 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. FILE - This Jan. 17, 2017, file photo shows a Facebook logo being displayed in a start-up companies gathering at Paris' Station F, in Paris. We may remember 2018 as the year in which 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. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File) 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. HOW DID AN UBER AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE HIT AND KILL A WOMAN IN ARIZONA? A self-driving Uber vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in the first death involving a fully autonomous test vehicle on March 19, 2018. The accident prompted the ride-hailing company to suspend road-testing of such cars in the US and Canada. The Volvo SUV was in self-driving mode with a human back-up operator behind the wheel in Tempe when a woman walking a bicycle was hit. Elaine Herzberg, 49, died in hospital. Police have said that the victim, 49 year old Elaine Herzberg, stepped out in front of the car suddenly and they do not believe the car was to blame. Uber suspended its self-driving vehicle testing in the Phoenix area, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto. The testing has been going on for months as car makers and technology companies compete to be the first with cars that operate on their own. Uber's self-driving car crash that led to the death of a mother-of-two could have been avoided, driverless vehicle experts have claimed. Cortica, a firm that develops artificial intelligence for autonomous vehicles, has analysed the dash cam video. The company concludes the car, which failed to brake or swerve before the collision, had enough time to react and potentially save Ms Herzberg's life. Speaking to CNET, Cortica's CEO Igal Raichelgauz said the firm's self-driving AI system detected Ms Herzberg 0.9 seconds before impact. At this point the car was around 50 feet (15 metres) away. He said the autonomous car's cameras and radar system should have had enough time to pick up the pedestrian and react to the situation. Driverless cars are fitted with a system of cameras, radar and lidar sensors that allow them to 'see' their surroundings and detect traffic, pedestrians and other objects. An AI computer system then decides what actions the car takes to avoid a collision - a setup that is supposed to work as well at night as during the day. A top executive for the maker of Lidar sensors used on Uber's self-driving car said she was 'baffled' as to why the vehicle failed to recognise Ms Herzberg. Advertisement 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. FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2018, file photo, a mobile phone displays a user's travels using Google Maps in New York. 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. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) 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. 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. HOW CAN YOU FIND AND DELETE WHERE GOOGLE KNOWS YOU'VE BEEN? Even if you have 'Location History' off, Google often stores your precise location. Here's how to delete those markers and some best-effort practices that keep your location as private as possible. But there's no panacea, because simply connecting to the internet on any device flags an IP address that can be geographically mapped. Smartphones also connect to cell towers, so your carrier knows your general location at all times. To disable tracking on any device Fire up your browser and go to myactivity.google.com. You'll need to be logged into Google. On the upper left drop-down menu, go to 'Activity Controls.' Turn off both 'Web & App Activity' and 'Location History.' That should prevent precise location markers from being stored to your Google account. Google will warn you that some of its services won't work as well with these settings off. In particular, neither the Google Assistant, a digital concierge, nor the Google Home smart speaker will be particularly useful. On iOS If you use Google Maps, adjust your location setting to 'While Using' the app. This will prevent the app from accessing your location when it's not active. Go to Settings Privacy Location Services and from there select Google Maps to make the adjustment. In the Safari web browser, consider using a search engine other than Google. Under Settings Safari Search Engine, you can find other options like Bing or DuckDuckGo. You can turn location off while browsing by going to Settings Privacy Location Services Safari Websites, and turn this to 'Never.' This still won't prevent advertisers from knowing your rough location based on IP address on any website. You can also turn Location Services off to the device almost completely from Settings Privacy Location Services. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps will still work, but they won't know where you are on the map and won't be able to give you directions. Emergency responders will still be able to find you if the need arises. On Android Under the main settings icon click on 'Security & location.' Scroll down to the 'Privacy' heading. Tap 'Location.' You can toggle it off for the entire device. Use 'App-level permissions' to turn off access to various apps. Unlike the iPhone, there is no setting for 'While Using.' You cannot turn off Google Play services, which supplies your location to other apps if you leave that service on. Sign in as a 'guest' on your Android device by swiping down from top and tapping the downward-facing cursor, then again on the torso icon. Be aware of which services you sign in on, like Chrome. You can also change search engines even in Chrome. To delete past location tracking on any device On the page myactivity.google.com, look for any entry that has a location pin icon beside the word 'details.' Clicking on that pops up a window that includes a link that sometimes says 'From your current location.' Clicking on it will open Google Maps, which will display where you were at the time. You can delete it from this popup by clicking on the navigation icon with the three stacked dots and then 'Delete.' Some items will be grouped in unexpected places, such as topic names, google.com, Search, or Maps. You have to delete them item by item. You can wholesale delete all items in date ranges or by service, but will end up taking out more than just location markers. Advertisement '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.' Companies are starting to refuse physical cash as payment as the digital revolution makes notes and coins obsolete. Many firms around the world are beginning to shun cash in preference for a future dominated entirely by digital currency. Chain restaurants Sweetgreen and Dig Inn in the US have already stopped accepting cash at nearly all of their locations. The firms have joined many Starbucks and UK pubs in moving on from the paper notes and metal coins in favour of card and contactless payments. Bans on cash in the US have left some customers frustrated and authorities considering the need for legislation requiring companies to force them to accept it. Scroll down for video Companies are refusing to accept physical cash as payment. Many firms around the world are beginning to shun physical cash in preference of a future with entirely digital currency (stock) The concept of rejecting cash payments has become increasingly common around the world. In January, Starbucks in Seattle stopped accepting the form of payment and many pubs in the UK have the same approach. Drybar, a chain of blow-dry salons, has also turned its back on cash. Sam Schreiber, a 33-year-old customer, told the Wall Street Journal that this caused one customer difficulty when attempting to pay with $40 in notes. 'There was this beat of silence. She literally brought $40,' she said. Ms Schreiber offered to pay for the customer and have her transfer the money some other way to resolve the unfortunate situation. 'I said, 'I can just pay for her and she can give me cash or Venmo me''she says. 'I kind of wanted to be, like, I should get a free updo or something,' she says. 'I basically wasthe bank for them.' A traditional pub became the first in Britain to go cashless back in September. There are no tills at The Boot in Freston near Ipswich, Suffolk, and customers must pay by card or phone. There is no minimum spend per transaction. The 1530s pub had been derelict for nine years before new landlord Mike Keen took it on and it was refurbished. Mr Keen, 49, said: 'The benefits of going cashless are huge.' He said he researched other cashless businesses before opening and found few negatives. The landlord said some delis had gone cashless and at least one bar in Manchester, but no traditional pubs before The Boot. 'Cash has always been a pain,' he said. 'You've got problems with theft. 'The banks charge a fortune for you to pay cash in, they take a cut of everything you pay in. 'You have to organise change, go into town, park, queue up which is another security risk or pay a firm like Securicor to pick it up. 'The bottom line is so hard we have to take advantage where we can.' The concept of rejecting cash payments has become increasingly common around the world. In January, Starbucks in Seattle stopped accepting the form of payment and many pubs in the UK have the same approach (stock) He said the decision to go cashless means his insurance premiums are lower as cash is not kept on the premises. The pub, which has a 12-seater cinema in an outbuilding, is focused on food and Mr Keen said there was around a 60-40 split on food versus drink sales. He said card payments cost him up to 1.5 per cent per transaction. Sweden is leading the way for a cashless society but the country is being urged to keep producing physical cash by financial authorities. Half the nation's retailers are expected to completely reject cash by 2025. Financial authorities in the country are lobbying for the continued production of notes and coins until the government fully understands the ramifications of going completely cash-free. Young people and the elderly are likely to be the most at-risk to the eradication of physical cash as it is replaced with card and mobile payments. Sweden's central bank is experimenting with a central online currency, known as e-krona, to keep firm control of the money supply. 'When you are where we are, it would be wrong to sit back with our arms crossed, doing nothing, and then just take note of the fact that cash has disappeared,' said Stefan Ingves, governor of Sweden's central bank, known as the Riksbank. 'You can't turn back time, but you do have to find a way to deal with change.' Mike Keen, landlord of The Boot pub (pictured), said the benefits of going cashless are 'huge'. He said he researched other cashless businesses before opening and found few negatives Sweden is one of the world leaders in the adoption of emerging technology, with many adopting a progressive approach towards technology. A fifth of Swedes do not use automated teller machines and more than 4,000 natives have microchips embedded under their skin. These allow for personal data to be stored to replace and enable easy access to buildings, bank accounts, social media and even paying for food and rail tickets. Many businesses in the Scandinavian nation are now entirely cashless. Bills and coins represent just 1 per cent of the economy, compared with 10 per cent in Europe and 8 per cent in the United States, according to a report in the Financial Post. The revolution away from cash is startling among millenials and Gem z individuals as almost 95 per cent of their purchases are made via debit card or a smartphone app called Swish, a payment system set up by Sweden's biggest banks. A trial done by Ikea found that less than one per cent of all transactions used cash and yet employees were spending 15 per cent of their time taking, counting and handling it. Although the younger generations are embracing the change, the third of the country over the age of 55 and the immigrants in the nation are less willing to shun cash altogether. 'We need to pause and think about whether this is good or bad, and not just sit back and let it happen,' said Mats Dillen, the head of a Swedish Parliament committee studying the matter. 'If cash disappears, that would be a big change, with major implications for society and the economy.' WhatsApp users will soon be bombarded with adverts on the popular messaging site, despite vows from the platform to never use them. The decision to go back on the earlier promise comes as Facebook, who bought WhatsApp in 2014 for $18 billion, prepares to monetise the 'Status' feature. Status on WhatsApp is similar to a story on Instagram or Facebook as an update wich lasts for 24 hours. 'Status ads', according to WhatsApp vice president Chris Daniels, will soon be featured on the app. Scroll down for video WhatsApp users will soon be bombarded with adverts on the popular messaging site, despite vows from the platform to never use them (stock) Mr Daniels said earlier this year: 'We are going to be putting ads in 'Status'. 'That is going to be primary monetisation mode for the company as well as an opportunity for businesses to reach people on WhatsApp.' The prospect of adverts on the app has stirred up controversy with its users and its original owners. In a previous interview, WhatsApp founder Brian Acton said: 'Targeted advertising is what makes me unhappy. '[Facebook] represents a set of business practices, principles and ethics, and policies that I don't necessarily agree with. 'At the end of the day, I sold my company. I sold my users' privacy to a larger benefit.' WhatsApp's faithful users took to twitter to vent their frustration at the move. Some even suggested leaving the app behind as a result of Facebook's intervention and moving to rival app Telegram. WhatApp made a promise in 2012 that it would never introduce adverts. It said: 'Remember, when advertising is involved you the user are the product. 'Advertising isn't just the disruption of aesthetics, the insults to your intelligence and the interruption of your train of thought. WhatsApp's faithful users took to twitter to vent their frustration at the move. Some even suggested leaving the app behind as a result of Facebook's intervention and moving to rival app Telegram WhatsApp made a promise in 2012 that it would never introduce adverts. by going against this and breaking its vow it risks angering its users 'At every company that sells ads, a significant portion of their engineering team spends their day tuning data mining, writing better code to collect all your personal data, upgrading the servers that hold all the data and making sure it's all being logged and collated and sliced and packaged and shipped out. 'And at the end of the day the result of it all is a slightly different advertising banner in your browser or on your mobile screen.' 'These days companies know literally everything about you, your friends, your interests, and they use it all to sell ads. 'When we sat down to start our own thing together three years ago we wanted to make something that wasn't just another ad clearing house.' NASA has begun its final preparations for tonight's historic flyby of Ultima Thule a mysterious world with ties to the birth of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is set to fly past the mysterious object at 12:33 a.m. Tuesday, when it will become the most distant world ever explored by humankind. Lead scientist Alan Stern said Monday the team has worked years for this moment and now, 'it's happening!!'. Researchers later revealed the latest images of the object, revealing an elongated shape. Scroll down for video NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is set to fly past the mysterious object at 12:33 a.m. Tuesday, when it will become the most distant world ever explored by humankind. Researchers later revealed the latest images of the object, revealing an elongated shape. HOW TO TUNE INTO NASA'S LIVE EVENT NASA and the New Horizons team will be airing live events about the spacecraft's flyby on Monday, Dec. 31 and Tuesday, Jan. 1. These can be streamed on NASA TV and the APL's YouTube channel. It will also be broadcast across social media, with additional sites listed here. Monday, Dec. 31: 2pm press briefing, followed by Q&A Tuesday, Jan. 1: 12:15-12:45 EST: Live coverage of countdown to closest approach, with real-time flyby simulations 9:45 10:15 am EST: Live coverage of signal-acquisition 11:30 am 12:30 pm EST: Press briefing on spacecraft status, images, and data Additional briefings will be held at 2pm on Wednesday and Thursday to discuss the first batch of science results. Advertisement However, the drama will unfold 4 billion miles (6.5 billion kilometers) from Earth, so far away it will be 10 hours before flight controllers in Laurel, Maryland, know whether the spacecraft survived the close encounter. A guitar anthem recorded by legendary Queen guitarist Brian May - who also holds an advanced degree in astrophysics - will be released just after midnight to accompany a video simulation of the flyby, as NASA commentators describe the close pass. Real-time video of the actual flyby is impossible, since it takes more six hours for a signal sent from Earth to reach the spaceship, named New Horizons, and another six hours for the response to arrive. But if all goes well, the first images should be in hand by the end of New Year's Day. 'At closest approach we are going to try to image Ultima at three times the resolution we had for Pluto,' said Stern. 'If we can accomplish that it will be spectacular.' The flyby will be fast, at a speed of nine miles (14 kilometers) per second. Seven instruments on board will record high-resolution images and gather data about its size and composition. It's an event many years in the making and one that for a brief period appeared hobbled by the government shutdown but, in a last-minute stroke of good fortune, everything is now back on track for the space agency's live coverage next week. The New Horizons spacecraft is now just a little over 13 hours, from its faraway Kuiper Belt target, Ultima Thule a mysterious world with ties to the birth of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted the news Thursday night amid growing concerns about how the government shutdown would affect the New Horizons team's ability to reach the public. According to Bridenstine, 'the contract for these activities was forward funded,' meaning they could carry on as planned. The flyby will be fast, at a speed of nine miles (14 kilometers) per second. Seven instruments on board will record high-resolution images and gather data about its size and composition. Before the announcement, however, reporters were told there would be no media outreach from NASA, including its social media accounts and NASA TV effectively cutting the team's access to the agency's massive audience, which counts over 30 million followers on Twitter alone. A guitar anthem recorded by legendary Queen guitarist Brian May - who also holds an advanced degree in astrophysics - will be released just after midnight to accompany a video simulation of the flyby. Pictured, May at Mission Control. Though disappointed no doubt, the scientists pressed on with plans to broadcast on Facebook Live along with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab's website and social media. It would be a much smaller crowd, but they, and New Horizons, would nevertheless be making history. 'No one's crying, we're totally excited,' New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern told Dailymail.com prior to Bridenstine's surprise announcement. 'It's an amazing opportunity, we just have to go about it in a different way.' New Horizons' story begins nearly two decades ago, though the effort to send a spacecraft to Pluto started about 12 years earlier, Stern explains. The craft was born exactly 18 years ago, in December 2000, and a small team of about 50 individuals has been working on it ever since. Now that the NASA events are back on, excitement across social media has been through the roof. But, there's still much work to be done in the days ahead of the historic flyby. New Horizons has spent more than a decade hurtling through the solar system since it launched on Jan 19, 2006 and passed Pluto in 2015. Its messages take to reach us, despite them traveling at the speed of light 'We're pretty busy,' Stern told Dailymail.com. 'Right now we're navigating to the target, we are operating the spacecraft, we are analyzing the data that's coming back from it and then there's the public facing side. All of those things are going very well.' New Horizons, which is about the size of a baby grand piano, is expected to get within 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) of Ultima Thule. Now three years after its Pluto flyby, New Horizons will make its closest approach to Ultima Thule at 12:33 a.m. (EST) on January 1, though the great distance means it will be another 10 hours before mission scientists find out its fate WHAT IS ULTIMA THULE? The Kuiper Belt object was discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2014. Officially known as 2014 MU69, it got the nickname Ultima Thule in an online vote. In classic and medieval literature, Thule was the most distant, northernmost place beyond the known world. Ultima Thule might not be a single object. Scientists say it's possible it's two or many objects. An artist's impression is pictured When New Horizons first glimpsed the rocky iceball in August it was just a dot. Good close-up pictures should be available the day after the flyby. New Horizons will make its closest approach in the wee hours of Jan. 1 - 12:33 a.m. EST. Scientists speculate Ultima Thule could be two objects closely orbiting one another. If a solo act, it's likely 20 miles (32 kilometers) long at most. Envision a baked potato. 'Cucumber, whatever. Pick your favorite vegetable,' said astronomer Carey Lisse of Johns Hopkins. It could even be two bodies connected by a neck. If twins, each could be 9 miles to 12 miles (15 kilometers to 20 kilometers) in diameter. Scientists will map Ultima Thule every possible way. They anticipate impact craters, possibly also pits and sinkholes, but its surface also could prove to be smooth. -Associated Press Advertisement At 31,500 miles per hour (50,700 kph), this is a risky move; colliding with an object even as small as a grain of rice would be the end of New Horizons. But so far, all looks clear for the spacecraft's approach, with no sign of rings or moons in its path. Now three years after its Pluto flyby, New Horizons will make its closest approach to Ultima Thule at 12:33 a.m. (EST) on January 1, though the great distance means it will be another 10 hours before mission scientists find out its fate. Then, the data including the first images will begin to pile in. 'Immediately after the flyby we begin to dump the data,' Stern told Dailymail.com. 'But because of the distance of 6 billion kilometers, it's going to take us 20 months to get all the data back, because data transmission speed is slow from that distance. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft spotted its next flyby target earlier this year from more than 100 million miles away. In the image, Ultima is enveloped in countless stars, appearing as just a tiny speck amidst the bright spots. The yellow box shows its predicted location WHAT'S NEXT FOR NEW HORIZONS? While NASA has said goodbye to a few of its veteran craft recently, including Cassini and Kepler, New Horizons' work may not be ending any time soon. 'The spacecraft is very healthy, it has fueling power to go on for 15, 20 years,' Prinicipal Investigator Alan Stern told Dailymail.com. 'And, we'd like to do another flyby. We don't leave the Kuiper Belt until 2027, 2028. 'So after we get all the data, that's what we're going to do. Work on our next exploration phase. 'We're happy about this, it's an amazing piece of American workmanship this little spacecraft that's doing so well.' Advertisement 'We'll be sending back data about Ultima Thule for all of 2019 and most of 2020, until August or September,' Stern says. The first picture will get to Earth on the 1st, though this will only reveal Ultima's shape, Stern says. 'It will just be a few pixels, like a smudge,' Stern told Dailymail.com. Finer details are expected to come in the days to follow, with its surface features coming to light on the 3rd and 4th. 'All of next week, Ultima is going to go from a dot in the distance to a real world,' Stern says. As for what exactly they'll find in the data, Stern says it's best to just wait and see. At the moment, it's unclear whether Ultima Thule is a single object, a binary system, or a collection of many. But, what's certain is that it will be unlike anything humanity has achieved before. 'No one's been to anything like this not just this far out, but we've never been to an object born so long ago that's never been modified,' Stern said. 'So we'll just have to see. It's like digging a time piece out, from an archaeological dig, that's from four-and-a-half billion years ago. 'It's just mind-blowing to even think about the concept.' Researchers have revealed a radical AI system that can create a 'master key' for fingerprint, raising major questions over the security of phones and other devices that rely on them. Called 'DeepMasterPrints' researchers - who created the fake prints using a neural network - were able to mimic more than one in five fingerprints using their technique. The team from New York University and Michigan State University behind the system told CNBC it could unlock a 'reasonably large' number of phones just under a third. From unlocking smartphones to authorising payments, fingerprints are widely used to identify people. However, a team of researchers have now managed to accurately copy real fingerprints and created fake ones called 'DeepMasterPrints' (pictured) HOW DOES YOUR PHONE READ A FINGERPRINT? Fingerprint systems do not generally read the entire fingerprint but just record whichever part of it touches the scanner first. This means they're easier to fake than complete prints. For each finger stored in place of a password, the device keeps multiple images. If someone then uses their finger to unlock that device, they only need to match one of the partial fingerprint images on its security system. Advertisement They warn hackers could see the system as a lucrative way to make money. 'If every fifth phone works it would be a profitable scam,' they said. 'MasterPrints are real or synthetic fingerprints that can fortuitously match with a large number of fingerprints', researchers, led by Philip Bontrager from New York University, wrote in the paper presented at a security conference in Los Angeles. 'In this work we generate complete image-level MasterPrints known as DeepMasterPrints, whose attack accuracy is found to be much superior than that of previous methods.' The method, which is called Latent Variable Evolution, is created by training a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) on real fingerprint images. Fingerprint systems do not generally read the entire fingerprint but just record whichever part of it touches the scanner first, writes the Guardian. This means they're easier to fake than complete prints. The GAN created multiple fake fingerprints that matched real ones enough to trick the scanner as well as the human eye. Researchers found it was able to imitate more than one in five fingerprints when a bionic system should only have an error rate of one in a thousand. For each finger stored in place of a password, the device keeps multiple images. If someone then uses their finger to unlock that device, they only need to match one of the partial fingerprint images on its security system. 'If you store images for three of your fingers the device may keep around 30 partial fingerprints,' the researchers said. 'With MasterPrints you just have to create a few -b five or ten and I'm in business.' GANs 'teach' an algorithm about a particular subject - in this case fingerprints - by feeding it massive amounts of information. GANs consists of two neural networks that learn from looking at raw data. One looks at the raw data (fingerprints) while the other generates fake images based on the data set. The GAN created multiple fake fingerprints that matched real ones enough to trick the scanner as well as the human eye. Researchers found it was able to imitate more than one in five fingerprints when a bionic system should only have an error rate of one in a thousand. Researchers - who created the fake prints using a neural network - were able to mimic more than one in five fingerprints (stock image) 'The underlying method is likely to have broad applications in fingerprint security as well as fingerprint synthesis', researchers wrote. They hope their research will help develop more secure authentication systems in the future. 'Experiments with three different fingerprint matchers and two different datasets show that the method is robust and not dependent on the artefacts of any particular fingerprint matcher or dataset. 'This idea is surprisingly under-explored and could be useful in computational creativity research as well as other security domains', researchers found. Advertisement A radical new mini space shuttle has been given the go-ahead by NASA. Called the Dream Chaser, its maker Sierra Nevada Corp hopes it could begin to deliver cargo to the International Space Station beginning in 'late 2020'. Now, NASA has given the go-ahead for full production of the craft to begin following a series of tests. Scroll down for video Called the Dream Chaser, its maker Sierra Nevada Corp hopes it could begin to deliver cargo to the International Space Station beginning in 'late 2020'. The Dream Chaser will perform at least six missions to provide cargo resupply, disposal and return services to the International Space Station under NASA's CRS-2 contract. '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, the program director for CRS-2 at SNC, said. 'We are one step closer to the Dream Chaser spacecraft's first orbital flight.' The Dream Chaser will perform at least six missions to provide cargo resupply, disposal and return services to the International Space Station under NASA's CRS-2 contract. It will blast into orbit on top of a United Launch Alliance's Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and will land at Kennedy Space Center on a standard runway. '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,' said Fatih Ozmen, co-owner and CEO of SNC. Many critical parts of the orbital vehicle are already complete, built and being tested, including major structural components, thermal protection system tiles and avionics hardware, the firm says, With the success of IR4, these components are now being integrated into the orbital vehicle assembly at SNC's Space Systems facilities in Louisville, CO. The Dream Chaser will perform at least six missions to provide cargo resupply, disposal and return services to the International Space Station under NASA's CRS-2 contract. Pictured, the shuttle docked at the ISS It will blast into orbit on top of a United Launch Alliance's Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and will land at Kennedy Space Center on a standard runway. The spacecraft delivers up to 5,500kg (~12,100lbs) of pressurized and unpressurized cargo and returns over 1,850 kg (~4,000lbs) of cargo with a gentle runway landing. The spacecraft also provides approximately 3,400kg (~7,400 lbs) of disposal capability each mission via the cargo module, which burns up in the atmosphere after separation from the Dream Chaser winged vehicle. Last year a test version of a 'mini space shuttle' has soared over the Mojave Desert in a major step forward for the mini shuttle. Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser was carried to an altitude of 10,000 feet by the civilian version of the Army's CH-47 Chinook, and then dropped to glide to the ground and land on a runway at Edwards Air Force Base in a test of its autonomous landing systems. The uncrewed Dream Chaser made a smooth landing at Edwards Air Force Base during the free-flight test at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, NASA officials said in a statement Spot the shuttle: Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser was carried to an altitude of 10,000 feet by the civilian version of the Army's CH-47 Chinook, and then dropped to glide to the ground and land on a runway at Edwards Air Force Base in a test of its autonomous landing systems. The mini shuttle made a perfect lading at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The Dream Chaser is preparing to deliver cargo to the International Space Station beginning in 2020. The data that SNC gathered from this test campaign will help influence and inform the final design of the cargo Dream Chaser, which will fly at least six cargo delivery missions to and from the space station by 2024. The testing is designed to validate the aerodynamic properties, flight software and control system performance of the Dream Chaser. 'The Dream Chaser had a beautiful flight and landing!' Sierra Nevada representatives said. Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser craft was lifted off the ground at 7:21 a.m., at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, California The Dream Chaser is being developed to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station without a crew aboard. Earlier this year it was lifted by a helicopter in a precursor to a free flight in which it will be released to autonomously land on a runway as it would in a return from orbit. With the addition of life-support equipment, a Dream Chaser could transport a crew of seven. 'Fans disconsolate after retirement of NASA's shuttle fleet can take heart: The next generation in reusable space vehicles is set to debut,' NASA has said. THE SPACE SHUTTLE: AMERICA'S LONGEST RUNNING SPACE EXPLORATION PROGRAMME The Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on Mission STS-29, March 13,1989 Born with Columbia, it was NASA's longest-running space exploration programme. Atlantis was launched in 1985. The next-to-youngest in Nasa's fleet remains at Kennedy Space Center as a museum display. This grand finale came 50 years to the day that Gus Grissom became the second American in space, just half a year ahead of Glenn. Atlantis - the last of Nasa's three surviving shuttles to retire - performed as admirably during descent as it did throughout the 13-day flight. A full year's worth of food and other supplies were dropped off at the space station, just in case the upcoming commercial deliveries get delayed. The international partners - Russia, Europe, Japan - will carry the load in the meantime. Not all 1,333 days in space have been a success, however. Two of the shuttles - Challenger and Columbia - were destroyed, one at launch, the other during the ride home. Fourteen lives were lost. Yet each time, the shuttle programme persevered. The decision to cease shuttle flight was made seven years ago, barely a year after the Columbia tragedy. President Barack Obama put paid to President George W. Bush's lunar goals, however, opting instead for astronaut expeditions to an asteroid and Mars. The space shuttle was sold to America as cheap, safe and reliable. It was none of those. It cost $196billion over 40 years, ended the lives of 14 astronauts and managed to make less than half the flights promised. Nasa's first space shuttle flight was in April 1981. Now Atlantis has landed, it and the other two remaining shuttles are officially museum pieces - more expensive than any paintings. The total price tag for the programme was more than twice the $90billion Nasa originally calculated. Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station in September 2006. But as a mistake it is one that paid off in wildly unexpected ways that weren't about money and reliability. Former president George Bush Sr said: 'The discoveries it enabled, the international co-operation it fostered and the knowledge it gained - often at great human cost - has also contributed in countless, important ways to humanity and our common progress.' Mr Bush oversaw the programme's early days as vice-president, a job that has traditionally included supervising Nasa. University of Colorado science policy professor Roger Pielke Jr., who studies shuttle costs and policies, said there are probably other ways the U.S. could have spent several billion dollars a year on a human space programme and gained more. When the shuttle succeeded, it did so in a spectacular way. But its failures were also large and tragic. Seven astronauts died when Challenger exploded about a minute after launch in 1986 and seven more died when Columbia burned up as it returned to Earth in 2003. Last-ditch appeals to keep shuttles flying by such Nasa legends as Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong and Mission Control founder Christopher Kraft landed flat. Advertisement In January 2016 SNC was one of three companies awarded contracts to ferry cargo from 2019 through 2024 to the International Space Station (ISS). The company also touts the spacecraft's flexibility in remote sensing, satellite servicing, and even 'active debris removal,' otherwise known as space-trash cleanup. A second round of Dream Chaser flight tests at NASA's Armstrong Research Center is slated to continue through the end of the 2017 calendar year. The test campaign will help SNC validate the aerodynamic properties, flight software and control system performance of the Dream Chaser. Shown alongside the shuttle Atlanta in this artist's impression, the Dream Chaser will return It is being prepared to deliver cargo to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS2) contract beginning in 2019. The data that SNC gathers from this test campaign will help influence and inform the final design of the cargo Dream Chaser, which will fly at least six cargo delivery missions to and from the space station by 2024. How the Dreamchaser Will work: Each craft can be reused 15 times. Last year NASA announced Sierra Nevada Corp. will join SpaceX and Orbital ATK in launching cargo to the International Space Station. These flights, yet to be finalized, will run through 2024, and marks a second chance for the Nevada-based company, which is developing a mini shuttle called Dream Chaser. Sierra Nevada competed for NASA's commercial crew contract, but lost out in 2014 to SpaceX and Boeing. Like SpaceX, Sierra Nevada plans to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft will be able to land back on Earth, like the shuttle, and bring back science experiments and other items from the station. Sierra Nevada Corporation has delivered its Dream Chaser spacecraft to Edwards Air Force Base ahead of its 2019 missions to supply cargo to the International Space Station. It is being prepared to deliver cargo to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS2) contract beginning in 2019. Recent launch accidents by SpaceX and Orbital prompted Nasa to pick a third vendor, for increased flexibility. Orbital launched from Wallops Island, Virginia, until a launch explosion in 2014. SpaceX experienced its own launch failure last summer Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser 'shuttle' will join SpaceX and Orbital ATK in launching cargo to the International Space Station. The spacecraft will be able to land back on Earth, like the shuttle, and bring back science experiments and other items from the station. NASA awarded its first commercial resupply contracts in 2008. The first flight was in 2012. A seemingly harmless internet fad has been hit by a data leak that may make you think twice before uploading your selfie. Popsugar developed a photo-matching app, called Twinning, that lets users upload a photo of themselves to a database, which then generates a celebrity look-a-like. Unfortunately for its hundreds of thousands of users, the photos can be publicly accessed via a storage bucket hosted on Amazon Web Services, according to TechCrunch. Scroll down for video Popsugar developed a photo-matching app, called Twinning, that matches users to their celebrity lookalike. Unfortunately, the photos are publicly accessible via code on their site Popsugar first launched the Twinning app in February, but it saw an uptick in usage again over the past few weeks. After a photo is uploaded, the app gives users a 'twinning percentage' along with a list of their top five celebrity lookalikes. 'You might pair with a famous politician, an old-school Hollywood starlet, or a reality TV personality, and the results will vary based on which photo you upload,' the website states. What Popsugar doesn't mention, however, is that code on its website would allow a savvy user to easily access that storage bucket and, by extension, every selfie uploaded to it. The twinning photos can be publicly accessed via a storage bucket hosted on Amazon Web Services. Not long after the flaw was discovered, the storage bucket was made private The flaw in the database meant that users who chose not to share their results on social media had their selfies made public anyway. They could also be viewed via Google search That means that even users who elected not to share their results on social media had their selfies made public anyway. What's more, a simple Google search reveals many unsuspecting users' selfies that were uploaded to the service. Not long after TechCrunch spotted the flaw, Popsugar made the storage bucket private. The company later confirmed that the issue was due to the bucket permissions not being set up correctly, according to TechCrunch. While the storage bucket permissions have been resolved, that likely won't ease the concerns of users whose photos are still publicly accessible in Google images Popsugar first launched the Twinning app in February, but it saw an uptick in usage again over the past few weeks. The permissions flaw in the storage bucket have since been resolved While the storage bucket permissions have been resolved, that likely won't ease the concerns of users whose photos are still publicly accessible in Google images. The incident caps off a year filled with privacy scandals that hit the likes of Facebook, Google and other Silicon Valley giants. As many have pointed out since, it highlights the risks of sharing our data with seemingly innocuous services, as it's always unclear how our information will be handled, or in this case, mishandled. Ugly interior design, interplanetary 'jetlag' and personality clashes are among the problems hampering humanity's efforts to settle on Mars, experts say. The technical challenges of reaching the Red Planet - and getting the crew home - are massive, but experts met in London last week to consider the social and psychological obstacles. Examples raised at the meeting included a fall-out over the colour of paint inside a remote base, and a claim that up to half of crews do not 'get along' on space missions. Scroll down for video Ugly interior design, interplanetary 'jetlag' and personality clashes are among the problems hampering humanity's efforts to settle on Mars, experts say. Pictured, Matt Damon in The Martian. The event was funded by the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Space Challenge, and the meeting's recommendations will be sent to the project as it works towards human settlement in space. 'The biggest hurdles to Mars settlement are not technical but psychological,' said meeting organiser Dr Federico Caprotti, of the University of Exeter. 'Long-range missions raise psychological questions that current knowledge in space science cannot answer. 'For example, the International Space Station enables a quick return and therefore a sense of psychological closeness to the Earth. 'Mars does not allow this, and that brings a risk of intense pressure. 'There is also the issue of interplanetary 'jetlag'. The journey could take about 400 days - though experimental plasma engines could speed this up. 'The psychological effects of a journey that long, combined with the lack of real-time communications with Earth as signals take four to 24 minutes could be huge.' Pre-mission psychological tests are used in selecting crews, but these are not always effective in determining whether individuals will work well together. One of the experts at the meeting, who had been involved in planning multiple space missions, said that - despite these tests - 40% to 50% of crews could not 'get along' once in space. The technical challenges of reaching the Red Planet - and getting the crew home - are massive, but experts met in London last week to consider the social and psychological obstacles. 'That would be a major problem on a 400-day return journey and the intervening mission on Mars,' said Dr Steven Palmer, of the University of Exeter, who has worked on both space research and in the Antarctic. 'We also heard about a mission in a remote location on Earth where someone painted some walls in a colour others didn't like - and this caused resentment and damaged team cohesion. 'Many people think a Mars mission should be manned by 'natural leaders', but organisations like the British Antarctic Survey have found that you need people who can compromise.' The meeting brought together experts from fields including astrophysics, geography, innovation and ethics. Advertisement A full turnout would be no miracle at these tiny churches, some of which are so minuscule they don't even have room for an altar. Here we present some of Britain's smallest places of worship, including a dinky cliffside chapel in Pembrokeshire and a stone church in North Wales measuring just 11 feet by eight. Scroll down to see the perfect places to say a little prayer... St Govan Chapel, Bosherston, Pembrokeshire St Govan Chapel in Pembrokeshire, which is named after a 6th century monk, is set on a cliffside overlooking the coastline The tiny building houses a basic stone altar and the interiors are carpeted with patches of moss. There is much debate over how old the structure is, with some experts suggesting it dates back to the 10th century, or even earlier St Govan Chapel in Pembrokeshire, which is named after a 6th century monk, is set on a cliffside overlooking the dramatic coastline. The enchanting place of worship is accessed via a flight of worn stone steps. The tiny building houses a basic stone altar and the interiors are carpeted with patches of moss. There is much debate over how old the structure is, but the current chapel is thought to have been built between the 13th and 14th centuries, but some say it dates to the 10th century, or even earlier. In medieval times people would trek to the structure on pilgrimage, with a holy well (now dried up) offering a cure for everything from bad eyesight to back complaints. The church is associated with various tales and myths. According to legend St Govan escaped brigands by slipping through a fissure that opened in the cliffside and built the chapel when he emerged. It's said that his hand prints are imprinted on the floor and that his body is buried under the altar. Opening hours: Open everyday. St Trillo, Rhos on Sea, Clwyd St Trillo in North Wales is a top contender for Britain's smallest church with seats for just six people The tiny stone-roofed building measures around 11 feet by eight feet and it boasts walls that are two feet thick St Trillo in North Wales measures around 11 feet by eight feet and has seats for just six people. The tiny stone-built church, which dates to the early 16th century, has stood the test of time thanks to sturdy walls that are two feet thick. The small altar stands over a natural spring, thought to have been an ancient holy well, and the water is still used to this day for baptisms. Opening hours: Open everyday. St Andrew Old Church, Upleatham, Yorkshire Dinky St Andrew Old Church in Yorkshire measures around 20 feet by 13 feet Dinky St Andrew Old Church in Yorkshire is the remnants of a larger structure. The building measures around 20 feet by 13 feet and it is thought the foundations could date as far back as the 9th century. There have been various excavations around the site with findings ranging from shards of 13th century pottery to a well-preserved 14th century effigy of a knight. Opening hours: The church is now unused and locked, although the churchyard is open. Bremilham Church, Cowage, Wiltshire Bremilham Church in Wiltshire is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as Britain's smallest church at just 13 feet by 11 feet The seats pictured here have been replaced with a four-seater pew Bremilham Church in Wiltshire is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as Britain's smallest church at just 13 feet by 11 feet. It has one pew to seat four and there is no room for an altar. One service is held a year and despite its tiny size, the church still attracts quite a crowd with attendees spilling out into the grassy yard. The building is the surviving part of a 15th century church and it is Grade II listed. For a time it was used for keeping turkeys in by a local farmer until the current owners restored it for its intended use. Opening hours: The church must be contacted before visiting. St James, Fordon, Yorkshire St James is said to be the smallest active church in Yorkshire, with just two small structures making up the building St James is said to be the smallest active church in Yorkshire, with just two small structures making up the building. The place of worship - which was also thought to have been used as a hideout by smugglers at one time - dates from the Norman period, with a mix of original features still intact. A highlight is a rustic organ near the pulpit, which features beautiful carvings and is thought to date from the 18th century. Opening hours: Access can be arranged with 24 hours' notice. St Faith, Farmcote, Gloucestershire The small chapel of St Faith in Gloucestershire incorporates Saxon and Norman designs Interesting features include spectacular stained glass windows, a Jacobean canopied oak pulpit, oak benches dated from 1597, fine altar rails from the 17th century and a 15th century altar St Faith in Gloucestershire incorporates Saxon and Norman architectural design. The small chapel houses huge wooden cross beams, which still bear the axe marks of pillagers. Other interesting features include spectacular stained glass windows, a Jacobean canopied oak pulpit, oak benches dating from 1597, fine altar rails from the 17th century and a 15th century altar. Opening hours: Open everyday. St Ethelburga the Virgin, Bishopsgate, City of London St Ethelburga the Virgin is one of the few surviving medieval City churches in London The chapel (its rooftop seen above) was first formally recorded in 1250 as the church of St Adelburga the Virgin but it's thought the foundations date back further St Ethelburga the Virgin is one of the few surviving medieval City churches in London. It was first formally recorded in 1250 as the church of St Adelburga the Virgin but it's thought the foundations date back even earlier. It suffered minor bomb damage during World War II and was almost destroyed by an IRA bomb in 1993. There was a proposal to demolish the building after the event, but after much public outcry it was rebuilt and formally reopened by Prince Charles in 2002. Opening hours: Open everyday. Good Shepherd, Lullington, Sussex Good Shepherd, which dates from the 13th century and is surrounded by countryside, is the smallest church in Sussex The neat stone building measures 16 feet square, and seats about 20. There is no electricity and evening services are conducted by candlelight Good Shepherd, which dates from the 13th century and is surrounded by countryside, is the smallest church in Sussex. The neat stone building measures 16 feet square, and seats about 20. There is no electricity and evening services are conducted by candlelight, with songs of worship accompanied by a pump organ. Opening hours: Open daily from 9am to 5pm. St Beuno, Culbone, Somerset St Beuno in Somerset is set in a wooded area. The charming church is dedicated to a 6th century saint from North Wales St Beuno in Somerset is set in a secluded woodland area. The charming church, which is dedicated to a 6th century saint from North Wales, has a mix of Saxon and Norman design features. A quirky addition includes a small spire clad with slates, which was tacked on in the 19th century. Opening hours: Open everyday. St Fillan, Killin, Scotland St Fillan, in the Scottish village of Killin, was built in 1876 by the 7th Marquis of Breadalbane as a place for his shooting parties to worship, and the building was nicknamed the Grouse Chapel St Fillan, in the Scottish village of Killin, is a Victorian structure built from corrugated iron sheets on a wooden frame. This style of architecture was popular at the time as these flat pack religious buildings could easily be erected. St Fillan was built in 1876 by the 7th Marquis of Breadalbane as a place for his shooting parties to worship, and the building was nicknamed the Grouse Chapel. Opening hours: Open by arrangement. Croick Church, Ardgay, Scotland Croick Church, located in the Scottish village of Ardgay, owes its origins to the 1823 Parliamentary Act for Building Additional Places of Worship in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, which voted to build 40 churches to standardised designs produced by Thomas Telford Croick Church is known for the messages etched on the church window by families cleared from the surrounding land in 1845 as part of the infamous Highland clearances Croick Church, located in the Scottish village of Ardgay, owes its origins to the 1823 Parliamentary Act for Building Additional Places of Worship in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, which green-lighted the building of 40 churches to standardised designs produced by Thomas Telford. The small place of worship is known for the messages etched on the church window by families cleared from the surrounding land in 1845 as part of the infamous Highland clearances. This event saw the forced eviction of inhabitants in the area in a bid to clear the land of people to allow for the introduction of sheep farming. People were also said to have camped in the churchyard during this period. Opening hours: Open everyday. Colintraive Church, Colintraive, Western Isles The little church at Colintraive in the Scottish highlands is dwarfed by the hilly scenery surrounding it Set by the shores of the Kyles of Bute with a hill running behind it, Colintraive Church was completed in 1840 The little church at Colintraive in the Scottish highlands, is dwarfed by the hilly scenery surrounding it. Set by the shores of the Kyles of Bute with a hill running behind it, the white structure was completed in 1840. The interior is said to be 'plain and bright' but there are some striking stained glass windows looking out over the waters beyond. Opening hours: Open everyday. St Mary the Virgin, Capel y ffin, Powys St Mary the Virgin is a tiny church located in the windswept wilds of Powys, South Wales. It is said to be difficult to access in the winter with heavy snows blocking the country road and heavy rains making it tricky to navigate come the summer St Mary the Virgin is a tiny church located in the windswept wilds of Powys, South Wales. It is said to be difficult to access in the winter, with heavy snows blocking the country road, and heavy rains making it tricky to navigate come the summer. The church was built in 1762 as a chapel of ease (a chapel situated for the convenience of those living a distance from the parish church). Inside it is described as being 'simple', with a very small stone-floored chamber, wooden seating, a minute gallery, pulpit and altar. Opening hours: Open to visitors. Satisfaction with flying has fallen over the past two years amid frustration over how airlines handle complaints, new research suggests. Some 82 per cent of passengers are satisfied with the overall flying experience, according to a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) poll. This is down from 83 per cent in April and 90 per cent in 2016. A new poll by the Civil Aviation Authority has revealed that only 82 per cent of British airline passengers are satisfied with the overall flying experience The poll indicates that Londoners are the least satisfied with flying (76 per cent) while passengers from Northern Ireland are the most satisfied (87 per cent). The CAA commissioned the poll of 3,538 adults in autumn for its latest UK aviation consumer survey. The findings highlight how important it is for airlines to improve their complaints-handling procedures. Some 60 per cent of people who were dissatisfied or neutral about how a complaint was dealt with said this would make them think twice about booking with that airline in the future. The proportion of recent flyers satisfied with how a complaint was handled was 64 per cent the same score recorded in the spring survey. In October 2017 the figure was 53 per cent. CAA policy director Tim Johnson said: 'While the numbers show a positive story overall, it is important for the industry to continue to improve in areas where consumers are less content, such as complaint handling. The CAA commissioned the poll of 3,538 adults in autumn for its latest UK aviation consumer survey 'This is particularly important given new findings in this survey showing how poor complaint handling can make many consumers think twice about flying with an airline again.' A spokesman for trade association Airlines UK, which represents UK carriers, said: 'In the vast majority of cases passengers have an enjoyable travelling experience. 'More people are choosing to fly than ever before and airlines are committed to consistently improving their offering whilst delivering travel at lower cost. 'Sometimes things do go wrong and it is good to see that these results show further improvements in satisfaction around complaints handing, which compare favourably with other transport modes.' Tourists visiting Venice may be forced to pay a 10 euro entry fee to gain access to the city. Authorities in the Italian holiday hot spot have been given the power to introduce the entry charge, which will replace the current tourist tax that is only paid by visitors spending a night in a hotel or rented apartment. The new fee will have to be paid by all tourists in the city, even day-trippers who only visit for a matter of hours, and will be between two and five euros (1.70 and 4.40) but could go up to 10 euros (9) in the high season. Tourists visiting Venice, pictured, even just for the day, may be forced to pay a 10 euro entry fee According to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the new charging system could generate 50 million euros a year, up from the 30 million a year the city currently makes from the tourist tax. In 2017, 10 million tourists paid the tourist tax. But the new fee, with day-trippers included, would be paid by around 27 million visitors. Venice is often overrun with tourists and locals complain that excessive crowds often clog the city's quaint alleyways and thoroughfares. It is believed that funds from the charge will be used to pay for the costs of cleaning the city. Tourists will pay the fee through a surcharge in airline tickets, cruise prices or ground transportation tickets. The money will then be turned over to the city of Venice. After the new charge was announced, the city's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, tweeted: 'We will study a balanced and participated regulation that protects those who live, study and work in our territory.' In 2018, officials in Venice proposed several ways to rid the city of what it calls 'boorish' behaviour by visitors. Venice, pictured, is often overrun with tourists and locals complain that excessive crowds often clog the city's quaint alleyways and thoroughfares In September plans were announced to ban visitors from sitting on the ground, with fines ranging from 50 to 500 euros (44 and 443). Later it was then revealed people could be banned from carrying alcohol around the streets. The Italian city was said to be considering fining anybody carrying booze after 7pm - even if it is in a sealed shopping bag. It came after complaints that tourists are becoming drunk in Venice's squares and public places. Meanwhile in early 2018, visitor-only routes to popular landmarks were introduced ahead of a holiday weekend to keep tourists away from the locals. The visitor-only routes were put in place for tourists heading to St Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge. Elsewhere, a historic village on the Adriatic coast was charging tourists a five euro entry fee at the turnstiles to enter its cobbled centre. It was announced by the mayor of Polignano a Mare, who said it was necessary to help deal with crowd safety during the festive period. Advertisement For UK house hunters with deep pockets, 2018 has been a bumper year, because some very special properties hit the market. And here we can reveal the cream of the crop. They include a jaw-dropping six-bed super house with spectacular coastal views on sale for 3million and an amazing five-bed detached house on the Cornish coast. Incredible grand country houses also feature, including the historic Claverdon Hall in the West Midlands, which is Grade II-listed, and Basill Manor in Cornwall, which boasts an interior fit for royalty. There's even a 15th century castle that boasts 32 bedrooms. Yours for 3.9million. Scroll down to decide which one you would love to live in... or buy, if your numbers have come up. Ackergill Tower, Wick - 3.9million Castles have been in high demand in 2018, apparently, and no doubt those with deep pockets who love an ancient fortified property have been eager to view stunning Ackergill Tower in Ackergill, Wick, Scotland. It was listed by estate agents Knight Frank for 3.9million. The tower is surrounded by a 30-acre private estate and sits on the rugged shoreline at Sinclair Bay on the northernmost tip of Scotland The dining room inside Ackergill Tower. The 15th century castle boasts 32 bedrooms, 30 bathrooms and is believed to be where Oliver Cromwell garrisoned his troops during his siege of the Keith's Dunnottar Castle. It also contains the largest treehouse in Europe within the grounds Detached home at Hope's Nose, Torquay - 3million One of the most stunning homes to go on sale this year was this amazing six-bed superhome that sits on an elevated position above Meadfoot beach in the exclusive Hopes Nose area of Ilsham, Torquay The superhome, which is listed by HS Owen, has huge windows, a spectacular coastal view and an infinity pool for ultimate relaxation. Pictured is the lounge that looks out over the beach Detached home at Restronguet Point, Truro - 3.75million Another contender for the best home for sale in the UK was this stunning five-bed detached house in Restronguet Point, Feock, near Truro in south Cornwall. It was listed by agents Lillicrap Chilcott for 3.75million The quirky lounge and bar area of the detached home at Restronguet Point. The house is set over four floors with panoramic views across the water and with slipway access into what is described as some of the UK's best sailing waters Claverdon Hall, West Midlands - 2.75million Claverdon Hall, a Grade-II listed manor house in the West Midlands, is now on the market for 2.75million after the asking price dropped by nearly 1million over 10 years Claverdon Hall's roots go all the way back to Saxon times, pre-Conquest, though the earliest remnants of the existing hall would be from 400 years or so later. A Claverdon Hall was recorded in 1485 though it is possible that its origins are even older than that. Pictured is the sitting room Culfoichbeg, Grantown-on-Spey - 1.25million Culfoichbeg, pictured, is a 6.5-acre retreat in Tulchan in Grantown-on-Spey in Scotland that is described as being perfect for country pursuits. It is on the market for 1.25million One of the three reception rooms inside Culfoichbeg. In total it has eight bedrooms as well as a separate three-bedroom cottage with kennelling Basill Manor, Launceston - 1.5million Basill Manor, pictured, is listed by Carter Jonas and is located in St Clether, Launceston, in Cornwall. Its original owners received a coat of arms for services during the Crusades. It is now on the market for offers in excess of 1.5million The 12-bedroom Basill Manor has ancient courtyards and a castle-like exterior while the grounds extend to just over 47 acres. There is also a large living room featuring a fireplace and multiple sofas, a long hallway with a chequered floor and a spacious kitchen Gosford Castle in Marketgill, Northern Ireland - 500,000 The 19th century Gosford Castle in Marketgill in Northern Ireland has gone on the market for 500,000. It might be recognisable to Game of Thrones fans as parts of the TV series were filmed there They became romantically linked when they were spotted putting on a cosy display at the The Beauty Awards with OK! magazine in November. But Ferne McCann was keen to set the record straight on the romance rumours between her and Charlie Brake, as she said the false claims started after they were pictured together. Speaking to OK! Magazine on Sunday, the former TOWIE star, 28, explained: 'I got pictured with him on a night out with mates and before I know it were in a relationship. Not true: Ferne McCann set the record straight on THOSE romance rumours with Love Island's Charlie Brake as she admitted she 'hasn't got time to date' on Sunday 'A picture can say a thousand words. I might have to do a Harry and Meghan and date in secret. She added: 'Yes, I think Charlies handsome, but right now, I havent got the time to date. My New Years resolution is to make time to date, but my priority is obviously Sunday. This is not the first time Ferne has insisted nothing has happened, as she told the publication previously: 'There was definitely some flirting going on but I dont know whats going to happen in the future, or if well go on a date.' 'Hes very handsome and a nice guy', she added of the posh star, who recently split from his fellow Islander Ellie Brown. 'A picture says a thousand words': Speaking to OK! Magazine, Ferne explained: 'I got pictured with him on a night out with mates and before I know it were in a relationship Ellie and Charlie were struck with the fireworks of lust on Love Island when they first laid eyes on each other in the Mallorcan villa. They took their love to home turf but it wasn't made to last as their fiery romance saw the pair have screaming matches and passionate PDA sessions. Charlie ended their love in September and fellow islander Laura Anderson claimed Ellie didn't know they had broken up when he broadcast their split on social media. Former flames: Charlie was romantically linked to Ferne after he had split from fellow Love Islander Ellie Brown (pictured in July) The former air hostess recalled how she had been partying with the fellow blonde at The Best Heroes Awards when the millionaire broke her pal's heart. Charlie wrote, reportedly without Ellie's knowledge: 'Just to inform you all, Ellie and I have decided to part ways. I wish her all the best.' Days after their split, Charlie embarked on a new romance with the daughter of New Zealand billionaire Steve Owen, though their relationship didn't last. Dramatic split: Charlie ended their love in September and fellow islander Laura Anderson claimed Ellie didn't know they had broken up when he broadcast their split on social media Ferne has a very busy schedule, as she recently released her own fitness DVD, Fit As Ferne, after overhauling her workout regime following her daughter's birth last year. Of trying to maintain her fitness and raise her child, she said candidly: Theres a lot of pressure for new mums to snap back into shape. 'When you give birth youre in such a baby bubble and I wasnt thinking about getting back into the gym after having Sunday. But when I work out, things seem to go better for me in life. Ferne has credited her post-baby weight loss with workouts that feature on her DVD, as she said in a promotional video: 'It's this workout that has got me into the best shape that I've ever been in.' Doting mother: Ferne welcomed daughter Sunday in November 2017 and has been adjusting to life as a single parent to daughter Sunday Out now: Read the full story in this week's OK! Magazine - out today The DVD 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.' Read the full story in this week's OK! Magazine - out today. Sunrise host Samantha Armytage may finally get her happily ever after. A 'source' close to the couple told Woman's Day on Monday that the 42-year-old will get engaged to millionaire boyfriend Paul O'Brien during their trip to New York. 'He was going all out to make it special for her,' the insider claimed. 'He's going all out to make it special for her': Samantha Armytage and her millionaire boyfriend Paul O'Brien are 'getting engaged' in New York City, it has been claimed. Pictured in March 'Sam has always wanted to have a white Christmas and Paul thought he would surprise her with the ultimate gesture - flying her to New York last minute on one of his private jets,' the source alleged. 'He was going all out to make it special for her. I wouldn't be surprised if he planned to use the trip to propose.' When reaching out for comment, a Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday: 'We dont comment on speculation or gossip.' Back in June, the Channel Seven star hinted she was in a new relationship when she revealed 'good things' were happening in her personal life. 'There are good things happening... I don't talk about anyone before I'm 100 per cent sure, because you have got to keep some things private,' she told Who magazine. Wedding bells? 'I wouldn't be surprised if he planned to use the trip [to New York] to propose,' a 'source' close to the couple told Woman's Day on Monday. Pictured: Sam on May 9 in Sydney And in October, it was reported Samantha had been secretly dating aviation tycoon Paul for 'several months'. The pair were first spotted together in March, during a dog-walking date in Sydney. Later, in September, they were seen having breakfast in Melbourne. Samantha's colleagues at Channel Seven have apparently been aware of the romance for some time, despite the relationship being shrouded in secrecy. Secret romance! In October it was reported Samantha had been secretly dating aviation tycoon Paul for 'several months'. The Sunrise host is pictured on Cox Plate Day in October 2018 'She's been saying for months that she has a new man,' a supposed 'colleague' previously told Woman's Day. 'She's been tight-lipped about the details, but she's told some of the girls that she's met a bloke who literally swept her off her feet.' Paul was previously married to Georgina Lewis, a presenter on Ten Eyewitness News. Georgina and Paul reportedly called it quits earlier in 2018 after nine years of marriage. He and his wife took their lavish lifestyle to the next level as they reportedly splashed out 20k on first class flights to celebrate Christmas in Los Angeles, California. And Tamara Ecclestone's husband Jay Rutland ensured every family member was treated to the lap of luxury as their pet dog Teddy received a relaxing massage during their recent sunny getaway. The businessman, 37, sent fans wild as he shared a clip of his adorable pooch getting pampered by a hotel staff member, while heiress Tamara, 34, and four-year-old daughter Sophia watched on in delight. Soaking it up: Tamara Ecclestone's husband Jay Rutland ensured every family member was treated to the lap of luxury as their pet dog Teddy received a relaxing massage during their recent sunny getaway The wealthy family recently jetted off to a sunny location just days after their Christmas holiday in America. While his dog enjoyed his al fresco session on a comfy massage chair, the Essex native commented: 'Any good Ted? It looks like he's enjoying that... I need some of this in my life!' Fans were left shocked at Teddy's enviable pampering, with one joking: 'Oh what a terrible life that dog has (not) so wish that was me so jealous lol'. [sic] Having fun: The wealthy family recently jetted off to a sunny location just days after their Christmas holiday in America Look at him! The businessman, 37, sent fans wild as he shared a clip of his adorable pooch getting pampered by a hotel staff member, as four-year-old daughter Sophia watched on in delight Loving life: While his dog enjoyed his al fresco session on a comfy massage chair, the Essex native commented: 'Any good Ted? It looks like he's enjoying that' Another penned: 'Haha love this...Teddy a lucky guy, all my bulldogs are hating on him.' In agreement, a third stated: 'I'm laughing my head off at this !! His face is hilarious !!' Over the weekend, Jay has shared glimpses of his idyllic trip on the photo-sharing platform, featuring cosy snaps with his wife and daughter, as well as the location's golden shore and clear blue sky. The pair are joined by Tamara's sister Petra, 30, who indulged in a full-on spa treatment with three hotel staff maintaining her pristine looks at once. Lucky for some: Fans were left shocked at Teddy's enviable pampering, with one joking: 'Oh what a terrible life that dog has (not) so wish that was me so jealous lol'. [sic] Family first: Over the weekend, Jay has shared glimpses of his idyllic trip on the photo-sharing platform, featuring cosy snaps with his wife and daughter Spa time: The pair are joined by Tamara's sister Petra, 30, who indulged in a full-on spa treatment with three hotel staff maintaining her pristine looks at once Happy family: During the festive season, the Ecclestone family jetted off to LA to bask in the Californian sun During the festive season, the Ecclestone family jetted off to LA to bask in the Californian sun. The couple doted on their daughter Sophia, showering her with lavish gifts as they took to Instagram to share a slew of family snaps on Christmas. Despite spending a reported 50k on decorations for her 70million London home, the billionaire heiress pulled out all the stops to ensure Fifi had a magical day in America. Ahead of the big day, the family enjoyed an extravagant dinner with beautiful floral decorations and a chandelier taking centre-stage. Fabulous and festive: Ahead of the big day, the family enjoyed an extravagant dinner with beautiful floral decorations and a chandelier taking centre-stage Cosy: Sofia examined all of the stockings hanging up on the fireplace as she enjoyed the festive period in the lead up to Christmas Jay and Tamara then let Sophia stay up late to watch Miracle of 34th Street, with the tot donning a pair of festive red pajamas. The television personality also shared a slew of snaps of Petra's inside decor with life-size gingerbread men, candy canes and garlands spiraling up the staircase. Despite their wealthy background, Tamara appeared overwhelmed with emotion after Fifi presented her with a handmade Christmas card. Simon Cowell has added to his family by adopting a stray dog he rescued in Barbados. The music mogul, 59, hosts an annual auction for homeless dogs on the Caribbean island and was said to have fallen in love with a terrier cross named Daisy. According to The Sun, Daisy was found abandoned with her two puppies, but thanks to charity K9 Puppies, of which Simon is a patron, they have all been nursed back to health. Family: Simon Cowell and long-term girlfriend Lauren Silverman have added to their family by adopting a stray dog they rescued in Barbados New addition: Simon hosts an annual auction for homeless dogs on the Caribbean island and was said to have fallen in love with a terrier cross named Daisy The X Factor boss and his long-term girlfriend Lauren Silverman are said to be bringing Daisy back to the UK on his private jet. The pooch will be joining Simon's other dogs, Squiddly, Diddly and Freddy who are all Yorkshire terriers. The TV star is so attached to his dogs that he recently revealed plans to spend 180,000 to have them cloned by harvesting their genes through a South Korean company. He told The Sun on Sunday: 'I am 100 per cent cloning the dogs, all of them.Weve thoroughly looked into it, got all the details and I can prove to you Im going to clone them. There is documentation. Luxury: The X Factor boss is said to be bringing Daisy back to the UK on his private jet 'I am doing it because I cannot bear the thought of them not being around.' The dogs travel with Simon regularly as he works in both Los Angeles and London, as well as an annual trip to the Caribbean, and on the flight the dogs get their own squeaky toys to play with, and bespoke jum-bones. Simon recently revealed his hopes that son Eric, four, who he has with partner Lauren Silverman, 41, may one day take over the family business. Plans: The TV star is so attached to his dogs that he recently revealed plans to spend 180,000 to have them cloned by harvesting their genes through a South Korean company Fans were delighted to see Eric appear on the judging panel on The X Factor, with Simon joking during an interview on This Morning: 'I'm getting him ready to do my job.' Simon also touched on whether he had 'left it too late' to become a father - he welcomed son Eric when he was aged 55 - and admitted he no longer dwells on that thought. 'If you have asked me earlier I would have said I might have left it a little too late,' said Simon, before quickly adding: 'Whatever happens happens.' She was pictured packing on the PDA with Sydney businessman, Theo Chambers, in Bondi Junction on Saturday. And on Sunday, Natasha Oakley delivered a repeat performance as she enjoyed a steamy kiss with the wealthy son of Chambers Cellar tycoon Steven Chambers at Balmoral Beach. The rumoured new couple couldn't keep their hands off each other as they soaked up the summer sun with a group of friends. Sealed with a kiss! Natasha Oakley (right) packed on the PDA with wealthy businessman Theo Chambers (left) at Balmoral Beach in Sydney on Sunday Dressed in a pink bikini top and white sarong, swimwear model Natasha caressed the shirtless entrepreneur during a passionate embrace. With one hand on Theo's neck and another resting on his lower back, the 28-year-old smiled as her companion whispered sweet nothings in her ear. She was spotted keeping a tight grip on the Shore Financial CEO, as they shared an extended hug by the water. Romantic: The rumoured new couple couldn't keep their hands off each other as they soaked up the summer sun with a group of friends Party boy! Natasha's banker-turned-broker 'boyfriend' (left) made headlines in 2016, when he threw a party at his multi-million dollar Palm Beach home which ended in violence Knocked out: Three people, including NRL star Dylan Napa (pictured), were taken to hospital after reportedly being assaulted at the exclusive charity bash, The Daily Telegraph reported Later on, the pair got hot and heavy and seemed to be blissfully unaware of their surroundings. Daily Mail has contacted Natasha Oakley and Theo Chambers for comment. Natasha's banker-turned-broker beau made headlines in 2016, when he threw a party at his multi-million dollar Palm Beach home which ended in violence. Beach bodies: Natasha (left) wore a dark pink swimsuit with a white sarong and straw hat Smooches: Natasha and her beau looked blissfully unaware of their surroundings as they enjoyed a steamy kiss Smitten! Theo caressed Natasha's neck as she leaned in closer while clutching a wine glass Beach party: The pair were joined by several friends for a boozy afternoon by the beach Three people, including NRL star Dylan Napa, were taken to hospital after reportedly being assaulted at the exclusive charity bash, according to The Daily Telegraph. The beach sighting comes one month after Natasha was pictured on what appeared to be a rather awkward date with Hollywood 'bad boy' Alex Pettyfer. The pair looked tense and uncomfortable while dining together at Mauro's Cafe on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. Bikini body: The swimwear model was seen working on her tan as she enjoyed the Sydney sun Chatting away: She looked happy and relaxed while chatting to her female friends Sydneysider: Natasha went makeup-free and wore her hair in beachy waves for the occasion In July, Natasha confirmed her split from French model and father-of-one Gilles Souteyrand after three years together. 'Yes, I am single at the moment,' she wrote on Instagram in response to a follower who asked about her relationship status. Before dating Gilles, she was romantically linked to reality TV star Martin Medus. Advertisement She is a blonde beauty who is known for her racy swimwear. And Kimberley Garner was sure to set pulses racing as she enjoyed a dip in the ocean during a sun-soaked beach day in Miami on Sunday. The bombshell, 28, slipped her toned frame in a scanty red bikini which ensured that her toned abs and slim legs were on full display. Wow! Kimberley Garner showed off her toned abs and pert posterior in a VERY revealing red thong bikini as she hit the beach in Miami on Sunday The plunging bralet style bikini, which had a gold emblem on one side, showcased her ample cleavage and slender midriff. While Kimberley's tiny thong bottoms revealed her perfectly peachy posterior as she took a dip in the crystal blue water. Her blonde locks were brushed into a sleek, straight, style, and she gave her look a glamorous flourish by accessorising with a pair of chic shades. Sizzling: The plunging bralet style bikini, which had a gold emblem on one side, showcased her ample cleavage and slender midriff Gorgeous: Her blonde locks were brushed into a sleek, straight, style, and she gave her look a glamorous flourish by accessorising with a pair of chic shades Legs for days! Kimberley's revealing ensemble helped her put her lithe legs on display Attention to detail: Kimberley added a touch of glitter to her look with a crucifix necklace Having fun: Despite the setting sun, Kimberley was keen to enjoy her outing as she splashed around in the sea After her day out on the beach, Kimberley covered up in a chic black polka dot mini dress, which sat high on her thigh to show off her legs. She cinched her outfit at the waist by wearing a silver beaded belt to accentuate her trim frame as she walked along the sandy beach. The beauty opted to go barefoot in the sand as she carried her white slip-on shoes in her hands, while she added a touch of glitter to her look with a crucifix necklace. Time for a break: The blonde beauty was spotted relaxing on a sun lounger at one point Beaming: Kimberley looked to be in good spirits as she spent time walking around in the ocean Smiling brightly: Kimberley seemed to be having a wonderful time as she beamed while sat down with a gal pal Toned: Kimberley showcased her incredibly svelte figure as she walked around in her sexy swimwear Fun in the sun: Kimberley was clearly enjoying the last rays of sunshine during her picturesque day at the beach Swimwear design is not the only business in Kimberlys portfolio; she is now following in her familys footsteps of high-end property development. After extensive renovations, the former reality star is said to have increased the value of a house which she bought in 2013 for 1.2 million, by over 1 million. The starlet's choice to go into property seems to be a a result of her London pad doubling in value over a five-year period. Kimberley recently split from her ex-boyfriend, who she kept very much out of the spotlight - something she doesn't plan to do with her next relationship. Perfect lighting: Kimberley posed up a storm in the ocean, using the light to her advantage Revealing: The fashion designer's barely-there ensemble helped her to flaunt her peachy derriere Stunning: Kimberley looked gorgeous as she took a dip in the ocean and enjoyed a quick swim Beach babe: The star showcased her incredible figure as she walked along Goddess: The star was a vision of beauty as she stepped dramatically into the ocean Time to go: The beauty looked glamorous as she stepped out of the ocean One last dip: Kimberley headed towards the sea for another quick swim before the end of the day Speaking to MailOnline, she said: 'When I take it to the next step and when I decide to be with someone forever I will be more than happy to have them in the public eye. 'It would be really cool to have my husband and babies in the public eye. It was nice to have a bit of privacy with my ex, but in the future I wouldn't mind.' Speaking of her split with her mystery man ex, Kimberley said: 'We broke up for a year and got back together for a few months and broke up again. He's still lovely and we're really good friends.' Kimberley shot to fame on the third series of Made In Chelsea back in 2012, where she was romantically linked to Richard Dinan and Spencer Matthews. Stylish: After her day out on the beach, Kimberley covered up in a chic black polka dot mini dress, which sat high on her thigh to show off her legs No need for shoes: The beauty opted to go barefoot in the sand as she carried her white slip-on shoes in her hands Starlet: Kimberley shot to fame on the third series of Made In Chelsea back in 2012, where she was romantically linked to Richard Dinan and Spencer Matthews Girl's day out: Kimberley seemed to be having a great time with her pals at the beach Branching out: Swimwear design is not the only business in Kimberlys portfolio; she is now following in her familys footsteps of high-end property development Looking good: She cinched her outfit at the waist by wearing a silver beaded belt to accentuate her trim frame as she walked along the sandy beach Investment: After extensive renovations, the former reality star is said to have increased the value of a house which she bought in 2013 for 1.2 million, by over 1 million It was one of the young YouTube star's favorite Christmas presents. But Justin Bieber wasn't so keen on JoJo Siwa's customized BMW convertible, which she posted on Instagram on December 22. It was covered in pastel images of her and the words 'Nickelodeon's JoJo Siwa D.R.E.A.M. The Tour.' Gotta love it: West Coast Customs, which created the paint job on YouTube star JoJo Siwa's BMW, reposted her Instagram on Thursday to which Justin Bieber commented 'Burn it' The paintjob was created by West Coast Customs. And WCC proudly reposted the snap of their work on Thursday where it caught the 24-year-old hitmaker's eye. He commented: 'Burn it, Burn it.' JoJo's mom was quick to react, chiding: '@justingbierber burn your own things,' along with a laughing crying emoji. Not so keen: Justin had an incendiary reaction to the rainbow-colored paint job Now Justin has apologized, kind of, for appearing to throw shade on the 15-year-old and her new wheels Now Justin has apologized, kind of, for appearing to throw shade on the 15-year-old and her new wheels. On Sunday he tweeted: '@itsjojosiwa I have nothing against you it was the car and the colors I didn't like I really hope you didn't think it was malicious or mean spirited.' Keeping fit: On Sunday he tweeted, '@itsjojosiwa I have nothing against you it was the car and the colors I didn't like I really hope you didn't think it was malicious or mean spirited' Coincidentally Justin, a Canadian, was discovered via his own YouTube videos of him performing when he was slightly younger than JoJo. Meanwhile, JoJo, who has 7.6 million followers, has turned the tables on Justin, posting an Instagram snap of herself and a cardboard cutout of the star in her BMW on Sunday. She captioned it, 'burn it,' which seems to have become her latest catchphrase. It was reported last year that Bert Newton's gambling habit was putting a strain on his 44-year marriage to wife Patti And according to Woman's Day on Monday, Patti has finally reached breaking point. The 73-year-old has reportedly given her TV legend husband an ultimatum: 'It's their family or the TAB'. 'It's their family or the TAB': Patti Newton has reportedly given her husband Bert an 'ultimatum' over his problematic gambling habit 'She's at the point where she's ready to throw her hands up and tell him it's their family or the TAB - and since she's meant to be in control of their finances, she's keeping the house,' a 'friend' of the couple told the publication. 'Bert needs to knock this on the head quick smart or he's going to find himself turfed out of their home,' they added. Bert, who was most recently photographed at a TAB in Melbourne in August, is said to frequent three gambling venues regularly. A staff member from a TAB outlet in Kew told Woman's Day the former Good Morning Australia host is 'there at least three times a week'. 'Bert needs to knock this on the head quick smart or he will be turfed out': According to Woman's Day on Monday, Patti (pictured) has finally reached breaking point It's not the first time reports have surfaced of the 80-year-old's gambling habit putting a a strain on his marriage. Woman's Day claimed back in March 2017 that Patti was 'livid' after photos were published of her husband visiting a bookmakers. A friend reportedly said at the time: 'Patti's reaction will be: "Here we go again, how much did you lose this time?"' Several days after the magazine hit newsstands, journalist Peter Ford claimed on KIIS FM that Bert was still gambling regularly. However, he insisted that Patti was controlling his spending by giving him a budget. Money woes: At the height of his career, Bert was one of the highest-paid Australian TV stars. However, he and Patti were left $1million in debt back in 1993, reportedly as a result of Bert's problem gambling. Pictured together in July 2008 'He gambles a little bit,' Ford explained. 'What happens is Patti gives him some play money every week - about 100 bucks - and he goes down [to the TAB] and what he chooses to do with that is his business.' At the height of his career, Bert was one of the highest-paid Australian TV stars. But it hasn't always been smooth sailing for him and Patti, as they were left $1million in debt back in 1993. Their financial woes were rumoured to be the result of Bert's problem gambling. In addition to their past money troubles, the couple have faced several other issues in recent years. Bert's health has been a concern since 2012, when he underwent a quadruple heart bypass. Meanwhile, their son Matthew Newton has also faced a number of controversies relating to accusations of domestic violence. Sofia Vergara is making the most out of her trip to a private tropical island. The 46-year-old stunner has been sharing fun snaps from her vacation all week on Instagram to her 15.7 million followers. In her most recent shots the highest paid actress on television seemed like she didn't have a care in the world as she cozied up to husband Joe Manganiello in the sea. PDA! Sofia Vergara shared new snaps with husband Joe Manganiello from their tropical vacation on Sunday The Modern Family star showcased her enviable curves in a white two-piece that featured tiny bikini bottoms and a crocheted handkerchief bikini top. Her stunning long hair was left down and draped over her shoulders as she smiled for the camera behind sunglasses. Sofia threw her arms up in excitement in one photo and appeared to be having a blast with her husband Joe. The Magic Mike star was rocking some salt and pepper scruff with sunglasses and swim trunks. Flawless: Sofia flaunted her flat tummy and enviable curves in a white crocheted two-piece bikini Showing off: Sofia and Joe both showcased their fit frames in a series of photos that the star posted to social media Joe's killer muscles and six-pack abs were seen from all angles as the couple posed in the aqua sea. On her Instagram story, let fans take a peak at what she and her family are enjoying which included crystal blue water, a boat ride and even a game night. Sofia also shared shots of she and Joe cuddled up with her son Manolo's dog, Baguette Gonzalez. Puppy love! Baguette Gonzalez also looked like he was enjoying the trip while being cuddled up with Sofia and Joe The star is in talks to do another season of her hit sitcom Modern Family. But she certainly didn't look like she was thinking about work in the sassy swimsuit photos shared on Saturday. The Colombian beauty was in fine form as she posed in front of a beautiful beach while wearing a fresh one piece with a flirty keyhole beneath the bust. On the seas: The star posted shots of the various activities, like boating, that the family is enjoying while on holiday Stunning! The private island is in a super secret location that Sofia only refers to as 'Casa Chipi Chipi' Game night! The group kicked back and relaxed around a board game at one point on the trip Her suit was 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. Beach beauty: Sofia Vergara looked stunning while wearing a fruity swimsuit during her coastal Christmas vacation 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. 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 Happy Birthday!: Sofia Vergara shares a new snap of husband Joe Manganiello for his 42nd birthday She 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!!!' 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. 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 Before her husband's birthday and the Christmas holiday, Vergara also celebrated her mother's birthday on December 21. 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. 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 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. 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. Former Ink Master contestant Chris Blinkston won't face charges following his arrest last month on suspicion of battery. He was taken into custody by cops on November 5 following an argument with his girlfriend in Palm Beach County, Florida. But on Sunday, TMZ reported that the State Attorney for Palm Beach County has dismissed the case against Blinkston due to a lack of evidence. Off the hook: Former Ink Master contestant Chris Blinkston won't face charges after being arrested November 5 for simple battery against his girlfriend in Palm Beach County, Florida The tattoo artist, who appeared on Season 6 of the Spike series in 2015, owns a tattoo shop in Coral Springs, Florida. TMZ previously reported that the incident began, according to the police report, when Blinston told his girlfriend he wanted the birth certificates for their three children. When she told him they were locked in a safe and she'd get them later, he allegedly grabbed the safe and threatened to open it using an ax. No proof: TMZ reported the case was dropped for lack of evidence. The alleged altercation began when Blinston told his girlfriend he wanted the birth certificates for their three children and she said they were locked in a safe The girlfriend told cops that he pressed the safe against her chest and moved her out of his way. Blinston, according to the police report, denied touching her. In September 2017, TMZ reported Blinston was arrested after his teen daughter claimed he had choked her. He denied it and prosecutors ultimately dropped the charges. They've put on a united front as the epitome of a modern family in recent weeks. But Kourtney Kardashian, 39, well and truly upstaged her ex-partner Scott Disick, 35, and his girlfriend Sofia Richie, 20, as she third-wheeled with the couple for a dinner date in Aspen, Colorado, on Sunday. The reality star put on a daring display as she bared all by going braless in a completely sheer top, in spite of the freezing weather in the ski hotspot. Subtle? Kourtney Kardashian found a translucent way to upstage her ex-partner Scott Disick's 20-year-old girlfriend Sofia Richie while third-wheeling with the couple in Aspen on Sunday Brrrrr! Despite the freezing Colorado winter climate, the 39-year-old KUWTK reality star flashed a nipple thanks to the ultra-sheer nature of her black mesh top The mother-of-three teamed her racy garment with also wore black shiny pants, matching boots, and a woolen maxi pea coat. Kourtney had a coy smile plastered on her face as she stepped out with Scott - the father of her three children - and his model girlfriend. 'Scott, Sofia, and Kourtney hung out together and were talking a lot [on Saturday]. Everyone seemed happy and relaxed,' a source told E! News of the outing. All eyes on her: The reality TV star also wore black shiny pants, matching booties, and a woolen maxi pea coat Enjoying this? Kourtney had a coy smile plastered on her face as she stepped out of a local convenience store beside her 35-year-old ex and the Select Model Relaxed: A source told E! News of the outing, 'Scott, Sofia, and Kourtney hung out together and were talking a lot [on Saturday]. Everyone seemed happy and relaxed' Modest: The daughter of Lionel Richie covered up in a black turtleneck, skinny jeans, knee-high boots, and a thin animal-print coat from Dzojchen Follow the leader: She walked a few steps ahead of her former couple as they made their exit Browsing: Sophia kept her make-up minimal and slicked her flaxen bob into a tidy top bun for the unlikely evening out with Scott and his ex '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.' The daughter of Lionel Richie covered up in a far more modest black turtleneck, skinny jeans, knee-high boots, and a thin animal-print coat from Dzojchen. Sophia kept her make-up minimal and slicked her flaxen bob into a tidy top bun for the awkward evening out with Scott. Scott kept his style simple in a black pea coat over a navy sweater, blue jeans, and grey sneakers. The father-of-three quipped of his 'throuple' last week: 'What more can a guy ask for. THREE'S COMPANY!' Stepping out in style: Scott kept things simple in a black pea coat over a navy sweater, blue jeans, and grey sneakers Just the three of us: The father-of-three quipped of his 'throuple' last week, 'What more can a guy ask for. THREE'S COMPANY' Fine dining: Scott, Sofia, and Kourtney then dined on Northern Italian fare at the restaurant Casa Tua together Age gap: Scott is 15 years older than the goddaughter of Michael Jackson, and the couple first canoodled aboard a yacht in the South of France in May 2017 Scott, Sofia, and Kourtney then dined on Northern Italian fare at the restaurant Casa Tua together. The Ross School drop-out is 15 years older than the goddaughter of Michael Jackson, and the couple first canoodled aboard a yacht in the South of France in May 2017. KUWTK star Scott also notoriously canoodled with Sofia's ex-BFF Chloe Bartoli in the South of France in 2015, which effectively ended his nine-year on/off relationship with Kourtney. Despite that, Scott and the brunette beauty have managed to continue amicably co-parenting their three children - son Mason, nine; daughter Penelope, six; and son Reign, four. Missing from the winter family bonding session on Sunday was Kourtney's 21-year-old toyboy - creative entrepreneur Luka Sabbat - whom she began dating in September. Canoodle: The KUWTK star also notoriously canoodled with Sofia's ex-BFF Chloe Bartoli (L) in the South of France in 2015, which effectively ended his nine-year on/off relationship with Kourtney (pictured in 2017) November 22 family portrait: Despite their split, Scott and Kourtney have continued to amicably co-parenting their children Mason, nine; Penelope, six; and son Reign, four Beau: Missing on Sunday was Kourtney's 21-year-old toyboy - creative entrepreneur Luka Sabbat - whom she began dating in September. Pictured in November 2018 'We live we learn': Kourtney's prior toyboy - boxer-turned-model Younes Bendjima - shared a touching tribute to her on Sunday four months after their split Gushing: The Algerian 25-year-old gushed over Insta-story: 'Let's not forget this beautiful woman inside and out', before dubbing her 'an amazing woman and mum' Her prior toyboy - boxer-turned-model Younes Bendjima - shared a touching tribute to her on Sunday four months after their split. 'Let's not forget this beautiful woman inside and out,' the Algerian 25-year-old gushed over Insta-story. 'I'm not the type of man that forgets moments like that. You [are] an amazing woman and mum and I hope you will find happiness for you and your children. It's all love at the end of the day...we don't know what can happen [tomorrow] so there you go.' Career-wise, Kourtney and her family started filming the 16th season of their reality show in late August as part of their massive $100million deal with the E! Network through 2020 - according to Variety. She's no stranger to sharing the secrets behind her enviable physique with her personal trainer fiance Ryan Libbey on social media. And Louise Thompson showcased her gym-honed frame once again in a sizzling bikini-clad snap, posted to Ryan's Instagram account to promote their new fitness plan on Sunday. The Made In Chelsea star, 28, commanded attention as she sported a sultry khaki green two-piece, putting her toned abs and lean legs on full display. Ab-tastic! Louise Thompson showcased her gym-honed frame in a sizzling bikini-clad snap, posted to fiance Ryan Libbey's Instagram account to promote their new fitness plan on Sunday Complementing her tanned complexion, the TV personality opted for dainty gold accessories, which featured mini hooped earrings and twin necklaces. The Jump star intensified her beauty with neutral-toned make-up as she ran her fingers through her wavy ombre tresses in the racy snap. Promoting the couple's new fitness plan, the caption read: 'By popular demand, Louise and I have decided to combine our wealth of knowledge and experience to bring you a new innovative and interactive approach to fitness. 'We have designed a 12 week strong plan coupled with a macro consultation to take your training to a new level. LIVE LIKE LOUISE is now live.' Racy: The Made In Chelsea star, 28, is no stranger to sharing the secrets behind her enviable physique with her personal trainer fiance Ryan, also 28, on social media Gym fanatics: The reality TV couple unveiled their new fitness plan Live Like Louise, which is said to combine their knowledge and experience for a new approach to fitness Meanwhile, Louise is currently engaged to fellow reality star Ryan, 28, who popped the question on his birthday in August while the couple were enjoying a romantic holiday in Los Angeles. At the time, Louise said: 'I'm still shell-shocked. I've been crying solidly for three days. Its the most exciting thing thats ever happened to me in my entire life. 'Ryan and I have known that we want to spend the rest of our lives together for quite a long time. I love him more and more every day, which sounds so cliched, but its the truth.' Smitten: Meanwhile, the TV personality is currently engaged to Ryan, who popped the question on his birthday in August Sweet: The fitness fanatics went public with their romance in the summer of 2016 after meeting when Louise employed Ryan as her personal trainer The fitness fanatics went public with their romance in the summer of 2016 after meeting when Louise employed Ryan as her personal trainer. Louise found herself the target of widespread criticism after she went public with Ryan just weeks after she split from ex-boyfriend, New York-based denim entrepreneur Alik Alfus, 29, who also previously appeared on Made In Chelsea. Prior to her romances with Ryan and Alik, Louise also dated Made In Chelsea co-stars Jamie Laing, 29, Spencer Matthews, 30, and Andy Jordan, 28. Olivia Culpo loves showing off her rock hard abs. The former Miss Universe doesn't seem to have over-indulged during the holidays as she looked better than ever on a boat with pals Cara Santana and Amber Ridinger on Sunday. Donning a pricy $490 Fendi string bikini, the 26-year-old posed for photos that she posted on social media. Sizzling! Olivia Culpo showcased her amazing abs in a new Instagram post on Sunday with pals Cara Santana and Amber Ridinger Culpo, the former girlfriend of Nick Jonas, stunned in the skimpy bikini with string bottoms and a triangle top that featured the Italian designers signature logo print. Her brunette locks were slicked back into a simple ponytail and she donned black sunglasses and gold hoop earrings. The model posed alongside Cara Santana who showed off her equally toned physique in a leopard print two-piece. Cara's beau Jesse Metcalfe was also there. Style goals: The model's Fendi print string bikini has a heft price tag of $490 Warm weather: The group spent a day soaking up the sun on a yacht in the waters off the coast of Miami, Florida Kisses! Olivia snapped a few videos to share on Instagram of her trip to sea The group is currently in Miami enjoying some time on a yacht. On her Instagram story Cara shared a boomerang of her blowing a kiss to the camera and noting that her lips were 'chapped' but her Fendi looked good. She also shared shots of the stunning vista and luxurious yacht on a sunny day off the coast of Florida. Vacation: The beauty recently spent the holidays at home with her family Jokes! Olivia caught a moment between Cara Santanta and boyfriend Jesse Metcalfe as he tickled her underarms Not so funny: While everyone else cracked up, Cara didn't appear to be having the best time The model caught a fun moment between Cara and Jesse where the actor was on top of his girlfriend playfully tickling her underarms while she giggled. Over the weekend, the starlet was flaunting her abs in a white bikini and took a moment to school her fans on what it takes to look like her. The post came just in time for those New Year's resolutions. Vacation time: Olivia and her pals were enjoying time on a yacht in Miami, Florida Not easy: Earlier in the weekend the former Miss Universe told fans that they need to 'ditch the vino' to get a body like hers Olivia captioned the pic, 'a lot of you guys asked about my ab routine on my other post.' 'The quickest way for me to see results is not necessarily doing a ton of ab exercises.' 'I see the best results from cutting out empty calories (wine/alcohol [SAD FACE EMOJI]) and doing a ton of cardio!!' 'For me, running is my secret to a flat toned stomach. I hope this is helpful! Sorry Im telling you to ditch the vino.' Cardi B put on a showstopping performance in Perth on Sunday night. The American rapper, 26, delighted fans as she headlined the first day of the Origin Fields Festival in WA. Looking confident on stage, Cardi showed no sign of jet-leg after flying into Australia from Hawaii on Saturday evening. Dripping in finesse! Cardi B put on a show-stopping performance for her debut Australian concert in Perth on Sunday night Cardi proved why she has rapidly become one of the best-selling artists in the world as she stepped on stage. The festival crowd went wild as she performed her hit songs, including Money and Bodak Yellow. Cardi left little to the imagination in a sheer red bodysuit, which revealed her matching coloured underwear. They Like It! The American rapper, 26, delighted fans as she headlined the first day of the Origin Fields Festival in WA No rest required! Looking confident on stage, Cardi showed no sign of jet-leg after flying into Australia from Hawaii on Saturday evening Raunchy! Cardi left little to the imagination in a sheer red bodysuit, which revealed her matching coloured underwear While on stage, Cardi proved to be as provocative as ever. At one point, the former stripper leaned forward and placed her hands on the floor while vigorously twerking for the audience. The NYC-born hitmaker slipped her curves into the extravagant ensemble which highlighted off her famous derriere. As provocative as ever! At one point, the former stripper leaned forward and placed her hands on the floor while vigorously twerking for the audience Flaunting her curves! Cardi's sequinned number also boasted a short hemline, which revealed her toned legs in a pair of leather boots The sequinned number also boasted a short hemline, which revealed her toned legs in a pair of leather boots. Cardi stuck to the colour scheme by wearing a flowing red wig with black tips. Following the performance, Cardi will fly to Sydney for her second Australian show at the Field Day Festival on Tuesday. She will then head to New Zealand for two more performances. She's heading to NSW! Following the performance, Cardi will fly to Sydney for her second Australian show at the Field Day Festival on Tuesday Eighteen years after sprinting to glory at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Cathy Freeman is back in training. The 45-year-old retired athlete was photographed putting herself through her paces during an intensive workout in Melbourne, just two days before Christmas. Wearing black shorts and a matching T-shirt, Cathy looked to be in her element while participating in a local boot camp class. Not slowing down! Eighteen years after sprinting to glory at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Cathy Freeman is back in training. Pictured during a boot camp in Melbourne on December 23 Proving she's still a formidable sprinter, the gold medalist dashed across the park at a rapid pace, leaving other people in her class struggling to keep up. A look of concentration was etched on her face as she strode several paces ahead of the second-place runner. She completed her look with reflective sunglasses and black sneakers, and styled her brunette hair loosely. Coming out in front: Proving she's still a formidable sprinter, the gold medalist dashed across the park at a rapid pace, leaving other people in her class struggling to keep up Time out: Taking a break from her tough workout later in the day, Cathy sipped from a water bottle while seeking refuge in the shade Training hard: The 45-year-old retired athlete was photographed putting herself through her paces during an intensive workout in Melbourne, just two days before Christmas Keeping fit: Wearing black shorts and a matching T-shirt, Cathy looked to be in her element while participating in a local boot camp class Working up a sweat: In addition to sprinting across the grass, the former track star was also seen performing sit-ups, crawling exercises and jumps In addition to sprinting across the grass, the former track star was also seen performing sit-ups, crawling exercises and jumps. At one stage, she appeared to consult a green folder and study its contents. Taking a break from her tough workout later in the day, Cathy sipped from a water bottle while seeking refuge in the shade. Champion attitude: Since announcing her retirement 18 years ago, Cathy has remained active in the sporting community by mentoring a new generation of athletes The boot camp doubled as a family outing, as she was also joined by her husband James Murch and their daughter Ruby. Since announcing her retirement 18 years ago, Cathy has remained active in the sporting community by mentoring a new generation of athletes. In an interview from July 2003, Cathy said she decided to retire because she realised she would never top her performance at the 2000 Olympics. Focused: A look of concentration was etched on Cathy's face as she strode several paces ahead of the second-place runner Reading up: At one stage, she appeared to consult a green folder and study its contents Dedicated: Cathy jumped up and down from a standing position as part of her workout Why Cathy Freeman's run at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games is one of Australia's best-ever sporting performances By Charlie Moore Talisman: Freeman lights the Olympic cauldron at the 2000 opening ceremony The image of Cathy Freeman dashing around the track in her green full-body suit to claim 400m gold is etched in Australian national memory. Under severe pressure as the nation's talisman and most popular athlete, and after lighting the Olympic cauldron at the Sydney 2000 opening ceremony, Freeman showed no sign of nerves when she left her rivals in her dust after an explosive final bend. The 27-year-old, who was the first Australian Indigenous person to become a Commonwealth Games gold medallist aged 16 in 1990, comfortably raced away from Jamaica's Lorraine Graham (silver) and Great Britain's Katharine Merry (bronze). After crossing the line to a thunderous applause, she sat on the track with head in hands, disappointed then she hadn't run faster. She said afterwards: 'One thing that burns away at me is I know I could have run faster than what I actually have, but that's fine.' 'I actually crossed the line, looked across at the time - 49.11seconds - and was immediately disappointed because I would have loved to have run 48. Determined: After crossing the line to a thunderous applause, Freeman sat on the track with head in hands, disappointed then she hadn't run faster 'I just remember leaning over, putting my hands around my knees and just shaking my head.' Freeman's comments captured her humility and determination. Her run goes down as one of the greatest Olympic performances in Australia's history. Advertisement During the 2000 games, Cathy was selected to light the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony, before later winning gold for her 400 metres run. 'I won't ever have the same fulfilling moment as I already have had,' she explained. 'I don't have the same hunger. I know what it takes to be a champion, to be the best in the world, and I just don't have that feeling right now.' Her career began at age 16, when she won gold as part of the 4 x 100 m relay team at the Auckland Commonwealth Games. Fancy seeing you here! The boot camp doubled as a family outing, as Cathy was also joined by her husband James Murch and their daughter Ruby Out and about: Ruby was pictured riding her bicycle after her mother's boot camp session The win made her one of the competition's youngest stars and the first Indigenous Australian to win gold at the Commonwealth Games. Cathy went on to score three more gold medals at subsequent Commonwealth Games, as well as a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. During her time in the spotlight, Cathy also made headlines for her love life and famously dated Australian actor Joel Edgerton. Iconic: During the 2000 games, Cathy was selected to light the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony, before later winning gold for her 400 metres run Golden girl: Cathy's career began at age 16, when she won gold as part of the 4 x 100 m relay team at the Auckland Commonwealth Games. Pictured at the 2000 Olympics In 2016, she penned a heartfelt and encouraging letter to the Australian athletes competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics. 'You have achieved an incredible thing,' she wrote in August 2016. 'Competing at an Olympic Games is simply life changing and nothing else you experience in your life will have quite the same impact on you as an athlete or a person.' Canadian rock band Walk Off the Earth announced Sunday that their beloved keyboard player Mike 'Beard Guy' Taylor has passed away. 'It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Mike 'Beard Guy' Taylor,' said a statement from the band on their Twitter page. 'Mike had a love for life that was unmatched and a willingness to give that went beyond ordinary means,' the statement continued. 'He passed peacefully from natural causes last night in his sleep.' RIP Mike: Walk Off the Earth keyboardist Mike 'Beard Guy' Taylor has passed away 'Our deepest sympathies are with his two children, whom he adored more than anything else in the world,' the statement continued. 'We ask for privacy for his family in this trying time,' the statement concluded. While Taylor primarily played keyboard for the group, he also provided backup vocals and played several other instruments such as the xylophone, glockenspiel and trumpet. Band's statement: 'It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Mike 'Beard Guy' Taylor,' said a statement from the band on their Twitter page Taylor joined Walk Off The Earth in 2006, shortly after the group was founded in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. The group created a number of different cover songs, and their 2012 cover of Gotye's Somebody That I Used To Know. The accompanying video, where all five members of the group played one guitar, went viral, amassing 175 million views on YouTube in just four months. In memoriam: 'Our deepest sympathies are with his two children, whom he adored more than anything else in the world,' the statement continued Shortly after that cover, they signed with Columbia Records, where they released the 2013 album R.E.V.O. and Sing It All Away in 2015. They most recently released EPs entitled Holiday Beard Ballads Vol. 1 in 2017 and Subscribe to the Holidays, released in November. The group is slated to perform a New Year's Eve gig on Monday night at Queen Victoria Park in Niagara Falls, Canada. Beard Guy: They most recently released EPs entitled Holiday Beard Ballads Vol. 1 in 2017 and Subscribe to the Holidays, released in November Walk Off the Earth is slated to go on a world tour that spans most of 2019. The tour kicks off February 9 at Rath Eastlink Communiy Centre in Truro, Canada, with the tour also spanning the Midwest and East Coast before heading to Europe and back to North America again. The tour concludes August 3 at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver. There is no word from the band yet if this tour will still happen as scheduled, in the wake of Taylor's passing. The woman who was verbally attacked by Cardi B's entourage at Sydney Airport on Saturday has broken her silence following the 'scary' incident. 'Jane', who has withheld her full name, was physically threatened by the rapper's publicist Patientce Foster. Afterwards, Cardi herself claimed she wished her employee 'spat' on her. The clash occurred after Jane told Cardi it was 'no wonder [her] husband left' - referring to her estranged spouse Offset - after witnessing the musician deliberately avoiding her Australian fans by hiding under a blanket. Cardi B EXCLUSIVE: 'I thought they were going to hit me': The woman (left) involved in a 'scary' incident with the rapper at Sydney Airport has revealed what really happened during the clash 'There were so many young kids that just wanted a picture with her and she ignored them and put a blanket over her head,' Jane told Daily Mail Australia. Jane, who also did not wish to disclose her age, watched in disbelief as Cardi 'refused' to take selfies with her waiting fans, which prompted her to speak out. 'I thought, "Damn, I'm going to say something." I'm not violent or racist it was just unacceptable behaviour,' she added. Heated exchange: 'Jane' (right), who has withheld her full name, was physically threatened by the rapper's publicist Patientce Foster (centre) after making a comment about Cardi's husband Under cover: The clash occurred after Jane told Cardi (centre, hiding under a yellow blanket) that it was 'no wonder [her] husband left', referring to the rapper's estranged spouse Offset After Jane made the comment to Cardi about her estranged husband, which prompted Patientce to threaten her, she recalled: 'I thought they were going to hit me. They're a nasty mob.' Jane blamed Cardi's behaviour at the airport, which she witnessed first hand, for the recent breakdown of her marriage to Migos star Offset. Having been married for 31 years herself, Jane even offered Cardi some advice, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'Try to be nice to everybody - even if you don't like them.' When asked if she was a fan of Cardi's, she added: 'I am not a fan of hers, no. She's just a poor imitation of Nicki Minaj.' A step too far? Jane blamed Cardi's behaviour at the airport, which she witnessed first hand, for the recent breakdown of her marriage to Migos star Offset (right). Pictured on April 26 'She should have spit in that f**king lady's face': Cardi broke her silence on the incident in a since-deleted Instagram video on Sunday night During the airport incident, Cardi's publicist Patientce furiously stormed up to Jane after she made the comment about Offset. '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. Footage of the altercation then showed a stunned airport worker attempting to diffuse the situation, with little success. Unrepentant: Publicist Patientce also took to Instagram to address the incident, writing: 'Understand me. Won't no job title ever change me or who I am' . Pictured right: Patientce and Cardi on January 9, 2017 in New York City In a since-deleted Instagram video, Cardi discussed the incident afterwards, saying: '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.' Cardi brushed off the incident, however, when she took to the stage at Perth's Origin Fields Festival on Sunday night. She is scheduled to perform at Sydney's Field Day Festival on Tuesday, before heading to New Zealand for two further shows. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cardi B's management for comment. Geoff Huegill has spoken out for the first time since announcing last week he had separated from his publicist wife Sara. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Monday, the 39-year-old former Olympic swimmer praised Sara, 35, as an 'amazing woman'. He said: 'Sara is an amazing woman and the best mother you will ever meet'. Scroll down for video EXCLUSIVE: 'She's an amazing woman and the best mother you will ever meet': Geoff Huegill has broken his silence following his split from wife Sara. The couple are pictured leaving Waverley Local Court in Sydney on May 14, 2014 regarding cocaine possession charges He added: 'Her priorities are our beautiful girls and anyone who has seen her with them will agree on these claims.' Geoff would not comment, however, on a report by Woman's Day on Monday which alleged his wife's shoplifting arrest - which took place in May and resulted in the charge being dropped three months later - was 'the final straw' in the pair's marriage. A source close to the couple had claimed the former athlete reached breaking point when Sara was accused of stealing a pair of $2,500 Bassike trousers from a clothing store in Byron Bay on Mother's Day. 'Her priorities are our beautiful girls': Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Monday, the 39-year-old former Olympic swimmer praised Sara as an 'amazing woman'. Pictured before their split 'Geoff has had enough,' the insider claimed, in reference to Sara's shoplifting charge. The source added that the estranged couple will be 'relocating to different states' following their separation. Sara, who is currently based on the Gold Coast, is reportedly moving to Tasmania with her daughters - Mila, six, and Gigi, four - to live closer to her father, Andrew. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Sara Huegill for further comment. It's over! Geoff and his publicist wife Sara announced last week they had decided to 'amicably' separate. Pictured on November 13, 2012 in Sydney Last week, in a statement released via Instagram, the couple announced they had 'amicably' ended their marriage after 13 years together. 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.' Geoff and Sara married in Bali, Indonesia in 2011 and share two children. 'We continue to remain friends': Geoff said in his statement, 'It's with a heavy heart that after 13 years together, Sara and I have made the decision to amicably separate' 'Our focus will always be our girls': Geoff and Sara married in Bali, Indonesia in 2011 and share two young children: daughters Gigi, six, and Mila, four (pictured) The separation followed a difficult year for the Huegills, after Sara was arrested for shoplifting in Byron Bay on May 12. But in August, the magistrate found that Sara had a mental illness and was suffering from 'adjustment, depressive, eating and substance abuse disorder'. The magistrate also acknowledged the socialite's remorse and dropped the charge on mental health grounds. Sara's lawyer had previously said in a statement that she was being treated for issues related to anxiety and depression. Trying times: The separation followed a difficult year for the Huegills, after Sara was arrested for shoplifting in May before the charge was dropped three months later due to her 'mental health issues'. Pictured: Sara and Geoff leaving Waverley Local Court in Sydney on May 14, 2014 regarding an unrelated legal matter The last post: In June, Geoff expressed support for Sara on Instagram before her shoplifting charge was eventually dropped. It would be his last post referencing his wife before announcing their separation on Friday In June, Geoff expressed support for Sara on Instagram before her charge was eventually dropped. It would be his last post referencing his wife before announcing their separation on Friday. 'For now, my primary focus is to make sure that the health and well-being of my best friend is managed, so she can be the best person she can be for herself and for our family,' he wrote at the time. 'At times, good people make poor choices. We all trip over and make mistakes and unfortunately, we let others down. But that doesn't make us bad people. I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to those who have supported us and those who continue to support us in these challenging times.' 'Naturally there are two sides to every story, and there will be a time, when we as a family will share our side,' Geoff concluded. Sara had not been pictured with Geoff on her personal Instagram account for several months. Making headlines: The former couple have experienced their fair share of scandals over the years. In 2014, they were arrested for cocaine use at Sydney's Randwick Racecourse and later pleaded guilty to drug possession Meanwhile, the estranged couple have experienced their fair share of scandals over the years. Geoff and Sara were arrested for cocaine use in 2014 while at Sydney's Randwick Racecourse. Both pleaded guilty to drug possession and were handed six-month good behaviour bonds. Rivals: Known for her on-again, off-again friendship with Roxy Jacenko (pictured), Sara also made headlines last year when she left Roxy's company Sweaty Betty PR for a second time Known for her on-again, off-again friendship with Roxy Jacenko, Sara also made headlines last year when she left Roxy's company Sweaty Betty PR for the second time. She had initially worked for the 38-year-old businesswoman until 2010, when her employment was abruptly terminated for 'disloyal conduct'. But after rekindling their friendship in 2017, Sara was rehired as a senior publicist, before parting ways with the firm less than three months later. If you or someone you know needs help, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 Have they been separated for months? Sara had not been pictured with Geoff on her personal Instagram account for several months Cardi B's publicist, Patientce Foster confronted a woman named 'Jane' at Sydney Airport on Saturday after she referenced the rapper's troubled marriage to Offset. Following the incident, Patientce has revealed Cardi B, 26, and her entourage chose to take an estimated $20,000 private flight from Perth to Sydney to avoid 'simple h**s' at the airport. In a boomerang clip shared to the publicist's Instagram Story on Monday, Patientce wrote: 'Taking the private way to Sydney! Not f**king with you simple h**s today!' Scroll down for video She likes it like that! Cardi B (pictured) takes $20,000 private flight from Perth to Sydney to avoid 'simple h**s' after the rapper's publicist threatened to 'smack' an elderly woman inside the Harbour City airport In the footage, fans could see a private airplane parked on the tarmac through the window of the airport lounge. The Bodak Yellow rapper's publicist appeared to be eagerly awaiting the flight as she was seen rapidly tapping her foot in the video. It seems Cardi has a taste for luxury travel as she previously shared a photo of her business class seat on a Qantas flight, moments before she took off from Hawaii en route to Sydney on Saturday night. Cardi B is scheduled to perform at Sydney's Field Day Festival on New Years Day. 'Not f**king with you simple h**s!' Following the incident, Patientce has revealed Cardi B, 26, and her entourage chose to take a $20,000 (estimated) private jet from Perth to Sydney to avoid 'simple h**s' at the airport 'Next stop Australia!' It appears Cardi has a taste for luxury travel as she shared a photo of her relaxing in business class seat onboard a Qantas flight, moments before she took off from Hawaii on Saturday night Meanwhile, earlier on Monday, the woman who was verbally attacked by Cardi B's entourage at Sydney Airport on Saturday broke her silence following the 'scary' incident. 'Jane', who withheld her full name, was physically threatened by the rapper's publicist Patientce Foster. Afterwards, Cardi herself claimed she wished her employee 'spat' on her. The clash occurred after Jane told Cardi it was 'no wonder [her] husband left' - referring to her estranged spouse Offset - after witnessing the musician deliberately avoiding her Australian fans by hiding under a blanket. Cardi B EXCLUSIVE: 'I thought they were going to hit me': The woman (left) involved in a 'scary' incident with the rapper at Sydney Airport has revealed what really happened during the clash 'There were so many young kids that just wanted a picture with her and she ignored them and put a blanket over her head,' Jane told Daily Mail Australia. Jane, who also did not wish to disclose her age, watched in disbelief as Cardi 'refused' to take selfies with her waiting fans, which prompted her to speak out. 'I thought, "Damn, I'm going to say something." I'm not violent or racist it was just unacceptable behaviour,' she added. Heated exchange: 'Jane' (right), who has withheld her full name, was physically threatened by the rapper's publicist Patientce Foster (centre) after making a comment about Cardi's husband Under cover: The clash occurred after Jane told Cardi (centre, hiding under a yellow blanket) that it was 'no wonder [her] husband left', referring to the rapper's estranged spouse Offset After Jane made the comment to Cardi about her estranged husband, which prompted Patientce to threaten her, she recalled: 'I thought they were going to hit me. They're a nasty mob.' Jane blamed Cardi's behaviour at the airport, which she witnessed firsthand, for the recent breakdown of her marriage to Migos star Offset. Having been married for 31 years herself, Jane even offered Cardi some advice, telling Daily Mail Australia: 'Try to be nice to everybody - even if you don't like them.' When asked if she was a fan of Cardi's, she added: 'I am not a fan of hers, no. She's just a poor imitation of Nicki Minaj.' A step too far? Jane blamed Cardi's behaviour at the airport, which she witnessed first hand, for the recent breakdown of her marriage to Migos star Offset (right). Pictured on April 26 'She should have spit in that f**king lady's face': Cardi broke her silence on the incident in a since-deleted Instagram video on Sunday night During the airport incident, Cardi's publicist Patientce furiously stormed up to Jane after she made the comment about Offset. '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. Footage of the altercation then showed a stunned airport worker attempting to diffuse the situation, with little success. In a since-deleted Instagram video, Cardi discussed the incident afterwards, saying: '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. Unrepentant: Publicist Patientce also took to Instagram to address the incident, writing: 'Understand me. Won't no job title ever change me or who I am' . Pictured right: Patientce and Cardi on January 9, 2017 in New York City 'I will always defend myself and the people around me. What may be professional to you don't mean s**t to me. Period.' Cardi brushed off the incident, however, when she took to the stage at Perth's Origin Fields Festival on Sunday night. She is scheduled to perform at Sydney's Field Day Festival on Tuesday, before heading to New Zealand for two further shows. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cardi B's management for comment. Cynthia Bailey's daughter had a complete 'meltdown' on Sunday night's The Real Housewives of Atlanta as she prepared to leave home for college. In an episode where Porsha Williams saw an ultrasound of her baby for the first time and Kandi Burruss admitted seeking a surrogate for twin girls, former model Cynthia, 51, went through the turmoil of only child Noelle leaving home. But it was Noelle, 19, who had the toughest time, refusing to join a farewell party thrown for her before eventually hugging her mom in private in tears. Nerves: Cynthia Bailey's daughter had a complete 'meltdown' on Sunday night's The Real Housewives of Atlanta as she prepared to leave home for college 'I just can't do it!' the teen repeatedly sobbed, slumping to the floor while crying hysterically, begging her mom to send home their guests. Cynthia soon had tears of her own as she sent home the gathering, including her own mom and sister, telling them: 'She's not good.' 'Do I force her to go [to college]? I mean the child is laying in the fetal position, crying,' Cynthia asked later to camera. 'I'm really trying to keep it together, but for the first time in my life, I don't know how to fix this.' She was torn between pride at her daughter's acceptance to Howard University calling it 'one of the most prestigious black colleges in the United States' and knowing that it would be 'the first thing she's done without me.' Empty nest: Cynthia, 51, went through the turmoil of only child Noelle leaving home Meltdown: But it was Noelle, 19, who had the toughest time, refusing to join a farewell party thrown for her before eventually hugging her mom in private in tears 'We are super dependent upon each other,' Cynthia admitted. NeNe Leakes, 50, finally gave her the perspective she needed when Cynthia called to warn her not to attend the party. 'Cynthia, now listen: She has got to go,' NeNe insisted. 'Really, when she gets there she's probably gonna say to herself, "Why was I doing that?" She will not want to come back home because she's gonna be meeting so many people from around the world, which is really good for her.' 'She's gotta go,' Cynthia agreed, saying later: 'I feel like I would be doing not only myself but her a disservice by not pushing her to find her own way.' Cynthia was later seen helping Noelle decorate her room in her halls of residence, crediting 'a lot of convincing and a lot of mom theory' for getting her there. 'Finally, praise God, Noelle is ready to go to college,' she said. Emotional: 'I just can't do it!' the teen repeatedly sobbed, slumping to the floor while crying hysterically, begging her mom to send home their guests Hard time: Cynthia soon had tears of her own as she sent home the gathering, including her own mom and sister, telling them: 'She's not good' They then had dinner with Noelle's dad Leon Robinson, 56, who told the girl: 'This is an accomplishment. This is a proud moment.' But Noelle's newfound confidence seemed to disappear again when they left and her parents ordered her an Uber to travel alone to her new home. After more tears and hugs, she finally got in pretending to lean out to reach for them as she was driven off. 'It's always been Noelle and I for as long as I can remember,' Cynthia said later in a confessional. 'I've been thinking about this day for a long time, and now that it's actually here I'm excited and scared and mortified and nervous. All at the same time. 'But I do know as Noelle's mom I have to let her go. I have to let her find her way.' Questions: 'Do I force her to go [to college]? I mean the child is laying in the fetal position, crying,' Cynthia asked later to camera Look back: There was an emotional trip down memory lane of mom and daughter Decisions: She was torn between pride at her daughter's acceptance to Howard University calling it 'one of the most prestigious black colleges in the United States' and knowing that it would be 'the first thing she's done without me.' Porsha, meanwhile, had a completely different experience with her first child PJ for 'Porsha Jr.' seeing her for the first time on an ultrasound. 'Seeing the sonogram of the baby is I can't even explain,' she said of the appointment with boyfriend Dennis McKinley, who proudly took phone pics. 'It's like, is this baby really growing inside of me? 'Seeing Dennis's face and seeing how excited he is that we're having a child together I know this is exactly who I am supposed to have this child with. 'And this moment is something that I have prayed for.' It was especially moving because it was with Dr Shelley Dunson-Allen, the fertility doctor who previously helped her when she thought she could not conceive. Dad: They then had dinner with Noelle's dad Leon Robinson, 56, who told the girl: 'This is an accomplishment. This is a proud moment' Goodbyes: 'I've been thinking about this day for a long time, and now that it's actually here I'm excited and scared and mortified and nervous. All at the same time' The end: But Noelle's newfound confidence seemed to disappear again when they left and her parents ordered her an Uber to travel alone to her new home There was also a light-hearted moment when Dennis asked if it was a condom on the probe, with Porsha teasing him: 'Yes, Dennis. This is what a condom looks like.' Dr. Dunson-Allen then joked; 'I guess y'all wouldn't know because that's why you're here, right?' But Porsha was also left 'disappointed' after being told she would need a c-section rather than the home waterbirth she dreamed of. NeNe had an emotional moment herself as husband Gregg, 64, gathered their sons to encourage them to get colonoscopies after his own battle with colon cancer. Baby: Porsha, meanwhile, had a completely different experience with her first child PJ for 'Porsha Jr.' seeing her for the first time on an ultrasound Baby PJ: 'Seeing the sonogram of the baby is I can't even explain,' she said of the appointment with boyfriend Dennis McKinley, who proudly took phone pics. 'It's like, is this baby really growing inside of me?' Section: But Porsha was also left 'disappointed' after being told she would need a c-section rather than the home waterbirth she dreamed of 'As you know, I was diagnosed with colon cancer but I've been totally healed by God. One hundred percent,' he told his own sons Damian and Daryl, both 41, Dexter, 33, as well as NeNe's son who he raised, Bryson, 28, and their son together, 19-year-old Brentt. NeNe then admitted that he had been told 'a couple of cells penetrated the tissue wall' and that 'when that happens the normal thing is to do chemo' but Gregg was refusing the treatment. Instead, they encouraged the men to get colonoscopies, with Gregg saying: 'The biggest misconception that I had is that it's the glove and it's the bend-over. Which is a way to check a particular cancer, but not colon.' NeNe said later to camera: 'Gregg not doing chemo is fine with me. He has to make his own decision, and as his wife, I want to support whatever decision he makes. Get checked: NeNe had an emotional moment herself as husband Gregg, 64, gathered their sons to encourage them to get colonoscopies after his own battle with colon cancer Family: 'As you know, I was diagnosed with colon cancer but I've been totally healed by God. One hundred percent,' he told his own sons Damian and Daryl, both 41, Dexter, 33, as well as NeNe's son who he raised, Bryson, 28, and their son together, 19-year-old Brentt 'So if Gregg doesn't want to do chemo, honey I don't want to do chemo.' But she was worried cancer 'could possibly be in their DNA,' telling the sons: 'At the end of the day you all need to get tested. That's the end of the discussion, right?' Earlier, NeNe had surprised bride-to-be Eva Marcille, 34, by bringing along Marlo Hampton to her wedding dress fitting, which Eva joked was 'punishment' for not inviting NeNe to her bachelorette weekend. NeNe had been first to disagree with Eva when she said she wanted 'simple and angelic' without any 'bling' for her big day. 'Simple and angelic would be the bridal shower,' NeNe insisted. 'Over-the-top, blinged out, titties, show me a leg, show that booty thomp thomp what-you-talking-about that's all going to be the wedding.' Appraisal: Earlier, NeNe had surprised bride-to-be Eva Marcille, 34, by bringing along Marlo Hampton to her wedding dress fitting, which Eva joked was 'punishment' for not inviting NeNe to her bachelorette weekend Ouch: 'I need one little small request I just want 10 pounds off,' Marlo told former model Eva, who only gave birth 13 weeks earlier But Marlo's sharp mouth drew intakes of breath when they finally found a dress they all liked best. 'I need one little small request I just want 10 pounds off,' Marlo told former model Eva, who only gave birth 13 weeks earlier. NeNe leaped in to defend her friend, telling Marlo: 'B***h you need to f***ing stop, b***h, with your big, ginormous a**!' 'NeNe is my girl and I appreciate her having my back,' Eva said later to camera. 'So thank you NeNe for coming to my defense and reminding Marlo the circumference of her a** is huge.' Pot, kettle: NeNe leaped in to defend her friend, telling Marlo: 'B***h you need to f***ing stop, b***h, with your big, ginormous a**!' Back-up: 'NeNe is my girl and I appreciate her having my back,' Eva said later to camera. 'So thank you NeNe for coming to my defense and reminding Marlo the circumference of her a** is huge' Marlo's cussing the previous episode where she told Shamari DeVoe 'Your momma's a b***h' was raised by that very mom, Dawn, who told Shamari: 'I'm Mrs Bitch. Those are fighting words where I come from.' Shamari explained later: 'Even though my mom is a successful OBGYN physician assistant who looks at vajayjays all day she will snatch someone's wig off if she has to.' Kandi Burruss, 42, spent the episode trying to get her mother to apologize for calling Kandi's husband Todd Tucker a 'lemon.' 'Well, he wasn't hot before he got with you,' Mama Joyce initially insisted then teasingly called Todd 'my little lemon' when they finally talked. Lemongate: Kandi Burruss, 42, spent the episode trying to get her mother to apologize for calling Kandi's husband Todd Tucker a 'lemon' But she quickly made amends, telling him: 'I love you and I am so proud of you. I didn't mean for what I said to be offending.' She then praised Todd for treating Kandi's 16-year-old daughter Riley as his 'own,' telling him: 'Me being a grandmother, that got my heart. So I just hope y'all be together forever, loving each other and being the best partners y'all can possibly be. Because y'all got it going on.' Todd then teased her that they were 'expecting twin babies,' with Kandi admitting: 'We're thinking about getting a surrogate.' 'Only thing you've got to remember is girls are a handful,' her mom warned. After last week's heart-wrenching and traumatizing episode of Outlander that featured the brutal rape of Brianna Fraser (Sophie Skelton), this week's episode included the reunion many fans were waiting for. This week's episode, The Birds and the Bees, starts directly after last week's episode, with Brianna returning to her tavern room after being raped by Stephen Bonnet (Ed Speelers). Lizzie (Caitlyn O'Ryan) immediately realizes what happens and tries to take care of her, but Brianna is so traumatized she recoils when Lizzie tries to help her. Bloody Brianna: After being raped by Stephen Bonnet last week, Brianna finally meets her father in this week's episode of Outlander Traumatized: This week's episode, The Birds and the Bees, starts directly after last week's episode, with Brianna returning to her tavern room after being raped by Stephen Bonnet (Ed Speelers). Still, Lizzie is under the impression that Roger (Richard Rankin) was the culprit of this crime, since she saw him pull her aside in last week's episode. The next morning, Roger returns to the tavern to try and find Brianna, but instead he finds Bonnet, who says that Roger must keep working on his crew of the Gloriana until they reach Philadelphia, or Bonnet will kill him. Or, as the nefarious Bonnet puts it, Roger is caught between a limb or a lass, and Roger ultimately sets sail with Bonnet, but tells the tavern owner to tell Bree he was there. Nefarious captain: Or, as the nefarious Bonnet puts it, Roger is caught between a limb or a lass, and Roger ultimately sets sail with Bonnet, but tells the tavern owner to tell Bree he was there Roger's decision: The next morning, Roger returns to the tavern to try and find Brianna, but instead he finds Bonnet, who says that Roger must keep working on his crew until they reach Philadelphia, or he won't get paid. Brianna still thought Roger had left her for good after their fight, unaware that Bonnet forced his hand. While things are certainly looking glum for Bree, Lizzie comes with good news: that Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) were spotted in Wilmington. Fans of Diana Gabaldon's book series will likely be happy to know that the moment Bree finds her father Jamie in the books was faithfully recreated in the show, with Bree finding dear old dad while he was peeing behind a building. Bree and Jamie: Jamie first thinks Bree's trying to proposition him, insisting he's a married man, but he's taken aback when she knows his name, ultimately revealing she's his daughter. Reunited: He takes her to reunite with Claire, who comes out of her quarters, shocked to find Bree sitting on a bench next to Jamie Jamie first thinks Bree's trying to proposition him, insisting he's a married man, but he's taken aback when she knows his name, ultimately revealing she's his daughter. They embrace and share a tender moment, with Jamie admitting he never imagined her as a grown woman before. He takes her to reunite with Claire, who comes out of her quarters, shocked to find Bree sitting on a bench next to Jamie. Surprise: Jamie first thinks Bree's trying to proposition him, insisting he's a married man, but he's taken aback when she knows his name, ultimately revealing she's his daughter Mom and daughter: They embrace and share a tender moment, with Jamie admitting he never imagined her as a grown woman before Dad and daughter: He takes her to reunite with Claire, who comes out of her quarters, shocked to find Bree sitting on a bench next to Jamie After the heartfelt reunion, Bree shows her parents their obituary, which explains why she was there, but there's nothing they can really do about that at the moment. Instead, Jamie invites his daughter to stay with them at Fraser's Ridge, to which Bree agrees, but on the condition that she brings Lizzie along as well. Bree also meets her cousin Ian (John Bell), who certainly eyes her as a romantic prospect, at least for a fleeting moment. Lizzie, on the other hand, is most certainly interested in Ian, although he just assumes she likes his dog Rollo, which is not true. Obit: After the heartfelt reunion, Bree shows her parents their obituary, which explains why she was there, but there's nothing they can really do about that at the moment Cousin Ian: Bree also meets her cousin Ian (Steven Murray), who certainly eyes her as a romantic prospect, at least for a fleeting moment Ian fills in Bree and Lizzie about their travels, including Bonnet stealing Claire's wedding ring. Bree comes to the realization that the man who raped her is the man who took advantage of her father. While Bree doesn't tell her parents about Bonnet raping her, she does tell them that she fears she'll never see Roger again. Bree also tells Claire that Frank (Tobias Menzies) also knew about the obituary death notice and never said anything, but he knew Claire would ultimately return to Jamie. Lizzie and Ian: Lizzie, on the other hand, is most certainly interested in Ian, although he just assumes she likes his dog Rollo, which is not true Ian and Bree: Ian fills in Bree and Lizzie about their travels, including Bonnet stealing Claire's wedding ring Bonding time: While Bree doesn't tell her parents about Bonnet raping her, she does tell them that she fears she'll never see Roger again Bree would ultimately become quite comfortable with life on Fraser's Ridge, surprising her father with her shooting abilities, which she learned from Frank. He invited his daughter to go hunting with him, where they had the opportunity to bond, although Bree admitted she felt disloyal to Frank by being with him. Jamie later confesses to Claire that he doesn't want Bree to return to her own time, even though they both agree it would be the best thing for her. Confession: He invited his daughter to go hunting with him, where they had the opportunity to bond, although Bree admitted she felt disloyal to Frank by being with him. Bree and dad: Bree would ultimately become quite comfortable with life on Fraser's Ridge, surprising her father with her shooting abilities, which she learned from Frank Claire senses something isn't right with Bree, and when she confronts her about it, she admits that she is pregnant, though it might not be Roger's child. She then tearfully admits that Bonnet raped her, with Claire telling her daughter that it isn't her fault. Bree also said that Roger had pulled out, so she doesn't think the baby is his, and that it might be Bonnet's. Not the father: Bree also said that Roger had pulled out, so she doesn't think the baby is his, and that it might be Bonnet's Premonition: Claire senses something isn't right with Bree, and when she confronts her about it, she admits that she is pregnant, though it might not be Roger's child Surprisingly, Roger had managed to free himself from Bonnet's employ, and made his way to Fraser's Ridge to find Bree. Lizzie, still thinking that Roger was the one who assaulted Bree, told Ian that Roger is the man who attacked Bree. Ian then told Jamie, who asked Lizzie if she's sure he's the man who attacked Bree, and she said she was positive. Jamie asked Lizzie to go back to the cabin and not tell Bree or Claire. While Roger is walking, minding his own business, Jamie attacks him and pummels the unsuspecting Roger to a bloody pulp. Angry dad: While Roger is walking, minding his own business, Jamie attacks him and pummels the unsuspecting Roger to a bloody pulp Wrong guy: Lizzie, still thinking that Roger was the one who assaulted Bree, told Ian that Roger is the man who attacked Bree Bad shape: Ian then told Jamie, who asked Lizzie if she's sure he's the man who attacked Bree, and she said she was positive. Jamie asked Lizzie to go back to the cabin and not tell Bree or Claire Ian then rides out to Jamie, with Jamie telling Ian to get rid of Roger, and he doesn't want him killed because he doesn't want the blood on his hands. Ian rides off with Roger's unconscious body on his horse, with Bree not even knowing he had come for her. Meanwhile, Claire found her old silver wedding ring among Bree's things, which lead to Bree admitting to Claire that Bonnet was the man who raped her, but she promised not to tell Jamie. Three-time Grammy winner The Weeknd bundled up in a camouflage hooded winter coat for a stroll through Manhattan with a guy pal on Sunday. The 28-year-old Canadian crooner (born Abel Tesfaye) paired his snowboarding jacket with a black beanie featuring a blue pom, black skinny jeans, and orange-soled sneakers. The Call Out My Name hitmaker is currently enjoying a calming career hiatus over the holidays after concluding his seven-date Asia Tour. Frozen Big Apple: Three-time Grammy winner The Weeknd bundled up in a camouflage hooded winter coat for a stroll through Manhattan with a guy pal (L) on Sunday Brrrr! The 28-year-old Canadian crooner (born Abel Tesfaye) paired his snowboarding jacket with a black beanie featuring a blue pom, black skinny jeans, and orange-soled sneakers The Weeknd wasn't too far from the $60K/month Tribeca penthouse he's renting with his on/off girlfriend, IMG Model Bella Hadid. The son of Ethiopian immigrants is likely gearing up to ring in 2019 with the 22-year-old Victoria's Secret catwalker, whom he began dating again in May after a nine-month fling with Selena Gomez. The half-Jordanian, half-Dutch socialite gushed that the R&B belter was the 'most beautiful person' she knows, and he makes her 'laugh the hardest' during Vogue's 73 Questions series on December 19. Break: The Call Out My Name hitmaker is currently enjoying a calming career hiatus over the holidays after concluding his seven-date Asia Tour Bromance: The Weeknd wasn't too far from the $60K/month Tribeca penthouse he's renting with his on/off girlfriend, IMG Model Bella Hadid 'Welcome home!' The son of Ethiopian immigrants is likely gearing up to ring in 2019 with the 22-year-old Victoria's Secret catwalker (R), whom he began dating again in May after a nine-month fling with Selena Gomez (pictured Wednesday) Smitten: The half-Jordanian, half-Dutch socialite gushed to Vogue this month that the R&B belter was the 'most beautiful person' she knows, and he makes her 'laugh the hardest' '#BTS': The Weeknd first fell for Bella in 2015 after enlisting her to serve video vixen duties in his In the Night music video The Weeknd first fell for Bella in 2015 after enlisting her to serve video vixen duties in his In the Night music video. On Sunday, Versace unveiled the first image of Hadid rocking blue leather in their Medusa-inspired SS/19 campaign, which was photographed by famed New York lensman Steven Meisel. Meanwhile, the former American Apparel employee revealed onstage Toronto hotspot Rebel on November 6 that he's working on a new album 'right now,' teasing: 'Chapter six coming soon. Let's get it!' 'As the Medusa!' On Sunday, Versace unveiled the first image of Hadid rocking blue leather in their SS/19 campaign, which was photographed by Steven Meisel Danielle Staub was shown tearfully saying 'I do' for her disastrous four-month marriage on Sunday night's The Real Housewives of New Jersey. But despite the beautiful beach setting in Bimini in the Bahamas, the episode showed the warning signs firmly in place with Marty Caffrey's groomsmen even making a last-ditch attempt to talk him out of it. Margaret Josephs, 51, also threatened to walk out the morning of the wedding, predicting: 'I don't think this marriage is gonna last.' Doomed: Danielle Staub was shown tearfully saying 'I do' for her disastrous four-month marriage on Sunday night's The Real Housewives of New Jersey Despite the last minute drama, Danielle, 56, was shown drawing gasps as she put on her wedding gown said to be worth $45,000 with her whooping: 'I'm ready to get married!' Daughters Christine and Jillian walked her down the sand to where Marty, in a sand-colored suit and pink tie, stood before their small wedding party. 'The beauty of this is unbelievable, what am I gonna do?' Marty said. Danielle and Marty, 66, held hands as they said special vows. 'I promise that you will feel safe every day, every moment, forever,' Marty told her. 'I promise that I'll be your friend and I'll be your husband. You're getting all of me.' Danielle then said: 'I vow to trust you, support you. I will love you for the rest of my days.' Short-lived: Danielle, 56, and Marty, 66, held hands as they said special vows 'Forever': 'I promise that you will feel safe every day, every moment, forever,' Marty told her. 'I promise that I'll be your friend and I'll be your husband. You're getting all of me' 'Rest of my days': Danielle then said: 'I vow to trust you, support you. I will love you for the rest of my days' Danielle cried as she said 'I do,' with Marty confirming: 'Most certainly.' After a passionate-looking kiss to cheers, they walked arm-in-arm back along the beach, with Danielle smiling: 'I'm married, b****es. It's official!' 'Even though sometimes she can be a little much, Danielle does have a good heart, and she deserves a second chance of happiness,' insisted matron-of-honor Teresa Giudice, 46, adding with a laugh: 'Or is it a third, fourth, fifth ... something.' Four months later, Marty filed for divorce after she sought a temporary restraining order against him. Bridesmaids: Teresa Giudice made a stunning bridesmaid Here comes the bride: Despite some last minute drama, Danielle was shown drawing gasps as she put on her wedding gown said to be worth $45,000 And the episode showed that the beauty of the ceremony belied the drama that led up to it uncharacteristically centered mostly on the men. Marty's groomsmen Teresa's brother Joe Gorga and Margaret's husband Joe Benigno were both alarmed at seeing Danielle badmouth his adult children the previous evening. Then as they took him for drinks, both men laid into him about his relationship starting with the lack of sex. 'You've got to think about this seriously. Whether or not you really can live with no sex, no nothing,' Joe B told him. 'F**k that. Your f***ing heads gonna f***ing explode.' Joe G had also teased him about not 'getting laid' the night before, saying later to camera: 'They're getting married and Danielle doesn't wanna have sex? F**k that! Call it off now! Let's save the money.' Gorgeous: They chose a beautiful beach setting in Bimini in the Bahamas Jibe: 'Even though sometimes she can be a little much, Danielle does have a good heart, and she deserves a second chance of happiness,' insisted matron-of-honor Teresa Giudice, 46, adding with a laugh: 'Or is it a third, fourth, fifth ... something' Easy come easy go: Four months later, Marty filed for divorce after she sought a temporary restraining order against him Joe B then warned the groom-to-be about Danielle's spending, saying she 'spent $45,000 on a dress on your black card and you don't f***ing know it yet,' adding: 'You'll be broke you'll be coming over to my house, his house, crying, "This is what Danielle did!"' Joe B also said Danielle was 'ripping you a new a**hole' with the way she treated him, calling it 'f***ed up.' 'She's a challenge to me I like challenges,' Marty finally answered. Joe G took them to the bar for conch, pointing to the live fish and comparing it to Marty, saying: 'That's his penis but the balls are gone, bro.' Marty finally had enough, telling them: 'Joe, I'm offended by you knocking my f***ing manhood. And questioning my judgment about somebody as special as Danielle. You guys are p***ing me the f***k off right now.' Intervention: The episode showed the warning signs firmly in place with Marty's groomsmen even making a last-ditch attempt to talk him out of it Red flags: Teresa's brother Joe Gorga and Margaret's husband Joe Benigno were both alarmed at seeing Danielle badmouth his adult children the previous evening. Get out: Then as they took him for drinks, both men laid into him about his relationship starting with the lack of sex When he accused them of 'questioning me,' Joe B laughed 'yeah' leading Marty to smack his drink, knocking it over his shorts. 'You're f***ing with the wrong person,' he warned. Sensing it could get ugly, Joe G claimed: 'We were f***ing with her to see if you loved her you passed the f***ing test! You love her.' But he admitted later: 'This was not a test. We were dead serious Marty is in for it with Danielle. But I have no problem with laughing if it keeps Marty from beating up Joe.' Joe G later told wife Melissa and sister Teresa of their chat: 'I was like, "Marty, don't let the p***y whip you, you need to whip the p***y."' Shots fired: When he accused them of 'questioning me,' Joe B laughed 'yeah' leading Marty to smack his drink, knocking it over his shorts Spilling: Joe G later told wife Melissa and sister Teresa of their chat: 'I was like, "Marty, don't let the p***y whip you, you need to whip the p***y"' Uh-oh: Melissa was shocked when she heard what the boys had been talking about However, he seemed nervous that night when Danielle confronted him and warned 'somebody might be buried in Bimini' over the confrontation. 'You're scaring me a little bit,' Joe G admitted, calling over the other Joe, saying later: 'Danielle's out for blood. But If I'm going down, Joe B's going down with me.' Danielle asked bluntly: 'Do you think I'm with Marty for his money?' After a long pause, Joe B admitted: 'I'm debating the answer.' He finally insisted he did not, with Joe G telling her: 'What came out of that conversation this man adores you and loves you. It's meant to be.' 'He wants to marry you so bad I can't even tell you,' Joe B agreed. Trouble brewing: Both Joes got nervous that night when Danielle confronted him and warned 'somebody might be buried in Bimini' over the confrontation Called out: Danielle asked bluntly: 'Do you think I'm with Marty for his money?' Escape: 'What came out of that conversation this man adores you and loves you. It's meant to be,' Joe G told her The exchange with Margaret's husband was one of the key moments in their fight, too, when Danielle turned to her friend and insisted: 'Obviously, he got it from you.' 'Only in Danielle's twisted mind can I be solely responsible for something that happened when I wasn't even there,' Margaret complained later. Margaret, 51, was already upset at having to pose in a bikini for a Bride Squad beach photo, claiming she was a 'voluptuous chubby girl' among the others in 'perfect shape.' 'Thank God I've meat at the right places, but it's a lot of extra meat at this point,' she joked. Melissa, 39, had smiled: 'I'm totally fine with whatever she wants to do because I don't work out all day for nothing. I mean, let's be real.' But Margaret got even more upset when, after pointing out the wedding day forecast was rain, she was accused by Danielle of trying to 'curse my wedding,' with the bride swearing: 'I'm gonna kill a bridesmaid.' Blame: The exchange with Margaret's husband was one of the key moments in their fight, too, when Danielle turned to her friend and insisted: 'Obviously, he got it from you' Falling apart: 'I f***ing have your back more than anybody, and out of everybody here you speak to me the worst and treat me the worst,' she told her The final straw came when Teresa, Melissa and Margaret all arrived with wet hair for their wedding day makeover, with Danielle crazed because she had not planned for them to get blow-outs. 'I thought it was supposed to be about me. I'm the one getting married today,' Danielle whined. 'I'm trying to be the bride, I'm trying to be happy. But I'm talking about blow drying instead of the fact that I'm getting f***ing married today.' I'm done: Margaret threatened to leave the wedding, but the bride hugged her, saying 'sorry' and 'don't f***ing leave me' Last ditch: Margaret turned back, saying: 'Then get in the room and pull your s**t together.' When Danielle brought up Margaret's husband again, Margaret finally snapped. 'I f***ing have your back more than anybody, and out of everybody here you speak to me the worst and treat me the worst,' she told her. 'I'm getting on a plane. I will not be at the wedding. Enjoy yourselves it's over.' As Danielle followed her into the hallway, Margaret insisted: 'I can't do it, Danielle. I just can't f***ing do it no more.' Squad: The Bride and Bridesmaids got together for a photoshoot on the beach Odd one out: Margaret, 51, was already upset at having to pose in a bikini for a Bride Squad beach photo, claiming she was a 'voluptuous chubby girl' among the others in 'perfect shape.' Curves: 'Thank God I've meat at the right places, but it's a lot of extra meat at this point,' she joked Wow: Teresa had nothing to hide however, proudly flaunting her fab frame But as the bride hugged her, saying 'sorry' and 'don't f***ing leave me,' Margaret turned back, saying: 'Then get in the room and pull your s**t together.' However, she insisted to camera: 'I'm so upset but it's her wedding and we're just going to go through with it. But in my head I'm thinking, "I can't live with a friendship like this."' She also correctly predicted: 'You know what: I don't think this marriage is gonna last. Pretty soon Marty is gonna find out Danielle is not who she portrays to be. It's just a matter of time.' Pumping iron: The siblings were seen working out at the gym right before the wedding Fit: Teresa kept up with her brother no problems Petra Ecclestone has announced that she's engaged to her new beau Sam Palmer, one year after the lovebirds embarked on their romance. The 30-year-old Formula One heiress' good news comes some 14 months after her acrimonious divorce from James Stunt, with whom she shares three children. In an exclusive statement to MailOnline, a representative for the blonde beauty said: 'Petra Ecclestone and Sam Palmer are delighted to announce their engagement and look forward to spending 2019 together.' Happy news: Petra Ecclestone has announced that she's engaged to her new beau Sam Palmer, one year after the lovebirds embarked on their romance. Pictured in March On Monday afternoon, Sam shared a shot of himself and Petra on Instagram, adding the caption: 'A personal thank you to everyone that made opening Maddox Gallery Los Angeles possible. 'I hope everyone had as an amazing year as us and that 2019 brings lots of love,health and happiness to all. 'My personal highlights have been opening the gallery in LA with the woman I love and her agreeing to marry me... Here is to a fantastic 2019.' So in love: On Monday, Sam shared a shot of himself and Petra on Instagram, adding that his highlights of the year include a gallery 'with the woman I love and her agreeing to marry me' Congratulations: On Sunday night, Petra's brother-in-law Jay Rutland took to his Instagram account to dedicate a message to the couple, along with a snap of a man's tattooed inner lip Petra's brother-in-law Jay Rutland, 37, set tongues wagging about the status of her romance late Sunday night, when he dedicated a cryptic congratulatory post to the lovebirds on his Instagram account. Jay, who is married to Petra's sister Tamara, 34, shared a shot of a man's inner lip tattooed with the name 'Rutland', alongside the caption: 'Congratulations @petraecclestone & @sam_maddoxgalleryla - I can see what attracted you to him...' Formula One heiress Petra and Sam, who serves as a director at Jay's Maddox art gallery in West Hollywood, stayed mum on the matter on social media. Family first: Jay Rutland and his wife Tamara Ecclestone have taken their four-year-old daughter Sophia to celebrate the Yuletide seasons in California with Petra Petra and James' divorce was finalised in October 2017, after six years of marriage. The exes share daughter Lavinia, five, and twin sons, Andrew and James, three. While no details of the settlement were released, it was reported that James signed a 16million prenuptial agreement, with Petra also awarded sole custody of the couple's three children in January. Fiercely private Petra has since been photographed in the past with her new man, a vintage car dealer who is friends with her sister Tamara's husband, Jay. She recently told Mail On Sunday's YOU magazine of her relationship: 'It's very early-on dating. The whole thing is quite strange because my life didn't pan out the way I expected it to. Drama: Petra has been dating her beau Sam since late last year, after she and ex-husband James Stunt finally reached a divorce settlement in October 2017. Pictured in January 2018 'I thought I wasn't the type who believed in divorce. I go to church and I got married thinking I would be with that person for the rest of my life. But things happen for a reason and, whatever that reason is, I've now got my three kids.' She also told the publication that the most romantic thing she has ever done for her new boyfriend is to commission a piece by the street artist Mr Brainwash as a Christmas present. The mother-of-three relocated to Los Angeles and moved into a 57,000ft Bel Air mansion, which is believed to have cost 148 million. Petra admitted that the grand abode is her most extravagant purchase, saying: 'My house in LA. It's really cool, but I want to sell it and move somewhere smaller.' Glamorous life: The mother-of-three relocated to Los Angeles and moved into a 57,000ft Bel Air mansion, which is believed to have cost 148 million She added: 'I have a house with 14 bedrooms, a bowling alley and a hair and nail salon. I also have a home in Chelsea and come to London about every three months. 'We have seven dogs, including a St Bernard called Beethoven whos as big as a horse. Im allergic to cats.' Petra previously spoke about how she relocated her family to Los Angeles as she no longer felt safe at her luxury London home. Talking about her biggest fears during the interview, she said: 'I worry about the world my children are growing up in, which is becoming more evil daily.' She recently revealed that she would be spending the Yuletide season in the US with her mother, Slavica Ecclestone, Tamara and Jay, and their daughter Sophia, four. She split with boyfriend Jarrod Woodgate in August after finding love just months earlier on the first season of Bachelor in Paradise. But Keira Maguire, 32, all but confirmed she's back with her vineyard manager beau as a New Year's surprise. Taking to Instagram, the reality TV star shared a telling photograph of herself kissing Jarrod in front of a scenic waterfall. Reunited? Bachelor in Paradise star Keira Maguire (left) all but confirms she's back with Jarrod Woodgate (right) as the reality star reposts a steamy snap of the pair kissing and describes it as her 'favourite' photo of the year 'Since we are all sharing our favourite pics from this year...this is mine,' she wrote, whipping her 163,000 followers into a frenzy. A number of their fans gushed how happy they were in the comments, with one proclaiming: 'This wasn't a Bachie failure after all.' The rumour mill was sent into overdrive earlier this month, when NW magazine reported the pair might have rekindled their romance. Rekindled? Bachelor in Paradise exes Keira Maguire and Jarrod Woodgate had reportedly quietly rekindled their romance, according to a report in NW this month 'They're giving their relationship another shot. No one will be surprised to hear the special announcement anytime soon,' a source told the magazine. 'Keira and Jarrod were convinced they were soulmates 'They talked about getting married and having kids together all the time. Actually they thought they'd be engaged by Christmas 2019. After calling time on their relationship in August, the pair endured a very public slanging match through the media. 'Keira and Jarrod were convinced they were soulmates,' an insider told NW, with the magazine claiming the couple may have gotten back together Jarrod cited Keira's obsession with Instagram as one of the main reasons he dumped her. 'Her Instagram following is overwhelming and it was taking over our relationship,' he told Who magazine after their split. 'She's purely Instagram-focused, and that takes up a lot of time,' he continued. 'I'd spend two days a week with her and it was basically all Instagram-based,' he added. She's Instagram focused': Jarrod cited Keira's obsession with Instagram as the reason he dumped her, calling it 'overwhelming' at times Keira later offered up a different version of events through a string of interviews - she insisted she was still 'in love' with him in September. 'Jarrod wasn't ready to be in a relationship,' Keira told Now To Love. 'It was disappointing to me because he came off as this guy that was ready to settle to down, but the reality is, he wasn't ready.' Keira and Jarrod met while filming Bachelor In Paradise in Fiji last November, and quickly moved in together in Melbourne before splitting in August this year. Jordan Barrett is ringing in the New Year in Florida. The 22-year-old was spotted on the beach with friends in Miami on Sunday. Having wrapped a white towel around his waist, the shirtless model was seen reclining on a beach bed while puffing on an unhealthy cigarette. Jordan seemed to be making the most of his holiday, showing off his bronzed skin as he sat in the sun. Sizzling hot! Shirtless model Jordan Barrett shows off his impressive tan while relaxing on the beach in Miami wearing just a towel... as the Australian prepares to ring in the New Year with friends in Florida He was seen sipping on a cold beverage in between chatting and laughing with a group of friends who had joined him on his holiday. Clearly relaxed, the Aussie 'bad boy of fashion' folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes as he soaked up the sunshine. At one stage, he was seen chatting with a pretty friend, who was clad in a black and white patterned bikini. The pair appeared to have been engrossed in a long conversation, with the mystery woman taking a seat in the chair beside Jordan. Up in smoke: The shirtless model was seen reclining on a beach bed while puffing on an unhealthy cigarette Golden boy: Having wrapped a white towel around his waist, Jordan showed off his bronzed torso Fun in the sun: Jordan seemed to be making the most of his holiday, showing off his bronzed skin as he sat in the sunshine Plenty to talk about: Jordan and his female friend appeared to have been engrossed in a long conversation, with the woman seen taking a seat in the chair beside him Laidback: Clearly relaxed, the Aussie 'bad boy of fashion' folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes as he soaked up the sunshine Living the high life: The notorious party boy has spent a lot of time flying back and forth between the US and Australia in recent months Having seemingly just realised something, an animated Jordan was at one stage seen gesturing towards something in the distance. He was also seen chatting with a male friend, who was dressed in colourful patterned boardshorts and appeared to have just emerged from the ocean following a swim. The notorious party boy has spent a lot of time flying back and forth between the US and Australia in recent months. Mystery girl: At one stage, he was seen chatting with a pretty friend, who was clad in a black and white patterned bikini Making a point: Having seemingly just realised something, an animated Jordan was at one stage seen gesturing towards something in the distance Having a good time: In an interview with Executive Style in November, Jordan confessed the fast-paced life agreed with him Drink up: He was seen sipping on a cold beverage in between chatting and laughing with a group of friends who had joined him on his holiday Having a laugh: He was also seen chatting with a male friend, who was dressed in colourfully patterned boardshorts Frequent traveller: 'I like the idea of being in Sydney today, Melbourne tomorrow, then flying into Burning Man three days before Fashion Week,' he previously said of his fast-paced lifestyle But in an interview with Executive Style in November, Jordan confessed the fast-paced life agreed with him. 'I like the idea of being in Sydney today, Melbourne tomorrow, then flying into Burning Man three days before Fashion Week, getting to Fashion Week, leaving Fashion Week, getting to Paris,' he told the publication. 'I'm OK with the hecticness of the schedule. If it's still, then I get a little bit antsy.' She was left heartbroken after splitting with her former fitness model beau twice, branding him a 'cheating pathological liar'. Yet Scarlett Moffatt has taken inspiration from Ariana Grande as she thanked her ex-boyfriend, Lee Wilkinson, and shared a candid Instagram post summarising her 2018 on Monday. The I'm A Celebrity star, 28, took to the social media platform to reveal that she is going into 2019 happy, confident and with self-worth. Thank U, Next: Scarlett Moffatt has taken inspiration from Ariana Grande as she thanked her ex-boyfriend, Lee Wilkinson, and shared a candid Instagram post summarising her 2018 She also hit back at cruel trolls, admitting that their opinions are 'genuinely irrelevant to her life'. Scarlett shared two pictures of herself from the National Television Awards in January wearing a stunning off-the-shoulder red evening gown, with diamond detailing. She said: 'Ladies if you do one thing in 2019 be kind & forgiving to yourself. Give yourself as much love & attention as you give other people. Ive learnt so much in 2018 '1. That I dont have time to hate people who hate me, because Im too busy loving those who love me. New year, new me: The I'm A Celebrity star, 28, took to the social media platform to reveal that she is going into 2019 happy, confident and with self-worth (pictured with ex Lee Wilkinson) '2. That trolls opinions are genuinely irrelevant to my life. 3. Ive learnt to be as kind to myself as I am to other people '4. And that sometimes by removing people from your life you actually gain so much self worth. 'Ive never felt as happy & confident in my life as I have the last 4 month & Im gonna continue that in 2019. 'Starting the new year off in Hong Kong with my besties I feel on top of the world (oh and in the words of Ariana Grande Im so **in thankful for my ex, thank you next) #newyear #love #friends #family #hongkong #2019.' Confident: She also hit back at cruel trolls, admitting that their opinions are 'genuinely irrelevant to her life' The TV star split from Lee for the first time in April after a whirlwind romance, she took to social media to hit out at the 'cheating pathological liar' and posted a cryptic message referencing Henry VIII - who had six wives. She said: 'Just always seem to choose cheating pathological liars... I just choose lying cheats its a skill.' She added: 'For anyone that needs this right now, I just want to say if somebody feels you're not enough for them then that isn't a reflection on you, that's a reflection on them... Unless you're Henry VIII, then one girl's normally enough.' The I'm a Celebrity champ had only just made her relationship public, after he joined her in Florida for Saturday Night Takeaway. Fun times: Scarlett revealed she was spending New Year's Eve in Hong Kong with her best friends, saying she feels 'on top of the world' Yet after parting ways for the first time in April, Scarlett sparked claims of a reconciliation the next month when she hid her Facebook relationship status, after changing it to 'single' following her split from Lee. However, the two soon split again after she is reported to have dumped Lee when his ex-girlfriend of two years, Sam Irving, claimed he had sent her pleading messages while he was still with Scarlett. According to The Mirror, Lee's ex alleged that she was still seeing him in January, a month after he went public with his romance with Scarlett. Lee denies that there was any crossover between the two relationships, but Scarlett branded her ex a 'cheating pathological liar' and ended things. A representative for Scarlett declined to comment when approached by MailOnline at the time. Advertisement She has ruled the catwalk ever since she began modelling aged 15. And Naomi Campbell took some well deserved time out from her hectic schedule as she enjoyed a boat ride during a family getaway to Kenya, Africa, earlier this week on Thursday. The supermodel, 48, looked incredible as she showcased her toned physique in a tiny black and yellow striped triangle bikini for the fun excursion. Fun in the sun: Naomi Campbell took some well deserved time out from her hectic schedule as she enjoyed a boat ride during a family getaway to Kenya, Africa, earlier this week on Thursday Adding a glamorous twist to her swimwear look, Naomi added a collection of gold necklaces, a stylish body chain, diamond earrings and a pair of oversized black sunglasses. The model legend looked every inch the holiday babe as she ditched her make-up to soak up the sun and wore a black hair wrap. Naomi appeared in her element as she paddled and swam in the idyllic crystal clear sea, later showing off her fun side and playing with a red foam swimming noodle. She later got onto a nearby yacht, wrapping a white shawl around her head, as she relaxed and soaked up the sun. Stunning: The supermodel, 48, looked incredible as she showcased her toned physique in a tiny black and yellow striped triangle bikini for the fun excursion Glamorous: Adding a glamorous twist to her swimwear look, Naomi added a collection of gold necklaces, a stylish body chain, diamond earrings and a pair of oversized black sunglasses Work it: The model legend looked every inch the holiday babe as she ditched her make-up to soak up the sun and wore a black hair wrap Idyllic: Naomi appeared in her element as she paddled and swam in the idyllic crystal clear sea, later showing off her fun side and playing with a red foam swimming noodle The model is currently travelling Africa, mixing work with pleasure, spending the start of her getaway and Christmas in Kenya and moving onto Ghana. Naomi first revealed she was in Africa last week, she shared a picture of herself to her 6.2million Instagram followers with her raven locks styled into cornrows, she captioned it with: 'Bare it all. [Hands up emoji] done in Kenya #NAOMIAFRICA.' The supermodel took to the social media platform once again to share a picture of herself with her age-defying mother, Valerie Morris, 64, with a large group of people on a beach in Kenya. Festive fun: The model is currently travelling Africa, mixing work with pleasure, spending the start of her getaway and Christmas in Kenya and moving onto Ghana Christmas: The supermodel took Instagram last week to share a picture of herself with her age-defying mother, Valerie Morris, 64, with a large group of people on a beach in Kenya Happy: She said: 'MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLINGS TO YOU AND YOURS LOVE FROM KENYA #MOTHERLAND [followed by several festive emojis] #NAOMIAFRICA #MASSAI.' She said: 'MERRY CHRISTMAS DARLINGS TO YOU AND YOURS LOVE FROM KENYA #MOTHERLAND [followed by several festive emojis] #NAOMIAFRICA #MASSAI.' Naomi and her mother Valerie have a very special bond and in the past have often modelled together, with the 64-year-old beauty recently posing alongside her daughter for the 2018 Burberry Christmas advert. Talking about the photoshoot, she said: 'Its been nearly four years since Naomi and I last worked on a shoot together, so this was a really special moment for me. Like mother, like daughter: Naomi and her mother Valerie have a very special bond and in the past have often modelled together, with the 64-year-old beauty recently posing alongside her daughter for the 2018 Burberry Christmas advert Strong bond: Talking about the photoshoot, she said: 'Its been nearly four years since Naomi and I last worked on a shoot together, so this was a really special moment for me.' Doting mother: She added: 'She has such an abundance of modelling experience, and it was a lot of fun to be on set together enjoying each others company. Ill remember this project for a very long time and Im honoured to be part of Burberrys history. 'She has such an abundance of modelling experience, and it was a lot of fun to be on set together enjoying each others company. Ill remember this project for a very long time and Im honoured to be part of Burberrys history. Only recently, Naomi hinted at retirement in an interview while promoting her Fashion For Relief show in Cannes in May. She said: 'I dont know if I can walk much longer, its been 32 years.' Relax time: Naomi later got onto a nearby yacht, wrapping a white shawl around her head, as she relaxed and soaked up the sun in Kenya Candid: Only recently, Naomi hinted at retirement in an interview while promoting her Fashion For Relief show in Cannes in May, she said: 'I dont know if I can walk much longer, its been 32 years.' The fashion darling went on to discuss passing on the baton to her younger counterparts. She explained: 'It's an honour to walk. I'd love for it to be carried on by the younger generation and for me to sit in the audience and watch.' Naomi was discovered at the tender age of 15 and went on to become one of the 'original' 80s supermodels alongside catwalk queens Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer and later, fellow Brit Kate Moss. Stunning: Naomi first revealed she was in Africa last week, she shared a picture of herself to her 6.2million Instagram followers with her raven locks styled into cornrows, she captioned it with: 'Bare it all. [Hands up emoji] done in Kenya #NAOMIAFRICA.' Jane Danson's husband Robert Beck has admitted he's 'glad' she's skating with Dancing On Ice pro Sylvain Longchambon. Speaking to OK! magazine, the Coronation Street star, 40, explained that there's been no awkward tension between her and the pro, despite him being married to her close friend and close star Samia Longchambon. Jane and Sylvain are set to make their long-awaited skating debut when Dancing On Ice returns in the New Year, competing against stars including TOWIE's Gemma Collins and Westlife's Brian McFadden. Supportive: Jane Danson's husband Robert Beck has admitted he's 'glad' she's skating with Dancing On Ice pro Sylvain Longchambon Jane explained that her and Sylvain were already friends through Samia before they were partnered up on the show, but this hasn't led him to be any easier on her. She said: 'It's been really interesting, as we're friends but Samia is my best friend who I've known longer, so I've got to know Sylvain in a different way. He hasn't gone easy on me because we're friends.' Robert, 48, added that he's also happy to see Jane partnered with someone she already knows so well. He said: 'I'm glad she's partnered with Sylvain. For Jane to be skating every day with someone she's friends with already is fantastic. I know she's having a good laugh as well as working hard.' Proud: Speaking to OK! magazine, Jane, 40, admitted Sylvain hasn't gone easy on her during training, despite them already being friends before being paired up Loved-up: Sylvain is married to Jane's Corrie co-star and close friend Samia, after the pair competed on Dancing On Ice together in 2013 Jane also insisted that despite being her friend Samia's husband, there's been no awkward tension between her and Sylvain during training. 'It's not weird, we feel at ease with each other,' she said 'You're so busy concentrating on the moves and it becomes so formulaic that it doesn't come into the equation.' Jane and Robert have been married since 2005 after meeting at the first ever British Soap Awards in 1999, and the couple have two sons Harry, 12 and Sam, 9. Read the full story in this week's OK! Magazine - out today When asked whether they would consider having anymore children, Jane admitted that after they suffered a miscarriage a few years earlier, they're not as focused on expanding their brood. Fans will get to see Jane and Sylvain make their skating debut when Dancing On Ice finally returns to screens on Sunday 6th January, joining five other celebrity skaters appearing for the first time. The other six celebrities will then skate the following weekend. Read the full story in this week's OK! Magazine - out today. The stars are out in Aspen, ringing in the New Year by hitting the slopes. And two of them - Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom - turned heads on New Year's Eve as they headed up the mountain, snowboards under each of their arms, holding hands sweetly as they went. The famous couple looked ready for a day in the snow, bundled up in trendy ski gear. The couple that boards together: Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom turned heads on New Year's Eve as they headed up the mountain in Aspen, snowboards under each of their arms, holding hands sweetly as they went Katy, 34, wore a sleek dark grey two-piece, with black paneling - a dark contrast to her bright blue and navy board. She wore a matching snood and gloves, a black hat and kept her head safe with a white helmet. The Prism star wore her goggles on her head as she walked alongside Orlando, 41, towards the ski lift. He wore a black and green leaf design ski jacket and salopettes, black gloves and snood, a grey helmet and mirrored goggles. Climb every mountain: The famous couple looked ready for a day in the snow, bundled up in trendy ski gear Nice to snow you! The pair were joined on the lift by pals, with the likes of Diplo, Kate Hudson and Danny Fuji known to also be staying in the Colorado resort His 'n' Hers: Orlando posted a cute snap to his Instagram of his and Katy, lying on the snow, just their legs, boots and snowboards in shot. He captioned it with a simple '' The Pirates Of The Caribbean actor's snowboard was white, grey and yellow in design. Orlando posted a cute snap to his Instagram of his and Katy, lying on the snow, just their legs, boots and snowboards in shot. He captioned it with a simple ''. Also in Aspen: Paris Hilton and Sofia Richie hit the slopes together, said to be staying at the same lodge Hitting the sales? Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell shopped till they dropped on their yearly holiday, heading to Ermenegildo Zegna and The North Face with their pet pooch The pair were joined on the lift by pals, with the likes of Diplo, Kate Hudson and Danny Fuji known to also be staying in the Colorado resort. Also there are the Kardashian/Jenner clan, husbands and children in tow, Scott Disick and his girlfriend Sophia Richie and comedienne Rebel Wilson. Also spotted on the slopes this week, Goldie Hawn and daughter Kate Hudson, and newly-single Paris Hilton, still nursing the wounds from her called off-engagement. Her marriage to former Today show host Karl Stefanovic is already reportedly 'under strain' following his axing from the breakfast show. But Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, couldn't help but gush over her new husband, sharing a snap of herself and Karl intimately dancing at their four-day wedding extravaganza's welcome dinner. The Mara & Mine shoe designer appeared happy and upbeat for her future with the embattled former Channel Nine star despite their constant negative headlines. Scroll down for video 'Dream town': Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, shares a rarely seen snap of herself intimately dancing with husband Karl Stefanovic, 44, at their welcome dinner amid talk their marriage is 'strained' '2018 was dream town,' Jasmine wrote, striking a hopeful and reflective tone under the tender snap of the pair embracing one another. She continued: 'We were surrounded by so much love I still have butterflies in my tummy thinking about it. 'Sending all of our friends love, light and laughter for 2019.' 'We were surrounded by so much love I still have butterflies in my tummy thinking about it': Jasmine wrote, appearing to reference her extravagant nuptials It comes after reports Jasmine and Karl's new marriage could already be under strain, after Karl snapped at a photographer on Christmas Day. According to Woman's Day magazine, onlookers alleged the Mara & Mine co-founder, 34, looked 'embarrassed' while Karl had a heated exchange with the man. 'You couldn't help but feel a little bit sorry for her,' a bystander supposedly told the magazine. 'What a place!' Jasmine Yarbrough (second from right) and husband Karl Stefanovic (far left) took a road trip to the coastal town of Yamba earlier this week Looking furious, the Channel Nine star raged: 'Take your f**king camera and get out that f**king door, it's f**king Christmas. 'Why are you shaking? Have you go some disease? Are you sick in the head? [Have] you got a s**t job? It's Christmas Day. Go home!' On December 19, six days before the airport incident, Karl was unceremoniously sacked as co-anchor of the Today show after 14 years in the role. Feeling the strain: It comes after Jasmine was reportedly 'embarrassed' by the heated exchange Karl had with a photographer on Christmas Day Management broke the news to him while he was on his honeymoon with Jasmine in Aspen, following their Mexican wedding on December 8. He remains under contract with Channel Nine, however, and is expected to resume filming This Time Next Year in the coming months. According to unconfirmed reports, the newlyweds' relationship could already be under strain as a result of his abrupt departure from Today. 'The honeymoon is well and truly over now - although it barely even began,' an 'insider' told Woman's Day magazine last week. 'The honeymoon is well and truly over now - although it barely even began,' a supposed insider told Woman's Day last week 'When Karl and Jasmine first got together, he was the biggest name on Australian TV. But that's no longer the case, and it's possible that could change the dynamics in any marriage,' the source added. Jasmine and Karl had a busy year, with the pair finally tying the knot in a lavish three-day ceremony at the One & Only Palmilla resort in Cabo, Mexico, on December 8. The couple were married in a no expense spared ceremony, with guests that included his Today show colleague Richard Wilkins and former foreign minister, Julie Bishop. Vanderpump Rules star Brittany Cartwright claims she had chewing gum put in her hair during an altercation with a fellow passenger on a flight to Miami. The reality star shared a lengthy Instagram post complaining about the spat, which she says was sparked when she used the first class restroom on the Delta flight. Brittany claims the incident became physical after they had disembarked, when she says she was jostled and had her hair pulled. 'Unacceptable': Vanderpump Rules star Brittany Cartwright claims she had GUM put in her hair during altercation over first class restroom on flight; she shared this picture to Twitter Her usual look: Brittany, seen in October, usually wears her long blonde hair loose The 29-year-old later found the gum in her hair, and claims it was placed there by the woman during the confrontation. Writing on Twitte, Brittany called on the airline to intervene. 'I'm so disgusted by what happened to me today while flying from Atlanta to Miami. @Delta I hope you see this and take the necessary measures, defending what is right, as I know I will.' She then shared a note explaining the altercation was sparked when she used the restroom, and a 'a woman started shaking my door a good 3 to 4 times when I had already told her someone was in there'. Furious: Brittany shared her claims on Twitter, along with a picture Furious: Brittany's explanation of what happened on the flight Taking action: The reality star put the woman on blast Leaving the cubicle, Brittany pointed out the vacant/occupied sign on the door, causing the woman, who was sat nearby, to mock her. Brittany said after they left the plane: 'She walks out of the plane in front of me and right after we get out of the jet bridge she stops to get behind me, PUSHES ME and PULLS MY HAIR.' She and fiance Jax Taylor followed the woman to speak to her. However: 'Once I get to the house in Miami I realize she put gum in my hair when she pulled it and pushed me'. Brittany said she will be pressing charges about the 'unacceptable' incident. 'This incident was complete assault,' she wrote. 'I had to cut gum out of my hair. I did absolutely nothing to deserve this.' She added: 'I would never EVER disrespect someone this way, no matter how mad they made me so I can't believe this behavior exists.' Ashley Tisdale kept it casual as she brunched on Sunday. The High School Musical actress hid her rose-hued hair under a cap when she and husband Christopher French were spotted leaving All Time cafe in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles after Sunday brunch. The 33-year-old was casually dressed in a white hoodie that she wore under a denim Jacket with white jogging pants and sneakers. Brunch break: Ashley Tisdale and her husband Christopher French were spotted leaving All Time cafe in the Los Feliz district of Los Angeles on Sunday with their fur baby Maui in a carrier She toted their tiny toy pooch, Maui, in a dog carrier. Ashley's musician beau, a film composer and Annie Automatic frontman, looked laid back in a heavy grey marl cardigan, a black shirt, khaki green pants and sneakers. The 36-year-old's thick, jet black hair was spiked up in rocker style. Meanwhile, Ashley may love the color of her tresses but she's not sure what others think. And puppy makes three: T he High School Musical actress, 33, who showed off her pink hair, toted the couple's tiny fur baby Maui in a dog carrier She took to Instagram on Saturday to muse: 'I wonder when my agent will tell me to get rid of my pink hair?' Her fans were shocked that she might change it with one, arrianmariee, summing up the support, writing: 'DONT EVER GET RID OF IT I LOVE IT. Ashley is currently promoting her new single, Voices In My Head, from her upcoming album, Symptoms. Casual style: Ashley was dressed in a white hoodie that she wore under a fleece-lined denim jacket with white jogging pants and sneakers In an interview with Build in November, the New Jersey native discussed her nine-year hiatus from music, explaining: 'For the last four years, I've been trying to find my sound. 'Symptoms is about my journey through anxiety and depression. The album is all upbeat pop with some electronic feel to it. I'm really proud of it.' Meanwhile, Ashley and Christopher celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in September after being friends for some years. Vanessa Hudgens proved she has a flair for fashion. Stepping out in bedazzled flares on Sunday, the actress made an impact with her sparkling grey legwear. Vanessa, 30, teamed the twinkling pants with a bushy fake fur black jacket, as she picked up an iced coffee in Los Feliz. Standing out: Vanessa Hudgens has a flare for fashion as she sparkles in bedazzled trousers and fake fur jacket in Los Feliz on Sunday The 30-year-old - who is best known for portraying Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical film series - has just announced she will join Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the long-awaited third installment of the much-loved thriller/mystery franchise Bad Boys For Life. Sharing a screenshot of Variety's article reporting that she, Riverdale star Charles Melton and Vikings actor Alexander Ludwig have been cast in the film on her Instagram Story, Vanessa wrote: 'Stoked!!!!' Twinkle time: Vanessa, 30, teamed the twinkling pants with a bushy fake fur black jacket, as she picked up an iced coffee The trio will be part of a special police squad in Miami that clashes with Will and Martin's respective alter egos, Detectives Mike Lowry and Marcus Burnett. The duo both starred in the 1995 film Bad Boys; and its 2003 sequel Bad Boys II. 'Bad Boys for Life' has been discussed for years and suffered several false dawns, largely due to Will's hectic schedule, but in October, it was reported that Sony Pictures were on the cusp of giving the movie the green light. Production is set to begin in early 2019, with the film having been handed a tentative release date of January 2020. It's a peculiar set-up, but it must be working for them. Scott Disick and his new girlfriend, Sofia Richie, are enjoying a New Years getaway in Aspen, along with his ex-partner Kourtney Kardashian, her sister Kim and brother-in-law Kanye West. The rather awkward group were spotted heading out to dinner in the snow-covered Colorado city, dining at the upmarket Matsuhisa restaurant. Keeping Up With The Ex! Scott Disick and Sofia are part of the Kardashian family as they dine with Kourtney, Kim and Kanye on New Year's getaway to Aspen on Sunday night Dinner with the ex: Kourtney Kardashian went for skin tight shiny pleather pants and a cropped padded jacket, completing the all black outfit with matching nail varnish Sofia, 20, kept a proprietary arm on her 35-year-old boyfriend as they walked inside arm in arm, with Kim and Kanye likewise arriving together. Kourtney, who is currently single after ending things with her toyboy ex Younes Bendjima this summer, walked into the restaurant solo. As to what to wear to dinner with the ex, Kourtney went for skin tight shiny pleather pants. In a nod to the freezing temperatures she teamed her trousers with a cropped padded jacket, left open to show her toned torso. The 39-year-old completed the all black outfit with matching nail varnish. Dining out: Kim rocked leggings from her husband Kanye West's range for dinner Snow fun: The couple joined the awkward family dinner group While vacationing with your ex - and his new love - might be the last thing some of us would want to do, it seems to be working for Kourtney, who liked it so much she did it twice. The mother-of-three has just enjoyed a sunny getaway to Mexico with Scott, their three kids, and his new love. And it was Sofia whose company Kourtney seemed to be enjoying, the two bonding over bikini selfies as they lay side-by-side, Instagramming away. A very modern family: Scott Disick shared this picture with Kourtney and Sofia in Mexico before Christmas Referring to the very modern dynamic, Scott posted on social media: 'What more can a guy ask for. THREE'S COMPANY!' Now Sofia has been invited to join the Kardashians as they spend the New Year together on their traditional getaway. And the group are clearly getting along well, even leaving their children with a babysitter, to fit in some adult conversation. With Sofia so obviously accepted by the Kardashian family, it surely won't be long before she makes an appearance on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. It's the start of a new year - but Ariel winter has already ticked off one of the popular resolutions. The Modern Family star showed off her newly slimmed down figure in a crop top while taking her four rescue pups for a visit to the veterinarian on Sunday. Ariel clearly did not overindulge this holiday season, with the young star having lost considerable weight over the last six months. And after spending the Christmas holiday in the mountains, the 20-year-old appears to be getting back to her usual life in Los Angeles. Dog mom: Ariel Winter was spotted flaunting her trim waist and makeup free face while taking her dogs to the vet on Sunday in Los Angeles Ariel looked toned in a pair of tight skinny jeans with a ripped knee and a black long sleeve turtleneck crop top with a frayed hem. She kept it simple with no makeup, a pair of specs and her raven locks tugged into a pony tail. Keeping her hands free to hold leashes, Ariel opted for a small cross body purse. Since she and boyfriend Levi Meaden were wrangling their four pups in and out of their SUV, the starlet donned some sensible Chuck Taylor sneakers. All together: The sitcom star was taking care of her four fur babies with the help of her boyfriend Levi Meaden Happy couple: The 20-year-old Modern Family star has been dating her beau for two years and the pair reside together in Los Angeles The duo just got back from a romantic white Christmas in the mountains together and posted some social media shots from their snowy trip with their three dogs. One caption read, 'Christmas 2018. This was my first white Christmas and I feel so grateful I was able to share it with my babies.' The whole group, two and four legged alike, rocked matching holiday pjs on Christmas day. White Christmas: Ariel spent the holiday with her boyfriend and pups in the snowy mountains and the whole group donned matching pajamas Ariel and Levi first began dating in 2016 and currently live together. On Sunday the star shared a funny mirror selfie from the trip that created a weird optical illusion on her foot. Dressed in a black top and pink ski pants, Winter cocked her hip to the side and pointed her toe. 'How in tf did I make it look like I have a peg leg,' she joked in the caption. Optical Illusion: Ariel shared a shot from her holiday trip that showed a funny 'peg leg' in the mirror The actress, who plays brainiac Alex Dunphy, on the long running ABC sitcom Modern Family is currently on a holiday hiatus from the show. Its current 10th season was originally thought to be its last, but according to new reports, 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. 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. She was abandoned at birth by her teenage mother, to be raised by her father's parents. Now Kenya Moore has made a solemn promise to the daughter she welcomed to the world at the age of 47, pledging to be the mother she never had. Sharing a picture of two-month-old Brooklyn, she wrote: 'I love you so much it hurts. My NYE resolution is to always protect you, love you, and be the best example of a woman I can possibly be for you. I will be the mother to you I always wanted. 'You are my life. I love you, mommy.' A mother's promise: Kenya Moore pledges to 'be the mother I always wanted' as she starts the new year with baby Brooklyn Kenya's own mother, Patricia Moore, was just 16 when she gave birth, handing over her baby to her in laws, without naming the child. The Real Housewives Of Atlanta star has spoken openly of their estrangement, saying her mother refused to acknowledge her at family gatherings when she was a child. Talking to Bravo a couple of years ago, she said: 'Since birth, my mother made the decision at age 16 to pretend she never had me. She has never spoken to me. Even if present in the same room with other people and family, she pretends that I simply don't exist. She pretends I'm invisible.' Besotted: Kenya gave Brooklyn the middle name Doris is honor of her paternal grandmother, who raised her with her husband Virgil, alongside their own five children The estrangement provided a plotline for Kenya's reality show, when she visited her mother's home in Detroit, Michigan, and attempted to speak to her. The two are thought to remain estranged. Kenya gave Brooklyn the middle name Doris is honor of her paternal grandmother, who raised her with her husband Virgil, alongside their own five children. Brooklyn was born on November 4, weighing 5lbs12, via emergency cesarean section after Kenya underwent in vitro fertilisation. The birth was not easy - Kenya has opened up about the 'scary' time and how doctors struggled to get her baby out because her fibroids were in the way. She's one of many celebrities who have escaped the frosty winter weather to spend the festive period abroad. And Lady Victoria Hervey looked nothing short of sensational as she went for a dip along the beaches of Barbados on Monday. The reality star, 42, kicked back and relaxed on the sands ahead of ringing in the New Year. Holiday: Lady Victoria Hervey, 42, looked nothing short of sensational as she went for a dip along the beaches of Barbados on Monday Donning a turquoise bikini with a medallion detailing along her taut abdomen, the socialite showed off her jaw-dropping figure as she basked in the sun. She accessorised with a necklace, a pink cap and a variety of bracelets. Victoria has treated herself to her 10-day getaway, first uploading a snap to her Instagram page as she shared a bikini-clad selfie with her followers. To mark Christmas Day, Victoria shared a stunning shot of a sunset on the beach - penning alongside her post: 'Wishing everyone a merry Christmas #loveandlight.' Living it up: The reality star, 42, kicked back and relaxed on the sands ahead of ringing in the New Year Fashion: She accessorised with a necklace, a pink cap and a variety of bracelets Although she has been travelling all over the world, the socialite has recently discussed her future plans to settle down and become a mum after realising her dream to have a baby. Victoria revealed to The Mail On Sunday in January that she has frozen her eggs in a fertility clinic, costing her 11,000, as she hopes to have a child before she is 45. She explained at the time: 'I had six eggs removed from my ovaries and frozen in a fertility clinic. At the end of this month, I intend to go through the exhausting procedure again in the hope that I will produce another half-dozen or so eggs. 'It will, I hope, fill what has become rather a hole in my life.' Relaxing in style: Victoria has treated herself to her 10-day getaway in the sunshine Toned: The It girl showed off her envy-inducing physique in her sequinned bikini Family: Although she has been travelling all over the world, the socialite has recently discussed her future plans to settle down and become a mum after realising her dream to have a baby Victoria confessed that she would like 'two children' and turned to freezing her eggs - a decision prompted by Stacey Solomon, whom she met while competing on The Jump in 2015 - following her fears she has 'left it too late' to become a mother. Explaining that she wants the 'emotional aspect' of a relationship, rather than favouring a sperm donor, Victoria added: 'I'm hoping science might be able to stop the clock until I find the right man to be a father to my babies. 'A major part of the problem is that I'm still single. Despite some intense relationships in my early 20s, they all fizzled out eventually.' 'I do have a back-up plan if my Prince Charming doesnt materialise,' Victoria claimed. 'Ive got friends whove said theyd be prepared to father my child, and Im considering that option very seriously.' Legendary director and actress Penny Marshall's official cause of death was heart failure. The icon passed away late in the evening on December 17 at the age of 75. Her death certificate, which was obtained by The Blast, revealed that the star also suffered from complications that stemmed from diabetes. RIP: Penny Marshall's official cause of death s listed as heart failure according to her death certificate which was obtained Monday by The Blast According to the document, the Laverne & Shirley star's primary cause of death was 'cariopulmonary failure' which is the medical speak for one's heart stopping. It also lists two secondary causes: 'atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease' (heart disease) and 'diabetes'. The death certificate contained some information about the star's last wishes. Penny was cremated the day after Christmas and her remains were given to her sister Ronny the following day. Goodbye Penny: The death certificate also lists heart disease and diabetes as contributing factors to the director's passing After her passing, the Marshall family released a statement about their loss. 'Our family is heartbroken over the passing of Penny Marshall,' her family said. 'Penny was a tomboy who loved sports, doing puzzles of any kind, drinking milk and Pepsi together and being with her family.' The actress shot to fame on the 1970s on Lavern & Shirley but went on to have an iconic career behind the camera. Moving on: On December 26, the star was cremated and the remains given to her sister Ronny The sister of director and producer Gary Marshall, Penny carved out her own niche helming classics like Big and A League of Their Own Penny is survived by her daughter Tracy and five grandchildren. Older brother Gary died in 2016. Over the last decade or so, the Jumpin' Jack Flash director had to take a big of a step back from her career as she battled several medical issues. On screen: Marshall rose to fame as the quick witted Laverne on the sitcom Laverne & Shirley Marshall had been diagnosed with lung cancer in 2010 which metastasized, or spread, to her brain, but announced in 2012 that she was in remission. After the star's passing earlier this month, it seemed like all of Hollywood came out to pay tribute to the late icon. Tom Hanks, who she directed in both Big and A League of Their Own, took to social media to express his sadness. Behind the camera: Penny directed actor Tom Hanks in is breakout role in Big and then again in A League of Their Own Much love: Tom took to Twitter to pay tribute to the late legend 'Goodbye, Penny. Man, did we laugh a lot! Wish we still could. Love you. Hanx,' wrote Tom. Even her ex husband, director Rob Reiner expressed his love for the star. 'I loved Penny. I grew up with her. She was born with a great gift. She was born with a funnybone and the instinct of how to use it. I was very lucky to have lived with her and her funnybone. I will miss her,' wrote Reiner on Twitter. Jodie Whittaker has admitted that her success as The Doctor has proven that anyone, 'boy or girl', could play the character. Taking part in a special screening of the show's New Year's Day special Resolution at the BFI Southbank in London earlier this month. Answering a fan question about being the first woman to play the character, the actress, 36, said: 'It's interesting it's a question I have to answer, because obviously the history of the show has always been a male Doctor.' Success: Doctor Who's Jodie Whittaker said at a preview screening of New Year's Day special Resolution earlier this month that being the first female Time Lord has proven anyone can do it 'But I've never walked round thinking, "I'm a girl in this situation" [but] there have been times where I've realised that there may have been some doors that were at a different angle to me, because of being a woman.' The Broadchurch star continued: 'I suppose playing the Doctor, because it's an alien, and because the Doctor has two hearts, it means you don't need any qualifications, you just need to go like that [gesturing outwards, with open arms] and that can be boy or girl. 'I think we knew that, but it's wonderful to be the first person in a position to really say, "See? We can do it!"' For everyone: Answering a fan question, the actress said: 'because it's an alien, and because the Doctor has two hearts, it means you don't need any qualifications... [it] can be boy or girl' Jodie's remarks comes after Tony Hall, BBC's Director General, revealed that the next series of the show will air 'very early in 2020', though he kept a lid on more details. Since the series' end earlier this month, fans have been eagerly awaiting Who's return on New Year's Day, after Jodie Whittaker's debut series went down a storm with viewers. Recently released figures also showed Jodie's debut as The Doctor attracted the programme's highest average ratings for nearly a decade. Back soon: Jodie's remarks comes after Tony Hall, BBC's Director General, revealed that the next series of the show will air 'very early in 2020', though he kept a lid on more details On average, Jodie, and her trio of companions brought in an average audience of 7.7 million per episode across the ten shows. It has also been confirmed that Jodie will be returning for another series - but it's not expected air until early 2020. So far little has been revealed about 2019's singular Who episode, apart from the fact that it will feature the return of legendary villains The Daleks. Once again the Doctor will be joined by her three companions, Graham (played by Bradley), Ryan Sinclair (Tosin Cole) and Yasmin Khan (Mandip Gill), who will face 'a terrifying evil' across history, according to the official synopsis. Doctor Who: The New Year's Special will air on Tuesday 1st January at 7pm on BBC One. He tied the knot to his on/off girlfriend in a lavish wedding at Whithurst Park in West Sussex over the summer. And Hugo Taylor treated his fans to a glimpse of his scenic nuptials with wife Millie Mackintosh in a never before seen clip posted to his Instagram account on Monday. Overwhelmed with emotion, the 32-year-old struggled to hold back his tears as he watched his stunning bride, 28, walk down the aisle and reflected on the 'best day of my life' before entering 2019. Smitten: Hugo Taylor treated his fans to a glimpse of his scenic nuptials with wife Millie Mackintosh in a never before seen clip posted to his Instagram account on Monday The short clip started off by displaying Made In Chelsea star Millie's beauty preparations, which featured a light dusting of radiant neutral toned make-up and an elegant updo. Hugo appeared in high spirits as he cosied up to his Made In Chelsea co-star and best man Spencer Matthews, who was joined by his wife Vogue Williams. Making a grand entrance to the ceremony, the TV personality looked ethereal as she walked down the aisle with her father Nigel and adorable page boys, causing eager partner Hugo to break down in tears. In awe: The 32-year-old struggled to hold back his tears as he watched his stunning bride, 28, walk down the aisle and reflected on the 'best day of my life' before entering 2019 Stunning: The short clip started off by displaying Made In Chelsea star Millie's beauty preparations, which featured a light dusting of neutral toned make-up and an elegant updo The couple put on a loved-up display as they shared a romantic kiss when they were announced as husband and wife for the first time. Reflecting on his 'precious year', sunglasses designer Hugo captioned the clip: 'Defining moment of 2018 and best day of my life... I have learnt this year that life is precious and should be shared as much as possible with those that you love. 'And heres to Next Year... fresh dreams and new starts and bold challenges to be enjoyed together. Peace.' Millie wed Hugo at his uncle's country estate over the summer, and the couple opted for a religious blessing as they had married formally at Chelsea's Old Town Hall in London three days prior to the celebration. Stunning: The TV personality looked ethereal as she walked down the aisle with her father Nigel and adorable page boys, causing eager partner Hugo to break down in tears Star-studded: The pair appeared in high spirits as he cosied up to his Made In Chelsea co-star and best man Spencer Matthews, who was joined by his wife Vogue Williams The couple favoured a 'rock n roll' themed nuptials, which saw their tables named after nightclubs - an ode to their wild younger years on the London party circuit - and guests served a fried chicken breakfast, as Hugo gushed about his 'angel' bride in his wedding speech. Millie and Hugo dated in 2011 while on Made In Chelsea, but split up when it emerged he had cheated on Millie with her friend Rosie Fortescue, who attended the wedding alongside a bevy of their other co-stars. They reunited in the second half of 2016 and Taylor proposed during a holiday in Mykonos, Greece, in July last year. She was previously married to musician Professor Green, real name Stephen Manderson, in September 2013. The couple announced their split in February 2016 after two-and-a-half years of marriage and finalised their divorce in May 2016 - the same week that Millie went public with Hugo during a trip to Monaco. Lavish: He tied the knot to his on/off girlfriend in a lavish wedding at Whithurst Park in West Sussex over the summer 'Best day of my life': Reflecting on his 'precious year', sunglasses designer Hugo wrote a gushing caption about his year AJ Pritchard has branded his brother Curtis a 'real life Superman' after eight thugs set upon them at a nightclub in Cheshire on Friday evening. The Strictly Come Dancing star, 24, took to Instagram on Monday to share a gushing post about his sibling, 22, as he reflected on the past year following the vicious attack. Posted alongside a beaming snap of the pair, the professional dancer thanked his loyal fanbase for their support over the past week, and insisted he wants to close 2018 on a 'super positive note. Support: AJ Pritchard has branded his brother Curtis a 'real life Superman' after eight thugs set upon them at a nightclub in Cheshire on Friday evening The former Britain's Got Talent star penned: 'With my real life superMAN - closes 2018 on a SUPER Positive note.. 'Thank you for all the love & support over the past few days. Thank you to each & everyone of the thousands of messages we have received. 'Yes it is a vile situation, but honestly the love has been overwhelming...my brother is my BEST friend by choice. Happy New Year to everyone... Its has been a Positive 2018 & will be a fantastic 2019...', the choreographer added. The pro dancer - who is often on social media - has not emerged publicly since the incident, which saw him and his brother Curtis attacked in a nightclub in Nantwich, close to their family home, where both men were staying for the Christmas break. Reflection: The Strictly Come Dancing star, 24, took to Instagram on Monday to share a gushing post about his sibling, 22, as he reflected on the past year Low profile: The choreographer is said to be 'beside himself with worry and anxiety' after the vicious attack AJ is said to be 'beside himself with worry and anxiety' after the attack, with a source telling 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. He is beside himself with worry and anxiety.' 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.' Close: On Saturday morning, AJ saw messages of support for him and his brother Curtis 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. Friends: Strictly's Dianne Buswell and Katya Jones led the stars rallying around the brothers after their horrific attack Sad: Dianne, 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' Saddened: Dianne's celebrity dance partner-turned boyfriend Joe Sugg, 27, sent his best wishes to the brothers on Twitter 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.' Supportive: Head judge Shirley Ballas also shared her support, posting a tweet on Saturday 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' 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. 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. 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 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.' 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 Best wishes: 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. She has recently reunited with her boyfriend Simon Lennon after a tough few weeks in the Australian jungle. And I'm A Celebrity star Sair Khan went hand-in-hand with her partner as they led the celebrity arrivals at Tina O'Brien's evening wedding reception. The 30-year-old Coronation Street actress looked lovely in a purple silk dress with eye-catching gold accessories. Keeping the party going: I'm A Celebrity star Sair Khan went hand-in-hand with her partner Simon Lennon as they led the celebrity arrivals at Tina O'Brien's evening wedding reception in Manchester on Monday Sair looked elegant in the flattering dress, set off with pointed stilettos and a beaded bah. She covered up in a black jacket and accessorised with dramatic earrings. Simon was dressed to impress in a grey suit as the pair arrived at the Manchester venue, ready to party the night away. Chic: The 30-year-old Coronation Street actress looked lovely in a purple silk dress with eye-catching gold accessories Tina - best known for playing Sarah Louis Platt on Corrie - has wed personal trainer Adam Crofts. The stunning soap beauty, 35, was seen arriving at the venue for her big day, which will also see many of her co-stars in attendance, including on-screen mum Helen Worth and soap brother Jack P. Shepherd. Joined by daughter Scarlett, nine, and son Beau, four, Tina was seen carrying her wedding dress into the venue. So happy: Tina announced her engagement to Adam in May 2016, after he proposed to her in a Manchester bar after five years of dating. The couple are also parents to son Beau, four Tina announced her engagement to Adam in May 2016, after he proposed to her in a Manchester bar after five years of dating. The actress met Adam seven years ago when her daughter, then two, approached the rugby player in a branch of Starbucks in Manchester and introduced herself. Rather than 'I'm Scarlett' she only said 'Hello, man,' and the rest, it seems, is history. Also in attendance: Tina's on-screen brother Jack P Shepherd was naturally in attendance, joined by his girlfriend Hanni Treweek A policeman patrols in the centre of Ouahigouya, eastern Burkina Faso, on October 29, 2018 Burkina Faso is declaring a state of emergency in provinces grappling with jihadist violence, Communications Minister Remis Fulgance Dandjinou said on Monday. "The president has decided to declare a state of emergency in certain provinces of Burkina Faso. He has also given instructions for specific security measures across the country," Dandjinou said after a cabinet meeting that followed a deadly attack on police. Ten gendarmes were killed and three wounded on Thursday in an ambush in the northwest of the country, near the border with Mali. They had been heading to the village of Loroni after a school had been attacked and textbooks torched by armed assailants, a security source told AFP. The state of emergency applies to a number of provinces that lie within seven of the country's 13 administrative regions, Dandjinou said. The regions are Hauts-Bassins, Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, North and Sahel, in the west and north of the country, and the East and Centre-East in the east. Names of the provinces where the state of emergency is to be applied will be made public in a presidential decree, he said. A state of emergency gives additional powers to the security forces to carry out searches of homes and to restrict freedom of movement. The impoverished Sahel state has been battling a rising wave of jihadist attacks over the last three years. They began in the north of the country but have since spread to the east, near the border with Togo and Benin. Most attacks are attributed to the jihadist group Ansarul Islam, which emerged near the Mali border in December 2016, and to the JNIM (the Group to Support Islam and Muslims), which has sworn allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Those groups are believed to be responsible for more than 255 deaths since 2015. The capital Ouagadougou has been hit three times and almost 60 people have died there. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran has denounced plans by Brazil's newly elected president to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said Monday that such a move "will not help with peace, stability, security and retrieval of the Palestinian people's rights." He added, however, that "relations with Brazil will eventually be continued." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Brazil, said Sunday it is only a matter of time until Brazil moves its embassy to Jerusalem. Incoming President Jair Bolsonaro said last month that he intends to move the embassy, prompting threats by Arab states to boycott Brazilian goods. Jerusalem's fate is one of the most divisive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nearly all countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, and the U.S. decision to move its embassy sparked protests. The one big event for India in 2019 will be the Lok Sabha elections. Once considered a cakewalk for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the elections now look competitive. Further, as the recent Assembly polls showed predicting any outcome would be a hazardous exercise. Modi has been in election mode since the beginning of 2018, if we are to go by Prime Ministerial inaugurations. A lot more inaugurations and many more sops are expected ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2019. (Photo: Reuters) From tunnels, bridges, giant statues, airports, chocolate factories, hospitals, to partially-constructed highways, and sections of the Delhi Metro, nothing has been too small to escape the PMs attention. According to reports, January 2019 could see a huge shower of election-related sops. BJPs jaded rhetoric The Bharatiya Janata Party used the weapon of anti-incumbency to devastating effect in 2014. Since then, it has sought to keep on reshaping this message. Whether people buy the view that Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for the countrys current ills, is another matter. One of Modis greatest skills has been his ability to shape the narrative. This was evident right through demonetisation, but since then there has been considerable erosion. The big challenge for PM Modi is to shape a new narrative. (Photo: Reuters) No matter what the government does, it cannot convince the farmers that everything is hunky dory or that the crop insurance scheme, high minimum support price, or rural livelihood missions will solve their problems. Nor can it convince people that it has excelled on the job front. The big challenge now is to shape a new narrative. The obvious one is the need for a renewed mandate for Modi to enable him to complete the tasks he has been doing so well till now. This, however, gets caught in the glass half full or half empty binary. It is difficult to escape the feeling that overall the Modi-government has failed to provide the critical push needed to transform India into a modern and prosperous country. Instead, there has been a dangerous tendency to polarise the populace on the basis of caste, creed and substitute rhetoric for action. Trump and trade wars The second major development to look out for in 2019 will be the US-China trade war. March 1 is the deadline set by the truce the two sides worked out on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in December. We are unlikely to see a return of Sino-US relations to the entente that existed earlier. (Photo: Reuters) What are the chances they will be able to meet it? Perhaps what we will see is its extension bought by Chinese trade concessions. But we are unlikely to see a return of Sino-US relations to the entente that existed earlier. The rapidity of Chinas growth in a range of areas has now convinced the US that Beijing has become a peer competitor whose goal is to displace America as the number one country in the world. Given its economic trajectory, China will be the worlds leading economy, but the US will remain the premier military power for some time to come. This is owing to the geography of the United States, and that its defence spending is nearly thrice more than Chinas. As of now, there are no signs that the Republican Party is ready to abandon Trump. (Photo: Reuters) Another development to watch out for is the continued unfolding of the Trump presidency. Many argue that the US President Donald Trump has now, at last, rid himself of establishment figures and is set to run the show on his own terms, pushing policies that he deeply believes in. However, the Mueller investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the US elections and wider poll violations by Trump remains a wildcard. As of now, there are no signs that the Republican Party is ready to abandon Trump. Unless the party changes its attitude, we are destined to see more of the same in the US in 2019. UKs road to Brexit A fourth significant geopolitical change scheduled for 2019 is the UKs departure from the European Union or Brexit in March 2019. Will the UK stick to the withdrawal agreement that has been worked out with EU? There are various other possibilities here, but British politics has been so messed up that no one is willing to bet on anything. Even though experts have forecast doom and gloom for UK outside EU, so far, the economy has been doing reasonably well. Brexit in March 2019 will the UK stick to the withdrawal agreement worked out with EU? (Photo: Reuters) The UK is the worlds fifth largest economy and there are indications that it could overtake Germany to become Europes largest economy in the coming decade. As a member of the UN Security Council, Britain is a power in its own right. But working through the EUs 28-member grouping, it was able to extend its power and influence even more. Brexit may close British choices in one direction but could provide newer opportunities for the country in its ties with the US and China. (Courtesy of Mail Today) Also read:2019: From TINA (There Is No Alternative) to AOBM (Any One But Modi) Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Monday and conveyed his heartiest congratulations on her party's decisive victory in the parliamentary elections. The Ministry of External Affairs said Modi expressed confidence that the partnership between India and Bangladesh will continue to flourish under her "far-sighted" leadership. Hasina also thanked the prime minister for being the first leader to call her to convey his congratulations. "The PM also reiterated the priority India attaches to Bangladesh as a neighbour, a close partner for regional development, security and cooperation, and a central pillar in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy," the MEA said in a statement. The MEA said the conversation was very cordial, fully reflecting the close and traditionally friendly relations between India and Bangladesh. It said India warmly congratulated the people of Bangladesh for reaffirming their faith in democracy, development and the vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "PM Sheikh Hasina thanked Prime Minister for being the first leader to call her to convey congratulations. She also thanked India for their consistent and generous support which has benefited Bangladesh's development, and appreciated PM's reiteration of this commitment," the MEA said. Hasina's party Awami League emerged victorious in the elections, winning over 267 seats in the 300-member House, according to the Election Commission (EC). 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. Rowan Companies PLC (NYSE:RDC) issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October, 31st. The oil and gas company reported ($1.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of ($1.15) by $0.02. The oil and gas company earned $192.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $179.39 million. Rowan Companies had a negative trailing twelve-month return on equity of 9.19% and a negative net margin of 42.12%. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 33.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.16) EPS. View Rowan Companies' earnings history. 32 minutes ago Nevada court sides with gunmakers in Las Vegas shooting suit CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) Nevadas Supreme Court ruled gun manufacturers cannot be held responsible for the deaths in the 2017 mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip because a state law shields them from liability unless the weapon malfunctions. The parents of a woman who was among the 60 people killed in the shooting at packed music festival filed a wrongful death suit against Colt Manufacturing Co. Read Article GlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom. Read More (CNN) Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina has won a third consecutive term as prime minister, the country's Election Commission said Monday, in a poll marred by deadly violence and allegations of rigged ballots. The opposition Jatiya Oikya Front has rejected the vote and demanded a fresh election, accusing Hasina's ruling Awami League (AL) party of stuffing ballot boxes. Her government has also been accused of human rights abuses during the election. At least 15 people were killed in election-related violence when clashes broke out between ruling party supporters and the opposition on Sunday, local police officials told CNN. The military was deployed across the country to try to prevent the violence seen during recent polls, which were tarnished by a low turnout and boycotted by the largest opposition group and its allies. But nine people were killed in Chittagong division alone on Sunday, police official said. The Bangladesh Awami League, led by 71-year-old Hasina, has been in power since 2009 and won the last election in January 2014 with a resounding majority amid a boycott. But Hasina has since been accused of authoritarianism and harassment of the media and opposition figures, even as she presides over strong economic growth. Concerns over transparency Human rights groups and opposition figures had warned that Sunday's election could be rigged despite promises of transparency from the authorities. Salil Tripathi, a London-based journalist and author of "The Colonel Who Would Not Repent: The Bangladesh War and Its Unquiet Legacy," said the government has delayed visas for election observer groups such as the Asian Network for Free Elections (Anfrel) despite its promises of openness. "The question is whether there will be observers on the ground in time to see what's going on," Tripathi told CNN. "You want elections that are free and fair, and Bangladesh is missing this as an opportunity. If you don't allow the observers to come, how will you prove this?" In a report last week, Human Rights Watch said a "repressive political environment in Bangladesh is undermining the credibility of the process." "Authoritarian measures, including widespread surveillance and a crackdown on free speech, have contributed to a widely described climate of fear," the report said, adding that police had failed to act impartially and ignored attacks on opposition figures. Brad Adams, HRW's Asia director, said "the police and election commission should not appear to be acting like extensions of the ruling party." "The violence during the campaign that has mainly targeted the opposition bears out their misgivings about unfair treatment," he added. Much of the campaign violence seen in 2014 targeted the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and the opposition coalition Jatiya Oikya Front (National United Front). Free speech clampdown Opposition figures aren't the only ones feeling the pressure. Media and press freedom groups had complained of harassment and threats ahead of the vote. In October, the government approved a controversial new digital security law which rights groups fear could further erode press freedoms and silence dissenting voices online. Amnesty International said it imposed "dangerous restrictions on freedom of expression" and pointed to its potential for use against opposition voices. The Dhaka-based Odhikar group has highlighted a worrying spate of what it called "enforced disappearances" of opposition leaders, students and activists. In September alone, the rights group claims 30 people were picked up by law enforcement agencies without explanation a sharp jump from a total of 28 in the first eight months of the year. One of those detained in 2018 was prominent photojournalist Shahidul Alam, who was jailed for several months after an interview with Al Jazeera in which he accused the government of clinging on to power by "brute force." Alam was released in November after an international outcry. A joint statement by 25 human rights organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists and Amnesty International, had called for Alam's "immediate and unconditional release" and slammed the allegations against him as "a blatant violation of his right to freedom of expression." Weak opposition Hasina was widely expected to cruise to a third term, with her biggest rival, BNP chief and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, 73, currently in prison and banned from running for election over corruption charges. BNP supporters claim the charges against Zia are politically motivated. "I'd be surprised if Hasina doesn't win. The opposition has a lot of problems in terms of pitching candidates and intimidation. She has the advantage of incumbency," Tripathi said. But regardless of the outcome, he said the focus should be on the rights of Bangladeshis to free and fair polls: "The voters and the candidates need to feel reassured." This story was first published on CNN.com. "Sheikh Hasina wins third term in Bangladesh elections marred by deadly violence." American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at contact@marketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More 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 Bellatrix Exploration Ltd., an oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas reserves in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan in Canada. It primarily focuses on developing its two core resource plays, the Cardium and the Spirit River in Western Canada. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Greif, Inc. engages in the production of industrial packaging products and services. It operates through the following segments: Rigid Industrial Packaging and Services, Paper Packaging and Services, Flexible Products and Services, and Land Management. The Rigid Industrial Packaging and Services segment involves the production and sale of rigid industrial packaging products, such as steel, fibre and plastic drums, rigid intermediate bulk containers, closure systems for industrial packaging products, transit protection products, water bottles and reconditioned containers, and services, such as container life cycle services, blending, filling and other packaging services, logistics and warehousing. The Paper Packaging and Services segment involves the production and sale of containerboard, corrugated sheets, corrugated containers and other corrugated products to customers in North America. The Flexible Products and Services segment involves the production and sale of flexible intermediate bulk containers and related services on a global basis and the sale of industrial and consumer shipping sacks and multiwall bag products in North America. The Land Management segment involves the ma Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen Coding GmbH, Allen France SAS, Alpine Automation Limited, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Holdings Inc., Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Arylux Hungary Elektromechanikus Alkatreszgyarto Kft, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix (Suzhou) Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel (Ireland) Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Buell Industries Inc., CAPMAX Logistica S.A. de C.V., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS (Australia) Pty Limited, CS (Finance) Europe S.a.r.l., CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, CSMTS LLC, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures (Australasia) S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur (Shanghai) Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Dorbyl U.K. (Holdings) Limited, Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO (Holding) AG, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elga Skandinavian AS, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, FEG Investments L.L.C., Fasver, Filtertek, Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech (Taicang) Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart (Japan) K.K., Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart Foster Belgium, Hobart International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW (China) Investment Company Limited, ITW (Deutschland) GmbH, ITW (EU) Holdings Ltd., ITW (European) Finance Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW (Ningbo) Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Alpha Sarl, ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components (Langfang) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium, ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS (UK) Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Contamination Control (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Delta Sarl, ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.A., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Finance Designated Activity Company, ITW Finance Europe S.A., ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW France Finance Alpha S.A.S., ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments II Inc., ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics (Thailand) Ltd., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Italy S.R.L. in liquidazione, ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France (Luxembourg) S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings UK, ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW Hungary Finance Beta Kft, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Finance Srl, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lombard Holdings Inc., ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW M FILMS II LLC, ITW MH LLC, ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Plastic (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Philippines Holdings LLC, ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Spraytec, ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Ideal Molding Technologies LLC, Illinois Tool Works (Chile) Limitada, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Norway AS, Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron (Shanghai) Ltd., Instron (Thailand) Limited, Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MOA Enterprises Inc, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V.. Invesco High Income Trust II is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc, INVESCO Asset Management (Japan) Limited, INVESCO Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, INVESCO Asset Management Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, INVESCO Senior Secured Management, Inc., and Invesco Canada Ltd. It invests in the fixed income markets. The fund seeks to invest in securities rated between BB and C by Standard and Poor's. It seeks to maintain an average duration of around three to four years for its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Cap Inde. It was formerly known as Invesco Van Kampen High Income Trust II. Invesco High Income Trust II was formed on April 28, 1989 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More At Landsec, we strive to connect communities, realise potential and deliver sustainable places. As one of the largest real estate companies in Europe, our A11.8 billion portfolio spans 24 million sq ft (as at 30 September 2020) of well-connected retail, leisure, workspace and residential hubs. From the iconic Piccadilly Lights in the West End and the regeneration of London's Victoria, to the creation of retail destinations at Westgate Oxford and Trinity Leeds, we own and manage some of the most successful and memorable real estate in the UK. We aim to lead our industry in critical long-term issues A- from diversity and community employment, to carbon reduction and climate resilience. We deliver value for our shareholders, great experiences for our customers and positive change for our communities. Read More iShares MSCI Canada ETF's stock was trading at $23.42 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWC shares have increased by 58.7% and is now trading at $37.16. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Five Point Holdings LLC engages in the development and design of mixed-use, master-planned communities that combine residential, commercial, retail, educational, and recreational elements with public amenities. It operates through the following segments: Valencia, San Francisco, Great Park, and Commercial. The Valencia segment includes community of Valencia being developed in northern Los Angeles County, California, as well as other land historically owned by FPL, including 16,000 acres in Ventura County, California and approximately 500 acres of remnant commercial, residential and open space land in Los Angeles County. The San Francisco segment involves the Candlestick Point and The San Francisco Shipyard communities located on bay front property in the City of San Francisco, California. The Great Park segment refers to the Great Park neighborhoods being developed adjacent to and around the Orange County Great Park, a metropolitan park under construction in Orange County, California. The Commercial segment consists of the Five Point Gateway Campus, an office and research and development campus within the Great Park Neighborhoods, consisting of four newly constructed buildings. The Read More Nevsun Resources Ltd. engages in the mining and development of mineral properties in Europe, Africa, and North America. It explores for gold, copper, zinc, and silver deposits. The company's principal assets include Timok project, a copper-gold development project in Serbia; and Bisha copper- zinc mine in Eritrea. It also holds exploration licenses and permits in Serbia and Macedonia, as well as in the Bisha mining district. The company was incorporated in 1965 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. As of January 7, 2019, Nevsun Resources Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited. Read More iShares MSCI Hong Kong ETF's stock was trading at $21.67 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWH shares have increased by 9.0% and is now trading at $23.61. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Bridgepoint Education, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides postsecondary education services in the United States. Its academic institutions, Ashford University and University of the Rockies, offer associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in the disciplines of business, education, psychology, social sciences, and health sciences. The company offers its programs primarily through online; and at its campuses. As of December 31, 2017, its institutions offered approximately 1,200 courses and 80 degree programs; and had 45,730 students enrolled. The company was formerly known as TeleUniversity, Inc. and changed its name to Bridgepoint Education, Inc. in February 2004. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Read More Stage Stores, Inc. operates specialty department stores primarily in small and mid-sized towns and communities in the United States. Its merchandise portfolio comprises moderately priced and brand name apparel, accessories, cosmetics, footwear, and home goods. The company also offers merchandise direct-to-consumer through its e-commerce Website, and private label credit card and loyalty programs. As of August 23, 2018, it operated 764 department stores in 42 states under the BEALLS, GOODY'S, PALAIS ROYAL, PEEBLES, and STAGE names; 63 GORDMANS off-price stores; and stage.com, an e-commerce Website. The company was founded in 1988 and is based in Houston, Texas. Read More 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 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. Transcontinental Realty Investors, Inc. is a real estate investment company, which engages in the acquisition, development and ownership of residential and commercial real estate properties. The company operates through the following segments: Apartments, Commercial Buildings, Land and Others. It operates these segments through the sub categories: Same Property Portfolio, Acquired Properties, and Developed Properties in the Lease-up Phase. The Same Property Portfolio consists of properties that were held for the entire period of business. The Acquired Properties consists of properties that are acquired but not held for the entire business period. The Developed Properties in the Lease-Up Phase consists of completed projects that are being leased-up. The company was founded on September 6, 1983 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX. Read More Versum Materials, Inc. develops, manufactures, transports, and handles specialty materials for the semiconductor and display industries in the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Europe, and rest of Asia. The company operates through two segments, Materials, and Delivery Systems and Services (DS&S). The Materials segment provides specialty chemicals and materials used in semiconductors, as well as specialty gases used in the semiconductor manufacturing process, including high purity process materials for deposition, metallization, chamber cleaning, and etching; chemicals mechanical planarization slurries; organosilanes; organometallics and liquid dopants for thin film deposition; and formulated chemical products for post-etch cleaning primarily for the manufacture of silicon and compound semiconductors, and thin film transistor liquid crystal displays. The DS&S segment develops, designs, manufactures, and sells bulk gas, specialty gas, and specialty chemical cabinets and systems, which are used to manage the delivery of key materials into the semiconductor manufacturing process; and flow and temperature control systems and analytical systems to capture data. It is also involved in the project management for installation and startup of the gas and chemical delivery systems, and inventory management; and provision of spare parts, equipment upgrades, equipment maintenance, and training services. In addition, this segment offers on-site services to assist customers in managing the inventory of gases and chemicals comprising ordering, product changes and monitoring, quality assurance, operation of delivery systems, and managing the bulk gas and specialty gas operations. Versum Materials, Inc. was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. Read More 0.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes Noble has received 0 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Noble has received 0 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Noble and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe NE will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe NE will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Dairy farmer turned bush poet reflects on remarkable journey "IT was my passion and I never wanted to be the age I am now and wonder 'what if?'," says Bob Magor. In five incidents, the family members killed one of the couple and in some they provoked them to committing suicide. Hyderabad: Five brutal incidents of caste killing marked the year, the most recent being the bride set ablaze by her own parents in Mancherial district. The Pranay-Amruta incident at Nalgonda made international headlines and was followed by the despicable sickle attack on Sandeep at Ameerpet. Ten caste-related cases of unimaginary brutality occurred due to inter-caste marriage in 2018. In five incidents, the family members killed one of the couple and in some they provoked them to committing suicide. September 14: Boy hacked to death in Nalgonda Pranay Perumalla Kumar, a dalit from Miryalaguda, was hacked to death in broad daylight for marrying Amrutha Varshini, a Vaishya. Pranay had accompanied his pregnant wife for a check-up at Jyothi hospital in Miryalaguda, when they were leaving at about 1.45 pm, Bari who was hired by Maruthi Rao, the father of the girl attacked him from behind with a machete, killing him. September 19: Attempt to murder in Erragadda 21-year-old Madhavi and her 23-year-old husband Sandeep were attacked by her father Manoharachary. Sandeep belongs to Scheduled caste and Madhavi was an OBC. Manoharachary hacked the couple with a sickle near a Hyundai showroom in Erragadda, Hyderabad. September 20: Dalit man commits suicide, blames in-laws C. Srikanth, a dalit committed suicide by setting himself ablaze allegedly after recording a video blaming his in-laws for taking away his wife and turning her against him. In the video shot on his mobile phone, he blamed his wife and her father G. Shanmukha Chary and other family members and a police constable for his suicide. October 1: Boy beaten up by girls family The victim, Nandigottu Saikiran, who is from the Mangali caste, was beaten up by the family members of Haristha, 21, with whom he was in love. The girl is from the Reddy community. October 7: Girls family kill 24-year-old man G. Kumar, 24, from the Yadava caste was killed by the girls family members for allegedly falling in love with a 17-year-old girl who would have turned 18 within a month. She was from the Gouda caste. The body of Gaddi Kumar was found in a cotton field in Vankayalagudem village. October 31: Woman harassed over dowry, caste Jayasri, the victim from the SC Madiga community was allegedly harassed over dowry and caste by her husband and in-laws who belongs to Naidu caste. Jayasri had married Gangisetti Karthik, a general physician, in 2015. December 23: 22-year-old girl killed in Nirmal A 22-year-old Anuradha from the Yadava caste was killed for falling in love with and marrying a man from another caste, Laxman, 25, who was from the Padmashali caste. The two were married in an Arya Samaj in Hyderabad on December 3. When they returned to their village Anuradhas parents Pindi Sathanna and Laxmi and their relatives thrashed the couple, then took the injured Anuradha into their house and burned her alive and threw the ashes into the water. Bengaluru: As Namma Metro is gradually expanding its footprint over the city, the construction work is taking a heavy toll on the existing roads and the traffic flow. The roads on either side of BTM Layout and Bannerghatta Road are riddled with potholes and at some stretches there are huge mounds of mud. The commuters have a harrowing time in navigating these roads on a daily basis. "Throughout the day, the vehicles move at a snails pace. The presence of huge potholes and boulders poses a threat to motorists," said Ankur Ashok, a resident of BTM. The pedestrians complain that footpath riding is rampant but nothing much is being done. The pedestrians we spoke to said that cops are usually busy collecting fines for bikers not wearing helmets, but overlook this blatant violation that endangers the lives of footpath users. We need Metro and any developmental work takes time. We have no complaint against it, but as of now the narrow lane should be repaired so that we can move freely. Especially the stretch from Vega City Mall towards Jayadeva Hospital needs to be repaired. There is no footpath and the road is in poor condition, said Ashwin Singh, a local resident. He further added that the government should made arrangements to divert traffic, before going ahead with the project. The roads have become so narrow that hardly an auto can move at a time and the dust emanating from the construction site is also a health hazard to nearby residents. On Saturday, the Mico Layout area got waterlogged and the commuters were apprehensive of moving ahead, as the road is riddled with huge potholes. "If not the repair of entire road, at least the potholes should be filled. The BBMP was supposed to fill the all the potholes a couple of months back, I do not know what happened," Ashok added. Metro should be held responsible for road damage: Mayor Gangambike Q&A: with Mayor Gangambike Roads at BTM Layout and Bannerghatta have been badly hit due to the ongoing metro works? Wherever Metro works are going on, roads have been damaged. This is a major problem for the civic body. I will have a discussion with the ward corporators and AEEs concerned. There are some stretches where roads are severely damaged and pose serious threat to the lives of bike riders and damage the vehicles too? If the damage is severe then I will ask the AEE to look into this. Roads will be restored under the emergency grants. You said the road damage by Metro works is a major problem. BBMP lays the road and Metro damages it. Can't BMRCL repair the damaged road? As the roads are getting damaged due to metro construction, they should be held responsible. I will have to check with the officials if we have a provision to get BMRCL restore the damaged roads Bengaluru: Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modis comment that that state government's farm loan waiver is a cruel joke on farmers, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy said that the remark is incorrect and unfortunate. In a press release, Mr Kumaraswamy said that the crop loan waiver is a commitment made by the coalition government to safeguard the interest of farmers and that the process has already begun. The government has already made significant payments. Despite that, Mr Modi calls it a cruel joke on farmers without obtaining full facts about the scheme. The Honourable Prime Minister should note that the state government's crop loan waiver is an open book and information is available online, unlike other states, he stated. Giving 12 points on crop loan waiver, Mr Kumaraswamy said that despite the availability of so many facts, the statement from the Prime Minister was unexpected. Though the state government made repeated requests, the Union government did not come to the rescue of farmers. Now, Mr Modi is demeaning the state government for political gains, he said. She said the boy deleted his profile on Facebook when she took time to reply his love proposal. Bhubaneshwar: A girl from Poland has expressed her feelings for the love of her life a man from Bhubaneswar in Odisha with whom she fell in love after knowing each other on Facebook. The girl, named Katy on her social media account, has claimed that the Bhubaneswar boy had proposed her a few months ago and before she could reply, he hung up the phone and became untraceable since then. Mu Tumaku Bhala Paye (I love you), Tame Jadi Mote Dekhucha, Mu Asuchi Tuma Pakhaku (If you are watching me, I am coming to you), I love you, the girl said in her Facebook video. The Polish girl has decided to fly to Odisha to meet her lover. I personally liked his company and his cute Odia accent. But the moment he proposed, I went blank, like I did not know what to reply. And, he kept on saying and pleading and I was speechless, the girl is seen saying in the video. She is also seen appealing to all social media users to share her video widely to help her meet her love interest. She said the boy deleted his profile on Facebook when she took time to reply his love proposal. The video, within minutes, has gone viral. New Delhi: Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar has to surrender before Karkardooma Court or Tihar jail authorities on Monday. In view of this, HS Phoolka, one of the petitioners in 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, has appealed to the victims of the riot to not go to the court on Monday. In a statement, Phoolka said: "It is apprehended that Sajjan Kumar might try to create disturbances around the court tomorrow, to use as an excuse not to surrender and ask for an extension. I request 1984 Sikh genocide victims not to go to the court tomorrow (December 31). He has not got any relief from the Supreme Court. So, he has to surrender." Speaking to news agency ANI, Phoolka said: "He simply has to go to the court on December 31 and surrender. If he does not do that, then on January 1 the police will have to take him in custody and send him to Tihar Jail. This is a very big victory for the entire nation, as a mass murderer is going to be punished after years." On December 22, Sajjan Kumar filed an appeal in the apex court, after the High Court dismissed Kumar's plea seeking more time to surrender. The court, while awarding him a life sentence, had directed him to surrender by December 31 and also levied a fine of Rs 5 lakh on him. In his plea, he had sought 30 additional days to surrender, on account of settling family affairs with regard to property and inheritance. The Delhi High Court had reversed the acquittal granted to Kumar by a trial court in 2013. The case pertains to the murder of five members of a Sikh family in Delhi Cantonment area during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Earlier on Thursday, the former parliamentarian appeared before Delhi's Patiala House Court for hearing in the second case, related to the riots, registered against him by the CBI on the recommendation of Nanavati Commission. The court has adjourned the matter till January 22. As per official records, over 2,700 Sikhs were killed across India after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh, and Beant Singh. Telangana DGP M. Mahendar Reddy holds the annual conference at the DGPs office. Hyderabad commissioner of police Anjani Kumar and Director of Telangana prisons, Santosh Mehra look on. (Image DC) Hyderabad: Though there is an overall decrease in incidents of crime that took place in Telangana state by five per cent and property offences like burglaries, robberies and chain snatching offences by eight per cent, cases of rape, kidnapping and rioting are on the rise. Recovery of stolen property also increased by 20 per cent in the state, reveals data of the state police. Visible policing and technological initiatives have helped in reduction of property offences, said Director General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy while sharing the data on Sunday. As many as 1,02,307 cases were reported across the 31 districts of Telangana in 2018, which is less than yesteryears number of 1,07,428, making a reduction of five per cent. Chain snatching offences were reduced by 43 per cent, dacoities by 18 per cent robberies by 29 per cent, bank thefts by 10 per cent and ATM thefts by 51 per cent. However, murders of gain have increased by 5 per cent. There is a reduction in cases of cheating (two per cent), counterfeit currency cases (36 per cent) and cases of criminal breach of trust (12 per cent). Bodily offences on the rise with nine per cent. Crimes against women reduced by seven per cent. Informing that the increase in reporting of cases of rape, kidnapping and outrage of modesty is a result of awareness among women to lodge complaints without fear, DGP Mahendar Reddy said that in 2017, the number of cases of rape was 1,414, while this year, cases reported were 1,565. Cases of kidnapping have increased by 20 per cent and rioting by 17 per cent. In 2017, as many as 14,528 cases of crime against women were recorded and the numbers this year are 13,469. About 4,641 cases of outrage of the modesty of women were reported across the state, which saw an increase of nine per cent compared to the previous year. Crimes against SCs/STs increased by three per cent from 1,587 in 2017 to 1,624 in 2018. Operation Muskan As many as 6,019 children trafficked to work as labourers were rescued and 3,390 of them handed over to their parents. The remaining children are currently at rescue homes and efforts are on to trace their parents and reunite them with their families. About 432 persons have been arrested in connection with cases of child labour. Public involvement helps reduce crimes Aiming to increase public participation in policing to combat crimes, state police will start interacting with citizens to learn their needs and improve service delivery to ensure a sense of safety among people. Improving uniform service delivery by keeping communities at the heart of our policing approach, is our goal for 2019, said DGP M. Mahendar Reddy. In Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda commissionerates, installation of CCTV cameras, modernisation of police stations, starting Bharosa centres in all districts will be ensured to increase a sense of safety, he said. Fingerprints of about 8,24,010 persons are already available with the state FPB (Finger Print Bureau), using which 354 cases were already solved. Mobile devices with police personnel have helped in tracing 6.832 ex-offenders. We are witnessing a shift from traditional to digital crimes. Cyber crime police station, data analysis unit, video enhancement technology, facial recognition, fingerprint bureau and investigation support centre will be started in all police stations," said the DGP. He said that detection, investigation and prevention of crime will improve the criminal justice system and handling security threats will be made easy with real-time crime analysis and mapping. In order to combat emerging crimes, a sustainable approach of integrating information available with various departments like courts, jails, fingerprint bureau and real-time crime analysis and mapping will be taken up across the state.the DGP said. Improving uniform service delivery will be increased by keeping communities at the heart of policing. For this, police personnel across the state will visit residential communities in the first fortnight of January to take note of the needs of people and do the needful. Feedback channels will be provided to improve service delivery," he said. Responding to a query on increasing cases of caste pride killing, DGP Mahendar Reddy said, "Officers of all the ranks are already sensitized about such incidents. Involvement of communities in policing will provide more information about the occurrence of such incidents which can help in preventing ghastly crimes. Such cases will be considered as a priority and we will aim at speedy justice to the victims. The DGP also said that the sensational cases of EAMCET scam and slain gangster Nayeemuddin will be charge-sheeted soon as the investigation is almost at the final stage. Some 480 people died in the floods that took place over two months. 1.Keralas floods: Unprecedented rain never seen in 100 years, unchecked urban growth and alleged mishandling of water release combined to create an entirely avoidable tragedy, taking vast swathes of the state under water. Some 480 people died in the floods that took place over two months. Some of the ageing dams were full to the brim, causing much anxiety over their safety. 2.Hate crimes: Till December 2018, UP had recorded 11 cases of bovine-related hate violence. According to a Reuters report, a total of 63 cow vigilante attacks occurred between 2010 and mid-2017, mostly since 2014. Till last year, 28 Indians 24 of them Muslims were killed. 3.Women unsafe: India is the worlds most dangerous country followed by Afghanistan and Syria for women due to the high risk of sexual violence, according to a poll of global experts. As if to prove this, two rapes stood out of the thousands in the country: The sexual assault of a minor girl belonging to the Bakharwal tribe in J&K, and the report of the rape of a nun in Kerala. The accused, Bishop Franco Mulakkal, was arrested after an outcry. 4.Bus that killed 57: In a major mishap, a TSRTC bus fell off a ghat road near the temple town of Kondagattu in Jagtial of Telangana killing 57 people. The bus was packed with 104 passengers. 5. Dasara mishap: 61 people were killed when a crowd of Dasara revellers that had spilled on to railway tracks while watching the burning of the Ravana effigy were run over by a train near Amritsar 6.CBSE fails: Students and parents were left enraged after the CBSE announced re-exams for Class X and Class XII economics over reports of paper leak. A hand-written question paper of the Class XII exam had allegedly been circulating on WhatsApp a day earlier. 7.Baby deaths: Almost half the districts are not on track to reduce mortality of newborns and meet the target set under the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Every year, 26 lakh babies die worldwide within 28 days of birth. Of these, 6.4 lakh neonatal deaths occur in India. 8.banking mess: It has been one of the worst years for the banking sector. Beginning with a severe blow caused by diamond merchant Nirav Modi, the state-run banks had a hard time with RBI tightening bad loan recognition norms. 9.Mumbai firetrap: 2017 ended with a fire mishap that killed 14 people at Kamala Mills. The trend continued this year, with several people being burnt to death. In the latest incident, six people were killed in at a blaze in the Employees State In-surance Corporation Hospital in Marol, Andheri East. 10.Kolkatas bridges: A section of an over 50-year-old bridge on the Diamond Harbour Road in South Kolkata collapsed on Spetember 4. This was the citys third bridge or flyover collapse in five-and-a-ahalf years. 11.Water crisis: The NITI Aayog which draws on data from 24 of India's 29 states, in June released the results of a study warning that India is facing its worst water crisis in history and that the demand for potable water will outstrip supply by 2030 if steps are not taken. 12.Risky home: An audit report lifted the veil off the organised physical and sexual exploitation of girls in Bihar shelter homes. The report pointed to exploitation and physical abuse at six homes and 14 shelters. 13.Dirty air: Delhi pollution was at its worst, going from severe to emergency. The air in the rest of the country was no better. The pollution contributed to the Supreme Court placing restrictions on the lighting of fire crackers but that was poorly implemented. 14. Worst weather: Indian states were battered by extreme weather throughout 2018 which was attributed to climate change. The country was hit deadly cyclones, floods that claimed lives of numerous people and left behind a trial of destruction this year. AP was hit by nearly five cyclones. 15. Nipah virus: The Nipah virus had previously affected eastern India in 2001 and 2007. The outbreak in 2018, mainly in Rajasthan, was the third outbreak in the country. It is caused due to consumption of contaminated food, or directly through infected people. Tirupati: Elaborate arrangements are being made by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam to meet the requirements of devotees visiting the abode of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala on the eve of New Year day. While the VIPs will be allowed darshan from 2 am, other devotees will be allowed from 4.30 am, Tirumala in-charge joint executive officer Pola Bhaskar told media persons at Tirumala on Sunday. In view of the anticipated rush of pilgrims on January 1, the TTD has suspended all privilege darshans and the VIP break darshan has been limited to protocol VIPs on Monday and Tuesday. The TTD has cancelled arjitha sevas and special darshans for the aged, physically challenged, parents with infants and donors. Mr Bhaskar inspected the Vaikuntam queue complex and held a review meeting with officials regarding the arrangements. All departments were instructed to work as a team and assist pilgrims. Learning from previous incidents the temple management has resolved to strictly adopt last years policy and is trying to reduce the discretionary quota and entertain only those VIPs coming in person. Srivari sevaks, scouts and guides along with Vigilance and police personnel have been being roped in. The premises of the Tirumala temple and those of the sub shrines were being decorated with flowers and electric bulbs. 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. (Representational Images) 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 ans-wer or effective respo-nse. The other development, which is mostly lost to the outside world, is the vast political div-ergence 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. The writer is an independent commentator on political and security issues Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Monday surrendered before a court to serve the life term for the "remainder of his natural life" awarded by the Delhi High Court in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. Kumar, who has Z-category security following threat to his life as he is facing prosecution in other 1984 riots cases, arrived at the courtroom surrounded by around two-dozen security personnel. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg, who directed that he be lodged in Mandoli jail. He was taken to the jail in a separate prison bus. As he came to court complex, a group of Sikhs shouted slogans and flashed the victory sign. Two other convicts -- Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav -- who surrendered earlier in the day were also taken to Mandoli jail. The Delhi High Court sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life" on December 17. Kumar resigned from Congress soon after his conviction. The case in which Kumar was convicted related to the killing of five Sikhs in Delhi Cantonment's Raj Nagar Part-I area of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. ALSO READ: Anti-Sikh riots: 2 convicts surrender With India Ports Global Limited taking over operations at the Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar in Iran, India has taken another step forward towards realising its economic and strategic ambitions in Central Asia and beyond. A deep-sea port that is situated at the mouth of the Straits of Hormuz, Chabahar has immense strategic significance. Just 72 km from Chabahar is Pakistans Gwadar port, which is being operated by China. Managing Chabahars operations will give India a foothold in a region that is key to its energy security and where Chinas presence and influence has grown manifold in recent years. Chabahar has economic significance, too. Hitherto, Indias plans for participating in Afghanistans reconstruction and building trade ties with the Central Asian Republics (CARs) were restricted by Pakistans refusal to allow Indian cargo to take the overland route to these landlocked countries. Indias development and management of Chabahar port will change that. Indian cargo transported via the sea will now be offloaded at Chabahar, from where trucks and trains will carry it to Afghanistan and then onward to the CARs. In addition to opening up new markets for India in Afghanistan and the CARs, Chabahar will boost their economies, too, and strengthen Indias economic relationship with Iran. India, Iran and Afghanistan have had to overcome several obstacles to make their Chabahar dream a reality. For one, India had deep apprehensions over the ports viability. American economic sanctions on Iran stood in the way of India participating and investing in developing the port. Indeed, it was after the Donald Trump administration waived sanctions six weeks ago on Chabahar port, construction of an associated railway and shipment through the port that New Delhi, Tehran and Kabul could heave a collective sigh of relief. Whether they will be able to tap the potential of the port project and the transit arrangement will depend on the situation in Afghanistan. With the civil war there likely to surge in the coming months, trade is likely to be hit. The three countries must pull on board more partners to increase the projects viability. Chabahar port is not just about providing a gateway linking India, Iran and Afghanistan. It is a key hub in the International North-South Transport Corridor initiative, a 7,200-km-long multi-modal network of ship, rail and road routes to move cargo between India, Iran, Afghanistan, the CARs, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Europe. It is for India, Iran and Afghanistan to shed their apathy and apprehensions to realise Chabahars full potential. Competition between Chabahar and Gwadar is inevitable, given their proximity. However, India must be guided by its own long-term economic and strategic interests rather than remain preoccupied with China and Pakistans moves at Gwadar. The opioid epidemic is one of the worst public health problems in our nations history. It has been particularly devastating to the Greater Philadelphia region, including Delaware County. Thats why at Independence Blue Cross (Independence), we have made fighting this crisis a top priority. As we head into the new year, we will continue to focus our attention and energies on exploring every option available to address this issue. That includes enhancing our partnerships and reviewing our policies to find new ways to prevent opioid use disorder and steer those in need into treatment. As the chief medical officer at Independence, Ive had the opportunity to speak with doctors, public health officials, and national leaders across the country about this issue. Ive worked with other regional leaders on Mayor Kenneys opioid Task Force. Through these experiences, Independence has gained insights about how we can fight this crisis, and weve put some of those ideas in action. For instance, we became one of the first insurers in the country to restrict first-time, low-dose opioid prescriptions to a five-day supply, with an exemption for patients with cancer or terminal illnesses We have worked with doctors to address problematic prescribing of opioids. We are starting to see the results of these and other changes. Since 2014, weve seen a 38 percent reduction in opioid users and a 43 percent reduction in opioid prescriptions among our members. We are also working to help those who are suffering from substance use disorders. We cover methadone and have no prior authorization for the most commonly prescribed medication-assisted treatment, such as Suboxone. Our members have one of the most comprehensive networks of treatment facilities available in our region, including nearly 100 substance use rehabilitation facilities and more than 5,000 behavioral health providers. Recognizing the significance of pain management in the fight against opioid abuse, we will begin covering acupuncture next year for pain management for a number of conditions, such as lower back and chronic neck pain. We also recently launched a new online self-help tool for our members with behavioral health benefits managed by Magellan Health that addresses multiple conditions, including substance use disorder. The tool is free and available on the Independence member portal. Another policy change we made aimed to increase access to the life-saving drug naloxone. In February, we became one of the first insurers in the nation to offer no member cost-sharing (after deductibles) for injectable and nasal spray formulations of naloxone and Narcan (a brand of naloxone). Any summary of our opioid efforts would be remiss without mentioning the work our Foundation has done through its Supporting Treatment and Opioid Prevention initiative (STOP). Under this program, the Foundation contributed nearly $2 million to increase community awareness and support organizations that are on the front lines helping people battle substance abuse. This summer, the Foundation launched Someone You Know, a public awareness campaign in collaboration with the Justice Center for Research at Penn State University. This multi-media campaign addresses the stigma of addiction through real and personal stories, including individuals living in Delaware County. That work culminated in a national conference in October in Philadelphia with top health experts in the field of addiction, as well as a panel discussion with our CEO Dan Hilferty and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams. In addition, Independence worked with the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland this past August to host an opioid forum in Havertown for county business leaders. Were encouraged by the progress we have made, but theres more we can and will do to provide resources to help prevent substance use disorder, increase access to quality treatment, and support others in our community who are doing phenomenal work to battle this epidemic. By Michael J. Abramowitz 18 January 2018 (Freedom House) Political rights and civil liberties around the world deteriorated to their lowest point in more than a decade in 2017, extending a period characterized by emboldened autocrats, beleaguered democracies, and the United States withdrawal from its leadership role in the global struggle for human freedom. Democracy is in crisis. The values it embodiesparticularly the right to choose leaders in free and fair elections, freedom of the press, and the rule of laware under assault and in retreat globally. A quarter-century ago, at the end of the Cold War, it appeared that totalitarianism had at last been vanquished and liberal democracy had won the great ideological battle of the 20th century.Today, it is democracy that finds itself battered and weakened. For the 12th consecutive year, according to Freedom in the World, countries that suffered democratic setbacks outnumbered those that registered gains. States that a decade ago seemed like promising success storiesTurkey and Hungary, for exampleare sliding into authoritarian rule. The military in Myanmar, which began a limited democratic opening in 2010, executed a shocking campaign of ethnic cleansing in 2017 and rebuffed international criticism of its actions. Meanwhile, the worlds most powerful democracies are mired in seemingly intractable problems at home, including social and economic disparities, partisan fragmentation, terrorist attacks, and an influx of refugees that has strained alliances and increased fears of the other. The challenges within democratic states have fueled the rise of populist leaders who appeal to anti-immigrant sentiment and give short shrift to fundamental civil and political liberties. Right-wing populists gained votes and parliamentary seats in France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria during 2017. While they were kept out of government in all but Austria, their success at the polls helped to weaken established parties on both the right and left. Centrist newcomer Emmanuel Macron handily won the French presidency, but in Germany and the Netherlands, mainstream parties struggled to create stable governing coalitions.Perhaps worst of all, and most worrisome for the future, young people, who have little memory of the long struggles against fascism and communism, may be losing faith and interest in the democratic project. The very idea of democracy and its promotion has been tarnished among many, contributing to a dangerous apathy.The retreat of democracies is troubling enough. Yet at the same time, the worlds leading autocracies, China and Russia, have seized the opportunity not only to step up internal repression but also to export their malign influence to other countries, which are increasingly copying their behavior and adopting their disdain for democracy. A confident Chinese president Xi Jinping recently proclaimed that China is blazing a new trail for developing countries to follow. It is a path that includes politicized courts, intolerance for dissent, and predetermined elections.The spread of antidemocratic practices around the world is not merely a setback for fundamental freedoms. It poses economic and security risks. When more countries are free, all countriesincluding the United Statesare safer and more prosperous. When more countries are autocratic and repressive, treaties and alliances crumble, nations and entire regions become unstable, and violent extremists have greater room to operate.Democratic governments allow people to help set the rules to which all must adhere, and have a say in the direction of their lives and work. This fosters a broader respect for peace, fair play, and compromise. Autocrats impose arbitrary rules on their citizens while ignoring all constraints themselves, spurring a vicious circle of abuse and radicalization. The United States accelerates its withdrawal from the democracy struggle A long list of troubling developments around the world contributed to the global decline in 2017, but perhaps most striking was the accelerating withdrawal of the United States from its historical commitment to promoting and supporting democracy. The potent challenge from authoritarian regimes made the United States abdication of its traditional role all the more important.Despite the U.S. governments mistakesand there have been manythe American people and their leaders have generally understood that standing up for the rights of others is both a moral imperative and beneficial to themselves. But two long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and a global recession soured the public on extensive international engagement, and the perceived link between democracy promotion on the one hand and military interventions and financial costs on the other has had a lasting impact.The Obama administration continued to defend democratic ideals in its foreign policy statements, but its actions often fell short, reflecting a reduced estimation of the United States ability to influence world events and of the American publics willingness to back such efforts.In 2017, however, the Trump administration made explicitin both words and actionsits intention to cast off principles that have guided U.S. policy and formed the basis for American leadership over the past seven decades.President Trumps America First slogan, originally coined by isolationists seeking to block U.S. involvement in the war against fascism, targeted traditional notions of collective global security and mutually beneficial trade. The administrations hostility and skepticism toward binding international agreements on the environment, arms control, and other topics confirmed that a reorientation was taking shape.Even when he chose to acknowledge Americas treaty alliances with fellow democracies, the president spoke of cultural or civilizational ties rather than shared recognition of universal rights; his trips abroad rarely featured any mention of the word democracy. Indeed, the American leader expressed feelings of admiration and even personal friendship for some of the worlds most loathsome strongmen and dictators.This marks a sharp break from other U.S. presidents in the postwar period, who cooperated with certain authoritarian regimes for strategic reasons but never wavered from a commitment to democracy as the best form of government and the animating force behind American foreign policy. It also reflects an inabilityor unwillingnessby the United States to lead democracies in effectively confronting the growing threat from Russia and China, and from the other states that have come to emulate their authoritarian approach. Democratic norms erode within the United States The past year brought further, faster erosion of Americas own democratic standards than at any other time in memory, damaging its international credibility as a champion of good governance and human rights.The United States has experienced a series of setbacks in the conduct of elections and criminal justice over the past decadeunder leadership from both major political partiesbut in 2017 its core institutions were attacked by an administration that rejects established norms of ethical conduct across many fields of activity. President Trump himself has mingled the concerns of his business empire with his role as president, appointed family members to his senior staff, filled other high positions with lobbyists and representatives of special interests, and refused to abide by disclosure and transparency practices observed by his predecessors. The president has also lambasted and threatened the mediaincluding sharp jabs at individual journalistsfor challenging his routinely false statements, spoken disdainfully of judges who blocked his decisions, and attacked the professional staff of law enforcement and intelligence agencies. He signals contempt for Muslims and Latin American immigrants and singles out some African Americans for vitriolic criticism. He pardoned a sheriff convicted of ignoring federal court orders to halt racially discriminatory policies and issued an executive order restricting travel to the United States from a group of Muslim-majority countries after making a campaign promise to ban all foreign Muslims from the United States. And at a time when millions around the world have been forced to flee war, terrorism, and ethnic cleansing, President Trump moved to implement major reductions in the number of legal immigrants and refugees that the United States would accept.The presidents behavior stems in part from a frustration with the countrys democratic checks and balances, including the independent courts, a coequal legislative branch, the free press, and an active civil society. These institutions remained fairly resilient in 2017, but the administrations statements and actions could ultimately leave them weakened, with serious consequences for the health of U.S. democracy and Americas role in the world. China and Russia expand their antidemocratic influence While the United States and other democratic powers grappled with domestic problems and argued about foreign policy priorities, the worlds leading autocraciesRussia and Chinacontinued to make headway. Moscow and Beijing are single-minded in their identification of democracy as a threat to their oppressive regimes, and they work relentlessly, with increasing sophistication, to undermine its institutions and cripple its principal advocates.The eventual outcome of these trends, if unchecked, is obvious. The replacement of global democratic norms with authoritarian practices will mean more elections in which the incumbents victory is a foregone conclusion. It will mean a media landscape dominated by propaganda mouthpieces that marginalize the opposition while presenting the leader as omniscient, strong, and devoted to national aggrandizement. It will mean state control over the internet and social media through both censorship and active manipulation that promotes the regimes message while confusing users with lies and fakery. And it will mean more corruption, injustice, and impunity for state abuses.Already, Vladimir Putins Russia has carried out disinformation campaigns before elections in countries including the United States, France, and Germany, cultivated ties to xenophobic political parties across Europe, threatened or invaded its closest neighbors, and served as an alternative source of military aid for Middle Eastern dictatorships. Its chief goal is to disrupt democratic states and fracture the institutionssuch as the European Unionthat bind them together.Beijing has even greater ambitionsand the resources to achieve them. It has built up a propaganda and censorship apparatus with global reach, used economic and other ties to influence democracies like Australia and New Zealand, compelled various countries to repatriate Chinese citizens seeking refuge abroad, and provided diplomatic and material support to repressive governments from Southeast Asia to Africa. Moscow often plays the role of spoiler, bolstering its position by undercutting its adversaries, but the scope and depth of Beijings activities show that the Chinese regime aspires to truly global leadership. Corrupt and repressive states threaten global stability The past year provided ample evidence that undemocratic rule itself can be catastrophic for regional and global stability, with or without active interference from major powers like Russia and China.In Myanmar, the politically dominant military conducted a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Muslim Rohingya minority, enabled by diplomatic cover from China and an impotent response from the rest of the international community. Some 600,000 people have been pushed out, while thousands of others are thought to have been killed. The refugees have strained the resources of an already fragile Bangladesh, and Islamist militants have sought to adopt the Rohingya cause as a new rallying point for violent struggle.Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan broadened and intensified the crackdown on his perceived opponents that began after a failed 2016 coup attempt. In addition to its dire consequences for detained Turkish citizens, shuttered media outlets, and seized businesses, the chaotic purge has become intertwined with an offensive against the Kurdish minority, which in turn has fueled Turkeys diplomatic and military interventions in neighboring Syria and Iraq.Elsewhere in the Middle East, authoritarian rulers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt asserted their interests in reckless ways that perpetuated long-running conflicts in Libya and Yemen and initiated a sudden attempt to blockade Qatar, a hub of international trade and transportation. Their similarly repressive archrival, Iran, played its own part in the regions conflicts, overseeing militia networks that stretched from Lebanon to Afghanistan. Promises of reform from a powerful new crown prince in Saudi Arabia added an unexpected variable in a region that has long resisted greater openness, though his nascent social and economic changes were accompanied by hundreds of arbitrary arrests and aggressive moves against potential rivals, and he showed no inclination to open the political system. [more] Freedom in the World 2018: Democracy in Crisis By Katie Weeman and Patrick Lynch; Edited by Mike Carlowicz 20 February 2018 (NASA) Global sea level rise has been accelerating in recent decades, according to a new study based on 25 years of NASA and European satellite data. This acceleration has been driven mainly by increased ice melting in Greenland and Antarctica, and it has the potential to double the total sea level rise projected by 2100, according to lead author Steve Nerem, a scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and the University of Colorado.If things continue to change at the observed pace, sea level will rise 65 centimeters (26 inches) by 2100, enough to cause significant problems for coastal cities. The teamcomprised of scientists from NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, the University of Colorado, the University of South Florida, and Old Dominion Universityrecently published their work in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.This is almost certainly a conservative estimate, said Nerem, who is a member of NASAs Sea Level Change team. Our extrapolation assumes that sea level continues to change in the future as it has over the last 25 years. Given the large changes we are seeing in the ice sheets today, that is not likely.Rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in Earths atmosphere increase the temperature of air and water, which causes sea level to rise in two ways. First, warmer water expands, and this thermal expansion of the ocean has contributed about half of the 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) of global mean sea level rise that has been observed over the past 25 years, Nerem said. Second, the water from melting land ice flows into the ocean, which also increases sea level around the world.The rate of sea level rise has risen from about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inch) per year in the 1990s to about 3.4 millimeters (0.13 inches) per year today. These increases have been measured by satellite altimeters since 1992, including the TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1, Jason-2, and Jason-3 missions, which have been jointly managed by NASA, Frances Centre national detudes spatiales (CNES), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The maps on this page depict the changes in sea level observed by those satellites between 1992 and 2014.The TOPEX/Poseidon/Jason altimetry missions have been essentially providing the equivalent of a global network of nearly half a million accurate tide gauges, providing sea surface height information every 10 days for over 25 years, said Brian Beckley of NASA Goddard. As this climate data record approaches three decades, the fingerprints of Greenland and Antarctic land-based ice loss are now being revealed in the global and regional mean sea level estimates. 15 February 2018 (NOAA) Emissions from volatile chemical products like perfumes, paints and other scented consumer items now rival vehicles as a pollution source in greater Los Angeles, according to a surprising new NOAA-led study.Even though 15 times more petroleum is consumed as fuel than is used as ingredients in industrial and consumer products, the amount of chemical vapors emitted to the atmosphere in scented products is roughly the same, said lead author Brian McDonald, a CIRES scientist working at NOAA.A paper presenting these study findings was published today in Science.The chemical vapors, known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs, react with sunlight to form ozone pollution, and, as this study finds, also react with other chemicals in the atmosphere to form fine particulates in the air.As the transportation sector gets cleaner, these other sources of VOCs become more and more important, McDonald said. A lot of stuff we use in our everyday lives can impact air pollution. Pollution sources then, and now Since adoption of the Clean Air Act in 1970, air quality programs have focused on controlling transportation-related pollution emitted by everything from cars and trucks to oil and gas refineries. But McDonald and his colleagues couldnt reconcile atmospheric measurements made over Los Angeles in 2010 with estimates of transportation emissions. So, they reassessed urban pollution sources by cataloging chemical production statistics, evaluating indoor air quality measurements made by others and then determining if the new information filled the gap. All emissions are not created equal The disproportionate air-quality impact of chemical products is because of a fundamental difference between those products and fuels, said NOAA atmospheric scientist Jessica Gilman, a co-author of the new paper.Fuel systems minimize the loss of gasoline to evaporation in order to to maximize energy generated by combustion, she said. But common products like paints and perfumes are literally engineered to evaporate.Perfume and other scented products are designed so that you or your neighbor can enjoy the aroma, Gilman said. You dont do this with gasoline. A pollution source hiding in plain smell? Gilman added that researchers studying the problem ended up taking a close look at things they once took for granted. Some of my colleagues at NOAA literally spent days watching paint dry, said said. We learned a lot.While the focus of this study was Los Angeles, the authors believe the results are applicable to all major urban centers.We hope this study spurs collaboration between atmospheric scientists, chemical engineers and public health researchers, to deliver the best science to decision-makers, said McDonald. The strategies that worked in the past might not necessarily work as well in the future. Contact Theo Stein, 720-391-0163 By Hayley Dunning 6 February 2018 (Imperial College London) The ozone layer is recovering at the poles, but unexpected decreases in part of the atmosphere may be preventing recovery at lower latitudes. Global ozone has been declining since the 1970s owing to certain man-made chemicals. Since these were banned, parts of the layer have been recovering, particularly at the poles.However, the new result, published today in the European Geosciences Union journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, finds that the bottom part of the ozone layer at more populated latitudes is not recovering. The cause is currently unknown.Ozone is a substance that forms in the stratosphere the region of the atmosphere between about 10 and 50 km altitude, above the troposphere that we live in. It is produced in tropical latitudes and distributed around the globe.A large portion of the resulting ozone layer resides in the lower part of the stratosphere. The ozone layer absorbs much of the UV radiation from the Sun, which, if it reaches the Earths surface, can cause damage to DNA in plants, animals and humans. Not recovering In the 1970s, it was recognised that chemicals called CFCs, used for example in refrigeration and aerosols, were destroying ozone in the stratosphere. The effect was worst in the Antarctic, where an ozone hole formed.In 1987, the Montreal Protocol was agreed, which led to the phase-out of CFCs and, recently, the first signs of recovery of the Antarctic ozone layer. The upper stratosphere at lower latitudes is also showing clear signs of recovery, proving the Montreal Protocol is working well.However, despite this success, scientists have today revealed that stratospheric ozone is likely not recovering at lower latitudes, between 60N and 60S (London is at 51N), due to unexpected decreases in ozone in the lower part of the stratosphere.Study co-author Professor Joanna Haigh, Co-Director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment at Imperial College London, said: Ozone has been seriously declining globally since the 1980s, but while the banning of CFCs is leading to a recovery at the poles, the same does not appear to be true for the lower latitudes.The potential for harm in lower latitudes may actually be worse than at the poles. The decreases in ozone are less than we saw at the poles before the Montreal Protocol was enacted, but UV radiation is more intense in these regions and more people live there. Cause unknown The cause of this decline is not certain, although the authors suggest a couple of possibilities. One is that climate change is altering the pattern of atmospheric circulation, causing more ozone to be carried away from the tropics.The other possibility is that very short-lived substances (VSLSs), which contain chlorine and bromine, could be destroying ozone in the lower stratosphere. VSLSs include chemicals used as solvents, paint strippers, and as degreasing agents. One is even used in the production of an ozone-friendly replacement for CFCs.Dr William Ball from ETH Zurich and PMOD/WRC Davos, who led the analysis, said: The finding of declining low-latitude ozone is surprising, since our current best atmospheric circulation models do not predict this effect. Very short-lived substances could be the missing factor in these models.It was thought that very short-lived substances would not persist long enough in the atmosphere to reach the height of the stratosphere and affect ozone, but more research may be needed. Combining complex datasets To conduct the analysis, the team developed new algorithms to combine the efforts of multiple international teams that have worked to connect data from different satellite missions since 1985 and create a robust, long time series.Dr Ball said: The study is an example of the concerted international effort to monitor and understand what is happening with the ozone layer; many people and organisations prepared the underlying data, without which the analysis would not have been possible.Although individual datasets had previously hinted at a decline, the application of advanced merging techniques and time series analysis has revealed a longer term trend of ozone decrease in the stratosphere at lower altitudes and latitudes.The researchers say the focus now should be on getting more precise data on the ozone decline, and determining what the cause most likely is, for example by looking for the presence of VSLSs in the stratosphere.Dr Justin Alsing from the Flatiron Institute in New York, who took on a major role in developing and implementing the statistical technique used to combine the data, said: This research was only possible because of a great deal of cross-disciplinary collaboration. My field is normally cosmology, but the technique we developed can be used in any science looking at complex datasets.The study was conducted by researchers from institutions in Switzerland, the UK, the USA, Sweden, Canada and Finland, and included data gathered by satellite missions including those by NASA. WASHINGTON D.C., 25 January 2018 (AGU) Man-made phosphorus pollution is reaching dangerously high levels in freshwater basins around the world, according to new research. A new study published in Water Resources Research, a journal of the American Geophysical Union, estimated the global amount of phosphorus from human activities that entered Earths freshwater bodies from 2002 to 2010.Phosphorus is a common component of mineral and manure fertilizers because it boosts crop yields. However, a large portion of phosphorus applied as fertilizer is not taken up by plants, and either builds up in the soil or washes into rivers, lakes and coastal seas, according to the studys authors.The results of the new study show global human activity emitted 1.47 teragrams (1.62 million U.S. tons) of phosphorus per year into the worlds major freshwater basins, four times greater than the weight of the Empire State Building.The study also assessed whether human activity had surpassed the Earths ability to dilute and assimilate excess levels of phosphorus in fresh water bodies. The authors found phosphorus load exceeded the assimilation capacity of freshwater bodies in 38 percent of Earths land surface, an area housing 90 percent of the global human population.In many areas of the world either theres not enough water to assimilate the phosphorus or the pollution load is so huge that the water system cant assimilate everything, said Mesfin Mekonnen, a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and co-author of the new study.The studys results indicate freshwater bodies in areas with high water pollution levels are likely to suffer from eutrophication, or an excess level of nutrients, due to high phosphorus levels, said Joep Schyns, a researcher in the field of water management at the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands, who was not connected to the new study.Eutrophication due to phosphorus pollution causes algal blooms, which can lead to the mortality of fish and plants due to lack of oxygen and light, Schyns said. It also reduces the use of the water for human purposes such as consumption and swimming. Breaking down phosphorus load The authors of the new study examined agricultural activity to calculate the total amount of man-made phosphorus entering Earths surface water from 2002 to 2010. They gathered data on how much fertilizer is applied per crop in each country, and estimated domestic and industrial phosphorus production by looking at protein consumption per capita per country. Other studies have calculated global phosphorus loads, but we went farther because we broke down the phosphorus load by various categories such as different crops, countries, and economic sectors, which no one has done, Mekonnen said.The new results show human activity released 1.47 teragrams (1.62 million U.S. tons) of phosphorus into the worlds freshwater bodies each year. China contributed 30 percent of the freshwater phosphorus load, followed by India at 8 percent and the USA at 7 percent.The largest contribution to the global Phosphorus load came from domestic sewage at 54 percent, followed by agriculture at 38 percent and industry at 8 percent.The authors found the phosphorus load from agriculture grew by 27 percent over the study period, from 525 gigagrams (579,000 U.S. tons) in 2002 to 666 gigagrams (734,000 U.S. tons) in 2010. Can Earths freshwater bodies cope? The study also estimated the water pollution level (WPL) of Earths major river basins by comparing the amount of fresh water needed to dilute the excess phosphorus to an allowable concentration compared to the basins actual river runoff. If a freshwater basin has a WPL above one, water quality standards are being violated and the basin is receiving more phosphorus pollution than it can assimilate, Mekonnen said. The results show freshwater basins with a WPL above one cover 38 percent of Earths land surface, excluding Antarctica. These basins often pertain to densely populated areas or regions with intensive agriculture, according to the authors.The most severely polluted freshwater areas include Aral drainage basin, the Huang-He (Yellow) river in China, the Indus and Ganges rivers in India and the Danube river in Europe.Less-populated regions such as Australia and northern Africa also suffer from high water pollution levels, according to the new study. These regions have smaller phosphorus loads compared to areas like China and Europe, but they have much less water available to accommodate their excess phosphorus, Mekonnen said. Contact Mesfin Mekonnen, mmekonnen2@unl.edu, +1 (402) 472-5392.Lauren Lipuma, +1 (202) 777-7396, llipuma@agu.org Phosphorus pollution reaching dangerous levels worldwide, new study finds ABSTRACT: We estimate the global anthropogenic phosphorus (P) loads to freshwater and the associated grey water footprints (GWFs) for the period 20022010, at a spatial resolution of 5 5 arc min, and compare the GWF per river basin to runoff to assess the P-related water pollution level (WPL). The global anthropogenic P load to freshwater systems from both diffuse and point sources is estimated at 1.5 Tg/yr. More than half of this total load was in Asia, followed by Europe (19%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (13%). The domestic sector contributed 54% to the total, agriculture 38%, and industry 8%. In agriculture, cereals production had the largest contribution to the P load (31%), followed by fruits, vegetables, and oil crops, each contributing 15%. The global total GWF related to anthropogenic P loads is estimated to be 147 1012 m3/yr, with China contributing 30%, India 8%, USA 7%, and Spain and Brazil 6% each. The basins with WPL > 1 (where GWF exceeds the basins assimilation capacity) together cover about 38% of the global land area, 37% of the global river discharge, and provide residence to about 90% of the global population. Global Anthropogenic Phosphorus Loads to Freshwater and Associated Grey Water Footprints and Water Pollution Levels: A High-Resolution Global Study By Steve LeBlanc 25 February 2018 BOSTON (Associated Press) One promise of ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft was fewer cars clogging city streets. But studies suggest the opposite: that ride-hailing companies are pulling riders off buses, subways, bicycles and their own feet and putting them in cars instead.And in what could be a new wrinkle, a service by Uber called Express Pool now is seen as directly competing with mass transit.Uber and Lyft argue that in Boston, for instance, they complement public transit by connecting riders to hubs like Logan Airport and South Station. But they have not released their own specific data about rides, leaving studies up to outside researchers.And the impact of all those cars is becoming clear, said Christo Wilson, a professor of computer science at Bostons Northeastern University, who has looked at Ubers practice of surge pricing during heavy volume.The emerging consensus is that ride-sharing (is) increasing congestion, Wilson said.One study included surveys of 944 ride-hailing users over four weeks in late 2017 in the Boston area. Nearly six in 10 said they would have used public transportation, walked, biked or skipped the trip if the ride-hailing apps werent available.The report also found many riders arent using hailed rides to connect to a subway or bus line, but instead as a separate mode of transit, said Alison Felix, one of the reports authors.Ride sharing is pulling from and not complementing public transportation, she said. []A study released in December found that large increases in the number of taxis and ride-sharing vehicles are contributing to slow traffic in Manhattans central business district. It recommended policies to prevent further increases in the number of vacant vehicles occupied only by drivers waiting for their next trip request. [more] By Jason Samenow 31 January 2018 (The Washington Post) As an antidote to the report of minus-88 degree weather in the Siberian outpost of Oymyakon earlier this month, we give you this: The temperature in a settlement just to its east was an astonishing 126 degrees warmer two weeks later.The mercury in Omolon, Russia, reached its highest January temperature ever recorded Monday: a relatively toasty 38.4 degrees.But the warmth flooding east Siberia and parts of the Arctic may, in turn, displace the frigid air that is normally pooled there sending it surging south into the north central and Northeastern U.S. through mid-February.The mild weather over east Siberia can be traced to the development of an enormous, bulging zone of high pressure over eastern Russia. [] Mashable science editor Andrew Freedman called it one heckuva monster on Twitter By Lauren Victoria Burke 15 March 2018 (NNPA Newswire) Late last year, The Washington Post wrote that African Americans were the only group that showed no economic improvement since 2000. They based their conclusions on Census data. This year, there was even more sobering news in a report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). The new study issued found no progress for African Americans on homeownership, unemployment and incarceration in 50 years. Much of what was included in the EPI study was stunning data on African American economic progress. Fifty years after the famous and controversial Kerner Commission Report that identified white racism as the driver of pervasive discrimination in employment and education for African Americans, EPI concluded that not much has changed. The EPI study stated the obvious and pointed to glaring statistics. Regarding the justice system, the share of incarcerated African Americans has close to tripled between 1968 and 2016, as Blacks are 6.4 times more likely than Whites to be jailed or imprisoned. Homeownership rates have remained unchanged for African Americans, over the last 50 years. Black homeownership is about 40 percent, which is 30 percent behind the rate for Whites. Regarding income, perhaps the most important economic metric, the average income for an African American household was $39,490 in 2017, a decrease from $41,363 in 2000. A press release about the report said that, Black workers still make only 82.5 cents on every dollar earned by white workers, African Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be in poverty than Whites, and the median White family has almost ten times as much wealth as the median Black family. In 2017, the Black unemployment rate was 7.5 percent, up from 6.7 percent in 1968, and still roughly twice the White unemployment rate. In 2015, the Black homeownership rate was just over 40 percent, virtually unchanged since 1968 and trailing a full 30 points behind the White homeownership rate, which saw modest gains over the same period. [more] Its all about the Money: Stats on African American progress are sobering By Janelle Jones, John Schmitt, and Valerie Wilson 26 February 2018 (EPI) The year 1968 was a watershed in American history and black Americas ongoing fight for equality. In April of that year, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis and riots broke out in cities around the country. Rising against this tragedy, the Civil Rights Act of 1968 outlawing housing discrimination was signed into law. Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a black power salute as they received their medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Arthur Ashe became the first African American to win the U.S. Open singles title, and Shirley Chisholm became the first African American woman elected to the House of Representatives.The same year, the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, better known as the Kerner Commission, delivered a report to President Johnson examining the causes of civil unrest in African American communities. The report named white racismleading to pervasive discrimination in employment, education and housingas the culprit, and the reports authors called for a commitment to the realization of common opportunities for all within a single [racially undivided] society.1 The Kerner Commission report pulled together a comprehensive array of data to assess the specific economic and social inequities confronting African Americans in 1968.Where do we stand as a society today? In this brief report, we compare the state of black workers and their families in 1968 with the circumstances of their descendants today, 50 years after the Kerner report was released. We find both good news and bad news. While African Americans are in many ways better off in absolute terms than they were in 1968, they are still disadvantaged in important ways relative to whites. In several important respects, African Americans have actually lost ground relative to whites, and, in a few cases, even relative to African Americans in 1968.Following are some of the key findings: African Americans today are much better educated than they were in 1968 but still lag behind whites in overall educational attainment. More than 90 percent of younger African Americans (ages 25 to 29) have graduated from high school, compared with just over half in 1968which means theyve nearly closed the gap with white high school graduation rates. They are also more than twice as likely to have a college degree as in 1968 but are still half as likely as young whites to have a college degree. The substantial progress in educational attainment of African Americans has been accompanied by significant absolute improvements in wages, incomes, wealth, and health since 1968. But black workers still make only 82.5 cents on every dollar earned by white workers, African Americans are 2.5 times as likely to be in poverty as whites, and the median white family has almost 10 times as much wealth as the median black family. With respect to homeownership, unemployment, and incarceration, America has failed to deliver any progress for African Americans over the last five decades. In these areas, their situation has either failed to improve relative to whites or has worsened. In 2017 the black unemployment rate was 7.5 percent, up from 6.7 percent in 1968, and is still roughly twice the white unemployment rate. In 2015, the black homeownership rate was just over 40 percent, virtually unchanged since 1968, and trailing a full 30 points behind the white homeownership rate, which saw modest gains over the same period. And the share of African Americans in prison or jail almost tripled between 1968 and 2016 and is currently more than six times the white incarceration rate. [more] 50 years after the Kerner Commission By Richard Rothstein 1 March 2018 (EPI) In 1967, young black men rioted in over 150 cities, often spurred by overly aggressive policing, not unlike the provocations of recent disturbances. The worst in 1967 were in Newark, after police beat a taxi driver for having a revoked permit, and Detroit, after 82 party-goers were arrested at a peaceful celebration for returning Vietnam War veterans, held at an unlicensed social club.President Lyndon Johnson appointed a commission to investigate. Chaired by Illinois Governor Otto Kerner (New York Citys mayor John Lindsay was vice-chair), it issued its report 50 years ago today. Publicly available, it was a best-seller, indicting racial discrimination in housing, employment, health care, policing, education, and social services, and attributing the riots to pent-up frustration in low-income black neighborhoods. Residents lack of ambition or effort did not cause these conditions: rather, [w]hite institutions created [the ghetto], white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it [and is] essentially responsible for the explosive mixture which has been accumulating in our cities since the end of World War II.The report warned that continued racial segregation and discrimination would engender two societies, one black, one whiteseparate and unequal. So little has changed since 1968 that the report remains worth reading as a near-contemporary description of racial inequality.Of course, not everything about race relations is unchanged. Perhaps most dramatic has been growth of the black middle class, integrated into mainstream corporate leadership, politics, universities, and professions. Were still far from equalityaffirmative action remains a necessitybut such progress was unimaginable in 1968. Today, 23 percent of young adult African Americans have bachelors degrees, still considerably below whites 42 percent but more than double the black rate 50 years ago.In the mid-1960s, I assisted in a study of Chicagos power elite. We identified some 4,000 policymaking positions in the non-financial corporate sector. Not one was held by an African American. The only black executives were at banks and insurance companies serving black neighborhoods. Today, any large corporation would face condemnation, perhaps litigation, if no African American had achieved executive responsibility.In other respects, things are pretty much as dismal now as thenthe commission condemned stop and frisk policies and equipping police with military weapons that have no place in densely populated urban communities. Some conditions are now worse: the two societies warning has been fulfilled, not only in our economic and social live, but in the racial polarization of politics exposed in the last election. It threatens the foundations of our democracy.The commission said the nation faced three alternatives. First, continue present policies, resulting in more riots (or rebellionsthe commission debated what to call them), economic decline, and the splintering of our common national identity. This is the course we have mostly followed. Second, improve black neighborhoods, what the commission called attempts to gild the ghetto, something weve half-heartedly tried with little success for the last 50 yearsfor example, with enterprise zones, empowerment zones, extra funding for pupils from low-income families, and charter schools. These, the commission predicted, would never get sufficient political or financial support and would confirm that separate can never be equal; they would fail to reverse our two societies trajectory. Or third, while doing what we can to improve conditions in disadvantaged neighborhoods, we could embrace programs to integrate black families into white communities. Wed have to remove discriminatory and financial barriers that prevented African Americans from moving out of overcrowded, low-income places that lacked access to good jobs, schools with high-performing students, adequate health services, even supermarkets with fresh food. It was this alternative the Kerner Report strongly favored.Surprisingly, the report was unanimous, even gaining support from commissioner Charles Thornton, CEO of Litton Industries, then one of the nations most powerful corporations. Johnson had appointed this Texas conservative to ensure modest recommendations, but even commissioners initially inclined to blame riots on outside agitators were radicalized by visiting black neighborhoods.The reports integration proposals need updating, but not much. One was a law banning discrimination in housing sales and rentals. Two months after the reports release, horror over Martin Luther King, Jr.s assassination gave President Johnson political support to pass the Fair Housing Act. But enforcement provisions waited another 20 years, and remain weak. The report suggested rent supplements for low-income families and tax credits for low-income housing developers. These were adoptedsupplements are commonly termed Section 8 vouchers and the government now issues developer tax credits. Yet these programs now reinforce segregation because most recipients can use vouchers only in low-income neighborhoods and developers mostly use credits to build in such areas. Both programs could instead prioritize rentals and construction in integrated communities. For this to happen, wed need to prohibit suburban zoning ordinances that bar construction of townhouses, low-rise apartments, even single family homes on modest lot sizes.The commission called for constructing low-rise public housing on scattered sites throughout metropolitan areas. Yet shortly thereafter, after the Supreme Court prohibited placement of public housing exclusively in black neighborhoods, federal and local governments responded by ending public housing construction altogetherThe commission also recommended subsidies for black homebuyers, something weve never seriously considered. They are needed because in the mid-twentieth century, the Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Administration unconstitutionally prohibited African Americans from purchasing affordable suburban homes, contributing to todays overcrowding and segregation in urban black neighborhoods. Suburban property appreciation now makes those homes unaffordable to working-class families of either race. Well never desegregate if this historic wrong remains unremedied.Is it too late to adopt the Kerner Commissions third alternative? Racial polarizationthe almost inevitable result of persistent residential segregationmay make it so. But perhaps re-reading the report can awaken a passion to reform what the commission didnt hesitate to term an apartheid nation.EPI is cosponsoring an event marking the 50th anniversary of the Kerner Commission.A version of this piece ran in the New York Daily News. Many of the policy recommendations from the Kerner Commission remain relevant 50 years later By Valerie Wilson 26 February 2018 (EPI) Anniversaries of major events are nearly irresistible opportunities to reflect on the past, often with the hope that there has been some progress. So it is this year, 50 years after the Kerner Commission Report on Civil Disorders found systemic inequality and racial discrimination to be at the root of riots across America.In a new report, Janelle Jones, John Schmitt and I present statistics showing what life was like for African Americans in this country 50 years ago compared to now. That document is a straightforward, unfiltered presentation of the facts, covering a wide range of economic, social, and health outcomes. In the spirit of reflection, I want to use this blog post to focus on racial economic inequality in the labor market, which directly affects approximately 20 million African Americans who get up every day and either go to work or go to find work.The bottom line is simple. Despite decades of policies, programs, protests and outstanding achievements by African American men and women in many aspects of American life, race far too often remains a deciding factor in the economic status of African Americans relative to whites.Great strides have been made toward raising educational attainment among African Americans and closing the education gap relative to whites, especially with regard to completing high school. In 1968, just over half (54.4 percent) of African American adults age 25-29 were high school graduates, compared to nearly three-quarters (75.0 percent) of whites. In 2016, 92.3 percent of African American adults age 25-29 were high school graduates with 22.8 percent having gone on to complete a bachelors degree or higher (up from 9.1 percent in 1968). Among whites, 95.6 percent are high school graduates and 42.1 percent have a bachelors degree or higher (up from 16.2 percent in 1968).The important thing to understand about education is that it is undeniably important for economic mobilityat higher levels of education, African Americans have lower unemployment rates, and higher earnings than they would otherwise. Believe me, I do all I can to encourage and prepare my childrenand any others who will listento get a college education. But education has not been enough to eliminate racial economic inequality. This is reflected in the persistent gaps in unemployment rates, median hourly wages, median household income, and poverty rates.Since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began reporting the black unemployment rate in 1972, it has almost always been about twice the white unemployment ratein good economic times and in bad, as well as at every level of education.Comparing unemployment rates by education we find that in 2017, having a bachelors degree substantially reduced the unemployment rate for African Americans, from 9.5 percent for those who only had a high school degree to 4.1 percent for college graduates and 3.0 percent for those with advanced degrees. However, African Americans with advanced degrees still had an unemployment rate higher than whites with a only a bachelors degree (2.3 percent) and African Americans with a bachelors degree had an unemployment rate that was closer to the unemployment rate of whites with only a high school diploma (4.6 percent). [more] 50 years after the riots: Continued economic inequality for African Americans Dozens of species have seen their numbers decline, in some cases by two-thirds, the scientists said in a pair of studies one national in scope and the other covering a large agricultural region in central France. The situation is catastrophic, said Benoit Fontaine, a conservation biologist at Frances National Museum of Natural History and co-author of one of the studies.Our countryside is in the process of becoming a veritable desert, he said in a communique released by the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), which also contributed to the findings.The common white throat, the ortolan bunting, the Eurasian skylark and other once-ubiquitous species have all fallen off by at least a third, according a detailed, annual census initiated at the start of the century.A migratory song bird, the meadow pipit, has declined by nearly 70%.The museum described the pace and extent of the wipe-out as a level approaching an ecological catastrophe.The primary culprit, researchers speculate, is the intensive use of pesticides on vast tracts of monoculture crops, especially wheat and corn.The problem is not that birds are being poisoned, but that the insects on which they depend for food have disappeared.There are hardly any insects left, thats the number one problem, said Vincent Bretagnolle, a CNRS ecologist at the Centre for Biological Studies in Chize.Recent research, he noted, has uncovered similar trends across Europe , estimating that flying insects have declined by 80%, and bird populations has dropped by more than 400m in 30 years.Despite a government plan to cut pesticide use in half by 2020, sales in France have climbed steadily, reaching more than 75,000 tonnes of active ingredient in 2014, according to European Union figures.What is really alarming, is that all the birds in an agricultural setting are declining at the same speed, even generalist birds, which also thrive in other settings such as wooded areas, said Bretagnolle.That shows that the overall quality of the agricultural eco-system is deteriorating. [ more ] Catastrophe as Frances bird population collapses due to pesticides 20 March 2018 (Museum National Dhistoire Naturelle) The latest results from two bird monitoring studies, one conducted nationally, the other more locally, have just been released. Researchers at the National Museum of Natural History and the CNRS come to the same conclusion: the birds of the French countryside are disappearing at a vertiginous speed. On average, their populations have shrunk by one third in 15 years . Given the acceleration of losses in the last two years, this trend is far from bending. Thanks to professional and bird-watchers who identify and count birds throughout the metropolitan area, the STOC (Temporary Monitoring of Common Birds, a participatory science program run by the National Museum of Natural History within CESCO), produces annual indicators (see the latest published STOC results) on the abundance of species in different habitats (forest, town, countryside, etc.). Surveys conducted in rural areas show a decrease in bird populations living in agricultural areas since the 1990s. Specialist species such as the skylark, the grisette or the ortolan sparrow have average one in three in fifteen years. And the numbers show that this decline intensified further in 2016 and 2017 .These national results are confirmed by a second study carried out at a local scale on the Plaine & Val de Sevre Workshop Zone carried by the CNRS. Since 1995, researchers from the CEBC follow each year, in the Deux-Sevres, 160 zones of 10 hectares of a cereal plain typical of French agricultural territories. In 23 years, all lowland bird species have seen their populations melt: the lark loses more than one in three (-35%); with eight out of ten individuals lost, partridges are almost decimated. This decline affects all bird species in agriculture, both the so-called specialist species mainly attending this environment and the so-called generalist species found in all types of habitats, whether agricultural or not. According to STOC, generalist species do not decline at the national level; the observed decrease is therefore specific to the agricultural milieu, probably related to the collapse of insects.This massive disappearance observed at different scales is concomitant with the intensification of agricultural practices over the past 25 years , especially since 2008-2009. A period that corresponds, among other things, to the end of the fallow periods imposed by the common agricultural policy, the surge in wheat prices, the resumption of the nitrate over-amendment allowing for the over-protein wheat and the generalization of neonicotinoids, very persistent neurotoxic insecticides.These two studies, both conducted over twenty years and at different spatial scales, reveal the extent of the phenomenon: the decline of birds in agricultural areas is accelerating and reaching a level close to the ecological disaster . By 2018, many areas of cereal plains could experience a silent spring (Silent Spring) announced by American ecologist Rachel Carson 55 years ago about the infamous DDT banned in France for over 45 years. If this situation is not yet irreversible, it is urgent to work with all the players in the agricultural world to accelerate changes in practices; and first with farmers who now have the keys to change the trend. [Translation by Bing] By Shreya Dasgupta 24 February 2018 (Mongabay) Industrial fishing takes place across more than 55 percent of the worlds oceans, according to a new study published in Science.Fishing is vital for food security and livelihoods across the globe, yet the extent of industrial fishing has remained largely unknown. Now, a team of researchers has tried to solve this problem by using the Automatic Identification System (AIS), an automatic ship-tracking system that uses satellite and land-based receivers to monitor a ships location, originally designed to help prevent ship collisions.To see where and when fishing takes place, the researchers tracked 77,000 industrial ships, including more than 75 percent of large-sized commercial vessels, using 22 billion AIS positions from 2012 to 2016.It was an immense effort to organize and process the AIS data, and then build complex machine learning algorithms, said lead author David Kroodsma, the director of research and development at Global Fishing Watch, a collaborative non-profit supported by Oceana, SkyTruth and Google. Global Fishing Watch and our partners have been working on this for several years.The resulting global maps revealed that industrial fishing vessels operated across more than 55 percent of the ocean, or over 200 million square kilometers (77 million square miles), in 2016 alone. Thats higher than the proportion of land (34 percent) used in agriculture or grazing, the researchers write.The dataset also showed that in 2016, commercial ships spent 40 million hours fishing and covered more than 460 million kilometers (286 million miles), equivalent to traveling to the moon and back nearly 600 times. While most countries fished predominantly within their own exclusive economic zones, five nations China, Spain, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea accounted for more than 85 percent of observed fishing in the high seas (part of the oceans not within any countrys jurisdiction).The researchers could also identify the kind of fishing gear the ships used. They found that longline fishing, which uses lines with evenly placed baited hooks, was the most widespread, seen in 45 percent of the ocean. By contrast, the team detected purse seine vessels, which use large dragnets, in 17 percent of the ocean, and trawlers in about 9 percent. [more] New maps reveal industrial fishing in over half of worlds oceans By Rob Jordan 22 February 2018 (Stanford News) Seafood provides sustenance for billions of people and livelihoods for tens of millions, yet the full global reach of high seas fishing has remained largely a mystery until now. A team of researchers, including Stanford scientists, has directly quantified industrial fishings footprint using satellites and onboard ship-locating technology.Their data reveal, among other surprises, that five countries account for more than 85 percent of high seas fishing, and holidays affect fishing patterns much more than fish migrations or ocean conditions.This highlights the impact of industrial fishing with an unprecedented level of detail and transparency, said study co-author Barbara Block, the Charles and Elizabeth Prothro Professor in Marine Sciences. It could help shape more sustainable practices that ensure a future for tunas, billfish, and sharks.The study, published on 22 February 2018 in Science, opens a gateway to better management of global fleets and their response to changes in climate, policy, economics and other drivers. An innovative approach Advances in satellite technology and big data techniques have previously led to more accurate agricultural forecasts and more effective forest carbon storage approaches, but they had done little to clarify the global footprint of fishing.To realize the potential of these new technologies, we assembled a team of data scientists, software engineers, ecologists and economists, said study lead author David Kroodsma, director of research and development at Global Fishing Watch. It was the only way to process such a vast amount of data and turn it into knowledge about where and when fishing is taking place.Ships routinely broadcast their identity, position, speed and turning angle every few seconds as a way of preventing collisions. As it turns out, satellite-based receivers also pick up on these signals, sent through a system called Automatic Identification System (AIS). To take advantage of this existing data, the researchers designed artificial intelligence algorithms to process billions of AIS position signals from more than 70,000 fishing vessels over a four-year period (2012 2016).The algorithms detected ship positions indicative of fishing vessel type and activity. They identified vessel characteristics such as length (from 18 to 438 feet), engine power and gross tonnage all with more than 90 percent accuracy when compared to official fleet registries.Although the researchers tracked only a small proportion of the worlds estimated 2.9 million motorized fishing vessels, they collected data on up to 75 percent of vessels in the world longer than 72 feet and more than 75 percent of vessels longer than 108 feet. Ships in these two categories are responsible for the majority of global high seas fishing. A clearer picture The resulting dataset was eye-opening.While most nations appeared to fish predominantly within their own exclusive economic zones, China, Spain, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea accounted for more than 85 percent of observed fishing effort on the high seas beyond their territorial waters.Unlike agriculture, which revolves around seasonal cycles of plant and animal growth, the temporal footprint of fishing appeared surprisingly consistent through time. Christmas and weekends had the greatest effect on fishing patterns in most of the world, while Chinese New Year and state-imposed summertime fishing bans had the biggest impact on the movements of Chinese fleets. While some fleets displayed seasonal movements, the work week, holidays and political closures were much more influential than natural cycles in determining the temporal footprint of fishing at a global scale. The researchers calculated that more than 55 percent of the ocean was fished in 2016 alone. While this estimate is lower than previous studies have suggested, it is more precise and still more than four times the area of all the worlds agricultural land. Ocean opportunities While the study shows fishing hotspots in the Northeast Atlantic, Northwest Pacific, and some regions off South America and West Africa, it also shows low levels of fishing in the Southern Ocean and parts of the Northeast Pacific that may be among the most pristine open ocean areas on the planet and where Block and colleagues spent over a decade tagging and studying large pelagic fish and sharks. Some of these regions such as an important migratory gathering spot halfway between Hawaii and California, dubbed the White Shark Cafe have been proposed as potential world heritage sites.To further understanding of global fisheries, the researchers have made daily high-resolution graphical overviews of global of fishing effort publicly available through globalfishingwatch.org. These data not only provide a powerful tool for improved ocean governance, but can help assess existing management regimes and accelerate development of new approaches that respond in real-time to changing ocean conditions, management issues or conservation concerns.This is a game-changing platform that can generate validated local and global maps of industrial fishing at unprecedented scale and resolution, said study co-author Francesco Ferretti, a research associate at Stanfords Hopkins Marine Station. Contact Barbara Block, Hopkins Marine Station: (831) 655-6236, bblock@stanford.edu Francesco Ferretti, Hopkins Marine Station: (831) 233-4905, ferretti@stanford.edu Tim White, Hopkins Marine Station: (831) 655-6206, timwhite@stanford.edu Rob Jordan, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment: (650) 721-1881, rjordan@stanford.edu Stanford researchers use satellites to map global fishing footprint ABSTRACT: Although fishing is one of the most widespread activities by which humans harvest natural resources, its global footprint is poorly understood and has never been directly quantified. We processed 22 billion automatic identification system messages and tracked >70,000 industrial fishing vessels from 2012 to 2016, creating a global dynamic footprint of fishing effort with spatial and temporal resolution two to three orders of magnitude higher than for previous data sets. Our data show that industrial fishing occurs in >55% of ocean area and has a spatial extent more than four times that of agriculture. We find that global patterns of fishing have surprisingly low sensitivity to short-term economic and environmental variation and a strong response to cultural and political events such as holidays and closures. More than half the fish in the sea: As the human population has grown in recent decades, our dependence on ocean-supplied protein has rapidly increased. Kroodsma et al. took advantage of the automatic identification system installed on all industrial fishing vessels to map and quantify fishing efforts across the world (see the Perspective by Poloczanska). More than half of the worlds oceans are subject to industrial-scale harvest, spanning an area four times that covered by terrestrial agriculture. Furthermore, fishing efforts seem not to depend on economic or environmental drivers, but rather social and political schedules. Thus, more active measures will likely be needed to ensure sustainable use of ocean resources.Science, this issue p. 904; see also p. 864 Tracking the global footprint of fisheries By Will Porter and Kyle Anzalone 7 March 2018 (Consortium News) In Afghanistan, the worlds most powerful military is threatened by a small, pink flower.Despite an escalation of the Afghan conflict under the Trump administration, a record opium crop, coupled with steady Taliban gains, foretell bitter fighting in the coming months for American forces and the Afghans stationed alongside them.Record-high opium production is but one indication of how badly U.S. efforts have failed and are continuing to fail, said Andrew Bacevich, professor of history and international relations at Boston University and author of Americas War for the Greater Middle East. It is both a major source of Taliban funding and an indication of how little control the Afghan government is able to exert.In November, the UN Office of Drugs and Crime released its annual Afghanistan Opium Survey. According to the report, 2017s opium crop, estimated at 9,000 tons, marks an 87 percent increase from the previous year.The record crop has left the Taliban flush with cash it will use to finance military operations, the wages of fighters, as well as arms purchases.As the area under cultivation in Taliban territory grows, we can conclude that more funds flow to the Taliban, said Gretchen Peters, former ABC News foreign correspondent and an expert on the Afghan opium trade.While many have enjoyed the plants small dark seeds on their bagels, at maturity poppies produce seed pods which contain opium, a sticky sap that is drained from the pods and dried. Opiums alkaloids can be extracted and altered to produce a wide range of opioid narcotics, including morphine and heroin.Over the last decade Afghanistan has been the worlds top producer and exporter of raw opium and heroin, in some years supplying much of the entire global heroin market. []The lions share of last years record opium crop was cultivated in the Helmand and Kandahar provinces in southern Afghanistan, near the Afghan-Pakistan border. This virtually ungoverned tribal territory has furnished the Taliban with a place of refuge since the American invasion in 2001, and serves as a base of operations for the Talibans activities.[The Taliban] receive much of their funding from the narcotics trafficking that occurs out of Helmand, U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said in a press briefing last year. Helmand produces a significant amount of the opium globally that turns into heroin and this provides about 60 percent of the Taliban funding.From its southern stronghold near the Af-Pak border, the Taliban has managed to launch attacks and capture or contest nearly 45 percent of Afghanistan, painting a dismal picture for American military objectives in the country.This years unprecedented poppy harvest only serves to darken that image, particularly for the upcoming Spring Offensive. [more] 23 March 2018 (IPBES) Biodiversity the essential variety of life forms on Earth continues to decline in every region of the world, significantly reducing natures capacity to contribute to peoples well-being. This alarming trend endangers economies, livelihoods, food security and the quality of life of people everywhere, according to four landmark science reports released today, written by more than 550 leading experts, from over 100 countries. The result of three years of work, the four regional assessments of biodiversity and ecosystem services cover the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Africa, as well as Europe and Central Asia the entire planet except the poles and the open oceans. The assessment reports were approved by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), in Medellin, Colombia, at the 6th session of its Plenary. IPBES has 129 State Members. Biodiversity and natures contributions to people sound, to many people, academic and far removed from our daily lives, said the Chair of IPBES, Sir Robert Watson, Nothing could be further from the truth they are the bedrock of our food, clean water, and energy. They are at the heart not only of our survival, but of our cultures, identities and enjoyment of life. The best available evidence, gathered by the worlds leading experts, points us now to a single conclusion: we must act to halt and reverse the unsustainable use of nature or risk not only the future we want, but even the lives we currently lead. Fortunately, the evidence also shows that we know how to protect and partially restore our vital natural assets. The extensively peer-reviewed IPBES assessment reports focus on providing answers to key questions for each of the four regions, including: why is biodiversity important, where are we making progress, what are the main threats and opportunities for biodiversity and how can we adjust our policies and institutions for a more sustainable future? In every region, with the exception of a number of positive examples where lessons can be learned, biodiversity and natures capacity to contribute to people are being degraded, reduced, and lost due to a number of common pressures habitat stress; overexploitation and unsustainable use of natural resources; air, land and water pollution; increasing numbers and impact of invasive alien species and climate change, among others. The Americas In the Americas, rich biodiversity makes an immense contribution to the quality of life, helping to reduce poverty while strengthening economies and livelihoods, said Dr. Jake Rice (Canada), co-chair of the Americas assessment with Dr. Cristiana Simao Seixas (Brazil) and Prof. Maria Elena Zaccagnini (Argentina). The economic value of the Americas land-based natures contributions to people is estimated to be more than US$24 trillion per year equivalent to the regions GDP, yet almost two-thirds 65% of these contributions are in decline, with 21% declining strongly. Human-induced climate change, which affects temperature, precipitation and the nature of extreme events, is increasingly driving biodiversity loss and the reduction of natures contributions to people, worsening the impact of habitat degradation, pollution, invasive species and the overexploitation of natural resources. According to the report, under a business as usual scenario, climate change will be the fastest growing driver negatively impacting biodiversity by 2050 in the Americas, becoming comparable to the pressures imposed by land use change. On average today, the populations of species in an area are about 31% smaller than was the case at the time of European settlement. With the growing effects of climate change added to the other drivers, this loss is projected to reach 40% by 2050. The report highlights the fact that indigenous people and local communities have created a diversity of polyculture and agroforestry systems, which have increased biodiversity and shaped landscapes. However, the decoupling of lifestyles from the local environment has eroded, for many, their sense of place, language and indigenous local knowledge. More than 60% of the languages in the Americas, and the cultures associated with them, are troubled or dying out. Africa Africas immense natural resources and its diverse cultural heritage are among its most important strategic assets for both human development and well-being, said Dr. Emma Archer (South Africa), co-chair of the African assessment with Dr. Kalemani Jo Mulongoy (DRC) and Dr. Luthando Dziba (South Africa). Africa is the last place on Earth with a wide range of large mammals, yet today there are more African plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and large mammals threatened than ever before by a range of both human-induced and natural causes. Africa is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and this is going to have severe consequences for economically marginalized populations. By 2100, climate change could also result in the loss of more than half of African bird and mammal species, a 20-30% decline in the productivity of Africas lakes and significant loss of African plant species. The report adds that approximately 500,000 square kilometres of African land is already estimated to have been degraded by overexploitation of natural resources, erosion, salinization and pollution, resulting in significant loss of natures contributions to people. Even greater pressure will be placed on the continents biodiversity as the current African population of 1.25 billion people is set to double to 2.5 billion by 2050. Marine and coastal environments make significant economic, social and cultural contributions to the people of Africa. Damage to coral reef systems, mostly due to pollution and climate change, has far-reaching implications for fisheries, food security, tourism and overall marine biodiversity. Asia-Pacific Biodiversity and ecosystem services contributed to rapid average annual economic growth of 7.6% from 1990 to 2010 in the Asia-Pacific region, benefitting its more than 4.5 billion people. This growth, in turn, has had varying impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services, said Dr. Madhav Karki (Nepal), co-chair of the Asia-Pacific assessment with Dr. Sonali Senaratna Sellamuttu (Sri Lanka). The regions biodiversity faces unprecedented threats, from extreme weather events and sea level rise, to invasive alien species, agricultural intensification and increasing waste and pollution. The report says that although there has been an overall decline in biodiversity, there have also been some important biodiversity successes including, for example, increases in protected areas. Over the past 25 years, marine protected areas in the region increased by almost 14% and terrestrial protected area increased by 0.3%. Forest cover increased by 2.5%, with the highest increases in North East Asia (22.9%) and by South Asia (5.8%). There are concerns, however, that these efforts are insufficient to halt the loss of biodiversity and the decline in the value of natures contributions to people in the region. Unsustainable aquaculture practices, overfishing and destructive harvesting, threaten coastal and marine ecosystems, with projections that, if current fishing practices continue, there will be no exploitable fish stocks in the region by 2048. Intertidal zones are also rapidly deteriorating due to human activities, with coral reefs of critical ecological, cultural and economic importance, already under serious threat, and some reefs having already been lost, especially in South and South-East Asia. According to the report, up to 90% of corals will suffer severe degradation by 2050, even under conservative climate change scenarios. The report emphasizes that climate change and associated extreme events pose great threats, especially to coastal ecosystems, low-lying coastal areas and islands. Climate change is also impacting species distributions, population sizes, and the timing of reproduction and migration. Increased frequencies of pest and disease outbreaks resulting from these changes may have additional negative effects on agricultural production and human well-being, with impacts projected to worsen. Forests, alpine ecosystems, inland freshwater and wetlands, as well as coastal systems are identified as the most threatened Asia-Pacific ecosystems. The increasing variety and abundance of invasive alien species is highlighted as one of the regions most serious drivers of ecosystem change and biodiversity loss. Europe and Central Asia A major trend is the increasing intensity of conventional agriculture and forestry, which leads to biodiversity decline. There are also examples of sustainable agricultural and forestry practices that are beneficial to biodiversity and natures contributions to people in the region. Natures material contributions to people, such as food and energy, have been promoted at the expense of both regulating contributions, such as pollination and soil formation, and non-material contributions, such as cultural experiences or opportunities to develop a sense of place. The people of the region consume more renewable natural resources than the region produces, said Prof. Markus Fischer (Switzerland), co-chair of the Europe and Central Asia assessment with Prof. Mark Rounsevell (UK), Although this is somewhat off-set by higher biocapacities in Eastern Europe and northern parts of Western and Central Europe. In the European Union, among assessments of the conservation status of species and habitat types of conservation interest, only 7% of marine species and 9% of marine habitat types show a favourable conservation status. Moreover 27% of species assessments and 66% of habitat types assessments show an unfavourable conservation status, with the others categorised as unknown. The authors find that further economic growth can facilitate sustainable development only if it is decoupled from the degradation of biodiversity and natures capacity to contribute to people. Such decoupling, however, has not yet happened, and would require far-reaching change in policies and tax reforms at the global and national levels. Abandonment of traditional land-use systems, and loss of associated indigenous and local knowledge and practices, has been widespread in Europe and Central Asia, the report finds. Production-based subsidies driving growth in agricultural, forestry and natural resource extraction sectors tend to exacerbate conflicting land-use issues, often impinging on available territory for traditional users. Maintenance of traditional land use and lifestyles in Europe and Central Asia is strongly related to institutional adequacy and economic viability. Global Development Goals in Jeopardy One of the most important findings across the four IPBES regional assessments is that failure to prioritize policies and actions to stop and reverse biodiversity loss, and the continued degradation of natures contributions to people, seriously jeopardises the chances of any region, and almost every country, meeting their global development targets, said Dr. Anne Larigauderie, the Executive Secretary of IPBES. Achievement of the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and the Paris Agreement on climate change, all depend on the health and vitality of our natural environment in all its diversity and complexity. Acting to protect and promote biodiversity is at least as important to achieving these commitments and to human wellbeing as is the fight against global climate change. Richer, more diverse ecosystems are better able to cope with disturbances such as extreme events and the emergence of diseases. They are our insurance policy against unforeseen disasters and, used sustainably, they also offer many of the best solutions to our most pressing challenges. The assessment of the Americas concludes that continued biodiversity loss could undermine the achievement of some of the SDGs as well as some of the international climate-related goals, targets and aspirations. All the plausible future scenarios explored in the Africa assessment highlight that the drivers of biodiversity loss will increase, with associated negative impacts on natures contributions to people and human well-being. Achieving the African Unions Agenda 2063, the SDGs and the Aichi Targets is unlikely in three out of five scenarios explored. The experts of the Asia-Pacific assessment point to the value of ecosystem based approaches and identify, among others, lack of solid waste management, as well as air, water and land pollution as factors undermining gains in a number of the Aichi Targets and SDGs for many countries (e.g. extinction of plant and animal species due to deforestation, rising temperature and water pollution). There has been some progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets in Europe and Central Asia, e.g. in terms of the area under protection and in mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society. However, the pressures on biodiversity from direct drivers of change are unlikely to be reduced and so progress has been negative for indigenous and local knowledge, the equitable distribution of natures contributions and water security. Looking beyond the 2030 timescale of the SDGs, scenario analysis highlights that continuation of past and current trends in drivers of change will inhibit the contribution of the region to the widespread achievement of the SDGs, while scenarios which focus on achieving a balanced supply of natures contributions to people and incorporate a diversity of values are more likely to contribute to achieving the majority of the SDGs. Promising Policy Options Available Accompanying the stark concerns of the IPBES experts, however, are messages of hope: promising policy options do exist and have been found to work in protecting and restoring biodiversity and natures contributions to people, where they have been effectively applied. In the Americas, protection of key biodiversity areas increased 17% between 1970 and 2010, yet fewer than 20% of key biodiversity areas are protected and coverage varies significantly. The report makes it clear that protected areas and restoration projects are only some of the possible interventions with a need to also focus on strategies to make human-dominated landscapes more supportive of biodiversity and natures contributions to people. It also makes the point that biodiversity and natures contributions to people are better protected when integrated into a broad array of economic and sectoral policies, such as payment for ecosystem services and voluntary eco-certification. Appropriate combinations of, for example, behavioural change, improved technology, research, adequate levels of finance, improved education and public awareness programs are among other options. Measures taken by African Governments to protect biodiversity and natures contributions to people, have contributed to some recovery of threatened species, especially in key biodiversity areas, and these efforts could be enhanced. Such measures include the establishment and effective management of protected areas and networks of wildlife corridors; restoration of degraded ecosystems; control of invasive alien species and reintroduction of wild animals. Despite the African Unions priorities of poverty alleviation, inclusive growth and sustainable development, especially in the context of global climate change, the report finds that the continent is greatly undervaluing its natural resources. In addition to enhancing biodiversity conservation through appropriate governance, policies and national implementation, the authors emphasize the need for better integration of indigenous and local knowledge and greater use of scenarios in African decision-making. Of the five possible scenarios they explore, two (regional sustainability and local sustainability) are identified as the most likely paths to meet Africas economic, social and environmental development aspirations, but the authors point to the need for capacity building on the use of scenarios in decision-making. For Asia and the Pacific, the IPBES experts point to the success of countries that achieved rapid economic growth in gradually restoring and expanding protected areas especially forests. They emphasize that, while assisting these countries in their efforts to meet some of the SDGs and Aichi Targets, this alone will not be sufficient to reduce biodiversity loss caused by the negative impacts of monoculture. For instance, the region registered a growth of 0.3% in terrestrial protected areas and 13.8% in marine protected areas putting many countries on track to meet Aichi Target 11 but most of the important bird areas and key biodiversity areas remain unprotected. Better application of science and technology, empowerment of local communities in decision making, integrating biodiversity conservation into other key sectors, scenario planning that is sensitive to economic and cultural diversity, private sector partnerships in financing biodiversity protection, as well as better cross-border regional collaboration, are some of the many important approaches the report identifies. A range of governance options, policies and management practices is available in Europe and Central Asia to safeguard biodiversity and ensure natures contributions to people. Some progress has already been made in mainstreaming biodiversity and natures contributions to people into public and private decision-making. The assessment report highlights integrated approaches. These include measuring national welfare beyond GDP. Governance could become more effective by using well-designed mixes of policy instruments to motivate changes in behaviour to support sustainable development. The authors also emphasize the relevance of reconciling biodiversity conservation and human rights standards through rights-based instruments, as well as capacity building for indigenous peoples and local communities. Sufficient funding is also needed to support research, monitoring, education and training. Speaking about the policy options emerging from the four regional assessments, Watson said: Although there are no silver bullets or one-size-fits all answers, the best options in all four regional assessments are found in better governance, integrating biodiversity concerns into sectoral policies and practices (e.g., agriculture and energy), the application of scientific knowledge and technology, increased awareness and behavioural changes. It is also clear that indigenous and local knowledge can be an invaluable asset, and biodiversity issues need to receive much higher priority in policy making and development planning at every level. Cross-border collaboration is also essential, given that biodiversity challenges recognize no national boundaries. Contact The IPBES Media Team, media@ipbes.net, +57-310-626-6641 or +1-416-878-8712 Media Release: Biodiversity and Natures Contributions Continue Dangerous Decline, Scientists Warn Number of social thresholds achieved versus number of biophysical boundaries transgressed for different countries (scaled by population). Ideally, countries would be located in the top-left corner. Only countries with data for all 7 biophysical indicators and at least 10 of the 11 social indicators are shown (N = 109). Graphic: ONeill, et al., 2018 / Nature Sustainability 5 February 2018 (University of Leeds) A study led by the University of Leeds has found that no country currently meets its citizens basic needs at a globally sustainable level of resource use. The research, published in Nature Sustainability, is the first to quantify the sustainability of national resource use associated with meeting basic human needs for 151 countries.Each countrys resource use and well-being achievements have been made available as a website built by the academics involved in the study. Lead author, Dr Daniel ONeill, from the Sustainability Research Institute at Leeds, said: Almost everything we do, from having dinner to surfing the Internet, uses resources in some way, but the connections between resource use and human well-being are not always visible to us. We examined international relationships between the sustainability of resource use and the achievement of social goals, and found that basic needs, such as nutrition, sanitation, and the elimination of extreme poverty, could most likely be achieved in all countries without exceeding global environmental limits. Unfortunately, the same is not true for other social goals that go beyond basic subsistence such as secondary education and high life satisfaction. Meeting these goals could require a level of resource use that is two to six times the sustainable level. Co-author, Dr Andrew Fanning, also from the Sustainability Research Institute, said: Our results suggest that some of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, such as combating climate change and its impacts, could be undermined by the pursuit of other goals, particularly those focused on growth or high levels of human well-being. This study builds on research by the Stockholm Resilience Centre that identified nine environmental processes that regulate the planet and proposed safe planetary boundaries for each that if persistently exceeded could lead to catastrophic change. The planetary boundaries include issues such as climate change, land-use change, and freshwater use. The researchers distributed seven planetary boundaries among nations according to their share of global population, and then compared these boundaries to national resource consumption, after correcting for international trade. At the same time, the study scored countries on 11 social objectives established in previous research on what it would mean for countries to develop in safe and just way. The objectives included healthy life expectancy, access to energy, and democratic quality among others. The study benchmarked each countrys resource use against the planetary boundaries, and mapped these alongside the social indicators. The mapping showed no country performed well on both the planetary and social thresholds.Co-author Dr William Lamb, from the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC), said: In general, the more social thresholds a country achieves, the more planetary boundaries it exceeds, and vice versa. National performance relative to a safe and just space for two countries. a, The United States. b, Sri Lanka. Blue wedges show social performance relative to the social threshold (blue circle), whereas green wedges show resource use relative to the biophysical boundary (green circle). The blue wedges start at the centre of the plot (which represents the worst score achieved by any country), whereas the green wedges start at the outer edge of the blue circle (which represents zero resource use). Both the social thresholds and biophysical boundaries incorporate a range of uncertainties, and should be interpreted as fuzzy lines. Wedges with a dashed edge extend beyond the chart area. Ideally, a country would have blue wedges that reach the social threshold and green wedges within the biophysical boundary. Graphic: ONeill, et al., 2018 / Nature Sustainability Although wealthy nations like the US and UK satisfy the basic needs of their citizens, they do so at a level of resource use that is far beyond what is globally sustainable. In contrast, countries that are using resources at a sustainable level, such as Sri Lanka, fail to meet the basic needs of their people. Co-author Dr Julia Steinberger, from the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds, said Radical changes are needed if all people are to live well within the limits of the planet. These include moving beyond the pursuit of economic growth in wealthy nations, shifting rapidly from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and significantly reducing inequality. Our physical infrastructure and the way we distribute resources are both part of what we call provisioning systems. If all people are to lead a good life within the planets limits then these provisioning systems need to be fundamentally restructured to allow for basic needs to be met at a much lower level of resource use. Contact Anna Harrison, Press Officer at the University of Leeds, on +44 (0)113 34 34196 or a.harrison@leeds.ac.uk A good life for all within the planets means ABSTRACT: Humanity faces the challenge of how to achieve a high quality of life for over 7 billion people without destabilizing critical planetary processes. Using indicators designed to measure a safe and just development space, we quantify the resource use associated with meeting basic human needs, and compare this to downscaled planetary boundaries for over 150 nations. We find that no country meets basic needs for its citizens at a globally sustainable level of resource use. Physical needs such as nutrition, sanitation, access to electricity and the elimination of extreme poverty could likely be met for all people without transgressing planetary boundaries. However, the universal achievement of more qualitative goals (for example, high life satisfaction) would require a level of resource use that is 26 times the sustainable level, based on current relationships. Strategies to improve physical and social provisioning systems, with a focus on sufficiency and equity, have the potential to move nations towards sustainability, but the challenge remains substantial. A good life for all within planetary boundaries 24 April 2018 (AWI) Experts at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), have recently found higher amounts of microplastic in arctic sea ice than ever before. However, the majority of particles were microscopically small. The ice samples from five regions throughout the Arctic Ocean contained up to 12,000 microplastic particles per litre of sea ice. Further, the different types of plastic showed a unique footprint in the ice allowing the researchers to trace them back to possible sources. This involves the massive garbage patch in the Pacific Ocean, while in turn, the high percentage of paint and nylon particles pointed to the intensified shipping and fishing activities in some parts of the Arctic Ocean. The new study has just been released in the journal Nature Communications. During our work, we realised that more than half of the microplastic particles trapped in the ice were less than a twentieth of a millimetre wide, which means they could easily be ingested by arctic microorganisms like ciliates, but also by copepods, says AWI biologist and first author Dr Ilka Peeken. The observation is a very troubling one because, as she explains, No one can say for certain how harmful these tiny plastic particles are for marine life, or ultimately also for human beings.The AWI researcher team had gathered the ice samples in the course of three expeditions to the Arctic Ocean on board the research icebreaker Polarstern in the spring of 2014 and summer of 2015. They hail from five regions along the Transpolar Drift and the Fram Strait, which transports sea ice from the Central Arctic to the North Atlantic. Infrared spectrometer reveals heavy contamination with microparticles The term microplastic refers to plastic particles, fibres, pellets and other fragments with a length, width or diameter ranging from only a few micrometres thousandths of a millimetre to under five millimetres. A considerable amount of microplastic is released directly into the ocean by the gradual deterioration of larger pieces of plastic. But microplastic can also be created on land e.g. by laundering synthetic textiles or abrasion of car tyres, which initially floats through the air as dust, and is then blown to the ocean by the wind, or finds its way there through sewer networks.In order to determine the exact amount and distribution of microplastic in the sea ice, the AWI researchers were the first to analyse the ice cores layer by layer using a Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), a device that bombards microparticles with infrared light and uses a special mathematical method to analyse the radiation they reflect back. Depending on their makeup, the particles absorb and reflect different wavelengths, allowing every substance to be identified by its optic fingerprint.Using this approach, we also discovered plastic particles that were only 11 micrometres across. Thats roughly one-sixth the diameter of a human hair, and also explains why we found concentrations of over 12,000 particles per litre of sea ice which is two to three time higher than what wed found in past measurements, says Gunnar Gerdts, in whose labaratory the measurements were carried out. Surprisingly, the researchers found that 67 percent of the particles detected in the ice belonged to the smallest-scale category 50 micrometres and smaller. Ice drift and the chemical fingerprint offer clues to pollutants regions of origin The particle density and composition varied significantly from sample to sample. At the same time, the researchers determined that the plastic particles were not uniformly distributed throughout the ice core. We traced back the journey of the ice floes we sampled and can now safely say that both the region in which the sea ice is initially formed and the water masses in which the floes drift through the Arctic while growing, have an enormous influence on the composition and layering of the encased plastic particles, relates Ilka Peeken.The team of researchers also learned e.g. that ice floes, which are driven in the pacific water masses of the Canadian Basin, contain particularly high concentrations of polyethylene particles. Polyethylene is above all used in packaging material. As the experts write in their study, Accordingly, we assume that these fragments represent remains of the so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch and are pushed along the Bering Strait and into the Arctic Ocean by the Pacific inflow.In contrast, the scientists predominantly found paint particles from ships paint and nylon waste from fishing nets in ice from the shallow marginal seas of Siberia. These findings suggest that both the expanding shipping and fishing activities in the Arctic are leaving their mark. The high microplastic concentrations in the sea ice can thus not only be attributed to sources outside the Arctic Ocean. Instead, they also point to local pollution in the Arctic, says Ilka Peeken.The researchers found a total of 17 different types of plastic in the sea ice, including packaging materials like polyethylene and polypropylene, but also paints, nylon, polyester, and cellulose acetate, the latter is primarily used in the manufacture of cigarette filters. Taken together, these six materials accounted for roughly half of all the microplastic particles detected.According to Ilka Peeken, The sea ice binds all this plastic litter for two to a maximum of eleven years the time it takes for ice floes from the marginal seas of Siberia or the North American Arctic to reach the Fram Strait, where they melt. But conversely, this also means that sea ice transports large quantities of microplastic to the waters off the northeast coast of Greenland. The researchers cant yet say whether the released plastic particles subsequently remain in the Arctic or are transported farther south; in fact, it seems likely that the plastic litter begins sinking into deeper waters relatively quickly. Free-floating microplastic particles are often colonised by bacteria and algae, which makes them heavier and heavier. Sometimes they clump together with algae, which makes them drift down to the seafloor much faster, explains AWI biologist and co-author Dr Melanie Bergmann.The observations made by researchers at the AWIs deep-sea network HAUSGARTEN in the Fram Strait lend additional weight to this thesis. As Melanie Bergmann relates, We recently recorded microplastic concentrations of up to 6500 plastic particles per kilogram of seafloor; those are extremely high values. Original publication Ilka Peeken, Sebastian Primpke , Birte Beyer, Julia Guetermann, Christian Katlein, Thomas Krumpen, Melanie Bergmann, Laura Hehemann, Gunnar Gerdts: Arctic sea ice is an important temporal sink and means of transport for microplastic, Nature Communications, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03825-5 By Andrea Thompson 2 May 2018 (Scientific American) April should be prime walrus hunting season for the native villages that dot Alaskas remote western coast. In years past the winter sea ice where the animals rest would still be abundant, providing prime targets for subsistence hunters. But this year sea-ice coverage as of late April was more like what would be expected for mid-June, well into the melt season. These conditions are the continuation of a winter-long scarcity of sea ice in the Bering Seaa decline so stark it has stunned researchers who have spent years watching Arctic sea ice dwindle due to climate change. Winter sea ice cover in the Bering Sea did not just hit a record low in 2018; it was half that of the previous lowest winter on record (2001), says John Walsh, chief scientist of the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Theres never ever been anything remotely like this for sea ice in the Bering Sea going back more than 160 years, says Rick Thoman, an Alaska-based climatologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.A confluence of conditionsincluding warm air and ocean temperatures, along with persistent stormsset the stage for this dramatic downturn in a region that to date has not been one of the main contributors to the overall reduction of Arctic sea ice. Whereas a degree of random weather variability teed up this remarkable winter, the background warming of the Arctic is what provides the extra kick to reach such unheard-of extremes, Walsh says. []The lack of sea ice is not just hitting walrus hunting hard; throughout the winter and spring, coastal communities have seen substantial flooding and erosion during storms without much of the usual sea ice to act as a buffer. What little there is has been very thin stuff local residents call junk ice, Thoman says: It wasnt very much better than no ice at all. [more] By David Colgan 23 April 2018 (UCLA) California is headed for a future of precipitation extremes.Research by UCLA climate scientists, published today in Nature Climate Change, projects that the state will experience a much greater number of extremely wet and extremely dry weather seasons especially wet by the end of the century. The authors also predict that there will be a major increase in the likelihood of severe flooding events, and that there will be many more quick changes from one weather extreme to the other.Those who manage Californias water supply and protect residents from wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters should be planning for those changes, said lead author Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLAs Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and The Nature Conservancy. Millions of lives, wildlife and the health of a multitrillion-dollar economy depend on it.Although the differences wont be noticeable to people who merely watch statistics like average annual rainfall because the dry and wet periods will largely cancel each other out they will have a major effect on the lives of Californians.These are actually huge changes occurring; theyre just on opposite ends of the spectrum, Swain said. If you only look for shifts in average precipitation, youre missing all of the important changes in the character of precipitation.Swain and his fellow researchers, including professors David Neelin and Alex Hall of UCLAs department of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, also found that Californias wet weather may become even more concentrated in winter months than it already is, while storms in the spring and fall become less likely and less frequent.The study predicts that the changes will be powered by two common features: a warming atmosphere and warming oceans.In a warmer climate, there is more water vapor in the atmosphere, Neelin said. When a storm gets going, air converges at low levels carrying more water vapor with it. With more vapor to dump out, the result is more rainfall. The Other Big One The UCLA study also found that over the next 40 years, the state will be 300 to 400 percent more likely to have a prolonged storm sequence as severe as the one that caused a now-legendary California flood more than 150 years ago.The Great Flood of 1862 filled valleys with feet of water and washed gold rush miners and their equipment out of the mountains. In the Central Valley, floodwaters stretched up to 300 miles long and as wide as 60 miles across. One-third of the states taxable land was destroyed, and the recently elected governor, Leland Stanford, was forced to row to his inauguration.It could happen again, only with more catastrophic consequences because the state is so much more populated than it was then. In 1862, Californias population was 500,000; today, its close to 40 million. Cities like Stockton, Fresno and Bakersfield are situated in locales that were inundated by the 1862 flood.We may be going from a situation where an event as big as 1862 was unlikely to occur by the end of the century to a situation where it may happen more than once, Swain said.Today, that kind of flood would be a nightmare. Droughts cause long-term hardship that stress human and wildlife populations, but they dont bring the kind of sudden damage that massive floods cause, Swain said.People tend not to die in droughts in places with a developed economy, Swain said. People do still die in floods. It happened this year and last year in California. During an event of a magnitude similar to the 1862 flood, a lot of lives would be at risk.Should that type of massive storm occur, the United States Geological Survey already has a name for it: The Other Big One. (The name is a nod to the well-known moniker for the next major earthquake that scientists expect will occur along the San Andreas Fault, but the USGS isnt predicting that the two would be linked.) In 2011, the USGS prepared emergency planning guidelines for that type of storm which scientists said could happen once every 100 or 200 years.Swain said that it could be a nearly trillion-dollar disaster more than double the cost of any previous natural disaster and that it would devastate California economically and force millions to evacuate.The impact would be magnified because such a flood could affect multiple regions throughout the state, including the Bay Area, the Central Valley and the Los Angeles Basin. In a state with the worlds sixth largest economy, several massive industries agriculture, Silicon Valley and Hollywood among them would be brought to a standstill.Flooding would likely overwhelm flood prevention and water resources infrastructure such as earthen levees in the Central Valley, the Los Angeles River and other concrete water conduits in urban areas, and perhaps even dams and levees in some areas. It could even change the states geography permanently, Swain said. Much of the San Francisco Bay Delta region lies below sea level, and a large enough flood could destroy the network of levees that hold back the water, which would inundate vast swaths of currently dry land.I dont think most people in California really have a grasp of the magnitude of this kind of event, Swain said. Millions of people living in the Central Valley would, at a minimum, have to leave for a while, and many could actually have their homes under 20 or 30 feet of water. This includes much of Sacramento.And all of these other cities in the Central Valley are much bigger than they used to be, and there are all of these sprawling suburbs in regions that were historically vast natural floodplains.Perhaps the only shred of good news with such a massive storm is that residents would likely have at least a few days to prepare unlike in an earthquake, when there are, at best, only seconds of warning. More wet, more dry The paper also projects an increase in less-extreme but still severe precipitation events and seasons, like what the state experienced during the winter of 201617, when a series of storms filled reservoirs after a multiyear drought parched the state.That kind of event now occurs a handful of times each century, Swain said.But under these projections, it would go from something that happens maybe once in a generation to something that happens two or three times, Swain said. Even if we are lucky and manage to avoid a repeat of 1862, these lower-magnitude events could still seriously test the limits of our water infrastructure.The paper also predicts a smaller, but still significant, increase in the frequency of extremely dry years. Seasons like the ones that parched Southern California in 197677 and 201314 would increase by 50 to 100 percent. Whiplash and wildfire Another of the papers key findings is a projected increase in what the authors refer to as climate whiplash transitions from very wet to very dry weather similar to what California experienced from 2016 to 2017. The authors project that the frequency of such abrupt transitions will increase by 50 to 100 percent, with the greatest number of abrupt changes in Southern California.The whiplash effect will be compounded by more-concentrated wet and dry seasons. Instead of the sporadic rains that mark the gradual onset of autumn and tapering off of spring, California will likely have a larger percentage of its annual precipitation fall during a narrower window, from December to March.That kind of weather pattern can help create conditions that are especially favorable for wildfires, with parched vegetation remaining dry into October and November, which historically has been the early part of the rainy season. If that happens, dry vegetation would be more likely to coincide with warm, dry Santa Ana winds which reach peak intensity in November and December turning swaths of the state into dangerous tinderboxes.(The researchers wrote that these were contributing factors in the December 2017 Thomas Fire, the largest in the states recorded history. That fire was also followed by intense rain that caused mudslides in Montecito, which killed 20 people.)The most dangerous combination historically is in September and October, when its really dry but the winds are starting to pick up, Swain said. What if it had started raining in October or November? Would the Thomas Fire have even broken out? Would it have burned so quickly? Or so intensely? The lack of autumn rains last year were a big part of the equation.Swain plans to travel to Sacramento to discuss the findings with representatives of the state water board and the Public Policy Institute of California. The message he will send has many facets, but one central theme.People who focus on precipitation averages arent wrong, Swain said. But theyre missing key aspects of our future climate arguably the things that matter most if we want to maintain resilience and prevent harm in a warming world. Contact David Colgan 818-203-2858 dcolgan@ioes.ucla.edu 30 May 2018 (James Cook University) With palm oil production exploding around the world, a new study of a leading producer has found ways to make the process easier on the environment.James Cook University PhD candidate Lain Pardo studied the industry in Colombia a country described as being on the tip of the spear in terms of burgeoning palm oil production.The researchers used a new camera trapping technique across 2,000 square kilometres of the countrys most important palm oil production region and found that while palm oil plantations are not suitable for most mammals to live in, the situation could be improved.We found that the number and diversity of species differed significantly between oil palm plantations and their neighboring forests, with the number of species inside oil palm plantations 47% lower, on average, than in the forest, said Mr Pardo.He said that within the plantations, the number of different species declined as the number of cattle in the plantation rose, but species numbers were helped by the presence of dense undergrowth vegetation and proximity to forest.These factors, and canopy cover, were also linked to an improvement in mammal diversity within palm oil sites.The scientists looked at a savannah woodland system where much of the land was already in commercial use before being converted to palm oil.Mr Pardo said unlike Southeast Asia, most of the land in Colombia converted for use as oil palm plantations had previously been pasture, not forest, and palm oil was not the primary driver of deforestation. But he said even when planted on savannah, oil palm plantations may have a devastating impact on wildlife.So, its still important to know what is going on ecologically in these areas. The Colombian government says land used to grow oil palms will double to about one million hectares by the year 2020. If unplanned, this expansion could result in a disruption of the ecosystem.Mr Pardo said the scientists recommended oil palm growers promote undergrowth vegetation and avoid cattle presence inside plantations, along with respecting designated buffer areas that allow for the conservation and restoration of riparian forests.The forests are the most important factor. Even secondary riparian forest makes an important contribution to sustaining wildlife across oil palm dominated landscapes in Colombia.He said the scientists understood that oil palm development provides social benefits in Colombia.Development in some areas is being partly driven by government incentives and corporate investments, and also in response to the end of a prolonged armed conflict, which has allowed access to previously inaccessible areas. So its vital to engage relevant stakeholders to balance socioeconomic and environmental goals. If Colombia follows our guidelines it has a great opportunity to produce palm oil in a more sustainable way, compared to Malaysia and Indonesia.Link to images here. Link to paper here. Contact Lain E Pardo, lepardov@gmail.coms 17 May 2018 (University of Waterloo) More Canadian cities will experience damage from the emerald ash borer than previously thought. As a result of climate change and fewer days of extreme cold, the beetle may eat its way further north than originally estimated. Kim Cuddington, a professor of biology at the University of Waterloo, led the team that produced a probability map for North America showing where the emerald ash borer is likely to kill trees. We ran specific predictions to help Canadian cities decide if they need to make plans before theyre affected, said Cuddington. Calgary is likely to experience damage, as are Thunder Bay, Prince George and Winnipeg. Edmonton and Saskatoon are less likely, but they should remain vigilant.So far, the wood-boring beetle has wiped out tens of millions of ash trees and will likely cost municipalities $2 billion. Still, people expected Canadas extremely cold temperatures to stop the species rapid migration.This should be a wake-up call for how we think about invasive species, said Cuddington. We need to develop preemptive measures as well as mitigate potential impacts. By the time we see the damage, its almost too late.According to previous studies, prepupae can survive in temperatures as low as -34C. Cuddington and her group confirmed the temperature found under the bark where the insect overwinters is warmer than the outside.We took a different approach from traditional range maps and charted the statistical probability of under-bark temperatures being above this lethal limit for at least six years, said Cuddington. Thats just long enough for the insect to kill its host tree.This is one of the first studies to couple an extensive empirical data set with measures of climate variability using a mechanistic modelling approach. Cuddington says researchers need to think more carefully about how a changing and unpredictable climate relates to the biology of an invasive species and their risk of doing damage, both economically and ecologically.The research appears in the journal Biological Invasions. By Ken Branson 16 May 2018 (Rutgers Today) Climate change will force hundreds of ocean fish and invertebrate species, including some of the most economically important to the United States, to move northward, disrupting fisheries in the United States and Canada, a Rutgers University-led study reports.The study, published today in the journal PLOS ONE, covers the North American continental shelfs on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Previous studies have been global or regional, thus being too large or too small to get a clear picture of the future for North Americas fisheries. The species surveyed include finfish, sharks and rays, crustaceans, and squid. Among those most affected are Pacific rockfishes, Atlantic cod and black sea bass.Fish are sensitive to the temperatures of the water where they live, and as it becomes too warm, populations often shift to where the water temperature is right for them. This process has already begun, though at different rates in different places. As climate change continues and the oceans warm up, the study shows, more species of fish will move north to where the temperature range is habitable for them.Weve already seen that shifts of a couple of hundred miles in a species range can disrupt fisheries, said lead author James Morley, a former postdoctoral researcher at Rutgers-New Brunswick. This study shows that such dislocations will happen all over the continent and on both coasts throughout the 21st century.For commercial fishers, this often means longer trips and higher fuel costs, said co-author Malin Pinsky, a professor of ecology, evolution and natural resources at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Some species along the U.S. and Canadian Pacific coasts will move as much as 900 miles north from their current habitats.The researchers used 16 different climate models, each with both a low level of greenhouse gas emissions and a high level, to develop projections for future ocean temperatures around North America. The lower-level emissions scenario is in line with goals set by the Paris Agreement, from which President Trump withdrew the United States earlier this year. These climate projections were combined with statistical models of species temperature preference, which were based on bottom-trawl survey data from around the continent. While both high and low emission scenarios project some northward shift, the shifts in species habitat will be two to three times greater under a high emissions future.Among the northward moving species is the Alaskan king crab. People in that fishery already travel a long way to catch crabs many from as far away as Seattle so this may not make a big difference to them in the short term, Pinsky said. But if youre based in North Carolina, fishing for black sea bass, and you have to travel 300 or 400 extra miles to do it, thats a real problem.The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Pew Charitable Trusts funded the study. By Peter F. Gammelby 4 April 2018 (Aarhus University) It is not as lonely at the top as it used to be. At least not for plants which, due to global warming, are increasingly finding habitats on mountain tops that were formerly reserved for only the toughest and most hardy species. A large international research team has not only ascertained a considerable increase in the number of plant species on 302 European mountain peaks over the past 150 years; they have also found that this increase is accelerating. Moreover, it is certain that this development is linked to rises in temperatures; changes in precipitation and nitrogen input could not explain the increase. Therefore, the researchers have demonstrated that the flora is trying to keep pace with the consequences of accelerating anthropogenic impacts on all the Earths system. During the decade from 1957-66, the number of species on each of the 302 mountain tops increased by 1.1 species on average. Since then, the trend has accelerated: From 2007-16, on average 5.5 new species moved up to the 302 summits.The researchers have only been able to count the plant species that have already responded to the temperature rise and actually have moved upwards. They have not studied the number of species that might be on the way upwards. Competitive immigrants However, the results of the new study, which has recently been published in the journal Nature, has not prompted researchers to sound the alarm. Yet.The study does not show how much the increase in new plant species on summits has displaced existing species that have been growing at these heights for centuries. However, the figures do indicate that this might be happening or will happen in the future.Some of the species which have adapted to the cold and rocky conditions on mountain summits will probably disappear in the long term. They have nowhere else to go, and they cant develop rapidly enough to be able to compete with the new arrivals, which are taller and more competitive under warmer climates, explained the main author of the study, Manuel Steinbauer.Even though it is likely that highly specialised species on mountain summits will be out-competed in the future, this is not absolutely certain. As Manuel Steinbauer puts it:The species that move upwards, often come from grassland above the tree line. But they cant survive everywhere on the mountain top, so its not certain that they will be a threat to all the existing species up there. The local soil conditions and micro-climates also play a role.Manuel Steinbauer analysed the huge volumes of data while he was working at the Department of Bioscience at Aarhus University, funded by the Carlsberg Foundation. He is now a professor at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU).Even though the existing species on mountain tops are not acutely endangered, the strong acceleration in the effects of global warming on plant communities on the peaks does give cause for concern, as we expect far stronger climate change toward 2100, explained professor and VILLUM Investigator Jens-Christian Svenning from the Department of Bioscience at Aarhus University, who has also been involved in the research project. A unique study The new study was conducted by researchers from 11 European countries, and it could not have been completed anywhere, other than in Europe.Not because the plants were afraid of heights in the other parts of the world, but because only in Europe is there data on how plant species have moved since the 1870s.Therefore, the researchers have not only climbed up the mountains many times to register flora meticulously: some of them have also delved into the 150 years of records fastidiously kept by hundreds of botanists around Europe, while they botanised on the same mountains.Mountain peaks have the great advantage that they dont move. Therefore, we can be sure that we have investigated precisely in the same places as the botanists of the past. We wouldnt be able to compare the old records from mountainsides or valleys with our own investigations if we couldnt be sure that we had looked at the same places. Of course, at that time there was no GPS, said Dr. Sonja Wipf from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, WSL in Davos, Switzerland. Future-proof data from the past One of the many botanists was the Swiss professor, Josias Braun-Blanquet (1884-1980), who more than a century ago predicted that this type of study may be necessary:In order to create a solid foundation for the future, I investigated numerous mountain peaks in detail. [] On the basis of a comprehensive description of locations, it will not be difficult to verify my species lists, and an increase or decrease of species richness in the future will be possible to detect with high certainty, he wrote (in German) in one of his major works, Die Vegetationsverhaltnisse der Schneestufe in den Ratisch-Lepontischen Alpen. Ein Bild des Pflanzenlebens an seinen auersten Grenzen in 1913.Were confident that this old data is of high quality. And to make sure that our own new data is also good, on several of the summits weve had two people climb up to gather data independently of each other, said Sonja Wipf, who has been responsible for collecting much of the new data.Braun-Blanquets foresight has given us food for thought. Without his fascination for understanding the distribution of plant species on mountain peaks, we wouldnt have been able to ascertain that the effects of global warming are accelerating. This is a really good example of the importance of non-targeted research and fascination for understanding complexity in nature, said Associate Professor Signe Normand from the Department of Bioscience at Aarhus University, who also participated in the research project. Contact Manuel Steinbauer Professor, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Department of Geography and Geosciences, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nurnberg (FAU) Mail manuel.steinbauer@fau.de Phone +49 9131 85 22407Sonja Wipf PhD, scientific staff member Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) Mail sonja.wipf@slf.ch Phone +41 (0)81 417 0276Jens-Christian Svenning Professor, VILLUM Investigator, Department of Bioscience Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity Aarhus University Mail svenning@bios.au.dk Mobile +45 2899 2304Signe Normand Associate professor, VILLUM Young Investigator, Department of Bioscience Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity Aarhus University Mail signe.normand@bios.au.dk Phone +45 8715 4345 By Kat J. McAlpine 21 May 2018 (Vector) Over-prescribing has long been thought to increase antibiotic resistance in bacteria. But could much bigger environmental pressures be at play?While studying the role of climate on the distribution of antibiotic resistance across the geography of the U.S., a multidisciplinary team of epidemiologists from Boston Childrens Hospital found that higher local temperatures and population densities correlate with higher antibiotic resistance in common bacterial strains. Their findings were published today in Nature Climate Change.The effects of climate are increasingly being recognized in a variety of infectious diseases, but so far as we know this is the first time it has been implicated in the distribution of antibiotic resistance over geographies, says the studys lead author, Derek MacFadden, MD, an infectious disease specialist and research fellow at Boston Childrens Hospital. We also found a signal that the associations between antibiotic resistance and temperature could be increasing over time.During their study, the team assembled a large database of U.S. antibiotic resistance in E. coli, K. pneumoniae and S. aureus, pulling from hospital, laboratory and disease surveillance data documented between 2013 and 2015. Altogether, their database comprised more than 1.6 million bacterial specimens from 602 unique records across 223 facilities and 41 states. Rising temperatures, rising antibiotic resistance Not surprisingly, when looking at antibiotic prescription rates across geographic areas, the team found that increased prescribing was associated with increased antibiotic resistance across all the pathogens that they investigated.But then, after adjusting for prescriptions rates and other factors, when the team mapped out the latitude coordinates and mean and median local temperatures of their data points, they found that higher local average minimum temperatures correlated strongly with antibiotic resistance. Local average minimum temperature increases of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) were associated with 4.2, 2.2 and 3.6 percent increases in antibiotic resistant strains of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus, respectively.Estimates outside of our study have already told us that there will already be a drastic and deadly rise in antibiotic resistance in coming years, says the papers co-senior author John Brownstein, PhD, chief innovation officer and director of the Computational Epidemiology Group at Boston Childrens and professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School (HMS). But with our findings that climate change could be compounding and accelerating an increase in antibiotic resistance, the future prospects could be significantly worse than previously thought. Population growth = more chances for antibiotic resistance to spread? More unsettling still were some newly-discovered associations with population density. The team found that an increase of 10,000 people per square mile was associated with three and six percent respective increases in antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative E. coli and K. pneumoniae. In contrast, population density did not appear to significantly affect the antibiotic resistance of Gram- positive S. aureus.Population growth and increases in temperature and antibiotic resistance are three phenomena that we know are currently happening on our planet, says the studys co-senior author Mauricio Santillana, PhD, who is a faculty member in the Computational Health Informatics Program at Boston Childrens and an assistant professor at HMS. But until now, hypotheses about how these phenomena relate to each other have been sparse. We need to continue bringing multidisciplinary teams together to study antibiotic resistance in comparison to the backdrop of population and environmental changes.MacFadden says transmission factors are of particular interest for further scientific research.As transmission of antibiotic resistant organisms increases from one host to another, so does the opportunity for ongoing evolutionary selection of resistance due to antibiotic use, MacFadden says. We hypothesize that temperature and population density could act to facilitate transmission and thus increases in antibiotic resistance.The bottom line is that our findings highlight a dire need to invest more research efforts into improving our understanding of the interconnectedness of infectious disease, medicine, and our changing environment, Brownstein concludes.In addition to MacFadden, Brownstein and Santillana, additional authors on the study are Sarah McGough and David Fisman.This work was supported by a Canadian Institute for Health Research Fellowship, the Clinician Scientist Program at University of Torontos Department of Medicine and the National Library of Medicine (NIH R01 LM011965). 2 May 2018 (UN News) In a call for Member States to take action urgently, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, warned that air pollution threatens us all, but the poorest and most marginalized people bear the brunt of the burden.According to WHOs ambient air quality database, despite some improvements, pollution levels are still dangerously high in most parts of the world.This includes many of the worlds megacities, according to Dr Maria Neira, WHOs Director of the Department of Public Health, Social and Environmental Determinants of Health, who added that air quality levels in those urban centres, exceed WHO guidelines by more than five times.Covering more than 4,300 cities in 108 countries, the data points to an estimated 4.2 million deaths each year caused by outdoor air pollution, with 3.8 million fatalities overall, owing to household pollutants, linked to cooking.More than 90 per cent of victims come from low- and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa, followed by others in the Eastern Mediterranean region, Europe and the Americas.The threat to human health comes from exposure to near-invisible toxins that are present in polluted air as fine particles.These pollutants some of the most dangerous being sulfates, nitrates and black carbon penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream and cause a range of diseases including stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and other respiratory infections.According to WHO, global air pollution is linked to inefficient energy use in every sector of human activity: coal-fired power plants, industry, agriculture, and transport.Waste burning and deforestation are additional sources of air pollution, as are sand and desert dust, the agency says.Inside peoples houses, the main source of air pollution stems from lack of access to clean cooking fuels.Its a problem that affects more than 40 per cent of the worlds population some three billion people a situation that the WHO Director-General described as unacceptable.Although there are major gaps on air pollution data from regions including the Western Pacific and Africa where information was available in only eight out of 47 countries on the continent the WHO chief noted that the international community was starting to pay attention and take action on air pollution, recognizing it as a threat to sustainable development.The good news is that we are seeing more and more governments increasing commitments to monitor and reduce air pollution as well as more global action from the health sector and other sectors like transport, housing and energy, he said.WHOs Dr Neira echoed that message, highlighting an acceleration of political interest in this global public health challenge. But she noted that the increased commitment to recording air pollution data to date, had come mostly from high-income countries.Countries that are taking measures to reduce air pollution include India, WHO says, where one new scheme has provided free gas connections for more than 37 million women, to help them make the switch to clean energy use in the home.The publication of WHOs findings comes ahead of the first Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health, which is due to run from 30 October to 1 November in Geneva, where the UN agency aims to push for improved air quality and combat the harmful effects of climate change. 13 June 2018 (University of Leeds) Ice losses from Antarctica have increased global sea levels by 7.6 mm since 1992, with two fifths of this rise (3 mm) coming in the last five years alone.The findings are from a major climate assessment known as the Ice Sheet Mass Balance Inter-comparison Exercise (IMBIE), and are published today in Nature. It is the most complete picture of Antarctic ice sheet change to date 84 scientists from 44 international organisations combined 24 satellite surveys to produce the assessment. The assessment, led by Professor Andrew Shepherd at the University of Leeds and Dr Erik Ivins at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, was supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Their findings show that prior to 2012, Antarctica lost ice at a steady rate of 76 billion tonnes per year a 0.2 mm per year contribution to sea level rise. However, since then there has been a sharp, threefold increase. Between 2012 and 2017 the continent lost 219 billion tonnes of ice per year a 0.6 mm per year sea level contribution. Antarctica stores enough frozen water to raise global sea level by 58 metres, and knowing how much ice it is losing is key to understanding the impacts of climate change today and in the future.Professor Shepherd said: We have long suspected that changes in Earths climate will affect the polar ice sheets. Thanks to the satellites our space agencies have launched, we can now track their ice losses and global sea level contribution with confidence. According to our analysis, there has been a steep increase in ice losses from Antarctica during the past decade, and the continent is causing sea levels to rise faster today than at any time in the past 25 years. This has to be a concern for the governments we trust to protect our coastal cities and communities.Dr Ivins said: The added duration of the observing period, the larger pool of participants, various refinements in our observing capability and an improved ability to assess both inherent and interpretive uncertainties, each contribute to making this the most robust study of ice mass balance of Antarctica to date.The threefold increase in ice loss from the continent as a whole is a combination of glacier speedup in West Antarctica and at the Antarctic Peninsula, and reduced growth of the ice sheet in East Antarctica.West Antarctica experienced the largest change, with ice losses rising from 53 billion tonnes per year in the 1990s to 159 billion tonnes per year since 2012. Most of this came from the huge Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers, which are retreating rapidly due to ocean melting. At the northern tip of the continent, ice shelf collapse at the Antarctic Peninsula has driven a 25 billion tonne per year increase in ice loss since the early 2000s. The East Antarctic ice sheet has remained close to a state of balance over the past 25 years, gaining just 5 billion tonnes of ice per year on average.Polar researchers had these comments:Josef Aschbacher, ESAs Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said: CryoSat and Sentinel-1 are clearly making an essential contribution to understanding how ice sheets are responding to climate change and affecting sea level, which is a major concern.While these impressive results demonstrate our commitment to climate research through efforts such as our Climate Change Initiative and scientific data exploitation activities, they also show what can be achieved by working with our NASA colleagues. Looking to the future, however, it is important that we have satellites to continue measuring Earths ice to maintain the ice-sheet climate data record.Isabella Velicogna, professor of Earth system science, University of California, Irvine, and senior research scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: Gravity measurements from the joint NASA and German Aerospace Center (DLR) GRACE mission help us track the loss of ice mass in the polar regions and impacts on sea level at points around the planet. The data from these spacecraft show us not only that a problem exists but that it is growing in severity with each passing year.Eric Rignot, professor of Earth system science, University of California, Irvine, and senior research scientist at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: Measurements collected by radar satellites and Landsat over the years have documented glacier changes around Antarctica at an amazing level of precision, so that we have now a very detailed and thorough understanding of the rapid changes in ice flow taking place in Antarctica and how they raise sea level worldwide.Benjamin Smith, senior principal investigator, University of Washington Applied Physics Lab, said: Were at a really exciting time in Antarctic glaciology, in that we have a lot of mature technologies for measuring ice-sheet changes that were not available when I started in the field in the early 2000s.The IMBIE-2 work shows that these have come together just in time to let us watch some really important changes in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and in the Peninsula. Over the next few years were going to see some more types of data, from ICESat-2, GRACE-FO, and NISAR, that should let us keep watching Antarctica change in even finer detail.Dr Pippa Whitehouse, NERC Independent Research Fellow at Durham University, said: Satellites have given us an amazing, continent-wide picture of how Antarctica is changing. The length of the satellite record now makes it possible for us to identify regions that have been undergoing sustained ice loss for over a decade. The next piece of the puzzle is to understand the processes driving this change. To do this, we need to keep watching the ice sheet closely, but we also need to look back in time and try to understand how the ice sheet responded to past climate change.Michiel van den Broeke, professor of polar meteorology at Utrecht University, said: To enhance the interpretation of ice sheet mass changes as observed by satellites requires accurate modelling of the amount of snowfall on the ice sheet, something that cannot be reliably measured from space yet. Our model results prove that mass loss from the Antarctic ice sheet is caused by acceleration of ice flow in West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula, and that mass variations in East Antarctica are mainly driven by snowfall fluctuations. Contact To request an interview with Professor Andrew Shepherd, contact the University of Leeds Media Relations office via +44 (0)113 343 4031 or pressoffice@leeds.ac.uk 30 May 2018 (NOAA) NOAAs Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI), which tracks the warming influence of long-lived greenhouse gases, has increased by 41 percent from 1990 to 2017, up 1 percent from 2016 with most of that attributable to rising carbon dioxide levels, according to NOAA climate scientists. [cf. NOAAs greenhouse gas index up 40 percent since 1990 Carbon dioxide increase is accelerating and Graph of the Day: NOAA annual greenhouse gas index (AGGI), 1700-2015. Des]The greenhouse gas index is based on precise measurements of gases in the atmosphere, which are collected from a network of sites around the globe and analyzed at NOAAs Earth System Research Lab in Boulder, Colorado. The index is proportional to the change in the direct climate-warming influence (also known as climate forcing) exerted by five primary greenhouse gases since the onset of the industrial revolution.The greenhouse gas index is based on highly accurate measurements and long-established principles of physics, so it tells us how we are raising the amount of heat trapped in the atmosphere right now, said James Butler, director of NOAAs Global Monitoring Division.NOAA scientists introduced the Annual Greenhouse Gas Index in 2006 as a way to help policymakers, educators and the public understand the influence exerted by greenhouse gas levels over time. Called the AGGI for short, it is updated each spring when air samples from all over the globe for the previous year have been obtained and analyzed. Five primary greenhouse gases are tracked by AGGI The index tracks five primary gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and two chlorofluorocarbons that were banned by the Montreal Protocol because they damage Earths protective ozone layer. These five primary greenhouse gases account for about 96 percent of the increased climate warming influence since 1750. Fifteen secondary greenhouse gases also tracked by the AGGI account for the remaining 4 percent.Scientists who created the AGGI assigned a value of zero to the year 1750, marking the onset of the industrial revolution. Analysis of air trapped in ice and snow in Antarctica by NOAA and others demonstrate that after this date, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations departed from a relatively stable 280 parts per million observed during the previous 10,000 years, climbing to 354 parts per million in 1990 and 405 parts per million by the end of 2017. Since 1750, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen 46 percent.In April 2018, CO2 levels at NOAAs Mauna Loa baseline atmospheric observatory averaged 410 ppm.An AGGI value of 1.0 was assigned to the year 1990, which was the baseline year of the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty calling for the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In 2016 the AGGI was 1.40, in 2017, the AGGI rose to a value of 1.41. Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is by far the most important greenhouse gas in both total amount and rate of increase, and is responsible for 80 percent of the increased warming influence captured by the AGGI since 1990.During 2017, NOAAs Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network Measurements showed that concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere rose by 2.3 parts per million, following record increases of 2.9 ppm in 2016 and 2015. This is the sixth consecutive year CO2 rose by 2 ppm or more. Prior to 2012, back-to-back annual increases of 2 ppm or greater occurred only twice.The direct warming influence exerted by all five primary and 15 secondary gases measured by the AGGI are equivalent to the warming influence of 493 ppm of CO2. One of many climate change indicators The Greenhouse Gas Index is one of numerous indicators tracked by NOAA during 2017 that demonstrate how the Earths climate is warming: The globally averaged annual temperature during 2017 was third-warmest in NOAAs 138-year global temperature record, behind 2016 and 2015. Each of the five of the warmest years have occurred since 2010. Each of the 10 warmest years have occurred in the past 20 years. All 18 years of the 21st Century rank among the 19 warmest on record. Record warmth was observed across parts of the western and central Pacific Ocean, western Indian Ocean, southern South America, and the southwestern contiguous U.S. and scattered across parts of the northern Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Middle East, and eastern Asia. For the contiguous U.S., 2017 was also the third warmest year since that data began to be recorded in 1895, coming in behind 2012 and 2016. It was the 21st consecutive warmer-than-average year for the U.S. The five warmest years on record for the contiguous U.S. have all occurred since 2006. For the third consecutive year, every one of the contiguous U.S. and Alaska had an above-average annual temperature. During 2017, Texas experienced its warmest winter on record, California and Nevada experienced the warmest summer in 123 years, while Arizona, New Mexico, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut all experienced the highest average fall temperatures on record. During 2017, the maximum extent of Arctic sea ice set a record low for the third straight year. Greenhouse gases trap heat its that simple, Butler said. The AGGI is a single number that shows how much extra heat the atmosphere is able to trap every year. Access the complete AGGI for 2017 online. NOAAs greenhouse gas index up 41 percent since 1990 30 May 2018 (NOAA) [] Weekly data are used to create a smoothed north-south latitude profile from which a global average is calculated (Figure 2). The atmospheric abundance of CO2 has increased by an average of 1.81 ppm per year over the past 39 years (1979-2017). The CO2 increase is accelerating while it averaged about 1.6 ppm per year in the 1980s and 1.5 ppm per year in the 1990s, the growth rate increased to 2.2 ppm per year during the last decade (2008-2017). The annual CO2 increase from 1 Jan 2017 to 1 Jan 2018 was 2.3 0.1 ppm (see https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/global.html), which is lower than the previous two years, but higher than the average of the previous decade, and much higher than the two decades before that.The growth rate of methane declined from 1983 until 1999, consistent with an approach to steady-state, assuming no trend in CH4 lifetime. Superimposed on this decline is significant interannual variability in growth rates [Dlugokencky et al., 1998, 2003]. From 1999 to 2006, the atmospheric CH4 burden was nearly constant, but since 2007, globally averaged CH4 has been increasing again. Causes for the increase during 2007-2008 included warm temperatures in the Arctic in 2007 and increased precipitation in the tropics during 2007 and 2008 [Dlugokencky et al., 2009]. Isotopic measurements argue for continued increasing microbial emissions after 2008 (e.g., likey from wetlands or agriculture) [Schaefer et al., 2016; Nisbet et al., 2016]. Some recent papers have also suggested contributions to the plateau and subsequent increase in methanes global abundance from changes in the loss rate of methane [Rigby et al., 2017]. Since 2013, the global within-year increase (1 Jan to 1 Jan) in methane has become even larger, with increases between 8.8 2.6 through 2017 compared to an average annual increase of 5.7 1.1 ppb yr-1 between 2007 and 2013 (https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends_ch4/). The atmospheric burden of nitrous oxide continues to slowly increase over time, with an average rate of 0.9 ppb yr-1 over the past decade. Radiative forcing from the sum of observed CFC changes ceased increasing in about 2000 and continued to decline through 2017 [Montzka et al., 2011]. The latter is a response to decreased emissions related to the fully adjusted and amended Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. [] 2017 Results Figure 4 shows radiative forcing for the major gases and a set of 15 minor long-lived halogenated gases (CFC-113, CCl4, CH3CCl3, HCFCs 22, 141b and 142b, HFCs 134a, 152a, 23, 143a, and 125, SF6, and halons 1211, 1301 and 2402). Except for the HFCs and SF6, which do not contain chlorine or bromine, these gases are also ozone-depleting gases and are regulated by the Montreal Protocol. As expected, CO2 dominates the total forcing with methane and the CFCs becoming relatively smaller contributors to the total forcing over time. The five major greenhouse gases account for about 96% of the direct radiative forcing by long-lived greenhouse gas increases since 1750. The 15 minor halogenated gases contribute The remaining 4%. Of the five long-lived greenhouse gases, CO2 and N2O are the only ones that continue to increase at regular rates over decades. Radiative forcing from CH4 increased since 2007 after remaining nearly constant from 1999 to 2006. While the radiative forcing of the long-lived, well-mixed greenhouse gases increased 41% from 1990 to 2017 (by ~0.90 watts m-2), CO2 has accounted for about 80% of this increase (~0.72 watts m-2). Had the ozone-depleting gases not been regulated by the Montreal Protocol and its amendments, it is estimated that climate forcing would have been as much as 0.3 watt m-2 greater in 2010 [Velders et al., 2007], or more than half of the increase in radiative forcing due to CO2 alone since 1990. The recent Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol controls future production of HFCs, which are substitutes for CFCs and other ozone-depleting gases, to ensure that radiative forcing for these substitutes does not increase substantially in the future. Of the ozone-depleting gases and their substitutes, the largest contributors to direct warming in 2017 were CFC-12, followed by CFC-11, HCFC-22, CFC-113 and HCFC-134a. Although the concentration of HCFC-22 in the remote atmosphere surpassed that of CFC-11 by the end of 2015 (Figure 2), the radiative forcing arising from HCFC-22 is still only 84% of that from CFC-11 because CFC-11 is more efficient at trapping infrared radiation on a per molecule basis. [more] The NOAA Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI) CAPE TOWN, South Africa, 19 June 2018 (Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy) Billions of people in thousands of cities around the world will be at risk from climate-related heatwaves, drought, flooding, food shortages, blackouts and social inequality by mid-century without bold and urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Fortunately, cities around the world are delivering bold climate solutions to avert these outcomes and create a healthier, safer, more equal and prosperous future for all urban citizens. New research from C40 Cities, Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, the Urban Climate Change Research Network (UCCRN) and Acclimatise predicts how many urban residents will face potentially devastating heat waves, flooding and droughts by 2050 if global warming continues on its current trajectory. The Future We Dont Want How climate change could impact the worlds greatest cities [pdf] also looks at indirect climate impacts and estimates how climate change under a business-as-usual scenario will impact urban food security and energy systems as well as the urban poor, who are most vulnerable to climate change. Headline findings include that, by 2050 1.6 billion people living in over 970 cities, will be regularly exposed to extreme high temperatures. Over 800 million people, living in 570 cities, will be vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal flooding. 650 million people, in over 500 cities, will be at risk of water shortages due to climate change. 2.5 billion people will be living in over 1,600 cities where national food supply is threatened by climate change. The power supply to 470 million people, in over 230 cities, will be vulnerable to sea level rise. 215 million poor urban residents, living in slum areas in over 490 cities, will face increasing climate risks. The Future We Dont Want How climate change could impact the worlds greatest cities also contains concrete examples of bold climate solutions that cities are delivering, which, if adopted at-scale, could help prevent the worst impacts of climate change. The research was launched at the Adaptation Futures conference in Cape Town, where representatives of cities around the world are sharing ideas on how to prepare and adapt their cities for the effects of climate change. For decades, scientists have been warning of the risks that climate change will pose from increasing global temperatures, rising sea levels, growing inequality and water, food, and energy shortages. Now we have the clearest possible evidence of just what these impacts will mean for the citizens of the worlds cities, said Mark Watts, Executive Director C40 Cities. This is the future that nobody wants. Our research should serve as a wake-up call on just how urgently we need to be delivering bold climate action. For most C40 cities, the impacts of climate change are not a far off threat. From Cape Town to Houston, Mayors are seeing severe droughts, storms, fires, and more, said Antha Williams, Head of Environmental Programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies and C40 Board Member, As this report shows, C40 mayors are on the front line of climate change, and the actions they take today to use less energy in buildings, transition to clean transportation and reduce waste are necessary to ensure prosperity and safety for their citizens. Climate change is already happening and the worlds great cities are feeling the impact. Cape Town is facing an unprecedented drought, but thanks to the efforts of our citizens to adapt, we have averted Day Zero, when we would have had to switch off most taps, said Patricia de Lille, Executive Mayor of Cape Town and Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy Board Member. The lessons from Cape Town, and from this important new research is that every city must invest today in the infrastructure and policies that will protect citizens from the future effects of our changing global climate. Many of the solutions being delivered by cities, as well as regional governments, investors and businesses to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, will be showcased at the Global Climate Action Summit, taking place in San Francisco, September 12-14th, 2018. City climate solutions featured in the report include: By Brett Walton 12 July 2018 CAPE TOWN, South Africa (Circle of Blue) This is what a water panic looks like in a major global city.People hoard water. They queue for hours, well into the night, to fill jugs at natural springs. Like mad Christmas shoppers, they clear supermarkets of bottled water. They descend on stockers before they can fill the shelves.Restaurants, malls, and offices shut off bathroom faucets and install hand sanitizer dispensers. Exhortations to conserve water are plastered throughout buildings. Above one toilet stall at the University of Cape Town a paper placard with a hand-turned dial indicates the number of uses since the last flush. Be A Wee-Wise Water Warrior. Only Flush After 4 (No. 1s only), it reads.Panic. Residents in South Africas second largest city repeatedly used that word to describe the weeks after January 18 when Mayor Patricia De Lille proclaimed that the day the city would run out of water, what was called Day Zero, was fast approaching. The declaration hit like a blast wave.City workers knocked holes into sewer lines so that underground water would seep in to compensate for low flows. Wealthier residents frantically drilled boreholes on their property to access groundwater and move a portion of their water use off the city grid. Well drillers reported being booked for months.On February 1 the height of southern hemisphere summer, when water demand is greatest the city clamped down, harder than any city with its living standards. Officials set a target of 50 liters (13 gallons) per person per day for all domestic uses: cooking, bathing, toilet flushing, washing clothes. Watering lawns and scrubbing cars with city water had already been banned for months. The abuse of water means that we will all suffer, De Lille had warned.The most visible symbol of the water crisis was Theewaterskloof Dam, the main drinking source for Cape Town. The big dam and its five sister reservoirs in the Western Cape system not only supply water for drinking water but also for farm irrigation. After three years of drought, the reservoirs dropped so rapidly six months ago that city authorities warned that they would shut off water to homes and businesses unless residents embraced strict water-saving practices.The goal was to keep the reservoirs from being completely drained, unleashing a catastrophic scenario a major city starved of water, an economy constricted, millions of residents hauling daily water rations from sanctioned collection points, the potential for disease outbreaks and violence.In those terrifying months earlier this year turnouts along the R45 highway, an hour east of Cape Town, became vantage points to view the calamity. Theewaterskloof Dam, and its largely empty reservoir, lay below. Steady winds raked the empty plain on a warm April afternoon, lifting up curtains of dust. A herd of oryx grazed warily while songbirds flitted among dead trees, their branches bleached and spiky like fish bones. [more] By Kathryn Hansen 28 June 2018 (NASA) In recent decades, northern India has been plagued by a double-dose of air pollution due to nearby sources of desert dust and increasing amounts of airborne particles from human activities. New research suggests that winds are spreading the problem, moving some of the pollution southward in ever-increasing amounts.Black carbon is one of several components of Indian air pollution described in new research led by Sudipta Sarkar of NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center. Black carbon is a sooty black material that comes from the incomplete combustion of things like fossil fuels and vegetation and is easily transported by winds. It can cause respiratory and cardiovascular disease if inhaled, and it can also affect climate.The map above, based on a model known as MERRA-2, shows how the amount of airborne black carbon, averaged for the month of November, has changed over a 12-year period from 2005 to 2016. Blue areas indicate where concentrations have decreased, while orange and red show increases.Looking at the map, the increases in central India do not stand out compared to some other areas. They were, however, surprising. We first looked at Indias capital, Delhi, which is in the news a lot for its air pollution problems, Sarkar said. When we looked at whole picture, we thought wow, this is happening in areas to the south, too.Ground-based measurements at sites including Aurangabad confirmed what the models indicated: increases in black carbon are affecting central India in November. So where is it coming from?Sarkar and colleagues attribute the overall rise in black carbon to the rise in the use of mechanical harvesting, which leaves behind stalks that farmers then burn before planting the next crop. Mechanical harvesting has long been performed in the north. Since 2010, the method has been expanding eastward along the foothills of Himalaya. More mechanical harvesting means more black carbon, one of the key byproducts of crop residue burning.Sarkar and colleagues think that winds are likely the main way that this pollution is reaching central India from areas north. From mid-October through mid-November, after the monsoon, a ridge of atmospheric high pressure usually sets up over northwestern part of the country. As a result, winds during this time usually blow from northern states toward the south and east, carrying fine pollution particles from the northwest.Mechanical harvesting in Punjab has increased and spread to other states, so the cumulative effect is increasing with every passing year, Sarkar said. Specifically, black carbon values over central and southern India in November increased by as much as 60 percent over the 12-year period.Sarkar notes that there was a hint of improvement downwind after regulations were put into effect in Punjab in 2017, but researchers will need a few more years of data before they can say for sure. By Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Sarah Parvini, Ruben Vives, and Hailey Branson-Potts 7 July 2018 (Los Angeles Times) A record-setting heat wave sparked brush fires across Southern California that destroyed homes and forced thousands to evacuate from Santa Barbara to San Diego county. The heat wave, coupled with moderate winds, helped fan nearly a dozen fires across the region, the most serious being in Alpine and Goleta. Hundreds of residents fled the West Willows community near Alpine, with some saying they didnt know whether their homes were still standing. [] On the Santa Barbara County coast, powerful sundowner winds helped fuel the Holiday fire, which burned several homes Friday night in the hills above Goleta and threatened more than 100 others, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Temperatures remained around 100 degrees as the fire fight moved into the night. Powerful evening winds were pushing the blaze, which authorities said began as a structure fire, in different directions. [] Outside the fire zone, it was a day of triple-digit misery that left sweaty Californians to the mercy of their air conditioning or their resolve to tough it out. By 1 p.m., the temperature hit 115 degrees in Woodland Hills, breaking the previous daily record of 106 degrees set on July 6, 1976, according to the National Weather Service. It was just four degrees shy of the hottest temperature ever recorded in Los Angeles County: 119 degrees on July 22, 2006. That also happened to be in Woodland Hills. Several places broke heat records for the day, including downtown Los Angeles, which hit 108 degrees. Van Nuys and Burbank airports set all-time records of 117 and 114 degrees, respectively. The San Diego County community of Ramona reached its highest recorded temperature 112 degrees by 11 a.m., forecasters said, and later hit 115 degrees. The broiling temperatures were the result of a strong high-pressure system combined with offshore winds blowing from the desert to the ocean, said Todd Hall, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Like many Southern Californians, Hall does not have air conditioning at home and was not looking forward to leaving his nice, cool office. By midmorning Friday, it was already 105 degrees in Los Feliz as Zeneith Evenstar heaved a shopping cart full of her belongings uphill. A petite homeless woman with graying hair, Evenstar, 56, said she knew how to keep cool after seven years of living on the streets. She pours water on herself as she walks her route collecting cans. She spends afternoons at her church. And she knows the patches of shade where she can rest and security guards wont chase her away. I just keep going, Evenstar said. What can you do? [more] By Kasha Patel 27 July 2018 (NASA) On any given day, Zoubaida Salman instructs a classroom of 15-year-olds at the Sur Baher Girls School in East Jerusalem, where she has served as the science teacher and Environment and Health Coordinator for the past 22 years. One of the most important lessons comes from their backyard: water is scarce and precious in this region. Water shortages can lead to major sanitation issues at schools, so students have to play an active role in managing it. At Sur Baher, the most significant use of water is for flushing toilets, which stop working if there is not enough water. If the water runs out, school administrators must buy it from the city. In other regions, the schools even close because of water shortages.A team of scientists with the NASA DEVELOP program is helping address these water shortages by collaborating with a nonprofit called Water Resources Action Project (WRAP). WRAP designs and constructs rainwater harvesting systems for schools in the Middle East to capture rainfall during the five-month rainy season for use later. Selecting a geographically promising area is time-consuming and tedious work though for the small, volunteer-based team. The NASA DEVELOP team is using satellite data to help WRAP more easily identify suitable locations for the rainwater harvesting systems.The NASA-developed tool helps locate potential areas by looking at the regions historical satellite data of precipitation, groundwater availability, land elevation, and evapotranspiration (the amount of water evaporating from the leaves of plants and from the land surface). The maps show some of the satellite data used to determine suitable locations. The first image shows precipitation from 2006 to 2016, which has remained fairly constant. The precipitation data came from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission and were validated with NOAAs Global Surface Summary of the Day.The second set of maps shows groundwater availability as observed by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). Since 2006, the Middle East has experienced a net decrease in groundwater.We wanted to incorporate data from NASAs Earth-observing satellites, specifically on precipitation, said Vishal Arya, who worked on the project at NASA Langley Research Center. We looked for a correlation between precipitation and environmental factors that could be used to identify areas that would be good candidates for a rainwater harvesting system.The data sets have been combined into an interactive Google Earth interface tool called Precipitation Interface for the Middle East (PrIME). PrIME also includes land elevation data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and evapotranspiration data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite. The tool also includes school locations.NASA has served as an invaluable resource, providing WRAP with a readily available decision-making tool, said Brendan McGinnis, Executive Director of WRAP. The satellite data show specific numbers over areas affected with limited rainfall and groundwater, rather than us approximating those measurements.Before the PrIME tool, WRAP set up rainwater harvesting systems in ten different schools across the Middle East. Now, WRAP has expanded its efforts into Jordan and Palestine. McGinnis hopes to have similar success as its existing programs. At the Al-Afaq School for Special Education in East Jerusalem, WRAPs rainwater harvesting system has provided nearly 70 percent of the schools total water needs. Other schools have depended less on water provided by the city.The rainwater harvesting system helped us minimize water consumption from the city, especially in winter, and decreased water bills, said Salman. By Thomas Nilsen 5 July 2018 (The Barents Observer) The northern Barents Sea is an Arctic warming hotspot, says Sigrid Lind with the Marine Research Institute in Troms, Norway. Changes go from Arctic to Atlantic climate, concludes a study Lind and other scientists have made. The results are published in a recent article in Nature.The ocean researchers have used a compilation of hydrographic observations from 1970 to 2016, investigating the link between changing sea-ice import and the warming hotspot of the northern Barents Sea.A sharp increase in ocean temperature and salinity is apparent from the mid-2000s, which we show can be linked to a recent decline in sea-ice import and a corresponding loss in freshwater, leading to weakened ocean stratification, enhanced vertical mixing and increased upward fluxes of heat and salt that prevent sea-ice formation and increase ocean heat content, Sigrid Lind tells in the article.Thus, the northern Barents Sea may soon complete the transition from a cold Arctic to a warm and well-mixed Atlantic dominated climate regime. In fact, the entire Barents Sea will be ice-free year-around.Such a shift would have unknown consequences for the Barents Sea ecosystem, Lind says.What happens now due to climate changes is a self-reinforcing cycle. The climate tipping point for Arctic sea-ice might already been past, since the Barents Sea acts like a buffer between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic. Warm Atlantic water will no longer be pressed deeper by freshwater around Svalbard because the fresh water floating south from sea-ice disappears, and with the saltier Atlantic water sea-ice formation will decrease. Sea-ice has been the most important source of fresh water to the northern Barents Sea.The ocean researchers argue that ice-associated marine mammals and commercial fish stocks are at stake.Norways Meteorological Institute has all summer published highly worrying ice maps for the Barents Sea. Though, better named ice-free maps when looking closer. The Wednesday, 4 July 2018, map of Svalbard shows the Hinlopen Strait with very little ice. Also, waters around the islands of Nordaustlandet, Kong Karls land, and Kvitya have no sea-ice.This is the lowest area for this day of the year in our records dating back to 1967, Norway Ice Service writes in a tweet.For the waters around Svalbard it is a record low ice area by a good margin, says Nick Hughes, Leader of the Ice Service in Troms to the Barents Observer. [more] By Matt McGrath 8 July 2018 (BBC News) Cut-price Chinese home insulation is being blamed for a massive rise in emissions of a gas, highly damaging to the Earths protective ozone layer. The Environmental Investigations Agency (EIA) found widespread use of CFC-11 in China, even though the chemical was fully banned back in 2010. Scientists have been extremely puzzled by the mysterious rise in emissions.But this report suggests the key source is Chinas home construction industry. Just two months ago, researchers published a study showing that the expected decline in the use of CFC-11 after it was completely banned eight years ago had slowed to a crawl. [cf. Emissions of ozone-destroying CFC-11 are rising again It is taking us away from timely recovery of the ozone layer. Des]There were suspicions among researchers that new supplies were being made somewhere in East Asia. Rumours were rife as to the source. There was a concern among some experts that the chemical was being used to secretly enrich uranium for use in nuclear weapons. The reality it seems is more about insulation than proliferation. CFC-11 makes a very efficient blowing agent for polyurethane foam, helping it to expand into rigid thermal insulation thats used in houses to cut energy bills and reduce carbon emissions. Researchers from the EIA, a green campaign group, contacted foam manufacturing factories in 10 different provinces across China. From their detailed discussions with executives in 18 companies, the investigators concluded that the chemical is used in the majority of the polyurethane insulation the firms produce. One seller of CFC-11 estimated that 70 percent of Chinas domestic sales used the illegal gas. The reason is quite simple: CFC-11 is better quality and much cheaper than the alternatives. The authorities have banned CFC-11 but enforcement of the regulation is poor. We were absolutely gobsmacked to find that companies very openly confirmed using CFC-11 while acknowledging it was illegal, Avipsa Mahapatra from EIA told BBC News. The fact that they were so blase about it, the fact that they told us very openly how pervasive it is in the market, these were shocking findings for us. [more] Ozone hole mystery: China insulating chemical said to be source of rise 8 July 2018 (EIA) Information obtained by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) demonstrates conclusively that the use of CFC-11 in Chinas rigid polyurethane (PU) foam insulation sector, in particular in the building and construction subsector, is widespread and pervasive. CFC-11 is used as a foam blowing agent for the manufacture of molded foam panels and spray foam used for insulation purposes. EIA has evidence from eighteen companies in ten provinces that they use CFC-11. Detailed discussions with company executives make clear that these are not isolated incidents but instead represent common practice across the industry. EIAs calculations show that emission estimates associated with the level of use reported by these companies can explain the majority of emissions identified in the atmospheric study. In addition there is significant potential for illegal international trade in CFC-11 containing pre-formulated polyols for foam manufacturing in other countries.The scale of the compliance issue is such that it cannot be treated as a series of isolated incidents. EIA urges the Government of China and the Parties to the Montreal Protocol to acknowledge the scale of this environmental crime and take immediate action to investigate further, implement legislative reform and ensure effective intelligence-led enforcement. Only through urgent and comprehensive action can the Montreal Protocol ensure that it continues to merit its reputation as the most effective global environmental treaty. Blowing It: Illegal Production and Use of Banned CFC-11 in Chinas Foam Blowing Industry By Jason Samenow 5 July 2018 (The Washington Post) From the normally mild summer climes of Ireland, Scotland and Canada to the scorching Middle East, numerous locations in the Northern Hemisphere have witnessed their hottest weather ever recorded over the past week.Large areas of heat pressure or heat domes scattered around the hemisphere led to the sweltering temperatures. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reports the heat is to blame for at least 34 deaths in southern Quebec, mostly in and near Montreal, which endured record high temperatures.In Northern Siberia, along the coast of the Arctic Ocean where weather observations are scarce model analyses showed temperatures soaring 40 degrees above normal on July 5, to over 90 degrees. It is absolutely incredible and really one of the most intense heat events Ive ever seen for so far north, wrote meteorologist Nick Humphrey, who offers more detail on this extraordinary high-latitude hot spell on his blog.On Thursday, Africa likely witnessed its hottest temperature ever reliably measured. Ouargla, Algeria soared to 124.3 degrees (51.3 Celsius). If verified, it would surpass Africas previous highest reliable temperature measurement of 123.3 degrees (50.7 Celsius) set July 13, 1961, in Morocco.No single record, in isolation, can be attributed to global warming. But collectively, these heat records are consistent with the kind of extremes we expect to see increase in a warming world.Lets take a tour around the world of the recent hot-weather milestones. North America A massive and intense heat dome has consumed the eastern two-thirds of the United States and southeast Canada since late last week. Its not only been hot but also exceptionally humid. Here are some of the notable all-time records set: (UCS) Sea levels are rising. Tides are inching higher. High-tide floods are becoming more frequent and reaching farther inland. And hundreds of US coastal communities will soon face chronic, disruptive flooding that directly affects peoples homes, lives, and properties. Yet property values in most coastal real estate markets do not currently reflect this risk. And most homeowners, communities, and investors are not aware of the financial losses they may soon face. This analysis [Underwater: Rising Seas, Chronic Floods, and the Implications for US Coastal Real Estate (2018)] looks at whats at risk for US coastal real estate from sea level riseand the challenges and choices we face now and in the decades to come. A threshold of disruption Long before rising seas permanently submerge properties, millions of Americans living in coastal communities will face more frequent and disruptive high-tide flooding. As this flooding increases, it will reach a threshold where normal routines become impossible and coastal residents, communities, and businesses are forced to make difficult, often costly choices.For this analysis, that threshold is defined as flooding that occurs 26 times per year (on average, once every other week) or more, a level of disruption referred to as chronic inundation. It is important to note that this flooding is not caused by stormsit is simply the result of high tides rising higher, and reaching farther inland, as sea levels rise.The results identify the number of residential and commercial properties at risk of chronic inundationand the total current property value, estimated population, and property tax base affectedfor the entire coastline of the lower 48 states. Billions of dollars of property at risk The analysis finds that: More than 300,000 of todays coastal homes, with a collective market value of about $117.5 billion today, are at risk of chronic inundation in 2045a timeframe that falls within the lifespan of a 30-year mortgage issued today. Approximately 14,000 coastal commercial properties, currently assessed at a value of roughly $18.5 billion, are also at risk during that timeframe. By the end of the century, homes and commercial properties currently worth more than $1 trillion could be at risk. This includes as many as 2.4 million homesthe rough equivalent of all the homes in Los Angeles and Houston combinedthat are collectively valued today at approximately $912 billion. The properties at risk by 2045 currently house 550,000 people and contribute nearly $1.5 billion toward todays property tax base. Those numbers jump to about 4.7 million people and $12 billion by 2100. States with the most homes at risk by the end of the century are Florida, with about 1 million homes (more than 10% of the states current residential properties); New Jersey, with 250,000 homes; and New York with 143,000 homes. These results reflect a high sea level rise scenarioan appropriately conservative projection to use when estimating risk to homes, which are often the owners single biggest asset. Even with a more moderate (intermediate) rate of sea level rise, nearly 140,000 homes are still at risk of chronic inundation by 2035 and more than 1.2 million by 2100. (See below for more information about the sea level rise scenarios used in this analysis.) It is also important to note that these results do not include future development or new homes, nor do they include critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, power plants, airports, ports, public buildings, and military bases. When all of these are taken together, the effects of chronic flooding could have staggering economic impacts. The growing risks to homeowners, communities, and the economy The challenges and choices that come with rising seas are profound and have significant implications for coastal residents, communities, and the broader economy. Homeowners and commercial property owners are at risk of steep financial losses if their properties flood regularly. Declining property values could erode the tax base for communities, jeopardizing funding for vital local services and infrastructure, such as roads, schools, and police and fire departments. Mortgages on homes that could become chronically flooded during the term of the loan are inherently riskier. As flooding becomes more frequent, the value of flooded homes will decline and many homeowners could find themselves with mortgages that exceed the value of their homes, or with homes that are increasingly difficult to insure or have even deteriorated to the point of being unlivable. With no obvious option for reversing that trend, some might choose to abandon their homes and allow banks to foreclose on their mortgages. Banks holding these risky mortgages on devalued properties could then find their financial position adversely affected. Mortgage-backed securities and bonds tied into these riskier coastal real estate mortgages will be at risk of losing value. Real estate developers and investors as well are at risk of losing money invested in properties that become chronically flooded. Once market risk perceptions catch up with reality, the potential drop in coastal property values could have broad reverberationsaffecting banks, insurers, investors, developers, and taxpayersand potentially trigger regional housing market crises as well as affect the broader national economy. A national imperative for action Given the enormity of the risks from sea level rise, communities, states, businesses, and the federal government all need to take action to prepare. A crucial first step is for communities, policymakers, and the financial sector to know the risks and amount of time they have available for a robust response. The nation must also implement policies that reduce the carbon emissions that cause global warming, including investments in clean energy solutions; re-orient policy and market incentives to better reflect the risks of sea level rise and build coastal resilience while also ensuring that resources are targeted to low-income and otherwise disadvantaged communities; and adopt bold, transformative policies that foster new frontiers of opportunity on safer ground for those who may have to retreat from high-risk areas. The risks of rising seas are profound. Many of the challenges they bring are inevitable. And our time to act is running out. There is no simple solutionbut we do still have opportunities to limit the harms. Whether we react to this threat by implementing science-based, coordinated, and equitable solutionsor walk, eyes open, toward a crisisis up to us right now. About this analysis To determine the number of coastal properties at risk from this level of chronic flooding, the analysis uses property data from the online real estate company Zillow combined with the findings of the 2017 analysis, When Rising Seas Hit Home: Hard Choices Ahead for Hundreds of US Coastal Communities, which uses a peer-reviewed methodology to assess areas at risk of chronic inundation.Three sea level rise scenarios, developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and localized for this analysis, are included: A high scenario that assumes a continued rise in global carbon emissions and an increasing loss of land ice; global average sea level is projected to rise about 2 feet by 2045 and about 6.5 feet by 2100. An intermediate scenario that assumes global carbon emissions rise through the middle of the century then begin to decline, and ice sheets melt at rates in line with historical observations; global average sea level is projected to rise about 1 foot by 2035 and about 4 feet by 2100. A low scenario that assumes nations successfully limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius (the goal set by the Paris Climate Agreement) and ice loss is limited; global average sea level is projected to rise about 1.6 feet by 2100. For more information on the sources and methodology used for this analysis, please see the full report and technical backgrounder. [more] Dr. Jeff Masters 1 August 2018 (Weather Underground) Wednesday, 1 August 2018, was the hottest day in Korean history, as a withering heat wave toppled all-time heat records throughout the peninsula. South Korea set a new all-time heat record of 41.0C (105.8F) at Hongcheon, a town in South Koreas northeastern province of Gangwon. This is the highest reading observed anywhere in the nation since 1907, when the country began to compile the data, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said . The new record came on the 76th anniversary of the former South Korean national record of 40.0C (104F), set at Daegu on 1 August 1942.Both Korean capitals saw their all-time heat records fall on 1 August 2018: Seoul, South Korea with 39.6C (103.3F) (previous record 38.4C on 24 July 1994), and Pyongyang, North Korea with 37.8C (100F). (There was also a 37.8C reading in Pyongyang on 5 August 1961, but this is of questionable reliability, according to weather records expert Maximiliano Herrera.) In an email, Mr. Herrera said that the all-time heat record for North Korea, 40.5C (104.9F) set at Hoeryong on 30 July 1977, could not be beaten in this heat wave. That stationlocated in the hottest part of the nationwas closed years ago, and no longer takes weather measurements. But for duration and intensity, Herrera said that the heat wave of 2018 beats the two other notable heat waves in Korean history, in 1942 and 1994, and is without a doubt is the greatest heat wave in the history of the Korean Peninsula.Data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that more than 2,200 people across South Korea experienced heatstroke and heat exhaustion from May 20 and July 30, and 28 heat-related deaths were reported, as noted by the Korea Herald . Major impacts can be expected in North Korea as well.August 1 also saw all-time heat records fall at a number of stations in Chinanotably at Dalian and Qingyuanand in Japan, notably at Sendai. [ more ] Hottest Day in Korean History 1 August 2018 (BNO News) Temperatures in South Korea reached 41C (105.8F) on Wednesday, smashing the countrys all-time record that was set just over a week ago, forecasters say. Meanwhile, Portugal is bracing for extreme heat that could melt Europes record.The Korea Meteorological Administration said the temperature in Hongcheon, a city in the countrys north, reached 41.0C (105.8F) at 4 p.m. local time on Wednesday. In Seoul, the temperature hit a local record of 39.4C (102.9F).The temperature in Hongcheon smashes South Koreas all-time record, which was set only 8 days prior when the temperature hit 40.2C (104.3F) near Yeongcheon. The July 24 temperature in turn broke the record of 40C (104F) that was set in 1942.This is ridiculous. I think I am living in a tropical country, resident Cho Hyun-soo told The Korea Times. I just came from my break in Bangkok, and it was 34 degrees (93.2F) there. The weather in Southeast Asia is much cooler than in Korea. I dont know where I am living.The unusually long and intense heat wave follows a rainy season that lasted only 16 days, which is half of the normal average. Forecasters expect that the heat in South Korea will continue for the next few days with little rain in sight.So far, at least 28 people have died and more than 2,200 others have been treated for heat-related ailments, according to the Yonhap news agency. Because heat-related deaths are historically under-reported, the true death toll is believed to be in the hundreds or thousands.Large parts of the Northern Hemisphere have experienced unusually high temperatures over the past few months. And the heat is continuing into August for some countries, with Portugal and Spain bracing for a record-breaking heat wave.Portugals meteorological agency IPMA said on Wednesday that temperatures in the southern region of Alentejo are forecast to reach 47C (116.6F) on Saturday, on par with the national record set in 2003. Some weather models suggest that the maximum temperature could reach as high as 51C (123.8F) in some areas.If the models are accurate, it would easily melt Europes all-time temperature record of 48.0C (118.4F), which was recorded in Greece in July 1977. Portugals record stands at 47.4C (117.3F) while Spains record stands at 47.3C (117.1F). [more] By Tony Barboza , Bettina Boxall, and Rosanna Xia 27 August 2018(Los Angeles Times) Heat waves will grow more severe and persistent, shortening the lives of thousands of Californians. Wildfires will burn more of the states forests. The ocean will rise higher and faster, exposing California to billions in damage along the coast.These are some of the threats California will face from climate change in coming decades, according to a new statewide assessment released Monday by the California Natural Resources Agency.The projections come as Californians contend with destructive wildfires, brutal heat spells, and record ocean temperatures that scientists say have the fingerprints of global warming.This year has been kind of a harbinger of potential problems to come, said Daniel Cayan, a climate researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and one of the scientists coordinating the report. The number of extremes that weve seen is consistent with what model projections are pointing to, and theyre giving us an example of what we need to prepare for.State leaders vowed to act on the research, even as the Trump administration moves to unravel climate change regulations and allow more pollution from cars, trucks and coal-fired power plants.In California, facts and science still matter, Gov. Jerry Brown said in a statement. These findings are profoundly serious and will continue to guide us as we confront the apocalyptic threat of irreversible climate change.The states assessment draws on the latest science, including more than 40 new peer-reviewed studies, to project the effects of the continued rise in greenhouse gases on Californias weather, water, ecosystems and people and offer guidance on how officials across the state might adapt. Its the fourth such report since 2006, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered a climate change assessment as precursor to the Global Warming Solutions Act, the pioneering law California adopted that year to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels.This latest one for the first time scales down global climate models to project climates effect at the regional level or smaller. That approach is intended to provide local officials on the ground with more relevant, community-level information they can use to prepare.The difference between the San Joaquin Valley and the nearby coastal or Sierra Nevada mountains is enormous, so we have to have ways to unpack the large-scale global model calculations, Cayan said. [more] Climate change will be deadlier, more destructive and costlier for California than previously believed, state warns By Robert Monroe 27 August 2018 SACRAMENTO (UCSD) The State of California today released Californias Fourth Climate Change Assessment, which details new information on the impacts of climate change and provides planning tools to support the states response.Among the assessments warnings are that two-thirds of Southern Californias beaches could completely disappear and the average area burned by wildfires could nearly double by 2100. Dan Cayan, a climate scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, served as editor-in-chief of the assessment and researchers from Scripps and California Sea Grant contributed to several of its technical and summary reports.To prepare for climate changes and to avoid possible catastrophic impacts, California needs a massive platter of scientific information, Cayan said. The Assessment supplies such information in finer spatial detail and with greater attention to episodic events, illustrating an extensive set of changes that may confront us over the next several decades.The compilation of original climate research includes 44 technical reports and 13 summary reports on climate change impacts to help ready the state for a future punctuated by severe wildfires, more frequent and longer droughts, rising sea levels, increased flooding, coastal erosion and extreme heat events. The peer-reviewed research translates global models into scaled-down, regionally-relevant reports to fill information gaps and support decisions at the local, regional and state levels.In California, facts and science still matter, said Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. These findings are profoundly serious and will continue to guide us as we confront the apocalyptic threat of irreversible climate change. California has completed three prior Climate Change Assessments. Since the release of Californias Third Climate Change Assessment in 2012, the state has experienced several of the most extreme natural events in its recorded history, including a severe five-year drought, an unprecedented tree mortality crisis, damaging floods driven by atmospheric rivers, and increasingly large and destructive wildfires.The Fourth Assessment suggests these events will worsen in the future. Among the key findings: Wildfire : Climate change will make forests more susceptible to extreme wildfires. By the year 2100, if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, one study found that the average area burned by wildfires would increase 77 percent and the frequency of extreme wildfires burning more than 25,000 acres would increase by nearly 50 percent. In the areas that have the highest fire risk, the cost of wildfire insurance is estimated to rise by 18 percent by 2055. Additionally, the percentage of property insured in California would decrease. : Climate change will make forests more susceptible to extreme wildfires. By the year 2100, if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, one study found that the average area burned by wildfires would increase 77 percent and the frequency of extreme wildfires burning more than 25,000 acres would increase by nearly 50 percent. In the areas that have the highest fire risk, the cost of wildfire insurance is estimated to rise by 18 percent by 2055. Additionally, the percentage of property insured in California would decrease. Sea-Level Rise : Under mid to high sea-level rise scenarios, up to 67 percent of Southern California beaches may completely erode by 2100 without large-scale human interventions. Statewide damages could reach nearly $17.9 billion from inundation of residential and commercial buildings if sea-level rise reaches 20 inches, which is within range of mid-century projections. A 100-year coastal flood, on top of this level of sea-level rise, would almost double the cost of damages. Updated modeling can help local planners analyze vulnerabilities in their area. : Under mid to high sea-level rise scenarios, up to 67 percent of Southern California beaches may completely erode by 2100 without large-scale human interventions. Statewide damages could reach nearly $17.9 billion from inundation of residential and commercial buildings if sea-level rise reaches 20 inches, which is within range of mid-century projections. A 100-year coastal flood, on top of this level of sea-level rise, would almost double the cost of damages. Updated modeling can help local planners analyze vulnerabilities in their area. Energy : Higher temperatures will increase annual electricity demand for homes, primarily for use of air conditioning units. High demand is projected in inland regions and Southern California. More moderate increases are projected in cooler coastal areas. Increases in peak hourly demand during the hot months of the year could be more pronounced. This is a critical finding for Californias electric system, because generating capacity must match peak electricity demand. : Higher temperatures will increase annual electricity demand for homes, primarily for use of air conditioning units. High demand is projected in inland regions and Southern California. More moderate increases are projected in cooler coastal areas. Increases in peak hourly demand during the hot months of the year could be more pronounced. This is a critical finding for Californias electric system, because generating capacity must match peak electricity demand. Extreme Heat Events and Impacts on Public Health: Heat-related illnesses and deaths are projected to worsen drastically throughout the state. By mid-century, the Central Valley is projected to experience heat waves that average two weeks longer than those today, and the hot spells could occur four to 10 times more often in the Northern Sierra region. A new California Heat Assessment Tool (CHAT) could support public health departments as they work to reduce heat-related deaths and illnesses. The latest reports also detail the unique and disproportionate climate threats to vulnerable communities and tribal communities, with a focus on working collaboratively with these communities on research and solutions for resilience.In addition, a report set for release in early September will highlight how California can better integrate climate impacts in design processes for critical infrastructure. The report by a working group established by AB 2800 (Quirk) of 2016 reflects the expertise of multiple scientific and engineering disciplines to help design and construct infrastructure to withstand higher temperatures, more frequent and intense storms, drought, wildfires and sea-level rise.To access Fourth Assessment technical reports, summary reports, online tools, climate projects and data, and other resources and information developed as part of Californias Fourth Climate Change Assessment, please visit ClimateAssessment.ca.gov. California will convene the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco next month. At the summit, representatives from subnational governments, businesses and civil society will showcase the surge of climate action around the world, and make the case that even more must be done.Adapted from California Natural Resources Agency release. Contact Robert Monroe, 858-534-3624 scrippsnews@ucsd.edu Lisa Lien-Mager, (916) 653-9402, Lisa.Lien-Mager@resources.ca.gov California Releases New Climate Science, Planning Tools to Prepare for Climate Change Impacts (Bloomberg) Germany, the nation that did more than any other to unleash the modern renewable-energy industry, is likely to fall short of its goals for reducing harmful carbon-dioxide emissions even after spending over 500 billion euros ($580 billion) by 2025 to overhaul its energy system.Chancellor Angela Merkels government is grappling with the implications of failing to sufficiently raise the renewable share. Those may include extending the life of the most polluting fossil-fuel plants and scaling back future climate pledges under the landmark Paris Agreement, negotiated by more than 190 countries in 2015.A shortfall in Germany is an ominous signal for other nations struggling to reach their own targets. Emboldened by its prowess in engineering and a consensus across all political parties in favoring green energy, Germany was the first major economy to make a big shift in its energy mix toward low-carbon sources.Germanys emissions miss should act as a wake-up call to all countries, said Gail Whiteman, professor of environment sustainability at the U.K.s Lancaster University. It does not necessarily mean that China or India or even the U.S.A. cant cut their emissions. The key point is that we need a new kind of climate leadership, both at the nation-state level and across all other actors including companies and mayors. []Merkel, who as environment minister in the 1990s sketched some of the first international climate deals organized by the United Nations, in 2007 pledged to slash emissions by 40 percent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. She backed that up with more than 100 measures in order to meet that goal. The reductions Germany achieved didnt have a big impact on the picture for global emissions because of an increase in emissions from developing nations.At the time they set their goals, they were very ambitious, recalled Patricia Espinosa, the lead United Nations envoy on climate change. It was a political statement that the chancellor was trying to make. What happened was that the industryparticularly the car industrydidnt come along. Technically they can do it. Economically they can do it. But its political. [more] By Nina Chestney 26 July 2018 LONDON (Reuters) Premature deaths from heatwaves in Britain could more than treble to around 7,000 a year by mid-century if the government does not take action, a committee of lawmakers said on Thursday, 26 July 2018 . The warning is topical as Britain swelters in a heatwave, with temperatures of 32-34 degrees Celsius possible in southern and eastern England this week, according to the UK Met Office. The lawmakers called on the government to develop a strategy to protect the health of the elderly in periods of extreme heat. In August 2003, a 10-day heatwave across Europe was thought to be the warmest for up to 500 years. The heatwave led to more than 20,000 deaths across Europe, including 15,000 in France alone and 2,193 in Britain. The highest temperature in Britain was recorded at 38.5 degrees Celsius. A similar heatwave occurred in July 2006 and there have been periods of unusually hot weather or heatwaves in July 2013, July 2015, July-September 2016, June 2017, April 2018 and June-July 2018. The Met Office predicts there is a risk that similarly intense heatwaves will occur every other year by the 2040s and the average number of heat-related deaths in Britain will more than triple to 7,000 a year by the 2050s, the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee said in a report. The government is failing to address the danger of heatwaves, the committee warned. Heatwave warnings are welcomed as barbecue alerts but they threaten health, well-being, and productivity, said Mary Creagh, chair of the committee. The government must stop playing pass the parcel with local councils and the National Health Service (NHS) and develop a strategy to protect our ageing population from this increasing risk, she added. [ more ] Heat-related deaths in Britain set to treble by 2050, UK lawmakers warn 26 July 2018 (UK Parliament) Prediction that higher temperatures which caused 2000+ deaths in 2003 will be summer norm by 2040s making adaptation to heatwaves a matter of life and death. The Environmental Audit Committee publishes its report into Heatwaves: adapting to climate change.The Committee has found that failing to address the danger of heatwaves will threaten the wellbeing of an increasing number of vulnerable people. Chairs comments Mary Creagh MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee: Heatwave warnings are welcomed as barbecue alerts, but they threaten health, wellbeing and productivity. The Met Office has projected that UK summer temperatures could regularly reach 38.5C by the 2040s. The Government must stop playing pass the parcel with local councils and the NHS and develop a strategy to protect our ageing population from this increasing risk.Heatwaves cause premature deaths from cardiac, kidney and respiratory disease. There will be 7,000 heat-related deaths every year in the UK by 2050 if the Government does not take action.The Government needs to do more to warn the public of the health risks of heatwaves, particularly when they fall outside of the summer period, and should appoint a minister to lead work across Government. The Governments new adaptation plan promises no effective action to prevent overheating in buildings. It must change building regulations and planning policies to ensure homes and transport networks are able to deal with extreme heat, and that local authorities and cities have green spaces and heat-resilient infrastructure. The Committee has called on the Government to: Ensure NHS England issues guidance on planning for summer pressures, to ensure that adequate steps are taken to prepare the NHS for more frequent heatwaves. NHS organisations should submit annual heatwave plans to ensure they are prepared for the sudden onset of a heatwave; Inspect resilience to heatwaves in hospitals and care homes through the Care Quality Commission and NHS England; Protect peoples health by changing building regulations to prevent overheating; Review the capacity of local authorities to deliver climate change resilience, require them to report on their adaptation to climate change and introduce an urban green infrastructure target for cities; Introduce stricter water efficiency standards as part of the building regulations; Coordinate a study of vulnerability to heat-health risks on transport and how this contributes to economic loss during heatwaves; Make businesses aware of the threat of heatwaves and the economic consequences. Public Health England should also issue formal guidance to employers to relax dress codes and allow flexible working during heatwaves, and the Government should consult on introducing maximum workplace temperatures, especially for work that involves significant physical effort; Issue guidance for head teachers about safe temperatures in schools and relaxing school uniform policy during hot weather; Launch a public information campaign on the growing frequency and intensity of heatwaves and run a year-round heatwave alert system to warn vulnerable people about the health risks; and Provide a Ministerial lead in the Department of Health and Social Care with responsibility for climate change related health risks. Full background on each recommendation follows NHS guidance on summer pressures Heatwaves place strain on the NHS and social care system. During the 2013 heatwave, double the amount of consultations for heat-illness took place compared to a non-heatwave year. Hospitals can overheat to 30 degrees Celsius when the temperature outside is just 22 degrees Celsius. However, the NHS only asks hospitals and other healthcare organisations to report on their preparation for winter pressures.NHS Englands Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response assurance does not account for the risk of overheating hospitals, and the Care Quality Commission do not inspect for it either. The ability of nursing homes to cope with the serious health impact of heatwaves on older people is not assessed. This is worrying given that in the 2003 heatwave, excess deaths in nursing homes in some parts of the UK rose by 42%. Ensuring safe and heatwave resilient homes Certain types of homes (single aspect flats, houses built in the 1960s and 1970s) and densely populated urban areas are at significant risk of overheating. Even at current temperatures, 20% of UK homes overheat. This presents a risk to those who are vulnerable to high temperatures such as older people, those with underlying cardiovascular or respiratory conditions, those with disabilities and children. There is no building regulation to prevent overheating in buildings, and tests to identify overheating are weak and ineffective.However, the Committee heard uncertainty from Government Ministers about whether the building regulations should be used to protect human health. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers believe building regulations should be changed to protect health, and have developed a series of tests to prevent buildings overheating at design stage.The Committee heard that public money is used to support the construction of modular homes. According to a study on Modular Construction in UK Housing by Pinsent Masons, there are currently around 15,000 modular homes built in the UK each year by China National Building Material Company. Modular homes are not resilient to heatwaves, and the Committee is calling for the Government to end public funding for them. Local authorities and cities Local authorities should be driving adaptation for heatwaves, across a range of areas such public health, local spatial plans, and urban development. However, the Committee only received evidence from one local authority and the Local Government Association confirmed that they do not have a bespoke work programme on climate change adaption. Funding for programmes to support local authority climate change adaptation was withdrawn in 2015/16, leading to the closure of numerous regional climate change partnerships.Cities can be up to 10C hotter than surrounding countryside due to the urban heat island effect; hard surfaces in urban areas absorbing heat during the day and emitting heat at night. Overheating at night prevents physiological recovery from heat. In the 2003 heatwave, excess deaths in London increased by 42%. However, measures to reduce the urban heat island effect are not included in local plans and the Governments planning framework does not make mention of it. The Government should introduce an urban green infrastructure target as part of the metrics for the 25 Year Environment Plan and in the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure towns and cities are adapted to more frequent heatwaves in the future. Transport, water supply and productivity Heatwaves can cause railway tracks to buckle and roads to melt. Only 50% of the UKs motorways and major roads are surfaced with material that is the most resilient to the kind of summer temperatures the UK is beginning to experience regularly. During the June 2018 heatwave, railway tracks buckled causing significant delays either because trains could not operate or because they had to be run at a slow speed to avoid damage. This means that passengers sometimes have to endure rail journeys in uncomfortably hot carriages. There are also concerns that the health risks and service disruption of travelling at peak times during a heatwave results in economic losses as staff may not be able to get to work. There is no regulation on maximum workplace temperature, resulting in difficult working conditions particularly for those engaged in heavy manual labour or outdoor work. The Committee is calling on the Government to make businesses aware of the developing threat of heatwaves and the economic consequences and for Public Health England to issue formal guidance to employers to relax dress codes and allow flexible working when heatwave alerts are issued. Additionally the Committee recommend that the Government should consult on introducing maximum workplace temperatures, especially for work that involves significant physical effort, and that the Department for Education should issue guidance for head teachers about safe temperatures in schools and relaxing school uniform policy during hot weather. The UKs water supply is expected to reduce by 47% and this will be exacerbated by the increasing demand for water during heatwaves, particularly in cities. The Committee is calling for the Government to raise its ambitions for water efficiency by adopting 110 litres per person per day as the mandatory standard in Part G of the building regulations for all new buildings. Ministerial lead on responsibility for climate change health risks Adapting to heatwaves is complex. The impact on health can be affected by overheating on public transport, in cities and in buildings, with policies spanning several government departments and local government. Although the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have overall adaptation responsibility, the Department of Health and Social Care holds responsibility for heatwaves and heat-health. Therefore, we were concerned to hear that despite these significant health hazards, the Minister for Public Health, Steve Brine MP, did not consider it his departments responsibility to take active steps to address the heat-health issues of overheating buildings and planning policy. The Committee is calling on the Department of Health and Social Care to provide a Ministerial lead on responsibility for climate change related health risks. The Minister should work closely with DEFRA, and across government, to ensure there is a holistic and coordinated approach to adapting to the health risks of climate change, building on the advice of the Committee on Climate Change. Public information campaign on risk of heatwaves In August 2003 temperatures reached 38.5C in England and there were 2,193 heat-related deaths across the UK in 10 days. The Met Office predicts that similar heatwaves will occur every other year by the 2040s. Prolonged periods of high temperatures cause cardiac and respiratory disease leading to excess deaths, particularly in older people. The average number of heat-related deaths in the UK is expected to more than treble to 7,000 per year by the 2050s. Although extreme heat events have become more common in Europe since the 1950s, there is public misconception that heatwaves have become less frequent. The Government does not provide clear information for the public on the developing threat of heatwaves.The Governments heatwave alert system only runs from June to September, so vulnerable people are not warned about unseasonal heatwaves. Moreover, the Committee heard that alerts are only put out if a threshold of approximately 30C is reached, even though the Medical Director at Public Health England acknowledged that heat-related deaths begin when temperatures rise above 25C. By David L. Chandler 31 July 2018 (MIT News) A region that holds one of the biggest concentrations of people on Earth could be pushing against the boundaries of habitability by the latter part of this century, a new study shows. Research has shown that beyond a certain threshold of temperature and humidity, a person cannot survive unprotected in the open for extended periods as, for example, farmers must do. Now, a new MIT study shows that unless drastic measures are taken to limit climate-changing emissions, Chinas most populous and agriculturally important region could face such deadly conditions repeatedly, suffering the most damaging heat effects, at least as far as human life is concerned, of any place on the planet. The study shows that the risk of deadly heat waves is significantly increased because of intensive irrigation in this relatively dry but highly fertile region, known as the North China Plain a region whose role in that country is comparable to that of the Midwest in the U.S. That increased vulnerability to heat arises because the irrigation exposes more water to evaporation, leading to higher humidity in the air than would otherwise be present and exacerbating the physiological stresses of the temperature. The new findings, by Elfatih Eltahir at MIT and Suchul Kang at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, are reported in the journal Nature Communications. The study is the third in a set; the previous two projected increases of deadly heat waves in the Persian Gulf area and in South Asia. While the earlier studies found serious looming risks, the new findings show that the North China Plain, or NCP, faces the greatest risks to human life from rising temperatures, of any location on Earth. The response is significantly larger than the corresponding response in the other two regions, says Eltahir, who is the the Breene M. Kerr Professor of Hydrology and Climate and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The three regions the researchers studied were picked because past records indicate that combined temperature and humidity levels reached greater extremes there than on any other land masses. Although some risk factors are clear low-lying valleys and proximity to warm seas or oceans we dont have a general quantitative theory through which we could have predicted the location of these global hotspots, he explains. When looking empirically at past climate data, Asia is what stands out, he says. Spatial distribution of extreme wet-bulb temperature in North China Plain. Ensemble average of the 30-year maximum TWmax (C) for irrigation activity and each GHG scenario: historical without irrigation activity (a), RCP4.5 without irrigation activity (b), RCP8.5 without irrigation activity (c), historical with irrigation activity (d), RCP4.5 with irrigation activity (e), and RCP8.5 with irrigation activity (f). Averages for irrigated region (IRR) and North China Plain (box in plot, NCP) are indicated in each plot. TWmax is the maximum daily value from 6-h running average for each day. Graphic: Kang and Eltahir, 2018 / Nature Communications Although the Persian Gulf study found some even greater temperature extremes, those were confined to the area over the water of the Gulf itself, not over the land. In the case of the North China Plain, This is where people live, Eltahir says. The key index for determining survivability in hot weather, Eltahir explains, involves the combination of heat and humidity, as determined by a measurement called the wet-bulb temperature. It is measured by literally wrapping wet cloth around the bulb (or sensor) of a thermometer, so that evaporation of the water can cool the bulb. At 100 percent humidity, with no evaporation possible, the wet-bulb temperature equals the actual temperature. This measurement reflects the effect of temperature extremes on a person in the open, which depends on the bodys ability to shed heat through the evaporation of sweat from the skin. At a wet-bulb temperature of 35 degrees Celsius (95 F), a healthy person may not be able to survive outdoors for more than six hours, research has shown. The new study shows that under business-as-usual scenarios for greenhouse gas emissions, that threshold will be reached several times in the NCP region between 2070 and 2100. This spot is just going to be the hottest spot for deadly heat waves in the future, especially under climate change, Eltahir says. And signs of that future have already begun: There has been a substantial increase in extreme heat waves in the NCP already in the last 50 years, the study shows. Warming in this region over that period has been nearly double the global average 0.24 degrees Celsius per decade versus 0.13. In 2013, extreme heat waves in the region persisted for up to 50 days, and maximum temperatures topped 38 C in places. Major heat waves occurred in 2006 and 2013, breaking records. Shanghai, East Chinas largest city, broke a 141-year temperature record in 2013, and dozens died. To arrive at their projections, Eltahir and Kang ran detailed climate model simulations of the NCP area which covers about 4,000 square kilometers for the past 30 years. They then selected only the models that did the best job of matching the actual observed conditions of the past period, and used those models to project the future climate over 30 years at the end of this century. They used two different future scenarios: business as usual, with no new efforts to reduce emissions; and moderate reductions in emissions, using standard scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Each version was run two different ways: one including the effects of irrigation, and one with no irrigation. One of the surprising findings was the significant contribution by irrigation to the problem on average, adding about a half-degree Celsius to the overall warming in the region that would occur otherwise. Thats because, even though extra moisture in the air produces some local cooling effect at ground level, this is more than offset by the added physiological stress imposed by the higher humidity, and by the fact that extra water vapor itself a powerful greenhouse gas contributes to an overall warming of the air mass. Irrigation exacerbates the impact of climate change, Eltahir says. In fact, the researchers report, the combined effect, as projected by the models, is a bit greater the sum of the individual impacts of irrigation or climate change alone, for reasons that will require further research. Spatial distribution of 95th percentile of daily maximum wet-bulb temperature in South Asia. TWmax (C) from the MRCM ensemble of simulations driven by three GCMs (Southwest Asia: CCSM, MPI, NorESM, South Asia, and Eastern China: CCSM, MPI, ACCESS) for each GHG scenario: historical (a), RCP4.5 (b), and RCP8.5 (c). All simulations include irrigation. TWmax is maximum daily value from 6-h running average for each day. TWmax is presented over land areas only within the simulations domains. Land areas, outside simulations domains, are shown in gray. All ocean areas, within or outside simulations domains, are shown in blue. Graphic: Kang and Eltahir, 2018 / Nature Communications The bottom line, as the researchers write in the paper, is the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to reduce the likelihood of such extreme conditions. They conclude, China is currently the largest contributor to the emissions of greenhouse gases, with potentially serious implications to its own population: Continuation of the current pattern of global emissions may limit habitability of the most populous region of the most populous country on Earth. This is a solid piece of research, extending and refining some of the previous studies on man-made climate change and its role on heat waves, says Christoph Schauer, a professor of atmospheric and climate science at ETH Zurich, who was involved in the work. This is a very useful study. It highlights some of the potentially serious challenges that will emerge with unabated climate change. These are important and timely results, as they may lead to adequate adaptation measures before potentially serious climate conditions will emerge. Schauer adds that While there is overwhelming evidence that climate change has started to affect the frequency and intensity of heat waves, century-scale climate projections imply considerable uncertainties that will require further study. However, he says, Regarding the health impact of high wet-bulb temperatures, the applied health threshold (wet-bulb temperatures near the human body temperature) is very solid and it actually derives from fundamental physical principles. China could face deadly heat waves due to climate change ABSTRACT: North China Plain is the heartland of modern China. This fertile plain has experienced vast expansion of irrigated agriculture which cools surface temperature and moistens surface air, but boosts integrated measures of temperature and humidity, and hence enhances intensity of heatwaves. Here, we project based on an ensemble of high-resolution regional climate model simulations that climate change would add significantly to the anthropogenic effects of irrigation, increasing the risk from heatwaves in this region. Under the business-as-usual scenario of greenhouse gas emissions, North China Plain is likely to experience deadly heatwaves with wet-bulb temperature exceeding the threshold defining what Chinese farmers may tolerate while working outdoors. China is currently the largest contributor to the emissions of greenhouse gases, with potentially serious implications to its own population: continuation of the current pattern of global emissions may limit habitability in the most populous region, of the most populous country on Earth. North China Plain threatened by deadly heatwaves due to climate change and irrigation 27 April 2018 (Met Office) A scientific study has given an initial view of potentially significant changes in rainfall patterns across northern England and Scotland by 2100.An experimental approach using the Met Office Unified Model with a resolution of 1.5km provides a first look at changes in rainfall that could affect Scotland and northern England in both summer and winter several decades into the future. The 1.5km model allows us to look at changes in hourly rainfall at kilometre scales, not captured by traditional climate models.The study published in the journal Climate Dynamics showed that during winter daily average rainfall would increase at the end of the 21 Century for most parts of northern Britain, assuming a pathway leading to high greenhouse gas emissions the so-called: RCP8.5 pathway.In contrast, summer daily average rainfall is projected to see large decreases across northern Britain, with many areas including the Central belt of Scotland experiencing a reduction of 2550 percent.However, rainfall events in both summer and winter are likely to become more extreme. So-called high-intensity events, with rainfall of 10mm or more per hour are projected to become more frequent, while lower-intensity events are projected to become less frequent.Steven Chan, a visiting scientist with the Met Office Hadley Centre, is the papers lead author. He said: Developing an improved understanding of rainfall patterns until the end of the century is vital as it allows governments to plan for potential impacts of drought or flooding events.The research builds on an earlier Met Office study (published in Nature Climate Change, Kendon et al., 2014) which focussed on southern Britain.It only uses one model, so is not able to assess how likely the results might be but it does provide an initial look at the type of changes to rainfall patterns that are possible if the world continues on a high greenhouse gas emissions pathway.Later in the year, the UKCP18 project will build on the approach used in this study while additionally looking at a spread of potential outcomes and how likely they are to occur. This will provide a new tool to inform the decisions of policy makers and planners.For winter, the current study suggests a projected rainfall increase of 1035 percent in parts of the Scottish Central Lowlands, the western Scottish Highlands and the Lake District. However, a decrease of 1025 percent is projected around Aberdeen.The 1.5km-model shows a larger increase in extreme precipitation over the northern UK (by about 20 percent) compared to a 12km-model in summer, but a similar increase to the 12km-model in winter.This supports the result found previously for the southern UK that increases in summertime extremes may be higher than predicted by coarser-resolution conventional climate models.The paper Projected changes in extreme precipitation over Scotland and Northern England using a high-resolution regional climate model is a collaboration between scientists from the School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, and the Met Office.The simulations were supported by project NUTCAT2050, which seeks to understand how climate change may impact plant nutrient transport. By Patrick Whittle 30 August 2018 PORTLAND, Maine (AP) The waters off of New England are already warming faster than most of the worlds oceans, and they are nearing the end of one of the hottest summers in their history. That is the takeaway from an analysis of summer sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Maine by a marine scientist with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland. The average sea surface temperature in the gulf was nearly 5 degrees Fahrenheit above the long-term average during one 10-day stretch in August, said the scientist, Andy Pershing, who released the work Thursday. 8 August 2018 was the second warmest day in recorded history in the gulf, and there were other sustained stretches this summer that were a few degrees higher than the average from 1982 to 2011, Pershing said. He characterized this year as especially warm even for a body of water that he and other scientists previously identified as warming faster than 99 percent of the global ocean. Were seeing really unusual conditions all over the planet this year. Wildfires and heatwaves. Unusual conditions. The Gulf of Maine is part of that story, Pershing said. The Gulf of Maine is a body of water that resembles a dent in the coastal Northeast, and it touches Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Atlantic Canada. Its the nerve center of the U.S. lobster fishing industry, an important feeding ground for rare North Atlantic right whales and a piece of ocean that has attracted much attention in recent years because of its rapid warming.The gulf warmed at a rate of about 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 30 years, which is more than three times the global average, Pershing said. That rate has jumped to more than seven times the global average in the past 15 years, he said. [ more ] Waters off New England in midst of record year for warmth 30 August 2018 (GMRI) As many are now aware, the Gulf of Maine is one of the fastest-warming ocean ecosystems on the planet, according to scientists at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Over the last 30 years, the Gulf of Maine warmed at a rate of 0.06C per year (0.11F per year) more than three times the global average. Over the last 15 years, this region has warmed at more than seven times the global average rate. At both time scales, the Gulf of Maine warmed faster than 99% of the global ocean.This year has been especially warm, and scientists at GMRI are now saying the Gulf of Maine officially experienced its second warmest-ever day on 8 August 2018. On that day, the average sea surface temperature in the Gulf of Maine reached 20.52C (68.93F), as measured by satellites operated by NOAA and NASA. This is only 0.03C (0.05F) shy of the record set in 2012.Moreover, this year has officially crossed the threshold for what scientists call a marine heatwave. This phrase describes an area of the ocean that experiences temperatures above the 90th percentile for more than five consecutive days. According to this definition, the current Gulf of Maine heatwave started on July 20 and has lasted more than a month. However, this statistic downplays whats been going on this year; only 40 days in 2018 did not reach heatwave levels, and you have to go back to September 2017 to find a sustained period below heatwave levels.Weve set 10 daily temperature records this summer, after setting 18 this winter, says GMRI Chief Scientist Dr. Andrew Pershing. Weve had to add new colors to our temperature illustrations to reflect just how warm the Gulf of Maine has been this year.The idea of a heatwave in the ocean is a relatively new concept. GMRI scientist Dr. Kathy Mills and Dr. Alan Pearce from Australia independently applied the term heatwave to describe extreme temperature events in the North Atlantic in 2012 and off Western Australia in 2011. Since then, a group of scientists, led by Dr. Alistair Hobday of Australias CSIRO, developed the previously referenced heatwave definition.Although the concept of a marine heatwave has only recently been defined, the Gulf of Maine is already pushing its boundaries. In 2012, only six days fell below the 90th percentile. In every year since 2012, the Gulf of Maine has experienced more than 150 of these heatwave-level days. In every year since 2010, the Gulf of Maine experienced more than 80 such days. This year, the Gulf of Maine has already spent 180 days above the 90th percentile, and were entering the fall period, which has been especially prone to heatwaves.Why is the Gulf of Maine warming so rapidly? The Gulf of Maine sits in a special corner of the ocean where cold waters from Canada (and ultimately, the Arctic) meet with warm waters from the south. A slight change in these currents can mean a big difference in temperatures, and this region is experiencing more than a slight change. Global warming is causing the glaciers in Greenland to melt. As this relatively fresh water dumps into the North Atlantic, it disrupts the entire circulation of the North Atlantic, pushing more warm water into the Gulf of Maine. It also pushes more warm water into the Barents Sea, north of Norway, another region that has been very warm this year.This year really brings home the connection between Atlantic circulation and the temperatures in the Gulf of Maine, says Pershing.The satellite images from this year show a persistent mushroom-shaped blob of very warm water at the mouth of the Northeast Channel a deep gully that leads into the Gulf of Maine. Essentially, shifting ocean currents are functioning like a hot water tap that dumps directly into the Gulf of Maine. Contact Elijah Miller, Communications Manager, emiller@gmri.org, (207) 577-2886 By Frances Robles and Jugal K. Patel 20 September 2018 PUNTA SANTIAGO, P.R. (The New York Times) When it rains, Maritza Cruz Sanchez springs into a well-rehearsed, 30-minute ritual: She climbs a ladder to where her roof used to be and sucks on a hose to siphon puddles from the plastic tarp suspended over her house. The tarp is held aloft by a few thin wooden posts, which have begun to warp and now seem almost certain to collapse. The temporary contraption that shelters Ms. Cruz and what little she still owns has been in place since March. The Federal Emergency Management Agency gave her $6,000 to replace waterlogged belongings, but nothing to help make her house habitable again. I am thankful for the little they gave me, she said, but thanks for nothing.A year ago, on Sept. 20, the deadliest storm to hit Puerto Rico in over 100 years slammed into the islands southeast coast, just 14 miles south of where Ms. Cruz lives in Punta Santiago. The tourist and fishing town of 5,000 people bore a terrible share of Marias initial fury.Almost 650 houses flooded with water from the sea; others were inundated by an overflowing lake, a river, and two ponds and also raw sewage. Many homes lost walls and roofs in winds that reached 155 miles per hour when the storm made landfall.An aerial photo of Punta Santiagos handwritten, desperate S.O.S. plea, taken in the early days after the storm, circulated around the world. When the Puerto Rico government kicked off a recent public relations campaign to highlight a year of recovery, it did it here. A new sign in town reads: Bienvenidos. #Covertheprogress. KIEL, 7 September 2018 (UNESCO) This week, more than 300 scientists from 33 countries met in Kiel, Germany, at an international conference to discuss the decline of oxygen in the ocean, the causes and the consequences. At the conclusion of the conference, the scientists published a haunting appeal, the Kiel Declaration, in which they call urgently for more marine and climate protection. The numbers are alarming: over the past 50 years, oxygen has decreased by 2 percent in the global ocean. The volume of oxygen-depleted waters, has grown more than fourfold. The main reasons are the increasing global warming, but also the over-fertilization of the oceans. In the long term, these changes will not only jeopardize life in large parts of the worlds oceans, but also feedbacks to the atmosphere are expected, as greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and methane form in oxygen-free water.Scientists from all parts of the world who convened in Kiel for a conference organized by the Collaborative Research Centre 754 (SFB 754) Climate and Biogeochemical Interactions in the Tropical Ocean agreed that this problem must be immediately and urgently addressed to develop solutions in order to stop the oxygen loss as soon as possible. Therefore, they unanimously adopted an appeal for more marine and climate protection, the Kiel Declaration.The ocean is in a global crisis, says Prof. Dr. Andreas Oschlies, spokesperson of the SFB 754 from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. For the very productive areas of the worlds ocean off Peru and West Africa, the supply of nutrients and oxygen is of vital importance, Oschlies continues. But particularly in these areas, the oxygen content has decreased significantly in the past 50 years. In addition, these coastal areas are particularly affected by overfertilization, which leads to algae blooms and ultimately to increased oxygen depletion through degradation of biomass.Comparisons between observational data and the results of complex numerical models show that even the best simulations underestimate the changes which are already observed significantly, Prof. Oschlies explains. Thus, nature is changing faster than we expected. Therefore, Oschlies and the more than 300 participants of the conference and the Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE) an expert group established in 2016 under UNESCOs Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission consider it important to publicize these changes and also to advocate increased ocean observations, leading to a better understanding of ongoing rapid changes and eventually to more robust predictions.In the document, they call for more international efforts to sharpen global awareness of oxygen depletion, taking immediate and decisive action to limit marine pollution and in particular the excessive nutrient input into the ocean and to limit global warming by decisive climate change mitigation actions.The researchers refer to the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 for the sustainable development of the seas and oceans. We still have the chance to avoid strong and irreversible effects of climate change, pollution and overuse of the oceans through rethinking and immediate action, says Prof. Oschlies. But we are quickly running out of time! Thats why we want to set a clear and strong signal with the Kiel Declaration in order to stop the oxygen depletion of the ocean and thus, preserve the largest ecosystems on this planet. Contact 14 September 2018 (UN News) While health, education, and income levels have improved overall across the globe, wide inequalities both among and within countries, are casting a shadow on sustained human development, a new United Nations report shows.Looking at the widening gap in real terms, a child born in Norway today the country with the highest human development index (HDI) can expect to live beyond the age of 82, and spend almost 18 years in school. But the same child, if born in Niger the lowest HDI can expect only to live to 60, with just five years of formal education.While these statistics present a stark picture in themselves, they also speak to the tragedy of millions of individuals whose lives are affected by inequity and lost opportunities, neither of which are inevitable, said Achim Steiner, the Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which released the report today.Inequality occurs in many countries, including in some of the wealthiest ones, but it ends up taking a much bigger toll on countries with lower HDI levels; with low HDI countries losing almost a third of their human development capacity. For countries with a high HDI, the average loss is 11 per cent.The striking differences both within and among countries, are stifling progress and the trend can be seen again and again, according to UNDP.Inequality in all its forms and dimensions, between and within countries, limits peoples choices and opportunities, withholding progress, explained Selim Jahan, Director of the Human Development Report Office at UNDP. Womens empowerment remains a particular challenge A key sources of inequality within countries is the gap in opportunities, achievements and empowerment between women and men. On average, the HDI for women is 6 per cent lower than that for men, notes the report.Furthermore, while there has been laudable progress in the number of girls attending school, there remain big differences in other key aspects of men and womens lives for instance labour force participation rates for women globally are lower than for men 49 per cent, versus 75 per cent.And when women are working, their unemployment rates are 24 per cent higher than their male counterparts. Women globally also do much more unpaid domestic and care work than men.Womens empowerment remains a particular challenge, underscored UNDP. Data tells a part of the story, quality of growth matters The Human Development Report 2018 update also shows tremendous variation between countries in quality of education, healthcare, and many other key aspects of life.This quality-difference can be illustrated by looking at the number of students per teacher, in primary schools. Sub-Saharan Africa has, on average, 39 pupils per teacher while in developed regions, there is an average of one teacher for every 16-18 primary school pupils.Similar difference exists in terms of health care: OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries and East Asia and the Pacific have, on average, 29 and 28 physicians for every 10,000 people respectively. In South Asia overall, there are only eight per 10,000, falling to less than two, in Sub-Saharan Africa. Much of the worlds attention is on data that tells only a part of the story about peoples lives, said Mr. Jahan, highlighting that it is clearly not enough simply to count how many children are in the classroom. The important dimension is to know whether they are learning anything.Focusing on quality is essential to foster sustainable and sustained human development progress. UN News spoke with Mr. Jahan about the reports findings. Listen to the interview here.Looking back over almost three decades, all regions and human development groups have made substantial progress.The global HDI value in 2017 was 0.728, up about 21.7 percent from 1990. Across the world, people are living longer, are more educated, and have greater opportunities. Shadow of persistent inequality is growing, key UN human development report reveals 25 September 2018 (Desdemona Despair) The first anniversary of the destruction of modern Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands by Hurricanes Irma and Maria brought numerous retrospectives in the media. Not many focused on the actual cost to rebuild PR. Although there are stories of recovery, a picture of widespread infrastructure failure and poverty emerged. Puerto Rico is in dire straits, and it will take immense quantities of money to make PR habitable again for 3.5 million people.With its critical infrastructure wiped out, Puerto Rico essentially must be rebuilt from scratch. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Maria, it was clear that this would be an enormously expensive undertaking, on the scale of tens of billions of dollars. The final report on reconstructing Puerto Rico, Transformation and Innovation in the Wake of Devastation: An Economic and Disaster Recovery Plan for Puerto Rico [pdf], was released on 8 August 2018, and it calls for $139 billion. This is on top of the $120 billion of debt owed by the government of PR before the disaster.The official plan strikes an optimistic tone and portrays the reconstruction effort as a huge opportunity. It reads a bit like a pitch to investors: opportunity appears 69 times in the 531-page report, and theres an entire chapter titled Puerto Ricos Opportunity.Governor Ricardo Rossello Nevares writes: As bad as the situation has been, there is reason for real hope. The complete and widespread devastation gives us an opportunity to view our island as a blank canvas, upon which we can implement innovative solutions that can make Puerto Rico a showcase for the world with a modern and more resilient infrastructure, a newer and stronger housing stock, and a more vibrant and competitive economy. Realistically, theres no other way to position this overwhelming project. Investors need to see an upside but may be discouraged by the unavoidable fact that another Hurricane Maria is inevitable. The report focuses on resilience, so that the island will be ready for the next global-warming amplified hurricane, but the list of immediate needs doesnt include much about surviving the next hurricane. The report lists these priorities to guide the near-term reconstruction effort: Reestablish lifeline systems to provide affordable and reliable energy, telecommunications, water, and transportation. Repair or rebuild the approximately 166,000 residential structures damaged or destroyed during the hurricanes. Improve emergency preparedness infrastructure and develop the government workforce so that all residents and businesses are better protected in advance of a future disaster. Clarify ownership and responsibility for various infrastructure, assets, and services so that repairs can be completed efficiently and rebuilding reduces risk. Stem the flow of residents away from the Island and encourage economic growth by lowering the costs of doing business, incentivizing formal labor force participation, broadening the tax base, and increasing fiscal discipline. Revitalize urban centers to focus economic recovery efforts. Scale social services, health, education, and infrastructure systems to meet the health, social, and economic needs of the current and future population. Rebuild infrastructure to meet modern codes and standards, and enforce the laws and regulations governing construction, water supply connections, and electricity metering. Establish modern methods for providing both the public and private sectors with timely, accurate, and comprehensive information to make effective decisions about recovery and day-to-day operations. This list applies to the next three years and wont do much to help people if another hurricane hits within that time. In the words of 70-year-old Ramon Cantero, a longtime resident of Naguabo, The next one will wipe Puerto Rico off the map.From this list, stemming the flow of people out of PR may be the highest priority PRs population was already falling before the hurricanes. After the disastrous 2017 hurricane season, the mass emigration accelerated, with more than 200,000 people fleeing the devastation to the mainland, mostly Florida. If the islands population falls by another million people, PR may never recover. Brad Setser, an economist at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, says, If Puerto Rico doesnt experience strong growth in fiscal 2019, it never will. He adds, I am not hugely optimistic.The economic forecast for Puerto Rico remains grim. Immediately after Hurricane Maria, PRs economic activity plummeted to a level not seen since 1980. This is on top of the already declining economic state of the island the hurricanes hit after nearly 20 years of recession. Puerto Rico was $120 billion in the hole, burdened with $70 billion of bond debt and $50 billion of unfunded pensions. The government has been trying to restructure its debt since May 2017 through bankruptcy in U.S. court and other deals with creditors, and in September 2018, creditors approved a plan to restructure bonds issued by Puerto Ricos insolvent Government Development Bank. But restructuring the debt burden just kicks the can down the road for awhile. With a continuously decreasing population, the goal of digging out of the debt hole continuously recedes. Looming over the reconstruction effort is the ever-present threat of another powerful hurricane strike. The official plan places a great deal of emphasis on resilience, but its hard to imagine how to build an island society thats resilient against both inexorable sea-level rise and increasingly powerful hurricanes. In the face of global warming, its possible that tropical islands around the world will have to be abandoned.Hurricane Maria was the first true climate catastrophe to strike North America and generate a wave of climate refugees, but it surely wont be the last. At what point do we acknowledge that some places will become uninhabitable, and society should stop throwing money and resources into the vortex? 25 September 2018 (Nature) Politics, according to the nineteenth-century German statesman Otto von Bismarck, is the art of the next best. The global approach of politicians to tackling climate change is a sorry example of this. The problem: destructive storms that hit the United States and southeast Asia this month are the latest reminder of how vulnerable societies across the world are to climate extremes. The best political solution might seem to be to subordinate all policies domestic and international to the goal of stabilizing Earths climate. This is difficult. So, instead, the world must rely on the effectiveness of voluntary actions that nations have agreed on under a non-binding international compromise treaty forged in Paris in 2015.For all its symbolic power, that Paris treaty is a truly second-best solution. Even if it had worked as advertised, the promised cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions are weak. And now the withdrawal of the United States and, de facto, of Australia has substantially weakened the global consensus before the treaty has even come into effect.iscussions on how and when it will start will resume at a two-week United Nations meeting in December in Katowice, Poland. Those attending would do well to read a study published this week in Nature Climate Change that highlights just how irrational it is for the politicians who represent many large economies to settle for next best (K. Ricke et al. Nature Clim. Change http://doi.org/ct7x; 2018).The analysis revisits the concept of the social cost of carbon: the cumulative economic impact of global warming caused by (or attributed to) each tonne of the pollutant sent into the atmosphere. This study goes a step further than previous ones and estimates the likely cost to different countries. In doing so, it reveals the countries projected to take the hardest hits.China and the United States, the worlds two largest emitters of carbon dioxide, will incur some of the highest social costs of carbon of all countries, the scientists report, with respective estimated impacts of US$24 per tonne and $48 per tonne. India, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil also feature towards the top. In these countries unlike in Canada, northern Europe, and Russia temperatures are already above the economic optimum. And climate-induced damage increases with wealth and economic growth, meaning that more-valuable property might sit in harms way.Combined country-level costs (and benefits) add up to a global median of more than $400 in social costs per tonne of CO2 more than twice previous estimates. On the basis of CO2 emissions in 2017, thats a global impact of more than $16 trillion. The new analysis is based on a set of climate simulations, rather than a single climate model, and the authors calculated future harm using empirical damage functions that were independently developed for that purpose. [more] By Chris Heide 24 August 2018 (Second Nexus) A USA TODAY report has determined that the United States has become the most dangerous place to give birth in the developed world.More than 700 women in the United States die from complications directly related to childbirth each year. In addition, more than 50,000 American women are severely injured as a result of childbirth on an annual basis. The report indicates that these injuries and deaths are the direct result of hospitals not following long-standard medical procedure.The study, which lasted four years, indicates that the United States now has the highest maternal death rate anywhere in the developed world. This is in stark contrast to many other developing nations, which are experiencing all-time low rates in maternal deaths. [This finding corroborates earlier studies by CDC and NPR/ProPublica. Des]Many of the long-standing medical procedures are fairly simple. They include monitoring risks for hemorrhage, to administering appropriate medications to control hypertension. In essence, American maternity care has become too lax. The result is the increase in maternal mortality- something that could be easily minimized. Also, it was noted that African American women suffer maternal deaths at an even higher rate than Caucasian women.Countries around the world have reduced maternal deaths and injuries by aggressively monitoring care and learning from mistakes, USA Today reported. The result has been two decades of steady or reduced maternal harms in the rest of the developed world as US rates climbed Women are left to bleed until their organs shut down. Their high blood pressure goes untreated until they suffer strokes. They die of preventable blood clots and untreated infections. Survivors can be left paralyzed or unable to have more children.Experts say that about 50 percent of the deaths of women from childbirth-related causes could be prevented if they were given better medical care and thats a really surprising thing given that were one of the wealthiest countries in the world and we spend so much on medical care. Were not just talking about the women who die, were talking about 50,000 U.S. women who are suffering life-altering harms, USA Today investigative reporter Alison Young told CBS This Morning on Thursday.Why exactly are hospitals so lackadaisical with standard medical procedure? Dr. Steven Clark, a professor at Baylor College of Medicine, asserts that this kind of professional behavior has become standard practice.Our medicine is run by cowboys today, where everyone is riding the range doing whatever theyre wanting to do. Its a failure at all levels, at national organization levels and at the local hospital leadership levels as well, he says. [more] STUDY: The United States Has the Highest Maternal Death Rate In the Developed World The Editorial Board 31 July 2018 (USA TODAY) YoLanda Mention, who had just given birth to a baby girl at one of South Carolinas top hospitals, should probably be alive today certainly in a country with the worlds most advanced health care system. But the 38-year-old wife and mother was sent home from the hospital in March 2015 with dangerously high blood pressure. That same night, she and her husband, Marco, returned to the ER.Though her blood pressure had climbed and she had an excruciating headache, she sat in the waiting room for hours, according to a lawsuit filed by her husband. By the time she was ushered into an exam room, she suffered a stroke. She died a few days later, leaving the couples three girls motherless.The right treatment at the right time IV medication that costs less than $60 a dose could well have saved her. Despite politicians claims that America has the best health care of any country, similar tragedies occur repeatedly across the United States, which today is the most dangerous place in the developed world to give birth.You read that correctly. About 700 mothers in America die each year in childbirth, many of them needlessly a maternal death rate far higher than that of other developed nations, including Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. And 50,000 mothers are severely injured each year in childbirth, USA TODAY found in an investigation published last week.About half of these deaths could be prevented, and half the injuries reduced or eliminated, through simple changes in care that doctors, hospitals and medical experts have known about for years. Yet too many hospitals and medical workers skip safety practices known to head off disaster, USA TODAYs Alison Young wrote. [more] High maternal death rate shames America among developed nations By Alison Young 27 July 2018 (USA TODAY) Every year, thousands of women suffer life-altering injuries or die during childbirth because hospitals and medical workers skip safety practices known to head off disaster, a USA TODAY investigation has found.Doctors and nurses should be weighing bloody pads to track blood loss so they recognize the danger sooner. They should be giving medication within an hour of spotting dangerously high blood pressure to fend off strokes.These are not complicated procedures requiring expensive technology. They are among basic tasks that experts have recommended for years because they can save mothers lives.Yet hospitals, doctors and nurses across the country continue to ignore them, USA TODAY found.As a result, women are left to bleed until their organs shut down. Their high blood pressure goes untreated until they suffer strokes. They die of preventable blood clots and untreated infections. Survivors can be left paralyzed or unable to have more children.The vast majority of women in America give birth without incident. But each year, more than 50,000 are severely injured. About 700 mothers die. The best estimates say that half of these deaths could be prevented and half the injuries reduced or eliminated with better care.Instead, the U.S. continues to watch other countries improve as it falls behind. Today, this is the most dangerous place in the developed world to give birth.Identifying every hospital that doesnt provide recommended care is next to impossible. There is no national tracking system for childbirth complications. Mothers tell harrowing tales of survival, but they often have no idea whether their doctors and nurses did something wrong.USA TODAY obtained more than a half-million pages of internal hospital quality records and examined the cases of more than 150 women whose deliveries went terribly wrong. Reporters contacted 75 birthing hospitals to track whether they follow recommended procedures.Together, these documents and interviews reveal a stunning lack of attention to safety recommendations and widespread failure to protect new mothers.At dozens of hospitals in New York, Pennsylvania and the Carolinas where USA TODAY obtained records through federally funded quality programs fewer than half of maternity patients were promptly treated for dangerous blood pressure that put them at risk of stroke. At some of those hospitals, less than 15 percent of mothers in peril got recommended treatments, the records show.Many hospitals across the country conceded in interviews with USA TODAY that they were not taking safety steps such as quantifying womens blood loss or tracking whether moms with dangerously high blood pressure got proper medication in time.The lack of attention happens at hospitals big and small, from tiny community delivery units to major birthing centers that tout state-of-the art technology and training. It also happens in doctors offices when they miss or fail to act on signs of serious complications during pregnancy and after delivery.In Ohio, Ali Lowry bled internally after giving birth in 2013, but medical staff didnt recognize and act on the warning signs for hours, according to records in a lawsuit that she has since settled. By the time she was airlifted to another hospital for lifesaving surgery, her delivery hospital had nearly run out of blood and Alis heart had stopped.In Texas, Beatriz Garcia nearly bled to death when doctors and nurses were slow to help her after not quantifying her blood loss, she alleged in federal and state lawsuits. Garcias heart stopped. She needed a hysterectomy. Shes now awaiting a kidney transplant.And in South Carolina, one of the states top hospitals sent YoLanda Mention home with her newborn despite her dangerously high blood pressure. When she returned to the emergency room with even higher blood pressure and an excruciating headache, the staff made her sit for hours in the waiting room, according to a lawsuit filed by her husband. She had a stroke while waiting, and later died.Today, YoLandas husband, Marco, is raising their three daughters alone in rural Nesmith. He balances work as a school bus driver with all the demands of raising kids on his own cooking the meals, cleaning and getting three girls to schools and day care.He spends his evenings leading his church choir and reminding his girls about a mother who the youngest knows as a picture in a curio cabinet.The girls, they ask when shes coming home and I dont know what to tell them, Mention said, wiping tears. It seems like a nightmare and I just need to wake up. [more] Hospitals know how to protect mothers. They just arent doing it. 14 November 2017 (CDC) Women in the United States are more likely to die from childbirth or pregnancy-related causes than other women in high-income countries. More evidence is needed to understand the actual causes of death better, but research suggests that half of these deaths may be preventable. Racial disparities persist. The risk of pregnancy-related deaths for black women is three to four times higher than those of white women. Watch this session of Grand Rounds to learn about efforts to analyze and prevent future deaths. Hear our speakers discuss the effects maternal deaths have on the family and on the community. You will also learn about how CDC has collaborated and intervened through public-private partnership efforts to prevent deaths associated with childbirth and pregnancy. Meeting the Challenges of Measuring and Preventing Maternal Mortality in the United States By Emma Court 21 October 2018 (MarketWatch) To sell addictive opioids, sales representatives were encouraged to own doctors, keeping a close eye on how and how much they prescribe. Speaker programs that helped drive sales left out safety problems and, in one instance, didnt say that Insys, the drugs manufacturer, was sponsoring the event. And high dosages of the addictive opioid Subsys were linked to bonus payments, with company presentations encouraging this behavior through slogans like Strength Makes the Difference and Dont Forget the Doses. It is much easier to take an existing patient and double their units (which in essence is the same as generating a new prescription), one sales manager wrote, referring to patients as low hanging fruit. Those tactics and more were hallmarks of drugmaker Insys Therapeutics Inc.s INSY, +2.88% approach at the height of the opioid crisis, according to a new report from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees minority staff [ pdf ]. The Chandler, AZ-based Insys has become notorious for the role it played in advancing Americas devastating, drawn-out opioid crisis, which continues to this day. Subsys consists of the potent opioid fentanyl, formulated in a spray that allows the drug to work faster. Approved for use in managing cancer patients pain, Subsys came on the U.S. market in 2012, and sales grew to roughly $329 million in 2015, at what appears to be the peak.After a Department of Justice investigation into the companys promotion of the medication, Insys agreed to pay at least $150 million in fines. Former executives as well as doctors also had criminal charges brought against them. [ more ] As opioid crisis raged, Insys pushed higher doses of addictive drug and pushed salespeople to own doctors WASHINGTON, 17 October 2018 (HSGAC) U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, the top-ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, today released the latest report of her wide-ranging investigation into opioid manufacturers and distributors. Fueling an Epidemic: Inside the Insys Strategy for Boosting Fentanyl Sales documents Insys Therapeutics strategy for driving up the volume and strength of prescriptions for its fentanyl drug Subsys.McCaskills report details Insys aggressive use of speakers programsin which the company paid physicians to discuss Subsys with colleaguesand compensation programsin which sales representatives were rewarded for aggressively pushing prescribers to give patients high-dosage prescriptions and punished for generating insufficient revenueto boost sales for Subsys. Uniting these efforts, as an Insys national sales director wrote in October 2013, was a simple idea: What drives us all? COMPENSATION.Insys took an anything-goes approach to push sales higher and distorted the doctor-patient relationship with outside compensation, just so pharmaceutical executives could line their pocketsits disgusting, McCaskill said. How does it serve the public interest to allow a pharmaceutical company to tie sales incentives to the dosage strength of a highly addictive and potentially deadly drug? Its unethical, its immoral, and it should be illegal. To compile the report, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee minority staff reviewed 1.6 million pages of internal Insys documents provided in response to a McCaskill request made last year. These documents include internal company reports, presentations, and communications that give an inside look at Insys strategy to boost sales for its fentanyl product.The reports key findings include: Insys established sales and marketing practices that formed the core of its approach to boosting Subsys sales: speakers programs in which the company paid physicians to discuss Subsys with colleagues, bonus structures for sales representatives that rewarded high-dosage prescriptions, accountability for representatives who failed to generate sufficient scripts, and the leveraging of personal relationships between physicians and representatives. Executives reminded representatives that strong Subsys dosages yielded higher bonus payouts, and managers encouraged representatives to hold the customer accountable when physicians and nurses failed to sustain or increase Subsys prescriptionsin part by leveraging personal relationships with these prescribers. Insys executives emphasized the importance of owning a physicianmeaning that sales representatives should tightly monitor and control prescribing behavioras well as the return on investment the company expected from speakers programs. Company managers similarly referred to Subsys patients as representing annuities for sales representatives. The company knew that its speakers programs suffered from serious deficiencies. A report by an outside consultant found that compliance issues with these programs included an absence of safety content, no clear disclosure of Insys sponsorship, and in at least one case, a guest list that indicated the program lacked a true educational purpose. [S]o long as both sales representatives and prescribers have strong financial incentives to boost prescriptions, simple greed will continue to distort the patient-physician relationship. As a result, this report represents a warning to policymakers seeking to prevent actors in the pharmaceutical industry from fueling the next public health crisis, the report states.McCaskills report also examines the cases of Heather Alfonso, a nurse practitioner from Connecticut, and Dr. Steven Simon, a physician practicing near Kansas City, Mo., both of whom exhibited high Subsys prescribing and received substantial payments from Insys. Alfonso was charged in 2015 with receiving kickbacks in connection with Subsys prescriptions under Medicare Part D and received approximately $83,000 for prescribing Subsys for her patients. Simon, a doctor based in Kansas, at one time ranked as the eighth-highest paid Subsys speaker in the United States, receiving over $230,000 from Insys between 2013 and 2016, and reportedly prescribed more Subsys to people on Medicare Part D than any other Kansas practitioner.McCaskill issued a previous report on Insys Therapeutics last year, which detailed systemic manipulation of the prior authorization process by Insys to boost approvals for its highly addictive fentanyl drug Subsys, even for inappropriate, off-label uses. McCaskills broader investigation into opioid manufacturersthe most comprehensive Congressional investigation into the crisis to datebegan early last year when she requested information related to sales and marketing materials, internal addiction studies, details on compliance with government settlements and donations to third party advocacy groups from major opioid manufacturers. Later, she expanded her investigation, requesting documents and information from opioid manufacturers Mallinckrodt, Endo, Teva, and Allergan, while a request to McKesson Corporation, AmerisourceBergen Corporation, and Cardinal Health, Inc., focused on their distribution of opioid products.Earlier this year in February, McCaskills investigation released its second round of findings, exposing the financial ties between opioid manufacturers and third party groups, who often lobbied for pro-opioid policies after receiving contributions from pharmaceutical companies. In the wake of these discoveries, McCaskill introduced a bill in June to increase transparency and make sure opioid manufacturers report contributions to third party groups, which totaled almost $9 million between 2012 and 2017 for the companies and groups profiled in the February 2018 report. In July, McCaskill released another report as part of her investigation into opioid manufacturers, documenting how the Big Three pharmaceutical distribution companies together shipped around 1.6 billion dosage units of opioid products to Missouri alone between 2012 and 2017 and how their legally required suspicious order reporting for Missouri orders between 2012 and 2017 varied widely. Dr. Jeff Masters 12 October 2018 (Weather Underground) As Hurricane Michael sped northward on 9 October 2018 toward a catastrophic landfall on Floridas Panhandle, the mighty hurricane put on an phenomenal display of rapid intensification. Michaels winds increased by 45 mph in the final 24 hours before landfall, taking it from a Category 2 hurricane with 110 mph winds to an extremely dangerous high-end Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds. It was a disturbing deja vu of what had happened just one year earlier. On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey rapidly intensified by 40 mph in the 24 hours before landfall, from a Category 1 storm with 90 mph winds to a Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds. Extreme rapid intensification rates expected to become more common In a 2016 paper, Will Global Warming Make Hurricane Forecasting More Difficult? (available here from the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society), MIT hurricane scientist Kerry Emanuel explained that not only will global warming make the strongest hurricanes stronger, it will also increase how fast they intensify. Troublingly, intensification rates dont increase linearly as the intensity of a storm increasesthey increase by the square power of the intensity. Thus, we can expect future hurricanes to intensify at unprecedented rates, and the ones that happen to perform their rapid intensification just before landfall will be extremely dangerous.Dr. Emanuel used a computer model that generated a set of 22,000 landfalling U.S. hurricanes during the recent climate period of 1979 2005, then compared their intensification rates to a similar set of hurricanes generated in the climate expected at the end of the 21st century. For the future climate, he assumed a business-as-usual approach to climate changethe path we are currently on. The analysis found that the odds of a hurricane intensifying by 70 mph or greater in the 24 hours just before landfall were about once every 100 years in the climate of the late 20th century. But in the climate of the year 2100, these odds increased to once every 5 10 years. Whats more, 24-hour pre-landfall intensifications of 115 mph or morewhich were essentially nonexistent in the late 20th Century climateoccurred as often as once every 100 years by the year 2100. The major metropolitan areas most at risk for extreme intensification rates just before landfall included Houston, New Orleans, Tampa/St. Petersburg, and Miami.In an email, Dr. Emanuel said: My own work shows that rates of intensification increase more rapidly than intensity itself as the climate warms, so that rapidly intensifying storms like Michael may be expected to become more common. Moreover, he added, My work on Hurricane Harvey and a few other heavy rain-producing hurricanes such as Florence, together with much previous work by others on the subject, strongly suggests that hurricane-related flooding will increase as the climate continues to warm. A dangerous scenario: a rapidly intensifying hurricane making landfall Hurricanes like Michael and Harvey that rapidly intensify just before landfall are among the most dangerous storms there are, since they can catch forecasters and populations off guard, risking inadequate evacuation efforts and large casualties. Lack of warning and rapid intensification just before landfall were key reasons for the high death toll of the most intense hurricane on record to hit the U.Sthe 1935 Labor Day hurricane in the Florida Keys. That storm intensified by 80 mph in the 24 hours before landfall, topping out as a Category 5 hurricane with 185 mph winds and an 892 mb pressure at landfall. At least 408 people were killed, making it the eighth deadliest hurricane in U.S. history. Another rapidly intensifying hurricane at landfall, Hurricane Audrey of June 1957, was the seventh deadliest U.S. hurricane, killing at least 416. Audreys winds increased by 35 mph in the 24 hours before landfall near the Texas/Louisiana border, when it was a Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph winds. Lack of warning and an unexpectedly intense landfall were cited as key reasons for the high death toll.Of course, nowadays we have satellites and radar and regular hurricane hunter flights and advanced computer forecast models, so the danger of another Audrey or 1935 Labor Day hurricane taking us by surprise is lower. Or is it? All of that fancy technology didnt help much for 2007s Hurricane Humberto, which hit Texas as a Category 1 storm with 90 mph winds. Humberto had the most rapid increase in intensity in the 24 hours before landfall of any Atlantic hurricane since 1950: 65 mph. A mere 18 hours before landfall, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicted a landfall intensity of just 45 mph, increasing that estimate to 65 mph in a forecast issued 6 hours later. Its fortunate that Humberto was not a stronger system, or the lack of warning could have led to serious loss of life.Historical records show that since 1950, the greatest 24-hour intensification rates prior to a U.S. landfall were: By Euan Rocha, Rajendra Jadhav, and Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Alex Richardson 10 October 2018 KOCHI/MUMBAI (Reuters) Joby Pathrose, a farmer living a kilometre away from the usually languid Periyar river in southern India, was woken in the night by the sound of rushing waters. Hours later his plantations and everything he owned were completely submerged. There was absolutely no warning from the government side, said Pathrose, describing the devastating flooding that hit his village of Okkal, in Kerala state, on 15 August 2018. Pathrose says local authorities had advised his fields were safe, despite the incessant rains that battered Kerala at the peak of the monsoon. More than 5mn people in Kerala were affected and over 200 were killed amid torrential rain and floods in August. The flooding, dubbed the worst to hit the southern state in nearly a century, caused billions of dollars of damage to fields, homes and other infrastructure. As the rain intensified in mid-August state authorities were forced to release water from 35 dams to manage rising waters in reservoirs, many of which are used to generate hydroelectricity. Pathrose and others living near the Periyar say the sudden opening of dam gates without proper warnings to those living downstream was a big factor in the devastation. More than half a dozen experts whom Reuters consulted were divided on the extent to which dam water spills contributed to the flooding, but almost all, including Indias Central Water Commission (CWC), said reservoirs levels were too high ahead of the disaster. By Tony Bizjak 25 October 2018 (The Sacramento Bee) Brent Larson awoke at 4 a.m. to the shake and rumble of what felt like a freight train rolling down the hill toward his Santa Barbara County home. He leaped from his bed and woke his two sons. In seconds, a wall of water, mud and rock slammed into his house, smashing through one window, then the next, then a third, pouring in as the trio sprinted to the safety of the chimney at the homes far corner. It was like out of Indiana Jones, he said, nine months later, still shaken. He was lucky. Twenty-one of his Montecito neighbors were killed that Jan. 9 night, and 400 homes damaged or destroyed. Two other people are missing, believed to be entombed somewhere in the now hardened mud that still covers parts of Montecito, an upscale village next to Santa Barbara. Worse, that night was not a freak incident, state emergency officials say.California is entering what experts call the fire-flood era: a formidable one-two punch prompted by warmer temperatures, bigger wildland fires, and more intense winter rain dumps, even in drought years.Fall fire season sets the table by denuding millions of acres of hillsides and baking the soil surface so that it becomes non-absorbent, or, in scientific terms, hydrophobic. When heavy winter rains hit, the water cannot penetrate the burned soil, and instead rolls downhill in the form of a mud and ash soup, similar to a flash flood, carrying boulders and trees with it.We know where things are headed, climate scientist Daniel Swain of UCLA said. We are just entering this era, and it is only going to get more interesting from here. By George Dvorsky 17 October 2018 (Gizmodo) A United Nations report published last week said we have about a decade to get climate change under control, whichlets be honest isnt likely to happen . So break out your goalie masks and harpoon guns, a Mad Max future awaits! Now, as new research points out, we even know where on Earth the inevitable water wars are most likely to take place.Sarcasm aside, this report is actually quite serious.Published today in Global Environmental Change , the paper identifies several hotspots around the globe where hydro-political issues, in the parlance of the researchers, are likely to give rise to geopolitical tensions, and possibly even conflict. The authors of the new report, a team from the European Commissions Joint Research Centre (JRC), say the escalating effects of climate change, in conjunction with ongoing trends in population growth, could trigger regional instability and social unrest in regions where freshwater is scarce, and where bordering nations have to manage and share this increasingly scarce commodity.Obviously, the causes of geopolitical tension and conflict are complex, but as the new report makes clear, we shouldnt underestimate the role that water is going to play in the future. Competition for dwindling water resources, the authors say, will exacerbate tensions on a global scale in the coming decades, with certain regions more vulnerable than others. But how are the various factors that influence water demand and availability likely to affect populations around the world?The new study, led by JRC scientist Fabio Farinosi, was an attempt to answer this critical question, and to also create a model that can predict where and when future water wars might arise. []Farinosis team used a machine learning-driven approach to investigate the various factors that have traditionally given rise to water-related tensions. An algorithm studied previous episodes of conflict over water resources, of which there is no shortage (check out this impressive database of water-related conflicts to get a sense of how common water wars are in our history). The algorithm considered access to freshwater, climate stress (two greenhouse gas emission scenarios were considered, one moderate and one extreme), population trends, human pressures on the water supply, socio-economic conditions, and more. [ more ] Heres Where the Post-Apocalyptic Water Wars Will Be Fought (JRC) JRC scientists have identified the hotspots where competition over the use of shared water resources could lead to disagreements between countries. The new study aims to facilitate the implementation of strategies to encourage cooperation between countries. The combination of climate change and demographic growth is likely to exacerbate hydro-political issues. Water conflicts are more likely to occur in areas that are already under water stress. The most vulnerable areas are around the Nile, Ganges-Brahmaputra, Indus, Tigris-Euphrates, and Colorado rivers. Competition for limited water resources will be one of the main concerns in the coming decades.Scarce water resources can generate or exacerbate political tensions, regional instability and social unrest. New scientific methods for early identification of risk areas JRC scientists used a new machine-learning approach to investigate the pre-conditions and factors that are likely to lead to water management issues in shared water bodies.They carried out an innovative analysis of past episodes of conflict and cooperation over transboundary water resources, and studied the links with freshwater availability, climate stress, human pressure on water resources and socio-economic conditions.The scope of our study is two-fold. First, we wanted to highlight the factors which lead to either political cooperation or tensions in transboundary river basins. And second, we wanted to map and monitor the likelihood of these kinds of interactions over space and time and under changing socio-economic conditions, explains JRC researcher and lead author of the study, Fabio Farinosi. Determining factors Scarcity of water, high population density, power imbalances and climatic stressors are the main factors which push countries towards either political cooperation or tensions in transboundary river basins.The Nile, Ganges-Brahmaputra, Indus, Tigris-Euphrates, and Colorado rivers are water hotspots, where hydro-political interactions are most likely to occur.These areas are already under water stress, and future demographic and climatic conditions are expected to exert further pressure on scarce water resources.The changing socio-economic and climatic factors will increase the pressure on water resources worldwide.This is likely to increase competition between countries for water.Globally, the combined effect of climate change and population growth can increase the likelihood of water-related interactions in transboundary river basins by between 74.9% and 95%.This does not mean that each case will result in a conflict. It depends on how well prepared and equipped the countries are to cooperate. This is where we hope our research can help, by raising awareness of the risks so that solutions can be sought early on, Farinosi says. New tools for monitoring hydro-political dynamics Based on this research, JRC scientists developed an index and a model which help detect areas in the world that are at high risk of hydro-political conflicts.These tools can prompt policymakers to design and implement strategies that encourage cooperation between countries before conflicts occur.The tools also provide an additional method for monitoring the hydro-political dynamics under Target 6.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aims to enhance Water Resources Management and transboundary cooperation.The index and model complement the SDG indicator 6.5.2 Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation, by providing additional intelligence on important contributing factors that are not yet included in the current SDG monitoring framework.The JRC is in the process of developing a more detailed analysis of the largest river basins in Africa in collaboration with the local institutions. EU action This study, which builds on the 2013 Council Conclusions on EU water diplomacy, will further inform the EUs work on water diplomacy and transboundary water management.The EU is engaged in contributing to peace and security in priority regions such as the Nile basin, the Central Asia region and the Mekrou River Basin, with a number of projects aimed at developing mechanisms for cooperative and knowledge based water management in order to avoid conflicts, and to sustain common water resources for sustainable development.In 2018, the EU worked to promote global membership to the UNECE Water Convention.The aim was to underscore the EUs belief in the shared value of international agreements on global water cooperation in order to foster development and peace in a context of increasing tensions over water. Chad has been the first non UNECE country to join the UNECE Water Convention, and Senegal has followed.Other African countries are also taking steps towards accession to this international legal instrument which promotes international water governance.The EU is ready to support interested countries in the accession process.Read the full study: An innovative approach to the assessment of hydro-political risk: A spatially explicit, data driven indicator of hydro-political issues. By Ben Guarino 15 October 2018 (The Washington Post) Insects around the world are in a crisis, according to a small but growing number of long-term studies showing dramatic declines in invertebrate populations. A new report suggests that the problem is more widespread than scientists realized. Huge numbers of bugs have been lost in a pristine national forest in Puerto Rico, the study found, and the forests insect-eating animals have gone missing, too.In 2014, an international team of biologists estimated that, in the past 35 years, the abundance of invertebrates such as beetles and bees had decreased by 45 percent. In places where long-term insect data are available, mainly in Europe, insect numbers are plummeting. A study last year showed a 76 percent decrease in flying insects in the past few decades in German nature preserves.The latest report, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that this startling loss of insect abundance extends to the Americas. The studys authors implicate climate change in the loss of tropical invertebrates.This study in PNAS is a real wake-up call a clarion call that the phenomenon could be much, much bigger, and across many more ecosystems, said David Wagner, an expert in invertebrate conservation at the University of Connecticut who was not involved with this research. He added: This is one of the most disturbing articles I have ever read.Bradford Lister, a biologist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, has been studying rain forest insects in Puerto Rico since the 1970s. If Puerto Rico is the island of enchantment la isla del encanto then its rain forest is the enchanted forest on the enchanted isle, he said. Birds and coqui frogs trill beneath a 50-foot-tall emerald canopy. The forest, named El Yunque, is well-protected. Spanish King Alfonso XII claimed the jungle as a 19th-century royal preserve. Decades later, Theodore Roosevelt made it a national reserve, and El Yunque remains the only tropical rain forest in the National Forest system.We went down in 76, 77 expressly to measure the resources: the insects and the insectivores in the rain forest, the birds, the frogs, the lizards, Lister said.He came back nearly 40 years later, with his colleague Andres Garcia, an ecologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. What the scientists did not see on their return troubled them. Boy, it was immediately obvious when we went into that forest, Lister said. Fewer birds flitted overhead. The butterflies, once abundant, had all but vanished.Garcia and Lister once again measured the forests insects and other invertebrates, a group called arthropods that includes spiders and centipedes. The researchers trapped arthropods on the ground in plates covered in a sticky glue, and raised several more plates about three feet into the canopy. The researchers also swept nets over the brush hundreds of times, collecting the critters that crawled through the vegetation.Each technique revealed the biomass (the dry weight of all the captured invertebrates) had significantly decreased from 1976 to the present day. The sweep sample biomass decreased to a fourth or an eighth of what it had been. Between January 1977 and January 2013, the catch rate in the sticky ground traps fell 60-fold.Everything is dropping, Lister said. The most common invertebrates in the rain forest the moths, the butterflies, the grasshoppers, the spiders, and others are all far less abundant.Holy crap, Wagner said of the 60-fold loss.Louisiana State University entomologist Timothy Schowalter, who is not an author of the recent report, has studied this forest since the 1990s. The new research is consistent with his data, as well as the European biomass studies. It takes these long-term sites, with consistent sampling across a long period of time, to document these trends, he said. I find their data pretty compelling. [more] Hyperalarming study shows massive insect loss By Mary L. Martialay 15 October 2018 (RPI) While temperatures in the tropical forests of northeastern Puerto Rico have climbed two degrees Celsius since the mid-1970s, the biomass of arthropods invertebrate animals such as insects, millipedes, and sowbugs has declined by as much as 60-fold, according to new findings published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The finding supports the recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warnings of severe environmental threats given a 2.0 degree Celsius elevation in global temperature. Like some other tropical locations, the study area in the Luquillo rainforest has already reached or exceeded a 2.0 degree Celsius rise in average temperature, and the study finds that the consequences are potentially catastrophic. Our results suggest that the effects of climate warming in tropical forests may be even greater than anticipated, said Brad Lister, lead author of the study and a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The insect populations in the Luquillo forest are crashing, and once that begins, the animals that eat the insects have insufficient food, which results in decreased reproduction and survivorship and consequent declines in abundance.Climate Driven Declines in Arthropod Abundance Restructure a Rainforest Food Web is based on data collected between 1976 and 2013 by the authors and the Luquillo Long Term Ecological Research program at three mid-elevation habitats in Puerto Ricos protected Luquillo rainforest. During this time, mean maximum temperatures have risen by 2.0 degrees Celsius. Major findings include: Sticky traps used to sample arthropods on the ground and in the forest canopy were indicative of a collapse in forest arthropods, with biomass catch rates falling up to 60-fold between 1976 and 2013. The biomass of arthropods collected by ground-level sweep netting also declined as much as eightfold from 1976 to 2013. As arthropods declined, simultaneous decreases occurred in Luquillos insectivorous lizards, frogs, and birds. The authors also compared estimates of arthropod abundance they made in the 1980s in the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve in western Mexico with estimates from 2014. Over this time period, mean temperature increased 2.4 Celsius and arthropod biomass declined eightfold. Cold-blooded animals living in tropical climates are particularly vulnerable to climate warming since they are adapted to relatively stable year-round temperatures. Given their analyses of the data, which included new techniques to assess causality, the authors conclude that climate warming is the major driver of reductions in arthropod abundance in the Luquillo forest. These reductions have precipitated a major bottom-up trophic cascade and consequent collapse of the forest food web. Given that tropical forests harbor two thirds of the Earths species, these results have profound implications for the future stability and biodiversity of rainforest ecosystems, as well as conservation efforts aimed at mitigating the effects of climate forcing.Andres Garcia, of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, was co-author on the study, which was funded by the National Science Foundation. Research into the effects of climate change is an exciting aspect of The New Polytechnic, an emerging paradigm for teaching, learning, and research at Rensselaer. The foundation for this vision is the recognition that global challenges and opportunities are so great they cannot be adequately addressed by even the most talented person working alone. The New Polytechnic is transformative in the global impact of research, in its innovative pedagogy, and in the lives of students at Rensselaer. Two Degrees Decimated Puerto Ricos Insect Populations ABSTRACT: A number of studies indicate that tropical arthropods should be particularly vulnerable to climate warming. If these predictions are realized, climate warming may have a more profound impact on the functioning and diversity of tropical forests than currently anticipated. Although arthropods comprise over two-thirds of terrestrial species, information on their abundance and extinction rates in tropical habitats is severely limited. Here we analyze data on arthropod and insectivore abundances taken between 1976 and 2012 at two midelevation habitats in Puerto Ricos Luquillo rainforest. During this time, mean maximum temperatures have risen by 2.0 C. Using the same study area and methods employed by Lister in the 1970s, we discovered that the dry weight biomass of arthropods captured in sweep samples had declined 4 to 8 times, and 30 to 60 times in sticky traps. Analysis of long-term data on canopy arthropods and walking sticks taken as part of the Luquillo Long-Term Ecological Research program revealed sustained declines in abundance over two decades, as well as negative regressions of abundance on mean maximum temperatures. We also document parallel decreases in Luquillos insectivorous lizards, frogs, and birds. While El Nino/Southern Oscillation influences the abundance of forest arthropods, climate warming is the major driver of reductions in arthropod abundance, indirectly precipitating a bottom-up trophic cascade and consequent collapse of the forest food web. SIGNIFICANCE: Arthropods, invertebrates including insects that have external skeletons, are declining at an alarming rate. While the tropics harbor the majority of arthropod species, little is known about trends in their abundance. We compared arthropod biomass in Puerto Ricos Luquillo rainforest with data taken during the 1970s and found that biomass had fallen 10 to 60 times. Our analyses revealed synchronous declines in the lizards, frogs, and birds that eat arthropods. Over the past 30 years, forest temperatures have risen 2.0 C, and our study indicates that climate warming is the driving force behind the collapse of the forests food web. If supported by further research, the impact of climate change on tropical ecosystems may be much greater than currently anticipated. Climate-driven declines in arthropod abundance restructure a rainforest food web By Coral Davenport 7 October 2018 INCHEON, South Korea (The New York Times) A landmark report from the United Nations scientific panel on climate change paints a far more dire picture of the immediate consequences of climate change than previously thought and says that avoiding the damage requires transforming the world economy at a speed and scale that has no documented historic precedent. The report , issued on Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of scientists convened by the United Nations to guide world leaders, describes a world of worsening food shortages and wildfires, and a mass die-off of coral reefs as soon as 2040 a period well within the lifetime of much of the global population.The report is quite a shock, and quite concerning, said Bill Hare, an author of previous I.P.C.C. reports and a physicist with Climate Analytics, a nonprofit organization. We were not aware of this just a few years ago. The report was the first to be commissioned by world leaders under the Paris agreement, the 2015 pact by nations to fight global warming .The authors found that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, the atmosphere will warm up by as much as 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above preindustrial levels by 2040, inundating coastlines and intensifying droughts and poverty. Previous work had focused on estimating the damage if average temperatures were to rise by a larger number, 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius), because that was the threshold scientists previously considered for the most severe effects of climate change.The new report, however, shows that many of those effects will come much sooner, at the 2.7-degree mark.Avoiding the most serious damage requires transforming the world economy within just a few years, said the authors, who estimate that the damage would come at a cost of $54 trillion. But while they conclude that it is technically possible to achieve the rapid changes required to avoid 2.7 degrees of warming, they concede that it may be politically unlikely. For instance, the report says that heavy taxes or prices on carbon dioxide emissions perhaps as high as $27,000 per ton by 2100 would be required. But such a move would be almost politically impossible in the United States, the worlds largest economy and second-largest greenhouse gas emitter behind China. Lawmakers around the world, including in China, the European Union and California, have enacted carbon pricing programs.President Trump, who has mocked the science of human-caused climate change, has vowed to increase the burning of coal and said he intends to withdraw from the Paris agreement. And on Sunday in Brazil, the worlds seventh-largest emitter of greenhouse gas, voters appeared on track to elect a new president, Jair Bolsonaro, who has said he also plans to withdraw from the accord. []Absent aggressive action, many effects once expected only several decades in the future will arrive by 2040, and at the lower temperature, the report shows. Its telling us we need to reverse emissions trends and turn the world economy on a dime, said Myles Allen, an Oxford University climate scientist and an author of the report. To prevent 2.7 degrees of warming, the report said, greenhouse pollution must be reduced by 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and 100 percent by 2050. It also found that, by 2050, use of coal as an electricity source would have to drop from nearly 40 percent today to between 1 and 7 percent. Renewable energy such as wind and solar, which make up about 20 percent of the electricity mix today, would have to increase to as much as 67 percent.This report makes it clear: There is no way to mitigate climate change without getting rid of coal, said Drew Shindell, a climate scientist at Duke University and an author of the report. [ more ] Major Climate Report Describes a Strong Risk of Crisis as Early as 2040 INCHEON, Republic of Korea, 8 October 2018 (IPCC) Limiting global warming to 1.5C would require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society, the IPCC said in a new assessment. With clear benefits to people and natural ecosystems, limiting global warming to 1.5C compared to 2C could go hand in hand with ensuring a more sustainable and equitable society, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said on Monday.The Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C was approved by the IPCC on Saturday in Incheon, Republic of Korea. It will be a key scientific input into the Katowice Climate Change Conference in Poland in December, when governments review the Paris Agreement to tackle climate change.With more than 6,000 scientific references cited and the dedicated contribution of thousands of expert and government reviewers worldwide, this important report testifies to the breadth and policy relevance of the IPCC, said Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC. Ninety-one authors and review editors from 40 countries prepared the IPCC report in response to an invitation from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) when it adopted the Paris Agreement in 2015. The reports full name is Global Warming of 1.5C, an IPCC special report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty.One of the key messages that comes out very strongly from this report is that we are already seeing the consequences of 1C of global warming through more extreme weather, rising sea levels, and diminishing Arctic sea ice, among other changes, said Panmao Zhai, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group I.The report highlights a number of climate change impacts that could be avoided by limiting global warming to 1.5C compared to 2C, or more. For instance, by 2100, global sea level rise would be 10 cm lower with global warming of 1.5C compared with 2C. The likelihood of an Arctic Ocean free of sea ice in summer would be once per century with global warming of 1.5C, compared with at least once per decade with 2C. Coral reefs would decline by 70-90 percent with global warming of 1.5C, whereas virtually all (> 99 percent) would be lost with 2C. Every extra bit of warming matters, especially since warming of 1.5C or higher increases the risk associated with long-lasting or irreversible changes, such as the loss of some ecosystems, said Hans-Otto Portner, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group II.Limiting global warming would also give people and ecosystems more room to adapt and remain below relevant risk thresholds, added Portner. The report also examines pathways available to limit warming to 1.5C, what it would take to achieve them and what the consequences could be.The good news is that some of the kinds of actions that would be needed to limit global warming to 1.5C are already underway around the world, but they would need to accelerate, said Valerie Masson-Delmotte, Co-Chair of Working Group I. The report finds that limiting global warming to 1.5C would require rapid and far-reaching transitions in land, energy, industry, buildings, transport, and cities. Global net human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) would need to fall by about 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net zero around 2050. This means that any remaining emissions would need to be balanced by removing CO2 from the air.Limiting warming to 1.5C is possible within the laws of chemistry and physics but doing so would require unprecedented changes, said Jim Skea, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group III. Allowing the global temperature to temporarily exceed or overshoot 1.5C would mean a greater reliance on techniques that remove CO2 from the air to return global temperature to below 1.5C by 2100. The effectiveness of such techniques are unproven at large scale and some may carry significant risks for sustainable development, the report notes.Limiting global warming to 1.5C compared with 2C would reduce challenging impacts on ecosystems, human health and well-being, making it easier to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, said Priyardarshi Shukla, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group III. The decisions we make today are critical in ensuring a safe and sustainable world for everyone, both now and in the future, said Debra Roberts, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group II.This report gives policymakers and practitioners the information they need to make decisions that tackle climate change while considering local context and peoples needs. The next few years are probably the most important in our history, she said. The IPCC is the leading world body for assessing the science related to climate change, its impacts and potential future risks, and possible response options.The report was prepared under the scientific leadership of all three IPCC working groups. Working Group I assesses the physical science basis of climate change; Working Group II addresses impacts, adaptation and vulnerability; and Working Group III deals with the mitigation of climate change. The Paris Agreement adopted by 195 nations at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC in December 2015 included the aim of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change by holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C above preindustrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.As part of the decision to adopt the Paris Agreement, the IPCC was invited to produce, in 2018, a Special Report on global warming of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways. The IPCC accepted the invitation, adding that the Special Report would look at these issues in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. Global Warming of 1.5C is the first in a series of Special Reports to be produced in the IPCCs Sixth Assessment Cycle. Next year the IPCC will release the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, and Climate Change and Land, which looks at how climate change affects land use. The Summary for Policymakers (SPM) presents the key findings of the Special Report, based on the assessment of the available scientific, technical and socio-economic literature relevant to global warming of 1.5C. The Summary for Policymakers of the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C (SR15) is available at http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/ or www.ipcc.ch . Key statistics of the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C 91 authors from 44 citizenships and 40 countries of residence 14 Coordinating Lead Authors (CLAs) 60 Lead authors (LAs) 17 Review Editors (REs) 133 Contributing authors (CAs) Over 6,000 cited references A total of 42,001 expert and government review comments(First Order Draft 12,895; Second Order Draft 25,476; Final Government Draft: 3,630) Contact By Peter Hannam 1 October 2018 (The Sydney Morning Herald) Australia has notched its driest September on record, with less than a third of the usual rainfall for the month, extending the dry spell that has farmers and firefighters increasingly desperate for rain. Victoria posted its second driest September, also collecting just a third of its typical September rain. NSW also had another dry month, with less than half the normal rain, bringing the states year-to-date tally lower than any year but 1902 and 1965, according to Blair Trewin, senior climatologist at the Bureau of Meteorology. Below average rainfall covered almost the entire country last month, Dr Trewin said, adding that it pipped 1957 as the driest September, and trailed only April 1902 as the driest for any month.Melbourne posted its fifth-driest September on record, with no days recording more than 5 millimetres of rain only the second time thats happened for that month in records going back to 1855. []The Murray-Darling Basin, Australias food bowl, had its driest January-September since 1902 the end of the Federation Drought Dr Trewin said.For the rest of the year, the bureaus outlook suggests odds particularly favour drier than average conditions in Victoria, southern South Australia and Tasmania.The signal in the outlook [for October to December] thats really strong is warmth, Dr Trewin said, noting that almost all of the country has an 80 per cent chance of warmer than usual maximum and minimum temperatures. [more] By Lauren Dunn and Linda Carroll 21 October 2018 (NBC News) A raging measles outbreak in Europe may be a warning sign of what could occur in the U.S. if something doesnt change soon, experts say. So far this year, there have been 41,000 cases in Europe and 40 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. The European experience may offer a window on how quickly things can go awry when parents choose not to vaccinate their children, doctors caution.Because measles is relatively rare in the U.S., many Americans have no idea of the diseases frightening impact and its stunning contagiousness.Many forget that measles isnt just a childhood disease.Silvia Rosetti, who lives in Rome, still has nightmares about contracting measles when she was 32 weeks pregnant in 2017. When Rosetti, now 41, was a child, measles vaccines were not required and she didnt think about the risk of exposure when she first became pregnant. She was healthy and ecstatic at the thought of having her first child. But then she caught measles and the symptoms came on in a rush: fever, cough and congestion so bad she could barely breathe.The situation got worse and worse so they decided to do a C-section, Rosetti said. I went into quarantine for five days. I couldnt see my baby. Her newborn son, Nathan, was also quarantined until doctors determined he was not infected. Rosetti developed pneumonia as a complication of her measles and was so weak she couldnt stand up.And I had a rash even in my eyes, so I couldnt see anything, Rosetti told NBC News.Rosetti eventually recovered. Her baby, Nathan is now a year old and has gotten all his vaccinations.If you do the vaccination, you love yourself, you love your sons, and you love everybody, she said. You protect everybody. Its not just for myself or for my son.Rosetti is one of the more than 2,000 people in Italy who have been diagnosed with measles already this year. We have a very serious situation, said Dr. Alberto Villani, pediatric infectious disease doctor at Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital and the president of the Italian Pediatric Society. People are dying from measles. This was unbelievable five or 10 years ago.Even in England, which had been declared free of measles by the World Health Organization a year ago, cases are surging.The reason, experts say, is that in Europe, many parents have opted to skip vaccinating their children. Its the main factor leading to the outbreaks, said Anca Paduraru of the European Commission in Brussels. Its unacceptable to have in the 21st century diseases that should have been and could have been eradicated.At least 95 percent of the population must have received at least two doses of measles vaccine to prevent outbreaks, WHO said. Some parts of Europe are below 70 percent. []What has been happening in Europe is now happening in the U.S. on a smaller scale at this point, said Dr. Peter Hotez, director of the Texas Childrens Hospital Center for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine and author of Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachels Autism: My Journey as a Vaccine Scientist, Pediatrician, and Autism Dad. [ more ] Measles outbreak raging in Europe could happen in U.S. COPENHAGEN, Denmark, 20 August 2018 (WHO) Over 41 000 children and adults in the WHO European Region have been infected with measles in the first 6 months of 2018. The total number for this period far exceeds the 12-month totals reported for every other year this decade. So far, the highest annual total for measles cases between 2010 and 2017 was 23 927 for 2017, and the lowest was 5273 for 2016. Monthly country reports also indicate that at least 37 people have died due to measles so far this year. Following the decades lowest number of cases in 2016, we are seeing a dramatic increase in infections and extended outbreaks, says Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe. We call on all countries to immediately implement broad, context-appropriate measures to stop further spread of this disease. Good health for all starts with immunization, and as long as this disease is not eliminated we are failing to live up to our Sustainable Development Goal commitments. Seven countries in the Region have seen over 1000 infections in children and adults this year (France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, the Russian Federation, Serbia and Ukraine). Ukraine has been the hardest hit, with over 23 000 people affected; this accounts for over half of the regional total. Measles-related deaths have been reported in all of these countries, with Serbia reporting the highest number of 14. Uneven progress towards measles and rubella elimination According to the latest assessment by the European Regional Verification Commission for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVC), released today, 43 of the Regions 53 Member States have interrupted the endemic spread of measles and 42 have interrupted rubella (based on 2017 reporting). At the same time, the RVC expressed concerns about inadequate disease surveillance and low immunization coverage in some countries. It also concluded that chains of measles transmission continued for more than 12 months in some countries that had interrupted the endemic spread of the disease, reverting their status back to endemic. This partial setback demonstrates that every person who is not immune remains vulnerable no matter where they live, and every country must keep pushing to increase coverage and close immunity gaps, even after achieving interrupted or eliminated status, says Dr Nedret Emiroglu, Director of the Division of Health Emergencies and Communicable Diseases at the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Measles can be stopped The measles virus is exceptionally contagious and spreads easily among susceptible individuals. To prevent outbreaks, at least 95 percent immunization coverage with 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine is needed every year in every community, as well as efforts to reach children, adolescents and adults who missed routine vaccination in the past. While immunization coverage with 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine increased from 88% of eligible children in the Region in 2016 to 90 percent in 2017, large disparities at the local level persist: some communities report over 95 percent coverage, and others below 70 percent. WHO is working closely with Member States currently facing outbreaks to implement response measures, including enhanced routine and supplemental immunization as well as heightened surveillance to quickly detect cases. WHO is also working with other countries to attain the 95% threshold. At this midterm juncture for the European Vaccine Action Plan, we must celebrate our achievements while not losing sight of those who are still vulnerable and whose protection requires our urgent and ongoing attention, concludes Dr Jakab. We can stop this deadly disease. But we will not succeed unless everyone plays their part: to immunize their children, themselves, their patients, their populations and also to remind others that vaccination saves lives. All 53 countries in the Region will review midterm progress towards the goals of the European Vaccine Action Plan at the 68th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, taking place in Rome, Italy, on 1720 September 2018. By Colin Dwyer 24 October 2018 (NPR) A massive typhoon slammed into a U.S. territory in the west Pacific, lashing the Northern Mariana Islands with gusts of Category 5 intensity Wednesday night local time. Super Typhoon Yutu brought to bear maximum sustained winds of about 180 mph much more powerful, in other words, than the historically powerful storm that hit Florida two weeks ago.The islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota remain under typhoon warnings from the National Weather Service, while Guam and several smaller islands have been placed under a tropical storm warning. And the NWS expects typhoon conditions to continue through late Thursday morning local time. []Meteorologists described the storm as not only Earths strongest storm of 2018 but also one of the most intense hurricane strikes on record for the United States and its territories. The more than 50,000 people who live in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands faced a storm surge of up to 20 feet and rainfall of up to 10 inches in certain areas.Michael Ziobro, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Guam, told NPR that instruments on Saipan and Tinian gave out after recording winds of about 104 mph.And just listen to the unsettling wails of the wind recorded by a camera on Saipan. The island, together with Tinian, stood in the path of Yutus eye.We saw photos, images of destruction from their airport and two other facilities, and just debris strewn about everywhere across that island, Nick Delgado, a reporter at KUAM News in Guam, south of Tinian, told NPR. [] By Leah Burrows 4 October 2018 (The Harvard Gazette) When it comes to energy production, theres no such thing as a free lunch, unfortunately.As the world begins its large-scale transition toward low-carbon energy sources, it is vital that the pros and cons of each type are well understood and the environmental impacts of renewable energy, small as they may be in comparison to coal and gas, are considered.In two papers published today in the journals Environmental Research Letters and Joule Harvard University researchers find that the transition to wind or solar power in the U.S. would require five to 20 times more land than previously thought, and, if such large-scale wind farms were built, would warm average surface temperatures over the continental U.S. by 0.24 degrees Celsius.Wind beats coal by any environmental measure, but that doesnt mean that its impacts are negligible, said David Keith, the Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and senior author of the papers. We must quickly transition away from fossil fuels to stop carbon emissions. In doing so, we must make choices between various low-carbon technologies, all of which have some social and environmental impacts.Keith is also professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.One of the first steps to understanding the environmental impact of renewable technologies is to understand how much land would be required to meet future U.S. energy demands. Even starting with todays energy demands, the land area and associated power densities required have long been debated by energy experts.In previous research, Keith and co-authors modeled the generating capacity of large-scale wind farms and concluded that real-world wind power generation had been overestimated because they neglected to accurately account for the interactions between turbines and the atmosphere.In 2013 research, Keith described how each wind turbine creates a wind shadow behind it where air has been slowed down by the turbines blades. Todays commercial-scale wind farms carefully space turbines to reduce the impact of these wind shadows, but given the expectation that wind farms will continue to expand as demand for wind-derived electricity increases, interactions and associated climatic impacts cannot be avoided.What was missing from this previous research, however, were observations to support the modeling. Then, a few months ago, the U.S. Geological Survey released the locations of 57,636 wind turbines around the U.S. Using this data set, in combination with several other U.S. government databases, Keith and postdoctoral fellow Lee Miller were able to quantify the power density of 411 wind farms and 1,150 solar photovoltaic plants operating in the U.S. during 2016.For wind, we found that the average power density meaning the rate of energy generation divided by the encompassing area of the wind plant was up to 100 times lower than estimates by some leading energy experts, said Miller, who is the first author of both papers. Most of these estimates failed to consider the turbine-atmosphere interaction. For an isolated wind turbine, interactions are not important at all, but once the wind farms are more than five to 10 kilometers deep, these interactions have a major impact on the power density.The observation-based wind power densities are also much lower than important estimates from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.For solar energy, the average power density (measured in watts per meter squared) is 10 times higher than wind power, but also much lower than estimates by leading energy experts.This research suggests that not only will wind farms require more land to hit the proposed renewable energy targets but also, at such a large scale, would become an active player in the climate system.The next question, as explored in the journal Joule, was how such large-scale wind farms would impact the climate system.To estimate the impacts of wind power, Keith and Miller established a baseline for the 20122014 U.S. climate using a standard weather-forecasting model. Then, they covered one-third of the continental U.S. with enough wind turbines to meet present-day U.S. electricity demand. The researchers found this scenario would warm the surface temperature of the continental U.S. by 0.24 degrees Celsius, with the largest changes occurring at night when surface temperatures increased by up to 1.5 degrees. This warming is the result of wind turbines actively mixing the atmosphere near the ground and aloft while simultaneously extracting from the atmospheres motion.This research supports more than 10 other studies that observed warming near operational U.S. wind farms. Miller and Keith compared their simulations to satellite-based observational studies in North Texas and found roughly consistent temperature increases.Miller and Keith are quick to point out the unlikeliness of the U.S. generating as much wind power as they simulate in their scenario, but localized warming occurs in even smaller projections. The follow-on question is then to understand when the growing benefits of reducing emissions are roughly equal to the near-instantaneous impacts of wind power.The Harvard researchers found that the warming effect of wind turbines in the continental U.S. was actually larger than the effect of reduced emissions for the first century of its operation. This is because the warming effect is predominantly local to the wind farm, while greenhouse gas concentrations must be reduced globally before the benefits are realized.Miller and Keith repeated the calculation for solar power and found that its climate impacts were about 10 times smaller than winds.The direct climate impacts of wind power are instant, while the benefits of reduced emissions accumulate slowly, said Keith. If your perspective is the next 10 years, wind power actually has in some respects more climate impact than coal or gas. If your perspective is the next thousand years, then wind power has enormously less climatic impact than coal or gas.The work should not be seen as a fundamental critique of wind power, he said. Some of winds climate impacts will be beneficial several global studies show that wind power cools polar regions. Rather, the work should be seen as a first step in getting more serious about assessing these impacts for all renewables. Our hope is that our study, combined with the recent direct observations, marks a turning point where wind powers climatic impacts begin to receive serious consideration in strategic decisions about decarbonizing the energy system. (MarketWatch) Much has been made about how much wealth is sloshing around in U.S. households and the significance of that fact. Our call of the day pulls no punches as it warns that all of that oft-referenced increase in affluence has been artificially inflated by the Fed, which is ultimately bad news for the economy and the stock market. Heres how Jesse Colombo, analyst at Clarity Financial, explains it:The U.S. household wealth boom since the Great Recession is a sham, a farce and a gigantic lie that is tricking everyone into believing that happy days are here again even though the engines that are driving it are bubbles that are going to burst and cause a crisis that will be even worse than the 2008 crash, Colombo said in a video he posted via the Real Investment Advice blog.There has been a fair bit of buzz on the topic since data this summer that showed household wealth topped $100 trillion for the first time in June. Colombos isnt the only invective against bloated U.S. wealth and how it could go terribly wrong, but the commentary delivers, perhaps, the most potent argument to date, including charts, such as the following, that illustrates the degree to which wealth has been outpacing economic expansion: 10 October 2018 (UN News) Climate-related and geophysical disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis have killed 1.3 million people over the last 20 years and left a further 4.4 billion injured, homeless or in need of emergency assistance, UN experts said on Wednesday.The findings [pdf], published by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), also show that people in low- and middle-income countries are seven times more likely to die from natural disasters than those in developed nations.This puts a big emphasis on the need tomake sure that we curb greenhouse gas emissions, said Ricardo Mena, UNISDR chief, in charge of implementing the Sendai Framework.Failing to do this, risks letting climate-related hazards get out of control, he told journalists in Geneva, before calling for greater investment in disaster risk-reduction measures, so that we do not allow for countries to create new risk.In terms of the impact of disasters on the global economy between 1998 and 2017, affected countries reported direct losses of $2.908 trillion. Thats more than twice what was lost in the previous two decades. Illustrating the growing threat from climate change, extreme weather events now account for 77 per cent of total economic losses, $2.245 trillion, the report notes.This represents a dramatic rise of 151 per cent compared with losses reported between 1978 and 1997, which amounted to $895 billion. Poorer countries most vulnerable, worst-hit The increased vulnerability of poorer countries to disasters is illustrated by the fact that, in the last 20 years, only one officially high-income territory the island of Puerto Rico has featured in a league table of the top 10 economic losses as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).Last September, devastation in the US-dependency caused by Hurricane Maria contributed to overall losses since 1998, of more than $71 billion; the equivalent of 12.2 per cent of Puerto Ricos GDP.Apart from Cuba, which is classified as an upper-middle income country in the 20-year review, the other top 10 worst-hit nations, as a percentage of their output, are all lower-income. Haiti where a deadly 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck the north-west of the island just four days ago recorded the highest losses, at 17.5 per cent of GDP. In terms of fatalities from disasters, the report indicates that more than 747,000 people 56 per cent of the total died in the last two decades during major seismic events, a total of 563 earthquakes and related tsunamis.Overall, however, more than 90 per cent of all disasters in the last 20 years were in fact floods, storms, droughts and other extreme weather events. Heatwaves are next climate change explosion Heatwaves are an increasing global threat for which solutions need to be found in the next five to 10 years, warned report co-author Professor Debarati Guha, from the Institute of Health and Society (IRSS), part of the Universite Catholique de Louvain (UCL). The next one that is going to hit us with an explosion is heatwaves, she said. Its going to be both in poor countries, remember, human beings have a limit, a thermal resistance limit it is also going to be a huge problem in the wealthier countries.We emphasize the need to reduce existing risk to strengthen the resilience of people and nations. Otherwise the success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is going to be a very elusive target, UNISDRs Ricardo Mena said. Disasters: UN report shows climate change causing dramatic rise in economic losses ByJonathan Watts and Matthew Taylor 8 October 2018 (The Guardian) World leaders have been told they have moral obligation to ramp up their action on the climate crisis in the wake of a new UN report that shows even half a degree of extra warming will affect hundreds of millions of people, decimate corals, and intensify heat extremes.But the muted response by Britain, Australia, and other governments highlights the immense political challenges facing adoption of pathways to the relatively safe limit of 1.5C above pre-industrial temperatures outlined on Monday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).With the report set to be presented at a major climate summit in Poland in December, known as COP24, there is little time for squabbles. The report noted that emissions need to be cut by 45 percent by 2030 in order to keep warming within 1.5C. That means decisions have to be taken in the next two years to decommission coal power plants and replace them with renewables, because major investments usually have a lifecycle of at least a decade.Mary Robinson, a UN special envoy on climate, said Europe should set an example by adopting a target of zero-carbon emissions by 2050. Before this, people talked vaguely about staying at or below 2C we now know that 2C is dangerous, she said. So it is really important that governments take the responsibility, but we must all do what we can.The UK, which has gone further than most nations by cutting its annual emissions by 40% since 1990, will need to step up if the more ambitious goal is to be reached.But there is increasing pushback by the worlds powerful fossil fuel and agribusiness interests, who are supporting politicians who are apathetic or hostile to climate action. The new IPCC report stressed the urgent need for reforestation and greater forest protection, but within hours of its release the first round of the Brazilian presidential election ended with a huge lead for Jair Bolsonaro, who has promised to quit the Paris accord and open up the Amazon rainforest to farmers and miners. 16 November 2018 (BBC News) Northern Californias air quality has become the worst in the world, according to monitoring groups, as the state battles devastating fires. Air quality network Purple Air said on Thursday the air is now worse than smoggy cities in India and China. Schools have cancelled classes, flights have been delayed, and internet searches for smoke masks are soaring. At least 63 people have died in the Camp Fire the states deadliest and most destructive blaze. The number of missing people has jumped to more than 600, local authorities said, doubling the size of the list in a day. Three more people have also died in the Woolsey Fire, further south. [] How bad is the air? The AirNow website ranks the air around San Francisco and Oakland as very unhealthy, meaning everyone in the area could experience more serious health effects. Around Elk Grove and Sacramento, it is classed as hazardous the whole population is likely to be affected, their website states. A San Francisco Chronicle reporter tweeted that breathing in San Francisco was equivalent to smoking nearly a dozen cigarettes. In Paradise, which was destroyed by the wildfire, it is closer to smoking 22 cigarettes.Internet searches for smoke masks have reportedly skyrocketed, while schools and universities have cancelled classes and held recesses for students inside. Health officials warned people to stay indoors rather than risk the smoke.Wearing a mask may encourage outdoor activity when staying indoors is the best way to minimize exposure to smoke, the Sacramento County Public Health Office said. [more] By James Fernyhough 15 November 2018 (The Australian Financial Review) Insurance giant IAG has warned a failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could result in a world that is pretty much uninsurable, with poorer communities likely to bear the brunt of the effects. In Australia, IAG said temperature increases of more than 3 degrees would expose greater swaths of Queensland to cyclones and flooding, while a rise of more than 4 degrees could make the risks to insurers prohibitive. Its a big question because it depends on reinsurance capital, but if you take some of the models that are being done on cyclone risk, for example, there could be more of Queensland exposed to cyclone and flooding in a 3-degree world, Jacki Johnson, IAGs group executive people, performance and reputation, told The Australian Financial Review. There is some commentary globally that in a 4-degree world, the world becomes pretty much uninsurable.This week 16 of the worlds biggest insurers, including IAG and QBE, launched an initiative with the United Nations to develop new risk assessment tools in an effort to make insurance accessible and affordable.Participating insurers, which also include AXA, Allianz, and Swiss Re, will work with climate scientists to develop a better understanding of the new and unpredictable weather events resulting from climate change.The focus of the initiative is on responding to climate change, rather than preventing it. However, Ms Johnson said the future of insurance depended upon limiting global temperature rises, which could only be achieved by a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.We have been very vocal [on the fact that] something will have to change because you cannot continue to have the carbon emissions and think that the world will be insurable, she said.While the Paris agreement officially aims to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, current policies would result in far higher temperature rises.According to Climate Action Tracker , a German-government backed initiative, under current policies global temperatures are on track to rise by 3.4 degrees by the end of the century.Will Steffen, professor emeritus at Australian National University and member of the Climate Council, predicted rises would be even higher.I suspect on current trajectories it will be more like 4 degrees. So were not on a good track at all, he told The Australian Financial Review. [ more ] Climate change on track to make world uninsurable: IAG The pilot group will develop analytical tools that they will use to pioneer insurance industry climate risk disclosures that are in line with the recommendations of the Financial Stability Boards Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). This will require them to make use of the latest climate science, including some of the most advanced, forward-looking climate scenarios available.For generations, the insurance industry has served as societys early warning system and risk manager by understanding, reducing, pricing and carrying risk. Its message now is loud and clear: climate change risk is intensifying and is a serious threat to the insurability of communities and economies around the world, said UN Environment chief, Erik Solheim.An uninsurable world is a price that society could not afford. This is why UN Environment is working with leading insurers to understand and reduce risk, to seize unprecedented business opportunities in climate action, and to ensure an insurable, resilient and sustainable world. The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights the rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes needed to limit global warming to 1.5C. As rising temperatures accelerate sea level rise and catalyse extreme weather events, communities, businesses, cities and countries are facing new types and higher levels of risk.The Financial Stability Board, chaired by Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, mandated its Task Force to develop voluntary and consistent climate-related financial disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders. The Task Forces final recommendations were submitted to the G20 in June 2017 and have four key pillarsgovernance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets.The tools and indicators that will be jointly developed and piloted by the Insurer Group will incorporate the latest scenario analysis to assess climate-related physical and transition risks in insurance portfolios. Insurance coverage incentivises risk reduction, puts a price tag on risk, de-risks investments, and serves as a financial shock absorber for communities, businesses and governments.While insurers are also major investorswith global assets under management of over USD 30 trillionthis initiative will focus on the assessment of climate risks in their core insurance portfolios and products.The more insurers understand climate risks facing the economy, the more they can make prudent decisions in managing risk and serving their clients, and the more efficient and stable our markets will become, said Michael Bloomberg, Chair of the Task Force and UN Special Envoy for Climate Action.The pioneering work of this group will pave the way for greater climate risk transparency and climate action by the global insurance industry, and its great to see that its consistent with our Task Forces recommendations.Reliable information on insurers exposure to climate risks will strengthen the stability of the financial system, encourage more and better disclosures from client companies across sectors, and help boost insurance products and investments needed to transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient communities and economies.The Insurer Groups work follows equivalent work by leading banks and investors, all convened by UNEP FI for the purpose of advancing financial sector know-how on climate change and the adoption of the Task Forces recommendations.Its outputs aim to support key platforms and initiatives, including the UN Secretary-Generals Climate Summit in New York in September next year to drive ambitious climate action needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.IAG Group CEO Peter Harmer emphasised the importance of global collaboration to establish the framework.The insurance industry has long understood the risk of climate change on our communities and customers, and it is vital that the financial sector works collectively to share our knowledge and create a framework for transparent and sustainable operations and reporting, Mr Harmer said.We look forward to working with our global industry peers in the UNEP FI PSI pilot, and contributing to the development of a set of standards to give investors and customers the ability to make informed decisions in the context of what IAG and our industry are doing to help combat climate change. Member companies of the Insurer Group The leading insurers that will work together with the UN are all signatories to UNEP FIs Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), a global best-practice sustainability framework and the largest collaborative initiative between the UN and the insurance industry.The Insurer Group includes: Allianz (Germany), AXA (France), IAG (Australia), Intact Financial Corporation (Canada), Lansforsakringar Sak (Sweden), MAPFRE (Spain), MS&AD (Japan), Munich Re (Germany), NN Group (Netherlands), QBE (Australia), Sompo Japan Nipponkoa (Japan), Storebrand (Norway), Swiss Re (Switzerland), TD Insurance (Canada), The Co-operators (Canada), and Tokio Marine & Nichido (Japan). About UN Environment Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) The UN Environment Finance Initiative is a partnership between UN Environment and the global financial sector created in the wake of the 1992 Earth Summit with a mission to promote sustainable finance. Over 200 financial institutions, including banks, insurers and investors, work with UN Environment to understand todays environmental challenges, why they matter to finance, and how to actively participate in addressing them.www.unepfi.org About UN Environments Principles for Sustainable Insurance Initiative (PSI) Endorsed by the UN Secretary-General and insurance industry CEOs, the Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) serve as a global framework for the insurance industry to address environmental, social and governance risks and opportunitiesand a global initiative to strengthen the insurance industrys contribution as risk managers, insurers and investors to building resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and economies. Developed by UN Environment Finance Initiative, the PSI was launched at the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, and is the largest collaborative initiative between the UN and the insurance industry.www.unepfi.org/psi By Jonathan Pearlman 28 November 2018 SYDNEY, Australia (The Telegraph) Authorities ordered more than 10,000 people to flee from catastrophic wildfires moving across north-east Australia, as heavy rains in the south-east caused flooding that left at least two people dead. In the state of Queensland, a heatwave and strong winds fuelled a massive fire that destroyed homes and led to the evacuation of all 8,000 residents from the town of Gracemere, the first time this has happened in its 150-year history. The fire was threatening the larger town of Rockhampton, which is about five miles away and has about 80,000 residents. The Bureau of Meteorology declared a catastrophic fire danger in the region, the first time such a level has been applied in Queensland. [This is] unprecedented, uncharted, but we have a plan, said Annastacia Palaszczuk, the states premier. []Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said aerial tankers had released water on the blaze near Gracemere and helped to suppress it.However, that cannot operate through the night, and in some of those areas its actually too dangerous to have crews in those areas, said Katarina Carroll, the head of the agency.We have never, ever in this state been in this situation before. [] As the fires continued, residents in Sydney, about 900 miles south, were cleaning up after a violent storm that caused flash flooding and turned roads into rivers. The city centre received a months worth of rain in two hours. []During the two hours of heaviest downpour, parts of the city received as much as six inches of rain. For that intensity and that duration, thats the sort of rainfall youd expect to occur about once every 100 years for that particular site, said Ann Farrell, from the Bureau of Meteorology. [more] Thousands flee catastrophic bushfires in northern Australia as flash floods kill two in Sydney By Eric Leister 28 November 2018 (AccuWeather) Torrential rainfall brought a months worth of rainfall to parts of Sydney in only two hours on Wednesday, resulting in widespread flooding. Meanwhile, bushfires continue to ravage parts of Queensland, where months of drought has turned the region into a tinderbox. These sharp contrasts in the weather are just the latest extreme weather events to affect Australia.Damaging winds, a blinding dust storm and heavy mountain snow have already been recorded earlier this month in eastern Australia.Torrential downpours in Sydney brought the city to a standstill on Wednesday and resulted in at least two deaths, according to the BBC. []Rainfall totaled 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) around the city, with most of the rain falling within a two-hour period.The Australia Bureau of Meteorology reported that it was the wettest November day in Sydney since 1984. []There is a stark contrast in the weather farther north across Queensland. Months of drought have left the region extremely susceptible to wildfires.Strong winds associated with the storm that impacted Sydney and an ongoing heat wave has helped to fuel more than 130 bushfires across the state.The fire danger level in the state has risen to catastrophic for the first time in history and prompted the evacuation of thousands of people, the BBC reported. [more] Sydney flooding, Queensland bushfires continue streak of extreme weather across Australia By Robert Stavins 18 December 2018 (The Conversation) The global climate change conference in Katowice, Poland, that wrapped up on Dec. 15 had a challenging mission. Three years ago in Paris, 196 countries and regions agreed to curb global greenhouse gas emissions Now they had to agree on rules and guidelines for how to do it. Two urgent realities hung over the negotiations. First, U.S. President Donald Trump announced in June 2017 that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Agreement in November 2020 the soonest that any nation can actually do so. Second, although countries that are responsible for 97 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions have pledged to make cuts, the initial reductions will surely not be enough to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius. So, a key question is how the Paris Agreement can facilitate increased ambition over time.Delegates in Poland wanted to make progress by filling in details of the skeletal Paris Agreement. Was the meeting a success? A simple yes or no would be misleading. But from my perspective leading a delegation from the Harvard Project on Climate Agreements at the conference, there were were significant gains in two key areas. Nations agreed on uniform rules for measuring and reporting their own performance in cutting emissions. There also were intensive discussions of how to connect reduction efforts across regions, nations and sub-national areas, which offers many economic and other benefits. Even though the latter issue was not resolved in Katowice, I see the final agreement as a glass that is more than half full.As I wrote in 2015 when it was signed, the Paris Agreement was a major milestone. In it, 195 countries plus the European Union accounting for 97 percent of global emissions pledged to develop national targets and action plans for reducing their emissions. They also agreed to revise these contributions every five years, with an eye to ratcheting up their goals over time. In contrast, the predecessor international agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, covered only 14 percent of global emissions. By Brady Dennis and Chris Mooney 5 December 2018 (The Washington Post) Global emissions of carbon dioxide are reaching the highest levels on record, scientists projected Wednesday, in the latest evidence of the chasm between international goals for combating climate change and what countries are doing. Between 2014 and 2016, emissions remained largely flat, leading to hopes that the world was beginning to turn a corner. Those hopes appear to have been dashed. In 2017, global emissions grew 1.6 percent. The rise in 2018 is projected to be 2.7 percent. The expected increase, which would bring fossil fuel and industrial emissions to a record high of 37.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, is being driven by a nearly 5 percent growth of emissions in China and more than 6 percent in India, researchers estimated, along with growth in many other nations. Emissions by the United States grew 2.5 percent, while those of the European Union declined by just under 1 percent. As nations continue climate talks in Poland, the message of Wednesdays report was unambiguous: When it comes to promises to begin cutting the greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change, the world is well off target. We are in trouble. We are in deep trouble with climate change, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said this week at the opening of the 24th annual U.N. climate conference, where countries will wrestle with the ambitious goals they need to meet to sharply reduce carbon emissions in the coming years. It is hard to overstate the urgency of our situation, he said. Even as we witness devastating climate impacts causing havoc across the world, we are still not doing enough, nor moving fast enough, to prevent irreversible and catastrophic climate disruption.Guterres was not commenting specifically on Wednesdays findings, which were released in a trio of scientific papers by researchers with the Global Carbon Project. But his words came amid a litany of grim news in the fall in which scientists have warned that the effects of climate change are no longer distant and hypothetical, and that the effects of global warming will only intensify in the absence of aggressive international action.In October, a top U.N.-backed scientific panel found that nations have barely a decade to take unprecedented actions and cut their emissions in half by 2030 to prevent the worst consequences of climate change. The panels report found no documented historic precedent for the rapid changes to the infrastructure of society that would be needed to hold warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. The day after Thanksgiving, the Trump administration released a nearly 1,700-page report co-written by hundreds of scientists finding that climate change is already causing increasing damage to the United States. That was followed by another report detailing the growing gap between the commitments made at earlier U.N. conferences and what is needed to steer the planet off its calamitous path.Coupled with Wednesdays findings, that drumbeat of daunting news has cast a considerable pall over the international climate talks in Poland, which began this week and are scheduled to run through Dec. 14. []Were not seeing declines in wealthy countries that outpace the increases in other parts of the world, said Rob Jackson, a researcher at Stanford University who contributed to the research as part of the Global Carbon Project.The problem of cutting emissions is that it leads to difficult choices in the real world. A growing global economy inevitably stokes more energy demand. And different countries are growing their emissions or failing to shrink them for different reasons.India is providing electricity and energy to hundreds of millions of people who dont have it yet, Jackson said. Thats very different than in China, where they are ramping up coal use again in part because their economic growth has been slowing. Theyre greenlighting coal-based projects that have been on hold.The continuing growth in global emissions is happening, researchers noted, even though renewable energy sources are growing. Its just that theyre still far too small as energy sources.Solar and wind are doing great; theyre going quite well, said Glen Peters, director of the Center for International Climate Research in Oslo and another of the Global Carbon Project researchs authors. But in China and India, the solar and wind are just filling new demand. You could say if you didnt have solar or wind, emissions could be higher. But solar and wind are nowhere near big enough yet to replace fossil fuels. [more] We are in trouble. Global carbon emissions reached a record high in 2018. By Leslie Hook 5 December 2018 (Financial Times) Global carbon dioxide emissions are accelerating at their fastest pace in seven years and hit a record high in 2018, despite pledges by nearly 200 countries to limit global warming to well below 2C.Carbon emissions rose 2.7 per cent in 2018 mainly due to emissions growth in China, India and the US, according to research published on Wednesday.The data, published simultaneously in the scientific journals Nature, Earth System Science Data, and Environmental Research Letters, come as the annual UN climate talks are under way in Katowice, Poland.The rise in emissions is a dramatic change from recent years, and underscores how challenging it will be for countries to meet the commitments of the 2015 Paris climate accord, a global pact to combat climate change. It dashes the hopes of many economists who had argued that economic growth was decoupling from global emissions growth, back when emissions appeared to be flattening out.After a plateau in global emissions from 2014-16, and an increase of 1.6 per cent in 2017, the rise this year is largely due to growth in fossil fuel consumption, according to Glen Peters, research director at the Cicero Centre for International Climate Research in Oslo. Its a step backwards, thats for sure, said Mr Peters, who led the emissions research. The climate policies weve put in place are not sufficient to overcome the growth in the economy, and the growth in energy use. [] Corinne Le Quere, professor of climate change science at the University of East Anglia and lead researcher for the study, pointed out that emissions would need to fall by 50 per cent by 2030 and reach zero by 2050 in order to limit global warming to 1.5C. The latest data show that a peak in emissions is not yet in sight she said.Global coal consumption peaked in 2013, but the growth in coal this year and in 2017 mean that peak could be shortlived. The use of oil and gas keeps growing, and some countries are still using coal to fuel much of their economic growth, wrote Christiana Figueres, the former head of the UN climate secretariat, in Nature. [more] Warning for climate negotiators as carbon emissions hit new high ABSTRACT: Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere the global carbon budget is important to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change. Here we describe data sets and methodology to quantify the five major components of the global carbon budget and their uncertainties. Fossil CO2 emissions (EFF) are based on energy statistics and cement production data, while emissions from land use and land-use change (ELUC), mainly deforestation, are based on land use and land-use change data and bookkeeping models. Atmospheric CO2 concentration is measured directly and its growth rate (GATM) is computed from the annual changes in concentration. The ocean CO2 sink (SOCEAN) and terrestrial CO2 sink (SLAND) are estimated with global process models constrained by observations. The resulting carbon budget imbalance (BIM), the difference between the estimated total emissions and the estimated changes in the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere, is a measure of imperfect data and understanding of the contemporary carbon cycle. All uncertainties are reported as 1. For the last decade available (20082017), EFF was 9.40.5 GtC yr1, ELUC 1.50.7 GtC yr1, GATM 4.70.02 GtC yr1, SOCEAN 2.40.5 GtC yr1, and SLAND 3.20.8 GtC yr1, with a budget imbalance BIM of 0.5 GtC yr1 indicating overestimated emissions and/or underestimated sinks. For the year 2017 alone, the growth in EFF was about 1.6 % and emissions increased to 9.90.5 GtC yr1. Also for 2017, ELUC was 1.40.7 GtC yr1, GATM was 4.60.2 GtC yr1, SOCEAN was 2.50.5 GtC yr1, and SLAND was 3.80.8 GtC yr1, with a BIM of 0.3 GtC. The global atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 405.00.1 ppm averaged over 2017. For 2018, preliminary data for the first 69 months indicate a renewed growth in EFF of +2.7 % (range of 1.8 % to 3.7 %) based on national emission projections for China, the US, the EU, and India and projections of gross domestic product corrected for recent changes in the carbon intensity of the economy for the rest of the world. The analysis presented here shows that the mean and trend in the five components of the global carbon budget are consistently estimated over the period of 19592017, but discrepancies of up to 1 GtC yr1 persist for the representation of semi-decadal variability in CO2 fluxes. A detailed comparison among individual estimates and the introduction of a broad range of observations show (1) no consensus in the mean and trend in land-use change emissions, (2) a persistent low agreement among the different methods on the magnitude of the land CO2 flux in the northern extra-tropics, and (3) an apparent underestimation of the CO2 variability by ocean models, originating outside the tropics. This living data update documents changes in the methods and data sets used in this new global carbon budget and the progress in understanding the global carbon cycle compared with previous publications of this data set (Le Quere et al., 2018, 2016, 2015a, b, 2014, 2013). All results presented here can be downloaded from https://doi.org/10.18160/GCP-2018. Global Carbon Budget 2018 SALT LAKE CITY The physical formation of kids' brains is being altered by smartphone, tablet and video game use, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health. Preliminary data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, released earlier this month, show that children who reported more than two hours a day of screen time got lower scores on thinking and language tests. In addition, MRI scans found significant physical differences in the brains of children who spent more than seven hours a day looking at screens. Most notably, those kids had prematurely thinning cortexes, the outermost layer of the brain responsible for processing sensory information like vision, hearing and touch, said study director Gaya Dowling, Ph.D., on CBS "60 Minutes." "We don't know yet if it's a bad thing," Dowling said in the CBS interview earlier this month. The cortex typically thins as a child gets older, but the process is occuring sooner for kids who spend more time with phones and video games, Dowling said. Your browser does not support HTML5 video. As parents become increasingly concerned about the time kids spend on devices and researchers debate whether social media is addictive, multiple studies, such as a 2017 study in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, have identified ties between screen time and poor mental health. But the ABCD study is the first to track the effect of screens on brain development throughout a person's entire adolescence. In order to better understand how a child's experiences and biology interact to affect brain development and ultimately, social, behavioral and health outcomes researchers recruited more than 11,000 9- and 10-year-olds at 21 locations throughout the United States and plan to follow them into early adulthood. Recruitment of research subjects, including 2,100 young people who are twins or triplets, began in 2016 and ended earlier this year, according to the National Institutes of Health. Researchers are using advanced neuroimaging to observe brain development in children throughout adolescence, while also tracking other factors like mental illness and substance use, the institute reported. Data from the first 4,500 children enrolled in the $300 million study was released earlier this month. While early findings provide a glimpse into the short-term impact of screens on the brain, the long-term effects wont be known for many years, Dowling told CBS. In 2019, anonymized data from the entire participant cohort will be made available to any researcher around the world, the group announced. (These kids) spend more time online and less time with their friends in person. They also spend less time sleeping. Jean Twenge, psychology professor at San Diego State University Well be able to see not only how much time are they spending, how they perceive it impacting them, but also what are some of the outcomes, said Dowling. And that will get at the question of whether theres addiction or not. Jean Twenge, psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of "iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood," said kids born after 1995 are the first to spend their whole adolescence in the "smartphone era." "(These kids) spend more time online and less time with their friends in person. They also spend less time sleeping," Twenge told the Deseret News. She is happy to see more discussion in recent years about how to manage use of electronic devices. Facebook and Instagram have introduced settings that allow users to monitor app use. For example, Instagram now shows users the average time spent on the app per day and lets people set a daily time limit and reminder that notifies them when they've reached their goal. Apple also recently released a new suite of screen time tools. The features, part of iOS 12, appear under "Settings" on the iPhone and are designed to help users limit time spent on certain apps. The "Downtime" tool lets iPhone owners schedule times when only phone calls and certain apps are available for use. Teens can take initiative and use these tools themselves, or parents can intervene with automated weekly reports and the ability to remotely schedule "downtime," essentially locking kids out of certain apps during meals or at bedtime. These digital wellness features are part of a greater push by tech companies to mitigate the ways personal devices have been engineered to be addictive. Androids own screen time tools are currently in development, Wired reported. It's clear that there is an interplay between media and child development, but I dont think its realistic to take away all electronic devices. Ellen Selkie, adolescent medicine physician at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital "A lot of parents, probably the majority I talk to, don't even realize those tools are available. And I wish they happened five years ago instead of now. But better late than never," Twenge said on "60 Minutes." The new NIH study adds to a growing body of research on screen time and the brain. Other studies have linked excessive screen time with negative health outcomes, such as increasing obesity. Another recent study found teens who use electronic media at night are more likely to experience sleep disturbances and symptoms of depression. Cutting back on screen time may reverse some of these negative effects. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that when college students limited their social media use to less than 30 minutes a day, they reported feeling less lonely and depressed after just three weeks. But the news about screens isn't all bad. According to a new national survey by the Pew Research Center, 81 percent of teens feel more connected to their friends when they use social media, and 69 percent feel social media helps them interact with a more diverse group of people. Ellen Selkie, adolescent medicine physician at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital, warns against thinking that electronic devices are melting everyones brains. Its clear that there is an interplay between media and child development, Selkie told Healthline, but I dont think its realistic to take away all electronic devices. Parents can also refer to the the American Academy of Pediatrics media guidelines, quoted here: Avoid digital media use (except video-chatting) in children younger than 18 to 24 months. For children ages 18 to 24 months, if you want to introduce digital media, choose high-quality programming and use media together with your child. Avoid solo media use in this age group. For children ages 2 to 5, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programming, coview with your children, help children understand what they are seeing, and help them apply what they learn to the world around them. No screens 1 hour before bedtime, and remove devices from bedrooms before bed. "Just as parents limit how late their kids can stay up and how much sugary food they eat, they should limit the amount of time children and teens spend with screens," Twenge told the Deseret News. "Consider putting off getting your child a smartphone until they are ready for it for most kids, not until 14 or later," she said. "And then use a parental control app to limit time on certain apps, and most importantly, shut the phone off at bedtime." Editor's note: A version of this was previously published on the author's website. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at the asteroid called Bennu on Dec. 3, and already has made scientific discoveries: Bennu has a few craters, boulders litter the surface like chocolate in a chocolate chip cookie, and the asteroid shows signs of the presence of water at some time in the past. NASAs ludicrously named spacecraft the acronym stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer cruised past the asteroid, having traveling 1.2 billion miles since its launch on Sept. 16, 2016. Its supposed to go into orbit around the tiny conglomeration of rocks and dust on the last day of 2018, then map the surface in detail, scoop up a sample and, in 2023, return to Earth. The one-third-mile diameter asteroid is a rubble heap of material that clumped together while the solar system was forming, starting 4.6 billion years ago; it probably broke off from a larger mass 700 million to 2 billion years ago; and its density is only 30 percent greater than water, NASA estimates. The name Bennu was suggested by Mike Puzio, 9, identified as a North Carolina resident, city not mentioned. Bennu was an ancient Egyptian deity depicted as a bird, a linguistic tie-in with the OSIRIS spacecraft. Osiris was the mythological lord of the underworld. A Dec. 10 Twitter entry that NASA filed in the name of the probe shows the agencys reaction to the first views: "My close-range images of Bennu are beginning to reveal geological features on the asteroids surface, such as boulders and craters. Bennu has some rugged terrain to explore." Actually, when one examines the photos, it is obvious Bennu has plenty of big rocks, but craters are rare, especially compared with another airless object, the moon. Those boulders mark Bennu as similar to a couple of other asteroids, Ryugu and Itokawa, according to a study uploaded this month to the internet site Research Gate. The paper, available as a preprint, is Boulder Standing in Ejecta Launched by an Impact Generated Seismic Pulse, by Esteban Wright and Alice C. Quillen of the University of Rochester in New York, Erik Asphaug of Arizona State University and six other scientists. Boulders rise to the surface in a phenomenon like the Brazil nut effect, the group writes, an action that "brings the largest nuts in a shaken bowl of mixed nuts to the top." Using high-speed video to record the process, researchers hit the bottom of a collection of different-sized dry gravel (color-coded by size) "with a strong impact" and watched particles fly up and settle. "We find that initially buried larger particles are often left on the surface after impact. Collisions primarily take place upon landing and small particles scatter off of larger ones, uncovering larger particles on the surface. "(W)e propose that ballistic sorting of ejecta launched by an impact generated seismic pulse can strand boulders on an asteroid surface. Our experiments show that a single pulse can strand a previously buried large particle. We have found that multiple pulses (but separated in time) continue to unearth larger particles and once a larger particle is on the surface it tends to stay there." In another significant discovery, two spectrometers aboard OSIRIS-REx found indications of water on Bennu. Water is "bound up in hydrated clay minerals over a large part of the asteroids surface," the "spacecraft" tweeted. "While Bennu is too small to have free-flowing water or chunks of ice, our data suggest the asteroids larger parent body hosted liquid water in the distant past. It also means that mining water from asteroids like Bennu may be possible on future missions," NASA adds. As worthwhile as these findings are, scientists hope that examining Bennu will have the far more valuable effect of learning how to better protect Earth from a disastrous asteroid strike. A NASA site, headlined "Planetary Defense: The Bennu Experiment," says, "If it impacted Earth, Bennu would cause widespread damage." The chance it will hit Earth in the next couple of hundred years are miniscule but not zero the odds are 2,700 to 1 against. However, the farther into the future the calculations stretch, the greater the uncertainty becomes. Looking at the Bennu photos, I get a creepy sensation, something like what I felt with my first good look at Mount Vesuvius. During our visit to Pompeii and Naples in 2006, Cory and I were surprised at the extent Vesuvius dominated the region; it had a grim and threatening appearance. In the year A.D. 79, an eruption of Vesuvius destroyed the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as other sites. Thousands of people perished. Residents had no notion that Vesuvius was an active volcano, as it remains today. The destruction of so many lives was a tragedy that is still visceral, with the empty shops and bakeries, small destroyed apartments, stone streets with their chariot ruts, the ruins of temples and grand houses and taverns. Vesuvius glowers over all. Most depressing were casts of people who were struck down. Volcanic ash had piled around and over bodies, packed in solidly, and formed hollows that remained after the corpses decayed. Excavators poured liquid plaster into these spaces, and now the hardened plaster preserves details of the persons' clothing, limbs, features and even their dying grimaces. We need to learn all we can about Bennu. Unless we as a civilization keep our wits about ourselves, unless we learn what we can about asteroids and comets and how to deflect them, unless we retain our high technology, this pile of rubble Bennu, or some sibling, could become a mass murderer. DAMASCUS, Syria Syrian President Bashar Assad authorized Iraqi forces on Sunday to attack the Islamic State group inside Syria without waiting for permission from authorities in Damascus, the state news agency SANA said, as the two allies coordinate their fight against extremists ahead of a planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria. The announcement highlights the close relations between the two neighboring Arab countries that are both allied with Iran. IS once controlled large parts of both countries when it declared a caliphate in 2014. Iraqi warplanes and artillery have in the past pounded IS 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." President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that the U.S. will withdraw all of its 2,000 forces in Syria. The main U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has expressed concerns that the U.S. plans to pull out could lead to the revival of IS saying that the extremists have not been defeated yet in Syria. In Washington, Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., 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 using a different acronym to refer to IS. "Don't turn Syria over to the Iranians. That's a nightmare for Israel." Graham said that it's possible for the U.S. 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 U.S. 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. Graham has been a confidant of Trump's, but it's unclear how much Trump will listen to him on Syria. Still, Graham said he's generally pleased with Trump's foreign policy initiatives. "All I ask him to do is to make sure we don't fumble the ball inside the 10-yard line, sit down with the generals," Graham said. In Tehran, Iran and Syria signed Sunday a long-term strategic and economic agreement as the war winds down in Syria where Iran and Russia were the main backers of Assad's government since the crisis began nearly eight years ago. Syria's 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." He added that this would allow Iranian companies to be present through investments in Syria. 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. The Syrian government estimates reconstruction of the war-torn country will cost some $200 billion dollars and last 15 years. Al-Khalil said that "priority in the reconstruction of Syria will be given to Iranian public and private companies," according to SANA's report. SANA also reported that a technical delegation form the UAE visited Damascus International Airport to evaluate it in preparation for resumption of flights between the Gulf nation and Syria. _____ Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report. SALT LAKE CITY A Utah girl told investigators she was 12 years old when a man she knew gave her alcohol and raped her in April. The Utah Court of Appeals now is weighing whether she can be compelled to take the stand against him at a preliminary hearing to determine if there's enough evidence for the case to advance to a trial. Attorneys for the girl say evidence of the man's crimes is already strong. Being forced to testify, they argue, would compound her trauma and would not change the facts. But lawyers for 28-year-old Ivan Michael Lopez contend it's his right to have his legal team cross-examine the girl, who is now 13. The issue "is of great public significance and has a tendency to evade review," 3rd District Judge James Blanch wrote in an October decision. He sided with Lopez's attorneys, declining to block a subpoena ordering the girl's testimony. The judge indicated there is probable cause for Lopez to stand trial, with evidence including video of the girl's interview with investigators, plus statements in court from the responding officer and a detective. Still, calling her to testify is "not unreasonable," he wrote, due to her mature demeanor and age. Lawyers for the accused man contend no Utah law bars his legal team from questioning the girl. Crime victims do not have a right under Utah law to refuse to testify at court hearings when they have been lawfully served with a subpoena, his attorney, Jessica Jacobs, wrote in court filings. Lawyers for the girl say otherwise. Cross-examining her is the very type of traumatic and intimidating ordeal the Legislature was attempting to curb in a list of crime victims' rights spelled out in the Utah Constitution, the girl's attorney, Bethany Warr, wrote in court documents. Those who come forward as victims in Utah are entitled to be "treated with fairness, respect and dignity, and to be free from harassment and abuse throughout the criminal justice process," Warr noted. The Utah Crime Victims Legal Clinic in November petitioned the Utah Supreme Court for permission to appeal the case, and the review now is pending in the Court of Appeals. The issue has often surfaced in Utah's courtrooms, Blanch wrote in his order allowing the subpoena to go forward. But he said victims in many cases have already testified by that point, and defendants often don't want to draw out the case by filing an appeal if they are denied the opportunity to question young victims. The Supreme Court considered the question earlier this year, in the case of a different 12-year-old girl who prosecutors say was sexually abused by her mother's live-in boyfriend in Utah County in 2014. The girl also gave a statement recorded on video at the Children's Justice Center, and the judge in the case agreed with prosecutors that forcing the girl to testify would violate her right to be treated fairly as a victim. The man appealed in an effort to secure her testimony, but the Utah Supreme Court in August declined to take a side. It wrote that the man did not appeal the judge's broader decision ordering him to stand trial, so the issue of the child testifying was moot. Justice John Pearce wrote in the opinion that "we must dismiss this appeal and await another opportunity to answer the question." Lopez faces charges of raping a child and aggravated sex abuse of a child, both first-degree felonies, plus selling, offering or furnishing alcohol to a minor, a class A misdemeanor. He has not entered pleas to the crimes alleged to have taken place on April 30. The judge in his order directed the courtroom to be closed to people unrelated to the case and directed Lopez to wait in a holding cell at the time of the teen's testimony. A date for the remainder of the preliminary hearing has not yet been set. Similar debates have arisen nationally. A 2018 bill introduced in Congress sought to prevent defendants acting as their own attorneys from questioning minor victims, but it did not get a hearing. The proposal from U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., followed the Arizona child sexual abuse case of Chris Simcox, the leader of a border militia group who represented himself and sought to cross-examine two girls under age 10, a plan he dropped after victims' rights attorneys sought for the U.S. Supreme Court to block him from doing so. In 2016, he was convicted of abusing one of the children and acquitted of abusing the other. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. SALT LAKE CITY As it turns out, Qualtrics co-founder and CEO Ryan Smith is an extraordinary prognosticator on top of running a wildly successful company that pulled off one of the biggest tech deals of the year. One of the biggest worldwide, actually. Last January, Smith took the stage at the Silicon Slopes Tech Summit and told the record audience of 15,000 that the state would see unprecedented tech deal activity and as many as four Utah tech initial public offerings in 2018. He predicted it would be an "unbelievable" year for Utah's relatively small, but burgeoning tech sector. Smith pretty much nailed it, and Utah is closing the books on arguably the biggest year ever for Utah tech. This particular journey around the sun included two major IPOs, an enormous acquisition deal involving Smith's company, big-league investments in the state by Adobe, Amazon and Facebook, and a slew of benchmarks for up-and-coming companies that drew national investment attention. Smith said it's been a year of years for the tech community in his home state. "I think 2018 will go down as one of the most historic ever for Utah," Smith said. "We knew it was going to be big, not just for us but for the whole state and for some companies that have been grinding for a long time." In early November, just weeks ahead of a planned public stock offering aiming to raise $500 million in new capital, Smith's Utah-grown business survey/analytics company was acquired by German tech giant SAP for a whopping $8 billion. Industry watchers called it one of the biggest acquisition price tags for a venture-backed enterprise software company. It also served to bring SAP, one of the largest and most successful tech companies in the European Union, into Utah, which itself could have further positive impacts on the state's tech sector. The cash deal blew by estimates that had pegged Qualtrics' value, post-stock offering, in the $4.5 billion to $5 billion range. "Our mission is to help organizations deliver the experiences that turn their customers into fanatics, employees into ambassadors, products into obsessions and brands into religions," Smith said when news of the deal broke. "Supported by a global team of over 95,000, SAP will help us scale faster and achieve our mission on a broader stage. This will put the XM Platform everywhere overnight." Back in May, tech education leader Pluralsight, another homegrown Utah company that's been around for over a decade, raised $310 million in a much-anticipated IPO that outperformed expectations. The company also broke ground on a 350,000-square-foot headquarters, the first of a planned series of buildings on a 30-acre plot near Draper. Pluralsight co-founder and CEO Aaron Skonnard recounted his company's highlights to the Deseret News. "2018 was such a gratifying year for us as a company," Skonnard said. "We went public, we broke ground on our new worldwide headquarters in Draper, we opened our EMEA headquarters in Dublin and ramped up our global expansion, we were inspired by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala (Yousafzai) at our annual user conference, and we took our first steps to drive significant, lasting social impact through our social enterprise Pluralsight One. "Most importantly, we empowered tech leaders and their developer teams to drive toward their technology innovations and continued our march to democratize technology skills around the world." Skonnard also noted the 2018 accomplishments of the broader Utah tech community. "As proud as I am of Pluralsight and our amazing team, Im equally proud of all the success we experienced as a community," Skonnard said. "When we look back in 10 years, 2018 will be remembered as an inflection point that launched Silicon Slopes onto the world stage and cemented our distinction as a global hub of technology innovation. Hot on the heels of the Pluralsight dive into the public markets was American Fork-based Domo, the cloud-based, business analytics platform founded in 2010 by serial entrepreneur Josh James. Domo suffered a barrage of slings and arrows following the revelation, in a pre-IPO filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, of some business practices that raised questions with industry watchers. Pledging to address those issues moving forward, as well as sizable outstanding debt, the company still managed a successful June IPO, raising some $193 million in much-needed capital. Before founding Domo in 2010, James built the highly successful web analytics company Omniture in the early 2000s, and the company was eventually purchased in 2009 by Adobe for nearly $2 billion. James also gets the credit for coining the term Silicon Slopes for Utah's growing tech sector. James, like Smith and Skonnard, held up 2018 as one for the history books for the Utah innovation economy. "2018 was a banner year for Silicon Slopes," James said. "The most notable financial events in Utah included the influx of new venture capital, two notable IPOs and the Qualtrics acquisition by SAP. All this activity should help us continue to draft new talent to our state, however we need to stay focused on key issues that will keep Utah such an attractive place to live, particularly clean air initiatives. "I believe 2018 was just glimpse at what the next five years will look like and Im incredibly optimistic about the future of Silicon Slopes." Beyond the big deals for homegrown companies, many Utah-based tech efforts hit benchmarks for growth and venture investment in 2018. And some very big names in tech wrote big checks to fund new projects, or expand old ones, here in the Beehive State. Back in March, Adobe broke ground on a $90 million building next to its current facility in Lehi, just off of I-15. On completion, it will be home to 1,000 new employees. Adobe's vice president of employee and workplace solutions, Jonathan Francom, said the investment was a reflection of the company's continued confidence in its Utah operations. "Utah continues to be a great place for us to grow the business," Francom said. "We're excited to be adding talent and resources here as well as at other Adobe locations." This spring, Eagle Mountain found itself the center of intrigue when news surfaced that a significant, but unnamed, tech company was set to make huge capital investment in the community. State and municipal leaders involved in the deal stayed mum, but industry watchers believed it was likely Facebook looking to build an expansive data center in a field just outside the Utah County community. In May, that guess was confirmed, as well as $150 million in tax breaks for a facility that will likely employ a few dozen people. And Amazon opened the doors on a hiring spree in July, looking for about 1,500 employes to staff its new, 850,000-square-foot distribution center near the airport in Salt Lake City. While the new Amazonians will get in on the company's new $15 per hour minimum wage policy, most of the hires won't earn more than that. The facility has, however, helped expedite access to Amazon's new one-day turnaround on the delivery of some merchandise. For Clint Betts, executive director of Silicon Slopes, Utah's nonprofit tech sector support group, 2018 was just a foreshadowing of even greater and wider accomplishments to come. "We will look back at 2018 as the year Silicon Slopes put its stake in the ground as a world-class tech hub that builds companies that rival any in the world," Betts said. "The headline will be the companies that went public as well as the largest business enterprise tech acquisition ever recorded in the Qualtrics-SAP deal, but what made this year so incredible was just the sheer number of companies in our community that made significant progress and created incredible value. "We may well look back on 2018 as the year Vivint, Health Catalyst, Divvy, SaltStack, Ivanti, Podium, Weave, Lucid, InMoment and Traeger proved this ecosystem creates more than just a handful of winners." Betts also noted that to maintain the momentum that led to such high-level achievements in 2018, a lot of work remained. "We're living in the golden era of tech and entrepreneurship in Utah," Betts said. "In order for this to continue, we must strive to extend access to the opportunity that exists within Silicon Slopes to all Utahns and beyond. "We must tackle the challenges of housing, education, transportation, air quality, diversity and the growing class divide in order for this growth to continue. I'm confident we're up to the task, and I don't see Silicon Slopes slowing down anytime soon." MORONI, Sanpete County A woman who drove her car into a front porch in Moroni was arrested Sunday for investigation of DUI. Shana Kaye McTee, 42, of Clearfield, was booked into the Sanpete County Jail for investigation having an open container in her vehicle, four counts of possession of a forged or altered prescription, and drug distribution in addition to DUI. Just after 8 a.m., a car went off state Route 132 and into the front porch of a home on Duck Springs Drive, according to a Sanpete County Jail report. "The front door to the home was broken, the front side door was also broken and was into the living room. Two porch supports were down, two front porch freezers were broken with food spilled out on the ground," the report states. No one was home at the time of the crash. McTee initially refused medical attention, the deputy wrote in his report. "Shana was not acting normal. The front of her vehicle was smashed in with two flat tires and Shana thought she could drive her vehicle away. Shana stated that she had slide on some ice," the report states. "Shana had this blank stare and was not answering questions reasonably. The weather was very cold and she did not want to get into the ambulance or any other vehicle to get warm." Deputies were forced to pull McTee out of her car, according to the report. In her car, they found an open bottle of alcohol and five prescription bottles. According to court records, McTee was convicted of being an alcohol restricted driver in 2010. She is currently charged with misdemeanor drug possession in one case in 2nd District Court, and assault in another, according to court records. SALT LAKE CITY For those who want avoid the cold and soak up the fun this holiday, the organizers of one Salt Lake City New Year's Eve celebration say they've got you covered. The Gateway and Downtown SLC's second annual Last Hurrah event will include live music from folk group Band of Annuals, food trucks and fireworks, organizers said. Though chilly, low-teen temperatures are expected, "we have all of our outside fire pits that will be lit, we have several outdoor patio heaters that will be sprinkled throughout the event," marketing director Jacklyn Briggs said. There will also be several indoor activities including game rooms, a karaoke lounge and a 21-and-older pop-up lounge, she said. Clark Planetarium will stay open until 10 p.m., and visitors can walk through free exhibits. Show admission for the day is $5, and two extra shows will play into the night one at 8 p.m. and one at 9 p.m. Other performers include local artists Lord Vox, Samba Fogo, Kenshin Taiko Drummers and Talia Keys. The free, all-ages event begins at 8 p.m. at The Gateway, 400 W. 100 South, and will ring in the New Year with fireworks at midnight. "In Salt Lake City, we host great parties and invite everyone to join in the fun. Last Hurrah is a perfect way for all ages to ring in the New Year and to celebrate each other and our great Capital City," said Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski in a news release. For more information and a schedule of events, visit lasthurrahslccom. SALT LAKE CITY Its New Years Eve, which means Times Square in New York City will be stuffed to the max with celebrators. What will happen: The New York Times explained what to expect from the massive annual event in the heart of New York City. The event will feature performers such as Kelly Clarkson, Snoop Dogg and, yes, videogamer Ninja. It'll have the usual fireworks, confetti and buzz. Journalists: 11 journalists have been tasked with pressing the crystal button that begins the discussion of the New Years Eve Ball, a move that is part of an effort by organizers to recognize the erosion of press freedoms at home and abroad, The Times reports. Journalists featured at the event include: Lester Holt of NBC Alisyn Camerota of CNN Jon Scott of Fox News Martha Raddatz of ABC Stars: The journalists will join star performers including John Legend, Jennifer Lopez, Sting, New Kids on the Block, Snoop Dogg and Kelly Clarkson. Ninja: Fortnite star Ninja will lead the crowd in massive Floss celebration, according to The Washington Post. Many will remember the Floss as a viral dance craze from 2018. Interestingly, the Backpack Kid, who launched the craze, has sued Fortnite creators Epic Games over the use of the dance. Utah: If youre looking for something to do in Utah, there are 13 different celebration events to ring in 2019, including a celebration at Temple Square, a party at the Natural History Museum of Utah and more, which you can read at the Deseret News. Oh, and dont forget to read Spencer Coxs invitation to party. SALT LAKE CITY Charges were filed Monday against a St. George man accused of shooting at another vehicle and then head-butting a police officer after his arrest. Gustavo Armando Estevez, 44, is charged in 5th District Court with disarming a police officer, a first-degree felony; illegal discharge of a firearm and four counts of aggravated assault, third-degree felonies; assault on a police officer, a class A misdemeanor; and carrying a dangerous weapon while under the influence of alcohol, a class B misdemeanor. Estevez is accused of firing at least one shot into a car occupied by four people near 600 S. Main in St. George on Saturday night, according to a Washington County Jail report. St. George police who responded to the scene reported finding a bullet hole in the trunk of the car. When officers tracked down Estevez at his house, he resisted arrest, was verbally combative with police and, at one point, "used the back of his head to hit the officer in the forehead," the report states. Estevez's blood alcohol level was measured at 0.119, according to police. While searching the area, detectives found a gun in Estevez's jacket, which was found in a trash can next to where his car was parked, the report states. "The gun had multiple rounds in the magazine, as well as one in the chamber," according to the report. While being interviewed by police at the St. George police station, Estevez again resisted and attempted to grab a police officer's gun, the report says. SALT LAKE CITY Elizabeth Warren is this close to running. What happened: The Massachusetts Democrat announced Monday that she was exploring entering the race, becoming the first major candidate for a presidential race that will be crowded with contenders within the Democratic Party to challenge President Donald Trump for the White House. Warren announced her candidacy plans in an email to supporters, according to The New York Times. Warren said she was forming an exploratory committee, which will allow her to raise money for a campaign and hire people for staff positions. Ive spent my career getting to the bottom of why Americas promise works for some families, but others, who work just as hard, slip through the cracks into disaster, she said in a video. And what Ive found is terrifying: these arent cracks families are falling into, theyre traps. Americas middle class is under attack. But this dark path doesnt have to be our future, she added. We can make our democracy work for all of us. We can make our economy work for all of us. However: This isnt a formal kickoff to a presidential run, but it is considered the first major step toward it. Bigger picture: Warrens announcement comes as experts expect the Democratic Party to be filled with a number of contenders who will challenge the party's ideology. So who else might run?: We have some early indications of who might seek a bid. While we understand there are plenty of potential candidates, the following public figures have been reported to be close to announcing their bids. Former vice president Joe Biden: The former vice president has been rumored to be announcing his bid for the 2020 presidential race. He nearly ran in 2016 but held back. As the Deseret News reported, Biden remained mum on the subject during a recent speech in Utah. Sen. Bernie Sanders: The Vermont senator has started laying ground for a presidential campaign, which would be larger than the one he launched in 2016, the Associated Press reported. Those close to Sanders told the AP that new progressive Democrats and his age wont dissuade him from running. Sen. Kamala Harris: The California senator is "eyeing Baltimore or Atlanta" as a possible base of operations for her presidential bid, The New York Times reported. Shes also close to bringing on staffers to help her run the campaign. Sen. Cory Booker: The New Jersey senator has been interviewing people to fill the role of campaign manager, according to the NYT. Hes also planning what to do to gain support for the Iowa caucus. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: The New York senator has reached out to women to manage her campaign, which would likely be based in New York, NYT reported. Outgoing Sen. Jeff Flake: The Arizona senator told Jim Acosta of CNN that he might challenge the president on the Republican side of the ballot. "Somebody does need to challenge the president," he said. "(T)he country needs to be reminded what it means to be conservative ... and what it means to be decent." "Somebody does need to challenge the President," from within the GOP in 2020, outgoing Republican Sen. @JeffFlake, who did not rule out running himself, tells Jim @Acosta. "[T]he country needs to be reminded what it means to be conservative... and what it means to be decent." pic.twitter.com/6zi0S8z6ig The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) December 28, 2018 WhatsApp will cease to work on Nokia devices running on the S40 operating system. This includes Asha devices launched over five years ago. Key Highlights: WhatsApp will cease to work on S40 devices This includes Asha devices that were launched around 2011 If you're using a Nokia S40 device, we've got bad news for you. WhatsApp will stop working on your device by the end of the day. WhatsApp announced over a couple of years ago on its blog that it would kill support for a list of operating systems by the end of 2018 and S40 is part of it. This includes Nokia Asha devices introduced in the market over five years ago, like Asha 201, Asha 205, Asha, 206, Asha 208, Asha 210, Asha 230, Asha 301, Asha 500, Asha 501, Asha 502, Asha 503, and Asha 505. In a June update to the original blog, WhatsApp wrote, "You won't be able to use WhatsApp on the following platforms for: Nokia S40 after December 31, 2018, Android versions 2.3.7 and older after February 1, 2020, iPhone iOS 7 and older after February 1, 2020". If you own and use a Nokia S40 device, you will have to switch to a newer device to continue using WhatsApp. WhatsApp is currently supported on Android devices running Gingerbread (v2.3.3) or above and on iOS devices running version 8 or later. Series 40 (or S40) is a software platform developed by Nokia back in the late 90s. It was used in several Asha models that were sold in India around 2011. With WhatsApp introducing a new feature every other month these days, S40 could not have caught up. When WhatsApp was launched for S40 phones, it was solely a messaging application. Today, it supports voice and video calling too, along with more recently introduced features like stickers. On a modern Android device like say, the Nokia 3.1 (which costs below Rs 10,000), one can enjoy the latest features of WhatsApp without having to worry about deadlines for app support. WhatsApp only last week introduced picture-in-picture (PiP) mode for Android devices. What this means is that users can watch forwarded WhatsApp videos in a smaller separate window while continuing to text in the chat window. Related Read: Picture in Picture now available for WhatsApp Web The Ohio man said that the iPhone XS Max was kept in his back pocket when the device started to emit heat and a lot of smoke. The victim is contemplating legal action against Apple. Highlights: iPhone XS Max catches fire in an Ohio mans trouser pocket The phone dissipated heat and coloured smoke The victim is contemplating legal action Apple is going through a difficult time. Its products have been banned for import and sale in China and Germany. It is at loggerheads with chipmaker Qualcomm and is reportedly struggling and their recent update apparently left iPhone users in a lull after several of them reported that they were no longer able to use LTE on their new iPhones. Now, an iPhone XS Max has reportedly exploded in a mans trousers in the US, putting too much in Apples plate to finish. According to a report by PhoneArena, an Ohio man escaped an unfortunate incident when his three-week-old iPhone XS Max (unidentified variant) exploded while it was in his pocket. Josh Hillard says that his phone was in his rear trouser pocket when it randomly began to dissipate a large amount of heat as well as green and yellow coloured smoke. By the time Hillard went to a private spot to check it, the phone had caught fire. The fire left the owner unhappy as he inhaled a lot of smoke from the time of first noticing the fire and between removal of the pants and taking the phone out of my pocket and placing it outside. The psychological trauma forced him to contact Apple customer service and safety department specialists, both in person and by phone. Reportedly, he has been offered a new phone as reimbursement. The report said that the victim doesnt consider this to be an acceptable way of settling this unfortunate affair, and is said to be contemplating legal action for this. This is not the first time that iPhones have faced such demise. In November, a user complained that his iPhone X spewed smoke while he was charging and updating the device to iOS 12.1. In January, a man was injured when the battery of an iPhone exploded at an Apple Store in Zurich. The Apple iPhone XS Max was launched in September at a starting price of $1099 (or Rs 1,09,900 in India) and goes up to $1449 (or Rs 1,44,900 in India) for the top-end model. It comes with A12 Bionic processor and a massive 6.5-inch AMOLED display, which is the biggest display that Apple has ever offered. It has a dual 12MP+12MP (Wide Angle + Telephoto) sensors at the back and a True Depth 7MP camera on the front. Related Read: People evacuated as iPad battery explodes in Amsterdam Apple Store Apple iPhone XS Max: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly On the landing page of the official Android One website, the promise of regular updates was highlighted explicitly 2 years of guaranteed updates. However, a couple of days back, Reddit user anshumanpati6 spotted the mention of that same promise of regul Key Highlights: A Reddit user had earlier spotted Google's promise of 2-year regular updates was missing from the Android One official website Google then reclarified that a website design change doesn't affect the promise of the program The Android One program by Google has come to replace the Nexus devices. In 2017, Google jumpstarted the program globally with the Xiaomi Mi A1. When earlier it was to make entry-level phones more responsive and usable, Android One became an embodiment of devices that would run a vanilla flavour of Android (always the latest), and offer two years of version upgrades and security patches. At that time, the promise of regular updates was a big selling point and a year down the line, we had quite a few Android One certified devices in the Indian market. On the landing page of the official Android One website, the promise of regular updates was highlighted explicitly 2 years of guaranteed updates. However, a couple of days back, Reddit user anshumanpati6 spotted the mention of that same promise of regular updates missing from the landing page. This led many to believe that Android One no longer came with the compulsion of regular updates. However, Google denied there had been any change in the program; the promise of regular updates still holds. In a response to India Today, Google said, 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. The Android One program was initially tailored for developing markets that demanded affordable devices with timely updates. Google enforced this with stringent minimum hardware requirements, but smartphone vendors couldnt make much money on them. As a result, the present form of Android One is more flexible in terms of the hardware under the hood. For the entry-level phones, Google designed Android Go. Android One, on the other hand focused on offering affordable, mid-range devices with regular update cycles high-end Pixel phones user enjoy, with an user experience that seemed better than most skinned Android phones. There was no reason to think Google would abandon this crucial element of the program, save for the missing feature in the official website. In fact, theres still no mention of the feature in the homepage. We are still waiting for Google to release an official response on the matter. It could just be a website redesign highlighting the security features, unlimited storage and the wide portfolio of Android One devices available in the market. Or, there could be more to the story than what meets the eye. Related Links: Top 5 Android One phones to buy in India According to a report, Apple is among the customers of these chips, and the company is already making profit with the sales of the sensors. Highlights: Sony to boost camera 3D sensors production The sensors are said to power the front as well as the rear 3D cameras They will go into mass production in the summer of 2019 Japanese multinational company Sony will boost the production of its next-generation of 3D sensors amid high demand of the product from phone makers, including Apple, a Bloomberg report has said. These sensors are said to power the front as well as the rear 3D cameras of models from customers in 2019. Sony will commence the mass production in late summer to meet demand, Satoshi Yoshihara, Head of Sonys sensor division, was quoted as saying. The executive, however, declined to provide sales or production targets, but said the 3D business is already operating profitably and will make an impact on earnings from the fiscal year starting in April. Bloomberg says that Sonys technology provides much needed optimism to the global smartphone industry, which is suffering a slowdown as consumers find fewer reasons to upgrade devices. The company has reportedly started providing software toolkits to third-party developers to let them experiment with the chips and create supported apps. Cameras revolutionized phones, and based on what Ive seen, I have the same expectation for 3D. The pace will vary by field, but were definitely going to see adoption of 3D. Im certain of it, Yoshihara was quoted as saying. According to the executive, Sonys technology differs from the structured light approach of existing chips, which have limitations in terms of accuracy and distance. Sony uses time of flight method that sends out invisible laser pulses and measures how long they take to bounce back, which, he claimed, creates more detailed 3D models and works at distances of five meters. Bloomberg says that Sony controls about half of the camera chip market and supplies chips to Apple, Alphabet, Samsung, and Huawei, among others, although Yoshihara declined to identify them by name, citing confidentiality agreements. Related read: 38MP Sony IMX607 sensor Image Courtesy: Bloomberg China's Chang'e 4 spacecraft will land on the dark side of the moon, where direct communication with Earth is not possible. Key Highlights: China's Chang'e 4 spacecraft will land on the far side of the moon It will use relay satellites already put in place by China National Space Administration to communicate with Earth In what will soon become another first for all of humanity, China is planning to land its lunar probe Chang'e 4 on the dark side of the moon. According to a recent report by the state-owned Xinhua News Agecny, the unmanned spacecraft was launched on a Long March-3B rocket on December 7. Chang'e 4 reached lunar orbit five days later and deployed its landing craft and surface rover in preparation for descent. The planned landing site is Von Karman, a 180-kilometre crater in the South PoleAitken basin. The spacecraft reportedly entered an elliptical orbit around the moon on December 12 at 6:25 AM IST (12:55 AM GMT). From the pericenter, the point of closest approach for any celestial body in an elliptical orbit, the spacecraft is only 14.4 kilometres from the moon's rocky surface. The China National Space Administration reportedly announced that it would soon "prepare for the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon". From the dark side of the moon direct communication with Earth is not possible as the moon itself blocks all transmissions. For this reason, the Chinese National Space Administration set up a communications relay satellite called Queqiao (meaning Magpie Bridge) back in May this year in a halo orbit around the moon. Two other microsatellites, Longjiang-1 and Longjiang-2 (meaning Dragon River), were launched along with Queqiao for additional relay support. Chang'e 4's payload includes a landing camera (LCAM), a terrain camera (TCAM), and a low-frequency spectrometer (LFS) to study solar bursts, among other equipment. Chang'e 4's mission on the dark side of the moon is to measure the surface temperature, chemical compositions of lunar rocks and soils, study cosmic rays, observe the solar corona, and carry out low-frequency radio astronomical research. Related Read: China to create an artificial moon by 2020 to replace street lamps Subscriber content preview WASHINGTON (AP) The Environmental Protection Agency is considering backing off of its regulation of toxic mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants. In an announcement Friday, the EPA proposes what would be another Trump administration rollback of federal enforcement under the Clean Air Act. It's the latest administration effort on behalf of the country's coal industry. . . . BHEL wins Rs3,500-cr order for 660 MW thermal unit in West Bengal State-run electrical equipment manufacturer Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has secured a major order for setting up a 660 MW supercritical thermal power plant in West Bengal, valued at approximately Rs3,500 crore. BHEL won the order from West Bengal Power Development Corporation (WBPDCL) for setting up the 1x660 MW Sagardighi Thermal Power Project Extension Unit-5 at Manigram village in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, amidst stiff international competitive bidding (ICB), a BHEL release stated. The scope of work includes project design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection, testing and commissioning of the main plant on a turnkey package, comprising supercritical boiler and turbine generator along with its auxiliaries, electricals, controls and instrumentation, switchyard, flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, coal handling plant and ash handling plant. The supercritical technology is more eco-friendly compared to conventional plants and would cut fuel consumption by employing high efficiency equipment working at higher operating parameters. The project will further limit emissions by utilising state-of-the-art emission control equipment - FGD and SCR systems to capture pollutants like SOx and NOx, aimed at meeting revised emission norms. BHEL claims to have contributed over 80 per cent of the total coal-based generating capacity of WBPDCL, so far. The key equipment for the project will be manufactured at BHELs Trichy, Haridwar, Bhopal, Ranipet, Hyderabad, Jhansi, Thirumayam and Bengaluru plants, while the company's Power Sector - Eastern Region division will be responsible for construction and installation activities on site. BHEL is the leading power equipment manufacturer in the country with 58 sets of supercritical boilers and 51 sets of supercritical turbine generators ordered on it so far, by various customers in the domestic as well as overseas markets. BHEL is Indias largest manufacturer of power generation equipment with an installed base of over 1,83,000 MW of power plant equipment globally. In the supercritical segment, BHEL has successfully manufactured and executed 660 MW, 700 MW and 800 MW sets. RCom, Reliance Jio extend validity of asset sale pact to June 28 Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio have extended the terms of an agreement for sale of wireless assets of the Anil Ambani-owned firm after the Telecom department refused to clear Rcoms spectrum sale to Reliance Jio. Reliance Jio lnfocomm Ltd, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, extended the term of the definitive agreement for the acquisition of specified assets of Reliance Communications Ltd and its affiliates to 28th June 2019, Reliance Industries said in a regulatory filing today. The acquisition is subject to receipt of requisite approvals from governmental and regulatory authorities, consents from all lenders, release of all encumbrances on the said assets and other conditions, it said. In a separate filing, Reliance Communications said the company and Reliance Jio have extended the validity of the agreements signed on 28th December 2017 for sale of towers, fibre, MCNs and spectrum of RCOM and its affiliates to 28th June 2019. The transactions are to be consummated subject to various approvals that are currently in progress, RCom added. Reliance Communications has been urging the telecom department to grant it the long-awaited no-objection certificate to comply with a Supreme Court order in letter and spirit. Senior officials of Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio had also met the telecom secretary this month to discuss outstanding issues raised by the Department of Telecom (DoT) over payment related to spectrum sale deal between the two companies. The Anil Ambani-owned company had maintained that it remains committed to discharging any outstanding or disputed amount subject to final adjudication. Reliance Communications had earlier asserted that the requirement of giving bank guarantee according to DoTs demand has been substituted by the orders of the telecom tribunal and the Supreme Court, and that its unit Reliance Realty had provided a non-disposal undertaking and corporate guarantee. Hence, compliance with the trading guidelines is met, RCom had asserted in an earlier statement. However, DoT has, so far, held to its position that the deal cannot be cleared unless there is clarity on payment of dues and associated charges, particularly as the Mukesh Ambani-led Jio has refused to take any payment liability of RCom. Reports, meanwhile, said Reliance Jio Infocomm subscribers could face disruptions in services in key markets such as Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal if it fails to buy spectrum from Reliance Communications and the Anil Ambani-owned telco gets pushed into insolvency. This is because the Mukesh Ambani-led telco is dependent on RCom to create contiguous spectrum blocks of five units in the premium 800 MHz band the bare minimum spectrum requirement for 4G LTE services in the key markets, which also include Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In each of these circles, Jio holds 3.8 units of 4G airwaves in the 800 MHz band, and is dependent on RComs spectrum in the same band for uninterrupted LTE coverage. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina wins third term with landslide mandate Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has won the general elections with a landslide mandate on Sunday, extending her tem as the countrys prime minister for a third straight time. Hasinas Awami League, which has been in power for a decade, won almost all the seats in parliament, while the opposition rejected the result as rigged and called for a fresh vote. Hasina won the election on the strength of her efforts to improve the economy and development activities, even as opposition and hardliners accuse her government of rights abuses, a crackdown on media and suppressing dissent. The alliance led by Awami League won 287 of the 298 seats for which results have been declared, the Election Commission said, though it added it was investigating allegations of vote rigging from across the country. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which had boycotted the last general election in 2014, won just six seats this time. BNP leader and Hasinas arch rival Khaleda Zia, a former prime minister who was jailed in February on corruption charges, culd not campaign for her party this time. Opposition leader Kamal Hossain said their alliance, the National Unity Front, led by the BNP, had called on the Election Commission to order a fresh vote under a neutral administration as soon as possible, saying the vote was flawed. The government has rejected similar opposition demands in the past, and was likely to dismiss this one too. At least 17 people were killed during the vote, police said, after a violent campaign in which the opposition alleged the government denied it a level playing field. Modi may also hit the election trail with farm loan waiver scheme With the next general elections round the corner and the newly-elected governments in the northern states declaring farm loan waivers as reward to the electorate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also considering a vote bank approach by partly or fully writing off agricultural loans. Reports quoting sources said PM Modi is weighing three options for a relief package to help farmers out of the loan muddle, which would cost the exchequer as much as Rs3,00,000 crore. The options involve a direct payment to all landowning farmers, compensation for those who sold produce below government prices, and a loan-waiver programme. The first and the most favoured option is to directly pay landowning farmers Rs 1,700 to Rs2,000 per acre, costing up to Rs1,00,000 crore, reports quoting unidentified sources said, adding that such a scheme would help support farmers with money before next sowing season. The second option would be to compensate farmers for the difference they received by selling their produce in the market compared with the government mandated prices. That would cost the government about Rs50,000 crore, reports said, adding that this wont help all farmers as all crops are not brought under the minimum support prices. The most expensive option - at a cost of as much as Rs3,00,000 crore - and the least favoured inside the government, would involve writing off farm loans by up to Rs1,00,000 per person - a policy that is being pushed hard by the opposition Congress party. It is a real challenge for Modi and his Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) to win back support of as many as 263 million farmers and millions of those who are dependent on agriculture after it lost to Congress-led opposition in three big heartland states. With elections to the Lok Sabha as close as May next year the national Democratic Alliance government at the centre is keen to find a way to get money to farmers as quickly and simply as possible so that they can feel the benefits before the election. That could cost the government heavy and leave the economy in doldrums and leave a beaten economy for the next government. This could be hell for BJP if it comes back to power and retribution if the Congress or an opposition combine manages to win the election. Fir the economy, already strained by lower-than-expected tax revenues, a loan waiver will undermine its fiscal deficit target for the year ending in March. BJP, which won the last Parliament election in 2014 largely through rural support, is currently facing increasing farmers anger against the government that has failed to make farm economy neither profitable nor worth the costs. Modi has tried to get the market to play a bigger role in setting prices and sought to reduce government intervention, but an economy that is built on free bees cannot overnight change itself to a market economy. The problem is that the government has failed to make the right market infrastructure that would take care of increased crop production. This combined with lower than expected exports have combined to drive prices down at a time when some farm costs have been surging. Last week, PM Modi held a series of meetings with finance minister Arun Jaitley, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh and officials from the government think tank NITI Aayog to weigh its options for a farm relief programme. The government is also planning to revise the existing crop insurance policy to facilitate easier settlement of claims and also give greater non-collateralised credit assess to farmers, the minister said. Govt to pump Rs10,086-cr capital into Bank of India The government plans to pump in a whopping Rs10,086 crore into bad loan-hit Bank of India (BoI), the worst performer among state-controlled banks as part of Rs28,615 crore capital infusion in about half a dozen public sector lenders. In a regulatory filing, Bank of India said the finance ministry informed the bank about the capital infusion on Wednesday (December 26) on the fund infusion, which would be by way of preferential allotment of shares. The board of directors of BoI would be considering by way of circular resolution on or after 2 January 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. 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. Out of these seven PSBs, United Bank of India (UBI) also informed regulatory authorities of the capital infusion plan announced by the finance ministry. According to sources, the government has decided to pump Rs 28,615 crore into seven public sector banks (PSBs) through recapitalisation bonds soon. The government had earlier announced an infusion of Rs65,000 crore in PSBs in 2018-19, of which Rs23,000 crore has already been disbursed, while Rs42,000 crore is remaining. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government would put an additional Rs41,000 crore in PSBs over and above what was announced earlier. On December 20, the government sought Parliament's approval for infusion of an additional Rs41,000 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 include 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. RBI rules out dilution of bank capital norms The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has ruled out any relaxation in the rules for risk weights and capital requirement for Indian banks, saying that any relaxation in current risk-adjusted weights could hurt the economy at a time when defaults are high and provisions low. The central bank, however, announced its intention to revise existing prudential regulations for banks by revisiting exposure and investment guidelines, and the existing risk management framework. In its Trends and Progress report published on Friday, RBI noted that the overhang of stressed assets weighed down the consolidated balance sheet of the banking sector, necessitating large provisions, which adversely affected their profitability during 2017-18. Applying Basel-specified risk weights will understate the true riskiness of loans on the books of these banks, it said justifying the higher than Basel-recommended capital adequacy norms for Indian banks. While recent data for the first half of fiscal 2018-19 indicated a stabilisation in non-performing assets (NPAs), this is at an elevated level and capital positions stands buffered and the provision coverage ratio has improved, RBI noted. The case for a recalibration of risk-weights or minimum capital requirements would need to be carefully assessedfrontloading of regulatory relaxations before the structural reforms fully set in and conclusive evidence on sustained improvement in CDRs (cumulative default rates) and LGDs (loss given default) is observed could be detrimental to the interests of the economy, said the report. The RBI statement follows calls by the government for aligning the capital adequacy norms of Indian banks with those of Basel III to allow Indian banks to lend more. This had become a bone of contention between the RBI and the government, with the latter initiating discussions under Section 7 of the RBI Act. The year 2017-18 can be considered a watershed in the resolution of stressed assets as the foundation of a new, comprehensive, decisive and credible framework was laid and built upon through the Reserve Banks circular dated February 12, 2018 under the overarching mandate of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). The revival in credit growth in 2017-18, from the deceleration in the previous year, coupled with improving share of bank finance in the total flow of resources to the commercial sector, augurs well for the growth prospects of the banking sector. The continuing credit growth recovery in 2018-19 (up to October 2018) may further reinforce this momentum. The Reserve Bank took steps to progressively align the liquidity risk management practices of the Indian banking system with international standards. Further, commercial banks were allowed to co-originate priority sector loans with non-deposit taking systemically important non-banking financial companies (NBFCs-ND-SI) to enhance the efficiency of credit delivery to priority sectors, says the RBI report. The central bank also spoke of ways to address the deficiencies in the cooperative banking sector and the de-growth in the consolidated balance sheet of urban co-operative banks (UCBs) in 201718 on account of slower deposit growth, resulting mainly from the demonetisation drive. While the overall profitability of these banks moderated, their asset quality improved. The eligible UCBs are now allowed to transit to small finance banks (SFBs), which would enable them to carry out a wider range of activities and also have a pan-India presence. The performance of rural co-operatives showed some improvement with improved NPA ratios and profitability of state co-operative banks, whereas the performance of district central co-operative banks (DCCBs) deteriorated, RBI stated. On the non-banking finance sector, RBI noted that the balance sheets of NBFCs, especially that of companies that provide loan finance (NBFCs-Loan Companies), have been growing manifold against the backdrop of relative decline in their cost of lending vis-a-vis banks and subdued credit growth of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) in the previous three years. The consolidated balance sheet of NBFCs expanded in 2017-18 and during the first half of 2018-19. The profitability of NBFCs improved on account of fund-based income, relatively lower NPA levels and strong capital position. The recent concerns about some NBFCs are being proactively addressed, it added. The report flags major challenges that are likely to shape the outlook for the financial sector in India, which include: AgustaWestlnd middleman Christian Michel misusing legal assistance: ED The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday told a Delhi court that alleged middleman Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, was misusing the liberty of legal assistance during his interrogation by passing chits to his lawyers asking how to tackle questions on Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. The ED, which quizzed the alleged middleman Christian Michel in the last few days, claimed that he has finally named the Gandhi family. The agency also claimed that Michel mentioned the son of the Italian lady and how he is going to become the next Prime Minister of the country. This disclosure by ED has triggered massive political face-off with the BJP demanding answers and the Congress claiming that the ED was being misused. The ED said during questioning in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, Michel had taken Mrs Gandhis name in reference to a query, and that he had later managed to hand over a follow-up question to his lawyer seeking directions on what to say, calling it a conspiracy to shield or tamper with evidence. Appearing before Vacation Judge Chandra Shekhar, the EDs Special Public Prosecutor, D P Singh, said: Parson (December 27) inhone Mrs Gandhi ka naam liya tha ek kisi reference mein. Main reference ka naam nahin loonga. To humein follow-up question karna tha ki Mrs Gandhi kaun hai Medical examination ke time par unhein legal access diya gaya tha ki achaanak ye notice kiya gaya ki unhone kuchch diya hai, jo vakil sahib ne apne jeb mein rakh diya. Jab check kiya gaya to Mrs Gandhi par jo follow-up questions they woh vakil sahib ko slip-in kiye gaye (Day before yesterday, Michel took Mrs Gandhis name in some reference. I wont say in what reference. So we needed to ask him a follow-up question as to who Mrs Gandhi is He was given legal access during medical examination when suddenly we noticed that he handed over something to his lawyer, who pocketed it. When we checked, we found that the follow-up questions related to Mrs Gandhi had been slipped to the lawyer). Claiming a conspiracy to shield or tamper with evidence, the prosecutor said this could be revealed from questioning of the accused. Also submitting an incident report on the matter and asking that Michel be denied access to his lawyers, D P Singh said, Benefits of legal access should be discontinued He was actually seeking some direction on what to say and also to send word outside on the line of questioning. The ED further said that in one of the contract negotiation documents, it is mentioned son of an Italian lady Going to be the next PM We have to also confront him with these documents We have to identify the proceeds of the crime. Officials have been paid money near the North Block and we have to identity them We also need to decipher who the big man referred to as R is in the communication between Christian Michel and other people. We need to confront Michel with other people to decipher who the big man or R is. Michel was produced before a special court which extended his ED custody by seven days. The ED said that his custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the larger conspiracy in the case. Michel, an accused in the Rs3,600-crore AgustaWestland scam, was extradited from the UAE recently. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 22 December 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 agency sought his custody for eight more days on Saturday, and the judge granted a week. Cloning Madhubala Sharad Bailur is a former banker who moved into corporate communications and worked for three major organisations in both the public and private sectors. He has been an occasional writer for most major publications in India over the last 40 years. Now retired, he lives in Mysore. In this interview with Swetha Amit, he talks about his book, aspects like cloning and surrogacy and the research involved while penning his book down. The Telomere Problem is on an offbeat topic like cloning. What really inspired the book? I have extremely wide reading habits and the subject is one of many that I read in some depth. As long ago as 1997 a colleague and a friend suffered and died from a very strange disease: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. During his illness I had scoured the internet for information on the subject and Omni magazine, put me in the way of a possible cause for it eating brain tissue, even if cooked. In India it is a well known dish called Bheja Fry sold in many restaurants in Mumbai. My friend loved it and had eaten it often. The research and my preliminary findings were written out in longhand in the midst of a 250-inch rainfall at Mahabaleshwar in the hills above Ratnagiri where I had gone as a member of a team of bankers inspecting our branch. I wrote to some sixty different hospitals worldwide asking for help for a cure for my friend. I even mentioned the possible cause the consumption of infected sheep or goat brain after it had been cooked. I received two answers. One from England and one from the US. Both said nothing could be done. CJ Disease is not caused by bacteria or virus. It is caused by misfolded prion proteins, for which there is no cure even today. My friend eventually died. Some 10 years later the cause was confirmed and the scientist, Stanley Prusiner, won a Nobel for it. I am not a scientist. It was little more than a desperate shot in the dark to help a friend, not confirmed by experimental results. Dr Prusiner fully deserved the Nobel. So, I did have some sort of a background in researching for scientific material, though I am emphatically not qualified. I hold just an MA in Economics from Lucknow University. On the matter of cloning, It all started with a news item in a local paper that mentioned the cloning of Dolly the sheep in Scotland. My brother, who was visiting me in Dapoli, asked me if a human could be cloned. I said, Yes. It is well within the bounds of possibility. Then he asked would it be possible to clone a living actress of the Hindi screen. The answer from me was, Yes. Provided she offers some of her tissue or blood Interestingly the protagonist in your book chooses late actress Madhubala as a part of his cloning research project. What made you choose this yesteryear's actress for your book? Madhubala is safely dead and cannot object! That apart, it is difficult to imagine the fascination she has had on the mind of the average cine-goer of those years, even today. Madhubala was drop-dead stunning to look at. No other Hindi film actress came anywhere close to her in looks. I had seen her just before she shot for one of her last films. I never knew her as a person. But I can well imagine why she inspired legions to fall for her, head over heels. Had I been just 15 years older I would have been among them. The story of Madhubala and the process of cloning her 29 years after her death occupied far too little space for it to become a proper book. So I dug around. I found that Dolly the sheep had died at the age of three of unspecified old age effects. That set me off on the hunt for Progeria [pre-mature ageing] and its cure. That in turn led me to telomeres and the issues connected with it. In essence when I start off on a book I cannot know for certain how it will end. This has happened to me often. I started my next book as a murder mystery. That went on to become a story of the murderer getting murdered. My publisher and mentor Mayank Chhaya, based in Napier, Illinois suggested I fatten the story. So what I wrote turned out to be a conspiracy to vaporise Mumbai city with an atom bomb. That alone did not do the job. So I added a third story of a base in Nepal used to make a drug to poison the entire population of Delhi. That book, originally titled The Crime Chronicles had to have its title changed. It is now called, The Disappearing Adversary. It is now due out in the next couple of weeks on Amazon.com My writing has a certain degree of unpredictability about it. An unpredictability that even I cannot foresee. Writing on a topic like cloning would have required extensive research. How did you go about this process? The whole process started with the monsoon pouring down on the small village of Dapoli in Ratnagiri District where I had a house. Dapoli is about 1,400 feet up in the hills that faces the direct onslaught of the rain and is just five miles from the coast as the crow flies. So it gets about 200 inches of rain. My dog, Otto, moped around waiting for the cascade of water outside to stop. For Dapoli it is normal. Very oddly the internet worked, even if slowly. I was alone in that large house. So I sent an e-mail to Nature Biotechnology asking if they could send me a few sample copies. They did. I similarly sent out e-mails to other magazines like The Lancet and New Scientist. Some, like Nature, were kind enough to send me a few copies. Others ignored me. About eight issues out of the various magazines that I received had articles related in one way or the other to cloning and life extension. Once my interest in the topic picked up, I started to look around. In my personal library there were at least three books that had material on the subject. Once the rains came to a halt I drove down to our flat in Mumbai (then Bombay) and visited my friend Mr Shanbag of Strand Book Stall, on Pherozeshah Mehta Road. Today regrettably both Mr Shanbag and that iconic book shop with the tell-tale understated name are no more. I picked up two more books there. That gave me enough material to think of an outline. I then looked for material on the Discovery and National Geographic television channels. Strangely enough there was material. There was even an hour long interview with Dr Panayiotis Zavos, a pioneer in the field. More importantly, there was a lot of material on the internet about life extension and its possibilities. You have also brought out aspects like surrogacy and adoption in your book. How do you think India as a country has progressed towards both of them? I worked as the senior general manager for public relations directly under the internationally reknowned Dr V Kurien when he was the chairman of the National Dairy Development Board in Anand, Gujarat from 1991 to 2000. I knew that the town of Anand is known as the surrogacy capital of India. Surrogacy even commercial surrogacy (wombs for hire), is legal in India. Only yesterday 22 December 2018, the present government has introduced a bill in Parliament making commercial surrogacy illegal. The Bill is yet to become law. As for adoption, there are no laws against it in India, even of foreign citizens wishing to adopt Indian babies. All we have is a safety screening process to prevent abuse or misuse. Nanorobot is another concept mentioned in your book. Could you tell us more about this? Much of this came about after my reading of Eric Drexlers book, Engines of Creation and the writing of Ralph Merkle and Robert Freitas who provided me with the concept of Nanorobots that were partly made of the persons DNA. I also established connections with the Foresight Institute of California by becoming an overseas member. In fact a major former office bearer of the Foresight Institute is Dr Storrs Hall who is a friend on my Facebook Page. I also read through the three lectures and the work that won Elizabeth Blackburn her Nobel on telomeres and telomerase. Media frenzy is another aspect subtly showcased in your book. Considering how headlines and rumours are spreading like wildfire, do you think sensible reporting has diminished over the years? Having been born into the family of a journalist, my views of the profession are coloured by my opinion of journalists that I have formed over my years dealing with the media. I respect writing as a profession because that calls for a lot of hard reading, something I myself do, even today despite my failing eyesight. I dont have much of an opinion about reporting. But what I have seen and experienced over a period of 30 years of exposure to reporters is that they are mostly uneducated beyond being able to put words together to make sentences, never having read anything after college,if at all. But all of them without exception carry a huge chip on their shoulder about their personal exceptionalism. Media frenzy is mostly a sign of todays electronic journalism especially on TV where news and information has swiftly degenerated into talk shows and media inquisitions by anchors. Reporting without bias, as far as is possible, has acquired the status of a myth. All reporting is slanted and / or has an ulterior motive, mostly political. And now the corruption of the media has set in with entire newspapers and their owners being bought by political parties. This is the frightening prospect that the Indian citizen faces: He never gets to read or see anything but slanted news and analysis in which, supressio veri; suggestio falsi is the most common tool employed. Your other protagonist also faces an identity crisis something that is common amongst youth who are born in India and raised abroad. What is your take on this? My son migrated permanently to the US some time back. Both his children were born there. When he went I had warned him of the ABCD (American Born Confused Desi) phenomenon. He took my advice to heart and is now a confirmed American as are the rest of his family members. The identity crisis issue is genuine and people who go abroad, especially those who accept foreign citizenships, must understand that their first loyalties lie with their adopted country, not with their country of origin. A huge attempt is being made by Hindu citizens of the US in particular to bankroll the election in India of one political party simply because it espouses Hindu supremacy. This amounts to nothing other than trying to control the destinies and future of those living in India by remote control, keeping themselves safe from the consequences of any actions that this party may take. I have a very close friend from our days in college, who is an office bearer of the Hindu Temple of Maryland in Silver Spring, who is a rabid communalist. I am strongly against such people, even though he is my friend. Its interesting how you have woven several themes like love, friendship, Indian film industry and science into a compelling plot. As an author did you face any challenge or fear with regards to losing focus from the main theme? No. None at all. I had a story to tell. I went about telling it. The science called for some detailed study and I had to confirm my conclusions which could all have been so wrong. But other than that I had no problems. What are your expectations from this book? Any plans for another one? My expectations from The Telomere Problem have been modest in the extreme. I enjoyed the adventure of the research and I enjoyed getting lost in the story I was writing as if it was some sort of three dimensional film with all the smells, tastes and thoughts. Besides, the story I had to tell had nothing very glamorous no space travel, no space monsters, no violence and no sex. So I had no expectations from it. Science fiction is a very small niche market and there are far better and more qualified writers than me doing a wonderful job. The sale of this book has been modest. No more than I expected. But now I am writing for an audience, not just for myself. So from my next two books The Disappearing Adversary and The Disappearing Adversary - Part II, I am looking forward to a much better response. My first novel Safe Custody has never been published. It is an exercise in alternative history. I hope to do something about it in the latter part of 2019. I am not a scientist. So the chances of my writing a science fiction novel are slim or so I thought till very recently. Then a young friend who is just 24 and is an ethical hacker put me in the way of information on Stuxnet and the cyber-attack that destroyed Irans uranium gas centrifuges, which produced enriched uranium for use in its nuclear bombs. The attack was supposedly conducted in a collaborative effort between the governments of the US and Israel. True or not, the Stuxnet story was fascinating. So I started digging and collected a lot of information. It forms the third long story in my second volume of The Disappearing Adversary, which I hope to put out via Amazon.com some time in March or April 2019. My friend and mentor Mayank Chhaya is keen that it comes out as soon as possible. Also see: Excerpt from The Telomere Problem) Excerpt from The Telomere Problem Gautam Bhatt got the usual call late on Saturday evening. His friend Anant Bapu Damle wanted a get-together at the Parsi Dairy outside Santa Cruz railway station, in the suburb of that name in Bombay the next day. Parsi Dairy is not the name of the Irani restaurant. Its official name isSanta Cruz Restaurant. But it has a big billboard advertising products made by Parsi Dairy, a producer of dairy products like butter, cheese and milk-based sweets. Oddly enough, nobody remembers the real name of the restaurant. Everyone calls it Parsi Dairy. It is situated at the south end of the front of the Santa Cruz railway station that faces west in the suburb of that name in Bombay. The dairy products it sells forms a miniscule part of its real trade. A modest open-air place adjoining the railway track with some thirty odd tables with benches, Parsi Dairy is a noisy "beer bar, with flies occasionally promenading on the tables and on the glasses of the drinking crowd with fans whirring busily above them. Apart from the usual, which incidentally is only beer, nothing stronger, it offers very little else. Some crunchies spiked with chilly powder, and for the adventurous, an omelette made with froth beaten eggs, lots of onion, green chilly, coriander and mint. Not the sort of place that Gautam Bhatt would go to. He was used to much more sophisticated places. But then Damle was that sort of friend. Damle believed that one must keep ones feet firmly on the ground. If slumming was the same as having ones feet firmly on the ground,slumming it would be. Bhatt indulged him because, in him, he had a valuable friend. Get together invariably meant a steady and heady guzzling of beer beginning at 11 on Sunday mornings over Bhavnagri gathia (crisp chickpea noodle), spiked with onion and green chilli, right through till around two in the afternoon. Then, rather the worse for wear, each would go their separate ways, invariably feeling too full for an afternoon meal, and wanting to let it all out at the first available clean toilet. This was their routine on one Sunday each month. Damle worked for a bank while Gautam Bhatt was a molecular geneticist and embryologist who had done his research in Edinburgh. Damle had this effect on people. One of his close friends was Raghunath Mashelkar, the scientist, who had been a schoolmate back in the old days of deprivation and chawls in the nineteen-fifties in Girgaum, the suburb that harbours many indigent middle class Maharastrians even today. Damle was a tall, fair, well-built man of about 40 with a perpetual, rather inane grin with gaps between his front teeth and close-cropped pepper and salt hair. Behind the small sharp eyes lay a brain like a razor. A national level bridge player, he worked at his bank merely for the steady income that it offered. He could have done anything and made a success of it, but ambition was not in his blood. It never is, with bhatjis (Brahmin from Pune and the Konkan coast). He was a Kobra bhatji (KOkanastha BRAhmin, or Brahmin from the coast of Konkan). His friends ranged from scientists like Raghunath Mashelkar and Gautam Bhatt to smugglers and technocrats. About the only people he avoided were politicians. Talking about this unambitious attitude of most Maharashtrians, Gautam Bhatt had once asked Damle, sounding elaborately casual, I have seen a building on Jangli Maharaj Road in Pune called Mittal Towers. I dont recall having ever seen any building in Hazratganj in Lucknow called Abhyankar Towers. Damle had merely grinned. He was only too aware of his own peoples failings. The Mittals are baniyas (tradesmen) from Uttar Pradesh who are into business of all kinds. They are ambitious and hardworking and, like the Gujaratis, go anywhere and sell anything, unlike the Maharashtrians who almost seem to take pride in saying that business is not there in their blood.Abhyankar is a Maharastrian name. Damle had merely grinned. He was only too aware of his own peoples failings. The Mittals are baniyas (tradesmen) from Uttar Pradesh who are into business of all kinds. They are ambitious and hardworking and, like the Gujaratis, go anywhere and sell anything, unlike the Maharashtrians who almost seem to take pride in saying that business is not there in their blood.Abhyankar is a Maharastrian name. Half way through their second bottle of beer, Damle said, This news that somebody in Edinburgh has duplicated a sheep. Is it true? Yeah. It is called cloning. Friend of mine, IanWilmut, at the Roslin Institute. In fact, we worked on it together. said Gautam Bhatt nibbling a crisp noodle of gathia. But you were nowhere mentioned in the media. I asked to be kept out Why? persisted Damle. Gautam was feeling the effects of the beer perhaps. He should have kept quiet, or at least changed the subject. I am working on a much more hush-hush project. he said with a small burp. He knew that the general hubbub of others like themselves at the other tables would drown out anything he said. Nobel in the offing? asked Damle. Nah! More likely a government ban the world over. Want to talk about it? asked Damle. Well. It has to do with repeating what we did with Dolly to produce a cloned human embryo and bring it to term. So, whats keeping it from succeeding? asked Damle, suddenly alert. The need for secrecy. The ethical angle. The politics. Do you think you will ever succeed? It sounds fantastic. Umm...Yes. I think I have the problem licked. To give credit where it is due, Ian Wilmut is as responsible for the success as I am. But the seminal research for the human cloning project, I did myself. Look. I am not a scientist. So, tell me in a few short words. Tell me, is it possible to clone a human being? asked Damle. Yes. I think we can do it. Right here in India, if it came to that. But then, imagine the uproar. The religious groups, the law, the politicians, the common man in the street. Tradition. Dharma. Besides what would I get out of it? Not even recognition. In fact, I would be considered some sort of Dr. Frankenstein who created the monster in Mary Shelleys book. Just for the sake of argument. Suppose you decided to clone a film star. Say, Waheeda Rehman. Or Asha Parekh. Could you do it? I suppose so. Provided the film star allows me to take a sample of her tissue. We need tissue, or at least a blood sample. She will almost certainly refuse. It can be frightening to people who dont understand the science behind it. And even those who do, have their reservations,said Gautam. What about a person who cannot refuse? askedDamle. Who? Someone dead. A dead film star. You are talking rubbish. A dead film star is someone who has either been turned into ashes,or into worms in a coffin, or worse, dust. Suppose before she died she left blood in a blood bank? Damle was capable of thinking far faster than most normal people. Depends on how old the blood is, and in what state of preservation. Tell you what, said Damle. Why dont you clone Madhubala? Shes been dead and buried in the Santa Cruz cemetery. Gautam Bhatt barely managed to suppress a start. He had not expected Damle to suggest Madhubala. He had reasons. He would never reveal them to anyone. Blood my dear fellow. Even if we can locate it,it does not last. Bone marrow would be better, but after so long? When did she die? I know it was a couple of years after I completed my MBBS. 1969, I think, said Damle. Twenty-eight years! Tissue does not last. And will we get permission to dig up the corpse? The Waqf Board (Muslim trust that looks after burial grounds for Muslims) that owns the cemetery will throw a fit or, more likely, cause a riot. No.It is out of the question, said Gautam. Suppose you can locate a blood sample? Tchah! You are talking rubbish, said GautamBhatt. Tchah! and rubbish were Gautam Bhatt's favourite words. Living in a world of ordinary people, this gifted scientist often found himself running short of patience. But, of course, friends like Damle did not mind. They knew him well enough. And there the topic was abandoned. But deep down inside something had struck Gautam Bhatt like a bolt of lightening. It would become his obsession for the next twenty-five years. Gautam Bhatt never forgot the conversation. The idea would keep buzzing around in his mind till it had taken a life of its own. A life that would dominate Gautam Bhatt's life for a long time. And his own personal secret never to be revealed to anyone. It satisfied the secretive part of his nature. An hour later Gautam left for home and so did Damle. Damle walked across the bridge over the railway tracks to go to his flat where he lived in the co-operative housing society of his bank. Gautam Bhatt walked down to his car parked some distance away and was driven away by Ram Singh his chauffeur. Ram Singh could never understand what such a big boss like his did drinking beer in a seedy bar like Parsi Dairy. And he had noticed that his boss did not do anything much. He simply drank beer with his friend Mr. Damle and they talked for an hour or two and they dispersed. The same routine, once a month, approximately. It did not seem to amount to anything. It seemed that despite his extraordinary reach of contacts his boss kept his feet on the ground. And Damle was a special friend. Unlike Damle, Gautam Bhatt was short, a mere five feet seven and rather portly. He had a thinning head of hair. It would get into complete baldness, but not for some time yet. Hooded eyebrows and crinkly, kind looking eyes looked down a bulbous nose on which sat a pair of heavy horn-rimmed glasses. A developing potbelly, and a thickening of the waist attested to incipient MAS or middle-aged spread. It did not exactly make him out to be the handsomest man in Bombay. He looked ordinary and was therefore unobtrusive. Not often was he noticed, even by women. And he liked it that way, for reasons that never were made clear. They were well into his past. And they would haunt his future. Read interview: Cloning Madhubala) Mid Louth Fianna Fail candidate John Sheridan is calling for Louth County Council to investigate providing safe 'park and share' facilities along the M1 as a road safety measure. John, from Dromiskin said: "Every day we see dozens of commuters parking their cars along the Charleville interchange of the Ardee Link road and the M1 as they car-pool to commute to Dublin." "I feel the Ardee link road is a particular priority as you have a sgnificant amount of trucks and HGVs passing by daily. I feel this is causing a risk to locals of collisions or injury while parking their cars. Local commuters who are being conscious of the environment and carpooling should not have to worry as to the safety of their cars while at work. A safe and secure parking facility would encourage car pooling but also reduce risk of collisions and injuries at this junction." "We know neighbouring councils, like Newry, Mourne and Down have 'park and share' facilities at Sheepbridge in Newry and it works very well. I know it has also been investigated in other parts of the county and I feel this junction should be a particular priority." "Many locals, including myself, are being forced into commuting to Dublin, and the least we should do is to support them in having safe and secure parking." Monday, December 31, 2018 at 5:35AM Samsung Galaxy Note9 gets its fourth Android Pie beta update. Its rolling out to users in India, Germany, and South Korea. And it fixes some touch-related issues, including the home button hard press feature not working when the navigation gestures are enabled as well as the keyboard app not responding on the bottom right of the display. Since touch issues are considered critical bugs, this is considered the first hotfix beta for the Galaxy Note9. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ needed a couple of hotfix updates, but hopefully this wont be the same case for the Note9. To download the update, go into the Settings > Software update menu on your phone. From there, tap the Download and install option. Source: SamMobile Marcy Wheeler on Twitter: @EmptyWheel Marcy Wheeler at EmptyWheel.net: Someone has already been charged for most of the actions the Steele dossier attributes to Michael Cohen Marcy Wheeler at EmptyWheel.net: The dossier is not the measure of the Trump-Russia conspiracy Kathleen Gray at The Detroit Free Press: Snyder tackles most controversial lame-duck bills passed by lawmakers Kathleen Gray at The Detroit Free Press: Snyder vetoes some of the most controversial lame-duck bills Susan J. Demas at Michigan Advance: Gov. vetoes bill snatching Nessels power, signs ballot initiative limits Ken Coleman at Michigan Advance: Snyder signs almost 50 more bills into law Emily Kopp and Jay Hancock at Kaiser Health News: The High Cost Of Hope: When The Parallel Interests Of Pharma And Families Collide Jason Sattler at USA Today: Amid the wreckage, one happy 2019 thought: Democrats will be able to subpoena Trump Give us a five-star review at iTunes! The GOTMFV Show Facebook page is HERE! Music clips Intro and transition music: You Dress Like an Asshole by Not The 1s Progressives Everywhere intro/outro: Theyre Everywhere by Jims Big Ego Flint Water Crisis Update intro: Unclaimed by Mike Wagner/Total Strangers Outro music: Complain (from the movie Bob Roberts) by David Robbins & Tim Robbins Republicans who unanimously voted to keep the government open must pay if they go along with Trumps shutdown in 2019 The government should be open right now. A million government workers, mostly veterans, shouldnt be without a paycheck. Contractors at the Smithsonian and national parks shouldnt be at risk of losing their homes. Scientific research shouldnt be grinding to a halt. This is not just my excellent opinion. Its a fact. On the Wednesday before Christmas, the U.S. Senate voted unanimously thats 100-to-0 to keep the government open. The Paul Ryan-led GOP House then refused to vote on this bill because they knew it would pass, as it did in the Senate, with a massive, veto-proof majority. They did this because Donald Trump told Republican Senators hed sign their continuing resolution. Then the fourth branch of government, Fox & Its Even More Racist Friends, weighed in and decided that the president was not being racist enough. He needed a wall. And since the wall offers no practical value whatsoever as anything other than a metaphor of cruelty, Republicans would offer nothing in return. Right now, the public blames Trump for this shutdown, which most people arent that focused on yet because they have family, food and alcohol to devour. While 47 percent correctly say this is all the presidents fault in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, 1/3 of Americans blame congressional Democrats. Only 7 percent only blame the people who actually made the shutdown happen congressional Republicans. This is good position for Democrats, with a clear majority blaming Trump and his GOP. But thinking ahead to 2020, now is the time to tie vulnerable Republicans in the Senate to this mess especially if they refuse to back the package of bills House Democrats now plan to send to them, which includes a continuing resolution like the one they already supported along with 6 the Senates spending bills. Its simple: The Senate is not going to send something to the president that he wont sign, Mitch McConnells spokesman told Politico. Thats what theyre going with: we cant open the government it because the guy who America blames for the shutdown doesnt want to open the government. This is going to be an impossible position to defend. And guess who already knows this? The most vulnerable Republican in the Senate: Gardner is the only Republican who is defending a seat in state Hillary Clinton won. The 2016 Democratic nominee also won all but one electoral vote in Maine, where Susan Collins would have to win, if she wants to keep selling out everything she pretends to believe in for another six years. But that doesnt make these the only vulnerable GOP Senate seats up in 2020 if you add in states Obama won twice and have trended away from Republicans in 2018. Martha McSally will have to defend a seat in Arizona a state shes already lost once. Thom Tillis won his seat in North Carolina in 2014, a GOP wave year, by less than 2 percent. Pat Roberts represents Kansas, which went blue in November, and David Perdue in Georgia has to run in a state trending blue, possibly against Stacey Adams, who got almost 600,000 more votes in 2018 as she ran for governor than Perdue got when he was elected in 2014. Thats six vulnerable Republicans, while only two Democratic Senators are defending seats in states Trump won in 2016. When it comes to wretched hives of scum and villainy, only the Mitch McConnell-controlled Senate can compete with Maralago. Wresting it from his hands is as important as ejecting Trump from power. Trump already owns this unnecessary shutdown, but if he gives up, it will only hurt him with the 4 of 10 Americans who still buy into his Four Years Hate. If this is going to end without extending on forever, it will be because Mitch McConnell recognizes that this could hurt his chances of controlling the Senate and decimating our courts after 2020. BTW: Progressives Everywhere is already raising money for the Democratic candidates who will take back the U.S. Senate. The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has selected the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of the School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, for the level-II support of 'Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure in Universities & Higher Educational Institutions'. Assistant registrar (Public Relations) Mr. Mahesh in a release on Monday said that the DST has sanctioned a grant to the tune of Rs 1.49 crores for a period of five years (third award for the department). This sanction of the DST is to strengthen post-graduate teaching and research in the Department and to extend major facilities viz., Ultra Centrifuge, Live Cell Imaging, Lyophilizer, Chemidoc Western Blotting System, CO2 Incubator, UV-Vis Spectrophotometer, Cold Room, Setting up of a computer laboratory, etc. The DST-FIST support under the Level-II category is given to internationally competitive institutions which are into 'Teaching and Academic Research'. The Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of Pondicherry University has been further considered for the grant based on its performance, and the amount of 'Extra-mural Research Grants' received in the last five years. The Department has earlier received funding under DST-FIST (twice) and the Special Assistance Programme (SAP) of the UGC. The Department possesses reputed faculty who had received independent funding from various National and International Funding Agencies. Some of the faculty members have even received various national and international awards. The Department offers M.Sc in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, in addition to the structured four-semester theoretical courses, and hands-on training for the students of the course in state-of-the-art laboratory facilities. The Department has an active PhD program as well. Professor Gurmeet Singh, Vice Chancellor of the University, congratulated the Head of Department Professor PP Mathur for this and other achievements. 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. Erdogan sends New Years greetings to world leaders Turkish president expresses his belief that bilateral relations will further improve in 2019. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Monday sent New Years greetings to the world leaders including his US and Russian counterparts. US In a letter to US Donald Trump, Erdogan described 2018 as a year, which Turkey and US overcame the difficulties between the two countries and they mutually exerted efforts to carry the bilateral relations to the desired level. Calling Trump a dear friend, Erdogan said, I believe that we will increase our bilateral relations based on mutual respect and sincere dialogue to the levels required by our strategic partnership and that the future of our cooperation will be brighter. He also expressed his belief that the cooperation between Turkey and US will continue to contribute to the global peace and stability. RUSSIA In a separate letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Erdogan underlined the significance of the bilateral relations, voicing his expectation that the relations between Turkey and Russia will continue improving in the next year as well. FRANCE Erdogan also sent new year greetings to other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping, British Prime Minister Theresa May, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Erdogan, in his new year letter to Macron, said he believes that Turkey-France relations would further improve through mutual efforts in 2019. CHINA Expressing his gratitude over strengthening relations with China, Erdogan expressed his belief that the cooperation between the two countries would be brighter in the next year. In order to guarantee the continuation of our cooperation [], I would be very pleased to host you in our country in 2019," Erdogan said, referring to Xi. UK 2018 has been a year, where cooperation and mutual efforts between Turkey and the UK have further improved, Erdogan wrote to May in a letter. I believe we will increase our bilateral relations based on mutual respect and sincere dialogue to higher levels and the future of our cooperation will be brighter, he said. Erdogan added that the relations between the two countries will continue to contribute to the peace and stability in Europe and its beyond. INDIA In a letter to Indian PM Modi, Erdogan said: I keep the warm memories of my visit to your beautiful country with all its freshness. The president said he believes that the two counties would further improve the deep-rooted friendly ties. Erdogan wishes peace, stability across globe in 2019 Turkey takes stand for stability, justice, tolerance and peace across the world in new year, says president. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday wished "peace and tranquility" for all humanity across the world in 2019. "WE SIDE WITH JUSTICE" In his message for New Year's, Erdogan said: "We side with stability, justice, tolerance and peace across the world, together with our region. Through this understanding, we defend the rights of Jerusalem, Damascus, Baghdad, Cairo, Tripoli, Sarajevo, and Crimea. Turkey is not responsible for the incidents in our region and will not be a victim of them, Erdogan said. Developments in Syria are the result of these efforts, he added. The Turkish leader had signaled that a cross-border operation against the terrorist PYD/YPG in Syria would happen soon. Since 2016, Ankara has successfully carried out two similar military operations in northern Syria. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on protesters with unexpected ferocity. In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children. The PYD is its Syrian branch. Juncker slams EU members for 'blatant hypocrisy' on border control Head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has lambasted EU member states for changing their stance on stricter border control. EU member states have agreed on the necessity to undertake more decisive measures to curb the migrant crisis that the continent has been experiencing since 2015 due to an influx of asylum-seekers fleeing the Middle East and Africa. However, proposals to strengthen the border agency Frontex have faced resistance within the bloc. "THE MEMBERS DONT WANT TO GET INVOLVED" "All EU leaders have called for better protection of the European external border for more than two years. And now, suddenly, many sides have started voicing concerns. This would be interference in national sovereignty, everything would go too fast and the numbers would be too high. That's blatant hypocrisy, Head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. Juncker claimed that those who have been criticizing the underdeveloped border control would not want to get involved. Europe cannot work like that. We need to act quickly so that we are prepared and really take the EU's external borders under control", Juncker stated. More Syrians will return home, says Turkish official Deputy interior minister says over 290,000 Syrians have returned to the homeland after Turkish military-led operations in Syria. More Syrians are expected to return to their homeland following Turkeys counter-terror operations in Syria, a Turkish official said on Monday. "We think that the number will increase even more in the upcoming period in parallel with the development there Syria," Turkeys Deputy Interior Minister Ismail Catakl told Anadolu Agency. He said living conditions have been getting better and security has increased in the region especially after Turkey's operations of Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield. Turkey has conducted two successful cross-border operations into Syria since 2016, both meant to eradicate the presence of PYD/PKK and Daesh terrorists near Turkeys borders. Catakl stated that over 290,000 Syrians have returned home after Turkish military-led operations in Syria. Turkey's immigration authority carries out activities for Syrians, he said. Catakl added: "I think the number of returnees will increase more when the situation improves there. Syria has been locked in a vicious civil war since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on protesters with unexpected ferocity. Mosque in western Germany vandalized with racial slurs Unknown attackers write racist slogans, draw the star of David on a mosque wall in western Duisburg city. German government that tries to block mosques and Islamic unions economic support, had said they were considering the introduction of a "mosque tax" for German Muslims. An under-construction mosque in western Germany's Duisburg city was attacked by unidentified assailants who defaced the building with racist slogans, according to a mosque official on Sunday. THE ATTACK CAME RIGHT AFTER BILD'S ARTICLE The attackers painted star of David -- which is the symbol of Judaism -- on the wall of Mevlana mosque, affiliated with the Turkish-Islamic Community National View (IGMG), head of the mosque foundation Hulusi Yuksel told Anadolu Agency. Yuksel said they informed local security authorities about the attack as police launched an in "We don't know who made the attack," Yuksel said adding that the construction of the mosque has been ongoing for one and a half year. Germany, a country of over 81 million people, has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Among the countrys nearly 4.7 million Muslims, 3 million are of Turkish origin. In recent years, the country has seen growing Islamophobia and hatred of migrants triggered by propaganda from far-right and populist parties. Every month sees the disclosure of a flood of new vulnerabilities, and it can be a challenge to keep up. Below, we look at 10 security flaws disclosed within the past few weeks. 1. SQL Injection Vulnerability in Cisco Prime License Manager CVE identifier: CVE-2018-15441 CVSS Base Score: 9.4 The vulnerability: A flaw in the Web framework code of Cisco Prime License Manager (PLM), due to a lack of proper validation of user-supplied input in SQL queries, could allow an unauthenticated remote attacker to modify and delete arbitrary data in the PLM database or gain shell access with the privileges of the postgresuser. The fix: Cisco has released software updates that address the vulnerability. More info: The vulnerability was reported to Cisco by security researcher Suhail Alaskar of Saudi Information Technology Company. Cisco has details on the flaw here. 2. Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Kubernetes CVE identifier: CVE-2018-1002105 CVSS Base Score: 9.8 The vulnerability: A vulnerability in all Kubernetes versions prior to 1.10.11, 1.11.5 and 1.12.3 could allow an unauthenticated user to gain full admin privileges. The fix: Updates have been released to patch the flaw. More info: The vulnerability was discovered by Rancher co-founder and chief architect Darren Shepherd, who has more information here. NIST has details here. 3. Default Account Flaw in Safe Software FME Server CVE identifier: CVE-2018-20401 CVSS Base Score: 9.8 The vulnerability: Default hardcoded credentials (for author, guest and user accounts) in Safe Software FME Server could provide an attacker with access to the system. The fix: No fix was available at the time of publication. More info: IBM X-Force Exchange has more information here. 4. Command Injection Vulnerabilities in ASUSTOR ADM CVE identifiers: CVE-2018-12307, CVE-2018-12312, CVE-2018-12313, CVE-2018-12316, CVE-2018-12317 CVSS Base Scores: 9.0, 9.0, 10.0, 9.0, 9.0 The vulnerability: Four separate OS command injection flaws in ASUSTOR ADM v3.1.1 could allow attackers to execute system commands as root, and a fifth OS command injection flaw (CVE-2018-12313) could allow attackers to execute system commands without authentication. The fix: ASUSTOR has released firmware version ADM 3.1.3.RHU2 to patch the flaws. More info: The flaws were disclosed by ISE Labs, which has more information on them here. 5. Command Injection Vulnerabilities in Drobo 5N2 CVE identifiers:CVE-2018-14699, CVE-2018-14701, CVE-2018-14706 CVSS Base Scores: 7.5, 7.5, 10.0 The vulnerability: Two separate command injection flaws affecting the DroboAccess Web application, and a third command injection flaw in the optional DroboPix application, could allow an unauthenticated attacker to execute system commands. The fix: The flaws affect Drobo 5n2 firmware 4.0.5-13.28-96115. Its not clear if the latest firmware release, 4.1.2-13.35-105624, patches the vulnerabilities. More info: The flaws were disclosed by ISE Labs, which has more information on them here. 6. Several Vulnerabilities in Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) CVE identifiers: CVE-2018-8917, CVE-2018-8919, CVE-2018-8920 CVSS Base Scores: 6.5,8.3, 5.9 The vulnerabilities: A cross-site scripting vulnerability in Synology DSM could allow remote attackers to inject arbitrary Web script or HTML; aflaw in SYNO-Core.Desktop.SessionData could allow a remote attacker to steal credentials; and a vulnerability in Log Exporter in DSM could allow a remote attacker to inject arbitrary content. The fix: Synology has released updates and workarounds to address the vulnerabilities. More info: Synology has details here. 7. Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in Cisco ASA Software CVE identifier: CVE-2018-15465 CVSS Base Score: 8.1 The vulnerability: A vulnerability in the authorization subsystem of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Software, due to improper validation of user privileges when using the Web management interface, could allow an authenticated but unprivileged attacker to perform privileged actions such as retrieving files or uploading and replacing software images on the device. The fix: Cisco has released software updates to address the vulnerability. More info: The vulnerability was reported to Cisco by Ken Johnson of Tenable, Inc. Cisco has details on the flaw here. 8. Privilege Escalation Vulnerabilities in Windows CVE identifiers: CVE-2018-8611, CVE-2018-8639, CVE-2018-8641 CVSS Base Scores: 7.8, 7.8, 7.8 The vulnerabilities: Flaws in the way the Windows kernel and the Win32k component handle objects in memory could allow an attacker to run arbitrary code in kernel mode, allowing the attacker to install programs; view, change or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. The fix: Microsoft has released software updates to address the vulnerabilities. More info: The vulnerabilities were reported to Igor Soumenkov and Boris Larin of Kaspersky Lab. Microsoft has details here, here and here; and Kaspersky has more information here. 9. D-Link Information Disclosure Vulnerabilities CVE identifiers: CVE-2018-20389,CVE-2018-20445 CVSS Base Scores: 7.5, 7.5 The vulnerabilities: Specially crafted SNMP requests could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information from the D-Link DCM-604 and DCM-704. The fix: No fix was available at the time of publication. More info: IBM X-Force Exchange has details here and here. 10. Orange Livebox Information Disclosure Vulnerability CVE identifier: CVE-2018-20377 CVSS Base Score: 7.5 The vulnerability: A flaw in the get_getnetworkconf.cgi script could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information. The fix: No fix was available at the time of publication. More info: IBM X-Force Exchange has details here. 1. Canagliflozin not associated with increased risk for fracture Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-0567 Editorial: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-3550 URLs go live when the embargo lifts Compared with a glucagon-line peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist, canagliflozin was not associated with an increased risk for fracture in patients with type 2 diabetes at relatively low risk for fracture. Findings from a multidatabase cohort study are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors promote glycosuria, resulting in possible effects on calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D homeostasis. Some studies suggest that canagliflozin, an SGLT2 inhibitor, is associated with decreased bone mineral density and a potential increased risk for fracture, which is important because people with type 2 diabetes are already at higher risk. These conflicting study results raise challenges in counseling patients prescribed canagliflozin about the risk for fracture. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital reviewed two U.S. commercial health care databases providing data on more than 70 million patients from March 2013 to October 2015 to estimate risk for nonvertebral fracture among new users of canagliflozin. Dr Mike Fralick, the study's lead author, indicated that the overall rate of fracture was similarly low among patients with type 2 diabetes who were treated with canagliflozin or a GLP-1 agonist. Findings were robust across multiple sensitivity and subgroup analyses and the study population is representative of a meaningful proportion of commercially insured patients with diabetes in the U.S. population. According to the researchers, these results should be reassuring to patients and physicians who are considering the potential risks and benefits of canagliflozin. An accompanying editorial from the University of Manitoba supports this conclusion and stresses the importance of these real-world findings. However, the editorialists write that caution may still be appropriate when using canagliflozin in older patients who have high fracture risk, with particular attention given to hydration status and fall risk. Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the lead author, Michael Fralick, MD, SM, please contact Mark Murphy at mmurphy90@bwh.harvard.edu. 2. Alirocumab not cost-effective for lowering LDL cholesterol Substantial price reductions occurred following the presentation of these cost-effectiveness results in March 2018, suggesting the importance of just-in-time analyses to inform payers, providers, patients, and policy makers about cost-effective prices of new therapeutics Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-1776 Editorial: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-3632 URLs go live when the embargo lifts Despite substantial cardiovascular benefits, the price of alirocumab would need to be reduced by 86 percent to be considered cost-effective for treating LDL cholesterol. Results from a just-in-time analysis initially presented in March 2018 to coincide with the release of the ODYSSEY Outcomes Trial results and are now published in Annals of Internal Medicine. The ODYSSEY Outcomes (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab) trial included participants with a recent acute coronary syndrome. Compared with participants receiving statins alone, those receiving a statin plus alirocumab had lower rates of myocardial infarction, stroke and death. While the medication is considered very expensive at a cost of $14,000 per year (about 100 times the cost of a generic statin), many hoped it would be cost-effective given the potential for savings on costs associated with coronary heart disease and stroke, such as hospitalizations, revascularization procedures, and other medical costs. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco used a computer model specifically designed to determine cost-effectiveness to assess alirocumab in these circumstances. They specifically compared the cost-effectiveness ratio of alirocumab or ezetimibe added to statin therapy. Their model showed that compared with a statin alone, the addition of ezetimibe cost $81,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), while the addition of alirocumab cost $308,000 per QALY. Based on its current price, the cost of alirocumab would have to be reduced from $14,560 annually to $874, which would be unprecedented for biologic therapies in the U.S. market. The results of this cost effectiveness analysis were announced in March 2018 and timed to coincide with the release of the ODYSSEY results. Immediately following this release, the maker of alirocumab announced a plan to effectively lower the price and several subsequent announcements have also resulted in substantial lowering of the price of this class of medications. The authors suggest that early just-in-time cost effectiveness analyses are critical for payers, providers, patients, and policy-makers to have the tools to negotiate for cost-effective prices for new therapeutics. Media contact: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To interview the lead author, Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS, please contact her directly at Kirsten.bibbins-domingo@ucsf.edu. 3. Assessing CHA2DS2-VASc scores annually in patients with AF could improve risk predictions, inform anticoagulant prescribing Abstract: http://annals.org/aim/article/doi/10.7326/M18-1177 URLs go live when the embargo lifts Assessing CHA2DS2-VASc scores annually in patients with atrial fibrillation could improve stroke risk predictions and inform oral anticoagulant prescribing. Findings from a brief research report are published in Annals of Internal Medicine. International guidelines suggest that oral anticoagulants can be omitted for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) without a CHA2DS2-VASc score greater than 0 in men or 1 in women. While it is recommended that risk is periodically re-assessed, a reasonable interval for re-evaluation has not been studied. This is important because stroke risk is not static among patients with atrial fibrillation, and about 90 percent develop at least one new risk factor before presentation with ischemic stroke, which means they would no longer be accurately described as "low-risk." Researchers from Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University used a national database to identify 14,606 patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation who were not prescribed an anticoagulant based on their CHA2DS2-VASc score. The researchers found that about 16.1 percent of men and 16.2 percent of women who were initially at low risk had a high-risk CHA2DS2-VASc score 1 year after incident atrial fibrillation. This finding suggests that CHA2DS2-VASc scores should be reassessed at least annually in patients with atrial fibrillation so that oral anticoagulants can be prescribed in a timely manner for stroke prevention. Media Contact: For an embargoed PDF or author contact information, please contact Lauren Evans at laevans@acponline.org. To reach the lead author, Shih-Ann Chen, MD, please contact him directly at epsachen@gmail.com. ### Molecules of triacylglycerol (TAG), formed by attaching three molecules of fatty acid (FA) to a glycerol backbone, are the main constituents of vegetable oil in plants and fats in animals and humans. TAG plays an important role in cellular metabolism as a universal storage form and currency of energy, since its energy density is much greater than carbohydrates or proteins. The health benefit of TAG molecules (TAGs) is dependent on which FA comprise the molecule. For example, linoleic acid (LA) can lower blood cholesterols and prevent atherosclerosis, while eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) can treat hypertension and inflammation. Can the FA composition of TAGs be customized to create "designer" TAGs that carry tailored health benefits? The answer is yes. A research team led by Prof. XU Jian from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has discovered two novel diacylglyceryl transferases (DGAT2s) that preferentially attach LA and EPA, respectively, to the glycerol backbone to form TAGs. By modulating the ratio of these specialist enzymes in the cell, a strain bank of the industrial oleaginous microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica was created where the proportions of LA and EPA in TAGs varied by 18.7- and 34.7-fold, respectively. LA and EPA are both "essential fatty acids" for humans. They are essential for human metabolism, but human genomes do not encode the enzymes that directly synthesize these fatty acids. Therefore, humans have to intake LA and EPA via plant or animal TAGs. The discovery of novel DGATs that selectively assemble LA and EPA into microalgal TAGs thus lays the foundation for producing on a large scale "designer TAGs," whether present in nature or not, for tailored or even personalized health benefits. ### The study, published in Molecular Plant, was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- A group of Florida Museum of Natural History scientists has issued a "call to action" to use big data to tackle longstanding questions about plant diversity and evolution and forecast how plant life will fare on an increasingly human-dominated planet. In a commentary published today in Nature Plants, the scientists urged their colleagues to take advantage of massive, open-access data resources in their research and help grow these resources by filling in remaining data gaps. "Using big data to address major biodiversity issues at the global scale has enormous practical implications, ranging from conservation efforts to predicting and buffering the impacts of climate change," said study author Doug Soltis, a Florida Museum curator and distinguished professor in the University of Florida department of biology. "The links between big data resources we see now were unimaginable just a decade ago. The time is ripe to leverage these tools and applications, not just for plants but for all groups of organisms." Over several centuries, natural history museums have built collections of billions of specimens and their associated data, much of which is now available online. New technologies such as remote sensors and drones allow scientists to monitor plants and animals and transmit data in real time. And citizen scientists are contributing biological data by recording and reporting their observations via digital tools such as iNaturalist. Together, these data resources provide scientists and conservationists with a wealth of information about the past, present and future of life on Earth. As these databases have grown, so have the computational tools needed not only to analyze but also link immense data sets. Studies that previously focused on a handful of species or a single plant community can now expand to a global level, thanks to the development of databases such as GenBank, which stores DNA sequences, iDigBio, a University of Florida-led effort to digitize U.S. natural history collections, and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, a repository of species' location information. These resources can be valuable to a wide range of users, from scientists in pursuit of fundamental insights into plant evolution and ecology to land managers and policymakers looking to identify the regions most in need of conservation, said Julie Allen, co-lead author and an assistant professor in the University of Nevada-Reno department of biology. If Earth's plant life were a medical patient, small-scale studies might examine the plant equivalent of a cold sore or an ingrown toenail. With big data, scientists can gain a clearer understanding of global plant health as a whole, make timely diagnoses and prescribe the right treatment plans. Such plans are urgently needed, Allen said. "We're in this exciting and terrifying time in which the unprecedented amount of data available to us intersects with global threats to biodiversity such as habitat loss and climate change," said Allen, a former Florida Museum postdoctoral researcher and UF doctoral graduate. "Understanding the processes that have shaped our world - how plants are doing, where they are now and why - can help us get a handle on how they might respond to future changes." Why is it so vital to track these regional and global changes? "We can't survive without plants," said co-lead author and museum research associate Ryan Folk. "A lot of groups evolved in the shadow of flowering plants. As these plants spread and diversified, so did ants, beetles, ferns and other organisms. They are the base layer to the diversity of life we see on the planet today." In addition to using and growing plant data resources, the authors hope the scientific community will address one of the toughest remaining obstacles to using biological big data: getting databases to work smoothly with each other. "This is still a huge limitation," Allen said. "The data in each system are often collected in completely different ways. Integrating these to connect in seamless ways is a major challenge." ### The Florida Museum's Robert Guralnick, associate curator of biodiversity informatics, and Pamela Soltis, distinguished professor, museum curator of molecular systematics and evolutionary genetics and director of the UF Biodiversity Institute, also co-authored the study. CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Researchers from MIT and elsewhere have recorded, for the first time, the "temporal coherence" of a graphene qubit -- meaning how long it can maintain a special state that allows it to represent two logical states simultaneously. The demonstration, which used a new kind of graphene-based qubit, represents a critical step forward for practical quantum computing, the researchers say. Superconducting quantum bits (simply, qubits) are artificial atoms that use various methods to produce bits of quantum information, the fundamental component of quantum computers. Similar to traditional binary circuits in computers, qubits can maintain one of two states corresponding to the classic binary bits, a 0 or 1. But these qubits can also be a superposition of both states simultaneously, which could allow quantum computers to solve complex problems that are practically impossible for traditional computers. The amount of time that these qubits stay in this superposition state is referred to as their "coherence time." The longer the coherence time, the greater the ability for the qubit to compute complex problems. Recently, researchers have been incorporating graphene-based materials into superconducting quantum computing devices, which promise faster, more efficient computing, among other perks. Until now, however, there's been no recorded coherence for these advanced qubits, so there's no knowing if they're feasible for practical quantum computing. In a paper published today in Nature Nanotechnology, the researchers demonstrate, for the first time, a coherent qubit made from graphene and exotic materials. These materials enable the qubit to change states through voltage, much like transistors in today's traditional computer chips -- and unlike most other types of superconducting qubits. Moreover, the researchers put a number to that coherence, clocking it at 55 nanoseconds, before the qubit returns to its ground state. The work combined expertise from co-authors William D. Oliver, a physics professor of the practice and Lincoln Laboratory Fellow whose work focuses on quantum computing systems, and Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics at MIT who researches innovations in graphene. "Our motivation is to use the unique properties of graphene to improve the performance of superconducting qubits," says first author Joel I-Jan Wang, a postdoc in Oliver's group in the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) at MIT. "In this work, we show for the first time that a superconducting qubit made from graphene is temporally quantum coherent, a key requisite for building more sophisticated quantum circuits. Ours is the first device to show a measurable coherence time -- a primary metric of a qubit -- that's long enough for humans to control." There are 14 other co-authors, including Daniel Rodan-Legrain, a graduate student in Jarillo-Herrero's group who contributed equally to the work with Wang; MIT researchers from RLE, the Department of Physics, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Lincoln Laboratory; and researchers from the Laboratory of Irradiated Solids at the Ecole Polytechnique and the Advanced Materials Laboratory of the National Institute for Materials Science. A pristine graphene sandwich Superconducting qubits rely on a structure known as a "Josephson junction," where an insulator (usually an oxide) is sandwiched between two superconducting materials (usually aluminum). In traditional tunable qubit designs, a current loop creates a small magnetic field that causes electrons to hop back and forth between the superconducting materials, causing the qubit to switch states. But this flowing current consumes a lot of energy and causes other issues. Recently, a few research groups have replaced the insulator with graphene, an atom-thick layer of carbon that's inexpensive to mass produce and has unique properties that might enable faster, more efficient computation. To fabricate their qubit, the researchers turned to a class of materials, called van der Waals materials -- atomic-thin materials that can be stacked like Legos on top of one another, with little to no resistance or damage. These materials can be stacked in specific ways to create various electronic systems. Despite their near-flawless surface quality, only a few research groups have ever applied van der Waals materials to quantum circuits, and none have previously been shown to exhibit temporal coherence. For their Josephson junction, the researchers sandwiched a sheet of graphene in between the two layers of a van der Waals insulator called hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Importantly, graphene takes on the superconductivity of the superconducting materials it touches. The selected van der Waals materials can be made to usher electrons around using voltage, instead of the traditional current-based magnetic field. Therefore, so can the graphene -- and so can the entire qubit. When voltage gets applied to the qubit, electrons bounce back and forth between two superconducting leads connected by graphene, changing the qubit from ground (0) to excited or superposition state (1). The bottom hBN layer serves as a substrate to host the graphene. The top hBN layer encapsulates the graphene, protecting it from any contamination. Because the materials are so pristine, the traveling electrons never interact with defects. This represents the ideal "ballistic transport" for qubits, where a majority of electrons move from one superconducting lead to another without scattering with impurities, making a quick, precise change of states. How voltage helps The work can help tackle the qubit "scaling problem," Wang says. Currently, only about 1,000 qubits can fit on a single chip. Having qubits controlled by voltage will be especially important as millions of qubits start being crammed on a single chip. "Without voltage control, you'll also need thousands or millions of current loops too, and that takes up a lot of space and leads to energy dissipation," he says. Additionally, voltage control means greater efficiency and a more localized, precise targeting of individual qubits on a chip, without "cross talk." That happens when a little bit of the magnetic field created by the current interferes with a qubit it's not targeting, causing computation problems. For now, the researchers' qubit has a brief lifetime. For reference, conventional superconducting qubits that hold promise for practical application have documented coherence times of a few tens of microseconds, a few hundred times greater than the researchers' qubit. But the researchers are already addressing several issues that cause this short lifetime, most of which require structural modifications. They're also using their new coherence-probing method to further investigate how electrons move ballistically around the qubits, with aims of extending the coherence of qubits in general. ### (December 31, 2018--Abu Dhabi) -- A new NYU Abu Dhabi study suggests for the first time that Actin, which is a cytoskeleton protein found in the cell, is critical to regulating the genome - the genetic material of an organism - during the formation of "neurons" or nerve cells. The study was published today in PLOS Genetics. Led by NYU Abu Dhabi Associate Professor of Biology Piergiorgio Percipalle, along with other researchers, this study involved converting "fibroblasts" - cells that maintain connective tissues - with impaired actin expression into neurons in order to identify the role of Actin in neurogenesis. The implication of the methodology together with the availability of fibroblasts not expressing actin is far reaching. It will enable researchers to understand novel concepts in genome regulation and, in the long term, model diseases to identify druggable targets. "The technology we've applied in my lab has given us the opportunity to identify novel factors and pathways involved in the regulation of the mammalian genome during neurogenesis - the formation of neurons - and has a lot of potential for the development of personalized medicines," says Percipalle, the study's lead researcher. ### About NYU Abu Dhabi NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and science campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly-selective liberal arts, engineering and science curriculum with a world center for advanced research and scholarship enabling its students to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity's shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi's high-achieving students have come from 120 nations and speak over 120 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents. Hanoi, Vietnam, December 31, 2018--One in three people living with HIV in Vietnam remain undiagnosed, according to recent estimates. New strategies and models of HIV testing are urgently needed to reach undiagnosed populations and help them enroll in antiretroviral therapy (ART), in Vietnam and throughout the world. Results from an evaluation study now published in PLOS ONE demonstrate that HIV testing by lay providers can serve as a critical addition to efforts to achieve the United Nations' 90-90-90 global HIV targets by 2020 and help to cover the "last mile" of HIV services to at-risk populations in Vietnam. Evidence from the study--conducted by PATH in partnership with the Vietnam Ministry of Health, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population in Hanoi--suggests that community-based HIV testing is an effective approach to reach people at risk of HIV who have never been tested or test infrequently. Key at-risk populations include people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, female sex workers, and first-time HIV testers. A cross-sectional survey of 1,230 individuals tested by lay providers found that 74 percent of clients belonged to at-risk populations, 67 percent were first-time HIV testers, and 85 percent preferred lay provider testing to facility-based testing. Furthermore, lay provider testing yielded a higher HIV positivity rate compared to facility-based testing and resulted in a high ART initiation rate of 91 percent. "PATH is committed to achieving the global 90-90-90 goals by 2020 and to ending AIDS by 2030," said Dr. Kimberly Green, PATH HIV & TB Director. "Innovation in HIV testing is absolutely critical to meet these ambitious targets, and community-based HIV testing offers a promising solution to connect undiagnosed people with the services they need." Lay providers participating in the study belonged to community-based organizations led by at-risk populations in urban areas and to village health worker networks in rural mountainous areas. Providers used a single rapid diagnostic test in clients' homes, at the offices of community-based organizations, or at any private place preferred by the client. This approach helped to overcome barriers that had prevented key populations from seeking facility-based testing services, such as a perceived lack of confidentiality, fear of stigma and discrimination, inconvenient service opening times and distance, and long waiting times for test results. Clients who had an HIV-reactive test were referred to the nearest health facility for HIV confirmatory testing, and those who received a confirmed HIV-positive result were referred to a public or private clinic for enrollment in ART. Clients with non-reactive test results received counseling to re-test after three or six months and were referred to a local health facility for HIV prevention services. The study provides new evidence on the effectiveness of HIV testing administered by non-health care workers representing key populations and frontline village health volunteers. The results also support findings from community-based HIV testing approaches in other regions, including sub-Saharan Africa, that have demonstrated comparatively high rates of HIV testing uptake, high HIV positivity yields, and high success rates in linking people to care. Based on the results of the study, the Vietnam Ministry of Health developed and approved national guidelines on community-based HIV testing and counseling in April 2018, and wider adoption of lay provider HIV testing was included in the 2018-2020 Global Fund concept note and in programming from the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Lay provider HIV testing services are now available in 32 of Vietnam's 63 provinces. ### For more information, please contact the Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control, Ministry of Health or USAID/PATH Healthy Markets. The Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC) The Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC) is a department within the Ministry of Health that assists the Minister of Health in government management and implementation of legal policies, specifically to supervise planning, directing, and managing the implementation of HIV programs across the country. Please visit http://vaac.gov.vn/ for more information. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) USAID leads the U.S. Government's international development and disaster assistance through partnerships and investments that save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance, and help people emerge from humanitarian crises. Following over 50 years of improving lives through development and humanitarian assistance, USAID continues to support partners to become self-reliant and capable of leading their own development journeys. Please visit http://www.usaid.gov or follow https://www.facebook.com/USAID/ for more information. Vietnam-specific sites are https://www.usaid.gov/vietnam and https://www.facebook.com/USAIDVietnam. PATH PATH is a global organization that works to accelerate health equity by bringing together public institutions, businesses, social enterprises, and investors to solve the world's most pressing health challenges. With expertise in science, health, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales solutions--including vaccines, drugs, devices, diagnostics, and innovative approaches to strengthening health systems worldwide. Learn more at http://www.path.org. USAID/PATH Healthy Markets The Healthy Markets project is a five-year initiative that aims to grow a viable market for HIV-related goods and services capable of meeting the needs of populations facing the greatest risks. Healthy Markets aims to improve the environment for private-sector and social-enterprise engagement and investment; increase demand for HIV-related goods and services; and generate a sustainable supply of quality HIV commodities and services that are accessible and affordable. By growing a market for HIV-related goods and services, Healthy Markets (1) contributes to improved sustainability and country ownership of the HIV response and (2) supports efforts to reduce the HIV incidence, including 90-90-90. Healthy Markets is funded by USAID and implemented by PATH in partnership with the Center for Creative Initiatives in Health and Population and T&A Ogilvy. PATH works closely with manufacturers, distributors, private health care providers, pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies, national- and local-level governments, social enterprises, and community-based organizations. Media contacts: Mr. Do Huu Thuy | The Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Control, Ministry of Health | huuthuyvaac@gmail.com | +84 912368438 Ms. Ngo Minh Trang | HIV & AIDS Prevention Specialist, USAID/VN | tngo@usaid.gov | +84 987304968 Dr. Kimberly Green | PATH HIV & TB Director | kgreen@path.org | +84 902214858 Mr. Ken Anderson | PATH Media Relations | media@path.org Using observations from the ALMA radio observatory in Chile, researchers have observed, for the first time, a warped disk around an infant protostar that formed just several tens of thousands of years ago. This implies that the misalignment of planetary orbits in many planetary systems--including our own--may be caused by distortions in the planet-forming disk early in their existence. The planets in our solar system orbit the sun in planes that are at most about seven degrees offset from the equator of the sun itself. It has been known for some time that many extrasolar systems have planets that are not lined up in a single plane or with the equator of the star. One explanation for this is that some of the planets might have been affected by collisions with other objects in the system or by stars passing by the system, ejecting them from their initial orbital plane. However, the possibility remained that the formation of planets out of the normal plane was actually caused by a warping of the star-forming cloud out of which the planets were born. Recently, images of protoplanetary disks--rotating disks where planets form around a star--have in fact showed such warping. But it was still unclear how early this happened. In the latest findings, published in Nature, the group from the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research (CPR) and Chiba University in Japan have discovered that L1527; an infant protostar still embedded within a cloud, has a disk that has two parts--an inner one rotating in one plane, and an outer one in a different plane. The disk is very young and still growing. L1527, which is about 450 light years away in the Taurus Molecular Cloud, is a good object for study as it has a disk that is nearly edge-on to our view. According to Nami Sakai, who led the research group, "This observation shows that it is conceivable that the misalignment of planetary orbits can be caused by a warp structure formed in the earliest stages of planetary formation. We will have to investigate more systems to find out if this is a common phenomenon or not." The remaining question is what caused the warping of the disk. Sakai suggests two reasonable explanations. "One possibility," she says, "is that irregularities in the flow of gas and dust in the protostellar cloud are still preserved and manifest themselves as the warped disk. A second possibility is that the magnetic field of the protostar is in a different plane from the rotational plane of the disk, and that the inner disk is being pulled into a different plane from the rest of the disk by the magnetic field." She says they plan further work to determine which is responsible for the warping of the disk. The ALMA observatory in Chile is managed by an international consortium including the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). ### Whenever the backyard smoker is fired up, the usual suspects on the grates are brisket, ribs and sausage. And thats unlikely to change for most card-carrying Texans. But those meats come loaded with a lot of bad news for the body. A half-rack of ribs will set you back about 1,000 calories, with about 70 grams of fat, and brisket fares only slightly better. As we roll into 2019, many of us have goals to get a little healthier, but that doesnt mean the smoker needs to sit idle. There are plenty of lighter options that can deliver serious, smoky flavor that will go over every bit as well as a rack of ribs. When straying outside the realm of pork and beef, you need to pay a little more attention to the wood being used. Mesquite, the traditional South Texas favorite, is a little too harsh and can overpower fish. Its better to go with oak, pecan or fruit woods such as apple, cherry and peach. On ExpressNews.com: 52 Weeks of BBQ: Naming the best of the best San Antonio barbecue Now Playing: Lighter foods make for great slim-smoking options. Video: San Antonio Express-News I think the first thing you have to look at is anything that comes out of the sea, said Jake Gandolfo, chef and co-owner of Black Board Bar B Q in Sisterdale. The smoke transfers beautifully into those meats; you just have to be careful not to overdo it. Salmon fillets fresh out of the meat case are a terrific option and are widely available. Carpeted with layers of apple wood smoke. its one of my favorite meats to smoke. As good as it is hot off the smoker, salmon can be even better the following day after a chill in the refrigerator. Ahi tuna steaks, large scallops and swordfish are good options, too. The key is to have thick, hearty meat that wont break up on you. With the smoker set between 225 and 250 degrees, most of those fish cuts will be ready in about an hour. Sometimes the catch of the day turns out to be a dud on the smoker. My attempt to smoke large shrimp on skewers was a disaster, producing tasteless meat that was so dry I considered feeding it to the fish in my aquarium. And smoke is no match for the exoskeletons on crab legs. If you insist on smoking shrimp and crab, youll need to add a little moisture with melted butter, grated cheese or other sauces. Large portobello mushrooms, which often are treated in similar ways to steaks and burger patties on vegetarian menus, are another great, low-calorie option. All you have to do is scrape away the brownish ribs on the underside of the mushroom (this can easily be done with a spoon), creating a bowl that can be stuffed with ingredients and will hold up to the heat. When Gandolfo hosted a car club event at Black Board a few weeks ago, there were requests for 10 vegan meals. He tossed some portobellos in the smoker and loaded them up with barley, lentils and shishito peppers. They are awesome for their versatility, he said. In the smoker, (the mushrooms) will soften up but will keep that meaty texture. The options are pretty limitless for what you can put in them, so its something that you can do often without it getting repetitious and boring. Fruit is another good option that can take advantage of the smoker when its being used for those fish and portobello dishes. You cant go wrong with pineapple, peaches and mangoes. Each breaks down in the heat and smoke, delivering a gooey glaze of sugar that transforms the fruit into the perfect low-calorie dessert. Heck, you can even wrap a half peach in a slice of bacon and add a little honey for less than 100 calories. Thats the type of smoker fare that can make those 2019 healthy resolutions a reality without sacrificing the flavor. Recipe: Pepper Smoked Swordfish Recipe: Seafood Smoked Portobello Mushrooms Recipe: Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Honey Peaches Chuck Blount is a food writer and columnist covering all things grilled and smoked in the San Antonio area. Find his Chuck's Food Shack columns on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com, or read his other coverage on our free site, mySA.com. | cblount@express-news.net | Twitter: @chuck_blount | Instagram: @bbqdiver 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 Despite the recent easing of an arduous screening process for adults seeking to care for migrant children, federal authorities are preparing to continue detaining record numbers of youths in shelters where their stays are growing longer. President Donald Trumps administration announced just before Christmas that it would require only the individual sponsor of a migrant child, rather than all adults in the sponsors household, to submit to fingerprint background checks. The number of minors in federal detention increased by 64 percent, to 14,600 in November, after the fingerprinting policy began in June. The administration said the relaxation of the requirement would expedite the release of about 2,000 already vetted children from the controversial Tornillo tent camp near El Paso, now expected to close as soon as mid-January. However, in apparent anticipation that the number of children in detention would remain at historic levels, the government is adding 1,000 beds at a shelter in Homestead, Fla., that already has a capacity of 1,350. The increase is needed due to the number of children crossing the border alone, Health and Human Services spokesman Mark Weber said in a statement, noting that the government had added 6,500 beds since October 2017. CONTRACT EXTENSION: Nonprofit behind planned Houston facility for migrant kids Federal statistics show that the number of unaccompanied migrant children rose slightly to about 5,300 in November from 5,000 in October, but it has largely stayed in line with recent monthly totals. More than 50,000 children came to the United States alone in the fiscal year ending in September. Its far fewer than the 68,500 who crossed at the peak of the Central American child crisis in 2014 and overwhelmed the federal government. Immigrant advocates said continued use of the fingerprinting requirement, even at a reduced level, discourages adults from coming forward to claim children because federal officials share their information with immigration agents. Forty percent of these sponsors are the childs parent or legal guardian, and most are in this country illegally. Sponsors previously underwent record checks to determine their criminal background, but their information wasnt shared for immigration enforcement. The sudden need for fingerprinting services also has led to a processing backlog that advocates said left some children detained for a year. The fingerprint requirement is more than just misguided, more than just a bad idea, said Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, the legal director of the Virginia immigrant advocacy program at the Legal Aid Justice Center. Its purpose is to carry out immigration enforcement against kids sponsors. Another person who works with migrant children, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss the issue publicly, put it more bluntly. Sponsors are drying up faster than Lake Travis in July, this person said. It is not the number of children crossing the border, it is the length of stay, because the reunification has been hampered by (immigration) being involved in the process. Moreover, the kids are beginning to show different sets of problems because they are staying longer, he said. Advocates say the new fingerprinting policies are largely to blame for an average length of stay in detention that tripled to 90 days in November. Before the new policy took effect in June, fingerprints were not required for parents or guardians except when questions arose about the biological relationship or other special issues. Immigration information was not used to apprehend sponsors or other household members. Border Patrol agents transfer migrant children to shelters run by Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement until they can be placed with screened sponsors, usually relatives, in a process that previously took about a month. The children stay there while pursuing their immigration cases in civil court. Anxiety created by the Trump administrations immigration crackdown was exacerbated in 2017 when federal agents arrested more than 400 immigrants, including many parents and guardians who had sought to claim children in detention. The government used information from such children to target adults who officials accused of paying smugglers to bring minors. Most were deported but never charged with a crime. The chilling effect was compounded this summer by the fingerprint requirement for all adults in a prospective sponsors household and an information-sharing agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. At least 170 immigrant parents or guardians trying to claim children have been arrested since the policies were initiated. Nearly two-thirds had no criminal record. The Trump administration has said it is trying to ensure childrens safety. During the 2014 surge of unaccompanied minors, President Barack Obamas administration sought to place minors more quickly by briefly relaxing the requirements for relatives claiming children. Some ended up in harmful situations, including eight children forced to work under human traffickers on an egg farm in Ohio. In addition, federal laws and loopholes giving more rights to migrant children facing deportation create a system that rewards parents for sending their children across the border alone, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said in a statement this week. Even when parents and relatives accept the risks and come forward, they can wait months before their children are released, according to two ongoing federal lawsuits. Norma Duchitangas 17-year-old daughter arrived at the southern border in October, seeking to join her mother in suburban New York City, and was held in a federal shelter in Brownsville. The teen said immigration agents told her that her mother would be deported if she was here illegally and that they would handle the case very slowly so that she was not released before she turned 18 in December. Once teens become legal adults, they can be deported far more quickly. It really scared her, Duchitanga said in an affidavit as part of a class-action lawsuit filed in November by the New York Civil Liberties Union. The suit argues the fingerprint requirement violates laws mandating the prompt release of children from immigrant detention and spelling out how federal regulations may be changed. Blanca Ortiz said she submitted her fingerprints and all the required paperwork in July, the same month her two children came to the United States. She moved out of her sisters house and rented an apartment in Maryland. But five months later, her children had still not been released, according to the lawsuit. The mother said she was distraught because her 11-year-old son told her that an older boy had touched him inappropriately at the foster home where he was being held. I am afraid for him, Ortiz said in the affidavit. I cant sleep, I am so worried. According to the lawsuit, the government was unprepared to process all the fingerprints it suddenly began requiring this summer. Its primary contractor to provide the service, Lutheran Immigrant Refugee Service, runs a limited number of facilities across the country. Weber, the Health and Human Services spokesman, said the department does not comment on pending litigation. The release and reunification procedure has been purposefully slowed by the Trump administration, according to a lawsuit seeking class certification by the Legal Aid Justice Center, an advocacy group in Virginia. The process has ground to a virtual halt, trapping these children in highly restrictive government-controlled facilities as if they were prisoners serving out criminal sentences without any semblance of due process, the suit states. One 13-year-old boy cited in the suit came to the United States in February after he said he faced death threats in Honduras. He was placed in a shelter in San Diego, but after confiding in a clinician that he wanted to leave, he was deemed an escape risk and transferred to a more secure facility in Washington. The teen began suffering anxiety and insomnia and was prescribed medication. One night, he said, a staff member pushed him, causing him to tumble against an emergency exit door, which fell open. He hid in a trash can and was ultimately sent to an even more restrictive facility in Virginia. Though his case worker recommended the boys release to his brother-in-law, other adults in the house feared submitting their fingerprints would lead to their deportation. In July, after five months in detention, the boy was finally released to his family. Another 15-year-old girl cited in the Virginia case came here from Honduras with her adult sister in April. The two were separated at the border, though the older sibling was released from immigration custody and was living with a friend in Maryland. She was told she was not eligible to take in her sister, whom she has raised since she was 5, because her roommates did not want to share their fingerprints with immigration authorities. Eventually the sister moved into an apartment with relatives who agreed to submit their fingerprints. Children whose relatives are afraid to retrieve them because of concerns over immigration enforcement, or whose parents are deported as a result, can end up in even more uncertain situations. Jorge Linare worried about submitting his fingerprints in July 2017 to prove his biological relationship with his 7-year-old son. Though the government at the time did not require it of sponsors, a question arose about Linares biological relationship because the childs birth certificate listed his grandparents as his adopted parents. Shortly after his son was born, Linare left the boy with his parents in Guatemala and came to the United States. Linare said he had not known that the boy was coming here that summer. The construction worker had been deported from the United States before, but the federal case worker told him the fingerprint screening had nothing to do with immigration. Days later, Linare left the house he shared with his girlfriend in Aldine to pick up his son at a federal shelter in San Antonio. Immigration agents surrounded his truck and arrested him. He was one of the 400 immigrants detained in the 2017 operation using children to obtain information about their parents. Linare was deported to Guatemala, where he said he faces death threats from a gang. He is living with a family friend in Mexico and trying to return to Houston. His son has no other family in the United States and his grandparents in Guatemala dont want him back, so the government released the boy to Linares girlfriend, Rosa Gomez. Pobrecito, she said from her house in Aldine. He has no other place to go. Gomez is now caring for the boy, who is named after Linare, along with her own three children and without the help of her boyfriend, who previously paid half of their bills. She has diabetes and her elderly mother lives with her as well. It is all really complicated, she said. lomi.kriel@chron.com @lomikriel DALLAS In his first days as principal of Edward Titche Elementary School, routinely rated as one of Dallas ISDs lowest-performing campuses, Damien Stovall established the most basic of expectations for students: how to walk in the hallways. For Stovall, restoring order at Titche started there. When he toured the school months earlier in the spring of 2017, Stovall found children prekindergarteners included aimlessly wandering the building during class hours. Inside the classroom was not much better, he said. You had students using profanity, teachers arguing back and forth with the kids. The description of students from teachers to me was awful, Stovall said. A little more than a year later, on a recent Thursday morning, students quietly moved, single-file, through the halls as elevator music played outside the schools library and front entrance. In classrooms, they were attentively taking tests and tending to worksheets, their teachers offering assistance. RELATED: Opponents skeptical of East Central ISD quest for gun proposal input A new principal and the replacement of nearly all of Titche Elementarys educators with highly-rated teachers had restored order and, along the way, Titches academic standing. After five consecutive years of an improvement required rating under the states academic accountability system, the campus scored an 88 this year, equivalent to a B grade. The remarkable improvement at Titche and several other chronically low-performing Dallas schools has earned acclaim from Texas education leaders and politicians in recent months, and has the potential to help shape education policy across the state. As Texas legislators consider overhauling the states much-maligned school finance system next year, several key players are pushing to create policies that reward districts for adopting similar campus transformation methods. Most of their campuses really did knock the roof off, which is pretty amazing, said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, who served as a Dallas ISD board member from 2011 to 2015. It really speaks to the idea that demography is not destiny. Even students from the most challenging circumstances can perform at extraordinarily high levels. Dallas turnaround initiative, known as Accelerating Campus Excellence, or ACE, is built on a simple premise: putting the best educators in front of the neediest kids. Large, urban school districts have struggled for decades to entice high-performing teachers to work in high-poverty neighborhoods, where students often present greater academic and behavioral challenges. In Houston ISD, for example, students in the districts highest-need schools are half as likely to have a teacher rated highly effective when compared to their peers, even after educators were offered $5,000 bonuses to work at those campuses. Dallas has bucked that trend at its 10 ACE campuses, home to about 6,000 students. A few Texas school districts including Houston ISD already have adopted similar tactics for raising achievement at chronically lower-performing schools. Other efforts have sprung up elsewhere. San Antonio ISD last year started a master teachers incentive program, paying stipends of up to $15,000 to teachers with track records of success based on evaluations and student data. To avoid hiring master teachers who have only taught high-performing students, SAISD looks at candidates rates of student test score growth. They must also show leadership experience and go through a demo lesson. The master teachers are assigned the lowest-performing students at 25 schools and work extended hours in a district-wide attempt to reduce the number who are held back. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The teachers stipends are funded by a property tax increase that voters approved two years ago and $2.3 million from a federal grant. SAISD plans to shoulder the financial burden once the grant runs out and is tryng to preserve the program in the face of budget shortfalls that caused it to lay off 132 teachers this year. Master teachers were exempt from the layoffs. Garland and Richardson ISDs, which both border Dallas, have implemented versions of ACE in their districts this school year. Garland uses the initiative at two campuses and Richardson has phased it in at four schools. Under the ACE model, Dallas leaders replaced each campus principal with an experienced administrator with a record of results in other long-struggling schools. The district then empowered the principals to replace virtually their entire teaching staffs with educators who scored well on the districts rigorous, data-driven evaluation model, known as the Teacher Excellence Initiative. To entice employees to work in ACE schools, the district offered top-rated educators bonuses ranging from $6,000 to $12,000, depending on the teachers evaluation rating. Dallas also refurbished each campus, provided additional funding for social services and extended the school day by one hour. The initiative remains relatively new six schools started the program in 2015, with four more added in 2017 but the early returns are promising. The 10 schools averaged a B-level grade, with one school earning an A, under Texas accountability ratings. In- and out-of-school suspensions are down at all 10 campuses, highlighted by Titche Elementary cutting its total from 245 in 2016-17 to 29 the following year. And teachers at most ACE schools reported levels of satisfaction with campus culture and trust that exceeded district averages last year. When we shifted the proficient teachers to schools like Titche, we saw the dramatic shift, said Shatara Stokes, director of the ACE schools program. It takes the focus away from what kids cant do. Now, its what they can do and the conditions they need to succeed. Turning promise into policy Several state leaders have suggested other school districts should implement similar practices. Gov. Greg Abbott highlighted Dallas success in a presentation this fall on school finance reform, as first reported by the Texas Tribune. Morath often cites the districts efforts in public speeches. In July, members of the Texas Commission on Public School Finance, a bipartisan group of legislators, educators and advocates appointed by Abbott to make recommendations for system reforms, suggested the state should employ specific systemic incentives to ensure a sufficient number of our better teachers work in high-need schools. Commission members cited Dallas ACE initiative, writing that it has shown the tremendous potential of this strategy. Its no secret in education circles that schools surrounded by generational poverty, in neighborhoods with lots of challenges, have a hard time keeping the best teachers. Thats just fact, said state Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, vice chair of the House Public Education Committee and a school finance commission member. (Districts) have to figure out how to crack that code, and Dallas ISD has done that. RELATED: Opinion: The high cost of low Texas taxes Still, turning Dallas reforms into statewide policy could face roadblocks. Legislators and education leaders largely agree that districts should receive more state funding if they implement systems similar to ACE, but they have not crafted any parameters for qualifying for money. I think theres bipartisan support for doing something like this, but the approach seems to matter to people quite a bit, Bernal said. It would have to be done delicately. One point of contention could be the extent to which lawmakers require districts to employ teacher evaluation tools in exchange for increased state funding. Abbott and other Republican leaders often couple their praise of Dallas with commendation of the districts teacher evaluation and merit pay systems. Some teachers unions, however, argue that such tools can be unfair and overly reliant on students standardized test scores. The progress is not caused by evaluation tools, but rather because evaluators have been forced to go into classrooms and work with teachers again, said Rena Honea, president of the Alliance-AFT, a union representing about 5,500 teachers and support staff in Dallas. That interaction and those conversations have helped, for the most part. Rep. Dennis Bonnen, an Angleton Republican who is expected to become Speaker of the House next year, has said school finance reform is his top legislative priority headed into the 2019 session, though success is far from certain. At HISD, which has faced potential state sanctions tied to chronically low performance at several campuses the past two years, district officials last year adopted some reforms that mirror ACE under a program called Achieve 180: staff salary incentives, more professional development opportunities, increased supports for students emotional and social well-being. HISD initially spread its initiative across 42 schools, compared to Dallass six campuses. The district also offered smaller teacher salary bonuses of $5,000, and it did not require teachers to possess strong performance ratings to work in Achieve 180 schools. HISD also reported average first-year staff turnover of nearly 50 percent at Achieve 180 campuses, significantly lower than Dallas. HISD saw some positive results from the program. Prior to Achieve 180s implementation, 25 schools covered under the initiative failed to meet state academic standards in 2017; that number fell to 10 in 2018. Most schools saw positive growth in math and reading compared to prior years though few matched the immediate turnaround of Dallas ACE schools. As Dallas and Houston officials have trumpeted their successes, they have had to pinch pennies elsewhere to cover the costs. HISD dedicated about $16 million in new spending on Achieve 180 in 2017-18, which required offsetting cuts as the district grappled with a budget shortfall of about $100 million. Dallas leaders, who allocated about $7 million on ACE in 2017-18, will partly fund it going forward with a property tax increase voters approved in November. I think the community responded positively to the results, Stokes said. It helps restore trust in the district to say youre making decisions that are really for students. Staff Writer Alia Malik contributed to this report from San Antonio. | jacob.carpenter@chron.com | twitter.com/chronjacob Taylor Eighmy, the president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, had been in office almost exactly a year when he cemented the support of city and county leaders and University of Texas System regents and secured millions of dollars for major campus expansions designed to reshape and revitalize significant chunks of downtown. Taylor has brought a whole new image to what our community is. He has energized the whole university system, and he knows that a vibrant inner city is important, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said at a Sept. 18 news conference announcing a plan to transfer roughly 5 acres from the city and county to UTSA for three major buildings, including a National Security Collaboration Center. That is the leadership we have so desperately needed from the university to really take us to another level, to a Tier One university, and Taylor is taking us there, baby, dont make any mistakes about that. OnExpressNews.com: Head of San Antonio nonprofit protects asylum-seekers crossing Now Playing: Dr. Taylor Eighmy is the current president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, and he won't tell us what his favorite restaurant is. Video: San Antonio Express-News Regent Rad Weaver of San Antonio called it a big ask from a new kid on the block. It was really Taylors vision for this university, and everybody bought in, Weaver said. Eighmy hasnt neglected the main campus on the Northwest Side just inside Loop 1604. Shortly after the downtown announcement, he unveiled plans for new residence halls and a public-private partnership that would build a mixed-use housing and retail project called Roadrunner Village. He hit the ground running, knowing, he said, that bricks and mortar dont make a university successful if students arent supported in their academic and social development. Within his first month, he created three initiatives focusing on student success, strategic enrollment and budget modeling, some of which led to new vice president roles. Eighmy also came face to face with challenges stemming from the various ways American cultural and political conflicts have affected students well-being, due process, privacy, freedom of expression and sense of shared values challenges that have crippled some high-profile universities. OnExpressNews.com: Oil exports are top of mind for Corpus Christi port CEO He verbally supported students and faculty who decried what they said was long-standing racial bias and discrimination on campus after white supremacist banners were displayed on campus and a social media video showed police escorting a black student out of a lecture hall at the request of a white professor. And the president called for a Title IX investigation when female students began publicly venting frustration at how the campus investigates reports of sexual assaults among students. Eighmy has called for a greater sense of urgency to improve graduation rates, emphasizing that student success and the citys economic prosperity are intertwined. Question: You are credited with advancing a lot of top research universities. What are your personal goals that you still have left to achieve? Answer: I feel very lucky to be here, and this is a special moment in the history of the university and in the history of the city and the future of both. And its hard for me to envision doing anything other than this for the next, I dunno, 10 years is a good time frame. I feel very compelled to help UTSA help realize its opportunity and its potential and its vision to become a very focused exemplar for student success and a great public research university. Those two things in particular are things I care immensely about. Q: Why, though? Was there a goal that you set out early in your career? A: I have a perverse sense that public universities are noble and that public universities generate new knowledge and afford someone the opportunity to get an education so that they realize individual prosperity those things are needed now more than ever for our society and for our country and for the state of Texas and for the city of San Antonio and our community. In all honesty, higher education is about to undergo a lot of transformation because folks are concerned about the expense, folks are concerned about the return on investment. Typically, and across the country and every state, state support for public higher education is declining, and if we dont reinvent public higher education so its prepared for the future, its going to be in trouble. Q: So why are you making such a huge investment in downtown? The benefit to the city is obvious, but how is it also good for the university? A: Weve figured out that were going to do three things really well: Were going to be a student success exemplar, were gonna be a great public research university and were gonna become bigger and more efficient and more nimble in how we go forward; wise stewards of public resources as we grow and become better. We have initiatives that are being used to drive all three of those destinations, as we call them. If you actually look at the portfolio, things that are underway right now and are about to start up, you would say, Oh, theres not such a unique focus on the downtown campuses. Its actually balanced across the three initiatives. It just looks like theres a lot of focus on the downtown, and that is true by virtue of the things I tackled first when I got here, but remember: If were becoming a bigger and better university, were gonna need a bigger and better downtown campus, were gonna need a bigger and better main campus, were gonna need to do a lot of interesting things with our Park West campus. OnExpressNews.com: San Antonio-area's top federal prosecutor on Kavanaugh, Scalia and working in the Trump White House One of the big, big opportunities for UTSA and for the city is this notion about great universities make great cities, and great cities need great universities, and we intend to be one of those great universities for San Antonio. When you think about why universities are putting campuses downtown or why they have located in a downtown environment, a lot of it has to do with the environment thats created around the university. Put things down here that are professionally focused: data sciences, business, national security things, our education program, our architecture program, our public policy program, maybe other programs in colleges. Having them all down here in the middle of the city is the perfect living laboratory for them, so growing a downtown campus makes perfect sense. Q: Lets talk about Tier One. Im interested to know if the pursuit of Tier One conflicts in any way with any other priorities. A: No. Remember, we have three destinations now. One is to be exemplary about student success; the second is to be a great public research university and the third is to become a bigger, more nimble and efficient organization focused on excellence. The second destination in some ways, is Tier One, but what Id like to do is not use the term Tier One anymore. Its our path forward, and what weve done is actually declared that were going to do this in the next few years, but our path is to be designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Theyre the institution that designates R1 institutions, and there are about 120 R1 institutions in the United States right now, both public and private, and were on our way to being designated in their next designation cycle, which would get us designated in 2020. Tier 1 is a well-intended term, but it doesnt describe exactly what you have to be, to be declared that, nor who declares you. Q: What happens if you dont get that Carnegie distinction in 2020? A: We will. This is what I did at Texas Tech. Its the exact same thing. They brought me in to get us into the National Research University Fund there.We figured out a way. Well use the same strategies. Q: Do you study in great detail where youre getting your undergraduate students from? A: We do. When I landed here, there were three things I had to do right away. One was to dive into our strategic enrollment, what we were doing about managing enrollment every year. Then I had to dive into what we were doing around student success and how we were tackling that. And then I had to dive into how we were managing our finances and what we were doing to prepare for the future. And so the fact now that we have an enrollment strategy allows us to be very smart about how far were going to go about growing our enrollment, what sectors were going to grow, how much were going to do online. It will also balance what we do around continuing to serve our partners and the community colleges and the two-year programs because thats going to continue to be a huge part of this strategic enrollment plan that we just put out. What we do with the high schools and preparing the students to come in as first-time full-times will be important. What we do online will become important, and how we grow our enrollment in business and data sciences and engineering and then STEM disciplines and education will be very important. Q: You mentioned what youre doing with the high schools. Are you going outside of Bexar County, too? A: Well right now, its interesting. We pay close attention to where every kid comes from now. And were going to get to a point where we are admitting every kid for a reason. And we have an obligation, obviously, a very important obligation to educate the young people of our city, but were going to do that in a way that allows us to work more closely with the ISDs, with the charter schools, with the private schools. Its going to mean that were going to do a lot more with our partners at Alamo Colleges. I mean, theyre going to be producing incredible numbers of students over the next 20 years, and those students are gonna wanna get four-year degrees. And if they wanna stay in San Antonio, theyre either going to go to Texas A&M-San Antonio or to UTSA. We both, as public four-year institutions, have great capacity to grow to meet that need. Q: Some of the public schools want to have an open dialogue with the community about where charter schools are popping up, and potentially as a city, I forget the verbiage, but putting a cap on how many charter schools can be in certain areas. Do you have anything to add to that conversation? A: No, I think our job is to work with all K-12 systems to make sure that were assisting them in their role about preparing their students to be college-ready, either at a two-year program and then UTSA or coming directly to UTSA. If were smart about this, we will have very collaborative relationships with the K-12 system, independent of whether its an ISD or a charter or a private school. The day that we treat the K-12 system as a silo and the four-year-plus academic programs at universities and college as a silo, that day is going away. There will be a lot more integration. Krista Torralva covers several school districts and public universities in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | Krista.Torralva@express-news.net | Twitter: @KMTorralva Houston and Harris County are each about to receive more than $1 billion in federal housing aid, the first dollars to arrive after Hurricane Harvey that will, in many cases, help ensure storm victims make a full recovery. That is a status, 16 months after the flood waters receded, that countless Houstonians have yet to achieve, in part because the repair programs implemented thus far funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and run by the Texas General Land Office helped almost no one or funded few lasting repairs. Aid meant to quickly help survivors shelter in their own homes funding up to $20,000 for a sink, a toilet, some countertop reached 8,200 homes in the city and county, but the work was uneven. Residents cited nails sticking up through floors, drywall covering electrical outlets, wobbly toilets and doors that did not latch, among myriad other concerns. FOR SUBSCRIBERS: A closer look at Houston's biblical floods Those repairs were intended to be temporary anyway, and the program included, at most, limited mold treatments. Charities helping low-income families say they repeatedly have been forced to tear out moldy cabinets and drywall installed through the program, known as PREPS (Partial Repair and Essential Power for Sheltering), and start from scratch. You go into a house and mold is everywhere, said Allison Hay, executive director of Houston Habitat for Humanity, one of many local nonprofits engaged in repair work. So, we have to rip out all that money, we have to remediate, and the homeowners are frustrated because they go backwards. Thats our tax dollars that we threw away. A similar quick-fix effort implemented after Baton Rouge flooded in 2016 was similarly panned: There, too, homeowners said the $15,000 in temporary repairs were a waste of money, too meager to let them leave FEMA-funded hotel rooms or apartments to move home. After Harvey, Texas officials said they would set clearer expectations about PREPS scope of work, and stressed that they also had launched a more extensive option that would fund up to $60,000 per home for more lasting repairs. That program, known as DALHR (Direct Assistance for Limited Home Repair), often produced better results, but it wound up benefiting just 525 families in the entire state, fewer than half of them in Houston. About 440 homes, meanwhile, have received comparable repairs from the regions main Harvey relief fund, which is administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation; even more got minor fixes. Local charities will have repaired more than 2,500 homes by the end of 2019, the foundation estimates. Chrishelle Palay, executive director of the Houston Organizing Movement for Equality, or HOME, Coalition, said it is worth celebrating the work of nonprofits and neighborhood advocates, all the more so because the absence of government aid too often has made these groups the only helpers available. HARVEY: Response review finds plenty of room for improvement FEMAs system is not designed to serve those who need it most. It is better suited for folks that can navigate a very complicated system, Palay said. After you do cross the hurdles and are able to get the golden ticket to get some assistance, youre met with another set of challenges of looking at how much assistance youre going to get and if its really going to help you in the long run. FEMA spokeswoman Lauren Hersh said the PREPS and DALHR programs were intended as a last resort, and said focusing on them alone overlooks the broader $1.2 billion in housing aid FEMA distributed to 172,600 Harvey victims. Thats an average of $7,137 per household. Houston expects to use just 4 percent of the $424 million initially set aside as the high estimate for what it might spend helping distribute FEMAs direct temporary housing assistance a label that covered DALHR as well as programs that gave trailers or apartments to about 100 Houston families. To use those funds, the city and state were dependent on referrals from FEMA. Though Harveys magnitude led state and federal officials to forge an atypical partnership that gave the GLO a key role in administering the first phase of the recovery, FEMA alone determined eligibility for its programs. State and city officials said they had no idea how FEMA routed aid recipients to specific programs; city housing Director Tom McCasland called it a black box. Most troubling to McCasland was that FEMA appeared to be sending families to the $20,000 program even when they appeared to qualify for the $60,000 one. City staff sent hundreds of families files to state and federal officials for a second look in hopes of moving them into the more robust program, McCasland said, with some success. Then, he said, FEMA shut that down. It is a way of getting people to a full recovery as opposed to camping in their house the difference for the families is significant, McCasland said. This was a huge wasted opportunity. It didnt even begin to touch the need out there. Hersh, the FEMA spokewsoman, said she was not familiar with the conversations McCasland described and declined to discuss FEMAs eligibility process, deferring to brochures summarizing the repair programs. In short, homeowners were eligible for PREPS if a FEMA inspector estimated their storm damage was less than $17,000 and were eligible for DALHR if the estimate was higher than that, though repairs in the latter effort could not exceed 50 percent of the homes value before the storm. That blocked many families in struggling neighborhoods with low property values. Many homes also suffered too much damage to be effectively patched, and must await the coming Department of Housing and Urban Development funds, which can cover complete reconstructions. Of the $1.17 billion in HUD funds headed to Houston, the city plans to use $385 million to help homeowners repair or rebuild, $200 million to build new homes and $315 million to repair or build new apartments, along with targeting funds to small rental properties, social programs, down payment subsidies and other initiatives. Ann Weston is curious about those HUD funds. The northeast Houston residents home, like those of so many of her flooded neighbors in Lakewood Park, remains in a state of disarray. Weston used her $13,000 in FEMA cash aid to have a contractor remove the mold, redo her floors and replace most of the sheetrock and windows, which had warped. Her contractor said he needed more to finish the house, but Weston could not pay it; she supports herself, two adult children and a grandchild on $1,100 in monthly disability payments. When she asked FEMA for more aid to finish the repairs, they sent a PREPS team. The workers patched her roof and installed a new bathtub, sink, toilet, a kitchen sink, cabinets and some countertop. When members of the nonprofit West Street Recovery arrived to do finishing work, however, they spotted the hallmarks of PREPS and knew to check for mold. Now, moldy cabinets and piles of drywall sit in Westons backyard and her kitchen again is a construction zone. It has to go to the dump now, Weston said. They could have just given me the money, whatever they gave PREPS, and the same contractor that did the rest of my house, I could have had him finish. GLO spokeswoman Brittany Eck said Weston should have called her contractor to address the mold issues under the program warranty, and also could have called the GLOs PREPS hotline. More broadly, Eck said, it was a challenge to manage recipients expectations about what the program could do. She noted that after previous disasters, residents with less than $17,000 in damage received only cash, with no help from contractors. Its simply a sheltering program to get you back in your house so you can continue working on a full recovery, Eck said. Even the $60,000 repair program did not always move families within striking distance of a full recovery. Victor and Mary Khoury live in Fleetwood, an affluent neighborhood along Buffalo Bayou a short walk from the Barker Reservoir flood gate. When the dams opened, their home was one of hundreds that went underwater for weeks. Victor Khoury flew home from a consulting job in the United Arab Emirates before Harvey hit, and the damage was too severe for him to go back. He is now unemployed. The couple used $30,000 in FEMA aid to remove the mold and prepare the upstairs as a living space. DALHR workers then installed kitchen cabinets, two half-showers, three toilets, two air conditioning units and some doors and redid the floors in three rooms. However, one of the exterior doors leaks, the kitchen cabinets are crooked and Victor Khoury said the upstairs AC unit malfunctions. The contractor allocated money to cover unanticipated electrical work without asking the couple, Khoury said, so a charity installed their kitchen countertop. The first floor remains unlivable. This is ridiculous, he said, gesturing at his cattywampus kitchen cabinets. Excuse my language, but its highway robbery, period. Houston housing officials, who oversaw 185 of the 228 homes that went through the DALHR program inside city limits, said they could not comment on any case without the homeowners written consent. That another Christmas will pass without their house feeling like home is painful for Mary Khoury, who for years has taken great pride in an elaborate holiday village she builds across their living room. She feels the monster her term for Harvey has imprisoned her on her couch. I used to do the village and people would come and see it. I did everything so beautiful, she said, shaking her head. I need a miracle downstairs. Though Houston officials had hoped to serve five times as many families through the DALHR program, they struggled to complete the 185 homes they did oversee. State data show it took 152 days, on average, between the city receiving a FEMA work order for a DALHR home and scheduling a final inspection; the GLOs comparable metric was 63 days. City officials said their average construction period on each house was 91 days, and pointed to early delays in getting contracts through city council to launch the program. Late notice from FEMA that many homes had received insurance payouts and were ineligible to participate also delayed work, McCasland said. The city inspected and prepared repair estimates for 334 homes, but wound up serving roughly half that many. Still, McCasland acknowledged the city tripped over its own feet, and said internal discussions about ways to limit bureaucracy in administering the coming $1.17 billion in aid have been positive. McCasland and Deputy City Controller Alex Obregon said the decision to include homeowners in the contracts for DALHR repairs was unusual, for instance, and required many additional layers of review. They said a simpler structure likely will be used for the next round of repair contracts. Homeowners in the DALHR program also spoke of inexperienced city inspectors forcing them to rip out newly installed ceilings to allow new wiring to be reviewed, only to have more seasoned inspectors say that was unnecessary in signing off on the work days later. The city plans to add inspectors focused solely on housing, McCasland said. Some of this is on us in terms of getting our processes smoother, McCasland said. Those are the meetings were having right now as we prepare for the big money to come in. mike.morris@chron.com twitter.com/mmorris011 In an incident with eerie overtones of last years Sutherland Springs church massacre, a masked man carrying a semi-automatic handgun and extra ammunition was arrested in Seguin on Sunday morning as he made his way to an unidentified church to fulfill a prophecy, authorities said. Tony Dwayne Albert II, 33, of Houston was wearing tactical-style clothing and a white surgical mask when he was arrested near West Kingsbury and West Court in Seguin around 7 a.m., police said. His handgun was loaded, and he was carrying a magazine of ammunition, they said. An unnamed person had noticed Alberts odd attire and called police. An off-duty officer was first to respond. OnExpressNews.com: SAFD to operate fireworks hotline for New Year's Eve Albert, a former Marine, was allegedly en route to an unidentified church to fulfill what he called a prophecy, said Officer Tanya Brown, a Seguin Police Department spokeswoman. Brown said Albert was cooperative but did not identify the church. We dont want to speculate, so we cant say what his plans were, if any, Brown said. But if this individual was not stopped and apprehended, the results could have ended differently. She said police were extremely grateful to the person who alerted authorities. Albert was being held in the Guadalupe County Detention Center on $100,000 bail, records show. He was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of marijuana under 2 ounces. Brown said the Texas Rangers, the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting with an investigation. She said it was possible that additional charges would be filed. Albert has a lengthy criminal history, records show. Hes been arrested six times in Harris County on various charges dating to 2009. He was convicted in four of those cases: for driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana under 2 ounces, attempting to disarm a police officer and, most recently, assault of a family member causing bodily injury. His link to the Seguin area is unknown, Brown said. OnExpressNews.com: Stolen Texas Ranger's memorial marker to be replaced at San Antonio cemetery In a court filing in January, Albert wrote that he was associated with Messianic Judaism, a modern religious movement that combines Christianity with elements of Judaism, and with the First Church of Cannabis, a religious organization that contends that marijuana is a healing plant. Albert was jailed the month before for allegedly violating terms of his probation. In the court filing, he sought to justify his marijuana use by tying it to a stated religious conviction regarding the usage of cannabis. He wrote: 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. Bill Levin, founder of the First Church of Cannabis, said he does not know Albert and does not believe him to be a dues-paying member of the Indiana-based house of worship. As for the prophecy Albert allegedly intended to fulfill Sunday, Levin said: Didnt come from us. We are not a Bible-based religion. We broadcast every Wednesday night. We have viewers all around the world. I cant account for anyones actions on who is watching, he added. In 2009, in what appears to be his first run-in with law enforcement, Albert was arrested in Harris County after a police officer pulled him over and conducted a Breathalyzer test. Alberts blood alcohol content was .08 percent, the threshold for drunken driving in Texas, records show. He pleaded guilty to DWI and was sentenced to 30 days in the Harris County Jail, followed by one year of community supervision. In 2014, a Houston police officer arrested Albert after he was found with less than 2 ounces of marijuana, a misdemeanor. Albert pleaded no contest and was sentenced to three days in jail. In July 2016, he was arrested in Kingfisher County, Okla., after he attempted to elude a police officer, also a misdemeanor. He pleaded guilty and received a 39-day jail sentence. Albert was arrested again later that year after he attempted to grab a firearm from a Houston police officer. The case was handled in Harris County Veterans Court, a specialty court designed to increase access to mental health and addiction treatment for veterans. Albert pleaded guilty to attempting to disarm a police officer and was sentenced to two years probation as part of a plea bargain. Most recently, in March 2017, Albert was arrested after he struck a woman with whom he was living. He pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. In January, as part of his probation for the 2016 case of attempting to disarm a police officer, Albert entered a residential substance abuse treatment center in Humble for individuals with mental health issues and substance abuse history, court records show. He successfully completed the Dual Diagnosis Residential Program and was released, records show. Athill Muhammad, a Houston lawyer who represented Albert in two of his criminal cases, described him as a fine, upstanding man who had been honorably discharged from the military. If anything of this is true, Im very, very surprised, Muhammad said. After Alberts arrest Sunday, hundreds of Facebook users thanked the anonymous person who called police and the off-duty officer who was the first on the scene. Thanks be to God for those who watch and report, one user wrote. The Sutherland Springs tragedy unfolded 21 miles southwest of Seguin. On Sunday morning, Nov. 5, 2017, Devin Patrick Kelley, a former airman with a history of domestic violence and mental illness, opened fire on worshippers at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, killing 26 people and injuring 20. Kelley, 26, wore a black mask and tactical gear and wielded a Ruger AR-556 semi-automatic rifle. He fled the scene in his SUV and killed himself as pursuers closed in. Staff writer Nicole Hensley contributed to this report. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton Butch House likes to talk about concrete. And in San Antonio, that usually requires a conversation about clay soil, the unstable substance underlying home foundations, roads and the citys 5,000 miles of sidewalks. In parts of downtown, like around San Pedro Creek, we have places where youre hitting the water table in 5 feet. Worst soil in the world, said House, president of Bexar Concrete Works, one of the largest makers of concrete bridge supports in the U.S. Around AT&T stadium, around Nolan Street, the soil is like some melted yellow chocolate soupy mess that just drips off the auger. Thats why San Antonio has so many foundation companies. District 1 City Councilman Roberto Trevino, an infrastructure aficionado whose Fiesta pin two years ago was a tiny metal sidewalk, shares Houses lament, but he believes that he has at least a partial solution precast concrete sidewalks. Theyre not as contentious as public safety union contracts or light rail proposals, but Trevino says the repair and construction of sidewalks perennially tops every council members list of residents complaints. The stronger, longer-lasting form might cost about 20 percent more per square foot but has been shown to far outlast the traditional method. On Dec. 19, ConnectSA, a nonprofit trying to shape transportation policy, released a report calling for 40 miles of new protected bike paths and 200 miles of new sidewalks by 2025. The two can and should be linked, Trevino says, and he wants to make sure the new pedestrian mobility officer the city is looking to hire understands that. I can get really, really deep in the weeds on this topic, warned Trevino, an architect. His obsession has earned him a City Hall nickname, Luke Sidewalker. We have 1,900 miles of missing sidewalks in San Antonio, Trevino said. Thats 38 percent of our 5,000 miles of sidewalks. These arent the ones that are old and cracked. They simply do not exist. When you follow him into the weeds, you learn that the average cost of a code-compliant sidewalk can reach $28 per square foot and a lot more with retaining walls or sloped curbs. Thats almost $1 billion to meet the citys total need, and we dont have that money but the city could double the effect of the money it does have by using the more expensive but more durable precast method, he says. The citys Transportation & Capital Improvements Department, or TCI, says precast sidewalks will cost about one-third more than conventional ones Trevino says the difference is closer to 20 percent but industry sources agree that precast sidewalks can easily last 60 to 80 years or more. On San Antonios clay soils that dramatically expand and contract with heavy rain and severe heat, a traditional pour-in-place, or PIP, sidewalk can crack within five years, maybe three, according to concrete pros. It is that invest-for-tomorrow philosophy that Trevino hopes to sell to TCI, his fellow council members and residents who might be used to a Band-Aid approach to infrastructure repairs. Precast concrete is hardly a new technology. You see it in the traffic barriers and bridge supports on interstate highways. Its denser and has about three times as much tensile strength as a PIP structure, but using precast for a city sidewalk is not common in the U.S., according to experts familiar with both. The advantages of precast vs. pour-in-place can be considerable. PIP usually takes longer to install, about three days for a typical 50-foot-long residential sidewalk, say experts, compared with one day for precast. A PIP sidewalk cant be done in the rain. Both require about the same 2- to 4-inch underbed of fine gravel, but precast doesnt require the time-consuming wooden forms into which traditional concrete is poured. Precast sidewalks can hinge at their joints to better adjust to an uneven landscape. Pour-in-place is something weve done for years, said Jeff Pepper, a superintendent with Easter Concrete in Helotes for more than 20 years. If done correctly and we have rigid rules when working for the city it is a long-term product. But theres a huge variation in the quality of contractors. Shoddy placement of metal reinforcement rods, or rebar, within traditional PIP sidewalks can result in a cracked sidewalk within three years we see it all the time in walks we have to tear out, Pepper said. Precast walks are made in factories in long, shallow molds, like giant ice cube trays, where the rebar is usually stronger and placed consistently in the middle of the slab. Poorly made sidewalks, often done by crews working under the pressure of lost rain days and low-bid economics, might pass unnoticed in other cities. In San Antonio, sidewalks crack and wobble like theyve gone through mini-earthquakes, their jagged edges pitched upward. At Trevinos urging, the city conducted a trial in 2016 of 1,500 linear feet of precast vs. PIP sidewalks in the 2000-2200 block of La Manda, from Vance Jackson to West. Mike Frisbie, former director of TCI, deemed the trial a success for precast and scheduled another test the next year on Tiffany, from Briarfield to Marlbrough. The city wants to put a priority on building sidewalks in high-use areas approaches to VIA Metropolitan Transit bus stops and on the way to schools, churches, senior citizen centers and commercial areas. Razi Hosseini, the interim director of TCI, said precast sidewalks fared well in the tests, especially compared with what happened to traditional walks in 2018s above-average rain that followed some dry months. But Hosseini isnt suggesting San Antonio should use precast technology for all its sidewalks theyll work best in residential areas where there arent a lot of structural oddities, such as mailboxes on posts, utility poles and cumbersome retaining walls, he said but he hesitates to put a target percentage on it. The city has about $19.8 million allocated through 2019 for building new sidewalks, he said. Trevino said theres no reason the city couldnt aim for using precast for 20 to 30 percent of the remaining 1,900 miles of sidewalks it needs to construct. Im sold on them, Trevino said last month. And Im going to show that it all can be done in my district. House, the concrete factory president, said his company has made millions of square feet of precast concrete bridge decking, supports and traffic barriers over the past 50 years and that San Antonio would be wise to search for such long-term solutions. San Antonio has to think more long-term about its major projects, said House, a Texan who worked in construction in Rotterdam, Holland, for two decades and came to appreciate the European approach to infrastructure. We have to use new technology and more progressive thinking. Bruce Selcraig is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read his stories on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | BSelcraig@express-news.net Trey Martinez Fischer is back, and hes hoping to occupy a familiar place in the Texas House: the center of the fray. The longtime lawmaker was known for sharp elbows and crafty moves during his first stint in the chamber, from 2001 to 2016. He was dubbed the Prince of POO, which stands for points of orders, the rules and procedures he often deployed to derail bills that he and fellow Democrats didnt like. Theres something to be said about having a good defense, Martinez Fischer said with a smile in a recent interview. As he returns to Austin in January, Martinez Fischer said he doesnt think his approach will differ much from his first 16 years in office, and he is looking forward to playing some offense in this years session. He will have more than just his reputation to rely on. Martinez Fischer gets to keep his 16 years of seniority, making him one of the most senior members in the House 20th out of 150, by his count. That means hell have his pick of committee assignments, and hell also be the dean of the Bexar County delegation. (His new third-floor office previously belonged to the late Rep. Ruth McClendon, former dean of the delegation.) I dont need a map of the capital. I dont need a tutorial, Martinez Fischer said. Im hoping to not miss a beat. Martinez Fischers colleagues hope his expertise and experience will enhance Democrats clout in the chamber. The party gained 12 House seats in the November election, nearly cutting in half the GOPs majority. There are now 83 Republicans and 67 Democrats. READ ALSO: Meet Bexar County's new Texas House representatives More than a dozen Democratic House members including at least four in San Antonio endorsed Martinez Fischer in his contentious primary win over incumbent Diana Arevalo, who had succeeded him after he launched an unsuccessful bid for the Senate in 2016. Rep. Roland Gutierrez, one of the San Antonio Democrats who endorsed Martinez Fischer, said it was important for both the city and the party to have its best assets on the floor. That includes Martinez Fischer, whose record is more nuanced than his combative reputation suggests, Gutierrez said. He has deep friendships with a number of Republicans and can work across the aisle, according to Gutierrez. Hes got a history, and hes done very well, Gutierrez said. In order to be respected in Austin, you have to work well with both sides. Martinez Fischer said his Republican friends include Dennis Bonnen, who is expected to become the next Texas Speaker. The early indications are that he appears to be putting a team together with an interest and a desire to work together, Martinez Fischer said. The lawmaker said hes optimistic that could lead to a more productive session than 2017, when the legislature was consumed by contentious and high-profile battles over the so-called bathroom bill, which would have restricted bathroom use for transgender people. Bonnen has said school finance will be the top priority for the House this year; the states contribution to the public school systems expenses has decreased from around 50 percent a decade ago to about 38 percent. Martinez Fischer said he wants to get an accurate account of the cost of public education. Once thats done, he said the state should be open to using all available funds including rainy day funds to address the issue. OnExpressNews.com: Immigration, elections and farewells led the local news in 2018 My elbows always go up when I hear people say, You cant just throw money at the problem, Martinez Fischer said. While sometimes I agree with that, I completely agree with the reverse, which is that you cant take money out of the problem and think its going to improve either. Other priorities for the session will include the budget process Martinez Fischer said that will be complicated by the declining price of oil and childrens health. Kids are some of our biggest victims, he said. Make no mistake, the Prince of POO has returned. Martinez Fischer said if Republicans try something he deems out of bounds, hell have his rulebook handy. At the capitol, he said, you have to decide whether you want to be feared or whether you want to be loved. I made a decision a long time ago that I give my love at home. Dylan McGuinness covers local politics and the Bexar County government for the Express-News. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dylan.mcguinness@express-news.net | Twitter: @DylMcGuinness Though it was 42 degrees and raining lightly Sunday, Cheryl Koch Ludwick was huddled under one of Koch Ranches canopies at the Alamo Heights Farmers Market. Each Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., customers will find Ludwick at the small outdoor collection of booths in the parking lot of Whole Foods Market in the Alamo Quarry. Thats when the farmers market is open, rain or shine. Ludwick launched the farmers market at the Quarry 18 months ago with her father, rancher Tony Koch, and her brother, Bret Koch. They had a mission to offer only locally grown or locally made products, such as freshly picked produce. Some days have been a struggle. On this chilly, rainy Sunday, only nine vendors occupied a dozen booths. Several customers strolled by, stopping to buy items or taste samples. Two musicians treated guests to a live performance, though their audience was small. But Ludwick still believes in her familys concept. Were still sticking to the roots of the farmers market, she said. Were trying to keep it fresh, local, healthy living ... We actually dont allow craft vendors or jewelry vendors or any of that type of product. We dont allow reselling. I have really strong vendors, really strong products, really dedicated people who are trying to make a difference in peoples lives by growing and making healthy products. And were trying to meet a need in the community for local products that are direct to consumer. With H-E-B, Walmart and Costco stores offering organic and locally grown foods, competition is tougher. Were not the only game in town anymore, Ludwick said. Shoppers on Sunday could choose from Koch Ranches grass-fed meats, such as beef, sausage, wild boar, goat and lamb; fresh vegetables from the 9 - 1 Produce Farm based in Devine; skin care products and soy candles from In the Weeds Natural Skin Care; High Street Chocolates handmade dark chocolates, which are gluten free and contain no soy or dairy products; bakery goods from Pingo de Mel and Panifico Bake Shop; pressed raw juice from Farm to Juice; fermented foods, such as salsa and pesto from Happy Gut Foods; and various treats from 6202 SA - Bunuelos and Churros. Ludwick and her family launched the small open-air operation after a farmers market run by different people departed the Quarry in late 2014. That previous attraction drew large crowds, but ultimately was shut down by the owners of the Quarry, who cited parking and traffic complaints. The new market hasnt sparked such inconveniences, but Ludwick says it faces different challenges. I still have people coming in and saying We didnt know yall were here, she said. On a typical Sunday, her farmers market has 20 vendors, Ludwick said. The space allows for a maximum of 30 vendors. Shoppers wont find different vendors selling the same non-produce goods because Ludwick doesnt allow direct competition. Cecile Parrish, 29, and Alison Apicella, 28, both of San Antonio, were among the shoppers who stopped by Sunday. They visit every couple weeks to purchase items they said they cant find at the Pearls farmers market. Another customer, Debbie Gonzalez, 26, of San Antonio, said it was her first visit to the farmers market at the Quarry. She was accompanied by her husband and 2-year-old son. Weve been eating out a lot and feeling gross, she said. So we decided to try the farmers market just because its different. We want to support local farms. Peggy Cloar, owner of High Street Chocolate, sold her wares at the previous farmers market at the Quarry and returns every Sunday to the new market because, she said, customers expect her to be there. You get the people that are serious about their foods, Cloar said. Peggy OHare is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: @Peggy_OHare NEWS FLASH Air Serbia's dedicated charter brand Aviolet resumed operations to Sharm El Sheikh for the first time in over five years. The flight, which took off from Belgrade on Saturday, carried 144 passengers on board who will spend their New Year's holiday in the resort town. They are set to return home on January 4. Egypt's Ambassador to Serbia, Amr al Jowaily, hailed the move, noting that additional services from Serbia to Sharm El Sheikh are planned throughout 2019. 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 takeoff from Sharm El Sheikh, leading to a suspension of flights to the resort town from a number of countries, including Russia and the UK. BRIDGEPORT When Craig Livingston and other executives with New York City-based Exact Capital were eager to boast about their ambitious plans for the downtown renovating a pair of historic theaters and building an 18-story residential tower they participated in a press conference. If youre gonna do it, do it big, Livingston, Exacts managing partner, said last June while at the long-shuttered Majestic and Poli Palace theaters. Eighteen stories is not really such a big building where we come from. A year and a half later, Exact has missed its city-imposed deadline to come up with $56 million in financing. Now City Council President Aidee Nieves would like Livingston to return to the city this month to update her and her colleagues on the situation and Exacts timeline. I think it would be in a good faith effort for the developer to be there and not just hear it from the Office of Planning and Economic Development, Nieves said. She noted that Mayor Joe Ganims redevelopment deal with Exact was approved by a previous City Council. Some council members changed following the 2017 municipal election and have not met Livingston and his team. These are new council members, Nieves said. So it would be best (for Exact) to put their best foot forward on this (and) be present. Livingston has not responded to repeated requests for comment from Hearst Connecticut Media. Sources had said Exact executives were in town to meet privately with Ganim and other city officials in mid-December. Exact had until Dec. 27 to come up with $56 million for the first phase renovating the Majestic, Poli and the Savoy Hotel of its five-phase, $400 million plan. The residential towers were to be built later. Economic Development Director Thomas Gill last Thursday said the theaters project is alive but acknowledged Exact was facing some challenges coming up with the money. Under the land disposition agreement the council approved in 2017, Gill said, the Ganim administration has the ability to unilaterally extend the deadline. Well give them 30 days and look at it again, Gill said. He also said his staff would provide an update to the council. Nieves said that economic development staff will be briefing council members most likely the economic development committee on Exact and on the extension. The deal with Exact was approved by the contracts committee, then the full council. Nieves noted that the theaters deal was something that was publicized quite a bit by the Office of Planning and Economic Development and the administration. We want to make sure within the 30 days this developers going to be on track, moving forward. Ganim, who is seeking re-election this year, during his 2015 campaign for mayor had said he would prioritize salvaging the Majestic and Poli Palace. The deal with Exact was struck when Ganim was campaigning unsuccessfully for governor, and the mayor hailed it as the most exciting urban development project anywhere in this state. But, Nieves said, she and her colleagues are focused on other promises that Exact would hire locally. In fact Ganim was criticized by some in organized labor for not insisting the land disposition agreement require that Exact hire union workers. But Livingston, who is black, and some on the council, had argued that the ability to hire non-union workers would free Exact up to employ more Bridgeport residents, particularly minorities. This is a point of pride for us something we want to do, Livingston had told council members in July 2017, adding most of what we build is non-union. In mid-April 2018, the city and Exact held a job fair to promote the planned work on Bridgeports theaters and the potential opportunities for local and minority contractors. That was the promise of this project, Nieves said. Putting local people to work. Somebodys got to deliver. And the frustration for some council members is we make announcements and were back-pedaling because its not happening. ... Right now there are people who have no faith in the project happening. iShares Latin America 40 ETF's stock was trading at $22.49 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, ILF stock has increased by 8.5% and is now trading at $24.41. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Liberty Tax, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides tax preparation services in the United States and Canada. The company also facilitates refund-based tax settlement financial products, such as refund transfer products and personal income tax refund discounting, as well as provides an online digital Do-It-Yourself tax program in the United States. The company offers its products and services through a network of company-owned offices and franchised locations under the Liberty Tax, Liberty Tax Service, Liberty Income Tax, Liberty Canada, and SiempreTax+ brand names. The company was formerly known as JTH Holding, Inc. and changed its name to Liberty Tax, Inc. in July 2014. Liberty Tax, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. 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 HDFC Bank Ltd. engages in the provision of banking and financial services, including commercial banking and treasury operations. The firm also provides financial services to upper and middle income individuals and corporations in India. It operates through the following segments: Treasury, Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking and Other Banking Operations. The Treasury segment consists of bank's investment portfolio, money market borrowing and lending, investment operations and trading in foreign exchange and derivative contracts. The Retail Banking segment provides loans and other services to customers through a branch network and other delivery channels. The Wholesale Banking segment provides loans, non-fund facilities and transaction services to large corporates, emerging corporates, public sector units, government bodies, financial institutions, and medium scale enterprises. The Other Banking Business segment includes income from para banking activities such as credit cards, debit cards, third party product distribution, primary dealership business, and the associated costs. The company was founded by Aditya Tapishwar Puri in August 1994 and is headquartered in Mumbai, India. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of POSCO: 2015 POSCO New technology II Fund, BLUE O&M Co. Ltd., Brazil Sao Paulo Steel Processing Center, Busan E&E Co. Ltd., DAESAN (CAMBODIA) Co. Ltd., DAEWOO INTERNATIONAL GUANGZHOU CORP., Daewoo Amara Company Limited, Daewoo Global Development. Pte. Ltd, Daewoo International, Daewoo Power and Infra (PTY) Limited, Daewoo Precious Resources Co. Ltd., Future Creation Fund Postech Early Stage account, GOLDEN LACE POSCO INTERNATIONAL CO. LTD., GRAIN TERMINAL HOLDING PTE. LTD., Growth Ladder POSCO K-Growth Global Fund, HONG KONG POSCO E&C (CHINA) INVESTMENT Co. Ltd., HOTEL LAONZENA, HUME COAL PTY LTD, Hunchun Posco Hyundai Logistics, JB CLARK HILLS(*1), Korea Fuel Cell, LA-SRDC, Mapo Hibroad Parking Co. Ltd., MegaAsset Co. Ltd., Myanmar POSCO C&C Company Limited., Myanmar POSCO Engineering & Construction Company Limited., Myanmar POSCO Steel Co. Ltd, Mykolaiv Milling Works PJSC., PGSF L.P., PNR, POS-CD PTY LTD, POS-GC PTY LTD, POS-LT Pty Ltd, POS-Minerals Corporation, POS-NP PTY LTD, POS-ORE PTY LTD, POSCAN Elkview, POSCO (Thailand) Company Limited, POSCO A&C, POSCO AFRICA (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED, POSCO AMERICA ALABAMA PROCESSING CENTER CO. LTD., POSCO AMERICA COMERCIALIZADORA S DE RL DE CV, POSCO ASSAN TST STEEL INDUSTRY, POSCO AUSTRALIA GP PTY LIMITED, POSCO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, POSCO America Corporation, POSCO Argentina S.A.U., POSCO Asia Co. Ltd., POSCO CHEMICAL CO. LTD., POSCO COATED STEEL (THAILAND) CO. LTD., POSCO Canada Ltd., POSCO Center Beijing, POSCO ChengDu Processing Center, POSCO China Dalian Plate Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO Coated & Color Steel Co. Ltd., POSCO DAEWOO E&P CANADA CORPORATION, POSCO DAEWOO WAIGAOQIAO SHANGHAI CO. LTD, POSCO E&C (THAILAND) CO. Ltd., POSCO E&C CHINA Co. Ltd., POSCO E&C HOLDINGS CO. Ltd., POSCO E&C Mongolia, POSCO E&C SMART S DE RL DE CV, POSCO E&C Vietnam Co. Ltd., POSCO ENERGY CO. LTD., POSCO ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION DO BRAZIL LTDA., POSCO ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION. CO. LTD., POSCO ENGINEERING (THAILAND) CO. LTD., POSCO ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION AUSTRALIA (POSCO E&C AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, POSCO ES MATERIALS CO. LTD., POSCO Engineering and Construction India Private Limited, POSCO Europe Steel Distribution Center, POSCO Family Strategy Fund, POSCO GEM 1th Fund, POSCO Gulf SFC LLC, POSCO Humans, POSCO ICT, POSCO ICT BRASIL, POSCO ICT VIETNAM, POSCO ICT-China Co. Ltd, POSCO INDIA PROCESSING CENTER PRIVATE LIMITED, POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CHINA) CO. LTD, POSCO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA CORP., POSCO INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY. LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL Corporation, POSCO INTERNATIONAL Deutschland GMBH, POSCO INTERNATIONAL INDIA PVT. LTD, POSCO INTERNATIONAL ITALIA S.R.L., POSCO INTERNATIONAL JAPAN CORP., POSCO INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIA SDN BHD, POSCO INTERNATIONAL MEXICO S.A DE C.V., POSCO INTERNATIONAL MYANMAR CORPORATION LIMITED, POSCO INTERNATIONAL POWER (PNGLAE) LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL POWER(PNGPOM) LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL SHANGHAI CO. LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., POSCO INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE LLC., POSCO INTERNATIONAL UKRAINE LLC., POSCO INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM COMPANY LIMITED, POSCO India Steel Distribution Center Private Ltd., POSCO JAPAN Co. Ltd., POSCO Japan PC CO. LTD, POSCO M-TECH, POSCO MAURITIUS LIMITED, POSCO MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., POSCO MPPC S.A. de C.V., POSCO Maharashtra Steel Private Limited, POSCO NCR Coal Ltd., POSCO O&M CO. Ltd. (formerly POSMATE), POSCO Philippine Manila Processing Center Inc., POSCO Processing&Service, POSCO RU Limited Liability Company, POSCO Research & Technology, POSCO Research Institute, POSCO SINGAPORE LNG TRADING PTE. LTD., POSCO SS VINA JOINT STOCK COMPANY (Formerly POSCO SS VISA CO. Ltd.), POSCO SUZHOU PROCESSING CENTER CO. LTD., POSCO TMC INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, POSCO TNPC Otomotiv Celik San. Ve Tic. A.S, POSCO Thainox Public Company Limited, POSCO VST CO. LTD., POSCO Venture Capital Co. Ltd., POSCO Vietnam Processing Center. Co. Ltd, POSCO WA PTY LTD, POSCO WOMANS FUND, POSCO(Chongqing) Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO(Dalian) IT Center Development Co. Ltd., POSCO(Guangdong) Automotive Steel Co. Ltd., POSCO(Guangdong) Coated Steel Co. Ltd., POSCO(Liaoning) Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO(Suzhou) Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO(Wuhu) Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO(Yantai Automotive Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO-CFPC Co. Ltd., POSCO-CTPC Co. Ltd., POSCO-China Holding Corp., POSCO-China Qingdao Processing Center Co. Ltd., POSCO-India Private Limited, POSCO-India Pune Processing Center. Pvt. Ltd., POSCO-Indonesia Jakarta Processing Center, POSCO-Italy Processing Center, POSCO-MKPC SDN BHD, POSCO-Malaysia SDN. BHD., POSCO-Mexico Villagran Wire-rod Processing Center, POSCO-Poland Wroclaw Processing Center Sp. z o. o., POSCO-South Asia Company Limited, POSCO-TISCO (JILIN) PROCESSING CENTER Co. Ltd., POSCO-Terminal Co. Ltd., POSCO-VIETNAM Co. Ltd., POSMATE-CHINA CO. LTD, PSC Energy Global Co. Ltd., PT KRAKATAU BLUE WATER, PT. Bio Inti Agrindo, PT. KRAKATAU POSCO, PT. KRAKATAU POSCO ENERGY, PT. POSCO E&C INDONESIA, PT.Krakatau Posco Chemtech Calcination, PT.Krakatau Posco Social Enterprise, PT.MRI, PT.POSCO ICT INDONESIA, PT.POSCO INDONESIA INTI, Pohang Scrap Recycling Distribution Center Co. Ltd., Pos-Sea Pte Ltd, Posco Group University, Posco e&c Songdo International Building, Qingdao Pohang Stainless Steel Co. Ltd., SANPU TRADING Co. Ltd., SPH Co LTD., SUZHOU POSCO-CORE TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD., Songdo Development PMC (Project Management Company) LLC., Suncheon Eco Trans Co. LTD, TANCHEON E&E (formerly POSCO E&E), Ventanas Philippines Construction Inc, Yuzhnaya Stevedoring Company Limited LLC., ZHEJIANG POSCO-HUAYOU ESM CO. LTD, Zhangjiagang BLZ Pohang International Trading, Zhangjiagang Pohang Refractories Co. Ltd., Zhangjiagang Pohang Stainless Steel Co. Ltd., Zhangjigang Pohang Port Co. Ltd., and eNtoB Corporation. FactSet Research Systems Inc. (the ""Company"" or ""FactSet"") is a global provider of integrated financial information, analytical applications and services for the investment and corporate communities. Since inception, global financial professionals have utilized the Company's content and multi-asset class solutions across each stage of the investment process. FactSet's goal is to provide a seamless user experience spanning idea generation, research, portfolio construction, trade execution, performance measurement, risk management, reporting, and portfolio analysis, in which the Company serves the front, middle, and back offices to drive productivity and improved performance. FactSet's flexible, open data and technology solutions can be implemented both across the investment portfolio lifecycle or as standalone components serving different workflows in the organization. FactSet is focused on growing the business throughout each of its three segments, the Americas, EMEA (formerly known as Europe), and Asia Pacific. The Company primarily delivers insight and information through the workflow solutions of Research, Analytics and Trading, Content and Technology Solutions (""CTS"") and Wealt Read More iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF's stock was trading at $35.66 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWL shares have increased by 39.1% and is now trading at $49.62. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Suruga Bank Ltd. engages in banking business and provides financial services. It operates through the following segments: Banking, Guarantee, and Others. The Banking segment provides deposits, loans, domestic and foreign exchange transactions, securities and investment trust, and credit card services. The Guarantee segment handles the guarantee business. The Others segment offers loan, leasing, bank agency operations, credit card, and insurance services through its subsidiaries. The company was founded by Kitaro Okano on January 4, 1887 and is headquartered in Numazu, Japan. Read More Meat worth 20,000 has been stolen from a farm in Cambridgeshire, with the police calling the incident a mindless act. Hundreds of Christmas turkeys, ribs of beef and lamb worth more than 20,000 was stolen from a Huntingdonshire farm. At 7.47am on Monday 24 December, Cambridgeshire Police were called with reports of the theft at Johnsons of Old Hurst in Church Street, Old Hurst. PC Poppy McCullagh said: This mindless act will have a devastating effect on the business and leave hundreds of families without their turkey dinner this Christmas. I am appealing to anyone with information, or who may be offered meat for sale, to contact us. Farm shop owner Andy Johnson said about half of the 300 orders he had waiting to go out had been taken in the raid. The farm has now turned to social media in a request for help. It said: Last night Johnsons of Old Hurst was broken into. If anyone knows or has seen anything please make us aware. If anyone can lead the Johnsons direct to the culprits there will be an reward. Data shows rural crime cost the UK 44.5m in 2017 with the future trend showing a rise in this form of crime as thieves become more brazen as they target the countryside. The NFU has said that sentences for rural crime must act as a deterrent as concerns grow within the farming industry. Anyone with information should call police on 101 and quote incident 72 of 24 December. The NFU is advocating a national conversation about food and farming as next year will be 'pivotal' for the industry, the union has said in its new year message. The NFU said its focus will be ensuring that Government recognises the 'strategic importance' of British food and farming. Brexit is scheduled to officially take place in less than 90 days. And while the clock keeps ticking, the NFU said it is still unclear as to what will happen and when and how that will impact on British food and farming. The union said leaving the EU with no deal will be 'catastrophic' and could have a 'devastating impact' on the millions of people working in the industry, 'threatening' livelihoods and 'severely undermining' farm businesses. NFU President, Minette Batters said in her new year message: What we need is clarity as, after nearly two and a half years since the referendum took place, we are still no closer to finding out the details of our future relationship with the EU, what kind of trading environment we could be operating under in the future and where our future workforce will come from. We have outlined repeatedly that a no-deal Brexit means disruption and delays at borders, technical restrictions and the threat of import tariffs, to name but a few. Beyond March 29, if a deal is struck, farmers and growers will need stability as we make the transition from EU regulation to UK-based policy and regulation. This will be a critical period as we wait to see what our trading relationship with the EU looks like. She added: Despite all the Brexit uncertainty, our job - and my focus - is to engage with MPs to ensure the new Agriculture Bill will deliver for British farmers and growers. It is vital that it establishes a framework that supports farmers as food producers and custodians of the countryside. Delivering a domestic farming policy that works for the whole industry is essential if we are to continue producing quality and affordable food for everyone. At the same time it is crucial that we continue to highlight the important role farming plays in protecting and enhancing the environment. Just a few weeks ago, the NFU held its first ever environment conference. This platform showcased the work of farmers protecting and enhancing the countryside as well as the work ahead to ensure we have a thriving natural landscape and productive shop floor. Mrs Batters added: Despite the political upheaval, farmers have continued to show determined resilience. We have seen that in action over the past year where farmers continued to produce a plentiful supply of safe, traceable and affordable food for the nation, despite incredibly challenging weather conditions. As an industry, we are ready and able to tackle the challenges ahead as well as making the most of new opportunities. But we need everyone producers, processors, politicians, retailers and the public - to back British farming like never before. It is my hope that in 2019 we will finally receive clarity on what the future looks like for farming one which will allow farm businesses to do what they do best provide food for the nation, she said. Farming is the bedrock of the UKs food and drink industry which is worth 113 billion to the nations economy and provides jobs for 3.8 million people. NI dairy farmers call for end to retrospective payment system NI is the only part of UK with this system View this post on Instagram A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) on Apr 28, 2018 at 9:02am PDT Don't be into trends. Don't make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way to live, said fashion emperor Gianni Versace. And, we do concur with him. However, knowing what our favourite celebrities and designers indulged in 2018 will not hurt anyone, will it? Fashion this year was surprising and challenging, in India and abroad. It took us back into 90s with the resurgence of styles like gold hoop earrings and fanny packs. And, swamped us by its revolutionary and modern approach through sustainable and androgynous fashion.We witnessed fashion giants such as Chanel jump on the bandwagon with Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood to go fur-free. While many others partook in a conscious decision to opt for faux leather over real. So, without further ado, lets check out some of the trends that made waves in 2018 and will hopefully continue to do so in the coming years:From International models to global icons such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas, gold hoop earrings looped in, one and all. Jaggesh Offers His Condolences Veteran actor -politician Jaggesh was one of the prominent stars who paid his at respects to Loknath. He seemed to be in a sombre mood as he mourned the loss. This has been a tough few months for Sandalwood. Loknath's death comes merely a month after Ambareesh's sad demise. Jaggesh was one of the first stars to pay tribute to Ambi as well. Vinaya Prasad Pays Her Tribute The popular actress Vinaya Prasad to offered her condolences to the family and paid her last respects to the actor. Loknath was a highly respected person and many in the industry shared a strong bond with him. A Legend In His Own Right Here another well-wisher can be seen paying his last respects to Loknath. The veteran had started his film career in 1970 with the critically-acclaimed Samskaara which won a National award. Over time, he became the default choice to play a father-figure on the big screen. Loknath Death: Stars And Well-wishers Pay Their Last Respects To The Veteran Actor; View Pics His portrayal of a cobbler in Bhootayyana Maga Ayyu helped him win the hearts of the fans and earn tremendous critical acclaim. His other prominent films are Bheema Teeradalli and Pushpaka Vimana. His death is a loss for the Kannada film industry and it marks the end of an era. We hope that his near and dear ones stay strong in this sad time. Loknath is irreplaceable and will be missed in a big way. Enough said! KINSHASA, DR Congo, December 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Polling stations closed throughout the DRC at 17 hours local time. More than 46 million Congolese have been registered to elect the successor to President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled the central African country for 17 years. In Kinshasa, home to four million voters, 20 percent of the polling stations did not open due to a lack of electronic voting machines, - according to Aljazeera. Recall that the voting machines were used in DRC's presidential elections for the first time in Africa. International Observers identify that DRC Community are hardly adapting to use the voting machine. Due to that the voting process for each person takes from 5 minutes to 10 minutes, - according to AFRIC. It is important to note that the elections in DRC were held despite the difficult situation in the country, such as the Ebola epidemic, riots in the country and the bad situation with logistics. Earlier the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a stern warning following some reports of election-related violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in the statement: "Anyone who incites or participates in mass violence, by ordering, soliciting, encouraging or otherwise contributing to crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC is liable to prosecution before the court", - according to Star. It is expected that the results of the presidential elections will be announced at the beginning of January. Association for Free Research and International Cooperation (AFRIC) is a community of independent researchers, experts and activists. The main goals are creating a platform for elaboration and dissemination of objective analytical information, first-hand opinions; establishing direct communication and cooperation. https://afric.online/ The global intracranial pressure monitoring devices market 2019-2023 is expected to post a CAGR of close to 7% during the forecast period, according to the latest market research report by Technavio This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181231005080/en/ Technavio has released a new market research report on the global intracranial pressure monitoring devices market for the period 2019-2023. (Graphic: Business Wire) A key factor driving the growth of the market is increase in FDA approved products by regulatory authorities. Product launches help companies in expanding their offerings such as intracranial pressure monitoring devices which are FDA approved products by regulatory authorities and penetration of the market in various regions to strengthen their market presence. The competition among vendors results in the launch of FDA approved products by regulatory authorities and increased and improved intracranial pressure monitoring devices such as IRRAflow by IRRAS and Vittamed 205 by Vittamed. Thus, increase in FDA approved products by regulatory authorities drive the global intracranial pressure monitoring devices market. This market research report on the global intracranial pressure monitoring devices market 2019-2023 also provides an analysis of the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook during the forecast period. Technavio classifies an emerging trend as a major factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing In this report, Technavio highlights the rising advances in technology as one of the key emerging trends in the global intracranial Pressure Monitoring Devices market: Global intracranial pressure monitoring devices market: Rising advances in technology Vendors are coming up with advances in technology and innovative technologies to develop next-generation products. These advances in technology help physicians to remotely monitor patients who have undergone brain surgeries. The presence of such next-generation products advances in technology will boost the sales of intracranial pressure monitoring systems during the forecast period. "In May 2018, Branchpoint Technologies received the US FDA approval for AURA intracranial pressure monitoring system. It is a fully implantable system with wireless intracranial pressure sensors that aid in enabling mobile intracranial pressure monitoring for brain-injured patients," says a senior analyst at Technavio. Global intracranial pressure monitoring devices market: Segmentation analysis This market research report segments the global intracranial pressure monitoring devices market by product (invasive and non-invasive) and geographical regions (APAC, EMEA, and the Americas). The Americas led the market in 2018 with a market share of 48%, followed by EMEA and APAC respectively. The dominance of the Americas can be attributed to the increase in regulatory approvals for products. Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market size and forecast Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation Geographical Segmentation Regional comparison Key leading countries Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181231005080/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 www.technavio.com Toronto, Ontario - December 31, 2018: Pancontinental Resources Corporation (TSXV: PUC) ("Pancon" or the "Company") announced that it closed the final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement through the issuance of 60,000 units ("Units") at a price of $0.07 per Unit and through the issuance of 1,875,000 units (FT Units) at a price of $0.08 per FT Unit for total gross proceeds of $154,200.00, with combined gross proceeds from the first and final tranche of $1,701,050.52 (the "Offering"). Pancon President and CEO, Layton Croft, stated: "We are pleased with the interest in our private placement. Pancon is now poised for success as a battery metals explorer with a camp-sized land position on most of the Gabbro Complex in the underexplored Montcalm Greenstone Belt. We are focused on our nickel-cobalt-copper Montcalm Project, which surrounds the former Montcalm Mine owned by Glencore plc and located 65 kilometres northwest of Timmins, Ontario. In 2019 and beyond, we aim to generate shareholder value through responsible exploration of battery metals essential to powering our world's low-carbon energy economy." Each Unit and FT Unit include a one-half Common Share Purchase Warrant. Each Full Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase a Common Share at an exercise price of $0.12 for eighteen (18) months from the date of issuance. If at any time after the date that is more than four months and one day following the closing of the Offering, the Common Shares trade on a stock exchange at a volume weighted average trading price of $0.20 or greater per Common Share for a period of 20 consecutive trading days, the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving notice to the holders thereof, and in such case the Warrants will expire on the 30th day after the date on which such notice is given by the Company. The Company may pay certain finder's fees with respect to gross proceeds raised. The Common Shares and Warrants comprising the Units will be subject to a resale restriction for four months and a day from the date of issuance. In connection with the Offering, the Company issued a total of 657,857 finder's warrants, equal to 6% of the Units and FT Units issued to subscribers introduced to the Company by finders and paid a cash commission of $52,200, equal to 6% of the gross proceeds raised from subscribers introduced to the Company by finders. Closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the approval of TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance and the resale rules of applicable security legislation. About Pancontinental Resources Corporation Pancontinental Resources Corporation (TSXV: PUC) is a Canadian-based mining company exploring four nickel-cobalt-copper projects in Ontario - three within the Montcalm Gabbro Complex near Timmins: Montcalm Project, Gambler Project, and Nova Project; and the McBride Project near Bancroft. Pancon's mission is to generate value through responsible exploration, focusing on prospective assets in proximity to producing or former mines. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Jefferson Gold Project in South Carolina, USA. In 2015, Pancon sold its interest in its Australian rare earth element (REE) and uranium properties, formerly held through a joint venture, and retains a 1% gross overriding royalty on 100% of future REE production. For further information, please contact: Layton Croft, President & CEO or Jeanny So, Manager, External Relations E: info@panconresources.com T: +1.416.293.8437 For additional information please visit our new website at www.panconresources.com and our Twitter feed: @PanconResources. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 31, 2018) - Appia Energy Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQB: APAAF) (FSE: A0I.F) (FSE: A0I.MU) (FSE: A0I.BE) (the "Company" or "Appia)is pleased to announce it will be closing a non-brokered private placement of 2,189,500 flow-through units (the "FT Units") for gross proceeds of $602,112.50 and closing the first tranche of a non-brokered private placement of up to 4,000,000 working capital units ("WC Units") (collectively the "Offering") with the sale of 1,425,000 WC Units for gross proceeds of $342,000 on December 31, 2018. Proceeds from the Offering are expected to be used for drilling and exploration on the Company's Loranger and Alces Lake Properties as well as other properties in Saskatchewan. Each FT Unit is priced at $0.275 and consists of one (1) common share and one-half (0.5) of a share purchase warrant. Each full warrant ("Warrant") entitles the holder to purchase one (1) common share (a "FT Warrant Share") at a price of $0.40 per FT Warrant Share until twelve (12) months from closing. Each WC Unit is priced at $0.24 and consists of one (1) common share and one (1) common share purchase warrant (a "WC Warrant"). Each WC Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) common share (a "WC Warrant Share") at a price of $0.35 per WC Warrant Share until twenty-four (24) months from closing. Eligible finders were paid cash fees totalling $60,169 and issued 175,160 FT broker warrants. Each FT broker warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share at a price of $0.275 for twelve (12) months from closing. All securities to be issued under the first closing of the Offering are subject to a statutory four month hold period expiring on May 1, 2019. The Offering will remain open until the earlier of the sale of the remaining WC Units and January 15, 2019. About Appia Appia is a Canadian publicly-traded company in the uranium and rare earth element sectors. The Company is currently focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements ("REE") and uranium on the Alces Lake property, as well as prospecting for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 63,980 hectares (158,098 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 12,545 hectares (31,000 acres), including REE and Uranium Deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario, which historically produced over 300 million pounds of U 3 O 8 and is the only Canadian camp that has had significant Rare Earth Element (yttrium) production. Appia's technical team is directed by James Sykes, who has had direct and indirect involvement with over 450 million lbs. U 3 O 8 being discovered in five deposits in the Athabasca Basin. After closing Appia will have 62 million common shares outstanding, 82.6 million shares fully diluted. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward- looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information, please contact: Tom Drivas, President, CEO and Director: (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) appia@appiaenergy.ca James Sykes, VP Exploration & Development, (tel) 306-221-8717, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) jsykes@uraniumgeologist.com Frank van de Water, Chief Financial Officer and Director, (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) fvandewater@rogers.com Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 31, 2018) - White Metal Resources Corp. (TSXV: WHM) ("White Metal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has closed its previously announced financing, subject to Toronto Venture Exchange approval. The Company has raised $180,000 by issuing 3,600,000 Flow-Through Units (FT Units) at $0.05 per FT Unit, each FT Unit consisting of 1 common flow-through share and one (1) common share purchase warrant, each warrant (a "Warrant") being exercisable for one common share of the Company at $0.15 for a period 24 months from the date of issuance of such Warrants, subject to the right of the Company to accelerate the exercise period of the Warrants if the price of shares of the Company closes at or above $0.30 for 30 consecutive trading days. All securitis issued pursuant to this financing will be subject to a 4 month hold period. A cash finder's fee of $4,900 was paid in respect of this financing. The Placement was effected with an insider of the Company subscribing for 1,800,000 FT Units for aggregate subscription proceeds of $90,000, that portion of the financing a "related party transaction" as such term is defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements set out in MI 61- 101. The Company is exempt from the formal valuation requirement of MI 61-101 under sections 5.5(a) and (b) of MI 61-101 in respect of the transaction as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves the interested party, is not more than the 25% of the Company's market capitalization. Additionally, the Company is exempt from minority shareholder approval under sections 5.7(1)(a) and (b) of MI 61-101 as, in addition to the foregoing, (i) neither the fair market value of the Units nor the consideration received in respect thereof from interested party exceeds $2,500,000, (ii) the Company has one or more independent directors who are not employees of the Company, and (iii) all of the independent directors have approved the transaction. Material change reports were not filed 21 days prior to the closing of the financing because insider participation had not been established at the time the financing was announced. About White Metal Resources Corp. (TSX-V: WHM) White Metal Resources Corp is a junior exploration company exploring in Canada. On behalf of the Board of Directors of White Metal Resources Corp. "Jean-Pierre Colin" Jean-Pierre Colin, President, CEO and Director For further information contact: Jean-Pierre Colin President, CEO & Director (416) 573-4300 jpcolin.whitemetal@gmail.com or Michael Stares Director 84 Squier Street Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, P7B 4A8 Phone: (807) 628-7836 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 31, 2018) - OSPREY GOLD DEVELOPMENT LTD. (TSXV: OS) (OTCQB: OSSPF) (the "Company" or "Osprey") is pleased to report that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of 1,334,000 flow through units (FT Units) of Osprey at a price of $0.075 per unit, for aggregate proceeds of $100,050. Each unit consists of one common share and one-half of one share purchase warrant, each whole warrant entitling the holder to purchase an additional common share at a price of $0.12 per share for a period of 18 months from date of issuance. The net proceeds of the private placement will be used for exploration and advancement of Osprey's exploration projects located in Nova Scotia, Canada, and general working capital. All securities issued under the Private Placement are subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day after date of issuance. The Company paid aggregate cash finders' fees of $7,004 and issued 93,380 Finders' Warrants in connection with the Private Placement. Each Finder's Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one common share of the Company at $0.12 per share for 18 months from the date of closing. About Goldenville and Osprey Osprey is focused on exploring five historically producing gold properties in Nova Scotia, Canada. Osprey has the option to earn 100% (subject to certain royalties) in all five properties, including the Goldenville Gold Project, Nova Scotia's largest historic gold producer. Goldenville hosts a current NI 43-101 Inferred Resource of 2,800,000 tonnes at 3.20 g/t gold for 288,000 ounces of gold (2,800,000 tonnes at 4.96 g/t gold for 447,000 ounces of gold uncapped) near the town of Sherbrooke, NS. All five properties in Osprey's current portfolio have a history of high-grade gold production. A copy of the Company's technical report titled "Technical Report on the Goldenville Property, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia Canada" prepared by David G. Thomas, M.Sc., P. Geo. and Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P. Geo. is available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com.The technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by the Company's Vice President of Exploration Perry MacKinnon, P.Geo, a 'Qualified Person' under NI 43-101. Additional information regarding Osprey and the Goldenville property is available under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com and at www.ospreygold.com. ON BEHALF OF OSPREY GOLD DEVELOPMENT LTD., "Cooper Quinn" Cooper Quinn, President and Director For further information please contact Osprey at (778)986-8192 or cooper@ospreygold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Osprey within the meaning of applicable securities laws and with respect to the financing and the properties. Osprey provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, exploration findings, results and recommendations, as well as those risks and uncertainties identified and reported in Osprey's public filings under Osprey's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although Osprey has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Osprey disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. UNITED STATES ADVISORY. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), have been offered and sold outside the United States to eligible investors pursuant to Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, and may not be offered, sold, or resold in the United States or to, or for the account of or benefit of, a U.S. Person (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the United States Securities Act) unless the securities are registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act is available. Hedging transactions involving the securities must not be conducted unless in accordance with the U.S. Securities Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in the state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ANY FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF U.S. SECURITIES LAWS. CII believes the government will continue to place high priority on simplifying business procedures in 2019, especially in terms of working with states for grassroots improvements. New Delhi: The country is expected to witness strong economic growth in 2019, after it emerged as the fastest growing major world economy this year despite growing global vulnerabilities, industry body CII said on Sunday. The positive outlook is buttressed by strong drivers emanating from services sector and better demand conditions arising out of poll spend, with the general elections slated next year, according to the chamber. "Better demand conditions, settled GST implementation, capacity expansion from growing investments in infrastructure, continuing positive effects of reform policies and improved credit offtake especially in the services sector at 24 percent will sustain the robust GDP growth in the range of 7.5 percent in 2019," CII director general Chandrajit Banerjee said. The industry body observed that despite 2018 being filled with external vulnerabilities arising out of rising oil prices, trade wars between major global trading partners and US monetary tightening, India outshined as the world's fastest growing major economy. It has identified seven key drivers for growth that need to be fostered and suggested policy actions for robust GDP growth to continue in 2019. Among key growth drivers, CII hopes the GST Council will consider extending the tax to currently exempted sectors such as fuel, real estate, electricity and alcohol. The chamber outlined that credit availability has been a challenge, particularly for the micro, small and medium enterprises, as credit flow to industry grew by a mere 2.3 percent in first half of the current financial year. "CII submits that the RBI should introduce measures such as revisiting lending restrictions of PCA (prompt corrective action) banks, opening of a limited special liquidity window to meet emergencies of financial institutions, including Mutual Funds besides others to improve liquidity in the system, it said. Besides, the process of insolvency resolution has taken shape, the chamber feels the government should consider setting up additional benches of the National Company Law Tribunal to strengthen the judicial infrastructure for easier and faster exit of distressed businesses. The chamber believes the government will continue to place high priority on simplifying business procedures in 2019, especially in terms of working with states for grassroots improvements. "We look forward to digitisation of land records, online single window systems in states, and enforcing contracts for even more improvements in ease of doing business," said Banerjee. On agriculture reforms, CII suggested that it is important to persuade states to implement the Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing Model Act, which has been implemented in just four states, to strengthen agriculture produce marketing. Going ahead, it opined that India also needs to increase domestic production of oil, providing a special window for oil marketing companies to procure fuel and stepping up diplomacy with the US to continue to secure purchase from Iran. CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt expects to receive the fifth instalment of its $12 billion IMF loan programme in January, the president's office said on Sunday. The International Monetary Fund offered the three-year loan programme in 2016 after Egypt agreed to a package of reforms including the devaluation of the pound, cuts to energy subsidies and the introduction of a value-added tax CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt expects to receive the fifth instalment of its $12 billion IMF loan programme in January, the president's office said on Sunday. The International Monetary Fund offered the three-year loan programme in 2016 after Egypt agreed to a package of reforms including the devaluation of the pound, cuts to energy subsidies and the introduction of a value-added tax. The IMF postponed a review of Egypt's economic reform programme, initially planned for earlier this month, prompting speculation that the fifth tranche of the loan, worth $2 billion, might be delayed. However, central bank Governor Tarek Amer briefed President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday on the "positive results" of the IMF's most recent staff team visit to Egypt, Sisi's office said in a statement. This included "commendation of the government's rigorous adherence to the implementation of targeted reform measures according to predetermined timetables, with delivery of the $2 billion fifth tranche of the IMF loan expected in January 2019," the statement said. Sisi spoke by phone to IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde about the implementation of the reform programme on Dec. 21, the presidency said at the time. Many economists have praised Egypt's economic reforms over the past two years, though austerity measures have caused immediate pain for wide swathes of Egypt's 98 million population. Egypt earlier this year approved a mechanism to link domestic fuel prices to those in the international market as it gradually weans the country away from most energy subsidies, but the government has yet to implement it. (Reporting by Aidan Lewis and Patrick Werr; editing by David Stamp and Susan Fenton) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The agriculture sector, which remained in distress during 2018 as crop prices slumped due to bumper production, will be in the spotlight in the new year as the BJP-ruled central government is set to roll out a big package to assuage the angry farming community ahead of the general elections. New Delhi: The agriculture sector, which remained in distress during 2018 as crop prices slumped due to bumper production, will be in the spotlight in the new year as the BJP-ruled central government is set to roll out a big package to assuage the angry farming community ahead of the general elections. The proposals being considered range from waiving off interest for farmers who repay crop loans on time to lowering the insurance premium and providing income support for meeting input costs, according to sources. During the year, the Centre did take several measures to address the farmers' issues. One of the major decisions was to fulfil its 2014 poll promise of fixing the minimum support price (MSP) at least 1.5 times the production cost, even as critics questioned the method adopted to ascertain costs. The government also announced a Rs 15,000 crore 'PM-AASHA' scheme to ensure that farmers get the MSP as part of its objective of doubling farmers' income by 2022. Various incentives were given to sugar mills to help them clear arrears of sugarcane growers. Agriculture credit target was raised by Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 11 lakh crore for this fiscal. Import duties were raised on many goods like edible oils and pulses while exports incentives were given for items like sugar and onions to protect farmers. Despite these steps, farmers continued to face the challenge of selling their produce at remunerative prices in both domestic and international markets. In fact, farmers' financial crisis deepened during 2018 as an all-time high production of foodgrains at nearly 285 million tonnes and bumper output of oilseed, sugarcane, cotton as well as horticulture crops led to a decline in market prices. The prices of many crops fell below MSP as well as input cost. Reports of farmers dumping their produce on the streets or selling at throwaway prices were common through this year. Some cases of suicides were also reported. Droughts in several parts of states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Rajasthan only aggravated the crisis. Farmers marched to the national capital more than once this year and held massive protests in many parts of the country to share their plight and make various demands, including better crop prices as well as loan waiver. While the BJP-ruled central government ruled out a loan waiver, the opposition Congress did promise the same during the state elections held this year. The Congress achieved success in four states -- Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh --- largely riding on the promise of farm loan waiver. The poll promise was implemented within days of the new governments taking charge in these four states, putting pressure on the Centre to take more pro-farmer initiatives. With general elections due in the next few months, it is certain that the BJP-led NDA and the opposition parties will engage in one-upmanship in wooing farmers and promising dole outs for securing their crucial votes. The Centre is expected to soon announce a relief package for farmers, while the Congress will, in all probability, promise to waive farm loans at the national level, as it had done before the 2009 general polls. However, former agriculture secretary S K Pattanayak, who retired recently, did not agree with the prevailing view of the sector being in large-scale distress. "Distress cannot be there when there is more production. It is a question of some deprivation. Farmers may not have got expected prices," he said. "There may be distress in pockets because of failure of crops and borrowing at a higher rate. These local problems are not new in the sector and it always existed. That should be isolated from the general distress," Pattanayak said. Stating that farm loan waiver is not the long-term solution, he said: "If the government has the capacity to give farm loan waiver, it is good. If it is at the cost of cutting the budget elsewhere, then it is not necessarily the best thing to do." Ashok Dalwai, chairman of a high-level committee on doubling farmers' income, said the government realises that the challenge lies in marketing and has taken several initiatives from the long-term perspective, which will show results in due course of time. He said farmers distress is a "sensitive subject" and the opposition parties are bound to raise it in an election year. "But the government has taken several steps. It has done so much that it has to just reach out to the people," Dalwai said. In short, it looks like politics over agriculture will play out in a big way in 2019 general elections, given that farm sector absorbs half of the country's 1.3 billion population. Politics apart, farmers will definitely need hand-holding from both the central and state governments as foodgrains production is expected to be bumper in 2018-19 crop year (July-June) as well, limiting any chance of improvement in prices. The domestic tyre industry has benefited from strong growth in both original equipment (OE) and replacement segments in the ongoing fiscal, according to ICRA note. Mumbai: The Indian tyre industry may log 7-9 percent growth over the next five year backed by favourable outlook for the domestic automotive industry, rating agency ICRA said in a note on Monday. ICRA, in the note also forecast the industry to see a capital expenditure of around Rs 20,000 crore during this period. Besides, the domestic tyre industry margins, which declined by 120 bps year-on-year in the September quarter, are expected to improve in the second half of the current fiscal due to the falling crude prices and stable prices of the natural rubber, it said. "Tyre demand is estimated to grow by 7-9 percent over the next five years (FY2019-23) supported by favourable outlook for the domestic automotive industry," ICRA said. The rating agency also said said it has a stable outlook on the Indian tyre industry. Amidst continued investments towards capacity additions (partly being debt funded), the liquidity position, capitalisation and coverage indicators of the industry players are expected to remain comfortable largely supported by the stable earnings and healthy cash reserves available with most of the players, ICRA said in the note. According to an industry report, the domestic automobile industry, which is currently the fourth largest in the world, is expected to become the third largest by 2021. The industry (including component manufacturing) is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 5.9 percent and reach $251.4-282.8 billion by 2026, thereby becoming the fastest growing industry in the country, as per the report. The domestic tyre industry has benefited from strong growth in both original equipment (OE) and replacement segments in the ongoing fiscal, according to ICRA note. "While there have been some headwinds like Kerala floods, tightened financing, insurance related regulatory changes impacting two-wheeler (2W) demand, rising fuel and interest costs, among others, the YTD (year-to-date) sales growth across most segments have been robust leading to healthy OE tyre demand growth," it said. Replacement tyre demand, especially in the truck and bus segment, too has recovered sharply in the last one year supported by post-effects of Goods and Service Tax (GST), pick-up in infrastructure activities, and healthy consumption driven demand, it said. Besides, tyre exports have been steadily increasing in the last one year with recovery in tyre demand from overseas markets and rising competitiveness of Indian tyre makers, both in terms of quality and pricing, ICRA stated. The tyre industry in the country has witnessed large capacity additions in the last decade with a cumulative spend of around Rs 27,800 crore, of which about 70 percent was spent in the last six years. Jet Airways is facing cash drought with its financials in perils. Promoter Naresh Goyal is looking to infuse capital in a manner where he does not have to lose control of the airline which he set up 25 years ago. Mumbai: Loss-making carrier Jet Airways is in discussions with the State Bank of India (SBI) for raising Rs 1,500 crore short-term loan to meet its working capital requirement and some payment obligations, a source said. Jet Airways strategic partner and Middle-east carrier Etihad, which holds 24 percent stake in the Indian full service carrier, is likely to provide guarantee for the loan, he said. Significantly, the talks for availing loan are going on at a time when EY is carrying out a forensic audit of Jet Airways on the orders of the airline's largest lender for alleged irregularities. "Jet Airways is in discussions with its largest lender to SBI for raising short-term loans worth Rs 1,500 crore. The airline is looking to mop up these funds to meet its working capital requirement as well as for meeting some payment obligations. Jet Airways is expected to provide Etihad Airways' guarantee for this financing," an airline source told PTI. The Naresh Goyal-controlled airline, which has posted three consecutive quarterly losses of over Rs 1,000 crore each since March, already has as much as Rs 8,052 of debt on its books as on 30 September. Rating agency Icra has already cut the rating on Jet Airways borrowing programmes. When contacted, SBI spokesperson said, "It is the policy of the bank not to comment upon individual accounts and its treatment". While Jet Airways did not respond to queries on this issue, an Etihad Airways in an e-mail response to PTI from Abu Dhabi said, it "does not comment on rumour or speculation". "Jet Airways has been seeking these funds as its earlier proposal of raising $350 million Etihad-guaranteed loan from overseas lenders is still at the negotiations table and expected to take time," the source said who is privy to both the discussions. With its financials in perils and the airline facing cash drought, promoter Goyal is looking to infuse capital in a manner where he does not have to lose control of the Jet Airways, which he set up 25 years ago. At an emergency board meeting late this month, he asked his team to look for alternate routes of funding while resurrecting the airline. His airline has already held preliminary level discussions with the Tata Group for a possible stake sale a couple of months ago. However, reportedly "unhappy" over the deal, he turned back to his Gulf friend once again to rescue the airline. In 2013, Etihad had bailed out Jet Airways by acquiring 24 percent stake in the airline for Rs 2,060 crore, besides extending low-interest loan of $150 million as well as purchasing 50.1 percent stake in its loyalty programme JetPrivilege. While downgrading Jet Airways long-term borrowing ratings from 'B' to 'C' on 10 December, Icra said its action considered delays in the implementation of the proposed liquidity initiatives by the management, further aggravating its liquidity, as reflected in the delays in employee salary payments and lease rental payments to the aircraft lessors. The carrier has a back log of over two months in salary payments to its senior staff, including pilots and engineers. MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's new leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday decreed tax cuts for northern states that he says will help power economic growth and deter migration to the United States. An executive order in the government's official gazette granted lower rates for both value-added and income taxes in more than 40 municipalities bordering the United States, an area that has become a flashpoint over U.S MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's new leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday decreed tax cuts for northern states that he says will help power economic growth and deter migration to the United States. An executive order in the government's official gazette granted lower rates for both value-added and income taxes in more than 40 municipalities bordering the United States, an area that has become a flashpoint over U.S. President Donald Trump's policies to deter immigrants, including building a wall. Lopez Obrador's tax cuts could reduce government tax income during 2019, when he will implement a budget that seeks to use spending cuts to help fund new social welfare and infrastructure projects. At an event in Monterrey in the northern state of Nuevo Leon on Saturday, Lopez Obrador said the minimum wage in the northern strip of municipalities would rise to 177 pesos ($9.00), nearly double the national level, starting Jan. 1, and that fuel prices would be set on a par with U.S. prices. "This is a very important project to boost investment and job creation," Lopez Obrador told business leaders. The decree seeks to give an edge to northern Mexican businesses, which compete with U.S.-based companies across the border. Lopez Obrador has vowed to increase economic development to deter migration to the United States. Trump wants to make Mexico take in Central Americans who are seeking U.S. asylum. The plan will give businesses in the region a tax credits worth 50 percent of VAT dues. Companies that can show they earn more than 90 percent of their revenue in the area are eligible for an income tax credit worth one-third of dues. Last month, Citigroup economists estimated lower tax revenue from the north could cost the government around 120 billion pesos ($6.10 billion) a year. A national chamber of business owners, Coparmex, welcomed the decree in a statement as a "judicious" measure that could spur investment in the region. The center-right National Action Party, the biggest opposition to Lopez Obrador's leftist coalition in Congress, said the decree was a "scam" since it fell short of a campaign promise to cut tax rates for consumers. PAN leader Marko Cortes said in a statement the VAT tax cuts would only benefit "intermediaries," and that it would fail to boost investment since it was a presidential decree that could be removed at any moment. ($1 = 19.6740 Mexican pesos) (Reporting by Michael O'Boyle; editing by Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio announced on Monday that they have extended the terms of an agreement for sale of wireless assets of the Anil Ambani owned firm. New Delhi: Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio announced on Monday that they have extended the terms of an agreement for sale of wireless assets of the Anil Ambani owned firm. The move comes at a time when Reliance Communication's spectrum sale deal has been hanging fire, pending requisite clearance from the telecom department. "Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, extended the term of the definitive agreement for the acquisition of specified assets of Reliance Communications Limited and its affiliates to 28th June 2019," Reliance Industries said in a regulatory filing Monday. The acquisition is subject to receipt of requisite approvals from governmental and regulatory authorities, consents from all lenders, the release of all encumbrances on the said assets and other conditions, it said. In a separate filing, Reliance Communications said the company and Reliance Jio have "extended the validity of the agreements signed on 28th December 2017 for sale of towers, fiber, MCNs and spectrum of RCOM and its affiliates to 28th June 2019". "The transactions are to be consummated subject to various approvals that are presently in progress," RCom added. Reliance Communications has been urging the telecom department to grant it the "long-awaited no-objection certificate" to comply with a Supreme Court order in "letter and spirit". Senior officials of Reliance Communications and Reliance Jio had also met the telecom secretary this month to discuss outstanding issues raised by Department of Telecom (DoT) overpayment related to spectrum sale deal between the two companies. The Anil Ambani-owned company had maintained that it remains committed to discharging any outstanding or disputed amount subject to final adjudication. Reliance Communications had earlier asserted that the requirement of giving bank guarantee as per DoT's demand has been substituted by the orders of telecom tribunal and the Supreme Court, and that its unit Reliance Realty had provided a non-disposal undertaking and corporate guarantee. "Hence, compliance with the trading guidelines is met," RCom had asserted in an earlier statement. However, the DoT has, so far, held to its position that the deal cannot be cleared unless there is clarity on payment of dues and associated charges, particularly as the Mukesh Ambani-led Jio has refused to take any payment liability of his younger sibling's firm RCom to conclude the spectrum trading deal between the two firms. (Disclosure - Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd) Women still have to fight for their rights in land and property in many states in the country despite contributing 55-66 percent to farm production, according to the gender and land rights database of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Seema Prakash Balip, a homemaker and farmer in Gajawadi village in Satara district, has an over two-acre farm on which stands the modest house her husband has built for the family. Until this year, the house, the farm and property around it was in the name of Seema's husband, Prakash. That is largely the case with most houses in around a number of villages in Satara district. However, the tide is turning slowly and women are now stepping up for joint property. However, this is a slow revolution in the making. Women in Gajawadi and other nearby villages have been trained by non-government agencies to fight for their rights in terms of land and property so that they have joint ownership of property with their husband. Balip is a shy lady who has three grown-up children a daughter, a son who works in a factory in Vapi, Gujarat and another daughter studying in Class IX. Though literate -- she has studied till Class IX--Balip is unaware of her age or the ages of her children. I am married for long now. You can guess my age, she said, hazarding it herself to be around 30. When one looked at her surprised at her assumption, she laughed to say, You can add whatever digits beyond 30 years! Balip leads a life not much different from other women here. She is up at the crack of dawn, cooking meals for the school-going daughter and her husband and then goes off to the farm where crops such as jowar, soya bean and wheat are cultivated. The women in the village help each other on their farms. So the farm work becomes easy and this has resulted in a visible bonding between the women. Married for many years, Balip was not aware of her rights as a wife and a home-maker until recently. "Women traditionally have been working long hours in their farms, do household work, rear children and yet have no say in the husband's property. Why even the help in the harvest season gets paid but not the womenfolk in the family," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. It is a telling statement that women who work long hours in their farms for years are unaware of their rights and worse, fight shy of asking for it when informed about it. Consider the statistics. According to the agriculture census for 2015-16, the percentage share of female operational holders has increased from 12.79 percent in 2010-11 to 13.87 percent in 2015-16. In terms of operated area, the share of women increased from 10.36 percent to 11.57 percent. This shows that more and more females are participating in the management and operation of agricultural lands, an official statement from the Agriculture Ministry said. Women constitute 32 percent of Indias agricultural labour force and contribute 55-66 percent to farm production, according to the gender and land rights database of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. Yet, women still have to fight for their rights in land and property in many states in the country. "We are working towards changing that --with regard to home and property--and also other ills that beset society that make women vulnerable when their husbands are addicted to alcohol, drugs and often resort to violence," said a gram sevika. Home for two In 2003, when the late Vilasrao Deshmukh was the chief minister of Maharashtra, the rural development department had brought out a government regulation, Ghar Doghanche which translates to Home for Two. It meant that both husband and wife should jointly own the home. Three years ago, one of the NGOs, Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal (DMVM) in Satara district, first initiated the movement Ghar Doghanche Home for Two, a Maharashtra state government resolution of the rural development department into a reality and followed it with another government scheme Lakshmi Mukti Yojana for land rights for women. The Satara urban municipality passed a resolution asking the government to add womens name to property. An incentive in the form of a one percent tax exemption is provided to those who do it. DMVM, started in 1990 by advocate Varsha Deshpande, who is executive president, Maharashtra Rajya Mahila Lok Aayog, works primarily on issues concerning women. DMVM has sought the help of womenabandoned or thrown out of marital homes and return to their parents' homes to make self-help groups (SHGs) at the village level. These SHGs have been proactive to usher in this changeof getting women to demand and get a share in their husband's property. Deshpande's NGO, located at Shahu Nagar in Satara, began creating awareness through a series of public meetings on issues relating to violence and equal opportunity. At first, the women resisted. Like Kusum Gole (name changed) who felt she was being disloyal to her husband of over 40 years by even wanting to put her name along with her husband's on their family property. Why should I ask my husband after all these years of marriage about the house not being in my name, too? It did not seem right, she said. Slowly, she was convinced by these monthly meetings and interaction with other women. Gole is now a joint owner in the house and property that was earlier only in her husbands name. Some women were not aware of their rights. Some like Balip have been to school though they havent completed their matriculation. We did not know women have rights. No one told us, they said. A series of advocacy meetings were organised with the district administration pitching in as there is a need to create awareness about gender equality and it cannot be done by NGOs alone. As of now, five women have found their names on the homes that was solely in their husbands name and another 41 women will soon find themselves, joint owners of the propert in Golivadi village. Their papers have been processed, said Deshpande. Soon 88 women will become joint property owners. We were able to get 500 households to share land ownership with women so far," said Deshpande. Once women are convinced and their names are added to the property, they are used as agents to convince other women in the village. Men in the village have to be convinced too. They have not been aware of these rights that women have. Some are surprised when asked why they were reluctant to add their wives names to property. "My wife will anyway get the property after I die," said one villager. But most women don't. Often, either their in-laws or their sons throw them out of their homes when the women become widows. Poverty is an acute issue in these villages and women being thrown out of their marital homes is a common feature. To help women and young girls (child marriage is common and is followed largely to avoid paying hefty dowry), some who are married and then abandoned by their husbands, NGOs run skill development courses like nursing, beauty parlour, tailoring, computer and other such professional courses to help them become independent. The abandoned women are largely not welcome in their parental homes, too. These free courses run by NGOs give these women the self-confidence and the ability to work and earn for themselves and take care of their children. Some like Manju Sakpal (name changed) who left her alcoholic husband who not only did not work but frittered away the little she earned by working in other peoples fields and was abusive toodecided to come to her maternal home with her one-year-old baby girl. The parents, mired in poverty as they are, were not too happy about her decision. But she is now a trained nurse working in a private hospital and is earning a decent salary which enables her to take care for herself and the baby. Sakpal is also to give some money to her parents. "That is why we insist that a woman should find her name on the house and property along with her husband so that she is not thrown out of her marital home", says Deshpande. Until a woman owns land, she will remain invisible. Getting the house in her name, too, provides her the security and equal status at home and in society. In the long run, if you want to stop domestic violence, this is the way out. Give the woman her rightful share, said Deshpande, whose NGO works to provide more women in as many as 24 villages in Satara district their name on the house and property that their husbands own. (The article is part of OneWorld-Dream Media Fellowships on Life Skills-2018) The 19-year-old recently found out that he was HIV positive during a routine medical examination part of a visa application process. He immediately informed authorities about recently having donated blood, which was then traced to the Sattur hospital where a 24-year-old pregnant woman from Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district was transfused the blood. The 19-year-old man who had unknowingly donated HIV-infected blood that was later transfused into a pregnant woman in Tamil Nadu's Sattur died on Sunday morning at Rajaji Government Hospital in Madurai. The donor had attempted suicide by consuming rat poison on Wednesday, The News Minute reported. He was first taken to Ramanathapuram Government Hospital after his suicide attempt, but was later transferred to a hospital in Madurai for treatment after his condition deteriorated, The News Minute quoted a police officer as saying. The 19-year-old recently found out that he was HIV positive during a routine medical examination part of a visa application process. He immediately informed authorities about recently having donated blood, which was then traced to the Sattur hospital where a 24-year-old pregnant woman from Tamil Nadu's Virudhunagar district was transfused the blood. Unable to handle the guilt, the 19-year-old drank rat poison on Wednesday to commit suicide. The woman was informed about the blunder and called back to the hospital, where she is undergoing anti-retroviral therapy in a bid to keep the concentration of the virus low in the blood and prevent the onset of AIDS. The hospital is bearing all the expenses for her treatment due to its negligence. The donated blood was meant for a relative of the 19-year-old, but was stored in the hospital's blood bank after it was not used and incorrectly marked 'safe' by lab technicians. An employee of the blood bank attached to the government hospital in Sattur was dismissed, and two others were suspended. On 3 December, doctors had advised the woman pregnant with her second child to have a blood transfusion as she was anaemic due to haemoglobin deficiency. It came to light four days later that she was been given HIV-positive blood incorrectly marked safe for transfusions. The Dean of Rajaji hospital Dr Shanmuga Sundaram told The NewsMinute that the 19-year-old died of complications from his suicide attempt. "He died at 8.10 am due to bleeding, a known complication of this kind of poison ingestion," he said. "His family has yet to claim the body. He was treated in our hospital from 27 December." Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was brought to Mandoli jail after he surrendered before the Karkardooma court on Monday. New Delhi: Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was brought to Mandoli jail after he surrendered before the Karkardooma court on Monday. Sources said he will be lodged in jail number 14. He was brought by the police to the jail following a medical examination at a Delhi government hospital. They added his medical examination by a jail doctor is currently underway. He was brought to the prison in a separate prison bus with two escorting vehicles, following the court's directions. Kumar, 73, surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg who directed that he be lodged in Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi. The Delhi High Court had set a deadline of 31 December for him to surrender and on 21 December declined his plea to extend the time by a month. The High Court on 17 December convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony of southwest Delhi on 1-2 November, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The riots happened after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 31 October, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, convicted in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, surrendered before the Karkardooma court on Monday. The 73-year-old was awarded a life sentence by the Delhi High Court and a fine of Rs 5 lakh on 17 December. He will be lodged in the Tihar Jail in Delhi. Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, convicted in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, surrendered before the Karkardooma court on Monday. The 73-year-old was awarded a life sentence by the Delhi High Court and a fine of Rs 5 lakh on 17 December. He will be lodged in the Tihar Jail in Delhi. Two other convicted in the case Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar surrendered before the court earlier on Monday. They were sentenced to 10 years in prison. This case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, in the aftermath of the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on 31 October, 1984, pertains to the murder of five members of a Sikh family in the Delhi Cantonment area. HS Phoolka, one of the petitioners in 1984 anti-Sikh riot case, has appealed to the victims of the riots to not go to the court on Monday. "It is apprehended that Sajjan Kumar might try to create disturbances around the court tomorrow to use as an excuse not to surrender and ask for an extension. I request 1984 Sikh genocide victims not to go to the court tomorrow. He has not got any relief from the Supreme Court. So he has to surrender," Phoolka said in a statement. He pointed out that if Kumar does not surrender, "the police will have to take him into custody and send him to Tihar Jail". "This is a very big victory for the entire nation as a mass murderer is going to be punished after years," he added. The case against Kumar pertains to the murder of five members of a Sikh family in the Delhi Cantonment area during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the aftermath of the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on 31 October, 1984. The court, which had asked the former MP to surrender before 31 December, made stinging observations over the investigations and said there "appeared to be ongoing large-scale efforts to suppress cases against him". With inputs from agencies Daughter of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sunday's win has consolidated Sheikh Hasina's decade-long rule in the country where she is credited with boosting economic and promoting development Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is all set to return to power for a third consecutive term after her Awami League party and its allies won a landslide yet controversial victory in the elections, securing 288 in the 300-seat parliament. Sunday's win has consolidated Hasina's decade-long rule in the country where she is credited with boosting economic and promoting development. With a 160-million strong population and an emerging economy, Hasina's win is also likely to impact India, Bangladesh's western neighbour that had helped it win Independence from Pakistan in 1971. It is to note that the country which has a burgeoning garments industry, world's second biggest after China, today has both India and China as its top investors. Not surprising then that hours after the election results, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Hasina and assured India's continued support. Reiterated India's continued commitment to work together for the development of Bangladesh and further strengthening of our bilateral relations. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 31, 2018 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also took to Twitter to congratulate Hasina. Heartiest congratulations to Sheikh Hasina Ji on the victory in the Bangladesh General Election Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 31, 2018 A win for India too? India has had a good run during Hasina's rule over the past 10 years, be it tackling insurgency in the North East or boosting connectivity to the region. In August 2018, Union minister Jitendra Singh had said that a 45-kilometre rail link between Agartala in Tripura and Akhaura in Chittagong would be built. Both nations have signed several such pacts in the past to send goods and persons across Bangladesh. In fact, Chittagong port is open to Indian vessels too. According to a Nekkei Asian Review, Bangladesh's economy has averaged above 6 percent annual growth for nearly a decade. India's relationship with Bangladesh is also linked to its relationship with China. It also does not want Bangladesh to become part of China's 'String of Pearls' strategy to 'hem' in India by using its neighbours, an NDTV report had stated. India is invested in a 'prosperous stable' Bangladesh. If the neighbouring country does well for itself, it will also cut illegal migration to India's bordering states that had affected the demographics in the past, the report said. Earlier this year, Hasina had said how India should not worry about the growing Bangladesh-China relations. "We need investments. We need money for the development of Bangladesh," she said. She also added that India should maintain friendly relations with its neighbours, without really naming China. Controlling terror groups India's relationship with the former regime of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat alliance was hardly friendly with several attacks on Hindus and anti-India activities there. With Hasina at the helm, however, India has gained considerably when it came to tackling ethnic militancy, especially in the North East. Soon after she came to power, the prime minister had ordered flushing out of northeastern terrorists operating from Bangladesh and Islamic State-backed militants. She was also instrumental in handing over ULFA terrorist Anup Chetia to India and crack down on groups such as Jamaat-ul Mujahideen from the country. Taking these into account, Hasina's win would be especially telling since it would mean that India may have a little less worry when it comes to containing terror groups operating from Bangladesh and focus on threats otherwise imposed by Pakistan and China otherwise. Hasina was gifted with victory in the 2014 election when the BNP boycotted the vote claiming it was not free and fair. The 71-year-old prime minister has, however, also been accused of human rights abuses, crackdown on the media and disappearance of dissenters. Hours after the election results, which the opposition has slammed as "farcical", Meenakshi Ganguly, director of Human Rights Watch, took to Twitter with allegations of "voter intimidation, restrictions of opposition polling agents and several candidates seeking a re-poll". Elder son of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was among the two people killed in the Bulandshahr violence, Shrey Singh on Sunday questioned a BJP MLA's claim that his father had shot himself. New Delhi: Elder son of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was among the two people killed in the Bulandshahr violence, Shrey Singh on Sunday questioned a BJP MLA's claim that his father had shot himself. Singh and civilian Sumit Kumar were killed on 3 December in the mob violence that broke out in Bulandshahr's Siyana area after cattle carcasses were found strewn outside a village. BJP MLA from Bulandshahr Devender Singh had reportedly said on Saturday that the inspector was not targeted, instead he "shot himself" out of hopelessness and in haste. "I do not want to respond to anyone except those challenging the post mortem report and saying my father shot himself. The autopsy report says he was shot from a distance of seven to eight metres. How can someone who shot himself do it?" Shrey, a college student, asked. The slain inspector's son, along with some residents of Bulandshahr's Naya Bans village who were wrongly named in the FIR for cow slaughter, were at an event of National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO). An umbrella body of various human rights organisations, the NCHRO demanded that the Supreme Court should monitor the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the Bulandshahr violence. Shrey said the entire episode appeared to be a conspiracy and questioned how a mob of 400 people could suddenly gather somewhere. Asked if he thought there was any political pressure on police in this case, he reposed his faith in the investigators and said he hoped to get justice. The police force is "like a family", he added. The man who allegedly shot dead Singh, Prashant Nat, was arrested on Thursday. Senior officials had said that Nat, who was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a court on Friday, had admitted to shooting the inspector. The arrest of Prashant Nat is good progress. But there are still several missing links in this case which need to be connected, Shrey said. "I am waiting for the final police report," he said. An FIR against 27 named accused and 50-60 unidentified people was registered at the Siyana police station over the violence. One of the main suspects named in the FIR is local Bajrang Dal leader Yogesh Raj, who is still at large. Responding to a question, Shrey said, "If Yogesh Raj, who has claimed innocence in videos, is clean, he should surrender before the police and join the probe. The fact that he is absconding testifies to his involvement." "What is really sad is that those who have done all this, they also belong to our society. Today they have killed my father, tomorrow them may kill someone else. A clear message should reach them, not particularly them, but all such people that nobody should take the law in their hands," he said. Describing his father as someone who accorded utmost priority to his work, Shrey recalled that every year on his birthday it was he who visited his father wherever he was posted and not the other way round. "We could be in the middle of cutting my birthday cake and he would leave everything and rush to the spot first if informed about any incident. He would cheer us up after returning," he said. India-US relations have been on a high right since the Nuclear Deal and were taken to the level of a developing strategic partnership by the Modi-Obama combine. From putting China ties on even keel to getting crucial US waivers, Modi govt managed geopolitics with flair in 2018 India-US relations have been on a high right since the Nuclear Deal and were taken to the level of a developing strategic partnership by the Modi-Obama combine. Also, going by the extreme concerns over how low the India-China relations reached over Doklam in 2017, the energy shown in retrieving the relationship without embarrassment was a major achievement. BSP seeks withdrawal of cases filed during Bharat Bandh, threatens to withdraw support to Congress in MP, Rajasthan While asking the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments to withdraw cases filed during the Bharat Bandh held earlier this year over the alleged "dilution" of SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, BSP said that if the Congress fails to do so then it would reconsider its decision to give outside support to the Congress in both states. Cop killings in UP: Yogi Adityanath's macho posturing does little to address crisis of confidence in law and order machinery Law and order machinery in UP has always been subservient to political power and pelf, but its descent into chaos now seems complete. Adityanath has his work cut out in the New Year. Questions remain over his intent though. 1984 Anti-Sikh riots: Sajjan Kumar taken to Delhi's Mandoli jail; former Congress leader had surrendered in Karkadooma Court Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was brought to Mandoli jail after he surrendered before the Karkardooma court on Monday. Sheikh Hasina wins 3rd term as PM in Bangladesh: Pro-democracy icon turned iron lady, Awami League leader oversaw 10 years of economic growth To her supporters, Sheikh Hasina is Bangladesh's "mother of humanity" for giving Rohingya refugees shelter, but to her detractors she's a creeping autocrat who has jailed opponents and muzzled dissent. Going by the extreme concerns over how low the India-China relations reached over Doklam in 2017, the energy shown in retrieving the relationship without embarrassment was a major achievement. After the fairly intense years of 2016 and 2017 when Kashmir's internal security and the Doklam standoff, respectively, marked concerns of the Indian security establishment, 2018 by contrast was a year in which India treaded the path of geopolitics, external and internal security with reasonable flair. To appreciate this a couple of areas need examination; among the more significant are the handling of the big powers (US, Russia and China), relations with Pakistan and the neighbours, the Act-East policy, internal security issues, including Jammu and Kashmir and the level of readiness to meet threats at the borders. India-US relations have been on a high right since the Nuclear Deal and were taken to the level of a developing strategic partnership by the Modi-Obama combine. The coming of President Donald Trump cast apprehensions on how he would look at India but 2018 showed greater traction in US appreciation of Indias role. The postponed 2+2 dialogue between the Foreign and Defence Ministers of the two countries upgraded the level of bilateral engagement. Regular forums and summits continued through the year but two issues outlined the US prioritisation of India. First the acceptance of the S-400 deal between India and Russia without applying the Countering America's Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and then the US not going the full way on the sanctions over Iran as India expressed its difficulties in acquiring energy and the strategic importance of the Chabahar port for its Afghanistan policy. Going by the extreme concerns over how low the India-China relations reached over Doklam in 2017, the energy shown in retrieving the relationship without embarrassment was a major achievement. There may be nothing permanent about the retrieval but the Wuhan summit and follow up diplomacy involving Sochi with Russia and the Qingdao summit of the SCO, meant much in the path of removing some of the trust deficit. However, with the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) under the scanner by various countries in India's neighborhood this is a factor which will promote antipathy in 2019, as India works further on diluting growing Chinese influence. Maldives was a success for India and Sri Lanka remains on hold. An opportunity lost by India is related to the Rohingya issue where a little more pro-activeness may have helped in wielding influence in Myanmar and Bangladesh. Caution relating to the sensitivity probably forced Indias reluctance. However, abdicating such responsibility and leaving strategic space to China remains a debatable issue. The Himalayan border was free of any major military standoff with China for the first time since 2011, although walk in operations continued by both sides. The presence of all ten ASEAN leaders on Republic Day, the visits of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Jordans King Abdulla in close proximity of each other and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visits to Palestine, Jordan, UAE and Oman helped straddle relationships proving that multilateralism did not apply to big powers alone but to middle and smaller powers too. With Russia in particular, the relationship was revived after hiccups from the Russian side. In fact the high mark of diplomacy and geopolitics in 2018 was Indias ability to navigate through contradictions and emerge with respect and interests intact. Yet 2019 is unlikely to be any simpler especially since the indicators are already evident with the US pullout from Syria and likely troop reduction in Afghanistan. It would be premature to read too much into the Afghanistan situation as commitment to troop reduction is yet unconfirmed. It is with Pakistan that not much was expected and neither delivered. An active LoC in the first half gave way to a more effective ceasefire, although with no letup in infiltration attempts. Pakistans active interference in Jammu and Kashmir continued even as it went to the polls and elected Imran Khan as Prime Minister. Imran Khan remains under tutelage of the Pakistan Army which continued pursuing a policy of attempting to keep India under pressure while proposing peace talks. Although the Kartarpur Corridor was accepted in principle by India the connected events threw up enough contradictions. Pakistans attempts to expand the proxy war against India through revival of Punjab terrorism is something India will need to contend with in 2019 as the actual launch date of the Corridor approaches. Re-opening of talks with Pakistan under these circumstances is nearly impossible and this will be independent of the composition of the new Indian government in the general elections in 2019. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed major military success but the situation in quantum terms remained almost static with equal amount of recruitment negating the gains. Alienation continued but the polls for the local bodies were conducted successfully albeit with reduced turnout in the Valley. With the state under Presidents Rule better governance should be expected in 2019 contingent upon when the state finally goes to the polls. A strategy to address alienation and radicalisation of youth, and to counter the virulent social media propaganda needs to be evolved but remains elusive in the absence of coordinated action between the Centre, State, different components and agencies. Indias military capability remains suspect in the light of some basic facts. The Indian Air Force is in crying need for induction of new aerial platforms to even partially rectify the fall to a status of a 30 squadron force as against the minimum need for 42. The signing of the deal for the S-400 air defence system from Russia will considerably enhance air defence capability but the actual induction will take time. The Navy is weakening in the face of the reduced number of submarines and that too vintage ones whose availability is mostly suspect. With threats from the PLA Navy in the Indian Ocean and much dependence of the US on the management of the Indo element of the Indo Pacific the Indian Navys capability needs considerable enhancement. The Indian Army hamstrung by collusive dual threats remains in an equipment dilemma with the acquisition process falling far behind in expectation. Even the family of small arms required for its personnel is now archaic. The ammunition situation is improving but as artillery optimization is done its doubtful whether commensurate ammunition induction will keep pace. The overall equipment and force structure appears wanting and in the wake of a 1.47 percent defence budget it is unlikely that optimization to the desired status will be possible in the next few years unless there are substantial budget increases 2019 and beyond is going to be a continuing challenge in the management of defence equipment and force structuring made especially in the face of an ever worsening civil military relationship. It is good to round up with positives in the field of military diplomacy, riding on joint military training with foreign armed forces, in which the achievements have been of a high order. The end of the year has seen Exercise Hand in Hand with the PLA at Chengdu and with the Maldivian Army. This was topped by the IAFs high profile Exercise Cope India with the US Air Force and the Indian Navys flagship Exercise Malabar were but some of the events. Many more added their weight to the growing footprint of Indian military cooperation on which rides political diplomacy to a great extent. The 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 on Sunday and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into it. New Delhi: The 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 on Sunday and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into it. Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and civilian Sumit Kumar of Chingrawathi village were killed on 3 December 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, 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 in New Delhi, 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 3 December 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 3 December 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 3 December. As the new year arrives, new challenges are in store for the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, including the conduct of the general elections. In Jammu and Kashmir, the beginning of the year 2018 had a rather disturbing surprise. A 16-year-old Kashmiri jihadist was killed in a 36 hour-long standoff with security forces at a paramilitary training centre in south Kashmir. The incident painted a grim picture of the coming year, as Kashmiri jihadists arent known for their fighting capabilities. As 2018 comes to a close, the security establishment is confident and buoyed by its successes this year. The security establishment has based its success entirely on the number of jihadists killed this year at least 266, the highest in the last seven years and the killing of prominent jihadists that the police believes were recruiters. Their killing, according to the police, has brought recruitment down to single digits. According to the figures compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal, the number of jihadists killed till 23 December, 2018 stands at 265; comparable to the figure of 270 killed in the year 2010. The graph of killings has steadily risen since 2012, when 84 jihadists were killed. However, the story behind the numbers is a grim one. The success of the numbers masks over a worrying trend of an exponential rise in the number of Kashmiri jihadists. In the last three years, according to official data, the number of foreign jihadists killed in the state has sharply declined and most of the casualties have been inflicted in the hinterland. According to the SATP figures, the total number of jihadists killed from 2016 to 2018 (till 23 December) was 165, 218, and 265. According to official data, 108 killed in 2016 were foreign jihadists, while 124 foreigners were killed in 2017. This year, about 110 of the 265 killed were foreigners. According to official data, at least 70 jihadists were killed in the hinterland of Jammu and Kashmir in 2016, 140 were killed in 2017, and more than 210 this year. According to police officials, a majority of these were local Kashmiris, and at least 90 were killed in the volatile districts of southern Kashmir. The "success" story According to official data, 12 jihadists were recruited in January, 10 each were recruited in February and March, 16 were recruited in April. The following month, recruitment reached its peak of 30. Thereafter it has seen a considerable decline, with recruitment nearly cut by half in June and at least 4 being recruited in the month of November. The decline in jihadist recruitment, police officials point out, was owing to the killing of several prominent and long surviving militants, some since 2011, in several gunfights across the Valley. Senior officials say that these jihadists had turned into poster boys for jihadists' recruitment and the consistent operations had discouraged new recruits. Prominent jihadists slain this year include Saddam Padder, one of the fourteen jihadists who appeared in an iconic photograph with Burhan Wani in 2014. Others include Pakistani jihadist, Naveed Jutt. Local jihadists include Umar Ganai, Sameer Bhat and Manan Wani, to name a few. This year started with many names. Very few poster boys are left now, a senior officer said. Correspondingly, the casualties inflicted upon security forces by jihadists have been the lowest in three years. According to official data, 85 security force personnel were killed in the Kashmir Valley in 2016 48 army soldiers, 19 paramilitary soldiers, and 28 police personnel. In 2017, 42 army soldiers, 18 paramilitary soldiers and 32 policemen were killed. In 2018, about 30 army soldiers, 7 paramilitary personnel and 38 policemen were killed. In all three years, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has suffered the most casualties and, unlike the other two forces, seen a rise in casualties. Besides the conventional strategy of killing jihadists in gunfights, the police has also turned its focus on the dismantling of jihadist infrastructure. According to statements issued by the police, several jihadist modules and networks were busted this year. The extent of their success on this count is, however, difficult to gauge. Higher numbers, little achieved Even as the security forces have been able to kill a higher number of jihadists and have claimed to have curbed recruitment, they continue to struggle in controlling the law and order situation on the ground. Two civilians were killed after being run down by security force vehicles during handling of two separate incidents of stone-pelting in Srinagar city. In April, civilians resisting counter-insurgency operations were, for the first time, successful in rescuing jihadists surrounded by security forces in south Kashmirs Kulgam district. Months after the incident, senior police officials expressed their confidence in tackling crowds at sites of gunfights and claimed a decrease in the size of such mobs. Seemingly, they were caught by surprise during a gunfight in south Kashmirs Pulwama district. Seven civilians were killed as a result of their lack of preparedness. The incident once again brings to the fore the fault lines among Indias various security agencies operating in Kashmir, raising questions over the repeated claims of senior security officials of a synergy between the forces. The synergy remains as fragile as ever. Police officials posted with the operations wing say the armys lack of trust in the local police resulted in several problems during operations. Coordination between police and other security forces needs to be seriously reviewed, said one police officer. Despite the high number of jihadists killed this year, the success of the massive counter-insurgency exercise is in question as police officials estimate that about 240-260 jihadists were still active in Kashmir at the end of the year. In recent months, the states longest surviving militant, Amin Bhat alias Jehangir Saroori, is said to have been trying to revive militancy in the Jammu division's Chenab Valley region. In this connection, a few suspected jihadists were arrested in Kishtwar district. New year, new problems The current wave of jihad in Kashmir, often described as new militancy, is largely restricted to social media overflowing with pictures of militants, rather than actual damage to security forces. However, "selfie jihad" has had some success in garnering sympathy from the civilian masses and further strengthening and mobilising to action the prevalent anti-India sentiments. This is evident from the security establishments deliberate use of misinformation in the region, particularly about the identities of militants killed in gunfights. A strategy of security officials is to spread rumours that militants have escaped from the site of a gunfight, when in reality they have been killed. Such moves, officials said, are aimed at preventing localised unrest situations, and ensuring that civilian sympathisers do not mobilise stone-pelting mobs. Jihadists continue to hold a position of prominence, but the widening rifts between them has sowed seeds of confusion. The Hizbul Mujahideen, which once declared that its aim was the establishment of an Islamic caliphate the world over, starting with Kashmir had subsequently toned down its stand. Now, it is increasingly taking a hardline stance once again, perhaps gauging the popular wave. Already, the Kashmir-based Hizb chiefs sanction to the brutal killings, recorded on camera, of civilians believed to be informers for security forces has renewed fears in Kashmir. Meanwhile, the killing of a significant number of recruits of the Ansar Ghazwatul Hind, a Hizb breakaway faction that claims to have allied with the Al-Qaeda, has lent them some sympathy. On 22 December, six Ansar recruits, including the outfit's deputy commander, were killed in a gunfight in Tral. The group is said to have been left with a few recruits, but a sympathy wave could usher in more recruits. The group is also confused with the self-styled Islamic State and Islamic State-inspired modules in the Kashmir Valley. Both groups have taken a stand opposing the pro-Pakistan stand of the United Jihad Council the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir-based conglomerate of various jihadist outfits operating in the state. As the new year arrives, new challenges are in store for the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir: the conduct of the general elections and perhaps also the state Assembly elections. The state security establishment may express its confidence in handling the situation come what may. However, its claims must be taken with a pinch of salt. After all, none of them anticipated the unrest during parliamentary bypolls in April 2017 and before that, the fallout of the killing of Burhan Wani that led to the event that is now remembered as 2016 unrest another in a long line of indicators of change in Kashmirs situation. Navy divers on Monday successfully entered the inundated rat hole coal mine at East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, where 15 miners have been trapped since 13 December. A 15-member diving team of the navy from Vishakhapatnam had arrived at Meghalaya on Saturday to help with the rescue operations. Navy divers on Monday successfully entered the inundated rat hole coal mine at East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya, where 15 miners have been trapped since 13 December. A 15-member diving team of the navy from Vishakhapatnam had arrived at Meghalaya on Saturday to help with the rescue operations. The 15 miners have been trapped in a 370-feet deep illegal mine in Lumthari village here since 13 December, when water from the nearby Lytein river flooded the quarry. JS Gill, retired engineer-in-chief of Coal India Limited, said it would take five days to pump out water once the process is 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," he said. SK Singh, Assistant Commandant of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said: "An NDRF team is working in coordination with the Odisha Fire Services personnel who arrived with 10 high-pressure pumps. A 20-member team of the Odisha Fire Services is also assisting the local authorities and NDRF in the rescue operations... They are carrying all equipment and pumps with them to take out the water from the inundated mine." The navy diving team arrived on Saturday equipped with specialised equipment, including high-pressure pumps, a re-compression chamber and remotely-operated vehicles capable of searching underwater. However, the multi-agency rescue operation launched on Sunday to rescue the miners did not yield results as the rescue divers from the navy and NDRF could not reach the bottom of the pit, officials said. "Six divers from the Indian Navy and NDRF went down the shaft of the mine and reached a depth of about 80 feet from the surface of the water. They spent over two hours searching for traces of the miners in the shaft," East Jaintia Hills district Superintendent of Police (SP) Sylvester Nongtynger said. According to navy officials, the depth of water from the surface till the bottom of the pit was expected to be over 150 feet. Another assistant commandant of the NDRF, Santosh Kumar, who is heading two teams of his force in the search-and-rescue operation, had said they had managed to place an inflated boat in the flooded water to serve as a platform for the divers to keep their equipment. The had SP said the divers will use hi-tech equipment, including a remotely operated vehicle, to search for the miners on Monday. He added that the horizontal holes, where the miners were stuck, were suspected to be at the bottom of the shaft. The officer said pumps were expected to be pressed into service on Monday, in an attempt to lower the level of the water in the mine. The Indian Air Force has also provided two aircraft to the Meghalaya government to airlift specialist personnel of the NDRF from Odisha to help in the rescue operations. The Defence Ministry has promised all help to the state government. On Friday, the NDRF denied media reports that claimed that the divers had "indicated" the 15 trapped miners may already be dead. On Wednesday, reports had claimed that NDRF personnel had experienced a "foul odour" emanating from the mine pit after they lowered into the 320-feet tunnel that leads to the horizontal "rat hole" tunnels through which miners excavate the coal. Some reports concluded that the foul smell was a sign of decomposing bodies. Kumar had said a section of the media has misquoted the rescuers, denying that the NDRF "indicated that trapped miners could be dead", as reported. "When water gets confined in a tunnel for days, a foul odour is normal. You cannot say this smell is from the decomposed dead bodies," Singh clarified. Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma has stated that the rescue operation has become extremely difficult as the water level has been continuously rising. On Saturday, one of the survivors said there was "no way" the trapped miners could be rescued alive. Sahib Ali, hailing from Assam's Chirang district, is one of the five men who narrowly escaped the flooding coal mine. Ali said, "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 a loud sound of water gushing in. I barely made it to the opening of the pit. There is no way the trapped men will be alive. How long can a person hold his breath underwater?"With inputs from agencies The first week of 2018 began with a gunfight between Kashmiri militants and security forces, and the last week also witnessed killings in the same pattern. Both gunfights and deaths were followed by clashes between security forces and protesters. Editor's Note: As another turbulent year comes to an end in Jammu and Kashmir, Firstpost will run a series of reports on how the state changed in 2018 and how these changes will translate on the ground. This series will focus on new-age militancy and the changing political landscape in the Valley, as well as the ever-increasing gap between the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir. *** As curtains are drawn over 2018 and Tuesday marks the beginning of a new year, the cliched talk of peace, prosperity and happiness has begun the world over again. But today, Jammu and Kashmir is as gloomy as it was on the eve of 2018, and the year before that, and the year before that. The Valley has witnessed 30 years of death and destruction, but 2018 has been the bloodiest year in a decade. There is no hope in Kashmir, where coffin makers have been the only ones with steady business throughout the year. The first week of 2018 began with a gunfight between Kashmiri militants and security forces, and the last week also witnessed killings in the same pattern. Both gunfights and deaths were followed by clashes between security forces and protesters. Kashmir's young are dying and, tragically enough, death has become a wish. There is no light at the end of this dark tunnel. With relentless killings across the Valley, the only places that show signs of expansion are its graveyards, which are turning into new Sufi shrines for people seeking blessing of the "martyrs". It was the year of the dead, of funerals, of chest-beating and hair-pulling, of unanswered prayers and dashed hopes. Every year, I try to convince myself to flee this cursed place and move to a safer world, but Kashmir is the text and subtext of our of lives. You can live in Singapore, Tokyo, New York or Manila; you can take Kashmiris out of Kashmir, but you can't take Kashmir out of their hearts. I maintain an Excel sheet of the list of casualties in the Valley from the last two years and update it nearly every day, barring the casualties reported from the Line of Control with Pakistan and International Border in Jammu, which, too, have witnessed bloodshed this year. The sheet has the number of militants killed in a day, the date, place and time, as well as the number of civilians, policemen, CRPF soldiers and Indian Army jawans killed in insurgency-related incidents. Over the weekend, I opened and reopened this document several times, staring at every column and trying to figure out whether I had missed anything. Maybe I did. I have lost myself in the numbers because I can't keep pace. My legs are tired and my hands refuse to write. I struggle as the toll rises. I am a broken man. In the hinterlands of the Valley, 257 militants, 91 security forces and around 102 civilians died this year. I am sure I missed something because human rights groups claim a much higher toll. For the outer world, these are just numbers. But when I look at them, I see a mother in pitch dark raising her hand for her son, thinking he is alive. It doesn't matter whether she is mother of a policemen, an army soldier, a militant, or a civilian. I also see a father, who was hoping his son would become his walking stick in old age and shoulder his coffin. Instead, fathers and grandfathers are now burying their dead in graveyards. There are fathers who hoped their sons would light the pyre or throw their ashes into the Ganga, but that can't happen now. In Kashmir, conflict makes you apathetic to the sufferings, to the killings, to the destruction, to the families being ravaged, and to the life-long collection of poetry destroyed in a 30-minute gunfight. This year, over a hundred houses were razed to the ground in gunbattles. But life has not stopped. The camaraderie is remarkable. Young boys collect money to perform the last rites of family members. Sometimes women lay their scarves on roads to collect money for people who lose their houses in an encounter. In any other society, people would petition government offices to seek help. But in Kashmir, few approach the administration; they hardly bother because they know the outcome. "I will build the house again, but my home is gone," Madhosh Balhami, a poet who lost 29 years of work, told me early this year after his house was destroyed in a gunfight between security forces and militants. My wish for the new year is that I don't want to report on these gory scenes in 2019. I wish no mother loses her son in Kashmir. I wish no son, who takes up an army job to support his family, loses his life. I wish militants are brought back from the woods and integrated into society with respect and dignity. I wish no journalist is killed because of his desire for peace in Kashmir. I wish no civilian is killed while trying to save militants during encounters. I wish teenagers don't play with toy guns, and instead, make books their friends. I know none of my wishes will be fulfilled, but hey, life is full of optimism. Take this quiz to test your knowledge of events in 2018: In Jammu, the BJP had assured to end the perceived hegemony of Muslim-dominated Kashmir, scrapping of Article 370, and deportation of Rohingyas settled in Jammu and seen as a security threat by locals. With all these promises remaining just on papers, Hindus in Jammu have now lost faith in the party. Jammu: After Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJPs) debacle in the recently-held assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has started urging Hindus in Jammu and Buddhists in Ladakh region not to opt for the NOTA. RSS prant sanghchalak of Jammu and Kashmir, Brig (retd) Suchait Singh confirmed the Hindu organisations strategy to this correspondent. "While the RSS does not have any political motives, it is only asking the people to avoid NOTA during the Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state, said Singh. With the state assembly dissolved and Jammu and Kashmir under Presidents rule, assembly elections could be held along with the general elections. RSS has jumped in to save BJPs sinking ship in Jammu and Ladakh, where the party has come under a lot of criticism from the locals. Unfulfilled promises BJPs popularity in Hindu-dominated Jammu and Buddhist Ladakh dipped substantially after it failed to make good on its 2014 Lok Sabha poll promises in both regions. Ladakh BJP MP Thupstan Chhewang recently resigned over the unfulfilled promise of making Ladakh a Union Territory (UT), and of including Bhoti language in the eighth schedule. Before the 2014 general elections, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, too, had promised that the arid desert region would be made a UT once the BJP came to power. It had won all of its 25 state assembly seats from Jammu region, coming to power in alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Suchait Singh said Buddhists in Ladakh have a favourable opinion of RSS and take part in shakhas as well. Also, two RSS-run schools are in Ladakh educating many," he said, adding that Chhewang, unfortunately, was upset with the BJP, but efforts were on to bring him back. In Jammu, the BJP had assured to end the perceived hegemony of Muslim-dominated Kashmir, scrapping of Article 370, and deportation of Rohingyas settled in Jammu and seen as a security threat by locals. With all these promises remaining just on papers, Hindus in Jammu have now lost faith in the party. In the recently-held urban local body (ULB) poll, the BJP was wiped out from Ladakh region, where it failed to win even a single seat in the municipal committee of Leh and Kargil, the only two districts of Ladakh. Its declining graph in Jammu is evident from the fact that the party was not able to perform well in ULB polls in many areas where it had won during the 2014 assembly elections in the Kishtwar Municipal Committee, it was left red-faced winning only one out of the total 13 seats; in the municipal committees of Doda, Bhaderwah and Samba, the party won three seats each of the total 17, 13 and 13, respectively, and in the Ramban Municipal Committee, it bagged two of the seven; in Reasi Municipal Committee, it won six of the 13 seats, while in Kathua Municipal Council, it got eight out of the 21, as confirmed in this official notification. Dousing the fire The 25 December visit of RSS National General Secretary Suresh Joshi, popularly known as Bhaiyyaji Joshi, to Jammu, where he met delegations from the two regions, is being seen as damage control to placate Jammu and Ladakh locals ahead of the polls. BJPs Jammu and Kashmir top leaders also met Joshi to devise an election strategy. It's learnt that the RSS leader was upset with the BJP state unit for not being able to handle the situation, leading to its debacle in the ULB polls and Chhewangs resignation. The RSS also doesnt want to let one of its core issues of Ram Mandir to slip out of its hands, and has been propagating it in Jammu ahead of the polls. During his three-day visit, Joshi spoke about the temple and asked the Hindus not to lose hope of its construction. If Hindus remain united, there is no power in the world that can divide or destroy them. Ram Mandir must be built at Ayodhya, as the matter is linked to the faith of more than 80 crore Hindus, he said during a religious event in Samba district. During his visit, it was also decided to woo the Gujjars and Bakarwals who have, since decades, helped security forces by providing information regarding movement of terrorists (the nomadic community moves to mountains in Kashmir and back to plains in Jammu during its seasonal migration through treacherous landscapes). 'BJP has lost its vote base in Jammu' Political commentator Professor Hari Om said BJPs vote bank has depleted severely over time. People of Jammu had voted the saffron party to power over the promise of scrapping of Article 370, Article 35-A, deportation of Rohingyas, providing Hindus with minority rights in Jammu and Kashmir (as the state has a Muslim majority) and re-organisation of the state with Ladakh as a UT. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfils these promises even now, the party can get a boost at the national level, said the professor. He added that the winning margins of BJP candidates in the ULB polls were not even a patch on their assembly election ones, indicating that the party has lost a lot of its vote base in Jammu. BJP had publicised its win in 100 wards in Kashmir valley in the ULB polls to give the impression that it was able to win over the locals. The fact, however, is that the saffron partys candidates had won unopposed reportedly due to a boycott call given by the main players PDP and National Conference (NC). RSS had already sensed trouble for the BJP, as sah-sarkaryavah Manmohan Vaidya had visited Jammu in March and taken up issues related to the region with BJP ministers. The issues included the infamous Kathua rape, discrimination against Jammu by Kashmir-centric political parties and illegal Rohingya settlers. Opposition mounts attack Meanwhile, sensing BJPs weakening position in Jammu, opponents have started taking potshots at the party. NC Provincial President Devender Singh Rana termed the BJP a major source of Jammus woes, saying its leaders superimposed their personal welfare over peoples aspirations. BJP has lost credibility as well as moral authority to seek votes again by pretending to be Jammus messiah, as it failed to fulfill its promises in its three-and-a-half years nightmarish rule. During this period, development suffered and Jammu pride sustained severe bruises, with BJP leaders remaining glued to power. The BJP had ended its alliance with the PDP in June, after which the state came under the Governors rule. Late on November 21, the state assembly was dissolved, paving the way for assembly polls. The author is a Ludhiana-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com The multi-crore Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project envisioned as a key component of the Act East Policy has missed the deadline for the third consecutive time in Mizoram The multi-crore Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project envisioned as a key component of the Act East Policy has missed the deadline for the third consecutive time in Mizoram. The deadline for the completion of the 87-kilometre highway connecting Lawngtlai in south Mizoram with Zorinpui on the India-Myanmar border was 30 December which has been missed. "About 75 percent of the project has been completed so far. The highway will be completed next year and the deadline will be finalised very soon," said N Sakhai, Deputy Commissioner, Lawngtlai. Work on the Kaladan project began after the governments of India and Myanmar entered into a framework agreement in 2008. The project aims to provide an alternate outlet to the landlocked North East which is heavily dependent on the narrow 'Chickens Neck' at Siliguri. An official working for a firm engaged in the construction of the highway attributed the slow progress to multiple factors. He identified the long rainy season as the primary cause which has hindered completion of work in time. "We can work only for five months between November and March. And there have been occasions when work had come to a grinding halt during the dry season as well," he said. The remoteness of the region in Mizoram where the project is being implemented also causes delays in the supply of fuel and spare parts, further delaying the project. It takes weeks to assemble the labour force every year which is dispersed with the onset of the rains. About 2,700 employees including officials have been engaged in the project. In the past, there have also been periods when the execution of the scheme have been retarded due to the scarcity of raw materials like stones and cement. The firms have been compelled to form groups to search for boulders in the region which are crushed into stones with equipment installed at specific places. The erratic situation has led to an increase in the outlay of the budget from Rs 507 crore to Rs 1,011 crore. The possibility of another revision of the budget cannot be ruled out given the current delay and the existing circumstances. Other hurdles in the project Sakhai informed that only 164 landlords in Lawngtlai who were demanding compensation for the highway that supposedly passed over their lands have been paid by the government so far. But there are more landlords in the district who are awaiting compensation. The controversy is over a plot of 40 acres near a border outpost of the Assam Rifles at Zochachhuah. In the last 5-6 years, the number of landlords who began to demand money from the government began to swell and the delay has resulted in blockades on numerous occasions. A report specifying the number of landlords to be compensated has been submitted to the government. Now it is for the government to decide on the amount to be paid to them, he said, adding that the landlords have decided to launch an agitation on 20 January. Work for widening the National Highway 54 from Lawngtlai to the states border with Assam, which covers a distance of 515 kilometres via Aizawl and Kolasib, is yet to be started. Currently, it is a two-lane highway which may not be able to handle a large volume of traffic if trade picks up with and through the neighbouring country. The government plans to widen the highway till Silchar in Assam which is also the starting point of the East-West Corridor. A new survey would have to be conducted, land acquired and tenders floated before the project is started. Slow progress in Myanmar In Myanmar, the construction and dredging of the Sittwe Port on the mouth of the Kaladan river in Rakhine State and the river terminal at Paletwa have been completed so far. Last April, the construction of the 109-kilometre road between Zorinpui and Paletwa was also started by a New Delhi-based firm after years of delay. The Myanmar government was hesitant to begin work since the highway would pass through some areas where a rebel group called Arakan Army has a presence. Last year, hundreds of refugees streamed into Mizoram following clashes between the Myanmar Army and the Arakan Army. Media reports in the neighbouring country suggest that the conflict has increased since last month in the northern areas of Rakhine State with the Myanmar Army launching a fresh offensive. Two months ago, both the countries signed a MoU which agreed to facilitate the movement of project personnel, construction material and equipment to expedite work on the highway. The MoU also laid down that a port operator would be appointed which would enable the Sittwe Port and the infrastructure at Paletwa to be used commercially for the development of the surrounding areas. The writer is a senior journalist in Guwahati and author of Rendezvous With Rebels: Journey to Meet Indias Most Wanted Men and Lens and the Guerrilla: Insurgency in Indias Northeast Vinod Dua was accused of sexual harassment by Nishtha Jain in a Facebook post on October 17, 2018 in what has come to be recognised as the second wave of the #MeToo movement in India Following a probe into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by filmmaker Nishtha Jain against senior journalist Vinod Dua, the external committee set up by The Wire submitted a report stating that it was unable to proceed further in the investigation as "it does not have the unconditional consent of both sides, which alone can be the source of its authority to proceed further in the matter," The Wire reported. Taking the obstacles into consideration, the committee stated, "the process which has already taken longer than it should have continues to be fraught with objections from the parties at each stage, with the end nowhere in sight." In what has come to be recognised as the second wave of the #MeToo movement in India, Jain took to Facebook on 17 October, 2018 and accused Dua in a post of sexually harassing her in 1989. Dua has anchored The Wire's show, Jan Gan Man ki Baat and had been a pro bono consulting editor since 2016. However, as neither Jain nor Dua were employees of the news organisation when the alleged incident took place, The Wire set up an external committee as opposed to a probe by the Internal Complaints Committee in order to address Jain's accusation and Dua's denial. After three meetings, several email exchanges and a review of their progress thus far, The Wire reported that the committee had concluded that it could not probe further into the case. The report stated that even as both the parties had given written statements, Dua had said, "he would neither cross-examine Jain nor agree to be cross-examined by her." Furthermore, Dua had agreed to appear before the committee members and answer their questions provided the complainant or her representative was not present. Jain for her part also "expressed her misgivings and raised questions relating to the manner in which the External Committee had been constituted and the fact that the Committee would itself be framing its own Terms of Reference and procedures." The external committee comprising Justice (Retired) Aftab Alam, a former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice (Retired) Anjana Prakash, a former judge of the Patna high court, former foreign secretary Sujatha Singh, Prof Patricia Uberoi and Prof Neera Chandhoke handed the report to The Wire on 30 December and noted that it, "would like to put on record its frustration over a potentially useful exercise being aborted midway. Had it been able to complete its work, it would have set a precedent for the future." This is the story of Neetu Shukla, a young and ambitious working woman, a favoured bread-winner of the family, who eventually paid the price for being a young, ambitious working woman, with her life. This report is part of #MeToo Bundelkhand is an exclusive two-part series on the continued silence around horrendous crimes against women in rural Bundelkhand, and the normalisation of this silence. We take a deep dive into a suicide-murder that rocked Uttar Pradesh's hinterland. While there are gaps in this narrative, what emerges is that systemic violence and discrimination against women, especially in rural areas, runs deep, and goes beyond just the sexual. It is the news report of the moment. At its heart, it is the story of a young and ambitious working woman, a family's favoured bread-winner, who eventually paid the price for being a young, ambitious working woman, with her life. We follow up on a crime story that refuses closure, a story which lies buried under the hullabaloo of sansani news reports and revelations of long-term sexual assault, in this era of fast-paced news. September On the evening of 4 September, Neetu Shukla, a constable at Kamasin thana in Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, was found hanging a dupatta wound tightly around her neck from the ceiling of her assigned one-room bedsit in the police quarters. Neetu had just turned 22. Under the directions of Station Officer Pratima Singh one of three women (including Neetu) posted at Kamasin thana the body was sent for a post mortem examination, even as the police machinery at Kamasin was recovering from the shock of their colleagues suicide. Nobody from Neetus immediate family had arrived until then. We were not informed, says Rahul, Neetus brother, Isnt the family supposed to be notified at once, you tell me? Once Neetus family arrived on the scene initially just Rahul, who took the overnight train from Lucknow they started protesting vehemently and began demanding answers. They accused Neetus colleagues of having planned a cold-blooded murder, and more. The official quote given to the media was that a promising young police officer Neetu Shukla had, due to reasons unknown, committed suicide. October The Neetu Shukla case (or kaand, as is the preferred term in Hindi language media) was a forest-fire news item all through September, and a good part of October. Various sound-bytes played on loop: Some said it was the doing of a jilted lover; a drugging that went very wrong; a heated argument over a due promotion that escalated; a blue film that went viral. What is the point of our daughters studying hard, clearing IPS exams, and earning, when this is the fate that awaits them? hollered many a male reporter across our timelines, having cottoned on to the perfect angle for their report, not requiring any suspects, or even facts. Meanwhile, what seemed to be underway was a classic cover-up. Our initial investigations revealed that the death by hanging scenario was not exactly a watertight argument. When one did the math low-ceilinged room, Neetus above-average height (noted in the post mortem report as 165 cm), the placement of the charpai, and length of the dupatta it simply did not add up. One of the Persons of Interest in the case, Pratima Singh, is the station officer at Kamasin. Mostly referred to as woh mahila S.O., she is infamous for her ill-treatment of young female police recruits though nobody has ever said that on record. Neetus mother, who spoke with us over the phone from Lucknow, confirms Singhs reputation, Neetu would call me in tears from time to time, complaining about her that she would be rude, taunt her, mock her, make nasty comments about her friendships with members of the opposite sex, etc. Ab saath mein uthna-baithna toh hota hai na, thane mein? (You will mingle with everyone in a police station, wont you?) Will everything that a girl does be questioned and interpreted in a wrong way? One of Neetus uncles, Rajendra Prasad Mishra, shares with us the line of reasoning the cops used with the family. According to Mishra, they appealed to the classic, intangible value placed on izzat: They asked us not to pursue the case anymore, and warned us that if we do, Neetu ki badnaami hogi, parivaar ki badnaami hogi, police ki badnaami hogi (Neetu would be defamed, the family and the police force would be defamed). In the days after the incident, Singh herself went underground. We were told shed been transferred soon after the Neetu episode came to light, but details of her new posting are unclear. According to Anil Shukla, Neetus father, Singh had been present during the post mortem. Shukla, an ex-Sub-Inspector (Dewariya district), told us that despite Singh having been transferred, he had spotted her at the Kamasin thana, two weeks after the episode. What business did she have there? he asks, as if his question answered the many that were hanging over our interview. According to Shukla, the Banda Superintendent of Police, S Anand, had requested his signature on the post mortem sanction after it had been conducted, promising him then, that justice would be done. Anand has since refused to meet with the press on the case. If it is the criminals who are handling the investigation, what will come of it, you tell me? asks Rahul, point blank. We dont want the post mortem to be done here, because records can be fudged easily, adds Dinesh Kumar Shukla, another of Neetus uncles, We are not comfortable with this investigation happening anywhere in Banda. Perhaps, we need to seek a higher intervention. This translates into a CBI jaanch, a mantra that Ram Kumar* Rahuls close friend and the first person from victims side to have reached the scene of the crime seems stuck on. November On 15 November, when a shanti havan was organised at the Kamasin police station, one could see higher intervention being sought there too. It was an unprecedented event, causing a stir. Maybe Neetus ghost haunts them all, who knows, commented one compulsive Banda WhatsApp-er. The havan itself turned into a social gathering of sorts, with laddoos being distributed towards the end, as is the norm. Meanwhile, in our interviews with all the people involved with the case, Kumar, a self-proclaimed eye-witness, was the most informative. A resident of Narayanpur, a village barely 10 km away from Kamasin, Kumar describes the incident as a crime of passion and blackmail. Kumar had bumped into Neetu and her aides a couple of times at the thana, which he would often visit with his uncle, the local kotedaar. The chai dhaba outside the thana was a regular spot for Kumar, its owner having already described Neetu to us as a hansmukh ladki (jovial girl). Neetu, whom Kumar refers to as hamaari sister, was in a relationship with fellow constable Harendra Pal. According to Kumar, Pal had decided to end the relationship after having "filmed Neetu in a compromising position". She would never do it willingly, says Kumar, furhter alleging: She was drugged and the film was made when she was knocked out. Neetus mother corroborates parts of this version, She had called me one day, howling she was furious. She kept on saying that she couldnt remember the last 24 hours, and that she was sure something inappropriate had happened with her something had been done to her. She was very incoherent. I assumed it was just Singh bothering her again; I really didnt make that much of it. But it did make me upset. I wondered why my well-earning daughter, adored by all of us, was being tortured like this. This phone call was made on 1 September. Two days later, Neetu was found dead. Pal, according to the official records, still holds his Kamasin posting, and for all practical purposes, has disappeared. We did manage to corner Singh at the end of a long trail of changed phone numbers, missed calls and unacknowledged WhatsApp messages. I am the victim here, let me tell you," Singh said. "Who bore the brunt of this entire fiasco in the end, you tell me that? Who got the line hazir summons? Who had to leave? Certainly not the men who caused this entire kaand in the first place. It was me, I had to pay the price. She refuses to say more though, not even about the victim at whose post mortem she was allegedly present, What about her? I tried to toughen her up. Its my job. December In the bone-chilling pre-dawn hours of Banda, we had set out for Kamasin once again, a 62 km drive from Banda, covered in two-odd hours. We were outside Neetus quarters once again. The room was now sealed, and the single window was boarded off with a flimsy piece of cardboard. Once inside, it is easy to imagine the life of a woman police worker one among the only three women in the thana, including Neha Shukla, Neetus colleague, and Singh who left this room every morning to work with 22 men, and so many more, outside. Jo phaansi lagata hai, kaaran toh wohi jaanta hai. Aur kaun jaanta hai? (Who hangs themselves alone knows the reason behind their decision. Who else can venture to guess?) remarks Yogesh Maurya, the DTP operator at the station, who seems to be in a good mood. She shouldve shared with us, whatever her problems were, instead of taking such a big step, following which he immediately adds, Kisi se kuch zyaada matlab nahi rakhti thi woh (She used to mind her own business). You know how it is. Everyones busy with their own responsibilities; everyones always exhausted with work. She used to be on the computer all day, supervisor Lakshmi Narayan tells us, as we try and piece together Neetus usual day at the thana. Narayan informs us how he observes everyone who works there, Theyre all kids here, and they act impulsively. According to Narayan, the case is sub judice, but we inform him that the three-month mandatory investigation period is now over, and for Neetus family, the case seems all but closed, after which he says, I would say she was unwell of late. Even Neha told us that Neetu was not feeling well, when she didnt attend an important meeting at the police station. This meeting, a monthly stock-taking session, was called on 29 August, we learn from Narayans records the same day that Neetu couldnt recollect. We look up the leaves register and observe that Neetu isn't marked for a sick leave noteworthy for a government employee. Narayan, who didnt really see much that fateful day (It was so crowded) tells us that it is his belief the station officers did everything in their power to save Neetu, Jo bhi ban sakta tha unse. But wasnt she already dead, we ask? Oh, she was, wasnt she? he replies, whether with a riddle or rhetoric, were not sure. He does wonder if we saw the fan though, Pankhe se hui thi na maut, aapne dekha? he adds, the ball of paan masala making his words almost incomprehensible. Spitting out the paan masala, he smiles at us and tries to sketch out Neetus personality for us. Describing her, a working woman in Banda, he says, She was friendly, a little different from how girls generally are, you know. We tried to find Neha the only other person besides her immediate family, Neetu is said to have confided in but she is on a long leave of absence from her workplace, were told. Pal, Neetus alleged lover and co-worker, is still on the record as a constable at Kamasin, and is still missing. Also read part two: Three stories of women at work in the hinterland show dark lining below social, economic change As reported to Pooja Pande by Kavita & Meera Devi of Khabar Lahariya, a women-only network of rural reporters from Bundelkhand. *Name changed on request. Translated works are making it to the shortlists of awards like the DSC Prize and the JCB Award. Authors who write in regional languages are now writing with the awareness that their books will reach a global audience George Steiner, the polymath critic, who is as revered as he is controversial, has said "Every language is a world. Without translation, we would inhabit parishes bordering on silence." Steiners After Babel (1975) is widely considered a convincing endorsement of the multiplicity of human language. After all, many think it is a curse, perhaps even counter-evolutionary that so many different types of languages continue to exist. In the Indian publishing scene, 2018 was a definitive year for translations in more ways than one. Unlike the year before, the most talked about and acclaimed books of 2018 have been read in two languages, not one. Notably, neither of the two were Hindi in most cases. The recognition has not only been local, but beyond national borders as well. There has therefore been a change of scene; the story, rather than the setting and the language, it seems has taken over. Despite this success, the support that translations seem to have enjoyed of late, the process and its after-effects remain a bit of a mystery. Its heartening to reach new readers through translations. Awards can help publishers reach more readers. I think we should not be using the word "vernacular" any more, since it has a colonial chauvinism attached to it (Even the Oxford dictionary says it's a language spoken by ordinary people!). It's the new reader who will be enriched by translations, and not the other way round, Jayanth Kaikini, Kannada author of the DSC Prize-shortlisted No Presents Please: Mumbai Stories (Harper) says. Kaikini clearly agrees with Goethes belief that no monoglot truly knows his own language. But would the knowledge of a bigger, international audience in-waiting influence the way the author writes? In the earlier period of my writing I was not concerned about translations. So I used colloquial dialects frequently. Many of them are untranslatable or uncommunicative to other language readers. But in the later period when I have known that there is a chance that my work might be translated, it does unconsciously reflect in my writing. You could say the target shifted. Before it was for a regional reader, but now I cannot forget an international reader, Benyamin, author of the JCB Award-winning Jasmine Days (Juggernaut) says. Reach could therefore influence the way these stories, seeped in a culture of their own, are written. Does the translator then play a role in this process? There are a considerable number of people in the Latin-speaking world who are of the opinion that the translations of Gabriel Garcia Marquezs works were far better, far richer than his original. But is that one of the tasks a translator must undertake, or should they remain true to the original script? I think it's a hoary old problem be faithful to the text or betray it in favour of readability. I'm not sure much is to be gained by asking whether a translation is doing one or the other. I translate something only when I can feel personally invested in it. I share with Jayanth Kaikini a passion for Bombay and a strange insider-outsider relationship with it. His characters and narratives spoke strongly to my own sense of what Bombay was like. The translation is spurred by this connection, Tejaswini Niranjana, translator of Kaikinis stories, says. Srinath Perur, translator of Vivek Shanbhags pathbreaking Ghachar Ghochar (2017), said in an interview that he translated the book keeping in mind how English is used as an Indian language. Are there then dos and donts that every translator follows? There are no dos and don'ts of translation, because so much is context-specific and also within a history of translations from a particular language into another. For decades, people have translated Kannada writings into English (and into other Indian languages, which is not so controversial), but there hasn't been a wide commercially-successful market until now. The reasons could include the following: There's a growing demand for Indian writings from a readership familiar with world literature in English, and the demand is both domestic and international; translators are also more familiar with the literary universe into which the work is being translated, Niranjana says. From the writer's perspective, there must be anxiety, as well as doubts about the way their work will be handled, read and re-written in a second language. Considering that this second language is English, the scope widens, and with it, perhaps the paranoia of your creation being compromised. Anxiety on part of the writer cannot yield any result. The writer must give the translator some freedom. He must acknowledge that word-to-word translation is not possible and that transformation of an idea is the best way to communicate with other societies. That may well be relaxing for the author too, Benyamin says. Jayanth largely concurs and believes the author and the translator work towards a common goal, and neither perhaps looks for control. We had a couple of meetings. Once, initially about which stories to pick and then after translation, about the mutual doubts we had. That is about it. I don't control my stories; when I write, its the story which drives me. So if at all it's the story that will drive the translator. Not the other way, around or me, he says. Of course, translations arent an assured way of widening scope of the writing or taking authors to new readers. For one, there arent enough good translations and translators to begin with. But with new possibilities, and publishing houses hedging their bets on translations, things could change. Only when there is more and more translation can better and better translations surface. It's like creative writing in English in India, to take an obvious example. There has to be an ecosystem of publishing in a particular language the more extensive this ecosystem is, the better the chances are that a good translator will emerge, and good editors of translation will also emerge, Niranjana says. AK Antony said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals and accused the BJP of 'manufacturing' lies in the AgustaWestland case. Former defence minister and senior Congress leader AK Antony on Monday said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals and accused the BJP of "manufacturing" lies. Antony's comments come after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) declared that the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case, Christian Michel, had named "Mrs Gandhi" while being interrogated. "The government and BJP are misusing agencies to manufacture lies. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in defence deals," Antony told reporters. He added, "The moment the report from Italy said there was corruption in this case, I ordered a CBI inquiry, not this government. Then our (UPA) government took an unusual decision to fight this case in Italy against AgustaWestland. Ultimately, we won the case." "Whenever media reported about corruption in a deal, we initiated an inquiry. We took the decision to blacklist five to six powerful companies, including American, Russian, Singaporean companies. That was our track record, but what is the track record of the present government?" ANI quoted Antony as saying. While the Opposition party on Saturday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government were AgustaWestland's protectors and promoters, the saffron party accused it of defending Michel, and asked why it was scared of a probe into the case. Another Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday also slammed the Centre and the ED. Chidambaram took to Twitter and also criticised the media saying and "If the government, ED, and media have their way, in this country, cases will be tried on TV channels." The former finance minister further compared the case to a trial held in a "kangaroo court". He said, "Even kangaroo courts hold trials in a courtroom. Our new 'improved' system will surpass kangaroo courts and deliver justice on TV channels." Chidambaram added, "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." On Saturday, Michel, who is being interrogated in the VVIP chopper deal case also reportedly spoke about "the son of the Italian lady" and how he is going to become the "next prime minister of the country". However, the ED had not made the context of the statements clear. Delhi's Patiala House court had sent the alleged middleman to seven-day ED remand, ANI reported. Additionally, the court ordered Michels lawyers to maintain a distance while meeting him. With inputs from agencies On 12 December, the BSP extended its support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to help the party form the government in both states. Lucknow: The Bahujan Samaj Party on Monday threatened to withdraw support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. While asking the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan governments to withdraw cases filed during the Bharat Bandh held earlier this year over the alleged "dilution" of SCs/STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, BSP said that if the Congress fails to do so then it would reconsider its decision to give outside support to the Congress in both states. A statement released by the party reads, "We demand that cases filed by the then BJP government in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan during the 'Bharat Bandh' held on 2 April 2018 for SC/ST Act, 1989 and reservation in promotion of government workers to be withdrawn. If these demands are not met, we'll reconsider our decision to give outside support to Congress." On 12 December, the Mayawati-led party extended its support to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to help the party form the government in both states. In the 230-member strong Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh, BJP that ruled the state for 15 years, trailed marginally at 109, while the Samajwadi Party (SP) won 1 seat and Mayawati's BSP bagged two seats. On the other hand, Independents won four seats all over the state. Meanwhile, in the 199-seat Assembly of Rajasthan, the Congress bagged 99 seats to dethrone the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP, which won 73 seats. The CPM won two seats, BSP six, Independents 13 and others six. Mehbooba Mufti said in Pulwama that if harassment of families of militants is not stopped, it will have 'consequences leading to further alienation in the Valley.' A day after home minister Rajnath Singh said that the Centre is ready to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti toured parts of the volatile south Kashmir region on Sunday to offer her "sympathies" to a militant's family. She used the visit to say that if harassment of families of militants is not stopped, it will have "consequences leading to further alienation in the Valley." She urged Governor Satya Pal Malik to prevent such incidents in future, and said that the region wont be allowed to become a battleground. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief had visited Patipora in Pulwama to visit a woman named Rubina, whose brother is a militant. She alleged that Rubina, along with her husband and brother, were "beaten mercilessly" in police custody. 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 But this so-called solidarity visit soon came under sharp scrutiny, with people questioning its timing and political motives. Shabir Mir, a banker from Pulwama, said, "Such instances of harassment are nothing new in Pulwama and other parts of south Kashmir. With elections in mind, Mufti has now restarted her politics of empathy to make inroads in south Kashmir. However, she is only dreaming of fooling us again. Interestingly, Mufti had begun her political journey by frequently visiting militants' families in the mid-1990s. Many in south Kashmir still remember that period as a harrowing one because of the crushing military backlash on militants and their families. Abdul Ghani, a teacher from Mufti's hometown Bijbehara said, It was during this time that Mufti made her family relevant in this region by visiting families of militants. Earlier, her late father had become a pariah after having presided over multiple massacres in Kashmir as the Union home minister in VP Singh's government in the early nineties. In the long run, it did work for them and south Kashmir became a PDP stronghold. But 2016 changed the situation for Mufti and the PDP. The PDP-BJP coalition government came down heavily on protesters who were out on the streets to mourn the killing of the popular militant commander Burhan Wani. At the time, Mufti even took a dig at dissidents in the presence of home minister Rajnath Singh in Srinagar, claiming, I saved them (protesters) from the STF's knife. She didnt stop there and asked whether those killed by the forces had gone to buy toffees or milk near military installations. These remarks antagonised her party supporters in south Kashmir. Since then, the situation in south Kashmir has been worsening, and reputations of mainstream politicians have been adversely affected. Athera Zia, who hails from Kashmir and teaches in the University of Northern Colorado, said, "Mehbooba Mufti is at it again. Travelling to sympathise with Kashmiris terrorised by the Indian military, shedding tears, and vowing to support people. She is on the campaign trail already. She is a cog in the wheel of Indian electoral politics which manufactures the facade of democracy. Once in power, she shamelessly asks if those killed had gone to get candy. It should be people's moral duty to drive Mufti and her entourage out if she dares to visit such sites again." There is clearly public anger against Mufti, for having aligned with the BJP and having been at the helm when a killing spree took place in south Kashmir. PDP leaders have sought to justify their party chiefs decision to make the visit to Pulwama, and termed it a humanitarian visit rather than a political one. A senior PDP leader said on the condition of anonymity, I know there is presently a wave against the PDP in Kashmir. However, our party chiefs visit to Pulwama had nothing to do with politics. A militants sister was taken to a police station, stripped and beaten mercilessly. What is everyone expecting us to do over such an atrocity stay silent? But then, many argue that atrocities are nothing new in south Kashmir. The fact that the "solidarity visit" came at a time when the PDP is facing an internal revolt makes it controversial. Many see it as an attempt to reach out to disgruntled party workers. Gowher Shah, a Srinagar-based college lecturer, said, At the end of the day, Mufti is only doing her job to stay relevant in Kashmir's politics, even if that means conveniently brushing aside her conduct as chief minister. The National Conference and Congress have been doing this for decades. Now, Mufti is only following suit by playing politics over peoples miseries." 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. Chandigarh: 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 the party indulged in large scale violence and rigging in Panchayat elections on Monday. 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 Punjab panchayat polls. 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. Vijay Rupani said people of Gujarat have recognised Rahul Gandhi's 'hatred' for the state and have continuously rejected the Congress, and will keep doing so Ahmedabad: In a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi for his critical remarks on the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani dubbed the Congress president as a "shameless liar" who was desperate to see the state fail. Rupani said people of Gujarat have recognised Rahul's "hatred" for the state and have continuously rejected the Congress, and will keep doing so. Rahul had on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that "cynical" sponsors of the investor summit no longer wanted to be associated with an event presided over by him. "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," he had said. The Congress chief had quoted a media report to target the summit, conceptualised in 2003 by Prime Minister Modi when he was the chief minister of the state to promote investment in Gujarat. The report claimed that the United Kingdom, after refusing to be a partner country for the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, said it had decided to withdraw from the "showpiece 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. Reacting to Gandhi's tweet, Rupani Sunday night claimed that the investor meet was seeing even more participation this time. "Such a shameless liar you are Rahul Gandhi. This time Vibrant Gujarat is seeing even more participation. Here are the facts:," he said in a tweet along with a link to a media report. The report had recently quoted the chief minister saying that unlike the previous edition where 10 nations were partner countries, this time in 2019 the summit will have 16 partner countries. "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," Rupani said in an another tweet. Gujarat will host the ninth edition of the annual industry summit 'Vibrant Gujarat' from January 18 to 20, 2019, in Gandhinagar. The summit focuses on establishing Gujarat as a preferred investment destination in India. Over the years, the summit has evolved into a platform for brainstorming on agendas of global socio-economic development, in addition to becoming a platform for forging strategic public-private partnerships. tech2 News Staff Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, is being accused of giving out data to the Chinese government, but the founder Tim Sweeny has denied the allegations saying that Epic does not "share it (data), sell it, or broker access to it for advertising." The news was broken on Reddit by a user who alleged the company of being a spyware. "Epic Games Store is literal spyware. They're not even trying to hide it," the user said. The post has been upvoted about 30,000 times. He went on to describe their terms of service and explaining how it provides the right to monitor a player and send the data to their parent company. Epic Games' parent company is Tencent. The user said that Tencent has been known for working hand in hand with the Chinese government, and drew a conclusion that Epic was owned by the Chinese government. Sweeny responded saying that he is "the founder and controlling shareholder of Epic and would never allow this to happen." Looking at part of the TOS, that the Reddit user was referring to, in his post, the news that the company gave data to the Chinese government is just an assumption. There is no fact in evidence to prove that. Nothing has been revealed that holds Epic guilty yet. Only recently, Epic Games reportedly posted a profit of $3 billion. The details were apparently revealed to TechCrunch by an unnamed source. Epic Games has not yet responded to the report. As noted by TechCrunch, Epic Games is a private company and does not disclose earnings. 2018 has been an eventful year, and here's our comprehensive list of year ender stories. Reuters Amazon Inc is planning to expand its Whole Foods Market portfolio by adding more stores to put more customers within its two-hour delivery service range, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing sources. Whole Foods employees have visited regions of Western North America for potential retail spaces in parts of Idaho, southern Utah and Wyoming where it currently has no stores, the Journal reported citing a source. The worlds largest online retailer plans to expand its two-hour delivery service, Prime Now, to nearly all of its roughly 475 Whole Foods stores in the United States, the Journal said, citing another source. The plans are a part in the series of Amazons grocery, delivery and pickup expansions to cities across the United States in recent months. Prime Now services include a two-hour delivery option to subscribers in more than 60 cities, and online grocery pickup from Whole Foods stores in as little as 30 minutes from nearly 30 cities, WSJ said. Amazon was not immediately available for comment outside regular business hours. tech2 News Staff Looks like surveillance is going to be the big theme going forward in 2019. It's not even been many days since the MHA notification which gives 10 government agencies the rights to snoop on you, provided they get the right permissions from a competent authority, there is already another request being made by the Central Bureau of Investigations. According to a report in The Indian Express, CBI has asked social media platforms to start using PhotoDNA for investigating regular criminal cases. In a notice issued by CBI under Section 91 of the CrPC, it states that social media platforms must run PhotoDNA on images of suspects who are being investigated. "The said information is required very urgently for the purpose of the investigation," said the notification. What this essentially means is that social media platforms have to run the PhotoDNA surveillance search on all the user images there on its servers, as opposed to doing this for the photo of the suspects in question. What is essentially a tool meant to be used for containing child exploitation is being employed for general investigations. The only issue is that this request is in violation of international norms which mandate that this technology can only be used to identify child exploitation images. Microsoft has given the software for free to law enforcement agencies, via the forensic tool developers, around the world to ensure child exploitation or child pornography is eliminated using this tech. It is not meant to be used for any other purpose, as it will then legitimise mass surveillance and impose restrictions on free and open internet. Asking social media platforms to run PhotoDNA on their servers is also in violation of the right to privacy which has been upheld by the Supreme Court. If PhotoDNA is run on its servers by social media platforms, it places everyone under surveillance irrespective of whether one is a suspect or not. PhotoDNA: All you need to know PhotoDNA is a free-to-use Microsoft-owned product which assists with photo authentication. It is not the same as a facial recognition software. Images that you may come across on the web, for instance, they may have been either uploaded from the source or reused or altered and shared. PhotoDNA helps in creating a unique signature for a photograph using certain parameters, which makes it easily identifiable. In essence, it first converts a photo into black and white, resizes it and then divides the photo into various grids. It creates a hash or a unique signature of the photo, from the histogram data (gradient information) which is unique to that photo. This DNA of the photo will remain the same even if the photo has been edited. When you run this PhotoDNA through an image database, any image which matches with DNA can be identified quickly. A PhotoDNA hash cannot be used to recreate an image however. The idea behind PhotoDNA is to be able to pick out images related to child exploitation which may have been shared across the internet. With one photo or video, PhotoDNA can extract the unique signature of that image and then reference it against the image database where the photo or video may have been shared or replicated online. Copies of the image can be identified and law enforcement can ensure that illegal content child pornography is taken down by the websites hosting them. Doing this manually or by any other photo matching technique can take quite a while, but PhotoDNA claims that its technology significantly reduces that time frame. "Microsoft donated PhotoDNA to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC is the United States clearinghouse and comprehensive reporting centre for all issues related to the prevention of, and recovery from, child victimisation, including abduction, abuse and exploitation," according to the PhotoDNA page. Press Trust of India 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 of 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. 2018 has been an eventful year and here's our comprehensive list of year ender stories. tech2 News Staff For a few months now, Google has been known to be working on a spam protection feature for Android users on the Messages app. Now, according to a report by Android Police, Google has started rolling out the feature to some users and will make it available to all in a few days. Considering its a server-end rollout, when your phone receives the spam protection feature, you will notice a new notifications pop-up on your phone alerting you of the feature. You can also manually activate the feature by heading to Settings > Advanced Settings > Spam Protection > Enable Spam protection. Essentially, the feature will automatically alert you of spam messages that come into your Messages app. Notably, though, A formerly discovered section of Googles support help site that went live prematurely, explained how the new spam protection feature will function from a privacy perspective. It said that when the feature is enabled, some information about messages that are received on the device will automatically be sent to Google. However, the content of the message will not be read; such as the phone number or the message body. When you enable the feature too, you will see the same alert below the Enable Spam Protection toggle. How this feature works at the back-end is still unknown. Presumingly, it looks at that data statistically to determine commonalities between spam messages. Notably, if you send a spam report manually, it still submits the full message to Google, including phone numbers of both sender and recipient as well as the message's contents. It will come to be seen how helpful the feature would be once its out and about for all. But one thing's for sure, if you are concerned about the data you exchange on the Messages app, you are recommended to keep off the spam protection feature or use some other messaging app altogether. 2018 has been an eventful year and here's our comprehensive list of year ender stories. tech2 News Staff Microsoft recently announced its affordable, small and portable Surface device in India, the Surface Go. It was announced globally back in July, Microsoft appears to be trying to take on the Apple iPad and iPad Pro with the device. The Surface Go has now gone on sale in India exclusively via Flipkart, with a discount of Rs 1,000. The Surface Go was launched in two configurations, an 8 GB RAM with 128 GB storage option which is priced at Rs 50,999. On Flipkart, it is available at a price at a price of Rs 49,999. The second is the one with 4 GB RAM with 64 GB internal storage which is priced at Rs 38,599. On Flipkart, this model is available at a price at a price of Rs 37,999. The Type Cover is available in four colours Black, Platinum, Burgundy, and Cobalt Blue. According to Priyadarshi Mohapatra, country general manager, Consumer & Devices, Microsoft India, the device has a clear edge over its rivals in the market when it comes to a laptop or a near-desktop experience with a 2-in-1 device. Microsoft Surface Go laptop specifications and features While the Black Type Cover will set you back by Rs 8,699, the coloured covers are priced a notch higher at Rs 11,799. Featuring a 10-inch display, the Surface Go comes in at the same size as the iPad Pro. According to details listed in a blog post by Microsoft, the Go is also far lighter than current Surface series laptops with a weight of around 500 g is also adequately thin at 8.3 mm to be the perfect travel companion. Microsoft says that the Surface Go comes with a factory calibrated 3:2 PixelSense display that supports the Surface Pen. While those are the pros of the Surface Go, you do get a far less capable Intel Pentium processors that are also less battery efficient. While Microsoft is of the opinion that this will not affect user experience given one stick to regular tasks like browsing, consuming media and using light productivity apps, users still do have to shell out more for an optional keyboard or mouse. For the first time on a Surface laptop, the Surface Go will use the USB-C charging standard which is a welcome addition for those who do not like to carry around too many cables. The number one story on Castanet Vernon's 2018 Top 10 list was the most contentious and hotly debated topic of the year. The proliferation of improperly discarded needles was an issue that seemed to plague communities across the province, and Vernon was no exception. It is an issue that goes hand in hand with the worsening overdose crisis one that has seen an average of nearly 10 Canadians died each day from illicit drug overdoses between 2016 and 2018. In the spring, as the winter's snow melted, it was an almost daily occurrence that improperly discarded needles were discovered around town. The discovery of improperly discarded needles was not just confined to known hotspots around town or in the downtown core, there were repeated reports in the greater Vernon area of caches being found in parks on beaches and in one case a boot purchased at a thrift shop. The more that needles were discovered, the louder members of the community became in their calls for a solution. Eventually, private citizens started taking action out of frustration. A group calling themselves the Polson Avengers started cleanups of Polson Park. The group gained support on social media and with some in the community after filming and posting videos of their members finding needles. Another man began his own self-funded needle buyback program out of his vehicle. At one point, the anger in the community over improperly discarded needles could be felt throughout the community with members of the street-entrenched population bearing the brunt of that frustration. Community cleanups were organized, needle deposit boxes, known as sharps containers, were set up in known hotspots, and health officials from Interior Health met with Vernon City Council on several occasions, all in an effort to ease the growing fears of a community on edge. Interior Health maintains that its needle distribution is part of its harm reduction strategy and that harm reduction strategy didn't start with this ongoing overdose crisis. In a memo to the City of Vernon, Interior Health stated: "Roughly 99% of the needles distributed in our communities in 2017 were properly disposed of by Interior Health." However, in a July meeting with Vernon City Council its health officials could not say, definitively, how many needles were handed out and how many have come back to be safely disposed of. "That statistic is really an approximation," council was told by Dr. Silvia Mema. "The way we count needles are (by) how many needles we order from the BC Centre for Disease Control, which is actually who manages the program, so we know how many needles we order from them, we don't know exactly how many needles are given out... We really didn't have exact, one by one needle to count for but we do know with fair confidence that the number of needles we get is back is a large proportion of needles we give out." In citing a local media report, it was councillor Dalvir Nahal who shared with Dr. Mema that in 2017, more than 659,000 needles were ordered for Kelowna, Kamloops and Vernon. In the past few months, initiatives have been introduced and adapted to help manage the rise in improperly discarded needles found around the community including a sharps hotline, more frequent community cleanup teams, and RCMP programs under the guidance of the new Superintendent, Shawna Baher. The calls for action, much like the discovery of improperly discarded needles have not been as frequent of late, however, the public's concern remains high and like in years past, it is always an issue that is ready flare up again. That is why, the number one story on Castanet Vernon's 2018 Top 10 list is the proliferation of improperly discarded needles in the City of Vernon. Press Trust of India Growing concerns around security and privacy of information in the digital world will drive legislative and regulatory actions globally, but poorly conceived regulations could also lead to the creation of new vulnerabilities, warns cybersecurity solutions provider Symantec. According to Symantec's cybersecurity predictions for 2019, while "upticks in legislative and regulatory actions" are likely to be seen as addressing security and privacy needs, "there is a potential for some requirements to prove more counterproductive than helpful". Speaking to PTI, Symantec Managing Director (India and SAARC) Gaurav Agarwal said there are certain aspects that need to be taken care of when these regulations are framed and implemented. "For example, an administrative/regulatory body asks a business/ individual for some information to investigate. There needs to be clarity around how the data is collected, handled and processed, and then discarded after use, so that there isn't any misuse by someone else," he explained. Symantec's report pointed out that the European Union's implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) earlier this year will likely prove to be a precursor to various security and privacy initiatives in other regions. Countries like Canada and Brazil have already passed rules around the subject, while India is considering its own data protection norms, the report added. "If poorly conceived, security and privacy regulations could create new vulnerabilities even as they close others," the report cautioned. Agarwal said an important step in the process would be to make people aware of the changes being brought in and the likely impact these rules it would have on their lives. 2018 has been an eventful year and here's our comprehensive list of year ender stories. tech2 News Staff Few days ago, Samsung officially rolled out the Android Pie-based OneUI update to Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ users. However, while this release was a big deal, this surprise rollout of the update was not accompanied with any official announcement from the company. Now, however, Samsung has updated the Galaxy S9 user manual with references to Android Pie on its official website. Currently, the Android Pie user manuals are available in English, Dutch, and German, and we should see it coming online in more languages in the next few days. Though, if you have been following our updates on Android Pie on Galaxy S9, there is nothing new that we don't already know of. Further, according to a report by SamMobile, a Turkey roadmap for Samsung suggests that the Galaxy Note 9 should receive the official Android Pie update by January 15. The update for the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8 may follow a month later. 2018 has been an eventful year and here's our comprehensive list of year ender stories. The Associated Press A NASA spaceship is zooming toward the farthest, and quite possibly the oldest, cosmic body ever photographed by humankind, a tiny, distant world called Ultima Thule some four billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers) away. The US space agency will ring in the New Year with a live online broadcast to mark historic flyby of the mysterious object in a dark and frigid region of space known as the Kuiper Belt at 12:33 am January 1 (0533 GMT Tuesday). A guitar anthem recorded by legendary Queen guitarist Brian May, who also holds an advanced degree in astrophysics, will be released just after midnight to accompany a video simulation of the flyby, as NASA commentators describe the close pass here. Real-time video of the actual flyby is impossible, since it takes more six hours for a signal sent from Earth to reach the spaceship, named New Horizons, and another six hours for the response to arrive. But if all goes well, the first images should be in hand by the end of New Year's Day. And judging by the latest tweet from Alan Stern, the lead scientist on the New Horizons mission, the excitement among team members is palpable. "IT'S HAPPENING!! Flyby is upon us! @NewHorizons2015 is healthy and on course! The farthest exploration of worlds in history!" he wrote on Saturday. What does it look like? Scientists are not sure what Ultima Thule (pronounced TOO-lee) looks like, whether it is round or oblong or even if it is a single object or a cluster. It was discovered in 2014 with the help of the Hubble Space Telescope, and is believed to be 12-20 miles (20-30 kilometers) in size. Scientists decided to study it with New Horizons after the spaceship, which launched in 2006, completed its main mission of flying by Pluto in 2015, returning the most detailed images ever taken of the dwarf planet. "At closest approach we are going to try to image Ultima at three times the resolution we had for Pluto," said Stern. "If we can accomplish that it will be spectacular." Hurtling through space at a speed of 32,000 miles (51,500 kilometers) per hour, the spacecraft aims to make its closest approach within 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) of the surface of Ultima Thule. The flyby will be fast, at a speed of nine miles (14 kilometers) per second. Seven instruments on board will record high-resolution images and gather data about its size and composition. Ultima Thule is named for a mythical, far-northern island in medieval literature and cartography, according to NASA. "Ultima Thule means 'beyond Thule,' beyond the borders of the known world, symbolizing the exploration of the distant Kuiper Belt and Kuiper Belt objects that New Horizons is performing, something never before done," the US space agency said in a statement. According to project scientist Hal Weaver of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, mankind didn't even know the Kuiper Belt, a vast ring of relics from the formation days of the solar system, existed until the 1990s. "This is the frontier of planetary science," said Weaver. "We finally have reached the outskirts of the solar system, these things that have been there since the beginning and have hardly changed, we think. We will find out." Despite the partial US government shutdown, sparked by a feud over funding for a border wall with Mexico between President Donald Trump and opposition Democrats, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine vowed that the US space agency would broadcast the flyby. Normally, NASA TV and NASA's website would go dark during a government shutdown. NASA will also provide updates about another spacecraft, called OSIRIS-REx, that will enter orbit around the asteroid Bennu on New Year's Eve, Bridenstine said. Press Trust of India Scientists have modelled the processes that led to the formation of glaciers at the cratered poles of Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun. The researchers at the University of Maine in the US studied the accumulation and flow of ice on Mercury, and how the glacial deposits on the smallest planet in our solar system compare to those on Earth and Mars. The findings, published in the journal Icarus, add to our understanding of how Mercurys ice accumulations estimated to be less than 50 million years old and up to 50 metres thick in places may have changed over time. Changes in ice sheets serve as climatic indicators, researchers said. Analysis of Mercurys cold-based glaciers, located in the permanently shadowed craters near the poles and visible by Earth-based radar, was funded by NASA, and is part of a study of volatile deposits on the moon. Like the moon, Mercury does not have an atmosphere that produces snow or ice that could account for glaciers at the poles. Simulations by the team suggest that the planets ice was deposited likely the result of a water-rich comet or other impact event and has remained stable, with little or no flow velocity. That is despite the extreme temperature difference between the permanently shadowed locations of the glaciers on Mercury and the adjacent regions illuminated by the Sun. The researchers reconstructed the shape and outline of past and present ice sheets on Earth and Mars, with findings published in 2002 and 2008, respectively. We expect the deposits (on Mercury) are supply limited, and that they are basically stagnant unmoving deposits, reflecting the extreme efficiency of the cold-trapping mechanism of the polar terrain, the researchers said. Notwithstanding Imran Khan backtracking on Pakistan election promises regarding key foreign policy and internal issues, for which his detractors derisively call him Mr U-turn, the first 100 days of his government can rightly be called the proverbial smooth-sailing so far as his relations with the hyper judiciary and an overarching military is concerned. Notwithstanding Imran Khan backtracking on election promises regarding key foreign policy and internal issues, for which his detractors derisively call him Mr U-turn, the first 100 days of his government can rightly be called the proverbial smooth-sailing so far as his relations with the hyper judiciary and an overarching military is concerned. But the smooth-sailing has already taken and continues to take a toll not only on the authority of the elected representatives and governance by the executive, but also freedom of speech, freedom of dissent and freedom of association. While the role of an unseen hand in Pakistans politics is not a secret any more, the past few months have witnessed it further creeping in and taking over the areas believed to be the sole domain of the elected authority. Regulating the media, for example, has also been virtually usurped by that very hand. In the same token, the judiciary has overstretched its involvement from taking suo motu notices ranging from rates of daily commodities to observing water schemes, raiding hospitals, deciding school fee, ordering removal of illegal encroachments from markets and roads, and playing an overactive role in long-term projects such as developing and expanding the countrys water resources by generating funds for the construction of dams. One wonders what is left for the elected government to do. The forward push by the two major state institutions has forced the executive and legislature on the back foot while the fifth pillar, a free and independent media, has already resorted to the worst-ever self-censorship under pressure from losing corporate interests. Journalists raising questions and criticising the prevailing situation are being forced out of the pages and their television programs either censored or shut down to end criticism. Recently, the Pakistan military spokesperson, addressing a news conference, asked the media to report positive news for six months. Days later, the countrys media supervisory body, called Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority or PEMRA, circulated an order titled advice, asking the media offices not to report sexual abuses and crimes, etc, because, this is allegedly creating a negative image of Pakistan abroad. Eighteen international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) have already been asked to close their offices, web pages of the Voice of America Pashto and Urdu language services have been blocked, while other media groups, both local and global, are under severe scrutiny for whether they are reporting positives and avoiding negatives. The latest step to achieve the goal of positive image includes strict surveillance of social media accounts with a focus on Facebook and Twitter. Reports and personal experiences shared by social media activists suggest their activity on the sites is closely monitored and often bombarded by trolls for raising voices against the faux pas of the newly elected government. Pakistani authorities have already written letters and sent notices to Twitter about social media activity by a number of organisations and individuals. One must remember that YouTube had already gone through a ban in Pakistan. Under fear of intimidation, even common people think twice before posting on social media. But where does all this lead to? Can Pakistan afford 1949 China-style thought reforms, re-education of people through xinau or brainwashing to know the right ideas and the right questions and answers and to convert themselves into the New People? Notwithstanding the ideas of New Pakistan and "tabdilee" or change, by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the answer, to any sane mind, would be a certain no because Pakistan is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society with people strictly bound to their religions, faith and ideologies, and any adventure to put them in a single frame will not be without repercussions. Keeping in view the worsening relations with the United States, long-term disputes with much bigger neighbour India, an unending war in Afghanistan, terror threat in the tribal territory, an insurgency-like situation in Balochistan and the emergence and expansion of new religious extremist groups in the mainland Pakistan, one may gauge the level of concerns in the security circles. But warding off such threats by favouring some and bashing and side-lining others will only exacerbate the problems. From the pre-election season to election day in May this year followed by the formation of the new government, a majority of the political parties have expressed serious reservations about the whole process. Except for the ruling Tehrik-e-Insaaf party of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the rest have lodged their protest, raising accusing fingers at the security agencies. Now, that the formation of the new government is over and the countrys most favourite prime minister is in the driving seat, the opposition parties are still feeling the heat of being pushed to the corner through what they call a discriminatory attitude. The former ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League, is in hot water due to unproven cases of corruption and misuse of authority by the anti-graft National Accountability Bureau, or NAB. Ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam, the two most vocal leaders against the judicial activism and militarys role in politics, were swiftly put behind bars days ahead of the election. The duo is now free but still facing the courts and maintaining a meaningful silence. Another top leader, former president Asif Ali Zardari, who is also co-chairman of his late wifes Pakistan Peoples Party, openly expressed his anger against the judiciary and the army without naming a particular individual or institutions. In a thinly veiled reference to the military, Zardari said those who have a fixed service tenure of three years have no right to take decisions about the future of the country. And in yet another line the same day, he warned the hyper judiciary against involvement in matters relating to the executive or parliament. Nawaz Sharif, the three-time elected prime minister, when questioned by a journalist about his silence and that why he does not smile during his court appearances, replied that What can we say about smiling, we cant even cry if we want to". Be it politicians, journalists or common Pakistanis, there exists a sense of frustration the way they are losing their group and individual freedoms. Whether this effort on curbing individual and group freedoms is planned or otherwise, the more likely result will be more dissent and polarisation in the society which has already witnessed an unprecedented level of schism during the May 2018 election. The author is a Pakistani journalist currently working as a senior editor of Radio Mashaal for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Prague The op-ed sections in Bangladesh newspapers and news websites expressed mixed feelings towards the polling process on Monday expressing dissatisfactions at the polls, but at the same time remaining hopeful of a better future under Sheikh Hasina The ruling Awami League-led alliance swept the general elections in Bangladesh, securing a third straight term for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina winning 288 seats in the 300-member Parliament. The Opposition Jatiya Oikya Front National Unity Front (NUF) secured seven seats with over 15 percent of the votes, while others won three seats. The election outcome has been rejected by the Opposition grouping which has termed it "farcical". The op-ed sections in Bangladesh newspapers and news websites expressed mixed feelings towards the polling process on Monday. While some listed the irregularities witnessed during the polling day, expressing disappointment for the election's failure to bring a change in the government or attitude of the voters, several seemed hopeful of a better future for Bangladesh under Awami League-led grand alliance. The Dhaka edition of the Financial Express wrote about how the streets of Dhaka were deserted on Sunday when Bangladesh went to polls. The newspaper said that under the enthusiasm for the polls and festivities (of a new year) lay an uneasiness among the people that the widespread violence that vitiated the pre-polls atmosphere may return on voting day. It said that "the arrests made far outnumber similar anticipatory detentions of any time in the past" creating confusion and fear on people's minds. "...It has not gone well with the common people who want peace and a congenial atmosphere for voting," the newspaper said. The Dhaka Tribue, one of the leading English dailies in Bangladesh, however, expressed dissatisfaction in how the election results failed to bring about the change that the exercise promised while highlighting how the Jatiya Oikya Front has rejected the polls, claiming "vote dacoity" and demanded fresh polls. "We had hoped for an election that even if imperfect would be accepted by all parties, and give us enough of a basis to both get on with the business of the state and also to hope that politics could start to return to normal," the newspaper said. "More than anything else, we had hoped that this election could see the rebirth of something approaching national unity and commonality of purpose...However, it is clear now that that hope is a distant dream, and that we remain as divided as ever," the newspaper added. Bangla newspaper Prothomalo also spoke about the irregularities that were seen in polling booths across the country, be it Awami League agents present inside polling booths to the missing observers of the Bangladesh National Party candidates. Meanwhile, The Daily Star, listed the several irregularities right from ballot stuffing, closing of polling booths before polling was supposed to end, to filled ballot boxes being brought to polling booths. However, it seemed positive about the future of Bangladesh under the third term of Sheikh Hasina. The Daily Star says that since the incumbent regime has received "an unprecedented mandate with this landslide win, the pressure to deliver will be that much high". However, while the Awami League's performance in achieving the 21-point pledge made in the election manifesto will be keenly watched, the newspaper says that it is more interesting in seeing the government empowering institutions like the National Human Rights Commission, the Anti-Corruption Commission, mass media and the judiciary as well as ensuring good governance. The report also highlights the questionable record of the Awami League on the front of human rights and basic freedoms. The question that everybody seems to be asking is: Will Sheikh Hasina redeem herself in her third consecutive term? By Serajul Quadir, Krishna N. 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. 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) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. KINSHASA (Reuters) - A police officer and civilian were killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in a dispute over alleged voting fraud in Sunday's presidential and legislative elections, a witness and a politician from the area said. Vital Kamerhe, a politician from South Kivu province, and a witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said an altercation broke out at a polling place in the town of Walungu after voters accused an election official of fraud KINSHASA (Reuters) - A police officer and civilian were killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in a dispute over alleged voting fraud in Sunday's presidential and legislative elections, a witness and a politician from the area said. Vital Kamerhe, a politician from South Kivu province, and a witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said an altercation broke out at a polling place in the town of Walungu after voters accused an election official of fraud. A police officer shot and killed a young man involved in the melee and the crowd then beat the officer to death, they said. (Reporting By Stanis Bujakera; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Andrew Heavens) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. 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 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. "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) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Republican senator said he would try to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump at a White House lunch on Sunday to reconsider his order for a total U.S. By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A senior Republican senator said he would try to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump at a White House lunch on Sunday to reconsider his order for a total U.S. military pullout from Syria and leave some U.S. troops there. Senator Lindsey Graham warned that removing all U.S. forces would hurt U.S. security by allowing Islamic State to rebuild, betraying U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters battling remnants of the militant group, also known as ISIS, and enhancing Iran's ability to threaten Israel. The South Carolina Republican said he would ask Trump "to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure we get it right. Make sure ISIS never comes back. Don't turn Syria over to the Iranians." "I want to fight the war in the enemy's backyard, not ours," Graham said in an interview on CNN's State of the Union show. Graham praised Trump, who visited U.S. troops in Iraq last week, for announcing that a U.S. force would remain there. But he said ISIS, while holding only slivers of territory, remained a potent threat in northeastern Syria. "That's why we need to keep some of our troops there," he said. The Pentagon says it is considering plans for a "deliberate and controlled withdrawal." One option, according to a person familiar with the discussions, is for a 120-day pullout period. Graham, an influential lawmaker on national security policy who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is an ally of Trump, although he has opposed some of his foreign policy decisions. He has joined other Republicans and Democrats in criticizing Trump's order for the pullout of all 2,000 U.S. troops deployed in Syria in support of anti-ISIS fighters made up mostly of Kurds. Turkey views the Kurdish militia, known as the YPG, as a branch of its own Kurdish separatist movement. It is threatening to launch an offensive against the YPG, igniting fears of significant civilian casualties. U.S. commanders planning the U.S. withdrawal are recommending that YPG fighters battling ISIS be allowed to keep U.S.-supplied weapons, according to U.S. officials. That proposal would likely anger NATO ally Turkey, where Tump's national security adviser, John Bolton, holds talks this week. Trump decided on the Syria withdrawal in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, ignoring the advice of top national security aides and without consulting lawmakers or U.S. allies participating in anti-ISIS operations. The decision prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Photo: BC Hydro/file photo UPDATE: Tuesday 8:20 a.m. RCMP say a fire Sunday night in Peachland was at an abandoned structure of the decommissioned Brenda Mine weigh scale. The building burned to the ground says Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey. The blaze was outside the local fire department's coverage area, but Peachland firefighters were called to douse the flames after they spread to a nearby power pole. "A clear cause of the fire has not been determined. Investigators do believe it is possible that downed power lines may have played a role," says O'Donaghey. ORIGINAL: Monday 11:45 a.m. A structure fire caused a small power outage in Peachland on Sunday night. Firefighters were notified of a fire near the top of Princeton Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. BC Hydro spokesperson Jen Walker-Larsen said the structure fire burned part of a power pole and caused a power outage at 7:42 p.m. to five customers. Residents on McDougald Road had power restored by 10:47 p.m. after crews made repairs. The fire was out of the Peachland Fire Department response area. Firefighters said the structure fire was no threat to the community. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured a fourth term with a landslide victory in polls the opposition slammed as 'farcical' over claims of vote-rigging, and clashes between rival supporters that killed at least 17 people. Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured a fourth term with a landslide victory in polls the opposition slammed as "farcical" over claims of vote-rigging, and clashes between rival supporters that killed at least 17 people. Hasina's ruling Awami League party and its allies won 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament, with the main opposition securing only six seats, Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said. Hasina's government had mounted a crackdown on the opposition, an alliance led by the Bangladesh National Party, which 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 alliance, 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. 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. The opposition alliance on Sunday accused Hasina's party of using stuffed ballot boxes and other illegal means to fix the result. 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 SM 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. 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. 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, 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 8 November. 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 Hasina's victory will 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. Seventeen opposition candidates were arrested over what they said were 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's victory secures her third consecutive term in office, and her fourth overall. A 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 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 Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sunday defended his agents' handling of two sick children who died in their custody, saying they did everything they could to get medical help for them in difficult circumstances. The deaths have intensified the debate over U.S By Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Sunday defended his agents' handling of two sick children who died in their custody, saying they did everything they could to get medical help for them in difficult circumstances. The deaths have intensified the debate over U.S. immigration policy as President Donald Trump holds onto his demand that lawmakers give him $5 billion to fund a wall along the border with Mexico. The impasse over Trump's border wall resulted in a partial government shutdown that entered its ninth day on Sunday. CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan told ABC's "This Week" it had been a decade since a child had died in the agency's custody and that the loss of two Guatemalan children in three weeks was "just absolutely devastating for us on every level." Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8, died on Christmas Day. In early December, 7-year-old Jakelin Caal died after being detained along with her father by U.S. border agents in a remote part of New Mexico. On Saturday, Trump blamed Democrats for the deaths of the two children in a Twitter post, drawing criticism that he was politicizing the tragedies. The standoff over his demand for wall funding will be a test for Congress when it returns this week with Democrats in control of the House of Representatives. Trump sees the wall as vital to stemming illegal immigration, while Democrats and some Republicans see it as impractical and costly. After the death of the second child, the CBP said it will conduct secondary medical checks on all children in its custody, with a focus on those under 10. Caal was 94 miles (150 km) from a Border Patrol station when she began vomiting on a bus ride to the station, McAleenan said on ABC. He said a Border Patrol agent who was a paramedic revived her there and she was taken to a children's hospital in El Paso, where she died. In the boy's case, McAleenan said, it was a Border Patrol agent who first noticed he was ill and decided to send him and his father to a hospital. State officials in New Mexico said on Friday that Felipe had the flu before he passed away. "Our agents did everything they could, as soon as these children manifested symptoms of illness, to save their lives," McAleenan said. McAleenan said the number of families and children crossing the border illegal has increased steadily in recent months and made up 65 percent of crossings in December. Those families and children are entering a system set up for adults. "We don't want them in border patrol stations. We want them in a better scenario for these vulnerable populations that we are seeing," he said. A border wall was the last measure listed by McAleenan as necessary to address what he called a crisis at the southern border - after new legislation in Congress, investing in Central American nations to help improve life there, and working with Mexico on a joint plan for handling migrants. "We need a sober-minded nonpartisan look at our immigration laws to really confront and grapple with the fact that children and families are coming into this cycle," he said. "That's first and foremost." (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Daniel Wallis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Theres a nude selfie thats turned up in the headlines surrounding the Robert Mueller investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US elections in 2016 and the special counsel is citing national security concerns in not revealing the identity of the person in the photograph. New York: Whose nude selfie? Thats right. Theres a nude selfie thats turned up in the Robert Mueller investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US elections 2016 and the special counsel is citing national security concerns in not revealing the identity of the person in the photograph. Russian company Concord Management and Consulting wants the US district court for the District of Columbia to dismiss a request from Mueller to share sealed information with the judge overseeing the case. Questions swirling around this story are hitting the ceiling: - Whose selfie is this? - If making the picture public could raise national security concerns, does it imply this is someone in the White House (because who would go to war over Mike Pompeos nudes?") - Is it a face selfie, full body selfie or close-up shot? - Is it a woman or man? - Is this Putins leverage over Trump or at least one of them? What is Concord Managements role here? Concord Management and Consulting is among the Russian entities that Mueller indicted earlier this year, accusing them of participating in a Russian troll farm's effort to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the election and possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. What does Mueller say? Mueller is saying any additional information is classified for reasons of national security and he seeks permission to submit the information ex parte. The Russian company Concord Management and Catering is questiong this basis to Mueller witholding details. What is the Russian firm saying? "Could the manner in which he collected a nude selfie really threaten the national security of the United States," Concord's lawyers ask in the 27 December filing. The Russian firm is pushing back against Muellers request for secret ex parte communications with the Court: The Court will recall that from the outset the Special Counsel maintained that there was no classified information in this case. In fact, the Special Counsel continues to concede that the discovery in this case contains no classified information. Instead the Special Counsel asks the Court to accept secret ex parte communications from him to support the unprecedented argument that the Defendant itself cannot view millions of pages of non-classified discovery. This request is just another squinch to support the novelty of this entire proceeding. The man behind Concord Concord Management and Consulting is owned by a colourful character who ran Internet Research Agency - Yevgeniy Prigozhin - also nicknamed Putins chef. Prigozhin used to run a hot dog stand in St Petersburg, Russia in the 1990s before he became close to Putin. Concord Catering, another of Prigozhin's companies that was indicted by Mueller, now provides food services at the Kremlin. For Mueller probe obsessors, here's a link to every single case filing in the ongoing investigation so far. As expected, Mueller released a torrent of bombshell filings before Christmas and predictably went quiet over the holidays. As 2018 ends and the Trump freakouts continue, Muller's silence tells us there's something big coming in 2019. The tension mounts. Just in: Indications that Russia is reacting to all of this. The country has detained a US citizen in Moscow on espionage suspicion and has begun a criminal case. Investigations are underway. Photo: The Canadian Press House Democrats are introducing a package of bills Monday that would re-open the federal government without approving funding for President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico, establishing an early confrontation that will test the new power dynamic in Washington. The House is preparing to vote as soon as the new Congress convenes Thursday, as one of the first acts after Democrats take control, according to an aide who was not authorized to discuss the plan and spoke on condition of anonymity. Democrats under Nancy Pelosi are all but certain to swiftly approve the two bills, making good on their pledge to try to quickly resolve the partial government shutdown that's now in its second week. What's unclear is whether the Republican-led Senate, under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will consider either measure or if Trump would sign them into law. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The package does not include the $5 billion Trump wants for the wall on the southern border. The president insisted in a series of tweets Monday he still wants to build the wall, a signature campaign promise. McConnell spokesman Donald Stewart made it clear Senate Republicans will not take action without Trump's backing. "It's simple: The Senate is not going to send something to the president that he won't sign," he said. Republican senators are refusing to vote on any bills until all sides, including Trump, are in agreement. Senators were frustrated that Trump had dismissed their earlier legislation to avert the shutdown. House Democrats did not confer with Senate Republicans on the package, but the bills expected to have some bipartisan support because they reflect earlier spending measures already hashed out between the parties and chambers. One bill will temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels, with $1.3 billion for border security, through Feb. 8, while talks continue. The other will be on a measure made up of six other bipartisan bills some that have already passed the Senate to fund the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and others closed by the partial shutdown. They would provide money through the remainder of the fiscal year, to Sept. 30. The House is planning two separate votes for Thursday. If approved, the bills would go to the Senate. Senate Democrats support the measures, according to a senior aide who was unauthorized to discuss the plan and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Without funding for Trump's wall, the package is a "nonstarter," said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, in a tweet. He said it "will not be a legitimate answer to this impasse." But as the shutdown drags on, pressure is expected to build on all sides for a resolution, as public parks and museums close, and some 800,000 federal workers are going without pay. Trump could accept or reject either bill, and it's unclear how he would respond. The president continued to insist Monday he wants to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, despite assertions otherwise of three confidants. "An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED," Trump tweeted Monday. "Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides)." After several leaks, we now have the first press render of the Nokia 9 flagship smartphone from HMD Global, thanks to @evleaks. This shows a familiar penta camera arragement arranged in 1-1-3 formation with ZEISS optics, rotating zoom-Camera tech on the back on the smartphone codenamed Beholder. It also reveals an in-display fingerprint sensor on the phone, which is the first for Nokia, as well as 18:9 aspect ratio display, glass back with Android One branding and a metal frame. Nokia 9 PureView Beholder. HNY pic.twitter.com/x4Kh3anP46 Evan Blass (@evleaks) December 31, 2018 The phone is rumored to come with a 5.9-inch Quad HD 3D glass OLED display, powered by Snapdragon 845 with up to 8GB of RAM, 128GB storage, expandable memory with microSD, Android 9.0 (Pie), IP68 ratings for water-resistance, Nokia OZO Audio and 4150mAh batery with wireless charging. HMD Global recently confirmed that the Nokia 9 has been delayed since quality of the camera has not yet reached the necessary level due to complex camera unit and production challenges by Foxconn. Hope we have expect the Nokia 9 at the MWC 2019 in February. Source A U.S Judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Google by consumers who claimed the search engines photo sharing and storage service violated their privacy on Saturday. The U.S. judge has cited a lack of concrete injuries. The 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 was filed in March 2016, alleges Alphabet Incs Google for violating Illinois state law by collecting and storing biometric data from peoples photographs using facial recognition software without their permission through its Google Photos service. The plaintiffs had sought more than $5 million 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. Google, in return, had argued in court documents that the plaintiffs were not entitled to money or injunctive relief because they had suffered no harm. Source Penny stocks may seem like a good way to get rich in the stock market, but more often than not, they're nothing but a good way to watch your money disappear. There are literally thousands of stocks and funds you could invest in that are better choices than penny stocks, but here's why three of our contributors think Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), Financial Select Sector SPDR (NYSEMKT:XLF), and Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF) are particularly attractive alternatives right now. A big Wall Street bet Dan Caplinger (Goldman Sachs): People invest in penny stocks because they hope to get rich quick, but it's usually the promoters behind those penny stocks that end up being the big winners. That bet-on-the-house mentality goes a long way toward supporting an investment in Goldman Sachs, which has long been one of the most prestigious investment banks on Wall Street. It's rare to be able to pick up shares of the banking giant at a discount, but recent pressures on Goldman have sent its stock substantially lower in 2018. Goldman has had to deal with multiple issues that have held back its performance recently. The company relies on healthy results from its proprietary trading operations, but Goldman hasn't lived up to its reputation lately, posting poor numbers. The investment bank has also faced litigation regarding one of its projects in Malaysia, and it might have to pay back all of the fees that it earned from that piece of business and face further reputational damage to boot. Yet the drop in Goldman's stock has left it looking like a good value. Shares trade below book value, and although forward earnings projections might be somewhat rich, you can buy Goldman stock at just seven times what most investors expect the bank to earn in 2019. That gives you a huge margin of safety that should provide cover even if the U.S. economy slips into a recession, and Goldman stands to bounce back strongly if it can get back its winning ways on the trading front and take maximum advantage of its new opportunities in consumer banking. Another way to bet on the house Matt Frankel, CFP (Financial Select Sector SPDR): I love Dan's call on Goldman Sachs and the "bet on the house" thesis. I think Goldman is extremely undervalued at current levels. That said, there is a lot of legal uncertainty hanging over the bank, so I'd like to present an alternative for investors who don't necessarily want to bet on just one "house." Most banks are trading at depressed valuations after the recent stock market correction, which disproportionally affected banks, so I feel like there's a lot of upside potential in the entire sector. The Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF is an exchange-traded fund that tracks the financial sector as a whole. It is a market cap-weighted fund, so larger companies make up a greater percentage of the fund's assets. Top holdings of the fund include Berkshire Hathaway (yes, it's technically in the financial sector), as well as big banks JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup, plus smaller holdings in many other U.S. banks. In a nutshell, when banks do well, you'll do well. The fund has a rock-bottom 0.13% expense ratio, so most of the fund's gains will stay in your pocket. So if you feel, like I do, that there's tons of potential for upside in the banking industry, but don't really want to rely on a single company's performance, the Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF could be a smart addition to your portfolio. Credit this stock Jordan Wathen (Capital One Financial): Best known for its credit cards, Capital One Financial has morphed from a card company to a true consumer and commercial banking institution. Through smart acquisitions, Capital One now competes in everything from credit cards to commercial loans, creating a bigger bank that looks nothing like it did as a late 1980s start-up. Though credit cards (46% of loans) remain its bread and butter, its growing commercial loan book (29% of loans) and consumer lending products (25% of loans) have helped diversify its balance sheet. Its consumer banking unit is also an attractive deposit-gatherer, helping the bank reduce its funding costs by providing a consumer-friendly online bank to tech-savvy savers. And though the market may be turning a cold shoulder to credit card stocks due to the fear of recession, Capital One is unlikely to be the lender to worry about. During the 2008 financial crisis -- the best stress test for any bank -- Capital One was consistently profitable, earning sufficient returns on its high-yielding card loans to paper over the inevitable increase in loan losses. Plus, with ample deposits, Capital One isn't nearly as reliant on the health of the financial markets to fund its balance sheet, alleviating one financial crisis-era problem spot. After sliding roughly 30% from their 2018 peak, Capital One shares now trade at little more than six times what the bank could reasonably earn this year. Loan losses may rise from here, but the low valuation makes the risk-reward proposition pretty attractive for investors willing to stomach near-term pain for long-term gain. Credit Union Loan Requirement Baloney So i borrowed money from my credit union for my 2018 F250 and kept getting notices of lack of proper insurance. 8 month's later i find out they are Requiring us to carry $500.00 maximum deductible for comprehensive & collision! I changed my policy with travelers to meet this requirement. This requirement was never listed on my loan papers anywhere! This pissed me off so much, i wanted to close my accounts with them! They never bothered to call me about this stupid requirement. I have a $1000 or greater deductible on all other vehicles because we can afford it and to save some $$$. Ranting Over... China has built a giant experimental radio antenna on a piece of land almost five times the size of New York City, according to researchers involved in the highly controversial project. The Wireless Electromagnetic Method (WEM) project took 13 years to build but researchers said it was finally ready to emit extremely low frequency radio waves, also known as ELF waves. Although the project has civilian applications officially it will be used for earthquake and mineral detection and forms part of Chinas 11th five-year plan it could also play a crucial role in military communications. Scientists said its transmissions could be picked up by a submarine lurking hundreds of metres below the sea, thereby reducing the risk of having to resurface to pick up transmissions. The project follows the construction of Chinas first military-grade Super Low Frequency transmission station in 2009. The next year, a Chinese nuclear submarine successfully communicated with the station from deep water making China the third country in the world to have established such a submarine communication system after the United States and Russia. But the Chinese navy is eager to expand its capacity and has been pouring resources into the more advanced ELF radio technology, which allows submarines to communicate with the command centre from a greater depth and is harder to disrupt. The Chinese government, however, has played down the importance of the facility, which occupies some 3,700 sq km (1,400 square miles) of land, in information released to the public. Apart from the need to protect an important strategic asset, some researchers said the secrecy was to avoid causing public alarm. The antenna would emit ELF signals with a frequency of between 0.1 to 300 hertz, the researchers said. The exact site of the facility has not been disclosed, but information available in Chinese research journals suggests it is in the Huazhong region, an area in central China that includes Hubei, Henan and Hunan provinces and is home to more than 230 million people greater than the population of Brazil. Project WEMs main surface structure is a pair of high voltage power supply lines stretching from north to south, east to west on steel lattice towers, which form a cross that is 60km (37 miles) wide and 80km to 100km long. At the end of each power line, thick copper wire goes underground through a deep borehole. Two power stations generate strong currents and electrify the ground in slow, repeating pulses, turning the earth underfoot into an active source of electromagnetic radiation. The radio pulses not only pass through the atmosphere, but travel through the Earths crust as well, with a range of up to 3,500km, according to the project scientists. A sensitive receiver within that range, which is roughly the distance between China and Singapore or Guam, would be able to pick up these signals. The closer to the power source, the stronger the pulses. The radar will be difficult for spy satellites to detect because it will appear no different to an ordinary power grid, although a radar expert said it might be possible to detect its emissions and use those to determine the location. The inland location of the new facility would also make it harder for an enemy to attack compared with a facility located on the coast. Though I am involved in the project I have no idea where it is CHEN XIAOBIN, RESEARCHER AT CHINA EARTHQUAKE ADMINISTRATION Chen Xiaobin, a researcher with the Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, has been working on the project and said he did not know its exact location because that information needed a high level of security clearance. This facility will have important military uses if a war breaks out Though I am involved in the project, I have no idea where it is. It should be up and running by now, he said on Wednesday. Lu Jianxun, the chief scientist on the project, also leads a key communication programme at the PLA Naval Command, according to information on Chinese government websites. The construction work was led by 724 Research Institute under the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, which is a major supplier of communications and electronic warfare equipment to the Chinese navy. Hu Wenmin, president of the corporation, visited the emission site in May last year, according to a statement on the state-owned companys website. Hu expressed his appreciation for the construction of the WEM project and put forward opinions and requirements for the follow-up development of the project and the technical application in related fields, the statement said. But the project has caused concern among some academics who are worried about the possible impact on public health. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organisation, previously warned that ELF waves were possibly carcinogenic to humans. Numerous epidemiological and experimental studies conducted by researchers around the world have linked long-term ELF exposure to an increased risk of childhood leukaemia. In a 500-page report constantly updated since 2007, the WHO has documented a large number of academic investigations linking ELF radiation to a range of illnesses including delusions, sleep deprivation, stress, depression, breast and brain tumours, miscarriages and suicide. Though many results remain inconclusive, the WHO said the implementation of precautionary procedures to reduce exposure was reasonable and warranted. Chen declined to comment on the impact the facility would have on residents health. But some researchers said Chinas environmental authorities have concerns about the project. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment, for instance, asked for a comprehensive review on its environmental impact a request that has not been granted. The money came from civilian budgets, but the military has intervened and muted the ministrys complaint, said a Beijing-based researcher, who requested not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment. According to one calculation by the Chinese navy, a person standing on the emission site will be subject to ELF radiation no greater than 10 watts, enough to power up several LED light bulbs. But Qiao Fengshou, a researcher with the navys Ship Communication Research Institute in Wuhan, who made the estimate, said there was nothing to worry about. According to Chinas safety standards, only radiation greater than 300 watts is considered harmful, so the project will cause no harm to staff and residents in surrounding areas, it is not necessary to build extra facilities for the purpose of health protection, Qiao wrote in an article in Chinese-language research journal Ship Science and Technology in 2016. Qiao also said the project would be given an exemption from supervision by the environmental authorities. Xi Jilou, a researcher with the Institute of Earthquake Forecasting, who was informed of but not directly involved in the project, said relevant authorities had recently conducted final checks on the emission site and concluded it was ready for operation. There should be some devices monitoring the environment on the site for the protection of public health, Xi said. China is not the first country doing this. Other countries conducted similar projects long ago. In 1968, the US Navy proposed Project Sanguine, a giant ELF antenna that would have covered two-fifths of the state of Wisconsin to enable undersea communications with submarines. There should be some devices monitoring the environment on the site XI JILOU, RESEARCHER AT INSTITUTE OF EARTHQUAKE FORECASTING The project was terminated due to massive protest by residents. The US Navy built a smaller transmitter, the Wisconsin Test Facility, with two 45km power lines in the Clam Lake area, a place with a low population density. The station emitted ELF waves at 76 hertz and was decommissioned over a decade ago. In the 1980s the Soviet Union constructed Zevs, a considerably more powerful facility on the Kola Peninsula inside the Arctic Circle. The Zevs antenna was powered by two 60km electric lines and had a main frequency turned at 82 hertz. The radio waves it produced were believed powerful enough to reach Russian nuclear submarines hidden deep under the Arctic ice cap. Russia has since provided technical support to China as it started building its own systems, which may include other ELF stations in coastal areas. According to the WHO, an ELF field can affect human nerve fibres and stimulate synaptic transmissions in neural networks. It can also affect retina cells, generating a sporadic flash of light in peoples eyes. Animals can use low frequency signals to detect threats or changes in surrounding environments, an ability critical for survival in nature, according to some biologists, and experiments suggest that ELF radiation could also have an effect on cattle. Huang Zhiwei, professor with the department of electrical engineering at Nanhua University in Hengyang, Hunan, said the ELF radio was unlikely to cause acute damage to the human body due to its enormous wavelength, which could stretch over thousands of kilometres, but it might interfere with the sensory organs. If the frequency caused a resonance with our sensors it could be a nightmare, said Huang, who was concerned because he and his family live in the region. Some previous studies had shown that wounds healed more slowly when exposed to ELF radio waves several times a day, Huang added. Huang, who has taken part in numerous military research projects, said the environmental impact of defence-related facilities was usually not scrutinised as much as civilian projects. The matter must be handled with extreme caution, or it can easily lead to public panic, he said. Huang said the authorities in charge of project WEM should recruit a large number of volunteers for comparison studies. The sample size must be sufficiently large because of variations in environment and timing or the individuals involved could produce different results. Some people are more sensitive. They can see or hear things other people cant. They may be more vulnerable to the impact, Huang said. Researchers also said the facility would also have a peacetime application and be used to detect mineral and oil deposits. Ground stations with special equipment can pick up signals to survey underground structures to an unprecedented depth. The ELF waves will also be able to detect rock deformations, which could help in studying precursors for major earthquakes. In 2013, Chinas state media reported that the PLA Navy had completed the development of the worlds most powerful and sensitivity low-frequency communication system for nuclear submarines. The reports described the technology as having the worlds largest communication distance and deepest communication depth, according to the official report. The US Navy shut down its Wisconsin transmitter in 2004, saying it no longer needed to rely on ELF radio. Instead, US nuclear submarine fleets use very low frequency or VLF radio waves, with a frequency ranging from 3 to 30 kilohertz, for long-distance communication. The VLF radio waves can carry more information than ELF signals because of this higher frequency, and can penetrate seawater to a depth of up to 40 metres (130 feet). Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Nokia 9 PureView with five cameras leaked online with in-display fingerprint sensor News oi-Vivek Nokia 9 PureView has an 18:9 aspect ratio display Nokia is all set to launch the world's first consumer smartphone with five camera setup in January 2019. The upcoming Nokia 9 PureView is expected to be the forthcoming Penta camera smartphone from HMD Global. Evan Blass aka @evleaks has posted an official render picture of the Nokia 9 PureView, which sheds some light on the design aspect of the upcoming flagship Nokia smartphone. Here is everything you should know about the Nokia 9 PureView. Nokia 9 PureView design Nokia 9 PureView "Beholder." HNY pic.twitter.com/x4Kh3anP46 Evan Blass (@evleaks) December 31, 2018 The Nokia 9 PureView has an all-glass design with a metal frame with glass sandwich design. The smartphone has a five-camera setup at the back with a sensor and an LED flash unit. Just like every other Nokia smartphone launched in 2018, the Nokia 9 PureView comes under Android One programme and runs on Android 9 Pie OS. The smartphone is most likely to come with a USB type C port with a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The smartphone is most likely to come with a standard RGB sensor, telephoto lens, super wide-angle lens, monochrome lens, and a depth sensor. Nokia 9 PureView is likely to compete against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy A9 2018. In-display fingerprint sensor The Nokia 9 PureView also has an in-display fingerprint sensor, which makes it the first Nokia smartphone with a fingerprint sensor embedded into the display. The Nokia 9 PureView also has an 18:9 aspect ratio display with minimal bezels on the top and the bottom portion of the smartphone with a single front-facing camera. Nokia 9 PureView launch The Nokia 9 PureView is expected to be showcased at MWC 2019 along with other Nokia smartphones. As of now, there is no information on the exact tech specifications of the smartphone. Considering the time of launch, the Nokia 9 PureView is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC. Considering the features offered by the Nokia 9 PureView, it is expected to be the most expensive smartphone from HMD Global to date. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Xiaomi Redmi 6A flash sale starts at 12 noon on mi.com and Amazon News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The Xiaomi Redmi 6A standard variant with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage will be made available via flash sale today. The Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has offered a whole lot of smartphones to the masses this year. The company has no doubt being ruling the budget smartphone segment for quite some time now. The Redmi 6 series which comprises of Redmi 6, Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 Pro is the most recent affordable series by the tech giant and it has received quite a well response for the masses. The Redmi 6A has been one the best selling Xiaomi smartphones here in India. The company has hosted various sales of the Redmi 6 and today the standard variant of the device will be up for grabs via a flash sale. While the Xiaomi Redmi 6A with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage is already available via an open sale on Amazon and mi.com, the standard variant with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage will be made available via flash sale today. The sale will begin at 12 noon and will be hosted on both mi.com and Amazon.in. As for the pricing, the Xiaomi Redmi 6A with 2GB/16GB storage carries a price tag of Rs 5,999, whereas, the 2GB/32GB storage variant is retailing for Rs 6,999. Xiaomi had increased the price of both these smartphones; however, the prices were slashed back to original after some time. Xiaomi Redmi 6A specifications and features: The Redmi 6A is an entry-segment smartphone by Xiaomi. In terms of specifications, the device is backed by a quad-core MediaTek Helio P22 processor that clocks at 2.0GHz. The processor onboard is paired with 2GB of RAM and two storage options including 16GB and 32GB. The internal storage on the smartphone is further expandable up to 128GB with an external microSD card. The smartphone has a 5.45-inch IPS LCD display panel with a screen resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9. The smartphone uses a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera and has electronic image stabilization feature. Backing up this entire package is a 3,000mAh Li-Ion battery unit. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Realme to foray in offline retail stores in India from 2019 News oi-Sandeep Sarkar Realme has joined hands with the Reliance Digital and MyJio stores to offer its smartphones via offline retail stores. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme has made an entry in the market this year itself. The Oppo's former subsidiary had introduced around five smartphones this year with the most recent being the Realme U1. All of the Realme smartphones have comes with an affordable price tag and have received good response from the masses. The Realme smartphones were available via online stores until now, however, this now changes. While the Realme smartphones were available until now on online e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart, the company has announced that it will foray into the offline smartphones sale as well. Realme has joined hands with the Reliance Digital and MyJio stores to offer its smartphones via offline retail stores. Now, users will not need to depend on online stores to purchase any desired Realme smartphone. Madhav Sheth, Chief Executive Officer, Realme India said, "Realme as a young brand is committed to delivering the best consumer experience to our customers. Strengthening our commitment, we are expanding our footprints to meet the rapidly growing customer demands. With the new offline store, we are extending our sales channels reaching out to our offline customers in every region. This is the extension of our sales strategy and the ultimate target of 'Realme for Every Indian". Realme will begin with ten cities across the country in January 2019 and will eventually add up 50 cities every quarter. With the city expansion of the outlets, Realme is said to establish around 20,000 outlets throughout the country. The retail outlets will deal with all the smartphone models which Realme had introduced this year and is expected to bring in the future. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications TRAIs new DTH tariff order: Everything you need to know News oi-Vivek Users have to pay at least Rs 130 per month for the base pack with 100 free-to-air channels Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has come up with a new regulation, which gives an option for consumers to choose and pay only for the channels that they are interested. The new regulations from TRAI for DTH Tariff start from 29th of December 2018, and TRAI has now extended the timeline to choose their package from 29th of December to 31st of January 2019. TRAI's new tariff rules Consumers have to pay a fixed price of Rs 130 per month, which includes 100 free to air channels Consumers can pay Rs 20 or more to access 25 standard definition channels Broadcasters cannot bundle pay channels with the free channels High Definition channels cannot be bundled with standard definition channels According to the new regulations from TRAI, users have to pay a base price of Rs 130, which give access to 100 free-to-air channels. On top of that, users can pay separately for select channels. Here is the list of popular channel packs and prices per month. Star base-pack with (SD or standard definition) for Rs 49 or premium back for Rs 79. The regional star packs start at Rs 39 and go up to Rs 69 Zee base-pack for Rs 45 and standard pack for Rs 68 Sony's pack of 10 starts at Rs 55 and HD channel pack for Rs 116 Sun Network's basic-pack starts at Rs 30 and goes up to Rs 65 for up to 25 channels Viacom's base-pack starts at 36 and goes up to Rs 58 for the ultra package. India major regional pack starts at Rs 79 Cartoon Network, Pogo, WB, and CNN starts at Rs 4.8 per channel and goes up to Rs 16 Disney broadcasting channel starts at Rs 5 per channel and goes up to Rs 15 with one pack of all channels for Rs 10 What do you think about these new regulations from TRAI? Will these new regulations will increase or decrease your monthly cable payment? Share your views in the comment box. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Diplomats: Afghan Pullout Plan Could Complicate Peace Talks By Aman Azhar December 29, 2018 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fighter exercise Sentry Aloha 19-1 completed By Senior Airman John Linzmeier, 154th Wing Public Affairs / Published December 30, 2018 JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) -- More than 800 Airmen, Sailors and Defense Department civilians from nine states completed exercise Sentry Aloha, a large-scale fighter exercise, , Dec. 19, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The Hawaii Air National Guard exercise is held several times a year to provide aircraft with dissimilar combat training among participating flying and support units. The fighter aircraft consisted of the 199th and 19th Fighter Squadrons' JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam-based F-22 Raptors, Oregon Air National Guard F-15 Eagles and Navy F-18 Hornets from China Lake, California. The back-to-back combat training included in-air refueling by KC-135 Stratotankers from Iowa and Wisconsin Air National Guard air refueling units, a component that enables U.S. and partnered aircraft to operate virtually anywhere on the planet. Lt. Col. Matthew Ohman, Sentry Aloha exercise director, said the refueling capabilities maximized the fast-paced training. "Exercises like this gives us a chance to just be part of the bigger picture and it builds confidence," said Chief Master Sgt. Donald Strickland, 128th Air Refueling Wing chief boom operator, "especially for our younger pilots and boom operators. It gives them exposure to other types of receiving aircraft and to see how quickly it all happens, opposed to the routines we're used to at our home station. This helps us know what to expect when it's actually time to deploy." The integration of Hawaii's fifth-generation Raptors and visiting fourth-generation fighters enabled aviators to enhance their aerial tactics and prepare for a multitude of war-fighting scenarios. The Department of Defense relies on joint efforts, such as exercise Sentry Aloha, to maintain air dominance and preserve the peace and stability throughout the Pacific region. "Sentry Aloha is not only unique in its location in beautiful Hawaii, but it also provides some of the best joint training the Air Force has to offer," said Ohman. "The focus of Sentry Aloha is to develop unit-specific, tailored scenarios that ensure the majority of tactical learning takes place in the airspace, not in the trenches of mission planning. This is unique from Flag exercises, which have inflexible scenarios given to units when they attend." While JBPH-H maintains fifth-generation fighters, it still upholds a permanent supply of aircraft-ground equipment to cater for visiting fourth-generation aircraft. Senior Master Sgt. Noel Demello, Sentry Aloha maintenance planner, said the readily-available equipment significantly lowers expenses because it reduces the need to airlift personnel and large-volumes of supplies used to generate aircraft. Unlike past iterations of the exercise, more than 20 personnel from the 154th Mission Support Group were activated to operate the HIANG's dining facility and provide around-the-clock meals, including 'midnight chow,' for hundreds of Airmen. Tech. Sgt. Priscilla Kim, 154th MSG dining facility manager, said this was the first time her Airmen have been asked to take on a tasking this large and it provided them much-needed experience for upcoming deployments, slated for next year. The freshly-cooked meals also saved time for exercise participants and cut down costs of overall training. Due to the unpredictable nature of aircraft operations, mission planners always need to be prepared to for the possibility of an aircraft mishap. Sentry Aloha flights were suspended for one day on Dec. 12, in response to a civilian aircraft crash into the waters by Honolulu airport. The pilot, an exercise contractor, was able to successfully eject before impact and received care within minutes of landing. "I was extremely proud to see how well we worked together after [the aircraft] went down shortly after takeoff last week," said Ohman. "It was awesome to find out civilians from the community pitched in almost immediately to lend a helping hand in his recovery until the Coast Guard arrived. These extraordinary efforts by normal citizens is truly what makes me proud to be an American." The 199th Fighter Squadron is part of the 154th Wing, the largest wing in the Air National Guard. The Hawaii Air National Guard is comprised of nearly 2,500 Airmen whose federal mission is to be trained and available for active duty Air Force operational missions. "Continual participation in events like this make us a stronger force," said Col. Sean Sullivan, Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Operations Group commander. "These exercises are essential, not only for the pilots, but for the training and expertise of the maintainers, the aircrew flight equipment (Airmen), and our airfield managers. Its a lot more than the pilot flying the airplane to make that happen, and these exercises are a crucial part of us continuing to get better, as a team and as an Air Force." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel confiscates 300 acres of Palestinian-owned lands Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:03PM Israeli forces have confiscated nearly 300 acres of Palestinian-owned lands in the West Bank in a bid to expand its illegal settlements in the occupied territories, Palestinian media reported. According to the reports, Israel wants to use the seized lands to build an outpost, south of the Bethlehem district. The Palestinian Authority's Wall and Settlement Resistance Committee has condemned the move. It has also lodged an appeal to the regime's Supreme Court. All Israeli settlements are illegal under international law. The Israeli regime's continued land expropriation and settlement expansion policies in the occupied territories are threatening the entire culture of peace, deepening apartheid and destroying the so-called two-state solution, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry on Thursday. The ministry, in a statement released on Thursday, called on the United Nations, the International Criminal Court and the so-called advocates of human rights and peace to defend their eroding credibility, stop double standards and take international legal measures to hold the Tel Aviv regime accountable for its crimes. The statement added that Israel was pressing ahead with its expansionist settlement projects, and moving to create armed settler militias in order to carry out more attacks and crimes against Palestinian people as well as their homes and property. The ministry's Thursday reaction came after Israeli authorities approved plans for about 2,200 settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, an Israeli anti-settlement group says. The so-called Israeli Civil Administration on Thursday approved plans for the construction of 1,451 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank, and advanced plans for the construction of 837 additional units. Less than a month before US President Donald Trump took office, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2334, calling on Israel to "immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem" al-Quds. About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former top US general in Afghanistan calls Trump immoral, dishonest Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 07:05PM US President Donald Trump is "immoral and dishonest," says retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal, criticizing the American leader's Middle East policy. Speaking in an interview on Sunday, McChrystal, who once led the US military forces in Afghanistan, said Trump was not telling the truth most of the time. "Do you think he's a liar?" the former top general was asked on the set of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." "I don't think he tells the truth," McChrystal responded. "Is Trump immoral, in your view?" he was asked. "I think he is," he said. McChrystal then praised outgoing US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis for speaking against Trump and said he would not accept any job offer from the president. "It's important for me to work with people who are basically honestly, who tell the truth as best they know," he said. Mattis handed in his resignation letter earlier this month, shortly after Trump announced his decision to end the US military presence in Syria. The outgoing Pentagon chief said he opposed the idea of leaving Syria and would step down to let Trump appoint people who agreed with him more. Trump, however, doubled down on his policy and announcing that he would cut in half the roughly 14,000 US forces in Afghanistan. He criticized Mattis, essentially firing him by announcing in a tweet that his replacement, Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, would take over from January 1, two months before the former Pentagon chief's tenure ended. McCrystal agreed with Mattis, saying leaving Syria makes it "much more difficult for the United States to try to push events in any direction." McChrystal also took issue with Trump's campaign-style speech to US troops in Iraq during his surprise visit to the Arab country last week, where he criticized Democrats for not funding his controversial border wall among other issues. "You don't use that as a time to tout your politics," McCrystal said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bangladesh's ruling party wins general elections: Local media say Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 06:51PM Early results show Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League (AL) party won the controversial general elections, which were marred by opposition claims of vote rigging and violence between rival supporters. According to Channel 24, which is compiling results from around the country, Hasina's alliance easily crossed the 151 seats required to form a government. Early trends showed Hasina's ruling party has taken a big lead over the opposition in the Sunday elections. As midnight approached, the AL and its allies had won 191 seats while the opposition coalition had only five, the channel said. The alliance running against Hasina, led by the main opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) however accused the ruling party of using stuffed ballot boxes and other illegal means to fix the result. 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 AL symbol. The BNP-led opposition alliance also 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," said Kamal Hossain, who heads the coalition. Hasina did not immediately respond to the accusations but said in the run-up to the vote that it would be free and fair. In addition, deadly violence and bitter rivalry that marred the election campaign spilled over into voting day. Over a dozen people were killed in clashes between Awami League and BNP supporters 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. Hasina has been lauded for boosting economic growth in the poor nation during an unbroken decade in power. 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, so that she could cling on to power. The Bangladeshi leadership has alternated between Hasina and Zia over the last three decades. The BNP boycotted the last elections in 2014, claiming it would not be free and fair. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghanistan to postpone presidential election to July Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 05:53PM The Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan says the presidential election will be postponed to July 20 to give authorities more time for making preparations. Gula Jan Abdul Bade Sayad, the commission chairman, told a news conference in Kabul on Sunday that mounting problems had forced a delay in the election, which was originally scheduled for April 20. "April will be very difficult because of the harsh winter and transporting election materials, security, and the budget issues", Sayad said. "To better prepare for the vote, we have decided to hold the election in July next year." The announcement follows heavy criticism of October's chaotic parliamentary elections, which saw problems ranging from roadside bomb attacks to incomplete voter lists and huge delays at polling stations. "Based on the lessons we have learned from the previous election and to allow time for reforms, we had to review the decision of the previous election date," Sayad said. The official added that provincial and district council elections as well as a previously postponed parliamentary vote in Ghazni province will be held on the same day. Elsewhere in his remarks, Sayad said two weeks of "extensive talks" with the government, political leaders and security agencies had led the commission to make the decision. Haroon Chakhansuri, a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, who plans to seek re-election, welcomed the new timeline. "The Afghan government respects the decision by the IEC and is prepared to cooperate with the commission in holding the election in July," Chakhansuri said in a statement. Ghani is expected to be running against candidates including his former national security adviser Hanif Atmar and current Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. The 2014 presidential election was tainted by accusations of massive cheating on both sides. There are also concerns that the upcoming election, which will now be held in the middle of the Taliban's traditional fighting season, could unleash a wave of deadly violence as militants seek to disrupt the vote. The timing of the election has also been complicated by talks underway between US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and representatives of the Taliban. According to Afghan media reports last week, Khalilzad was considering asking the Kabul government to delay the election by several months and prioritize the peace process. The Kabul government has stepped up efforts to convince the Taliban to end the 17-year militancy amid Washington's failures on the battleground. Khalilzad has said he held "productive" meetings in Abu Dhabi with Afghan and international partners "to promote intra-Afghan dialogue towards ending the conflict." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Many opposition candidates pull out of Bangladesh elections, citing electoral fraud Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 03:08PM Over 40 candidates of the opposition alliance in Bangladesh have pulled out during polling in general elections, alleging vote rigging. A final decision on withdrawing from the elections is yet to be announced by the alliance. This came after early results and trends showed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling party has taken a big lead over the opposition in Sunday elections. Nearly 287 candidates from an opposition group led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) contested for seats. A journalist, who declined to be identified for the fear of reprisal, said activists with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League party in the southeastern city of Chittagong had warned him and other voters at the polling station against entrance. "They said we didn't need to go inside as our votes had already been cast. I am hearing the same thing happening at several other polling booths in Chittagong." Several BNP leaders have similarly alleged rigging has been carried out by the ruling party. Kamal Hossain, an 82-year-old leading the opposition coalition, said, "We are getting disturbing reports outside Dhaka that overnight votes have been cast illegally." Hossain rejected the results that showed Hasina was heading for a landslide victory, demanding new elections. "We urge the election commission to void this farcical result immediately," Hossain told reporters. "We are demanding that a fresh election is held under a neutral government as early as possible." The Awami League says the opposition's accusation is not true. The country began the polls following a weeks-long campaign dominated by a crackdown on thousands of opposition activists. Some 600,000 security personnel were deployed across the country. Authorities ordered mobile operators to shut down 3G and 4G services until midnight on Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumors" that could trigger unrest. The voting, which ended at 4:00 pm (1000 GMT), was held under tight security. The count has already begun and results are expected to be clear by Monday morning. The Election Commission said it was probing allegations of vote rigging. "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." The election campaign was marred by violence. At least 12 people were killed in election-day clashes across the country on Sunday. Hasina has been lauded for boosting economic growth in the poor nation during an unbroken decade in power. 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, so that she could cling on to power. The Bangladeshi leadership has alternated between Hasina and Zia over the last three decades. The BNP boycotted the last elections in 2014, claiming it would not be free and fair. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US forces leave Hasakah base following Trump's decision to evacuate Syria Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 02:16PM The United States has reportedly evacuated a military base in Syria, the first step towards delivering on President Donald Trump's recent pledge to pull American forces out of the war-torn Arab country. According to local residents of al-Malikiya, in the northeastern province of Hasakeh, some 50 American soldiers had already left the base and traveled to a base in Iraq, along with their armored vehicles and other equipment. The evacuation began after Trump, in an unexpected change of policy, announced he was going to return the troops back home because the Daesh terrorist group was already defeated and there was no reason for the US to extend military presence there. The US has stationed about 2,000 soldiers in 18 bases across Syria since 2015. The Pentagon says the withdrawal would take between two and three months. The controversial decision triggered backlash from both Democrats and Republicans in Congress and prompted Defense Secretary James Mattis to resign. The decision also led Brett McGurk, the US special envoy to the so-called anti-Daesh coalition in Syria and Iraq, to quit. He criticized Mattis, essentially firing him by announcing in a tweet that his replacement, Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, would take over from January 1, two months before the former Pentagon chief's tenure ended. He also criticized McGurk, saying his time in office was about to end, accusing him of grandstanding his exit. But Trump doubled down on his policy by also announcing that he would cut in half the roughly 14,000 US forces in Afghanistan. America's military presence in northern parts of Syria, where US troops were working closely with Kurdish groups to push back against Daesh, had drawn fire from Turkey. Ankara has launched its own military incursion into Syria, with a declared goal of destroying Kurdish groups causing unrest in Turkish territories. Upon announcing his decision to leave Syria, Trump said Turkey would be taking on the US military responsibilities in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel seizes more Palestinian land for settlement construction Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 01:36PM Israeli authorities have confiscated thousands of square meters of private Palestinian land in the southern West Bank to expand a settlement in blatant violation of international law and defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions condemning Tel Aviv regime's land expropriation and settlement expansion policies in the occupied territories. On Sunday, the Wall and Settlement Resistance Committee lodged an appeal to the so-called Israeli Supreme Court, denouncing the Israeli regime's seizure of approximately 1,200 dunams (1.2 square kilometers) of Palestinian-owned land. Hassan Bureija, head of the committee, told the Arabic-language Voice of Palestine radio station that Israeli officials have granted 1,182 dunams (1.18 square kilometers) of private Palestinian land to the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing in order to erect an outpost south of Bethlehem, situated about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) south of Jerusalem al-Quds. On November 18, Palestinian chief negotiator and Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Saeb Erekat, said the Israeli regime is forcibly displacing the Palestinian population to advance its settlement expansion projects. "Israel continues to forcibly transfer the Palestinian population for the sake of expansion and consolidation of its illegal colonial settlement activities on lands belonging to the State of Palestine," he said in a statement. "As a result of the international community's failure to hold Israel accountable, Israeli war crimes continue to deny Palestine the right to exist. UN member states and international organizations must immediately assume their responsibilities, specifically those that fall under the Fourth Geneva Convention and Hague regulations, to protect the Palestinian nation. The United Nations must also fulfill its obligations in accordance with international law and resolutions, including Security Council Resolution 2334," Erekat commented. Less than a month before US President Donald Trump took office, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2334, calling on Israel to "immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem" al-Quds. About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital. The last round of Israeli-Palestinian talks collapsed in 2014. Among the major sticking points in those negotiations was Israel's continued settlement expansion on Palestinian territories. Trump backtracked on Washington's support for a "two-state solution" last year, saying he would support any solution favored by both sides. "Looking at two-state or one-state, I like the one that both parties like. I'm very happy with the one both parties like. I can live with either one," the US president said during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on February 15, 2017. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban rejects Afghan government's offer of peace talks Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 10:56AM The Taliban militant group has rejected a call by the Afghan government for formal peace talks next month in Saudi Arabia. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Taliban leader announced on Sunday that the group's representatives would meet US officials in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah for the fifth round of talks within the next few days but not the representatives of the 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," the Taliban leader 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. Representatives from the Taliban, the US, and regional countries met for the fourth time earlier this month in the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi for talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan, but the militant group's representatives refused to talk to the Afghan negotiating team. This is while the government of President Ashraf Ghani says the talks should be "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned," insisting on continued efforts to establish a direct line of diplomatic communication with the Taliban. The office of Afghanistan's Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah said Kabul was aware of the whole process of peace talks and that Washington sought to provide the condition for direct talks between government and the militant group. US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has said he held "productive" meetings in Abu Dhabi with Afghan and international partners "to promote intra-Afghan dialog towards ending the conflict." The Taliban's five-year rule over at least three quarters of Afghanistan came to an end with a US-led invasion in 2001; but 17 years on, the militant group continues to be active on much of Afghan soil. The Taliban have strengthened their grip over the past three years, with the government in Kabul controlling just 56 percent of the country, down from 72 percent in 2015, a recent US government report showed. Having failed to end the militancy campaign, Washington has over the past months stepped up its political efforts to secure a truce with Taliban. US President Donald Trump has reportedly ordered the withdrawal of some 7,000 troops from Afghanistan. The figure accounts for about half of the total number of American boots on the ground in the country. But a later White House announcement has cast doubt on reports about Trump's order. The Taliban have not formally responded to the partial US troop withdrawal. But a senior commander recently told media outlets that the group was "more than happy." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Presidential election starts in DR Congo Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 08:14AM People have started voting in the presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, amid delays and reported disorganization. On Sunday, polling staffers were setting up voting machines in stations minutes before opening. Reuters cited a witness in the eastern city of Goma as seeing residents casting their vote, but another polling station in the city was still closed 90 minutes after polls opened at 06:00 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT). President Joseph Kabila, who has been in power since his father's assassination in 2001, is not standing for re-election and will step down after the vote. Kabila's party, the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), has designated former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, 58, as its presidential candidate. As well as Ramazani, the front-runners are Felix Tshisekedi, 55, of the mainstream opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), and Martin Fayulu, 62, a little-known lawmaker and former oil executive, who has made a late surge after being named the joint candidate for several opposition parties. A total of 21 candidates are running in the presidential race. United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged rival candidates to participate in a peaceful competition. Guterres urged citizens to "seize this historic opportunity to participate in the consolidation of the country's democratic institutions." The call for a peaceful vote came a few days after clashes between the supporters of rival candidates left at least one person dead and over 80 injured. DR Congo is one of Africa's most volatile countries and has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. In the past 22 years, two massive wars have shaken the country, claiming many lives and sucking in armies from around Southern and Central Africa. Lower-level conflicts are burning in the center and east of the country, which analysts say could easily flare into fully-fledged wars. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Polls open in Bangladesh, fresh clashes kill 12 Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 07:58AM Clashes between the supporters of Bangladesh's ruling party and opposition have left 12 people dead and nearly a dozen others wounded as the South Asian country votes in general elections already plagued by deadly violence. Reports by the Bangladeshi media said the clashes broke out in the southeast of the country on Sunday between the campaign workers of the Awami League (AL) Party and its opponents, who are led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, amid allegations of vote rigging. Three men were shot by police, one after he tried to steal a ballot box and the other when opposition activists attempted to storm a polling station in the southern town of Bashkhali. Three others were killed in separate clashes between AL party activists and BNP supporters. Eight other people were reported to have been killed in separate clashes between AL activists and BNP supporters. Police said they acted "in self-defense" in the Bashkhali incident. An auxiliary police member was also killed after being attacked by opposition activists armed with guns and sticks, according to officials. Polls opened in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka and across the South Asian country at 8:00 a.m. local time (02:00 GMT), with around 104 million people being eligible to vote at more than 42,000 polling centers. A total of 1,841 candidates from the AL and the BNP are vying for 300 seats in the parliament. The ballots are widely expected to bring a record fourth term to incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ruling party. "I believe that people will cast their votes in favor of Awami League to continue the pace of development," Hasina told reporters as she cast her vote in Dhaka. "The 'boat' will surely win. I believe in democracy and I have confidence in the people of my country," she added, referring to the symbol of her party. The elections are being held under tight security measures following weeks-long campaigns marred by violence and allegations of a government crackdown on opposition activists. In the run-up to the vote, 13 people purportedly lost their lives and thousands were injured in skirmishes between the supporters of Hasina and the BNP, whose leader, Zia, is serving 17 years in prison on graft charges. Zia has dismissed the conviction as politically motivated. Bangladeshi authorities have deployed over 600,000 security personnel, including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards, across the country in a bid to contain possible violence during the general elections, the country's eleventh. The opposition party claims that thousands of its supporters and activists have been arrested to be prevented from casting their ballots. The BNP boycotted the last elections, in 2014, claiming it would not be free and fair. Media reports said internet services would be completely shut down until midnight on Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumors" that could trigger unrest. The polls will close at 4 p.m. (10:00 GMT) across Bangladesh, and counting will begin soon after the voting ends. The results are expected to be released early on Monday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Navy seeks to develop hypersonic Weapons to catch-up with Russia, China Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 02:57AM The US Navy has placed the development of hypersonic weapons on its "acquisition wish list" after Russia's recent announcement of a successful missile test and planned its deployment in 2019 of an "invincible" strategic missile that can fly 27 times the speed of sound. Highlighting the growing concerns of US military officials about Russian and Chinese leading advancements on a technology that may potentially pose the threat of making existing US missile defense systems obsolete, pro-military news outlet military.com further reported on Friday that US Air Force has also put a priority on hypersonic weapons. According to the report, under a recently proposed plan, Chief of US Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson listed the Navy's intention to "develop and field an offensive hypersonic weapon by 2025" as a top priority. Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov announced on Thursday that the country's new missile, referred to as Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, "essentially makes missile defenses useless," further insisting that "no anti-missile can knock it down." He spoke a day after President Vladimir Putin oversaw what he hailed as a decisively successful test of the Avangard and a reliable guarantee of Russia's security for decades to come. "This is a great success and a big victory. This is a wonderful, excellent gift for the country for the New Year," Putin said as quoted in a report by state news agency, Tass. Putin was also cited in press reports as saying that Russia was forced to develop the Avangard after Washington withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002. Moreover, the Russian president recently expressed concerns that a plan by the administration of US President Donald Trump to scrap the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) arms control treaty could lead to a new arms race. Putin had previously discussed the Avangard project in March, when he touted its abilities in the annual state of the nation speech to the Federal Assembly. US playing catch-up to Russia, China in hypersonic arms Meanwhile, US officials have been candid in acknowledging that the American military is likely playing catch-up to Russia and China in the development of hypersonic weaponry. In a roundtable discussion with reporters last January, Vice Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Paul Selva, said: "We have lost our technical advantage in hypersonics," but "we haven't lost the hypersonics fight." The US Air Force awarded a contract last April to develop a prototype hypersonic cruise missile, or the Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is also working with the Air Force on the joint Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) program "to perfect hypersonic weaponry," military.com further reported. According to the report, US Navy's push for a hypersonic weapon was also included in Richardson's so-called "Design 2.0" plan, designed to "guide our behaviors and investments this year and in the years to come." He further noted that specifics "will be reflected in our annual budget documents." The Design 2.0 plan reflects the concerns of the 2018 National Defense Strategy in stating that "China and Russia are deploying all elements of their national power to achieve their global ambitions." It further emphasized: "In addition, our competitors have been studying our methods over the past 20 years. In many cases, they are gaining a competitive advantage and exploiting our vulnerabilities." To counter the threat, the report added, Richardson listed a number of ASAP capabilities and programs that the Navy needs to acquire or put in operation more quickly. "Among those priorities are acquiring the Columbia-class replacements for the Ohio-class ballistic submarines; awarding the Future Frigate contract by 2020; building up the 2nd Fleet to full operational capability in 2019; and awarding contracts by 2025 for a new family of underwater unmanned vehicles." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Serbians protest against government for fourth week Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 05:20AM People in Serbia have staged anti-government demonstrations in the capital, Belgrade, for a fourth week. Around 25,000 people joined a rally against President Aleksandar Vucic in the Serbian capital on Saturday, according to AFP. Demonstrators chanted "Vucic, thief" or waved placards that said "Enough lies!" while many blew whistles as a sign of protest. "This is a citizen's demonstration against the situation in the country, which has been economically and politically complicated, even critical, for a long time," a protester, Vladimir Tosic, told AFP. He said the latest protest "united normal Belgrade inhabitants who have come out to voice despair with the situation." Vucic, a hard-line nationalist-turned-pro-Europe, is accused by the opposition and civil society of having established autocratic rule and total control over the media, using them to campaign against opponents. The protests represent the biggest challenge to his rule so far. Vucic has announced his readiness "to listen to the citizens who are demonstrating but not to opposition liars." Opposition parties launched the protests after one of their leaders was beaten ahead of a political gathering in central Serbia last month. The opposition Alliance for Serbia (SZS), an umbrella of parties from across the political spectrum, accused the supporters of Vucic's ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) to have been behind the attack, a claim the authorities denied. Meanwhile, the European Parliament has urged Belgrade to make a strong effort to "improve the situation regarding freedom of expression and freedom of the media." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US military luring E Asia allies to back its bid to confront China Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 01:47AM A senior US military official is reportedly trying to lure American allies in the Asian Pacific region to boost their naval force in the South China Sea to support the Pentagon's efforts to challenge China near its own territorial waters. Warning that "the communists" intent to establish military bases in the South Pacific, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Affairs Randy Schriver called for the military backing of Washington's regional allies in a recent interview with The Australian daily as cited in a Saturday report by the pro-military Star and Stripes newspaper. According to the report, Beijing is engaged in "influence operations" in the South Pacific, "which have included donations to politicians and financing infrastructure projects in small island nations." It further claimed that such moves have "caught the attention" of officials in Australia and New Zealand. "I think what could potentially bring more pressure on the Chinese is other partners and allies joining in these activities [in the South China Sea]," Schriver said in the interview. "If not freedom-of-navigation operations ... just joint patrols, presence operations." "There have been several public accounts of Australian activities in the South China Sea and some of the assertive challenges [to Australia] from China," Schriver further asserted. The American military official also emphasized that other US allies, including Britain, France and Canada, have heightened their military activities in the South China Sea as well. "We've seen a lot more activity from other interested parties because I think there is recognition that an erosion of international law and norms in the South China Sea has implications globally," he went on to claim. The report points out, however, that unlike Western powers, Japan's relations with China are continuing to improve, further noting that Australia and New Zealand also remain Beijing's major trading partners and need to balance to balance their economic and military ties. This is while Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping in October to resume mutual naval visits. Moreover, local press reports recently stated that Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force may join the Chinese navy's fleet review in April. In the past year, American warships have been involved in the so-called "freedom-of-navigation operations" aimed at challenging what they claim as Chinese territorial ambitions and build-up of military facilities on disputed islands in regional waters. A Chinese warship almost collided with American destroyer, the USS Decatur, last August near the disputed Spratly Islands. As part of Washington's emerging policy of confronting China in all fronts, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo described China last October as the biggest national security challenge facing the US, insisting that the current administration in Washington is pushing back against China "on all fronts." In a radio interview on October 31, Pompeo claimed Washington was engaged in a multi-pronged effort to convince Beijing to behave like a "normal nation." The top US diplomat further claimed that China's stealing of intellectual property has cost the US hundreds of billions of dollars. "It is a multi-pronged effort on behalf of all of the United States Government, at the President's direction, to convince China to behave like a normal nation on commerce and with respect to the rules of international law," he said. The former commander of the US Army in Europe also warned in October that it was very likely the United States and China would be engaged in a military conflict within the next 15 years. Retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges said on October 26 that European allies would have to do more to increase their military capabilities in face of a resurgent Russia because America will need to focus more attention on defending its interests against China. "The United States needs a very strong European pillar. I think in 15 years it's not inevitable but it is a very strong likelihood that we will be at war with China,'' Hodges told a packed room at the Warsaw Security Forum, a two-day gathering of leaders and military and political experts from central Europe. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former Top U.S. Commander In Afghanistan Warns About Troop Withdrawal By RFE/RL December 30, 2018 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 general's 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 Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/former-top-u-s- commander-in-afghanistan-warns-about-troop- withdrawal/29684246.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 Afghanistan Delays Presidential Vote Until July BBy RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan December 30, 2018 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 Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-delays-presidential -vote-until-july/29684103.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 National Army liberates areas in Sarawah, Yemen Saudi Press Agency Sunday 1440/4/23 - 2018/12/30 Aden, December 30, 2018 SPA -- The Yemeni National Army announced that its forces had made progress on the ground in the Directorate of Sarawah, west of Marib Governorate and is approaching the center of the Directorate. A Yemeni military source said, "The army recaptured Tibetan Al-Groon overlooking the center of the city of Sarawah, while Houthi gunmen fled after a violent attack by the army." The source said that units of the army stationed at the two sites, which are away from the center of the city about 3 kilometers, according to September site of the Yemeni Ministry of Defense. The fighting resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries among Houthi militias in addition to the destruction of their vehicles. The military source pointed out that the army artillery shelled the positions of Houthi reinforcements while on their way to the areas of confrontations resulted in the destruction of two vehicles of the militias and the killing and wounding of all Houthi gunmen who were on board them. -- SPA 13:44 LOCAL TIME 10:44 GMT 0006 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Colombia Probes Alleged Plot by Venezuelans to Assassinate President Duque Sputnik News 07:28 30.12.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - 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. 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. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Vacates First Warehouse in Syria Amid Pullout Reports Sputnik News 05:26 30.12.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States has cleared the first military warehouse in the northeastern Syrian province of Hasakah, media reported. Sources told Turkey's state Anadolu news agency that the 4,306-square-foot warehouse on the border with Iraq was vacated on Friday. The outlet said the warehouse, which contained trucks and Hummer armoured vehicles, served as a hub for distributing military aid to the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, whom Ankara sees as a terrorist group. The 50 US troops based around the warehouse had been relocated to Iraq, the publication added, in line with US President Donald Trump's promise last week to pull all personnel from Syria. Previously, Trump announced that the US forces would be pulled out from Syria since the Daesh* terrorist group had been defeated there. According to US officials, the pull-out of the troops, with their number exceeding 2,000, will take from 60 to 100 days. *Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia, US and many other countries Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US: Anti-IS Coalition Airstrikes Killed Over 1,000 Civilians By VOA News December 30, 2018 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Presidential Polls Rescheduled for July 20 By Ayaz Gul December 30, 2018 Electoral authorities in Afghanistan have delayed by three months next year's 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. Sunday's announcement comes as IEC officials are still struggling to tally votes cast in October's 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. Afghanistan's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 17 Killed in Bangladesh Election Day Clashes By VOA News December 30, 2018 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Problems Mar Long-Awaited Election Day in DRC By Anita Powell December 30, 2018 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 nation's independent history. This poll marks the nation's 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 Sunday's 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. "We've seen polling stations that opened late, we've seen polling stations without electoral material being delivered, we've seen problems with the voting machines ranging from there not being voting machines at polling stations to voters not knowing how to use them, we've also seen a lot of cases where voters didn't know where to go because the voters' lists were posted late, and there's been bad weather," she said. "So there have been a number of quite significant challenges that we've 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 we've 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 Congo's 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." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Indonesia, Calls for Quran Test for Presidential Hopefuls Draw Ire By Eva Mazrieva December 30, 2018 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 doesn't mean that we fail our live if we can't 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 it's 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 don't have to use the capability to read the Quran as an issue in the coming election. This is a clear tendency to politicize religion. It's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump refuses to budge over border wall demand that triggered govt. shutdown Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 05:16PM US President Donald Trump's administration and Democrats in Congress continued to attack each other on Sunday over the proposed US-Mexico border wall that triggered a partial government shutdown, now in its ninth day. Trump has refused to sign any kind of spending bill that does not include more than $5 billion for the wall and border security measures, narrowing prospects for the federal shutdown to end. The last spending bill expired at midnight on December 22, starting the latest shutdown of certain government agencies. Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said the president was waiting for Democrats to negotiate. Congressional Democrats oppose the wall, calling it unnecessary and ineffective. They say the president is the one who refused to endorse a spending plan worked out this month by bipartisan leaders in Congress that would have avoided a shutdown. More Americans have put the blame on Trump rather than the members of the Democratic party for the border wall dispute and government shutdown. Meanwhile, Trump's claim that Democrats are to blame for the deaths of two migrant children from Central America while in US custody has sparked a political controversy. 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." Democrats criticized Trump's comments, describing them as false and insulting. In a tweet addressing the president, Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii 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 US Representative Joaquin Castro. More Americans have put the blame on Trump rather than the members of the Democratic party for the government shutdown. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fired Chief of Staff Kelly Says What Trump Wants Is Not a 'Wall' But a 'Barrier' Sputnik News 02:48 31.12.2018(updated 03:02 31.12.2018) Outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, in an interview published in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday, detailed that US President Donald Trump is not pushing for a concrete wall but is only seeking a barrier as a means of tackling illegal immigration. Kelly said Customs and Border Protection (CPB) agents told him during his brief tenure as Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary that physical barriers are necessary in some areas, but what the de[partment really needs is new technology and additional personnel. "To be honest, it's not a wall," Kelly told the Los Angeles Times. "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 added. Kelly asserted to the newspaper that the US has an "immigration problem," and placed the burden of addressing it on Congress. Trump announced a partial shutdown of the federal government last week, after the Senate failed to accept a $5 billion spending proposal for border security demanded by the president. The former White House chief of staff also declared that Trump has never made a decision without gathering information first, dismissing claims that Trump does not think through the impacts of his decisions, particularly with regard to the shutdown. "It's never been: The president just wants to make a decision based on no knowledge and ignorance," Kelly avowed, adding that, "You may not like his decision, but at least he was fully informed on the impact." Kelly also noted that although immigrants "overwhelmingly, are not bad people," they must be prevented from entering the country illegally, and observed that both immigrants and lawmakers are to blame for the tense situation on the US-Mexico border. "One of the reasons why it's so difficult to keep people from coming obviously it'd be preferable for them to stay in their own homeland but it's difficult to do sometimes, where they live is a crazy, oftentimes conflicting series of loopholes in the law in the United States that makes it extremely hard to turn people around and send them home," Kelly said. From the 1980s to the mid-2000s, border arrests the most common measure of illegal immigration routinely exceeded 1 million people a year. In the fiscal year ending September 2018, that number was reduced to 521,090, according to the Los Angeles Times. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Xi, Trump have telephone conversation, agree to implement consensus in Argentina meeting People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:48, December 30, 2018 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Remarks on the 40th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between China and the United States People's Daily Online (People's Daily Online) 14:49, December 30, 2018 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 other's 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 other's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N Korean Leader Hopes to Have Frequent Meetings With Moon Next Year - Reports Sputnik News 11:37 30.12.2018(updated 13:01 30.12.2018) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed hope that he will be able to have frequent meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in next year, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing Kim's letter to Moon. North Korean Kim Jong-un has sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, in which he apologized for failing to visit Seoul until the end of the year and expressed hope that next year's summit will bring peace and prosperity to the region. "The summit between the North and the South next year will bring peace and prosperity to the Korean Peninsula", the letter was quoted as saying by the Yonhap News Agency. The Yonhap news agency reported that during the meetings, the North Korean leader wants to further address the situation on the Korean Peninsula. A spokesman for the South Korean presidential office, Kim Eui-kyeom said at a briefing that during the meetings the North Korean leader wants to further address the situation on the Korean Peninsula. "Chairman Kim sent a personal letter to President Moon today Chairman Kim made clear that he wants to meet President Moon frequently in 2019 as well to move forward discussion on peace and prosperity and expressed an intent to resolve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula together", the spokesman was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency. In 2018, South Korean President Moon Jae-in conducted three historic meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The countries signed a non-aggression pact stating that the countries will never again use military force against each other. The two leaders also agreed that North Korea would make efforts to promote the complete denuclearisation of the peninsula in exchange for the United States and South Korea freezing their military drills as well as the potential removal of US sanctions. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japanese Reports Claim N Korea Conducted Missile-Related Telemetry Tests in Dec Sputnik News 10:48 30.12.2018(updated 10:54 30.12.2018) TOKYO (Sputnik) - The North Korean military tested in December telemetry equipment used for tracking launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) despite Pyongyang's claims that the country has suspended missile-related tests, the Japanese Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported, citing sources. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper's sources, North Korea tested radio wave detectors that are installed in ballistic missiles to allow the military to track the missiles' speed, location and trajectory, the outlet reported, noting that such tests had often preceded Pyongyang's ICBM launches. The sources noted that the telemetry tests are an integral part of North Korea's nuclear program development. Pyongyang has yet to comment on the media reports. In late April, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced that the country would suspend its ICBM launches and missile tests ahead of the summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump. In addition to this, during September's inter-Korean summit, North Korea pledged to close its missile test range in Tongchang-ri and completely disassemble nuclear facilities in Yongbyon. Pyongyang conducted its latest missile launch in November last year. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US presence in Persian Gulf creating insecurity: Top military official IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 30, IRNA -- Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran said the presence of the United States in the Persian Gulf has nothing, but insecurity in the region. Major General Mohammad Baqeri, after arriving at Bandar Abbas on Sunday, said at the airport, 'The departure of the US from Syria is a humiliating retreat of a country that was present without the consent of the people and the legitimate government.' He described this withdrawal as 'unimportant for defensive and security missions in the region' and said that wherever the Americans were present they caused insecurity and certainly their leaving of Syria and other parts of the region will lead to enhanced security and calm. The senior military official stated, 'In the Persian Gulf, this is the case, and the countries of the region themselves provide security, and the presence of the United States in the region is nothing but insecurity.' Major General Baqeri announced the purpose of his visit to Hormuzgan province to assess the status of the armed forces stationed in the province. 9455**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Resistance groups, regional nations to foil US 'deal of century' plot: Iran Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 02:31PM A senior Iranian security official has lashed out at some Arab countries for their overt and covert support for US President Donald Trump's "deal of the century" plot against the Palestinians, saying resistance groups and vigilant nations in the region will prevent the implementation of such an "ominous" plan. "The implementation of this plan will be a heavy blow to Palestine," Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said in a meeting with Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement, Ziad al-Nakhala, in Tehran on Sunday. While little is known about Trump's plan, leaks have suggested that it regards Jerusalem al-Quds entirely as Israeli territory, whereas Palestinians view the eastern sector of the occupied city as the capital of their future state. Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, and Jason Greenblatt, the US president's special adviser for international negotiations, are reportedly the main architects of the plan. Back in July, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei called Trump's "deal of the century" a "satanic" plan, saying it is a non-starter. "The Americans have named their satanic policy on Palestine 'the deal of the century', but they should know that, by divine Grace, this 'deal of the century' will never materialize," Ayatollah Khamenei said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in November rejected the plan and decried what he called efforts to separate the West Bank from the Gaza Strip. "The 'deal of the century' will not pass. Our national unity is the most precious thing we have, and it is our strongest weapon to face the plans for liquidation and conspiracies that are being waged against our national cause," Abbas said in a recorded speech aired on Palestine TV. Elsewhere in the meeting, Shamkhani said constant support for the Palestinian resistance's ideal is one of the fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic's foreign policy. The SNSC secretary emphasized that Iran would continue its support for Palestine until the full victory of the resistance front. He added that regional nations are making constant achievements in the fight against terrorist groups backed by the United States, the Israeli regime and Saudi Arabia in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. The resistance front is achieving more success in the face of the arrogant system, which would undoubtedly accelerate the realization of the Palestinian people's ideal. In a Saturday meeting with the secretary general of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the Islamic Republic will always stand by Palestinian people and support their cause. Zarif also last week once again reiterated the Islamic Republic's principled policy to support Palestine, urging all countries in the Muslim world to boost their unity to defend the Palestinian cause. "We hope that some Muslim countries that have pinned their hopes on the support of the Zionists and the US will return to the Muslim world and realize that the Zionists are not a trustworthy friend or partner for anybody," the Iranian foreign minister said in a meeting with a Palestinian parliamentary delegation led by senior Palestinian lawmaker, Mahmoud al-Zahar, in Tehran. Iran, real supporter of Palestinian cause: Nakhala Nakhala, for his part, said Iran is among the genuine supporters of the Palestinian cause, adding that the resistance front currently enjoys high capacity and capabilities to confront aggressors. The Palestinian official also slammed the efforts made by some Arab and Western countries to shatter the anti-Israeli resistance. "The people of Palestine will continue their honorable path [of resistance against Israel] more resolute than before until they gain full victory," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan army chief sees better military ties with Iran Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 11:09AM Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa says his country's cooperation with Iran has strengthened and will continue to enhance regional security. "The situation will improve in the future," Bajwa told Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan in the army's general headquarters in the western Pakistani city of Rawalpindi on Saturday. "I am positive that security and military cooperation with Iran will improve the situation on the common border," he added. Over the past years, the border area has witnessed several attacks targeting the countries' security forces, with the Iranian border guards paying the highest toll. Most recently, six Pakistani soldiers were killed when a paramilitary convoy came under attack by gunmen during a routine patrol in the mountainous district of Kech. Earlier this year, 12 Iranian border guards were abducted near the town of Mirjaveh in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan province and taken into Pakistan in April. Five of the guards have been released last month, but the rest remain in captivity, despite Pakistan's repeated promises to have them freed. In the deadliest incident, 11 Iranian border guards were killed in an ambush claimed by the Jaish ul-Adl terrorist group near Mirjaveh in April 2017, with the assailants fleeing into Pakistan after the attack. Iran says it reserves the right to pursue such attackers back into neighboring countries. It announced full preparedness for joint anti-terror operations with Pakistan after terrorists killed the Pakistani troops recently. Bajwa said maintaining the province's security was the focus of the Pakistani army, adding that the country's progress was linked to peace, stability, and progress in Balochistan. "Enhanced security coordination on the Pakistani-Iranian border would further improve the security situation," he said, adding the fencing of Pakistan's border with Afghanistan would also contribute to the situation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian troops will get new generation of S-350 Vityaz missile system in 2019: Ministry Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 06:52PM The Russian military says it will deploy the new generation of S-350 Vityaz short-to-mid range surface-to-air defense missile system next year. The Russian Defense Ministry announced the news in a statement on Saturday, saying the military had already deployed Pantsir-S and S-400 complexes in 2018 in Crimea, which rejoined Russia in a 2014 referendum from Ukraine. "In 2019, the Aerospace Forces will receive the brand-new missile system, S-350 Vityaz, for the first time ever," the statement reads, as Russia tries to replace its ageing S-300 system in a long-planned move. Vityaz (Knight) is developed by Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defence Corporation. The ministry further said that Pantsir-S and S-400 Triumf long-range air defense weapons had also been stationed in Russia's Arctic region, the Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic Sea, and in its easternmost Khabarovsk region, earlier this year. On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised his military forces for carrying out a successful test launch of the cutting-edge Avangard hypersonic missile system, saying that Russia would deploy its first regiment of hypersonic nuclear-capable missiles next year. Avangard's test comes 16 years after former US President George W. Bush abandoned the 1972 the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty, which banned the US and the Soviet Union from developing more than two ABM complexes at the same time. Russia is planning to modernize its strategic and conventional weapons in reaction to US President Donald Trump's threats to withdraw from the Soviet-era Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, signed in 1986 between then US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev. The pact bans the two sides from developing land-based missile systems ranging from 310 to 3,400 miles. The US president said on October 20 that Washington would pull out of the INF over the claim that Moscow had violated the pact. Russia has rejected that claim. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia ready for 'wide-ranging' dialogue with US: Putin Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 03:33PM Russian President Vladimir Putin has told his American counterpart Donald Trump that the Kremlin is ready for entering into dialogue with the White House on a "wide-ranging agenda" as Moscow-Washington relations are currently at their worst since the end of the Cold War era. The Russian leader made the invitation in a letter sent to Trump on Sunday on the occasion of Christmas, a month after the US president abruptly canceled a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions caused following Russia's seizure of three Ukrainian navy ships off the coast of Crimea. "Vladimir Putin stressed that the (Russia - United States) relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security," said the Kremlin in a statement on Sunday, adding, "He confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda." Moscow's relations with the West, particularly with the United States, remain tense over the Ukrainian crisis, the conflict in Syria, and the allegations of Russian interference in the US presidential election in 2016. Early this week, Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, said the bilateral ties between Russia and the United States were in fact "practically non-existent," describing the status quo as bad not only for both countries but for the whole world. Elsewhere in his remarks on Monday, Nebenzia said Moscow and Washington needed to talk about global issues, including strategic stability, terrorism, narcotics and regional conflicts. He also said he thought Trump "understands pretty well that it's better to cooperate." However, the Russian envoy said he did not "see too bright prospects for improving (relations) any time soon" given the fact that Russia had become a major issue in the US internal politics through the allegations of Moscow's interference in the US presidential election in favor of Trump, which the Kremlin strongly denies and calls them "absurd," as well as "the vulnerabilities that drift around this administration." Russia has already said that one of the key issues it seeks to discuss with the United States is Washington's announced plan to pull out of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Moscow, signed in 1986 between then US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev. Trump said on October 20 that Washington would withdraw from the INF over the claim that Moscow had violated the pact. Russia has rejected that claim. Separately on Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said now it was up to the US 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. The Kremlin also said on Sunday that President Putin had sent a Christmas letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, pledging continuation of aid to the Syrian government and people in the "fight against terrorism, in defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity." The Russian leader 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Aerospace Forces to Get S-350 Vityaz Air Defence Weapon in 2019 Sputnik News 04:34 30.12.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Aerospace Forces will get their first medium-range surface-to-air missile system S-350 Vityaz next year, the Defence Ministry said. "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. READ MORE: WATCH Russia's Kalashnikov Concern Show Off Vityaz Submachine Gun Capabilities 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. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US exit from Syria insignificant: Iran top cmdr IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 30, IRNA -- Chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri said that given the huge number of the US forces currently present in the region, its recent exit from Syria is not a remarkable measure. Addressing a seminar in the I5anian capital on Sunday, he said Syria stands as an outstanding example of what enemies would do to make the region insecure for nations. He said enemies caused extreme problems for the legitimate Syrian government by forming the Takfiri terrorists and engineering groups like Daesh (ISIS) which are productions of the western spying agencies. Referring to the full support they extend to the terrorist groups, he said that they helped the terrorists escape through helicopters even at the siege time. They also provided the terrorists with the logistic support, the top military official added. The enemies took over parts of Syria and set up their [military] bases there against the will of the Syrian people and government, he noted. About relations between Washington and the regional developments, General Baqeri said that the US did whatever it could to defeat Syria's legitimate government on the pretext of the [Syrian] fight against the Zionist regime of Israel and also friendship with Iran. He further made a comparison between the recent travel of Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani to Afghanistan and the recently-held visit of the US President Donald Trump to Iraq. Trump who sees himself as the strongest man in the world visits a secure country like Iraq secretly and through a plane with lights off, but Shamkhani travels to Afghanistan which is more insecure than Iraq through appointment, the general said. "This is the difference between good and evil," he stressed. Touching upon the domestic issues, Baqeri said that the country should take "step forward" and keep the deterrent power strong as the enemies are making new plots against the country day by day. Despite all dangers and plots, the enemy has lost courage to carry out military threats against the nation, said the military official adding that the Iranian officials today can serve the people under the full security. At the end of his remarks, Baqeri also talked of the 'Dey 9 Epic' happened across Iran nine years ago. Millions of people took to the streets in Tehran and several other major cities in 2009 condemning those who were involved in the unrest which was organized by foreign powers in the wake of that year's presidential election which brought to power Iran's former president (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) for the second term that year. The unrests were later referred to by Ayatollah Khamenei as 'sedition' and the day of the public support for the Islamic establishment was called the 'Dey 9 Epic' (the epic made by Iranians in the ninth day of the 10th month of the Iranian calendar). 1483**1424**2044 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria key player in Middle East region, Bahraini foreign minister says Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 06:14PM Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifah has described Syria as a key player in Middle East politics, stating that the Manama regime stands by Syria in protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any act of aggression. Al Khalifah, in a post published on his official Twitter page on Saturday, wrote that Syria is a major Arab country in the region. "We did not break off with Syria despite the difficult situation it went through, nor did it break off with us despite difficult conditions. We stand by it in attempts to restore stability across its territory, ensure security and bring prosperity to its brotherly nation," the top Bahraini diplomat noted. On Friday, Bahrain's Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that work at the kingdom's embassy "in the Syrian Arab Republic is going on whilst the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Kingdom of Bahrain is carrying out its duties and flights connecting the two countries are operational without interruption." The statement also affirmed "the Kingdom's keenness on the continuity of its relations with the Syrian Arab Republic and stresses the significance of enhancing and activating the Arab role in order to maintain Syria's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and avert the hazards of regional interference in its internal affairs and progress." On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates officially reopened its embassy in Damascus. The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the reopening of its embassy "reaffirms the keenness of the United Arab Emirates to restore relations between the two friendly countries to their normal course." The move "will strengthen and activate the Arab role in supporting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and to prevent the dangers of regional interference in Syrian Arab affairs," the ministry pointed out. On December 16, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir became the first Arab League leader to visit Damascus. Syria's official news agency SANA said Bashir was greeted by his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad upon arrival at Damascus International Airport, before they both headed to the presidential palace. The two leaders discussed bilateral ties and the "situations and crises faced by many Arab countries," the Syrian presidency said in a statement. SANA quoted the Sudanese leader as saying during the meeting that he hoped Syria will recover its important role in the region as soon as possible. He also affirmed Khartoum's readiness to provide all it can to support Syria's territorial integrity. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jordanian lawmakers demand restoration of full Syria relations Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 04:53PM Jordanian legislators have reportedly called on the Amman government to restore full diplomatic relations with neighboring Syria amid promising signs that the incumbent Damascus government led by President Bashar al-Assad is being admitted back into the Arab world. During a parliamentary session on Sunday to study the government's 2019 budget, the lawmakers asked for the improvement of Jordan-Syria ties to the level prior to the outbreak of foreign-sponsored Syrian conflict, stressing that the relations are beneficial to both nations, Arabic-language Rai al-Youm newspaper reported. Parliamentarian Khalil Attia called for the turn of the Jordanian ambassador to Damascus and promotion of relations with Syria. Lawmakers Khalid al-Fanatseh and Faisal al-Awar also highlighted that stronger Amman-Damascus ties will serve the interests of both countries. Jordanian King Abdullah II recently hoped for the improvement of security situation in Syria and Iraq. "God willing, our relations with Syria will return to the level as it was before. The situation is significantly improving in Iraq as well. We are always in contact with them to open markets for our products," he told a group of Jordanian journalists. On December 28, Charge d'Affaires of the Syrian Embassy in Amman, Ayman Aloush, called on Jordan to raise the level of its diplomatic representation in Damascus. "We hope that the Jordanian Embassy in Syria will be fully staffed. So far, the staffers are administrative personnel, who have been given the title of diplomat during work," Aloush told the Arabic service of Russia's Sputnik news agency. He then stressed the Syrian government's eagerness to restore normal relations with Jordan, saying it is a "popular will anchored in geography and history." A Syrian government source, requesting anonymity, said on Friday that Kuwait's diplomatic mission in the Syrian capital will resume its activities within the next 10 to 14 days, Syria's pro-government al-Masdar news agency reported. Under pressure from other members of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, Kuwait withdrew its diplomats from Syria in February 2012, after tensions rose in the region over the foreign-backed crisis in Syria. A month later the Syrian embassy in Kuwait was also closed. The development came on the same day that Bahrain's Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that work at the kingdom's embassy "in the Syrian Arab Republic is going on whilst the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Kingdom of Bahrain is carrying out its duties and flights connecting the two countries are operational without interruption." On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates officially reopened its embassy in Damascus. The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the reopening of its embassy "reaffirms the keenness of the United Arab Emirates to restore relations between the two friendly countries to their normal course." Mauritania's Arabic-language el-Jewahir daily newspaper, citing informed sources, reported on Friday that President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is going to pay an official visit to Syria early next year. On December 16, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir became the first Arab League leader to visit Damascus. Syria's official news agency SANA said Bashir was greeted by his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad upon arrival at Damascus International Airport, before they both headed to the presidential palace. The two leaders discussed bilateral ties and the "situations and crises faced by many Arab countries," the Syrian presidency said in a statement. SANA quoted the Sudanese leader as saying during the meeting that he hoped Syria will recover its important role in the region as soon as possible. He also affirmed Khartoum's readiness to provide all it can to support Syria's territorial integrity. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Assad allows Iraqi jets to hit Daesh militant redoubts in Syria anytime: Report Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 03:14PM Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly allowed Iraqi fighter jets to conduct airstrikes against the positions of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the war-ravaged country without waiting to be granted formal authorization for the assaults. A high-ranking Iraqi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Russia's RT Arabic television news network that Iraqi warplanes will be able to enter the Syrian airspace and bombard Daesh sites under Assad's directives. The Iraqi official, however, highlighted that the Syrian president has demanded the Baghdad government to inform Syrian authorities before launching any aerial raid. On December 12, the media bureau of Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said in a statement that Iraqi military aircraft had carried out two separate airstrikes against members of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr. The statement noted that the fighter jets targeted a meeting of Daesh Takfiris in al-Susah town, which lies in Abu Kamal district of the province, leaving 30 terrorists dead. Another air raid destroyed a militant hideout in the same Syrian town, killing 14 Daesh terrorists. Iraqi authorities have on occasions stated that they work closely with the Syrian government to monitor and target terrorist targets based on the efforts of intelligence and information departments of the security coordination committee formed between Baghdad, Damascus, Tehran and Moscow years ago, as well as coordination with the so-called US-led anti-Daesh coalition. "If we perform a strike, we will coordinate with the international coalition, the joint security center and all the relevant parties. As we work together, we follow the principle of partnership to ensure safety and harmony between allies," former Iraqi Ministry of Defense spokesman Tahseen al-Khafaji said in April. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey, Russia agree to 'coordinate' anti-terror Syria operations Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 06:32AM Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow and Ankara have reached a consensus on coordination of counter-terrorism military activities in Syria amid the withdrawal of American troops from the Arab country. Speaking after a high-level meeting with Turkish officials in Moscow on Saturday, Lavrov emphasized that both sides had "paid special attention to the new circumstances" caused by US President Donald Trump's Syria pullout decision. "An understanding was reached over how the military representatives of Russia and Turkey on the ground will continue to coordinate their steps under the new conditions with an aim toward the final eradication of the terrorist threat in Syria," Russian media quoted Lavrov as saying. He also described his discussions with Turkish officials as "very useful," saying both Moscow and Ankara had stressed their "unconditional respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria." He further expressed hope that the Western countries would not obstruct efforts by Russia, Turkey and Iran aimed at setting up Syria's constitutional committee. The three countries are operating as the guarantors of the Astana peace process, which has brought representatives from Syria's warring parties to the negotiating table and resulted in the establishment of safe zones across the war-torn state. "It was stated that Russia and Turkey, in cooperation with our Iranian colleagues, have done everything we promised to do on the formation of the constitutional committee, which should start working in Geneva, " Lavrov said. "We will continue to actively promote the beginning of the work of this constitutional committee, now with the new UN Special Envoy for Syria Mr. [Geir] Pedersen." Russia was represented at Saturday's meeting by Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Foreign Intelligence Service head Sergei Naryshkin and chief of Russia's General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The Turkish delegation also included Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and head of the National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan. The meeting came a few days after Trump ordered a quick withdrawal of all 2,000 US forces from Syria claiming victory over the Daesh terrorist group in the war-stricken country. Turkey is also preparing to launch an operation against anti-Damascus Kurdish militants, who have long enjoyed US support, in parts of northern Syria that lie east of the Euphrates River. On Friday, Syrian army units entered the Kurdish-held Syrian city of Manbij for the first time in years. It followed the Kurds' call on Syrian government forces to protect Manbij. Cavusoglu, for his part, confirmed that Turkey and Russia share a common position on Syria's issues, including the need to eradicate all the terrorist groups there. "We confirmed our readiness and determination to continue this struggle in order to finally clear the territory of Syria from this evil," he said. The top Turkish diplomat further noted that his country would continue its "close cooperation" with Russia and Iran in Syria and the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria Allows Iraq to Conduct Air Raids Against Daesh Report Sputnik News 21:07 30.12.2018 The Iraqi military has conducted two airstrikes this month against Daesh on the territory of Syria, leaving dozens of terrorists dead. They reportedly used intelligence obtained from Damascus to locate the terrorists' positions. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has granted Iraqi jets general permission to conduct airstrikes on Daesh* positions in Syria, an anonymous Iraqi source told RT Arabic. According to him, Baghdad now only needs to send a notice to the Syrian government prior to the strike, but doesn't need to wait for a green light as to whether the target in question belongs to the terrorist organisation. The Iraqi Air Force has been conducting air raids on Syrian territory since 2016, with the most recent ones taking place on 12 December. Iraqi planes hit a meeting of Daesh fighters in al-Susah in eastern Syria and their hideout in the same town. Some 44 Daesh militants were killed as a result of the strike. Iraqi forces have on several occasions noted that the exchange of intelligence between Iraq, Iran, Moscow and Syria has helped them locate targets for their airstrikes. *Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist organization banned in Russia Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Brexit allows UK to expand military presence abroad: Minister Iran Press TV Sun Dec 30, 2018 04:47PM Britain's Secretary of Defense Gavin Williamson has said that leaving the European Union would allow his country to expand its military presence abroad and establish more bases in other countries. Williamson said on Sunday that Brexit would enable Britain to re-assert itself as a global military power by extending its military presence to many more countries. "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," he said in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph. The comments come as many countries have suffered throughout the past century because of Britain's military interventions. Under the Labour-led government of Tony Blair, the UK intervened in two conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, while the succeeding Conservative-leader, David Cameron, authorized attacks on Libya in 2011. Many have criticized the costly military interventions, saying they have tarnished Britain's image in the world and have inflicted huge human losses on the British military. However, Williamson, known for his pro-US positions when it comes to military affairs, said the British army was a major component of Britain's quest to re-emerge in the global scene. "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," he said, adding that leaving the EU, which is planned for March 29, 2019, would be "our biggest moment as a nation since the end of the Second World War". The minister elaborated that one way of re-asserting Britain's global position as a military power would be for the country to establish military bases in the Caribbean and Far East. Britain has already been engaged in a slight stand-off with China over the disputed South China Sea. Beijing has repeatedly warned that London should avoid contributing to Washington's "provocations" in the region. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK to Establish New Overseas Military Bases After Brexit Report Sputnik News 14:02 30.12.2018 Currently Britain has several overseas military bases, including bases on Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and the Indian Ocean, but is reportedly planning to expand its global military presence. London is planning to set up new military bases in the Caribbean and in Southeast Asia after it completes the Brexit process, The Sunday Telegraph reported, citing British Secretary of State of Defence Gavin Williamson. He reportedly called Brexit "the biggest moment" for the UK since the end of the Second World War and said that it would allow London to "recast ourselves in a different way" and "play the role on the world stage that the world expects [the UK] 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", he said. The secretary of defence further stated that leaving the EU would allow the UK to forge deeper ties with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, as well as with Caribbean and African states. An anonymous source close to Williamson earlier told the newspaper that new bases could be stationed in Singapore or Brunei, and on Montserrat Island or in Guyana within the next few years. The UK currently has 15 overseas military bases, including on the Falkland Islands, in Cyprus, Canada, Gibraltar and the British Indian Ocean Territory, but British forces are due to leave their German base in 2019. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moscow regrets Merkel, Macron stance on Russia-Ukraine relations People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 15:12, December 30, 2018 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Truce In Eastern Ukraine Appears Largely To Be Holding By RFE/RL December 30, 2018 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 Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. Some 10,300 people have died in the bloodshed since April 2014, although the violence has become more sporadic over time. Ukraine's 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 Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/truce-in-eastern-ukraine- appears-to-be-holding/29683838.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 Ukrainian President Signs Law Expanding Control in Black Sea After Kerch Row Sputnik News 11:26 30.12.2018(updated 11:50 30.12.2018) The adoption of the law comes a month after a provocation by Ukrainian Navy ships in the Kerch Strait and violation of the Russian maritime border. Following the incident, Ukraine's president introduced martial law in several regions of the country and the coast of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, but was terminated earlier this week. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed the law "On the adjacent zone of Ukraine", backed by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament, on 6 December, 2018. According to the law, the adjacent zone of Ukraine is an "open sea area adjacent to the territorial sea of Ukraine and whose outer border is at a distance of no more than 24 nautical miles [44.44 km], measured from the baselines, from which the width of the territorial sea of Ukraine is measured", Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's press service said on 29 December. The newly-adopted law doubles the zone of Ukraine's control in the Black Sea, and is aimed at the harmonisation of the country's maritime legislation with the legislation of other Black Sea states and other parties to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the press service added. Another goal of the law is to prevent smuggling and illegal ship visits to the closed ports of the "temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine". "Under the law, if a vessel has violated the legislation of Ukraine and is trying to escape, the authorised agency has the right to pursue such a vessel without delay in order to detain and prosecute it in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982. The right to persecution is no longer valid as soon as the vessel that is being pursued enters the territorial sea of the state under the flag of which the ship is sailing or that of any third country", it said. Prior to the adoption of the law, the territorial waters of Ukraine were 12 nautical miles (22.22 kilometres). The move comes nearly a month after a naval incident in the Kerch Strait, which connects the Sea of Azov with the Black Sea, when Russia detained three Ukrainian warships after they violated the Russian maritime border and ignored legal demands to leave the area. Shortly after that, Poroshenko declared martial law for three months in a number of regions of the country bordering Russia, as well as the coast of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his part, described the incident as a "provocation" used as a pretext to introduce martial law in Ukraine and suggested it could be connected with Poroshenko's low approval ratings ahead of the March 2019 presidential election in Ukraine. On 26 December, Poroshenko announced that he was terminating the period of the martial law. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Inter Milan fans have been banned from traveling to away games for the rest of the season and the northern end of the San Siro stadium, where Inter's "ultra" fans are based, will be closed until March 31, 2019. (MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP/Getty Images) KINSHASA, Congo - The confusion surrounding Congo's historic presidential election deepened a day after the vote, as both opposition and ruling parties hinted at victory despite a lack of official results. Sunday's polls were marred by widespread irregularities and delays, both before and during the actual voting. On Monday, Internet connection in the capital was interrupted throughout the day, a development the opposition said was a tactic to suppress news about results. Congo's election commission has promised provisional results by Jan. 6, but political parties appear to be collecting their own tallies. On Sunday night, Kikaya bin Karubi, an adviser to President Joseph Kabila who is also a spokesman for Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, told reporters that "there is absolutely no way Shadary can lose." In a message sent via Twitter to The Washington Post, opposition front-runner Martin Fayulu said: "We are seeing clear results in our favor throughout the country. Should the collection of regular results continue, there is very little doubt about the outcome of the election; the people have massively voted for change through me. The Internet was just shut down to stop the spread of the truth, just like in 2011." Telecommunications were shut down in the aftermath of elections in December 2011. At the time, the government said it was to stop the spread of fake results before the electoral commission made its official announcement. Disputes after election results in 2006 and 2011 resulted in unrest, but only sporadic episodes of election-related violence have been reported since Sunday's vote. Vital Kamerhe, campaign manager for opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi, told Reuters news agency that early counting showed his candidate and Fayulu even, with 40 percent of the vote each. The presidential election in this vast and mineral-rich country in the heart of Africa was delayed for two years and unfolded Sunday amid reports of alarming irregularities. Thousands of voters were met with missing voter rolls and hundreds of malfunctioning or missing voting machines. In some cases, election observers said they were barred from polling stations, according to the Catholic Church's observer mission. Developments in the lead-up to the vote also contributed to a lack of public trust in its integrity. Just four days ago, voting was postponed until March in three cities because of ethnic unrest and an Ebola outbreak that has been spreading for four months. Because the presidential election will be decided in January, the move disenfranchises more than 1.2 million voters. Shadary, the president's chosen successor, is not a household name in Congo, and his low profile has been read by many diplomats and analysts as purposeful - a way for Kabila to indicate he will continue to hold the reins should Shadary win. Kabila has strongly denied those rumors. According to polls released Friday, nearly half the country trusts Fayulu to bring change. He has risen from relative obscurity as an ExxonMobil company manager to lead the Lamuka coalition. The word "lamuka" roughly translates as "wake up." Fayulu has the support of two regional heavyweights, one of whom is Jean-Pierre Bemba, previously a militia leader who was recently acquitted by the International Criminal Court on charges of ordering his soldiers to commit war crimes. A second opposition coalition, led by Tshisekedi, has teamed up - to the consternation of many of his supporters - with Kabila's former campaign manager. While Fayulu and Tshisekedi made public statements condemning the disorganization of the vote, they did not indicate whether they saw it as illegitimate. Whoever wins will inherit the leadership of a country with vast potential wealth in mining reserves, agriculture and hydropower, but one racked by ethnic and political violence that has particularly affected the regions of Kasai and North Kivu. The potential for the rapid expansion of the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak has also caused worry far beyond Congo's borders. 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." How to celebrate Omisoka, New Year's Eve noodles Omisoka soba Risa Sekiguchi is planning to stay in New Year's Eve but don't expect her to be lolling around waiting to rock in the New Year with Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest. The Chicagoan expects to be cooking till midnight in preparation for Oshogatsu, what the Japanese call New Year. "I'm really busy on New Year's Eve,'' said Sekiguchi, who operates a Japanese food and culture Web site and blog called Savory Japan (savoryjapan.com). She has taken over the cooking for New Year's from her mother, which means she'll be out in Highland Park staging two big parties on Jan. 1: one for 15 or so family members during the day and then an evening party for 10 to 12 friends. "I feel like the caterer,'' she said. But Sekiguchi doesn't mind at all. "I really enjoy the prep and the cooking. The Japanese like to clean the house and get the food ready." New Year's Eve, or Omisoka, is the last day of the year. And it's seen as a real dividing line for the Japanese, who don't want to carry old business into the new year. That means settling debts, cleaning the whole house (the ritual is called osouji or "big cleanup"), buying new clothes and preparing enough special holiday food, called osechi-ryori, to last at least the first three days of the New Year. Tradition frowns on any cooking on those days except for heating a traditional rice cake stew known as ozoni. Born in Japan and raised in Highland Park, Sekiguchi will pause, like millions of Japanese around the world, late on New Year's Eve for a bowl of soba noodles. The dish is called toshikoshi soba or "year-passing" noodles. The buckwheat noodles are longer than usual because the soba symbolizes longevity. Eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve is an ancient custom. A far newer tradition in Japan is for the family to gather in front of the television set for an all-star musical show. It's called "Kohaku Uta Gassen," which means "Red and White Song Battle." The red team is the women, the white team is the men. "Winning or losing is not important. It's a big extravaganza,'' said Kay Yamada Suzuki, a Honolulu resident who is Japanese-born. She looks forward to the program every year but her children are far less enthusiastic. (The program is carried by TV Japan in North America; check local cable companies or satellite networks for availability.) "My kids watch it and they laugh because it's such a tradition," Suzuki chuckled. "When the show finishes, all the temples are supposed to ring their bell 108 times to signal the coming of the New Year. Unlike the United States, which celebrates the New Year with hooting and hollering, it's all quiet in Japan so people can hear the bells." As midnight nears in Chicago, Sekiguchi will finally have finished her holiday preparations. She predicts she'll spend three days shopping and preparing the osechi-ryori for New Year's. "I make my own osechi, which is a rare thing,'' she added. "So, people view my family as very traditional. But I like to experiment with new dishes. In Japan, there's a lot of mixing of western and Japanese ingredients. Osechi is, I wouldn't say bland, but it's not like there are 'wow' flavors." Sekiguchi would like to prepare, for example, foie gras seared and served in a Japanese style for New Year's. But she is encountering some resistance. "I asked my family and they said I've got to make all of this and all of that,'' she said. "If we are missing one dish, somehow, something seems lacking." Sekiguchi will end 2010 with toshikoshi soba, which is served cold, some cooked vegetables and perhaps some soup. And a little sake, too. That's fine with her. "As a teenager I liked to party on New Year's Eve,'' she said. "As I got older, I got into the tradition. The tradition is so deep." wdaley@tribune.com New Year's Eve noodles (Omisoka soba) Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 30 minutes Makes: 4 servings Japanese families eat these noodles, also known as toshikoshi soba or "year-passing" noodles, on New Year's Eve in hopes of a healthy, trouble-free year, writes Kimiko Barber in "The Japanese Kitchen." This is her grandmother's recipe. Kamaboko fish paste is available at many Japanese markets as are deep-fried tofu sheets. 2 sheets deep-fried tofu 5 cups dashi, see recipe on cover 2/3 cup each: mirin, soy sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced 14 ounces (5-6 cups) soba noodles 1 cup cold water 8 slices kamaboko fish paste 2 green onions, finely chopped 1. Place tofu in a strainer. Pour hot water over tofu to wash off excess oil. Slice thinly. Combine tofu, dashi, mirin, soy sauce and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat almost to boiling. Add chicken; cook until chicken slices are cooked through, 5 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan of water to a boil, add noodles. Heat back to a boil; add cold water. Heat back to a boil again. Drain; rinse the noodles. Divide noodles between four large bowls. Ladle hot broth over the noodles. Top each with 2 kamaboko slices and green onions. Nutrition information Per serving: calories, % of calories from fat, g fat, g saturated fat, mg cholesterol, g carbohydrates, g protein, mg sodium, g fiber When they go out on their own terms, noted politicians love to conduct farewell tours. Richard Nixon didnt hit the lecture circuit before bidding adieu and boarding Marine One on the House lawn. Nor did John Rowland as he exited 990 Prospect Avenue before becoming Inmate 15623-014. There was no time and besides, the long arm of the Justice Department was poised to grab them right where it hurts. Perhaps the most annoying example of a farewell tour locally was that of former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, which I dubbed Joe-verload. In his last year in office (mercifully, he spared us a try at a fifth term), Lieberman went before the cameras at any television station that would have him. The Hartford Courant published a panegyric of an editorial. Then Joe disappeared to a New York law firm and largely spared us from his pious pronouncements. Outgoing Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is a different animal. He is neither a criminal and nor was he hounded out of office. Nor, for that matter, was he defeated in a run for re-election. He simply chose not to run again because he had worn out his welcome, if he ever had one to begin with. Malloy himself has gone on a farewell tour but not the kind of peripatetic camera-mugging goodbye fest we have come expect (imagine what will happen when Sen. Richard Blumenthal retires). Instead, he held exit interviews with journalists, many of them from the print world, inside his office at the Capitol. That regal space is decorated with wallpaper images of Zubers American War of Independence a fitting reminder of Malloys often combative and maverick style. Malloy sat down for a wide-ranging interview last week with my editor Christine Stuart. Ive been there with Christine and my CT News Junkie colleague Susan Jane Bigelow twice before for sit-downs with Malloy. Ive always found him engaging and to the extent that public officials and journalists find themselves at odds a worthy adversary. Malloy clearly outdid himself in getting ready for his farewell tour. If nothing else, hes convinced hes been misunderstood. In advance of this series of interviews, he clearly wanted to set the record straight. As Stuart wrote, he insisted there has never been an administration with a more voluminous record of achievement than his and those accomplishments are documented in a 300-page document that hes released to reporters for background before conducting his exit interviews. Well, aside from preparing Gov.-elect Ned Lamonts team for the transition, I guess there wasnt much else for Malloys staff to do. I get the point of some commentators that if youre a progressive theres not a whole lot to dislike about Malloy. From criminal justice reform, to gun control, to the abolition of the death penalty, to affordable housing, to mass transit, to preserving open space, to the implementation of Obamacare, to advocating for LGBT rights, to rolling out the welcome mat for refugees, he has done much to advance the causes of liberals in Connecticut and beyond. And if youre an honest conservative you cant be entirely disappointed either. Shortly before Malloy took office, the state unemployment rate was 9.3 percent. Now its 4.1 percent. The crime rate has dropped and four state prisons were closed, saving millions for taxpayers. The shock of the departure of General Electric, which wasnt paying much in taxes anyway, gave way to the reality that Malloy had secured long-term commitments to stay in Connecticut from several high-profile corporations. This has increased the number of Fortune 500 companies in the state from 11 to 14. And conservatives should love this part: There are now 12,000 fewer state workers than when Malloy took office, with 13 percent fewer in the executive branch alone. New hires will be subject to far less generous hybrid defined-contribution pensions, with higher retiree contributions for other post-employment benefits as well. And for the first time in ages, Malloy has fully funded state employee pensions and replenished the so-called rainy-day fund. With that list of accomplishments, youd think Malloy would be going out with a bang, but he remains the least popular governor in the nation. There are a variety of reasons for this but not the least among them are the two gigantic tax increases that did little to right the fiscal ship of state. There were the gimmicks employed in circumventing the constitutional spending cap. There was the corporate welfare, the questionable deals with the state employee unions and, of course, his prickly personality. Then there is the stark reality of having a high-visibility role in running a state. Polls show that only 35 percent of Americans can name their congressman, while a whopping 77 percent could not name one of their state senators. So if you cant even name a single legislator at the Capitol, who is there to blame but the governor whose face you see every night on the local news? Say what you want to about him, but unlike many politicians, Malloy doesnt just want to be something; he wants to do things in some cases, big things. If nothing else, I have to admire that. Im sure the law students hell soon be teaching at Boston College, his alma mater, will benefit from his vision and experience. Terry Cowgill is a contributing op-ed columnist for CTNewsJunkie, where this first was published. He blogs at CTDevilsAdvocate.com; is on Twitter @terrycowgill or email him at thenews@hotmail.com. Huawei is going strong in the quest for becoming the second biggest smartphone maker in the world. Just days after the launch of Huawei P Smart (2019) in Europe, its more affordable sibling called Huawei Y7 Pro (2019) made an appearance in Vietnam. The Y7 Pro (2019) is visually very similar to the P Smart (2019), but with very different internals. The chipset is Qualcomm Snapdragon 450, while the screen is 6.26 LCD panel with HD+ resolution, waterdrop notch and a 19:9 ratio. The phone has only 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage, but microSD slot is on board. The dual camera on the back has a 13 MP shooter with f/1.8 aperture and a 2 MP depth sensor. The selfie shooter, tucked in the notch does 16 MP stills. The phone boots EMUI 8.2, based on Android Oreo. Connectivity is limited to Bluetooth 4.2 and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi standards, but there's a massive 4,000 mAh battery on the inside. Since there is no fingerprint scanner, Huawei has implemented some basic facial unlock as an alternative to the old-school patterns, PINs and passwords. Huawei Y7 Pro (2019) can be found on the Vietnamese page of Huawei, as well as the online retailer Lazada. The price is VND3,990,000, or about $170/150. The device will be available in Blue or Black on January 5 and early birds can get a Bluetooth speaker as a gift. Source | Via (both in Vietnamese) It has been almost a month since we heard anything about the Xperia XZ4. The device was first mentioned in early December, with a report talking an extremely tall display with a cinematic ratio of 21:9. We then saw some CAD renders of the upcoming Sony flagship, and a screen protector appeared in Chinese social media during the holiday, giving solid ground to the rumor. Sony Xperia XZ4 screen protectors The panel matches the earlier renders - extremely thin bezels, no notch, and cutout for the earpiece, camera and proximity sensor. There is also a tiny hole in the left end, probably for the LED notification light. Looking at the second photo, it matches the screen of the rendered Xperia XZ4 perfectly. Sony Xperia XZ4 protection case The same source provided pictures of a protective case as well. It reveals a vertical triple-cam setup, along with buttons and ports. On the right side, the volume rocker, the fingerprint scanner and the power key are aligned next to each other, and the camera shutter is there as well. On the bottom a speaker can be spotted, a USB-C and a cutout for the mic. Theres no 3.5 mm audio jack, but thats hardly a surprise anymore. Source (in Chinese) | Via Haiti - FLASH : Barbados, Haitians discover the hell behind false promises Barbados' Ambassador to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), David Commissiong, said Haitian nationals are being deceived to come to Barbados, following the decision of the regional governments to remove the visa requirement with conditions for Haitians to visit the Member States https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25982-haiti-flash-free-movement-without-visa-in-the-countries-of-caricom-for-haitians-under-condition.html "What we see is that there seem to be in Haiti [...] unscrupulous individuals who deceive the Haitians [...] many Haitians are asked to pay between 2,500 and 3,000 US dollars, against the insurance of housing and finding them a job in Barbados, but that's not true," Ambassador Commissiong explained. These statements come after 9 Haitians were expelled from a home on December 27 after paying a supposed agency, which promised them housing and work after their arrival in Barbados "We did not come to get into trouble . We paid to come and now that we are here, there is no work for us. We went to town, on construction sites, we went everywhere to look for work [...]", said one of the Haitian victim of crooks... Some asked the local authorities to help them find temporary accommodation others said they would accept help getting tickets to get back to Haiti because they realized that their dream of a better life in Barbados could never become a reality said the Ambassador, adding that a document written in French, Creole and English, had been sent to the Haitian Government describing the conditions under which Haitians are allowed to enter Barbados as in all CARICOM member countries without VISA for a period of 6 months. However, the Haitian citizen will have to prove that he has sufficient financial resources to support himself for the duration of his stay without becoming a burden for public funds. David Commissiong recalls "If a Haitian travels to Barbados as a visitor he is not allowed to work." However, if a Haitian national falls under the program of qualified nationals, who has one of the 10 currently approved skills and has a CARICOM certificate of competence, he may be allowed to work without the need for a specific work permit the Ambassador emphasizing "However, this only concerns a small fraction of the Haitian visitors who come, because to date, Haiti does not really have the structures in place to allow its inhabitants to fully participate in the national program CARICOM Skills." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25982-haiti-flash-free-movement-without-visa-in-the-countries-of-caricom-for-haitians-under-condition.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24859-haiti-flash-caricom-examines-the-free-movement-of-haitians.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24722-haiti-flash-barbados-abolished-visas-for-haitians.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23683-haiti-flash-free-movement-of-haitians-in-the-caricom-countries.html SL/ HaitiLibre In 2011, Bataille worked as Tharps assistant on the choreographers most recent original work for Hubbard Street, Scarlatti. Of Bataille, Tharp said, Claire stood by what she believed in without stint. Her generosity as a dancer, as an assistant, as a teacher, as a friend, and as a mother was complete. We will miss her, and we will remember her as exemplifying what we all want dance to be: whole-hearted. Haiti - Technology : The free internet a reality in the Champ de Mars After having evoked last June https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24737-haiti-politic-meeting-around-the-strategic-plan-of-conatel.html the installation of free internet in the area of the Champ de Mars, a project initiated by President Jovenel Moise, the National Council of Telecommunications (CONATEL) informs that since the beginning of October, free internet is available. So from the Cine Triomphe area to reach the "negg Mawon block" by passing on the edge of the Rex Theater, to reach the area of the faculty of ethnology, through the Ministry of Commerce to arrive in the area of the Ministry Interior, students, pupils and anyone else who needs a WIFI connection can find one for free. CONATEL states that more than 10,000 people have already tried it and 5,000 can use it at the same time. While waiting for the Head of State to inaugurate this public WIFI network, CONATEL and its partners will continue to improve this service. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24737-haiti-politic-meeting-around-the-strategic-plan-of-conatel.html HL/ HaitiLibre iciHaiti - Diaspora : Message of the new year of Lesly Conde, Former Consul General of Haiti in Chicago At a few hours of the new year, Lesly Louis Conde, the former Consul General of Haiti in Chicago (August 27, 2004 - May 25, 2018) delivered a message that we invite you to read. Message from Lesly Conde : "Dear compatriots, Fre m ak se m yo, one respe I am immensely pleased to address you as the year 2018 bows out to make way for a 2019 year that we all want filled with great achievements and pleasant surprises. For my part, I wish you all the wisdom and courage you need to face the challenges firmly, and welcome the victories with humility. I wish you, above all, good health and foresight to manage it well. We are at the time of the new resolutions that we are firmly committed to applying. We will add, naturally, those which, during the year 2018, were not executed for one reason or another. The beginning of the year is the time of all optimisms. The glass is empty and we propose to fill it impeccably during this period of 365 days that we welcome. The custom is that we are affable and smiling during the holidays. I wish the end of year smiles last. A smile costs nothing but can do a lot of good. For us Haitians, the first of January each year is a doubly significant date since it brings back the anniversary of the independence of our dear country. In a world that claims to be in love with the ideals of justice and freedom, the First Black Republic of the New World has never received the treatment it deserves. On the first and second of January 2019, we proudly celebrate the 215th anniversary of Haiti and the Day of the ancestors. It's up to us to do it. It remains for me to reiterate my sincere wishes of health, success and happiness for the year 2019, as well as the assurance of my unalterable attachment. Pou m fini, yon lot fwa anko, m ap swete nou anpil sante, sikse avek ke kontan pou ane 2019 la. M ap tou pwofite raple nou ke lanmou m avek respe m pou nou, pa p janm fini. Lesly Louis Conde. " I> IH/ iciHaiti From Red Cross A blood drive is set for Tuesday, Jan. 8, in Chinook at Wallner Hall, 330 Ohio, from 12:30 to 6 p.m. Please stop by and join the Red Cross in giving your life saving blood. All blood types are urgently needed and each pint of blood given can save up to three lives. Bring a friend or family member to give blood with you. If you are unable to donate or choose not to, there are other ways of giving. Volunteers are always needed, and the time spent volunteering does not need to be a lot, whatever works for you. You can enquire at the registration table or call Carla Jenewein at 357-2491. Appointments are highly encouraged by the American Red Cross. So, if you have not made an appointment to donate, you can go on-line at redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767 (1-800-REDCROSS). You may also call your local blood drive coordinator, Carla Jenewein at 357-2491. The Red Cross will begin accepting walk in donors at 12:30 p.m. and walk in slots will also be available throughout the day. Appointments begin at 1 p.m. Any healthy person age 18, or age 16 or 17 with a signed parental consent, or older and weighing at least 110 pounds is eligible and encouraged to donate blood. Valid identification is required for all blood donations (drivers license or school ID are acceptable). Parental consents for those 16 or 17 years of age can be picked up at the high school office or at the registration table at Wallner Hall the day of the drive. For those with an appointment, you can save up to 15 minutes at your donation by completing the health history online the day of the drive. All you have to do is visit redcrossblood.org/rapidpass. Before donating it is recommended that you: Get a good nights sleep; have a good breakfast or lunch; drink extra water and fluids to replace the volume you will donate but try to avoid beverages with caffeine; eat iron-rich foods; avoid fatty foods. We look forward to seeing you at Wallner Hall on Tuesday, January 8th. Havre Police Department A caller at a Second Street business reported a theft Friday at 7:29 a.m. -- A 16-year-old was issued a summons on a charge of shoplifting after a caller at a First Street West business reported a theft Friday at 11:49 a.m. -- Geno Valdez Menard of Havre, 21, was issued a summons Friday at 5:56 p.m. at the police station on a criminal contempt charge related to a Drug Court violation. At 7:42 p.m. Menard was issued a summons on a criminal contempt charge related to a 24/7 Sobriety Program violation. -- Marshel Taylor Warren of Havre, 33, was issued a summons Friday at 5:59 p.m. at the police station on a criminal contempt charge related to a Drug Court violation. -- Drew John Cole of Havre, 38, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and speeding, during a vehicle stop on First Street at 10:05 a.m. Saturday. -- A Second Street caller reported vehicle damage Saturday at 10:09 a.m. -- Fake money was reported by a caller at a First Street business Saturday at 5:10 p.m. -- A 15-year-old was issued a summons on charges of minor in possession, shoplifting and juvenile curfew violation after a theft was reported at a First Street West business at 4:10 a.m. Sunday. -- John Joseph Bear Jr. of Havre, 30, was issued a summons on a shoplifting charge after a caller at a First Street business asked Sunday at 6:43 a.m. for an officer to come look at surveillance video from the previous night. -- A 16th Street caller reported damage to her son's house Sunday at 8:35 a.m. -- At 8:43 a.m. Sunday a caller on 5th Avenue reported a single vehicle crash. -- A bag of money was reported Sunday at 12:43 p.m. stolen from a vehicle on Third Avenue. -- Desarae Lynn Seymour of Missoula, 20, was arrested on a state District Court warrant during a vehicle stop on First Street Sunday at 1:43 p.m. -- Tyrel Henry Bear of Havre, 32, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant and a charge of possession of dangerous drugs, after a caller at a First Street business reported a man being destructive in the business at 2:13 this morning. Hill County Sheriff's Office Arnold Glen Sisneros Jr. of Box Elder, 34, was arrested on a state District Court warrant at 1:32 p.m. Friday at Hill County Detention Center. -- A theft, forgery or fraud was reported at 7:11 p.m. Friday at a U.S. Highway 2 West business. -- Alejandro Ricardo Plascencia Jr. of Billings, 25, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant and a stop sign violation charge at 9:34 p.m. Friday at Bullhook Road and Clear Creek Road. -- John Baptist Wolfchief of Box Elder, 22, was arrested on charges of violation of conditions of release and violation of a protective order and on three Justice or City court warrants after a deputy initiated investigation of suspicious activity at 1:58 p.m. Saturday on Road 100 South. -- Deputies made two arrests during a vehicle stop on Main Street in Box Elder Saturday at 10:19 p.m. No details on the charges was provided. Havre Fire Department Emergency medical personnel responded to three calls Friday, two Saturday, two Sunday and two early this morning. -- Firefighters responded to a call on the 1300 Block of Jefferson Avenue after a 4 a.m. caller reported smelling smoke. A search of the building was conducted, but no fire or source of smoke was detected. -- Firefighters provided support to Bear Paw Volunteer Fire Department on a dumpster fire at the Havre landfill Sunday at 10:55 a.m. Bear Paw Volunteer Fire Department A two-man crew responded to a 10:55 a.m. report of a dumpster fire at the Havre landfill. The fire, which was started by hot embers in ashes thrown into the dumpster, was extinguished. Havre Fire Department sent a unit to the fire as backup. Havre Animal Shelter The Havre shelter this morning held two medium-hair cats and one long-hair cat of unknown gender and four medium-hair male cats. -- The Havre shelter this morning also held a female Australian cattle dog-blue heeler-border collie dog, a male American bulldog, a female mixed-breed dog, a female Anatolian shepherd/husky 9-month-old puppy and a male pit bull-Labrador 9-month-old puppy. Births A girl was born Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, to KasSaundra and Robert Jetmore of Havre. -- A boy was born Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, to Chelsey and Cole Molyneaux of Havre. Staff and wire report A fundraiser is set for Thursday to help a family who lost everything in a house fire in Kremlin that left only a small pile of smoldering rubble as the remainder of their home and possessions. In the early hours of Dec. 18, John Muller, co-owner of McNair Furniture of Rudyard, his wife, Christine, and their nephew Justin, all of Kremlin, were shaken awake by a loud noise and heavy smoke in their home, a release said. They were all able to escape, but with only the clothes on their backs; they lost everything. Firefighters were called in shortly before 2... Roger Meredith removes snow from in front of his garage the morning of Feb. 5. February included one of the records broken by the bitter winter of 2017-18, with the record for the amount of snowfall in the month shattered. The new record of 31.8 inches topped the previous record of 18.6 inches set in 1976. Havre just missed setting a new record for the total amount of snow for the year at less than an inch shy of the 93.4 inches set in 1981. It did earn the honor of being named by Weather Channel as the city with the worst winter in the United States. The past 12 months were filled with local news, some happy, some distressing, ranging from politics to helping people in need, from trying to find why indigenous women are so much more likely to be murdered or to disappear to having a legendary actor put on a show on the Hi-Line. And, once again, weather filled many of the headlines. Following a year in 2017 in which dry conditions led to national-level fires in the area then a record-setting devastating blizzard at the start of October, the region at about Christmas time settled into a winter the likes of which had not been seen in years... We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here THE directors of a marketing company have been offered a superfast broadband service thanks to the Henley Standard. James Munn and Matt Greenwood, directors of MMS Marketing Services in Queen Street, Henley, warned that they might leave the town because their current service was far too slow for their business. But just days after Henley Standard reported their frustration, they were offered a much better service. Mr Munn said: It seems a remarkable coincidence that, having been treated with complete indifference by Openreach, seven days after the article we got what we were looking for. I say its all down to the Henley Standard! The directors, who moved the business to Henley four years ago, had complained that their current broadband speed was so slow that they were unable to expand. Three staff currently work from the premises and the firm wants to add two more but wouldnt be able to without faster broadband. The company experiences upload speeds of just 0.83 megabytes per second and download speeds of 16.57 Mbps, well below the national average. The current provider is Utility Warehouse but when the men approached broadband companies about installing a fibre-optic cable they were told the nearest cabinet was full. They were advised to call their broadband provider every three months to see if room had become available in the cabinet. Now they have been told that there is space in the cabinet and they will be connected to a superfast service any day. The new service will offer upload speeds of about 20 Mbps and download speeds of 76 Mbps. Mr Munn said: It was very surprising, having had to look at alternative solutions and then to find out that within seven days everything was sorted. Originally we were told we would have to ring up every three to six months to see if the situation had changed. We hadnt actually got round to looking at other premises and suddenly we got the news that they were going to install all the kit. Now we will be able to bring in the new staff members and expand the Henley office. Mr Greenwood said: Openreach said they had no intention of expanding the capacity but the company opposite us moved premises recently so maybe they have terminated theirs. It has worked out brilliantly for us and we are pleased to be bringing in new jobs. MMS Marketing was founded in 2005 and has subsidiary offices in Marlow and Poznan in Poland. A spokeswoman for Openreach said: We are delighted that the business has been offered a better broadband connection. The Openreach cabinet on Queen Street is in high demand but availability is constantly changing. The customer was able to access superfast broadband by getting in touch with their broadband provider and accessing the capacity at the exchange that became available. We encourage all business and home broadband customers looking for better broadband to regularly check with their broadband provider to ensure they are getting the best service possible. Residents and businesses can check broadband availability in their area by visiting www.homeand business.openreach.co.uk/fibre-broadband/superfast-broadband TWO teachers at a Henley school had the hair removed from parts of their body to raise money for the treatment of a boy fighting cancer. Adam Stangroom had his head shaved and Stephen Downes had his legs hot waxed in front of dozens of pupils, parents and colleagues at St Marys School in St Andrews Road. They were raising money for five-year-old Oliver Warner, who lives near Mr Stangroom in Bramley, Hampshire, and has neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that affects the nerve cells. His family needs to raise 500,000 to take him to Spain for immunity treatment and then to America for further treatment. Mr Stangrooms wife Karen teaches at Olivers school which the couples son Daniel, nine, also attends. The music teacher decided to get involved after seeing some of the fund-raising that had been done in Bramley and Mr Downes wanted to offer him some moral support. Teaching assistant Frances Williams shaved Mr Stangrooms head, taking the clippers to one of the lowest settings with encouragement from the audience. Afterwards, Mr Stangroom held some of the clippings in his hands and pretended to cry, to the amusement of the pupils. He said: Oliver lives three streets down and the whole village has rallied round and raised almost 80,000. They need 203,000 to get to Spain and spend eight months there for immunity treatment. After that he will be well enough to go for proper treatment in America. Fund-raising is not about the thing you do, its about making a fuss and it just seemed like a silly enough thing to do. Most of my hair will grow back! Mr Downes, a PE teacher, was waxed by Georgia Harris and Eva de Souza, of Cannelle Medispa in Hart Street, Henley. He laid on a table as they covered his legs in wax before pulling off the hair with strips. Mr Downes said: Its a good cause. I chose to have my legs waxed because its painful! Oliver is going through far worse than I was so it was worth it. The men have so far raised 1,500 and Mr Stangroom hopes he can make even more. He said: With everybody that was here today there will hopefully be a flood of extra interest. Everyone has been so generous. To donate, visit www.just giving.com/fundraising/stmarys fundraisingforoliver or text SMOL50 and an amount from 1 to 10 to 70070. It was somewhat wishful thinking, as the year continued to hammer home the fact that social media abuse has never been worse. This month, Davidson - who has talked about being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and having suicidal thoughts for years - revealed some of the horror he received. "No matter how hard the internet or anyone tries to make me kill myself. I won't. I'm upset I even have to say this. To all those holding me down and seeing this for what it is - I see you and I love you," he wrote. Lighting and laser display rehearsals at the Custom House in preparation for the New Years Festival Dublin Lighting and laser display rehearsals at the Custom House in preparation for the New Years Festival Dublin The sky over Dublin will light up tonight as spectacular laser lights mark the arrival of a new year. It is the seventh year of the New Year's Festival Dublin, and the planned events will attract thousands of people to the city centre. Met Eireann said it will be the mildest New Year's Eve in decades. The final preparations for a memorable night were being put in place on a grand stage yesterday at Custom House Quay. Boats were transporting 50 drums to a pontoon that has been built on the Liffey especially for the event. Fireworks It will be high enough to be seen by all the spectators, and a DJ will play on it, alongside the drummers. During the evening, the sky over the city will be lit up by 24,000 kilowatts of power, 80 searchlight beams, 60 lasers, more than 500 lights and over a tonne of fireworks. The first of the ticketed events will take place between 6pm and 7pm, with a Liffey Lights "midnight moment" matinee show featuring laser lights and aqua beam spectacular. Between 12,000 and 14,000 people will be watching from the quays. Ciara Sugrue, head of festivals and events for Failte Ireland, said the celebrations will include DJs, music and street acts including stilt walkers, and added that there would be "very much a fun, family atmosphere". "Come 7pm, we will do a full countdown as though it's 12 o'clock for families who want to enjoy that," she said. "There will be drumming, lights and laser shows and pyrotechnics, music and singing." This event will be followed by the 3Countdown Concert, which will begin at 8pm and features platinum-selling artist Gavin James, Hudson Taylor, Wild Youth and Inhaler. The final moments of 2018 will again see the Liffey Lights midnight moment show illuminating the sky from 11.30pm. The countdown to the new year will be broadcast live on RTE, and the event is expected to end around 12.30am. "What we are really trying to do is establish Dublin as a place to visit for New Year's Eve," Ms Sugrue told the Herald. "What we have been doing is building up this, and we have just developed a three-year plan to extend it over a number of days so that we can really be competitive in that area and attract more international visitors at this time. "Next year we would hope that it would be a three-day event." The Coast Guard comes to the assistance of a walker in Dublin 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 (RCCs) based in Dublin, Kerry and Donegal, reported an increase in the number of people 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 recorded in the previous year. The Coast Guard is tasked with responding to emergency incidents in 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 aircraft on over 670 missions this year. Evacuation 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 evacuation assistance to offshore islands. The past 12 months have 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 year's 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 liaised 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 aircraft, received 137 electronic transmissions, although many proved to be false alarms. Along with Irish Water Safety, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution 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 on how to stay safe in Irish waters. Mindfulness classes will be offered to TDs and senators amid fears they are not looking after their mental health. The sessions in Leinster House will be aimed at helping politicians cope with the pressures of the job and the often distressing stories they hear from constituents. Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail said politics had become "a fraught business", adding that politicians had replaced priests as go-to people for families in difficulty. Intense "Pressures in constituencies can be intense. Members, all too often, don't look after themselves," he said. The chair of the Dail compared the situation with the warnings on planes that pass-engers should put on their own oxygen masks before attending to children. "The truth is, you have to be able to help yourself before you can help other people," he said. Mindfulness is about training the mind to focus on the moment and relieving stress. It is usually done through meditation. It is not clear what level of take-up there will be for the classes, which will also be available to other staff working in the Houses of the Oireachtas. Mr O Fearghail said it was important for TDs to look after their mental health if they were to help constituents deal with "very complex problems". "When I started out in politics, people would come to talk to you about potholes or planning permissions, but there are deeply personal issues coming now," he said. The Kildare South TD cited indebtedness as a "huge issue", along with homelessness, mental health problems and people wanting to access support for children with disabilities. "You'd want to be made of stone not to have those stories impact on you," he said. "I would have had people in my office talking about suicide, talking about being sexually abused as children, about only now being able to talk about it. People suffering abuse in the family home. "Thirty years ago, they probably talked to the priest, or they'd talk to their doctor, but politicians now tend to hear these problems." Mr O Fearghail said TDs, senators and their staff "need to be equipped to deal competently with this". "We need to be able to encourage them to go to the right places to get the help and support they need," he said. Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan has revealed that people snap sneaky pictures of her while she is travelling on the Tube in London. She said in a new interview that she could dis- appear into obscurity quite easily out on the streets, though less so in Ireland. "A lot of people know me there - Ireland is a small country. That's just the way it is," she said. "But anywhere else, yes, I can be invisible, though on the Tube I do get people looking hard at their mobile phones and really they're surreptitiously taking a picture of me. You're staring at them, and you're thinking, 'I can see you'. "But some people think you only exist on the telly, that you're not a real person, and so it doesn't matter. Stealing "I would never do that myself - it would feel like you're stealing from someone." The 24-year-old - who has been nominated for an Oscar three times, for Atonement, Brooklyn and Lady Bird - also revealed that she was warned by other older actors that scripts would dry up when she hit her late teens. "There are more films being made now about girls and women, but even six years ago people didn't know what to do with an older teenage girl who was about to go into her 20s," Saoirse said. "No scripts were being written about that experience, which I find mad, because so much has happened to me in the past few years. "I don't know why you wouldn't want to write about that. "But yes, I'd been told by older actors, 'You're grand now, but when you get to 18 there won't be anything', and there wasn't. "I was lucky The Grand Budapest Hotel came along, but mostly it was just the girlfriend, the neighbour, the sister - characters that are not fleshed out. "So when they asked if I wanted to play a Scottish queen, it was brilliant." In her latest film, Saoirse plays Mary, Queen of Scots. She said she was first approached about the role years ago. The Carlow actress added that she was not on social media any more and never reads reviews. Years ago, a family would dine out once a year, said Tina Shannon, who was at Sabatinos for a birthday celebration. A restaurant back then, she said, was a special place. A familys favored restaurant was expected to be unchanged since the previous year. The menu wasnt much different than a familys daily fare steak, chops, chicken, and, in Sabatinos case, Italian dishes plus maybe something a little different. Shrimp de jonghe, baked Alaska, Bananas Foster flamed at the table, someone at the bar suggested when the subject came up there. MANILA An Australian woman and four other hostages were among 20 people killed during a two-day drama that ended in a shootout between troops and prison inmates Tuesday afternoon. Military authorities say Jacqueline Hamill, 36, an Australian lay missionary, was raped and had her throat slashed by a gang of inmates before troops stormed the prison in downtown Davao, 600 miles southeast of Manila, killing all 15 hostage-takers. Advertisement Local reporters and eyewitnesses said Hamill was shot in the neck during the final exchange of gunfire. But Brig. Gen. Mariano Baccay, regional military commander, said none of the hostages was killed by soldiers. The incident began Sunday afternoon when inmates grabbed their guards` Advertisement weapons and took 15 church workers hostage. The hostages included a 9-year-old boy and nine women from the Joyful Assemblies of God, a Protestant group, who were holding a Bible service in the prison. Over the next 48 hours the captors demanded a dialogue with Congressman Ramon Mitra and Sen. Nina Rasul. Both declined, saying the situation should be handled by military negotiators. According to Lt. Col. Franco Calida, a military spokesman, the convicts were members of a gang called the ''Wild Boys of Davao'' who broke out of the Davao Penal Colony in April and seized several hostages to protest prison conditions. Calida said the gang surrendered after being promised they would be transferred to a Manila prison. As dusk fell Sunday, the hostage-takers fired shots from the prison, injuring a soldier. By Tuesday morning, military negotiators had arranged for a hostage release. As the convicts and hostages passed through a chain-link fence, shots were fired. Several hostages managed to run to safety while others fell and were dragged back into the prison. Rev. Fred Castillo, a Protestant clergyman who managed to escape, said Hamill told him she and other female hostages had been raped. Military officials say they decided to storm the prison later in the day after learning that Hamill`s throat had been slashed and that several other hostages executed. ''Why won`t you cooperate?'' shouted a member of the military assault team minutes before the first shots rang out. The military has been sharply criticized for its handling of another hostage crisis in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga last January during which 16 persons were burned beyond recognition. Despite an air and ground attack that leveled the compound where the hostages were being held, the leader of the hostage-takers is believed to have escaped. Advertisement Australian Embassy officials had some difficulty verifying Hamill`s identity. She arrived in Manila from Sydney on July 16 and took a connecting flight to Davao the following day, according to embassy officials, but had not notified the embassy of her plans. Onetime fugitive in Europe faces 10 years for fraud Mark Weinbergers five years as a fugitive ended in 2009 when he was found living in a tent in the foothills of the Italian Alps. He now faces up to 10 years in prison for insurance fraud. (HANDOUT) Mark Weinberger will face up to 10 years in prison for insurance fraud when he is sentenced in federal court Friday, and that simply is not long enough for Marzetta Williams. Weinberger, who advertised his Merrillville, Ind., sinus clinic on billboards all over northwest Indiana, made worldwide headlines when he disappeared from his 80-foot yacht off the coast of Greece in 2004. He left behind his wife, a federal investigation, $6 million in debt and more than 350 former patients, including Williams, who allege he performed unnecessary surgeries on them. Advertisement Weinberger remained on the lam until police found him living in a tent outside a small resort town at the base of the Italian Alps in 2009. His spartan, survivalist encampment was a world away from the Gold Coast town house he once shared with his wife and a retinue of servants. Williams was one of the first to sue Weinberger after she learned that the surgery he performed on her to treat a persistent cough in 2004 was unneeded, and that her bill included charges for as many as a half-dozen procedures he never performed. Advertisement She learned dozens of other people shared her story when she read about Weinberger's disappearance. On Friday, she expects she will see more than a few of them sitting beside her in Judge Philip Simon's Hammond courtroom when Weinberger, 49, is sentenced. "He took me and made all these charges because of greed," said Williams, who later found her cough was caused by allergies. "That's such a despicable person to do that to a person." Weinberger has asked to be sentenced to just the 39 months he has already spent behind bars since his arrest, and his plea deal with prosecutors caps his possible sentence at 10 years. Experts say 10 years would be a lengthy sentence for the 22 counts of fraud for which he was indicted, and they are the only criminal charges he is likely to face In his sentencing memorandum, Weinberger describes a life inside Chicago's federal Metropolitan Correctional Center that demonstrates the same industriousness that built his Merrillville practice into a full-service clinic where attorneys for his former patients say he performed or did not perform surgeries that should have taken more than an hour in only about 15 minutes. At MCC, Weinberger claims he cooks meals for the 88 inmates in his unit, tutors GED classes, teaches three levels of yoga classes on the rooftop prison yard and "personally scripts Socratic dialogues taking place between various historical figures" for a class on nonviolence he teaches. Weinberger's ex-wife, Michelle Kramer, who last saw him in the predawn hours of the day he slipped away from their yacht during her birthday getaway to Mykonos, said it would not surprise her if her former husband was doing well in prison. Kramer has finished her doctorate in psychology and managed to rebuild her life in the eight years since Weinberger disappeared. "I do hope that the judge puts him away for a long time," said Kramer, who was 25 when she met Weinberger in 2000. Advertisement "I don't think that he would ever practice medicine again. But he is very, very smart. I do think he is going to come up with some other scam, and he could hurt people again." There have been 358 complaints filed against Weinberger with Indiana's malpractice review board, and witnesses have testified in civil lawsuits that Weinberger often performed a half-dozen surgeries or more a day, three days a week. "I have never seen anything like it," said Barry Rooth, an attorney whose firm represents 288 former Weinberger patients, including one client who was 5 years old when Weinberger operated on her. The family of a Valparaiso, Ind., woman who died of throat cancer that Weinberger failed to diagnose though he still performed sinus surgery on her won a $13 million jury award. But there is little evidence that Weinberger has money where authorities can find it. When Kramer returned to Chicago after borrowing money for a plane ticket, she found there was no money in his accounts and he had been siphoning cash from the clinic. Advertisement Kramer filed for bankruptcy in 2005, claiming $6 million in debt. Weinberger's father also lost the $1 million he loaned his son to buy medical equipment to outfit the clinic and filed for bankruptcy in Florida in 2005, court records show. Kramer visited Chicago this week, but said she will not attend Weinberger's sentencing. She last spoke to Weinberger a day after he fled, when she reached him at a cellphone number he had left with the yacht's captain. A cheerful Weinberger said hello. She spoke his name. After a brief silence, he hung up. Weinberger may leave his former patients hanging as well. In depositions in his numerous malpractice cases, Weinberger has asserted his Fifth Amendment rights and refuses to answer any questions, even ones posed by his malpractice insurance company. The insurance company has said this violates his contract with them, which could prevent them paying out any claims to his victims, said Nicholas Terry, a law professor at Indiana University. "We don't know how this will work. (Weinberger's) case is a total outlier. The system was not set up for something like this," Terry said. As for criminal charges, the federal fraud counts so far are the only ones Weinberger faces in connection with 22 patients and some $300,000 paid out by their insurance companies. Rooth says all his clients' medical records and bills show evidence that Weinberger billed them for procedures he didn't perform. Advertisement In April 2011, Weinberger reached a plea deal with prosecutors that would have seen him serve about four years in prison, but Judge Simon rejected the agreement because he felt the sentence would have been too lenient. Prosecutors in Lake County, Ind., have filed no charges against him, and Terry said it is extremely rare for a doctor to face criminal counts such as assault and battery for surgical procedures. For Williams, it seems as if Weinberger may manage to flee from justice after all. "If they just let him out, I feel like he will just forget about all of us that he hurt," she said. "I have two big holes drilled in my (sinuses) that I don't need." agrimm@tribune.com 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. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. The data for Chicago and this is the case no matter where one looks makes it dramatically clear when we talk about a city homicide rate, we are talking about a very mixed bag, where some areas are dropping and other areas are flat or have experienced more homicides this year than year-to-date last year, he said. These officers over here in particular have some weight on their shoulders, but I am still humbled and so incredibly proud of them, Johnson said Sunday outside the station. Despite the tragedies (we) have had to deal with for the last few months, we still come to work everyday and do what we are asked to do. News of the Washington DC attorney generals case against Facebook has brought the spectre of Cambridge Analytica back with a bang. The case is not just about the violation of consumer rights by a social media giant, but also about a government executive standing up for the rights of the common man. It reiterates not just the need for protecting personal data but for that need to be filled by government action. For, it is when the law hangs limp that breaches flourish. The saying goes that you become a criminal only when you are caught the Cambridge Analytica expose is not an isolated incident. It probably was not even the first and it certainly will not be the last such abuse of huge quantities of personal data. The risks of social behaviour manipulation, whether it is for marketing or elections, merely red flags the tip of the proverbial threat iceberg. While it remains to be proven, the checklist of violations in the US case against Facebook is indicative of what is in store for users of many online platforms from allegations of misleading privacy settings to indiscriminate sharing of data with third parties and failure to disclose data breach, the list covers them all. The conspectus of the averments primarily brings to the fore the abject absence of choice and consent. The Cambridge Analytica breach is not contained to either Washington DC, or even just the US. Its tentacles have spread far and wide, encompassing Indians personal data within its insidious fold. Indias statistics on data breaches at 52% in the 2018 Thales Data Threat Report- India Edition, is higher than the global average. The stark absence of legal prosecutions against such data breaches, therefore, is not just puzzling, but also a matter of concern. India did understand the need for strong data protection laws and planned a standalone enactment in the late 1990s. Instead, a barely discernable and lone provision for data protection was introduced under Section 43 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act). Commerce substantially dictates evolution of legislations too and data protection is no exception. With India losing a substantial portion of the business of data due to its lack of perceptible data protection laws, the stop-gap arrangement, which remains till date was the introduction of two additional provisions under Section.43A and Section.72A of the IT Act, with the former providing civil penalties and the latter, criminal prosecution. The IT Rules for data protection, which were a direct lift from the European Unions eight data principles under its 1995 directive along with the above provisions, unfortunately did not improve Indias prospects for being tagged a suitable destination for personal data transfers. Post the Justice Puttaswamy v. Union of India privacy judgment and its emphatic declaration of privacy being a fundamental right, there is renewed interest in personal data protection, this time, with the individual and not commerce being the focus. Consent by design and emphasis on choice permeates the proposed legislation though there are many concerns in exceptions provided to the same. Inclusion of data localisation in a layered manner is another indication of keeping the focus on user rights. While we await the final draft of the data protection bill and its future, it may be expedient to also take stock of where we stand today and what lies ahead. There is one commonality in the tepid provisions under the IT Act, 2000 or its slightly stronger siblings under the amended IT Act of 2008 or the Rules framed thereunder the poor record of enforcement. From the well-known decisions of Maximillian Schrems (EU Court of Justice, 2015) striking down personal data transfers to the US on grounds of breach of citizens rights through state sponsored surveillance to the lesser known case of WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC (2017, UK), where a supermarket was held liable for a payroll data breach by an employee, what stands out is the strong enforcement of data protection provisions. Indias record does not bode well for citizens. Strengthening laws is certainly an important first step but the follow through to the last mile is what India needs if its data protection processes are to be taken seriously. The strong position taken by the Reserve Bank of India with respect to data localisation of financial data is a case in point. The deadline stringently imposed by the regulator is long gone and the majors who are handling the substantial majority of financial transactions did not comply and yet there were no sanctions backing the strong posturing. The message that then goes out, of laws in India, to borrow Justice Krishna Iyers words, is that they hang limp and bark but seldom bite. NS Nappinai is a Supreme Court advocate specialising in cyber laws The views expressed are personal We are living in times of collaboration. Not to say that collaborations never existed before but today I believe that prevailing technology is the perpetrator of this sharing on a mass scale. Where sharing knowledge systems and ways of being are at the fore of the younger generations culture. And this has impacted theatre in India too. Two decades ago theatre groups were zealously protective of their group members. It was inconceivable for actors to be shared between theatre groups. Today that Laxman Rekha has dissolved and actors, technicians, directors and writers share their skills among various theatre groups, even across cities. Two decades ago it was difficult to convince theatre actors and directors (less with writers) that they needed to hone their skills and seek new training opportunities. Today this has become the norm and even mid-career actors are attending workshops as well as conducting them. Today given the abysmal infrastructure for theatre across our country, more theatre people are creating their own spaces with scant resources but enormous passion. These spaces are nurturing a greater sense of camaraderie. And life is being breathed into these spaces in wonderful surprising ways. These alternative spaces are becoming home to a much greater nurturing engagement within the theatre community and its audience as well. From workshops to readings, talks, rehearsals and performances, these spaces are forging more engaged, curious and invested theatre practitioner as well as audience member. Knowing that we can easily get drowned out in the massive clutter of noise that permeates our lives, theatre people and audiences realise that they need to find more intimate and direct ways of reaching out to one another. And this seems to be happening. We not only have communities of sharing within the theatre practitioners world but also within the audience world too. Urban theatres audience in India is growing and I believe it is getting younger. This generation of youngsters craves this social engagement, the communal connect, and better still they have the means to pay for theatre today. There is also a growing sense of what we need to address in theatre today. Interestingly, commercial Marathi theatre is facing a crisis that it is refusing to address. And one of the main reasons for the crisis, I think, is that they are not looking at the content of their plays with an eye on their audience. They are moving with the trend of the television-format, episodic nuggets of stories that do not grip you and take you on a journey of depth. My high point in recent times was a conversation with an auto-rickshaw driver in Mumbai where he complained bitterly about the inability to watch Marathi theatre anymore because he did not want to go to watch comedy, comedy, comedy! He wanted social drama that moved him and gave him new ideas to contemplate. Marathi theatre is unable to reinvent itself and is harking back to successful productions of the past in a dangerous nostalgia that will not enable anything new to develop. Whereas with Hindi and English and some regional languages across the country, the small alternative spaces have given birth to more daring, risk-taking content and styles of theatre, which is ideal for todays more generous and encouraging urban audiences. As Sunil Shanbag says of his alternative space in Mumbai, Studio Tamasha, it has provoked his own group, Tamasha, to consider what sort of work they will create as their audience is a curious one. Atul Kumars Theatre Company space in Kamshet is used by various groups as a space to create work, train and experiment. A new space is coming alive in Pune through Expression Lab that will cater to the need for rehearsals space and intimate performances. I look forward to seeing how such a space in Pune in addition to the valuable older Sudharshan Hall space will be received by a vibrant younger generation of theatre workers and theatre-goers eager for a comfortable adda. More such spaces and attitudes are spreading in non-metro cities across the country. Our work at Junoon delights in joining the dots, introducing people, building relationships and curating engagement across the country to nurture this opportunity for the performing arts to become an integral and natural part of our weekly lives. Sanjna Kapoor is cofounder of the theatre-based social enterprise, Junoon The views expressed are personal Thousands of people gather every year on January 1 at Bhima Koregaon, Pune, to commemorate the defeat of the peshwas at the hands of British army in 1818. This year they were attacked on their way to the site. This was widely believed to be a planned conspiracy by right-wing organisations. The Bhima-Koregaon issue has kept the anti-caste movement busy in 2018. The obelisk that was erected in the memory of this battle by the British symbolises a momentary break in Brahmanisms uninterrupted sway over society for about two millennia. The Bahujans heaved a sigh of relief when the reign of the Chitpavan Brahmin Peshwa rulers gave way to the British monarchy. This was because the British introduced modern values such as equality before law and access to education and government employment without caste restrictions. That explains why Jyotiba Phule called the British benevolent rulers. After the Bhima-Koregaon issue, Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh president Prakash Ambedkar emerged as a leader to reckon with. His call for a strike in Maharashtra against the January 1 attacks was heeded by the masses. He also repeatedly asked for the arrest of Manohar Bhide and Milind Ekbote, the alleged key conspirators. Among the two emerging Bahujan leaders, Jignesh Mevani started his career as an elected politician this year after winning the Vadgam seat in the Gujarat elections held in December 2017 while the Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan had to spend most of the year in jail under the National Security Act. This year, the Centre conceded two long-standing demands of the backward classes. Parliament passed the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill in August, which gives the National Commission for Backward Classes statutory powers. In the same month, the government gave its assent to gather data on Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the decennial census. The 2021 Census will collect data on the OBCs and enumerate their percentage in the population along with Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The census so far does not have data on the upper castes and their percentage in the population. The anti-caste movement turned agitational and displayed its might when the Supreme Court diluted the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in March. The mobilisation against the Supreme Courts ruling forced the central government to bring in amendments to restore the provisions of the Act. The Bhima-Koregaon case was the flashpoint in the anti-caste movement in 2018. The fact that the movement was well organised and that it has made incremental gains over the years was evident from the massive crowd that gathered to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the 1818 battle. The swift response to attacks in the form of a strike, the legal support that was mobilised to fight the cases against those who were arrested in relation to it and the sympathy displayed by the media showed that this movement is no flash in the pan. But the movement has yet to gain the traction it needs to achieve its ultimate goal -- that of restructuring society on the principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. But indications are that it is getting there. According to data collected by the Safai Karmachari Andolan, one sanitation worker dies every three day. The Safai Karmachari Andolan gained wider recognition after its national convenor, Bezwada Wilson, won the Magsaysay Award in 2016. The organisation led protests in Delhi in September against the deaths of sanitation workers and the continuing scourge of manual scavenging. Critics feel that the government has spent more energy and money in advertising campaigns like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan than on building infrastructure and investing in technology to handle Indias waste generation. If this had been done, many feel, the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan would have produced dramatic results. While the anti-caste movement asserts itself through agitations and participation in electoral politics, it has also focused on consciousness-raising. When many Brahmins were agitated after Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was pictured holding a poster that read Smash Brahminical Patriarchy in November, activists responded by calmly explaining what Brahminical patriarchy was and why looking at gender and caste as intertwined forces was necessary. This controversy also showed that battles are being waged on new grounds and the movement is using digital platforms effectively to carry its agenda forward. The movement, for all its successes, faces formidable challenges as it enters the new year. It is likely to spend more of its energy on electoral politics in 2019 with the Lok Sabha elections coming up. But the quiet work behind the scenes , that of educating, agitating and organising wherever possible will go ahead slowly but surely. Tejas Harad is a social and political commentator The views expressed are personal Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas life is one endless vacation. The couple is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that their first Christmas and new year as a married couple is fun-filled and memorable. After spending a number of days in London, the couple left for Switzerland a few days back. Now, Priyanka has shared pictures from a ski resort with family and friends. Posting the pictures on Instagram, she wrote: Ski Life. In the first picture, we see Priyanka and Nick huddled together with the glorious Swiss Alps in the background. In another close-up picture, Priyanka can be seen posing for the camera with sister-in-law-to-be Sophie Turner. Priyanka is clad in a red and black coloured printed ski wear and a cap with what looks like Mickey Mouses ears, while Sophie is in shades of white and blue. In another picture, the two wear a helmet and ski glasses. The last one is a group picture which also includes Nicks brothers Joe and Franklin and Priyankas brother, Siddharth Chopra. Soon after their December 20 wedding reception in Mumbai, the couple left for the United Kingdom. Both Priyanka and Nick have been sharing pictures and Instagram stories of their time there, which includes family lunches and dinners, a Christmas dinner and road trips. Priyanka and Nick got married on December 1 and 2 in Jodhpurs majestic Umaid Bhawan in ceremonies held in accordance with both Hindu and Christian rituals. For the Hindu function, Priyanka chose a Sabyasachi creation while for the Christian ceremony she went with Ralph Lauren. At their Mumbai reception, Priyankas dance videos with her Bajirao Mastani co-stars, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, were a hit online with people sharing their video clips extensively. Follow @htshowbiz for more Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar is likely to surrender before a court here on December 31 to undergo life imprisonment awarded to him in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case as the Delhi high court rejected his plea to extend the deadline for surrender. Kumars lawyer said options are running out for him as the Supreme Court is not likely to grant hearing to his appeal against the high court verdict during the vacation, which is ending on January 1. We will comply with the high courts judgment, his counsel Anil Kumar Sharma told PTI. The 73-year-old former Congress leader was sentenced to life for the remainder of his natural life by the Delhi high court on December 17 in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced related to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards. The high court had on December 21 rejected Kumars plea seeking extension till January 30 to surrender. The former Congress leader had sought more time to surrender, saying he had to settle the family affairs related to his children and property and also needs time to file appeal in the Supreme Court against the high court verdict. Watch: Arun Jaitley targets Congress, Gandhi family after Sajjan Kumar conviction Sharma said they have removed the objections in their appeal filed in the apex court but since the court was on vacation till January 1, it was not likely to be taken up for hearing by December 31 and also the chances of mentioning for urgent listing of the appeal was not there. The Supreme Court will open on January 2 after the winter break. We have removed the objections and the appeal in the apex court has been numbered. Presently, there are no benches in the Supreme Court. Even if we mention the matter for urgent hearing, the registrar will decide whether it will be heard by the bench. No time is left now, Kumars counsel said. He said they are yet to engage a senior counsel who would represent Kumar before the apex court. The former Congress leader had on December 22 approached the Supreme Court challenging the high courts judgment. Senior advocate H S Phoolka, who is representing the riots victims, had earlier said that they had already filed a caveat in the apex court to pre-empt any ex-parte hearing in favour of Kumar. Last week, the National Investigation Agency busted an ISIS-inspired terror module and arrested 10 persons. Only a thorough investigation will be able to reveal the severity of the threat that this group posed. Meanwhile, the primitive nature of the weapons that have been seized from the arrested individuals has invited ridicule on social media. That the group was poorly equipped and was ill-prepared for mounting a serious attack is not surprisingISIS has, in the past, claimed a number of failed and botched up operations globally. However, the scale of the July 2016 attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka suggests that the threat of ISIS and its ideology cannot be taken lightly in our region. There are two ways in which ISIS poses a threat to India: through its physical presence in the region, and through its virtual presence in the cyber world. On the first count, the presence of ISIS terrorists and ISIS-inspired groups in Afghanistan and Bangladesh worries the Indian security establishment. Wilayah Khorasan, the ISIS wing in Afghanistan, does not just threaten Indian interests in Afghanistan but also promises to wage a war in Kashmir. On the second, the problem is more in the realm of regulating new-age technology. Even if ISIS sympathisers in India do not get to communicate directly to some functionary in either Afghanistan or West Asia, they can access a host of propaganda material online. It should be stated that ISIS hasnt received support from Indian Muslims. For a country with the worlds second largest Muslim population, Indias share of pro-ISIS individuals is minuscule. There is no hard data on how many Indians have gone to Afghanistan or West Asia East to join ISIS, but the numbers are not expected to be very high. Indias primary battle is, therefore, to defeat the group on end-to-end encrypted communication platforms such as Telegram, Whatsapp and Threema. Initial reports indicate that the arrested individuals used Threema and Telegram. The Indian governments nascent steps to regulate such platforms can be seen in this background. However, it is going to be a mighty difficult balancing act to guarantee individual privacy, uphold right to dissent and crack down on forces threatening national security. Technology firms should themselves offer some innovative solutions. Smith said the investigation began at least a week earlier and, prior to his arrest, the sheriffs office served three orders of protection against Hatzipetros. Smith said she wasnt sure if the three people named in the order were victims or their relatives. Netflix has revealed that the recent Sandra Bullock-starrer, Bird Box, has become the companys most streamed film in its first seven days of release. In a tweet on December 28, Netflix announced that the thriller had been streamed by over 45 million accounts. Took off my blindfold this morning to discover that 45,037,125 Netflix accounts have already watched Bird Box best first 7 days ever for a Netflix film! read the tweet, which was accompanied by a GIF of Bullocks character in the film taking off her blindfold. Took off my blindfold this morning to discover that 45,037,125 Netflix accounts have already watched Bird Box best first 7 days ever for a Netflix film! pic.twitter.com/uorU3cSzHR Netflix Film (@NetflixFilm) December 28, 2018 Directed by Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier, the ensemble film tells the harrowing story of a reluctant mother who must fight to save her children from invisible monsters in a post-apocalyptic world. Anyone who sees the monsters is compelled to commit suicide - hence the blindfolds. The film has been compared to M Night Shyamalans 2008 film, The Happening, and John Krasinskis recent critically acclaimed horror movie, A Quiet Place. Netflix rarely reveals viewing figures, and even when it does, keeps it vague. For example, the 45 million figure doesnt identify exactly how many people watched the film. Every Netflix account accommodates five users. On the few other occasions that the streaming giant has revealed numbers, it announced that over 80 million subscribers watched at least one original romantic comedy earlier this summer, led by the breakout hit To All the Boys Ive Loved Before. The rom-com became one of the most viewed original films on the platform. Another, unofficial report from 2017 claimed that the Will Smith-starrer, Bright, was viewed by 11 million subscribers in its first weekend - albeit only those who watched it on a non-mobile device and in the US. Bird Box has received mixed to positive reviews from critics. The Hindustan Times in its 3.5/5 star review called it a film with taut thrills and ambitious ideas. Follow @htshowbiz for more Convict Sajjan Kumar brought to Delhis Mandoli Jail Convict Sajjan Kumar brought to Delhis Mandoli Jail. He surrendered before Karkardooma Court earlier today, reports news agency ANI. 1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Convict Sajjan Kumar brought to Delhi's Mandoli Jail. He surrendered before Karkardooma Court earlier today. pic.twitter.com/1ziBhiICY7 ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 Delhi High Court had on Dec 17 convicted Kumar and sentenced to imprisonment The Delhi High Court had on December 17 convicted Kumar and sentenced to imprisonment for remainder of his natural life in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, saying the riots were a crime against humanity perpetrated by those who enjoyed political patronage and aided by an indifferent law enforcement agency. Court allows Sajjan Kumars plea for security The Karkardooma court has allowed Sajjan Kumars plea for security. He will be taken to jail in a separate vehicle, report news agencies. Lawyer of convict Sajjan Kumar after he surrendered before Delhi's Karkardooma Court in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Court has sent him to Mandoli Jail. Court has also ordered that a separate van would be provided for his movement due to security reasons. pic.twitter.com/OfypwRARkJ ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 Court directs Kumar to be sent to Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi The court has directed Sajjan Kumar to be sent to Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi, reports PTI. Delhi court rejects Sajjan Kumars plea to be lodged in Tihar jail Delhi court rejects Sajjan Kumars plea to be lodged in Tihar jail, reports PTI. 1984 sikh roits victims standoutside Karkarduma court 1984 sikh roits victims stand outside the Karkarduma court after Sajjan Kumar surrendered. 1984 sikh roits victims stand outside the Karkarduma court ( HT Photo (Raj K Raj) ) Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar surrenders in Delhi court Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar surrenders in Delhi court. The high court had set a deadline of December 31 for Kumar to surrender. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg, reports PTI. 1984 riots case convict Sajjan Kumar reaches Delhis Karkardooma Court to surrender Convict Sajjan Kumar reaches Delhis Karkardooma Court to surrender, reports news agency ANI. Anti-Sikh riots cases are being investigated separately by CBI and SIT The anti-Sikh riots cases are being investigated separately by CBI and the SIT. One of the cases the CBI is currently probing has the name of another senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler as an alleged accused. SIT is investigating three cases in which Kumar is one of the main accused Set up by the union home ministry to investigate 1984 riots cases, the SIT is investigating three cases in which Kumar is one of the main accused. Statement of witnesses were recorded by SIT The statement of the two witnesses, who were contacted for the first time since 1984, were recorded by the SIT after which Sajjan Kumar was interrogated. In these cases, Kumar is currently on anticipatory bail. The SIT has challenged Kumars anticipatory bail and approached Supreme Court, which is yet to decide on the matter. New witnesses had said Sajjan Kumar involved in two other 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases At least two persons, who have deposed for the first time before the special investigation team (SIT), had confirmed the former Congress leaders involvement in two incidents of mob violence, a government official privy to the development had said on December 19. Delhi High Court had slapped a fine of 5 lakh on Sajjan Kumar On December 17, the Delhi High Court had reversed the trial courts order acquitting Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case and had held him guilty of the charges levelled against him. The court had also slapped a fine of 5 lakh on Kumar. The case pertained to the murders of five members of a family in the Raj Nagar area Delhi Cantonment area during the 1984 riots. Khokhar and Yadav were held guilty in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case Khokhar and Yadav were held guilty in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in which ex-Congress leader Sajjan Kumar has to surrender in court. Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav to serve 10-year jail term Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, convicts in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, surrender in Delhi court to serve 10-year jail term, reports PTI. Both Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar surrender in 1984 riots case Both Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar have surrendered. The court accepted their surrender application. Mahender Yadav has been allowed to carry his walking stick and spectacles by the court, reports news agency ANI. Sajjan Kumars third reason states he needs time to settle his family affairs Sajjan Kumars third reason states that he needs time to settle his family affairs including affairs with regard to the properties. The application stated that he would not be in a position to settle them within the short span of time granted by the court. Convicts Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar reach Delhis Karkardooma Court to surrender Convicts Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar have reached Delhis Karkardooma Court to surrender. Sajjan Kumar cited another reason stating he believes he is innocent In the second reason listed in Sajjan Kumars application, he states that he is at present under shock and surprise in view of the order of acquittal having been set aside and conviction and goes on to say that the applicant believes he is innocent. Sajjan Kumar cited reason for seeking delay in his surrender was he has a big family Foremost among the reasons stated in Sajjan Kumars application seeking a delay in his surrender was the fact that he has eight grandchildren aged between 25 years and five years. The application also states that he has a big family, both from maternal and paternal side. High Court had on Dec 17 overturned Kumars acquittal by a lower court and held him guilty The Delhi high court had on December17 overturned Sajjan Kumars acquittal by a lower court and held him guilty of torching a family of five in west Delhis Raj Nagar during the riots in Delhi nearly 34 years ago. Spending some more time with his family including his eight grandchildren was Sajjan Kumars top reason to request the court to give him some grace period before he starts his jail term. High Courts verdict finding him guilty had stunned Sajjan Kumar In his15-point request filed before the court, Sajjan Kumar mentioned how the high courts verdict finding him guilty had stunned him and he needed time to prepare for the jail sentence. Victims had already filed a caveat to pre-empt any ex parte hearing in favour of Sajjan Kumar Senior advocate H S Phoolka, who is representing the victims of the riots cases, said he has been conveyed by the apex court registry that Kumar has filed an appeal against the high courts judgement. He said the victims had already filed a caveat to pre-empt any ex parte hearing in favour of Kumar. Sajjan Kumar had approached the SC challenging the high courts judgment The former Congress leader had on December 22 approached the Supreme Court challenging the high courts judgment. High court had on Dec 21 rejected Kumars plea seeking extension till Jan 30 to surrender The high court had on December 21 rejected Kumars plea seeking extension till January 30 to surrender. The former Congress leader had sought more time to surrender, saying he had to settle the family affairs related to his children and property and also needs time to file appeal in the Supreme Court against the high court verdict. Case relates to killing of 5 Sikhs in Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced related to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in Palam Colony in South West Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards. Sajjan Kumar is likely to surrender before court today Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar is likely to surrender before a court here today to undergo life imprisonment awarded to him in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case On the last day of filing claims for inclusion of names in the National Register of Citizens in Assam, only 2.95 million people out of 4 million have submitted them, a top official said. The Supreme Court, which is monitoring the exercise, had extended the deadline for filing claims and objections to December 31. LS Changsan, principal secretary (home, political and border), said the state government is not considering seeking another extension for the exercise. Around 700 objections have been filed against those who figure in the complete NRC draft which was published on July 30, said an official on the condition of anonymity. The complete draft excluded 40,07,707 people. The Standard Operating Procedure did not allow people to change the legacy person. That is one big reason. Then the other reason is people may not have documents, said Dharmananda Deb, a lawyer associated with Hindu Legal Cell in Silchar, which has been assisting people in the NRC process. Legacy data, which includes an extract of voters lists up to March 25, 1971, and extract of NRC 1951 is part of the list of List A documents needed to prove that the family was a resident of Assam before the cut-off date of March 25, 1971. How many people file claims is not important but whats more important is that anybody who has come before 1971 should be included. People are illiterate, they dont know much about the process or claims and objections, said Azizur Rehman, the chief coordinator of coordination committee for minority organisations. However, Prateek Hajela, state coordinator of the NRC has a different view. Seeking no leniency in norms, Hajela in an earlier report to Supreme Court claimed that oft-repeated pleas of illiteracy and poverty cannot be a ground to reduce the strictness criteria of NRC as organised support is available to these illegal immigrants. Hajela claimed in the report that documents such as ration cards, extracts of 1951 NRC, electoral rolls up to March 25, 1971, and refugee registration and citizenship certificates can be forged, not a difficult task in Assam, and misused to get illegal migrants into NRC. NRC officials had said earlier that ineligible applicants who had been included in the complete draft will be excluded from the final list. Around 7,000 suspected and declared foreigners who made it to the complete draft had been identified, an official said. These around 7,000 people and their descendants will not be part of the final NRC, this official said. The actual number of deletions is likely to be much higher depending on the number of individuals who have staked their claim based on the documents of the persons whose citizenship is suspect. According to the NRC provisions ratified by the Supreme Court, declared foreigners and their descendants are to be excluded from the NRC, while D Voters and those who have cases pending against them in foreigners tribunals and their descendants are to be kept on hold till their cases are decided irrespective if they have passed the NRC verification processes Meanwhile, there is still no clarity on the fate of those who will not be included in NRC. In November, a joint committee of the state and the centre was appointed to decide the fate of those excluded from NRC. Those excluded from the complete NRC will be referred to the Foreigners Tribunals. Changsan said the state government will take a decision to increase the number of FTs from the present 100 depending on the final number of exclusions from the NRC. To make a mark in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is attempting to mobilise the Bharatiya Janata Partys core support groups in its favour. The AAP, which is in power in New Delhi, will contest around 100 seats in the general elections, including a few seats in Uttar Pradesh. So far, Apna Dal (Krishna Patel faction) has joined hands with the AAP in its campaign against the saffron party. A state leader of AAP said they are also in talks with some other outfits and social groups. The AAP has announced its Bhajpa Bhagao, Bhagwan Bachao (Oust BJP, Save Gods) march and the Kisan Berozgar Sansad (convention for farmers and unemployed youth) in January next year, intended to target the BJP-led governments in the state and the Centre. The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is also capitalising on Swami Vivekanand and Subhas Chandra Bose, the national icons that the saffron party has been tapping into. A state leader of the party said the march was aimed at mobilising people against the BJPs alleged demolition of temples in Varanasi in the name of development. The yatra will start from Ayodhya on January 12, the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekanand, and end in Prime Minister Narendra Modis constituency Varanasi on January 14. The Kisan Berozgar Sansad has been scheduled in Ayodhya on January 23, the birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose. A senior AAP leader said, The BJP emerged as a pro-Hindu party after the Ram Mandir movement and the epicentre was Ayodhya. By organising rallies and meetings in Ayodhya, our party is trying to take on the BJP. The AAPs Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who has visited UP several times, accused the BJP of using gods and temples for political gains. Our yatra from Ayodhya to Kashi is aimed at exposing its pseudo agenda. We are in touch with Hindu saints, who are also annoyed with the BJPs vote politics. Swami Vivekanand is a national icon and was a torchbearer of Sanatan Dharma across the world. His birth anniversary will be the best day to start a movement against those using dharma to gain political power, Sharma said as he was asked about the significance of the dates his party has chosen. The Kisan Berozgar Sansad on Subhas Jayanti is a warning to the state and the central governments to fall in line. Just as Bose challenged the British government, farmers and unemployed youths will also stand up against the BJPs suppressing policies, he said. Two intruders were killed as a Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT)s attempt to attack Indian posts from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Naugam sector was foiled, the army said on Monday. BAT is a special Pakistani military unit, which includes commandos from the countrys Special Services Group (SSG) and volunteers from terrorist groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba. It has been blamed for many attacks and mutilations of Indian soldiers along the de facto India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir the LOC. At least one of the two intruders, Naik Anwar, belonged to the SSG, who was a part of five to six-member BAT. Anwars funeral prayers were held at SSGs Cherat base in Pakistan, said an Indian Army officer on condition of anonymity. The Army said the attack was foiled after a suspicious movement was noticed about 300 to 500 m inside the LoC on Sunday evening hen Pakistani troops fired at Indian posts. This was the fourth attack on Indian posts along the LoC over the last fortnight, a second Army officer said. Attempts to storm Indian positions along the LoC border were earlier made at Mendhar, Poonch, and Tangdhar. We were able to thwart all four attacks. Two Pakistani officers were wounded when the Indian Army retaliated to cross-border firing around a fortnight back. Pakistan has been trying to avenge the injury of its two officers, said a third Indian Army officer. The attack was thwarted two months after three Indian soldiers were killed when BAT, which conducts assaults to dominate the LoC, ambushed an Indian Army patrol near the de facto border in J&Ks Rajouri district on October 21. Two BAT members were killed when the Indian side retaliated. In a statement, the army said the Indian troops engaged and neutralised the intruders, thus eliminated a likely treacherous attack. The Army said the intruders wore combat uniforms like regular Pakistani soldiers do and carried stores with Pakistani markings and took advantage of the thick forests close to the LoC. Some intruders were also seen in the BSF [Border Security Force] and old pattern IA [Indian Army] dresses as part of a deception. They had intruded well-equipped with IEDs [improvised explosive devices], incendiary materials, explosives..., the statement said. Our troops conducted prolonged search operations in thick jungles and difficult terrain conditions to ascertain the situation, which confirmed the elimination of two likely Pakistani soldiers and resulted in the recovery of a large cache of warlike stores. It added some intruders managed to escape. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Indian Army has claimed to have thwarted a treacherous attempt by Pakistans Border Action Team (BAT) to launch a strike on its post along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmirs Naugam sector and killed two intruders in the area. A spokesperson of the army said the recovery of arms and ammunition early on Sunday indicated that they intended to carry out a gruesome attack in the region. The alertness and resilience of the own troops, who engaged and neutralised the intruders, thus eliminated a likely treacherous attack on the army forward posts along the Line of Control on the eve of New Year, he said. The officials said the intruders were wearing combat uniform like regular Pakistani soldiers and carrying stores with markings of the neighbouring country. He said they took advantage of the thick forests close to the LoC. Some intruders were also seen in BSF (Border Security Force) and old pattern IA dresses as part of a deception. They had intruded well equipped with IEDs, incendiary materials, explosives, and a plethora of arms and ammunition, the spokesperson said. They were assisted by heavy covering fire of high calibre weapons such as mortars and rocket launchers from the Pakistani posts. The movement was nonetheless detected by the vigilant Indian Army troops deployed along the LoC, he said. He said the firefight initiated by Pakistan was retaliated strongly by the Indian Army. The exchange of fire continued the whole night. Our troops conducted prolonged search operations in thick jungles and difficult terrain conditions to ascertain the situation, which confirmed the elimination of two likely Pakistani soldiers and resulted in the recovery of a large cache of warlike stores. The army said the search operations are still underway in the sector to sanitise the area. Few other intruders managed to escape across the LoC, taking advantage of the Pakistani firing and adverse weather and visibility conditions, it said. The Indian Armys resolve to keep a strict vigil along the LoC and defeat all such nefarious designs of Pakistan will continue to remain firm and consistent. The spokesperson said the Indian Army will ask Pakistan to take back the bodies of the likely Pakistani soldiers. Naugam sector in Kashmirs Kupwara district is manned by soldiers of the 19th Infantry Division of the Indian Army. There have been frequent ceasefire violations going in the Naugam, Tanghdar and Keran sectors in the past several months. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik announced welfare schemes for the farmers of their respective states against the backdrop of this years Lok Sabha elections. With effect from January 1, West Bengal would provide a life insurance cover of 2 lakh for the states farmers and workers aged 18-60 years, Banerjee said. She added that the states Trinamool Congress (TMC) government would also provide a yearly aid of 5,000 per acre for all peasant families in the state. The lives of farmers are dogged by uncertainty at every step, the CM said, pointing out that there are 7.2 million farmers and agricultural labourers in the state. Forms for the scheme will be made available in February with retroactive effect, she said and added that the government may spend 7,000-8,000 crores on the schemes. Farmers in Odisha also received a good news on the New Years eve when chief minister Patnaik announced details of his Krushak Assistant for Livelihood and Augmentation (KALIA), a 10,100 crores a 101 billion livelihood support and insurance scheme for over 6 million farmer families of Odisha that will commence on February 15. Under the initiative, the Farmers will get Rs10,000 a year for purchasing seeds, fertilizer and insecticides, life and accident insurance for a small premium and an interest-free crop loan of 50,000, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief announced. He added that the government would also provide financial assistance of 12,500 to landless agricultural households for small allied activities like goat rearing and bee-keeping. Odisha is slated to hold assembly elections later in the year. In 2018, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress told us two different stories about India. This is not surprising, for politics is often about storytelling. Indian politics is no exception. And that is why the BJP and Congress stories of 2018 will be central to how 2019 shapes up. There are three distinct elements of the story both sides are telling. They revolve around quality of life; corruption; and identity, democracy and institutions. The-quality-of-life story In the BJP story, Prime Minister Narendra Modis government fixed Indias welfare architecture. By using the socio-economic caste census, geospatial tagging, Aadhaar and direct benefits transfer, the government identified the needy beneficiaries. It ensured the end or minimisation of leakages. It eliminated intermediaries. And it delivered benefits. In this narrative, the government has finally provided housing to rural Indians. It has provided toilets. It has provided electricity. And it has also ensured the distribution of gas cylinders under the Ujjwala scheme to over 50 million beneficiaries. Besides the individual benefits, the government also claims that rural roads have witnessed a wide expansion. And so here is the centrepiece of the Modi story: a government committed to the ease of living; a government committed to the poorest and most invisible Indians; a government that has changed the way rural India lives, cooks and travels. In the Congresss story, the government has destroyed the dreams and aspirations of the two most important demographic groups farmers and the youth. It is, the Opposition narrative goes, the governments dramatically poor economic management that has created a debilitating situation. It announced demonetisation, squeezed the economy, disrupted every sector, jolted growth and destroyed jobs. It pushed through a poorly designed Goods and Services Tax regime, which Indias small and medium scale industries were thoroughly unprepared for, especially because it came soon after demonetisation. This story holds that manufacturing goals have all but collapsed, with Make in India simply not able to generate the scale of jobs needed to accommodate a million-plus people who enter the Indian workforce every year. The story in agriculture, in this narrative, is particularly distressing. The government has failed to provide the minimum support prices according to the Swaminathan commissions formula. Farmers are also suffering from enormous debt. The Congresss story hinges on acute economic distress across urban and rural India with the country represented by the angry, aspirational, impatient young men and women seeking jobs. The corruption story The second axis of the debate revolves around corruption, a key plank of the BJPs victory in 2014. The BJP story goes back to legacy issues it has had to grapple with, particularly in the realm of non-performing assets. This itself, the BJP holds, was a function of crony capitalism that marked the Congress regimes where phone calls to bankers led to loans which were unviable in the boom years. The government claims it recognised the problem. It has sought to address the underlying roots of this crisis by bringing in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code so that there is an exit for bad capital. It has, through legislations like RERA, ensured that the real estate and construction sector has stronger regulation. The BJP story also holds that central-level corruption has reduced drastically. No big scam has been institutionally proven in this period. And the PM in particular represents an image of integrity. In the Oppositions narrative, the government is the epitome of crony capitalism. Rahul Gandhis attack on Rafale is meant to portray Modi as embedded with corporate interests. It has picked on Vijay Mallyas exit from India as the proof of governments collusion. And the Congress cites Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi bank fraud as absolute proof of how this is a government complicit with corruption. It portrays demonetisation as a scam. The identity story The BJP believes, and would like Indian citizens to believe, that the nation has finally found its rightful place on the world stage. This is as much as function of Modis diplomacy as Indias renewed confidence, which comes from a strong sense of nationalism. This nationalism, in turn, has a strong cultural read Hindu ethos. Minority appeasement, this story goes, has ended. Citizens are treated equally. The Hindus are no longer ashamed to be Hindus. The Congress, and the wider Opposition, believes India is at a turning point and its nationalism project, instead of becoming stronger, is in jeopardy. In this view, nationalism has come to be increasingly associated with Hindu majoritarianism. It has become synonymous with marginalisation and public disdain for minorities. There is impunity for mob violence, especially when directed at minorities. No two stories could be more at odds with each other. Which of these a majority of Indian citizens believes will determine who gets to govern the country for the next five years. The war of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Opposition Congress escalated on Monday over the cancelled AgustaWestland helicopter deal. BJP chief Amit Shah alleged that the friendship between the alleged chopper deal middleman, Christian Michel, and one family in India is time-tested and deep. The Congress hit back, accusing the government of manufacturing lies. It insisted that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, never interfered in any defence deals during previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. Shah attacked the Gandhi family on Twitter as did some BJP chief ministers and leaders at separate press conferences. ... the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep, Shah alleged. Michel was extradited to India from Dubai on December 4. He is alleged to have bribed government officials to secure the chopper deal for Anglo-Italian firm, AgustaWestland, in 2010 when the Congress-led UPA was in power. The UPA government later cancelled the deal in 2013 over the alleged bribery. Congress leader AK Antony defended his party. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never showed any interest...never interfered in the AgustaWestland deal. During my entire tenure as defence minister, Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals, he told reporters. The war of words began when the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday told a Delhi court that Michel was misusing legal access by handing his lawyers notes on how to deal with questions. The BJP accused the Congress of defending Michel and asked why it was scared of a probe into the case. Antony hit back at the BJP and the government, saying lies were being manufactured to divert attention from the Rafale deal. He said the government has refused to order an inquiry into the matter or have joint parliamentary committee look into it. During our time, whenever there were allegations, even in media reports, we took action and held an inquiry, he said. Lies lies and lies they are trying to manufacture something out of nothing. They are misusing the agencies to manufacture lies..., he said. He accused the government of vendetta politics without any iota of truth. Antony said the UPA government ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the allegations of corruption in the helicopter deal and initiated proceedings to blacklist the company. He added his government fought the case unusually in a Milan court against the chopper-making company and won it too. We cancelled the contract and started proceedings of blacklisting. But after we left, the Modi government did nothing against AgustaWestland. Instead of acting against the company, they favoured the company, said Antony. Antony added they would not have ordered a probe or gone to Italy to fight the case if the Congress had anything to hide. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is studying three options, including a cash handout for farmers, people with knowledge of the matter said, as his administration seeks to ease an agrarian distress and shore up popular support ahead of next years general election. The government is weighing options including a monthly income support program for farmers, a cash handout plan for the shortfall between the actual sale price and state-set procurement rate and a revamped crop insurance program, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified as they arent authorized to speak to the media. The final program could be one of these or a combination of all three. The plan for the handout comes soon after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was voted out in key state elections this month, forcing Modi to draw up a course correction before federal polls due by May. The government, which has already exceeded the annual budget gap aim, has little room for spending in the current year, having forgone some tax revenue on goods and services following the defeat. Also Read: Ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2019, PM Modi weighs four plans to offer farm relief The income support program involves a certain amount as monthly payout to farmers and could benefit as many as 150 million farm households, a key bloc that can influence the election outcome. Distress Sales In July, the government raised support prices of crops such as cotton, soybeans and paddy rice to ensure farmers get at least 50 percent more than the estimated production costs. While that has largely failed to shield farmers from distress sales due to lack of sufficient state procurement, the government now plans to pay cash to farmers if their produce sells at a discount to the government-set rates. Modis Pledge on Farm Income Wilts as Crop Prices Drop Another alternative being considered is a revamp of the crop insurance program. The changes could include a reduction in premium paid by farmers, inclusion of more crops to avail state incentives and bringing tenant farmers under the cover. Finance ministry spokesman DS Malik didnt respond to two calls made to his mobile phone. An agriculture ministry spokeswoman declined to comment. Also Read: NDA eyes farm, rural fix ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections Modi, who is seeking a second term, has to win over farmers before the election. They have been hit by falling crop prices and rising input costs, forcing them to hit the streets seeking debt waivers and protection from distress sales. Add to it, the pressure from opposition Indian National Congress which waived off farm loans after wresting power from the BJP in three states earlier this month. The income support program could help reduce poverty in a country thats home to a third of the worlds poor and still spends less than 2 percent of its gross domestic product on social security. With the government already exceeding its budgeted annual deficit in October, any sops will need to be balanced with possible reductions in spending to achieve the fiscal gap target of 3.3 percent of gross domestic product. Also Read: Why the farmer suicide debate is counter-productive to understanding Indias agrarian crisis? Smith said the investigation began at least a week earlier, and prior to his arrest, the sheriffs office served three orders of protection against Hatzipetros. Smith said she wasnt sure if the three people Hatzipetros was ordered to stay away from all were victims. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, state Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir said the Congress will emerge as the single largest party in Jammu & Kashmir and that Article 370 is the strongest bridge between J&K and the rest of the country. He asserted that the Congress wants all mainstream parties in the state to thrive and will not play any role in breaking other political parties, especially regional parties, by poaching their leaders. Mir alleged that J-K governor Satya Pal was biased towards the BJP. He said he was confident that the party will reverse its losses in the coming elections. Here is an excerpt: Will the Congress enter into a pre-poll alliance with any regional party in J&K? Our national leaders are already in the process of forming an alliance with regional and national secular parties. We had appealed to a few parties, some of them are on board, while some are indirectly in touch with us. If the assembly elections in J&K take place with the Lok Sabha polls our leaders will discuss the issue and then take a call regarding the alliance. As it will be a national alliance, the decision will be taken by the leaders in Delhi. We will, of course, pitch in our thoughts. Has the Congress started any preparations for the assembly polls? We are prepared for the elections. When all other parties decided to back out from the polls, it was the Congress that contested in the urban local body and panchayat polls. The results were encouraging too. We are confident that our party will perform well in all three regions of the state. Will the election results from MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh influence the polls in J&K? Congresss performance in the three states will have a positive effect on the political scenario in Jammu & Kashmir. People have closely followed the policy decisions of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the last four and half years. J&K has became a victim of their harmful policies. The people are looking forward to a Congress government under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi. Congress had been wiped out from the Jammu heartland. What is your strategy to regain foothold? We lost some 20 to 22 seats in Udhampur, Jammu and Kathua during the last assembly elections. We lost because of anti-incumbency and because our party leaders in the cabinet could not rise up to the publics expectation. Also, at that time, an air was created around Modi and the BJP, which influenced the voters. The ground situation today is different than it was in 2014. What is the Congresss stand on autonomy and Article 370? Article 370 is the strongest bridge between J&K and the rest of the country. Our party was instrumental in introducing the Article and we will continue to defend it. The Congress has never tried to tinker with Article 370 and will not allow anybody to do so either. Dr Farooq Abdullah recently said he will get a majority and have an autonomy resolution passed within a month of the elections. Will the Congress support the resolution? Dr Farooq said if his party will get majority. It is up to the people whether he gets a majority or not. We will discuss the issue if the National Conference gets a majority. Peoples Conference chairperson Sajjad Lone has blamed the Congress for breaching Article 370 from time to time in the past six decades? Sajjad Lones father, the late Abdul Gani Lone, was a senior Congress leader. Lone must be talking about the breaches made during the time his father was at a senior position in the party. After his father left our party, there have been no breeches in the Article. If some laws have been added or amended, it was only done on the demand of the J&K assembly. Many former legislators have resigned from their parties and joined other political parties. Why is nobody joining Congress? Is this an indication that the Congress is not strong? We do not want to encourage poaching or encourage parties to breakup especially, regional parties. We want all parties to survive in the state. There are dozens of people from different walks of life who want to join Congress. We are not in favour of taking turncoats into our party. What will be the poll plank of the Congress for the elections? Our poll planks for the elections will be development, employment and to bring back peace, which was derailed after the BJP took rein. Congress has brought peace to Punjab, Mizoram and Assam through dialogue and will adopt same strategy in Jammu. The problem cannot be solved through guns. Do you think alliance of the PDP and BJP was a bad deal or a political idea? It is the poor policies of the BJP that have caused the situation to escalate to this level. Even the Peoples Democratic Party had to face a backlash because of the BJPs policies.They too regret the alliance. Does the Congress favour elections after the parliamentary polls? We want early polls for J&K. If J&K governor Satya Pal Malik can hold urban local body and panchayat polls, why cant assembly elections be held at the earliest? The governors rule is a temporary arrangement and cannot be a substitute for a full-fledged government formed by representatives chosen by the people of the state. Since you said the Congress will emerge as the largest party. Who is likely to be CM ? Our leaders will contest the elections together. The chief minister (CM) candidate will be decided by the party. Do you think Governor Satya Pal Malik favours the BJP? The decisions taken by the governor have clearly demonstrated his bent of mind. He is somehow being guided and directed by the BJP. Is the BJP a threat for the Congress in J&K? The BJPs downfall has begun. The people of the state have understood the BJPs divisive politics and will not give the party another chance. The results of the 2014 assembly elections will not be repeated. In a series of tweets, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday renewed his attacks on Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother over the Enforcement Directorate claims that the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam Christian Michel James had passed on a question about Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer. Headlining his tweets as Trails of the AgustaWestland Case...the SOS of Christian Michel, Shah asked: Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs. Gandhi to his Lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs. Gandhi herself? Why? On December 29, the Enforcement Directorate had told a Delhi court that Michel was misusing his legal access by handing his lawyers notes on how he should deal with questions on a Mrs Gandhi and had mentioned a certain son of the Italian lady who could be the Prime Minister. Michels lawyer has admitted that the paper was indeed passed on to him. He thought that it was a list of medicines, which could have been transparently given in any case. We have heard of Zandu Balm and Tiger Balm but what is this Family Balm that every middleman wants?, Shah wrote in a second tweet. The Enforcement Directorates submission in court led to a slew of allegations being levelled against each other by the BJP and the Congress. While the Congress accused the BJP of misusing agencies to smear the Gandhi family name, the latter demanded an explanation from the Opposition party. Referring to the expulsion of Michels lawyer Aljo K Joseph from the Congress party, Shah said that the expulsion was nothing but a sham. In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michels lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a SHAM. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs. Gandhi!, Shah wrote in a third tweet. Continuing his attack on the Congress, Amit Shah wrote in a fourth tweet that Michels lawyer must reveal the 2008 document which referred to Mrs Gandhi. In national interest, Michels lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs. Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep, Shah wrote. Earlier in the day, former defence minister AK Antony came out in defence of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi saying that the two had never interfered in any defence deal. A fire broke out in a cloth dying factory in Saravali village of Kongaon MIDC of Bhiwandi town located 36 kilometers away from Mumbai on Monday morning. As per the fire officials 30-40 workers of the factory were evacuated safely. No injury or casualty has been reported so far. Four fire tenders from Bhiwandi, Thane, Kalyan and Ambernath city have rushed to the spot. The ground plus three storey factory Ujagar prints and processor pvt ltd caught blaze around 5 am. The smoke released from the factory covered around 4 km of area nearby. The fire fighting operations is still on while the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Four tenders are working on dousing the fire. The fire had spread across the company. As of now we have not received any information on injury or casualty, said a officer at Bhiwandi fire station. It will take another 3-4 hours to completely bring the fire in control, added the officer. Four policemen who were guarding the official residence of Congress legislator Muzuffar Parray, from where four AK-47 rifles were looted by suspected militants on Sunday, were dismissed from service for dereliction of duty. Some unidentified men had decamped with four AK-47 rifles from the guard room at the official residence of Congress member of legislative council (MLC) at J-13, Government Quarters at Jawahar Nagar. Four police personnel who were deployed as PSOs with the legislator have been dismissed from service for dereliction of duties and unauthorised absence, a police spokesman said. Sources said that one of the personal security officers (PSO) had told senior officials that unidentified gunmen came to the residence and took away the weapons after he was overpowered by them. Sources said that all the four policemen - three from the security wing and another from Sopore district police - posted at Parrays residence have been summoned for questioning while an enquiry has been ordered. The MLC said that he was in Jammu from past one month along with his family. I was informed by police about the incident. I dont know how security officials could be so irresponsible. They have my and my familys life under risk by sending guards who are so irresponsible, Parray had said. Weapon snatching on rise This is the second such case since September when a PSO stole seven AK rifles and one pistol from legislator Ajaz Ahmad Mirs residence in Srinagar. Mir was also not present at the residence and was in Jammu at that time. His SPO, Adil Bashir, later joined militant ranks. On September 30, militants took away an AK 47 rifle after attacking a police station in south Kashmirs Shopian district. A 23-year-old policeman, Saqib Mir, was killed in the attack. In October, unidentified gunmen snatched two weapons from policemen guarding a retired police officers house in Budgam. Data presented to the state assembly in January showed militants have looted 149 guns and 102 tear gas shells and grenades in the state over the past three years. Out of them, 76 weapons have been recovered. 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 55,000 crore debt into a special purpose vehicle, to turn-around the ailing airline. 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 professionalisaton 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 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 is 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 Ministrys 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 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 55,000 crore and about 29,000 crore is to be transferred into an 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 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 are 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. For Kashmir, 2018 presented some of the direst numbers seen in recent times. Terror-related incidents, at 587, were at the highest since 2012. The deaths of 240 militants and 86 securitymen made it the bloodiest year in six years. Civilian deaths jumped 167% from two years ago. By December 29, forces killed at least 240 militants, including 12 top commanders of various militant groups. Most of the violence was centred in south Kashmirs four districts Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam. Closely tied with the security situation is Kashmirs political reality, and what many saw as an audacious experiment on that front began unravelling early in the year. Strains between Mehbooba Muftis Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party reached breaking point, ending the reign of the elected government. While both parties tolerated differences on their approach to critical issues such as security (the BJP was believed to be inclined towards a more muscular approach compared to its ruling partner) for most part of their three-year relationship, the parting of ways came in the aftermath of protests in Jammus Kathua. It was mid-April when two BJP ministers were forced to step down after they organised protests in support of suspects in the rape-murder of an eight-year-old girl in a Jammu village. Roughly two months later, the BJP announced it was quitting the alliance, citing discrimination in the treatment of Jammu and Ladakh and the Mufti governments general approach to militancy.While resigning as chief minister on June 19, Mufti said she would not be part of efforts to turn the Valley into enemy territory. Roughly five months later the assembly had been kept in suspended animation during this period Mufti staked claim for the government with the help of her arch-rival National Conference led by Omar Abdullah. This prompted the governor to dissolve the assembly. Five days before the BJP-PDP alliance broke, the Valley was rocked on June 14 by the killing of Kashmiri journalist Shujaat Bukhari a murder that took place on the eve of Eid, shattering a delicate peace struck by the Ramzan ceasefire. What has followed in the months since is an escalation of tensions marked by a hardening of security operations, growing number of protests, targeted killing of security personnel (approximately 40 off-duty Kashmiri policemen were killed) and even tit-for-tat abductions of families after police detained the kin of wanted militants. The year ahead poses tough challenges for the administration, chief among which will be holding the assembly and Lok Sabha elections peacefully. It is almost three weeks since the Telangana Rashtra Samithi led by K Chandrasekhar Rao returned to power with a massive mandate for a second successive term, but the new government is yet to take a formal shape. Elections to the 119-member assembly were held on December 7 and results declared on December 11. The TRS won 88 seats, pushing the main opposition Congress to a distant second position with 19 seats. As of now, only the chief minister and home minister Mohammad Mahmud Ali have taken the oath and there have been no signs that KCR, as Rao is popularly known, is going to expand his cabinet any soon. And it is unlikely that the cabinet will be expanded before January 15, as there are no auspicious days before the Sankranti festival. Even if it is done, it will be a compact cabinet with six or seven ministers and a full-fledged cabinet will be formed only after the Lok Sabha elections in April, a TRS source familiar with the development said. The chief minister himself made it clear on Saturday that he was not in a hurry. I will expand the cabinet at an appropriate time and we shall give due representation to different communities, he said. Since there are no ministers, no official meetings have been conducted in any of the departments. The chief minister held a couple of review meetings on the progress of ongoing irrigation projects and implementation of Kanti Velugu (eye camps) programme. On Monday, he held another review meeting on the growth of food processing industry in the state. And from January 1, KCR will take up a two-day field trip to inspect the progress of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project being constructed on the Godavari river. Even the state assembly meeting has not been convened to enable the newly-elected members to take the mandatory oath. KCR said there is no hurry in convening the assembly either. The oath-taking of MLAs is just a formality and nothing will happen even it is delayed, he said. Sources said the chief minister is contemplating convening the assembly session only in the first week of February for the budget session, instead of a separate one for the members to take the oath. According to official sources, the state government might go in for a vote-on-account budget initially and a full-fledged budget for 2019-20 at a later stage, since the Centre would also present the same in view of the Lok Sabha elections. Since a total picture of the Union Budget will not emerge and there will not be any clear indication as to what extent funds flow will be there for state, the chief minister instructed officials to examine whether to introduce an interim budget initially and go for full-fledged budget at a later stage taking into consideration the policy framework of the next new government at the centre, a spokesperson said. The Congress party has questioned KCR over the delay. In the history of India, can you find any state where even 18 days after the declaration of results, MLAs have not taken the oath? the Congress in-charge of Telangana affairs, RC Khuntia said, according to news agency PTI. It requires the attention of the nation that even 18 days after results have come, MLAs have not taken the oath. The ministry has not been formed. How is it that even after 18 days, nobody is taking the oath? he asked. (With agency inputs) The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, allowing countrys top medical education regulator Medical Council of India (MCI) to be superseded by a board of governors (BoG). The bill will replace an ordinance promulgated by the President in September last year. Union health minister JP Nadda, while presenting the bill in the House, said it superseded MCI, the powers of which have now been vested in a BoG. The BoG comprises prominent doctors and medical professionals, headed by Niti Aayog member Dr Vinod Paul, and includes directors of New Delhis All India institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and PGI, Chandigarh. The board will continue to function till a council is formed, said the health minister. Nadda said the government was forced to come up with this bill as the oversight committee formed by the government on suggestion of the Supreme Court resigned and the MCI could not function. Navy divers find wooden structure, rat-hole with coal sans trapped miners Indian naval divers on Monday found wooden structure, coal and a rat-hole coal inside the 370-feet flooded coal mine with the help of an underwater remotely-operated vehicle (UROV) machine where 15 miners are trapped for the last 19 days in this remote Meghalaya village. Two divers dived beneath the surface of the coal mine with UROV and found that there are some wooden structure, coal lying beneath and one rat-hole with coal at its mouth after spending three hours inside the flooded mine, said a spokesperson for the rescue operations, R. Susngi. Navy divers re-enter shaft, want water level reduced Indian Navy divers Monday again entered the flooded mine in Meghalaya, where 15 miners are trapped, and said the search would be feasible only after the water level inside the shaft is reduced to a safe diving limit of 30 metres. Family, friends lose hope Relatives of at least 15 Indian miners trapped in a rat-hole mine for 18 days said on Monday they have given up hope that any of them would be found alive, even as rescue operations were stepped up. We want his body back so that we can give him a decent burial, said the uncle of 26-year old Omar Ali, who is among those trapped in the mine. Site being cleared for Odisha fire service to start pumping of water from main shaft The site is being cleared for Odisha fire service team to start pumping of water from the main shaft. other shafts nearby are being prepared to keep the pumps of Odisha fire service to enable to operate the pumping. Indian Navy said when the level of water comes down, search will be feasible The Indian Navy divers who stayed inside the shaft came out after three hours. The Under Water Remotely Vehicle or UWROV found that there are some wooden structure inside and coal was also found lying beneath. Visibility is very poor and at the bottom, mud also was found. One rat hole was also found with coal at its mouth. The Indian Navy said when the level of water comes down, the search will be feasible. Congress women workers stage protest against govts slow process in rescuing trapped miners Congress women workers staged a token protest at the Meghalaya Congress headquarters in Shillong against the Conrad Sangma-led government for the slow process in rescuing the trapped miners, reports news agency IANS. Odisha fire service team present at the spot to commence pumping of at least three machines The Odisha fire service team is present at the spot to commence the pumping of at least three machines in the nearby shafts. NDRF is providing all logistics and human resource help to the Navy The NDRF is present on the site with two teams to provide all support and assistance to other agencies including the Indian Navy. The NDRF is providing all logistics and human resource help to the Navy. Indian Navy has requested district administration to assist in dewatering The Indian Navy requested the district administration to assist in dewatering so that it comes down to 30 meters or within safe diving limit. Then they will again commence diving. These safety measures are being undertaken to rule out decompression sickness(DCS). Navy divers enter rat-hole coal mine Odisha Fire Service team reaches the spot. Navy divers enter the rat-hole coal mine to survey the bottom of the sheet using UWROV or Under Water Remotely Vehicle. Navy team waiting for Odisha Fire Service team to measure water in the pit The Indian Navy team is waiting for the Odisha Fire Service team to measure the depth of water in the pit. Indian Navy commenced its rescue operation at 1 pm on Sunday After 16 days of procrastination and tardiness by the administration of Meghalaya, an 18-member team of the Indian Navy could finally commence its rescue operation at 1 pm on Sunday, when their equipment finally arrived. Pumping will begin today which will help in dewatering the tunnel: NDRF Santosh Kumar Singh of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said pumping will begin today which will help in dewatering the tunnel. Water in the pit is chilling making difficult for divers to carry out operation: NDRF SK Singh yesterday said, Water is chilling in there which makes it difficult for divers to carry out the operation.Were trying our best. Tomorrow Navy Team will go inside with sophisticated equipment that they have.Were hoping for a better output tomorrow, reports news agency ANI. Asst Commandant NDRF on trapped #Meghalayaminers: Water is chilling in there which makes it difficult for divers to carry out the operation.We're trying our best. Tomorrow Navy Team will go inside with sophisticated equipment that they've.We're hoping for a better output tomorrow https://t.co/6mAIu5apuz ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 Divers could not reach to the ground level: NDRF SK Singh, Assistant Commandant NDRF yesterday said, Divers have come out now. They have said that the depth of water is too much. They dived till around 70 feet down but still have not been able to reach the ground level, reports news agency ANI. SK Singh, Asst Commandant NDRF on miners trapped in East Jaintia Hills #Meghalaya: Divers have come out now. They have said that the depth of water is too much. They dived till around 70 feet down but still have not been able to reach the ground level. pic.twitter.com/wPCCTOTmAi ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 NDRF hopes of major breakthrough if miners manage to get to bottom of the pit Santosh Kumar Singh of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) yesterday said that according to their calculation, the depth of the pit was around 320-350 feet and it was filled up with 70 feet water. They had hoped if the navy divers could manage to get to the bottom of the pit and discern how many lateral rat-holes there are, it would be a major breakthrough. A team of Navy divers entered the rat-hole coal mine on Sunday A team of Indian Navy divers who entered the approximately 350 feet-deep shaft of the flooded rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya, could not reach its bottom as the NDRF seemed to have miscalculated the water level in it. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Monday threatened to reconsider support to the Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan if they failed to withdraw the cases lodged against people who participated in the Bharat Bandh organised on April 2 over the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act. The BSP is supporting the Congress governments in both the states from the outside. Mayawati said there was a need to warn the Congress regarding unfulfilled promises on the New Years eve as well as in view of the coming Lok Sabha election. The Congress governments should not back away from the promises the party had made during the assembly election in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, she said in a press statement released here. Promises alone will not satisfy the people, she said. Alleging that there was a general feeling among people that the Congress and the BJP were two sides of the same coin in terms of making promises, she said it remained to be seen whether the Congress would able to change this perception, she said. Dalit organisations had called a Bharat Bandh on April 2, demanding implementation of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and reservation in promotion for SC/ST government employees. After the agitation, cases were registered against innocent people by the then BJP governments in various states, she said, demanding that now that Congress was in power in three of these states, it should immediately revoke the cases. If the Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan failed to withdraw the cases, the BSP will have to reconsider its support to the governments in both the states, she said. The BSP won two seats in the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh assembly, in which the Congress emerged the single-largest party with 114 seats, falling two short of the majority mark of 116. The Bharatiya Janata Party was not far behind, with 109 seats. The BSP bagged six seats in the 200-member Rajasthan, where the Congress won 99 seats, missing the majority mark by a single seat. The BSP extended support to the Congress in both states, enabling it to form the government. Conveying New Year wishes to the people, Mayawati said that voters will not commit the same mistake they had made in 2014 Lok Sabha election by bringing the BJP to power. They should vote for the party that will rid them of the anti-people policies of the NDA government, she said. By defeating the BJP in three states, the people not only shattered the ego of the BJP leadership but also gave an indication about the formation of a government that will work for the country after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, she claimed. People will teach the BJP a lesson for failed promises, demonetisation, implementation of the Goods and Services Tax and the National Democratic Alliance governments communal policies, she alleged. Hitting out at the Uttar Pradesh government, Mayawati alleged jungle raj prevailed in the statement, with the killing of police personnel in Bulandshahr and Ghazipur showed the breakdown of law and order in the state. She also said the central government should refer the triple talaq bill, 2018 to the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee for discussion, as demanded by the opposition. Gov. Snyder would encourage Gov.-elect Whitmer to continue pursuing this issue with the new governor of Illinois next year to ensure the Great Lakes are protected as much as possible as soon as possible from the threat of Asian carp, said Snyder spokesman Ari Adler. 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. Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday announced that his government will raise two battalions of Bihar Industrial Security Force (BISF), on the lines of Central Industrial Security Force, and was also ready to meet the demand of entrepreneurs for personal security guards after proper evaluation. The announcement came at Udayami Panchayat where trade and industry representatives pitched their demand for security before the chief minister. The collective demand for security in view of the killing of several businessmen, including the recent murder of industrialist Gunjan Khemka, was aired on December 24 by hundreds of businessmen while participating during a candle march to register their protest. The chief minister said that despite a fall in overall crime rate, the recent incident was painful. We have constituted a Special Investigation Team. The progress is being monitored at the DGP level. My office is also keeping a close watch. Police is trying to figure out the motive behind the incident, he said, adding there will be no compromise on governance. Kumar said that the posts for raising the two battalions have already been sanctioned and they would be headquartered at Begusarai and Dumraon respectively. As for extending personal bodyguards, a committee headed by IG (security) has been constituted for appraising individual requests for providing security, he said. Udayami Panchayat has been introduced by the state government as a forum, to be held on fifth Monday of a month, where trade and industry representatives have the opportunity to raise problems and issues before the chief minister. Todays panchayat, being held after a gap of nearly one-and-a-half years, had several issues other than security. The chief minister also agreed to industry demand for a mid-term review of the Industrial Policy so that it could be tweaked for aligning it with changing requirements and ensuring proper implementation. He said that the suggestion for facilitating exit and transfer of industrial area land locked with sick or closed units has merit. The need for transparency and proper monitoring in such matters was important and the government will also take a call on fixing rate on which such transfers should be done, he assured. In response to the long-pending demand for opening up of dairy sector, the chief minister said that Sudha has evolved as a big brand and was working effectively for the uplift of dairy farmers through co-operative societies. The government was, however, keen on providing level playing field to private sector players, he said. The chief minister also assured that the state was on course of completing the replacement of old transmission line network by December 2019. Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said that the government will work out modalities for coming out with one-time-settlement scheme the resolution of old cases related to Value Added Tax (VAT) regime, besides mulling a policy for the continuation of VAT incentives, promised in the Industrial Policy that had been disrupted by the roll out of Goods and Services Tax (GST). A day after former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti flagged the issue of alleged harassment of a militants sister and his relatives by police in Jammu, governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday clarified that there had been no tearing up of the womans clothes or her being harassed by the police. In an apparent reference to Mufti, Malik also asked political parties to avoid motivated statements and false allegations as they demoralize the hard-working police force. Reports had said that three close relatives of a militant were allegedly arrested and harassed by the J&K Police. It was also alleged that the clothes of a woman, who was one of the persons arrested, were also torn. It is clarified that there are standing general and specific instructions that have been issued to all police officers and staff on not harassing families of militants. This is being followed meticulously in most circumstances, said the governor in a statement. However, there could be a situation where a few relatives of a militant are questioned by police under due process of law so as to obtain details of a militants whereabouts. This is done very rarely and only on the basis of specific information, he added. In this particular incident, which relates to residents of Patipora in Pulwama district, it is clarified that none of the persons were questioned in Pulwama. They were questioned in Jammu district, based on very specific intelligence inputs, said Malik. I have been informed that there has been no tearing up of a ladys clothes or her being harassed by the police. I once again reiterate that all police officers and staff will be directed not to harass ladies who happen to be relatives of militants or treat them in any unbecoming manner. Any questioning should be done as per normal practice only in the presence of a lady constable, he said. I also request all political parties to understand the fragile security situation in parts of Jammu and Kashmir and not to upset this through motivated statements and false allegations. This will only demoralize a hard-working police force, he said. The governor, however, said that he would direct the inspector general of police, Kashmir to look into this incident to see whether the woman has been harassed or her clothes have been torn as is being alleged. If necessary, action will be taken against any police staff found acting wrongly, he said. India is on track to meet most of its national biodiversity targets but the list of animal species from the country under the international red list in the critically endangered, endangered and threatened categories has been increasing over the years, according to the sixth national report (NR6) submitted to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The increase in the red list species indicates severe stress on biodiversity and wild habitats. In the 2018 report, According to HTs analysis of the reports over the years, India has a total of 683 animal species in the International Union for Conservation of Natures (IUCN) critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable categories, as compared to 646 species in 2014 when the fifth national report was submitted, and 413 in these categories in 2009 when the fourth national report was submitted. The sixth national report, submitted on Saturday, lists habitat fragmentation, overexploitation of resources; shrinking genetic diversity; invasive alien species; declining forest resource base; climate change and desertification; impact of development projects; and impact of pollution as threats to genetic diversity. The bright spot though is that the Botanical Survey of India and the Zoological Survey of India have discovered new species in the past four years. About 3,655 floral and 1,693 faunal species have been added according to the CBD report 2018 since 2014. The report also states that Indias marine ecosystems host nearly 20,444 faunal species communities. Of these, 1,180 species are threatened and listed for immediate conservation. According to Kailash Chandra, director, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) director of ZSI, the reason for the rise in the number of threatened animal species could be because the number of species assessed by IUCN is increasing every year. We are making new discoveries and the number of species assessments made by them is increasing. Having said that, the number of species threatened by habitat loss is also rising. India is among 17 mega diverse countries and large parts of our country is still unexplored, he said. India has more than 100,000 species, according to ZSI. Indias 12 national biodiversity targets include creating awareness about biodiversity, enforcing policies to document, and conserving biological resources. The report states that India is working on preventing species extinctions by developing a landscape- and seascape-based approach. The endangered species (birds and animals) in conservation priority include Asian wild buffalo, Asiatic lion, Brow-antlered deer or Sangai, Dugong, Edible Nest swiftlet, Gangetic river dolphin, Great Indian bustard, Hangul, Indian rhino or Great one-horned rhinoceros, Jerdons course, Malabar civet, Marine turtles, Nicobar megapode, Niligiri tahr, snow leopard, swamp deer and vultures. Some environmental experts are miffed that India is not implementing the access and benefit-sharing (ABS) provisions of the National Biodiversity Act on a large scale. India has made its commitments under Nagoya Protocol operational by including ABS in the Biodiversity Act. ABS refers to the way in which genetic resources may be accessed by companies, researchers, and how the benefits from those resources can be shared with the local communities who conserve the resource. Unfortunately, there is no emphasis on sharing benefits of biological resources with communities. I dont think any community has benefitted properly from this clause, said Priyadarsanan Dharmarajan, a senior fellow at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE). Communities in India are dependent on biological resources. The government has to take this clause very seriously because extraction of biological resources will only rise, said Dharmarajan. The Uttarakhand High Court recently directed a company run by Yoga guru Ramdev to share a percentage of its profits with local farmers and communities under the ABS provision. The report lists only a couple of examples where benefits have been shared with communities. In a press statement, the environment ministry on Saturday said India has been investing a huge amount on biodiversity directly or indirectly through several development schemes of the Central and State Governments, to the tune of R70,000 crore per annum as against the estimated annual requirement of nearly R 1,09,000 crore. It added that India has two-third of wild tigers in the world. The population of lions has risen from 177 in 1968 to over 520 in 2015, and elephants from 12,000 in 1970s to 30,000 in 2015. One-horned Indian Rhino which was on the brink of extinction during the early 20th century, now number 2400. India is a party to CBD, whose signatories have to present national reports to the Conference of Parties (CoP) on a regular basis. The objective of the national reporting is to provide information on measures taken domestically to conserve biodiversity. Indian Navy divers on Monday reentered the main shaft of the nearly 350-feet flooded coal mine in Meghalaya with a remotely-operated device to search for the 15 miners stuck there for 18 days now. Officials of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have said the divers could not reach the bottom of mine on Sunday as the level of the water was 125 feet rather than 70 feet, which they had calculated earlier. The divers entered the shaft on Monday to survey the bottom using an UnderWater Remotely Operated Vehicle or UWROV after the navy requested the district administration for assistance in dewatering the mine so that the level of water comes down to 30 metres or within the safe diving limit. These safety measures are being undertaken to rule out decompression sickness, officials said. The rescue operation is being conducted by several agencies including the navy, NDRF, Odisha fire service team, officials of the district administration and others. The remote mine is a 1-1/2 hour drive and then a half-hour hike from the district headquarters of the East Jaintia Hills district. Only four-wheel-drive SUVs can navigate the three streams and the steep uphill dirt road that the last two-kilometre stretch comprises. Watch: Indian Navy diver, NDRF personnel enter mine shaft in Meghalaya An 18-member team of the navy equipped with diving sets, remotely-operated vehicles, re-compression chambers and other essential rescue gear began its rescue operation on Sunday, when their equipment finally arrived, amid criticism of the state government. In these conditions, we can dive up to 45 meters (146.7 feet) but it will be dangerous for us to get into the rat holes at the bottom because sharp edges can damage diving suits and air tubes and endanger the diver, a navy diver had told the Hindustan Times on Sunday. Also read: How long can one hold his breath underwater: Man who narrowly escaped Meghalaya mine flooding The miners have been missing after the illegal coal mine they were digging got flooded in the coal-rich East Jaintia Hills, an area where illegal mining is rife and a National Green Tribunal ban on such activities has been in place for four years. Meghalaya has nearly 640 million tonnes of coal reserves. Mining of coal by hand has been going on in Meghalaya for over 150 years, mostly for local use. Large-scale illegal and indiscriminate mining of the coal by private landowners and the local community started nearly three decades ago. Most of these mines employ minors, some from neighbouring states and Nepal as well; the miners work many metres underground in unsafe conditions, mining coal with their bare hands. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON At least 103 children living at a home run by the Karnataka women and child welfare department in Bengaluru complained of feeling ill after eating dinner on Sunday night and were admitted to a nearby hospital, officials said. All are in stable condition and are set to be discharged. With the incident coming just a fortnight of 16 people being poisoned to death after consuming prasad at a temple in the states Chamrajnagar district, the development had left officials on tenterhooks. According to district health officer Prakash K, one child complained he had found a lizard in the food served at the home. Seeing this, he induced himself to vomit out the food. Around five other children who saw the child vomit also threw up after that, he said. While all the children were admitted to the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Dr Prakash said that none of the children were in critical condition. They were put under observation, are all stable now and will be discharged shortly, he said. Meanwhile, Bengaluru deputy commissioner BM Vijayshankar said an investigation would be launched into the issue. In a statement, he said that the food that was served to the children had been sent for further tests. Gastric juice and vomit samples had also been collected and sent for examination, he said. I have urged the authorities to investigate the matter and ascertain who was responsible for the incident and to bring those found guilty to book, Vijayshankar said. Jammu and Kashmirs director general of police, Dilbag Singh, said that despite the elimination of over 300 terrorists in counter-insurgency operations across the state in 2018, around 300 terrorists still remain active in Kashmir Valley. Since its Pakistan-sponsored militancy, they (Pakistan) keep trying to replenish the numbers of militants and this year, infiltration was sizeable. Despite neutralisation of over 300 militants, the figures of remaining active militants in the Valley could be 260 to 300, he said in response to a query during a press conference on Monday. Security forces including the army, state police, the Border Security Force, and the Central Reserve Police Force have so far killed 311 terrorists this year in Jammu and Kashmir, much higher than the total count of 213 in 2017 The DGP also said that security forces have initiated several measures to strengthen border grid and in the hinterland and hoped that security forces will be able to get a grip over militancy in the next year. To former chief minister Mehbooba Muftis allegations of harassment of a family of a militant by police in Jammu, he said that the incident had come to his notice. We will look into it but there are always two facets of an incident. When the matter pertains to militancy, a probe becomes indispensable. Otherwise, there will be no headway and when probes are conducted, such allegations also crop up but if there was excess on the part of police, we will take action, he said. Singh also said that it depends upon how things pertaining to a probe concerned with militancy are looked at. It is a very thin line. It has to be seen whether you are encroaching upon personal liberty and at the same time, can you do your duty without asking questions but certainly there has to be some balance. I know that a militants sister was detained but we havent come across reports that she was beaten up, he said. Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday visited south Kashmirs militancy-hit Pulwama district and met the militants sister who was allegedly detained by the police for three days this month. She had claimed that the woman was now bedridden and said that she was severely beaten in police custody after she was arrested and harassed in Jammu, where she had gone for some work. Asked whether the allegations were demoralizing for the police force, the DGP declined to comment. On two grenade attacks in Jammu bus stand within seven months, he said that the police was mulling more CCTV cameras in the winter capital to maintain tight surveillance. On social media being used by militants and their sympathizers, he said that the police do have their own mechanism to check them but they were not adequate and more work is needed on it. Several websites are being created and operated from Pakistan. We do take quick action to check them but there is always a window period between their creation and getting them closed, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Rajya Sabha adjourned till January 2 amid uproar by members over triple talaq bill Rajya Sabha was adjourned till January 2 amid uproar by members over triple talaq bill. The Congress and other opposition parties on Monday demanded in the Rajya Sabha that the triple talaq bill be sent to a select committee for further scrutiny, even as the government accused them of doing politics on the issue. Rajya Sabha adjourned for 15 minutes Amid triple talaq showdown between the BJP and Opposition-led by Congress, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for 15 minutes. The triple talaq bill must be referred to a select committee: LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad We are not opposing the bill but the bill in its present form. We are moving a motion to refer this bill to a select commitee. This is such an important bill which can positively or negatively affect the lives of crores of people cant be passed just like this without going to a select committee , said Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad Congress has already made its stand clear on triple talaq bill: Rahul Gandhi The party has already made its stand clear, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi over the tabling of triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha. 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. Lok Sabha adjourned amid uproar over Rafale, cauvery issue Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted on Monday due to unrelenting protests and sloganeering by the opposition on various issues, including demand for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the Rafale aircraft deal. TMCs Derek O Brien submits motion demanding triple talaq bill be referred to a select committee Derek O Brien of Trinamool Congress has submitted a motion signed by members of 11 others parties (total 12) to the Secretary General of Rajya Sabha demanding that the triple talaq bill be referred to a select committee. He also sought the inclusion of following members in the panel of the select committee: 1. A Naaneethakrishnan 2. Ram Gopal Yadav 3. YS Chowdary 4. Sanjay Singh 5. Vandana Chavan 6. Manoj Kumar Jha 7. Tiruchi Siva 8. Ghulam Nabi Azad 9. Satish Chandra Misra 10. D Raja 11. KK Ragesh Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm Amid chaos and uproar over the cauvery issue, the upper House of Parliament Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned Monday till 2 pm as AIADMK members disrupted proceedings over the Cauvery River water issue. As soon as papers were laid, AIADMK members trooped into the well of House raising the Cauvery issue and shouting slogans We want Justice. BJPs meeting over contentious triple talaq underway in Parliament A meeting is underway in Parliament, chaired by PM Narendra Modi. party president Amit Shah, finance minister Arun Jaitley and home minister Rajnath Singh are present in the meeting. Meeting of opposition parties begins in Rajya Sabha over triple talaq bill Meeting of opposition parties has begun in Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Ghulam Nabi Azads chamber in Parliament. Meeting of opposition parties underway in Rajya Sabha LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament #WinterSession pic.twitter.com/gyjpmDG8Ea ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 AIADMK, DMK to oppose triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha 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. We oppose triple talaq bill, senior All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai said. Cong convenes meeting of MPs to evolve strategy on the issue of triple talaq bill 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. 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. East Singhbhum police on Sunday claimed to have busted a racket that misappropriated grain meant for the poor and sold it in the black market. They did this by generating onetime-passwords (OTPs), using SIM cards issued on fake IDs and Aadhaar cards, police said here. The cops also arrested a businessman selling these SIM cards, along with seven public distribution system (PDS) dealers from different parts of the city. We got information of SIM cards being issued on the basis of fake Aadhaar cards and other documents by some dubious SIM promoters. These [SIM cards] were being handed to criminals and PDS dealers for all kinds of fraud and criminal activities, said Anoop Birthare, Jamshedpur senior superintendent of police, speaking to the media here on Sunday evening. He added, A team led by the city SP arrested Sachin Das on charges of selling fake SIMs. Subsequent raids led to the arrest of seven PDS dealers allegedly using these SIMs to generate OTPs and misappropriate grains. EYE ON FRAUD Jharkhand food and supply minister Saryu Rai said that his department has been regularly checking such fraud and reports were sought from all the deputy commissioners (DCs) earlier, too. Hence, this cant be possible happening on a large scale, said the minister. State food supply secretary Amitabh Kaushal said over the phone that he sought a detailed report from East Singhbhum DC Amit Kumar on the police findings. I am also asking the DC to conduct physical verification of all cardholders through OTP at such PDS shops where abnormally high OTP transactions ANOOP BIRTHARE, Jamshedpur senior superintendent of police have been noticed, he said. Referring to the arrested SIM seller, SSP Birthare said, Das confessed that he used to collect Aadhaar and other documents from gullible rural people and issued SIM cards on the basis of such documents. He said that he sold these SIMs to criminals and PDS dealers for 120 each. He also said that PDS dealers used these SIMs to link ration cardholders and generated OTPs to misappropriate grains, which was then sold in black market. City SP Prabhat Kumar said that subsequent raids at seven PDS shops under Sonari, Jugsalai, Sitaramdera police stations and Olidih outpost led to the seizure of hundreds of SIMs and arrest of the PDS dealers: Rohit Gupta in Sonari; Md Monahir, Md Mudassar and Md Tanveer in Jugsalai; Suresh Ravidas in Bagbera; Ashok Chakravorty in Sitaramdera; and Rajendra Prasad in Olidih. Police claimed to have seized over 150 such SIM cards, e-POS machines and dozens of mobile phones during the raids. People in the know said that every one of the PDS dealers on an average kept 25-50 fake ration cards with them. Bangladeshs ruling alliance won almost all the seats in parliament in the countrys general election, giving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a third straight term despite allegations of intimidation and an opposition call for a fresh vote. The coalition led by Hasinas Awami League won 288 of 300 seats - 96% - in Sundays polls, Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said. The National Unity Front, the opposition alliance led by lawyer Kamal Hossain, won only seven seats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi telephoned Hasina on Monday morning to convey his congratulations on the decisive results. Modi expressed confidence the India-Bangladesh partnership will continue to flourish under her farsighted leadership, a statement from the external affairs ministry said. Modi reiterated the priority New Delhi attaches to Dhaka as a neighbour, a close partner for regional development, security and cooperation, and a central pillar in Indias Neighbourhood First policy. Hasina thanked Modi for being the first leader to call to congratulate her and she also thanked India for its consistent and generous support which has benefited Bangladeshs development. The Awami League-led government has developed strong ties with India and the two sides cooperate closely on diverse issues ranging from security to civil nuclear technology. Bangladesh has also cracked down on militants from Indias northeastern states who were based on its soil. The opposition rejected the outcome, with Hossain calling the election farcical and demanding new polls under a nonpartisan government. However, chief election commissioner KM Nurul Huda ruled out a revote, saying there were no reports of large irregularities. It is not possible to hold a fresh election as the election was held in a peaceful manner, Huda said, adding the turnout was 80%. Hasina, who met political leaders and senior military and civil officials at her office, rejected allegations of vote rigging and said people had enthusiastically gone to the polls in a largely peaceful election. She said the victory was nothing for her personal gain, rather it is a great responsibility toward the country and people. The external affairs ministry statement said India welcomed the successful completion of the parliamentary elections and congratulated the people of Bangladesh for reaffirming their faith in democracy, development and the vision of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Hasinas main rival, former premier Khaleda Zia, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was ineligible to run for office as she was jailed in February on corruption charges she says were politically motivated. In Zias absence, opposition parties formed the coalition led by Hossain, an 82-year-old former member of the Awami League. The opposition says Hasinas leadership has become increasingly authoritarian. Sixteen people were killed in election-related violence on Sunday, and the campaign was dogged by allegations of the arrest and jailing of thousands of Hasinas opponents. Bangladeshs leading newspapers ran banner headlines. A headline in the leading English newspaper, The Daily Star, read, Hat-trick for Hasina, BNP found missing in polling; atmosphere festive, tuned only to ruling party. In an editorial, the newspaper said this was a one-sided election. Rights groups have sounded alarms about an erosion of Bangladeshs democracy, rights abuses and a crackdown on media, but Hasina has promoted a different narrative about her decade in power, highlighting an ambitious economic agenda that has propelled Bangladesh past larger neighbours Pakistan and India. Certainly, the Awami League enjoys strong constituencies and has support and it can get votes, but for any party to win more than 90% of the seats is simply too suspicious, said Michael Kugelman, South Asia senior associate at Washington-based Wilson Center. Some 104 million people in the Muslim-majority country were eligible to vote, including many young, first-time voters, in Bangladeshs 11th general election since independence from Pakistan. Both sides were hoping to avoid a repeat of 2014, when Zia and the BNP boycotted and voter turnout was only 22%. About 600,000 security officials, including army and paramilitary forces, were deployed to counter violence. The telecommunications regulator shut down mobile internet services nationwide to prevent the organising of protests. Hasina, the daughter of Bangladeshs founder Mujibur Rahman, was born on September 28, 1947 in northern Bangladesh. She is the eldest of the five children of Rahman, the first president of the country. Though she took active interest in politics throughout her student life, Hasina formally joined the Awami League as its leader following the assassination of Rahman, his wife and three sons in 1975. Ending six years in self-exile in India, she returned home in May 1981. In 1983, Hasina formed an alliance to oust military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Since she took power in 2008, Bangladeshs per capita income has seen a threefold increase. The countrys GDP stood at $250 billion in 2017 and it clocked a growth rate of 7.28% last year. The garment industry has emerged as one of the main pillars of the countrys economy, providing jobs to 4.5 million people. (with inputs from agencies) Black box flight data showed that the anti-stall system, designed to keep a plane from flying up at too high an angle, repeatedly forced the nose of the plane down while pilots were trying to keep it up, Indonesian authorities said. A similar thing happened on the planes previous flight before the crash, but pilots were able to overcome the problem, according to Indonesias National Transportation Safety Committee. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will attempt to recover from its recent electoral defeats in three Hindi heartland states with a focused strategy to win new territories and forge fresh alliances, centered around a public speaking spree by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the next 100 days, according to senior functionaries familiar with the matter. The party has also revived Mission 123 winning as many as possible the 123 seats that the BJP contested but did not win in the Modi wave that took it to an unprecedented 282 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The party had last year categorised these 123 constituencies into 25 clusters, with one leader given charge of each of the clusters. Functionaries said that, over the next 100 days, Modi will tour nearly 20 states to activate BJP workers and seek support from voters in these 25 clusters. Among them, states such as West Bengal, Assam and Odisha together they account for 77 Lok Sabha seats, of which the BJP holds just 10 will be the key focus areas. PM Modi remains the most popular leader and continues to be the only candidate who can provide a stable government. We will capitalise on this, said a BJP general secretary who asked not to be named. Most of Modis appearances will be government programmes or public interactions. Evidence of the renewed focus on key Mission 123 regions surfaced over the past week. On December 24, the Prime Minister was in Odisha to inaugurate a new Indian Institute of Technology campus in Bhubaneswar, and then spoke at a rally in Khurda. His next stop was Assam on December 25 to inaugurate Indias longest rail-cum-road bridge over the Bramhaputra river. On January 4, the PM will return to Silchar in Assam, where the BJP has set a target of winning 11 out of 14 Lok Sabha seats four more than its existing ally. Modi will be back in Odisha on January 5 to speak at a rally in Mayurbhanj, and is likely to return to the state for another meeting on January 15. A second party general secretary said the seven different specialised fronts of the BJP have been assigned the task to reach out to specific set of voters, such as women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and the youth. Between December and March, all these fronts are holding conventions to streamline the outreach plan. Each front has been given a specific target, the second general secretary quoted above said. For example, the general secretary explained, the BJPs youth wing led by Poonam Mahajan has been given a 14-point programme aimed at winning support from first-time voters. It will launch a Nation with NaMo volunteer network from January 12 to raise a team of young voters who is willing to work on the mission to re-elect Modi. Youth icons, including entrepreneurs or farmers who have brought change in their area, will be identified across the country and asked to support Modis 2019 bid. In addition, a Pehla vote Modi (first vote to Modi) campaign will take a pledge from first-time voters that the first time they exercise their franchise will be for Modi. This, too, will start from January 12 and town hall programmes in different parts of the country have been planned between January 16-22. A third BJP office-bearer said the party was ahead of its rivals in terms of cadre and strategy but needs to work on sentiment. All programmes that are being planned aimed to improve the sentiment about the BJP and the Prime Minister, he said. Along with this, party president Amit Shah will simultaneously work on streamlining the BJPs booth-level plan by activating a team on every booth to reach out to over 220 million beneficiaries of government schemes. Shah will address about 15,000 leaders of the party at the national council meeting of the BJP in Delhi on January 11 and 12. This is the first time the party is organising its council meeting at such a large scale, with district-level workers also invited. Gilles Verniers, assistant professor of political science and co-director of the Trivedi Centre for Political Data at Ashoka University, said the main electoral challenge for the BJP is twofold. First, it contemplates greater possible losses in the Hindi belt after the recent defeats in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Second, it has become clear that its area of expansion is limited to a few eastern and north-eastern states, which wont yield enough seats to compensate for the northern losses. Besides, the BJP could even lose some seats outside the Hindi belt, in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, attenuating further the gains it could make in the east, said Verniers. In the recent elections, he said, voters have seemed to have made their own mind and do not respond to conventional verbal attacks against the Congress. It is likely that the Prime Minister will conduct more rallies in areas where the BJP needs to expand. The fact is that he has been spending a large amount of his time campaigning since the beginning of his term. Now that most Hindi belt states are in play, it could even prove counterproductive to spend resources and time in areas where the gains can only be marginal, he said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday delivered a stinging comeback to Rahul Gandhi for his recent tweet attack over the court verdict clearing 22 people, mostly Gujarat cops, who were tried for killing Sohrabuddin Sheikh. The finance minister said the court, in his judgment acquitting 22 people, had noted that the CBI hadnt investigated the case professionally. More relevant than the order of the acquittal is the observation of the Judge that in the investigation, from the very beginning, Investigating Agency did not investigate the case professionally in order to find out the truth but to divert it towards certain political persons, Jaitley said. The CBI, which took over the probe into the Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter in 2010, had filed a case against 38 people, including then Gujarat home minister (and now BJP president) Amit Shah and senior Gujarat and Rajasthan police officials. A Mumbai court had cleared Shah and other politicians of the charges earlier. Last week, a judge ruled that the CBI had failed to prove the case against the police as well. It was this verdict that Rahul Gandhi had referenced when he took a dig at the BJP. No one killed.... They just died, Gandhi said in a tweet. Read More | Premeditated probe: Judges brutal takedown of CBI in Sohrabuddin case In a Facebook post titled Who killed the Sohrabuddin Investigation, Jaitleys delivered a sharp rebuttal. He said those who have recently shown a belated concern for institutional independence should seriously introspect as to what they did to the CBI when they were in power. The minister recalled a 15-page letter that he had written in September 2013 to then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, detailing politicisation of the investigation in the Sohrabuddin, Tulsi Prajapati, Ishrat Jahan, Rajinder Rathore and the Haren Pandya cases. Every word of what I have said in the letter, over the next five years, have proven to be true. This is an irrefutable evidence of what the congress did to our investigative agencies, Jaitley said. A Lucknow-based realtor was allegedly held hostage and tortured inside Deoria jail for several hours by the aides of imprisoned criminal-politician Atiq Ahmad. They forced the realtor to transfer five of his firms in their names, said police, adding that the combined assets were worth ?45 crore. The criminals also took away the victims Fortuner car and other belongings before letting him off. Lodging an FIR at Krishnanagar police station in the wee hours of Saturday, the realtor, Mohit Jaiswal, told police that former Member of Parliament Atiq Ahmad, who is lodged in Deoria jail, and his son Umar Ahmad were present when he was tortured. Police said the incident took place on Wednesday but Jaiswal lodged the FIR after returning to Lucknow on Saturday. Atiq, Umar, two more named accused -- Zaki Ahmad and Zafarullah -and a few unidentified others have been named in the FIR. Inspector, Krishnanagar police station, Yash Kant Singh, said, A case of extortion, loot and torture has been lodged on the realtors complaint. Two persons identified as Sultanpur resident Gulam Moinudeen and Irfan of Pratapgarh have been arrested. Further investigation is on. Police said the arrested men were associated with the former MP. The cops also recovered Jaiswals car from Gomti Nagar area. Yash Kant Singh said Jaiswal lived in Vishweshwar Nagar, Alambagh, and his firms office was in Virat Khand, Gomti Nagar. Jaiswal alleged that the former MP had extorted several lakh rupees from him around two years ago and was demanding more since the last four months. He told us that Ahmads two aides -- Farrukh and Zaki Ahmad -visited his office two months ago and forcibly got their names included as co-owners in his firm. They also took digital signatures of Jaiswal and his sister Aarti, who are directors in the firm, said the inspector. He said Jaiswal alleged that Farrukh and Zaki Ahmad along with their aides again visited his office on Wednesday and forcibly took him away in his Fortuner car. They took Jaiswal to Deoria jail where Atiq Ahmad is imprisoned. Ahmad, his son and other people were already present in his barrack where they allegedly tortured Jaiswal, breaking two fingers of his right hand, and forcing him to transfer his firms in the names of Farrukh and Zaki Ahmad, Singh said. Jaiswal told cops that the criminals also made him forge his sisters signature. She is one of the directors in the five firms that were forcibly transferred in the name of the accused. HT tried contacting Umar Ahmad but his phone was switched off. Others of his family also could not be contacted. A day after ordering an inquiry into the abduction and torture of a Lucknow-based realtor inside Deoria jail by aides of imprisoned gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, the state government ordered that the former MP be shifted to Bareilly district jail. The government also suspended deputy jailor Devkant Yadav, head warder Munna Pandey and warders Rakesh Kumar Sharma and Ram Asrey, they added. Confirming action against the Deoria jail staff, Additional inspector general (prisons) Sharad (he goes by one name) said departmental inquiry had been ordered against jail superintendent DK Pandey and jailor Mukesh Katiyar. The state governments action against the prison officers and staff comes after the prison department submitted a report into the abuduction of realtor Mohit Jaiswal from Lucknow by Atiqs aides who took him to Deoria district jail where he was tortured by the former MP and his aides. On Sunday, Deoria district administration had raided the jail and had recovered a mobile, SIM cards, knife and other articles from Atiqs cell. An FIR was lodged at the Krishna Nagar police station and two of the four accused in the case have been arrested. Police teams have been constituted to nab the other accused who are absconding, Dr Sharad said. During his torture inside the Deoria jail, Jaiswal was forced to transfer five of his firms in their names by Atiq and his aides, said police, adding that the combined assets were worth Rs 45 crore. The criminals also took away Jaiswals Fortuner car and other belongings before releasing him. Jaiswal, who lodged the FIR at Krishnanagar in the wee hours of Saturday, told the police that former MP Atiq Ahmad and his son Umar Ahmad were present when he was tortured. Police said the incident took place on Wednesday but Jaiswal lodged the FIR on Saturday after he returned to Lucknow. The FIR has been filed against Atiq, Umar, two of their aides - Zaki Ahmad and Zafarullah - and a few unidentified others. Inspector, Krishnanagar police station, Yash Kant Singh, said, A case of extortion, loot and torture has been lodged on the realtors complaint. Two persons identified as Sultanpur resident Gulam Moinudeen and Irfan of Pratapgarh have been arrested. Further investigation is on. Police said the arrested men were associated with the former MP. The cops also recovered Jaiswals car from Gomti Nagar area. Meanwhile, Atiqs wife Shaista Parveen and sister Sehla Khan visited Deoria jail to meet him. Refuting Jaiswals allegations, Parveen said he was a business partner of her husband. She said she would meet chief minister Yogi Adityanath to demand a high-level probe into the case. Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar surrendered in a local court in Delhi on Monday to serve a life sentence for killing five people of the same family in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots after his plea for an extension of time to start his sentence was rejected by the Delhi High Court. The high court had set a deadline of December 31 for Kumar to surrender. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg. Sajjan Kumars acquittal by a lower court was overturned by the Delhi high court on December 17 and was held guilty of burning alive the family in west Delhis Raj Nagar during the riots after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards in Delhi nearly 34 years ago. (Live updates) The 73-year-old Sajjan Kumar had on December 22 approached the Supreme Court challenging the life imprisonment after the Delhi High Court rejected his plea seeking an extension of time till January 30 to surrender for serving his punishment. He had asked the Delhi high court to let him spend 30 more days with his family. In a 15-point request to put off his jail term by a month, Kumar has spoken about how the high courts verdict finding him guilty had stunned him and needed time to prep for the jail sentence. Also read: 1984 anti-Sikh riots convict Sajjan Kumar seeks more time to surrender Kumars lawyer said Sajjan Kumar will comply with the high courts judgment as the Supreme Court was not likely to grant a hearing to his appeal against the high court verdict during the vacation, which is ending on January 1. Anil Kumar Sharma said they have removed the objections in their appeal filed in the top court but since the court was on vacation till January 1, it was not likely to be taken up for hearing by December 31 and also the chances of mentioning for an urgent listing of the appeal was not there. The Supreme Court will open on January 2 after the winter break. Video | Sajjan Kumar conviction: Arun Jaitley targets Congress, Gandhi family Presently, there are no benches in the Supreme Court. Even if we mention the matter for urgent hearing, the registrar will decide whether it will be heard by the bench. No time is left now, Sharma said, according to news agency PTI. He said they are yet to engage a senior counsel who would represent Kumar before the top court. Senior advocate HS Phoolka, who is representing the 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims, had earlier said they had already filed a caveat in the Supreme Court to pre-empt any ex-parte hearing in favour of Kumar. Also read: New witnesses say Sajjan Kumar involved in two other 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases Sajjan Kumar, who was considered a Congress strongman in the scores of villages on the outskirts of the national capital, appeared before Delhis Patiala House Court for hearing in the second case related to the riots, which was registered against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the recommendation of Nanavati Commission. The court has adjourned the matter till January 22. The anti-Sikh riots cases are being investigated separately by CBI and the special investigation team, set up by the Union home ministry to investigate 1984 riots cases. Thousands of Sikhs were killed across India after Indira Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh, and Beant Singh, on October 31, 1984. The Indian Navy said on Monday the search for the 15 miners trapped inside a flooded coal mine in a remote village in Meghalaya will be feasible only after the level of the water in the illegal structure comes down. The navy divers re-entered the main shaft of the nearly 350-feet flooded mine with a remotely-operated device and came out after three hours of search for the miners. The 15 men have been trapped inside the illegal coal mine for the last 18 days in the Ksan village of coal-rich East Jaintia district, an area where illegal mining is rife and a National Green Tribunal. (Follow live updates of the Meghalaya miners rescue operations) The navy said visibility inside the shaft is very poor at only around one feet at the bottom. The divers, who entered the shaft on Monday to survey the bottom using an UnderWater Remotely Operated Vehicle or UWROV, found some wooden structure inside the mine as well as coal beneath. They also found mud and a rat hole with coal at its mouth. The site, officials said, has been cleared for fire service team from Odisha, also involved in the operation, to start pumping the water from the main shaft. Other shafts nearby are being prepared to enable the pumps to operate, they said. The navy requested the district administration earlier in the day for assistance in dewatering the mine so that the level of water comes down to 30 metres or within the safe diving limit. These safety measures are being undertaken to rule out decompression sickness in the divers, officials said. More than 200 rescuers, including 14 members of the navy, 72 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescuers, 21 Odisha firefighters, 35 Coal India Limited (CIL) officials besides a team of Meghalaya-owned State Disaster Response Force are involved in the rescue operations. The divers could not reach the bottom of mine on Sunday as the level of the water was miscalculated by NDRF at 70 feet rather than 125 feet. The remote mine is a 1-1/2 hour drive and then a half-hour hike from the district headquarters of the East Jaintia Hills district. Only four-wheel-drive SUVs can navigate the three streams and the steep uphill dirt road that the last two-kilometre stretch comprises. Mining expert and award-winning rescuer Jaswant Singh Gill lamented on the lack of coordination between the state government and rescue agencies. The rescue operation is very slow because lack of coordination from the state and central agencies, Gill said, according to news agency IANS. Gill, who shot to fame after he successfully rescued 64 miners from a flooded quarry in West Bengal in 1989, hoped the trapped miners could be rescued alive. There are instances that trapped miners can be rescued even after 22 days. Normal people can survive even for a month as there is water in the pit, he noted. Also read: How long can one hold his breath underwater: Man who narrowly escaped Meghalaya mine flooding Women workers of the opposition Congress staged a token protest at the state headquarters of the party in Shillong against the Conrad Sangma-led government for the slow process in rescuing the trapped miners. President of the state womens Congress Joplin Scott Shylla criticised the government for the slow process in rescuing the trapped miners. The government was in its slumber and woke up only after Congress president Rahul Gandhi lamented on the slow progress of the rescue operation, Shylla said. The miners have been missing after the illegal coal mine they were digging got flooded in the coal-rich East Jaintia Hills, an area where illegal mining is rife and a National Green Tribunal ban on such activities has been in place for four years. Meghalaya has nearly 640 million tonnes of coal reserves. Mining of coal by hand has been going on in Meghalaya for over 150 years, mostly for local use. Large-scale illegal and indiscriminate mining of the coal by private landowners and the local community started nearly three decades ago. Most of these mines employ minors, some from neighbouring states and Nepal as well; the miners work many metres underground in unsafe conditions, mining coal with their bare hands. (With agency inputs) It had happened prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and it is happening once again in Bihar as the 2019 General Elections draw closer. Loyalties are changing fast. Though candidates crossing over from one side to another is not new to Bihar politics, it may throw up interesting equations this time. With a number of sulking leaders looking for opportunities to change loyalties on all sides, there are ample hints of more churning in the days to come, depending upon individual ambitions and requirements. Last time, the RJD was at the receiving end when 13 of its MLAs turned rebel just before elections and approached the Speaker to be recognised as a separate bloc, much to the delight of the JD-U. This time, the JD-U is in the NDA, but its older and smaller allies have moved to the RJD, Congress-led grand alliance in Bihar without any precondition of the number of seats they would get. First, it was former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) Secular, and earlier this month it was the turn of former union minister Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Samata Parrty (RLSP). There are a couple of others, who have been waiting for the right opportunity to shift sides, while there are 2-3 others apprehensive about their prospects of getting tickets and might make a move once seat-allocation in the NDA was completed. BJPs sitting MPs Shatrughan Sinha (from Patna Sahib) and Kirti Azad (from Darbhanga) are almost certain to move over to GA, but RJD leader Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav himself said that the party had been getting feelers from a few more, though he did not disclose any name. Just wait. It is Kharmas right now. Once it is over, seat allocation will crystalise and that will show who has found room and who has to find space elsewhere, said a political leader. Kharmas is a month-long period, starting December 15 and ending January 14, considered inauspicious for initiating any new or important work in the Hindu calendar. Rebel RLSP MP Arun Kumar, who won Jehanabad parliamentary seat twice, is still undecided about his next move. He is playing his cards close to his chest, as he expects more political churning in the state in January second half. Sitting MP Pappu Yadav is also said to be in the lookout for a safe passage. Independent MLA from Mokama and bahubali Anant Singh, once close to the JD-U, has made his intentions clear of moving towards the GA. Though Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav is not happy with Singhs reported maneuvers to get into GA fold, the Mokama strongman may end up on the Congress side or try his luck again as an independent from Munger seat to make it difficult for the NDA. In 2015, Anant Singh had blamed RJD chief Lalu Prasad for his arrest in a murder case. In 2006, he had hit the headlines when he bought Lalu Prasads pet horse Pawan at the Sonepur fair by offering a higher price to the customer, who bought it right there. Prasad had initially refused to sell the horse to Singh. Former director of AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies DM Diwakar said that such crossovers were governed by only one consideration self-interest. It is a manifestation of political opportunism. It never has any principle. Earlier, many moved to JD-U or BJP. This time, they are going the other way apparently sniffing anti-incumbency, he added. Former defence minister AK Antony on Monday came out in defence of Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi saying that they two had never interfered in any defence deals during the UPA regime. Government, BJP misusing agencies to manufacture lies. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in defence deal, Antony told reporters. The senior Congress leaders comments come close on the heels of the BJP and the Congress trading accusations against each other in the AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scam. On Sunday, the Congress had alleged that the Modi government had got AgustaWestland and its parent firm Finmeccanica removed from the blacklisted companies allowing it to bid for 100 helicopters for the Indian Navy. Addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had said that the Congress would investigate the nexus between the company and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government when it comes to power in 2019. Even as the Congress accused the BJP and PM Modi of protecting AgustaWestland, the BJP accused the opposition party of defending Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the deal, and asked why it was scared of a probe into the case. Also Read: Christian Michel passed chits to his lawyer for help on questions about Mrs Gandhi during probe: ED tells court The two parties have been trading accusations ever since the Enforcement Directorate told a Delhi court that Christian Michel was misusing legal access and that 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. A boy taking a selfie died after he fell into a waterfall in Odisha while he was trying to take a selfie. The incident took place when he lost his footing while balancing on a precarious edge while trying to take a selfie. The incident happened at Bhimkund, a popular tourist spot in Odishas Mayurbhanj district. A video shot by a bystander shows the boy trying to swim against the current as onlookers were seen shouting in panic. The boy couldnt survive the fall and was swept away by the raging waters said the police. Rohan Mishra, a student of Madhupatna Sai Shikshya Kendra, went to Bhimkund with his friends for a picnic, police said. Firefighters and police were still trying to locate his body on Monday. A 2016 report stated that India has the highest number of selfie deaths. The report titled Me, Myself and My Killfie - by Carnegie Mellon University and Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology of Delhi - updated its data to report India accounted for 128 of a total 213 selfie deaths recorded from 2014 till February this year. More than 250 people across the world have died while taking selfies in the last six years, according to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi. When four senior Supreme Court judges aired their grievances before the media early this year, they brought to the fore differences simmering in Indias top judiciary and set off intense scrutiny of the top courts credibility. In that unprecedented January event, Justice J Chelameswar, Justice Ranjan Gogoi (now the Chief Justice of India), Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice Madan B Lokur objected to the manner in which important cases were being allocated, and called for collective leadership. The Supreme Court collegium all the four judges and the then CJI, Dipak Misra, were part of it takes collective decision on the matters of appointment, but the Chief Justice of India is considered the first among the equals. In the words of Justice Chelameswar (now retired), that press conference was an extraordinary event in the history of the nation, more particularly this nation. He said the administration of the Supreme Court was not in order and many things which were less than desirable had happened, though the judges refrained from making public all the details of what they thought to have gone wrong. The judges said they were forced to speak in public, breaking the settled principle of judicial restraint, because the CJI did not take steps to redress their grievances. Speaking to HT back then, people close to the CJI refuted the allegations and stressed that judges in the top court were equal and that work was allocated fairly. The event opened the court to external scrutiny, and challenged the sanctity of the judiciary in a manner the country had never seen before. After the differences came out in the open, lawyers, politicians and analysts took sides, with some insisting that the judges should not have gone public and others countering that they had no option. The press conference should not be seen as a revolt or a challenge to authority. It must be seen as a desperate cry to set right a revered institution, Supreme Court lawyer Sanjay Hegde wrote in HT. The press meet did have some impact. Some changes were ushered in by CJI Misra, and the roster, or the way work is allocated, was made public. Then in April, seven opposition parties led by the Congress moved a notice for the impeachment of Misra, accusing him of misbehaviour and misuse of authority in the administration of the court. Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu rejected the notice. It was for the first time in the history of independent India that an attempt to remove a sitting Chief Justice was even initiated. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Opposition of politicising the court. Read more| In more recent years, the university no longer is a very good partner to those in the Edgewater community, Fritz-Birch said. Despite circulation of a petition that has drawn several Loyola student signatures, she said school administrators refused to even set up a meeting with the protesters. The historic home built in 1912 at 6312 N. Winthrop Ave. and the larger of the two structures, a nine-story apartment building with 63 units at 6330 N. Winthrop Ave., built in 1926, originally were to be razed in February. Those who oppose the plan said they only learned the date had been moved forward when Ald. Harry Osterman, 48th, received a notice. The house of a BJP legislator in Bihars Aurangabad was attacked because he failed to return 5 crore, given in demonetised notes for exchange by Maoist, pamphlets left behind by the extremists after the strike have said. Hundreds of pamphlets found in Sudi Bigaha village of the district after the late-night attack last Saturday on the houses of MLC Rajan Kumar Singh and his cousin Sunil Singh. His uncle was shot dead and ten vehicles were set on fire by the Maoists. Around 30-40 motorcycle-borne Maoists attacked Sudi Bigaha, just one km from Deo police station, around 9.10pm. The police investigation suggested the attack was aimed to terrorise the Bharatiya Janata Party leader and his cousin, who owns and runs buses. Another reason for the attack, said the pamphlets, was Sunil Singhs failure to honour a 2-crore extortion demand. Attach the movable and immovable property of BJP MLC and contractor Rajan Kumar Singh. Rajan Singh should return 5-crore given at the time of demonetisation for exchange and 2-crore due as levy, they said. The pamphlets claimed that Maoists will continue to attack properties of contractors and landlords for wrongfully getting assets of their leaders attached. Our fight is not against Sang Parivar activists, the BJP or their family members. Our fight is against elements like Rajan Singh, they said. Rajan Kumar Singh said he has met chief minister Nitish Kumar and demanded setting up of police pickets in Sudi Bigaha in view of the Maoist threat. He alleged that police reached the spot after two hours of the attack. I constantly feared for myself and my family and even wrote to the DGP (director general of police), but no action was taken, he alleged. Aurangabads superintendent of police Satya Prakash said police found similar pamphlets in September as well after a gun battle with the Maoists. The pamphlet mentioned about a threat to the life of the MLC and subsequently his security was increased. The Aurangabad administration also advised him to park his vehicles on the premises of Deo police station, but it was later ignored, he added. On Thursday, suspected Maoists abducted two farmers from Patepur police station area of Vaishali district. Paramilitary forces, district police, and the special task force have been combing the area. A dog squad was also pressed into the service. The farmers, however, are yet to be traced. The BJP has decided to take the fight for the Dalit vote ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year to the door of Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh. It has plans to install a 100-feet statue of freedom fighter Uda Devi and develop a park and memorial in the name of the Pasi icon, who fought the British East India Company Army in Lucknow in 1857. A majority of memorials and parks to Dalit icons in the Uttar Pradesh capital have been constructed by the BSP governments in the past. The partys chief Mayawati even installed her own statue in the city. And, now the Bharatiya Janata Party wants to strengthen its hold. The BJP was able to win over the Pasi community in the last Lok Sabha election and the state assembly election in 2017. Out of the 71 BJP Lok Sabha members from the state, six belong to the Pasi community. Similarly, 23 of the BJPs 310 MLAs are Pasis. Addressing a meeting of social representatives of the BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha on Sunday, partys member of Parliament from Mohanlalganj Kaushal Kishore called upon the Pasi community to donate iron for the construction of Uda Devis statue. The statue will be installed in Lucknow, Kishore, who is state president of the BJPs Scheduled Caste wing, said. A small statue of Uda Devi exists in Lucknows Sikandar Bagh area. It was installed during the Kalyan Singh regime in the 1990s. Later, Kishore said while speaking to the Hindustan Times that a meeting of the members of the Pasi community will be held after the winter session of Parliament to launch the donation campaign and mobilise it for the statues construction. As Uda Devi laid down her life for the country, members of other communities will be also urged to donate for the project, he said. Uda Devi became a symbol of Dalit resistance against colonial rule and killed around three dozen British soldiers in a battle near the Sikandar Bagh area of Lucknow before laying down her life, Kishore said. He said he will hold a meeting with urban local body and panchayat representatives to discuss the project, which may come up on the outskirts of the city. Welcoming the proposal, deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma, who was the chief guest at the programme, said the statue, parks and memorials in the name of Dalit freedom fighter will inspire people. Sharma said he had already moved a proposal for the construction of a park in the name of Lakhan Pasi, a Pasi king, in the city. The land has been acquired and construction of the park will start soon, he said. Kishore said a proposal for the renovation of the fort of another Pasi king Raja Bijli Pasi in the city at an estimated cost of 205 crore has been handed over to chief minister Yogi Adityanath. The chief minister had assured that funds for the forts renovation will be released soon, he said. The Bijli Pasi fort will be converted into a grand memorial to the Pasi king, who challenged the might of invaders during the medieval period, he said. Minister of state for housing and urban development Suresh Pasi said the Pasi communitys vote will be decisive in 34 districts during the Lok Sabha election next year. Political observer RK Mishra said the BJP planned to make a dent in its rivals Dalit vote-bank by wooing the Pasi community with its plan to build such statues, memorials and parks in the name of their icons. Before this, chief minister Adityanath in November had announced a plan to install a 221-feet statue of Lord Ram on the bank of the Saryu in Ayodhya. The state government also announced it would install a 25-feet statue of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as well as one of Swami Vivekananda in Lucknow. Statues of Mahanth Digvijay Nath and Mahanth Avaidyanath will also be installed in Gorakhpur. The Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League (AL) delivered a crushing defeat to the opposition National Unity Front (NUF) in Bangladeshs general election. With 288 seats in her kitty, in a 300-seat directly contested unicameral Parliament, Hasina is set for a record third consecutive term. Former president HM Ershads Jatiyo Party got 20 seats and the NUF came in a distant third with seven seats and will probably not break the double-digit mark. Controversy has dogged Hasinas electoral triumph. The NUF leader and former AL stalwart, 82-year old eminent jurist Kamal Hossian, has called the election farcical and demanded the results be annulled and fresh polls held under a neutral caretaker government. Allegations of rigging, harassment and intimidation of opposition candidates and voters, arbitrary arrests and suppression of dissent have been levelled against the AL government. International observers, including those from Saarc, OIC and India, however, put the stamp of credibility on the election. By the standards of electoral practices in South Asia, incidents of violence in Bangladeshs elections cannot be viewed as excessive. The allegations of malpractices cannot be dismissed outright since no election in Bangladesh has been free from these aberrations and violence. As a diplomat serving in the Indian high commission in Dhaka, I personally witnessed violence unleashed by cadres of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its ally, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) during the campaign leading up to the 2001 election and in the aftermath of the victory of this coalition. The Hindu minority bore the brunt of the violence. Muscle power and violence are endemic to politics in Bangladesh. This election marked the coming of age of a new generation in Bangladesh that is tired of the old political discourse pitting the secular AL against the pro-Islamist BNP and JeI. This divide represented the so-called India-friendly AL with the nationalist, pro-Islamic and pro-Pakistani mindset. This generation has also experienced with extreme distaste the utter misrule of the BNP-JeI government during 2001-06, marked by unprecedented corruption, religion-inspired terror organisations and marginalisation of Hindus. Bangladesh-India relations reached a nadir, a situation unwelcome to the vast majority of Bangladeshis who desire friendly ties. What really galled most Bangladeshis was the sight of JeI and BNP war criminals and collaborators of the genocide perpetrated by the Pakistan Army in the Liberation War of 1971 enjoying the fruits of power. This sentiment manifested itself in the outpouring of support for the War Crimes Tribunal and the conviction and execution of JeI leaders, including those who were ministers in the BNP-JeI coalition government. The architect of the BNP-JeI misrule was Tarique Zia, elder son of then premier Khaleda Zia, who languishes in jail for corruption as her son cools his heels in the London suburb of Kingston, having fled on getting bail in several cases in 2008. Tarique got political asylum in the UK, famous for giving refuge to all kinds of dubious figures, including fraudsters from India and other South Asian countries. Like his mother, Tarique has been convicted and sentenced to prison for money laundering and conspiracy to murder AL leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been quick off the mark and was the first to telephone and congratulate Hasina. There will be quiet satisfaction in New Delhi that Hasina is back in the saddle. Bangladesh-India ties will receive a further boost based on the continuity that her government will provide. Her coming back to power will enhance closer ties that India has sought to promote with Bangladesh as an important neighbour which has a pivotal role in Indias Act East policy and development of Indias northeastern states. (The author is a distinguished fellow at the Observer Research Foundation and a former Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh.) It was time to spill some family secrets on Koffee With Karan as the Kapoor siblings Sonam, Rhea and Harshvardhan took to the couch of Karan Johars chat show. Before the trio could speak about their lives, the conversation veered towards their famous father Anil Kapoor whom they address as AK with mother Sunita Kapoor being called Sonu. He goes to the gym, he works out for precisely 45 minutes but hes in the gym for three hours. Hes walking around, looking at himself and then working out! said Sonam as Rhea spoke about Anils acting classes where they would hear him screaming in the house. Sonu is so used to him, she added about her mothers reaction. The siblings revealed that AK motivates himself with the quote Im killing it. Im gonna kill everybody, Im gonna do this. Kara added that during Dil Dhadakne Do shoot, As per Priyanka and Ranveer when they were shooting for Dil Dhadkne Do, Anil Kapoor always used to say Forget you all, Im looking the best. A day in the life of @AnilKapoor, narrated by his three kids for the first time on national television. #KoffeeWithKaran #KoffeeWithKapoors pic.twitter.com/tbaGR3U6Cr Star World (@StarWorldIndia) December 30, 2018 Rhea revealed that both Sonam and her father cant handle each others reactions and the 62-year-old actor would ask her to convey messages. She called her father the funniest, the most eccentric person. Karan also revealed that when director duo Abbas-Mustan offered Anil the role of Sonams father in Players, his reactions was, Do you think I look like Sonams father? Anil also sent out a video message for his three kids. He called Harshvardhan the most sensitive, mature and intelligent of the three and said Sonam has a sixth sense about films, as well as choice of her husband. He accepted that both he and his wife Sunita get worried every time Sonam sits down for a media interview, wondering what she will say next. We are really, genuinely blessed to have all three of you as children. Karan, Im proud of you also, he added. On Anils request, Rhea mimicked Kareena Kapoor and revealed how the actor refused to rehearse for Tareefan from Veere Di Wedding. Sonam till date doesnt know the lyrics of Tareefan, Bebo was lip syncing the wrong lyrics in front of Karan and Badshah. And they went about saying we killed it, we were fab. The rapid fire round had Sonam Kapoor saying that while she looked best with Fawad Khan on screen but Karan sent him back. She said that she looked good with Salman Khan too, an actor with whom she has the most fun shooting with. She called cheating and lying in marriage deal breakers and said that she and husband Anand Ahuja would romance over Andaz Apna Apnas song Ye Raat Aur Ye Doori. Of all the Bollywood weddings this year, she said she loved the first one, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharmas nuptials the most and even cried after seeing the photos. Rheas rapid fire had her saying that she believes actor Varun Dhawan needs a stylist and she often texts him about his sartorial choices but he never replies. In an answer to a question, she said that actor Katrina Kaif should wear less clothes because she has the most fit body in the industry. The winner, however, was their brother Harshvardhan, who said he would like Shah Rukh Khans daughter Suhana play Leela to his Ram while Ananya Pandey can play Simran to his Raj. He deemed Priyanka Chopra the hottest actress and in an answer to what he wants from Ranbir Kapoor, he said Alia Bhatt. In the Calling The Kapoors round, nobody received Rheas calls while Harsh managed to get Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor and mom Sunita Kapoor on the line. Sonam, too, called up Khushi and her mother. Follow @htshowbiz for more Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has secured a fourth term with a landslide victory in polls the opposition slammed as farcical over claims of vote-rigging, and clashes between rival supporters that killed at least 17 people. Hasinas ruling Awami League party and its allies won 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament, with the main opposition securing only six seats, Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said. Hasinas government had mounted a crackdown on the opposition, an alliance led by the Bangladesh National Party, which urged the countrys 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 alliance, 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. 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. The opposition alliance on Sunday accused Hasinas party of using stuffed ballot boxes and other illegal means to fix the result. 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. Well 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. 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. One voter, Atiar Rahman, said he was beaten by ruling party activists in the central district of Narayanganj. They told me not to bother, Well 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. Sundays 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 Hasinas victory will 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. Seventeen opposition candidates were arrested over what they said were trumped-up charges while another 17 were disqualified from running by courts, which Hasinas 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. Hasinas victory secures her third consecutive term in office, and her fourth overall. A daughter of Bangladeshs first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina 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. The death toll from a storm that struck the Philippines shortly after Christmas rose to 68 with the number of fatalities expected to climb even higher, civil defence officials said Monday. Fifty-seven people died in the mountainous Bicol region, southeast of Manila, while 11 were killed in the central island of Samar, mostly due to landslides and drownings, the officials said. I am afraid this (death toll) will still go up because there are a lot of areas we still have to clear, said Claudio Yucot, Bicol civil defence director. The weather disturbance locally named Usman hit the country on Saturday. While it did not have powerful winds it brought heavy rains that caused floods and loosened the soil, triggering landslides in some areas. Many people failed to take necessary precautions because Usman was not strong enough to be rated as a typhoon under the governments storm alert system, Yucot said. People were overconfident because they were on (Christmas) vacation mode and there was no tropical cyclone warning, he told AFP. Although Usman has since moved westward away from the country, many affected areas were still experiencing seasonal rains, hampering rescue and recovery efforts, he added. At least 17 people are still missing and more than 40,000 were displaced nationwide due to the storm, the civil defence office said. An average of 20 typhoons and storms lash the Philippines each year, killing hundreds of people and leaving millions in near-perpetual poverty. The most powerful was Super Typhoon Haiyan which left more than 7,360 people dead or missing across the central Philippines in 2013. Three people died and another 79 remain unaccounted for after a gas explosion in a residential building in Russia on Monday morning. Russias Investigative Committee launched a criminal case. The investigation will consider all possible versions of what happened, according to a statement. Currently, the priority version is explosion of utility gas, it said. The blast at about 6 am local time destroyed one of the entrances to the 9-story house, damaging 48 apartments, according to the statement from the Emergency Ministrys regional department. Search and rescue operations are being carried out. There were 110 people registered as residents for that particular entrance, Tass reported, citing Oleg Klimov, deputy governor of the Chelyabinsk region near the Ural mountains. Three people were removed from the rubble alive, he said. Four people were hospitalized, Tass said, citing the press office of the Healthcare Ministrys regional department. Police say officers surrounded the house, where the man fled after he stole a car with two children inside. The victim whose car was stolen was able to retrieve the children when the man took them out of the car a block away. Iraqs prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi 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 Trumps surprise announcement this month that he will withdraw U.S. forces from Iraqs neighbour. 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 Shiite 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. Donald Trump effectively began 2018 with a one-page To-Do List. The most important bullets were domestic: eviscerate welfare programmes such as Obamacare, build legal and physical walls against immigrants, and spend $1 trillion on infrastructure. Foreign policy made a brief mention - big vague things like recalling US troops from around the world or waging a trade war on China. His circle calculated, rightly, that agenda would keep supporters happy and approval ratings above 50%. In turn, this would keep the US Congress from giving a green signal to investigators and special counsels circling the US president. As Trump said, When you get good ratings, you can say anything. That was the plan. Then there was the man. Trump spent 2018 as impatient with the tortuous US legislative process as he was in the past. He launched Twitter attacks against Republican and Democrat congressman alike. His domestic agenda floundered, consumed by Brett Kavanaugh, the image of crying child migrants, and a Mexican wall that is still a mirage. On foreign policy, Trump ended up garnering headlines for the unexpected. After months of abuse, he and North Koreas Kim Jong-un summiteered in Singapore. Trump explained, He wrote me beautiful letters and we fell in love. Nothing has since changed on the ground in Korea, except that Kim is smiling more. New Delhi has been quietly pleased Trump has not wavered when it came to his tariff war on China. He waged smaller trade skirmishes as well, including against India. His Beijing bashing has been unremitting throughout the year and put a spoke in the wheel of Chinese global economic influence. But 2018 also saw the Washington establishment beginning to reassert its control. The US worked best when the beltway and Trump were in tandem: going after China, for example. What had been unclear was who would prevail when the two sides were at loggerheads. In 2018, the world found out. Nothing has exercised Washington this past year more than Moscow. The only American who thinks differently is Donald Trump. When the two sides clashed over Russia sanctions, it was the President who lost. Sanctions were imposed and Trump, protesting to the end, was forced to sign them into law. The mid-term elections brought Trump down another notch. The Democrats captured the lower house and the Republicans took some hard punches in the Midwest - in the same states that swung Trump into the White House. With 17 investigations against him, the Democratic lower house planning to put the thumbscrews on every Trump official, and his approval rating softening, Trump is ending the year on a note of desperation. The US economic boom is set to fade in 2019. Which is why he has decided to go back to America First basics, shutting down the US government to get funding for the wall and triggering his Pentagon chiefs resignation by announcing a shock US withdrawal from Syria. Expect Trumps pronouncements to become ever more Neanderthalic as the noose tightens around him. I think its disgusting, their practices and what they do to other candidates who dont have the resources, he said. It is what it is. Hes gonna get his karma. Hes not gonna win. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser Revenue per available room up 5.7 Percent to CAD54.48 The Canadian hotel industry recorded mixed year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 16-22 December 2018, according to data from STR. In comparison with the week of 17-23 December 2017, the industry reported the following: Occupancy: +8.0% to 40.0% Average daily rate (ADR): -2.2% to CAD136.28 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +5.7% to CAD54.48 Among the provinces and territories, Nova Scotia reported the largest increase in RevPAR (+19.7% to CAD37.93), due primarily to the highest rise in occupancy (+17.2% to 32.4%). Prince Edward Island posted the largest lift in ADR (+6.5% to CAD98.56). Manitoba saw the second-highest jump in RevPAR (+15.6% to CAD52.69). Seven of the 11 reporting provinces and territories saw RevPAR growth. Newfoundland and Labrador registered the largest decrease in RevPAR (-2.7% to CAD32.79) because of the second-largest drop in ADR (-8.3% to CAD113.14). Alberta posted the steepest decline in ADR (-9.5% to CAD123.74). The Northwest Territories experienced the only decrease in occupancy (-3.3% to 53.4%). STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource RevPAR up 4.7 Percent to US$50.57 The U.S. hotel industry reported positive year-over-year results in the three key performance metrics during the week of 16-22 December 2018, according to data from STR. In comparison with the week of 17-23 December 2017, the industry recorded the following: Occupancy: +4.3% to 47.3% Average daily rate (ADR): +0.4% to US$106.97 Revenue per available room (RevPAR): +4.7% to US$50.57 Among the Top 25 Markets, Boston, Massachusetts, registered the largest increases in each of the three key performance metrics: occupancy (+15.0% to 47.3%), ADR (+8.3% to US$135.70) and RevPAR (+24.5% to US$64.14). Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-New Jersey, experienced the only other double-digit rise in occupancy (+11.8% to 46.9%), which drove the second-largest jump in RevPAR (+17.4% to US$49.71). Two markets matched for the second-largest lift in ADR: New York, New York (+7.3% to US$221.34), and Detroit, Michigan (+7.3% to US$89.81). Overall, 19 of the Top 25 Markets reported growth in RevPAR for the week. Houston, Texas, saw the only double-digit decline in occupancy (-14.2% to 44.1%) and the largest decreases in ADR (-6.4% to US$85.11) and RevPAR (-19.6% to US$37.51). Orlando, Florida, reported the only other double-digit drop in RevPAR (-11.7% to US$65.14), due primarily to the second-steepest decrease in occupancy (-9.3% to 60.3%). View U.S. weekly hotel performance review STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Cuban Doll has been in the news a lot lately. Unfortunately, much of it hasn't been for her music. While she's taken advantage of her newfound notoriety by dropping a few new singles, many of the headlines she's included in are still about her alleged involvement in Offset and Cardi B's break-up. The rapper has asserted her position that she did not meddle in their relationship and finally, she has cause to celebrate as she's just been cut off the hook in a legal case stemming from earlier this month. https://www.instagram.com/p/BsEOw4Ch_mw You may remember Kodak Black and Cuban Doll were both detained after a fight outside of a Hollywood nightclub. When Cuban was searched, authorities found a weapon in her purse and charged her for keeping a gun on her person. Well, now that some time has passed, the charges have reportedly been cleared according to The Blast. Cuban Doll was the only person arrested in the scuffle and there is seemingly insufficient evidence to support the claims that the gun belongs to her. The weapon was reportedly not registered to anybody in the vehicle with Cuban and since it was found in a shared car, it's hard to determine who it actually belongs to. With that, Cuban is headed into the New Year without that worry on her back. Last year, Joe Budden and Charlamagne Tha God united to wreak havoc on their This Year Was Dope/Trash recap. Now, the duo have once again reunited to bring forth a special year-end-recap episode of Joe's Pull Up, which picks up where Dope/Trash left off. Most of the year's dominant narratives go explored, beginning with the recent "King Of RnB" discourse; Joe Budden pledges fealty to Chris Brown, while Charlamagne pays homage to Miguel. At around the ten-minute mark, Budden offers his top five albums of the year, which include Nipsey Hussle's Victory Lap, Pusha T's Daytona, Jay Rock's Redemption, Royce Da 5'9's Book Of Ryan, and Cardi B's Invasion Of Privacy. Charlamagne echoes the Nipsey, Pusha, Royce, and Jay Rock projects, though opts to choose The Carters' Everything Is Love as his fifth selection. On the opposite side, the pair wax poetic about their biggest disappointments, with Charlamagne offering a few criticisms of Lil Wayne's Tha Carter V. "I expect more from Wayne at this point in his career," he explains. "I want to hear more from Dwayne Carter, not Lil Wayne the rapper. Once you're over thirty, you shouldn't be called lil anything." Joe counters that the album was doomed to be a disappointment, given the tumultuous rollout, Weezy's health battles, and of course, Birdman's intervention. "This was like Kobe's last game," says Joe. "When he comes back, he'll have to tell us something." Still, the pair agree that Weezy is indeed a GOAT contender, and make sure to pay respects accordingly. There are plenty of interesting discussions throughout the two-hour special, and to parse through it all would be a time-consuming endeavor to be sure. Yet rest assured that there is much to be discovered, including musings on 6ix9ine, Mac Miller, the year's biggest disappointments, and much more. In the spirit of ending off 2018 with a bang, Kanye West has logged back onto Twitter to address his feud with Drake. For the last few weeks, much of Kanye's headspace has been interrupted by thoughts of the Canadian superstar and how much he likely wants to punch him in the face. A few days ago, Kanye found out that Drake had followed his wife, Kim Kardashian, on Instagram months prior and it didn't sit well with him. Why would Drizzy do such a thing? On the surface level, their beef seems extremely juvenile but Ye sees an issue in all of this. He's not stopping until he gets his due. https://twitter.com/_/status/1079830118451695616 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079830476397862915 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079830656115400704 In the latest rant he uploaded to Twitter, the legendary Chicago artist got a few more things off his chest. He already told us all about what he thinks of Drake following his wife on social media but he went a little deeper this time, unpeeling even more layers to the drama. He started off by using his favorite purple demon emoji, writing, "Ive never mentioned or touched on anything related to family when it came to Drake he followed my wife on Instagram he mentioned Pushas fiance in a song." Everything from that point on was downhill. "This man tried to used my familys song to get at me," said Ye before adding, "Love everyone but dont follow my fucking wife on Instagram." The tweets are ongoing and we'll be updating the thread as he shares. https://twitter.com/_/status/1079830901146583041 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079831074006392832 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079831245662519296 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079831533869981697 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079832004076564480 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079832281961746432 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079832615308353538 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079832911317164034 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079833165672267776 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079833398384910338 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079833477808148480 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079833882113990656 https://twitter.com/_/status/1079833972014645248 On its website, the center said it began giving public tours in 2007 and gets more than 16,000 visitors annually. It has more than a dozen employees and currently houses more than 80 animals and more than 21 species. A lion previously housed at the North Carolina Wildlife Conservatory has been put down after killing a 22-year old intern on Sunday after escaping from a locked spaced. According to the Caswell County Sheriff's Office that deputies shot and killed the lion in order to allow officials to reach the body of the victim after efforts to tranquilize the animal failed. According to the Conservators Center, a "husbandry team" was engaging in a routine cleaning when the lion escaped. Currently, an investigation has been launched into how the lion got out. "This is the worst day of my life. We've lost a person. We've lost an animal. We have lost the faith in ourselves a little today," Mindy Stinner, the executive director of the Conservators Center told WTVD-TV. The victim is identified as Alexandra Black, a recent graduate of Indiana University who had been with the conservatory for two weeks at the time of her death. "She was a beautiful young woman who had just started her career, there was a terrible accident, and we are mourning," Black's family said in a statement. "But, she died following her passion. The Conservators Center houses 14 lions and more than 80 animals overall, and took in lions and tigers in 2004 as part of an initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with caring for animals living in "unacceptable conditions." For the first half of this year, Celina Powell tried to make Offset and Cardi B's life a living hell. The woman lied to everybody as she claimed she was pregnant with Offset's baby, faking her pregnancy and somehow fooling everybody. Cardi stuck by her man at the time but issued "Be Careful" as a warning. Things have been quiet on the Celina front but now, her life is about to made into a living hell. The rap groupie was arrested over the weekend by bounty hunters as she was detained in Colorado. https://twitter.com/_/status/1079591502794305538 Powell was taken into custody for tons of previous incidents, including evading the police, shoplifting, traffic violations and more. According to TMZ, there were more than $61K of bonds in her name. The woman, who has previously accused people like Offset, Snoop Dogg, and more of cheating on their partners with her, is currently sitting in a jail cell after getting busted by bounty hunters. Video of it all going down has been released, which is pretty cringeworthy in itself. One of the bounty hunters, a white man, begins hurling the n-word while trying to deny that he's racist. Slick. Celina was nabbed after she posted that she would be hosting an event at a hookah lounge in Colorado. The bounty hunters were reportedly staking the parking lot as they awaited her. Will this be the last we hear of Celina Powell? It's New Year's Eve, and Skillz has once again come through with one of his patented yearly recaps. This time around, the rapper has opted for a low-key, eighties-inspired instrumental for the occasion. Across the four-minute-plus track, Skillz combs through the year's biggest events, laughing from afar as he indulges in a bit of malice-free reflection. As he details it, Monique's Netflix boycott marked one of the inciting incidents, with Will Smith's arrival on Instagram a close second. From that point on, Skillz recaps the year with an observer's grace. The Eagles victory, North West, Black Panther, Kylie's baby, 21 and Amber, Tristian Thompson, Safaree nudes, Beyonce, #MeToo, Free Meek, Cardi B's bump, Starbucks, Fabolous and Emily, Bill Cosby, the Wal Mart yodeler, Surgical Summer, Thanos fu*king shit up, Roseanne's demise, MAGA Ye, Pusha playing Maury to Drake, Eminem vs MGK, LeBron's Laker's journey, who bit Beyonce, and much much more. Peep the track, complete with self-deprecating album artwork, right now. Happy New Year! Quotable Lyrics Wayne dropped Tha Carter he was back fo sho, Ya'll job shamed dude from The Cosby Show Cardi and Nicki ya'll need to quit, How the hell you throw a shoe in a Fashion Nova fit Kylie and Travis made all the bread 6ix9ine trolled his ass right into the feds Sunday morning Tony Dwayne Albert II was arrested in the town of Seguin, Texas after allegedly admitting to planning to go to a church to fulfill "a prophecy." According to the ABC affiliate KSATin San Antonio, the authorities were tipped off about Albert when someone noticed him in the street around 7 a.m. carrying a gun while wearing what an off-duty police officer described as "tactical-style clothing, a surgical face shield, carrying a loaded firearm and extra ammunition." Albert allegedly told the officer that he believed he was in another city and was headed to a church in that city. "We're extremely grateful (for the person who called 911), and I know the citizens of Seguin are (grateful), regardless of if he thought he was somewhere else," said Seguin police spokeswoman Tanya Brown. "(Albert) could have carried out a shooting, or he was capable of doing that because he had a loaded handgun." Brown adds that they are currently withholding the identity of the church that Seguin was going to out of an effort to avoid a scare as the investigation is ongoing, Currently, Albert is being held on charges of possession of marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The 33-year old is being held on $100,000 bond. On the wine beat, every year is a good year because some regions vintage is going to rock and somebodys going to make a wine you cant get enough of, possibly from a grape youve never tried or an off-the-beaten place you didnt previously hold in high regard. The discoveries are never ending. Ten years into this job, I still feel like the kid in the candy store, and theres much more to be excited about in 2019 with a number of eagerly anticipated wine-centric projects coming to fruition. Master Sommelier David Kecks three-venue compound on Westheimer in the heart of Montrose is certain to dazzle between Kecks cellar skills with a for-real cellar, too! and chef Felipe Riccio doing his thing in the kitchen. And I cant wait to start lugging my own juice to PortaVino, restaurateur Bill Floyds new BYOB on Washington Avenue just north of Interstate 10. Both are slated for late-spring openings. But, before we look too far forward, lets take a gander backward, at the (mostly) good stuff 2018 bestowed upon us. Master at last twice Steven McDonald, the wine director at Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, got through the hardest wine exam in the world to earn Master Sommelier status back in September, then received word a couple of months later the results had been nullified because of a cheating scandal he had nothing to do with. Sure, it hurt, but McDonald hunkered down and aced the retest, too, again giving the city five resident Master Sommeliers, a list that includes his Pappas colleague Jack Mason. Pappas management deserves a shout-out for how enthusiastically it supports wine education, encouraging its team members to shoot for the stars in pursuing certifications. New faces (relatively speaking) The Mastros wine director is Keith Goldston, who has left his mark on numerous locales coast to coast and elsewhere. Once he landed at the chichi steakhouse on the West Loop, Tilman Fertittas flagship restaurant here, Goldston hired Julie Dalton, with whom hed intersected frequently when she was a rising star in greater Baltimore. Dalton represented Mastros in the Periwinkle Foundations 2018 Iron Sommelier competition and won, becoming the first woman to claim the title. Dalton, who earned a masters degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University, has come full circle. Her grand wine adventure began after she got hired as a server at Gaidos in Galveston while doing her undergrad work at Texas A&M University. Trending Retail sales in a restaurant/wine-bar setting has become a thing. Check out Avondale Food & Wine (240 Westheimer), presided over by local sommelier Nate Rose. Natural wine is gaining traction, too, and its front and center at the new Light Years (1304 W. Alabama) as well as Poitin in Sawyer Yards (2313 Edwards). Also, on-premise pricing keeps getting more wallet-friendly, continuing a trend launched in the early aughts by Charles Clark and Grant Cooper when they opened Ibiza in Midtown. The Houstonians new Tribute restaurant, where Vanessa Trevino Boyd wears the sommeliers chapeau, has raised the wine-value bar for hotel venues and offers a wonderfully eclectic list as well. Viva Italia I lost count of how many wonderful Italian producers came through town this year. The Piemonte was represented by two Gajas, old friend Gaia and her new-to-the-sales-and-marketing-scene brother, Giovanni. Their Piemontese neighbor Luisa Rocca, Bruno Roccas daughter, returned for a visit, while large contingents from Chianti and Brunello country in Tuscany and the Abruzzo held seminars and hosted dinners. Practically the whole of Italy, it seemed, showed for a grand tasting in the Union Station lobby of Minute Maid Park. Va bene! Recurring theme I dont think I had a single substantive conversation with a vintner in 2018 that didnt include the topic of climate change. Its a mixed-bag deal for the wine industry, dramatically improving conditions in marginal, colder-weather areas Frances Hautes-Alpes, for example but requiring long-established producers to rethink their vineyard practices and cellar tactics, even changing up blends to put grape varietals that better handle heat and drought more at the forefront. Spottswoode comes to mind, for how that famous winery has tweaked things. Giovanni Gaja also stressed the impact global warming is having on his familys fabled nebbiolo vineyards while speaking to a tasting symposium in downtown Houston. Surprise wines The best example of the benefits of a warmer climate as it relates to wine comes in the form of bubbles: English bubbles. Buy something from Chapel Down (less than $50 for the Brut Classic) if you dont believe me. The winery is in the lovely Kent countryside southeast of London and not far inland from the White Cliffs of Dover. That limestone is the same limestone that makes Champagne grapes sing so beautifully. Texas rocks The states wines just keep getting better and better. Among many, many excellent examples: The Bonarrigos at Messina Hof are producing sagrantinos that can go mano-a-mano with the best from Umbrias Montefalco. Fall Creeks new ExTerra lineup a syrah, a mourvedre and a tempranillo are worthy of being priced at a hundred bucks a bottle. Yes, really. The Bending Branch Tannat is my global reference standard for that difficult varietal. The best value vermentino anywhere comes from Duchman Family Estates and, among viogniers, the same can be said of the one from Pedernales Cellars. Then theres the William Chris Petillant Naturel. I could go on and on Happy New Year! dale.robertson@chron.com twitter.com/sportywineguy When Nancy Grace Roman was 11 years old, her family was living in Reno, Nevada. 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 Wednesday in Germantown, Maryland, at 93, 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, 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 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. The idea for that kind of large optical telescope had circulated in the scientific world since astronomer Lyman Spitzer Jr. envisioned it in 1946. But the concept met with skepticism over feasibility and cost. So the road toward getting the Hubble into the skies was a long one. It was Nancy in the old days before the internet and before Google and email and all that stuff who really helped to sell the Hubble Space Telescope, organize the astronomers, who eventually convinced Congress to fund it, Edward J. Weiler, Romans successor as chief scientist for the Hubble, told the Voice of America in 2011. In addition to coordinating the efforts of astronomers and engineers in their development of the Hubble, Roman wrote testimony for NASA representatives making the case for the Hubble before Congress and she pitched the project to the Bureau of the Budget. Roman also took part in development of the Cosmic Background Explorer, a satellite launched in 1989 that confirmed the Big Bang Theory of the universes creation. She was a trailblazer for women at a time when science was considered a mans world, and she became a longtime advocate for women in science. I still remember asking my high school guidance teacher for permission to take a second year of algebra instead of a fifth year of Latin, she recalled. She looked down her nose at me and sneered, What lady would take mathematics instead of Latin? That was the sort of reception that I got most of the way, she told the Voice of America. Roman was born on May 16, 1925, in Nashville, Tennessee, the only child of Irwin Roman, a geophysicist, and Georgia (Smith) Roman, a music teacher. When she was 3 months old, the family left for Texas and Oklahoma, where her father advised oil companies on drilling possibilities. The family moved to Reno when her father was named western regional chief for federal research into geophysics. In Reno, of course, the skies were very clear, a beautiful place to observe the sky, and we lived on the edge of the city at the time, Roman recalled in a 1980 interview for the National Air and Space Museum. We had very few lights. I started an astronomy club with the girls in the neighborhood. We learned the constellations, read astronomy. I just never lost my interest in it. The family later moved to Baltimore, where she attended high school. She received a degree in astronomy from Swarthmore College in 1946, obtained a doctorate in astronomy from the University of Chicago in 1949, then worked at its Yerkes Observatory as a researcher. She later joined the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, specializing in radio astronomy, and was recruited by NASA in 1959, a year after it was founded. The idea of coming in with an absolute clean slate to set up a program that I thought was likely to influence astronomy for 50 years was just a challenge that I couldnt turn down, she recalled in her National Air and Space Museum interview. The Soviet Unions launching of Sputnik in October 1957 proved that satellites could fly. Nonetheless, Romans early work at NASA lacked the glamour attached to the manned spaceflight program of the 1960s in response to President John F. Kennedys call for America to put a man on the moon by the decades end. Roman retired from NASA in 1979 but continued as a consultant as work progressed toward the Hubbles launching. In 2017, when Lego created a 231-piece Women of NASA set, Romans likeness was among four it featured as women who were space pioneers. Romans death, at a hospital, was confirmed by a cousin, Laura Verreau, The Washington Post reported. It said she had lived in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and had no immediate survivors. In her later years, Roman passed on her love for space research to young people and especially sought to inspire girls to pursue a career in science. She taught astronomy to fifth-graders at Shepherd Elementary School in Washington in the late 1990s. As she put it: One of the reasons I like working with schools is to try to convince women that they can be scientists and that science can be fun. This article originally appeared in The New York Times . ROME - The Vatican capped a tumultuous year Monday by announcing the resignations of its head spokesman, Greg Burke, and his deputy, the figures most responsible for day-to-day dealings with the media. The statement provided no reason for the departures of Burke and Paloma Garcia Ovejero, but the move magnifies the uncertainty facing the Vatican as it deals with criticism for its slow or opaque responses to the sexual abuse crisis. Pope Francis this year has overhauled much of the Vatican's sprawling communications office, which includes a newspaper, radio service and publishing house. But now, in advance of a key global summit addressing the issue of abuse within the church, he will need to fill a new job: somebody who can be a public face for the reeling Roman Catholic Church. On Twitter, Burke said the resignations would be effective Jan. 1. "At this time of transition in Vatican communications, we think it's best the Holy Father is completely free to assemble a new team," Burke wrote. Burke and Garcia were well-known figures for journalists covering the Holy See, and Burke accompanied Francis on major trips outside of Rome. Some Vatican watchers say the press office had lost some of its standing. Massimo Faggioli, a Villanova University professor of theology who has written about the Vatican press office, said the Vatican was slow this summer in releasing information about the investigation into resigned cardinal Theodore McCarrick and about the bombshell allegations of a former Vatican ambassador who accused Pope Francis and others of knowing about and ignoring McCarrick's alleged abuse of seminarians. "If an institution is totally silent for days or weeks, this is not good," Faggioli said. "This last summer was particularly telling." Faggioli said the press office under Francis was "basically an empty shell." Francis's own reputation has been damaged by his handling of the scourge, with many abuse victims and advocates calling on the Vatican to improve its transparency. The press office has roughly 20 employees, but it was Burke and Garcia who fielded questions from the media. Burke, 59, worked as a Fox News reporter in Rome before taking a job in 2012 in the Vatican communications office, becoming head spokesman in 2016. Burke is fluent in Italian and a member of Opus Dei, a conservative Catholic organization. Garcia was the first female deputy spokesperson. Before coming to the press office, she had been a Vatican correspondent for a Spanish broadcaster. Burke replaced the Rev. Federico Lombardi, who retired in 2016. "The only thing I feel like doing is saying that I hope the [next] appointee can do a good job," Lombardi said when reached by phone. Earlier this month, Pope Francis named Andrea Tornielli, a veteran Italian journalist, as the editorial director for Vatican communications. The head of the Vatican's communications office, Paolo Ruffini, who was also appointed to his job this year, said the resignations announced Monday were "autonomous" and of "free choice." But Francis's overhaul of the communications office has had its bumps. In 2015, the pope appointed Monsignor Dario Vigano as a czar to overhead the Vatican's communications effort. Vigano was forced to step down earlier this year in what was known as the "Lettergate" scandal, the selective and misleading release of a letter from retired Pope Benedict XVI. - - - The Washington Post's Stefano Pitrelli contributed to this report. Driving in the nations most dangerous major metro got considerably safer in 2018, a preliminary analysis of crashes shows, and officials are pledging more efforts to reduce roadway risks in the new year. Though a few dozen late December fatalities are likely not reported to the states system, the nine-county Houston region is virtually assured of having its lowest number of roadway deaths since 2013 when 592 fatalities were recorded. As of Dec. 28, the Texas Department of Transportations Crash Records Information System listed 536 fatalities in the Houston region, which includes Harris County, its seven adjoining counties and Austin County to the west. Harris County, where most crashes in the area occur, and Houston home to about one-third of fatalities are each on pace for steep declines even as their populations increase. The decreases come as a Houston Chronicle investigation, Out of Control, found that the Houston region has the nations most dangerous drivers and roadways and examined some of the most significant reasons for the carnage, including residents penchant for speeding and driving impaired. In the wake of the investigation, the Harris County Sheriffs Office pledged to deploy more deputies to traffic enforcement. There is no question we must be doing more, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a recent interview. After the launch of the Chronicles investigation in September, Gonzalez said his department focused traffic enforcement initiatives in two particularly dangerous areas: FM 2100 at Huffman-Cleveland and Texas 249 and Veterans Memorial Drive. Combined, the corridors had been the site of crashes that killed 13 people in 2018, Gonzalez said. Out of Control: Houston area roads are nations most deadly During the six-week initiatives, neither area saw a fatal crash, the sheriff said. For September, the month when Gonzalez launched the initiatives and the first two of the Chronicles stories published, the Houston metro area saw 36 fatalities, the first time in more than four years the monthly total dipped below 40. Houston TranStar executive director Dinah Massie said the drop was likely a collection of factors but applauded the increase in public awareness. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the dangers of driving in this region, said Massie, head of the agency that oversees traffic operations and emergency management on major Houston-area roads. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Staff photographer Declining deaths Statewide, Texas is on track for fewer deaths than the past two years and might see a decrease alcohol- and drug-related crashes by nearly 200. Last year, 963 people died in alcohol- and drug-related wrecks. So far, the states crash reporting system logged 679, though the number will rise when holiday season crashes are included. The states total is heavily influenced by the Houston area, home to about one-quarter of Texans. Unless December is an especially tragic month, the region is on track for its lowest number of alcohol- and drug-related deaths since at least 2010. Out of Control: In Houston, 11 fatal wrecks, 12 deaths: An average week Officials cited a host of reasons for the declines, notably programs in the past year to make drivers more aware of risks, respond faster to freeway crashes and route other travelers away from crash spots. In May, officials resumed offering free tows to stranded vehicles off Houston freeways. Programs that remove stranded vehicles or crash scenes reduce risk, with some studies showing the likelihood of a secondary crash a crash caused by the congestion of the first stall or crash increases by 3 percent for every minute of delay. So if a vehicle sits for 30 minutes, the likelihood for a secondary crash is 90 percent, Massie said. Getting incidents cleared quickly reduces secondary crashes. We have seen some horrific fatalities that are secondary incidents in which a driver plows into a stranded vehicle. Police and fire responders, along with TxDOT crews and tow truck drivers, have participated since mid-2018 in federally sponsored incident management training. Harris County deputies also increased focus on freeway incident management using cameras at TranStar to secure crash scenes and better coordinate vehicle removal, Massie said. Since the towing program began, fatalities in Harris County have consistently dropped from about 38 deaths monthly to about 28 deaths monthly. Fatalities plummeted in September to 18 countywide, according to the state database, an unheard-of decline in the past decade. Godofredo A. Vasquez More efforts coming In an interview, Gonzalez rattled off a litany of efforts in hopes of further decreasing traffic deaths. The sheriffs office has allocated $51,750 to buy five speed trailers, which sit on the sides of roads and monitor motor vehicle speed, showing drivers how fast theyre traveling and provide real-time feedback to speed enforcement officers. This would double the number the department already deployed. He said his department stepped up visits to local schools to stress the importance of safe driving to teens, who are particularly prone to crashes. Since September, the department has performed seat belt checks at 11 high schools in conjunction with the Kailee Mills Foundation, a local nonprofit that advocates for safer driving and increased seat belt use. Gonzalez said he also plans to add deputies on both DWI and speeding enforcement next year. The Chronicles investigation found that departments across the region have just a few officers specifically dedicated to speeding or DWI enforcement. In September, the sheriffs offices DWI squad one of the larger units across the region counted five deputies. The results were positive, he said. Plus the multistrategy initiative of increased law enforcement present, plus the education piece of portable radar signs that provide real-time feedback does seem to alter behavior. Out of Control: Houston area drivers driven to distraction, with little stopping them Traffic safety advocates said measures beyond ticket writing particularly education would be necessary to curb fatal wrecks and make the areas roads safer. We just dont do a good job addressing speed, said Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, a national organization of state highway safety officials. Gonzalezs move bucked a nationwide trend of declining speeding enforcement, Adkins said, even as speed remains a factor in a third of fatal crashes. Gonzalez said he also hopes to convene a group of local law enforcement agencies, hospitals and other stakeholders to look at strategies to curb roadway fatalities. Other traffic safety advocates cheered the departments efforts to increase education, particularly among crash-prone teens. All those things are a step in the right direction, said Jane Terry, senior director of government affairs at the National Safety Council. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens across the United States. Thats a point parents dont fully appreciate. Focusing on teens is great; strengthening enforcement and education is important. Other measures are also needed, including better road design and infrastructure improvements, such as cable medians, rumble strips on rural roads, and traffic-slowing roundabouts at busier intersections, Terry said. Despite the reductions in fatalities, motorists continue to suffer on Houston roads. In late December, an accused drunken driver crashed into two Houston police officers, injuring both. The driver, 23-year-old Cesar Collazo, faces two counts each of intoxication assault of a peace officer and failure to stop and render aid after causing serious bodily injury, which is the official charge for a hit-and- run. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Friday afternoon, northbound traffic on Interstate 69 was slowed on a relatively sleepy holiday weekend commute when an SUV driver plowed into a pole near Buffalo Speedway. He died at the scene. On Saturday, a 2-year-old who was not properly restrained died in a wreck on Airline Drive in north Harris County. dug.begley@chron.com st.john.smith@chron.com Beyond that, the traditional lanes will be more crowded than ever. Former vice president Joe Biden, should he decide to run, will be cast as a traditional mainstream Democrat but there will be others who fit that identity. There won't be just one progressive candidate, there will be several. Sanders and Warren will be drawing from much the same constituency, and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio would also compete in the progressive lane, if he runs. And there will be candidates who don't fit neatly into either. Houston police are investigating the shooting death of a woman found at an apartment complex in the 12100 block of Fondren Road, according to a news release from the department,. The identify of the woman was pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. It all started as an experiment in a garage, just like other great American companies like Apple and Amazon. This enterprise was born in the poor neighborhood of Gulfgate in southeast Houston, where a young immigrant in the countrys most diverse city dared to pitch his dream to the giant corporations in the oil and gas capital of the world. The dream became Piping Technology & Products, the largest pipe support manufacturer in Houston, founded in 1975 by Durga Agrawal, who had just earned an industrial engineering doctorate from the University of Houston. His is among more than 131,500 businesses in the Houston metropolitan area owned by foreign-born immigrants, according to a recent study from the New American Economy, a bipartisan research and advocacy organization headquartered in New York. The report provides evidence of how immigrants entrepreneurial spirit combined with nurturing government and community programs produces a positive economic impact for the Houston region. CUTS: U.S. sees sharp drop in "special immigrant visas," usually for wartime aides Born in the small town of Lakhanpur in Madhya Pradesh, India, Agrawal came to the U.S. to study on a scholarship from his countrys government. Even with his graduate education, he couldnt find a suitable job, so he decided to create his own. He piled up a few tools in the garage, where he began to work without pay for a senior engineer from a renowned chemical company. Eager to get a paying contract, Agrawal improved his clients project with an innovation that allowed faster and more flexible production and implementation. Soon enough, the young man convinced the engineer that his design was better. Then, he got his first contract with Dow Chemical. Agrawal is among the 1.6 million first-generation immigrants in the Houston region who pump $12.7 billion in taxes to the local, state and federal governments and inject $38.2 billion in spending power into the regions economy, according to the report, which is part of a project mapping the economic contributions of first-generation immigrants in the United States. Houston tops the state with the highest foreign-born population and economic output in taxes and spending power among all Texas cities. Dallas follows with 1.3 million immigrants paying $9.6 billion in taxes and spending power of $30.4 billion. In Texas, and particularly in the Houston metro area, immigrants are playing a critical role in driving economic growth, said Kate Brick, director of state and local initiatives at New American Economy. If you think about entrepreneurship, immigrants are over 53 percent more likely to create businesses in Houston than the native-born population; this is especially acute in Houston compared to other cities.. Their impact has a ripple effect on the local economy. We are continuously pumping money in the economy since we purchase all our raw materials and packaging from local companies, said Stefano Zullian, co-owner of Houston-based Araya Artisan Chocolate. MOVERS: Two of every five Fortune 500 companies founded by immigrants, their children Zullian, with his wife Carla Sisi and sister in law Silvana Sisi, founded their businesses in 2010 after identifying a shortage of locally made chocolates, like the kind popular in their native Venezuela. The South American nation is one of the largest producers in the world of a rate and among the finest cocoa beans, called Criollo. The family uses it in many of their chocolate and creamy ganache creations, known for their colorful presentations and unique exotic combinations of flavors that include chipotle, Tequila, mango and Habanero pepper or passion fruit, among others. Besides the niche that they identified to open their chocolate business, other vital elements attracted them to Houston, icnluding the citys diversity and the wide array of support provided to entrepreneurs. The Houston community is very welcoming, Zullian said Theyre used to diversity and many had the opportunity to live abroad and interact with different cultures. He explained that organizations such as SCORE and the University of Houstons Small Business Development Center are eager to help immigrants. The support of talented and experienced professionals here in Houston has made a big difference for us, Zullian said. The Cities Index of the New American Economy, published earlier this year, gave Houston the highest possible score for government leadership welcoming and creating programs for these communities. Advocates say the city in turn benefits financially from their contributions. Here we find many possibilities, there are many opportunities to open businesses and a lot of support both from the (city) government and from non-profit organizations that are helping immigrants to be successful, said Diva Herazo, CEO of Biomedent, a mobile and on-site dental services company in Houston that she founded with her husband, Dr. Jose Habib. Herazo, who is from Colombia, believes that immigrants are more inclined to open businesses because we have a great desire to get ahead; we come precisely to improve our opportunities. Unlike the native population, we really have to start in a new country from scratch; we leave many things behind, family, culture, and its very difficult, so we come with a strong drive to have the world in our hands she said. In that struggle, Your many needs force you to invent things that you never thought possible; it forces you to discover abilities that you did not imagine you had, said Herazo. The innovative model of Biomedent came from that eagerness to find opportunities. They bring mobile dental services to companies and organizations locations. And both employees and employers love it, she said. She explained that many people lose free basic dental services like biannual cleanings paid by employers provided insurances, either because they didnt find time to go to the clinic or other reasons. We go and do it in 30 minutes on the spot and they nor the employers have to lose a half day of work in dentist appointments. Its a win-win situation, and we are the only ones doing this in Houston, she said. Their clients include the Houston Independent School District, the City of Pasadena and the University of Houston-Downtown. When entrepreneurs are successful, they are able to volunteering with nonprofit organizations and give back to their communities in other ways. Agrawal, for example, is a member of the UH System Board of Regents and is a founder, together with his wife Sushila Agrawal, of the Janmashtami Celebration in Houston, one of the most popular Hindu festivals in the world. People from all over the world make Houston their home, said Agrawal, who calls the city his own. Here you can achieve any goal you set your mind on with hard work, persistence and determination. Just dont give up! olivia.tallet@chron.com Twitter.com/oliviaptallet Its not even 2019 and the Democrats have already begun sniping at each other about the 2020 presidential election. Bernie Sanders fans and Beto ORourke boosters have erupted into a back-and-forth as the latter try to nurture the Texas congressmans presidential aspirations and the former push back against his moderate credentials. Ideally, this kind of intraparty debate is healthy even if it is coming a bit early in the political cycle. RELATED: Ignore the skeptics. Beto O'Rourke has the policy chops to run for president. ALSO: Beto O'Rourke is like Obama. That's not necessarily a good thing. AND...: Ted Cruz was right about Beto What should make this interesting to Houstonians, Democrats and Republicans alike, is how the conversation has focused on ORourkes votes in support of an oil and gas agenda. While representing El Paso in Congress he voted to remove the ban on crude oil exports, backed a Republican bill to expedite natural gas exports, and opposed a Democratic measure to limit offshore drilling. For Texas observers, that record is a sign that ORourke was willing to reach across the aisle to fight for the economic interests of a state built on petroleum. However, for the left wing of the Democratic Party, those votes are proof that ORourke is a sellout to the fossil fuel industry. As David Sirota framed it in The Guardian: [D]espite the imminent climate catastrophe facing our planet, ORourke has often taken the side of carbon polluters. So which side is right? Heres the tough answer: They both are. It is the fundamental responsibility of any good local representative to support the immediate material interests of his or her constituents. In Texas, that means preserving oil and gas jobs. Theres a reason why Houstons newly elected U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, a Democrat, took a stand in support of offshore drilling. On the other hand, humanity has 12 years before climate change begins inflicting unprecedented and irreversible harm, according to the most recent report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Only massive changes to public policy and the energy industry will stem carbon emissions enough to make a difference the kinds of changes that could turn Houston into a 21st century Rust Belt city. If Democrats cant find a way to speak to the economic realities in Texas, expect the blue dots growing across the Lone Star State to start shrinking and possibly the House majority along with it. On the other hand, if fans of fossil fuels cant find an effective way to address climate change, Texas will have to start dealing with problems even more destructive than an oil bust. Politicians across the spectrum should face this moment as an opportunity to organize their best ideas and smartest policies and present them to the American people. What would an effective carbon tax look like? What would a Green New Deal mean for Houstons refinery workers? Whether its Beto or Bernie, these are among the issues that need to dominate the conversation about 2020. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. You had to do the show as Kalber wanted the show done, and that wasnt always easy, said retired Channel 5 political editor Dick Kay. He had specific ways of writing copy and of doing his newscasts, and the producer had to be approved by Floyd, period. Pat was top of the line. There are many bridges over the river Neretva in Mostar. But theres only one that visitors really want to see: Stari Most, the old bridge, which isnt so old in fact. For anyone in the UK over the age of about 35, the arched bridge is best known for its destruction. When the former Yugoslavia descended into hideous civil war in the early 1990s, the rest of Europe watched on in near disbelief as former neighbours set out to slaughter one another. The ancient Ottoman crossing in Mostar, which had stood for more than four centuries, became a media-friendly metaphor for the conflict an edifice which had once united the towns east and west, bludgeoned to rubble by artillery fire, as Croats and Bosniaks, former allies against Serb forces, turned viciously on one another. A group of toads appeared to hitch a ride on the back of a large python as they escaped rising flood waters at a dam in the far north of Australia. In bizarre footage taken as heavy rains pounded the remote town of Kununurra, local man Paul Mock captured the moment when the snake was co-opted as a scaly taxi service. The overnight deluge had driven thousands of cane toads to evacuate their burrows, seeking refuge on higher ground. Concerned by the 7cm of rain that had swelled the dam, Mr Mock went to check whether there was any sign of it breaking its banks. I noticed because the water was so high, that it had flooded all the burrows of the cane toads which live around the edge of the lake underneath the lawn, he told ABC. Recommended Boa constrictor escapes Lincolnshire house prompting police alert So they were all on top of the lawn, thousands of them. After heading out to investigate the other side of the dam, Mr Mock came across several of the toads apparently taking a ride on a large olive python. The 3.5m-long python was well-known to Mr Mock, who has seen him on his land on several occasions and has named the snake Monty. One previous encounter involved the python consuming an entire wallaby, leaving it so full it was unable to move. Mr Mock sent the footage to his brother Andrew, who posted it on Twitter leading to an outpouring of jokes and even some suggestions of fakery. But while the snake appeared to be carrying its amphibian cargo to higher ground, away from the dam, one expert who saw the photo pointed out the comparisons with Uber were misplaced. Amphibian biologist Dr Jodi Rowley from the University of New South Wales responded to the amazing photo, pointing out these were in fact male cane toads attempting to mate with the snake. Male cane toads often get a bit carried away, she said, recalling a time when she had observed a toad trying to mate with a rotting mango. Mr Mock had noticed the toads that had left their burrows were busy breeding, with males fighting over females. Cane toads are an invasive species that have devastated native Australian wildlife in recent years as they continue to expand uncontrollably across the continent. Their voracious appetites and deadly toxins in their skin mean they compete with other animals for food and can kill unsuspecting predators that try to eat them. As 2018 draws to a close, it seems only right to reminisce about some of the biggest style moments of the year. Online retailer ASOS has just unveiled its annual report, highlighting the most popular items and trends its customers have shopped this year. For those in the know, it should come as no surprise to learn that animal print is among one of ASOS best sellers with sales increasing by 233 per cent since last year. Similarly, chunky, orthopaedic-style dad trainers have been hailed as the most popular shoe of the year across both menswear and womenswear. Earlier this year, so-called dad fashion was named one of the most influential trends of the year in Lystss annual Year in Fashion report, which saw online searches surge by 439 per cent since the beginning of 2018. ASOS also declared tiny sunglasses as the must-have accessory of the summer, having sold an impressive 10,000 pairs in January alone. Sales of jumpsuits also rose by 70 per cent, while tailoring sales went up 460 per cent and denim jeans by 23 per cent. Dad trainers have been hailed as the most popular shoe of the year - Nike M2K Tekno Trainers In White, 90, ASOS The impact of Meghan Markle's status as the new fashion icon to follow had a huge impact on sales for the website in 2018, particularly after the Duchess wore the ASOS DESIGN Maternity Wiggle Dress. Following her appearance wearing the 38 number in New Zealand, sales jumped by more than 100 per cent, causing the dress to sell out twice. Meghan Markle wore this exact dress during a recent trip to New Zealand - ASOS Design Maternity Wiggle Midi Dress, 38, ASOS The retailer experienced a similar shopping frenzy over its Green Ditsy Print Dress which sold out in a couple of days after being re-stocked twice. For men, floral shirts were up by 131 per cent, with ASOS revealing it sold more than 7,000 units of its Hawaiian-print styles, while sales on Cuban-heeled boots increased by 246 per cent. Looking ahead to 2019, ASOS has also revealed its predictions for what well be buying more of in the ensuing months. While cat-eye sunglasses were big for 2018, the retailer forecasts that visor styles will prove the most popular this summer, as will tie dye prints, short suits and reflective metallics. The shift towards more sustainable clothing is also reflected in the report, with the retailer revealing that 100 per cent of its ASOS DESIGN cotton-based jeans will be made from sustainably sourced cotton in 2019. New Years Eve is all about taking beauty risks, whether you are heading to a house party, watching Jools Hollands Hootenanny or hitting the dance floor. No night of the year deserves a show-stopping make-up look quite like the very last. Once youve finalised the who, what and where, it all comes down to the celebratory cosmetics. But if you are stuck for inspiration, we have got you covered. Here are five make-up ideas that will guarantee to get your night started in style and keep you looking glam long past midnight. Grown-up glitter Once the preserve of children, fancy dress enthusiasts and festival goers, glitter has seen a coming of age in the beauty world. It is now fully recognised as an expert-approved make-up trend. From glittering lips to shimmering manicures and shiny eyeliner, there are a myriad of ways you can build up the sparkle. For an easy-going take on the trend, gild the corner of your eyes using an iridescent powder or apply a slick of disco-ball-esque nail polish to your talons. Alternatively, go all out and swathe your lids in colourful sparkly shadow; just make sure to keep the rest of your look simple with nude lips and well-groomed brows. Graphic eyeliner For an edgy look that is still wearable in real life, ditch the classic feline flick and opt for a more experimental approach to eyeliner instead. The great thing about this look is that anything is possible. You can be as brave and as bold as you like, so make the most of it and have fun. The type of formula you choose to work with will depend on the type of look youre going for. Fancy something sharp and detailed? Then a classic liquid liner pen or gel will do the trick. However, if you prefer the lived-in look thats a bit grungy, lather your lower lash line with a blur of classic black kohl pencil. Red lips The beauty equivalent of slipping on a little black dress, wearing this bold hue will add an instant dose of glam to your look. From burgundy to ruby and merlot, the colour comes in a variety of shades and while some are matte and others glossy; the choice is yours. Whatever you opt for, make sure to use a red liner to colour the entire lip before application as this will boost its staying power. However, if its a more subtle, natural colour youre after, try patting on the lippie with your finger, starting in the centre and dabbing outwards instead. This will create more of a stained lip and means you can feast on finger food and fizz without the fear of smudging. For a safe look, pair your bold lip with nothing more than your favourite mascara, but if you want to experiment a little, take a leaf out of make-up artist Katie Jane Hughes book and opt for a high-fashion pink eye. Bronze goddess Thanks to the Kardashians and the subsequent rise of so-called Instagram face, contouring has dominated beauty routines for many of us in 2018. If you want to run with a bronzed, glowing base we suggest forgetting the strict rules of contouring and instead embracing a trifecta of golden, dewy skin and gloriously flushed cheeks. While traditional contouring can look a little full-on, using cool browns to subtle bronzing effect across the temples, cheekbones and nose will help create a sun-kissed guise thats sheer and sculpted all at the same time. For finishing touches, add a copper shimmer to your eyelids and bring the look together with a nude lip gloss. Blue-eyed girl From cobalt and sapphire to aquamarine and azure, a stand-out blue wash is the only colour to wear on your eyes this party season. While the look might conjure memories of bygone dance recitals or David Bowies Life on Mars for many, the hue is now considered cool once again. So ditch the neutrals and make way for a seriously graphic gaze. Of course, this is a look that requires a little nerve, so if you are feeling cautious switch out classics like black liner or mascara for a bright blue shade instead. Alternatively, dive in the deep end with a wash of punch eyeshadow and lashings of doll-like mascara. Jamie Olivers offer to cater Prince Harry and Meghan Markles wedding was ignored by the royal family, the chef has claimed. Oliver spoke about the nuptials while appearing on Channel 4s Sunday Brunch alongside Emilia Fox, Miles Jupp and Kellie Bright on 30 December. After discussing whether or not anyone at the table had been invited to the royal occasion, none of whom had, the restaurateur revealed that he had put himself forward to curate an eclectic menu for the wedding reception. I did actually write and say if they want the food sorted I would bring the best of British and American chefs together to do the catering, he said. I didnt get a reply. That is a true story, he added, much to everyone elses amusement. Jamie Oliver, Miles Jupp and Emilia Fox on 'Sunday Brunch' (Channel 4) Oliver was then asked whether his requested monetary charge for the job had been too steep. No, I wouldve done it for free! he said. I like a bit of a moment. I wouldve got all the American gang over, weve got all the British dudes. It wouldve been the best brigade of kitchen ever. Recommended Meghan Markle makes surprise appearance at British Fashion Awards Between 2010 and 2011, American television network ABC broadcast two seasons of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, a programme that showed Oliver attempting to promote healthy eating habits across the United States. The chef also released a recipe book called Jamie's America, which contains classic American recipes from areas including Louisiana, Georgia and Arizona. Following on from the royal wedding ceremony on 19 May, it was revealed that the 600 guests who attended the lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen at St George's Hall in Windsor Castle were treated to a variety of sweet and savoury canapes. These included delicacies such as Scottish langoustines, grilled English asparagus wrapped in Cumbrian ham and croquette of confit Windsor lamb. Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Show all 16 1 /16 Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen PA Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen REUTERS Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen REUTERS Meghan Markle returns to Grenfell Tower community kitchen Getty Images The guests were then served an array of bowl food, with choices including a pea and mint risotto, chicken fricassee and a slow-roasted pork belly. The royal couple's lemon and elderflower wedding cake was inspired by spring and created by east London baker Claire Ptak. The Duchess of Sussex has demonstrated her penchant for cooking for years, having shared many nutritious recipes on her former lifestyle website The Tig. For her first solo project as a member of the royal family, the duchess helped to create the Together cookbook, the sales of which are helping to support the community affected by the Grenfell Tower Fire. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events For months the duchess visited the Hubb Community Kitchen in west London in secret, and became close acquaintances with the women using the kitchen to serve food to their community. Melding cultural identities under a shared roof, it creates a space to feel a sense of normalcy, she wrote in the book's foreword. In its simplest form, the universal need to connect, nurture, and commune through food, through crisis or joy - something we can all relate to. It can be easy to conflate the common cold with the more serious flu when we're hiding under a duvet feeling worse for wear. But how can we actually tell the difference between the two? While a cold and the flu share several symptoms, there are clear ways of differentiating between them - and this can be vital when deciding how to treat your illness. From prevention to treatment, heres everything you need to know about distinguishing between the prevalent winter illnesses: Symptoms: Cold Both the cold and the flu are respiratory illnesses with very similar symptoms. However, these symptoms can be less severe if youre suffering from the cold. The common cold and flu are different conditions, but often share some of the same symptoms in the early stages, such as a headache, runny nose, or a sore throat, says Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners. The first sign of a cold can appear in the form of a sore throat, the NHS says. This will typically be accompanied by a runny nose and slight congestion of the sinuses. You may then develop a cough after a few days, with children more likely to also experience a fever. While it isnt pleasant to experience symptoms of a cold, you may still feel as though youre well enough to carry on with normal everyday activities such as going to work. Symptoms: Flu The symptoms of the flu run pretty much along the same lines as the cold, although they may be more acute and materialise rapidly. The difference is that flu is potentially much more serious, particularly for children and the elderly, and tends to leave people feeling unwell for much longer, sometimes taking a week or two to fully recover, Professor Stokes-Lampard explains. Additional symptoms that people may experience when suffering from the flu include a fever, headaches, achy muscles, an upset stomach and nausea. If youre experiencing the flu, then youre far more likely to feel overly fatigued and unable to continue with your everyday routine as usual. Prevention: Cold Colds spread extremely easily, especially when you spend a lot of time in close proximity with other people. This can be particularly relevant if you work in an open-plan office or if you take public transport to work. Germs that are spread from coughs or sneezes can survive for up to 24 hours, which is why taking some simple precautionary measures could do you and those around you a whole lot of good. NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Show all 18 1 /18 NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, addresses demonstrators following the march AFP/Getty NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary Reuters NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary EPA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary REUTERS NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary PA NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images NHS at 70: demonstration and celebration march to mark anniversary AFP/Getty Images The NHS recommends that you wash your hands with warm water and soap regularly and avoid sharing items such as towels or cups with people who may be infected. If youre in the early stages of a cold, make sure you use tissues when you cough or sneeze and then discard them in a bin as soon as possible. Also wash your hands regularly to avoid spreading the germs. Prevention: Flu To safeguard yourself from the flu, Vicks advises that you boost your immune system by sticking to a regular bedtime and keeping yourself fit and healthy. Due to the unpredictable nature of the flu, having the flu jab is also a wise course of action if youre more vulnerable to the illness than others. Those who are deemed as being high-risk, including people who are over 65, pregnant or have a serious health condition, are eligible for a free flu vaccine through the NHS. The flu jab will provide you with greater protection from the various strains of the flu that spread on an annual basis. Longevity: Cold Symptoms of a cold such as a high temperature and fatigue dont usually last longer than seven to 10 days in adults and older children, the NHS explains. For children under the age of five, colds can last for up to 10 to 14 days. While you may start to feel better a week or so after contracting a cold, you may still experience coughing and a buildup of mucus for around two to three weeks. As long as you have any symptoms of a cold, whether its the slightest cough or occasional sneeze, you will still pose the risk of infecting others with the virus. Longevity: Flu If you have the flu, your symptoms may start to abate after a week, although the NHS states that you might still feel weakened for a longer period of time. While you may make a full recovery in the space of a week or two, catching the flu could lead to a variety of other health problems if youre particularly susceptible to infection. Consequences: Cold The common cold does not usually lead to other serious health conditions. However, symptoms of a bacterial infection can sometimes be mistaken for those of a cold, in which case you could be at risk of further illness. These bacterial infections include conditions such as bronchitis and sinusitis. Consequences: Flu Those who are classified as being high-risk may find themselves more prone to developing severe illnesses following a bout of flu. While it is unlikely that a cold will manifest into pneumonia, bacterial infections or hospitalisation, this is a greater possibility for people with the flu than those suffering from a cold, as explained by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Treatment: Cold If you catch a cold, youll ordinarily be capable of treating yourself with a few simple measures. Recommended How flu turned my Christmas into a turkey While the common cold and the flu can be very unpleasant, they are unfortunately the result of viruses, which means they have no cure and patients are usually better off treating them at home with simple self-care remedies, Professor Stokes-Lampard outlines. The NHS has advised that anyone with a cold has plenty of rest, keeps themselves warm and drinks lots of fluids to avoid dehydration. You can also buy over-the-counter cough or cold medicines or pain relief from your local pharmacy to ease your symptoms and ensure your comfort. If you have a cough, drinking hot lemon with honey can have the same effect at soothing your throat as cough medicines, the NHS states. Treatment: Flu As with the cold, flu symptoms can often be treated from home by having lots of rest and taking medicine such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to lower your temperature. According to the NHS, GPs wont recommend you take antibiotics for flu as contrary to popular belief, they dont speed up your recovery. "Antibiotics are medicines used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Antibiotics don't work against infections caused by viruses, such as colds and flu," writes the Health Service Executive of Ireland. "So there's no point taking antibiotics to treat a cold or flu, and no point asking your doctor to prescribe them for a cold or flu." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Your local pharmacist can provide you with any additional advice on flu treatment should you need it. If you're suffering from the flu, Professor Stokes-Lampard advises taking some time to consider whether or not you need to visit a doctor or can be treated from home. We encourage patients who are ill to think hard about whether they do need to see a GP not just in terms of reducing pressures on the NHS, but to minimise the possibility of passing viruses, such as flu, to other people, particularly in at-risk groups, such as those with long-term conditions or pregnant women," the professor says. If your flu symptoms dont improve after seven days, then the NHS recommends arranging an appointment with your GP. Britons went all out on Sunday night in anticipation of the UEFA Euro 2020 finals, filling the pubs and streets or holding house parties with plenty of boozing before, during and after the game. So if youre waking up on Monday full of regret for overdoing it last night, medication can be tempting. But if youd prefer to avoid pharmaceuticals, there are natural solutions to try. While theres no such thing as a complete cure for a hangover, there are measures you can take to ease the pain while you wait out the unpleasant symptoms of a heavy night. Weve talked to nutritional experts to get the lowdown on some of natural hangover cures you could try instead. 1. Ginger Ginger has long been used in Chinese medicine as an anti-nausea measure. This traditional thinking is well-founded: A 2016 study concluded that the plant is an effective and inexpensive treatment for nausea. A cup of ginger tea the morning after a heavy night could be a cheap way of hitting two birds with one stone. Youll be replenishing some of that much-needed water, and also getting an important shot of stomach-calming ginger. Since ginger also has anti-inflammatory and heart benefits, you might just find yourself making it part of your daily routine. When it comes to getting ginger to taste good, registered nutritionist Rob Hobson recommends that you add one to two teaspoons of ginger powder, half a lemon and two teaspoons of honey to a teapot and fill with boiling water. Leave it to brew for five minutes before serving. The zingy flavour is very energising, and the honey will help to re-balance low blood sugar levels, he says. 2. A balanced breakfast Tea is well and good, but many of us can empathise with a lack of appetite for actual food the morning after drinking. Eating is also vital, though, with alcohol consumption hitting your blood glucose levels hard. Cliche would dictate that you tuck into the greasiest full English available, but our experts warn against this ditch the morning-after fried breakfast, says Hobson. Granola with sliced fruit can give you a hit of natural sugars and also get you some valuable vitamins as a bonus. Rhiannon Lambert, a Harley Street nutritionist and author of the book Re:Nourish, says: Foods containing potassium can help your body to recover lost electrolytes from a night of drinking. Bananas and avocados are good sources. 3. Prickly pear The prickly pear is a photogenic cactus with a vivid red fruit. Studies have shown that extract from this fruit can be used on hangovers to impressive effect. Its been found to reduce nausea, dizziness, and headaches, all of which sound pretty brilliant from the point of view of Britains hangover victims. If you want to try it out, look for a supplement called Hovenia Dulcis extract. 4. Artichoke extract Another extract to try is Artichoke. This supplement stimulates bile production and can help to relieve bloating and other symptoms of indigestion associated with alcohol consumption, says Hobson. 5. Water It may be the simplest cure, but its one of the most effective. Even relatively light drinking leads to dehydration. This, in turn, can cause the headaches, fatigue and lack of energy that so many of us associate with hangovers. When you wake up feeling rough, drinking a glass of water should be on the top of your to-do list. Lambert says that despite not being a big drinker, she is sure to drink more water on the days after shes had a glass of wine or two. Getting rehydrated will be even easier if you remember to drink a glass of water before going to bed at the end of your night but dont panic if you havent managed this. Making sure to take regular sips throughout your morning should still help you to feel better. 6. Sleep There really is no substitute for sleep, and alcohol can seriously damage the quality and quantity of our shut eye. Whether the night has gone on until the small hours, or drinking has impaired your ability to sleep, the downsides to even light sleep deprivation are significant. If youre feeling under the weather the following morning, make sure to schedule in an afternoon nap - and dont forget an early night at the end of the day. Always drink responsibly. For more information, visit Drinkaware.co.uk. As with the hordes of other possible Democratic contenders, Warren's challenge will be twofold. First, she'll need to distinguish herself from the crowd (A less cranky Sanders? A more progressive Gillibrand?). While she may drain support away from Sanders, her toughest competitor for the blue-collar populism crowd might be Brown, whose everyman style and Rust Belt roots give him an advantage over a wonkish former law professor. Second, and perhaps most critical, is the challenge of finding a voice and a message that will appeal both to Democrats' hearts and heads. Certainly, primary voters want to swoon over an articulate, charismatic figure, but more than anything, they want to win. Warren will have to wow voters with passion while convincing them she can hold her own against Trump, a task made harder by her DNA flub. The traditional role of an American president is to act presidentially and the role of his ambassador abroad is to be diplomatic. Donald Trump hasnt paid much regard to tradition since he won the White House. So we probably shouldnt be too surprised that his man in London hasnt lived up to his role either. Woody Johnson, the US ambassador to the UK, said today that if the UK parliament approves Theresa Mays Brexit deal, the chances of an ambitious trade deal with America are effectively dead. A man arrested under terror laws at Luton airport had volunteered to fight against Isis with US-backed Kurdish forces, it has emerged. Ozkan Ozdil, from London, was one of several British men and women who joined the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) in Syria. The Independent understands he left the front line some time ago and was arrested after arriving in the UK on a flight from his girlfriends home country of Serbia. Scotland Yard has not released Mr Ozdils identity, which was given to The Independent by associates, and refused to confirm what group the detained man was suspected of joining. In a statement following the arrest on Thursday evening, a spokesperson said: Officers from the Mets counterterrorism command arrested a 32-year-old man after he arrived at Luton airport on an inbound flight. He was arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts the arrest is Syria-related and not related to any offences at the airport. Mr Ozdil was interviewed at a police station in Bedfordshire and bailed until mid-January. He joined the YPG in Syria in 2016 and was attached to a combat medical unit, going on to fight in the battle to drive out Isis from its de-facto capital of Raqqa. Mr Ozdil met fellow British volunteers including Jac Holmes and Ryan Lock, who are among eight Brits so far killed after joining the YPG. Jac Holmes, a 24-year-old YPG volunteer from Bournemouth, died in Raqqa in 2017 (Instagram) Pro-Kurdish activists have been angered by his arrest, which they see as part of a campaign of harassment by British authorities targeting volunteer YPG fighters. Mark Campbell, co-chair of the Kurdistan Solidarity Campaign, said: "The UK government continues to attempt to criminalise the legitimate struggle of the Kurds on behalf of the Turkish regime, whose sole intention is the annihilation of the Kurdish people's movement. We call on Theresa May to stop this acquiescence with the racist criminalisation of the Kurdish movement and its friends." The YPG is considered a terrorist organisation by the Turkish government because of its links to the Kurdistan Workers Party, but is not proscribed in the UK. The group became a key partner for the US-led coalition fighting Isis in Syria, driving the terrorist group out of swathes of territory claimed in 2014. Turkey invaded Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria earlier this year and the YPG fears another bloody advance if Donald Trump pulls US troops from the region. Terror preparation offences have been used to prosecute foreign fighters as well as terror plotters in the UK. Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa atop of military vehicles REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces march past destroyed buildings as they celebrate victory REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces gesture the "V" sign in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces evacuate a civilian from the stadium REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures A civilian prays after she was rescued by fighters of Syrian Democratic Forces from the stadium REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters ride atop of military vehicles as they celebrate victory in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures Syrian Democratic Forces fighters celebrate victory in Raqqa REUTERS Syrian Democratic Forces take Raqqa from Isis in pictures A fighter of Syrian Democratic Forces celebrates in Raqqa Reuters Numerous YPG volunteers have been arrested under the laws by the Metropolitan Police, with officers frequently questioning them and seizing passports to prevent further travel. But few volunteers who fought against Isis have been charged and none have yet been successfully prosecuted. Jim Matthews, a former British army soldier, was charged with preparing acts of terrorism for allegedly attending a Kurdish training camp abroad in 2016, but the case was dropped before trial. Another YPG volunteer, Aidan James, was charged with the same offence but no date has been set for an upcoming hearing at the Old Bailey in London. The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to Syria since the start of the countrys civil war, and police have said anyone going to fight can be arrested regardless of their cause. A proposed law contained in the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill would see anyone entering designated areas abroad without a reasonable excuse jailed for up to 10 years. In the year to September, 40 per cent of terror suspects arrested were white, 33 per cent were Asian, 12 per cent were black and 14 per cent were recorded as other. Terror arrests fell by 31 per cent overall year-on-year, from 462 to 317, and more than half of suspects were released without charge. Two people have been killed after a car was driven the wrong way along a dual carriageway, police said. Officers were called after a car was seen driving towards oncoming traffic on the eastbound A13 in east London at about 1.45am on Monday. The car was involved in a head-on collision with a taxi, believed to be a London black cab, which was travelling in the opposite direction at the Witch's Hat Junction, near Dagenham. Both the driver of the car, a woman in her 70s, and the taxi driver, a man in his 40s, died, police confirmed. The Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service both attended the scene. Recommended Man killed in crash after driving wrong way along Yorkshire motorway A Met spokesman said: "Police were called to the Witch's Hat junction of the A13 in Dagenham at 01.45hrs on Monday, December 31 to reports of a car travelling the wrong way down the carriageway. Shortly afterwards, the car was involved in a collision with a taxi heading in the opposite direction. Despite the efforts of paramedics, the driver of the vehicle travelling in the wrong direction, a woman in her 70s, and the taxi driver, aged in his 40s, both died as a result of their injuries. Next of kin have not been informed. A far-right group has targeted students at Scottish universities as part of a recruitment drive. Posters for Generation Identity (GI) Scotland which is part of a pan-European white nationalist group appeared in the University of Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian University this month. The groups central ideology claims that white people are being replaced by ethnic minorities in Europe and calls for non-whites to be relocated from the continent. A GI poster, which was put up in a department at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: You are not alone. Patriots walk among you. Join the patriotic revolution. The same poster from the white supremacist group, which primarily targets under-30s on social media, was also erected at the University of Glasgow. Both universities in Glasgow have since removed the posters and the police were informed. A spokesperson for the University of Glasgow said: A poster from the organisation Generation Identity was removed and any others which appear will also be removed. Literature of this kind has no place on our campus. A spokesperson for Glasgow Caledonian University said: Three posters were removed as soon as they were discovered. The university has launched an investigation and notified Police Scotland in accordance with government policy. Glasgow Caledonian has a zero tolerance approach to literature which appears to promote extremist views, runs counter to the values of the University and is illegal. A Unite against Fascism spokesperson told the Daily Record: As traditional Nazi parties like the National Front or BNP have fallen apart, new groups like Generation Identity are a dangerous next generation of fascists. They are savvy with social media, produce slick videos and they do high-profile stunts, all aimed at drawing young people into their poisonous web of hate. They are also clever with their use of language, shying away from obvious racist statements but we can see from across the Continent that whenever they get organised, violent racist attacks follow. Police are treating as unexplained the death of a man whose body was found on a building site in north London. Paramedics reported they had found a mans body in Filey Avenue, Stamford Hill, on Monday morning. The Metropolitan Police said it was still investigating the circumstances surrounding the mans death. A spokeswoman for the force said: Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at around 9.27am on Monday, 31 December to a man found deceased at a building site on Filey Avenue, Hackney. Officers attended the scene. Recommended Police arrest 39 over attempted murder following London stabbing At this early stage the death is being treated as unexplained. Next of kin have not yet been informed. Enquiries continue. Londons famous New Years Eve fireworks will celebrate the citys relationship with Europe, mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said. This year's display will form part of the mayor's #LondonIsOpen campaign, which was set up in the summer to show that despite Brexit, London will always be open to the world, proud of our diversity and inclusive to everyone". Roughly 100,000 spectators will gather along the Thames from 8pm to watch the fireworks. Every year our capital puts on the greatest fireworks show in the world with the spectacular images of our skyline shared all around the globe, Mr Khan said. Im proud that this year the millions watching around the world will see us send a message of support to more than one million EU citizens who call London their home. By paying tribute to our close relationship with Europe as we welcome in the New Year, we will once again show the world that London will always be open. Tickets for the event have already sold out but the display will be broadcast on BBC One for people staying at home on New Years Eve. The theme for this years fireworks is unsurprising given how vocal Mr Khan has been about his concerns over how Brexit will affect the capital. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In September, the Labour mayor warned London's "celebrated multiculturalism and diversity" was "under attack". He has also warned about the economic impact of Brexit, citing research claiming that crashing out of the EU without a deal could lead to 500,000 fewer jobs in Britain by 2030. The former Tooting MP has backed a Final Say referendum after saying he had become increasingly alarmed as the chaotic approach to the negotiations had become mired in confusion and deadlock. On 7 January, MPs will return from a two-week recess and the first major decision facing them in 2019 will be whether to back or reject Theresa Mays Brexit deal one of the most crucial votes in the Commons in recent years. It appears unlikely the prime minister will accept Jeremy Corbyns challenge made in a recent interview with The Independent to recall parliament early, so the vote remains set to go ahead in the week beginning 14 January. It had of course been pencilled in for 11 December, but after three days of debate Ms May made the decision to postpone the vote in the face of a near-certain defeat and suggestions that around 100 Conservative MPs could vote against the deal. Jeremy Corbyn has used his new year message to accuse Theresa Mays government of plunging the country into crisis by making a mess of Brexit. The Labour leader said that the prime ministers efforts to force through her withdrawal agreement in a crunch Commons vote next month, were letting people down all across the country, whether they voted Leave or Remain. In the message, released on social media on Monday morning, he said that the UK was full of talent which was being held back by the economic system and Conservative rule. He committed Labour to uniting a divided country by creating a society where the talent of everyone is unleashed. Theres so much talent across Britain but were being held back by a system that for far too long has only served a privileged few, said Mr Corbyn. And now the Conservatives have plunged the country into crisis over the complete mess theyve made of Brexit, trying to drive through a bad deal and letting people down all across the country whether they voted Leave or Remain. Eight years of damaging Tory failure has left us with a divided country where millions are struggling to make ends meet, where so many cant afford a home to call their own, where older people are deprived of the dignity they deserve and far too many are working in low paid and insecure jobs. Britain before Brexit: Wales Show all 16 1 /16 Britain before Brexit: Wales Britain before Brexit: Wales Swansea A giant anonymous message calls after a shopper leaving the town centre, his bags full with advent calendars and Christmas wrapping paper, reminding him of the non-material hes lacking. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Wrexham Two notices occupy the same wall, both white, both prohibitive. Yet the distance between them goes further than the grey bricks: they are separated by political and everyday concerns, by enmity and whats simply not allowed. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Cardiff Another tent pitched in a British town centre, adding to those I saw in Coventry and Margate and Great Yarmouth and elsewhere. It looks so out of place, so unadapted, and I can almost hear the bitter scrape of a tent peg on concrete, unable to penetrate, unable to settle in and secure. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Swansea Its jarring to see the sanitised whiteness of the hospital on the high street. Its clinical, no frills description is at odds with the puns and the slogans of big-name brands. Yet its more mysterious too: the crucial details are absent, only its origin is laid bare as a clue. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Merthyr Tydfil The site of the former police station, now demolished, the ground bare behind bars. The sign hangs like an historical artefact, revealing not only what once was, but how the public and the law were divided. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Aberystwyth Thank you notes to God are displayed in St. Michaels Church. Im interested in how people interpret His role in their lives and how they express gratitude. I try to ignore innuendo when I see this note, and consider the vague completeness of Gods contribution. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Port Talbot A view of the Tata Steelworks from an underpass by the M4. It flanks the southern side of the motorway, facing the hills to the north and the town between and below. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Swansea A disused road sign, first in Welsh, then in English, propped up against a tanning shop. The surface of the body designed to sell the product has been satirised with graffiti in Arabic: Oh, fire of my heart! I read the message as a subversive play on heat and attraction in our society, counterposing the superficial, sexualised burning of the bodys exterior (tanning) with the purer, warmer image of the interior fire of love. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Aberystwyth The university Geography Society beats the History Society in a drinking competition. Participants turn glasses over above their heads to prove that theyre empty. Student supporters cheer from the balconies in drunken delirium. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Port Talbot A distinctly twenty-first-century British hieroglyphic. A symbol conveying an obsession with virility, with its tendency to tarnish and spoil, to reduce everything it touches to an insignificant canvas for its power. I would say it has something to do with Port Talbots phallic steelworks and their daily emission, if I hadnt seen it so much elsewhere in Britain. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Merthyr Tydfil Children imagine the future of the town, and in so doing transform the present, from something static and fixed to a place of becoming, where now is simply a transitional phase, pregnant with the utopian possibilities of Las Tydfil, a place combining two of Britains strongest currents: environmentalism and gambling. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Cardiff The Welsh Dragon is printed on plastic bags probably because the company thinks it can sell more products by tapping into the countrys niche patriotism. Yet, it also means that the Welsh Dragon is being treated as rubbish, thrown to the gutter, trashed in landfill, left as litter in a mess of detritus. Richard Morgan Britain before Brexit: Wales Cardiff Black Friday on Queen Street. The street is lined with commercial exclamations - of sales and deals and time running out - that sometimes appear better as ironic parodies of the fate of the capitals rough sleepers than notices of the products and bargains they promote. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Swansea An anarchist imperative opposite the prison wall, suggesting to the residential area that fundamental, wholesale social change cannot come about through participating in the democratic political process, but only by rejecting it, confronting it, and rising against it. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Merthyr Tydfil Investment cut in half. The promise of a sale broken. Once an announcement, now discarded to the street, visible only to those looking down, more meaningful now than ever before, in the company of rotting autumn. Richard Morgan/The Independent Britain before Brexit: Wales Wrexham The town has a similar accent to the Liverpudlian one. There are hints that it shares an undercurrent of resentment towards The Sun newspaper too. Richard Morgan/The Independent Mr Corbyn said: We cannot go on like this. Labour is ready to deliver a radical alternative to rebuild and transform our country. He promised: Well stand up to the powerful few so that the wealth you create is shared fairly not hoarded by a privileged elite. Well work to create a society where the talent of everyone is unleashed. Thats how well unite our country. Press Association A major utility company in California could face murder charges should it be found criminally liable for any of the recent deadly wildfires, according to the states attorney general. The company, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), could be charged wit those serious crimes if it is determined that it acted with malice in the way that it operated and maintained equipment, court papers filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said. The filing came on Friday in Northern Californias federal district court, and follows a US district judge ordered PG&E to determine if it had played any role in starting the Camp Fire, which killed at least 88 people. That judge, William Alsup, is overseeing a different case against PG&E in the wake of a 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion that killed eight people and injured dozens more. That explosion occurred just south of San Francisco. The utility company the largest in the state has acknowledged that its equipment could have potentially played a part in sparking the Camp Fire, according to a document obtained by CNBC last month. The Camp Fire was the deadliest fire in the states history, beginning on 8 November. All told, the fire destroyed 240 square miles in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and destroyed almost the entire town of Paradise. 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 It is not certain that the company will face serious charges like murder, however, and prosecutors have indicated that they would need to probe the utilitys operations, maintenance, and safety practices. During that time, prosecutors would need to determine that the company had committed a crime with the requisite mental intent before a charge like murder could arise. Lesser charges could be filed if the company did not properly clear areas near power lines and poles, according to the court filing. A womens march rally has been cancelled over concerns the turnout would be overwhelmingly white. The demonstration, in the town of Eureka in northern California, was due to take place on 19 January but the event has now been called off because it lacks representation from across the community. Organisers said the decision, which comes amid friction in the wider womens march movement, followed a number of conversations with leading local activists and supporters of the march. Up to this point, the participants have been overwhelmingly white, lacking representation from several perspectives in our community, said a statement on Facebook. Instead of pushing forward with crucial voices absent, the organising team will take time for more outreach. The Eureka group, which does not appear to be an official California chapter of the Womens March, said it was looking into holding an event in March to celebrate International Womens Day. It also encouraged local residents to attend a separate celebration on Martin Luther King Jr Day in Eureka on 21 January. Although many of the Facebook groups members heaped praise on campaigners attempts to diversify the rally, others criticised the choice. Local organisers have let themselves be duped, what kind of crowd do they expect when you have 77.86 per cent of the population being white? group member Terri Selfridge wrote. Organisers PLEASE RECONSIDER!!! I was appalled to be honest, Amy Sawyer Longwrote said. 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. David Holper added: I was really saddened to hear that the march wont be happening this year. Isnt there still time to reach out to minority groups and pull this together? 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 Census Bureau data from July shows that Humboldt County, where Eureka is located, is about 74 per cent non-Hispanic white. The decision to call off the event comes after a planned Womens March rally was cancelled in Chicago in January. Organisers said it would be called off because they had already put so much time, money, energy and effort" into a "march to the polls" event ahead of the midterm elections in November. They also referred to high costs and lack of volunteer hours. The Chicago branch of the Womens March has criticised the national initiatives relationship with Louis Farrakhan - the leader of the Nation of Islam. The group is deemed to be an antisemitic hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Centre. A number of other regional chapters have distanced themselves from the national group over the leaders' ties to Mr Farrakhan, who has made antisemitic comments in the past - including saying the powerful Jews are my enemy. 20 January is the date of the third annual Womens March, which was first held in Washington DC, the day after US president Donald Trumps inauguration, with hundreds of sister marches planned in communities across the world. The first Womens March - which sought to promote equal rights for women and defend marginalised groups - was criticised. Some argued there was a lack of diversity among those who attended and the speakers selected. Another factor to consider is that our district like so many around the country is changing. The 6th Congressional District has added more than 6,000 Hispanic and Asian-American voters since 2016, according to a report by New American Economy. The report shows that in this election, all of the districts that flipped from red to blue have increased their share of Hispanic and Asian-American voters since 2016 and that, in the races that decided the House of Representatives, the anti-immigrant platform lost. Roskam did not rally for immigrant families, whereas Casten ran pro-immigration ads focused on protections for so-called Dreamers. A track athlete warned the police about her ex-boyfriend six times in the space of just 10 days before he murdered her. Lauren McCluskey, a 21-year-old University of Utah student, was fatally shot by 37-year-old Melvin Rowland on 22 October. Rowland, a convicted sex offender who had spent more than a decade in prison, killed himself hours later after a police chase. Reports by the University of Utah Department of Public Safety and the Utah Department of Public Safety, along with publicly released 911 calls, now reveal that Ms McCluskey voiced concerns to police officers six times in the 10 days before she was murdered. Two of her friends reported their concerns over Ms McCluskeys relationship and safety to the resident adviser at their dorm on 30 September. An official report was filed to the housing officials a day later but after a brief review, they chose not to overstep in assistance to Lauren unless she was seeking support. Ms McCluskeys parents called campus police on 10 October a day after their daughter broke up with Rowland after discovering he had been lying about his age and criminal background. Rowland was supposed to return her car and they were concerned he may hurt their daughter when he did. Campus police escorted Ms McCluskey to the exchange of the car. Ms McCluskey filed a complaint with campus police at a later date alleging Rowland had demanded money in exchange for not posting compromising pictures of the couple online. She had sent $1,000 to an account in the hope of protecting her reputation, university police chief Dale Brophy said in October. 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 He said police were investigating the case as sexual extortion and knew Rowland was a sex offender but not that he was on parole. Before her murder, Rowland had been lurking on campus for days trying to confront Ms McCluskey, who had broken up with him weeks earlier, the police chief said. He said Rowland spent the hours before the fatal shooting in Ms McCluskeys dorm building socialising with her friends. Ms McCluskey voiced frustration when she called Salt Lake City Police on 19 October saying police at the University of Utah were not doing enough to stop his harassment of her after she ended their short relationship. Im worried because Ive been working with the campus police at the U, and last Saturday I reported and I havent gotten an update, she told Salt Lake City Police dispatch in a 911 call. They havent updated or done anything, she added. On 22 October, her dad called the campus police and 911, after overhearing her get attacked while she was on the phone with her parents. However, it was too late, as Rowland had shot her in the head and killed her. The review of the killing found University of Utah officers did not know how to look up criminal background or parole information. It also found that Rowland had been released on parole three separate times and had violated his parole and returned to prison twice. The university said these issues were system-wide rather than being linked to any individual wrongdoing or mistakes. The review teams report identified gaps in training, awareness and enforcement of certain policies rather than lapses in individual performance, the university said. We respectfully disagree with the conclusion that Laurens murder could not have been prevented, Ms McCluskeys parents wrote in a rebuttal to the review. There were numerous opportunities to protect her during the almost two weeks between the time when our daughter began expressing repeated, elevating and persistent concerns about her situation and the time of her murder. More than 1,000 women are murdered by intimate partners every year in the US. Roughly 75 per cent of women who are murdered by their abusive partner are killed when they try to end the relationship. A young intern has been killed by a lion after it escaped from what was meant to be a locked enclosure. Alexandra Black, 22, was attacked by the big cat while its cage was being cleaned at the Conservators Center in North Carolina on Sunday. The lion was shot and killed after several attempts to sedate it with a tranquilliser failed, according to police. A husbandry team led by a professionally trained animal keeper was carrying out the routine cleaning when the lion somehow escaped, the centre said in a statement. It also noted that it was still not clear how the lion got out of the area that was supposed to be locked. Recommended Dynasties crew responsible for calling vets on poisoned cub Ms Black, of New Palestine, Indiana, had only been working at the wildlife park for about two weeks. This is the worst day of my life. Weve lost a person. Weve lost an animal. We have lost the faith in ourselves a little today, said Mindy Stinner, executive director of the Conservators Centre, according to WTVD-TV . Miss Black had graduated from Indiana University in May with a degree in animal behaviour, according to her LinkedIn page. She was a beautiful young woman who had just started her career, there was a terrible accident, and we are mourning, her family said in a statement, according to news outlets. But, she died following her passion. 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 centre said the lion was fatally shot to allow county personnel to retrieve Ms Black. The facility was founded in 1999 and is in Burlington, about 50 miles northwest of Raleigh. On its website, the centre said it began giving public tours in 2007 and gets more than 16,000 visitors annually. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It has more than a dozen employees and currently houses more than 80 animals, including tigers, lions and coyotes. It took in 14 lions and tigers in 2004 to assist the US Department of Agriculture with caring for animals that were living in unacceptable conditions. While the centre did not disclose the name of the lion involved in the incident, CBS reported it was a male named Matthai. In its statement the centre said it was devastated by the loss of a human life, and confirmed it will be closed until further notice. Additional reporting by AP. New York City pharmacies will be prohibited from selling cigarettes and other tobacco products from New Year's Day. The tobacco ban also includes businesses that also contain pharmacies like supermarkets or big-box stores, the Wall Street Journal reported. The change will impact about 500 pharmacies who are currently selling cigarettes and tobacco products. The new regulation comes on the heels of a ban on pharmacy sales of electronic cigarettes that took effect in late August. Typically, a pack of cigarettes cost around $13 in New York City. It is the highest price in the entire United States. Despite restrictions and high tobacco taxes, there are still more than 873,000 smokers in New York City. Some business owners are critical of the ban. Al Gentile, the owner of Staten Islands St. George Pharmacy, told the Associated Press that cigarette sales enticed customers to shop at the store and ended up making other purchases. Mr Gentile said the government should not ban pharmacies from selling tobacco products while it can be purchased elsewhere. But health experts disagree. Sonia Angell, a deputy health commissioner, said its important for pharmacies to promote health. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Dr. Herminia Palacio, the deputy mayor for Health and Human Services, told ABC News pharmacies selling cigarettes are antithetical to its wellness-related purpose. "People trust pharmacies to help them stay well -- they should be helping smokers quit, not the opposite." California is set to become the first US state to ban the sale of cats, dogs and rabbits in pet shops unless they are from rescue centres. The law, which takes effect from 1 January, was conceived as a way to crack down on so-called kitten factories and puppy mills. Such high volume operations that breed animals for profit have been associated with inhumane conditions and long-term health problems for the animals. Known as AB 485, the bill means pet shops will have to provide records of each animals origin or face a $500 (391) penalty. Californians will still be able to purchase non-rescue animals from private breeders. The Pet Rescue and Adoption Act was originally introduced by assembly member Patrick ODonnell and signed into law by California governor Jerry Brown in October 2017. Mr ODonnell said the law was a big win for our four-legged friends, and also for taxpayers, given the $250m (196m) spent every year to house and euthanise shelter animals in the state. The legislation requires each shop to maintain records on all dogs, cats and rabbits, and post in a conspicuous location on the cage or enclosure of each animal a sign outlining where they came from. It also states shops must comply with laws that require animals to be spayed or neutered. Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Show all 8 1 /8 Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Jennifer Nelson, senior keeper at Zoo Miami, leads a cheetah named Koda to a hurricane resistant structure within the zoo, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017 in Miami. AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Ryan Martinez, a trainer at Zoo Miami, places an Eurasion Eagle Owl into a crate AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Flamingos at Zoo Miami, are shown in a temporary enclosure in a hurricane resistant structure within the zoo, (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Brown pelicans and an American white pelican take refuge in a shelter ahead of the downfall of Hurricane Irma at the zoo in Miami REUTERS/Adrees Latif Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami An African crested porcupine is moved into a shelter ahead of the downfall of Hurricane Irma at the zoo in Miami, Florida, REUTERS/Adrees Latif Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami A macaw parrot looks out of it's cage after being put into a shelter REUTERS/Adrees Latif Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami An African grey parrot is moved into a shelter ahead of the downfall of Hurricane Irma REUTERS/Adrees Latif Animals take shelter from Hurricane Irma at Zoo Miami Cheetahs are photographed in a shelter ahead of the downfall of Hurricane Irma at the zoo in Miami, Florida, REUTERS/Adrees Latif According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), more than 6.5 million pets are placed in shelters in the US every year, and 1.5 million are put down. Judie Mancuso, president and founder of NGO Social Compassion in Legislation, welcomed the law when it was first suggested as a bold step forward. However, the change was opposed by the American Kennel Club, which argued it would mean more people purchasing pets that were not a good match for them. Critics think the new law would make it difficult for prospective owners to find popular breeds, noting that the genetic and medical histories of shelter animals are not always known. Others have suggested it could put shops out of business. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events While California is the first state to enact a state-wide law, other areas have brought in similar legislation at a local level. The move comes after the UK government confirmed the introduction of a similar ban on third-party puppy and kitten sales in England. Under the plans, currently out to consultation, those wanting to buy pets under six months old will have to choose a rescue animal or visit a private breeder. Dubbed Lucys Law after the case of a mistreated cavalier King Charles spaniel, the legislation was also intended to crack down on low animal welfare standards in the breeding industry. Batterseas chief executive Claire Horton welcomed the move against unscrupulous puppy dealers lining their pockets with no regard for animal welfare. She said: Properly enforced, this will help put an end to dogs being used as breeding machines and kept in shocking conditions. A seven-year-old girl has died after an unknown gunman opened fire on the car she was being driven in. Jazmine Barnes was shot as her family drove out of a Walmart car park in Texas. She was in the car with her mother and three sisters when a man driving a red pickup truck pulled up beside them and started firing. Jazmine and her mother, LaPorsha Washington, were hit by bullets. Ms Washington was taken to hospital to be treated for her injuries, but Jazmine was pronounced dead at the scene. 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 Another child in the car suffered minor injuries from glass fragments. The attacker fled the scene and remains at large. Harris County sheriff Ed Gonzalez tweeted to say: Please keep this family in your prayers. A total of 5 occupants in the car witnessed this innocent child, their loved one, shot and killed before their eyes. So senseless. Its never easy, and extra hard during the holiday season. Police said the shooter wore a red hoodie and drove a red pickup truck. He was described as white, bearded and in his 40s. Donald Trump has denied abandoning his plan for a concrete border wall, but says that part of the proposed barrier with Mexico will be see-through. His tweet came as critics questioned whether the president is reneging on an election pledge to build a wall between the US and Mexico, after outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly said in an interview, To be honest, its not a wall. We left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. Mr Trump spoke out on via Twitter on Monday morning, writing: An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me! A partial government shutdown is currently under way over funding for his proposed border barrier; the president says he wants $5bn, but Democrats have refused to meet his demands. President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Show all 36 1 /36 President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Hannah McKay (Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President Donald Trump walk away after holding a joint news conference at Chequers) "This was the third and final time I was photographing Donald Trump during his working visit to the UK. I'd noticed he had a tendency to hold Theresa May by the hand when they used stairs, so I lay on the floor for fifteen minutes waiting for the pair to exit via some steps. As they did, Trump took May by the arm and shouted over his shoulder, "Yes" in response to the question "Mr. President, will you tell Putin to stay out of the U.S elections?" - from a reporter in the press conference." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump confers with White House Communications Director Hope Hicks as Press Secretary Sarah Sanders listens) "I stayed in the room after our reporters had left, and seemingly unnoticed like the cliched 'fly on the wall', I was witness to this unusual moment." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Chris Bergin (A supporter of Trump and Republican senate candidate Mike Braun at an election night party in Indianapolis) "I saw the colour-coordinated woman in the back of the ball room while covering mid-term elections. She stood out to me because she was lit by a single overhead light that created deep shadows." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Shannon Stapleton (Stormy Daniels, puts her shoe back on after passing through a security screening, as she arrives at federal court) "On the morning that I took this picture there was a mad scrum outside the courthouse to get a picture of Stormy Daniels. She didn't enter the regular entrance of a media gauntlet that was set up for her. I placed myself by a window where I saw her passing through the metal detector. Shooting through the window was difficult but I was able to make the frame." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump appears on the South Portico of the White House with the Easter Bunny during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll) "There are many holiday events at the White House, but one of the most light-hearted happens during Easter, when the President shows up at the balcony of the South Portico accompanied by someone in a big Easter bunny costume. I didn't have the best position, but towards the end, the bunny stood behind the President and I was able to take this shot." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (Melania Trump wearing a jacket with the phrase "I Really Don't Care. Do U?" on the back after a visit to the US-Mexico border in Texas) "I could not see the words on Melania's jacket when she boarded Air Force One. I only heard about it once airborne. But there was no way I was going to miss it again, and to my utter astonishment, she was wearing it once more upon her return to Washington." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (A White House staff member reaches for the microphone held by CNN's Jim Acosta as he questions President Trump during a news conference following the midterm congressional elections) "Covering politics has always felt to me like photographing a live theatre production - the actors and stage are usually set in a familiar way. But even if you've seen a specific play many times, there is always the possibility that there will be something exciting or new. It became obvious during this exchange that the dialogue was going in a different direction than expected, and I took it as a cue to make sure I gave the scene extra attention." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Trump boards Air Force One for travel to Ohio) "We photograph departures and landings hundreds of times. Sometimes, as in this case, the clouds or the light can give you a little gift." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (Donald and Melania Trump stand beside French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife on a visit to the estate of the first US President George Washington) "I'm always happy for events that take us off the White House campus and provide new visual opportunities. This day, when the Trumps feted the Macrons at George Washington's historic estate, it provided just the right contrast for the stylish leader-couples as they took their spots for an otherwise posed moment." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump gestures after arriving in Pennsylvania to take part in the annual September 11 observance) "Celebratory fist pumps on a national day of mourning and reflection caught even the most seasoned of us off guard." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Peter Nicholls (Demonstrators fly a baby Trump blimp in London's Parliament Square, during his UK visit) "I took this picture of the Trump blimp from a wall at the back of Parliament Square, to get a clear view from above the crowd, as it was revealed for the first time, prior to a day of protests during his visit to the UK, mid-July." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Donald Trump and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un walk together before their working lunch during their summit in Singapore) "On a historic and difficult day, it was fun to look for the odd angle or expression. Here, Trump and Kim walk away after impromptu remarks to reporters - which clearly pleased the North Korean leader." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Ronen Zvulun (Ivanka Trump and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stand next to the dedication plaque at the new US embassy in Jerusalem) "I shot this picture when I was standing on a platform really close to Ivanka Trump. I knew exactly where to stand and what lens to use because I did a tour the day before. I knew this was the key picture we had been waiting for since the story broke some weeks before." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (The imprint of French President Emmanuel Macron's thumb across the back of Trump's hand at a bilateral meeting at the G7 Summit) "This is taken right after the first photo-op the two presidents had at the G7 summit after they had a tense back-and-forth on Twitter. They were smiling but Macron gripped Trump's hand quite hard and I noticed that it left a visible impression on Trump's hand." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki) "Body language can give an ordinary photo much more meaning, and here, Trump and Putin did not disappoint." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Joshua Roberts (A father of a Florida shooting victim tries to shake hands with Brett Kavanaugh during his US Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation) "This moment happened in a break in testimony. Kavanaugh seemed surprised as Guttenberg approached but as he turned away he looked anxious. Kavanaugh later said he did not understand who Guttenberg was at the time." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlo Allegri (First lady Melania Trump visits the Pyramids in Cairo) "The First Lady had taken a tour of African nations and could not depart the continent without a visit to the incredible pyramids of Egypt where I, as part of the traveling press pool, was able to make this photo of her looking out over Giza Pyramid Complex." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Brian Snyder (Trump and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel hold a joint news conference in the White House) "The East Room felt tense even before President Trump and Chancellor Merkel entered for their joint news conference. With Merkel's podium behind the President's from my vantage point, she seemed to want to keep an eye on him. The East Room was very full for the joint news conference, with photographers on ladders all around the perimeter." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (White House counselor Kellyanne Conway gives an interview at the White House) "This is a fairly common scene at the White House, especially with Kellyanne Conway. Often the press will wait yards off while she or another member of the Trump administration gives a live interview. Conway will then walk past the rest of the press, and everyone hopes that she will give another interview to the group." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Francois Lenoir (President Trump attends a meeting of the North Atlantic Council during a NATO summit in Brussels) "I like the contrast in the photograph. The presence of U.S. President Trump posing smiling and the lack of interest of the officials in the background." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Thomas Musolino wears a mask of President Trump while holding his daughter Gianna during a Trump campaign rally) "The President's rallies are well-known at this point, we attend a lot of them as members of the White House travel pool. This father-daughter situation really stood out from the crowd because of the juxtaposition of the mask and the tenderness between the two of them." REUTERS/Leah Millis SEARCH "TRUMP POY" FOR FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "REUTERS POY" FOR ALL BEST OF 2018 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. LEAH MILLIS Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump observes a demonstration with US Army 10th Mountain Division troops as he visits Fort Drum) "President Trump often talks about how much he likes big planes and tanks, and the 'beautiful military.' This summer he had a up-close look during a visit to a military base in New York state, where he signed the National Defense Authorization Act." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jim Bourg (Christine Blasey Ford closes her eyes as she is sworn in before testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Trump's Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh) "The moment looks peaceful as if Christine Blasey Ford had closed her eyes in thought, but the image actually reflects the fact that in the nine seconds that she had her hand up to be sworn in to testify, she blinked several times. Blasey Ford began her testimony by saying: 'I am here today not because I want to be. I am terrified. I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me while Brett Kavanaugh and I were in high school.'" REUTERS/Jim Bourg SEARCH "TRUMP POY" FOR FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "REUTERS POY" FOR ALL BEST OF 2018 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY. JIM BOURG Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (Supporters listen as President Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Montana) "As a White House photographer I'm always looking for a way to connect the President, Donald Trump, with a place. Before the mid-term elections Trump spent six days campaigning across the country, and at most of the rallies the visual elements were so similar that it was impossible to say whether we were in Florida or Alaska. In this case, though, the context was obvious. We arrived at a rally in Montana and I noticed a group of Native Americans wearing traditional headdresses behind the podium. For me this was the picture of the day." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (Trump meets with supporters from a group called "Bikers for Trump" at the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey) "President Trump likes to be celebrated by supporters, and none better than a group known as "Bikers for Trump," who visited him at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this summer. Unfortunately, it poured down that day and plans for an outdoor event gave way to a short visit inside the clubhouse for a group photo." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (A protester is removed during acting CIA Director Gina Haspel's testimony at her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing) "Just like sports, you have to follow the action. This time, I followed it out of the hearing room and into the hallway." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (President Trump speaks at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Convention) "I took this photograph as the pool was being ushered out to leave right before Trump's speech was supposed to end. These are the images we take after we have taken the literal, newsy ones." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Kevin Lamarque (President Trump and Melania at the Flight 93 National Memorial) "A somber moment, this image came together because of the scale and symmetry of the wall panels and the people in the photo." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo awaits the start of a news conference) "I always say that as photojournalists we photograph through the lens of the lives we live, including the books we read, the music we listen to, the movies we watch. As I was waiting for President Trump to arrive at an event one day, I noticed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo standing right behind me in classic dark sunglasses. The image of John Belushi in the movie "The Blues Brothers" crossed my mind." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump speaks during the commemoration ceremony for Armistice Day at the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial in Paris) "During a recent visit to France and just days after a gunman opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue, President Trump visited a WWI cemetery to honor American soldiers. As he spoke, I noted a gravestone at a side angle A a single Star of David in the middle of rows and rows of crosses. I felt in this moment, the image carried more meaning than the words." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (Alex van der Zwaan goes through security at the US District Court after arriving for his sentencing) "Everyone has to go through security, no matter who you are. He seemed to embrace the inevitable as the woman with the wand asked him to turn around, facing him back towards the doors where many of the news media were still gathered." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Missouri) "In a last push before the mid-term elections, President Trump traveled for six consecutive days, attending two or three rallies a day, to boost Republican candidates. Most of the rallies were held in airport hangars for an easy flight in and out. Sometimes, the rallies were held in the middle of the night, like this one at Columbia Regional Airport in Columbia, Missouri." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Trump holds his prepared questions as he hosts a listening session with high school students and teachers to discuss school safety at the White House) "This event was loaded with raw emotion as school shooting victims from across the country described their experience as student-survivors or as friends and family who never stop mourning dead children. President Trump was given a hand-written card by one of his aides to help him navigate the emotional meeting, and pictures of the card helped tell the story of the day." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Carlos Barria (President Trump behind the reflection of a House chamber railing as Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of the US Congress) "The State of the Union speech is one of the most important political events at the beginning of the year. We usually photograph it from several fixed positions, but this year I was assigned to be the 'rotating' photographer, meaning I could move around on the balcony and shoot from different angles, but only during short windows of time. During one of those windows, I found an interesting play of light reflected off a gold-colored railing, which, at a certain angle, could be seen to fall over the president." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst (President Trump arriving at Nashville International Airport) "One of my favorite photographers, Sam Abell, likes to quote his father: "Bad weather makes good pictures." In addition to the weather, the controlled chaos of White House press handlers and Secret Service agents help make pictures like this possible." Reuters President Trump: a year of high drama at home and abroad Reuters photographer Leah Millis (White House Communications Director Hope Hicks leaves after attending the House Intelligence Committee closed door meeting) "This is the product of about seven hours of waiting and lots of team work involving constant coordination to guess where to wait in order to capture Hope Hicks as she left the hill. Luckily, there were several cameramen along for the moment and their lighting captured her perfectly." Reuters The shutdown has stretched into a second week, and theres no end in sight. On Sunday, Mr Trump pointed to the wall former President Obama built around his Washington DC home as a reason why Congress should fund the southern border wall. President and Mrs Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their DC mansion/compound, he tweeted. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The US needs the same thing, slightly larger version! This is Mr Kellys final week in the White House after 17 months in the role. He had been widely regarded as one of the few stabilising figures in the Trump administration. Three confidants of Donald Trump, including his departing chief of staff, have indicated that the US president's pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico border will not be fulfilled as advertised. Mr Trump's promise to build the wall was a key part of his election campaign in 2016. More recently, he 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 that Mr Trump had abandoned the notion of "a solid concrete wall early on in the administration". "To be honest, it's not a wall," Mr 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 adviser Kellyanne Conway called discussions of the apparent contradiction "a silly semantic argument". She told Fox News Sunday: "There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements. "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." Senator Lindsey Graham, a 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". Michael Moore: I want to see 'as many' Trump family members 'in orange jumpsuits as possible' in 2019 Mr Graham said Mr Trump was "open-minded" about a broader immigration agreement, saying the budget impasse presented an opportunity to address issues beyond the border wall. However, a previous attempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of "Dreamers" - young immigrants brought to the US as children - broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Mr 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 Mr Trump that "there will never be a deal without wall funding". 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 Mr Graham proposed to help two groups of immigrants get approval to continue living in the US: about 700,000 young "Dreamers" brought into the US 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 US 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," Mr Graham said. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The partial government shutdown began on December 22 after Mr Trump bowed to conservative demands that he should 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 looks set to spread and to extend into the new year. AP Democrat senator Elizabeth Warren has taken her first big step towards a run for the presidency in 2020. Ms Warren, who has frequently criticised the conduct of Donald Trump, has formed an exploratory committee to run for the White House. The Massachusetts senator released a video in which she outlines her vision of a path to opportunity for all Americans, not just the wealthy. Thats the America Im fighting for. And thats why today Im launching an exploratory committee for president, she said. It had long been expected that Ms Warren would seek the presidency, particularly after releasing a DNA test showing her Native American heritage after previously coming under scrutiny. Recommended Elizabeth Warren struggles with black voters ahead of 2020 However, the senator was widely criticised for the move, which was aimed at stopping repeated taunts by Mr Trump. She and the president frequently clashed through the 2016 presidential campaign with Mr Trump casting aspersions on her claims, referring to her as Pocahontas. Ms Warrens use of a genetic test to prove ethnicity merely prolonged the controversy, with Mr Trump claiming it did not prove her case at all, and it seemed to blunt any argument she sought to make. There was no direct mention of it in the video released on Monday. 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 Ms Warren shot to national prominence a decade ago during the financial crisis, with calls for greater consumer protections. Despite clashing with the Obama administration over the response to the crisis Ms Warren quickly become one of the most recognisable liberal voices in the Democratic Party. The video released on Monday plays to those credentials, noting the economic challenges facing people of colour along with images of a womens march and Ms Warrens participation at an LGBT+ event. The move from the senator who would be expected to base any campaign in Boston comes just a couple days after she dropped the Massachusetts prefix from her official Twitter account handle. Speaking to supporters outside her Massachusetts home on Monday, Ms Warren stopped short of saying that she would reject support from super PACs which allow for unlimited contributions from corporations and big donors to support a candidate, but cannot coordinate directly with campaigns and insisted that winning the presidency could be achieved only through grassroots and a wide berth of support. She also insisted that she plans on running a campaign focusing on issues of income and wealth inequality, education prices and others, not just against Mr Trump. I think the central part of winning this is to get out to talk with the people about what were fighting for. We want a government that works not just for the rich and the powerful. We want a government that works for everyone. And we can make that happen, Ms Warren said. In an email to supporters, Ms Warren said she would announce a final decision on her campaign early in 2019. Mr Trump has not responded to the announcement, but Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said on Twitter that Ms Warren was another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud. Ms Warren is the most prominent Democrat yet to make a move towards a presidential bid, although that will likely soon change as what is expected to be a crowded Democrat field begins to take shape in the new year. In mid-December, former Barack Obama housing chief Julian Castro also announced a presidential exploratory committee, which legally allows potential candidates to begin raising money. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Maryland Representative John Delaney is the only Democrat so far to have formally announced a presidential campaign. Ms Warrens biggest competition could come from Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, or former vice-president Joe Biden who has yet to rule out a run for the White House. Ive spent my career getting to the bottom of why Americas promise works for some families, but others who work just as hard slip through the cracks into disaster, Ms Warren says in the video. What Ive found is terrifying. These arent cracks that families are falling into, theyre traps. If we organise together, if we fight together, if we persist together we can win, she adds at the end. Associated Press contributed to this report A Las Vegas nail salon manager was has been killed while chasing a patron who walked out on a $35 (27) manicure bill, according to police. Ngoc Nguyen, the manager at Crystal Nails, went outside the salon after the suspects credit card got declined and the woman then tried to drive away, witnesses told local news stations. The Las Vegas Police Department said no one was arrested as of Monday morning. Ms Nguyens husband Sonny Chung, who also works as the salons co-manager, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal his wife ran out and tried to stop her, and then she rolled forward. The 51-year-old victim was rushed to the nearby University Medical Center of Southern Nevada where she was pronounced dead about one hour after the fatal incident. Recommended Suge Knight sentenced to 28 years in prison for hit and run The coroner said Ms Nguyen was killed by multiple blunt force injuries and ruled her death a homicide. The vehicle the suspect used was a black Chevrolet Camaro, which the authorities said was stolen from a car rental agency about three weeks ago. 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 I tried to hold the car back but Im not Superman, Mr Chung said. She ran off for $35 and killed my wife $35 to run my wife over. The stolen vehicle was discovered at an residential complex nearby that night. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events We do not believe the person who originally rented the car is the suspect, Las Vegas Police Lieutenant Ray Spencer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Ms Nguyen is survived by three daughterages 20, 25, and 28and two grandchildren that are four and six-years-old. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a conciliatory message to Donald Trump as nuclear weapon talks between the two nations having stalled in recent months. South Koreas Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported the fact the letter has been sent on Monday, but did not include the details of the message or how it was sent. The report said that the message was in regard to US-North Korea relations, and that it was letter-like. On Sunday, the office of South Koreas President Moon Jae-in said Mr Kim had sent a letter to his counterpart in Seoul saying he wants to hold more inter-Korean summits next year to achieve denuclearisation of the peninsula. There is a dialogue channel between North Korea and the United States through which they exchange active communication, but I cannot know whether it took the form of letter or something else, Mr Moons spokesman said of the reported message to Mr Trump. In June, Mr Kim and Mr Trump held a summit in Singapore, during which Mr Kim promised to work towards getting rid of nuclear weapons in his country. However, little has been achieved since then. In November, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was scheduled to meet senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol in New York City to discuss how to move forward. However, that meeting was suddenly cancelled, and has not yet been rescheduled. 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 On New Years Day, Mr Kim is scheduled to give his annual speech to address his priorities for the year ahead. He is expected to talk about improving relations with South Korea and participating in summits with their neighbour. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Analysts will be watching carefully for mentions of relations with Washington and denuclearisation. Reuters reached out to a North Korean official, the U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, but has not yet received a response. Thousands of colleges across the country are welcoming both new and returning students back to campus for the fall semester. To coincide with the beginning of another school year, Stacker compiled a list of the best colleges in America using Niches 2021 rankings. President Donald Trump has hit back at claims his administration has abandoned its idea of erecting a concrete wall along the US-Mexico border, In a tweet the president contradicted a claim from his his soon-to-be former chief of staff John Kelly that the White House has long since moved on from the solid concrete wall concept. Mr Trump tweeted on Monday that an all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media. In Mr Kellys interview with the Los Angeles Times, published on Sunday, the official said the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents told himwhile he was serving as Homeland Security Secretarythat although it needs physical barriers on some parts of the border, it could largely benefit from new technology and additional personnel. To be honest, its not a wall, Mr Kelly said, referring to Mr Trumps campaign promise for a wall. The president still says wall oftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes tended towards steel slats, Mr Kelly added. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. In his tweet on Monday, the president also explained that Border Patrol agents also preferred a wall that is see through in some areas of the border 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 Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides), Trump added. Makes sense to me! Recently, Mr Trump claimed the wall would be see-through in some parts of the border, and has described the border wall as fencing, and said it would be artistically designed steel slates instead of concrete. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The tweets come on the heels of a government shutdown caused primarily by Mr Trumps $5bn border wall funding request, a demand that has not been able to pass through Congress. Democrats have offered Mr Trump with $1.3 billion for border security, but has shown no signs that it will give in to the presidents enormous funding request and border wall proposal. As of Monday, the partial government shutdown reached its 10th day with no sign that it will anytime soon. Democrats in the House of Representatives will introduce legislation to end the partial government shutdown once they take control of the chamber later this week - but it will not include funding for a US-Mexico border wall. The legislation would extend current spending levels for border security through 8 February, but would deny President Donald Trumps request for $5bn in funding for his oft-promised wall. The planned legislation includes a package of two separate bills. One of those bills extends funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The other is an aggregate of six bills to fund over portions of the government for the rest of the fiscal year. But, while the bill does include $1.3 billion in general border security funding, the legislation falls far short of the levels of spending Mr Trump has asked for and has forced the shutdown of the US government over. 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 Separating the funding mechanisms would put new pressure on Mr Trump and Republicans in Congress to pass bills that would reopen the government, and could force Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the second bill up for a vote to reopen the majority of the US government. Democrats will take control of the House later this week, and Representative Nancy Pelosi is expected to be vote din as the next speaker of the House on Thursday. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events But the Democrats efforts to end the shutdown may encounter resistance from some of the Republicans who pushed for and have subsequently championed the shutdown, including House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, who tweeted that the Democratic effort is a non-starter. Nancy Pelosis newest funding proposal doesnt represent any serious attempt to secure our border or find a compromise," Mr Meadows tweeted shortly after the plan to try to end the shutdown became public. Democrats have dug their heels in since Mr Trump forced the shutdown over a week ago, and have refused White House efforts to compromise with $21 billion in border security and wall funding. The ruling party of Bangladesh has won its third straight general election with a massive majority amid allegations of widespread vote-rigging. Prime minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League took 287 of the 300 parliamentary seats while the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which boycotted the last poll in 2014, claimed just six. The 71-year-olds victory was announced on Monday morning in a televised speech by Helal Uddin Ahmed, secretary of the countrys election commission. Opposition leader Kamal Hossain, 82, called the election farcical and asked for the commission to order a fresh vote under a neutral administration as soon as possible. The whole election was completely manipulated, Mr Hossain said. It should be cancelled. Weve had bad elections in the past, but I must say that it is unprecedented how bad this particular election was. The minimum requirements of free and fair election are absent. Opposition candidates reported witnessing ballot-stuffing and vote rigging by ruling party activists, who also barred opposition polling agents from voting centres, he added. An election commission spokesman said: Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation. It confirmed that fresh votes would be held in one seat where the poll was marred by violence. Police confirmed that at least 17 people were killed in clashes on polling day, including seven ruling party workers and five BNP workers. It was also reported that a TV station had been shut down and high-speed mobile internet services had been shut down to prevent people organising rallies. The election is a cruel mockery with the nation, said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. This type of election is harmful to the nation. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Ms Hasina has been accused of human rights abuses and a crackdown on the media during a decade-long rule that critics have described as increasingly authoritarian and undemocratic. However the prime minister is also credited with improving the economy and party leaders have indicated that one of her first tasks in office will be to raise minimum wages for workers in Bangladeshs massive garments industry, the worlds second biggest after China. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed, called the opposition sore losers making false allegations while the Awami Leagues joint secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak said the oppositions refusal to accept voting results was not unusual. It is their old habit, he said referring to the BNP, which has alternated in power with the Awami League for most of the last three decades. We thought they would welcome this election for a change. But they could not change their habit. 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 ruling party has also denied allegations that scores of opposition activists were arrested in the months leading up to the election on fictitious charges. It was the first election in which the BNP campaigned without its leader Khaleda Zia, who has been in jail since February on corruption charges that she says are politically motivated. Ms Zia has alternated in power with Ms Hasina for most of the last three decades. Additional reporting by Reuters Two people were killed and more than a dozen others wounded when a bomb exploded near the entrance to a shopping centre in the southern Philippines. Police said they believed the New Year's Eve blast was orchestrated remotely by suspected Muslim militants. The target appeared to be the entrance of the South Seas Mall in Cotabato City, Major General Cirilito Sobejana said. Children were reportedly among the injured. A second unexploded bomb was recovered nearby, police said. Maj-Gen Sobejana said an initial investigation showed the design of the bomb was similar to those used in the past by local Islamist militants who have pledged allegiance to Isis. Government forces launched an offensive against militants belonging to a group called Daulah Islamiyah last week and at least seven died in the fighting, Mr Sobejana said. "This is a part of the retaliation, but the problem is they're victimising innocent civilians," he told reporters. Superintendent Romeo Galgo Jr, the deputy police director of Cotabato, said witnesses saw a man leave a box in a crowded area near the entrance where vendors and shoppers were. The explosion shattered glass panels and scattered debris onto the street. Two of the roughly 30 people hit by the blast died while being brought to a hospital, Mr Sobejana said. Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures A bombed-out mosque stands in what was the main battle area in Marawi AFP/Getty Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Damaged buildings and houses Reuters Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Damaged vehicles are seen in Marawi city Reuters Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Damaged houses, buildings and a mosque Reuters Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures A military vehicle drives past bombed-out buildings AFP/Getty Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Damaged houses, buildings and a mosque are seen inside Marawi city Reuters Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures A graffiti that reads "I love ISIS" is seen in a damaged building in Marawi city Reuters Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Bombed-out buildings are seen as government troops board trucks AFP/Getty Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Damaged buildings and houses Reuters Damage caused in Islamic State assault on Marawi city: In pictures Military trucks drive past destroyed buildings and a mosque AFP/Getty Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, Cotabato's mayor, condemned the bombing and called on residents to help fight terrorism. "This is not just another terroristic act but an act against humanity. I cannot fathom how such evil exists in this time of merry making," she told reporters. "It is unimaginable how some people can start the new year with an act of cruelty but no matter how you threaten us, the people of Cotabato are resilient. We will stand up against terrorism." The bombing was just the latest in a number of attacks blamed on militants in the volatile region. Hundreds of militants aligned with Isis sparked a five-month battle in the city of Marawi last year. Marawi Conflict: 160,000 children displaced after five months of fighting Fighting and airstrikes have left more than 1,100 mostly militants dead and displaced hundreds of thousands of villagers. President Rodrigo Duterte placed the southern third of the country under martial law to deal with the Marawi siege, the worst security crisis he has faced since taking office in mid-2016. Additional reporting by Associated Press Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has confessed to sexually assaulting his familys maid as a schoolboy. The claim, which his spokesman later said was made up, came during a speech in which he described making the confession to a priest while he was a teenager. Mr Duterte recalled lifting the blanket and touching the woman while she slept, according to a transcript provided by the presidents office. I went to the room of the maid, he said. I lifted the blanket. I tried to touch what was inside the panty. I was touching. She woke up. So I left the room. He then described going to the toilet for the usual before returning to the room where the maid was sleeping to assault her for a second time. His comments, in a speech on Saturday in the city of Cotabato, sparked outrage, with Philippines rights group Gabriela calling the remarks deeply disturbing even for Duterte. It added: This latest confession has brought shame not only himself but on the entire nation. He has proven himself unworthy of his position and should resign. Jean Enriquez, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Asia Pacific, said his claims could endanger Filipino domestic workers here and abroad. Mr Duterte made the confession during a speech attacking the Catholic Church for its own sexual abuse scandal. The president and religious leaders have clashed previously over the churchs opposition to his violent crackdown against the illegal drugs trade. The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Show all 9 1 /9 The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On killing drug addicts These sons of whores are destroying our children. I warn you, dont go into that, even if youre a policeman, because I will really kill you. If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Message to China I will go there on my own with a Jet Ski, bringing along with me a [Phillipino] flag and a pole, and once I disembark, I will plant the flag on the runway and tell the Chinese authorities, Kill me AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Christmas message to law-breakers If you do not want to stop, and just continue committing crimes, then this would be your last Merry Christmas AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On sex life I was separated from my wife. Im not impotent. What am I supposed to do? Let this hang forever? When I take Viagra, it stands up AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On the drugs trade None of my children are into illegal drugs. But my order is, even if it is a member of my family, kill him'" AP The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting the Pope We were affected by the traffic. It took us five hours. I asked why, they said it was closed. I asked who is coming. They answered, the pope. I wanted to call him: Pope, son of a wh**e, go home. Do not visit us again AFP/Getty Images The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Joke about rape I saw her face and I thought, 'What a pity... they raped her, they all lined up. I was mad she was raped but she was so beautiful. I thought, the mayor should have been first AFP/Getty The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte Insulting Barack Obama "Mr Obama should be respectful and refrain from throwing questions at me about the killings, or son of a bitch, I will swear at you in that forum" REUTERS The most controversial quotes from Rodrigo Duterte On Abu Sayyaf Islamic militants "If I have to face them, you know I can eat humans. I will really open up your body. Just give me vinegar and salt, and I will eat you. If you annoy me to the fullest... I will eat you alive. Raw" EPA The Catholic [Church] ... has to correct itself before it can call [me out], if not, Ill really be their enemy, I will continue to attack them, he was quoted by the Manila Times as saying. But Mr Dutertes spokesman Salvador Panelo told CNN Philippines the president made up the comments after coming under pressure from the priest to confess to something. Mr Duterte has a long history of making inflammatory remarks about women while appearing to encourage or condone sexual assaults. In September, he was condemned for saying: As long as there are many beautiful women, there will be more rape cases. According to Rappler, a Philippines-based news website, he then continued: Who agrees to do it on the first request anyway? Will the woman allow it? No. Dont, no, ahhh. Nobody agrees to do it on the first try. Nobody agrees to do it on the first try. That is rape. Rape joke made by Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte defended by spokesperson In another comment about sexual assault in 2017, he reportedly said he didnt like it when children were raped but you can mess with, maybe, Miss Universe. He added: Maybe I will even congratulate you for having the balls to rape somebody when you know you are going to die. And when his daughter said she was sexually assaulted, he reportedly called her a drama queen. Nearly 70 people have reportedly been killed after a tropical storm lashed the Philippines and triggered a series of landslides. Storm Usman may yet prove to have claimed more lives as rescue workers continue to clear affected areas, officials said. Some 68 people have died, including 57 in the Bicol mountain region southeast of the capital Manila, the regions civil defence director told the Agence France-Presse news agency. There had been no tropical cyclone warning leaving people unprepared for the storms heavy rains, he added. A three-year-old boy was among the dead, said disaster agency spokesman Edgar Posada. The wind was not strong but it caused flooding and landslides, he said. Recommended British volunteer appeals for help saving 32 migrants in Mediterranean A regional office of the Philippines disaster agency said it was working to confirm the deaths of 38 people in the Bicol region, located south of the main island of Luzon. Thousands of passengers were stranded at seaports, airports and bus terminals as dozens of inter-island trips were cancelled. About 40,000 people have been displaced, the BBC reported. 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 tropical depression, which has since been downgraded to a low pressure area, left the Philippines on Sunday afternoon. About 20 tropical cyclones hit the Philippines every year. Additional reporting by agencies A departure hall at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport has been evacuated after a man claimed to have a bomb, reports say. "Man threatens with a bomb in Departure hall 3 at Schiphol. Currently Departure hall 3 is being evacuated. More information will follow as soon as possible," the airport said on its official Twitter account. The Dutch Royal Military Police said a man at Schiphol Plaza had threatened people with a knife. The force later said its officers had overpowered the man and that the terminal had re-opened. The detained man was a 51-year-old Canadian and no explosives were found, it said. Normal airport operations were resuming, police said. 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 Further details were not immediately available about the suspect or nature of the threat at the airport outside the Dutch capital. Police did not return telephone calls seeking comment. Schiphol tweeted at about 7.30pm UK time on Monday: "Departures and Arrivals 3 were evacuated due to a bomb threat. The police ... arrested the suspect. Departures and Arrivals 3 are now being opened again for operation." Irelands health minister has hailed the introduction of abortion services in the country from 1 January as momentous. Simon Harris, an Irish Fine Gael politician, said he is confident there are enough GPs to deliver the service. Terminations will be available from midnight on Tuesday. Mr Harris said it is really a momentous day. He added: Abortion is a very sensitive issue. Were talking about women in crisis pregnancies... were talking about people in very, very difficult situations. Recommended Irish abortion bill passes final stage in senate Up until now... their options have been to travel or to go on the internet. All that changes. This comes after two-thirds of Irish voters agreed to amend the constitution and allow women to access abortion in a historic referendum in May. Some 66.4 per cent of the electorate voted to repeal an amendment in the Irish constitution which effectively banned the termination of pregnancies. The change in law will now allow for abortion services to be provided up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, where there is a risk of fatal foetal abnormality and the risk to life or health of the pregnant woman, compared to 24 weeks under abortion laws in Britain. 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 Since the Republic of Ireland resoundingly backed liberalising legislation south of the border, Northern Ireland is now the only part of Europe, apart from Malta, where abortion is illegal. Mr Harris said about 80 per cent of terminations are likely to take place in local communities and he was satisfied that the 165 GPs who signed up to provide the service is enough to meet demand. Women will be referred to a new website, MyOptions.ie, and also a new 24/7 helpline offering advice. It will be staffed by counsellors and nurses. Mr Harris described the new service as so much better than what was previously available to Irish women. I think its momentous that... women and their partners, who face situations... like fatal foetal abnormalities will no longer have to travel abroad to access services. Mr Harris tweeted his support for the Irish abortion bill in December, saying it will end lonely journeys, end the stigma and support womens choices in Ireland. Around 3,000 Irish women annually have travelled to Britain to terminate a pregnancy in recent years, according to government figures. Additional reporting by Press Association Russias domestic security service has detained a US citizen it claims was on a spy mission in Moscow. The FSB said the American, named Paul Whelan, was detained on Friday during an espionage operation, but did not give any further details. A criminal case has been opened against him, the agency added in a statement on Monday. A police statement read: On December 28 members of the federal security services of the Russian Federation arrested US citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow for carrying out espionage. If found guilty he faces up to 20 years in prison. The arrest comes as Russia-US ties have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. Earlier this month, a woman suspected of being a Russian secret agent in the US began cooperating with federal prosecutors after agreeing to a plea deal. Maria Burtina, 30, admitted engaging in a conspiracy against America to try to gain influence in US politics through the National Rifle Association. The US embassy in Russia was unavailable for comment. The state department has been contacted for comment. Irans state broadcaster has fired the head of a regional TV channel after it broadcast a Jackie Chan film without removing a sex scene. Viewers on Kish Island, a resort island off the southern coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf, were shocked when their local station showed the Hong Kong martial arts star having sex with a prostitute in one of his films. The scene was from 2009 Hong Kong crime drama film Shinjuku Incident which was written and directed by Derek Yee. Iranian media said the immoral scene was aired by Kish TV in total violation of Iribs [Iran state media] regulations. Physical contact between men and women is not allowed on screen in the Middle Eastern country. This even includes shaking hands. Censors are also said to be made to remove unveiled women, close-ups of womens faces and exposed necklines, men and women exchanging tender words or jokes, and negative portrayals of police and bearded men. The controversy sparked outrage among some Iranians who drew attention to the fact no one had been fired over a fatal bus crash that killed 10 students at Azad University in Tehran last week, an incident which has provoked protests against the perceived lack of interest from the authorities. Buses turn over, planes crash, ships sink no one is dismissed A few seconds of Jackie Chan making love on Irib and immediately all staff in that section are sacked, one Twitter user said. The Tasnim news agency reported Aliasgari Ali Askari, the head of Irib, had ordered an investigation into the incident and pledged to seriously deal with the offenders and report them to the relevant authorities. 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 Irib TV presenter Reza Rashidpoor joked on his morning talk show that the saga could have been avoided if the broadcaster had included a caption saying Chan was married to the actor who played the prostitute. This was a reference to a programme last week in which Irib added a caption to say a couple holding hands on screen were married in real life. Irib, which stands for the Islamic Republic of Iranian Broadcasting, is an Iranian media corporation which holds a monopoly of domestic radio and TV services in Iran. It is also among the biggest media organisations in the Asian and Pacific regions. The city has taken ownership of the building and took the onion dome down because it was structurally unsound and posed a safety hazard, city officials said. The dome is in storage, awaiting its chance to be placed back where it was for years as part of a redevelopment project. An Israeli court has sentenced a Palestinian to 18 years in prison for fatally stabbing a British woman in Jerusalem last year, under a plea bargain acknowledging he is mentally ill. Jamil Tamimi, 59, killed 21-year-old exchange student Hannah Bladon on a tram as she was going to the church where she volunteered, the court heard. He targeted her at random when she came within his reach after offering her seat to an older woman, stabbing her at least seven times. This was not a terrorist incident ... This was a terrible murder carried out by a mentally ill person, the prosecutor said, explaining why a life prison sentence had not been sought, according to a court transcript. Tamimis lawyer said the defendant attacked Ms Bladon in a rage at his sons insisting that he stay in a mental institution rather than with them. This drove him to stab a person to death so that he would be shot dead, the lawyer said. After the incident in April 2017, Tamimi was overpowered and arrested. Dozens of Palestinians who carried out similar attacks, many of them as a political act against Israel, have been shot by security forces or armed civilians. Ms Bladons relatives said the sentence was too lenient. 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 For the family, it makes no difference whether this was a terror attack or just another crazed murderer, said the familys representative, Israeli lawyer Maurice Hirsch. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events They are outraged by the leniency of the sentence. They expected that Hannahs murderer would spent the rest of his life behind bars. The court transcript quoted Tamimi as saying after sentencing: Im sorry. I wish I could take her [Bladons] place. I did not mean to murder her. I dont know how it happened. Reuters The US is apparently slowing its planned troop withdrawal from Syria, despite the president announcing an abrupt end to American presence in the country just weeks ago. Donald Trump, in a defiant tweet on Monday, wrote: Isis is mostly gone, were slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting Isis remnants. The twist was the latest in a series of White House foreign policy gyrations that have contradicted Mr Trumps senior aides and stunned his allies. US troops launch mortar against ISIS positions in Syria (AP) It remains unclear if the White House has modified plans for the withdrawal, which by some accounts has already begun. Hundreds of UK and French military personnel, including Special Forces commandos, are based alongside US troops in northern Syria as part of four-year international effort to defeat Isis. A top US senator briefed by Mr Trump on Sunday added to the confusion. Senator Lindsey Graham, an influential and outspoken South Carolina Republican, said the US would not allow for a chaotic withdrawal of American military personnel from northern Syria and would prevent Iran from filling any vacuum. He tweeted: The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure Isis is permanently destroyed; Iran doesnt fill in the back end; and our Kurdish allies are protected. He added Mr Trump was talking with our commanders and working with our allies to make sure these three objectives are met as we implement the withdrawal. Mr Graham told reporters after the meeting that Mr Trump made me feel a lot better about where were headed in Syria. But many questions about US policy in Syria remain. Of Mr Grahams three aims, Mr Trump only mentioned wiping out Isis. Iran is a key ally of the Syrian regime, and keeping it and its many proxies out of northeast Syria would be challenging if Damascus forces take over. 'They're all coming back and they're coming back now' Trump declares victory over Isis in Syria Protecting US allies would further anger Turkey, which opposes the Kurdish-led force. The northern Syria region, now called Rojava, is controlled by a leftist Kurdish organisation that is allied with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an outlawed group listed as a terrorist organisation by the US, EU, and Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans top adviser Ibrahim Kalin chided Mr Graham on Monday. You know and have stated publicly more than anyone else the direct link between the terrorist PKK and its Syria branches, he wrote. Terrorists cannot be your allies. Just as Isis doesnt represent Muslims, PKK doesnt represent Kurds in Syria or elsewhere. Mr Graham, a sometimes critic of Mr Trump whose support is vital for some of the presidents domestic policies, is a foreign policy hawk who frequently advocates US military intervention abroad. Mr Trump seems to have a knack for telling key Republican Party officials what they want to hear, with his foreign policy calculations based on US domestic politics rather than global affairs. The president tweeted on Monday: I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now, when I start getting out, the Fake News Media, or some failed generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me and my tactics, which are working. A Turkish tank is transported near the the border with Syria this month (AP) Many Middle East watchers have questioned the presence of the 2,000 troops in Syria. But they have criticised Trumps approach to pulling out despite the objections of his own key deputies, without consulting local partners in Syria or allied UK and French military personnel. The announcement spurred the resignations of defence secretary James Mattis and Isis policy envoy Brett McGurk, as well as a scramble for turf by regional state and non-state powers. Turkey has vowed to wipe out the proto-state Rojava, which Kurds have established along its border. The Syrian regime, too, backed by Russia and Iran, seeks to regain control over the area, which includes oil wells and some prime agricultural land and trade routes. Already Turkish forces have arrayed along the Kurdish enclave, Israel has launched fresh airstrikes, and Kurds have invited Syrian ground forces as protection. On Monday, the Iraqi military announced it had launched airstrikes in Syria targeting Isis members holding a meeting in the village of al-Soussa. Iraqi forces are increasing their border presence in anticipation of a US withdrawal. Elizabeth Warren knows a thing about hard work. Married at 19, pregnant shortly afterwards, she raised a child while attending law school. She then had a second child, passed the bar, and soon divorced. For a while she was a single parent, a story she likes to recount. A turn here, a turn there, and my life might have been very different, too, the Massachusetts senator wrote in A Fighting Chance, a 2014 memoir she published while considering a 2016 presidential run. That time she decided against it. This time it appears Warren is in bidding to become the USs first female president. In a statement emailed to supporters, the 69-year-old former law professor and treasury advisor to Barack Obama, announced she had formed an exploratory committee, the first formal step in any White House bid, and became the first big name Democrat to do so. Ive spent my career getting to the bottom of why Americas promise works for some families, but others, who work just as hard, slip through the cracks into disaster, she said. To win, Warren is going to need all her wits and capacity for hard work. Even then, shell need a bucket load of luck. Recommended Elizabeth Warren takes major step towards run for president in 2020 As an academic and a campaigner for consumer protection, including attacking big banks for the 2008 collapse that led to eight million Americans losing their jobs and saw four million homes foreclosed, Warren has been passionate and brave. Earlier this year, she opposed a measure that eased bank regulations imposed in the aftermath of the crisis. People in this building may forget the devastating impact of the financial crisis 10 years ago, she said. But the American people have not forgotten. A year earlier, she made headlines, and was gifted a handy campaign slogan, when she refused to stop a speech opposing Donald Trumps nominee for attorney general, Jeff Sessions. Sen Warren was giving a lengthy speech, said Republican senate leader Mitch McConnell, issuing an official rebuke. [She was warned to stop], but she persisted. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events But the same reasons Warren is loved by many left-leaning Democrats will likely make her run very difficult. Four years ago, Bernie Sanders and the progressive wing represented by Warren were marginalised by the party, which wrapped its arms around the centrism of Hillary Clinton. Now, because of the performance of Sanders and Warren and Clintons failure progressive ideas are in the ascendency, as evidenced by the victories of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, and the close run of Stacey Abrams. In a field that may contain as many as two dozen candidates, and almost certainly containing the likes of Beto ORourke and Kamala Harris, Warren will not be the only one occupying the progressive lane. Nor will she be an entirely fresh face. Yet, if Warren seeks instead to assume the experience and wisdom slot, she may find it already occupied either by Sanders or Joe Biden. Neither man has said if they are running and both will face questions about their age Biden is 76 and Sanders is 77. But in a December poll of voters in Iowa, which holds its primary 13 months from now, Warren was beaten into fourth place, by Biden (32 points), Sanders (19) points and ORourke (11). She polled eight, with Kamala Harris on five and Corey Booker of New Jersey on four. Is it that Warren will slip between the cracks of too many stronger brands? 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 While nobody doubts Warrens intelligence or decency, there are questions about her political acumen. Trump has said he would love to run against her. I hope that she is running. I do not think shell be difficult at all, he said earlier this year. Trump often says things that are not true, but this time he was surely telling the truth. The president had mocked Warren in racist tones ever since she claimed to have Native American ancestry and has played this to his advantage. He offered to pay $1m to charity if she underwent a test, and in a move that backfired hugely, she went ahead and did so. The results showed she likely had some Native ancestry, but Trump seized on a report that claimed, wrongly, it may have been as little 1/1024. His supporters ate all that up, while Warren angered some indigenous people who said her decision to undergo DNA testing represented a settler-colonial racial understanding of what it is was be Native American. Trump conveniently forgot his promise to donate to charity. The lack of political nous was underscored by the manner and timing of her declaration. One can understand Warren wanting to get a jump on others in the field, but if she truly believed in herself, would she have made her announcement in an email, the morning of New Years Eve? One hopes Warren does not start 2019 with a hangover. She has a lot to do. A Beatles superfan has donated a rare and treasured collection of band memorabilia to a museum in Dublin. Terri Colman-Black spent decades buying unique pieces from shops and newsagents around Dublin and went on to build up a treasure trove of relics dedicated to the Fab Four. At the age of 14, Ms Colman-Blacks love for John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr was compounded after she went to their first and only concert in Dublin in November 1963. Among some of the items on display at the Irish Rock N Roll Museum Experience in Dublin are the ticket and programme from their Irish concert, a George Harrison model kit and Beatles magazines. Expand Close Beatles paraphernalia belonging to Terri Colman-Black (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Beatles paraphernalia belonging to Terri Colman-Black (Brian Lawless/PA) The mother-of-two said she started to buy the collectables as she wanted to surround herself with the Beatles. In those days you didnt have a lot of money, people didnt think about memorabilia, she said. I started to buy things because I just wanted them around me, to stick up on the wall, to put in my bedroom. More and more things became available, I got as many pictures as I could get. I couldnt afford everything so I looked after them and thats why 50 years later I still have them because you werent going to get them twice. I joined the fan club in 1964 and that was like a wonderland because that brought you to a whole new level. I got autographs and constant communication about the band. The most important thing was that on Christmas Eve we got a record which had a recorded a message to their fans. I know it's worth a fortune but I would never sell itTerri Colman-Black The collection also includes a piece from the wall of Liverpools famous Cavern Club before it was demolished in the early 1970s. Last month a plaque was unveiled in Dublin to mark their concert at the Adelphi cinema 55 years ago. Ms Colman-Black said the performance changed the music scene in Dublin. Expand Close Beatles paraphernalia belonging to Terri Colman-Black (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Beatles paraphernalia belonging to Terri Colman-Black (Brian Lawless/PA) It changed a lot of things in Dublin. Up until then teenagers were quite restricted in what they could do or go or what music they could listen to, she said. I felt exhilarated after that concert but they never came back. I can still see it and I can feel the excitement. She said she donated her collection as she wanted other people to see it. I am so happy that other people can see it. But I miss it, its part of me and my fabric. I know its worth a fortune but I would never sell it. Its my childrens legacy. Ive been offered money so many times over 1,000 euro for a poster. You cannot buy these. Its invaluable. Dr Niall Farrelly provides details of his Norway spruce thinning trial to participants. He stresses that thinning on time adds value. Photo: Teagasc. Keep on track: Establishing a proper road early in a forest's development will help you to improve the quality and value of the crop Teagasc has been organising forest walks, training courses, information days and large national forestry events for more than 25 years. The latest offering was a recent highly successful national forestry event focusing on the management of Norway spruce. The event was organised by local Teagasc Forestry Adviser Liam Kelly. The event took place in an award-winning forest near Tullamore. About 200 people wanted to find out how to better manage and carry out a first thinning of Norway spruce. Teagasc forestry advisers discussed various aspects to consider when preparing for thinning: the importance of health and safety, conifer management, planning for thinning, thinning intensities, timber quality and end uses. A new research experiment has been established in this forest. Dr Niall Farrelly of Teagasc outlined different methods of thinning Norway spruce and how this may impact on the development of the crop (see panel). Expand Close Jim Crowley (forestry consultant), Ashling Foy Minnock (owner) and Denis Hennessy (forest works & machine manager). Photo: Teagasc. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jim Crowley (forestry consultant), Ashling Foy Minnock (owner) and Denis Hennessy (forest works & machine manager). Photo: Teagasc. Norway spruce The species Norway spruce is a European species with a wide natural range across most of mainland Europe. It is thought to have been introduced to Ireland during the 1500s. Norway spruce is Ireland's third most common conifer with a total area of about 25,000 hectares. Norway spruce has become a very significant species for timber production and species diversity in the Midlands because of its tolerance to late Spring and early Autumn frosts while young. First thinning in Norway spruce normally starts later than Sitka spruce (see table) and usually consists of the removal of one line in seven plus selection. Subsequent thinning operations are usually selective: gradually removing poorer quality stems concentrating growth on the best stems. High pruning can be carried after the first thinning has taken place. Aim for about 500 stems per hectare. The forest The Owner Ashling Foy Minnock Expand Close Dr Niall Farrelly provides details of his Norway spruce thinning trial to participants. He stresses that thinning on time adds value. Photo: Teagasc. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dr Niall Farrelly provides details of his Norway spruce thinning trial to participants. He stresses that thinning on time adds value. Photo: Teagasc. The forest is located on the Westmeath/Offaly border. Thirty-three hectares of conifers and 17ha of broadleaves were planted in 1999 by Ashling's late husband Brendan Minnock. He felt that forestry offered an alternative land resource which is less labour intensive, freeing up more time for work on or off the farm and for the family. He also studied in great detail the economics of the decision to switch from livestock to trees on good quality agricultural land. He found that forestry in many cases can compete and surpass agriculture in terms of increasing one's income. Brendan got advice from the Forest Service, Teagasc and local foresters in order to maximise the income from the future timber resource. The trees were well cared for in the early years resulting in free-growing trees with full stocking at four years. A local forester set up a 10-year management plan in 2003 with detailed annual tasks to be undertaken. A forest road was installed three years ago. This early management of the forest improved the quality and value of the crop when first thinning commenced in 2016/17. Ashling took over the management of the forest when Brendan passed away in 2009. "My background had been in legal and corporate consulting in New York and Sydney," says Ashling. "I had no experience in forest management! But I was determined to manage the forest to the highest possible standard and achieve the highest quality product from it while improving and enhancing what we have here for future generations to come." She adds: "With that in mind, I set up Midland Timber Harvesting Limited (MTHL) in 2016 so that I would have complete control to properly harvest my own timber." Expand Close Ashling Foy Minnock, winner of the RDS-Forest Service 2018 Production Forestry Award with her son TJ and Denis Hennessy (forest works & machine manager). / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ashling Foy Minnock, winner of the RDS-Forest Service 2018 Production Forestry Award with her son TJ and Denis Hennessy (forest works & machine manager). Ashling purchased two second-hand timber harvesters and a forwarder. She now employs a professional forester Jim Crowley and four other people: two chainsaw workers, a harvester and forwarder operator. She is also planning to carry out harvesting for fellow forest owners in the midlands. "We are extremely proud that Ballycahan farm forest has won the 2018 RDS Production Forestry Award, particularly as we are first-time applicants. The process of applying in itself for the award allowed us to assess in detail and appreciate the value of the hard work that has been done to date," Ashling says. She adds: "What particularly impressed the judges here was that the entire forest area was mapped, a full inventory was done, and information of yield class and stocking was available for each stand together with a production plan. This level of management information is unusual in farm forestry, but the judges highlighted it as an example of best practice they would like to see for all production forests." Having won the RDS Award, her next woodland objectives are: 1. Her primary objective is to balance wildlife habitat protection with medium/long-term income generation. 2. Improve access for walking/recreation. 3. Conserving and enhancing soil and water quality. 4. Expand my forestry business whilst working with fellow farm forest owners. The Forestry Consultant Jim Crowley Ashling Foy Minnock is very ably assisted by her forestry consultant Jim Crowley. Jim is a third-generation forester with 50 years' experience. In 2016, Jim carried out an inventory of her forest and put in place a management plan. Jim works very closely with her and her forest works and machinery manager Denis Hennessy. The following summary of his key actions gives forest owners a good idea of what is required when preparing for first thinning: * Establish inspection paths every 50 to 100m apart; * Compile a comprehensive management plan; * Obtain a 10-year felling licence; * Establish a forest road; * Identify hazards and complete risk assessments; * Complete environmental risk assessments; * Identify markets for the thinning products; * Prepare and supervise harvesting operations. Jim had some good advice for forest owners. "Don't sit back, close the gate and throw away the key," he says. "Look after your forest in the teenage years. You will reap the financial benefits on maturity. You have a valuable resource; all it requires is your care and attention." The Forestry Researcher Dr Niall Farrelly Dr Niall Farrelly is a forestry researcher with Teagasc. He has a lot of experience researching thinning practices in the private sector. "Many stands in Ireland are often underthinned," he says. "Thinning is often delayed or stands are not being thinned at all." This research project was commenced in Ashling's forest earlier this year. The aim of the research is to promote good thinning practice of Norway spruce and provide more information on thinning so that the appropriate amount of volume can be removed sustainably without affecting future volume production. This thinning trial is a combination of systematic thinning combined with low thinning, removing trees from the lower crown classes from between the thinning racks. In low thinning, four different thinning treatments are being examined: * No thinning; * Light thinning, 20pc of volume is removed; * Moderate thinning, 33pc of volume is removed; * Heavy thinning, 45pc of volume is removed. Dr Farrelly says: "Little is known about how to manage fast-growing Norway spruce crops - or Sitka spruce for that matter. We will remove 20 to 45pc of the crop at first thinning and monitor the growth response in respect to the increased growing space." He stresses that thinning will undoubtedly add value to your forest, in that it removes inferior quality trees early in the production process, allowing growing space for more valuable trees to develop into more valuable saw log. He says that "rather than arriving at final harvest not knowing what products are in your forest, it is important for growers and foresters to take control of the production process, to influence what products are produced from the forest and when they should be removed." Results of the research have already shown that intensive thinning produces bigger logs that have a higher proportion of straight trees that will be ready for final harvest in a shorter time period. The first thing that Dr Farrelly advises is to thin on time. He advises that thinning should take place when the crop is between 10 and 12m in height, removing one line in seven if possible. This will provide some palletwood improving the profitability of the operation. Then forked and smaller trees are removed from between the rows removing perhaps one in four trees. "A pulpwood tree is worth around 0.70 and a palletwood tree is worth around 2.20 in a first thinning," says Dr Farrelly. "This will provide a first thinning income of 400 to 600 per productive hectare depending on the volume removed. First thinning is not the new 'gold rush'; it's all about investing in the remaining crop to ensure you can increase its future value." *Steven Meyen is a Teagasc forestry adviser; email: steven.meyen@teagasc.ie Taxpayers own 71pc of AIB, 14pc of Bank of Ireland and 75pc of Permanent TSB. Stock image Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is now free to sell off as much of Ireland's bailed-out banks as he likes, it has emerged. The Programme for Government had limited Mr Donohoe to selling off no more than 25pc of a bailed-out bank before the end of 2018. However, the Irish Independent understands that the provision that tied the minister's hands was not renewed when the Confidence and Supply deal keeping Fine Gael in office was extended. Taxpayers own 71pc of AIB, 14pc of Bank of Ireland and 75pc of Permanent TSB. Earlier this year, the Government sought to bring in advisers to help devise a strategy for selling those shares. But no share sale took place and some 4bn has been wiped off the cumulative value of those holdings this year, with markets bruised by the US-China trade dispute and Brexit uncertainty. At home, banks are also facing challenges, with growth in the Irish economy expected to be slower in 2019. The housing crisis is hampering banks' ability to grow their revenues by lending more mortgages, as houses aren't being built fast enough to meet demand. In addition, analysts say the Central Bank limits on the amount which mortgage hunters can borrow are also having an impact on banks' growth. Though the State will not see a return of the cash pumped into Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Nationwide, it hopes to recoup and even make a profit on the money invested to save AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB. But the fall in bank shares seen this year has made the prospect of recovering the money more distant. A Department of Finance spokesman said earlier this month that officials continue to monitor the markets with a view to a sale. The Government's plan is to use any proceeds to pay down the national debt. Juggling act: Paschal Donohoe is trying to satisfy the interests of Ireland and the EU. Photo: Mark Condren The great political issue of the day is whether the world's population believes in globalisation, in sufficient numbers, such that the current system can be kept on the road. The answer is by no means clear. In the US, President Donald Trump shot to power by railing against the loss of American jobs to other countries and promised economic protectionism to stem the tide. In the UK, the vote for Brexit was fuelled by concerns about EU countries having a say in Britain's affairs and by free movement rules that focused much of the 2016 referendum campaign on the issue of immigration. Ireland is different, so far. Most people would probably agree our experience of globalisation has been, on the whole, positive. People's ability to move and trade across borders has helped this country become a hub for the world's multinationals. Expand Close Consensus: A watered-down digital tax may soon be back on European Parliaments agenda. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Consensus: A watered-down digital tax may soon be back on European Parliaments agenda. Photo: REUTERS EU membership has seen vast sums of development capital flow into the country, helping to boost infrastructure. But after decades of these benefits, perhaps now we are beginning to feel the downside of globalisation. Ireland's corporation tax regime is consistently cited as a key pillar of our FDI-friendly jurisdiction. The comparatively low headline rate of 12.5pc is both an incentive to firms to come here and a symbol that the country is business-friendly. But our wider tax regime has also proved remarkably useful for big multinationals looking to pay essentially no tax at all. Expand Close Protection: Trumps base got behind his America First agenda. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protection: Trumps base got behind his America First agenda. Photo: REUTERS It is arguably a public company's duty to its shareholders to pay as little tax as is legally possible. But what is legal, what is ethical, and what is socially and politically tolerable may all be different things. That's especially true when those casting an envious eye on multinationals' low tax profits aren't just PAYE workers and others in the so-called squeezed middle, but also French President Emmanuel Macron and many of those working the EU machinery in Brussels. EU moves on corporation tax reform have been giving Irish finance ministers headaches for years. Expand Close Target: Frances Macron has his eye on multinationals low tax profits. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Target: Frances Macron has his eye on multinationals low tax profits. Photo: REUTERS And despite a successful year on this front in 2018, Paschal Donohoe will face more challenges next year and well beyond. Traditionally the consensus has been that it's not fair for a company to be taxed in multiple countries on the same income or capital. But when companies have activities in multiple countries, a question arises as to what amount of tax should be paid in each of those countries. One school of thought might be that the tax should be paid where the company is based. This is how the Irish corporation tax system works, with Irish tax being charged on the worldwide profits of an Irish company. This is called a residential system. Another is called a territorial system, where the tax is paid in the same country as the income is generated. Expand Close Brexit has been a galvanising issue for the UK. Photo: Bloomberg / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brexit has been a galvanising issue for the UK. Photo: Bloomberg And these territorial principles underpin one of the big reform efforts that has been underway at EU level - the so-called digital tax. Miffed at low tax paid by hugely profitable tech companies, the EU Commission wants long-term reform. But as that is a couple of years away at least, the Commission came up with a temporary solution that would tax big tech companies' revenues. Only revenues from certain activities were to be included, but an important part of the plan was that the levy would apply across multiple EU member states. Each country would be entitled to tax the company, once revenues were generated from users in that particular member state. But to get the proposal over the line, the Commission needed unanimity, meaning Ireland had a veto. Why might Ireland want to have vetoed the tax though? First, there's a natural sensitivity about European interference in our corporate tax regime, given the criticism of the 12.5pc tax rate over the years. But there's a more straightforward reason too - it would cost us money. Revenue officials told the Oireachtas Finance Committee in May that the move could hit the Exchequer to the tune of 160m. That's because digital tax paid could be offset against corporation tax. In other words, companies would pay less tax here if they're paying more tax elsewhere in Europe. Luckily for Ireland, we weren't the only country unconvinced by the plan and it looks dead in its original form. But there's no sign of France, Brussels or others who see the current system as unfair backing off. Why would they? After the votes for Brexit and Trump, political leaders everywhere are becoming super-sensitive to the public mood, especially when it's about a system where there's an obvious disconnect between those who feel they pay for everything and big business that picks up the profits. A watered-down digital tax is already back on the European agenda. The idea is to plough ahead with an online levy but only on advertising revenue. Ireland's position has been that the best place for reforms to take place is at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a 36-member international group, with many EU countries as members. But big non-EU economies like Japan and the US are also involved, meaning any solutions agreed can be more properly described as international. For Ireland, the OECD is reassuringly slow-moving, but that glacial speed is a major factor behind the simultaneous push for reform at EU level. Besides, if the OECD ultimately takes a similar tack to the EU, on digital tax, Ireland might find itself in for a bumpy ride. However, digital tax might only be the tip of the iceberg. A more serious issue for Ireland would be a so-called common consolidated corporate tax base (CCCTB) coming into force across Europe. That's an EU proposal for calculating every company's tax bill based on the same rules, regardless of where they are in Europe. The 12.5pc corporation tax rate would remain the same here, but the rules for assessing what profits the rate is levied on would be set in Brussels. Irish Fiscal Advisory Council chairman Seamus Coffey has said that if this policy were introduced it could be worse than Brexit for the Irish economy. Corporation tax receipts are soaring here, and any impact on those would be huge for the economy. In addition, Ireland's attractiveness as a location for FDI would be hit by the CCCTB. What's the point in coming to Ireland for low taxes if we can't offer you that any more, because the EU is determining what profits are taxable? The CCCTB is a very complex proposal and, as with the digital tax, Ireland has a veto on it. But in an era when our closest EU partner is leaving the bloc, and new alliances need to be formed to achieve our interests at EU level, wielding a veto is a difficult thing to do. Paschal Donohoe has a delicate balancing act to carry out. On one hand we don't want to be seen as recalcitrant or obstructionist towards legitimate reform, but on the other we don't want to lessen the amount of FDI coming into our economy either. Almost three years ago this country put on a big, colourful celebration of the 1916 Rising. Clearly we value independence, but no movement for our equivalent of Brexit has taken hold in a serious way here. That's probably a reflection of the economic damage such a move would cause, but one wonders just how far along the path of European or global integration Irish people would be willing to go. Being part of the club involves a complicated interplay of give and take, as the British are belatedly realising. Will Irish people really be happy to have major decisions about our tax regime made in Brussels, or at the OECD in Paris? If European momentum is maintained we're going to find out. Maybe then we'll see some of the divisions that have emerged over globalisation in other parts of the world emerge here. The point is to get a statistically valid view from residents across the village on what the village is doing well and what areas the village can improve on," Assistant Village Administrator Christina Burns said in a recent report to the Village Board. Deutsche Bank's chairman Paul Achleitner has ruled out the need for state aid and played down speculation that the loss-making German bank should merge with rival Commerzbank. In an interview with a German Sunday newspaper, Mr Achleitner added he would not step down after a tough year in which Deutsche replaced its chief executive, was targeted in money laundering probes, and saw its share price halve. He said the bank is strong and its turnaround strategy is bearing fruit. "Let's look at the facts: Deutsche Bank has a very strong capital basis compared to its competitors," he told the 'Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung', adding that new chief executive Christian Sewing was getting costs under control. Deutsche hopes to return to the black in 2018 after three consecutive years of losses. Mr Sewing, hired in April, has pushed back against speculation that Deutsche could merge with struggling rival Commerzbank in the near future. Mr Achleitner reiterated that stance and asked whether Deutsche may need financial support, said: "This scenario will not come about." Earlier this month German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said his ministry was not overly concerned about the future of the bank, Germany's largest. "No one in the finance ministry is having sleepless nights because of Deutsche Bank - not me either," Mr Scholz said. His ministry is looking at ways to increase the competitiveness of German banks, including a possible change to tax laws to make mergers less costly. Reuters The problem with writing a biography of Thomas Cromwell, Diarmaid MacCulloch once noted, is that "he is a relative of Macavity the cat". The self-made son of Putney who rose by his own will and talent to become Henry VIII's most powerful servant is the hidden paw behind the English Reformation. We know Cromwell was there at the very centre, and we can be sure enough he was instrumental. But he always seems to end up a goodly distance from any infamous act, and all the footprints between have been fanned away with a whisk of his tail, or at least by friends and family seeking to preserve his reputation after his execution. Between the guarded character of the man himself, the normal regrettable losses of history, and deliberate destruction of evidence, there are so many lacunae in Cromwell's life that the doyen of Tudor history, Sir Geoffrey Elton, once described him as simply "not biographable". Mystery is as much a temptation as a challenge, though, and MacCulloch is far from alone in taking on this particular one. Lives of Cromwell run all the way from the Protestant hagiography of John Foxe's Acts and Monuments (1563), via the less sympathetic sketch in William Cobbett's History of the Protestant Reformation in England and Ireland (1824), right up to more recent, more deliberately balanced studies such as Tracy Borman's Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant (2014) and Michael Everett's The Rise of Thomas Cromwell: Power and Politics in the Reign of Henry VIII (2015). And, of course, over all of these loom Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall (2009) and Bring Up the Bodies (2012) - the books that have done more than any other to body Cromwell forth for modern readers. Though Mantel's singularly sympathetic Cromwell has come to dominate the popular imagination, verdicts on him have historically been split. For Foxe, he was a man of "synguler excellencie of wysdome and counsell", a committed "shield" of the true Gospel. For Cobbett he was, after his father's supposed trade, a "brutal blacksmith [...] for whom ruffian is too gentle a term". Modern commentators have tended to see him as varying shades of constitutional hero, who - whatever his motives - reshaped the machinery of the English state so efficiently that it remained little changed until the late 19th Century. As to his faith, between his closeness to Thomas Wolsey - opulent Catholicism's best-dressed English avatar - and his iron-fisted suppression of the monasteries, many have found it hard to tell exactly what he believed. This is one of the reasons, of course, that Mantel's psychological reconstruction lingers so long in the memory: it has the ambiguity and the humour of the real. When he sees his own intimidating 1532 portrait by Holbein, her Cromwell exclaims: "Christ, I look like a murderer." He is not wrong, either visually or historiographically. But Mantel's achievement is to make him attractive all the same, more hero than antihero, even if, in her memorable description, he looks like he is "throttling" that document in his hand. Though he pays a gracious compliment to Mantel in his introduction, MacCulloch's is a different enterprise altogether. He admits that one of the singular achievements of her soon-to-be-completed trilogy is to create from her deep knowledge of the period a Cromwell so lifelike that it is easy to forget, "as Mantel herself has frequently (and with mounting weariness) emphasised", that he is fictional. But fictional he is, and MacCulloch aims for the real, much more elusive, "true Thomas Cromwell of history" whose ghost flits through "the maze" of surviving papers in the National Archives and British Library. If anyone is qualified for the task, it is MacCulloch, who has spent a distinguished career illuminating the history of the church and the English reformation over the course of a dozen books, sundry documentaries, and too many articles to count. With authoritative studies of Cromwell's unpredictably pious and concupiscent overlord under his belt, MacCulloch brings to his work a probably unequalled knowledge of the Tudor age. Perhaps more importantly, MacCulloch brings intimate knowledge of the reformation's cross-currents, and rare patience for the niggling details on which the future of an entire continent hung. In other words, while it is unlikely at this point that any biography will displace Mantel's Cromwell from most readers' minds, MacCulloch's is the one that historians have been waiting for. The Cromwell that emerges, reconstructed in snatches from letters, laws, and court documents, has, it turns out, plenty in common with Mantel's. Like hers, MacCulloch's is superabundantly talented, ambitious - what else could explain his rise from Putney commoner to king's right hand? - and, like hers, he is personally loyal beyond the bounds of his religious convictions and his own best interests. He is, however, more explicitly committed to the evangelical revolution than any Cromwell since Foxe's: a man whose desire to foster the "true religion" often outran political expediency, and in the end contributed to his downfall and execution at the hands of his paradoxically conservative master. Video of the Day The general reader should be warned that this is not Tudor biography of the sensationalising and journalistic type, but of the slow and dense mode favoured by the specialist. In some sense - and wisely - MacCulloch takes Mantel's brilliance as letting him off the hook: with her work in the world there is really no need for him to enter into the quasi-novelistic flights of fancy that Tudor biography is wont to inspire. Though he writes in his accustomed fine, wry style, it is the wit of the don speaking to other dons. Instead this is careful stuff, evidenced to the hilt - there are some 150 pages of notes, bibliography and index alone. When MacCulloch makes statements about his players' characters, he is more likely to be talking about their handwriting than anything else, and his reliance on original documents rather than modern commentators or edited editions is absolute. And though his preference for the rather modest formula 'A Life' gestures to a sense that he knows that this is unlikely to be the final word on Cromwell, it is hard to see how it could be surpassed. January: Jacqueline O'Mahoney's debut A River in the Trees (riverrun) uses the dual settings of 1919 and 2019 in a story about family secrets and lies regarding the War of Independence and one mysterious woman's involvement. Music Love Drugs War (Penguin) by Geraldine Quigley is set in Derry in the 1980s at the height of the Troubles. Friends take revenge when one of them is killed. Anne Griffin's When All Is Said (Sceptre) sees 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan raise a toast to the five people who formed his life. Curiously, there are also five people listed in The Six Loves of Billy Binns (Tinder Press) by Richard Lumsden. The oldest man in Europe, Billy wants to remember what love feels like one last time. Claire Allan's Apple of My Eye (Avon) is a psychological thriller already getting rave previews, as is Lucy Foley's Agatha Christie-esque The Hunting Party (Harper Collins). Billy O'Callaghan's My Coney Island Baby (Jonathan Cape) is set in a single day, but spans 25 years of an affair. Endorsed heartily by Bernard McLaverty and John Banville. February: Lynda La Plante's much-anticipated sequel to Widows comes out this month, titled Widows' Revenge (Zaffre) and promises more skulduggery, while there's a different sort of skulduggery promised in Stacey Hall's debut, The Familiars (MIRA), set against the backdrop of the Pendle Witch Hunt in 17th Century England. Colm O'Regan's Ann Devine: Ready for her Close-Up (Transworld) bears the irresistible description: "Meet Ann Devine, a riddle, wrapped up in a fleece, inside a Skoda Octavia." Kristen Roupenian's debut short story collection You Know You Want This (Jonathan Cape) is already creating a stir. Susan Lewis fans will welcome her latest, One Minute Later (Harper Collins), a story about long-held family secrets being finally exposed and Catherine Simpson's When I Had A Little Sister (4th Estate) explores a farming childhood spent in a loving but silent family. When Simpson's sister commits suicide, the author looks back at what she thought was a happy childhood. March: Sadie Jones, winner of the Costa First Novel Award and shortlisted for the Orange prize, publishes The Snakes (Chatto & Windus) this month, a tense tale set in France about where an excess of greed can lead us. Fern Britton's The Newcomer (Harper Collins) focuses on a mysterious visitor in a Cornish coastal village. C. L. Taylor's latest psychological thriller Sleep (Avon) is also set in a coastal village, this time on a remote Scottish island. Charlie Savage (Jonathan Cape) by Roddy Doyle, is a compilation of Doyle's Irish Independent columns about a middle-aged Dubliner, and Belfast is the location for Jenny McCartney's The Ghost Factory (Harper Collins), set in the height of the Troubles. Her protagonist Jacky moves to London to escape the violence of Belfast, but he remains haunted by calls for retribution and justice. The Night Olivia Fell (HQ) by Christina McDonald opens with every parent's nightmare; a phone call in the middle of the night informing her of a terrible accident. April: Nell Freudenberger's Lost and Wanted (Viking) has physics professor Helen taking a phone call from her friend Charlie. But Charlie died two days previously. Jess Kidd's third novel, Things in Jars (Canongate), is set in 1863 and involves detective Bridie Devine's investigation of a rather ghostly kidnapping. Jan Carson's second novel The Fire Starters (Doubleday)involves two fathers' attempts to save their children while Belfast is in flames all around them. Two of Jane Casey's previous books have won major crime fiction awards and this month sees the publication of her latest Maeve Kerrigan detective novel, Cruel Acts, (Harper Collins) with Kerrigan suspecting that the wrong man has been locked up for a string of murders. A new Ian McEwan novel is always an occasion. Machines Like Me (Jonathan Cape) occurs in an alternative London where Charlie buys a synthetic human. A novel about what happens when we invent things we can't control. Another Jonathan Cape publication, The Parisian by Isabella Hammad, traces a young Palestinian's journey to a defiant Paris in the throes of World War I. May: Mark Haddon's latest, The Porpoise (Chatto & Windus), is about a wealthy, overprotective father who must shield his daughter from a suitor who appears to know too much. The Beekeeper of Aleppo (Zaffre) by Christy Lefteri, is arguably the most talked-about novel of 2019. It's a haunting story of two Syrian refugees and their hopes of rebuilding their lives in the UK. Video of the Day Hugo Hamilton's Dublin Palms (4th Estate) involves Sean's attempts to settle in Ireland. Arriving back in Dublin from Berlin and submerged within three languages (Irish, English and German), Sean struggles to create his own version of home. Jeffery Deaver's The Never Game (Harper Collins) introduces enigmatic investigator Colter Shaw in the first novel of a new series where the killer is making the rules. June: Joseph O'Connor's Shadowplay (Harvill Secker) is set in 1878, and is about theatre manager Bram Stoker and his inspiration for the creation of Dracula. Joanna Glen's The Other Half of Augusta Hope (Borough Press) introduces Hope from Hedley Green and Parfait from Burundi and is a novel about home and belonging. Lost You by Haylen Beck (Harvill Secker) is about a young boy who goes missing and two women's struggle to track him down. Finally, Heather Morris's much anticipated sequel to The Tattooist of Auschwitz is titled Cilka's Story (Bonnier) and follows her Auschwitz character Cilka after her liberation. A US judge has denied Kevin Spaceys request to skip his appearance in court on accusations that he groped a young man. The decision by Nantucket District Court Judge Thomas Barrett on Monday means Spacey will have to attend his January 7 arraignment. Spacey had argued he should be excused from appearing because his presence would amplify the negative publicity already generated in connection with this case. Expand Close Kevin Spacey did not want to attend his arraignment (Evan Agostini/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kevin Spacey did not want to attend his arraignment (Evan Agostini/AP) He is pleading not guilty. The 59-year-old Oscar-winning actor is accused of groping the 18-year-old man in a Nantucket restaurant in 2016. He is charged with felony indecent assault and battery. Spaceys lawyer, Juliane Balliro, said in the documents that his presence in court would only heighten prejudicial media interest in the case and increase the risk of contaminating the jury pool. Gardai are urged anyone who doesn't hold a ticket to tonight's New Year's Festival at Dublin's Custom House Quay to avoid the area. Last minute preparations are underway for an estimated 25,000 people to descend on the city centre to ring in 2019 with a lavish celebration, including Matinee, the 3Countdown Concert and the Liffey Lights Midnight Moment across the evening. Gardai have set up checkpoints to monitor tickets and organisers are appealing to local businesses and residents not to travel to the area without a ticket. Traffic restrictions are now in place in the area. Now in its seventh year, the event, coordinated between Failte Ireland, Dublin City Council and MCD Productions, will host a concert featuring an all-Irish lineup with Gavin James, Wild Youth, Inhaler and Hudson Taylor taking to the stage. Proceedings kick off at 6pm. Expand Close Preparations are underway for New Year's Festival Dublin - including lighting and laser display rehearsals. Picture: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Preparations are underway for New Year's Festival Dublin - including lighting and laser display rehearsals. Picture: Arthur Carron "We are very excited to be bringing New Years Festival to the streets of Dublin once again," Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring said. "This year promises to provide a bigger and better party than ever for locals and visitors alike, while also providing an opportunity to showcase our beautiful City on a global stage. Lets 'Ring' in the new year as only we can." The New Year's Festival Dublin celebrations can be viewed live on RTE television from 11.45pm. Killer: Molly Martens has also been accused of trying to destroy her husbands good name Negotiations are underway to transform a best-selling tribute to murdered Limerick businessman Jason Corbett (39) into a documentary film and a TV mini-series. A number of US film companies and internet drama producers are now negotiating for the rights to the book 'My Brother Jason', written by Tracey Corbett Lynch as a moving tribute to her murdered brother. The book - all proceeds of which go to Mr Corbett's two children - was published by Gill. It was an Irish No 1 best-seller, with strong sales also in the US. One proposal is for the book to be the focus of a three-part internet documentary in the US. Mr Corbett, a Limerick-born businessman and father of two, was brutally murdered by his second wife, Molly Martens (34), and her father, retired FBI agent Tom Martens (68), at his luxury North Carolina home in August 2015. The father and daughter will now have oral arguments in their appeal against their second degree murder convictions heard on January 31. Pathology and forensic evidence at their five-week murder trial revealed the Irish dad was asleep in bed when the first blow was struck - and he was beaten as he lay dying on the bedroom floor. Mr Corbett's sister, Tracey, was appalled at how her brother was depicted by the father and daughter. Molly Martens, who had a long history of mental health problems, was obsessed with securing her rights to Mr Corbett's two children by his late first wife and visited a divorce lawyer on this issue just weeks after her marriage to Mr Corbett in 2011. Mr Corbett steadfastly refused to sign adoption papers on her behalf amid mounting concerns over her bizarre behaviour. "The real Jason never emerged during that trial," Ms Corbett Lynch explained. "Jason was a kind, loving, caring and fun-filled man who was betrayed by two people he trusted and loved. But they didn't just kill my brother - they tried to destroy his good name as well." Ms Corbett Lynch said she wrote the book so people could understand the full depth of the betrayal her brother was subjected to. The Limerick executive said she was "overwhelmed" by the response to her writing and had been flooded with messages of support from people worldwide who had lost loved ones to violent crime. THREE men have been accused of taking part in an armed raid on a south Dublin shop in which staff were allegedly threatened with a hatchet and knife. Patrick Power (30), Jason Kirwan (31) and Joseph Zambra (43) appeared in Dublin District Court today charged with robbing a Centra store in Stillorgan at the weekend. It is alleged they were caught red handed leaving the scene in a car with 1,200 in stolen cash, a hatchet and knife. Judge Bernadette Owens granted them bail and adjourned their cases for the directions of the DPP to be made available. Mr Kirwan, of Elmdale Crescent, Ballyfermot; Mr Zambra (43) from Inagh Road, also in Ballyfermot and Mr Power from Dowland Road, Walkinstown are all charged with robbery. Objecting to bail, gardai said it would be alleged that two men, one armed with a hatchet and the other with a knife, entered Centra, Kilmacud Road Lower, Stillorgan on December 29, after 6pm and threatened staff before taking 1,200 in cash from the till. Gardai said the two got into a blue Volkswagen Passat and along with a driver, left the scene. A member of the public pointed the car out to gardai responding to the alarm call, and said the occupants were involved in the robbery. The Passat was stopped less than 100 metres away and a knife and hatchet were recovered from the car. Garda Stephen Byrne said Mr Power made no reply to the charge after caution. Garda Karl ONeill said Mr Kirwan, a father-of-three also made no reply to the charge. Garda Brendan Dowling said Mr Zambras reply to the charge after caution was I robbed nobody. Applying for bail, lawyers for the three said the accused were presumed innocent. Judge Owens first granted Mr Power bail but he refused to sign the bond, saying although he wanted bail he wanted to do a couple of weeks in custody to get me head together first. He was remanded in custody with consent to bail, to appear in Cloverhill District Court this Friday. Gda ONeill said in his opinion the accused were caught red handed. Mr Kirwans barrister Kevin McCrave said there was a constitutional presumption in favour of bail and the gardai were not alleging his client was a flight risk. Mr Kirwan was granted bail subject to his mother giving a sworn undertaking to ensure he appears in court. Another condition is that Mr Kirwan, a father-of-three stays out of Stillorgan. Questioned by Mr Zambra's lawyer, Gda Dowling accepted that Mr Zambra was not one of the two men seen entering Centra and although he put himself at the scene in interview, he gave an account and said he didnt have any knowledge of what was going on at the time. Mr Zambra, a father-of-two would abide by conditions, his solicitor said. Among the conditions imposed by the judge, he is to sign on twice weekly at Ballyfermot Garda Station Both Mr Zambra and Mr Kirwan's cases were adjourned to Dun Laoghaire District Court on February 11. No cash lodgements were required for bail. Legal aid was grated after the court heard the accused were not working. James Gately (inset) and (background) the scene of May's botched murder attempt on Gately A gangland criminal suspected of the attempted murder of James 'Mago' Gately is now the focus of a "special policing plan". The Herald has learned that the gun-for-hire has become a primary target for gardai in the city centre because he is considered one of the capital's most dangerous criminals. He has close ties to the Kinahan cartel member known as 'Mr Flashy', as well as other organised crime gangs across Dublin. Gardai have become so concerned about the gangland thugs activities that a special policing plan has been put in place by management at Pearse Street Garda Station. The criminal, aged in his mid-20s, will be subjected to regular searches when spotted and intelligence will be gathered on any associates he is seen with. After moving into the south inner city flat complex, the thug paid 5,000 to have reinforced doors put into the social housing apartment. The Herald can also reveal that neighbours of the city centre-based thug have been warned by gardai to avoid getting into "petty disputes" with him because he is so violent. "This guy is believed to be behind the shooting of Mago last year and possibly two other gun attacks since," a source told to the Herald. "His neighbours have been warned not to get involved in petty disputes or rows with him because he is likely to lash out, possibly with a gun. "He is that dangerous. He will use a gun for any reason, even a minor verbal row." Detectives are also close to building a comprehensive case against the thug and his arrest over a number of serious criminal investigations is imminent. He is chief suspect for the 'Mago' shooting, in which the Hutch mobster was shot five times. The city centre criminal is also a suspect in the murder of Robert Sheridan, who was shot dead in Ballymun in October. Gardai also suspect the violent criminal was also behind a spate of non-fatal shooting incidents in the Ballymun area over the summer. Among the victims was an innocent young woman who was shot in a kneecap in July. The gangster was previously arrested last August for a botched murder attempt on Mago. He is considered a main and active participant in the Irelands newest gangland feud after he took sides opposed to Owen Maguire, who was shot multiple times in an attack in Drogheda that left him paralysed. Mago Gately (30) was shot in the neck while sitting in a car at the Topaz Garage in Clonshaugh, north Dublin, on the afternoon of May 10, 2017. PHOTOS Former President Obama visits South Side YMCA Former President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to an after-school basketball event at the South Side YMCA, 6330 S. Stony Island Ave., on Dec. 2, 2021, in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. Student-athletes from South Side schools were invited to participate in the drills practice event, which was attended by Chicago Bulls player Patrick Williams, Bulls general manager Marc Eversley and representatives from the Chicago Sky. While the youths practiced drills with members of the Bulls coaching staff, Obama made an unannounced entrance and addressed those in attendance about the importance of the YMCA. Obama greeted the students as they resumed drills, and toward the end of the visit he attempted to make a basket from beyond the three-point line. He made three attempts and made the final shot. The Irish Air Corps carried out more than 300 Air Ambulance missions in 2018 with the more than half of those taking place in the west of Ireland. An arm of the Irish Defence Forces, the primary role of the Air Corps is to provide military air defence as well as providing support to organisations like the HSE and government departments. In the past year, some 310 dispatches from the Air Corp were required under the Emergency Aeromedical support (EAS) service, which has a particular responsibility to support seriously ill patients in rural communities. The majority of missions took place in Western counties with 49 completed missions in Mayo, 36 in Galway, followed by 30 in Roscommon and 25 in Clare. On the other end of the spectrum, there was just one mission each carried out in Kildare and Kilkenny, and no EAS missions at all in 2018 in Dublin. Following the establishment of the EAS programme in 2012, the Air Corps has completed 2,300 missions throughout the country, headquartered in Baldonnel in Dublin and supported by a crew in Custume Barracks in Athlone. In addition to the ambulance service provided, latest figures also show the Air Corps completed 197 civil power operations which offer assistance to An Garda Siochanas bomb squad, prisoner escorts, cash escorts and search operations. During the historic visit of Pope Francis in August as well as other state visits, some 2,861 personnel from the air bound branch of the Irish Defence Forces were drafted in. In a particularly challenging year thanks to polarised extreme weather events, the Air Corps played a role in mitigating the impact of events including Storm Emma and the drought experienced through the summer months. Some 900,000 litres of water were dropped via the bambi bucket on areas affected by Gorse fires in counties Dublin, Wicklow, Limerick, Tipperary and Wexford.as well as parts of Armagh and Down. Minister of State with responsibility for Defence, John Kehoe said the support provided in Northern Ireland was a standout moment for the force this year. These were unprecedented operations from our perspective and they are among many reasons why we are extremely proud of the work of the women and men of the Irish Air Corps. This year also marked 60 years of deployment on the United Nations Peacekeeping Service abroad with a ceremony to mark the occasion held at Dublin Castle, presided over by President Michael D. Higgins and attended by Mr Kehoe and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. 'At risk' groups targeted in move to cut down on crisis pregnancies Vending machines could be used to dispense free condoms in a drive to reduce crisis pregnancies and promote sexual health. The HSE will provide free condoms in colleges and among "at risk" groups this year as the first step towards ensuring greater access to free contraception. The installation of machines in pubs and clubs has emerged as one of the options to be investigated as the HSE researches the best way to more widely distribute the condoms. Research will be carried out early in 2019 to determine the best way of distributing the condoms. Expand Close Senator Catherine Noone. Picture: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Catherine Noone. Picture: Collins Increased availability of free contraceptives was one of the key recommendations made by the Oireachtas committee established to examine the issue of the Eighth Amendment. The committee also recommended improved sex education to reduce the instances of crisis pregnancy. Funding has been released for the new initiatives in the revised estimates for the HSE's sexual health strategy for the coming year. A survey on sexual health and crisis pregnancies in Ireland will also be carried out - almost a decade after the last one was completed. Abortion services will be officially available from tomorrow under the landmark new law passed by the Oireachtas before Christmas. Health Minister Simon Harris said the additional funding for the new sexual health initiatives will "help us achieve our goals of reducing crisis pregnancies but also improving public health, and supporting sex and relationships education for young people". "Sex education shouldn't stop at schools," he said. "We have to ensure that parents and those working with young people can help them develop healthy relationships and make informed decisions which protect their health and wellbeing. "These measures will also improve sexual health and wellbeing across the wider population in this country and reduce the number of sexually transmitted infections." In addition to pushing the availability of free condoms, there will also be public information campaigns to promote safe sex. A working group is currently looking at how best to provide contraceptives free of charge, including long-acting options. The group is expected to determine what forms of contraception will be made available to women as part of the plan to provide widespread access to free contraception, which may require a legislative change. It is examining medical perspectives and long-acting reversible contraceptives. At the Oireachtas committee's pre-referendum hearings on the Eighth Amendment, there were fears expressed from the anti-abortion side of the debate that some women would use abortion as contraception. However, this was dismissed as deeply offensive to women. Fine Gael Senator Catherine Noone, who chaired the committee, said that introducing widely available free contraception to tackle the problem of crisis pregnancies was a "no-brainer". Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Junior Education Minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor is planning to introduce sexual consent classes for students across all third-level institutions. A report on the subject is due to be finalised and brought to Cabinet next month. Ms Mitchell O'Connor told the 'Sunday Independent' she expects that all universities will be asked to run workshops for first-year students on consent as part of their orientation package. Politicians are to be offered mindfulness classes to help them cope with the pressures of their work. The classes, which will begin in the new year in Leinster House, are being launched amid fears that TDs and senators are not looking after their mental health. Ceann Comhairle Sean O Fearghail told the Irish Independent that politics has become "a particularly fraught business", adding that politicians have replaced priests as the "go to" people for families in distress. "Competition is intense. Pressures in constituencies can be intense. Members, all too often, don't look after themselves," explained Mr O Fearghail. Expand Close Support: Sean O Fearghail says TDs have replaced the role of local priest. Picture: Tom Burke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Support: Sean O Fearghail says TDs have replaced the role of local priest. Picture: Tom Burke The chair of the Dail compared the situation to the warnings given on airplanes that passengers should put on their own oxygen mask if cabin pressure drops before attending to children. "The truth is you have to be able to help yourself before you can help other people," he said. Mindfulness is about training the mind to focus on the current moment and relieving stress. It is usually done through meditation. It's not clear what level of take-up there will be for the classes, which will also be available to other staff working in the Houses of the Oireachtas. Mr O Fearghail said it was important for TDs to take time to look after their mental health if they are to effectively help constituents deal with "very complex problems". "The politicians of today meet far more complex issues in their constituency clinics than the people of yesteryear did," he said. "When I started out in politics people would come to talk to you about potholes or planning permissions or an extension to a school. But there are deeply personal issues coming now." The Kildare TD cited debt as a "huge issue" for politicians, along with homelessness, mental health problems and people wanting to access supports for children with disabilities. "All these things present themselves in constituency clinics. You'd want to be made of stone not to have those stories impact on you," he added. "I would have people in my office talking about suicide, talking about being sexually abused as children, about only now being able to talk about it. "People in married relationships who are suffering abuse in the family home. There are dreadful things going on. "Thirty years ago, they probably went to the priest. Or they'd talk to their doctor about it. But politicians now tend to hear these problems." He said TDs, senators and staff "need to be equipped to deal competently with this". "It's not that we have the solutions, we don't," he said. "But we need to be able to encourage them to go to the right places to get the sort of help and support that they need." Mother Nature is set to gift revellers the mildest weather for New Year's Eve festivities in decades. Party-goers will welcome 2019 with exceptionally mild and dry conditions at a host of festivals and events across the country. Temperatures will reach as high as 9C or 10C and, critically, there will be generally dry conditions over Dublin and the east coast where the biggest New Year's Eve festivals are planned. Met Eireann's Liz Walsh said the mild conditions will last for most of the week, with New Year's Day also set to prove dry but cloudy. The weather will turn cooler by Friday with a risk of frost in some inland areas. However, Met Eireann played down fears that Ireland could now be heading towards another spell of Siberian weather comparable to the 'Beast from the East' as claimed by some internet forecasters because of "sudden stratospheric warming". This is when there is an abrupt hike in temperatures high up in the stratosphere which can sometimes lead to a spell of cold and snowy weather. But the national forecaster warned it is far too early to make any predictions about such weather. January is expected to prove much colder than the exceptionally mild Christmas period. For New Year's Eve revellers, the only negative is a slight risk of drizzle across some parts of the west coast. Dublin will host Ireland's main New Year's Eve party, with 50,000 people expected to take to the streets to welcome in 2019. The main event will be a concert by Gavin James at 8pm tonight on Custom House Quay. From 6pm, a special 'Liffey Lights Extravaganza' will take place along the river with lasers and aqua beams creating a thrilling New Year countdown. In Cork, the festive focus will be indoors with special masquerade balls in the Metropole Hotel and Cork International Airport Hotel, while The Hothouse Flowers will play a New Year's Eve gig in Cork Opera House. Hootenanny A number of city venues, including Electric, are hosting special New Year's Eve/Hootenanny parties. In Kerry, Dingle aims to outshine its bigger rivals Killarney and Tralee with a special 10pm marina fireworks spectacular. Around 10,000 people are expected in Dingle as the New Year is ushered in with a torch-lit march around the streets led by the Dingle Fife and Drum Band. In Limerick, a special charity ball in aid of the Irish Heart Foundation will be the centrepiece of the city's social programme, with the 'Sweet Hearts' ball staged in the Savoy Hotel. There will also be a variety of other events, including House Limerick's Monte Carlo evening. Waterford will celebrate its links to the New Year's Eve party in New York with the city having supplied the giant crystal ball which marks the dawn of 2019 in the Big Apple's Time Square. Meanwhile, Galway will host a masquerade ball in GRC. The city will also feature a range of other New Year events, including Halo Nightclub's Moulin Rouge/Come What May 2019 evening. The father of an Irish woman at the centre of a "sugar daddy" scandal which forced an Australian minister to resign has denied she tried to blackmail the man. Defending his daughter (25), he added: "She is not a lady of the night by any manner or means. Not even remotely." He said that while she acted like a "bloody eejit", there was "absolutely no question of blackmail". The young Dublin woman, who is living in Hong Kong, made contact with politician Andrew Broad through a website which brings together "generous sugar daddies" and "attractive sugar babies". Mr Broad (43) then went on to send her a number of text messages. In one, the married politician, who was an assistant to the Australian deputy prime minister, compared himself to James Bond, telling her he knew "how to ride a horse, fly and plane and f*** my woman". In an exchange which led to the affair being dubbed the "G'day Mate" scandal, he also talked about kissing her neck as he whispered "G'day Mate" to her. In November, the pair met for dinner in a restaurant in Hong Kong. It is understood the woman said that she felt uncomfortable and left early. However, in a message she sent to Mr Broad 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. She added: "I'm fully aware of how much more I could get if I went public to the papers with my story." Mr Broad resigned after an interview with the woman appeared in an Australian magazine. The woman's father said she had been introduced to the SeekingArrangement website by new friends after she was transferred to Hong Kong by her company. "As I understand it, they go out with wealthy men," he said. "They have dinner in a restaurant they probably wouldn't eat in themselves and then they get enough for a nice bag or a purse or a scarf or whatever it is." He said his daughter was "naive" but he was glad she left the restaurant early. "That inappropriate behaviour commenced in a restaurant and she terminated it there and then," he added. "If that doesn't tell you what her intention was for the night?" He said his daughter met some friends later and they drank a lot of wine after which she sent a "drunken text". "She is well educated to master's level," he said. "She is as naive as they come at times. "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." Two men have been killed and two others were injured in three separate road crashes at the weekend. Gardai in Co Limerick are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision involving a car and two motorcycles yesterday. It happened at 12.40pm on the N69 road between Glin in Co Limerick and Tarbert in north Co Kerry. A motorcyclist in his 50s was pronounced dead at the scene, while another motorcyclist in his 20s was taken to University Hospital Limerick. His injuries were not life-threatening. The occupants of the car involved in the collision were not injured. Gardai are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to contact Newcastlewest garda station on 069 20650. A man was also killed early yesterday morning when the car he was driving veered off the road and ploughed into a fence in Co Cork. Gardai, along with other emergency services, attended the scene of the accident, which happened on the Old Dublin road not far from J18 of the M8 motorway, at 7am. A man in his 30s, the only occupant of the car and believed to be from Co Cork, was pronounced dead at the scene. Gardai are appealing for witnesses to contact them at Mayfield garda station on 021 4558510. Meanwhile, one person suffered serious injuries in a two-car crash in Co Cork at around 8pm yesterday. The collision happened on the R630 near Ballinacurra and one of the cars is understood to be UK-registered. The injured person was transferred to Cork University Hospital. It's not an accident that New Year's resolutions follow the festive season like a hungover apology follows a wild night out. We need to make amends for the sibling rows, the "just one more" at the local while pissed off babysitters check their watches, and the reproachful liver pains of Stephen's Day morning. But what if this year you bonded over the mince pies, nurtured your nearest and dearest, and made sure the only mess to clear up the next day is the dishes? It may be possible Psychologists believe the first step to improving your relationships is ensuring that you aren't the problem. "If you don't have a good relationship with yourself, then it's almost impossible to have a good relationship with anybody else," says Anne Colgan, Chair of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy. "We're raised to consider others first, it's in our psyche, so we don't tend to prioritise ourselves, but this is important so we can build on our relationship with others." Expand Close Texting someone is fine but a voice call means a lot more / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Texting someone is fine but a voice call means a lot more If the first lesson in enhancing relationships with those closest to us is to learn how to put ourselves first occasionally, how then do we attend to the other friendships in our lives? Partners - Beware the complacency trap and carve out time for each other Often the person with whom you spend the most time can be the one most neglected. Parents can end up as little more than workmates toiling for uniquely uncompromising bosses. Those without children immerse themselves in careers only to discover that no relationship remains when they finally resurface. "Taking care of someone is not about material things," says Terri Morrissey, CEO, Psychological Society of Ireland. "It's about showing the other person you value them. If your partner has drifted away then it's a wake-up call you haven't been paying attention. Partners should check in on each other every day - and really listen. Put yourself in the other's shoes." Colgan says that partners need to make time for each other. "A date night is crucial - time for each other on your own. This doesn't need to be a night out necessarily - it's about carving out the time. Getting this time has always been difficult. Going back 20 or 30 years ago, mother did everything in the house; fathers, everything outside. They often didn't do things 'together'. "Parents who feel guilty about children should remember that parents spending time together brings security for children as they see their parents interacting. It also teaches boundaries and how to respect them." Siblings - Give but don't expect to receive Ah, the brutal zero sum game of a sibling relationship, the one where you're always keeping score. Even if you aren't engaged in open warfare, most sibling relationships involve some degree of guerrilla fighting with skirmishes flaring up in the disputed territory of the family home. But if we're honest, most of us are open to peace terms. Colgan says: "If there's a tense row, explain your actions without reheating the argument. The tendency is to be defensive rather than admitting, 'I felt hurt'. "Ask yourself if you've been in the wrong or if you're actually trying to change the other person. With siblings, you need to make a gesture, but don't expect anything in return." There will always be differing dynamics between siblings - Morrissey says this is normal. "I'm the eldest with three brothers so I'll always be 'Sis', because I forged a path for the rest of them. "Every family has rows and maybe relationships break down, but it's important not to let them fester if you can. Reconnecting isn't easy but work on your similar interests to find a way." Children - Don't baby the kids Having a better relationship with your child helps them transition into young adults, which is not always easy - for either party. "Make space to listen to the child," advises Morrissey. "It's not about the amount of time you spend with them, it's about the quality of time you're spending and respecting them during that time." Colgan also says that engaging with children - especially making space for play time - is pivotal. She also advocates encouraging children gradually into greater responsibility. "Idle threats are not good, particularly with young people - eight, nine, 10 and up. So if you're entrusting them to get themselves up to their own alarm clock and then if they fail to do so, they learn the consequences. When children get to a certain age, they can make their own lunch. When you do too much, you lose respect for yourself, so setting some simple chores around the house teaches the children that everyone contributes. This helps develop a sense of independence and they will respect you more for it." Parents - Underpromise and over-deliver Much has been made of the Facebook grannies who keep in touch with their grandchildren online, but both psychologists advocate phone communication, rather than expecting them to be grateful for the odd update. "Contact with the voice is really important, social media and text isn't quite the same," says Morrissey. "Again it's about making time for people and making them feel valued. People are busy, yes, but when you think about the amount of time people spend on devices, a portion of that can be devoted to getting out and meeting people." Colgan says that honesty is key and what is often framed as family 'commitments' should be better explained. "This can be a relationship laden with obligation - on both sides. Maybe it's the family lunch you have to attend every Sunday. Instead of saying, 'We must have lunch every week', they should say, 'We really miss you and we want to see more of you'." She also advises that children - especially adult children - take responsibility and tell parents when arrangements don't suit them, rather than committing to plans only to cancel, thereby disappointing everyone. Friends - Texts are no substitute for a call Once, no minutiae was too insignificant to warrant a call, no snubbing too imagined not to merit retelling; now you're reduced to exchanging bimonthly greetings in a WhatsApp group, and yet, many such friendships seem to endure. Morrissey says to remember not to take each other for granted, in spite of such endurance. "Relationships have to be two-way. The word here is reciprocity. Some people drift away and then wonder why the other person isn't making an effort. These mistakes lead to estrangement and it's important people learn to acknowledge their mistakes." But where some friendships can endure long absences even without talking, others fail apparently at a whim. Calibrating the different needs of various friends is a skill we need to learn, Colgan advises. "Sometimes you have friends you might not speak to for six months and it's as if you've never been apart. Other friends need more connection. The difficulty now is that we're all living far apart - different cities, different countries, and it's not always possible to see them. The best connection is hearing someone's voice, there's no substitute for that. So pick up the phone. Let them know you're thinking about them." Supermodel-turned-nutritionist Rosemary Ferguson: Forego a bacon sandwich and repair some of the damage with a breakfast full of protein and healthy fats instead Photo: Getty Images If you're planning on partying on into the new year, you don't have to overdo it. Why not try "healthy hedonism" instead? With a few simple tweaks, you can still enjoy yourself, while limiting some of the damage you're doing to you body. And that goes for every party season. Here's how: Be a better drinker "You don't have to avoid alcohol altogether, but you can drink smarter and cleaner," says personal trainer Lee Mullins, who has worked with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Cressida Bonas. "I tell my clients to choose alcohol with the fewest toxins to improve their hangovers and overall health. Go for high-quality vodka or tequila, with fresh lime and soda water. Steer clear of sweetened mixers like cola, which just up the sugar content further (remember, alcohol is incredibly high in sugar). And choose better quality, cleaner wine, with fewer chemicals." "Clean wine" is causing something of a buzz this party season. Simply, it's wine without (or with fewer) chemicals and additives that can exacerbate hangovers. US brand Thrive Market has just launched a range, but in the UK look for wines labelled "organic", containing fewer or no sulphates, or "spontaneously fermented", which means no added yeasts and a more natural fermentation process. Recover well "The morning before a big night out, make a jug of sparkling water, add some mint and lemon and put it in the fridge," says Rosemary Ferguson, the supermodel-turned-nutritionist, who once graced the cover of Vogue with fellow model and friend Kate Moss, before qualifying as a nutritionist in 2009. "When you wake up hung-over, you often crave a cold, fizzy drink that tastes slightly sugary. Expand Close Chef and food writer Melissa Hemsley. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chef and food writer Melissa Hemsley. Photo: Getty Images "But, rather than a cola, which is packed with sugar and leads to an energy slump 20 minutes later, this will perk you up." She also advises ditching the grease. "Forgo a bacon sandwich and repair some of the damage with a breakfast full of protein and healthy fat instead, like poached or scrambled eggs on sourdough toast, or a big bowl of porridge with nut butter and cacao powder." Mullins recommends taking an activated charcoal supplement and having an Epsom salt bath the next day to "absorb some of the toxins". Try Holland & Barrett Activated Charcoal capsules (hollandbarrett.com). Avoid a stress hangover "Forget food and alcohol, stress can be the unhealthiest thing about the festive season," says chef and food writer Melissa Hemsley. "I avoid tiredness crutches like coffee, which can make my anxiety worse. Instead, I take a big saucepan, chop some ginger and let it bubble away for an hour or so. I then put it in the fridge, with some lemon and lime wedges, and the next day fill a water bottle with it before leaving the house. Expand Close Sauna visits will increase your bodys ability to detoxify all the excess. Stock Image / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sauna visits will increase your bodys ability to detoxify all the excess. Stock Image "If you do drink coffee, always make sure you hydrate before you caffeinate. "The other thing I've started doing is going to parties early and leaving early: you make better choices at the start of the night, you can make your way around a room and then head off feeling like you've chatted to everybody, but protecting yourself from a hangover and poor sleep." And if you're hosting? "Make it easy for yourself," advises Hemsley. "I have a huge chopping board, which I top with lots of little deli-bought things like olives, good quality hummus, breads and truffle honey, all displayed beautifully. Then I put the booze out, a massive jug of water, and let everybody get on with it. "Fiddly festive hosting can be overwhelming and the stress hangover - where you come down from the adrenalin high of rushing around - can cause you to crave alcohol and sugar. Take the pressure off and the cravings will disperse." Support your gut Eating and drinking more than usual can put a strain on your digestive system, so it is important to support your gut bacteria. "This helps reduce bloating and research shows a healthy gut bacteria can influence whether your body uses food as fuel, or stores it as fat," says nutritionist Henrietta Norton. Boost your gut health by cutting down on sugar, refined foods and alcohol - tricky in December, but Norton recommends avoiding them on the days in between parties. "A good Chromium supplement reduces sugar cravings and slightly lower your fruit intake, while upping your vegetable one," she says. Try Wild Nutrition GTF Chromium Antioxidants (wildnutrition.com). "Also, eat fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kimchi (spicy fermented vegetables), which are naturally rich in beneficial bacteria and enzymes." Norton recommends the Biona and Raw brands. Exercise right "One of the biggest mistakes we make in December is forgoing exercise because it's cold or wet," says Ferguson, "but getting outside every single day, even for a 15-minute walk at lunchtime, helps boost your mood and energy." However, you might want to give the HIIT class a miss: "If you're hung-over or tired, your body is chronically inflamed," says Mullins, "So doing anything too strenuous will only add more inflammation. Being tired or hung-over can also make you more prone to injury and dehydration, so don't go spinning, or running the morning after to 'sweat off' the night before. "If you belong to a gym, head to the sauna a couple of times a week, or go to a few hot yoga classes, which will increase your body's ability to detoxify all the excess," he adds. "However, don't go if you're hung-over, as it will dehydrate you further." It's been said many times, but still bears repeating - you learn a lot about life in public houses. Over the past few days during this blissful, mellow in-between period of the Christmas holidays, many an occasion has presented itself to plonk my posterior on a bar stool and chat with strangers. This being Ireland, of course, nobody is a stranger after one utters that undeniable social command: "So, how's it going?" It's been a Christmas of intriguing social intercourse with teenage brainboxes, college drop-outs, alternative industry entrepreneurs, homeless charity volunteers and chic ladies wearing enough jewellery to pay off my mortgage a few times over. Everywhere I went, though, the laughter and 'happy to be home' enthusiasm of returned ex-pats made up the background soundtrack to the convivial atmosphere of an Ireland taking a grateful pause from the hurly burly of normal life. Instantly recognisable by their deep tans, deeper wallets and insatiable inclination to hug at the slightest opportunity, these ex-pats offer an interestingly objective view of how our little island is perceived from 10,000 miles away. Quaffing a few craft beers with a bevy of nurses home from Down Under for a wedding, all were arching their eyebrows at the notion of returning anytime soon to jobs in the Irish health service - even with the incentive of free airfares back as part of the deal. "It's better than it was, okay, but there's still way too many desk jockeys and not enough front-line staff," was the common refrain. The modern Irish rover is also often recognisable by his altered physical appearance - a fact underlined in an old college buddy who left Dublin three years ago with a growing cocaine habit and 20 kilos overweight. Nowadays he rises at 5am for serious yoga on the beach followed by a daily swim in the Pacific, and the closest thing to an illegal substance he'll touch is the occasional Cuban cigar to celebrate another hi-tech coup in Silicon Valley: "Yoga in San Fran is like the local GAA club at home, it's an intro to social and job networks you'd be stupid to ignore." As to life in Trump's America, he is fulsome in praise of the Irish fraternity and its tentacles: "If anything, the Irish bond is stronger nowadays, and it's brilliant in everything from finding an affordable apartment to pointing you toward a decent job." In the end, as my dear old Mum used to say: "The savage loves his native shore" - and almost everybody I met was clearly ruling in the notion of one day returning home. "Regardless of what happens with the Brexit drama, Ireland will always be an ideal pitch point for accessing the EU market," explained Brian, a 28-year-old whose outside catering company turns over 30 million rand (1.8m) servicing the booming college market in Cape Town. "And the kind of incentives available from agencies like Enterprise Ireland are better than anything in Europe." When it comes to what they miss, ex-pats generally subscribe to the same basic desires as their parents probably did - Barry's tea, Tayto's, Penneys, spice balls, the family Sunday lunch and the joy of GAA county finals. Towering over all those, though, is that indefinable, incomprehensible, mysterious and baffling national characteristic - the craic. But what exactly is the craic, I asked? "Turn your head to your left and right," a 30-year-old Dubliner who teaches English in Beijing commanded me. "It's everybody in this pub, with all their quirks, blemishes and foibles. It is the comfort of being amongst your own, the joy of being home." As I have said numerous times in the past and is particularly relevant with today being New Years Eve, if you have been drinking, do not drive, DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin stated in a news release. It is a very simple idea but unfortunately, in far too many instances, people feel they are all right to drive when they are not and tragedy follows. Dont allow yourself to become a statistic tonight. Do yourself a favor and call a cab or use a ride-sharing service if you have been drinking. Almost 20 years ago, concerned about the extent of economic inequality in an Ireland being presented as a prosperous and forward looking society, I and others set up TASC (Think Tank for Action on Social Change), a public education charity aimed at raising knowledge about the negative consequences of inequality. We sought to make Ireland a more equal society. We have had five different governments in varying combinations of political parties and philosophies, a "boom" and a "bust", in large part a result of the increasing concentration of wealth over previous decades. This, as we know, was followed by close to a decade-long programme of penalising austerity. So what has changed? Very little, it would seem. As an upcoming TASC report will show Ireland continues to be among the most unequal countries in Europe when it comes to market-income equality. While mitigated through State supports that enable us to hold the line as average across Europe, we are still not seeing the kind of political action to indicate a fundamental improvement is on the way. It is now almost a truism to reiterate that economic inequality is not an inevitable outcome of a market economy but is rather a result of conscious political choices. The fact we have had little or no change in inequality levels in almost 30 years suggests, at the very least, an abject failure by policy makers. We live with a set of particular labour market institutions that, as a TASC report will again set out in 2019, actually predisposes Ireland to high levels of inequality. But it doesn't have to be this way. Over the years, TASC, and indeed others, has developed a series of evidence-based policy proposals which if acted upon would do much to alter this dispiriting picture. As we face into a new year with local and European elections, and the ever-present likelihood of a general election, TASC will propose a new plan for a more equal, prosperous society. The first thing we have to address is our unfair income distribution model. Economic inequality tends to be driven by the gains of the upper classes and rich at the expense of the working class and the poor. For Ireland, most recent research indicates the bottom 40pc of our population receives 22pc of the national income while the top 10pc receives almost 25pc. In Ireland, the top decile has been doing very nicely over the past 20 or 30 years, the top 1pc in particular. Shamefully, the bottom 40pc has received much less. Looking at TASC's most recent pieces of research on health inequality and precarious work in particular, it is evident too many people are at even greater risk of poverty and deprivation because they are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, can't visit their GP because of the high cost of health, or can't work because of the high cost of childcare. If we are to move towards a more equal society, we need to implement - not just talk about - a 'Marshall Plan'-type programme of affordable home building, implement Slaintecare and see early childcare as an automatic state provision. Finally and critically we have to tackle our "flexible" labour market. In reality, as TASC research on precarious work has so vividly demonstrated, it is workers who offer great flexibility to employers. Ireland has among the highest rates of deprivation among employed persons in the EU-15. Union membership and coverage are low when compared to other European countries, and labour protection is comparatively weak. We don't yet recognise the right to collective bargaining, which is an accepted process in most of the most egalitarian societies in Europe. The negative consequence of this is an unusually high incidence of low pay, precarious working conditions and a high risk of working poverty, felt most acutely by younger workers and women. We do have choices. There are alternatives available that can make Ireland a more equal place. Dr Paula Clancy is a founding director of TASC Let the good times roll: Joe, Eloise and Nano Creighton from Kildare enjoying Funderland at the RDS, Dublin. Photo: Gareth Chaney, Collins Please may I give 10 simple resolutions to nourish the soul, mind and heart, by doing things that enhances our levels of happiness. As follows: 1. Engage your mind with things that stimulate you; 2. Go for a walk and breathe in the sweet sights and sounds of nature; 3. Read books; 4. Book a weekend away; 5. Have a regular date night with your partner; 6. Do some volunteer work; 7. Smile - it is something that will make other people feel good; 8. Ignore the bullies, they're just very sad people; 9. Leave the past behind, and live and enjoy, as the song says, "one day at a time"; 10. And above all, stop punishing yourself by trying to measure up to someone else's standards, and start embracing the fact that you're perfect just as you are. A very, very Happy New Year to you all! Brian McDevitt Glenties, Co Donegal Hope springs eternal to save us all from despair There is something special about New Year's Eve. We bid goodbye to one year and welcome in a new one. No matter how bad we feel a year has gone for us, the eternal optimist in us looks forward to possibly a new beginning and better times ahead. It is this quirk of the human psyche that brings us through difficult times. If we didn't have this in us we would all capitulate at the slightest setback we encounter along the way. To everyone who has struggled in 2018, whatever the circumstances, I wish them happiness for the year ahead. This year is almost complete; we know not what joys await us in 2019. Tommy Roddy Salthill, Galway Martin's political strategy is canny, not strange Reading the latest of the many quotes published over the holiday period attributed to Leo Varadkar helped to explain, what appears to many, Micheal Martin's strange political strategy ('Vultures better with writedowns than banks', Irish Independent, December 28). To paraphrase Napoleon, never interrupt a mountebank while he is in the process of showing his true colours. Jim O'Sullivan Rathedmond, Co Sligo Trump's vocabulary could do with an upgrade America is facing the great "shutdown" but what we should be seeing is a "shut up". Most people hold the role of US president in the greatest esteem with the possible exception of the incumbent. Speeches inspire, tweets don't. There should be well thought-out speeches and press statements that use the full vocabulary of the English language and not invented words. Present the best and forget the rest. Dennis Fitzgerald Melbourne, Australia All Ireland's a stage - thanks to our amateurs I read with interest Sophia Donaldson's article 'Dublin's Lost Theatres - places so important to the city and its people' ('Weekend Magazine', December 29). Unfortunately, another shamefully neglected element of Ireland's theatre history is the amateur drama movement. By the 1930s, Ireland's craze for Hollywood "talkies" had reached fever pitch while parish halls countrywide throbbed to the sounds of the quick step, foxtrot and other such non-Irish dance tunes. In the ultra-conservative Ireland of its day these social activities were viewed with absolute abhorrence by both the de Valera Government and Roman Catholic Church and castigated as evil influences on Ireland's moral wellbeing. When the Church enforced a Lenten ban on such activities, people turned to the stage and amateur drama. There was an unprecedented rise in the formation of drama groups and subsequent founding of competitive festivals countrywide. In a bid to formalise amateur drama the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland was founded in 1952, while the first all-Ireland Amateur Drama Festival was held in 1953. My own research of Co Kerry's forgotten history has unearthed incredibly innovative thinking; for example, Josephine Albericci, founder of the Kerry Drama Festival, understood it as a potential cultural tourism product. The amateur movement caught the imagination of ambitious young writers, producers and players; some of whom sought professional careers and succeeded while many others failed. The popularity of playwriting alone is reflected in the number of submissions to the Abbey Theatre during the 1940s and 50s. However, not all veered towards the professional: many committed to the competitive festival circuit while the majority sought satisfaction in entertaining their own communities. Ambitious groups such as Killarney Players staged up to four productions a year and people queued for hours to buy tickets. If indeed the history of variety theatre is neglected because it is "not seen as an art form", perhaps the same can be said of the amateur drama movement? Then, sadly, Ireland's theatre history remains all the poorer for it. Dr Fiona Brennan Knocknagree, Co Cork Snowman stands strong in a blizzard of change It's a bit of a Christmas miracle that the word snowman has survived in common usage. I thought by now we'd be building snowpersons in the meadow. Brian Ahern Dublin 15 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at St Mary Magdalene's church for the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Britain's Prince Charles, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at St Mary Magdalene's church for the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay File photo dated 19/05/18 of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle riding in an Ascot Landau along the Long Walk after their wedding in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave St Mary Magdalene's church after the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at St Mary Magdalene's church for the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave St Mary Magdalene's church after the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave St Mary Magdalene's church after the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are ringing in the New Year for the last time just the two of them. Britain's Duke and Duchess of Sussex have planned a low-key celebration at either Sandringham Estate, where Queen Elizabeth resides during the holidays, or at home in Kensington Palace, also their last time in the two-bedroom Nottingham Cottage before moving to Windsor next year. It's a fitting change from last year's festivities in Monaco, where they partied "like tycoons" with close friends, and a signal of their devotion to family life. After a Christmas spent in the confines of a country manor filled with the rest of the British royal family and amid rumours of a rift between the newylweds and Prince William and Kate Middleton, it's not exactly a surprise that they will be spending New Year's apart, specifically after putting on such a united business-as-usual front for church on Christmas Day. Kate and William will be holed up in their 10-bedroom estate in Norfolk, Amner Hall, with their three children. It was reported earlier this week that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will no longer be alternating their Christmases, but exclusively spending it with the royals as their roles continue to change in preparation for Prince Charles' eventual ascension to the throne. Expand Close Britain's Prince Charles, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at St Mary Magdalene's church for the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Britain's Prince Charles, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Duchess of Cambridge along with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at St Mary Magdalene's church for the Royal Family's Christmas Day service on the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain, December 25, 2018. REUTERS/Hannah McKay Pippa Matthews arrives with her husband James Matthews (left) and her brother James Middleton arrive for the wedding of Princess Eugenie to Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle Vogue Williams is wrapping up her incredible year in five star style. The RTE presenter (33) and husband Spencer Matthews (30) have touched down in St Barths, with their four-month-old son Theodore, and will be ringing in the New Year with the rest of the Matthews clan at the family's exclusive Eden Rock hotel. Pippa Middleton and husband James Matthews have just touched down to celebrate the occasion with their nearest and dearest at the Caribbean property. Since David and Jane Matthews purchased the property in 1995, the venue has hosted everyone from Bono to Jessica Alba and has become a preferred retreat for the Middletons due to its exceptional privacy, which come in the form of two entirely secluded villas on site. Guests are given their own Mini Cooper or Harley Davidson motorcycle for travel around the island and while there, they can avail of a 24-hour butler and personal staff available to VIPs. Pippa and James were pictured walking the streets of the upscale destination while the new mother proudly cradled her two-month-old son Arthur after his first long-haul flight. And with both Matthews brothers becoming first-time fathers in recent months, the group will have plenty to discuss. The couple spent Christmas with the Middletons in Berkshire and caught up with sister Kate and husband Prince William before jetting off to the sun. Expand Close Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews, pictured with baby son Theodore, spent Christmas at Carton House in Kildare. Picture: Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews, pictured with baby son Theodore, spent Christmas at Carton House in Kildare. Picture: Instagram In contrast to the royal in-laws, Spencer and Vogue actively pursue the limelight with four Hello! magazine covers this year alone and they will soon be promoting their new reality show in early 2019; but both are careful not to cross the line with over-sharing about their family. The sisters-in-law relationship has grown significantly over the last year and a half after Vogue was initially not invited to Pippa's May wedding last year, but another wedding and two pregnancies have brought them closer together. Before their babies were born, Spencer said: "The [children] will be a very similar age and I think it will be great for the kids to grow up together, as such. We're all looking forward to it and very blessed." Vogue said earlier this month that she understands the interest in her private life, in particular with paparazzi. "We do get papped a bit and they know where we live now, which is quite annoying, but really all they ever get is us going for a walk with our dog and how many pictures can you get of that? "It's not always what it's cracked up to be," she told LIFE magazine, "but it is all part of the job. When you're at an event and you get ready for that and you're photographed; that's part of the job. You don't want to be photographed looking crap, but I don't ever get cranky about it, neither of us does." I am utterly furious. My boyfriend decided that a good present to get his girlfriend of four years was a kettle with some Lyons tea bags (I drink Barry's). We decided early in November that we would set a 50 limit on presents for each other this year, we're renting and trying to save a deposit for a mortgage. I did think he might push the boat out and spend a bit more, it's Christmas after all. I'm not saying I expected him to spend thousands, but maybe a few hundred at least. Well I came down on Christmas morning to see one solitary wrapped box under the tree. I was a bit shocked, but there had been this pair of Louboutins that I'd sent him a link to a few weeks ago so got excited thinking he must have splurged on them. No, it was a bloody kettle. Our one has been on the blink. I could feel the tears forming and fury rising in my stomach. He approached me from behind with another smaller wrapped box. Maybe this is my real present I was thinking. Tea bags. Not even the right brand, they were Lyons and he should know I always buy Barry's. I completely flipped out. He looked shocked and really taken aback and started blabbering on about how we had agreed the limit bla bla bla. I didn't speak to him again until that evening and agreed to put it behind us. Video of the Day But I can't stop thinking about it. Do I really want to spend my life and take out a mortgage with someone who can be so bloody stupid? Brian replies: To start by stating the obvious - you did both agree to the 50 budget. You secretly hoped he'd go mad and exceed it greatly when, and in a not totally unforeseeable development to be fair, he stuck to the budget. I re-watched Titanic over Christmas, and one of the famous lines in it is that a woman's heart is a deep ocean of secrets. Well in that case, a man's is a shallow paddling pool with a leak. He took what you said at face value; you spent the last six weeks wondering how he'd elaborately impress you. You said apples; he got you apples - and not the expensive collection of exotic fruits you were hoping he'd read your mind and buy. Now look, I think we can both agree that even within the 50 limit a kettle was a pretty crappy present - but practicality obviously outweighed sentimentality for him on this occasion. Your anger is coming from the fact that he stuck to an agreement you had both made. If you'd wrote in upset that he'd got you a kettle I'd help you light the pyre and be all 'burn the witch' with you. You can't be upset that he kept an agreement with you - it sets a very bad precedent in your relationship. Are you telling him it's all right to break future agreements with you because you really didn't expect he'd keep to it? "Have multiple affairs, our marriage vows were just for the lols." Yes, you probably regret making the deal with him - and yes, a kettle is a really terrible present in any event. I won't even address the teabags issue. I mean it's a terrible cherry on an awful cake, but the Barry's versus Lyons debate is more divisive than the civil war and I don't want to be trolled. Chalk it down to experience and enjoy the new year festivities. Do you have a problem you'd like some advice on? Email askbrian@independent.ie to submit in confidence. Twitter: @Brian_O_Reilly Bangladesh's main opposition called for a fresh vote yesterday 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 Ms 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". With 258 of 300 parliamentary seats declared, the Awami League and its allies had won 246, while the JOF had taken six. 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. Yesterday, polling agents alleged that they had stayed away out of fear. Others claimed they had been beaten and forced out of voting centres. Rumana Mahmood, a JOF candidate in Sirajganj, 110km northwest of Dhaka, claimed that 90pc 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, claiming that supporters of the ruling party had stuffed ballot boxes in favour of the government. One 65-year-old woman in Ms Mahmood's constituency claimed that the police had not allowed her to vote freely. "In my locality there are hundreds of people who have not been allowed in any voting centre today," she said. Bangladesh has become increasingly authoritarian under Ms Hasina's rule, moving closer to 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. ( Daily Telegraph London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Divers use a pulley to enter a coal mine that collapsed in Ksan, in the northeastern state of Meghalaya, India, December 29, 2018. REUTERS/Anuwar Hazarika Relatives of at least 15 Indian miners trapped in a "rat-hole" mine for 18 days said on Monday they have given up hope that any of them would be found alive, even as rescue operations were stepped up. "We want his body back so that we can give him a decent burial," said the uncle of 26-year old Omar Ali, who is among those trapped in the mine. The miners were trapped on Dec. 13, when an illegal mine in India's northeastern Meghalaya state, was flooded. Thousands of workers, including children, have been killed in so-called rat-hole mining, which involves miners crawling into narrow shafts on bamboo ladders to mine for low-quality coal, in Meghalaya. The state banned such unregulated mining in 2014 but it still goes on in some places. A survivor of the disaster, Sayeb Ali, 24, said he too thought there was little chance of anyone coming out alive. He said 17 miners were trapped in the accident. It was not clear why his figure differed from the government account of 15 miners. Sayeb Ali said he has survived as he was not deep inside the very narrow mine shaft when disaster struck. "The people who were digging coal went deep inside and cart-pullers like me and the other four who survived were about eight to 10 feet inside," Sayeb Ali, who is not related to Omar Ali, told Reuters by telephone. India is one of the world's most dangerous countries to be a coal miner, with one miner dying every six days on average in 2017, according to government data. Government officials said on Monday rescuers have only been able to find three helmets and two axes underground. Officials said the navy on Sunday sent 15 divers with cameras and specialist equipment into the mine in an attempt to reach the bottom of the pit, but they had found nothing. "The problem is there is murky water that entered the rat-hole pit from a nearby river," Santosh Kumar Singh, an official with the National Disaster Response Force, told Reuters. Invite: Kim Jong-un expressed regret that he had been unable to visit South Korea. Photo: REUTERS North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has written a rare letter to Seoul vowing to "frequently" meet Moon Jae-in, South Korea's president, to discuss nuclear disarmament. In the missive, described by South Korean officials as warm in tone, Mr 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 Seoul's Maronie Park to discuss their unlikely new hero. Clutching bunches of pastel pink rosebays, symbolising the sea of flowers that greeted Mr Moon on his trip to Pyongyang in September, they broke into song. "Let's 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 was a stark reflection of the perceptional shift taking place in the South. "Until now, we did not know Kim's 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, as Pyongyang was still threatening Seoul and Washington with the prospect of war. ( Daily Telegraph London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] File photo dated 05/02/13 of a sign outside an HSBC branch in the UK. The boss of HSBCs unit in Turkey in under investigation. The head of HSBCs unit in Turkey is being investigated for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the latest move in the governments attempt to curb dissent. A prosecutor is investigating Selim Kervanci, chief executive of HSBC Turkey, for a 2013 retweet of a clip from the German film Downfall, which is set in the last days of Adolf Hitler. He retweeted the post by a Turkish journalist five years ago when Mr Erdogan was prime minister of Turkey and when there was a series of demonstrations over the conservation of Gezi Park in Istanbul which transformed into a wider protest against the state. Mr Kervanci testified to police about the video in September. The story was first reported by Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet. HSBC Turkey declined to comment on the probe. Expand Close Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Niall Carson/PA) Mr Kervanci joined HSBC 22 years ago as a management trainee when it was called Midland Bank in Turkey and he became chief executive of the Turkish arm in 2016. Following a failed military coup in July 2016, the government enforced a state of emergency and ramped up its crackdown on dissent, arresting journalists, academics and activists as well as dismissing thousands of public sector officials. Insulting Mr Erdogan is a crime in Turkey and according to Human Rights Watch more than 6,000 people were prosecuted in 2017 and just over 2,000 people were convicted. A 2017 referendum granted Mr Erdogan expansive new powers for several amendments to the constitution, a step to transform Turkey from a parliamentary democracy to a presidential republic. A measure in Italys 2019 budget law will allow the local government in Venice to charge day-trippers for access to the citys historic centre as a way to help defray the considerable costs of maintaining a popular tourist destination built on water, the mayor said. Venice mayor Luigi Brugnaro said on Twitter that the new visitors tax would allow us to manage the city better and to keep it clean and allow Venetians to live with more decorum. The City Council will be responsible for setting the charge and determining the collection method. Expand Close A view of the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A view of the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy (Yui Mok/PA) The mayors office said it would vary from 2.50 euros to 10 euros per person, with exemptions for students, people travelling briefly to Venice for work or business and regional residents. Overnight visitors will not be assessed the new levy. They are currently charged a small stay tax per night that varies according to such criteria as season, location and the ages of guests. Official estimate that as many as 30 million people visit Venice each year, with about one-fifth spending at least one night in the historic centre of the city, which excludes islands in the lagoon and a mainland. Expand Close A view of Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy (Yui Mok/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A view of Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy (Yui Mok/PA) Mr Brugnaro said the substantial cost of cleaning and maintaining security has so far been paid only by Venetians. Many natives have been forced to the mainland due to the high cost of living, and the huge influx of tourist also from cruise ships has contributed to wear and tear on the delicate architecture, which also endures frequent flooding caused by high winds. City officials emphasised that the cost of maintaining public buildings in Venices historic centre is one-third higher than on the mainland due to materials having to be brought in by boat and sometimes taken on hand-carts through the citys narrow mazes of streets. Cleaning also must be done by hand. Expand Close The Duomo, Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiore in Florence, Italy (John Walton/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duomo, Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiore in Florence, Italy (John Walton/PA) The extra funds also will cover security costs, including the deployment of 150 local police officers every Sunday and the 350 officers on duty for holidays like New Years Eve and Carnival, and to erect walkways during periods of flooding. The mayor of Florence, another Italian art city struggling with over-tourism, called for a law that would allow all major Italian tourist destinations to assess visitor fees. Florence and the other touristic cities are not less-deserving, Italian news agency Ansa quoted mayor Dario Nardella as saying. This is a norm that discourages hit-and-run tourism, which creates problems and inconveniences in the city without being counterbalanced by positive effects. Florence now can collect a maximum of five euros a night from overnight guests, according to the mayor. Mr Nardella said he was also disappointed that the authorisation Venice received does not address the use of private residences as tourist lodgings, which he said is threatening the residential nature of the historic centres of all the Italian art cities. Olmetti had been arrested earlier in the afternoon on an arrest warrant issued by Wood Dale police and had been in the detention room for less than an hour when he was found in a seated position not breathing, according to a news release from Melrose Park police. A determination on the cause and manner of death is pending, according to the medical examiners office. The Capitol is seen amid leafless tree branches in Washington (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) House Democrats are introducing a package of bills that would re-open the US federal government without approving money for President Donald Trumps border wall. The House is preparing to vote as soon as the new Congress convenes on Thursday, as one of the first acts after Democrats take control, according to an aide. The package to end the shutdown will include one bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels, with 1.3 billion US dollars for border security, through to February 8. It will also include six other bipartisan bills, some that have already passed the Senate, to fund the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and others closed by the partial shutdown. Expand Close Donald Trump has insisted his border wall must be funded (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump has insisted his border wall must be funded (Niall Carson/PA) They would provide money through the remainder of the fiscal year, to September 30. Democrats under Nancy Pelosi are all but certain to swiftly approve the package in two separate votes planned for Thursday. What is unclear is whether the Republican-led Senate, under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will consider it or if Mr Trump would sign it into law. The partial government shutdown is in its second week over Mr Trumps demand for five billion US dollars for the wall. Republican senators left for the holidays refusing to vote on any bills until all sides, including Mr Trump, were in agreement. Expand Close A migrant family from Honduras climbs a border fence to jump inside the United States to San Diego, from Tijuana, Mexico (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A migrant family from Honduras climbs a border fence to jump inside the United States to San Diego, from Tijuana, Mexico (Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP) Senators were frustrated that Mr Trump had dismissed their earlier legislation. The president continued to insist he wants to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, despite the assertions of three confidants. An all concrete Wall was never abandoned, Mr Trump tweeted on Monday. Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Mr Trumps comments came after officials, including his departing chief of staff, indicated that the presidents signature campaign pledge to build the wall would not be fulfilled as advertised. White House chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published on Sunday that Trump abandoned the notion of a solid concrete wall early on in the administration. To be honest, its not a wall, Mr 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, Ms 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. Senator Lindsey Graham, a 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. Mr Graham said Mr Trump was open-minded about a broader immigration agreement, saying the budget impasse presented an opportunity to address issues beyond the border wall. Expand Close Senator Lindsey Graham (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Lindsey Graham (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) But a previous attempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of Dreamers, young immigrants brought to the US as children, broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Mr Graham told CNN before his lunch with Mr Trump that there will never be a deal without wall funding. The partial government shutdown began on 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 any funding for the wall, 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! Mr Trump suggested as much again in a tweet on Sunday: President and Mrs Obama built/has a 10-foot Wall around their D.C. mansion/compound. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The US needs the same thing, slightly larger version! Mr Trump tweeted on Monday to Democrats: Come back from vacation now and give us the votes necessary for Border Security, including the Wall. A female member of the Isil jihadist group let a five-year-old girl die of thirst in the scorching sun, according to German prosecutors. While living in then Isil-occupied Mosul, Iraq, the 27-year-old German citizen identified only as Jennifer W and her husband had allegedly bought the child as a household "slave" in 2015. "After the girl fell ill and wet her mattress, the husband of the accused chained her up outside as punishment and let the child die of thirst in the scorching heat," they said in a statement. "The accused allowed her husband to do so and did nothing to save the girl." Prosecutors said they had laid the charges of war crimes, murder and weapons offences back on December 14 in a Munich court that deals with state security and terrorism cases. Jennifer W had first left Germany in August 2014 and travelled via Turkey and Syria to Iraq where she joined Isil the following month. Recruited to a vice squad of the militant group's self-styled morality police, she would later patrol the city parks of the Isil-occupied cities of Fallujah and Mosul. "Her task was to ensure women comply with the behavioural and clothing regulations established by the terrorist organisation," said the statement. "For intimidation, the accused carried an assault rifle of the type Kalashnikov, a pistol and an explosives vest." In January 2016, months after the child's death, W visited the German embassy in Ankara to apply for new identity papers. When she left, she was arrested by Turkish security services and extradited days later to Germany. She was initially allowed home but when she attempted to again travel to Syria in June of this year, German police arrested her. No date has been set yet for the start of the trial. ( Daily Telegraph London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Gourmet Burger Kitchen is one of a number of chains which have sought rescue deals and closed stores amid tough conditions for restaurants (Rick Findler/PA) A staggering 10,000 workers in Britains restaurants lost their jobs during 2018, in a tumultuous year for the casual dining sector. According to the Centre for Retail Research, 10,413 jobs were lost this year, amounting to 30 people a day, research for the Press Association has shown. Restaurants have been battling stagnating sales, overcapacity and rising costs which saw a host of familiar high-street names such as Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Carluccios, Prezzo, Chimichanga, Byron and Jamies Italian close stores, seek rescue deals or enter administration. Costs have increased for restaurants, with a rise in the minimum wage and a fall in the value of the pound since the referendum on Britains membership of the European Union driving food prices higher. Meanwhile, uncertainty over Brexit has hit consumer confidence. Competition has also increased with a raft of new chains backed by private equity firms having opened across the UK. Extra tax for business rates coupled with rising food prices and staff costs through increases in both the national and minimum wages created a lethal cocktailAlex Probyn, Altus Property taxes for restaurants paid via businesses rates in England and Wales rose 23% to 564.7 million for the 2018 financial year, a two-year hike of 106.64 million since rates were revalued in April 2017, according to property advisory group Altus. Alex Probyn, president of UK expert services at Altus, said there had been huge growth in the casual dining market with restaurant numbers up 16% overall since 2010, but the race for space pushed up rents impacting on rateable values which came into effect in 2017. Extra tax for business rates coupled with rising food prices and staff costs through increases in both the national and minimum wages created a lethal cocktail as margins were squeezed. To address the squeeze, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced in the Budget in October that business rates will be a cut by a third for small retailers, including restaurants, in England which have a rateable value of less than 51,000 for two years from April 2019. The next revaluation will take place in 2021. However, Altus noted that help for restaurants operated by chains is likely to be limited due to the 200,000-euro (180,866) three-year state aid cap from the EU. The Centre for Retail Research also forecasts that a further 10,950 jobs will be lost across the casual dining sector in 2019, with independent restaurants being hit the hardest. The Centres director Professor Joshua Bamfield said: Many of the large chains have already made cuts and, in 2019, we expect the smaller and independent restaurants to bear the weight of the losses. Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour during New Years Eve celebrations in Sydney (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) There have been celebrations around the world to welcome in 2019. Paris The Champs-Elysees was the scene of festivities in Paris. Expand Close Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during the New Years Day celebrations (Michel Euler/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fireworks illuminate the sky over the Arc de Triomphe during the New Years Day celebrations (Michel Euler/AP) French President Emmanuel Macron had earlier addressed the people following a mixed year in which there were mass protests but in a year that will be remembered for the countrys World Cup victory in Russia. Berlin Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel also addressed the people ahead of fireworks over central Berlin. Expand Close Fireworks light the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate (Michael Sohn/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fireworks light the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate (Michael Sohn/PA) It marked the end of a year when Mrs Merkel resigned as head of her party. Sydney Expand Close (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) An estimated one million people crowded Sydney Harbour as Australias largest city rang in the new year with a spectacular, soul-tinged fireworks celebration. One of the most complex displays in Australias history included gold, purple and silver fireworks pulsating to the tune of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, made famous by Aretha Franklin, who died in August. The show used 8.5 tonnes of fireworks and featured more than 100,000 pyrotechnic effects. Expand Close (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) Expand Close (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Brendan Esposito/AAP Image via AP) Earlier, a thunderstorm drenched tens of thousands of people as they gathered for the traditional display, creating a show of its own with dozens of lightning strikes. Expand Close (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (Brendan Esposito/AAP via AP) Police said they took precautions to prevent any terrorist attack, but assured revellers there was no specific threat. In Melbourne, 14 tonnes of fireworks deployed on the ground and on roofs of 22 buildings produced special effects including flying dragons. In Brisbane, an estimated 85,000 people watched as fireworks exploded from five barges moored on the Brisbane River. New Zealand Tens of thousands gathered around Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealands biggest city, as fireworks exploded from the top of the 1,076ft structure. Across the southern hemisphere nation, thousands took to beaches and streets, becoming among the first in the world to usher in 2019. Fireworks boomed and crackled above city centres and harbours. Expand Close Fireworks explode from Aucklands Sky Tower (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fireworks explode from Aucklands Sky Tower (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) New Zealand's Auckland welcomes the new year with fireworks #NewYear2019 pic.twitter.com/acC47C5Edb ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 South Korea Expand Close People attend New Year celebrations in Seoul (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People attend New Year celebrations in Seoul (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) After an eventful year that saw three inter-Korean summits and the easing of tensions over North Koreas nuclear programme, South Koreans entered 2019 with hopes that the hard-won detente will expand into a stable peace. Expand Close Buddhists light candles during New Year celebrations at Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon). / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Buddhists light candles during New Year celebrations at Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon). Thousands of South Koreans filled the streets of the capital, Seoul, for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall. Dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight included famous surgeon Lee Guk-jong, who successfully operated on a North Korean soldier who escaped to South Korea in 2017 in a hail of bullets fired by his comrades. A peace bell was tolled at Imjingak, a pavilion near the border with North Korea. Japan Expand Close Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa lies on the mat after being knocked out by Floyd Mayweather Jr (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa lies on the mat after being knocked out by Floyd Mayweather Jr (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Japanese usually welcome the new year with a visit to a nearby temple or shrine, but some 30,000 people at Saitama Super Arena did it with Floyd Mayweather. The American boxing legend soundly defeated his opponent, Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, in the first round of what was billed as three rounds of entertainment with no official record, meaning both fighters still retain their undefeated tallies. Floyd Mayweather has just been paid $9m to do this to kick boxer who weighs 2 stone lighter than him Business #RIZIN #RIZIN14 pic.twitter.com/FbdOC0vlg4 Adam Catterall (@AdamCatterall) December 31, 2018 I told Tenshin to hold your head up high, Mayweather said of his advice after the bout. Nasukawa was floored three times in the first round, and although he kept getting up, teetering, his father in the corner threw in the towel. Thailand Expand Close Worshippers pray as they take turns lying in coffins during a ceremony at the Takien temple in suburban Bangkok (AP Photo/Sakchai lalit) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Worshippers pray as they take turns lying in coffins during a ceremony at the Takien temple in suburban Bangkok (AP Photo/Sakchai lalit) While many celebrate New Years Eve with fireworks, hundreds of Thais travelled to Takien Temple in a suburb of Bangkok to lie inside coffins for traditional funeral rituals. Participants believe the ceremony symbolising death and rebirth helps rid them of bad luck and allows them to be born again for a fresh start in the new year. Participants held flowers and incense in their hands as monks covered them with pink sheets and chanted prayers for the dead. Expand Close Monks cover worshippers lying in coffins (AP Photo/Sakchai lalit) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Monks cover worshippers lying in coffins (AP Photo/Sakchai lalit) It wasnt scary or anything. It is our belief that it will help us get rid of bad luck and bring good fortune to our life, said Busaba Yookong, who came to the temple with her family. Bangkok is filled with modern glitzy shopping centres and high-rise buildings, but superstitious beliefs still hold sway in many aspects of Thai society. United Arab Emirates Fireworks crackled at Dubais Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building, as hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered downtown to watch the spectacular display. The fireworks replace last years somewhat anticlimactic LED lightshow that ran down the facade of the 828-metre-tall (2,716-foot) tower. Moscow Russia marked the new year with a firework display over the Kremlin in Russia. Expand Close Fireworks explode over the Kremlin during New Years celebrations in Moscow (Denis Tyrin/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fireworks explode over the Kremlin during New Years celebrations in Moscow (Denis Tyrin/AP) It also marked the end of the year in which the country was praised for its staging of the World Cup. United Nations One year ago, I issued a red alert to the world. The dangers still exist, but I also see reasons for hope. In 2019, let us build on them and create a better future for all. Happy New Year. pic.twitter.com/S31Q09x1HE Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) December 29, 2018 UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres issued a bleak New Years message that called climate change an existential threat and warned that its time to seize our last best chance. He noted growing intolerance, geo-political divisions and inequality, resulting in people questioning a world in which a handful of people hold the same wealth as half of humanity. But there are also reasons for hope, he said. As we begin this New Year, lets resolve to confront threats, defend human dignity and build a better future together. United States Expand Close Confetti covers the crowd during the New Years celebration in Times Square, New York (Frank Franklin II/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Confetti covers the crowd during the New Years celebration in Times Square, New York (Frank Franklin II/AP) Raindrops fell along with confetti as revellers rang in 2019 in New Yorks Times Square, capping a soggy New Years Eve celebration that included singer-songwriter Bebe Rexhas stirring rendition of John Lennons Imagine just before midnight. Crews used squeegees to try to remove water from the stages, but New Kids On The Block still splashed up puddles while performing their hit Step By Step on a giant set of steps. At midnight, fireworks erupted over Times Square, couples kissed, families hugged and Auld Lang Syne played over loudspeakers. Human Rights Watch is urging Sudans government to instruct security forces not to use lethal force against protesters. The New York-based group says security forces have used tear gas and live ammunition against protesters who have taken to the streets since December 19 to demand that Sudans autocratic president Omar al-Bashir should step down. The statement came hours before a day of renewed of protests, with demonstrators in the capital, Khartoum, expected to try to march on Mr al-Bashirs palace to demand he relinquishes power. Expand Close Sudanese protesters set fire to the ruling party headquarters, in Atbara (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sudanese protesters set fire to the ruling party headquarters, in Atbara (AP) Amnesty International said it has reliable reports that 37 protesters were killed in the first five days of protests. The government has acknowledged 19 deaths, while Human Rights Watch said independent groups monitoring the situation in Sudan have put the death toll at 40. An umbrella of independent professional unions which called for Mondays protests in Khartoum have urged Sudanese people to take to the streets elsewhere in the country. Mr al-Bashir, who has been in power since 1989, vowed in a meeting with police commanders on Sunday that his government would not tolerate any attempt to undermine the stability and security of Sudan, according to the state news agency. Expand Close A Sudanese activist, men help women find cover during clashes with security forces at a demonstration in Khartoum (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Sudanese activist, men help women find cover during clashes with security forces at a demonstration in Khartoum (AP) An Islamist, he also sought to justify the killing of protesters, quoting from Islams holy book, the Koran, according to a video clip of his comments. He said: Its deterrence to others so that we can maintain security, which is a valuable commodity and, God willing, we will not risk the security of the citizens or the nation. The objective is not to kill the protesters, but to safeguard the security and stability of citizens. Human Rights Watchs Jehanne Henry said: President al-Bashir appears to be making public speeches that justify excessive use of force instead of condemning this brutality. With more protests planned, Sudanese authorities should send an unambiguous message to all security forces to respect the rights of protesters and not to use lethal force. Sudans economy has struggled for most of Mr al-Bashirs rule. He has also failed to unite or keep the peace in the religiously and ethnically diverse nation, losing three quarters of the countrys oil wealth when the mainly animist and Christian south seceded in 2011, following a referendum in which southerners voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence. A year earlier, Mr al-Bashir, who is now in his mid-70s, was indicted by the International Criminal Court for genocide in Sudans western region of Darfur. Sir Martin Sorrells new marketing communications venture has reported soaring revenues as the advertising tycoon continues to take the challenge to his old firm WPP. S4 Capital booked a 46% increase in euro sales, gross profit up almost 40% and operating earnings at the MediaMonks agency up nearly 118% in the year to the end of November. Like-for-like revenues grew over 51% and the group said it is trading in line with expectations. The firm added that it secured two prestigious digital content assignments from major global package goods companies before Christmas, which will impact next years figures. S4 Capital recently bagged its second acquisition, splurging 150 million US dollars (118 million) to snap up San Francisco-based MightyHive. Sir Martin, the founder and former boss of advertising giant WPP, said the deal was an important second strategic step for S4 Capital as it looks to target the west coast of America and technology giants. The takeover was completed on Christmas Eve and three-year plans and budgets for 2019 are in preparation, indicating continued strong organic growth. Sir Martin said: Momentum continues at MediaMonks and now at MightyHive, and we are already making progress in bringing MediaMonks and MightyHive together to provide a differentiated digital content, data and programmatic offer for clients and investors. We look forward to updating the market in early March 2019. The acquisition of MightyHive, which specialises in programmatic marketing, is the second takeover by Sir Martin since he left WPP in April, following allegations of misconduct and that he misused company funds. His new venture triumphed against WPP in a high-profile battle to buy Dutch firm MediaMonks, which also recently opened an office in San Francisco. Donald Trump announced he would be withdrawing US troops from Syria (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of US forces in Syria, Republican senator Lindsey Graham has said. I think were in a pause situation, the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House after lunch with the president. Mr Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Mr Graham had been an outspoken critic of Mr Trumps decision, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. Expand Close Senator Lindsey Graham after his meeting with Mr Trump (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Lindsey Graham after his meeting with Mr Trump (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) The announcement had also shocked American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the US against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey. I think were slowing things down in a smart way, Mr Graham said, adding that Mr Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Critics had contended that the US withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. US national security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the presidents plans with the American allies. The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure: 1) ISIS is permanently destroyed. 2) Iran doesnt fill in the back end, and 3) our Kurdish allies are protected. Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 30, 2018 Mr Graham told US news channel CNN: Im going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure that we get it right. Make sure Isis never comes back. Dont turn Syria over to the Iranians. Thats a nightmare for Israel. And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, whos going to help you in the future? I want to fight the war in the enemys backyard, not ours. Thats why we need a forward-deployed force in Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan for a while to come. Home Secretary Sajid Javid is holding talks with Whitehall chiefs on Monday as he prepares to step up action on migrants attempts to reach Britain by boat from France. Mr Javid cut short a family holiday in South Africa to take personal control of the situation, which has seen almost 100 migrants making the perilous Channel crossing in dinghies and other small craft over the Christmas period. But writing in the Daily Telegraph, he admitted that many of the factors behind the increase in crossings are outside of our control. Journeys are being fuelled by instability in the Middle East, organised crime and tighter security at Calais, he said, adding: Unfortunately there are no easy answers. He added: While we have obligations to genuine asylum seekers we will not stand by and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our global society. In phone talks on Sunday, which the Home Office described as significant and productive, Mr Javid and his French counterpart Christophe Castaner agreed to ramp up co-operation to stop the crossings. An enhanced action plan to be launched this 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. But Mr Javid faced accusations of over-egging the scale of the problem, with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott telling the Guardian: Theres no question that with Brexit, and also with the approach of the meaningful vote in January, people are being whipped up about migration issues, because the Government thinks this is the best way of frightening people to vote for their deal. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for a more welcoming approach, tweeting: 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. 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 Mr Javid has come under growing pressure from his own backbenches to act, with Kent MP Rehman Chishti telling him to get a grip. Dover MP Charlie Elphicke repeated calls for Border Force cutters to be brought back from search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean to patrol the Channel. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the armed forces were ready to offer help if needed, but there had been no requests from the Home Office. 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. Mondays meeting to discuss further action will involve senior officials from Government departments and agencies, including Border Force and the National Crime Agency. In his call with Mr Castaner, 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 to meet face-to-face in January to assess whether further action is required, the Home Office said. 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 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. He warned that more boats might act as a magnet for migrants hoping to be picked up and taken to the UK. Rejecting the suggestion that increasing patrols would encourage more crossing attempts, 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. Send to Email Address Your Name Your Email Address Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Email check failed, please try again Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Ailing Bollywood veteran star Kader Khan, who has made us laugh with his antics onscreen is struggling to keep well. He has been wheelchair-bound since a long time. Recently, he was admitted to a hospital in Canada after complaints of breathing issues. Soon, rumours of him passing away started doing the rounds. However, it turned out they were all unsubstantial. Also Read: Kader Khans Knee Operation Goes Wrong, Rushed To Canada For Medical Treatment Veteran actor Kader Khans son Sarfaraz has said that his father has been admitted to a hospital in Canada, dismissing media reports of his demise. It is all a lie. It (is) just a rumour. My father is in the hospital, Mr. Sarfaraz told PTI. The 81-year-old actor has developed breathing issues and the doctors have reportedly transferred him from regular ventilator to BiPAP ventilator. AFP Mr. Khan is reportedly suffering from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a degenerative disease that causes loss of balance, difficulty in walking and dementia. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who has worked with Khan in films such as Do Aur Do Paanch, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Mr. Natwarlal, Suhaag, Coolie and Shahenshah, took to Twitter on Friday to pray for the veteran actors well-being and recovery. Kader Khan... actor writer of immense talent... lies ill in Hospital... Prayer and duas for his well being and recovery... Saw him perform on stage, welcomed him and his prolific writing for my films. Great company, a libran and many not know, taught Mathematics, Mr. Bachchan tweeted. Born in Kabul, Mr. Khan made his acting debut in 1973 with Rajesh Khannas Daag and has featured in over 300 films. Also, he has written dialogues for over 250 movies. Before becoming an actor, he had written dialogues for Randhir Kapoor-Jaya Bachchans Jawani Diwani. As a screenwriter, Khan frequently collaborated with Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra. His films with Desai include Dharam Veer, Ganga Jamuna Saraswati, Coolie, Desh Premee, Suhaag, Parvarish and Amar Akbar Anthony and films with Mehra include Jwalamukhi, Sharaabi, Lawaaris, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar. After celebrating Christmas together, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are now on a couples vacation with Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner. The couples are enjoying family time in Verbier, Switzerland. 2. 'Uri: The Surgical Strike' Trailer Gets Censored, Dialogue With Reference To 72 Virgins Removed Weeks later, the makers of the movie RSVP Productions have removed the old trailer and uploaded a new one that has a minor change in it. Looks like one of the dialogues from the movie has been censored. 3. Kader Khan's Son Sarfaraz Rubbishes Rumours Of His Death, Confirms He's Alive & In The Hospital It is all a lie. It (is) just a rumour. My father is in the hospital, Mr. Sarfaraz told PTI. 4. 10 Bollywood Directors Select Their Favourite Films Of 2018 & AndhaDhun Is A Clear Winner! Be it black comedy thriller AndhaDhun, light-hearted film Badhaai Ho or horror comedy Stree, the year of 2018 saw a string of content driven and small budget movies which have outperformed at the box-office, and proved that Bollywood not just runs on starry ventures and big-budget production. So before the year ends, many renowned filmmakers from the industry have shared their favourite films of 2018. Ram Charan, Rana, Prabhas at Rajamouli event pic.twitter.com/NCBQMxrAjU Nitish Shekhar (@nitzrulzx412) December 31, 2018 It was a star-studded affair. From Ram Charan and Jr NTR to Baahubali stars Prabhas and Rana Dagubbati, everyone graced the occasion. Everyone danced, laughed and enjoyed together making our hearts all mushy. It takes sheer talent to emerge out at the best performer in the movie starring Ranbir Kapoor in the lead role. Vicky Kaushal who played the role of Sanjay Dutts best friend in Rajkumar Hiranis Sanju, made several heads turn with his impeccable performance in the biopic. In his next titled Uri, which is based on Indias surgical strike, he is playing the lead role of an Indian commando who is involved in the 2016 surgical strike. Screengrab Vicky Kaushal is quite excited about the movie. When recently he got to know about the families of Uri martyrs who lived in Lucknow, he requested the makers to meet them personally. Twitter Uri has been the toughest role for Vicky Kaushal so far. It was really nice experience to work in the film. In a short span of my of career, 'Uri' has been the most physically demanding film for me I am very excited to know audience reaction to the film, he was quoted as saying by IANS. When asked to comment on Naseeruddin Shahs controversial remarks that drew a lot of flak on social media, Vicky Kaushal said that he is not aware of what he said in detail but he believes that everyone should be heard and respected for their opinions. I feel a human causing harm to another human is a very sad state. It is something we need to introspect, question. Lynching is something I would say is wrong. We are part of a democratic country but that doesn't mean we take law in our hands. Law has to step forward to see such incidents don't happen, he told PTI. Meanwhile, Vicky Kaushal is gearing up for the release of Uri on Jan 11. Apart from Vicky, the movie also stars Paresh Rawal, Yami Gautam and popular TV actor Mohit Raina in prominent roles. Congress leader Sajjan Kumar finally surrendered today at Delhis Karkardooma Court. He has been life sentence by the Delhi High Court in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The court directed that Kumar is sent to Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi. On December 17, the Delhi High Court had overturned the acquittal granted to Kumar by a trial court and awarded him a life sentence and a fine of Rs 5 Lakh. Earlier, two convicts in the case- Mahender Yadav and Kishan Khokhar also surrendered at Karkardooma Court. HS Phoolka, one of the petitioners in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, said, I request 1984 Sikh genocide victims not to go to the court tomorrow. He has not got any relief from the Supreme Court. So, he has to surrender. "He simply has to go to the court tomorrow and surrender. If he does not do that, then on January 1 the police will have to take him in custody and send him to Tihar Jail. This is a very big victory for the entire nation, as a mass murderer is going to be punished after years," Phoolka told news agency ANI on Sunday. The case is related to the brutal killing of five Sikh members of a family in Raj Nagar in Delhi Cantonment. The family waited for justice for 34 years. Kumar has been convicted of murder and rioting during the clashes that broke out after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assasination by her Sikh boduguards. As many as 2,800 Sikhs were brutally killed. Pakistans Border Action Team (BAT) attacked Indian soldiers along the Line Of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector of Kashmir. However, brave Indian Army soldiers managed to thwart the attack and killed two intruders. Read more Here's more top news of the day: 1) 1984 Anti-Sikh Riot Convict Sajjan Kumar Surrenders In Delhi Court, Imprisoned For Life Congress leader Sajjan Kumar finally surrendered today at Delhis Karkardooma Court. He has been life sentence by the Delhi High Court in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The court directed that Kumar is sent to Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi. Read more 2) Selfless Jawans Gave Away Their Beds, Slept Outside In -9 Degree To Keep Sikkim Tourists Safe & Alive newsjizz.com While the news of the Indian Army rescuing more than 2800 Indian tourists stranded in East Sikkims 17th Mile area after heavy snowfall blocked roads, an eye-witness told another story of bravery by our jawans who slept outside in -9 degree to ensure the safety of the rescued tourists. Read more 3) Following Aligarh, Farmers In Agra Have Locked Stray Cows In Government School To Protect Crops BCCL Farmers in Uttar Pradesh are struggling with cattle menace and to deal with the matter at hand they have locked up herds of stray cattle, especially cows, in schools and other government buildings alleging that the animals are destroying their crops, amid a spate of such incidents in the state. Read more 4) Viral Video Of Helpless Farmer Putting Head On Feet Of Official For Power Connection Is Sad! screen picture taken from the video/representational image, afp The farmer distress in India is a reality too colossal to brush under the carpet and one such example was seen on Sunday when a farmer in Madhya Pradesh was seen pleading at the feet of the district collector to get an electricity connection under CMs Krishak Anudan Yojana. Read more 5) HIV Positive Boy, Whose Blood Was Injected Into Pregnant Woman, Dies After Taking Poison Representational Image A 19-year-old HIV Positive man, whose blood had infected a pregnant woman in Tamil Nadu, died on Sunday. The boy consumed poison after getting to know about the incident. Read more While the news of the Indian Army rescuing more than 2800 Indian tourists stranded in East Sikkims 17th Mile area after heavy snowfall blocked roads, an eye-witness told another story of bravery by our jawans who slept outside in -9 degree to ensure the safety of the rescued tourists. newsjizz.com The tourists were quoted saying that the jawans shared their beds, sleeping bags and they themselves stayed outside in -9 degrees to keep them safe and alive. The story was originally done by The Darjeeling Chronicle. One of the rescued tourists, Aryan Ahmad, wrote and DNA quoted him saying, "They shared their bed, sleeping bag and all stayed outside in -9 degree Celsius just to keep us safe and alive, words are not enough to thank them for what they have done for everyone." TOI The tourists were returning from Nathu La pass and Tsomgo aka Changu Lake on Friday evening when the snowfall in the area blocked all roads and passages. It left 300 to 400 vehicles stranded at various points on Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, the East Sikkim District Magistrate Kapil Meena told media. The rescued tourists were then brought to a camp in 17th Mile area and served food and medicines. Later arrangements were made to transfer the tourists to the state capital Gangtok. New Years Eve is here and most of us are all set to partaayy! From watching the quintessential end-of-the-year programs to partying your way from this year to the next, you probably have a helluva night planned. But, before you go do that, allow us to give you a sneak-peek into the various New Years Eve traditions from around the world. Oh, by the way, quite a few of them are centred around wearing a specific colour of underwear (yep, lol). 1. Spain The grape race Reuters When the clock strikes 12, people in Spain begin the race to eat one grape with each of the 12 chimes of the clock. This is supposed to bring good luck through the year. People actually practice eating grapes beforehand, so they dont fall behind on New Years Eve. 2. Denmark Starting with a smash The Danes like to bring in the new year by smashing plates in front of their neighbours houses. The more plates that are smashed in front of your house, the better the coming year will be. 3. Colombia Suitcase march Reuters In Colombia, people carry around suitcases with them all day yes, even empty suitcases hoping that the next year will be filled with exciting travel opportunities. 4. Russia Champagne with a wish Russians like to drink their wishes. Literally. People here write their wishes on a paper, burn it, throw it in their glass of champagne and then drink it. 5. The Philippines 12 round fruits and a happy new year Unsplash In the Philippines, people serve 12 round fruits. The shape of the fruits symbolises coins that marks wealth and prosperity. 12 fruits are eaten on New Years Eve one for each month to ensure they have a happy new year, indeed. 6. Czech Republic The apples of fate People in the Czech Republic cut apples into slices. If the shape in the centre of the slice is a star, it signifies good luck, a cross signifies bad luck. And now for the countries that take their underwear very very seriously on New Year's Eve. 7. Argentina Shed and shred People in Argentina believe in wearing Pink underwear because that attracts love. They also take this opportunity to shred their old documents and papers and then throw the scraps from their windows into the streets. This signifies letting go of the old and embracing the new. But geez, imagine the litter on the streets. 8. Bolivia Bright yellow underwear For Bolivians, bright yellow underwear means a whole lot of fortune. So, you might find a lot of people roaming around in yellow undies obviously, not just that. 9. Italy Raunchy red underwear Representational Image/Reuters Italians like it red and raunchy. Red underwear is believed to bring love, prosperity and good luck. 10. Brazil Dazzling white underwear If you happen to spend new year's eve in Brazil, be sure to buy some brand-new white underwear for the new year. It symbolises a pure and innocent start. There you go. If youd like to add more weird traditions to the list, by all means, go ahead. The gradual reestablishment of the bald eagle population is an indication of good things to come, Anchor said. He said females usually will come back after a few years to the general area where they fledged and look for nesting areas within five or ten miles. We now offer lithium prices and coverage free for reference. Click here to read all about it. Join our growing community of participants who want to learn more about electrification and how this market is developing. Switch the Market flag Open the menu and switch the Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice. for targeted data from your country of choice. As Insurance Journal looks back on the most popular stories of 2018, its readers in the East region showed interest in a variety of topics from auto insurance to the September gas explosions in Massachusetts to state lawsuits. However, the most popular story in the region came just a couple of weeks into 2018 after President Donald Trump previously signed the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act on December 22, 2017. The law provides large tax cuts for corporations and affluent Americans and smaller cuts for middle class and low-income American families, PBS reported, adding it is the first major overhaul of the nations tax laws since 1986. Shortly after the law was signed, Hartford, Conn.-based The Hartford and New York City-headquartered Travelers confirmed they are among several companies giving their employees bonuses of $1,000 each if they earn $75,000 or less annually as a result. Beyond The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, here are the additional topics Insurance Journals East region readers were most interested in during the past year: Auto Insurance It was a big year for auto insurance stories. In March 2018, Insurance Journal reported that a Texas court issued an order of liquidation for Access Insurance Company, an auto insurer that has 42,785 policies in Pennsylvania. The liquidation order was signed after the Texas Insurance Department determined Access Insurance to be insolvent. It was also announced in March that GEICO would be the third major automobile insurance company in the New York market to reach agreement with the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) in compliance with the departments final regulation prohibiting insurers from using an individuals occupational status and/or educational level as unfairly discriminatory factors in setting rates. The company joined Liberty Mutual and Allstate, who previously reached agreement with DFS. Together, the three companies provide coverage to nearly half of the private passenger auto insurance market in New York. Later in April, Progressive announced that it would be the fourth major auto insurance company in New York to comply with the regulation. Later in the year, A Massachusetts Appeals Court in October ruled in favor of an insurer in a case involving an automobile accident in which the injured plaintiff sought to obtain underinsured motorist coverage under a policy held by the mother and stepfather of his long-term partner, with whom he has a child. The court upheld a Superior Courts ruling that the plaintiff could not be considered a household member under the policy, as he is not related by blood to either policyholder. Finally in November, criminal charges were announced against 60 Pennsylvanians following investigations by the Attorney Generals Insurance Fraud Section. As a result, 23 people were charged in Eastern Pennsylvania, 10 in Central Pennsylvania and 27 in Western Pennsylvania. The charges came about after a statewide sweep conducted by the Insurance Fraud Section during the months of September and October 2018. Lawsuits Insurance Journal East region readers took interest in state lawsuits this year. Stories regarding a Little League player who was awarded $1.7 million by a Pennsylvania jury after being hit in the head by a foul ball in the dugout on the day before his 12th birthday and New York graffiti artists who were awarded $6.7 million by a judge after suing for the destruction of dozens of spray paintings on the walls of dilapidated warehouse buildings torn down to make room for high-rise luxury residences topping the list for most popular. Among other popular legal stories in the East region was the report that an insurer was awarded summary judgment by a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania after being accused of bad faith. This came after the insurer denied a mans claim for losses exceeding $1 million when a fire destroyed his home, but the court found evidence that the insurer conducted a reasonable investigation into whether the losses actually occurred before denying the claim. Acquisitions and Expansions East readers were interested in company acquisitions and expansions this year, with Newport Beach, Calif.-headquartered Alliant Insurance Services April agreement to acquire New York-based Crystal & Company ranking among the most popular stories for the region. Another popular story came when Talcott Resolution, The Hartfords run-off life and annuity businesses, was acquired in June by an investor group led by Cornell Capital LLC, Atlas Merchant Capital LLC, TRB Advisors LP, Global Atlantic Financial Group, Pine Brook and J. Safra Group. Finally, Lemonade, the insurance company powered by artificial intelligence and behavioral economics, in March launched in both Pennsylvania and Washington D.C., announcing the expansion on social media. Carry Guard East region readers were particularly interested in stories of The National Rifle Associations (NRA) Carry Guard program, which the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) found during an investigation unlawfully provided liability insurance to gun owners for acts of intentional wrongdoing and improperly provided legal services insurance for costs and expenses, as well as for any act of self-defense covered under the policy for gun owners and their resident family members who may be charged with a crime involving a legally possessed firearm, according to a DFS press release. DFS in May fined Chubb Ltd. and its subsidiary, Illinois Union Insurance Company, $1.3 million for underwriting the NRA-branded Carry Guard insurance program in violation of New York insurance law. Also in May, The NRA announced it was suing Lockton Cos., alleging the insurance broker breached its contract with the firearms lobbying group. This came after Lockton said it would discontinue its NRA-endorsed insurance programs following a mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, which sparked backlash against the NRA and companies with which it conducts business. At the end of the year, 10 Lloyds of London underwriters entered into a December 20 consent order agreement to pay $5 million to the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) for underwriting fire arms liability insurance programs branded by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Under the agreement, the underwriters agreed to pay the civil monetary penalty to DFS within ten days of executing the consent order. Massachusetts Gas Explosions Toward the end of 2018, readers took interest when three northern Massachusetts residential communities were rocked by dozens of gas-fueled explosions and fires that erupted within minutes of each other, straining fire crews and forcing evacuations. One man was killed and about 25 were injured, including at least two firefighters, and dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged in the series of explosions. Just two days after the series of pipeline explosions that caused Massachusetts to declare a state of emergency, a new natural gas leak was discovered in the Boston area. Eversource Energy said the breach was unrelated to the recovery and restoration work it was appointed to carry out by Governor Charlie Baker. A silver lining was found, however, as Massachusetts insurance agents and carriers worked hard to help their towns get back to normal after the explosions, with MAPRE Insurances field team being among several companies that sprung into quick action. The company set up tents in designated disaster relief sites and sent its claims field team to work closely with independent agents, The Red Cross, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), local authorities and school districts in helping the community and reaching out to insureds. Additional popular stories in 2018 for Insurance Journals East region included: Topics Carriers Auto Abuse Molestation Talent New York Massachusetts Pennsylvania A transformer explosion at an electrical plant set the skies above New York City ablaze in an eerie, pulsing blue light Thursday night, causing scattered power outages, delaying flights and sparking a social media storm of jokes about an alien invasion. The blast prompted a brief fire at a sprawling Con Edison facility in Queens but no injuries and a spectacular illumination of the New York skyline that generated a flurry of online commentary. The explosion impacted subway service in the area and caused a brief ground stop at LaGuardia Airport, which experienced power outages. Gov. Andrew Cuomo described a major electrical failure at the electrical substation along the East River, near the Rikers Island prison complex and across a small bay from LaGuardia. Power had been largely restored to LaGuardia by 11 p.m. and the airport was resuming normal operations. Travelers were still asked to check with their carriers for updated flight information. The lights caused a stir on social media as several witnesses posted photographs and videos of a bright, blue flash that filled the nights sky. The Manhattan skyline and iconic East River bridges were suddenly silhouetted against a backdrop of pulsating light. People flocked to social media to find out what happened and to share their views of the plumes of smoke pouring from the transformer. It was pitch black outside and then suddenly the whole side of the eastern sky was lighting up and changing colors, said Madeleine Frank Reeves, who saw the lights from her Upper West Side apartment. It lasted a couple of minutes. Some observers wondered whether aliens were invading and joked that the trend of gender reveal parties had finally gone too far. Television host Keith Olbermann referred to the episode as the Blue Light Special. Something insane is happening in the sky above Manhattan right now, New York University sociologist Eric Klineberg wrote on Twitter under a video of the flashing sky. Mayor Bill de Blasios spokesman Eric Phillips tweeted that the lights were attributable to a blown transformer. Not aliens, Phillips tweeted. John Tebbett, who lives two blocks away from the facility, told NY1 the explosion was followed for about five minutes by a loud roar. The blast had caused the lights in his home to flicker off and on, he said. Tebbett, an instructor with the local electrical union, walked down toward the facility to get a better look. You could hear the roar and see the super white, bright light, Tebbett said. It took them about five minutes, maybe. As we were watching it, it was like somebody turned off the power and it just went dark and then it was quiet. The roar stopped and it was dead quiet for a moment and then you could hear the emergency vehicles start to come in. It was the second major incident involving Con Edison in the last six months. In July, a steam pipe explosion spewed asbestos-laden vapor into the air in Manhattans Flatiron District, driving hundreds of people from their homes and businesses. Con Edison said on Twitter Thursday night that there was a brief electrical fire at our substation in Astoria which involved some electrical transformers and caused a transmission dip in the area. The utility said in a statement early Friday that an electrical fault on the 138,000 volt equipment caused a sustained electrical arc flash but the affected equipment was isolated to a single section within the substation. Con Edison said it had restored all major transmission lines associated with the event and was in the process of investigating the cause of the failure. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New York Aviation China Reinsurance (Group) Corp. announced it has completed the 100 percent equity acquisition of Chaucer Holdings Ltd. the major portion of Hanover Insurance Groups Lloyds international specialty business. The acquisition of Chaucer Insurance Co. DAC (Chaucer Dublin) and Hanover Australia Hold Co. Pty Ltd (SLE) remain subject to local regulatory approval and is expected to close by the end of first quarter in 2019. China Re is acquiring Chaucer for total proceeds of $930 million to $940 million, said a statement issued by Hanover Insurance Group. The deal was completed on Dec. 28 and was first announced in September 2018. China Re said the purchase of London-based Chaucer is a significant move for China Re, marking a milestone in the expansion of its global footprint, given the fact that Chaucer is a top quartile player in the Lloyds market and a quality global re/insurer. The acquisition is expected to benefit China Re from synergies with its existing entities and Chaucer in terms of business platforms, products and technical know-how. China Re said it aims to strengthen its core reinsurance business, enhance its global market position and better serve Chinas Belt & Road Initiative.* China Re plans to transfer Syndicate 2088 into Chaucers Managing Agency, subject to regulatory approval. With this transaction largely complete, we are excited to focus exclusively on the continued expansion of our distinctive domestic business, said John C. Roche, president and chief executive officer at The Hanover, in a statement. With a strong financial foundation, clear strategic focus, and a simplified operating structure, we are determined to be the premier property and casualty company in the independent agency channel, added Roche. We will continue to build our organization around the needs of our agent partners, offering relevant and responsive insurance solutions to our partners and customers, and delivering superior returns for our shareholders. This is an exciting time for China Re. We are very pleased to have gained the regulatory approvals to complete the acquisition of Chaucer Holdings Ltd., said Yuan Linjiang, chairman of China Re. This deal fits China Res strategic positioning of reinsurance as the core business and the pursuit of international development in our One Core, Three Breakthroughs and Five Cross-overs corporate strategy, he added. We expect to take advantage of Chaucers business platforms across the world to maximize the opportunities for mutually beneficial growth. He Chunlei, vice chairman and president of China Re, commented: Chaucer is an outstanding performer in the Lloyds market run by a well-respected management team with business access to more than 200 countries and regions across the world. The acquisition of Chaucer will expand China Res global reach and raise our profile in the international markets. This is an auspicious day for Chaucer, our clients and for China Re as this significantly enhances the strength of our market offering and creates new global opportunities to explore, including those from the Belt and Road initiative, said John Fowle, chief executive officer at Chaucer. The completion of this transaction marks a significant milestone in our history and we are ready to accelerate our business development and growth with the support of China Re. Aon Securities acted as the financial adviser and Sidley Austin LLP provided legal advice to China Re in this transaction. * Launched by China in 2013, the Belt & Road Initiative, also known as one belt, one road, is an ongoing project to invest billions of dollars in infrastructure in countries across Asia, Africa and Europe. Source: China Re and Hanover Insurance Related: Topics Legislation Reinsurance China 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. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Fraud Uk A Maltese-flagged oil tanker caught fire and ran aground near a fishing village, forcing several crew members to jump overboard, Cypriot authorities said Saturday [Dec. 29]. Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center said the fire aboard the tanker Athlos was extinguished soon after it broke out. Five crew members were rescued from the water and taken to the hospital. Three of them were later released, but two remained for treatment of serious burns. The Center said the empty tanker issued a distress call Saturday following an explosion and fire onboard shortly after setting sail from Larnaca port some 3.5 miles off the village of Zygi. The vessel had run aground 200 meters from shore near Zygi. The tanker, with 17 crew members including 7 Greeks, 9 Indians and a Georgian, was heading to the Greek port of Aspropyrgos. Cyprus authorities have mobilized to contain any potential pollution from the tanker. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Energy Oil Gas They see what is going on around them and they want to read about it, she said. This could happen and they want to understand it. On the other end of the emotional spectrum, they read things which end in happiness and joy. The most-read stories in Insurance Journals Midwest region in 2018 covered agent fraud, a fatal tourist boat sinking in Missouri, court cases and opinions, and even a pair of stolen and returned ruby red slippers that Dorothy wore in the Wizard of Oz. Agent Fraud Stories about fraud committed or allegedly committed by insurance professionals dominated the list of most popular, or most clicked-on, stories in the Midwest during 2018. They include: Missouri Duck Boat Sinking The sinking of a tourist duck boat on Missouris Table Rock Lake in July 2018 in which 17 people were killed was the subject of myriad news articles last year. That sad event was also the source of many lawsuits, the details of which caught the attention of many IJ readers. Court Cases and Opinions Insurance-related court cases, verdicts and opinions were popular news stories for IJs Midwest readers. Among the most clicked-on stories in the genre included a class-action against American Family Insurance over employee classification, U.S. Appeals Court Takes Up American Family Agent/Employee Classification Case, and an Illinois high court ruling backing an agent in a policy dispute, Illinois Supreme Court Sides with Agent in Policy Dispute. Other cases that caught Midwest readers attention include: Miscellaneous Items of Interest The above mentioned article about the recovery and return of a pair of Dorothys ruby slippers, Stolen From Minnesota Museum, Dorothys Ruby Slippers Recovered in Sting Op, was the second most popular story in the Midwest last year. Not far behind at number four was a story about insurer CNAs new headquarters in Chicago, CNA Hosts Grand Opening of New Global Headquarters. Topics Lawsuits Agencies Fraud Michigan Missouri Illinois Wisconsin The impact of a deadly summer tornado that struck western North Dakota is still being felt as work continues to improve the areas weather warning system. The EF2 tornado slammed into the Prairie View RV Park in Watford City around 12:45 a.m. on July 10, killing a newborn boy and injuring two dozen people. More than 200 homes were damaged and about 200 people were displaced. McKenzie Countys planning and zoning director, Jim Talbert, told The Bismarck Tribune that discussions are ongoing about finding more permanent solutions, such as building storm shelters for RV parks. County emergency manager Karolin Jappe noted that thanks to the oil boom, the area is no longer home to only 1,500 people, and theres a need for better ways to warn residents of severe weather. Of all the high risks that we do have in our county now, I want to make sure that we can protect the people that live here and work here, Jappe said. Shortly after the storm, U.S. Sen. John Hoeven asked federal officials to analyze the Doppler radar near Minot to determine whether it could be adjusted to improve coverage in western North Dakota. The senator said the study should be completed soon. John Paul Martin, the warning coordination meteorologist with the Bismarck National Weather Service, said the changes could involve installing new software that would help areas across north-central and northwest North Dakota. The radar would be adjusted before next summers severe weather season. Krystal Lapp recalled the storm, saying she cant remember how long her familys mobile home was lifted in the air after the tornado hit. We were basically getting sandblasted by debris and scoria and glass, anything it could pick up, Lapp said. And it felt like forever. When their home landed, it slammed into a neighboring home. She said her husband pulled their sons out of the rubble in the midst of flying debris. Her 10-year-old son Owen suffered a concussion and bleeding injuries, but everyone else made it out with just scratches or bruises. Lapps home was one of 225 housing units damaged by the tornado. Of those, 79 were deemed unlivable, period, according to Jappe. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm North Dakota Two Detroit residents and a car leasing company have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the city and a towing company worked with police to impound vehicles without informing owners. The suit alleges that Bobbys Towing was allowed to charge exorbitant storage fees to unsuspecting car owners, for months or years, The Detroit News reported. Jason Katz is the attorney for the car leasing firm Brite Financial Services of Madison Heights and Detroit residents Gerald Grays and Dale Riley. He said the city violated his clients constitutional rights by not informing them about what happened to their vehicles, charging thousands in storage fees and making them pay before fighting the issue in court. An attorney for Bobbys Towing Services declined to comment to the newspaper. City attorneys and the state attorney generals office said theyll prove in court that the allegations have no merit. We deny the allegations made in this suit and will defend against them vigorously in court, said Detroit Deputy Corporation Counsel Chuck Raimi. The lawsuit is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the citys police towing operation. Officials said Detroit police took over most of the citys towing operations in October, with the hope of fixing the issues with the process. Grays reported to the Detroit police in 2016 that his vehicle had been stolen, but he wasnt informed by police until Feb. 2018 that the car was being held by Bobbys Towing, the lawsuit said. The tow yard informed Grays that the $15 daily storage fee had reached $11,000. Riley reported a vehicle missing in 2015 but wasnt informed until 2017 that it had been found in a vacant lot and marked as abandoned, the lawsuit said. Riley wasnt given a chance to retrieve the vehicle before it was towed, according to the suit. Brite Financial alleges that the towing company refused to release one of their vehicles back to them, the lawsuit alleges. The leasing firm was later notified that the vehicle had been abandoned. There are likely thousands of people this has happened to, Katz said. This is a consequence of a really poor legal system. The law doesnt protect vehicle owners, because there is no deadline to report to the owner that their car has been towed or deemed abandoned. The federal lawsuit was filed in July, but Katz is seeking to have the case approved as a class action. A hearing on the issue is scheduled for Jan. 9. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Auto Law Enforcement A lawsuit targeting California coffee houses for not including warning labels on their products tops the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reforms (ILR) list of the Top 10 Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2018. This years list features lawsuits by a rude French waiter and over cheese on a McDonalds hamburger. The ILR is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that lobbies for court, tort reforms and litigation reforms on behalf of businesses. Each year it identifies extreme court cases and trial lawyer activities it believes are meritless, abusive or wasteful. Its Faces of Lawsuit Abuse campaign highlights what the Chamber sees as absurd and ridiculous lawsuits across America and around the world. These individual lawsuits may be good for a laugh, but the collective impact of excessive litigation on society is no joke, said ILR President Lisa A. Rickard. Not surprisingly, the busIness-oriented ILR takes a very different view of the civil justice system than the American Association for Justice that represents the countrys trial lawyers. The AAJ has identified what it says are the worst cases of corporate conduct for 2018, cases that have brought various lawsuits and show why, in its view, the civil justice system is so important. The AAJs worst cases include predatory student lending by Navient, the failure by Takata to replace all of its defective air bags, and State Farms secret campaign to install a favorable judicial candidate on the Illinois Supreme Court. ILR says the tort system costs every U.S. household more than $3,300 each year, on average. ILRs Top 10 Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2018 from FacesOfLawsuitAbuse.org are: Source: U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform Related: Topics Lawsuits California USA New York At first glance it might seem that 2018 was a slow news year in the South Central states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. After all, the region escaped the devastation of a major hurricane, and while tornadoes and hailstorms are inescapable, damage from those types of severe weather events was relatively restrained, and the always contentious and newsworthy Texas legislature was not in session (wait till next year). Still, there was plenty of interesting insurance-related news from the region to digest last year. Following is a summary of the most popular SC topics and stories that caught our readers eyes in 2018. Medical Marijuana Interestingly, some of the most read articles in IJs South Central region last year were reports on the status of legalized medical marijuana programs. Hail Hail is always an important topic for the insurance industry in South Central states, especially in Texas and Oklahoma, even if there are no mega-major hail events (and there was at least one billion-dollar occurrence in Texas last year). Hurricane Harvey Hurricanes, too, are inescapable along the Gulf Coast and while, fortunately, no Harvey-like storm hit the coasts of Louisiana or Texas in 2018, repercussions from that monstrous 2017 hurricane continue to make waves and create interest for Insurance Journal readers. Business Moves Stories about mergers, acquisitions, expansions and even liquidations of Texas-based insurance firms captured the attention of IJ readers, as well. Lawsuits, Verdicts and Settlements Who doesnt love a story about lawsuits? Obviously not IJ readers in the South Central region, as some of the most clicked-on stories concerned jury awards, convictions, sentencing and settlements. Topics Catastrophe Texas Louisiana Cannabis Hurricane Oklahoma In a conference room 13 miles from Paradise, California, Doug Boxer explains to survivors of the states worst wildfire why they should choose his law firm to sue PG&E Corp. He walks a fine line between listening to victims coping with devastation and promoting the expertise of attorneys based thousands of miles away. Under the law, he says, the dozen or so residents whove gathered for this meeting on a Saturday in December have two years to file a complaint. But Boxer urges them not to wait that long, implying that if they sign on now theyll have a front seat negotiating a payout from the utility. If we have the biggest book of cases, who is PG&E going to come to first? says Boxer, the son of Barbara Boxer, who represented California in the U.S. Senate for 24 years. Dozens of lawyers are vying for the chance to sue the $12 billion power company, even before state investigators have determined the cause of the November blaze in Paradise that destroyed 13,972 homes and killed 86 people. Displaced residents living in shelters or temporary housing in nearby towns have found themselves inundated with legal advertising on signs, billboards, radio, television and mailers. The competition is so intense that some California-based attorneys whove developed a specialty suing utilities over wildfires refer to out-of-state firms as carpetbaggers. Boxers firm, Washington, D.C.-based Mauro Archer & Associates, made itself stand out by enlisting as its front woman perhaps the most famous person ever to spar with PG&E Erin Brockovich. Her success in a court case against the utility over water contamination in the 1990s inspired a movie bearing her name that won an Oscar for Julia Roberts, and in turn, helped Brockovich propel a career as an activist, author and consultant. Mauro Archer and its partner firm, San Antonio-based Watts Guerra, now count about 700 clients from the Camp Fire. That includes Kathy and David Terstegen, a couple close to retirement who figure that insurance will cover only about 50 percent of their losses from the incineration of their mobile home, which stood on a third of an acre five miles northeast of Paradise. Many homes in Paradise were underinsured or lacked coverage entirely, which can make the suits more lucrative for lawyers, who generally take a 33.3 percent cut of any uninsured recovery. Overall, insured losses from the Camp Fire stand at about $7 billion and Citigroup Inc. estimates $15 billion in gross liabilities. Even before Kathy Terstegen attended Boxers Dec. 15 presentation, she decided to sign on with his firm based on its connection with Brockovich, which she discovered browsing online. She sent Brockovich a message and was surprised to get a call back. In an hour-long conversation. Terstegen said she found the activist to be a very gracious lady, kind and compassionate. I know there are a lot of different firms doing this, Terstegen said. But I really wanted to be with the firm that Erin Brockovich was connected to. To veteran wildfire attorney Mike Danko, whose law firm in Redwood Shores, California, has partnered with two other in-state firms to represent 925 Camp Fire victims, Brockovich is client bait. They have the money to hire Erin and somehow clients say, This is the place to go. But anyone couldve done that, Danko said. Because Erin Brockovich is not working on your case, its the wrong thing to be looking at. Suing PG&E is expensive, and theres no doubt that firms from out of state bring deep pockets to the fight, Danko said. But based on his past experience, hes dubious that those firms are as committed as he and his local peers are to the grunt work of preparing for a trial against a company fighting for its very survival. These people from out of state, they end up not showing up, they get shoved aside, theyre not involved in the process, Danko said. It comes down to the same few lawyers in every case like this who are doing the work in court and otherwise driving the bus. Still, he said, the distant firms can walk off with a decent payday by scooping up and settling suits on a mass basis to compensate for the money theyre leaving on the table. No ones going to hire a Texas lawyer, Danko said. So out-of-state firms find a local straw man they team up with, he said. He does the advertising so it seems very local, but the money behind it is from Texas. Watts Guerra co-founder Mikal Watts, a nationally prominent trial attorney, rejects the notion that hes an opportunist seeking to profit from an area where he has no connections. His teams website touts a team of local professionals who live and work in the communities impacted by the fires and are deeply concerned about this recovery. Boxer, who lives in Oakland, introduced Brockovich, who he knew through his mother, to Watts. Since the team started litigating against PG&E in the wake of the 2017 blazes that tore through the wine country north of San Francisco, Watts said he has invested $10 million preparing for cases. The expenses range from California-based arborists and forensics experts to a mobile home and an $81,000 trailer that are parked in Chico, a 25-minute drive from Paradise. To my knowledge there are no lawyers from any other part of California that have opened a permanent office in Chico and staffed it with Butte county residents to serve the needs of the Camp Fire, Watts said. His team also has an office in Santa Rosa to serve its 2,500 clients from the wine country fires. Brockovich said she was drawn to the D.C.-Texas team precisely because its invested in building a local presence. She sees herself not as a marketing magnet, but as an adviser for victims facing a feeding frenzy of lawyers. Theyre overwhelmed in a disaster and a sea of lawyers shows up who do they trust? she said. Im never going to tell you what law firm to go with. I will always tell you: nobody can make an appropriate choice for their health, and welfare and their future if they dont have all the information. I will give them every bit of information I know. Related: Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits California Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Wildfire December 31, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Michael Rowley, president and CEO of Group Ten Metals, speaks with Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable about his company's recent PGE discoveries in Montana and the similarities to projects in South Africa's Platreef District. Maurice Jackson: Joining us today is Michael Rowley, the president and CEO of Group Ten Metals Inc. (PGE:TSX.V; PGEZF:OTC), which is exploring for platinum, palladium, nickel, copper and cobalt in the Stillwater district of Montana. Mr. Rowley, we have some exciting developments to discuss for current and perspective shareholders, but before we begin, for someone new to the story, who is Group Ten Metals and what is the thesis you're attempting to prove? Michael Rowley: Group Ten Metals is a growth stage company, focused on PGM, platinum group metals, plus nickel, copper, also cobalt, the so-called technology battery metals. We have polymetallic deposits as these things occur together; we're focused primarily at the Stillwater West Project in Montana. We also have assets in the Yukon and a gold project in Ontario. Maurice Jackson: Group Ten Metals just issued a press release announcing a new discovery hybrid zone and some targets at the Stillwater West. Multi-layered question, sir, can you update us on the Stillwater West, expand on the findings, and tell us what they mean moving forward? Michael Rowley: Stillwater West is our newest project; we made our first acquisition there in 2017. It's a remarkable land position and database in a truly world-class district. The Stillwater name, the district is synonymous with the richest palladium, platinum mines in the world, a staggering 90 million ounces in past production and current reserves producing from three mines at over half an ounce per ton, 16 grams per ton. It's platinum and palladium rich; palladium, of course, is very significant right now given that palladium is challenging gold as the most valuable precious metal. We are above and below Stillwater in this layered system and because of that we have not only the same potential for palladium and platinum, platinum group metals in general, but we also get to expand our target to these truly polymetallic things including nickel, copper, cobalt, palladium. We recently added to that list, also, rhodium, and we have some significant gold. This is truly elephant country. It's the biggest PGM deposit outside of South Africa and Russia and, of course, it was bought by Sibanye our neighbor for $2.2 billion in 2017. So we're the only other player in the district. It's a fantastic place to be, we're very excited. You brought up the most recent news release, December 17. The Hybrid Zone is one of our targets in the Chrome mountain area and an exciting new discovery. We mention up to 150 meters of mineralized intervals there in this new style of mineralization. What's exciting is this has never been recognized in camp before and it ties into the Bushveld Complex of South Africa and, despite the known similarities between these districts, Stillwater has never been examined systematically for that potential. So in a nutshell, we are taking the lessons learned at the Mogalakwena Mine and Ivanhoe's Platreef project and applying them to the similar geology in Montana Stillwater in a way that nobody's done before. I guess final point to wrap that up is the team that we've attracted includes a number of renowned experts on this type of deposit, but most recently David Broughton of Ivanhoe, so we've actually attracted expertise and talent of a world caliber on the project. Maurice Jackson: Can you further expand on the new 14 target areas? Michael Rowley: We have as a result of our efforts in 2018, being our first season on the ground, we've identified 14 target areas in Stillwater West, six of them fit the high-grade PGE reef type targets that the district is known for, in particular our neighbor Stillwater Sibanye Mines. However, 8 of the 14 targets are these newer Platreef style targets where we see potential for large-scale bulk-mineable disseminated sulfide mineralization of the types seen on the Platreef District of South Africa, and that's in the basal zones and the lower ultramafic series in Stillwater. And that's the greater potential we see there for these hundred million ounce style PGE nickel/copper deposits, also cobalt actually, at Stillwater, and news flow will be ongoing in the coming weeks and months as we reveal the results of our work in 2018, and our plans for 2019. Maurice Jackson: And what are the target commodities at the Stillwater? Michael Rowley: It's a true polymetallic system; the district itself is known for having the highest-grade palladium platinum lines in the world, and that is the three operating Stillwater mines that were bought by Sibanye in 2017, in our part of the district, in the lower part you can also add to that list gold, cobalt, and chrome are significant and we are recently finding indications of potentially significant vanadium and rhodium, you can add to that list as well. So this suite of commodities, in particular the palladium, in light of what palladium is doing in the markets these days, positions Group Ten as one of very few options in terms of PGE investment opportunity for investors, especially if one included geography in that, being that we are outside of South Africa and Russia, in North America. Maurice Jackson: Sir, what is the next unanswered question for Group Ten Metals, when should we expect results, and what determines success? Michael Rowley: Good questions, news flow will be ongoing in the coming weeks, assays are coming in as we speak, we're entering them into our models and planning our strategy around that, so we're excited by what we see. I think the most exciting aspect of news is going to be the results of re-logging and modeling the more than 12,000 meters of core that we have in our possession, as we said earlier, no one has brought this land position together with the South African Platreef models, along with this physical core, so bringing these things together, and for the first time looking at this district systematically for the potential for these styles of deposits. It's very exciting and I think the first quarter of 2019 you'll see some very interesting news releases and materials along that line. We will be at the major trade shows, we'll have core on display at the January shows in Vancouver, and we'll be at the PDAC in Toronto in March as well, and we look forward to seeing anybody and everybody there. Maurice Jackson: Sir, we've covered the good, what keeps you up at tight that we don't know about? Michael Rowley: Well, frankly, our share price isn't where I'd like it to be and I don't think it reflects the potential of the company, that is of course seasonal and the juniors (miners) do generally get hit harder this time of year, however, gold has held up very nicely, and other commodities are following it, and the majors have moved up nicely. So I think we can expect a good rebound in 2019 from the mining sector, and from the juniors, and then, of course, there was also our own work, especially Stillwater I think will get some nice life, in addition to the rising tide, that floats all boats. Maurice Jackson: Finally, what did I forget to ask? Michael Rowley: Well, it's not that you forgot to ask, but let's revisit and touch on something we've talked about before, the fact that 75% of the world's PGM metals come out of South Africathis has been written up very well recently by the CMP group out of New Yorka lot of those mines are facing closures, they've been underfunded for years, and this is expected to drive the platinum price substantially into the year 2020. Palladium, of course, is already up and platinum is expected to follow. It's worth noting, perhaps, that those are reef mines, they're deep, they're hot, they're expensive, they're dangerous, the mines of a Platreef, north of the Bushveld, are our current model with Stillwater, and those are highly economic and they keep producing, and that's what we expect to bring to Stillwater for everyone's benefit. Maurice Jackson: Mr. Rowley for someone listening that wants to get more information on Group Ten Metals, what is the website address? Michael Rowley: Website is grouptenmetals.com. Maurice Jackson: And as a reminder, Group Ten Metals trades on the TXS.V:PGE, and on the OTCQB:PGEZF; for direct inquiries please contact Chris Ackerman at 604-357-4790 extension 1, or email info@grouptenmetals.com, as reminder Group Ten Metals is a sponsor of Proven and Probable, and we are proud shareholders for the virtues conveyed into today's interview. Last but not least, please visit our website www.provenandprobable.com where we interview the most respected names in the natural resource space. You may reach us at contact@provenandprobable.com. Michael Rowley of Group Ten Metals, thank you for joining us today on Proven and Probable. Maurice Jackson is the founder of Proven and Probable, a site that aims to enrich its subscribers through education in precious metals and junior mining companies that will enrich the world. Disclosure: 1) Maurice Jackson: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Group Ten Metals. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: Group Ten Metals is a sponsor of Proven and Probable. Proven and Probable disclosures are listed below. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. 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The Information presented in Proven and Probable is provided for educational and informational purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The Information contained in or provided from or through this forum is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice or any other advice. The Information on this forum and provided from or through this forum is general in nature and is not specific to you the User or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investments, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this forum without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or competent financial advisor. You understand that you are using any and all Information available on or through this forum at your own risk. Images provided by the author. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp December 31, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) An iA Securities report notes the early results from this Canadian mine indicate gold grades could increase. In a Dec. 19 research note, analyst George Topping reported that preliminary bulk sampling results from Osisko Mining Inc. (OSK:TSX) Windfall project demonstrate a "39% positive reconciliation in grade." Findings are from 2,078 tons of ore obtained from block 114 in zone 27 at the Quebec property. Topping highlighted results revealing an estimated average head grade of 9.7 grams per ton gold (9.7 g/t Au), 39% higher than the 7 g/t grade predicted by the resource block model for that specific area. "This is interesting," Topping commented, "as the test area was tightly drilled at 12.5-meter centers and suggests the high variability in grades combined with capping could be materially underestimating the true grade." Topping pointed out that as drilling tightened at the Lynx property, adjacent to Windfall, the grade increased. Most recently, as of the November 2018 resource estimate, it stands at 8.1 g/t Au. Lynx is now in the feasibility study stage. Osisko will report results from the remainder of the first batch of bulk samples from Windfall, 2,922 tons' worth, in 2019. It plans to extract two additional, 5,000-ton bulk samples at this project as well. Osisko Mining, in general, Topping highlighted, is progressing toward production in 2020-2021. "New discoveries at Deep Underdog (Triple 8) and Deep Lynx plus the recent funding by Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. have added excitement back into the stock," he wrote. IA Securities maintains its Buy recommendation and CA$4.50 per share target price on Osisko Mining, whose current share price is about CA$2.72. Disclosure: 1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. Disclosures from iA Securities, Osisko Mining Inc., Research Update, December 19, 2018 Conflicts of Interest: The research analyst and or associates who prepared this report are compensated based upon (among other factors) the overall profitability of iA Securities, which may include the profitability of investment banking and related services. In the normal course of its business, iA Securities may provide financial advisory services for the issuers mentioned in this report. iA Securities may buy from or sell to customers the securities of issuers mentioned in this report on a principal basis. Analyst's Certification: Each iA Securities research analyst whose name appears on the front page of this research report hereby certifies that (i) the recommendations and opinions expressed in the research report accurately reflect the research analyst's personal views about the issuer and securities that are the subject of this report and all other companies and securities mentioned in this report that are covered by such research analyst and (ii) no part of the research analyst's compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by such research analyst in this report. Analyst Trading: iA Securities permits analysts to own and trade in the securities and or the derivatives of the issuer under their research coverage, subject to the following restrictions. No trades can be executed in anticipation of coverage for a period of 30 days prior to the issuance of the report and 5 days after the dissemination of the report to our clients. For a change in recommendation, no trading is allowed for a period of 24 hours after the dissemination of such information to our clients. A transaction against an analyst's recommendation can only be executed for a reason unrelated to the outlook of the stock for the issuer and with the prior approval of the Director of Research and the Chief Compliance Officer. In the past 12 months, Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. has managed or co-managed a public offering of securities for the issuer. The analyst has visited the issuer's operations. No payment or reimbursement was received from the issuer for the associated travel costs. In the past 12 months, neither iA Securities, its officers or directors, nor any analyst involved in the preparation of this report have provided services to the issuer for remuneration other than normal course investment advisory or trade execution services. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp December 31, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Money manager Adrian Day reviews recent developments at a number of resource companies in his portfolio. Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM, NY, 18.91) settled its bitter dispute with the Canadian tax authorities over tax treatment of royalties purchased though its offshore subsidiaries. Wheaton won on the central question of Canadian taxation on foreign income, though certain minor adjustments in the income recorded by Wheaton in Canada will be made. Though the dispute covered the years from 2005 to 2010, the settlement also covers years to 2015, and future years are unlikely to be challenged. As a result of the positive settlement, Wheaton's stock jumped from the low $16 range, but, with the tax dispute out of the way, remains good value here. We can expect that the CRA action against Franco-Nevada will also be dropped. Franco would not have been affected much for prior years, though had the CRA position stood, would have been affected significantly going forward. Osisko to buy back shares with royalty proceeds Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (OR, NY, 8.40), after receiving $118 million (C$159 million) last week from Pretium's exercise of its option to buy back a royalty of Pretium's Brucejack mine, has repaid C$58 million outstanding on its revolving credit facility, and instituted a share repurchase program of up to C$100 million. Approximately C$30 million remains on the credit facility. Since the program was announced earlier in the month, the share price is up virtually $1. Osisko remains a buy. More bad news for Evrim as partner backs out Evrim Resources Corp. (EVM, Toronto, 0.295) received more bad news the past few days, following on the heels on disappointing drill results at its Caule property in Mexico. Now Antofagasta has withdrawn from two copper-gold projects in British Columbia into which it was earning. Antofagasta, as a partner, tends to spend fairly aggressively, but exit quickly if it doesn't find what it is looking for, all the more so when its global exploration budgets are being cut. So this does not signify that the properties are duds. The two projects, Axe and Ball Creek, are returned to 100% Evrim ownership, after Antofagasta spent over $2 million on the projects, which it optioned in May and December last year. Obviously, Evrim will now review the data from Antofagasta's work and decide on future moves. Ball Creek in particular remains interesting. It is a large land package, and has never been drilled under Evrim ownership, despite some strong targets. So this property in particular should find another partner. Lots of activity and very undervalued Evrim has two drill programs underway (concluding current Cuale drilling and at the optioned-out Cerro Cascaron). Coeur is planning drilling next quarter at Sarape, which it has optioned, while First Majestic has extensive drilling underway at the Ermitano project on which Evrim has a royalty. So there is plenty of activity on various properties; Cuale is by no means dead, as I emphasized when the first results came out. Evrim is selling for less than its cash (around $12 million) and even the most conservative value of its Ermitano royalty. On current resources alone, it is worth a minimum of $20 million, while current drilling will likely expand the resource to where the royalty could be worth double that. There is no suggestion that Evrim is planning on selling the royaltyit does not need the money now while a revenue stream in the years ahead could be very attractive for an exploration companybut it could sell it for a good price in a flash, were it so inclined. In short, Evrim (at C$25 million market cap) is a bargain, with all the drilling, joint ventures and exploration coming free; the sell-off from Cuale drilling was well overdone, and coming in tax-loss selling season kept the stock depressed. Take advantage of this stealwith one of the best junior teams aroundand buy more shares now. Almaden spin-outs move ahead Azucar Minerals Ltd. (AMZ, Toronto, 0.415), spun off from Almaden last year, reported strong gold and copper mineralization at the drilling at its Norte Zone on the El Cobre copper-gold project in Veracruz State, Mexico. Mineralization appears open to depth, and drilling is planned to test for deep high-grade mineralization. Drilling is also planned for step outs beyond current known mineralization. Azucar has been hit by tax-loss selling, but at the current level, can be accumulated. Almadex Minerals Ltd. (DEX, Toronto, 0.27), spun off from Azucar earlier in the year, has been a bit of the Cinderella of the "Almaden group" recently, with both Almaden and Azucar focusing on relatively advanced projects. Now the feasibility on Ixtaca has been completed and Azucar has a major investor (Newcrest), and both companies have their own senior management, the father and son Poliquin team are likely to devote a little more time to the exploration spin-off this coming year. An update was published last week indicating that the company's portfolio had been reviewed and various field work programs initiated. Of the projects, El Chato remains a focus, with drilling targets identified. The setting is believed to be similar to that of El Cobre. A small drill program was initiated at another project, Yago, in Nayarit State, as a proof of concept. Looking ahead to 2019, the company expects further work, initial drill testing on "several" of its projectsAlmadex owns its own drills, significantly reducing the cost of drillingand continued regional exploration work. The current stock price just about covers the cash, bullion, shares and hard assets (the drills) that Almadex owns, giving virtually no value to the royalties and exploration ground. Though nothing may be imminent, Almadex is a strong buy at the current level for patient investors. Midland moves ahead of new discovery Midland Exploration Inc. (MD, Toronto, 0.86) is busy at its new Mythril copper-gold-molybdenum discovery in James Bay, Quebec, with new land acquisitions, and an imminent helicopter magnetic survey. Other work will follow to gain an understanding of the property and possibly generate targets for drilling in the spring. High-grade surface showings were discovered during the initial look at the property, generating considerable excitement. Over the winter, we would look to buy on any weakness. Altius slammed on base metal weakness Altius Minerals Corp. (ALS, Toronto, 10.68) has seen the share price slammed on overall weakness in base metals and other resources on recessionary feats. In addition, the company has filed suit against the governments of Alberta and Canada for $190 million in compensation for a change in policy ending coal-fired electrical generation (and payment of coal royalties) by 2030. The company has hoped to receive compensation with other affected parties, but the filing of the suit suggests these discussions are not proceeding well. Altius' diversified portfolio of revenue-generating royalties, its deep portfolio of projects both advanced and early state, its innovative management and strong balance sheet all make this a great buy right now. Lara continues to be active, keeping spend rate low Lara Exploration Ltd. (LRA, Toronto, 0.44) has optioned its Planalto Copper project in Northern Brazil to Capstone Mining. Capstone will make two payments to Lara, US$150,000 now and another $200,000 following receipt of a drill permit. There are various spending and time hurdles for Capstone to earn into the project. To earn an initial 49%, it must spend $5 million over three years. Other payments to Lara and project hurdles can get Capstone to 70%. It's a good deal for Lara, which gets some cash early on and relatively aggressive spending commitments. Lara continues work on other projects, announcing potential for nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide mineralization at another property in Brazil. Lara typically generates projects through intensive but low-cost work, and then options the properties in return for payments and work commitments. Based on a record of active generation, two high-potential projects as well as participation in a potentially company maker lawsuit, aa balance sheet that with low-spend and payments coming in will preclude the need for another raise at these levels, Lara is a strong buy here. Adrian Day, London-born and a graduate of the London School of Economics, heads the money management firm Adrian Day Asset Management, where he manages discretionary accounts in both global and resource areas. Day is also sub-adviser to the EuroPacific Gold Fund (EPGFX). His latest book is "Investing in Resources: How to Profit from the Outsized Potential and Avoid the Risks." Disclosure: 1) Adrian Day: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Osisko Gold Royalties, Evrim Resources, Lara Exploration, Altius Minerals, Midland Exploration. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: None. Funds controlled by Adrian Day Asset Management hold shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Wheaton Precious Metals, Franco-Nevada, Osisko Gold Royalties, Almaden Minerals, Azucar Minerals, Almadex Minerals, Altius Minerals, Lara Exploration, Evrim Resources and Midland Exploration. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy. 4) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports (including members of their household) own securities of Wheaton Precious Metals, Franco-Nevada, Osisko Gold Royalties, Almaden Minerals, Azucar Minerals, Almadex Minerals, Altius Minerals, Lara Exploration, Evrim Resources and Midland Exploration, companies mentioned in this article. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp December 31, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) A BMO Capital Markets report discussed the ways this global firm might use the new funds. In a Dec. 21 research note, BMO Capital Markets analyst Edward Sterck reported that Rio Tinto Plc (RIO:NYSE; RIO:ASX; RIO:LSE; RTPPF:OTCPK) closed on the sale of its 40% interest in Grasberg for $3.5 billion through a series of transactions with the Indonesian government and Freeport McMoRan, and that the sale could result in increased shareholder returns. Were Rio Tinto to return all of the proceeds to shareholders, via a special dividend or another share buyback program, Sterck noted, it would increase the 2019 return to about 11.3% from 7%, as estimated by BMO. This compares to the 12% expected at the end of 2018. The analyst pointed out that the company already has significant share buyback underway, which would account for about 30% or US$1.8 billion of that projected 7% return in 2019. Rio Tinto, however, may opt to use some or all of the new funds for another purpose, such as building up its treasury for acquisitions or capital projects, Sterck highlighted. For one, it may "look to add copper assets through acquisitions." The company will announce its intent for the US$3.5 billion when it reports its full year 2018 financial and operating results on Feb. 27, 2019. BMO has an Outperform rating and a 46 per share target price on Rio Tinto, whose stock is currently trading at around 37.62 per share. Disclosure: 1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Streetwise Reports does not accept stock in exchange for its services. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports (including members of their household) own securities of Rio Tinto, a company mentioned in this article. Disclosures from BMO Capital Markets, Rio Tinto, December 21, 2018 IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES Analyst's Certification We, David Gagliano and Edward Sterck, hereby certify that the views expressed in this report accurately reflect our personal views about the subject securities or issuers. We also certify that no part of our compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed in this report. Analysts who prepared this report are compensated based upon (among other factors) the overall profitability of BMO Capital Markets and their affiliates, which includes the overall profitability of investment banking services. Compensation for research is based on effectiveness in generating new ideas and in communication of ideas to clients, performance of recommendations, accuracy of earnings estimates, and service to clients. Analysts employed by BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and/or BMO Capital Markets Limited are not registered as research analysts with FINRA. These analysts may not be associated persons of BMO Capital Markets Corp. and therefore may not be subject to the FINRA Rule 2241 restrictions on communications with a subject company, public appearances and trading securities held by a research analyst account. Company Specific Disclosures Disclosure 5: BMO Capital Markets or an affiliate received compensation for products or services other than investment banking services within the past 12 months from Rio Tinto. Disclosure 6C: Rio Tinto is a client (or was a client) of BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., BMO Capital Markets Limited or an affiliate within the past 12 months: C) Non-Securities Related Services. Disclosure 19: BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. ("BMO NBI") is acting as financial advisor to China National Uranium Corporation Limited. in connection with its proposed acquisition of 68.62 per cent stake in Rossing Uranium Limited from Rio Tinto. BMO NBI will be paid a fee contingent on the successful completion of the transaction. BMO NBI follows information control procedures which prevent its research analysts who are issuing research from having access to non-public information received by BMO NBI's investment banking personnel in connection with the transaction. 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Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Todaro said he has had hearing issues ever since he can remember and has not had a new pair of hearing aids since 2010. He said in his Facebook story the primary reason was financial. He also knew the technology was had vastly improved in recent years. They once languished in Garda stations as unclaimed bikes, but now theyre getting a second life in Gambia, bringing children long distances to school. Tony McCarthy, originally from Cork, explains the various steps Rotary Dun Laoghaire, of which he is a member, took to secure 100 bikes for Gambia. The bikes had been stolen and ended up at a Garda station. After a year at a Garda station, theyre sold for scrap if not reclaimed, he said. We approached Dun Laoghaire Garda Station. We asked for 100 of the bikes. Next, they employed the help of prisoners, who took on a training course in order to help with the bikes. We then hired a truck and transported them to Loughan House Prison where the prisoners refurbished them with materials provided by the Irish Prison Service. This allowed the prisoners to study for a bike mechanic course. It helps with their rehabilitation into society and their job prospects, said Tony. Finally, after the bikes were back in working order, they were shipped to Africa. The bikes left in a container for Gambia on September 3. They were given to children who have to travel long distances to school in extreme heat. Theyre strong, sturdy bikes and they were given to children in both primary and secondary school, explained Tony. While the bikes were free initially and their refurbishment was assisted by the Irish Prison Service, it did cost Rotary Dun Laoghaire to transport them. It was 15 to transport each bike so it cost 1,500 in total to get the 100 bikes to Gambia. We fundraised for the project. A collection of short stories and poems Forty Years a Growing was published to celebrate the ruby jubilee of the Dun Laoghaire Active Retirement Association, and profits went to the project. From Rotary Ireland, 3,000 bikes have gone out, said Tony. The Rotary School Bikes Africa Project is just one of many which Rotary Dun Laoghaire have in hand. Were involved in other projects. The Rotary Crocus campaigns aim is to eradicate polio. So we buy 5,000 crocuses and donate them to the parks section of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. The money thats raised goes to vaccinations against polio in places like Afghanistan. We also fund study grinds for students so they can get into education and out of the poverty trap. We also paid for the renovation of a room in Crumlins childrens hospital, a parents room. In three years, weve supported 17 different organisations, Tony said. They raise their own funds through innovative means. We raise money by donating our time. Our members do the postal survey where we receive and send post to test correspondence. We are paid, and then the money issued goes to a clean water project in Kenya. We also raise funds by doing stewards at events like IronMan. Money from that went to Blackrock Hospice, said Tony. At home, we do cash or dry goods collections at supermarkets. We give the proceeds to St Vincent de Paul for hampers. We were collecting outside a supermarket and three times people came out with full trollies and just left them with us, without saying a thing. Its very heartening to see. Our motto is a simple one: Service before self. The things we do are not for our benefit, but for the community, added Tony. A county councillor is attempting to block the development of several new office blocks at Little Island in Cork amid concern it would create further traffic congestion. Padraig OSullivan, a Glanmire-based councillor, has lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanala against the recent decision of Cork County Council to grant planning permission for three office buildings in the Eastgate Retail and Business Park. The development, which will provide over 12,200sq m in office space in two four-storey blocks and one three-storey building, is being constructed by Eastgate Developments. Mr OSullivan, a native of Little Island, said he welcomed any development that brought jobs to the region but insisted it was important the voice of local residents should also be heard. Heretofore, Cork County Council have ignored our reasonable attempts at leading our lives in a relatively uninhibited way, he said. The Fianna Fail councillor claimed the major concern residents had about the proposed development was its impact in terms of traffic and congestion. He said the councils efforts at a traffic and transportation study had focused on the concerns of employees and businesses on Little Island and not on those of local residents. Council officials, he revealed, had admitted to him the figures in the study were obsolete and outdated including estimates there are about 8,000 employees working on Little Island. It is a sad fact for residents that we are continually overlooked and forgotten in the face of continued development, the councillor said. Mr OSullivan said it was wholly unacceptable there are currently no bus routes travelling through Little Island. He believed the new development would contribute to further congestion. It is dangerous of Cork County Council to allow this over-concentration of traffic at peak times continue, especially in advance of the Dunkettle interchange upgrade, he added. Council planners had said the project was acceptable as Little Island was designated as a strategic employment area under the Cobh Municipal District Local Area Plan and there was a precedent for four-storey buildings within the business park. In granting planning permission, the council directed developers make a special development contribution of 230,000 towards the 2.3m cost of a new bridge for pedestrian and cyclists linking Eastgate to Little Island train station which is designed to reduce the number of people using cars to commute to the business park. The promoters must also pay almost 842,000 in general and supplementary development charges. Mr OSullivan said it was entirely inappropriate that negotiations over the special development contribution had already taken place between the developer and council engineers even before councillors had got to vote on the proposed footbridge. An Irish woman who was a "formidable warrior" for transparency in hospital care after she was left with terminal cervical cancer arising out of medical negligence in Holland has passed away at the age of just 58. Adrienne Cullen, who grew up in Limerick, successfully took on the Dutch health system and campaigned for a no-gagging clause policy in medical facilities right across Europe. She died at 10.15am today at the Netherlands Cancer Institute. Ms Cullen was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Laws at University College Cork earlier this month. Her husband Peter Cluskey issued a statement about her passing via Twitter. He said his lifelong partner was "appallingly treated" and it "made her a formidable warrior." He thanked all those who had been loyal and generous to Adrienne particularly the staff of her former Alma Mater, UCC, where she was so warmly received at an intimate ceremony on December 10. He said his wife had a "special steel" and had made a huge difference. @AdrienneCullen died at the Netherlands Cancer Institute @hetAVL at 10.15 am today. To those who have been so loyal and generous - particularly @UCC and @osheaucc for her honorary doctorate - a million thanks. She was appallingly treated +and it made her a formidable warrior. RIP pic.twitter.com/Fv0vKiMtMI Peter Cluskey (@petercluskey) December 31, 2018 Professor Padraig G O'Se of UCC said Ms Cullen was "a beautiful resilient and compassionate person." An obituary appeared on Dutch media which simply stated that "Staying silent was not an option for Adrienne Cullen." The respected journalist settled a legal action with a Dutch hospital after it lost scans that showed she had cervical cancer. She first underwent tests in the Netherlands in 2011 after becoming ill. However, she was assured she was healthy. In 2013, a review of old pathology results found that a test for cancerous tissue which Ms Cullen's had conducted two years previously had, in fact, been positive. By 2015 tests showed her cancer had spread and, as a result of delays, was terminal. An independent medical consultant agreed on by both sides, concluded if the test result had not been lost, she would have had a 95% to 98% chance of being cured. Earlier this month in Cork she said that she empathised greatly with those impacted by the Cervical Check scandal in Ireland. She stated that women such as Emma Mhic Mathuna had had much of their lives stolen from them. "They have been robbed of being able to see their children's birthdays. They have been robbed of Christmas photos, of having family holidays. Of seeing their children grow up." "We have all lost so many things like that. Peter (her husband) beside me here is losing me. "The big difference between (Vicky Phelan and Emma Mhic Mathuna ) and me is that I don't have children. The horror of being a parent is the idea that you have to leave your children behind you and not know what is going to happen to them. Or what education they will get. Or what guidance into the future. Money doesn't compensate them for losing their parents," she added. University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMCU) has admitted liability in the case but Adrienne received compensation of just 545,000. However, this was a huge sum by Dutch standards and represented the biggest pay-out for medical negligence in the history of the Dutch State. Prior to her death, Adrienne insisted that gagging clauses must be banned because they are another injury inflicted on the patient following the traumatic news that their lives are set to end prematurely. She also spoke of her belief that gagging clauses continue to perpetuate a culture of silence which allows medical negligence cases to continue unchecked. She said: "We are handed over to the legal departments of hospitals like we are being thrown to the wolves. I will resist against that happening so no other patients are damaged in the future. "What I have achieved in Utrecht isn't nothing, but it is only the first step on a very long journey. It has to be Europe wide. "There has to be an absolute ban in the EU on using confidentiality clauses which are gagging clauses in contracts between patients and their hospitals because they do not belong there. That would be a very good first step." Cullen convinced the hospital that they had not abided by any of the international norms for what is known as Open Disclosure After Serious Harm. The Open Disclosure protocols that have since been put in place in UMCU are already being adopted by the countrys seven other teaching hospitals. Her book, "Deny, Dismiss, Dehumanize: What Happened When I went to Hospital" will be published in the coming months. Adrienne was a journalist, a best-selling author and a highly experienced English language editor. She was a travel writer and lifestyle columnist and an editorial consultant to UNESCO. Her book "Thursday's Child: The Romanian Adoptions story" chronicled the orphanages of post-Ceausescu Romania and was a best seller. On December 11 she wrote in the Irish Times about her experiences. She said people like her are always told that it is a "once-off." She said: "These are the lies behind medical error. "In reality, across the EU each year, almost 100,000 people died as a result of an avoidable mistake made during medical treatment." "The unpalatable truth is that hundreds of thousands of patients who die each year, and the many more who are damaged, are not 'one-off's' and too often it seems as though lessons aren't being learned either." Gangland murder victim Eric Fowler was under pressure to pay a drug debt and had separately ordered a local criminal to pay a debt owed to him. Detectives are investigating both of these as possible motives for the shooting dead of the 34-year-old father just days before Christmas. Officers said it would be a big thing for a local criminal to murder Fowler knowing his associations with the Kinahan crime cartel. Fowler is closely linked to an individual considered to have been the contact man for the Kinahan cartel in assisting Estonian hitman Imre Arakas, who was hired to assassinate a Hutch target in April 2017. Sources said the cartel is going to great lengths to find out who is behind Fowlers murder, with the cartel believing the Hutch crime gang was responsible. Detectives are also examining if the Hutch group carried it out, but are wondering why the contact man was not targeted, given he was in the locality at the time. Sources have said they did not suspect it was an internal clear out operation by the cartel. It is understood detectives are also investigating a possible personal motive, based on a threat that had been issued by a person known to the victim. Just before 7pm on December 22, Fowler arrived at his home in Blanchardstown, west Dublin. While he was closing his gate, a gunman approached and opened fire. Fowler ran down the driveway and was chased, and between five and six shots hit him in the upper body and neck. Gardai have gathered CCTV footage which shows a driver of a two-man hit team in his car waiting for Fowler to arrive home. The gunman was hiding nearby. Neither the gunman nor the driver was masked. Sources said a local motive may be behind the killing. Eric owed money and was owed money, said a source. He had heat coming on him to pay up and he was putting heat on others to pay up. Sources said it would be a big thing for a local criminal to kill him given the likelihood of reprisals. The Kinahans are going to great lengths to find out who did it, said the source. They believe it was the Hutches. In a separate investigation, into a serious assault of a 20-year-old in Lucan, west Dublin, on Friday night, three males (one adult and two juveniles) have presented themselves to gardai. The injured party, from Ballyfermot, is in a critical, but stable, condition in hospital. He had received a couple of blows, which, because of an existing head injury he had, resulted in significant injury. Gardai are investigating events that the adult and juveniles claim preceded the altercation that took place. Retired RTE commentator Micheal O Muircheartaigh has praised volunteers in organisations across the emergency and voluntary spectrum for their tireless work and commitment throughout the years. From the Irish Coast Guard, RNLI, Cliff and Mountain Rescue to the Civil Defence, Order of Malta, Irish Red Cross, St John Ambulance and Community First Responders, thousands of people volunteer their time and expertise in voluntary services to support the frontline emergency and medical services daily. Speaking recently to EmergencyTimes.com, 88-year-old Mr O Muircheartaigh underlined the value of volunteering and how much communities appreciate the work they do. Im around long enough now to understand what volunteering means to the country, what it means to big communities, small communities, he said. I know a lot about these services, and whenever a huge emergency or any type of emergency emerges, they come. And its commented on regularly how quick they get there and the great work they do. People appreciate that work. They are delighted to have them near them, in the vicinity of their community and how they are always willing and very well able to perform their duties. Theyre a very valuable asset to any community, to any country. Mr O Muircheartaigh recounted the many Sunday mornings he had arrived at Croke Park and, from 8.30 or 9am, watching volunteers arrive for a big game. To be in there in the early mornings, seeing the hundreds of volunteers come through the gates, receiving their instructions and posts from either a senior garda or the chief steward, and every one of them would have their chores to do as the day goes on, he said. And as I sit in my own little corner and watch, I am amazed that without all these people who are volunteers, it simply wouldnt function without them. Seeing the need for change from time to time and other aspects, thats what gives the real test to associations, and I must say, these organisations are quick to see the need for being better, for being bigger, for learning more about how to deal with situations, and how to assist the frontline services in any way they can, and they do that regularly and thats the way they operate and long may it continue. Using slurry to power family homes is the future of energy production in Ireland, ministers believe. The Government is now pushing to roll out a new national network to harness power from agricultural waste as the country comes under pressure to reduce its carbon emissions. A recent report from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland highlights the potential of harnessing gas from slurry and silage. They found that biogas or biomethane could potentially contribute to 28% of our gas supply by 2025, and by 2050, half of all supply could be produced in this way. Anaerobic digesters can harness gas produced by cattle, pigs and sheep and are already widely used in other European countries. The departments of Agriculture and Climate Action are now working to encourage farmers to install these green energy suppliers on their farms. Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said that the potential for growth in the sector is strong and it could create thousands of jobs in Ireland, but he conceded that it is still at a nascent stage of development when compared to other countries. There are just 31 biogas plants in Ireland, with 10 biogas plants using animal-by-products (ABPs). This compares to around 9,000 anaerobic digester plants in Germany and 1,900 in Italy. Mr Creed said: The benefits of anaerobic digestion are well documented. A key benefit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is by displacement of use of fossil fuels. Wider environmental benefits include effective slurry management, water quality improvements, improved soil nutrient management, and reduction in odours from slurry spreading. There are also positive economic impacts both to the farmer as well as the wider rural community in terms of an additional income stream for farmers and job creation in rural locations, he said. However, Mr Creed said the cost of setting up and operating anaerobic digesters can be prohibitive to farmers and there are difficulties in securing traditional forms of financial support because of the length of return on investment. In November, Climate Action and Environment Minister Richard Bruton announced seven successful projects under the Climate Action Fund. They included the awarding of 8.5m to Gas Networks Ireland for the development of a Graze project in Mitchelstown, Co Cork. It is the first of 17 similar projects due to be rolled out across the country to produce sufficient biogas to power 56,000 homes by mixing silage and slurry using on-farm anaerobic digestion. The North Cork town was chosen as the location for the pilot project due to the high number of cattle in the area and its close proximity to the countrys biggest gas line. The development of anaerobic digestion facilities to produce biogas for use in heating or biomethane for injection into the gas grid has a key role to play in Irelands transition to a low carbon future, a spokesperson for Mr Bruton said. This project involves the installation of a central grid injection facility for renewable gas, a renewable gas logistics operation, two compressed natural gas (CNG) stations, and a grant scheme to support around 74 CNG vehicles. The approval by the minister of this project, which will be the second grid injection point in Ireland, demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting the production of biomethane from waste using anaerobic digestion. Minister of state Sean Canney said such energy-saving measures would help the economy of rural Ireland and said farming groups are supportive of the idea. I met with farmers in Ballinasloe recently and they were talking about anaerobic digesters and creating what I call group energy similar to the group water schemes. By doing that, you are creating a circular economy, the waste that you have from farms is being used to create energy. The Government is intent on fighting climate change campaigners in the High Court despite admitting that what they say is true. Lawyers for the State have been instructed to mount a full defence to a challenge being taken on environmental and human rights grounds which begins in the High Court in the coming weeks. The States legal team has spent 16 months preparing for the case which will be heard over four days in the High Court. It has also made numerous court appearances on preliminary matters, including one just before Christmas, pushing anticipated costs to more than 100,000. Yet, Communications, Climate Action and Environment Minister Richard Bruton and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar have effectively admitted those behind the case are right. Mr Brutons department declined to comment on the substance of the case or to acknowledge any inherent contradictions. A spokesperson said: The case is listed for hearing in January 2019. The State continues to defend this case. As is usual in such cases, external counsel have been retained by the State through the Office of the Chief State Solicitor on the instruction of the Office of the Attorney General and costs associated with this are a matter for those offices in the first instance. The case centres on the National Mitigation Plan, the document published in 2017 which is the primary statutory instrument on climate action and is meant to provide a road map for the country to dramatically cut carbon emissions in line with European and international agreements. Climate Case Ireland, launched by Friends of the Irish Environment with the backing of other campaign groups, argues the plan is weak in its ambitions and vague on practical proposals, does not meet the legal requirements of the landmark Climate and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, and breaches the Constitution and international human rights obligations. The Mitigation Plan has been heavily criticised by the Governments own Climate Action Advisory Council as well as by environmental and human rights groups, while Mr Bruton in recent weeks declared Irelands position on climate action was dire and the Taoiseach twice this year labelled the country a laggard on the issue. Cabinet has also tacitly acknowledged the plans failings, trying to supplement it with more specific climate action goals in the National Development Plan published earlier this year and drawing up a draft new National Energy and Climate Plan in recent weeks which will effectively usurp the Mitigation Plan. Friends of the Irish Environment would not discuss the merits of their case or the States response while the hearing is pending but spokesperson Sadhbh ONeill said they were very encouraged by the public reaction. More than 8,500 people have signed an online declaration stating that the case is also being taken in their name. We have been absolutely astounded by the level of public support. In the last few weeks we have had 2,000 new signatures and in an Irish context thats very significant. We are a tiny organisation with a tiny budget so all of this support is happening in a very grassroots way, said Ms ONeill. A lot of the messages that people are giving us when they sign show they are really alarmed and have a lot of fear for their childrens futures. They are demanding that Government do the right thing, step up to the challenge, put politics to one side, and start delivering on their obligations. It is understood the Cabinet sees the case as one where the separation of powers of the judiciary and the executive is at stake. A long-serving coastguard member has outlined the benefits of setting up a new national representative body for more than 900 volunteers countrywide. In a meeting with Transport Minister Shane Ross, Doolin Coast Guard volunteer Bernard Lucas outlined the drawbacks for members of not having a body to discuss genuine concerns and issues about the service. Mr Lucas wife Caitriona, 41, a mother of two and a coastguard volunteer, lost her life during a call-out off north Clare in September 2016. An official report recently criticised the Irish Coast Guard for failing to have an effective safety management system in place when the rigid inflatable boat carrying Ms Lucas capsized. Mr Lucas said the Marine Casualty Investigation Board report into the fatal incident was not discussed during the meeting. He petitioned Mr Ross for a representative body for volunteers, suggesting there is currently no proper structure for any volunteer to air a grievance or complaint they may have with an officer in charge (OIC) or a senior officer. The advanced coxswain, who has been with the Doolin unit for 17 years, called on the minister to assist in the establishment of a new representative body so that any concern a volunteer may have can be examined in an open and transparent manner to make an informed decision. In particular, he said, a new body would also assist members who had issues with new manuals not written in a user-friendly way, as well as other very serious issues. He said an option should also be provided to other volunteers in rescue operations to become part of any new representative body. Under the current structure, he said, many issues cannot be resolved locally. Volunteers have no representative body and have no say in anything. You are not treated as a full-time employee because you are a volunteer, so you fall into this crack as a volunteer. Why cant volunteers have representation? The unions will not take it on board because we are not employees. Volunteers are in limbo at the moment. The current system is not working, he said. Mr Lucas said the minister was very open to the proposal, listened attentively and promised to come back to him. I would be hopeful that something will happen, but I suppose I just have to wait and see. Politics is politics you will never know what will happen. Volunteers tend to get bogged down on paperwork and it takes a long, long time for any grievance to get any bit of recognition. I got to be home before Christmas, so that was fantastic. My restaurant had to be closed and I don't know what I'm going to do because I can't work for five weeks due to my treatments. But God is good and I'm trying to take it day by day. I awoke in the small hours one morning last week to a fluttering sound; a dark starling-sized bird was flying around the room. Dazzled by the sudden glare when the light was switched on, it was easy to capture. However, this was no starling; it had long red legs, a lance-shaped bill and a conspicuous white trailing edge to its wings. Starlings and jackdaws occasionally fall down chimneys but redshanks, creatures of remote wetlands, dont emulate Santa Claus. So why was I sitting, still half asleep, at the edge of my bed holding one? Was this a weird Magritte-style dream of bizarre juxtapositions or a symptom of insanity? Should I consult the Golden Pages for help? Placed in a cotton bird-bag for a few minutes, the intruder calmed down. Most birds are happy in a warm bag, but waders cant be kept like this for long; they are prone to rheumatism. When removed, the visitor flapped its wings and waved its legs vigorously. It was clearly fit and well, so I attached a ring to its right leg and released it to the wild. Wader rings are special, made of extra-hard metal alloys, they can withstand decades of exposure to rough salt-water conditions. The serial number and the words Inform British Museum London, inscribed on the band, will still be readable 20 years from now. Ni feidir leis an gobadan an da tra a fhreastal; you cant have your loaf and eat it, as Brexiteers are finding out. A gobadan, according to the Nuafocloir Bearla-Gaeilge, is a long-beaked seashore bird. Several candidates meet the description but the redshank, one of the sandpipers, is the most conspicuous of them. At the first sign of danger, this security guard of the wetlands takes wing, with a noisy alarm call, alerting not only its own kind but every other bird as well. The curlew may have the most musical call and evocative song, but the gobadans constant too-lee, too-lee is the characteristic sound of Irish estuaries. Its surprising so noisy and conspicuous a shorebird, which the French call le chevalier, is so little known here. We have a small, slowly declining, redshank breeding population around the lakes and turloughs of the west and callows in the Midlands. Pairs nest on the ground, one parent generally acting as lookout from a ditch or fence. Each autumn, Icelandic redshanks fly 1,400km across the ocean to join their cousins in Ireland. Many of the visitors remain here for the winter. Others move on to Britain and mainland Europe. Stragglers even reach Morocco. About 11,000 are counted annually by BirdWatch Ireland volunteers at our principal wetland sites. Gobadans also frequent open coasts, wet marshy puddles and other unlikely places; there are more of them here than just those at the main sites. I once saw one foraging in drains along the main street of Malahide village following heavy rain. However, what was this wild creature doing in my bedroom? How did it get in? Was it seized by our six-month-old kitten while foraging for creepy-crawlies on the local green and carried, without injury, through the cat-flap into the house? That would have been a remarkable feat for so young a cat. Its unlikely that we will hear from the bird again. Of the 140,000 rings placed on redshanks legs in Britain and Ireland to date, only a thousand have been recovered. Lets put this game into context, writes Donal Lenihan. Leinster arrived in Limerick 16 points ahead of their nearest Guinness PRO14 Conference B rival, Ulster, with a game in hand. Munster started the day parked in third spot in Conference A, a point behind near neighbors Connacht and six behind Glasgow. Munster simply had to win at Thomond Park. Leinster have lorded this fixture in recent times, winning six of the last seven. With home advantage and Thomond Park stuffed to capacity this was the perfect evening for Munster to lay down a marker for the remainder of the season as they bid adieu to 2018. With both sides as close to full strength as you will ever hope to get at this time of year, this contest was always going to be spiky. Unfortunately what transpired, especially over the course of an explosive opening 40 minutes, was over the top, with Leinster the main culprits. Their indiscipline, with props Cain Healy and Tadhg Furlong yellow-carded before James Lowe received a red for a reckless collision with an airborne Andrew Conway, was extraordinary for a team of their quality and experience. By the interval alone they had conceded ten penalties. Lowe is now likely to miss Leinsters crucial Heineken Champions Cup outing against Toulouse with a ban certain to follow his dismissal. For a team that had received just one yellow card in 11 PRO14 games prior to Saturday to then cough up two more and a red in 32 minutes was completely out of character. In this regard, their captain and World Rugby player of the year Johnny Sexton has to accept some responsibility. At a time when his side needed a cool head and a calming voice, Sexton was incendiary. His response to a hard but fair tackle from rookie Munster back rower Fineen Wycherley set the tone for what followed with experienced Wallaby second row Scott Farley also culpable having conceded three penalties in the opening quarter. In the difficult circumstances referee Frank Murphy handled an extremely challenging situation with a calm assurance. And unlike some of his fellow officials in recent times, didnt bottle it when it came to making the hard calls. Lowes dismissal was fully justified while Healys yellow card owed as much to the penalties conceded by Sexton and Fardy in that fractious opening period as it did to his high tackle on Conor Murray. Murphys only questionable decision, given the nastiness that simmered, was a failure to yellow card Murray for a high tackle, similar to Healys, on Jordan Larmour. Once Lowe was dismissed on the half-hour mark, reducing Leinster to 13 for a period of eight minutes with Furlong already in the bin for a dangerous clean out that resulted in Chris Cloete being stretchered off the field, it was inevitable Munster would end a five-game losing streak to their great rivals. While this win will be welcomed enthusiastically, the lingering worry is that Munster made such heavy weather of it. Leading by ten points at the break, Munster never controlled proceedings in the second half, with Leinster refusing to concede an inch despite their numerical disadvantage. Given the fact that they had failed to score a single try in their previous two outings - those painful defeats to Castres and Ulster on the road - this was the perfect opportunity for Munsters attack to flourish with a bit more space available, especially off set pieces. Unfortunately that never happened. In fact Leinster were so confident in their ability to contain Munsters attacking threat, they never felt the necessity to withdraw a forward and introduce a back three player off their bench to cover the loss of their New Zealand winger. Munsters inability to flourish in attack was highlighted forcibly during the eight-minute spell prior to the break when Leinster were reduced to 13. With an attacking scrum, centrefield on the halfway line, they never attempted to find where space was available. Leinster were vulnerable but Munster ended up running out of space after drifting towards the touchline. The sight of the hosts taking a kick at goal during this same period with a two-player advantage was extraordinary. In the end, it took a Keith Earls try off an intercept five metres from his own line with eight minutes remaining to put this contest to bed. Given the circumstances, it should have been far more comfortable than that but Leinster refused to throw in the towel, with their defence working overtime. They competed furiously at every breakdown and succeeded in putting massive pressure on Murray and Joey Carbery at half back. While Carbery was immaculate from the boot with a 100% return from five kicks at goal helping to erase the memory of a difficult day against Castres, he was forced up too many blind alleys with ball in hand. All the positives for Munster in this win were to be found up front with Wycherley, playing out of position in the back row, complementing some outstanding work throughout from Tadhg Beirne and CJ Stander. This victory was badly needed and, given the way the game developed, turned into a must-win encounter. Whether it proves the catalyst for better things in Europe remains to be seen. What we do know is that Munster will have to produce far more in attack to prove any match for the top teams in that arena. It would be quite a stretch to suggest Buveur Dairs eclipse in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton opened the door for would-be takers of his Champion Hurdle crown, but Samcro all but stepped out of the running for that distinction with another disappointing display, this time behind Sharjah in the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle on Saturday afternoon in Leopardstown. Well backed to win at the third time of asking this season, he jumped quite well and held every chance in the straight but was unable to get past stablemate and pacesetter Tombstone ever before the main challengers arrived. The ever-underestimated Sharjah has been busy making up for the disappointment of a novice season which began so promisingly but never developed, and this time the five-year-old was brought with a fine run by Patrick Mullins to secure back-to-back Grade 1 victories. No match for Samcro when they in a novice hurdle at last seasons Dublin Racing Festival, he has since taken steady steps forward while his old foes progress has hit the buffers. In stretching three-and-three-quarter lengths clear of Irish Champion Hurdler Supasundae, he certainly earned consideration as a serious Cheltenham contender. The win may not only have muddied the waters in the Irish two-mile division, but also given connections of Apples Jade further reason to leave all options open. The Irish Champion Hurdle, back at Leopardstown in February, is an option for her and for Saturdays winner and could be the most informative race this side of the Cheltenham Festival. The ground is crucial to him, said Willie Mullins, of Sharjah. Patrick said hes so good on the ground and we normally get nice ground in Cheltenham. Hes only five and is improving all the time. He looked to be unlucky in the novice hurdle here last year and thats why we felt he was decent horse. People were maybe a little surprised he beat Faugheen in the Morgiana but when you go back and take that form into account it did give him a chance there. I think its fair to say he has improved more than I anticipated he would. Delta Work was workmanlike in winning the Neville Hotels Novice Chase, but it would be harsh to be too critical about a horse who has now won two Grade 1s in three outings over fences. He was behind horses early and perhaps as a result he didnt jump as well as he had done at Fairyhouse on his previous outing. Mortal looked a live danger going to the last but made a bad mistake when all but upsides and that all brought his challenge to an end. To be fair to the winner, he stretched out nicely to the line and may have been a tough nut to crack regardless. Hes a lovely horse, said Elliott. Davy (Russell, rider) said he has gone very idle and he wasnt doing a whole lot from the second until after the last. He said the ground is as quick as he wanted it. He was just a bit careful early, but Davy was happy enough. With Le Richebourg, which Delta Work touched off in a great finish to the Drinmore on his previous outing, also grabbing Grade 1 honours last week, its understandable he has been shortened in the market for the RSA Chase. However, a best price of 6-1 looks a shade on the short side given the strength of the British staying novices. Last week was a very good one for jockey Finny Maguire, who won three off the four bumpers at Leopardstown, the exception being the only one he didnt have a ride in. He was very strong aboard Exit Poll on Wednesday, patient and confident aboard Neptune on Thursday, and tactically brilliant aboard the John Nicholson-trained Benruben on Saturday. European countries must continue to pool and share their sovereignty if they want to shape global affairs, writes Jean-Claude Juncker. As we usher in a new year, the future direction of the European Union has never been more important, both for Europe and for the rest of the world. In these increasingly tumultuous times, the EU can provide the stability and hope that the world so desperately needs. For decades, Europe has been the poster child for integration and cooperation in a fractured world. Since the end of the Second World War, the continent has been living proof that multilateralism works. Europes troubled past has given way to a peace spanning seven decades, and to a Union of 500m citizens living in freedom and prosperity. By any metric, Europe is now the most tolerant, free, and equal place to live anywhere in the world. But the EU is not a given. Peace is not inevitable, and war is not implausible. The year 2018 marked the centenary of the end of the First World War, the lessons of which must still be heeded. The Europeans of 1913 thought that war was impossible, that they were too interlinked to turn on one another. We Europeans have a rich tradition of ignoring premonitions of ruin at our own peril. Given this history, todays reemergence of a dangerous brand of nationalism should be sounding alarm bells across our continent. I believe we owe it to generations past, present, and future to fight unchecked nationalism with all our might. That means getting our own house in order, particularly on the economic front, by boosting investment through new forms of public and private partnerships. Moreover, to reduce risk across the EU, we need to fix our banking sector. That means shoring up a strong and stable eurozone, and deepening the Economic and Monetary Union. It also means not waiting for the next crisis to hit, but rather working proactively to make the EU more united and democratic than ever before. Moreover, fighting nationalism at home means taking our destiny into our own hands. And yet, in a globalised world, Europe cannot secure its interests and values by itself. From migration and security to new technologies and ecological pressures, the collective challenges we face are multiplying by the day. As the divisions within societies and between countries deepen, the imperative to work together grows stronger. By cooperating with friends from around the world, Europes member states can become more resilient, both individually and collectively. Now is the time to offer responsible global leadership. Now is the time to renew and redefine the ties that bind countries around the world, much as we are doing within our Union. Our brand of leadership is not about putting Europe First. Rather, it is about being the first to answer the call for leadership when it matters. Europe continues to set a global example as a region upholding the value of global solidarity. In 2016, Europe offered asylum to three times as many refugees as the United States, Canada, and Australia combined. And for years, Europe has provided more than half of the worlds development and humanitarian aid. For Europe, responsible global leadership also means setting fair standards. Only by putting people and their rights at the heart of the brave new digital world can we ensure that technological progress serves our people, as well as our planet. Whether it be brokering the Paris climate agreement, negotiating a deal with Iran to suspend its nuclear program, ridding our oceans of harmful plastic, or setting data protection standards, the EU is leading the charge on addressing the worlds most pressing problems. Cooperation, after all, is in our DNA. Individual European countries simply do not have the clout to shape global affairs on their own, and that is not going to change. By 2060, no single European country will have more than 1% of the worlds population. Europeans must therefore continue to pool and share their national sovereignty, with the goal of establishing a stronger common sovereignty for all. As members of the worlds largest single market one that accounts for one-fifth of the global economy each EU country is better placed to defend its national interests and to shape global events than it would be alone. Looking ahead, our task is to strengthen this European sovereignty even further. That means speaking with one voice, sticking to our values, and delivering for our citizens ahead of the European Parliament election in May 2019. History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. The world has been fractured before, and we have seen how this can lead to poverty, discord, and war. Europeans know or should know this pattern all too well. So we must fight the populists of this world, those who peddle the false hope of new dawns and those who replace fact with fiction and conjure enemies old and new. Europe must provide the counterweight to these tendencies, by demonstrating that we can still champion compromise and consensus over the politics of strongmen. What the world needs now is fairness and progress. The world needs Europe. Jean-Claude Juncker is president of the European Commission The two best bits of the just published State papers from the 1980s are, inevitably, sections carrying no great national importance. One record had a staff member from the Irish embassy in London getting verbally beaten up by a British MP during a train journey. The diplomat one Richard Ryan described the MP as getting rattier and rattier throughout the trip, ending up a fair burgundy colour about the neck. Which goes to prove that the expression of anger just makes you angrier and, if you are an MP, that your idiotic vitriol gets lovingly recorded and stored for recycling long after you got off your chest whatever you got off your chest. Its the other section that will ring a bell with any published author. Thats the one where poet Patrick Kavanagh him of the statue beside the canal is revealed as having gone bananas in October 1938 about the treatment of his memoir The Green Fool by some major bookshops. It wasnt being put on display in their windows, which is where any ambitious writer wants their book to be, with occasional exceptions, about which more later. Kavanagh went first to the Fred Hanna bookshop on Dublins Nassau St, where he promised to wreck the joint if window space wasnt found for his book, right there and then. The owner seems to have decided display was the better part of valour and shoved it into the window. Kavanaghs tempestuous progress through Dublins book emporia over the following 48 hours establishes one thing for certain: The owners were not in a cabal agin him. Each reacted in quite different ways to his incursions. None of them followed the Fred Hanna pilot. In Hodges Figgis, he threw books around the shop and told a staff member who tried to stop him that the staff member should be careful, because Kavanagh planned to break every bloody bookshop in the city up. Its not clear if Hodges Figgis caved in, but at the Grafton Bookshop, the manager, Anthony Dempsey, was taking none of it. He told the author that no law existed that would force him to stock a book he didnt want to stock, whereupon Kavanagh darkly suggested Dempsey take a trip down to Hodges Figgis and see the damage one enraged poet could do to a bookshop. According to the contemporary and delightful Garda report, Dempsey, unmoved, described The Green Fool as anti-Catholic and, as a result, likely to be offensive to priests and nuns who comprise the majority of his customers. (All together now: God be with the day) Patrick Kavanagh's book The Green Fool. The anti-Catholic issue was only one of the reasons Marcus Noone, who then managed Browne & Nolan, wouldnt buy copies of the book. He was also wary of being sued by Oliver St John Gogarty, a major figure in Dublin life at the time, immortalised as Buck Mulligan in James Joyces Ulysses. Gogarty sued Kavanagh because of two sentences in The Green Fool wherein the author claimed to have mistaken Gogartys maid for his wife or his mistress. Kavanagh explained away the mistake on the basis that he had expected every poet to have a spare wife. Gogarty won the case and 100 in damages, which would be a little under 7,000 today. Some of us have paid and been paid multiples of that figure when we have defamed or been defamed. Perhaps the awards were smaller in those days. Or perhaps the judge wasnt that moved by Gogartys plight. The records dont show if Kavanagh ever paid up, but knowing his financially chaotic life, one rather doubts it. However, the possibility of related action against booksellers, added to the books perceived anti-Catholicism, prompted two of them to stand up to Kavanagh, who retreated, shouting that he was living in a fascist state. Which probably prompted the Browne & Nolan manager to opine that Mr Kavanagh is suffering from delusions regarding the sale of his book. Sergeant Noel Reynolds was the garda who drew up a report on the terrorising of the bookshops, and so reasonable and sensible was his report that the whole thing died down. That was helped by the booksellers not taking legal action against the poet. They saw him as either obsessed with the idea that there was an organised attempt on the part of the booksellers generally to boycott the sale of the book giving it little or no prominence, or alternatively that he was seeking notoriety or publicity in endeavouring to create a scene. A priest consulted by Reynolds went with the latter view, advising that any prosecution would give Kavanagh only the publicity which he is obviously seeking. Why did a garda consult a priest about a literary matter? Who knows. The public relations business had not emerged in the late 1930s, so perhaps the clergy were assumed to have particular insight into communications. Which, in this particular case, seems to have been an accurate assumption. Nobody fed Kavanaghs feeding frenzy, and despite him bellowing that he was living in a fascist state, which was a fairly robust accusation in the late 1930s, the excitement passed and desultory sales of the book ensued. Although Kavanagh may have mounted the most raucous protest at not having a book prominently displayed, most published writers roil and boil less noticeably about the same issue. Whether they produce critically validated works of art or write frothy romances, no writer ever believes their publishers do enough to publicise their book or that bookshops give it sufficient prominence. Writers obsessively visit bookshops and re-position their volume, either on the shelves or on those tables where the three-for-two offers dominate. Friends of writers visit bookshops and then inflame the writer by messaging them: I couldnt find your book in X bookshop, and when I asked, theyd never heard of it. Every writer feels entitled to window display and when they dont get it, blame the shop, their agent and their publisher, although not many threaten, Kavanagh-fashion, to wreck the joint if the problem isnt rectified. The only window no writer wants to be seen in is the one in a remainder shop. No writer wants to see their own oeuvre at a bargain store where everything unsold at full market price is marked down to 3 or 5. Maeve Binchys sister was once so mortified to see a dozen of one of Maeves novels lined up in one such window that she counted them before going inside and saying she absolutely had to have 12 copies of the book. Satisfyingly, the bookseller went to the window, reaching for each of the copies displayed there, bagged them up, and took her money. Distracted by other books in the store, she dawdled for a minute or two, only to see the guy emerge from his storeroom at the back with twelve replacement copies of the same book, which he positioned just where the others had been. She had wasted her money and the shame went on. A. The board president of the Highland Park-based theater company I founded and ran at the time went to Madame Zuzu's, the tea shop Billy (Corgan) had opened in Highland Park. He was there and she said to him: "You have to meet our artistic director." So he gave her his email address. I emailed him and we met in January 2013 on the day I was opening Sweet Charity at Writers Theatre, which I had choreographed. He asked me what I was working on, I told him I had a show opening that night and he asked if he could see it. So I brought Billy Corgan to opening night. We have been friends ever since. One aspect of the best and worst of 2018 will escape the chroniclers of looking-back lists: Reading at all levels is at an all-time high, a fact that should warm the hearts of language arts (nee English) teachers everywhere. And, no, keeping up to date on your social media feeds doesnt count as actually reading a good book. While the political systems are different in Africa, the approach is the same, Moore said. You need to find out who the power players are in your government, make sure youre showing them your need and then go to them with a plan. Thats how youre more likely to get funding than sitting around wishing. 'We believe in miracles': Summerville man receives new heart after health scares Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 13, 2018) - EMX Royalty Corporation (TSXV: EMX) (NYSE American: EMX) (the "Company" or "EMX") is pleased to announce the execution of a purchase agreement (the "Agreement") for the sale of the Bleikvassli, Sagvoll, and Meraker polymetallic projects in Norway, and the Bastutrask polymetallic project in Sweden to OK2 Minerals Ltd. ("OK2") (TSX Venture: OK). The Agreement provides EMX with a 9.9% equity interest in OK2, advance royalty payments, and a 3% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty interest in the projects, as well as a 1% NSR royalty on OK2's Pyramid project in British Columbia. The four Scandinavian projects (the "Properties") provide OK2 with a portfolio of prospective properties for its newly created European Business Unit, and will provide OK2's shareholders, including EMX, with substantial value creation upside. The Properties contain historic mining areas and/or historic, drill-defined zones of polymetallic base metal mineralization (zinc-lead-copper) with variable levels of precious metal enrichments (silver gold). There is significant exploration potential, as little to no modern work has taken place on the projects, with the exception of Bastutrask. Please see the attached map and www.EMXroyalty.com for more information. Commercial Terms Overview (dollar amounts in USD, unless otherwise noted): EMX will transfer to OK2 the Bleikvassli, Sagvoll, and Meraker exploration licenses in Norway, and its Bastutrask exploration permits in Sweden at closing. Upon the closing of this transaction, OK2 will undergo a corporate restructuring by share consolidation and change its name to Norra Metals Corp. OK2 will issue to EMX that number of common shares of OK2 that represents a 9.9% equity ownership in OK2 at closing. OK2 will have the continuing obligation to issue additional shares of OK2 to EMX to maintain its 9.9% interest in OK2, at no additional cost to EMX (subject to a maximum of 13,398,958 post-consolidation common shares), until OK2 has raised CDN $5,000,000 in equity to fund exploration and development on the Properties, or until five years after closing, whichever occurs first. Thereafter, EMX will have the right to participate pro-rata in future financings at its own cost to maintain its 9.9% interest in OK2. Further, there is an additional provision that requires OK2 to raise and spend CDN $2,000,000 on the Properties within two years of the closing date, otherwise EMX's 9.9% equity ownership shall be increased to a 14.9% continuing equity interest (subject to a maximum of 21,350,956 post-consolidation common shares). EMX will retain an uncapped 3% NSR royalty interest on each of the Properties. Within six years of the closing date, OK2 has the right to buy down up to 1% of the royalty retained by EMX on any given project (leaving EMX with a 2% NSR royalty) by paying EMX $2,500,000. Such a buy down is project specific. EMX will receive annual advance royalty ("AAR") payments of $20,000 for each of the Properties commencing on the second anniversary of the closing, with each AAR payment increasing by $5,000 per year until reaching $60,000 per year, except that OK2 may skip AAR payments on two of the four Properties in years two and three provided payments are made on the other two Properties in years two and three. Once reaching $60,000, AAR payments will be adjusted each year according to the Consumer Price Index (as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics). EMX will receive a 0.5% NSR royalty on any new mineral exploration projects generated by OK2 in Sweden or Norway, excluding projects acquired from a third party containing a mineral resource or reserve or an existing mining operation. These royalties are not capped and not subject to a buy down. EMX will also receive a 1% NSR royalty on OK2's Pyramid project in British Columbia at closing. EMX will have the right to nominate one seat on the Board of Directors of OK2. Closing is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. Properties Overview The Scandinavian Properties contain a combination of Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide ("VMS") and sedimentary exhalative ("SEDEX") polymetallic deposits. Magmatic sulfide type nickel-copper-cobalt mineralization is also present on portions of the Sagvoll project in Norway. Bleikvassli. The 6,000 hectare ("Ha") Bleikvassli licenses are located near the Norwegian city of Mo-i-Rana, and contain the historic Bleikvassli mine area, which saw production of lead, zinc and silver mineralization from 1914-1997[1]. The mine was one of the last metal mines to operate in Norway, and was closed only when flooded in the late 1990's. The styles of mineralization at Bleikvassli have been the subject of debate, with some authors favoring a VMS origin for the deposit, while others have favored a sedimentary exhalative ("SEDEX") model. In either case, the deposit consists of stratiform/stratibound lenses of lead-zinc-silver massive sulfide mineralization, which locally grades into more copper and gold-rich compositions. The lenses mined at Bleikvassli constitute a portion of an extensive zone of sulfide mineralization that extends well beyond the mine area, as indicated by historic exploration drilling and extensive surface mapping. Sagvoll. The 11,000 Ha Sagvoll project is located northeast of the Norwegian city of Trondheim. The Sagvoll licenses contain multiple areas of historic mining, where copper and other metals were mined in the 19th and early 20th centuries. VMS style mineralization is developed throughout the areas of historic mine workings, and along extensive geophysical anomalies that extend for over 25 kilometers along strike of the mine workings. Also present in the southeastern portion of the license area are historic nickel-copper sulfide mines and prospects. Meraker. Like Sagvoll, the 18,600 Ha Meraker project is located near the Norwegian city of Trondheim, and contains multiple historic mines and prospects developed on trends of polymetallic VMS style mineralization. Copper was the chief product from many of the historic mines, but significant zinc mineralization is seen in the mine dumps and outcrops in the area. There are several parallel trends of mineralization within the project area, extending for nearly 30 kilometers along strike. Little modern exploration has taken place at Meraker. Bastutrask. The 4,700 Ha Bastutrask exploration permits are located in the Skelleftea district, which is one of Sweden's most prolific mining districts. VMS style sulfide mineralization was discovered at Bastutrask by Boliden AB in the 1960's, and was drilled intermittently in various programs through the early 2000's. The mineralization is hosted by a folded sequence of volcanic and volcanoclastic sedimentary rocks. The mineralization does not outcrop in the area, and is only known through drilling and as projected from geophysical data. Drill defined zones of mineralization are developed over an area of several kilometers near the apparent nose of a prominent fold hinge. Pyramid Project Overview OK2's 12,700 Ha Pyramid project is located along the Dease River at the northern edge of British Columbia's "Golden Triangle" region. The project contains extensive zones of both porphyry gold-copper and epithermal style mineralization developed in Quesnel Terrane host rocks, one of the key hosts for porphyry deposits in British Columbia. The property has undergone extensive surface mapping, sampling and geophysical surveys, along with recent reconnaissance drilling (2016 and 2017). More information about the project, including drill results, are available on the OK2 website. About EMX. EMX leverages asset ownership and exploration insight into partnerships that advance our mineral properties, with EMX receiving pre-production payments and retaining royalty interests. EMX complements its royalty generation initiatives with royalty acquisitions and strategic investments. The sale of the Properties in Norway and Sweden to OK2 is another example of EMX's execution of its royalty generation business model, and provides additional organic royalty property growth for EMX, as well as establishing a substantial equity position in the partner company. These interests provide EMX and its shareholders immediate exposure to equity upside, while the royalty interests provide longer term exposure to the optionality of continued exploration success and the potential for future mineral production revenues. Dr. Eric P. Jensen, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and employee of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved the disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release. For further information contact: David M. Cole President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: (303) 979-6666 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Scott Close Director of Investor Relations Phone: (303) 973-8585 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain "forward looking statements" that reflect the Company's current expectations and projections about its future results. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merits of properties, exploration results and budgets, mineral reserves and resource estimates, work programs, capital expenditures, timelines, strategic plans, market prices for precious and base metal, or other statements that are not statements of fact. When used in this news release, words such as "estimate," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "will", "believe", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which, by their very nature, are not guarantees of the Company's future operational or financial performance, and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors may include, but are not limited to: unavailability of financing, failure to identify commercially viable mineral reserves, fluctuations in the market valuation for commodities, difficulties in obtaining required approvals for the development of a mineral project, increased regulatory compliance costs, expectations of project funding by joint venture partners and other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date otherwise specifically indicated herein. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified in this news release, and other risk factors and forward-looking statements listed in the Company's MD&A for the quarter ended on September 30, 2018 (the "MD&A"), and the most recently filed Form 20-F for the year that ended on December 31, 2017, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. More information about the Company, including the MD&A, the 20-F and financial statements of the Company, is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the SEC's EDGAR website at www.sec.gov. Figure 1. Properties in Norway and Sweden sold by EMX to OK2. [1] Geological Survey of Norway Ore Database, Deposit Area 1832-012. To her supporters, Sheikh Hasina is Bangladeshs mother of humanity for giving Rohingya refugees shelter, but to her detractors shes a creeping autocrat who has jailed opponents and muzzled dissent. Hasina, the daughter of Bangladeshs founder, is almost certain to win a historic fourth term as prime minister when the country goes to the polls in its 11th parliamentary elections Sunday due to a decimated opposition. The 71-year-old is lauded by supporters for overseeing a decade of impressive economic growth in the impoverished South Asian nation that was more commonly known for its frequent floods and cyclones. Opponents, however, accuse her of jailing arch-foe Khaleda Zia on politically motivated charges, of orchestrating mass arrests, enforced disappearances and passing draconian anti-press freedom laws to try to cling to power. Hasina was abroad in August 1975 when a group of renegade military officers assassinated her father, Bangladeshs first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife and three sons. She started her political career as a hero of the people, returning from exile in 1981 to take over as Awami League leader and begin a long struggle to restore democracy in Bangladesh. Hasina joined forces with Zias Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to help oust military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 1990 but the pair soon fell out and were branded the Battling Begums. Economic growth Their rivalry has dominated Bangladeshi politics for the last 30 years. Hasina was first elected prime minister in 1996 but she struggled to emerge from the shadow of her father during her first term and lost the 2001 contest. The pair were then imprisoned on corruption charges in 2007 by a military-backed government which had taken power in a coup. The charges were dropped and they were freed to contest the December 2008 election, which Hasina won by a landslide. She has been in power ever since, presiding over economic expansion of more than six percent every year since 2009. GDP growth last year was 7.86 percent and Hasina has promised to take that into double digits if she retains power. Under her watch, Bangladesh is on course to graduate from a least-developed country to a middle-income nation. Poverty has been brought down to around 20 percent and nearly 90 percent of the countrys 165 million people now have access to electricity. Her fans also praise her for opening Bangladeshs doors to some one million Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in western Myanmar. She has earned plaudits from western nations for allowing the refugees to stay in camps in Bangladeshs southeast, while her supporters insist she should be given a Nobel Peace Prize. Going after Islamists Hasinas fans have praised her for cracking down on Islamist extremists in the Muslim-majority nation, after five homegrown terrorists stormed a Dhaka cafe, killing 22 people including 18 foreigners in 2016. She also launched trials of the powerful Islamist opposition over crimes committed during the 1971 independence war. Five top Islamist leaders and a main opposition stalwart were executed. Her opponents branded the war crimes trials a farce, saying they were a politically motivated exercise designed to silence dissent. Instead of healing the wounds of war, the trials have triggered mass protests and deadly clashes. Hasina showed similar resolve in holding the trial of her main opponent and two-time former premier Zia, who was sentenced to 17 years in jail in two separate graft cases earlier this year. Analysts said the jailing has effectively ended Zias political career and weakened the opposition ahead of the election. They say Hasinas regime has slid into authoritarianism since she pushed on with an uncontested general election in 2014. She has crushed the opposition and created a one-party dominant political system in Bangladesh, says Ataur Rahman, a political science professor at Dhaka University. Hasina married nuclear scientist M.A. Wazed Miah in 1968. They have two children, who are both US citizens, including son Sajeeb Wajed, who is an advisor to her government. The 2018 election campaign has been marred by violence and arrests of opposition activists, and Hasina has ignored calls by her opponents to step aside and let a neutral government oversee the election. She seems virtually certain to extend her reign as Bangladeshs longest-serving leader. The investigation into a multitude of armed robberies was a cooperative, multi-jurisdictional effort, Marshall said in the release. The credit goes out to the many police officers working these cases over the holidays for their diligence and perseverance in bringing this alleged crime spree to a successful conclusion. All of which is why I still await the moment of unraveling. It may not be for months, but it is inevitable. It will come at a press conference or during a statement read in the oval office or in an unscripted moment on the tarmac, after the findings of the Mueller investigation are submitted and the seven (and counting) other separate state and federal investigations and lawsuits ultimately overwhelm his defenses. Prosecutors said Riola allegedly approached a woman in a parked car at the mall, telling her he had a knife and saying Give me your car. The woman fled and he was unable to start the car. Timothy Morrison, of Whiting, filed a motion last week asking federal Judge Philip Simon to acquit him and order a new trial, according to court documents. Morrisons lawyer, Sheldon Nagelberg, said federal prosecutors failed to document whether Hammond had clear ownership of the bridge but instead relied on statements the Whiting man made to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency agent about permits. 181 Shares Share A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD.com. I imagine every physician anesthesiologist has experienced drug or equipment shortages in the last year. How frustrating that even in the worlds largest health care system, basic medications can be unavailable. However, when I step back and look at the big picture, I am reminded of the tremendous luxury we have compared to so many countries around the world. During my fellowship year in obstetric anesthesiology at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, I was invited to participate in a global health trip to Ridge Regional Hospital in Accra, Ghana with Kybele, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting safe childbirth around the world through partnerships with local medical organizations. Through a local partnership with Ghana Health Service, Kybele, Inc. had formed a five-year memorandum of understanding with Ridge Regional, a large secondary referral hospital in Ghanas capital. I will never forget my initial impressions of that hospital. I walked through a maternity ward that delivered over 12,000 children a year and saw women laboring without any analgesia. I saw families bring a pregnant patient to the operating room (O.R.) with a standard box of medications and fluids they had to purchase from an outside pharmacy in order for her to receive care. I remember a patient who became severely oxygen deprived in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and subsequently died due to the hospitals oxygen supply running out and the PACU not having full oxygen tanks available until it was too late. Yet for all the resource problems I encountered during my trip, one of the biggest issues I noticed was not just a lack of equipment or medications, but of providers. A December 2018 Anesthesia and Analgesia article demonstrated how deficient many low- and middle-income countries are when it comes to not just physician anesthesiologists, but nurse anesthetists as well. When I first started going to Ghana in 2011, there was only one physician anesthesiologist training program and two nurse anesthesia schools in the entire country. There were only 20 consultant (physician) level anesthesiologists and approximately 200 nurse anesthetists for a country of more than 24 million people1. As a fellow, my first task was to help teach a class for nurse anesthesia students at Ridge Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia. This school had been started by local providers, in partnership with Kybele, Inc., in an attempt to help address the countrys shortage of safe anesthesia providers. I asked the students to describe the home clinical environment they would return to after their training and many did not have access to basic anesthesia equipment such as an anesthesia machine, any difficult airway devices, or access to a physician anesthesiologist. As I began to teach a course on the basics of obstetric anesthesia, including maternal physiology, I realized these students were incredibly bright and gifted and so eager to learn this field to help provide some level of safer anesthesia care to their communities. I have returned every year since 2011 to continue teaching at this school. The school has expanded immensely over the years and even started training physician anesthesiologists with the hope to increase the number of physician anesthesiologists in Ghana. There continues to be a great need for physician educators in this school and I consider my annual trips as some of the best two weeks of my academic year. As I finish this article, I am reminded again of my First World problems and how they may be perceived as less when compared to the hardships in other countries. Recently, the power went out in my neighborhood due to a snowstorm this past weekend, and I was unable to access email or charge my laptop to finish this article. Of course, the power company was out within the day, and everything was back to normal by the next morning. I thought, what if this was my daily work experience at my hospital or clinic? I know we all have a lot testing our patience this holiday season, from the busy OR keeping us late, to out-of-network billing questions, scope of practice discussions and more, but we also have a lot to be thankful for in our professions and countless blessings that providers in other countries only wish they had. D. Matthews Hatch is an anesthesiologist. Image credit: D. Matthews Hatch Just being entrenched in that whole family system really makes you feel the way I think, from an immigration attorneys perspective, the way it was supposed to be. That this whole idea of immigration to the United States really started as a whole relocation of people building their lives here. Its amazing to see, Arshad said. Ballyhale Shamrocks in Kilkenny one of Irelands most successful hurling clubs is at risk of being destroyed by flood relief measures proposed by the Office of Public Works. At an estimated cost of 430,000 the works will see the Little Arrigle River in the village being diverted right through the clubs GAA grounds. The diversion of flow will go primarily through the pitch closer to the village and will also cut through the walkway and along by the dressing rooms. The hurling club was founded in 1972 and has been at the site in Ballyhale village since 1990. It is home to Kilkenny hurling legends Michael and Colin Fennelly, TJ Reid and Henry Shefflin. Step DOwn Having introduced a broad range of innovative strands to the Kilkenny Arts Festival, copperfastened its prosperity, festival director, Eugene Downes announced in June that he would step down at the end of this years festival in August. Highlights he put in place include the Shakespeare series in the Castle Yard, which attracted thousands of patrons. Another is the hugely popular single composer season with Brahms the main focus this August, following Mozart and Beethoven in the preceding years. The series of new Stephen Rea projects were phenomenally popular with people while having the Irish Concert Orchestra (IC) as an orchestra in residence for the first time is a wonderfully successful collaboration.And in 2018, Downes did it again with the Festivals first full scale opera production. Kilkenny woman Vicky Phelan continued to dominate the headlines in June when she received civic recognition from Kilkenny County Council for her bravery in highlighting issues with the cervical screening programme and her service to the people of Ireland. Mooncoin native Vicky Phelan said that she is just a normal person who did one small thing. One person can make change. You just have to believe that you can do it, she said. Vicky said that she refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement in her case because she knew that she was not the only one affected. Vickys story sparked the revealation that at least 221 women are involved in the scandal. Former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn is set for an even longer stay in a Tokyo jail cell. The Tokyo District Court said Monday that Ghosn, who has been detained for the past six weeks, can be held for a further 10 days without bail. That means the auto industry legend will likely remain in prison until at least January 11. Business figures Carlos Ghosn Asia Continents and regions East Asia Japan Tokyo Companies Crime, law enforcement and corrections Criminal law Law and legal system Nissan Motor Corporation Prosecutors have alleged that Ghosn temporarily shifted 1.85 billion yen ($16.6 million) of losses from his private investments onto a Nissan subsidiary as the global financial crisis erupted in October 2008. Since his initial arrest on November 19, Ghosn has been re-arrested twice as prosecutors continue to build a case against him. The auto executive was indicted on December 10 on separate allegations he under-reported his income by tens of millions of dollars between 2010 and 2015 in Nissan disclosures. That charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Prosecutors have accused Ghosn of continuing the practice into the 2017 financial year but haven't indicted him on that allegation yet. Greg Kelly, the US businessman accused of helping Ghosn under-report his income at Nissan, was released from jail in Japan on Christmas Day after being granted bail. Kelly denies any wrongdoing. Strained alliance Ghosn's detention has shaken the international auto industry and strained the alliance he built between Nissan (NSANY), Renault (RNSDF) and Mitsubishi Motors (MMTOF). He has been fired as chairman by both Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors. Renault has appointed interim management but kept Ghosn on the payroll. Ghosn, a Brazilian-born French citizen who grew up in Lebanon, is yet to issue a detailed public statement in response to the allegations against him. Legal experts have said that may be because of the limitations of his detention and to avoid jeopardizing his defense. Ghosn's Tokyo-based lawyer, Motonari Otsuru, said last week that his client maintains his innocence and hopes to restore his honor at trial, according to The Wall Street Journal. Otsuru's office could not be reached for comment on Monday, a public holiday in Japan. A spokesman for Nissan said the company was "not in a position to comment" on Ghosn's detention and that an internal investigation is ongoing. ST. PAUL, Minn. A man who wasnt arrested until over two years after a drunk-driving crash loses in the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Authorities say Isaac Thomas Soltau, 29 of Stewartville, crashed his car into a curb on September 23, 2013, after a night of heavy drinking. A passenger was ejected through the rear window. A police officer took a blood sample from Soltau at the hospital Soltau was then charged in December 2015 with four counts of criminal vehicular operation and two counts of 4th degree DWI. Tests of Soltaus blood found a blood alcohol content of over .10. Authorities could only explain the delay in charging Soltau by saying the case had fallen through the cracks. He was convicted on three criminal vehicular operation counts in 2017 and sentenced to three years of supervised probation. Soltau appealed his conviction, citing the long delay in charging him and that police had drawn his blood without a warrant. The Minnesota Court of Appeals has now rejected both arguments. The Court rules that Soltaus defense was not hindered by the delay, he was only held for one day in jail for this matter, and there is no evidence he experienced any anxiety over the lingering potential charges. The Court also found the police officer acted under exigent circumstances in taking Soltaus blood without a warrant because any further delay might have prevented law enforcement from obtaining necessary evidence. A warrant for Soltaus blood was signed five minutes after it was drawn. NORTHWOOD, Iowa A second person has been arrested for a beating in a North Iowa hotel room. Kadra A. Bashir, 32 of Minneapolis, was booked into the Worth County Jail on Saturday for willful injury causing serious injury. Shes being held on $10,000 bond. Abdirizak Mohammed Abdirizak Mohammed Authorities say Bashir took part in the December 1 assault of a Minneapolis woman at the Holiday Inn on Wheelerwood Road. The victim says Bashir and Abdirizak Warsame Mohammed, 40 of Columbia Heights, MN, asked to stay in her room because they were too intoxicated to driver. Bashir and Mohammed then reportedly started to destroy the room and when the victim told them to stop, authorities say Bashir held the woman down while Mohammed repeatedly punched her. The deputy who responded to the scene says the victim had blood all over her face and her left eye was completely swollen shut. Mohammed was picked up on a warrant in Owatonna and booked into the Worth County Jail on Thursday. Hes also charged with willful injury causing serious injury and is being held on $10,000 bond. ALBERT LEA, Minn. A man has been sentenced again for a cross-border car chase. Jacob Aaron Eberly, 33 of Lake Stevens, Washington, was arrested on June 22 after authorities say he stole a car and led law enforcement on a 100 mile per hour chase from Albert Lea to Clear Lake. Eberly pleaded guilty in Cerro Gordo County to leaving the scene of an accident and eluding. He was sentenced to 52 days in jail and three years of probation. He then pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property in Freeborn County and was sentenced Monday to five year of supervised probation and ordered to pay $507.85 in restitution. Eberly will also have to perform 80 of community service. Also, more people are using the Kankakee for recreation. Thanks to work by the Northwest Indiana Paddlers Association, the river was designated the Kankakee River National Water Trail in 2016. The water trails website cites the rivers attractions -- ancient wetlands, cliffs and canyons, wooded islands and the gentle farmland of northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois and calls the Kankakee one of the cleanest rivers in the Midwest. We always knew that whether he ever faced prison, whether he ever was caught, he would never get away with it because when you stand before God, youre going to hold account. And thats eternally, she said. Still, after two years of resisting, Friedlund, who also volunteers with her husband as an escort at Planned Parenthood in Merrillville, said the U.S. House of Representatives has changed, though she cant say whether thats because of the marches held across the country. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable. Calabrese is also Christmas Cheers secretary and treasurer, and as he led more than 100 volunteers in an ecumenical prayer that asked for blessings on those celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, he reflected on something he heard years before: If you think the best, you should expect the best. That was current history when the museum was built in the late 80s, but now its 50 years old, he said. But my efforts along those lines collided with the recession in 2008, and no matter how hard I worked at persuading our board, I had to cool my jets. We finally got that approved in 2015 and spent most of 2016 and 2017 doing it and reopened it in August 2017. And if I do say so myself, I think were the best military museum of our size in the United States. I think we knocked it out of the ballpark. Political prisoner, activist, journalist, hymn-writer, emerging think tanker, aspiring novelist, hanger on of academia, parliamentary candidate for North West Durham, Shadow Leader of the Opposition, Speedboat, proudly banned from Twitter so officially more dangerous than the Taliban, eagerly awaiting the second (or possibly third) attempt to murder me. China's dollar-denominated Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) program saw its total quota rise to US$101.056 billion as of the end of December, according to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. As of the end of December, the quota in the RMB Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (RQFII) program came in at 646.672 billion yuan (about 94 billion U.S. dollars). China's currency, the yuan, is convertible for trade purposes under the current account, while the capital account, which covers portfolio investment and borrowing, is largely run by the state in an effort to manage capital flows in and out of the country. The QFII and RQFII programs, introduced in 2003 and 2011 respectively, allow overseas institutional investors to move money into China's capital account to encourage controlled flows. The RQFII program is currently open to countries and regions including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Britain, Singapore, France, the Republic of Korea, Germany, Qatar, Canada, Australia and Luxembourg. The Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor program (QDII), a scheme that allows domestic investors to access overseas assets, remained at 103.233 billion U.S. dollars. No new quotas have been granted for six consecutive months. You are here: China China's central government has allocated a fund of 595 million yuan (US$86.7 million) 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. China's campaign against organized crime initiated in January 2018 has seen the removal of 1,082 mafia-style gangs and the seizure of 1,620 guns by law enforcement agencies. Between January and November, China saw a decrease of 27.6 percent, 29.1 percent, and 6.3 percent in criminal cases of gun use, explosions, and murders respectively, compared with the the previous year, according to authorities. As of the end of November, the number of cases involving officials with links to mafia-style gangs totalled 11,829, according to a national office spearheading the campaign. As a result, a total of 8,288 people received Party disciplinary or administrative penalties, and 1,649 were transferred to judicial authorities for suspected criminal involvement. To stop the rise of criminals, authorities have stepped up efforts to check community-level officials with potential criminal-links. From January to the end of October, a total of 1,141 village cadres were found to have criminal links and were removed from their posts. The campaign is expected to last a total of three years. New Delhi, December 31: As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its attack on Congress after the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday brought in the name of 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'big man R', an apparent reference to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, while seeking the custody of Christian Michel, accused in the AgustaWestland chopper deal case, former defence minister AK Antony on Monday said the mother-son duo never interfered in the process. "As former defence minister, during my time the procurement of AgustaWestland took place. I would like to say, categorically, that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in deals and procurement. The AgustaWestland deal was selected after evaluation by a team of officials," Antony told Rajya Sabha. The Rajya Sabha MP mentioned that the Congress-led UPA government had initiated a CBI probe in alleged corruption in the AgustaWestland deal. AgustaWestland Scam: BJP CMs Accuse Congress of Taking Bribe After Christian Michel Named 'Mrs Gandhi'. "Whenever media reported about corruption in a deal, we initiated an inquiry. We took the decision to blacklist 5-6 powerful companies, including one American, Russian and Singapore company. That was our track record, but what is the track record of the present govt?" he said in the upper house of Parliament. The ED, which got a seven-day extension of custody of Michel from a special court, made references to "one 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'big man R', son of an Italian lady who is going to be the next Prime Minister", perceived as being Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The agency, however, did not specify who the "Mrs Gandhi" or 'big man R' it was referring to. Reacting to the development, Congress leader RPN Singh said the Modi government is pressurising Michel to implicate the Gandhi family. "The 2019 Lok Sabha elections are not far away... The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) devoid of any issue is shamelessly misusing and abusing central agencies to malign the Gandhi family," Singh told the media. The BJP on Sunday accused the Congress of giving a political colour to the investigation process involving Michel and said that the anxiety of the opposition party is evident with its behaviour in the case. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 31, 2018 02:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Wellington, December 31: New Zealand is one of the first countries in the World that will welcome the New Year 2019 at the stroke of midnight. Partygoers are all set to enter the New Year 2019 with grand celebrations organised in New Zealand and around the world. For those who want to witness the arrival of the New Year 2019 twice in a few hours, New Zealand and Cook Islands are the two places where they can get this rare opportunity. By travelling to the Cook Islands from Auckland, the second capital of New Zealand, one can go back to the past to celebrate the New Year twice. Since New Zealand is one of the first countries to celebrate the New Year, revellers there can go almost anywhere they want to celebrate it for the second time. Interestingly, Rarotonga, the largest of the Cook Islands, is just about four hours away from Auckland but there is a 23-hour time difference between the two places. Which Countries Will Enter New Year 2019 First & Last? Therefore, the Cook Islands is one of the last places to ring in the New Year. Kiwis can easily visit the Cook Islands to celebrate New Year's eve for the second time because the island country has the same currency as New Zealand, and political links. Since there is a 23-hour time difference between the two places, New Zealanders will have plenty of time to travel the Cook Islands to witness New Year's eve for the second time. Melbourne & Sydney New Year Eve 2019 Fireworks Live Stream: Watch Free Telecast & Streaming of NYE Celebrations Online From Australia. Depending upon the geographical location, and time zones each country enters the new year at a different time. The first countries that have entered the New Year are Samoa Islands, Tonga and Kiritimati (Christmas Island). When it was 3:30 pm in India, these places had already entered 2019. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 31, 2018 04:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). - A Washington-based group has reacted to the murder of two retired senior military officers in Nigeria - A former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, and a former Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Idris Alkali, were murdered within four months - According to the group, the murder of both officers was not a mere coincidence A Washington-based group, International Strategic Studies Association, has stated that the death of a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, and that of a former Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Idris Alkali, was not a mere coincidence. Alkali was allegedly killed by a gang of protesting youths along Jos-Bauchi road on Monday, September 3, while Badeh was gunned down along the Abuja-Keffi road by suspected assassins on Tuesday, December 18. ISSA, a non-governmental organisation with a worldwide membership of professionals involved in national and international security and strategic policy, stated in a special report on Friday, December 28, that the two men were killed to hide what it described as the pattern of corruption in the current military leadership in the country. Specifically, the report obtained by The Punch alleged that Badeh was murdered to prevent him from divulging in court details of corruption which it said had grown even more rampant in the current defence leadership. The report noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari was unwilling to publicise the findings of the arms panel which was presented to him over a year ago. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The commission investigating defence procurement from 2007 onwards made significant strides which were initially accepted by the Buhari government, until the scope of the inquiry went beyond the period relating to the former government of President Goodluck Jonathan and began to show corruption patterns extending into officers still serving under President Buhari, the report said. It said the pending 2019 elections of a new government may prove the undoing of a significant number of generals, admirals, and air marshals who lost the war because they concentrated solely on using the conflict as a way to boost defence budgets, which they then, to an overwhelming extent, stole. It continued: The level of panic among the senior leadership has now reached the point where senior government, military, and national security staff have been attempting to suppress -through assassination and intimidation - the members of the official commission of enquiry established by President Buhari when he first took office, to investigate defence procurement corruption. Given the upsurge in momentum by the highest levels of government to stop the findings becoming public from the corruption commission on defence procurement, it is plausible that the attribution of a criminal kidnapping-attempt-gone-wrong against the Air Chief Marshal was a convenient excuse to ensure that the victim - Badeh - could not divulge in court the pattern and details of corruption which has grown even more rampant in the current generation of defence leadership. It blamed the massive corruption among top military chiefs appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as the reason Nigeria was losing the war against Boko Haram. According to the report, the insurgent groups were growing stronger and the government forces growing weaker and more beset by morale collapse. PAY ATTENTION: Access your favourite news site Legit.ng instantly in 3 simple steps It is fair to say that the Nigerian intelligence community itself is no longer sure what groups even comprise Boko Haram, nor has it addressed the international logistical, ideological, and support aspects contributing to the ongoing viability of the groups, the report added. The report further stated that the leadership of the military, rather than concentrating on how to defeat the insurgents, were preoccupied with how to stop the leakage of information about the massive corruption that had taken place on the pretext of fighting Boko Haram. Recall that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had earlier warned members of the public to deviate from spreading misinformation concerning the death Badeh. The NAF specifically denied insinuations that adequate security was not provided for the deceased Air Chief Marshal. A statement by NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, sent to Legit.ng on Thursday, December 20 noted, with dismay, some erroneous reports and comments in the media regarding the unfortunate incident that led to the death of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, on 18 December 2018. 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 23-year-old woman recently axed her husband to death on Christmas eve - According to reports, she murdered the 26-year-old after they returned from Christmas shopping - She fled the scene of the crime and is currently on the run While many people believe Christmas to be a season of love, the same cannot be said about the story of this couple in Zimbabwe. A 23-year-old woman has been declared wanted over the brutal murder of her husband on Christmas eve. According to reports, the tragic incidence occurred after Anesu Mafokosho and her husband, Vitalis Mudhumo returned from a Christmas shopping which they had done for their child. However, on their return, the couple soon had a fight which led to Mudhumo packing to leave the house. Anesus younger sister who was in the house told the police that she heard the couple arguing outside the yard for about 45 minutes. The situation turned bloody when the wife axed the deceased three time on the neck. READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com) Anesu Mafokosho Source: UGC READ ALSO: Wife stabs husband for spending so much time doing Christmas shopping Mafokosho immediately fled home after committing the offence and sent a text message to her sister telling her to go see what she had done in the bedroom. On getting into the room, the younger sister found Vitalis bleeding and convulsing on the bed. Manicaland police spokesman Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa said Mudhumos body was taken to Mutare Provincial Hospital for post mortem. According to local reports, the couples union was experiencing some problems and the unresolved marital dispute was threatening their marriage. Mafokosho is currently on the run as police investigation has commenced. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App In a similar 'bloody Christmas' story, another lady attacked her husband with a knife. Identified as Sonia Simpson, the 52-year-old stabbed her 45-year-old chef husband Stuart Simpson, for taking too long with the Christmas shopping, in December, 2017. The chef, who suffered a collapsed lung due to the near-fatal attack, revealed he lost all confidence after 10 years of abuse from her. Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better Primate Ayodele releases 2019 prophecies, says B/Haram will infiltrate the army| Legit TV Source: Legit A Nigerian man identified as Dr Emmanuel on Twitter has caused confusion on the micro-blogging platform after he revealed that he is set to tie the knot with the elder sister of his ex-girlfriend who he dated for five years. In what seems to be largely unconventional, he stated that his ex-girlfriend and himself had a rosy relationship for five years, and he decided to take things to the next level. In so doing he popped the question and asked her to marry him. Unfortunately, she said no, claiming that her parents will not let her marry a non-igbo. In his dilemma he was comforted by her elder sister who he claimed he fell in love with and is now going to marry instead of her younger sister, his ex-girlfriend. Many social media users have reacted to his rather interesting situation. While some believe there is a taboo in the entire happening, some others think the guy is doing the wrong thing and his ex-girlfriend is right in threatening 'fire and brimstone.' READ ALSO: Nollywood actress Oma Nnadi receives new car from husband as push gift It is also confusing that the elder sister is allowed to marry a 'non-igbo' and evident that the younger sister might have lied because she was not ready to settle down with him. Many people have counted it as fate that such had to happen for him to be united with his true soul mate and some just think it is plain absurd. As for the apparent groom-to-be, he is just happy that his heart break has been cushioned with love from someone in the same family. Here are some reactions from social media users who think that Dr Emmanuel made quite a quick switch where he should have taken his time. We live in interesting times. Meanwhile, a Nigerian relationship expert identified as Amara Blessing Nwosu has taken to social media to advise women on what men look for. She claimed that men are now tired of only seeing fake women everywhere. Did you know? NAIJ.com (naija.ng) is now-> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app Street GIST: Biggest Cause of Misundestending in Relationship on Legit TV: Source: Legit.ng The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condoled with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the death of some of its members who died following a fatal accident on Otukpo-Agatu road in Benue state while travelling for the campaign rally. The APC in a statement sent to Legit.ng on Monday, December 31, by its national publicity secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said it is deeply saddened by the tragic accident. Part of the statement read: The APC is anguished and deeply saddened by the tragic accident. While we share the pains of the bereaved families, we also pray that those injured in the accident make a speedy and full recovery. As we mourn, the party prays that the Almighty God give the bereaved families and other loved ones the strength to withstand the tragic loss and also grant the dead eternal rest. We also call on relevant agencies charged with keeping transport routes and campaign grounds safe to ensure that the electioneering campaigns are as humanly possible devoid of avoidable accidents and incidents. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Similarly, the national leadership of the PDP and the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO) has lamented the death of its members in the ghastly motor accident. The party described them as heroes of democracy, who paid the supreme price in the course of their commitment towards rescuing our dear nation from shackles of misrule. The statement signed by PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan, stated that the PDP leadership is particularly pained that these party faithful died on their way to the flag-off of the PDP Benue South Senatorial campaign, in their quest to ensure an acceptable, people-oriented representation of their zone in the Senate. The party also called on members to ensure that the deceased did not die in vain by remaining united in working harder, to ensure the partys victory in all elections in the state. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Benue IDPs: Education amidst crisis | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - The Nigeria Labour Congress has joined Nigerians and the family of Shehu Shagari in mourning the death of the former leader - NLC says Nigeria would have been industrialised if the military did not sack Shagari's government in 1983 - According to the union, Shagari initiated some of the land mark projects including iron and steel and petrochemicals in his quest to make Nigeria an industrial hub The death of former president Shehu Shagari has been mourned by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which said the country would have been industrialised if the 1983 coup that sacked his government did not occur. Vanguard reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) stated this in a statement in Abuja by its president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba. Legit.ng recalls that after Shagari's government was sacked by the military, Muhammadu Buhari took over the leadership of the country. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda In the statement, NLC stated that Shagari 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. The statement read: 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 Alhaji 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. According to NLC, Shagari initiated some of the land mark projects including iron and steel and petrochemicals in his quest to make Nigeria an industrial hub. The statement continued: 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." Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the death of Nigeria's first executive president, Shehu Shagari, brought to the foreground some unknown facts about him, one of which was his rejection of presidential residence when he was sworn in as president in 1979. The grandson of the late former president, Bello Shagari, made the disclosure on Saturday, December 29. Shagari's grandson, who is the president of Nigerian Youth Council, said: "When he was sworn in as the President, he decided to take the Vice Presidents residence instead of the one meant for him because he felt the residence meant for the President was too luxurious for him and his family." The first property Shagari built in Sokoto was said to be a house made of mud, before the former president built a storey building on Shehu Shagari Crescent road in Sokoto. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Between Buharis Next Level And Atikulate - Nigerians React| Legit TV Source: Legit.ng News - The Social Democratic Party (SDP), has said that his party will take Nigeria by storm come 2019 - According to the presidential candidate, Nigeria will see the second coming of the party - Gana said he really wants to make sure that the youth and women are given excellent opportunities Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Professor Jerry Gana, has declared that the SDP will take Nigeria by storm in 2019. The presidential candidate disclosed while appearing as a guest on Channels Televisions Politics Today. According to him, 2019 will see the second coming of the SDP. READ ALSO: I didn't offer $5m bribe to Hamzat - Jonathan I want to assure you that the SDP which have won an election in Nigeria before, will do it again. Speaking on his partys chances at the forthcoming polls in 2019, Prof Gana said the Nigerian electorate has changed profoundly. He also arguied that the people will not be voting political parties but individuals with character and integrity. He added that the SDP Knows the country, knows the people and knows what the electorate want, and will take the nation by storm. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Olu Falae, the national chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), urged all members of the organisation not to attend any of the events being scheduled by Prof Jerry Gana and his presidential campaign committee. Falae said this in a statement he issued in Abuja, saying that doing so may amount to contempt of court. Falae said that he had received a letter dated December 27, from Gana seeking his leave as SDP national chairman to unveil the vision and programme of his presidential campaign. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Who is a better Vice President, Osinbajo or Obi? | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has cautioned politicians against do-or-die politics - The governor, in a New Year message, also called for a renewed belief in the country - He also advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to remain neutral Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi has cautioned against do-or-die politics ahead of 2019 general elections. Umahi, who is also chairman of Southeast Governors Forum, stated this in a New Year message signed by his chief press secretary, Emmanuel Uzor on Monday, December 31, 2018, in Abakiliki, NAN reports. Legit.ng gathers that he advised Nigerians to be more positive about the country and urged politicians to play by the rules as the country gets ready for the 2019 general election. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The governor acknowledged that Nigeria went through turbulent times in 2018 and called for a renewed belief in the country. The governor said: As Nigerians approach the poll to elect their leaders in the New Year, one thing should be paramount to approach every election with every sense of brotherliness as elections are not wars." He further advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to remain neutral in the conduct of the coming election. Umahi, however, maintained that the future of the country would be determined by the conduct of the 2019 general election. PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Revered Samson Ayokunle, president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Monday, December 10, urged Nigerians to avoid desperate politicians by voting only credible candidates in 2019. Ayokunle made the remarks while briefing newsmen after a meeting with representatives of 14 presidential candidates in Abuja, on their plans for Nigerians and the church. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. We are honestly tired of Buhari and Atiku | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng Legit.ng earlier reported that popular Nigerian blogger Linda Ikeji who recently became a mother of one has showed off her son Jayce's Bentley Mulsanne on social media. The blogger had promised to buy her son the expensive car even before he arrived. After showing off Jayce in his white Bentley Mulsanne, the celebrity blogger has taken to her Instagram handle to list the 10 things she is most grateful for as the year 2018, comes to an end. Ikeji is grateful for birthing her baby boy, her parents, siblings, friends, business, her Banana Island home, her possessions as well as her haters. She thanked them for all the criticisms because they made her stronger. READ ALSO: Yoruba actress Toyin Adegbola celebrates 57th birthday with less privileged kids (photos) Her post reads: You know what they say, 'count your blessings and name them one by one'. So here I am doing exactly that on the last day of the year and thanking God for how far He's brought me. 2018 has so far been the best year of my life and these are the things I'm most grateful for...in the particular order...asides from life and good health because really without that, nothing else matters. (Swipe for pics): 1. My son, Jayce. By far the best thing that's ever happened to me. 2. My parents. Alive, healthy, still in love and enjoying the fruit of their labour. 3. My siblings. All happy and doing well. The best brother and sisters anyone could ask for. 4. Linda Ikeji Blog (LIB).. the platform that changed my life and made it possible for me to change other people's lives. 12 years later, it's still thriving and still making mega box. 5. My house. The first time I visited Banana Island was in 2013. And I remember looking around in wonder and thinking people who lived there were so lucky. I never imagined I'd buy a house there 2 years later. 6. Linda Ikeji TV (LITV): it is not what it is now but what it will become in the future that makes me so excited. Amazing things will start happening at LITV in 2019. 7. Friends: my friends and inner circle aren't more than five people but they are the best friends any person can ask for and I've known all of them long before I became the Linda Ikeji. 8. Loyal LIB readers; your loyalty over the years is what has brought me this far and has made it possible for me to continue to do what I love, blogging. Cant thank you guys enough. 9. My worldly possessions: in 2008, my 700k car was repossessed because I couldn't pay the balance on the car...who knew that 10 years later, I'd own a Bentley Mulsanne? 10. 'Haters' - I'm grateful for the criticism, the bashing, the hate and harsh words. It reminds me all the time that I must be doing something right because really, who sits down and talks about someone they feel is beneath them? And you know what they say 'you can't reach your destiny without opposition, without negative chatter, without the critics'. So see more of you in 2019. So what are you grateful for? PAY ATTENTION: Best love tips and relationship advice on Africa Love Aid group! See post below: Recently some Nigerian elites joined Linda Ikeji in church as she dedicated her billionaire baby, Jayce to God. Pictures from the ceremony flooded the internet and while some social media users sent well wishes, some others erupted debates on the subject of being a baby mama NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Who was Nigerias biggest entertainer in 2018? | Legit TV. Source: Legit A Lehigh County Community Corrections Center inmate found unresponsive in his bed died after he was rushed to a hospital Sunday, according to a news release. Lehigh County Chief Deputy Coroner Andrew Kehm said hes waiting for toxicology results to make determinations on the cause and manner of death. Jarrett Deemer, 21, was found unresponsive in his bed at 3:26 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 30, according to the release from the Lehigh County corrections department. Corrections officers called 911 and performed CPR, the release says. Deemer was rushed to St. Lukes University Hospital in Fountain Hill, where he was pronounced dead at 4:10 a.m., the release says. The Lehigh County District Attorneys office and the Lehigh County Coroners office are investigating the death. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, the release says. Deemer was serving time for violating the terms of his probation or parole supervision, which stemmed from previous charges of theft by unlawful taking and possession of a controlled substance, the release says. He was enrolled in programs at the community corrections center earlier this month, the release says. The housing unit where the resident was found went into temporary lockdown Sunday, the release says. Housing residents were moved to another housing unit during this process. The CCC resumed normal operations later that morning, the release says. Renovated in 2011, the community corrections center is a 400-bed facility which affords sentenced individuals varied rehabilitative programs, as well as the opportunity to work, perform community service and take advantage of community-based resources under structured parameters, according to the Lehigh County website. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. It was a messy weekend for two Lehigh Valley police departments after defendants allegedly damaged the departments' holding cells. Early Saturday morning, a man arrested the night before for disorderly conduct was found screaming in the 200 block of Northampton Street, Easton police said. David Zairo, who is homeless, was arrested again and taken to police headquarters. While there, Zairo defecated and smeared the feces on the cells walls and bench, according to police. Police estimated the damage and clean up cost $500. The 60-year-old Zairo was charged with institutional vandalism and a second count of disorderly conduct. He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of 10 percent of $10,000 bail, where he was still held Monday morning. On Sunday night, Colonial Regional police were called to a Hanover Township, Northampton County home for an unwanted visitor. Justin Lilly entered his mothers home through an unlocked door while she was upstairs, and he was not invited and not allowed in the home, police said. Lilly was warned on Friday he was prohibited from being on the property, police said. Lilly, who is also homeless, was arrested. While in a holding cell, Lilly alleged caused the toilet to overflow on purpose, flooding the cell. The 32-year-old Lilly also spit in the cell, police said. Lilly was charged with criminal trespass, defiant trespass, institutional vandalism and criminal mischief. He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail, and was still there as of Monday morning. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. When the snow hit in early March, several Kildare communities were cut off for days with many road blocked by massive snow drifts. A specialised all terrain vehicle, using tracks similar to military vehicles, was deployed on March 5 to rescue a woman in snowbound Kilteel, on the outskirts of Naas. Speaking at the time, Patricia McNeela, the Civil Defence Officer said; A number of houses are still blocked in the area even though most of the roads are open enough to allow one vehicle through at a time. The woman has an injured knee and needs hospital treatment. Kildare County Council officials estimated the bill for responding to the conditions caused by snow and ice amounted to 1m. The council worked round the clock to get roads back open with many accessible by just one lane. Naas, Caragh, Kilteel, Kill, Rathangan and North Kildare were the worst areas hit. The Naas area was hit with 44 centimetres of snow between the Tuesday night February 27 and Sunday March 4 making the region the hardest hit apart in the State apart from more eastern and southern regions. Farmers and building contractors lent a hand as they joined in the road clearance operation. The Fire Service, Ambulance Service, Civil Defence, Red Cross volunteers and the Army swung into action. Nurses at Naas Hospital stayed over with friends and guesthouses in Naas so they could get to work during Storm Emma. According to the Defence Forces it deployed 1566 personnel and 506 vehicles nationally during the weather crisis, supported by personnel in barracks. However the response nationally to Co. Kildares plight was criticised by Fianna Fail TD James Lawless who said it was inadequate. Speaking at the time, he said; There has been little or no acknowledgement of the fact that Kildare bore the brunt of Storm Emma. Kilteel has a 12 foot snow drift. Some people in Co. Kildare remain days away from being able to leave their homes. More resources are needed here. A Kilmeague woman, who went into labour in the midst of Storm Emma praised local gardai and paramedics in Naas for their help in getting her to hospital on time. Sinead Carroll and her partner James Coyne from Kildare Town, welcomed beautiful baby girl Eala Belle in the Coombe on Friday, March 2. Sinead went into labour at 9.15pm on Thursday night (March 1), and after an attempt by an ambulance to get out to her home failed, local gardai stepped in. But then we remembered seeing a Facebook post from Kildare Garda District saying they had a 4x4 for emergencies, said James. Once I knew they had got to Sinead safely, I set off from Kildare to meet them in Naas. That drive was the most nerve-wracking drive for both of us, and weve driven in Iceland during winter!, laughed James. He particularly thanked An Garda Siochana members Shane, John, Alwin for getting Sinead to Naas, and paramedics Fiona and Breffny for getting her to the Coombe and to all the staff in the Coombe. Eala Belle wasnt the only Kildare baby to arrive in the middle of Storm Emma. Deborah Roche from Milltown went into labour at 4am on Friday, March 2 March and was brought to Naas Hospital in a fire truck towed by a tractor and then transported by an army vehicle to the Coombe. The couple had stayed over with Jasons mum in Esmondale in Naas. We went out to see if we could get the car out but the snow was up to the headlights, he said. We rang the ambulance, they said they had two ambulances out and they were stuck. We rang the gardai and they couldnt get their four by four out, we rang the fire brigade and they had a truck that was being pulled out by a tractor on the Main Street in Naas, so the tractor towed the fire truck up here and we got down to Naas hospital, he explained. They tried to get a helicopter to come but they couldnt take off because of the weather. Then two army men from St Bricins barracks came to their aid and drove them in a Unimog to the Coombe along with a doctor and a nurse from Naas hospital. Little Wyatt was born 35 minutes after they arrived, at 10.20am weighing 6lbs and 14ozs. I want to thank the fire brigade, Naas Hospital, the two army lads from St Bricins, the farmer who towed the fire truck, everyone who helped in anyway. They were all links in the chain and if any of those links were gone, we would have been in a bad place. I cant thank them enough, said Jason. Some months ago Bishop Leo O'Reilly, on medical advice, wrote to Pope Francis requesting him to accept his early retirement as Bishop of Kilmore due to ill-health, in accordance with Canon 401, #2 of the Code of Canon Law. It is announced this morning in Rome that Pope Francis has accepted Bishop O'Reilly's request and that, accordingly, the bishops retirement takes effect immediately. Bishop Leo wants to ensure that the People of God throughout the Diocese of Kilmore should hear from him the decision about his retirement. Looking back in gratitude on his ministry of twenty two years as bishop, he also wishes to take this opportunity of thanking all who have helped him along the way by their work, their friendship, their support and their prayers. With this in mind Bishop Leo has written a pastoral letter to the priests and people of the diocese which was read at all Masses yesterday throughout the diocese. The pastoral letter is now available on www.kilmorediocese.ie. Bishop Leo was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Kilmore by Pope John Paul II on 12 November 1996. He was ordained bishop on 2 February 1997. He was installed as Bishop of Kilmore in succession to Bishop Francis MacKiernan on 15 November 1998 in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick & Saint Felim, Cavan. The governance of the diocese is now assumed by the College of Consultors, a group of diocesan priests who act as advisors to the bishop. The Consultors will meet tomorrow at 11.00am to elect a Diocesan Administrator in accordance with Canon 421 #1 which states that Within eight days of receiving notification of the vacancy of an episcopal see, a Diocesan Administrator is to be elected by the College of Consultors, to govern the diocese for the time being The newly elected Diocesan Administrator will be responsible for the leadership of the diocese until a new bishop is appointed by Pope Francis. 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. AN 11-year-old schoolgirl was sexually assaulted in broad daylight as she walked home from school, a court in Limerick has heard. A 57-year-old man has pleaded guilty to charges relating to an incident, last year, in the village where the girl lives. Detective Sergeant Vincent Brick of the divisional Protective Services Unit said the defendant approached the fifth-class pupil as she was walking home shortly after 3pm on May 15, 2017. He said the girls mother knew something was not quite right when she arrived home later than normal and became concerned that something untoward had happened. When questioned by her mother, the girl began crying and told her a man had hugged her and put his hand down the front of her pants and inside her underwear. Local gardai were contacted and specially-trained detectives from the Protective Services Unit were assigned to investigate the matter. Because of her age the victim was questioned by specialist interviewers about what happened. A suspect was quickly identified and CCTV footage was obtained which confirmed he interacted with the schoolgirl for 11 minutes around the time of the offence. It placed them in each others company it corroborated what she told gardai, said Detective Sgt Brick. During interview, the defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, accepted he had an exchange with the young girl. The man, who had been drinking on the day of the offence, initially told gardai he had just kissed the back of the girls hand before later stating that he could not deny the allegations as the girl was not a liar. Judge Tom ODonnell was told the man previously received a suspended sentence more than a decade ago for sexual assaulting another child. In a letter which was written to the judge, the girl said she was bullied and mocked when she returned to school and that she is afraid the man will do it again. She said what happened has affected her family and that she still suffers flashbacks and feels sad and miserable and alone. Barrister Yvonne Quinn asked the court to note her clients co-operation with gardai and that fact that alcohol plays a major part in his life. The matter was adjourned to February. FINE Gael Senator Kieran ODonnell has made contact with Bus eireann over the lack of a bus shelter on Fr Russell Road. Mr ODonnell has criticised the transport provider and council for not providing shelter from the elements for passengers awaiting bus line 301. I have been in contact with Limerick City and County Council on the urgent need for a Bus Shelter to be installed on the Father Russell Road, Mr ODonnell confirmed. He pointed out to Limerick council that there are many elderly people using the twice-hourly bus service, adding: They are waiting at bus stops in cold and wet weather and this cannot be allowed to continue. The council advise me that they have plans for this Bus Shelter installation. However, they are currently carrying out a feasibility study to look at the installation of Bicycle lanes along the Father Russell road and this will inform where the bus shelter will be placed. It is expected this study will be completed by February and that the bus shelter will be in place shortly thereafter, he added. Mr ODonnell pledged to continue to keep the matter high on the agenda until this happens. The issue of the provision of bus shelters was raised at the councils transport committee meeting two weeks ago, with a particular issue being in the rural area. Its chairman, Cllr Frankie Daly said: Bus shelters are critical, particularly for the elderly people and those with disabilities, its of paramount importance. Its something I have been calling for since I was elected. Its been one of my priorities. Strange, icy stories (Image credit: Shutterstock) Few forms of life can survive the harsh and punishing conditions of Antarctica. And yet, this icy landscape is an astonishingly rich resource for scientists seeking to understand what makes our planet tick. Decades of research have revealed that Antarctica is full of surprises, and 2018 research was no exception. From subterranean earthquakes to bizarre subatomic particles to buried "ice highways," here are a few of the weirdest discoveries that emerged from Antarctica this year. Cosmic particles (Image credit: Australian Antarctic Division) High-energy particles are streaming from Antarctica's ice, and scientists don't know what they are. Particles shooting upward from the ground in Antarctica could be cosmic rays that traveled to Earth from space, blasted through the planet and came back out the other side. However, the known cosmic particles aren't supposed to make it through the Earth without bumping into something and decaying. For that reason, scientists suspect that these particles were of a previously unknown type that defies the Standard Model (the prevailing description of how all particles behave). In September, researchers revealed that there were even more examples of this unusual particle behavior in Antarctica than previously suspected. These oddball particles had "much less than a 1-in-3.5-million chance of being part of the Standard Model," the scientists reported. Singing ice (Image credit: Michael Van Woert, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) NESDIS, ORA) You can't hear it, but the ice that covers Antarctica "sings." Researchers unexpectedly discovered the sound, which is not audible to human ears, while investigating other aspects of ice behavior using seismic sensors. Recordings gathered by 34 sensors over two years revealed that when winds whipped over the surface of the ice, the topmost layer would vibrate almost constantly, producing a hum at a frequency of about 5 hertz. The researchers also found that certain conditions could affect the pitch of the hum, such as an unusual warming event that took place in January 2016 and seasonal storms that reshaped snow dunes. Lost continents (Image credit: Vipersniper/iStock/Getty Images Plus) Scientists recently discovered something surprising under Antarctica's ice: the remains of ancient continents. Researchers compiled a new map of Antarctica from satellite data taken from 2009 to 2013; they found that East Antarctica was a composite of large blocks of the Earth's crust known as cratons, which were left behind from earlier continents. Their findings recall Antarctica's history as part of Gondwana, a supercontinent that broke up about 180 million years ago. Some like it hot (Image credit: Joe MacGregor/NASA) Antarctica is exceptionally cold, but underneath its icy cover lurks a source of surprising heat. The crust under East Antarctica is relatively thick compared to the crust under West Antarctica; this means that the bottom of the eastern region's ice sheet should be insulated from the heat of magma below the surface. However, scientists recently detected unexpectedly high quantities of melted water under East Antarctica's ice sheet, suggesting that the heat underground must be especially intense. It's not clear why this zone is a "hotspot," but researchers suspect that the heat is produced by hydrothermal energy, emanating through a crack in the crust underneath the ice. Missing lakes (Image credit: NASA IceBridge) A network of lakes that was long thought to extend under Antarctica's Recovery Glacier may have disappeared. The lakes were thought to rest between the bottom of the glacier and the continent's bedrock, but a radar survey failed to produce any evidence of hidden lakes beneath the ice. Previously, satellite data suggested that there were four big lakes and 11 smaller lakes in the area. But the scientists found just a single zone that could be a lake; however, it could also just be an expanse of swampy soil, the study authors reported. Getting taller (Image credit: Planetary Visions/ESA) Antarctica's bedrock is on the rise, and the lift is happening more quickly than ever. Vanishing ice may be the culprit, as melt lightens the load on the underlying bedrock. Over time, the force of roiling magma underneath the rock nudges it upward. While the rise of supporting bedrock could increase stability in the ice sheet above that bedrock, there's a downside to this upward momentum. Because the ground has shifted in recent years, satellite measurements of ice loss have likely been inaccurate meaning researchers may have underestimated the rate of disappearing ice by up to 10 percent. Slip slidin' away (Image credit: NASA/Jeremy Harbeck) Over a 25-year survey, a staggering 3 trillion tons of ice vanished from Antarctica. About one-third of that ice disappeared all at once when an iceberg the size of Delaware broke off from the Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017; weighing an estimated 1 trillion tons, it was the largest iceberg in recorded history. In a new study, scientists tracked changes in Antarctica's ice over time as shown in three types of satellite measurements, tracking the ice's mass and volume and the speed of glacial flows into the ocean. The researchers found that the rate of ice loss has been rising over the past five years. Volcanic heat (Image credit: Photo courtesy of Brice Loose) Buried underneath Antarctica's ice is a hidden reservoir of heat, generated by a volcanic vent. And the fastest-melting glacier on the continent, Pine Island Glacier, is feeling the heat, its melt likely spurred by magma deep underground. Though scientists can't see the magma directly, they identified it through chemical "fingerprints" that turned up in seawater samples. The unusual chemistry of melted ice flowing down the glacier suggested that there was a source of volcanic heat upstream; it warmed the ice from below and accelerated ice melt into the Amundsen Sea. Penguin mummies (Image credit: Yuesong Gao/Institute of Polar Environment) Mummies are usually associated with hot deserts, but in 2018, scientists described the discovery of hundreds of mummified penguins, found on East Antarctica's Long Peninsula in 2016. Though Antarctica is very cold, it's still classified as a desert because it receives so little precipitation, and the dry, cold conditions effectively mummified the dead birds many of which were chicks. But the penguins didn't all die at once. Radiocarbon dating revealed the age of the mummies, and it turned out that many of the birds died over decades, and during two different periods: 200 years ago and 750 years ago. Both of those events were likely caused by habitat disruption from extreme weather. Hidden earthquakes (Image credit: Nathan Kurtz/NASA) New evidence recently revealed that hundreds of earthquakes may be shaking things up under Antarctica's ice. Scientists have long thought that Antarctica experienced next to no seismic activity, unlike Earth's other continents, based on data from seismic sensors on the ground. But a new study suggests that earthquakes rumble to life deep under the Antarctic ice as frequently as they do elsewhere on Earth. For the study, researchers deployed arrays of sensors across the continent, and they detected earthquakes in remote locations where seismic activity had never been noted before. Their readings spotted 27 small earthquakes that ranged from magnitude 2.1 to magnitude 3.9. FOCUS ON DEFENSE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND OCEANIA Flash Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Sunday said the government will not tolerate sabotage or damage to personal or property security. He made the remarks when addressing leaders of the Sudanese police in capital Khartoum. "We will not neglect the security of the homeland, of the citizens, or of the public and private properties as this is our duty (to protect them)," he said. Bashir further said the police forces are doing great at their duty. Last Thursday, Sudanese government announced that 19 people have been killed during the popular protests which the country has been witnessing over the past week, noting that 187 members of the regular forces and 219 civilians were wounded. Since Dec. 19, various areas in Sudan, including Khartoum, have been witnessing popular protests over the deteriorating economic conditions and price hikes of basic commodities. A paperback release is a second chance of sorts. If for some reason a book's hardcover design doesn't resonate with readers, publishers have an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and reinvigorate the vibe of the book, not to mention show off any fancy awards that might have been bestowed. While most of us just see a pretty cover, a lot goes on behind the scenes. We asked designers and creative directors to tell us how three hardback-to-paperback redesigns came together. --- "Improvement," by Joan Silber Hoping to modernize the Turkish illustration that graced the hardcover, Nicole Caputo, creative director of Counterpoint, and her in-house team decided a human element paired with photography would draw in more readers. Caputo reached out to freelance designer Allison Saltzman, known for the striking photographic covers of "Tangerine" and "Sunset City," to freshen up one of Counterpoint's most celebrated books; the 2018 PEN/Faulkner Award winner for fiction features a series of interwoven stories, including the tales of a woman, whose boyfriend is in prison, and her aunt, who once lived in Turkey. Saltzman staged a quick photo shoot in her living room with her daughter and a rug she picked up on a trip to Istanbul, then submitted nine designs. While the team originally settled on a cover with a woman in a blue dress beside a red suitcase, Caputo switched it out just days before going to the presses. "We felt the hand design would reach the widest audience," she said, "and that the image was more relatable and more striking." --- "Sticky Fingers: The Life and Times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone Magazine," by Joe Hagan Graphic designer Linda Huang admits the advent of social media has changed her job, allowing her to see the latest work of fellow designers and get a peek at book jackets before they hit shelves. Huang has noticed that a simpler look can telegraph a lot, like the cleverly straightforward cover for Elif Bautman's "The Idiot," which features a photo of a vaguely brain-shaped rock against a pink background. For her redesign of the biography "Sticky Fingers," she wanted to use streamlined imagery - she ultimately chose a photo of Rolling Stone's co-founder and publisher Jann Wenner - while incorporating the feel of the 1960s and '70s music scene that the magazine became famous for covering. Departing from the hardback design, Huang achieved the rock vibe by using the gradient, color-blocked background typically found on concert posters and fliers from that era. --- "The Unfinished Palazzo," by Judith Mackrell Lower production costs allow Rosie Keane, the cover design manager at Thames & Hudson (United Kingdom), to sprinkle embellishments on paperbacks that can't be extended to hardbacks. She did just that with the redesign for "The Unfinished Palazzo," a history of three socialites - Luisa Casati, Doris Castlerosse and Peggy Guggenheim - who had connections to Venice's Palazzo Venier. Keane swapped out the more literal black-and-white cover, which featured photos of the women and the Venice skyline, and amped up the paperback version with shimmery gold ink and embossed lettering to evoke the glitz and glamour of the socialites' time in Venice. The noirish geometric cover looks nothing like an art history book, which is the point: It aims to appeal to fiction readers and others looking for an escape. Two men and a woman were recently arrested in Laredo in connection with an investigation into a gun-trafficking ring that supplied Cartel Del Noreste with high-powered firearms and ammo, authorities said. Gina Gibeaut-Morales, 20, Juan Jose Garcia-Cruz, 34, and Hector Hugo Olivas, 28, were each charged with conspiracy and attempting to export ammo and magazines. Earlier this month, former Army Ranger Jose Joaquin Soto Jr., 36, who has ties to Laredo, was arrested in San Antonio along with three alleged accomplices in connection with the investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security agents. Their investigation showed that Soto's group spent nearly $130,000 on more than 13,000 AR and AK-style ammunition magazines from an online gun supply store, CDNN Sports, an affidavit states. READ ALSO: LPD: Alleged cartel and gang member arrested for shoplifting threatened officers "This investigation has identified another $150,000 spent acquiring over 225 'AR' and 'AK' style rifles, along with .50-caliber rifles, that are believed to have been smuggled through Laredo, Texas, into Mexico to arm a cartel," according to the affidavit. As part of the investigation, agents said, they saw Soto take firearms-related items to a stash house in Laredo. Border crossing records show that he and various accomplices took many trips south of the border to deliver the weaponry in various vehicles, including some that had the same Mexican license plates, the affidavit said. On Nov. 30, Homeland Security Investigations special agents initiated surveillance at a storage facility in Laredo. Special agents saw two vehicles, a blue Ford Fusion with Texas license plates and a Chevrolet Suburban with Mexican license plates, arrive at the location and load up multiple boxes and bags into the two vehicles. Authorities followed the vehicles to the McDonald's at 1120 Santa Ursula Ave., near the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge. Then, special agents said they saw a Chrysler 200 arrive and park next to the Ford and the Chevrolet. The Ford departed and parked at nearby gas station. Laredo police officers approached the vehicles and identified the drivers. Gibeaut-Morales, a U.S. citizen, was driving the Fusion. She allegedly allowed Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agents to search her vehicle. Special agents said they found multiple boxes of loose ammunition in the trunk of the car. Garcia-Cruz, a Mexican national, was the driver of the Suburban. He too granted consent to search the Suburban, authorities said. He was allegedly in possession of multiple boxes of loose ammo, garbage bags with magazines and a garbage bag with ballistic helmets. Olivas, a U.S. citizen, was driving the Chrysler 200. He had nothing in the vehicle. He claimed he had gone to the McDonald's to eat. He further stated to law enforcement that he did not know Garcia-Cruz. Gibeaut-Morales later agreed to speak with special agents without an attorney present, authorities said. She stated she was being paid $500 to transport "unknown items to an unknown location," the arrest affidavit said. She added that she was taking instructions from another individual. Garcia-Cruz agreed to speak to authorities without a lawyer present, as well. RELATED: How 'La Barbie' became the top-ranking leader of a Mexican drug cartel "Garcia-Cruz was told that he owed money to the Cartel and Garcia-Cruz had to work to pay off the debt," the affidavit said. He stated that he followed the Ford to the storage unit and helped other individuals load up boxes and bags into the cargo area of the Suburban, according to court documents. Olivas invoked his right to an attorney. When he was told he was being arrested, Olivas asked why. Special agents told him it was because of what was found in the vehicles. "Olivas asked what was found and (special agents) showed Olivas a picture of one of the boxes of ammunition. Olivas began to cry and stated he thought it was money," the affidavit said. In total, special agents discovered seven boxes of .223-caliber and 7.62mm ammo in Gibeaut-Morales' vehicle. Authorities said they recovered two more boxes of ammo and a seven garbage bags with magazines from the Suburban. The contraband added up to about 1,000 rounds and about 100 magazines, according to court documents. Four people were killed and 35 remain unaccounted for after a gas explosion in a residential building in Russia on Monday morning. Russia's Investigative Committee launched a criminal case into the incident in Magnitogorsk, about 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) east of Moscow. The inquiry will consider all possible versions of what happened, according to a statement. "Currently, the priority version is an explosion of utility gas," it said. SANAA, Yemen - When Mohammed Bamuftah arrived at the post office to pick up his salary one day in 2015, he said a rebel fighter stopped him to inspect his ID card. The 55-year-old lawyer was from Aden, where Yemen's internationally recognized government was based. That was enough to get him arrested. By the time Bamuftah emerged from prison three years later, he had suffered shocks from an electric prod, he said. He had been hanged from a ceiling with his hands cuffed for three-hour stretches and beaten with rubber-coated electric cables. "I was in so much pain that I would pass out," recalled Bamuftah, a father of three who was released last summer in a prisoner exchange. In Yemen's war, a Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States has been vilified for killing thousands of civilians with airstrikes, waging an economic war that has driven millions to the precipice of starvation, and allegedly torturing foes and critics in secret prisons. The criticism has gained more traction since the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in October focused attention on Riyadh's behavior and the coalition's conduct in Yemen. But abuses are also being perpetrated by the rebels, known as Houthis. Torture, detentions and forced disappearances are widespread, according to legal documents and interviews with victims and human rights activists. The abuses are fueling an expanding atmosphere of fear and intimidation in this capital and across rebel-controlled areas. The Washington Post reached out to 13 former prisoners and victims of the Houthis. Only four agreed to speak on the record because they and their families had fled the north, where the Houthis are strongest. Those still in Sanaa suspect they are being followed by Houthi intelligence agents. Some victims were afraid to speak even by phone, fearing they were tapped by the rebels. The Houthis have targeted activists, journalists, lawyers, religious minorities, business executives - anyone deemed to be against their rule and ideology. Gunmen have raided homes at night, arresting and beating people over minor disputes or for voicing criticism of their movement. Few face trials or have access to lawyers. Courts are either nonexistent or used purely for sentencing, according to human rights activists and victims. "The Houthis have really gone after a wide spectrum of people who they perceive to be a threat or political opponents to them," said Kristine Beckerle, Yemen researcher for Human Rights Watch. "Now, there's a continuing and increasing crackdown on civil society that is quite troubling." Civil rights lawyers and activists say the abuses have gotten worse since December 2017, when the Houthis killed former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, once their main ally. Today, the guerrilla movement has consolidated its grip over much of northern Yemen, exerting control over every aspect of society. "There is fear across the city," said Abdul Majid Sabra, a lawyer who represents more than four dozen clients, including 10 journalists, held in rebel prisons. "Nobody would dare show what they really feel about the Houthis in public. . . . This is the new reality." When asked about the abuse allegations, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthi's Supreme Revolutionary Committee, said that he would call for an investigation. Any rebel found guilty of committing torture, he vowed, would face trial. But he also expressed skepticism, declaring the reports a diversionary tactic by enemies. "The coalition is trying to give false information," al-Houthi said, "so they can cover up their own crimes." - - - The Houthis, who belong to the Zaidi branch of Shiite Islam, emerged in the 1990s from Saada, a rugged northern province bordering Saudi Arabia, to fight against Yemen's longtime autocratic leader, Saleh, whom they blamed for their economic and political marginalization. Houthis were instrumental in the 2011 Arab Spring revolts that led to Saleh's resignation the next year. They took advantage of the chaos that followed to seize territory. By 2014, Houthis controlled a large swatch of Yemen, including parts of Sanaa. In a Machiavellian twist, the Houthis joined forces with Saleh that year. By early 2015, they had ousted Saleh's successor, who had proved unable to govern the country. With Houthi support, Saleh regained political influence. Then the Saudi-led Sunni Muslim coalition intervened, in part because of its fears that Shiite Iran, a Houthi ally, would gain power in the region. In December 2017, after months of tensions, Saleh broke with the Houthis - and announced he would align with the coalition. Two days later, he was assassinated by Houthi fighters. Critics say that Houthi leaders - who had once criticized Saleh's use of his public office to amass a personal fortune - have now become like the leader they eliminated. Activist Hisham Al Omeisy describes Houthi commanders driving expensive cars and living in mansions in Sanaa. Rebel authorities taxed businesses and took large profits while claiming they could not pay salaries to civil servants or assist millions of starving Yemenis. "People are frustrated," said Omeisy, who now lives in Egypt. "They say, 'I am hungry, dying, there's no salary.' Meanwhile, the Houthis are driving $200,000 Porsches and Range Rovers." In August 2017, Omeisy sent out tweets accusing some rebels of corruption. Within hours, Houthi gunmen arrested him. They accused Omeisy of being an American spy and of "brainwashing Yemenis with American ideas." For three weeks, he said, he was held in solitary confinement, blindfolded in a tiny cell. Then, the torture began. Omeisy said he was taken several times to a room dubbed by prisoners "al Warsha" - "the workshop" in Arabic - where knives and other sharp items were used "to cut you to pieces," where they "hang you from the ceiling and beat you up." "They used metal chains with me, hitting my back, thighs and head," Omeisy said. He was allowed to go to the bathroom once or twice a day, for two minutes. Every two to three weeks, he was ordered to confess on the rebels' television station to being a spy. Omeisy says he always refused. In interviews, three other former prisoners who had been held by the Houthis described additional methods of torture, including being tied by the legs and arms to a metal rod and turned over a fire, as if being roasted like a chicken. Sometimes, a live snake would be thrown into a cell. The rebels also used psychological torture. Abdo Abdullah al-Zubaidy, a former judge who was accused of working with the coalition, said Houthi gunmen went to his home and threatened his wife and children. After being imprisoned, he recalled guards would sometimes blindfold and handcuff him, then place a gun to his head and tell him, "We could kill you right now." "They used many ways to intimidate us, making me think they could kill my own family, or even shoot them dead in front of me," recalled Zubaidy, 56, who spent more than a year in a cell before being released in a prisoner exchange last year. He said his back is still in bad shape because of months of electric shocks and beatings. Lawyers, too, are targets. Sabra was jailed for a day after an argument with a Houthi official. A colleague fared worse: He was beaten and jailed for passing a note to his client containing a name and a number. - - - In the year since they killed Saleh, the Houthis have tightened their control over Sanaa. Rebel spies are everywhere, in hospitals, hotels and neighborhoods, say aid workers, activists and residents. The Houthi information ministry recently hired English-speaking "minders" to monitor the rare Western journalists twho arrive. Houthi leaders have ordered aid agencies and other nongovernmental organizations to hire Houthi representatives or loyalists as part of their local staff, said aid workers and activists. The rebels have also prevented U.N. agencies from freely operating, several U.N. officials said. Against this backdrop, the Houthis have expanded their list of targets. They have even arrested people for erasing rebel slogans on walls or for writing anti-Houthi graffiti, activists said. "They really want to silence any form of dissent inside Sanaa," said Omeisy, who fled to Cairo after being released from prison last year with the help of influential tribal leaders. But few expected what happened on Oct. 6 when a group of young women took to the streets to protest rising prices that are sending millions to the edge of famine. They also called for the resumption of government salaries. Rebel authorities dispatched loyalists to attack the women with daggers, batons and electric prods, according to activists and cellphone videos. The Houthis also sent women to lecture the protesters about committing themselves to Allah and not attending such gatherings. To the Houthis, the protests smacked of a planned attempt by their enemies to undermine them, said Rasha Jarhum, a Yemeni activist who has helped some of the protesting women flee the capital. "It's paranoia," Jarhum said. "They know how to control only through security, like every dictatorship in history." - - - The Washington Post's Heba Farouk Mahfouz in Cairo contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - A man was arrested Monday after police say someone left a white powder at two Metro stations, leading to road closures and the suspension of rail service in part of downtown Washington before officials determined it was not hazardous. The person spread the substance on benches at Eastern Market before taking a train to Metro Center, where he exited using an elevator, according to Metro Transit Police. No injuries were reported. The person spread the substance on benches at Eastern Market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood before taking a train downtown to Metro Center, where he exited using an elevator, according to Metro Transit Police. No injuries were reported. Service on a portion of Metro's Orange and Blue lines to Virginia was suspended for nearly two hours as police investigated the substance, which was found at both stations. The substance was thought to be baby powder, Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said. Metro Transit Police said Thomas S. Greene, 62, was arrested on charges from multiple open warrants. Authorities were consulting with the U.S. Attorney's Office regarding possible charges tied to Monday's incident. Doug Buchanan, a spokesman for the District of Columbia fire department, said someone also reported finding the white powder on an elevator at Metro Center - the same substance that was found at Eastern Market. Authorities received calls about the two incidents minutes apart. Buchanan said the substance tested negative at both stations for anything hazardous. Robert Pohl, who lives on Capitol Hill, said he was walking by the Eastern Market station Monday when he stumbled upon a large response from authorities. "I was surprised at the size of the reaction," he said. Four firetrucks, an environmental emergency response vehicle and about a dozen police cars were outside the station at one point as officials redirected traffic. Metro suspended rail service between some other stations beginning about 9:50 a.m., with service resuming after 11:30 a.m. The Silver Line operated in Virginia between the Wiehle-Reston East and Ballston stations during the service outage. One entrance to Washington's Metro Center was closed, although rail service was uninterrupted at the station. The incident disrupted fewer commutes than it might have on most Monday mornings, happening on New Year's Eve amid a partial government shutdown when Metro was operating with regular weekday service. Metro Transit Police were continuing their search for the man seen on surveillance video, whom they identified as a "person of interest" in the case. - - - The Washington Post's Peter Hermann and Sarah Kaplan contributed to this report. When the murder of 20 children - 6- and 7-year-olds - at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012 didn't spur change in America's gun laws, it seemed like a sad commentary on how a single issue's politics could take precedence over even the most heart-wrenching tragedy. But the lack of political will to do anything to curb gun violence in schools is just one of many examples of how policymakers do not prioritize children. The mistreatment or disregard of American and foreign children at the hands of the United States is not a new problem, but 2018 may well be the worst year yet. When issues from guns to immigration to health care to foreign affairs are viewed through the lens of how they affect children, it becomes clear the young are an afterthought when it comes to public policy. "In my 20 years here, I couldn't think of a year as bad for kids. It's totally across the board," said Bruce Lesley, president of First Focus on Children. "Name an issue, and literally we're leaving kids worse off." The latest example came in the past two weeks with the deaths of two Guatemalan migrant children, a 7-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, while in U.S. custody after crossing the southern border. On Saturday, President Donald Trump drew criticism for politicizing their deaths by blaming Democrats: "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!" This week The Washington Post published a haunting examination of the psychological trauma endured by more than 4.1 million U.S. children whose schools went into lockdown at least once in the 2017-2018 school year over fear of a school shooter. Reporter John Woodrow Cox tweeted on Dec. 27: "Among the most dire consequences of America's inability to stop school shootings is what they do to the children who never go through them - an entire generation of students now believes they could be shot to death in their classrooms." This year was the deadliest yet for school shootings. Then there was the Trump administration's implementation of a policy that separated migrant parents and their children at the border. After a federal judge ruled that the families had to be reunited, federal officials struggled in many cases to locate the parents. A government official involved in the policy deliberations testified in Congress that he had personally warned that separating children from their parents could result in long-term psychological harm, but the Trump administration went ahead with it anyway. U.S. immigration policy hurts children in myriad ways: the terrible living conditions of the tents and detention cells where migrant children are held; the reversal of the Obama-era policy to allow undocumented immigrants brought to America as children to stay in the country; the deportation of adults who leave behind children and grandchildren; the change in public-charge rules that adds health programs such as Medicaid to the list of government benefits whose use could get an immigrant denied permanent status; and the travel ban on some Muslim-majority countries, which is also a form of family separation. On Saturday, a 2-year-old boy died in California, where his father, a U.S. citizen, had brought him for medical treatment. His mother, who is Yemeni, could not come because of the travel ban. She tried for a year to get travel documents and got a waiver only after the news media picked up the story. By then, her son was on life support. "I believe there were people whose hearts were breaking [over family separations] and who still thought the separations were worth it to stop what they saw as 'illegal' immigration," said Gina Adams of the Urban Institute. "Perhaps they decided that the impact on children was worth the trade-off for this other social goal they had." "I also think it is sometimes hard for people to make caring for children a policy priority because the cost of the damage we are doing often doesn't become evident until sometime in the future, and so can be easier to ignore," she added. The rash of school shootings and the effects of immigration policies are glaring examples of direct harm to children, but there are a host of less visible issues that also are devastating to children. The Trump administration's encouragement of states implementing Medicaid work requirements, for one, means that in some instances a mother with young children would be forced to find a job or lose her health insurance. What isn't considered is who will pay for child care if the mother works. Unlike in other countries, there are no government subsidies to help American parents offset the cost of child care. Rates of child abuse and neglect are up, largely because of the opioid epidemic, which has resulted in an increase of children placed in foster care. More children and teens are attempting or dying by suicide. Infant mortality rates in the United States remain higher than in other wealthy nations. For the first time in a decade, the rate of uninsured children went up in 2017. Federal funding for programs that benefit children is declining, according to an Urban Institute report released in July. The authors estimate that by 2028 the percent of the federal budget spent on children will drop from 9.4 percent to 6.9 percent. The report also notes that the United States has the second-highest child poverty rate among 29 developed countries. It "also ranks poorly on measures of birth weight (23rd); preschool enrollment rates (26th); the share of 15- to 19-year-olds participating in education, employment, or training (23rd); and a composite measure of child well-being (26th, in the company of Lithuania, Latvia, and Romania)," the authors write. Adams said it's not that people don't care about children, "but they vary on which kids they care about, and vary on whether they really understand the cost to kids." Several years ago, GOP pollster Frank Luntz moderated several focus groups on behalf of First Focus to determine how much voters cared about children as an issue. When asked to name the top issues they cared about, only one person in each group mentioned something related to children. So Luntz asked them why they didn't care about kids. The participants, many of them parents and grandparents, pushed back but conceded that they don't connect children's needs and politics. So, that's Lesley's mission heading into 2019. He's heartened by the record number of women who will be serving in Congress next year - women are generally better on children's issues than men, he said - and that the next generation of men are taking a more prominent role in raising their children. Lesley hopes to show policymakers that in every debate they have, "there's always going to be a kid issue overlooked," he said. - - - Itkowitz covers politics and Congress for The Washington Post. You are here: World Flash 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. SEGUIN An armed, masked man from Houston who was arrested here Sunday thought he was 240 miles away in Vidor, officials said Monday. Tony Dwayne Albert II, 33, who was enroute to a church to fulfill a prophecy told investigators he was looking for the First Baptist Church in the small city on the outskirts of Beaumont. It is unclear why he thought he was in Vidor or what ties he has there, if any. On ExpressNews.com: Man was on his way to fulfill a prophecy, police said Detectives have determined that Albert was carrying a 9 millimeter Smith and Wesson handgun that was stolen from a residence in Vidor. The Vidor Police Department has been notified and is conducting a separate investigation into the burglary, Officer Tanya Brown, a department spokeswoman said. The update comes after officers with the Seguin Police Department arrested Albert on Sunday for possession of marijuana and possession of firearm by a felon. The Seguin Police Department is working with the FBI, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Texas Rangers and the Guadalupe County District Attorneys Office. It is unknown if additional charges will be filed at this point in the investigation, Brown said Monday. 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. Red Beach School will no longer offer the Values in Action (VIA) religious instruction programme at its school. The programme was controversial with one former Red Beach parent, Jeff McClintock, taking the school to court for not seeking his consent before putting his daughter into the VIA classes. Mr McClintock describes the content of VIA as similar to church Sunday School, including Bible readings and songs of praise. He says children were put in the programme by default, with or without parents consent. Christian instruction and observances behind parents backs is offensive to many people, especially families of other religions, Mr McClintock says. Following a recent policy review of its religious education, the Red Beach School board opted to drop the VIA programme, with effect from the start of the 2019 school year. The review incorporated revised Ministry of Education guidelines on Religious Instruction, which it recently consulted the public on. A key change in focus for the Ministrys proposed guidelines is that parents need to opt-in to any religious programme. Formerly, all children were placed in the programmes unless parents opted out. In a statement to parents, the Red Beach board said it believes that its Positive Behaviour for Learning programme and revised Charter (including RICH heart values, promoting Life Long Learning qualities) meet the revised guidelines. The demands on teachers with increasing curriculum requirements, including these new guidelines, coupled with the legislative requirements that the school must be closed during the VIA instruction, has led the board to agree to discontinue the VIA religious instruction programme, the statement said. The board consulted with the parent community and teaching staff before making its decision. It also provided an opportunity for the VIA leadership to present their programme to the board at a recent meeting. Red Beach Board of Trustees chair Andrew Short and principal Julie Hepburn were unavailable for comment. A spokesperson for the Life in Focus Trust, which runs the VIA programme, would not comment other than to say that the organisation respects the schools right to make the decision to cancel the instruction. When Gulf Harbour School teacher Karen Holleron first brought her dog George to school, a year ago, she says she snuck him in so he could spend the day at her side. She adopted George, a boxer, when he was nearly three years old from a family who could no longer care for him. Gulf Harbour School principal Mel Crosbie says the staff all fell in love with George and wanted to make his presence at the school official. To ensure this was safe for everyone, including students, George was assessed by the SPCA outreach therapy programme, which checked his behaviour and training. He passed with flying colours. He is a naturally calm dog, who doesnt react to anything much, Karen says. I think such a placid nature is unusual in a boxer. The only thing he reacts to is singing, Mel says. He likes to sing along with the national anthem at assembly! Karen says George seems very perceptive as to whether people want to play with him, or just sit quietly. This has made him very popular and also serves a therapeutic purpose. Mel says some parents initially said their children were afraid of dogs, but that has been completely turned around thanks to George. No one is scared of him and weve had no complaints from parents at all. Children are allowed to take him for a walk as a reward and are even happy to pick up his poo! Not only that, but Mel says Georges presence calms children with behavioural issues such as ADHD and the dog also sits in on reading sessions with students who have special needs. Karen says having a school dog seems to be rare in New Zealand, and led to a TV interview. She took George into Whangaparaoa School to see a teacher there, Nicola Winter, and as a result Whangaparaoa is getting its own school dog in the New Year. Nicola says the timing was ideal, as her family was hoping to get a dog and she wanted to bring it to school rather than leave it at home during the day. The family found Kora believed to be a beagle, whippet and collie cross through the animal charity Saving Hope Foundation. Kora had been fostered on a farm and was used to animals and children being around. Eight-month-old Kora will be taken to puppy preschool and also a Canine Good Citizen programme, designed to identify and reward dogs that have the training and demeanor to be reliable family and community members. She will join Karens Year 5/6 class in the New Year, and will always be with an adult and on a leash. Karen says she has had nothing but positive reactions from parents about the plan. Whangaparaoa School principal Kevin Cronin says the school sees many benefits for the children. Having a dog at school can have a positive impact on the social, learning, emotional and behavioural needs of students. Children will be able to chat with Kora when they are feeling down, cuddle up and practice their reading on her and learn about animal care and safety with her help, he says. She will be kept away from children when they are eating and will be toileted away from the childrens play areas. We will be educating the children on how to respond when Kora is near them and also about hygiene requirements such as hand washing after touching her. The safety and well-being of both the children and Kora will be paramount and we look forward to this being a positive and rewarding experience for all. Vending machines could be used to dispense free condoms in a drive to reduce crisis pregnancies and promote sexual health. The HSE is seeking to provide 'at risk' groups and college students with free condoms. Longford's Siona Cahill, who is President of the USI has welcomed the idea. "Its imperative that we promote safe sexual health and wellbeing, using whatever means we can," she told the Longford Leader today. "This is a welcome move by the HSE, and it doesnt just apply to young people and students, but anyone who is sexually active. We constantly underestimate the need for sexual health education across all groups - and normalising the use of protection and how to use it is the way forward." Siona sits on the departmental steering group set up by Minister Mitchell OConnor targeting sexual consent on third level campuses, due to report in the new year. The Union of Students in Ireland is calling for a revised sexual health education curriculum for second level as well as consent education, in the form of workshops at orientation for third level students. When we talk about healthy sexual relationships at any age, it needs to focus on two key things - being safe (using protection correctly) and ensuring there is informed, enthusiastic, active and ongoing consent, she concluded. Local Trocaire worker, Sean Farrell from Aughnacliffe is appealing to the people of Co Longford to support the development agencys Christmas campaign. This year, Trocaires appeal focuses on families at risk of starvation and violence in war-torn countries across the world. The plea comes as 14 million people in Yemen face starvation and the prospect of the worst famine the world has seen in 100 years; a humanitarian crisis that is completely man-made and the result of conflict, the closure of trade routes and the destruction of the local economy. Meanwhile, in South Sudan, a brutal five year civil war has seen hundreds of thousands of people killed and more than 4.5 million people forced to flee their homes for survival. Trocaire is working with local organisations in both of these countries, as well as others around the world, to bring aid and medical care to people trapped in the middle of conflict and to help those who have fled war to build a new life, said Mr Farrell. I would like to say a huge thank you to the people of Co Longford for their continued support - the impact we can make because of your donations cannot be underestimated. However, there is much more to be done. This Christmas, as we look forward to spending time with our loved ones, we would ask people to also think about the families across the world who are facing fear and war. The local man went on to say that millions of people in countries like South Sudan have had to flee for their lives, leaving everything they own behind. Many of these families have been split up as they trek across the country in search of safety, Mr Farrell continued. In Yemen, innocent children, women and men are being pushed to the brink of starvation as a result of violence, airstrikes and blockades. Trocaire is working to help bring lifesaving relief but we cant do it without the generous support of the public. I would appeal to people across the county to help us bring food, water, shelter and safety to those desperately in need this Christmas and beyond. Last year, Trocaire reached more than 2.8 million people facing extreme poverty across the developing world from Syrian refugees fleeing conflict to the drought and famine in east Africa. To support Trocaires work, you can donate at www.trocaire.org/christmas or by calling 1850 408 408. Nature & Weather, Local News, Business & Finance, Press Releases, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: December 31 2018 While Federal Government Remains Dark, New York State Takes Action to Assist Vulnerable Homeowners. New York, NY - December 31, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a six-month extension for the Interim Mortgage Assistance Program's most vulnerable participants, made possible by an additional $3.9 million in state funding. More than 200 eligible applicants - including seniors, people with disabilities, victims of contractor fraud, those required to elevate their homes and individuals with low to moderate incomes -are expected to benefit from this additional, final extension as they continue to complete recovery and resiliency projects after Superstorm Sandy's landfall six years ago. Managed by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery, the IMA program has disbursed $54.2 million to support approximately 1,900 storm-impacted New Yorkers who have incurred both mortgage and rental expenses. "While the federal government fails to help those in need, New York is once again stepping up for communities affected by extreme weather," Governor Cuomo said. "With this additional six-month extension, we will continue to help vulnerable New Yorkers build back stronger and more resilient than before." This six-month extension realigns the IMA program deadline with the June 2019 deadlines for the NY Rising Single Family Homeowner Program. Only current applicants who are particularly vulnerable and who have not yet received their full 20-month IMA benefit will be eligible for this extension. No new IMA applications will be accepted. Vulnerable IMA recipients will be eligible for up to their full 20 months of IMA with no reimbursements beyond June 2019. Victims of contractor fraud will be eligible for up to their full 20 months of IMA and may be permitted to collect beyond the June 2019 deadline. GOSR will publish this available extension on its website and will contact vulnerable qualifying IMA recipients on a case by case basis. If an applicant believes they may be eligible, they should reach out to their case manager or the call center at 844-9NY-RISING (844-969-7474). Executive Director of Housing, Buyout and Acquisition Programs at the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery Thehbia Hiwot said, "When the federal government initially limited the amount of mortgage assistance we could provide, the State went to bat for disaster survivors to secure an extension. In the process, we developed a pioneering program that has disbursed tens of millions of dollars to ensure storm-affected New Yorkers can pay their mortgage." Senator Todd Kaminsky said, "It has been six years since superstorm Sandy yet there are still storm victims not in their homes, through no fault of their own. This extension will provide the necessary time and resources to rebuild. Since the federal government is no longer funding this program, and this all state money, special thanks to Governor Cuomo for understanding the plight of too many of our neighbors and funding this program." Additional state resources will assist eligible NY Rising Housing Recovery Program participants paying their mortgage until June 2019, when homeowners are required to schedule a final inspection. Following two previous extensions of deadlines for construction progress, no additional time will be made available, and applicants are required to close out of the program by December 31, 2019. Like the State's entire portfolio of NY Rising programs, which have played a central role in the recovery from storms Sandy, Lee and Irene, IMA was originally funded by GOSR's $4.5 billion allocation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2013, HUD allowed GOSR and other Sandy grantees to provide up to 20 months of assistance with a maximum benefit of $60,000. However, listening to the concerns of its residents, New York State continued to push the envelope. In 2015, GOSR submitted a waiver to provide IMA benefits beyond 20 months and, in January 2016, received permission to extend payments for another 16 months with a maximum benefit of $108,000. GOSR was the first grantee to receive an extension of this length and to provide 36 months of mortgage assistance. Although HUD required the 16-month extension to end in December 2017, GOSR continued to provide up to 20 months of IMA through 2018. The more than $54 million disbursed through IMA comes on top of the $1 billion placed directly into the hands of Long Island homeowners through the NY Rising Housing Recovery Program, which funds repairs, reconstruction and elevations. A 24-year-old Lynn man was arrested early Sunday morning after authorities say he stabbed another man in downtown Boston. Boston police said Valenz Joisil was arrested around 5:45 a.m. after stabbing a man in his late twenties in Chinatown earlier that evening. Police found Joisil at an area hospital where he was seeking treatment for a minor laceration sustained during the incident. Authorities found the alleged victim suffering from stab wounds in the area of 660 Washington St. around 8:46 p.m. Police said the man was initially uncooperative and refused medical attention, but later went to a nearby hospital. Medical staff confirmed that he sustained several stab wounds that are not believed to be life-threading, officials said. Boston police processed the crime scene at the corner of Harrison Avenue and Essex Streets and identified the suspect. After placing Joisil in custody, police said they recovered a knife from inside his coat, which was seized as evidence. He will be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on charges of attempted murder and battery by means of a dangerous weapon. The in West Springfield will stage Katori Hall's award-winning "The Mountaintop," a fictional depiction of the final hours of slain civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The play begins its run on Thursday, Jan. 3, continues through Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan 21, and concludes on Feb. 10 during Black History Month. "The Mountaintop" is set on King's last night on earth. Set entirely in Room 306 of the Lorraine Motel -- now the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee - where he retired delivering his "I've been to the mountaintop" speech on behalf of the sanitation workers in Memphis. While in his room resting before another long day of campaigning, he meets Camae, a beautiful maid, and at first their exchanges are flirtatious, but soon change to a deeper dialogue about his hopes and fears. The play is directed by Gilbert McCauley and stars Jamil A. C. Mangan as King and Lynnette R. Freeman as the maid. "I've known Danny (Eaton, the Majestic's producing director,) for a while. He's asked me a couple times to direct at the Majestic, but my schedule wouldn't allow it. Now it has worked out and I am happy it did because this is a very powerful piece," McCauley said. When taking on the challenge of directing the play, McCauley said he was familiar with the work and had read it, but had never seen it performed on stage. "For me, and I believe for audiences, the strong point of the play is that we get to see Dr. King, the man, as opposed to the myth, and that was the playwright's main intention. Its strong message is that if this man could do so much, and he was just an ordinary man, then there is more for us to do as other ordinary people still walking the Earth," McCauley said. New York City-based actor Jamil A. C. Mangan, who plays King, first performed the role at TheaterWorks in Hartford, which was attended by Eaton. "It is an honor and a privilege to once again portray Dr. King and showcase this wonderful work to the world," Mangan said. Much like McCauley, what first impressed Mangan about the play was the opportunity to "get a glimpse of this man behind closed doors." "We get to see his humanity, his humility, his vulnerability, in essence his ability to laugh and have a good time, but we also see a man who is afraid and fearful for his life and concerned for the lives of others affected by his decision," Mangan said. In addition to portraying Camae, Freeman said it is also "a joy and a pleasure" to share the stage with her "good friend." "I've known Jamil for almost 10 years and until now we've never gotten to perform in a play together," she said. The Outlaws are coming to Infinity Hall in Connecticut. The Southern rock band is scheduled to play the Norfolk venue on June 29 at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are available through the venue website at infinityhall.com. The Outlaws were the first band signed to Arista Records by Clive Davis and their 1975 debut for that label featured the hits "There Goes Another Love Song" and "Green Grass and High Tides." President Donald Trump gestures as he delivers his first State of the Union address in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol to a joint session of Congress Jan. 30, 2018, in Washington, as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan applaud. (Win McNamee/Pool via AP) President Donald Trump delivered his first official State of the Union Address to Congress President Donald Trump reflected on his first year in office and laid out his legislative priorities for 2018 as he delivered his first official State of the Union Address before a joint session of the U.S. House and Senate. Trump, who centered his speech around the theme of "building a safe, strong and proud America," offered an optimistic vision for the country and called on lawmakers to work across the aisle on high-profile issues like immigration and infrastructure spending. He also highlighted his efforts to end what he called "the war on American energy," address opioid addiction, strengthen the U.S. military and wage a "campaign of maximum pressure" on North Korea, among several other things. Read More: State of the Union: 5 takeaways from President Donald Trump's address to Congress Don't Edit President Donald Trump holds notes during a listening session with high school students and teachers at the White House in Washington on Feb. 21, 2018. Trump heard the stories of students and parents affected by school shootings, one week after the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Lawmakers debated gun-control measures after a mass shooting at a Florida high school Trump held a listening session with school shooting survivors, parents and others just days after a gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people in February. Although the meeting sought to set politics aside to discuss potential solutions to ending gun violence, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle used the mass shooting and others that followed to debate the issue throughout much of 2018. Read More: President Donald Trump again floats idea of giving 'concealed weapons to gun adept teachers' Don't Edit Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at a news conference at the State Department in Washington March 13, 2018. President Donald Trump fired Tillerson and nominated CIA Director Mike Pompeo to replace him. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced that he would officially leave his State Department post at the end of March, but hand over much of his authority to another agency official after Trump revealed his expected replacement. Read More: Rex Tillerson says he will officially leave State Department at end of March Don't Edit Looking west toward the White House, people fill Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington during the "March for Our Lives" rally in support of gun control on March 24, 2018. The rally was organized following the mass shooting that killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Students launched 'March for Our Lives' demonstrations across the US Students who survived the February school shooting in Parkland, Florida, organized a national "March for Our Lives" rally in Washington and sister protests across the country in an effort to force federal action on gun safety measures. Several Massachusetts lawmakers turned out in support of the March demonstrations, which were held across the state and in Washington, D.C. Read More: March for Our Lives: Massachusetts lawmakers speak out against gun violence at national rally, sister marches Don't Edit Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives to testify before a joint hearing of the Commerce and Judiciary Committees on Capitol Hill in Washington April 10, 2018, about the use of Facebook data to target American voters in the 2016 election. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized in April for failing to protect his social media platform users' from privacy breaches and the spread of misinformation, telling Senate lawmakers he's committed to improving how the company safeguards people's information and elections around the world. Read More: Mark Zuckerberg to US Senate: 'I'm sorry' Facebook failed to prevent data scandal, Russian election interference Don't Edit Don't Edit CIA Director Mike Pompeo laughs at a joke while he is introduced before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a confirmation hearing on his nomination to be secretary of state April 12, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Mike Pompeo was nominated and confirmed as Trump's new secretary of state The U.S. Senate confirmed Trump's pick of Mike Pompeo for secretary of state in April, giving the CIA director final approval to formally takeover the high-profile diplomatic role. Pompeo's nomination cleared the chamber on a 57-to-42 vote along party lines, despite pushback from Democrats, who continued to raise concerns about his record on human rights, views on Muslims and stance on nuclear nonproliferation. Read More: US Senate confirms Mike Pompeo as new secretary of state despite objections from Democrats Don't Edit Adult film actress Stormy Daniels, left, stands with her lawyer Michael Avenatti after speaking outside a federal court in New York on April 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Trump admitted to his role in silencing Stormy Daniels The president acknowledged for the first time in April that his longtime lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen represented him in efforts to silence Stormy Daniels, a porn star who alleged a sexual encounter with Trump more than a decade ago. Trump, however, sought to distance himself from Cohen and a federal criminal investigation. Read More: Trump admits lawyer represented him in 'crazy Stormy Daniels deal,' distances himself from probe Don't Edit President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Sentosa Island in Singapore on June 12, 2018. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Trump met with North Korean leader Kim John Un Trump and Kim Jong Un met at Sentosa Island in Singapore in June to discuss U.S.-North Korea relations and negotiate an end to Pyongyang's nuclear program -- the first-ever sit down between a sitting U.S. president and a North Korean leader. The daylong summit, which included several closed-door meetings, ended with Trump committing to provide "security guarantees" to North Korea and Kim reaffirming "his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," according to the White House. Massachusetts' congressional lawmakers, however, raised concerns about the signed agreement, arguing that it lacked details and fell short in addressing current threats. Read More: Massachusetts lawmakers say North Korea agreement 'vaguest and least detailed' yet Don't Edit Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka, center, gestures as she is flanked by Gov. Charlie Baker, right, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, after Spilka was elected to lead the Senate at the Statehouse in Boston July 26, 2018. Spilka succeeds Worcester Democrat Harriette Chandler, who led the Senate after former President Stan Rosenberg stepped aside amid an ethics probe in December 2017. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Karen Spilka was named the new Massachusetts Senate president State lawmakers voted in July to name Karen Spilka the 95th president of the Massachusetts Senate. The Ashland Democrat took the helm after a year of turmoil, in which former Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, resigned his leadership post amid a scandal involving his husband's alleged sexual misconduct. Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, took over temporarily before later agreeing that Spilka, who had secured the votes needed for the presidency, would assume the role in the final days of the legislative session. Read More: Karen Spilka installed as president of Massachusetts Senate: 'We will continue to be a leading light in our nation' Don't Edit Michael Cohen leaves federal court in New York on Aug. 21, 2018, after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance fraud stemming from hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to fraud The president's former lawyer pleaded guilty in August to campaign finance violations and other charges, saying that he and Trump set up a hush money payment to Daniels and a former Playboy model in an effort to influence the 2016 election. In November, Cohen pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court as part of an agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller to making false statements to Congress. A judge sentenced Cohen in December to three years in prison. Read More: Judge sentences Michael Cohen, the president's former lawyer, to 3 years in prison Don't Edit Don't Edit Cindy McCain, wife of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., rests her head on his casket during a memorial service at the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix on Aug. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) US Sen. John McCain died John McCain, an Arizona senator and the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, died in August after battling brain cancer for more than a year. He was 81. Read More: Sen. John McCain dies at 81 after battle with brain cancer Don't Edit Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley celebrates her victory over U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, D-Mass., in the 7th Congressional House Democratic primary Sept. 4, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Ayanna Pressley defeated incumbent Michael Capuano to become Massachusetts' 1st black congresswoman Hours after polls closed in Massachusetts' September primary, an emotional Ayanna Pressley took the stage at her Dorchester campaign headquarters to claim a historic victory over incumbent U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano in the state's 7th Congressional District. With no opponent on the November ballot, the Boston city councilor became the first African-American woman elected to represent Massachusetts in Congress. Read More: Historic upset as Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley unseats Rep. Mike Capuano in Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District Don't Edit Christine Blasey Ford is sworn in by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, at the start of her testimony on Capitol Hill in Washington Sept. 27, 2018. (Tom Williams/Pool Photo via AP) Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was accused of sexual assault As the U.S. Senate considered Trump's nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Christine Blasey Ford faced questions from lawmakers about sexual misconduct allegations she raised against the judge. Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of attempted sexual assault when they were teenagers, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in late September. Kavanaugh denied the allegations raised by Ford and others. Republicans called the claims a smear campaign. Read More: WATCH: Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Christine Blasey Ford testify Don't Edit President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, a federal appeals court judge, speaks before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington Sept. 4, 2018, to begin his confirmation to replace retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Kavanaugh was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice Trump announced in July that he would nominate the federal appellate court judge for the U.S. Supreme Court seat being vacated by outgoing Justice Anthony Kennedy. The U.S. Senate narrowly confirmed Kavanaugh's nomination in October. Read More: Brett Kavanaugh confirmed as Supreme Court justice after 50-48 vote Don't Edit U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren hosts a town hall meeting Sept. 29, 2018, at the Holyoke City Hall auditorium to answer questions from the audience. (Frederick Gore Photo) (Frederick Gore Photo) Elizabeth Warren said she would 'take a hard look' at running for president U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., hinted at a possible 2020 presidential run at a late-September Holyoke town hall, telling the audience she would consider a White House bid. "It is time for women to go to Washington and fix our broken government and that includes a woman at the top," she said. "After November 6th, I will take a hard look at running for president." Read More: Elizabeth Warren: 'I will take a hard look at running for President' after midterm elections Don't Edit Don't Edit This image taken from video obtained by the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet shows Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul Oct. 2, 2018. (CCTV/Hurriyet via AP, File) Journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death sparked tensions between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia The death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, sparked tensions among American lawmakers and between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, as Trump and Congress split on their response to the killing. The president called the killing "terrible" and a "horrible" crime, but stressed in November that the United States "intends to remain a steadfast partner" of Saudi Arabia. Lawmakers, meanwhile, accused the president of siding "with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the professionals in America's intelligence agencies," noting that the CIA had tied Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman to Khashoggi's death. The U.S. Senate voted in December to end America's participation in the Saudi-led war in Yemen and approved a measure blaming the crown prince for Khashoggi's killing. Read More: US Rep. Richard Neal condemns President Donald Trump's response to Saudi Arabia after journalist's killing Don't Edit President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump tour a neighborhood affected by Hurricane Michael Oct. 15, 2018, in Lynn Haven, Fla. From left are FEMA Director Brock Long, Trump, the first lady, Mayor Margo Anderson and Gov. Rick Scott. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Hurricanes hit the South, causing widespread damage and deaths Trump traveled to Florida in October to tour damage caused by Hurricane Michael, the most powerful storm to hit the state's Panhandle. The visit came less than a month after the president surveyed damaged caused by Hurricane Florence in North Carolina and South Carolina. Read More: Trump comforts storm-ravaged Carolinas with hot dogs, hugs Don't Edit An officer keeps watch in front of the Time Warner Building in New York City, where police removed an explosive device Oct. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen) Explosive devices were sent to television networks and Democratic figures The Secret Service reported in October that agents had intercepted and were investigating suspicious packages addressed to the residences of former President Barack Obama and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Law enforcement officials noted that the devices were similar to ones found at billionaire George Soros' home, CNN's offices in Manhattan and other locations. Police later arrested Cesar A. Sayoc Jr. for allegedly sending 13 pipe bombs to prominent Trump critics. Read More: Who is Cesar Sayoc Jr., suspect in mail bombs targeting Democrats, Trump critics? Don't Edit First lady Melania Trump, accompanied by President Donald Trump and Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, right, puts down a white flower at a memorial for those killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh Oct. 30, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Trump visited Pittsburgh after a mass shooting at a synagogue The president condemned anti-Semitism after a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October left 11 people dead. Trump traveled to the city to meet with victims' families and lay stones atop Star of David markers outside the Tree of Life synagogue, despite pushback from some over his visit. Read More: Pittsburgh synagogue shooting: 'Mr. Rogers' neighborhood' of Squirrel Hill mourns victims at vigil Don't Edit Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, right, and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito celebrate re-election together during an election night rally Nov. 6, 2018, in Boston. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson) Gov. Charlie Baker was elected to a second term Republican Charlie Baker won a second term as Massachusetts governor in the November general election. The incumbent defeated Democrat Jay Gonzalez by convincing state voters of his bipartisan bona fides in a tense national political environment. Read More: Massachusetts 2018 election: Charlie Baker wins 2nd term as governor Don't Edit Don't Edit House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, right, claps between her two grandsons on stage with House Democrats after speaking about Democratic wins in the House of Representatives to a crowd of supporters during an election night returns event at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Washington Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Democrats won back control of the US House of Representatives Democrats took back control the U.S. House of Representatives in the November general election due, in large part, to a number of young, female and minority candidates, as well as enthusiasm among voters. The party's gains ended Republicans' monopoly on power in Washington and set the stage for potential clashes between House Democrats and the White House in the run-up to the 2020 election cycle. Read More: Democrats retake the House, breaking Republican monopoly on power in Washington Don't Edit Sen. Elizabeth Warren gives her victory speech at a Democratic election watch party in Boston Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) Warren and other Massachusetts Democrats were re-elected to Congress Warren claimed a resounding U.S. Senate victory in the November general election over Republican challenger Geoff Diehl and independent candidate Shiva Ayyadurai -- setting herself up for a possible 2020 White House run. Warren celebrated her re-election win with other Massachusetts Democrats who gathered for an election night event at the Fairmont Copley Hotel in Boston. Read More: 2018 Massachusetts election: Elizabeth Warren defeats US Senate challengers Geoff Diehl, Shiva Ayyadurai in re-election fight, shifts focus to possible 2020 bid Don't Edit A copy of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation letter is photographed in Washington on an image of the exterior of the Justice Department. (AP Photo/J. David Ake) Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned One day after voters cast their ballots in the 2018 midterm election, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced he was resigning his post with the Trump administration. Trump, who confirmed Sessions' departure on Twitter, said the former AG's chief of staff, Matthew G. Whitaker, would become the new acting attorney general. Read More: Report: Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigns Don't Edit President Donald Trump talks to Mayor Jody Jones as he visits a neighborhood impacted by the wildfires in Paradise, Calif., Nov. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Wildfires ravaged California The president traveled to California in November to get a firsthand look at the devastation caused by one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires. The blaze, which began earlier that month, destroyed the town of Paradise. It also damaged nearby communities, impacting more than 9,800 homes and displacing 52,000 people, according to reports. Read More: Trump visits California as wildfire death toll tops 70; over 1,000 missing Don't Edit Former Sen. Bob Dole salutes the flag-draped casket of George H.W. Bush as the former president lies in state at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Former President George H.W. Bush died at age 92 Officials from across the United States and the world gathered in Washington in early December for a state funeral honoring the life and legacy of former President George H.W. Bush, who died at the age of 94. Read More: Former President George H.W. Bush celebrated with praise and humor at cathedral farewell Don't Edit Don't Edit U.S. police and Border Patrol agents hold a line as members of an interfaith group, showing support for Central American asylum-seekers who arrived in recent caravans and calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants, pray during a protest in San Diego, as seen from across the border wall in Tijuana, Mexico, Dec. 10, 2018. The agents arrested dozens of protesters for trespassing as they tried to approach the border wall, and one person for assaulting an officer. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) A Central American migrant caravan clashed with US Border Patrol agents U.S. authorities arrested more than 30 people during an early December demonstration at the country's southern border with Mexico. Demonstrators called for an end to the practice of detaining and deporting immigrants. They also showed support for migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum seekers, according to reports. The rally marked the second confrontation for Border Patrol agents since the caravan of more than 6,000 migrants reached Tijuana. Read More: US authorities arrest 32 at San Diego-Tijuana border demonstration Don't Edit White House Chief of Staff John Kelly listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with newly elected governors in the Cabinet Room of the White House Dec. 13, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Officials announced Chief of Staff John Kelly was leaving the White House Trump announced in December that his chief of staff, John Kelly, would leave the White House by the end of 2018. News of Kelly's departure came one day after reports surfaced that he had spoken with Mueller as part of the special counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Read More: Report: Special Counsel Robert Mueller questioned John Kelly as part of Russia probe Don't Edit U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., will be chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee that has oversight of tax and trade issues. (AP file/J. Scott Applewhite) Richard Neal and Jim McGovern secured powerful roles in Congress House Democrats formally voted in December to name U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, the chamber's next Ways and Means Committee chairman -- a position that will make him one of the most powerful lawmakers when the new Congress convenes in January. Fellow Massachusetts Democrat U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, of Worcester, was formally named the House Rules Committee's new chairman for the 116th Congress. Read More: US Rep. Richard Neal secures House Ways and Means chairmanship Don't Edit Part of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' resignation letter to President Donald Trump is photographed in Washington Dec. 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick) Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced in December that he was resigning his post following clashes with Trump over the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and other disagreements over America's role in the world. Read More: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigns, will leave in February Don't Edit REI Co-op customers walk past an unstaffed ranger station kiosk, closed as part of the federal government shutdown, inside the flagship store Dec. 26, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) The government shut down after Congress and the White House failed to agree on border security funding The federal government entered a shutdown in late December after Congress and the White House failed to agree on a spending bill to fund nine Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies. Trump urged Congress to include funding for his proposed border wall in the measure, which Democrats opposed. Read More: Government shutdown: President Donald Trump signals no end, says 'You have to have a wall' Don't Edit UPDATE: Ryan Walsh, spokesman for Springfield police, said the victim is female. The incident remains under investigation by the departments Major Crimes unit, under the direction of Capt. Trent Duda. SPRINGFIELD Fire department personnel pulled a body out of Five Mile Pond on Monday afternoon, department spokesman Dennis Leger said. Fishermen in boat spotted the body at about 1:30 p.m. and called police, Leger said. The fire department launched its boat and recovered the body. Five Mile Pond is just off Boston Road across from Walmart. This is a developing story; MassLive will have updates when more information is available. Actor Kevin Spacey, who is accused of groping the teenage son of a former WCVB news anchor in Nantucket, said in a court filing that appearing in court next week to face a sexual assault charge will amplify the negative publicity in the case. The motion to waive the Jan. 7 appearance in Nantucket District Court was filed by Spaceys Boston-based attorney Juliane Balliro. The motion is dated Dec. 27, but paperwork shows it was received by the court on Monday morning. Signed under his real name, Kevin S. Fowler, Spacey states he lives out of state and he believes that my presence will amplify the negative publicity generated in connection with this case, according to the paperwork. Spacey said he wishes to enter a not guilty plea in the case. NBC10 Boston reports a judge denied Spaceys motion that he be excused from appearing in court. Balliro said in the motion to excuse Spacey from court that the allegations have generated national interest from the media. The defendants attendance at the arraignment will only serve to heighten prejudicial media interest in the case and will increase the risk of contamination of the pool of jurors available for the trial, the lawyer wrote. Authorities from Cape & Islands District Attorneys office announced last week that Spacey will be arraigned on one count of incident assault and battery on a person over the age of 14. He is accused of sexually assaulting the teenage son of former WCVB news anchor Heather Unruh at a Nantucket bar in 2016. A Massachusetts State Police report says investigators obtained a Snapchat video of Spacey touching the front of the alleged victims pants. The alleged assault occurred in July 2016 at The Club Car bar and restaurant. [Unruhs son] said the whole thing was embarrassing and has not had a profound emotional effect on him. [He] told his friends about it and makes jokes about it because that is his way, Trooper Gerald F. Donovan wrote in his report, though family believe this may be a coping mechanism. [He] called the police because he doesnt want what happened to him to happen to anyone else. Unruh accused Spacey of assaulting her son during a press conference. She accused Spacey of getting her son drunk at the restaurant and forcing his hand down her sons pants. The criminal complaint on file in court said Unruhs son first reported the assault to Nantucket Police on Oct. 31, 2016. Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday morning signed a bill to extend unemployment benefits for locked-out workers, legislation for which unions of locked-out gas workers have clamored. Locked-out workers from United Steelworkers Locals 12003 and 12012 planned to rally at the State House on Monday morning to urge Baker to sign the bill. Workers locked out since June 25 are due to exhaust their unemployment benefits in mid-January. In an email to supporters on Sunday, Local 12003 President Joe Kirylo implored Baker to sign the bill, which calls for benefits to be extended for 26 weeks or until a lockout has ended, immediately to help families during the holiday season. Think about the fact that Senate President, Karen Spilka and House Speaker Robert DeLeo led both branches of the legislature to vote unanimously to pass the bill, he wrote. Why is the Governor keeping his constituents worrying about their future? Why does the Governor not see the goodness in helping working people who through no fault of their own have been locked out of work? Please sign the bill Governor Baker it is the right thing to do. Baker was on board with the Legislature as it explored ways to help locked-out workers and has for the last week said the benefits extension bill was under careful review. He expressed some apprehension about setting what he called an unusual precedent of having state government involve itself in a private business dispute. In signing the bill Monday, Baker said it will help contribute to the safety of the states natural gas system in tandem with a gas safety bill that still needs a Senate vote to get to his desk. The integrity of the Commonwealths energy infrastructure is hugely important to the safety of the people of Massachusetts and this law, coupled with the bill our administration filed to require additional oversight of all natural gas projects, significantly increases accountability for all utility companies, and will help ensure that utilities use experienced crews with the proper supervision on all projects, Baker said in a statement. I eagerly await the Legislatures approval of our bill to strengthen natural gas safety procedures and urge both National Grid and the Steelworkers union to swiftly reach consensus so that utility customers can receive the level of service and safety they deserve. Both National Grid and the two locked-out gas worker unions say they remain committed to negotiating a new contract after Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill extending unemployment benefits for the workers. National Grid late Friday night presented the unions with a revised offer, and the unions are expected to respond on Wednesday. Weve always intended on reaching an agreement as soon as possible with National Grid, said Joe Kirylo, president of United Steelworkers Local 12003, in an interview. We still intend on trying to reach agreement as soon as possible. National Grid spokeswoman Christine Milligan said the bill, which National Grid opposed, will not affect contract negotiations. While its unfortunate that the State has chosen to become involved in a private labor dispute, this legislation changes nothing in regards to our objective, which has always been to reach a fair agreement that balances the needs of our customers and employees, she said in a statement. The company is expected to consider whether to challenge the new law in court. We are presently reviewing the legislation to determine whether it is in conflict with federal law and will act accordingly, Milligan said. National Grid locked the workers out of their jobs in June when their contract expired, and the two sides have not yet been able to agree on a new contract, leaving 1,250 employees out of work. National Grid and the unions said previously that they had a shared intent to reach an agreement by Friday, Dec. 28. Late Friday night, they put out a joint statement saying that after days of lengthy, productive bargaining sessions, National Grid presented the unions with a revised offer at 11:30 p.m. Friday night. Given the lateness of the hour, the parties broke for the evening and have agreed to schedule meetings for the unions to respond formally to the companys offer, the company and unions said. On Monday, Milligan said the company expects the unions to formally respond on Wednesday, which is the unions earliest availability to meet. Kirylo did not say whether the unions will accept the offer, but he said the unions have always worked hard to get members back to work. Well continue down that road, and hopefully because were talking and everything else, hopefully well get there a lot sooner, he said. The state Legislature passed a bill last Monday extending unemployment benefits for the locked-out workers for up to 26 weeks. Their benefits had been set to run out in mid-January. Baker held off on signing the bill until after it became clear that a deal would not be reached on Friday. By law, Baker had until Wednesday to act on the bill. Baker also introduced a different bill that would require a professional engineer to oversee all natural gas projects in Massachusetts that could pose a threat to public safety. That bill has passed the House and Senate and is a procedural vote away from landing back on Bakers desk. Baker said in a statement after signing the unemployment benefits extension Monday, "The integrity of the Commonwealths energy infrastructure is hugely important to the safety of the people of Massachusetts and this law, coupled with the bill our administration filed to require additional oversight of all natural gas projects, significantly increases accountability for all utility companies, and will help ensure that utilities use experienced crews with the proper supervision on all projects. I eagerly await the Legislatures approval of our bill to strengthen natural gas safety procedures and urge both National Grid and the Steelworkers union to swiftly reach consensus so that utility customers can receive the level of service and safety they deserve," Baker said. The steelworkers had been pushing Baker to sign the bill. It took him a little while thinking about it and everything else, but when the chips came down in the end, he did the right thing, Kirylo said. Its not just about us, Kirylo said. What he did in the end was thought about future workers in this state and making sure that nobody feels the pain that the members of these locals felt. SOUTHWICK - A 19-year old woman was accidentally shot in the foot Sunday night by her 21-year-old boyfriend who had been threatening to shoot himself, said police chief Kevin Bishop. Police were dispatched to the home on Congamond Road just before 6 p.m. for a report of a 21-year-old man threatening suicide. En route, officers were notified that a shot had been fired, and a woman was injured. By the time police arrived, the man had fled the scene. The woman told officers she had been trying to get the gun away from her boyfriend when it went off. She was treated for a gunshot injury at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and then released. Her name was not disclosed to the press. Southwick, Suffield, and Massachusetts State Police conducted a search of the area but it turned up negative, Bishop said. Police issued a warrant for his arrest. At 10 a.m. Monday, the man was brought to the police station by the injured woman, and he was taken into custody. He will be charged with possession of a firearm without a license and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling. He was taken to Westfield District Court for arraignment. Bishop declined to identify the man because the original call was for a suicide attempt. He said the gun has been recovered by police, and that the general public was not in any danger. SPRINGFIELD - A Holyoke man who gained notoriety for the 2013 Springfield shooting of a girl waiting in line to buy sneakers was arrested Saturday on outstanding warrant charges and for violating his probation. Kenny Bynum, 25, was apprehended by Springfield police at around 6:15 p.m. Saturday in the area of Roosevelt Avenue and Performance Boulevard. Police spokesman Ryan Walsh said a Springfield narcotics officer spotted Bynum riding as a passenger in a car and recognized him. The officer knew he was named in multiple warrants. One of the warrants charges him with armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm, and damage to property. Those charges stem from a 2013 shooting outside a Boston Road clothing store. Several people were waiting in line to purchase a newest line of Air Jordan shoes. Some people tried to cut the line, which led to a dispute and then gunfire. An 11-year-old girl was hit in the leg. The shooting made headlines nationally, and attracted the outrage of Mayor Domenic Sarno, who exclaimed Shame on them! Over sneakers! Bynum pleaded guilty to the charges in 2014 and was sentenced to 3 to 4 years in state prison, to be followed by 5 years probation. It is not clear when Bynum completed his sentence, but he was arrested Dec. 1 on for possession of a class B substance with intent to distribute. He was also arrested by Springfield police in July of last year for multiple warrants related to charges of armed robbery. Prior to his arrest at that time, the police department named him one of the departments most wanted criminals. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Springfield District Court. The autopsy of Erich Stelzer, the man authorities say attacked and stabbed a 24-year-old woman he met on Tinder, has been completed but the cause and manner of death are still pending, authorities said Monday. The Norfolk District Attorneys office said Stelzers autopsy was completed by the state medical examiners office. The official cause and manner of death will not be determined until toxicology tests are completed which could take weeks, the district attorneys office said. Cohasset Police were called to 13 Church St. around 10 p.m. Thursday for a report of a disturbance. Officers found Stelzer, who lived there, actively assaulting a 24-year-old woman with weapons including a knife, authorities said. The woman, identified by family as Maegan Tapley, was slashed and stabbed. According to a GoFundMe page started to help Tapley with her medical bills, she has a broken right hand. She has gone through a traumatic ordeal physiological and physical. She was beaten, stabbed, majority of hair ripped from her head. Please pray for her recovery and thank you for your generosity, the page said. Police used Tasers to stop Stelzer, which allowed Tapley to escape, the district attorneys office said. Stelzer was then immediately given medical attention by EMTs, authorities said. As Stelzer was taken to an area hospital, he became unresponsive and later pronounced dead. Authorities continue to investigate the death and attack. The Boston Globe reported Tapley and Stelzer met on Tinder. His family released a statement after his death noting they saw a decline in his mental health. Stelzers family asked police to intervene. He had been receiving treatment for an unspecified mental illness in the month leading up to the attack. The family called Cohasset police and EMTs and asked authorities to assess Stelzer on Dec. 25. EMTs determined he did not need assistance, the family said in the statement. Three veterans who sued Massachusetts for denying them a Welcome Home bonus should receive the money, a Suffolk Superior Court judge ruled. The ruling could affect an estimated 4,000 veterans who served multiple tours of duty and received an other than honorable discharge from the final one, according to the Veterans Legal Clinic at the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School, which represented the plaintiffs in the case. Judge Michael Ricciuti found in a Dec. 21 decision that the interpretation of the law by Treasurer Deborah Goldbergs office, which administers the bonus, and the Veterans Bonus Appeal Board was erroneous as a matter of law, arbitrary and capricious. Lead plaintiff Jeffrey Machado said in a statement, What really matters to me is that other Massachusetts veterans will be recognized for their honorable service to our country. Its less about the bonus itself its about what it represents. Goldberg spokeswoman Chandra Allard said Goldbergs office is reviewing the decision and has not yet decided whether to appeal. Massachusetts offers veterans who served after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks a Welcome Home bonus as long as they receive an honorable discharge. The bonus is $1,000 for veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and $500 for those who served elsewhere for at least six months. Machado, Herik Espinoza and Washington Santos all served multiple tours of duty, but received other than honorable discharges from the final one. Goldbergs office and then the Veterans Bonus Appeal Board declined to pay the bonus. They cited the state law, which says the veteran must have been discharged under honorable conditions. The veterans argue that they were honorably discharged from their initial tours of duty, so they should receive the benefit for those tours. They also note that less than honorable discharges often stem from conduct related to mental or physical problems that come from military service, like post-traumatic stress disorder. All three served in Afghanistan and were diagnosed with PTSD, which they said led to their discharges. In his ruling, Ricciuti said the Appeal Board should have given the veterans the bonus for their initial tours of duty. He notes that if a veteran came home between tours and applied for the benefit from the initial tour, he would receive it, even if he later re-enlisted. It would be unjust, Ricciuti writes, to deny a benefit to someone who re-enlists from overseas and does not apply for the bonus until after his final tour of duty. Ricciuti wrote that it is up to the state board, not the military authority who grants the discharge, to decide who gets the Welcome Home Bonus. And he agreed with the veterans that the discharge form granting the other than honorable discharge only applied to the most recent tour of duty, not earlier tours. Riccuiti referred the case back to the Veterans Bonus Appeal Board to reconsider its decision in light of the ruling. Josh Mathew, one of the student attorneys in the Veterans Legal Clinic who represented the plaintiffs, said in a statement, These veterans went above and beyond. They volunteered for Army Special Operations or for deployments to Afghanistan, and this decision properly recognizes their sacrifices. WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Police are seeking the publics help as they work to identify a man suspected of stealing nearly $1,000 worth of power tools from a store located off Riverdale Street. Detective Michael Kennedy said the suspect entered the store at about 2:30 p.m. last Friday and stole two Milwaukee power drills valued at $299, an extra battery to power the drills worth $99 and a Milwaukee torque wrench valued at $199. The suspect concealed the items on his person, left the store and jumped into the passenger seat of a gray Ford-150 that may have had Rhode Island plates. Kennedy described the business as a big box store but declined to give its name. The male is a suspect in another larceny from a similar store, in Auburn. Police posted a surveillance image of the suspect on the departments Facebook page. Those with information are asked to call the West Springfield Police Department Detective Bureau at 413-263-3210 ext. 229 and reference Case #: 18-21455-OF. Air pollution from the region's power plants continued to decline in 2017, continuing a long-term trend, according to a new draft report from ISO New England. Across six states, nitrogen oxide emissions decreased by 6 percent, sulfur dioxide by 11 percent and carbon dioxide by 7 percent over 2016 levels, according to the entity's annual electric generator air emissions report. Total generation was down by 3 percent, reflecting an overall drop in demand for electricity. A smaller portion of the power was generated by fossil fuels, and more by renewables. ISO New England is the "independent system operator" that runs the region's wholesale power markets. The emissions report, released earlier this month, comes as New England continues to see rapid change in its power mix. For instance, in 2017, Brayton Point, the massive 1,500-megawatt coal plant in Somerset, closed for good. Two remaining coal plants in New Hampshire face an uncertain future. Pilgrim Nuclear Station in Plymouth is due to shut down in 2019, removing 680 megawatts of capability -- enough to power 600,000 homes. Two other nuclear plants remain -- Millstone in Connecticut and Seabrook in New Hampshire. The two atomic energy plants recently won "zero-carbon" energy contracts with Connecticut utilities. Separately, Massachusetts plans to procure 3,200 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035, which could provide a fifth of the state's energy. One project, the 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind, hopes to start construction in 2019. Massachusetts also has launched incentives for 1,600 megawatts of new solar capacity across the state. The new ISO New England report contains some interesting data. While coal generation fell by 870 gigawatt hours in 2017, utility-scale solar and wind increased by 995 gigawatt hours, more than making up for the loss. Still, 48 percent of the region's electricity was generated by natural gas, and 31 percent by nuclear power. Coal and oil each represented only 1 percent. Wind, solar, hydro, and other renewables made up the difference. In fact, power sourced hydro generation grew 15 percent over the year in New England, with solar and wind up 31 percent. The numbers showed a spike in petroleum oil use for power generation during December 2017, when a deep cold snap caused wholesale natural gas prices to soar. ISO New England has been tracking the power sector emissions numbers since 2001. Since that year, the sector has seen a near-eradication of sulfur dioxide emissions, a three-quarters drop in nitrogen dioxide and a one-third cut in carbon dioxide emissions. The fact that the power sector has grown cleaner now leaves transportation as the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts. Although U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has yet to officially enter the White House race, Massachusetts political observers cast the Democrats formation of an exploratory committee as the latest telltale sign that shes running in 2020. Warren announced Monday that she will formally explore a presidential run -- a legal mechanism which will allow the 2020 contender to fundraise and secure support for a possible campaign before formally throwing her hat into the ring. Candy Glazer, the outgoing Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee chairwoman, said she was not surprised to see Warren announce the formation of an exploratory committee, arguing that its become standard protocol for many presidential contenders in recent election cycles. I think the message is out. I think today is the informal drop. ... I think this is just symbolic: Its turning to a new year, 2019. I think the timing is great," she said in an interview. New Years Eve, its a new beginning, its a new candidacy. I actually think this is perfect. And why not be the first? Dont be coy. Contending that many people -- especially Massachusetts Democrats -- are very happy today, Glazer said shes personally excited to see Warren focus on the White House. The Longmeadow Democrat, who stressed that shes on Team Warren 2020," argued that the senator has a special bond with Western Massachusetts -- the home of her 2012 state party convention nomination and a famous debate with Republican incumbent Scott Brown. I think people are excited, shes got a tremendous, tremendous base here -- that goes for the entire state, not just here in Western Massachusetts, she said. Although, I think here in Western Massachusetts we do have a very special bond with Elizabeth Warren -- she is here all the time. Shes had a very active district office here. Shes part of the community. ... I think a think a lot of people are very happy today. Glazer said she expects a formal campaign announcement to come pretty soon. Warren tweeted Monday that shell announce a decision early in the new year. Ill announce a decision early in the new year, but heres one thing I know: I cant do this alone. This has always been a grassroots campaign, powered by 1.8m grassroots donations all across the country. This isnt my fight, its our fight. Join us now: https://t.co/BNl2I1m8OX Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) December 31, 2018 Springfield-based political strategist Tony Cignoli agreed that rumored presidential candidates, like Warren, dont go through the trouble of setting up exploratory committees and sending former staffers out to key primary states unless theyre serious about the White House. This is more than an exploratory committee, shes in and shes running, he said in an interview. Thats why you do this early, you try to make it clear to the other candidates that youre a significant player -- Youre in this to run and win. Warren, who ended 2018 with more than $12 million in the bank, is expected to use the exploratory committee to ramp up her high-dollar fundraising as she mulls a possible presidential bid. The growing use of exploratory committees in recent cycles has allowed contenders to hire operatives and court donors outside the gaze of the Federal Election Commission and other potential challengers. Cignoli offered that while federal law bars candidates actively running for two different federal offices from transferring money between their separate campaign accounts, there is so much that you can do with your exploratory (committee) that will benefit the campaign itself. Certainly its separate accounts, but the money, the time, the energy that you put into the exploratory its very much like being in the early stages of an actual, full-blown campaign, he said. Because what youre doing already is hiring operatives; youre putting people on the ground who are making phone calls to get you commitments from potential delegates, superdelegates from the activists who are out there in the key states. It allows you to do an awful lot of work that would just be early regular presidential work anyway. You differentiate the money, but its hard to differentiate the activity. Cignoli further argued that exploratory committees offer potential candidates a little bit more wiggle room as to where (their) moneys coming from, who its coming from. It allows you to keep a little bit close to the vest -- or secret -- who some of your support team is going to be, he said. The other thing that it does is it allows potential supporters to be with you who may not want other campaigns to know that theyre there. Warren, whose campaign officials are expected to meet in Cambridge Tuesday, reported a cash balance of $12.5 million in wake of her 2018 U.S. Senate re-election -- a cycle in which the senator repeatedly raised an average of about $1 million per month. The senators ability to draw down large fundraising amounts could give her an edge over other Democrats who are reportedly eyeing 2020 runs. Such fundraising prowess will be needed to compete against President Donald Trump, who announced his re-election bid shortly after being sworn in to office. The Republican incumbent reported a $35 million cash balance for his 2020 re-election bid as of Sept. 30. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel argued that if Warren officially enters the 2020 fray, Americans will see her for what she is: another extreme far-left obstructionist and a total fraud." Voters know President Trumps agenda gets results and they will make their voices heard at the ballot box in 2020, she said in a statement. The Red Sox have agreed to re-sign reliever Carson Smith to a minor-league deal, a source confirmed Sunday night. Smiths deal will include an invite to major-league camp. The return of Smith is a bit of a surprising move for the Red Sox, who outrighted him off the 40-man roster in November after a tumultuous season from the righty. Smith, who made 18 early-season appearances out of the bullpen, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in mid-June after hurting himself throwing his glove in anger a month earlier. Smith, who the Red Sox acquired in a trade with Seattle at the 2015 winter meetings, has been limited to just 23.2 innings over three seasons with Boston due to injury. He underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2016, causing him to miss most of the 2016 and 2017 seasons before returning for the beginning of 2018. Smith, 29, will have another chance to contribute to the Sox' big-league bullpen if he proves hes healthy in spring training. Hes the latest on a growing list of veteran arms the Red Sox have added on non-guaranteed deals recently, along with Erasmo Ramirez, Zach Putnam and Ryan Weber. Smith was extremely successful in two seasons with the Mariners before the trade, posting a 2.07 ERA and 11.7 K/9 in 78.1 innings in 2014 and 2015. by Melynda Fuller , December 31, 2018 After revealing that writer Claas Relotius, who has won Germanys Reporterpreis award four times, had fabricated much of the reporting hed done for the publication, Der Spiegel has suspended two of its senior editors. According to The Wrap, the outlet issued a memo announcing the suspension of editor-in-chief Ullrich Fichtner and chief editor Matthias Geyer. They will remain with the publication until it has completed an internal investigation around Relotius and the claims of fabrication. advertisement advertisement The story revealing Relotiuss fraudulent reporting was a 7,300 word Der Spiegel feature called In This Small Town, which examined Fergus Falls, Minnesota, and posited a supposed snapshot of small-town rural America and its Trump supporters. Relotius is also accused of invented events, dialogue and people in stories ranging from war orphans in Syria to an inmate at Guantanamo Bay. The memo, written by Der Spiegels Steffen Klusmann, questions the ability of Fichtner and Geyer to remain in their jobs. He wrote: The first discovered it for Der Spiegel, the second hired him and was until recently his superior. We could now hold to account anyone who has dealt with Mr. Relotius, and that could continue up to the top of the hierarchy. On December 23, Der Spiegel reported it would also file a criminal complaint against Relotius, following allegations he may have embezzled donations collected for Syrian street children. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, December 31, 2018 Google Featured Snippets now can link to the exact content from a query to serve up from a search. Its only available on content from mobile sites using Accelerated Mobile Pages, an open source initiative to promote faster load times. When the Featured Snippet links to an AMP article, Google will scroll the user down to the answer in the orange highlighted section. It could bring up an interesting dilemma for advertising. It could mean a higher percentage of advertisements on publisher sites get overlooked because Google will scroll the person searching for the content right past the ad and to the content. A snack bar at the bottom of the window also tells users they are Scrolled to section and provides a Go to top shortcut. The highlight and snack bar automatically disappears after a few seconds, according to one report. advertisement advertisement For now, Google limited questions that offer an AMP highlight to shorter queries that can be directly answered, such as What is the advantage of AMP? or What is the use of a VPN? Those direct answers could be used to leverage voice queries on Assistant and Home speakers, but also could cause publishers headaches when the site visitor lands on AMP-supported content. New research, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, suggests that a genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes may be a cause of erectile dysfunction. Share on Pinterest New research finds evidence that erectile dysfunction and type 2 diabetes are genetically linked. Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects approximately 30 million adults in the United States. There are several risk factors, including older age, being overweight, and being a smoker. Having certain other conditions , such as diabetes, some types of cardiovascular disease, and chronic liver disease, can also predispose someone to ED. For instance, the risk of developing ED is two to three times higher in people with type 2 diabetes than in those without the condition, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). So far, the evidence supporting the link between type 2 diabetes and ED has only been observational, meaning that researchers could not establish causality. However, a new study strengthens the link between the two conditions and confirms that a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes can lead to ED. The findings also add to the mounting evidence that certain genetic locations are associated with ED. Anna Murray, an associate professor at the University of Exeter Medical School, and Professor Michael Holmes, of the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford both in the United Kingdom led the new research. The next iPhone is expected to have advanced mobile photography that has been tipped to generate excitement amongst users. The 2019 iPhones are expected to follow the same design as the current generation but have some neat camera features. MensXP According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is working with Sony to include a long distance 3D camera. This new lens is expected to change smartphone photography game and will also result in better security and gaming. Bloomberg spoke to Sony directly to get this information so the source couldn't have been better. Cameras revolutionized phones, and based on what I've seen, I have the same expectation for 3D [cameras], said Satoshi Yoshihara, head of Sony's sensor division, when speaking with Bloomberg. YouTube Bloomberg revealed Apple's plans for this new camera sensor and Sony subsequently confirmed the commercial availability of the lens. According to Yoshihara and Sony, both the front and rear-facing 3D cameras will be ready in 2019 and kick off mass production in late summer to meet demand. The 3D cameras will basically use Time of Flight technology that will send out invisible laser pulses and measure the time before it bounces back to build 3d models of objects up to five meters away. Source: Bloomberg WASHINGTON - After pledging for years to construct a solid wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to combat illegal immigration, President Donald Trump appears to be backing away from that promise as he and his allies play down what the administration wants built - alternately referring to the planned wall as a fence, a "steel slat barrier" or a metaphor for border security. The shift marks a tacit acknowledgment of retreat by the White House on one of its signature issues as it faces the reality of divided government in the new year and a partial government shutdown that is in its second week. Trump has already altered his long-standing pledge that Mexico would pay for the wall, claiming earlier this month that a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada would cover the cost "just by the money we save," a notion dismissed by experts and for which the White House has offered no explanation. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a leader of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, defended the president on Monday, saying Trump "has embraced a number of options for border barriers," including a concrete wall in certain areas and steel slats or fencing in others. "All have been considered as part of the solution," he said. Trump has been sensitive to any criticism from his supporters, including in conservative media, that he is softening his stance on the wall, and some are saying they are concerned about any move away from building a solid barrier on the border. "I absolutely want to build a wall in the sense that the president has described it all throughout the campaign and in the sense that I've described it in all of my 16 years in Congress," said Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, an immigration hard-liner. "Wherever there's a wall built, it's been effective." The debate over what constitutes a wall comes as Trump and Republican leadership are at odds with congressional Democrats on the issue of border security, with the impasse leading to a partial government shutdown that is unlikely to be resolved until Thursday at the earliest, when the new Congress convenes and Democrats take control of the House. A Trump-backed spending bill passed by House Republicans on Dec. 20 included more than $5 billion in border-security funding that could be spent on a wall, but that measure has not gained traction in the Senate, where Democrats are resisting the president's demand. On Monday, the president disputed an assertion by his outgoing chief of staff, John Kelly, that the White House has jettisoned plans for a concrete wall, claiming that the idea was "NEVER ABANDONED." In morning tweets, Trump sought to blame the media for the discrepancy and said he still envisions an "all concrete" wall in some areas but that a "see through" barrier at the U.S.-Mexican border would be more appropriate in other areas based on what he's been told by "experts at Border Patrol. "Makes sense to me!" he added. In an interview published Sunday in the Los Angeles Times, Kelly was quoted saying that the current White House plan for a barrier is "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." During his presidential campaign, Trump made his plans to build a "beautiful" solid border wall a central part of his platform. "Did you ever see precast plank, for parking garages?" Trump said in Derry, New Hampshire, in August 2015, at the first town hall of his campaign. "So, you take precast plank. It comes 30 feet long, 40 feet long, 50 feet long . . . And you do a beautiful, nice precast plank with beautiful everything. Just perfect." A year later, at a campaign rally in Kissimmee, Florida, Trump again referenced "concrete plank." "Precast, right? Precast. Boom. Bing. Done. Keep going," Trump said. A feature of his campaign rallies - both as a candidate and as president - has been crowds chanting "build the wall." After being elected president, Trump's rhetoric on the wall changed to include the possibility of see-through portions. Trump explained that border agents had advised him that they need to be able to see who is on the other side of the wall; he also claimed that transparent sections would help ensure that Americans near the border would not be hit by "large sacks of drugs" thrown over by criminals. Earlier this month, Trump further shifted his stance, arguing in a tweet that "we are not building a Concrete Wall, we are building artistically designed steel slats." What has changed most in recent days is that an increasing number of Trump allies have openly suggested that the White House may not be wedded to the idea of a concrete wall at all as it seeks to negotiate the end of the shutdown. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of Trump's close confidants, on Sunday said the president is seeking "a physical barrier along the border in places that make sense," asserting that "the wall has become a metaphor for border security." "In the past, every Democrat has voted for these physical barriers," Graham told reporters outside the White House after a lunch meeting with Trump. "It can't be just about 'because Trump wants it we no longer agree with it.'" And during a television interview Sunday, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway chided Trump critics for focusing on the word "wall." "It is a silly, semantic argument because people who just want to say 'wall, wall, wall' want it to be a four-letter word," she said on "Fox News Sunday." "There may be a wall at some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements." Trump has previously chafed at the suggestion that he has changed his views on the border wall. In January 2017, Kelly drew Trump's ire by telling congressional Democrats the president had "evolved" on the wall and was not "fully informed" when he made it a campaign issue. Trump then responded on Twitter to news reports about Kelly's remarks, writing: "The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it." Some immigration hard-liners argue that the construction materials matter less than whether there are physical barriers along the border, and that Trump is unlikely to face a backlash among his base. "There may be some risk. I don't think it's that significant," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a think tank that supports tighter controls on immigration. "I don't think people were cheering at these rallies or going to the polls because of the specific construction material for these border barriers." King warned of trying to conflate other border security proposals with Trump's promise of a wall. He said that even fencing was inadequate for security needs along the border and that surveillance and other technology, as well as additional border agents, would be insufficient because ultimately, they're operated by humans. "Walls don't have prosecutorial discretion," King said. He argued that some of Trump's recent comments had undermined his push to secure wall funding. In his Oval Office meeting a few weeks ago with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Trump said he would take the blame for any shutdown. Then, in a Christmas Day appearance in which he blamed Democrats for the shutdown, Trump described the border barrier as "a wall or fence, whatever they'd like to call it." "Both of those verbal statements have now been used to undermine the commitment for the wall," King said. The White House press office did not return a request for comment to explain the administration's messaging. In an interview with Fox News Monday, Trump said funding for a wall, without specifying what that means, needed to be part of any deal to end the shutdown. "A lot of people are looking to get their paycheck, so I'm ready to go whenever they want," he said of Democrats. "No, we are not giving up. We have to have border security and the wall is a big part of border security. The biggest part." Democrats have seized on the inconsistent messaging from the Trump administration. "People around the president are trying to put a brave face on it and reverse-engineer a strategy from tweets, but that's not going to solve this shutdown," Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said Monday. Pelosi has mocked Trump's shifting demands, recently claiming that the president's wall had transformed into "a beaded curtain." The lack of a unified message from the White House also raises another problem, said Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va.: "Who do you negotiate with, who can agree to a deal and make it stick?" He added: "There's no reliable individual or sets of individuals in this White House, including the president. His word is good for about five minutes. And so, it is a problem." - - - The Washington Post's Erica Werner and David Weigel contributed to this report. KABUL, Afghanistan -- Fourteen American service members were killed in Afghanistan in 2018 as the longest war in U.S. history began its 18th year in October. All but one fatality was combat-related. Relatively few of the 14,000 U.S. troops deployed to Afghanistan go into combat or serve near the front lines, as they assist NATO's training and advising mission. However, some do work within a separate U.S. counterterrorism mission that targets groups like al-Qaida and the local Islamic State affiliate. Many of the service members who died in Afghanistan this year were from elite units. The deadliest single incident occurred in November, when four troops were killed by a roadside bomb in central Ghazni province. One of the four, Army Sgt. Jason M. McClary, died after being evacuated to Germany for medical treatment. Another, Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, was the first airman to die in combat in Afghanistan since 2015. About 2,400 American military personnel have been killed since the war began in 2001. Army Special Forces Sgt. 1st Class Mihail Golin, 34, was killed in a New Year's Day firefight in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province. Golin, of Fort Lee, N.J., was assigned to the Fort Carson, Colo.-based B Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group. The weapons sergeant was born in Latvia and moved to the U.S. in 2004. He enlisted in the Army in 2005. He was on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan when he was killed. He received the Purple Heart with one oak leaf cluster, an Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and an Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, among others. Army Spc. Gabriel D. Conde, 22, of Loveland, Colo., was killed by small arms fire on April 30, during a firefight in Kapisa province. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska. Conde's family said he had a calling to be a warrior. "I feel very proud of who he is," his mother Donna Conde told Denver's Fox 31 after her son's death. "He is the kind of son any mother would be proud to have." Among his awards and honors were a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star with valor, which were awarded posthumously for battlefield heroism. Army Cpl. Joseph Maciel, 20, was killed in an apparent insider attack in Tirin Kot district in Uruzgan province on July 7. Originally from South Gate, Calif., Maciel was assigned to the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade. Maciel served in the Army for two years and was assigned to Fort Benning, Ga. He was described as a soldier beloved by his colleagues and dedicated to the mission. His decorations include the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Andrew Celiz, 32, died of a wound sustained while evacuating an injured Afghan soldier in eastern Paktia province on July 12. The mortar platoon sergeant was from Summerville, S.C., and was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. Regiment commander Col. Brandon Tegtmeier described Celiz as "a national treasure who led his Rangers with passion, competence and an infectiously positive attitude no matter the situation." Celiz was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star and a Meritorious Service Medal. Green Beret Staff Sgt. Reymund Rarogal Transfiguracion, 36, from Waikoloa, Hawaii, died on Aug. 8 from improvised explosive device wounds received the day before while on patrol in southern Helmand province. Transfiguracion was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. He was posthumously promoted to sergeant first class and awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Meritorious Service Medal. Transfiguracion was described by his fellow soldiers as a dynamic leader and trusted professional. He is survived by his wife and two children, a son and a daughter. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Bolyard, 42, was killed by an insider attack at a forward operating base in eastern Logar province on Sept. 3. Originally from Thornton, W. Va., Bolyard was described as a soldier who always kept his cool under pressure. He was a senior noncommissioned officer in 3rd Squadron, 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade, at Fort Benning, Ga., and received six Bronze Star medals, including two with valor, during a 24-year career and seven deployments. Bolyard is survived by his wife and three children. Army Staff Sgt. Diobanjo S. Sanagustin, 32, died from a noncombat injury at Bagram Air Field on Sept. 4. The native of National City, Calif., joined the Army as an infantryman in 2007. He deployed three times -- to Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. He was a squad leader in Bravo Company. "He made a lasting impact on the Manchu formation and we will forever cherish his memory," said Lt. Col. David Uthlaut, commander of 4th Battalion. Sanagustin's awards and decorations include two Army Commendation Medals, seven Army Achievement Medals, two Iraq Campaign Medals with campaign star and the Expert Infantryman's Badge. Army Spc. James A. Slape, 23, of Morehead City, N.C., was killed by an IED blast in southern Helmand province on Oct. 4. He was posthumously promoted to sergeant. At the time of his death, Slape was clearing an area of explosives. Slape was assigned to the 430th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, 60th Troop Command, North Carolina Army National Guard, based in Washington, N.C. "We honor his courage, his selfless service," said Maj. Gen. Greg Lusk, North Carolina National Guard adjutant. U.S. Army National Guard Maj. Brent Taylor, 39, was killed during an insider attack in Kabul on Nov. 3. Taylor was the mayor of North Ogden, Utah at the time of his death. He had a "profound influence" on the community, according to a statement by the local government. "He was the best of men with the ability to see potential and possibility in everything around him," the statement said. "We feel blessed to have had him as our mayor." Taylor served twice in Iraq as a convoy security commander and then as an adviser to the Iraqi intelligence agency. He had previously deployed to Afghanistan as a combat advisor to the Afghan Border Police. He is survived by his wife and seven children. Army Sgt. Leandro A.S. Jasso, 25, was mortally wounded during a firefight with al-Qaida forces in western Nimruz province on Nov. 24. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment and was on his third deployment to Afghanistan. Jasso enlisted in the Army in 2012 and became an accomplished soldier completing the Basic Airborne Course, earning the Combat Infantryman's Badge and the Ranger tab. "Sgt. Hasso was a humble professional who placed mission first, lived the Ranger Creed and will be deeply missed," said Lt. Col. Rob McChrystal, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. From left, Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Michael Emond, Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, Army Capt. Andrew Patrick Ross. (DoD) Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, 25, was killed by a roadside bomb in central Ghazni province on Nov. 27, an attack that claimed the lives of three other U.S. service members. Elchin, of Hookstown, Pa., was the only airman killed in Afghanistan in 2018 and was on his first deployment. He was a combat controller assigned to the 26th Special Tactics Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. Elchin was described by his family as a daredevil who was driven to succeed in the Air Force. He was planning to marry his fiancee when he finished his deployment. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Air Force Commendation Medal and Air Force Combat Action Medal. "He's the whole family's hero," said his brother, Aaron. Army Capt. Andrew Patrick Ross, 29, was killed by a roadside bomb in central Ghazni province on Nov. 27, an attack that claimed the lives of three other U.S. service members. Ross, of Lexington, Va., was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C. The West Point graduate had more than seven years of service in the Army and was on his second overseas tour. Ross' wife, Felicia, called him "the most perfect man, love of my life." His honors and decorations include two Bronze Star Medals, a Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the National Defense Service Medal, among others. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Michael Emond, 39, was killed by a roadside bomb in central Ghazni province on Nov. 27, an attack that claimed the lives of three other U.S. service members. The Boston native, had served more than two decades in the Army and Marine Corps and was on his seventh overseas tour when he died. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal. A husband and father of three young girls from Brush Prairie, Wash., Emond was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, N.C. He helped found Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, which supports veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan and Gold Star families from his home state. "He was the bedrock of the organization," Dan Magoon, the foundation's executive director, said. Army Sgt. Jason Mitchell McClary, 24, of Export, Pa., died on Dec. 2 in Landstuhl, Germany, from wounds sustained during a roadside bomb attack in Afghanistan's central Ghazni province. Three other U.S. troops were killed by the blast. McClary, an infantryman, was assigned to 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo. "He epitomizes what it is to be a professional, a warrior and a soldier," McClary's regimental commander Lt. Col. Christopher Roberts said. McClary's awards and decorations include two Purple Heart medals, three Army Commendation Medals, including one with valor and one for combat, among others. He is survived by his wife and two sons. Charles E. "Charlie" Summers, Jr., a former Maine Republican politician and Navy reserve captain, has been named as the new chief spokesman for the Pentagon, replacing Dana White, who held the post under outgoing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. In a one-sentence announcement Monday, the Pentagon's office of press affairs said Summers "will be the Acting Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs beginning 1 January" to serve as the principal media assistant to Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan. The replacement of White, who had a sometimes testy relationship with Pentagon reporters, had been expected since Mattis announced his resignation on Dec. 20. Summers had been serving as Principal Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. Shanahan, the Deputy Defense Secretary and No. 2 at the Pentagon, was President Donald Trump's choice to serve as Acting Secretary until a permanent successor is nominated. Shanahan's appointment as Acting Secretary was to take effect at midnight Monday. In a message post to Twitter Monday, White said "I appreciate the opportunity afforded to me by this administration to serve alongside Secretary Mattis, our service members and all the civilians who support them. It has been my honor and privilege. Stay safe and God bless." White was previously a staffer at the Senate Armed Services Committee, and was an advisor to Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, during his unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2008. In August, she reportedly came under investigation by the Pentagon's Inspector General, allegedly for having aides run personal errands, according to CNN. Summers, a businessman and an aide to former Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, is a former state senator from Maine who ran unsuccessfully several times for a House seat from Maine. In 2012, he ran for the Maine Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Snowe, but lost to Sen. Angus King, an Independent. Summers has been a public affairs officer in the Navy reserve since 1995 and currently holds the rank of Captain. He was called up following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and later served in Iraq and Afghanistan. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. On his final day in office, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued a pointed but brief farewell to the troops Monday, urging them to "keep the faith" despite the break with President Donald Trump that forced his hasty departure. "Our Department is proven to be at its best when the times are most difficult," Mattis said in the three-paragraph statement that hit on the theme he stressed earlier this month in his letter of resignation -- the commitment to work with allies to protect the nation's national security interests. "So keep the faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes," the 68-year-old Mattis said in a farewell that follows more than 40 years in uniform as a Marine and nearly two years as Defense secretary. "It has been my high honor to serve at your side," Mattis said. "May God hold you safe in the air, on land, and at sea." At the White House earlier this month, Mattis handed Trump his letter of resignation a day after the president on Dec. 19 announced that the estimated 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria would be withdrawn. In a series of Tweets before Mattis' farewell was posted Monday, Trump hit back against the retired "failed generals" who had criticized the withdrawal and questioned his fitness to be commander-in-chief. Trump said that "I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do!" Trump did not name the "failed generals," but his Twitter posts followed the scathing criticism aimed at him Sunday by retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal in an interview on ABC-TV's "This Week" program Sunday. McChrystal called Trump "immoral" and said potential successors to Mattis should consider whether they would have to compromise their own principles to serve under him. In his letter of resignation, Mattis offered to stay on at the Pentagon until Feb. 28 to ensure a smooth transition and give Trump time to consider a replacement but Trump ordered him out by Jan. 1. Trump announced that Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive and the No. 2 at the Pentagon, would assume Mattis' duties and serve as Acting Secretary until the formal announcement of the nomination of a replacement. Shanahan was to take over as acting secretary at midnight Monday in a conference call that will include Mattis, Pentagon officials said Friday. Both Mattis and Shanahan have thus far avoided saying anything for the record on the transition, but Mattis in the past has been fulsome in his praise of Shanahan's work ethic and ability to stand in for him when he was out of town, despite Shanahan's inexperience in military and foreign affairs. Shanahan's ability to perform in the new role quickly will be tested in what is likely to be a contentious series of Congressional hearings scheduled for January and the presentation of the Pentagon's budget, slated for February. Through the Office of Management and Budget, Trump initially proposed 5 percent cuts to all government agencies in an effort to trim the deficit, but he has since shown willingness to increase the current $716 billion defense budget to possibly $750 billion. That proposal may encounter opposition in a Democratic-controlled House. It is unclear whether Shanahan is under consideration for a permanent post as defense secretary; Trump professed in a series of tweets last week there is an abundance of candidates for the job. "I'll say that I've got everybody -- everybody and his uncle wants that position," Trump said. "And also, by the way, everybody and her aunt -- just so I won't be criticized for that last statement." From the start of their relationship following Trump's election victory in November 2016, there were signs Trump and Mattis had policy differences. When Trump introduced Mattis as his Defense Secretary nominee at his Bedminster, New Jersey, estate in December 2016, Trump said Mattis talked him out of the use of torture to extract information from terror suspects. He said Mattis told him that he could get more out of a terror suspect with "a beer and a pack of cigarettes" than using torture. Mattis has not gone on record on whether there were other policy differences, but his Dec. 20 letter of resignation made clear that he disagree with the Syria withdrawal decision. "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 partnership," Mattis said in what seemed to be a clear reference to Trump's frequent criticisms of NATO allies and South Korea for failing to pay more for mutual defense. Mattis said the U.S. derived strength from the NATO alliance, and "NATO's 29 democracies demonstrated that strength in their commitment to fighting alongside us following the 9-11 attack on America. The Defeat-ISIS coalition of 74 nations is further proof." "Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position," Mattis said. The letter was possibly most compelling for what it didn't say. Mattis left out the usual thank you to the president for the opportunity to serve, traditionally found in high-level resignations from the federal government. Many former diplomats and retired military officers have lined up behind Mattis and criticized what they call Trump's go-it-alone strategy for national defense, adding that it is a reversal of policy the U.S. has held since World War II. Richard Haas, a former State Department envoy who now serves as president of the Council on Foreign Relations said on Twitter last week that Mattis' resignation added to the chaos in the Middle East, brought on by Trump's policy to limit U.S. engagement. "Israeli airstrikes in Syria, Saudi continuation of the war in Yemen, Turkey preparing to attack Syrian Kurds,[Syrian President Bashar] Assad in power and ISIS anything but defeated, Iran expanding its regional reach, Russia the most influential external power: welcome to the post-American Middle East," Haas said. Trump on Monday dismissed the critics. In a Tweet, the president said: "I am the only person in America who could say that, 'I'm bringing our great troops back home, with victory,' and get BAD press. It is Fake News and Pundits who have FAILED for years that are doing the complaining. If I stayed in Endless Wars forever, they would still be unhappy!" The praise for Mattis from the retired military ranks was not universal. Some wondered why he waited nearly two years before stepping down in protest of Trump's use of the military. "At the end of the day, Mattis was a good Marine but what America needed was a good Secretary of Defense" on a range of issues, said retired Army Lt. Col. Jason Dempsey, who served two tours in Afghanistan. Dempsey, an adjunct senior fellow of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security. added that Mattis demeaned himself by backing Trump's decision to maintain business as usual with Saudi Arabia despite the murder of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi and by supporting "our frivolous deployment of troops to the border." In his farewell message, Mattis pointed to the constancy of leadership at the Pentagon and warned troops against being distracted from their duties by the political backbiting in Washington. "Our Department's leadership, civilian and military, remains in the best possible hands," he said. "I am confident that each of you remains undistracted from our sworn mission to support and defend the Constitution while protecting our way of life." The first paragraph of Mattis' message quoted Abraham Lincoln on the need for the military to avoid distractions that hinder its operations. "On Feb. 1, 1865, President Lincoln sent to General Ulysses S. Grant a one-sentence telegram. It read: Let nothing which is transpiring change, hinder or delay your military movements or plans," Mattis said in the message. During the transition from Mattis to Shanahan, the military continued its commitment to alliances. Last week, the Navy announced that the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, including troops of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, entered the 6th Fleet's area of operations in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In a statement, Col. Michael Perez, 22nd MEU commander, said "we look forward to training with allied and partner military forces while also providing versatile, amphibious response options to our combatant commanders as we face myriad global challenges." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis released his farewell letter to the troops and Department of Defense employees on Monday, affirming his support of their duties and confidence in their work. Mattis will officially turn over his authorities to Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan at 11:59 Monday evening. Shanahan will serve as acting secretary until a replacement is named, department officials said Friday. In his farewell, Mattis quoted a telegram from President Abraham Lincoln to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. The entire content of the Mattis's memorandum to all Department of Defense employees is here: MEMORANDUM FOR ALL DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EMPLOYEES SUBJECT: Farewell Message On February 1, 1865, President Lincoln sent to General Ulysses S. Grant a one sentence telegram. It read: "Let nothing which is transpiring, change, hinder, or delay your military movements, or plans." Our Department's leadership, civilian and military, remains in the best possible hands. I am confident that each of you remains undistracted from our sworn mission to support and defend the Constitution while protecting our way of life. Our Department is proven to be at its best when the times are most difficult. So keep the faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes. It has been my high honor to serve at your side. May God hold you safe in the air, on land, and at sea. James N. Mattis Retired Army Maj. Gen James Grazioplene is scheduled to stand trial in late April in civilian court for allegedly raping his daughter in the late 1980s. Grazioplene's court date has been set for April 29 in Prince William County General District Court, according to the Associated Press. The 69-year-old two-star general, who retired from the Army in 2005, remains in custody at the Prince William - Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center, jail officials told Military.com on Monday. A Prince William County judge denied Grazioplene's bail request at a Dec. 20 hearing two weeks after he was arrested on Dec. 7. A Virginia grand jury indicted Grazioplene on three counts of rape and three counts of incest against his daughter between Aug. 1, 1987 and May 31, 1988, according to the Dec. 3 indictment documents. Military.com tried to contact Grazioplene's lawyers, Thomas Pavlinic and John Irving, for comment on the upcoming trial but did not receive a reply by press time. In 2017, the Army charged Grazioplene with violating Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice with six specifications of rape of a minor on multiple occasions between 1983 and 1989, according to the Washington Post. The Army dismissed the case in March after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces ruled there should be a five-year statute of limitations on rape charges, Army Times reported. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. -- Joseph V. Micallef is a best-selling military history and world affairs author, and keynote speaker. Follow him on Twitter @JosephVMicallef. "The Arctic is the only theater of operations where the U.S. Navy is outclassed by a peer competitor. Russian surface warships have demonstrated the ability to carry out complex combined operations in the High North, while the American Navy maintains a policy that only submarines operate above the Bering Strait." -- Andrew Holland, chief operating officer at the American Security Project. Historically, the Arctic Ocean has not been a significant military theater of operations for the United States. At the height of the Cold War, U.S. and Soviet ballistic missile submarines hid below the polar ice cap while hunter-killer submarines searched relentlessly for them. Both sides maintained early warning networks defended by Arctic brigades steeled for the cold, inhospitable polar climate, and both sides maintained regular anti-submarine warfare and bomber patrols over the region. Militarily, however, the Arctic's significance was that it represented the shortest flight path for each side's intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear armed intercontinental bombers in the event of a nuclear conflict. In recent years, marked temperature increases across the Arctic have steadily diminished the extent and thickness of the polar ice cap. Most years, the northeast passage across Russia's Arctic seas can be utilized for two to three months of the year; even longer with the appropriate heavy ice breaker accompaniment. Canada's northwest passage has less infrastructure, is shallower and prone to being clogged by ice compared with the northeast passage, but it too has seen a limited increase of commercial traffic. With the prospect of Arctic warming continuing, the Arctic Ocean and its periphery is emerging as a theater of Russian/American military rivalry. Moreover, China, which is not an Arctic state, has adopted a self-styled description as a "near-Arctic state" and has announced that it sees itself as, "an important stakeholder in Arctic affairs." In January 2018, a white paper that laid out Beijing's ambition to add a "Polar Silk Route" to its Belt and Road infrastructure development initiative noted that: "The utilization of sea routes and exploration and development of the resources in the Arctic may have a huge impact on the energy strategy and economic development of China." Beijing already has deployed a Ukrainian built icebreaker, the Xuelong, in the region, ostensibly for scientific research purposes. It has recently launched its first domestically built icebreaker, Xuelong 2, and has announced plans to build its first nuclear powered icebreaker. The latter will be the first nuclear powered surface ship in the Chinese Navy. Russia and the High North For Russia, the Arctic is a region that is deeply intertwined with its history, its strategic and security concerns, and with its self-image as a superpower. Russians were the first to systematically explore the Arctic regions. The first recorded Russian explorations of its northern coast date to the 11th century. Intrepid Russian explorers, over the next eight centuries, would extend their discoveries across the breadth of Siberia and the Bering Strait, in the process laying claim to Siberia, Alaska and the Aleutians. By the early 19th century, Russia had created the nucleus of an Arctic-Pacific empire that extended from the Barents Sea to Alaska, northern California and even Hawaii. Russia's transpacific ambitions proved short lived. It soon abandoned its settlements in California and the Hawaiian Islands and eventually sold Alaska to the U.S. It's Arctic ambitions, however, remained. Russia has roughly 20 percent of its land mass, or around 1.3 million square miles, north of the Arctic Circle. Canada has a comparable amount above the Arctic Circle, representing almost 40 percent of its land mass. Russia's Arctic region, however, has far more infrastructure than Canada's Arctic region, even if it is still poorly developed. Moreover, Russia has around two million inhabitants in its Arctic region, compared with only around 100,000 for Canada. For the Kremlin, Russia's Arctic region plays a twofold role: it represents a key element of its security and it is critical to its ongoing status as a major energy producer and, by extension, its continuing role as a major power. Historically, Russia's Arctic coast was too harsh and remote to pose a viable security threat. The prospect of a permanent Arctic sea route, especially given the fact that Russia's principal rivers run north to south, could transform Russia from a continental power into a maritime power but at the risk of creating a long maritime frontier it would need to defend. For Russia, Arctic sovereignty is intimately tied up with its existence both as a state and a major world power. The mineral and hydrocarbon bonanza that Arctic warming may open is seen by many Russians as a "second chance" to regain the global status that was lost with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Moreover, the Kremlin is looking to its Arctic hydrocarbon deposits to replace declining production in its existing oil and gas fields in order to maintain its role as a major energy exporter. Russia's Arctic Military Posture Since 2008, Russia's Arctic deployment has been described by the Pentagon as an "assertive force posture," one "characterized by constant military drilling" and "provocative air maneuvering." Russia maintains four fleets: Baltic, Pacific, Black Sea and Arctic (Northern Fleet). Headquartered in Severomorsk, near Murmansk, in the Kola Gulf on the Barents Sea, the Northern Fleet is the largest of the four Russian Navy fleets; comprising two-thirds of Russia's total naval power. Currently, it's estimated that the Northern Fleet has 80 ships, although it's not clear how many are operational. It includes 35 submarines and an assortment of surface ships, led by the Kirov-class battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy. Over the last decade, the Northern Fleet has been expanded and its operational effectiveness has been improved. It is still substantially smaller, however, than its Soviet predecessor. At its peak, the Soviet-era Red Banner Northern Fleet numbered more than 200 submarines and around 100 surface vessels. Starting in 2012, the Northern Fleet has regularly patrolled a 2,000 mile stretch of the northern sea route. More important, Russia operates a fleet of 40 icebreakers -- more ships than the rest of the world icebreaker fleet combined. The Russian fleet consists of six large nuclear-powered icebreakers, four of the Arktika class and two of the Taymyr class. The balance is smaller diesel-powered icebreakers. The Arktika class icebreakers date to the 1970s and 80s and are in the process of being replaced with newer, even larger, more powerful ships. In 2016, Moscow unveiled the newest ship in the LC-60YA class of nuclear-powered icebreakers. Also named Arktika, the new behemoth measures 569 feet long and 112 feet wide at the beam and cost approximately $1.9 billion to construct. The new icebreaker can cut through ice up to 10 feet thick. Since the ice pack in the Arctic Ocean averages between 6 and 10 feet thick, the Arktika can theoretically operate anywhere in the Arctic region during any time of the year. Currently, Russia has five more nuclear powered icebreakers under construction and has announced plans for six more, although given Moscow's current budget constraints some of the planned construction may be delayed. By comparison, Finland has seven icebreakers, Canada and Sweden each have six. The US has three icebreakers, only one of which, Polar Star, is a heavy icebreaker. A second heavy icebreaker, Polar Sea, suffered an engine fire in 2010 and is not deployable. The U.S. Coast Guard, which is tasked with operating America's icebreaker fleet, has plans to construct six more ice breakers, three heavy and three medium ships, at an average cost of around $1 billion apiece. The first ship, however, is not scheduled for delivery until 2023. The status of funding for the icebreaker program is unclear. Russia has unveiled a new Arctic command consisting of four Arctic brigade combat teams. A total of 14 Soviet-era airfields and six major military bases have been refurbished and are operational again. Most of the air power assets deployed in the region, however, are Soviet vintage MiG-25s (Foxbat) and MiG-31s (Foxhound). The air bases are protected by S-400 long-range surface to air missiles The strategic bombers that, intermittently, are used for patrol flights in Arctic airspace, primarily the Tu-95 (Bear) and the new supersonic Tu-160 (Blackjack), are deployed at Engels Air Base near Saratov in southern Russia. In addition, Russia has modernized 16 deepwater ports along the northern sea route. It has also established ten search and rescue facilities from Murmansk to Anadyr Bay, which are manned by Border Guard troops of the FSB, and which contain ten Mi-8c and Ka-27 helicopters, as well as an unspecified number of Il-76 and An-74s airplanes. An additional ten border posts, also manned by Border Guard units, have also been established. America's Arctic Deployment The U.S. has no major military bases north of the Arctic Circle. Thule Air Base, located in Greenland, approximately 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle, is the northernmost military base operated by the U.S. It provides missile warning, space surveillance and space control to North American Aerospace Defense Command and Air Force Space Command, and is manned by the 821st Air Base Group. Although the U.S. conducts regular ASW and bomber patrols over the Arctic, it is unlikely that it could establish and maintain air superiority over the region for a sustained period. Four of the five Arctic powers -- the US, Canada, Denmark and Norway -- are members of NATO. In recent years NATO has carried out several Arctic military exercises. The most recent, its largest to date, Trident Junction 18, was carried out in Norway and Iceland in October 2018. The U.S., however, lacks an integrated military command covering the Arctic region. Currently, responsibility for the Arctic region is divided between EUCOM, NORTHCOM and PACOM, none of which are focused on the Arctic region and all of which see that region as ancillary to their large military theaters of responsibility. In addition to the lack of icebreaker support, military and naval operations in the Arctic Ocean are complicated by a lack of logistical and support facilities in the region. Canada has announced plans to build a naval facility in Nanisivik on Baffin Island in the Arctic to protect the eastern entrance to the northwest passage. The facility is slated to be operation in the summer of 2019. In addition, Canada operates a radar facility on Resolution Island and a signals intelligence intercept facility in Alert, Nunavut. At 82N, the Alert facility is the northernmost inhabited place on Earth. Moreover, given that most navigational and communications satellites are in equatorial orbits, access to communications and navigational satellites is inconsistent. For now, the US Navy relies on submarines to conduct regular patrols in Arctic waters. It lacks the ability, however, to conduct sustained surface operations in the Arctic Ocean. Although, to be fair, the prospect of year around surface operations in the high Arctic are still several decades away. Polar Geopolitics: An Assessment The U.S. needs to prepare for the day when surface warships will need to operate for extended deployments in the Arctic Ocean. That mission will require access to naval bases above the Arctic Circle, a fleet of heavy icebreakers, improved access to navigational and communications satellites as well as backup supply and logistical capabilities. It will also require a broader troop deployment in the region. NATO is the logical organization to assume responsibility for the security of the Arctic region, since all non-Russian Arctic territory is controlled by existing NATO members. Currently, Russia is far better prepared to conduct surface operations, even if its military posture in the Russian Arctic is largely defensive and still far short of what was deployed in the region during Soviet times. Moreover, China, although not an Arctic nation, has signaled that it intends to play a role in Arctic affairs and that the region is an integral part of its broader Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. Polar politics are entering a new, more confrontational phase. The climate is not the only thing heating up in the Arctic. -- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. 4:54pm: Toronto will pay half of Richards $3MM salary, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com suggests. 4:15pm: Both teams have announced the trade. The Blue Jays are also getting cash considerations in the deal. 3:55pm: Richards going to Toronto, Nicholson-Smith tweets. The Blue Jays will give up minor leaguer outfielder Connor Panas, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The 25-year-old Panas, a Toronto native whom the Blue Jays chose in the ninth round of the 2015 draft, got his first taste of Double-A action last season and hit .232/.296/.359 with nine home runs in 407 plate appearances. 3:35pm: The Blue Jays are close to acquiring left-hander Clayton Richard from the Padres, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports. Richard has been in limbo since the Padres designated him for assignment on Dec. 20. The 35-year-old Richard has been a useful starter at times since his major league career began with the White Sox in 2008, but hes now coming off an ugly season. Over 158 2/3 innings and 27 starts in San Diego, Richard pitched to a 5.33 ERA/4.68 FIP with 6.13 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 before undergoing season-ending left knee surgery in late August. On the bright side, Richard posted an excellent groundball rate (56.8 percent), which has been a staple throughout his time in the majors. Needless to say, Richard whos owed a guaranteed $3MM in 2019, the last season of a two-year contract wouldnt be a particularly exciting acquisition for Toronto. If healthy, though, he could eat innings for a retooling Blue Jays team which may have multiple questions in its rotation next season. The Jays look to have four-fifths of their rotation set with Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Ryan Borucki and the just-signed Matt Shoemaker in the fold. However, Stroman has frequented trade rumors throughout the offseason, Sanchez battled injury and performance issues from 2017-18, and Shoemaker was neither healthy nor especially effective with the Angels over the previous couple years. The Diamondbacks have acquired left-hander Robby Scott from the Reds for cash, according to an announcement from Cincinnati. The Reds designated Scott for assignment on Dec. 21, ending a brief run with the club that began when it claimed him off waivers from the Red Sox on Dec. 10. The 29-year-old Scott racked up a solid chunk of innings in Boston in 2017, when he totaled 35 2/3 frames and put up a respectable 3.79 ERA with 7.82 K/9, 3.28 BB/9 and a 42.6 percent groundball rate. Scott only managed a 5.32 FIP that year, though, and was barely a factor last season for the Red Soxs World Series-winning team, with whom he threw a mere 6 2/3 innings and allowed six earned runs on 10 hits and five walks (with eight strikeouts). While Scott hasnt been that successful in the majors, he has recorded a 3.21 ERA with 9.1 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9 in 165 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level. Now a member of the Arizona organization, Scott will reunite with general manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo, who are both familiar with the hurler from their days with the Boston franchise. LANSING, MI -- Tomorrow, Michiganders lose the states highest-ranking nerd. Gov. Rick Snyder came out of the political hinterland in 2010 to sweep a Republican primary full of big names and later a general election by a large margin. On Tuesday he will vacate that office, handing it over to Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer. Whitmer won in part by campaigning hard in Flint and Detroit, cities that represent widely divergent results of Snyders approach to problem-solving that may become emblematic of his time in office. Snyder broke onto the publics radar in 2010 with a Super Bowl ad touting the moniker One Tough Nerd." He touted his business experience on his journey to the governors office, and is not shy about spending time in details and data. Throughout his tenure he seemed to sidestep partisan pushes, focusing far ahead on the states future while some pursued the here and now. And, never one for politicking, he seems unconcerned about what Michiganders think of him as he leaves office. Asked about whether he feared the Flint water crisis, in which citizens were poisoned by lead leaching into their water, would cloud his legacy, Snyder said no. I dont think about legacy, he told reporters asking about it at a term-end roundtable on Dec. 11. Thats not why I sought this position or the honor I have holding this position, Snyder said. But in the waning days of his governorship, his legacy is already taking shape, and the mark he leaves on two of Michigans big cities factor into that. Saving Detroit had no political upside Detroit, once a beacon of high wages and advanced industry, faced issues like a declining population, rampant blight and corrupt officials, most notably ex-mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, when Snyder took office. Serious financial problems in the city, and Snyders successful crusade to rectify them against political odds, would turn into a defining part of his tenure. When he took office back in 2011, Snyder was already showing signs of interest in the states biggest city. In a major announcement in his first State of the State address he bucked Republican precedent and announced his support of the Gordie Howe Bridge, then known as the Detroit River International Crossing. It was an early olive branch to a much-maligned city that would end up needing help from the full force of state government. On July 18, 2013, the city of Detroit filed for the largest bankruptcy in United States history, supported by the governor and Kevyn Orr, the emergency financial manager Snyder had appointed. Then-U.S. Chief District Judge Gerald Rosen mediated what came to be known as the Grand Bargain, leveraging philanthropic interest to save a big city asset -- the Detroit Institute of Arts -- and also settle with pensioners and the citys creditors. Snyder, who used his clout throughout the citys bankruptcy process, shepherded a $195 million appropriation through the legislature that helped seal the deal. In a statement after the citys plan was finalized and accepted by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes in 2014, Snyder celebrated the statewide embrace of Detroit the process had pushed to the forefront. People will long remember that when Detroit arrived at this troubling hour, its residents and leaders with supporters statewide started to pull together as one. Our state has rallied around its largest and iconic city. It is no longer Detroit vs. Michigan, but the embracing of Detroit, Michigan, he said. Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber, remembers Snyders involvement in every step of the process bankruptcy process without regard for optics or politics. There was no political upside for the governor to be engaged in Detroit in the way he was... he really, truly did lead, Baruah said. The governor spent a significant part of his first term helping save the city, and a significant part of his second term championing its progress. He sent help from Lansing on things like a lighting authority, a regional transit authority and support for a new arena. He touted the city on trade missions, encouraged former residents to come back and celebrated business milestones, like new investments in the city and occupancy rates driven by its new workforce. And in 2018, his administration released the city from the last vestiges of state oversight. In a December roundtable interview with reporters he called Detroit the most exciting urban area in America. Baruha credited Snyder for his work in the citys bankruptcy. If it werent for Governor Snyders actions, who knows what kind of shape Detroit would be in, he said. But woven throughout that timeline of successes for Detroit were the beginnings of a problem that would loom large over Snyders legacy: The Flint water crisis. Flint finds flaws in emergency management The emergency management system that had helped shape Detroits success was also at the root of a public health emergency state government failed to respond to swiftly. For four decades, Flint had relied on Detroit to provide Flints drinking water. In 2013, then-Flint Emergency Financial Manger Ed Kurtz made the decision to switch water sources, a money-saving move. The plan became to use the water from the Flint River for two years, then switch to a new pipeline under construction. The switch to the Flint River was made in 2014. Immediately, complaints started pouring in from Flint residents who said the water was discolored, it smelled, it was causing rashes and other other health problems. Some were at unofficial, like on social media. Others were filed formally with Attorney General Bill Schuettes office. Even when scientific evidence started piling on top of those complaints, the Snyder administration initially cast doubt on it through the Department of Environmental Quality. Even after the administration recognized the crisis as a crisis, Snyder initially struggled to get his arms around it -- something critics attributed to his focus on spreadsheets and the bottom line, along with the governing philosophy and culture he had fostered. As Flint was slowly poisoned, Snyders inner circle failed to act It wasnt until January 2016, more than a year after residents started complaining and months after research revealed that lead was leaching into the water, that Gov. Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency in Flint. And its the part after the state delved into the crisis that Snyder focuses on -- things like getting the city resources and putting a stricter lead and copper rule in place for drinking water. The Flint water crisis was a terrible thing that happened. We put a lot of response into it, though, and in fact weve done some things to show national leadership... so again, it was a tragedy and people suffered, but again, how can we be better and stronger in the long term as a state, and hopefully help our nation? Snyder said. During the Flint water crisis he took a lot of flak for running the state like a business -- something he hit back against in the roundtable with reporters at the end of his term. Ive never run it like a business, because the motive is not profit. The motive is to help people, he said, citing his work on the Detroit bankruptcy as the best example of a time when hed done that. Asked about Snyders legacy, Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said they had worked together on things like public safety, personal property tax and Healthy Michigan. But for him, Flint overshadows that. "I think unfortunately the way they handled in the beginning, in the middle and in the end of Flint water makes it very difficult for me to have any lasting amount of respect. .... You cant lie to people over and over again and continue to lie to people as you walk out the door and have much respect from me, Ananich said. Economy, civility leave a mark While the states urban centers have helped shape how people view him, so too has the states economy more generally. Business and the economy were solidly in the governors wheelhouse, and he put in a lot of work on what he calls Michigans comeback" as the state emerged from the national recession. The state has created 560,000 private-sector jobs during his tenure, he said, and unemployment went from 10.4 percent in 2011, his first year in office, to 4.6 percent in 2017, the last year in which full-year data is available. And he did it all while not conforming to political norms or expectations. He made an initially unpopular case for expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act, and got it through the Republican-led legislature. Today, the Healthy Michigan program they created covers more than 680,000 Michiganders, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The governors successes dovetail with something not every politician has: His mantra of Relentless Positive Action. He has repeatedly called for civility, including in a speech at the Mackinac Policy Conference earlier this year. My greatest concern for our nation is the lack of civility that we have. How can you be the worlds greatest country if you cant get along with yourself? he said. Even under grueling circumstances, Snyder doesnt raise his voice, at least publicly. He doesnt dabble in the mean-spirited, and isnt concerned with taking credit for big accomplishments or blaming other people for big losses. He was always as advertised. He was a self-proclaimed nerd who was always focused on being optimistic and working on the next problem, was always positive towards other people, never engaged in negative talk about other people," Baruah said. It was a delight to work with a public executive with that kind of approach. Throughout his tenure, hes shown a streak of individuality in handling everything from big agreements to political gambles to unprecedented crises. This pattern makes it fitting that, as he leaves office, he would keep Michigander guessing as to what his legacy, and his next move, might be. And even though hes dismissive of looking backward at a legacy, he embraces the states progress and is hopeful it will continue under Whitmer. Its been an exciting eight years. Michigans fundamentally a much better state than it was when we started, Snyder said. ANN ARBOR, MI Ann Arbor is officially pulling the plug on a deal for a 17-story high-rise on the city-owned Library Lot, where voters last month said they want a downtown central park. Since voters have approved a city charter amendment stipulating that the Fifth Avenue property cannot be sold and instead must be transformed into an urban park and civic center commons, the $10 million deal to sell the lot to Chicago developer Core Spaces is off, said City Administrator Howard Lazarus. Lazarus broke the news to the development team and its attorneys in a two-page letter on Monday, Dec. 31. The charter amendment prevents or impairs the city from carrying out the sale of the development rights on the Library Lot, Lazarus wrote, reiterating remarks he made at a recent City Council meeting, noting there also is ongoing litigation over the Core Spaces deal. Citing an out-clause in the sale agreement, Lazarus continued, Because this situation is obviously one that cannot be cured, the agreement with Core Spaces is terminated. We will arrange for the return of the deposit paid as part of this transaction and await your direction on where and how to send it. Lazarus asked the developments representatives to send any further correspondence to him and City Attorney Stephen Postema. He also sent an email to City Council members on Monday to inform them of the termination notice. Given current conditions, he said, its the most appropriate course of action. A representative for Core Spaces couldnt immediately be reached for comment. The City Council voted 8-3 in April 2017 to approve the $10 million deal with Core Spaces, with hopes of putting $5 million of the proceeds toward affordable housing. After more than a year of negotiations, the sale agreement was signed earlier this year, after which central park proponents filed lawsuits challenging it. The central park proposal on the November ballot ended up passing with 53 percent support. The Library Lot is the surface of the citys underground parking garage next to the downtown library. Council Member Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, said the citys decision to terminate the Core Spaces deal isnt a surprise. I think this was inevitable because the voters approved Proposal A and its really our duty as elected officials to obey the voters wishes, he said. Im a little mystified as to why it took us this long to come to this conclusion, but I guess theyre being very cautious. I.W. Winston, an attorney for Core Spaces, appeared before the City Council on Dec. 17, asking for clarity on where the $10 million deal stood. He said he thought there was an opportunity for more discussion to see whether the issues that separate us can be resolved without high stakes and very expensive litigation. Lazarus said at the meeting he didnt believe the city could close on the deal now because of Prop As passage and the pending litigation, the reasons now cited in the official termination notice. As proposed, the Core Spaces development included ground-floor retail/restaurant space, office space, 131 hotel rooms, 360 apartments, and a 12,000-square-foot plaza open to the public. The developers latest plans submitted this month would have gone before the citys Design Review Board in January. Mayor Christopher Taylor said the Core Spaces project would have activated a downtown dead zone and provided 43 units of under-market workforce housing. He campaigned against Proposal A, which he argues has cost the city $10 million upfront money the city could have used to build hundreds of new affordable housing units and pay off debt on another city property, the Y Lot. The strictures of Proposal A, the absence of the millions of dollars necessary for the city to build at that location, and the fundamental unsuitability of the site for the obligated uses have condemned a crucial portion of our downtown to remain underutilized and empty, Taylor said in a statement on Monday. Proposal A nevertheless is legislation that is, and will be, part of our charter unless revoked by a vote of the people or declared invalid by a court of law. We will comply with it, and defend it, as is necessary and appropriate. ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor can continue taxing residential alternative energy systems after Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed a pair of bills that would have made the systems tax-exempt. In a veto letter issued Dec. 28, Snyder raised technical concerns with House Bill 5143, which passed the House of Representatives 106-3 and passed the Senate 38-0. By default, Snyder also vetoed HB 5680, which was tie-barred to HB 5143. HB 5680 passed 105-4 in the House and 38-0 in the Senate. HB 5143 called for applying the alternative energy personal property exemption to taxes levied on alternative energy systems after the bills effective date. Snyder said he could not sign the bill into law because it would have led to different treatment for alternative energy personal property installed before versus after the bills effective date. Snyder said HB 5680 was more straightforward and acceptable. That bill would have amended the General Property Tax Act to specify that installing, replacing or repairing an alternative energy system would be considered normal maintenance when determining a propertys taxable value. Renewable energy advocate Mark Clevey said he was stunned by the veto, and he would have liked to see Snyder voice concerns with the bills earlier in the legislative session so lawmakers could make revisions. There was no opposition, said Clevey, an Ann Arbor resident who is vice president of the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association. It was a good idea, it was based on merit, and everybody came together and said, This (taxation) is bad for everybody, so lets get rid of this stupid law. Ann Arbor has been at the center of Michigans debate about how residential solar energy systems should be taxed. The city is one of few municipalities that taxes solar systems as real property, rather than classifying them as the type of personal property that is typically tax exempt. Clevey and his wife Nancy Fenton filed a tax dispute against the city in May 2017 that challenged the increase in the taxable value of their home after they installed a solar energy system in 2016. The Ann Arbor assessor at the time said he was obligated by state law to tax solar systems because they were not specifically exempt. Other municipalities have chosen not to tax residential alternative energy systems, and state agencies released conflicting recommendations on the issue earlier this year. Michigan Tax Tribunal Judge Steven Lasher agreed with the Ann Arbors stance in a March ruling, saying residential solar energy systems are not common enough to be considered the type of customary personal property exempt from taxation. Ann Arbor council passed a resolution in September stating its support of the bills introduced this legislative session that would have made alternative energy systems tax exempt. Dave Friedrichs, managing member of Homeland Solar in Ann Arbor, was disappointed to see the bills derailed over a technicality after legislators had months to revise them. This is legislation that was badly needed, Friedrichs said. It was very positive to see such bipartisan support. Homeland Solar has installed residential, commercial and municipal solar energy systems across Southeast Michigan for 10 years. Friedrichs said the company has heard from Ann Arbor residents who decided not to install solar systems due to the taxation. Its very disappointing to see that - for them, I would think, as well as for progress and energy change thats afoot, he said. CORUNNA, MI A Corunna company is offering a signing bonus of up to $1,250 for new employees ready to hit the road. Davis Cartage Company, a trucking and warehousing firm, is set to host a hiring event from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 19, 2019 at its Corunna facility, 230 Sleeseman Drive, for Class A CDL and Class B CDL drivers. As a regionally focused carrier, Davis Cartage drivers will be able to spend most nights at home, according to a company statement on the event. Candidates should have two years of experience and a clean driving record. Those interested in the positions are asked to bring a copy of their resume to the event. The available jobs offer health care after 90 days, with vision and dental coverage included, paid vacation after one year, and 401k. Anyone seeking additional information may contact Heather Hathaway, operations dispatch manager for Davis Cartage Company, by phone at 1-800-521-0001, ext. 2346, or email hhathaway@daviscartage.com. HOLLY TWP, MI A South Lyon woman was killed in a weekend crash in Oakland County. Michigan State Police responded at 9:55 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 29 to Grange Hall Road and JoAnn Street in Holly Township after receiving reports of a traffic crash, according to a statement from the MSP. Investigators determined that a 42-year-old South Lyon woman was driving east on Grange Hall Road when she lost control of her vehicle and crashed into a vehicle driving in the westbound lane, state police said. The woman died at a local hospital, while the driver of the second vehicle had minor injuries, according to the statement. Investigators are trying to determine if the woman who died had a medical emergency prior to the crash. No names were were released by police. FLINT, MI Genesee County will lose 70 years of combined experience on the bench when two judges officially retire on Tuesday, Jan. 1. Genesee Circuit judges Judith A. Fullerton and Geoffrey L. Neithercut were prohibited from seeking re-election because they surpassed the election-age limit of 70 for judges. Fullerton was first elected to Genesee District Court in 1980 and was then elected to Genesee Circuit Court in 1982. Im going to miss all the people, she said. Id like to go another couple of years, but thats how it is. Fullerton hit the ground running when she came to Genesee Circuit bench when she ordered the evacuation and cleanup at the Berlin and Farro toxic dump site in Gaines Township. She said she ordered the evacuation because no one really knew what was buried at the site. There were 180 people evacuated from their homes, Fullerton said. It made a lot of people happy. It was really controversial, but I felt it had to be done, so I did it, she said. It was not my idea of where to start, but it was an old case that needed attention. This wasnt easy because the state had been dragging their feet for a while. Sometimes, you dont have a choice. I dont know if the state was so happy, but they didnt appeal. The site on Grand Blanc and Morrish Roads was the subject of multiple lawsuits. In 1975 Berlin & Farro Liquid Incineration Inc. lost its landfill and incinerator permits after numerous violations, but continued to dump toxic waste at its facility about 3 1/2 miles south of Swartz Creek, according to MLive-The Flint Journal archives. The company was reported to have buried waste, dumped liquid waste into agricultural drains and operated unauthorized and unlined waste storage lagoons, according to EPA records. The area became so toxic that in 1983 that residents near the area were evacuated from their homes for two weeks to a month for clean-up efforts. In 1984, a team of environmental doctors determined the site caused mild to severe damage to multiple organs of five residents who lived near the facility. Their livers, kidneys and nervous and immune systems were all reported to have been affected, MLive-The Flint Journal previously reported. More than $25 million was spent to remove more than a million gallons of liquid waste, tens of thousands of cubic yards of solid waste and sludge and thousands of drums and buried tanks. That case could be called notorious because I never had a case that got that much publicity, Fullerton said. Thats not why you become a judge. You do what you have to do based on the facts in front of you. Fullterton said she was inundated with thank you letters from residents living in the area and from others across the state. No other case garnered that level of media attention, Fullerton said. When Fullerton officially steps away from the bench at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 1, she said she doesnt know exactly what she will do. She plans to take her first vacation in 10 years. I dont have a plan, Fullerton said. Im trying to figure it out. Fullerton said shes brought the same zest for serving the people of Genesee County every day when she arrives to work. I like the intellectual challenge. I like engaging with the lawyers, Fullerton said. I like trial work because I like to see the lawyers. When you get two good lawyers one of the best things is to watch them go at it. Neithercut spent 32 years as a judge and also started out as a district judge, he said. I dont want to retire, he said. I laugh because Ive finally figured out how to do it and now I dont want to go. Neithercut was elected to the Genesee Circuit bench in 1995 after spending nine years and a stint as the chief judge in district court. I think every circuit court judge should first be in district court first because its a good training ground for what we have to do in circuit court, he said. If you make a mistake in district court, it doesnt ruin a persons life. If you make a mistake in circuit court, it can so make your mistakes in district court, learn from it and move on. Neithercut said he has some assignments where he will be a visiting judge coming up in the new year. He is an avid cyclist and Neithercut said he plans to complete his second straight five-day bike ride from Lansing to Mackinaw. Im scared because I like to work and Im not ready to stop, he said. I could be president. I could be premier of China and rule half of the world at 70. But I cant be a 70-year-old judge. I like to say 70 is the new 50. A 1997 sexual assault and murder in Flints Bonner Park that made the city infamous locally and nationally was one of the more memorable in Neithercuts career, he said. Three Oakland County teens rode a freight train to the city one summer day and were lured to the park and shot by a group of young men. A 14-year-old boy died, his girlfriend was raped and six Flint men were convicted and sent to prison for the crimes, according to MLive-The Flint Journal files. There was so much media attention surrounding the incident that television trucks surrounded the courthouse. Neithercut said newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and the New York Times covered the case. Neithercut said all of the suspects wanted separate jury trials. Theyd arranged to have the trials at the National Guard Armory on Chavez Drive, but the case ended in plea agreements and no trial. They almost surrounded the courthouse because it was such a big case, Neithercut said. But Neithercut said he wont stop cheering for Flint. Im devoted to this city. I always have been, he said, adding he lives downtown. Im really going to miss it. GRAND RAPIDS, MI After a federal raid at its Leonard Street NW business, the National Science Institute, formerly known as The Geek Group, said Friday, Dec. 31, it has shut down. The non-profit agency, dedicated to science and technology, provided hands-on educational opportunities, including use of high-tech equipment and facilities by students, inventors and others. It periodically handed out used computers at little or no cost to help children of struggling families. In a Facebook post, president Chris Boden said the institute in the former West YMCA building at 902 Leonard St. NW - was a labor of love but it could not generate enough funding to pay its bills. The Dec. 21 raid by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS, among others, was the last straw. The problem is, we never found a way to do it and make enough of a revenue to sustain it, he wrote. We tried, some of us for decades, and ultimately failed. Weve been broke as a joke for years and stumbled through, but with the recent PR hit by from being raided by four different Federal agencies while being unable to actually tell people the truth about why, weve finally hit the wall. He said he and others at the facility realized we simply dont have the resources, the funding, or the ability to continue chasing this dream. We just dont have any fight left in us. So, he said: As of Noon today, 31 December 2018 the collection of weirdos that began as The Bohemian Brothers, that evolved into the group called GeNext!, that began the company called The Geek Group, and eventually The National Science Institute will formally shut down operations to the public. He said that attorneys have advised against commenting on the investigation. Internet speculation after the raid led to ridiculous stories when the truth is far more boring. He and others plan to write books. He wants share the whole story once the investigation concludes. What I can say is, that we simply cannot sustain operations anymore, with an accumulating debt load of about $20,000 a month, on average, were ending operations permanently, he wrote. The truth is, my staff and I have been living in fear for years. Weve been driven by the constant fear of impossible bills, a mortgage we could barely clear every month, and utility bills that kept us on the brink for years. Hell, we didnt even have heat for the whole month of November. The institute is selling the building. It will hold a silent auction for all of its equipment, what he called a staggering amount of nerdy engineering, science, robotics, electronics, and weird things . The money will go toward its giant debt. A telephone recording at the center said that a going-out-of-business sale would begin at noon Wednesday, Jan. 2. For nearly 25 years, Boden said, he had the greatest job in the world. He thanked those who worked with us to try and make this crazy dream happen. Im sorry I failed you. I gave it everything I had and then some. Im sorry I couldnt do more. Federal agents spent about five hours at the facility. They were observed carrying boxes out from inside. PETOSKEY, MI Two Great Danes were rescued from a burning home thanks to the efforts of a Michigan State trooper and volunteer firefighter. The incident occurred when troopers from the Michigan State Police Gaylord Post responded to a burning home on Pickerel Lake Road in Emmet Countys Springvale Township around 3 p.m. on Dec. 27. Upon arriving, the troopers learned that the all human occupants had escaped the home unharmed, but two young dogs were still inside. Despite the home being full of smoke and partially engulfed in flames, a trooper entered and located the first dog, a 1-year-old Great Dane puppy named Luffy and carried it to safety. With the help of a volunteer fire fighter from the Springvale Township Fire Department, the trooper reentered the burning home and located the second dog; a 3-year-old Great Dane named Igneel. Igneel was suffering from smoke inhalation and was unconscious, according to a news release, so EMS assisted troopers in giving the struggling animal oxygen while neighbors wrapped it in blankets. The dog was transported to Bay Pines Veterinary Clinic in Harbor Springs. Thanks to a heavy supply of oxygen on the way, the dog was conscious and beginning to breath better by the time it arrived. The vet who treated Igneel said the dog should make a full recovery, according to a news release. LEONI TWP., MI Trustee Corey Kennedy is leaving the Leoni Township Board of Trustees, although its unclear who will replace him. Kennedy submitted his letter of resignation at a Monday, Dec. 31 special meeting, effective Jan. 14. The township has another meeting Jan. 8. Kennedy was elected to the Jackson County Board of Commissioners in November. He said he considered keeping both positions, but decided against it. State law is ambiguous if a township trustee can also be a county commissioner although there are examples of city council members also sitting on the county board. Hell be sworn in as a county commissioner for the first full board meeting of the year, Jan. 15. The rest of the new county board members start Wednesday, Jan. 2 on the fifth floor of the Jackson County Tower Building, 120 W. Michigan Ave., for an organizational meeting at 8 a.m. and study session at 9 a.m. Because Kennedy cannot vote on his replacement, he believes the other six board members will stalemate on potential candidates. If the spot isnt filled within 45 days of the vacancy, a special election is called. Since the board reshuffled last month after two members were recalled, the new board has been split 4-3 on some of the issues. The vote earlier this month on replacing Kennedy with Dan Gough failed 3-3. Part of Mondays meeting was spent in debate about the special meeting itself. Some board members werent aware of the meeting called by Clerk Mark Carpenter, Treasurer Patrick Clemente and trustees Kennedy and Kurt Cole until Saturday. Supervisor Howard Linnabary and trustees Mike Villarreal and Jerry Cox didnt vote in favor of approving Mondays agenda. "I don't understand the timing, the urgency. On a New Year's weekend and you guys are doing this on a Friday?" Linnabary said. "You never basically ever tried to get ahold of me, period, or the other trustees." The board voted to fire the townships contracted attorney, Eric White, at Mondays meeting. More than a dozen residents expressed frustration during public comment. While they were split in which faction of the board they supported, people on both sides called for the board to shape up. As a citizen, I am so appalled to come to a meeting (where) people who represent me argue like a bunch of elementary school kids, resident Neeta Delaney said. Im embarrassed for all of us. JACKSON, MI - A man died following a shooting around 1:40 a.m. Monday, Dec. 31, in Jackson. Jackson police were called to the 300 block of Mitchell Street for a possible shooting victim lying in the street. A man who appeared to have gunshot wounds was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel. Police say the victim has not yet been identified, but they believe he was a 25 year old from Jackson. There have been no arrests made in connection with the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Rick Burkart, of the Jackson Police Department, at 517-768-8770 or to report information anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan at 855-840-7867. JACKSON, MI - Jackson police have identified Daivon Brown as the man who was shot and killed early on Monday, Dec. 31, on Mitchell Street. Brown, 25, of Jackson, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene. Police were called around 1:40 a.m. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Rick Burkart of the Jackson Police Department at 517-768-8770 or may report information anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan at 855-840-7867. iShares MSCI South Korea ETF's stock was trading at $52.04 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWY stock has increased by 51.2% and is now trading at $78.69. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. is an international offshore energy company. It focuses on subsea construction, maintenance and salvage services to the offshore natural gas and oil industry. The firm also provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. The company operates through three segments: Well Intervention, Robotics and Production Facilities. The Well Intervention segment offers vessels and related equipment that are used to perform well intervention services primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea regions. The Robotics segment involves four chartered vessels and also includes ROVs, trenchers and ROVDrills designed to complement offshore construction and well intervention services. The Production Facilities segment includes its investment in the Helix Producer I and Kommandor LLC. Helix Energy Solutions Group was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More CapitaLand is one of Asia's largest real estate companies headquartered and listed in Singapore. The company leverages its significant asset base, design and development capabilities, active capital management strategies, and extensive market network and operational capabilities to develop high-quality real estate products and services. Its diversified global real estate portfolio includes integrated developments, shopping malls, serviced residences, offices and homes. The Group focuses on Singapore and China as our core markets, while it continues to expand in markets such as Vietnam and Indonesia. The company also has one of the largest real estate fund management businesses with assets located in Asia. Read More iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF's stock was trading at $25.60 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWU stock has increased by 26.0% and is now trading at $32.25. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. IL&FS Transportation Networks | The company defaulted on the interest on non-convertible debentures due on August 25, 2020. (Image: Reuters) The IL&FS crisis points out to risk to systemic stability from financial conglomerates (FCs) and there is a need for "closer attention" on their oversight framework, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on December 31. In its half-yearly Financial Stability Report, the RBI said FCs pose "clear risks" as intra-group transactions "create opportunities for regulatory arbitrage" through bypassing regulations related to exposure norms. "The framework for oversight of FCs requires closer attention," Governor Shaktikanta Das said in his foreword to the report. At present, the oversight of FCs is being carried out by an Inter Regulatory Forum for monitoring Financial Conglomerates (IRF-FC), which is one of the four working groups set up under the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC). The report said even though the current practices meet the global banking norms, there is a scope of improvement in this area. "There is possibly some scope to further fine-tune them to Indian conditions to identify relevant FCs, incorporate market-based feedback in FC assessment and have proportionate triggers for timely action," it said. The comments come months after the diversified financial conglomerate IL&FS started defaulting on its commitments. It has an overall debt of over Rs 94,000 crore. The crisis had an impact on the wider financial markets as risks from possible asset liability mismatches at other NBFCs got recognised. The government moved in and replaced the board with one led by banker Uday Kotak, which found a complex web of over 300 subsidiaries. The episode which caught everybody off-guard led to questions over the regulatory oversight on such entities. Some said the absence of public deposits being at play directly may have led to the regulatory oversight. The RBI said all FCs are now required to present a host of data, including intra group transactions, on a quarterly basis. A revised financial conglomerate returns format is in the working and it aims to capture all the borrowings made by each group entity in an FC, it said. Bifurcation in terms of short-term borrowings of up to one year and long-term borrowings will also be obtained, it said, adding this will help ascertain the dependence of the FCs group entities on banks and short-term borrowings. While the present system is exhaustive, it is backward looking and may not capture emerging risks and vulnerabilities adequately, the report acknowledged. It also noted changes being undertaken by capital markets watchdog Sebi on the credit rating agencies. At least three agencies had given A or above rating to IL&FS, which had to be cut massively following the default. A risk-sensitive FC oversight regime where the intrusiveness of oversight of FCs is proportionate to a combination of the size of the entity, and the likelihood of an adverse event, may help make remedial measures more timely, the RBI report said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Induction of the first A321Neo plane will give wings to IndiGo's international ambition, with the country's largest airline expected to add destinations in Asia and Europe to its network. Aww, Big birdie! Splendid sight of our A321 making its way through the water cannon salute. VT-IUA Welcome Home! #watercanonsalute #SmilestoneA321 #321IndiGo pic.twitter.com/iJ65hOcLg9 IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 29, 2018 The airline's first A321Neo arrived in Delhi on December 29, making its maiden flight from the Hamburg facility of Airbus, the aircraft manufacturer. This is part of its 150-aircraft order. Promising to be 15 percent more fuel efficient than the A320 series, the new aircraft can also fly about 900 km more in a single flight. Its manufacturer also claims that the A321Neo will lead to 8 percent cut in operating costs and is also more environment friendly, as it is not as noisy as its precedent, and also emits lower nitrogen oxide. The fuel efficiency and lower costs will interest the Rahul Bhatia-led airline the most. It is presently going through a financial crunch unseen before in the airline, having reported its first quarterly loss - in the second quarter of the present financial year - since getting listed on the bourses in 2015. International push Bhatia, who had talked about the new aircraft's induction in his interaction with Moneycontrol earlier this month, is also keen is using the planes to aggressively expand internationally. IndiGo presently flies to 56 destinations, including 15 international ones. "The A321Neo range is about 4000 nm (nautical miles), i.e 7400 km depending on aircraft configuration and is ideal for medium and long haul flights up to 8 hours," said Capt Shakti Lumba, aviation professional and former Executive Director, Airline Operations (Alliance Air) and Vice President, Ops (IndiGo). Most of IndiGo's present international network consists of destinations in South Asia, the South-East and Middle-East. These include, Colombo, Dhaka, Singapore, Phuket, Dubai and Sharjah. "Most Middle-East destinations are now possible on A320s," said an aviation executive, who added that IndiGo can now operate flights on Delhi-Istanbul-London route. IndiGo had earlier this month announced a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines, which flies to multiple destinations in Europe. A code share agreement allows passengers to benefit from the two airlines' network. Reports had earlier talked about the airline wanting to also fly to France, Germany and Switzerland. "At present, IndiGo has flights to Singapore from Mumbai. Now with A321Neo, it can fly to Singapore from Delhi too," added the executive. It may take a few more months for IndiGo to deploy the new aircraft. Aviation experts say that the company will need anywhere between three to six months to get all the approvals and permits to fly to the international destinations. "Now they can take forward their global long haul, low cost model on that aircraft," said an aviation consultant. India's exports of basmati rice grew by 11.54 percent to Rs 16,963 crore during April-October this fiscal, Parliament was informed on Monday. In April-October 2017-18, the exports stood at Rs 15,208 crore, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry C R Chaudhary said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. In volume terms, however, the exports declined to 22.95 lakh tonnes in April-October 2018-19 as against 23.72 lakh crore in the same period last fiscal. "While there is a marginal decline of 3.28 percent percent in quantity terms, in value terms the exports have grown by 11.54 percent," the minister said. The major export destination for basmati rice are Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Yemen, the US, and UK. The Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an autonomous organisation under the Department of Commerce, has registered Basmati Rice as a Geographical Indication (GI) in February 2016, a move aimed at promoting outbound shipments. A GI tag is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin. Darjeeling Tea, Tirupathi Laddu, Kangra Paintings, Nagpur Orange and Kashmir Pashmina are among the registered GIs in India. Replying to a separate question, Chaudhary said as on December 24, 330 GIs have been registered. Out of this, 171 are from handicrafts sector and 93 from agriculture segment. In one apocryphal story, Sherlock Holmes and his trusted aide Dr Watson track a sparsely populated region following the trace of a clue. Deeply engrossed in seeking to crack the case the duo walks tens of kilometres. Little did they notice the darkness that was rapidly enveloping the surroundings. With no time left to return, they decide to spend the night by erecting a tent on a streams bank. In the middle of the night, Holmes suddenly wakes up Dr Watson, asking him to look up and describe what he saw. Watson, discernibly irritated for being woken up, looks up and pays a glowing tribute to the starry sky, the crisp air, and how the countryside was far more pleasing than urban London. An incensed Holmes responds: "Watson. Someone stole our tent." The account has striking similarities with Indias retail sector and the impact that booming online transactions are bringing about in the business and policy landscape. The government's decision last week barring online retailers such as Flipkart and Amazon from selling products of companies in which they own stakes, need to be seen in this context. The new rules stipulate that such companies will also not be allowed to offer cashback schemes to charm customers to shop at their online marketplaces. Online retailers will also not be allowed to strike exclusive deals to promote brands through flash/festive season sales. For instance, a company such as Xiaomi wont be able to sell its Mi phones exclusively on Flipkart. This has been a popular practice over the last few years that most mobile phone companies have adopted to push their new launches. Flipkart, for instance, has exclusive partnerships with top smartphone brands such as Xiaomi and Oppo. Smartphones and electronic products contribute about 50 percent of overall e-commerce sales in India, followed by fashion and apparels (about 30 percent) and home furnishings (about 9 percent) According to the new rules, a vendor/seller will be deemed to be controlled by e-commerce marketplace entity if more than 25 percent of its total sales are made to a single online marketplace The new rules, which will come into effect from February 1, 2019, are aimed at levelling the field among online and offline retailers. Offline retailers have been lobbying the government that online marketplaces, flush with foreign money, are driving brick-and-mortar stores out of business. Offline retailers say that e-tailers such as Amazon and Flipkart were adopting discriminatory and predatory pricing to attract customers by offering deep discounts. Smartphone flash sales and festive season sales of fashion and electronic products were examples of such destructive pricing. E-tailers get into exclusive tie-ups for deep discounts with brands and also push products of preferred vendors which they partly own or have preferential contracts. Such heavy price markdowns, while very attractive for consumers, appear to have seriously impacted the business of mom-and-pop stores as also large offline retailers selling the same brands The government's move comes after local traders complained that they were being put out of business. The new rules appear to be the Modi governments way of demonstrating its intent to walk the talk in support of the local traders. It does not want to be seen as looking the other way amid looming threats of the livelihoods of millions of local offline tradersfrom big retail chains to neighbourhood kirana storesgetting endangered. The BJP has been conventionally seen to enjoy wholesome support of the trading community to the extent that it is often described as a party of 'banias'. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), led by Praveen Khandelwal, a BJP leader who contested from Chandni Chowk in the Delhi Assembly elections in the past, has led a no-holds-barred campaign against the foreign-funded e-commerce players. The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an affiliate of the BJP's ideological fount Rashtriya Sawyamsevak Sangh (RSS), has been pressing for a clampdown on "predatory behaviour" of e-commerce giants. SJM has now asked the Income Tax department to intensify its process to "investigate the round-tripping of money" by the major e-commerce giants. It had been pushing the government to "improvise Press Note 3, that allowed FDI in the B2B e-commerce companies, which according to SJM allowed transnational giants to bring about pick up stake in a vendor to which they offered preferential treatment on their platforms. Amazon has invested in joint ventures to create vendors (Cloudtail and Appario Retail) which sell on its platform. Likewise, WS Retail was once a wholly-owned vendor unit of Flipkart, although that is no longer the case. This, according to one strand of thought, amounted to product subsidisation by e-commerce players, which went against the spirit of an online marketplace, which, by definition, has to be vendor neutral. This partisan relationship with select vendors was actually hurting dealing the heaviest blow to the apparel and home furnishing traders amid plunging footfalls in India's storied retail districts such as Delhi's Chandni Chowk. And customers are warming up to the convenience and the attraction of rebates and cashbacks on online grocery shopping. This, local retailers fear, could potentially hit at the heart of Indias retail ecosystemthe neighbourhood kirana stores. The latest policy tweak is an attempt at establishing vendor neutrality, an objective that has political and as well as economic contours, which can be measured in votes and jobs. Every retail store shut, so the argument goes, means jobs lost, eroding earnings of families. The problem, for the government, however, will be to strike an equilibrium between customer benefits, technological advancements, and the local retailers' interest. A marketplace is meant to get buyers and sellers together. The latest policy is predicated on the view that online marketplaces were only bringing some sellers to the square. It is akin to a queue of vehicles in a highway toll booth, with some getting preference to jump the line and zoom ahead of others, just because the road builder had a special arrangement with the vehicle's owner. There is no gainsaying that online marketplaces will find the new rules restrictive. But can policies keep pace with the rapidity of technological transformation? The jury is still out on that. Highlights: - La Opala is a leader in the opalware market- Market is growing at 12-14 percent per annum- Strong distribution network and retail presence- Capacity expansion to aid earnings - Trading at 26 times FY20 estimated earnings ------------------------------------------------- In a quest to identify long-term compounding stories in the listed equities space in India, we embarked upon La Opala - a company which has more than a 50 percent market share in the opalware market. The stock has been fairly range-bound in last 2-3 years despite an improving business performance in recent years. The volatility in the broader index along with the correction in the stock price opens up a window of opportunity for long-term investors as the company is expanding its capacity to fuel its next leg of growth. Business background La Opala started its business journey in 1980s with a single opal glass plant situated in Bihar. The company has seen since transformed itself into a manufacturer and marketer of lifestyle products in tableware segment and has emerged as a dominant player in the opalware market. The company has strong market positioning through its three brands to cater to different customer segments. La Opala is the flagship brand of the company and caters to entry-level dinner sets, plates, bowls, coffee mugs and other products. Diva offers a premium range of products under four collections Classique, Ivory, Sovrana and Quadra. The company markets its crystal glassware offering under Solitaire brand. Opalware industry overview The domestic market for tableware products is estimated at Rs 10,000 crore and has been growing at a steady rate in the past few years. The tableware market is fragmented with a large number of domestic as well as international brands being present in the market. In terms of product segments, Steelware dominates the overall market with a share of more than 50 percent. In comparison, opalware forms a small portion (around 5 percent) of the overall market. Its market size is pegged at 500 crores but it remains the fastest growing segment with a growth rate of 12-14 percent. La Opala remains the largest player in the opalware market with a dominant share of more than 50 percent. The category, being one of the fastest growing markets, is gaining a lot of traction from both consumers and business houses - which is evident by the entry of Borosil and Cello in recent years. While the entry of newer players should aid the market expansion in the medium to long run, an increase in competitive intensity could pose a threat to La Opalas growth aspirations in the short run. Shift in consumer preferences Based on the current market size of Rs 500 crore, the penetration for opalware is estimated at nearly 10 percent among the urban households. The penetration levels seem fairly low considering rising income levels and burgeoning middle class in India. Dining crockery in Indian kitchens has largely been dominated by steel and plastic products. However, this scenario is fast changing, as the inclination towards glass and opalware products is increasing due to change in consumer preferences. Capacities spread across Uttarakhand and Jharkhand The company has seen an exponential scale up in its capacities in the past decade. The opalware capacity at Sitarganj (Uttarakhand) has risen five-fold rise since FY08 and currently stands at 20,000 TPA (tonnes per annum). Besides, the company also operates 5,000 TPA plant at Madhupur (Jharkhand). With the capacity utilisation nearing 80 percent, the company is setting up a new 11,000 TPA Greenfield unit at Sitarganj. The capex for the same is estimated at 130 crores and the revenue benefits from this new unit would start accruing from next fiscal year. Healthy financial track record La Opalas revenue base has grown at a steady pace in the past 5 years. Operating profit growth of 21 percent has been aided by remarkable improvement in margins. From an operational standpoint, the company has an established distribution network and developed a strong brand recall among its customers. The company has superior operational execution amongst its peers which gets reflected through its margins and near-zero debt balance sheet. The shareholding pattern is very interesting as around 88-90 percent of shares are tightly held by promoters, mutual funds and other financial institutions, which leaves very little float in the market. The stock has seen a gradual correction since January 2018 and is now trading at an FY20 price-earnings multiple of 26x, which appears reasonable for accumulation from a long-term perspective. Follow @Sach_Pal Tanfac Industries has gained 636 percent in the last 5 years. As of June 10, 2015, the share price was Rs 22.00 per share and now the current share price is Rs 161.95 with a market cap of Rs 162 crore. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Construction chemicals offer a lucrative market opportunity in the Indian building materials industry. The sector has drawn the attention of major corporate houses, who have expanded their product offering in this space through organic and inorganic methods. The latest development in the sector being Kansai Nerolacs acquisition of Perma Construction Aids for Rs 29 crore. Gujarat-based Perma Construction primarily operates in the western part of India and offers a range of construction chemicals used for waterproofing, tile fixing, concrete repairs & flooring purposes. Acquisition beneficial due to distribution synergies While the acquisition is unlikely to have a meaningful impact on the consolidated financials as the target company has a topline of around Rs 28 crores compared to Kansai Nerolacs topline of Rs 5,000 crores, it indicates Kansais intent to expand its products and category portfolio by leveraging its strong brand as well as its distribution channel. Kansais dealer network combined with Permas technological capabilities would be instrumental in scaling the construction chemicals business. Competitive intensity on the rise Fevicol maker Pidilite is the undisputed leader in the adhesive and construction chemicals business. However, its numero uno position is being aggressively challenged by heavyweights from other sectors. Asian Paints, Indias largest decorative paints company, has diversified into the adhesive and sealants business through the launch of epoxy and synthetic resin adhesives under Trugrip and Loctite brands. Similarly, UPVC and PVC pipe manufacturer Astral Poly Technik has rapidly scaled its construction chemical business after the acquisition of Resinova in 2014. Kansai also has a small presence in this market with products such as Nerofix - water based furniture adhesive. The recent acquisition of Perma Construction is likely to further intensify competition in the market as Kansai plans to triple Permas revenues in 2-3 years through expansion to newer geographies. Follow @Sach_Pal End of the year is a good time to sit back and take stock of how your investments have done in the year gone by. Its common knowledge that many investors have chosen to invest in mutual funds, particularly through the systematic investment plan route. But do you know how your funds have performed? The problem is how to account for one statement that contains details of all your investments across different fund houses. Thats not all. Over a period, one ends up buying mutual funds through multiple intermediaries. That makes it difficult to keep a track of all investments. For investors opting for direct plans, one may face similar problem if he/she is transacting on the websites of the mutual fund houses. In such a case, a consolidated statement from registrar and transfer agents (RTA) capturing all your investments across mutual fund houses can come to your help. RTA maintains the records of your investments in mutual funds. Karvy, CAMS , Franklin Templeton and Sundaram BNP Paribas Fund Services (SBPFS) are the RTAs that serve mutual fund investors. CAMS, Karvy and SBPFS websites can be used to seek a consolidated account statement on the email. Irrespective of your fund houses RTA, you can go to any RTAs website and request for a CAS. Look out for the Mailback services section on their websites and enter some basic details. For CAMS, click here. For Karvy, click here and for SBPFS click here . What do you get? The consolidated statement is of two types. First is summary statement that captures balances and valuation as on date for each mutual fund scheme you have invested. This statement gives the name of the investor, folio number, scheme name and option, units held, NAV of the scheme and the valuation. Second type of summary statement is the detailed one. In addition to the information offered by first type, it also offers transactions that took place in the period you choose. While asking for the statement online, you have to choose which type of statement you need. In the request form provided on the website, you may choose to exclude zero balance folios, to avoid clutter. Zero balance folios do not attract any charges and they can be used for future investments. You have to specify the email id registered with the mutual funds in the specified slot. Mentioning Permanent Account Number (PAN) is optional. Review helps you understand where you stand. It helps you assess how long you have walked on the way to your financial goals. If you find any divergences you can then take corrective actions, says Gajendra Kothari, founder and managing director, Etica Wealth Management. You have to choose an alpha-numeric password while submitting the request. This password set need to be remembered. It is the key to opening the PDF file of the statement that gets emailed to you on your registered email id. The time required depends on the request log pending with RTA at the time of your request. Generally you get the statement in less than an hour. Using the statement you can figure out where your money is. A review helps in ascertaining if you are on the right track to achieve your financial goals. In a major fillip to medical devices industry, the Indian government has decided to set up a National Medical Devices Promotion Council under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) to boost domestic manufacturing and exports. The Council will be headed by secretary, DIPP of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Apart from the concerned departments of the Central government, the Council will also have representatives from the health care industry and quality control institutions. Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone, Visakhapatnam, will provide technical support to the Council. The council will be tasked to promote and facilitate exports of medical devices, act as a platform for networking and garner views on industrial and trade policies and practices, provide technical assistance to various departments to simplify the approval process and drive a dynamic Preferential Market Access (PMA) policy while discouraging unfair trade practices in imports. Imports dominate The medical devices industry in India is currently valued at $5.2 billion and growing at 15.8 percent annually. India is among the top 20 global medical devices market and is poised to grow to $50 billion by 2025 led by a growing middle class, health insurance penetration and expansion of hospitals, leading to greater need for sophisticated medical devices and better healthcare. However, the medical devices market is dominated by imported products, which comprise about 80 percent of the market. While there are around 800 medical device manufacturers in India, only 10 percent of them have a turnover in excess of Rs 50 crore, most of them are involved in manufacturing low-end products such as consumables and disposables, very few manufacture and export high-value implants and equipment. Its reverse in China, where local companies contribute around 70-80 percent, and even multinational companies have made the country as their manufacturing hub. We are glad government is taking serious steps to make India a global hub for medical devices manufacturing, said Rajiv Nath, Forum Coordinator of Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD), the body representing domestic medical device makers. AiMeD will be representing the domestic industry as a member of the Council. Will pharma success rub on med devices? Nath pointed out to the success of a similar body called the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) in promoting the Indian pharmaceutical industry. Pharmexcil set up by the government in May 2004, has helped Indian pharmaceutical exports multiple folds. Indian pharmaceutical exports stood at Rs 17,857 crore in FY05 has now jumped to $17.3 billion in FY18. We are hopeful that Medical Devices Development Council will similarly help realise our vision for India to be among the top 5 medical devices manufacturing hubs worldwide as the Council will spearhead the policy needs to accelerate the manufacturing of medical devices in India, Nath said. To boost indigenous manufacturing and curb imports, AiMeD has been asking the government to keep import duties in the range 15 to 20 percent, impose trade margin cap of 75 percent on landing price and make Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), CDSCO as sufficient requirements for public procurement. GSK Velu, Chairman and Managing Director of Trivitron Healthcare, one of Indias largest medical device maker said there is no support for local medical device manufacturers in the public procurement like in countries such as China, Russia and Turkey. We dont have preferential access in the public procurement, in addition, the tender documents in India have conditions like USFDA, CE accreditation requirements designed to benefit multinational companies, Velu said. MNCs to resist the demand for preferential treatment But a top executive of an MNC medical device maker while welcoming Indian government efforts to boost local manufacturing and exports, raised concerns over protectionist measures proposed by the domestic manufacturers such as high import duties, price controls, preferential access, and relaxing regulatory standards. "Those measures if implemented will increase the cost of healthcare, disrupt supplies and deny patients access to life-saving technologies," the executive said. "The government should focus on building an ecosystem for research and development and work on policies to attract investments into the sector," he added. The US government has been critical about imposing price controls on medical devices such as cardiac stents and knee implants, that hurt US companies. The US government early this year said it is reviewing Indias status as a recipient of the USs Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). The GSP is the USs trade preference programme designed to promote economic development for developing countries. It allows duty-free entry for some imports from certain developing countries into the US. India has found itself under review for its GSP status, owing to petitions by AdvaMed, a medical device industry body. Twitter Social media companies are gearing up to one-up each other and come out as the biggest platform for Indian users as the Lok Sabha elections approach. Twitter, which presently lags behind Facebook and Instagram, is hoping to tap into India's rural internet userbase during the election season to come out on top. The microblogging site was motivated to pursue this route after it got a phenomenal response from its Indian users during the recently concluded five state assembly elections in 2018 that garnered nearly 6.6 million tweets with the tag #AssemblyElections2018 from October 1 to December 11. Social media was a major tool for campaigning by political parties to reach the voters. Some of the top-tweeted moments during the elections were landmark announcements and poll promises. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi were the most mentioned leaders on Twitter. Politics is evidently an important discussion in the country, in both urban and rural areas and Twitter wants to use the upcoming elections to grow as a social media platform in the country. The Jack Dorsey-led website has 30 million users, a small number as compared to Facebook's 294 million users, WhatsApp's 200 million and Instagram's 71 million. The company has formed a new strategy targeting tier-III cities and villages, as per a Business Standard report. "Over the next few months, road shows would be organised throughout the country to educate people on how easy it is to connect to their political leaders via Twitter. Small-scale events would be organised in villages when young local influencers would teach people how to tweet, talk to them about online trends, teach them how to look for reliable information on the platform," a source close to Twitter was quoted in the report. These influencers will train people to separate fake news from authentic information, which is more important in rural areas as there is a lack of alternative news sources. Twitter also plans to launch initiatives in 10 local languages and hopes to add more languages going forward. It will hire a big workforce for this vernacular team. In his visit to India last month, CEO Jack Dorsey had appealed to political parties and the governments at all levels to use the platform to deliver governance. The company had earlier said it would offer all the tools it used in the 2016 US presidential elections to social media teams of major political parties in India. The social media platform is also working with the government to weed out fake news and negative propaganda during politically active times in the country. Christian Michels extradition from UAE in Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal (Image: Reuters) Targeting the Congress leadership, BJP chief Amit Shah said AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel's mention of "Mrs Gandhi" has brought the truth about the opposition party and the "Gandhi family" out before people. In a statement, Shah said the "friendship" between Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland deal, and the Congress' top leadership is "time tested and deep". He also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to seek apology from the country for the AgustaWestland "scam", a reference to the alleged corruption in the purchase of VVIP choppers during the UPA government's tenure. The Congress has accused the BJP and the government of "manufacturing" lies in the AgustaWestland case, and said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals during the UPA regime. "The government and the BJP are misusing agencies to manufacture lies. I am surprised to know that the present government is spreading lies....is trying to manufacture something out of nothing," former defence minister and senior Congress leader A K Antony said. Hitting back, Shah said it has become a habit of the Congress and its leaders to speak brazen lies to deny the truth. Leading the BJP's nation-wide campaign against the Congress, he tweeted, "Trails of the AgustaWestland Casethe SOS of Christian Michel. Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs. Gandhi herself? Why?" It needs to be known what the relationship between Michel and Mrs Gandhi is, he said. Shah said Michel's lawyer had admitted that the alleged middleman indeed passed on a paper to him and claimed that he thought it was a list of medicines. The BJP president took an apparent swipe in a tweet at the Gandhi family, saying that people have heard of "Zandu balm and Tiger balm (medicines used to relieve pain) but what is this 'Family Balm' that every middleman wants". "In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michel's lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a sham. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi!" Shah said. The Congress had expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. "In national interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep," Shah further said. While on the one hand the Congress is working to save the likes of Michel, on the other, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is striving to save the money looted from the country, he claimed. A Delhi court had on December 29 imposed restrictions on Michel, the alleged middleman in the purchase of VVIP choppers during the UPA's tenure, meeting his lawyers in the Enforcement Directorate's custody. The directions were given after the probe agency said he was misusing legal access by passing chits to the advocates asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi". The agency also claimed that he has spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and taken "Mrs Gandhi's" name in reference to a query. Vladimir Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent new year messages to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said relations between the two countries were developing in a constructive and dynamic manner. Putin, conveying his greetings to the two leaders, also noted that agreements reached during Indo-Russia annual summit in October contributed to strengthening the privileged strategic partnership between the two nations, according to the Russian Embassy here. In his new year messages to Kovind and Modi, the Russian president emphasised that relations between the two countries were developing in a constructive and dynamic manner, the embassy said. "Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that joint efforts will lead to further growth of mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas and greater coordination of efforts on key issues on the regional and global agenda within the UN, BRICS, the SCO, the G20 and other multilateral bodies," it said. In the annual summit here, India inked a USD 5 billion deal to purchase the much-vaunted S-400 air defence system from Russia, notwithstanding US warnings of punitive sanctions against nations doing military transactions with Moscow. A number of other pacts were also signed following talks between Modi and Putin. Dr Manmohan Singh Former Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela on 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. rajya sabha PTI1_4_2018_000050B rajya sabha The contentious triple talaq bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims will be tabled in Rajya Sabha on December 31. The bill will be tabled for consideration even as the Indian National Congress, the principal Opposition party, said it will oppose the passage of the bill in its current form in the Upper House of Parliament. Opposition parties have called for a meeting at 10 am, before the House convenes at 11 am on December 31. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which wants to see the bill being passed, has issued a whip ordering all its Members of Parliament from the House to be present on December 31. Congress and N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) too have asked its MPs to be present in the Rajya Sabha. All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal said on December 29 that the party would join hands with others to prevent the bill from getting passed in Rajya Sabha. Venugopal added that 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. The triple talaq bill was passed by the Lok Sabha with -- 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it -- on Thursday amid a walkout by Congress and some other Opposition parties. After the Supreme Court of India (SC) held instant triple talaq as unconstitutional last year, an ordinance was promulgated by the Centre prohibiting the practice. The government will have to ensure the bill passes in the current session of Parliament or the ordinance will lapse. However, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lacks numbers in the Rajya Sabha required to ensure safe passage of the bill. Heres the stand taken by key parties and how the numbers stack up: Parties for The current strength of the Rajya Sabha is 244. The NDA would need 123 votes to pass the bill. The BJP has 73 seats in Rajya Sabha. Its major allies Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have three seats each. In total, the Bill could get 80 votes, far less than the majority needed. The stand of parties that have a total 27 seats is as yet unknown but the BJP would fall short of a majority even if all these parties voted for the bill. Parties against Among the parties opposing the bill in its current form, Congress has 50 seats. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), which had opposed the bill in Lok Sabha, has 13 seats. Congress ally from Tamil Nadu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has four seats. The Left parties -- Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) -- have seven seats together. Both parties are expected to vote again the bill. Both Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party (SP) are likely to vote against the bill. The two parties have four and 13 seats each in Rajya Sabha. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), with 13 seats is also likely to vote against the bill, according to reports. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Raos Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), with six MPs in Rajya Sabha is likely to vote against the bill. Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is of the opinion that the bill brings in a criminal angle to a legislation on civil matters and is hence expected to vote against it. BJD has nine MPs in Rajya Sabha. Sharad Pawars Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP, with four and six Rajya Sabha seats respectively, are also expected to vote against the bill. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had earlier accused the BJP of seeking to make political gains by posing itself as the champion of Muslim women's cause, is likely to vote against the bill. AAP has three seats in Rajya Sabha. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), led by Tejashwi Yadav, is also likely to vote against the bill. If all the above parties vote in the manner outlined, this would add up to 137 bills against the bill. (With inputs from PTI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sent an official request to social media platforms to use Microsoft's PhotoDNA for purposes of investigation in regular criminal cases, according to an Indian Express report. According to Microsoft, this technology is used exclusively to identify child exploitation images. However, using this to put all users under surveillance would violate the right to privacy upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. But, what is this technology? What is PhotoDNA? PhotoDNA is a technology developed and owned by Microsoft, which computes hash values of images, video and audio files to identify similar images. It is mainly used to prevent child pornography from being uploaded on the web and is free to use. The company has restricted the use of this software beyond this purpose in all countries. The software creates a unique digital signature of any image and then compares it to other photos to find a similar one. It was made available to qualified organisations as a free cloud service. It is used by giants like Google and its applications Twitter, Facebook and Adobe Systems. Microsoft also donated this technology to Project Vic, which is managed and supported by the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC). This initiative assists in narrowing the focus of child pornography law enforcement investigations through the use of this technology. What is the debate? Many countries in Europe are debating the use of this technology for regular investigations. The EU's European Privacy Regulation wants a complete ban on social media companies using this software. This is because it would be a violation of the international norms which mandate the technology to be used for one particular purpose. The CBI has not disclosed how it means to use the PhotoDNA, but Apar Gupta of the Internet Freedom Foundation calls it a 'slippery slope of surveillance and censorship'. "If any police or investigative agency is using PhotoDNA for a general crime investigation, it is a massive breach of the intended purpose of this technology, which is only for checking child sex abuse cases," he is quoted as saying by IE. This has come at a time when there is a raging debate about privacy in the country and the government is about to amend the Information Technology (IT) rules. The government recently met with executives of Google, Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp among other players in the industry to discuss changes to the rules. Representative purpose India and South Africa this year celebrated the birth of Mahatma Gandhi's 'Satyagraha' movement 125 years ago in this nation which became a force for India's independence, even as New Delhi took determined steps to expand its economic and development footprint across resource-rich Africa. In June, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was the special guest at the railway station in Pietermaritzburg city where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi as a young lawyer was unceremoniously thrown off a train compartment reserved for white people, sparking his path of 'Satyagraha', which would see him lead both South Africa and India to oppose colonial rule. A unique bust of Gandhi was unveiled at the station - with one side featuring him in Western attire he wore when he came to South Africa, while the other side depicts him in Indian dress in which he left South Africa after 21 years, returning to eventually lead India to freedom. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited South Africa in July where he attended the BRICS summit and held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other leaders. Representing over 40 per cent of the world's population, the BRICS countries' growth rates surpass those of developed nations of the G-7. The handprints of Prime Minister Modi were also embedded for posterity at the 'Cradle of Humankind' site in South Africa, alongside those of leaders of the other four BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa at the BRICS Summit. The plaques of the leaders' handprints were then installed next to one containing the handprints of late South African president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela at the site where some of the oldest remains of early man are on public display. Earlier, Modi also travelled to Rwanda, becoming the first Indian premier to visit the East African nation as India extended a USD 200 million line of credit to the country. He then visited Uganda - the first bilateral tour there by an Indian prime minister since 1997 - where he held wide-ranging talks with President Yoweri Museveni and also addressed the country's Parliament. India extended two lines of credit worth nearly USD 200 million to Uganda in energy infrastructure, agriculture and dairy sectors. As a precursor to the BRICS Summit, the Indian High Commission hosted the India-South Africa Business Summit in April, with participation from delegations across Africa. "We feel that there is a huge potential that exists between these two regions," said Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Civil Aviation, as he shared a platform with his counterparts from South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique. Prabhu said India's commitment to trade relations with Africa is very strong and it is trying to determine how the credit extended for project financing in some of these countries can be further improved, which will further benefit the countries where these projects are going to be implemented. South Africa was also rocked by the resignation of President Jacob Zuma after a long legal battle over several corruption and fraud charges. Zuma was also implicated in reports of 'state capture' over his links with the influential Indian-origin Gupta family. Facing a motion of no confidence in Parliament, Zuma resigned on February 14 and was succeeded by Ramaphosa as president. While economic relations between India and South Africa were boosted by a series of sector-specific events, they were dampened slightly by the departure of one of India's leading public sector banks, the Bank of Baroda, after it decided to close down operations in South Africa. The Bank said the closure was in line with a revision of its global strategy, but the local branch came under pressure for being the only bank that had been working with companies of the controversial Gupta brothers after all South African banks had severed ties with them following allegations of links of business barons Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta with cases of state capture and graft involving billions of rands which was among a host of reasons that led to Zuma's downfall. South Africa also marked the 125th anniversary of the historic address in Chicago by Swami Vivekananda. The Indian Cultural Centres, run by the Indian missions in both Johannesburg and Durban, were renamed in Vivekananda's honour, and local followers of his teachings from the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa organised a symposium. In Pretoria, the Indian government's partnership with one of South Africa's largest institutions for technical training, the Tshwane South Technical and Vocational Education and Training Centre, saw the official launch of the Gandhi-Mandela Centre of Specialisation for Artisan Skills in August by South African Minister of Higher Education Naledi Pandor and Indian High Commissioner Ruchira Kamboj. "This is an extremely exciting birthday gift for these two great leaders," Pandor said as she commented on the project, which jointly marks the upcoming 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in 2019 and the centenary of Mandela's birth in 2018. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala (Image: PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist) The Congress and the BJP engaged in a slugfest on 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. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will tour 20 states in next 100 days to activate Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and seek voters support ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections, according to a report by the Hindustan Times. The saffron party, which recently lost assembly polls in three key Hindi heartland states -- Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan -- is focusing strengthening its alliances and forging new partnerships ahead of the general election. BJP is also hoping to make inroads into southern and eastern states to offset potential loses in the Hindi belt. For this, the party has revived its Mission 123, which aims at winning the 123 seats that it had contested but failed to win in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the report suggests. BJP had last year categorised these 123 constituencies into 25 clusters, with one leader given charge of each of the clusters. Over the next 100 days, PM Modi will visit these clusters and seek voters support. Among them, Assam, Odisha and West Bengal will be the focus areas as the party had won just 10 out of the 77 Lok Sabha seats in these states in 2014, the report suggests citing party functionaries. PM Modi remains the most popular leader and continues to be the only candidate who can provide a stable government. We will capitalise on this, a BJP leader told the newspaper. PM Modis tour of these 25 clusters will be in form of government programmes or public interactions. It was earlier reported that the prime minister had no foreign visits scheduled in the first four months of 2019 to focus on the Lok Sabha polls. Mahinda Rajapaksa Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA should not be allowed to achieve through its support to prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government what it could not accomplish in the three-decade long civil war, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said, warning that the country cannot be divided. Addressing a public gathering at Nochchiyagama in the north central province on December 30, Rajapaksa, now the main opposition leader, said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) could make a political capital out of its support to the government. "They should not be allowed to achieve through Constitution what they could not achieve through war," Rajapaksa said. He was hinting at the TNA's support to Wickremesinghe to end the recent constitutional and political crisis which lasted for over 50 days. Rajapaksa alluded that the TNA would make use of the support to win political autonomy through devious means when Wickremesinghe introduces a new Constitution. "This country cannot be separated or divided, all must work in unison," Rajapaksa said. The TNA stood against sacking of Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena on October 26 and replacing him with Rajapaksa, triggering an unprecedented constitutional and political crisis. Sirisena also dissolved parliament when it appeared that Rajapaksa was not able to garner working majority. The Supreme Court delivered a huge blow to both Sirisena and Rajapaksa when a 7-member bench unanimously ruled Siirsena's dissolving of parliament as unconstitutional. It led to Wickremesinghe being reinstated as prime minister. Rajapaksa's war effort in crushing the LTTE's 30-year-old campaign to carve out a separate homeland for the minority Tamils has endeared him to the 74 per cent of the Sinhala majority. He aims to convert the Sinhala goodwill to votes after he was ousted by a popular movement for reforms backed by both the Sinhala majority and the minority communities in 2015. The TNA had backed Sirisena's victory in 2015 and anticipated action on introduction of a new Constitution which guaranteed political freedom for Tamil minority in the north and east provinces. However, Rajapaksa's opposition has whipped up Sinhala majority nationalism to scuttle the effort. His new party the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) swept the local polls held in February this year in the Sinhala-dominated areas. Sri Lanka's main Tamil party demands devolution of powers in the new Constitution to resolve ethnic issues. The Tamil minority seeks a power devolution arrangement to give autonomy to the traditional Tamil regions in the north and east of the island. The Tamils had stayed away from both previous Constitution making processes in 1972 and 1978. Unhappy with sharing of power, the Tamils demanded self determination in 1976 which was later converted to a bloody military campaign carried out by the LTTE. The armed Tamil group fought a guerrilla war to create a separate Tamil state. With the LTTE's military defeat in 2009, following the death its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, the moderate Tamils parties have consented to the realisation of Tamil demands through consultation. According to the government figures, around 20,000 people are missing due to various conflicts including the civil war with Lankan Tamils in the north and east which claimed at least 100,000 lives. According to UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by security forces during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the three-decade long civil war. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas Bangladesh Awami League registered a landslide victory in the general elections on December 31. With this win, Hasina secured a third consecutive term in office and fourth overall. According to reports, Hasinas Awami League-led coalition won more than 260 seats in the 300-member Jatiya Sangsad (House of the Nation), improving its tally of 234 from the outgoing House. The official result was not declared by the Election Commission (EC) at the time of publishing. The poll panel confirmed that Hasina won her Gopalganj-3 seat bagging over 2.29 lakh votes, while her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) opponent got only 123 votes. National politics in Bangladesh has been largely dominated by two parties -- the ruling Awami League and the BNP. The two parties lead the Grand Alliance and the Jatiya Oikya Front (JOF), respectively. BNP, the main Opposition party, was facing a stiff challenge within as its chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia is serving a five-year jail term in two corruption cases and is ineligible to contest the polls. Zia's son and acting party Chief Tarique Rahman is in London, possibly evading arrest, reports suggest. Landslide win Some reports suggest that the Grand Alliance-led by the Awami league won as many as 288 seats. The opposition alliance won less than 10 seats. BNP and the Gano Forum won five and two seats, respectively. As many as 11 of BNPs allies failed to win a single seat, reports suggest. The remaining four seats were won by Independents. Voting took place in 299 out of the 300 seats from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm on December 30. While the total number of eligible voters was 10.4 crore, no figures for the turnouts was issued until December 31 morning. Reports suggest that the turnout was sparse. Claims of rigging The results were announced amid claims of rigging being made by opposition parties. "We reject the results and demand a new election under a neutral government," NUF convenor and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who heads the Gano 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 EC, claiming, "we have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres". Hasina and her government have been accused of concerted persecution of its political opponents by critics and human rights organisations. Polling day violence At least 17 people, including a member of a security agency, were killed in eight districts and several others were injured in election-related violence. Reports suggest most of the dead were ruling party activists, while others were workers of opposition BNP or its allies. Citing security reasons, authorities had temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. What happened in 2014 In 2014, the elections were boycotted by the BNP and many other opposition parties giving Hasina's Awami League a walkover. Awami League retained control of Parliament by winning 234 out of the 300 seats at the time. The elections were marred by widespread violence. What it means for India Bangladesh and India share a 4,000-km long border that has been marred by ethnic conflicts. Its location is strategically important for India, and China has time and again tried to woo Dhaka. Overall, Bangladesh is a key component of India's "Look East" policy. Under Hasina's regime, New Delhi has seen improved bilateral ties and boundary disputes have been settled amicably, while strong security cooperation has been established and significant progress has been made in settling differences over the Teesta River water sharing. Bilateral trade and India's investment in Bangladesh has also picked up. The victory strengthens Hasinas grip over power in the South Asian country. (With inputs from PTI) Dancing and partying into the night is the way most of us ring in the New Year. Making New Year resolutions which are barely kept until January is another way. However, there are many bizarre traditions that people follow around the world. (Image: Reuters) Denmark | Breaking plates | People save up unused and damaged plates to smash it against their friends doors. Finding a heap of broken china on your doorstep is considered good luck. If youre in the mood to smash some crockery, head to Thalassa restaurant in North Goa. The guests can throw their plates on the floor before the traditional Greek dance! (Image: Flickr/Stig Nygaard) Spain | Eating Grapes | The Spaniards welcome the New Year by stuffing 12 grapes, one for each second as they draw curtains on the concluding year. If you succeed, good luck will follow you in the following 12 months. (Image: Reuters) Philippines | Money and round things | The Filipinos believe in wealth and good fortune for the New Year. They spread coins in every nook and corner of the house to make sure the coming year is prosperous. Wearing anything round signifies prosperity, so polka dots are quite the rage around this time. (Image: Reuters) South America | Wearing coloured underwear | They believe that the colour of your underwear at the stroke of midnight decides your destiny for the next year. Red underwear brings passion, pink brings love and yellow brings wealth. During the 2008 debt crisis in Brazil, yellow underwears were sold out as people wore it in hopes of retaining their jobs and averting the crisis. (Image: Wikipedia) Japan | Ringing temple bell | The Buddhist temples in Japan bring in the New Year by ringing the temple bell 108 times on New Years. Each ringing of the bell signifies worldly desires and anxieties. The Japanese believe that this purifies the person and helps face the coming year with a clean slate. (Image: Reuters) Switzerland | Dropping ice cream | To make sure that the next year is filled with luck, peace and wealth, the Swiss drop a scoop of ice cream on the floor. They dress up in Saint Silvester costumes with headgears and cowbells in the countryside. They sing along the neighbourhood, wishing everyone a prosperous new year! (Image: Flickr/Pete) Ecuador | Burning scarecrows | People in Ecuador make effigies filled with newspapers and old clothes and set it on fire. Last year, Donald Trump and a disgraced Ecuadorian judge were popular choices for effigies. (Image: Wikimedia Commons) Chile | Camping at the graveyard | This is a tradition that started only around 15 years ago. A family crossed over the cemeterys fence to celebrate New Years next to their fathers grave. Since then, many people celebrate New Years with their deceased loved ones. (Image: Reuters) Ireland | Throwing bread | The Irish believe in throwing bread at the walls of the house to ward off evil spirits and ensure enough bread for the coming year. During poverty stricken times, this was a way of hoping there would be no shortage in the New Year. (Image: maxpixel) In this file image taken from a video recording, Omar Khalid Khorasani (C), a top Pakistan Taliban commander, gives an interview in Pakistan's Mohmand tribal region on June 2, 2011. General Asim Bajwa, director general of the Pakistani army's media division, reported the death of Umar Narai, also known as Khalifa Umar Mansoor or Khalid Khurasani, in a message on Twitter on July 13, 2016. REUTERS/Handout/File Photo Iran said on Monday that the Afghan Taliban have visited Tehran for a second round of peace talks in just a few days aimed at bringing an end to 17 years of conflict. Iran has made a more concerted and open push for peace in neighbouring Afghanistan since US President Donald Trump indicated there would be a significant withdrawal of American troops. "Yesterday (Sunday), a delegation of Taliban were in Tehran and lengthy negotiations were held with Iran's deputy foreign minister... (Abbas) Araghchi," said spokesman Bahram Ghasemi at a televised press conference on Monday. That came just days after Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, visited Kabul and told reporters that talks had been held with the Taliban in Afghanistan. "The Islamic Republic has always been one of the primary pillars of stability in the region and cooperation between the two countries will certainly help in fixing Afghanistan's security issues of today," Shamkhani told the conservative Tasnim news agency. There have been reports in the past of talks between Iran and the Taliban, but they have typically been denied by Tehran. Ghasemi said Iran's priority was "to help facilitate negotiations between Afghan groups and the country's government." The current peace push will be viewed with concern by hawks in Washington, who fear that Trump's planned withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan will cede regional influence to Iran. An American official told AFP on December 21 that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces from Afghanistan, but the White House has yet to confirm the widely-publicised move. Senior Republican senator Lindsey Graham met with Trump on Sunday and urged him to delay any withdrawal from Syria to make sure "Iran doesn't become the big winner of our leaving." Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of US and international forces in Afghanistan, told ABC: "Iran has increased influence across the region now. If you pull American influence out, you're likely to have greater instability." The Taliban also met with the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the United Arab Emirates earlier in December, but have so far refused to meet a delegation from Afghanistan. Araghchi will travel to Afghanistan in the next two weeks, Ghasemi said, without giving further details. "Considering our long border with Afghanistan and the cultural and historical ties, and our important role in the region's stability, the Islamic republic was interested... to enter and play a more important role in peace development in Afghanistan," the spokesman added. Iran and Afghanistan share a nearly 600-mile border, and have had a complex relationship in recent years. Tehran has long supported its co-religionists in Afghanistan, the Shia Hazara minority, who were violently persecuted by the Taliban during its rule in the 1990s. Iran worked alongside the United States and Western powers to help drive out the Taliban after the US-led invasion in 2001. But there have been allegations, from Western and Afghan sources, that Iran's Revolutionary Guards have in recent years established ties with the Taliban aimed at driving out US forces from Afghanistan. US President Donald Trump might visit Britain in May 2019 after the country's departure in March from the European Union, the US ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, said on Monday. Asked whether a state visit promised by Prime Minister Theresa May last year could be rescheduled to coincide with a commemoration of the end of World War Two in May, Johnson told BBC radio: "Between you and me, I think that would be a good time." Trump visited Britain in July and although it was not a formal state visit after wide public protests, he met Queen Elizabeth. Brexit marks a watershed in Britain's diplomatic relations with the world as it tries to reshape ties to Europe and bolster its long-standing "special relationship" with the United States under Trump's unpredictable presidency. Asked if Trump would like to come again for a state visit, Johnson said: "I would think the President would be in favour of it and looking forward to it because that was mentioned when he was over here, so if we can do that it would be, I think, a big positive." He said a deadlock in Britain's parliament, which means that it is unclear what shape Brexit will take, meant a solution was necessary. "The country is in need of leadership." Johnson reiterated Trump's view that the United States was looking forward to a "quick, very massive bilateral trade deal" after Brexit, but that did not "look possible" under the current terms on which Prime Minister Theresa May has agreed a draft deal to leave the EU. Trump said in November that May's deal sounded like it would be good for the EU and cast doubt on how that would affect US-UK trading arrangements. Believers of Afro-Brazilian religions pay tribute to Yemanja, goddess of the sea, during a traditional celebration ahead of New Year's eve on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Image: Reuters) A woman holds a traditonal fox mask to have her photo taken at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan. (Image: Reuters) Shinto priests walk to attend a ritual to usher in the upcoming New Year at Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, Japan. (Image: Reuters) A make-up artist decorates the hair of a woman in the shape of Santa Claus during the New Year preparations in Ahmedabad, India. (Image: Reuters) A man dressed as Ded Moroz, the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus, helps a member of the Cryophile amateur winter swimmers' club, who walks into the icy waters of the Yenisei River during an event marking the New Year and Christmas season, with the air temperature at about minus 26 degrees Celsius (minus 14.8 degrees Fahrenheit), in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. (Image: Reuters) Schoolchildren hold balloons as they pose during celebrations to welcome the New Year at their school in Ahmedabad, India (Image: Reuters) The numbers "2019" are written in the air with a sparkler near a tourist camp outside Krasnoyarsk, Russia. (Image: Reuters) Schoolchildren hold balloons as they pose during celebrations to welcome the New Year at their school in Ahmedabad, India (Image: Reuters) Vladimir Putin 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 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." 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 defence 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. 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. Tom Steckel hunched over a laptop in the overheated basement of the state Capitol building in Pierre, South Dakota, early last week, trying to figure out how a newly awarded benefit claims contract will make it easier for him do his job. Steckel is South Dakotas director of employee benefits. His department administers programs that help the states 13,500 public employees pay for health care and prepare for retirement. Its steady work and, for that, Steckel, 62, is grateful. After turning 50, he was laid off three times before landing his current position in 2014, weathering unemployment stints of up to eight months. When he started, his $90,000-a-year salary was only 60 percent of what he made at his highest-paying job. Even with a subsequent raise, hes nowhere close to matching his peak earnings. Money is hardly the only trade-off Steckel has made to hang onto the South Dakota post. He spends three weeks of every four away from his wife, Mary, and the couples three children, who live 700 miles away in Plymouth, Wisconsin, in a house the family was unable to sell for most of the last decade. With Christmas approaching, he set off late on Dec. 18 for the 11-hour drive home. When the holiday is over, hell drive back to Pierre. Im glad to be employed, he said, but this isnt what I would have planned for this point in my life. Many Americans assume that by the time they reach their 50s theyll have steady work, time to save and the right to make their own decisions about when to retire. But as Steckels situation suggests, thats no longer the reality for manyindeed, mostpeople. ProPublica and the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank, analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study, or HRS, the premier source of quantitative information about aging in America. Since 1992, the study has followed a nationally representative sample of about 20,000 people from the time they turn 50 through the rest of their lives. Through 2016, our analysis found that between the time older workers enter the study and when they leave paid employment, 56 percent are laid off at least once or leave jobs under such financially damaging circumstances that its likely they were pushed out rather than choosing to go voluntarily. Only one in 10 of these workers ever again earns as much as they did before their employment setbacks, our analysis showed. Even years afterward, the household incomes of over half of those who experience such work disruptions remain substantially below those of workers who dont. The major indices of the Indian stock markets were range-bound on Monday and ended flat. On the NSE, there were 1,129 advances, 643 declines and 114 unchanged. The trends of the major indices in the course of Mondays trading are given in the table below: The last session of 2018's trade ended on a flat note with the Sensex declining 8 points and the Nifty adding just 2 points to its previous close. The indices however were in the green for the most part of Monday's trade session but were dragged by weakness in key stocks of sectors like realty, oil and gas and energy. The indices advanced during the afternoon session of trade after opening higher in line with global markets on Monday over signs of progress in the US-China trade stand-off. The indices had, however, slipped in the red for a short while -- 12-1 p.m. -- as oil and gas and energy stocks witnessed selling pressure. Finally, by close of trading the major indices ended flat. Asian stocks also traded in the green after US President Donald Trump said: "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!" he said. The benchmark Brent Crude price was also flat at $53.21 per barrel ahead of the OPEC (Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries) and other oil producers' production cut which will take effect from January 1. OPEC had earlier said that they consider the $50-60 per barrel range as stable. Now that Brent crude price slid below 50, it may be expected that there will be further production cut, pointed out market analysts. The Indian currency was trading at 69.91 per dollar after closing at Rs69.94 last week. Petrol prices on Monday declined to their lowest levels of 2018 across the four metro cities, with the fuel being sold at Rs68.84 per litre in the national capital. Macro-economic data points, coupled with Indian rupee's performance against the US dollar will influence domestic equity market's trajectory during the current week, pointed out market analysts. Leading private insurer SBI Life Insurance on Monday said it has signed a 'bancassurance' pact, with state-run Allahabad Bank to offer a financial planning solution to consumers. The Central government has decided to infuse Rs10,086 crore into Bank of India. The bank informed the BSE in a regulatory filing on Saturday that the capital infusion in its equity will be done by way of preferential allotment. According to the filing, the bank's board will consider "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 or securities at an appropriate time and other incidental matters thereat". Bank of India shares closed at Rs104.05, up 1.07% on the BSE. Reliance Jio announced an offer of 100% cashback in the form of coupon for the e-commerce portal AJIO on recharge of Rs399 during December 28, 2018 to January 31, 2019. Jio has partnered with Reliance Retail's fashion portal AJIO for the "Jio Happy New Year Offer" and customers can redeem the coupons by March 15, 2019, Reliance Jio said in a statement. "The coupons can be redeemed over and above the existing AJIO offers," it said. "AJIO coupon worth Rs399 will be credited in MyCoupons section of MyJio (app). The coupon credited can be redeemed on AJIO app and website on minimum cart value of Rs1,000." Reliance Industries shares closed at Rs1,121.05, down 0.42% on the BSE. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the listing of six Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE) on the stock exchange through initial public offerings (IPO) and one Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) through issue of follow-on public offer (FPO), Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. The seven PSUs are Telecommunication Consultants (India) Ltd, RailTel Corporation India Ltd, National Seed Corporation India Ltd, Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd, Water and Power Consultancy Services (India) Ltd, FCI Aravali Gypsum and Minerals (India) Ltd, and Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd (KIOCL). All PSUs will be listed through the IPO route except KIOCL, which will come out with an FPO. The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below: The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below: December 31, 2018 Syria - 'Country Of The Year' 2018 George Galloway is right: George Galloway @georgegalloway - 11:46 utc - 31 Dec 2018 The defeat of the imperialist armies and their head-chopping auxiliaries in the alphabet soup of Islamist extremism by the Syrian Arab Army and its allies was the most significant event of the year or any year since the US defeat in Vietnam. It will change the world. January 2018 - bigger December 2018 - bigger The consolidation of the Syrian government control came at a relatively low price. Syria's nearly eight-year-old conflict saw its lowest annual death toll in 2018 as the regime reasserted its authority over swathes of territory, a war monitor said Monday. A total of 19,666 people were killed this year as a result of the conflict, which erupted in 2011, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported. ... "Most of those killed during the first part of the year were killed in regime and Russian bombardment of opposition areas, including Eastern Ghouta," Abdel Rahman said. "The majority of those killed in the second half of the year were killed in coalition air strikes," he added. The attack against the last Islamic State held territory north of the Euphrates and near the Iraqi border was intentionally delayed for nearly a full year. Since Trump announced his intention to have U.S. troops leave Syria as soon as possible, the U.S. military and its Kurdish proxy force suddenly make significant progress against the remnants of ISIS. Yesterday the Syrian government authorized the Iraqi airforce to attack ISIS within Syria. Such action is planned in the Baghdad war room where Syria, Iraq, Iran and Russia exchange intelligence and coordinate their fight. Today Iraqi jets hit an alleged ISIS command meeting in al-Susah, Syria. This reinforces the assertion that the U.S. is no longer needed to defeat the Islamic State. With the U.S. on its way out, the northeast is likely to soon come back under government control. By the end of next year Idleb will also be cleaned of al-Qaeda and similar Islamist gangs. For seven years the empire and its proxies threw the proverbial kitchen sink at Syria. The country and its people defeated all attacks and survived. They are damaged but very alive. If there were some "country of the year 2018" contest Syria surely would have won it. Posted by b on December 31, 2018 at 16:56 UTC | Permalink Comments Juliet members have been ushering people for plays at the Globe of the Southwest for over 43 years. But before there were the Juliets there was Marjorie Morris, an English teacher at Odessa High School and then a professor at Odessa College. Morris wanted to bring a replica of Shakespeares Globe Theatre to Odessa College. Juliet member Beverly McColloch has Morris as a teach at Odessa High School and Odessa College. She remembers Morris love for Shakespeares plays. If you ever wanted to learn Shakespeare that is where you would learn it, McColloch said. Morris raised all the money for the construction through big donations and asking students at Odessa College for one dollar at a time, Juliet member Esther Sofge said. The Globe of the Great Southwest started showing plays in 1968. The Juliet Fine Art Society was organized in 1975, seven years later. The Juliets started out as a fundraising organization for the Globe, Delores Schuler the current president said. Allie Taylor was the first president in 1975. Nobody could remember who started the Juliets but they have records showing the past presidents. On a pamphlet among the records the Juliets keep, was a description of What is a Juliet? She is a student, career woman, teacher, wife, nurse, mother or grandmother. She has a special love of the GLOBE THEATRE, other Juliets and friends of the theatre. She is a valuable asset to the Globe Theatre and its productions, handling the patron house management, ushering, being a ticket greeter, program greeter and managing the concession/barter booth and the Anne Hathaway Cottage when needed. The Juliet Society, for their fundraisers, gives teas for organizations of the community, state conferences and conventions. They also help serve at receptions and parties at the Globe Theater when needed and they have volunteer time available. Money received by the organization is used to benefit the Globe Theatre. Barbara Hogan joined the Juliets in 2009 after she moved back to Odessa from the Gulf Coast. Hogan said she misses serving patrons out of the barter booth. We could get everybody out and hand them hot chocolate on cold days, Hogan said. I like being part of this group because its a fun group and I think its just amazing that there is an exact replica of the Globe Theatre in Odessa, Texas. The Globe of the Great Southwest is located on 2308 Shakespeare Rd on the Odessa College campus. It is an exact replica, minus the roof as McColloch pointed out, of the Globe Theatre in London. Recently, the Globe of the Great Southwest has come under the full management of Odessa College. Before, it operated independently with a board of directors. Now the Juliets are only called upon to usher for productions not put on by Odessa College. They recently helped with the Shakespeare festival during Apocalypse. They used to have two dresses, one pink, short sleeved for summer months and a cranberry colored dress for the winter, Schuler said. Several years ago we went to the capes. The capes are cooler and allow members to wear any white shirt they desire underneath, Hogan said. New members wouldnt have to buy or make dresses either, Schuler said. Schuler said she remembers when attendees would find a Juliet in a red or pink dress and pay them 10 dollars for admittance to the production of the night. From 1979-2013, the Juliets helped usher about 250 plays on top of the monthly showings of the Brand New Opry on Saturday nights and annual Shakespeare Festival, records show. Juliet membership numbers have fluctuated over the years with the Juliets numbering 40 at one time but recent membership is at 14 active members. Anyone can become a member; they just have to volunteer, Sofge said. McColloh said it would be wonderful to get more young women involved with the Juliets. Hogan said she would like to start having teas again, which were once a fundraiser for the Globe of the Great Southwest. 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. Mega-deals in the upstream oil and gas industry brought renewed attention to the Permian Basin and its thriving oil and gas industry. In March, Concho Resources generated headlines when it announced plans to acquire RSP Permian in a $9.5 billion deal that was completed in July. Fellow Midland-based operator Diamondback Energy generated a new set of headlines in August when the company announced a $9.2 billion deal to acquire Energen Resources, a deal that was completed in late November. RELATED: Researchers say Permian producers set to weather renewed price volatility Analysts following the upstream oil and gas market predict similar deals will be announced in 2019 as operators seek to bulk up and create economies of scale as the Permian's unconventional shale plays mature and enter a more-costly, technology-driven manufacturing mode. Mega-deals were not the only events drawing attention to the Permian Basin in 2018 as crude price volatility re-entered the picture. Oil prices, which had begun 2018 well above $50 a barrel, became significantly impacted by pipeline constraints as the year progressed, sending prices for crude sold in Midland as much as $20 below that for crude sold at Cushing, Oklahoma. Still, operators said prices were well above break-even levels, a contention that was tested by the end of the year. Prices, which had reached a four-year high above $76 a barrel in early October, then began a plunge that saw them drop by 20 percent in November alone. The rout continued in December as prices were undercut by rising worries about a possible crude oversupply and a weakening global economy, which could impact oil demand. Pioneers Susan Spratlen told Midland in January about an effort by oil companies to develop a plan that addresses a variety of issues in the nations most-active basin. These issues include educating the workforce of the future, improving health care and constructing roads more suited to the heavy demands of the oil and gas industry. She called it the Permian Strategic Partnership. More of the details were revealed last month in a letter in the Reporter-Telegram that stated that 17 companies were committed to providing more than $100 million over the next several years as seed money to spur additional private-sector investment. They say out with the old and in with the new when the year turns, but don't shelve last year's books quite yet: The titles you devoured in 2018 can help determine what to pick up in 2019. Here are 10 options to consider based on some of last year's favorites. --- If you enjoyed "The Woman in the Window," by A.J. Finn, read "My Lovely Wife," by Samantha Downing (Berkley, March 26) In this "Dexter"-like debut thriller, a couple gets bored and, naturally, spice things up with murder. They get away with it - until they don't, of course, which is when things start to get interesting in this dark, disturbing exploration of family, marriage and murderous compulsions. --- If you enjoyed "Educated," by Tara Westover, read "A Good Wife," by Samra Zafar (HarperCollins, March 5) At 17, Zafar was forced to marry a stranger and move to Canada, leaving her family - and dreams - behind in Pakistan. Years of emotional and physical abuse followed, inflicted by a husband who isolated her. In her searing debut memoir, Zafar describes mustering the strength to concoct an escape plan for herself and her daughters, and risking cultural isolation by walking away to build a new future. --- If you enjoyed "The Tattooist of Auschwitz," by Heather Morris, read "The Huntress," by Kate Quinn (William Morrow Paperbacks, Feb. 26) During the final days of World War II, the Huntress - a Nazi - commits horrific acts before fleeing to America. Three people, including an English journalist and Russian bomber pilot, embark on a hunt to find her. Their stories converge with that of 17-year-old Jordan McBride, whose pretty new stepmother has a past shrouded in secrecy. --- If you enjoyed "Bad Blood," by John Carreyrou, read "Bitcoin Billionaires: A True Story of Genius, Betrayal, and Redemption," by Ben Mezrich (Flatiron Books, May 21) Mezrich's "The Accidental Billionaires" - his 2009 account of Facebook's founding - was the basis for "The Social Network," that little movie starring Jesse Eisenberg. Parts of the book examined Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss' lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg claiming that the idea for the site had been stolen from them. In "Bitcoin Billionaires," Mezrich returns to the identical twins' story: In the wake of their legal battle with Facebook, the Winklevosses went all in on cryptocurrency, and in 2017, became the first bitcoin billionaires. Expect a deeply reported "only in Silicon Valley" saga. --- If you enjoyed "The Golden State Killer," by Michelle McNamara, read "Stay Sexy & Don't Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide," by Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff (Forge Books, May 28) It stands to reason that the late McNamara's obsessive search for the Golden State Killer resonated with many of the same people who tune in to cult-favorite true-crime podcast "My Favorite Murder." In their upcoming book, charmingly brash co-hosts Hardstark and Kilgariff reflect on their struggles with depression, eating disorders and addiction. They also impart advice on the importance of personal safety and, well, how to stay alive in this dangerous world. --- If you enjoyed "The Kiss Quotient," by Helen Hoang, read "Things You Save in a Fire," by Katherine Center (St. Martin's, Aug. 13) A spirited, independent heroine meets a smoking hot fireman in Center's smart romance. On Page 1, Cassie Hanwell becomes the youngest person - and only female ever - to win the Austin Fire Department's Valor Award. Shortly thereafter, she's forced to relocate to an old-school Boston firehouse with hazing, poor facilities and firemen who aren't thrilled to have a woman on the crew. Except, of course, for a dapper rookie. --- If you enjoyed "There There," by Tommy Orange, read "The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America From 1890 to the Present," by David Treuer (Riverhead, Jan. 22) Treuer grew up on the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota, part of the Ojibwe tribe, and then pursued a doctorate in anthropology, with an emphasis on past and present native life. His forthcoming counternarrative blends memoir - a retelling of his own family and tribe's experiences - and in-depth, detailed reporting on 125 years of native history. --- If you enjoyed "An American Marriage," by Tayari Jones, read "The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls," by Anissa Gray (Berkley, Feb. 19) Gray's debut introduces a trio of reeling sisters: Althea, who's just been sentenced to prison for food stamp fraud and charity embezzlement, and Viola and Lillian, who return to the home where they were raised to care for Althea's resentful daughters. Each chapter is narrated by an alternating sister, revealing layers of complex family history and demons. It all fuses into an absorbing commentary on love, family and forgiveness. --- If you enjoyed "Children of Blood and Bone" by Tomi Adeyemi, read "The Gilded Wolves" by Roshani Chokshi (Wednesday Books, Jan. 15) In glitzy 1889 Paris, hotelier Severin Montagnet-Alarie's team of teenage miscreants is helping him exact revenge against those who denied him an heirship 10 years prior. When Severin is approached by a powerful society that promises to restore his inheritance if he helps execute a dangerous heist, he's thrust into an occult world that will kill him if he doesn't tread carefully. --- If you enjoyed "My Ex-Life," by Stephen McCauley, read "Fleishman Is in Trouble," by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (Random House, June 18) This satiric debut comes from Brodesser-Akner, the New York Times Magazine writer you might know for that viral profile of Gwyneth Paltrow. Newly separated Dr. Toby Fleishman is enjoying a sexual resurgence - not one woman he meets can resist him. But then his ex drops their kids off at his place and never returns. Toby adopts the appealing persona of "spurned husband" as he attempts to juggle women, kids and patients, but figuring out what has become of his missing ex will require unfamiliar - and uncomfortable - introspection. --- Haupt is a writer and editor based in D.C. The growing sense that democracy is not delivering enough on the promises of opportunity for all is one reason that democracies around the world are reeling from populist movements. That includes our own country, where the promise of the American Dream seems elusive for too many people. This disconnection is one of the reasons the Bush Institute has partnered with Freedom House and the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement on the Democracy Project. The public opinion research program is examining the health of Americas democracy and gauges American attitudes on some of the challenges facing it. Those challenges are not necessarily new. Since Watergate, our democratic system and the institutions that support it have become weaker. Confidence in institutions such as Congress, the media, the courts, and business have all declined. Yet there is a new troubling unease that opportunity is not available for all. Former Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida spoke to this last fall at the Bush Institutes Spirit of Liberty conference. He noted that one result of the 2008 financial crisis was that a lot of people began to doubt the promise of America, and the conversation began to be had that many people are having today: Whether the next generation will be able to live the fruits of the American Dream. Our research confirmed this dissatisfaction. While we reassuringly found a country that still believes strongly in the ideas and principles of democracy, we also found a country that is questioning whether that system is working as intended. Younger people and nonwhites were notably less likely to believe in American democracys ability to deliver on the challenges facing them as individuals. The most alarming part of our findings is that those who are most skeptical about democracy are those who comprise the future majority of our population. The U.S. Census Bureau forecasts that by 2044, non-Hispanic whites will no longer form the majority of the American population. Whites will continue to be the single largest ethnic group, but America will be a majority-minority nation in 26 years. Five states California, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas and the District of Columbia already have crossed the threshold to majority-minority status, and more will follow. In my view, our increasing diversity is something to celebrate. It makes us a more dynamic and better country. But to be a better country, our democracy must connect with this new body politic. Our research found significantly less intense support for democracy among racial minorities. For example, 64 percent of white respondents said it was absolutely important to live in a democracy, but only 54 percent of nonwhites agreed. What happens if Americas new majority no longer buys into the basic premises that have guided the United States since its founding? A similar trend is in play among age groups. While 60 percent of all respondents said living in a democracy was absolutely important to them, 39 percent of those under 30 felt that way. Some research suggests that as people age they tend to become more invested in democracy. Over time, wed expect those who are currently more ambivalent to become less so. For example, seniors tend to vote in large numbers; people in their late teens and 20s, not so much. But theres no parallel phenomenon to point to in terms of race. It shouldnt surprise anyone whos looked at social media or watched the news of the last few years that significant and important differences of opinion exist on questions related to race in America. When our poll asked if equal rights and protections for racial minorities are getting better or worse, whites and nonwhites expressed very different perspectives. Among whites, 50 percent said things were improving, versus 41 percent who said they were not. But among nonwhite respondents, just 31 percent said things were getting better, and 63 percent said they were getting worse. We asked respondents to choose two among 10 elements of democracy that are most important to them personally. Significantly, equal rights regardless of gender, race or beliefs was ranked as the single-most important element of democracy, ahead of concepts such as freedom of speech, checks and balances, and free elections. Four in 10 respondents named equal rights as the most important value to them personally. Among key demographic groups we saw even stronger conviction on equal rights. Nearly five in 10 nonwhite respondents and a similar number of those aged 1829 stated it was the most important element to them. When half of the nonwhite population says equal rights are the most important element of a democracy and nearly two-thirds of them believe equal rights are getting worse, we have a problem. As America transitions from a white-majority society to a much more diverse population, and as millennials become the largest generation, its imperative that they see their democracy is built on the concept of equal rights. Its vital that they believe their democracy protects them. One element of that is clearly the criminal justice system. For many Americans, especially African-Americans, there are grave doubts that justice is truly just. We can take heart that in the big picture, this study found continuing confidence in the concept of democracy and no obvious appetite for any alternative. Jeremy Rosner, managing director of Greenburg Quinlan Rosner and one of the pollsters who guided the research, noted, There is strong pride in Americas democratic traditions and institutions. Freedom makes America different. One approach to these challenges seems promising: treat what ails American democracy with more democracy. The study tested a series of messages on democracy and one resonated particularly strongly across demographic categories: Today, there is a great need for us all to act as responsible citizens things like voting, volunteering, taking time to stay informed, and standing up for whats right so that the freedoms and rights we cherish dont get whittled away. Nearly 90 percent favored this message across party, racial, regional and generational lines. By focusing on some of the core elements of our democratic system, we have the tools to strengthen our democracy. Vote. Give your time to causes or candidates you believe in. Pay attention to current events. Treat each other with respect and civility. In so doing, we can ensure that Americas democracy delivers for every American. Lindsay Lloyd is deputy director of Human Freedom at the George W. Bush Institute. He wrote this essay for The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute. President Donald Trump View Photos President Trump discussed the importance of Border Security as Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words: Youve all been seeing it, reading it, hearing it: border security. Every nation has not only the right, but the absolute duty, to protect its borders and its citizens. A nation without borders is a nation not at all. Without borders, we have the reign of chaos, crime, cartels, and believe it or not coyotes. I will not surrender this nation to the whims of criminal organizations who prey on the vulnerable, who hurt women and children, and who spread human misery and suffering. Human trafficking and massive drug inflow must also be stopped. Its at a tremendous level. What were doing and the incredible job being done by border security, ICE, Border Patrol, local police, and the military the military has been incredible. And were stopping them. Its a process, you wouldnt believe how tough. But were stopping them in record numbers. At this moment, there is a debate over funding border security and the wall, also called so that I give them a little bit of an out steel slats. We dont use the word wall necessarily, but it has to be something special to do the job steel slats. Ive made my position very clear: Any measure that funds the government must include border security. It has to. Not for political purposes but for our country, for the safety of our community. This is not merely my campaign promise, this is the promise every lawmaker made. It is the solemn promise to protect and defend the United States of America. And it is our sacred obligation. We have no choice. For decades, Washington abandoned this commitment and allowed millions and millions of people to enter our country illegally and over the objections of the American people. No one voiced or voted for a policy, no one endorsed this policy, and no one ratified this policy. It was a total assault on our democracy itself. Illegal immigration costs our nation $275 billion a year you hear many different numbers; you can say billions and billions, but the number that I hear most accurate is $275 billion a year, at least millions of jobs and thousands of innocent lives. More than 90 percent of heroin comes across our southern border. Heroin deaths have tripled since 2002. Every week, this illegal heroin kills at least 300 Americans and costs our nation over $230 billion to $289 billion, or nearly $5 billion a week. I spoke with President Xi of China, and he has agreed to make fentanyl another one of the big, big problems, and probably, I think, its just gone to number one; kills 80,000 people a year in our country hes going to make that a major crime in China. And if you get caught, you pay a major penalty; its called the death penalty. And it wasnt listed as a crime until I spoke to him. So I appreciate President Xi for doing that. Thats a tremendous thats going to have a tremendous impact. (Applause.) Every day, 10 known or suspected terrorists try to gain entry into our country. Every day, 2,000 illegal aliens try to cross our borders. They try. We get most of them. Its hard without a wall. Every year, 50,000 illegal children are smuggled by coyotes and criminals into our country. In the last two years alone, ICE officers arrested criminal aliens charged with or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 murders. Its rough stuff. Yet, the Democrats continue to oppose border security, no matter how many innocent people get hurt or die. Ridiculously and dangerously, certain people want open borders, which allow potentially massive crime. Our nation has spent trillions of dollars and sacrificed thousands of brave young lives defending the borders of foreign nations. I am asking Congress to defend the border of our nation for a tiny fraction tiny fraction of the cost. Essential to border security is a powerful, physical barrier. Walls work whether we like it or not. They work better than anything. In Israel, 99.9 percent successful. Think of it. I spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister, two days ago. We were talking about it. He said its 99.9. I mean, he came up; I didnt ask. He said, 99.9 percent successful. We have proposed a steel slat barrier to halt the deadly flow of these illegal traffickers, smugglers, and terrorists. Every day that we deprive our Border Patrol and ICE officers the resources they need, we put many innocent lives in harms way. It should be bipartisan. I think it will end up being bipartisan. I really do. Illegal immigration also strains public services that Americans depend on. And illegal immigration drives down wages for the neediest Americans. No one who calls themselves a progressive should support illegal immigration. Open borders hurts poor Americans more than anyone else in our society. In life, there are certain principles worth fighting for principles that are more important than politics, party, or personal convenience. The safety and security and sovereignty of the United States is the most important principle of all. If we dont stand strong for our national borders, then we cease to be a nation and we betray our commitment to the loyal citizens of our great country. I look forward to signing a bill that fulfills our fundamental duty to the American people. It is all about and I say this in any way they want to hear it its all about America First. We have to put our country first. We have to put our people first. And we have to put safety first. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Columbia, CA Negotiators with the Yosemite Community College District and Yosemite Faculty Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract so that a strike can be averted next month at Columbia College and Modesto Junior College. It covers 299 full time and 426 part-time instructors. Negotiators met for nearly eight hours yesterday to iron out the final details which still must be ratified by the association members and YCCD board at meetings over the coming weeks. The contract details have not yet been released, but a fact-finding report issued prior to the meeting recommended a pay increase during this contract term of 8-percent as well as some retroactive pay. YCCD Chancellor Harry Yong says, This ground-breaking agreement will allow us to work together to build a great future for our students. We are happy that the District is able to reach an agreement that respects our faculty and serves our students. YFA President Jim Sahlman adds, Its timely that this is happening right before the new year. We are excited about a fresh start, not only with our contract but with the Yosemite Community College District administration. The tentative deal eliminates a previously planned strike on January 14 when classes will resume for nearly 25,000 students. Gustavo Perez Arriaga View Photos Newman, CA Federal authorities had no contact with Gustavo Perez Arriaga prior to his arrest for allegedly killing Newman Police Officer Ronil Singh. Following his incarceration on Friday, the Associated Press reports that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) put detainers on Arriaga and his various other accomplices. We reported earlier that Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson was very critical of state sanctuary policies that prevented local law enforcement agencies from working with ICE. Arriaga had twice been arrested for DUI in recent years and was a known gang member. A total of eight people have been arrested in connection to the murder of Corporal Singh, Arriaga for the shooting, and seven others who aided in his attempted escape to the southern border. Services for Corporal Singh are planned for this coming Friday and Saturday. Nearly 200,000 people expressed interest on Facebook in attending the Fredericksburg Hot Air Balloon Festival and Victory Cup Polo Match over the weekend, but many of the 1,900 who made it were less than thrilled with what they saw. Only two of the advertised 20 hot balloons were out, and neither of them made it into the sky a problem caused entirely by windy weather conditions that could not be prevented, Victory Cup Manager Joe Bachmeier said in a message. Bachmeier's response did little to comfort disgruntled attendees, who took to Facebook to gripe about the lack of tethered balloon rides and launchings, to say the parking system was poorly managed and to complain about minimal organization and lackadaisical staff. Many said they wasted hundreds of dollars. At least one talked about filing a lawsuit. RELATED: Date set for 2019 taco and music festival Bachmeier expressed regret that the balloons couldn't be launched, but said the polo match and other parts of the festival ran as scheduled. "The pilots, crews and balloons were on site as scheduled but simply could not inflate due to dangerous winds," Bachmeier said in a message. "The expense to house 20 pilots and (their) crews was formidable. Nobody wanted the balloons to launch more than us, for sure." Given the deadly 2016 hot air balloon crash in Lockhart, Bachmeier said, it especially wasn't worth the risk. "Friday was cut short due to dangerous winds," Bachmeier said in a message. "Had we launched balloons in that weather the implications would have (not could have) been fatal. (Our) safety protocols require safeguarding lives first. Balloons are beautiful, but can be dangerous." The rest of the event, Bachmeier said, was "phenomenal," drawing 1,900 people, dozens of vendors and musicians, and food to satisfy the disgruntled crowds. The picture he painted was vastly different picture than the one attendees described in a Facebook group about the event. "8 of us came from Houston, San Antonio, NY and Seattle with high expectations. This didn't last long as we experienced this sorry event," one man posted in the group. "To the event organizers - shame on you. Worst run event I have ever been to." RELATED: Organizers promise January's San Antonio Coffee Festival won't be a disaster Many said they had been looking forward to the event for months and had spent hundreds of dollars in event fees and travel expenses. One person threatened a class action lawsuit and said many people expressed their support to him. Victory Cup's complimentary dinner Saturday and its offer to guarantee free attendance to a future event were too little, too late, according to Facebook posts. I just love ending a great week with getting scammed, Anthony Bernardelli said on Facebook. I understand that there was probably a lot they couldnt control like mud covering the parking lot (a horse pasture) and winds that made hot air balloons unable to activate, but they CAN control how they treat the 2000+ people who made the driveWhat a freaking waste. Ryan Vestil told mySA.com in a message that he and his girlfriend planned to attend the event as a romantic getaway. They arrived and purchased $60 worth of food and drink tickets, but were so unimpressed with the few options that they returned to the check-in booth to file a complaint. They eventually spoke to former New York State Sen. Greg Ball, a partner of the company that organized the event, but Vestil said Ball was very dismissive and condescending and ultimately asked security to escort Vestil and his girlfriend out less than 45 minutes after arriving on the property, Vestil said. (For a few hours Monday, someone changed Balls salary on Wikipedia to say $79,500 + scammed victory cup profits.) The moment we jumped in shuttle along with a few other patrons the bus driver asked how it was, Vestil said. All 8 passengers in the bus responded with well that was a waste of money. RELATED: San Antonio's Barbacoa & Big Red Festival finds new home for 2019 installment Guests complained about a parking lot covered in mud, tents too cold, and no warning that the hot air balloon launch might be canceled. Bachmeier said they did everything they could to warn guests to dress for cold and wet grounds. He said they added roads, additional staff and a complimentary shuttle. Attendees said the meal was unimpressive for the price. Bachmeier said three chefs on site were making full steaks, chicken, mussels, vegetables and more. This event was not only disappointing, poorly managed, and a waste of money, but ultimately turned out to be a true scam, Isaiah Manning said on Facebook. He was there with a group of 20 people to celebrate his recent engagement. Heres what our $135 VIP tickets provided us: A table outside in the cold with no view of the polo field, a school cafeteria level meal, no included beverages, and a slew of angry people trying to steal our table. This event truly was a scam and everyone needs to be aware of the lies and empty promises supplied by the Victory Cup. None of their comments, however, were on the event page itself. Negative comments there were deleted, attendees said. So they started their own Facebook group instead, which quickly garnered hundreds of members. When asked for more information about their experiences, multiple people declined to comment, saying event organizers had threatened legal action. Bachmeier said the organization would take action if necessary to defend themselves from "scurrilous claims." "We run a professional operation and will deal with respectable complaints properly," Bachmeier said in a message. "There were foul and profanity saturated posts that will not be tolerated. We are monitoring slanderous and libelous activity and will take action against lies, and personal attacks." S. M. Chavey is a breaking news and general assignment writer. Read her on our breaking news site, mySA.com and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | sarah.chavey@express-news.net | @smchavey Dec. 21 An officer was dispatched to Harris County Sherriffs Office IPC to pick up a prisoner in custody with outstanding West University Place warrants. The prisoner was transferred to the West University Jail Facility and booked without incident. Dec. 22 At 9:26 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a business in the 5800 block of Kirby in reference to a burglary of a building that had already occurred. An officer observed a traffic violation in the 6500 block of Buffalo Speedway. The driver (Ricardo Cardenas) was subsequently arrested for Driving while license invalid. Dec. 23 At 2:01 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle traveling in the 6300 block of Buffalo Speedway with expired registration. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. At 8:30 p.m., an officer with observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 6700 block of Buffalo Speedway with expired registration. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver (Juan Arredondo) was arrested for Driving While License Invalid. At 10:05 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop in the 5400 block of Buffalo Speedway on a vehicle that was speeding. The driver (Caryaspn Bell) was subsequently arrested for possession of marijuana. Dec. 24 At 2:28 a.m., an Officer observed a vehicle stationary in the 2600 block of Barbara with its brake lights on. While attempting to get a better view of the TXLP, the vehicle abruptly left the scene at a high rate of speed. The subject failed to stop at designated stopping point at a stop sign entering Annapolis. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The driver was enrolled into the Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program (MMDP). The driver was also cited for failure to stop at designated stopping point and possession of drug paraphernalia. Dec. 25 An officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in regard to a walk-in report of found property. Upon arrival it was discovered that a key ring with a key attached was located on the street by an individual who was out walking. A report for found property was generated. Dec. 26 An officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby to speak with a complainant in reference to fraudulent activity on their credit card. At 9:06 p.m., an officer was dispatched to 5300 block of Kirby, in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle that had already occurred. Dec. 27 At 12:12 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 6700 block of Buffalo Speedway with defective equipment. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, a passenger was found to be in possession of marijuana. He was later deemed eligible to participate in the Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program and released from the scene. The family of a man who killed himself during untreated drug withdrawal in the Harris County jail last year has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the local lock-up of inadequate staffing, insufficient suicide prevention procedures and sub-par medical care. Vincent Dwayne Young, whose February 2017 death sparked local protests and led to an officer's firing, was found hanging by a bed sheet alone in his infirmary cell after jailers failed to check on him for more than an hour. Initially, the 32-year-old's family questioned whether his death was truly a suicide. But now, the legal filing accuses the jail of failing to treat his withdrawal from anti-anxiety drugs, even though Young warned staff he was becoming depressed without his medication. "Harris County has an atrocious record of inadequate medical care and mental health care," said attorney Randall Kallinen, who filed the lawsuit Sunday. "Harris County has been cited by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for dangerous practices which have injured and killed many inmates." READ MORE: Protesters question circumstances of jail inmate's death On a windy Tuesday afternoon, Young's family gathered in front of the Harris County Jail and called on Sheriff Ed Gonzalez to make changes to prevent future tragedies within the facility. "As far as taking care of inmates that's a human life. You're responsible for a human life," said Kimaletha Wynn, Young's widow. "That's your job at that moment. Nothing else should be more important. Just because they're inmates they're still humans. That doesn't mean you can mistreat them." Wynn, 40, noted that her husband's death came after a slew of other jail suicides in recent years that exposed problems with jailer supervision and other failures within the sheriff's office handling of inmate care and inmate safety. "Everybody's bring light to it, to what's going on, and they're still not stepping up," Wynn said. "How many more deaths have to come along to cause that? And it shouldn't [take any more]." Menalie Young, Vincent's sister, said more transparency is needed. "At end of day they come to do their time, and they should be able to come home to their families," she said. "This is going on far too long we're now in 2019 to still be standing here with a wife mourning the loss of her husband and family mourning over their father." READ MORE: Inmate suicide note from Harris County jail points to systemic gaps in mental health care Randall Kallinen, the lawyer representing Wynn and her relatives, said Young's death also revealed chronic underfunding by Harris County, leading to under-supervised jailers. "The commissioners court has been very negligent in providing enough funds so Harris County jail can adequately care for its inmates," he said. The suicide, one of four at the local lock-up over the past two years, eventually prompted the Texas Commission on Jail Standards to find the facility out-of-compliance for its lax supervision. Though the fatality led to sweeping changes at the jail, since then the lock-up has been deemed non-compliant four more times two of which were in connection with other suicides. The Harris County Sheriff's Office did not comment on the legal claim, and the Harris County Attorney's Office did not respond Monday to a request for comment. After he was booked into the jail on drug charges on Feb. 7, Young told medical staff he was on blood pressure medication, an opioid painkiller and the anti-anxiety medication Xanax. But the jail didn't give him the mental health drug, and by his third day behind bars, Young "complained of racing thoughts, paranoia, that others were talking about him, causing him to sit in the corner," according to the lawsuit. Still, the jail determined he didn't need any mental health services at that point, and his state of mind apparently continued to deteriorate. "Suicidal tendencies are a well-known side effect of Xanax withdrawal," the lawsuit notes. "Weaning off Xanax is best practices for Xanax withdrawal." Read more: Round the clock help hotline for inmates On the fifth day in jail, another inmate walked up and told guards he was worried Young might be suicidal, so the detention officers took him to a holdover cell. He was later moved to the jail infirmary because of his withdrawal and high blood pressure, but staff decided to wait until he finishing detoxing before doing a psychiatric evaluation. Then, on Feb. 13, a jailer found him dead in his cell, hanging from a bedsheet. Guards hadn't checked on him for over an hour, and no one had actually set foot in his cell for nearly six hours, according to the lawsuit. Afterward, the jailer who should have been responsible for the checks said he was too busy escorting staff to visit prisoners in other infirmary cells, so he didn't have time to do required rounds. Instead, he allegedly recorded several cell checks that never happened. Texas Rangers later found nearly two dozen discrepancies in the round sheets. The officer in question was later fired, and the jail stepped up it suicide prevention efforts by seeking funding to install more surveillance cameras in health services cells and implementing a new policy requiring random weekly audits to make sure jailers were really doing rounds as often as required. The jail also removed bedsheets from certain cells and replaced them with blankets. And this year after another suicide officials created a round-the-clock help hotline for inmates. But still, the lawsuit Kallinen filed cites the jail for making a practice of understaffing, failing to make sure guards did rounds, and failing to provide adequate oversight. Though the jail has a below-average suicide rate, according to officials, the lock-up has been repeatedly noted for failing to supervise inmates. After the state cited the facility for lack of supervision leading up to Young's death, they were still in non-compliance when the commission chastised them again in April 2017, this time for leaving inmates in a transport van overnight. Then in December, the jail racked up another non-compliance when Maytham Alsaedy killed himself in his cell just a week before he was scheduled to plead guilty to capital murder. In August, Debora Lyons hanged herself with a bed sheet in a common area of the jail, marking the second suicide in a matter of weeks. She'd been locked up on a theft charge and couldn't make the $1,500 bail. According to a source familiar with the case, she had threatened suicide at least once in the days before her death. Afterward, the county was cited again and submitted a corrective action plan, but state officials hadn't yet marked the jail compliant with that plan when they failed parts of an annual inspection in November and racked up another non-compliance. Roadkill on Houston's neighborhood streets was the concern for thousands of 311 callers in 2018. Houstonians called the city's 311 service nearly 8,000 times to complain about dead animals on streets between January and early December, according to city data. A K-9 was injured during a search for burglary suspects in north Houston early Monday, according to the Houston Police Department. One suspect was arrested, and at least two are still at large. The pursuit began about 3:30 a.m. after a report of a burglary at a Verizon cell phone store at the North Loop and Shepherd, HPD Lt. Larry Crowson said. GANGS SUSPECTED: Shootout erupts in Cloverleaf Patrol officers in the area spotted the suspected vehicle, which led them to Lorraine Street in the near Northside. The car crashed through a barricade and jumped over a set of railroad tracks, and three to four men got out and fled on foot, Crowson said. One officer stopped before the tracks. A second officer didnt hit the brakes on time, causing them to rear-end the first police unit. The officers in the car had minor injuries from the wreck. The K-9 unit snagged the lower part of its stomach while jumping over a barbed wire fence, Crowson said. The dog, T-Rex, was treated for his injuries and is recovering. "T-Rex is home resting and recovering and is doing well after being cut by a fence last night. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers," police said on T-Rex's Twitter account. Another K-9 then located one of the suspects on the roof of a house. After 30 to 45 minutes, he surrendered to police and is in custody, Crowson said. San Antonio Firefighters had trouble battling a fire that broke out at a Jack in the Box early Monday morning on the city's Northeast Side. Fire crews were called out to the fast food restaurant in the 10400 block of Perrin Beitel near Wurzbach Parkway just before 3 a.m. Editor's note: The story has been updated to reflect the most recent data provided by the Texas Comptroller's Office. Bexar County businesses took in more than $49 million in alcohol sales in last month, according to the Texas Comptroller's Office. The photographers of San Antonio Express-News each chose their most memorable image from 2018 and wrote a paragraph explaining what made it memorable. Each photographers most memorable photo is followed by their best photos of 2018. A woman was killed Sunday night after the truck she was riding in struck a flatbed tow truck near New Braunfels. The deadly crash happened just before 11 p.m. in the 4900 block of the Interstate 35 South frontage road. San Antonio police arrested a 52-year-old man after a 10-year-old girl told them he sexually assaulted her, authorities said. Jose Fuentes was taken into custody Monday on suspicion of aggravated sexual assault of a child. San Antonio police were called to Northeast Side home on Sunday to respond to a sexual assault call. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox A mother told police her 10-year-old daughter told her Fuentes had been sexually assaulting her, according to Fuentes' arrest affidavit. The affidavit did not detail how Fuentes knew the girl. Officers found Fuentes and detained him. In a recorded interview, he admitted to sexually assaulting the girl "for over a year," according to the affidavit. Fuentes' bond was set at $75,000, according to jail records. Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSA A series of fascinating archived photos show an infant Texas during the 1800s including two rare photos of Sam Houston. The collection "Texas in Focus: Early Photographs from the State Archives" shows "ordinary" Texas citizens alongside iconic figures in handcrafted images pulled from state archives by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. RELATED: Antique postcards show San Antonio in early 1900s Among the photos are the burnt remains of the state capitol building following a fire in 1881, a street peddler in San Antonio, seven men who voted against secession and Sam Houston donning a duster. The state has collected photos since at least 1878, when the Department of Agriculture, Insurance, Statistics and History was the agency responsible for doing so, the Austin American-Statesman reports. RELATED: 20 unique facts about the Alamo on the anniversary of the 13-day siege "Only my opinion, but I suspect that acquisitions of photos in the 19th and early 20th century may have been less than perfectly documented," John Anderson, preservation officer at the archives, told the American-Statesman. "Because a photo at the time was seen as something of a novelty or curiosity rather than a state record or historical document. Today, photographs and images are considered a very important part of the historical record, but even at the start of the 20th century I think they were often considered tangential to official records, at best." Scroll through for a look into days of Texas past. jfechter@mysa.com Twitter: @JFreports President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw all U.S. forces from Syria is already having unintended consequences. The U.S. departure could lead to the release of 1,100 Islamic State fighters now held in detention camps in northeastern Syria creating a dangerous new terrorist threat to the West. The Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF the Kurdish and Arab proxy forces whom the United States armed and trained to fight the Islamic State do not have the capacity to guard and feed so many terrorists without U.S. support. And the Washington Post reports that their home countries are refusing to repatriate their citizens, citing the risk that they would spread radical ideology or perhaps carry out attacks back home. If the SDF is abandoned by its U.S. patrons, it might have no choice but to release them. How much damage could these terrorists cause? To put it in perspective, the Islamic State had only about 700 fighters left when President Barack Obama withdrew U.S. forces from Iraq in 2011 yet from that tiny nucleus, the Islamic State grew into the worlds largest, most powerful terrorist network, until Trump unleashed our military to beat the group back. Imagine what destruction an influx of 1,100 terrorists into the global ecosystem could wreak. The Islamic State detainees hail from 32 countries, including many believed to be from Europe. As a Syrian Kurdish foreign affairs official noted, the U.S. withdrawal would create a security vacuum that these criminals could exploit to escape and pose a danger to all of us, adding that they could make their way back to their home countries and carry out bombings. The optimal solution would be for Trump to reconsider his withdrawal plan so that we can keep these detainees in Syria under the watchful eye of U.S. intelligence and special forces. But there is also another possible solution one that would help the president keep another campaign promise: Send them to Guantanamo Bay. In January, Trump issued an executive order that authorized the U.S. military and intelligence community to transport additional detainees to U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay when lawful and necessary to protect the Nation. During his State of the Union address, Trump asked Congress to ensure that, in the fight against ISIS and al-Qaida, we continue to have all the necessary power to detain terrorists wherever we chase them down, wherever we find them. And in many cases for them it will now be Guantanamo Bay. In March, Congress responded by approving more than $200 million in new construction for Guantanamo Bay as part of the omnibus spending bill. And this spring, the Pentagon formally authorized the station to receive new detainees who pose a continuing, significant threat. There is little doubt that a number of the Islamic State fighters now held in Syria would make excellent candidates for detention at Guantanamo Bay. Trump should order the intelligence community to conduct a threat assessment for each of the detainees to see which ones would qualify for transfer. No doubt, a decision to move some of the prisoners from Syria to Guantanamo would create an uproar in Europe particularly from countries whose citizens would be transferred. These would be the very same countries currently refusing to take custody of their citizens who went to fight for the Islamic State. Trump should give any complaining countries an ultimatum: Either take your nationals back, or they are headed to Guantanamo. Transfer to Guantanamo is a less than optimal solution, because right now high-value detainees held on the battlefield in Syria do not have access to lawyers and cannot challenge their detentions in court which means they can be effectively interrogated for intelligence purposes. But once transferred to Guantanamo, they would immediately get lawyers and the right of habeas corpus which dramatically reduces their intelligence value. Instead of transferring these terrorists, we should keep them where they are and continue supporting the SDF until the estimated 30,000 Islamic State fighters still at large in Iraq or Syria are all killed or captured. The Islamic State is not defeated not by a long shot. But this much is clear: We cannot allow more than a thousand dangerous terrorists to be released into the world so that they can return to the fight. They must be kept off the battlefield. Better to keep them in Syria than in Guantanamo, to be sure. But better to keep them in Guantanamo than release them to carry out jihad against the West. @marcthiessen For the new year, critics of President Donald Trump should resolve not to be intimidated by the potential wrath of his vaunted political base. The only one who should cower before the Make America Great Again legions is Trump himself. And he does fear them. Bigly. The latest illustration is the way he chickened out on a bipartisan agreement to keep the government fully funded, instead forcing a partial shutdown over chump change for the wall. I use quotation marks because there never was going to be an actual, physical, continuous wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, much less paid for by the Mexican government. The president is desperately trying to avoid acknowledging this and other realities before the 2020 election. Anyone who thinks Trump is a master politician is wrong. Hes a master illusionist, which isnt the same thing. Politicians cant keep pulling rabbits out of empty hats forever. At some point they face a reckoning, and Trumps is well underway. Trump is talented at making it appear he has more than he really does more money, more respect, more support. All those campaign rallies before the midterm election were not just an attempt to save the Republican majorities in Congress or feed Trumps insatiable ego. They were also demonstrations of the fervor of his core supporters and implied warnings to Republicans who might cross him. Trump tries to project an image of immense strength. But it turns out that the man who made Youre fired! a television catchphrase cant summon the nerve to actually dismiss anyone in person. Trumps bluster camouflages great weakness. Look at his political standing. Trump won the presidency with 46 percent of the popular vote. (Thats compared to 48 percent for Hillary Clinton, but whos counting?) His margin in the Electoral College, which he tries to portray as a great landslide, was actually quite puny smaller than either of Barack Obamas, either of Bill Clintons, George H.W. Bushs or either of Ronald Reagans. Trump did have a bigger electoral margin than George W. Bush ever managed to win. But only Trump has the unflattering distinction of winning a presidential election while losing the popular vote by nearly 3 million. No matter. A skilled politician would seek to expand his base of support. But according to Gallup, Trumps approval has been underwater since the day he took office never once reaching higher than 45 percent and now stands at 39 percent. Does that apples-to-oranges comparison of vote percentage and approval rating really mean that Trump has lost significant support? Not necessarily until you also take into account the results of the midterm election, which can only be read as a massive repudiation of Trump and all he stands for. Democrats captured the House, defended all but two of their imperiled senators, and grabbed governorships and state legislatures across the country. The Democratic Partys House popular-vote margin was the biggest ever seen in a midterm. So much for the ethno-nationalist-populist wave that Trump is supposed to be surfing. It is a mistake to underestimate Trumps base or to suggest that all the issues he raises are, because he raises them, invalid. There are legitimate reasons, for example, to want to ensure border security. But racism is not one of them; and a useless wall, meant to symbolize rejection of a brown-skinned invasion, is not an actual solution. The fact is that Trump touched a nerve that was already inflamed. Race, ethnicity, cultural heritage, economic dislocation, opioid addiction, the effects of free trade, the impact of robotics all these issues were out there already, and a lot of people believed our elected officials werent dealing with them adequately. Trump hasnt a clue about what to do or how to do it. But he knows how to poke and prod; he knows how to rile people up and sell them red hats. If his core, unshakable base of support is, say, around 35 percent, then he almost surely would lose a re-election bid in 2020. I say almost because we dont know whom the Democrats will run against him or whether there will be a significant independent or third-party challenger; and I say would because we cant be entirely sure that Trump will run again. For now, he may be calculating that 35 percent is enough to keep the GOP-led Senate from removing him from office in the event that the House finds compelling grounds to impeach him. What keeps him from compromising isnt principle or determination. Its simple fear. eugenerobinson@washpost.com JOHAN ORDONEZ /AFP /Getty Images Forget, for the moment, the various views sympathetic, unsympathetic or ambivalent concerning the recent influx of asylum-seeking Central American children to the U.S. If they are caught by or as is often the case, if they surrender to U.S. border authorities and are detained, they are our responsibility. Period. How or why this detention came to be is essentially irrelevant to that responsibility. And that means that if these detainees suffer injury or die while in this custody, investigations must commence immediately, be thorough, be as transparent as possible and even allow for independent investigation if there is even a possibility of whitewash. On the outside, this dark-brown, tile-roofed home in Perris, CA, looks no different from the thousands of other stucco abodes in Southern California. But on the inside, the house comes with something else: a history. A tragic one. The California home where David and Louise Turpin allegedly tortured 12 of their 13 children is currently for sale on auction site Hudson & Marshall, which is accepting bids through Wednesday. This home, which became known far and wide as the "house of horrors," is where the Turpins reportedly shackled their children to furniture with ropes and chains and starved them to the brink of death. Last January, the Turpins were arrested after their 17-year-old daughter managed to escape captivity and call 911. In November, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom house went into foreclosure. The last appraisal of the property valued the home at $353,138, but real estate experts predict that it will sell for much less now. The auction site fails to mention the home's stomach-churning background, but real estate appraiser Orell Andersonwho valued the residences where Nicole Brown Simpson and JonBenet Ramsey were murderedthinks most buyers will have heard of this home's grim past, and lowball accordingly. As of Monday, the most recent bid comes in at $280,001. Anderson is not surprised. As he puts it, "Whos going to want to live there?" Will anyone buy this 'house of horrors'? Home buyers unfazed by grim crimes are a rare breed. Anderson anticipates that buyers with children will not go near this abode, and most likely, it will be purchased just to be razed. "A redevelopment agency or the homeowners association will want to tear this house down," says Anderson. "Hopefully, they'll put a plaque or a monument in its place." Anderson compares the tragedy of the Turpin home with the site of the apartment complex where cannibal and serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer resided until his arrest in 1991. After Dahmer was sentenced to life in prison for killing 17 boys and young men, the entire apartment complex was sold to a redevelopment agency and demolished the following year. "Just like Dahmer, it will sell for the land value," says Anderson. "This 'house of horrors' is located in a new subdivision. It wouldn't look out of place to tear it down and put something else in that spot." Another possibility? An investor could buy it, fix it up, and rent it out, notes Anderson. "There are multiple homes in this neighborhood that are for lease," he says. "Short-term occupants have a willingness to pay a low rent and tend to not care as much about the tragic history of the actual home." So perhaps there's hope that this house of horrors might be able to make a fresh start after all. The post Turpins' 'House of Horrors' Is Up for Salebut Who'd Buy It? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. An Alouette III helicopter carrying Secretary for Defence and War Veterans Mr Martin Rushwaya force-landed in Gutu on Saturday after developing a mechanical fault. No one was injured in the incident although the helicopter damaged its wheels and propellers. The incident occurred near Ranga school while the helicopter was headed for Harare from Gutu. Details were still sketchy yesterday and investigations are underway. Acting Provincial Administrator for Masvingo province Mr Roy Hove told the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation that the helicopter developed a fault while airborne. Mr Hove said the pilot managed to control the aircraft before landing. In an interview yesterday Zimbabwe Defence Forces spokesperson, Colonel Overson Mugwisi confirmed the incident. Yes I have heard about the incident. I am still trying to get a full briefing on what transpired from our people on the ground, said Col Mugwisi. The incident comes barely a month after five people three Finnish and two Zimbabweans died on the spot when a private plane crashed in Masvingo last month. The plane, which was en-route to Victoria Falls from Buffalo Range Aerodrome in Chiredzi, crashed at Chamanjirenji Hills near the Tokwane-Ngundu area close to Renco Mine. Chronicle Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News FORMER Zanu PF youth leader Jim Kunaka says President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF government should not be allowed to continue ruining the country through economic mismanagement but must be dragged to the negotiating table with the opposition. The controversial former commander of the now-defunct Zanu PF aligned Chipangano terror group was speaking in an interview with NewZimbabwe weekend. They (Zanu PF) will not agree (to talks) because of pride and selfishness, and also because they claim to have won the general elections, he said. But surprisingly, if they were voted overwhelmingly based on their election manifesto and campaign messages, why are they failing to resuscitate the economy for the benefit of ordinary citizens. Whether they have agreed or refused to come for dialogue, it is now up to us, the young generation to force it to happen, because if we dont, were destroying the future of our children. Kunaka, together with a lot of party bigwigs, were hounded out of the ruling party 2015 for aligning themselves with a faction which was seen as opposed to former President Robert Mugabes attempts to continue clinging to power. He has emerged a rabid critic of his erstwhile comrades. The former Zanu PF Harare youth leader called on the old guard within the countrys ruling elite to relinquish jobs they have occupied since 1980 so as to allow young people with fresh ideas to take the country forward. They fought and liberated this country from the British, but this economic war is now beyond their level of thinking, Kunaka said. Its time for you to rest and hand over the baton stick to the young generation so that they can take the country forward and out of this economic mess. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has adamantly refused any opposition talks to remedy the countrys dire situation insisting Zanu PF was given a mandate to serve for the next five years by the electorate. MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, who claims to have been robbed of victory in the July 30 presidential election, has since enlisted regional support in his bid to force a broad based approach to the countrys deepening crisis. NewZimbabwe Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News THE Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) is calling on Zimbabweans, the employed and unemployed alike, to besiege Finance minister Mthuli Ncubes office on January 7, 2019 to demand his immediate resignation for allegedly bringing untold suffering to the masses. Artuz president Obert Masaraure argued Ncubes austerity measures, such as the 2% transaction tax, have induced unprecedented suffering among the working class and set a stage for antagonism between the working class and the ruling elite. The 2% electronic transaction tax sailed through Parliament recently after getting a thumbs-up from Zanu PF legislators. Opposition legislators had opposed it saying it was punitive to ordinary Zimbabweans. Masaraure said the unfolding catastrophic situation resulting from the tax as characterised by price hikes of basic commodities cannot go unchallenged before calling for a January 7 protest at Ncubes office to push for his resignation. Our immediate task is to get rid of the worst enemy of the people Ncube. He is the face of austerity in Zimbabwe. To that end, we invite all citizens to Ncubes office on January 7, 2019 at 0900hrs. We will spend the whole day demanding either an end to austerity or his resignation. Out of courtesy, we will notify the police, Masaraure said. Ncube has on several occasions defended the austerity measures as necessary to rid the countrys ailing economy of a crippling debt that has stalled economic growth for years. The call came amid mounting discontent from a cross-section of civil servants demanding better remuneration or payment of salaries in United States dollar to hedge against the rising cost of living. Junior doctors embarked on a strike on December 1 also demanding payment in United States dollars and better working conditions. Artuz recently led an historic 275km march from Mutare to Harare protesting against poor remuneration and demanding payment in foreign currency. Masaraure added: The State commands institutions of brutal force; it will be naive to engage in stone throwing in a bid to avert the looming catastrophe. We should never give them a reason to shoot at our defenceless citizens. The morality of our struggle will be judged by how much we can resist provocation and remain loyal to the principal cardinal of non-violent action. NewsDay Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News (Natural News) The next time you hear a conservative news organization claim that the social media behemoths are biased against them, you should believe it. Not only has a number of studies and analyses proven the claim, but there is also a boatload of anecdotal evidence building as well. Take the case of April Glaser, a reporter for the uber-Left-wing site Slate. What she tweeted last week is incredible, and it should serve as a case study in disproving claims by the social media giants that allegations of bias by conservatives are unfounded. As reported by Information Liberation, Glaser said she wrote to Google recently to complain that the platforms search results on YouTube (which Google owns) for abortion were mostly from pro-life sites that she said contained dangerous information. She went on to note that after she complained, the video platform changed the results. Search for abortion on YouTube last week and the top results were a horrifying mix of gore and dangerous information. YouTube changed the results after I asked, she wrote. Search for "abortion" on YouTube last week and the top results were a horrifying mix of gore and dangerous misinformation. YouTube changed the results after I asked https://t.co/sNjQncSrNS april glaser (@aprilaser) December 21, 2018 If her story is true, not only is it evidence of social media bias against conservative, pro-life views, it means Google is more than willing to suppress information it finds ideologically objectionable, not factually incorrect. Dangerous information to the Left is often equated with false information, but that isnt necessarily correct. While some information from a pro-life perspective can be and sometimes is incorrect, the same can certainly be said of information that comes from sites supportive of abortion. And in fact, establishment news organizations sympathetic to the pro-choice perspective are guilty of publishing news that is outright false. Simply requesting (demanding?) that YouTube change its search results wasnt enough; Glaser then went on to write a piece for Slate claiming that the video sites results show exactly what anti-abortion activists want women to see, including gory videos rife with misinformation. (Related: Texas congressman wants social media firms held accountable for biased censorship of speech.) Censoring the wrong search results She noted: When you Google abortion, the top results are relatively staid considering the divisiveness of the topic in American life. Theres a link to information about the procedure from Planned Parenthood, a Google map of nearby abortion providers, a link to an overview of anti-abortion and pro-choice arguments from the nonpartisan procon.org, and links to various news sources like the New York Times and the New Yorker. If, until recently, you did the same over on Google-owned YouTube, it felt like you were searching in a whole other universe. There, Glaser wrote, the top search results for abortionwere almost all anti-abortionand frequently misleading. Oh, but The New York Times and The New Yorker are paragons of truth and virtue. Of course, they arent. And again, its not like pro-life sites have not been incorrect or even misleading in the past. But what YouTube has done, at Glasers request apparently, is deprive users of information, period. And while all information isnt valuable, it is also not dangerous to give people all sides of an issue. Thats especially true when it comes to abortion. The issue is so polarizing that limiting information can be more harmful to the debate than providing too much. What this really sounds like is that Glaser was upset about the fact that information injurious to her pro-abortion worldview was as prevalent and readily available as it was on YouTube. Because after YouTube made changes to its algorithm to suit Glaser, she noted in her piece that new searches for abortion produced news sources and video content that she found more appealing and correct. It should come as no surprise that the Left has politicized search results because the Left politicizes everything. And as is evident from this sad episode, the social media behemoths are willing accomplices in the censorship of certain points of view. Find news that isnt censored by search results or anything else at Censored.news. Sources include: Slate.com TheNationalSentinel.com InformationLiberation.com A man and a dog were rescued Sunday from shallow bay waters off the Peninsula, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. Crews from the fire department and San Francisco International Airport responded to a report of a man and a dog stranded in waist deep water and mud off North Access Road near the airport, fire officials said. Land units and a shallow draft response vessel assisted the person out of the mud and then tracked and rescued the dog, fire officials said. No injuries were reported. It was not clear how the man and dog became stuck. The driver of a stolen vehicle crashed into a fire hydrant in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood Sunday afternoon, causing water to shoot into the air, according to police. The crash occurred in the area of Turk and Jones streets, police tweeted. A suspect who ditched the vehicle was taken into custody, according to police. The crash has triggered "significant traffic congestion" in the area, according to police. The public is being asked to steer clear of the area. Further information was not immediately available. An Illinois judge won't dismiss murder charges against a man who says police intentionally gave prosecutors the wrong gun to send him to prison for more than two decades. The Rockford Register Star reports Patrick Pursley is scheduled for another trial Jan. 10. Pursley won a new trial last year after ballistic testing proved the gun used to convict him wasn't the same weapon used in Andy Ascher's 1993 killing. Pursley's attorneys argued the charges should be dismissed after new information surfaced in November. A prosecutor revealed Ascher's mother told his predecessor last year that a detective said police never found the murder weapon. Judge Joe McGraw said prosecutors "willfully failed" to promptly provide the information to defense attorneys. He found no evidence police and prosecutors acted in bad faith. Route 149 in East Haddam has reopened after a crash on Monday morning. According to Connecticut Department of Transportation, Route 149 was closed between Mott Lane and Trowbridge Road. A car crashed into a pole on Route 149 shortly after 6 a.m. and knocked the pole down, police said. It is unclear if anyone was injured in the crash. Police in Milford found a woman walking near an Interstate 95 off-ramp on Sunday and have arrested a man who is accused of kidnapping her, driving her from Massachusetts to Connecticut, cutting her and threatening to kill her. Police said someone reported suspicious activity Sunday near the exit 40-offramp and officers investigated. They said they found a female walking on Woodmont Road, away from a car, and also stopped the vehicle. After investigating, police arrested 34-year-old Carlos Rosario-Infante, of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Police said he is accused of driving the victim from Massachusetts to Connecticut without her consent, cutting her with a razor blade several times and telling her he was going to kill her. Inside the car, officers found a BB gun near the center console, according to police. Rosario-Infante was charged with first-degree kidnapping, disorderly conduct, first-degree threatening, first-degree assault and weapon in a motor vehicle. He was held on $190,000. By purchasing a pint, you could help the daughter of a fallen firefighter from Worcester, Mass. A limited-time only IPA in honor of Christopher Roy is on tap at BAR - New Haven on Crown Street. Roy, 36, died in the line of duty on December 9 while fighting a five-alarm at an apartment building in Worcester. Its good that we have the brotherhood that you know stands behind each other, Hamden Fire Department Lt. David Wood said. That brotherhood was on display at the funeral attended by hundreds of firefighters a few days after the deadly fire. Four and five wide down the whole street, said Wood, who represented the Hamden Fire Department at the final farewell for Roy. You look you know at family life without a father you know how are these kids, or child in this case, you know going to cope with that and down line are they going to have money to go to college because now their sole provider is gone, Wood said. The Worcester firefighters union has set up a fund for Roys 9-year-old daughter Ava. A lot of us are fairly humble about it, Wood told NBC Connecticut. I dont even like being on the news, but this is for a good cause. A 14-year Hamden firefighter, Wood is also the head brewer at BAR. He decided to brew a special beer called Last Alarm IPA to honor Roy. Fairly balanced, Wood said, but very piney and resinous, has a lot of Simcoe hops. A dollar from each pint sold is donated to the Ava Roy fund. It means a lot to be able to support a fellow brother and family, Wood said. A week since the first pour, the specialty beer has been selling well. If you do want to try it, try to come down quick, said Wood, who expects Last Alarm IPA to only remain on tap for about another week. Donations to support the daughter of firefighter Roy can be made at www.iaff1009.org. Big name store closings continue to rattle the retail industry. From the iconic Toys R US, to giant Sears and Kmart, retailers are shutting their doors in the face of financial woes. I grew up on Toys R Us. Its unfortunate, said Julius Aguas. Its very depressing. Yeah, it just seems like there are more and more, said Elaine Blackwood. According to retail experts, more than a dozen major department store chains, mattress sellers and shoe companies filed for bankruptcy protection in 2018, despite strong consumer spending that otherwise lifted the U.S. economy. Shoppers who spoke with NBC Connecticut believe something has to give. I think retail is going to have to change its face, said Blackwood. Online shopping is more convenient and it makes it harder for people to go out to shop, added Aguas. Professor John Clapp with The University of Connecticuts Center for Real Estate says online sales account for only 9 percent of total sales and thinks this could be the end of an era for giant retailers. I think that were in the middle of an endgame strategy or an endgame process thats unfolding in retail, said Clapp. Clapp blames the potential downward spiral of retail on overbuilding. Its really not enough demand for all of the retail, the retail space we have, said Clapp. Clapp says as malls decline, the businesses around them tend to follow suit. These are the big stores that draw customers and so when they go dark all of these smaller stores, you know, the boutique type stores that are nearby they suffer, added Clapp. According to Clapp, repurposing those empty retail spaces for manufacturing, aerospace research, and biotechnology could open the door to more job growth. Earlier this year, retailer Sams Club closed stores Manchester and Orange. Other retailers like Lowes and Starbucks announced plans to close some stores in 2019. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen went to an Arizona border city Saturday on the second day of a southwest tour following the recent death of another Guatemalan migrant child in U.S. government custody, which President Donald Trump said was "strictly the fault of the Democrats.". DHS spokeswoman Katie Waldman said Nielsen was in Yuma, Arizona, but gave no other details. Earlier in the week, Waldman had said that Nielsen would meet at the Mexican border with emergency medical technicians and medical professionals, as well as local officials. Nielsen went to El Paso, Texas, on Friday but the visit was closed to the media and no further information was provided by the department. Late Friday, El Paso Mayor Dee Margo confirmed he was among those who met with Nielsen, saying they discussed "our immigration needs on the border." The statement from Margo, a Republican, did not mention the deaths of migrant children or whether it was discussed. The trip came days after the death of 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Felipe was the second Guatemalan child to die in government custody in three weeks. Trump addressed the two deaths for the first time Saturday, 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! ... Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit!" Nielsen has called the death "deeply concerning and heartbreaking" and requested medical help from other government agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard. As Nielsen made the trip to Texas, New Mexico's Democratic senators, Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, sent her a letter Friday seeking answers about the boy's death. "The timeline, action and factors that led to Felipe's death are still developing, but the information that has become public so far is alarming and demands immediate attention and investigation," the letter says. Felipe and his father, Agustin Gomez, were apprehended by border agents on Dec. 18 near the Paso del Norte bridge connecting El Paso to Juarez, Mexico, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The two were detained at the bridge's 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 (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), CBP has 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 Monday 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. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is taking the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency. She is hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. The Massachusetts Democrat says she's forming an exploratory committee for the 2020 campaign. She's the most prominent Democrat yet to make such a move. The Cambridge resident discussed her decision at a media event outside her home Monday afternoon. "I never thought I would run for anything ever in my life. But America's middle class is getting hollowed out and opportunity for too many of our young people is shrinking," Warren said standing with her husband Bruce Mann and their dog Bailey. "Right now Washington works great for the wealthy and the well-connected. It's just not working for anyone else." When asked how she plans to compete against President Donald Trump she said the plan is to get out and talk with voters. "I think the central part of winning this is to get out and talk with people about what we're fighting for. We want a government that works not just for the rich and the powerful but a government that works for everyone," said Warren. "And we can make that happen. We have to do that together. I think that's how we win." Warren released a YouTube video announcing her exploratory committee earlier in the day. "In our country, if you work hard and play by the rules, you ought to be able to take care of yourself and the people you love," Warren said in the video. "That's a fundamental promise of America. A promise that should be true for everyone. Warren burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections and quickly became one of the party's more prominent liberals. Now, as a likely presidential contender, she is appealing to the party's base. A video released Monday announcing her move notes the economic challenges facing people of color along with images of a women's march and Warren's participation at an LGBT event. Ill announce a decision early in the new year, but heres one thing I know: I cant do this alone. This has always been a grassroots campaign, powered by 1.8m grassroots donations all across the country. This isnt my fight, its our fight. Join us now: https://t.co/BNl2I1m8OX Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) December 31, 2018 Warren's announcement garnered mixed reactions from her home state of Massachusetts as well as in her Cambridge neighborhood. "As a first woman president, I don't think you could do any better than that," said Cambridge resident Glenn Becker. Although Warren appeals to Cambridge resident Sandy Migliaccio, she said she does not believe the senator can appeal to a broad base of voters. "I like her, I voted for her, I will vote for her again," said Migliaccio. "But I dont think she's a good choice for president." Irene Cross, also of Cambridge, said she supports Warren but also does not believe the country is ready for a woman to be president. "It's got to be a man to run," Cross said. "I hate to say it but the countries really misogynistic right now." Resident Glenn Becker does not agree. "Doesn't take it from Trump," Becker said. "She doesn't take it from anyone who dishes out the kind of stuff that gets dished out in today's sort of Jerry Springer show like for my politics." A waitress in suburban San Antonio says an armed man who said he was on his way to a church to fulfill "a prophecy" when he was arrested had asked her for directions to a church. Brianna Jimenez tells KSAT that 33-year-old Tony Dwayne Albert II went to the restroom in Las Mananitas Mexican Restaurant in Sequin on Sunday, then came out and asked for the nearest Baptist church. Jimenez says he was provided directions and as he left, she saw him gripping a weapon. She says an employee locked the door after he left and her mother called police, who arrested Albert after finding him with a loaded handgun, extra ammunition and a face shield. Online records show he's jailed on weapons and drug complaints, but do not list an attorney for him. Fireworks will fill the sky on New Years Eve but some may be illegal in the City of Dallas and other North Texas cities. Whats billed as the biggest New Years Eve display in the Central Time Zone includes 5,000 fireworks devices on Reunion Tower. Several other downtown buildings will also be part of the display. Becky Soto from Forney and her son Gerardos family from California were scouting the Ron Kirk Viaduct over the Trinity River Monday afternoon as a possible location to watch to midnight show. Im trying to talk them into coming back later, Gerardo Soto said. Other locations along the Trinity River levees could be good vantage points but parking could be a challenge. For customers who prefer their own personal displays, fireworks are available for sale in Texas through New Years Day. With all the things that are going on in the world, we want everybody to be very patriotic as we welcome a new year in, said Kent Herzog with Fireworks Unlimited. He operates a business in Southern Dallas County on Interstate 45 near Hutchins. Herzog said dry grass that can be a fire threat for fireworks during the winter is less dangerous this New Years Eve. We had rain last night. The chance of there being any dry grass tonight is almost nil, Herzog said. Regardless of weather, fireworks are always illegal in the City of Dallas and many other North Texas cities. Dallas Fire Rescue and the Dallas Police Department are teaming up to operate special fireworks patrols on New Years Eve. I would always encourage people to leave it to the professionals, said Dallas Fire Prevention Officer Selina Villarreal. Residents caught in possession of fireworks in the City of Dallas face a fine of up to $2,000 and up to $4,000 if they are caught using fireworks. People can not only have property damage but they can get injured themselves if they are using them, Villarreal said. Gerardo Soto was looking forward to the professional display. I think it will be very amazing, he said. A 23-year-old Lancaster woman was murdered in the Philippines allegedly by her boyfriend, a noted Bitcoin trader and his friend who were being held on a murder charge by police in the Philippines. The body of Tomi Michelle Masters was recovered from a Philippines river after being strangled and dumped naked, bound with duct tape and with a plastic bag over her head into the water allegedly by Bitcoin dealer 21-year-old Troy Woody Jr. and his friend 24-year-old Mir Islam, according to multiple media reports. According to news reports Woody and Islam admitted to police they disposed of Masters' body, but each is blaming each other for her death. Masters worked at a medical marijuana facility in California and her last reported address was 9020 West Avenue J in Lancaster, according to a search of public records. Masters' father, Shawn, told reporters that his daughter and Woody were scheduled to fly home on Dec. 17 but never made it. Six days later he was told his daughter was dead by a representative of the U.S. Embassy in Manila. President Donald Trump insisted Monday that parts of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would be all concrete, seeming to contradict his outgoing chief of staff who was quoted as saying the president had abandoned that kind of barrier. "An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media," Trump tweeted. "Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through. (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me!" In an interview with the Los Angeles Times published Sunday, White House chief of staff John Kelly said that Trump had given up the notion of "a solid concrete wall early on in the administration." The president still says wall oftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes 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. "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. Other of Trumps confidants also indicated that the president's signature campaign pledge to build a border wall 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. In a second tweet Monday morning, Trump added, "I campaigned on Border Security, which you cannot have without a strong and powerful Wall. Our Southern Border has long been an Open Wound, where drugs, criminals (including human traffickers) and illegals would pour into our Country. Dems should get back here an fix now!" 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. What to Know A six-car collision in Manhattan early Saturday morning left a woman dead and one SUV ablaze, police and fire officials said The woman killed has been identified as 57-year-old Amy Phillipson, of Brooklyn; she was in the SUV that flipped and caught fire A 37-year-old man from Maryland has been arrested on charges of manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident Authorities have identified the victim in a fiery weekend crash involving six vehicles, one of which was engulfed in flames, in Manhattan as 57-year-old Amy Phillipson, of Brooklyn. Cops say Phillipson was driving the 2003 Honda CRV set ablaze by the six vehicle wreck near Laight and West streets by the Holland Tunnel Saturday morning. Video from the scene showed a trail of debris almost a block long. Police say a 37-year-old man, later identified as Sherman Harrison of Maryland, was driving a 2012 Audi north on West Street when he hit Phillipson's SUV, which flipped over and caught fire. Harrison kept going north and hit a pickup truck, then smashed into a 2018 Hyundai sedan before striking two parked cars. Cops say Harrison got out of his mangled Audi and tried to run but was caught a short distance away. He faces charges of manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident. It wasn't immediately clear if he had an attorney. Harrison, along with a 28-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman who were driving the truck and Hyundai, respectively, were also checked out at a hospital for various injuries but were expected to be fine. No one was in the parked cars. What to Know 53 staffers at an NYC hospital reported falling sick from an odor on the maternity floor that turned out to be elevated mold levels Staten Island University Hospital says no patients reported symptoms; nearly 30 independent environmental tests were conducted The most recent air monitoring results came back all clear and the hospital is working on rebuilding the nursery, officials said More than 50 nurses and staffers on a New York City hospital's maternity floor have reported getting sick from an odor that tests confirmed to be related to mold, authorities say. Staten Island University Hospital said in a statement Monday the odor was first reported on its maternity floor at the north site in the fall. Newborns were moved to a backup nursery while environmental tests were conducted -- and those found mold at moderately elevated levels, "similar to those detected outdoors." Water-borne mold was also found behind a sink wall. A total of 53 employees reported symptoms -- ones ranging from dizziness to headaches and sore throats -- they attributed to the mold conditions, according to the hospital and a Daily News report. No patients have reported complaints. One woman, a 65-year-old nurse named Robyn Jacobs, told the Daily News she would get sick every time she went into the nursery. In addition to headaches and scratchy throat, she said she suffered chest tightness -- almost like an allergic reaction. She says she saw up to eight staffers get sick on one day. The hospital says its most recent air monitoring results came back all clear and they have begun to rebuild the nursery where the odor was first detected. It says it had nearly 30 independent environmental tests done and those results indicated no risk to patients. "Through the course of the project, hospital administration has been directly communicating with staff multiple times a week, met with union representatives numerous times and notified the appropriate regulatory agencies to proactively address this matter," the statement from Staten Island University Hospital Executive Director Dr. Brahim Ardolic said. "Our main focus has been to properly mitigate the nursery area to continue providing care in the safest environment possible for our patients and staff." Jacobs still expressed concern. "They keep telling us its safe, its safe, its safe," she told the News. "How safe is it? Because were all getting sick." A teenager has been struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Reston, Virginia, Saturday night, police say. The 16-year-old boy was struck by a sedan about 5:40 p.m. crossing South Lakes Drive toward Castle Rock Square, Fairfax County police said. There is a crosswalk in the area, and police are investigating whether the teen was using it. Police are searching for a sedan with heavy front-end damage, but are unsure of a model or color. Under Virginia law, police are barred from releasing the victim's name because he was a juvenile. Police are asking anyone with information to call 703-691-2131. Editor's Note: Police previously said the sedan was gray or silver, but now say they do not know. Twenty-two-year-old Alexandra Black, a college intern who had been employed at a North Carolina zoo for approximately two weeks, was killed Sunday after a lion escaped a locked space. The Conservators Center in Burlington between Greensboro and Durham announced that the intern was killed during a routine cleaning of an animal enclosure at about 11:30 a.m. ET. "While a husbandry team led by a professionally trained animal keeper was carrying out a routine enclosure cleaning, one of the lions somehow left a locked space and entered the space the humans were in and quickly killed one person," the zoo said in a statement. One person has died and one other person is injured after an officer-involved shooting in Danbury on Saturday night. Officers were called to an elderly housing complex, also known as the Glen Apartments, on Memorial Drive after getting a report of a suspicious male around 9:30 p.m. When police arrived, they said they found a man with a knife walking around the exterior of the property. According to police, after a brief confrontation with the man, an officer deployed his taser, but it was ineffective. Shortly after, a second officer fired multiple rounds from his duty weapon and hit the man at least once, police said. A tenant, who is also a female relative of the man, also suffered a gunshot wound as a result of the discharge of the officer's weapon. The tenant and the man were transported to the hospital, where the man was pronounced dead. The tenant is listed in critical, but stable condition, according to officers. Police have not released the name of the man who died. No officers were injured during the shooting. The Connecticut State Police are investigating the use of force incident. Authorities in New Hampshire are investigating a suspicious fire at a vacant hotel in Twin Mountain. The fire was reported at the former Grand View Hotel on Route 3 just after 11:30 p.m. Sunday. When crews arrived, they encountered heavy fire from the building and had issues with their water supply due to a nearby ruptured water main. Firefighters remained on the scene into Monday while work crews repaired the water main break. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation by the New Hampshire Fire Marshal and is considered suspicious. Thousands across Norfolk receive Salvation Army gifts Thousands across Norfolk receive Salvation Army gifts The Salvation Army has handed over Christmas presents and food parcels to nearly 5,500 people across Norfolk following referrals from social services and agencies and direct referrals from families in need. Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt Tran Thanh Cong visits and conforts victims of the December 28th roadside bomb blast at the hospital (Photo: VNA) 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 (local 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, while two others with minor injuries were brought to the Embassy for care. Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Thanh Cong immediately visited the wounded victims at Al Haram hospital as well as the scene of the explosion. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli also visited the victims at the hospital. Ambassador Cong worked with Egyptian health and tourism ministers, asking them to take measures to support treatment for the victims and facilitate Vietnamese citizens return soon. Meanwhile the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam 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 coordinate with related parties 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. In case of emergency, Vietnamese citizens can seek help from the embassy through the hotlines 20 106 039 6518 or the citizen protection hotline 84 981 8484 84 or the hotline of the Consular Department 096 5411 118./. 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. NEW FAIRFIELD The superintendent will present her 2019-20 budget proposal on Thursday. The special meeting of the Board of Education will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the New Fairfield Community Room. This years school budget is $42.8 million, a 4.68 percent increase from the previous years spending plan. This will be new Superintendent Pat Cosentinos first budget with the district. The presentation will be followed by the boards regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. The board will also hold a budget workshop at 7 p.m. Jan. 7. DANBURY - Across the country, the November midterm elections dominated the 2018 news year, so its no surprise that some of the biggest stories in greater Danbury involved state and national politics. But plenty of local news made the top 10 list of big stories, including the tragic boating death of a teacher, the miraculous survival of a pilot in a helicopter crash, the extraordinary forces of Mother Nature, and the quirky story of Uncle Sams return to Danbury. 1. Hayes wave - U.S. Rep.-elect Jahana Hayes November win in the 5th District represented more than the first time a black woman has been elected to Congress from Connecticut. A progressive Democrat, Hayes victory over Trump Republican Manny Santos was part of a national wave of minority female candidates who won elections across the country, giving Democrats control of the House of Representatives, and checking Trumps Republican Party. Hayes story was compelling because it was relatable to so many readers. Raised in the projects of Waterbury by her grandmother and forced to drop out of high school at 17 to have a daughter, Hayes worked her way through school as a single mom, becoming an high school teacher who was ultimately named National Teacher of the Year in 2016. 2. Esty scandal - Hayes triumph would not have been possible without the fall of three-term U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, a Democrat who was on her way to a fourth term at the beginning of the year until she admitted she covered up an office abuse scandal. Esty not only kept her chief of staff for several months after learning that he had threatened the life of a former female staffer, but Esty gave him a glowing recommendation that landed him a job with the nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise. Esty dropped plans for reelection and finished her term in uncharacteristically inconspicuous style, as Democrats scrambled to hold onto the open seat. The refreshing story of Hayes helped Democrats forget Estys disgrace. A House Ethics Committee found many of Estys actions were ill advised, but stopped short of calling for any further action. 3. Gun kids - The Valentines Day massacre of 17 students and staff at a high school in Parkland, Fla., was the worst school shooting in America since the massacre of 26 first-graders and educators at Sandy Hook School in 2012, and the connection was not lost on the kids. A brave and vocal group of teens from the Florida shooting not only caught the nations attention with a march on Washington in March to raise awareness about gun violence, but inspired activism among Newtown high schoolers. What followed was a series of high profile student walk-outs and a nationwide tour by Parkland students that culminated in a final rally with Newtown youth in August, and factored into the November elections. 4. Boughtons last chance - Not all election stories were about a victory or a fall. Some stories were about both. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughtons third run for governor started out well enough - he won the GOPs endorsement at its spring convention. But in August Boughton was upset in the primary by wealthy businessman Bob Stefanowski. Boughton, who is completing a record 9th term as mayor, has always said he loves his job, so perhaps in that sense his story has a happy ending. 5. May macroburst - When Mother Nature makes headlines, its often because of devastation. The violent downdrafts of wind that tore through the region in mid-May killed two people and caused $18 million in damage in greater Danbury alone. The damage was so pronounced that hard-hit towns qualified for federal disaster relief. 6. Teacher killed - This was the favorite time of year for a Waterbury teacher, who was always the first to help someone in need. But family and friends are spending Christmas without Wanda Tirado, who was killed on Candlewood Lake. Readers were shocked to learn in June that the 38-year-old mother of two was struck by the propeller of a boat she had been on. The boats driver faces first-degree reckless operation, and other charges. 7. Pilot survives - A Danbury-based pilot of a helicopter that crashed into Manhattans East River in March was the only survivor. All five passengers on board a sightseeing flight died when the helicopter hit the water and overturned. The pilot, 33-year-old Richard Vance, told investigators that he had shown the passengers how to escape from their harnesses before the flight took off. 8. Ice jam - If you have never seen huge chunks of ice act like a dam and block a river, you might have missed the headlines from Kent in January, when a massive ice jam in the Housatonic River caused flooding. The ice jam, which at one point was two miles long, eventually broke up into smaller pieces, but not before it closed four miles of Route 7 for a whole work week. 9. Exotic tick - Mother Nature also made big news in a small way with the discovery in August of an exotic new tick in Connecticut. Researchers at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury trapped the states first Asian long-horned tick during a routine cloth drag in Fairfield County. The exotic tick is not a danger to people, but it can be harmful to livestock. 10. Uncle Sam - The Danbury Fair may never be coming back, but an icon from that fabled annual event has returned to the Hat City. Uncle Sam - a 38-foot-tall fiberglass statue that once overlooked the fairgrounds - has been reclaimed from upstate New York and will be restored for display starting in the summer. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 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% realized 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. 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 socialize. 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. Dry January is run by the charity Alcohol Change UK. People can now sign up for Dry January via a website and a free app. North Block Versus Mint Street Two years at the receiving end of public anger over demonetisation, the RBI hurtled into another tumultuous period, ending the year with public spats with the government, internal disputes and a pre-mature exit of its governor. Urjit Patel, the chosen one who replaced Raghuram Rajan, resigned citing personal reasons. The reticent Oxford scholar, who implemented the mid-night demonetisation of high-denomination currency notes in 2016, decided to hang his boots after a protracted battle with the government over central banks autonomy. Patels resignation was preceded by a month of uncertainty over reports that the NDA government was looking to invoke Article 7 of the RBI Act. The statute, used in the rarest of the rare case, authorises the Finance Ministry to issue directive to the central bank in public interest. RBI as an institution reacted through an emotive public speech by deputy governor Viral Acharya, baring sharp differences with the political executive. The speech was countered by RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy, appointed to RBI board by the Narendra Modi government earlier this year. Acharyas attempt to reclaim autonomy was preceded by reports of the government seeking transfer of RBI reserves worth approximately Rs 3.5 million to the government chest. The RBI and government also came under public and legislative scrutiny by various parliamentary committees. The Standing Committee on Finance on many occasions sought to know from the RBI governor the impact of note-ban on economy and people at large. The government finally had to admit under parliamentary questioning that most of the invalidated currency had come back to the RBI. RBIs regulatory mechanism was tested again when Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) crisis broke out. The apex bank was a principal regulator for IL&FS, a semi-private financial institution that had to be taken over recently by the government to avoid Indias Lehman moment. This is not the first time North Block and the Mint Street have faced off to protect their respective turfs. But in the past, the executive and the central banker resolved their differences behind closed doors. Seeking to leave behind the controversy in 2018, the government appointed former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das as the new RBI government. The choice of a former bureaucrat with an academic background in history to succeed a string of economics scholars, however, led to more ridicule. CBI Versus CBI October 20 saw the CBI lodge a corruption FIR against one of its own special director Rakesh Asthana. This sparked off one of the ugliest power tussles in the countrys premier investigating agency, one that is being carried forward to 2019 as well. Both Asthana and then CBI chief Alok Verma are legally fighting the government order effectively exiling them. The episode saw several firsts CBI raiding itself, the CBI chief being sent on indefinite leave, the CBI chief's residence being allegedly being snooped on by the Intelligence Bureau, the CBI director talking about the "influence" exerted by the government, a CBI officer alleging direct interference of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, two states preemptively withdrawing permission to the CBI to search and probe. Even the CVC, which was supposed to play referee, became subject to scrutiny. Eventually, a retired judge, AK Patnaik, was appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee the CVC investigation. The saga played out in public and sparked off several hashtags and memes. Some called #CBIvsCBI an ominous tragedy. For others, it was a big rot at the very heart of the premier investigating agency. Even the statement issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) justifying a midnight reshuffle of the CBI top brass, which brought in Nageshwar Rao as interim chief, admitted to a potential loss of credibility and reputation. The extent of the damage went beyond Delhi with West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh withdrawing prior permission to the CBI to operate within their borders. Other opposition-ruled states may follow suit in the coming year. Taunted as the caged parrot, the CBI is reportedly probing over two dozen cases of financial bungling in which some senior opposition leaders, including RJD supremo Lalu Yadav and son Tejashwi, TMC leader Sudip Bandopadhyay, Congress leaders and former CMs Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Virbhadra Singh, and AAP leader and Delhi health minister Satyender Jain, are under the scanner. An explosive allegation by the opposition further politicised the mess. Some parties claimed that Alok Verma was being targeted for going through files on the multi-billion dollar Rafale deal. While the legal and political battle drags on, the CBIs credibility lies in tatters. Sorry! This content is not available in your region New Delhi: Come January 1, 2019, students of Gujarat schools will have to answer roll calls with Jai Hind or Jai Bharat instead of the current yes sir and present sir in order to foster patriotism, a notification issued on Monday stated. The notification, issued by the Directorate of Primary Education and Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB), states that students of Class 1-12 in government, grant-in-aid and self-financed schools will have to respond to the attendance call with "Jai Hind" or "Jai Bharat," starting January 1. The objective of the new practice is to "foster patriotism among students right from childhood," it said. The decision was taken by the state Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama in a review meeting held on Monday, according to the notification. News agency PTI reported that copies of the notification were sent to the district education officials with instructions to implement it from January 1. Minister Chudasama could not be contacted for comment despite repeated attempts. In a similar move in May, students in government schools of Madhya Pradesh were asked to respond to their daily roll calls by saying Jai Hind. The order signed by Pramod Singh, then deputy secretary of School Education Department, said in order to infuse the spirit of patriotism among school students it had been decided by the state government that students would have to answer their roll calls/attendance calls in the class with Jai Hind. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: For Sonali Bendre, the year 2018, threw a curve-ball at her and She was diagnosed with cancer. The actress was stationed in the US with her family to get the best possible treatment for her cancer that had metastasised. Sonali Bendre, who was getting treatment for ahigh-grade cancera in New York, has finally returned to her home, Mumbai. Though for a short span, this will be for a aHappy Intervala.A The actor has lately been spreading positivity and trying to inspire people on social media through her brave way of battling the fatal disease. In her recent post, The Sarfarosh actor mentioned that her fight with cancer is not over yet but her hair is gradually growing back. Check her recent picture here: Throwback to my last blow-dry before I cut my hair. Now that my hair is gradually growing back.... Maybe I can look forward to another blow-dry in 2019! This journey has been immense, and has taught me so so much.... From being in awe of the body's willingness and capacity to fight and heal and recover to overwhelming gratitude to the people who have stood by me and been pillars of strength to being reminded of life's transience and that things come and go (much like my hair). Here's looking towards a healthier and happier 2019. Onwards and upwards... #SwitchOnTheSunshine#OneDayAtATime, Sonali captioned her picture. Sonali, periodically puts up posts of herself and of her friends visiting her in New York. Veteran actor Anupam Kher shared some pictures with the couple. The actor was recently spotted at Priyanka Chopraas dreamy bridal shower in New York, along with Neetu Kapoor. Her friends, Sussanne Khan and Gayatri Oberoi also paid her a visit. aThe elegance under pressure is the result of fearlessness.a It was so wonderful & refreshing to have dinner with the most beautiful, inspirational & courageous @iamsonalibendre along with the compassionate @GOLDIEBEHL & ever smiling Rupa. #DeliciousFood #RichConversations #NYC pic.twitter.com/9Wv8sfuHAx a Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) October 9, 2018 Sonali Bendre was diagnosed with cancer in July 2018 that has metastasized. Since then, she keeps sharing updates about her health and is brave enough to withstand any hurdle that life throws at her. Through her Instagram posts, the 43-year-old Bollywood beauty has been an inspiration for many. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Sajjan Kumar, convicted in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, is likely to surrender before a court in New Delhi on Monday. Kumar was awarded life imprisonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case by the Delhi High Court and asked to surrender by December 31. He, however, filed a plea seeking time extension for his surrender, but the request was denied by the court. The former Congress leaders counsel Anil Kumar Sharma said that his client will comply with the High Court judgment as Supreme Court is unlikely to hear his plea against the High Court verdict during the vacation. We have removed the objections and the appeal in the apex court has been numbered. Presently, there are no benches in the Supreme Court. Even if we mention the matter for urgent hearing, the registrar will decide whether it will be heard by the bench. No time is left now, PTI quoted Kumars lawyer as saying. We will comply with the high courts judgment, he added. Also Read | As justice prevails, victim narrates horror of 1984 anti-Sikh riots On December 21, the Delhi High Court had rejected Kumars plea seeking one months time extension to surrender. In his plea, the former Congress leader had said that he needed some time to settle family affairs and to appeal against the High Court verdict in the Supreme Court. The High Court, however, rejected his plea. On December 17, the Delhi High Court had found Sajjan Kumar guilty in the killings of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in South West Delhis Palam Colony on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II during the anti-Sikh riots. Besides Sajjan Kumar, Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former Congress councilor Balwan Khokhar have been sentenced to life imprisonment, while Kishan Khokkar and former legislator Mahender Yadav have been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Also Read | Delhi High Court mentions 2002 Gujarat riots in 1984 anti-Sikh genocide verdict More than 3,000 Sikhs were brutally killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, one of the scariest incidents of communal violence in the country. The riots had broken out following the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31 by her Sikh bodyguards. Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar were accused of masterminding the riots against the Sikh community. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Sajjan Kumar, convicted in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, surrendered before Karkardooma Court in New Delhi on Monday. Kumar was awarded life imprisonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case by the Delhi High Court and asked to surrender by December 31. He, however, filed a plea seeking time extension for his surrender, but the request was denied by the court. The former Congress leaders counsel Anil Kumar Sharma said that his client will comply with the High Court judgment as Supreme Court is unlikely to hear his plea against the High Court verdict during the vacation. We have removed the objections and the appeal in the apex court has been numbered. Presently, there are no benches in the Supreme Court. Even if we mention the matter for urgent hearing, the registrar will decide whether it will be heard by the bench. No time is left now, PTI quoted Kumars lawyer as saying. We will comply with the high courts judgment, he added. Also Read | As justice prevails, victim narrates horror of 1984 anti-Sikh riots On December 21, the Delhi High Court had rejected Kumars plea seeking one months time extension to surrender. In his plea, the former Congress leader had said that he needed some time to settle family affairs and to appeal against the High Court verdict in the Supreme Court. The High Court, however, rejected his plea. On December 17, the Delhi High Court had found Sajjan Kumar guilty in the killings of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar part-I area in South West Delhis Palam Colony on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar part II during the anti-Sikh riots. Besides Sajjan Kumar, Captain Bhagmal, Girdhari Lal and former Congress councilor Balwan Khokhar have been sentenced to life imprisonment, while Kishan Khokkar and former legislator Mahender Yadav have been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Also Read | Day after conviction in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Sajjan Kumar quits Congress More than 3,000 Sikhs were brutally killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, one of the scariest incidents of communal violence in the country. The riots had broken out following the assassination of former prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31 by her Sikh bodyguards. Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar were accused of masterminding the riots against the Sikh community. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a shocking incident, a man reportedly stripped during Air Indias international flight form Dubai to Lucknow. According to a Times of India report, the man was unhappy with his employer in Dubai. To protest against his Pakistani boss, the man stripped mid-air and walked down the aisle. The reported quoted an official saying that the flyer thought that the flight was going to land in Pakistan. The 35-year-old was detained by the CISF for further questioning in Lucknow. The embattled national carrier facing acute financial crisis has had its fair share of strange flyers. Earlier this year, an intoxicated man allegedly urinated on the seat of a woman passenger onboard an Air India international flight, prompting the Civil Aviation Ministry to seek a report from the national carrier. The incident took place on August 30 when Air India flight AI 102 was on its way to New Delhi from New York. Meanwhile, cash-strapped national carrier has been ordered by the Central Information Commission to disclose its assets abroad and earnings from them. It summarily rejected the contention of Air India that the information sought by activist Aseem Takyar regarding rent, lease fee fetched by it from April 01, 2008 with regard to its properties abroad; demarcation plan and a total area of these properties, arrears attracts exemption of commercial confidence under the RTI Act.Commission summarily rejects the application of Section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act in the matter as CPIO has failed to provide any tenable justification for the same, Information Commissioner Divya Prakash Sinha said. Section 8(1)(d) exempts from disclosure the information which is of commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party unless the competent authority is satisfied that larger public interest warrants the disclosure of such information. 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. Against this backdrop, the government is now actively considering the proposal to professionalise Air India management. Talking about steps for reviving the national airline, Mr Prabhu said there are plans for complete professionalisation. "I have already ordered a global search for professionalisaton 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. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Amid raging debate over the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, former defence minister AK Antony today defended UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Antonys statement comes after the alleged middleman in the scam named Mrs Gandhi. Though, it is still not clear in what context Christian Michel took the name, the fact remains that the explosive disclosure by the Enforcement Directorate has snowballed into a massive controversy. Addressing media in New Delhi on Monday, Antony sad that, As former defence minister, during my time the procurement of AgustaWestland took place. I would like to say, categorically, that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in deals and procurement. He also added that the Italian defence firm was selected after evaluation by team of officials. Talking about how Congress dealt with the corruption in the deal, Antony said that, the moment report came from Italy that there is corruption in this case, I only ordered CBI enquiry, not this (Modi) government. Then our government took an unusual decision to fight this case in Italy against AgustaWestland. Ultimately, we won the case. Whenever media reported about corruption in a deal, we initiated an inquiry. We took decision to blacklist 5-6 powerful companies, including one American, Russian and Singapore company. That was our track record, but what is the track record of the present government, Antony asked. Michel was subjected to intense questioning after he reached India and slept barely for two hours. The 57-year old had an anxiety attack upon reaching the CBI headquarters in wee hours and doctors were called to attend to him. After giving him treatment, he was put to an intense grilling about money trail and identification of documents in the multi-crore rupee deal. He was allowed to sleep for two hours between 4 am and 6 am before being provided with breakfast. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Aurangabad : A day after Maoists shot dead the uncle of a Bharatiya Janata Party MLC, set a house and 10 vehicles on fire in Bihar's Aurangabad district, reports are emerging that the incident was a fallout of a deal to exchange banned notes during demonetisation. According to reports, pamphlets found on roads of Aurangabad claim that the lawmaker and his cousin were to help exchange banned notes. "Rajan Singh should return the Rs 5 crore in old currency notes the CPI (Maoist) had given him after the demonetisation to exchange them (against new notes), and pay his levy dues of Rs 2 crore," said a newspaper quoting the pamphlet. 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 55-year-old Narendra Singh 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. With PTI Inputs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Monday set conditions for the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha Election 2019, demanding the withdrawal of cases against its workers filed during the Bharat bandh in April for SC/ST Act 1989 in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. We demand that cases filed during the Bharat band held on 2 April 2018 for SC/ST Act 1989 in Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh be withdrawn. If these demands are not met, we'll reconsider our decision to give outside support to Congress, the party said in an official statement. On April 2, violence erupted in many states across India as protesters blocked trains, clashed with police and set fire to vehicles during a nationwide bandh against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Transport, mobile and internet services were hit in many states with over 100 trains getting affected due to protests, even as the Centre moved the Supreme Court seeking review of its recent judgment on the SC/ST Act, maintaining that the verdict will violate constitutional rights of these communities. While some states had ordered the closure of educational institutions as a precautionary measure, incidents of arson, firing and vandalism were reported from MP, UP, Rajasthan, Bihar and Punjab, among other places. At least nine people were killed and hundreds injured during the nationwide bandh. In Madhya Pradesh, at least six people had died, while two people died in Uttar Pradesh and one in Rajasthan. On March 20, the Supreme Court had issued a slew of guidelines that would protect public servants and private individuals from arbitrary and immediate arrest under the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. According to the courts directive, coercive action against public servants, accused of hostility towards the lower caste, can only be taken with written permission from their appointing authority. For private citizens accused of a similar crime, the arrest can be made only after the Senior Superintendent of Police concerned allows it. (With agency inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Indian Army foiled Pakistans major terror plot and neutralised two intruders along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmirs Naugam area. The incident took place on the intervening night of December 30 and 31st. The army detected the intruders, which were reportedly commandos from the Pakistan Armys Border Action Team. According to news agency ANI, the army carried out massive search operation in the thick forests of Naugam before gunning down the intruders. Confirming the news, the Indian Army said that, own troops had conducted prolonged search operations in thick jungles and difficult terrain conditions to ascertain the situation, which had confirmed elimination of two likely Pakistani soldiers and resulted in the recovery of a large cache of warlike stores. Video | Mehbooba Mufti warns police after meeting terrorist's sister, says won't allow bloodshed in J-K The army officials said that they have requested Pakistan to take back the bodies of the intruders since Pakistan did provide full covering fire support to them. The operation comes days after the army gunned down four terrorists in Pulwama. The terrorists were from Jaish-e-Mohammed terror organization. In another operation, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist was killed in a brief encounter in South Kashmirs Pulwama district. Based on a credible input about the presence of militants in Banderpora area of district Pulwama, a cordon and search operation (CASO) was launched in the morning hours jointly by Police and security forces in the area, police had said. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: 4 terrorists killed in Pulwama gunfight As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the terrorists. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight. In the ensuing encounter, one militant was killed. The slain militant was identified as Ishfaq Yousuf Wani, a resident of Koil Pulwama in South Kashmir. The area where the encounter took place was an orchard, said police officials. Wani was involved in several terror crimes. He was wanted by the law for his complicity in a series of terror crimes including attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities, the Indian Express quoted an official as saying. Meanwhile, Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said that Cordon and search operations (CASO) launched in the extreme cold weather should immediately stop. Taking to micro-blogging website Twitter he wrote, At #JamaMasjid today. Grossly Inhuman on part of GOI that even in this severe cold as mercury has dipped to minus 8 degree celsius, children women and men forcibly brought out of their homes for conduct of Cordon and search operations (CASO)! This should be immediately stopped. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : The ruthless military approach, increased violence, political uncertainty and the lowest economic activity - the terror-infected Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir suffered the worst bloodshed in at least a decade in 2018. Currently under the Presidents rule, Kashmir has been affected by terrorist activities sponsored and supported from both inside and across the border. News of suffering and pain of Kashmiri people surrounding the death of their loved ones kept the state under the national and international media vigil. In 2018, as per the official Home Ministry data, the death toll of militants and security forces in Kashmir was the highest in the last 10 years. In as many as 587 incidents, 238 terrorists were killed, while 86 security personnel lost their lives. The government figure says there were 37 civilian causalities, but human rights groups claim the fatalities were over 100. Political uncertainty As the half of year passed, political uncertainty gripped the Jammu and Kashmir after the fall of Mehbooba Mufti-led government. On June 19, the BJP broke its "unholy" alliance with the PDP, following which the Mufti government collapsed. The BJP had alleged that it became "untenable" for it to stay in the alliance. The saffron party cited several reasons for its breakup with the PDP which included an upsurge in violence in the Valley and the state government "failing in its responsibilities". Following the Mufti governments fall, the Governors rule was imposed in the state under Section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir. Opposition parties - the National Conference (NC) and the Congress demanded the dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and sought re-elections at the earliest. However, their demands fell to the deaf ears until they decided to stake claim to form the government. On Number 22, Governor Satya Pal Malik ordered the sudden dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after rival political combines (the PDP, the NC and the Congress) said they would stake claim to form the government. On December 19, after the completion of six months under the Governors rule, President Ram Nath Kovind imposed presidents rule in the state. This was the first time since 1996 the Presidents rule was imposed in the state. Jammu and Kashmir is still under the Centres rule and experts believe the political crisis in the state is unlikely to end anytime soon. Kidnapping and killing of security personnel The year 2018 also witnessed several incidents of attack on Kashmiri security personnel and their family members by terrorists, a trend which the state wasnt aware of before. In June, Army soldier Aurangzeb was abducted by terrorists while he was going home for Eid in Shopian. Later, his bullet-ridden body was recovered from a Pulwama village. In August, 11 family members of policemen were abducted in a bid to scare and demoralise security personnel. However, the family members were later released unharmed. On September 17, three gunmen barged into the house of Army man Mukhtar Ahmed Wani and shot him dead. Wani had gone to his home to mourn his 16-year-old son who had died in a road accident. Terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen had issued a threat to Jammu and Kashmir special police officers to quit their job before September 19. However, expect a few isolated resignations, the warning could not move the police personnel from their resolve. On November 21, just two days after the deadline ended, three policemen were kidnapped and killed by terrorists. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The stage is set for the final showdown between the BJP and Congress as the ruling party seeks the passage of contentious Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha today. The Bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 27, criminalises the practice of instant Talaq among a section of Muslim community. In the election year, the Narendra Modi government would like to win this battle. Last year the government, which is in minority in the Upper House, failed to get the Bill passed. The BJP has also issued whip to its members to be present in the Rajya Sabha. In what will be a sign discomfort for the government, both the AIADMK and the DMK will oppose the Triple Talaq Bill. AIADMK will fully oppose this bill against our Muslim brothers," senior AIADMK leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. Dravia Munnetra Kazhagam leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Kanimozhi said her party had been consistent in its position against "criminalisation" of Triple Talaq Bill. "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. Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu is unlikely to be present for todays proceedings 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. Here are the latest updates from the Upper House 12:42 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP leader Prasanna Acharya says, Whatever judgment SC has given, we agree with that. The bill should be passed, but there are certain defects in the bill which should be removed. We want that the Bill should be passed as early as possible, but after corrections. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the state government will pay Rs 2 lakh in case of death of a farmer. The money will be paid to the family in the case of death of any farmers aged between 18-60 years under 'Krishi Krishak Bandhu' scheme, which will come into effect on January 1. "We have a total of 72 lakh farmer families in the state. We do not want them to suffer. We will start the scheme from tomorrow and the farmers will be able to start applying from February," Banerjee said. Under the same scheme, farmers will also get Rs 2,500 twice a year for growing a single crop per acre, she said. aWe have announced two programmes, the first is for crop insurance where the premium will be paid by state government. In the second one, weall give Rs 5,000 per acre annually to farmers, also in the case of death of a farmer between the age of 18-60 years, a compensation up to Rs 2 lakh will be given to the family,a Banerjee said. A W. Bengal CM: Weave announced 2 programmes; first is for crop insurance where premium will be paid by state govt. In second weall give Rs 5000 per acre annually to farmers, also in case of death of a farmer b/w age of 18-60, compensation up to Rs 2lakh will be given to the family pic.twitter.com/s8CyMu0sck a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 "We will spend more than hundreds of crores of rupees for the peasants under this scheme," she said. The state government will spend the money from the budgetary allocation of the agriculture department, Banerjee added Congratulates Sheikh Hasina Banerjee also congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her landslide victory in the general elections. Bangladesh went to polls on Sunday to elect a new Parliament, the results of which were declared in the morning. Hasina cruised to victory for a third consecutive term as the ruling Awami League-led coalition bagged over 260 seats in the 300-member House. The CM said she telephoned Hasina in the morning following the declaration of the result. "The West Bengal government is happy that Sheikh Hasina won the elections. I have spoken to her personally and congratulated her. I also congratulate the people of Bangladesh," Banerjee told reporters. (With agency inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Bengaluru: Opposition BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa has launched a scathing attack on Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy for flying to Singapore for New Year celebrations even as farmers of the state continue to commit suicide because of drought and water crisis. "156 talukas in the state are suffering from drought and water crisis, farmers are committing suicide, at this time. Karnataka CM has gone to Singapore to celebrate the new year, his cabinet members have also gone to different places to celebrate," said Yeddyurappa. BS Yeddyurappa, BJP: 156 talukas in the state are suffering from drought and water crisis, farmers are committing suicide, at this time. Karnataka CM has gone to Singapore to celebrate the new year, his cabinet members have also gone to different places to celebrate pic.twitter.com/3NKQTAkgHK a ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2018 His remarks came days after the Kumaraswamy-led Karnataka government declared 156 out of the 176 talukas of the state drought-hit due to the failed northeast monsoon. The Leader of Opposition in the Assembly also termed as baseless the allegations of former chief minister and JDS-Congress coordination committee chief Siddaramaiah that BJP is trying to pull down the coalition government in the state.A "Siddaramaiah has been repeatedly giving irresponsible statements. We have been saying time and again that we do not need to topple the government. Such allegations do not suit his stature. Let him furnish evidences to support his claim," he told reporters. "The present government is chaotic as both the parties as well as the ministers are not content. BJP is not making any attempt to destabilise thegovernment," he added.A A Earlier, questioning the Chief Minister's conduct, Yeddyurappa had asked him to behave 'responsibly'. "The government was only making claims about loan waiver for the last six months, but has only waived Rs 50 crore from nationalised banks so far. There was no clarity on cooperativebank loans also. When questioned, the Chief Minister has no clear answersand responds irresponsibly. This is not the way," Yeddyurappa had said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's alliance has won the parliamentary vote with a thumping majority, officials said Monday, even as the main opposition rejected the "farcical" elections which claimed 18 lives and left over 200 injured, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country. The ruling Awami League-led coalition has won over 267 seats in the 300-member House, according to the Election Commission (EC). The opposition National Unity Front (UNF) led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) - which has been out of power for 12 years and had boycotted the 10th general elections in 2014 - managed to secure only eight seats, media reports said. The opposition Oikya Front demanded that the EC immediately scrap the "farcical election" and hold a fresh one under a non-partisan interim government. Also Read | Bangladesh Elections: Voting concludes, 13 killed in poll-related violence Front chief and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain called the polls a "farce", citing widespread polling frauds, bdnews24.com reported. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in the absence of imprisoned former prime minister Khaleda Zia, described the polls as a "cruel farce". He said the elections proved that free and fair polls were not possible under a partisan government. The EC 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. The National Unity Front (NUF) is a coalition of parties, including BNP, Gono Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya Front and Krishak Sramik Janata League. Rejecting the polls, Hossain said "we have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres". While Hasina was seeking re-election for the fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. Also Read | Its Khalida Zia vs Sheikh Hasina yet again as Bangladesh goes to crucial polls on Sunday The EC said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence. At least 18 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed and more than 200 others injured in poll-related violence, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country, the Daily Star reported. Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists, while others were workers of the 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. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: China has put into service its much-touted lightweight battle tank which the military seeks to deploy in the mountainous regions, like Tibet, to boost its combat capabilities in the high-altitude areas. The new-generation tank, identified as Type-15 by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), was displayed for the first time at an exhibition, organised last month to mark the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up, at China's National Museum as part of new weapons developed by the country. Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Wu Qian confirmed that the tank has been handed over to troops for deployment. "As for the Type 15 light tank, according to my information, it has been handed over to our troops," Wu told the media last week. The indigenously-developed tank had undergone combat ready exercises on the plateaus of Tibet in June last year when the armies of China and India were engaged in an eye-ball to eye-ball 73-day-long standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim sector. Indian troops had opposed the construction of a road by Chinese soldiers near a trijunction border, as it was too close to the main highway, the Chicken Neck corridor, connecting the North East with rest of India. The area was also claimed by Bhutan. The relations between India and China as well as the militaries normalised this year with concerted efforts by both sides after the People's Liberation Army (PLA) halted the road construction. According to Chinese official media, the lightweight battle tank is equipped with a hydro-pneumatic suspension system that ensures good manoeuvrability and survivability in mountainous regions. Its main weapon is the 105 mm gun that can fire armour-piercing shells and launch guided missiles, it said. The Type 15 tank has a 1,000 horsepower engine which is significantly lighter than the PLA's other main battle tanks in service, and weighs about 32 to 35 tonnes, compared to the Type 99 tank, which weighs 54 to 58 tonnes, and the Type 96 one weighing about 42.8 tonnes, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. Military analysts said the tank could be quickly deployed to sensitive regions such as Tibet and the plateau border area if a dispute broke out, the SCMP report said. Beijing-based military affairs commentator Song Zhongping said the PLA Marine Corps needed to upgrade some of its key equipment. He said they were using the Type 62 tank, which only has about 500 horsepower and an 85mm main gun. "The Type 62 tank is lagging behind. The Type 15 tank has much better protection capability and manoeuvrability," he was qouted as saying in the SCMP. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The latest idea by Sen. Lindsey Graham to solve the federal government shutdown standoff with an immigration compromise, floated on Sunday, created a bit of chatter between Lucas Codognolla and some of his fellow DACA participants. One New York friend texted Codognolla, an undocumented resident of Bridgeport. He was like, Is this going to be a thing? Well, no, its not. Or maybe it will. Either way, the fact that the incoming chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hatched a scheme and claimed the president of the United States likes the idea should ring alarms along with New Years chimes. The plan by the South Carolina Republican would give President Donald Trump the $5.2 billion he wants for a Mexico border wall, slotted fence, or whatever metaphor we want to concoct for this needless waste. In exchange, the nearly 800,000 young undocumented people caught in limbo under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program would receive the right to apply for a three-year extension. It makes me feel like a bargaining chip, Codognolla said. Hes executive director of Connecticut Students for a Dream, an advocacy group for the so-called Dreamers who came to the United States before 2007 as children of undocumented immigrants. And having come from Brazil at age 9 and grown up in Connecticut, hes the only member of his immediate family, three siblings and his parents, who isnt either a U.S. citizen or a green card holder. It makes me angry about the whole situation that were in around this whole metaphor for the wall, and it makes me sad that were not able to reform our whole immigration system, Codognolla said Monday. Graham floated a similar idea previously and it didnt go over well in part because everyone realized Trump cant be trusted from one day to the next. Now hes trying to execute an immigration fix as part of talks to end the partial government shutdown that seems headed well into the new year. Thats a bit like trying to reach a settlement between Israel and the Palestinians as part of a plea bargain on a criminal case. Immigration reform on its own is almost impossible to achieve, although Congress came close in 2015. As part of talks to end a partial shutdown? Ridiculous on every level. It would have raised blood pressures in the immigrant services community if they hadnt seen this movie before. Instead, it was just a reminder that Graham, well-meaning as he may be, is part of a cabal of Republicans thats allowing an ignorant president to manage the nation into the gutter. To kind of say, Lets hurry up and come to some kind of compromise quickly on these really intractable issues doesnt make sense and its really unfair to the people whose lives and opportunities are at stake, said Claudia Connor, president and CEO of the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants, based in Bridgeport. Thoughtful and sustainable solutions cant be done in a rushed way, Connor said. And with the Trump administration, she added, The issue is trust. The issue encompasses just about every aspect of American culture, not least, the economy. Were talking about more than 11 million undocumented immigrants, most of whom are working at a time when the workforce is short staffed nowhere more than in Connecticut. The whole reason we ran into this crisis to begin with is that the legal immigration system is broken and doesnt allow enough people into the country. But advocates and people caught in the crossfire have pretty much given up hope of a solution under Trump. I really dont think we can pass any policies with this administration that wont be detrimental to immigrants, Codognolla said, explaining why his group focuses on state laws such as an act last spring giving all immigrants the right to financial aid from state colleges and universities. Thats too bad, but for now, the pressing need is to reopen the government by the end of this week. Were not against border enforcement, said Catalina Horak, executive director of Building One Community on Stamford, an immigrant services group. But she said, This concrete wall at the border with absolutely no other way of making a comprehensive package for immigration reform is not going to work.Its a very complex issue and we need to deal with it in a multifaceted way. On its own, the tradeoff money for a wall in exchange for expanded rights for dreamers and other undocumented immigrants would be a very divisive issue within the immigrant community, Codognolla said. Its a farce as part of talks to end the shutdown because its a quick fix of a temporary solution of a patchwork of outdated la ws. Currently Reading New Year's Eve around the globe 2018 Chinas is performing more sea trials of its navy ship with a railgun. They have also made progress on 20 Megawatt power modules to power more railguns. Long time no see, the railgun test ship is spotted undergoing sea trials these days. pic.twitter.com/WdxXkyYWrF dafeng cao (@dafengcao) December 29, 2018 China Shipbuilding Industry (CSIC) announced the successful certification of a new 20-megawatt steam turbo generator unit for ships. The 20-megawatts of power is four times as much as Chinas current generator units and equal to the most advanced generator units developed by the US and European countries. Twenty megawatts is sufficient to propel 10,000-ton class vessels and larger vessels like aircraft carriers can use multiple generators to get the power they need. The new steam turbo generator unit will not only provide electricity for a vessels propulsion system but also lay the foundation for a fully electric power system for ships. CSIC is reportedly developing Chinas third aircraft carrier, and experts expect it will be equipped with an electromagnetic catapult to launch aircraft. China is also reportedly looking to upgrade its most advanced 10,000-ton class destroyer the Type 055s with electromagnetic railguns. NEW BRITAIN Hole in the Wall Theater is holding auditions for its upcoming production of William Shakespeares Scottish tragedy, Macbeth. The production will run for ten (10) performances between March 15-April 6. Eight shows will be held on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m., along with two Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. One will be held on March 24 for the general public, while the other will be held on March 31 as a special performance for students of New Britain High School. Auditions will be held Jan. 20-21 at 7 p.m. at the Hole in the Wall Theater, with potential callbacks on Jan. 22. All potential cast members are advised to bring a resume (or to simply fill your credits on the audition form). Headshots are welcome, but not necessarily required. Auditions will consist of readings from the script, while monologues are also welcome. All those looking to be cast must follow the following requirements: cast members must have a reliable mode of transportation to get them to and from the theater. Once cast, all cast members must attend one (1) general meeting at the theater (usually held the second Wednesday of each month), one (1) performance of the current production at Hole in the Wall (Keely and Du), and the strike of the sets for both Keely and Du and Macbeth. Hole in the Wall Theater is located at 116 Main Street, New Britain. Contact and location information can be found at www.hitw.org and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The following roles are open: Macbeth- M, 30-40: The ambitious Thane of Glamis and Cawdor who longs for more power. Initially reluctant and brooding, he soon gets over his doubts and becomes King along with his wifes help. He embraces his callous nature as the story progresses. Lady Macbeth- F, 25-40: Macbeths ruthless wife who covets the throne. She is the driving force behind Macbeths desire for the throne, as she is the one who pushes him to kill Duncan. She becomes a support for Macbeth as he has hallucinations. A true femme fatale. Duncan/Apparition 1- M, 50+: The King of Scotland. A good-natured man and benevolent leader. Macduff- M, 25-40: The morally good Thane of Fife. He is everything Macbeth is not. He initially leads the revolt against Macbeth out of duty to his country, but is later fueled by revenge for the murder of his wife and children. Malcolm- M, 18-25: Duncans son and rightful heir to the Scottish throne. He appears weak and reluctant at first, fleeing Scotland out of fear of being murdered like his father, but with Macduffs help he is able to regain control of his country. Banquo- M, 25-40: Macbeths friend and fellow Thane. Brave, noble, and loyal, he has just as much ambition as Macbeth but chooses not to act upon it. He later reappears as a ghost haunting Macbeth. Fleance/Macduffs son/Young Siward- M, 18-25: Banquos son, who is prophesized by the witches to one day inherit the throne of Scotland. / Macduffs son Lennox- M, 25-30: A young sergeant who is injured at the start of the story. Eager to prove himself. Ross- M, 25-40: A Thane who warns Lady Macduff about her husbands absence. Angus/Apparition 2- M, 50+: A grizzled and contemplative old Thane who can tell when there is supernatural intervention in the world. Siward/Apparition 3- M, 50+: A veteran general of the English forces that fight against Macbeth. Witch 1/Seyton- F, 18-30: One of the three instigators who prophesizes Macbeths ascent to kinghood. / Macbeths personal assistant. Witch 2/Lady Macduff- F, 25-40: One of the three instigators who prophesizes Macbeths ascent to kinghood. / Macduffs wife who is worried by her husbands abandonment. Witch 3/Serving Woman- F, 18-30: One of the three instigators who prophesizes Macbeths ascent to kinghood. / The dutiful servant to Lady Macbeth. Murderer 1/Messenger- M, 25-40: One of the thugs hired by Macbeth to kill whoever gets in his way. Murderer 2/Doctor- M, 25-40: One of the thugs hired by Macbeth to kill whoever gets in his way. NEW HAVEN >> Its well done, has just the right amount of seasoning and for one justice of the court, it is supreme and oh yeah, it will be added to the menu at Brazis Italian Restaurant. Its called, The Justice Harper Steak Rollatini a dish named after city native and retired Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Lubbie Harper Jr. It will complement The Justice Harper Martini that the restaurant also named after its long-time customer. Ive observed him over 20 years frequent our place and Ive seen the number of people he has mentored. Hes helped so many people without looking for any recognition, said Brazis owner Val Capobianco, 47, who is also Harpers godson. Its unusual when you find a kid who was born and raised on Winchester Avenue, faced many obstacles, but ends up on the Supreme Court of the state of Connecticut, he said. For that and other reasons, we felt compelled to honor him in the way that hes honored and served the community. Harper is the only city native to have a dish named in his honor at the restaurant. The steak is rolled flank steak with broccoli rabe and sharp cheese. At the restaurant, according to head chef Jesse Melgar, the steak is grilled, then rolled with the veggies and placed in the oven for 15 minutes. Im humbled and grateful that my godson has so much affection for me that he would name my favorite dish after me, said Harper, 73, who likes his steak well done. But the dish is not the first namesake for Harper. Three years ago, Harpers high school, Wilbur Cross, dedicated its Library Media Center in honor of him for his accomplishments and service to the community. He graduated from the school in 1961. And two years ago, the restaurant named a booth after him Justice Harper Landing. He has sat in the same spot for over 20 years, so we decided to put a booth in his name to honor him and his legacy, said Capobianco, who opened the restaurant in 1993. Over the years, Harper said he has dined with local, state and international dignitaries in the booth and some of them as well as other customers have also been served his namesake drink a peach martini, which is made with peach vodka, peach tree schnapps, peach puree, orange juice and pineapple juice. I cant describe the feeling every time I sit here and see my name; Im truly blessed, he said. In February 2011, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy nominated Harper to the Supreme Court and he took oath of office in March of that year. He retired from the Supreme Court in 2012, but now sits by designation on the Appellate Court. Harper graduated from the University of New Haven with a bachelors degree in 1965. He was awarded a masters degree from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work in 1967 and a law degree from the UConn School of Law in 1975. The diverse clientele, Harper said, is a hallmark of the restaurant. Our philosophy is that all of our customers are special, said Capobianco, who moved to the United States from Naples, Italy, in 1977. If we dont hug them when they walk through our doors someone else will. In addition to The Justice Harper Steak Rollatini dish, other popular dishes customers rave about, according to Melgar, are the seafood cioppino, chicken Brazis, fried calamari, veal caprese and sole florentine. Harper said he is at the restaurant at least four times a week. Its been many nights where Ive been here to help close down the restaurant; sometimes, Im the last one to leave. Reach Community Engagement Editor Shahid Abdul-Karim at 203-680-9343. MILFORD - A Massachusetts man was being held in lieu of $190,000 bond after police said he kidnapped a woman and brought her to this area. Carlos Rosario-Infante, 34, of Holyoke, was charged with first-degree kidnapping, disorderly conduct, threatening, first-degree assault, and having a weapon in a motor vehicle. MIDDLETOWN A man who is well-respected by his colleagues and considered a gentleman and family man will be the new commander of Connecticut State Police. Lt. Col. Stavros J. Mellekas, 51, now commanding officer of the Office of Field Operations, is based at headquarters, 1111 Country Club Road, Middletown, and works for the state Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. He is expected to replace Col. George F. Battle once the Lamont Administration is in place after the first of the year. Mellekas, who was born in Newport, R.I, and comes from a large, well-known Greek family, has been married to his wife Kim for 25 years. They live in Bristol with their three children: two in college and one a senior in high school. Hes one of the great leaders. Hes a really fair guy, easy to get along with, but also firm at the same time, said Connecticut State Police Union President Sgt. John Castiline. Im happy to work closely with him during Mellekas tenure in a great number of roles within the agency, Castiline said. The origin of DESPP began in 1903, when Connecticut lawmakers created the nations first state police department consisting of five men who drew a salary of $3 a day to enforce state liquor and vice laws, according to the department. Our No. 1 priority is we really have to [restore the ranks to capacity], and put a diverse group in place, Mellekas said. While budgeted for 1,201 troopers, state police now employ around 900 officers. He attributes those figures to two factors: retirements and a lack of qualified law enforcement personnel applying for positions. As a result , Mellekas will conduct exams in the near future and recruit troopers. Its an ongoing process, and difficult to find interested, qualified, diverse candidates. Applicant numbers are a lot lower than they used to be, he said. The process is very stringent. Its a demanding job, but very rewarding, he said. Mellekas earned a bachelor of arts degree from St. Anselm College in 1990, and was an officer with the U.S. Capitol police in Washington, D.C., from 1991 to 1994. He was assigned to the Senate Division and Dignitary Protection. His special assignments included the Civil Disturbance Unit and 1993 presidential inaugural detail, he said. The commander was a patrol trooper from 1994 to 1999 at several barracks: Troop B in North Canaan,Troop L in Litchfield, Troop I in Bethany and Troop H in Hartford. He was a detective on the Central District Major Crime Squad from 1999 to 2008, was promoted to state police sergeant in March 2008, lieutenant in December 2011, and captain in April 2016. I attribute my successful rise within the state police to the opportunities I had working alongside outstanding investigators, he said. As a detective, I have gained the most experience while working alongside senior investigators, testifying in several murder trials resulting in convictions, and working on several lengthy, complex, and sensitive investigations. Mellekas said the job of a trooper is service-oriented, noting, We treat people with dignity and respect, and hold them accountable for their actions. Troopers have myriad responsibilities in the field. They could be on the highway most of their shift, enforcing motor vehicle laws or they could be in town with primary law enforcement responsibilities, he said. These officers also work with their districts major crimes squad, and on specialized criminal investigations, as well as statewide automobile thefts and undercover work, Mellekas said. They also assist local authorities and the State Attorneys Office on police-involved shootings and other cases, such as the one in Danbury over the weekend that left one person dead and another injured. Authorities responded to a suspicious person call around 9:30 p.m. about a man on the Memorial Drive Apartments complex property, according to wtnh.com. A Danbury officer used a stun gun to subdue the suspect, but was unsuccessful in his attempt; another Danbury officer fired his gun, hitting the man, according to WTNH. A female relative of the suspect and resident suffered a gunshot wound, WTNH reported. These crimes are among the most challenging ones troopers face, Mellekas said. We do a lot for our communities from burglaries to alarm checks, minor accidents, speed enforcement and large narcotics [busts], he added. Troopers take pride in being able to solve these crimes. Its a very rewarding profession, he said. Its interesting, and you get to help people. I work with a lot of quality personnel who share similar goals, Mellekas said. The addition of police body cameras or wearable recording equipment have added a new dimension to police work. The technology often helps support the states prosecutions in court. Troopers welcome these cameras and take criticism in stride, the commander said. Were not perfect: Nobodys perfect. If you do the right thing and demonstrate professionalism thats the state police way. We hold ourselves to a certain standard. Theres a long history of tradition in state police, which is why its an extremely difficult profession, Mellekas said. He has conducted complex investigations with other agencies, such as the FBI, DEA, NYPD, Massachusetts and Rhode Island state police, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Hartford and New Haven police. One of the most trying tasks troopers are given is notifying family members of a death. That includes preventing loved ones from breaching crime scenes. Any trooper whos done that remembers it. It needs to be done with honor, said Mellakas, whose staff often invite clergy to help them deliver the news. I dont know if anyone gets used to it, the commander said. Homicides and other horrible crimes are heart-rending for troopers, Mellekas said. They remain diligent and focus their energy on the job at hand: helping families and getting to the motive, cause of death, and bringing the assailant to justice, he said. During motor vehicle or other accidents, those involved are overwhelmingly victims of happenstance, when malice is not a factor, Mellakas said. Somebody made a mistake, and now people are suffering. We determine how it happened and do our best to give people answers. Managing Editor Cassandra Day can be reached at cassandra.day@hearstmediact.com or on Twitter @cassandrasdis. Police said 18-year-old Tajay Chambers and three younger friends were out hunting a rival gang when they shot and killed 12-year-old Clinton Howell. Chambers and his friends never found members of the Blitz Gang, known as the BGs, and Howell was not affiliated with any gang, but Bridgeport has been home to several gangs of various sizes. Both Bridgeport Police and the Connecticut State Police have gang task forces, agencies that routinely cooperate on gang-related issues. Its alarming, Bridgeport Police Chief Armando Perez said in 2017. Theres a tremendous amount of guns out there. We have been taking them off the street but they keep coming in. James Perez, a lieutanant with the Fairfield Police department said There are still Bloods and Crips and Latin Kings - all those gangs are still there, but more often than not its loosely affiliated groups of youths who claim to be members of well-known gangs. The kids themselves might not understand how dangersous of a path theyre undertaking, Perez said. Nonetheless, there are several organized, criminal groups in Bridgeport. Here is a list of four gangs of which police are aware: 1. 150 gang A hitman for the 150 gang, Deonte Tomlinson was found guilty in August for killing a rival gang member. He was sentenced to to 53 years in prison. 2. Green Hollow Boyz Tomlinson was convicted for the murder of Kahlil Kah Diaz, 18, a leader of the Green Hollow Boyz, who himself had been found not guilty of the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Ryan Hernandez, a member of the 150s. 3. East Side Boyz Another rival gang, East Side Boyz member Jarod Sunny Stacks Hamilton was accused of killing Green Hollow member Khali Davis in January. 4. PT Outlaws Robert Pookie Bowen had been a known member of the PT Outlaws when, in May, 2017, he was taken into custody by members of the U.S. Marshal Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force. Connecticut Post reporter Dan Tepfer contributed this report. jordan.fenster@hearstmediact.com Connecticut has entered into a landmark agreement with neighboring states to help battle climate change and reduce auto emissions by creating a new system to fund regional transportation improvements. The nine states and Washington D.C. pledged to spend the next year developing a cap-and-invest system in which the worst pollution emitters will pay into a pool thats used to lower overall emissions. Do not be fooled by the climate change deniers in Washington, climate change is real and if we do not take significant action now to reduce carbon emissions the harm to our economy, communities and the planet will be irrevocable, said outgoing Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. Claire Coleman, a climate and energy attorney for the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, said the regional approach established by the Transportation & Climate Initiative is a good way to lessen climate change. Transportation is the largest contributor of emissions in Connecticut, and pollutants from dirty cars hurt our residents especially those in low-income communities, Coleman said. The states Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont agreed to create caps on transportation related emissions and require fuel distributors to buy pollution permits for the carbon they produce. New York and Maine are also expected to join the initiative; its not yet clear if New Hampshire will also join. The initiative runs counter to President Donald Trumps stance on climate change and auto emissions. Trump has questioned whether climate change science is accurate and proposed relaxing auto emission standards nationwide, a move being opposed by Connecticut and other states. Limits and fees The multistate agreement is expected to result in a program similar to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a nine-state cap-and-invest system for power plant emissions. Since 2005, the RGGI has lowered power plant emissions by about 40 percent by requiring companies to pay a fee if they exceed emission limits. That money is used to help fund carbon-free projects such as solar and wind power and upgrades at existing power plants. Applying the concept to auto and transportation emissions could increase costs to motorists by an average of about $6 a month, some experts believe. The states would use the revenue to help fund a variety of transportation projects, including infrastructure for electric vehicles, expanding public transit, carpooling, driverless cars and bike lanes. A cap-and-invest program could unleash billions of dollars to deliver the overdue improvements this region needs, said Jordan Stutt, carbon programs director for the Acadia Center, an environmental advocacy group based in Boston, which is active in Connecticut. A spokesman for Gov-elect Ned Lamont did not respond to a request for comment on the initiative. Lamont so far has been supportive of Malloys environmental moves and is expected to deploy similar policies. His transition group on environment issues called for Connecticut to take the lead in regional carbon-pricing programs and said in its report, Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time. Bruce Ho, a senior advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said transportation emissions are key to combatting climate change. This commitment from Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to transform and modernize our aging transportation from cleaner cars and trucks to more efficient buses, trains, and walkable and bikeable communities will make us safer and healthier and help meet the transportation needs of all residents, Ho said. Clean energy Malloy announced last week that the state accepted new bids from the Millstone Nuclear Plant to directly sell carbon-free electricity to the states electric distributors. A bid from the Seabrook nuclear plant in New Hampshire was also accepted. Millstone has sought higher priced, clean energy contracts for some time, arguing that the low price it now receives from the commodities market threatens the long-term survival of the facility. Coleman said the Connecticut Fund for the Environment is disappointed the clean energy projects selected by the state are dominated by nuclear plants. The future is off-shore wind, solar, geothermal and smart strategies for efficiency and energy storage but the small investments in these newer resources compared to the heavy investment in nuclear largely dont reflect that, Coleman said. Rob Klee, outgoing commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, defended the decision by stressing the future of Millstone is at stake. We agreed with [electric regulators] that the Millstone nuclear facility is at risk of early retirement, Klee said. We remain committed to keeping this valuable zero-carbon resource, provided that it is affordable. DEEP has directed Eversource and United Illuminating to negotiate a price with Millstone that reflects a reasonable rate of return for its owner, Dominion Energy. bcummings@ctpost.com Mid Michigan College Physical Therapist Assistant students recently hosted their annual pediatric lab event. PTA students spent three weeks reviewing the normal growth, development, pathologies and appropriate treatment interventions for pediatric patients in preparation for the event. In October, seven children participated in various activities with the second year PTA students. This event facilitated the practical application of pediatric physical therapy skills. Students were able to observe normal growth and development milestones with the children who participated and implement the practical application of exercises, stretches, and mobility activities under the supervision of PTA Program instructors. "With every patient, modifications are necessary, but especially with this age group, you are constantly making modifications and adjustments. This is a great interactive activity for the students as they continue to develop their patient care skills," noted Amanda Wismer, dIrector of the PTA Program at Mid. Mid's PTA Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education and allows students to earn an associate degree. The program reports that 100 percent of licensed graduates are employed within one year following graduation NEW HAVEN Two women and eight men were the victims of homicide in 2018. The youngest victim was 21 and the oldest was 51, with most being lost to gunfire. The following are the people who lost their lives to violence this year, compiled from news accounts and obituaries: Ronald Wayne Matheney Richardson Jr., 37, was shot was shot multiple times in his parked car Jan. 2 on Wadley Street. He was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital where he died of his injuries. Richardson lived in Hamden working as a car attendant at Pro Parking and at Ferraros Food cart as a cook. He is survived by his daughters Roniece and Ranajah Richardson of New Haven. Kenneth Cooper, 35, was killed Jan. 12 outside a gas station around 3 a.m. ShotSpotter detected the gunfire and Cooper was laying on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound before a woman drove him to the hospital where he died. The next day police arrested Joshua James Council, charging him with Coopers murder. Cooper attended New Life Worship Center and enjoyed fishing, dancing, and being around his family. Ines Perez, 48, died Jan. 27 after being strangled outside an apartment complex on Quinnipiac Avenue. Perezs name was read during a memorial service Thursday at Trinity Church on the Green in a list of people who had at one point experienced homelessness. Perez is one of two women who were victims of homicide this year. Stanley McLellan, 51, died Feb. 27 from a stab wound to his head after he reportedly went to confront a person just after midnight on Ivy Street. The resident McLellan went to confront wasnt charged. McLellan worked as a chef for Doodys Restaurant in North Branford. He is survived by his sisters, niece, nephews and other relatives. Eric Lewis, 36, was shot and killed in broad daylight April 11 on Chapel Street. Elias Jamar Rivers was charged with Lewis murder April 30 after fleeing to North Carolina. Lewis left his mother, father, two daughters and many brothers and sisters to cherish his memory. Tyekqua Nesbitt, 28, was shot in front of her two children, ages 6 and 11, as they were sitting in her car May 31. Police guarded her family as they searched for the suspect. Two months later the man, Tramaine Marquese Poole, was found dead in Virginia. Because of the nature of Nesbitts homicide, her death shook the community and was highly publicized. Trayvon Foster, 23, died by gunfire June 23 in the Dixwell neighborhood. As a son, brother, nephew and cousin, he graduated from James Hillhouse High School and is survived by many family members. including his mother and three brothers. Robert Faulk-Dill, 21, was shot multiple times in the chest and head when he was sitting on the front porch of a Maple Street home June 24. He was rushed to the hospital and died within a couple house. He worked as a youth counselor for LEAP New Haven and became a volunteer daycare assistant at a local daycare. Faulk-Dill is survived by his baby daughter, mother, father and other family members. Sirvon Strickland, 31, was killed after allegedly stabbing a man Oct. 9. Strickland, who reportedly said happy Halloween to a man before stabbing him, was fatally shot by the stabbing victims cousin. The shooter has a valid pistol permit and his gun was lawfully registered to him and he has not been charged. Samuel Hooks, 44, was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital Saturday, where he was pronounced dead shortly after being admitted, according to police. He was shot just before 7 p.m. ANSONIA From salsa and shipping tape to Greek yogurt and maple syrup, Ansonia is home to dozens of businesses that grow their products right in the citys backyard. And to pay homage to all things locally made, the city will launch a Made in Ansonia initiative to spotlight those businesses. The idea is to feature a local business each month on the citys Facebook page, according to city Director of Constituent Services Greg Martin. We will feature a Made in Ansonia product by offering a brief synopsis and insight on the company product, history, future and employment offerings, Martin said. Martin said the idea is an extension of Mayor David Cassettis Made in Ansonia products display case at City Hall, which features products made in the city including a bottle of maple syrup courtesy of Colony Farms Maple Syrup and an empty container of Greek yogurt from Stani Dairy, made in a small factory on Howard Avenue. Stani Dairy is slated to be the first business featured on the Facebook page. The company arrived here in 2017, Martin said, through recruitment efforts by Cassetti and Economic Development Director Sheila OMalley. Martin said samples recently were distributed around City Hall and early feedback from our official taste testers here is that we may just have ourselves a promising new business start-up. Stani Dairy co-owner Kali Emmanouil said the company expects to add more employees in the near future. Current flavors of their Greek-style yogurt include blueberry, honey, peach, strawberry and plain, with more to come. The company is targeting wholesale distribution to supermarkets coast-to-coast, and currently has a presence in several supermarket chains, according to the owners. According to the companys website, the story of Stani Dairy yogurt began on a small family-owned farm in Greece. Family members honed their love of dairy, and eventually moved to the U.S. in 2015 to pursue a lifelong dream of producing Greek yogurt for consumers. Martin said his favorite flavors of Stani yogurt are blueberry and peach. I think there is a good chance they can crack into a tough market share industry, and if they do, theyll likely need expansion potential somewhere in the city with many more employees required, Martin said. OMalley also had a recent sample of the yogurt at City Hall. I did get a chance to sample blueberry; it was delicious and when I went back for more, they were all gone, she said. OMalley said shining a spotlight on local businesses is important. The Valley is a small place and sometimes we take for granted that everyone knows about all of the great businesses and restaurants we have, OMalley said. We know and love these places, but we need to do a better job of letting others know. Its a positive boost for them. These are secrets we dont want to keep to ourselves. Ansonia is thriving in terms of attracting new businesses, OMalley noted, which she attributes to Cassettis pro-business attitude and efforts to obtain grants and incentives to both attract and retain businesses. We all see great potential in Ansonia and we are working hard to show everyone how special our community is, OMalley added. Hard work always pays off. Other companies scheduled to be featured on the Facebook page include Farrel Pomini, Better Packages, Ninis Small Batch Salsa/Sauces and BottleCraft by Tom. For information on being featured, contact Martin at gmartin@ansoniact.org. jean.sos@snet.net Mackenzie Blackwood, Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri, Sami Vatanen and the New Jersey Devils will aim to close the 2018 calendar year with their third straight win when they host Elias Pettersson and the Vancouver Canucks at 1 p.m. on Monday at Prudential Center in Newark. Taylor Hall will miss his third straight game due to a lower body injury, while Blackwood will aim to win his third straight game after earning the NHL's third star of the week. Join NJ.com's live chat in the comment section, and follow along with live updates in the box above. Here is everything you need to know about the home game: What: New Jersey Devils (14-16-7) vs. Vancouver Canucks (19-18-4) When: 1 p.m. EST, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 Where: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey TV: MSG+ Live stream: MSG Go New Jerseys controversial rules that force students to pass PARCC tests before graduating from high school are already regarded as confusing and chaotic. Now, theyve been declared invalid. A panel of state appellate court judges on Monday struck down the requirement that students must pass state exams in Algebra I and 10th grade English, saying that the rules which were put into place in 2016, to take effect with the class of 2020 dont match a state law that requires students to pass just a single test in 11th grade in order to graduate. The ruling will not take effect for 30 days, giving the state Department of Education time to appeal to the state Supreme Court if it wants, the judges wrote. If the decision holds, though, it will allow students to graduate without having passed the controversial exams, said Jessica Levin, attorney for the Education Law Center, which filed the legal challenge along with the ACLU and civil rights groups. Even before the regulations were enacted in 2016, we urged the Department of Education to withdraw these rules because they clearly violate state law," Levin said. Todays ruling vindicates our position." (The ruling will have no impact on any other state-mandated graduation requirements.) The state Department of Education and Attorney Generals Office are reviewing options and assessing next steps while aiming to minimize the impact on students, the department said in a statement. "The guiding factor of utmost importance will continue to be what is best for the students of New Jersey, state Education Commissioner Lamont Repollet said. The impact of the decision will depend on what happens next. The court ruling could nudge Gov. Phil Murphy to fulfill a campaign promise to eliminate the requirement that students pass any specific standardized tests before graduation. Alternately, the state Legislature could temporarily suspend the testing requirement until the Department of Education develops new guidelines that follow the law, Levin said. The state Department of Education could also fight the case before the state Supreme Court, potentially leaving students in limbo during the next round of state testing this spring. Regardless, the decision adds another layer of confusion to an issue thats vexed many administrators, school counselors and parents. Previously, students were required to pass a single test in 11th grade, which most students did. But then-Gov. Chris Christies administration revised the rules after the introduction of the PARCC tests in the 2014-15 school year. What ensued was widely characterized by teachers, parents and students as chaos: There were different rules for different graduating classes, and accusations the state was weaponizing the high school graduation requirements to beat down a testing opt-out movement. Last spring, thousands of students who skipped their state exams thinking they could still graduate were told they had to take makeup exams, with the schools saying the state wasnt clear about the rules, and the state countering that the schools understood the rules but misinterpreted them to students. All along, the Education Law Center and American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey were fighting the rules in court. The court struck down a graduation testing regime that was unfair to students and their families, said Jeanne LoCicero, legal director of the ACLU-NJ. We look forward to working with the state on new regulations that will comply with the law. Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 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 28th (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./. HOBOKEN Mayor Ravi Bhalla has vetoed an ordinance a split City Council adopted two weeks ago that would have eventually eliminated one position from the mayors office, with Bhalla calling the legislation a petty attempt to weaken his administration. The council voted 5-4 on Dec. 19 to cut by one the number of employees Bhalla can employ who are unclassified, or not covered by civil service rules. Council members in favor of the move said the restriction would have brought the administration in line with state-mandated maximums on political appointees. Bhalla called the bill an unlawful" attempt to regulate city personnel. Instead of wasting time trying to settle political scores, I once again, as I did one year ago, invite the City Council to join me in working collaboratively on initiatives and policies that benefit the residents we have been sworn to serve, Bhallas Dec. 28 veto statement says. Bhallas office has three unclassified employees: Chief of Staff John Allen, Deputy Chief of Staff Jason Freeman and city spokesman Vijay Chaudhuri. The ordinance Bhalla vetoed would have set a maximum of two, the same number used by Bhallas predecessor, Dawn Zimmer. It would not have gone into effect until one of the three men left city government. Chaudhuri accused two supporters of the ordinance, council members Mike DeFusco and Tiffanie Fisher, of attempting to retaliate against Mayor Bhalla at every turn. DeFusco, who lost the 2017 mayors race to Bhalla, and Fisher, who did not support Bhallas candidacy, denied this. I work closely and have a great working relationship with Mayor Bhalla and the entire administration on many issues that are critical to Hoboken, including restructuring our water contracts, Rebuild By Design and Union Dry Dock, Fisher said. Hoping Vijay gets up to speed quickly in his new role and that we will see less of his personal biases in official communications going forward. DeFusco, meanwhile, called Chaudhuri's statement a "shocking" example of Bhalla using his office "like a political operation." In moving to lower the number of unclassified employees the mayor can hire, DeFusco and Fisher have cited civil service laws that limit mayors from hiring more than two unclassified employees. All other hires, the council members say, should be governed by civil service regulations. Eugene Lanzoni, a spokesman for the state Civil Service Commission, told The Jersey Journal that mayors are permitted more than those two within the mayors office. DeFusco and Fisher insist that Lanzoni was referring to other unclassified positions that already exist in Hobokens government, like the business administrator. A request for clarification from Lanzoni was not returned. This is Bhallas fourth veto since he became mayor in January. One of the others was overridden by the council. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. An alert off-duty Bayonne police officer arrested a man in a city bank Saturday when he recognized him as the man wanted to passing fraudulent checks in October, police said. And wouldnt you know it, the man, Stanley E. Berry, had just attempted to check another bad check at the bank, a teller told police. The officer saw Berry, 45, of Union Street in Jersey City, inside Bank of America at 32nd Street and Broadway and investigated after realizing Berry was a wanted man. When the officer asked the suspect for identification, Berry gave him a drivers license with a false name, Bayonne Lt. Eric Amato said. Berry was charged with forgery, passing bad checks, hindering apprehension and providing false documents, Amato said, adding that he was identified as the person in the Oct. 22 incident at Provident Bank on Avenue C. The Force Report is a continuing investigation of police use of force in New Jersey. Read more from the series or search your local police department and officers in the full the database. In the early hours of Feb. 28, 2012, Julius Adams left the Trump Plaza Casino and started down the Boardwalk Hall tunnel in Atlantic City. After a night of gambling and drinking, it was time to go home. A few blocks away from the casino, he found himself surrounded by a group of Atlantic City police officers. Adams claims in a federal lawsuit he was detained, beaten and held at gunpoint by the officers. While he was handcuffed, he alleges, officers sicced two police dogs on him. As Adams, who is black, bled profusely and begged for medical treatment, one officer allegedly said, Let that n----- bleed out. Adams claims the attack, which left him incapacitated for a month and with permanent injuries, was payback for an internal affairs complaint he filed a year earlier against an officer. He filed another complaint after the 2012 incident, but the department said his claim of excessive force was unfounded. Adams eventually pleaded guilty to inflicting harm on a law enforcement animal. The incident, which will be at the center of a civil trial set for January, came as Atlantic Citys use-of-force rate was soaring above every department in the state. Atlantic City police officers used painful holds, punches, kicks and other types of force to subdue suspects 2,854 times from 2012 through 2016, according to The Force Report, a 16-month investigation by NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. The investigation found New Jerseys system for tracking police force is broken, with no statewide collection or analysis of data, little oversight by state officials and no standard practices among local departments. The news organization collected 72,677 use-of-force reports covering every municipal police department and the State Police. The results, available at NJ.com/force, revealed police across the state used force in about 3 percent of all arrests. Officers in Atlantic City, where 40 percent of residents live in poverty amid the 30 million visitors to its casinos and beaches every year, used force in 11 percent of arrests. The departments total number of uses of force dropped significantly in 2014 to 529, when a report from the state Attorney Generals Office found a small number of officers accounted for an unusually high number of incidents. The report was initiated by the Atlantic County Prosecutors Office after several high-profile incidents of force, including a K-9 attack on a young man. An NJ Advance Media review of lawsuits, court documents and depositions of police officials, as well as interviews with a half-dozen current and former officers, points to a department that often seemed indifferent to officers with violent tendencies, leaving them on the street without repercussions. Many were promoted or appointed to prestigious roles. The message (police officers) werent getting is whether anyone cared, said Jennifer Bonjean, an attorney who has represented clients in four excessive force lawsuits against Atlantic City. They certainly knew they were beating the f--- out of people. When the trove of public records is reviewed alongside data in The Force Report, a series of numbers reveals how much more inclined officers in Atlantic City are to use force. Among the findings: About 11 percent of officers used force 21 or more times, more than five times the statewide average. Only 252 officers in the entire state used that much force. So Atlantic City, with about 1.4 percent of all New Jersey officers on its force, accounted for 14 percent of the officers statewide using force the most. One Atlantic City officer, Scott Sendrick , reported using force 62 times in five years, the most in the state during that period among 17,369 officers who appear in The Force Report Between 2007 and 2014, the department faced 570 excessive force complaints. Only two or about 0.35 percent were sustained by department investigators. The average number of cases found to have merit for departments the size of Atlantic City is 12 percent, according to U.S. Justice Department data. Atlantic City officers have been named in at least 24 excessive force lawsuits over the past decade, costing taxpayers nearly $6.5 million. And one officer named in excessive force lawsuits that resulted in $4.5 million in settlements never had an excessive force complaint against him sustained and never was disciplined until he was arrested by federal authorities in October. How did these numbers climb so high? Why did no one do anything to bring officers back in line? Who was keeping track? The only insight into what top authorities were thinking is found in depositions filed when the department was sued. The police chief declined to comment for this story. So did police union president Matt Rogers. The citys mayor did not return messages seeking comment. Neither did city council president Marty Small. No one in a position of authority within the department or city would comment on these findings. A city like no other Atlantic City is a town of dreams and of destitution. Walk a block or two from the gleaming, sky-high casinos lining the shoreline and you find a city wracked with poverty. In a state where about 10.7 percent of residents live below the poverty line, 40.6 percent of Atlantic City residents do the same, according to the Census Bureau. The poverty level, which has climbed in recent years, coincides with an economic collapse in the city. In 2006, gross gaming revenues in the citys casino declined significantly, according to a 2018 report conducted by special counsel Jim Johnson on behalf of Gov. Phil Murphy. The citys taxable base, propped up mostly by casinos, plummeted from $20.6 billion in 2010 to $7.3 billion in 2015. The city narrowly avoided going bankrupt in 2015 by relying on a significant increase in state aid and deferring payment to the states pension and health benefit plans, according to the Johnson report. By 2016, then-Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill to place crumbling cities under state supervision until they are stabilized. Today, Atlantic City finds itself in an increasingly complex situation. How does the city help residents while also revving up the casino industry, its economic engine? While politicians see promise with two recent casino openings and Stockton Universitys new campus, a walk down Atlantic Citys ravaged business district and through its hidden neighborhoods shows much of the city still waiting for a rebirth. Add in millions of tourists a year who can make or lose a fortune at any minute of the day and youve got a combination of factors that makes Atlantic City like no other town in New Jersey, and few in the United States. Policing in Atlantic City is unlike any other city, said a confidential report prepared by the attorney generals Office of Law Enforcement Professional Standards. In addition to the concerns of most urban police departments poverty, drugs, prostitution, property crime, and violence the Atlantic City Police Department is also required to service the needs of a tourist population that eclipses the citys total population. While that 2014 report on the departments force rate explained the challenges facing officers in Atlantic City, it didnt say whether the patterns it studied were inappropriate. That was up to the department to decide. Change in tactics The watershed moment for the Atlantic City police department came after a 2013 K-9 attack and the ensuing excessive force lawsuit the city settled for $3 million, said former Sgt. Steve Cupani, who retired in 2014. The settlement pressured officers to scale back aggressive tactics, Cupani said. It also played a role in the attorney generals office analyzing the departments use of force. The year of that attack, Atlantic City officers were on track to use force more than any other in the five years for which NJ Advance Media collected data. The number of incidents where police reported using force on suspects peaked at 825, declining steadily to 318 in 2016. But during that time, the number of arrests the department reported to the FBI also dropped 55 percent. While the overall number of uses of force plummeted, the rate at which officers used it didnt change much. In 2013, officers reported using force 825 times and used it in about 13.6 percent of all arrests. In 2016, overall uses of force fell to 316, but because of the drop in arrests, officers still used force in 11.1 percent of all arrests. Even at its lowest, Atlantic City officers were still using force at a rate three times the state average. The department used force at the second-highest rate of any municipal police department in the state, behind only Maplewood. The departments use-of-force rate doesnt tell the full story, but its a starting point, said Matthew J. Hickman, an associate professor and chair of Seattle Universitys Criminal Justice Department. He described the resort towns numbers as striking. These figures are useful and meaningful, he said. The shining light at the end of the tunnel is that it will push police agencies and the state to start collecting better data. Police officials credited the decline in force incidents to a revamped internal affairs unit and the use of body cameras, two changes that occurred when Henry White became the departments chief in 2013, according to a deposition. White had been deputy chief for eight years. The things that I have put together for the entire department has protected our citizens of Atlantic City from rogue (officers) and misconduct from the Atlantic City police department, White said in the 2016 deposition. One change was a functioning electronic early warning system. Though New Jersey doesnt require police departments to have a system to track use-of-force trends, a national accreditation process does. The department in 2010 and 2012 revised its internal affairs policy during the accreditation process to say it used an electronic early warning system, but it didnt implement it until 2015. The now-up-and-running system has a process in place that involves the officer, his chain of command, our internal affairs, professional standards, to address and to look at trends, White said in his deposition. Though the department failed to swiftly implement the electronic system, White said in his deposition, it previously used a manual early warning system, filling out index cards and placing them in a file. Yet multiple officers said under oath they werent notified when they triggered a system meant to alert bosses to potential problems. Not until years later did they learn they were flagged repeatedly. Officer Michael Oldroyd used force 50 times from 2012 to 2016. But he wasnt told about his high rate until February 2014, he said in a deposition. His command staff told him they did not give credence to internal affairs complaints against him and to continue policing how he was. Oldroyd tallied 91 internal affairs complaints 46 of which were for excessive force in a 14-year stretch on the job. White said in the 2016 deposition he didnt focus in on individual officers, instead focusing on the department as a whole in an effort to get the trust back from the community. That approach is completely incorrect as management practice, said Jon Shane, a retired Newark police captain who teaches at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and was previously hired by a plaintiff in an excessive force lawsuit to analyze Atlantic Citys internal affairs unit. Deeply embedded troubles Atlantic Citys problems arent new. An NJ Advance Media review of court files and other public records found officers over the past two decades have been criminally accused of assault, stealing from suspects and in one case dognapping a puppy. Because of a protect-the-shield mentality, the department gets away with abuse of power, misconduct, domestic violence, failure on drug test and everything else, a police officer wrote to Attorney General Gurbir Grewal earlier this year. NJ Advance Media obtained a copy of the letter from a community activist. Its out of control, the officer wrote. Richard Rivera, a former West New York officer and police expert who was hired by the plaintiff in an excessive force lawsuit to review Atlantic Citys police practices, said a good internal affairs unit serves as the eyes and ears of a department, identifying officers with performance troubles before they bubble over into excessive force complaints and lawsuits. For years, Rivera said, Atlantic Citys internal investigators purposefully ignored problems, finding merit in less than 0.5 percent of excessive force complaints. In one lawsuit, Rivera examined 83 internal affairs files of Sgt. Frank Timek and officer Sterling Wheaten, and determined investigators had crafted their investigation and findings to be more favorable to officers. Timek, a nearly 20-year veteran, accumulated 63 internal affairs complaints 43 of them for excessive force between May 2001 and August 2014, as well as being named in 11 excessive force lawsuits, according to court documents. During this time period, he became a K-9 handler and then was promoted to sergeant, just three months after he allegedly sicced his dog on Julius Adams. Wheaten, who accumulated 33 internal affairs complaints 23 of which were for excessive force or assault in the first seven years of his career, never had a complaint sustained by internal affairs investigators. Excessive force lawsuits naming him have cost taxpayers $4.5 million, yet he was never disciplined by the police department until federal authorities arrested him in October for his role in the 2013 K-9 attack that left a Linwood man with 200 stitches. (Atlantic City and the officers involved in those lawsuits never admitted wrongdoing.) If somebody goes to prison, whether state prison or federal prison, they are going to have Internal Affairs to thank for that for not correcting these things earlier, Shane said. After being indicted for his role in the attack, Wheaten is now suspended without pay. The culture created by Atlantic Citys insufficient policies, procedures, and customs actively endangered the community, Rivera wrote in his analysis of an excessive force lawsuit that ended in a $225,000 settlement. Officers Timek and Wheaten believed they could assault citizens with impunity as a result. Rivera found internal affairs investigators frequently failed to follow attorney general guidelines. In 21 cases of excessive force complaints naming Wheaten, he was never interviewed by internal investigators. Internal affairs only answers to the police chief, Rivera said recently. So at the end of that process, whatever the investigation is, how flawed those investigations are, how defective they are and how those investigators are not doing their job, they are directly answerable to the police chief. It is a lack of leadership. During a 2016 deposition, White said that the internal affairs numbers didnt look good. Still, he said, he had not investigated why so few cases were substantiated and acknowledged the low sustain rate may have led the public to believe the police department was not taking internal affairs complaints seriously. Multiple police experts and attorneys said one reason for Atlantic Citys dramatic drop in excessive force complaints could be attributed to the 0.35 percent sustain rate from 2007 to 2014. Residents dont want to file complaints if they dont think theyll be taken seriously, they said. In a lawsuit filed in October against White and the police department, former deputy chief William Mazur alleges he was not put in charge of the internal affairs unit because White wanted to be able to continue to influence the decision-making of the internal affairs division to protect his friends, and political allies on the police force. It is not an internal affairs that is searching for truth, said one officer, who requested anonymity because the department policy forbids officers from speaking publicly. It is an internal affairs that is trying protect a class of dirty officers within the system. Read more from The Force Report: We are continuing to make this dataset better. The numbers in this story were last updated Jan. 8, 2019. See the changes weve made here. NJ Advance Media staff writers Carla Astudillo, Craig McCarthy, Erin Petenko and Stephen Stirling contributed to this report. Joe Atmonavage may be reached at jatmonavage@njadvancemedia.com. Follow on Twitter @monavage The Atlantic City Police Department seems to have a few cops with a Bull-Connoresque fondness for weaponizing the K-9 unit. A group of them allegedly turned two dogs loose on a man while he was already handcuffed, presumably because they derive sadistic joy from watching animals rip the flesh from people who are begging for mercy. Whats worse than that? Just this: The Atlantic City Police Department also has supervisors who ignored 23 complaints of excessive force or assault against one particular officer engaged in such practices ignoring the accusations, allowing him to skate on internal affairs probes, and sending him back on the street even after settlements cost taxpayers $4.5 million. It is unclear whether the department is ready to rethink its rules of public engagement, even after Officer Sterling Wheatens recent indictment by a federal grand jury for a K-9 assault that left another man so savaged he required 200 stitches, according to the disturbing The Force Report series from New Jersey Advance Media. But its an ironclad lock that this Lord of The Flies culture will not change without an outside audit, followed by a thorough housecleaning. And it is unlikely that anything will change in in the Atlantic City PD its protect-the-badge ethos, its negligent management, its useless early warning program if you leave it up to a command staff that is filled with people you wouldnt allow to park your car. Start with its disgraceful record for excessive force. NJAM and author Joe Atmonavage found that from 2012 to 2016, Atlantic City used force more than any other department in the state other than Camden, which has since cleaned up its act. Across the state, cops use force in about 3 percent of all arrests; Atlantic City cops use force in 11 percent of their arrests. Between 2007 and 2014, there were 570 excessive force complaints issued against this PD, but exactly two were sustained, or upheld as valid by the internal affairs unit. Thats 0.35 percent. The average rate, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, is 12 percent. Out of this culture spawned Wheaten, who racked up 33 internal affairs complaints in seven years, and none were sustained by Internal Affairs. In 21 of those complaints, he was never even interviewed by IAD. And there is no record of Wheaten being disciplined by his superiors, not even after the city took a seven-figure baths in lawsuit settlements. The message in that story is simple: We agree with what you did, says Jon Shane, a former Newark cop who teaches at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. If you analyze the data from Atlantic City, from an internal affairs perspective, it shows patterns that should have been addressed years ago. One way to address it is by having a legitimate early warning system, which is designed to flag and track problematic cops. If a cop draws complaints, hed be compelled to attend classes, undergo counseling, and rethink strategies. It should be a cornerstone for all police accountability, and a serious, well-run program could save an officers career and save his city millions in civil damages. But in AC, the early warning system is toothless, NJAM reports, which reflects the indifference of its command staff. As Shane put it, Why keep a guy like Wheaten when you have all sorts of data that shows hes a liability? They made a discretionary choice to keep him, instead of having a rational framework that says this person needs to be terminated. Now the city must make a choice whether to go on embarrassing itself and putting its citizens at risk or call for help. Its political leaders must enlist an outside auditing firm to examine administration and operations in the Atlantic City PD. They must learn what policies are in place and whether theyre followed, then make the report public and proceed aggressively. Soliciting direction from Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, who has his dander up over The Force Report, cannot hurt. This city already is a national punch line for horrid management. Nobodys laughing anymore. WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Cory Booker joined most of his Senate Democratic colleagues in supporting President Barack Obamas nuclear deal with Iran. But he was in the minority when he added his name to legislation to ban U.S. companies from joining an international boycott of Israel. In fact, Booker, D-N.J., is the only U.S. senator mentioned as a prospective 2020 Democratic presidential candidate to co-sponsor the bill. In all, just 14 of 49 Democrats (including U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., who broke with his party and opposed the Iran deal) joined 42 of 51 Republicans in supporting the measure. A similar House bill is backed by 293 of 435 representatives, though not Rep. Beto ORourke, D-Texas, who also is mentioned in conversations about 2020. The legislation is designed to oppose the Palestinian-led boycott, divestiture and sanctions movement, better known as BDS. While saying its actions are designed to pressure Israel to comply with international law, the group does not specifically support Israels right to exist and backs policies that would end its unique status as a country with a Jewish majority. Weve seen the alarming rise in anti-Semitism in the United States and across the world in recent years manifest itself in many deeply concerning ways, including in the actions of foreign governments targeting Israel and the Israeli people, Booker, D-N.J., said in announcing his support for the anti-BDS measure. I have long and staunchly opposed the BDS movement, and support this bill which will prevent international entities from imposing their will on U.S. businesses with regards to their decisions, consistent with U.S. law, to conduct commerce with our close ally Israel and its citizens." Cardin sought unsuccessfully to add anti-BDS provisions to the spending bill covering the one-fourth of the federal government not funded through Sept. 30. That fell through when President Donald Trump refused to sign legislation without $5 billion in taxpayer funds for a southern border wall he promised Mexico would pay for, triggering a partial government shutdown that is continuing into the new year. Bookers decision to support the bill stands out in what is expected to be a crowded 2020 Democratic field, said Dr. Ben Chouake, president of NORPAC, the Englewood Cliffs-based political action committee that is the second-largest pro-Israel PAC in terms of campaign contributions. It helps, especially since hes the only one who did it, Chouake said. Another potential 2020 candidate, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., withdrew her support of the bill, and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., came out against it, citing the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We remain resolved to our constitutional oath to defend the right of every American to express their views peacefully without fear of or actual punishment by the government, Sanders and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said in a joint statement. "At a time when the Netanyahu government is pursuing policies clearly aimed at foreclosing the two-state solution, it is deeply disappointing that Congress would consider choosing to penalize criticism of those policies. Their concerns mirrored those of the American Civil Liberties Union, which called the measure a full-scale attack on Americans First Amendment freedoms. Federal courts in Arizona and Kansas have struck down anti-BDS laws in those states, the ACLU said. Booker said changes made to the bill addressed those concerns, leading to his decision to support the measure. I feel confident that those modifications safeguard Americans constitutional right to free speech, he said. The pro-Israel community is a major source of campaign contributions to federal candidates, giving $18.2 million during the 2018 elections, just ahead of the airline industry with $17.1 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based research group. NORPAC, which raises money for candidates in addition to making direct contributions, is Bookers second-biggest lifetime source of campaign contributions, according to the center. Chouake joined then-Gov. Chris Christie at an August 2015 press conference at Rutgers University in New Brunswick in an unsuccessful effort to get Booker to oppose the deal that relaxed economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. Trump withdrew from the multinational agreement in May. Despite Bookers yes vote at the time, Chouake said all was forgiven. The reality is people are going to give the president of their own party a leap of faith when theyre specifically called and asked for it, Choake said. When he saw that his vote either way was not going to make a difference, he felt this was not one to fall on the sword for. He said, Im going to give the president a leap of faith. I trust his intentions." Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Just a few short days after her daring run down Route 80, recently rescued Brianna the cow gave birth to a female calf Saturday afternoon. Brianna fell 8 feet out of the second level of a truck headed to a Paterson slaughterhouse around 2:45 a.m. on Thursday night. She wandered around the highway until Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue came to corral her. The slaughterhouse decided to let Skylands keep her, so she will join another 70 cows in the sanctuary. Mike Stura, the founder of the sanctuary, was worried about how Briannas fall would affect her pregnancy. But her newly born female calf, christened Winter, is perfectly healthy, and Brianna is a natural at motherhood, Stura said. The calf is beautiful, Stura said. And shell never be without her mother. Stura has seen plenty of crazy cow escapades during his four years at Skylands and four years previous working for other rescue organizations. He took in Freddy the cow after Freddy made headlines for escaping a Queens slaughterhouse and wandering the streets of New York in 2016. But Briannas story seems to have inspired people in New Jersey and abroad. Stura said Skylands, which runs off of donations, got a gift from someone in Reykjavik, Iceland, who heard about Briannas story. If youve never met a cow, theyre unbelievable, Stura said. They have really big personalities. Erin Petenko may be reached at epetenko@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @EPetenko. Find NJ.com on Facebook. At this point, neither Manny Machado nor Bryce Harper is expected to pick his new home until the new year. The two sluggers have all of MLB playing the waiting game while they consider all of their options on the open market. Machado has visited the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. Harper continues to be linked to the Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals. So the big question is ... who will sign first? MLB Network insiders Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman debated this very subject, via MLB.com: Their guesses? Sherman gives it a whopping 98 percent chance that Machado signs before Harper, while Heyman puts it at merely 90 percent. "We publicly know [Machado's] field," Sherman says. "We know it's going to be the White Sox, the Phillies or the Yankees, almost certainly. And once you define the field, I think you're up to the bidding process ... and it doesn't seem, from what we publicly know, that's the place where Bryce Harper is right now." Which raises the question: While Machado already has visited Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, where, exactly, is Harper in the decision-making process? "Right now, the Harper market is mostly a mystery," Heyman says. Certainly sounds like Machado, who recently indicated he would wait until after the new year to make his choice, will be the first of these two superstar free agents to find a home. And by extension, that could mean Harper deliberately may be waiting to try to top whatever money Machado gets. What are the chances Manny Machado signs before Bryce Harper?@JonHeyman & @Joelsherman1 break down Harper & Machado's offseason plans on #MLBTonight. pic.twitter.com/GQXUBJMGjt MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 30, 2018 The weather cooperated Dec. 21 as the temperature dropped and the skies cleared for the Aspen-themed party honoring Adele Petagna hosted by her mother, Elinor Spicer Bright, grandmother Manny Bright, and her grandfather, the late Mr. Edgar A.G. "Pepper" Bright, at the Old Ursuline Convent. The building's front facade was covered in a light pattern resembling Aspen trees. One tent was decorated to resemble an Aspen lodge complete with antler chandeliers and a lounge area included a fire pit, animal hide throw rugs and pillows along with white aspen tree wood cutouts. The hosts chose the Aspen theme because the family has been traveling there for many years and it is special to them. It was a particularly special place for Adele's grandfather Pepper Bright, who recently passed away. The food, by Ralph Brennan Catering and Events, followed the theme with salmon and bison sliders, fried oysters and duck breast crostini as appetizers. South Louisiana fare was mixed with the Aspen theme offerings at food stations that included a cheese and charcuterie table, venison or vegetarian chili, lemon trout and lobster mac and cheese. Paradise Bakery inspired cookies with s'mores were served for dessert. Electric violinist Shaun Ward played for the first two hours, followed by Jessie's Girls performing in the band tent, which was decorated with twinkly lights and snowflake chandeliers above a white dance floor. ADELE monogramed hats, snow caps, and ear muffs were passed around the dance floor. Bartenders wore Aspen ski patrol jackets and decorated mannequins in bright ski slope attire were part of the band tent decor. Margaret Ludwig of Giverny Design created a woodland feel with floral arrangements in birch containers. Party design and coordination was by AN.GLE Events. Adele wore a dress designed by Suzanne Perron St Paul, an emerald green strapless cocktail length silhouette adorned with black Swiss guipure embroidery. Elinor Bright also wore a Suzanne Perron St. Paul dress, a garnet silk satin fit and flare dress with draped portrait neckline and detailed bodice seaming. Family and friends joining the honoree and hosts were: Stephen Price "Dodie" Petagna, Price Petagna and Lizzie Petagna; Edgar A. G. Bright III and Ashley Bright, Ella, Gordy and Walker Bright; Terrance E. Kavanagh, Holly Bright Kavanagh and Terry Kavanagh; Timothy P. Bright and Susan Bright; H. Hunter "Terry" White III and "Frog" White; Michael Bright White and Virginia White; John P. "Johnny" Earling, Helen Earling and Nina Earling, all from Wayzata, Minnesota; Len Moscati and Mignon Favrot Moscati; Mike Kearney and Susu Kearney; Andrew Webster and Emily Webster; Louis Levin and Donna Levin; childhood best friends Lucy Normann Haynes, Susanne de la Houssaye, Amy Charlestrom and Tessa Martinez; Dr. Jonathon "Jon" Rynning and Adrienne Rynning; Todd Masson and Pam Masson; John Hazard; and Robert Hardie and Kellie Hardie [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. An End-of-the-Year Note You may have noticed that Wordplay does not have a Best Puzzle of the Year feature like the ones other crossword blogs sometimes end their year with, and that is deliberate. We try to enjoy the puzzles on an individual basis, because our feeling is that even if the crossword is largely out of our wheelhouse or it just doesnt ring our bell for whatever reason, there is always something good or fun to be found there. So it wouldnt make sense in that context to pick a favorite. We the writers of Wordplay and our readers have a chance every day to sit down together and talk about a game that we love. Thats a beautiful thing. We will not always agree on everything, and thats O.K. Wordplay exists as a water cooler discussion, where aspects of this two-dimensional puzzle can leap off the page and help us connect to one another. Its the social aspect of solving that I love, and Ive tried over the years to build a place for constructors, editors and solvers to discuss our puzzles in a kind, educational and amicable way. Thankfully, you have responded with the same love and curiosity I have for this pastime of ours. Its important to me to tell you that the Wordplay community is admired within these walls for its humanity, its passion and its unbridled enthusiasm. We want to continue to foster that enthusiasm, so I hope you are enjoying our expanded editorial offerings. So far, weve showed people how to solve the New York Times Crossword puzzle and how to make one (including how our puzzle editors get constructors work ready for publication), and we are bringing our beloved constructors forward to take a bow in our monthly Who Made My Puzzle? spotlights. In addition, we review words that a majority of solvers missed in our weekly What the Heck Is That? and help people expand their wheelhouses or combat areas of weakness with our quarterly topical articles, like Sam Ezerskys latest, a piece on authors that come up frequently in the New York Times Crossword. One of the features that is most special to me are our Solver Stories, which share deeply personal events in the lives of our solvers and show how puzzles or games have had an impact on them. If there is anything weve missed or that youd like to learn more about, please let us know. So if youre new here, welcome to Wordplay, and I hope youll find a lot to read. If you have been here for a while, thank you for continuing to show up. If you read but dont comment, thank you for spending time with us; please leave a comment to let us know youre there. Wed love to hear from you. Larry Shah, who has sold posters outside City Hall on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge for the past eight years, said the crowds on the bridge this weekend were unlike anything he had encountered before. Yesterday was horrible, Mr. Shah, 66, said, adding that his business suffered on Saturday as a result. If there are a lot of people, they are just pushing and going across the bridge. There were a lot of people, but not a lot of buyers. Andre Goetres, who was visiting from Germany, called the slalom course of bikes and pedestrians quite annoying. You have to walk to the left and to the right, and theres those bikes that nobody has their eye on, said Mr. Goetres, 38, who lives in Berlin. I prefer the Williamsburg Bridge. But visitors like Mr. Goetres will likely have a hard time finding respite elsewhere. Right after Christmas, the crowds tend to build in anticipation of New Years Eve, said Christopher C. Heywood, a spokesman for NYC & Company, the citys tourism marketing arm. He added, Youre getting a very strong mix of day trippers coming in from the tristate region, but youre also getting a lot of international visitors coming for holidays. In Times Square, there have been an average of 353,540 pedestrians each day in December, marking a nearly 6 percent increase from last year, according to the Times Square Alliance. June Whitfield, the diminutive British actress whose seven-decade career reached its peak as Edina Monsoons dotty, acerbic mother in the hit comedy series Absolutely Fabulous, died on Friday in London. She was 93. Her death was confirmed by her agent, according to the BBC. Mother that was the official name of Ms. Whitfields character looked the part of the kind, proper, white-haired London granny in sweater sets and pearls, but she had a gift for the cutting remark. In one classic scene, Edina (Jennifer Saunders) fretted about her weight, declaring, Inside of me, theres a thin person just screaming to get out. Mother, sipping tea at the kitchen table, replied calmly, Just the one, dear? In the series, which ran from 1992 to 1996 and returned in various forms in the 21st century, Mother also turned out to be a practicing kleptomaniac who was not above climbing in and out of windows when necessary. Oh, Mother is fabulous, Ms. Whitfield told The Telegraph years later. She appears more grounded, but shes as mad as the rest of them. Ms. Whitfield may not have been a familiar face to American audiences when Ab Fab, as the show was nicknamed, had its United States premiere on Comedy Central in 1994. She was, however, a household name in her home country, thanks in part to Happy Ever After and Terry and June, the sitcoms in which she played Terry Scotts suburban wife. Together the two series ran from 1974 to 1987. Our best hope may be the weather. For a long time, many people thought that it was a mistake to use the weather as evidence of climate change. Weather patterns contain a lot of randomness. Even as the earth warms and extreme weather becomes more common, some years are colder and calmer than others. If you argue that climate change is causing some weather trend, a climate denier may respond by making grand claims about a recent snowfall. And yet the weather still has one big advantage over every other argument about the urgency of climate change: We experience the weather. We see it and feel it. It is not a complex data series in an academic study or government report. Its not a measurement of sea level or ice depth in a place youve never been. Its right in front of you. And although weather patterns do have a lot of randomness, they are indeed changing. Thats the thing about climate change: It changes the climate. I wanted to write my last column of 2018 about the climate as a kind of plea: Amid everything else going on, dont lose sight of the most important story of the year. One key question for the United States in the 21st century is whether noncoastal towns and rural communities, including many communities of color, will be able to participate in the digital revolution. We know that almost all Americans are avid consumers of technology, but many lack the opportunity to do the creative work that fuels our digital economy. At stake is the dignity of millions of people. Within the next 10 years, nearly 60 percent of jobs could have a third of their tasks automated by artificial intelligence. Many traditional industries are becoming digital. Recently, a senior hotel executive described his business to me as essentially a digital one, explaining that his profit margins were contingent on the effectiveness of his software architects. Todays hospitality vendors, precision farmers and electricians spend significant time on digital work. Economists keep telling those left out of our digital future to move to the tech hubs. Sometimes I wonder if they have ever been to places like Jefferson, Iowa, or Beckley, W.Va. If they visit, they will realize that many people there are not looking to move. They are proud of their small-town values and enjoy being close to family. They brag that their town doesnt need many traffic lights. And they worry about a brain drain. These places also are not looking to become the next Silicon Valley. They are self-aware enough to recognize that there are benefits for the worlds top engineers and computer scientists to flock to Palo Alto, Calif., or Austin, Tex. They understand why venture capitalists betting millions of dollars would want to be close to the start-ups they fund to have some control and accountability. But the choice facing small towns should not be binary it should not be adopt the Silicon moniker or miss out on the tech future. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a vocal Republican critic of President Trumps plan for a 30-day troop withdrawal of American troops from Syria, suggested on Sunday that the pullout had been slowed and that he felt a lot better about it after a lunch with the president. I think were in a pause situation where we are re-evaluating whats the best way to achieve the presidents objective of having people pay more and do more, Mr. Graham said. He did not elaborate on what that meant. But he may have been referring to assurances that Mr. Trump is said to have given some military officials that they can have more time than 30 days to ensure a proper drawdown of troops. Mr. Trumps surprise announcement on Twitter this month that he planned to withdraw the 2,000 American troops in Syria over the advice of military officials drew strong objections from many of his usual allies, like Mr. Graham, and helped prompt Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to resign. The Affordable Care Act includes not only health insurance exchanges and an expansion of Medicaid, but also protections for people with pre-existing conditions, requirements for what insurance must cover and other provisions. In a lawsuit earlier this year, a group of Republican governors and state attorneys general, led by Texas, challenged the Affordable Care Act, arguing that the requirement that people have health insurance known as the individual mandate was unconstitutional. The individual mandate was enforced by a tax penalty on people who go without insurance. The Supreme Court upheld the law in 2012 as an exercise of Congresss taxing power. But as part of the tax overhaul that President Trump signed last December, Congress reduced the penalty to zero dollars, starting in 2019. Texas and the other plaintiffs contend that the mandate will now lose its constitutional justification. In a ruling on Dec. 14, Judge OConnor agreed that the individual mandate was unconstitutional and that other provisions of the law could not survive without it. On Sunday, he affirmed that view and said that California and other states supporting the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare, were unlikely to succeed in their appeal. The Trump administration did not object to delaying enforcement of Judge OConnors earlier ruling. Immediate enforcement of the ruling could cause confusion and disruption to the health care markets, the Justice Department told the court on Dec. 21. WASHINGTON The television is on. The phone is never far away. And President Trump is repeatedly calling allies such as members of Congress and conservative radio hosts, telling them privately that he will not give in on his demand for funding for a border wall. What the president who campaigned on his ability to cut deals has not done, nine days into a partial government shutdown over his signature campaign issue, is reach out to Democratic congressional leaders to strike one. Virtually alone in the West Wing since the shutdown began, Mr. Trump has instead taken to Twitter to excoriate Democrats, and highlight that he canceled his own vacation to his private club in Florida while lawmakers left the city. He has lamented the negativity of the news media coverage, which has included repeated airings of Mr. Trumps declaration in the Oval Office a few weeks ago that he would not blame Democrats for a shutdown, according to people familiar with his thinking. Even as some lawmakers floated compromises on Sunday, Democrats prepared to pass a bill to fund the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday. Like the Democrats, Mr. Trump appears to have dug in. And the uncertainty over what he might sign threatens to indefinitely drag out a shutdown that has affected 800,000 federal workers and shuttered parts of nine cabinet-level departments. A man wearing tactical-style clothing and carrying a loaded firearm and extra ammunition who said he was on his way to a Texas church to fulfill a prophecy was arrested early on Sunday morning, officials said. The man, identified by the police as Tony D. Albert, 33, of Houston, was taken into custody in Seguin, Tex., a city about 35 miles east of San Antonio. He did not say which church he planned to go to, Officer Tanya Brown of the Seguin Police Department said. It was still dark outside when Mr. Albert, who was wearing sunglasses, stopped at Las Mananitas restaurant around 6:30 a.m. A worker there, Brianna Jimenez, 18, went to greet him but he waved her off and he went into the restroom for close to 30 minutes, she said. I totally forgot he was in there, Ms. Jimenez said on Sunday. When Mr. Albert, who was carrying a backpack, left the restroom, he turned to Ms. Jimenez. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas ruling party won Bangladeshs election with a large majority, the countrys Election Commission said early on Monday, giving Mrs. Hasina a third straight term following a vote that the opposition rejected as flawed. At least 17 people were killed in Bangladesh in election-related violence on Sunday, according to the police, as voters went to the polls to decide an election tainted by widespread allegations of rigging by the government. The win by Mrs. Hasinas Awami League, which was reported by the secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat in a televised speech, would consolidate her decade-long rule over Bangladesh. Mrs. Hasina is credited with improving the economy and promoting development, but has also been accused of rampant human rights abuses, a crackdown on the news media and suppressing dissent charges she denies. The head of the opposition coalition, Kamal Hossain, said the alliance had asked the Election Commission to order a fresh vote under a neutral administration as soon as possible, alleging Sundays poll was unfair and that Mrs. Hasinas government never granted her opponents a level playing field. HEAD OF THE HARBOR, N.Y. Harlan and Olivia Fischer discovered fine art in the early 1990s, an unexpected consequence of Mr. Fischers Jeep having been struck by a drunken driver and totaled. Although his injuries were minor, Mr. Fischer, a financial planner, said the crash required him to undergo extensive rehab and got him thinking. I realized that, had I been killed, I wouldnt have left much of an imprint outside of business, he said. After the accident, the Fischers, of Head of the Harbor, N.Y., threw themselves into volunteer work for organizations including the Smithtown Township Arts Council. Mrs. Fischer retired early from her job in human resources at Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and devoted more time to these pursuits. By the mid-90s they were regularly purchasing works by painters they met through the arts council, including Agnes de Bethune and John Dorish. They still buy oils and acrylics in styles ranging from Abstract Expressionism to photorealism. But one day in 1995, on a visit to a friend in nearby Nissequogue whod remodeled his garage around his growing glass collection, they found a new focus. The minute the two of us saw his glass art, we thought it was great, Mrs. Fischer said. Louis C.K., a comedian who for decades has pushed boundaries onstage, mocked the political activism of Parkland, Fla., school shooting survivors in a recent appearance at a comedy club, the audio of which was posted on YouTube over the weekend. He has been on the comeback trail for several months after publicly admitting more than a year ago to sexual misconduct with multiple women. The bit, part of an almost 50-minute set, started with Louis C.K. discussing his disappointment with members of the younger generation and what he perceived to be their sensitivities about certain topics, like pronouns. Theyre like royalty, he said. They tell you what to call them. You should address me as they-them. Because I identify as gender neutral. Oh, O.K. O.K. You should address me as there. Because I identify as a location. The Atlanta rapper 21 Savage, fresh from a controversy over an anti-Semitic lyric, opened at No. 1 on Billboards latest album chart, while holiday streaming sent Nat King Cole to the Top 10 for the first time in 53 years. 21 Savages album, I Am > I Was (Slaughter Gang/Epic) you can read that title as I Am Greater Than I Was reached the top spot with the equivalent of 131,000 sales in the United States, most of that coming from streams, according to data from Nielsen. Last week 21 Savage briefly flashed through the social media outrage cycle when LeBron James quoted a lyric from one of the songs on I Am > I Was, writing on Instagram: We been getting that Jewish money/Everything is Kosher. (This was a day after James said N.F.L. team owners have a slave mentality.) Both men subsequently made statements, with 21 Savage tweeting, Im sorry if I offended everybody never my intention I love all people. CAPRON, Va. At 3 a.m. on a frigid night in January 2017, Susan Van Son, a nurse at the Deerfield Correctional Center in southeastern Virginia, left the prisons medical department and walked through a series of eight locked doors. At a security checkpoint, she made sure that the normal guards the ones known for breezily waving employees through the metal detectors were on duty. Then, risking her livelihood, she headed to the prisons parking lot. A breast pump sat on the passenger seat of her gray Honda Accord. Ms. Van Son unscrewed the pumps handle and shoved it into her bra. Retracing her steps, she strolled back into the prison, past an indifferent guard, and hid the contraband on a shelf in the pharmacy. Over the next two nights, she sneaked in every piece of the pump, save for one. Ms. Van Sons breasts werent big enough to conceal the funnel, so she enlisted a better-endowed colleague to shuttle it in for her. Other women who worked at the prison took part in similar smuggling schemes. It was necessary, they said, because Deerfield, a state prison in the town of Capron, didnt allow them to bring breast pumps into their work space, inside the security perimeter. In our final What the Heck Is That? of 2018, we learn about Alain LeRoy Locke, the writer, educator and philosopher who was one of the originators of the Harlem Renaissance. Dr. Locke was the first black person to be awarded a Rhodes scholarship, and attended Oxford University, where he earned a second bachelors degree in 1910. When he returned to the United States in 1912, he began a distinguished, 40-year academic career at Howard University and Harvard University, where he was known as an engaging and accessible professor. Dr. Locke was a pioneer in interdisciplinary scholarship, whose work crossed lines between the humanities and social sciences. In 1925, Dr. Locke edited an anthology of essays, fiction and poetry on African and African-American art and literature called The New Negro: An Interpretation. The book explored how African-Americans sought social, political and artistic change, as well as how they attempted to change old stereotypes and replace them with a black identity that was not simplistic. JERSEY CITY One Monday afternoon in December, Nur-E Gulshan Rahman was perched on a hot-pink step stool, her body hunched over a boti, a steel cutting instrument she bought back in her native Bangladesh. Her face was inexplicably free of sweat as she sliced bulky calabazas into small diamonds. A large knife might suffice for other cooks when it came to that task. But not for Ms. Gulshan, who prefers the boti, its blade shaped like a vipers fang. Too hard, she said when asked why she doesnt use a chefs knife. We are not used to cutting pumpkin with the knife in Bangladesh. Ms. Gulshan, 61, is the chef and sole cook at Korai Kitchen, the Jersey City restaurant she opened last February with her youngest daughter, Nur-E Farhana Rahman, 31. Nur-E Farhana handles business operations and acts as the restaurants gregarious host. Together, they are the engine powering the citys first Bangladeshi restaurant, housed in a former deli in Journal Square, just blocks from the thicket of Indian restaurants on Newark Avenue. Cancer centers are re-evaluating their relationships with health care companies, including when, if ever, doctors and researchers should serve on corporate boards. Here are some hospital executives and cancer researchers who sit on the boards of publicly traded companies, in dual roles that may raise questions about conflicts of interest. Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher Image Credit... President and chief executive of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Company: Dr. Glimcher sits on the boards of the British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline and Waters Corp., a laboratory equipment and software company. Outside Compensation: Dr. Glimcher joined the board of GlaxoSmithKline in September of 2017; she received $101,000 in total compensation from the company that year, plus compensation of $285,440 from Waters that year. [Read more about doctors and corporate board memberships.] At the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, a task force is reviewing the conflict-of-interest policies that govern employees financial relationships to drug companies. And medical centers around the country have instructed researchers to review their financial disclosures to medical journals, leading to a series of corrections to scientific articles. Even as Memorial Sloan Kettering leaders have promised greater transparency, they have engaged a public affairs firm, SKDKnickerbocker, to manage their message and have aggressively pushed back against the idea that the hospitals leaders are too close to industry. I can see how someone might think that business relationships are problematic, said Dr. Lisa DeAngelis, who has stepped into Dr. Baselgas former position at Memorial Sloan Kettering on an acting basis. But Im telling you, as someone who works with patients, and Ive worked with patients throughout my entire career here, that working with industry has helped me save lives. The Times and ProPublica asked to speak to Dr. Tabar and Dr. Brown about the critical remarks they made about the hospitals direction at the Oct. 1 meeting. Mike Morey, managing director of the communications firm engaged by the hospital, arranged for them to speak to reporters on the phone while he listened. The doctors said they were not specifically referring to Memorial Sloan Kettering during the meeting that was recorded by one of those in attendance, but to broader changes in the medical world. Defining an institutions role Founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital, Memorial Sloan Kettering was the first hospital in the country devoted exclusively to treating cancer. Its benefactors have included some of the wealthiest families in America, from the Astors and Rockefellers in its early years to the Kochs today. It now operates more than 120 research laboratories, employs more than 1,000 doctors, admits some 23,500 patients a year, operates one of the worlds largest clinical trial programs and had revenues of nearly $4.5 billion in 2017. It recently completed a $3.5 billion fund-raising drive and its charity ball remains a fixture on New Yorks social calendar. As a leading force in cancer research, the hospital has long grappled with striking a balance in its collaborations with drug companies. While it did business with industry during the tenure of Dr. Varmus, a former director of the National Institutes of Health, he and a top deputy, Dr. Robert E. Wittes, did not consult for companies, own their stock or serve on their boards, according to several people who worked for Dr. Varmus while he was at the hospital from 2000 to 2010. Dr. Varmus and Dr. Wittes declined to comment. How does one make sense of a place, even one as small as Luzzara, that has witnessed such intense and focused visual documentation? There is an inherent and lingering nostalgia that needs to be confronted and overcome in such an undertaking. Mr. Maialetti tips his hat, visually, to his predecessors by photographing the few remaining elderly women Strand had met six decades earlier. His portrait of four men and a bicycle placed theatrically in front of a building and staring at the viewer is a visual homage to both Strand and the Lusettis, one that asks us to consider history and change in this specific location. As the title of his book suggests, Mr. Maialetti offers not simply another look but a personal take. While the collection opens with the river and Luzzaras rural outskirts, it is Italian town life that is featured and celebrated by his sympathetic eye. In more than one of his images, arcaded porticos and building facades are graced by elongated shadows created by the storied Italian sunlight. The viewer is made privy to the quotidian spaces of the market, the cafe, the barber shop, and other locations where men, women and children participate in the cherished realm of Italian public life. Some of the many pleasures of Mr. Maialettis engaging works are the various portraits of everyday townspeople photographed meeting the viewer with resolute gazes, greeting the visitor with smiles and laughter, asking us to look anew at Luzzara and its inhabitants. From youths gamboling in the streets to elders seated on benches, the photographer offers a panoply of Italian life in the 21st century. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] Six years after a group of fast-food workers in New York City earning as little as $7.25 an hour made the seemingly preposterous demand for a $15 minimum wage, more than one million of their peers will get just that starting this week. On Monday, the lowest legal wage at most companies that employ more than 10 workers rose by $2, to $15 an hour. Among those whose pay will increase are all fast-food workers as well as more than 25,000 workers at the citys two airports. The increase is the latest step in a gradual rise in the minimum wage that labor unions campaigned for and that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo eventually endorsed. New York City joins several other cities on the West Coast where minimum wages have already hit $15, including San Francisco and Seattle. Californias minimum, which rises to $12 an hour for larger employers on Jan. 1, is scheduled to rise to $15 over the next few years. The following year after he had nationalized American businesses in Cuba and joined Moscow on the other side of the Cold War Castro would visit again, and the reception would be bitterly divided. But in 1959 he was still something of a mystery man, coy about his ideology and allegiances, a voluble populist in fatigues. He encountered mostly adoring crowds and bedazzled press coverage. I was a fourth grader in California when Castro first took Manhattan, but 36 years later, as foreign editor of The New York Times, I was his designated greeter when he visited the newspapers old home on 43rd Street. By then, of course, there were few illusions about El Comandante. He had helped bring the world to the edge of nuclear war; he was a relic of a discredited creed; and his regimes response to independent journalists and other dissenters was rigorous censorship and incarceration. He had been the target of punishing sanctions and assassination plots. Still, celebrity is its own credential. He didnt feed the elephants in 1995, but he still managed to draw cheering crowds in Harlem and the South Bronx. He was feted in the homes of trade-hungry business executives. At the U.N. his speech was more heartily applauded than President Clintons. Donning his public advocate hat, he plans to call attention to the performance of the citys 311 complaint line by releasing data about response times at various city agencies, and the number of calls it takes to get a problem corrected. Then, as City Council speaker, he will hold hearings about the 311 data. He said he plans to add interactive maps, created by the Councils data team, to the public advocates website to help pair students with schools. He has scheduled a survey of subway riders online and in person and will be making appearances at train stations in all five boroughs to query passengers over five days in January. The subject of mayoral control of the subways, he said, may come up. Mr. Johnson, in an interview, compared the idea to former Mayor Michael R. Bloombergs successful effort to control the citys public schools in 2002. Eric F. Phillips, the mayors press secretary, said the proposal was nothing new. Lots of people have fantasized over it through the years and with good reason, he said. The mayor doesnt oppose the conversation, hes just more focused on things that will help the subways now. Mr. Johnsons eagerness to seize his additional clout is perhaps no surprise: For much of his first year as Council speaker, he has unabashedly embraced the spotlight while leading a body that is itching to assert its power vis-a-vis the mayor. A recent cover of City and State, a New York political magazine, asked the pointed question: Is Corey Johnson Already Mayor? (Aides to the mayor chafed at the headline.) Mr. Phillips dismissed the attention Mr. Johnsons temporary role is likely to garner. Weve got a big city to run and I dont think anyone paid any attention to it, to be honest, Mr. Phillips wrote in an email, referring to the article in City and State. But it sounds like a great story for him. Franklin E. Zimring, a law professor and criminologist at the University of California, Berkeley, said the city may find it hard to reduce violent crime much further. At some point, rates of life-threatening violence in the City of New York are going to scrape bottom, he said. Any police official that says were going to try to push it down another 50 next year has been smoking substances that until rather recently were illegal. As of Dec. 30, there were 287 homicides in New York, down five from last year. That drop continued a steady decline since 1990, when there were 2,262 murders. Robberies in 2018 were also down by nearly 8 percent from the previous year, and shooting incidents decreased by 4 percent. The number of people shot fell to 894, from 933. Yet, 1,760 rapes were reported as of Dec. 23, compared to 1,438 at the same time last year. The police said the final year-end totals for reported rape and hate crimes would not be released until later this week. Experts on sex crimes said the increase in reported rapes does not mean more people were assaulted. Some welcomed the rise as a sign that more rape victims were going to the authorities and undergoing the ordeal of having evidence collected. We view it as good news because it means that more people are feeling confident to come forward and report the rape, said Sonia Ossorio, the president of the National Organization for Women of New York. She added: The clear indication is that more people are reporting their assaults rather than suffering in silence as so many people have done for so long. Home to the Bronx Dear Diary: We sat close together, trying not to slide too close to the people sitting next to us, the one sitting to her left and the one sitting to my right. It was summer. The rattling sound of the train car moving through the tunnel from Hunts Point to Whitlock Avenue lowered as we emerged onto the tracks taking us above ground. My sister and I had taken this ride time and time again. On this particular day, we were coming from Midtown Manhattan. I dont think we were allowed to explore the city below 34th Street and Herald Square at that point. The sun was setting, and the train was so packed it was difficult for me to do what I always did: scan the trees along the Bronx River before looking into the sky to replay the conversations that had consumed us. The talk was often about our future successes and about getting out of the neighborhood. Starting Jan. 1, pharmacies in all five boroughs will not be allowed to sell tobacco products. That includes big-box stores and supermarkets that have pharmacies. People trust pharmacies to help them stay well, the deputy mayor for health and human services, Herminia Palacio, said in a statement last week. They should be helping smokers quit, not the opposite. The change is a result of a package of bills that Mayor Bill de Blasio signed in 2017 after anti-tobacco activists criticized the mayor for not aggressively combating smoking. Under the same laws, the city banned the sale of e-cigarettes in pharmacies in August . About 500 pharmacies in the city that still sell tobacco products will be affected, the statement said. Birth certificates Beginning in 2019, New York City will allow people who do not identify as male or female to change the gender markers on their birth certificates to a nonbinary option. In addition to the standard gender markers of M and F, birth certificates will also add X, a gender-neutral marker. The X, meant to stand for a gender identity not exclusively male or female, will set the citys documents apart from those issued in the rest of the state, which does not offer nonbinary options. Mr. Goldman characterized Mr. Trumps criticism of Ms. James as the right message from the wrong messenger, given how Mr. Trump has used public remarks on Twitter to discredit criminal and civil investigations involving himself, his family and associates. Donald Trump is desperately trying to turn everything into a hyperpartisan issue, including criminal justice, Mr. Goldman said. Its essential that prosecutors maintain their neutrality and an objective view of the facts and the evidence, no matter the politics involved. In an interview, Ms. James defended her remarks about the president, adding that she believed that her race and gender were shaping what she characterized as assumptions and misconceptions about how she would perform as attorney general. Ms. James is the first woman in New York to be elected as attorney general, the first African-American woman to be elected to statewide office, and the first African-American to serve as attorney general. Before winning election, she was the New York City public advocate. This is similar to when I was about to take office as public advocate, and individuals expressed concerns, Ms. James said. What I have done repeatedly throughout my life is I have been underestimated and have continued to perform. Ms. Jamess role could take on heightened significance should Mr. Trump decide to issue pardons for anyone implicated in the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Convictions under state law, however, are not covered by federal pardons. Ms. James has championed a change in state law that would allow the prosecution of those who have been pardoned by the president. Such a change wouldnt stem the flood of outside money deforming the political system, but it would give candidates an alternative way to run and provide not-so-rich Americans a greater sense that their voices can be heard. It is the foundation on which other anti-corruption efforts rest, reformers say, with a warning that if lawmakers dont address this problem, their credibility will remain in the toilet. The data suggest that the public has an appetite for taking on campaign finance. A Pew Research poll from May found that 77 percent of Americans favor limits on the amount of money individuals and organizations can spend on campaigns. (This includes 71 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.) Sixty-five percent believe that new laws could effectively reduce the influence of money in politics. At this point, the hunger for reform is so fierce among the Democratic base that the caucus will need to work to temper expectations. While H.R. 1 is near the top of the to-do list of the incoming House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, the package will take a while to make its way to a floor vote. At least five committees have oversight of pieces of it, and even among Democrats there are competing visions for various provisions that must be worked through. Democratic House leaders are hoping to get a bill passed early in the year. And then it is likely to go nowhere fast. One reason H.R. 1 can be so big and bold is that it is mostly an expression of what Democrats would like to do rather than what has any real shot at moving through this divided government. Even staunch fans of the measure expect the Republican majority leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, to jam it up in his chamber. The phlegmatic Mr. McConnell may not get worked up about much, but over the years he has consistently displayed a fierce passion for strangling anything resembling campaign finance reform. The package could prove awkward for Republican members in other areas as well. For instance, measures to make voting easier might be a hard sell in a party that appears to have so vigorously committed to curtailing voter access. Realistically speaking, enacting even pieces of a bill like H.R. 1 is more of a medium- to longish-term legislative goal. But this does not diminish the urgency of passing the package in the House as a declaration of Democrats commitment. Its champions seem to grasp this. Mr. Sarbanes expressed optimism that serious revisions could be achieved within a couple of election cycles but only if Democrats move quickly to get people fired up and then keep the pressure on. Even the most ethically bankrupt politician can spout drivel about draining the swamp. For the next couple of years, Democrats challenge is to keep this issue hot enough to make life uncomfortable for reform foes like Mr. McConnell and to make clear to voters what must be done if they want to take this crusade beyond one chamber of Congress. Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. To the Editor: Re Trump Blames Democrats for Deaths of Migrant Children in U.S. Custody (news article, Dec. 30): Im not sure how many times these last couple of years that Ive read stories with headlines that begin Trump Blames ... Just fill in the blanks. At first it was always Hillary no matter what the circumstance. Now, young children die while in custody of the United States under President Trumps new border policies. Hey, its the Democrats fault. Mr. Trump, having claimed to be proud to shut down the government for border security, now blames the Democrats, who he says are for open borders. Not true, but hey. I thought that we were supposed to be tired of all the winning, but what we are tired of is all the whining. Man up, Mr. President. The buck stops with you. Dee Baer Wilmington, Del. To the Editor: There is no more surefire way to alienate American mothers who vote than to politicize the death of children. Congratulations, President Trump, and keep up the good work. It sounds like science fiction, but its not. Overnight tonight, on New Years Eve and New Years Day, an American spacecraft called New Horizons will fly by and explore the most distant place ever visited: a small world called Ultima Thule. Twenty-five hundred men and women across the United States worked to design and build New Horizons, its rocket and its nuclear power supply, and to launch it into space and to fly it across the solar system. In 2015, New Horizons became the first spacecraft to explore Pluto. Now on Ultimas doorstep, it is a mind-boggling four billion miles from Earth. This spacecraft, this distant sentinel, is an amazing piece of American workmanship, operating essentially flawlessly in space for well over a decade, with no backup ship and with no second chance to visit any world it has explored. Fifty years ago this week, during the Christmas holidays of 1968, another American spacecraft, Apollo 8, was launched and made the first voyage of humans to another world our moon. In the half century since, we in the United States went on to send the first humans to walk the moon and to send robots to explore every planet known at the birth of the space age. This week, New Horizons will continue in that legacy of inquisitiveness, soft-power projection and pure scientific exploration. Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times. In August 2017, I went to Houston Methodist Hospital to report on the health impacts of Hurricane Harvey: a tiny cut that marinated in floodwaters and became a raging infection; a displaced chemotherapy outpatient whom staff members scoured the city to locate and bring in for care. Some workers had lost their own homes, and the chief of the heart failure and transplant division, who is under 5 feet tall, walked through floodwaters up to her chin to get to work. (Billions of dollars of fortifications had protected Methodist and other Texas Medical Center hospitals from flooding, but they became islands for a time.) Hospital executives, among the most empathetic Ive ever met, camped in their offices and distributed hugs, encouragement and bonuses. The crisis extended as the storm moved east, disabling other hospitals, and ambulance crews transferred their patients to Houston. An email about a patient from a different hospital shifted my focus, because her story offered a window into many of the most critical aspects of the regions hurricane response. Our projects can take us in unexpected directions, and we often do not know what the result, or the impact, of an investigation will be when we begin. Cassandra Dills-Dailey, known as Casey, had undergone surgery to remove a benign adrenal tumor at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. A doctor newly graduated from medical school discharged her before the storm hit, sending her home without a critical steroid medication. The sight was a torch to usher in the new born, a funeral pyre for the old which pierced the very heavens, The Times wrote. By 1905, the city blocks around the new building Times Square, named after The Times had already become a New Years Eve destination. A description from that first New Years Eve celebration in The Times could have been written in any year since: As early as 9 oclock the square was packed, and when the time approached when another year should be inscribed upon the century book the crush was so great that progress was well nigh impossible in any direction. Over the last 114 years, the festivities have swelled into a global event. The police close off the area to traffic in the afternoon to control the crowd, and an estimated 1.2 billion spectators tune in on TV. For years, the Times Square Alliance, the co-organizer of New Years Eve in Times Square, has selected honorees for the year-end celebration. Following a deadly year for reporters, photographers and other media workers at least 60 were killed worldwide, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists the events organizers have announced that the 2019 party will celebrate journalism and press freedom, and that the committee will be its official charity honoree. In a place that is synonymous with news and home to multiple national news broadcasts, and which itself was named after a newspaper (which started the New Years celebration here in 1904), no theme could be more apt as we enter 2019, Tim Tompkins, the president of the alliance, said in a statement. While the scientists will celebrate the moment of flyby as if it were New Years, they will have no idea how the mission is actually going at that point. The spacecraft, busy making its science observations, will not turn to send a message back to Earth until a few hours later. Then it will take six hours for that radio signal, traveling at the speed of light, to reach Earth. [Sign up to get reminders for space and astronomy events on your calendar.] Tell me about this small frozen world Based on suggestions from the public, the New Horizons team chose a nickname for the world: Ultima Thule, which means distant places beyond the known world. Officially, it is 2014 MU69, a catalog designation assigned by the International Astronomical Unions Minor Planet Center. The 2014 refers to the year it was discovered, the result of a careful scan of the night sky by the Hubble Space Telescope for targets that New Horizons might be able to fly by after its Pluto encounter. No telescope on Earth has been able to clearly spot MU69. Even sharp-eyed Hubble can make out only a dot of light. Scientists estimate that it is 12 to 22 miles wide, and that it is dark, reflecting about 10 percent of the light that hits it. Four billion miles from the sun, MU69 is a billion miles farther out than Pluto, part of the ring of icy worlds beyond Neptune known as the Kuiper belt. Its orbit, nearly circular, suggests that it has been undisturbed since the birth of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. A police officer on the late shift in an Ohio town recently received an unusual call from Facebook. Earlier that day, a local woman wrote a Facebook post saying she was walking home and intended to kill herself when she got there, according to a police report on the case. Facebook called to warn the Police Department about the suicide threat. The officer who took the call quickly located the woman, but she denied having suicidal thoughts, the police report said. Even so, the officer believed she might harm herself and told the woman that she must go to a hospital either voluntarily or in police custody. He ultimately drove her to a hospital for a mental health work-up, an evaluation prompted by Facebooks intervention. (The New York Times withheld some details of the case for privacy reasons.) Police stations from Massachusetts to Mumbai have received similar alerts from Facebook over the last 18 months as part of what is most likely the worlds largest suicide threat screening and alert program. The social network ramped up the effort after several people live-streamed their suicides on Facebook Live in early 2017. It now utilizes both algorithms and user reports to flag possible suicide threats. Facebooks rise as a global arbiter of mental distress puts the social network in a tricky position at a time when it is under investigation for privacy lapses by regulators in the United States, Canada and the European Union as well as facing heightened scrutiny for failing to respond quickly to election interference and ethnic hatred campaigns on its site. Even as Facebooks chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, has apologized for improper harvesting of user data, the company grappled last month with fresh revelations about special data-sharing deals with tech companies. Good morning. (Heres the sign-up, if you dont already get California Today by email.) We hope you have a fabulous New Years Eve tonight and if youre out celebrating, make sure you look up your options for a safe ride home. To close out the year, weve got a personal remembrance of Donald Moffat, an actor whose name you may not have recognized when his obituary appeared recently, but whose face you might know from dozens of movies. For Kevin McKenna, a deputy business editor, Mr. Moffat wasnt simply another character actor. He was a working dad and, despite coming from England, someone who helped make up the fabric of Southern California life. Heres Kevin: I had known Donald and his family for decades, since his daughter Lynn and I were high school debate partners in Southern California. Donalds westward odyssey began almost on a whim. We said, Lets go for the summer, his wife, the actress and director Gwen Arner, recalled. It was 1969, and Donald had a part in a French farce at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. They rented a house in Manhattan Beach. And at the end of the summer, she said, we decided to stay. They bought a home in Hermosa Beach that they never gave up, the surf audible from its windows. It is unclear if any of these men will enter the race particularly Mr. Biden, who, associates say, is ambivalent about running after over three decades of presidential fits and starts. [Make sense of the people, issues and ideas shaping American politics with our newsletter.] There is also great uncertainty about lesser-known potential contenders who could be formidable and if the Trump phenomenon proves anything, it is that making any assumptions about candidates is folly. Will Senators Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota who both just won third terms in presidential battleground states go beyond their flirtation with running? And what of the roster of current and former Democratic governors, like Steve Bullock of Montana or Terry McAuliffe of Virginia? Meeting the moment Presidential politics recalls the adage that 80 percent of life is showing up. Except in the case of primaries. Then, its about knowing when to show up. That question, more than anything, is what looms over Ms. Warrens candidacy: Would she be the president today if she had run in 2016, as some liberal activists and admirers urged her to? Mr. Sanders ended up filling the void on the populist left and ran a surprisingly strong campaign against Hillary Clinton. Ms. Warren was hardly the first White House hopeful to risk waiting. Bill Clinton, for example, opted out of the 1988 campaign and still became president four years later. But the more recent history of presidential calculations suggests that candidates are wiser to run when the moment presents itself. That is what Mr. Obama did in 2008 after just four years in the Senate, the same period Ms. Warren would have served by 2016. Some Democrats think 2020 is Mr. ORourkes moment: He has been in the House for just six years, but many liberals see his energy and freshness as inspiring. A year after the retirement of a prominent appeals court judge accused of sexual harassment, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote on Monday that the federal judicial system must do more to protect law clerks and other employees from abusive conduct. Recent events have highlighted that the very qualities that make the position of law clerk attractive particularly, the opportunity to work with a senior member of the legal profession in a position of mentorship and trust can create special risks of abuse, Chief Justice Roberts wrote in his year-end report on the state of the federal judiciary. Judge Alex Kozinski, who had served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for more than three decades, announced his retirement in 2017 after The Washington Post reported that some 15 women had accused him of sexual harassment. The women, many of whom had served as his law clerks, said Judge Kozinski had touched them inappropriately, made unwanted sexual comments and forced them to view sexual materials on his computer. After a midterm election in which many women, liberals, minorities and young Democrats won, the presidential primaries and caucuses next year are likely to be fought over not only who is the right policy match for the party, but also which mix of identities should be reflected in the next nominee. The range of candidates will also force Democratic voters to consider which electoral approach is best suited to defeat Mr. Trump, balancing questions of ideological purity with how to appeal to a wide range of demographic groups like white rural voters, suburban women, college students, and black and Latino Democrats in the South and the Sun Belt. Ms. Warren, 69, is among the best-known Democrats seeking to take on Mr. Trump, whom she has denounced in the past as a thin-skinned racist bully and a wannabe tyrant. Mr. Trump, who has already announced his re-election campaign, frequently mocks her as Pocahontas because of her claims to Native American ancestry, a slur Native American groups have denounced as a racist epithet. While Ms. Warrens stinging attacks on Mr. Trump and Wall Street have helped make her a favorite of grass-roots liberals, she also faces challenges as a presidential candidate: controversy over a DNA test to prove her Native American heritage, skepticism from the party establishment and a lack of experience in a national race. The editorial board of The Boston Globe, her hometown newspaper, recently urged her not to run for president, saying she had become a divisive figure. And some in her party believe she missed her best chance to run in 2016, when liberal activists urged her to challenge Hillary Clinton. Two potential top-tier candidates who have run before, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Bernie Sanders, are eyeing 2020 and are expected to disclose their plans this winter. Yet both men carry political baggage and would be in their late 70s on Election Day 2020, and many Democrats say they want a fresh face as their next nominee. In a tweet Monday night, he added that some things NEVER get better over time: You have Walls and you have Wheels. It was ALWAYS that way and it will ALWAYS be that way! Please explain to the Democrats that there can NEVER be a replacement for a good old fashioned WALL! And Representative Mark Meadows, Republican of North Carolina and the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, blasted the Democrats proposal. Nancy Pelosis newest funding proposal doesnt represent any serious attempt to secure our border or find a compromise, Mr. Meadows wrote on Twitter. A $1.3 billion Democrat wish list that includes zero money for a border barrier is a non-starter and will not be a legitimate answer to this impasse. The shutdown standoff will give Americans their first glimpse at how Washington will work in a new era of divided government. It will also be the first leadership test for Ms. Pelosi, who anticipated a string of celebrations as she reclaims the gavel as the nations first female speaker of the House. She has continued to insist that Democrats will not cave on wall funding. Hes not going to get a wall, Ms. Pelosi said in a recent interview. But he has to recognize, we are the first branch, Article 1, the legislative branch, and were here not as a rubber stamp to the executive branch but are coequal to him. The shutdown is affecting parts of nine cabinet-level departments, and as it drags on, anxieties are rising among the 800,000 federal employees who are either furloughed or working without pay. In one ominous sign, the federal Office of Personnel Management has posted a sample letter for mortgage companies and creditors on its website, giving guidance to federal employees on how to negotiate reduced payments. Democrats say their proposed measures would create a month of breathing space for the president to negotiate with them. But Mr. Trump would lose much of his leverage in the border fight if he accepts their terms. The Democrats two-pronged plan will also complicate life for Mr. McConnell, who has said he will not bring up any measure that does not have the presidents support. Once the bills pass the House, as expected, Mr. McConnell will have to decide whether to put one, both or neither on the Senate floor for votes. Im launching an exploratory committee for president. Senator Elizabeth Warren could be fighting President Trump for the keys to the White House in 2020. But the two already have a long history of trading barbs. She is a goofus. Wannabe tyrant. Heres how Elizabeth Warren has faced off against Donald Trump. In the 2016 election, Warren gleefully played the role of attack dog for the Democrats, taunting Trump on Twitter and in speeches. A small, insecure money-grubber who doesnt care who gets hurt, so long as he makes a profit off it. Donald Trump is worried about helping poor little Wall Street. Let me find the worlds smallest violin to play a sad, sad song. After Trump went after a federal judge because of his Hispanic heritage Hes a Mexican. Were building a wall between here and Mexico it was Warren who went on the attack. Trump is picking on someone who is ethically bound not to defend himself. Exactly what you would expect from a thin-skinned racist bully. And at the Democratic National Convention, Warren told liberals that Trump had ripped off ordinary Americans. But he filed business bankruptcy six times, always to protect his own money, and stick the investors and contractors with the bill. And for one low, low price, hell even throw in a goofy hat. But it was her fight with Trump over her claim of Native American heritage that got the most attention. And Massachusetts is represented by Pocahontas, right? Pocahontas. They call her Pocahontas. Ive got more Indian blood in me than Pocahontas, and I have none. I mean sadly, I have none. But I have more than she does. Hi. This is Elizabeth Warren. Trumps unrelenting mockery prompted Warren to release the results of a DNA test that she says is proof of her ancestry. The announcement largely backfired. She apologized to the Cherokee Nation for taking the DNA test. My mother was born in eastern Oklahoma. But the feud between Warren and Trump continues. President Trumps actions and instincts align with those of authoritarian regimes around the globe. He embraces dictators of all stripes. He cozies up to white nationalists. He undermines the free press and incites violence against journalists. As the 2020 presidential race heats up, one thing is clear the skirmishes could get nastier. But during a surprise trip to Iraq last week, Mr. Trump privately told the commander of American forces in Iraq and Syria, Lt. Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, that the military could have several months to complete a safe and orderly withdrawal, according to two United States officials. And on Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, told reporters that a pause situation on the troop withdrawal was in effect. A Pentagon spokesman, Cmdr. Sean Robertson, said on Monday, Ill let the presidents words speak for themselves. By extending the timetable for withdrawal to several months, Mr. Trump stuck to his commitment to untangle the United States from yearslong military commitments but also heeded warnings from current and former military leaders of the danger of a quick exit. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned in protest over Mr. Trumps decision, said that leaving Syria in 30 days would jeopardize the fight against the Islamic State, betray its Syrian Kurdish-Arab allies on the ground, and cede the eastern part of the country to the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian allies. Nevertheless, Mr. Trumps latest plan left open the question of whether an orderly pullout from Syria would happen. Military planners say they need about 120 days, or four months, to carry out a withdrawal that allows time to decide which equipment to move elsewhere in the region, leave behind with allies or disable to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Syrian government or Russia or Iran. Military officials have declined to specify the timing of the departure, partly for operational security reasons and partly because many details are still quite fluid, and officials recognize that Mr. Trump could change his mind at any moment and speed up the departure. CHANDLER, Ariz. The assailant slipped out of a park around noon one day in October, zeroing in on his target, which was idling at a nearby intersection a self-driving van operated by Waymo, the driverless-car company spun out of Google. He carried out his attack with an unidentified sharp object, swiftly slashing one of the tires. The suspect, identified as a white man in his 20s, then melted into the neighborhood on foot. The slashing was one of nearly two dozen attacks on driverless vehicles over the past two years in Chandler, a city near Phoenix where Waymo started testing its vans in 2017. In ways large and small, the city has had an early look at public misgivings over the rise of artificial intelligence, with city officials hearing complaints about everything from safety to possible job losses. Some people have pelted Waymo vans with rocks, according to police reports. Others have repeatedly tried to run the vehicles off the road. One woman screamed at one of the vans, telling it to get out of her suburban neighborhood. A man pulled up alongside a Waymo vehicle and threatened the employee riding inside with a piece of PVC pipe. DHAKA, Bangladesh Bangladeshs governing party won handily in Sundays parliamentary elections, clinching a third consecutive term for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina even as widespread reports of irregularities, voter intimidation and violence cast the voting into question. Mrs. Hasinas party, the Awami League, and its allies officially won 288 of the 298 parliamentary seats that have been called by the Election Commission, with a total of 300 seats up for grabs. But the opposition swiftly rejected the results, accusing the governing party of tampering with votes and calling for a fresh election. Mrs. Hasina, 71, is the first leader in Bangladeshs history to win three consecutive terms, but she has increasingly been accused of autocratic behavior. The opposition leader Kamal Hossain denounced the farcical election on Sunday night as the results streamed in. The Election Commission said it was looking into reports of irregularities. The investigation found details of a C.I.A. mission with tactical successes that have come at the cost of alienating the Afghan population. One former senior Afghan security official bluntly accused the strike forces of war crimes. Often, the raids that resulted in civilian deaths were carried out not far from police outposts or government offices, leaving those American-supported officials humiliated in the villages they had been trying to establish relationships with. And because the C.I.A.-sponsored units often use English during operations, their abuses are even more directly equated with the American presence, though claims that American agents have sometimes been on the missions have not been confirmed. The dilemma is this: The C.I.A. needs to fight its wars in the shadows, said Karl Eikenberry, a former commander of American forces in Afghanistan who later served as the United States ambassador to Kabul. But when the U.S. also takes on the mission of state-building, then the contradictions between the two approaches stealth, black ops, and non-transparency vs. institution building, rule of law, and accountability become extraordinarily difficult to resolve, and our standing as a nation suffers. United Nations reports have expressed concern about civilian deaths and consistent, credible accounts of intentional destruction of civilian property, illegal detention, and other abuses by the units. The United Nations said the forces in Khost, in particular, operated outside the Afghan governments structure with an absence of transparency and ongoing impunity. In the village of Nader Shah Kot, the provincial official who helped investigate the raid, Mr. Zazai, said the forces impunity was alienating residents from the government and increasing support for the Taliban. If there had been arrests, if there had been justice, this wouldnt continue like this, Mr. Zazai said. But there is absolutely no justice. American defense officials in Washington say the C.I.A. operations in Afghanistan are largely opaque to military generals operating in the war zone. The C.I.A.s level of partnership has been declining as the Afghan intelligence agency and its forces grow more mature, the officials said. But as American military forces are set to draw down, the role of the Central Intelligence Agency is only likely to grow in importance. MANILA President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has admitted to sexually assaulting a housemaid when he was a teenager in a speech that drew condemnation from womens groups, but which his office later dismissed as a joke. Mr. Duterte has made headlines around the world for remarks that run the gamut from innocuously bawdy to dangerously sexist, including jokes about rape. His speech on Saturday to local officials, however, appeared to be the first time in which he publicly admitted to personally assaulting a woman. In a speech that focused his ire on the Roman Catholic Church a powerful political foil in this predominately Catholic country and what the president sees as its hypocrisy, Mr. Duterte recounted a confession he made to a priest about entering the bedroom of a maid and assaulting her. I lifted the blanket, Mr. Duterte, 73, said. I tried to touch what was inside the panties. I was touching. She woke up. So I left the room, he added. MALI STON, Croatia An oyster leads a dreadful but exciting life, M.F.K. Fisher observed in her classic book about them, full of stress, passion and danger. The oyster, in other words, fits right in with the beleaguered Balkans. In his 62 years in this tumultuous region, the life of Bode Sare has been at least as eventful as an oysters. Mr. Sare has been a partisan warrior, a weapons smuggler, a cafe owner and a prisoner (twice). Now, as the owner of highly regarded seafood restaurants in Croatia, he champions locally grown oysters, and is part of a collective of 75 farmers that tends oyster beds in Mali Ston Bay, part of the Adriatic Sea along the southern Croatian coast. One early morning, as a mist shrouded the ancient wall that snakes around the hills overlooking the town of Mali Ston, Mr. Sares son, Tomislav, guided the familys boat past the plastic markers bobbing in the shimmering blue waters and marking the collectives oyster beds. LONDON On the very last day of a year in which crimes involving knives surged in London and became a hot-button political issue the police took solving one case to an extreme. After a man was found stabbed on a street in West London early Monday, 39 people were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. It is the largest number of suspects to have been arrested this year for a stabbing in London, a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police Service confirmed. A man thought to be in his mid-30s was found injured after a stabbing was reported in the Hammersmith and Fulham neighborhood just before 1 a.m. The police said the man had been chased by a number of people following an argument in a nearby shop, and two knives were recovered close to the scene. But the resignations did apparently reflect contrasting visions between Mr. Burke and the entrenched Vatican bureaucracy over how a press office will need to operate in 2019. The Vatican newspaper and radio and other assorted media are oft-ignored outlets for papal speeches and church-focused content, but Mr. Burke and his supporters wanted the press office to have a role in shaping, or at least protecting, the popes message on the front lines of social media, international media and global perception. They sought to make clear to Francis and other church leaders that when it comes to how his message plays in the wider world, the pope does not have the benefit of infallibility. They were apparently ignored. In October, the pope and his top advisers failed to closely consult with the press office on a decision to give a heroic send-off to Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington, when he stepped down. The pope cited the nobility of Cardinal Wuerl, who had recently been named in a Pennsylvania grand jury report that accused church leaders of covering up abuse, for volunteering to resign. Image The pope with two communication aides, Greg Burke and Paloma Garcia Ovejero, at the Vatican in 2016. Credit... L'Osservatore Romano/EPA, via Shutterstock The popes lengthy and gushing letter, which was released directly by the Archdiocese of Washington, reaffirmed for many critics the notion that Francis fundamentally did not understand the damage the sexual abuse scandal posed to the church. Critics and supporters of Francis say that the popes grave missteps in responding to sex abuse have risked eroding his moral authority and, as a result, his political capital on issues dear to him, such as defending migrants and the environment. Observers of the Vatican have pointed out that one need not look far back in the history of the church to find entire papacies derailed by avoidable public-relations accidents. In 2006, early in his pontificate, Francis predecessor, Benedict XVI, delivered a speech in Regensburg, Germany, that offended Muslims, who saw it as an attack on Islam. It was far from an isolated incident, and was followed by a spate of public-relations disasters, including lifting the excommunication of a priest in 2009 who some Vatican officials knew to be a Holocaust denier. LONDON Day after day, news reports in Britain prominently feature migrants making the perilous trip across the English Channel in small boats, including a dozen who landed on Monday. Headlines and anti-immigration politicians call it a crisis, and the cabinet member in charge of migration policy has labeled it a major incident fueled by criminal gangs. The total number of people, primarily from Iran, who have made the journey and requested asylum since early November is only about 240, in a country that has averaged about 25,000 asylum applicants per year over the last decade. What is new is that they are regularly smuggled into Britain by boat which used to be fairly rare supplying jarring pictures of people being pulled from foundering little craft in rough seas, or being taken into custody on beaches. And it comes at a tense moment in the nations politics, as Prime Minister Theresa May tries to arrange a divorce from the European Union a process, known as Brexit, that has largely been driven by anxiety over immigration while fending off calls from Brexit opponents for a second referendum on the matter. CHERNYTSYA, Ukraine Ukraine is on the verge of opening the biggest schism in Christianity in centuries, as it breaks from the authority of a Moscow-based patriarch and this week expects to formally gain recognition for its own church, taking tens of millions of followers. Intensifying a millennium-old religious struggle freighted with 21st-century geopolitical baggage, Ukraines security services have in recent weeks interrogated priests loyal to Moscow, searched church properties and enraged their Russian rivals. They just want to frighten us, said the Rev. Vasily Nachev, one of more than a dozen priests loyal to the Moscow patriarch who were called in for questioning. The new Ukrainian church is expected to be granted legitimacy on Jan. 6, the eve of the Orthodox Christmas, when its newly elected head, Metropolitan Epiphanius, travels to Istanbul to receive an official charter from the Constantinople patriarchate, a longtime rival power center to Moscow. MOSCOW An American citizen has been detained in Moscow on espionage charges, Russias domestic security agency said Monday, just a few weeks after a Russian operative was convicted of conspiracy in the United States. In a brief statement, the Russian agency said that an American, identified as Paul Nicholas Whelan, had been taken into custody on Friday on suspicion of spying. The statement implied that he had been caught red-handed, saying that the arrest had occurred during an act of espionage. A criminal case has been opened against Mr. Whelan, said the statement from the F.S.B., or Federal Security Service, which gave no other details. Under Russian law, convictions in spying cases can carry prison terms of up to 20 years. In a statement, Mr. Whelans family identified him as a former Marine. He was in Moscow to attend a wedding but had not been in contact with his family since Friday, the statement said, describing his silence as something that was very much out of character for him even when he was traveling. Police in the Russian city of Sevastopol are scrambling to find the vandals responsible for destroying over a dozen speed cameras in the last month. Reports of damaged stationary speed cameras and the solar panels that power them started coming in at the start of December, and police soon realized that these werent just isolated incidents. Someone was targeting them and even getting creative with the means of destruction. First, they started by shooting the cameras with metallic pellets fired from air guns, then they moved to sledgehammers, tearing down the concrete posts the speed cameras were mounted on, and recently they even began setting the expensive cameras on fire. Sevastopol authorities claim that the capture of these vandals is now inevitable, but with 16 destroyed speed cameras reported so far, police has yet to arrest any suspects. Sevastopol motorists have long been threatening to destroy the stationary speed cameras that caught them speeding, but they hardly ever followed through with their threats. Until this month, that is, when speed cameras in and around the city started dropping like flies. According to representatives of Safe Roads LLC, the company responsible for the maintenance of the speed cameras, the damage has already amounted to tens of millions of Russian rubles, as a single camera costs between 1 and 2 million rubles ($15,000 $30,000). The cameras are all insured, and because the damage is already very high, the insurance company is also actively looking for those responsible so it can sue them and their families for financial compensation. If they cant afford to pay, all their property will be confiscated, and the culprits will serve jail time. The vandals motives are yet unknown, but there is a strong chance that they consider themselves vigilantes doing other motorists a favor. However, according to Andrei Tomilin, Director of Safe Roads Sevastopol, that is not the case. The fact is that under the terms of the concession, the Sevastopol government will compensate us for the operational costs of servicing the video imaging system. As a result, the people themselves including those who destroyed the cameras will pay for their damage with their taxes. That is the protocol, no matter how negative it looks, Tomilin told ForPost. On December 27, at least 16 stationary speed cameras had been badly damaged in and around Sevastopol, but no arrests had been made. via Primechaniya.ru Greg Burke Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke today announced his resignation effective Jan. 1, as Pope Francis revamps his communications shop. Burke joined the Vatican as strategic communicators adviser in 2012 from Fox News, where he served as Rome correspondent. The St. Louis native, who also reported for Time, was promoted to deputy director of the Holy See press office in 2015 and director in 2016. Paloma Garcia Ovejero, Burkes deputy, has also stepped down. Pope Francis has appointed Alessandro Gisotti, former deputy editor-in-chief of Vatican Radio, as interim director of the press office. He was social media director at the Vatican's dicastery for communication. Paolo Ruffini, head of the dicastery, expressed appreciation for Burke and Garcia's professionalism, humanity and faith."Today, faced with what is their independent and free choice, I can only respect the decision they have taken," he said in a statement. The Roman Catholic Church is wrapping up a hellish year that was filled with investigations in a dozen US states and DC into sex abuse scandals and calls from conservative clerics for the resignation of Pope Francis. The Pope in February will convene a meeting of bishops from throughout the world to address the sex scandal issue. Kilcormac-Killoughey GAA led tributes this week to local man Padraig Egan who died after a tragic accident before Christmas. Padraig, whose parents live in Birr, was much-loved in the locality and recently played his part in Kilcormac-Killoughey's 'OsKaRs' movie night fundraiser. On Christmas Eve, the club released the following statement: "It was with profound sadness that we learned the news on Saturday morning of the passing of Padraig Egan, just six weeks after he played a starring role in the OsKaRs." "Padraig's fantastic portrayal of The Bird O'Donnell in The Field will live long in the memory and he was very proud to have been a part of it. Padraig always had a word for everyone he met and his wit, stories, quotes, his wonderful musical ability and his friendly nature will be sorely missed." "We would like to extend our sincere sympathy to his parents Pat and Anne, sisters Brid, Lilian, Anne-Maria and Eimear, brothers Enda and Dermot, partner Kathleen, extended family and his large circle of friends." Another great friend of Padraig, Damian White, also paid a heartfelt tribute to his "closest classmate." "The night before filming The Field Padraig Egan called to our house. He was excited and nervous, as we all were, about the next day. As we were heading out the door to drop him back to Kilcormac, he spotted our piano and asked if we minded if he played a tune. We were delighted and he proceeded to play a beautifully crafted version of Fairytale of New York." "We are devastated to think that this was Padraigs parting gift to us but honoured that it happened. He was truly a unique and special friend, with a mind and a soul for the higher things," Damian said. "Padraig was my closest classmate. He was simply great to be around. His mind was in constant motion as he talked politics, poetry, music and literature, often at the same time, and with the ability to sew them all together into a colourful patchwork of cohesive and searingly accurate thoughts and observations." "He had read Joyce and Beckett before leaving school, even though neither were on the Leaving Cert course, and was constantly lacing quotes from them into conversation and the many letters he wrote. He was forever quoting his grandmother, whom he idolised, particularly on political matters. For him she was the font of wisdom and the last word on events past and present in Irish affairs" "There are simply too many great moments of wit and banter to recall, and to seek to do justice to the unique and wonderful heart and mind of a truly gifted friend with mere written words is beyond me. Shane McGowan says it best- 'I can see a better time, when all our dreams come true.' Rest easy Padraig," Damian concluded. Padraig was buried in the cemetery adjoining Saint James' Church, Eglish on Sunday last, December 30. Buying and selling Offaly property is about to become more streamlined and efficient with the introduction of a new conveyancing system that requires title investigation before contracts are signed, according to the Law Society of Ireland. From tomorrow, 1 January 2019, we will have a faster, more efficient and cost-effective system for buying and selling property in Ireland. The new pre-contract investigation of title (PCIT) system will improve the conveyancing process by ensuring any questions relating to the propertys title are raised and resolved before the contracts are signed. The new system is a fundamental change to the legal practice and procedures involved in buying and selling property. It has been designed by the Law Society of Ireland, in consultation with solicitors, based on changes in practice and a drive to improve efficiency and greater transparency in the conveyancing process. The new process is more transparent because any issues are fully revealed before one is locked into the contract. Every property sale involves a process called investigation of title, explains Michael Walsh, partner and head of property at ByrneWallace. It requires the buyers solicitor to carry out certain checks on the propertys title. Historically, copying and exchanging the documents needed to investigate title was a difficult task, and took place after the buyers and sellers had signed contracts. This means that the system has, up to this point, been structured so that queries or problems relating to the title to the property can often arise at a very late stage in the transaction. It is not unusual for such issues to severely delay or even completely kill a deal, which can be expensive as well as extremely disappointing. The Law Society and conveyancing solicitors have worked together to develop a better way to reveal and resolve such issues at an earlier stage in the transaction: the pre-contract investigation of title system. Essentially, pre-contract investigation means that a buyers solicitor must carry out a full set of detailed checks on the propertys title much earlier in the sales process, Mr Walsh outlines. This is to ensure that any and all issues are revealed and importantly resolved before contracts are signed. Crucially, when the buyer and seller sign the contract under the PCIT system, the buyer is automatically deemed to have knowledge of all issues relating to the title and to have accepted them. Independent legal advice at an early stage is critical for buyers in particular under this new system. Mr Walsh explains that the PCIT system will be more efficient and cost-effective for everyone involved in a property sale. We may also see a reduction in the time frame between signing the contract and handing the keys over to the buyer. This will very much depend on finance being ready and available, but this new process aims to reduce or avoid the current duplication of work and effort and minimise the potential for disputes that can lead to delays in completing the sale, explains Mr Walsh. This is one of the most fundamental changes in conveyancing practice in a very long time. The PCIT approach to property sales is well-established as a feature of the new homes market as well as in higher-value or particularly complex transactions. It has also been visible in sales of property by receivers in recent years. Mr Walsh concluded, The PCIT structure is a familiar, tried-and-tested approach in certain parts of the property sales market, and we know that buyers are willing to undertake the work of title investigation in advance. Expanding this system to all property transactions takes advantage of evolving technology for document sharing and paves the way for more secure property sales contracts. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivers an important speech at a New Year gathering held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 29, 2018. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) BEIJING, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- A New Year gathering was held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on Saturday morning in Beijing. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech at the gathering. Senior leaders Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended the gathering along with senior members of non-communist parties, leaders of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, representatives of personages without party affiliation, leading officials of central departments, members of different ethnic groups and people from all walks of life. The year 2019, which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, is a key year for securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Xi said. Stressing the importance of study, innovation and solidarity, Xi demanded efforts to both grab opportunities in development and deal with the challenges, as well as inspire Party members and people of ethnic groups in the country to keep fighting for new achievements. Xi recognized major progresses achieved by Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee in the year 2018, adding that people had enjoyed a stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. In the year that marked the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up, the best celebration for the occasion was to advance the reforms and raise the level of opening-up, he said. "A total of 1,932 reform schemes have been carried out since the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee [in November 2013]," he said. "We showed our resolve to carry through the cause of reform and opening-up in the new era." For the year of 2019, Xi spoke of the need to pursue supply-side structural reform as the main task, take tough steps to forestall and defuse major risks, carry out targeted poverty alleviation, prevent and control pollution, and promote sustained and sound economic development. Xi pledged efforts to support Hong Kong and Macao in integrating their own development into the overall development of the country and maintain their lasting prosperity and stability. He also vowed to work for the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and called for efforts to build a community with a shared future for humanity. Xi added that in the new year, the CPPCC should shoulder its responsibility to implement what is required by the CPC Central Committee and pool the wisdom and strength of Chinese people inside and outside the country for the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. The New Year gathering was presided over by Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. Wan Gang, chairman of the Zhigong Party Central Committee, made remarks at the gathering on behalf of the central committees of non-CPC parties, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and personages without party affiliation. 2 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] This fall, thousands of small bright purple ribbons lined the walls of local SavOn convenience and Maple Leaf Market stores in Madison and Oneida counties. These paper ribbons symbolized a spirit of support and awareness during October Domestic Violence Awareness Month. On behalf of our agencies and the many survivors we serve in Central New York, we would like to thank the community, the Oneida Indian Nation, and SavOn/Maple Leaf Market employees for participation in the third annual 2018 Purple Ribbon campaign! This show of support is amazing and humbles us as we serve some of our communitys most vulnerable individuals and families. The year 2018 marks the third annual sale of the ribbons, and sales nearly doubled! Thanks to our partners invaluable time and effort, $7,339 was raised. All proceeds benefit the local domestic violence programs offered by both agencies: YWCA Mohawk Valley and Liberty Resources Help Restore Hope Center. These life-changing, life-saving services help those right here in our communities and are vital to ending the cycle of domestic violence. Domestic violence services from these agencies are available by county area and are free and confidential. For information on YWCA Mohawk Valley which serves Oneida County, please call their 24-hour hotline 315-797-7740. For information on Liberty Resources Help Restore Hope Center, which serves Madison and Chenango Counties, please call their 24-hour hotline 1-855-966-9723. We sincerely thank all of the participants for their belief in our work, their generosity, and commitment. Now more than ever, we must come together to promote peace in our communities. 100 naxals attack BJP MLCs house in Bihar, accuse him of not returning Rs 5 crore India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Dec 31: A Bihar lawmaker's ancestral village in Aurangabad came under attack by over a 100 naxals, following which one person was killed. The naxals killed the lawmaker's uncle and also torched dozens of vehicles. The naxals accused the BJP MLC of not returning Rs 5 crore taken during demonetisation for exchange and also for not paying Rs 2 crore levy. The lawmaker Rajan Singh was however not present at the time of the attack. Squeezed out of Chhattisgarh, the naxal menace takes shape in Kerala The incident took place at the Sudi Bigha village at around 9.30 pm on Sunday. The naxals started torching vehicles and also knocked on several houses at the village. The lawmaker's uncle who responded to the knock on the door was shot dead. Following the attack, the naxals left behind notes that read, "Rajan Singh ko notebandi ke samay Maowadi dwara badalne hetu diya gaya Rs 5 crore tatha levy ka bakaya Rs 2 crore party ko wapas karo (Return the Rs 5 crore given to Rajan Singh by the Maoists during note ban for exchange, as well as the levy of Rs 2 crore). 2018: How forces took the battle to the naxalites, but the fight is far from over The naxalites also planted a bomb at a community, which went off. However the bomb planted at the legislator's home did not go off and was later removed by the bomb squad team. Singh, however rejected the allegations made against him and said that naxals can make irresponsible statements. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 5:49 [IST] An year after death, Abdul Karim Telgi acquitted in Stamp paper scam case India oi-Vikas SV Mumbai, Dec 31: Almost a year after his death, a Nashik Court on Monday acquitted Abdul Karim Telgi, who was accused of being the kingpin of a multi-crore counterfeit stamp paper scam. Telgi died at a hospital in Bengaluru on October 23, 2017. He was suffering from brain fever. It is alleged that between 1993 and 2002, he cultivated officers in the government security press in Nashik and purchased machinery at government auctions to print counterfeit stamp papers. Fake stamp paper kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi dead Telgi was arrested several years back in connection with the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket. He was convicted in several cases of counterfeiting. Telgi's mother was Shariefabee Ladsaab Telgi, and his father was an employee of Indian Railways. His father died while he was young. Telgi paid for his own education at Sarvodaya Vidyalaya Khanapur, an English medium school, by selling fruit and vegetables on trains. Eventually, he moved to Saudi Arabia. Seven years later, he returned to India, at which time he allegedly began a career in counterfeiting, originally focusing on fake passports. Telgi was alleged to have moved to more complex counterfeiting when he began to counterfeit stamp paper. He appointed 350 people as agents who sold the fakes to bulk purchasers, including banks, insurance companies, and stock brokerage firms. The size of the alleged scam was estimated to be more than Rs 200 billion (US$3.1 billion). One aspect of the scandal that caused much concern was that it required the involvement of many police officers and other government employees. On 17 January 2006, Telgi and several associates were sentenced to 30 years rigorous imprisonment. On 28 June 2007, Telgi was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 13 years for another aspect of the scandal. He was also fined Rs 10 billion (US$160 million). The Income Tax Department requested that Telgi's property is confiscated to pay the fine. He had been in jail for 13 years. Mudrank (The Stamp) was a film based on the stamp scandal. It was finished in 2008, but Telgi filed legal challenges to prevent its release. Telgi alleged that the details covered in the film would damage his legal appeals. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 16:08 [IST] If normalcy to be brought in Kashmir, Article 370 has to be reinstated: Farooq Abdullah Army foils Border Action Team's infiltration bid in Naugam Sector, 2 Pak soldiers killed India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P Srinagar, Dec 31: Army foiled a major BAT (Border Action Team) attempt to strike a forward post along LoC in Naugam Sector on 30 December. Intruders attempted to move by exploiting thick jungles close to LoC and were assisted by heavy covering fire of high calibre weapons from Pakistani posts. According to news agency ANI, intruders were wearing combat dresses like Pakistani regulars and were carrying stores with Pakistani markings. Some were also seen in BSF and old pattern IA dresses. From the recovery, it was estimated that they intended to carry out a gruesome attack on the Indian Army. 100 naxals attack BJP MLC's house in Bihar, accuse him of not returning Rs 5 crore Army in its statement stated that Pakistan will be asked to take back the mortal remains of deceased likely Pakistani soldiers since Pakistan did provide full covering fire support to these intruders. "Own troops had conducted prolonged search operations in thick jungles and difficult terrain conditions to ascertain the situation, which had confirmed elimination of two likely Pakistani soldiers and resulted in the recovery of a large cache of warlike stores, " said the Army. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 8:33 [IST] Winter Session 2021: BJP issues whip for its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in House on day 1 Be present in Lok Sabha, RS says BJP in 3 line whip to its MPs BJP entering 'our homes' by bringing Triple Talaq Bill: Mehbooba Mufti India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Dec 31: Asserting that the Triple Talaq Bill, which is being debated in the Rajya Sabha today, would create more problems for the Muslim women, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the BJP is entering "our homes". Mufti said she has been through a broken marriage and the biggest problem faced by divorced women is the economic challenge. "I have gone through a broken marriage and I feel that women face biggest challenge economically after her marriage is broken. When we talk about reservations for Muslims, the BJP rejects it on religious lines. But when it comes to this kind of law, then they run to Parliament," she said. "By bringing Triple Talaq Bill, they (BJP) are entering our houses. This will disturb our family life and also, there will be more problems for women and men economically," she added. Earlier today, the Opposition parties held a meeting and decided to demand that the bill be referred to the select committee for further deliberations. [Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha today: How the numbers stack up] The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 has been listed as the number one item under the head legislative business in the Upper House where the opposition has greater numbers. The is being debated in the Rajya Sabha today. The Lok Sabha has passed the bill even as Congress and other opposition parties and AIADMK walked out of the House before the bill was put to vote as the government had rejected the demand for referring it to a joint select committee. TMC brings its fight against BJP to Delhi; party MPs meet Amit Shah after sitting on dharna for 4 hrs Fake: Amit Shah did not read from the wrong of the Preamble on Constitution Day 'Family Balm': Amit Shah alleges links between Gandhis, Christian Michel India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Dec 31: Targeting the Gandhi family, BJP chief Amit Shah Monday said the "friendship" between Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland deal, and the Congress' top leadership is "time tested and deep". In a series of tweets, Shah also asked if Michel wanted details of his questioning by investigators to be passed onto "Mrs Gandhi" "Trails of the AgustaWestland Case...the SOS of Christian Michel. Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs. Gandhi herself? Why?" he tweeted. Shah said Michel's lawyer had admitted that the alleged middleman indeed passed paper to him and claimed that he thought it was a list of medicines. Congress to go offensive on AgustaWestland deal scam despite names of Gandhis figure in it Shah said Michel's lawyer had admitted that the alleged middleman indeed passed paper to him and claimed that he thought it was a list of medicines. The BJP president took an apparent swipe at the Gandhi family, saying people have heard of Zandu balm and Tiger balm -- medicines used to relieve pain -- but what is this "family balm" that every middleman wants. "In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michel's lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a sham. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi!" Shah said. The Congress had expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. 'Even Kangaroo courts hold trials': Chidambaram after ED claims Christian Michel named 'Mrs Gandhi' "In national interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep," Shah said. A Delhi court had Saturday imposed restrictions on Michel, the alleged middleman in the purchase of VVIP choppers during the UPA's tenure, meeting his lawyers in Enforcement Directorate's custody. The directions were given after the probe agency said he was misusing legal access by passing chits to the advocates asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi". The agency also claimed that he has spoken about "son of an Italian lady" and taken "Mrs Gandhi's" name in reference to a query. The BJP has used this disclosure to attack the Congress, especially the Gandhi family. (with PTI inputs) Flashback 2018: When BJP ended 25 years of Left rule in Tripura India oi-Vikas SV Agartala, Dec 31: 2018 was a significant year for the North East in terms of political developments. After forming government in Assam last year, the BJP stormed to power in Tripura and ended 25 years of Left rule the the state. The BJP storming to power ending 25 years of Left rule was the major news in Tripura in 2018 which saw some cracks in the ruling alliance with the IPFT fighting the panchayat elections separately and also raking up its separate Triparal and demand. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) also differed sharply on the issue of a National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state like the one in neighbouring Assam. Lotus bloomed in Tripura in March after which a nine-member ministry headed by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb took oath in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress, which hitherto used to be the main challenger to the Left Front in the state, lost ground and could not get even a single MLA elected to the 60-member house in the February poll. Sudip Roy Burman, who headed the state Congress in the 2013 assembly elections but switched over to the BJP this time, said, "In 2013, the CPI(M) faced strong anti-incumbency but Congress central leadership had helped the CPI(M) in the state clandestinely for enjoying the party's support in Parliament." BJP workers celebrated the end of the red bastion in Tripura by bringing down a five-feet-tall statue of former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin at Belonia town, the district headquarters of South Tripura district on March 4. The BJP government initiated several steps to erase the legacy of the long Left rule. A week before Deb shifted to the chief minister's residence, the state government changed the name of the road leading to it from 'Marx Angel's Sarani' to 'Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Lane'. After taking charge, Deb was in the news for the wrong reasons. He made several remarks that triggered widespread criticism -- the Internet and satellite communication existed during Mahabharata era, civil and not mechanical engineers should opt for civil services, educated youths should set up paan shops instead of seeking government jobs and youths should explore a career in dairy field and keep cows. He was also rapped for questioning the crowning of Diana Hayden as Miss World in 1997 and claiming that Rabindranath Tagore had rejected his Nobel prize in protest against the British government. The new government conducted by-elections to 3,386 seats of local bodies -- 3,200 gram panchayat, 161 panchayat samiti and 18 zilla parishad -- in September after these fell vacant following large-scale resignations of elected representatives of the Left parties. The BJP won unopposed 96 per cent of the gram panchayat and panchayat samiti seats and all the 18 zila parishad seats in the polls. In November, the Tripura government announced doing away with the school curriculum of the Left regime from next academic session and replacing it with CBSE syllabus and also decided introduction of NCERT books for students. The shift of power witnessed violent clashes between the CPI(M) and the BJP at many places during 2018. The CPI-M state secretary had on March 4 alleged that at least two persons were murdered and 240 leaders and workers of the party were injured in BJP-IPFT sponsored post poll violence in the state. On April 10, CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat visited some areas in West Tripura district and said his party would not "tolerate attacks on democracy". While the BJP and the IPFT bonded to overthrow the Left Front from power, differences soon started cropped up between them on several issues. The IPFT fought election to three-tier local bodies separately but could not stop the BJP's forward march in the state. Soon after the publication of the final draft of the NRC in Assam on July 30, Deb said there was no demand for such a citizens' register. But the IPFT differed and demanded citizens' registration in the state. On October 8, the Supreme Court issued a notice to the Tripura government in response to a writ petition seeking revision of the NRC. Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi issued the notice to the state and central asking for their views. In October, the IPFT renewed its demand for a separate Tipraland state for tribals to protect and safeguard their socio-economic and political interests. The IPFT placed the demand to a high power committee set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the socio-economic, cultural and linguistic problems faced by Tripura's tribal communities. As the year drew to a close, Tripura is set to get a waterways between Sonamura in Sipahijala district and Ashuganj port in Eastern Bangladesh covering a distance of about 70 km. This would facilitate transportation of goods from Kolkata to Ashuganj and then to Sonamura by small ships. OneIndia News with PTI inputs For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 14:52 [IST] Mission can be rescheduled again: Jitendra Singh after GSLV fails to inject EOS-03 satellite in orbit Flashback 2018: A year of success for ISRO India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Dec 31: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has always made India proud. This year too ISRO achieve the landmark feat by launching its 100th mission into space when it lifted off PSLV-C40. The rocket carried 31 satellites which were a first-of-its-kind. Following a four-month pause, ISRO started 2018 with a successful launch of PSLV-C40 in January, placing a Cartosat-2 series satellite in orbit along with 30 other smaller satellites from a number of countries. In 2018, all but one has been successful. The success of the mission marked an important milestone for the Indian space programme towards achieving self-reliance in launching heavier satellites. The success also signifies the completion of the experimental phase of GSLV Mark III. The accomplishment led ISRO to join the elite club of nations such as US, China, Russia, Japan and France involved in launching rockets above 4 tonne class. In addition to this, as part of preparation for the ensuing manned mission, Isro carried out a major technology demonstration on July 5, 2018, the first in a series of tests to qualify a Crew Escape System, which is a critical technology relevant for human spaceflight. The Crew Escape System is an emergency escape measure designed to quickly pull the crew module along with the astronauts to a safe distance from the launch vehicle in the event of a lanch abort. Despite a successful launch on 23 March of GSAT-6A, ISRO lost communication with it by 1st April. The fault was traced to a failure in the electrical system, and although ISRO is still tracking GSAT-6A and attempting to contact it, in the absence of two-way communication, GSAT-6A will be formally designated as a lost mission by the end of 2018. A replacement GSAT-32 is scheduled for launch in October 2019. Perhaps the most strategically significant event this year was the independence day announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India will launch its first mission with 2 or 3 crew to low Earth orbit of about 400 km for up to a week by 2022 or sooner. The single most critical mission in 2018 was the successful launch of GSAT-29 on ISRO's heavy launch vehicle GSLV-MkIII. GSAT-29 will make a critical contribution to the Digital India programme providing digital communication capacity from space. This was the second successful orbital flight of the GSLV-MkIII, which allowed ISRO to move GSLV-MkIII from a "development" status to "operational". Highlights of 2018: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces manned mission in 2022 Space crew escape module tested as part of manned space mission Tested technologies for manned space mission India's heaviest communication satellite, GSAT-11, orbited after being recalled from Kourou spaceport for checks Increasing production of solid fuel boosters for rockets Operationalised of heaviest rocket, GSLV Mk III Decision to licence out lithium ion battery technology Launched 100th satellite Kerala sanctions Rs 50 lakh compensation to former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan for his sufferings and ignominy after his wrongful arrest in the ISRO spy case. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 20:18 [IST] 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 Ghazipur violence: 27 arrested so far; Opposition up in arms against Yogi govt India oi-Vikas SV Lucknow, Dec 31: The Uttar Pradesh police is frantically working to nab those responsible for the death of Constable Suresh Vats, who was killed by a stone-pelting mob in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, and have arrested 27 people so far. Constable Suresh Vats, was on duty for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ghazipur and was on his way back when he was attacked by a mob of protesters. This has sent the political temprature soaring in Uttar Pradesh as this is second such incident in a month. Earlier in UP's Bulandshar, Inspector Subodh Kumar was shot dead during protests over alleged cow slaughter. Ghazipur violence: Akhilesh trains gun at Yogi, says "thoko neeti" reason behind cop's killing The opposition is up in arms against the ruling BJP government in the state with Samajwadi party chief saying that the incicent happened because of Chief minister Yogi Adityanath's 'thok do' (Shoot them) policy. Yadav said that the incident took place because the Yogi Adityanath government knows only one language, that of violence. Union Minister and a MP from Uttar Pradesh Mahesh Sharma said the incident was 'unfortunate', but it cannot be linked to law and order situation in the state. "It is unfortunate, but this should not be linked with law and order situation in the state. It was a reactionary incident. CM took immediate action after taking cognizance of it," he told media outside Parliament. Vats was returning from security duty at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in the district when he was hit by a stone. He died on the spot. The police identified the attackers as members of the Nishad Party, which was holding a district-wide agitation to demand greater reservation in government jobs and colleges for their community, said reports. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a compensation of Rs. 40 lakh for the policeman's wife and Rs. 10 lakh for his parents. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala reacted to the incident, saying in "Adityanath's jungleraj", the public and the police were not safe. "In Yogi Adityanath's jungleraj, neither the public is safe, nor the police. Today, after PM Modi's rally, mob killed constable Suresh Vats. Before this, inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was killed, which the CM termed an accident. In BJP rule, democracy = mobocracy," he tweeted. Constable killed in stone-pelting hours after PM Modi's rally in Ghazipur 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. 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: Monday, December 31, 2018, 12:04 [IST] BSP to fight solo in UP, Uttarakhand, no tie-up with Owaisi's AIMIM, says Mayawati 'Should not be misled': Mayawati reaches out to Brahmins before UP polls Mayawati threatens to withdraw outside support to Congress govts in MP, Rajasthan India oi-Deepika S Lucknow, Dec 31: BSP chief Mayawati on Monday announced that she might have to "reconsider" her party's outside support to them if cases against "innocent" persons framed in Bharat Bandh on April 2 were not withdrawn. "If the newly-elected governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan do not act swiftly and withdraw the cases against the innocent persons framed in Bharat Bandh, the BSP may have to reconsider extending the outside support to the Congress governments," she said in a press release. Mayawati said the cases against the innocent people framed out of political and caste considerations in Uttar Pradesh and other BJP-ruled states including MP and Rajasthan, which were previously under the BJP. 'ABP-CVoter' Survey: SP-BSP alliance could hit Modi's chances of return to power in 2019 She said now that MP and Rajasthan are ruled by the Congress, the new governments should immediately withdraw such cases, failing which her party would have to reconsider its decision of extending outside support. The BSP has two members in Madhya Pradesh's 230-member assembly, while in Rajasthan her party has six seats in the House of 200 MLAs. The BSP extended outside support to the Congress to form governments in these two states as it had failed to reach majority on its own. UP coalition: SP, BSP come together minus Congress, won't field candidates at Amethi, Raebareli Mayawati also said the governments formed by the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan should not work like the BJP, which did not fulfil its promises made to the farmers and the unemployed. "The warning to the Congress is necessary, as now merely making announcements is not enough. People are of the view that in making promises on papers, the Congress and the BJP are two sides of the same coin. Now, it depends on the Congress whether it is able to change this perception," she said in the statement. She said had the Centre left its "stubborn" behaviour pertaining to triple talaq bill, 2018, and sent it to the joint select committee of Parliament as demanded by the entire Opposition, it would have been better. The BSP chief said in the past five years, there have been non-fulfilment of promises, and by showing dreams of 'achchey din', demonetisation and GST have been implemented in an immature manner. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 19:28 [IST] NDA plans a strategy on triple talaq as it planned for election of deputy chairman of RS India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Dec 31: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to do the same what it did at the time of elections of deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) managed to win the seat despite short of majority in the Upper House and Janata Dal (United) member Harivansh Narayan Singh got elected to this post defeating Congress' B K Hariprasad. Responsibility of managing the Rajya Sabha will be on deputy chairperson only as Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu will not be present in the house as his mother-in-law died. Actually there are 93 MPs of the NDA in the Rajya while the number for the anti-NDA is around 112 MPs. There is one seat vacant in the house. There are 39 other MPs, who will actually play the important role if the bill gets passed or not. Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha today: How the numbers stack up Meanwhile, not only the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but the Opposition Congress too have issued a whip asking their Rajya Sabha members to be present in the Upper House of Parliament. The bill seeks to make triple talaq practice among Muslims a criminal offence which is passed from the Lok Sabha. The Congress leaders had a meeting to chalk out their strategy on the issue when they met in the office of leader of the Congress in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. Meanwhile, Union minister of state for parliamentary affairs Vijay Goel tried to contact all political parties to garner support for the bill. He said that Muslim women are looking at the Rajya Sabha with hope. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will introduce the bill but the Congress is clear in its mind that it will not allow to pass the bill in its present form. The Lok Sabha cleared the bill on December 27, 2018 with 245 voting in its favour and 11 against it. The Congress, other opposition parties, and even the BJP's friendly party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha to protest against the bill. The fresh bill on triple talaq was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance. The ordinance was issued in September, 2018 after the government failed to have an earlier version of the bill passed in Rajya Sabha. The fresh bill too provides for a jail term of three years for a husband on pronouncing instant divorce. The government has brought some amendments, including the introduction of a bail provision, to make the bill more acceptable. Opposition parties have suggested the bill be sent to a joint select committee for further review. Triple Talaq bill in Rajya Sabha updates: Passage of the bill is likely to be difficult The Congress is of the view that it would join hands with others to prevent the bill from getting passed in the Upper House. Around 10 opposition parties came 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 112 members in the upper house is enough to stall the bill where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government is still in a minority. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 9:33 [IST] Guided by ex-Pak army officials, operating in buddy pairs: Why the Poonch encounter has dragged so much Pakistan procuring 600 tanks to enhance might and hit India India oi-PTI New Delhi, Dec 31: 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. Pakistan negotiates with Russia to procure modern military hardware 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. Army goes desi to be battle ready with military tanks, weapons 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 Ukraine origin T-80-UD and T-85 UD, as well as an 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. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 8:48 [IST] Paks thousand cuts to be hit by Dovals double squeeze offensive defense policy this year India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 1: Pakistan will look to up the ante against India in 2019, which happens to election year. The Intelligence Bureau says that Pakistan will look to keep the Indian forces busy at the border. Pakistan has been looking to enhance its military capabilities and this is a clear indication that the trouble at the border would high, official sources said. Going by some of the procurements, it becomes clear that Pakistan would look to hit Indian targets at a range of 4 to 5 kilometres. One of the hardest, how team Doval built a fool proof case to get Michel to India The IB official said that Pakistan would look to make a desperate push to inflict India with a thousand cuts. However India would have a counter to this move and in this context would push National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval's offensive defence and double squeeze policy. What Pakistan is doing: To up the ante Pakistan is is procuring 245 150mm SP Mike-10 guns from Italy. Reports state that at least 120 have already been procured. In addition to this Pakistan is also eyeing the T-90 tanks from Russia. In addition to this Pakistan is also inducting the Chinese VT-4 ranks and the trials for the same have already been conducted. A PTI reported said that 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. CBI war gets murkier as host of top officials including NSA are dragged into the mess While on one hand the Pakistan Army would look to keep the border on the boil, on the other it would also enhance trouble in Kashmir. The intent of keeping the border busy would be to ensure that the infiltrations take place. Nearly 250 terrorists have been killed Jammu and Kashmir in 2018. With these losses, Pakistan would look to increase the terrorist count in the Valley, sources tell OneIndia. The Indian response: There have been questions asked if there would be a war with Pakistan. Sources say that there would be no war, but India would not play the role of a Chowkidar either. This would mean that the offensive defence and double squeeze policy would come into force. The offensive defense and double squeeze policy of Doval's was visible during the surgical strikes that India carried out across the Line of Control following the Uri attack. The NSA had set out a detailed plan on dealing with Pakistan. In 2014 he had explained in detail what the 'defensive offense,' startegy was. For far too long, India's response to Pakistani terror has been defensive, "like chowkidars", just preventive, he had said. Unlike a purely chowkidar-like response to engaging with the enemy, and even unlike an all-out offensive response - where nuclear war becomes a possibility - defensive offence is when you go and attack the place where the offense is coming from. He had also told Pakistan," they know the tricks, we know the tricks better." He felt that India had been defensive in its response to Pakistan and this strategy had failed to bring about peace despite India's restraint. The defensive strategy involved beefing up internal security in a bid to prevent terror attacks. India needs strong, stable, decisive govt for the next 10 yrs: Doval This, Doval felt, was ineffective because terrorists could always find a way of breaching defences and sneaking in. Doval also ruled out an offensive strategy because an all-out war could lead to the nuclear threshold being crossed. He also suggested that Pakistan's vulnerabilities should be exploited to India's advantage through the defensive-offense mode. His game plan was deny Pakistan sponsored terrorists weapons, funds and manpower. He recommended outspending insurgent groups in a bid to contain terrorism. Doval said most terrorists are driven by money and they can be contained by showering them with more money than what has been given to them by their handlers in Pakistan. Another method Doval suggests is for the Indian government to work with the Muslim community through Islamic organisations to prevent the radicalisation of Indian youth. Externally, Doval recommends that India give a hard-hitting response to terrorists and their masters. Doval recommends that India make Pakistan bear the cost of terrorist acts sponsored by its deep state. This should be done through the use of the same kind of fourth-generation covert warfare weapons that Pakistan has been using to bleed us as part of its strategy of bleeding India through a thousand cuts. The response should send a message through use of massive disproportional force that causes huge damage. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, January 1, 2019, 0:01 [IST] RBI expresses its reservation over loan waiver of farmers; political parties promises it India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Dec 31: In an environment where waiving off of agriculture loan has become more of a political issue, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has once again indirectly warned against this populist move. Actually the RBI warning has come on the basis of assessment and its subsequent impact made on the basis of different loan waiver schemes by the various governments in the past two years. Last week in the annual report of the RBI for 2017-18 financial year, the negative impact of these schemes is clearly visible on the banking sector of the country. The RBI has talked about negative impacts of these populist measures of different governments. The first and the foremost important issue is that it increases of Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) of banks. Such banks start refusing loans due to fear of NPAs. RBI data suggest that for the financial year 2016-17, an increase in the loan distribution for agriculture purposes was 12.4 per cent which had gone down to just 3.8 per cent for 2017-18. It is 5.8 per cent for the current financial year. Banks recover Rs 40,400 crore from defaulters says RBI report The RBI has held loan waiver responsible for this slow down in loan distribution however the RBI refrained from making any observation on the reasons for it. The RBI has said that whenever political debate of loan waiver starts just before the elections, farmers stop repaying their agriculture loan. Just before the recent Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, banks have complained about this issue with the Union finance ministry. The RBI has said that during the last financial year pace of giving agriculture loans have slowed down because banks find it more risky to give agriculture loans. RBI should support the vision of the government: Gadkari During the financial year 2016-17 and 2017-18, Maharashtra waived off loan to the tune of Rs 34000 crore, Uttar Pradesh Rs 36000 crore, Punjab Rs 10000 crore and Karnataka Rs 8000 crore. Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh too started the process of waiving loan in December 2018 for farmers. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has already announced making loan waiver a big issue in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. There are some differences and discussion within the government over the issue of loan waiver. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 10:59 [IST] Siddaramaiah hits out at PM Modi on loan waiver scheme, calls him 'anti-farmer' India oi-PTI Bengaluru, Dec 31: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising the state government's farm loan waiver scheme and called him "anti-farmer". Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he questioned Modi's moral right to criticise the state government on the issue. "I had twice led delegations (to Modi) as a chief minister, he did not agree to waive a single rupee. What moral right does he have?" said Siddaramaiah who is also head of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coordination committee in Karnataka. Alleging that PM Modi and his government were against the agriculture sector, he questioned their contribution to the farming community. "Ok we have given lollipop, what pop has he given? What has he given?" Siddaramaiah asked. Modi attacks Congress over farm loan waiver in Karnataka, says it betrayed farmers Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for criticising the state government's farm loan waiver scheme and called him "anti-farmer". Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he questioned Modi's moral right to criticise the state government on the issue. "I had twice led delegations (to Modi) as a chief minister, he did not agree to waive a single rupee. What moral right does he have?" said Siddaramaiah who is also head of the ruling Congress-JD(S) coordination committee in Karnataka. Alleging that PM Modi and his government were against the agriculture sector, he questioned their contribution to the farming community. "Ok we have given lollipop, what pop has he given? What has he given?" Siddaramaiah asked. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 22:39 [IST] Stone pelting to radicalisation: The external influence that is threatening Uttar Pradesh India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 1: Uttar Pradesh has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Incidents of stone pelting, which were exclusive only to Kashmir have now been reported in UP as well. The recent busting of a module in Uttar Pradesh only goes on to show that there is extreme external influence in the state. It has become clear now that there was a Pakistan hand behind the module which was busted by the National Investigation Agency last week. Ghazipur violence: 27 arrested so far; Opposition up in arms against Yogi govt During the interrogation, the suspects told the NIA officials that the reason for them setting up the module was multi-fold. First and foremost it was their handler from Pakistan who instructed them to set up the module in Uttar Pradesh. Pakistan wanted a major module in Delhi and UP, so that it could strike ahead of the elections and cause communal trouble. The suspects also said that the other reasons for them to set up such a module was communalism, which they felt was on the rise in UP. They also cited making Yoga compulsory as another reason. The external influence: Officials tell OneIndia that they are witnessing a lot of external influence in UP off late. There have been several instances where students from the state have gone missing only to be found with some terror group in Kashmir. In July last year, there was a one of a kind case that had been reported. Sandeep Sharma a resident of Muzzafarnagar, UP moved out of the state and joined a terror group in Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir police said that he was part of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and was involved in various incidents such as attacks on Army convoys, weapon snatching and ATM looting. Ghazipur violence: Akhilesh trains gun at Yogi, says "thoko neeti" reason behind cop's killing In September 2018, the Uttar Pradesh police arrested Assam resident Qamer Uzzaman, 37 from Kanpur. The police said that he was planning a major attack on a temple and they had managed to foil the attempt just in the nick of time. He was part of the Hizbul Mujahideen, the police said. In November 2018, another incident of a student joining the terror ranks had been reported. Ahtesham Bilal Sofi, 17, a resident of downtown Srinagar, was a first year graduation student at Greater Noida's Sharda University went missing. It was later found that he had joined a terror outfit in Kashmir. Intelligence Bureau officials say that ahead of the elections, they expect the influence of external elements to get higher. Pakistan elements will surely push harder to further communal tension in the state, the IB officer also said. The Madrasa headache: Around ten years back, the intelligence agencies had a headache in the form of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. It was a hub of terror and 80 per cent of the Indian Mujahideen terrorists emerged from this place in UP. The latest headache emerges from Amroha in UP. Four out of the 10 operatives arrested following the busting of an ISIS inspired module were from Amroha. Going by what the NIA has probed so far, it becomes clear that these men from Amroha had played a significant role in shaping the module. Amroha is a city in north-western Uttar Pradesh. Known for the production of mangoes, this place is around 185 kilometres away from New Delhi. While 25.48 per cent of the population comprise of Hindus, Muslims make up for 73.80 of the population. Ghazipur stone pelting: 11 arrested, constable's son says UP police can't even protect its own Amroha has of late been in the news for the wrong reasons. It may be recalled that earlier this year in September 2018, the Delhi Police had arrested two Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir operatives. During their interrogation, it was learnt that they had sourced their weapons from Amroha. Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that Amroha is shaping up to be the next Azamgarh. Even in the raids that were conducted in Delhi and UP, it was found that there were two Muftis allegedly involved in the module. In Amroha it has been found that the Mosque and Madrasa networks were being used to radicalise people. This is a dangerous trend and if religious heads are getting into this actively, the problem is immense and they have plenty of followers, an IB official explained. When the agencies were chasing the Indian Mujahideen, it was found that a bulk of the members were from Azamgarh. In fact if one traces the IM to its early days, it can be said that the outfit took shape in Azamgarh. Azamgarh had become a hot spot for terror. Officials say the atmosphere in Azamgarh was conducive for operatives and hence they were able to carry out their activities and return there safely and hide. In Amroha, the agencies find a similar trend. In the latest rounds of busts, it has been found that the Moulvis have been driving the modules. In one recent case relating to a Lashkar-e-Tayiba module in Haryana, it was found that funds were being channelised through hawala transactions, which a Moulvi oversaw. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, January 1, 2019, 0:02 [IST] Stop harassing militants families says Mehbooba Mufti India oi-Madhuri Adnal Srinagar, Dec 31: After meeting a suspected terrorist'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 terrorists' 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 terrorist) 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. Hope BJP also waits for Babri Masjid verdict: Mehbooba Mufti 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 terrorist? 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. All the more better if Imran Khan is proxy of Pakistan Army: Mehbooba Mufti "I want to ask the governor that if you have a fight with a terrorist, 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. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 6:35 [IST] Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha today: How the numbers stack up India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Dec 31: 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 today, 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. Triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha: Vijay Goel reaches out to all parties for support 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. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has also issued a three-line whip to its MPs in view of the bill. The ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu will oppose the triple talaq bill. "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. It is a win win situation for the ruling dispensation in Rajya Sabha on triple talaq issue! 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 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 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. Triple Talaq bill in RS highlights: Rajya Sabha adjourned till Jan 2 India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P New Delhi, Dec 31: Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till January 2, 2019 after uproar over Triple Talaq Bill on Monday. The government is confident that the triple talaq bill, which criminalises the practice of instant divorce by Muslim men, will find support in the Rajya Sabha, whose approval is necessary for the bill to become law. The contentious triple talaq bill was passed by the Lok Sabha for the second time in less than a year after a heated debate Thursday. "I appreciate the maturity of the Rajya Sabha and also the sensitivity of the issue. We believe that we will get support in the Rajya Sabha," Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters during a Cabinet briefing. Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha today: How the numbers stack up The bill should not be about "political opposition" as it talks about justice for woman victims of triple talaq, he said. The passage of the bill in the Upper House is likely to be a difficult task for the government as it lacks a majority there unlike in the Lok Sabha. Opposition parties, including the Congress, and some regional parties such as the AIADMK, which has often supported the government in Parliament, have already expressed their reservations against the bill. Newest First Oldest First A united Opposition on Monday thwarted the governments attempt to push the instant Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha as it insisted on referring it to the select committee of Parliament. Amid uproar over the bill, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh adjourned the House for the day. The bill will now be tabled in the upper House of the Parliament on January 2, 2019. The Triple Talaq Bill is about humanity. Congress is against gender justice, says Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Derek O Brien, TMC in Rajya Sabha: All Opposition parties unanimously have decided that this bill must be sent to the select committee Ghulam Nabi Azad in Rajya Sabha, says, "This is such an important bill which can positively or negatively affect the lives of crores of people can't be passed just like this without going to a select committee." "Whatever judgement SC has given, we agree with that. The bill should be passed, but there are certain defects in the bill which should be removed. We want that the Bill should be passed as early as possible, but after corrections," says BJD's Prasanna Acharya. "I have gone through a broken marriage&I feel that women face biggest challenge economically after her marriage is broken. When we talk about reservations for Muslims, BJP rejects it on religious lines. But when it comes to this kind of law, then they run to Parliament," says Mehbooba Mufti. "By bringing Triple Talaq Bill, they (BJP) are entering our houses. This will disturb our family life and also, there'll be more problems for women and men economically," says J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti. According to reports, Opposition parties to move the resolution demanding that the Triple Talaq Bill be sent to the Select Committee. Also, to demand vote on the resolution before the Bill is taken up. Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm after uproar by opposition over different issues. Meeting underway in Parliament, chaired by PM Narendra Modi. Party President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley & Home Minister Rajnath Singh present in the meeting Meeting of opposition parties begins in Rajya Sabha LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament TMC moves a motion for reference of The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2018 (Triple Talaq Bill), as passed by Lok Sabha, to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha. 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. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha -- 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it -- on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha -- 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it -- on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition. 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. TMC moves a motion for reference of The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2018 (Triple Talaq Bill), as passed by Lok Sabha, to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha. Meeting of opposition parties begins in Rajya Sabha LoP Ghulam Nabi Azad's chamber in Parliament Meeting underway in Parliament, chaired by PM Narendra Modi. Party President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley & Home Minister Rajnath Singh present in the meeting Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm after uproar by opposition over different issues. According to reports, Opposition parties to move the resolution demanding that the Triple Talaq Bill be sent to the Select Committee. Also, to demand vote on the resolution before the Bill is taken up. "By bringing Triple Talaq Bill, they (BJP) are entering our houses. This will disturb our family life and also, there'll be more problems for women and men economically," says J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti. "I have gone through a broken marriage&I feel that women face biggest challenge economically after her marriage is broken. When we talk about reservations for Muslims, BJP rejects it on religious lines. But when it comes to this kind of law, then they run to Parliament," says Mehbooba Mufti. "Whatever judgement SC has given, we agree with that. The bill should be passed, but there are certain defects in the bill which should be removed. We want that the Bill should be passed as early as possible, but after corrections," says BJD's Prasanna Acharya. Ghulam Nabi Azad in Rajya Sabha, says, "This is such an important bill which can positively or negatively affect the lives of crores of people can't be passed just like this without going to a select committee." Derek O Brien, TMC in Rajya Sabha: All Opposition parties unanimously have decided that this bill must be sent to the select committee The Triple Talaq Bill is about humanity. Congress is against gender justice, says Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad A united Opposition on Monday thwarted the governments attempt to push the instant Triple Talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha as it insisted on referring it to the select committee of Parliament. Amid uproar over the bill, Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh adjourned the House for the day. The bill will now be tabled in the upper House of the Parliament on January 2, 2019. (With PTI inputs) Killing of another RSS worker shows how deep rooted Islamic radicalisation is in Kerala Womens wall in Kerala tomorrow: All you need to know India oi-Deepika S Kochi, Dec 31: Kerala is all set to witness one of the largest mobilisations of women volunteers standing shoulder-to-shoulder to form an unbroken chain linking the north Kerala with its south as part of the 'Women's Wall' sponsored by the State government. Great Wall of Kerala, is an initiative to prevent the state from sliding back into medieval madness, going to be raised by a million women from one end of Kerala to other on New Year Day. The women at 3.45 pm on Tuesday, will form the 620 km-long chain ('wall'), linking Kasaragode in the north with Thiruvananthapuram in the South, and hold the vigil for the next 15 minutes. The event, a planned wall of women on National Highways spanning 620 kilometres, is meant to show Kerala's commitment to renaissance values and improve the status of women in society. The event is organised by the ruling CPI(M), along with over 176 other socio-political organisations, including the CPI, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) and Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha (KPMS). Women leaders and workers of all LDF constituents, notably the CPI(M) and the CPI, will take part in the event. Their families have been encouraged to participate too. Female leaders of CPM-allies like NCP, LJD, INL, JD(S) are also likely to take part in the event. Members of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, an organisation representing the numerically-strong Ezhava community, will take part. For Chief Minister Vijayan, the event is an answer to what he describes as the communal designs of Hindu conservatives led by the BJP and the main Opposition, the Congress party. "The Women's Wall is a 'movement for equality, gender sensitivity and social awakening," he told newspersons on New Year eve. His government will seek to protect gender equality and acknowledge the contributions made by women revolutionaries. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 23:27 [IST] Fake: This is not an image of a protest in Assam against Bangladesh violence Bangladesh election: Sheikh Hasinas Awami League sweeps, say unofficial results International oi-Shubham Ghosh Dhaka, Dec 30: There was no twist to the tale as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed's Awami League swept Sunday's general elections in Bangladesh winning 259 out of 300 seats in the Jatiyo Sangshad (national parliament). These were, however, unofficial results reported by the local media and the Opposition alliance Jatiyo Oikyo Front (JOF), which was routed, rejected the results of the violence-hit polls and sought a new election. The ruling party surged ahead within hours of the beginning of the counting and the JOF called a news conference on Sunday evening calling the election "farcical". The December 30 election was the 11thparliamentary election for the country which turned 47 this year and the results meant Hasina will continue to rule for her third straight five-year term. "We reject the farcical election and want the election commission to hold a fresh election under a non-partisan administration," Kamal Hossain, an 82-year-old jurist who wrote the country's secular constitution, said. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance managed to win just six seats out of 300 up for grabs in a parliament having 350 members. Fifty seats are reserved for women. Former Bangladesh President Hussain Muhammad Ershad's Jatiya Party got 22 seats. The final results are likely to be announced by Bangladesh's election commission on Monday, December 31. Seventeen people were killed in violence in Bangladesh on the election day. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 5:53 [IST] Chinese op-ed welcomes Trump-Xi talks but also suspects USs actual intention International oi-Shubham Ghosh Beijing, Dec 31: US President Donald Trump had a telephonic discussion with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Saturday, December 30, signalling a hopeful future in the dented relations of the two of the world's biggest economies. The two presidents, who had a positive discussion in Buenos Aires after the G20 summit in the capital of Argentina earlier this month, attached importance to the development of bilateral relations and said their respective working teams are actively working on the implementation of the consensus reached between them in the Argentinian capital. According to China's Xinhua, both Xi and Trump expressed their eagerness to reach an agreement through the talks. On Sunday, December 31, Trump tweeted saying he had a "long and very good call" with Xi, giving a positive image about the telephonic talk. He also said that "big progress" was underway and "Deal is moving along very well". India's policy uncertainty could see its merger & acquisition glory be temporary, says Chinese media China's Global Times welcomed Trump's words saying it was a good news and can be seen as the New Year's gift from the two leaders to the people of their respective countries and the world. "President Xi and President Trump reached important consensus in Argentina on Dec 1, and teams from both countries have since been actively working to implement such consensus. Both parties have accelerated the tempo of mutual communication. Moreover, China has announced that it will stop imposing additional tariffs on US autos and auto parts for three months and resumed purchasing agricultural products from the US. The US has also announced it will postpone putting extra tariffs on Chinese products. This shows that the possibility of the two countries reaching an agreement is improving," an op-ed in the news website said. But Chinese media is also suspicious of US plan The Chinese website also expressed a suspicion over the US's intentions saying the latter did not stop short of making negative remarks that were not favourable for the ongoing negotiations post the Xi-Trump meeting in Argentina. It said the US's stance confused the world opinions and accused it of not honouring its word in trade talks with China. "Given that record, it is still unknown if Washington will stick to Trump's cheerful messages and commit to reaching a win-win agreement with China on time," the op-ed said. Flashback 2018: Top 6 developments in international politics The op-ed also said that even though China and even many of the US's own allies are puzzled with Washington's uncertainty, there is no denying the fact that a trade pact will not only ease year-long tensions that prevailed between China and the US but will also serve America's national interests and facilitate Trump's own big to win his second term as the president. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 17:24 [IST] Germany: Fed up with husband, woman lists his name online for sale at 16 International oi-Shubham Ghosh Berlin, Dec 31: This world has become too materialistic a place no doubt but when one makes such a move as story here says, it's quite unbelievable to say the least. A woman recently listed her husband who she is married to for seven years on eBay for sale with an asking price of just 16 (Rs 1,422.11)! According to an article in The Sun, the woman took the drastic move since she was "fed up" with her partner's negative views on things. The 40-year-old woman from Hamburg known by the name of Dortre L said in the ad titled "Husband, used" and illustrated it with the pair's Christmas tree. She said that they didn't "belong together any more", the report added. Shocking: Woman objects to eve-teasing; Thrashed, stripped and paraded naked "Dear women who may be interested," Dorte L wrote. "Over the first two days of Christmas I have realised that we simply don't belong together any more. I would like to give up my husband. I am happy to negotiate the price. But no exchange. Please send me inquiries over email." The advert was titled "Husband, used" and illustrated with the pair's Christmas tree. 'Dorte' told the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper: "The advert was very well received. I got a lot of positive feedback and someone sent me a lot of smiley emoticons. I didn't want to make a drama out of it at all. It was just for some amusement." She also added that her husband was not aware about the advertisement till the newspaper revealed it. She also said that the price she set for her husband was as per her lucky number. A German woman auctioned her virginity online earlier this year This is not, however, the first time that a woman in Germany did something incredible. In August this year, a German woman aged 36 who did not have sex auctioned her virginity online for 250,000 (Rs 2 crore almost) - adding that her age drove up the bids, DailyMail reported. This Japanese man married a hologram and people are calling him digisexual International oi-Shubham Ghosh Tokyo, Dec 30: Akihiko Kondo is a 35-year-old man from Japan and a school administrator by profession. He recently made the headlines for a unique reason: he married a hologram giving his own idea of love the wings and has left opinions divided. In November, Kondo married cyber celebrity Hatsune Miku, a vocaloid software voicebank. Some were befuddled by Kondo's choice of a three-dimensional laser image over a human partner while others found a new trend setting in the society. Kondo though doesn't give two hoots to what people think about him and did what made him happy. "Society pressures you to follow a certain formula for love, but it might not make you happy," Kondo told CNN, also advising people to do what works for them. Kerala couple separated during freedom movement, meets after 72 years According to researchers, Kondo's action indicates at a broader technological trend and it is about digital interactions replacing face-to-face human relations globally. And as tech giants are busy developing artificial intelligence, people have started relating to their own smart devices just like humans did traditionally to fellow humans. Miku is has basic artificial intelligence and can manage simple greetings and switch lights on and off and can also face occasional glitches. However, it has no sense of self and desires, and Kondo has no problem with it since he can control his romantic being. "She really added colour to my life. When I talk with her I use different facial expressions and feel something. That's made a difference," Kondo was quoted as saying by a story in Pulitzer Center, Washington. Honour killing: Lady who married against family's wishes found dead "When you look at people who've had difficult sexual experiences, they often find trouble having human partners. People wonder why they'd have sex with a robot or a love affair with a hologram because it's passive," Neil McArthur, director of the Center for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, was quoted as saying by Pulitzer Center. "But having a partner who is safe and predictable is often very helpful therapeutically." For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 9:00 [IST] Talks with China will not help says USA NSA on situation on Ladakh 20 members of a family removed from US flight after mask of 1 slipped under nose AUKUS will be game-changer in Indo-Pacific, won't compete with Quad: US Deputy Secretary Mom catches 6-year-old son asking Alexa to complete his maths homework; says he is taking shortcut International oi-Shubham Ghosh New Jersey, Dec 31: Children are known to be smart workers, especially in these days, thanks to the scores of assistance they have at their disposal. On December 26, the New York Post carried a story showing a six-year-old boy smartly using Alexa, the virtual assistant developed by Amazon, to solve some math problems and he was caught by his mother. The Jariel Cueva was heard by his mother Yerelyn, 24, asking "Alexa, what's 5 minus 3?" to Alexa and the later quickly replied with the right answer. Yerelyn was shocked to hear her son thanking the device for solving his winter math homework and later said the kid was "being lazy" and taking a "shortcut" despite the fact that maths is his "favourite subject". She shared the video of her son's act on the social media and it went viral in no time. "Should I whoop him now or later," she captioned the 11-second clip. Lmfao should i whoop him now or later pic.twitter.com/mZEJsWWn4W Yerelyn (@spanishbarbie22) December 20, 2018 Yerelyn is not okay with Alexa helping her son who she claims is "mature mentally" as it would only see him bypassing the harder route of applying his brains to do his homework. She said she would turn off the device to stop his son from "cheating". Here are some the reactions that the tweet posted by Yerelyn received: @sunilbajpai well technology is catching up https://t.co/TRVulU9RMl Amolakh Nath Segal (@amolakh) December 29, 2018 Why didnt we have alexa back in 90s https://t.co/is2VmkkkzR sufiyan (@sufiyanakram1) December 30, 2018 Awwwwwww Mom, could you let him slide just this once? For the spirit of Christmas LOL! https://t.co/4DVCaIqEBV PHENOMQUEENTROUTMAN (@BabyGirlMcKenna) December 30, 2018 He practicing for college. https://t.co/YXzla8nIwk r a e (@callme_mojo) December 29, 2018 Respect to the young genius. Working smart > hard. https://t.co/keGGUlTwRK Deji (@GussDon) December 30, 2018 For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 10:41 [IST] Afghan territory must not be used to carry out terror attacks against other countries: BRICS Leaders Hurdles cleared for AK 203 rifles deal with Russia; likely to be sealed next month during Putin's visit Putin says Russian open to dialogue New Year message to Trump; pledges support to Syria too International oi-Shubham Ghosh Moscow, Dec 31: Despite the perceived good relation between the presidents of Russia and US - Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump - respectively, things have done turned out well between the two countries towards the later part of 2018. Even Trump refused to meet Putin on two international platforms in France and Argentina in November, a gesture which did not go down well with the Russians. However, as the world inches towards a new year, Putin has told Trump in a New Year's letter that the Kremlin is "open to dialogue" on several issues hindering ties between the two countries, agencies reported. Why did Belarus president present Vladimir Putin potatoes as New Year gift On Sunday, December 30, the Kremlin came out with a summary of Putin's "greeting message" to Trump and it said: "Russia-US relations are the most important factor behind ensuring strategic stability and international security," agencies reported. Ever since Trump's cancellation of a formal meeting with Putin at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires on December 1 over the Ukraine tension, the Kremlin has repeatedly said that it is open to talks with Washington. Putin has also written similar New Year greetings to other world leaders, including his Syrian ally President Bashar al Assad, and they have stressed on bilateral aspects. Putin's message to Assad "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," according to the Kremlin. Day after Israeli airstrikes in Syria, Russia test-fires missile; 'it hits target like a fireball' Putin also sent a message to the UK stressing his wish for the "wellbeing and prosperity to the British people". For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 10:32 [IST] Hurdles cleared for AK 203 rifles deal with Russia; likely to be sealed next month during Putin's visit Russia reveals detention of US spy a day after Putin sends goodwill message to Trump International oi-Shubham Ghosh Moscow, Dec 31: Just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a New Year message to his US counterpart Donald Trump expressing the Kremlin's eagerness to engage in talks with the US, Russia's public relations centre said on Monday, December 31, that the country's Federal Security Service has detained an American citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow on the charges of espionage, Russia's state TASS news agency reported. The detention took place on Friday, December 28. Putin says Russian 'open to dialogue' New Year message to Trump; pledges support to Syria too "On December 28, 2018 staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service detained US citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission," the center informed. It was also reported that a criminal investigation has been launched against the American citizen and he will be jailed between 10 to 20 years if found guilty. The US Embassy in Moscow made no immediate response on the matter. The detention of the US citizen showed despite the goodwill messages, the relation of the two countries continue to be tense and events like Ukrainian crisis, Syrian war and the charges of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election in the US have made matters even worse. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 18:01 [IST] This country had its presidential election postponed for 2 years! Finally people cast votes on Dec 3 International oi-Shubham Ghosh Kinshasa, Dec 31: We have heard leaders bringing elections earlier than schedule to renew mandates or polls getting deferred for weeks or may be a few months owing to Opposition's complaints in democracies that are not known to be strong. But in the Democratic Republic of Congo, presidential election was delayed by no less than two years and the citizens of the country got their right to cast ballots only on Sunday, December 30, to elect a new leader. The voters came out to pick the successor to incumbent President Joseph Kabila, who has been in power in the DRC for almost two decades now (since 2001). The latest election would have seen the country's first-ever democratic transfer of power but an electoral body deferred the voting in three opposition strongholds. Kabila came to power in 2001 at the age of 29 following the assassination of his father Laurent Desire Kabila by one of his bodyguards. The current president is only the fourth president of the DRC since its independence in 1960. The DRC is the 11th largest country in the world and the 16th largest in terms of population. Kabila, now 47, refused to step down after his second term ended in 2016 and unleashed state forces on protesters and opponent political forces. It was in August this year that he announced that he would not seek a re-election. On Sunday, Kabila assured that the elections will be "free and fair" adding that his only concern was "very heavy rain" in the country's capital Kinshasa, CNN reported. The results of the December 30 election are expected to come out on January 15. Of the opposition candidates, only two - former ExxonMobil official Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi, president of the largest Opposition party, have serious chances of becoming the next president of the South-Central African nation, CNN added. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 12:11 [IST] Ready to merge with Russia, says Belarus president; is there an electoral plan behind this idea? Why did Belarus president present Vladimir Putin potatoes as New Year gift International oi-Shubham Ghosh Minsk, Dec 30: Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko decided to give his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin four sacks of potatoes as the gift for the New Year besides salo (food made of pork fat), the country's presidential press secretary Natalya Eismont said, according to Russia's TASS news agency. Speaking on a late night show "Makayenka, 9" on Belarus 1 television channel, Eismont said: "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." "Alexander Lukashenko knows about it and during his previous visit he brought salo..., the most delicious of course, the selected Belarusian salo." Also Read | Day after Israeli airstrikes in Syria, Russia test-fires missile; 'it hits target like a fireball' About the potatoes, Eismont added that they were brought later. She said Lukashenko had perhaps half-jokingly asked Putin what he would like to get from the Belarusian president and in response, the Russian leader said what else other than "potatoes and salo". The vegetable was ordered subsequently. Eismont said four sacks of potatoes were brought to Moscow and they were all 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," the presidential press secretary said. The Belarusian administration also decided to give the leaders of Commonwealth of Independent States which is headquartered in Minsk handmade baubles for a Christmas tree for the New Year. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 31, 2018, 9:12 [IST] Rare Haematology Disorders Market Increasing Demand with leading players, Revenue Growth, Industry Share, Forecast 2025 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/12241 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/12241 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/checkout?rep_id=12241&licType=S http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ The report "Rare Haematology Disorders Market - Global Industry Trend Analysis 2012 to 2016 and Forecast 2017 - 2025" gives complete assessment of the latest trends, challenges of market.The objectives of this study are as follows: To define, describe, and forecast the "Rare Haematology Disorders" market by type, application, component, delivery model, end user, and region To provide detailed information regarding major factors influencing market growth (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and industry-specific challenges) To analyze micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the overall market To analyze opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide details of the competitive landscape for market leaders To forecast the market size of market segments with respect to the four key regions: North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (RoW) To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their product portfolios, market positions, and core competenciesGet Sample Copy Of This Report @Blood develops from hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and formation takes place in the bone marrow through a sequence of the regulated process known as hematopoiesis. Blood contains component such as plasma, RBS, WBC, and platelets. Blood disorders include bleeding disorders such as hemophilia, blood clots; blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma). When the normal process of the blood development fails, abnormal blood cell type is produced, which causes blood cancer and other blood disorders. The rare hematological disease includes anemia-type red blood cell conditions, white blood cell dysfunctions, immuno-disorders and other platelet-based abnormalities. In the United States, the condition is considered as rare when it affects less than 200,000 people in the United States or prevalence of 5 per 10,000. In Europe, 5 in 10,000 citizens are considered as rare diseases. According to Eurordis (European organization of rare diseases), there are approximately 6000 to 8000 rare diseases.Rare blood diseases include sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, follicular lymphoma, multiple myeloma, antiphospholipid syndrome, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and others. Around 15 million people across the globe suffer from thalassemic disorders and nearly 1.5% of the world population is estimated to be a carrier of ?-thalassemia. The other hemoglobinopathies are also on the rise due to increasing immigration of carriers from underdeveloped nations to developed regions of the world. The rare blood disorders are difficult to diagnose and treat. Government organization and pharmaceutical companies dealing with hematological disorders are focusing on research and development in hematology area to new, effective and advanced treatment for diseases and their complications.The government initiatives such as by Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), is conducting research and development in hematology area and is playing a leading role in international research initiatives. For example, Canadian Institute of Health Research supported the drug development of, the Canadian branch of Orphanet known as of Orphanet-Canada, an online portal for rare diseases. The rise in prevalence of hematology disorders represents additional opportunities for rare diseases treatment manufacturers. The Food and Drug Administration of Orphan Products Development is providing funds and grants to supports the clinical trial and drug development for the treatment of rare diseases and disorders. Manufacturers of orphan drugs are getting an advantage of tax benefits, research grants and fast-track approval are giving an opportunity for innovations.Request For TOC @The global market for rare hematology disorders market is segmented on basis of disease indication, dosage form, and geography: Segmentation by Disease Indication Hemoglobin Disorders Beta-thalassemia Sickle Cell Anemias Diamond-Blackfan Anemia Rare Blood Cancers Mantle Cell Lymphoma Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Hairy Cell Leukemia Multiple Myeloma Platelet Based Disorders Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Glanzmanns Thrombasthenia Plasma Disorders Hemophilia Acquired Hemophilia Myeloproliferative Disorders Myelofibrosis Systemic Mastocytosis Eosinophilia Genetic Hematology Disorders Noonan syndrome Von Hippel-Lindau diseaseSegmentation by Dosage Form Oral Dosage Forms Injectable Dosage FormsOn the basis of indication, the global rare hematology disorders market has been segmented into rare hemoglobin disorders, rare blood cancers, platelet-based disorders, plasma disorders, myeloproliferative disorders, genetic hematology disorders. Rare blood cancers and rare hemoglobin disorders indication segments are expected to contribute highest market share due to more number of approved products for this indication. Based on the dosage form global market has been segmented in to oral and injectable. Injectable dosage form segment dominated the market and would continue to do so as a majority of new approvals are injectable dosage forms.On the basis of regional presence, global rare hematology disorders market is segmented into five key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America will continue to dominate the global rare hematology disorders market due to high patient volume and availability of reimbursement for rare hematology disorder treatment products. Rare hematology disorder treatment possesses a rich pipeline and majority of these clinical trials are being carried out in the U.S. Europe is expected to hold second largest market share in global rare hematology disorders market due to growing presence of key players. Moreover, EU provides faster approvals of orphan drugs, which reduces the time-to-market. Thus, Europe rare hematology disorders market is matured market.Some of the key players identified in global rare hematology disorders treatment market include ADIENNE Pharma & Biotech, Bluebird Bio Inc., Emmaus Medical, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, MERCK & CO., Inc., AstraZeneca Plc., Pfizer Inc., Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Novartis AG, Novo Nordisk A/S, Shire Plc. Hoffman-La Roche AG, Incyte Corporation,MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources.The report provides the following information: Tailwinds and headwinds molding the markets trajectory Market segments based on products, technology, and applications Prospects of each segment Overall current and possible future size of the market Growth pace of the market Competitive landscape and key players strategiesThe main aim of the report is to: Enable key stakeholders in the market bet right on it Understand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting them Assess the overall growth scope in the near term Strategize effectively with respect to production and distributionMRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the data and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients.Pre Book Report @About UsMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact UsMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Global Biomedical Materials Acid Market Research Report 2019 is brief overview on Biomedical Materials Acid industry having detailed focus on major factors of worldwide market for future prospective which elaborates major factors and overall perspective towards business growth. This Biomedical Materials Acid market report offers detailed perceptions on the market dynamic forces to enable informed business decision making and development strategy formulation supported on the opportunities present in the market. The report provides the most up-to-date industry data on the actual and potential market situation, and future outlook. Get Sample Copy at https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/442622 Market Overview Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global market of Router industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and import/export. Revenue and gross margin by regions (North America, EU, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India) and other regions can be added. Inquire more or share questions if any before the purchase on this report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/442622 All Key Regions Covered in Report: North America: US, Canada, Mexico Europe: Germany Spain France, Italy, UK, Rest of Europe Asia Pacific: Japan, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Rest of Asia Pacific South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Rest of South America Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa No. Of Pages: 112 The key Companies Analyzed in this Report are: Royal DSM BASF Corbion Covestro (Subsidiary of Bayer AG) Invibio Ltd. (Subsidiary of Victrex PLC) Carpenter Technology Roche Evonik Industries Berkeley Advanced Biomaterails Cam Bioceramics Celanese Formosa Biomedical Technology Key Stakeholders Biomedical Materials Acid Manufacturers Biomedical Materials Acid Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Biomedical Materials Acid Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream Vendors The report focuses on Global Biomedical Materials Acid Market major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What's more, the Biomedical Materials Acid industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered. In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Metallic Biomaterials Ceramics Polymers Natural Biomaterials Others Market size by End User Cardiovascular Orthopedic Ophthalmology Plastic Surgery Wound Healing Tissue Engineering Others Order a copy of Global Biomedical Materials Acid Market Report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/442622 Major Points Covered in Table of Contents: 1 Biomedical Materials Acid Market Overview 2 Global Biomedical Materials Acid Market Competition by Manufacturers 3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Complementary DNA Microarrays (cDNA 4 Global Biomedical Materials Acid Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018) 5 Global Biomedical Materials Acid Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type 6 Global Biomedical Materials Acid Market Analysis by Application 7 Global Biomedical Materials Acid Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis 8 Biomedical Materials Acid Manufacturing Cost Analysis 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis 12 Global Biomedical Materials Acid Market Forecast (2018-2025) 13 Research Findings and Conclusion 14 Appendix About Us Orian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients. Contact Us Ruwin Mendez Vice President Global Sales & Partner Relations Orian Research Consultants US: +1 (832) 380-8827 | UK: +44 0161-818-8027 Email: info@orianresearch.com Website: www.orianresearch.com/ Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/13281002/ Stem Cell Banking Market size, Analytical Overview, Growth factors, Demand and trends forecast to 2026 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/12246 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/12246 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/checkout?rep_id=12246&licType=S http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ The report "Stem Cell Banking Market - Global Industry Trend Analysis 2012 to 2016 and Forecast 2018 - 2026" gives complete assessment of the latest trends, challenges of market.The objectives of this study are as follows: To define, describe, and forecast the " Stem Cell Banking " market by type, application, component, delivery model, end user, and region To provide detailed information regarding major factors influencing market growth (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and industry-specific challenges) To analyze micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the overall market To analyze opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide details of the competitive landscape for market leaders To forecast the market size of market segments with respect to the four key regions: North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (RoW) To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their product portfolios, market positions, and core competenciesGet Sample Copy Of This Report @Stem cells are the highly specialized body cells, working as a foundation cells for organ and tissue in the body. The stem cells are differentiated from other cells of the body due to their properties such as self-renovation and differentiation. The stem cells are found in the bone marrow, umbilical cord blood and adipose tissues. Stem cell banks preserves these sources in their most potent state for later use in the applications such as regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and gene therapy. The stem cells can be used for almost 20 years after their preservation. Over the last decade, the multiple clinical trials of the stem cells have conducted for optimum utilization in various applications which upsurge the demand of the stem cell preservation.The global stem cell market has been divided on the basis of types of stem cells, applications, by service and region.On the basis of types of stem cells, the global stem cells market has segmented into: Cord blood Cord tissues Adipose tissues Bone marrowOn the basis of applications of the stem cells, the global stem cells market has segmented into: Leukemia Anemia Thalassemia Autism Cerebral palsy Diabetes OthersOn the basis of service, the global stem cell banking market has segmented into: Collection Processing Analysis StorageThe global stem cell banking market has expected to grow rapidly over a forecast period as the awareness about the benefits of stem cell banking has increased over a last decade and drives the global stem cell banking market. The average human life expectancy has significantly increased due to the advancements in medical research, unfortunately the human aging is associated with the various diseases which became the targeted population for the stem cell banking and drives the growth of the global stem cell banking market. The increasing number of the fertility rate resulted in the rise in the number of children which can be the new market opportunity due to increasing awareness about preservation of newborn childs umbilical cord as a type of stem cells.Request For TOC @However, the cost is the major concern for stem cell banking and its applications in various end treatments. The higher cost of the stem cell preservation may restrict the usage of stem cell banking in developing and non-developed regions. The unfavorable government rules and regulations regarding stem cell preservations through stem cell banking also can hamper the growth of the global stem cell banking market.In terms of geography, the global stem cell banking market has been divided into five key regions, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Middle East & Africa (MEA).The North America has contributed the leading market share to the global stem cell banking due to advancement medical infrastructure and increasing awareness about the benefits of the stem cell preservations. Followed by North America, the Europe has also registered the significant growth to the global stem cell banking market. The Asia Pacific region has expected to show a robust growth over a forecast period due to rapidly developing medical facilities and services in the countries such as Japan, China and India. The rising power of per capita expenditure on healthcare facilities in the APAC also expected to boost the growth of the global stem cell banking market in the region. Latin America and MEA are at a nascent stage and expected to register a significant growth over the forecast period.Some of the key players of the global stem cell banking market are NeoStem, Esperite, Smart Cells International, StemCyte, ViaCord, Capricor, CordCare, Cryo Stemcell, Cellartis and Aldagen. The key players from the North America and Europe are contributing major share to the global stem cells banking market.Overall, the global stem cell banking market has expected to register the significant growth over the forecast period.MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources.The report provides the following information: Tailwinds and headwinds molding the markets trajectory Market segments based on products, technology, and applications Prospects of each segment Overall current and possible future size of the market Growth pace of the market Competitive landscape and key players strategiesThe main aim of the report is to: Enable key stakeholders in the market bet right on it Understand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting them Assess the overall growth scope in the near term Strategize effectively with respect to production and distributionMRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the data and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients.Pre Book Report @About UsMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact UsMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Digital Evidence Management Market Demand Will Increase to 2023 Evaluated By Global Top Players Like Panasonic, Motorola, NICE, Acsess Data, MSAB etc. https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/requestsample.aspx?name=1690282 https://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=1690282 Reportsnreports always aims at offering their clients an in-depth analysis and the best research material of the various market. This new report on the global Digital Evidence Management Market is committed fulfilling the requirements of the clients by giving them thorough insights into the market. An exclusive data offered in this report is collected by research and industry experts team.The global Digital Evidence Management Market size is expected to grow from US$ 4.35 Billion in 2018 to US$ 7.56 Billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 11.7% during the forecast period.The major factors that are expected to drive the growth of the digital evidence management market include the growing rate of digital crimes, increasing government initiatives, and emerging technologies.Download Free Sample Study Papers Digital Evidence Management Market atTop Key Vendors in this Digital Evidence Management Marketreport Panasonic (Japan) Motorola (US) NICE (Israel) Acsess Data (US) MSAB (Sweden) OpenText (Canada) Digital Detective (UK) Cellebrite (Israel) Paraben (US) QueTel (US) IBM (US) Oracle (US) Hitachi (Japan) Capita (UK) Vidizmo (US) Coban (US) Reveal Media (UK) Porter Lee Corporation (US) SoleraTec (US) VeriPIc (US) FileOnQ (US) Tracker Products (US) Intrensic (US) Foray (US) WatchGuard (US)North America is expected to hold the largest market size, due to the presence of a large number of digital evidence management vendors in the region and different government initiatives for evidence security. The rising adoption of technologies and increasing need for law enforcement agencies to share confidential data are significant factors driving the digital evidence management market in North America.Reason to buy this reportThe Digital Evidence Management Market is segmented on the basis of components (hardware, software[evidence collection, storage, and sharing; evidence analytics and visualization; and evidence security], and services [digital investigation and consulting, system integration, training and education, and support and maintenance]), deployment types, and regions.Complete report on Digital Evidence Management Market spread across 116 pages, profiling 25 companies and supported with tables and figures. Buy Research atStudy Objectives:The objective of the report is to define, describe, and forecast the digital evidence management market size on the basis of components (hardware, software, and services), software (evidence analytics and visualization; evidence collection, storage, and sharing; and evidence security), services (digital investigation and consulting, system integration, education and training, and support and maintenance), deployments (cloud, on-premises, and hybrid), and regions.Target Audience Digital evidence management service providers Digital evidence management solution vendors IT operations tool and solution providers Value-added resellers Security and intelligence service providers Managed Service Providers (MSPs) Network and system integratorsAbout 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 Generic Oncology Drugs Market will surpass US$ 23 Billion in 2021 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/25480 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/25480 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/generic-oncology-drugs-market.asp http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Anticipated to surpass the US$ 20 Billion mark in 2019, generic oncology drugs will witness increased demand in the coming yearsIncreased spending in cancer-related research and development by various governments and private and commercial organizations combined with investments in anti-cancer drugs are the two key factors anticipated to heighten the generic oncology drugs demand, through 2019, as indicated in a recent market analysis of generic oncology drugs, by Persistence Market Research (PMR). Expanding at a robust annual rate of over 6.1 percent, the global revenue through sales of generic oncology drugs will surpass US$ 23 Billion in 2021.To know key findings Request Sample Report @:PMR estimates that notable product pipeline for generic oncology drugs is expected to drive lucrative business opportunities. Moreover, with industrys pipeline reaching a historic level of late-stage development, in 2017, almost 90% of the therapies being targeted treatments and clinical success rates going up to almost 73 percent, the market for generic oncology drugs is anticipated to grow, further expanding the pipeline cancer treatment, explained a senior research analyst.Small Molecule Generic Oncology Drugs Hold Big Opportunities in 2019Expanding at a rather high CAGR of nearly 6.7 percent, small molecule generic oncology drugs, combing the efficacies of chemotherapy and immunotherapies could boost the ongoing cancer treatment modalities. Although, there has been a significant development in immunotherapy alone, small molecules are expected to exceed the efficacies of large molecules and dominate the cancer treatment landscape as medical exerts continually validate the positive outcomes by combing traditional cancer treatment with new immunotherapies, thereby providing increased benefits to cancer patients.Request for Report Methodology @:Although PMR analysis indicates a relatively lesser market share compared to market molecules, as a modality, small molecules are likely to benefit from their cross-membrane ability, reaching greater intracellular targets. Moreover, with a half-life of less than 24 hours, small molecules generic oncology drugs are more likely to achieve greater efficacy after a more convenient oral administration, thereby allowing researchers and clinicians to balance the side effect of combination trials through intermittent cancer treatment dosing.Research also indicates that more than a quarter of immune-oncology clinical trial use small as combination partners for checkpoint inhibitors, positioning itself as a unique compound class for superior immune-oncology treatments, explains the analyst.Potential Revenue Pockets in Emerging EconomiesThe generic oncology drugs landscape expanding at a robust annual growth rate of approximately 7.5 percent, APECJ along with is anticipated to present significant revenue generating avenues for drug manufacturing companies. Increased research and development on biological and targeted drug therapies, early expiration of patents, and increasing focus on personalized treatment medication are some major factors contributing towards future avenues for generic oncology cancer drugs market in APECJ. In Japan, on the other hand, stringent regulations involving drug discovery and development process could put a spanner in generic oncology drugs market growth.Increasing awareness and growing demand for early cancer diagnosis is expected to translate into homegrown generic oncology drugs, thereby presenting revenue generating opportunities for local drug manufacturers. Favorable reimbursement schemes for critical drugs and significant funding for drug manufacturing infrastructure by government and private organizations of emerging economies are some key factors supplementing to the sales of generic oncology drugs. In addition, contract manufacturing initiatives for biopharmaceuticals and small molecules could broaden the future scope of generic oncology drugs, the senior analyst further explains.View Report Table of Contents, Figures, and TablesProduct Pipeline Expansion to Remain the Core Forward StrategyPMR, in its in-depth analysis of the generic oncology drugs market, presents an assessment of the competitive landscape, dominated by key companies including Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Celgene Corp., Mylan N.V., Merck & Co., Inc, NATCO Pharma Limited, and Aurobindo Pharma.Get access to full summary @:Key insights in this segment, includes:Novartic AG, has applied channel integration strategies such as e-commerce along with the mobile app to drive sales at retail locations. Moreover, the company recently gave global rights of AKT inhibitors afuresertib and uprosertib to the Shanghai-based company Laekna. In addition, Novartis AG received CE mark for gene-modifying therapy for blood cancer Kymriah.Pfizer Inc., on the other hand, is focused on 39 therapies in R&D pipeline for oncology and bio similar to strengthen the core areas of the product portfolio. In 2017, Pfizers Glasdegib in patients with previously untreated acute myeloid leukemia received U.S FDA priority review. In the same year, companys XTANDI (enzalutamide) too received FDA approval.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Sheriffs deputies in Baker City arrested the parents of 2-year-old boy who fatally shot himself with a handgun in the familys home, records show. Peter Mankins, 33, and Diana Goodman, 32, were booked Saturday in the Baker County Jail, the sheriffs inmate roster shows. They face charges of second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and unlawful possession of methamphetamine, records show. Both were at home when their child, Liam Paul Lee Mankins, picked up an unsecured handgun pulled the trigger and shot himself in the head Nov. 4, the Baker County District Attorneys Office said. The boy was airlifted to a hospital in Boise, but died hours later from his injuries. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632 The person of the year for 2018 is not an individual but the group of hardy people who had the back-breaking job of fighting wildfires in Oregon this year. A few weeks ago, The Oregonian/OregonLive asked readers to vote from among 10 candidates to decide Oregons Person of the Year. More than 2,700 votes were cast, and Oregon firefighters won overwhelmingly with more than 34 percent of votes. They far outpaced the runner-up, philanthropist and Trail Blazer owner Paul Allen, who died in October. Chris Labelle calls the work rewarding but scary at times -- and certainly challenging. He spent 35 days fighting wildfires this summer. Thats a long time to be away from your family, said Labelle, a second-generation firefighter. As safety division chief with the Albany Fire Department, he works with communities and wildland fire crews to minimize risks. The best emergency, if you will, is the one that never happens, he said. In this Sunday, July 29, 2018 photo, firefighters and others watch smoke from a fire near Grants Pass, Ore. People have been forced from their homes as a fire caused by a lightning storm continues to burn near Grants Pass. (Scott Stoddard/The Daily Courier via AP) ORG XMIT: ORGRA104 APAP Oregon firefighters had a busy year. The cost of fighting 2018 wildfires in Oregon reached a record high $514.6 million, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. The fires caused sustained air quality problems in southern Oregon, canceling Oregon Shakespeare Festival outdoor performances. All told, during the 2018 wildfire season, Oregon had 1,880 fires that burned 846,411 acres or 1,322 square miles -- an area larger than Rhode Island. The number of acres burned isn't a record, but it's well above historic averages. Lt. Damon Simmons of the Oregon state Fire Marshals office and the Portland Fire Bureau says firefighters enjoy helping people. The people here are strong and resilient, he said. They just need a little bit of help, someone to stand beside them. Oregon firefighters turned out for the biggest conflagration, which was the combination Klondike and Taylor Creek fires, west of Grants Pass. They also deployed to California to help with the devastating Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise. By far the California deployment was the most challenging with the whole town basically having burned down, Labelle said, adding the experience was easily the most unusual and probably the hardest thing Ive done in the fire service in 18 years. Simmons says firefighting work is more than a job, its an identity. Youre with a great group of people, men and women, that all have that like mind of how can we serve, how can we help? Go to oregonlive.com/living to watch the Person of the Year video. -- Staff and wire reports The girl listened to Portland police officer Heidi Kreis talk about sexual harassment at her school three weeks ago. Afterward, she confided in the officer that shed been a victim of unwanted touching for years: A man had been groping her buttocks and breasts -- and he was still at it, she said. The girl also said the man had been touching another girl, too. The report set in motion an investigation -- which led to both girls undergoing interviews at the child-abuse evaluation center CARES Northwest. Both girls said the abuse was worse than first reported -- and that the man had raped them and sexually abused them in other ways, starting when they were ages 6 and 8. Thats all according to court papers filed by the prosecution. That information led police to interview Jonathon Paul Rogers, 33, on Dec. 19. He admitted to sexually abusing the girls and wrote an apology letter, according to a probable-cause affidavit. Police arrested and booked him into jail later that day. A grand jury indicted Rogers on 11 counts of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and other charges. Under Jessicas Law, which is meant to punish offenders who commit certain sex crimes against children under age 12, Rogers would face a minimum 25 years in prison upon conviction. But with consecutive sentences for each count, he could end up being sentenced to 100 years or more. Rogers is being held in Multnomah County jail, with no possibility of posting bail. Rogers told jailers he served in the military and was honorably discharged. He said he has been working full-time in private industry and is receiving some disability payments. Rogers has no history of criminal convictions, according to court papers. -- Aimee Green agreen@oregonian.com o_aimee Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. An Albany woman who is criminally accused of doping her 5-month-old baby with methadone -- reportedly in an effort to get him to sleep -- now faces a $900,000 lawsuit filed on behalf of her infant son. The lawsuit, filed Friday by a lawyer representing the interests of her son, also attempts to stop Magan Michelle McDermott from collecting a $130,000 pending payment from the state for the death of her 15-year-old daughter, Gloria Joya. McDermott -- a long-time methamphetamine user -- had lost custody of her daughter in 2015, and her daughter died from gastrointestinal problems in 2016 under the watch of the Oregon Department of Human Services. The lawsuit states that the $130,000 -- her share of a $1.25 million settlement from DHS -- is the only asset that 34-year-old McDermott has to her name. McDermotts son was born in July 2018, more than two years after McDermotts daughter died. McDermott lost custody of the boy when he was seven weeks old, after he became sick from ingesting narcotics while in McDermotts care, according to the lawsuit. DHS then placed the baby in the custody of his father, Francisco Yvanez Diaz Jr., even though Diaz had been convicted and was still on probation for strangling and assaulting McDermott in front of another child in 2017, the suit states. Diaz brought the baby to the Benton County home of McDermotts sister on Nov. 23, 2018, and spent time with McDermott and her sister. Early the next morning, McDermott fed the baby some of her prescription methadone, the suit alleges. The baby suffered problems breathing, dangerous heart rhythms and lost consciousness -- leading the babys father to start CPR, the suit states. McDermotts sister called 911, and McDermott ran from the home, the suit states. After paramedics arrived, McDermott texted her sister: tell them its methadone in his systom (sic). Im soo sorry just wanted to help him sleep for frankly, according to the suit. Paramedics gave the baby naloxone, also known as Narcan, and the boy regained consciousness, the suit states. He was taken to Doernbecher Childrens Hospital in Portland, where he spent the next two days, the suit states. The suit says, however, that the boy might suffer long-term health consequences from oxygen deprivation to his brain caused by the methadone. McDermott has been locked up in Benton County Jail since late November, and her criminal attorney couldnt be reached for comment on her behalf. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges against her, including delivery of methadone to a minor and causing another person to ingest a controlled substance. No trial date has been set in the criminal case. McDermott is the only defendant listed in her sons lawsuit. No litigation has been filed against DHS. Josh Lamborn, the Portland attorney representing the infant, said he doesnt have enough information yet to determine if DHS is liable for the babys injuries, but placing the baby in his fathers custody in September certainly raises some questions. If the evidence leads to other negligent parties, I will certainly pursue them." The lawsuit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court. -- Aimee Green agreen@oregonian.com o_aimee The recent incident at the hotel, in which a guest was told to leave, was regrettable (Black evicted hotel guest calls on Portland DoubleTree to explain why he was kicked out, Dec. 28). The article and comments on the incident focus on racism, but I suspect the aversion to anyone who might be seen as loitering was another factor. I have observed that many businesses in the Portland area seem to demonstrate a determination and zeal to keep their properties free from homeless people. I admit that is a business necessity, although a regrettable one. The behavior of the security guard and the police are open to question. The police especially should acknowledge a long history of appearing to be bullies who demand instant unquestioning obedience. For interactions with African-Americans, they should also recognize the long history of actual abuse. I have a few ideas as to how this scenario could have better played out. One that comes to mind is that the guard could have waited until the guest finished his call. Ed Bosworth, Portland WASHINGTON President Donald Trump, in his first public words about two migrant children who died in Border Patrol custody, misrepresented the circumstances of their deaths as he sought to deflect any responsibility from U.S. authorities. All the facts are not established, but Trump twisted what is known. He said both Guatemalan children were in dire health before their apprehension, yet they cleared initial health screenings and one of them was in U.S. custody for five days before suddenly falling ill. TRUMP: "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." tweets Saturday. 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 ...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 THE FACTS: This account is not supported by timelines released by Customs and Border Protection or other accounts. As well, Trump is wrong in saying the father of the girl who died has absolved U.S. officials of responsibility. Through family lawyers, Nery Gilberto Caal Cuz said he made sure his daughter Jakelin had food and water as they traveled through Mexico. The Border Protection timeline on her case says: "The initial screening revealed no evidence of health issues." And nothing was mentioned about the girl being dehydrated. The record so far as is known neither establishes that U.S. officials were to blame nor clears them of blame, despite Trump's pronouncement. These circumstances are laid out in the Customs and Border Protection accounts of the capture, treatment and deaths of Jakelin Caal, 7, and Felipe Gomez Alonzo , 8, who both came to the border with their fathers: Jakelin Caal: The girl and her father were caught at 9:15 p.m. on Dec. 6 in a group of more than 100 people trying to cross the border, less than a mile or kilometer from the Antelope Wells entry port in New Mexico. The father claimed upon their apprehension that she was in good health. (It's possible she was ill before reaching the border and that she and her father did not acknowledge it. In any event, no health problems were observed.) Her first distress was reported at 5 a.m. the next day, when her father said she was vomiting on a bus waiting to take them to a Border Patrol station at Lordsburg, New Mexico. When the bus arrived close to 6:30 a.m., the father said Jakelin was not breathing. A Border Patrol emergency technician revived her twice. She had a temperature of 105.7 degrees. At 7:45 a.m., a helicopter flew her to the nearest trauma center, in El Paso, Texas, where she went into cardiac arrest late that morning and was revived once more. By then breathing by machine, with brain swelling and liver failure, she died on Dec. 8 at 12:35 a.m., her father with her. Officials have said she showed signs of sepsis, a condition brought on by infection. ___ Felipe Gomez Alonzo: Trump's unsupported assertion that both children were very ill before their apprehension is even more flagrantly untethered from the record in the case of Alonzo. Catarina Alonzo, the boy's mother, told The Associated Press her son was well and eating chicken after arriving at the U.S. border when she spoke with him by phone. According to the Border Protection timeline, Felipe and his father, Agustin Gomez, were caught Dec. 18 at about 1 p.m., about 3 miles or 5 kilometers from a border port at El Paso. Late that afternoon they were transferred to an El Paso processing center and given drinks and hot food. In the first four days, agents logged 23 "welfare checks" checking on the well-being of father and son at two El Paso locations. No concern is noted. Late the night of Dec. 22, they were transferred to the Alamogordo Border Patrol Station in New Mexico because of crowding in El Paso, and more health checks were logged the next day. But the morning of Dec. 24, an agent noticed Felipe coughing, with glossy eyes, and he was taken to a hospital at about 9:30 a.m. with suspected flu or strep throat. Although diagnosed with a common cold, he had a 103 degree fever and was held for observation for an additional 90 minutes before being released in mid-afternoon, prescribed amoxicillin and Ibuprofen. A few hours after his meal and meds, he vomited and agents decided at 10 p.m. to return him to the hospital. Felipe vomited and lost consciousness on the way. Doctors could not revive him and shortly before midnight Christmas Eve, he was pronounced dead. A residential house fire early Sunday displaced four adults and three children and caused more than $150,000 in damage, Portland Fire & Rescue said. The fire department said a smoke alarm alerted residents to the fire and that a man and boy each suffered smoke inhalation while escaping the home on the 1700 block of Northeast 52nd Avenue. The injured man also sustained minor burns on his face while attempting to rescue other people living in the house. Smoke was already heavy when firefighters arrived at 8:45 a.m. They quickly contained the fire in the basement and first floor, later determining the fire started because combustible items too close to the stovetop caught fire. One firefighter suffered from heat exhaustion at the blaze and was to be examined as a precaution. The American Red Cross responded to assist the seven displaced family members and several pets. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Huron Pines, a nonprofit organization serving Northeast Michigan, is ready to help private and public landowners by removing small dams on their property. Most small dams in Michigan were installed decades ago and may be in disrepair and at risk of failing. Heavy rains or extreme weather, can lead to a complete blowout of a dam causing distress for landowners and potentially harming aquatic wildlife. "Huron Pines is managing two dam removal projects in 2019, including a site on the Middle Branch Cedar River in Clare County and another small dam on the East Branch Pine River in Alcona County," said Josh Leisen, Watershed Project manager for Huron Pines. "Both are small dams on private property that recently failed, and the landowners reached out to Huron Pines for assistance to remove them." Robert Gingery, the landowner at the Middle Branch Cedar River Dam site, said he was happy to have assistance in removing the dam on his property. "After visiting with Michigan DEQ staff after my dam failed in a high-water event in 2016, we reached out to Huron Pines for assistance. After more than a year of planning, we now have engineering designs, project permits and sufficient funding to remove the dam this summer. We would not be at this stage of the process without the effective coordination of Huron Pines," Gingery said. A blown dam can send a large amount of water sediment and muck downstream rapidly. This can bury important gravel habitat on the stream bank, which is used by spawning fish and is a home for the aquatic insects that form the base of the food chain. Dams alter stream flow, disrupt movement of sediment through the river system and generally prevent fish from passing upstream, which can block them from suitable spawning habitat. Removing obsolete dams can eliminate a liability for landowners and enhance our rivers and streams for people and wildlife. "If a dam is no longer serving a useful purpose, the best option for the river and for landowners is usually to remove the dam." Leisen said. "Every dam is a unique scenario. In some cases, it may be appropriate to renovate or repair a small dam structure, or even to take no action. Huron Pines provides the expertise to meet one-on-one with property owners to talk about options regarding small dams. We can provide information about the technical aspects of dam removal, the permitting process, funding opportunities and more." Anyone interested in consultation or assistance or learning more about small dam removal is encouraged to contact Leisen at josh@huronpines.org or 989-448-2293, ext.16 for information. The program is funded in part by a grant from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN). Visit www.saginawbaywin.org for more information. The Bay Area Community Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Leon P. Martuch Chapter of Trout Unlimited, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation-Sustain Our Great Lakes Program, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources have also provided support for Huron Pines' planned 2019 dam removal projects and related outreach and education efforts. The Midland County sheriff was driving a vehicle provided to him by the county during his Nov. 16 arrest for intoxicated driving. The vehicle was identified in the Kalkaska County Sheriff's Office's incident report of the arrest as a black Ford Fusion that Sheriff Scott Stephenson was operating for personal use. Following his arrest, Stephenson reached an agreement with the Midland County Board of Commissioners, deciding that he would no longer use a county vehicle when driving to and from his home, though a county vehicle will be made available to him at the Law Enforcement Center when it is necessary for him to respond to law enforcement calls, said county administrator Bridgette Gransden. According to Midland County's policy for the use of county-owned vehicles, county employees are to use official vehicles strictly for county business purposes. Though as an elected official, Stephenson does not necessarily have to abide by county policy unless he chooses to do so, Gransden said. For non-elected county employees, the operation of county vehicles for personal use other than commuting to and from the Midland County Services Building or another regular place of employment and their place of residence is prohibited and can result in disciplinary action up to and including discharge, according to county policy. Stephenson had a blood-alcohol level of 0.23 percent when he was arrested by a Kalkaska County sheriffs deputy, according to the police report of the incident. He later pleaded guilty to impaired driving and was sentenced to one year of probation, fines and costs. Northeast Middle School student Tyler Wirth and his family are excited that he is finally home again, just in time for the holiday season. Tyler, an eighth-grader, returned home to Midland on Dec. 21 from Cincinnati Children's Hospital in southern Ohio, where he had been staying since Oct. 8. On Sept. 26, Tyler was diagnosed with a Grade 4 Midline Glioma of the brain and spinal cord. He underwent radiation treatments from late October through Dec. 5 which aimed to shrink and hopefully eradicate the tumor in the back of his brain and spine. Currently using a wheelchair, Tyler has also had daily physical therapy, occupational therapy and recreational therapy at the Cincinnati hospital. Tyler's father, Mike Wirth, said on Dec. 20 that Tyler was eagerly anticipating his return home and to school after the holiday break. "Oh, my gosh," Mike said when asked about his son's feelings about coming home. "He feels very excited and just really glad to be back in Midland, and is very excited to go back to school and be with his friends. "He said he's very appreciative of everything the community has done for him and the volunteers that have helped with the renovations for his bedroom," Mike added. Home to Stay Housing Assistance Center built a wheelchair-accessible ramp in front of the Wirths' house. And Associated Builders and Contractors built a ramp in front of the house of Tyler's grandparents in Auburn, Kevin and Sue Wirth. Mike said that Tyler was especially excited to attend an extended-family Christmas get-together on Dec. 22 at his grandparents' house. And just as Tyler is grateful to be home, his family members are also very thankful. His parents, Mike and Jennifer, have been staying in Cincinnati for much of the time since he was admitted there in early October. "It feels absolutely awesome and we're just looking forward to being back to normal and just being a family living all together under one roof again," said Mike, who also has an older son, Brady, in high school. "We just want to do normal things together. We go to Memorial Presbyterian and we're really looking forward to going back to church." Tyler is also looking forward to going swimming and to experiencing the new canopy walk at Whiting Forest for the first time, Mike said. Along with returning home, Tyler will eventually have a German shepherd service dog named Ruger. Ruger is 2 months old, and Mike said that his family is initially going to welcome Ruger into their home, before the dog will eventually be trained to be a service dog. "He's very excited that he's going to get a brand new German shepherd puppy, which will eventually be his service dog," Mike said. In January, Tyler is scheduled to have an MRI to determine how effective the radiation was in shrinking the tumor. Mike said that at some point, Tyler will be administered a drug that is supposed to keep the tumor from re-growing. Mike noted that the staff at Cincinnati Children's Hospital made a big difference for Tyler with their positive demeanor. "Every aspect of care, from the treatment that is received to the various doctors that he saw, and just the way that they know how to talk to children, is very special," Mike said. "When you're dealing with something like having cancer, especially in a kid, it's already a bad enough situation," he added. "How these doctors talk to children, is what makes or breaks the situation. Tyler's doctors would always say, 'Let's look at the silver lining.' So that made a big difference." Locally, community members have responded to Tyler's diagnosis with numerous fundraisers throughout the fall. "There are a lot of very supportive people in the community," Mike said. "My wife and I are very grateful to live in a place like this, because if it wasn't for the support we have, we would be struggling a lot more than we are." Those wishing to contribute to the Wirth family's expenses for Tyler's treatments can send donations to: #TylerStrong Wirth, P.O. Box 2733, Midland, MI 48641. As 2018 draws to a close, we bid adieu to many products and services in our beloved world of consumer technology. Some were old stalwarts that finally gave way to the passage of time. Others were short-lived trends, or ideas quickly abandoned. Heres our look at this years greats and not-so-greatsthose that passed into the history books or were sent straight to null . Social Media Fizzlers Thinkstock Social media is always a wasteland of detritus, as Facebook and Twitter ( mostly Facebook) continue to drag us slowly toward a surveillance state. Klout gave up trying on May 25, 2018, when owner Lithium Technologies shut down the site. Klout tried to add value to social media by ranking users with a numerical Klout Score, purportedly representing each persons influence online. Path, the once-trendy social media site that started as a place to share photos with close friends, shut down in October. The yawn-inspiring personal assistant Facebook M stopped working in January after a general launch in April 2017. Lastly, Yahoo Messenger, one of the last remaining classic instant messengers, went away in July. Messenger outlasted its more notable rivals, AOLs AIM (1997-2017) and MSN/Windows Live Messenger (1999-2012). Googles annual housecleaning Greenbot Theres nothing Google relishes more than cleaning house, and in 2018 it got rid of a ton of things that deserved it. The Google Goggles app that let you search items using images snapped on your smartphone gave way to the more advanced Google Lens. Inbox, Googles attempt to streamline your email, was put on life support until March 2019, as was Allo. One of the numerous Google-branded messaging apps, Allo was an early experiment for integrating Google Assistant smarts into messaging. Googles doomed-from-the-start social network Google+ is going away in August 2019. Google delivered the prognosis in October after announcing the site had been leaking private data, potentially affecting as many as 500,000 accounts. The good news is that not many people noticed or cared, because 90 percent of Google+ user sessions are less than five seconds. Beyond its own products, the Lytro light-field imaging camera started winding down in March after Google reportedly acquired the company. Steam shutdowns Brad Chacos/IDG While gamers continue to wait for the long-promised Steam desktop app overhaul, a lot of things came to an end for the Valve-owned service. Steam Link got the axe in November, a brilliant piece of streaming hardware that brought your PC games into the living room. The writing was on the wall for Link after seeing the hardware repeatedly on sale for $5. The good news is that Link streaming will live on as software, just not for iOS. While Steam Link for Android is alive and well, Valve canceled Link for iOS in May after it was rejected from the App Store, according to Variety. Steam announced in June that it would no longer support Windows XP and Vista as of January 1, 2019 forcing gamers to upgrade and step into this decades catalog of games. Lastly, Steams own dominance as the place to get PC games took a hit. Epic Games came out with its own store, and Bethesda released the highly-anticipated Fallout 76 on its own storefront. EA has had its own offering for years, of course, and Activision is not really, but yes really toying with Blizzards Battle.net as its future storefront. On top of all that, in August the popular gamer chat app Discord launched its own store to take on Steam. And oh yeah, Twitch and Microsoft sell games, too. Amazon Music Storage Amazons MP3 music storage locker shut its metaphorical doors on April 30. As of that date, Amazon stopped accepting renewals for paid plans, and free users could no longer upload music. Paid users can still use their account until their current plan expires. While uploaded music is no longer available, users will still be able to access music purchased on Amazon via the cloud. Pebble Smartwatch Online Services Jared Newman Pebble smartwatches enjoyed a surprisingly successful early start, thanks to a hot Kickstarter campaign. But they were discontinued in 2016 after the company was acquired by Fitbit. The online services kept running until June, including the app store, forum, voice recognition, SMS and email replies. Some features continued to work past the shutdown date, such as apps that maintained Pebble compatibility. While Pebble is now gone for good, its legacy lives on in Fitbit OS. Swype Keyboard Few people want to give up screen real estate on their phone for a physical keyboard, but theres no doubt that typing on software keyboards can be a pain. When Swype first appeared on select Android devices in 2010, it was a revelation. Instead of typing the exact keys, you just dragged your finger across the screen, hitting the letters (more or less) for the word you wanted to spell. It wasnt long before every Android smartphone keyboard was rocking the feature. Meanwhile Swype was snapped up by Nuance, the maker of Dragon voice dictation software, in 2011. Nuance decided to shut down the Swype keyboard apps in February, pulling them from both the Android and iOS app stores. Opera VPN for Android and iOS In 2016, Opera experimented with adding a free virtual private network service to its PC browser in 2016. The VPN service was provided by SurfEasy, a Canadian company that Opera acquired in 2015. Dedicated free VPN apps for iOS then Android followed a few months later with built-in ad blocking. These apps allowed people to secure their web browsing on open Wi-Fi for free on mobile. The trade-off, however, was that Opera collected user data for market insights to support the freebie. The party was over within two years, however, as Opera shut down the Android and iOS apps in April. Newton email service Newton Longtime techies may think of Apples once upon a time PDA when they hear the name Newton, but the name was more recently used for a desktop email app for Windows. While desktop email has been a boring and stodgy experience for years, we really liked Newton for its clean design and awesome features like scheduling, email reminders, and useful third-party integration. Unfortunately, the dream of a $50-per-year email app for the desktop just wasnt tenable, and the email service shut down in September. Windows 8.1 exits mainstream support While Windows 8.1 was a notable improvement over the original Windows 8 concept, it was still confusing and eventually gave way to the far better Windows 10. Microsoft ceased mainstream feature support for Windows 8.1 on January 9, 2018. The truth, however, is that Microsoft was done with Windows 8.1 as soon as Windows 10 was out the door, with no significant improvements in years. While Windows 8.1s mainstream support is over, it will continue to live on with security updates until January 10, 2023. Nvidia kills GPP Brad Chacos/IDG Nvidia ended its GeForce Partner Program in May. The short-lived concept was, for consumers, a sort of promise of authenticity for GeForce-branded GPUs. Manufacturers in the program, meanwhile, got early access to Nvidia tech and promotional support on Nvidias social media channels. Outsiders offered a different take, painting it as a program that demanded manufacturers dedicate a specific brand name exclusively to GeForce hardware, as HardOCP reported. AMD-based cards reportedly couldnt carry the same brand name, even if they had before. After waves of negative feedback, however, the jig was up and the GPP was canceled. Kaby Lake-X Intel Alongside its mass-market CPUs, Intel has a long history of supplying chips for PC enthusiasts who want some serious power, at a serious price. Sometimes, however, those enthusiast releases can be a little confusing, which was the case with Kaby Lake-X. Launched in 2017 at the same time as the Skylake-X processors, the quad-core Kaby Lake-X CPUs werent any more powerful than other Kaby Lake processors, though there was a small increase in clock speed. The one thing Kaby Lake-X did need was an expensive X299 motherboard, with starting prices around $200. It just wasnt worth the trouble, and by May 2018, Kaby Lake-X quietly left the stage as Intels new Coffee Lake CPUs were gearing up. HARRISBURG (AP) Gov. Tom Wolf, who introduced himself at his first inauguration as an unconventional governor and then unveiled an ambitious blueprint to transform Pennsylvanias tax structure, is returning for a second term with big plans, although with perhaps a more sober view of what is possible. Wolf, a Democrat, faced huge Republican legislative majorities throughout his first term, and will again face substantial Republican majorities as he hopes to nail down second-term achievements, including on stalled first-term priorities. He is frank about his prospects for success in persuading lawmakers to increase the minimum wage, expand background checks on firearms purchases, overhaul how public schools are funded and impose a tax on Marcellus Shale natural gas production. "I don't know," he said during a December interview in his Capitol offices with The Associated Press. And while lawmakers wonder whether Wolf will float another bombshell, he is stressing the importance of getting things done. "You can choose as to whether you want to focus on things where we disagree and where we are different and, I think in American politics right now, we're doing too much of that," Wolf said. "But here, we've said, 'OK, and it might not be the biggest area in the world, but there are areas of overlap,' and we have focused on that, and I think that's how we've gotten things done." The mild-mannered Wolf talks now about fixing inequities in Pennsylvania's criminal justice system, including stopping the widespread use of bail from leading to debtors' prisons. He is pressing counties to buy new voting machines ahead of the 2020 presidential election as a bulwark against foreign interference and he wants to make voting easier by allowing same-day registration and no-excuse absentee ballots. He is stressing ethics and fairness in government as a way to improve the public's trust, and he could be in a position to take major steps to curb Pennsylvania's greenhouse gas emissions. Conventional political wisdom is that Wolf is freer to do what he wants, with fewer political consequences, since he is constitutionally barred from running for a third term. "He's got a free ride," said Sen. Don White, R-Indiana. "We all know what he did with his first budget, so what's preventing him from going down that path? Nothing." Barely six weeks into his first term in 2015, Wolf proposed a multibillion-dollar tax increase in an effort to wipe out persistent post-recession deficits, corporate tax loopholes and disparities in public school funding. New Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf gives his 2015-16 state budget to the members of the house and senate in house chambers at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Mar. 3, 2015. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com An unprecedented nine-month budget stalemate followed, and little of what Wolf sought ever became law. He then changed tactics, emphasized bipartisanship and tried to restore decency to the Capitols corridors. He has some wins: He pounded Republican challenger Scott Wagner in Novembers election, getting nearly 58 percent of the vote with the help of a unified Democratic Party, its allies and a grassroots backlash to President Donald Trump. Pennsylvania has a functioning medical marijuana program. The states uninsured rate dropped as Wolf aggressively defended Pennsylvanias participation in the Affordable Care Acts provisions. Wolf has pronounced persistent deficits to be over and declared victory in his goal of restoring $1 billion in education aid cut under his predecessor. Still, Pennsylvania faces long-term fiscal headwinds, including a relatively slow-growing economy and a stagnant working-age population, and Wolf did not really achieve his goal of overhauling the states system of public-school funding. Wolf forged a mixed relationship with lawmakers. At times, Wolf avoided going through the Legislature to achieve his aims, such as a pending regulatory proposal to make hundreds of thousands of additional salaried employees eligible for overtime pay. At other times the legislators agreed, including advancing legislation to combat opioid addiction. He grudgingly went along with an aggressive expansion of gambling to raise cash for a threadbare treasury and satiated some Republican thirst for changes to the state's system of pension benefits and wine and liquor sales. At times he allied with one chamber's Republican leaders against the other chamber's Republican leaders. At other times, he stood his ground, vetoing 17 bills, including one aimed at narrowing abortion rights. He even sent $4 million in campaign cash to the state Democratic Party as it worked to defeat Republican lawmakers. On Jan. 15, Wolf will deliver his second inaugural speech from a stage that will be erected behind the state Capitol. We saw two very different governors in his first four years, said Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill. And were wondering who just got re-elected and what the message will be to us in January. Lancaster General Hospital has been cited by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for failures to report and adequately investigate complaints of two patients who said they were touched in a sexual way by a hospital employee. The health department began an investigation after one of the victims apparently went to police, who subsequently arrested Shawn Moyer, 30, a pulmonary therapist at the hospital, on Nov. 8. Moyer was charged with offenses including abuse of a care dependent person, indecent assault and indecent exposure and invasion or privacy. The health department came to the hospital unannounced a few days later and quickly declared patients to be in immediate jeopardy, meaning the department believes lapses on the part of the hospital caused, or put patients at risk of, serious harm or death. As a result of plans and assurances made by the hospital, the health department removed the immediately jeopardy designation within an hour. The alleged assault involving Moyer took place on Sept. 12, when a male patient awoke to find a hospital employee touching his genitals while the employee also touched his own exposed genitals. The patient reported the incident to the hospital, which opened an investigation, but failed to follow the law and its own policies in fully investigating and notifying the appropriate outside agencies, according to the health department. The health department investigation that began after the arrest of Moyer turned up three more reports of patient abuse that werent adequately investigated or reported, the department said. On July 18, 2017, a patient reported to the hospital that an employee fondled the patients genitals for 5 to 10 minutes while applying medication to a rash. A patient reported that while standing near an elevator on June 7, 2018, a nurse caring for the patient grabbed and pulled the patient back in a rough manner. And on Aug. 7, 2017, hospital staff intervened after witnessing the wife of a patient become angry and begin striking the patient. In that incident, the hospital failed to, among other things, report the incident to an outside agency responsible for protecting people from abuse, the health department said. According to a report issued by the health department, a Lancaster General employee told an investigator that none of the incidents were reported to the appropriate authorities because the hospital concluded they were unfounded. The state is requiring Lancaster General to carry out a plan of correction that includes creating a team of four executives, with one available at all times, to receive reports of patient abuse and ensure an appropriate response, and training staffers on how to respond to reports of patient abuse and notify the appropriate authorities. A Lancaster General spokesman on Monday morning said the hospital has nothing to add to the plan of correction outlined in the health departments report. Lancaster General, located on Duke Street in Lancaster, has 506 beds and is part of the Philadelphia-based University of Pennsylvania Health System, also known as Penn Medicine. The incidents were previously written about by Walter F. Roche Jr., who writes a blog focusing on lapses in care and privacy at hospitals in Pennsylvania. Milton Hefft was walking along his property in Luzerne County Saturday when he heard a splashing sound coming from his well. To be honest with you, the first thing I thought was that someone fell in the well, the Kingston Township resident told WNEP. I looked down in there, and there was a deer down in there. This prompted a major rescue effort involving a dozen people from the Truckville Fire Department, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Luzerne County Animal Response Team, according to reports. And it was caught on video, courtesy of Tracey Morgan-Chopack. You can see the effort for yourself here: The team pulled the doe to safety for the kind of happy outcome rescuers always hope for. Two men who died in a car crash Friday were identified as 40-year-old Eugene Jackson and 46-year-old Alfonso Hawkins, according to Harrisburg police. A third person, the driver, was taken to Holy Spirit Hospital for medical treatment. Police said the driver was traveling south on 7th Street, and accelerated speed, which caused the driver to shear a utility pole. The car reportedly then caught on fire at N. 7th and Schuylkill streets, which is where police and fire found the car fully engulfed. Bystanders dragged the passengers out of the car before it was fully engulfed in flames, police said. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Harrisburg Police at 717-558-6900 or submit the information through Crime Watch. For the second time in two years, a state court has ruled that a mother can sue a school district because her 9-year-old son ran head-first into an unpadded concrete wall during gym class. This time, the decision comes from the state Supreme Court. The justices unanimously upheld a 2016 Commonwealth Court ruling that backed Syeta Brewingtons right to sue the School District of Philadelphia. In the Supreme Court opinion, Justice Debra Todd rejected the districts claim that it is legally immune from liability for the mishap that occurred in May 2012 at the Walter G. Smith Elementary School. Brewington claims her son, Jarrett, was competing in a relay race in the gym when he tripped and slammed into the wall. The boy suffered a concussion and was out of school for two months, his mother claims. She contends he also suffered persistent headaches and memory problems. District officials tried to invoke the real estate exception which protects public school districts from most lawsuits involving property-related mishaps. They insisted the wall wasnt defective. Also, Todd noted, the school warns of the repercussions offinding an unpadded gym wall to be a dangerous condition. That could open schools to lawsuits unless they pad every conceivable wall, floor or other fixture within every piece of real estate they own, district officials argued. The high court wasnt swayed. In these circumstances, governmental immunity does not apply and he school may be held liable for Jarretts damages caused by the alleged negligent failure to affix mats to the gym walls, Todd wrote. Arson suspected in recent Bay View blazes Investigators are still working on the case but have identified a person of interest. 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 the CPTPP hope that the trade pact will help to counter 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 of the 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. Kirt Voreis - 2018 Insta Jam Sandwich: Dj Brandt - Farewell: Peter Jamison - Outlook: Home, Bike, Home: Sendigo II - Bendigo Noble: Timmy Eaton Takes on Canberra: A New Era - Oszkars Opening Jam: Add to Favorites Added to Favorites Views: 2,177 Faves: 21 Comments: 7 This video is password protected. (Password protected) Peaty's Badass Santa: The Endless Migration - featuring Graham Agassiz: A Journey Through the American West with Mike Hopkins: Earning Turns on North Mountain - Trail Boss Roanoke, VA: Mike Gray Indian Summer Edit - 2018: Dylan Stark 2018 Mixtape Part 2 - BMX & MTB: Misled Youth - Jamie Thomas: Zero Skateboards - Cold War: Golden Hour: Ikigai - The Shin Biyajima Story: Angel Collinson - All In - Full Segment: Iran - A Skiers Journey: My Mom Vala: Clips from my @kirtvoreis_allride Instagram account. Thanks Niner bikes, FoxMTB, ClifBar, Camelbak, Sram, Crankbrothers, Maxxis, Oregrown, Sensus grips, Cachet bikes, and all other support, you guys rock. More dumb fun for 2019!DJ Brandt is embarking on a new journey in 2019. It's always a bummer to say goodbye to someone as awesome as DJ, but he is leaving us with one last incredible video for your viewing pleasure. Thanks for repping Mongoose so well DJ, and we can't wait to see what's in store for you in the future.Riding by Peter Jamison. Filmed by Nathan Theologou. Edited by Peter Jamison.Rider: Emanuel Pombo.My 2018 season on the big bike. Unfortunately I spent over four months out due to destroying myself multiple times this year so it's a little short but it's what I got. I hope you enjoy it because I did for sure!Timmy Eaton making the most out of the early Canberra summer while training in preparation for Derby EWS coming up in early 2019.Breaking in the new course at Oszkar's freshly built setup near Kisvarda.With Peaty's rider Rob Welch being the new dark horse to hit the freeride scene, Badass Santa has caught wind of this and has taken to his local spots to film a Christmas shreddit with @TOMGRICE As the days grow shorter and the cold sets in, its only natural to migrate. But as we do, we must heed the words of Mother Nature. Each instance of change is a lesson to be learned, and there's wisdom in the beauty all around us. All we have to do is listen. Heading south in hopes of prolonging the days before winter arrives, Graham Agassiz welcomes the revelations of the road.Near the end of September, North Face athlete Mike Hopkins spent three weeks with filmmakers Andre Nutini and Liam Mullany of Absolute Zero on a road trip exploring America's West. In total, we had traveled more than 7,000 kilometers (4,400 miles), processed inconceivable quantities of roadside cheeseburgers, slept under the Nevada stars on the roof of the truck, poached multiple campsite showers, accidentally drove the wrong way on a 6-lane highway in a full-sized RV, slept in the crater of a volcano, lost a camera to the torrential rains and gone from summer to winter all in the span of just over three weeks.My last Trail Boss episode of the year took me to North Mountain in Roanoke, Va and it was a different type of challenge than youd expect from me. This was a gruelling climb that goes up well over 1200 feet in the first mile and a half. I used it as an opportunity to check out the trail and then blast back down. Follow along on this awesome ride!As fall takes hold in the great white North (Canada), Mike Gray rides the wave of California's Indian Summer into the streets, alleys and rooftops of San Diego to film yet another mind melting street edit. Mike's unique approach to riding will get you motivated and ready for that next ride so don't wait another second, hit play, get stoked, and go ride! Video: Doeby Huynh.This video consists of some of my favourite clips and some unseen shots all filmed from June - December 2018. Thanks for watching and can't wait to see what 2019 brings!A true classic.Full video from Zero Skateboards featuring: Jamie Thomas, Chris Cole, John Rattray, James Brockman, Tommy Sandoval, Dane Burman, Tony Cervantes, Tom Karangelov, Nick Boserio, and Ben Hatchell.Join Sage Kotsenburg, Halldor Helgason, Sven Thorgren & Stale Sandbech as they journey to Fonna, Norway and take advantage of the longer days of light for an epic snowboard shred session.Travis Rice: ''I was able to spend three years traveling and exploring the Japanese Alps with Shin Biyajima during the production of "The Fourth Phase" film. During that time I shared so many adventures and conversations with this new friend of mine. After our film was released, I really wanted to capture a more authentic portrait of Shin and his process of living and riding as a Japanese snowboarder. I spent about six weeks over two years following Shin around his backyard in the Nagano Prefecture hiking, inquiring, and immersing myself in Shins universe. Joined by filmmaker Justin Smith, we wanted to capture an intimate portrait of a lifestyle that is quite foreign compared to the norms of North America, yet still strangely similar to the principles that most snowboarders share around the love of the mountains.''Here it is Folks. The full Angel Collinson Segment from All In.Should we go? Chad Sayers and Forrest Coots decide, indeed, they should. Upon arriving in Iran, they are welcomed with profound warmth, stunned by the immense beauty of the landscape and culture. Threaded through Tehrans bustling bazaars to Isfahans dazzling mosques, the two skiers get a glimpse at the complex dichotomy that divides public and private lives in Iran. As journalist Elaine Sciolino writes, Iran can be dazzling, and light-filled, a reflection of its complexities; but it can also be cold, confusing, and impenetrable. To travel to Iran is a reminder of the virtues of travel itself. Nothing is as it first appears. At private ski chalets atop slopes of the Alborz and Zagros mountains, rules and customs relent.Life has a way of putting us where we need to be. For Vala, thats in both Greenland - where she works at her familys fishing lodge - and Reykjavik, where she teaches her daughter how to do it all on her own, too.Photo: Mark Mackay To check out videos submitted by fellow Pinkbike members that didn't quite make Movie Mondays here 190 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard WASHINGTON (Reuters) The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said on Friday it will resume issuing new flood insurance policies during the partial U.S. government shutdown, reversing a decision announced two days ago. FEMA, which oversees the National Flood Insurance Program, said it was rescinding guidance issued on Wednesday that it would not be able to sell new policies during the shutdown unless Congress passes legislation reauthorizing the program. As of this evening, all NFIP insurers have been directed to resume normal operations immediately and advised that the program will be considered operational since December 21, 2018, without interruption, FEMA said on its website. The National Association of Realtors estimated the decision not to issue new policies could have disrupted up to 40,000 home sales each month. The flood insurance program insures about 5 million homes and businesses. The federal government has been partially shut down since Dec. 22 because of an impasse over President Donald Trumps demand for $5 billion in taxpayer funding for a proposed border wall. (Reporting by Eric Beech, editing by G Crosse) 11.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly has told people around him that Trump isnt up to the job of being president. The New York Times reported: Mr. Kelly is leaving after a 17-month tenure that he described to the paper as a bone-crushing hard job. Mr. Kelly was known to tell aides that he had the worst job in the world, and frequently told people that Mr. Trump was not up to role of president, according to two former administration officials. In the Los Angeles Times interview, Mr. Kelly conceded that Mr. 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? Mr. Kelly said. It is obvious to outsiders that Trump is not up to the job of being president, but to hear it from the people who worked closest with him sheds an entirely different light on the subject. The people who know Donald Trump best say that he is not up to the job. This fact was plain as day during the campaign. Trump is a person who doesnt absorb and synthesize information. Trump lives in a fantasy world where he is always the smartest person in the room and his gut is always right. Running the federal government is a huge undertaking for the best and brightest presidents. It takes great presidents years to learn how the government works and how best to exercise their power. Trump has no clue and no interest in learning. Donald Trump was never up to the job of being president, which is why the Russians worked so hard to get him elected. Trumps own outgoing chief of staff has said, and in 2020, the American people will finally be able to get the dead weight out of the Oval Office. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 5.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Kellyanne Conway criticized incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for being in Hawaii during the government shutdown, while Conway was in Florida apparently for Trumps New Years Eve party. Conway made threw some red meat to the right when she said on Fox News Sunday, Nancy Pelosi needs to come back from Hawaii, less hula, more moola for the DHS, Customs and Border Patrol, funding our border security. They need to come to the table and do their job. Video: Trouble came for Conway when a picture of her in what appears to be a convenience store in Florida surfaced on social media: Wasnt it her saying pelosi shouldnt be in Hawaii.. Shes in Fla on the tax payers dimewtf pic.twitter.com/dllM89OFtD Don gerst (@don_gerst) December 30, 2018 Neither CNN or Fox News stated from where Kellyanne Conway appeared Kellyanne Conway appeared on CNNs State Of The Union and Fox News Sunday and neither program specified where she was appearing from. Conway was not in the studio for either interview, and it is likely that as a condition for her appearance the White House specified that viewers not be told that she was at Trumps private club in Florida where the president will be holding his annual for-profit New Years Eve party. It doesnt matter where Nancy Pelosi is spending her time, because Pelosi is not the Speaker of the House yet. It would be Paul Ryans responsibility to bring the House back into session and end the government shutdown before January 3rd. Kellyanne Conway got busted by social media and taken down by her own hypocrisy. The Trump administration cant whine about Congress not being in session while they are hanging out in Florida waiting for a New Years Eve party that the taxpayers help to pay for, but the Trumps profit off of. The White House owns the shutdown and thanks to Kellyanne Conways need for snacks, their attack on Nancy Pelosi has gone up in flames. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. POLITICO has reported that a group of alumni of Sen. Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign are demanding a meeting with the senator to discuss what they called sexual violence on his 2016 presidential campaign. More than two dozen women and men who worked on the 2016 campaign wrote a letter addressed to the senator and his top campaign advisers. It said in part: We the undersigned request a meeting with Senator Sanders and his leadership team to discuss the issue of sexual violence and harassment on the 2016 campaign, for the purpose of planning to mitigate the issue in the upcoming presidential cycle in the primary and potential general election campaigns. They said that they sent the letter to Sanders on Sunday. The independent senator from Vermont has given strong hints that he will be running for the presidency again in 2020, so it is important that he clear up any lingering issues that remain with his campaign staff from 2016. The letter signed by the group of alumni does say specifically what instances there were of sexual violence and harassment during the 2016 campaign. But several of them spoke to POLITICO and said that they felt the issue was not the Sanders campaigns, but rather a culture of toxic masculinity on political campaigns. This letter is just a start, one of the organizers told POLITICO. We are addressing what happened on the Bernie campaign but as people that work in this space we see that all campaigns are extremely dangerous to women and marginalized people and we are attempting to fix that. The letter also refers to ongoing conversation on social media, in texts, and in person, about the untenable and dangerous dynamic that developed during our campaign. This implies that there were many troubling events and incidents that occurred which were kept private among Sanders campaign workers and were not discussed publicly. The alumni want a meeting with Sanders in which they determine the agenda, not the senator. They also are asking that Sanders top advisers create a follow-up plan which can be implemented after the meeting. This plan out specify what steps would be taken, what changes would be made, and what new sexual harassment and violence policies would be adopted and followed. Friends of Bernie Sanders, issued a statement emphasizing the privacy of the signers of the letter. The campaign committee also called the discussion incredibly important. We thank the signers of the letter for their willingness to engage in this incredibly important discussion, the committee said in the statement. We always welcome hearing the experiences and views of our former staff. We also value their right to come to us in a private way so their confidences and privacy are respected. And we will honor this principle with respect to this private letter. Speaking generally, during 2016 there were a number of HR actions taken, and while it is not appropriate to discuss them individually, they ranged from employee counseling to immediate termination from the campaign, the statement adds. We share in the urgency for all of us to do better. If Bernie Sanders runs for president again in 2020 he will have to make sure that there are not sexual harassment issues among his campaign staff. Hopefully he will do as requested in the letter from his 2016 campaign alumni and take steps to address what appears to be a serious problem. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren sent out a video message and email to supporters yesterday saying that she is forming an exploratory committee and will run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. In the video, which was also posted on YouTube, Warren said: Americas middle class is under attack. How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie. And they enlisted politicians to cut them a bigger slice. Ive spent my career getting to the bottom of why Americas promise works for some families, but others who work just as hard slip through the cracks into disaster. What Ive found is terrifying. These arent cracks that families are falling into, theyre traps. If we organize together, if we fight together, if we persist together we can win. We can and we will. The announcement by the former Harvard professor came about 13 months ahead of the Iowa caucuses which will kick off the 2020 presidential primary season. She is now the most prominent Democratic candidate who has officially thrown her hat in the ring. Warren, known for her strong advocacy on behalf of consumers, has long been a leading contender for the Democratic 2020 nomination. She was first elected to the Senate in 2012 and was re-elected this year for a second term. She is very well-known nationally and has both high regard and high name recognition among likely Democratic Party primary voters. She has also been very successful in raising large amounts of campaign contributions, both for herself and other less well known Democratic candidates. She first came to national prominence after the 2008 financial crisis when she was chairman of an oversight panel established by Congress that evaluated government programs intended to bolster the American financial system after the crisis. She then took the lead to establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Although early opinion polls have shown former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders as the leaders among Democratic voters, Warren also has a strong following. She is about ten years younger than Biden and Sanders, and is expected to draw much support from those who want another female presidential candidate in 2020. Many political observers belief that if Sanders also enters the 2020 race he will compete with Warren for liberal voters. The formation of an exploratory committee is the first step toward a formal announcement of a presidential campaign. Over the past few months Warren has taken other steps that indicated she was preparing for a White House run, so todays announcement is not a surprise. It is merely the first among what will surely be many similar announcements to be made by other Democrats in the weeks ahead. 2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The Mueller probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election is causing panic among a group of Washington D.C. lobbyists who may now find themselves vulnerable to criminal charges. According to The Hill: Special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation has given federal prosecutors momentum to litigate alleged violations of what until last year was an obscure law governing foreign lobbying. In the course of his now 19-month probe, Mueller has uncovered a web of alleged criminality linked to violations of a World War II-era law enacted amid concerns over foreign propaganda. The fear is that Muellers investigation has discovered violations of the seldom-used law that will end up capturing many other DC lobbyists who have been breaking the law for years. Mueller has obtained guilty pleas under the law, the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), from two of President Trumps 2016 campaign aides, Paul Manafort and Richard Gates. Both pleaded guilty to charges linked to their lobbying work on behalf of pro-Russian forces in Ukraine. Mueller has also referred other lobbying cases to different prosecutors such as the case involving a partner of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Another Mueller referral resulted in the guilty plea last summer of GOP consultant Sam Patten, an associate of Manaforts. Patten pleaded guilty to illegally lobbying on behalf of a political party in Ukraine. Patten has been cooperating with Mueller and other federal officials. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are stepping up their investigation into Washington, D.C., firms that helped Manafort lobby on behalf of Russian oligarchs, increasing the chances that there will be new charges filed in the future. According to The Hill there are many others in the lobbying industry who fear this could be just the tip of the iceberg. When you become ground zero for what America is angry about. anything can happen, one source said. All it takes is a couple of scandals. Another industry insider who was interviewed complained that these cases could give Americans the false impression that all lobbyists are involved in shady dealings with foreign governments. One bad lobbyist can tarnish the whole industry, the individual said. It appears that one outcome of the Mueller investigation will be a crackdown on illegal foreign lobbying that is long overdue. 2.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard One of Americas most accomplished and highly-respected former generals said yesterday that President Donald Trump is immoral and he wouldnt take a job in the Trump administration. Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal gave a rare interview to ABC News on Sunday and told anchor Martha Raddatz that he considers the current president not only immoral but also dishonest. Two other former generals, Defense Secretary James Mattis and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, are in the process of leaving the Trump administration. Both of them have had conflicts with the president on many levels and have had strong disagreements on policy and operational procedures. McChrystal is a retired four star general and former top commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan. He spoke to ABC News about the resignation of Mattis and the Trump administrations Middle East policy. If you were asked to join the Trump administration, what would you say? Raddatz asked. Id say no, McChrystal said. Do you think hes a liar? Raddatz followed up. I dont think he tells the truth, McChrystal said. Is Trump immoral in your view? the ABC anchor asked. McChrystal: I think he is. When asked what he would say to Trump supporters, McChrystal said he would not tell them they are wrong. Then he added: What I would ask every American to do 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 wouldnt do a business deal with because their their background is so shady, if were willing to do that, then thats in conflict with who I think we are. And so I think its necessary at those times to take a stand. McChrystal also told Raddatz that Mattis resignation letter was much broader than the Syria issue it was about Americas role in the world. He said that it was his hope that the letter would cause Americans to take pause about a respected person like Mattis leaving the administration at this critical time. 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 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. 493 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Sen. Elizabeth Warrens (D-MA) announcement that she is running for president has set off the first chain reaction of 2020 Democratic candidate winners and losers. Winners: !). Elizabeth Warren Her exploratory committee video announcement was powerful and well put together. It was the work of a deep and serious campaign team. Sen. Warren has the network to be a force in the 2020 primary. She also can fundraise, and has spent years building connections with Democrats at all levels, but is Warren four years too late? She is an upper tier candidate who will keep the field from moving too far to the center. Watch Warrens video announcement: 2). Joe Biden Former vice president Biden wrote in his book Promise Me, Dad that Sen. Warren would have been his choice for a running mate in 2016. Biden now gets to see Warren up close during a primary campaign, and the idea of Biden/Warren 2020 ticket is alive and well with Warrens entry into the race. 3). Unions, the Middle Class, and Students Sen. Warren has spent years on the national scene talking about labor and middle-class issues. She has also been a champion for students and fighting against the student debt and loan crisis. A lot of issues that were not talked about in 2016 are going to be brought to the debate by Warren in 2020, and that means that the voices of some key Democratic constituencies will be heard during the primary process. Losers: 1). Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)- It is not a coincidence that Sen. Sanders 2016 campaign took off after Sen. Warren decided not to challenge Hillary Clinton. Roughly a third to half of Sanders supporters in 2016 would have supported Elizabeth Warren. Sen. Sanders isnt going to have the progressive vote to himself this time, and he will also find it more difficult to win the New Hampshire primary. Sen. Warren is a progressive who is also a member of the Democratic Party. It was already going to be difficult for Sanders to duplicate his 2016 success, but Elizabeth Warrens presence might make 2020 impossible. 2). Donald Trump If there is one Democrat who has gotten under Trumps skin more consistently than anyone else, it is Elizabeth Warren. Sen. Warren is the anti-Trump in every single way. Warren is going to drive Trump batty during the presidential campaign, as she will make the president a frequent target of pointed spot-on criticisms that will take aim at his lies and hypocrisy. 3). Any Other Progressive Democrat Considering A Run For President- Potential candidates like Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) might find themselves squeezed out of the primary race early because Sen. Warren is going to do everything in her power to consolidate progressive support for her candidacy. There will be plenty of room in the field for Democratic voices, but if Democrats take back the White House in 2020, it is a virtual certainty that Sen. Warren will play a prominent role in the next Democratic administration. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 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. Mary Katherine, who also goes by MK, covers health care for The Post and Courier. She is also pursuing a master's degree in data science. She grew up in upstate New York and enjoys playing cards, kayaking and the Blue Ridge Mountains. You are the owner of this article. Rev. Nelson B. Rivers III and attorney Jerod Frazier, both with the National Action Network, are challenging the Charleston Rifle Club in its exclusion of black individuals from membership. Rivers said the network reached out to the Rifle Club to have a meeting but the club never responded. Before I talk about you, I try to talk to you. If I cant talk to you, I will talk about you, Rivers said on Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. Wade Spees/Staff Political Reporter Caitlin Byrd is a political reporter at The Post and Courier and author of the Palmetto Politics newsletter. Before moving to Charleston in 2016, her byline appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times. To date, Byrd has won 17 awards for her work. 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. Assistant Columbia bureau chief Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill. Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. Timothy Jones has two birthdays now. The day he was born, Nov. 21, 2002. And Dec. 1, 2018, the day an anonymous heart donor and surgeons at Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital bequeathed the 16-year-old with "a second chance in life." On that Saturday, the Blanche Ely 10th-grader became the Hollywood hospitals 50th pediatric recipient of a heart transplant since the program debuted in 2010. "Its amazing because its basically like a second chance in life," Timothy said Tuesday in a reunion at the hospital with his surgical team. "I couldnt ask for anything more." A French horn player in his Pompano Beach high schools marching band, Timothy fell deathly ill, fatigued with flu-like symptoms, aches, pains and diarrhea. He lost his appetite and couldnt sleep while lying down. Doctors diagnosed Timothy with dilated cardiomyopathy and told him he needed a new heart because his wasnt pumping blood effectively. Shock was Timothys over-arching reaction. "Wow, someone like me who has never been in a hospital has to get a new heart?" Timothy went on a waiting list Nov. 2, turned 16 on Nov. 21 and got a new heart Dec. 1. Last week, he went home for the first time since all that happened. "It was a perfect heart for Timothy," said Frank Scholl, surgeon and chief of the hospitals Heart Institute. Fifty heart transplants is a milestone the hospital is proud of, Scholl said. "It means there are 50 kids out there in South Florida who got a chance to live longer and enjoy the rest of their lives." And that, Timothy said, is exactly what hes aiming to do. He is looking forward to going back to school, resuming physical activity and mostly, Timothy said, he wants to "just live life." If the recent district court ruling that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional were to be upheld, far more than the laws most high-profile provisions would be at stake. In fact, canceling the law in full as Judge Reed OConnor in Fort Worth, Texas, ordered in his 55-page decision could thrust the entire health care system into chaos. "To erase a law that is so interwoven into the health care system blows up every part of it," said Sara Rosenbaum, a health law professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health. "In law they have names for these they are called super statutes," she said. "And (the ACA) is a super statute. It has changed everything about how we get health care." The decision is a long way from implementation. OConnor still must rule on several other aspects of the suit brought by 18 Republican attorneys general and two GOP governors. And a group of state Democratic attorneys general has promised to appeal OConnors decision, which would send it to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and, possibly, the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court has rejected two previous efforts, in 2012 and 2015, to find the law unconstitutional. Meanwhile, here are five ways that eliminating the ACA could upend health care for many, if not most, Americans: 1Millions could lose coverage directly. More than 20 million Americans who previously were uninsured gained coverage from 2010 to 2017. Some of that was due to an improving economy, but many also gained the ability to buy their own coverage through the laws federal subsidies to defray the cost of insurance. Other provisions of the Affordable Care Act played a significant role, including its ban on restrictions for people with preexisting medical conditions, expansion of the Medicaid program to more low-income adults and allowing adult children to stay on their parents health plans until reaching age 26. If the law were reversed, federal funding for Medicaid and individual insurance subsidies would stop, and insurers could once again refuse coverage to people with health problems or charge them more. 2Fundamental changes to the health care system could be stymied. The impact of eliminating the ACA could be felt well beyond those people who are the direct beneficiaries of the law. Gail Wilensky, who ran the Medicare and Medicaid programs under President George H.W. Bush, said such a change "would be very disruptive because so much (of the ACA) has affected the way health care is organized and delivered and the way insurance is provided." For example, said Rosenbaum, the increase in coverage meant that "suddenly it became possible for health care systems to care for, by and large, an insured population." Previously many hospitals, doctors and other health providers spent considerable time and effort figuring out how to treat those without insurance and not go broke. After the ACA kicked in, these providers began to worry less about whether they would get paid, and the federal government started pushing them to create new efforts aimed at improving the quality of care. Those include measures basing some federal payments on patient outcomes rather than each individual procedure performed and strategies to improve health across the population through initiatives like improving the availability of healthful food, bicycle paths and preventive care. If millions of people lost insurance, she said, those health providers "would have to go back to wondering how they will be able to pay their bills." 3Medicare and Medicaid would be dramatically altered. The popular Medicare program which covers an estimated 60 million seniors and people with disabilities was a major focus of the ACA. Elimination of the law would take away some popular benefits the law conferred everything from free preventive care to the closing of the "doughnut hole" in Medicares prescription drug coverage. The doughnut hole refers to a coverage gap that had previously exposed large numbers of beneficiaries to thousands of dollars in drug costs. The law also changed the way Medicare paid for hospital, home health and outpatient care. Many current payment policies are based on authority provided by the ACA, and if it went away, Medicare would have to rewrite those payment regulations. Millions of beneficiaries belong to accountable care organizations that were created under the health law, and it is unclear how their care would be affected. The biggest change in the Medicaid program would be the elimination of the expansion of coverage. Loss of the ACA would also roll back a 23-percentage-point boost in Medicaid prescription drug rebates, which has saved states billions of dollars, according to Cindy Mann. She ran Medicaid under President Barack Obama and is now a partner at the health consulting firm Manatt Health. The ACA required states to calculate Medicaid eligibility differently changing what counts as income so all the work states did to alter their information systems would have to be recalculated, she said. 4Wide array of health programs at risk. Shorthand descriptions of the health law often stop at its provisions providing consumer protections and expanding Medicaid. But the ACA included sweeping changes to other parts of the health system that rarely get mentioned. For example, it created the first pathway for Food and Drug Administration approval of generic copies of expensive biologic drugs, by incorporating the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009. Biologic drugs are more difficult to reproduce than other types of medications. Also hitching a ride on the ACA was a long-delayed bill providing permanent spending authority for programs provided by the Indian Health Service, which serves Native Americans. And the law included a series of grant programs to help train more health professionals who would be needed to treat the millions of newly insured Americans. All those programs would be thrust into doubt by invalidating the law. Loss of the ACA also would impact a popular program that predates Obamacare: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. The ACAs protections for preexisting conditions banning insurers from charging people with health problems higher premiums or refusing to sell to them altogether built on similar protections for people with employer insurance. Congress included those protections in HIPAA, which was enacted in 1996. And far more people are touched by HIPAA than by the ACA, because far more people get health insurance through their employer than the individual market. However, when Congress wrote the ACA, it incorporated HIPAA safeguards into the preexisting condition provision. That means if the ACA is struck down, the HIPAA protections might disappear as well. 5Even the Trump administrations health agenda could be compromised. President Donald Trump has railed against the health law, but his Department of Health and Human Services has a priority list that relies in some significant ways on the continued existence of the ACA. For example, efforts to address the opioid epidemic one of the administrations top health challenges could be seriously set back if the Medicaid expansion were to end. Medicaid is the largest single payer for mental health and substance abuse problems. Much of the presidents efforts to limit drug prices flows through the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), which was created by the ACA and would lose its legal authority if the law became invalid. Similarly, the administration is using this center to pursue "bundling" payments for certain surgical procedures to try to get more value for dollars spent. Our fake friendships start with the imaginary kind as lonely children. Then we start obsessively planning a wedding to our mop-headed celebrity crush. Then, as women, we befriend every famous lady who seems like us. It has never been easier to know everything about a star, to catch up with Reese and Mindy on Twitter and Instagram, talk TV binges, see baby pictures. And these carefully-crafted online personas now have a major money-making outlet. Cue the memoirs. Over the last few years, just about every woman with a brand has gotten a book deal, a trend that started with Mindy Kalings "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?" in 2012 and Tina Feys "Bossypants" in 2013. It has led us here, to this holidays crush of reading material from everyone from Tina Turner to Chrissy Metz. Millennials are the age group most likely to have read a book in any format, Pew research shows, 80 percent compared to 67 percent of baby boomers. Millions of online followers have made New York Times best-sellers out of Gabrielle Union, Sally Field and Busy Phillips. Michelle Obamas memoir "Becoming" is the best-selling book of the year. Adult nonfiction sales grew in 2017, and Obama will ensure 2018 continues the trend. I was determined to read 30 books for my GoodReads app challenge this year and knew memoirs would be an easy way to reach my goal. Plus, Id get to indulge two passions: girl talk and pop culture. Little did I know my own life would be remarkably changing by years end. Since fifth grade, I loved journalism. I thought Id be a reporter, but when I was introduced to page design, I had a glass slipper moment. This is what I was meant to do. But the last few years have left me uninspired, unchallenged and stuck. On top of that, my relationship was going nowhere. I turned to Anna. And Sally. And Busy. Theyve been my support system. WE ARE NEVER MEETING IN REAL LIFE Samantha Irby(Vintage, 288 pages) It was the cover that got me. An angry kitten on a bright yellow background? Ill read that. Samantha Irby is a sassy blogger, but for those of you who dont know this foul-mouthed wordsmith, look no further than her first essay. In an application for "The Bachelorette," she admits to spying on her teen crush while eating a loaf of bread in her car outside his parents house. "I am deeply troubled," she writes. Life lesson:You can be both confident and insecure. Irby writes with so much self-awareness and humor that her self-deprecation shows bravery. Her stories are unapologetically uncomfortable. Ill call myself fat, but in no way as an insult. Know who you are and what you want. And if you dont want to go camping because the outdoors is a sticky hellscape, dont go camping. UNQUALIFIED Anna Faris(Dutton, 320 pages) Really, the goofy "Scary Movie" actress is giving me advice? Anna (Ah-na, for your information) Faris hosts a podcast of the same name, and shes much more introspective and poignant than her characters on screen. Faris says she has "penchant for digging into other peoples personal lives." Same, girl. However, Unqualified published soon after she and husband Chris Pratt announced their separation. The book part memoir, part advice reads like a love letter to her perfect marriage, and its up to us to look beyond the 42-year-olds cheerful charade. Life lesson:Take advice with a side of skepticism. When we share relationship problems with friends, the storyteller picks what to tell, even if that means glossing over things or adding dollops of lies. I love to give relationship advice, but I do that as a single woman who has made many missteps in love, like Faris. Ive fabricated parts in my journal to make my sort-of relationship sound better than it was. Faris chose to write this book as her relationship was imploding. Maybe she thought it would end differently. I did, too. THIS IS ME: LOVING THE PERSON YOU ARE TODAY Chrissy Metz(Dey Street, 320 pages) Chrissy Metz, star of NBCs tearjerker "This Is Us," is a natural motivational speaker. Shes compassionate and charming, complete with her own brutal life stories. After each personal chapter comes a few paragraphs helping readers be mindful/believe in themselves/learn to fly. Once you get over the cutesy self-help jargon, Metz wins with heart and biting humor. Life lesson:Forgiveness isnt black or white. Metz is open about her abusive stepfather, and how her mother let it happen. Her judgmental ex-husband also sounds like a jerk. She admits to those experiences no longer having power over her, but its hard to comprehend why this strong 38-year-old continues to let these people in her life. But its her forgiveness, not ours. WERE GOING TO NEED MORE WINE Gabrielle Union(Dey Street, 272 pages) The Being Mary Jane star loves a good glass of wine ahem, the title. Her book, more essay collection than narrative memoir, touches on her every passion: Hollywood, racism, death, divorce, rape and infertility. Its deeply personal; at times its like reading Gabrielle Unions diary stashed under her bed. And were in luck: Theres talk about bringing this story to the small screen. Life lesson:Get on your platform and share. A natural extrovert, Union has been a vocal #MeToo advocate. She calls herself the "perfect victim" because her rape was recorded on a surveillance tape, and her rapist was convicted. This book was her microphone; and its one she hopes to pass to the other victims who arent so "perfect." YOURE ON AN AIRPLANE: A SELF-MYTHOLOGIZING MEMOIR Parker Posey (Blue Rider Press, 320 pages) Parker Posey, a standout in all those Christopher Guest movies, gives us a look inside her odd-bird brain, complete with peculiar artwork scattered among each chapter. Her memoir is full of big names, some questionable (Woody Allen and Louis CK get much admiration), but nothing is gossipy. She loves being famous, but not too much to lose her absurdity. Life lesson:Be a duck among geese. Her eccentricity sends us on a frustrating narrative, but "Youre On An Airplane isnt a Hollywood" origin story or a sympathetic self-help book. Creatives stand out. Shes a genius, a wizard, an entertainer, completely aware of her image. Not everyone is "going to get it." And thats fine. IM FINE AND OTHER LIES Whitney Cummings (G.P. Putnams Sons, 288 pages) Speaking of fine, how many times a day do we say, "Im fine"? Comedian Whitney Cummings approaches her brazen memoir as a way to inform readers about mental illness. The comedians battle with darkness is a tale as old as time. Humor comes from pain, and Cummings has her share of it; suffering from an eating disorder, love addiction and codependency. Im Fine documents her journey to fine. Life lesson:Lose the mental health stigma. As we become more aware of the levels of mental illnesses, we now have the vocabulary. But before jumping to a diagnosis and treatment, do the research. Cummings helped me recognize that I was using my relationship as a crutch, an excuse to not open up. THE GREATEST LOVE STORY EVER TOLD Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman (Dutton, 288 pages) Its hard not to think #CoupleGoals after reading Megan Mullally and Nick Offermans memoir, best listened to, not read. (But definitely flip through the book for their outlandish photo shoots.) The book reads like a transcript from a weekend conversation between lovahs. The TV stars are sickeningly sweet, and exquisitely raunchy. Life lesson:Find your weirdo, and you will be happy. Mullally, 60, and Offerman, 48, met later in life, but each knew it was the real deal almost immediately. Despite this fairytale, the two live a banal life, reading and doing puzzles. WHISKEY IN A TEACUP: WHAT GROWING UP IN THE SOUTH TAUGHT ME ABOUT LIFE, LOVE AND BAKING BISCUITS Reese Witherspoon (Touchstone, 304 pages) Reese Witherspoon is not only an accomplished actress, but a successful entrepreneur and businesswoman. Some would say this coffee table lifestyle memoir is just a fancy cash-grab, a culmination of her brand as a relatable Southern gal with a taste for adorable feminism. And Im here for it. Life lesson:Find more occasions to celebrate. In the book, the 42-year-old says, "Life isnt about perfection. There is no rule book. Life has many different chapters, and every chapter is worth celebrating." While my year had plenty to wallow over, I love a good party, to get dolled up and eat large amounts of tiny foods. "Whiskey In A Teacup," a phrase penned by Witherspoons grandmother Dorothea referring to sweet and fiery women, is sprinkled with Southern tips, such as leaving hot rollers in your hair as you drive to the party; and "if its not moving, monogram it." MY SQUIRREL DAYS Ellie Kemper (Scribner, 256 pages) This "carefree, happy-go-lucky sweetie" had a boring but lucky life, which does not a compelling memoir make. However, Ellie Kemper is a talented writer and her comedic detail stood out on this list. The title refers to one of her best essays, the time in sixth grade she befriended backyard squirrels after too many "Dances With Wolves" viewings. Comedians constantly lean on self-deprecation, but this 38-year-old takes genuine pride in her quirks. Life lesson:Talent isnt everything; hard work pays off. I read this book while waiting for a job offer. Would I be turned down, yet again? Kempers isnt an underdog story, but a journey made of more smart choices than dumb ones. Her bump-free ride to Hollywood shouldnt diminish the climb. Her tenacious work ethic started young she directed her sister and friend in a holiday play called "Christmas Magic" full of major plot twists. Her professional career started as a satiric writer for McSweeneys and The Onion, but her failed "Saturday Night Live" audition later turned into a better opportunity a starring role on a hit show on Netflix. EVERYTHINGS TRASH, BUT ITS OKAY Phoebe Robinson (Plume, 336 pages) Phoebe Robinson, co-host of podcast 2 Dope Queens and author of two books of essays, is the queen of relatable content. In "Everythings Trash," Pheebs demands we dont shame our "trash tendencies," such as watching reality shows or Googling David Bowies measurements. By laughing at her mistakes, were really absolving our own. Be warned, "Everythings Trash" is full of her dope dialect and phrases such as "sosh meeds" for social media. Its hard not to pick up. Life lesson:Finances are overwhelming, but you cant ignore them. Robinson, 34, speaks with candor about her $65,000 in student loan and credit card debt. My goal next year is to stop living paycheck-to-paycheck. Were taught not to talk about money, but knowing other people are also economically struggling will help us get our shizz together and go from ratchet to riches. THIS WILL ONLY HURT A LITTLE Busy Philipps (Touchstone, 321 pages) With her acting career not where she wanted to be, Busy Philipps ("Freaks and Geeks," "White Chicks" and "ER") took to social media to conjure a career. Naturally, a memoir came next, just as the E! network launched her late-night talk show "Busy Tonight." Life lesson:Failure is constant. But so is laughter. She recounts many times Hollywood brushing her off including a lucky rejection from Harvey Weinstein. Ive interviewed for jobs that werent for me, and been turned down for jobs I really wanted. When she started to feel alone in her marriage, she turned to social media, procuring millions of adoring followers and finding a support system. "Marc and I werent talking. I needed to talk to someone," writes Philipps. She owns up to her weaknesses and missteps and keeps going. MY LOVE STORY Tina Turner (Atria, 272 pages) We know how the story began. Tina Turner triumphed, emerging from a most brutal situation, chronicled in her first memoir, "I, Tina," and the movie "Whats Love Got To Do With It." But in "My Love Story," Turner, with help from two professional writers, shows us her life of peace and contentment with love Edwin Bach in Switzerland. Her adoration toward her fans is something I wish more stars would adopt. And amid a serious health scare recently, Turner reminds us, yet again, of her inspiring strength. Life lesson:The bad doesnt define you. This is her complete memoir, starting from her humble Nutbush, Tenn., beginnings, to her rise with Ike, and her record-shattering second act. This is her story, without Ike dominating it. The 79-year-old kept Ike out of her life after the divorce in 1978, and thankfully keeps him out of most of these pages. IN PIECES Sally Field (Grand Central Publishing, 416 pages) Is it possible to like Sally Field more? With a career spanning generations, Fields literary memoir chronicles her 71 years with tender wisdom. Its a timid tribute to a happy maternal upbringing that also taught her to repress her needs to those of men. An early depiction of child abuse permeates the story, as Field recognizes her personality fragment as her Hollywood career soared. This was before #MeToo; before women would openly recognize the problem wasnt necessarily their fault. Life lesson:It doesnt matter if youre liked. Her famous Oscar speech is often misquoted, but it often leads us to think of Field as just another celebrity starving for attention. As we all crave likes, the real and online kind, "In Pieces" shows us a woman searching for inner acceptance. The Guam Hybrid Land Use Commission has approved the request for a one-year extension of the conditional use permit submitted by KEPCO-LG CNS for a proposed solar farm in Mangilao. The project has been delayed due to a lawsuit, erosion and sediment control concerns, and environmental issues after the discovery of an endangered snail species in the area. Joaquin Flores, director of energy projects at TG Engineers, represented the project consortium. He provided several reasons rationalizing the approval of the extension request. He also mentioned several factors that delayed the process. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. The commission approved a conditional use permit for the construction and operation of a solar photovoltaic facility and renewable integration energy storage system in Mangilao during a Jan. 25 meeting. A notice of action was issued on Feb. 14 as a result of the approval. Flores said KEPCO showed a commitment to proceed by entering into a power purchase agreement with the Guam Power Authority. The PPA was an essential requirement for project financing. Project delays The company was eyeing a construction start date of January 2018 but the process was delayed, according to Flores. A lawsuit filed against the consortium in March 2018 further stalled the project. Former Sen. Marcel Camacho filed the petition for judicial review, declaratory judgment and injunctive relief at the Superior Court of Guam in February. The Guam Land Use Commission, the Department of Land Management and KEPCO-LG CNS are identified as respondents to the petition. The petition was filed after GLUC granted the application filed by KEPCO-LG CNS for conditional use to construct and operate the solar power plant on the 276-acre Mangilao property. Camacho in the petition raised concerns about the safety of the solar panels and supporting structures in high-speed winds. He said that his property, which is adjacent to the project site, would be adversely impacted by the construction and operation of the solar farm. The petition said the approval of the permit was contrary to Guam law. The petition also sought a judgment from the court ordering the land use commission to revoke the notice of action issued for the project. Flores told commissioners that recent dismissal of the lawsuit cleared the way to secure the final paperwork for financing the project. "This project is over $150 million. It is critical that no litigation is in place while this process is ongoing." Environmental concerns The project team also designed erosion and sediment control mechanisms for the site. The team also had to address concerns raised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after the discovery of an endangered species on the project site the fragile tree snail (Samoana fragilis). Any development over an acre requires U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approval for general construction permit for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, according to Flores. The project consortium was amenable to completely avoiding the snail habitat, which is about three-quarters of an acre. "We designed according to the best management practices," Flores said. "U.S. Fish and Wildlife got involved in the process to provide a buffer zone of almost 10 meters or 30 feet away from the habitat. We created an additional habitat to avoid the tree snail altogether." Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares thanked the project team for readjusting its plans to address erosion control and to protect the endangered snail species. GLUC Chairman Tae S. Oh asked if they had to reduce the number of panels to accommodate the snail habitat. Flores said that, while it did affect around 550 kilowatts of solar capacity, it did not necessitate a major change to the panel layout. They only had to identify other areas in the site for the panels. Oh commended the team for pushing through with the project. Flores said construction on the site should start this month. I wrote here about Elizabeth Warrens commencement speech at Morgan State University earlier this month. In her address, Warren pandered shamelessly to her audience of African-Americans. The focus of my post was on the nonsensical content of Warrens speech and how she was sending the wrong message to the graduates. As to the politics, I noted only that the audience probably would have preferred a younger, more with it speaker to Warren a 69 year-old politician trying to restore her intersectional credentials after the embarrassment of her DNA test. Todays Washington Post mentions Warrens speech at Morgan State in the context of her problem appealing to African-American voters. And she does have that problem. The Posts Annie Linksey tells us that in a straw poll of black female activists and strategists taken this month, just 22 percent picked Warren as one of their top three candidates. Ahead of her were Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Beto ORourke, and Joe Biden. In a poll that included black male activists and strategists, Warren might well fare worse. In a poll of all black Democrats, not just its activists and strategists, she might fare worse yet. The Post cites several factors that could explain Warrens lack of appeal to African-Americans. Her economic populism places too much blame for poverty on capitalism (in effect) and not enough on racism. Two of her rivals are African-American and a third served as vice president to a black president. Her home state is very white. Her DNA test revealed she was lying about her ethnicity (the Post puts it more politely). Each of these factors may be at work. The DNA test may not count for much in itself, but it does suggest an inauthenticity that could work against her. The bigger problem, though, is that theres little in Warrens persona that is likely to fire up African-Americans. Warren is an academic. She lacks the common touch. She can scold, but she cant preach. Hillary Clinton was very similar, but she had her husband. Without him, its unlikely that she would have done nearly as well with black primary voters as she did in 2016. And even with him, she did poorly in 2008, when there was an African-American alternative. Without decent support from African-Americans, Warren faces a steep uphill battle for the nomination (assuming she seeks it). As Linksey points out: [O]n average, 25 percent of the primary voters and caucusgoers in the last presidential contest were black. In 2016, African American voters made up 62 percent of the electorate in South Carolina, a key early-voting state. They also make up a large share of the vote in southern states that cast ballots on Super Tuesday or later in the calendar. Warrens lack of the common touch will likely hamper her among non-black primary voters and caucusgoers too. She may be able to fire up radical feminists of a certain age, but she will need significantly broader support than that to make a strong run at the nomination. Maybe Warren will show a side of herself on the campaign trail that I havent yet seen, but right now she seems like a long-shot for the 2020 nomination. The Washington Posts attacks on Acting Attorney General Matthews Whitaker continue with an expose of actions he took as a U.S. attorney to combat illegal immigration. Post reporter Michael Kranish traveled to Marshalltown, Iowa to get the goods on Whitaker. The goods consist of efforts to enforce U.S. immigration law against an employer one-third of whose workforce consisted of illegal immigrants. The Post learned that some town officials, including the mayor, wish Whitaker had turned a blind eye to the violations of U.S. law. At Whitakers direction, apparently, federal agents raided a meat-packaging plant. They arrested nearly 100 illegal immigrant workers, along with a union official accused of harboring illegals, and a company official. Some, but not all of the illegals were deported. The Post doesnt tell us how many were. The towns mayor complained to the Post that, as a result of the raid, employers have trouble finding workers. That claim is in tension with the Posts reporting that large numbers of undocumented [i.e. illegal] immigrants continue to live in Marshalltown. The Post seems to want it both ways. Whitakers action was ineffectual, but had bad effects. In any event, Whitaker was neither the mayor of Marshalltown nor the head of the local Chamber of Commerce. His job was to enforce the law without worrying about who profits and who loses from illegal immigration (there are always both winners and losers). To be sure, U.S. Attorneys have discretion over how they deploy law enforcement resources. But this was not a case of Whitaker tracking down stray illegal immigrants. The meat-packaging plant was flagrantly violating U.S. immigration law. To turn a blind eye when employers populate their plants with large numbers of illegal immigrants one-third of the workforce in this case is to nullify the prohibition against hiring illegals. Whitaker should be commended for not doing so. Marshalltowns mayor, a Democrat, told the Post, If I had a 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. Plenty of people feel that way. Nor is it hard to figure out how to accomplish what the mayor wants. If broad support existed for his pro-business, pro-illegal immigrant vision, the legislation required to fulfill it would write itself. However, until then until the law does let people come in as immigrants legally and fill our plants U.S. Attorneys should be praised, not attacked, when they take action against flagrant violations of immigration law. No fewer than 14 migrants, identified as Ethiopians, have been found dead in Eastern Tanzanias region of Morogoro, Police said on Monday. Morogoro Regional police commander, Wilbroad Mutafungwa, said the migrants were found dead in Mindu area, near Morogoro municipality, on the Tanzania-Zambia highway. He said that there were 26 illegal migrants on board a vehicle, but 14 of them had already died, five were receiving medical treatment at the Morogoro Regional Hospital, while seven people were not affected. He said that the aliens were on their way to South Africa, through Malawi or Zambia, in search for greener pastures. Mutafungwa said that the driver of the vehicle managed to escape. Acting Morogoro regional medical officer, Francis Semwene said the aliens died because of suffocation as the vehicle carrying them was too small to accommodate the 26 people. On her part, Regional Immigration officer Safina Mhindi said that it was not clear whether the bodies of the Ethiopians will be buried in Tanzania or taken to their home country. Tanzania is the main gateway for illegal immigrants particularly for those who are on the way to South Africa. (Xinhua/NAN) For the health sector, the outgoing 2018 was eventful. There were lots of issues, controversies, medical breakthroughs and disappointments. The health sector started on a controversial note as one of the major health unions in the country called for the sack of the minister of health, Isaac Adewole. The country also witnessed disease outbreaks. On the positive side, there was the launching of various strategic plans to propel the health sector forward. Budget 2019: Buhari proposes N315 billion recurrent health expenditure Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerias president, proposed a recurrent expenditure of N 315.62 billion for the ministry of health in its 2019 appropriation bill summited to the National Assembly. This is about 46.3 billion increase from last years recurrent expenditure, which was N 269.3 billion. Mr Buhari said the allocation to the ministry represents significant increase over votes in previous budgets. He said this underscores the federal governments commitment to increase investment in national security and human capital development. Mr Buhari said the government will also continue to strive to make Nigerians healthy and happy. The president also included the 2019 fiscal year one per cent of the consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). This amounts to N51.22 billion from the nations CRF. This is however, lower than what was obtainable in 2018. The BHCPF in the 2018 appropriate bill was N55 billion. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that the non-release of the BHCPF have been affecting healthcare service delivery especially in the Primary Health Care Centres which is meant to benefit the fund. Buhari signs bill establishing Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Mr Buhari signed into law the bill establishing the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). This has given the agency, which is in charge of disease surveillance, preparedness and control in Nigeria, the legislative backing to operate within the country. The agency was established in 2011 prior to the Ebola outbreak, to respond to the challenges of public health emergencies and to enhance Nigerias preparedness and response to epidemics through prevention, detection and control of communicable diseases. With the president appending his signature to the bill, the agency is empowered to carry out its mandate in disease control. The new Act will establish NCDC as a full-fledged parastatal and will also ensure that its valuable work is sustained and supported. This is a good development for disease control in the country. Strike disrupts health service delivery The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), a union comprising of all health workers in Nigeria, apart from medical doctors and dentists, in 2018, embarked on a nationwide strike which lasted for 44 days. The action disrupted healthcare service delivery across the public secondary and tertiary health facilities across the country. JOHESU went on strike to demand that the government honours the agreement it had with the Nigerian government in 2014. The union, during the action, accused the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, of denying the agreement between it and the Nigerian government in 2014. They also called on the president to relieve Mr Adewole of his portfolio, accusing him of been bias and favouring just doctors. JOHESU eventually agreed to shield their sword after the court took over negotiations. Aside JOHESU, medical doctors across the country had also embarked on a strike, which crippled the health sector. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how many hospitals across the country fared during the strike as many patients had to seek alternative means of health care services, most of which were expensive as they had to go to private hospitals. NHIS Boss, Usman Yusuf, suspended again The Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Usman Yusuf, was indefinitely suspended from office once again. This time, not by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, but by the Board of the Governing Council of the Insurance scheme. The leadership of the agency had been in a controversial state since 2017, when PREMIUM TIMES broke the story that the minister suspended Mr Yusuf for gross misconduct and fraud. PREMIUM TIMES also wrote on the findings of the panel set up by the minister to investigate into the allegation before he was suspended indefinitely. However, the story took a new turn when Mr Yusuf was reinstated by Mr Buhari after six months suspension from the office last year. This also led to the appointment of the Board of Governing Council for the insurance scheme. However, a new twist which set the health sector agog was the re-suspension of Mr Yusuf by the chairperson of the governing council, Enyantu Ifenne. Ms Ifenne, while announcing his suspension, said Mr Yusuf had several executive infractions that we cannot ignore. Mr Yusuf, 54, took over the state -run health insurance provider on July 29, 2016 but his reign at the agency has been bedevilled by controversies. Nigeria records highest Lassa fever outbreak in 2018 In 2018, Nigeria recorded its highest Lassa fever outbreak since the history of the disease in the country. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control confirmed that about 143 persons died of Lassa fever within the last 11 months in 22 states. Between January and November 11, the number of suspected cases of Lassa fever was 3,016 out of which 559 cases were confirmed positive with 17 observed as probable cases and 2,440 cases confirmed negative. Among the 22 states which have recorded at least one case of Lassa fever, three states: Edo, Ondo and Ebonyi top the chart with the highest reported cases. Although Lassa fever outbreak in the country reached its peak this year, there were more deaths recorded from the cholera outbreak which ravaged 29 states in Nigeria. In 2018, over 1,000 deaths was recorded in the country due to cholera outbreak. Most of the deaths were reported from Borno State. Aside Lassa fever and cholera outbreaks, Nigeria also witnessed outbreaks of diseases such yellow fever, measles, among others. Nigeria doctors mass emigration Nigerian doctors have been leaving the country in droves, seeking greener pastures in other climes. In a special report done by PREMIUM TIMES, it was observed that many doctors are still planning to leave the country. There has been a reported massive brain drain in the medical sector in recent years as many medical doctors are leaving the country on daily basis. Nigerian doctors have been migrating to U.S, Canada, Saudi Arabia, the UK and many other nations across the globe, investigations reveal. Doctors who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES said though the migration is not a new trend, it has only gotten worse because of the working conditions in the country. Unfortunately, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), which is the agency in charge of conducting the activities of the medical professionals could not provide PREMIUM TIMES the data of how many Nigerian doctors still working in the country and those who have left. PREMIUM TIMES also approached the Nigerian Medical Association, (NMA), for data on doctors in Nigeria and those who have left. The effort was also not successful as the associations authorities referred the reporter back to MDCN. Statistics from General Medical Council (GMC) UK, as at July 2017 shows that over 4,765 Nigerian doctors are working in the UK. This is 1.7 per cent of the total of the UKs medical workforce. This trend has been having negative effects on Nigerias health sector. As a result of this, experts say, Nigeria is experiencing a shortage of doctors in most of its hospitals. The mass exodus of the health professionals from the country has remain a challenge yet to be resolve as the government is yet to find a solution. Nigeria conducts largest yellow fever vaccination campaign The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, conducted a nationwide yellow fever reactive vaccination campaign in 2018. The Immunisation drive was a response to the unprecedented yellow fever outbreak in some states in Nigeria. The campaign is part of the global strategy to Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) by 2026. Since September 2017, when the first Yellow fever case was detected in Nigeria, the country has intensified efforts to protect its population. The immunisation was done in two batches, with more than 32 million people age from 9 months and 44 years expected to be protected from the disease. PREMIUM TIMES had reported that there was a large turnout of people to receive the vaccine in Abuja. The reactionary vaccination campaign became necessary when the disease resurfaced in Nigeria in September 2017 after 21 years of silence, when it was discovered in a seven-year-old girl in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. Since then other cases of the disease have been confirmed in Edo state among others. Federal Government yet to implement BHCPF The federal government is yet to roll out the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) which was budgeted for in the 2018 budget. The minister of health Isaac Adewole in December had said that the government will soon roll out the funds. He said six states will be the first beneficiaries of the funds. The states include Osun, Abia, Niger, Yobe, Borno and Edo. Nigeria, for the first time, budgeted for the BHCPF in 2018. When the 2018 budget was passed, the National Assembly earmarked N 55 billion for the BHCPF, as stipulated by the Act. This is one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue for health funding. Though approved in the budget, the fund is yet to be released and it again restored the argument over non-implementation of the Act to the front burner. The fund is a basic provision under the National Health Act but was only appropriated this year for the first time since the Act was signed in 2014. The Senior Technical Advisor for Development Research and Project Center (dRPC)-PAS, Emmanuel Abanida, said failure to release the money was having a negative effect on health care delivery in the country, especially in the rural areas as it could have been handy in the revitalisation of primary health care centres. The fund is also envisaged to help reduce out of pocket spending on health care through the National Health Insurance Scheme. Immunisation: GAVI extends funding support to Nigeria till 2028 Global Alliance for Vaccines Initiative (GAVI) has extended its funding support for immunisation in Nigeria until 2028. The decision which followed a plea by Nigerian government will see the body, which is the largest global coalition of the public and private sector in the health sector, commit about $1.03 billion. GAVI board approved the funding envelope and extension of transitional period from 2021 to 2028. The funding agreement was to end in 2021 but Nigeria is not yet ready to shoulder the financial burden of its immunisation programme. The new investment is worth $2.7 billion, with GAVI committing $1.03 billion while Nigerian Government counterpart contribution is in excess of $1.9 billion. Federal government bans codeine The Federal Ministry of Health in 2018, banned the importation of codeine as an active pharmaceutical ingredient in Nigeria. The ban was as a result of the increasing abuse of codeine substance in drugs by Nigerians, especially the youth. This, they use to attain the state of ecstasy (highness). To curtail the abuse, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) stopped issuing permits for the importation of codeine, implying that codeine related drugs are no longer to be imported or produced in the country. Instead codeine containing cough syrup should be replaced with Dextromethorphan, which is less addictive. PREMIUM TIMES investigation months after the ban revealed that the drugs are still sold in the market, though at a more expensive price. An Islamic group has announced the abduction of 20 members of its First Aid Group (FAG) in Katsina. The Jamaatu Izalatil Bidah Waikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) said the victims were kidnapped on December 23 in Jibiya Local Government Area of Katsina State. Sani Jingir, the National Chairman of the Ulama Council of the group, disclosed the incident to journalists on Sunday, at a press conference held at the headquarters of the group in Jos. The Ulama Council is the highest spiritual organ of the religious organisation. The victims were on their way back to their destination in Sokoto State, after attending a first aid camp in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State, Mr Jingir said. Our members of the First Aid Group from Sokoto state on their way home were kidnapped after they have left Jibya in Katsina State before they entered Zamfara State. The kidnappers peacefully stopped them, took them out of their bus, before moving them into the bush. Their bus was abandoned and we were able to retrieve it, he said. The cleric expressed shock that the incident happened to caregivers. He told journalists that President Buhari had called him to express sympathy about the kidnap. When asked if the kidnappers have contacted the group, Mr Jingir said so far no one has contacted them. As at the time of this conference, nobody has contacted us. It is very unfortunate. I urge the kidnappers to fear Allah, they should know that the hostages were only first aiders, nobody is paying them salary, they only render help to people, he added. Kidnapping for ransom has increased in many parts of Nigeria including states like Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Ondo and Ekiti. The police are yet to speak on the kidnap of the caregivers. The Democratic Republic of Congos opposition said on Monday it expected one of its candidates to win the presidential election based on early vote tallies. However, the ruling coalition said it was confident its candidate had won the chaotic contest. The competing claims followed a disorderly election day on Sunday in which many Congolese were unable to vote due to an Ebola outbreak, conflict and logistical problems. The vote was meant to choose a successor to outgoing President Joseph Kabila after 18 years in power and could lead to the vast central African countrys first ever democratic transition. Any disputed outcome could lead to a repeat of the violence that followed the 2006 and 2011 elections. It could also lead to a wider security breakdown, particularly along Congos borders with Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, where dozens of armed militia are active. Vital Kamerhe, the campaign manager to opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi, said early counting showed Tshisekedi and the other main opposition candidate Martin Fayulu neck-and-neck in the lead, each with over 40 percent of the vote. He said the ruling coalition candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is backed by Kabila, had only about 13 percent, although a significant part of the vote remained to be tabulated. The election is a first-past-the-post system with no run-off. Nehemie Mwilanya, Kabilas chief of staff and a member of Shadarys campaign, told a news conference on Monday morning that he was confident Shadary had won, although he did not provide specific figures. For us, victory is certain, Mwilanya said. Fayulus camp has not yet provided specific numbers but Fayulu said late on Sunday that Shadarys camp was dreaming if it thought it was going to win. The most recent opinion poll before the election, released by New York Universitys Congo Research Group on Friday, showed Fayulu, a former Exxon Mobil manager, leading the race on 47 percent. Tshisekedi had 24 percent and Shadary 19 percent. The first partial results are expected from the National Electoral Commission (CENI) on Tuesday. Election day was mostly peaceful despite several violent incidents, including an altercation at a polling place in eastern Congo in which at least three people were killed. More than 1.2 million Congolese were also unable to vote in three opposition strongholds, where the CENI canceled the poll last week, citing an ongoing Ebola outbreak and ethnic violence. However, in the Ebola hotspot of Beni, an opposition stronghold, residents staged a mock presidential election to show the authorities a decision to postpone the vote there due to health fears was unfounded. (Reuters/NAN) A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state governor has warned that his party might lose the 2019 presidential election if it fails to address the concerns of party leaders over a plethora of issues he said were drawing back its campaign for the election. According to the governor, who asked not to be named so he is not victimised by the party, there is deep frustration in the PDP camp just over six weeks to the election and time is running out. He said in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, All is not going well with our campaign and the commitment of many top party leaders to the campaign is suspect. The governor, who is considered very influential in the party, said he had been contacted by many leaders of the party from across the country who were worried about the preparation of the PDP for the presidential election. It seems as if we (including Atiku) have conceded the election to Buhari even though the Nigerian people are behind us. The momentum has fallen, the possibility of victory is getting slimmer every day, the governor lamented. He said party leaders were aggrieved by alleged lack of consultation by the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, before making key appointments of his running mate and head of the campaign organisation. Among the worried leaders he named are state governors Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, Nyesom Wike of Rivers and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto; as well as former governors Ahmed Makarfi, Sule Lamido, and Rabiu Kwankwaso. Four of the serving and former governors ran for the PDP presidential ticket against Mr Abubakar. But the governor said the concerns they expressed had nothing to do with their loss of the partys ticket. He (Atiku) did not consult anybody before appointing Obi (former Anambra State governor, Peter). They (party leaders) are saying we should have sat down to do a proper calculation on where the running mate should come from, whether from the South-west or the South-east. The thinking among many leaders is that the running mate should have come from the South-west because you have from there people like Tinubu (former Lagos State governor, Bola, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who is politically-savvy and (Vice President Yemi) Osinbajo who has integrity and credibility. Why will the people of the South-west abandon Tinubu and Osinbajo to vote PDP and Atiku? People believe that we should have instead given the South-west the vice presidency and make a commitment to hand over power to the South-east after an Atiku presidency. The governor also said the South-east leaders of the party have remained lukewarm to the PDP campaign because of Mr Abubakars choice of Mr Obi as his running mate. (Deputy Senate President, Ike) Ekweremadu and many South-east leaders including the governors; their commitment is not total. Obi is considered an APGA person who only defected to the PDP during the (former President Goodluck) Jonathan era because he had nowhere else to go. In any case, what is his electoral worth in the South-East. Mr Obi served two terms as governor of Anambra State on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance but left APGA for the PDP in 2014 after falling out with his successor, Willie Obiano, whose reelection he later failed to stop. The worried governor also faulted the structure and composition of the PDP presidential campaign organisation. There is also Saraki (Senate President, Bukola) who like Atiku is a recent returnee to the party. He was appointed the head of the campaign. Real leaders who have been committed to the PDP, people who did not leave the party during rain or shine, they have been sidelined by the newcomers. Why were leaders like Lamido and Makarfi not given central roles in the campaign? Structure of campaign The campaign has a faulty structure. Saraki has a lot of baggage. As a sitting Senate President, he cannot oppose the president vigorously as a leader of another arm of the same government. He also still has a lot to do running that arm of government. To worsen the matter, in a zone (South-west) where you have leaders like Bode George, you appointed (former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele) Fayose as campaign coordinator. What can Fayose do against people like Tinubu and Osinbajo? Who can Fayose talk to in the zone? Who will he coordinate? The campaign in the South-west is structured to fail. The governor said there are concerns over the situation of the PDP in other zones too. The situation in Kano, where a lot of votes will come from, is going from bad to worse. Although Kwankwaso is the coordinator (for the North-west), he does not appear to be too keen due to lack of consultation. His supporters have started returning to the APC, including the former deputy governor. Nothing is happening in that state now. Hafiz Abubakar was deputy to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje until he resigned from the government and APC to join PDP. He has now returned to the APC after failing in his bid for the governorship ticket of the opposition party. Atiku and the love for Dubai The worried governor also warned of negative implications of the frequent visits by Mr Abubakar to Dubai, the glittering city in the United Arabs Emirate and dragnet for shoppers, tourists and investors from across the world. Atikus love for Dubai is giving the impression that his only interest in Nigeria is the election. Why the frequent trips to Dubai, a place seen as where people go to hide loots? The frequent trips to Dubai is a big minus. After dropping the Obi bombshell (the announcement of his running mate), he left for Dubai for six weeks, not making use of the huge momentum gained in Port Harcourt (the PDP National Convention where Mr Abubakar won his nomination). A group of leaders was to meet him before Christmas only for them to learn that he had travelled to Dubai for holiday. Why go to Dubai to hold meetings about an election that will happen in Nigeria? Incoherent Messaging The governor further observed that the PDP flag-bearer has neglected to properly strategise to formulate his message to the Nigerian voters for the election. There is no investment in a developing a strategy. The messaging is incoherent. What are the central messages we are pushing to Nigerians? We are just making comments like I will sell the NNPC (the government cash-cow Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, which Mr Abubakar has promised to privatise) and throwing around unsubstantiated allegations. A matter of such great concern should have been handled better. Too many campaign spokespersons He said the PDP presidential campaign has too many spokespersons and lacks coordination. Some people are speaking on behalf of Atiku personally, others are speaking from the campaign office, some are speaking from PDP headquarters while there are those speaking from the Atiku Media Office. And what they are saying are sometimes contradictory to each others. The governor, however, said the situation could still be salvaged if all the concerns he raised are addressed quickly. If we do so, the possibility of turning things around is still there, he said, but again quickly stressed, time is fast running out. Four people were killed in another round of attack in Nding village of Barikin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, the Plateau State police command has confirmed. Typev Terna, the police spokesperson who confirmed the incident also said two people were critically injured and are currently receiving treatment at the Barikin Ladi General Hospital. The incident is coming six days after five people were killed in Rawuru village of Fan District of Barikin LGA of the state. On 30/12/2018 at about 1815hrs, the Plateau State Police Command, Jos received a distress call from SAMSON BITRUS of Gwom Nding Village that on the same date, at about 1800hrs, some unknown gunmen attacked a Peugeot 504 Station Wagon on the way to Nding Village. The Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Austin I Agbonlahor, having received the information, immediately assembled a team that raced to the scene of crime but discovered on arrival that the attackers had left the scene of crime. On the scene of crime, three persons were seen motionless and they were immediately taken to the Barkin Ladi General Hospital where they were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty. Three injured persons were also taken to the Hospital. Out of the three persons that were injured, one of them died while receiving treatment. The remaining two persons in the hospital are responding to treatment. Citizens are advised to go about their lawful businesses and volunteer information that could lead to the timely arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act to face the full weight of the law, the police added. The attack occurred despite police deploying over 2,000 officers to maintain peace in the state, during the Christmas and New Year season. Barkin Ladi is one of the communities in Plateau State that has suffered from repeated violence, often between herders and farming communities. The violence sometimes, takes ethnic and religious forms. Every year, Nigeria battles communicable diseases, some of which are on the national priority list for eradication. PREMIUM TIMES analyses how Nigeria fared in 2018 in the surveilance, prevention and management of six diseases that caused the death of hundreds of people in the country. 1. Polio Since the beginning of 2018, Nigeria has not recorded any active case of Wild Poliovirus (WPV) in the country. Though there were reports of suspected cases of the disease, none was positive. The weekly epidemiological report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) revealed that 145 new cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) was reported. None was confirmed as WPV. This is a good report for Nigeria which was on the verge of being declared polio free but had a major set back in August 2016 when an active case of polio was reported in Borno State. This led the government to intensify its effort in the eradication of the disease in the country. This is being done by intensifying polio vaccination campaigns. The last reported case had been a major setback to the global campaign to eradicate polio. Globally, Nigeria is one of only three countries in the world with ongoing wild polio virus (WPV) transmission, alongside Afghanistan and Pakistan. The epidemiological report for week 48 which ended December 2 shows that no new case of WPV was recorded. Reports from NCDC showed that in the reporting week, 145 suspected cases of AFP were reported from 114 LGAs in 35 states In total, between week 1 and 48 (2018), 8132 suspected cases of AFP were reported from 752 LGAs in 37 States and none was confirmed as WPV. Although no WPV was discovered in 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced the discovery of a Type-2 polio virus in Bauchi State. The virus was discovered during the monthly collection of samples from different locations. The latest strain of the virus was from isolated environmental samples from the Gwallaga area, as well as refuse dump sites and drainages. The vaccine-derived poliovirus was linked to the one earlier discovered in Hadeja, Jigawa State. The new strain is as a result of non-compliance to immunisation schedules. In Bauchi local ouncil area, only 52 per cent of children are fully immunised, 29 per cent did not complete their routine, while 19 per cent have never been immunised. The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, had earlier in the year said Nigeria will not be quick to get a polio free certificate as the country needs to tread with caution. This he said is necessary because of the hard to reach areas for vaccination in Borno State. Mr Adewole said there are still some areas in the insurgency ravaged zone of Borno State and neighbouring countries of Niger and Chad which are yet to be effectively covered. 2. Measles Since the beginning of the year, 124 persons have died from measles in Nigeria. According to NCDC weekly epidemiological report for week 48, 16,393 suspected measles cases with 1110 laboratory-confirmed and 124 deaths (CFR, 0.8 per cent) were reported from 36 states and FCT. The suspected case was lower than 2017 where 21,162 suspected cases with 109 laboratory-confirmed. The death record was however slightly higher in 2018 as 112 deaths (CFR, 0.53 per cent) from 36 states and FCT was recorded during the same period in 2017 NCDC said response measures in places affected include immunisation for all vaccine-preventable diseases in some selected/affected wards and LGAs during Supplementary Immunisation Activities (SIAs), as well as case management. Measles is one of the vaccine preventable communicable diseases that Nigeria and the world is yet to successfully combat. Even though a safe and cost effective vaccine is available, there were over 110,000 measles deaths globally, mostly among children under the age of five. To curb deaths among children under five, the Nigerian government has been carrying out aggressive immunisation campaigns on polio and measles across the country. Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by the measles virus. Unvaccinated young children are at highest risk of measles and its complications, including death. Unvaccinated pregnant women are also at risk. Any non-immune person (who has not been vaccinated or was vaccinated but did not develop immunity) can become infected. Prof. Isaac Adewole. Minister of Health Symptoms usually develop 1012 days after exposure to an infected person and last 710 days. Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than 40 C, cough, runny nose, and inflamed eyes 3. Cerebrospinal Meningitis Nigeria is currently at the beginning of a new Cerebrospinal Meningitis season. The disease which is synonymous with the dry season starts in December and peaks around March and April before subsiding in June/July every year. So far between weeks 1 and 48 (2018), 4448 suspected meningitis cases with 318 laboratory confirmed and 359 deaths (CFR, 8.1 per cent) from 299 LGAs (35 states). This is far lower when compared with 9918 suspected cases and 606 deaths (CFR, 6.1 per cent) from 326 LGAs in 34 states during the same period in 2017. With the new meningitis season approaching, the epidemiological report in the reporting week said 16 suspected Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) cases were reported from 13 LGAs in 8 states ( Bayelsa 1, Cross River 3, Gombe 1, Katsina 2, Nassarawa 1, Ondo 2, Yobe -3 and Zamfara 3) compared with 16 suspected cases and four deaths reported across eight LGAs in six states at the same period in 2017. NCDC also said the timeliness/completeness of CSM case-reporting from states to the national level (2018 versus 2017) is picking up, though it is still on average. 88.2 per cent of the 26 endemic States sent CSM reports in a timely manner while 98.2 per cent were complete in week 1 48, 2018 as against 76.4 per cent timeliness and 92.3 oer cent completeness recorded within the same period in 2017, it stated. Surveillance and timely report of meningitis cases has remained a challenge in the country though efforts are been made to combat the issue. The last diagnosis and reporting of the disease led to the death of over 1,000 people during the Meningitis outbreak in the 2016/2017 season. This was further compounded by the lack of vaccine to immunise people against the disease. So far, the government has been able to immunise many Nigerians in the menigitis prone states. 4. Cholera Nigeria recorded 1,132 deaths this year from such outreaks in 30 states across Nigeria as the disease claimed more lives in parts of the country. The death figure this year is several times higher than the 84 recorded within the corresponding period in 2017, the NCDC disclosed in its epidemiological report. Between weeks 1 and 48 (2018), 50,463 suspected cholera cases with 934 laboratory-confirmed and 1132 deaths from 245 LGAs in 30 states were reported compared with 3703 suspected cases and 84 deaths from 73 LGAs in19 states during the same period in 2017. Eight states most hit in the current outbreaks are Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Yobe, Zamfara, Bauchi Kano and Gombe. The disease though vaccine preventable has become a yearly occurence in Nigeria. Outbreak peaks during the rainy season and when there is flood. This is due to the fact that most house do open defecation, lack good sanitation and access to potable water. Worse hit this year were the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP camps). This led the federal government and international partners to conduct an emergency cholera immunisation for people living in the IDP camps and neighbouring states which witnessed the outbreaks. A health worker attending to sick patients in a hospital ward [Photo credit: SciDev.Net] NCDC had also set up a Cholera National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in the worse hit states but this has been de-escalated to a Technical Working Group following a decline in number of new cases reported from states in the last six week 5. Lassa Fever Nigeria was in news negatively this year as the Lassa Fever outbreak in the country reached a highest new peak ever in the history of the disease. The death toll for lassa fever outbreak in 2018 as at December 2 was 146. From January 1 to December 2, 2018, 3229 suspected cases have been reported from 23 states. Of these, 581 were confirmed positive, 17 probable and 2631 negative (not a case). Since the onset of the 2018 outbreak, there have been 146 deaths among confirmed cases and 17 among probable cases. Case Fatality Rate in confirmed cases is 25.1 per cent. NCDC said the reason for the spike in the number this year is yet to be accertained. The Director General, NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said this could be due to increase surveillance and case tracing of contacts. Although the Lassa fever outbreak for 2017/2018 was declared over by the federal ministry of health in May, pocket cases were still being reported through cases are beginning to increase again. In the reporting Week 48 (26 November 2 December, 2018), 13 new confirmed cases were reported from Edo 2, Ondo 8, Gombe 1, Plateau 1 and Kano 1. So far, 23 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 92 LGAs (Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Anambra, Benue, Kogi, Imo, Plateau, Lagos, Taraba, Delta, Osun, Rivers, FCT, Gombe, Ekiti, Kaduna, Abia, Adamawa, Enugu and Kano). Eighteen states have exited the active phase of the outbreak while five Edo, Ondo, Plateau, Gombe and Kano States remain active. Vector of Lassa fever According to NCDC, the lassa fever national multi-partner, multi-agency Technical Working Group (TWG) continues to coordinate response activities at all levels. 6. Yellow fever Since September 2017 when the first case of yellow fever was rediscovered in Kwara state, 55 deaths have been recorded. Since the onset of the outbreak of the disease, 3,456 suspected yellow fever cases with 56 Laboratory confirmed and 55 deaths (CFR, 1.6 per cent) have been reported from 570 LGAs (36 states & FCT). Yellow fever is one of the vaccine preventable diseases which is expected to be given to children during the routine immunisation. The routine yellow fever vaccination was introduced to Nigerias expanded programme on immunisation, (EPI), in 2004. Unfortunately, the first case was detected in a seven-year-old girl in September, 2017. She had no previous history of yellow fever vaccination. She also had no travel history outside her state two years before the illness. So far, 58 cases have been confirmed by the WHO reference laboratory, Institute Pasteur (IP) Dakar from 14 states (Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Zamfara, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Katsina, Edo, Ekiti, Rivers, Anambra, FCT, and Benue states). Nigeria has no laboratories to diagnose the ailment. This means sample of patients needs to be taken to Dakar, Senegal before confirmatory reports can be gotten. In a reactionary approach, the federal government and international partners have conductedyellow fever reactive vaccination campaigns in the following states: Kebbi (7 LGAs), Niger (5 LGAs), Sokoto (1 LGA) and Katsina (1 LGA). The campaigns have also been successfully completed in six States (Nasarawa, Cross River, Akwa-Ibom, Kogi, Kwara & Zamfara) and 57 political wards in 25 LGAs in Borno State. The 2018 Preventive Mass Vaccination Campaign (PMVC) also held from November 22 and December, 1 in Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, FCT, Plateau and some LGAs in Borno State. The target population is persons beteeen nine months and 44 years (85 per cent of the total population). The N30,000 minimum wage demand of labour unions is neither realistic nor sustainable, the Nigeria Governors Forum has said. Instead, the NGF said, states should pay a minimum wage of N22,500 but any governor who can pay more than this is free to do so. The forum also said insinuations by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that its members were unwilling to pay N30,000 minimum wage were untrue. It said its members were willing but unable to meet the demand of the workers union. The NGF said a report titled Minimum Wage: NLC wants governors who diverted bailouts probed is an attempt by the leadership of the NLC to steer the public away from the promise by President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute another committee to review the minimum wage impasse. The Head, Media and Public Affairs of NGF, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, disclosed this in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES Monday evening. The NLC has been at loggerheads with the federal government over a new minimum wage. The NLC and other unions are demanding N30,000 as minimum wage up from the current N18,000. President Buhari has however refused to commit to the new proposal. Instead, the president said during his budget presentation speech on Wednesday that he would set up a technical committee to review the N30,000 proposed by a tripartite committee earlier set up by the federal government. State governments have also said they would not be able to pay the N30,000 minimum wage. The NLC said it would not partake in any further negotiation of the N30,000 and that all the president needs to do is send a bill to parliament for a N30,000 minimum wage. The labour congress, a registered coalition of many workers unions, also said it will hold a one-day protest against the presidents action on January 8, 2019. But Mr Bello-Barkindo in the statement said the governors have collectively said they would have been happy to pay workers the N30, 000 but many states cannot afford it due to financial constraints and other limitations. He said the governors had earlier announced that no state would devote more than 50 per cent of its revenue to salaries. Let it be known that governors have met the President twice on this matter and presented their books to buttress their point, he said. First, a batch of state governors, led by the NGF Chairman, Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara State, in company of Govs Ambode of Lagos, Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Bagudu of Kebbi attended a closed-door meeting with the president where the financial standing of six states, one each from all the geopolitical regions in the country, were shown to the president. According to him, on the presidents request, all the states forwarded their books, revenues, both internally generated and their earnings from the federation account along with their other sources of revenue, for examination and the president appears satisfied with the governors position, thus the decision to set up a new committee. Mr Bello-Barkindo said there has never been a time in the country when states have embarked on a more aggressive revenue drive than they are doing today. And this is without exception or prejudice to any state, he added. The president at his last meeting with governors (December 15, 2018) had admonished them (governors) to expect harsher economic tides from New Years, thus validating governors fears that even those states that had hitherto looked comfortable financially, may in the course of the new year, falter, he said. He said governors are not under any obligation, by law, to show their books to the NLC. But they have, with a view to letting NLC know that what they are asking for is neither realistic nor sustainable. Yet, NLC remains adamant that its will must be done, or the heavens will fall. Already, revenue to states has dropped drastically while demands by competing needs keep rising astronomically. Last year alone, revenue to states dropped from N800 billion when the Tripartite Committee was appointed (November 2017) to between N500 billion and N600 billion by the time Ms Amma Pepple submitted its report in October 2018, he said. He also said it will be difficult for state governors to dedicate their states entire resources to workers salaries alone, knowing that they constitute less than 5 per cent of the nations population. The year 2018 will not be forgotten in a hurry as long as the education sector is concerned. The outgoing year witnessed some controversial moments. From a mysterious snake gifted with the powers to swallow millions of Naira, to the abduction and return of Dapchi girls (save one), to Nigerian ministers hijacking scholarships meant for young Nigerians. Below are a few highlights: Mystery snake swallows N36 million cash This was one of the most trending stories in Nigerias education sector in 2018. A mystery snake was said to have sneaked into the accounting office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation (JAMB) Board in Makurdi and made away with the N36 million cash. A JAMB sales clerk, Philomina Chieshe, had told JAMB registrar and his team who conducted fact-finding sessions on an alleged fraud at the Board that she could not account for N36 million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards by the organisation. In the course of interrogation, Ms Chieshe confessed that her housemaid connived with another JAMB staff, Joan Asen, to spiritually steal, (through a snake), the money from the vault in the accounts office. Another state coordinator of the board in Nassarawa State also came up with a rather strange story to back an alleged fraud. This time, a JAMB staffer, Labaran Tanko, said his car got burnt and in the process scratch cards worth N23 million were destroyed in the inferno. INFOGRAPH Bizzare claims of missing money by JAMB officials The board, after a thorough investigation, said it discovered that the cards which reportedly got burnt alongside Mr Tankos car were used by students in Nassarawa State, to register for the exams. Buharis ministers hijack railway scholarships meant for young Nigerians Although not the first time they have been accused of doing so, ministers and other top officials of Nigerias president, Muhammadu Buhari, hijacked railway scholarships meant for young Nigerians. Investigations showed how some ministers and other top public officials, cornered scholarships meant for young Nigerians. The scholarship was offered by a Chinese firm, Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), for young Nigerians to study an undergraduate degree course in railway engineering in China. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the scholarship scheme was buttonholed by ministers and other top public officials. The top officials who benefitted were identified in a document used by the construction firm, CCECC, to permit selected candidates to participate in the scholarship interview. Some of the officials shown to have sponsored candidates include the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; the Minister of Communication Technology, Adebayo Shittu; and the Jigawa State Governor, Abubakar Badaru. Only candidates whose names were on the document were allowed for the interview at the CCECC office in Abuja. Each of the names were typed close to that of the top official who nominated them, as seen by PREMIUM TIMES. Phasing out colleges of education and polytechnics A Nigerian lawmaker, Olusola Adeyeye in 2018 also gave reasons why Nigerian colleges of education and polytechnics should be phased out soon, from the nations educational system. He said the educational structures that gave rise to the institutions such as standard six, grade one, grade two and grade three, had already been phased out. According to the senator, there is no serious future for a society that makes the weakest its teachers, in a veiled reference to products from colleges of education and polytechnics. The abduction of Dapchi girls On February 19, 2018, about 110 schoolgirls aged 1119 years old were kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorist group from the Government Girls Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, located in Bulabulin, Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State, in the north-eastern part of Nigeria. It is not clear how much such ransom payments influenced the decision of the group to target another girls school. Al total of 105 schoolgirls were freed by the insurgents who dropped them off in Dapchi, without any resistant or confrontation by soldiers. All of the schoolgirls have been released since March 21, with the exception of Leah Sharibu, who has remained in the custody of the insurgents for refusing to renounce her Christian Faith. Malpractice in May/June SSCE and racketeering in Abuja education agency Despite the anti-corruption campaign of this administration, the sector witnessed cases of racketeering and malpractice and nothing was done to resolve or punish the offenders. WAEC Massive malpractice rocked the 2018 May/June Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE). Some online platforms openly solicited candidates to buy WAEC answers for papers they are about writing, which is then delivered to their handsets inside or as they enter the examination halls. Following an outcry on the social media against the illicit trade, PREMIUM TIMES conducted checks which revealed that at least five online platforms are providing questions and solutions in all subjects in real time to exams candidates upon the payment of N400 or N800 to the platforms through GSM recharge cards. The online sites visited by this newspaper are Naijaclass.com, Examcrown.com, Exponet.com, examsort.com and Gurus.com. Our reporter registered in all the sites to buy answers for examinations scheduled for April 24. But nothing has been done to curb this excess. Education Resource Centre Racketeering Shortly after the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Education Board officially ended the sale of student admission cards, employees of the Education board continued to secretly sell the cards at a premium rate to Nigerians. Education Resource Centre (ERC) is responsible for the sales of the scratch-cards for students seeking transfer across secondary schools in the FCT or from other states. Because most public secondary schools in Abuja are distinct as either junior secondary or senior secondary schools, requests for transfer are commonplace. However, the official price of N2500 is inscribed on the scratch card, but a staff helped our reporter obtain one for N4000 that day. The staff who refused to give her name or contact requested the money in cash. When our reporter pleaded to do electronic cash transfer, however, the worker accepted and the transfer was made to her bank account. Increase in out-of-school children Presently, out of school children in Nigeria has risen from 10.5million to 13.2 million. Presently, Nigeria is ranked as having the highest number of out of school children in the world. Meanwhile, experts revealed that 69 per cent of Nigerias out-of-school children are located in the northern part of the country. Also, Mr Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria, said unaccessed UBEC matching grant by states was the reason why about 13.2 million children were out of school. The UBEC fund is an annual grant by the federal government to help states upgrade their primary education facilities in order to provide a good education for children across the nation. To access this fund, state governments are required to match the federal governments grant. But many states have ignored this facility even as children studied under very deplorable conditions, including having lessons under trees and dilapidated classrooms while the quality of teachers remains suspicious in many cases across the country. 1% of Nigerian population in universities The Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Abubakar Rasheed, in July, said only one per cent of Nigerian population form the total enrolment of students in the 164 universities across the country. He said 75 private universities in the country account for 5.31 per cent of the total enrolment in the universities across the country. He described the situation as unhealthy, saying there is a need for more access, either by creating more universities or expanding existing ones. Reduction in cost of WAEC, JAMB and NECO forms This is one of the decisions of this administration that has put smiles on people faces considering the level of poverty. The federal government approved a reduction in the cost of forms for final year secondary school and post-secondary school examinations. The cost of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms was reduced from N5,000 to N3,500 while the cost of National Examination Council (NECO) forms was reduced from N11,350 to N9,850. The cost of Basic Education Certificate, also handled by NECO, was also reduced from N5, 500 to N4, 000. Following the failure of the federal government to find a lasting solution to the lingering strike by public university lecturers, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has decided to hold a meeting with the lecturers union, the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) on January 4, ahead of the 2019 polls. The national president of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES Monday morning. According to Mr Ogunyemi, the major reason for the meeting is for the union to assist the electoral body in the forthcoming election. The meeting, according to the electoral body, will be limited to the involvement of their members in the 2019 general elections. Mr Ogunyemi said the meeting will hold in Abuja. ASUU embarked on an industrial action on November 4 to protest the poor funding of Nigerian universities and an alleged plan by the federal government to increase students fees and introduce an education bank. But INEC had raised an alarm that the lingering ASUU strike would no doubt have a serious impact on the preparations for the conduct of the 2019 elections. They are one critical resource and their absence will have adverse effects on the ad hoc staff requirement of INEC, the commission had said. The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) disagreed with the statement by INEC that the strike by university lecturers could jeopardise the 2019 elections saying, the ongoing national strike by ASUU has nothing to do with the 2019 elections. However, THISDAY newspaper reported INECs National Commissioner and Chairman Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, saying the commission is hopeful and positive that its scheduled meeting with the leadership of ASUU and the leadership of other unions in federal tertiary institutions on Friday would yield the desired result. ASUU leadership and the leadership of the commission led by the Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, will hold a consultative meeting with the leadership of ASUU on the 4th day of January 2019, Mr Okoye said. He said the scheduling of the meeting is a clear indication that both parties are concerned and determined to find a middle ground that will enable the members of ASUU to continue their additional services to the country. The commission wants to emphasise that the meeting with the various unions will be limited to the involvement of their members in the 2019 general elections and how to manage the current industrial action for it not to affect the patriotic contributions of staff and students in the electoral process, he said. He said it was also incumbent on the various stakeholders in the electoral process to nudge the parties towards a negotiated settlement of the issues that led to the industrial action in the various tertiary institutions. An Osun Magistrates Court sitting in Modakeke on Monday sentenced one Jimoh Oyemoni, 40, to three years imprisonment for raping an 80-year-old woman. The Prosecutor, Ona Glory, a police inspector, had told the court that the convict committed the offence on December 23 at about 2:30 pm at Onibambu Village near Modakeke. Mr Glory said the convict willfully and unlawfully had carnal knowledge of one Victoria Sogunlana without her consent. He added that the convict assaulted Sogunlana by attempting to strangle her on a farm. The convict was arraigned on a charge of rape and assault. According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene Sections 351 and 358 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2003. The convict, who had no counsel, pleaded guilty to raping the victim. Magistrate A. O. Famuyide consequently sentenced Mr Oyemoni to three years imprisonment, saying this would serve as a deterrent to others. (NAN) The Nigeria Police Force says it has arrested 12 suspects in connection with the kidnapping of twin sisters in Dauran Village in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara. The suspects are: Nafiu Usman, 28, gang leader, Farouk Usman, Alhaji Ibrahim, Ibrahim Ibrahim, Kabiru Usman, 30,Salisu Wadata, Shehu Mohammed, Bala Garba, 60, and Awal Jibrin, 41, among orders. The force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, disclosed this while addressing journalists the arrest on Monday in Abuja. Mr Moshood said that items recovered from the suspects include : six AK 47 rifles, four magazines, 34 AK 47 live ammunition and four swords. Mr Moshood said the suspects kidnapped Hassana and her twin sister, Hussaina Bala, 18, on Oct. 21 when they went to distribute their wedding invitation cards. He said the suspects, who were arrested in various criminal hideouts in Katsina and Zamfara states, confessed to the crime and admitted to the various roles they had played in it. Mr Moshood said the suspects also admitted collecting N15 million as ransom where they shared N500,000 each before releasing their victims. He said that effort was being intensified to arrest the gang leader, Dankarami, second in command to the gang leader, Yellow, who negotiated the ransom and Sirajo Dogo who masterminded the kidnap. The spokesman said the ongoing raids of criminal hideouts and black spots to remove all criminal elements would continue across the country into the 2019 general elections and beyond. (NAN) 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. Nigerias former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has advised the Igbos to be weary of the promise of the APC government to hand over power to them in 2023, noting that it was dangerous to take the APC government seriously, the Vanguard reported. The newspaper reported that Mr Obasanjo stated this during a stakeholders meeting held at the residence of a former minister of aviation, Mbazuluke Amechi in Ukpor Nnewi South Local Government Area, Anambra State on Saturday. The former president was reportedly reacting to a statement credited to the secretary to the government of the federation, Boss Mustapha, who said that the president, Muhammadu Buhari, will hand over power to an Igbo person in 2023 and urged Ndigbo to embrace the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking at the inauguration of the South East chapter of the Presidential Support Committee in Umuahia, Mr Mustapha assured Ndigbo that Mr Buhari did not hate them. According to him, the shortest route to producing a president of Igbo extraction is by supporting and voting for APC in 2019. He urged them to ensure that Mr Buhari returns in 2019. This was contrary to the position credited to works and housing minister, Babatunde Fashola, who said that Mr Buhari would hand over to the Yorubas in 2023. The minister, at a special town hall meeting on infrastructure organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Orientation Agency, urged the people of South-West to vote for Mr Buhari in the 2019 elections, to guarantee a return of power to the region in 2023. But Mr Obasanjo, at the event, asked the Igbo leaders across the federation to remain focused and united, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) would not honour its promise to hand over presidency to an Igbo indigene in 2023. He urged the Igbo not to allow any person from any part of the country relegate them to the background, noting that the Igbo occupied a place of pre-eminence in the emergence of Nigeria. The former president particularly urged the Igbos to bury all their differences and work together for the actualisation of the Atiku Abubakar/Peter Obi candidature, which he said, was in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. He prayed for a successful outing for the PDP presidential candidates in the 2019 election, tasking them to do the right thing for Nigeria and Nigerians if eventually elected. He observed that Mr Obi and his principal have great work to do for Nigeria, noting that they have become a beacon of hope to all Nigerians who have had it so rough in the last four years. It is incumbent on Obi to think out of the box to take the nation out of the woods caused by incumbent clueless administrators. He said with Mr Obis pedigree as a governor, he was hopeful that things will work for Nigeria under his leadership as vice president of the country, the Vanguard report highlighted. Former president Goodluck Jonathan has denied claims that he offered $5 million to the governorship running mate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat. In a statement Sunday, Mr Jonathan described the claim as a blatant lie apparently concocted by a wannabe politician desperate for votes in a campaign season. Mr Hamzat, a former commissioner for works in Lagos State, had claimed he rejected a $5 million bribe from Mr Jonathan during the 2015 elections. Mr Jonathan lost the election to the current president, Muhammadu Buhari. In the first place this character is an obscure individual who in 2015 had neither a recognizable name nor political clout, Mr Jonathan said in a statement by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze. The point has to be clearly made that former President Jonathan has never met this man who was obviously not relevant in the national politics of 2015, let alone seek to offer him bribe. If the former President did not offer anyone bribe, having clearly acquitted himself as a man who does not believe in desperate politics, how on earth could he have sought to compromise an individual he didnt even know and who obviously had no means of helping him politically? Mr Jonathan further described Mr Hamzats claims as the antics of a desperate politician seeking to apply subterfuge and outright lies to win public sympathy and votes. Assuming anybody had $5 million dollars to spend to better his political fortune as Mr. Hamzat claimed, why seek to waste it on man who was just a commissioner prior to 2015, and whose best outing so far is to function as a hand-picked running mate to a governorship candidate in the forthcoming 2019 elections? It is the action of people like Hamzat that conjures up in the minds of Nigerians the Biblical Mark of the Beast to the effect that to be accepted in his party, one must be adept at telling lies. If this is how Mr. Hamzat wishes to anchor his own political doctrine on lies and name dropping, he should be reminded that those who follow this route do not go far either in politics or personal growth. Mr Jonathan challenged the Lagos APC running mate to name the place where the money was offered to him and the witnesses. We have always made the point that there should be a limit to these lies, if we must make progress as a democratic nation, he said. Nigerians are not fools. It is high time those in positions of responsibility stopped running this country on lies. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has accused the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, of dancing on the graves of the innocent souls who died in the April 5, 2018 armed robbery attack in Offa. In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by his media aide, Segun Adeyemi, the minister said Mr Saraki should stop playing politics with the unfortunate incident. He said his response came after Mr. Saraki reportedly said in a radio interview that he donated N10 million when he visited Offa to commiserate with the people in the aftermath of the robbery, even when the amount that was stolen from the robbed banks vaults was N7 million. The robbery which occured in April left over 30 people dead in Offa, Kwara state. Two months after the robbery, the police invited Mr Saraki to answer questions bordering on murder allegations. The police said five of the suspects incriminated Mr Saraki as their main financier and arms supplier. Mr Saraki has since denied the allegation. The Minister said the overly aggressive and crude response by MrSaraki to his earlier warning had shown that the Senate president was not ready to heed the admonition. Mr Mohammed said in the wake of his warning, the apparently embarrassing radio interview was hurriedly edited to remove all references to the Offa robbery and then re-aired across Kwara state. Instead of stopping at that, which in itself constitutes an acceptance of wrong-doing, Dr. Saraki went ahead to hurl insults at me, even when I have been largely restrained in issuing my earlier warning. Had I not been restrained, I would have gone ahead to divulge what actually transpired. For example, the claim by Dr. Saraki that he donated 10 million Naira to care for the victims of the Offa robbery is patently false. He did not! The 10 million he referred to was donated when the Offa market got burnt, and it was made in Ilorin, not Offa. When Dr Saraki visited Offa to commiserate with the community in the aftermath of the robbery, he did not donate a dime! I challenge him to prove me wrong. Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki But with politics in the air, the truth becomes the first casualty. Realizing that he goofed, Dr. Bukola apparently caused the radio interview in question to be edited to remove the donation reference, and then re-aired. Is it not an irony that the people who engaged in this egregious act of dishonesty are the same ones calling others names? the Minister queried. He said he will continue to steer the debate on the political developments in Kwara State to issues rather than exchange of personal insults, which he has always been averse to. The people of Kwara, who are bone-tired of the long years of bolekaja governance in the state, are all saying in one voice, O to ge (enough is enough), and will soon have the opportunity to express their frustration with their votes, the Minister said. Mr Sarakis spokesman, Yusuph Olaniyonu, dismissed the ministers comments as falsehoods. He insisted his principal donated N10 million for the treatment of victims of Offa Robert. Mr Olaniyonu in a statement said those who were trying to implicate the Senate President in the robbery case were so fixated on that mission that they were messing up with the due process that would give justice to the victims, both dead and alive. During the Senate Presidents syndicated radio interview, he made it clear that it was unthinkable that anybody would want to link him with armed robbery or violence against his own people. He stated categorically that anybody that would want to link him to such violence should first ask what he has to gain from such a dastardly act. It was then the Senate President mentioned that the desperate narrative that has been spun to implicate him after the robbery does not make any sense, as when he visited the monarch, he donated N10million for the care of the wounded while it has been revealed that the money stolen by the robbers was just N7million. Dr. Saraki also stated that those who have tried and have failed to implicate him in the Offa robbery, have been so fixated on that unsuccessful mission that they are now trampling on the due process that would give justice to the victims, both dead or alive, and much-needed closure to their families and the affected community. Mr Olaniyonu attacked the minister, describing his utterances as deliberate misinformation. One thing is clear, the Nigerian public and the people of Offa know that Lai Mohammeds utterances are synonymous with deliberate misinformation, unbridled untruths, and outright falsehoods. Right now, he is only playing the cheap politics that he is known to play when the general elections come around. The Offa people know how to differentiate between leaders like Dr. Saraki who have stood with them throughout the years and those Lagos-based politicians, like Lai Mohammed, who only come around to make noise, spew political propaganda, and use the tragic loss of their sons and daughters as cheap political points in an election season, the statement quoted him saying. The Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, has vowed to punish the perpetrators of the recent crisis at Kasuwar Magani that led to several deaths. He made the promise at a Town Hall meeting held at Kasuwar Magani in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state. According to the governor, his administration would not tolerate acts of lawlessness. He urged people of the state to live peacefully with one another irrespective of differences among them. He lamented the manner in which the social media is being used by self-centred residents of the community to cause mayhem through the spread of fake news and hate speeches. Mr El-Rufai described such actions as criminal and vowed that those engaged in it would be duly identified and punished. The governor assured that security agents are monitoring and tracking masterminds of crises in the state. He appealed to citizens of the state to report any culprit to security agencies, assuring them that criminals would never go free under his administration. In his suggestion on how to end the crisis in Kasuwar Magani, the District Head of Kufana, Titus Dauda, appealed for additional security personnel and resources in the community. Oh his part, the Sarkin Kasuwar Magani, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said lack of necessary action against perpetrators has helped in fueling more crisis in the area and appealed to the state government to look into the matter. He stressed that traditional leaders irrespective of religion and tribe, must shun sentiment and report any criminal act in their chiefdoms. On his part, the Secretary of Jamaatu Nasril Islam in Kajuru local government, Tijjani Muhammad, also appealed to the governor to ensure that perpetrators are really brought to book. He recalled that some of those known to have actively participated in the crisis in the past were arrested and released. The Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria in the area, Joseph Maigida, also expressed a similar concern. He also emphasized on the importance of living in peace with one another and urged religious and traditional leaders to always preach peace to their followers. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the purpose of the town hall meeting was to find lasting solutions to the recurring crisis in Kasuwar Magani that had led to death and destruction of properties. (NAN) Following the fire outbreak at a petrol station along Nike Lake road by Penoks Junction, Trans Ekulu, Enugu, on Monday, residents of the area have commended the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the swift intervention and expertise displayed by officers and men of Enugu State Fire Service in putting out the fire, without any loss of life. The inferno according to eyewitnesses was caused by a truck discharging liquefied gas at the filling station, which lost control and hit the dispensing nozzle and ignited the fire. The State Fire Service upon receiving a distress call rushed to the scene and put out the fire which affected just the petrol station, a commercial bus, a transformer, three shops and a residential building, shortly before Governor Ugwuanyi, his deputy, Cecilia Ezeilo, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Edward Ubosi and the State Commissioner of Police, Danmallam Mohammed, arrived the venue. Reacting to the development, excited residents of the area, who cheered the governor for his presence and show of concern, expressed delight at the commitment, bravery and professionalism exhibited by the men and officers of the State Fire Service, stressing that this is the first time an inferno of such magnitude occurred without any loss of life. They applauded Mr Ugwuanyi for repositioning the State Fire Service by providing it with sophisticated equipment, experienced personnel and other necessary logistics to discharge their duties efficiently. Vincent Okonkwo, a near-by shop owner said: Gburugburu (Ugwuanyi) has surprised us today. If you were here when this fire started, you will not believe that these firemen would quench it. We thought that was the end of everything we have, our shops, houses, vehicles and even the lives of people around here. In short, I saw hell today. But the way the fire service people worked to stop this fire. We say thank you to God and our governor and those that quenched it. Another resident, Priscilla Udeh, said: We are very grateful to God for saving us from this danger. We equally thank our governor, Gburugburu, for sending these people on time to come and stop this dangerous fire. God is truly with us in this state. The governor has shown us that we are protected in this state because what happened here now is very serious and dangerous. But as you can see, nobody died. It is just these shops and that filling station. We sincerely thank God, we thank our governor too. May God bless him and grant him his hearts desire. Arriving the scene, Mr Ugwuanyi, who expressed profound gratitude to God that no life was lost, commended the State Fire Service for the efficient and quick intervention, and equally thanked the people in the neighbourhood for their cooperation. The governor maintained that Enugu State is safe, stressing that with the report that no life was lost, I am now convinced more than ever before that Enugu State is truly in the hands of God. He sympathized with the victims and promised to take immediate action to ameliorate the pains and replace the burnt transformer for the people of the area to continue to enjoy power supply. The governor, therefore, directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to commence action in that regard. Men of the fire service putting out a fire Earlier, the State Fire Officer, Okwudili Oha, disclosed that the fire outbreak was massive, pointing out that it would have done serious damage if not for the quick intervention of the State Fire Service. Mr Oha thanked the residents for their support and cooperation and particularly the governor for equipping and repositioning the establishment, which he said made the work easy for them. He, therefore, appealed to the public to take precautionary measures and be vigilant to avert further fire outbreak in the state, especially in this period of Harmattan. The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the death of Abayomi Ayeola, a member of the House of Representatives, as sad and shocking. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Aiyeola (APC-Ibeju Lekki Federal Constituency) died on Sunday at a private hospital in Lagos, after a brief illness. The two-term lawmaker had clinched the APC ticket at the partys last primary to seek a third term in the federal lower chamber come 2019. He was the leader of the Lagos caucus at the Federal House of Representatives until his death. Confirming the lawmakers demise to NAN, Assistant Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Abiodun Salami, said the party was pained at the passage of Mr Aiyeola. He described the deceased as a committed and loyal party man who did his best to impact on his constituency. This is a great loss. In fact, we have lost a rare gem. He was a loyal and committed member who never did anything outside of the wishes of his people and the party. The confidence in him by people of his constituency earned him a ticket to represent them again in 2019 and that he was leader of the Lagos caucus showed the trust the party and colleagues had in him. We will sorely miss the departure of this perfect gentleman and a legislator par excellence, he said. Mr Salami said the party shared in the grief of his family and members of his constituency at this difficult time. He prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul while asking God to grant those he left behind the fortitude to bear the loss (NAN) For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. "We are thrilled to see millions of Facebook fans joining our campaign to break the 'perfect couple' stereotypes," said Phan Nguyen Hoai Anh, PNJ Group Brand Manager. "We would like our consumers to realize that the right way of being a true couple is to refute stereotypes, to not focus on looks, wealth, career or gender, but to focus on the one you love." "As Vietnam's leading jewelry maker in the wedding jewelry market, PNJ is committed to diversity and inclusion of all people," added Phan Nguyen Hoai Anh. "We're calling participation in our 'True Love' campaign, to encourage all couples everywhere not to hide their love, but celebrate it." In that spirit, PNJ works intensively with Mirum Vietnam to encourage this important message of love without limits. Love can be expressed in a wedding vow, or more subtly, in the discreet yet powerful rings that bond couples over the years. The campaign promotes the company's message of embracing diversity among Vietnamese consumers and across the world. For more information, please visit the company's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PNJ.COM.VN/ or watch the video on https://bit.ly/2QTKzNi. About Phu Nhuan Jewelry Established in 1988, Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Co. is the largest consumer jewelry brand in Vietnam with more than 320 stores and the largest jewelry production based in South East Asia. It is the first Vietnamese jewelry brand to receive the JNA's Employer of the Year Award for four consecutive years since 2015. PNJ has more than 5,000 employees including hundreds of goldsmiths and a thousand-plus sales team. https://www.pnj.com.vn/ About Mirum Vietnam Mirum Vietnam is a borderless digital creative & marketing agency established in 2007. The agency believes that the online ecosystem and technology has powerful impact on both brands and our living experience. https://www.mirumagency.com/en/country/vietnam pnj @pnj.com.vn Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/802800/PNJ_True_Love_Campaign.jpg Related Links https://www.pnj.com.vn SOURCE Phu Nhuan Jewelry (PNJ) 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. Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/803070/Sun_Group_video.mp4 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/803069/Sun_Group___Van_Don_International_Airport.jpg SOURCE Sun Group Inviting everyone to "Choose Fun," the 120-foot-long AirShip will fly over and visit culture and entertainment locations across the state throughout January including The Rose Parade: A Showcase of Floats on Jan. 2 as well as sporting events; local schools; Carnival's homeports in Long Beach on Jan. 5, San Diego on Jan. 13 and San Francisco on Jan. 25; travel agent viewing parties; and select Sky Zone trampoline park locations, Carnival Panorama's newest all-ages attraction, starting with the Anaheim location on Jan 11. In conjunction with the AirShip's California tour, consumers have a chance to win a free cruise as well as additional prizes each week throughout the month of January that give them a taste of Carnival fun when they enter the AirShip Sweepstakes at carnival.com/choosefun. The AirShip also creates the opportunity to raise money for a great cause. For anyone who takes a picture of the AirShip and posts it on social media with the hashtag #ChooseFun, Carnival will make a $2 donation to its longtime charity partner St. Jude Children's Research Hospital up to a maximum donation of $20,000. This past summer, the AirShip made its inaugural journey in the southeast U.S. to celebrate the arrival of new ships in multiple homeports. It proved to be popular on social and news media channels as well as with thousands of cruise fans who posted photos on their own social media platforms. "The Carnival AirShip was so well received when she debuted earlier this year, and we're delighted to bring her back to the West Coast to kick start our year-long celebration of Carnival Panorama. It's officially go-time!" said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "Carnival is the number one cruise line from Southern California. Our AirShip is a great way to let everyone know about the many exciting choices for guests to Choose Fun from the West Coast." Carnival Panorama will debut with a special three-day inaugural cruise from Long Beach on Dec. 11, 2019, followed by the launch of year-round, seven-day Mexican Riviera sailings on Dec. 14, 2019. The ship joins Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration to carry upwards of 600,000 guests annually from the West Coast more than any other cruise operator. To learn more about Carnival Cruise Line, visit Carnival.com. For reservations, contact any travel agent or call 1-800-CARNIVAL. Carnival can also be found on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Journalists also can visit Carnival's media site, carnival-news.com or follow the line's PR department on Twitter at twitter.com/CarnivalPR. About Carnival Cruise Line Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL;NYSE: CUK), is "The World's Most Popular Cruise Line" with 26 ships operating three- to 24-day voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, New England, Bermuda, Cuba, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia. The line currently has three new ships scheduled for delivery Carnival Panorama set to debut in 2019, Mardi Gras in 2020 and an as-yet-unnamed ship in 2022. SOURCE Carnival Cruise Line Related Links http://www.carnivalcorp.com VANCOUVER, Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - 1933 Industries Inc. (the "Company" or "1933 Industries") (CSE: TGIF) (OTCQX: TGIFF) a licensed cultivator and producer of cannabis flower and concentrates and manufacturer of hemp/CBD products in Nevada, Colorado and California, reports that the Company has made significant progress during its first year of operations. "The Company delivered key milestones over the year and continues to execute on its business strategy. Our strong financial results of $12.6 million in sales revenue for our fiscal year 2018 are a testament of our sound operational management and diligent business practices as we continue to build a solid foundation for the future", said Mr. Brayden Sutton, President and CEO of 1933 Industries. Mr. Sutton added, "We had a number of key priorities that we were able to deliver on: infrastructure build-out and expansion of wholesale capacity to meet increasing demand; growing and strengthening our product pipeline; increasing sales revenue quarter to quarter; and building a world-class team. I am pleased to report that we made excellent progress on all priorities." Consistent Sales Revenue Growth Oct 31/18 July 31/18 April 30/18 Jan 31/18 Oct 31/17 July 31/17 $4,616,812 $3,905,243 $3,317,497 $2,962,699 $2,464,487 $1,030,297 1933 Industries experienced strong quarterly growth fueled by increasing demand for its cannabis products in the States of Nevada, California and Colorado. First-Mover Advantage in the Medicinal and Adult-use Cannabis Market in Nevada The Company's 91% interest in Alternative Medicine Association ("AMA"), Las Vegas' original licensed cultivator of medicinal cannabis, reported strong sales revenue in 2018. The Company's business model is based on servicing existing medical cannabis patients in Nevada as well new adult-use recreational consumers. With an estimated 45 million visitors to Las Vegas each year, there is demonstrable potential for Nevada to become the world's top canna-tourism destination. AMA has established an aggressive presence and image for its unique branded flower and extraction products. The year's highlights include: Continued an exclusive licensing agreement with the iconic Hip-Hop Artist Kurupt to produce The Real Kurupts Moon Rocks. Signed a licensing deal to produce Denver Dab Company's line of unique products. Expanded product line to over 100 SKUs such as flower, pre-rolls and concentrates for sale through licensed dispensaries in Nevada , with additional products in the pipeline for 2019. Hemp-Derived and CBD-Infused Wellness Line of Products The Company also owns 91% of Infused MFG. ("Infused"), which continues to build out and increase the reach of its suite of branded products. The year's highlights include: Established key distribution networks in California , where it now sells its products in over 100 retail shops. , where it now sells its products in over 100 retail shops. Sales to over 400 retail locations around the U.S. Signed a licensing agreement and partnership with professional skateboarder and Grizzly Griptape LLC. founder Tory Pudwill , to promote "Canna Hemp X", a CBD-infused recovery cream, targeting the rapidly growing recovery market. , to promote "Canna Hemp X", a CBD-infused recovery cream, targeting the rapidly growing recovery market. Signed a licensing agreement with Scotty Nguyen for the launch of Canna Hemp branded products co-marketed under his name. for the launch of Canna Hemp branded products co-marketed under his name. Signed a licensing agreement with Denver Dab Company to manufacture and distribute Canna Hemp CBD and hemp-based products on an exclusive basis to retail cannabis dispensaries in Colorado . . Expanded its own line of CBD products specific to the pet industry and launched "Canna Hemp Paws". Launched Canna Fused, a 1:1 CBD/THC-infused product line in partnership with Denver Dab Company. Acquisition of Leading Cannabis Advisory Service Provider 1933 Industries entered the emerging cannabis security and intelligence space with the strategic acquisition of Spire Global Strategy, which provides service offerings, on a confidential basis, to the cannabis sector including: International production, sales, and import/export licensing agreements Domestic licensing applications Public policy development Design and development of large-scale hemp, cannabis, and CBD projects for third parties Risk and resilience management and investigative due diligence Physical security and force protection Sales, Marketing and Brand Development The Company has developed comprehensive media relations and marketing programs to create visibility, awareness and drive sales for its cannabis brands. Increasing sales achieved by offering a broad range of quality products at competitive prices and delivered through outstanding client service under a well identified brand Focused on high-quality branded products with recurring sales to a loyal and growing clientele. Infrastructure Development and Real Estate Investment The Company embarked on an ambitious project to expand its operations and increase both cultivation and production capacity in Las Vegas. The Company closed on the purchase of 2.78 acres of raw land which is contiguous to the current location that will host AMA's new state-of-the-art 67,750 sq. ft. cultivation facility. The land purchase is in addition to the 1.39 acres owned by the Company for a total of 4.17 acres of land. The real estate assets are located on a major thoroughfare in Las Vegas and allow for further development as more supply is needed in the rapidly expanding Las Vegas market. All necessary permitting was secured during the year and the new cultivation facility is expected to be operational during the first quarter of 2019, where it expects to cultivate approximately 800 - 900 lbs. / month to significantly increase flower cultivation to support AMA's own line of cannabis-based products and white-label extraction. AMA also purchased an existing 12,160 sq. ft. building adjacent to the cultivation facility, to be utilized for cannabis production, processing and extraction. The production space will be 6 times the size of the current facility (2,000 sq. ft.), which should position the company to more efficiently produce larger quantities of product. Hemp Processing Capabilities for CBD Extracts The Company also announced that its new production building will house a hemp processing facility utilized to produce full spectrum oils, distillates and isolates with a target of 2,000 kgs. of finished product per month. New Regulations On December 20th, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 ("Farm Bill") was passed, legalizing hemp as an agricultural commodity federally in the United States. The recent move by the U.S. government to remove hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and make it legal to produce, sell and distribute industrial hemp will increase the opportunities for this new vertical and open a significant market for the Company's CBD suite of products. The change in legislation is expected to: Positively impact the Company's plans to produce CBD extracts on a large scale Set the stage for an expanded focus on CBD branded goods Open new markets across the U.S. Increase participation from financial institutions and investors in the U.S. Present the opportunity for the Company's suite of branded products to be carried in major national retailers Capital Markets and Financing Activities The Company successfully completed convertible debenture financings to invest in the future growth of its operations. Convertible debenture financing raised gross proceeds of $6.5 million dollars . . Company raised additional gross proceeds of $17.25 million dollars through a short form prospectus offering of convertible debentures. through a short form prospectus offering of convertible debentures. Raised $13.1 million dollars through the exercise of warrants and stock options. through the exercise of warrants and stock options. In November, the Company met the eligibility requirements for trading on the OTCQX, the OTC Markets' premier tier for established, high-growth and investor-focused companies wishing to gain added exposure in the United States . Board of Directors The Company welcomed the following key individuals to its Board of Directors: Cameron Watt Mr. Watt also serves as Vice President of Business Development for the Company and brings 30 years of successful business negotiation and strategic leadership experience in various industries, with a talent for developing, launching and managing businesses. Brian Farrell Mr. Farrell is a Chartered Accountant and a partner with a public accountancy firm for 35 years, focusing on taxation, accounting and providing financial advice to high net worth individuals. He has served as CFO to both private and publicly-listed corporations. Andy Richards Mr. Richards spent 34 years in law enforcement and retired as a Deputy Police Chief in the Greater Vancouver area in 2015. He has been instrumental in building Spire into an industry leader in the high-risk legal cannabis sector. Chris Rebentisch Mr. Rebentisch serves as USA Chief Operations Officer and is the founder of Infused, bringing a wealth of experience in the hemp and CBD space, having developed and crafted proprietary formulations for the Canna Hemp product line with the belief in the natural healing properties of cannabis. The Company also completed a name change to 1933 Industries Inc. to reflect the Company's diversified business model, including its established cannabis cultivation and production business, expanded capabilities in hemp / CBD extraction, development of its advisory services arm and its acquisitive growth strategy in the United States and Canada. "We are poised to capitalize on the foundation we have built over the last 16 months", commented Mr. Sutton. "We plan to replicate our successful business model in Nevada in other favourable jurisdictions across the U.S. and Canada. We will continue to evaluate significant growth prospects as we strive to realize value for our shareholders." About 1933 Industries Inc. 1933 Industries Inc. is a vertically integrated cannabis company with operations in the United States and Canada. Operating through three subsidiary companies, 1933 Industries owns licensed medical and adult-use cannabis cultivation and production assets, proprietary hemp-based, CBD infused products, CBD extraction services and a specialized cannabis advisory firm supporting clients in security, intelligence and due diligence. The Company owns 91% of both Alternative Medicine Association and Infused MFG. and 100% of Spire Global Strategy. Please visit our website at http://www.1933industries.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Notice regarding Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents, which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. 1933 Industries undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE 1933 Industries Inc. Related Links https://1933industries.com/ RIDGEWOOD, N.J., Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nationally recognized investment advisory and portfolio management firm, Advisors Capital Management (ACM), is pleased to announce the elevation of Dr. JoAnne Feeney to partner. Dr. Feeney joined the firm in 2015 as a portfolio manager and member of the firm's investment committee, which includes Former Federal Reserve Chairman, Dr. Alan Greenspan, as its senior economic adviser. Advisors Capital Management Portfolio Manager and Partner "We are delighted with JoAnne's promotion to partner. JoAnne has made significant contributions as a portfolio manager and collaborator on many aspects of firm operations to the point she has already earned this promotion," said Dr. Charles Lieberman, the firm's co-founder and Chief Investment Officer. Lieberman added, "As a partner, the firm will benefit even further from her enhanced position to provide significant input in every part of the firm's operations." Prior to joining ACM, Dr. Feeney was senior equity analyst for more than 10 years at boutique sell-side firms including Punk, Ziegel & Co., FTN Equity Capital, Longbow Research, and ABR Investment Strategy where she focused on the valuation of semiconductor companies. Dr. Feeney also consulted for the Federal Reserve, The International Monetary Fund and The World Bank while an academic at The University at Albany, State University of New York, The Stern School of Business, New York University, and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Feeney received her B.A. in economics from Union College, and her Ph.D. and M.A. in economics from the University of Rochester. About Advisors Capital Management, LLC (ACM) Established in 1998, ACM is a registered investment advisory firm managing over $2 billion in private client and separate account portfolios with customized strategies ranging from capital appreciation to capital preservation. www.advisorscapital.com Press Release Contact: Jodi Paulen 201-447-3400 Related Links website SOURCE Advisors Capital Management Related Links http://www.advisorscapital.com Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas ruling party won Bangladeshs election with a large majority, the countrys Election Commission said early on Monday, giving Mrs. Hasina a third straight term following a vote that the opposition rejected as flawed. At least 17 people were killed in Bangladesh in election-related violence on Sunday, according to the police, as voters went to the polls to decide an election tainted by widespread allegations of rigging by the government. The win by Mrs. Hasinas Awami League, which was reported by the secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat in a televised speech, would consolidate her decade-long rule over Bangladesh. Mrs. Hasina is credited with improving the economy and promoting development, but has also been accused of rampant human rights abuses, a crackdown on the news media and suppressing dissent charges she denies. The head of the opposition coalition, Kamal Hossain, said the alliance had asked the Election Commission to order a fresh vote under a neutral administration as soon as possible, alleging Sundays poll was unfair and that Mrs. Hasinas government never granted her opponents a level playing field. The whole election was completely manipulated. It should be canceled, Mr. Hossain, 82, said in an interview at his residence in the capital, Dhaka, late Sunday. Candidates of the alliance reported seeing ballot-stuffing and vote-rigging by ruling party activists, who also barred opposition polling agents from voting centers, Mr. Hossain said. Weve had bad elections in the past, but I must say that it is unprecedented how bad this particular election was, he said. The minimum requirements of free and fair election are absent. The Awami League won 287 of the 298 seats for which results have been declared in the 300-seat Parliament, the Election Commission said. The main opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which boycotted the last poll in 2014, won just six seats. The commission said it had received allegations of vote-rigging from across the country, which it was investigating. A spokesman at the agency declined to say whether those investigations would affect the election result. The commission said it would hold a new vote for one seat where the poll was marred by violence. Another constituency, where a candidate died days before the election, will also go to the polls in the next few days.(Reuters) WASHINGTON, Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch (KCNF DC) sued the federal government on behalf of AFGE members and federal employees being forced to work without pay. The lawsuit alleges that the federal government is violating the law by requiring some federal employees to work without pay during a shutdown. These employees perform a variety of dangerous roles: correctional officers, Border Patrol and ICE agents, transportation security officers, and other employees who are labeled as "essential". AFGE national president J. David Cox Sr. leads the charge in suing the government on behalf of federal employees being forced to work without pay during the government shutdown that started 12/22/18. "Our members put their lives on the line to keep our country safe," said J. David Cox Sr., national president, American Federation of Government Employees. "Requiring them to work without pay is nothing short of inhumane. Positions that are considered 'essential' during a government shutdown are some of the most dangerous jobs in the federal government. They are frontline public safety positions, including many in law enforcement, among other critical roles. A substantial number of those working without pay are military veterans. Our nation's heroes, AFGE members and their families deserve the decency of knowing when their next paycheck is coming and that they will be paid for their work. Our intent is to force the government and the administration to make all federal employees whole." "The harm to federal employees began at the first moment of the shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees are working under sometimes dangerous conditions, including the plaintiffs who were forced to work overtime without pay," said Heidi Burakiewicz, partner at KCNF DC. "Approximately 420,000 federal employees are continuing to work, but don't know when they will get their next paychecks. This is not an acceptable way for any employer, let alone the U.S. government, to treat its employees. These employees still need to pay childcare expenses, buy gas, and incur other expenses to go to work every day and yet, they are not getting paid. It is a blatant violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act." The lawsuit is brought on behalf of all "essential" federal employees, those who are required to work without pay during the shutdown. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the high security penitentiaries where the named plaintiffs work, USP Hazelton and USP Canaan, are egregiously understaffed, often requiring employees to work large amounts of overtime in some of the most dangerous prisons in the country. USP Hazelton has been the site of three inmate murders in less than seven months. The shutdown and conditions under which the federal government is requiring these employees and others to work puts lives at risk and endangers our communities. After the 2013 shutdown, approximately 25,000 essential federal employees, represented by KCNF DC, sued the government, arguing that the Fair Labor Standards Act requires that all employees, including federal employees, be paid on time for their services. In 2014, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims agreed and, in 2017, the court held further that the employees were entitled to twice their back pay because of the violation. However, even while the government is calculating the damages to those approximately 25,000 employees, the Office of Personnel Management has not required that essential federal employees be paid on time during the current shutdown. For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees Related Links http://www.afge.org NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Philanthropist and asset manager Bill Gross announced a donation of $1.1 million to the Orange County Teachers of the Year awards, adding to the $3,387,800 previously donated by Mr. Gross to the preeminent program recognizing excellence in Orange County education. Sixty-three educators from Orange County school districts and community colleges were honored last month at a special dinner celebration at the Disneyland Hotel coordinated by the Orange County Department of Education. Six 2019 Orange County Teachers of the Year finalists previously announced in May received special recognition at the ceremony. "As a father and long-time resident of Orange County, I have always admired and respected the role of educators in making a difference in our community," said Mr. Gross, whose son Jeff and his wife Jenny will be overseeing donations to the Teachers of the Year awards going forward. "We are proud to support the important work that our teachers perform in making a difference in young people's lives every day." Mr. Gross has been a sponsor of the Orange County Teachers of the Year awards since 1992, and has previously donated to other educational institutions including UCLA and UC Irvine, and his alma mater Duke University. Mr. Gross is the chairman of the William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation. The Foundation's donations are directed by Mr. Gross, his son Jeff and his daughter Jennifer. "Orange County's teachers encourage, support and equip young learners to be tomorrow's leaders," Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Al Mijares said. "Thanks to Mr. Gross's extraordinary contributions, we are able to proudly recognize those who elevate their profession, enabling young people to believe in themselves while empowering them to make a difference." Approximately 62 to 64 teachers are honored each year, with six finalists, 10 semifinalists, and up to 48 nominees. Finalists receive an award of $15,000, while semifinalists receive $3,000, and nominees $900. In January, each kindergarten through grade 12 district and Regional Occupational Program (ROP) district in Orange County is invited to submit one to three nominees based on the number of fully credentialed teachers employed, and each community college is invited to submit one nomination from each of their accredited colleges. In April, the nominee applications are reviewed by a panel of educators, and fifteen semifinalists are selected. In May, K-12 semifinalists are interviewed by a panel of educators and community leaders, and five finalists are announced. One community college finalist is selected through the application reading process. The finalists are considered the Orange County Teachers of the Year. K-12 finalists submit their applications in August to the California Teachers of the Year program, which is coordinated by the California Department of Education. SOURCE Bill Gross "Greg brings a great depth of experience to the company and will further bolster our transformation to a technology, data and services leader in the higher education marketplace. His operational acumen, combined with over two decades of higher education consulting and technology experience, will elevate our efforts to deliver innovative solutions to our partners," said Bridgepoint CEO Andrew Clark. Most recently, Finkelstein was an Executive in Residence for the Education Opportunity Fund at Sterling Partners. In this role, he worked with several partner organizations in EOF's library and was elected Chairman of the Board of Academic Program International (API), a leading experiential learning partner to educational institutions. API supports the study abroad journeys of students from over 400 institutions in 25 countries. Prior to that, he was a founder of Deltak, one of the first online program management (OPM) partnership businesses. As its Chief Operating Officer and ultimately its Managing Director, Greg led the business for over a decade on a steep growth trajectory and through acquisition by Wiley in 2012, until his departure from Wiley earlier this year. His two decades of higher education experience included serving as Vice President of Marketing and Vice President of Human Capital where he led significant expansion efforts in each area. Prior to Deltak, he served as Senior Vice President at the Beacon Institute for Learning, which also partnered with private and public universities supporting technology and health sciences management programs. Finkelstein began his career in the technology industry as a network consulting engineer with USConnect. He is a graduate of Tulane University, where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering. About Bridgepoint Education Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE:BPI) harnesses the latest technology to reimagine the modern student experience through programs, technologies, and resources representing a unique model for advancing education in the 21st century. Bridgepoint stands for greater access, social learning, and exposure to leading minds. For more information, visit www.bridgepointeducation.com, www.facebook.com/BridgepointEducation, or call Dori Abel at 858.513.9240 x11636. Contact: Dori Abel [email protected] 858.513.9240 x11636 SOURCE Bridgepoint Education Related Links http://www.bridgepointeducation.com CHENNAI, India, Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AppDupe today launched its customizable GoJek clone application. This ready-made solution is expected to benefit entrepreneurs who plan to create applications that offer multiple utilities. AppDupe, with its vast experience in building applications including on-demand applications, expects GoJek Clone app to be of immense help for many aspiring entrepreneurs. AppDupe has now enabled a lot of businesses, especially the GoJek-like businesses take advantage of their GoJek clone. This saves a lot of time and money for businesses in terms of development and research. GoJek, as you may have known, is a leading Indonesian Unicorn that provides utilities like transportation booking, cabs, logistics, and food delivery. This multifaceted application has been instrumental in proving that all-in-one applications have a market. A lot of entrepreneurs and investors have taken interest in replicating the success of GoJek - AppDupe's well-timed release of the GoJek clone expected to fuel this boom of similar businesses. "Our aim is to make the world of Technology more democratic and accessible. This is just a small step in our Endeavour!" said the spokesperson. The application comes out of the box with a host of expected features like the communication channel, backend integration, payment gateways, and wallets, making it an enhanced replica of GoJek in all aspects. The GoJek clone application is available off the shelf with AppDupe and with a few elements of customization, and if you would like to avail of this application, you can contact them through their website. Only time will tell if the application will make AppDupe the best app development company in India. Social Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/appdupe/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/appdupe LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/appdupe/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59lNYXr6E0njVfkj87bocw SOURCE AppDupe The all-new G500 earned its U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type and production certificates in July 2018 and entered service in September. The Qatar Civil Aviation Authority validated the U.S. type certificate in October. En route to FAA certification, the G500 toured the world to give customers firsthand access to the aircraft, its Symmetry Flight Deck and class-leading interior. During the tour, the G500 flew nearly 130,000 nautical miles/240,760 kilometers and set 22 city-pair speed records, all in addition to the flying required for certification. In total, the G500 has already achieved nearly 30 city-pair speed records. "Gulfstream and Qatar Executive have been good partners since we announced the G500 and their intention to be its international launch customer," said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream. "We are proud to deliver these aircraft just four years later and after the most rigorous flight-test program Gulfstream has conducted. Qatar Executive's world-renowned executive charter service is gaining mature, high-performing aircraft that set new standards in safety and comfort." Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said, "We are truly delighted to be the international launch customer for the all-new Gulfstream G500 jet. This state-of-the-art aircraft will set a new industry benchmark and will offer our passengers an unrivaled flying experience. "Qatar Executive and Gulfstream share a special and strong relationship, one which has grown over the years based on confidence and mutual understanding. This relationship emphasizes Qatar Executive's commitment to provide an industry-leading product and service." Upon becoming the international launch customer for the G500 in 2014, Qatar Airways established an agreement for up to 30 Gulfstream aircraft, a combination of firm orders and options that includes the flagship G650ER, the G500 and its sister ship, the Gulfstream G600. NOTE TO EDITORS Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world's most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 2,800 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958. To meet the diverse transportation needs of the future, Gulfstream offers a comprehensive fleet of aircraft, comprising the Gulfstream G280, the Gulfstream G550, the Gulfstream G500, the Gulfstream G600, the Gulfstream G650 and the Gulfstream G650ER. We invite you to visit our website for more information and photos at www.gulfstreamnews.com. More information about General Dynamics is available at www.generaldynamics.com . SOURCE Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Related Links https://www.gulfstreamnews.com BOSTON, Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Advisers, LLC (the "Adviser") and subadvised by Wellington Management Company LLP (the "Subadviser"), announced today sources of its quarterly distribution of $0.3760 per share paid to all shareholders of record as of December 13, 2018, pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan. This press release is issued as required by an exemptive order granted to the Fund by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Notification of Sources of Distribution This notice provides shareholders of the John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ) with important information concerning the distribution declared on December 3, 2018, and payable on December 31, 2018. No action is required on your part. Distribution Period: December 2018 Distribution Amount Per Common Share: $0.3760 The following table sets forth the estimated sources of the current distribution, payable December 31, 2018, and the cumulative distributions paid this fiscal year to date from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short term capital gains; net realized long term capital gains; and return of capital or other capital source. All amounts are expressed on a per common share basis and as a percentage of the distribution amount. Source Current Distribution ($) % Breakdown of the Current Distribution Total Cumulative Distributions for the Fiscal Year to Date ($)1 % Breakdown of the Total Cumulative Distributions for the Fiscal Year to Date1 Net Investment Income 0.1024 27% 0.7554 50% Net Realized Short- Term Capital Gains 0.0648 17% 0.0975 6% Net Realized Long- Term Capital Gains 0.0000 0% 0.3546 24% Return of Capital or Other Capital Source 0.2088 56% 0.2959 20% Total per common share 0.3760 100% 1.5034 100% Average annual total return (in relation to NAV) for the 5 years ended on November 30, 2018 4.77% Annualized current distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of November 30, 2018 9.65% Cumulative total return (in relation to NAV) for the fiscal year through November 30, 2018 -5.33% Cumulative fiscal year-to-date distribution rate expressed as a percentage of NAV as of November 30, 2018 9.65% You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution plan. The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has declared the December 2018 distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "Plan"). Under the Plan, the Fund makes fixed quarterly distributions in the amount of $0.3760 per share, which will continue to be paid quarterly until further notice. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact your financial professional or call the John Hancock Investments Closed-End Fund Information Line at 1-800-843-0090, Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined by the United States securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. An investor should consider a Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. Wellington Management Company LLP is an independent and unaffiliated investment subadviser to John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund. About John Hancock Investments John Hancock has helped individuals and institutions build and protect wealth since 1862. Today, we're one of the strongest and most-recognized financial brands. We serve investors globally through a unique multimanager approach: We search the world to find proven portfolio teams with specialized expertise for every strategy we offer, then we apply robust investment oversight to ensure they continue to meet our uncompromising standards and serve the best interests of our shareholders. Our approach to asset management has led to a diverse set of investments deeply rooted in investor needs, along with strong risk-adjusted returns across asset classes. About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial John Hancock is a division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people achieve their dreams and aspirations by putting customers' needs first and providing the right advice and solutions. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and as Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups, and institutions. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were over CAD$1.1 trillion (US$849 billion) as of June 30, 2018. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as MFC on the TSX, NYSE, and PSE, and under 945 on the SEHK. Manulife can be found at manulife.com. One of the largest life insurers in the United States, John Hancock supports approximately 10 million Americans with a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, and education savings plans. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com. 1 The Fund's current fiscal year began on January 1, 2018, and will end on December 31, 2018. SOURCE John Hancock Investments OMAHA, Neb., Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sami K. Zeineddine, MD, FACOG is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member in the field of Medicine in recognition of his role as an Obstetrician & Gynecologist at Alegent Creighton Clinic Women's Health Specialists. With reverence, integrity, compassion, and excellence at the forefront of the company's values, Alegent Creighton Clinic Women's Health Specialists mission is to heal all facets of clients well being. Dedicated to providing their clients with the quality healthcare services they deserve, the company offers a wide range of services to clients including specializing in the areas of behavioral care, cancer care, digestive health, heart care, primary care, quick care, maternity care, trauma and rehabilitation care and more. With over eighteen years of experience in the field of Medicine, Dr. Sami K. Zeineddine has established himself as a trusted professional in the profession. Throughout his career, Dr. Zeineddine attained extensive experience in all facets of medicine including high risk, multiple births, OB/GYN, urology, and invasive surgery. Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has earned the coveted title of Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, throughout the course of his education and training, Dr. Zeineddine attended Lebanese University where he earned his Medical Doctor degree. To further enhance his professional development, Dr. Zeineddine is a distinguished fellow of several elite organizations including CHI Health Clinic. Dr. Zeineddine is also a member of AMA, ACOG, IAPS, and LSUA. Charitable to various organizations, Dr. Zeineddine is an active support of organizations advocating for cancer, children, and women's health. When he is not working, Dr. Zeineddine enjoys sending quality time with family. Dr. Zeineddine dedicates this recognition to his wife Ghiwa, and his children Leila, Evan, Ahmad, and Ali. For more information, please visit www.alegent.org Contact: Katherine Green , 516-825-5634, [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com New Delhi, Dec 29 : The CBI saw the worst crisis in its over 70-year hisotry in 2018 as the bitter acrimony between its top two officers -- akin to a Kilkenny cat fight -- led to a public showdown, intervention by the central government and legal cases as the country's investigative agencies remained on their toes chasing frauds and fugitives. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) were also involved in handling some politically sensitive cases, including thse of former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Congress President Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra. A series of bank loan defaults kept the CBI busy for much of the year. It began on January 31 when the agency started a probe against diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi for defrauding Mumbai's Brady House branch of the Punjab National Bank of a staggering Rs 13,500 crore during 2011-17 by illegally issuing Letters of Undertaking and Foreign Letters of Credit. As both the businessmen had left India before the CBI started its investigations, the agency, along with the ED managed, to managed to get Red Corner notices against them. Choksi's location was initially traced to Antigua and the CBI has been attempting to get him extradited. In the midst of all this December 4 was a positive moment for the CBI when it, with the central government's help, secured the extradition from the United Arab Emirates of British national Christian Michel, the middlemen in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. The CBI scored another success when a British court ordered the extradition of industrialist Vijay Mallya, who fled India in March 2016 over a Rs 9,000-crore bank loan fraud. However, in spite of these two successes, the CBI found it hard to remove the blot on its reputation due to bitter fight between its Director, Alok Verma, and his second-in-command, Rakesh Asthana as they hurled corruption charges against each other. This prompted the government to send both officers on forced leave, the first time this has happened since the CBI's inception in 1941. The CBI Joint Director, M. Nageshwara Rao, was named its interim director. In a first of sorts, the CBI registered a case against Asthana for allegedly accepting a Rs 3 crore bribe to settle a case against meat exporter Moin Quereshi. On his part, Asthana levelled bribery allegations in more than a dozen cases against his boss. The ugly fight within the CBI became a political potboiler, with opposition parties pointing fingers at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for institutional decay. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at the Prime Minister, calling the CBI "an institution in terminal decline that's at war with itself". The CBI is now facing a biggest credibility crisis as the interim Director is not authorised to take any policy decisions affecting most of its cases. A former CBI Director, on condition of anonymity, told IANS that the turmoil severely impacted the agency's functioning. "The fight between top two CBI officers really impacted the agency. But it is for a short period. There will not be longer impact on its functioning as it is a very professional organisation. Things will go like this until a new Director takes charge of the agency. As the agency has been divided in two groups, one supporting Alok Verma and other Rakesh Asthana, there is some bitterness. But the work is going on. "The CBI managed to extradite Christian Michel," he pointed out. Lawyer Prashant Bhushan said it was a serious crisis squarely brought on by the government. "Asthana was pushed through despite the Director pointing out that they are investigating a case against him. He seems to be very close to Modi and (BJP President)Amit Shah. The CBI is today used for political purposes against political opponents. The agency should not be under the administrative control of the government." A former Police Commissioner, requesting anonymity, said the murky war has damaged the image of the CBI and this needs to be restored by sacking both the two officers. "The controversy has an impact not only on CBI's reputation but also on PM's image. Today, the government has to face the flak for the mistake." So grave is the situation that Verma has put his own government in the dock. Verma, whose tenure as CBI Director ends on January 31, presented a plea in the Supreme Court against the centre's decision - raising the question whether the government can remove him inside the two-year fixed tenure of a CBI chief without the acquiescence of the committee that appointed him. The government has clarified that the action was taken as an interim measure since Verma and Asthana were "fighting like Kilkenny cats". The Supreme Court has reserved its order in the case and has observed that the CBI Director must continue in his post for two years. And, with the rift at the top overshadowing its investigations, the CBI organised a three-day Art of Living synergy programme to improve positivity and generate a healthy atmosphere in the agency. (Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@ians.in) New Delhi : The day before the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) waxed eloquent on the triple talaq bill in parliament, saffron bullies confronted a group of Muslims offering namaz (prayers) at a park in Noida, UP. The attitude of the storm-troopers was both mocking and threatening. Today you are offering namaz, tomorrow you will build a mosque here, they said jeeringly to the obviously intimidated Muslims. The BJP's television warriors supported the saffronites during a debate on the subject, arguing that permission has to be taken before "occupying" a public place. Where the BJP and the Sangh parivar are concerned, there is no question of showering petals from helicopters on the namazis as was done in UP on the kanwariyas or the worshippers of Lord Shiva as they marched along the roads and highways with or without formal permission. These contrasting attitudes of the party in power at the centre towards Hindu and Muslim devotees - lenience towards the former and sternness towards the Muslims - do not conform to the BJP's outpouring of concern for the Muslim women who may be victims of the admittedly ludicrous and abhorrent practice of Muslim men summarily divorcing their wives on flimsy grounds. If the BJP is genuinely concerned about the welfare of Muslim women, its feelings of benevolence and sympathy should be reflected in its attitude towards the entire community and not only towards a particular section. Since this isn't the case as the vituperation directed at Muslims by the trolls shows, along with the advice of saffron stalwarts like Vinay Katiyar who want the Muslims to leave India for Pakistan or Bangladesh, or the urging of a BJP MP to dig up the Jama Masjid to uncover the hidden temples, the suspicion wiill be that the BJP's focus on the triple talaq issue is guided more by political than humane, gender-based considerations. The party's calculation apparently is that since the Muslims as a whole are unlikely to vote for it in view of the parivar's nine-decade-long preference for a Hindu rashtra, it can be politically useful to wean away at least some of the women. Another objective of the party is to offer a Hobson's choice to its opponents where opposing the bill will depict them as anti-women while supporting it will mean meekly endorsing their adversary, the BJP's stance, much to its delight. For the present, sections of the opposition evaded the trap by walking out of the Lok Sabha before the voting took place. But the issue will come up again in the Rajya Sabha where a clear-cut stance will have to be taken. As of now, the opposition wants the bill to be sent to a joint select committee since some of the provisions need to be modified, especially the one relating to criminalising the "offence" of divorcing the wife. Undoubtedly, this is the sticking point, for it is absurd to criminally prosecute a man for a divorce even if his act is whimsical and has no sanction even in other Muslim countries. For such a practice to be prevalent only in India brings no glory to the Muslims. Ideally, the "reform" in this respect should have come from within the community. However, since the organisations which claim to look after the Muslim interests in India had taken no interest in the matter all these years, it had to be left to the Supreme Court to ban the practice of triple talaq although it did not call for a law. If the BJP has favoured the legal process, it is for two reasons - both political. One is to look for votes by championing the cause of women's empowerment, and the other is to send a message to the Muslims (and other minorities) that the present government will not hesitate - unlike its "secular" predecessors - to legislate in matters which fall within the purview of their personal laws even if the triple talaq issue is little short of an outrage which should have been ended long ago. If the "secular" governments had been hesitant in this regard, the reason undoubtedly was that they were unwilling to interfere in the affairs of a community which suffered from a guilt complex for having caused the country's partition - a "sin" for which they were accused of being unpatriotic, especially by the Hindu Right. However, now that a Hindu nationalist government has done what the Left-Liberals were reluctant to do, the latter can rectify some of their earlier lapses such as overturning the Supreme Court judgment in the Shah Bano case on maintenance for divorced women and help in fine-tuning the triple talaq legislation in a manner which will make it acceptable to the political class as a whole. The BJP's defeats in the Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh elections have shown that the triple talaq issue hasn't been of much help to the party. If it has now rushed through the bill in the Lok Sabha, it is perhaps with the general election in mind. However, the endeavour of all parties should be to keep the matter as far above politics as possible and ensure that the new law does not penalise either men or the women or the children of divorced parents. (Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. He can be reached at amulyaganguli@gmail.com) Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh), Dec 30 : Madhya Pradesh Cooperatives Minister Govind Singh on Sunday took a grim view of an episode in which a farmer here had to bow his head at the feet of the district collector to get an electricity connection under the Chief Minister's Krishak Anudan Yojana. The farmer, Ajit Jatav, from Shivpuri's Kolaras tehsil under Rannod area, had deposited the money over four months back with the administration for providing power connection to a transformer that he had installed. Unable to get the connection, the farmer went to the district collector Anugrah P. bowing to her and placing his head to the collector's feet in a gesture of helplessness. The video of the incident went viral, forcing the district administration to provide him electricity connection for his 5 HP pump on Sunday. Electricity Department General Manager R.K. Agrawal confirmed that the farmer has received the connection. The video clip of the incident shows a farmer standing and weeping, holding a clump of his destroyed crop, saying he had not been able to get the transformer's connection despite depositing a fee for it. The farmer is shown appealing to the collector exiting her office: "Behen-ji meri sun jao (please listen to me)." But the Collector apparently ignores him and sits in her car. A leader is shown informing the Collector about the shortage of irrigation water. The Collector assures the farmer of an inquiry and drives away. State Cooperatives Minister Govind Singh has taken cognizance of the episode, saying he will inform Chief Minister Kamal Nath about it. "Farmers are the priority of the government. We will ensure they are not put to any difficulty," he said. 3 ton offshore, one-day fishing boat converted for illegal trawl net fishing in Jaffna TN operates 5000 vessel armada for poaching in SL waters Over 400 boats were converted to trawl net fishing in North Sri Lankan fishermens leaders from across the north met with Northern Province Governor Reginald Cooray in Jaffna last week to hand over a letter to President Maithripala Sirisena. In their letter the representatives from fishing communities in Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Mannar called upon the President to step up measures to stop destructive fishing practices by foreign and local fishing vessels in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, off the northwestern tip of the island. A resurgence of Illegal, Unreported and Unreported (IUU) by Tamil Nadu (TN) trawlers on the Sri Lankan side of the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar was highlighted by Mohammed Alam, Vice President of the Mannar District Fisheries Cooperative Societies Union during a seminar on the Fisheries (Regulation of Foreign Fishing Boats) Act (Amendment) No. 1 of 2018 held recently in Mannar. The seminar for government officers, law enforcement agencies, fishermens leaders and lawyers conducted by Colombo-based lawyers Chinthtaka Fernando and Subramaniam Kamalayogesvaran highlighted the key amendments to the Act and explored options to use these new provisions to end IUU fishing by TN trawlers in Sri Lankan waters. While welcoming the Attorney Generals efforts to review, revise and thereby strengthen the Acts effectiveness as a deterrent to IUU fishing by foreign fishing vessels in Sri Lankan waters, Alam noted that unless the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) is given orders to regularly arrest TN trawlers, the Acts utility is diminished. Civil society leaders participating in a similar seminar held in Jaffna called upon the government to deploy more SLN vessels off the northern coast; issue orders for the navy to regularly arrest TN vessels fishing in Sri Lankan waters and then prosecute the boat owners under the recently amended Fisheries (Regulation of Foreign Fishing Boats) Act. The seminars in Mannar and in Jaffna were co-financed by The Asia Foundation. The problem of Tamil Nadu trawlers fishing illegally in Sri Lankan waters is a remnant of the civil conflict. For almost 30 years, the SLN was unable to enforce Sri Lankas sovereignty in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. This was due to the active presence of Sea Tiger bases along the northern and southern coast of Mannar District and in Mullaitivu. The vacuum created by the conflict was quickly filled by opportunistic TN boat owners in Rameshwaram, Thondi, Pattukottai and Nagapattinum. Over a period of 30 years, they built up a 5,000 vessel strong armada of mechanized trawlers with the sole intention of fishing exclusively in Sri Lankan waters. The problem of TN trawlers fishing illegally in SL waters is a remnant of the civil conflict. For almost 30 years, the SLN was unable to enforce Sri Lankas sovereignty in the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar Since 2009, successive Sri Lankan governments have slowly but surely recovered and re-asserted Sri Lankas sovereign right to the sustainable exploitation of marine resources on the Sri Lanka side of the International Maritime Boundary Line. Despite often strident protests from the State Government of TN various politicians, boat owners and civil society groups in TN the Central Government of India and the courts in Chennai have repeatedly acknowledged Sri Lankas sovereign rights on the Sri Lankan side of the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, including those associated with the tiny islet of Kachchativu. Francis Joseph (left) President Pooneryn Fishermens Cooperative Societies Union N. M. Alam Vice President, Mannar District Fishermens Cooperative Societies Union And yet for Sri Lankan fishermen in the north the issue of illegal, destructive fishing to ebb and flow, much like the tide. N. M. Alam and Joseph Francis President of the Pooneryn Fishermens Cooperative Union reiterated this point at the press conference held after the fishermens leaders meeting with the Governor last week. As they said, if the government of the day does not remain vigilant and if the President as Head of the Armed Forces refrained from issuing orders to arrest the TN boats, then slowly and but surely they would return to disrupt the livelihoods of northern fishermen; and destroy the marine resources upon which these livelihoods depend. The destruction of Sri Lankas marine resources in the north is not unfortunately restricted to the actions of TN trawlers. In what is an ironic twist of fate, the success of northern fishermens campaign to end IUU fishing by TN trawlers in Sri Lankan waters, has created an opportunity for Sri Lankan boat owners in the north to commence illegal trawl net fishing in their place! According to local fishermens leaders that I met recently in Delft, more than 400 3 ton, offshore, one-day fishing boats have been brought to the north and converted for trawl net fishing by local boat owners since 2012. Unless the Governor and the President intervene, one form of destructive fishing looks set to be replaced by another. New Delhi, Dec 30 : 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) New Delhi, Dec 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called on people to give importance to positive news and make "positivity viral" instead of dwelling on negative news, spreading which, he said, is "fairly easy". Modi referred to certain news and opinion websites like thebetterindia.com, and yourstory.com, which, he said, write about "inspiring lives" and are "infusing more sensitivity into society" through their stories. "I just referred to thebetterindia.com, and I read about Dr. Jaya Chandran. Whenever I get the opportunity, I visit the website and try to know more about such shining, inspiring deeds. "I am glad to observe that these days, there are many websites apprising us of inspiring life - stories of such remarkable gems," Modi said in his 51st 'Mann ki Baat' address-- this year's last edition. "Can we join hands in one endeavour?.. Let us share such websites amongst ourselves. Let's 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, in our society. And all this has been possible through the collective efforts of 130 crore countrymen," he said. Shimla, Dec 30 : 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. New Delhi, Dec 29 : Giving a dramatic twist in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal case, the Enforcement Directorate 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. Citing from a note of Michel, the agency, however, did not specify who the "Mrs Gandhi" or 'big man R' it was referring to. During arguments, the 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 need to decipher the documents to decrypt such codes," the counsel said. In its remand application, the agency claimed that during interrogation on Thursday, Michel gave his lawyer a "folded paper" which the lawyer hid under his mobile phone. This incident took place when a medical team had come to check Michel's health when his lawyer was also present. "During the medical examination, Christian Michel stood up and turned towards his advocate Aljo Joseph standing next to him and acted like shaking hands with the advocate and saying him good-bye and extended his hands for handshake. "It was noticed that Michel secretly handed over a folded paper to his counsel Joseph. Joseph was carrying his mobile phone under which he hide the folded paper and put it discreetly in pocket of his jacket and acted as if nothing took place," reads the ED remand paper. The remand paper said "immediately after the incident was noticed by the Deputy Director present in the room that Michel has handed over a paper to his counsel". "On this, counsel Joseph was asked to give the paper back. He took out a folded paper from his jacket and returned the same to Ms Ramanjit Kaur. On perusal of the same, it was found that it was having the typed form of questions to be asked on it. "The paper was then handed over to Naresh Malik, Assistant Director ED. Perusal 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 a conspiracy to shield and or to tamper 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 and needs to be discontinued henceforth," it said. However, the court allowed continued legal assistance to Michel, though the timing was reduced to 15 minutes from 30 minutes both in the morning and the evening. The ED said Michel's custody was needed as an investigation was still to be conducted with regard to the places where the meetings between him and other people used to take place with regard to the proceeds of crime and money trail to decipher the voluminous documents, confrontation with other persons and with documents. The agency also said the questionnaire, which has already been prepared for investigation by the Investigating Officer, has not yet been completely answered by Michel. How he was able to access classified information protected under the Official Secrets Act also needed to be probed, it said. Michel's lawyer Joseph submitted that he was in custody for a long time and already sufficient time was given to ED to complete the probe. "The accused is suffering from dyslexia. So putting a number of questions for hours together to the accused is unnecessary harassment. A request is made that the custody of the accused may not be extended to the ED." Vacation Judge Chandra Shekhar said that it was in the interest of justice to extend Michel's ED custody for a further seven days as voluminous documents were required to be put to the accused. New Delhi, Dec 29 : Accusing the Central government of scanning over 400 files related to the Delhi government, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to show four files of the Centre, including those of Sahara-Birla and Rafale. Addressing the National Council Meeting of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Kejriwal also said through repeated examinations and scanning, Modi gave the AAP government in Delhi a certificate of honesty. "The Centre took and examined our 400 files to find irregularities, but could not find any. Modi himself gave us a certificate of honesty. I always say if PM Modi shows us four of his files, he will end up landing in jail," Kejriwal said. "You took our 400 files, show us Sahara-Birla and Rafale files and we can send you to jail with just these two files," he challenged Modi. He said that the BJP in the past four years has not left any stone unturned to ensure that the AAP government could not perform. "I don't see anywhere in the country or in the world that a Chief Minister elected by the people could not even transfer a peon working under him. The Centre holds the power to transfer the officers but we have been asked to make them work. The public has voted for us, but powers are with the Centre." He said that the Central government posted the worst officers in the education and health departments, soon after the two departments started doing good work. "But Manish (Sisodia) and Satyendar (Jain) ensured that these officers worked. Only we know how we handled the dictatorship of the Centre. They also used all possible agencies against us including the police and CBI to humiliate us," Kejriwal said, adding that the Centre also used the Income Tax department and the ED against them. Kejriwal, in his speech, mentioned Anna Hazare and said he is following Anna's lessons. The party head also said that the Congress too is against the AAP. "It is not the BJP which is against us, but also the Congress. Whenever there were raids on us, the Congress workers were the first ones to celebrate," he said. Kejriwal added that the work done by the party and the government in Delhi was no less than a miracle. "The Delhi government, which is going to complete four years soon, has done some work which the other political parties were not able to do even after being in power for 15-20 years. The BJP is in power for past 22 years in Gujarat, compare the government schools in the state with that of Delhi. The work the Congress and the BJP could not do in 70 years, we have done in just three years." He said that the party workers should be proud of the party and its work. "Whenever you meet a BJP or Congress worker, just ask them to compare the schools in their state and in Delhi." He accused the two parties -- BJP and Congress -- of not doing any work in 70 years. Kejriwal said that the nation can become number one in the world if a good party comes to power at the Centre. He said the formation of the party was not an end to the revolution. "Our fight will continue and we should be ready to dedicate ourselves to the nation and the cause. The challenge before us is big," he added. Karachi, Dec 29 : Pakistan International Airlines has sacked over 50 employees, including pilots and cabin crew, for holding fake degrees, the media reported on Saturday. A statement by the country's national carrier said that the employees were fired on the instructions of the Supreme Court in a fake degrees case. Three pilots and 50 crew staff were sacked, Geo News reported. Chief Justice Saqib Nisar had taken notice of alleged appointment of pilots holding fake qualifications in January this year. A two-member bench headed by the Chief Justice had issued a deadline of December 28 to the Civil Aviation Authority for completing the verifications of the degrees of pilots. New York, Dec 29 : A man has been arrested for allegedly killing an Indian-origin police officer during a traffic stop in California's Newman county, officials said. The suspect was identified as Gustavo Perez Arriaga, 33, who came to the US illegally and was believed to have been fleeing to Mexico, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson told CNN on Friday. Arriaga was arrested from a home in Kern County, about 200 miles south of where the shooting occurred on Christmas night. Officer Ronil Singh, 33, pulled over the suspect just before 1 a.m. Wednesday and a few moments later called out "shot fired" over the radio. Other officers found Singh shot and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the police said. Singh was a native of Fiji and joined the Newman Police Department in July 2011. That day he was "working overtime on Christmas night to provide the best for his family", police officials said. Singh's brother, Reggie, thanked police officers through sobs at a press conference. "Ronil Singh was my older brother. Yes, he's not coming back, but there's a lot of people out there that misses him," Reggie said on Friday. Referring to the arrest, he said: "I was waiting for this to happen. I'd like to thank you working day and night to make this happen." Talking about the suspect, Sheriff Christianson said that Arriaga was arrested twice previously for driving under the influence of alcohol and has known gang affiliation. Arriaga's brother, Adrian Virgen, 25, and co-worker, Erik Razo Quiroz, 32, were arrested on Thursday for felony. They were also in the US illegally. The sheriff said the two men were trying to protect Arriaga, who was trying to go to Mexico. "It was his goal to get across the border." Detectives also arrested Arriaga's girlfriend and another of his brothers, accusing them of helping Arriaga evade the police. They were identified as Ana Leyde Cervantes, 30, and Conrado Virgin Mendoza, 34. New Delhi, Dec 30 : 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) Washington, Dec 30 : US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that great progress has been made in trade negotiations between the US and China, though he gave no specific details. "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 wrote on Twitter. The US and China are in the midst of a 90-day trade truce reached by Trump and Xi at the G20 Summit in Argentina in early December, reports Efe. If no solution has been found by the end of the truce that satisfactorily allays Washington's concerns, US tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods will soar from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. China's finance minister announced in mid-December that Beijing will suspend additional tariffs on vehicles and vehicle parts made in the US for three months starting January 1. At the same time, the Xi government approved the renewal of imports of US soybeans, while Chinese lawmakers agreed to come up with a bill banning the forced transfer of technology. For his part, Trump said two weeks ago that his country could soon reach a trade agreement with China. The White House wants the talks with Beijing to lead to structural changes in the Chinese commercial system, particularly with regard to what it considers a forced transfer of technology and the scant protection for intellectual property. The Trump administration also hopes that these negotiations lead to an opening of the Chinese market to US agricultural and manufactured products. Ottawa, Dec 29 : A Canadian citizen who was detained in China earlier this month amid frosty relations between the two countries has been released and returned to Canada, officials said. Teacher Sarah McIver, from Alberta, was held for "unlawfully working in China". She was the third Canadian to be detained by China following the December 1 arrest in Vancouver of Chinese telecom giant Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, the Guardian reported on Saturday. Meng was arrested at the request of US prosecutors and faces extradition on charges of violating sanctions on Iran. She denies the allegations. McIver's detention was confirmed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on December 19, who said at the time that the detention was more "routine" than the previous two cases. He denied the detention was linked to Canada's arrest of Meng. Global Affairs Canada Department confirmed that their citizen had been released, but did not name the person. "Global Affairs can confirm that a Canadian citizen, who was detained in China this month, has been released and has now returned to Canada," spokesman Richard Walker said. "Due to the provisions under the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed." Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said McIver had received an "administrative penalty (for) illegal employment". Hua also added that the teacher's situation was different from the two other Canadian detainees. Previously, two Canadians -- Michael Spavor who is a consultant on North Korea, and former diplomat Michael Kovrig -- employed by thinktank International Crisis Group, were detained by China on suspicion of "harm to national security". But their detentions were seen by many as retaliation for Meng's arrest. 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. Further testing tense relations, another Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, was due to appear before a court in China on drugs charges. A Chinese government news portal, runsky.com, identified Schellenberg as Canadian and said he was accused of smuggling an "enormous amount" of drugs. The Lao PM will lead a high-ranking Lao delegation to attend the meeting at the invitation of PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee was held in February 2018. Addressing the press conference after the 40th meeting, PM Phuc said that the 40th meeting was a success, opening a new chapter in the special relationship between the two countries. The government leader noted that the two sides signed 12 important documents at the 40th meeting and will work to put eight major construction works into operation on the occasion of the 41st meeting. A collegial leadership of ten members is proposed for the new political front to be formed by the United National Party (UNP) along with the like-minded parties such as Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the Jathika Hela Urumya (JHU) and the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), it is learnt. The constitution of the new alliance called Democratic National Front has already been drafted. It will have a collegial leadership. The UNP will have the chairmanship of this leadership body. A political source told Daily Mirror that the front would be formed in view of elections pending next year. There is a body of leaders to take decisions instead of a single individual calling the shots, a political source said. The political parties are gearing up for elections. The Presidential Election will have to be declared by October 9, next year. Besides, there are talks along the political parties to pass a resolution in Parliament calling for a snap general election.(Kelum Bandara) Liverpool (England), Dec 30 : 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. Moscow, Dec 29 : Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday announced a ban on Ukrainian products in retaliation to similar measures Ukraine had adopted in an escalation of tension between the two countries. The Russian embargo included products manufactured in Ukraine as well as those that reach the Russian market via the neighbouring country, according to an official statement. "Russia is introducing an import ban on a range of Ukrainian goods," Medvedev tweeted, adding that it was a retaliatory measure to Ukraine's sanctions. The banned products included turbines -- except those that are used in civil aviation -- machinery, transformers, chemical products and limestone, among others, Efe news reported. Moscow also banned the import of wheat, sunflower oil, canned fish, fruit and vegetables, chocolate, bread, pastries, caviar and wine, according to the statement. The Russian government said it would lift the ban if Ukraine also abolished the embargo it had imposed on certain Russian goods. Russia had already enforced an import ban on meat, fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, dairy products and salt from Ukraine in January 2016. Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko banned the import of Russian products after Moscow propped up elections conducted in the self-proclaimed people's republics -- Donetsk and Lugansk -- in eastern Ukraine which are not recognized by the international community. Tensions between the two countries escalated further during a naval clash that saw Russia seize three Ukrainian vessels and detain two dozen sailors in the Black Sea. Lucknow, Dec 30 : Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and amid talks of anti-BJP Mahagatbandhan in Uttar Pradesh, 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. New York, Dec 30 : 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) New Delhi, Dec 29 : The Supreme Court entered 2018 on a tumultuous note with four senior-most judges, on January 12, going public over its functioning and the allocation of cases, including certain cases being selectively allocated to select benches. What was not said then was recently revealed by Justice Kurian Joseph -- one of the four "rebel judges" -- that they felt the then Chief Justice Dipak Misra was being "controlled from outside". The press conference by the four judges, including Ranjan Gogoi, who was elevated to Chief Justice later in the year, created ripples in judicial and political circles which Justice Amitava Roy said left the top court with a "fractured face" and dented its credibility and the paramountcy of the judicial process. Though the four judges addressing the media on the issues that were internal to the court did not find favour with the legal fraternity, including former judges, it did jolt the institution's majesty, image and credibility. The memory of the "sensational press conference", senior counsel K.V. Vishwanathan said, has fortunately receded to the background because of the import of a series of judicial pronouncement through the year pushing to forefront the doctrine of "constitutional morality", "gender justice" and the limits of state intrusion in the private domain of citizens, to mention just a few issues. However, activists lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that "nothing much has changed" except that the allocation of cases to different benches is better and things are "not as bad as in the past." Buttressing the point, Bhushan said the Chief Justice continues to be the Master of Rolls and PILs are not being listed before the benches headed by five senior-most judges of the top court and were largely confined to the court of the Chief Justice. The last assault, as it were, in this chain of events was the failed attempt by the Congress to initiate impeachment of the then Chief Justice Misra -- a move that had few takers in judicial circles as some former judges felt that there was no merit in the move. However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal asserted that the grounds for the impeachment were "justified" and not "frivolous" as he sought to dispel the impression that he was the inspiration behind the move. It was moved by the "Congress party and 50 MPs had signed it", Sibal maintained. Assessing as "average" the top court's performance in 2018, senior counsel Dushyant Dave took a dim view of its failure to even order an enquiry into the sad demise of Judge B.H. Loya -- who was conducting the trial on the alleged staged shootout of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, killing of his wife Kausarbi and encounter of his associate Tulsiram Prajapati in 2002. (All the 22 accused in the case were acquitted earlier this year. Amit Shah, then the Gujurat Home Minister and now the BJP President, was at one time named in the case but was later discharged.) "The year 2018 has been one of the darkest chapters in the history of the Supreme Court. The abject failure of the Court in even ordering an enquiry into the sad demise of Judge Loya reflects the lack of independence on its part. The court missed a golden opportunity to send a powerful message to subordinate judiciary, the backbone of the administration of justice, that it stands by them, come what may," Dave told IANS. Hailing the emergence of the "doctrine of constitutional morality and the triumph of gender justice", as its "crowning glory", Vishwanathan said the court has in "no uncertain terms asserted that there is no place in our country, for what I may say, the 'hecklers of morality'". "Vested interests, under the guise of social morality" had been "attempting to undermine valuable constitutional rights of the individuals," Vishwanathan said, adding that women and the marginalised "will no longer be subjected to moral policing of the others' notions of morality". "Victorian Morality was buried nine fathoms deep," he asserted. Some recent appointments, transfers and elevations in higher judiciatry by the top court's collegium did raise eye-brows. Its functioning was "far from satisfactory" and "hugely disappointing", Dave said. Pointing to the flaws in the selection of judges for appointment to higher judiciary, Dave faulted the collegium's seniority-centric approach and not picking "the best from amongst those available" as mandated by the court's own judgements. The year also saw court telling the government that Aadhaar was not panacea of all that ails governance and restricted it from demanding the Unique ID (UID) number for each and every scheme. Another area of serious concern where top court left its indelible stamp was environment. It was unsparing in hauling the administration for not doing enough for curbing an alarmingly high level of air pollution and the handling of the piling mound of solid waste. Describing the ban on the use of pet coke and furnace oil in the NCR as a "huge, huge step", Supreme Court lawyer and amicus curiae in environmental matters Aparajita Singh said the court's order had blocked American pet coke from reaching India's shores after China banned it. Referring to the several order of the court relating to environment which were not being acted upon by the authorities on the ground level, Aparajita Singh said: "The consistent monitoring of the implementation of its orders infused fear amongst the authorities and they fell in line and started acting on them." Other landmark judgements durinng the year were advancing the deadline for the introduction of BS VI fuel from 2024 to April 1, 2020 across the country, issuing long-awaited guidelines on witness protection, guarding the identity of the victim of sexual assault and rape including the rehabilitation of the victim and payment of compensation. (Pramod Kumar can be contacted at saneel2010@gmail.com) New Delhi, Dec 30 : 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@ New Delhi, Dec 31 : Ace photographer Atul Kasbekar says the future of photography is linked with videos and it would be difficult for aspiring ones to be at the top by just shooting still photography. "I think the future of photography is inevitably linked with video. It would be difficult to shoot just stills and be at the top unless it happen to be a prodigal talent. For example it's a known fact that the wedding photographers today are making a fantastic living as opposed to what they say a decade ago," Kasbekar told IANS over an email. He also says that key as a photographer is "what you do with your depth of knowledge". "What you have read, experienced, experimented comes to fore when you create an image," he said. The photographer is currently working on the 2019 edition of Kingfisher calender. Featuring four top models, the calendar in its 17th edition is a lifestyle property from the King of Good Times. This year's calendar will feature an ensemble with south Indian actress Shubra Aiyappa, Sushrii Mishraa - beauty queen from Orissa, supermodel Diva Dhawan and Hayley Parr from the UK who flew to the exotic Island of "Sardinia" to shoot for it. "Our edition is shot in Sardinia, an Italian island in the Mediterranean. The images reflect the beauty of the island which is a quiet getaway for all kinds of people. From the super wealthy in Porto Cervo to the rustic beauty of its smaller inland villages," said Kasbekar. His job takes him to lot of places so as a photographer, what are his favourite things to do while travelling? "I've long since tuned off on shopping, clubbing and taking in the night spots. Before getting anywhere, I'll inevitably read on Google enough about the place or speak with others who might have been there. If one connects with locals there is always a restaurant/or an experience that's not common to tourists. "My shopping is now almost totally restricted to local food produce for example from Sardinia I brought back some local pecorino and ham," he said. Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 30 : The CPI-M's move to form a Women's Wall, from Kasargode to Thiruvananthapuram on January 1, to uphold renaissance values and gender equality in society is a bundle of contradictions, the Congress said on Sunday. Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala told reporters that right from day one, when this programme was announced by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, it has been mired in contradictions. "When Vijayan said the Women's Wall is being formed in response to the reaction against the Supreme Court verdict of allowing women of all ages into the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, State Devaswom (temple) Minister Kadakampally Surendran and CPI-M state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the Women's Wall was not connected to the Sabarimala issue," said Chennithala. "Later Vijayan's government filed an affidavit in the Kerala High Court stating that the event is being organized with a budget of Rs. 50 crore which was drawn from the state's Women and Children department, while outside the court, in public meetings, he says not a single rupee of the government is being used," added Chennithala. Chennithala also said that the first meeting called by Vijayan for the event was attended by several Hindu organisations. "They claim that this event is being held to uphold renaissance values and gender equality in society but what he fails to understand is that the renaissance movement in the state was a joint one where all communities took part. "Vijayan also stated that all communities will take part, but today what has surfaced is that he is playing identity (based on caste, creed and community) politics," said Chennithala. And pointing out another contradiction, Chennithala noted that Vijayan says the Wall is being formed to give confidence and security to women. "If one looks back, since Vijayan assumed office in 2016 , women have faced the worst ever attacks and Vijayan talks of giving confidence to women," said Chennithala. Surendran, however, expressed confidence that all the arrangements are in place and it's going to be a roaring success as five million women will stand in a line from Kasargode to here. With the Vijayan government leaving nothing to chance to make it a resounding success, this event is now being touted to enter the Guinness Book of World Records, as its officials arrive in the state to witness it for themselves. Malappuram (Kerala) : Malappuram (Kerala) Dec 29 (IANS) Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) supremo Hyderali Shihab Thangal on Saturday asked for an explanation from its most powerful leader and Malappuram Lok Sabha MP, P.K. Kunhalikutty, for skipping the Lok Sabha proceedings on Thursday when the House debated and passed the crucial triple talaq bill. His absence created a furore in Kerala with the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) and its recently inducted ally, the Indian National League (INL), criticising Kunhalikutty for skipping the proceedings to attend a marriage ceremony in the Middle East. Ironically, Kunhalikutty, who is the party's general secretary, had earlier demanded the a debate on the bill in parliament cautioned against any undue haste in issuing an ordinance. On Saturday, the INL marched to his house, near here, shouting slogans against the MP who is facing criticism from several quarters for letting down the community by abstaining from the debate on the bill in parliament. Higher Education Minister K.T.Jaleel, who was attacked by the IUML in the past two months over the appointment of a relative, said that the IUML should ask Kunhalikutty to resign. The IUML had earlier accused Jaleel of nepotism and had demanded his resignation. Jaleel further said that Kunhalikutty remained absent to please the BJP. Reacting to the controversy, Kunhalikutty, however, said that the issue is being blown out of proportion. He further added that initially both the Congress and the IUML had decided to boycott the bill, but later some parties changed their stance and so did the IUML and his party colleague E.T. Mohammed Basheer in the Lok Sabha did the needful by voting against the bill. Kunhalikutty is expected to give an explanation in the coming few days. Shimla/Manali, Dec 31 : Tens of thousands of holidaymakers on Monday gathered across resorts in Himachal Pradesh to bid goodbye to 2018. Seeing the tourist rush, the police advised the revellers to start leaving the Ridge, the most famous promenade in Shimla, as the clocks strike midnight. "Our policemen will greet tourists after midnight and will request them to vacate the Ridge and the Mall," a senior police officer told IANS. He said this step would be taken as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident. The most sought-after destinations were Shimla, Kufri, Narkanda, Kasauli, Chail, Dharamsala, Palampur, Dalhousie and Manali and the revellers have to be prepared to sleep out in cars overnight if they did not get hotel bookings in advance. Most of the hotels have been sold out in advance, members of the hospitality industry warned. "Most of our properties in Shimla, Chail, Kufri, Kasauli, Dharamsala, Palampur and Manali have been sold out till January 3," Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) General Manager Sarla Chopra told IANS. She said most of the guests have been enquiring about the possibility of snowfall on the New Year's Eve and later. Over 50,000 tourists are expected to visit the state to ring in New Year, tourism industry experts said. The popular tourist town of Narkanda, some 65 km from Shimla, saw last spell of snow on December 12 but it melted within a few days. So was Shimla, known for the imperial grandeur of buildings that were once institutions of power when it was the summer capital of British India, where the entire snow cover disappeared. Shimla's meteorological office Director Manmohan Singh told IANS tourist towns like Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Manali and Dalhousie, located in mid-hills, may witness moderate snowfall from January 1. The mountain peaks viewed from Shimla's historic Ridge, Dharamsala and Palampur towns are wrapped in a thick white blanket of snow. Manali is a magnet for holidaymakers these days owing to plentiful snow in its nearby hills. "Nearby hills of Manali that have good accumulation of snow have been attracting the tourists," a Manali-based travel agent Gobind Thakur said. Gauri Saklani, a tourist in Shimla, said: "I prefer to travel to the hills from Delhi in winter when the plains are foggy and the mountains are basking in the mellow sun." Himachal Pradesh has no tourist accommodation in far-off areas. Rural home-stays that started in 2008 were driving tourists to the interiors and that were the best option to stay. At present, over 900 home-stay units have been registered in the state. Out of these, over 250 are in the Kullu-Manali region. The state's economy is highly dependent on tourism, besides hydroelectric power and horticulture. The state has attracted 196.02 lakh tourists last year, 2.9 times of its population, said state's Economic Survey 2017-18, adding that it has 63 operational helipads. The book indeed runs like a roller coaster leaving the reader with more questions than answers Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi) and Senior Fellow, Institute for National Security Studies Sri Lanka (Colombo) Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Sri Lanka at Crossroads: Geopolitical Challenges and National Interest, World Scientific, Singapore, 2019 Sri Lanka at Crossroads by Asanga Abeyagoonasekera could not have come at better times. But more than being so timely given Sri Lankas political developments of the last two months, it holds enduring relevance in its own right and assures a longer shelf life for being such an ambitious project by a relatively young author. It shows his erudite width in painting such a large canvas ranging from the island nations strategic significance germinating from its ancient diplomatic interactions with Romans to being central and oversized island in Ptolemys world map from where he moves with his characteristic ease to untying complex knots of charged political polemics of contemporary times. In this compilation of his recent essays his examination of Sri Lankas decade-long peace-building and reconciliation remain especially sharp and candid, even blunt! These essays are equally forthright when it comes to examining challenges to Sri Lankas democratic institutions and traditions as also in dissecting specific sectors of cyber security and forecasting futures. There is impressive intellectual groundwork that makes analysis constantly crisscrossing multiple locales and narratives; laden, often with an emotional restlessness and deeper connect with the subject which often makes the author prescriptive, sometimes even caricaturing to push his argument forcefully to his readers. There is this discomfort of complex situations of Sri Lanka being addressed in simplistic frames of reference. For instance, he recommends shifting towards a pure technocracy if Sri Lankans are not able to overcome repeated episodes of indiscipline that undermined their democratic credence. Asanga sees weak state institutions as the most formidable cause for the current morass, especially corruption and inaction. Myopic political decisions like allowing all hundred ministers new cars worth 36 million rupees each, lure and lustre of rapid investments, stereotyping of Tamils, underinvesting in their youth on the one hand and being unappreciative of complete absence of choices for those successive generations during the Eelam war that ignites subconsciousness-driven slogans (Eluga Tamil) does not call for one-time engagements with Global Tamil Forum for public relations. While there is conviction in seriously engaging Tamil diaspora there is also the urge to recognise Sri Lankas war heroes: politicians for their political will; soldiers for their dedication and bravery; and, intelligence for their precision in cutting all supply lines of rebels to make this victory possible. The book is also unique the way it uses a whole treasure of quotations from various historical icons from world over. It is reflective of the author constantly rubbing shoulders with global leaders attending forums from the Davos World Economic Forum to Shangri La Dialogue and brain teasing of several experts from ivy institutions of great reputation. However, as the world drifts from continents to Oceans following Mahanian axioms it leaves only Sri Lanka that sits in the midst of global east-west super expressway of sea lanes of communications In the end readers will find this book very lucid and therefore an easy read and also engaging while keeping the reader on edge of moving faster to keep pace with authors inferences The book indeed runs like a roller coaster leaving the reader with more questions than answers. But for a discerning eye, it also alludes to several unwritten insinuations forcing the reader to read in between the published lines. In explaining Sri Lankas strategic location -- as its greatest asset -- Asanga talks of MacInders outer crescent that makes him see two other nations, Britain and Japan, being similarly ordained. However, as the world drifts from continents to Oceans following Mahanian axioms it leaves only Sri Lanka that sits in the midst of global east-west super expressway of sea lanes of communications connecting the two ends of the Indo-Pacific geopolitical paradigm. He calls it a super connector. The unsaid part here explains why Chinese have not only invested about $2 billion in Hambantota port but take a 99 years lease to manage it as well. He reminds us of Robert Kaplan of Monsoon fame saying whoever controls Indian Ocean will dominate Asia, the destiny of the world will be decided on these waters. Sri Lanka at Crossroads makes an admirable effort to provide an objective analysis of Sri Lankas India connections, especially the Tamil factor in knitting his narrative on ups and downs of Delhi-Colombo equations. It highlights limitations of New Delhis coalition politics and as he puts it, Indian leaders have often themselves confessed about it. Likewise, he also highlights how sometimes insurrections were triggered by Sinhala Buddhists who set off anti-Tamil pogroms in south as also sometimes the state agencies reacting rather slowly and then resorting to use of brute force to restore order. Similarly on China, he highlights how Chinas One Belt One Road was originally conceived by famous Beijing University professor, Wang Ji Si who proposed it (in Mackinders model) of connecting China to Eurasia. Surely Wang has not been publicly credited for this and addition of the Twenty-First Century Maritime Silk Road to Chinas reformulated Belt and Road Initiative surely drifts far from the so-called Wang proposal. While Wangs authorship may be established over a period of time, the other noticeable puzzle reader will come across is repeated prescriptions of what needs to be done. This is perhaps how policy research works quite often. But in the end readers will find this book very lucid and therefore an easy read and also engaging while keeping the reader on edge of moving faster to keep pace with authors inferences and imaginations. Avoid Car Insurance Lapses Car insurance lapses will negatively impact the future premiums. A lengthy lapse will make premiums more expensive. Find out how to deal with insurance gaps. said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. 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On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. CSUN Psychology Professor and Film Director Luciana Lagana after receiving a film festival award in Las Vegas in 2018 for her anti-bias educational feature documentary OFF THE STREETS FOR GOOD. It is a great pleasure to present research posters and to publish peer-reviewed articles with very supportive colleagues and with ambitious and talented students (concluded Dr. Lagana). 2018 has been a busy and productive year in CSUN Professor Luciana Laganas research laboratory. Her research team received the fourth year of support in the form of a federal grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to study pain among African-American, European-American, and Latina older women. Several research posters were presented at national conferences, and two peer-reviewed articles were published by her team. An educational documentary feature film on homelessness that she wrote, directed, and produced is currently being tested in randomized controlled trials for its potential anti-bias effects on viewers. Moreover, in 2018 alone, Dr. Lagana won several awards for this research documentary at many film festivals, including the Best Political Statement Award at Hollywood Dreamz International Film Festival, the Phoenix Body of Work Film Award at the Action on Film International Film Festival, and the Best Director Award in the Documentary Category at the 2018 Shawna Shea Film Festival. One of the two articles was published in the very prestigious journal of the American Psychological Association (APA) Psychological Assessment. Dr. Laganas former graduate student, David Alpizar, is the first author, she is the second author, and the other authors are CSUN Prof. Scott W. Plunkett and Washington State University Prof. Brian F. French (the current mentor of Alpizar). Title: Evaluating the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire's psychometric properties with Mexican and Central American descent university students. Abstract: Depression can be a serious aliment influencing the lives of millions of persons. Person's health conditions worsen and daily functioning declines in the presence of depression. However, little attention has been given to how depression is accurately assessed in diverse populations from other countries residing in the United States. Thus, this study examined the factor structure, factorial invariance, concurrent validity, and convergent validity of the widely used 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) among emerging adults of Mexican and Central American (e.g., Salvadorians, Guatemalans) men and women residing in the United States. Undergraduate student participants (n = 2,782) completed an online or paper-and-pencil version of the assessment. Support was found for two-factor and one-factor solutions; however, the unidimensional structure was recommended due to the very high correlation between the two factors (r .87). The unidimensional scale was invariant between (a) Mexican and Central American descent and (b) men and women. Depressive symptoms (as measured in the PHQ-8) were significantly correlated with another valid and reliable measured of depression, and scores on the PHQ-8 were significantly correlated with theoretically related variables (i.e., quality of life, parental support, and perceived stress). This article is available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Evaluating+the+eight-item+Patient+Health+Questionnaire%27s+psychometric David Alpizar obtained his B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in General Experimental Psychology at CSUN, where he was funded by NIH RISE (Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement) and MARC (Maximizing Access to Research Careers) Programs. He is currently a doctoral student at Washington State University. Dr. Lagana is the first author of her labs second article published in 2018 with three of her mentees: (in authorship order) Dr. Giovanni Sosa, Marina Z. Nakhla, and Dillion Toscano. It was published in the International Journal of Family & Community Medicine. Title: Cognitive gains from video game use in older age: A review of the literature corroborating them. Abstract: This article contains succinct summaries of the published literature regarding strategies that could lead to improved cognitive functioning among older individuals, mechanisms explaining the positive psychological effects of video game use in older age, and psychological factors related to using video games in older age. Factors contributing to the positive impact of video game usage on older adults are discussed, followed by an explanation of how skills acquisition among older adults during video game training appears to transfer to non-practiced tasks, as this could create several advantages in their lives. Due to space limitations, this review does not cover all published literature in this area. Instead, we have focused mainly on the available evidence in support of video game use among older adults. A plethora of research indicates that benefits derived from a singular video game may generalize to a full genre of games. As technology continues to advance, researchers must explore new methods to improve cognitive functioning. Given the high incidence of cognitive impairment among older adults, the need for future research in this area is emphasized. This article is available at https://medcraveonline.com/IJFCM/IJFCM-02-00029.pdf All three co-authors have studied in Dr. Laganas research laboratory. Dr. Giovanni Sosa is a Senior Research Analyst at the Institutional Research Office of Chaffey College. When studying in Dr. Laganas lab, he was funded by the NIH grant CSUN Bridges to the Doctorate. Marina Z. Nakhla is a former NIH RISE and Sally Casanova (CSU Pre-Doctoral Program) scholar. She graduated from CSUN in May 2018 with her M.A. in Clinical Psychology. This past fall, she started the University of California San Diego San Diego State University (UCSD-SDSU) Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, with an emphasis in neuropsychology. Dillion Toscano is a current undergraduate research assistant of Dr. Lagana and is funded through the NIH BUILD PODER program. It is a great pleasure to present research posters and to publish peer-reviewed articles with very supportive colleagues and with ambitious and talented students, concluded Dr. Lagana. Dr. Luciana Lagana is a caring clinical and experimental psychologist. She is also an established professor of psychology, gerontology, sexuality, and womens health at CSUN, where she teaches classes and mentors many undergraduate and graduate students from several departments. Additionally, she conducts government-funded research on ethnically diverse, mainly low-income older womens physical, psychological, social, and sexual health. Concerning her artistic pursuits, since 2006 she has been studying acting and hosting in Los Angeles (in her teens, she was part of a touring theatrical company in Italy). Moreover, after studying film production under the mentorship of Prof. Nate Thomas, Director of the Film Production Option in the CSUN Department of Cinema and Television Arts, she has been producing several social impact films and series. She is an actor/screenwriter/director/producer with over 30 film festivals' wins listed on IMDb and more than 50 IMDb film, TV, and web series credits. For instance, she created, hosted, and directed the award-winning educational project Dr. Luciana Show Aging and Falling. She also won Best Director Documentary at the 2018 Shawna Shea Film Festival. At CSUN, Prof. Lagana won the 2017 CSUN Exceptional Creative Accomplishments Faculty Award for her anti-bias feature films and shows, as well as the 2011 Preeminent Scholarly Publications Faculty Award and the 2008 Visionary Community Service Learning Faculty Award. Best PPC SEO Agencies Awards organization 10 Best SEO recently recognized Ignite Visibility, Directive Consulting and Comrade as three of the Best PPC SEO Agencies in the country. Southern California's Ignite Visibility finished in first place on this months list of best PPC SEO agencies, earning a rating of 98%. Best PPC agency Directive Consulting of Orange County, California, won December's silver medal with a 95-percent rating. Comrade, a best PPC agency with fewer workers than the other competitors, takes December 2018's bronze medal home to the Windy City. The December rankings are important because navigating the pay-per-click market isn't easy, especially for beginners. Noviceseven intermediate-level pay-per-click advertisersoften pay too much for people to click on their ads. Further, even if they do pay competitively for PPC bids, their landing pages might not be optimized for customer engagement. However, 10 Best Designs monthly awards list helps companies choose the best PPC advertisers in the English-speaking world. Online advertising has been more popular than its traditional counterpart for several years now. Companies, organizations, and individuals are turning away from placing advertisements in magazines, newspapers, phone books, television shows, and on park benches in favor of digital ads for many reasons. For example, digital advertisements can be readily tailored to desired audiences. The Internet's largest advertisers, including Facebook and Google, provide their clients with vast insight about users of their respective platforms, helping businesses determine what strategies to employ in reaching out to web users. Companies that fail to advertise heavily on the World Wide Web will lose brand and customer awareness. Overcoming gaps of awareness is difficult, though maintaining advantages in long-term levels of awareness over competitors is as simple as pouring more money into advertising via the Internet. As far as traditional advertisements are concerned, they are paid for by either a variable cost per character used or a fixed cost per day advertised. There are a few ways of paying for digital advertisements, including cost per mille (CPM) pricing bills advertisers for every 1,000 times an ad is seen. Cost per click (CPC) involves advertisers bidding on how much they will pay for web users to actually click through to advertisers' web pages. Cost per engagement (CPE) charges advertisers based on how many times ads were clicked or viewed for extended periods of time. Cost per view (CPV) is commonly used in video advertising and is self-explanatory. And cost per install (CPI) also speaks for itself but is almost exclusively used for mobile apps. This makes digital advertising more flexible in terms of its methods for payments. For more information about this months Best PPC SEO Agency winners, visit http://www.10bestseo.com. Employees of C&A Industries, Inc. attend the company's annual Health Fair, held onsite at C&A. The event is one of the many activities focused on employee health and wellness. C&A Industries, Inc., a national leader in staffing and recruiting, has been recognized with the Gold Well Workplace Award from the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA). This is the fourth time C&A has been certified as a Gold Well Workplace and as one of the healthiest companies in the country in 2018. Organizations are able to be recognized every three years. C&A is the parent company to workforce solution firms Aureus Group, Aureus Medical Group, AurStaff, Celebrity Staff, and FocusOne Solutions, as well as AurTravel and AurHomes. C&A employs more than 700 in its corporate and regional offices. Companies at the Gold Well Workplace level offer comprehensive wellness programs that produce results and meet a rigid set of criteria, WELCOAs Seven Benchmarks of Success. The benchmarks address the entirety of the companys wellness efforts, from leadership, collaboration, and planning to quality of initiatives and effectiveness. In a Well Workplace Award winning organization the vision of protecting and enhancing the health and well-being of each employee is part of the organizations fabric and culture. C&A maintains a comprehensive wellness program, AurHealth, facilitated by employees across the C&A organization and supported by the companys executive management team. The mission of AurHealth is to promote organizational and employee wellness through education; prevention; early detection; and access to comprehensive health resources in the following areas: physical; emotional; social; spiritual; occupational; and intellectual. Its vision, to empower employees to live happier, healthier lifestyles, is realized through year-round programming that keeps wellness top of mind and makes a positive impact on an ongoing and consistent basis. WELCOA is one of the nations most respected resources for building high-performing, healthy workplaces. With a 30-year history and more than 5,000 corporate members, WELCOA helps businesses improve employee well-being and create healthier organizational cultures. ABOUT C&A INDUSTRIES, INC.: C&A is a national leader in staffing and recruiting. Through its affiliate firms, Aureus Group, Aureus Medical Group, AurStaff, and Celebrity Staff, C&A has provided Human Capital Management Solutions to a wide variety of industries for more than 45 years, including supplemental, contract-hire, and direct hire programs. Non-staffing divisions of C&A include FocusOne Solutions, a managed services provider; AurTravel, a full service travel agency; AurHomes, specializing in corporate housing; and its philanthropic arm, The Kim Foundation. C&A is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, with subsidiary offices located in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; and Des Moines, Iowa. A full year of tours and presentations is planned for 2019 at the new Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center. The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. With the opening of the Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center, the Franklin County Visitors Bureau (FCVB) is creating a year-long series of speakers and tours to showcase Franklin County history, architecture, outdoor beauty, and one-of-kind stories. January launches the year with a paranormal investigation of the 11/30 Visitors Center, an 1865 former bank. The investigation will be conducted by the Ghost Pit team on January 31 and discussion of the investigation will follow on February 2 at 2 PM. February emphasizes history by focusing on hallowed grounds, freedom seekers and equality. February 23 includes a presentation of Hallowed Grounds by Dr. Arnold Hence in the morning and a bus tour of Franklin Countys Road to Freedom sites. During March, the Franklin County 11/30 Center will explore famous women of Franklin County. A panel will discuss contributions of the county women on March 23, from Revolutionary heroine Margaret Cochran Corbin to 20th century philanthropist Emma Geiser Nicodemus. April is Spring into History Month in Franklin County and is highlighted by tours and discussions throughout the month, including Waynesboros industrial and Civil War history, frontier and colonial history of Mercersburg and Fort Loudon, and presentation by author Cindy Ross on using local assets of history and culture to educate children. May puts the focus on Harriet Lane, the First Lady of Franklin County. June launches the Franklin County barn quilt trail and tour. September explores Franklin Countys role in the conservation movement. October brings together the beauty of fall foliage, the importance of farming in Franklin County, and a prominent concentration of Cumberland Valley bank barns. Further details of the months itineraries and how to register will post on ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com in early January. The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Plan a visit at ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com, by contacting 866.646.8060, or stopping by the new Franklin County 11/30 Visitors Center on the square in Chambersburg. Lead Liaison announces the next iteration of their event lead management solution, GoExhibit!, which includes advances in customization, event creation workflow, enterprise-level ROI reporting, registration, check-in, Windows support, and more. Lead Liaison first launched their event lead capture solution, GoCapture!, in October of 2017. They have rapidly become the global leader in event lead management. Today, they announce the next iteration of their solution, GoExhibit!, which includes advances in customization, event creation workflow, enterprise-level ROI reporting, registration, check-in, upcoming Windows support, and more. The company, known worldwide for their marketing and sales automation solutions, has been hyper-focused on supporting live marketing events over the last year. They started by answering the need for a better, more efficient way to capture leads. Antiquated badge scanners and arbitrary lead collection apps werent giving enterprise businesses everything they needed. Lead Liaison designed a single solution that manages pre-event communication and preparation, onsite event lead capture, and intelligent post-event follow-up. The updates announced this week further distance GoExhibit! from competing solutions. The enhancements allow companies to customize the lead capture experience with brand colors, logos, other custom content such as explainer videos or maps. Furthermore, GoExhibit! now provides enterprise-level reporting. The Events Dashboard allows users to track their events and measure ROI. Example data points include average cost per lead (CPL), revenue generated, return on investment, post-event engagement activity, and more. GoExhibit! isnt just for exhibitors. The solution also supports companies running their own events with a customizable check-in and registration system. An integration with Avery, announced last month, allows companies to customize and print badges in real-time, or prior to an event. The GoCapture! app is compatible with iOS and Android smartphones and tablets with Windows support right around the corner. GoExhibit! integrates with all major CRMs (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.), marketing automation platforms (HubSpot, Eloqua, Salesforce.com Marketing Cloud, etc.), analytics solutions (Domo, Revelation, etc), and lead retrieval providers (Cvent, Experient, etc.). To commemorate the release, Lead Liaison collected a host of resources for businesses interested in implementing this show-stopping solution. The Event Lead Management Kit contains many educational resources, including a detailed presentation of the features GoExhibit! has to offer. To learn more about Lead Liaisons event lead management solution, GoExhibit!, click here. About Lead Liaison Lead Liaison provides cloud-based sales and marketing automation solutions that helps businesses accelerate revenue by attracting, converting, closing and retaining more prospects. Filling a void in the small pool of marketing automation providers that focus on marketing-centric functionality, Lead Liaison gives equal focus to sales providing sophisticated visitor tracking and additional website engagement tools to boost sales effectiveness. Lead Liaison blends ease-of-use, a flexible business model, deep external integration, marketing across social, web, mobile, email and offline channels and powerful functionality, all specifically tailored for mid-sized businesses, into a single platform, called Revenue Generation Software. Lead Liaison is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit http://www.leadliaison.com or call 1-800-89-LEADS (895-3237). Herpetologica Volume 74 Issue 4 Between 2011 and 2013, a total of 41 hellbenders were followed at two sites along a 112-kilometer stretch of the Blue River in southern Indiana. Herpetologica With one-third of amphibian species facing extinction, the use of translocation, including population augmentation, is one of several tools available to minimize the risk of local extinctions. By intentionally moving an organism from one location to another, it is believed that the organism could thrive in a new habitat and contribute to future reproductive efforts. In an article published in the journal Herpetologica, researchers from Purdue University utilized hellbenders, a type of large, aquatic salamander primarily found near moving bodies of water, to examine the impact of translocation and population augmentation. The researchers used radio telemetry to track the hellbenders movements, comparing the responses of wild-caught and captive-raised individuals as they were released into a suitable habitat. Between 2011 and 2013, a total of 41 hellbenders were followed at two sites along a 112-kilometer stretch of the Blue River in southern Indiana. The researchers quantified site fidelity, movement distances, home range sizes and shelter preferences of all subjects. The study findings indicated that adult hellbenders had a higher site fidelity compared with the juveniles, and both adult and juvenile translocates exhibited a greater movement distance, which led to larger home range sizes. The researchers also created artificial nests to help ease the transition for translocates and noted that the adult translocates were more likely to use these nests in comparison to both adult residents and juvenile translocates. The researchers reported a single gender-based difference in the behaviors of the hellbenders: females chose a more covered shelter than the males, which was attributed to mating patterns because males are generally more active in order to successfully find a mate. It was also shown that seasonality impacted the movements. The hellbenders were more likely to move at farther distances during the autumn than during the summer. Translocation and population augmentation of the hellbender salamanders were successful conservation strategies during this study. This achievement was shown to be even more evident in the wild adult translocates compared with the juveniles, because successful reproduction was documented at one of the recipient sites four years after the start of the project. Full text of the article, Movement and Habitat Use of Eastern Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) Following Population Augmentation, Herpetologica, Vol. 74, No. 4, 2018, is now available at http://www.hljournals.org/doi/abs/10.1655/Herpetologica-D-17-00044.1. About Herpetologica Herpetologica is a quarterly journal of The Herpetologists League, containing original research articles on the biology of amphibians and reptiles. The journal serves herpetologists, biologists, ecologists, conservationists, researchers, and others interested in furthering knowledge of the biology of amphibians and reptiles. To learn more about the society, please visit http://www.herpetologistsleague.org. JARRED D. JOHNSON CEO - SUE THE COLLECTOR Sue The Collector has helped tens of thousands of consumers get legal help to fight various state and federal consumer law violations. The Attorneys at Sue The Collector have eliminated over 1 Billion in Debt and awarded Millions in cash to consumers. SUE THE COLLECTOR, INC was recently recognized as one of the Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America by Entrepreneur magazines Entrepreneur360 List, a premier study delivering the most comprehensive analysis of private companies in America. Based on this study forged by Entrepreneur, SUE THE COLLECTOR, INC is recognized as a well rounded company that has mastered a balance of impact, innovation, growth leadership and value. After partnering with literally dozens of law firms across the United States, Sue The Collector, Inc has helped thousands of Consumers in America turn the tables on Debt Collection companies and help consumers recover millions in damages caused by reckless and illegal debt collectors that violate the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, (FDCPA), The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and RESPA, TILA and SCRA Acts including numerous state laws such as California's Rosenthal Act. To date, the Lawyers have helped consumers cancel over 1 Billion Dollars in Debt and have recovered millions in fines and settlements. With our partnership with OPENJAR Concepts in Temecula CA, we are poised for tremendous growth in 2019 and look forward to helping many more consumers get justice they deserve. Life's about to get better with SUE THE COLLECTOR. Our annual evaluation of vetted data offers a 360-degree analysis of top privately-held companies across a multitude of industries, explains Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur Magazine. They are deemed successful not only by revenue numbers, but by how well-rounded they are. The companies that make the list have pushed boundaries with their innovative ideas, fostered strong company cultures, impacted their communities for the better, and increased their brand awareness. SUE THE COLLECTOR has been helping everyday consumers fight back against illegal debt collections whenever third party collectors break the law in an attempt to collect a consumer debt, and help American consumers file lawsuits against banks, lenders, payday loan companies, student loan servicers and mortgage servicers, debt buyers and third party debt collectors that violate State and Federal Consumer Laws. Our qualified Attorneys and Law Firms have been recovering MILLIONS for consumers that have been victimized by organizations that wish to break the law to collect debts. Our website found at https://www.suethecollector.com/ has helped tens of thousands of innocent consumers find justice. We also help victims of IDENTITY THEFT stop collectors from harassing them over debts that do not belong to them. We also help consumers remove Credit Reporting Errors that Transunion, Equifax and Experian refuse to delete that are legitimately incorrect, including awarding consumers with cash settlements for those errors. Unlike other "Credit Repair" companies that charge consumers, we actually help consumers litigate against the Consumer Reporting Agencies and the furnishers of incorrect tradelines that wish to publish errors well after they have been proven to be incorrect. Consumers never have to pay us a dime for any legal services rendered and we don't charge consumers for our help. Attorneys recover their fees from the defendant in a separate award. We graciously thank ENTREPRENEUR magazine for recognizing our company. It's truly an honor! Honorees were identified based on the results from a comprehensive study of independently owned companies, using a proprietary algorithm and other advanced analytics. The algorithm was built on a balanced scorecard designed to measure five metrics reflecting major pillars of entrepreneurshipinnovation, growth, leadership, impact and business valuation. To learn more about SUE THE COLLECTOR, visit https://www.suethecollector.com/. For additional details on the E360 List and the companies recognized, visit: entrepreneur.com/360 ### ABOUT ENTREPRENEUR MEDIA INC. For 41 years, Entrepreneur Media Inc. has been serving the entrepreneurial community by providing comprehensive coverage of business and personal success through original content and events. Entrepreneur magazine, Entrepreneur.com, GreenEntrepreneur.com and publishing imprint Entrepreneur Press provide solutions, information, inspiration and education read by millions of entrepreneurs and small business owners worldwide. To learn more, visit entrepreneur.com. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram at @Entrepreneur and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/entmagazine. ABOUT SUE THE COLLECTOR @suecollector , INC. Since 2014, Sue The Collector has been helping consumers turn the table on Debt Collectors that wish to violate the law in attempts to collect consumer debts. Entrepreneur Jarred D. Johnson @jarreddjohnson started Sue The Collector after he experienced debt collectors trying to intimidate and harass him and his family over debts that were no longer collectible. Jarred studied and learned what he knows about business by following and learning from CAMPING WORLD CEO Marcus Lemonis, as seen on THE PROFIT on CNBC. For 1.5 years, Jarred studied and emulated many of Marcus Lemonis ideas, such as "PEOPLE, PROCESS, PRODUCT" and attended many seminars Marcus ran in an attempt to learn as much as he could. Marcus was a direct inspiration for success. @MarcusLemonis ThreatAdvice Logo 2018 has been a great year for ThreatAdvice, said David Brasfield, CEO of ThreatAdvice. We have released six major updates to our solution and continue to gain traction with value-added resellers and partners who see the benefit of offering ThreatAdvice through their sales channels, he said. ThreatAdvice, a provider of cybersecurity education, awareness and threat intelligence, finished the year strong, finalizing contracts with several enterprise businesses including Halski Systems, SHI and Aesto Health. Halski Systems, a managed services provider based in Gainesville, Ga., plans to provide ThreatAdvice to all of its clients adding 6000 end-user seats to ThreatAdvice. Companies who utilize Halski for their technology needs will now have built in reassurance that they are taking steps to educate their customers on proper cyber practices to reduce the likeliness of the company being attacked. We feel strongly that all companies need to include cyber education as a part of their overall cybersecurity strategy and thats why we have opted to provide it at no additional charge for companies who utilize Halski Systems as their managed services provider, said Seth Seagraves, CEO of Halski Systems. When we evaluated cybersecurity education providers we were impressed with ThreatAdvices cyber education content and delivery method and felt they were the best company to partner with to offer these solutions, he said. ThreatAdvice has also signed a contract to be an official vendor of SHI, an $8.5 billion dollar global provider of information technology products and services whose customers include state and local governments, the education sector and enterprise level businesses. Additionally ThreatAdvice has signed a reseller deal with Aesto Health, a healthcare information technology-focused company. As ThreatAdvice closes out the year, it has reached several other milestones: 25 new cybersecurity education courses added to the ThreatAdvice System 31,997 phishing emails sent to end users to test their cybersecurity savviness 237,842 cybersecurity education courses completed resulting in better educated employees 2018 has been a great year for ThreatAdvice, said David Brasfield, CEO of ThreatAdvice. We have released six major updates to our solution and continue to gain traction with value-added resellers and partners who see the benefit of offering ThreatAdvice through their sales channels, he said. There Is No Feasible Alternative to Maritsa East Complex Krassimir Nenov, CEO of ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 AD AUTHOR: Utilities Magazine Interview of Atanas Georgiev, Editor-in-Chief of The Utilities Magazine, November 2018 with Krassimir Nenov, CEO, ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 ___ Mr. Nenov, which are the main challenges which Maritsa East 3 faces with regard of implementation of the new, stricter norms for Sulphur dioxide, NOx and mercury emissions? It is really a relevant topic as it directly concerns all the power plants from East Maritsa Basin, which generate about 45% of electricity in Bulgaria. I would like to remind that ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP is the second largest thermal power plant in Bulgaria, which provides 10% of annual electricity generation, thus contributing to the power security and independence of the country. Moreover, it is the first Power Plant in South East Europe, which has been in operation in full compliance with all European environmental norms for the past 10 years. The emission levels from the power plant meet the existing norms due to the significant investments made to date. As far as the new and stricter norms are concerned for sulphur dioxide, NOx and mercury emissions, I believe it is important to note that these present a serious but hardly insurmountable challenge. We have been working jointly on this project with the other Maritsa East Basin power plants in search of an optimal solution. Once again, the priority is given to guaranteeing the security of the power supply and ensuring that the plant remains in operation after the new norms have come into force in 2021. We have assigned to an internationally renowned and experienced consultant to prepare a cost benefit study of the investments required to achieve the new emission standards in comparison to the benefits for the environment. This study allowed us in February 2018 to apply for modification of our environmental permit and we expect the Environment Executive Agency to issue its decision in the coming months. What is the future of the coal-fired power generation in the country, more precisely the future of Maritsa East Complex? The Power plants from Maritsa East Complex are of key importance for the security of the power supply and independence and they contribute significantly to Bulgarias leading position on the Balkan Peninsula, reinforcing the countrys position as a net electricity exporter. Besides, Bulgarias resource of lignite should not be underestimated as it ensures the operation of the Complex for a period of more than 20 years, which needs to be taken into consideration for the short term and long term planning of the power strategy of the country. We also have the most up-to-date lignite coal-fired power stations in the region that are able to provide a smooth transition to low-carbon power generation in the future. That is why I think that in the foreseeable future, the sustainable operation of the power plants in Maritsa East is beneficial for the countrys energy and economy. What regulatory and legal decisions need to be made in connection with the liberalization of the electricity market and the existing long-term contracts between your power plant, AES Galabovo TPP and NEK? It is well known that one of the main priorities of the government in the energy sector is the full liberalization of the electricity market in line with the policies of the European Union. ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 shares this position and has always worked closely with the Bulgarian Government, strictly following all project and financing agreements, including the Power Purchase Agreement with NEK. You will recall that in 2016 ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 made significant concessions, reducing the capacity price by 15%, which in turn led to NEK saving over BGN 40 million every year for the period until the expiration of the power purchase agreement. Transitioning to a new market model may require certain changes in the existing long-term contracts. In this case, it is important that the integration of the long-term contracts into the liberalized market takes into account the legitimate interests of all parties, including investors. In my opinion, a sustainable solution would be to integrate the long-term contracts as part of the introduction of a modern market design with the appropriate mechanisms, taking into account the specificities of the Bulgarian electricity market. In this way the existing modern power plants in the Maritsa East complex will be able to continue to fulfill their role in a sustainable way and ensure the security of the electricity supply. What can be the parameters of the so-called capacity mechanisms in Bulgaria? Do you expect the introduction of such a mechanism in the national energy market? There are many regulatory and market imperfections, which are not unique for Bulgaria, which do not allow the producers to recover their fixed and capital costs on the electricity market and thus may undermine security of supply. Moreover, the Bulgarian free market is influenced by specific factors that further distort market prices and create a real risk for the operation of the lignite plants in the absence of additional support mechanisms. Here we have the example of the severe financial situation of Maritsa East 2 TPP. Therefore, in many European countries, there have been for many years ways to ensure the financial sustainability of conventional producers to guarantee the security of supply. For example, capacity mechanisms were introduced in the UK, and earlier in 2018 the EC approved similar mechanisms in Germany, Italy, Poland, Belgium and Greece. The responsible institutions openly declare both the importance of the producers in the Maritsa East Complex for the security of supply and social security of the region, as well as the need for measures to overcome the challenges of the free energy market, for example the working group set up for TPP Maritsa East 2. I am encouraged that the debate has already begun and therefore I am confident that an appropriate mechanism can also be introduced in Bulgaria, in line with the European practices and rules. The carbon market has seen its highest prices for the past few years. What will be the effect on coal and energy as a whole? The cost of carbon emissions directly affects the cost of electricity from conventional sources, while at the same time we see that the free market prices in Bulgaria can hardly cover even the costs of coal and carbon emissions. In the event that market prices for electricity continue not to reflect the rising price of carbon allowances, conventional producers will not be able to remain in operation. The modern lignite power plants in the Maritsa East complex have no real alternative for ensuring the security of the national electricity system. It is well known that in many other EU Member States the situation is similar and in the foreseeable future the importance of coal capacities should not be underestimated. Because of the key importance of the Maritsa East Complex for the security of our power system, appropriate measures need to be taken to ensure its sustainable operation during the transition to a functioning electricity market. __________ Krasimir Nenov has been ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 Executive Director since March 2017. He joined Maritsa East 3 TPP Executive team in 2003 and was responsible for the companys commercial activities until 2013. In 2014 and 2015, he worked as a director of a thermal power plant and led gas generation function in Enel Russia, where he was responsible for three large gas-fired power plants. In 2016, he became Commercial Director and Deputy Executive Director and deputy executive director of ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3. Mr. Nenov holds a Masters degree from Cornell University, USA, a Master of Business Administration from the Catholic University in Leuven, Belgium and a bachelors degree in Economics from Arkansas University in the USA. Hasina polled 229,529 votes from the 246,514 voters in the constituency Khaleda Zia, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for corruption The Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League swept the 11th Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh held on Sunday, winning 267 out of the 299 seats up for grabs. The opposition Jatika Oikya Front (JOF), which included the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Begum Khaleda Zia, got only seven seats. Sheikh Hasina herself took the Gopalgunj-3 constituency by storm. She had got 229,529 votes from the 246,514 voters in the constituency. Hasinas stunning victory almost replicated her father Shiekh Mujibur Rahmans achievement in the landmark East Pakistan provincial elections in 1970, in which he got 288 out of the 300 seats in the Assembly. That victory strengthened Mujibs movement for Bengalis rights in Pakistan and paved the way for the creation of an independent Bangladesh in 1971. However, the 2018 elections were marked by 18 deaths and the arrest of 7,000 opposition activists. On election day, more than 30 candidates from the opposition parties withdrew from the contest complaining of intimidation. But taking the country as a whole, and in contrast to previous elections in the country, polling this time was peaceful. International observers from India, Nepal, SAARC and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC), certified the election process as credible. But the Opposition Oikya Front chief Dr. Kamal Hossain insisted that the polls were a farce and demanded a fresh vote. The BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir described the election as a mockery of democracy. Reasons for Victory An analysis of the results would reveal that Hasinas achievements on the economic and law and order fronts have paid dividends, though her methods of dealing with anti-systemic elements might have run counter to Western human rights and good governance standards. Hasinas ten-year tenure as Prime Minister, from 2008 till date, was marked by very impressive economic growth. It has been 6% on an average and was 7.8% in 2018, making Nikkei run a special story on the Rise and rise of Bangladesh recently. According to an IMF report of June 2018, growth in the last ten years had significantly lifted per capita income. Poverty, gender disparity in education and maternal mortality, had declined steadily. Bangladesh had diversified from an agrarian to a more manufacturing-based economy with rapid growth in the ready-made garment industry, the IMF said. Bangladesh had been a pioneer in financial inclusion. The introduction of microfinance, mobile financial services, and agent-based banking were notable initiatives. The government had also been encouraging lending for small and medium-sized enterprises and female entrepreneurs. 2018 elections were marked by 18 deaths and the arrest of 7,000 opposition activists. On election day, more than 30 candidates from the opposition parties withdrew from the contest complaining of intimidation Leading Indian economist Dr. Kaushik Basu said that Bangladesh had made significant strides toward educating girls and giving women a greater voice. These efforts have translated into improvements in childrens health and education, such that Bangladeshis average life expectancy is now 72 years, compared to 68 for Indians and 66 for Pakistanis, Basu points out. Among Bangladeshi adults with bank accounts, 34.1% made digital transactions in 2017, compared to an average rate of 27.8% for South Asia. Moreover, only 10.4% of Bangladeshi bank accounts are dormant (meaning there were no deposits or withdrawals in the previous year), compared to 48% of Indian bank accounts, Basu notes. In contrast to India, entrepreneurs in Bangladesh have the advantage of weak labour laws which allow them to hire and fire workers and expand capacity to exploit economies of scale, the economist says. Downside But there is a downside to the economic growth story. Corruption, cronyism, and inequality increased with economic growth. For instance, Non-Performing Loans (NPL) in 14 banks had led to the loss of US$ 2.5 billion. Weak labour laws had made industrial safety an issue. The Hasina-regime was lambasted for suppressing opponents. Unbridled force had been used to suppress Islamic terrorists and drug dealers. At least 456 people were killed extra-judicially and 83 disappeared between January and November this year. Human rights protesters like the famous photographer Dr. Shahidul Alam were jailed for exposing government brutality internationally. However, observers note that the majority of Bangladeshis were of the view that such harsh steps were called for, given the dangers from Islamic terrorism and the drug trade. Prof. Ali Riaz of Illinois State University, writing in East Asian Forum says that the space for dissent in Bangladesh had shrunk remarkably in the past five years. The media had either been muzzled or co-opted, and journalists tended to exercise self-censorship. In November, the government enacted a draconian Digital Security Act which curtailed freedom of expression. Oppositions Self-Destruction One of the reasons for the oppositions weakness was that the BNP, which was the main component, had destroyed itself. It boycotted the 2014 elections and as a result lost cadres. Its supremo, the aging and unwell Khaleda Zia, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for corruption. Her son and political heir, Tarique Rahman, is a fugitive in the UK. The party was leaderless. Hasinas Apology Aware that she had ruled with an iron fist and that she had not met all the expectations of the electorate in her ten years in power, Sheikh Hasina had sought pardon and asked the people to give her another chance. To err is human. My colleagues and I might have made mistakes while performing our duties. I, on behalf of myself and my party, fervently request the countrymen to look kindly on our mistakes. I promise to build a more beautiful future by learning from the past, Hasina said when releasing her party Awami Leagues manifesto. In the run up to the elections, the Awami League had promised to increase GDP growth to 10% per annum from the present 7.8% in the next five years. It wants to bring down, by 2041, the poverty rate to zero from about 22% now. It had promised to create jobs for 10 million plus youths, with foreign employment for 1,000 youth from each Upazila. In contrast to Khaleda Zia, who alienated India, Hasina had been balancing varying domestic and international interests very judiciously. She had been very friendly with India despite the dispute over Padma river waters. She pleased New Delhi by crushing Islamic terrorism. But she curbed Islamic terrorism without antagonizing the moderate Islamic lobby. She co-opted the Islamist Hifazat-e-Islam. Hasina had been balancing varying domestic and international interests very judiciously. She pleased New Delhi by crushing Islamic terrorism. But she curbed Islamic terrorism without antagonizing the moderate Islamic lobby. She co-opted the Islamist Hifazat-e-Islam She accepted huge investments from China but without antagonizing India in the process. She had kept the army on the leash but happy, by meeting its weapons requirements as per its specifications and wishes, but without antagonizing India which had been eager to be the nett security provider for the region. SOUTH KOREA: Groundbreaking ceremonies for the northwestern arm of Seouls planned three-line Great Train Express network were held at the Kintex exhibition centre in Goyang on December 27. Canada: The City of Quebec and transport authority RTC have awarded Systra Canada a seven-year C$125m contract to undertake engineering design for a proposed 23 km tram line. Norton Rose Fulbright Canada is to provide legal services under a separate five-year contract worth C$375 000. Gabriela Rosa-Hernandez was the U.S.-Russia Relationship Research Intern at the American Security Project. Rosa-Hernandez is a David L. Boren Scholar and a Critical Language Scholarship recipient for Russian Language. Collectively, shes resided for nearly two years in post-soviet spaces such as Russia, Latvia, and the Republic of Georgia. Rosa-Hernandez can be found on Twitter @GabrielaIRosa. Divergent Options content does not contain information of an official nature nor does the content represent the official position of any government, any organization, or any group. Editors Note: All translations were done by the author. Title: Assessment of the Future of Russkiy Mir in Russias Grand Strategy Date Originally Written: December 10, 2018. Date Originally Published: December 31, 2018. Summary: In October 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the 7th World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad and approved a migration policy. In 2014, Russia utilized its Russian World rhetoric to justify its illegal annexation of Crimea and its support of secessionist groups in the Donbass. Following Russias demographic decline, and its economic issues; it is likely that the Russian World narrative will continue and focus on compatriot resettlement. Text: Russian World is perhaps Russias most controversial piece of policy. While the terms Compatriots and Russian Diaspora were not new when President Vladimir Putin took office, the first time he officially mentioned the term Russian World was in 2001 before the first World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad[1]. Specifically, Putin stated, the notion of the Russian World extends far from Russias geographical borders and even far from the borders of the Russian ethnicity[2]. From this moment on, the Russian government erased the boundaries between ethnic Russians and those who identified themselves belonging to the cultural-linguistic-spiritual sphere of the Russian Federation. Russian World, can be best described as the ideological concept guiding the way in which Russias responsibility to compatriots abroad manifests itself into concrete policy[3]. Overall, Russian World is such a versatile piece of policy that it can be observed in Russias 2015 National Security Strategy just as it can be seen in Russias 2018 Decree on the Concept of the State Migration Policy. On December 31, 2015, the Russian government released its National Security Strategy and the term compatriot was mentioned twice therein. The first mention of compatriot was located under the Russia in the Contemporary World section[4]. The document directly read that Russia has shown the ability to defend the rights of compatriots abroad. Right after this, the strategy remarked how Russias role has increased in solving important world problems. The strategy posed defending the rights of compatriots abroad as an international issue where Russia could bolster its role in the international arena. Compatriot was also casually mentioned under the Culture section[5]. The Culture section of the strategy regarded Russian language as not only a tool of interethnic interaction within the Russian Federation but the basis of integration processes in the post-Soviet space. It remarked that the function of the Russian language as a state language was also a means of meeting the language and cultural requirements of compatriots abroad. Essentially, Russia visualized Russian language as something far more than its state language. Instead, Russia views the Russian language as the means to interethnic communication in the post-Soviet space, particularly Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states. The document also mentioned that Russia supported Russian language and cultural programs in CIS member states to further the Eurasian integration process[6]. Overall, Russian language was politicized in the document, and Russia declared its intent to keep Russian language alive in at least CIS member states. This intent is crucial to understand because Russia considers all those former-Soviet citizens with a linguistic affiliation to the Russian Federation under its compatriot policy. In October 2018, nearly three years after the release of Russias National Security Strategy, Putin stated in the 7th World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad, all together represent a huge community of Russian-like compatriots, represent one large, huge, Russian world, which has never been exclusively built on only ethnic, national, or religious ground[7]. Putin further commented that Russian World unites all with a spiritual connection with Russia and all those who consider themselves carriers of Russian language, Russian culture and Russian history[8]. Putins words followed the same line as Russias national security strategy; a strategy which listed the lowered role of Russian language in the world and the quality of its teaching as a national security threat[9]. Russia effectively visualizes the use of Russian language and culture as a soft power tool to be employed not only in the international arena but the domestic arena as well. During the same speech, Putin declared that Russia would defend the interests and rights of compatriots by using all the international and bilateral mechanisms available to do so[10]. Putin made this statement after accusing the Baltics and Ukraine of altering historical monuments and Russian language[11]. While Putins speech reflected the principles written in Russias national security strategy, the speech did not reflect the narrative within the decree he signed and released on the same day on Russias state migration policy. Instead of highlighting the role of the interests of compatriots abroad, the decree focused on facilitating conditions for compatriots to resettle in the Russian Federation. This decree was a shift from a rhetoric which focused on international presence of foreign citizens who are native carriers of the Russian language. The shift signaled a change in narrative from an international policy brought down to the domestic level. Ultimately, the decree stated that the migration influx (2012-2017) into Russia compensated for Russias natural population decline before discussing state programs towards compatriots[12]. This present change of emphasis regarding compatriots is likely due to Russias demographic decline. Overall, Russias new state migration policy shows how the concept of Russian World is adapted to fit the needs of the Russian state in a time of demographic decline. In conclusion, the rhetoric of Russian World served as justification for Russias illegal annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in the Donbass[13]. Because of this, Russias Russian World is looked upon with suspicion by its neighbors[14]. However, in the latest piece of policy regarding compatriots, instead of focusing on Eurasian integration, Russia seeks to attract compatriots into its territory. Following Russias demographic decline, and its economic issues, it is likely that Russian Worlds narrative on compatriot resettlement will become stronger. This narrative will hold more importance over the defending the rights of compatriots abroad narrative. Due to the lack of tangible benefits of defending the rights of compatriots abroad, compatriot resettlement is likely to play a larger role in Russias future national security strategy. Endnotes: [1] Laurelle, M. (2015, May). The Russian World: Russias Soft Power and Geopolitical Aspirations. Retrieved from http://globalinterests.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FINAL-CGI_Russian-World_Marlene-Laruelle.pdf [2] Ibid. [3] Zevelev, I. (2016, August 22). The Russian World in Moscows Grand Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.csis.org/analysis/russian-world-moscows-strategy [4] President of Russia. (2015, December 31). On the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation. Retrieved from http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/files/ru/l8iXkR8XLAtxeilX7JK3XXy6Y0AsHD5v.pdf [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] President of Russia. (2018, October 31). World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad. Retrieved from http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/59003 [8] Ibid. [9] President of Russia. (2015, December 31). On the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation. Retrieved from http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/files/ru/l8iXkR8XLAtxeilX7JK3XXy6Y0AsHD5v.pdf [10] President of Russia. (2018, October 31). World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad. Retrieved from http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/59003 [11] Ibid. [12] President of Russia. (2018, October 21). Decree on the Concept of the State Migration Policy of the Russian Federation for 2019-2025. Retrieved from http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/58986 [13] Zevelev, I. (2016, August 22). The Russian World in Moscows Grand Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.csis.org/analysis/russian-world-moscows-strategy [14] Ibid. This article appeared originally at Divergent Options. The Taliban has once again rejected reports saying its political delegation is willing to meet with representatives from the Afghan government. In a statement released today, the group says that some media outlets have published rumors that the representatives of the Islamic Emirate will hold talks with those of the Kabul administration in Saudi Arabia. These rumors are baseless, the Taliban insists, as the position of Islamic Emirate concerning talks with the Kabul administration remains the same and has not changed. The Taliban consistently refers to itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which is the same name used by its totalitarian regime since well before the US-led war began in late 2001. At the same time, the Taliban derisively describes the Afghan government as the Kabul administration. We are advancing [the] negotiations process with the United States under a strong and extensive plan to bring an end to the occupation of our country Afghanistan, the Taliban says. That line echoes previous messages, as the group has repeatedly explained that it is talking with the US in order to negotiate the withdrawal of foreign troops and not to reach a political settlement with the Afghan government. The US currently has about 15,000 soldiers in country, as well as various other personnel and contractors. This force is not nearly large enough to occupy the country, as the Taliban claims. Statements such as the one posted today mean that if the Taliban does agree to a sit-down with the Afghan government at some point, then it will have contradicted its public position one that it has restated over and over again for years. On Dec. 18, for instance, the jihadis said there was [n]o chance of meeting representatives of [the] Kabul administration in Abu Dhabi. The Taliban said [d]iscussions were taking place with the representatives of the United States about ending the occupation, a matter that does not concern the Kabul administration whatsoever. The entire agenda is focused on issues concerning the occupiers and talks will exclusively be held with them. The Taliban weaves this same theme into its other statements on past and current events. On Dec. 27, for example, the Taliban commemorated the 39th anniversary of the Soviet Unions invasion of Afghanistan. Unsurprisingly, the group connected the Soviets failed effort to Americas own 17-year war. At the time of invasion of Afghanistan by the Red Army, the then Soviet Union had grand designs of subduing the world just as the United States harbors those dreams today, the Taliban claimed. After referencing the blessing of its seventeen-year Jihad and resistance, the Taliban argued that the occupying American invaders are facing the exact same fate as the former Soviet Union as their military might is dissolved and they are facing humiliation on both media and political fields, as well as being caught in a dilemma about staying [the] course or abandoning the longest war in their history. The 39th anniversary of the ruthless Soviet invasion is a good occasion for American officials to learn a great deal from, the Taliban argued, as the US should [t]ake heed from the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan and abandon thoughts of testing the mettle of the already proven Afghans. Normally, such statements can be dismissed as propaganda, which they are. But in the context of recent reports over US efforts to negotiate with the Taliban, the groups rhetoric is noteworthy, as the jihadis insist that they just want America to leave. Other jihadis around the globe are watching how the Taliban handles the talks with the US. Earlier today, Hayat Tahrir al Shams (HTS) Ebaa News Agency released a short summary of the Talibans denial regarding any possible meeting with the Afghan government. Ebaa News reiterated the Talibans claim that it is only negotiating with the US to end the occupation of Afghanistan. Ebaa added that the Islamic Emirate has carried out numerous military attacks against the puppet government of Kabul, which has forced America to reduce the number of its soldiers in the country and use helicopters to avoid additional attacks. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. This article appeared originally at FDD's Long War Journal. When investors store unsecured cryptocurrency accounts on the internet, its like leaving the bank vault open. Thats what a Chicago-based tech specialist learned after he was fleeced of $55,000 in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in various fraud schemes that made digital coins vanish from his accounts. I was horrified, said the specialist, who insisted on anonymity. What made it worse, he said, was that he knows who did it -- a professional colleague who has good software skills and portrayed to be a family-oriented person, to whom he gave access to his accounts. Crypto-mania? This year the Global Crypto Offering Exchange billed itself the world's first celebrity cryptocurrency market. Above, a press conference in Hong Kong. His case which he has referred to the Securities and Exchange Commission -- is complicated by one of the main attractions of digital currencies such as bitcoin: They exist in a private, shadowy realm beyond the reach of most governments. They dont fall under strict banking or brokerage industry laws, and securities regulators are having a hard time policing the technology, the exchanges and the issuers. The SEC, along with state securities watchdogs, have launched more than 200 probes, although they usually come on the scene too late to help defrauded investors. Cryptocurrency theft is a growing problem. According to CipherTrace, cyberthieves stole some $1.2 billion in digital currencies in the past two years alone, noting that just during the first half of 2018 there was a three-fold increase over the entire year of 2017. In addition, the FBI has reported an almost six-fold increase in the value of virtual currency in complaints from 2015 to 2017." Bitcoin, which was invented in 2009 by a person or persons using the alias Satoshi Nakamoto, is the most famous form of cryptocurrency. Since then more than 1,000 other digital coins have been created many of which are based on the Bitcoin model. Cryptocurrencies are, basically, a form of money issued by a cyber community not a central bank. This has made it especially popular among criminals who want hide their transactions and people who mistrust government. They are also attractive to speculators because the value of cybercurrencies can rise, and fall, dramatically. Thats because the number of Bitcoins is fixed only 21 million original bitcoins were known to be created their value can fluctuate as they are traded like stocks. Investor enthusiasm has often been manic, with bitcoin prices alone soaring to around $20,000 (last year), although the currency has recently been valued around $3,800. Depending upon your point of view, digital coins are either the latest gold rush or fools gold. The market for cryptocurrencies, despite its pronounced volatility, skyrocketed in 2017 due to the proliferation of new digital coin sales. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) raised more than $20 billion in the past year in nearly 1,000 offerings, reports Coinschedule. In theory, cybercurrencies should be secure. Most transactions can be traced through a blockchain, which is a series of transparent ledgers shared by users. But cyberthieves have developed a series of alterations that can enable them, in certain circumstances, to make untraceable transactions. In addition, promoters and exchanges may have lax cybersecurity measures, so thieves can pilfer cryptocurrencies from digital wallets, then transfer or launder the crypto cash. So even if you invest, your digital coin accounts may be hacked and stolen. All told, more than $730 million in cryptocurrencies were stolen from exchanges in 2018, CipherTrace reported. That compares to $266 million lost in 2017. More than $540 million was ripped off from just two exchanges Coincheck in Japan and Coinrail in South Korea. Exchange operators blamed the thefts on poor security in their hot wallets, or digital accounts connected to the internet. How secure are these assets once investors take possession of them? Lisa Braganca, a former SEC attorney who specializes in securities fraud, had several potential clients approach her who have lost money they thought was safely deposited in cryptocurrency investments. One victim had $750,000 in digital currencies stolen from a coin exchange. The currency was transferred to an unknown address, then mixed so that the transaction was untraceable. By the time he [the victim] got to me, Braganca said, it was six to eight months and the delay worked in the favor of the thieves. Time passed and evidence was lost. I couldnt represent him. Braganca suggested that a forensic audit of the victims computer, which could possibly track the transfer, couldve helped solve the crime. You need to have the computer checked for a virus, which couldve been activated on a clipboard, [that] then changed the address of the currency account to which the crypto was transferred. She also said it is likely that dormant malicious code on the victims computer, also known as malware, could have triggered the rerouting to another account, with the funds then sent to a tumbler or mixer to make it untraceable. Like most aspects of the cryptocurrency world, tumblers are unregulated and often operate outside of the U.S. They are digital scramblers, making it difficult for authorities to track transactions. Instead of being able to follow crypto transactions on the blockchain, Braganca said, a tumbler mixes up the stolen digital coins with many other digital coins and sends an equivalent amount minus a fee back to the sender. That makes tracing the stolen coins challenging, if not impossible for average investors. Criminality in digital coins is nothing new, nor is the outright theft of cryptos. But the use of tumblers makes a difficult and unregulated market even more challenging. They thwart the open distributed ledger nature of blockchain technology, which is the core code of many cryptocurrencies. That makes laundering much easier. Most tumblers operate out of Asia, said Tom Pageler, chief security officer for BitGo, a cryptocurrency services company. They break cryptos up like a jigsaw puzzle. Theyre a moving target. The markets are even more unstable and volatile because of wild and false claims many promoters make about the security of their investments, attracting new investors through age-old promises of getting rich quick with little effort. Fraud is rampant with guarantees that dont exist, said Dan Neves, a hedge fund manager in Austin, Texas, who invests in cryptocurrencies. You dont need mixers or tumblers to steal cryptos. Once you send your currency to some [online] addresses, its gone. Neves, who favors regulation of the industry, said hes in the process of obtaining the necessary licenses in Texas to pursue broker-dealer registration to sell cryptos directly. Joe Rotunda, enforcement director for the Texas State Securities Board, said his agency has 100 ongoing probes into crypto operations, the most of any state regulator. The board has issued 17 cease-and-desist orders to 60 different parties who sell or promote cryptos, the majority of which involve trading. Even if regulators fully step into the complex mire of crypto regulation, the authorities may not be able to impose the necessary layers of security needed to protect crypto assets in private wallets because many exchanges and dealers are beyond the territorial jurisdiction of U.S. and European regulators. How can you protect yourself? Pageler said investors should get user and backup multi-signature security keys and deal with a firm that has strict cybersecurity policies that set limits on the velocity and amount of coin transfers. The SEC and other agencies are also conducting probes, although its not known when or if there will be any robust state or federal regulation of cryptocurrencies. Until then, its not only buyer beware, but guard your wallet from cyberthieves. The possibility of hacks should play into promoter disclosures, Rotunda said. Investors may lose tokens and promoters must tell investors about their cybersecurity measures. John F. Wasik is the author of "Lightning Strikes" and 16 other books. He focuses on innovation, creativity and technology issues. 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 A stock of psychedelic drugs also known as Ecstasy pills worth more than Rs.3.5 million meant for a New Years Eve party in Colombo was seized by Colombo Excise Station officials in Thotalanga on Friday. On information obtained from a private informant, Excise officials contacted a person living at Bopitiya in Pamunugama and seized the narcotics when he was lured into a fake deal. Nearly 988 Ecstasy pills weighing around 457 grams which were in the suspect's possession were seized. An official said a tablet is usually sold at Rs.3,500 to consumers. Colombo Excise Station OIC Chief Inspector Chanaka Nanayakkara told Daily Mirror the 24-year-old suspect was acting as a caretaker of a Negombo house belonging to a 40-year-old Sri Lankan identified as Dominic now living in France. He said they believe that Dominic might have smuggled the pills on his half-yearly visits to Sri Lanka. The suspect has told Excise officers that his employer gave instructions about distributing the pills to selected buyers and to collect the money. He had also been told to hand over a stock of pills to a certain recipient in Colombo meant for a party, which was to be held on New Years Eve. Excises sources said the house owner paid the youth lavishly for all for the services rendered apart from looking after the house. The Ecstasy, which is a psychedelic drug consisted of chemical substance 3,4-Methyl enedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) and usually consumed by young party goers. Chief Inspector Nanayakkara is conducting investigations with Excise Inspector Indralal Mahawatte, Excise Sergeant Duhulkumbura, Excise Guards Mohan, Lahiru, Manawadu and Dias on the instructions of Assistant Excise Commissioner B A Dayaratne and Excise Superintendent Vijitha Gamanayake. The suspect was produced before the Maligakanda Magistrate and ordered to be remanded till today. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana) By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 12/31/2018 ADVERTISEMENT ASHLEY and JAY ADVERTISEMENT KALANI and ASUELU ERIC and LEIDA ADVERTISEMENT COLT and LARISSA ADVERTISEMENT STEVEN and OLGA ADVERTISEMENT JONATHAN and FERNANDA ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. featured every couple getting married and exchanging vows except for Ashley Martson and Jay Smith as well as Olga Koshimbetova and Steven Frend during Sunday night's Season 6 finale episode on TLC.featured couples separated by land and sea bringing the foreign fiances to the United States so they could tie the knot within 90 days. Otherwise, the American individuals risked losing love and having their significant others return to their home countries.Season 6 of starred Steven, a 20-year-old from Bowie, MD, and Olga, a 20-year-old from Russia; Ashley, a 31-year-old from Mechanicsburg, PA, and Smith, a 20-year-old from Port Maria, Jamaica; and Jonathan Rivera , a 32-year-old from Lumberton, NC, and Fernanda Flores , a 19-year-old from Mexico.The remaining couples were Kalani Faagata , a 29-year-old from Orange County, CA, and Asuelu Pulaa , a 23-year-old from Samoa; Colt Johnson , a 33-year-old from Las Vegas, NV, and Larissa Christina Dos Santos Lima , a 31-year-old from Brazil; Eric Rosenbrook , a 40-year-old from Baraboo, WI, and Leida Margaretha , a 29-year-old from Indonesia.The broadcast began with Ashley still reeling from the revelation Jay had been cheating on her. She found out he had created a secret profile on a dating app to meet other women, and she was completely devastated one week after their wedding ceremony."It's funny how one action can make you regret and want to take back a relationship, because if you can do something that quickly after you get married, you've been doing it -- you just didn't get caught," Ashley said."I asked him, 'What did I do? What were you missing to have to go out and find other women?' And he said he was bored."Jay apparently invited some of the women he had met on a dating app to Ashley's home. She wanted to know how Jay could hurt her like that, and he insisted none of the ladies meant anything to him.Jay confessed to cameras he didn't respect Ashley as much as he should have and it would never happen again.Jay took full responsibility for his actions, but Ashley pointed out he never would have admitted anything unless he got caught.Jay, however, told the cameras he was just "flirting" with a girl and messing around because she had messaged him. Jay did not own up to hooking up or having sex with anyone he had been in contact with. In fact, he was surprised Ashley might leave him over just a few alleged messages."She's going to have to get the police to come get me out, because I'm not leaving," Jay said in a confessional, adding that he loved her and wanted to fight for their relationship.Ashley then met with her girlfriend and expressed how she felt "stupid" and "like a fool." Ashley's friend assumed Jay had been cheating all along, and she hoped Ashley would have the respect for herself to end the relationship.Ashley disclosed the woman Jay had been "flirting" with on the dating app was the total opposite of her, except for the fact they are both Caucasian. Ashley said the woman looked nothing like her, as she's much taller and only 18 years old."It's not so easy to [end things] when you are going through the K-1 visa process. I signed my life away to get him here, and ultimately, until he is back on Jamaican soil, I am still fully responsible for him as if he were a third child," Ashley explained.Ashley was torn because she really loved Jay, but their trust was broken. She was angry, hurt and didn't know what to do or how they could move on together. Ashley admitted it "would be a serious road to recovery" for them.Jay ended up telling Ashley that he didn't receive enough attention or love from her. He had left his home country for her and accused Ashley of being on her phone all night upon coming home from work.Jay insisted he had made a mistake and would be willing to spend the rest of his life making it up to her. Jay also reminded Ashley that he never physically cheated on her with another woman.Ashley said she needed some time apart from Jay and the best thing for her to do would be to walk away from him. She had invested so much time and money into their relationship, yet Ashley had "no idea" what the future held for them."Going through the 90 days and getting married, at this point, I regret every choice I made," Ashley told the cameras.Kalani and Asuelu woke up on their wedding day, and Asuelu said he couldn't wait to say "I do" to his future wife.Kalani revealed to Asuelu that she had told her sister, Kolini, she was pregnant. When Kalani had shared the news, Kolini immediately broke down into tears because she was a combination of surprised, upset and worried. Kalani hoped her sister's emotions wouldn't ruin her wedding day.Kalani hoped that, one day, Kolini and Asuelu would like each other and not just tolerate each other. It was hard for Kalani that her sister wasn't entirely onboard with the wedding.Kalani's father didn't know about the pregnancy, but she didn't want to give him another reason to doubt Asuelu. She therefore planned to hold back the news until after the wedding so he wouldn't attempt to call the day off and question Asuelu's motives even more.Once Kalani put her lace gown on, she started to feel excited about being a bride. The couple eventually got married on a beautiful boat -- which Asuelu awkwardly called the "titanic" -- and Asuelu just hoped he'd be able to keep Kalani's pregnancy a secret.Asuelu cried upon exchanging vows with Kalani, and his actions allowed her family to believe he really was getting married for the right reasons. Kalani also was touched to see her husband get so emotional.It was the day of Eric and Leida's wedding, and Leida was excited to get her hair done and look her absolute best.In the couple's relationship, Eric had doubts Leida being his wife was "achievable," but he was 100 percent ready to marry her. Eric hoped his children would show up for his big day, but he wasn't sure that was going to happen.But 25 minutes prior to the ceremony, Eric realized his suit pants were missing. Leida couldn't believe her future husband forgot his pants on the biggest day of their lives. Since Eric didn't have time to go back to the apartment, he ran out to buy some trousers.Leida was angry and noted that Eric always found a way to piss her off. She simply wasn't a happy bride.Eric ended up having one daughter, Jenna at the wedding. His hope for the future was that he could work things out with Tasha and that he may one day have a blended family with everyone working as a team.Eric confessed he chose love and put love first over his eldest daughters, but he said his focus needed to be on Leida and her son Allessandro. Meanwhile, Leida was perfectly fine with just having one of Eric's children at her wedding.Leida, who tied the knot in a sparkly gown with gold embellishments, was thrilled to be staying in the United States.Colt and Larissa were also preparing to wed, and Colt was really looking forward to Larissa becoming his wife.Colt's mother Debbie never thought Larissa's 90 days in America would truly end in marriage, but Colt wanted to spend the rest of his life with Larissa.Colt admitted to cameras he had invited John to their wedding although she had demanded he not show up following an explosive argument in Colt's home. Colt feared John's presence might anger Larissa, but it was important to him to have some of his family there.Larissa couldn't say everything was perfect in her relationship with Colt, but she said she was "completely in love" with him. She was also glad to have made up with Debbie.Larissa kind of anticipated John would be at the wedding since he was one of Colt and Debbie's only relatives in Las Vegas, but she was ready to attack on the off chance he would attack her on her big day.John, his wife Lea and their child did end up going to the wedding, but he admitted he did not like Larissa and what she stands for -- and he thought Colt was making a big mistake. However, John was going to support his cousin regardless.When Larissa saw John at her ceremony, she managed to keep calm and maintain her composure. Colt felt Larissa's control over her actions showed promise for the future of their relationship.Larissa said "I do" to Colt in a princess-style gown from Goodwill that Colt could afford. Debbie felt she was losing a son and gaining a daughter-in-law, but she loved seeing her son happy although she was experiencing mixed emotions herself.Debbie wanted Colt and Larissa to be "an independent" and "happy" couple, and happy they were.However, Larissa worried her dreams about staying in the United States were dashed because of something she had done wrong.After the wedding, Larissa locked herself in the bedroom and yelled about being "emotionally exhausted." Colt explained they had a problem that wasn't going away."I got a notification from the state of Nevada. Larissa has been charged with domestic battery," Colt told his mother, adding that their altercation was "very private" and happened four days before the wedding."She kept going and going and going. I was worried for her. I just wanted her to stop and calm down. I had never seen her like that before. Things got heated and then I called the police. She ended up spending 48 hours in jail."Debbie was surprised Colt and Larissa had such a bad argument, but after calling the police, Colt asked them not to show up. The police came anyway and Colt did not press charges, but the state of Nevada apparently did.Larissa had a court date set for a few months from that point, and Colt feared this problem would affect Larissa receiving her green card. Colt said calling the authorities was "one of the worst decisions" he had ever made."I don't think I could ever truly make up for what I did," Colt said in a confessional.The newly-engaged couple had been through a lot during Steven's stay in Russia, and he felt bad her K-1 visa was going to take more time to be approved.However, Steven planned to work hard in the United States during their time apart and save up some money for his family.Steven had a very hard time saying goodbye to his son, Richie, but he knew leaving the baby behind with his mother was the right thing to do.Steven promised Olga they could make things work and would reunite in America soon enough. Olga cried at the sight of Steven leaving, and then they both said, "I love you," to each other.Steven acknowledged he should have applied for the K-1 visa "way before" and he had really dropped the ball on that. He feared their separation would ruin his relationship with Olga or change things for the worse.Olga worried about being a mother without having a partner around to help her, but she was glad Steven didn't take their son away from her. She also noted that a part of Steven was still with her since she had their son.It was also Jonathan and Fernanda's big day! They decided to wed in Chicago since Jonathan's family lived there, but none of her own family members would be able to attend the wedding.Fernanda was most upset her best friend, her mother, was not going to be there.Fernanda admitted the past 90 days had been the hardest days of her life since she was separated from her loved ones. She also didn't have the full support of Jonathan's mother, who sadly was going to miss the wedding in order to take care of Jonathan's sick grandmother.There were a lot of emotions going through Jonathan's mind, as he was both nervous and excited. Jonathan's brother, Nick, couldn't believe Jonathan was getting married because he was "kind of a pimp" and could "pull any" girl he wanted.Although Fernanda had picked out a beautiful gown with Jonathan's mother and sister, she decided to wear a simple, knee-length dress will bell sleeves and save her dramatic gown for her future ceremony in Mexico."This isn't the wedding of my dreams but it is with the man of my dreams. And that's the only thing that matters," Fernanda told the cameras.The couple tied the knot in an intimate, outdoor wedding, and both individuals were excited to spend the rest of their lives together. Despite language barriers and different cultures, Jonathan and Fernanda believed they had found the love of their lives."I am a much better person because of her," Jonathan said in a confessional. An unprecedented decision to form a ministerial-level committee was driven by fears of witch-hunt by investigating agencies. The government has formed an inter-ministerial committee of three Cabinet-ranked ministers to decide if an international flying permit should be given to Vistara. This is the first time such a panel has been formed for granting an international flying permit to an airline. According to the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has the final authority to grant a permit for international operations. Multiple government officials, speaking anonymously, said such an unprecedented decision to form a ministerial-level committee was driven by fears of witch-hunt by investigating agencies. There is a growing risk aversion among bureaucrats and hence, the need of delegating the decision to a joint committee to escape finger pointing by anyone later, said a person involved in the decision-making process. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has opened a probe into AirAsia India for alleged lobbying for international flight permits. As part of the investigation, the agency is investigating the current governments decision to amend the 5/20 rule. The amendment dropped the five-year criterion from the 5/20 rule. It also allowed any airline with over 20 aircraft to fly on international routes, if it deployed 20 per cent of its capacity on domestic routes. Vistara, which started flying from January 2015, is supposed to be the immediate beneficiary of this amendment as it has 22 aircraft. The CBI investigation is stalled as former CBI chief Alok Verma, under whom the case was registered, has been relieved of his duties by the government. Sources said the committee, which comprises Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, would decide if it was legal to allow a permit for Vistara in the light of the CBI probe. The Tata Group owns AirAsia India and Vistara. Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey confirmed an interministerial panel had been formed. He defended the decision, saying it was necessary to ensure all norms were being followed. We want to ensure all laws are being followed for which consultation with other ministries is important, he said. The airline has recorded losses in three consecutive years. It has struggled to command higher fare on domestic routes because of competition from low-cost airlines. Its business plan is dependent on creating an identity on international routes, where it can command higher fares. The delay in approval has affected its business plan, as flying rights to Thailand are on the verge of getting exhausted amid low-cost airlines, such as IndiGo and GoAir, deploying new flights. ON THE FLIGHTPATH What is the 5/20 rule? 5/20 is an erstwhile rule, which mandated that Indian airlines should have operated for five years and have 20 planes to become eligible to fly abroad What was the change? The amendment done in June 2016 removed the five-year criteria Whom did it benefit? New airlines such as AirAsia India and Vistara were supposed to be the beneficiaries After reaching the requisite 20 aircraft fleet size, Vistara applied to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for an international permit in June and planned to start flights to Bangkok, Phuket, Colombo, and Male by the winter schedule of 2018. We will look to start international operations by the second half of this year and will gradually expand from short-haul flights to medium- and long-haul destinations, Vistara chief executive officer Leslie Thng had told this paper in January. Sources said Vistara was now weighing other destinations, such as Kathmandu and Dhaka, as a replacement for destinations in Thailand. For an airline like Vistara, which depends on premium traffic, flights to Bangkok and Phuket would have been a money-spinner. Kathmandu and Dhaka, in comparison, are low-cost traffic and not ideal for Vistara, an executive of a travel agency said. Experts have called the delay a policy logjam. When Indias third full-service carrier launched, it did so with its eye on the opportunities in the international market. More than three years later, Vistara remains a solely domestic carrier, thanks to Indian regulations, aviation consultancy firm CAPA said. They have every right to move court over this delay, said a lawyer, who advises multiple private airlines. When asked if the airline was planning to move court, a Vistara spokesperson said, We dont comment on speculations. Photograph: Kind courtesy, Vistara/Facebook The Srikrishna panel is believed to have examined each financial transaction between the Kochhar family and the Videocon group and the suspected trail of properties and assets that the family acquired since Chanda Kochhhar became ICICI Bank's MD. Shrimi Choudhary reports. Photograph: PTI Photo The ICICI Bank-appointed committee set up under retired Supreme Court judge Justice B N Srikrishna is reaching closure in its probe on allegations of code of conduct and conflict of interest by the bank's former managing director and chief executive officer Chanda Kochhar in the Rs 32.5 billion ICICI Bank-Videocon loan case. Based on the probe findings so far in the matter, the committee has sought replies from Chanda Kochhar, ICICI Bank, and other involved entities. The committee is expected to complete the investigations and submit the report by the third week of January. According to sources, the Srikrishna panel has sent queries to all the involved entities, seeking specific details around the loan sanction to Videocon group. "The queries to the parties also cover missing links, which are essential to understand the whole genesis," said the person. The panel is believed to have examined each financial transaction between the Kochhar family and Videocon group, and the suspected trail of properties and assets that the Kochhar family acquired since she became the bank's MD. The panel has also taken account of the banking relationship with Videocon's other corporate houses, and concessions, if any, were provided to them. Sources say the Srikrishna panel has thoroughly studied the role of the credit committee which sanctioned the loan to the Videocon group given that large exposures to corporates like Videocon were approved by the board's credit committee. According to the records, ICICI Bank's credit committee in 2012 had sanctioned its share of facilities to the Videocon group. It was a 12-member committee headed by then chairman K V Kamath. ICICI Bank gave the Rs 32.5 billion loan as part of the 20-bank consortium which approved total loans of Rs 400 billion. "The investigation into several allegations enters the final stage. I am expecting the outcome by the third week of January," says Justice Srikrishna. The panel has taken all aspects into consideration along with the replies it has received so far in the matter. Sources said if required, the Srikrishna panel would ask various parties to make a personal appearance after their written submissions. Another person close to the development said the probe report will be comprehensive, covering all digital records such as emails from 2009 to date. The report will include the genesis of business dealings that warranted the probe. The panel has considered the forensic audit, e-mails, and personnel financials to come to a logical conclusion. Further, it has reviewed the Reserve Bank of India's 2016 detailed scrutiny in the ICICI Bank's dealing with Videocon. The RBI in its report had flagged that NuPower Renewables, a company owned by Chanda Kochhar's husband Deepak Kochhar, had received funding by way of unsecured fully convertible debentures of Rs 640 million from Videocon group company Supreme Energy, said sources. However, the RBI could not establish the allegations as no reciprocal benefits were being identified. Sources said the Srikrishna panel had probed investments in NuPower Renewables independently. The panel has also gone through the investigative agencies's enquiry into this alleged nexus. The Srikrishna Committee report would be critical for Chanda Kochhar and ICICI Bank who are already facing a probe by market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India and the Central Bureau of Investigation. Sebi has issued show cause notice to the bank and Kochhar and initiated adjudication proceedings against them. In June 2018, the ICICI Bank board appointed Justice Srikrishna to conduct an independent probe after it received whistle-blower complaints that Kochhar had violated the bank's code of conduct and there were quid pro quo dealings in the loan given to the Videocon group, which had, in turn, financed NuPower Renewables. Kochhar opted for an early retirement amid the probe and had clarified to the market regulator that she was only part of the credit committee without any veto power. She said she had attended only 8 out of the 30 meetings held for the Videocon group ever since she took over as the bank's MD. ICICI Bank declined comment while queries to Kochhar did not elicit any response. It's also among the top five most valuable Internet companies in India, reports Yuvraj Malik. IMAGE: Raveendran's big dreams led to Byju's, one of India's most successful start-ups. Photograph: Kind courtesy byjuslearningapp/Facebook.com A teacher in the garb of an entrepreneur is not someone who comes around too often. Probably this combination provided the perfect ingredients to build one of the world's most successful edutech start-ups, as Byju Raveendran has shown. After its most recent round of funding of $540 million from Naspers, General Atlantic and Canadian Pension Fund, valuing the company at $3.6 billion, Byju's has emerged as the most valuable edutech start-up globally. The company's valuation has quadrupled in the past year, making it among the top five most valuable Internet companies in India. IMAGE: 'Byju's has expanded it's reach 4x to almost 2,000 towns and cities.' Photograph: Kind courtesy byjuslearningapp/Facebook.com Starting out as a math teacher pre-2010, Raveendran, an engineering graduate who, after spending a couple of years at a shipping company, realised, like so many others, that his calling was in fact somewhere else. Taking time off his job, he would help his friends and whoever else wanted to learn crack math and science at entrances such as CAT. Finding his calling in teaching, he quit his job and started pursuing the career full time. Soon, he was giving lectures in cities across India. Raveendran consolidated all his learning and started Byju's in 2011, initially with members of his own learning group. It's not like other companies did not build education businesses using new-age technology -- EduComp, the firm that installed tablets and interactive screens in schools, had a good run before going bust few years ago -- but Byju's success, standalone in its scale, was on the back of its product. "Raveendran is very focused on deep conceptual learning and has therefore built a path breaking approach to teaching complex concepts. "Their product pushes for deep conceptual clarity, helping students perform better and achieve better learning outcomes," said Ruchira Shukla, regional lead, Venture Capital, International Finance Corporation, an investor in Byju's since 2016. "Since we invested, Byju's has expanded its reach 4x to almost 2,000 towns and cities." Byju's sells online learning modules for a fee. The content can be consumed on smartphones, tablets and desktops. It has built its own repository of content by bringing in thousands of teachers and experts, making the firm a dominant player in the school education market (K12) and the go-to place for entrance examination preparation as well. As of today, Byju's completes monthly sales to the tune of Rs 1 billion from its approximately 1.3 million paid subscribers. "After initially creating the material (pre-recorded video lessons) himself, Raveendran continued to work intimately on the content side. "That got the firm good word-of-mouth publicity in the early days before it installed crazy country-wide sales teams," said an education tech entrepreneur who closely tracks the company. As the company grew, Byju's doubled down on sales, creating a country-wide network of 'feet-on-the-street'. The quality of school education in India is still not the best and parents, in any place big or small, typically spend on learning outside the school. Byju, who hails from a coastal town of Azhikode in Kerala, realised that learning is universal and, since the initial days, has led a parallel sales effort in small non-metro town and cities. IMAGE: Byju Raveendran explaining, how a circle is equal to a triangle. Photograph: Kind courtesy byjuslearningapp/Facebook.com Investors swear by Raveendran's insights into the education market, his clarity as far as his business plan is concerned and his vision for the future. He wants to create a global platform for learning that can be used in all markets. For now, the company is working on launching in English-speaking markets, mainly the US and the UK. 'We are in the process of building products for the international markets. Our core focus is on getting the K-3 (for grades 1, 2 and 3) product ready for launch in the next 6-8 months. 'For our global product, we looked for acquisitions (abroad) but did not find a perfect fit. Hence, we decided to build the product for the global audience in-house. 'We are working with some of the most popular YouTube teachers who are experts in their own domains,' Raveendran said in an emailed statement. Byju's scale has also helped the company attract global investors such as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the philanthropic fund of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, which led a $50-million investment in the company in September 2016. Since then, the company has gone on to raise almost $725 million, from a clutch of investors including Chinese Internet giant Tencent. Even as Byju's looks at opportunities overseas, the company says its key focus will remain in India. There are over 260 million students enrolled in schools in India, more than even China, making it the largest opportunity of its kind in the world, Raveendran explains. He has said that unlike his e-commerce peers, who are out to create a market from scratch, the market for education already exists and it's up for grabs. (New Delhi/Mumbai) REUTERS: India will ban e-commerce companies such as Amazon.com and Walmart -owned Flipkart Group from selling products from companies in which they have an equity interest. In a statement, the government also said that the companies will be prevented from entering into exclusive agreements with sellers. The new rules will be applicable from February 1. An entity having equity participation by e-commerce marketplace entity or its group companies, or having control on its inventory by e-commerce marketplace entity or its group companies, will not be permitted to sell its products on the platform run by such marketplace entity, the commerce ministry said in a statement. E-commerce companies can make bulk purchases through their wholesale units or other group companies that in turn sell the products to select sellers, such as their affiliates or other companies with which they have agreements. Those sellers can then sell the products to other companies or direct to consumers, often at attractively low prices. The new regulations follow complaints from Indian retailers and traders, who say the giant e-commerce companies are using their control over inventory from their affiliates, and through exclusive sales agreements, to create an unfair marketplace that allows them to sell some products at very low prices. The All India Online Vendors Association (AIOVA) in October filed a petition with the anti-trust body Competition Commission of India (CCI) alleging that Amazon favours merchants that it partly owns, such as Cloudtail and Appario. The lobby group filed a similar petition against Flipkart in May, alleging violation of competition rules through preferential treatment for select sellers. Wednesdays notification also said that the cash back that customers get as an incentive while online shopping should not be based on whether the product was purchased from an affiliate of the platform or not. The new rules said that services provided to vendors on an e-commerce platform and by that entitys affiliates should be done so at arms length and in a fair and non-discriminatory manner. New rules will appease small traders and farmers who fear that U.S. companies are making a back door entry into Indias retail market and could squeeze out small corner shops that dominate Indian retailing. The Confederation of All India Traders in a statement said that if the order is implemented in full then malpractices, predatory pricing policies and deep discounting by e-commerce players will no longer occur. CAIT secretary general Praveen Khandelwal said the new rules will put an embargo on the tactics adopted by the global players to control and dominate retail trade in India through e-commerce. In May, CAIT had raised objections to Walmarts US $16 billion acquisition of Flipkart saying the deal would create unfair competition and result in predatory pricing. The new regulations build on existing rules under which foreign investors can acquire 100 percent of e-commerce companies, with the exception of a model based on inventory from which they are barred. Amazon India said it is currently evaluating the new rules, while Flipkart did not immediately respond to a request for comment. After complaints that the new law may impact employment of women, the government has framed a scheme to provide monetary incentive to companies, reports Somesh Jha. Photograph: Kind courtesy Pexels/Pixabay.com The finance ministry has raised questions over the labour ministry's move to seek Rs 4 billion annually towards providing subsidies to companies for passing on maternity benefits to workers. "The finance ministry has asked the labour ministry about the need to frame such a scheme. The move to increase the maternity benefit leave was approved by the Parliament for welfare of women employees and its impact on the industry needs to be examined carefully," said a senior government official, requesting anonymity. The labour ministry has sent the contours of an incentive scheme for companies that provide 26 weeks' maternity benefit to their women workers, in line with the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017. In March 2017, Parliament passed a law to increase the paid maternity leave to women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, aimed to benefit 1.8 million workers in the organised sector. The law applies to all establishments employing 10 or more people and the entitlement applies only to the first two children. But after receiving complaints from a section of the industry that the new law may impact employment of women, the government has framed a scheme to provide monetary incentive to companies. In September this year, Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar said that "women employment is not increasing" because of the new law, which took India to the third position in terms of the number of weeks for maternity leave, following Canada and Norway, where it is 50 weeks and 44 weeks, respectively. In the proposed scheme sent to the finance ministry for approval, the labour ministry has said the incentive scheme will be applicable to women employees who are members of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation and earning less than Rs 15,000 a month. Also, the workers should have been working in an organisation for at least a year and should not be covered under the schemes run by Employees' State Insurance Corporation. The scheme is proposed to be administered by EPFO, according to the labour ministry's proposal. In an official statement issued last month, the labour ministry said that the new law is not proving to be good in private sector, especially contractual jobs. 'There is also a wide perception that private entities are not encouraging women employees because if they are employed, they may have to provide maternity benefit to them, particularly 26 weeks of paid holiday,' the ministry had stated, adding that it received several representations on how the extended maternity leave has become a deterrent for female employees 'who are asked to quit or retrenched on flimsy grounds'. At the heart of the matter In 2017, India increased the paid maternity leave to women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. A section of the industry said the law may hurt womens employment. The government then came up with a scheme to reimburse firms for the increased leave. Photograph: Courtesy WelcomeLittle.com We are spectators who have no voice and no power to influence the giant changes being imposed on all of us, says Aakar Patel. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com As we take the final corner on 2018, one wonders what we will remember this year for. Some years are special and held in memory long after and around the world. In the last century the landmark years include 1914-1918 and 1939-1945, marking the two great wars. Nineteen forty-seven saw the liberation of the subcontinent from a Britain made hollow and weakened by the war. Nineteen sixty-nine is a most memorable year for mankind because of the moon landing and, if you are romantically minded, Woodstock and the summer of love. Nineteen eighty-nine witnessed the breach of the Berlin Wall. Nineteen ninety-one saw the final collapse of the Soviet Union as well as the end of the first Gulf War. It also heralded -- for those of us who are old enough to remember -- the global arrival of the 24/7 news network CNN. Its sexed-up live coverage of the war was in equal parts fascinating and disgusting. In India, 1991 was the year Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated and we saw the beginning of the end of militancy in Punjab. It was also the year when India's economic reforms began. I was at the local club in Surat, and remember the moment well when the live coverage of the Budget speech began. I didn't understand the details much and certainly had no idea about the ramifications but I do remember setting aside whatever I was doing to pay attention to Manmohan Singh. What he was saying clearly seemed to be important stuff. The following year, 1992, was also seminal for us. It produced an act in Ayodhya that violated the sprit and culture of India and its Constitution, and left this nation with not just a scar but an open and septic wound that has rotted over the years. We have paid and we will continue to pay the price for the brilliant and ruthless opportunism shown by a political force that is today dominant in India. Because of it, we are today aligned fully with the general ideology of the subcontinent. We spent our first few decades pretending that we were different from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the rest, in that our religious and ethnic minorities were seen as equals. Ayodhya and its aftermath have changed that irreversibly. To return to landmark years, history seems to have slowed down a bit in this century. The year 2001 was when America discovered that its oceans could neither protect it from vengeance nor insulate it from its actions abroad. That terrible giant again awoke and clumsily clubbed Afghanistan and Iraq, producing nothing creative but spreading death and destruction across the Arab and Muslim world where the damage continues into the present. In the year after that, 2002, Indians discovered that we were still a primitive people. We had little understanding of the individual and were comfortable with collective punishment. Not only did we find little wrong with what happened in that awful year in Gujarat, we were convinced that the individual at the centre of the carnage best represented Indianness and elevated him. But, other than these two things, one significant for much of the world and the other only or mostly for Indians, there don't seem to have been many memorable years in this 21st century. What I mean is that momentous years are not as many and certainly not as distinct unless we look for great events from Silicon Valley. Today, we seem to separate years by new iPhone models. How different is 2018 from 2016 or 2012? One could argue that the rise of China is the story of the opening years of the 21st century and this is hard to refute. However, this happened over a couple of decades and cannot be pinned to a single year. The other thing that makes the years less momentous for us in India is the lack of participation. The world has seen an enormous shift in its outlook on several things. The environment, the new economy of this century and its implications for citizens and above all the concentration of power in four or five gigantic US corporations. Today, these corporations touch and engage with the individual as much as the State otherwise would. Certainly they know more about the individual than even the most heavy-handed Big Brother state in Eastern Europe knew about the people inside its borders. Are these things important to us in India? Do we have much debate about them and are these global issues central to our politics? The honest answer is: Not really. We have no voice and no say in any of this. Our government pretends it can control and 'Indianise' the way these companies operate. Mastercard being told to delete the information of Indian clients on foreign servers being the latest example. Before that, the government made Internet payments for Indians cumbersome by adding two-factor authentication. But these are cosmetic things. The reality is that we are spectators who have no voice and no power to influence the giant changes being imposed on all of us. One reason is that we are too small an economy to matter, despite the bombast. The other reason is that we genuinely don't care about these things. We are a nation that believes that modernity is the Bullet Train. Modernity is actually the outlook and culture that produces the Bullet Train and that is why you could run such a machine through Saudi Arabia or Mongolia and that would not make them modern. Our belief seems to be that we are today one of the great powers of the global ('fastest growing major economy'). The truth is that because of our lack of contribution, we are moving more and more to the periphery and becoming irrelevant over the years. And it is this lack of contribution, with no great events for us to mark, that the last few years have seemed all the same. Year 2018 is just another one of these. All amendments moved by the Opposition in the Joint Parliamentary Committee of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, were defeated on Monday. Now, the draft will be finalised by the JPC, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party MP Rajendra Agrawal, in its next meeting to be held on January 3. It will be presented in the Lok Sabha next week in its original form. All Opposition-sponsored amendments were defeated at the JPC meeting held on Monday, a Rajya Sabha MP, who attended the meeting said. The numerical advantage of the BJP in the 30-member panel was clearly reflected in the clause-by-clause voting in each of the amendments moved by the opposition members, a source said. 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, the Janata Dal-United, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, the Telugu Desam Party, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Samajwadi Party, the Bahuja Samaj Party have one member each in the panel. 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 Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI-M and a few other parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill claiming that citizenship cannot be given on basis of religion. Congress member Bhubaneswar Kalita and Biju Janata Dal's Bhartruhari Mahtab moved separate amendments to exclude Bangladesh from the purview of the bill but both the amendments were defeated, another MP said. The bill is likely to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on January 7. The Winter Session of Parliament comes to an end on January 8. 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. An opposition member said since all the amendments were defeated, if the bill in its present form comes into effect, then it will nullify the Assam Accord under which anyone entering the state illegally after March 1971, should be declared foreigner and deported. 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. TMC members raised five points in the meeting. The party alleged that out of 38 lakh people whose citizenship is under threat, about 28 lakh are Bengali-speaking Hindus. The TMC members alleged that Bengali-speaking Hindus were being targeted as outsiders by vigilante groups in Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya and other states. It claimed that Bengali-speaking Hindus were targeted in the Tinsukia massacre, where hand of senior BJP leader was suspected and non Bengali-speaking Hindus who did not fulfil National Register of Citizens criterion have been assured that they will be included in the NRC. The JPC 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 chief secretaries and police chiefs of Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and West Bengal. IMAGE: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik. Photograph: PTI Photo Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday promised a high-level probe into the alleged torture of some family members of a militant in the valley as 'strict orders have been given to the forces not to harass families of terrorists'. The governor made the remark a day after former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti met a suspected militant's sister, who was allegedly beaten up by Jammu and Kashmir police, and warned of 'dangerous consequences' if harassment of militants' families is not stopped. "We have no fight with the families of the terrorists and had already passed strict orders to the forces not to indulge in excesses against them. If something like that happened as she (Mehbooba) is claiming, I will certainly order a high-level probe into it," the governor told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. Mehbooba, after meeting the family in south Kashmir's Pulwama district Sunday, tweeted, '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.' 'I want to ask the governor 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 had said. Responding to a question about the issue raised by the former chief minister, the governor said, "She will address me because I am the governor of the state. I am not taking her words in a bad taste because she is the daughter of my friend (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed). "And the elections are coming so they will talk like this because of their compulsions..." On the successful foiling of the Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) action along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector this morning and killing of two heavily-armed intruders, Malik said, "Those who will try to sneak here to vitiate the atmosphere, will face the same fate." "Our forces have a very good coordination and we are getting support from the local populace (to deal with terrorism)," he said. Asked about his views on the outgoing year, the governor said, "I am looking at 2018 as a great year for varied reasons -- the democracy took roots and the elections to panchayats and urban local bodies were held without even a bird getting harmed. "Work on languishing projects was started and is going on in full pace. The people understand that development is linked to peace," he said. On the change of guard in Pakistan and the need for dialogue, he said, "This is not my issue. It is the issue of New Delhi." Meanwhile, in a statement in Jammu on Monday evening, the governor requested political parties to understand the 'fragile security situation' in parts of the state and not to upset this through 'motivated statements and false allegations'. "This will only demoralise a hard-working police force," he said. He said the family members of the militant including his sister were questioned in Jammu district based on very specific intelligence inputs. "I have been informed that there has been no tearing up of a woman's clothes or her being harassed by the police," Malik said. The governor said, "I once again reiterate that all police officers and staff will be directed not to harass ladies who happen to be relatives of militants or treat them in any unbecoming manner. Any questioning should be done as per normal practice only in the presence of a lady constable," he said. He said he would also direct Inspector Genral of Police, Kashmir to look into this incident to see whether the woman has been harassed or her clothes have been torn as is being alleged. "If necessary, action will be taken against any police staff found acting wrongly," he said. President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday visited Gir National Park, the only abode of Asiatic lions, during his two-day Gujarat tour. Here are glimpses from his lion safari. President Ram Nath Kovind took a lion safari in Gir on his second day in Gujarat. During his visit, forest officials apprised him of the lions' rising population and the government's efforts to protect them. Photograph: @rashtrapatibhvn/Twitter According to the 2015 census, the national park has 523 lions. Photograph: @rashtrapatibhvn/Twitter WATCH: President Kovind's visit to Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary The majestic Asiatic lions sit by the side of the road while the President's convoy passes by. Photograph: @rashtrapatibhvn/Twitter Other than lions, President Kovind also got to enjoy the sights of deer at the wildlife sanctuary. Photograph: @rashtrapatibhvn/Twitter The much-awaited annual event of Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is slated to be even bigger and better in 2019. Although it is usually spread over a 20 km radius, the Kumbh Mela -- set to begin on January 15 and continue till March 4 -- will be sprawled across 45 km this year. Authorities are expecting approximately 100 million visitors to come for a holy dip at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati Rivers. Ahead of the festival, preparations are under full swing to construct 22 temporary pontoon bridges. Sadhus arrive at the Pragyaraj Railway Station for the Kumbh Mela. Photograph: PTI Photo Workers carry goods to build huts on the banks of the Ganges river ahead of Kumbh Mela. Photograph: Jitendra Prakash/Reuters Labourers work on an under-construction pontoon bridge spanning the river Ganga ahead of the "Kumbh Mela". Photograph: Jitendra Prakash/Reuters Paramilitry force personnel during a mock drill to tackle emergencies at Kumbh Region. Photograph: PTI Photo Seeking to shield Sonia and Rahul Gandhi from allegations in the AgustaWestland bribery case, former defence minister A K Antony on Monday said the two top Congress leaders 'never interfered' in the VVIP chopper deal or any defence contract during the United Progressive Alliance regime. IMAGE: Congress leader and former defence minister AK Antony addresses the media on AugustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, during the Winter Session of Parliament, in New Delhi. Photograph: Atul Yadav/PTI Photo The assertion by Antony in which he also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and the government of 'manufacturing' lies came on a day of escalating political war of words in the AgustaWestland chopper deal with BJP president Amit Shah leading the party offensive against the Gandhis. In a series of tweets, Shah said the 'friendship' between Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the deal, and Congress' top leadership is 'time tested and deep'. He also asked what is this 'Family Balm' that every middleman wants. As part of its nation-wide campaign to attack the Congress over Michel's statement to the Enforcement Directorate, the BJP fielded its chief ministers and top leaders in state capitals across the country. Yogi Adityanath, Devendra Fadnavis, Jai Ram Thakur and Trivendra Singh Rawat -- the chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand respectively -- were among those who addressed news conferences. Adityanath claimed that the Rs 3,700 crore AgustaWestland deal during the UPA regime involved a bribery of around Rs 360 crore, out of which the Congress leaders got Rs 150 crore. He, however, did not elaborate on his claim. The BJP's senior state leaders also spoke to reporters in Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, according to a party leader in Delhi. The BJP stepped up its attack on the Congress and its leaders in the wake of the alleged reference made by Michel about one 'Mrs Gandhi', as told by the ED to a Delhi court. The Congress, has, however, rejected the allegations and has counter-alleged that it was the Modi government that was a 'protector, benefactor and promoter' of AgustaWestland as it lifted a ban imposed on the helicopter maker during the UPA rule and allowed it to bid for 100 naval utility helicopters. "I would like to say categorically that (UPA chairperson) Sonia Gandhi and (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi never showed any interest ... never interfered in the AgustaWestland deal. "During my entire tenure as defence minister, Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deal," Antony told a press conference in Parliament premises. "The government and the BJP are misusing agencies to manufacture lies. I am surprised to know that the present government is spreading lies....is trying to manufacture something out of nothing," Antony said. "Without any iota of truth, they are trying to follow vendetta politics." Antony further said it was the Congress-led UPA government that ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry the moment it came to know of corruption allegations in the AgustaWestland deal and initiated proceedings to blacklist the company. Antony claimed that the UPA government fought the case 'unusually' in a Milan court against the chopper-making company and won it too. "We cancelled the contract and started proceedings of blacklisting. But after we left, the Modi government did nothing against AgustaWestland. Instead of acting against the company, they favoured the company," he said. Antony said if the Congress had anything to hide, it would not have ordered a CBI probe or gone to Italy to fight the case. On the BJP's charges of the Congress being jittery ever since Michel was extradited to India, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said this was like 'chor machaye shor' (the thief is making noise). In his tweets, Shah asked if Michel wanted details of his questioning by investigators to be passed onto 'Mrs Gandhi'. 'Trails of the AgustaWestland Casethe SOS of Christian Michel. Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs. Gandhi herself? Why?' he tweeted. Shah said Michel's lawyer had admitted that the alleged middleman indeed passed a paper to him and claimed that he thought it was a list of medicines. In this context, the BJP president took an apparent swipe at the Gandhi family, saying people have heard of Zandu balm and Tiger balm -- medicines used to relieve pain -- but what is this 'family balm' that every middleman wants. 'In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michel's lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a sham. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi!' Shah said. The Congress had expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. 'In national interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep,' Shah said. Fadnavis said Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi need to answer questions related to allegations of corruption in the AgustaWestland scam. Gujarat BJP president Jitu Vaghani claimed the Congress was trying to give a 'political colour' to the chopper case and questioned why the party was scared of a probe. From Rafale relief to heat on realtors, 10 landmark Supreme Court judgments in 2018. M J Antony reports. IMAGE: India's Supreme Court. Rafale relief On the last working day of the year, the Supreme Court delivered one of its most controversial judgments. It ruled out an investigation into the deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets worth Rs 580 billion, dismissing a group of writ petitions. It stated there was no reason to doubt the decision-making process and the necessity of fighter aircraft. The judgment further stated it was not the job of the court to deal with comparative details of pricing. The story is not over yet as the government has moved the court pointing out errors in the judgment while the Opposition has listed a number of contradictions in it. Aadhaar valid, but not absolute The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Aadhaar card, but stated that private companies cannot ask for it. Thus, it would not be mandatory for opening bank accounts, obtaining mobile phone connection and other facilities. The court also rejected the argument that the scheme created a surveillance state. It approved the Money Bill route to pass the law. The judgment, however, asserted that the right to privacy is a fundamental right of every citizen. No arbitration in consumer law The Supreme Court upheld the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission and emphasised that even if there were an arbitration clause in the contract of sale of goods or services, a consumer complaint cannot be referred to arbitration. The Consumer Protection Act is a special law meant to benefit society and it should prevail over general law. Mining lease renewals quashed The Supreme Court cancelled the renewal of mining leases granted by the Goa government in an appeal moved by the Goa Foundation against Sesa Sterlite. The renewal was 'unduly hasty, without taking all relevant material into consideration and ignoring available relevant material and, therefore, not in the interests of Mineral development.' 'The decision was taken only to augment the revenues of the State,' the judgment said. No telecom cartelisation The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of the Competition Commission of India against the Bombay high court decision quashing allegation of cartelisation by Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular. The probe against the firms was ordered by the CCI in 2017 after Reliance Jio Infocomm complained that the rivals formed a cartel and were not providing it with enough points of interconnection. Trademarks and reputation A foreign company suing an Indian firm for violating its trademark by 'passing off' goods in the domestic market must prove that it had sufficient goodwill, reputation and market here. This 'territorial principle' was accepted globally, and the Supreme Court also adopted it in its judgment, Toyota Jidosha vs Prius Auto Industries Ltd. Independence of arbitrator Independence and impartiality of arbitrator are still being challenged in courts despite recent amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. However, the Supreme Court ruled in SP Singla Constructions Ltd vs State Of HP that 'the fact that an arbitrator is an employee of one of the parties is not by itself a ground to raise a presumption of bias or lack of independence on his part.' Arbitration agreements in government contracts providing that an employee of the department or a higher official unconnected with the work or the contract will be the arbitrator are neither void nor unenforceable. In another judgment, it said that an arbitration agreement need not necessarily be in writing or signed. Heat on realtors Real estate firms had an excruciating time this year as several of their top executives were sent to jail for breach of agreement with aspirants of residential flats. In another aspect of real estate bungling, the Supreme Court quashed all the allotments made by the Maharashtra Housing Authority to co-operative housing societies as they were 'unreasonable and arbitrary'. In yet another decision relating to the Real Estate Regulation Act, the court stated that the details of a development plan must be disclosed if a person demands them from an information officer of a sanctioning authority. It cannot be resisted on the grounds of commercial confidence, trade secret or intellectual property rights. Even a rival business firm can get the details under the RTI. IBC: Personal guarantors in soup In one of the notable judgments on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the Supreme Court ruled that banks can act against guarantors even as proceedings under the code are on. Setting aside the ruling of the NCLAT, the judgment said as far as individual personal guarantors are concerned, they will continue to be proceeded against. Some boost for daily wagers Keeping workers on a daily wage basis for decades to deny them labour law benefits has become normal in both private and public sectors. The Supreme Court has frowned at this practice in several appeals. In one such, it assailed the conduct of the Chhattisgarh government which kept an employee for 22 years as a daily wager on a salary of Rs 2,776 per month and denied gratuity after regularising him in the last three years. The high court upheld the government stand. In its judgment, Netram Sahu vs State, the apex court said: 'It is the duty of the state to voluntarily pay the gratuity rather than to force the employee to approach the court to get his genuine claim.' 'It is really unfortunate that the genuine claim was being denied at every stage of the proceedings up to this court and dragged him in fruitless litigation for all these years.' Angelo Mathews has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand and is also doubtful for the subsequent two Tests against Australia due to a hamstring injury. The 31-year-old was forced to retire hurt after picking up the injury during the afternoon session on the fourth day of his side's second Test against New Zealand, which the latter went on to win by huge 423 runs in Christchurch. Now, the scans have revealed that a grade two strain in his left hamstring, something which will keep him out of action for at least four weeks. Mathews was earlier dropped from Sri Lanka's limited-overs squad before Lasith Malinga, who was named the side's skipper for the New Zealand tour, decided to pick him for the three ODIs and lone T20I against the Kane Williamson-led side. Sri Lanka and New Zealand will lock horns in the ODI series from January 3 at the Bay Oval while they will face Australia in the two-match Test series, beginning January 24 at the Gabba in Brisbane. FALLS VILLAGE The David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village received several grants over the course of 2018, enabling the library to expand its endowment and improve its lighting, entrance-way, and grounds, as well as create a Little Free Library in the towns center, according to a statement. At the start of January 2018, the Hunt Library concluded a two-year 125th anniversary campaign that had increased its endowment by roughly 25 percent, thanks to support from families and foundations in Falls Village and surrounding towns, culminating with a matching grant from the Edwards Community Foundation Endowment Project through the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation. In May, Town of Canaan First Selectman and Hunt Library President Henry Todd, presented to the community a Little Free Library at Toymakers Cafe. The owners of the popular eatery, Ann and Greg Bidou, are well-known as Anglophiles, so craftsman Joe Brien of Cornwall built a British red phone box with shelves to hold dozens of books. All passersby are welcome to take a book or leave one. Both villagers and Appalachian Trail hikers benefit from the easy access to the ever-changing selection of free books for all ages. This project was spearheaded by Hunt Library Director Erica Joncyk and was supported with a grant from The Feliciano & Lydia Turri Zaccheo Fund through the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, Inc. and support from Toymakers Cafe. Little Free Library founder Todd H. Bol visited the Bidous at Toymakers in June, before his untimely death in October. His work in promoting Little Free Libraries has impacted communities all over the world. In June, the Hunt Library upgraded the facilitys lighting with grants from the Edward W. Diskavich Fund and the Lucia Tuttle Fritz Fund, both through the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, Inc. Additional support was provided by Eversource, JP Morgan, and an anonymous donor. M&M Electric from Bolton, CT installed the new LED lighting which now floods every nook and corner of the library, improving the reading, computing, and overall eye health of the librarys users. In October and November, the librarys entrance-way steps were replaced with granite by contractor Jim Johnston, funded by an anonymous donor and the librarys capital improvement fund. The grounds around the library were simplified and tidied by Tom Scott of Falls Village Flower Farm, anticipating further plantings in the spring of 2019. NEW HAVEN The Knights of Columbus sent $75,000 in contributions to more than 20 area charities this month in the spirit of giving back to the community. Even as we have expanded internationally, our roots in New Haven are strong, and we remain dedicated to giving back to this community that has always embraced us and our mission, Knights of Columbus CEO Carl Anderson said in a release. The Catholic fraternal organization spread the good will to New Haven charities including St. Anns Soup Kitchen, Columbus House, Connecticut Hospice, Farnam Neighborhood House, Christian Community Action, Community Soup Kitchen, Little Sisters of the Poor, Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, St. Lukes Lunch for Women and Children, St. Thomas More Soup Kitchen, The Salvation Army, Immanuel Missionary Baptist Church, Beacon on the Hill, Caring Cuisine, Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, Life Haven, Community Dining Room and Mary Wade Home. The considerable community service and abundant charitable acts completed by the Knights are a constant reminder about the good neighbors they have always been, about the generous nature of the Knights on a larger scale, and about how proud New Haven is to be the world headquarters of the Knights of Columbus, Mayor Toni N. Harp said in a release. Founded by the Rev. Michael McGivney in the basement of St. Marys parish on Hillhouse Avenue in 1882, the Knights of Columbus has nearly 1.9 million members worldwide and set a record for charitable giving in 2017-18 collecting more than $185 million in donations and giving 75 million hours of service to charitable causes. The Knights of Columbus is the worlds largest Catholic service organization for adult men. Close to 80 Knights of Columbus employees partnered with local nonprofits, including the Connecticut Food Bank in Wallingford; the Community Dining Room in Branford; and the Eli Whitney Museum in Hamden, to help the hundreds of Connecticut families the organizations serve. Knights of Columbus employees also volunteered at New Havens annual Day of Joy held at Wexler-Grant Community School serving hot meals to everyone and giving coats to children. The Knights of Columbus donated $8,000 to the Day of Joy for the purchase of the food that was distributed. Theyre everyday people helping people every day, the release said. Whether its aiding the less fortunate, local volunteering, networking with others of shared values and beliefs, or participating in fun, family-inclusive events, the Knights of Columbus welcome and value Catholic men seeking community and ways to put their faith into action. mdignan@hearstmediact.com TORRINGTON For Lisa Hageman, charity and caring for others in time of need came naturally. I grew up in Goshen, and when you live in a small town, there is a sense of neighbors helping neighbors, said Hagemen, the food service director of the Torrington Community Soup Kitchen. My dad (William) was selectman and the fire chief, and when there would be a house fire or someone was sick, I was taught and shown to help your neighbor when they were in time of need. That stayed with me, and I brought that to the soup kitchen. When Hageman moved to Torrington 16 years ago, she immediately became involved with the kitchen. While it once served about 20 people a day, the facility now provides daily hot meals (breakfast and lunch) for 200 daily, as well as other services. It also serves as a social gathering place for those less fortunate in the community. Because of her extraordinary efforts, Hageman was selected as The Register-Citizens 2018 Person of the Year. The Person of the Year is someone who has had an impact, worked for change or pursued a passion that has made a difference in the greater Torrington area. Eight different readers nominated Hageman for the honor, for her dedication and love of her community and for constantly fighting the good fight trying to help those who need it most. Her work with the food challenged and less fortunate is outstanding, said Sharon Waagner in her nomination. She is loved and respected and always puts the needs of others before her own. Even though the Community Soup Kitchen does not receive local, state or federal funding, it serves more than 50,000 meals a year to people of Litchfield County, including more than 200 children. Its operating budget is supported solely by donations from the public and through grants. Volunteers assist daily with the food preparation, serving, clean up and weekend coverage. The kitchen also provides an opportunity for individuals to meet staff from area agencies and programs, for assistance with the many needs and problems they experience. The soup kitchen serves people from all walks of life, including homeless people and families and the working disadvantaged. A board of directors has oversight of the general operations of the kitchen. It really is an honor to be recognized, but this really is for all the people who help me make the soup kitchen happen, Hageman said of being selected Person of the Year. It is the soup kitchen that is being recognized. Im humble and grateful that people voted for me, but this really is everybodys award. If it wasnt for all the help I receive from the community, the kitchen wouldnt be able to operate. It takes a team to make it happen. Hageman is just returning to health after a severe illness. She was diagnosed with an e-coli infection in her lungs, which sent her to the hospital and then to a rest home for rehabilitation and recovery for more than two months, she said. It happened in early October. I was in a coma in the hospital for a number of days. I couldnt walk or feed myself and I needed assistance being lifted out of bed. I came home the day before Thanksgiving, she said. All I could think of was that the holidays were coming and I had so much to do. It is a time when people really need us. The first thing she said after coming out of the coma was that she wanted a cheeseburger. Then she wanted to know what was going on down at the soup kitchen. I had so many visitors from the kitchen, so many clients, that they had to stop people from coming. The poverty community depends on me, Hageman said. The doctors said they didnt want me driving and to stay away from the soup kitchen, but I had to be there at least a couple of hours a day. I was able to get some things done while I was recovering, thanks to my volunteers and others. Hageman takes pride in being in the trenches with her clients. She has faced her own challenges in life, and had to do hours of community service all of which enhanced her empathy with those battling drug and alcohol abuse and addiction, she said. I know what my clients go through. Sometimes Im all they have. Im on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Hageman said. Ill take a phone call at 2 a.m. in the morning if someone is alone and scared or wants to use. They depend upon me and Im firm with them, she said. The food is the foundation of what we do at the soup kitchen, but we provide other services as well and channel our clients to other agencies where they can find housing or a coat to keep them warm during the winter. Hageman has a simple but powerful philosophy that guides her mission. Food makes people feel happy, she said. You cant function without food because it feeds the soul. If you are hungry, you cant work. When we feed people, they are happier. The kitchen began serving breakfast to accommodate a number of people who were working part-time and couldnt make lunch. Hageman plans to integrate dinner into the kitchens program three days a week to further cater to what she calls the poor working class. The Torrington soup kitchen works thanks to donations from private people, businesses donations and grants. I use social media a lot these days and when we are in need of something I put a cry out, Hageman said. I put a cry out that we need pasta and I get 500 pounds of pasta. I put a cry out that we needed 35 homemade pies and I got 70. Its a community effort. Hageman takes pride in the meals the kitchen prepares. All our meals are nutritious and healthy, she said. We cater to people with diabetes and high blood pressure. We have fresh vegetables every day. One of the local agencies Hageman works closely with is Operation Overflow, an emergency shelter system that opens its doors to the homeless on nights when the local shelter is full. I know Michele Smedick well actually, I think my whole family voted for her to be the Person of the Year, she said with a chuckle, referring to the programs director. We had a guy come in with slippers on. He was so hungry he inhaled a whole cake. He was clearly very hungry but he also needed clothes, so we worked with Michele to get him what he needed. It felt good eating Christmas dinner, knowing that we fed this man, clothed him and found him a place to stay. Hageman said the soup kitchen began to flourish when she went to what she calls a zero tolerance policy. There was a family that was walking back and forth on (Prospect) street and they clearly wanted to come in. I asked them to do that, but they said they were afraid because we were serving people who were using or drunk, she said. I decided then and there that you couldnt come in if you were high or drunk. We make sure these people get fed, but we cant have them high or smelling like booze sitting next to people who are in recovery or who have kids. Sometimes clients at the kitchen may need a bit of tough love, she said. You cant be short-fused in this job, she said. But I talk to my clients and Im firm with them when I have to be. If someone is slipping, I tell them to get back on track. While sustenance may be at the core of the Torrington Community Soup Kitchen, Hageman says running what has been called the second highest rated such operation in the state takes more than meat and potatoes. Beyond the food, it goes to compassion and caring, she said. Those things are just as important as feeding people. The Register Citizen started to profile a Person of the Year in 2011. Heres a list from past years: - 2017: Robert Geiger, town manager in Winsted - 2016: Owen Quinn, executive director of United Way of Northwest Connecticut - 2015: Deirdre Houlihan DiCara, executive director of Friends in Service to Humanity - 2014: Ken Merz, secretary of O&G Industries - 2013: Barbara Spiegel, executive director of Susan B. Anthony Project - 2012: Former state. Sen. Andrew Roraback - 2011: Steven Temkin, Steven Roth and David Bender, co-founders of Torrington Downtown Partners PayMedia, a rapidly evolving Financial Technology (Fin-Tech) company in Sri Lanka, won eleven awards in total in 2018, and was highly commended for the leadership of its Founding Director, Kanishka Weeramunda, who was recognized with multiple leadership awards himself. These accolades won by PayMedia, which are a testament to the companys innovation and creativity includes six awards at NBQSA, two awards at e-Swabhimani 2018 - Digital Social Impact Awards organized by Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), one award at the CSSL ICT Awards and two awards at the CMI Excellence Awards. PayMedias visionary CEO Kanishka Weeramunda was recognized as the Entrepreneur of the Year at the National Best Quality ICT Awards (NBQSA) and ICT Leader of the Year 2018 at The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL) ICT Awards which was presented to Weeramunda by His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena. He was also named the Best CEO of the Year and the Best Future Leader of the Year in the small and medium service sector category at the CMI Excellence Awards 2017, which was held in April this year. Delivering better customer experience has become a key priority for most banks in recent years. Therefore, PayMedia, a truly Sri Lankan company was started with the aim of providing the best calibre of total software solutions for banks and other institutes. While keeping the focus on Fin-Tech, the company wants people to trust and enjoy the convenience of digital technology and disrupt the payment processes in the country and around the world. The company is driven by a team of ambitious and committed young individuals who are acutely aware of the limitless growth potential of PayMedia. The products of the company are currently simplifying the user experience of millions around the country and enables the clients to gain a competitive edge by enhancing digital services based on process automation and real time payments. Some of the innovative customized solutions are cash deposit ATM/KIOSK switching, KIOSK hardware and POS devices. The company also specializes on desktop, web, mobile and KIOSK applications, including feasibility studies conducted for independent system audits to ensure higher rates of ROI. PayMedia Private Limited was established in 2014 and the company has achieved a rapid growth ever since currently enjoying a worldwide presence with established operations in Sri Lanka, Australia, Netherlands and Belgium. The company also plans on entering the Middle-Eastern countries in the near future. As of now, the company has successfully launched projects with Sampath Bank PLC, Nations Trust Bank, Amana Bank PLC, Hatton National Bank PLC, LOLC Finance Company, Central Finance PLC and the Ceylon Electricity Board. In addition, PayMedia has also undertaken several new projects with financial and banking institutes such Sanasa Development Bank, Citizens Development Business Finance PLC, Ceylinco Life Insurance Limited and Sri Lanka Red Cross Society. PayMedia is a company well-known for revolutionizing the banking and financial industry by disrupting the conventional banking system in Sri Lanka. With the introduction of the Smart POS solution, PayMedia has entered the digital era by shifting conventional methods of daily transactions by bringing convenience through innovation. These solutions are the definition of a modern life and the approach aims at minimizing the hassle an individual goes through during their regular banking experience. In a nutshell, the company uses innovative new techniques to provide a remarkable degree of products, while remaining pragmatic, affordable and effective. PayMedia ensures that the customers, the financial institutes and the merchants are satisfied by making their lives better and efficient and ultimately enhancing the economy as a whole. TORRINGTON Five Points Annex Gallery will host its annual Draw-A-Thon, a public art event, Jan. 11-13 at the gallery, 17 Water St. This event is free and open to the public, and people of all ages and experience are invited to join. Paper will be supplied and still-life objects will be available, but the subject matter of the drawings is open. People can stay for a short time or attend the whole of each session. Participants should bring their owndrawing materials; no spray paint or oil paints are permitted. The Draw-A-Thon hours are Jan. 11, 5-9 p.m., Jan. 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Jan. 13, noon-5 p.m. A closing reception will be held Sunday from 4-5 p.m. The event is sponsored in part by Jerrys Artarama, who donated gift cards. Those who participate will be entered into the drawing. The Annex, an expansion of the Five Points Hartford Art School/ University of Hartford Launchpad program, is a community pop-up gallery managed by the Launchpad artists. Located just steps away from the Five Points Gallery in historic downtown Torrington, The Annex Gallery offers a unique opportunity for local and regional artists/artisans to engage their community by offering a space to show their work. For more information about the Annex Gallery please visit http://www.fivepointsgallery.org/annex TORRINGTON For the Blondin-Shea Eye Care office in Torrington, the post-holiday period has long been a busy, even hectic time of year. For the last 19 years, Dr. Matthew Blondin and a team of eye doctors and optometry students have spent a week in mid-January in the coastal town of San Juan del Sur, where they provide eye exams, glasses and one-day surgeries to hundreds of residents, many of whom travel many miles for treatment. But this year, which would have marked the 20th anniversary of the Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity-Connecticuts mission in the Central American country, the trip is off. Nicaragua has been caught in a civil conflict between its president, Daniel Ortega, since April, and travel advisories have warned of increased violence there with more than 400 people dead and hundreds detained or arrested, according to a story published Dec. 29 by the Associated Press. Reconsider travel to Nicaragua due to crime, civil unrest, limited healthcare availability, and arbitrary enforcement of laws, the U.S. Department of State website says. The Blondins founded VOSH-CT in 2001. Since then, Blondin and his team, along with his wife, attorney Audrey Blondin, family members and friends have made the trip each year, bringing with them not only the much-needed eye care but clothes, school supplies and anything else they could provide . Usually by this time of year, weve already sent bags and bags of supplies to everyone whos going with VOSH and we arrive together, Audrey Blondin said. We realized that we werent going to be able to do that. Its so sad, whats happening over there. It makes us all feel very helpless. Matthew Blondins first clue that the trip was in trouble was when students who traditionally participated started pulling out. We didnt have anyone to go with us, he said. The travel warnings got worse and worse. Eventually we realized it probably wasnt going to happen. After visiting there annually for so many years, theyve made many friends in San Juan del Sur. Some even became family members. Orlando Sevilla, who met the Blondins during one of their early visits, eventually moved to the familys home in Litchfield and has been in Connecticut ever since, becoming a U.S. citizen in 2017. Sevillas family still lives in San Juan del Sur, and he has traveled back and forth to visit. with his wife and children. But not lately. I havent been there since last January (2018) Sevilla said. Since things went down over there in April, its been a mess. Ortegas a dictator. Hes treating people just like Samoza (the former family regime that controlled the country, before an earthquake in 1972 led to a revolution led by the rebel Sandinistas) did. Hes a dictator. How it started According to Sevilla, the unrest began on April 19, when Ortega announced he would take pension funds originally intended for elderly residents and those in need, and give the money to workers to stimulate the economy and government. Its like our social security system, Sevilla said. In Managua, the capitol, older people started going into the streets to protest this, because there are no jobs there. People are really struggling. When the national police went out and attacked the protesters, Ortega told them to, and then students started supporting the people by protesting. And it just got worse from there. There are probably about 600 political prisoners now, and more every day, Sevilla said. If you do anything thats thought to be attacking Ortega, youre done. Youre arrested. You cant fly the countrys flag, you cant wear those colors. And you cant talk about it. If you do, youre against the government. The national police supports Ortega, so theyre arresting everyone and people are getting killed. In December, the Nicaraguan government shut down prominent non-governmental organizations and news outlets and expelled international monitors documenting alleged rights abuses, according to AP. In November, the Trump administration placed new sanctions against the vice president of Nicaragua and a top national security adviser to President Daniel Ortega, according to thehill.com. We miss our friends The unrest and tyranny equals no safe travel for a group like VOSH-CT. Since the mission began, the Blondin team spent a week not only providing eye care and supplies to the citizenry, but making many friends. For example, Matthew Blondin is friends with local businesspeople and families who look forward to their visit each year. Theres a guy I go to for a haircut, he said. I dont know if Ill see him again. I dont know how theyre doing. Its sad and scary to think that people are in danger like that. Blondin often provides enough medicine to a patient he treats so that they can continue until he returns. I give people medicine for their eyes, for cataracts, for example, or for a surgery they had, and theyre going to run out, he said. Whats going to happen to them? I cant do anything. We cant send anything over there either. Its very sad. Audrey Blondin has also made many friends during her visits, and has watched the country slowly recover economically during the last 19 years. The growth there, even during the past 10 years, was unbelievable, and so good for the country, she said. There were new hotels, people were starting new businesses the schools were being improved. There has been so much positive change. The only people this is going to hurt is the people of Nicaragua, Sevilla said. All thats been done is gone. There are no jobs. VOSH-CT must receive a letter of approval from the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health before booking their flight to Managua. We thought of going, no matter what, but the ministry is part of the government, and no ones getting a letter from them now, Audrey Blondin said. No ones going over at all. There are no mission trips to any part of the country. VOSH-CT is traveling to Virginia in June for a weeklong clinic, similar to the ones they have held in Nicaragua, and there will be plenty of people to help, the Blondins said. More information is available at www.drblondin.com/voshct. But the couples thoughts turn to Nicaragua every day, as news reports continue to portray a bleak picture for the country. A lot of people are so disappointed that were not coming, Sevilla said. I dont want to be responsible for putting people in danger, so we cant take the risk and travel there, Matthew Blondin said. But these are my friends. Im so sad. Theres a hole in my heart. Any day is important, and some days are extra- special. However, the events that unfold on that special day would be fermented for over the years. Some years are extra-special too. The year 2019 is one such year. As the presidency enters into its fifth year, this would be the election year. This is also a crucial year on its own, rising from the ruins of the crumbled political alliance of Yahapalanaya and four years of economic stagnation. Causal effects of the not-yet-fully resolved political upheaval may also suggest that this year is an extension of the previous year, with all its ugliness and polarization. However, none of the implied and predicted adversities is set in stone. They can be overcome. How that is achieved would need a bit of common sense, and grassroots touch.There are many possible futures, and among them are more likely plausible and probable futures. These probable scenarios are based on flow of events, personal/ political preferences and prejudices of leaders, and major events. The widening gulf between President Maithripala Sirisena and the UNP/UNF government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would likely overshadow this year. President Sirisena lost his political gamble, and beat a retreat, for the time being. But a man who in his teens set ablaze a paddy field to settle scores with his grand father, may not take it lying down. PM Wickremesinghes over blown ego does not help either. Add to this is the Presidents temperament and rash judgements. This conflicting dynamic portends another show down in the immediate future. The country and economy would take the brunt of the fall out. Second scenario is that even if he did not opt for a direct show down, President Sirisena would play the role of saboteur of the governments economic policies and proposed constitutional reforms. That would also lead to a political stalemate. Third scenario is a potential impeachment of the president, which may lead to a tit -for-tat prorogation of Parliament and another long political stalemate. Fourth, the economy is unlikely to perform better. Economic growth of 2018 is expected to be below 4%, (the growth rate of 2017 was 3.1%) The government has effectively presided over two consecutive years of growth that is below the post-independent average of the country. The government lacks decisiveness and pro-activeness in its economic handling. Its vacillation in the implementation of development projects, allegations of corruption and red tape associated with Foreign Direct Investment projects, and the deficit of populist legitimacy have heralded a period of economic stagnation. All these factors would come to play in the final scenario: elections. Sri Lanka goes to a presidential election due by January next year (2020). The UNP, already fraught with internal rivalries and, maligned by a poor economic record would be compelled to pick a candidate. Whoever the selected candidate was, would also be the prospective leader of the UNP after the election. That prospect makes anyone other than PM Wickremesinghe a difficult compromise for his coterie in the UNP. That would also revive the infighting between the Sajith Premadasa loyalists and Wickremesinghes. A wrong choice and internal acrimony would weaken the UNP before it goes to election, against, say for instance, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, or any of MRs handpicked nominees. However, it is not the UNPs political fortune that is at stake. If it fails the acid test of the presidential election, much of the democratic reforms that were painstakingly achieved so far would be reverted by a future authoritarian president. Sri Lanka will be back to square one. However, there is always a preferred future, and the government should strive to shape events to reach that end. The preferred future would be, in the first place, to avert an authoritarian take over of the government through election, and second, fast tracking economic development by the government playing the role of the catalyst. PM Wickremesinghes over blown ego does not help either. Add to this is the Presidents temperament and rash judgements. This conflicting dynamic portends another show down in the immediate future The first task should be identifying the inadequacies of the government that has caused an erosion of its popularity with the public. The problem lies, partly , in its failure to communicate its vision and achievement to the people. Even the significant achievements of democratic reforms are lost in the nationalist uproar of bigots who see an international conspiracy even in the independent courts. The governments publicity campaign should be forceful enough to overwhelm the retrograde populism of its opponents. The second problem is none other than democratic reforms, this government has nothing to show. The largely rural, conservative electorate in the country needs jobs, infrastructure and better living conditions. When the government is not capable of providing that, they turn to the populist nationalists who reawaken their primordial ugliness. Time is in short supply to do much in this front. Key areas that need concerted reforms if Sri Lanka is to leap frog economically, such as education have been handed over to clowns. Investors have shied away not just due to policy uncertainty and red tapes, but also due to alleged demand for bribes. However, even at this late stage, the government can salvage some of its legacy . It should fast track large scale development projects. Expediting the Hambantota FTZ would be a good first step. The third is the minority interests. The UNP has a better chance of winning a presidential election than a parliamentary one, thanks to the large swathe of minority voters. The UNP should devise means to sustain their support. The fourth is the probability that usually polarized and opportunistic Sri Lankan politics, re-energized under MR would try to scuttle any of the government moves such as those taken to address legitimate grievances and political aspirations of Tamils and Muslims. There, PM Wickremesinghe, who reveres JR Jayawardene, who is a sub-par leader of his generation, can learn from far more successful ones, Lee Kuan Yew, Mahathir Mohammed etc. They all lessened the corrosive effect of chaotic and polarized local politics by running rings around their opponents. But, they did not do so by turning a blind eye to ethnic pogroms as JR did. Instead, they used courts, which nonetheless were at their beck and call. The Rajapaksas themselves and their inner circles are facing series of corruption charges. Potential Presidential contender, Gotabhaya is accused of large scale human rights abuses, including complicity of extra-judicial killings, disappearances and massacre of inmates in the Welikada Prison. The government should demand speedy hearing of these cases and allocate resources to the special courts and provide additional financial assistance and expertise to the Attorney Generals Department, CID, anti-corruption commission and other apparatus. Instead of helping, this government has undercut the legal process. It has also been the beginning of the governments undoing. Due process of justice, if undertaken, would remove from the equation individuals who pose a grave danger to Sri Lankan democracy. A government with a shred of realism would have done just that. That is in its self interest too. That would, not necessarily turn Sri Lanka into a paradise. But, it would definitely remove the prospect of some of the dreaded scenarios of probable futures post 2020. Follow @RangaJayasuriya on Twitter The leader of Cambodias now-dissolved opposition party called for genuine reconciliation amid a political stalemate in the Southeast Asian nation in a message he delivered on the eve of the new year from his home in Phnom Penh, where he is being held in detention ahead of a trial for treason. Kem Sokha, president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), said in a post to his Facebook page on Monday that he hopes all Cambodians can attain real peace and progress in accordance with democratic principles, starting with genuine reconciliation in 2019, and that his countrymen refrain from viewing one another as enemies. I also wish the new year to begin with a new chapter of history marking the eradication of two forms of chronic and epidemic diseases: oppression, intimidation and violence; and hatred and resentfulnessespecially in the form of labeling, insulting and defaming one another. Kem Sokha was arrested in September 2017 on charges of treason and the Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP two months later for its alleged role in a plot to topple Cambodias government. Prime Minister Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) overwhelmingly won a July 29 election widely criticized as unfree and unfair because of the crackdown on the opposition that left the CPP with no viable challenger, as well as a number of restrictions on NGOs and the independent media in the lead up to the ballot. Since the election, Hun Sen has reversed course on several policies seen as limiting democracy, in what observers say is part of a bid to reduce international pressure on his regime, but the CNRP remains banned. While Kem Sokha has been granted bail, he remains under house arrest, is barred from meeting with CNRP officials or foreigners, and cannot speak at or host any rallies or political activities. Earlier this month, Sam Rainsy, the acting president of the CNRP who is living in self-imposed exile to avoid a string of politically motivated convictions, vowed to return to Cambodia before March 2019 to fight for democracy. Hun Sen has pledged to have him arrested on his arrival. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong have handed down a two-year jail term to a prominent anti-censorship campaigner after finding him guilty of subversion, a rights group said with the launch of its annual report detailing hundreds of prisoners of conscience held in the country. Zhen Jianghua was initially detained at his home in Guangdong's Zhuhai city on the night of Sept. 1, 2017 on suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power." He was tried in secret in Guangdong's Zhuhai city on Aug. 10, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment after the court found him guilty of "incitement to subvert state power," his former defense attorney Ren Quanniu told RFA. "Given the particular circumstances of the case, two years is quite a harsh sentence," Ren said. "They could have given him a suspended sentence for this, but this is probably because he refused to cooperate and plead guilty." Zhen had registered a website overseas to elude ruling Chinese Communist Party censorship, and offered information about censorship, and circumvention tools for accessing the internet beyond the complex system of blocks, filters, and human censorship that make up China's Great Firewall. Ren, who was prevented from acting for Zhen by the authorities' refusal to allow him to meet with him and the secrecy around his trial, said he remains concerned about his former client. "It has been more than a year since his initial detention, and we haven't had any news of him whatsoever," Ren said. "That is very worrying." "This whole case has been conducted behind closed doors, with no transparency," he said. Help from relatives blocked Ren said police-run detention centers frequently prevent the relatives of political prisoners from sending them food and other necessities in detention. "They won't let anyone deposit money for them," said Ren, who was denied permission to meet with Zhen on the grounds that the case touched on matters of "national security." Zhen, 34, once known by his online name GuestsZhen, was detained when he went to bring money to detained activists after taking part in a memorial event marking the death of late Nobel peace laureate and political prisoner Liu Xiaobo last July. According to the overseas rights group, Frontline Defenders, Zhen had also worked as a technical consultant with Human Rights Campaign in China, as an advising expert with Chinese Wikipedia, and as a project officer of a HIV/AIDS prevention education project in Zhuhai, run by the Hong Kong AIDS Foundation. He had previously been detained by state security police for traveling to Guangdong's rebel village of Wukan following a crackdown by armed police in September 2016, on suspicion of inciting protests there, the group said. The news of Zhen's sentencing came as the Weiquanwang rights website published its annual reporting detailing more than 800 political prisonersincluding dissidents, rights activists, lawyers, and those who complain about the ruling Chinese Communist Partybehind bars in 2018. 'Compulsory treatment' This year's tally of 879 prisoners of conscience also included Deng Yaoqiong, a woman incarcerated in a psychiatric facility in the central province of Hunan after she live-streamed video of herself splashing ink on a poster of President Xi Jinping. Dong Yaoqiong was sent for "compulsory treatment" after she streamed live video of herself splashing ink on a poster of President Xi in Shanghai, in protest at "authoritarian tyranny" on July 4. She is being held as a psychiatric patient in a women's ward in Hunan's Zhuzhou No. 3 Hospital. Her father Dong Jianbiao and Beijing artist-activist Hua Yong were also detained when they spoke out about her detention. Beijing artist Guo Zi said Hua Yong is now in contact with the outside world after his detention, but that nothing has been heard from Dong Yaoqiong or her father. "It was a kind of solidarity with a fellow artist; he was exercising his freedom of speech in a normal manner," Guo said. "All he did was express his opinion to the media, and he was detained." "It's nearly 2019 now, and it's a great tragedy that there is still no legal framework being implemented for the freedom of speech ... nearly 20 years into the 21st century," he said. Life in danger Another political prisoner, veteran democracy activist Wang Bingzhang, has warned that his life is in danger in prison, where he is serving a life sentence for "espionage" in the southern province of Guangdong. Wang made the comments to his daughter, who visited him on Christmas Day. "Wang Bingzhang personally told his daughter that he had a hunch that his life was in danger," Wang's brother Wang Bingwu told RFA on Monday. "In particular, he said that if he met with an unfortunate end, it wouldn't be from health or physical problems, because his health was OK." "He also said it wouldn't be from the prison staff, but we don't know much about what my brother meant by this," he said. Mass incarceration of Muslims Patrick Poon, China researcher for the London-based rights group Amnesty International, said the mass incarceration of Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic groups in the northwestern region of Xinjiang has been a major concern during 2018. The authorities have also stepped up a nationwide crackdown on religious believers, shutting down churches and mosques and detaining anyone who resists. "Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Hui Muslims, and other Muslim minorities have been persecuted to a high degree, and we have heard reports of torture and inhumane treatment," Poon said. Meanwhile, a crackdown on human rights lawyers and associated activists begun in July 2015 continues to widen, while political prisoners are denied a fair trial in Chinese courts. "The Chinese government should stop all of this persecution, and respond to concern from the international community by releasing all political prisoners," Poon said. Reported by Lau Siu-fung for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Liu Fei for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Myanmar Senior General Min Aung Hlaing (L), commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces, meets with Hong Liang (R), China's ambassador to Myanmar, in Naypyidaw, March 21, 2017. Ethnic Kachin leaders from three political parties in Myanmars northernmost state have met with Chinas ambassador to the country to discuss the faltering peace process in which the Myanmar government is trying to get its military and nearly a dozen ethnic armies to agree to a permanent cease-fire, a party representative said Monday. They also discussed China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a controversial Chinese-backed mega-dam project, and Chinese laborers working illegally in Kachin state, said G. Aung Khan, chairman of the Kachin Democratic Party (KDP), who participated in the meeting. Ambassador Hong Liang met with the party heads on Dec. 29 in Kachin state's capital Myitkyina after the same Kachin leaders met with Dan Chugg, the UKs ambassador to Myanmar, and Scot Marciel, the U.S. ambassador to Myanmar, he said. Hong Liang had said it is a good time to work on the peace process, G. Aung Khan said. It seems China can handle Myanmars peace process, but we want other countries to be involved. G. Aung Khan also said that Chinas involvement in Myanmars peace process, a key project of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyis civilian-led government, is based on the country's own self-interest in mega-projects tied to its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese President Xi Jinpings U.S. $1 trillion global infrastructure-spending program. China is thinking about its interest in investing in Myanmar, he said. Apparently, the Chinese ambassador is apprehensive about Myanmar having closer ties with Western countries, especially with the U.S. and the UK. He even said that if the West enters, there will be more problems. Given this fear of Western countries, Chinas desire to control the country is greater than that of other countries, he said. In September, China and Myanmar signed a memorandum of understanding on the construction of a China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, a 1,700 kilometer-long (1,056 mile-long) road and rail network linking Kunming, capital of southwestern Chinas Yunnan province, with Myanmars two commercial hubs Mandalay and Yangon and with the Kyaukpyu port and special economic zone along the coast of the Bay of Bengal in Rakhine state. China has sought to play a key role in Myanmars peace process aimed at ending 70 years of civil war since its independence from colonial ruler Britain, and has called for a cessation of fighting along its border regions in Myanmar's Kachin and neighboring Shan states. Earlier this year, Hong told Myanmar military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing that fighting along the border region was harming stability, security, and participation in the negotiations for restoring peace. Some of the clashes between Myanmar forces and ethnic armed groups have forced tens of thousands of Myanmar civilians across the border and into China. China has been providing humanitarian assistance to civilians displaced by conflict inside Kachin state, mainly in the form of rice, cooking oil, blankets, and medicine. The Chinese ambassador said China will help provide food and medicine for internally displaced persons in Kachin state and will continue to help them return to their homes, said Tu Ja, chairman of the Kachin State Democracy Party (KSDP), who also participated in the meeting with Hong. Calls by the Chinese government for cease-fires and the restoration of order along the Myanmar border area, however, have largely been ignored. At the request of the Myanmar government, China has been facilitating negotiations between the Northern Alliance a coalition of four ethnic armies demanding a democratic federal union in the country and a constitutional guarantee for a certain degree of autonomy for ethnic minorities and other groups to try to reach a point where they can hold political talks to settle ethnic conflict and civil war, Hong said during a July ceremony in Yangon. Myitsone Dam project During the recent meeting with the Kachin political leaders, Hong also discussed the controversial Myitsone Dam project, the BRI, an industrial zone in Kachin state, and Chinese laborers working illegally in Myanmar, G. Aung Khan said. Hong said China is ready to move ahead with the U.S. $3.6 billion Chinese-financed Myitsone Dam on the Irrawaddy River in Kachin state, put on hold in 2011 following public opposition to the hydropower project. The 6,000-megawatt dam was suspended by former Myanmar President Thein Sein amid protests over its enormous flooding area and detrimental environmental impact, as well as anger over the fact that 90 percent of its electricity would be exported to China. Aung San Suu Kyi, who as opposition leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party was one of the dams most vocal opponents, assured Beijing after the NLD won the 2015 general elections that Myanmar was willing to come up with an appropriate resolution that would suit both countries. But the two countries have yet to reach an agreement on a solution to the dam project. Hong also told the Kachin political leaders that the BRI is an important global project that will benefit Kachin state and people in other parts of Myanmar, according to G. Aung Khan. But hydropower produced by the Myitsone Dam is necessary to implement the BRI in Myanmar, Hong said. The Myitsone project comprises seven dams, five of which have been completed, said Myanmar political analyst Hla Kyaw Zaw. Only the major dams have to be built, he said. Despite Hongs focus on what the Chinese want to do in Myanmar, G. Aung Kahn said he broached the subject of illegal Chinese laborers in Kachin state with the ambassador. I told him that the Chinese were holding land and buying houses in Kachin state," he said. But if the Chinese keep doing this, the relationship between them and local people will become tense. I told him that we dont want to have that situation. Hong assured the Kachin political leaders that China would deal with illegal activities by Chinese individuals in the state, G. Aung Kahn said. Myanmar has set up a committee focusing on promoting cooperation with China in various fields under the BRI framework, and Aung San Suu Kyi will attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in April 2019, the Chinese embassy in Myanmar said in a statement issued on Dec. 16. Reported by San San Tin for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Its maiden flight lasted for a little over half an hour and failed to reach the Mach speed it was engineered for. But when the Tupolev Tu-144 successfully took to the air on December 31, 1968, it gave the Soviet Union bragging rights as the first to put a supersonic airliner into flight, beating its Western competitor by two months. The sky appeared to be limit for the Concordski, the moniker given to the Soviet world-beater in a nod to its similarities to its luxurious rival, the Concorde. In a costly Cold War battle for technological supremacy that played out alongside the space race, the Tu-144 bested its British-French rival again in June 1969, when it reached supersonic speeds. The two aircraft were similar in appearance. Each featured a variant of the delta wing, and a downward sloping needle nose that drew comparisons to a swan's neck. The most striking visual difference was the pair of canards, or winglets, behind the cockpit of the Soviet aircraft. Under their heat-resistant skins, designed to withstand airspeeds above Mach 2, the differences were more evident. The Tupolev was slightly longer (65.7 meters vs. 61.7) and heavier and, once a suitable and more powerful engine configuration was settled upon, could reach a higher maximum speed. The Concorde boasted more advanced engine and braking systems, and state-of-the-art air-intake and wing-shaping systems that were controlled by computer. The Soviet plane was designed to carry 140 passengers, whereas the Concorde was fitted for 92 to 120 passengers. The Tu-144's crew of three could rely on one feature lacking in the Concorde -- ejection seats (not available for passengers). The Western world got its first glimpse of the Soviet supersonic jet at the Paris Air Show in 1971, feeding anticipation over which plane would win the next leg of the race -- being the first to carry passengers. But two years later at the same show, the Tu-144 was the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. The Concorde had just finished its 30-minute display on June 3, 1973, when the Tu-144 took to the skies to show off its capabilities in half the allotted time. After pulling off a series of twists and turns, the Soviet airliner crashed, killing all six crew members and eight people on the ground. Some speculated that the plane had crashed to avoid a collision with a French Mirage jet, which was alleged to have flown too close in an attempt to photograph the Tu-144's unique canards. The 1973 tragedy at the French air show signaled the beginning of the end for the Tu-144. It pushed back the Soviet program by four years, allowing the Concorde to leapfrog its Soviet competitor when it became the first to begin scheduled commercial passenger flights in 1976. The Tu-144 did start transporting passengers in 1977, but praise was scant and complaints many, including cramped space and ear-splitting engine noise. The Tu-144 was also prone to mechanical malfunctions. The Tu-144 flew only 55 roundtrip flights on its lone commercial route, between Moscow and Alma Ata (now Almaty), which was reportedly chosen by Aeroflot because it passed over largely underpopulated areas. The service proved unpopular and Aeroflot canceled it six months later. Aeroflot officially terminated its ties with the Tu-144 after a modified model crashed on a test flight near Moscow in June 1978. In 1982, production of the Tu-144 came to an end, although the airliner remained in service as a cargo plane until 1983. All in all, the fleet of 16 aircraft completed a total of 102 commercial flights. NAZRAN, Russia -- A great-grandson of revered historic Islamic leader Sheikh Batal-haji Belkharoyev has been killed after his car was sprayed by gunfire in Russia's North Caucasus region of Ingushetia, local law enforcement authorities say. The car of Ibragim Belkharoyev, who had survived two assassination attempts in the past, came under fire shortly after midnight on December 31 in Ingushetia's largest city, Nazran, the local branch of Russia's Investigative Committee said. Belkhareyov's driver was wounded in the attack. The local Ingushetian branch of the Investigative Committee has opened a probe into the killing, Interfax reported. Belkharoyev was a religious activist who never graduated from a religious school. He survived two assassination attempts in 2008 and 2016. His great-grandfather, Batal-haji Belkharoyev, founded one of the Sufi Islamic teachings in the beginning of the 20th century and is held in high regard in Ingushetia and other parts of the North Caucasus. Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam, has been rejected as heretical by Islamic extremists, who hold a fundamentalist view of the religion. With reporting by the Caucasus Knot The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) says the number of killings of working journalists and news staff increased in 2018, ending an overall decline experienced in recent years, with Afghanistan topping the danger list. The trade association said in its annual report released on December 31 that 94 journalists and media workers died in targeted killings, bomb attacks, and conflict crossfire in 2018. That was an increase from the 82 deaths reported in 2017, the Brussels-based group said. The toll this year was the highest since 121 people working for news organizations were killed in 2012. Since the IFJ began its annual count in 1990, the peak year was 2006, when 155 work-related killings were reported. The deadliest country in 2018 was Afghanistan, where 16 of the killings occurred. That was followed by Mexico with 11, Yemen with nine, and Syria with eight. Nine of those slain in Afghanistan were killed in April by a suicide attack against a group of journalists in Kabul. Two others were killed in June when a second bomb exploded after they rushed to cover a bombing at a wrestling training center in Kabul. "Journalists are targeted because they are witnesses," IFJ President Philippe Leruth told the Associated Press. "And the result of this, when a journalist or many journalists are killed in a country, you see an increase of self-censorship." The United States soared to sixth on the list, with five killings, tied with Somalia and Pakistan. On June 28, a gunman in Annapolis, Maryland, fatally shot four journalists and a sales associate in the newsroom of the Capital Gazette newspaper. The man had threatened the publication after losing a defamation lawsuit. The most high-profile journalist slaying was that of Saudi opposition writer Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post and a U.S. resident. Khashoggi, a critic of Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, was killed by a team of Saudi agents in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Saudi Arabia has denied reports that the crown prince was linked to the murder that sparked global condemnations. "Jamal Khashoggi was a very well-known figure, but you know, the most shocking statistic is that we know that nine of 10 journalist murders remain unpunished in the world," the IFJ's Leruth said. The media rights group Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on December 18 said 2018 was a year of "unprecedented" hostility toward journalists around the world. More than half of the journalists killed during the year were "deliberately targeted." The reports reinforce findings of the media rights group Committee to Protect Journalists, which said in October that 324 journalists during the past decade had been "silenced through murder worldwide" and that no perpetrators had been convicted in more than 85 percent of those cases. With reporting by AP and AFP Three months before votes are due to be cast, the Ukrainian presidential campaign has officially kicked off. President Petro Poroshenko has not officially announced he will seek a second five-year term but is widely expected to. Billboards of Poroshenko dot cities across Ukraine, highlighting his position as commander of the country's armed forces and his role in securing Ukraine an Orthodox Church independent of Moscow. After taking 54 percent of the vote in the 2014 election, Poroshenko's public approval ratings have plummeted, namely amid ongoing economic woes and a lack of progress on reforms and cracking down on corruption. More than 10,300 people have died in the war in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists who hold parts of two provinces have been fighting against government forces since April 2014. As of now, Poroshenko's main rival appears to be Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister who announced her candidacy in June. Recent opinion polls show Tymoshenko ahead of Poroshenko. The nomination of candidates with the Central Election Commission will last until February 3, 2019, and the commission should announce a final list of presidential candidates by February 8. The election campaign is due to last until midnight on March 29, and the vote will be held on March 31. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) says it has detained a U.S. citizen in Moscow over suspected spying. The American -- identified as Paul Whelan -- was detained on December 28 and a criminal probe had been opened, the FSB was quoted as saying by the state-run TASS news agency on December 31. The TASS report said Whelan could face between 10 to 20 years in prison if found guilty but disclosed no further details. The announcement comes a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow remained open to dialogue with Washington in a New Year's greeting to U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. State Department said it knows about "the detention of a U.S. citizen by Russian authorities" and had been formally notified by the Russian Foreign Ministry. "Russia's obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access," the State Department said. "We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it." 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. The detention of Whelan comes weeks after a Russian woman pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to acting as an agent for the Kremlin. Maria Butina allegedly tried to lobby officials within the powerful National Rifle Association and the Republican Party in hopes of influencing U.S. policies in favor of Moscow. The Kremlin has denied that Butina is a Russian agent and has organized a social-media campaign to secure her release. In the past, Russia has arrested foreigners with the aim of trading prisoners with other countries. In his annual year-end news conference on December 20, Putin said Russia would "not arrest innocent people simply to exchange them for someone else later on." With reporting by TASS and Reuters A Russian man with a reported history of violent crime has been charged with killing a woman authorities say gave him a lift arranged through a ride-sharing app. A Moscow court charged Vitaly Chikiryov on December 31, a day after he was arrested on suspicion of killing 29-year-old Irina Akhmatova, a manager at the fast-food chain Burger King in the Russian capital. Akhmatova went missing last week after using the BlaBlaCar service to find a passenger to accompany her on a trip from Moscow to Tula, some 190 kilometers south of the Russian capital, authorities said. Akhmatova left her workplace in central Moscow in her Audi on the evening of December 23, picked up a male passenger at a metro station in the southern part of the city, and then drove toward Tula, the Investigative Committee said on Facebook. The post early on December 31 said Akhmatova had not yet been found dead or alive but that Chikiryov, 40, had confessed to killing her. State news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS later quoted unnamed law enforcement officials as saying that Akhmatova's body was found in a strip of woodland in the Serpukhov district south of Moscow. A video posted by the Investigative Committee showed a man identified as Chikiryov, with a bruised face, being hauled roughly into a room by officers and responding "yes" when asked whether he had killed a woman. Asked why, he said he was trying to rob her. The authenticity of the video could not be independently confirmed, and rights activists say Russian law enforcement officers sometimes use physical and psychological abuse to elicit confessions. Russian media reports said that Chikiryov has been convicted of rape and robbery in the past, but they did not include details. The newspaper Kommersant said he served in a special Interior Troops unit in the North Caucasus before his first conviction. Reports said the signal from Akhmatova's phone was last detected near Podolsk, south of Moscow, and that Akhmatova's car was found outside a supermarket in Yaroslavl, 250 kilometers northeast of Moscow, with the exterior washed and the license plates removed. According to media reports on December 29, BlaBlaCar confirmed that Akhmatova used the app before setting out from Moscow to Tula. Paris-based BlaBlaCar says on its website that it is "the leading carpooling app in the world" and "connects drivers with empty seats to passengers looking for a ride." With reporting by Interfax, TASS, Ria Novosti, Kommersant, and Crime Russia By appointing a conservative ally to head the influential Expediency Council, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appears to have made a move to strengthen the hard-line camp and weaken the moderates -- and also may have cleaned up his line of succession. "This is not good news for the moderates within the establishment," Paris-based political analyst Taghi Rahmani said of Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani's appointment to both head the Expediency Council and take a seat the powerful Guardians Council. The Expediency Council is tasked with mediating disputes between parliament and the Guardians Council, which determines whether laws are compliant with the Islamic republic's constitution and also vets election candidates. In addition to taking on his new roles, Larijani will retain his seat as head of the country's Judiciary. "It demonstrates that Khamenei prefers the extremists to manage the country's affairs," Rahmani said. Larijani, a close ally of Khamenei who has been blacklisted by Washington for rights violations that took place under his leadership of the Judiciary, is said to have close ties to the country's military and intelligence bodies. He's accused by rights activists of overseeing hundreds of executions and using the Judiciary as an instrument of state repression and a tool to silence dissent. Larijani's elder brothers also hold key posts in the Islamic republic. Ali Larijani is currently Iran's parliament speaker and Mohammad Javad Larijani heads the Judiciary's human rights council. In taking on leadership of the Expediency Council, Larijani replaces Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi Shahrudi, who died last week at the age of 70 following a long illness. Khamenei's decision was announced in a December 30 decree that was issued by Iranian media. It stated that Larijani, 57, would also join the 12-member Guardians Council. It is common for Iranian political figures to hold multiple state posts. The decision comes at a challenging time for Iran, which is dealing with the reimposition by the United States of tough economic sanctions, including penalties targeting the country's oil exports, following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision in May to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear program. Prior to Trump's decision to abandon the deal worked out with other world powers and Iran, the Islamic republic was hit earlier in the year by a wave of antiestablishment protests that spread to more than 80 cities and towns. Larijani is a critic of second-term President Hassan Rohani, who was a key player in the hammering out of the nuclear deal, which was highly unpopular with the hard-line camp. "I think primarily Khamenei's goal is to strengthen Larijani. He's moving things around while keeping Larijani at the top," U.K.-based analyst Saeed Barzin said in an interview with RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Both Larijani and the 70-year-old Rohani have been touted as potential successors to Khamenei, who underwent prostrate surgery in 2014 amid long-standing rumors that he has prostate cancer. Barzin suggested that Larijani's appointment to the Expediency Council could be mean Khamenei is grooming him for succession. "It could be a move to consolidate Larijani's position for leadership, [although that] is speculation for now," Barzin said. "This will hurt Rohani and will weaken his position, and will tie his hands in the future." Larijani's appointment as chairman of the Expediency Council comes amid rumors that hard-line cleric and defeated presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi is poised to become head of the Judiciary once Larijani's term ends in the summer of 2019. Raisi, the custodian and chairman of the Astan Quds Razavi, the organization that runs Iran's holiest sites, has been also mentioned among Khamenei's possible successors. The head of the Judiciary is appointed by Khamenei for five-year terms. Speaking on December 22, Prosecutor-General Mohammad-Jafar Montazeri did not confirm or deny the rumors about Raisi taking over the Judiciary, saying only that "for now, it's in cyberspace. Rahmani says Khamenei, 79, appears to be shaping "the succession core." "He seems to be creating a circle between the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) along with Raisi and Larijani and even [one of Khameni's sons] Mojtaba Khamenei to be in charge of the country's future leadership team and in control of the country, Rahmani told RFE/RL. However, Rahmani noted that the moves does not mean that everything will go according to Khamenei's plans. "Setting up the chess pieces does not necessarily means that Khamenei will achieve his wishes," the analyst said. "Iran's political conditions and civil society...can influence things, and other players who have remained silent could also play a role in the future." Radio Farda broadcaster Amir Mossadegh Katouzian contributed to this report DABAL Meeting When Dr Hudson Silva began his eye donation campaign somewhere in the late 1950s, he marketed it as a means of achieving merit in this life, because an earlier campaign to get people to donate corneas had failed. So successful was this marketing tactic that the first batch of corneas he got exceeded by a considerable margin what he had expected. Dr Silva would later be appointed as the President of the International Eye Bank. Today there are monuments, institutions, and roads named after him. Is that enough to venerate him for what he did? I certainly hope so. The lesson that Dr Hudson taught us was this: those who donate expect something in return. That something may not always be financial, but it has to make the giver feel good. In a predominantly Buddhist country, where even non-Buddhists believe in acquiring kusal over akusal and where Buddhist terms are liberally appropriated and disseminated by the Christian clergy, it has become the norm to view those who are less abled as being worthy of pity. Sadly, however, that is not enough. Looking through reports, statistics, and interviews of various officials and experts in the field, I believe that we as Sri Lankans are not doing enough to help those who are in need of help. In particular, the blind and the deaf. Consider the plight of the blind. Around 1.7% of Sri Lankans are blind. That works out to about 364,000 people. The most common reason for this is cataract blindness, followed by diabetes and glaucoma. Among the biggest constraints that stand in the way of preventing blindness are inadequate human resources, information systems, and supplies of spectacles. Add to that the glaring problem of inter-regional disparities (13 government eye surgeons in Colombo, as opposed to one in Anuradhapura) and you see the gravity of this issue: when it comes to the blind, theres no one to lead them. Especially with regard to blind children. Blind education in this country goes back to 1912 with the founding of the Ceylon School for the Deaf and Blind. Today, it is a registered charity with three institutions (two in Ratmalana and one in Jaffna), which provides education free of charge to a population of over 600 students. Though it receives a stipend from the government, it is not publicly owned or subsidised. Because of this, it faces financial constraints in the provision of facilities and has to raise Rs. 50 million annually on its own. The bursary that children in these and other blind schools receive is around Rs. 50 a day. What can anyone do with that amount of money? To give a comparable figure, a blind school student in the UK would get around 1,000 per annum, which works out to around 2.73 (or Rs. 817) per day. What with financial constraints and bottlenecks it probably is difficult to raise the bursary to such a level here. But then, if we arent concentrating on these disadvantaged youngsters, who will be? We are a nation of givers, we are told. Doesnt mean we cant give more. In that sense there are individuals, groups, organisations, and foundations that have done and are doing more, much more, than the government will. Among those foundations, many are run as exercises in Corporate Social Responsibility. Such foundations do a great deal, but since they depend on corporate profitability they cant be said to have done enough. There are other foundations, though. Among them, DABAL. DABAL stands for Deaf and Blind Aid Lanka. Established in 2004, it resorts to new and innovative ways of getting donations that go beyond just corporate funding. It has so far been able to support 16 blind schools in the country, a lot considering the severe financial constraints it has had to put up with at a time of austerity in Britain. DABAL, however, does not as yet have a branch in Sri Lanka, though it has targeted that most marginalised kind of educational institutions, the rural school. Its small in the sense that corporate social responsibility projects are big, but the way I see it, it has done more, much more than what those projects can ever achieve. Consider the plight of the blind. Around 1.7% of Sri Lankans are blind. That works out to about 364,000 people Deaf and Blind Aid Lanka has a patron. Not just a patron, but a guiding figure. I met him three months ago. His name, Colin Low. Baron Low of Dalston. Colin Low currently sits in as an MP in the House of Commons. When he entered the House in 2004 (the same year DABAL was founded), he was considered as the first blind person to sit there, though as he pointed out, that honour is not quite singular. Born in 1942 (halfway through the War) in Edinburgh, he was left fatherless at the age of two and had to struggle hard to obtain a proper education. Initially educated in Scotland, he left for Oxford in 1961 and to Cambridge in 1965, becoming a lecturer in Law at Leeds University. Over his tenure (1968-1984), he would see Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, James Callaghan, and Margaret Thatcher; the campaign for disability rights would begin with Wilson and culminate with Thatchers successor, John Major, when in 1995 the Parliament passed the Disability Discrimination Act. Baron Low was at the forefront of disability rights in these heady years and decades. He was particularly concerned with rights for blind students, at a time when the notion of disability rights was limited to the Welfare State (which was hardly enough). The National Federation for the Blind, the Association for the Blind and Partially Blind, and the National Bureau for Handicapped Students were some of the organisations he was involved with. Tony Blairs government, which succeeded John Majors, finally recognised all these efforts when it gave stronger teeth to the 1995 Act through the Disability Rights Commission of 1999. In the meantime, Low would become Chairman of the Royal National Institute for the Blind in 2000. Six years later, he was approached by DABAL to be its patron. Which he became in 2007, and which he still is today. DABAL has visited Sri Lanka frequently, but Baron Low was able to visit it only this year. When I met him a day or two before his departure, he told me that the interest shown by teachers and staff members at the blind schools he had visited (five in total, including the Ratmalana School and also schools in Kandy, Kandalama, Galle, and Matara) was incongruent with the funding that they desperately needed. At one level, it had to do with the attitude of the government towards their maintenance: These are schools that are in part at least patronised by the State, but to what extent? It seems to me that the State takes responsibility for them only as far as appointment of teachers and principals is concerned. Beyond that, it doesnt appear to be bothered. Theres another problem. Since 2010, it has become a norm for parents to send blind students to normal schools. These include public as well as private schools. But is the quality of education given to them enough? Baron Low told us that doesnt seem to be the case, because what happens more often than not is that disabled children, who are blind, deaf, dyslexic, or mentally retarded as some like to term it, are holed up in one classroom with indifferent teachers who frankly dont know how to respond to each in kind. As an example, he pointed out the case of a school which refused the services of a sign language interpreter that a student had badly wanted. This, of course, is in keeping with how our culture likes to pile the differently-abled in one basket, treating them not as different, but as separate. Its discrimination tinged with pity and condescension, an attitude hardly endemic to our culture but certainly symptomatic of a society which marginalises the different on the basis that they probably committed a sin in his or her past life. We are a nation of givers, we are told. Doesnt mean we cant give more Baron Low, as he himself told me, enjoyed Sri Lanka. Ive visited the subcontinent several times, but never here. He would have felt the usual images associated with this country: the coconut trees, the tropical climate, the sun-baked coastlines, and of course the candid ever smiling people. Such optimism, however, barely if at all masks the glaring shortcomings of our education system for the differently-abled. The truth is that the system, like the schools in it, is (as he put it) in a basic state of repair. He could have said that of many other things in the country. But for the purpose of this article and timely issue, it sums up the reality quite well. The major role for the amelioration of these problems, he put it before wrapping up our interview, must come from the State. Private charity will thus never be enough, because they are determined by the whims of individuals, not the needs of society. Will our government respond to DABAL and Baron Low? Will it take stock of whats ailing the system and go beyond philanthropy? That, of course, remains to be seen. UDAKDEV1@GMAIL.COM Iran says a Taliban delegation has made a rare visit to Tehran for talks with a senior Iranian official on efforts to end Afghanistan's 17-year-long war. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on December 31 that the Taliban delegation arrived on December 30 and met with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi. Qassemi said talks focused on "security issues aimed at driving the peace process in Afghanistan." He said Kabul was informed about the meeting. It was not the first such meeting between the Taliban and Iranian officials. Ali Shamkhani of Iran's Supreme National Security Council confirmed last week in Kabul that such talks have taken place in the past and would continue. The Taliban have recently held talks in several regional countries amid Washington's plans to withdraw up to half the 14,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Based on reporting by AP and AFP BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina -- Thousands have rallied peacefully in the ethnic Serb-dominated entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina to support a man whose push to learn the cause of his son's death has raised questions of police interference in the case. Despite a steady rain, protesters, led by Davor Dragicevic, gathered on December 30 in the capital's Krajina Square demanding the resignation of Interior Minister Dragana Lukac. Protesters booed as they passed government buildings and chanted "We are with you, Davor." Dragicevic founded the Justice for David movement after the death in March of his son, David Dragicevic. David, a technology student, was found dead in a local creek a week after going missing. His father says he was abducted, tortured, and murdered. He has accused police of involvement. "I'm not going away. There's no turning back," Dragicevic told the crowd. "I will stand here for as long as it takes." The 21-year-old David had gone out on March 18 with his friends but never returned. Six days later, his body was found. Police say that Dragicevic had been caught up in a fight at a cafe and that they found alcohol and drugs in his system. The case was called a drowning and originally ruled a suicide. Milorad Dodik, the recently reelected Serbian member of Bosnia's multiethnic presidency, has called the protests "politically motivated" and denies police wrongdoing. The protests around the case have also tapped into local discontent over widespread corruption and Bosnia's weak economy. Suzana Dragicevic, David's mother, also addressed the crowd, telling them their story is real and the people need to press the authorities to admit what really happened. "What we are saying about the police is not a fairy tale," she told the protesters. "That's just the reality. You have to accept that we are not crazy and we aren't talking nonsense," she added. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. A mammoth heroin haul of 278 kilos valued at more than Rs. 3,336 million--the largest heroin haul in Sri Lanka--was seized on the New Years eve, from Dehiwala in a joint operation carried out by the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) and the Special Task Force (STF). Pix by H.M Dharmapala New York woman Cancuns 25th million passenger Cancun, Q.R. A New York woman became Cancun Airports 25th million passenger over the weekend, which she says, was her eighth visit to the city. With mariachis playing Cielito Lindo, Mrs. Lisa Friedman from New York became the airports 25th million passenger for 2018, helping the Cancun International Airport set a new record. Friedman arrived in Cancun for her eighth vacation via American Airlines. She was welcomed at the airport by local authorities. She was traveling with her husband Joe, daughters Samantha and Sara and four others who were set to spend an 8-day vacation between Cancun and Riviera Maya. Photo: Gobierno del Estado I feel very excited. It is an honor because I love Mexico and coming to Cancun is something that we do every year for the past eight years. I am very happy to come. It is a beautiful place and the people are very hospitable, explained Friedman excitedly. When questioned about security, she said that she vacations without any worries and recommended other travelers visit Cancun. For being number 25 million, Mrs. Friedman was awarded two open, round-trip tickets for them to return to Cancun along with other gifts from varying sponsors. The family, who arrived in Terminal 3 on December 30, were greeted by Municipal President Mara Lezama Espinos and the Assistant Secretary for Tourism Promotion of Quintana Roo, Maximo Garcia Rocha along with the General Director of the Tourism Promotion Council of Quintana Roo, Dario Flota, the Station Manager for American Airlines, Alfredo Jaimes and the Institutional Relations Manager of the Cancun Airport Alejandro Rosel Ramirez. Only 12 days before did passenger 24 million, a man from France, land at the Cancun International Airport with his wife. 1. Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong was assigned by the Party Central Committee's Politburo to be the Honorary President of the VNRC. 2. The Government Prime Minister approved the VNRCs Charter for the 2017-2022 term and issued Directive 18/CT-TTg on Improving the efficiency of humanitarian work and Red Cross activities in the new situation. 3. The Party Central Committees Secretariat gave the nod to the VRC to launch the Humanitarian Month in May 2018, which was observed in Hanoi and many other cities and provinces nationwide. The month raised more than VND244 billion to support around 626,000 people in need. 4. The arts programme held in Hanoi on January 7 as part of the Bring Tet for the Poor and Agent Orange/ Dioxin Victims campaign. Nearly 2.72 million Tet gifts worth over VND1.2 trillion were committed by collectives, individuals and businesses at the event to support poor people and residents living in flood-affected areas. 5. The fifth nationwide Red Cross camp, held in August in Can Tho province, gathered 560 Vietnamese and international volunteers. A national network called Red Volunteer was introduced at the event. For the first time, the VNRC hosted a range of activities in response to the International Volunteer Day (December 5). 6. The VNRC has boosted exchanges by sending delegations abroad and receiving international guests. The VNRC established a strategic partnership with the American Red Cross and deepened its cooperation with the Red Cross Society of China. 7. The Society coordinated with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) to organise the first conference on humanitarian activities in Vietnam in December. 8. Over its 10 editions, the Bring Tet for the Poor and Agent Orange/ Dioxin Victims campaign has benefited more than 16.9 million people. During the 2008-201 period, the VNRC-launched blood donation campaign gathered 9.2 million blood units, attracting more than 11.4 million blood donors across the country. 9. Cooperation in training with Japanese partners was set up for the first time with the debut of a training programme on caring for the elderly. 10. The VNRC offered aid to help Lao people affected by the dam break in Attapeu province, and brought relief to victims of Typhoon Damrey. Over the past five years, the VNRC has spent an average of VND 2 trillion per year on humanitarian activities. The year 2019 is being ushered in at a time when the country is attempting to emerge from a vicious political as well as a Constitutional crisis. Yet, the developments during the New Year would obviously be based on the year we left behind, 2018, as the future inevitably is built on the past. And also we have to look back in order to learn lessons from the past and identify our faults and mistakes. It was politically a tumultuous year that we have just left behind. It was a year in which the politicians -- both from the government and the Opposition -- had totally dedicated themselves to a do-or-die power struggle, at times it being between the President and the Prime Minister and between political parties at another, after a three-year relative respite. The politicians, both from the government and the Opposition had totally forgotten the more than 20 million people due to this power struggle, despite them talking about peoples sovereignty and democracy every time they open their mouth. The power struggle which was triggered or rekindled by the February 10 local government election results led to three no-confidence motions against two Prime Ministers during the year -- one in April and two in November. It also paved the way for two regime changes -- one in October at the expense of the UNF and another in December in favour of the UNF -- bringing the country back to square one. The country saw two communal riots as well during the early months of the year -- one in Ampara in February and another in March in several townships in the Kandy District. The attacks on several Buddha statues during the last few days of the year brought the country close to a third mishap. The February 10 local government elections exposed the duplicity of the concept of so-called good governance and became a turning point in Sri Lankas politics. People, especially living outside the North and the East had sent a clear message to the government that they had realized that governments bragging on good governance was just a wordplay and nothing concrete had been on the ground. They had told the government that they no longer trust it, despite there being a democratic environment compared to the previous governments time. Thus the UNF that had obtained five million votes at the 2015 August Parliamentary election had lost one third of its vote bank at these local council elections. We hope it would have compelled the UNF to understand the needs and aspirations of the people, in the year ushered in. The same local government elections proved that the leaders of the present and the previous governments were no match to the leaders who ruled the country thirty years ago in respect of constitution making. The new mixed electoral system that was prepared by the former regime and implemented by the present regime replacing the Proportional Representation (PR) system that was introduced thirty years ago was proved to be utterly chaotic. And the rectification of it is a responsibility for the government and the other political parties in the new year. The year 2018, exposed the politicians who boast about rule of law. The 51-day political as well as Constitutional impasse was nothing but the result of the sheer disregard by the politicians for the rule of law, which had to be rectified finally by the Supreme Court. The crisis had brought the country to a total standstill situation, pushing the aspirations of the people further to the back-burner. The cost paid by the country due to the crisis was immense with the stakeholders gaining nothing. We hope that politicians would have learnt a lesson with the unnecessary imbroglio and saner counsel would prevail on the part of the government as well as the Opposition not to push the country into another gridlock in the year that heralds today. We wish a happy and prosperous New Year to our readers in particular, and all Sri Lankans in general. A MAN accused of having indecent images of children has denied any wrongdoing. Jacob Capener (25), of Barnsley Road, Thorpe Hesley, appeared at Sheffield Magistrates Court on December 13 where he denied three offences of making an indecent photograph of a child. He denied two offences of possession of an extreme pornographic image and one of possession of a prohibited photograph of a child. Capener was relased on unconditional bail to appear at Sheffield Crown Court on January 10. (From left) Amer Liaqat and Sema Al-Attbi of Airbus UK with Dr Lloyd Tinkler and Dr Scott Dufferwiel of the AMRC ENTIRE aircraft wings could soon be moved by robots at a vast factory in Wales thanks to a project with engineers in Rotherham. The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre has linked up with the Airbus production facility at Boughton on the research. Successful tests have seen the robots moving tools on the shopfloor and now engineers say whole plane parts could be shifted between factories in the same way within five years. Senior project engineer Dr Lloyd Tinkler, from the AMRC Integrated Manufacturing Group, said: Supervised trials of the robots have taken place. Its estimated that utilising them could save the equivalent of one operator per shift at Airbus, freeing time for the operators to work on highly-skilled tasks, ultimately improving shopfloor productivity. This outcome has led to Airbus exploring opportunities where such robots could be used to optimise processes, including specially adapted versions to pull trolleys with aircraft parts and tooling already in use at the Airbus site. Amer Liaqat, a technology manager at Airbus UK, said: We can see the potential to go even further and work with the AMRC to develop autonomous mobile robots for precision assembly tasks such as component positioning and certification. Developing it further, we could see this technology being utilised to transport an entire aircraft wing between factories on site at Broughton. The robots have been developed by the AMRC based on the MiR200 robot from Danish company, Mobile Industrial Robots ApS. They have a payload of 200kg, a top speed of 4kph and engineers have adapted them to safely move items like drilling tools. In-built laser scanners map the environment, so the robots can navigate their surroundings unaided by human intervention. Flashing lamps and beacons show which direction the robot intends to go for the benefit of any people working in the same area. Prof Ash Tiwari, manufacturing expert at the University of Sheffield, said the project team was now looking to produce a highway code for interaction between robots and humans in workplaces. Emma Longden. A WOMAN has been jailed for nearly two years after smuggling drugs into a Doncaster prison. Emma Longden (28), of Packman Road, Rotherham, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, December 27, where she pleaded guilty to conveying prohibited articles into a prison. Longden was visiting a prisoner at HMP Marshgate on November 22. She was searched upon entering the prison and signed a declaration that she was not bringing any prohibited items into the prison. A prison officer reported concerns not long after Longdens visit, after observing the prisoner hiding a package under his clothing. He was searched and within the package a quantity of class A drugs were found, including heroin, crack and cocaine. Det Insp Steve Smith said: "We work very closely with the prisons in Doncaster to set a zero tolerance stance to any individual who chooses to convey prohibited items. "These items are dangerous and we hope court cases like this send a strong message to anyone thinking about trying to get banned items into a prison." Dt Insp Smith added that in Longden's case, she went from being a visitor to a prison inmate herself in less than 24 hours. Jerry Spencer, Sercos contract director at HMP Doncaster, said: We are very pleased our watchful officers were successful in intercepting these illegal drugs. "We are working hard to reduce and eradicate drugs and have a zero tolerance towards anyone trying to smuggle them into the prison - we are continuously improving our defences using intelligence, technology and drug dogs." Longden was sentence to 21-months in prison. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) should not be allowed to achieve through its support to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghes government what it could not accomplish in the three-decade long civil war, Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said, warning that the country cannot be divided. Addressing a public gathering at Nochchiyagama in the north central province on Sunday, Mr. Rajapaksa said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) could make a political capital out of its support to the government. They should not be allowed to achieve through Constitution what they could not achieve through war, Mr. Rajapaksa said. He was hinting at the TNAs support to Mr. Wickremesinghe to end the recent constitutional and political crisis which lasted for over 50 days. Mr. Rajapaksa alluded that the TNA would make use of the support to win political autonomy through devious means when Wickremesinghe introduces a new Constitution. This country cannot be separated or divided, all must work in unison, Mr. Rajapaksa said. The TNA stood against sacking of Mr. Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena on October 26 and replacing him with Mr. Rajapaksa, triggering an unprecedented constitutional and political crisis. Mr. Sirisena also dissolved parliament when it appeared that Mr. Rajapaksa was not able to garner working majority. The Supreme Court delivered a huge blow to both Mr. Sirisena and Mr. Rajapaksa when a 7-member bench unanimously ruled Mr. Siirsenas dissolving of parliament as unconstitutional. It led to Mr. Wickremesinghe being reinstated as prime minister. Mr. Rajapaksas war effort in crushing the LTTEs 30-year-old campaign to carve out a separate homeland for the minority Tamils has endeared him to the 74 % of the Sinhala majority. He aims to convert the Sinhala goodwill to votes after he was ousted by a popular movement for reforms backed by both the Sinhala majority and the minority communities in 2015. The TNA had backed Mr. Sirisenas victory in 2015 and anticipated action on introduction of a new Constitution which guaranteed political freedom for Tamil minority in the north and east provinces. However, Mr. Rajapaksas opposition has whipped up Sinhala majority nationalism to scuttle the effort. His new party the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) swept the local polls held in February this year in the Sinhala-dominated areas. Sri Lankas main Tamil party demands devolution of powers in the new Constitution to resolve ethnic issues. The Tamil minority seeks a power devolution arrangement to give autonomy to the traditional Tamil regions in the north and east of the island. The Tamils had stayed away from both previous Constitution making processes in 1972 and 1978. Unhappy with sharing of power, the Tamils demanded self determination in 1976 which was later converted to a bloody military campaign carried out by the LTTE. The armed Tamil group fought a guerrilla war to create a separate Tamil state. With the LTTEs military defeat in 2009, following the death its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, the moderate Tamils parties have consented to the realisation of Tamil demands through consultation. According to the government figures, around 20,000 people are missing due to various conflicts including the civil war with Lankan Tamils in the north and east which claimed at least 100,000 lives. According to UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by security forces during Rajapaksas regime that brought an end to the three-decade long civil war. (PTI) Even if humankind lasts another 100,000 years, which seems unlikely, we may never have peace on Earth. Human beings seem wired for conflict, for envy of the neighbor, for hatred of the other. Besides, experts predict that climate change will bring on ever more strife as the hard-pressed and unlucky residents of low-lying island nations, for example begin mass migrations to higher ground and safer sanctuaries. But even if prayers for lasting peace are never to be answered, we can keep seeking that long-sought end to conflict, cant we? We can continue to pray and work for peace on Earth, right? Allow me, then, a modest bit of praise for our erratic president: Im glad that he is seeking to bring American troops home from the Middle East. Weve been at war in that challenging and chaotic region for much too long. Sure, its hard to escape the feeling that President Donald J. Trump is drawing down U.S. troops in Syria and Afghanistan in all the wrong ways and for all the wrong reasons. His sudden decision to pull out of Syria, for example, which apparently prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, is easy to read as a concession to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, who supports the brutal rule of Syrian despot Bashar al-Assad. (Its also difficult to escape the sense that Putin is Trumps puppet master.) Trumps insistence that U.S. troops leave immediately if that order is followed is also likely to increase the chaos. With the assistance of U.S. forces, Kurdish-dominated militias have done much of the fighting and dying to contain the Islamic State group. A sudden pull-out would not only leave them with no backup, but would also further blemish our reputation among allies. But the truth is that we had no business with boots on the ground in Syria in the first place. It is a bloody quagmire, and the American people have no stomach for the sort of commitment required to force Assad out. President Barack Obama was right to resist a large-scale intervention. Yes, civilians, including children, are dying as Assads Russia-backed forces give no quarter. Its miserable. But there is precious little the U.S. can sensibly do about it. Ramping up another ground war in the Middle East would be a fools errand. As for Afghanistan, U.S. troops have been losing limbs and lives in that forsaken landscape for 17 years since the atrocities of 9/11 and the nation is no more stable, no less a failed state, no less likely to be a haven for terrorists than it was when our soldiers went there to root out al-Qaida. Its another woeful and corrupt territory that neither our military might nor our good intentions can shape to our liking. Its time for us to learn a hard lesson: We cannot fix most of the wretched places on the planet. So Trump should start a draw-down, leaving in place a very small and mobile force that can continue to track down terrorists. Trump didnt say he would draw down forces from Iraq, but he should have. President George W. Bushs foolish 2003 invasion destabilized the region and led directly to the formation of the Islamic State group. Before the invasion, a cautious Colin Powell, then secretary of state, supposedly warned President Bush about its consequences with his often-repeated Pottery Barn rule: You break it, you own it. We did, indeed, break Iraq, but we cannot own a sovereign state except as invading conquerors. Iraqi leaders want us out. President Trump didnt mention Yemen, either a desolate nation where the U.S. has been providing Saudi Arabia with military support in its campaign against Houthi rebels. But the war has brought unspeakable suffering to Yemeni civilians; an estimated 8 million people are on the brink of starvation. The U.S. Senate has voted to stop aiding the Saudi war, but the measure has not yet passed the House. The entire Congress should force a halt to this madness. None of this will bring peace on Earth, of course. But limiting U.S. involvement in unnecessary wars will, at least, absolve us of some of the responsibility for the suffering and dying. And bringing our troops home may give them, at last, some small measure of peace. Email Cynthia Tucker at cynthia@cynthiatucker.com. Australian researchers have discovered how a protein linked to Parkinson's disease may protect cells such as neurons in the brain. The study revealed how a protein called Parkin -- which is lost in certain forms of Parkinson's disease -- 'buys time' for cells to repair internal damage that may otherwise kill them. The discovery could underpin the development of new therapies that slow the progression of Parkinson's disease by saving cells that would otherwise die. The research, led by Mr Jonathan Bernardini and Associate Professor Grant Dewson, was published in The EMBO Journal. Protecting against Parkinson's: More than 80,000 Australians are living with Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative condition characterised by the death of neurons and inflammation in the brain. Mr Bernardini, a PhD student at the Institute, said the protein Parkin had been implicated in the development of Parkinson's disease. "Parkin is absent or faulty in half the cases of early onset Parkinson's disease, as well as in some other, sporadic cases. advertisement "In a healthy brain, Parkin helps keep cells alive, and decreases the risk of harmful inflammation by repairing damage to mitochondria, which are responsible for supplying energy to cells.," Mr Bernardini said. Mr Bernardini said damaged mitochondria could trigger the cell's internal death machinery, which removed unwanted cells by a cell death process termed 'apoptosis'. "We discovered that Parkin blocks cell death by inhibiting a protein called BAK. "BAK and a related protein called BAX are activated in response to cell damage, and begin the process of destroying the cell -- by dismantling mitochondria. This ultimately drives the cell to die, but low-level mitochondrial damage has the potential to trigger inflammation -- warning nearby cells that there is potential danger," Mr Bernardini said. Buying time for repair: The team showed that Parkin restrains BAK's activity when mitochondria are damaged. Parkin tags BAK with a tiny protein called Ubiquitin. advertisement Associate Professor Dewson said Ubiquitin was a 'go slow' signal for BAK. "With normal Parkin, BAK is tagged and cell death is delayed. Parkin 'buys time' for the cell, allowing the cell's innate repair mechanisms to respond to the damage," he said. "Without Parkin -- or with faulty variants of Parkin that are found in patients with early-onset Parkinson's disease -- BAK is not tagged and excessive cell death can occur. This unrestrained cell death may contribute to the neuronal loss in Parkinson's disease. By understanding how cell death and inflammation occur in Parkinson's disease, the researchers hope new therapies may be developed that could slow the progression of the disease. "Drugs that can stifle BAK, mimicking the effect of Parkin, may have the potential to reduce harmful cell death in the brain," Associate Professor Dewson said. Murray Edwards is an early riser. Six days a week, hes up no later than 4:30 a.m. to give himself enough time for breakfast, a shower and a shave before the commute from Treasure Island to his job as an attendant at the Civic Center Pitstop, a public restroom at the corner of Grove and Larkin streets in San Francisco, a stones throw from City Hall. Hes due at his post each day by 7 a.m., but he often arrives more than 30 minutes early. Its a profoundly unglamorous job, but its one that Edwards, 73, performs proudly. Not long ago, like most of his fellow Pitstop workers, Edwards woke up every day inside a prison cell, serving out a sentence for homicide. Hes been free for 14 months after more than four decades behind bars. Edwards is employed by Hunters Point Family, an organization that supports education and workforce development programs across San Francisco for at-risk kids and adults. They gave us an opportunity. At one time we were considered third-class citizens, Edwards said. I want to feel like a human being, to earn my own keep. Im 73, and Im feeling good. If it wasnt for Hunters Point Family, wed be homeless ourselves. The citys Public Works Department contracts with Hunters Point Family to provide Pitstop monitors and community ambassadors, amiable envoys keeping an eye on Civic Center. On any given day, that can mean providing directions to tourists, returning lost wallets or cell phones, or hailing police to report drug dealers in the area. City officials credit the Hunters Point Family crew for its significant role in reactivating Civic Center and U.N. Plaza, which for years had been a grim showcase of San Franciscos most intractable problems, including extensive, open-air injection drug use. Thanks to the programs successes around Civic Center, Hunters Point Family workers have recently expanded to staffing BART elevators and will be monitoring the restrooms at the citys Main Library beginning next year. Most of the Pitstop monitors and Civic Center ambassadors are former long-term offenders. Many have spent decades behind bars, but won their release after years of demonstrating self-improvement and contrition. Its not just a bunch of former prisoners who are getting out and getting a job. These are people who have done a tremendous amount of work on themselves, said Lena Miller, Hunters Point Familys executive director. They have a lot of experiences, and they want to give back, said Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. For these guys, I think its actually more than a job because of the journey theyve come through. Theyre doing it to earn the money, but theyre also putting their heart in it. They believe ... that their journey will continue to be a successful one for them and hopefully they can put whatever happened behind them. Some Hunters Point Family workers have used their experiences as Pitstop monitors to catapult them into other jobs within Public Works and the Recreation and Park Department, and at companies such as Tesla. Edwards voice softens when he talks about his time in prison hed rather talk about the future than the past. He knows theres no way to alter the path he took as a younger man. I took a life. I let my emotions overcome my intellect, and I cant give that back, he said. But I can spend the rest of my life giving to others, listening to others. On a recent morning, Edwards covered his black-and-yellow uniform and ball cap with a heavy, hooded coat against the winter chill. He tended to his station and supplies, arranging disinfectant bottles, hand sanitizer, reaching tools, brooms, mops and stacks of paper towels. In all, a Pitstop seems like an improbable backdrop for life-or-death encounters. But as San Francisco confronts an epidemic of open-air injection drug use, the Pitstops have become popular, private spots for shooting up. This year, Pitstop workers stepped in 18 times to save the lives of people who appeared to be suffering from near-fatal overdoses. Civic Center ambassadors did the same thing 28 times in 2018. Many carry emergency overdose kits on them at work after receiving training on how to administer drugs like naloxone. This month, Edwards was at his station when he heard a young man collapse to the floor of the Pitstop. I shouted in there, he said, and then I opened the door to see if hes OK, and hes laying there with a syringe in his arm and eight or 10 needles in a plastic bag and eight or 10 packages of white powder. He dragged the man outside for some air. Before Edwards could radio for help, the man staggered away. 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. With Pitstops placed in tough neighborhoods that are most in need of public toilets, including the Tenderloin, monitors can sometimes become peacekeepers on the streets, confronting and defusing volatile situations. The monitors life experiences, including in prison, Miller said, have taught them how to adjust to instability and uncertainty, and they can find their calm in that. Spiritually, people just respond to them because they have a lot of gravitas in their presence. You can tell theyre serious, theyre disciplined. Were not hiring first-year college students who are going to be freaked out when someone seems to be out of their mind. In recent weeks, Edwards came to the aid of a man who collapsed with convulsions while crossing Larkin Street. When a woman fell and broke her collarbone, he held her hand until an ambulance arrived. We dont do it for prestige. Wed want someone to do the same for us. I did it from here, Edwards said, patting his heart. City officials have sought to recognize both the heroic and everyday acts of the Hunters Point Family crew. In April, then-Mayor Mark Farrell presented the citys Certificate of Honor to Alberto Carrillo for stepping in to save two people, one of whom had turned purple from an overdose. Carrillo administered CPR the first time hed ever done so until a passerby called 911 and an ambulance arrived. This month, Mayor London Breed presented Certificates of Honor to members of the Hunters Point Family who work in and around Civic Center. She singled out Louie Hammonds, the lead supervisor of the Civic Center ambassadors, for a special commendation. Hammonds is a mentor to many who, like himself, spent time behind bars. Hes recruited more than 30 parolees to work with him. Hammonds, who peppers conversations about his work with maxims from Socrates and Sun Tzu, began as a Pitstop monitor working the same Civic Center stall that Edwards now oversees. The pitch is youre getting paid to serve your community, he said. We hurt people. Now its up to us to heal people. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa When San Franciscans took a look at a forlorn part of the citys southern waterfront back in 1984, they saw a backwater where the main attractions were a shack that sold fish bait and hot dogs next to a boatyard full of decrepit vessels and rusty junk. But Michael Denman saw something else: potential. To me, it had the makings of a one-of-a kind historic waterfront place, he said. He turned the bait shop into a wildly popular bar and restaurant called The Ramp. And he and his then-partner, Joe Costello, turned the old boatyard into a successful business. Denman died of heart failure at the age of 89 on Dec. 12, and his legacy was celebrated with a big party at The Ramp just before Christmas. The place was packed, and the customers all raised a toast to Denman. Mike had a vision of what this place should be, said Peter Denman, his brother. And it turned out to be just what he wanted a comfortable place, not fancy, an oasis for different kinds of people. For years the clientele was all local, business people next to boat workers next to young people who have just moved to the area, Denman told The Chronicle five years ago. Since then, the area has boomed. The new Warriors arena opens next season, the Mission Bay neighborhood has been built out, and the UCSF medical center has become a major force in the area. The center of the city has moved south, and Denmans backwater has become fashionable. We were on the edge of the city, said Arvind Patel, Denmans business partner. Now the city has come to us. Mike has always had a partner, his brother said, Joe Costello at first, and Patel later. But he put it together. He saw the opportunity. In a 2014 review, The Chronicle called The Ramp a living relic of San Franciscos maritime history. 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. Denman was born in Portland, Ore., in 1929, and raised in Seattle. He graduated from the University of Washington and then served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force from 1953 to 1956. He moved to the Bay Area after his Air Force service, and went into the real estate business for a while. He and his partners leased the land at the foot of Mariposa Street that was to become The Ramp from the Port of San Francisco. Denmans family has deep roots in the Bay Area. They are descended from James Van Ness, an early-day San Francisco mayor. Van Ness Avenue is named for him. Michael Denman never married. He is survived by his brother, Peter Denman of Waikoloa, Hawaii; and several nieces and nephews. Another memorial event is planned for the spring, Peter Denman said. Carl Nolte is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @carlnoltesf Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein and the backlash against sexual harassment he spawned led to a raft of new state workplace laws that will take effect Jan. 1. #MeToo was a dominating topic at the Capitol this year, said Jennifer Barrera, an executive vice president with the California Chamber of Commerce. Gov. Jerry Brown signed eight bills this year aimed at preventing sexual and other forms of harassment on the job and promoting gender diversity on boards. SB826 got the most attention. It requires any publicly traded company that has its principal executive office in California to have at least one female director by the end of 2019, even if it has to expand its board to make room. By the end of 2021, these companies must have at least two women on five-member boards and at least three women on boards with six or more directors. Eric Thayer / New York Times Of the 457 public companies in the Russell 3000 stock index that are headquartered in California, 94 had no female directors and 161 had just one as of Sept. 30, according to Equilar, a board research and consulting firm. Unless its challenged (in court), California-based public corporations will have to do some work to get women on boards by compliance deadlines, said Kristina Launey, a partner with law firm Seyfarth Shaw, which represents employers. More than minimum wage California's statewide minimum wage rises to $12 from $11 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees and to $11 from $10.50 per hour for those with fewer employees. Some cities have higher minimum wages including these in the Bay Area. City Minimum wage 1/1/2019 Belmont $13.50* Berkeley 15.00 Cupertino 15.00* El Cerrito 15.00* Emeryville 15-15.69 Los Altos 15.00* Milpitas 13.50 Mountain View 15.65* Oakland 13.80* Palo Alto 15.00* Redwood City 13.50* San Francisco 15.00 San Jose 15.00* San Leandro 13.00 San Mateo** 15.00* Santa Clara 15.00 Sunnyvale 15.65* *Represents an increase from Dec. 31, 2018. Some cities have increases that take effect midyear. **San Mateo has a lower rate for nonprofit employers, it goes up to $13.50 on Jan. 1. See More Collapse The laws second phase will have a bigger impact that the first. It almost has to get to gender even, which would be a significant change, said Chaya Mandelbaum, an attorney with Rudy, Exelrod, Zieff & Lowe who represents employees. The widest ranging new law, SB1300, has numerous provisions to curb workplace harassment of all kinds, not just sexual. One significant provision prevents employers from requiring a worker to sign two types of documents as a condition of getting or keeping a job or landing a raise or bonus. One is an agreement not to sue or bring a claim against the employer under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, which outlaws discrimination on the basis of age, gender, race or other protected status. The other is a nondisparagement agreement or other document that prohibits the employee from disclosing information about unlawful acts in the workplace, including but not limited to sexual harassment. This new law is trying to get at employers who offer something valuable to keep quiet, Launey said. It does not, however, apply to severance agreements nor to negotiated agreements that settle cases filed in court, administrative proceedings or arbitration. SB820, on the other hand, applies specifically to settlement agreements that resolve civil or administrative claims of sexual misconduct, but not other workplace violations. It prohibits clauses in such agreements that prevent the disclosure of facts related to the case, except for the amount paid and the identity of the person who filed the claim if that person wants to remain anonymous. It does not require that such settlements be made public. This law applies to public and private employers, including the Legislature, which had its share of harassment claims swept under the rug. As we have clearly seen over the last few months, secret settlements serve one primary purpose: to keep sexual predators away from the public eye and continuing to torment and hurt innocent victims, its author, Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino (San Bernardino County), said in a news release. She cited Weinstein, co-founder of the Miramax and Weinstein Co. film studios, and former Fox News Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes as inspirations for her bill. Both reportedly settled multiple sexual harassment claims by women who agreed to keep them secret. One argument against the bill was that it could lead to smaller early settlements in some sexual harassment cases. Some employers are willing to place a premium on settling confidentially, Mandelbaum said. Barrera added that not all cases, from the employers perspective, have merit. Some employers will settle cases confidentially to protect their reputations and limit the potential cost. If allegations can be made public, you might see fewer cases settling and more going to court, she said. Mandelbaum pointed out an ambiguity in these two disclosure laws. SB1300 says you cannot, as a condition of a raise, bonus or employment, require employees to sign a nondisparagement agreement, but this law does not apply to settlements. SB820 applies to settlements, but it does not prevent nondisparagement clauses, only nondisclosure clauses. A nondisparagement clause has no legal definition. It usually says the employee agrees not to say anything disparaging or demeaning about the employer, its products or employees that would be likely to negatively impact the company. Conceivably, an employer could try to discourage employees from disclosing the facts underlying a sexual harassment settlement by including a broad nondisparagement clause. I think (the ambiguity) may require judicial or legislative clarification, Mandelbaum said. On the prevention front, SB1343 expands the number and type of employees who must be subjected to sexual harassment training. Under current law, employers with 50 or more employees must give supervisors two hours of sexual harassment training every two years. Starting in 2019, employers with five or more employees must provide two hours of training to supervisors and one hour to all other employees within six months of their hire (or promotion to supervisor) and every two years thereafter. Temporary and seasonal employees must be trained within their first 30 days or 100 hours, whichever comes first. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes The training can be in person or online, and it must be interactive. Starting in 2020, employers must also provide this type of training to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers. This law requires the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing to develop an online training course in multiple languages and make it available on its website. AB2338 requires talent agencies to give their adult artists educational materials on sexual harassment prevention, nutrition and eating disorders. Clients who are ages 14 to 17 (and their parents) also must complete training in sexual harassment prevention and reporting. AB3082 requires the Department of Social Services to develop or identify educational materials addressing sexual harassment of in-home supportive services providers and recipients. SB970 requires that certain hotel and motel employees get training to identify and respond to human trafficking by Jan. 1, 2020. Under a similar bill, AB2034, by Jan. 1, 2021, certain employees of passenger rail, light rail and bus stations must receive such training. Brown signed more than a dozen bills on other workplace subjects. One clarifies an important law that took effect this year that prohibits employers from asking about a job applicants prior salary and requires them to provide the applicant a pay scale for the job upon request. AB2282 says that employers can still ask about an applicants salary expectations, that the pay scale can be a range and that only external applicants (not current employees) can get a pay scale upon request, and only after completing an initial interview. Finally, under a law passed in 2016, the statewide minimum wage will go up every year through 2023. In 2019, it rises to $12 from $11 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees and to $11 from $10.50 for smaller employers. Some cities have higher minimum wages, including at least 17 in the Bay Area. Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: kpender@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kathpender Pacific Gas and Electric Co. said Monday that it could have violated terms of its probation if it recklessly maintained power lines in a way that caused recent deadly wildfires, part of a detailed accounting the utility provided to a federal judge about its role in two seasons of historically devastating California conflagrations. PG&E made the admission in response to a series of wildfire-related questions from U.S. District Judge William Alsup, who is overseeing the embattled utilitys probation imposed after its criminal conviction stemming from the deadly 2010 San Bruno pipeline explosion. One of the terms of the five-year probation is that the utility not commit any other crimes. That condition could be implicated if authorities determine that recklessness by PG&E sparked a wildfire and the specific circumstances gave rise to a violation of federal, state, or local statutes, attorneys for the utility told Alsup. In a separate filing earlier Monday, federal prosecutors told Alsup he would have broad discretion to impose a remedy if PG&E violated the condition about committing further crimes or other parts of its probation. Assistant U.S. attorneys Hallie Mitchell Hoffman and Jeff Schenk did not spell out the full range of possibilities but said Alsup could revoke probation for a violation of any of the conditions. PG&E said it could also in theory have violated its probations restriction against committing crimes if it reported information about wildfires slowly or inaccurately or failed to do so at all. Other court-imposed conditions could be implicated if authorities find that the utility failed to fulfill wildfire-related reporting requirements under the terms of its probation, the utility said. Alsup opened his line of inquiry Nov. 27, when he asked what, if any, role PG&E played in sparking the devastating Camp Fire in Butte County and other recent blazes. He gave PG&E and the U.S. attorneys office until Monday to respond. Alsup also asked for a response from the federal monitor appointed to PG&E in connection with the pipeline case, in which the explosion killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. A separate response from the monitor had not been filed with the court as of early Monday evening. PG&E, however, did provide an overview of the monitors work with the company. Also included in the utilitys response to Alsup were significant new details about PG&Es connection to the November Camp Fire and the 2017 Tubbs Fire the two most destructive wildfires in state history, both of which have placed the utility under heavy public scrutiny and cast its financial future in doubt. In an emailed statement after the utility filed its response Monday, spokesman James Noonan said PG&E followed the judges requirements. Noonan noted that the people affected by the Camp Fire are the companys customers, our neighbors and our friends and expressed sympathy for those who have lost so much. PG&E is focused on helping them recover and rebuild, he said. We continue to assess our infrastructure with the goal of further enhancing safety and helping protect all of the customers we serve from the ever-increasing threat of wildfires, Noonan said in the email. PG&Es most important responsibility is public and employee safety. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, is still investigating the cause of the Camp Fire. But by the time Alsup posed his questions, PG&E had already told regulators about two separate instances where its equipment malfunctioned in the fire area: once shortly before the inferno began raging and another time shortly afterward. PG&E provided Alsup with an overview of its reporting to regulators so far, along with relevant documents and, significantly, a new and even more detailed description of its equipment damage and how its employees spotted and reported flames in the area. Cal Fire has found that PG&E equipment sparked 17 wildfires in Northern California in 2017, including most of the blazes that tore through Wine Country. But the cause of the Tubbs Fire the worst of that series, which leveled whole neighborhoods in and around Santa Rosa and killed 24 is still under investigation. PG&E pointed out to Alsup that Cal Fire has not publicly released investigative reports for the 11 wildfires from 2017 where it found state law violations and forwarded them to the relevant district attorneys offices. Additionally, attorneys for the utility said PG&E has not been able to examine potentially relevant evidence collected by Cal Fire at the possible origin points of each fire that ravaged Northern California counties in October 2017, with the worst damage concentrated in the North Bay. The findings the state has already released may serve as a basis for Alsup to find PG&E in violation of one of its probation conditions, federal prosecutors said in their response to Alsup on Monday. But with regard to the Camp Fire and other 2018 fires, the government does not yet have sufficient information concerning PG&Es role to determine whether PG&Es conduct may have violated its terms of probation, the federal prosecutors filing said. Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California The governments filing noted that while much of the monitors work has focused on gas operations, wildfires have brought the electric side of the utilitys business into the mix. After the court appointed a retired judge, Mark Filip, to serve as the monitor, much of his teams work was originally focused on PG&Es natural gas operations, the utility said. But because of the October 2017 fires, in November of that year the monitor, the U.S. attorneys office and PG&E agreed the monitors team would also evaluate certain aspects of PG&Es electric distribution operations, the utility said. That included reviewing PG&Es vegetation management plan, its program for maintaining and inspecting electric equipment, and its emergency response and restoration practices. Given ongoing lawsuits and regulatory reviews, the monitors team agreed not to evaluate or opine on the causes of any 2017 North Bay fires, PG&Es filing said. Since starting its overall work in 2017, the monitors team has attended hundreds of meetings at all levels of the company, traveled throughout the utilitys service territory and obtained thousands of company files totaling more than 35 gigabytes of data, PG&E told Alsup. Alsup invited the state attorney generals office to weigh in by Monday on whether reckless oversight of PG&E power lines would constitute a crime at the state level. The attorney generals office filed a brief Friday saying PG&E could be found to have committed a variety of crimes if the right conditions are met, including manslaughter or murder, if the company acted with a conscious disregard for life in operating or maintaining its power lines. The questioning by Alsup is just one of several legal and regulatory pressures PG&E is facing. California utility regulators are considering whether the utility should be publicly owned, break into separate gas and electric companies, or replace board directors or executives, among other changes. Separately, regulators recently accused PG&E of falsifying certain gas pipeline records from 2012 to 2017. The case will be considered by an administrative law judge for the California Public Utilities Commission. Lawsuits also have been piling up against the utility because of the Camp Fire, and the first trial in the legal battle over the 2017 Northern California fires is scheduled to take place in 2019. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris Alameda County jail officials have started offering at-risk inmates a potentially lifesaving parting gift upon their release, handing out the overdose-reversing drug naloxone to those prone to opioid abuse. Since beginning the program in September, the agency has offered 78 departing inmates the nasal spray Narcan a brand name for naloxone as part of their discharge medications. Fifty-six of these people accepted the offer. We dont expect every inmate to have their own health care, said Alameda County sheriffs Lt. Ross Clippinger, who works with the jails. So, were trying to bridge that gap. The program is part of a multilayered effort to distribute as many spray devices as possible amid the nationwide opioid epidemic. The sheriffs office has also equipped employees with the devices to use inside jails and on the streets. In the past two years, sheriffs officials have administered Narcan to Santa Rita Jail inmates at least eight times and three times to members of the public outside jails. The department credits Narcan with saving two investigators last summer after they were accidentally exposed to fentanyl. Other jails across the country have offered similar programs, but Alameda Countys is the first of its kind in the Bay Area, said Thom Duddy, vice president of corporate communications for Narcans manufacturer, Adapt Pharma. Chicagos Cook County Jail, the largest single-site jail in the U.S., is also putting Narcan in the hands of outgoing at-risk inmates. New Mexico made the policy a statewide law in 2017, requiring all inmates with a history of opioid abuse to be given two doses of the drug upon release. Addicts recently released from lockup are considered especially vulnerable, as their tolerance for opioids often drops while theyre incarcerated. This is one of the highest-risk populations for an overdose, Duddy said. Alameda County also provides patient education upon release, like tips for safer drug usage to reduce harm, recognizing signs of an overdose and how to use Narcan. The distribution plan isnt a fail-safe, Clippinger noted. Many people dont realize theyre overdosing and try to ride out the high. The antidote isnt designed to be self-administered, but it could be on the off chance that someone realizes hes in trouble, Clippinger said. More likely, though, the drug user should advise others around him that Narcan is available in case of an emergency. Duddy praised Alameda County and other jails for the new programming. Its a very progressive approach of going after a very high-risk population, he said. New Years revelations California police and sheriffs departments are bracing for what promises to be an avalanche of public records requests in the new year, as some of the nations most secretive police privacy laws are at last lifted. On Jan. 1, a slice of police personnel records will be provided to the public for the first time as a landmark transparency law, SB1421, goes into effect. The law applies to confirmed findings of officers lying on duty or committing sexual assault, to internal investigations into officer-involved shootings, and any use-of-force incident that results in a serious injury or death. The measure, by state Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, is intended to shed light on a disciplinary system that for decades has remained a mystery to the public. Police across the state have signaled theyll have a variety of responses to the new law, from specialized training to deal with the paperwork to legal action and even outright destruction of records. The Alameda County Sheriffs Office trained all supervisors and managers on SB1421 in November and is working on a policy and training bulletin. Sheriffs officials also plan to update their website to include a transparency section, leading to videos, records and reports releasable under the law. Were also working with other Alameda County police agencies and chiefs to make sure we are all on the same page and our county law enforcement protocols are similar and consistent, said Sgt. Ray Kelly, a sheriffs spokesman. That way members of the media and public know where to go and find the information. At the other end of the spectrum is Inglewood (Los Angeles County), which decided at a City Council meeting to shred old police records, according to a Los Angeles Times report. The citys mayor denied that was an attempt to beat the clock before Jan. 1. Meanwhile, the San Bernardino County sheriffs union has filed a lawsuit asking the California Supreme Court to block the law from taking effect and to rule that the release of records that predate Jan. 1 would violate officers rights, according to the Palm Springs Desert Sun. District attorneys offices across the state are reviewing how the law could affect them and officer records they maintain. The D.A. supports transparency in law enforcement and thats why he supported SB1421, said Alex Bastian, a spokesman for San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon. We are in the process of acquainting ourselves with our new obligations in order to ensure compliance in the new year. Various organizations, including The Chronicle, plan to file public records requests in the new year. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California is requesting all the records now legally unsealed from the more than 400 law enforcement agencies in California, according to its website. Shroom water South Bay prosecutors are suing a mushroom grower for $67 million after the company allegedly dumped toxic wastewater into a creek that runs to San Francisco Bay, officials said Thursday. 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. Monterey Mushrooms Inc. of Watsonville grows mushrooms in several states. Investigators with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife found that, over six years, the growers Morgan Hill facility pumped waste contaminated with hazardous levels of ammonia into Fisher Creek, which flows into Coyote Creek, according to the Santa Clara County district attorneys office. Runoff from compost piles on the property made its way into Fisher Creek tributaries, according to the lawsuit. Generally, process water goes into a process water holding pond and gets evaporated, said Denise Raabe, a deputy district attorney. By getting rid of it, though, dumping it into the creeks, theyre not having to construct another pond. Over two days in 2017, the company allegedly pumped nearly 700,000 gallons of wastewater into Fisher Creek. Officials said the ammonia was created by horse stable hay and poultry manure used in the mushroom-growing process. The company said in a statement that it was shocked at the filing and confirmed it had been speaking with the district attorneys office about the impact of local flooding from heavy storms in late 2016 and early 2017. Our Morgan Hill facility was inundated by these record storms and rainwater volume, which resulted in a record release of process water, primarily rainwater, leaving the property, officials said. Due to this experience, the company has collaborated with county and state agents and spent millions of dollars to install additional storage, as well as engineer the separation of stormwater. A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 25 in Santa Clara County Superior Court. The biggest crime news from last week - A multi-agency manhunt led to the arrest of 33-year-old Gustavo Perez Arriaga in Bakersfield early Friday morning, after he allegedly shot and killed Newman police Cpl. Ronil Singh. The fatal shooting has added fuel to a national debate on immigration after reports that Arriaga was in the U.S. illegally. - Two Northern California prisoners escaped custody last week; one from Folsom State Prison and the other from San Quentin. - An Alameda County judge suspended criminal proceedings for the man suspected of killing 18-year-old Nia Wilson on a BART platform this summer, while doctors determine whether John Lee Cowell is fit to stand trial. - An unarmed woman was fatally shot by San Jose police on Christmas in what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. - A Mountain View brother and sister were arrested in a sex and labor trafficking case that allegedly involved smuggling Guatemalan nationals into Silicon Valley. Megan Cassidy and Gwendolyn Wu are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com, gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy, @gwendolynawu U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials confirmed Sunday that they had no prior encounters with the man suspected of fatally shooting a Stanislaus County police officer until his arrest Friday. The arrest of Gustavo Perez Arriaga, 32, ended a statewide manhunt that followed the Wednesday killing of Newman police Cpl. Ronil Singh, who officials say pulled over Arriaga on suspicion of driving under the influence. Reports that Arriaga, a Mexico native, was in the U.S. illegally and had previous arrests fanned the flames of a national debate over Californias sanctuary policies. In a statement emailed to The Chronicle on Sunday, ICE officials said they have now lodged detainers on Arriaga and his alleged accomplices. Their statement echoed the sentiments of Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, who directly linked the officers death to the states laws. We remain deeply concerned that Californias sanctuary laws continue to undermine public safety and cause preventable crimes by restricting law enforcement cooperation and allowing public safety threats back into the community to reoffend, ICE spokeswoman Liz Johnson said in the statement. President Trump also has seized on the case in a call for tougher border security. Tweeting about the manhunt, the president held up the case as grounds to Build the Wall. ICE also placed detainers on at least six of the seven people in custody on suspicion of aiding Arriaga in what police said was his attempt to escape to Mexico. They include Arriagas 34-year-old brother, Conrado Virgen Mendoza; Conrados 30-year-old girlfriend, Ana Leyde Cervantes; Arriagas 25-year-old brother, Adrian Virgen Mendoza; and Adrians co-worker, Erik Razo-Quiroz. The others in custody are Bernabe Madrigal Casteneda, 59; Erasmo Villegas, 36; and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57. Johnson could not confirm on Sunday whether there is a detainer on Casteneda. Adrian Mendoza has a prior misdemeanor conviction in California and no known immigration encounters, and Razo-Quiroz had a prior felony conviction in California and two previous returns to Mexico. His most recent removal from the U.S. occurred in March 2012, according to ICE officials. Christianson said Friday that the two intentionally lied to us ... they provided information that was false, all in an attempt to protect their brother. Arriaga was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in the Madera County town of Chowchilla on June 5, 2014, more than three years before the states sanctuary law prohibited local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. It is unclear whether Madera County officials knew of Arriagas immigration status or alerted federal authorities. Chowchilla Police Chief David Riviere told The Chronicle on Friday that Arriaga also had a warrant out for his arrest for driving unlicensed and not having insurance. As far as immigration status, I can tell you we do not ask those questions. We have no reason to, Riviere said. He was stopped for a traffic violation and found to be DUI. Bill Hing, a professor of law and migration studies at the University of San Francisco, said he was not surprised that ICE had no prior contact with Arriaga. Every day across the country police have encounters with people who they might think are undocumented immigrants, but theyre not sure, said Hing, who stepped down as a San Francisco police commissioner in April. The vast majority of police officers just dont go out of their way to enforce immigration laws for one of two reasons: Its not their job, or its something relatively minor. An officer might ask, Hing said, Why should I go out of my way to possibly hurt somebodys family? In a Friday news conference, Christianson used Singhs death to criticize Californias immigration law and suggested it was to blame for the shooting. We were prohibited law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws and that led to the encounter with officer Singh, Christianson said. The outcome could have been different if law enforcement wasnt restricted, prohibited, or had their hands tied because of political interference. The state law signed in 2017 prohibits local law enforcement from notifying federal immigration agents about a detained immigrants information if the person is not accused of a serious crime. Christianson was not available for comment Sunday, but spokesman Deputy Royjindar Singh said the department is unaware of any other arrests since the sanctuary policy took effect this year. We have not had prior contact with him in our county, he said. There is no relation between Singh and the fallen officer. 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. Jorge-Mario Cabrera of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles said the case presented unique circumstances, and that it was wrong to politicize it. If we start assuming every single undocumented immigrant is likely to commit serious crimes and therefore should be reported to immigration authorities without cause or respect to due process, we are no better than the Gestapo, he said. Hing also expressed concern about the case being politicized. Officers who dont report people they suspect are in the country illegally make that decision, Hing said, because they know that if the word gets out that were turning everybody that we think is possibly undocumented into ICE, or were calling ICE when somebody doesnt speak English, then this whole community is going to distrust us. Police say Arriaga shot Singh around 1 a.m. Wednesday in Newman. Singh, a 33-year-old husband and father of a 5-month-old boy, had legally immigrated to the United States from Fiji to pursue a dream of becoming a police officer. Arriaga, a day laborer who worked around the Central Valley, surrendered early Friday as SWAT officers moved in on a house on the 8200 block of Brooks Lane just south of Bakersfield. He is being held at a facility in Modesto without bail. Chronicle staff writers Karen de Sa and Melia Russell contributed to this report. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy Palo Alto Police Department Palo Alto police are searching for a man who sexually assaulted a woman on the 2500 block of El Camino Real early Saturday morning. The attack occurred around 3:30 a.m. as a woman in her 30s was bringing items from her vehicle to a friends apartment. As she walked down the busy thoroughfare, a man came up behind her, pushed her to the ground, groped her and threatened her not to scream. Courtesy SFPD / Courtesy SFPD Two fugitives were arrested in San Francisco on Sunday after one recklessly drove a stolen Toyota Corolla through the Tenderloin district and plowed into a pedestrian, a fire hydrant and a crosswalk pole, police said. The crash at approximately 3:30 p.m. sent a man in his late 40s to a hospital with minor injuries, police said, and tied up traffic for hours in the area surrounding Turk and Jones streets as water from the hydrant shot into the air and the traffic light went out. WASHINGTON - Democrats will take control of the House on Thursday with a stark challenge to President Donald Trump, voting on legislation that would fund the federal government while denying Trump the money he has demanded to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. GOP leaders in the Senate said they would support only a proposal that has the president's backing. And without additional wall money, the Democrats' offer is unlikely to break the stalemate that has shuttered large parts of the federal government since Dec. 22. But the strategy Democrats announced Monday would usher in a new era of divided government in Washington with a dare to Trump, aimed at forcing him and Senate Republicans to take their deal or prolong a partial government shutdown. House Democrats plan to use their new majority to vote through measures that would reopen nearly all of the shuttered federal agencies through the end of September, at funding levels Senate Republicans have previously agreed to. Those spending bills contain scores of priorities and pet projects for lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The Democratic proposal holds out one exception: The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees border security, would keep its current level of funding, with no new money for a border wall. The plan would also extend the department's budget only through Feb. 8, allowing Democrats to revisit funding for key parts of Trump's immigration policy in a month. "The President is using the government shutdown to try to force an expensive and ineffective wall upon the American people, but Democrats have offered two bills which separate the arguments over the wall from the government shutdown," read a joint statement from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the likely next House speaker, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Republican leaders would have the option to pass the bipartisan bills, reopening much of the government while the border fight continued, but doing so could diminish Trump's leverage as he demands billions in taxpayer funding for a wall. On Monday, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Senate, which will remain under Republican control, will bring up only legislation that has the president's blessing. "It's simple: The Senate is not going to send something to the president that he won't sign," Don Stewart, McConnell's spokesman, wrote in an email Monday. The president has asked for $5 billion in border money, far beyond the $1.3 billion that Democrats plan to vote through this week. Trump on Monday invited Democrats to continue negotiations but reiterated that he had no plans to back down. "They can come over right now, they could've come over anytime. I spent Christmas in the White House, I spent New Year's Eve now in the White House. And you know, I'm here, I'm ready to go. It's very important," he said in an interview with Fox News that's airing Monday evening during the network's New Year's Eve programming. "We are not giving up. We have to have border security, and the wall is a big part of border security," he said. The White House did not comment Monday on House Democrats' plan. One of Trump's close congressional allies, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., dismissed the proposal from Democrats. "Nancy Pelosi's newest funding proposal doesn't represent any serious attempt to secure our border or find a compromise," Meadows wrote on Twitter, adding that the plan was "a non-starter and will not be a legitimate answer to this impasse." The deadlock has resulted in what is already the longest partial government shutdown since a 16-day standoff in 2013 over the Affordable Care Act. Some 800,000 federal workers have been affected, with an estimated 350,000 furloughed at home and the others still working because their jobs are deemed "essential." Thus far workers have not missed a paycheck, but that will begin to happen if the shutdown is not resolved soon. Many federal contractors are without work as well. "The biggest reaction still remains anxiety: When will this end?" said Rep. Gerald E. Connolly, a Democrat whose Northern Virginia district is home to tens of thousands of federal workers. "Coupled with now the creeping reality of the financial consequences if this goes on too long, everything from 'Can I pay rent on time?' to 'What kind of obligations, if any, can I incur while it's uncertain whether I get a paycheck?' " The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union, representing some 700,000 workers, on Monday announced that it was suing the federal government over the shutdown, writing in a statement that "the federal government is violating the law by requiring some federal employees to work without pay during a shutdown." In an issue unrelated to the border wall but important to federal workers, the package of full-year bills that Democrats plan to pass would include a 1.9 percent raise for civilian workers that Trump has sought to deny. Earlier in December, Senate Republicans signed off on a plan that would have averted the shutdown but did not include new wall money, only to have Trump publicly denounce the proposal the next day. McConnell, who will remain in charge of the Senate in 2019 as the House flips to Democratic control, does not want to put his lawmakers in that position again. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The construction of a wall along the Mexican border was one of Trump's top promises in the 2016 campaign and early in his presidency, and he vowed to make Mexico pay for it. More recently, he has asked for taxpayer money to build the wall and said Mexico will indirectly pay for it later, but his aides have struggled to explain how that will happen. Pelosi, who is expected to be elected speaker this week, has called the wall "immoral" and said her new majority will not pay for it. House Democrats settled on the approach of funding the Department of Homeland Security on a short-term basis after liberals objected to a proposal to fund the agency through the rest of the 2018 fiscal year, even without increasing spending at the border. A coalition of advocacy groups, including the ACLU, sent Pelosi and Schumer a letter Friday opposing extending funding for the Department of Homeland Security for a full year, citing concerns that such an approach "clearly funds Trump's wall project and must be rejected." A spokeswoman for the ACLU said Monday that the group supports extending Homeland Security funding to Feb. 8, which would allow newly empowered Democrats more latitude in determining the agency's budget for the remainder of fiscal 2018. Trump canceled a planned trip to his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., to stay in Washington to deal with the shutdown, but he has not been in touch with Democratic leaders. There have been no face-to-face negotiations since Vice President Pence and others held meetings at the Capitol on Dec. 22, the day the shutdown began. Pence made Democrats an offer that lowered proposed spending on the wall, but they rejected it in part because it included what they called a $400,000 "slush fund" that Trump could have spent on other immigration priorities. Despite Republicans holding a bigger majority in the Senate in the next Congress, some Democratic votes will still be needed to pass funding legislation there, and Democratic senators, even more moderate ones, have been resolute against money for a wall. That much was clear soon after the November midterms, when Schumer started gauging where Democratic senators stood on $5 billion for a border wall through one-on-one conversations in his office. Repeatedly, Democratic senators told Schumer that they would support money for border security but not Trump's specific request, according to a person familiar with the conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe them. The agencies affected by the shutdown make up about 25 percent of the portion of the federal government that is funded by Congress. The Pentagon is mostly not affected, since a spending bill for the military was passed by Congress and signed by Trump earlier in 2018. Congress and the president also passed legislation to fund the Labor Department, the Health and Human Services Department and others, before Trump's demands for wall money ground negotiations on other spending bills to a halt. Programs like Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid also are unaffected, since their budgets proceed automatically, without the need for annual congressional appropriations. The Russia investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III also is unaffected since it is paid for by a permanent, dedicated funding stream. The White House is not heeding environmental concerns but much of the rest of the English-speaking world is. In 2018, when President Trump has compiled the most rollbacks of regulatory environmental protections in 50 years, the words of the year for two dictionary sites were single-use and toxic. Collins, for example, notes a fourfold increase in the prevalence of single-use since 2013 as concerns about environmental sustainability rose. Cities, states and nations around the world have enacted or are planning to enact single-use plastic bag bans, as trend-setting California voters did in 2014. In 2017, China closed its doors to foreign garbage, with the predictable effect that more plastic waste ended up in the ocean, where some was drawn into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch a bigger-than-Texas-size collection of fishing gear and plastic trash floating between Hawaii and California that has invaded the popular imagination as well as our seas. San Franciscos Recology, running out of places to put our discarded plastic cups, bottles and meat trays, has challenged the plastics industry to find reuses fast or face a statewide initiative campaign to ban far more types of single-use plastics than bags. This will ensure frequent use of the word will continue into 2019 and beyond. Oxforddictionaries.com, which anoints its word of the year based on cultural significance, notes that the word toxic was added to many of the years most-talked-about topics. The word comes from a Greek description of a lethal poison ancient Greeks smeared on the points of their arrows but relates to the word for bow (the delivery) not the word for poison (the effect). Toxics 10 most common collocates in 2018, ranked by frequency of use, were as follows: chemical, masculinity, substance, gas, environment, relationship, culture, waste, algae and air. Clearly the concerns about toxicity seeped into the cultural foment. The #MeToo movement and the Kavanaugh hearings brought toxic masculinity into popular use. The proliferation of workplace harassment stories added toxic culture to the public conversation. And, as the government shutdown continues, expect to hear that some of those affected are the federal employees working to clean up Superfund site toxic waste. Toxic politics might also apply, as the Trump administration moves ahead with rollbacks of clean air and clean water standards, as well as regulatory reductions of vehicle and power plant emissions opposed by a coalition of 29 state and local governments. The Trump administration itself has cited these emissions as contributing to climate change, which it says is endangering public health, the economy and national security. These and other poisonous actions could result in a single-use Trump presidency. Or in another oft-mentioned word: impeachment. Lois Kazakoff is the deputy editorial page editor of The San Francisco Chronicle. Email: lkazakoff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @lkazakoff At this time last year, a steady stream of shocking and remarkably common #MeToo stories were pouring through the media as lawmakers around the country grappled with how to stem the abuse and combat the pervasive culture of sexual harassment infecting nearly every industry. Here in California, the Legislature introduced more than two dozen bills inspired by the #MeToo movement, 12 of which were ultimately signed into law. Although not all of the bills were successful and indeed there is still more work to be done we can thank the #MeToo movement for these five major reforms taking effect on Jan. 1: 1. Protection for speaking up As we have learned, secret settlements have silenced victims and shielded many sexual predators from public scrutiny and accountability. Now settlement agreements involving a filed sexual harassment claim may no longer contain a provision that prevents victims from sharing their story. Additionally, no contract agreement may waive a persons right to testify in an administrative, legislative or judicial hearing about alleged sexual harassment. This bill was inspired by McKayla Maroney, the Olympic gymnast who faced the threat of a $100,000 fine for testifying in a criminal trial against a team doctor who sexually abused her. Lawmakers also made clarifying changes to Californias defamation laws to ensure that perpetrators cannot sue for defamation when someone makes a truthful complaint about sexual harassment. 2. A stronger legal standard Many were shocked to learn that some courts were applying the legal standard for sexual harassment in ways that led to inconsistent and unjust results. For example, one court threw out a case involving a 911 dispatcher who was sexually assaulted by her co-worker while she was responding to an emergency call. She lost her case because the court ruled perplexingly that groping her bare breast was not severe enough to constitute sexual harassment under the law. This case is rejected under a new law that will provide greater clarity on the legal standard for sexual harassment. Importantly, the new law makes clear that sexual harassment is not just about unwanted sexual advances it is about conduct, based on sex, that interferes with the ability to do ones job. Women and people of all genders should have an equal opportunity to thrive in the workplace, not just survive in it. 3. New limits on agreements Imagine having to waive your legal claims, including a sexual harassment claim, in order to get your year-end bonus or to take a promotion. This will no longer be allowed under a new law that will prohibit employers from requiring workers to sign away their legal claims as a condition of employment or to receive a raise or bonus. Non-disparagement agreements, the kind used by high-profile figures like Harvey Weinstein to prevent victims and witnesses from speaking out, will also no longer be allowed in employment agreements. 4. Greater accountability Sexual harassment is not exclusive to any one job. Prompted by the countless #MeToo stories in Hollywood, Silicon Valley and Sacramento, sexual harassment by producers, directors, investors, elected officials and lobbyists will be explicitly outlawed and victims will have greater enforcement protections for these types of harassment claims. In addition, three new laws will shore up sexual harassment protections specifically for employees of the Legislature. 5. Stronger prevention Employers should play a big part in stopping harassment before it starts. So, beginning next year, all employers with five or more employees must provide at least two hours of sexual harassment training to all supervisors and at least one hour of training to all nonsupervisory employees. In addition, lobbyists and those in the building and construction trades will be subject to industry-specific sexual harassment prevention policies. And in our schools, more students will get early sexual health education, which includes sexual harassment and sexual assault prevention. Our laws in California should serve as a model for other states committed to ending sexual harassment. And yet, there is still much more we can do, like preventing workers from being forced into private arbitration to resolve their harassment complaint, and giving survivors of harassment more time to file their claim. As we celebrate the new year and all that was accomplished last year, let us resolve to renew our commitment to the #MeToo movement and the fight for safe and equitable workplaces. Mariko Yoshihara is the legislative counsel and policy director for the California Employment Lawyers Association. CELA co-sponsored three #MeToo bills signed into law in 2018: SB1300 (Jackson), SB224 (Jackson), and AB3109 (Stone). Every new year a nanny state such as California can be counted on to usher in a motley trove of new laws. The year 2019 is no exception, with Sacramento deigning to regulate such minutiae as drinking straws, scootering attire and domesticated rabbits. More substantially, the Legislatures Democratic majority and outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown agreed to rein in some of the excesses of the criminal justice system and protect more workers from abuse and exploitation. Those longing for more laissez-faire governance, meanwhile, might appreciate Sacramentos relative inaction, at least for the time being, on the states most pressing issue: housing. The most significant changes ahead will reform the criminal justice system, chief among them a forward-looking law ending cash bail as of October. The legislation rightly aims to ensure that decisions about pretrial detention are based on risk, not wealth. The potential pitfalls lie in how the courts assess defendants for release or incarceration. Other measures taking effect this year seek to rein in unnecessary use of deadly force by police, requiring law enforcement agencies to disclose recordings and investigations of police shootings and other incidents long cloaked in secrecy. California aims to reduce gun violence more broadly by tightening its already relatively strict firearms laws. The most sensible new measures prohibit those convicted of domestic violence or repeatedly hospitalized for mental illness from legally possessing guns. The workplace also got needed attention from lawmakers. The mass reckoning against endemic sexual harassment and assault yielded new prohibitions on secret settlements and liability releases. In other encouraging developments for workers, the minimum wage is set to continue rising in the new year, overtime protections will be extended to farmworkers, and breastfeeding mothers will get more accommodations. As for getting to and from work, in a rare departure from its big-government footing, the Legislature clarified that an adult may do so by electric scooter without a helmet. Motorists, meanwhile, wont be forced to declare one of two genders on their licenses under a law adding a third, non-binary category. The home, or for too many the lack thereof, was less of a legislative focus apart from a measure to help Pacific Gas and Electric Co. pay for the thousands it helped burn down in the Wine Country fires. While 2017 produced a breakthrough housing package, last year was marked mainly by the implosion of San Francisco Sen. Scott Wieners bill to legalize high-density housing near mass transit. He and others will revisit the housing shortage in the legislative session ahead, but few new measures are set to take effect this year. Legislators pet issues might have taken precedence: Starting this year, dogs, cats and rabbits sold in pet stores must be shelter or rescue animals. Speaking of canines, the well-publicized plight of a Berkeley hot dog vendor helped inspire a worthy new law protecting street food sales from law enforcement crackdowns. Restaurant dining, however, will be subject to more micromanagement: Water or milk must be served with childrens meals unless otherwise specified, and while you may celebrate the new year with your adult beverage order of choice, it must not come with a straw unless you ask for one. 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. A new year gives birth to new hopes. We asked our readers what their hopes were for the coming year, and they emailed their responses to us at opinion@sfchronicle.com. Here is a selection of their responses. to new hopes. What are yours? My hope for 2019 is that all immigrant children and their parents will be reunited, and the Trump administration, especially Trump, will be charged and convicted for crimes against humanity. Rob Franco, San Anselmo An assault-gun ban If I only get one, it is that the newly reorganized House and the Senate reinstitute the ban on assault rifles. Maureen Hanlon, Berkeley To talk, not text My fervent hope for 2019 is that all American citizens take the time to have real face-to-face conversations with each other. Too many people communicate through texting or emoji, which denies the recipient a chance to truly know the sender of such messages. If we all make listening to what others have to say a priority, and respond in a thoughtful and caring way, this country might become a less polarized and more civilized place in which to live. Happy New Year. Julian Grant, Pacifica For new leadership Any headline that begins with President Pelosi. Eileen Denny Alexander, Mill Valley For bold Congress My hope is really very simple a world without Donald Trump/Mike Pence and with a Congress that grows up and starts doing what we sent them there to do. L. Vasquez, Oakland For impeachment My New Years wish for 2019 is that Trump is impeached and Pence is given a no vote of confidence and ousted as well. One can only hope!! Melissa Lawton, Hercules For a student focus It is my sincere hope that in the new year, more empathetic ears will be open to listen to one another with the primary goal of the betterment of the education of our students. This starts with a willingness to listen and understand the challenges faced in all schools and homes. Evie Groch, El Cerrito That hope survives My hope is that hope survives these difficult days. Someone once said, Despair is the disease, and hope is the antidote. Even better was: Everything will be OK in the end, and if its not OK, its not the end. In 2019, lets hold on to hope with both hands. Ann Clark, Sonoma Attorney Larry Stein has long depended on Carroll & Co. in Beverly Hills for his wardrobe staples. But the 70-year-old store that once defined a certain kind of high-end, conservative style for politicians, professionals and celebrities is planning to close at the end of January. Stein, a partner at Latham and Watkins, pointed to his attire, from his dapper Zegna suit down to his color-coordinated wingtips, noting that everything but the tie was bought at Carroll & Co. I dont know what Im going to do, Stein, 57, said. Its very sad. Im really going to miss it. That the stalwart menswear store is selling the last of its made-to-measure suits and shirts says a lot about changes facing retailers, even in Beverly Hills Golden Triangle, as well as the value of a well-placed property. President John Carroll, son of founder Richard Carroll, said that the companys store is worth far more than any clothing he could sell. Those six or eight quality mens stores that were in Beverly Hills are now gone, said Carroll, 54, attributing the decline to online competition and rising rents. My father was smart enough to buy our building over 20 years ago, and thats one reason were closing down this store. Its become more of a real estate issue than a retail issue. Carroll & Co. was a post-World War II first for the area, said Ilse Metchek, president of the California Fashion Association. It was the first contemporary mens store in Beverly Hills, Metchek said. Before then, it wasnt really an American look to be dressed up. Before Carrolls, to be well dressed and well groomed, you either had to look like an Englishman or an Italian. Irritation was part of its genesis. Carroll said his father, a former Warner Bros. publicist, was fed up with having to drive downtown to Brooks Brothers to buy a suit. Carroll said his father was encouraged to open his own clothing store because he had always been an elegant, sartorial kind of guy. He had made a number of Hollywood contacts in his years as a publicist, and that really was the foundation for starting his clothing business. The movie industry noticed the carefully crafted and conservative style found not only in Carroll & Co.s professional clothes but also in the casual attire, Metchek said. Hollywood looked at this and said, That is our look. That is our story, Metchek said. The Cary Grants and the sweaters and the V-necks. Thats all Carroll. There was no sportswear look coming from anywhere else but his store, and everyone else copied that look. The movies were driving it. John Carroll put it this way: Anybody that you can think of who has a long history in Hollywood, one way or another, they have worn something from Carroll & Co. Fred Astaire, Clark Gable and Cary Grant were among the leading men who were outfitted at Carroll & Co., he said. Frank Sinatra sent a note about a Carroll & Co. suit. It swings, Sinatra enthused. Paul Newman quipped that his new clothes fit terrific, however I did not receive the garter belt. Walter Matthau wondered jokingly how many sweaters can I get for the Oscar he had just won for best supporting actor in 1967. On the political front, Dwight Eisenhower wrote thanking Richard Carroll for a shirt he planned to wear to Baja. Jimmy Carter wore a Carroll & Co. tie while delivering one of his State of the Union addresses. The look, Carroll said, was the result of his fathers countless trips to Europe. He went to Scotland. He went to England. He traveled to Italy, and this was in the 1950s, and that was not an easy trip back then, Carroll said. If you wanted to find material, if you wanted to find knitters, the quality people, they didnt have offices in London. You would have to go to them, he said. On other occasions, Carroll said, his father would camp out in a hotel and put out ads in publications commonly read by tailors. He would say, Richard Carroll will be in residence at this hotel, and people would come down on the train and they would show him their collections, Carroll said. Decades before mass mailings and social media, Carroll said, his father used a little trick, sending hundreds of postcards to customers in America saying he was in Europe finding the best new styles, made to fit the warm Southern California climate. Carroll & Co. also has provided clothing for decades of films and TV series, all the way up to Ray Donovan, currently on Showtime. The stores original Rodeo Drive location was credited with boosting the retail credibility of the once-sleepy street. It became a place for customers to have coffee and talk deals. Whenever Sinatra was in the store, someone made sure only Sinatra music was playing. Comedian Don Rickles liked insulting everyone in the store. Famous violinist Jascha Heifetz brought his instrument and played for a few minutes to make sure his suits wouldnt feel tight during performances. The closing announcement was kind of a shocker to most people, said Todd Johnson, chief executive of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce. Joseph Nunes, chairman of the marketing department at USCs Marshall School of Business, said the shift to online shopping has reached well beyond malls and large retail chains to expensive brands and clothing stores. There are a lot of online competitors, Nunes said. You can send in your measurements and have a shirt made for far less than what Carroll & Co. would charge. The fashion associations Metchek said that all of the established brands are having a problem, unless they have dramatically changed, like Gucci, where its now hip-hop. The legacy look is not fashionable. Carroll & Co. prices are not for everyones budget, even during a going-out-of-business sale. Shoes run from $295 for a classic loafer to $895 for a wingtip brogue. Wool and cashmere dress pants approach $400. Shirts run from $195 to $395. Sport coats run from $1,195 to $1,575. Just browsing the store is an experience. One wall displays more pants suspenders than most people have seen in a lifetime. Memorabilia is everywhere. One photo features a 7-foot-2 UCLA freshman, then named Lew Alcindor, being fitted for a suit by a tailor who was 4 feet 11. Even standing on a chair, tailor Frank Cudas head was still below future Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbars shoulders. Another shows a young John Carroll selling plastic hangers for 5 cents apiece to longtime Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. Carroll began hanging around the family store at age 11. He took over as president in 1996, the year the store moved to 425 N. Canon Drive from Rodeo Drive. Richard Carroll died in 2003 at age 80. John Carroll said he isnt getting out of the clothing business entirely; he just doesnt want to run a store. Hes considering a custom clothing operation of some kind in the future. But the decision has not been easy. Theres a lot of history, not just because its a family business, Carroll said, adding that he has known some employees and customers for 40 years. So to them and to me, Carroll said, closing is kind of like losing a family member in a lot of ways. Longtime customers such as 54-year-old Joshua Berlin feel the same way. Berlins father was a loyal Carroll & Co. customer who also bought Berlins first suit there when I was 14 or 15. So I, of course, got my sons first blazer and suit here as soon as he was big enough. Berlin added, Were obviously sad because its been a big part of our lives. Ronald D. White is a Los Angeles Times writer. 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 it had violated an earlier FTC consent decree barring it from misleading users about how their information was shared. But the enforcement official, James Kohm, took a different view. In a previously undisclosed memo in March, 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 FTC. 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 FTC, 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. Almost alone among industrialized nations, the United States has no basic consumer privacy law. The FTC serves as the countrys de facto privacy regulator, relying on more limited rules against deceptive trade practices to investigate Google, Twitter and other tech firms accused of misleading people about how their information is used. But many in Washington view the agency as a watchdog that too rarely bites. In more than 40 interviews, former and current FTC officials, lawmakers, Capitol Hill staff members, and consumer advocates said that as evidence of abuses has piled up against tech companies, the FTC has been too cautious. Now, as the Trump administration and Congress debate whether to expand the agency and its authority over privacy violations, the Facebook inquiry looms as a referendum on the FTCs future. They have been asleep at the switch, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the ranking member of the subcommittee charged with overseeing the agency. Its a lack of will even more than paucity of resources. Even if the agency does not penalize Facebook over the Cambridge incident and some former FTC officials disagree with Kohms reasoning the commission could punish the company for other offenses. Former officials say theyve been told that its inquiry has expanded to include recent security and privacy breaches as well as the Menlo Park companys secretive data-sharing deals with Amazon, Netflix and others. Facebook declined to comment on the inquiry. The agency overseen by five commissioners, three of them typically from the presidents party is habitually tight-lipped. FTC Chairman Joseph Simons declined to comment on the Kohm memo. If the FTC had reached a conclusion that there was no case, we would have announced it, Simons said in a statement. Our investigation continues and when it is finished, you can be sure that the result of that investigation will be made public. The agencys defenders said it had taken significant action against tech companies in recent years. Consumer advocacy groups, they said, sometimes want the FTC to take on cases that its relatively narrow powers will not permit. The act creating the FTC was not designed with privacy in mind, said Jessica Rich, a consumer protection expert who formerly led the FTCs consumer bureau. That theyve been able to bring hundreds of privacy and data security cases is actually quite a feat, not only given the limitations on their authority but the challenges companies have mounted, especially recently. As the federal governments main consumer protection and antitrust authority, the FTC has pursued carmakers, drug companies, illegal robocallers and bloggers who fail to disclose corporate sponsors. But it is hampered by its relatively small size about 1,100 employees, roughly a quarter the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission and broad mandate. Guarding consumer privacy online, just one part of its mission, can raise complex technical issues. The agencys enforcement arm, led by Kohm, doesnt have its own tech experts, instead borrowing them from other agency units. The job of chief technologist, an adviser to the FTC chairman, has been vacant since April. And its lawyers are outnumbered by the armies of attorneys employed by tech giants. They have considerably less staff than they had in the 1980s, and more responsibility, said Justin Brookman, a former FTC official under the Obama administration who now works at the Consumers Union. FTC officials said privacy and data security cases had gotten more attention than any others over the past decade. Still, all five commissioners agreed at the November Senate hearing that the agency needs more money and greater regulatory authority to keep up with big tech. Critics said a greater problem is cultural. The FTC is haunted, for example, by a clash with Congress in the 1980s over an attempt by the agency to ban television ads for junk food directed at children, known as KidVid. Lawmakers pulled funding and severely weakened the FTCs power to issue new regulations. Even today, in just about every meeting I have at the FTC, staff mention KidVid, said Josh Golin, executive director of Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, which has filed complaints against YouTube and Facebook. Fears that Congress could again cripple the FTC have made some career lawyers reluctant to take on politically sensitive cases, according to current and former employees, speaking about their experiences during the Trump and Obama administrations. They think of themselves as deal-makers, not cops, said Matt Stoller, policy director at the Open Markets Institute, who has called for big tech platforms to be broken up and regulated. They have an institutional culture of deference. That has hobbled the agencys approach to tech giants, leading to inadequate responses to privacy violations or efforts to squeeze out emerging competitors, according to Gene Kimmelman, a former senior antitrust official at the Justice Department and president of the consumer group Public Knowledge. The FTC needs legislation to allow it to set new rules for the era of big tech, he argued. In 2013, for example, FTC commissioners overruled a staff recommendation to sue Google for abusing its dominance in search to harm rivals. Three years later, when Google began merging data collected by several of its services, including Gmail and the ad technology platform DoubleClick, consumer groups filed a complaint with the FTC calling the practice highly deceptive. The agency took no public action. Nor did the FTC penalize Facebook after it began acquiring phone numbers and other data from users of its WhatsApp subsidiary, breaking promises it had made when it acquired the messaging service. By contrast, the European Unions antitrust chief fined Facebook $122 million last year for making misleading statements about the WhatsApp acquisition. (The social network said it had notified users of the change with new terms of service and had allowed them to opt out of aspects of how Facebook used the data.) The FTC has defended its record on privacy, pointing for instance to a $22.5 million fine imposed on Google in 2012, for bypassing privacy settings in Apples Safari browser in violation of a consent agreement. The fine was the largest civil penalty in the agencys history. Former officials say the agency struggles to enforce privacy within its traditional definition of deceptive or abusive business practices. Ashkan Soltani, who was the FTCs chief technologist from 2014-15, said he raised concerns about a location-tracking company, Nomi Technologies, that collected data on people without their explicit consent. He recalled resistance from Republican commissioners and from some staff members who didnt see a clear consumer harm, since Nomis data could not identify specific individuals. Soltani argued that the FTC needed to get ahead of a technology that would soon become highly intrusive. (He eventually persuaded the agency to investigate, and in 2015 the FTC approved a settlement with Nomi.) Today, dozens of companies gather, use or sell location information so precise that it can pinpoint a phone within a few yards. The data is so detailed that it can often be linked to a specific person and frequently harvested without clear consent. President Trumps arrival in Washington kicked off a period of uncertainty at the FTC. For 16 months, three of five seats remained vacant on the commission, which was initially led by acting Chairwoman Maureen Ohlhausen, an advocate of regulatory humility. Ohlhausens staff told enforcement officials to slow down on cases, so the White House would not view her as anti-business, according to a former senior official. That official and others interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe conversations that were private or involved nonpublic FTC investigations. In an interview, Ohlhausen denied ordering a slowdown and cited privacy actions she had brought against PayPal and Lenovo. But she acknowledged having argued against going after what she regarded as small cases, like Nomi. With limited resources, she said, the FTC should pursue cases where the evidence of actual or likely consumer harms is strongest. But that standard is difficult to apply against companies like Facebook and Google, whose services are free, and where it is challenging to prove that privacy lapses cause direct financial or emotional harm. Two former staffers said Kohm, who has led the enforcement division for more than a decade, had expressed skepticism about proving harm in cases against tech companies. In recent months, FTC employees meeting with Kohm asked how he viewed news reports that big tech firms had tracked users locations without clearly disclosing the practice. Kohm, whose division prosecutes boiler rooms, advertising scams, and other financial fraud schemes, responded that the tech companies were legitimate businesses offering free services, and it was unclear how they had harmed consumers, recalled one person in the meeting. Kohm declined to comment for this article. Cathy MacFarlane, an FTC spokeswoman, denied in a statement that he placed a lower priority on privacy cases, saying Kohm has dedicated his career to enforcing the orders the commission obtains, not setting his own agenda. Nicholas Confessore and Cecilia Kang are New York Times writers. A 27-year-old transient arrested in a Christmastime stabbing spree that left a woman dead and another critically injured in San Francisco chose his victims at random and attacked them with no warning, officials said Monday. Michael Jacobs was arrested on Christmas Day and later charged with murder and attempted murder for the attacks described by prosecutors as heinous and brutal. The violence came amid a relatively peaceful year in San Francisco, which had 46 homicides as of Dec. 31, among the fewest ever in the city, and down from 2017 when there were 56 slayings. Jacobs was due in San Francisco Superior Court on Monday for arraignment on the murder charge, but the hearing was postponed. He has not been assigned an attorney. Jacobs committed two brutal knife attacks on two different unsuspecting victims in the span of two days, Assistant District Attorney Michael Swart wrote in a motion to hold the defendant without bail. If (Jacobs) were to be released ... there is no question public safety would be in jeopardy and he would kill again. The bloodshed began around 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve when Jacobs approached 64-year-old Christine Moyer, who was oblivious to what was going to occur to her as she walked on the 400 block of Jessie Street between Sixth and Mint streets, Swart said. Jacobs stabbed Moyer and fled, leaving her to die at the scene, prosecutors said. Then shortly after midnight on Dec. 25, Jacobs approached a 46-year-old woman sleeping in a chair on Third Street near Market, three blocks away from the earlier killing, officials said. Witnesses spotted Jacobs standing over the unnamed woman before a violent tussle ensued, prompting the victim to repeatedly shout Leave me alone! and Get off of me! prosecutors said. The victim then kicked the man in the knee and fell out of her chair, saying What did you do, stab me? He stabbed me. 911. 911. Swart wrote. The suspect fled the scene but police soon spotted Jacobs, who matched the assailants description, and detained him, officials said. Jacobs had blood on his clothes and shoes, and police said they later found a bloody knife in his front shirt pocket. The 46-year-old victim was in critical condition but was stable while being treated at San Francisco General Hospital with stab wounds to her shoulder, hands and neck. When police attempted to interview Jacobs, prosecutors said he stated he was not guilty before he placed both his index fingers inside his ears. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky His mornings start a similar way. He wakes up in his bedroom in Concord and says hello to his husband of a decade. He boots up his computer, puts on his glasses, and gets to work by reading almost every word on SFGATE. For the last five years, John Geraghty has been one of the top commenters on SFGATE's message boards. He checks the site several times a day; it's the first website he visits in the morning and the one he reads when he can't sleep. In the last month alone, he was the most active commenter on the site, doling out nearly 2,000 likes and dislikes and engaging in 200 conversation threads. The 68-year-old says he often converts the website's articles into PDFs and loads them into the computer program Adobe Acrobat, where he can highlight parts that strike him without having to kill any trees. Not all of this website's top commenters are local at one point, one of our most prolific news commentators lived 1,500 miles away from San Francisco but Geraghty is. The Bay Area holds a special place in his mind. He first came to the Bay Area on a business trip in the 1970s. He picked up the San Francisco Chronicle every day; his fingers immediately found their way to Herb Caen's iconic column. When Geraghty moved back to Chicago, he begged his friend, who lived in the Bay Area, to mail him clippings of Caen's columns weekly. In 1995, Geraghty did what he'd vowed to do move back to San Francisco. He was moving forward after experiencing an epiphany about his sexuality and his politics. At the time, he was married to a woman he'd been with for more than a decade and with whom he'd had two children. Then, he came out. "My wife left, it was all my fault," he said. "It was a terrible thing, but I just had to move on. I got into therapy and I became a therapist for years. That really changed my way of thinking." In the SFGATE comments, Geraghty has become somewhat of a vigilante, a measured-but-opinionated avatar who defends civil rights and issues of identity against the ever-growing sea of hateful language. The site receives thousands of comments of every single day, many of which are flagged as inappropriate or abusive. Anonymous commenters have long been an integral part of SFGATE's ecosystem. This also means the comment boards can get particularly nasty. Over the last few weeks alone, more than 8,500 comments have been flagged for abuse. Many of our reporters are threatened by name. Commenters get into vicious online arguments with threads that nearly run off the page. SFGATE moderators block users who engage in abusive language or misconduct at the rate that they can. But many of them come back with new usernames. The fabric of anonymity breeds a vociferous kind of energy in the comments, and Geraghty has decided to encounter it daily for more than five years. But he's been around it long enough to have become somewhat of an expert. There is a certain taxonomy to SFGATE's comments section, he said, and he sorts the typical commentator into one of three categories. The first class are those he dismisses out of hand. "Those are the ones who will echo Trump's lies," he said. "I just try to ignore them, and they attack me many times, and that's fine. I've told several of them, I would put my education and IQ up against you, any day." The second class, he said, are those who truly feel that they are very conservative, and they want to preserve that way of life. "There are not a lot of centrist, conservative people left," he said. "Those are the ones I listen to; I'll heartily disagree, but they have a valid point of view." And the third? They're like him. Progressives, liberals, perhaps some even lapsed conservatives. Geraghty said he'd voted Republican a few times in his life but embracing his sexuality profoundly changed his ideology. He met his now-husband via Craigslist, and adopted a Mexican adult son when he lived in Guadalajara. The last two years especially, he said, have pushed him to be even more active on SFGATE. "I just find the national political state so frightening and so harmful to the country and to our relations around that world," he said. "Any chance I get to dispel the rumors that try to say that what we're going through is good and having Border Patrol agents snatch babies outside of their mothers' arms is OK I just can't tolerate that." In the recesses of the SFGATE comments, Geraghty is a known figure. He's never met any of his friends and foes of the forum in real life, but he recognizes their screen names. "I do send personal comments from time to time, when I find them to be particularly poignant," Geraghty said. "One guy had a comment last Christmas was so apropos, so funny. "I recently sent him another comment saying, 'I still remember that comment and it makes me smile.'" Read Annie Vainshtein's latest stories here. Email her at avainshtein@sfchronicle.com. Twittter:@annievain SFist is ... back? After former owner and billionaire Joe Ricketts abruptly shuttered the site along with other Gothamist and DNAinfo sites in November 2017, it appears that the local San Francisco news outlet might be preparing for a relaunch. SFist halted operations more than a year ago, just a week after staffers at Gothamist (SFist's parent publication) and DNAinfo voted to unionize. It was a closure that left SFist's homepage a static archive of its posts dating back to 2014. But that wasn't the end of the story. In February, WNYC in New York (with KPCC in Southern California and WAMU in Washington D.C.) acquired Gothamist and DNAinfo, as well as the archives of the other sites, including SFist. Since then, the radio stations have been seeking buyers for the other properties. RELATED: Local news site SFist abruptly shuts down Then on Friday, the official SFist Twitter account posted an update, more than a year after its last tweet. The post featured no text, but rather a photograph of a mock newspaper with the headline "SFist.com returns." The accompanying article doesn't offer further details of the revival the headline suggests, but states that, "SFist is back and more committed than ever..." It's not clear who purchased SFist. The site went live on Monday with a new layout, though it has not been updated with new articles. RELATED: SFist orphaned by public radio deal to buy Gothamist SFist's former editor Eve Batey is not involved with any purchase, but told SFGATE on Monday that she's "happy to hear [WNYC] found a buyer for SFist." If SFist is relaunched, it will join Gothamist (covering New York), LAist and DCist as an active site formerly under the Gothamist brand. Another site formerly owned by Ricketts, Chicagoist, was purchased by Chance the Rapper in July, as he formally announced in the song "I Might Need Security." That site has not yet been relaunched. SFGATE has reached out to its new ownership for details. Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. A disputed congressional seat in North Carolina could remain vacant for months after incoming Democratic House leaders in Washington declared that they would not seat the apparent Republican winner because of unresolved allegations of election fraud in the race. Even before Democrats made that fresh pledge, the chaotic fight for the Ninth Districts House seat had already plunged deeper into turmoil: North Carolinas state elections board dissolved at noon Friday under a court order, two weeks before it was to hold a public hearing to consider evidence of the fraud allegations. The political drama comes more than seven weeks after Mark Harris, the Republican nominee for Congress in the Ninth District, appeared to defeat Dan McCready, the Democratic candidate, by 905 votes. But Harris apparent victory was soon overshadowed by allegations that a contractor for his campaign engaged in illegal activity to compromise the election. According to witnesses and affidavits, the contractor, McCrae Dowless, and people working for him collected absentee ballots in violation of state law. The accusations led the state Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement to refuse to certify Harris as the winner and to open an investigation that has so far involved more than 100 interviews and at least 182,000 pages of records. It also gave Democrats a powerful argument to keep Harris out of office under the Houses constitutional authority to be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members. Democrats had been signaling such a plan for weeks. The state board issued a new round of subpoenas in the hours before its dissolution. And in a letter Friday, Joshua Malcolm, the Democrat who was chairman of the elections board, complained that Harris campaign had not been sufficiently responsive to a subpoena that was served weeks ago. Malcolm said investigators had received 398 pages of campaign records and believed there were about 140,000 other documents that could be of value to investigators. David Freedman, Harris lawyer, said the campaign had cooperated fully with the investigation. Alan Blinder and Nicholas Fandos are New York Times writers. NEW YORK Its an Auld Lang Syne of the times: For the first time, a police drone will be keeping watch over the New Years Eve celebration in New Yorks Times Square. The unmanned eye-in-the-sky is the latest wrinkle in the New York City Police Departments ever-evolving plan to keep revelers and Rockin Eve host Ryan Seacrest safe. About 7,000 police officers will be on duty for Monday nights festivities in Times Square, including counterterrorism teams 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. Its the first time the NYPD is sending up a drone for a big event. Thats 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 ONeill said there are no known, credible threats to the city or the New Years Eve event. He encouraged spectators to remain vigilant and to alert officers if they suspect something is awry. Theres 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 its impossible to cram that many people into the area, a bow-tie-shaped zone running five blocks between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, and that the real total is probably fewer than 100,000. No matter how many people actually show up, theyll 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 wont be any popping Champagne at midnight. The NYPD says alcohol is strictly prohibited. The NYPDs drone adds to a vast array of visual surveillance that includes more than 1,200 fixed cameras and feeds from police helicopters circling above. Michael R. Sisak is an Associated Press writer. RICHMOND, Va. To get elected as a district attorney, sounding tough on crime used to be the most effective campaign strategy. But in recent years, district attorneys have been winning elections by sounding big on reform. Next month, at least eight new reform-minded prosecutors will take office in cities around the country after winning their local elections by promising to be more compassionate toward drug addicts and more evenhanded in the treatment of minorities. Some won their races against long odds and deeply entrenched tough-on-crime attitudes. In Chesterfield County, Va., Democratic defense attorney Scott Miles promised to eliminate cash bonds for nonviolent offenders, and he won a traditionally conservative district held by a Republican for 30 years. In Massachusetts, lawyer Rachael Rollins pledged to stop prosecuting a list of more than a dozen nonviolent crimes, and she became the first African American woman to win the district attorneys office in Suffolk County, a district that includes Boston. And in Dallas County, Texas, former Judge John Creuzot won after promising to reduce incarceration rates by 15 to 20 percent and to treat drug crimes as a public health issue. Justice is HEART work was part of his campaign slogan. For decades, that kind of mantra by someone running for district attorney would have been seen as soft on crime and a turnoff for many voters. But a shift began in some communities several years ago when candidates began tapping into public frustration over high incarceration rates, disparate treatment of minorities and the decades-old war on drugs. In some ways, theres just been a gap in accountability between what elected prosecutors have been doing and what the electorate wants, said Taylor Pendergrass, senior strategist for the American Civil Liberties Unions Campaign for Smart Justice. Wesley Bell, a city councilor in Ferguson, Mo., won a seat as prosecuting attorney of St. Louis County after he promised to eliminate cash bail for nonviolent offenders and to increase the use of programs that allow defendants to avoid jail time by paying restitution, doing community service, or completing a treatment program. Bell, the first African American elected to the position, defeated fellow Democrat Robert McCulloch, who held the seat for 28 years, but angered some voters for his handling of a grand jury investigation into the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. The grand jury did not bring charges against the police officer who shot Brown, prompting riots in Ferguson in 2014. Denise Lavoie is an Associated Press writer. The cabinet committee tasked with reviewing requests to legalize unlicensed churches has approved the legalization of 80 churches and attached buildings. In a statement issued on Monday, Egyptian cabinet spokesman Nader Saad said the committee charged with reviewing and legalising unlicensed churches made its decision following an review of requests filed by congregations to regulate their churches statuses. The churches will be legalised on condition that they meet construction safety requirements and fulfil the state's rights in regard to churches built on state-owned land. The decision brings the number of legalised Christian houses of worship since the committee was established in 2017 to 588. In 2016, the government passed a law easing regulations and shortening time-length of obtaining licences for church construction and renovation. Egypt's Christians make up an estimated 10- 15 percent of the country's 104 million population. Search Keywords: Short link: Two fugitives were arrested in San Francisco on Sunday after one recklessly drove a stolen Toyota Corolla through the Tenderloin district and plowed into a pedestrian, a fire hydrant and a crosswalk pole, police said. The crash at approximately 3:30 p.m. sent a man in his late 40s to a hospital with minor injuries, police said, and tied up traffic for hours in the area surrounding Turk and Jones streets as water from the hydrant shot into the air and the traffic light went out. A suspect was arrested Sunday morning in connection with a stabbing in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, police said. Officers responded to the stabbing at 11:10 a.m. and provided aid to the victim, who was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition. The suspect was arrested after attempting to flee the area, police said. The incident briefly closed O'Farrell Street between Brown and Taylor. Oakland Fire Department crews quickly controlled a house fire in the 3900 block of Altamont Avenue Sunday night, a department official said. The fire, in the Millsmont neighborhood of East Oakland just west of Interstate Highway 580, was reported at 8:18 p.m. Oakland fire Battalion Chief Dino Torres said 22 firefighters responded and took about 25 minutes to put out the fire, which caused major damage to a rear bedroom and hallway, and minor damage to a front bedroom. No one was hurt in the blaze, Torres said, and its cause remains under investigation. A motorist was taken to the hospital Sunday morning after the driver's car crashed through a guardrail and went off State Highway 4 near Pacheco in unincorporated Contra Costa County, the California Highway Patrol said. The driver was injured in the solo-vehicle accident that was reported shortly after 9 a.m. near the Interstate Highway 680 interchange, the CHP said. All lanes reopened soon afterward. The car, which was headed west, landed on its roof adjacent to Grayson Creek beneath Highway 4, according to the CHP. A man and his dog were rescued Sunday by San Francisco Fire Department and San Francisco International Airport personnel, after getting stuck in waist-deep mud and water in San Francisco Bay near the airport, fire officials said on social media. Fire officials used an airboat - with a large fan on the back, ideal for shallow-water applications - to reach the man, who was stuck near the end of North Access Road near the airport, according to SFFD social media. The man's small dog was tracked from that spot and found a short time later. No one was injured. It wasn't immediately known how the man got stuck, or why he was there. Santa Clara County's Office of Supportive Housing is expanding the number of beds, and the number of hours, in response to forecast cold overnight temperatures early this coming week. Expanded shelter service started Friday night, and will run through Wednesday morning, according to an OSH news release. Sunday night is the first night the warming centers are open. For a list of shelter locations and warming centers with expanded times and services, go to https://www.sccgov.org/sites/oes/residents/Documents/inclement-warming-centers-shelters.pdf Up to 150 additional beds will be available For more information on shelter locations and warming centers around Santa Clara County, visit the County of Santa Clara Office of Supportive Housing at https://www.sccgov.org/sites/osh/NeedAssistance/warmingcenters/Pages/home.aspx There are telephone hotlines to help people who want to take advantage of shelter services do so. These include: * Call 2-1-1 for health and human services in Santa Clara County. * Homeless Helpline: Call the County Office of Supportive Housing at (408) 793-0550 to ask for assistance or report a homeless person in need in Santa Clara County (excluding San Jose); *HomeFirst Homeless Helpline: Call (408) 510-7600 or e-mail the HomeFirst Helpline at Outreach@homefirstscc.org. HomeFirst's Outreach team provides access to emergency shelter, showers, laundry, meals, medical services, case management, employment training, and more. Homeless individuals can register to receive text messages about services as follows: * Address a text message to: 888777 * Type BADWEATHER in the message * Send 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. 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. Nine people were displaced by a house fire in Martinez early this morning that was ignited by hot ashes that were placed in a plastic garbage container, according to the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. Five engines and two trucks responded at 4:22 a.m. to the fire in the 2300 block of Banbury Loop, fire Capt. Tracie Dutter said. The displaced residents consisted of two permanent residents and seven family members, Dutter said. They declined assistance from the Red Cross. The fire occurred when residents placed hot ashes into a plastic container near a gas meter, resulting in a high-pressure gas leak when the ashes melted through the container and meter. The fire district reminds residents that hot ashes should only be placed in metal containers. 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. 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. 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. 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. An abandoned three-story building that caught fire in Oakland this morning was also the site of a blaze Nov. 21, according to the Oakland Fire Department. Today's one-alarm fire in the 1500 block of Webster Street was reported at 10:03 a.m. and brought under control about 30 minutes later. No one was injured, and the cause of the fire is under investigation, said battalion chief Zoraida Diaz. The fire on Nov. 21 occurred when homeless people were trying to keep warm, Diaz said. The building was unoccupied today, she said. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A suspect was arrested Sunday morning in connection with a stabbing in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, police said. Officers responded to the stabbing at 11:10 a.m. and provided aid to the victim, who was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition. The suspect was arrested after attempting to flee the area, police said. The incident briefly closed O'Farrell Street between Brown and Taylor. No further information was immediately available. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Solana Beach will see improvements to basic city services, city infrastructure, traffic and parks in the new year, Mayor David Zito said in a recent interview. Zito, who was selected to serve as mayor in December after being appointed to the position earlier in the year, considered 2018 a "fairly busy year." Mayor David Zito Courtesy "There were a lot of things that happened that were just really fun and good, such as being able to kick off the construction of the skatepark, which was a really significant event, he said. The city also released a mobile app and implemented its Community Choice Energy program. It also took up resolutions in support of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and against gun shows at the nearby Del Mar Fairgrounds. The council also approved the Solana 101 mixed-use project and the Solana Highlands redevelopment project, which each had a significant amount of discussion and community involvement. In June, the city opted to move to district elections with four districts and an at-large mayor. The city embarked on its transition to district elections in April, after receiving a letter from a Malibu attorney, who threatened a lawsuit under the California Voting Rights Act. Currently, all five council members are elected on an at-large basis by the entire city electorate. The letter by attorney Kevin Shenkman alleged that the city's at-large system of electing council members discourages Latino candidates and dilutes Latino votes. The first district election will take place in 2020. Looking ahead to 2019, Zito said Solana Beach has a number of tasks that are outlined in the city's work plan, which can be viewed on the citys website. The city looks to improve its infrastructure, including the pump station, and replace or improve the existing marine safety center. "That's one bit of infrastructure that's in pretty dire need of updating," Zito said. The city will also roll out more of its Climate Action Plan, including expanding LED retrofitting of lights and looking at better management of plastic use in the city. It also hopes to finish a local implementation plan for its local coastal plan and submit that document to the California Coastal Commission. Zito said a number of improvements will also be made at city parks, including La Colonia and Fletcher Cove. The city is also considering installing a pocket park toward the end of Santa Helena. Solana Beach will also explore uses for a recently acquired property on Stevens Avenue, adjacent to La Colonia Park. "We acquired the property but we didn't have any concrete plans for it," he explained. "We'll have to get community input on what should be done with that property and start creating plans." Traffic will also be addressed in 2019, the mayor said, adding that the city will look at improving flows and addressing speeds. Additionally, Zito expects the city to complete the design of the Lomas Santa Fe Corridor this year. Solana Beach will also begin work on its next housing element plan update, which is due in 2020 and spells out how a city proposes to rework its zoning to accommodate future housing, particularly for those of low and very-low incomes. Additionally, Zito said the city will continue opposing the proposed Del Mar Resort project which Solana Beach residents have contested would block their views and add traffic, among other worries and figure out a plan for the train station site, which is owned by the North County Transit District. The challenge with that project is funding for 500 underground parking spaces, Zito noted. Newly appointed Del Mar Mayor Dave Druker believes 2019 will be a year of long-awaited decisions and city projects. One of his biggest personal goals, he said, is having the city embrace technology and the resources it can provide. Mayor Dave Druker Courtesy "Del Mar is full of people that are at the leading edge of technology," said Druker, who first served on the council from 1996 to 2008 before returning to the dais in 2016. "The city has done a good job. I just think we need to take it up a couple notches and become much more technologically aware of what other cities are doing, not only for communications but for internal workings and how the people inside the city work, how we conduct meetings and all sorts of things we can do. We need to be reflective of the fact that Del Mar is sitting in the middle of this technology hub, San Diego." But challenges also await the city in 2019. The council expects to hear more about the proposed Del Mar Resort and the developer's revised plans. As currently proposed, the Del Mar Resort would rezone 16.5 acres of land at Camino del Mar and Border Avenue in Del Mar and place 251 hotel rooms, retail shops, restaurants, event space, 76 residential units and 15 affordable rental units on the property. Currently, the bluff slope and canyon overlay zone allows for two-story estates between 14- and 26-feet tall, depending on findings by the citys Design Review Board, according to Matt Bator, Del Mar City Planner. About one-third of the property is vacant and undeveloped. If approved as currently drafted, the land would be rezoned to accommodate buildings 46 feet in height. Zephyr, the projects developer, said it expects to return to the city early in the year with plan revisions to address residents concerns, including blocked views, increased traffic and parking. Ideally, Druker wants to see the voters decide the fate of the five-star resort, but sending the project to the ballot would be up to the entire city council. "We need to respect what the developers will want to put forward and see," the mayor said. "We're going to have a whole lot of public input on that, and it's very important that that happens. That's the way Del Mar works." Druker said Del Mar should also hear more about the proposed Watermark Del Mar, a 38-unit project on a 2.3-acre vacant lot south of the fairgrounds. The city also expects to receive a decision about its lawsuit against the California Coastal Commission regarding short-term rentals in the city. The council decided in 2017 to propose an ordinance that would allow residential property owners to rent their homes to visitors for a minimum of seven days at a time for up to 28 days a year. However, the coastal commission declined to sign off on the ordinance, proposing instead a minimum of three days a week for up to 100 days. "If we win that lawsuit, then we will have total rights as to what we can make in terms of short-term rental regulations," Druker said. "If we lose that, then we're going to have to figure out how to work with the coastal commission and figure out what's best for us and how to get that through the coastal commission." Del Mar also expects to hear back from the coastal commission on the city's opposition to managed retreat as part of its Local Coastal Plan (LCP). Managed retreat became a hot-button issue this spring as the city wrapped up work on its sea level rise adaptation plan, which was in the works for three years. The concept calls for removing man-made structures such as homes and sea walls in the face of a rising ocean. Instead, the city's plan calls for a number of measures such as beach sand replenishment, dredging the mouth of the San Dieguito River and building river levees to protect the shoreline from flood damage. Druker said he is hopeful the state agency will accept its LCP amendments without managed retreat. "The hope is that it'll sail through and everybody will be happy," Druker said. "If not, then we're going to have to figure out where we go back in terms of the drawing board." Additionally, he'd like to see the council adopt a policy rejecting managed retreat in perpetuity. The mayor also expects the city to begin work on undergrounding utilities. "I think we'll have a plan in place so we can go back to the citizens with a timeline of when we plan to have all the utilities underground," he said. "That will be a little bit of controversy in terms of what we do with those people that have already undergrounded. That will be a huge change." The council is also expected to look at renewing City Manager Scott Huth's contract in August. While Druker said he's excited to serve as the mayor, he wont approach the job any differently than he did as a city council member. CAIRO Sudanese police on Monday used tear gas to disperse thousands of protesters shortly after they began to march toward the presidential palace in Khartoum to demand that President Omar al-Bashir step down, according to activists and video postings. Some activists said police used live ammunition. Video clips posted online showed pools of blood outside a small restaurant in the city center. Another showed protesters carrying a man whose head and shirt were bloodied. Scores of demonstrators ran away amid the sounds of gunfire and screaming. A female protesters voice is heard urging others, dont run, as those around her violently cough from the tear gas. I am going to die, says another woman, apparently overwhelmed by the gas. Activists said scores of protesters were detained and at least four suffered gunshot wounds. The demonstrations were the latest in a series of protests over nearly two weeks in which thousands have taken to the streets in Khartoum and other cities. An umbrella of independent professional unions called for the march to the palace after a similar march last Tuesday. Protesters gathered in several locations in Khartoum and its suburbs, scattering when police fired tear gas and then regrouping. Hundreds of security forces were deployed in Khartoum ahead of the protests, with some of them forming a security ring around the presidential palace. Snipers in civilian clothes could be seen on rooftops in central Khartoum. Before the clashes erupted, the demonstrators in central Khartoum sang the national anthem. They chanted Peaceful! and Oh, Sudan, we sacrifice our lives and blood for you. They also chanted, The people want to bring down the regime, which was the main slogan of the Arab Spring revolts of 2011. Earlier Monday, Human Rights Watch urged al-Bashirs government to instruct security forces not to use lethal force against protesters, citing independent groups as saying 40 people have been killed since the protests erupted nearly two weeks ago. The group said Sudanese forces have been using tear gas and live ammunition against protesters, as well as beating and arresting many. Last week, the United States, Britain, Norway and Canada said in a joint statement that they have reliable reports that Sudans security forces were using live fire. Al-Bashir, an autocratic leader who came to power in a 1989 military coup, vowed in a meeting with police commanders Sunday that he would not tolerate any attempt to undermine stability and security. Hamza Hendawi is an Associated Press writer. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have expanded their real estate empire to the Sunshine State. The couple have just bought an exclusive Miami Beach condo, the New York Post reported. The pricey pad was snagged for around $14 million, although the list price for the place was $15.5 million. The deal is set to close in January and reflects some stellar negotiation skills on the part of the A-list couple. However, this savvy duo have done more than their fair share of real estate dealsso it's no shocker they were able to snag a discount. The turnkey apartment contains four bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms, with a total of 6,246 square feet of living space, including the balcony. Living room that opens out to wraparound balcony realtor.com Dining area realtor.com Sleek white kitchen includes an adjoining breakfast nook. realtor.com Master suite with sitting area and balcony access realtor.com Expanded closet. Big enough to hold the couple's duds? realtor.com The high-end finishes include a sleek white kitchen tricked out with Miele appliances and Venetian terrazzo flooring, with an adjacent breakfast nook. The spacious master suite boasts an expanded master closet, which should please the fashion-forward pair. The pricey unit is located in an exclusive beachfront building dubbed the billionaire beach bunker. Faena House is a 47-unit luxury oceanfront property developed by Alan Faena, and was designed by architects Foster + Partners. Each condo comes with wraparound decks and floor-to-ceiling windows. Building amenities include 24-hour door attendants, a concierge, security surveillance, underground parking, a private gym, attended beach club, and a pool and spa. Along with its beachfront location, the centrally located high-rise is also close to the Bal Harbour Shops, South Beach, and 20 minutes from downtown Miami. The couple have had long-standing ties with the area. Kardashian shot three seasons of the show Kourtney and Kim Take Miami, from 2009-2013. West was spotted at the global art fair Art Basel/Miami. Should you desire to become neighbors with the celebrity couple, we're saying there's a chanceif you have the dough. A higher-floor four bedroom unit is on the market for $16.5 million. There's a cozy two-bedroom, 2.5 bath, which can be had for $6.35 million. Or you could opt for a similar two-bed, 2.5 bath for $6.75 million, available on a higher floor. If youre not ready to make a large investment but want to try and keep up with the Kardashians, you could consider a rental. A three-bedroom unit in the building is available for lease for $35,000 a month and a two-bedroom on a higher floor is available for the same monthly fee. No matter what the price, all the units come with similar high-end finishes, such as white oak and terrazzo flooring, indoor-outdoor space, and a home automated system complete with wall touch keypads to control lights, thermostat, and shades. Of course, when Kim and Kanye arent in Miami, they have a sprawling compound in Hidden Hills, CA. The couple made headlines recently when West paid private firefighters to save their home from the nearby wildfires, a step that was credited with sparing the neighborhood as well. The post Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Reportedly Buy Miami Beach Condo appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Sorry, Rin Tin Tin. Your German shepherd features are no longer what the Transportation Security Administration is looking for in an airport screening dog. Specifically, it's your ears. They're too pointy. "We've made a conscious effort in TSA ... to use floppy ear dogs," TSA Administrator David Pekoske told the Washington Examiner during a recent tour of operations at Washington Dulles International Airport northern Virginia. "We find the passenger acceptance of floppy ear dogs is just better. It presents just a little bit less of a concern," Pekoske said. "Doesn't scare children." The Examiner reported that in the last year, 80 percent of dogs purchased by TSA from vendors were the following sporting, or hunting, breeds: Labrador retrievers, German short-haired pointers, wirehaired pointers, Vizslas and golden retrievers. All have droopy ears. That doesn't mean TSA rejects all pointy-eared dogs. The agency does use the working breed German shepherd and the similar Belgian Malinois, both of which have cone-shaped ears. If a dog scores high on health, odor detection, socialization and disposition, it can still get a job. MORE: Seriously, you tried to get that past TSA? But the dogs that screen passengers one third of TSA's 1,200 canines are more likely to have floppy ears, which are deemed less intimidating. Jobs that require less interaction with the travelers, such as baggage bomb detection, can still fall to German shepherds, but the overall trend is definitely downward for the "police dog" breed at airports. Breeders are increasing favoring "sporting" types of dogs rather than herders or other working canines. TAIZ, Yemen Day after day Nabil al-Hakimi, a humanitarian official in Taiz, one of Yemens largest cities, went to work feeling he had a mountain on his shoulders. Billions of dollars in food and other foreign aid was coming into his war-ravaged homeland, but millions of Yemenis were still living a step away from famine. Reports of disarray and thievery streamed in to him from around Taiz 5,000 sacks of rice doled out without record of where theyd gone, 705 food baskets looted from a welfare agencys warehouses, 110 sacks of grain pillaged from trucks trying to make their way through the craggy northern highlands overlooking the city. Food donations were being stolen from the starving. Documents reviewed by the Associated Press and interviews with al-Hakimi and other officials and aid workers show that thousands of families in Taiz are not getting food aid intended for them often because it has been seized by armed units that are allied with the Saudi-led, American-backed military coalition fighting in Yemen. The army that should protect the aid is looting the aid, al-Hakimi said. Across Yemen, factions and militias on all sides of the conflict have blocked food aid from going to groups suspected of disloyalty, diverted it to front-line combat units or sold it for profit on the black market, according to public records and confidential documents obtained by the AP and interviews with more than 70 aid workers, government officials and average citizens from six different provinces. The problem of stolen aid is common in Taiz and other areas controlled by Yemens internationally recognized government, which is backed by the Saudi-led military coalition. It is even more widespread in territories controlled by the Houthi rebels, the struggling governments main enemy during the nearly four years of warfare that has spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Some observers have attributed the near-famine conditions in much of the country to the coalitions blockade of ports that supply Houthi-controlled areas. APs investigation found that large amounts of food are making it into the country, but once there, the food often isnt getting to people who need it most. After the release of the APs investigation Monday, the United Nations World Food Program for the first time directly accused the Houthi rebels of diverting aid. WFP director David Beasley said in a letter to the Houthis leader that if the rebels did not investigate and put an end to theft, the organization would suspend some assistance, potentially effecting nearly 3 million people. The U.N.s Food Program has 5,000 distribution sites across the country targeting 10 million people a month with food baskets but says it can monitor just 20 percent of the deliveries. In 2018, the United Nations, the United States, Saudi Arabia and others have poured more than $4 billion in food, shelter, medical and other aid into Yemen. That figure has been growing and is expected to keep climbing in 2019. A recent analysis by a coalition of global relief groups found that even with the food aid that is coming in, 15.9 million of Yemens 29 million people arent getting enough to eat. Officials with the Houthi government did not return repeated phone calls. Officials with the coalition-backed government didnt provide answers to questions about the theft of food aid. Geert Cappelaere, Middle East director for UNICEF, the United Nations emergency fund for children, said authorities on all sides of the conflict are impeding aid groups from doing their work and increasing the risk that the country will descend into widespread famine. Maggie Michael is an Associated Press writer. DAMASCUS, Syria Syrian President Bashar Assad authorized Iraqi forces to attack the Islamic State group inside Syria without waiting for permission from authorities in Damascus, state news agency SANA reported, as the two allies coordinate their fight against extremists ahead of a planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria. The announcement Sunday highlights the close relations between the two neighboring Arab countries that are both allied with Iran. Islamic State once controlled large parts of both countries when it declared a caliphate in 2014. Iraqi warplanes and artillery have in the past pounded militant 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. Assad received a letter Saturday from Iraqs Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi calling for both countries coordination in fighting terrorism. President Trump announced earlier this month that the U.S. will withdraw all of its 2,000 forces in Syria. The main U.S.-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has expressed concerns that the U.S. plans to pull out could lead to the revival of Islamic State saying that the extremists have not been defeated yet in Syria. After meeting Sunday with Trump in Washington, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said the president has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Syria. I think were in a pause situation, Graham said. I think were slowing things down in a smart way. The senator said Trump is very aware of the plight of the Kurds. He said its possible for the U.S. 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 U.S. military playing a role in all three countries for a while to come. I want to fight the war in the enemys backyard, not ours, Graham said. In Tehran, Iran and Syria signed a long-term strategic and economic agreement Sunday as the war winds down in Syria where Iran and Russia were the main backers of Assads government since the crisis began nearly eight years ago. Albert Aji is an Associated Press writer. KINSHASA, Congo As Congos election reached closing time for polling stations Sunday, at least one voting center was just preparing to open. Lengthy voting delays were reported across the country, marring the presidential election the country hoped would be its first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960. Election observers reported multiple problems around the vast Central African nation, which is choosing a successor to President Joseph Kabila after his 17 years in power. The election had been delayed since late 2016, prompting the opposition to charge that Kabila was trying to stay on past his mandate. While many polls closed in the evening, others stayed open to allow those waiting in line to cast their ballots and at least one polling station was just getting ready to open. Official results are to be announced by Jan. 15, although preliminary results are expected earlier than that. Among some 21 candidates, top opposition leaders Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi are challenging Kabilas preferred successor, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is under European Union sanctions for a crackdown on people protesting delays to the election. Tshisekedi, after casting his ballot, said some polling stations in Kinshasa, the capital, had not even opened six hours after voting began. He accused Congos government of deliberately creating an election day mess to spark a court challenge that could allow Kabila to extend his time in power. I deplore all the disorder, Tshisekedi said, calling Kabilas government responsible for this mess. Nearly 50 polling stations in Kinshasa were idle for hours because lists of registered voters had not been delivered, said electoral commission chief Corneille Nangaa. The sprawling city is an opposition stronghold. At stake is a country rich in minerals including those crucial to the worlds smartphones and electric cars, and yet Congo remains desperately underdeveloped with widespread corruption and insecurity. Election 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 was widely criticized as threatening the credibility of the election. Despite the ban, well over 10,000 people lined up in Ebola-affected Beni to stage their own vote, vowing to deliver the results to the electoral commission. Mathilde Boussion and Saleh Mwanamilongo are Associated Press writers. COTABATO, Philippines Suspected Muslim militants remotely detonated a bomb near the entrance of a mall in the southern Philippines on Monday as people did last-minute shopping ahead of New Years Eve celebrations, killing at least two and wounding nearly 30, officials said. The bomb went off at the South Seas mall in Cotabato city, wounding shoppers, vendors and commuters. Authorities recovered another unexploded bomb nearby as government forces imposed a security lockdown in the city, military and police officials said. Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said an initial investigation showed the design of the bomb was similar to those used in the past by local Muslim militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Government forces opened an offensive against the militants belonging to a group called Daulah Islamiyah last week and at least seven of the militants died in the fighting, Sobejana said. This is a part of the retaliation, but the problem is theyre victimizing innocent civilians, he told reporters. Supt. Romeo Galgo Jr., the deputy police director of Cotabato, said witnesses saw a man leave a box in a crowded area near the malls entrance. The explosion shattered glass panels and scattered debris to the street fronting the mall. Two of the roughly 30 people hit by the blast died while being brought to a hospital. Cotabato Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi condemned the bombing and called on residents to help fight terrorism. This is not just another terroristic act but an act against humanity. I cannot fathom how such evil exists in this time of merry making, she said. The bombing, the latest in a number of attacks blamed on militants in the volatile region, occurred despite on-and-off military assaults against pockets of militant groups operating in the marshlands and hinterlands not far from Cotabato and outlying provinces. Hundreds of militants aligned with the Islamic State group laid siege in the southern Islamic city of Marawi in May last year, sparking five months of intense fighting and military air strikes that left more than 1,100 mostly militants dead and displaced hundreds of thousands of villagers. President Rodrigo Duterte placed the southern third of the country under martial law to deal with the Marawi siege, the worst security crisis he has faced since taking office in mid-2016. RESENDE, Brazil A 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 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 the October election. 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. Marcelo Silva De Sousa is an Associated Press writer. DHAKA, Bangladesh Bangladeshs ruling alliance overwhelmingly won Sundays election, allowing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to govern for a third straight term despite allegations of intimidation and the opposition disputing the outcome. The Awami League-led alliance won 288 out of 300 seats, Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said early Monday. The opposition alliance led by Kamal Hossain rejected the outcome, with Hossain calling the election farcical and demanding a new election be held under the authority of a nonpartisan government. The opposition says Hasinas leadership has become increasingly authoritarian. At least 16 people were killed in election-related violence Sunday, and the campaign preceding the vote had been dogged by allegations of arrests and jailing of thousands of Hasinas opponents. Hossain said after voting ended that about 100 candidates from the alliance had withdrawn from their races during the day. He said the alliance would meet Monday to decide its next course. We call upon the election commission to declare this election void and demand a fresh election under a nonpartisan government, Hossain said at a nationally broadcast news conference. Hasinas main rival for decades has been former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. A court deemed her ineligible to run for office because she is in prison for corruption. In Zias absence, opposition parties formed a coalition led by Hossain, an 82-year-old Oxford-educated lawyer and former member of Hasinas Awami League party. In the run-up to the election, activists from both the ruling party and the opposition complained of attacks on supporters and candidates. The Associated Press received more than 50 calls from people across the country who identified themselves as opposition supporters complaining of intimidation and threats, and being forced to vote in front of ruling party members inside polling booths. While rights groups have sounded the alarms about the erosion of Bangladeshs democracy, Hasina has highlighted an ambitious economic agenda that has propelled Bangladesh past larger neighbors Pakistan and India by some development measures. Voters will give us another opportunity to serve them so that we can maintain our upward trend, Hasina said after casting her ballot. Julhas Alam and Emily Schmall are Associated Press writers. SANAA, Yemen The United Nations cast doubt Sunday on claims by Yemens Shiite rebels to have withdrawn from the Red Sea port of Hodeida, saying such steps can only be credible if all other parties can verify them. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the rebels, known as Houthis, also failed to honor an agreement to open a humanitarian aid corridor between Hodeida and the capital, Sanaa, to deliver assistance. Both cities are under rebel control. He said retired Dutch Maj. Gen. Patrick Cammaert, who heads a U.N. team of monitors in Hodeida, has expressed his disappointment at their missed opportunity to build confidence between the parties in a meeting with rebel representatives about their failure to open the corridor. The confidence-building measures agreed to in Sweden this month, which include an exchange of prisoners, could pave the way for a political settlement of Yemens 4-year-old war, which pits the Iran-aligned Houthis against the government and a Saudi-led coalition. The two sides have observed a cease-fire in Hodeida for nearly two weeks, ending months of fierce fighting for control of the city. About 70 percent of Yemens imports come through Hodeida, and the Sweden deal is designed in part to facilitate the delivery of relief supplies. The Houthis said Saturday they handed over control of the Hodeida port to the coast guard under the Sweden agreement, but the government denied the claim, saying it was a ploy by the rebels to maintain control. Government officials said the Houthi-appointed commander of the coast guard in Hodeida is a longtime rebel commander who had never served in the coast guard before. The estimated 300 members of Hodeidas coast guard had not reported for work in months and have been replaced by personnel loyal to the Houthis, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity. In his meeting with the rebel representatives, Cammaert welcomed the Houthis efforts to start implementation of the Sweden agreement, but noted that this must be concurrent, said Dujarric, the U.N. spokesman. The Dutch envoy also emphasized that any redeployment would only be credible if all parties and the U.N. were able to observe and verify it. Ahmed Al-Haj is an Associated Press writer. Ambassador Yasser Hashem, the assistant foreign minister assistant for consular affairs and Egyptians abroad, said on Monday that the ministry was following up on the situation of five fishermen who are currently detained in Iran. Hashem said in a short statement that the fishing boat they work on, which is registered in Saudi Arabia, reportedly drifted into Iranian territorial waters near the Island of Fares, and that they would be referred to court soon. The ambassador added that the Egyptian foreign ministry was following the matter with the Iranian authorities to ensure their welfare and secure their release. Search Keywords: Short link: 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. Romanias justice minister recently requested the dismissal of the countrys top prosecutor, an outspoken critic of the governments moves. The European Union is another critic. Romania has not only stalled its reform process, but also reopened and backtracked on issues where progress was made over the past 10 years, said Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission, the blocs executive arm, which issued a harsh report in November. The criticism has not gone down well in Bucharest. Liviu Dragnea, leader of Romanias governing Social Democratic Party, accused the bloc in December of discriminatory treatment, telling party members, Romania will no longer accept being treated as a second-rate country. The prime minister, Viorica Dancila, said it had been rebuked in the past simply because we are an Eastern European country. The European Union council presidency is responsible for leading meetings, determining agendas and fostering dialogue. For a country like Romania, one of the EUs newest members, holding the presidency has important symbolic and practical value. Romanias presidency comes at a crucial moment for the future of the EU, according to Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission. That includes the handling of Britains scheduled exit from the bloc on March 29 and addressing the rise of authoritarian governments. Juncker told the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag in an interview that he believed Romania was technically well-prepared for the presidency, but added: I think the government in Bucharest hasnt yet fully grasped what it means to take the chair over the EU countries. Kit Gillet is a New York Times 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. -- There are almost 1,000 restaurants on Staten Island. Perhaps thats not enough if you think about the boroughs increasingly diverse set of 475,000 or residents. Over this past year, you and I have experienced a broad share of these eateries. There have been take-out places, linen tablecloth sit-me-downs, chefs specials, craft cocktails, burgers and pizza -- yeah, a lot of pizza. Well continue to bump into the same themes these days. There will be highly caloric smoothies masquerading as health food, and burgers good enough for social media but impractical for serious eating. After Jan. 1, my hope is that any serious restaurant injects Nutella into only one of its offerings and altogether flushes Post Fruity Pebbles, Oreos and Gummy Bears from its inventory. They may be just as wearisome to see on a table as are beverages served in jelly jars, a tall hill of canned whipped cream eclipsing any edible item and frozen Buffalo wings smothered in homemade sauces. So, kudos to those restaurants and food businesses who actually craft the lions share of their food -- pasta, dough, desserts, stocks, sauces and even cheese. And a big thank you to Brioso for doing all of that and more, keeping the old school restaurant tradition alive and well here on Staten Island. Brothers Peter, Raphaele and Charlie DiMaggio celebrated the 20-year anniversary of their New Dorp location, a life span thats a testament to their belief in the way professionally cooked food and the dining experience should be. On any day of the week, homemade pappardelle, strand pasta, short rigatoni and hand-formed pointy-edged picci pasta tubes chill in Briosos walk-in refrigeration boxes. Separate pots simmer on the stove with beets and peeled potatoes. In another pot, baby octopus push up their purply suckers for a black ink treatment. Fish are trimmed and broken down for filet and stocks. Everything from scratch, said Peter firmly with a nod on a recent weekday afternoon. The DiMaggio brothers opened this Brioso together after finding success in New Jersey in the early 1990s. Televisions in the bar area? I refuse, said Peter. Canned sardines for dishes like pasta con sarde? I would never, said the chef, shaking his head to emphasize no. But he does love pristine ingredients, seasonal bounty and daily deliveries from longtime purveyors on items like fish and produce. Pasta con sarde cant be on the menu every day. I get my fresh sardines. I clean them one by one, he said. Canned sardines turn sauces brown. Fish like salmon, sea bream and branzini are broken down from the whole creature every day. With pin bones removed, salmon sides are bound in plastic wrap and refrigerated before service, the filets cut to order. The process keeps the flesh appropriately moist and delightfully unctuous. Likewise, fish, chicken and beef trims go for stock and delicious three-dimensional soups and risotto dishes. Fresh buffalo milk burrata cheese hails from Salvatore Corso of Italy. Its flown in each Thursday morning. It has to be original. If its not original, its nothing, said Peter matter-of-factly. And thats the beauty of Brioso -- the restaurant is actually making something or sourcing the best it can possibly get. Theres D.O.P. Taleggio cheese for tortellini purses, locally-made breads and the houses own imported extra-virgin olive oil from Italy. There are no canned beans in the inventory. I always soak the beans, said Peter. While farfalle and gluten-free pastas are manufactured in Italy, Briosos pastas are all made from semolina and flour at Briosos sister restaurant in Marlboro, N.J. -- fettuccine, whole wheat strands, pappardelle, cheese ravioli and several other varieties. In the absence of widescreen TVs and live music, theres laughter and chatter in Briosos dining room. Glasses clink a bit as bussers in button-down white shirts and black neckties restock shelves and reset tables. Without the distractions in an amusement park setting, a patron can focus on the details of service -- how ladies are served first, how the wine glasses get plucked by the stem and a general sense of deference to the customer. I believe a restaurant is a place to go and have a meal. To enjoy the family, said Peter. Its a place for an escape for a few hours, he said. Im very lucky because I have a clientele that since the day I opened up they were here, said Peter. Two to three times a week, they come. They dont get bored -- theyre going to find something of interest to them," he added. Where some restaurants keep things lean for a modest menu and shuffle the same several ingredients into dishes, Brioso features a relatively massive inventory, particularly with produce. This is why he focuses on the specials -- it keeps the product moving and makes it exciting for the customers. Every day, he and the staff round out the core menu with an additional two salads; three pastas, including a risotto, and several meat entrees that include prime cuts of sirloin or a 32-ounce Tomahawk. Peter immigrated to the United States with his family from Palermo, Sicily, in 1979. They settled in Brooklyn, where his uncle rented an apartment at New Utrecht and 13th avenues. His first job was at a pastry shop in the neighborhood, a fortuitous situation where the owner picked him out of the crowd of passersby one day and offered him a job. The pastry work he learned there stayed with him. Now, Peter crafts the cakes, pies, cookies and biscotti for the two Briosos. Despite the 20-year run, not all remains carefree at Brioso. Peter openly expresses his frustrations with curve balls from various city agencies. But he and the staff continue to greet their guests as the longtime friends theyve become. And thats what will keep the DiMaggios pushing along in the business as long as there are Staten Islanders around to appreciate their work, hence the earlier thank you to this trio of restaurateurs. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As a pro-marijuana movement inches closer to the Big Apple, the NYPDs former top cop said he isnt feeling it. Former NYPD Commissioner William Bratton said he strongly opposes the idea, because there are too many unanswered questions, and legalizing the drug would be opening Pandoras box," according to an interview Sunday on John Catsimatidis radio talk show. Mayor Bill De Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo both said they support making the sale and adult use of the drug legal in New York City and the state. In addition, de Blasio has fallen on the side of district attorneys in Manhattan and Brooklyn who have expunged past marijuana offenses. Bratton expressed concerns about quality of life decreasing in neighborhoods where marijuana dispensaries open, speculating the shops could be a magnet for street people." He also cautioned against the effect of marijuana on the developing brains of young people, who will have increased access to the drug assuming it becomes available for public consumption. Cuomo said earlier this month hell push to legalize in New York by early 2019. Experts say the move could generate more than $1.7 billion in sales annually, while the Health Department has stated the positive effects of legalizing marijuana would outweigh the potential negative impacts. CITY HALL -- New Yorkers will choose their next public advocate in a special election set for Feb. 26. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the special election date to replace outgoing Public Advocate and Attorney General-elect Letitia James over the weekend. With New York Attorney General-elect Tish James upcoming inauguration, it is my pleasure to announce the special election for Public Advocate will take place on Tuesday, February 26, 2019, de Blasio said. This date will help maximize voter turnout, and my Administration will work around the clock to make sure every New Yorker is encouraged to exercise their right to vote. The public advocate position is largely seen as a bully pulpit role. The public advocates primary job is to keep watch on city agencies and city government, however, many see it as a stepping stone to higher offices -- like mayor. Former Public Advocate Mark Green ran unsuccessfully for mayor against Michael Bloomberg, Mayor Bill de Blasio also was public advocate until he became mayor in 2014, and current Public Advocate Letitia James was elected the next New York attorney general in November. Public advocates can also introduce legislation in the City Council and attend meetings, but they cant vote. At a recent public advocate forum on at Wagner College, all of nearly a dozen candidates who spoke vowed to not use the role to eventually run for mayor, except for former City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Dozens of nurses and other employees at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) have been getting sick in recent months after traces of mold and anesthetic gases were detected in the maternity unit. Nurses who work on the maternity floor at the Ocean Breeze site reported various symptoms, such as irritated and swollen throats, headaches, burning eyes, the taste of metal and a feeling of haziness, since the odor was detected in September. Across the board it has varied from eyes burning, headaches, nausea, washing, throat soreness, the metal taste in the mouth, said Dawn Cardello, who has worked in the maternity unit at SIUH for 31 years. Those are the basic symptoms. According to a statement from Dr. Brahim Ardolic, executive director for SIUH, 53 employees reported symptoms related to those conditions. No patients have reported any complaints, the statement said. NURSES, STAFFERS SICKENED Nurse Gina DAgostino-Saia said she only experienced symptoms at work, such as a metal taste, itchiness and a swollen, irritated throat. Pretty much all of the staff members, everyone that works there, has complained about something, said DAgostino-Saia. Clerks, even people that have floated to us have complained of symptoms. The nurse said she even made a trip to the emergency room because she couldnt stop scratching her body due to the feeling of constant itchiness. You kind of smelled it, it was like an alcohol or burning rubber smell, said Nurse Jackie Ruddy, about the odor in the unit. Specifically in the nursery. I tasted metal in my mouth, I felt hazy. Ive had to leave from getting sick. Ruddy said nurses were told to visit the employee health center, go to the emergency room and to go home, if they felt ill. I told my boss, How am I going to keep coming to work and getting sick?, recalled Ruddy. And you feel bad when you leave because the other nurses have to pick up the slack. It affects the floor, it affects the patient because youre down a nurse. MOLD, GAS CONCERNS Following reports of the odor, specifically in the nursery on the maternity floor, the babies were removed and relocated to a backup nursery, according to a statement from Ardolic. After extensive air monitoring quality testing, mold, which is in our surroundings naturally, was detected at moderately elevated levels, similar to those detected outdoors, he said. Based on those findings, further investigations were conducted and uncovered water-borne mold behind a sink wall, and immediate plans to remediate the area were put into effect, along with follow up air monitoring. The most recent mold air monitoring results came back all clear, and the hospital is working to rebuild the nursery. Air monitoring performed on the maternity floor earlier this month detected trace levels of anesthetic gases sevoflurane and nitrous oxide -- both routinely used in surgical procedures. Ardolic said sevoflurane detections were less than 1 percent of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Healths recommended workplace exposure limits. Nitrous oxide levels were less than a tenth of the guideline, and pose no risk to patients, staff, or visitors, Ardolic said. Further monitoring to determine if these gases are still present is ongoing. A certified medical air gas specialist inspected the infrastructure of the system and no leaks were detected, Ardolic said in the statement. Through the course of the project, hospital administration has been directly communicating with staff multiple times a week, met with union representatives numerous times and notified the appropriate regulatory agencies to proactively address this matter, he said. In total, nearly 30 independent environmental tests were conducted by Northwell Healths Industrial Hygienist and certified outside agents. The results found no risks, and the findings were cleared by the Joint Commission, Ardolic said in the statement. The hospitals main focus has been to properly mitigate the nursery area to continue providing care in the safest environment possible for our patients and staff," according to Ardolics statement. NURSES ASK FOR RELOCATION But nurses on the maternity floor want to be relocated because of continued reports of symptoms. We asked to be relocated because we all continued to have symptoms and resulting in some staff having to go home, Cardello said. We suggested relocating us until [they] can figure out where this is coming from so this way we dont have to come into work okay and be here and get sick and either leave work or work through it and care for patients. Hospital executives said there isnt a justification to move the entire unit," and that they cant move patients and a floor and take those types of risks without having some justification for doing that. DAgostino-Saia said: We see them working, we see them trying, theyre having meetings to keep us informed and we appreciate that. But were still trying to work around it, and people are getting sick and people are calling out and were short staffed. Its becoming a hassle. Cardello said she is concerned not only for her fellow staffers, but for the patients on the floor. As a nurse, its my role and responsibility to inform patients if theres any conditions that could be potentially harmful and Im blocked from doing that I cant even do that, said Cardello. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police are investigating whether an incident Saturday in West Brighton is connected to the disappearance of a Westerleigh man, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation. Michael Stewart, 40, was last seen Dec. 20 when he made stops at a Port Richmond bar and two barbershops within walking distance. More than a week later, on Saturday, a four-hour police standoff at 86 N. Mada Ave. resulted in two individuals being taken into custody. According to a Daily News report, sources said Stewart went to that residence with a man and his girlfriend on the night of his disappearance. Sources told the Advance that detectives are examining Saturdays incident as part of the missing persons case. The two people taken into custody have not been charged, police said. Multiple police vehicles were stationed outside the North Mada Avenue residence Monday afternoon. Police also have expanded their search into Perth Amboy, N.J., the sources told the Advance. Stewart, a union carpenter and construction worker who is the father of two small children, was seen at ONeills Irish Pub at 1614 Forest Ave. at about 6:30 p.m. Dec. 20. Surveillance footage inside Back 2 Life barbershop near the intersection of Forest and Richmond avenues shows Stewart interacting with another customer around 7 p.m. that same night. A man working at the time said Stewart and an acquaintance exchanged words with another customer who entered the shop, but he didnt think it was serious. Stewart left 10 minutes later and the other man stayed about 45 minutes for a haircut, he said. At about 7:30 p.m., Stewart entered EZ Does It barbershop a few blocks away on Forest Avenue. A man who was working that night said Stewart told him about a dispute he had with a male acquaintance of his ex-girlfriend. He told me he got into a fight. .... I told him, Go home bro,' the worker said. Stewarts family has set up a GoFundMe page to try to raise funds to pay for a private investigator. Were doing whatever it takes, said lifelong friend Jaclyn Tantao. Anything that will help get Michael back, we will do." Stewart is described as about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds with brown hair, brown eyes, light skin, medium build and a shamrock tattoo on 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. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can be submitted online at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES), then enter TIP577. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Health officials are warning travelers who made their way through Newark Liberty International Airport last week that they may have been exposed to measles. On Dec. 24, an international traveler, who has been confirmed to have measles, arrived in Terminal C at the airport on a flight from Brussels, according to a news release from the New Jersey Department of Health. The individual was infectious on that day and may have traveled to other areas of the airport. If you were in the airport on Dec. 24, between noon and 4 p.m., you may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease. If infected, symptoms could develop as late as Jan. 14. If you have been exposed, you are at risk if you have not been vaccinated or have not had measles. The New Jersey Department of Health recommends anyone who suspects an exposure to call a health care provider before going to a medical office or emergency room. Special arrangements can be made for evaluation while also protecting other patients and medical staff from possible infection. Measles symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. The illness can cause serious complications, such as pneumonia and encephalitis (swelling of the brain). Measles infection in a pregnant woman can lead to miscarriage, premature birth or a low-birth-weight baby. The illness is easily spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes. People can also get sick when they come in contact with mucus or saliva from an infected person. FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. 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! The searing end to 2018 for much of Australia will likely make it the third-hottest on record for maximum temperatures with little early relief in sight in the new year, preliminary data from the Bureau of Meteorology shows. For mean temperatures, 2018 will also come in among the top five, according to bureau meteorologist Skye Tobin. The year was also "very much drier" than average for Australia, particularly in the south-east. All but one of the country's top 10 hottest years have occurred since 2005, a result "in line with long-term trends resulting from anthropogenic climate change", the bureau said in a summary on 2018's national weather. Up until the middle of December, more than two-thirds of Australia was recording very much above average daytime temperatures for 2018. Pockets of the nation, such as east Gippsland in Victoria and inland northern NSW, were enduring their hottest year on record for maximums. On a rainy night in 2009, 24-year-old Pakao Sorn fled her hometown in Mon State, Myanmar, in search of a life free from war. The days that followed were the longest of her life. Pakao Sorn fled from Burma in her early twenties. Credit:Elesa Kurtz After a two-hour trek to the Thai border, she rode a bus to a town near the border of Malaysia, a country which had taken in almost 70,000 refugees from Myanmar at the time. There had been accounts of border officials being bribed to send Myanmarese refugees back, and other refugees being taken into crowded detention centres without food. For Sorn, the stakes were high. And then there was the rain. A two-year-old boy has been airlifted to hospital after he was found "submerged underwater" in Tuggerah Lake at The Entrance on the NSW Central Coast. NSW Ambulance received a call for help at about 11.15am on Monday morning and attended the scene at Hutton Road at The Entrance North with three road crews and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. An ambulance spokesman said the boy had been submerged underwater "for about two minutes" when he was pulled back to shore semi-conscious. "He did ingest quite a lot of sea water but thankfully he started to vomit it up prior to ambulance crews arriving," said Bradley Gee, the NSW Ambulance inspector on the scene. "His oxygen levels were quite low." A man has been charged after allegedly spraying a bus driver with a chemical substance in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Last Thursday night, a 50-year-old attempted to board a bus on Flinders Street at Surry Hills, but was told he could not, as it was at capacity, police said. CCTV shows the moment police allege a man attacked a bus driver with a chemical spray. Credit:Police Media The man abused the driver, before allegedly spraying him in the face with a chemical, now believed to be a mouth spray (it was initially believed to be a pepper spray). The driver was treated at the scene by paramedics after having trouble breathing. A man has been rushed to hospital after being found with a stab wound to the chest in Brisbane. Emergency services were called to the corner of Herschel and Roma streets in the city about 8.15am. Paramedics took the man to hospital in a serious condition. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the stabbing. The death of a 22-year-old Marist Ashgrove old boy at the weekend has prompted a fresh warning from police to steer clear of drugs on New Year's Eve. "New Year's Eve is the busiest time of the year in the policing world," Chief Superintendent Cameron Harsley said ahead of Monday night's festivities. Police warn against drug taking this New Year's Eve. Credit:File photo "If you are buying an unknown drug from somebody at a nightclub or in the street and you are consuming it, you are really playing Russian roulette there. "My message is just don't do it, it is not worth it." 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. Foreign Minister Marise Payne has said Australia is very concerned the arrest of two Canadians in China represents political retaliation by Beijing over the arrest of a senior Huawei executive on fraud allegations. But Senator Payne has stopped short of joining Canada and the US in demanding the two mens immediate release, despite warnings by foreign affairs experts that Australia needs to strongly back like-minded countries to stop political arrests of foreigners becoming normal behaviour by China. Senator Paynes comments followed the publication by 36 foreign policy scholars and China analysts calling on the Morrison government to speak out against the arrests of the two Canadian men, days after the US, Britain, Germany, France and the European Union had publicly backed Canada. Michael Kovrig, a Canadian former diplomat who is now an adviser to the International Crisis Group and Michael Spavor, a Canadian businessman, have been detained on allegations of endangering Chinese national security. But Canada believes the detentions are retaliation for the arrest in Canada of Chinese telecommunications giant Huaweis chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou. Ms Meng faces possible extradition to the United States on fraud charges for circumventing American sanctions against Iran. Its time to ring in the new year with the traditional display of explosives. Of course, part of that tradition now is trying to get the clearest, least blurry picture of the fireworks ready for Instagram, without resorting to carrying a camera around the whole night. So, here are the tips you need to get the best possible photo with the camera on your smartphone. Great fireworks photos take preparation, but they don't necessarily mean lugging a big camera around. Credit:Michael Valdez General tips The first thing you need to do is make sure your camera lens is as clear as possible by wiping it with a clean microfibre cloth. All the oil from your skin and lint from your pocket is going to get in the way of the perfect shot, no matter how much the ol Vaseline lens trick might work great of Days Of Our Lives. The second thing is to find a way to hold your arms steady. While that sounds obvious at the start of the night, by the time youve had a couple of glasses of champagne things get a little less stable. Unless you have the steady hands of a surgeon, try to find a table or railing to brace yourself on. Or, better yet, get a tripod. Tripods come in all sizes; from your regular massive pro one to tiny pocket-sized ones that sit on a table or wrap around a pole. Brussels: The number of journalists and media workers killed while carrying out their jobs increased this year to 94, the International Federation of Journalists says. The figure, up from 82 killings recorded in 2017, reversed the downward trend of the previous three years. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Credit:AP The dead included 84 journalists, camera people and technicians as well as 10 media staff members including drivers and protection officers. They died in targeted killings, bombings and cross fire incidents. Six of the victims were women and there were also another three work-related accidental deaths. Baghdad: Russia has resettled 30 children of jailed and deceased Islamic State members from Iraq in a minor breakthrough to the deadlock over what to do with the foreign families of IS militants. Maksim Maksimov, the Russian ambassador to Iraq, said the children were Russian. Their mothers are incarcerated at a Baghdad prison, according to the office of Russia's ombudsman for children's rights, Anna Kuznetsova. Salhiya Orphanage in Baghdad hosts foreign and Iraqi children of Islamic State militants. Credit:AP The children, some appearing as young as three or four years old, were led through Baghdad's international airport to a Russian state plane to take them to Moscow. Many of the girls wore headscarves and conservative garb. A few appeared anxious and afraid; others looked with wonder around the airport and appeared excited to fly. None of the children appeared to have reached their teenage years. US senator Joseph Lieberman said his country should consider a military strike against Iran because of Tehran's alleged involvement with Iraqi insurgents. "I think we've got to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq," Lieberman said. "And to me, that would include a strike over the border into Iran, where we have good evidence that they have a base at which they are training these people coming back into Iraq to kill our soldiers." The US accuses Iran of fostering terrorism, and Tehran's nuclear ambitions have brought about international reproach. Lieberman, the Democratic nominee for vice-president in 2000 who now represents Connecticut as an independent, spoke of Iran's alleged role in the continued violence in Iraq. "We've said so publicly that the Iranians have a base in Iran at which they are training Iraqis who are coming in and killing Americans. By some estimates, they have killed as many as 200 American soldiers," Lieberman said. "Well, we can tell them we want them to stop that. But if there's any hope of the Iranians living according to the international rule of law and stopping, for instance, their nuclear weapons development, we can't just talk to them. PHILIPSBURG:--- Its not just about the holidays for the St. Maarten-Mid Isle Rotary club, they have been a constant support throughout the year for us, states an emphatic Cassandra Richardson, Executive Director of the Safe Haven Foundation. After hurricanes Irma and Maria, The Mid Isle Rotary Club have assisted Safe Haven with replacing beds, office equipment and other items lost during the storms, as well as food and personal items to the womens shelter. Shelley Gordon, Care Coordinator of the Safe Haven shelter, expressed her thanks and gratitude to Mid Isle President, Denise Antrobus, stating I am so moved with how good Rotary has been to our Safe Haven women and children. They are so appreciative for all that you do, did, and will continue to do for us. Rotary District Governor Dr. Patrick Adizua while recently visiting St. Maarten was taken to visit Safe Haven, he was pleased to see how the funds and equipment donated by Mid Isle are being utilized. During this visit, Mid Isle was able to assist with other items that were needed by Safe Haven. Donated were standing fans, a pressure cooker, and saucepans. The Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle meets Tuesday at 7 pm at Pineapple Pete in Simpson Bay. For more information please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our facebook page Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle. Nordic Gold Corrects Previous Press Release Concerning Private Placement Posted by Publisher Internet NORDIC GOLD INC. (TSX-V: NOR)?(\Nordic\ or the \Company\ http://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298622) today announced a correction to its press release, disseminated on Monday, December 24, 2018 (?December 24th Release?). The December 24th Release incorrectly stated that PFL Raahe Holdings LP (\PFL\) has been issued an additional 477,600 Common Shares pursuant to the Pre-Paid Forward Gold Purchase Agreement dated November 2017 (as amended on October 15, 2018) between the Company and PFL, however the Company issued a total of 596,236 Common Shares to PFL Raahe Holdings LP. For further information, please contact: Michael Hepworth President and Chief Executive Officer (416) 419 5192 mhepworth@nordic.gold www.nordic.gold In Europe: Swiss Resource Capital AG Jochen Staiger info@resource-capital.ch ? www.resource-capital.ch?? For up to the minute news, industry analysis and feedback follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. About the Company Nordic Gold Inc. is a junior mining company with a near production gold mine in Finland.?? The Laiva Gold Mine is fully built, fully permitted and financed to production via a gold forward sale agreement. ? Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Advisory Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. Users of forward-looking statements are cautioned that actual results may vary from forward-looking statements contained herein. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections and other similar statements concerning anticipated future events, conditions or results that are not historical facts. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as ?plans?, ?expects? or ?does not expect?, ?is expected?, ?budget?, ?scheduled?, ?estimates?, ?forecasts?, ?intends?, ?anticipates? or ?does not anticipate?, or ?believes?, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results ?may?, ?could?, ?would?, ?might? or ?will be taken?, ?occur? or ?be achieved?. While the Company has based these forward-looking statements on its expectations about future events as at the date those statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee of the Company?s future performance.? Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot give any assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.? The Company?s forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date of this new release.? Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not intend nor does it undertake any obligation to update or review any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent information, events, results or circumstances or otherwise. The cover of Lou Ellen Watts' "Sleeping in Dixie's Feather Bed: Growing Up White in the Segregated South." A NASA asteroid-sampling probe has begun circling its space-rock target, setting a new record for the smallest body ever orbited by a spacecraft. The OSIRIS-REx probe achieved orbit around the 1,640-foot-wide (500 meters) near-Earth asteroid Bennu with an eight-second engine burn today (Dec. 31) at 2:43 p.m. EST (1943 GMT). "The team continued our long string of successes by executing the orbit-insertion maneuver perfectly," Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, said in a statement. "Entering orbit around Bennu is an amazing accomplishment that our team has been planning for years." [OSIRIS-REx: NASA's Asteroid Sample-Return Mission in Pictures] OSIRIS-REx officially arrived at Bennu on Dec. 3. For the last four weeks, mission team members have been taking the space rock's measure, nailing down the object's mass and mapping out its shape in great detail. Such work was required before attempting orbital insertion because "maneuvering around a small body that basically has no gravity is a very challenging endeavor," OSIRIS-REx Deputy Principal Investigator Heather Enos, also of the University of Arizona, told Space.com earlier this month. "So, we do have to get a little more information to proceed every step of the way." Before today, the smallest object to be circled by a probe was the 2.5-mile-wide (4.1 kilometers) Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which the European Space Agency's Rosetta probe orbited from 2014 to 2016. (The asteroid Itokawa, which was visited by Japan's Hayabusa mission in 2005, is smaller than Bennu. But Hayabusa never actually went into orbit around Itokawa. And Japan's Hayabusa2 mission is taking a similar tack at the 3,000-foot-wide, or 900 m, asteroid Ryugu basically, flying along with the space rock rather than circling it.) OSIRIS-REx also set a new mark today for the closest orbit of a small body. The probe is now circling about 1 mile (1.6 km) from Bennu's surface, mission team members said. The $800 million OSIRIS-REx mission whose name stands for "Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer" launched in September 2016. Its main goal is to help researchers better understand the solar system's early days, and to shed light on the role that carbon-rich asteroids such as Bennu may have played in helping life get started on Earth (by delivering water and organic molecules to our planet long ago). Much of this information will come from analyses of pristine Bennu material here on Earth. OSIRIS-REx will swoop down to grab a sizeable sample of asteroid dirt and gravel in mid-2020, and this stuff will land softly under parachute in the Utah desert in September 2023. (Hayabusa2 has similar objectives, and it's a sample-return mission as well. The Japanese probe's return capsule is scheduled to land in December 2020.) "With the navigation campaign coming to an end, we are looking forward to the scientific mapping and sample site selection phase of the mission," Lauretta said. OSIRIS-REx will also make contributions in other ways. For example, the mission should increase scientists' understanding of the resource potential of Bennu-like asteroids and help fine-tune the trajectories researchers draw up for potentially dangerous space rocks, NASA officials have said. (Bennu itself is in this class; there's a very small chance that it will hit Earth in the late 22nd century.) OSIRIS-REx's orbital insertion was the first of two big spaceflight events occurring within a span of mere hours. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will zoom past the small object Ultima Thule at 12:33 a.m. EST (0533 GMT) Tuesday (Jan. 1), performing the most-distant planetary flyby in history. Ultima Thule is about 4 billion miles (6.4 billion km) from Earth 1 billion miles (1.6 billion km) beyond Pluto, which New Horizons visited in July 2015. Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the asteroid Ryugu had been the smallest celestial body ever orbited by a spacecraft. But Japan's Hayabusa2 probe has never entered a closed orbit around Ryugu. Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate) is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us @Spacedotcom or Facebook. Originally published on Space.com. LAUREL, Md. As 2018 draws to a close and a new year dawns, one group of people plans to celebrate something far more unusual a flyby of the most distant solar system object ever explored. On Tues. Jan. 1, at 12:33 a.m. EST(0533 GMT), NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will fly by Ultima Thule, the tiny rock orbiting roughly 4 billion miles (6.5 billion kilometers) from the sun. Here's how to watch the flyby online today and tomorrow. Even in the final days of the approach, however, Ultima Thule is playing things close to the vest. "We've never in the history of spaceflight gone to a target that we've known less about," Alan Stern, principal investigator of New Horizons and a researcher at the Southwest Research Center in Colorado, told reporters Sunday (Dec. 30). [Ultima Thule Flyby! Full Coverage] But when the spacecraft arrives, it will turn a suite of instruments onto the mysterious object, and many of its mysteries will be unveiled. It's the second historic rendezvous for New Horizons, which zipped by Pluto in July 2015 on the first-ever flyby of that world. "We are ready to science the heck out of Ultima Thule," Stern said. Ringing in the New Year NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will make a close flyby of the Kuiper Belt object Ultima Thule, shown here in an artist's illustration, on Jan. 1, 2019. (Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/Steve Gribben) Lying at the outskirts of the solar system, Pluto may seem alone at first glance. Only in the last few decades have scientists realized that it is one of a collection of objects that make up the Kuiper Belt, a band of rocky, icy objects that border the solar system. Smaller than planets, most of the inhabitants are left over from the formation of the solar system. They provide a glimpse of the early ingredients of the solar system, the bits and pieces that formed the larger worlds we know today. [NASA's New Horizons Mission in Pictures] When New Horizons launched in 2006, no one knew anything about Ultima Thule. Scientists didn't discover the spacecraft's next target until 2014, about a year before the epic flyby of Pluto. Originally named 2014 MU69, Ultima Thule was one of three objects proposed for an extended mission target. Since its 2015 selection as the next object for New Horizons to visit, researchers have scrambled to learn as much about Ultima Thule as possible. In 2017, they learned that the Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) was not spherical but seemed elongated, or possibly even made up of two orbiting bodies. As New Horizons closed in on Ultima Thule over the last three months, it began snapping hundreds of photos of the object. But while the images revealed no sign of potential dangers that could harm the spacecraft, such as unexpected moons or clouds of debris that could slam into the spacecraft as it blew by the KBO, they also gave no hint about the shape of the body it is about to visit. In fact, it's still possible that Ultima Thule is made up of not one but two objects, closely packed together. Stern told Space.com Saturday (Dec. 29) that the timeline for resolving whether the KBO is alone or part of a duet depends on how close the potential pair lie to one another. "If they are touching, it will take until the last day," he said. Stay on target 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) It's too late now to divert the spacecraft to a higher altitude, where it would be safe from any potential dangers. The last chance to make that decision passed on Dec. 13, and team member Will Grundy of Lowell Observatory in Arizona said that it takes months to come up with a new path. At 9 a.m. EST on Sunday (Dec. 30), engineers sent the spacecraft its last command before the flyby, redirecting the closest image by two seconds, Bowman said. That readjusted the aim point for the flyby by about 19 miles (30 km). For comparison, Hersman said that during the Pluto encounter, the spacecraft was off by about 80 seconds. The team didn't find out until 9 p.m. EST last night (Sun. Dec 30) that the spacecraft successfully received the new commands. Had it not gone well, they would have immediately resent the same update. New Horizons will fly only 2,200 miles (3,500 km) above the surface of the KBO, three times closer than it buzzed Pluto. To help conserve power, several components of the spacecraft will be temporarily turned off, according to Chris Hersman, Missions Systems Engineer at JHU APL. The student dust counter, which picks up roughly one micrometer-sized dust particle per day, and the transmitting portion of one of the radio transmitters. By turning off these tools, the spacecraft will be able to operate its scientific instruments. In the hours leading up to the flyby, the spacecraft will be pointed at Ultima Thule, unable to communicate with Earth. "We can't be in contact with the spacecraft and get data," said Alice Bowman, New Horizons' Mission Operation Manager. When the clock strikes midnight in Maryland, most of the team won't be sitting in the control center at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL). They'll have migrated to the nearby Kossiakoff Education and Conference Center to ring in the new year. Among them will be astrophysicist Brian May, a mission team member and former lead guitarist for the rock band Queen, who will play his new solo song, "New Horizons." "We're all we're all huge fans," Bowman said. The science team, at least, will likely remain at the center to celebrate the moment of the flyby half an hour later according to Cathy Olkin, New Horizons' Deputy Project Scientist. She wasn't sure about the operation team. Immediately after the flyby, the spacecraft will turn back to Earth and send home an update on its status. The process that Bowman said will take about 15 minutes on Earth will take the spacecraft just over an hour as it has to change its orientation. After phoning home, it will slew back to study a receding Ultima Thule retreating in the distance. The status update should arrive back on Earth at 10:30 a.m. EST (7:30 a.m. PST), Bowman said, and the first image should reach the ground around 2 p.m. (11 a.m. PST). According to Stern, the first image will be rather rough, only about 6 pixels across. Not until the next day, Jan. 2, will the more detailed images arrive back on Earth to be released. As it closes in on its destination, the spacecraft appears to be in good health. "Everything is looking great," Bowman said. New Horizons Project Manager Helene Winters agrees. While Winters, who is based out of JHU APL, said that most of her fears have been set to rest by the images returned by the spacecraft, that doesn't mean the team is resting easy. "We don't have any immediate concerns, but being engineers and scientists, we're always thinking about the what ifs," Winters told Space.com. "We want to make sure we mitigate all possible risks." A pristine object This is the first detection of Ultima Thule using the highest-resolution mode of the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager aboard the New Horizons spacecraft. Three separate images, each with an exposure time of 0.5 seconds, were combined to produce the image. All three images were taken on Dec. 24, when Ultima was 4 billion miles (6.5 billion kilometers) from the sun and 6.3 million miles (10 million km) from the New Horizons spacecraft. (Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute) When the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago, not all of the gas and dust surrounding the young sun became moons and planets. Some of the ancient debris remained in the form of KBOs and asteroids. But while asteroids are mostly rock, KBOs like Ultima Thule lie far enough from the sun that they held onto the bulk of their ice. "Objects farther out than Pluto are untouched since the beginning of the solar system," Winters said. "The idea is that [Ultima Thule] looks like what things might have looked like at the beginning of the solar system." Project scientist Hal Weaver, of Johns Hopkins University, is excited about visiting the KBO, which he said is "unlike anything else we've ever looked at with spacecraft." Only three days before the flyby, Ultima Thule remained a single pixel on the images returned by New Horizons. But as the spacecraft grew closer, grew several times larger each day. Weaver said that if Ultima Thule turned out to be 20 miles (32 km) across, it would cover about 200 pixels. "Every single pixel is important," he said, stressing that the team planned to wring out every bit of science they could from the brief flyby. What might the first pictures sent back of Ultima Thule look like? An artist's illustration of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft as it flies by Ultima Thule (2014 MU69) in the Kuiper Belt beyond Pluto on Jan. 1, 2019. (Image credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI) Weaver said the team anticipates an icy surface, probably covered with hydrocarbons. "We're almost positive there will be organic material covering the surface, dark reddish material." Grundy, who is the leader of New Horizons' surface composition team, said that they don't expect a lot of surface activity today. However, it's possible that early in its life, Ultima Thule may have spewed ices and hydrocarbons, and there may be signs of that activity still present on the surface. How heavily cratered the KBO might be is also up for debate. To date, Pluto is the only other KBO that has been studied, and surface activity in its past covered many of its craters. But Grundy said the team doesn't anticipate a heavily pitted surface. "We don't expect [Ultima Thule] to be very dense with craters, but we don't expect there to be none," he said. Collisions with the KBO would have been slow, with speeds of less than 0.62 miles (1 km) per second. That may sound fast, but Grundy said its nothing compared to the several kilometers per second impacts that happen in the asteroid belt. In fact, KBO impacts may be more like dropping a shovel full of dirt on the groundso slow that they don't even excavate a crater, Grundy said. But a large crater could be quite revealing, slicing through the surface of Ultima Thule. If the KBO broke off from an even larger object, a massive impact crater could reveal layers of material that hint towards the target's origin. "That would be great," Grundy said. It's even possible that Ultima Thule isn't a single large rock, instead a massive rubble pile drawn together by gravity. "It probably is," Grundy said, pointing out that the bodies of the solar system were all born from pebble-sized objects. Ultima Thule "probably was born as a rubble pile," he said. Gravity drew the material close together, eventually forming a larger rock, but it's possible that Ultima Thule wasn't quite massive enough to make the merge. A collision could also break a solid object back into a pile of gravitationally bound gravel. Whatever New Horizons reveals, it will definitely be something that has never been seen before. "We anticipate there will be lots of faint results, even though Ultima Thule has been very stubborn about revealing its secrets," Weaver said. Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com. Just over 24 hours before its closest approach to Kuiper Belt object Ultima Thule, the New Horizons spacecraft has sent back the first images that begin to reveal Ultima's shape. The original images have a pixel size of 6 miles (10 kilometers), not much smaller than Ultima's estimated size of 20 miles (30 km), so Ultima is only about 3 pixels across (left panel). However, image-sharpening techniques combining multiple images show that it is elongated, perhaps twice as long as it is wide (right panel). New Horizons was approximately 1.2 million miles (1.9 million km) from Ultima when this image was taken on Dec. 30, 2018. LAUREL, Md. After months of staring at only a single pixel of their target, members of NASA's New Horizons mission team now have considerably more to look at. On the eve of its historic flyby, the spacecraft has sent home an image that confirms its distant target, Ultima Thule, has an elongated shape. "We know it's not round," John Spencer, a New Horizons deputy project scientist, told reporters today (Mon, Dec 31). Although the image provided a new look at Ultima Thule, it lacks detail. For example, the mission team still cannot tell whether Ultima is a single or binary object. [New Horizons' Historic Flyby of Ultima Thule: Full Coverage] "We just don't have the details to see it yet," added Spencer, who is based at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Colorado. When New Horizons launched in 2006, it had Pluto in its sights. After the July 2015 flyby of that dwarf planet, the spacecraft had enough fuel to visit at least one more object. The Kuiper Belt object (KBO) 2014 MU69, nicknamed Ultima Thule, was selected partly because it was close enough for the spacecraft to visit before it ran out of fuel. But the new target is so far away and so faint that NASA's Hubble Space Telescope was the only instrument that could see it. As a result, Ultima Thule wasn't even discovered until 2014. By studying how the KBO blocked the light streaming toward Earth fromthree distant stars, astronomers could tease out a little more information about its shape, as well as its path around the sun. But until it came into New Horizons' view, Ultima remained little more than a distant dot hardly different from the stars behind it. In August 2018, the spacecraft was finally able to capture apixel-wide image of its next target. In the newly released image, which the team received on Sunday (Dec. 30), Ultima is a few pixels wide. A processed version of the raw photo shows the object as an elongated blob. "There's a lot of chatter in the science team room," Spencer said. "We're doing everything we can with so little information." But the science team members on stage declined to speculate about Ultima's true nature. "We know that anything we say is going to be wrong tomorrow," Spencer said. The team is expecting the images that will come down in the coming days to be far more intricate, with the most-detailed image being distributed on Thursday (Jan. 3). That doesn't mean the team isn't giving the new image their full attention. "I've never seen so many people so excited about two pixels," Stern said, his face advertising his own excitement. "We've only ever had one pixel before," Spencer added. Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd. Follow uson Twitter@Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com. Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Brussels, June 27, 2018 (SPS) - The Frente POLISARIO rejected categorically the proposals of the European Commission aimed at extending the EU-Morocco association agreement to include Western Sahara, said Monday Sahrawi Delegate Minister for Europe Mohamed Sidati. In a letter signed by 89 Sahrawi and foreign associations and organizations, the Frente POLISARIO underlined as the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, as stated in the resolution 34/37 of the United Nations General Assembly- its categorical rejection of proposals of the European Commission aimed at extending the EU-Morocco association agreement to include Western Sahara, that Morocco is occupying illegally since more than forty years. POLISARIO has never been consulted by the Commission in this process, according to the letter, adding that any opposite statement is false. The broadened consultation process led by the Commission concerned only players linked directly to the Moroccan government. That said this approach was in flagrant contradiction with the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) which underlined clearly the need of the consent of the Sahrawi people in this process. This was not done and was announced by a large number of Sahrawi organizations and associations to the Commission. Despite the multiple attempts to undermine the Frente POLISARIOs legal status, CJEU was clear Western Sahara has a separate and distinct status from Morocco.SPS 125/090/700 M illions of us around the world will ring in the New Year on Tuesday by belting out a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne. The festive sing-a-long is a favourite on December 31 as people cross their hands and mark the beginning of the year with a chorus of the old-timey classic, whether we know the words or not. But how many of us actually know the lyrics to the centuries-old Scottish folk song, and what do they really mean? Here's the lowdown. What does Auld Lang Syne mean? Auld Lang Syne is old Scottish slang which can be roughly translated into modern English as "old long since" - or, in more conversational English, as "days gone by", "old times" or "long, long ago". So it means that during the chorus when everyone sings "for auld lang syne", this can be translated as "for the sake of old times". Poet Robert Burns is often credited with writing the lyrics sometime in the late 1700s, but even he admitted it was based on a much older Scottish folk song. The poem is known to millions around the world as a song to be sung to a traditional folk tune to welcome in the new year - but it's not just limited to New Year's celebrations. It is also sung at funerals, graduations and as a farewell song at other occasions, including by the Scouts to close jamborees. Why do we sing it? The song emerged at a time during the nineteenth century when the Scots were immigrating in vast numbers to America and Canada. In 1929, band leader Guy Lombardo and his band played the song during a year's New Year's Eve concert at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. The concert was broadcast live on radio and Auld Lang Syne was chosen to open it. Lombardo said he first heard the old folk song from Scottish immigrants while he was growing up in Ontario, Canada Things to do in London on New Year's Day 1 /7 Things to do in London on New Year's Day Go to a New Years Day party Didnt party hard enough on New Years Eve? Let the revelry continue beyond the small hours and well into 2019 with a New Years Day shindig. At new Canning Town venue Fold an all-day party will run from 7am until one minute to midnight. Those made of particularly stern stuff can party without let up at the Pickle Factorys New Years Day event, which starts the very moment its joint New Years Eve party with Oval Space ends. Sarthak Navjivan/Unsplash Watch the New Years Day Parade This annual spectacular will once again take to the streets, seeing the capital baton-twirl, samba and drum-roll its way into 2019. This years parade is set to host 10,000 participants from the UK, USA and Europe, and see 500,000 turn up to watch them perform from Piccadilly to Parliament Square. The parade is free to view, and hungry revellers will also be able to tuck into treats at the street food village in Waterloo Place. Tolga Akmen/Getty Images Go ice skating If the swim sounded just a little too chilly, why not meet winter half way with a spin on the ice? Get your skates on at Somerset House, where ice skating is accompanied by festive snacks from Fortnum & Mason, or take in more epic scenery at the Natural History Museum or Hampton Court Palace, both of which are currently home to ice rinks open on New Years Day. Get brunch Assuming you wont wake up in time for breakfast, make brunch the first meal of 2019. Twenty-four hour, 40-floor high restaurant Duck and Waffle will be open for a brunch with views of the city, costing 49 for a four course menu. Pizza restaurant Bunga Bunga Battersea will be carrying on where the party left off the night before with a Survivors Brunch, featuring karaoke, three courses and the option to add bottomless bellinis. 12 Dogs of Christmas at Ham House There are plenty of parks around London that make perfect settings for a New Years Day walk, but dog owners should consider taking theirs at Ham House and Garden. The garden of the 17th century manor house has only recently opened up to canine companions, and from December 26 - January 6 theres quite literally a welcoming party for them. The first dog to walk through the gates at 10am on those days will be named as one of the 12 Dogs of Christmas, receive a dog-friendly Christmas pudding and have their photo up on the InstaHam board. National Trust images Go for a bracing outdoor swim Shake off the cobwebs of 2018 and dive into the new year with a slightly nippy dip at an outdoor swimming spot. Londons Royal Docks will be hosting a New Years Day Dip, open to all those who have got a NOWCA safety wristband for the location. Kenwood Ladies Day will also be open to all members for a January 1 swim, kicking off at noon. Jana Sabeth/Unsplash Join the Ceilidh at the Southbank Centre If you want to get to know your Gay Gordons in 2019, then head to the Southbank Centre, where the new year is being rung in with a good old Ceilidh. The free-to-join traditional knees up will be swinging its way into the Clore Ballroom of the Royal Festival hall from 1pm, with musicians from around the world exploring the delights of British folk music and dance. George Bell What are the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne? Thankfully, the lyrics we sing today are a more modern version of Burns' original Scots verse. For example nowadays, we sing "my dear" instead of "my jo" and "pint cup" over "pint-stoup". T hirty-nine people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was chased down and stabbed in west London. The man, believed to be in his mid-30s, was chased by a group of men and women after a "minor argument" in a shop in Hammersmith in the early hours of Monday, police said. He is fighting for his life in hospital after he was knifed in Fulham Palace Road shortly before 1am. Scotland Yard said 39 people were arrested at a property near the scene and taken into custody at several police stations. Greyhound Road in Hammersmith, where 39 people were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder / PA The suspects were seen entering the property in Greyhound Road, where there was a party, a short time after the attack. Officers tried to speak to the large number of people who were inside but they refused to cooperate, leading to the 39 arrests. A witness, who did not want to be identified, said she saw a group of "kids" running back and forth up and down the street immediately before the stabbing and heard someone shouting: "Get him." She said: "The person who must have done the stabbing was shouting, 'come on then, come on then'. "I heard, 'oh no, don't do it' and it was a girl's voice. "Whoever that girl was, she's probably the only one with sense there. "They must have stabbed the guy outside Sainsbury's then ran back into that flat." The woman said she then saw the victim as he was worked on by paramedics. "As I got to the corner I saw a guy on the floor. He was stabbed here (in the chest)," she said. Thirty-nine people were arrested at a property in Greyhound Road in Hammersmith / PA A neighbour, Mason El Hage, 22, said he later saw around 50 police officers interrogate 30 to 40 young men and women as they were lined up on the road. "They lined them up and interrogated them for about an hour," he said. "I have never seen something like that in my life. It was very extreme in terms of the amount of people involved." He said he heard noise and dogs barking at around 1.30am and looked outside believing it was a drugs raid. The group, including young men and women, were arrested in "single file" in a "very, very swift operation," he added. Dahlia Adling, 45, who works in a nearby grocery store, said she heard an argument and people running at about 1am. "There was an argument outside here. I could hear it," she said. She said she heard "aggressive shouting", adding: "It was definitely an argument." Two knifes were recovered close to the scene, police said. Photos posted on social media showed several police cars blocking off the busy road as the scene was combed for evidence. Dried blood on Fulham Palace Road after a man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries / PA On Monday morning, a pool of blood could be seen on the pavement outside a branch of Sainsbury's on Fulham Palace Road. On the other side of the road shops, including an off licence, were behind another police cordon. Superintendent Mark Lawrence, said: "What appears to have been a minor argument has resulted in a man sustaining life-threatening injuries. "Officers were quickly on the scene and provided him with first aid prior to the arrival of our colleagues in the LAS (London Ambulance Service). He has been taken to hospital where he continues to receive treatment for his injuries. Forensics officers at the scene of the stabbing in west London / PA "Whilst it is unusual for so many people to be arrested in the early stages of an investigation such as this, due to a lack of co-operation and the necessity of securing essential evidence following a serious assault, this action was appropriate." In October it was revealed that knife crime in London had risen to its highest ever level with nearly 15,000 offences committed in a year. A 13-year-old boy has been attacked by two masked, armed men in Glasgow as he was walking home. The schoolboy was targeted in a callous and violent attack on Sunday, according to police. The youngster was walking in a lane between Kerrylamont Avenue and Ardmory Place at about 7pm when he was assaulted by the pair, both of whom had their faces covered. He was taken to the Royal Hospital for Sick children in Glasgow afterwards, with staff there describing his condition as "stable". Police on Scotland are desperately appealing for information after the child was ambushed. Detective Constable Kenny Noble from Cathcart Police Office said: "This was a callous and violent attack on a 13-year-old boy. Our officers will be doing all they can to trace those responsible. "We are currently checking CCTV and making door to door enquiries however we are appealing for anyone who was in the area last night, or has any information about this incident to come forward." A woman in her 70s and a taxi driver have been killed in a horrific crash after the woman was seen driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway. Police rushed to the A13 in Dagenham, east London, at 1.45am but were too late to stop the car before the crash. The taxi driver is thought to be in his 40s. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: " Police were called to the Witch's Hat junction of the A13 in Dagenham at 01.45hrs on Monday, December 31 to reports of a car travelling the wrong way down the carriageway. Shortly afterwards, the car was involved in a collision with a taxi heading in the opposite direction. Officers and LAS attended the scene. Despite the efforts of paramedics, the driver of the vehicle travelling in the wrong direction, a woman in her 70s, and the taxi driver, aged in his 40s, both died as a result of their injuries. Next of kin have not been informed. M ore than 100 firefighters have been tackling a large blaze at a self-storage warehouse in south London. Twenty fire engines and around 120 crew members were called to the scene on Purley Way, Croydon, just before 7.50pm on New Year's Eve. There have been no reports of any injuries. A photo posted on social media by London Fire Brigade (LFB) suggested the fire is at a Shurgard self-storage facility. Dozens of firefighters were called to tackle the flames / London Fire Brigade The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Crews were still battling the flames at 11pm on Monday night, according the brigade's latest update. Firefighters battle the flames at the warehouse in Croydon / London Fire Brigade Station Manager Jason Jones, who was at the scene said: "This is a significant fire in a large self-storage warehouse. There is a lot of smoke in the local area and we'd ask residents to keep their doors and windows closed. Thankfully no one was inside the property at the time of the fire and there are no reports of any injuries. A dead body has been pulled from the River Brent, police confirmed. The body of a man has been recovered from the canal in Boston Manor Park, Brentford, on New Year's Eve. Police and the London Ambulance Service were called at about 11.50am to reports of a body. Officers said at this stage, the death is being treated as unexplained. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: Police were called at around 11:51hrs on Monday, 31 December to reports of a body in the canal at Boston Manor Park, Brentford. Officers attended alongside the LAS. The body of a man was recovered from the river. At this stage, the death is being treated as unexplained. T heresa May has used her New Year video message to plead with MPs to back her Brexit deal. The Prime Minister said passing her much-criticised deal into law will allow the UK to turn a corner after two-and-a-half years of political turmoil since the 2016 referendum. Parliament is set to renew the debate on Mrs Mays Withdrawal Agreement next week, with a vote to take place the week after. And Mrs May tried to put pressure on politicians to vote for the deal and put our differences aside and move forward together". 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 her video message, she said: "New Year is a time to look ahead and in 2019 the UK will start a new chapter. "The Brexit deal I have negotiated delivers on the vote of the British people and in the next few weeks MPs will have an important decision to make. "If Parliament backs a deal, Britain can turn a corner." Countdown to Brexit: 88 days until Britain leaves the EU Mrs May also used the message to look beyond Brexit, saying settling the deal would allow time and energy to be spent on areas like housing, trade, the NHS, immigration reform and the environment. She added: "Together, I believe we can start a new chapter with optimism and hope. "We have all we need to thrive and if we come together in 2019 I know we can make a success of what lies ahead and build a country that truly works for every one of us." Theresa May and her husband, Philip, attend a Christmas Day church service in her Maidenhead constituency / Steve Parsons/PA Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster, however, used her New Year message to warn Mrs May that she will need to get significant changes to her Withdrawal Agreement if the Northern Irish party is to back it. Mrs Foster, whose party is in a confidence and supply arrangement with Mrs Mays Conservative government, said: "The Prime Minister has promised to get changes to the legally binding Withdrawal Agreement. "We will be holding her to that commitment and we will work with the government to achieve a better deal. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's New Year's message "We are very mindful that any deal will bind the hands of future governments and prime ministers therefore the legal text must be watertight for the United Kingdom." Jeremy Corbyn used his New Year message to accuse Mrs May's government of plunging the country into crisis by making a "mess" of Brexit. The Labour leader said the Prime Minister's efforts to force through her Withdrawal Agreement in a crunch Commons vote next month were "letting people down all across the country, whether they voted Leave or Remain". In the message, released on social media on Monday, he said the UK was full of talent being held back by the economic system and Conservative rule. T welve suspected migrants have been detained after they landed in a dinghy on a Kent beach. Nine men, two women and a child, all from Iran, arrived in a small black motor-powered boat just after 8am on Monday at the beach at Lydd-on-sea. Pictures from the beach, which is close to Dungeness, showed officers searching the small boat. One local, who regularly visits the beach, tweeted: I have just been for a walk along the beach, there was quite a police presence and the helicopter has been going around, we can hear it over the sea. "I saw the dinghy which was empty it was fairly big and black in colour. "We didn't get a full view as they were along the side of the van, but it looked like a group of men in dark coats - we didn't see any children." A Home Office spokesman said: Border Force was contacted by Kent Police at around 8.25am, today, Monday 31 December. "Border Force officers were deployed to assist with a group of 12 migrants at Greatstone, Kent. The group consisted of nine men, two women and 10-year-old child. They have presented themselves as Iranian nationals. The black dinghy was spotted on Lydd Beach this morning with a police presence / @LassMarsh They all received a medical assessment and have now been transferred to immigration officials for interview. A Kent Police spokesman said: "Kent Police was made aware at 8.16am on Monday 31 December 2018 of a report of a group of suspected migrants seen in Coast Drive, Greatstone. "Officers attended to assist Border Force who are dealing with the incident." It came as Home Secretary Sajid Javid was holding talks with Whitehall chiefs, the National Crime Agency and Border Force officials to address the issue. Around 100 migrants have so far made the perilous Channel crossing in dinghies and other small craft over the Christmas period. An "enhanced action plan" to be launched this 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. But Mr Javid faced accusations of over-egging the scale of the problem, with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott telling the Guardian: "There's no question that with Brexit, and also with the approach of the meaningful vote in January, people are being whipped up about migration issues, because the Government thinks this is the best way of frightening people to vote for their deal." H ome Secretary Sajid Javid is holding talks with Whitehall chiefs today as he prepares to step up action on migrants' attempts to reach Britain by boat from France. Mr Javid cut short a family holiday in South Africa to take personal control of the situation, which has seen almost 100 migrants making the perilous Channel crossing in dinghies and other small craft over the Christmas period. Yesterday, Xavier Betrand, 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 meet with Border Force and National Crime Agency officials for talks on the issue. One senior minister told the Daily Mail that the Home Office should deploy all six of the Border Force cutter ships in the channel. There is currently one on patrol there. The minister also said that the traffickers' boats should be destroyed and that migrants should be sent back "straight away" and not dumped in Dover. Mr Javid has admitted that many of the factors behind the increase in crossings are "outside of our control". Journeys are being fuelled by instability in the Middle East, organised crime and tighter security at Calais, he said, adding: "Unfortunately there are no easy answers," in a piece for the Telegraph. He added: "While we have obligations to genuine asylum seekers... we will not stand by and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our global society." Sajid Javid was forced to cut a family holiday short due to the migrant crisis / PA In phone talks on Sunday, which the Home Office described as "significant and productive", Mr Javid and his French counterpart Christophe Castaner agreed to ramp up co-operation to stop the crossings. An "enhanced action plan" to be launched this 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. Migrant issue: A border force boat on patrol in Dover Harbour / PA But Mr Javid faced accusations of over-egging the scale of the problem, with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott telling the Guardian: "There's no question that with Brexit, and also with the approach of the meaningful vote in January, people are being whipped up about migration issues, because the Government thinks this is the best way of frightening people to vote for their deal." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for a more welcoming approach, tweeting: "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." Mr Javid has come under growing pressure from his own backbenches to act, with Kent MP Rehman Chishti telling him to "get a grip". Dover MP Charlie Elphicke repeated calls for Border Force cutters to be brought back from search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean to patrol the Channel. six Iranian men were found on a Kent beach early on Sunday having arrived from France / PA Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the armed forces were ready to offer help if needed, but there had been no requests from the Home Office. 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. Monday's meeting to discuss further action will involve senior officials from Government departments and agencies, including Border Force and the National Crime Agency. In his call with Mr Castaner, Mr Javid assured the French Interior Minister of the UK's commitment to supporting his country's efforts to tackle the problem, including by supplying personnel and equipment. The two men agreed to meet face-to-face in January to assess whether further action is required, the Home Office said. Mr Castaner offered reassurances over France's 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." 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". He warned that more boats might act as a magnet for migrants hoping to be picked up and taken to the UK. Rejecting the suggestion that increasing patrols would encourage more crossing attempts, Mr Elphicke said: "You don't deter burglars by leaving your front door open." P olice could launch a fresh investigation following a council report that claimed Milly Dowlers killer Levi Bellfield was part of a child-grooming gang that has not been brought to justice. Debbie Weissang, the former child sexual exploitation manager at Hillingdon Council, identified the killer in a report linking him with six other men accused of grooming almost 20 girls. Bellfield is serving a whole-life sentence for murders and sexual assaults in the early 2000s, including Marsha McDonnell and Amelie Delagrange, both of whom he beat over the heads with blunt objects. Ms Weissang said she was "deeply concerned there remained a risk to children" from Bellfield's associates. Milly Dowler: The schoolgirl was kidnapped in 2002. Levi Bellfield was later found guilty of murdering her She added that despite Bellfield being "locked away" there were "six other men" who were not serving life sentences and "pose a serious threat to children". The report says that the gang operated in a pattern similar to the Rotherham child abuse gang, and that most of the girls involved are white, British and vulnerable and in care. Other offenders named in the dossier are Victor Kelly, who was convicted of offering a 12-year-old girl cocaine to have sex with him, and Suraj Gharu, who at 25 was jailed for five years for sex offences and for removing a child from the care of social services. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: A safeguarding report was received from Hillingdon Council. Bellfield was also convicted of killing Marsha McDonnell in 2003 / Metropolitan Police Any allegations of Child Sexual Exploitation contained in the report will be assessed and be investigated where appropriate. A spokesman for Hillingdon Council added: "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. T he British grandparents battling for custody of their murdered son's children have vowed to reunite the family after bringing their granddaughter back to the UK with them. Ian and Linda Simpson were devastated after having to leave eight-year-old Jack in China with his grandparents while returning to the UK with Alice, six. Mr Simpson said yesterday: "Our fight continues and we will do all we can to bring Jack as well as Alice back to Britain and to reunite our grandchildren, who love each other dearly." Their son Michael was stabbed to death by his ex wife and mother of their two children Fu Wei Wei in a jealous rage two years ago. The Simpsons have since spent more than 100,000 trying to bring their grandchildren back to the UK, and reportedly had to give the children's grandparents more than 9,000 to bring Alice back. Ian Simpson is fighting to reunite his family (ITV/This Morning) Jack will stay with his relatives in the remote city of Nanzhang in north-west China, 1,100km from Shanghai. Before leaving China, Mr Simpson, 69, told the Mail on Sunday: We are overjoyed to bring Alice home but it breaks our hearts to leave Jack behind. Linda cried and asked me, How can we wrench them apart? But in the end we had to choose between coming home with Alice or walking away without either of our grandchildren. We could have lost them both for ever. Alice has never been apart from Jack and its obvious she misses him badly. She has been amazingly brave but there have been moments when she has been in tears asking for her brother. The children have reportedly been told by their Chinese family that their parents have deserted them and are alive and working abroad, leaving the Simpsons to tell Alice the truth. Michael, an executive for Next, was 34 when he was killed in his Shanghai apartment while his children slept. He had split up with his wife two years earlier and was left to raise their children. He was with his new partner when Wei Wei burst into his flat and stabbed him in the neck, killing him instantly, and injuring his girlfriend. Mr Simpson added: 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. But we were warned that that was probably never going to happen and we would have walked away with nothing. The comforting thing is our lawyers are already talking to us about phase two bringing Jack home. In the meantime we will try to get the Fu familys trust and try to get Jack to want to come to us. We will never give up. In the meantime, we can speak to Jack every week and see him for a holiday for three or four weeks a year. S enator Elizabeth Warren has taken a major step towards a run for president against Donald Trump by announcing she is forming an exploratory committee for 2020. The Massachusetts Democrat, who has frequently quarrelled with the president, stated her intentions in a video released on Monday. In the four-minute clip, Ms Warren, 69, outlined her vision of a path to opportunity for all Americans, not just the wealthy. She is the most prominent Democrat yet to make a move towards a presidential bid, having said in September she would take a "hard look" at running for the party's nomination. She campaigned with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016 and clashed frequently with Mr Trump, who cast aspersions on her claim to Native American ancestry by labelling her "Pocahontas". Ms Warren attacked Mr Trump as an insecure money grubber driven by greed and hate. Launch video Americas middle class is under attack, she said in her launch video. How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie and they enlisted politicians to cut them a fatter slice. She added: This dark path doesnt have to be our future. We can make this democracy work for all of us. We can make our economy work for all of us. US Senator Elizabeth Warren addresses an audience in Massachusetts in November / AFP/Getty Images "No matter what our differences, most of us want the same thing. To be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules and take care of the people we love. That's what I'm fighting for and that's why today I'm launching an exploratory committee for president." Who is Elizabeth Warren? Ms Warren, a former Harvard Law School professor, burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections. She is an architect of the US governments Consumer Financial Protection Bureau set up after the 2008 financial crisis and has been a strong voice in the US Senate on financial issues. One of the Democrat Party's more prominent liberals, her years as a prominent critic of Wall Street give her the benefit of higher name recognition than many others in the Democratic mix for 2020. She now needs to raise money and capture Democratic primary voters' attention before Iowa casts its first vote in more than a year. As a likely presidential contender, she is making an appeal to the party's base. Ms Warren's video notes the economic challenges facing black people along with images of a women's march and her participation at an LGBT event. Her campaign is likely to revolve around the same theme she's woven into speeches and policy proposals in recent years: battling special interests, paying mind to the nexus between racial and economic inequities. Who is she likely to run against? In mid-December, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro also announced a presidential exploratory committee, which legally allows potential candidates to begin raising money. John Delaney, outgoing representative for Maryland, is the only Democrat so far to formally announce a presidential campaign. But that's likely to change in the New Year as other leading Democrats take steps towards White House runs. F ootage has emerged of men said to be members of the Saudi hit squad which murdered Jamal Khashoggi allegedly carrying the slain journalist's remains in a suitcase. Turkish TV channel A Haber has broadcast a video of the men carrying the cases into the residence of the Saudi consul general in Istanbul. The residence is a short distance from where Mr Khashoggi, a leading critic of Saudi policies, was killed in the Saudi consulate in October. A Turkish official confirmed on Monday that the report appeared to be accurate, though A Haber is a pro-government channel. CCTV footage shows Jamal Khashoggi entering Saudi embassy in Istanbul Pro-government newspaper Sabah also carried the report on the footage, claiming the suitcases were brought to the residence in a black minibus at 3.09pm on October 2. Mr Khashoggi had arrived at the consulate where he was supposed to pick up paperwork for his upcoming marriage at 1.14pm. Jamal Khashoggi / AFP/Getty Images His remains have not been found, with Saudi officials repeatedly rejecting accusations that de facto leader, crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, ordered his death. After offering contradictory explanations of what happened to Mr Khashoggi, Riyadh eventually said he had been killed, and his body dismembered, when negotiations to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia failed. Mr Khashoggi was a royal insider who had become a critic of bin Salman, writing for the Washington Post when he moved to the United States last year. The Saudi authorities have not commented on the latest footage. J amie Oliver has revealed he was open to catering for Prince Harry and Meghan Markles wedding earlier this year, after admitting he even wrote to the palace offering the food for free. The TV chef said he personally wrote to the couple ahead of their regal nuptials, proposing to provide food for the VIP guests but claims he never received a response. He told Sunday Brunchs Simon Rimmer: I did actually write and say if they want the food sorted I would bring the best of British and American chefs together to do the catering. I didn't get a reply. That is a true story. "I would have done it for free, you know, I like a bit of a moment. [The palace is] very slick at protocol and getting those gigs done, so probably we're a bit renegade." No reply: Oliver never heard back about his offer / Matt Alexander/PA Images Oliver missed out to Northern Irish chef Clare Smyth who bagged the opportunity of a lifetime earlier this year. The news comes after Oliver revealed that he uses an app to keep tabs on his children. Regal: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed earlier this year / PA The father-of-five previously told Woman magazine: We used an app to keep track of our kids whereabouts. The older girls, Jools and I are all on an app called Life360, which means we can see exactly where everybody is and the route theyve gone. He added: So if one of the girls says, Im going to Camden Town and I can see theyve gone to Reading, then was have a problem. R yan Reynolds has shared a behind-the-scenes teaser of upcoming film Pokemon Detective Pikachu. The Deadpool star said that he will be voicing the adorable creature in the brand new film earlier this year and has since teased an insight into the process of bringing the character to life. Reynolds, 42, took to social media to share a split image of his face next to the CGI Pikachu. The Canadian actor could be seen with a number of visible black dots on his face marking features used for the character. Reynolds captioned the snap: Pika-Dots. #DetectivePikachu. The post sparked excitement among fans eagerly anticipating the film. One person wrote online: If anyone is going to play Pikachu Im glad its you. Another commented: Literally the same. I cant even tell the difference. Just wow. A third added: Omg can't wait for this movie!! Pokemon: Detective Pikachu - Trailer Another added: I cant wait! Pokemon Detective Pikachu will see Justice Smith of Jurassic World fame, co-star as teen Tim who has given up on his dreams of becoming a Pokemon trainer. 'King': Fans prised the actor on the role / Getty Images When his detective father goes missing, Tim meets Detective Pikachu and soon realises he is the only one who can understand him. The pair then strike up an unusual friendship, teaming up to solve the mystery of Tims missing father. The trailer comes months after Reynolds shared a first look at Detective Pikakchu, which left fans hailing the actor a king. I ts been a wild year in the showbiz world, with bold red-carpet looks, a few protocol-breaking moves and definitely more meme-worthy moments than ever before. And while 2018 has showcased a number of defining moments, there are several pictures that helped paint the perfect story over the course of the year. Here are a few of our favourites from 2018: 1. Blue Ivy savaging parents Beyonce and Jay-Z at the Grammys Savage: Blue Ivy won the internet / Getty Images for NARAS The six-year-old rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in music as she joined Beyonce and Jay-Z at the 60th annual Grammy Awards. But she wasnt a fan of their behaviour and called them out for making too much noise as they applauded a speech. The famous tot bowed her head and made gestures with her hands as she encouraged the superstar couple to be quiet. Definitely a highlight of 2018. 2. Kanye West meets Donald Trump at the Oval Office Oh dear: Fans spotted West's password in a huge gaffe / EPA Kanye West has been embroiled in his fair share of controversies throughout 2018, including those slavery is a choice comments. But he also caused upset over his unwavering support for US President Donald Trump. But it appeared the Internet was more interested in the fact that Wests mobile phone password was 0000 after he unlocked his phone to show Mr Trump an image of an aircraft, with photographers quick to capture the hilarious moment. 3. Jennifer Lawrence is super relatable as she clambers over chairs at the Oscars Iconic: Fans praise Lawrence for the gutsy move / Getty Images Jennifer Lawrence won the Oscars after she casually juggled wine while clambering over rows of chairs. The 27-year-old hoisted up her lavish gold gown and leapt over the chairs at the Dolby Theatre, while mingling with Hollywoods elite during the 90th Academy Awards. Her peak Jennifer Lawrence antics didnt go unnoticed by viewers who praised her ballsy balancing act with many declaring the star their spirit animal. The moment was definitely Lawrence at her finest. 4. Rita Ora dressed as Post Malone Fancy dress: Rita Ora looked identical to Post Malone / Getty Images Rita Ora took her Halloween outfit to another level in October by morphing into Post Malone. The Let You Love Me hit-maker sent the internet into meltdown after she attended the annual KISS Haunted House Party dressed as the US rapper. Ora perfectly captured his signature look complete with face tattoos and bold curly hair. She even went that extra mile, adding a beard and moustache for true authenticity, to prove shes not afraid to ditch the glamour in the name of a good costume. 5. Ariana Grande sings Aretha Franklin tribute Emotional: Grande touched hearts with the performance / Getty Images Ariana Grande touched hearts around the world after she performed at the funeral for Aretha Franklin. Grande was given the honour of paying tribute to the Queen of Soul in an emotional celebration of her life at the Greater Grace Temple on August 31 in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. She effortlessly performed a rendition of Franklins iconic (You Make me Feel Like) A Natural Woman during the service, appearing to fight back tears as she honoured the legend. Franklin died, aged 76, on August 16 following a battle with pancreatic cancer. 6. Robbie Williams joins Take That for a special performance Special: The group appeared on stage for the one-off performance / Dave Benett/Getty Images Robbie Williams sent Take That fans into meltdown after he joined the group on-stage for a special performance to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Evening Standards AIDSfree appeal. Williams joined Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald, to perform their 2010 hit The Flood as they closed the first night of The Band to the delight of a special A-list audience. He later teased the possibility of a Take That reunion to mark the bands 30th anniversary next year. Famous faces at the event included Robin Hood star Taron Egerton, comedian David Walliams and actress and model Elizabeth Hurley. 7. George and Amal prove they are the best couple in Hollywood Envy: The couple were the image of perfection / Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP The actor was greeted adorably by his wife in a rare red carpet appearance as he arrived, where he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. And world-renowned human rights lawyer Amal took the chance to make the most adorable speech to her husband of four years, praising her other half for being a gentleman. She also sweetly admitted she would never want to be with anyone else. 8. Holly Willoughby gives everyone princess vibes at the Pride of Britain awards Princess vibes: Willoughby looked picture-perfect in the gown / Getty Images The nations favourite presenter channelled true princess vibes as she floated across the red carpet at the Pride of Britain Awards. Willoughby wowed as she stunned in a champagne pink off-the-shoulder gown, complete with silver embellishments on the bodice. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) relayed, on Sunday, to the Embassy of the Russian Federation to update the historical information which it uses and emphasized that the past in the bilateral relations should not allow room for unbased speculation and opinions, a position expressed after the diplomatic representatives of Russia posted on Facebook that "Western and Romanian press periodically has different publications meant to denigrate the Red Army soldiers that freed the countries of Eastern and Central Europe from fascism". "In the spirit of relations we desire be pragmatic and predictable with the Russian Federation it's indicated that the historical aspects be a realm of debate for historians and the academic environment in general. The post of the Russian Federation Embassy does not have the rigor that academic debate could have, and the information spread to the public through this post is not complete. We regret that the Russian Federation Embassy continues the 'historical episodes' series. The past of the historical relations between Romania and the Russian Federation should not allow room for unbased speculations and opinions, which may be detrimental to bilateral relations," a press release by the MAE mentions. The Ministry reminds that there is a Romanian-Russian Common Commission of historians, which is able to provide and has as an objective an analysis of the history of relations between Romania and the Russian Federation.The Russian Federation Embassy in Bucharest published on Facebook a post in which it referenced the denigration of the Red Army and the perpetuation of myths regarding soldiers."For a long period of time, in the Western and Romanian press periodically has different publications meant to denigrate the soldiers of the Red Army soldiers that freed the countries of Eastern and Central Europe from fascism. As part of this perpetual propaganda campaign, the hostile anti-Soviet and anti-Russian critics insistently attempt to convince people that the Red Army was a gathering of crooks and rapists that showed no mercy towards the civilian population. Today we notice a revitalization of this campaign," the Facebook page of the diplomatic representation shows.The post also shows an order of "Supreme Commander I.V. Stalin" banning violence towards the population and claims that these myths appeared due to the efforts of Nazi Minister of Propaganda J. Goebbels and were multiplied and repeated by the former allies of the USSR. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila stated, on Sunday, that she had a discussion with President Klaus Iohannis in which she told him that it is important to have the government at full capacity on January 1, when Romania takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. "Normally, 'immediately' means in a very short time. We see that 'immediately' for the President does not represent the same measure as for most Romanians. I had a discussion with the President, I told him that for me as a Prime Minister, for the Romanian Government, for us as a country it's important to have on January 1 the government at full capacity in order to takeover the Presidency as should be done, with a complete government, with ministers that take over the dossiers on the European agenda. It's hard to say, because when you're speaking to someone you expect to have an answer - in a day, in a week, in a month. Immediately should have been the next day, that's how I see it," said Dancila in an interview with private broadcaster Antena 3 on Sunday, in reply to the moderator who mentioned that the Constitutional Court of Romania (CCR) set down that the President must make a decision regarding the two ministers proposed by the Social Democrat Party (PSD, major, at rule) immediately. The Prime Minister mentioned that if the President maintains his refusal to accept the two ministers, he must send "a well-argumented" note."You cannot send the refusal for a minister because you don't like him or you consider him not that good. We will see what measures we will take. We must not allow the President of Romania to infringe his attributions. The proposal is made by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is responsible for the activity of the Government and in this sense takes on ministers in which he believes and which can bring added value, can be more involved in their domains. If we let the President say what minister he agrees with, some day soon we may be surprised that the President designates himself a minister so that the minister will also be accepted," said Viorica Dancila.She also said that she does not consider Klaus Iohannis as an opponent, as "to be an opponent, you must run for something, go towards a confrontation. I am not in a confrontation with President Iohannis and I do not wish to be. My objective is to implement the governing programme. (...) I do not wish to lose energy fighting with certain people that have other interests, not that of coming with concrete projects or matters for Romanians.The Government notified the CCR that President Klaus Iohannis did not make a decision regarding the appointment of new ministers for Transport - Mircea Draghici and Regional Development - Lia Olguta Vasilescu.The two were proposed by the National Executive Committee of the PSD after the first two proposals for the ministries - Ilan Laufer for Regional Development and Lia Olguta Vasilescu for Transport - were rejected on account of them being unfit. Taliban representatives from Afghanistan arrived in Tehran on Sunday and started peace negotiations with Iran, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said. The talks are designed to set parameters for negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government. "A Taliban delegation was in Tehran yesterday. They had comprehensive negotiations with the Iranian deputy foreign minister," Bahram Qasemi said in a news conference broadcast live on state television on Monday. Search Keywords: Short link: Anti-Russia hysteria in the United States notched up several degrees this month after the Kremlin dispatched a couple TU-160 to Venezuela, triggering speculation that Vladimir Putin was preparing to open an airbase in the Caribbean Sea. But considering NATOs massive footprint on Russias doorstep in Eastern Europe isnt Washington being a bit hypocritical in its condemnation? Judging by the reaction to the Russian White Swans being spotted outside of their natural habitats, youd have thought that Russia had just organized a full-scale mobilization on the US border, similar to the way US-led NATO has nudged up to the Russia border ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union and despite assurances given in 1990 to Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev by then Secretary of State James Baker that the military bloc would never move one inch eastward. Since then, the alliance has tripled in size to 29 members and is double-parked on Russias lengthy border with Europe. In addition to US soldiers regularly conducting massive war games on the territory of many former Soviet republics, like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, there is also the very permanent US missile defense shield bolted down in Romania. Yet a couple Russian bombers making a voyage to cash-strapped Venezuela elicits the most bombastic response from the United States. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sounded off on Twitter after the Russian aircraft completed their 10,000 km (6,200 miles) transatlantic journey, saying The Russian and Venezuelan people should see this for what it is: two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer. That remark is rather laughable when it is considered that the US taxpayer must cough up over $700 billion annually to satisfy the thirst of the military-industrial complex and its global network of 800+ franchises. To put that amount into perspective, the US spends more on its military than China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, France, the UK and Japan combined. Im no military expert, but I would guess that the United States would easily defend its territories on less than half of what it spends now. But that is precisely the point, since defending itself is not what this is all about. Rather, projecting American hyper-power a term coinedin 1999 by French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine around the world is the main objective. And since power is the most potent drug known to man, it has turned the country into the equivalent of a bully where governments that lack the wherewithal to defend themselves on the geopolitical playground (i.e. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria) are beat up solely on the basis of their weakness. The prospect of being on the receiving end of a US-regime change operation has made much of the world believe that the US is the main threat to global peace today. It is not too difficult to imagine the sort of response there would be if Russia truly did attempt to do the exact thing that the US is doing today, and that is militarize those states in the near proximity of the US which have poor relations with Washington. We would almost certainly be forced to ponder the thermonuclear implications of a second Cuban Missile Crisis as the hawks in Washington would screech in one voice about the imperialistic ambitions of Moscow, or some such nonsense. Yet somehow Americans fail to appreciate the hypocrisy that their own actions are having in Russias backyard. Aside from the US missile defense shield in Romania, the Trump administration has recently announced that it would withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), which eliminated all nuclear and conventional missiles, as well as their launchers, within certain distances. Putin said Russia would retaliate if Trump walked away from the 1987 treaty, much as George W. Bush walked away from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty) in 2001, thereby forcing Russia to undertake a successful reorientation of its weapons research and development. It is not very difficult to imagine a situation where Caracas, for example, which is experiencing very hostile relations with Washington, gives Russia the green light to use part of its territory for military purposes. In fact, such rumors have already been floated in the Russian media. Even though such a presence would most likely be limited in scope and more symbolic than anything, the fact that it would generate such a powerful reaction on the part of Washington says everything one needs to know about how the US perceives itself. It truly believes that it is the indispensable nation God Country, if you will that alone has the right to flaunt its military assets around a shell-shocked planet, meting out a very dubious unilateral style of justice. However, in the same way that Russia cooled down Americas exaggerated sense of power and purpose in Syria, where Trump just announced a withdrawal of troops, the day may come when it does the same in Americas Caribbean backyard. Watching America hubris fall back to earth from the dizzying heights would alone be worth the price of admission to the blockbuster of the year. Finally, a clear and convincing and unrefuted case can now be presented to the public, as to precisely whom the guilty party was, that downed the MH17 Malaysian airliner over Ukraine on 17 July 2014, and why it was done. The complete case, which will be fully documented here, displays unequivocally who needed the MH17 murders (of 298 persons) to be perpetrated. This mass-murder was done for one leaders very pressing obsession. For him, it simply had to be done, and done at that precise time. The full MH17 case will be presented here, to be judged by the public, because no court of law which possesses the power to bring this (or even any) case on the MH17 murders, is willing to do so, and because the evidence in this 17 July 2014 case has become overwhelming, and is unrefuted. This evidence is accepted by both sides. But it still remains effectively hidden from the publics in the United States and its allied countries. (The present news-report, which is the first ever to present this entire case, is submitted to all news-media in English-speaking countries, so that any of them that wishes to provide its audience access to this uncontested and conclusive evidence in the MH17 case can do so, by publishing this article. Any of them that wont, dont want their audience to have access to the conclusive evidence in this case, because this article is being made available to all of them to publish, free of charge; so, there is no other reason not to publish it.) The complete evidence will be described, and all of the conclusive evidence is linked-to, proving who perpetrated, and who demanded, the shoot-down on 17 July 2014 of the Malaysian airliner MH17. This article will start by demonstrating the most important thing, and will demonstrate it by means of links to the most conclusive evidence of all. This is the evidence which absolutely proves that the official Netherlands-headed investigation into this matter is an intentional and utter fraud a fraud which has already been conclusively answered and exposed by the Russian Government. (Netherlands headed the investigation because 196 of the 298 murder-victims were Dutch.) Russias response provided, in excruciating detail, not only clear disproofs of the Netherlands-headed investigations conclusions of Russian guilt, but also (and on the basis of the very same evidence that the official investigation had made public on 24 May 2018) provided the still-unrefuted (but nonetheless still effectively hidden) proofs of Ukraines actual and incontestable guilt, in this mass-murder. This evidence, of the Netherlands teams fraudulence, carries the investigation a large part of the way toward its ultimate conclusion, regarding whom the person was who had demanded Ukraine to commit this crime. Incidentally, the Netherlands Government had partially funded the coup that in February 2014 overturned Ukraines Government and installed the new regime, which regime is allied with the United States Government and actually perpetrated the MH17 shoot-down. The Government of Netherlands is not a neutral in this case that it is judging. It had helped install the present regime in Ukraine. In fact, as you can see here, Netherlands Government had been the largest single contributor to Ukraines Hromadske TV, which was propagandizing to exterminate the residents in Ukraines former Donbass region, which breakaway region had voted over 90% for Ukraines Democratically elected President, whom Obamas coup had just overthrown. This operation in Ukraine is an extension from the corrupt Nazi Prince Bernhard's having established in Netherlands in 1954 the secretive Bilderberg group to coordinate NATOs efforts for the US and its allies to conquer ultimately the world. He got caught in 1976, for one of his skimming operations, a million-dollar kickback from Lockheed Corporation. Hollands Deep State is anything but benign. So, Russias response, on 17 September 2018, used that Netherlands-headed teams own documentation, to disprove that teams attribution of guilt to Russia, and to prove conclusively Ukraines guilt as having been the actual perpetrator of this mass-murder. Thus, the Netherlands-headed team includes the actual perpetrator, Ukraine, and not only the Netherlands Government, which had helped overthrow Ukraines prior and democratically elected Government and bring Ukraines current regime into power in February 2014, just months prior to the MH17 shoot-down, which resulted from that US coup. Most readers who click onto the links here will be shocked. What will shock them is the evidence, because it has not been published in The West (except summarized in less than a half-dozen obscure news-media and, even there, generally not documented, such as it is here). The links will document and fully prove this stunning turnabout, from Russia to Ukraine. The documentation that was cited by Ukraine and Ukraines fellow team-member (the teams leader) Netherlands, against Russia, on May 24th of 2018, contained previously unrecognized details (which were first pointed out in the Russian presentation on September 17th of 2018) which irrefutably convict Ukraine. Consequently, Russias response was ignored in The West, despite that presentations having been based upon the very same items of evidence that had been introduced by the Netherlands-led team on May 24th. Thus, the items of evidence, there, are the same that the Netherlands-led team had themselves provided. The items of evidence here are not in dispute. The current article will be the first-ever to hone-in on the especially shocking key data in Russias data-packed September 17th response, the key evidence that Russia was calling attention to there, and which prove Ukraines guilt beyond any reasonable doubt prove it on the basis of the very same evidence that had been introduced by Ukraines own team in their presentation four months earlier. Using the other sides evidence to convict that other side is what makes this denouement the stunning turnabout that it is. The Netherlands-headed Ukrainian team still refuses to answer the Russian presentation, which responds to the Ukrainian teams May 24th presentation. Western news-media have likewise almost completely ignored Russias response. (One Dutch medium did report on it but dismissed it by focusing on a subordinate part: their report said and focused on Russia now claims that the video images the investigators used to track the missile's transport to the Ukraine, were manipulated. However, the part of Russias presentation that will be discussed in the present article was being entirely ignored in that Dutch news-report, which, as you will see here, has nothing to do with any claim of manipulated evidence. Britains BBC likewise focused-in on the manipulated evidence that Russias presentation had attacked. The Washington Post instead headlined Who spread disinformation about the MH17 crash? We followed the Twitter trail, and it focused-in on how polarized the public is over the MH17 case. The Wests news-coverage was virtually entirely misdirection and disinformation, as you will recognize from what follows here. And the evidence here is linked-to, so that you can see it for yourself.) Russias response documented beyond any question, at all, that this airliner was shot down by the Ukrainian Government, and that Western (i.e., US-allied) newsmedia have been and are covering-up this crucial historical fact and The Wests still-ongoing lies about the downing of MH17. Those lies are the basis of US and EU anti-Russia sanctions, which remain in effect despite the basis for those sanctions having been exposed unequivocally, on September 17th, to be based on lies. Thus, continuing to hide those lies is crucial to the liars. This is the reason why Russias blazingly detailed presentation on September 17th has been virtually ignored to protect the actually guilty. The evidence here proves that those sanctions, themselves, are nothing but frauds against the public, and crimes against Russia ongoing additional crimes, which have been, and remain, effectively hidden till now. The reader can see and consider here all of the conclusive evidence in the MH17 case it can be reached via the present articles links. Unlike the news-reports in The Wests news-media, the presentation here is not presuming readers trust, but is instead providing to all readers access to the actual evidence evidence that is accepted by both sides. Thats what the links here are for: examination by any skeptics. Skepticism in judging anything is not only good; it is essential to justice. Trust should never be given; it should only be earned. Otherwise, no democracy can function. Only dictatorship can function in a country thats controlled by lies, and by liars. Liars are believed by people who have faith in them. Thus, faith in anything or anyone can poison judgment. The way to test the case that is presented here is to click onto a link wherever one wants to see and examine the evidence. Without examining (usually by spot-checking) the evidence, no reader can intelligently judge any case. Dictatorship is almost inevitable in a counry where spot-checking of the actual evidence isnt the norm. Most news-media dont even enable such spot-checking. This is why news-media are so often actually propaganda-media instead. So, heres the complete MH17 case, for any reader to judge: The last announcement from the official investigation, the Netherlands-headed Joint Investigative Team (JIT), was on 24 May 2018, and it headlined Update in criminal investigation MH17 disaster. It said: The JIT is convinced that the BUK-TELAR [missile and launcher] that was used to down MH17, originates from the 53rd Anti Aircraft Missile brigade (hereinafter 53rd brigade), a unit of the Russian army from Kursk in the Russian Federation. This fingerprint has been compared with numerous images of BUK-TELARS, both Ukrainian and Russian ones. The only BUK-TELAR on which this combination of characteristics also was found, is a BUK-TELAR that was recorded several times when it joined a convoy of the 53rd brigade on 23 25 June 2014. Consequently, the JIT presumes that within the 53rd brigade and within the circle around it, people have knowledge about the operation in which that particular BUK-TELAR was deployed. Already in September 2016, the JIT disclosed that MH17 was downed with a BUK missile of the 9M38 series. The missile engines casing shows the number 9 1318869032. Typical of Western news-medias coverage of that presentation, was CNNs report the same day, May 24th of 2018. It was headlined "Missile that downed MH17 'owned by Russian brigade". It stated: At the time this area was under control of pro-Russian separatists, said Fred Westerbeke, chief prosecutor of the National Prosecutors Office of the Netherlands. The Buk launcher of the 9M38 series was transported from the territory of the Russian Federation and was returned to that territory of the Russian Federation afterwards. The Ukrainian side claimed they had finally found evidence which would enable them definitively to place the blame for the MH17 shoot-down on Russia. So, the very next day, May 25th, Britains Telegraph bannered "Netherlands and Australia call for compensation for MH17 victims as they accuse Russia of downing plane" and reported that Australia and the Netherlands have said they hold Russia legally responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17 over Ukraine in 2014 and will seek reparations for relatives of the 298 people killed. This demand against Russia was coming the day after the Dutch-led international investigation concluded that the Russian military had deployed the Buk surface-to-air missile that shot down the plane. Four months later, on 17 September 2018, the Russian Ministry of Defense youtubed its response, which is titled Briefing on newly discovered evidence pertaining to the crash of the MH17 flight. It presented the actual history of the Buk missile and launcher which Ukraine and the other Governments on the JIT said had brought down the MH17. (The JIT includes four countries, Netherlands, Ukraine, Belgium, and Australia, with a fifth, Malaysia, having been brought in only later, after it finally agreed to allow Ukraine a veto over any conclusions that the team will publish. Malaysias participation started on 4 December 2014; but whether Malaysia has actually been allowed to play a role in the investigation isnt clear.) Russia, during the intervening months after the JITs May 24th presentation, had tracked down all of those serial numbers, 8868720, and 1318869032, and 9M38, and found (as you can see there by clicking on each, especially onto the Briefing itself) that after the acquisition of the launcher and missile, by Ukraine in 1986, from Russia, that missile and its launcher had always, and constantly since their transfer to Ukraine in 1986, remained in Ukraine, and never again were located in Russia. So: if the JITs supplied evidence is authentic which the Ukrainian team asserts it to be then it outright convicts Ukraine. This is an evidentiary checkmate, against the Ukrainian side. With the passage now of years, the precise cause of the shooting-down of the Malaysian passenger plane MH17 on 17 July 2014 has been becoming clearer and clearer, despite the rigorous continuing attempts by Western news media to cover it up and to hide from the public the growing and by-now irrefutable evidence (presented here) that clearly shows what and who actually brought down this airliner. In the years since I headlined on August 24th of 2014 the news, MH-17 Investigation: Secret August 8th Agreement Seeps Out: Perpetrator of the Downing in Ukraine, of the Malaysian Airliner, Will Stay Hidden, the key fact about the official investigation has actually been that the Government of Ukraine was, on 8 August 2014, granted veto-power over any official finding which would be produced by the Joint Investigative Team. On 20 November 2014, Russian Television headlined Dutch government refuses to reveal secret deal into MH17 crash probe and reported that Hollands science-publishers Elsevier had filed for this information under that countrys Freedom of Information Act, and the Government simply refused to comply with that law. The leaders of Western nations apparently want the black-box and much other basic data in their possession to remain hidden, and the four nations had signed this secret agreement to allow the Government of Ukraine to block any report that incriminates Ukraine in the MH17 shoot-down. But additional evidence has nonetheless become public, and all of it confirms and adds yet further details to the explanation that was first put forth by the retired German Lufthansa pilot Peter Haisenko, whose independent investigation had concluded that Ukrainian Government fighter-jets intentionally shot down this civilian plane. He did not rule out the possibility that a Buk missile had simultaneously been used there, but he made clear that at least one fighter-jet had been used in this shoot-down. However, if those parts of a Buk missile, which were the focus of the Netherlands teams presentation on May 24th, were indeed retrieved from the crash-site as that team claims, then a Buk missile had also hit the MH17. Serious question would nonetheless exist as to whether that Buk was fired by troops who were working for Ukraine, or instead for Russia (or else for Donbas separatists who were working in conjunction with Russia, which was Ukraines and Americas original version of the event). Precisely what the method was, by which the direct perpetrators brought down the MH17, has gradually become clearer, despite this continuation of Western secrecy (and Ukraines veto-power over the findings) regarding the contents of the black boxes, and of the US satellite images, and of the Ukrainian air-traffic-control radar recordings, and of other evidence-sources that are still being held secret by The West and not made available to their news media nor to anyone outside a tight official circle of those Western nations intelligence agencies. But now, Russia has actually on 17 September 2018 exposed the outright fraudulence of the JITs 24 May 2018 presentation, and The West (the US Governments allies) entirely ignored the conclusive evidence that that presentation by the JIT itself actually contained and to which Russia was pointing, so that there can no longer be reasonable doubt about The Wests intentional and still ongoing fraudulence regarding the entire MH17 matter. Also entirely ignored in the Ukrainain teams explanation of the event is why Ukraines air-traffic control had guided the MH17s pilot to fly over the conflict-zone where Ukraines civil war was being waged and where Ukraines war-planes were bombing. The MH17s pilot was instructed by Ukraines air-traffic control to take that path instead of the one that the airline had planned and that had become normal during the civil war. This was highly abnormal, and it doomed the MH17. Clearly, only Ukraines Government could, and did, do that change the route, and for only that one plane. Yet, still, the Netherlands-headed team blames Russia and is trusted in The West, but Russia is not. (Now, why would that be?) Russia has constantly been releasing its own investigations regarding MH-17; and, in the process, Russia on September 17th not only provided further details as to how the downing actually happened (it wasnt by mistake, as the West contends it was), but they have also, in prior presentations, exposed the absurd impossibility of the Ukrainian Governments explanation of this event (that only a Buk had been used), which is the explanation that is still being parroted unquestioningly and unflinchingly by officials in Washington, Europe, and NATO, and also by Western news media. (As my news-report on 24 August 2014 explained, that secret August 8th agreement was signed by the four governments which formed the JIT team and which had been handed by Malaysia the black boxes to study Ukraine, Belgium, Australia, and Netherlands and the JIT granted to the Ukrainian Government a veto over anything that the teams official report would say. This is probably the reason why the subsequent officially released report on those black boxes said essentially nothing. It was a brazen insult to the 298 victims families. The presumption has been that all of them will have faith, not be skeptical, regarding the JIT team.) Though Russia doesnt possess those black boxes (which, by chance, were handed by the pro-Russian separatists to the Malaysian Governments representative, and yet that Government handed them to Netherlands Government instead of to Russias apparently trusting Netherlands more than trusting Russia or even themselves), Russia does possess, and publicly reveals, evidence thats conclusive on its own; and it is 100% consistent with Haisenkos reconstruction of the event, regardless whether a Buk was involved or not. Russian Television had issued in October 2014 a 25-minute documentary on the event, and it starts with people whom they interviewed in that region, who were describing their having seen at least one and perhaps two planes rising toward the airliner, and then the airliner coming down from the sky. Other witnesses told them that they saw an SU-25 fighter plane take off in that general area just minutes before the airliner came down. FIRST, THE MISSING BBC REPORT: The BBC had previously posted to their website on 23 July 2014, just six days after the event itself, a news report in Russian via their Russian service (fortunately archived by Global Research), about the downing, but they quickly removed it without explanation. Fortunately, however, some Russian-speakers had managed to download it before it was yanked; and at least two of those downloads were posted to youtube, the first one having been posted there on 28 July 2014, with English subscripts, and with the headline, UKRAINE Eyewitness Confirm Military Jet Flew Besides MH17 Airliner: BBC Censors Video 25Jul2014. (Its gone now, but, actually, several witnesses, and not just one, were interviewed there there wasnt just one Eyewitness.) Furthermore, Global Research posted on 10 September 2014 a transcript of it, headlining, Deleted BBC Report. Ukrainian Fighter Jet Shot Down MHI7, Donetsk Eyewitnesses. (The video itself is still at youtube and it will be linked-to just below here, so that you will be able to view it.) The interviews by the BBC were done by their reporter Olga Ivshina. (Also see http://archive.is/vFoh9.) She had filmed local residents in the crash-debris area. In one passage of her 23 July 2014 news-report, there were two residents simultaneously who described what they had seen. One of them said, And there was another aircraft. The other continued immediately, in order to describe the other plane, a military one, beside it [it being the airliner]. Everybody saw it. It was proceeding underneath below the civilian one. Here is the second, and clearer, version of that clip. (Its the one thats still live at youtube.) The key portion on it is at 0:38-042 in the video: That was the 9 September 2014 repost of it, with the same subscript-translation into English, only the visual is sharper. And here is an apology, dated 25 July 2014, by the BBC, for their having removed their original video of this interview and yet they still didnt repost it; they still continue to blockade it; even today the only versions available, of these, the earliest recorded interviews of people who said they witnessed the event, are the independently posted ones, but here is the BBCs apology: http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/blogs/2014/07/140725_blog_editors_bbc_story_republished.shtml Here, then, is that BBC apology google-translated into English: http://archive.is/kc291 So: clearly, BBC has done all that they could to remove evidence, which they had mistakenly broadcast, which had fit the retired Lufthansa pilot Peter Haisenkos reconstruction of the event, and which contradicted the US-Ukrainian reconstruction of it the reconstruction that Western news media project, and on the basis of which US President Barack Obama won from the EU stiff increases in, and subsequent extensions of, the economic sanctions against Russia, all on the basis of lies. (Subsequently, on 17 December 2018, South Front headlined EDITORIAL BOARD DEMANDS BLOOD: INSIDE LOOK AT HOW BBC TRIES TO FIND PROOF OF RUSSIAN INFLUENCE ON YELLOW VEST PROTESTS, and they reported that Ivshina had texted to a BBC stringer, on the streets of Paris, instructions of what story-lines were wanted by BBC management regarding the Yellow Vests demonstrations against French President Emmanuel Macron, Yes, Im searching for the angles))) The editorial board wants blood, yo))). And if you find these ultra-rightists [at the protests], will they talk about Putin and Moscow? Well, at least the Russians go to the protests, right? Ivshina was instructing her French stringer what to look for, in order for her to be able to report the type of news that her bosses wanted to publish. Perhaps Ivshina had been chastised in 2014 and had learned to never again be caught reporting anything that challenges the UK Governments anti-Russia propaganda-line.) So, this valuable eyewitness-testimony to the MH17 event is available despite Western news media (or, more-accurately, propaganda-media), and the reason for the news-suppression is clear to anyone who views that BBC 23 July 2014 report, which presents several eyewitnesses, interviewed separately as individuals, not as a group, and yet all of whose testimonies perhaps despite Ivshinas wish for them not to say this report having observed the very same basic narrative, of at least one military jet rising toward the airliner just before it came down. In other words: it is clear that BBC had yanked this report because it didnt confirm the Wests story-line, which says that Ukrainian pro-Russian separatists had fired a Buk ground-based missile at the airliner, thinking that the civilian plane was a Ukrainian Government war-plane about to bomb them and their families. But, first of all, the Ukrainian Government was virtually admitting there that they were bombing these villagers, which means that they were perpetrating an ethnic cleansing operation there, which indeed that Government was doing; but, secondly, the Ukrainian Governments statement also acknowledged that if the event had happened in that way, it would have been unintentional, a tragic accident on the part of the rebels there. (The JITs line now is that it was instead an outright Russian attack against the MH17.) So, then, why did the international community respond with massive economic sanctions against Russia on account of this downing by, as it turns out, Ukraine? The whole Western propaganda position was designed for a public of sheer fools, if not of outright psychopathic ones, who cared not a bit about the plights of the victims of an ethnic-cleansing campaign. They cared only about victims in The West. The Wests basic story-line doesnt make sense without recognizing that we were financing ethnic cleansing to clear the land in southeastern Ukraine, and that any support that Russia would be providing to those separatists would have been defensive in nature, not offensive. Yet Russia gets the blame when this passenger jet goes down? Even though Ukraines air-traffic control had guided the pilot there? In any case, that story-line of Russian guilt is false, from start to finish. And now (at least after 17 September 2018) it is finished. But Western news-media still continue to broadcast the lies, as if it werent. Here is how outright ludicrous it actually is, and sound reason in itself that anyone in the military had to have known, from the very get-go, that the Buk explanation was a line of pure malarkey: THE RUSSIAN DOCUMENTARY: The 22 October 2014 Russian documentary was titled, MH-17: The Untold Story, and it presents, among much else, videos of several Buk missiles being fired on other occasions, just to show how utterly ludicrous the initial Ukraine-US-and-allied explanation of the MH17 event was. On 5 November 2014, I summarized that, with screen-shots from the Russian documentary. So, when even the BBCs reporter wasnt able to find anyone in that entire region who recounts having seen anything of the sort, just how likely would the Ukrainian Governments line on that matter that not only was this done by a lone Buk but it was fired by (at first) pro-Russian separatists, and (then) by the Russian army actually be? Obviously, any person with any military knowledge whatsoever had to have recognized virtually immediately that the Ukrainian Governments story-line on the MH-17 downing was a pile of sheer malarkey, but did anyone in the Western news media report that it was that the Western line there was not just a lie, but an absurd one, one that requires an ignorant public in order for it to be able to be taken seriously at all by the public? One that requires an ignorant public, to remain ignorant? This is supposed to be the Western news media, with a free press, and a democracy, a truthfully informed citizenry, who can vote based upon truths, not on mere lies? Here is the way that the Russian TV documentary opens: Several of the locals there told Russian TVs reporter that they had seen a military jet rise toward the airliner; and not a one of these individuals were any of the same ones who had testified the exact same thing to the BBCs reporter, whose news-piece had been squelched by her managers. HERE IS HOW MH17 WAS SHOT DOWN: Now, to the substance of the explanation of how this plane was actually brought down: Earlier, I had summarized the evidence for Peter Haisenkos reconstruction of the event, but I questioned his having accepted the eyewitness testimony to the effect that the planes that shot down the airliner were SU-25s. In Haisenkos Russian TV interview, he stuck by his belief that it was probably SU-25s instead of SU-27s or Mig 29s, both of which are also in the Ukrainian Air Force, and all three of which use 30-millimeter machine-guns or cannons. But since the fact is that all three of those attack-plane models use machine-guns (cannons) with 30-caliber bullets (which is the size that clearly was used, especially on the cockpit), the effect would be identically-sized round 30-caliber entry-holes, no matter what. My last major report on that evidence, prior to the 8 August 2014 formation of the JIT and their mutual agreement to report nothing that would be incriminating to Ukraines Government regarding the MH17 incident, was Systematically Reconstructing the Shoot-Down of the Malaysian Airliner: The Guilt Is Clear and Damning. That basically fills in (and the links, in that report, document with pictures and videos that) the actual way that this plane was downed, and that why it was downed was to get the EU to go along with stiffened sanctions against Russia. Obama (via the regime that he had installed in a February 2014 coup in Kiev) succeeded there in getting the international sanctions against Russia that he had been wanting. Obama, and certainly not Putin and now we know it wasnt Russia at all (not even if a Buk was involved) was the key person behind this. The 298 MH17 murder-victims on 17 July 2014 were murdered by Barack Obama (via his agents such as Victoria Nuland she ran Obamas Ukrainian operation), just as clearly as (if not even more clearly than) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud (via his agents at the Sauds Istanbul Consulate) murdered Jamal Khashoggi on 2 October 2018. International actions (such as economic sanctions) are based upon such fabrications, and evidence taken out of its full context, as this from the far-right Forbes commentator Paul Roderick Gregory, but there are no such fakes, nor out-of-context items of evidence, in the case that has been presented here. Thats the difference between news-reporting versus propaganda; but, in the United States today, propaganda passes as if it were news, and authentic news that doesnt fit the regimes cooked-up narrative is suppressed entirely. The scandal isnt just Obama, and its not just Ukraine; it is also the propaganda-organs, and even (though to the least extent) their audiences who subscribe to such lying news-media. Western governments, and their news media, are treating their citizens, their own publics, not really as citizens, but as suckers. They are treating them as subjects, instead of as citizens. This is not authentic democracy. It is neo-feudal; it is, in fact, fascism. The entire Buk explanation of the downing of the Malaysian airliner (the idea that only a Buk missile caused the physical wreckage which was found) is for suckers only; and everyone in official circles, and in the press, who peddles it, is just as fake as the ridiculous story-line that he or she is peddling. To fall for it, after being provided all of the authentic evidence, which has been linked-to here, one would have to be a willing slave to psychopaths. In this case, the psychopath was Obama, who not only had perpetrated a bloody coup to overthrow the democratically elected President of Ukraine in February 2014 but who also was now struggling, and had a very pressing obsession, to get the EU to accept his sanctions against Russia for its having accepted the pleas of Crimeans (who had voted 75% for that President) to become restored again to Russia. The 14 July 2014 mass-murder that was set up to be blamed against Russia was Obamas trick that enabled him to win his way on this. CONCLUSIONS: By no means do we know every detail about how the MH17 was shot down, but what we do now know for certain is that the narrative for that event which was supplied by Ukraines team on May 24th the official account of how it happened isnt just false; it is outright fraudulent. Ukraines team supplied evidence which, if it is authentic, actually convicts Ukraine. And Western news-media hide this crucial fact. So, now, we know why Western governments have hidden, instead of making available to the public, the black-box data and the other evidence that they still refuse to provide to the public. They are aiming to scam the public, not to inform it. Lying is their game. They might call it patriotism. Traitors would likely do that. Traitors to any country could do it. And, so, they do. Their believers constitute their political base. Unfortunately, anyone they fool becomes their tool, and everyone else is purely their victim helpless to oust (much less, to replace) the tyrants who make things bad for everyone but themselves and their colleagues, the insiders at the very top. Just the day before the MH17 shoot-down, Bloomberg News had headlined, on 16 July 2014, "EU Readies Russia Sanctions Amid US Pressure on Ukraine, and reported that the US urges the bloc to take a tougher stance against Moscow. The day before that, on July 15th, Bloombergs headline had been EU Leaders Weigh Sanctions Against Russia Over Ukraine, and that report opened, European Union leaders meeting in Brussels will consider expanded sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine conflict, as the US urges the bloc to take a tougher stand against Moscow. Was the July 17th event only coincidentally timed perfectly in order to achieve what Obama was determined to produce: the first Ukraine-based anti-Russia sanctions? The regime that Obama had installed in Ukraine in February 2014 needed not only his support, but also the support of the IMF (in order to obtain loans), and of the EU (which it was seeking to join). There was probably even more pressure placed upon the leaders in Ukraine than there was upon the leaders in the EU. But there was plenty upon them both. The EU was widely reported to be balking at increasing the sanctions against Russia. Obama needed the EU to approve quickly his increased sanctions, so as to keep the momentum going for his entire anti-Russian campaign, which had been the reason behind his February 2014 coup in Ukraine. Something dramatic now was needed, in order for Obama to win the EUs full cooperation. After all, Obama had secretly started at least by 2011 his operation to take over Ukraine. This operation was, for him, one of the central objectives of his entire two-term Presidency. Ukraine and Ukraine alone now had within its power the capacity to deliver to him the EUs participation. Ukraine delivered it, precisely when it was the most urgently needed. This was essential in order for Ukraine to be able to enter the EU. And entering the EU would be essential in order for Ukraine to be able to enter NATO the next key step in the Bilderbergers plan. Continuing the sanctions is easier than originally imposing them was. On 22 December 2018, UAwire headlined EU extends economic sanctions against Russia, and reported that on December 14th, the EUs sanctions against Russia, which are based upon alleged Russian aggressions in or against Ukraine, are being extended: UAwire noted These measures were initially introduced on July 31, 2014 for one year in response to Russia's actions to destabilize the situation in Ukraine, and then strengthened in September 2014. The EU supports, and participates in, the US regimes lies and sanctions against Russia. These crimes and lies started as Obamas, but continued under his successor Trump, and have been also the EUs crimes throughout, by the EUs joining, instead of condemning, not only those sanctions but also the lies upon which those sanctions are based. The EU thus indirectly shares the US Governments guilt in the mass-murders that occurred on 17 July 2014. Perhaps the survivors families and Malaysia Airlines (which is owned by the Malaysian Government), and their Governments, will file both civil and criminal charges now initially against Ukraine and its President Petro Poroshenko, and ultimately against Victoria Nuland, Barack Obama, and the United States, but also against the Dutch Government, for its collusion with the United States Government in its fraudulent investigation that had pre-established blame against Russia. (However, the secret agreement that Malaysia signed to join the JIT might prohibit Malaysia from joining such suits.) Netherlands pre-established Russian blame especially by means of its 8 August 2014 secret four-party agreement (joined later by Malaysias Government) to allow Ukraine, an actual suspect in this case, to hold veto power over the assignment of blame in this entire matter. However, not only the survivors of the 298 victims should be suing, but all of the victims should be represented in this case. There were also many violations of international laws. Obamas coup against Ukraine was one such. The MH17 shoot-down resulted from that coup, couldnt have occurred without it, and was an extension from it. That coup is thus an important part of the MH17 case. On 20 September 2017, the now 5 countries in the JIT signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding saying Arrangements for signatories and other grieving nations to make financial contributions to the national proceedings in the Netherlands will be laid down in a financial memorandum of understanding, and that This Memorandum will remain in effect for five years and will be automatically extended for successive five-year periods. So, they intend to continue their investigation into MH17 until they can present to the world evidence that Russia did it. Perhaps before that happens, however, all of the victims and their children will already have passed away and this fraud and farce will finally end, as secretly as it began, and only few people will even care, anymore, about it. Or will victims and their families, instead, initiate whatever legal proceedings they can, right now, against all members of the JIT, for their cover-up, and against the ringleaders, in the US, who demanded this mass-murder to be done, and against the perpetrators in Ukraine, who actually ordered and did it? Maybe theyll even be able to get Barack Obama to return to the Nobel committee their 2009 Peace Prize. The US regime masterminded this mass-murder in order to win the EUs support for sanctions against Russia, and the EU knowingly complied, and continues to comply, with the American regimes ongoing aggressions and lies against Russia. The 298 MH17 murder-victims are thus not only the US regimes victims, but vicariously victims also of the EU and not, at all, of Russia. Russia was instead the real intended target of the possible Ukrainian Buk missile, and of the Ukrainian fighter-jets, that brought down the MH17. The MH17 victims were merely collateral damages in the US regimes secret decades-long and ongoing anti-Russia war. This is how todays America competes in the world, by playing very dirty, and getting away with it, helped by its allies, which endorse, and join in, the US regimes atrocities. Now, which major news-media in The West will report these solidly documented facts? Isnt it time, finally, that they should start doing that? Or, do they have no honor, at all? In late 2018 the U.S. offered a $3 million reward for the capture of Hossein Ahmad Larijani who, from 2007 through 2008 organized the illegal procurement and shipment to Iran of 6,000 American made RFMs (Radio Frequency Modules). Larijani recruited four Singaporean men to assist him in the smuggling operation and in 2011 they were arrested in Singapore while Larijani fled back to Iran, where he currently lives. Larijani is an Iranian citizen who was never arrested. Before and after 2011 Larijani is believed to have traveled to Turkey, Hong Kong and China to arrange smuggling efforts for Iran. Three of the Singapore men were extradited back to the United States and by 2013 were tried and convicted of assisting Larijani in his smuggling scheme involving the RFMs. One of the Singapore suspects could not be extradited and is still in Singapore. The three who were convicted served short (up to four years) prison terms and returned to Singapore. The other man was found not guilty (or not guilty enough) in Singapore. The RFM case first became public in 2011, when American criminal investigators, in cooperation with their counterparts in Singapore, tracked down and arrested five Singaporeans who had arranged for the RFMs to be purchased from an American firm and shipped to Singapore for (according to the Singapore firm run by Larijanis co-conspirators) use in a Singapore telecommunications project. This was a legitimate reason for these dual-use electronic components to be sold to a Singapore firm. Instead, Larijani provided the address of an Iranian firm that his Singapore partners could ship the RFMs to. The smuggling operation was revealed after 16 of these RFMs were found in unexploded roadside bombs in Iraq between 2008 and 2010. These RFMs enabled bombs to be detonated remotely (from up to 60 kilometers away) using an encrypted radio signal. It was eventually found that these RFMs, and other components of the bombs, had been smuggled into Iraq from Iran. The American manufacturer of the RFMs was contacted and provided the documents used by the Singapore men to deceive American export controls so that the RFMs could be eventually redirected to Iran. Based on that evidence Singapore agreed to extradite three of the men to the United States for prosecution. Because Larijani remained active organizing smuggling operations for Iran, mainly via his East Asia connections in China, he was kept on the FBI wanted list and with the addition of the reward he has been moved up on the list (to more wanted if not most wanted). The war on Iranian arms smuggling has been intensifying since 2003. Most countries cooperate, but not all. While Turkey has been getting cozy with Iran, the Turks still enforce some international trade sanctions against Iran. But as Turkey encourages its companies to do more business with Iran, there are more opportunities to smuggle forbidden goods to assist Iranian nuclear weapons and ballistic missile projects. Iran takes advantage of this whenever possible. Germany was once a favorite place for Iran to buy equipment for their ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs but after 2006 the Germans began cracking down. For example, in 2008, a German citizen was prosecuted for running a weapons related smuggling operation. The defendant shipped 16 tons of high-grade graphite, used for making rocket nozzles, to Iran in 2005-7. The defendant mislabeled the graphite as low-grade, which was legal to sell to Iran. Another ten tons of the high-grade graphite was caught by Turkish customs officials. Germany adopted stricter export rules for Iran in 2010 and promptly began seeking out and prosecuting those who ignored the ban. This did not stop the Iranians from using Germany as a source of forbidden goods. In response, Germany has been prosecuting people for exporting special metals and manufacturing equipment needed for ballistic missile warheads. All this slows down the Iranians but has not stopped them and there continued to be opportunities for Iranian businessmen like Larijani to make deals. Ever since the U.S. embargo was imposed in 1979 (after Iran broke diplomatic protocol by seizing the American embassy), Iran has sought, with some success, to offer big money to smugglers who can beat the embargo and get needed industrial and military equipment. This is a risky business, and American and European prisons are full of Iranians, and other nationals, who tried and failed to procure forbidden goods. The smuggling operations are currently under more scrutiny, and attack, because of Iran's growing nuclear weapons program. But the Iranians simply offer more money and more smugglers step up to keep the goodies coming. It was believed that the 2015 treaty with Iran (along with the Russia, China, America, Britain, France and Germany) that lifted most of the sanctions on Iran in return for Iran ceasing illegal arms programs (mainly the nuclear weapons effort) would end the Iranian smuggling. It didnt and the Iranian backed smugglers have continued operations. In early 2018 the United States withdrew from the 2015 and is again going after the Iranian smuggling networks, where now even busier than they were before 2015. Bay of Plenty Our client has plenty of work in the pipeline and as such they are in need of qualified or experienced carpenters for an... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz A 15-year-old Liverpool boy pleaded not guilty to murder charges this morning in the stabbing death of Zakariah Ibrahim another 15 year old from Cicero. Maurice Martin appeared in court before Syracuse City Court Judge Vanessa Bogan. Onondaga County Sheriffs investigators arrested Martin early this morning. Someone called the Onondaga County 911 Center at 12:07 a.m. to report a stabbing at 6206 Wynmoor Drive in the town of Cicero, dispatchers said. The 911 caller told dispatchers the teen was barely breathing." Emergency crews found the victim outside on Wynmoor Drive near the intersection of Chinkapin Circle, said sheriffs spokesman Sgt. Jon Seeber. Cicero volunteer firefighters performed CPR at the scene and NAVAC ambulance crews rushed the teen to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. Martin is charged with murder in the 2nd degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the 4th degree. Bogan sent Martin to Hillbrook Juvenile Detention Center. His next scheduled court appearance is Friday. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- JaNya Thomas had only been in Syracuse two days when she was stabbed to death Saturday morning, her mother said. It was also the second time this year that Thomas, 15, had been stabbed in Syracuse, her mom Ernetta Skipper said. Over the summer, Thomas told her mother she was fighting with one girl when another girl stabbed her in the leg and face. Thomas had recently been living with her mom in Ithaca, but she came to Syracuse to live with her father after she and her mother were in a serious crash April 5, Skipper said. Their car slid on icy, snowy roads, and into the path of a tractor-trailer on Route 13 in Lansing, near Ithaca. JaNya suffered a minor concussion and eye injury in the crash, but was otherwise OK, her mom said. Skipper, however, had multiple broken bones on the left side of her body and is now blind in her left eye as a result of the crash. She needed months of rehabilitation and continues to use a cane. After Skipper returned to her home in Ithaca in August, JaNya also moved back with stitches still in her leg from the stabbing this summer, she said. I got her out of that environment, Skipper said, adding that she talked to her daughter about the fight that ended with her stabbed this summer. I asked, What are you doing? Skipper said. JaNya Thomas went to Nottingham High School in Syracuse last year; this year, she attended Ithaca High School. The teen returned to Syracuse to visit her father and other family members two days before she was stabbed to death, her mother said. Friday night, she told her mother she was ready to come home as they talked on FaceTime, Skipper said. Thats the last she heard from her only child. Family members said they do not know what happened Saturday morning. JaNya was inside 107 Pennsylvania Ave. on Syracuses North Side with another youth shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday when police say a 13-year-old boy stabbed her in the stomach. After interviewing witnesses, Syracuse police arrested a 13-year-old boy, whom they have not named because of his age. Thomas and the 13-year-old got into a verbal argument before he stabbed her, police have said. The boy was charged with second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. At least two of the victims family members said Sunday night they do not know the boy accused of killing Thomas. Sunday night, dozens of family, friends and OGs Against Violence members marched from the Colonial Laundromat on Wolf Street to 107 Pennsylvania Ave. to remember JaNya Semaj Thomas. They put bouquets of flowers, votive candles, a pink stuffed animal and balloons around a utility pole outside the house where Thomas was stabbed to death. They also spelled out JANYA -- surrounded by two hearts -- all in tealight candles on the street in front of the utility pole. As the crowd spilled out onto Pennsylvania Avenue, OGs Against Violence chaplain Nitch Jones, told them to celebrate JaNyas life and remember the joy she brought. At these times, our hearts are saddened and we are very upset or angry, Jones said. Weve been there; we have lost people to violence... the thing that irked us the most is people saying, Im sorry, Im sorry, Im sorry. Saying Im sorry cant bring this baby girl back. Jones then told everyone about a Facebook post JaNyas father, Jovan Thomas, wrote after her death. He shared a photo published in The Post-Standard in 2003 of him holding his then 2-month-old daughter. Jovan Thomas explained how he held his baby girl as he walked across the stage at his Jamesville-DeWitt High School graduation. To me, that says this baby girl was destined for greatness when she was born and she didnt even know it, Jones said. She, herself, may not have been able to walk across the stage and graduate, but she walked across the stage. Family and friends hugged each other as Jones encouraged everyone to love each other and stand up and stand tall. Parents, its time to parent our children. If we cant parent our children, parent someone elses child because somewhere, somebody messed up. A 13-year-old child ... took the life of another child. Somewhere, that behavior was learned... JaNyas mother said she has a message for all children. I want these kids to have knowledge, to have a clear mind and think before they react. Stop the violence, she said. It doesnt have to be like this. Id like to see my child again, but I cant. JaNya Thomas is survived by her mother, Netta Skipper; her father, Jovan Thomas; grandmother, Charlotte Thomas; grandfather, Dennis Williams; great aunt Terrie D. Williams; aunts Semaj Baker and Donnell Putta Reid; and several stepbrothers and stepsisters, among other relatives. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made, family members said. New York State Police found 105 pounds of marijuana and other drugs worth close to $500,000 in a bust in Binghamton Friday. Naami Islam, 22, and Melissa F. Pincus, 21, both of Binghamton, face several felony drug charges, state police said in a news release Monday. Members of the state police and the Vestal Police Department first found two pounds of marijuana when they stopped a vehicle on Murray Street for a traffic violation. Further investigation lead to a search of a home at 64 Oak St. Heres what police said they found inside the residence: 103 pounds of marijuana worth more than $412,000 60 commercially packaged boxes of Ghost brand .500 ml concentrated cannabis vapor cartridges worth $38,000 224 canisters of medical-grade flavored marijuana worth $10,000 3 grams of cocaine $37,000 in cash A commercial grade money counter Drug paraphernalia and packaging. The two were sent to the Broome County Jail without bail. Richard Donovan, who served as mayor of Minoa for 12 years before retiring in 2016, has died. Donovan, 75, had undergone surgery for a bowel obstruction after Christmas, developed sepsis and died Saturday, said William Brazill, current Minoa mayor and a close friend of Donovan. He fought really hard after the surgery, but didnt make it,'' Brazill said. Its still so hard to comprehend. "He was a friend, like family and a mentor - and a pillar of the community,'' he said. Donovan was mayor from 2004 to 2016, and worked closely with Brazill - who was deputy mayor - throughout that time. Emails and calls from other mayors throughout the state offering condolences are pouring into the village, Brazill said. After serving as president of the Onondaga County Mayors Association, Donovan was overjoyed to be elected to a one-year term as president of the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM), Brazill said. Donovan traveled to other communities and spoke with residents during that time. Consolidation and shared services were being discussed in earnest at the time, and while Donovan believed in sharing services where it made sense, he believed in the power of villages, Brazill said. "He did not want to see villages dissolved,'' Brazill said. He believed villages were the ones closest to the people and the ones who provided the services. In Onondaga County, Donovan fought hard to help villages retain sales tax revenues, working out a compromise that gave villages a share of the money, Brazill said. Former Minoa mayor Richard Donovan died Dec. 29, 2018. Of his accomplishments, Donovan was most proud of the villages wastewater treatment plant, which he helped secure state grants to improve and then worked out an agreement with East Syracuse Minoa schools to use it for hands-on student research. The plant became a Clean Water Education Research facility. Brazill said Donovan was thrilled to attend a pre-Christmas lunch hosted by Brazill and his family and attended by two other former mayors. Beaming, Donovan posed for a photo with the ex-mayors and Brazill and then spent two hours reminiscing with them, Brazill said. "We talked about how wed be sure to get together more often,'' Brazill said. In recent years, Donovan worked at East Syracuse Chevolet, shuttling drivers home or to work as their cars were worked on. Brazill said he loved that part-time job as he could chat with people all day long. Donovan always thought of the community first, Brazill said, and he wasnt concerned about who got credit. "He was a great man, and he will be missed,'' he said. The Donovan family is setting up a scholarship fund for an ESM student involved in the Clean Water Education Research Facility. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis, two children and four grandchilden. Calling hours are from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at R.H. Schepp & Son Minoa Chapel, 6530 Schepps Corners Rd. (corner of Kirkville Rd.), Minoa. The funeral service will be 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. A celebration of his life will follow at the Village Hall, 240 N. Main St., Minoa. To the Editor: The death of 14-year-old Alex Smith has resurfaced in the news, as the farmer who employed him was recently sentenced to 60 days in Cortland County jail and given a $10,500 fine for endangering the welfare of a child (A boy, 14, found life and then his death on the farm; does someone have to pay?", Dec. 10, 2018). Smith, who worked part time for the farmer, was found pinned under the boom of a skid steer that was holding a bale of hay. He was alone when the incident occurred, so the events preceding his death are unclear. However, one thing is clear: His death ended the trajectory of a young man who was passionate about farming and forever altered the lives of his family members, as well as the farmer who employed him. As often happens following media coverage of child farm fatalities, many have offered thoughts and opinions on the event. Some have indicated they believe the farmer was negligent. Others noted the value of farm work for young people; the qualities of independence, responsibility and industry that we all would like to instill in our children. Some have described an adolescents pride at being able to contribute significantly to family and community. Others have argued that given the remarkably low profit margin in farming, many small farms can only afford younger, part-time employees. The debate surrounding the death of Alex Smith is largely the same argument that has taken place in the past on the issue of children, farm work and safety. As these debates evolve, people pick sides -- either for or against having children work on farms. Safety advocates are accused of wanting to take them off the farm and stick them in front of a TV. Alternatively, those who feel that children should be allowed to work on farms often feel they are being painted as irresponsible by persons outside of the farm culture. This polarization of opinions on the question of children on farms is largely misplaced and unproductive. In truth, there are many options for exposing children to the many positive aspects of farming, while still ensuring their safety. This is especially true in New York, where free, on-farm safety training, tractor certification courses and youth labor guidelines are all widely and easily available. To provide just one example, the Ag Youth Work Guidelines have been available online and in print for years. These guidelines have been developed with the input of farm families and can help parents and employers identify developmentally appropriate tasks for children working on the farm. Recommendations are based on a number of considerations, such as physical ability and mental maturity. Having worked with farmers for many years, I understand that running a farm brings many challenges. The prospect of having one more thing to do, like setting up a safety consultation or reading through guidelines, can be thoroughly daunting. However, having also talked to farmers who have lived through losing a child or a young worker, I am keenly aware of the burden these individuals bear for the rest of their lives, wishing that things could have somehow turned out differently. We all want children to learn to be productive adults who contribute to our community. We all will need people with the skills and determination to provide food for our communities in the future. No one wants children to be injured while acquiring these skills. With the many resources available, farm families shouldnt have to choose between one or the other. Julie Sorensen Director New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health Cooperstown MOSCOW - An American citizen has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of espionage, Russias domestic security service, the FSB, said on Monday. The agency identified the man as Paul Whelan. A criminal case has been opened against him. "On December 28, staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission," the FSB said in a statement on its website. No other details were given. By Russian law, foreigners found guilty of spying on Russia face between 10 and 20 years in prison. The arrest of the U.S. citizen comes as tensions between Washington and Moscow continue to escalate over a range of issues from election meddling to the crises in Syria and Ukraine. Earlier this month, Russian gun rights activist Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring with a senior Russian official to infiltrate U.S. conservatives. Butina, 30, is the first Russian national to be convicted of seeking to influence U.S. policy in the run-up to the 2016 election by acting as a foreign agent. Shortly before her guilty plea, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Butina was not known to any of his spy agencies. The country's Foreign Ministry has gone to great lengths to paint Butina as a political prisoner, notably by launching a wide-ranging social media campaign. The State Department could not be immediately reached for comment. 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. WTF?! Microtransactions in full-price games are usually a cynical cash grab by companies looking to squeeze every last penny out of consumers. Its something Activision has long had a reputation for doing, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, where its charging players $1 for what is literally a dot. First reported by MP1ST's Alex Co, Activision has just introduced a new set of in-game items for COD: BO 4s Black Market. One of these is an Open Dot a single red dot thats used as a reticle for the Reflex sights. The Open Dot normally costs 100 COD points, which is the equivalent of one dollar. But, in an act of unparalleled generosity, Activision is offering it for 50 COD ($0.50) right now as part of the Seasons Savings sale thats running until January 1. Last years Star Wars: Battlefront II controversy led to a consumer backlash and several countries investigating loot boxes to see if they violate their gambling laws. Nations including Belgium and the Netherlands have banned the systems, while the FTC has promised to look into them. Standard microtransactions, on the other hand, remain a part of many full-price titles. One prime example of this is Assassins Creed Odyssey, which, while a fantastic game, was marred by the inclusion of microtransactions that let players level up faster (for those who value their time) or gave them more gold and resources. Most companies will argue that paying for additional extras in a game is entirely optional, and as long as people continue to spend money on them, theres no reason to stop charging for things like little red dots. Image credit: @excaliburps Through the looking glass: Both LG and Samsung have significant interest in highly flexible displays that can be rolled up. Each company has quite literally gone in different directions with respect to how the rolling of displays should be done. As CES 2019 draws near, Samsung could be ready to engage in some steep competition with LG. Recently, we learned that LG is ready to commercialize its rollable OLED display tech. Over the holidays, Samsung has published a patent for its own rollable displays. Unlike LG's OLED offering, Samsung's patent is for horizontal rolling displays. A vertical structure on each side of the display holds each end. The first tower contains the majority of the display on a roller, while the second exists mainly for mechanical support. It is a significantly different challenge to get a flexible display to remain flat across a horizontal plane compared to a vertical installation. In order for Samsung to keep its display flat, a central support behind the display is implemented. When the display is fully retracted into its support towers, the center support can fit neatly behind the two rollers. Samsung does not seem as concerned about whether its concept TV can be completely hidden into a home. However, noting Samsung's current lineup of QLED TVs, the company appears more focused on showing off their products in a way that seems natural. For example, The Frame TV turns into artwork instead of blending in with walls. One of the advantages that Samsung does hold is that its system makes rotation of displays an option. Sitting in a different chair today? Use a remote to angle the TV more towards where you are sitting. Of course this is just a concept and not a direct indication that a product will ever have this feature, but it seems reasonable for a TV with a five figure price tag to have the option. Should rotation not be a need, Samsung could also adapt its horizontal rolling system to move along a curve, giving the option of a curved or flat display. Switching between flat and curved displays at will could also be an interesting idea. Whether any of these ideas will ever make it to market is unknown. CES 2019 should bring further clues as to where rollable displays may be useful, even if it will still be several years before mere mortals are able to afford them. Why it matters: Sony is building a team to create what it describes as the next chapter of cinematic storytelling. Early rumors suggest this could be the next entry in the Uncharted series and that it may be destined for the upcoming PlayStation 5. Sony is recruiting talent for the next chapter of cinematic storytelling through the hiring of several new positions. A listing for a lead character artist invites candidates to be part of the multi-award winning team responsible for the cinematic performances in franchises such as The Last of Us, Killzone and Uncharted. Its described as a high visibility project being developed in collaboration with a major Sony development studio. The mystery project hasnt been announced, Sony said, but there is a clear vision and launch plan in place. Sony is also looking for a senior UI programmer, a senior environment artist and a senior gameplay animator. Some believe the job listings are further evidence of the next game in the Uncharted series. Specifically, the lines about the next chapter of cinematic storytelling and having a penchant for high quality, third-person action / adventure games. Given where we are in the PlayStation 4s lifecycle, some also believe the project could be in the works for the next-gen PlayStation 5. Such an exclusive would make a great launch title just sayin. Lead image courtesy Djordje Novakov via Shutterstock Why it matters: Facebook is still tracking what apps a user opens even if they don't have a Facebook account. This affects at least 61% of apps tested and is likely illegal under new GDPR laws. Despite heavy scrutiny and new privacy laws, a new study reveals that many of the most popular Android apps are still sending user data to Facebook. This data is sent regardless of whether or not a user is logged in or even has a Facebook account. The data is sent immediately when the app is opened and before the user has the option to opt out or enable privacy settings. Privacy International conducted the study and found that at least 61% of apps they tested send this data to Facebook. The data in question contains details about what app was opened, when it was opened, who opened it, and how long they used the app. Since the unique Google Advertising ID (AAID) is sent with the data, Facebook can profile users even if they don't have a Facebook account. For example, if someone opened the "Indeed" app, they are likely looking for a job. If someone opened the "Qibla Connect" app, they are likely Muslim. Other apps tested include Duolingo, Kayak, Shazam, Spotify, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and more. The full list is available here. Facebook's Cookies Policy lists two methods that non-Facebook users can use to opt-out, but Privacy International determined they don't actually change what data is sent to Facebook. While data on what apps are opened by a user may seem innocuous, Facebook can then combine it with data collected through other means to create a very detailed personal advertising profile. The issue is not with the apps themselves, but with Facebook's Android SDK which is used by the developers to make the apps. On June 28, Facebook claimed that they updated their Android SDK to add a delay to this event logging which would only send data once users had consented. However, this update came well after GDPR laws took effect and only works on certain versions of the SDK. Many of the most popular apps are using older versions of the SDK which do not have this privacy feature. The update also does not even disable the SDK initialization message in question and the apps are still sending data. Privacy International was not able to determine for sure how Facebook uses this data since they aren't very transparent with these matters. Regardless, Facebook still has a lot of explaining to do. Second image courtesy AngieYeoh via Shutterstock China is ready to become the first country to send a probe to the dark side of the moon. The mission could unveil the secrets of the moon's mysterious side. Chang'e-4 Enters Planned Orbit The China National Space Administration has announced that the country's Chang'e-4 probe entered a planned orbit on Sunday in preparation for the first-ever landing on the far side of the moon. The CNSA said the probe, which was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province on Dec. 8, entered a planned elliptical lunar orbit, coming as close as 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) to the lunar surface shortly before 9 a.m. Beijing time. China's ground control center has trimmed the spacecraft's orbit twice since Dec. 12, when Chang'e-4 entered the lunar orbit, and tested the communication link between Chang'e-4 and the relay satellite Queqiao, or Magpie Bridge. Space engineers also checked the imaging instruments and ranging detectors aboard as the probe prepares for landing. The CNSA said that the control center still has to choose a proper time to land the probe on the far side of the moon. First Probe To Reach The Dark Side Of The Moon Other spacecraft have already seen the far side of the moon but no lander or rover has ever been there. If successful, the Chang'e-4 mission will be a step toward China's ambitions to be on par with the United States and Russia in the field of space exploration. China has been vocal about its hopes to become a major space power by the year 2030. Only one side of the moon can be seen from the Earth's surface because the natural satellite rotates at the same rate that it orbits our planet. The other side, dubbed the far side or the dark side of the moon, is not actually in darkness. It is merely uncharted and China may soon change that. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Amazon has big plans for Whole Foods. The retail chain, which Amazon acquired in June last year for $13.7 billion, is expanding to U.S. suburbs and other regions. On top of that, Amazon plans to integrate its two-hour delivery program Prime Now to all current Whole Foods outlets. The move stands to put Whole Foods at an expansion rate it's never experienced before. Whole Foods Expansion Plans The Wall Street Journal reports Whole Foods employees have already gone to parts of Idaho, Wyoming, and southern Utah to look for potential retail spaces. According to an anonymous source, these spaces were sometimes 45,000 square feet, slightly larger than an average Whole Foods outlet. The expansion isn't limited to those aforementioned states, however, as the report adds that Amazon is looking at other regions as well. Whole Foods had already expanded earlier this year by launching 365-branded stores. These tend to be smaller than typical mainline outlets, focus mainly on locally sourced products, and offer more affordable groceries than other options. Such expansions occurred as other supermarket chains shut down operations and left leases to expire, which gave Amazon plenty of opportunity to double down on vacant retail spaces. Amazon Prime Amazon's expansion plans also involve bringing its Prime Now service to all Whole Foods retail outlets, which means groceries delivered to customers' front steps in as little as two hours. Prime subscription service is currently offered in more than 60 cities, with online grocery pickups from Whole Foods stories in available in 30 minutes. Amazon also wants to leverage benefits for Prime members to attract new customers to Whole Foods and draw them back more often. Amazon Prime costs $119 a year for two-day free shipping and a number of other perks, such as access to Prime Video, Amazon's streaming service, and others. Students, meanwhile, are only required to pay $59 a year. Amazon has yet to comment about the rumored expansion. Whole Foods Acquisition As mentioned, Amazon snapped up Whole Foods in 2017 for a whopping $13.7 billion, a move the came after Amazon had struggled to see significant growth in the sale of food on its platform. At the time, critics argued the buyout would give Amazon an opportunity to monopolize not only the online retail market but the brick-and-mortar landscape as well. Despite this, the Federal Trade Commission allowed the purchase in August 2017. Thoughts about Amazon's rumored expansion plan? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below! 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A former patient and her husband has filed a lawsuit against a surgery center in New Jersey whose poor sterilization practices may have exposed nearly 3,800 patients to bloodborne infections including HIV, hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. Lawsuit Filed Against HealthPlus Surgery Center The patient, Lauren Marrero, and her husband, Julio, filed the class-action lawsuit in state Superior Court in Hackensack on Friday over allegations that HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle Brook was guilty of "wanton misconduct on a continuing basis" for exposing its patients to 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. Plaintiffs Seeking Compensatory Damages Lauren had spinal epidural, a pain management procedure, under anesthesia at the center in April. The plaintiffs claim the negligence of the center caused physical pain, distress, emotional anguish, fear, and anxiety among other things. They are seeking compensatory damages, interest, and attorney's fees. Patient Tested Positive For Hepatitis C The lawsuit was filed as the surgery center revealed that one of the 3,778 patients who were possibly exposed to dangerous infections tested positive for hepatitis C. At a press conference, representatives of the HealthPlus Surgery Center said that only 186 of the patients possibly exposed to dangerous infection have been tested so far. Of those who tested, one tested positive for hepatitis C. It isn't clear though if the patient's hepatitis C was a preexisting condition, or if the disease was contracted following exposure at HealthPlus. Mark Manigan, the lawyer who represents the surgery center, said that the New Jersey Department of Health will handle the probe to determine what caused the patient to contract the infection. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. DENHAM SPRINGS Every Monday at 7 a.m., Emily Seighman sets up a miniature beauty parlor in a classroom at Denham Springs Elementary. She lays out a tiny chair, a pink mirror and a fluffy mat over the gray linoleum where students can wait their turn for a hairstyle. But this is no ordinary salon. As Seighman braids the girls' hair, they take turns reading aloud from a book. Seighman, a senior at Walker High School, calls the program "Books and Braids." It's a weekly volunteer activity she does to help a group of second-graders develop their reading skills and their self-confidence. "The most important part to me is really being a good influence to these girls," Seighman said. The project came about after Seighman entered an essay contest with the prompt: What would you do with $100 to help your community? Seighman said she had first seen the "Books and Braids" concept on Facebook. Neighbors Federal Credit Union, which sponsored the competition, liked Seighman's idea so much they gave her $100 to launch it. "We ended up going shopping for hair supplies, books and things I needed for my project," Seighman said. She chose Denham Springs Elementary because she already knew Principal Gail DeLee and wanted to help kids affected by the 2016 flood. Can't see video below? Click here. 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 At the beginning of the 2018-19 school year, Seighman began hosting lessons for the girls every Monday before the first bell. Three of the four girls in her group are English language learners who speak Spanish at home. "At the beginning it was kind of shaky like, 'Hey, girls, I'm gonna braid your hair. That's not weird at all,'" Seighman said. But Seighman said the girls are reading better, moving from first-grade books to chapter books. And now, they help each other sound out the words. "Its been awesome. They've definitely progressed over the weeks, she said. +9 Livingston Parish schools begin program to ease Hispanic children into community DENHAM SPRINGS On a recent afternoon, Martha Gonzalez's two youngsters ran back and forth across her narrow street in Eastover Estates, chat On a recent Monday morning, three girls lounged on the blanket and a pink beanbag chair, sipping from cartons of milk, while a fourth sat in a small blue chair where Seighman first combed and then plaited the girl's hair into neat French braids. Going around in a circle, they alternated reading pages from "Katie's Spooky Sleepover," a children's chapter book from the Katie Woo series. "Soon it was getting dark," Viviana Dimas, 8, read aloud. "How about a ghost story." Seighman is running the program on her own for now. But the high school senior said she would like to involve more girls to take over and expand "Books and Braids" when she graduates. The 18-year-old was named Walker High School's student of the year and said she plans to attend LSU next fall with a goal of becoming an orthodontist. Every morning, Karla Johnson has a special way of starting the day at Capitol Elementary. She calls it harambee, from the Swahili for all pull together. The spirit of harambee pervades everything Johnson is trying to do as principal of this small public school in the historic, impoverished Eden Park neighborhood of Baton Rouge. Her work has caught the attention of a local teachers union as well as the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. They hope to marry what shes doing with larger concepts about how to energize not just a school but an entire community. They see such community schools as a potential alternative to charter schools, which have been luring away Capitol students, as well as a way to meet increasing state and federal public school accountability standards. On the morning of Dec. 18, the last day before winter break, uplifting music fills the school auditorium as students file in. Many of them are clad in Christmas pajamas, some donated for those who couldnt afford their own. The school, which was built in 2008, has capacity for about 660 students but currently enrolls only 370. On this day, with some kids cutting out early for the holidays, attendance is lighter than normal. When almost everyone has arrived, Johnson takes the stage dressed in her own red flannel PJs. Shes totes her tall spirit stick, decked out in blue and gold. The schools mascot and colors are the same as the Southern University Jaguars. Good morning, Johnson shouts, punctuating her word by by pounding her stick on the floor. Can't see video below? Click here. The kids respond immediately in chant: G-O-O-D M-O-R-N-I-N-G, Good Morning, Hey Hey. Good Morning! A cross between a drill sergeant and the drum major of a marching band, Johnson leads the students through the rapid-fire harambee agenda thats printed in big letters on the auditorium walls: pledge of allegiance, vision statement, jaguar pledge, recognition, announcements and moment of silence. Harambee is not unique to Capitol. Johnson said she saw a harambee years ago at a Freedom Schools summer camp and developed her own version. Gretchen Lampe, UniServ director with the Louisiana Association of Educators, had heard that interesting things were happening at Capitol Elementary, so in September she sat in on a morning harambee. Lampe was immediately taken with the experience. It was so cool, Lampe recalled. LAE and Lampe had been looking for a beachhead in Louisiana for something the union has been popularizing in a several other states: community schools. Its part of larger effort by the union and traditional public education supporters to develop an alternative to charter schools. A key aspect of the concept is an old idea: The school should be the hub of the community, a place where both children and adults can get help to address a range of issues and thereby make it easier for education to occur. Sometimes, these are referred to as wraparound services. Its something Capitol Elementary had already been struggling on its own to build. Teachers have to break through a lot of scar tissue before even reaching the child, said Johnalynn Jackson, a counselor at the school. Jackson said many of the kids come to school weighed down and upset by their parents' issues: They left mom (as she was) being abused. They left mom at 2 or 3 in the morning because they were taken out of the home. They have no electricity, they have no water, they have no job or they may have to move. With all that going on, its hard to get children to focus on what the teacher wants them to do, she said. Theyre here physically, Jackson said. Their body is here, but mentally theyre not here. Jackson spends a lot of time helping parents to help their children. She cold calls churches and businesses, nearby and in other parts of town, for their time and money in a wide variety of school endeavors and has had some success. 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 But its not enough. She longs to start an adult education program to help parents find job and housing assistance so families would be less prone to bounce from school to school. When children see that their families are okay, they do a lot better in the classroom, she said. Becoming a community school could help. Soon after Lampes visit, LAE flew Principal Johnson and other staff to Milwaukee, where the union and other partners have a community school institute to explain how these schools work and what they can mean for a distressed community. The union also helped organized a well-attended Dec. 12 parent meeting. The speaker was Kyle Serrette, a senior policy analyst with Lampe's national organization, the National Education Association, which is based in Washington, D.C. School Board debates plans for Innovation Network to fix D and F grade schools in Baton Rouge A new Innovation Network that aims to turn around the lowest-performing public schools in Baton Rouge now has an executive director and it has Beyond attention, becoming a community school could mean money. The parish school system plans to incorporate community school ideas for Capitol Elementary into its upcoming application to the state for school improvement money via the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA. Were trying to see how can we meet the needs of our students while also tending to meet the needs of our parents, said Quentina Timoll, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the school system. Timoll said the application is due by Feb. 1. Last year, the school system landed $2.2 million as part of the ESSA grant process. Capitol Elementary has a D letter grade from the state, meaning it requires comprehensive intervention to improve its academic performance. The school system placed Capitol in a new 13-school Innovation Network thats getting a lot of turnaround assistance. A bright spot for Capitol is that many students are growing academically. Indeed, if growth had been the sole measure, the school would have an A letter grade. Still, most Capitol students remain well behind their peers across the state and short of state academic standards. In addition, a bid for federal housing money to establish a Choice Neighborhood for the nearby Melrose area could allow the school system to expand the community school concept to nearby Melrose Elementary and Capitol Middle schools. +3 East Baton Rouge again ordered to pay back misspent Housing and Urban Development funds East Baton Rouge must pay back more than a quarter-million dollars of federal money, marking the second time in as many years regulators found Meanwhile at the harambee, Johnson moves on to recognitions, a popular part of the program. I have a recognition! Johnson shouts Recognize, the students respond. I said, I have a recognition. Recognized, the students shout back, louder. Johnson thanks students who performed the night before in the school Christmas play, which prompts the children to shout: Good Job! After a handful of other acknowledgements, one boy is not going to be left out: Today is my birthday! The audience breaks into a chanted version of the Happy birthday song. Teacher Sandra Williams then raises her hand. Johnson notices: Ms. Williams has a birthday, too. Shes a December baby. One, two and everyone chants happy birthday to her as a well. Johnson leads a harambee every day, even when shes not feeling up to it. She once opted not to do harambee and she heard about it from her upset teachers. I realized that teachers can have a bad morning too and they need to release, Johnson said. I knew that moment I could never cancel again. The industries that pay pilots to guide their goods up and down the Mississippi River on seagoing ships have unsuccessfully tried to get the governor to remove regulators they say are biased. Then, they tried and failed to recuse the commissioners for being too beholden to the river pilots. Now theyre asking the 19th Judicial District Court to essentially fire three commissioners. The Louisiana Chemical Association claims the river pilots succeeded in packing the Louisiana Pilotage Fee Commission with compliant regulators who set the pay for the pilots, which in 2019 will average $473,692. Only one of the three commissioners whose neutrality is being questioned is still on the board. One quit almost as soon as she was appointed by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2016. And retired Metairie businessman Daniel Kingston, said Thursday he abruptly resigned over the holidays for personal and family reasons. Kingston, who ran a body shop for 20 years, said he didnt know much about river traffic but always had an interest. When introducing himself in August 2016, Kingston said: I was looking to kind of give back. Yet he was dragged through political muck by the Louisiana Chemical Association, said Capt. Stephen H. Hathorn, president of the New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association. Theres no allegations of wrongdoing. This should be a dead issue but they (the Louisiana Chemical Association) just want to keep it alive, Hathorn said in an interview Thursday. How are you going to get people to serve on boards when you treat people like this? Greg Bowser, president of the Louisiana Chemical Association, said the lawsuit questions the procedures that allowed the appointments in the first place. It was Hathorns March 2016 recommendation to the governor of Kingston, St. James Parish lawyer Bruce Mohon, and Kenner businesswoman Lenora Cousin that cast doubts on threes impartiality, which is at the root of the lawsuit, Bowser said. Cousin quit and was replaced by Noel Cassanova, a retired clerk of the New Orleans Traffic Court. The pilots have an economic direct financial interest. Their effort was to pack the board and have the majority on votes, Bowser said. Weve never had this situation before. We think an independent party has to look at it. State law requires vessels to hire pilots to sail the seagoing vessels up and down the Mississippi River and Calcasieu River. The pilots and the industry have fighting for the past three years over rules that would increase annual pilot pay that the industrial users of waterborne shipping have to fund. Created in 2004, the Pilotage Fee Commission is made up of four river pilots, four representatives from industries the pilots serve and three independent commissioners who have no links to either side. All 11 are appointed by the governor. They receive $150 per diem for meetings. The three independents tend to be the swing votes who decide whatever issue is before the commission. They must sign a promise to remain neutral. Shortly after Hathorn recommended the three commissioners to the governor, Edwards staff emailed the three and asked if they wanted to apply, which they did. Edwards appointed the three. 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 Hathorn said theres nothing odious about making recommendations, as he did. None of the three have business dealings or connections to river shipping. What Bowser is really upset about is that industry failed to make any recommendations, he added. No, Bower countered, the intent is for the governor and his staff to find candidates who have no link to industry or the pilots. We felt that making recommendations would have been corrupting the system, just like they did, Bowser said. Industry group head asks Edwards to remove his pilotage commission appointees, find 'independent' replacements The head of an industry group represented on the commission that sets fees and river pilot salaries that generally exceed $500,000 is calling Evidence of pilot control of the board, Bowser and the lawsuit claim, is when one group of pilots wanted to raise their transportation rates to go to and from boats by 40 percent or about $98,000. The Louisiana Chemical Association asked for evidence supporting those fees and were told the evidence did not exist. The three neutral members sided with the pilots in deciding such information was unnecessary. A 19th Judicial District Court later said that decision was incorrect. Bowser said he met with the governor. Edwards told him there were no shenanigans involving the appointments and no evidence has been presented that they have not acted impartially. Members representing major industry groups call on Gov. Edwards to pull his LPFC appointees Five Louisiana Pilotage Fee Commission members representing some of the states major industry groups are calling on Gov. John Bel Edwards to Bowser then led a group including representatives of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, the Louisiana Association of Business & Industry to write Edwards in June asking that the independent commissioners be replaced. Richard Carbo, the governors spokesman, said back in June and reiterated on Friday that the appointments were made in public following the applicable law. The commissioners can be removed only with a showing of wrongdoing, evidence of which hasnt been presented. In August, the three neutral commissioners Kingston, Mohon and Cassanova refused to recuse themselves from voting on certain issues. Pilot fee commission members stay put despite calls for recusal, dismissal from big industry groups Three members of the state commission that sets the $500,000-plus salaries and fees for river pilots appear to be staying put despite renewed Industry asked for an investigation of how the three independents came to be asked to join the board. Eve Kahao Gonzalez, an attorney who once oversaw the staff at the Public Service Commission, found that existing law governing the appointments was followed when the three were selected, according to the transcript of a November meeting that hasnt been released publicly yet . Bowser said the investigation didnt get into any of the mechanics and reasons behind the recommendations and appointments as he had hoped. When he asked for further investigation, the majority on the board refused by voting to move on to the next item on the agenda. That decision, essentially, validated the three appointments, an act not expressly granted in state law, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit asked the state district court to review that decision and determine if the Pilotage Fee Commission overstepped its authority. If so, the court could then look at whether the three commissioners were improperly nominated and selected. Joshua Johnson Jr., 4, left, and his sister Ja'Miah Johnson, 7, have fun at the crafts table near the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Bookmobile during the Festival of Lights, Friday, November 30, 2018, in downtown Baton Rouge, La. MILLISIA WHITE IS USED TO TALKING ABOUT DANCE. As the artistic director of the New Orleans Society of Dance (NOSD) and the founder of the New Orleans Baby Doll Ladies, when the phone rings, she expects to answer questions about the services the groups offer. She is not used to talking about herself. This is the first time since Ive been doing this that anybody called to talk about me, White says over the phone when were setting up an interview. Everyone wants the painted faces. They want to know about the Baby Doll Ladies. White founded NOSD as a talent and performing arts group in March 2005, but she didnt cement its real purpose until 2007, when she and a few fellow dancers choreographed and performed a floor show at a community town hall. An attendee pointed out that the costumes the women wore resembled those of the Baby Dolls, groups of women who paraded on foot on Mardi Gras day dressed like dolls in frilly satin dresses and bonnets. The likeness was unintentional, but White was entranced by the idea, and the New Orleans Baby Doll Ladies (the signature branch of NOSD) began to take shape. My grandmother grew up on (the outskirts) of Storyville, or the district as she used to call it, White says. I vaguely remember in my early childhood [seeing] these women in these shiny dresses and these headpieces. I would wonder, What is that about? Why is that woman dressed that way? Her curiosity invigorated, White began researching New Orleans historical Baby Doll groups, sending her down a rabbit hole of memorabilia, books and eyewitness accounts that encompassed everything from writings from the 1930s and 40s by writer and journalist Robert McKinney to interviews with New Orleans cultural icons Antoinette K-Doe and Uncle Lionel Batiste and their relatives. She found tales of highly organized pageantry dating back to 1912. Many Baby Doll groups have come and gone in the 100-plus years since the first recorded Baby Doll parade, but the tenacity and determination of these women of the jazz inspired White. In 2009, after years of behind-the-scenes work, her group made its first public appearance on the Congo Square stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, accompanied by custom tunes scored by the groups music ambassador DJ Hektik. The group marched in its first parade on Mardi Gras 2010, and even performed in the 2014 Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. The group is associated with Carnival but performs and coordinates outreach programs year-round. The outreach component of the groups mission ensures that the legacy of woman-organized dancing groups will stay alive, White says. It also helps her scout for the next generation of talent. She draws on her skills as a dance educator for Orleans Parish schools to create arts-driven presentations for students that combine the history of doll-masking, breakout sessions with literacy components and creative writing with an immersive performance experience. Students get to create their own Baby Doll alter egos and backstory, and they get to mask. White and the Baby Doll Ladies have taken her educational showcase to schools in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. Outside her work with NOSD and the Baby Doll Ladies, public information about Millisia White is surprisingly scarce. That is, aside from a 2013 story in the New York Post which improbably called upon White to comment on Miley Cyrus Video Music Awards twerking scandal. They wanted someone in the community to speak on dance and bounce and where those terms come from, she says. I think the New York Post must have got wind of (a story local TV station WGNO produced about the New Orleans Baby Doll Ladies), because the next thing I know, Im sitting in an IHOP parking lot and my phone rings and its the people from the magazine. The woke wardrobe: Create a closet with a purpose for the New Year WHEN FLASHY EMAILS ABOUT AFTER-HOLIDAY SALES FLOOD OUR INBOXES, its tempting to click a link and stockpile our online shopping carts with su When I ask her about herself, she laughs heartily and offers a candid, self-deprecating answer. What do I want to say about me? she says. So much of what I do has been consumed by this project. Not just this, but the rebirth of morale and culture. That is me. It might sound like a cop-out, but Ive been dancing my whole life. Before we ever said that we were going to call these ladies baby dolls, it was all Ive ever done. You might have to ask somebody else about me! White wants to build a sustainable legacy for the NOSD that will last long after she can no longer mask a legacy of strong, talented women that come together to serve each other and their community over a common ground: dance. Even through the eras, it was the dance that brought them all together, she says. Thats what we want to bring back to the forefront of this whole tradition. Likes: Favorite thing about New Orleans? The dance culture. Favorite Carnival song? Hey Pocky Way by the Neville Brothers. Seafood boil or Carnival parade? My favorite food is boiled crawfish! But since Im trying to level up on the business, Im going to say the parade. Favorite thing to bake? Sweet potato pie. I drop off pies for the holidays. Hidden talent? I like to write. I love creative writing and Ive always enjoyed literature. Whats something that not many people know about you? I was privileged to be the model selected for the paperback cover of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Getting Mothers Body by Suzan-Lori Parks. Where you can see her next: The New Orleans Baby Doll Ladies Mardi Gras day dance parade is Tuesday, March 5. The 2019 theme is Homecoming, as the group will resume its original route that ends at Orleans and Claiborne avenues under the Claiborne overpass. Must-haves: Parasol I feel we are the prettiest (Baby Dolls), and even our parasols are the prettiest. Great grandfathers Holy Bible Bracelet one of the New Orleans Baby Doll Ladies first throws Photo of grandmother She passed away recently. Even today, I pull my strength from her. Lace gloves These are one of the Baby Doll Ladies accessories. It represents femininity, and also, to me, work ethic, because it [deals] with the hands. We make it happen. WHEN FLASHY EMAILS ABOUT AFTER-HOLIDAY SALES FLOOD OUR INBOXES, its tempting to click a link and stockpile our online shopping carts with supposed bargains even if we dont really like them that much. One or two pieces may become instant favorites, but some garments are stashed in the closet with your vow to wear them later, after theyve been tailored to fit properly, of course. Others are left in the package, waiting to be returned. But weeks later, theyre still waiting In the last few years, fast fashion has become a booming industry. Big-box retailers such as H&M and Zara have capitalized on consumers demand for trendy, inexpensive, mass-produced versions of the clothing and accessories strutting down luxury label runways. In 2016 alone, H&M opened 427 new stores (nearly 1.17 stores per day). Zara has honed its production model to such precision that the company can design, manufacture, ship and market a style in as little as two weeks. In response, the fashion industry has seen a small yet persistent wave of retailers and consumers that want to change the way the industry does business and curb the practice of inundating shoppers with thousands of options for the most on-trend T-shirt or slip-on mules. The slow fashion movement is based on the idea of deliberate, sustainable and ethical consumption of apparel, footwear and accessories, although many consumers may find the sustainable part difficult to comply with. True, you can shop vintage clothing and upcycle whats already in your closet to reflect the current trends, but there simply arent many retailers that have made the move to sustainable, eco-friendly practices yet. B Corps, a voluntary coalition of businesses that set and meet high legal, social and ethical standards in hopes of fostering an inclusive and sustainable world economy, awards the Certified B Corporation label to companies in several industries around the world. To date, fewer than 100 fashion retailers (in an industry that annually generates around $3 trillion, according to a report compiled by FashionUnited) have merited the designation. And with e-commerce giants now making up a considerable portion of the industry (a projected $481 billion worldwide in 2018, according to The Fashion & Apparel Industry Report), its no surprise our closets are filled with forgotten clothes or relics of a recent trend. People buy so much online, and when they get it, they don't like it and they throw it in the corner and they never return it. It's money wasted, says Christina Santelli, founder of fashion stylist service Style Me New. (Online shopping) is a habit, and some women do it because it's easy and accessible. They don't have to go anywhere. Theyre in their pajamas and they shop online. Through Style Me New, Santelli helps women declutter their closets and build a deliberate wardrobe with timeless, high-quality pieces that can be worn again and again. A graduate of Loyola University New Orleans and Loyola College of Law, Santelli currently lives in Tampa, Florida, but her team of stylists is scattered throughout the country. Theres a Style Me New branch in New Orleans, and Santelli frequently visits the city. She shares the shopping and styling wisdom shes acquired throughout her career. First, she suggests building a capsule wardrobe by buying well-made staple pieces, or classic items, that you can wear throughout most seasons. This is easy to do in New Orleans since the city enjoys year-round moderate weather, she says. Elements of your summer wardrobe can be worn in the fall and spring and even during parts of winter. A capsule wardrobe is very thoughtful in terms of, I have X amount of shirts that go with X amount of pants, says Santelli, adding that clothes in neutral colors such as black, tan and gray are wise buys because theyre basics that can be embellished and render different looks. Then you add accessories to that, and whatever footwear you feel comfortable in whether that's a pump, a heel, a sneaker or a bootie. Santelli recommends purchasing an assortment of separates that can be mixed and matched, so you can create several outfits. Also, shop your closet. Thats what I call a closet redo, she says. Essentially, people hire me to come in and edit their closet. Shell toss clothing the client hasnt worn in years, create outfits with the remaining pieces and showcase them in a virtual look book. Clients can flip through the look book when trying to decide what to wear to work or a special event. Santelli uses software to create her look book, but you can snap pictures of your outfits on your cell phone and store them in a digital portfolio thats easy to reference. Although Santelli says online shopping and impulse buys are the culprits for a closet brimming with unworn clothes, she doesnt think you should completely avoid sales. Instead of splurging on a trendy top you may wear only once, be selective and look for investment pieces that are temporarily marked down, she says. +3 #Following: Millisia White, dance educator and artistic director of New Orleans Society of Dance and the New Orleans Baby Doll Ladies MILLISIA WHITE IS USED TO TALKING ABOUT DANCE. As the artistic director of the New Orleans Society of Dance (NOSD) and the founder of the New Start with your foundation, says Santelli, adding a surprising bit of advice. Get fitted for a bra. It's a very good time to get it done and buy a good bra, because it's a foundation for what's under your clothing and how the clothing fits. From there, look for clothes that are conducive to your lifestyle, Santelli suggests. I'd really concentrate on the pieces of clothing that you would use on a daily basis, versus that cute dress that you would wear on a date night kind of thing, she says. Footwear comes next, because we can really spice up an outfit with a great pair of shoes, she says. You also can opt for a statement purse or an accessory. Stay away from the red herrings unless theres a really good deal, like a novelty piece such as a leather jacket thats marked down extensively after Christmas, she says. If you have room left in your budget, give in to the temptation and go for it. It's become an auld lang syne tradition as dear as watching the ball drop in Times Square: CNN anchors Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin hanging out in the Spotted Cat on Frenchmen Street, getting more and more tiddly as the midnight hour approaches. CNN will feature news anchor Anderson Cooper and banty rooster Andy Cohen in New York's Times Square, of course, but the Louisiana-born Lemon and Baldwin will be back in New Orleans, according to a press release from the network. For New Year's Eve 2017, Lemon spontaneously got his ear pierced live on air from a Frenchmen Street piercer, and last year he pulled up in a pedicab, swallowing crawfish and swilling Stella Artois. In other years, he lamented his lack of a boyfriend and was just a generally, genially entertaining mess, spawning the #DrunkDonLemon hashtag on Twitter. In less interesting New Year's Eve festivities, ABC once again will include New Orleans in its national telecast, with country-bro rockers supremo Florida-Georgia Line and Maren Morris performing in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Fan Fest celebration in the French Quarter, hosted by actor Lucy Hale. But the real spectacle is Don Lemon. This week marks the 60th anniversary of the first televised experiments of Dr. Momus Alexander Morgus, the fictional mad scientist whose work has entertained generations of New Orleans TV viewers known to him as "friends of science." Morgus the Magnificent, as he is known, was created and performed by actor and radio star Sid Noel and made his debut on WWL-TV on Jan. 3, 1959. His program, called "House of Shock," was said to have originated from his lab above the old city ice house and featured experiments wrapped around segments of horror movies. What caused the fire that destroyed the Fair Grounds in 1993? Twenty-five years ago this week, New Orleanians watched in disbelief as a seven-alarm fire destroyed a local landmark the Fair Grounds Race Morgus became an instant hit for the station, which had signed on just two years earlier. His exploits, presented by the Momus Alexander Morgus Institute (M.A.M.I.), aimed to carry out the mission of what he called the Higher Order, a secret society dedicated to preserving and elevating the planet through science. Morgus' experiments and inventions always seemed to backfire on him by the end of each episode. He was ably assisted by Chopsley, a hulking, mute figure who wore a hood to cover up some unfortunate plastic surgery performed by Morgus. Also ever-present was E.R.I.C., a former assistant whose brain was preserved in the form of a talking skull. The trio even starred in a 1962 feature film, "The Wacky World of Dr. Morgus." Morgus later televised his experiments on WDSU in the 1970s, WGNO in the 1980s (with episodes that were also nationally syndicated) and WVUE in the 2000s. Suing a reporter at The Advocate in order to protect Pat Magee Advising his employees on how to get around Covid rules in schools Hosting an alligator hunt political fundraiser while 200,000 people were still without power after Ida Warning parents to watch out for edibles being given to kids at Halloween (which is highly unlikely) There are still a few weeks left in 2021, so Landry might outdo himself Vote View Results If youve heard that methamphetamine in Louisiana comes with the Zika virus, well, thats fake news. The meth is just meth. But word spread quickly over the weekend saying otherwise, thanks to a post on the official Facebook page of the Harahan Police Department. The post said that meth recently bought in Louisiana had been found with Zika, which can cause serious birth defects. Can't see video below? Click here. It urged all meth users to 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. Harahan Police Chief Tim Walker acknowledged Sunday that the post was just a stunt to raise awareness of drug abuse and that its not actually possible to have Zika virus in methamphetamine. Walker said his department got the idea for the post from other law enforcement agencies that made essentially the same announcement over the past year, with police in Alabama, Ohio and New Jersey all doing so, according to media reports. As for Harahans post, Walker admitted Sunday that it had garnered a lot more attention than anticipated. He said the post had already gotten over 300,000 views and been mentioned in news publications around the world. Not everybody got the joke or thought it was funny, at least. I am concerned about the information that is disseminated to the community and our surrounding communities, and how they are getting their information, said Tina Miceli, mayor of Harahan. I dont want residents afraid without having information. 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 Monday is Micelis last day in office. She and Walker have been at odds for many months over the Police Department's finances and other issues in the Jefferson Parish community. Incoming Mayor Tim Baudier said he got the joke. Critical reactions were few and far between on social media, though, even though the post didnt include a disclaimer, as some other departments put on their Facebook posts. As of Sunday afternoon, no one had brought in their meth for testing despite the police offer of being available 24/7/365, Walker said. Rafael Goyeneche, president of the watchdog Metropolitan Crime Commission, said that posts like the one put up Saturday have long been used by law enforcement as tools against naive lawbreakers. If somebody is gullible enough to believe that ... I dont see anything sinister with it, he said. Goyeneche said a similar example is when authorities lure fugitives to come out of hiding by announcing theyve won $1 million, leading to their arrest. In this case, things were just done online. I think when youre dealing with social media youre going to see law enforcement use that as a tool, Goyeneche said. Its essentially achieving a worthwhile purpose. He added that there was nothing illegal about putting the post on the official Facebook page for Harahan police, and that I dont see anything inappropriate with it. In any case, the post has certainly achieved its goal, Walker said, of being attention getting. He said the hope is that anyone with a drug problem who reads it will take a moment to think about the dangers of illegal drugs. Thats what he defines as a success. Whether anyone will actually heed the post and bring their meth to police, Walker isnt hopeful. But you never know, he said. The Harahan Police Department knows how to get social media clicks. Its Facebook post Saturday warning that recent purchases of methamphetamine in Louisiana may be contaminated with the Zika virus, quickly spread like one, with thousands of shares and even some coverage from national media outlets. [Update: Police Chief Tim Walker acknowledged Sunday that the post was just a stunt to raise awareness of drug abuse, though, and that no, its not actually possible to have Zika in meth. Click here to read more.] The question of whether theres actually a Zika threat was met with a chuckle from Police Chief Tim Walker, who said one of his officers made the post to bring attention to something thats not a joke at all. There is an opioid and meth problem. Its all over the country, Walker said, adding that no one so far has taken up police on the offer to have their meth inspected. Can't see video below? Click here. 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 The Facebook post said that if someone isnt comfortable bringing their hard drugs to the local police station, an officer will be glad to come to you and test your Meth in the privacy of your home. The post was meant to be attention-getting, Walker said, with that effort clearly a success for a problem that is out of hand nationally. But does Walker think anyone will actually take him up on the offer of a free Zika test? You never know, he said. Nearly a third of financial planners could be wiped from the industry as a result of new education standards for financial planners that come into effect on January 1, experts predict. In a move to "professionalise" the sector, all financial advisers will be required to hold a relevant tertiary-level degree, sit a three-and-a-half hour benchmark exam and adhere to a renewed code of ethics to be qualified as of Tuesday. Financial Planning Association CEO Dante De Gori said new education standards "are not perfect but have come a long way". Credit:Sasha Woolley "It's a turning point for the financial planning standard," said Dante De Gori, CEO of Financial Planning Association of Australia. "It now unifies the whole industry at a degree-level for entry." It will be cheaper for motorists to fill-up ahead of New Year's Day road trips thanks to petrol prices on Australia's east coast falling to their lowest levels in 15 months. A collapse in crude oil prices since October has flowed through to local bowsers, with average unleaded petrol prices sitting at $1.16 in Sydney and Brisbane, and $1.17 in Melbourne on Monday, according to price monitor MotorMouth. Petrol prices have hit a 15-month low. Credit:Bloomberg That is down about 3.6 over the past week, and down from between $1.64 and $1.70 at the peak of the cycle in mid-October. Pump prices were even lower in Adelaide ($1.11) and Perth ($1.14), but as high $1.50 in the less competitive markets of Canberra, Hobart and Darwin. Our best hope may be the weather. For a long time, many people thought that it was a mistake to use the weather as evidence of climate change. Weather patterns contain a lot of randomness. Even as the earth warms and extreme weather becomes more common, some years are colder and calmer than others. If you argue that climate change is causing some weather trend, a climate denier may respond by making grand claims about a recent snowfall. And yet the weather still has one big advantage over every other argument about the urgency of climate change: We experience the weather. We see it and feel it. It is not a complex data series in an academic study or government report. It's not a measurement of sea level or ice depth in a place you've never been. It's right in front of you. And although weather patterns do have a lot of randomness, they are indeed changing. That's the thing about climate change: it changes the climate. I wanted to write my last column of 2018 about the climate as a kind of plea: amid everything else going on, don't lose sight of the most important story of the year. Some suicidal patients felt worse after being admitted to Canberra and Calvary hospitals, often due to a lack of emotional support, a support program has found. The ACT's Health Care Consumers' Association and Mental Health Consumer Network have told the government in a budget submission that more needs to be done to train hospital staff to deal with patients who have experienced trauma. Canberra Hospital. Credit:Elesa Kurtz Canberra participants in a suicide prevention program, The Way Back Support Service, told of their almost universally poor experiences at Canberra Hospital and Calvary Hospital emergency departments, according to the submission. One participant who was interviewed said there was a lack of social interaction which made them feel worse. The annual release of the federal cabinet papers is usually a chance to reflect on issues long since settled. Each January 1, as the country recovers from New Year celebrations, the cabinet papers act as a time capsule unearthed for critical examination. Even as the gap between the creation of the documents and their release to the public has narrowed, under a process started by the Rudd government, there has always appeared a clear delineation between then and now. A victorious John Howard on election night in 1996. Credit:Kylie Melinda Smith Not so with the release today by the National Archives of Australia of the papers from John Howards cabinet deliberations of 1996 and 1997. A string of issues that demanded the attention of Mr Howard and his senior ministers are still with us, and still causing trouble for the government. Moreover, these are tales of opportunities missed. The most obvious is in the area of climate change and finding a way to reduce Australias greenhouse gas emissions. The cabinet papers reveal how the Howard government clearly rejected the advice of its most senior ministries that the most effective and efficient method to deal with the issue was via a price signal with an emissions trading scheme. When Nancy Grace Roman requested permission to take a second algebra course in high school, a teacher demanded to know what lady would take mathematics instead of Latin. In college, a professor remarked that he often tried to dissuade women from majoring in physics. And after receiving a doctorate in astronomy, she concluded that a female professor in the field had little hope of obtaining tenure. Undeterred by the barriers to women in the sciences, Roman found a professional home at NASA. Even there, she recalled in an interview years later, she felt compelled to use the honorific Dr. Otherwise, she said, I could not get past the secretaries. After joining the fledgling space agency in 1959, Roman became the first chief of astronomy at NASA headquarters, a role that made her one of the agencys first female executives. She remained in that position for nearly two decades before her retirement in 1979. Nancy Roman, at the Naval Research Laboratory, one of many women who are helping to put a man on the moon, 1959. Credit:UPI Telephoto Roman, who was celebrated as a trailblazer for female scientists and a driving force behind advances including the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, died December 25 at a hospital in Germantown, Maryland. She was 93. Motorists will face disruption on roads near Sydney Airport when construction starts on duplicating a rail line to Port Botany because of the need to upgrade or replace bridges. The $300 million duplication of a 2.9-kilometre section of line between Mascot and Botany is due to start in late 2020 and take three years to complete. The work will involve shifting some sections of the existing track sideways to improve the alignment of the line. Work on upgrading or building new bridges for the duplicated line will be undertaken near the airport over Southern Cross Drive, Botany Road and O'Riordan and Robey streets, a scoping report by the Australian Rail Track Corporation shows. Upgrades to rail bridges over busy roads such as O'Riordan Street are likely to cause disruption. Credit:Dallas Kilponen The rail bridges over Robey and O'Riordan streets are "very close" to where they intersect with Qantas, Joyce and Sir Reginald Ansett drives, crucial thoroughfares for traffic to and from the airport. A surf lifesaving club that counts Tony Abbott and former NSW Premier Mike Baird as members spent more than $1200 to attend a Liberal Party event last year but the club denies it was a political donation. Queenscliff Surf Life Saving Club bought nine tickets at $135 each to the Mike Baird and (outgoing Manly) mayor Jean Hay tribute dinner on August 11, 2017. The event raised $26,600 for the NSW Liberal Party. Senior club members denied they authorised any donations to the Liberal Party but admitted paying for tickets to the event. The club did not disclose the donation in its 2017-18 annual report, which showed a "higher than expected" operating deficit of $104,112. Queenscliff Surf Life Saving Club deputy president Craig Susans said the only thing the club had done for the Liberal Party was to allow Mr Abbott and Mr Baird to hire the venue. However, Mr Patton said police were no longer including crimes that weren't related to New Year's Eve, which was partly responsible for the drop. Even so, he said arrests were down this year. There were 99 arrests for drunkenness a year ago, compared with 22 this time. Mr Patton said preliminary figures showed assaults had dropped from 23 to fewer than 10. "We are extremely happy, overwhelming so, with the conduct of the Victorian public," he said. "The public has responded to our calls for responsible and safe behaviour. "What we saw last night was a community that came out as families and friends and enjoyed themselves. It was great to see." Mr Patton said police, along with the government and other emergency services, had put a lot of planning into the night, including deploying more officers than ever on Victoria's streets. "We had a small number of people do the wrong thing; they were dealt with swiftly and firmly," he said. "[But] overall, we probably couldn't have asked for a better New Year's Eve in terms of behaviour." Loading Ambulance Victoria responded to 1000 emergencies during New Year's Eve celebrations with calls including a life-threatening injury at Falls Festival in Lorne. The festival-goer was airlifted in a critical condition after falling and hitting his head at the music festival on the Great Ocean Road. The man, aged in his 20s, was flown to the Royal Melbourne Hospital just before 10pm, where he remained in a serious condition the following morning. It comes after another man was left fighting for his life after taking a drug at Beyond The Valley at Lardner south-east of Melbourne. The man, also aged in his 20s, was flown to the same hospital in a critical condition at 7am on New Years Eve. He is now listed as stable. Paramedics received more than a 1000 emergency cases across the state from 6pm until 3am as revellers celebrated the start of 2019. The call-outs also includedman, aged in his 60s, who was taken to The Alfred hospital in a stable condition after he was hit by fireworks in Altona Meadows just after midnight. A seven-year-old was also struck in the face with a firework when it fell out of the designated zone during a display at Loch Sport in Central Gippsland. He suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene. More fireworks later fell out of the zone, hitting another person who wasn't injured. WorkSafe is investigating. Ambulance Victoria New Years Eve Health Commander Ian Hunt said calls were up from last year. It was much busier than last year well above the average of what wed expect, he said. Mr Hunt said paramedics responded to a range of cases, including intoxicated and drug affected revellers, burns, slips, trips and falls. He said the largest spike in calls came between 12am to 2am, when paramedics responded to 324 emergency cases. With more than 1000 people needing our assistance, it was pleasing that very few cases were of a serious nature, he said. Mr Hunt said there were extra paramedics rostered on across Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula, at the early Footscray Park fireworks, and at The Falls and Beyond the Valley music festivals. British visitors relax on the St Kilda shore in the early hours of 2019. Credit:Simon Schluter The emergencies also included a man who suffered burns to his hand after falling into a campfire near Kaarimba about 12.30am. An intellectually disabled man who this year was released from jail after 543 days, despite being found unfit to stand trial, will end 2018 back in prison. Ryan (not his real name), an Indigenous man who was born with foetal alcohol syndrome and at 21 has an IQ in the low 50s, served 18 months in custody between late 2016 and June this year despite his mental impairment, because of the inability of authorities to find him accommodation and support services. After 18 months in jail, Ryan is finally free. He stayed in prison long after a County Court jury found him unfit to stand trial and another jury found he was mentally impaired when he touched a teenage girl over her clothing in September 2016, until Judge Mark Taft ordered his release in June. The judge this year described Ryan's case as extraordinary and intolerable. But Ryan will end the year back in prison after he was refused bail on Monday, after authorities visited his home this month and found a 17-year-old girl in his bed. Poor and disadvantaged Victorians are losing their teeth after long delays to see public dentists, as waiting lists for state services blow out. Dentists recommend that people get a check up at least once every year or more regularly if they are at higher risk of decay or gum disease. But if you are pensioner, health card holder or refugee living in Victoria you can expect to wait an average of 32.7 months in-between visits, equivalent to almost three years. While many of us avoid going to the dentist, thousands of Victorians can't afford it, Credit:Quentin Jones According to the Australian Dental Associations Victorian branch (ADAVB), wait times for general dental services have almost doubled in four years. The Howard government wanted to end an "entitlement mentality" inside the federal bureaucracy with a workplace overhaul that began within a month of winning office, newly declassified documents reveal. Cabinet papers show the Coalition moved quickly to begin changing industrial rules in the public service it said were bound in a "grievance mentality" putting individual rights above improving government. John Howard immediately left a deep mark on the bureaucracy by swiftly sacking six departmental secretaries and overseeing the loss of about 30,000 public service jobs in his first term. John Howard, with his public service minister Peter Reith (right) and Treasurer Peter Costello (left). Credit:Paul Harris Other moves, including new legislation governing bureaucrats and a permanent end to public service-wide bargaining, absorbed the Coalition as it brought changes that created diverging salaries for public servants. Former prime minister John Howard has admitted his government mishandled its response to the High Court's Wik decision, saying it created the impression the government was "drifting" and didn't know what to do. In December 1996, the High Court upheld a decision in a case brought by the Wik and Thayorre people of Queensland against the Queensland government. It decided that native title is not necessarily extinguished by the grant of a pastoral lease and that native title can co-exist with other interests in land. The Howard government struggled with its response to the High Court's Wik decision decision on native title. Credit:Greg Newington It was the first test of native title across a large area of mainland Australia. Less than two months into the prime ministership of John Howard, lone gunman Martin Bryant shot dead 35 people and injured 23 more at Port Arthur in Tasmania. The murders traumatised Australia but galvanised the newly elected prime minister to take action. "I just thought what was the point of having a huge majority if you don't do something with it," Mr Howard said at the release of the 1996 and 1997 cabinet papers, held by the National Archives of Australia. "It was a terrible tragedy," former prime minister John Howard said of the Port Arthur massacre. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen As soon as he heard of the tragedy, Mr Howard sent his social security minister, Jocelyn Newman, to the site to prepare a report for cabinet. There is no barrier in Australia to migrants or others living where they wish. Migrants and others will choose to live where they consider their prospects of successful settlement, including employment, to be most favourable, it said in its submission. Accordingly, it seems unlikely that the proposed scheme will do much to boost the population and prospects of regional areas while adding some complexity to the administration of the program. The cabinet also decided against adopting a formal population policy on Mr Ruddocks advice, but began the transition from a family-based immigration system to a skills-based system that would help propel Australia through 27 years of economic growth. NSW in particular had pressed for a formal population policy under former Labor premier Bob Carr. The submission is eerily similar to current Liberal premier Gladys Berejiklian's statements at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in December. State governments would be involved in discussions relating to intake levels and would be kept fully informed of the Commonwealths medium term plans for the level of immigration, the cabinet documents state. By managing the overall intake as part of general population policy the effects of continued urban growth could also be better dealt with. The current system of annually setting the immigration intake makes such planning impossible. Mr Ruddock argued there was no evidence that Australia was approaching the limits of its carrying capacity and because of its relatively low fertility rate it did not need a formal population policy outside of immigration settings. A formal population policy would reduce the governments flexibility to respond to humanitarian crises, fluctuations in compositions of demand driven components of the migration intake and the needs of an Australian economy for key skills that may be in short supply, he said. Two decades later, Prime Minister Scott Morrison charged Population and Cities Minister Alan Tudge with formulating Australias first population policy weeks after he took over the Liberal leadership from Malcolm Turnbull in August. The submissions provided to the Howard cabinet are likely to form the basis of the population agenda, particularly on the economic case for immigration. The cabinet heard that the most reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from past analysis is that overall economic impact of immigration is at best considered positive, albeit close to neutral, as migrants drive up tax receipts and the supply of workers and skills. Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison have both grappled with the population question as Coalition leaders. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen, Dominic Lorrimer A common community view has been that immigration drives down wages, increased labour supply might exert downward pressure on wages - at least in the short term. In the longer run however, there will be offsetting effects as aggregate demand and output expand, a cabinet submission in July 1997 stated. In Australia, whether the net impact on productivity is positive will to a large extent depend on whether migrants have a higher than average skill level than the existing workforce. The evidence turbo-charged Australias shift towards a skills-based immigration system that mirrored Canada and New Zealand, with stricter qualification, financial and English-language restrictions. In 1996, 65 per cent of migrants arrived under family reunification visas and 35 per cent were skills-based. By 2018 those statistics had been reversed. The Howard cabinet did not want to increase the overall permanent intake beyond 96,000, so it had to find cuts elsewhere if it was going remain within the cap. Mr Ruddock presented several proposals, including a radical option to restrict family sponsorship rights to citizens only, which would have seen the queue reduced by 40 per cent, and a regulation change that could have seen any applicants that did not fit within the cap having their application terminated along with a non-refundable fee of up to $900. The measures were part of a series of controversial measures Mr Ruddock took to cabinet in his first year as a minister. The now president of the NSW Liberal Party also asked for the National Security Committee to grant him unprecedented powers that would allow him to cancel a large number of temporary visas held by a class of persons whose entry to Australia would be contrary to the national interest. Ministers had previously only been allowed to cancel the visas of individuals on a case-by-case basis. In the documents marked secret he said the powers, which would not be subject to a merits or judicial review or a provision of parliamentary disallowance, were necessary in the lead up to the Sydney 2000 Olympics in the case of an outbreak of a highly infectious disease or a civil disturbance resulting in an attempted exodus of people to Australia seeking refuge. The Attorney-General's Department advised that such a move would be unlikely to survive a challenge in the High Court. The late 1990s war across Australia's ports was a clash of old and new economic models, former prime minister John Howard has declared, saying it was over one of the most important reforms of his government. Cabinet papers from 1996 and 1997 released on Tuesday by the National Archives reveal the extent to which Mr Howard's government went to be prepared for the industrial relations showdown that swept the nation's ports for much of 1998. Locked-out union workers during the 1998 waterfront dispute. Credit:Ray Kennedy Mr Howard had made no secret of his plans to target the waterfront and industrial relations through the 1996 election campaign. Reflecting on the events of the period, Mr Howard said the effective union monopoly over the port system was imposing a huge cost on all Australians. Kinshasa: Alarming irregularities were reported from across Congo which, after more than two years of delays, went to the polls on Sunday in an election that holds both the promise of a democratic transition. Millions of voters were met with non-existent voter rolls and hundreds of malfunctioning or missing voting machines, and hundreds of cases of election observers saying they were barred from polling stations. Some of the 40 million registered voters line up to vote in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Credit:AP Vote counting began late on Sunday night, local time. The election commission says provisional results will be announced within a week and definitive ones by January 15. The election presents this enormous country with its first chance at a peaceful, democratic transfer of power since its independence from Belgium in 1960. Pyongyang: The 105-story Ryugyong Hotel has long been a blot on the Pyongyang skyline. The world's tallest unoccupied building has towered over North Korea's capital since 1987, a grand but empty pyramid entirely dark except for the lone aircraft warning light at its top. The unfinished, unopened 105-story pyramid-shaped Ryugyong Hotel towers over residential apartments. Credit:AP Outsiders saw the unfinished building as the epitome of failure, while people inside the country took care to rarely mention it at all. That is, until light designer Kim Yong-il made the building once again the talk of the town. In a brilliant flip of the script, the Ryugyong has been reborn as a symbol of pride and North Korean ingenuity. American Citizen Detained in Russia Over Alleged Spying Russian authorities say that they have detained a U.S. citizen for alleged spying in Moscow. The Kremlins Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Dec. 31 that an American was detained Dec. 28 and a criminal case had been opened into the alleged espionage, without being more specific. Russias TASS news agency identified the man as Paul Whelan, but Reuters was unable to independently confirm the exact spelling. If found guilty, he could face 10 to 20 years in prison. On Dec. 28, 2018, staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission, the FSB said. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow, which reportedly was informed by Russias foreign ministry of the incident, didnt respond to an emailed request for comment on the arrest. The FSBs recent arrest also comes weeks after Russian national Maria Butina pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy in U.S. federal court, for acting as an agent for the Kremlin without registering in the United States. Meanwhile, in a New Years letter on Dec. 30, Putin told Trump that Moscow was ready for dialogue on a wide-ranging agenda. 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. Trump canceled the meeting at the G-20 summit due to increasing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, citing an incident in the Black Sea that resulted in Russias ongoing detention of some Ukrainian ships and their crews. Relations between Russian and the United States have been strained since Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. As a result, Washington and Western allies have imposed a number of sanctions on Russian officials, companies, and banks. Australian Foreign Minister Voices Concerns Over Chinas Detention of Canadians After Public Pressure Australias foreign affairs minister Marise Payne has finally expressed concerns to local media over the recent detention of two Canadian citizens in China. The remarks from Payne were first published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation late Dec. 30 but only after a group of 30 scholars, foreign policy experts, and former diplomats petitioned for Payne to do so earlier that day. In her statement, Payne said that Canberra supported Canadas justice system and said has communicated its concerns over the arrests to Beijing. Australia and Canada share a strong commitment to the rule of law, essential to the functioning of our democratic systems. I have every confidence in the fairness and independence of Canadas administration of justice, the statement read. The Australian Government is concerned about the recent detention of two Canadian citizens in China. We would be very concerned if these cases were related to legal proceedings currently underway in Canada involving a Chinese citizen, Ms Meng Wanzhou. The Australian Government has conveyed this position to Chinese counterparts and we have been in regular contact with Canadian officials. The statement stopped short of joining Canada in calling on Beijing to immediately release the two detained Canadians, as requested by the petition. And now Sen. Payne responds but her statement falls short of what the scholars' petition asks for:https://t.co/f4TWeUPH9u Melissa Clarke (@Clarke_Melissa) December 30, 2018 Earlier on Dec. 17, Payne had told The Australian that she was declining to comment on the arrests. The Same Thing Could Happen to Australians Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver, Canada, on Dec. 1 at the request of the United States, for allegedly being involved in a scheme to use the global banking system to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran. Since then, Chinese authorities have detained former Canadian diplomat and think-tank researcher Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor. The two were charged with posing a risk to Chinese national security. Chinese state media outlets reported that both men were detained Dec. 10. A day prior to the arrests, China warned Canada of grave consequences if Meng was not released immediately. More than a week later on Dec. 21, Canada called for China to release the pair immediately. The petition from prominent Australian China observers to Payne noted how the European Union, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and France had all joined Canada in issuing statements to express concern regarding the apparently political motivation for the arrests, which raise serious concerns about legitimate research and business practices in China. What is striking about the list of 30+ academics who have signed this letter to @MarisePayne on Chinas hostage taking is that this is generally NOT a list of security types it includes deep experts on China who have forged their careers supporting engagement with China https://t.co/a81vW13htk Rory Medcalf (@Rory_Medcalf) December 30, 2018 In view of the risks this raises to Australian research and business activities that form the bedrock of positive Australia-China relations, we respectfully ask you to join the above-mentioned governments in supporting the Canadian governments call for the immediate release of these two detainees, the petition to Payne reads. Experts who signed the petition include Rory Medcalf, Geremie R Barme, and John Blaxland from the Australian National University (ANU); the Lowy Institutes Richard McGregor; and Linda Jakobson from China Matters. Some Australians might think that this is not our problem, but the same thing could happen to Australians in China if bilateral relations deteriorated, McGregor said, according to The Australian. We should support Canada out of principle but also self-interest, because we might need their support one day as well. ANU visiting fellow Adam Ni, who also signed the petition, travels to China regularly. He told The Australian Broadcasting Corporation: I think the Australian government should really look at our national interest to ensure that when something like this happens to Australian nationals, then like-minded countries would likewise support our protests against the Chinese Government. Researchers like me, we travel to China frequently in order to do research. Under other circumstances, if there was trouble in Australian-China relations, then it is people like me that might be harassed by the Chinese Government or potentially even detained. From NTD.com Watch Next: Anastasia LinThe Chinese Communist Party Does Not Represent The Chinese People Beck White, 4, was rushed to the hospital in Milwaukee, Wis., after swallowing magnets that were inside a magnetic toy that he broke open, prompting his mother to warn other parents on Dec. 27, 2018. (Jennifer White/Facebook) Boy Loses Some of Intestines After Swallowing Parts of Popular Magnetic Toy A Wisconsin mother warned parents about a popular magnetic toy after her 4-year-old son was rushed to the hospital after swallowing parts of the toy. Jennifer White posted a picture of her son Beck in the hospital next to another picture showing the magnetic toy. Beck broke open a magnetic toy and has 13 tiny magnets in him. I feel guilty 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. Dogs could also break these open too, White wrote. She later added that her son had surgery to remove part of his colon, intestines, and appendix after the magnets created holes and infection in his intestines. The post has been shared more than 350,000 times. On Dec. 30, White noted that the magnetic product, which was a gift, had been removed from Amazon. There are still many knock-off brands to be aware of, she warned. She also hit back against critics who have emerged since she did interviews with several news agencies. The pitchforks and torches have come out but if I can change this outcome for one single family then nothing else matters. This is a nightmare and to have this happen is heartbreaking in more ways than you can imagine unless you live it, she wrote. I hope you parents who are pointing the finger at me never have an accident or miss something in your childrens lives because youre going to be judged harder than you ever have at one of your lowest points in your life. I wish I could be as perfect as all of you but Im just a Mom trying to do whats best for her kids at all times. This is the News station I did an interview with. The pitch forks and torches have come out but if I can change this Jennifer White 20181228 The American Academy of Pediatrics warned in 2017 against the magnet sets, calling them dangerous. Unlike those typically found on refrigerators, these magnet sets are composed of tiny high-powered magnet balls or cubes, often with 200 or more to a set. When two or more magnets are swallowed, their attractive force allows them to find each other across or between different segments of the digestive system, the academy stated. For example, connections can develop between the stomach and the small intestine or between the small intestine and the colon, putting any person who swallows them at high risk for major complications and injury, it continued. The academy noted that a child died in 2013 from swallowing the magnets. Federal regulators said after the death that about 7,700 children were rushed to the emergency room that year after swallowing the magnets. Pediatricians number one goal is to keep children safe. High-powered magnets have caused unnecessary surgeries, debilitating injuries, irreversible gastrointestinal damage and other lifelong health impacts in infants, children and adolescents, said academy President Fernando Stein in a statement. 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. The academy and a number of other groups sent a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission in support of the commissions October 2017 decision to stop the sale of high-powered magnet sets sold under the brand name Zen Magnets. The groups said that the commission should take even stronger action in the future. From NTD News CHICAGOChief Financial Officer Joe Thielmann was enchanted by the music and colors that he experienced during Shen Yun Performing Arts, so much so that he said he would certainly come back next year. Thielmann attended the performance at the Civic Opera House in Chicago on Dec. 30, with couple Jack and Sharon Parciak. The trio couldnt stop praising Shen Yun after they experienced the divinely inspired cultural performance. It was phenomenal, said Thielmann, who is the CFO at marketing agency Surge Innovations. The agency has worked with many well-known brands like Kelloggs, Hasbro, Sony, Universal, and Kimberly-Clark. Jack echoed his friends praise, adding that he now appreciates Chinese culture a lot more just from seeing the performance. Authentic Chinese Culture Based in New York, Shen Yuns mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture after it was nearly destroyed by six decades of communist rule. Classical Chinese dance is one way in which 5,000 years of Chinese culture have been passed down and retained. The company employs this traditional art form to revive this cultural treasure that was nearly lost. Thielmann agrees with Shen Yun and thinks it is important to revive this culture. They need to bring it back. I think even when you go to Chinatown here, its kind of lost a lot of its culture. When I was a younger boy, when we go to Chinatown, I thought the culture was much more heavy. And now its lighter I think, he said. He added that it was important to bring the performance to American audiences, especially young American-raised Chinese who have really no clue about their own heritage. I think that it would have resonated a little bit more for them, he said. Stories Resonate with Audience Thielmann said he really enjoyed the stories portrayed in Chinese culture and history, adding that this was one aspect that American history lacks. We dont have other stories that have a lot of meaning behind them, he said. We do a poor job of remembering those stories and teaching those stories to our own children. Shen Yun features multiple mini-drama pieces that draw upon stories and legends from different aspects of Chinese civilization, from the Yellow Emperor, to the different dynasties, all the way to the modern day. Chinese history has been documented and passed down uninterrupted for 5,000 years, but despite the vast variety of settings, most stories embody traditional Chinese values like loyalty, filial piety, and reverence for the divine. Many of these stories are intended to inspire and resonate with people and provide a guide for people to live morally and lead virtuous lives. Thielmann thinks we need more stories like this. He particularly enjoyed the piece The Final Moment, which he felt reminds us of the consequences when a persons moral compass is absent. I think we as adults, we have to continue to teach these traditions to our young while theyre growing up, to make sure they understand all that, he said. I think its getting lost. And I think that maybe the parents that brought kids here today go home and they talk about it. I think thats what they need to hear, he added. Meanwhile, Thielmanns friend, Sharon Parciak, said she would like to watch the performance again and again even if it was the same program. I would just come here again. I brought a whole bag full of things, books, I want to study everything. I thought it was beautiful. I cried at the end. It made me very happy, and [its] so beautiful, she said. And they are so talented. It just took my breath away, she said. Im really going to tell people about this. I highly recommend people come and see this. With reporting by Nancy Ma 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. Child Shoots Self in the Face in Wendys Parking Lot in North Carolina: Officials A child is in critical condition after being shot in the face on Dec. 30 while in a car at a Wendys fast-food restaurant in North Carolina. The child was with his mother while at the drive-thru when he apparently got ahold of a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun and shot himself in the face in Randleman, said Randleman Police Chief Steve Leonard. He said the child is about 5 years old, Fox8 reported. The gun went off, and the child was shot, he said. The boy was taken to Randolph Health and flown to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, the report said. The name of the boy and his condition are not clear. Its not clear who owned the handgun. The Courier-Tribune of Asheboro reported that the Wendys was closed following the shooting. Officials said the incident occurred at the Wendys at 1029 High Point Street after 12:45 p.m. local time. Other details about the case were not clear. According to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, 1.7 million children live with unlocked, loaded guns; 1 out of 3 homes with kids have guns. It added, In 2015, 2,824 children (age 0 to 19 years) died by gunshot and an additional 13,723 were injured. A study based on data from 2012 to 2014 shows that each year, about 5,790 children in the United States get medical treatment in emergency rooms for a gun-related injury. About 21 percent are unintentional, CNN reported. And from 2012 to 2014, 1,297 children on average died each year from a gun-related incident in the United States, according to the study. Gun Safety Field and Stream, a publication dedicated to hunting and fishing, recommends that for households with guns, Keeping guns forbidden and mysterious only increases their allure. Let your kids handle your guns with your permission and under your supervision. Show them how to check whether the chamber and magazine are empty. The publication also recommends: Youre trying to instill lifelong safety habits, and nothing you say speaks as loudly as your own actions when you and your child hunt together. Handle your own guns with extra emphasis on safety. While were at it, boats, ATVs, tree stands, and motor vehicles can be just as deadly as guns if used carelessly. Your young hunter will learn all about them by watching you. Violent Crime Down? The FBI has said that in the United States, 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. Clock Ticking on Reforms as Bolsonaro Steps Up in Brazil Jair Bolsonaro will start his presidency Jan. 1 with three-quarters of Brazilians believing he is on the right track. Now the hard part begins. Two months since riding to victory in a deeply polarizing election campaign, the former paratrooper has assembled a slimmed-down cabinet of economic liberals and social conservatives. These picks, along with his decision to sidestep the traditional wheeling and dealing with party bosses, appear to resonate with much of the electorate. But questions about his political style remain. While the president-elect has moderated his divisive rhetoric and apparent disdain for democracy, he remains a blunt negotiator in a political system that prizes cordiality. His strategy of dealing with congressional caucuses rather than party leaders remains untested, and his anti-corruption stance faces scrutiny amid a probe into the finances of a family friend. Meanwhile, the clock is already ticking as investors impatiently await delivery of essential reforms to fix Brazils battered public finances. Expectations are high for Bolsonaro to execute what he campaigned on, and he wont have that much time, said Danny Fang, a strategist at Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria in New York. Investor patience is particularly thin after populism surged in Mexico with the new government of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, added Win Thin, global head of currency strategy at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. Economic Risks With its heavy reliance on ex-military officers, the new Brazilian government will be the countrys most right-wing in decades. A group of widely celebrated Chicago Boys led by Paulo Guedes, Bolsonaros so-called super minister, intends to modernize an economy that ranks 109th out of 190 in the World Banks ease of doing business report. Guedes has vowed to pry open the economy, slash red tape and taxes, while shrinking the public debt. Many of those proposals will have to survive the quicksand of Brazils Congress. Theres also the risk of friendly fire from Bolsonaro himself, who blows hot and cold on the issue of privatization, as well as the uncertain investment outlook for emerging markets. Pension Reform Among the structural reforms sought by investors, by far the most urgent is a shake-up of Brazils bloated and unsustainable pension system. After some back and forth, Bolsonaro now appears inclined to borrow heavily from outgoing President Michel Temers pension plan in order to speed things up in Congress. In the long term there are many solutions, said Antonio Delfim Netto, a former finance minister and long-time economic adviser to Brazils top politicians. In the short term, unfortunately, there is just one: Itll have to be something similar to Temers reform. Congressional Support Yet a major question hanging over the administration is whether Bolsonaro will be able to forge the three-fifths majority in Congress needed to approve constitutional amendments such as the pension reform. Guedes has no experience in dealing with legislators, and Bolsonaro was a relatively inactive backbencher for most of his nearly three decades in the lower house. Bolsonaros own party, which surged from nowhere to become the second largest in Congress, is already engaged in very public infighting. His strategy of negotiating with caucuses risks backfiring by ignoring the power that party leaders still wield. And telling legislators that the left-wing Workers Party will return to power if they dont fall into line wont work for long, if at all. Thats a campaign tactic, said Silvana Krause, a professor of political science at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Governing is not the same as campaigning. Foreign Policy Beyond laxer gun controls, what will change most in Brazil under Bolsonaro may well be its foreign policy. Out goes the countrys traditional neutrality and defense of multilateralism and in comes an unabashed, pro-Western nationalism. Tellingly, leaders of three socialist Latin American countriesCuba, Venezuela, and Nicaraguawere uninvited to the swearing-in ceremony. A fan of President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro has threatened to withdraw from the Paris climate accord and move Brazils Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Incoming Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo recently summed up the new wave of nationalism tearing through Brazil in a blog post that lambasted previous governments for kowtowing to a detrimental rules-based global order. I want to help Brazil and the world free themselves from the globalist ideology, Araujo told Brazilians on his blog. Fill your chest and say: Brazil great and strong. A hooded man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. (Kacper Pempel/Illustration/Reuters) Cyberattack Hits US Newspaper Distribution A cyberattack caused major printing and delivery disruptions Dec. 29 at the Los Angeles Times and other major U.S. newspapers, including ones owned by Tribune Publishing Co., such as the Chicago Tribune and Baltimore Sun. The cyber attack appeared to originate outside the United States, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing a source with knowledge of the situation. The attack led to distribution delays in the Dec. 29 edition of The Times, Tribune, Sun, and other newspapers that share a production platform in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reported. Tribune Publishing, whose newspapers also include the New York Daily News and Orlando Sentinel, said it first detected the malware on Dec. 28. The West Coast editions of The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times were hit as they are also printed on the shared production platform, the Los Angeles Times said. Tribune Publishing spokeswoman Marisa Kollias said the virus hurt 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, Kollias said in a statement The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Most San Diego Union-Tribune subscribers were without a newspaper on Dec. 29 as the virus infected the companys business systems and hobbled its ability to publish, the papers editor and publisher Jeff Light wrote on its website. A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security said it was studying the situation. 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 DHS spokeswoman Katie Waldman in a statement. Representatives of the FBI were not immediately available for comment. By Jim Finkle, additional reporting by Andrew Hay. From Reuters. Democrats Commit Self-Sabotage by Dumping on Whites and Christians Commentary Two senior Democratic Party leaders have separately offered advice that Democratic activists would do well to heed. Outgoing California Gov. Jerry Brown and defeated Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) have warned of impending dangers to a political party that seems a bit too cocky and way too secular. Democrats have become the party that pits racial and ethnic groups against each other in the name of equality, and openly disdains Bible-believing Christians. Brown and McCaskill recognize the dangers of pursuing ideological agendas that ignore the issues and concerns of mainstream Americans. Brown, whose state in 2018 had no Republicans elected statewide, recently affirmed his belief in the necessity of a strong two-party system. Democrats need Republicans to keep them honest and on their toes. In a recent NPR interview, Brown postulated that the weakness of the Republican Party has let the Democratic Party get further out [on the left] than the majority of people want. Wow! This coming from Governor Moonbeam. McCaskills 2018 defeat was partially linked to her decision to vote against the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. She has blamed pro-choice progressives for their refusal to give their elected representatives the latitude needed to make hard decisions. Much like the truth-speaking candidate in the movie Bulworth, McCaskill has begun to dispense biting criticisms of the left. She has referred to pro-choice feminists as dumb and expressed a desire shared by many for them to shut up! After questioning the hype surrounding newly elected U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), McCaskill told CNN, 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. Average Americans who adhere to traditional values and beliefs often find themselves dismissed and derided by elites in the Democratic Party, who openly question their intelligence and sanity while mocking their faith. The Taboo of White Suffering When it comes to race relations, white Americans confront a whole new world awash with concerns about fairness and worries about discrimination. Like all parents, the future of their children and grandchildren weighs heavily on their minds. Their fears include liberal immigration policies rapidly changing the demographic makeup of the nation, structural changes in the economy reducing job opportunities, frustration about race-based affirmative action, and fears about violent crime. These are all issues I discussed in 2002 in The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration. Given todays politically correct environment and the stern punishments inflicted on violators, the average American keeps his or her head down while the fears and frustrations fester. America has many problems related to immigration, and a general decline in values and principles once widely shared. Conditions affecting white Americans must be addressed and discussed in mainstream forums on college campuses, where the focus is instead on perceived white privilege, with no recognition of a new kind of white suffering. It behooves the Democrats to become more sensitive to the problems that President Donald Trump and Republicans have observed about race relations. Until we address the problems of minorities and whites, we will continue to be a divided nation with little hope of healing. The problem is not immigration: Its the neglect of Americans and a penchant that Democrats have for using racial suffering to score political points. They make every issue a racial one. They allow its leftist wing to cast aspersions on non-minorities who raise legitimate concerns about racial double standards and the breakdown in law and order affecting the nation. Such a breakdown is best exemplified in the actions of groups such as Antifa and certain chapters of Black Lives Matter. McCaskills advice to Ocasio-Cortez was a polite way of reminding Democrats that white lives matter, too. If Democrats are to compete effectively for the votes of whites, theres a need to respect and acknowledge them as people who have problems just like other races and ethnicities. Deaths of Despair Studies by Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton have documented rising death rates for middle-aged white Americans, who are experiencing early deaths from preventable causes such as drug abuse, liver disease, and suicide. These have been called deaths of despair, hitting people with a high school education (or less) the hardest. California is one of the states with a notable increase in the death rates of white Americans. Drawing attention to the suffering of whites is politically incorrect. It can be mentioned but not discussed too much. Thanks, Democrats. A 2017 study by Brookings Institution scholars Carol Graham and Sergio Pinto found notable racial differences between whites and minorities. Racial and ethnic minorities had higher levels of optimism and rising life expectancies. This was especially true for poor blacks familiar with disappointment and despair. By contrast, non-college-educated whites experienced hopelessness and rising mortality ratesmore of them are dying, and dying young. Hopelessness among any group of Americans should concern us all. Ideally, we would want our political parties to work together to identify and eradicate the problem. We would have rising optimism among all marginalized Americans, whites and ethnic minorities. Our political parties need to work together to help create an environment where opportunities transcend race. Not every problem affecting minority communities can be laid at the feet of white people. Some of the problems affecting all races have to do with the spiritual health of the nation. The leftist politics of the Democrats have created a more secular society that has stripped many people of the hope and encouragement that comes from a spiritual connection with God. Bowing to the God of secularism, Americas Judeo-Christian roots and its traditions are being stripped away with no real replacements in sight. Surely, we can do better. Dr. Carol M. Swain is the voice behind Be The People Newsa blog and podcast dedicated to empowering individuals to think independently, understand their responsibility, and believe in their unique ability to make a difference in the world. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Ecuadors New Dam a Sign of Chinas Debt Trap Diplomacy Chinese bribery has established an untenable and highly priced dam in the jungles of Ecuador, according to a New York Times report. Other infrastructure and construction projects from China have filled the nation, racking up nigh-insurmountable debt. Just like other countries that have fallen victim to the Chinese communist regimes debt trap diplomacy, Ecuador equity will be paying off these debts. To repay the roughly $19 billion debt to China, Ecuador will instead give 80 percent of its petroleum exports to China, which it can then sell at a profit. The Chinese regime has used similar methods in Djibouti and Sri Lanka, offering large business projects that can not be repaid by the host country, to eventually be traded for equity. Though Latin American countries are not part of Chinas One Belt One Road initiative, they are still lured by similar offers from China. During the 2008 global financial crisis, China approached many Latin American countries with offers of infrastructure in exchange from breaking with the United States. Many countries agreed, and are now saddled with high-interest Chinese loans. Shaky Foundations The dam sits near an active volcano named Reventador, Spanish for exploder. The volcanos most recent eruption has been going since 2008, which brings seismic activity to the region. Fernando Santos, the Ecuadorian energy minister from the 1980s, said the project was doomed because of the proximity to the volcano, which has been erupting since the 16th century. Active volcanoes generally bring seismic activity. The equipment of the dam is lined with cracks, due to low-grade stainless steel and poor welding work. The dam is also in danger of mudslides in the area. The Chinese builders did not connect the foundation of the dam to the bedrock, so the dam itself may be brought down by natural disasters. Constant earthquakes have left the dam almost unusable. When Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited the completed dam in 2016, engineers attempted to run it at full capacity, leading to blackouts across Ecuador. Even if the dam worked properly, it would only be able to provide power at maximum capacity for a few hours a day for half of the year. The dams reservoirs are filled with trees, bushes, and silt. To clean the silt, sometimes massive amounts of water are released, creating flash floods which have killed people living downstream. Even some translations are blatantly incorrect, confusing DC (direct current) with Washington D.C. However, official audits performed on construction progress only cited minor work delays. A Flood of Bribery Many of the officials originally involved in the project are now imprisoned. Ecuadors ex-vice president Jorge Glas Espinel is now serving a sentence for taking bribes from a Brazilian construction company. Bribery is the grease for much business in China. The Ecuadorian officials are now being investigated to see if they accepted Chinese bribes as well. The former anti-corruption official has been caught on tape talking about Chinese bribes. Former President Rafael Correa is now in exile in Belgium, and many of his lieutenants are also looking to escape, or have been convicted of bribery. The former attorney general who was leading the investigation of the bribery case traveled to China to ask for help. He resigned not long after returning to Ecuador, without comment. Facing a 70% Abstention threat in 2009 Election, EU endorses EuroFora's idea for Citizens' debates on crucial EU decisions ! - Different views on "Europe's Future", should be debated among Citizens at June 2009 EU Elections, thanks to political Parties' "Manifestos", says EU Parliament's Report A main idea, initiated and promoted by EuroFora's founders since 1997: the vital need to develop European Citizens' democratic right to actively participate in multilingual debates on EU decisions, is formally endorsed by the EU from 2009 ! The move is a key attempt to overcome "catastrophic" Polls which warn that only ...30% of Citizens are ready to vote in the forthcoming June 2009 EU Election ! This was revealed by EU Commission's vice-president, in charge of Communication policy, Margot Wallstrom, during a "hot" meeting of EU Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education, during the December 2008 Strasbourg session. Wallstrom faced criticism, but also suggestions from various MEPs, naturally worried by Abstention threats which herself found even "worse" than in 1999 or 2004... A Report on "Active Dialogue with Citizens",examined at the same time, presented some useful practical tips, on "facilitating Interviews"; etc., but also a potentialy important call to "incorporate the conclusions of ...debates...into (EU) policies, and take into consideration the expectations that Citizens have of the EU when deciding". An amendment even implies that Citizens' participation in debates on EU decisions is a democratic "Right". More importantly, it finds that a Debate "on the Future of Europe", (as French President Nicolas Sarkozy has asked since 2007), would be a good idea " for the 2009 European parliamentary Elections", because "clarifying the political differences between the EU political parties would help citizens to identify themselves with, and choose between various concepts", for which "all parties (should) present their Manifesto". A "Joint political declaration on Communicating Europe in Partnership", co-signed by "the European Parliament, Council and ... Commission", confirms that they "attach the utmost importance to improving communication on EU issues", by "enabling European citizens to exercise their right to participate in the democratic life of the Union, in which decisions are taken as openly as possible and as closely as possible to the citizens, observing the principles of pluralism, participation, openness and transparency". This should "enable Citizens to exercise their right to express their views and to participate actively in the public Debate on European Union issues", while also "promoting the respect of multilingualism". In this regard, EU confirms its "wish to develop synergies with national, regional and local authorities as well as with representatives of Civil Society". It's since 1997 that a group of EuroFora's founders have officially presented a pioneer Project (then called "EIW", for "Europe in the World"), which aimed to develop Strasbourg's "Polyphonic music", by providing "Interactive information", on "main issues ... during the Decision-making process of European Organizations which engage in Transparent and Public Democratic Debates" This should be done, inter alia, by "exploring the potential of New Communication Tools (mainly Internet)", as well as classic-form debates, the 1997 EIW pioneer project's anounced in its "Synopsis". It was formally "accepted for evaluation" by EU Commission in Brussels in order to be examined for a grant in the framework of the "Research/Technology/Development (RTD) Programme in the field of Information Technologies", then called "ESPRIT", as a "Best Practice Pilot Project". But the vital, urgent Political need for EU to search new, efficient ways to reach the People and interact with European Citizens, was really felt in Brussels and elsewhere only after the unprecedented in History 1999 and 2004 Majority Abstention in EU Elections, followed by 3 "NO" in Referenda in France, the Netherlands and Ireland, on 2005 and 2008... In this New Political Landscape, we prepared a new, actualised and more developed version of our initial idea, in a simplified and more efficient form, thanks also to a large Experience accumulated during many years of EU/CoE/UNO Press work and Multi-lingual debates, with the New project "EuroFora" : On 2006 we presented in Public its main lines during Questions/Replies that we raised at two Press Conferences by EU Commission President, Jose Baroso, and mainly EU Commission's vice-President, in charge of Communication policy, Margot Wallstrom, together with EU Parliament's vice-president, Alejo Vidal-Quadras, in Strasbourg, (Videos available), and we reminded it at various brief contacts with Commissioner Wallstrom in 2007 and 2008. Meanwhile, a new Text was also presented for "EuroFora" Project mainly to certain Political and other personalities, at European, National or Regional/Local level, mainly in 2007, but also in 2008.. Now, after the unexpected 2008 Irish "NO", and before the 2009 EU Elections, which are due to be of exceptionally crucial importance for Europe's Future, the moment has obviously come to launch that project, progressively, but in real practice. Whoever really cares for Europe and its Citizens is welcome to join, in one way or another. Only anti-European, anti-democratic, obscure or ignorant groups might oppose or attempt to "steal" and deviate the main idea. But European Citizens, incited by enlightened political leaders, are those who will finally write the real History. Casey Anthony during her murder trial at the Orange County Courthouse on June 30, 2011 in Orlando, Fla. (Red Huber-Pool/Getty Images) Father of Casey Anthony Seriously Injured in Car Crash: Report The father of Casey Anthony was released from the hospital recently after suffering injuries in a serious car crash in November but the 67-year-old is still having trouble walking, according to a report. George Anthony suffered a serious spinal cord injury along with internal injuries and nerve damage, leading some to believe he might never walk again. He was in a wheelchair in the hospital as he recovered and it was really dire. He moves very, very slowly now, using a walker. He has a lot of neck and shoulder pain, and hes in a brace from head to waist, a source close to the family told People magazine. Hes never going to be the same. The Florida Highway Patrol said Anthony drove his wifes SUV off I-4 on Nov. 24. A witness said Anthony appeared to lose control and that the car flipped over multiple times before coming to a rest, reported WFTV. It went on the right side, into the grass, and then it literally came across the three lanes, back into the median, over to the grass as it flipped, a caller told 911. The patrol described Anthonys injuries as incapacitating. Casey Anthony never visited her father as they are estranged. Casey Anthony was charged with murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008. She was acquitted in 2011. During the trial, Anthonys defense team claimed that George Anthony repeatedly molested his daughter, which he denied. Today on Oz, an exclusive interview with Casey Anthonys parents. I want the answers as to why Caylees no longer with us. pic.twitter.com/QarURdcjF1 Dr. Mehmet Oz (@DrOz) October 25, 2018 George Anthony said during an appearance on Dr. Oz earlier this year that if his daughter has more children, as she was reportedly considering, he hoped she would take better care of them. Knowing now that she could potentially be a mom again, I hope she does better this time around than what she did last time, he said on the show, reported Inside Edition. I hope that child is strong, grows up to be a worthwhile part of society and, the person that she has the child with, I hope they are going to love her and that child immensely. He said he hoped his daughter was doing well but that he didnt foresee them resolving their differences. Were not connected anymore, he said. And that hurts. I wish I could be part of her life, but I would never feel comfortable around her. I cant trust her. Casey Anthony still lives in Florida, working as a researcher for a private investigator and only maintaining a small circle of family and friends. I dont give a [expletive] about what anyone thinks about me. I dont care about that. I never will. Im OK with myself. I sleep pretty good at night, she told The Associated Press in 2016. Anthony was convicted of three counts of lying to the police, two of which were dropped. She admitted that she did lie to investigators. Even if I wouldve told them everything that I told to the psychologist, I hate to say this, but I firmly believe I would have been in the same place. Because cops believe other cops. Cops tend to victimize the victims, Anthony said. I understand now I see why I was treated the way I was even had I been completely truthful. After the interview was published, George Anthonys attorney Mark Lippman stated: George, who has continued to try and move forward from this tragedy and who was vindicated on multiple occasions, is once again forced to relive the hints, rumors, lies, and allegations that are being made by Casey Anthony. He has specifically stated that his heart hurts even more now.' From NTD News German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the European Parliament during a debate on the future of Europe, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Nov. 13, 2018. (Reuters/Vincent Kessler) Merkels Falling Star Outshone by Party Protege, Poll Shows BERLINAnnegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the new leader of Germanys Christian Democrats, heads into 2019 more popular than Chancellor Angela Merkel, who supported her rise to the top of their party, an opinion poll showed on Dec. 30. The survey by pollster Emnid for weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag showed 45 percent of 507 voters surveyed wanted Kramp-Karrenbauer to play a leading role among Germanys top politicians in the coming year, ahead of Merkel, at 40 percent. Kramp-Karrenbauer, the continuity candidate favored by the party elite, won a tight victory over the more conservative Friedrich Merz in a run-off vote earlier this month to decide the new leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The victory put her in the pole position to succeed Merkel as chancellor. The Emnid poll showed 33 percent of those surveyed want Merz to have as much of an effect as possible in 2019. Merz, who returned from a decade in the political wilderness to seek the CDU leadership, has said hes ready to get back into politics full time and could even serve as a minister. His narrow loss to Kramp-Karrenbauer, Merkels protege, highlighted deep divisions in the CDU that the party is eager to heal ahead of four regional elections next year. Merkel, Germanys chancellor for the past 13 years, decided in October to step down as party leader after the CDU hemorrhaged support in another regional vote. A separate survey, by pollster YouGov, showed 43 percent of those questioned want Merkel to remain chancellor until the end of this legislative period in 2021, as she would like, with 38 percent wanting her to go early and 18 percent undecided. Merkels fate partly depends on her coalition partner, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), whose leaders are under pressure to pull out of the government. SPD leader Andrea Nahles said she was bitterly disappointed by the coalition, which formed in March, but that it had performed better in the last two months. In the new generation, we can concentrate on the essentials and do good work, Nahles told newspaper Welt am Sonntag. A mother of three was killed trying to stop a customer from walking out without paying a $35 for her manicure, on Dec. 29, 2018, said police and her boyfriend. (Google Street View) Hair Salon Worker Killed After Woman Refuses to Pay $35 Manicure: Boyfriend A mother of three was killed trying to stop a customer from walking out without paying for a $35 for her manicure, said police and her boyfriend. Nhu Nguyen, 53, also a grandmother of two, was working at the Crystal Nails & Spa in Las Vegas last week when a customer decided to not pay the bill after her credit card was declined, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Nguyens boyfriend, Sonny Chung, who is also co-manager of the salon, said the female customer told her that she was going to get some cash from her car but instead drove away. The salon worker tried to grab the cars rear window, but the customer kept driving and dragged Nguyen through the parking lot before speeding away, Chung said. My wife ran out and tried to stop her, and then she rolled forward, Chung, told the paper. She kept pushing the gas, and my wife fell off, and she kept pushing more, and she dragged her from here to over there [roughly 50 feet away]. UPDATE: We talked to the family of the manicurist killed over an unpaid bill. Nhu "Annie" Nguyen tried to stop a customer, after she left without paying. The customer ran her over, dragging her 50 feet. More from the family and witnesses coming up on @FOX5Vegas at 10. pic.twitter.com/7fadfrrMnp Tiana Bohner (@FOX5_Tiana) December 31, 2018 Chung was not able to reach Nguyen or slow down the car, described as a black newer-model Chevrolet Camaro. Police said the Camaro was a rental car. I tried to hold the car back, but I am not Superman, he told the Review-Journal. She ran off for $35 and killed my wife$35 to run my wife over. Nguyen was taken to University Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead, police said. Chung said she spent the past decade without days off, adding that she often stayed well past closing time. She was a hard worker, he noted. Thats all she does. Shes a work addict. She worked every dayevery dayseven days a week. An employee who worked nearby witnessed the incident, saying he dreamt about it. I dreamt that she was close to me on the car, and I was trying to reach out to her, and the car took her away, it was traumatizing. It was hard, the unnamed person told News3. She put her life in someones hands, and you cant do that. Its not her fault, but unfortunately she had her life taken from her. The anonymous employee added: His wife jumped in front of the vehicle, and thats when the lady that was driving the Camaro put it in drive and proceeded to drive off. She fell off the hood and she dragged her, and she sped off and left her body there. An employee at another store said Nguyen was known as a dedicated mother to her three children. That does not make sense at all, Ruri Lee told News3. She was so nice, so nice I could tell she was a strong mother. Officials told the Review-Journal they believe the Camaro was stolen three weeks prior to the incident. We do not believe the person who originally rented the car is the suspect, Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Ray Spencer said on Dec. 30 Anyone with information about the suspects whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555. A police car in front of 160 Muir Woods Road, where authorities rescued 13 malnourished children held captive by their parents in Perris, California on January 16, 2018. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images) House Where Couple Starved and Shackled 12 of Their 13 Children Goes Up for Auction The house where a couple abused 12 of their 13 children is up for sale while the couple awaits trial. The house was nicknamed the house of horrors and was put for a starting bid of $177,255, according to The Press-Enterprise. The single-floor house in Perris, California, is 2,386 square feet. It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The auction for the home started on Dec. 29 and is scheduled to end on Jan. 2. David and Louise Turpin, 57 and 49 respectively, face a combined 88 charges for mistreating their children in that house. They are due for trial in September 2019. The children, consisting of both minors and adults, were rescued by the authorities after the couples 17-year-old daughter escaped the house through a window and called 911 on a siblings cellphone. Police found some of the children shackled to their beds and all except the youngest malnourished and on the verge of starvation, in a disgustingly dirty home environment, according to a couple of reports from Fox. The couple pleaded not guilty to all charges. The house wont sell unless an undisclosed reserve price is met. A Riverside County appraisal of the property declared it worth $353,138, according to The Press-Enterprise. The house was built in 2013, and then purchased in 2014 by the alleged child-abusing couple for $351,000, Fox News reported. The most recent bid on the home as of this writing is $250,001. The auction page for the house does not state details related to the previous occupants. The home was foreclosed in November, according to Fox. Doctors said the children suffer from various levels of cognitive and physical impairments. Prosecutors allege they were beaten frequently, even with strangulation, Fox reported. They also allege the children were only allowed one shower a year and were not unshackled when they needed to use the bathroom. Good Morning America found social media video posted by the 17-year-old from within the home, before she broke out in January. In the videos, she sings, and some of the dirty and disorganized environment is visible in the videos. The children ranged in age from 2 to 29 when they were discovered, Fox reported. The 2-year-old was conceived when Louise Turpin was 47 years old, and was the only one discovered in good health, Inside Edition reported. The parents would buy food, and use it to taunt the children, letting them look at it but not eat it. The attorney for the seven adult children of the Turpins said his clients are now adjusting to everyday life and looking forward to their futures. They want to finish school, they want to have careers. They look forward to going out to movies and shopping and everything else people their age are doing, said court-appointed attorney Jack Osborn, via a March report in USA Today. Most of all, theyre looking forward to being independent and coming up with a game plan for their life. Sergio Coello-Perez, an illegal alien, was released from a North Carolina jail despite being charged with murder. (Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office) Illegal Alien in Jail on Murder Charge Released Due to Clerical Error An illegal alien has been released from a North Carolina jail due to a clerical error, according to prosecutors. Sergio Coello-Perez, a 17-year-old alien from Mexico, was released from the Mecklenburg County Jail on Dec. 27 after being held for seven months. He was released after submitting a written promise to appear in court and to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet and did not have to post bail. The Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office recently pulled out of an immigration screening program amid a trend of jails declining to work with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Through the program, ICE receives information about illegal alien defendants and is ready to deport them when theyre released from prison. Just a day after the release, Coelle-Perez was booked back into the jail. Prosecutors obtained a court order for his arrest to correct a clerical error, reported WBTV. The alien, who was charged with murder in May, was out for 31 hours before the error was corrected. A spokesperson for the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office confirmed that the ICE hold was lifted but, she claimed, thats not why Coello-Perez was released. Bail bondsman Chad Lewis said that in his 15-year career, hes never seen anything like an accused murderer being released. I think its ridiculous that somebody took somebodys life allegedly and then walks out of jail on their own recognizance, Lewis told WCNC. I dont think its fair to the victim, I dont think its fair to the victims family, I dont think its fair to the justice system. Jason Cunningham, another bail bondsman, said he thinks the release was due to the sheriffs office ending its partnership with ICE. When the new sheriff signed the new policy to release the [immigrant], his immigration hold got released, Cunningham said. I think its insane someone charged with first-degree murder walks out of jail with a written promise. The allegedly mistaken release comes as a sheriff in California blamed the murder of a police officer by an illegal alien on the states sanctuary law. We cant ignore the fact that this could have been preventable, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson told reporters, asking why the state was providing sanctuary for criminals (and) gang members. Its a conversation we need to have, he said. In that case, seven other illegal aliens were arrested for allegedly working together to lie to investigators to try to allow the accused murderer time to flee to Mexico. Homeowner Murdered Police officials said that Coello-Perez and another male went to a house in May and stole a number of items before returning at a later time to try to steal a car. Nicholas Boger, the homeowner, went outside, and the suspects shot him to death. Bogers niece told WSOC that her uncle loved life and was a joy to be around. Since I first met him hes just been a stand-up guy, Chrissy Boger said. She said that the death of a loved one was very hard. Each day, each hour, each minute is definitely hard, Boger said. Just trying to make sure that I am keeping my composure. From NTD News The logo of Alibaba Group is seen at the companys headquarters in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China, on July 20, 2018. (Aly Song/Reuters) Layoff Rumors About Chinas Biggest Tech Firms Fuel Unease About Slowing Economy Recent rumors about layoffs at some of Chinas biggest internet and technology companies have added to Chinese citizens anxieties about the economy. On Maimai, an online Chinese career-networking platform akin to LinkedIn, a user who claimed to be an employee at Sina Weibo posted that the Twitter-like social-media platform will soon lay off 10 percent of its staff. Chinese media soon reported about the possibility of layoffs, seeking confirmation from Sina Weibo itself. The company didnt respond, but curiously, posts on Weibo about the rumors were deleted. Earlier in the month, users of anonymous staffers at Zhihu.com, a website similar to Quora, also left social-media messages or told news portals that some teams at the company were being dismissed, such as operations and advertising sales. Smartisan, a tech company that manufactures smartphones and develops mobile software, initially denied reports of layoffs that circulated around November. But, several days later, the company told the state-run newspaper Securities Daily that the company was in fact in a crisis. Meanwhile, a manager at Mobike, a bike sharing company, confirmed with Chinese online tech news site, All Weather TMT, that about 30 percent, or 300 employees, at the firm had been let go, according to a Dec. 25 report on the website. One after another, internet rumors swirled that Chinas biggest internet giants, Baidu (similar to Wikipedia), Tencent, JD.com (an online e-commerce platform), and Alibaba all had to let employees go. The speculation became so intense that state-run media, the Beijing Daily, ran an article Nov. 29 clearing up the discussion, noting that the big four companiescommonly referred to by their combined first initials, BATJ, all denied the rumors. Despite the rebuttals, recent data dont paint a rosy picture. According to business news site Caixin, from April to September, recruitment ads posted on a popular Chinese job listings site, 51job.com, fell to 83,000 from 2.85 million. Another popular job-listing service, Zhaopin.com, reported that in the third quarter, the number of ads for positions in the IT and internet industries fell 51 percent year-on-year. For two consecutive quarters, demand within the IT industry has experienced negative growth. The latest round of bad news follows reports in October that major tech companies such as Huawei, Alibaba, and JD.com had begun hiring fewer new employees and halted social recruitment programs. Other job areas have also experienced large-scale unemployment. In November, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that 7.4 million migrant workers had returned to their home villages after working in major Chinese cities. They often work blue-collar or low-skill jobs. Chinese authorities claimed that the workers had retired, but because of desperation to earn more for their families in the countryside, they are more likely to have lost their jobs. China has long considered unemployment a taboo topicas it hints at social instability. A number of indicators has shown that Chinas economy is slowing, such as a plunging stock market, slowing consumer demand, and falling industrial profits. NetEase, a Chinese news portal, reported in October that in the first half of this year, slightly more than 5 million companies closed and more than 2 million people became unemployed. During the same period, chairmen at 453 publicly listed companies have resigned or were fired. The article was soon deleted by Chinese censors. This March 6, 2016 photo shows lions as seen on a safari in Kenya's Tanzania's Serengeti region (Charmaine Noronha via AP) Lion Breaks Out of Enclosure, Kills 22-Year-Old Woman in North Carolina: Reports A lion that broke out of its enclosure has killed one person at the Conservators Center in Caswell County, North Carolina, according to reports on Dec. 30. The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Alexandra Black, who is originally from New Palestine, Indiana, said the Caswell County Sheriffs Office in a statement. The lion was subsequently shot, according to ABC11. Black was a recent graduate of Indiana State University and had been employed at the Conservators Center for about two weeks. Caswell County sheriffs deputies tried to tranquilize the lion but failed, so they shot and killed the animal to retrieve Blacks body, USA Today reported. The Conservators Center issued a statement saying it was devastated by the loss of a human life, ABC News reported. While a husbandry team led by a professionally trained animal keeper was carrying out a routine enclosure cleaning, one of the lions somehow left a locked space and entered the space the humans were in and quickly killed one person, the center said in a statement, NBC News reported. It isnt clear how the lion escaped its enclosure, the sheriffs office said. The Conservators Center, located in rural Caswell County, is home to about 80 animals, its website says. Its closed until further notice amid an investigation, ABC11 reported. The facility was founded in 1999 and is in Burlington, about 50 miles northwest of Raleigh. On its website, the center said it began giving public tours in 2007 and gets more than 16,000 visitors annually, according to The Associated Press. It has more than a dozen employees and currently houses more than 21 species. The center says it took in 14 lions and tigers in 2004 to assist the U.S. Department of Agriculture with caring for animals that were living in unacceptable conditions. A message seeking comment was left with a spokesman for the county sheriffs office. Other details about the case are not clear. A British safari park owner was severely mauled by a lion earlier this year, according to reports. Horrified tourists witnessed and filmed the attack. Telegraph News 201851 Michael Hodge was investigating a smell in the lions enclosure at the Marakele Animal Sanctuary in South Africa in May 2018 at the time of the attack, reported The Guardian. Video footage of the incident was posted online The owner was immediately taken to hospital with serious injuries. He is currently recuperating, Lt. Col Moatshe Ngoepe, a police spokesman in South Africa, was quoted as saying by the publication. Hodge was later airlifted to a hospital in Johannesburg in May, the Telegraph reported. He has a broken jaw and several lacerations, but is recovering well, his family said in a statement. A 22-year-old woman was also mauled at a private game reserve in South Africa in March. That lion was under the care of a man who was dubbed the lion whisperer for his close interactions with the predators. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The shooting occurred on the 15400 block of Wallisville in Harris County in the Walmart parking lot, on Dec. 30, 2018. (Google Street View) Manhunt After 7-Year-Old Girl, Jazmine Barnes, Killed in Walmart Parking Lot Deputies are looking for 4-door red pickup in fatal shooting The 7-year-old Texas girl who was shot by a gunman in a Walmart parking lot was identified in local news reports on Dec. 31. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez identified the girl as Jazmine Barnes, who was riding with her mother, LaPorsha Washington, and three of her sisters in a car. The gunman opened fire on the car as they were leaving a Walmart parking lot, said officials. Another girl was injured by broken glass, and the two other sisters were not injured, police said. KSAT reported that Washington was shot in the arm and is expected to survive her injuries. The suspect was described by sheriffs officials as a white man in his 40s with a beard. Deputies said they are looking for a four-door red pickup truck in the fatal shooting, KHOU reported. Please keep this family in your prayers. A total of 5 occupants in the car witnessed this innocent child, their loved one, shot and killed before their eyes. So senseless. Its never easy, and extra hard during the holiday season, Gonzalez tweeted on Dec. 30. Were going to use all resources available to bring this killer to justice, police spokesman Jesse Razo told reporters at the scene, Local12 reported. And I urge you, whoever did this, you know who you are, please turn yourself in now because we will be looking for you, we will locate you, we will find you. After the shooting, Washington sped south on the Houston Beltway before making a U-turn and stopping on the side of the road, KSAT reported. Jazmine was pronounced dead at the scene. It wasnt immediately clear what triggered the shooting. The motive is unknown right now, Senior Deputy Thomas Gilliland told CNN. The shooting took place at about 7 a.m. at Wallisville Road and the Texas 8 Beltway in the Harris County city of Cloverleaf, Razo said, as reported by the Dallas Morning News. Razo said the other girls are between the ages of 7 and 15. Of course theyre shaken, theyre devastated, they lost a sister, he said. Authorities are hunting for a man who shot into a car as it left a Houston-area Walmart Sunday, killing 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes. The suspect is described as a white male in his 40s who fled the scene in a red truck. https://t.co/DyFvROo12U pic.twitter.com/a0kIN1MCDG CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) December 31, 2018 Officials are now reviewing surveillance footage in the area of the shooting to try and identify the suspect or his vehicle. Anyone with information about the case can call the Harris County Sheriffs Office at 713-221-6000. The sheriffs office did not provide any more details about the incident. Violent Crime Down in 2017 In September 2018, the FBI said Americans committed fewer violent and property crimes in 2017, according to statistics. The violent crime rateincluding offenses such as murder, robbery, and aggravated assaultdropped by almost 1 percent and is still about 4 percent above the 2014 rate. The murder rate dropped by 0.7 percent. A media availability with @SheriffEd_HCSO is set for 4 p.m. at 1200 Baker to seek the public's help in apprehending the person who killed 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes on Sunday. We will live stream here on Twitter. #hounews pic.twitter.com/eC0uYsPPhQ HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) December 31, 2018 After historic increases in violent crime in 2015 and 2016, we are beginning to see encouraging signs, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement at the time. But our work is not done. While we have made progress, violent crime and drug trafficking continue to plague our communities and destroy the lives of innocent, law-abiding Americans. Of the estimated 17,284 murders in 2017, more than half occurred in larger citieswith populations of more than 100,000. A newborn lies on his mother's stomach after a delivery at the medical clinic St Vincent de Paul in Lille, on Aug. 17, 2018. (Philippe Huguen/AFP/Getty Images) Mothers Use of Drugs During Pregnancy Is Not Child Abuse: Supreme Court Ruling The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on Dec. 28 ruled that womens use of opioids during pregnancy does not constitute child abuse, according to court documents. It was found that fetuses and unborn children do not fall under the definition of a child under the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL). Therefore, a woman cannot be declared a perpetrator for using drugs, even if the newborn suffers from birth defects after it is born. An earlier decision by Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Moulton was overturned. In the decision, he wrote that a mothers drug abuse during pregnancy may be constituted as child abuse if authorities could prove she intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly caused, or created a reasonable likelihood of, bodily injury to a child after birth, the Associated Press reported. Mothers Relapses Lead to Withdrawal The case involves a mother that was released from jail in 2016. After her release, she relapsed into drug abuse, using opioids, such as painkillers, and marijuana. She later learned she was pregnant and sought treatment for her addiction through a methadone maintenance project, and with subutexbut the treatment failed, and she relapsed again. She gave birth in 2017, and three days later the child started to experience neonatal withdrawal symptoms (NWS), such as tremors, excessive suck, increased muscle tone, and loose stools. This led to the newborn being treated for opioids. Clinton County Children and Youth Social Service Agency (CYS) got involved after the Williamsport Hospital, where the mother gave birth, communicated the information about the family to the agency. CYS then filed for emergency protective custody of the child, which was granted. Based on the childs bodily injuries, the CYS alleged that the woman was a perpetrator of child abuse becausedue to taking drugs during pregnancyshe inflicted suffering on her child. CYS said that finding abuse, in this case, would protect future children from abuse, states the hearing document. Labels Will Not Prevent Further Harm The Supreme Court found no evidence that suggests labeling the mother as a perpetrator of child abuse would protect future children from abuse. Labeling a woman as a perpetrator of child abuse does not prevent her from becoming pregnant or provide any protection for a later conceived child while in utero, states the hearing document. It also does not ensure that the same woman will not use illegal drugs if she does again become pregnant. David S. Cohen, the mothers lawyer, considered the ruling a win for all pregnant people, according to Womans Law Project. As we argued, allowing people to be classified as child abusers under state law in response to alleged behavior while pregnant contradicts the clear legislative intent of the law. He then added that this would set a dangerous precedent wherein nearly any behavior while pregnant, like undergoing chemotherapy, would be considered child abuse. In support of the family unit, the Supreme Court stated that labeling the mother a perpetrator of child abuse would lessen her time participating in the childs life, as well as making it unlikely for the mother to get a job. New York Q&A: Should the US Withdraw Troops from Syria? The White House has declared victory over the ISIS terrorist group. On Dec. 19, President Donald Trump publicly announced the decision to bring 2,000 troops home from Syria, saying that U.S. troops, who had been there since late 2014, had no other purpose for remaining in the war-torn country. The withdrawal, which fulfills one of the presidents campaign promises, has left mixed opinions. The Epoch Times spoke to New Yorkers and visitors to ask for their opinions on the sensitive subject. Heres what they had to say: Juan, 70, retired, from the Dominican Republic Its a good idea because both Russia and Iran are there, so theyre just getting in each others way. Its better to get out of it; it makes no sense for America to be there. Afaq Imtiaz, 53, operations engineer I think its a bad idea, really. It will create a vacuum for somebody else to take leadership and keep stability in the area, so that would be Russia. Then, it would also create a vacuum for people that have been deterred by the U.S. presence to come back with a vengeance and destabilize the area. The U.S. plays a leadership role and they need to act like that. Im not saying they [should] play the role of the worlds police, but people do look to the U.S. for stability and peace. ISIS is like a game of Whack-a-Moletheyll just pop up again. Its their ideology that you have to break through. Until that is done, the jobs incompletetheyre going to pop up somewhere else. Marc Saltz, 40, manager, South Africa I just think peace, not war. Its better not to get involved in other peoples affairs. Ashley Semerc, 31, manager We have the troops there to help out with Syria and the whole situation going on over there. To pull them out, I think thats kind of silly. Its ruining our foreign policy. Were supposed to try to maintain allies and try to help other countries, being in a role of power, not pull back all of our resources and not help other people. My opinion would be to remain, maintain and help the country that needs it, especially if there are refugees leaving Syria. Why not help get Syria back to where they dont need to be escaping to other countries. Charlie, Nancy, and Amber Hodges Charlie Hodges: Best plan ever. Nancy Hodges: We have very different responses. Amber Hodges: We shouldnt talk about this together. We dont agree politically on some things. Charlie: Do you think they shouldve been there to begin with? Amber: I will say this, I dont think its ever smart for a leader to announce that theyre withdrawing troops. Charlie: I just think that they should not have been there in the first place, and Im really glad that theyre getting them out. This is one where people are determined to kill themselves and each other, so why get in the middle of that? We got in the middle of something that was originally going to resolve all those people being dead, we killed a bunch of them, and now, were leaving it back the way it was. Charles Polanco, 38, chef With the threat still being there, youre kind of leaving people in a difficult position, in my opinion. Because if they can take back over the regime, were going to have a big problem in the long run, as an international issue. President Donald Trump did mention they still had troops within Iraq could go over to fight if necessary, which isnt 100 percent wrong. But at the same time, if theres still an issue there, theyre spreading themselves a little thin. We have been saying we were going to pull the troops out for quite some timeas far back as Obamaso Im not 100 percent against it. But at the same time, I know very little about whats going on there to weigh everything properly. Andreas Walter, 49, sales I think its a good thing. Its a little bit early right now, a little abrupt. It feels like it was used as a bargaining chip for something else, rather than being cooperative. Itll be interesting to see what happens in the future. Therell be more questions as to where troops are going to be deployed and whos going to pay for what. I think itll have a more financial component going forth, and I think thats part of why the Syria retreat is on the table as well. It somewhat feels like there is a bigger component. Its just a change from the past, when it was always the U.S. being the worlds police. Carine, Frederic, and Maya, from Switzerland Carine: For us, were neutral, but it seems like an endless war. Its impossible to make peace there. Frans (R) and Johannes Meindertsma, from the Netherlands Its dangerous for the region because the Americans are needed there and its not safe for the region. In the news in Holland, there is a lot of disappointment. Were hoping they will change their minds as the U.S. presence is very important there for everyones safety. Toby Savage, 46, warehouse manager Its a very complicated topic. Theyre not ready and were not prepared to deal with whats going to happen after. Were going to have to deal with it because were supposed to be united, except were being split apart. Im not happy about it. Jimmy Be Its good, because look at Afghanistan, how many people were killed there? [Its] going on 4,000. So why are American people getting killed over somebody elses issue? They can help them in other ways: They can give them money, they can train their troops. Interviews edited for clarity and brevity. Michael "Mikey" Stewart, 40, was last seen on Dec. 20, 2018, in the Staten Island borough of New York City. Police officials are reportedly treating the missing person case as a homicide as of Dec. 30, 2018. (Help us find Mikey/GoFundMe) NY Man Who Wrote Please Help Me Mom Before Going Missing May Have Been Murdered A New York man who wrote please help me mom went missing soon after texting the message to his mother. Michael Mikey Stewart, 40, of the Staten Island borough of New York City, was last seen leaving ONeills Irish Pub on Forest Avenue at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 20. Surveillance footage captured him arguing with two men outside a nearby barbershop. Then, around 2 a.m. the next day, he sent his mother the message asking for help, his aunt told the New York Post. Detectives are telling us he was hurt, Roxanne B., the aunt, said. Police officials told the family that the missing person case is now being treated as a suspected homicide. He loves his daughter. Shes been crying every night for him. Shes starting to see that somethings wrong, Stewarts aunt said of his 4-year-old daughter. Me and his mother both feel he has been murdered, the aunt added to the NY Daily News. Domestic Issues Law enforcement sources and witnesses who last saw Stewart said that he was dealing with financial and domestic issues, according to the Staten Island Advance. Prior to being at the pub, Stewart had a fight with his ex-girlfriend over visitation of his daughter, sources told the Advance. In addition, he apparently was having financial troubles as he asked relatives for money. After leaving the pub, Stewart was seen at two different barbershops. The second was EZ Does It. A man who was working that night said Stewart told him he was in a dispute with a male acquaintance of his ex-girlfriend. He told me he got into a fight. . I told him Go home bro, said the worker. Fundraiser Launched Family members and friends launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help raise funds to hire a private investigator. The investigator is asking for $60 an hour. If anyone can help out in any way to find Mikey we would greatly appreciate it. Mikey was last heard from 12/20/18 we have not seen or heard from him since. He was last seen leaving a barbershop on Morningstar in Staten Island, says the GoFundMe page. He was wearing a green polo and blue jeans with white blue and orange sneakers, it states. We would like to help put his mom at ease and bring him home to his daughter who is asking for him. We did not set a goal simply because the goal is just to get Mikey back home ASAP any help is greatly appreciated! added longtime friend Jaclyn Tantao. Tantao told the Daily News: Theres no way he would miss Christmas with his daughter. He loves his daughter. They do everything together. For him to not show up for Christmas or Christmas Eve was completely unheard of. She added, We just want to know where he is. We are very worried about what has gone on and transpired. From NTD News A swarm of bees land on a hot dog cart in Times Square in New York City, U.S., August 28, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Odd US Stories Reported in 2018 NEW YORKA hive of honeybees in the heart of New York City, a monkey with a photographers eye, and a couple reunited with a lost engagement ring were among the incidents featured in some of the odd stories of 2018. One of the most inexplicable animal stories of the year unfolded on a hot August afternoon, when a menacing horde of honeybees descended on a hot dog vendors umbrella, bringing Times Square to a standstill and drawing swarms of gawking tourists. After a brief flurry of excitement, the buzzing interlopers were apprehended by a police officer armed with a vacuum cleaner-like device that sucked them up. The bees were then whisked away to safety. Clearly, bees do not enjoy the right of free assembly in New York City. In April, a California court ruled that the animal kingdom does not have much in the way of property rights, either, in a case involving a Celebes crested macaque who took a selfie using a nature photographers camera. The court rejected a lawsuit filed on the monkeys behalf by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which argued the primate was the legal owner of all photos he took. In a decision that likely left the plaintiffs crestfallen, the court ruled that monkeys cannot sue for copyright protection. Animal antics and weird human behavior met up in New Hampshire in January, when a man bit a police dog whose team was investigating a reported shooting. Authorities were attempting to arrest the man on an outstanding warrant when he bit a state police dog, who bit back and then watched while the man was Tasered. In July, in a tourist section of Miami Beach, Florida, a homeless man with no arms was charged with stabbing a Chicago man with a pair of scissors, using his feet. The assailant claimed self-defense, but the victim said he was only asking for directions when he was attacked. In December, four months after a swarm of bees descended on Times Square, a British couple visited the famed Manhattan crossroads where the man had asked his beloved for her hand in marriage. The woman, who had promptly answered Yes! to the marriage proposal, gasped No! as her engagement ring tumbled down a subway grate. After contacting New York police, who searched unsuccessfully for the ring, the devastated couple returned to Britain without leaving their names with the officers. Days later, police managed to locate the ring in the bowels of Manhattan and thenputting Twitter to the testwere able to track the unnamed lovebirds across an ocean and reunite them with the ring. By Barbara Goldberg. From Reuters. US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin arrives at the US Capitol prior to the service for former President George H. W. Bush on Dec. 03, 2018 in Washington, DC.(Shawn Thew/Getty Images) Opportunity Zones Could Be Game-Changer for Rural US Communities are drifting further apart since the Great Recession; new tax incentive said to reverse this trend WASHINGTONSeveral studies show the economic gaps between the urban and rural areas of the United States have grown wider since the recession of 2008. Opportunity zones, however, are expected to help smooth the uneven economic recovery in the country by spurring investment in communities that are left behind. Created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, opportunity zones incentivize Americans and foreigners to invest in economically under-served communities of the United States. The program, which has started to take shape in recent months, offers tax advantages to private investors who invest in opportunity zones. The objective of the opportunity zones is to ensure that opportunity spreads to every corner of the country. A recent study by Goldman Sachs revealed the growing disparities between large cities and rural areas since the Great Recession. The financial crisis of 20072008 and the recession that followed marked a significant point of inflection, the Goldman Sachs report stated. In the years following the downturn, large cities have rebounded completely from the recession and prospered. Meanwhile, rural areas have suffered a decline in jobs, businesses, and population. During the prolonged period of moderate growth beginning in late 2009, these factors have favored large cities while rural areas have not fully participated in the recovery and subsequent economic expansion, the report said. The cumulative job growth nationwide has been 10 percent since 2009. Large cities have gotten the lions share of jobs with almost 14 percent growth. In both rural areas and small cities, however, employment growth has stalled at 2.7 percent. This is in stark contrast to previous economic cycles in which suburban areas had the fastest job growth, and the difference between job growth rates in rural and urban areas was relatively small, the report said. The rural areas have also lost population during the same period, found the report, while the population in prime cities has grown almost 8 percent. While income gaps between urban and rural areas have existed for many decades, the report showed that they have widened considerably since the Great Recession. Personal income was nearly 55 percent higher in prime locations than in rural areas. Bringing Businesses and Jobs In March, the heads of each U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia were asked to identify 25 percent of their low-income census tracts. Based on the nominations received from these jurisdictions, the Treasury Department certified more than 8,700 distressed communities as qualified opportunity zones. The average poverty rate in these zones is 32 percent, compared to the national rate of 17 percent, according to the White House. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin projected as much as $100 billion in private capital could be funneled into distressed areas. Many funds have been set up and are raising money to target this new asset class. The program is designed to bring businesses and jobs to these zones, said Phil Marra, audit leader at consulting firm KPMGs real estate practice. We see this is a very significant program that is going to make a big difference in many areas, he said at a panel hosted by Capital Fund Law Group. The opportunity zones come with several tax breaks for private investors. It allows investors to defer taxes on any prior capital gains, if the gains are reinvested in a qualified opportunity zone. In addition, the initial investment value will be discounted by as much as 15 percent for tax purposes after seven years. And any gains are permanently exempted from taxes, if the investment in the opportunity zone is held for at least 10 years. The one thing that is very interesting with the program is, unlike many government programs, therere no job requirements from a federal point of view, Joseph Scalio, tax partner at KPMG, said at the panel. Investors dont have to meet certain job creation requirements to receive the tax benefits. The expectation is that if capital is deployed, the jobs will naturally follow, Scalio explained. Uneven Recovery The opportunity-zones project has the potential to become Americas largest economic development program. It will help revitalize areas that are left further behind the national economy. Almost 50 million Americans live in an economically struggling community. A recent study by Economic Innovation Group (EIG) also revealed the stark contrast between distressed and prosperous areas in the country in terms of human capital, job creation, and business establishment. What was once a country of disparate places that converged towards prosperity is now a country of places drifting further apart, said the EIG report. All communities faced similar headwinds during the recession, but the recovery has been highly uneven. For example, it took less than five years for prosperous zip codes to replace the jobs lost to the economic crisis, according to the report. Were it not for these areas, the country would still be years away from a job recovery. The gaps were even more dramatic when it comes to business establishment growth rates, according to the report. While prosperous zip codes gained over 180,000 new businesses from 2012 to 2016, the distressed zip codes lost 13,300 companies during the same period. Hon David Parker speaks at a press conference with Prime Minister Jacinda Adern on Aug. 6, 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand.(Mark Tantrum/Getty Images) Pacific Trade Pact Takes Off With Tariffs Cut in 6 Nations SYDNEYA landmark 11-country trade deal, a revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), came into force on Dec. 30 with New Zealands 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 Dec. 30 for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and Singapore, with Vietnam to follow on 14 January, Australias 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. 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. By Alison Bevege Patrick Frazee, Accused of Killing Colorado Mother Kelsey Berreth, to Face Judge A Colorado man accused of murdering his fiance was set to appear before a judge on Dec. 31. Patrick Frazee killed Kelsey Berreth, his fiance and the mother of his 1-year-old daughter, police officials said. Frazee was booked into jail on Dec. 21 after an investigation led investigators to believe that he committed the crime. Berreths body has not been found as of yet, but officials believe shes dead. We finally received enough information to implicate Patrick in his involvement in Kelseys death, Woodland Park Police Chief Miles De Young told reporters. Berreth, 29, vanished the day after Thanksgiving. Frazees appearance on Monday was slated to start at 8:30 a.m. The appearance could include Frazee entering a plea, reported KOAA. There may also be updates on several motions that have been filed, including efforts to limit pre-trial publicity, preserve evidence, and keep Frazees arrest warrant sealed. In Frazees first court appearance on Thursday, the judge ordered the 1-year-old be temporarily placed in the custody of her grandparents, Berreths parents. The custody aspect will resume on Jan. 3. Despite the body not being found, some legal experts say that prosecutors can still pursue the case. You dont actually need a body to try or convict somebody of murder, one expert, Christopher Decker, told KDVR. One of the things they have to do is [prove] that she is dead and that he knowingly and intentionally caused that death. The case has attracted attention nationwide, after Berreths cell phone pinged hundreds of miles away from her home in Idaho a few days after she disappeared. Authorities in that state were assisting Colorado officials. Family members said in early December that Berreth left most of her belongings at her house, including her two cars and her luggage. Kelsey did not pack to go anywhere. All luggage is here. Her purse is all that seems to have gone, her brother-in-law wrote in a Facebook post at the time. Client Speaks Out The day before he was arrested, Frazee was working with a client, Clinton Cline. Frazee worried that Cline might not be able to get through to him since his cell phone had been getting numerous calls, so he phoned Cline and gave him his new cell phone number. Frazee, a farrier, and Cline were working to care for a protected herd of wild donkeys in the small town of Cripple Creek. Hes very conscientious about his work, Cline told People magazine, noting that Frazee spent several days a year trimming the hooves of the donkeys. He had the health and the well-being of the donkeys interest at heart. Cline said that Frazees actions in the midst of the investigation appear to be those of an innocent man. If the evidence shows up that he did do it, Im going to be one of the most shocked people youve ever seen, said Cline, president of the Cripple Creek organization that protects the wild animals. I know everybody always says that. But it doesnt fit his persona to do something like that. From NTD News Patrick Frazee Tried to Hire Someone to Kill Fiance Kelsey Berreth: Prosecutors Patrick Frazee, who was formally charged with two counts of first-degree murder on Dec. 31, was also charged with three counts of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. Frazee killed his fiance, Kelsey Berreth, who went missing from Woodland Park, Colorado, the day after Thanksgiving, according to the Woodland Park Police Department. The three counts of solicitation state that between and including Sept. 1 and Nov. 1, Frazee unlawfully and feloniously commanded, induced, entered, or otherwise attempted to persuade another person to commit the felony of murder in the first degree, with intent to promote or facilitate the commission of that crime and under circumstances strongly corroborative of that intent. The court documents outlining all five counts were obtained by KKTV. The charges also state that Frazee, possibly with at least one other person, tried to rob Berreth and that she was killed afterward. Frazee appeared in court on Dec. 31 and was formally charged with murder and solicitation. Fourth Judicial District Attorney Dan May said during the appearance that the two murder charges were filed under separate theories. Obviously, theres only one murder in this case, May said, reported ABC 7. Under Colorado law, we file separate counts under different theories of first-degree murder. We filed under two theories: One is deliberation for murder. And the other is felony murder. Frazee Charged Frazee was booked into jail on Dec. 21 after an investigation led investigators to believe that he committed the crime. Berreths body has not been found as of yet, but officials believe shes dead. Despite the body not being found, some legal experts say that prosecutors can still pursue the case. You dont actually need a body to try or convict somebody of murder, one expert, Christopher Decker, told KDVR. One of the things they have to do is [prove] that she is dead and that he knowingly and intentionally caused that death. Officials announced the arrest in a press conference on Dec. 21. We finally received enough information to implicate Patrick in his involvement in Kelseys death, Woodland Park Police Chief Miles De Young told reporters. As you can tell from the arrest, sadly, we do not believe that Kelsey is still alive, he added. In Frazees first court appearance on Dec. 27, the judge ordered that their 1-year-old daughter be temporarily placed in the custody of her grandparents, Berreths parents. Frazee had been taking care of the girl until he was arrested. The custody aspect will resume on Jan. 3, as Frazees parents reportedly want to obtain custody of the child. The case has attracted attention nationwide, after Berreths cell phone pinged hundreds of miles away from her home in Idaho a few days after she disappeared. Authorities in that state were assisting Colorado officials. Officials have not said how her phone ended up in Idaho. From NTD News Maxime Bussy, owner and founder of Le Bricheton bakery in Paris, takes peasant chestnut bread out of the oven. (Alexia Luquet/Special to The Epoch Times) Peasant Baker Movement Aims to Revive Frances Traditional Bread Culture Owner of unique Parisian bakery makes bread from scratch with ancient wheat varieties PARISDont expect to find a regular French baguette at Le Bricheton, one of Pariss most atypical bakeries. Its founder and owner, Maxime Bussy, has chosen to bake only old farmhouse-style bread made from ancient wheat varieties. His aim is to help revive the countrys traditional bread culture, while making a positive impact on the future of agriculture. Bricheton means the one-to-two-pound bread made for shepherds in old French slang. Bussy calls it the original bread. Bussys little bakery is nestled in the Charonne district, a Parisian village-like area close to the famous Pere Lachaise cemetery. Besides the kind of bread he bakes, his bakery also has unusual business hours: three hours a day, five days a week. I didnt want to have a frenetic work pace, he said. Maybe that explains why, when he and his employee, Guilhem Rihet, talk about kneading the dough, they compare it to meditation and relaxation. When Bussy, 37, opened the bakery in January 2016, he wanted to produce a healthy bread with the same high nutritional value as the bread that was the primary food source back when French people were eating one kilo of bread per person, per day, he said. To that end, he traveled around the countryside to meet peasant bakers, who bake in the traditional way using several old wheat varieties that have been saved from extinction. Their total number is hard to quantify, but he estimates there are around 200 among a total of about 32,000 bakeries in the country. A peasant baker is a someone who is completely autonomous. His work goes from the seeds to the bread. He grows the seeds, mills his own wheat, then makes it into flour which he uses to bake bread, Bussy explained. Its a new phenomenon, he added. It all started in the 2000s. Peasant bakers work on a small scale, and Bussy wanted to bring this model from the French countryside to town. He decided to mimic their working process, starting with not using anything apart from an oven. At Le Bricheton, there isnt even a fridge. Theres no need to keep anything cool since the bread has just three ingredients: salt, pure water from ancient wells in Paris (there are three in all), and flour, the type used by peasant bakers. Using this kind of flour is a way to motivate farmers to grow peasant seeds, Bussy said, noting that since the 1950s, most farmers have used wheat seed varieties from the official catalog of cultivated crops. Peasant varieties have been excluded from the catalog because they were not efficient enough, they did not withstand chemicals, and made flour harder to bake. According to French law, its forbidden to sell and buy these seedsthey can only be given or exchanged. So Bussy works with activist farmers, associations, and research institutes such as the National Institute for Agricultural Research to be able to use them. Shaping the Future of Agriculture One of the many pluses of peasant bread is that its easy on the digestion, said Bussy. Peasant wheat and flour contain a type of gluten that is natural and easier to digest. He takes care not to use any chemicals, including in the leaven he makes to raise the bread. I produce and use a natural one with only water and flour, which have fermented. In conventional bakeries, they add chemicals at each stage of the baking process; you can end up with a bread that has 150 chemical additives. Another interest for Bussy is protecting biodiversity. You can consider that modern wheat varieties are all clones, whereas ancient varieties are made from different types, he said. To grow them requires mixing genetics, which gives them the force to adapt better to their environment and to have a stronger resistance to climate change. As part of achieving his goal, Bussy is involved in various networks and associations. Today, I cannot separate my baker job from agriculture, he said. When he shares his experience at conferences and workshops, he always likes to tell the business side of his story. Because he didnt have to spend a lot on machines, it only cost him 52,000 euros to get his bakery up and running, he said, whereas, in Paris, the average initial investment for a bakery is 500,000 euros. After a few months, Le Bricheton was already making a profiteven though its only open 14 hours a week. My project is proof you can do something small but yet viable, said Bussy. My bakery is not a concept store, even if its hard to understand. Its a long-term project shaping the future of agriculture. This activist/peasant touch in the heart of Paris is precisely what enticed Rihetan ex-pastry chef who helped Pierre Herme, named the Worlds Best Pastry Chef in 2016, open his first boutique in Franceto work with Bussy. I wanted to do something more meaningful, he said. The team also includes an apprentice baker, Mamadou Dabo, 17, who will stay for two years. Dabo is a refugee from Guinea in West Africa, Rihet explains. You see, this is another reason why I love working here. When Maxime needs to hire an apprentice, he does not act like everyone else. He recruited Mamadou through an association for unaccompanied minor refugees. He managed to help someone. Some of Bussys former apprentices have gone on to start their own businesses abroad, including Francois de Halleux, who opened a bakery in Barcelona specializing in ancient wheat varieties. He was working for Google before, another world, but he agreed with my mindset and understood the importance to work closely with local peasants, Bussy said. Word quickly spread about Bussys traditional approach to bread-making, and on weekends, the bakery is so busy that customers have to line up to buy his special bread. He hopes the movement will grow, although he doesnt see established bakers returning to traditional methods anytime soon. For now, Le Bricheton remains largely unique in the French bakery world. Italian Deputy PM Luigi Di Maio speaks at the 5-Star Movement party's open-air rally at Circo Massimo in Rome, Italy, on Oct. 20, 2018. (Reuters/Max Rossi) Italys 5-Star Shows Ruthless Streak, Expels 4 Parliamentarians ROMEThe ruling 5-Star Movement expelled four parliamentarians from the party Dec. 31, including a former coast guard official who once famously ordered the captain of a sinking cruise liner to return to his doomed ship. The announcement underscored 5-Stars determination to instill discipline in its ranks, even if it means weakening its fragile majority in the upper house Senate. The party said in a statement that senators Gregorio De Falco and Saverio De Bonis, along with European parliamentarians Giulia Moi and Marco Valli, had violated various internal party rules and had to leave immediately. Everyone is important, nobody is indispensable, 5-Star leader and Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Twitter. Whoever does not support the government contract is out of the Movement. Respect for the electorate comes first. The decision means the ruling coalition, made up of 5-Star and the League, has just 167 seats in the 320-seat Senate. De Falco signed up to the 5-Star cause earlier this year in what was seen as a major catch for the anti-establishment party. He subsequently won a Senate seat in a March national election. A former coast guard officer, De Falco was hailed as a hero in January 2012 when he confronted Francesco Schettino, who had sailed the Costa Concordia cruise liner onto rocks off the Italian island of Isola del Giglio and then abandoned the sinking ship. Go back on board, damn it! De Falco yelled at Schettino during a radio exchange that was made public. Schettino was subsequently sentenced to 16 years in jail for his role in the maritime disaster that killed 32 people. De Falco ran in the 2018 general elections on the 5-Star Movement ticket and won a seat in the Senate. Since then, however, he has struggled to bow to party orders. He voted against a bill promoted by 5-Stars partner, the League, that clamped down on asylum rights. He voiced opposition to other government measures, and, this week, criticized the coalition for ramming its 2019 budget through parliament with only very limited debate. I am very sorry and did not expect this, De Falco said Dec. 31 after hearing of his expulsion. Speaking to Reuters in November, De Falco dismissed suggestions he was too outspoken to remain within 5-Star. This is a democracy. It would be unthinkable to remove someone simply for speaking their mind. De Bonis also was opposed to the Leagues security law and skipped the parliamentary vote. He additionally fell foul of the party leadership when it was revealed that a court had found him guilty of an administrative error in 2004 and ordered him to pay 2,775 euros ($3,170) in damages. Critics said the conviction should have prevented him from running for the party, which has sought to present a squeaky-clean image to the electorate. De Bonis denied this, arguing it wasnt a criminal case and not a final verdict. Iraqi warplanes hit a meeting of Islamic State leaders near Deir al-Zor in Syria on Monday, destroying the building they were gathered in, the military said in a statement, without giving further details about the militants targeted. The statement said F-16 fighter jets carried out the raid around al-Sousa village in eastern Syria, as 30 leaders from Daesh (Islamic State) gangs met in the building. The strike came a day after Iraqs government hinted at greater involvement for its armed forces in Syria as the U.S. begins withdrawing troops from the country. Iraq fears that Islamic State group in Syria will try to cross the border, and analysts warn of increasing insurgent-style attacks in both countries. Baghdad has carried out several air raids in Syrian territory with the agreement of President Bashar al-Assad. Its army and Shia paramilitaries have reinforced at the border in recent months. Search Keywords: Short link: Putin Tells Trump Hes Open to Talks on Wide-Ranging Agenda Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a New Years letter to President Donald Trump that Moscow is ready for dialogue on a wide-ranging agenda, after Trump canceled a meeting with Putin at the G-20 summit in Argentina earlier in the month. On his way to the summit, Trump said he wouldnt be meeting with Putin, citing tensions over Russian forces opening fire on, then seizing Ukrainian Navy ships and their crews. .in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2018 The State Department announced Dec. 21 that, subject to congressional approval, it would be giving $10 million to further build Ukraines naval capabilities after the incident. Vladimir Putin stressed that the Russia-US relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security, the Kremlin letter says. He confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda. Trump and Putin failed to hold a full-fledged meeting in Paris on the sidelines of the 100-year commemoration of the World War I armistice in November. The two leaders held their one and only summit in Helsinki in July. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying that the ball is now in Washingtons court. 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 during televised remarks. Moscow has said one of the key issues it wants to discuss with the United States is Washingtons plans to withdraw from a Cold War-era nuclear arms agreement. The State Department announced Dec. 4 that the United States would give Russia 60 days to come into compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty or the United States would consider the treaty void. We should be clear that Russia has not shown any indications that it seeks to return to compliance, the State Department said in a statement. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has also called out Russia for alleged violations of oil sanctions on North Korea. Reuters contributed to this report U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer Samuel Knoeppel, center, and Randy Haba, bottom right, approach to Willie Schubert of Pollocksville, N.C., on a stranded van during Hurricane Florence in Pollocksville on Sept. 17, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Restaurant Offers Free Food to Coast Guard Due to Government Shutdown A Michigan restaurant owner who is irate over the government shutdown is offering Coast Guard members free food. They have car payments now, they have house payments now, they have to pay for their kids braces now, Joe Durm, the owner of Java Joes Cafe, said in a statement obtained by WPBN. This is what irritates me to no end. He claimed that lawmakers dont even think about these people. Durm announced the offer on Facebook on Dec. 27. Good evening Saint Ignace. Java Joe just realized the Coast Guard is not being paid during this government shutdown therefore Java Joes will give any member of the Coast Guard a free breakfast, Durm wrote. A number of Facebook users praised the move. Many said theyd be going to the restaurant after Durms announcement to show their support for his offer to the Coast Guard. Good evening Saint Ignace. Java Joe just realized the Coast Guard is not being paid during this government shutdown therefore Java Joes will give any member of the Coast Guard a free breakfast. Java Joe's Cafe 20181227 Partial Shutdown The government shutdown is affecting 25 percent of the federal government, or about 15 percent of the federal workforce. The shutdown affects about 15 percent of the federal workforce. More than 420,000 government employees deemed essential were expected to work without pay and over 380,000 were to be furloughed, according to projections by the staff of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), vice chair of the Appropriations Committee. The workers were set to receive their last paychecks on Dec. 28. The next paycheck, scheduled for Jan. 11, will be affected, Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget and acting White House chief of staff, told The Epoch Times. President Donald Trump has refused to sign a budget that didnt include funding for the southern border wall, noting the increasingly large migrant caravans and the fact that 100,000 illegal aliens were apprehended in October and November alone. Democrat leaders, most of whom voted for funding for a border barrier in 2006 and 2013, have said they would not vote for a budget that includes wall funding. Republican Senate leaders havent brought a budget approved by the House to a vote. Coast Guard Funding The Coast Guard was the only military department affected by the partial government shutdown and members were facing a potential pay delay. But the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Coast Guard found a way to pay the workforce on Dec. 31, the Coast Guards official blog stated on Dec. 28. Generally, the Coast Guard lacks the authority to pay its members during a lapse in appropriations. The circumstances of this lapse are unique because of the timeline of the lapse in relation to the military pay process. Ultimately, extensive research and legal analysis between the Coast Guard, DHS, and OMB determined the Coast Guard has the authority to execute the remainder of pay and allowances for December, the blog stated. The one-time action did not guarantee a paycheck on Jan. 15. According to the Washington Examiner, President Trump personally intervened to make sure the Coast Guard was paid on Monday. President Trump personally urged his team to find a solution that would allow the administration to make this weeks $75 million payroll, officials told the outlet. The president is trying to make the shutdown as painless as possible for workers, and this case proved it, said one official. On Twitter, Trump said after the announcement that the Coast Guard members would be paid, Great work by my Administration over the holidays to save Coast Guard pay during this shutdown. No thanks to the Democrats who left town and are not concerned about the safety and security of Americans! From NTD News Sears May Stay Alive With Rescue Bid Cobbled by Lampert Sears Holdings Corp. got another chance at survival after Chairman Eddie Lampert put together a last-minute, last-ditch bid to buy the retailer out of bankruptcy. Lampert persuaded three lenders to finance the $4.4 billion offer, according to a statement from ESL Investments. The plan includes keeping 425 stores open and a $1.3 billion financing commitment, the statement said. Bank of America Corp. is leading the financing effort, people with knowledge of the plan have said. Sears expects to reinstate severance plans for employees who stay and would maintain guarantees to customers on appliances, televisions, lawn tractors and other big-ticket products. The offer from Lampert and his ESL Investments, the chains biggest shareholder and creditor, keeps hope alive for the iconic department store company and up to 50,000 employees. His plan would still need to pass muster with creditors and the bankruptcy courtand he could still be outbid by a liquidator looking to shut Sears and sell off the pieces. Hell also have to persuade suppliers to keep restocking the shelves, despite their concerns that they wont get paid, and lure back shoppers from online outlets and brick-and-mortar rivals with better financing. Store Closings Lampert and ESL have proven for years that they are the problem and they cant be the solution, Burt Flickinger, managing director of Strategic Resource Group, a retail-advisory firm, said in an interview before the disclosure. Even with an approved bid, the company is heading for another iceberg and will sink before the winter weather is gone. Any turnaround wont come soon enough for some outlets, with Sears telling employees on Dec. 28 that its closing 80 Sears and Kmart stores in late March 2019. Thats in addition to the previously shutdown of 40 unprofitable stores expected to be completed in February. Liquidation sales are expected to begin in two weeks. Best Path Our going concern bid provides the best path forward for the company, the best option to save tens of thousands of jobs and is superior for all of Sears stakeholders to the alternative of a complete liquidation, the statement said. Sears received two liquidation bids, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. One was a joint bid from Tiger Capital Group LLC and Great American Group LLC, and another came from the team of Gordon Brothers Retail Partners LLC and Hilco Global Merchant Resources LLC, the Journal said. Lamperts task has been complicated by accusations from unsecured creditors that he unfairly profited from previous bailouts and thus drained value from Sears. The initial version of his rescue plan demanded that Lamperts ESL Investments hedge fund be released from liability related to any of its pre-bankruptcy transactions. Another distraction came from a Sears plan to raise tens of millions of dollars by selling off some obscure internal debt instruments. The buyers were investors who had bought insurance contracts against a Sears default, and who wanted the internal notes to bolster their claims. Lamperts Stake But the sale of those notes got bogged down in court because it threatened to upend the market for the insurance contracts, more formally known as credit default swaps. The dispute is still winding its way through the court and the governing body of an industry trade group. Lampert, who engineered a $12.3 billion acquisition of Sears by Kmart in 2005, held about $2.5 billion in Sears debt as of September, the result of multiple attempts to keep the chain afloat. Hes shuttered hundreds of money-losing stores, cut more than $1 billion in annual expenses, and spun off units such as Lands End Inc. The retailer, for years called Sears, Roebuck & Co. and famous for its massive catalog, boomed in the decades after World War II along with a growing middle class. But it wasnt able to keep up with shifting consumer habits as online rivals including Amazon.com Inc. siphoned off shoppers, while turnaround efforts were hobbled by mountains of debt. Sears sold everything from Craftsman tools to Kenmore appliances, but it lost its footing in the 1980s with expansions into financial products such as banking, mortgages, insurance and credit cards. Walmart Inc. supplanted Sears as the biggest retailer in the early 1990s. By Josh Saul From Bloomberg Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) speaks during a news conference discussing discuss a resolution to end U.S. military support for Saudi Arabia's war with Yemen on Capitol Hill on Dec. 12, 2018 in Washington. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images) Sen. Graham Confident on Syria Pullout After Meeting President Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a vocal critic of President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, said he felt confident on the pullout after spending a two-hour lunch with the president on Dec. 30. The senior senator said he agreed with Trump on the necessity of the pullout, adding that he felt reassured over the presidents commitment to defeating the ISIS terrorist group. Graham said the process of removing the military could potentially be slowed down. I think the president is going to finish the job when it comes to ISIS. I share his goal to withdraw our forces from Syria; I just want to do it in a smart way, make sure Iran is not the big winner, Graham told reporters outside the White House. ISIS has lost all of the territories it once held in Iraq and controls only one percent of the territory it had in Syria, according to a November report by the Department of Defense. Trump, in his Dec. 19 pullout announcement, cited the same reasons, arguing that troops had no need to stay in the war-torn country. After discussions with the president and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, the senator said he never felt better about where we are headed. I think were slowing things down in a smart way, he told reporters. But the goal has always been the same. To be able to leave Syria and make sure ISIS never comes back. The senator appeared much more upbeat after the lunch than before. Earlier in the day, he said the removal of U.S. troops could leave Syrian Kurds at risk from both ISIS and Turkey. He said Trump reassured him that the United States Kurdish allies would be protected. The last thing in the world we want is a war for Turkey and the Kurds, Graham said. That takes pressure off ISIS. Speaking to CNN after the lunch, Graham emphasized his pause situation remarks made earlier to reporters on Trumps objective did not indicate that the president was freezing the troops withdrawal. He has not reversed his decision, Graham said. The pause is to assess the effects of the conditions on the ground. Slowing Down In a Dec. 31 Twitter threadone day after the lunch with GrahamTrump appeared to back away a little from the immediacy of the withdrawal, suggesting a more gradual pullout of the about 2000 U.S. troops. If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero. ISIS is mostly gone, were slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, Trump wrote, in part. The president has long campaigned for the removal of U.S. troops from the Middle East, arguing that there was no benefit for the country to be involved in the many conflicts there. He reiterated that he has fought against the never-ending wars. Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working, Trump wrote in another post. Just doing what I said I was going to do! The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trumps withdrawal plans and if there were any official changes to them. National security adviser John Bolton is scheduled to travel to Israel and Turkey in January. He said they would discuss how to best confront security challenges facing allies & partners in the region, including the next phase of the fight against ISIS. An investor looks at an electronic board showing stock information at a brokerage house in Shanghai Oct. 15. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images) Storylines to Shape Chinese Markets in 2019 News Analysis Over the past decade, Chinas powerful economic rise has been well-documented. Its economic, political, and cultural reach is worldwide, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping has ambitions to propel China into a global power, challenging the United States in wealth and influence. But like Icarus, Chinas meteoric rise has been grounded. While the country is still on pace to increase its official GDP nominally by around 6.5 percent in 2018, that growth rings hollow. Even casual observers can see that the Chinese economy is sputtering. Huge challenges loom, such as an ongoing trade war with the United States, unabating levels of debt, and a spiraling domestic stock market. Most investors have been fixated on recent stock market volatility in the United States. But the S&P 500s decline is benign compared to Chinas onshore markets, which were the worlds worst-performing during 2018. The Shanghai Composite Index dropped almost 25 percent during the year, while the technology-heavy Shenzhen composite index performed even worse, falling by around 35 percent. Chinas onshore marketswhich do not list any of the well-known Chinese tech companieshave been spiraling for two straight years. Its become increasingly apparent to retail investors that Beijing regulators are losing their ability to prop up stocks. The ongoing trade war is also top of mind. We expect the real shock of the trade conflict to hit home from early 2019, AXAs China Economist Aidan Yao wrote in a note to clients. Besides the growth impact, the trade war will also accelerate the turning of Chinas current account balance, from surplus to deficit, with important implications for both China and the world. Both stock market performance and the trade war impact will be closely monitored next year. With that in mind, lets examine a few other narratives that will impact Chinese markets in 2019. Real Estate Policy Changes Beijing has been trying to tame an overheated property market for a few years, by placing restrictions on purchases and sales, limiting financing options for developers, and putting caps on ownership. Thats great for central risk management, but bad for local governments who depend on fees and revenues from property development and sales. Facing a property market slump and need to stimulate the economy, Beijing is subtly suggesting that it may allow localized easing and in certain cases let city or provincial governments determine policy. Its a delicate balance to strike. Three citiesHeze in eastern Shandong Province and Guangzhou and Zhuhai in southern Guangdong Provincehave recently reversed national policy designed to curb real estate sales. So far no reaction has been recorded from Beijing, which has boosted stock prices of real estate developers as investors hope more cities may lift such restrictions. Policy Shift on Technology The Made In China 2025 industrial plan was supposed to assist China in becoming a global superpower in high technology. But the controversial program attracts criticism from the West. President Donald Trump invoked it as one of the flashpoints launching the current trade dispute between the United States and China. Since the beginning of 2018, Beijing has ceased publicly discussing Made In China 2025. A Wall Street Journal report from early December suggested that Beijing is formulating a new plan to be introduced in 2019 that would grant greater access to foreign companies. That all sounds great on paper, but the Chinese Communist Party isnt likely going to give up its ambitions. Keep in mind that the Chinese Communist Party holds indefinite rule over China, and can afford to play the long game whereas President Trumpand his foreign policymight have a maturity date of 2020. Beijing could be delaying or masking its true intentions until global political landscape shifts. Nevertheless, a pivot in Chinas official technology policy should have tangible short-to-medium term impact on global markets. For instance, a delay of the policy or greater market access given to foreign companieseven if temporaryshould provide some lift to U.S. stocks, especially for companies in the technology, financial, and industrial sectors. Declining Private Sector Chinas private sector has made a sizable, positive contribution to the countrys recent economic growth but the current policy mix is hurting private sector growth. Chinas private sector is shrinking for the first time in two decadesan extraordinary development contrary to the hopes seeded by the 2013 economic reform objectives and decades of talk about withdrawing the state from the marketplace, said a recent joint report by the Asia Society Policy Institute and the Rhodium Group. Beijing has been emphasizing state control over key industries, and its recent deleveraging efforts are cutting off bank loans to smaller, private companies. The crackdown on shadow banking and peer-to-peer lending, declining exports due to the trade war, and the domestic stock market downturn all disproportionately hurt private businesses. The situation has caused Xi Jinping to come out publicly and offer support to private businesses. At a Nov. 1 symposium on private enterprises, Xi said the countrys private sector should only grow stronger instead of being weakened and march toward a broader stage, according to a report by Xinhua, Chinas state-controlled media. Resetting GDP Growth The official China GDP growth target for 2019 will be closely watched. While most economists believe true economic growth is much lower than the official releases, the official metrics are still an important benchmark and offers insight into the impact of slowing consumption, the trade war, and efficacy of stimulus measures. The International Monetary Fund in October forecasted 2019 China GDP growth to reach 6.2 percent, which is in the middle of expected official target of between 6 and 6.5 percent. Beijing has a number of tools to stimulate the economy, although most of them come with significant side effects. Policymakers can tinker with tax cuts, increase infrastructure investments, boost local government debt, reduce banks reserve requirement ratios, and lift property development and sales restrictions. In a nutshell, Chinese policymakers have major decisions to make in 2019. As analysts from Lazard wrote, in a recent note to clients, The experience of 2015 and 2016 suggests that whatever the choice, it will have important repercussions for the global economy and markets. Incredible Footage Shows Orangutan Apparently Fighting Off Excavator in Indonesia Viral video footage shows the moment an orangutan seemingly attempts to fight off an excavator in Indonesia. According to The Independent, the animal is seen lashing out at the machine in the Sungai Putri forest in Borneo, Indonesia, as loggers tore through the area. Shocking Footage Shows An Orangutan Seeking Refuge From Bulldozer WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAYThis dramatic footage shows the devastating impact deforestation is having on precious orangutan habitat. This desperate orangutan is frantically seeking refuge from the destructive power of the bulldozer; a machine that has already decimated everything else around him. Despite all the obstacles thrown at them, our team were able to rescue this orangutan and bring him to safety. Unfortunately, scenes like this are becoming more and more frequent in Indonesia. Deforestation has caused the orangutan population to plummet; habitats are destroyed and orangutans are left to starve and die.We need to ACT NOW. This World Environment Day, plant a tree and help us rebuild and protect precious orangutan habitat. The situation is critical, and we are running out of time. PLANT A TREE TODAY: https://internationalanimalrescue.org/plant-tree?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=World_Environment_Day_2018&utm_content=videoPlease share this post far and wide. Thank you. International Animal Rescue 201865 The footage was filmed in 2013 but was released this year by International Animal Rescue. The video has gone viral again this week. This desperate orangutan is frantically seeking refuge from the destructive power of the bulldozer; a machine that has already decimated everything else around him, according to the group. The charity said it was able to rescue the orangutan, which means man of the forest in the Malay language. Despite all the obstacles thrown at them, our team were able to rescue this orangutan and bring him to safety, the group said. Unfortunately, scenes like this are becoming more and more frequent in Indonesia. Deforestation has caused the orangutan population to plummet; habitats are destroyed and orangutans are left to starve and die, it said. Endangered The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says that 100 years ago, there were likely more than 230,000 orangutans in total but the Bornean orangutan population is now estimated at about 104,700, which makes it an endangered species. Meanwhile, there are about 7,500 Sumatran orangutans in the wild, making that species critically endangered. Bornean and Sumatran orangutans differ a little in appearance and behavior. While both have shaggy reddish fur, Sumatran orangutans have longer facial hair. Sumatran orangutans are reported to have closer social bonds than their Bornean cousins. Bornean orangutans are more likely to descend from the trees to move around on the ground. Both species have experienced sharp population declines, the WWF says. However, as the Orangutan Project website notes, Bornean and Sumatran orangutans producing viable offspring. Many Bornean/Sumatran crosses were once present in American zoos, the site says. The WWF also noted there is a third species of orangutan that was announced in November 2017. But with no more than 800 individuals in existence, the Tapanuli orangutan is the most endangered of all great apes, the group says. Palm Oil The Orangutan Foundations website says that the large expansion of palm oil plantations is a reason why the populations are in decline. Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world, having even surpassed soya in terms of usage. Surging global demand for palm oil has fueled massive forest destruction throughout Indonesia and Malaysia, countries that together account for 85% of the worlds palm oil production, the website says. Half the packaged food (and other) products found on supermarket shelves now contain palm oil. Palm oil and palm kernel oil are found in all manner of baked goods, such as cookies, bread, and potato chips, as well as in chocolate and milk (where it adds Vitamin A), the group says. Palm oil has also replaced coconut as the main cooking oil traditionally used in Indonesia as well as replacing peanut oil in Myanmar. Palm oil is also extensively used in cosmetics and toiletries where it adds creaminess and/or foam to the product. Palm oil is an important ingredient in the manufacturing of soaps, shampoos, detergents, and toothpaste. Increasingly, palm oil is used as a biofuel, the website adds. Another study by Princeton and a Swiss institution reported that between 1990 and 2005, up to 60% of palm oil expansion occurred at the expense of primary tropical rain forest, it says. Orangutans, which can live as long as 60 years, are also threatened by poachers, according to The Orangutan Project. Poaching orangutan infants and hunting for meat also threatens the species. Mothers are often killed for their babies, which are then sold on the black market for pets as they are cute. Babies cling to their mothers and suckle their mothers milk until the age of 6 years. Rescued infants are then rehabilitated by volunteers at orangutan rescue centers, the website says. Greg Bailey attends Shen Yun Performing Arts with this wife, Pip, and family at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 30, 2018. (Diane Tang/The Epoch Times) HOUSTONGreg Bailey, vice president of a software company, had been wanting to see Shen Yun Performing Arts for 10 years. He said hes glad he finally attended the performance this year, as he learned a lot of about Chinas rich culture and history. What touched me the most was how far back [Chinese history] goes, Bailey said. Bailey and his wife, Pip, attended the performance with his whole family at Jones Hall for the Performing Arts in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 30. Shen Yun Performing Arts has kicked off its 2019 touring season, with six equal-sized companies traveling to over 100 cities across four continents. The company, founded in New York in 2006, aspires to restore 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture for a modern audience through music and dance. Reviving a Lost Culture Bailey, Vice President of Sales at ProSymmetry, said he enjoyed learning about Chinas unique history and culture, and appreciated how Shen Yun was sharing this with a Western audience. I think thats just an absolutely wonderful thing, the people that have wanted to share that experience, he said. Its just wonderful that Western society can understand that, because we didnt know that this even existed. Through watching the show, Bailey said Westerners can understand Chinas beautiful culture and the decency of the Chinese people. By depicting the stories passed down through Chinese history, Shen Yun aims to highlight the values and beliefs central to traditional Chinese culture. Such culture, which was said to be divinely inspired, emphasized virtues stemming from ideas such as the harmony between Heaven and Earth, the balance between man and nature, and divine retribution. Baileys wife, Pip, also raised the importance of Shen Yuns work in reviving tradition. I think its critical in any country to have your traditions and to have your history, she said. I think its not good to tear it down, thats not good at all, because it unites the people together. It unites them with their families, to their past, history. I think its very important. The stories presented on stage, however, are not limited to those from the past. Shen Yun also portrays event occurring in modern day China in its stories relating to the persecution of Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa. Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline that continues Chinas traditional culture via its ancient teachings centered around the principles Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. The practice was banned in 1999 due to its widespread popularityaround 70 million were practicing in China alone. Practitioners of Falun Gong are subject to arrest, imprisonment, torture, and even death. Bailey was moved by the story of a Falun Gong practitioner, and saddened that these people go through torture. Its really sad because we live in one world, he said. With reporting by Diane 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. A man watches a fireworks display for Independence Day at Worlds of Fun amusement park Monday, July 3, 2017, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo) Texas Man Injured in Explosion While Making Homemade Fireworks A Texas man was injured late Dec. 30 while making homemade fireworks, officials said. The Corpus Christi Police Department Bomb Squad was among the responders to a home in Corpus Christi just before 11 p.m. after reports of an explosion came in. Police officials told KIII-TV that a 37-year-old man was making fireworks in his living room when the explosion occurred. Both of the mans hands were injured, though the extent of the injuries wasnt clear. The explosion started a fire, which firefighters doused. According to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, its illegal to discharge fireworks inside the city limits. If someone is found using fireworks illegally they could be fined up to $2,000. However, transporting fireworks is legal if theyre inside the original, unopened package and are in a trunk of a car or the cargo area in an SUV. Safety tips for lighting fireworks include obeying all laws regarding the use of fireworks. The National Council on Fireworks Safety also recommends reading labels on packages of fireworks carefully before igniting. Children should never light fireworks and an adult should be designated as the supervisor for all fireworks activities. People shooting off fireworks should wear safety glasses, light one firework at a time then quickly move away, always have a bucket of water and charged water hose nearby, not experiment with homemade fireworks, and dispose of spent fireworks by wetting them down and putting them in a metal trash can. People should never relight a dud firework. Instead, they should wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water, then later dispose of it as they do a normal firework. Injury from illegal fireworks. #LASD Air Rescue 5 airlifting patient. LASD SEB Tactical Medics treating inflight. Have a safe 4th. Please use ONLY safe & sane @LACOFD approved fireworks and ONLY in legally designated areas. pic.twitter.com/I4Yo6QmsTY SEB (@SEBLASD) July 2, 2018 Man May Lose a Hand After Illegal Fireworks Explosion In West Puente Valley, a 25-year-old man was severely injured after illegal fireworks exploded in his hands on July 2, according to the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department. The incident happened in an unincorporated area in San Gabriel Valley around 9:00 a.m., according to KTLA. The man was soon airlifted to the L.A. County+USC Medical Center by LASD Air Rescue. Authorities said he may lose a hand. Nearby residents told the news outlet that theyve been hearing the sound of fireworks for the past two weeks. Its getting worse, you know. Theyre getting louder and theyre like flying in the air, said resident Paul Massie, who worries his dry grass will catch on fire or fireworks could land on his roof and set his house on fire. The sounds have also been loud enough to leave his dog Lucky traumatized. Massie said he had to pull him out from beneath the bed to go for a walk. Its freaky when youre sitting there and a big bomb goes off. It freaks you out, he said. On June 29, LAPD seized a massive amount of illegal high-powered fireworks in a South LA home, with the street value estimated at more than $40,000, reported KABC. Epoch Times reporter Annie Wang contributed to this report. From NTD News Tony Dwayne Albert II was arrested in Seguin, Texas, for carrying a loaded handgun and possessing marijuana on Dec. 30, 2018. This photo is from 2017. (Texas Department of Public Safety) Texas Man With Loaded Gun Was En Route to Church to Fulfill Prophecy: Police A man in Texas apprehended wearing a mask and armed with a loaded gun was on his way to a church to fulfill what he called a prophecy, the local police department stated. Officials said they arent sure what church Tony Dwayne Albert II was headed to when he was arrested on Dec. 30. Police officers, acting on a tip, rushed to West Kingsbury Street in Seguin and found Albert wearing a surgical face shield and tactical-style clothing and carrying a loaded gun and extra ammunition. Albert told the first officer that arrived on the scene that he was headed to the church to fulfill a prophecy, the Seguin Police Department stated. A waitress at a nearby restaurant said that Albert approached the establishment and entered, wearing the mask and sunglasses. He went into the restroom for a spell and she smelled smoke. When he came back out, his actions raised an alarm. (Albert) was looking at me and he was saying something about, Do you know where the nearest church is at?' Las Mananitas Mexican Restaurant waitress Brianna Jimenez told KSAT. And he said Baptist church. She pointed to the Door Christian Fellowship Church that is directly next to the restaurant. He was like, Ive been to that church many years ago,' Jimenez said. I just said, Oh, OK, and then he was like, Do you know where the other Baptist church is at?' When he finally walked out the door after extensive questioning on the location of Baptist churches in the area, Jimenez and her mother noticed he was gripping a gun. Her mother called the police. The police department thanked the person who tipped off the police. Were extremely grateful [for the person who called 911], and I know the citizens of Seguin are [grateful], regardless of if he thought he was somewhere else, Seguin police spokeswoman Tanya Brown told KSAT. [Albert] could have carried out a shooting, or he was capable of doing that because he had a loaded handgun. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, and Explosives are assisting the Seguin police with the investigation. Albert was booked into jail on charges of possession of marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Crime Decreased in 2017 The FBI said that both violent crime and property crime decreased in 2017 compared to 2016. Overall violent crime decreased 0.2 percent from 2016 to 2017, 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 [Uniform Crime Reports] nationwide in 2017. There was a 0.7 percent decrease in murders and a 4 percent decrease in robberies from 2016 to 2017. Aggravated assaults increased 1 percent in 2017. The FBI began collecting data solely on an updated rape definition last year, and 135,755 rapes were reported to law enforcement in 2017, the FBI stated. The report also showed there were more than 7.7 million property crimes last year. Burglaries decreased 7.6 percent and larceny-thefts decreased 2.2 percent. Motor vehicle thefts increased 0.8 percent from 2016 to 2017. These figures were compiled from more than 13,000 law enforcement agencies around the United States that submitted their crime data to the FBI. Violent crime increased from 2015, the FBI said last year. The estimated number of violent crimes in the nation increased for the second straight year, rising 4.1 percent in 2016 when compared with 2015 data, according to FBI figures released today, said the FBI in September 2017. In 2016, there were an estimated 1,248,185 violent crimes. Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter offenses increased 8.6 percent when compared with estimates from 2015. Aggravated assault and rape (legacy definition) offenses increased 5.1 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively, and robbery increased 1.2 percent. From NTD News NYC based company Lemonade is considered as one of the main disruptors of the traditional insurance industry. The company is a home and renters insurance company that uses artificial intelligence to provide tailored products to its customers. Maya, an artificial intelligence bot, helps consumers customizes insurance based on their unique needs. It wants to differ from traditional insurance companies that make money by keeping the money they dont pay out in claims. Instead, Lemonade takes a fixed fee out of monthly payments, pay reinsurance (and some unavoidable expenses), and use the rest for paying out claims, treating premiums as if they were still customers money and return unclaimed remainders in an annual Giveback, where each year leftover money is donated to causes our policyholders care about. Within over three years of its establishment, the company has raised well over $165m from various backers including Aleph, Allianz, General Catalyst, GV, insurtech, Lemonade, Sequoia Capital, SOFTBANK Group, Sound Ventures, Thrive Capital, Tusk Ventures, XL Innovate, and others, has under 100 team members and a quarter million customers. An enormous growth, given that in September 2016, they had 96 customers and 21 people on staff. Lemonade is led by CEO Daniel Schreiber, who was born and bred in the UK and trained as an attorney. Schreiber previously served as SVP corporate marketing at Sandisk where he was in charge of the press relation and social media. Schreiber later held the position of president at Powermat, where he oversaw major transformations in the industry and various features for top brands like Samsung, starbucks and GM. He also co-founded content security company Alchemedia, Inc. In 2015, Schreiber and tech entrepreneur and inventor Shai Wininger founded Lemonade. Schreiber believes the current insurance model is outdated, frustrating and brings out the word in people. He cited data from the Insurance research council, which suggests that insurance fraud costs an average family around $1300 yearly. According to Schreiber, instead of reaching out to industry experts who knew more about the insurance industry (he and Wininger have both a tech background), they took the unusual route to milk our ignorance for all its worth. Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2017, he said the long-term goal was to bring Lemonade global one bit at a time. The company prides itself as a game changer in the insurance industry. He sees technology as the way going forward Weve got over a quarter million customers but less than 100 employees. Its about using technology to do stuff that humans would otherwise be doing so that as we scale our company, theres continuously innovation and processes that we try to automate both to collapse time and the hassle for customers and to collapse cost concurrently. Schreiber says the insurance industry is ripe for a disruption. He believes theres a deep conflict people have when dealing with insurance companies, due to the traditional insurance model thats designed to pit the consumers and insurers against each other. That leads to people who otherwise upstanding citizens suddenly feeling are entitled to embellish their claim. Schreiber told Business Insider that Insurance companies make money by disappointing their consumers. Its difficult to think of another sector where thats true. But if they delighted all of their consumers, theyd go out of business, because the way insurance providers make money is by denying your claim. Insurance companies now are justified in treating them with suspicion, and that spirals onwards and downwards. Given all this, he is working to reinvent the US homeowners and renters insurance model by introducing AI powered platforms, cutting off brokers and offering competitive rates. They adopted a model in which they receive flat 20% of their quoted rates. This approach is aimed at discouraging consumers from filing fraudulent claims. Now, Schreiber believes the next step for Lemonade is to continue their international expansion path. Having rolled out in the US, the company now plans to make its first expansion abroad into Europe. They recently announced it would move abroad soon, but didnt specify which country is its first target. Schreiber believes they wont face as much issue as they did in the US around Europe. He said that the U.S. is a single country but in terms of regulatory structure there are 50 different countries, actually, with every state being independent. Instead, Europe doesnt work that way. They are monitoring what happens in the U.K. and the ongoing Brexit process but, in other state members of the European Union people passport freely throughout the continent so there is no need to set sights on a particular country. Another meaningful aspect Lemonade, as a Public Benefit Corporation, has at its core is that they believe that an insurance company should not invest customers premiums in businesses that increase the catastrophes they are paying them to protect they against. A recent study (published in the scientific journal Climatic Change highlighted that emissions from products and processes of 90 fossil fuel companies the companies insurers typically invest in caused about 50% of the rise in global temperatures. That warming powered wildfires, hurricanes, and other climate-related catastrophes the first things insurers insure against. Given this, Lemonade has made over $100m worth of investment, but none in fuel fossil. According to Schreiber, their decision was a stand against climate degradation. We felt it was very important for all those reasons to take a position, he told Business Insurance. As said above, upon signing for a policy, users are requested to choose a charity of their choice, so a percentage of all unfiled claims will go towards charity. The company hopes that this will deter issues of dishonest filings. Estimates released by the company indicate that about 10% of its revenue go for charity. It charges a monthly rate of $25 and a monthly subscription rate of $5. Going Forward, Schreiber doesnt expect a major decline of incumbents; instead, he sees a critical change in the industry. He thinks the excellent run of todays incumbents of the insurance industry would come to an end in a few years. The global leaders 100 years from now will not have the same names as those who dominate today he told Oxbow Partners. FinSMEs 31/12/2018 Trade War Creates Flourishing Transshipment Market for Chinese Products Because of the SinoU.S. trade war, large amounts of Chinese products are being transshipped to intermediate destinations before being exported to the United States, in order to avoid high tariffs imposed by Washington. Transshipping products via countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines, or Thailand mean double costs, but thats still much lower than the penalties associated with the tariffs themselves. Using transshipment and export to the U.S. as keywords, searches reveal many Chinese-language advertisements for transshipment services. Companies engaged in transshipping introduce the process in some detail. Different kinds of products are recommended to be shipped via different countries. Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Bermuda are intermediary countries and territories that are usually listed by the companies. Kingstans, a company based in Shenzhen, China, does transshipments of solar panels, a product that is on the first list of products that had 25-percent tariffs imposed on them by the United States on Jan. 22 this year. The company says in its advertisement that it can accept containers of Chinese-built solar panels from any Chinese port, including Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen, or Guangzhou, and ship them to Port Klang in Malaysia. There, the solar panels are moved to Malaysian containers, and documents will be prepared to confirm that they were manufactured in Malaysia. The new Malaysian solar panels are then exported to the United States. Another transshipment company is Baosheng International, which boasts 15 years of experience on its website. Baoshengs site makes it clear that transshipped products cant sport any Chinese wording, and that a contract must be signed by the U.S. importer and a third-nation exporting party. After a successful deal, the exporter takes a service fee and transfers the rest of the earnings to the Chinese manufacturer. Prior to the ChinaU.S. trade war, Hong Kong was the main intermediary in transshipping, a business that has existed for about a quarter-century. Data collected by the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department shows that in 1993, there were HK$823 billion (US$105 billion) of re-exports (transshipments), or almost four-fifths of Hong Kongs total exports. By 2003, there was HK$1,621 billion worth of re-exports, at 93 percent of Hong Kongs total exports. In 2013, that had grown to HK$3,505 billion, or 98.5 percent of the total, and in 2017, the percentage of re-exports to total exports from Hong Kong was almost 99 percent. While the legality of re-export via Hong Kong is in dispute, transshipping through Taiwan is unambiguously banned. According to the Customs Administration of the Republic of Chinas (Taiwan) Ministry of Finance, in the first half of September, 2,319 products, valued at a total of about US$1.77 million, were flagged on suspicion that their places of origin had been laundered. According to Customs Administration Director Hsieh Ling-Yuan, the goods were shipped from China with the aim of being exported to the United States and belong to the categories of goods subject to 25 percent tariffs. A transshipment agent in China surnamed Wang, who didnt provide his full name to protect his identity, told The Epoch Times on Dec. 25 that transshipment adds significantly to the cost of transport and comes with risks of discovery, but is still profitable in the face of tariffs. To ship a 40GP (40 feet, general purpose) container to Los Angeles from Tianjin costs a little bit more than $1,500. It costs $2,000 more for transshipment, Wang said. However, if the transshipment is discovered, the supplier is responsible for paying the tariff on top of the existing costs. We try our best to make it look perfect and not be outed [as being from China] during customs. But we cant guarantee 100 percent [success], Wang said. The U.S. government is aware that many Chinese exporters engage in transshipping. On March 6, U.S. President Donald Trump responded to a reporter: If you talk China, Ive watched where the reporters have been writing, 2 percent of our steel comes from China. Well, thats not right. They transship all through other countries. And youll see that a country that doesnt even have a steel mill is sending us 3 percent steel for our country. And many countries are doing it, but it comes from China. Detecting transshipped Chinese products is notoriously difficult, as exporters and transportation agencies can usually provide complete documents to demonstrate that products were produced in Southeast Asia or elsewhere. Trump Issues Order Freezing Federal Workers Pay in 2019 President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Dec. 28 to freeze the salaries of federal workers in 2019, an order he first announced in August, citing high government costs. The order stops the automatic 2.1 percent pay increase all workers would have normally received in January 2019 and has no effect on military personnel who have been funded separately. The military will also continue with its 2.6 percent pay increase that came from the defense spending bill. It comes amid Trumps partial government shutdown, after lawmakers failed to break an impasse on Trumps request for the $5 billion in funding for a border wall with Mexico. The president has blamed the Democrats, who will have a house majority in 2019, for showing no signs of wanting to reach an agreement quickly. Trump has tried to strike a compromise with Democratswho have refused to support the $5 billion in funding for Trumps signature campaign promisewith talk of a lowered amount for the wall. Around 800,000 federal workers, some working without pay and others furloughed, would be affected by the executive order. Meanwhile, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway condemned top-ranking Democrats, such as House Speaker candidate Nancy Pelosi, for leaving Washington during the partial shutdown to go on vacation instead. If Democrats and Republicans reopen the government, they could be able to incorporate a pay raise. There has been no indication of this happening any time soon, as Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget and acting White House chief of staff, suggested the shutdown could last into the new Congress. Earlier this year, the Senate had included a 1.9 percent pay increase for 2019. However, the House version of the bill did not include it. Trump last year approved a 1.4 percent increase in federal pay and a 2.4 percent increase in military pay. In the presidents August letter announcing the pay freeze, he argued that We must maintain efforts to put our Nation on a fiscally sustainable course, and Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases. . 9- 4 2022 . . ... Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marie Hospital and Marc Burleigh (Agence France-Presse) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Mon, December 31, 2018 07:05 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4bcce0 2 Lifestyle library,#library,The-Royal-Portuguese-Reading-Room,Harry-Potter,#HarryPotter,books,#books Free From the outside, it looks like another historic edifice in Rio's rundown city center. Inside, however, is a multi-tiered library so spectacular, so ornate, that stunned visitors feel like they've walked into a movie fantasy set. "In 'Harry Potter' we've seen libraries like this!" exclaimed Didier Margouet, a 57-year-old French tourist, looking around at the shelves of leather bound books climbing the walls under an octagonal skylight of red, white and blue stained glass. "Yes, like in the movies," agreed his partner, Laeticia Rau, 50. The Royal Portuguese Reading Room -- the Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura in Portuguese -- was built in the late 19th century under the stewardship of an association of Portuguese migrants that still cares for the institution. Its Gothic-Renaissance architecture and plethora of carvings, tiles and sculptures celebrate the glory of the Portuguese discoveries era in the 15th and 16th centuries. Holding some 350,000 books, some of them very rare, the library today is more a tourist attraction and selfie backdrop than a reading room, though for a few it remains an indispensable haven for the largest collection of Portuguese-language books outside of Portugal. - Loyal reader - One such loyal reader is Carlos Francisco Moura, an 86-year-old who writes about the history of Portugal. He arrived in Brazil from Portugal aged four with his parents, and from childhood became a regular visitor. Now retired from his profession as architect, Moura spends his time leafing through the tomes, copying information for his own books. "This is the alma mater of the Portuguese in Brazil -- the reading room is that, and a lot more," Moura told AFP, sitting at one of the dark wooden desks. Read also: National Library seeks to rebrand itself to attract more visitors The library is a valuable resource, he explained, because since the 1930s it has become a repository of every book published in Portugal. Brazil's historic connection with its former colonial ruler runs deep. In 1808, Portugal's king and his government made Rio de Janeiro the capital of the Portuguese Empire. Later, the king's son declared independence and made himself the emperor of Brazil. Portuguese remained the country's principal language, and with it a two-way literary culture between the two countries. Today, the Portuguese and Brazilian flags both fly on the library's exterior. - Custodian - Orlando Inacio, 67, manages the place. He too came from Portugal as a boy -- and has never returned. "It's a real point of pride to know that this library created by Portuguese is one of the most beautiful in the world," he said. Giving a bit of its history, he traced the library's roots back to an association of Portuguese immigrants started in 1837. "The aim was to help the immigrants, who in general were little educated, to improve their knowledge, their education," he said. The association continues to fund the library, its members paying a monthly amount that helps cover part of its overheads. The rest of the income comes from other buildings owned by the association that are rented out. Inacio acknowledged that the internet has brought changes, reducing the need for researchers and bookworms to frequent the place except for consulting rare books that are otherwise unavailable. But his delight in his everyday office is evident. He is, after all, custodian of a temple of literature steeped in history, connecting Portugal and Brazil in a bond of language. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Maya Kaneko (Kyodo News) Katashina, Japan Mon, December 31, 2018 21:06 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4d3c1a 2 Lifestyle charcoal,charcoal-artist,Katashina Free In a mountainous farming village near the Oze National Park, a popular eastern Japan marshland frequented by hikers, an artist who crafts accessories and ornaments out of charcoal is using the spirit of DIY to lead full country life. Michiko Setoyama, 39, a former accessory store manager in Tokyo's busy Shibuya shopping district, gave up her stressful city life 15 years ago and pursued farming, charcoal burning and her artisan accessory craft in the village of Katashina in Gunma Prefecture, about a three-hour drive north of the capital. Overcoming difficulties such as living in a house without running water or parenting without relatives' support in a village with an aging population of some 4,500, her motto is to "create whatever is necessary" and "forge a path while keeping an easygoing outlook." "I came up with the idea to make charcoal accessories after seeing a man who put a piece of charcoal in his pocket as a charm," recalled Setoyama, who took up her craft about a decade ago after looking for something to do in winter, the traditional downtime for agriculture. She also runs ski equipment rental business in the cold months. Charcoal is known to have various capabilities such as water purification and odor elimination in addition to its traditional use as fuel for heating and cooking. Besides cultivating about 40 chemical-free crops of various types -- including beans, leafy vegetables, tomatoes and rice -- with her husband Hiromitsu, 51, in the rented fields spanning a total of some 7,500 square meters, she regularly helps Kenichi Sudo, 60, her "master" and a second-generation charcoal burner in the village. Sudo's work involves cutting logs of oak, cedar and other timber types with a chainsaw, putting the pieces in a charcoal-burning hut and letting the process play out over about 10 days before cutting the product into charcoal briquettes ready for shipping. Setoyama assists by moving wood to and from the hut. "I was interested in using the small charcoal pieces left over from the production process and found that after they are soaked in wood vinegar, charcoal dust doesn't stick to the fingers," a necessity if the charcoal is to be used to make accessories, Setoyama said. Wood vinegar, or pyroligneous acid, is a dark liquid produced by the destructive distillation of wood. She occasionally holds charcoal accessory workshops at her home, originally a cattle barn renovated by the couple over a three-year period, and during events in the village, Tokyo and elsewhere. Read also: Bandung workshop offers food replica-making experience In Tokyo, Setoyama demonstrated how to make charcoal accessories and ornaments at two events held in October and November. As part of preparations, she had gathered pinecones, twigs and grasses in the forests nearby her home to be used in the craftwork. Participants quietly crafted their own items using charcoal pieces, beading and natural materials, while concentrating on their handiwork. For ornaments, they hot-glued decorative pieces to the top of charcoal stubs. "It was easy and (the ornament) looks lovely. I will use it at home to replace a plant that has recently withered," said Minae Tsukui, a 22-year-old Gunma native who joined a workshop in Tokyo. Ayuko Shimizu, 36, who became acquainted with Setoyama during her past visits to Katashina, made a simple set of earrings at another session. "I've bought her charcoal accessories before but produced a piece for myself for the first time. It was difficult to think about design and how to put the parts together, but I enjoyed it very much," Shimizu said. For Setoyama, promoting the craft is a part of her efforts to sustain the charcoal burning business, which has been declining in Japan with its traditional use for winter heating at home no longer widespread. Sudo's main customers are Japanese restaurants using charcoal in their grills. Setoyama says her ultimate goal is to work in the forestry industry "to take care of increasingly untended mountains and promote the creation of a sustainable farming community." "My husband and I have been growing crops in small lots with no pesticides, no fertilizer and without plowing soil in pursuit of a natural way of farming, but we hit a snag because mountains surrounding our fields are left unattended," Setoyama said. Her husband Hiromitsu, a Tokyo native who settled in the village, pointed out monkeys, boars and other mountain-dwelling animals often eat crops grown in the fields because their staples such as nuts have been becoming more scarce due to weather shifts possibly linked to climate change. There is also a shortage of hunters, he said. "Such a problem boils down to the lost tradition of people taking care of the mountains. In the past, they thinned forests and burned firewood or charcoal produced as a result, making the mountainous environment sustainable," Setoyama said. The native of Yokohama, southwest of Tokyo, ventured into rural life when she was 24 after she felt pressure to achieve sales targets as an accessory shop manager and became uncomfortable with the cycle of "mass production and consumption" in the business. "At that time, I didn't pay much attention to what I eat and my eczema symptoms got worse. When I looked in the mirror, I didn't look good and I thought I wouldn't make a good mother if I have a child in the future," said Setoyama, who now has a 5-year-old daughter. Through an online search, Setoyama landed a part-time job at a resort inn in Katashina and worked there for three months during which her skin condition cleared up. She then took aim at soybeans and worked for a tofu shop as she was alarmed by Japan's heavy reliance on bean imports. In the village, she cultivated beans with elderly local farmers and was gradually drawn into their lifestyle. "They invited me to their house every day and I came to appreciate their simple style of living," she said. The Setoyamas now grow soybeans themselves, making miso bean paste which they sell directly to clients and also at events. The farmer blogs about her life in the countryside and writes columns in a magazine on the wisdom of Kaoru Sudo, 92, the mother of the charcoal burner Kenichi and Setoyama's "miso-making master." "I'd like to erase the negative image of farm life so that people, especially children, can become familiar with traditional country living," Setoyama said. Even in the holiday period, she and her daughter as well as their friends collected their own Christmas trees from the local forest. "On weekends, villagers here drive to a major shopping center in the prefecture, but I'd like to convince them that mass consumption isn't the way to go," she said. "Our community has everything." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 20:07 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4d3b01 1 Entertainment Netflix,film,series Free Netflix has announced a line-up of its films and series slated for the beginning of 2019, jam-packed with exciting stories featuring, among others, zombies, superheroes and women in charge. Here are five to look out for that will kick-start the New Year in high gear. 1. Tidying up with Marie Kondo A new year is usually associated with fresh beginnings and clean starts. Netflix original series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo features the titular tidy guru Marie Kondo as she comes to the rescue by helping people tackle the clutter that is holding them back. "My mission is to spark joy in the world through tidying," Kondo says in her introduction in the trailer. The series launches globally on Netflix on Jan. 1. 2. Lionheart When her father fell ill, Adaeze had to take over the family business along with her uncle and prove her worth in a male-dominated world. Lionheart is a 2018 Nigerian movie produced by Chinny Onwugbenu and directed by Genevieve Nnaji. It stars Pete Edochie, Genevieve Nnaji and Nkem Owoh. The film premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Canada and was acquired by Netflix that same month, making it the first original Nigerian movie to be acquired by the streaming network. It is slated to premiere on Netflix on Jan. 4. 3. Polar Polar is a film adaptation of the action noir comics series of the same name. (Courtesy of Netflix/File) The world's leading hitman, Duncan Vizla, more commonly known as "The Black Kaiser", was enjoying his retirement when his former boss suddenly made him a scapegoat in his organization. Duncan has to go back to the dark world to face a younger, faster and cruel army of murderers. Polar is a film adaptation of the action noir comic series of the same name directed by Jonas Akerlund and based on a speculative script by Jason Rothwell. Starring veteran Mads Mikkelsen, along with Vanessa Hudgens, Katheryn Winnick and Matt Lucas, the film is slated for release on Netflix on Jan. 25. Read also: Netflix will have 15 new series from Asia in 2019 4. Titans A team of young superheroes led by Nightwing, formerly Batman's first Robin, are united to eradicate evil and other perils, which exist within themselves as well as around them. The Netflix original series stars Teagan Croft, Brenton Thwaites and Anna Diop. It is set to be available on the streaming platform on Jan. 11. 5. Kingdom Set in Koreas medieval Joseon period, when a kingdom is defeated by corruption and famine, a mysterious plague spreads that turns the infected into zombies. The crown prince, framed for treason and desperate to save his people, sets out on a journey to unveil what evil lurks in the dark. Kingdom is a South Korean television series written by Kim Eun-hee and directed by Kim Seong-hun. The thriller-fantasy series will be Netflix's second Korean original series and will premiere on Jan. 5. (wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 12:05 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4c45aa 4 National aceh,West-Kalimantan,sambas,Kubu-Raya,South-Lampung,New-Year,New-Year-Celebration Free Officials and religious leaders in Aceh have called on Muslims in the province not to celebrate the New Year for religious reasons. Aceh acting governor Nova Iriansyah explained in a circular that, "When marking the New Year, [it is recommended] that people not hold any festivities such as fireworks, trumpet-blowing, vehicle racing or any other celebration not in accordance with sharia, our customs and culture," Nova said as quoted by Antara on Sunday. Cleric Mursalin Basyah echoed the message in a sermon on Sunday before thousands of Muslims at Al Faizin Mosque in Lampeuneurut, Aceh Besar, Aceh, "Islam firmly prohibits people from individually or in a group celebrating the New Year [in the Gregorian calendar]. We have to inform all generations of Muslims of this," said Mursalin as quoted by Antara. Other regions, meanwhile, have recommended that people not celebrate the New Year on the streets, to avoid accidents, traffic jams and to respect those in mourning due to disasters. They issued a circular advising people to ring in the New Year with religious activities with family. North Maluku Governor Abdul Gani Kasuba asked residents to pass the last day of 2018 with religious activities. Abdul said the residents should not light fireworks but instead pray for other regions hit by disasters. Ternate municipality administration in North Maluku, meanwhile, held an all-night praying event on Sunday to pray for the New Year. Sambas regency administration in West Kalimantan and Makassar municipality in South Sulawesi have also made a similar call. The head of the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) in Sambas, Nugra Iranta Denashurya, said he supported the circular, especially because Indonesia was in mourning after earthquakes and a tsunami. Kubu Raya regency in the same province issued a similar circular on Dec. 27. Kubu Raya administration spokesperson Elfiana Wardani urged residents not to light fireworks. We urge residents not to conduct street convoys or parades to avoid traffic jams, reduce traffic accidents and juvenile delinquency, she said as quoted by tribunnews.com. She said the administration had ordered all local leaders, public figures and religious leaders to remind the public not to engage in unproductive activities. The regent suggested that Muslims pray in mosques, she said. South Lampung regency, which was hit by the Dec. 22 tsunami, made the same call to residents, saying they should ring in the New Year with religious activities instead of partying. The acting regent, Nanang Ermanto, issued a circular stating that there should be no street convoys, Antara reported. Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said residents could celebrate the New Year, but he asked them to do it modestly on account of recent natural disasters. Those who want to celebrate, please do so modestly, dont party too much because our brothers and sisters are in a hardship. Lets empathize with them, said Ganjar as quoted by Antara (mai/evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Shafiqul Alam and Sam Jahan (Agence France-Presse) Dhaka, Bangladesh Mon, December 31, 2018 08:25 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4bdcc4 2 World Bangladesh,Prime-Minister,Sheikh-Hasina,election,violence Free 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. 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. 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 neighboring 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. "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. Well 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. 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 21 the official police toll for election violence since the ballot was announced on November 8. Police said they acted "in self-defense" 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 mobilize support. 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 criticized this year for its heavy handling of weeks of major student protests that brought Dhaka to a standstill. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara Mon, December 31, 2018 19:08 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4d2f93 1 National deer,illegal-hunting,Sape-district,Bima-West-Nusa-Tenggara,Komodo-Island Free A joint team of Indonesian Military and National Police personnel in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), seized at least nine deer allegedly obtained through illegal hunting on Komodo Island, East Nusa Tenggara. The team apprehended a motor boat, which was carrying the deer carcasses, when it was on its way from Komodo Island to Sape in Bima regency, NTB. It is suspected that the nine deer confiscated by the joint police and military team in Sape waters, Bima, on Saturday afternoon, were from illegal hunting on Komodo Island, Wirabima military command post spokesperson Maj. Dahlan told The Jakarta Post in Mataram on Monday. He said the joint team secured the motor boat and its crew when they were about to unload cargo in the So Toro Wamba beach area in Poja village, Sape district, Bima. Wildlife crime: Carcasses of deer hunted illegally on Komodo Island were confiscated during a security raid in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, on Saturday. (Courtesy of the Wirabima military command post/File) During the raid, the personnel also confiscated one buffalo head, two home-assembled long barrel rifles equipped with laser and eight SS1-type bullets. They also seized one pick-up vehicle and a wooden motor boat, said Dahlan. He said the raid was conducted following a report from locals in Sape district of suspected deer smuggling from illegal hunting on Komodo Island. The report was immediately followed up by the Sape Police and Sape military command post, which then established a special team. On Saturday afternoon, the team, which was led by Sape military command post commander Capt. Junaid and Sape Police chief Adj. Comr. Sarifudin Jamal, launched a raid. Unfortunately, all suspects managed to escape arrest. Our personnel could only arrest the driver of the pick-up vehicle, said Dahlan. All evidence had been secured by the Bima Police, which was now handling the case, he added. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefanno Reinard Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 10:44 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4c123e 1 Business Badak-LNG-plant,pertamina,LMAN,finance-ministry,partnership Free The government has appointed state energy holding company Pertamina to partner with the State Asset Management Agency (LMAN) to manage the Badak liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Bontang, East Kalimantan. LMAN is a public service agency under the Finance Ministry. The agency is the sole-owner of Badak LNG plant, which is operated by PT Badak NGL. With the new partnership, Pertamina will take over the Badak LGN plant business from LMAN. LMAN president director Rahayu Puspasari said the transfer was needed so that the business losses could not be claimed as state losses. The measure aimed to share the risk, she told the press after the announcement on Friday. PT Badak NGL will continue its role as the operator of Badak LNG plant. The partnership will not affect share ownership in Badak NGL, 55 percent of which is owned by Pertamina. The remaining shares are owned by Total E&P Indonesie (TEPI) (10 percent) Vico Indonesia (20 percent) and Japan-Indonesia LNG Company (Jilco) (15 percent). Badak NGL president director Didik Sasongko Widi added that the decision aimed to restore the business structure to the right scheme. Right now we are working under a government to business scheme because LMAN, which is a state agency, directly appointed us as the operator of the Badak LNG plant. Under the partnership, it will become business to business, he said. The new scheme will officially start in January. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 17:30 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4d0e57 1 City Jakarta-Smart-Card,Worker-Cards,anies-baswedan,minimum-wage,Jakgrosir Free The Jakarta administration claimed that throughout 2018 it had distributed 3,070 worker cards to its residents, specifically those whose salaries are no more than 10 percent above the provincial minimum wage, which is Rp 3.6 million (US$236.76) per month. The cards have been distributed since November, with the latest simultaneous distribution event on Monday. As many as 1,564 workers in five cities across the province received cards that day. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan symbolically handed the cards to city residents during the event, which was held at wholesale food market JakGrosir, which is managed by city-owned market operator PD Pasar Jaya in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta. The total number of beneficiaries in Jakarta is 3,070 [residents]. We handed over 1,564 cards today. With these cards, workers expenses can be reduced, Anies told journalists after the event. With the Worker Card, the city's workers are able to use Transjakarta buses for free and shop in JakGrosir, which sells affordable staple foods. Their children would also receive cash assistance distributed through the Jakarta Smart Card program that they could use to buy subsidized food such as fish, chicken and milk. Jakarta Manpower and Transmigration Agency head Andri Yansyah said the administration was currently verifying 2,245 applicants. The number [of Worker Card applicants] would continue to increase along with the completion of data submitted by worker unions and labor associations or collected by our agency team, he said. (sau/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 15:48 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4cd666 1 City New-Year,New-Year-Eve-celebrations,New-Year-Celebration,traffic,police Free The Jakarta administration wants to allow the city's people to enjoy a more comfortable New Years Eve celebration by ensuring better traffic conditions during the festivities. One of the steps taken is a car-free night on 16 roads, including Jl. MH Thamrin and Jl. Sudirman. Other streets are to be rerouted from 5 p.m. on Monday until 1 a.m. During the closures, these areas are to be barred to any mode of transportation, from bicycles to motor vehicles, except for delman (horse-drawn buggies) and carts owned by street vendors, said Jakarta Transportation Agency Sigit acting head Wijatmoko on Sunday, as quoted by kompas.com. City-owned bus operator Transjakarta plans to operate 126 more buses, which are to serve passengers for 24 hours. The administration has also prepared more parking pockets" to accommodate 25,647 cars and 14,983 motorcycles, according to Sigit. The National Monument (Monas) is to be closed to visitors starting from about 4 p.m. to prevent any New Years Eve celebrations in the area. This is part of the administrations effort to preserve the cultural heritage site, according to Monas management head Mundjirin. Meanwhile, the city administration is to organize events such as bazaars, mass prayers, a collective wedding and various performances in four different areas: the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle, the southwest entrance of Monas and the crossroads on Jl. Kebon Sirih and Jl. K.H. Wahid Hasyim. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said 557 couples would participate in the mass wedding. The series of the events are to run from 7 p.m. on Monday until midnight. The administration will facilitate [all initiatives], give them adequate space, make it comfortable and safe for everyone to celebrate New Year's Eve and enjoy various events that will be held in the car-free night area. This is why we are rerouting the traffic, said Adj. Sr. Comr. Budiyanto, head of the law enforcement division at the Jakarta Polices traffic unit, as quoted by kompas.com on Monday. (mai/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 16:50 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4cf5bd 4 Business manufacturing-industry,contribution,GDP,Airlangga-Hartarto Free Industry Minister Airlangga Hartarto has claimed that the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), which is 20.5 percent, is higher than the global average GDP contribution from the sector. He mentioned five countries whose manufacturing sectors contribute more than 20 percent to GDP, namely China (28.8 percent), South Korea (27 percent), Japan (21 percent), Germany (20.6 percent) and Indonesia. The contribution of the manufacturing sector to the economy of countries such as Mexico, India, Italy, Spain, the United States, Russia, Brazil, France, Canada and the United Kingdom was estimated to be less than 17 percent this year. He said Indonesia currently could not compare the manufacturing sector contribution to the economy in 2001, when it was close to 30 percent. There is a new reality. We cannot compare the current context to the old economic paradigm, he argued as quoted by Antara news agency. While in 2001, the contribution of the manufacturing sector was close to 30 percent, it could not be maintained because of the financial crisis that had a long-term impact on the economy, he said, adding that Indonesia started to revitalize the manufacturing sector in 2014. Currently, global economic growth never reaches double digits. Chinas economic growth is also in single digits, he said, adding that Indonesia, whose economy was two-thirds of the ASEAN economy, had managed to grow its GDP between 5.1 and 5.2 percent. Indonesia benefited from the trade war between China and the United States, particularly because both countries had found other countries for their investment, he added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 17:46 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4d1db8 1 City ridwan-kamil,West-Java-Governor-Ridwan-Kamil,West-Java,Bogor-regency,Bogor-Regent-Ade-Munawaroh-Yasin Free During the inauguration on Monday of newly elected Bogor Regent Ade Munawaroh Yasin and her deputy, Iwan Setiawan, West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil called on them to solve Parung Panjang's road-related problems. The problems emerged in early 2018 when residents of Parung Panjang protested against heavy vehicles carrying loads from mining companies and damaging roads in the area. "I have talked with Bu Ade. Hopefully, there will be a short-term solution soon," Ridwan said after their inauguration at the Gedung Sate heritage building in Bandung, West Java, as reported by tempo.co. Ridwan said the West Java administration planned to build a road in Parung Panjang that would be called Jl. Tambangas as a solution. The road would provide an alternate route for heavy trucks that carry minerals. However, he admitted the construction would take a long time. "Creating a new route needs a plan, land clearing and construction. The process is not as simple as expected," he said. The governor added that the administration's 2019 budget had allocated funds to survey the route for Jl. Tambang, but the exact location of the road had not been decided. The administration was still waiting for the commitment of the Bogor administration, he said. "We are waiting for a solution from the regent, who has the authority to solve the problem," Ridwan said. Ridwan inaugurated Ade and Iwan after he received a letter from the Home Ministry dated Oct.1, which confirmed the dismissal of the former regent, Rachmat Yasin, and his deputy, Karyawan Faturahman, and ordered the governor to inaugurate the elected regent and deputy regent. Rachmat, who is also the brother of Ade, was dismissed over alleged corruption. (ars/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 16:08 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4cf114 1 National New-Year,New-Year-Celebration,New-Year-Eve-celebrations,Satpol-PP,condom,sexual-promiscuity Free Personnel of the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) in Makassar, South Sulawesi, have for the umpteenth time raided several mini markets for openly selling condoms. The sweeping raids were conducted ahead of New Years Eve celebrations, which will take place on Monday evening. We have confiscated hundreds [of condoms] from a number of mini markets in Makassar. They distributed the contraceptives openly. These sweeping raids aimed to prevent sexual promiscuity among underaged people and teenagers, Satpol PP acting head Muflih said on Sunday. He said selling condoms openly without applying a minimum age requirement for the buyers was a violation of the law. During New Years Eve celebrations, condoms are in high demand, sought especially by teenagers and adolescents, Muflih claimed. Muflih said Satpol PP had anticipated the open sale of condoms in mini markets by releasing a circular, which urged the stores to sell the products only to adults. Anyone who wants to buy a condom must show their ID. We introduced this policy in February, since which time we have issued copies of the circular to more than 400 mini markets in Makassar so they will not sell the contraceptives openly, especially to underage people, Muflih said after the raid. The Satpol PP head said he was certain that many mini markets still sold condoms because the sweeping raids could not reach all of them. Muflih admitted there were no exact rules that prohibited the sale of condoms. However, a bylaw on public order has included sexual promiscuity and sexual intercourse outside marriage as a violation to social and religious norms. (mai/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 31, 2018 17:31 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4d1349 4 Business PT-Timah,exports,growth,2018 Free State-owned tin mining company PT Timah's exports grew 15 percent in 2018 to 33,250 tons from 28,732 tons in 2017. PT Timah president director Mochtar Riza Pahlevi Tabrani said the company had managed to overcome various challenges along the year. With all of our efforts, we managed to achieve our production targets in 2018, Mochtar said as quoted by kontan.co.id when announcing the shipment of the companys last export of the year. He expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, starting from lower staff members to the commissioners of the company, who had managed to maintain a corporate good performance. Meanwhile, PT Timah corporate secretary Amin Haris Sugiarto said to boost production the company had added a manufacturing facility to increase the content of stannum in the ore before smelting. He said that the company had also improved the performance of its marketing division. By the end of the year, the factories usually maintain stocks for the year end. So to absorb the overstock, we optimize the traders, he added. Indonesia is the second largest tin producer in the world, supplying 20 percent of the total global tin demand. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) - Mon, December 31, 2018 12:06 1068 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4c5505 1 Destinations New-Year-Eve-celebrations,New-Year,2019-NewYear,Tokyo,Paris,New-York-City,bali Free Big cities like Tokyo, Paris and New York have been named the top destinations for a New Year's vacation among travelers from all over the world, according to online travel agent Agoda. Japan's capital city of Tokyo is among to top 10 New Year's Eve celebration destinations for many market segments. For the Chinese and Singaporean market, Tokyo is the first choice to ring in the New Year, as reported by kompas.com. During New Year celebrations, Tokyo is enlivened with music concerts, parades and lights, making it the perfect destination to celebrate the start of 2019. Meanwhile, Paris is often filled with numerous parties to welcome the New Year. There are many countdown celebrations in popular places across the city, which are also suitable for some family fun. The lively atmosphere among the classic French architecture makes Paris the most popular destination in Europe for New Year's Eve celebrations. For tourists from Britain, Israel, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, Paris is ranked first in their choice to celebrate the New Year. Read also: Jakpost Nightlife: Where to ring in the New Year The ball drop in New Yorks Times Square in the United States is one of the most iconic celebrations in the world. So, it is no wonder that New York is included in the popular list as the top destination in North America for global tourists. In a separate list of destinations in Asia, Indonesia's resort island of Bali ranked ninth for global tourists. Meanwhile, in a separate list compiled by Indonesian travelers, Tokyo, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok are the most popular Asian choices for New Year's Eve celebrations. For travelers from Jakarta, Bali is the most popular destination to celebrate the changing year. Notably, top global favorite Tokyo is also one of the most popular destinations among Indonesian tourists for celebrating New Year's. Tokyo rose to fifth place among Indonesian tourists, climbing three places from 2018. (liz/wng) American man killed in Phuket road accident, New Year road accident tally for island hits three dead, 24 injured PHUKET: An American man has become the first foreigner killed during the Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for New Year 2019. Monday 31 December 2018, 05:49PM An image of the accident scene where a 39-year-old American man died after the motorbike he was riding collided with a passenger van on the coastal road to Promthep Cape in Rawai yesterday (Dec 30). Photo: DDPM The American man, a 39-year-old*, died from internal injuries after the motorbike he was riding collided with a passenger van on the coastal road to Promthep Cape at the southern end of Phuket at 11am yesterday (Dec 30), reported Chalong Police. Prapan Kanprasang, chief of the Phuket Provincial Office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) reported the news at the briefing for the fourth day of the campaign at Phuket Provincial Hall this morning (Dec 31). Present to receive the briefing in person was Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana. There were seven accidents reported during the 24-hour period for yesterday: five in Muang District, one in Thalang District and another in Kathu District resulting in one death and leaving seven other people injured, Mr Prapan explained. Another DDPM official also re-confirmed to The Phuket News that the baby in the accident on Thepkrasattri Rd on Saturday died from injuries sustained in the collision. (See story here.) The baby girl, named Nalinipha Taophet, was one month old, the officer noted. Meanwhile, a collision between a motorbike and a pickup truck in Soi Pha-niang in Rassada, just north of Samkong, at 1:05am today (Dec 31) has left another man killed during the Seven Days campaign. Thisadee Kankasikam, 44, from Kamphaeng Phet, died of sever head trauma after the motorbike he was riding collided with a pickup truck being driven by 45-year-old Phuket Town resident Kittisak Chonrat, reported Lt Col Sakchai Chunyong of Phuket City Police Station. Mr Kittisak told police that he was driving from the Thaweesam Market in Phuket Town and had turned into Soi Pha-niang when he saw MrThisadee driving toward him on the wrong side of the road. He was unable to avoid the collision, he said. Col Sakchai noted in his report that Mr Kittisak tested negative for alcohol. He also noted that police will continue their investigation before deciding on whether to pres any charges for the accident. Meanwhile, Phuket police reported inspecting 5,301 vehicles during the 24-hour period for Dec 30, resulting in 1,275 people being fined for traffic violations, with 10 cases resulting in legal prosecution. Phuket police reported issuing 1,275 fines for moving violations during the 24-hour period for Dec 30, as follows: 31 fined for operating an unsafe/illegally modified motorcycle 93 fined for not wearing seatbelts 335 fined for driving without a licence 71 fined for speeding 48 fined for running a red light 52 fined for ghost driving (driving opposite traffic flow) 34 fined for dangerously cutting off other motorists in traffic 53 fined for using mobile phones while driving. 32 people were arrested for drunk driving during the period. 526 people fined for not wearing helmets DDPM-Phuket Chief Mr Prapan this morning also explained that so far there have been no marine safety incidents since the campaign began on Thursday. A total of 43,892 passengers (21,997 people departures and 21,895 arrivals) were recorded as passing through ports and major piers in Phuket yesterday (Dec 30), Mr Prapan said. This is a 4.23% increase on last year. The passengers are mostly tourists from China and Russia, he added. The name of the American man is being withheld until it has been confirmed that his next of kin have been informed of his death. ** HEADLINE CORRECTION: The total number of people killed so far during the Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for New Year 2019 was incorrectly reported as The Phuket News had erroneously accounted for Patarapon Sakkeaw, 14, dying as the result of his motorbike accident near Saphan Hin on Dec 29. He did not die as a result of his injuries. See correction here. The error is sincerely regretted. Seven young men charged with gang rape of girl, 13 BURI RAM: Seven young men, aged 14-22, were charged with the gang rape of a girl aged 13 in a schools toilet in Ban Kruat district late Friday night (Dec 28). Monday 31 December 2018, 06:15PM Three suspects are seen behind bars at the Ban Kruat police station in Ban Kruat district of Buri Ram province on Saturday after the alleged gang rape of a 13-year-old girl in a school toilet. Photo: Surachai Piragsa / Bangkok post Local police initially charged the four suspects under 18 years of age on Saturday while the interrogation of the suspects and the victim were underway. The girls parents filed a complaint that she had been lured by the seven men into a toilet at a school in Tambon Bung Charoen at about 11pm on Friday, where she was then gang-raped. The four suspected minors were brought to the child and juvenile court of Buri Ram because police could detain them for only 24 hours. The other suspects, aged over 18, were held at the Ban Kruat Police Station. No relatives sought their temporary release on Sunday. Pol Capt Thongrat Khiaosanam of the Ban Kruat station was to bring the three older suspects to the Nang Rong court on Monday to have their detention extended. Local police had yet to interrogate the minor suspects and the victim in the presence of social workers. Police were also waiting for a medical report on the girl after she was examined at Ban Kruat Hospital. At least one of the three older suspects reportedly confessed to having sex with the girl, but said she was willing. Other suspects said they were just in the scene of the crime but did not commit it. Ploy, the wife of one of the suspects, on Saturday told police that the victim was the girlfriend of a 16-year-old who was among those arrested. The girl had sent a message to her boyfriend, asking him to pick her up because her motorcycle had broken down, Ploy said. Her husband did not rape the girl, she said, and her family would be in trouble if he was jailed because he was the sole breadwinner and they had a ten-month-old baby. Read original story here. Buy now, pay later is new way to pay for the holidays EDMONTONAlthough Frozen 2 is a little ways away, you can still channel your inner Elsa at one of the most popular attractions this winter city has to offer: Ice Castles. The blue- and white-hued ice fortress returns to Hawrelak Park for a fourth season, opening to the public on Friday. The attraction features tunnels, fountains, slides, frozen thrones, and cascading towers all made out of ice complete with colour-changing LED lights and music to light up the night. Other more popular features that werent there the first year are also making a comeback, like the wood-burning fireplace and a viewing platform that visitors can walk up to take in the massive structures all at once. Christian Denis, site manager for the Utah-based company Ice Castles LLC, says the castles are bigger than the past years standing 40 feet tall, 10 feet taller than last year. We are back at the same location, larger than we were last year, he said. The maze is twice the size it was last year. We have a lot more doming and a lot more archways. Its a lot more intimate, so its easier to get lost in that castle. The Ice Castles get about 125,000 visitors over the course of a season. Because so many people visit the beautiful structures, Denis says for the first time they decided to collaborate with the local charity initiative Coats for Kids & Families to contribute back to the community. Just knowing how many people are coming through, we figured it was a good fit, he said. A lot of people are wanting to embrace winter, but there are a ton of people who just cant afford to. Coats for Kids & Families is a program set up by the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. The initiative accepts gently used, outgrown or new winter outerwear that people can bring in with them. The donations are dry-cleaned and sent to various non-profit organizations, where they can be picked up by those in need. Although the attraction takes about six weeks to build, crews start the groundwork on the site around mid-October. Denis says they first set up the sprinklers and lay out the lights. Once its cold enough, crews turn on the water and start growing icicles, and once they are big enough, hand-pick them and position them using slush as glue to mount them together. This year, they started building on Nov. 23 and have continued non-stop. As of Monday, crews were putting the finishing touches on the slides and throne, the last structures to be built before opening day. In the past, weather caused the Ice Castles to close early like two years ago when a February heat wave melted their ambitions. However, because the weather co-operated last year, the Ice Castles stayed open until March 10. Environment and Climate Change Canada has predicted warmer weather in the coming days, with temperatures as high as 5 C forecast for Wednesday. But Denis says high temperatures wont bother the ice that much. The only big killer is actually sunlight, he said. As the days keep getting longer and longer, it weakens the ice, and it also doesnt look as good, esthetically speaking. The company is currently building Ice Castles in six cities across North America, although the Edmonton location is its only location in Canada. For people wanting to visit, Denis suggests getting tickets online because they sell out fast. They are also cheaper, he added. Read more about: Thirty years ago, Don Sampson linked arms with fellow residents of the Toronto Islands to block sheriffs who had come to evict them. Now, the trust representing islanders is evicting him from his family home of over 60 years. I was on the bridge. I helped defend our homes. I had a role in fighting against our evictions, Sampson said. I voted for the trust and now I have to fight against the trust I helped set up. At issue is the fact the deed to the family home was in his brothers name. Sampsons brother died two years ago and, unlike property in any other part of the city, the house cannot be transferred to him despite the fact hes named in his brothers will and must instead be sold by the trust to someone else. On Dec. 20, Sampson, 61, received a letter from a lawyer representing the Toronto Islands Residential Community Trust Corporation giving him less than three weeks to turn over the keys to the house he was born and raised in. If the keys are not received on or before Jan. 7, 2019, the Trust will forcibly enter and change the locks, reads the letter from Trust lawyer Bruce Lewis, obtained by the Star. The letter goes on to inform Sampson that the house must be emptied of all possessions for Sampson, two generations of furniture and heirlooms otherwise they will be cleared out for him. The costs of the above, including all legal costs and a reasonable allocation of Trust administrative costs, will be deducted from the proceeds of sale, Lewis states. Sampson was born in the house on Algonquin Island and lived there until he was 30. He moved back full time two years ago to take care of his dying brother, Bruce, and says hes being turfed out by a system that was supposed to ensure that people who live on the Toronto Islands can stay there. Its terrible. Everybody knows Ive been here my entire life. All my friends are here. My roots are here. I grew up here. Itd be heartbreaking for me to move out of my family home after 60 years, he said. The trust rules allow houses on the Islands to be passed from parents to children, or between spouses, but not from one sibling to another. The place has always been half mine, even though it wasnt on paper, Sampson said. My brother always told everyone that it was half mine and he wanted me to take the home so it would pass down to my sons. Defenders of the rules say they have kept houses on the Toronto Islands affordable while the real estate market in the city has skyrocketed. Without the trust, the Islands would have become a playground for the super-rich, they say. Trust board chair Lorraine Filyer told the Star she could not comment on individual situations due to privacy concerns, but said the Trust is required to sell a house and land lease upon the death of the owner if the property has not been devised to a spouse or child. Filyer said she is not aware of any exceptions having been made to this rule. Toronto Island residents spent a generation fighting to keep their homes, starting in the 1950s, when Metropolitan Toronto began bulldozing houses to create parkland. The demolition crews began at the west end, and by the time they made it to Algonquin and Wards Islands at the east end in the 1970s, residents had dug in for a struggle that would last more than a decade. The Supreme Court would eventually rule that Metro had the right to evict the Island dwellers, but a newly elected Ontario government under Bob Rae passed legislation granting them ownership of their houses and 99-year leases on the land. When the first leases were signed in the early 1990s, fears that speculators would snatch up the idyllic waterfront lots and drive up prices drove the province and the residents to establish a trust to manage the purchase and sale of all Islands property. TOP STORIES. IN YOUR INBOX: For the days top news from the Stars award-winning journalists, sign up for our daily headlines newsletter. That system, which requires those interested in buying houses on the island to win a lottery for a spot on a 500-person wait list, is overseen by the Islands Trust. When a resident wants to sell their home, the trust assesses the value of the house, declares a price and offers it to those on the wait list. There are no bids; wait-listed purchasers can only say yes or no. The Trust is mandated to provide stewardship of the Island Residential Community, ensuring that this community is maintained according to the principles which islanders fought hard for in their 30-year effort to retain their homes, states the Trusts website. One of the core principles of the Trust is to ensure that the sale of island homes and leases, which sit on public land, do not result in windfall profits for the owners ... The system of regulated prices for homes and leases, sold only to people on the Purchasers List, ensures that this principle is maintained. The only exception to the wait-list system is a rule that allows parents to transfer their houses to their kids, or spouses to transfer their houses to one another. Transfers to siblings arent allowed. Sampsons parents bought the house on Algonquin Island in 1957 and raised Don and his brother Bruce there. They moved out to the countryside in 1976 and transferred the house to their sons. When it came time to sign the 99-year lease in 1993, Don had bad credit and could not get a mortgage for the $46,000 owing to the province, so Bruce took him off title and assumed ownership. He didnt pay me anything for my share of the house. He was just holding it for me, said Sampson. I kept helping pay the taxes, I renovated the house, I always had an interest in the place. Sampson, who raised his three sons in an apartment in the city, moved back to the island two years ago to care for his brother, who had cancer. When his brother passed away, he thought that because he was part of the original community who fought and won the right for islanders to stay put, the trust would let him stay. Theyve made exceptions from the rules for longtime islanders before. I think thats great. No one wants people to be thrown out on the street, he said, saying a caregiver and a stepchild have inherited houses after an owners death. Why wont they make an exception for me? Sampson has set up a website, asking for members of the public to urge the trust to reconsider its decision to evict him and sell the house. The trust needs a wake up call, he said. Random street checks, or carding, should be banned as there is little evidence to show the practice is useful in reducing crime, while it disproportionately affects racialized individuals, according to the results of an independent review released Monday. The report was prepared by Court of Appeal Justice Michael Tulloch, who was tapped by the former Liberal government in 2017 to conduct a review of its new provincial regulation on carding the stopping and documenting of citizens not suspected of a crime. The regulation was aimed at prohibiting arbitrary stops which Tulloch recommends should be explicitly stated in the regulation and outlined the scenarios in which officers could stop an individual and request their information. The regulation also included new rules to govern those interactions, including a requirement that the officer tell the individual they dont have to provide identifying information. Aside from reviewing the regulation, Tulloch also focused on whether purely random stops traditionally known as carding to gather information should ever be allowed. He found that they should not, while also noting that some critics have blamed recent spikes in gun violence on the new regulation and the restrictions placed on carding a claim he said was not supported by the facts. Many other jurisdictions, Tulloch said, have not reported an increase in criminal activity following a drop in carding practices. There is little to no evidence that a random, unfocused collection of identifying information has benefits that outweigh the social cost of the practice, he said. The data indicates that the better use of police resources is a more focused approach, Tulloch wrote in his report. A widespread program of random street checks involves considerable time and effort for a police service, with little to no verifiable results on the level of crime or even arrests, he said. Given the social cost involved with a practice that has not definitively been shown to widely reduce or solve crime, it is recommended that the practice of randomly stopping individuals to gather their identifying information for the creation of a database for intelligence purposes be discontinued in those remaining jurisdictions that still employ the practice. Repeated analyses by the Star of Toronto Police Service carding data have found Black people were more likely than white people to be stopped, questioned and documented in each of the citys more than 70 patrol zones, and that the likelihood increased in areas that are predominantly white. Tulloch Report Recommendations View document on Scribd In 2015, amid growing controversy, Toronto police suspended carding. As of 2017, all Ontario police services conducting such stops were required to follow the new provincial regulations. The review followed a number of public consultations across the province. Sylvia Jones, minister of community safety and correctional services, said in a statement that the Progressive Conservative government will review Tullochs recommendations. Our government has been very clear: we will fix the police legislation the Liberals broke. We are committed to developing legislation that works for our police and for the people of Ontario, she said. Our new police legislation will reflect a simple principle: racism and discrimination have no place in policing. Justice Tullochs report will inform our work as we fix Ontarios policing legislation. Public safety is, and always will be, a top priority for this government. You can count on us to keep our communities safe, stand up for victims, and hold criminals accountable for their actions. We will not let you down. Toronto police Const. Rob Reid said he and his colleagues need to read and digest the report before they can comment on it. Were certainly aware of it and we certainly take the report very seriously, as we all should, he said. Julius Haag, a University of Toronto PhD student studying the racialization of crime, policing and youth justice, said he agrees with the reports finding that carding has no useful investigative function, especially considering how much damage it has done in minority and racialized communities. (The) Toronto Police Service and Peel Regional Police service have not been able to produce any kind of data to show that carding has investigative function or value, he said, adding that its deeply disturbing given how long the practice went on. But, he said, Tullochs recommendations need to go further, especially in relation to training and the collection of non-identifying data. By very narrowly defining when data needs to be collected, theres a number of ways the police can get around the carding regulation while still engaging in types of behaviours consistent with racial profiling, harassment or discrimination, Haag said. Some of Tullochs recommendations aim to standardize police interactions permitted under the regulation across the province. Before an individual provides identifying information, Tulloch recommends they should be informed of the reason for the request for information, that the information may be recorded and stored in a police database, that participation is voluntary, and that some of the information, such as the persons religion, is being requested to help eliminate systemic racism. Under the regulation, the person who has provided information must be given a receipt. Tulloch recommends the information on the receipt be in both official languages and should contain only the name and identification of the officer, the date, time and location of the interaction, and the reason for the interaction. On the topic of retaining data collected from the interactions, Tulloch recommends destroying it five years after it was collected, except in special circumstances, though he said police services can also choose to destroy it earlier. Many stakeholders are in favour of set timelines for deleting data, Tulloch said. Since any potential complaints, lawsuits or crimes should be known within five years, the data should be automatically destroyed no more than after five years. He also recommends that historical data identifying information collected from street checks prior to the regulation coming into force on Jan. 1, 2017 also be destroyed five years after it was collected. Most identifying information collected prior to January 1, 2017, would be considered a non-regulated interaction today, he said. He recommends that no information collected in an interaction, including information collected prior to Jan. 1, 2017, should be used to classify someone as known to police and show up on a police record check. Tulloch also recommends better training for officers on the street check regulation, which should include how to take proper notes of the interaction, bias awareness, and the right of the individual not to speak to police. The training should include real scenarios and role playing, the judge said, and be prepared with the assistance of racialized groups and Indigenous peoples who understand the effect of regulated interactions. With files from Wendy Gillis Toronto appears to have hit another record in a year of increased violence. According to police data recorded online, the city recorded 424 shooting in 2018, as of the last update on Monday, surpassing the previous high, set in 2016, of 407. The 2018 total is the highest in publicly listed police data that dates back to 2014, Toronto police spokesperson Const. Jeniffer Sidhu said. Police data maintained by the Star shows 2018s total is also higher than any year since 2005. To access earlier police data, Sidhu said the Star should file a freedom of information request. Louis March, founder of the Zero Gun Violence Movement, said Monday the violence in the city this year didnt happen overnight as governments on all levels have been failing to address root causes. One reason people are paying attention this year, he said, is that gun violence is breaching safe zones areas in the city that have generally been untouched. Theres a difference between living in Rosedale and living in Rexdale. Theres a difference between living in High Park and living in Regent Park, said. In 2017, there were 392 shootings across the city 32 fewer shootings than 2018. In 2005, then nicknamed the year of the gun, there were 359 shootings. Between 2006 and 2013, the number of shootings stayed between 202 to 260 shootings per year. 2014 saw the lowest number of shootings, with 177 that year. In 2015, the numbers rose dramatically, to 288 shootings. Don Peat, communications director for Mayor John Tory, said Monday the mayor was actively focusing on addressing the root causes of violence in the city. Mayor Tory stated that these brazen acts of violence are unacceptable and he is confident that our police officers are doing everything possible to bring those responsible to justice, Peat said, noting that Tory believes we need to do everything we can to stop the supply of illegal guns, but we must also make sure that we are doing everything possible to stop people from ever even thinking about picking up a gun. Peat also said Tory has taken initiative towards the issue, including introducing an anti-violence plan in July, a commitment to hire more police officers, and a call to the federal government to ban handguns and increase gun control. At a year-end press conference, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders said 2018 was a unique year in terms of gun violence, and was confident that homicide numbers will decline in the new year. He attributed the violence to an increase in street gang activity, and said there were similar trends across North America. He also emphasized the need for solutions beyond just policing. The enforcement piece plays an important part. Im not here to say that its softer policing. Im here to say that its smarter policing. There have to be agencies at the front end that prevent these young boys from shooting others, Saunders said. To think we can arrest our way out of this is a falsehood. Last year set a record for Toronto in terms of homicides, with 96 killings as of Dec. 31. The city passed its record 89, set in 1991 with a shooting in November that killed 23-year-old Cardinal Licorish in an apartment building in the West Hill neighbourhood. Of the 96 homicides, 51 were gun deaths. This number includes Reese Fallon, 18, and Julianna Kozis, 10, who were killed on a Sunday evening in late July in a mass shooting in the heart of the Greektown. Bianca Bharti is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @biancabharti WROCLAW, POLANDThe police came in the pre-dawn stillness of a freezing February morning in southwestern Poland, knocking at the door of a national hero who had once again become a wanted man. There was a time when Wladyslaw Frasyniuk would have run. As the daring and profane bad boy of Solidarity, Polands underground pro-democracy movement, he had lived as a fugitive from the smothering grip of the communist state security services, jumping from trains, fleeing along rooftops and speeding away on motorcycles. But that was long ago. Back before the authoritarian regime he was fighting came crashing down, unleashing a new era of freedom in 1989. Before a 2015 election yielded a government determined to use the liberties and powers of a modern democratic state to snuff out independent institutions. Before Frasyniuk came to realize that history doesnt travel in only one direction. Everything that my generation accomplished, said Frasyniuk, a revolutionary in his 20s who has become a dissident once more in his 60s, has made it easier and easier for this government to consolidate its control. Autocracy is making a comeback, seeping into parts of the world where it once appeared to have been vanquished. But it is a sleeker, subtler and, ultimately, more sophisticated version than its authoritarian forebears, twisting democratic structures and principles into tools of oppression and state control. It is also, quite possibly, far more potent and enduring than autocracies of old. After decades of steady expansion of rights and liberties, the pro-democracy watchdog Freedom House has recorded sharp reversals, with the share of nations dubbed free declining since 2007. Countries in every region of the world have suffered setbacks, in areas such as free and fair elections, the independence of the press, the rights of minorities and the rule of law. As Americans worry about the health of their own democracy, the lesson from abroad is that the decline can come bracingly fast. It has in Central and Eastern Europe, a region that, three decades ago, was at the vanguard of the last great act of the 20th century: the triumph of liberal democracy over dictatorship behind the Iron Curtain. Led by young activists like Frasyniuk, Poland and its neighbours ushered in the supposed end of history. Today, the region is on the front lines of historys march in reverse. The democratic society that Frasyniuk fought for is in retreat, while a new breed of autocrat advances. Its not autocracy. Its neo-autocracy, said Cristian Parvulescu, dean of the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration in Romania, a country that critics fear is trending away from the rule of law. Its not democracy. Its post-democracy. Some governments in the region, such as Hungarys, are deep down the road toward indefinite one-party rule. Leaders in other countries, such as the Czech Republic, only seem to aspire to that sort of absolute authority. But wherever signs of autocracy are emerging, this much is true: They bear little resemblance to the obviously repressive methods so familiar from school textbooks chronicling 20th-century despotism. There are no strutting soldiers in the streets or cults of personality around the great leader. Opponents and journalists speak openly and loudly, generally without fear of persecution. Instead of building walls to keep their own people in, governments construct tech-laden fences to keep supposed enemies out. Instead of economic isolation and scarcity, a gusher of foreign investment flows. And yet, ruling politicians and parties have managed to consolidate power to a degree not seen since the communist era. Supposedly independent institutions including courts and prosecutors offices have become instruments of political control. Newspapers and television stations are bought up by friendly business executives and dutifully preach the governments line. Elections still take place, but they are used as justification for the majority to impose its will rather than a chance for the minority to have its say. In every respect, it looks like Europe. But you dont actually have the freedoms that makes Europe what it is, said Michael Ignatieff, a Canadian human rights scholar and president of the Budapest-based Central European University (CEU). Its new political technology. His university has been a victim of that innovation. Deemed a political enemy because it was founded by liberal philanthropist George Soros, the highly regarded institution has been a top target of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. He has denounced CEU in speeches, and his government has passed legislation designed to make it difficult, if not impossible, for the American-accredited school to operate. But in keeping with the new style, Orban avoided shutting down the university outright and the storm of condemnation that would come with such a move. Instead, he left CEU dangling in limbo for nearly two years and gave himself a small measure of deniability when it opted to retreat into exile this month. The U.S. ambassador to Hungary, David Cornstein, used that ambiguity to blame Soros, not Orban, for the exit. Orban, considered the architect of the regions new autocratic model, has boasted of his desire to replace outmoded notions of liberal democracy with illiberal democracy. Others who stand accused of turning their countries away from basic freedoms deny the charge and insist that, in 21st-century Europe, it cant even be done. Theres a principle of irreversibility. Once you reach a certain standard of democracy and human rights, you cant go back, Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader said. He spoke in an interview in his office across the street from the Peoples House, a 1980s-era marble monument to dictatorial megalomania and now the seat of Romanias parliament. Toader this year forced the firing of a crusading anti-corruption prosecutor who was investigating top government officials. He has also helped push through legislation that independent authorities have said will severely limit the power of other prosecutors to hold the powerful to account. But autocracy? Hardly, he says. People have the freedom to choose where to travel, where to live, where to work. These are things that people didnt even dare to dream about under communism, said the former law professor who is now seen by critics as an arch-enemy of the rule of law. A Romanian can take a plane and go see the Statue of Liberty. You cant turn him backwards. That is what worries Frasyniuk. He served four years in a communist prison and endured frequent beatings from guards because he wanted his Polish countrymen to know the freedoms of democracy. But in the past three years, ever since the right-wing Law and Justice party won elections, he has watched the government use the liberties for which he fought to tighten its grip. The election victory became a pretext for the takeover of previously independent institutions. The countrys membership in the European Union was transformed into a shield against charges of oppression and a foil in Polands long-standing quest for sovereignty. Its integration into the global economy and the fast-paced growth that has come with it put money in peoples pockets, overriding more abstract concerns about the rule of law. Frasyniuk became a successful businessman after communisms fall. But Law and Justices rise brought him back to the streets. An anti-government protest in June of 2017 led to a brief scuffle with police and an investigation with which he refused to co-operate. That was enough to draw officers to his door in February though the tactics were less conspicuously brute-force than in the old days. Authorities used to treat people like me in a serious manner, Frasyniuk said, a note of wistful disgust in his voice, his mischievous blue eyes gleaming. They broke down doors and threw you to the ground. If the style was new, the outcome that cold day was familiar. Frasyniuk was handcuffed behind his back and led away, a throwback to a time when he had golden miles membership at his local police precinct. Im proof, he said, that you can get a complete historical cycle in one lifetime. Still fit but graying at age 64, he is again on the front lines of a freedom struggle. But this time, the blind courage of youth is gone. He knows the advantage lies with the autocrats. - - Just about every day this year, Malgorzata Gersdorf has put on a power suit and shown up at Polands Supreme Court, a modern glass building framed by faux-copper columns, etched with the scales of justice, in central Warsaw. Her fellow judges recognize her as the courts leader. She works in the chief justices chambers. But the government declared her retired in July. Its a difference of interpretation, Gersdorf said matter-of-factly this fall during an interview in her office, where a fine old grandfather clock ticks away. Mine is based on the constitution. The Polish word for it Konstytucja dangles from her necklace in cubed black and white letters, like a shield. But she doubts its ability to protect her. The right-wing, populist Law and Justice party has followed a determined path to remake the Polish courts, arguing that the last vestiges of the communist era need to be purged even though holdover judges have already gone through a rigorous screening process. Soon after winning the 2015 elections, the party effectively took over the Constitutional Tribunal, packing the court with friendly judges. Then it moved on to the National Council of the Judiciary, giving itself final say over a body that, as Polands arbiter of judicial independence, had been relatively free of political influence. Finally, it took aim at the Supreme Court. Constitutionally, Gersdorfs term as chief justice runs until 2020. But the government has tried to force her and dozens of Supreme Court colleagues into early retirement. It has sought to replace them and to fill dozens of newly created seats in a process that has been boycotted by nearly all of the nations judges and denounced by European authorities. Its all been completely different than what you teach your students about what law is, said Gersdorf, a professor before she became a judge. At first, we got so dizzy, we all got sick. Now, were used to it. Now we never say, Well, they cant do that, because, the fact is, they can do anything. To Law and Justice supporters and others in the region brandishing the will of the people as a weapon this is how democracy is supposed to work. To the victor go the spoils. And those include control not only of the courts but also the constitution, prosecutors offices, public media, intelligence services, the civil service and other supposedly independent constraints on executive power. Hungarys government has even cracked down on civil society organizations with the justification that NGOs helping refugees were never elected to anything. In this view, defenders of judges or bureaucrats or non-profits are blocking the majoritys desires and using seemingly principled stands to mask their grievance at having been bested at the polls. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose, said Malgorzata Zuk, a party activist and Warsaw lawmaker. Sadly, there are some people who will never accept the results. But to Gersdorf, it is a perversion of democracy a deliberate misinterpretation of the checks on political power and the ultimate authority of the constitution. Its a very dangerous direction, she said, one that ultimately leads to the destruction of the Polish justice system. The government didnt try to stop her from showing up to work, knowing, perhaps, that to do so would provoke a clash. But with once-vast protests dwindling and options for halting the governments takeover seemingly at their end, Gersdorf had all but accepted she would soon be ousted. Then, the unexpected: An October ruling by the European Court of Justice temporarily blocked the forced retirements. Local elections, meanwhile, dealt the ruling party a surprise setback. Late last month, the government retreated, introducing and passing legislation in a single day that will allow Gersdorf and her colleagues to keep their jobs. Gersdorfs fleeting hopes have been vindicated at least for now. In general, Polish society loves freedom, she said. It will rebel. - - When two lead dancers with the fabled Bolshoi Ballet company decided to defect during a U.S. tour in 1979, their escape from Soviet minders at a packed Los Angeles auditorium required daring, luck and precision-timed choreography. When Balazs Kadar, a 26-year-old dancer, decided this summer he had had enough of Hungarys repressive government, he visited an employment office and was told he could have a job in Germany by the following Monday. He cancelled his lease. He sold his car. He said a tearful goodbye to his mom and packed two suitcases. Then he and his girlfriend hailed a ride-share service and sped down the highway to a new life. Some friends said I shouldnt leave Hungary that I should stay here and fight if I want it to be different, said Kadar, who is tall with Justin Bieber-esque looks. But this is the easiest way. To leave everything and start again. The EUs free movement rules were intended to maximize flexibility in the labour market, giving workers the chance to move anywhere on the continent in search of a job. But they have also given autocrats like Orban a useful safety valve. Anyone dissatisfied with his government can pick up and go, with not even a passport check standing in the way of self-imposed exile. Since the prime minister came to power in 2010, hundreds of thousands of people have left the country in one of the biggest migrations of Hungarys recent history. And although many have been motivated by higher wages elsewhere on the continent, political factors have loomed large, as well. The problem is not only the wages, said Agnes Hars, senior researcher at Budapests Kopint-Tarki Institute for Economic Research. Its the whole environment that makes people depressed. Those who have left tend to be young, ambitious and educated. Thats not a problem for Orban, who pulls his support from the less educated, poorer and older segments of society. But it is a crisis for anyone trying to organize opposition to his rule. Theres no protest in Hungary, because people can emigrate instead, Hars said. Its not only individuals. This summer, the Soros-funded Open Society Foundations which, among other things, advocates for a free media and the protection of minorities packed up and moved to Berlin amid an onslaught of government harassment. Central European University is on its way to Vienna. Kadar decided to move after spring elections confirmed Orbans third straight landslide victory had given him a parliamentary supermajority. He didnt feel he could stay in a country where the government was so hostile toward gay rights, so disdainful of the arts or so stacked in favour of one man and his allies. Now, we know things will never change, said Kadar, a classical dancer by training who took a job stocking a warehouse in southwestern Germany. As freedom of movement siphons off would-be dissenters, EU subsidies line the pockets of favoured government cronies. And free trade across the bloc gives Hungary the sort of powerful allies that communist governments of old could never have dreamed of. When BMW was searching for a spot to build its first European factory in more than a decade, it chose Debrecen, a tidy city of 200,000 people on the eastern Hungarian plains. Amid corn and wheat fields, a billion-euro factory will rise, further transforming a once-rundown post-Communist backwater that has become a hub of German industrial might, with daily non-stop flights to Munich. Continental politicians periodically denounce Orban as a stain on European democracy. And Orban frequently rails against EU meddling. But between Europes corporate giants and Orban, theres a low-cost love affair. Business expectations are at record levels, gushed German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce spokesman Dirk Wolfer. Under Orban, he said, the investment climate has been constantly improving with a corporate tax rate thats unbeatable. He scoffed at concerns over human rights or the rule of law, and described attempts by the EU to hold Hungary to account as an irritation for the business community. At a certain point, the companies can tell the politicians, calm down, said Laszlo Posan, a member of Orbans party who represents Debrecen in the Hungarian parliament. Companies feel good in Hungary. They dont let politicians distract from reality. - - Vladimir Ciobotaru and his wife welcomed a baby boy to the world this week. They had the Romanian government to thank. Ciobotaru is a surgeon, which, until recently, meant a salary that came nowhere near the minimum wage in any Western European nation. Even by Romanian standards, it was paltry, the equivalent of less than $600 per month. He and his wife shared a cramped, single-room apartment, and the idea of starting a family seemed impossible. Then the government doubled Ciobotarus pay. The couple moved to an airy new apartment. Theyre thinking of buying a car. Im so happy, said the 32-year-old. This gave me the security to have a child. The pay hike for doctors the vast majority of whom are public sector workers has also given a measure of security to Romanias government. Romania is decried by watchdogs as one of the most corrupt countries in Europe and denounced by EU leaders as an autocracy-in-training. But its economy is gaining strength Romania saw 6.9 per cent gross domestic product growth last year and the government in Bucharest has managed to maintain its popularity in part by spreading a bit of the new-found wealth. Poland and Hungary have also enjoyed rapid growth, low unemployment and even though pay is still well below continental averages rising wages. Their treasuries flush, Hungary has mailed cash vouchers to retirees and introduced grants for homeowners; Poland has begun paying people to have more children. Political scientists have long theorized that growth and prosperity help sustain democracies, with the presence of a robust middle class guarding against a slide into authoritarianism. But these European governments are proving that democracys economic dividends can also be used as a tool to cement power. The money helps leaders keep their populations happy. It also gives them cash to burn on vanity projects, influence operations and, of course, patronage networks populated by favoured cronies. In Romania, the leader of the ruling Social Democrats a wealthy businessman-turned-politician named Liviu Dragnea has been twice convicted on corruption and vote-rigging charges. It was amid subsequent accusations of even greater graft that his government ousted the nations top fraud prosecutor and pushed legislation that experts say will keep other investigators off the trail. Muzzling of corruption watchdogs has been a trademark of growing executive authority elsewhere in the region. Theres a contagion effect, said Elena Calistru, who leads the Romanian civic advocacy group Funky Citizens. Our guys have seen that its worked for Poland, and its worked for Hungary. Now, theyre trying to do the same. And many Romanians dont seem too bothered. Romania is still the EUs second poorest country, with large segments of the population scratching out a meagre living in the agrarian countryside. But in Bucharest a capital city that was levelled and rebuilt in dreary dictator style under the communists theres now a bit of bling: posh dance clubs, and shopping malls with enough glitz to rival any in the West. Meanwhile, the worlds largest Orthodox cathedral is rising near the citys centre, with plans to top it with Europes biggest bell. In a devout nation, the mostly government-funded project has earned the ruling party credibility. Ciobotaru, for one, is a diehard party supporter, even if few in his social circle share his views. The surgeon and his wife recently had friends over for dinner at their new apartment. Then politics came up, with Ciobotaru arguing that overzealous prosecutors not ruling party politicians are the true threat to Romanian democracy. Their guests left before the main course. - - Prime Minister Andrej Babis was facing a revolt. He had vowed that the Czech Republic would never accept a single refugee, but in September parliamentarians were barraging him with demands to make an exception: Couldnt the country take 50 Syrian orphans? Then came a stirring piece in Lidove Noviny the countrys oldest and long its most distinguished newspaper that seemed to bail him out. Written by a Czech doctor with long experience on wars front lines, it argued that the orphans would be better off left exactly where they were. The only trouble: The doctor and her supposed humanitarian aid organization appear not to exist. And the piece had come to the paper straight from the office of Andrej Babis, who in addition to being prime minister also happens to be Lidove Novinys owner. It became completely clear that Babis feeds the paper stories that are in his interest, said Petra Prochazkova, who covered wars in Chechnya, Afghanistan and beyond for Lidove Noviny during a 26-year career and who uncovered the deception around the supposed doctor. The newspaper is complicit. In the days of Soviet client-states, the media were state-run and the Communist Partys control was total. Today, its the power of capitalism that gives politicians outsize influence over the press. Across Central Europe, newspapers and television stations have been bought up by oligarchs allied with ruling party politicians. In some cases, the oligarch and the politician are one and the same. Babis, the Czech Republics second-richest man, purchased Lidove Noviny in 2013, just as he was launching a second career in politics. The paper had been the favourite of Vaclav Havel the playwright, dissident and, ultimately, president as well as others among the Czech intelligentsia. Babiss purchase, which also included a mass-market daily, a television station and a radio station, instantly made him one of the nations biggest media barons. Before becoming prime minister last year, he was forced to put all his companies in a trust. He has denied exerting influence over any editorial content, and the papers editors insist that Babis doesnt meddle. But they also argue that reporters are deluding themselves if they think the media are different from any other business in which the owner has an interest. If journalists are just realizing the newspaper is owned by [Babiss company] Agrofert, five years after it was bought by Agrofert, theyre being naive and stupid, said Jaroslav Plesl, editor of another paper in the Babis empire, the mass-market Mlada Fronta Dnes. Prochazkova said her paper had gradually begun to echo Babiss nationalist and anti-refugee views. But it wasnt until the scandal over the story on Syrian orphans that she admitted it to herself. I was given freedom to write what I wanted, so I turned a blind eye to what was happening, said Prochazkova, who has since resigned. Jaroslav Kmenta, a former investigative reporter for Mlada Fronta Dnes, didnt wait. He quit the paper on the day it was sold to Babis. He and the papers former editor now work at a small start-up magazine that produces hard-hitting investigations including ones focused on the prime minister. In recent months, Kmenta said, he has been repeatedly called in for questioning by security services. They demand to know his sources and threaten him when he refuses. That, he said, is new in the Czech Republic. Theres now constant pressure on us pressure for every story we write, he said. For now, the Czech media are widely seen as freer than those of other countries in the region. Meanwhile, Babis is considerably weaker than his counterparts in Hungary or Poland, and is engulfed in a corruption scandal that threatens his hold on the government. But with all the models around him for consolidating control, Kmenta is not optimistic. Babis is a smart man, and the path to ever-greater power has become well-travelled. Just wait a few years, Kmenta said. This is only the beginning. Larry Eisenberg, whom we well know, Has died (and his age is below). He opined on the news With limericks, whose Delightfulness leavens our woe. Eisenberg, who died Christmas Day at 99, was for more than a decade one of the most prolific contributors of reader comments on nytimes.com and, by extension, on the internet as a whole. But what distinguished him even more than his prodigious output (more than 13,000 comments since 2008) was the form those comments took: verse mostly limericks perfectly rhymed, (usually) metrically impeccable and always germane to whatever recent news item had caught his eye. His daughter, Beth Eisenberg, announced the death. She said the cause was complications of acute myeloid leukemia. Eisenbergs verse made him a cult figure in the lively, atomized, fiercely opinionated parallel universe of The New York Times online commenters. As Andrew Rosenthal, then the editorial page editor of The Times, wrote in 2012, Eisenberg was the closest thing this paper has to a poet in residence. By day, Eisenberg was a biomedical electrical engineer who had been a longtime faculty member of Rockefeller University in Manhattan. By night, he was a writer whose stories appeared in magazines like Galaxy Science Fiction and Asimovs Science Fiction. At every hour, he was a limner of limericks, a form that first seized hold of him at midcentury and refused to relinquish its anapestic grip until the end of his life. Eisenberg was the author, with George Gordon, of two collections, both published in 1965: Limericks for the Loo and Limericks for Lantzmen, a volume of Jewish-inflected verse. But it was for his rhyming contributions to nytimes.com, that he was best known in recent years. His first, from July 14, 2008, was in response to an Op-Ed article by Barack Obama, then a U.S. senator from Illinois and the presumptive Democratic nominee for the presidency. In the article, which outlined his proposal for the Iraq campaign, Obama called for the gradual withdrawal of U.S. combat troops there, a plan that would leave only a residual force to perform limited missions. Eisenberg, a self-described ardent liberal, was having none of this. As he wrote in reply: A residual force, Mr. O.? With limited missions, ah, so, Precipitous? Nay! Its a sure way to stay. Your plan sounds like in statu quo! And after the 2016 election there was copious versification of President Donald Trump: A mauler, a grabber, abuser, A do whatever you chooser Non-thinker, non-reader, A spoiled-children breeder An every trick-in-the-book user. The son of Sidney Eisenberg, a furniture salesman, and Yetta Yellen Eisenberg, a homemaker, Lawrence Eisenberg was born in the Bronx on Dec. 21, 1919. After graduating from James Monroe High School in the Bronx, he earned a bachelors degree in mathematics from the City College of New York, followed by a bachelor of electrical engineering degree there. He went to on earn a masters and a PhD in electrical engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn. During the Second World War he was a radar operator with the Army Air Forces. Eisenberg joined Rockefeller University in 1958 and later became a director of its electronics laboratory. Early in his tenure at Rockefeller, he helped develop a transistorized, battery-operated cardiac pacemaker, which was considered a vast improvement over the wire-laden earlier models. He taught at the university until 2000. As a science-fiction writer, Eisenberg was best known for his short story What Happened to Auguste Clarot? The comic tale of a disappearing Parisian scientist, it was published in Dangerous Visions (1967), the noted anthology edited by Harlan Ellison. He was also known for his stories featuring Prof. Emmett Duckworth, an amiably hapless Nobel Prize-winning scientist. (Duckworths inventions include an intensely addictive aphrodisiac containing 150,000 calories per ounce.) Eisenbergs wife, Frances Brenner, a political scientist and social worker, died in 2017. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by a sister, Sondra Baskin; a son, Michael Eisenberg; and a grandson. A longtime resident of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Eisenberg at his death resided in Somerville, Mass. He died at a hospice facility in Lincoln. In a 2011 feature, Eisenberg was asked by The 6th Floor, a Times Magazine blog, to supply a brief biographical summary for readers. He replied a mere 20 minutes later in the form he knew best: A nonagenarian, I, A sometime writer of sci-fi, Biomed engineer, Genrally of good cheer, With limricks in ready supply. KHUZAA, GAZA STRIPA young medic in a head scarf runs into danger, her only protection a white lab coat. Through a haze of tear gas and black smoke, she tries to reach a man sprawled on the ground along the Gaza border. Israeli soldiers, their weapons levelled, watch warily from the other side. Minutes later, a rifle shot rips through the din, and the Israeli-Palestinian drama has its newest tragic figure. For a few days in June, the world took notice of the death of 20-year-old Rouzan al-Najjar, killed while treating the wounded at protests against Israels blockade of the Gaza Strip. Even as she was buried, she became a symbol of the conflict, with both sides staking out competing and mutually exclusive narratives. To the Palestinians, she was an innocent martyr killed in cold blood, an example of Israels disregard for Palestinian life. To the Israelis, she was part of a violent protest aimed at destroying their country, to which lethal force is a legitimate response as a last resort. Palestinian witnesses embellished their initial accounts, saying she was shot while raising her hands in the air. The Israeli military tweeted a tendentiously edited video that made it sound like she was offering herself as a human shield for terrorists. In each version, Najjar was little more than a cardboard cutout. An investigation by The New York Times found that Najjar, and what happened on the evening of June 1, were far more complicated than either narrative allowed. Charismatic and committed, she defied the expectations of both sides. Her death was a poignant illustration of the cost of Israels use of battlefield weapons to control the protests, a policy that has taken the lives of nearly 200 Palestinians. It also shows how each side is locked into an unending and insolvable cycle of violence. The Palestinians trying to tear down the fence are risking their lives to make a point, knowing the protests amount to little more than a public relations stunt for Hamas, the militant movement that rules Gaza. And Israel, the far stronger party, continues to focus on containment rather than finding a solution. In life, Najjar was a natural leader whose uncommon bravery struck some peers as foolhardy. She was a capable young medic, but one who was largely self-taught and lied about her lack of education. She was a feminist, by Gaza standards, shattering traditional gender rules, but also a daughter who doted on her father. She inspired others with her outward jauntiness, while privately she was consumed with dread in her final days. The bullet that killed her, The Times found, was fired by an Israeli sniper into a crowd that included white-coated medics in plain view. A detailed reconstruction, stitched together from hundreds of crowdsourced videos and photographs, shows that neither the medics nor anyone around them posed any apparent threat of violence to Israeli personnel. Though Israel later admitted her killing was unintentional, the shooting appears to have been reckless at best, and possibly a war crime, for which no one has yet been punished. 3:45 a.m., Friday, June 1: The last day of her life begins well before sunrise. Najjar fries sambousek, small meat pies, to share with her father for the predawn meal before the Ramadan fast. They pray together before going back to sleep. When he awakens that afternoon, she is gone. Today, the medics are hoping for a low-key Friday. But around 5 p.m., the protest gains energy. A crowd surges toward the fence and the Israelis unleash a suffocating barrage of tear gas. There has been no gunfire yet. It is still possible to kid around. Lets go get martyred together, Najjar teases Mahmoud Abdelaty, a fellow medic. Go on and get hit so I can take care of you. 5:30 p.m.: Tear gas is everywhere. The Israelis have not yet fired live ammunition, but the acrid fumes are overwhelming. Like a dense fog, says Fares al-Qedra, another medic. 6:13 p.m.: A new friction point has opened up: A few dozen protesters have drifted about 200 yards north along the fence, past the point where a bunker on the Israeli side had loosely marked the protests northern boundary. Some of the protesters begin tearing at the barbed-wire coils about 40 yards in front of the fence. Israeli soldiers quickly drive up and take defensive positions on the other side. Theyve shot people for less. For now, they fire only a warning shot and more tear gas. 6:17 p.m.: Opposite the Israeli bunker, Najjar rushes toward the fence to help a teenager, as Israeli soldiers look on. Someone behind her throws a rock at them, using her as cover. Two protesters are trapped near the barbed wire, lying on the ground. She and several other medics among them her friends Rasha Qudeih and Rami Abo Jazar make their way forward again to try to help. They raise their hands to show the Israelis they mean no harm. Two shots ring out overhead. Najjar waves at the soldiers, who are only about 50 yards away, not to shoot. But as she edges closer, another shot, much closer, kicks up the sand. The medics turn and run, as a fresh barrage of tear gas descends on them. Najjar is the slowest to retreat. 6:20 p.m.: To the north, past the bunker, at least two protesters throw homemade firebombs at the Israelis. No damage is done, but its a significant escalation from slinging rocks. Najjar is recovering from the tear gas she inhaled. Nearby, protesters start cutting away a new section of barbed wire. Suddenly, theres a rifle shot. A young man in the group to the north is hit in the leg. That is where Israeli forces are instructed to aim, a tactic, Israeli officials say, intended to minimize fatalities. But they fire a heavy battlefield round, one meant for targets hundreds of yards away. At 100 yards, ballistics experts say, a missed shot could bounce like a skimming stone. If I missed, and it will hit a rock, I dont know where the bullet will go, a senior Israeli commander says. 6:29 p.m.: Najjar is back on her feet beside her colleague, Abu Moustafa, her closest friend among the medics. Protesters tugging at the barbed wire scramble by them toward the south, hoisting their long rope over the womens heads. Abu Moustafa is concerned. The Israelis often shoot at the rope pullers, she says. She urges Najjar to leave. 6:31 p.m.: Sunset is coming and with it, the end of the fast. Things seem to be quieting down at the fence. An Israeli soldier looking across at where Najjar stands now might see a man waving a Palestinian flag aloft, a few straggling protesters ambling around, and a cluster of medics helping a protester on the ground recover from tear gas. No one in the area is doing anything menacing. The tear gas is doing what it is meant to: making the use of lethal force unnecessary. Suddenly, there is another gunshot. Mohammed Shafee, a medic, sees things fly into my body. Hes sprayed in the chest by small bullet fragments. Abo Jazar perceives an explosion on the ground, then screams in pain. Hes grazed in the thigh. Behind them, Najjar reaches for her back, then crumples. As Abu Moustafa looks on in shock, Najjar is picked up by protesters she had treated just a few minutes ago. As they carry her off, blood pours from her chest. Three medics down, all from one bullet. It seemed improbable. But The Times reconstruction confirmed it: The bullet hit the ground in front of the medics, then fragmented, part of it ricocheting upward and piercing Najjars chest. It was fired from a sand berm used by Israeli snipers at least 120 yards from where the medics fell. The Israeli militarys rules of engagement are classified. But a spokesman, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, said snipers may shoot only at people posing a violent threat, like cutting the fence, throwing grenades. To deliberately shoot a medic, or any civilian, is a war crime. Israel quickly conceded that Najjars killing was unintended. She was not the target, Conricus said. None of the medical personnel are ever a target. But no Israeli soldiers reported accidental shootings. After-action reports said snipers aimed at four men that day and hit them all, the army said. The Times found the first, third and fourth of those protesters, each shot in the leg exactly when and how the army said they were. But The Times could not corroborate the armys description of the second person it said was shot, which matched the time Najjar was killed. The army said it was a man in a yellow shirt who was throwing stones and pulling at the fence. But the only man in a yellow shirt anywhere near the line of fire was not doing that or much of anything else, The Times found. He stood about 120 yards from the fence and posed no threat. Even if the man was a legitimate target, there remains the question of the medics standing behind him. Former Israeli and American snipers said it would be reckless to shoot if anyone who was not a legitimate target could be put at risk. Reckless killing can also be a war crime. A senior Israeli commander told The Times in August that 60 to 70 other Gaza protesters had been killed unintentionally, around half the total killed at that point. Yet, the Israeli armys rules of engagement remain unchanged, the military says. That alone may constitute a separate violation of international humanitarian law, experts say: After enough civilians have died, commanders have a duty to make changes to ensure that they arent needlessly targeted. On Oct. 29, nearly five months after she was killed, Israels military advocate general began a criminal investigation of Najjars death. But the senior commander told The Times in August that no recordings of the shooting from the Israeli side existed. He had no idea exactly when Najjar had been shot. He learned that from The Times. Israel seems content to say that protecting its border is a messy business. Unfortunately, yes, said Conricus, in a situation like that, accidents happen, and unintended results happen. 6:37 p.m.: An ambulance races Najjar to a triage tent, where she is deposited in the red zone for trauma cases. Najjar takes her last breath even before she is rushed to a nearby hospital, where she is pronounced dead at 7:10 p.m. Najjar has joined the ranks of those lionized as Gazas martyrs. Her smiling portrait will beam from walls and billboards across the territory. She has become a symbol, perhaps not of what either side had hoped, but of a hopeless, endless conflict and the lives it wastes. Read more about: HOUSTONA man in a pickup truck pulled up next to a car that was leaving a Houston-area Walmart parking lot and started shooting, killing a 7-year-old girl inside the car and wounding the girls mother, authorities said Sunday. Three other girls were in the car, but it wasnt immediately clear if they also are related to the woman, who authorities say was shot in the arm. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in posts on Twitter and Facebook that the girl who died was 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes. He said her mother, 30-year-old LaPorsha Washington, was wounded but survived her injury. It wasnt immediately clear what prompted the Sunday morning shooting. An arrest hadnt been made as of Sunday night. The red pickup fled the scene after the shooting. The car also sped away before it came to a stop and the woman called 911, authorities said. Sheriffs Maj. Jesse Razo said the other girls who were inside the car when the shooting happened were shaken and devastated. Were going to use all resources available to bring this killer to justice, Razo told reporters at the scene. And I urge you, whoever did this, you know who you are, please turn yourself in now because we will be looking for you, we will locate you, we will find you. Read more about: YALAMBOJOCH, GUATEMALAWhite flowers and flickering candles sat atop a low table inside the simple wooden home in remote, rural Guatemala. Nearby was a small pair of rubber boots, sized to fit an 8-year-old. Taped to the wall were three photos, alternately smiling and serious, bearing a simple epitaph for the boy whose memory the makeshift altar honoured: Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Died Dec. 24 2018 in New Mexico, United States. On Christmas Eve, Felipe became the second Guatemalan child this month to die while in U.S. custody near the Mexican border. The deaths prompted widespread criticism of President Donald Trump, who has sought to deflect responsibility toward Democrats even as his Homeland Security secretary vowed additional health screenings for detained migrant children. In the boys village of Yalambojoch, in western Guatemala, the political fallout in the United States seemed a world away and there was only deep sadness over his death. Relatives said they had no idea that such a tragedy could occur. Nor had they heard about U.S. policies that led to thousands of migrant children being separated from their parents earlier this year. We dont have a television. We dont have a radio, Catarina Gomez, Felipes sister, said Saturday. We didnt know what had happened before. The hamlet, set on a plain and surrounded by spectacular, pine-covered mountains, is a place of crushing poverty and lack of opportunity, home to a single small school, dirt roads that become impassible during the rainy season and rudimentary homes without insulation, proper flooring, water or electricity. The community is populated by families who fled to Mexico during the bloodiest years of Guatemalas 1960-1996 civil war but returned after the signing of peace accords. There are no jobs, and people live off meagre subsistence farming and local commerce. Residents say the Guatemalan government has turned a blind eye to their plight, a complaint that can be heard in other impoverished villages in the country. Felipes sister, Catarina, said that in recent years everyone started heading for the United States, so much so that a local project to boost education financed with Swedish help was abandoned because there were practically no more young people to take the classes. It was extreme poverty and lack of opportunity that drove Felipes father, Agustin Gomez, to decide that he and the boy would set off for the United States. Others from the community had been able to cross the U.S. border with children, and he figured they would have the same luck. Felipe was chosen because he was the oldest son. It didnt occur to anyone that the journey could be dangerous. Read More: Trump blames Democrats for migrant child deaths at U.S. border Deaths of two children raise doubts about U.S. border agency Body of girl who died at U.S. border returns to Guatemala I didnt think of that, because several families had already left and they made it, the boys mother, Catarina Alonzo said, speaking in the Indigenous Chuj language as her stepdaughter translated into Spanish. Felipe was healthy when they left, according to the family. The last time he spoke with his mother was a day before they were taken into detention by border agents. Felipe told her he was well, that he had eaten chicken, that the next time they talked would be by phone from the United States. Instead, the call that came Christmas Day was from her husband, who said Felipe had died the day before. The two had been apprehended a week earlier, on Dec. 18, near the Paso del Norte bridge connecting El Paso, Texas, to Juarez, Mexico, according to border officials. Father and son were held at the bridges processing centre and then the Border Patrol station in El Paso before being transferred on Dec. 23 to a facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 90 miles (145 kilometres) away. After an agent noticed Felipe coughing, father and son were taken to an Alamogordo hospital, where Felipe was found to have a 103-degree fever (39.4 degrees Celsius), officials have said. Felipe was held for observation for 90 minutes, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, before being released with prescriptions for amoxicillin and ibuprofen. But the boy fell sick hours later and was admitted to the hospital on Christmas Eve. 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 other Guatemalan child, 7-year-old Jakelin Caal, died Dec. 8 in El Paso. She showed signs of sepsis, a potentially fatal condition brought on by infection, according to officials. On Saturday, Trump claimed that Felipe and Jakelin were very sick before they reached the border, though both young migrants passed initial health screenings by Border Patrol. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said last week that prior to this month, no child had died in the agencys custody in more than a decade. On Sunday he called for a multi-faceted solution on immigration, including not only better border security and new immigration laws but more aid to the Central American countries the migrants are fleeing from. Referring to the U.S. pledge earlier this month of $5.8 billion in development aid for Central America, McAleenan called it a tremendous step forward. 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, he said on ABCs This Week. Outside the Gomez family home in Yalambojoch, women gathered wearing lavender skirts in the intricate patterns typical of Indigenous garb in Guatemala. Colourful tapestries hung on a clothesline above the muddy yard. Taped to the door were a pair of Felipes artworks. One was a rendering of a blue balloon with a green string; in the other, a white horse jumped over a fence against a yellow sun and tangerine sky. Among the villagers grieving Felipes death was his 7-year-old best friend, Kevin. Two days before Felipe and his dad left, the two boys quarrelled. They were crying because they had fought, said Felipes sister, Catarina. By the time Kevin came back to look for his friend, he had left for the United States. Kevin now knows that Felipe has died, the family said. Trying to fight back tears, Catarina Alonzo said her son promised before leaving that when he was grown, he would work to send money home. Felipe also wanted to buy her a cellphone so she could see pictures of him from afar. Now she hopes for only two things: That Felipes body is returned as soon as possible for burial, and that her husband can remain in the United States to work off debt and support their other kids. The Guatemalan Consulate in Phoenix has said that Agustin Gomez was released on a humanitarian license allowing him to remain in the United States for now. Felipes body is expected to be sent back to Guatemala around mid-January. TAIZ, YEMENDay after day Nabil al-Hakimi, a humanitarian official in Taiz, one of Yemens largest cities, went to work feeling he had a mountain on his shoulders. Billions of dollars in food and other foreign aid was coming into his war-ravaged homeland, but millions of Yemenis were still living a step away from famine. Reports of organizational disarray and out-and-out thievery streamed in to him this spring and summer from around Taiz 5,000 sacks of rice doled out without record of where theyd gone . . . 705 food baskets looted from a welfare agencys warehouses . . . 110 sacks of grain pillaged from trucks trying to make their way through the craggy northern highlands overlooking the city. Food donations, it was clear, were being snatched from the starving. Documents reviewed by the Associated Press and interviews with al-Hakimi and other officials and aid workers show that thousands of families in Taiz are not getting international food aid intended for them often because it has been seized by armed units that are allied with the Saudi-led, American-backed military coalition fighting in Yemen. The army that should protect the aid is looting the aid, al-Hakimi told the AP. Across Yemen, factions and militias on all sides of the conflict have blocked food aid from going to groups suspected of disloyalty, diverted it to front-line combat units or sold it for profit on the black market, according to public records and confidential documents obtained by the AP and interviews with more than 70 aid workers, government officials and average citizens from six different provinces. The problem of lost and stolen aid is common in Taiz and other areas controlled by Yemens internationally recognized government, which is supported by the Saudi-led military coalition. It is even more widespread in territories controlled by the Houthi rebels, the struggling governments main enemy during the nearly four years of warfare that has spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Some observers have attributed the near-famine conditions in much of the country to the coalitions blockade of ports that supply Houthi-controlled areas. APs investigation found that large amounts of food are making it into the country, but once there, the food often isnt getting to people who need it most raising questions about the ability of United Nations agencies and other big aid organizations to operate effectively in Yemen. The U.N.s World Food Program has 5,000 distribution sites across the country targeting 10 million people a month with food baskets but says it can monitor just 20 per cent of the deliveries. This year the U.N., the United States, Saudi Arabia and others have poured more than $4 billion in food, shelter, medical and other aid into Yemen. That figure has been growing and is expected to keep climbing in 2019. Despite the surge in help, hunger and, in some pockets of the country, famine-level starvation have continued to grow. An analysis this month by a coalition of global relief groups found that even with the food aid that is coming in, more than half of the population is not getting enough to eat 15.9 million of Yemens 29 million people. They include 10.8 million who are in an emergency phase of food insecurity, roughly 5 million who are in a deeper crisis phase and 63,500 who are facing catastrophe, a synonym for famine. Counting the number of people who have starved to death in Yemen is difficult, because of the challenges of getting into areas shaken by violence and because starving people often officially die from diseases that prey on their weakened conditions. The non-profit group Save the Children estimates that 85,000 children under the age of 5 have died from starvation or disease since the start of the war. In some parts of the country, fighting, roadblocks and bureaucratic obstacles have reduced the amount of aid getting in. In other areas, aid gets in but still doesnt get to the hungriest families. In the northern province of Saada, a Houthi stronghold, international aid groups estimate that 445,000 people need food assistance. Some months the U.N. has sent enough food to feed twice that many people. Yet the latest figures from the U.N. and other relief organizations show that 65 per cent of residents are facing severe food shortages, including at least 7,000 people who are in pockets of outright famine. Three officials with the coalition-backed government told the AP that they would provide replies to questions about the theft of food aid, but then didnt provide answers. Officials at the agency that oversees aid work in Houthi territory the National Authority for the Management and Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs did not return repeated phone calls from the AP. U.N. officials have generally been cautious in public statements about the Houthis, based in part on worries that the rebels might respond by blocking U.N. agencies from access to starving people. But in interviews with the AP, two top U.N. relief officials used strong language in reference to both the Houthis and their battlefield adversaries. Geert Cappelaere, Middle East director for UNICEF, the U.N.s emergency fund for children, said authorities on all sides of the conflict are impeding aid groups and increasing the risk that the country will descend into widespread famine. This has nothing to do with nature, Cappelaere told the AP. There is no drought here in Yemen. All of this is man-made. All of this has to do with poor political leadership which doesnt put the peoples interest at the core of their actions. David Beasley, executive director of the U.N.s food program, said certain elements of the Houthis are denying the agency access to some parts of rebel territory and appear to be diverting food aid. Its a disgrace, criminal, its wrong, and it needs to end, Beasley said in an interview Sunday with the AP. Innocent people are suffering. The rebels and the coalition forces have begun peace talks in recent weeks, a process that has led to a reduction in fighting and eased the challenges of getting food aid into and out of Hodeida, the port city that is a gateway to the Houthi-controlled north. But even if donors are able to get more food in, the problem of what happens to food aid once it makes landfall remains. THE POOR GET NOTHING The war in Yemen began in March 2015, after Houthi rebels swept out of the mountains and occupied northern Yemen, forcing the government of Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi into exile. After the rebels began pushing farther south, Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf States formed a coalition to take on the Houthis, describing their involvement as an effort to stop Iran, which has ties to the Houthis, from gaining sway over Yemen. The coalition launched a rolling campaign of airstrikes and imposed an air, land and sea embargo on the rebel-held north. The Houthis, in turn, have blocked a key access route to Taiz, making it difficult for aid groups to get food and other supplies into the city. The Houthis, a Zaidi-Shiite religious movement turned rebel militia, control an expanse of northern and western Yemen that is home to more than 70 per cent of the countrys population. In these areas, officials and relief workers say, Houthi rebels have moved aggressively to control the flow of food aid, putting pressure on international relief workers with threats of arrest or exile and setting up checkpoints that demand payments of customs taxes as trucks carrying aid try to move across rebel territory. Since the Houthis came to power, looting has been on a large scale, said Abdullah al-Hamidi, who served as acting education minister in the Houthi-run government in the north before defecting to the coalition side earlier this year. This is why the poor get nothing. What really arrives to people is very little. Each month in the rebel-governed city of Sanaa, he said, at least 15,000 food baskets that the education ministry was supposed to provide to hungry families were instead diverted to the black market or used to feed Houthi militiamen serving on the front lines. Half of the food baskets that the U.N. food program provides to Houthi-controlled areas are stored and distributed by the ministry, which is chaired by the brother of the rebels top leader. Moain al-Nagri, a managing editor at the Houthi-controlled daily newspaper, al-Thawra, told the AP that the paper learned last week that hundreds of its staffers had been falsely listed for more than a year as receiving food baskets from the education ministry. Its not clear where those food baskets went, he said, but its clear that few of his employees received them. Three other people with knowledge of relief programs in Houthi territory confirmed that they had knowledge of food baskets being improperly diverted from the education ministry. The three individuals and many others interviewed for this story spoke on condition of anonymity, because of the risks that the rebels might block aid programs or deny visas. A senior U.N. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the issue, told the AP that enough aid is coming into the country to meet the demands of the hunger crisis, but much of it stolen. If there is no corruption, he said, there is no famine. BLACK MARKETS Throughout Yemen, food that is supposed to be given for free to starving families ends up for sale in markets. The Houthis ministry of industry has documented hundreds of sacks of World Food Program flour being sold commercially after being repackaged by merchants, according to Abdu Bishr, who previously served as head of the ministry. Bishr, now a member of rebel-controlled parliament, says both sides in the war are to blame for failing to prevent the diversion of food aid. Video shot in 2017 and obtained by the AP shows busy markets in the cities of Taiz and Aden not bothering to repackage pilfered food aid selling cooking oil and flour displaying the U.N. food programs WFP logo. AP journalists reporting in Yemen this spring and summer spotted other examples of food with the logos of the WFP and other global relief groups being sold in markets in both Houthi and coalition areas. We have found entire stores packed with U.N. aid, said Fadl Moqbl, head of an independent advocacy group, the Yemeni Association for Consumers Protection. Because the war has wrecked the countrys economy, many Yemenis dont have jobs or enough money to buy food in stores. Al-Hakimi, who worked for much of this year as the executive manager of the coalition-backed governments local relief committee in Taiz, said Yemenis will need more than short-term handouts. They need help to rebuild the countrys economy and create jobs that will allow families to buy their own food. When officials in Taiz asked al-Hakimi to take over as the relief committees manager, he hoped he could help turn around the hunger crisis that has been building in the city since the war began. He soon discovered the scale of challenges facing him. Political power in Taiz is divided among militias that have been folded into Yemens national armed forces but continue to compete with each other to maintain their grips on the sectors of the city they control. Here the only means to achieve anyones goals is through weapons, he said. Who gets on the beneficiaries lists? Those who have weapons. The poor, the most miserable, and the weak cant get their names on the lists of beneficiaries, so the aid goes to the powerful. LIONS SHARE Coalition bombing campaigns and guerrilla fighting on the ground have demolished homes, factories, water works and power plants and killed more than 60,000 combatants and civilians. More than 3 million people have been displaced, increasing the demand for food and other help from outside the country. In a 2017 survey funded by the European Union, two-thirds of displaced Yemenis who responded said they hadnt received any humanitarian aid, even though people forced from their homes are supposed to be key targets of U.N. relief efforts. In displacement camps in the Houthi-controlled northern district of Aslam, barefoot children and mothers whose bodies have been reduced to skin and bone live in tents and huts made of sticks and sackcloth. The camps are not far from villages where the AP reported in September that families were trying to stave off famine by eating boiled tree leaves. The U.N. and other global aid organizations estimate that 1.5 million Yemeni children are malnourished, including 400,000 to 500,000 who suffer life-threatening severe acute malnutrition. One-year-old Nasser Hafez, who lived with his family in a camp called al-Motayhara, died Dec.12 from malnutrition and other complications at a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders. He was in a coma for five days before his tiny body gave up. His father and 16 members of his family have moved at least six times since the start of the war. Before, the father said, he had been a tailor, earning enough to feed his family meat, chicken and vegetables. He said he hasnt received a single food basket from the U.N.s World Food Program. They register us every month, maybe up to five times, but we never get food, he said. He said the family has gotten cash transfers every few months equal to $50 from the relief group Oxfam. It costs almost half that amount, he said, to buy 50 kilograms of World Food Program wheat from a market, which lasts his family only a week or two. The Houthi rebels maintain tight control on how much food goes to which districts and who gets it. They manipulate the official lists of beneficiaries by giving preferential treatment to Houthi supporters and families of slain and wounded soldiers, according to relief workers and officials. Some areas in Yemen take the lions share and other areas receive a trickle, said Bishr, the member of the Houthi-controlled parliament. Five relief workers told the AP that they believe the U.N. and other international groups have been forced to sacrifice their independence in order to maintain access as they try to deliver aid to as many people as possible. The Houthis threaten decision-makers and international employees through permits and visa renewals, a senior aid official told the AP. Those who dont comply will have their visas rejected. He said that he discovered his employees were tipping off the Houthis about the contents of his conversations and emails. When he complained about the spying, he said, the rebels pulled his visa and forced him to leave the country. Beasley, the top official at the U.N. food program, said he believes some of the rebels in key positions do care about the welfare of struggling families and have worked well with his agency, but there are others who dont care about the people. Anytime you are in a war zone, its a difficult situation and obviously when it comes to the United Nations we are neutral, he said. But when it comes to making sure that food aid gets to the people who need it, we cant be neutral. We need to speak out in strongest voice, condemn it in every way. STRUGGLE IN TAIZ Even before al-Hakimi took over as manager of Taizs relief committee, officials and activists complained about intrigues and outrages relating to donated food. In September 2017, the relief committee sent a warning to the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, a charity run by the Saudi government and one of the key donors in Yemen. The letter said many of the 871,000 food baskets that the King Salman Center claims it has provided to Taiz and surrounding areas had been lost and unaccounted for. It said local groups that were supposed distribute the food were refusing to answer questions from the committee, apparently because they wanted to make sure the truth never comes out about where the food goes. In the spring of 2018, the government in Taiz turned to al-Hakimi, who holds a doctorate in strategic development planning and has years of experience in training aid workers. Three relief workers in Taiz told the AP that al-Hakimi is known for being a principled person who wont go along with corrupt deals. He took the job after providing the committee a list of 14 conditions aimed at addressing the flaws in the aid distribution system, including a requirement that the committee approve and co-ordinate all aid deliveries in Taiz. One problem al-Hakimi and other relief workers faced was the Houthis partial blockade of the city. The Houthis who had taken over Taiz in the spring of 2015 but were pushed out by coalition forces in late 2016 still control a key highway leading into the city. This slows the transport of aid into the city and limits how much can get in. Despite the challenges, he won some victories after he started his new job. In one instance, he reached out to a military commander and secured the return of 110 sacks of flour that had been snatched from trucks in the highlands north of the city. But in most cases, once the aid was gone, it was gone for good. In early June, al-Hakimi and a local official demanded, to no avail, that an army unit known as Brigade 17 return 705 food baskets that had been lifted from a warehouse as well as the personal weapon of the guard who had been trying to protect the goods. I talked to everyone but there was no action, al-Hakimi said. The commander acted as if he wasnt in charge. Brig. Gen. Abdel-Rahman al-Shamsani, the commander of Brigade 17, denies that his unit took the food baskets. He told the AP that recipients who had grown tired of waiting had raided the warehouse and taken food that was intended for them anyway. As problems piled up, al-Hakimi aimed a flurry of complaints at bureaucrats and military officers. In a letter to a top army commander and an internal security chief, he wrote: This is about your negligence in failing to take the necessary measures to bring back looted World Food Program aid. If they did not quickly arrest the culprits and bring back the stolen items within 24 hours, he said, he would hold them fully responsible for depriving Taiz of aid and for any humanitarian disaster in Taiz that followed. There was no response, al-Hakimi said. By September hed had enough. Its very important to do this work but also important to have the power and authority to do it, al-Hakimi told the AP. He tried to resign, but a top city leader talked him out of it, promising that officials would address the problems. Nothing changed, al-Hakimi said. So in October he quit for good. Two months later, an analysis from the U.N. and its aid partners estimated that 57 per cent of Taizs residents face emergency- or crisis-level food insecurity. The groups year-end breakdown says as many as 10,500 people in and around Taiz are living and dying in areas overtaken by full-blown famine. Read more about: ASHDOD, ISRAELAs dusk fell in a port city in southern Israel, Roman Kaminkers neighbourhood pop-up shop twinkled with a bountiful display of Santa dolls and synthetic spruce trees adorned with tinsel and baubles. 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 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 1 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. Back in Soviet days, Novy God was a particularly joyous night for many, being a purely secular holiday with no connection to the Communist Party. Yet some of those who brought Novy God traditions with them to Israel, like the evergreen yulka tree or Ded Moroz Grandfather Frost, an often bluecoated Santa Claus found themselves celebrating with curtains drawn, concerned that disapproving neighbours might think they were marking Christmas. The holiday and its symbols can still tap into underlying prejudices in the broader Israeli population about the Russians, as immigrants from all former Soviet nations are referred to here. The immigration at the end of the last century included hundreds of thousands of newcomers who qualified for Israeli citizenship through family connections but are not considered legally Jewish under the strictly Orthodox interpretation of Jewish law. The pronounced secularity of many of the newcomers has led many immigrants to say they feel they are viewed suspiciously by other Israelis and constantly have to prove their Jewishness. So while the main point of Kaminkers pop-up store is to sell Novy God goods, he also wants to use it to help persuade his non-Russian and Orthodox Jewish neighbours to accept the holidays traditions. We need more awareness in Israel, he said. A lot of people say a million Christians came here and that we tricked the state. An annual obstacle to a wider embrace of the holiday are the Santas for hire who bring gifts to children. And this year has posed an extra hurdle for acceptance: There is a tradition of including the relevant animal from the Chinese zodiac in Novy God decorations, and 2019 happens to be the year of the pig a reviled animal in Judaism whose meat is forbidden meaning that this years wares have included an abundance of ceramic pigs, cuddly pig toys and piggy banks. According to the Hebrew calendar, the Jewish New Year arrives in the fall, and the Jan. 1 date carries with it painful historical memories for some in Israel. The New Years Eve that many secular Israelis celebrate at clubs and restaurants on Dec. 31 has long been referred to as Sylvester, because it coincides with a traditional European feast day for a saint with that name who served as a pope in the fourth century and was considered anti-Semitic. For some Jews of Eastern European origin, the date connotes a time when local non-Jews would get drunk and carry out pogroms. There were years when our people were slaughtered on such dates, said Nachman Zilber, 40, an ultra-Orthodox Jew, as he rushed past Kaminkers store. Ashdod, whose population of more than 200,000 is almost a quarter Russian-speaking, became the focus of disgruntlement with Novy God this year after the ultra-Orthodox deputy mayor, Avi Amsalem, objected to a spruce tree displayed beside a Hanukkah lamp at a city mall. In a Facebook post, Amsalem said that the tree was meant to hurt whoever defines themselves as Jewish, and that the lamp had gone up a day after Hanukkah ended. Similar tensions erupted this year over Novy God decorations in a Tel Aviv suburb. Kaminker is not alone in his efforts to ease these tensions over the holiday and some of the fallacies associated with it. Three years ago, a group of Russian-Israeli activists introduced an Israeli Novy God campaign on social media, producing humorous videos showing ordinary Israelis that the holiday was not what they thought it was a clandestine religious ritual or an excuse to drink heavily and offering to host them at Novy God gatherings. We wanted to create a new Israeli tradition of Novy God where Russians open their homes, said Pola Barkan, 28, director of the Cultural Brigade, who came as an infant with her family from Kyiv. The Cultural Brigade, whose mission is to familiarize Israelis with the richness of Russian culture, was set up by young adults who had a common experience: They arrived with their families as children in a foreign country and found themselves living a cultural double life, speaking Russian at home while struggling to be accepted as Israelis. First, Barkan said, it was all about our integration into the country and forgetting where we came from. But now Barkin says she wants Russian immigrants and their descendants to feel free to embrace their heritage and invite other Israelis to appreciate it. Let everyone decide what they want and have a choice, without feeling embarrassed, she said. Year by year, Novy God does appear to have become more widely accepted. A recent survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute, a Jerusalem-based research group, found that 38 per cent of the general Jewish population in Israel did not know what Novy God was meaning that more than 60 per cent did. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu broadcast New Years greetings in Russian last year. And the Jewish National Fund, known for planting forests, said it was distributing trees this year for Novy God. Newspapers have devoted food columns to traditional Novy God recipes, and a supermarket advertisement on Israeli public radio opens with a woman exclaiming, Novy God! over the steep discounts. At the Big Fashion Mall in Ashdod, the Novy God tree has turned into an attraction, with Russian speakers and Israelis whose families have been here for generations both snapping selfies by it. Many passersby said there was more tolerance than there used to be, although not everyone was wholly comfortable with the festivities. Its a free, democratic country, said Yehuda Crispin, 33, an observant Jew who was out shopping. In history, there were pogroms against the Jews on that date, but in our days thats less relevant. At another pop-up stall nearby, Alice Duke, 39, was buying a tiny tree for her daughter, Klil, 7, who was smitten by The Christmas Chronicles movie and hoped that Santa would bring her presents. Duke noted that Klil was more likely to get presents from the prophet Elijah who, according to tradition, visits Jewish homes at Passover. Etty Ben-Dayan, 50, who was walking by, said that she was married to a Russian and that her husband and her older daughter went to his parents for the Novy God feast. My daughter is not always so happy about it, she said. She says its not a Jewish holiday. Read more about: MOSCOWAn American citizen has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of espionage, Russias domestic security service, the FSB, said on Monday. The agency identified the man as Paul Whelan. A criminal case has been opened against him. On December 28, staff members of the Russian Federal Security Service detained U.S. citizen Paul Whelan in Moscow while on a spy mission, the FSB said in a statement on its website. No other details were given. By Russian law, foreigners found guilty of spying on Russia face between 10 and 20 years in prison. The arrest of the U.S. citizen comes as tensions between Washington and Moscow continue to escalate over a range of issues from election meddling to the crises in Syria and Ukraine. Earlier this month, Russian gun rights activist Maria Butina pleaded guilty to conspiring with a senior Russian official to infiltrate U.S. conservatives. Butina, 30, is the first Russian national to be convicted of seeking to influence U.S. policy in the run-up to the 2016 election by acting as a foreign agent. Read more: Maria Butina admits conspiring as Kremlin agent targeting GOP, NRA Putin issues ominous warning on rising nuclear war threat Accused Russian agent used sex and deception to gain influence, prosecutors say Shortly before her guilty plea, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Butina was not known to any of his spy agencies. The countrys Foreign Ministry has gone to great lengths to paint Butina as a political prisoner, notably by launching a wide-ranging social media campaign. The State Department could not be immediately reached for comment. Read more about: BEIRUTNearly 20,000 people were killed in 2018 in Syrias war, the lowest annual death toll since the war began nearly eight years ago, a group that closely tracks the conflict said Monday. Fighting has died down in much of the country as President Bashar Assads forces continue to gain territory from rebel fighters a trend that started in 2015 when Russia deployed its air force on the side of the government. This year government forces defeated the rebels in areas around Damascus and in southern Syria, securing the capital and a border crossing with Jordan. Those gains brought just more than 60 per cent of the country back under Assads control. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that of the 20,000 killed, some 6,500 were civilians. It said nearly half of the civilians were killed in strikes by government or Russian forces. The Observatory said that more than 33,400 people, including 10,000 civilians, were killed in 2017. The past year, however, also saw the largest single wave of displacement since the conflict began, with more than a million people driven from their homes in just six months, according to the UN. By the end of the year the rebels and Islamic militants were largely confined to the northern Idlib province, where a Russian, Turkish and Iranian agreement has for now frozen the battle lines. A new battle is brewing in oil-rich eastern Syria after U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw some 2,000 U.S. forces who are supporting Kurdish fighters battling Daesh. The Kurdish fighters control nearly 30 per cent of Syria. Daesh has lost almost all the territory it once held but remains a potent force. Turkey and allied Syrian fighters are meanwhile threatening to launch an offensive against the Kurdish forces, who Turkey views as terrorists because of their links to an insurgent group inside Turkey. The Syrian conflict began in 2011 as a peaceful uprising against Assad but soon escalated into a devastating civil war that has drawn in foreign powers. The conflict is believed to have killed more than 500,000 people. Read more about: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trumps pick for attorney general, William Barr, once questioned the value of a wall along the Mexican border similar to the one the president has advocated, describing the idea as overkill. Barr was attorney general under President George H.W. Bush when he was asked in a Feb. 24, 1992, interview whether he supported a proposal from Republican presidential challenger Pat Buchanan to erect a barrier of ditches and fences along the border to stop illegal immigration. I dont think its necessary. I think thats overkill to put a barrier from one side of the border to the other, Barr replied on The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour on PBS. In fact, the problem with illegal immigration across the border is really confined to major metropolitan areas. Illegal immigrants do not cross in the middle of the desert and walk hundreds of miles, instead choosing more certain specified routes. Those routes through more populated areas have since largely been closed off, pushing migrants to riskier desert routes. Other public statements by Barr from his tenure as attorney general and within the last year suggest a hardened immigration approach more in line with the broader security measures Trump and his advisers have discussed. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment on whether Barrs views on a wall have changed, but pointed to other comments from his tenure in which he described fences as effective in stopping drugs and illegal immigration. As attorney general, he also announced the hiring of additional agents to patrol the border and promoted upgraded fencing and investments in sensors and other technology. Read more: For Trump, Pelosi shutdown showdown first battle of new era One year after Donald Trumps $1.5 trillion tax cuts, heres where things stand Trump threatens to shut down border as funding stalemate drags on Barrs positions on immigration are significant because of the Justice Departments role in defending and enforcing administration policies and because border security has been a top priority of Trumps White House. While the Justice Department today prosecutes people who cross the border illegally and defends the administrations policies, it was more directly involved in immigration enforcement during Barrs earlier tenure as attorney general 1991 to 1993 because it included the Immigration and Naturalization Service. That agency was dissolved and its responsibilities largely folded into the Department of Homeland Security following the 9-11 attacks. Barrs past comments on the effectiveness of a wall reflect a nuance often missing from Trumps rhetoric, who made the construction of a big beautiful wall of concrete and steel a centrepiece of his campaign, and who has more recently cited a lack of additional funding for it as the reason for partially shutting down the government. The president selected Barr to replace Jeff Sessions as attorney general after forcing Sessions out over Trumps lingering outrage for his recusal from the Russia investigation. A transcript of the PBS interview was included in thousands of pages of documents Barr produced to the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee ahead of a confirmation hearing. Trumps ambition for a wall has given way to a more modest reality, with the president now describing the barrier as artistically designed steel slats and saying he doesnt care what people call it. His former chief of staff John Kelly told The Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that Trump had abandoned the notion of a solid concrete wall early on in the administration. Trump seemed to respond to Kelly with a tweet Monday morning saying an all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED. Whatever the terminology, border security remains the central sticking point in the partial government shutdown. Trump is seeking $5 billion (U.S.) for a wall. Newly empowered congressional Democrats have resisted the demand in favour of enhanced technology. In the 1992 interview with PBS host Jim Lehrer, Barr said the Justice Department was taking steps to control illegal immigration and that there are some barriers that have reduced violence and made it easier to interdict the aliens crossing. But he expressed ambivalence about an expansive wall, saying, They generally try to go up through certain specified routes and, in fact, were only talking about a 200-mile area where theres appreciable crossings, illegal crossings, and in fact, 40 to 50 per cent of the illegal crossings in the United States occur on a 14-mile stretch south of San Diego. Even if Barr does not embrace a sprawling border wall, there are other indications his immigration views wont depart much from the aggressive stance of the White House and of Sessions, whose Justice Department defended a travel ban that blocked arrivals from some Muslim-majority countries and backed a since-abandoned enforcement policy that separated children from parents at the border. Barr defended the legality of Trumps travel ban in a February 1, 2017, Washington Post opinion piece, saying complaints that it was discriminatory were baseless since only a handful of countries were singled out and the criterion for their inclusion was not that they were Muslim but that the risk of terrorist infiltration from these countries is especially high. He and other recent Republican attorneys general praised Sessions in a separate op-ed for attacking the rampant illegality that riddled our immigration system. Read more about: Turning the page on a disastrous 2018, Ontario Liberals have big decisions to make as the party grapples with millions in debt and ponders when to pick a new leader. There are two schools of thought, each with pros and cons a spring and summer leadership race with a September vote before the Oct. 21 federal election campaign begins in earnest, or waiting until 2020, insiders say. The party executive is leaning toward the latter option to concentrate on paying down the considerable campaign debt, says one senior Liberal who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy. Its a tough slog. We havent come close to any of our monthly fundraising targets since June, the insider admits. Former finance minister Greg Sorbara, a key architect of Liberal election victories under former premier Dalton McGuinty, is pushing for a leadership contest to start in the spring. Its a foolish idea to go later. Until you choose a new leader, nothing much is going to happen, he argues. You need to give a new leader lots of time, Sorbara adds, noting it took seven years of seasoning as opposition leader before McGuinty was elected premier. A decision wont be made until 2019 is well underway with the common goal of rebuilding after the devastating June loss to Premier Doug Fords Progressive Conservatives, reducing the Liberals to just seven seats and prompting former premier Kathleen Wynne to step aside as leader, although she remains an MPP. Because the Liberals fell below the seat threshold for official party status and get few opportunities to grill Ford and his ministers in the legislature, Andrea Horwaths New Democrats get the lions share of media attention. The performance were seeing from the Doug Ford government gives us hope there is a chance for us to rebuild more quickly than we thought, says former cabinet minister Steven Del Duca, referring to controversies like the appointment of longtime Ford family friend Ron Taverner to commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police. Week after week they demonstrate they dont have the competence to govern, adds Del Duca, who is considering a leadership run. Party sources say MPPs Mitzie Hunter, Michael Coteau and Marie-France Lalonde are also weighing their options. Interim party leader John Fraser, the MPP for Ottawa South, says next steps for the party will solidify at an annual general meeting being organized for early spring. His focus is on fundraising and reaching out to the 1.1 million Ontarians who voted for Liberal candidates on June 7. The work ahead for us is to bring people back together. Its not like its going to be easy. At an election post-mortem in September, officials said the campaign debt was $9 million but the party insider says that figure included a credit approved but not drawn down, leaving the actual debt at $7 million. Less than two weeks into the campaign, for example, the party executive pulled $700,000 from the budget because polling showed election ads were not moving the needle with voters. The party has a new focus on getting small donations of $5, $10 or $20 through mass emails, something rivals do but an approach the Liberals never honed under McGuinty and Wynne. Given increasing concerns over finances, Sorbara, through the party, recently issued an appeal for maximum legal donations of $1,200. My pitch was not help us defeat Doug Ford but that the province is best served when there are three strong political parties. The Liberal party got the s--t kicked out of it in the last election and it needs to rebuild. Underscoring the need for cash, McGuinty himself has been making calls to potential donors, a high-ranking party source told the Star. The fundraising appeals, while not meeting targets, are on an upward trend, with 90 per cent of donations coming online and $60,000 raised during the first two weeks of December, says a senior party insider. Several Liberals said the next leader will need to spend less time at Queens Park and more time travelling throughout the province meeting activists in their ridings, building up campaign teams and raising money. Its not glamorous work, says the party insider. While Wynne took the party to the left, the push appears to be for a more centrist approach as the next election approaches. People were just thoroughly unimpressed with the last two years of the Wynne governments public policies, says Sorbara. The former premier should resign her seat so there can be a clear and definitive end to the Wynne era. I love her but she leaves a cloud over the whole process. Wynne, who represents Don Valley West, has privately signalled she plans to continue representing her constituents for the time being and recently proposed a private members bill requiring seatbelts in school buses. Read more about: ALTON The Alton Police Department encourages you to find a safe way home this New Years Eve, or youll end up getting a ride in the backseat of their police car. Extra officers will be out patrolling Monday night due to increased risk of drinking and driving, according to Alton Police Department Public Information Officer Pfc. Emily Hejna. We encourage everyone going out tonight to plan ahead, have a sober driver, or have alternative ride home, Hejna said. We just want everyone to please be safe. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) also tweeted a warning saying, As you say goodbye to 2018 tonight, remember to arrange in advance a sober ride home. The Illinois State Police and nearly 200 local departments will have an increased presence on Illinois roads through January 2. A transit/cab/ride-share is a lot less expensive than a DUI. Like IDOTs tweet mentions, drivers who are out ringing in 2019 dont just have to remain sober options for safe rides home from celebrations include ridesharing apps Uber and Lyft, both of which are offer in Alton and surrounding areas, as well as good old-fashioned taxis. Some taxi numbers for the area include Altons Best Cabs at (618) 578-3344, Liberty Cab Company at (618) 462-6437, or Taxi Service at (618) 857-0813. Keep in mind that taxis and Uber will probably be experiencing some sort of delay because of the holiday, so try and order your ride a little bit in advance. Reach reporter Riley Newton at (618) 208-6460. 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: DECATUR (AP) Otiyuna Franklins experiences as a parent mentor at French Academy have opened her eyes to a career path. Shes working toward becoming a teaching assistant. My interest in doing this is because when I was growing up, I didnt have anybody to push me or help me, said Franklin, mother of Amir, a first-grader. Franklin said its important for students in kindergarten through third grade to have instilled in their minds the rhythm of math and reading. If thats done within the first years of school, theyre going to be, Let me get my work done and go on about my business and then I can have play time, she said. The statewide Parent Mentor Program, which is administered locally by the Decatur Family YMCA, has established two pilot sites in Decatur French Academy and South Shores School. With the help of parent liaisons at the buildings, Jacqui Hupp, youth development director at the Decatur Family YMCA, and JoDee Crocker, a French Academy parent, recruited parents to agree to come to the school two hours daily to work with the children directly and assist teachers. The program began in Chicago in 1995 and has grown to 650 classrooms, including Decatur, which is the first community its size to participate. East St. Louis has a similar program, but no other downstate districts, as yet, have been enrolled. If Decaturs grant is renewed for next year, the program could expand to other schools. The state Legislature allocated $2 million for the program in 2018 through the Illinois State Board of Education. The parents are actually working with the teachers on the lessons, hands-on, Hupp said. Theyre not stapling papers or running back and forth to the bathroom. Theyre doing the work and engaging with the kids. If the parents complete the training they undergo prior to the program plus 100 hours in the classroom with children, they will receive a $500 stipend. The parents must have a child at the school where they work, but they cannot be in their own childs classroom. The process to be accepted is stringent. Parents must pass a tuberculosis test, provide proof of income and a photo identification, participate in all the training sessions which include weekly workshops in addition to the initial training and sign an agreement that they will fulfill all the requirements of the program. Its bridging the gap between school and home, Crocker said. The teachers understand where the parents are coming from, and the parents understand the school better. She said some parents are intimidated about coming to the school for parent-teacher meetings or to volunteer, and the parent mentor program is one way to help them feel comfortable, which is good for their kids, too. Franklin said her son loves having her in the building, and when he sees her in the hallway, he has to tell her everything hes been doing all day. The Crockers have three children at French Noah, in sixth grade; Kallissa in fourth; and Malachi, a kindergartner. Not only does Crocker help run the program, her husband, Jonathan, is one of the parent mentors. I just enjoy being able to help the kids and see them grow and change, Jonathan Crocker said. (My role) is to assist the kids with the learning process, do some one-on-one with them so I can help them. Well go outside (the classroom) and go through so theyre working one-on-one and not in the big group. He said he learned in the training how to ask leading questions to help the child grasp concepts without giving the child the answers. The point is to help children learn to find the answers themselves. Hupp visits Chicago regularly, where the program started, to get further training, and the more she learns, the more impressed with it she is, she said. Of course, its all about funding, too, she said. They told us to talk to our legislators if we want to expand this beyond the two schools (in Decatur). EDWARDSVILLE Variety is the theme of $2 Tuesday movies for January at the Wildey Theatre. A Star Wars movie, a classic western, and a classic musical are among the five selections for the month. All of the movies start at 7 p.m. and cost $2. The schedule kicks off with Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Jan. 1. Also known as Stars Wars: Episode V11, the epic space opera is co-produced and directed by J.J. Abrams. The Force Awakens is the first installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the seventh installment of the main Star Wars film franchise. The film stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyongo, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max von Sydow. The Force Awakens is the first Star Wars film not to involve franchise creator George Lucas. Set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, the film follows Rey. Finn and Poe Damerons search for Luke Skywalker and their fight alongside the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa and veterans of the Rebel Alliance, against Kylo Ren and the First Order, a successor to the Galactic Empire. Ill be real honest Im not the most knowledgeable person about Star Wars, but a lot of people love it, and not all of the movies are available to show all the time, Wildey manager Al Canal said. Im kind of excited about it. It will give people a chance to see it again on the big screen. The second Tuesday movie of the month, on Jan. 8, is All That Jazz, the 1979 American musical drama directed by Bob Fosse. The screenplay, by Robert Alan Aurthur and Fosse, is a semi-autobiographical fantasy based on aspects of Fosses life and career as a dancer, choreographer, and director. The film was inspired by Fosses effort to edit his film Lenny while simultaneously staging the 1975 Broadway musical Chicago. In response to requests for showing more musicals, the Wildey will present one of the classics of the genre, My Fair Lady, on Jan. 15. My Fair Lady is a 1964 American musical drama adapted from the Lerner and Loewe stage musical based on the 1913 stage play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. The film depicts a poor, Cockney flower seller named Eliza Doolittle, who overhears an arrogant phonetics professor, Henry Higgins, as he wagers he could teach her to speak proper English and make her presentable in the high society of Edwardian London. The film stars Audrey Hepburn as Doolittle and Rex Harrison as Higgins. It won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director. On Jan. 22, the variety continues with the John Wayne western Rio Bravo. Rio Bravo is a 1959 film produced and directed by Howard Hawks. It stars John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, and Ward Bond. The film is about the sheriff of the town of Rio Bravo, Texas, who arrests the brother of a powerful local rancher to help his drunken deputy/friend. With the help of a physically challenged character and a young gunfighter, they hold off the ranchers gang. Weve also been getting requests for more westerns and Rio Bravo is one of the classic John Wayne westerns, Canal said. One of the interesting things about that movie is that a lot of the big names arent people who are normally associated with westerns. The Wildeys fifth and final Tuesday movie of the month is Office Space on Jan. 29. Office Space is a 1999 American comedy written and directed by Mike Judge. It satirizes the everyday work life of a typical mid-to-late 1990s software company, focusing on a handful of individuals fed up with their jobs. It stars Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, Gary Cole, Stephen Root, David Herman, Ajay Naidu, and Diedrich Bader. I think weve got a little something for everybody for January, Canal said. We were looking for something quirky with a bit of comedy, and Office Space definitely fits the bill. For more information on any event at the Wildey Theatre, 252 N. Main St., call 618-307-1750 or go to wildeytheatre.com. SPRINGFIELD More than 200 pieces of legislation signed in 2018 became law today. State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer of Jacksonville said that the laws vary from the mundane, such as dictating when certain departments have to have their vehicles oil changed, to helpful like the Telehealth Act that will allow more clinicians to provide remote services for patients. Some of them, however, he feels overreach in ways, such as several of the new gun laws that will be put in place like SB 3256 that will require a 72-hour waiting period for all gun purchases in the state including those made by non-residents at Illinois State Police recognized gun shows. Previously, only handguns were subject to a 72-hour period with the rest under a 24-hour period. A lot of these gun laws I have taken to task, Davidsmeyer said. What is the issue were trying to eliminate? Will the bill actually accomplish that goal? On waiting periods, I personally dont have a problem with waiting periods but a lot of the time if someone is going to do something crazy, theyre going to find the means to do it. While I dont mind waiting for 72 hours to get a new shotgun so I can go hunting, someone else may, he added. In Illinois, were kind of second-class citizens in our own state. Out of state, if you have your (Firearm Owners Identification) card you can go pick up whatever you want. Another law would allow relatives of a gun owner to petition a court to grant a restraining owner if the gun owner is proved to be a danger to themselves or others. A judge could also order that the gun owners FOID card be suspended and firearms be removed between 14 days to six months. I have concerns about the constitutionality of confiscating somebodys gun without them having done anything, Davidsmeyer said. Active shooter safety drills will also now be made mandatory for all schools. The drills must be led by law enforcement, conducted within 90 days of the first day of school and all students and personnel must be present for the drill. Davidsmeyer said that while he is totally for shooting drills and believes that schools should hold such drills for the safety of the students and staff, he questions whether or not mandating the drills by law is the best way to implement them. Having a mandate from the state doesnt necessarily make everybodys lives safer but it does take time away from actually educating kids, he said. A lot of time these mandates dont cost people money, it just costs time away from the goal of education. Should they be doing drills? Certainly. In this day and age, it never hurts to be prepared. Im just worried about it taking time away from the ultimate goal of education. Another mandate is the requirement for all parents to have rear-facing car seats for all children under the age of 2 unless they weigh more than 40 pounds or more than 40 inches tall. Again, Davidsmeyer said that while the idea is a positive one it takes away a parents ability to judge what is best for their children. Its something your doctors office should be advising you on, he said. I dont know the government saying that you have to have your kid riding backward is the best way to do this. Other major laws coming into effect include a law banning all synthetic marijuana including those with slight formula alterations, a law removing insurance barriers for outpatient opioid and addiction treatment, a law mandating a written policy for internal review of officer-involved shootings, a law mandating sexual harassment policy for companies within Illinois, and a law ending severance packages for employees who have been fired for misconduct. Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper. ALTON A man was formally charged Monday and a minor in custody after an early-morning armed robbery of CVS Pharmacy, 2242 College Ave. in Alton. Tashz A. Nash, 18, who lists an Indianapolis, Indiana address, is charged with armed robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. Nash and an unnamed minor were taken into custody after a short pursuit that ended at Washington Avenue and Broadway, next to the Alton Police Department. The incident occurred at approximately 1:40 a.m. Police dispatch received information that two white males with guns were inside the store, emptying a safe. Charges indicate that between 2,000 and 4,000 pills were taken by threatening the pharmacist with a .380 mm Jimenez Arms Incorporated handgun and an air-soft pistol. The pair fled in a black Nissan sedan just before officers arrived on scene, and a vehicle matching the description given was quickly observed driving in the area of Jersey Street and Judson Avenue. Police pursued the vehicle southbound on Washington Avenue at speeds nearing 60 mph, radio traffic indicated. Charges say Nash, the driver, disobeyed at least two traffic control devices during the pursuit. The car stopped at Washington and Broadway, in the parking lot of the BP gas station at the intersection. Officers performed a felony stop, and the suspects were taken into custody without incident. Police radio traffic indicated that the suspect vehicle was a rental car. Charges say the Nissan was registered out of Michigan and claim Nash knew the vehicle had been stolen or converted. Alton police continued to search along streets the vehicle was thought to have driven hours after the incident. Officers reported finding several items of evidence, possibly tossed from the vehicle. There were no reported injuries. Nashs bond was set at $500,000. Let me get this straight Bruce Rauner spent more than $50 million of his own money to keep a job he really didnt want? Apparently, after reviewing his poll numbers that showed he was not quite as well liked as tooth decay, he got cold feet and didnt want the job anymore. He now says he offered four individuals campaign money to run in his place. None would take him up on the offer. Can you blame them? Illinois state government is in disarray. No state has a worse credit rating than the Land of Lincoln. Our pension plans are underfunded to the tune of $130 billion and things are moving from bad to worse. But that doesnt explain why Rauner is a failed governor. Two words come to mind: arrogance and deceit. I make these observations with a bit of humility. I voted for Rauner in 2014. When he won, I felt a tinge of optimism. It didnt last long. Rauner is the first governor in my lifetime to use government as a weapon. He essentially told the legislature: Pass my reforms or Ill use my veto pen along with my legislative allies to keep the state from having a budget. We went 736 days without a budget and not one of his key reforms became reality. This is not how a democratic government should operate. It should be a process of unifying, of seeking input, of finding compromise that benefits everyone, of careful and well-considered positions and negotiations. Governing properly is the art of calming the waters, not throwing hand grenades into them. Then Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno tried to save Rauner and the state of Illinois by quietly negotiating with Senate President John Cullerton. The compromise package covered much of Rauners wish list but not all of it. Instead of embracing a partial win, the governor turned up his nose and walked away, leaving himself and the state of Illinois in worse shape. And then there is the lying. Rauner lied about big things and little things. No, his grandparents werent immigrants from Sweden. They were born in Wisconsin. It was a fib he told over and over even after being called out on it by reporters. Yes, Im well aware politicians lie. But Rauner developed a reputation in Springfield that his word just wasnt good. The most infamous example, of course, was when he told a group of pro-life lawmakers that he would veto a measure providing state-funded abortions for women on Medicaid and those covered by state insurance. Later, he made the same pledge to Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, only to sign HB 40 a few months later. Republican lawmakers knew he was pro-choice when he first ran and they still supported him. But they werent willing to support someone who lied to them. After this legacy of failure, its hardly surprising that disgusted voters gave Rauner the boot. The governor can look back on the last four years as an expensive lesson not just for himself but for the people of Illinois. Scott Reeder is a veteran statehouse journalist and a freelance reporter. He can be reached at ScottReeder1965@gmail.com. Touched by the compassion of the nurses who tended to her... Tamil short film Maranathin Madiyil Mazhalaigal, directed by Pugalenthi Thangaraj, was screened at Chennai Press Club in Chepauk on Monday, even as the city police had denied permission for the same. The Triplicane Police had on Sunday denied permission to screen the film, which comes with a caption Tuticorin - South Indias Bhopal?, saying its makers had not obtained prior permission. However, it was screened at 11 30 am on Monday as planned, after the journalists, who were present at the Press Club, questioned the police over the need to get prior permission to screen a short film. The film is sponsored by Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanga Peravai. The eight-minute short film seeks to draw similarities between the plight of the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984 and that of the children in Tuticorin, which had witnessed massive protests against Vedanta's Sterlite copper plant. In the film, children in Tuticorin request not to lead them into a state similar to that of the children affected by the gas leak in Bhopal. They plead to help them, says Vellaiyan, head of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangam. He said they have not sought prior permission to screen the short film in public. If the permission is denied, we will approach the high court and screen the film to the public. This is an attempt to create awareness about the issue, Vellaiyan said. Director Thangaraj said the film got a good response from the journalists after its screening at the Press Club. Earlier, a private screening of the film was stopped at Tuticorin on December 28. Thangaraj had said that his film was based on true events. There is no mention of a factory in Tuticorin. It is out of a concern that another Bhopal tragedy should not happen in Tuticorin. It is an appeal to officials and government in this regard, he had told a national daily. According to police, the short film is expected to disturb peace in the region, which is now calm after major protests against the Sterlite plant. Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar on Monday surrendered before a court here to serve the life sentence awarded to him by the Delhi High Court in connection with a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. He surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg who directed that Kumar be lodged in Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi. The court rejected Kumar's petition to be lodged in the high-security Tihar jail, but allowed his plea for security and directed the police to take him to the prison in a separate vehicle. A lawyer present in the courtroom said the court considered Kumar's plea for security since there was a threat as he was also facing prosecution in another anti-Sikh riots case. While declining his plea to be sent to Tihar jail, the court said he was being sent to Mandoli jail in accordance with the rule. The HC had set a deadline of December 31 for Kumar to surrender and on December 21 declined his plea to extend the time by a month. The 73-year former Congress leader has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the conviction and life sentence awarded by the HC. The high court on December 17 convicted and sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". After his conviction, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. The case in which Kumar was convicted and sentenced relates to the killing of five Sikhs in Raj Nagar Part-I area in Palam Colony of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and burning down of a Gurudwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. The riots had broken out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. Earlier in the day, former MLAs Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were also convicted in the same case, surrendered before the court to serve their 10-year jail term. Besides Kumar, the others convicted in the case were former Congress councillor Balwan Khokhar, retired naval officer Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal. In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots which was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions". It also said the riots were a "crime against humanity" perpetrated by those who enjoyed "political patronage" and aided by an "indifferent" law enforcement agency. The high court had further said there has been a familiar pattern of mass killings since Partition, like in Mumbai in 1993, Gujarat in 2002 and Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh in 2013, and the "common" feature of each was the "targeting of minorities" with the attacks being "spearheaded by the dominant political actors, facilitated by law enforcement agencies". The high court had set aside the trial court's 2010 verdict which had acquitted Kumar in the case. The recent Bulandshahr violence that claimed the lives of a policeman and a 20-year-old man was a "targeted attempt" to "instil 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 statesMadhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telanganawas 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. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and claimed that "cynical" sponsors of Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019 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. The women's wall, which would be formed on January 1 from the northern district of Kasargode to the southern tip of Thiruvananthapuram, would literally be a make or break moment for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The CPI(M) campaign to make sure that nearly one million women join the metaphorical wall, formed by joining and linking hands, reached a crescendo on Monday. "This will demonstrate the secular and progressive mindset of the state," Vijayan said. "No one can push back the progressive society of Kerala into the dark ages." However, the women's wall has become a far knottier political issue than what the ruling party lets out. While numerically significant OBC leaders like Ezhava community's Vellappally Natesan has announced support for the wall, along with leaders from prominent dalit outfits, influential caste-based Hndu organisations like the Nair Service Society (NSS), led by Sukumaran Nair, has decided to keep away, in opposition. Powerful minority outfits like the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), citing the government decision to only consult with Hindu organisations, dubbed it a "communal wall". According to reports, lawyer C. Shukkoor from ousted from the IUML for expressing support for the women's wall in a Facebook post. The opposition Congress-led UDF, and BJP, both flayed the left government, saying it would create a 'communal divide' among the peoplereferring to the government decision to go for the wall immediately after the Sabarimala fiascoand alleged that the government was misusing its machinery and welfare funds for the programme. It was also alleged that the left government was spending Rs 50 crore from state funds, earmarked for women's welfare programmes, for the initiative scheduled to be held on January 1. The chief minister had, however, dismissed the allegations as mere propaganda. "Leaving no room for doubt, it is made clear that the government will not spend any money from the state exchequer for it. But, we will give all support for the programme. The government stand is that we will not backtrack from the progressive path. It does not mean that the government will meet the expenses of the initiative," Vijayan said. State Finance minister T.M. Thomas Isaac said the wall was an "official programme" of the government, but not a single penny would be spent from the state exchequer. While Vijayan and the CPI(M) managed to aptly managed and contained both the recent floods and the Sabarimala issue, it remains to be seen how the party manages the latest controversy. An overtly aggressive BJP is on the prowl, and the general elections are just around the corner. We are at the fag end of another year. With 2019 round the corner, one important task on the new year eve is to replace old calendars with newer ones for the next year. It's natural for one to spend the next 30 minutes studying various days and datesbirthdays, anniversaries... and long weekends to plan those quick getaways. This year we decided to be at your service, breaking down the month-wise long weekends (you can thank us later!). Here is the list: January: The first holiday of the first month comes with Makar Sankranti/Pongal on January 14, Monday, promising a long weekend during January 12-14. February: The shortest month of the year has little to offer in terms of holidays. However, the last day of the month, February 28, Thursday, is celebrated as Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti, followed by Maha Shivaratri on March 4. February 28-March 4 is a good stretch to plan a weekend getaway, provided your boss is cool enough to buy your sick-leave excuse on March 1 (Friday). March: No, it is not just Shiva Ratri. The best of March is yet to come. Holi will be celebrated on March 21, Thursday. With a leave on March 22, Friday, you could plan a four-day weekend, from March 21 to March 24. April: In 2019, the month to take off for a short summer vacation will not cost much of your leaves. The mid-month, starting April 13 to April 21, is a vacationer's joy in all terms. April 13 is a Saturday, followed by Vishu, Kerala's new year festival on Monday April 15. April 17, Wednesday, is Mahavir Jayanti, a public holiday in most places in India. The week also coincides with the Holy week for Christians. Maundy Thursday falls on April18, followed by Good Friday on April 19 and Easter on April 21. A long week holiday can be sealed with some meticulous planning. May: The month of May brings one long weekend but at the cost of one leave. Guru Rabindranath Jayanti falls on May 9, Thursday. A leave on Friday, May 10, will get you a long weekend till Sunday, May 12. June and July: The middle-year will be the most boring with two back-to-back months of no long weekends. August: The eighth month of the year is a saviour after two consecutive months of no escapade. Three days of leave on August 13, 14 and 16, and it's a long holiday from Saturday, August 10 to August 18. This is, thanks to Bakrid on August 12 (Monday), Raksha Bandhan and Independence Day that fall on August 15. August 10-11 and August 17-18 are weekends. However, there's a dampener for folks in Kerala as Bakrid might fall on Sunday, August 11 for them, while the rest of India celebrates it a day later. September: The month begins with Ganesh Chaturthi falling on September 2, Monday. So you know what to do from August 31 to September 2. But September surprises do not end there. For individuals who work in Kerala, a whole week of holidays is almost promised, thanks to Onam beginning on September 10 and Sree Narayana Guru Jayanti on September 13, Friday. September 10, Tuesday, is Muharram, another public holiday. This means that barring September 9, Monday, the rest of the week is a holiday for folks in Kerala! However, for the rest of the country, the long weekend ends with Tuesday, September 10. October: October comes with the promise of puja holidays and Diwali. You can safely plan a long weekend trip from Saturday, October 5 till Tuesday, October 8, the day of Durga Puja/Dusshera. The next safest option, especially for north Indian population, is between October 26, Saturday, and October 29, Tuesday, because of Diwali (October 28, Monday) and Bhai Dooj (October 29, Tuesday). Holidayers from the rest of the country, however, should minus Bhai Dooj holiday from their long weekendstill leaving them with three days of extended weekend. November: Guru Nanak Jayanti falls on November 12, Tuesday. You may want to plan a long weekend from November 9, Saturday to November 12, at the cost of another day of leave. December: The last month of the year is a spoiler in terms of long weekends. But then, it comes with Christmas holidays and the last week of the year! Bank GNPAs improved to 10.8 pc; net NPAs to 5.3 pc in Sep: RBI Mumbai, Dec 31 (PTI) The asset quality of banks showed improvement with gross non performing assets' (GNPAs) ratio declining to 10.8 per cent in September 2018 from 11.5 per cent in March 2018, a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) report said Monday. The net NPAs ratio also witnessed a fall at 5.3 per cent in September 2018 as against 6.2 per cent in March 2018, RBI said in its Financial Stability Report. "In a sign of possible recovery from the impaired asset load, the GNPA ratio of both public and private sector banks showed a half-yearly decline, for the first time since March 2015, the financial year-end prior to the launch of asset quality review (AQR)," the report said. GNPAs of state-run lenders improved to 14.8 per cent in September 2018 from 15.2 per cent in March 2018, the report said. Private sector banks saw gross NPAs falling to 3.8 per cent in September 2018 from 4 per cent in March 2018. The report also tested the resilience of the banking system against macroeconomic shocks through macro-stress tests for credit risk. Under the baseline scenario, the GNPA ratio of all banks may come down to 10.3 per cent by March 2019 from 10.8 per cent in September 2018, the report said. The GNPA ratio of state-run lenders may decline from 14.8 per cent in September 2018 to 14.6 per cent by March 2019 under baseline scenario, whereas private sector banks' GNPA ratio may decline from 3.8 per cent to 3.3 per cent in March 2019, the report said. Foreign banks' GNPA ratio under baseline scenario might decline to 3.1 per cent in March 2019 from 3.6 per cent in September 2018, it said. The report said the ratio of restructured standard advances (RSAs) steadily declined in September 2018 to 0.5 per cent following the withdrawal of various restructuring schemes in February 2018. "This suggested increasing shift of the restructured advances to NPA category," the report said. As of September 2018, provision coverage ratio (PCR) of all banks was higher as compared to 51 per cent in March 2018, with improvements noticed for both state-run banks and private sector banks, the report said. Distribution of banks GNPA ratio shows that the number of banks having GNPA ratio less than 10 per cent has gone down in September 2018 as compared to March 2018, the report said. The capital to risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR) of banks declined marginally from 13.8 per cent in March 2018 to 13.7 per cent in September 2018, it said. The CRAR of state-run banks declined from 11.7 per cent to 11.3 per cent, the report said. The asset quality of the industry sector improved to 5 per cent in September 2018 compared to 13.6 per cent in March 2018, while that of agriculture and retail sectors declined to 6.3 per cent and 2.3 per cent respectively in September 2018, it said. The share of large borrowers in total loan portfolios of banks and their share in GNPAs was at 54.6 per cent and 83.4 per cent respectively at the end of September 2018, the report said. The top 100 large borrowers accounted for 16 per cent of the gross advances and 21.2 per cent of GNPAs of banks, the report said. PTI HV VT VT VT New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Foreign tourists can now directly fly to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as the government has designated Port Blair airport as an authorised immigration check post for entry into and exit from India with valid travel documents. The decision came more than a month after the killing of an American national by members of a highly protected tribe in one of the islands of the Union territory. "In pursuance of sub-rule (b) of rule 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, the central government hereby designates Port Blair airport of Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as an authorised immigration check post for entry into/exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers," a home ministry notification said. In another notification, the home ministry appointed the Superintendent of Police, CID, the Andaman and Nicobar Police, as the "civil authority" for the immigration check post at Port Blair airport with effect from December 31, 2018. The Andamans, under global spotlight after the killing of an American national, has emerged as one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the country receiving on an average four lakh tourists, including several thousand foreigners, annually. According to data available with the home ministry, more than 16 lakh tourists visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands between 2015 and October this year to enjoy the natural beauty, beaches, flora and fauna and historically-significant landmarks in around 38 inhabited islands out of the 572 islets. The archipelago has received 4,02,393 tourists, including 11,818 foreigners, till October, 2018 while it received 4,87,229 tourists, including 15,310 foreigners in 2017. In 2016, as many as 4,00,019 tourists, including 15,467 foreigners, had visited the Andamans and in 2015, a total of 3,11,358 tourists, including 14,674 foreigners, had gone to the union territory, the data revealed. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory and comes under the administrative control of the home ministry. It was in the news in the wake of killing of John Allen Chau, 27, by members of the reclusive and endangered Sentinelese tribe in North Sentinel Island in November. The archipelago has been inhabited for several thousand years, at the very least. The earlier archaeological evidence so far documented goes back some 2,200 years. However, indications from genetic, cultural and linguistic isolation studies point to habitation going back 30,000 60,000 years, well into the Middle Palaeolithic period, according to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands tourism department. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday announced renaming of three islands of the 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. PTI ACB ACB NSD NSD New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Taking Congress head on over the Sohrabuddin case, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the appropriate question for party president Rahul Gandhi to ask would be, who killed the investigation in this case. The Special CBI Judge, Mumbai, who deals with CBI cases had acquitted all accused in Sohrabuddin case, the minister said, adding "more relevant than the Order of the Acquittal is the observation of the Judge that in the investigation, from the very beginning, Investigating Agency did not investigate the case professionally in order to find out the truth but to divert it towards certain political persons." Responding to the comment of Gandhi on the day of the judgement that 'nobody killed Sohrabuddin', Jaitley said, "it would have been more appropriate if he had asked the right question, namely who killed Sohrabuddin case investigation, he would have got the right answer." Jaitley in his Facebook post titled: 'Who killed the Sohrabuddin Investigation' said that those who have recently shown a belated concern for institutional independence, "should seriously introspect as to what they did to the CBI when they were in power." The Minister further said that as Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, he had written a letter to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 27, 2013, detailing the politicisation of the investigation in the Sohrabuddin, Tulsi Prajapati, Ishrat Jahan, Rajinder Rathore and the Haren Pandya cases. "Every word of what I have said in the letter, over the next five years, have proven to be true. This is an irrefutable evidence of what the congress did to our investigative agencies," Jaitley said. Earlier this month, a special CBI court acquitted all the 22 accused in the Sohrabuddin case. The Court while passing its judgement also said that the CBI probed the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsi Prajapati with a 'pre-conceived and premeditated' theory to implicate political leaders. PTI JD CS DRR (Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) Principals from 100+ leading schools participate in the symposiums New Delhi, Delhi, India Business Wire India Image Caption: MLSL Organises Principals Symposiums to Highlight the Importance of 21st Century Learning Skills in School Curriculum MindChampion Learning Systems Limited (MLSL), NIIT's wholly owned subsidiary for its K-12 school learning initiative, organised Principals Symposiums in Hisar, Jodhpur, Tirunelveli & Nagpur to highlight the importance of 21st century learning skills in school curriculum. Renowned educationists Archana Thakar, Jyoti Kathju& Sita Umamaheswaran conducted interactive talk sessions and some hands-on exercises with principals to highlight the importance of modern techniques in education. NIIT Nguru team elaborated on their holistic range of School Learning Solutions which aims to make the vital process of teaching and learning simpler, and also enlightened the principals on the importance of incorporating 21st-century learning skills in school curriculum. NIIT Nguru offers holistic range of School Learning Solutions that comprises Digital - Interactive Classroom; Labs - IT Wizard, Math Lab & English Lab; Books - Math Classic, English Classic, Science Classic & My pals are here; Assessments - Practice Plus and School Support solutions - Quick School, Career guidance & Counselling programs. Pradeep Narayanan, Head, MindChampion Learning Systems Limited (MLSL), said, Technology has completely redefined teaching learning experience in schools, allowing them to easily incorporate technology-enabled aids in their curriculum that makes teaching-learning fun-filled and more effective. Towards this, we provide classroom solutions which are an amalgamation of technology and the traditional print medium, thus helping the schools in integrating 21st-century learning skills in the school curriculum. Recently MLSL launched "MY PALS ARE HERE" an engaging series based on Singapore teaching methodology. Introduced in association with Marshal Cavendish Education, the series has been designed to build a strong foundation of mathematics and strengthen a child's conceptual understanding of the subject. NIIT Nguru also comprises Practise Plus - An academically designed online solution for K-12 that enables practice and assessment. It facilitates, effective diagnosis of students strengths and weaknesses which empowers teachers to take informed decisions on students progress. About MindChampion Learning Systems Limited As NIIT's wholly owned subsidiary for its K-12 school learning initiative - MindChampion Learning Systems Limited (MLSL), is providing technology-based learning to around 2,000 private schools across India, reaching out to more than a million students. The futuristic NIIT Nguru range of learning solutions for schools comprises Interactive Classrooms with digital content, technology-driven Math Lab, IT Wizard programs and Quick School - an Education Resource Planning software. MLSL, builds on the strong lineage of NIIT's School Learning business. Started in 1990, as NIIT's foray into School Learning, the company has provided technology-based education to over 17,000 schools in India, Bhutan, South Africa and the Middle East, impacting more than 10 million students. Visit www.niitnguru.com for more details. Visit us at: www.niit.com Follow us on: www.twitter.com/niitltd PWR PWR Dubai, Dec 31 (PTI) A 35-year-old Indian man in the UAE has allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at his house in the northern Ras Al Khaimah city, a media report said Monday. Rinoj Raveendran, a Keralite who was working as an accountant in the Al Ghail industrial area, was found dead by his roommate on Saturday evening. Prasad Sreedharan, a social worker affiliated with a medical committee recently constituted by the Consulate General of India in Dubai, told the Khaleej Times that the suicide note found on Raveendran's phone states that he committed suicide due to "health issues". An investigation is underway to ascertain the reason behind the victim's apparent suicide, police said. "A report on the same shall be issued later on," they said. He apparently removed the fan from the ceiling of his room, which he was sharing with another fellow worker. His roommate found him hanging when he returned on Saturday evening, Sreedharan said. "The deceased, who has a son studying in Kerala, left a note on his mobile phone saying no one (should) be held responsible for his death and that he was taking the extreme step due to health issues," he said. "I don't understand why people fail to seek help instead of ending their lives and leaving their beloved family devastated. This is probably the 10th suicide case of Indian nationals in RAK in three months," he added. His wife Bini Banarjee, who is working with a jewellery firm in Sharjah, is in a state of shock, social workers said. Nisham Noorudheen, president of the Ras Al Khaimah Indian Relief Committee (IRC), told the Dubai-based daily that the body has been kept in the morgue of a hospital. "The repatriation process will be initiated shortly by the Ras Al Khaimah IRC," Noorudheen said. PTI MRJ MRJ MRJ Ankara, Dec 31 (AFP) A Turkish television station has broadcast CCTV footage showing men carrying cases and bags which it says contained slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's body parts. The images shown on A-Haber television late Sunday feature three men carrying five suitcases and two large black bags into the home of the Saudi consul general in Istanbul. The residence lies a short distance from the Saudi consulate where Khashoggi was murdered in October in a killing that has tested Riyadh's relations with the West. Citing unnamed Turkish sources, A-Haber said Khashoggi's dismembered body was inside the cases and bags. Khashoggi, a contributor to the Washington Post, was killed on October 2 shortly after entering the kingdom's consulate in what Riyadh called a "rogue" operation. The 59-year-old former Saudi insider turned critic was strangled before he was cut up into pieces by a team of 15 Saudis sent to Istanbul for the killing, according to Turkish officials, with media reports suggesting the parts were dissolved in acid. The consulate and the residence were searched by the Turkish authorities in October along with several other locations but Khashoggi's body has still not been found. There has been speculation that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the hit but Riyadh has absolved the de facto leader of any blame. Saudi Arabia has also repeatedly rejected Turkish demands to extradite suspects connected to the murder of the journalist, a critic of the crown prince. A-Haber said the bags and suitcases were put into a minibus which travelled the short distance from the consulate to a garage at the residence. The men are then seen taking them inside. (AFP) MRJ MRJ Tehran, Dec 31 (AFP) Iran said Monday that the Afghan Taliban have visited Tehran for a second round of peace talks in just a few days aimed at bringing an end to 17 years of conflict. Iran has made a more concerted and open push for peace in neighbouring Afghanistan since US President Donald Trump indicated there would be a significant withdrawal of American troops. "Yesterday (Sunday), a delegation of Taliban were in Tehran and lengthy negotiations were held with Iran's deputy foreign minister... (Abbas) Araghchi," said spokesman Bahram Ghasemi at a televised press conference on Monday. That came just days after Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, visited Kabul and told reporters that talks had been held with the Taliban in Afghanistan. "The Islamic Republic has always been one of the primary pillars of stability in the region and cooperation between the two countries will certainly help in fixing Afghanistan's security issues of today," Shamkhani told the conservative Tasnim news agency. There have been reports in the past of talks between Iran and the Taliban, but they have typically been denied by Tehran. Ghasemi said Iran's priority was "to help facilitate negotiations between Afghan groups and the country's government." The current peace push will be viewed with concern by hawks in Washington, who fear that Trump's planned withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan will cede regional influence to Iran. An American official told AFP on December 21 that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces from Afghanistan, but the White House has yet to confirm the widely-publicised move. Senior Republican senator Lindsey Graham met with Trump on Sunday and urged him to delay any withdrawal from Syria to make sure "Iran doesn't become the big winner of our leaving." Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of US and international forces in Afghanistan, told ABC: "Iran has increased influence across the region now. If you pull American influence out, you're likely to have greater instability." The Taliban also met with the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the United Arab Emirates earlier in December, but have so far refused to meet a delegation from Afghanistan. Araghchi will travel to Afghanistan in the next two weeks, Ghasemi said, without giving further details. "Considering our long border with Afghanistan and the cultural and historical ties, and our important role in the region's stability, the Islamic republic was interested... to enter and play a more important role in peace development in Afghanistan," the spokesman added. Iran and Afghanistan share a nearly 600-mile border, and have had a complex relationship in recent years. Tehran has long supported its co-religionists in Afghanistan, the Shia Hazara minority, who were violently persecuted by the Taliban during its rule in the 1990s. Iran worked alongside the United States and Western powers to help drive out the Taliban after the US-led invasion in 2001. But there have been allegations, from Western and Afghan sources, that Iran's Revolutionary Guards have in recent years established ties with the Taliban aimed at driving out US forces from Afghanistan. (AFP) MRJ MRJ New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours: FGN16 BANGLA-LD POLLS Bangla PM Hasina wins landslide victory in polls, secures 3rd straight term Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling alliance Monday swept to a landslide victory in the general elections, securing a third straight term even as the opposition grouping rejected the poll outcome as "farcical". By Anisur Rahman FGN10 BANGLA-POLLS-2NDLD RESULTS Bangla PM Hasina gets landslide win in general elections; Oppn rejects 'farcical' polls Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's alliance has won the parliamentary vote with a thumping majority, officials said Monday, even as the main opposition rejected the "farcical" elections which claimed 18 lives and left over 200 injured, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country. By Anisur Rahman FGN12 BANGLA-HASINA-PROFILE Sheikh Hasina: Growth-oriented 'iron lady' for some, 'authoritarian' for others Dhaka: Bangladesh's iron lady Sheikh Hasina, who won a historic fourth term as prime minister becoming the country's longest-serving leader, is credited by her supporters for the Muslim-majority nation's impressive economic growth, but her opponents see her as an authoritarian who stifled the Opposition. FGN9 LANKA-TNA-RAJAPAKSA TNA will gain political mileage out of its support to shaky govt: Rajapaksa Colombo: Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA should not be allowed to achieve through its support to prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government what it could not accomplish in the three-decade long civil war, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said, warning that the country cannot be divided. FGN7 BANGLA-MODI-HASINA Modi congratulates Bangla PM Hasina on winning elections, assures India's continued support Dhaka, Dec 31 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on registering a landslide win in the general elections and assured her of India's continued support to the country's developmental strides. By Anisur Rahman FGN6 US-JOURNALISTS-NEWYEAR Journalists to lead New Year Eve celebrations at iconic New York's Times Square New York: Honouring journalism and press freedom, leading journalists, mostly from the US, will ring in the New Year Monday at the iconic Times Square's popular New Year eve celebrations, watched by billions around the world. By Yoshita Singh PTI AMS AMS Dhaka, Dec 31 (PTI) Bangladesh's election chief on Monday ruled out any scope of holding fresh election as demanded by opposition alliance, saying the allegations of ballot stuffing on the night before election is "completely untrue." Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling alliance swept to a landslide victory in the elections. The opposition Jatiya Oikya Front - National Unity Front (NUF) - rejected the results and urged the Election Commission to immediately scrap the "farcical election" and hold a fresh one under a non-partisan interim government. "We are not going to hold a new election. There is no scope to hold the national election again," Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda told the media Monday, a day after the 11th parliamentary election was held. Rejecting the allegation of ballot stuffing on the night before election, Huda said: "It is completely untrue." NUF chief and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain called the polls a "farce", citing widespread polling frauds. "We have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres...You (the EC) must cancel this election right away. We reject the so-called results and demand a new election under a neutral government," Hossain said. Jailed ex-prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in the absence of Zia, described the polls as a "cruel farce". However, the election commissioner expressed complete satisfaction over the election and said the voter turnout in the polls was 80 per cent. Huda said the election took place with festive atmosphere but there may have some unfortunate incidents during the voting and the commission will investigate the incidents, the Daily Star newspaper reported. The CEC said he had not received written complaints about the vote. He said that the allegations would not prevent him from releasing the gazette of the results, the Bdnews24.com reported. Asked what steps would be taken on the gazette if written complaints from the BNP came in, he said: "Even if we receive written complaints, it does not prevent us from issuing a gazette of the results." The results reflect the beliefs of the people, Huda said, adding that the media reports as well as local and foreign election observers have described the polls as acceptable. PTI ZH ZH New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours: FGN24 BANGLA-LDALL POLLS Hasina secures landslide victory in polls; CEC rules out holding fresh election in B'desh Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling alliance Monday swept to a landslide victory in the general elections, securing a third straight term, an outcome that would be good news for India's ties with Dhaka, especially on the national security front. By Anisur Rahman FGN12 BANGLA-HASINA-PROFILE Sheikh Hasina: Growth-oriented 'iron lady' for some, 'authoritarian' for others Dhaka: Bangladesh's iron lady Sheikh Hasina, who won a historic fourth term as prime minister becoming the country's longest-serving leader, is credited by her supporters for the Muslim-majority nation's impressive economic growth, but her opponents see her as an authoritarian who stifled the Opposition. FGN22 PAK-SC-ECL Pak SC asks govt to review decision to place 172 people on Exit Control List Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday asked the government to review its decision to place 172 people, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and the Sindh Chief Minister, on the Exit Control List (ECL) after they were named in a money laundering scam. By Sajjad Hussain FGN9 LANKA-TNA-RAJAPAKSA TNA will gain political mileage out of its support to shaky govt: Rajapaksa Colombo: Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA should not be allowed to achieve through its support to prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government what it could not accomplish in the three-decade long civil war, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said, warning that the country cannot be divided. FGN7 BANGLA-MODI-HASINA Modi congratulates Bangla PM Hasina on winning elections, assures India's continued support Dhaka, Dec 31 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on registering a landslide win in the general elections and assured her of India's continued support to the country's developmental strides. By Anisur Rahman FGN6 US-JOURNALISTS-NEWYEAR Journalists to lead New Year Eve celebrations at iconic New York's Times Square New York: Honouring journalism and press freedom, leading journalists, mostly from the US, will ring in the New Year Monday at the iconic Times Square's popular New Year eve celebrations, watched by billions around the world. By Yoshita Singh FGN25 NEWYEAR-LD CELEBRATIONS Sydney kicks off global 2019 parties with dazzling spectacle Sydney, Dec 31 (AFP) Australia's largest city Sydney put on its biggest-ever fireworks display in a spectacular welcome to the New Year, kicking off a wave of celebrations for billions around the world. PTI AMS AMS Colombo, Dec 31 (PTI) Sri Lanka's main Tamil party TNA should not be allowed to achieve through its support to prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government what it could not accomplish in the three-decade long civil war, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said, warning that the country cannot be divided. Addressing a public gathering at Nochchiyagama in the north central province on Sunday, Rajapaksa, now the main opposition leader, said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) could make a political capital out of its support to the government. "They should not be allowed to achieve through Constitution what they could not achieve through war," Rajapaksa said. He was hinting at the TNA's support to Wickremesinghe to end the recent constitutional and political crisis which lasted for over 50 days. Rajapaksa alluded that the TNA would make use of the support to win political autonomy through devious means when Wickremesinghe introduces a new Constitution. "This country cannot be separated or divided, all must work in unison," Rajapaksa said. The TNA stood against sacking of Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena on October 26 and replacing him with Rajapaksa, triggering an unprecedented constitutional and political crisis. Sirisena also dissolved parliament when it appeared that Rajapaksa was not able to garner working majority. The Supreme Court delivered a huge blow to both Sirisena and Rajapaksa when a 7-member bench unanimously ruled Siirsena's dissolving of parliament as unconstitutional. It led to Wickremesinghe being reinstated as prime minister. Rajapaksa's war effort in crushing the LTTE's 30-year-old campaign to carve out a separate homeland for the minority Tamils has endeared him to the 74 per cent of the Sinhala majority. He aims to convert the Sinhala goodwill to votes after he was ousted by a popular movement for reforms backed by both the Sinhala majority and the minority communities in 2015. The TNA had backed Sirisena's victory in 2015 and anticipated action on introduction of a new Constitution which guaranteed political freedom for Tamil minority in the north and east provinces. However, Rajapaksa's opposition has whipped up Sinhala majority nationalism to scuttle the effort. His new party the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) swept the local polls held in February this year in the Sinhala-dominated areas. Sri Lanka's main Tamil party demands devolution of powers in the new Constitution to resolve ethnic issues. The Tamil minority seeks a power devolution arrangement to give autonomy to the traditional Tamil regions in the north and east of the island. The Tamils had stayed away from both previous Constitution making processes in 1972 and 1978. Unhappy with sharing of power, the Tamils demanded self determination in 1976 which was later converted to a bloody military campaign carried out by the LTTE. The armed Tamil group fought a guerrilla war to create a separate Tamil state. With the LTTE's military defeat in 2009, following the death its supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, the moderate Tamils parties have consented to the realisation of Tamil demands through consultation. According to the government figures, around 20,000 people are missing due to various conflicts including the civil war with Lankan Tamils in the north and east which claimed at least 100,000 lives. According to UN figures, up to 40,000 civilians were killed by security forces during Rajapaksa's regime that brought an end to the three-decade long civil war. PTI CORR MRJ MRJ Ahmedabad, Dec 31 (PTI) In a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi for his critical remarks on the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani dubbed the Congress president as a "shameless liar" who was desperate to see the state fail. Rupani said people of Gujarat have recognised Gandhi's "hatred" for the state and have continuously rejected the Congress, and will keep doing so. Gandhi had on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that "cynical" sponsors of the investor summit no longer wanted to be associated with an event presided over by him. "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," he had said. The Congress chief had quoted a media report to target the summit, conceptualised in 2003 by Prime Minister Modi when he was the chief minister of the state to promote investment in Gujarat. The report claimed that the United Kingdom, after refusing to be a partner country for the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, said it had decided to withdraw from the "showpiece 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. Reacting to Gandhi's tweet, Rupani Sunday night claimed that the investor meet was seeing even more participation this time. "Such a shameless liar you are Rahul Gandhi. This time Vibrant Gujarat is seeing even more participation. Here are the facts:," he said in a tweet along with a link to a media report. The report had recently quoted the chief minister saying that unlike the previous edition where 10 nations were partner countries, this time in 2019 the summit will have 16 partner countries. "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," Rupani said in an another tweet. Gujarat will host the ninth edition of the annual industry summit 'Vibrant Gujarat' from January 18 to 20, 2019, in Gandhinagar. The summit focuses on establishing Gujarat as a preferred investment destination in India. Over the years, the summit has evolved into a platform for brainstorming on agendas of global socio-economic development, in addition to becoming a platform for forging strategic public-private partnerships. PTI PD GK DV DV Kolkata, Dec 31 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), was for the socio-economic development of women, but was against using religion in politics to get justice for them. Banerjee, who was commenting on the Opposition stalling the "triple talaq" bill following which the Rajya Sabha was adjourned, said her party was "totally in favour of women". She said the TMC had 33 per cent elected women representatives and urged other political parties to follow suit. "We are totally in favour of women. We are for the socio-economic development of women. Women should not face any injustice. But if there is any politics with their religions, I think the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members are capable of catering to the situation," she told reporters at the state secretariat. The TMC supremo said party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay spoke on the "triple talaq" bill in Parliament on December 28 and said the bill should be sent to the Joint Select Committee. All opposition parties shared the same opinion, she added. "Without the party instruction, he (Bandyopadhyay) cannot speak," Banerjee said. Elaborating on her party's support to women, she said, "It is only in the TMC that we have more than 33 per cent elected women members. I request all the political parties to give 33 per cent reservation to women. "In (West) Bengal, we have 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayat as well as in municipal areas," the chief minister added. "If you want to give justice to women, you cannot be unjust to others. So, wherever justice is needed, we support the people, but wherever there will be injustice, we will not support it. We will fight it out," she said. Alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) punished or penalised people whenever a certain issue did not suit it, Banerjee, a strident critic of the saffron party, said, "I do not agree with this." PTI SCH KK RC Cong must apologise for compromising natl security: J'khand CM Jamshedpur, Dec 31 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das hit out at the Congress on Monday, demanding an apology from the party for allegedly compromising national security in the AgustaWestland chopper deal. People have the right to ask and the Congress must provide answers, Das told a press conference here. "Sonia Gandhi (UPA chairperson) and the Congress party should apologise to the country for compromising with national security," the chief minister said. As part of its nation-wide campaign to attack the Congress over the statement of Christian Michel -- the alleged middleman in the deal -- to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the BJP fielded its chief ministers and top leaders in state capitals across the country. The BJP stepped up its attack on the Congress and its leaders in the wake of the alleged reference made by Michel about one "Mrs Gandhi", as told by the ED to a Delhi court. "The ED investigation has made it clear how the irregularities were committed in the deal," Das said. The Congress, has, however, rejected the allegations and has counter-alleged that it was the Modi government that was a "protector, benefactor and promoter" of AgustaWestland. The party has also expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. PTI BS RBT RBT Mamata congratulates Sheikh Hasina on her electoral victory Kolkata, Dec 31 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her landslide victory in the general elections. Bangladesh went to polls on Sunday to elect a new Parliament, the results of which were declared in the morning. Hasina cruised to victory for a third consecutive term as the ruling Awami League-led coalition bagged over 260 seats in the 300-member House. The CM said she telephoned Hasina in the morning following the declaration of the result. "The West Bengal government is happy that Sheikh Hasina won the elections. I have spoken to her personally and congratulated her. I also congratulate the people of Bangladesh," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat Monday afternoon. Hoping that the new government will boost ties between India and Bangladesh, Banerjee said both the countries should work towards maintaining peace and stability. "We have a cordial relation with Bangladesh. I want that relationship to strengthen with time," she added. PTI SCH RMS RMS Chamling urges people to uphold peace and freedom in Sikkim Gangtok, Dec 31 (PTI) Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling on Monday urged the people of the state to uphold the hard-earned peace, goodwill, security and freedom that prevails in the Himalayan State. Chamling in his message to the people on the New Year's eve also exhorted the people to pledge to take the name, fame and image of Sikkim the most developed, wealthy, happy and prosperous state. Sikkim, he said, has been freed from the clutches of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and unemployment. "Let us resolve to be on our guard to uphold the hard-earned peace, goodwill, security and freedom that prevail in Sikkim ... May Sikkim be kept from destruction, unrest and hatred from racial, communal and religious differences," Chamling said. Speaking of the achievements of his government over the past 24 years, the chief minister said that he was happy with the "world-class performance" of his government which must be leveraged to take Sikkims name, fame and glory across the globe next year. PTI KDK KK KK KK New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Following are the highlights at 1430 hours: TOP STORIES LGD5 DL-COURT-LD RIOTS 1984 anti-Sikh riots case: Two convicts surrender, Sajjan Kumar likely to surrender later in day New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Former MLAs Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were convicted in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, surrendered before a Delhi court Monday to serve a 10-yr jail term. DEL12 ANTONY-DEFENCE Sonia, Rahul never interfered in any defence deal: Antony New Delhi: Former defence minister and senior Congress leader AK Antony Monday said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals and accused the BJP of "manufacturing" lies. DEL3 JK-BAT BAT attack foiled along LoC, two Pakistani soldiers killed Srinagar: A major Border Action Team (BAT) action has been foiled along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector of Jammu and Kashmir by killing two intruders who are "likely Pakistani soldiers", the Army said Monday. PAR6 LS-RAFALE Cong raises Rafale issue; HM says repeating lie will not make it truth New Delhi: A belligerent Congress Monday again sought to raise the issue of alleged scam in the Rafale deal in the Lok Sabha, with Home Minister Rajnath Singh saying that repeating a lie would not make it a truth. DEL4 CIC-LD APPOINTMENT Sudhir Bhargava new CIC, govt appoints four information commissioners New Delhi: The government has appointed Sudhir Bhargava as Chief Information Commissioner, along with four information commissioners, all of whom were bureaucrats, in the Central Information Commission. DEL13 MHA-NAGALAND Entire Nagaland declared 'disturbed' for six more months under AFSPA New Delhi: The entire state of Nagaland has been declared "disturbed area" for six more months, till June-end, under the controversial AFSPA, which empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice. NATION: DEL8 JAITLEY-SOHRABUDDIN Rahul Gandhi should ask who killed Sohrabuddin investigation: Jaitley New Delhi: Taking Congress head on over the Sohrabuddin case, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the appropriate question for party president Rahul Gandhi to ask would be, who killed the investigation in this case. MDS2 KA-PM-KUMARASWAMY PM misleading nation for political gains: K'taka CM on Modi terming farm loan waiver 'cruel joke' Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for terming the state government's loan waiver scheme for farmers "one of the most cruel jokes", accusing him of misleading the country for "political gains". BOM1 GJ-SUMMIT-RUPANI Rahul a "shameless liar", desperate to see Gujarat fail: Rupani Ahmedabad: In a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi for his critical remarks on the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani dubbed the Congress president as a "shameless liar" who was desperate to see the state fail. FOREIGN: FGN10 BANGLA-POLLS-2NDLD RESULTS Bangla PM Hasina gets landslide win in general elections; Oppn rejects 'farcical' polls Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's alliance has won the parliamentary vote with a thumping majority, officials said Monday, even as the main opposition rejected the "farcical" elections which claimed 18 lives and left over 200 injured, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country.PTI TVS TVS Lucknow, Dec 31 (PTI) Attacking Congress over the AgustaWestland deal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday alleged the party leaders had got Rs 150 crore bribe for the helicopters purchase transaction during the previous UPA regime. He also alleged that the Congress party was party to multiple scams and it had played with the security of the country and its citizens. Addressing a hurriedly-convened press conference here, Adityanath claimed the Rs 3,700 crore AugustaWestland deal during the UPA regime involved a bribery of around Rs 360 crore, out of which the Congress leaders got Rs 150 crore. However, he did not elaborate on his claims. The ruling BJP has stepped up its attack on the main opposition party and its leaders in the wake of the alleged reference made by Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland deal, about one "Mrs Gandhi", as told by the Enforcement Directorate to a court. The Congress has, however, rejected the allegations and has counter-alleged that it was the Modi government that was a "protector, benefactor and promoter" of AgustaWestland as it lifted a ban imposed on the helicopter maker during the UPA rule and allowed it to bid for 100 naval utility helicopters. The Congress has also said it will get the matter probed if it comes back to power in 2019. Address a press conference in the national capital, former defence minister and senior Congress leader A K Antony Monday accused the BJP and the government of "manufacturing" lies in the AgustaWestland case and said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals during the UPA regime. At his press conference, Adityanath alleged the Congress did not leave any sector between 2004 and 2014 where it did not commit a scam, "be it jal (water), thal (earth), nabh (sky), antariksh (space) and pataal (underground)." "In this context, Christian Michel taking the name of 'Mrs Gandhi' proves that Congress is fully involved in this (scam)," he said. The UP chief minister said officials of AugustaWestland have already been punished by an Italian court. "The court had also said that other accused persons linked to the case are residing out of Italy, and hence it cannot do anything. After all, who are are those people. The surfacing of Mrs Gandhi's name itself proves the involvement of Congress leaders," he claimed. "This is the reason as to why the Congress is nervous," Adityanath said, while alleging that the party has been committing scams in the name of defence deals but it has got "unmasked" in the AugustaWestland case. He further alleged that the country's defence needs would not have got impacted if the Congress did not indulge in bribery in defence deals. "Congress president Rahul Gandhi must apologise before the country. The truth is emerging before the people and they will punish the Congress," Adityanath said. Anotny, however, accused the ruling party of indulging in vendetta politics without any iota of truth. He also said it was the Congress-led UPA government that had ordered a CBI inquiry the moment it came to know of corruption allegations in the VVIP AgustaWestland helicopter deal and had initiated proceedings to blacklist the company. Antony claimed that the UPA government fought the case "unusually" in a Milan court against the chopper-making company and won it too. "We cancelled the contract and started proceedings of blacklisting. But after we left, the Modi government did nothing against AgustaWestland. Instead of acting against the company, they favoured the company," he said. The senior Congress leader alleged that the government and the BJP were trying to divert attention from the allegations raised by his party on the Rafale fighter jet deal and were not initiating an inquiry into the matter or a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) to probe the charges. PTI NAV SMI BJ BJ New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Targeting the Congress leadership, BJP chief Amit Shah Monday said AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel's mention of "Mrs Gandhi" has brought the truth about the opposition party and the "Gandhi family" out before people. In a statement, Shah said the "friendship" between Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland deal, and the Congress' top leadership is "time tested and deep". He also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to seek apology from the country for the AgustaWestland "scam", a reference to the alleged corruption in the purchase of VVIP choppers during the UPA government's tenure. The Congress has accused the BJP and the government of "manufacturing" lies in the AgustaWestland case, and said Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never interfered in any defence deals during the UPA regime. "The government and the BJP are misusing agencies to manufacture lies. I am surprised to know that the present government is spreading lies....is trying to manufacture something out of nothing," former defence minister and senior Congress leader A K Antony said. Hitting back, Shah said it has become a habit of the Congress and its leaders to speak brazen lies to deny the truth. Leading the BJP's nation-wide campaign against the Congress, he tweeted, "Trails of the AgustaWestland Casethe SOS of Christian Michel. Does anyone know why Christian Michel passed on the details of questioning on Mrs Gandhi to his lawyer? Did he want them to be passed on to Mrs. Gandhi herself? Why?" It needs to be known what the relationship between Michel and Mrs Gandhi is, he said. Shah said Michel's lawyer had admitted that the alleged middleman indeed passed on a paper to him and claimed that he thought it was a list of medicines. The BJP president took an apparent swipe in a tweet at the Gandhi family, saying that people have heard of "Zandu balm and Tiger balm (medicines used to relieve pain) but what is this 'Family Balm' that every middleman wants". "In any case, what must be told again and again is the Congress background of Michel's lawyer. The so called expulsion remains a sham. He remains the conduit between Michel and Mrs Gandhi!" Shah said. The Congress had expelled Aljo K Joseph, an office bearer in its youth wing, after he appeared as a counsel for Michel. "In national interest, Michel's lawyer must tell us about the existence of documents of 2008, which make a reference to Mrs Gandhi. Evidently, the friendship between Michel and one family in India is time tested and deep," Shah further said. While on the one hand the Congress is working to save the likes of Michel, on the other, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is striving to save the money looted from the country, he claimed. A Delhi court had Saturday imposed restrictions on Michel, the alleged middleman in the purchase of VVIP choppers during the UPA's tenure, meeting his lawyers in the Enforcement Directorate's custody. The directions were given after the probe agency said he was misusing legal access by passing chits to the advocates asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi". The agency also claimed that he has spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and taken "Mrs Gandhi's" name in reference to a query. The BJP has used this disclosure to attack the Congress, especially the Gandhi family. PTI KR IJT New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Sikh inmates will be kept away from former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar's ward in the Mandoli Jail complex here as a precautionary measure, jail sources said. Kumar, sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was brought to the Mandoli jail after he surrendered before the Karkardooma court here on Monday. The former Congress leader, who was brought to the jail by the police following his medical examination at a Delhi government hospital, would be lodged in prison number 14, the sources said. They added that Kumar's medical examination by a jail doctor was also carried out. He underwent a detailed medical examination owing to his age.He told the doctor that he was asthmatic and was suffering from body pain, they said, adding Kumar has also brought several medicines with him. The sources said after the medical examination, he was led to ward number 1 and Sikh prisoners near that ward were shifted to other wards as a precautionary measure. Security had been increased in jail number 14 and the personnel asked to ensure that the two-three Sikh prisoners lodged in the prison should be kept away from Kumar as a precautionary measure, they said. On the first day of his jail stay, Kumar went without food, the sources said, adding he will not be given special treatment and treated like other prisoners. He was brought to the jail complex in a separate prison bus with two escort vehicles, following the court's directions. Kumar, 73, surrendered before Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg, who directed that he be lodged in the Mandoli jail in northeast Delhi. The Delhi High Court had set a deadline of December 31 for the former Congress leader to surrender and on December 21, declined his plea to extend the time by a month. The high court had, on December 17, convicted Kumar and sentenced him to life imprisonment for the "remainder of his natural life". Subsequently, Kumar resigned from the Congress party. The case in which he was convicted relates to the killing of five Sikhs in the Raj Nagar Part-I area in the Palam Colony of southwest Delhi on November 1-2, 1984 and the burning down of a Gurdwara in Raj Nagar Part-II. Kumar is the first big politician to be convicted in the riots. In its judgment on December 17, the high court noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital, holding that the riots was indeed a "carnage of unbelievable proportions". The riots broke out after the assassination of then prime minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984, by her two Sikh bodyguards. PTI SLB NIT RCJ New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Monday urged the Delhi Metro to work on "lowering fares" for commuters, asserting that it was possible to do it if pursued with commitment. He said this in the presence of Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs (HUA) Hardeep Singh Puri, DMRC chief Mangu Singh and HUA secretary D S Mishra after the inauguration of 9.7-km Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor of the Pink Line at the Metro Bhawan here. "We all take pride in Delhi Metro and we salute the engineers and others who have built it... But, Metro is a need of Delhi and not a leisure that sometimes people would go out with the family for a ride. It is part of our daily lives. And, I feel, the fares are high as far as the common man is concerned," Sisodia said. "We will have to find ways to lower it," he added. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials, however, did not comment on Sisodia's remarks. "Delhi Metro goes under Shastri Bhawan and below some of the crowded areas in old Delhi, and through elevated lines in other areas. If we can solve technical problems through engineering, similarly it is possible to economic engineering to bring down the fares. It is possible if we have full commitment," the deputy chief minister said. He asserted that once it gets accepted that fares need to be lowered and ways can be found out, it can be done "if pursued with full commitment," he added. Sisodia said while deciding fares for a metro in a city like Delhi or a country like India, the socio-economic structure will have to be factored in. "Our metro fares are lower, compared to metros in other countries. But, we need to consider per capita income and minimum wages. If we want a labourer earning Rs 13,000 to use a metro, then we need to lower rates, otherwise, they will use road transport. So, we still need to lower it," he said. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in March, during the opening of the Majlis Park-Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus section of the Pink Line, had raised the issue of hike in Delhi Metro fares. "If we can work together, the Delhi government, Centre and the metro, we can find a solution to it. The fare fixation committee had increased fares of metro, and I believe that the committee will set an example by reducing fares this time," he had said. The deputy chief minister, who is an MLA from Patparganj, thanked the Delhi Metro for opening the new line, and described it as a "New Year gift". The Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor has five stations -- Lajpat Nagar, Vinobapuri, Ashram, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1. Mayur Vihar Ph-I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1 are elevated stations and the rest are underground. Mayur Vihar Ph-I is also an interchange station. "This is personally important for me as Patparganj is my Vidhan Sabha area. And, this is an important connectivity for east and south Delhi. Now, people can come to south Delhi, without using ant bridges," he said. He also urged DMRC officials to "restore" a park in east Delhi, which was "taken up by the Delhi Metro during construction work". PTI KND AQS AQS Guwahati, Dec 31 (PTI) A CBI court here has sentenced four employees of the Gauhati University (GU) for five years in jail for committing financial irregularities. CBI special judge Binod Kumar Chetri convicted the four employees and sentenced them to five years rigorous imprisonment on December 29. They were found guilty of criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of over Rs 3.40 million of the university fund by falsely showing that the sum was credited to the varsity's account, said Superintendent of Police (CBI) Syed Bazlullah. The four were also slapped with fines of different amounts, he said. A complaint was filed at Jalukbari police station in September 2003 against the four employees. Later, the CBI took over the case in September 2005, Bazlullah said. The chargesheet against the employees was filed on December 26, 2008, he said. While the two worked as the GU chief cashiers, another was the junior cash collector in the Accounts Department. The fourth was an armed guard in the cash section of the department, Bazlullah said. PTI TR KK AQS AQS TN police looking at deporting US journo for "visa violation" (Eds;updating with quotes of Tuticorin District Collector) Chennai, Dec 31 (PTI): A day after a US based journalist was questioned by police for interviewing people at Tuticorin over the Sterlite plant issue, authorities are exploring legal options, including filing a case and deporting him while probing alleged violation of visa rules. Mark Scialla, a freelance journalist from the U.S.A interviewed a host of people on December 28 and 29 in and around Tuticorin, the Anti-Sterlite Movement's (ASM) Prince Cardoza, who helped him as an interpreter, said. The journalist, who arrived in that coastal town on Thursday, posed questions to them on the "health issues" they faced before and after the closure of Sterlite's shut copper plant at Tuticorin and also met a victim of the May 2018 police firing (who sustained a bullet injury), he said. A senior police officer told PTI that all legal options were being looked at, including registration of a case and deporting him. Such options were being examined and at the same time, the probe into the violation of visa norms was still on, the officer said. A foreigner on a tourist visa cannot do journalistic work as per norms and it was tantamount to breaking visa rules, he said. Tuticorin District Collector Sandeep Nandurai told reporters that appropriate legal action would be initiated after the probe by police, who are ascertaining if Scialla "violated visa norm" and the "kind of violation" he committed. Police was also looking into several aspects, including on whose invitation he was here and the kind of work he did here during his stay, the Collector said. The police official said that the enquiry of local people who interacted with the US national was still not complete. They were being questioned on the basis of what Scialla had told police in connection with his work, he said. "As a tourist, Mark is free to go anywhere, but he cannot interview people and he has agreed to follow the rules," the official said to question. Despite repeated attempts, Mark could not be reached for his comment; he neither answered text message nor a phone call. The hotel where he stays at Tuticorin, however, confirmed that he continued to stay there. According to Mark's twitter handle, he is an "independent writer and video journalist covering environmental conflict and social issues." When contacted, a U S Consulate spokesperson here said "We are aware of media reports concerning the American citizen. However, due to privacy laws, we do not comment on matters involving U S citizens." Prince told PTI that police took him around Tuticorin for several hours on Saturday night in a vehicle before he was eventually questioned for helping Scialla. He said he received a summons from police on Monday to appear within hours. However, he said he has replied that he would appear "at the earliest," and not today. Fatima Babu, another leading anti-Sterlite activist said it was not their task to check under what visa a foreigner had arrived. She led an agitation when police detained Prince for several hours for questioning. On December 15, the National Green Tribunal set aside the Tamil Nadu government order for closure of mining company Vedanta Ltd's sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin, which was at the centre of massive protests over alleged pollution, saying it was "non sustainable" and "unjustified". Thirteen people were killed in police firing on May 22-23 and several injured after the protests against Sterlite turned violent in Tuticorin. PTI VGN APR APR APR Srinagar, Dec 31 (PTI) A female corporator of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) accused its Mayor Junaid Mattu Monday of sexual harassment, a charge he denied. The corporator from the Congress accused Mattu of "assault" and lodged a police complaint against him and his personal assistant. "The Mayor has continuously been asking me to come along with him for enjoyment. He has harassed me a number of times and not just once. I had submitted an estimate of Rs 25 lakh for development works, but he did not approve it and asked me to accompany him to some place for enjoyment. This is sexual harassment," the corporator from one of the municipal wards of the city told reporters here. She accused the mayor and his assistant of manhandling and abusing her in the presence of other corporators. "They tore my pheran (traditional Kashmiri cloak) and showered choicest of invectives," she said, adding that she had lodged a police complaint in this regard. However, Mattu denied the allegation and accused the female corporator of demanding "undue and illegal" favours for her family members. "This is in reference to baseless, concocted and motivated accusations made against me by a corporator belonging to the Indian National Congress. The said corporator, who has accused me of sexual harassment, is my mother's age and has children as old as me," he said. The SMC mayor added that he did not attend office on Monday, but chaired a review meeting of the works wing of the SMC at his official residence at Church Lane. "This is a fact that can be verified by nearly 20 gazetted officers, who were present in the meeting, as well as the security staff at my residence and those deputed for access control at my office. At the end of the meeting, I received a call from my private secretary (an employee of the SMC) who said the corporator had barged into my office and physically assaulted the private secretary, Mr Hussain. "She broke the computers and fixtures in the office, demanding that a shop be allotted in favour of her husband in Srinagar and a job be arranged for a person she claimed to be her son. She had persistently put forth these undue and illegal demands to me, for which I have proof. These are demands that I refused, while upholding the integrity of my office and the SMC," he said. Mattu added that he too had lodged a police complaint against the corporator, following which a police team visited the office and recorded the statements of his staff. Without naming anyone, the SMC mayor alleged that the corporator was putting up fictitious charges against him at the behest of "a senior elected individual". "I have spoken to my lawyers and will file a defamation case against the said corporator and urge the police to uncover the truth and uphold the law. I stand by the values of transparency, honesty and diligence in performing my duties and will not succumb to any pressure tactics to facilitate corruption. That is unacceptable. I will fight these baseless allegations and have no doubt that the truth shall prevail," he said. PTI SSB RC Jaipur, Dec 31 (PTI) A 25-year old man was found dead at Muhana mandi in the district on Monday morning, police said. The deceased was identified as Raju Pahadia, a resident of Rampura road under the Muhana police station area, SHO of the police station, Devendra, said. "The body, with its throat slit, was found in the mandi. It has been shifted to hospital for post-mortem," he said, adding that the matter is being probed. PTI SDA NSD NSD Ready for debate on Rafale: Kharge says in LS New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Congress Monday said in Lok Sabha that it is ready for a debate on the Rafale jet deal on Wednesday. "Jaitley ji has thrown a challenge ... we are ready for a debate on January 2. Please decide a time," Congress Leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said. He made these remarks soon after the House gave its nod to additional gross expenditure of Rs 85,948.86 crore during the current fiscal ending March 2019. At 2.00 PM, when the House was to take up discussion on Supplementary Demands for Grants, Kharge repeated his demand for a joint parliamentary committee to probe the Rafale deal. At this, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Kharge should begin the discussion on the issue immediately and asserted that the government was ready to give a reply. Kharge, he said, was "running away" from discussion. Stressing that there should a discussion on Rafale deal, Jaitley said he would prove that the Congress party was spreading lies over the deal. When the House was about to be adjourned for the day, Kharge reminded Speaker Sumitra Mahajan of the debate and sought a time for it. Mahajan said she will decide on the timing but Kharge can't extract a decision on the date and time immediately. "You keep your challenges to yourself. Don't challenge me," an apparently peeved Mahajasn said. Earlier in the day, Congress had again sought to raise the issue of alleged scam in the Rafale deal in Lok Sabha, inviting a sharp reaction from the government stating the Opposition should not "run away" from a debate on the issue. Congress members have been raising the matter since the start of the Winter Session of Parliament on December 11, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale deal. During the Zero Hour, party members trooped into the Well displaying placards and shouting slogans on the issue. Raising the matter, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleged there has been a scam in the deal and asked why the government was not disclosing the price of jets. He also demanded a JPC probe into the Rafale deal amid loud protests from BJP members. In response, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said repeating the same lie again and again would not make it a truth. The government is ready for discussion on the matter but why is the Congress "running way", the minister asked. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi was present in the House. The Opposition has also been raising the issue outside Parliament. PTI RAM KR SID JD NAB NAB TVS TVS Oppn demands triple talaq bill be sent to select committee New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) The Congress and other opposition parties on Monday demanded in the Rajya Sabha that the triple talaq bill be sent to a select committee for further scrutiny, even as the government accused them of doing politics on the issue. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the bill is very crucial and requires further scrutiny and claimed that more than half of the members belonging to several parties have demanded that the bill be sent to a select committee. He accused the government of breaking the tradition of sending bills to select committees for scrutiny before they become a law. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said the government was ready for a discussion on the issue and accused the Congress of creating hurdles in the passage of the legislation. He said the Congress has already supported the bill in the Lok Sabha earlier. "The Congress and other parties are only playing politics on this issue which is very important for ensuring the rights of married Muslim women," he said. Amid the din created by the opposition members as well as AIADMK members protesting in the well of the House over the Cauvery issue, deputy chairperson Harivansh adjourned the House for 15 minutes as the stalemate persisted over the Muslim women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) bill, 2018. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday last. PTI KKS NAB SKC DV DV Tipsy mother gives baby to stranger; child reunited with her Hyderabad, Dec 31 (PTI): A two-month-old baby was Monday reunited with her mother by police, less than 24 hours after she allegedly handed it over in an inebirated state to a man near Osmania General Hospital here, police said. They said the woman handed over the baby to the man Sunday night,saying she would be back after some time. However when she did not turn up The man then took the wailing child to his house and vainly tried to feed it milk. He informed his friends and relatives and they handed over the baby to the Afzlgunj Police Station, an official release said. Constable M Ravinder on night duty there, informed his wife, also a constable at another station and who was on maternity leave, of the baby's plight and she came to the spot and fed the baby, it said. Later, the baby was shifted to the Government Maternity Hospital at Petlaburz. During efforts to trace the mother, police found a a woman crying at Chanchalguda area, who narrated the sequence of events. The woman claimed that she had forgotten the area where she had given the baby to the man as she was drunk at that time. She was then taken to the hospital, where she identified her child. After verification and confirmation, the baby was handed over to the woman, the release added. PTI VVK NVG APR APR APR New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) A 42-year-old man was arrested for allegedly trying to click obscene pictures of an 18-year-old in east Delhi's Shakarpur area, police said Monday. The girl alleged that when she came out of her bathroom after taking a shower on Saturday, she found the accused trying to take her pictures from his balcony, an official said. The victim raised an alarm and even threw a bucket at him following which the accused went inside his house, he said. Later, the victim along with her parents confronted the accused who then claimed innocence, he said. A case was registered and the accused was arrested, said Pankaj Singh, deputy commissioner of police (east) said. The victim alleged that the accused used to stalk her and even tried speaking to her multiple times, the officer said. Police said the accused works as a technician at a leading Hindi daily. Further investigation is underway. PTI AMP IND IND Mumbai, Dec 31 (PTI) Though the prosecution "tried", it failed to prove any "politician-police" nexus in the alleged fake encounter case of Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsiram Prajapati, a special CBI court had said while acquitting all the 22 accused on December 21. Special CBI Judge S J Sharma had acquitted all the accused due to insufficient evidence while expressing sorrow over the loss of three lives. "I have no hesitation to conclude that the evidence which has been laid and adduced and discussed and appreciated vividly, though the prosecution has tried, it failed to prove any politician-police nexus," he said. The remarks were part of the 358-page judgement. Copy of the full judgement was only made available on Monday. The court stated that the CBI probed the alleged fake encounter killings with a 'pre-conceived and premeditated' theory to implicate political leaders. Of the 22 accused who were acquitted, 21 were junior level police officials from Gujarat and Rajasthan police. The court has noted in its judgement that it was incumbent on part of the prosecution to procure sanction from appropriate authority to prosecute the 21 accused as they were all government servants. "The 21 accused were certainly acting in discharge of their official duties. The 21 accused were doubtlessly public servants when the alleged offence is alleged to have been committed," the judgement said. "In such circumstances, it was necessary for the investigation agency to obtain sanction of competent authority before filing charge sheet. In absence of the sanction, the accused are entitled for acquittal," the court said. According to the CBI, the police officials were part of teams which abducted and killed Shaikh, his wife and Prajapati in staged encounters. The court said there was nothing to show that service weapons of the accused policemen were used in the killings. The three victims who were returning to Sangli in Maharashtra from Hyderabad in a bus were taken into custody by a police team on the intervening night of November 22-23, 2005. The couple was taken in one vehicle and Prajapati in another. The CBI had said Shaikh was killed on November 26, 2005, allegedly by a joint team of Gujarat and Rajasthan police, and Kausar Bi three days later. Prajapati, who was lodged in Udaipur Central Jail, was killed in an encounter on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border on December 27, 2006, the investigation agency had alleged. The court also noted that the prosecution had failed to prove that Prajapati was killed in a fake and staged encounter. "No doubt that Tulsiram Prajapati suffered a homicidal death," the court said. It added that statements of witnesses on Prajapati escaping from the custody of Rajasthan police in December 2006 appeared "cogent and convincing". The court noted the evidence showed that there was an incident of cross firing between Prajapati and a police team. The CBI had charged 38 persons, including BJP chief Amit Shah, who was the then Gujarat home minister, Gulabchand Kataria, the then Rajasthan home minister, and senior IPS officers like D G Vanzara and P C Pande in the case. The prosecution examined 210 witnesses, of which 92 turned hostile. Shah was arrested in the case in July 2010, but released on bail by the Gujarat High Court in October that year. He was discharged by the CBI court in December 2014. The December 21 verdict was Judge Sharma's last judgement of his career. He is set to retire on December 31. PTI SP NSK DIV DIV New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Two men, who fired gun shoots at police personnel in Dwarka, have been arrested, officials said Monday. The accused were identified as Sameer (28), a resident of Mahavir Enclave Part-II and Nadeem Ahmed (25), a resident of Mahavir Enclave Part-I. During patrolling in Dabri area, police kept a watch on the movement of two persons based on suspicion. On seeing the police, the two tried to run away. Subsequently, Ahmed took out a gun and fired at the officials. However, the accused were overpowered and apprehended, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Anto Alphonse. During interrogation, Sameer revealed that after his release from jail in 2016, he and his girlfriend started an online fraud through which they defrauded unsuspecting persons of around Rs 13.5 lakh, Alphonse said. They would make friends on social networking site Facebook on fake identities and on the pretext of getting them jobs in Delhi they would ask their 'friends' to deposit money in a bank account they had access to, the DCP said. A case had been registered at Patliputra Police Station, Patna, DCP said. Sameer is an absent criminal of Dabri Police Station, officials said, adding that a country-made pistol and two live cartridges were recovered from their possession. PTI NIT SOM IND IND What a difference a year can make to sentiment towards emerging investment opportunities that were tipped to take the world by storm. Remember this time last year when the world and his dog were barking about bitcoin, the original and best known cryptocurrency? Well those who invested in bitcoin at its peak of $20,000 in mid-December 2017 are now nursing a 82 per cent paper loss, with prices teetering around the $3,600 a coin mark (to 28 December). Those who invested in bitcoin at its peak of $20,000 in mid-December 2017 are now nursing a 82 per cent paper loss one year one Similarly, funds designed to profit from the greater liberalisation of cannabis in North America have faltered despite a number of tailwinds for the industry this year. This underlines the importance of not following the crowd and making investments for fear of missing out, but instead doing your own research to establish whether the proposition is one for you. Bitcoin Bitcoin's rise to prominence has been remarkable. The cryptocurrency was founded a decade ago by a mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto who published a white paper describing an electronic cash system, free from government interference and can be shared instantly online. But a number of factors including a spike in demand from China - resulted in a surge in value of the cryptocurrency last year, which catapulted the then recondite coin into the public eye. In numerical terms, the price of Bitcoin rocketed by a staggering 1,900 per cent from $1,000 at the start of 2017 to a peak of just under $20,000 11 months later in mid December. At this point, Bitcoin has hit the mainstream, with many novice investors attempting to explain to uninitiated friends and relatives how an entry in a cryptographically secured decentralised ledger can be valued in the thousands of pounds. A recent YouGov survey found that almost one in ten (9 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds had bought bitcoin, confirming anecdotal evidence of the enthusiasm for all things crypto among a significant section of young people. But instead of kicking on and soaring to new heights as many cryto-purest had predicted, the value of bitcoin plummeted - down 73 per cent for the year. Crypto is here to stay and so are cannabis stocks just dont get high on your own supply as it might cloud your judgement And Bitcoin is not the only cryptocurrency to have experienced a reversal of fortune. The price of ethereum has tumbled a staggering 92 per cent from its peak of over $1,400 in mid-January to $114 (to 28 December 2018). Whether bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general are doomed for failure remains to be seen. Blockchain, the technology behind cryptos, is impressive and the coins could emerge as bona-fide investments akin to traditional stock and shares investments. However, the sector has been buffeted by some strong and some would say debilitating headwinds. The cryptocurrencies have been hit by a succession of regulatory setbacks including the launch of a probe into whether cryptocurrency Tether and crypto exchange Bitfinex manipulated the price of bitcoin using unscrupulous and illegal market tricks by the US Justice Department in November. Losses have only increased since Novembers bitcoin cash split into, bitcoin ABC and the new 'fork' is called bitcoin SV, that are now effectively in competition with each other. It is fair to say that the sentiment towards bitcoin has soured since last year's boom and a number traders have been shorting - i.e. betting against - the cryptocurrency. Cannabis What seems like a great year for cannabis the industry hasn't translated to outperformance from funds designed to profit from its growth. It has been a milestone year for cannabis industry. In the US, California opened the worlds biggest legal marijuana market, Vermont legalised possession of the drug - becoming the first state to do so through its legislature-, and Michigan became the 10th state to OK its use. More recently, Canada became the worlds first developed country to fully legalize cannabis, colloquially known as weed. But what seems like a great year for the industry hasn't translated to outperformance from funds designed to profit from its growth. What is an ETF? An ETF, or exchange-traded fund, is a that tracks a stock index, a commodity, bonds, or a basket of assets. ETFs are listed on stock exchanges and therefore trade throughout the day like a common stock. The ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF, which used to invest in Latin American properties but relaunched at the end of 2017 after the US fund management group felt weed presents a greater opportunity, is down 33 per cent this year - trading at $24 at the time of writing. Meanwhile, the Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences Index, the first ETF investing in cannabis focused stocks, surged to an all time high of just under $25 Canadian dollars on 21 September this year but has since tumbled 44 per cent to $14. While shares in the ETF are up 27 per cent since its inception in April 2017, the fund is down 36 for the year. The reason? The finger can be pointed at some of the underperforming stocks the fund holds. For example, Aurora Cannabis, which is also among the most heavily weighted marijuana stocks in the portfolio, is down 50 per cent since the start of the year - despite making a number of acquisitions that would help increase its production of marijuana. Gary McFarlane, cryptocurrency analyst at DIY investment platform Interactive Investor, defines the dip in performance as a 'buy the rumour, sell the news moment'. The legalisation of weed in Canada marked the end of the 'promise' stage of the investment cycle, and forced investors to have a closer look under the bonnet at the companies that are supposedly positioned to benefit most from liberalisation of cannabis. Just hours after legalisation, a number of areas in Canada reported supply issues - some of which could extend for months or years. Put simply, not enough weed is being produced to satisfy demand - but the stock market has been valuing them as if they were. McFarlane said: 'Cannabis stocks subsequent fall wasnt as catastrophic as the crypto implosion, but does show the danger of putting all your eggs in one basket, or perhaps two if we include our other hero, crypto. 'Nevertheless, cannabis companies will eventually (some already do) have cash flows and return on capital that can be measured more readily by investors as they bring their products to market, although there is a shortage in the Canadian shops.' But don't write-off the potential of cannabis stocks just yet, Constellation, the brand behind Corona beers, has upped its stake in Canada's largest marijuana company Canopy Growth by investing a additional $4billion in August. What's more, Marlborough cigarettes maker Altria struck a deal to take a stake $1.8billion stake in another Canadian weed firm company, Cronos. McFarlane said: 'Crypto is here to stay and so are cannabis stocks just dont get high on your own supply as it might cloud your judgement. Putting that another way, diversify and invest little and often.' 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.' 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Limited, and Zeban Nominees Limited. 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 Though books about history by writers such as David McCullough, Ron Chernow, Doris Kearns Goodwin and others sell briskly, the future of the past in American life is facing some stern mathematics: A recent study shows that over the past six years, no discipline has lost favor measured in the number of undergraduates who choose to major in the subject as dramatically as history. In fact, the numbers are startling. American universities conferred 24,266 history degrees last year, a dramatic fall from the 36,642 degrees awarded in 2008, according to a study by Benjamin M. Schmidt, a Northeastern University historian. While degrees in exercise and computer science soared by more than 50 percent, history dropped by about a third. This study comes amid indicators of a major decline in the appeal of the liberal arts, particularly the humanities, in part because parents are less willing to underwrite college studies that lead to no discernable profession. Families with college-bound students have come to equate ones B.A. major with post-graduate status and wealth, said Michael Birkner, a Gettysburg College historian. In reality, because of an increasingly diverse curriculum and enrichment opportunities available to them, history students have never had more success or personal fulfillment pursuing post-baccalaureate career paths across a wide spectrum of options: academia, secondary school teaching, law, business, the military, librarianship and public history. I am now convinced these trends spell sustained trouble over the long term, said Hunter R. Rawlings III, a classics scholar who has been president of both the University of Iowa and Cornell University. This is not necessarily a worldwide phenomenon. The number of British young people who study history for one of their graduating subjects in high school (English A-levels) has remained relatively constant. History is still seen as an intellectually rigorous and challenging degree, which opens pathways into professional life, said Lawrence Goldman, a senior research fellow at St. Peters College, Oxford, who spent the fall semester at the University of Missouri. By now you surely have guessed that, long ago, I was a history major and that I contacted a bunch of my friends and associates to weigh in on the crisis in history. But I have found that the study of history is more than the memorization of dates, more than the recitation of speeches, more than the easy-chair examination of lords and ladies, statesmen and senators, of yore. Although, in truth I have to admit that in five years of undergraduate and graduate studies and a lifetime of reading books that my children ridicule I have enjoyed it immensely. Pure joy in a world of toil shouldnt be dismissed lightly. But I also have found that a grounding in history has been an indispensable aid in understanding how the world works; in discovering that how the world works changes over time; and in realizing that the past itself is not static but instead is ever-changing. A generation ago, for example, Thomas Jefferson was a sentinel of personal liberty and Andrew Jackson was the personification of Americas most robust democratic ideals. Today the reputations of these men, slaveholders both, are stained by claims that they were racists, hypocrites, and in Jacksons case, a genocidal murderer. You dont have to be a newspaper columnist or an editor to reap historys benefits. They are essential elements of being a citizen in a democracy and of being a human in a period of change. But it is also true that, like so many other disciplines, the teaching of history itself must change. Many years ago, I came under the thrall of James E. Wright, then a junior faculty member in history, later the president of Dartmouth College. He taught me the political history that has sustained me throughout my career, but, more than that, he taught me how to think historically. In all our conversations over more than four decades, I have been wise enough to permit him to have the last word. In this case he deserves the last 54 words. Here they are: Americans are losing their sense of history. We need to recognize the role that sense has played in enriching this Republic and in affirming and extending its values. The degeneration of our civic dialogue and the withdrawal from any sense of public and civic responsibility is a clear warning sign of this growing failure. (David M. Shribman is executive editor of the Post-Gazette (dshribman@post-gazette.com, 412 263-1890). Follow him on Twitter at ShribmanPG.) With the finale of Showtime's historical prison-break drama, "Escape at Dannemora," on Sunday, Michael Imperioli's starring role has officially traversed an almost 30-year arc from one extreme end of the law to the other: from New York gangster to New York governor. Imperioli first drew wider attention in the 1990 Martin Scorsese film "Goodfellas," playing Spider a harmless mob flunky who winds up on the wrong end of Joe Pesci's jokes and worse. By the end of that decade, his characters weren't so harmless. His Christopher Moltisanti, on "The Sopranos," was ruthlessly brutal from Episode 1, cementing an East Coast moxie that is as necessary in Albany as in the New Jersey Meadowlands. "Michael is a great actor who has gravitas and a believable New York pedigree," said Ben Stiller, who directed "Dannemora," in an email. "I thought he could really embody the energy of Gov. Cuomo." Imperioli, who was born in Mount Vernon, New York, spoke by telephone about that role, as well as his memories of "Goodfellas" and "The Sopranos," which debuted 20 years ago next month. He also talked about his debut novel, "The Perfume Burned His Eyes," set in 1976 Manhattan. These are edited excerpts from that conversation. Q: Did you do much research to play Gov. Andrew Cuomo? A: I watched a lot of interviews. Then I went to his office and hung out with him. We spoke a lot about why he did what he did during the prison break. He said that since 9/11, there's a lot of anxiety, and he feels a real responsibility to be where things happen so people feel like there's leadership. I respect that. Q: How did the meeting happen? Did you call him and say, "Hey, I'm playing you?" A: The production told Cuomo's office I was going to do the role, then they invited me. I actually went to his birthday celebration. I sat with him, Bill Clinton and Billy Joel, so that was pretty cool. Q: Did you feel pressure to do him right, since you had gotten to know him? A: Well, I wanted to do him right, regardless. It's a strange thing to play somebody real, and with every character you play, you have to find something to respect, even when you're playing a horrible or immoral person. But he's neither. I think he's a really good person, and he's very good at what he does. Q: He has such a particular cadence. A: Yeah, there's a certain rhythm to his speech, especially when he's in a more formal setting, when he's speaking to the press or about official business. There's a difference between the casual and the formal. Q: How do you feel about "The Sopranos" turning 20? A: What's kind of cool is there's a whole generation of people who were too young to see it when it was on the air. I've met a lot of people in their 20s who are discovering it for the first time. The show is 20 years old, but they really relate. Q: How would you say the TV landscape changed because of "The Sopranos"? A: The upside is the bar is really high on television now because of "The Sopranos" and a bunch of other shows that came right after it. The downside is now a lot of networks want movie stars. If you look at three shows that changed the landscape, "The Sopranos," "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad," the leading guys James Gandolfini, Jon Hamm and Bryan Cranston were known in the acting community but weren't stars. It's almost like the old Hollywood studio system: You couldn't star in a big movie unless you were a star. It's becoming like that in television, which is not so great. Q: Looking back, how does your work on "The Sopranos" fit into your own narrative? A: I'm really proud of what we did on that show. Psychologically or emotionally, it's always great when you're playing a role that's somehow close to where you're at or what you're doing in your life. Doing that role now wouldn't have the same feeling. Q: You felt psychologically close to being a gangster? A: He was very ambitious, which at the time I was. He wanted to improve his standing in life, and that was really important to him. I felt connected to that. Q: What were your expectations going into the pilot? A: A show about the mob was really a risky thing. I thought it was a long shot that it would run for a long time, just because there hadn't been anything like that. I was immediately impressed by the cast. It was really hard to tell from the pilot what the show would be. Was it going to be a spoof? Because there was a lot of funny stuff in the pilot. We didn't really know until we started shooting the first season. I was, like, "Wow, we're onto something good." Q: How do you look at the other series you've done that haven't lasted as long as "The Sopranos," like "Life on Mars" and "Detroit 1-8-7"? A: You just need to take each job as it comes. If you say, "I've got to wait for the next 'Sopranos,'" you may be waiting forever. It's such a difficult business to have longevity in, to be frank. You've got to find what you're passionate about, and if you're not getting the roles on TV and in movies you want, then try to do it yourself independent film, theater and writing books. Q: Your novel is set in the New York City of the '70s. Do you feel that city is gone? A: I do. I didn't start spending a lot of time in Manhattan until 1983, but in the '70s I'd go to the city with my family to see a show or go to Rockefeller Center. I have a lot of nostalgia for the movies of the time, and I was always drawn to that period. I mean, everything changes, and New York City has changed as much as everywhere else. It's hard to know if that feeling of nostalgia is for your youth or the city. Q: What was it like to get your break in "Goodfellas"? A: I am so grateful for the way Marty Scorsese treated me. I had done three tiny roles in movies no one had seen. I was on the set for two days, and he treated me like all his other guys, with a lot of respect and freedom. At the time, I just kind of went with it, but looking back I realize how rare that is. He trusted me enough to allow me to basically improvise everything. All the other actors were really generous, too. Listen, I was 22, an Italian-American kid from New York. It was like going from college to playing in the World Series for the Yankees. Growing up, Shanice Davis was the one everyone came to for advice. "Even as a kid, I was the one who listened," the 22-year-old Davis said. Davis is turning her talent for being the "rational, understanding" one into a career. Last May, she graduated cum laude from the College of Saint Rose with a bachelor's degree in social work. "I loved school," Davis said. "But when I walked into the Times Union Center (for graduation) I was jumping up and down, it felt good I was finally done." Davis dove right back into academic life in the fall, when she started a master's program. Due to her academic standing, she was eligible for a program that allows her to get a master's in social work in one year. She is also working full time at Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing in Valatie as a social worker and doing an internship at Families Together, a private practice. It's a lot, but Davis is driven. "I chose social work because I have a huge desire for helping people," Davis said. Davis was born in Jamaica and moved with her family to Hudson when she was 5. She chose Saint Rose because it wasn't too far from home and she felt Albany was a good fit. She lived on campus all four years at Saint Rose and said she grew up a lot. It was a big part of the college experience, living away from home, learning to manage her social life, school and work, Davis said. Being a commuter student never appealed to her because she felt she would learn more about other students and professors if she lived on campus. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. But college is expensive and Davis said she has student loans. She said she's used to seeing frowns when she tells people her major, because social work isn't a lucrative career. She feels both optimistic and anxious about money. "My head is on strong. I know where I want to be and how to get there. I have the motivation to move forward," she said. She now lives in Albany with a roommate. Davis's goal is to open a private practice in New York City. She likes the fast pace and diversity of the city. She's always wanted to be a family and marriage therapist because she's intrigued by family dynamics seeing different perspectives and bringing them together. When Davis completes her master's degree, she will take a licensing exam and work under an experienced social worker's supervision for three years. Someday, Davis hopes to have her own practice in Manhattan. "It's not about the money. It's about helping people and the satisfaction of seeing someone's face when I've helped them," she said. If a certain New York Army National Guard soldier had a different hat for every duty title he ever had a during his 37-year military career, he would need a giant hat rack. Also, that soldier must have quite a uniform wardrobe as he advanced through three different rank and leadership systems. Albert Thiem of Ballston Spa, an Iraq War veteran, was just promoted to warrant officer 3. Brig. Gen. John Andonie, chief of staff for the New York Army National Guard, pinned rank insignias on Thiem, an electronic warfare officer for the Troy-based 42nd Infantry Division, during a ceremony at the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs Headquarters in Latham. Thiem has served in the Army National Guard since 1981. He is currently on active duty at Fort Meade, Md., with the New York National Guard's 173rd Cyber Protection Team, a joint New York and New Jersey Army National Guard unit, which is focused on protecting American computer networks from attack. He first served in the Vermont Army National Guard from 1981 to 1993 as a chemical specialist, rising to the rank of sergeant before being commissioned as an officer. He then served as an Armor officer and a helicopter pilot. In 1993 he transferred to the New York Army National Guard, where he served in a number of aviation-related positions in the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters. He also served as a tank company commander for Company C of the 1st Battalion, 101st Cavalry in Hoosick Falls. In 2004-2005 he deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, with the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters. Thiem also served in a number of state response missions, including the 1998 northeast ice storm, Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy and the response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in New York City. When Thiem reached his mandatory retirement date in 2014 as a commissioned officer, a lieutenant colonel, he took advantage of an opportunity to continue to serve, but not as an officer. He transferred to the warrant officer program, serving as an electronics warfare officer in the 42nd Infantry Division and 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team before his current assignment. Thiem said he opted to continue to serve instead of retiring because he felt he could still make a contribution. He also served as deputy commander of the 42nd Infantry Division's homeland response force. In 2011, Thiem, then a lieutenant colonel, and Maj. Robert Giordano of Rexford worked with Greene County emergency personnel and State Police to help rescue almost two dozen civilians stranded by Hurricane Irene's raging, dangerous floodwaters. Thiem and Giordano, along with Greene County Sheriff's Deputy J.R. DelVecchio, located the residents across a flooded creek in Jewett and coordinated their rescue by a State Police helicopter. The group they rescued included a pregnant woman, four children and a man recovering from heart surgery at a hunting camp near a shallow creek that overflowed its banks. Thiem and Giordano directed a helicopter to the site. "The helicopter was able to make four trips within two hours of the initial assessment of the situation," Thiem said. "There were no incidents and everyone made it out safely." Other promotions Daniel Gangaram of Schenectady was promoted to captain while serving with the New York Army National Guard's Intelligence and Sustainment Company, 42nd Infantry Division. Jeremy Blackie of Delmar has been promoted to master sergeant while on duty with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 501 Ordnance Disposal. Evan Putman of Charlton advanced to sergeant first class while assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 501st Ordnance Battalion (Explosive Ordnance Disposal). Asheley Wicklow of Glenville advanced to sergeant first class while on duty with Joint Force Headquarters. Other soldiers promoted include: Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Staff sergeant: Kenneth Allen, Delmar, 1427th Transportation Company. Sergeant: Rashawn Hoke, Albany, Company E, 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation; Spencer Kencsan, Scotia, Company D, 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation; Michael Lapp, Cairo, Company A, 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation; and Andrew Valenza, Queensbury, Joint Force Headquarters. Specialist: Devin McGill, Westerlo, Headquarters and Support Company, 204th Engineer Battalion. Wreaths Across America Hundreds of volunteers placed more than 12,300 wreaths on veterans' graves at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville just before Christmas. "I went to visit my Dad at the Saratoga National Cemetery Dec. 22 and was overwhelmed that there was a wreath at every single grave," said Laura Bellinger of Ephratah, Fulton County. "What a fantastic service. It brought tears to my eyes." Correction Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christopher Panarese's father was a survivor of the Bataan Death March. News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com. ALBANY More than six weeks after Sean Purvis died in Albany Medical Center's emergency room, neither the hospital nor city police can provide any new details about what led to the fatality. Purvis died after being restrained and medicated in the emergency department on Nov. 7. Police had brought him to the hospital that evening for a medical evaluation after finding Purvis possibly intoxicated and harassing people near Swinburne Park. Last week, Albany Police said they were still waiting for toxicology reports to come back in the ongoing investigation. A spokesman for Albany Medical Center said there was no update on the hospitals own internal investigation into what went wrong. He would not respond to questions about whether any new policies had been put in place to prevent future deaths, or whether any staff members had been disciplined for the events that led up to Purviss death. Purvis girlfriend, Kristy Fitzsimmons, said in a Facebook message that she had not heard from the police or the hospital since his death. Purvis, 45, was brought to the hospital shortly before 8 p.m. after police were called to the intersection of Manning Boulevard and Central Avenue. An hour later, police were called back to the hospital for a report of a patient acting "combative and aggressive. When officers arrived, Purvis was unresponsive and being treated by hospital staff. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. At a press conference two days after his death, Albany Medical Center said Purvis was aggressive when he arrived and staff tried to calm him verbally. A doctor eventually ordered him medicated and soon after that staff physically restrained him, the hospital said at the time. They also administered a second dose of medication. The hospital has refused to say what type of medication was administered or the dosage. Soon after the second dosage, Purvis stopped breathing and did not have a pulse. Efforts to revive Purvis failed. The hospital placed employees involved on administrative leave, which typically happens in such investigations. Both Purvis and hospital staff were injured in the incident, though the hospital did not say what type of injuries there were or how severe they were. ALBANY When crews are finished shoring up 19 Second St. and making it secure enough to survive the winter, the price tag to stabilize the house in the Ten Broeck Triangle neighborhood will hover around $160,000. Its a cost that may fall on taxpayers if the property owner doesnt pay up. Vermont resident Robert Blumenfeld is listed as the owner of the multi-family home in city records. Albany officials said they tried to reach Blumenfeld to get him to restore the back wall and replace the roof, but he was completely nonresponsive. The number listed for Blumenfeld had a constant busy signal. It got to a point where, as were coming into the bad weather, if we didnt act upon this, it was going to impact the structures on either side, said Rick LaJoy, the director of the citys Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance. In May, the city found some floors had collapsed and the back wall of 19 Second St. was compromised. Engineers determined it could be saved by removing the back wall, replacing the flooring and eventually replacing the roof and back wall. Its one of four stabilizations Albany pursued in 2018, during a year where the city is on track to have fewer emergency demolitions than in previous years. Notably, nearly 40 percent of the demolitions in 2018 were because of fires that ripped through city neighborhoods this year. The city had done 66 emergency demolitions as of Nov. 25, with 26 of them due to fire damage, according to the latest city figures available. Of those demolitions, one-third had previously been cited for an engineer report due to structural concerns. During the same time last year, Albany demolished 83 buildings, 18 of them because of fires. I honestly believe weve reached the crest of those buildings that were in such bad condition that they were eminent and had to be dealt with, LaJoy said. For many years, we had a stock of buildings that for whatever reason werent being dealt with. Our stance (now) is if its brought to our attention and its a life safety issue, we cant walk away from it because if somebody gets hurt, were liable knowing that there was a possible issue and we did nothing to cure it. Even as emergency demolitions trend downward, historic preservationists say Albany could be doing more to curb the number and focus more attention on stabilizing crumbling buildings. Kim Alvarez, president of the Historic Albany Foundations board of directors, said theyre pleased to see the downward trend. Last year the city did far more stabilizations at 13. Historic Albany analyzes how much demolitions cost, how many buildings are torn down in historic districts and whether theyre adjacent properties to get a bigger picture. For example, many structures torn down this year were garages rather than homes. I think you can get a whole lot of public support for putting money toward stabilization, Alvarez said. Wed love to see the city trend toward less of an emergency nature. When you can say, you know what, this building is in bad condition. How can we put a minimal amount of money to stabilize so were not faced with an emergency? When only a vacant lot remains, the value diminishes, and few people are interested in developing on them, Alvarez said. Whats the value of that? she said. I would argue that your money is better spent, even if its more, if it means the building and the property will have a greater value down the road. Whether a building can be stabilized, or must be demolished, is up to the engineer called in to look at the property. Top 10 most costly demolitions / stabilizations 6 E-Comm building: $675,000 292 Second St.: $189,000 19 Second St.: $160,000 (stabilization) 34 Judson St.: $113,350 551 Third St.: $85,850 240 Orange St.: $80,670 46 Alexander St.: $70,400 256 Sheridan Ave.: $65,950 69 Grand St.: $62,950 210 Grand St.: $58,106.25 See More Collapse Of the four stabilizations this year, all of them were recommended by Russ Reeves, an engineer in Troy who takes on the most building reviews in Albany. Reeves evaluated 58 buildings that resulted in demolition this year, according to city records. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Reeves, who often faces criticism for recommending buildings be demolished, said its hard for many to grasp how bad the buildings can be unless they go inside themselves. Were not in the business of tearing down buildings. We make more money stabilizing buildings, he said. Some of these are so far gone that it puts them in a public safety crisis. But the condition of buildings that catch the eye of concerned residents and city officials is shifting toward more that can be stabilized, Reeves said. The city has eight different engineers it contracts with for building evaluations. Who gets the project depends on who responds, officials say. LaJoy said requests for engineers as well as demolition companies were put out to bid in 2017. Those on the list can then bid on projects and the lowest bid wins. Albany faced criticism for its handling of 172 Orange St., an occupied residential home forced into demolition following 170 Orange Streets demolition. While demolishing 170 Orange, crews discovered 172 Orange was reliant upon the next door vacant building. Attempts were made to stabilize 172 Orange, but a deeper look at the home revealed structural issues beyond repair, an engineer report shows. The situation which could result in the homeowners suing the city has prompted the buildings department to revise how it alerts residents of homes next to a pending demolition. We notified every single time, but what were doing from now on is we are placarding the buildings on either side and deeming them unsafe and unfit during the duration of the actual demo, LaJoy said, noting additional changes could be made going forward. Alvarez hopes the city will consider deconstruction of buildings to save material and reuse it, as well as expanding the historic districts in Albany. A car was driven off the road and hit a house on Becker Street on Sunday. Police were called 1760 Becker Street and found the car was tilted on two wheels, propped up by the home's front porch. 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. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "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." Stillwater Police Department A 35-year-old Halfmoon woman faces a felony charge after local police said they caught her driving with ability impaired by drugs. Stillwater police said they arrested Kaysie L. Horwedel Saturday after they were called investigate an incident at the Mobil Mart on Hudson Avenue in the village of Stillwater. Police have not yet elaborated on the nature of the incident. Police MOREAU A town woman was arrested Friday on accusations she started a fire at the Sisson Reserve Apartments with her 5-year-old child present, Saratoga County Sheriff's Office said. Melissa R. LaPoint, 39, of Spiers Fall Road, was charged with arson, insurance fraud, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment in connection with the Aug. 16, 2018 fire at the complex, deputies said. NEW YORK An attorney for NXIVM founder Keith Raniere blasted the federal case against his client and suggested it was manufactured by "media and Hollywood-driven detritus." Raniere, 58, known within NXIVM as "Vanguard," faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted of sex-trafficking, forced labor and racketeering charges in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, where his trial is set for March. Federal prosecutors say NXIVM, described by some as a cult, used coercion to lure women into a sex-slave club in which they were branded during rituals in Saratoga County. Raniere's co-defendants are actress Allison Mack, formerly of the television show "Smallville," NXIVM's president Nancy Salzman, her daughter, Lauren Salzman and longtime NXIVM bookkeeper Kathy Russell. Attorneys for the defendants tried to get charges tossed in letters to the court filed on Friday. "The truth is that the sex trafficking charges that led to this misconduct are baseless and are hanging by a thread," stated Marc Agnifilo, a Manhattan lawyer for Raniere. He said federal prosecutors in Brooklyn were "still trying to cobble together a case by promising a last-minute superseding indictment." Raniere was arrested last March on a beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Prosecutors say he fled to Mexico to avoid arrest. Lawyers for Raniere say he went there for personal reasons. In April, a federal grand jury indicted Raniere and Mack on charges of sex trafficking and forced labor conspiracy. In July, a superseding indictment elevated charges against Raniere and Mack and added Bronfman, Russell and Nancy and Lauren Salzman. Prosecutors say Raniere and his co-defendants engaged in extortion, identity theft, money laundering, obstruction of justice and harbored illegal immigrants for financial gain. "Everything about this case ... betrays a clear reality: the prosecutors read about branding in The New York Times, spoke to different people writing books, making podcasts or starring in television dramas and endeavored to construct a criminal case from media and Hollywood-driven detritus," Agnifilo wrote. Prosecutors say Raniere was a "grand master" over female NXIVM members, including Mack, who were forced to provide "collateral" to join the secret club Dominus Obsequious Sororium, or DOS, which means "Master Over the Slave Women." Mack and Nancy Salzman allegedly served as first-line "masters." If the women attempted to leave, the collateral such as damaging information about family members or pictures of their private parts would be released, court papers said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The women some of whom said they were pressured to have sex with Raniere told federal investigators a female doctor associated with NXIVM used a cauterizing iron to brand them with a design on their lower abdomen containing the initials of Raniere and Mack. Mack attorney William McGovern said in court papers Friday the indictment against his client failed to provide notice "as to whom the victims of forced labor are, where such conduct specifically occurred, or a reasonably precise time period when it occurred let alone what the inadequately alleged forced acts of labor were." McGovern said the alleged collateral was never released. He said that supports Mack's argument that she was unable to coerce anyone into remaining in the organization. "Equating collateral to blackmail, the government cites a legal textbook noting that it is uncommon for blackmailers to spill secrets once their victims have gone to the authorities," McGovern stated. "This assertion is irrelevant because many DOS members left the organization without having their collateral released long before the initiation of the instant prosecution, which demonstrates the lack of coercive effect of the collateral." Raniere remains in a federal lock-up in Brooklyn. A federal judge in December rejected Raniere's latest request to be released on $1 million bond while his criminal case is pending. The order, handed down by U.S. District Judge Nicholas A. Garaufis, cited Raniere's continued flight risk, noting again that he had traveled to Mexico in the fall of 2017 when a federal investigation of his organization was intensifying. Will Waldron/Times Union A strong packing a wet mix of rain, snow and freezing rain is moving into the region and could make New Year's Eve a sloppy night. The National Weather Service in Albany says the Hudson and Mohawk valleys will be soaked with rain while higher terrain will see up to two inches of snow and sleet as well as up to one tenth of an inch of freezing rain. Rapper Lil' Kim will appear at a New Year's Eve celebration at Jupiter Hall at Lucky Strike Social Club. A flyer promoting the appearance, titled "Toast to the Good Life," doesn't indicate what time Lil' Kim will perform but doors open at 10 p.m. CLIFTON PARK Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello was confused and uncooperative when State Police stopped her last week on Route 146A in Clifton Park for alleged road rage, according to court records. Mantello told the trooper who stopped her that she believed she was on a road in the Schenectady County town of Rotterdam and headed to her home in Troy when she was pulled over Dec. 26 in southern Saratoga County, according to court documents. Mantello was charged with driving while intoxicated, following too closely and refusing to take a breath test. She is due back in town court on Jan. 3. Mantello also told police that she was on her way home from Rivers Casino and Resort in Schenectady and was being followed by another car. Police were initially called when another driver, who police have not identified, called to say an aggressive driver was following their vehicle too closely on Interstate 890 in Schenectady. The caller drove east from I-890 to the Thruway before heading north on the Northway and getting off at Exit 9 in Clifton Park, State Police said. The driver who called police told troopers the second driver - identified by State Police as Mantello - followed their car the entire way. Mantello refused to take a roadside sobriety test and did not provide State Police with a breath sample until they brought her to the Clifton Park station, court records show. At the station her blood alcohol level was measured at 0.13 percent, State Police said. William Roberts, the Troy defense attorney hired by Mantello, declined to comment on the case Monday. Mantello's arrest came at a time when she was weighing whether to challenge Mayor Patrick Madden in the 2019 mayoral race. She was the only Republican currently being considered for the race against the one-term incumbent Democrat. Madden has been holding fund-raisers in preparation for his run for a second four-year term as mayor. Mantello ran for mayor in 2011, losing to Lou Rosamilia. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. On Friday, Mantello apologized for her actions that night. "I understand the severity of my actions and take full responsibility," Mantello said in the emailed statement. "I apologize to my family, friends and constituents and am deeply sorry that I let you down. I expect more from myself." Except for issuing the statement, Mantello has kept a low-profile. Friends and supporters said they have only had limited exchanges of text messages with the council president since her arrest. Mantello is also a $70,000-a-year legislative director for state Sen. Elizabeth Little, R-Warren County. Little could not be reached for comment Monday about Mantello's employment status. The charges against Mantello come as the Republicans have lost control of the State Senate and anticipate seeing staffing cuts and salary reductions for their remaining staff members. Omar Helalat was in his last semester at the University at Albany when he was detained by federal immigration authorities. Instead of graduating with a degree in business administration, the honors student spent the final month of the 2018 spring semester in Batavia Federal Detention Facility near Buffalo. In December, Helalat celebrated his 23rd birthday still behind bars. Helalat moved from Jordan when he was four years old. His family overstayed their tourist visas and a decade later, Helalat got immigration status under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an Obama-era program offering temporary relief and work authorization for young immigrants. His nearly nine months in immigration detention started with a college romance turned toxic. When he cheated on his girlfriend of a year, she accused him of trying to strangle her. In March, he was arrested on domestic violence charges and sent to the Albany County jail. His father came from Rockland County, just north of New York City, and paid to bail his only son out of jail, but Helalat was already in immigration detention. The government revoked his DACA and started his deportation. The charges against Helalat were dismissed when his ex-girlfriend wrote a letter in his defense to the court. The case was unable to proceed without victim cooperation, a spokesperson for the Albany County District Attorney's office said. Helalat's lawyer said he believed both were at fault. Helalat said he made a mistake he regretted and the couple apologized to each other. But for him, it was too late. An immigration judge ordered him deported in October. As he's appealing his case, Helalat remains detained even though he hasn't been convicted of a crime. "I always wanted to work hard and help and support my family and give them the best, to give them what they needed. I can't do anything in here. It's taking the life out of me. I suffer every day," said the college student over the phone from Batavia Federal Detention Facility. "The only thing that I can do is wait. It's really hard. I've been in this country for so long, I don't understand why this would happen to me." "I just wish the government could see me as a person instead of things that aren't true about me," he added. Helalat's lawyer, Matthew Borowski, based out of Buffalo, said his client's DACA shouldn't have been revoked because the criminal charges against him were dropped. "They could level charges against anybody and revoke DACA without any proof," Borowski said. "Nothing's been proven in the legal system. He was accused. You're innocent until proven guilty in this country." Individuals are not eligible for DACA if they're charged with or convicted of a felony or significant misdemeanor, but it's not clear if an individual can lose status if charges are dropped. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could not be reached for comment on Helalat's case due to the government shutdown. A federal judge in California ruled in February that the government couldn't immediately revoke DACA following a Notice to Appear that begins deportation proceedings, which Helalat received in April. The judge ordered the government should reissue DACA to defendants who lost it this way after President Donald Trump took office and cracked down on undocumented immigrants. Helalat is one among many undocumented immigrants caught in the dragnet of increased ICE arrests under Trump. ICE arrested more than 158,000 undocumented immigrants in the 2018 fiscal year that ended in October. Nearly 32,000 had no convictions but pending criminal charges, like Helalat faced at the time of his arrest, which was a 50 percent increase from 2017. In Trump's first year in office, the number jumped 255 percent. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The change came after Trump signed a sweeping executive order in January 2017 that freed up ICE to arrest and detain any undocumented immigrant including those with pending criminal charges who might have been passed over under Obama. Helalat was one of a growing number of unlucky undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for decades. His father, Abdel Helalat, who previously worked with the military in Jordan, brought his family over on tourist visas but intended to stay, the older man admitted. Two months after the family arrived in Rockland County, just north of New York City, terrorists took down the Twin Towers on 9/11. The older Helalat said he was too afraid to come forward to seek immigration status after that. Omar Helalat grew up and went to school in Rockland County until starting at UAlbany in 2016. He had a 3.8 GPA and made the Presidential Honors list. Helalat has three younger sisters one in college who also received DACA and two others in middle and high school who are U.S.-born citizens. Helalat's father now has a green card and will have his citizenship interview next week. He applied nearly three years ago for his son to get a green card through him, but the process can take as long as a decade. Since Helalat's detention, his father makes the six-hour-journey from Rockland County to the detention center near Buffalo every couple weeks to visit him. The older Helalat said he's spent at least $35,000 on two lawyers and contacted U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to get his son out to no avail. "He's in a bad situation. When you talk to him, he's alright, but he's going crazy. He asks why. He's okay but he's always unhappy," Abdel Helalat said. "He made a mistake but this mistake has cost him a lot of things." Omar Helalat applied to be released on bond, but was denied because of the way the government classified him when he arrived back in the country after visiting relatives in Jordan a couple years ago. He's appealed his deportation order and petitioned in federal court against his prolonged detention. For now, he and his family enter the new year facing his indefinite detention. "I just want him out," his father said. "I just want him to come back." With the UK government in disarray and the backstop with Northern Ireland dominating debate, the ICMSA has been the one organisation to put emphasis on the vast amount of trade that goes from east to west across the Irish Sea. We would have highlighted a long time ago that east / west was significant. I think it is 45 to one in relation to what goes north of the border. It's 45 times the market and that is obviously significant from an Irish exporting point of view, says ICMSA Tipperary president Pat McCormack. He highlights the cheese market as the one that is particularly vulnerable from the UK market. But, he says, Ornua would have doubled their figures in Germany over the last number of years and done good work in America, Asia and other developing countries. Brexit from an agricultural point of view is a very serious consequence even if there were to be no tariffs. If there were to be a border there would be a significant cost, he says. The one thing that nobody wants is uncertainty, and anytime you have uncertainty you erode confidence and maybe the right decisions wouldn't be made, he cautions. We are very much at the exposed end from any Brexit from a European perspective, be it dairy or beef, he says simply. But, the president does have faith in how Ireland is handling matters and how EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan is performing. I think it could have been a catastrophic situation for us, but, thankfully, the EU Commissioner is an Irishman and comes from a strong agriculture background and that has to be advantageous, says pat. But he would like to see any deal tied down ahead of any talk of Commissioner Hogan moving on. Obviously Minister Coveney being the Tanaiste and leading the Irish delegation, the team would have a strong background in agriculture having been a predecessor to Michael Creed. I think they have a good grasp, but you know we are just one of 27 when it comes to dealing with the EU, so it is challenging and obviously we are on the periphery and very much exposed to the dependence on the UK, he says. [December 31, 2018] Emotibot Secures USD 30 Million In Series B Round to Create the Industry's Leading Chatbot and Multimodal Emotional Computing Platform SHANGHAI, Dec. 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a report from EqualOcean Media, Emotibot, which has been established for more than three years, announced the completion of series B round of financing totaling USD 30 million on December 11. The following is the full text of the report: Emotibot, a Chinese caring robot solutions provider, has secured USD 30 million in series B round funding, led by China Development Financial, followed by Cathay Financial Holdings. Its existing investors Ecovacs and Advantech Capital participated in this new funding round. Light House Capital served as exclusive financial advisor in the transaction. Founded in 2015, Emotibot is an artificial intelligence company engaged in deploying deep learning, Chinese semantic understanding, emotional calculation and computer science to provide emotional robot solutions. The robot can read, see, listen, remember, self-learn, and understand a user's emotions, and the affective states, emotions and intentions of the speaker. Accrding to the lead investor China Development Financial, artificial intelligence is a potential and promising industry; semantic understanding is not only the connection between human and smart life but also a key to the industry internet revolution. Emotibot gives AI emotions, not to embellish life, but with the hope that bots can help people to have a better life, work environment, and to solve business problems of high importance. Emotibot provides user-centered business solutions with bots throughout the e-commerce cycle including the pre-sale, sale, after-sale stages. Emotibot's financial solutions can automatically identify the potential needs of high-value customers, providing a comprehensive financial intelligence solution from front-end interaction to financial advisory and after-sales service. Emotibot supports a full set of language, image, and voice human-computer interactions. Combined with customized development based on the devices and scenarios, it enables intelligent devices to have a smart AI brain. Through NLU (Natural Language Understanding) and emotion recognition, Emotibot allows the robots to accurately understand the intent of user inquiries, thereby reducing operational costs and improving efficiency. Kenny Chien (Jian Renxian), the founder and chief executive officer of Emotibot, said that by scaling designed services based on the company's platform, Emotibot fits into its niche and easily replicates the model. The company is trying to prove that the business model embedded with Natural Language Processing (NLP) and emotion calculation can be profitable. The AI company will continue applying their technology to more scenarios and make AI a reality. Author: LinYan. Write to LinYan at [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/emotibot-secures-usd-30-million-in-series-b-round-to-create-the-industrys-leading-chatbot-and-multimodal-emotional-computing-platform-300771427.html SOURCE Emotibot [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 31, 2018] WNS to Release Fiscal 2019 Third Quarter Financial and Operating Results on January 17, 2019 WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS), a leading provider of global Business Process Management (BPM) services, today announced it will release its fiscal 2019 third quarter financial and operating results at approximately 6:00 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, January 17, 2019. Following the release, WNS management will host a call on January 17, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Chief Executive Officer, Keshav Murugesh, Chief Financial Officer, Sanjay Puria and Chief Operating Officer, Ronald Gillette will review the results of the fiscal 2019 third quarter ended December 31, 2018 on the teleconference. To participate in the call, please use the following details: +1-888-656-9018; international dial-in +1-503-343-6030; participant passcode 5895908. A replay will be available for one week following the call at +1-855-859-2056; international dial-in +1-404-537-3406; passcode 5895908, as well as on the WNS website, www.wns.com, beginning two hours after the end of the call. About WNS WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS) is a leading global business process management company. WNS offers business value to 350+ global clients by combining operational excellence with deep domain expertise in key industry verticals including Travel, Insurance, Banking and Financial Services, Manufacturing, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods, Shipping and Logistics, Healthcare and Utilities. WNS delivers an entire spectrum of business process management services such as finance and accounting, customer care, technology solutions, research and analytics and industry specific back office and front office processes. As of September 30, 2018, WNS had 38,516 professionals across 57 delivery centers worldwide including China, Costa Rica, India, Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States. For more information, visit www.wns.com. Safe Harbor Provision This document includes information which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied are discussed in our most recent Form 20-F and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. WNS undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181231005012/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 31, 2018] DexYP Announces Amended and Restated Credit Facility DexYP, a Delaware corporation ("Dex") and leading provider of cloud-based business software for small business, today announced that it entered into a senior secured credit facility (the "Facility"), comprised of an $825,000,000 five-year senior secured term loan facility. The proceeds of the Facility will be used to repay in full the indebtedness outstanding under Dex Media Holding Inc.'s ("Holding") (also known as DexYP) existing senior secured credit facility, dated as of July 29, 2016, among Holdings, as borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as administrative agent, and pay associated fees and expenses, and for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, financing share buybacks (whether via tender offer or open market repurchase programs), dividends and/or acquisitions. The Facility was borrowed by Dex, is guaranteed by Holdings and certain of Dex's future subsidiaries and is secured by substantially all tangible and intangible assets of Dex and certain of Dex's subsidiaries. "We are pleased to announce that we have secured this new $825 million term loan," said Joe Walsh (News - Alert), CEO and president of DexYP. "This new, lower cost funding demonstrates that key lenders continue to have confidence in our ability to deliver strong financial result; and it provides us the flexibility to pursue strategic alternatives." About DexYP DexYP builds and owns Thryv, the simple, easy-to-use software that helps small business owners with the daily demands of running a business; and allows them to take control and be more successful. Thryv provides modernized business functions allowing them to manage their time, communicate with clients, and get paid. These include building a digital customer list, communicating with customers via email and text, updating business listings across the internet, accepting appointments, sending notifications and reminders, managing ratings and reviews, generating estimates and invoices, processing payments, and issuing invoices and coupons. DexYP delivers business services to more than 500,000 small businesses across America that enable them to compete and win in today's economy. DexYP also provides consumer services through our market-leading search, display and social products-and connects local businesses to the over 50 million monthly visitors of DexKnows.com, Superpages.com and yellowpages.com search portals; and local print directories The Real Yellow Pages. For more information about the company, visit dexyp.com. Forward-looking Statements Some statements included in this release constitute forward-looking statements. Statements that include the words "may", "will", "could", "should", "would", "believe", "anticipate", "forecast", "estimate", "expect", "preliminary", "intend", "plan", "project", "outlook" and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations with respect to our financial performance and future events with respect to our business and industry in general. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to, the risks related to the following: the Company's ability to maintain adequate liquidity to fund operations; the Company's future operating and financial performance; limitations on our operating and strategic flexibility and the ability to operate our business, finance our capital needs or expand business strategies under the terms of our credit facilities; our ability to retain existing business and obtain and retain new business; general economic or business conditions affecting the markets we serve; declining use of print yellow page directories by consumers; our ability to collect trade receivables from clients to whom we extend credit; credit risk associated with our reliance on small and medium sized businesses as clients; our ability to attract and retain key managers; increased competition in our markets; our ability to obtain future financing due to changes in the lending markets or our financial position; our ability to maintain agreements with major Internet search and local media companies; reduced advertising spending and increased contract cancellations by our clients, which causes reduced revenue; and, our ability to anticipate or respond effectively to changes in technology and consumer preferences; and our ability to successfully integrate the YP business with the Company's business. With respect to the acquisition, important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by forward-looking statements and projections included herein, including, but not limited to: the risk that anticipated cost savings, growth opportunities and other financial and operating benefits as a result of the transaction may not be realized or may take longer to realize than expected, the risk that benefits from the transaction may be significantly offset by costs incurred in integrating the companies, including, coordinating geographically separate organizations, integrating business cultures, which could prove to be incompatible, difficulties and costs of integrating information technology systems; and the potential difficulty in retaining key officers and personnel. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by such cautionary statements. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what we anticipate. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and, other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181231005120/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 31, 2018] Patterson Belknap Helps Secure Grants of Clemency for Two Pro Bono Clients Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP is pleased to announce that New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today granted executive clemency to and commuted the sentences of two of its pro bono clients, Michael Crawford and Dennis Woodbine. For several years, Patterson Belknap has handled clemency petitions for deserving clients who have made strong efforts to turn their lives around while incarcerated. In 2017, the Governor commuted the sentence of Patterson Belknap pro bono client, Michael Flournoy. This year's successful petitions for clemency on behalf of Messrs. Crawford and Woodbine continue the Firm's tradition of representing deserving individuals whose rehabilitative efforts merit reduced sentences. All three of them served substantial portions of their lengthy prison sentences, pursued college and even graduate degrees while incarcerated, and volunteered their services to and initiated projects for various programs that give back to society at large. "The Firm is thrilled that two of our clients, Mesrs. Crawford and Woodbine, have been granted executive clemency this year," said Patterson Belknap's Kathrina Szymborski, who co-heads the Firm's clemency project. "Given their demonstrated rehabilitative efforts, their extraordinary educational accomplishments, and their commitments to bettering their communities, we firmly believe that these two gentlemen will thrive following their release from prison. We commend the Governor for his continued focus on moving New York toward a fairer and more compassionate criminal justice system as reflected in these sentence commutations." Lisa E. Cleary, Patterson Belknap's Co-Chair and Managing Partner, added: "Our Firm and our partner in this project, the Pro Bono Committee of the New York County Lawyers' Association, are very pleased with Governor Cuomo's decision to commute the sentences of two of our clients. Providing equal access to justice for underserved populations is at the core of our Firm's pro bono program." Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP is a New York City based law firm with approximately 200 lawyers. The Firm is included on The American Lawyer's 2018 "A-List" of the 20 leading law firms in the United States. Patterson Belknap delivers a full range of litigation and commercial law services. For more information, please visit www.pbwt.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181231005150/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Updated 12/31/18, 10:00 a.m. ET: We've added a few EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 and GTX 1070 Ti models that have gone on sale at B&H Video Photo. As computer hardware retailers are clearing their Pascal stock for the new Turing graphics cards, it's the perfect occasion to pick up a graphics upgrade for your system. On this occasion, Newegg is doing a clearance sale on a couple of GeForce GTX 1070 graphics cards from reputable Taiwanese manufacturer Gigabyte, including some free games. Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 Mini ITX OC 8G (Image credit: Gigabyte) The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 Mini ITX OC 8G is a great graphics card for a Mini-ITX PC build and for consumers with pre-built systems that lack space. The graphics card usually goes for $304.99, but you can now grab it for $284.99 after mailing in the $20 rebate card. You may want to act quickly because stock is extremely limited, and the sale ends in five days. The graphics card comes with Gigabyte's custom-designed cooler that consists of three pure copper composite heatpipes and a 90mm fan to keep the card cool and silent. The graphics card occupies two PCI slots and is only 169mm long. The GeForce GTX 1070 Mini ITX OC 8G has a 1,556MHz base clock and reaches 1,745MHz when operating in OC (overclock) Mode. Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 G1 Gaming 8G (Image credit: Gigabyte) For consumers looking for more firepower, the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 G1 Gaming 8G is also on sale at Newegg for $314.99 after rebate--normally it has a $334.99 price tag. You'll have to be quick on this one though as the sale ends in 13 hours. The GeForce GTX 1070 G1 Gaming 8G comes with Gigabyte's WindForce 3X cooler, which relies on two pure copper composite heatpipes for heat dissipation and three cooling fans. It features a dual-slot design and measures 280mm long. The graphics card is also equipped with a stylish, black metallic backplate. When in OC Mode, the GeForce GTX 1070 G1 Gaming 8G runs at 1,620MHz with a boost clock that escalates all the way to 1,822MHz. Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 WindForce OC 8G (Image credit: Gigabyte) The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 WindForce OC 8G is a decent second option if you miss out on the G1 Gaming model. This graphics card costs $314.99 after the $20 rebate. There is no time limit on this model, so it'll be on sale until Newegg sells out. The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 WindForce OC 8G employs the WindForce 2X cooler that consists of two pure copper composite heatpipes and a pair of 90mm cooling fans. Like its G1 Gaming sibling, this model also occupies two PCI slots and has a length of 280mm. Unfortunately, it does lack the metallic backplate. The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 WindForce OC 8G operates at 1,582MHz with a 1,771MHz boost clock when in OC Mode. Nvidia Game Bundles With the purchase of any of the three aformentioned Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1070 graphics cards, you will receive the GeForce Fortnite Bundle, valued at $45, and a free copy of Monster Hunter: World, which costs $59.99 on Steam. EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 SC Gaming Black Edition (Image credit: EVGA) You can have EVGA's GeForce GTX 1070 SC Gaming Black Edition graphics card, which regularly costs $429.99, for $299.99 after applying the $130 Clip Coupon. B&H Video Photo customers also receive a two percent reward for future purchases. The GeForce GTX 1070 SC Gaming Black Edition is outfitted with EVGA's latest ACX 3.0 cooling solution that brings many improvements, like improved heatpipes, copper contact area, and a more optimized fan curve. The graphics card has a dual-slot design with a length of 266.7mm. This model clocks in with a 1,594MHz base clock and a boost clock that reaches up to 1,784MHz. EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti SC Gaming (Image credit: EVGA) With a normal price tag around $549.99, the EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti SC Gaming is currently available for $359.99 after using B&H Video Photo's generous $190 Clip Coupon. GeForce GTX 1070 Ti graphics cards rarely dip below the $400 mark, which makes this EVGA model a pretty sweet deal. The GeForce GTX 1070 Ti SC Gaming also features EVGA's characteristic ACX 3.0 cooler. It measures 266.7mm long and occupies two PCI slots. The EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti SC Gaming boasts a 1,607MHz base clock and a 1,683MHz boost clock. Both the EVGA GeForce GTX 1070 and GTX 1070 Ti graphics cards include the Nvidia GeForce Fortnite Frenzy Game Bundle that is worth $59.99. Ransomware doesn't generate as many headlines as it used to. There was a time when seemingly every cybersecurity article involved hackers demanding cryptocurrency in exchange for restoring some victim, or another's access to their own systems. Those stories eventually lost their novelty, though, and the media diverted its attention even as the threat posed by ransomware continued to grow. Someone found a way to get ransomware back in the news: targeting The Los Angeles Times and various Tribune Publishing newspapers. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that "only about 15 percent" of its subscribers received their papers on December 29 in "the biggest publishing disruption in decades." But the Union-Tribune wasn't the only paper whose deliveries were disrupted by the attack. To quote the Union-Tribune's report: "The attack led to distribution delays at the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, and Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, and 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." Some of the biggest papers in the U.S. felt this attack's impact. In addition to disrupting the delivery of those newspapers, the attack prevented affected publications from posting classified ads or paid death notices. The attack doesn't seem to have masked a data breach, however, because Tribune Publishing released a statement in which it said, "the personal data of our subscribers, online users, and advertising clients has not been compromised." The Los Angeles Times identified the ransomware used in this attack as "Ryuk," which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cybersecurity program warned about this particular strain of ransomware in an advisory published in August. (You can find a copy of the advisory via Healthcare IT News.) Check Point also previously said Ryuk is unlike other ransomware. The company explained: "Unlike the common ransomware, systematically distributed via massive spam campaigns and exploit kits, Ryuk is used exclusively for tailored attacks. In fact, its encryption scheme is intentionally built for small-scale operations, such that only crucial assets and resources are infected in each targeted network with its infection and distribution carried out manually by the attackers." Some ransomware is used by opportunists who look for any insecure machines they can use to extort victims. But it's unlikely that disrupting the delivery of some of the largest newspapers in the U.S. with ransomware made for tailored attacks happened by accident. The attacker hasn't been identified, but the odds are good that it's someone whose primary goal was to make it harder to move papers. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is looking into the incident and that Tribune Publishing has communicated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as well. Where those investigations go--and to what extent their findings will be revealed to the public--will likely depend on the exact nature of the attack and the best guess as to its perpetrator. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise. The U.S. Department of Justice warned that "ransomware is now a global phenomenon" back in 2017. That same year, Cybersecurity Ventures said it expected ransomware costs to hit $11.5 billion by 2019. Sophos outlined the rise of targeted ransomware attacks in the Sophos Labs 2019 Threat Report. Attacks like this are only going to become increasingly common. Everyone knew about this risk; it simply wasn't front-page news because it became so boring. Well, it turns out that one way to get the attention of an industry that spends as much time navel-gazing as the media does is to stick a finger in its belly button. Here's to hoping the attackers don't have the expertise or the inclination to do something even more drastic to media companies in the future. The Ducati Monster can trace its heritage back to the 93 Monster 900, and the new Stealth variant serves as what you might call a highly-functional tribute piece for that venerated machine. It totes the usual suite of electronic gadgets with Ducatis Quick Shift feature added to the stock package, and it boasts 100-plus horsepower in a design that is, paradoxically, both sexy and stocky at the same time. Ducati Monster 821 Stealth Design True-to-form with the original Monster silhouette Stealth colorway LED lighting Color TFT display Tail cover What we have is an attractive, muscular-looking ride that is visually weighted toward the front to give it an all-up-front look kinda' like a bulldog. Ive never made my feelings about naked sportbikes a secret, but in typical fashion, the factory took a genre that is usually fairly ugly in my humble opinion, and turned it into a thing of relative beauty. The Monster 821 Stealths most obvious distinguishing feature is the paint that gives this model its name, light gray and Ducati Red graphics over matte black with an 821 model designator painted on a color-matched section the upper rail of the frame that visually ties the bike together quite nicely. Most everything else comes with the blackout treatment, but with a name like Stealth, you knew it wasnt going to be hot pink. True to the range, the Stealth starts out with a pared-down front fender that doubles as a guard for the swept area of the inverted stems. It rocks the same round cyclops halogen headlight as ever with horseshoe shaped, LED parking lights for ample two-way visibility up front. The diode emitters continue into the rearward lights, so you can count on that extra little bit of safety cause LEDs are really hard to ignore when theyre pointed right at you, no matter how invested in your phone you might be. Above the headlight housing we find the bikini flyscreen that protects the color TFT instrument display a bit, and possibly more importantly, visually sets the Stealth even further apart from the base 821. The 4.36-gallon fuel tank toes the family line with a familiar profile that dominates the flyline ahead of the drop to the deep-scoop pilots seat. An upswept subframe lofts the passenger with flip-out footpegs and J.C. handles for the other points of contact, but if youd rather embrace the solo-streetfighter look, just clap on the color-matched, rear seat cover to give the bike a more race-tastic vibe. At the terminus the LED taillight rides tucked out of harms way with the rear turn signals and plateholder mounted out on the mudguard. Gotta say I aint a fan of that last detail, and think that this ride would benefit greatly from an aftermarket hugger. Just me? What we have is an attractive, muscular-looking ride that is visually weighted toward the front to give it an all-up-front look kinda like a bulldog. You can go ahead and pencil me in as a fan. Ducati Monster 821 Stealth Chassis ABS Bosch 9.1 MP Traction control Flickable and eager in the corners Adjustable-height seat Built for agility, the Stealth is quite eager in the corners with a flickable nature that'll certainly endear it to experienced riders. Tubular-steel members make up the Trellis frame on the Monster 821 Stealth, and as youd expect, the engine is a stressed unit that completes the assembly and replaces a significant chunk of frame in the downtube/cradle area to reduce weight. Aluminum is the material of choice for the yoke-style swingarm to minimize unsprung weight at the rear axle. Toward that end, a set of 17-inch, cast-alloy wheels round out the rolling chassis with a 10-spoke design and Pirellis Diablo Rosso III hoops to make the connection to the pavement. The hoops are typical of the genre at 120/70 up front and 180/55 out back, and they get all kinds of help from the electronics to make this a relatively safe ride. Built for agility, the 24-degree rake and 3.7-inch trail makes the Stealth quite eager in the corners with a flickable nature thatll certainly endear it to experienced riders. An adjustable seat gives you a small range of adjustability from 30.91-inches high to 31.89-inches high but alas, thats still going to be tiptoe country for the shorter inseams. The 43 mm, usd Kayaba front forks feature the full trinity of adjustments with 5.12 inches of travel, as does the rear monoshock that delivers a 5.51-inch range of motion. This gives you plenty of opportunity to dial in the ride quality and get it right where you want it. Bosch ABS oversees the operation of the Brembo calipers that bite dual, 320 mm discs up front and a 245 mm disc out back, but thats just the beginning of the fandanglery; theres plenty more to come in the engine electronics. Frame: Tubular steel trellis frame Rake: 24 Trail: 3.7 in (93 mm) Front Suspension: 43 mm usd Kayaba fork Rear Suspension: Progressive linkage with adjustable monoshock, Aluminum double-sided swingarm Wheel Travel (Front/Rear): 5.12 in / 5.51 in Front Brake: Dual 320 mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted monobloc Brembo M4-32 caliper, 4-piston caliper, Bosch ABS Rear Brake: 245 mm disc, 2-piston caliper with Bosch ABS as standard equipment Front Wheel: 10-spoke light alloy, 3.5" x 17" Rear Wheel: 10-spoke light alloy, 5.5" x 17" Front Tire: Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 120/70 ZR 17 Rear Tire: Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 180/55 ZR17 Ducati Monster 821 Stealth Drivetrain 821 cc L-Twin engine 109 hp @ 9,250 rpm 63 lb-ft @ 7,750 rpm Water-cooled The electronic goodies include ABS, traction control, power modes, a quick shifter, and an anti-hop slipper clutch to keep all that power under control. The Monster 821 Stealth comes with the Ducati Safety Pack that includes delightfulness such as the aforementioned ABS and Traction Control alongside variable power-delivery Power Modes and a Quick Shift feature that lets you bang out clutchless shifts both up and down the range. An anti-hop slipper clutch couples engine power to the six-speed transmission, and it provides one final layer of protection for the rear contact patch. Said power measures in with some fairly impressive numbers. Ducatis Testastretta pumps out 109 horsepower at 9,250 rpm with 63 pounds of torque that top out at 7,750 rpm. Twin, 88 mm bores run with a 67.5 mm stroke for a total of 821 cc and a sizzlin 12.8-to-1 compression ratio, and as usual, Ducs Desmodromic valvetrain times the four-valve heads with a pull-closed cam rather than coil springs to seal the combustion chamber. Its an L-Twin, or a 90-degree V-twin if you prefer, with a water jacket and a small radiator to deal with the waste heat. A ride-by-wire right grip controls the dual, 53 mm throttle bodies to tie man/woman/gender-fluid/whatever to machine, because you certainly cant expect a bike with that many geegaws to rely on something as antiquated as a cable, can you? Engine: Testastretta 11, L-Twin, 4 Desmodromically actuated valves per cylinder, Water cooled Displacement: 821 cc (50.1 cu in) Bore x Stroke: 88 x 67.5 mm (3.46 x 2.66 in) Compression Ratio: 12.8:1 Power: 109 hp @ 9,250 rpm Torque: 63 lb-ft @ 7,750 rpm Fuel Injection: Electronic fuel injection system, 53 mm throttle bodies, Full Ride-by-Wire Exhaust: 2-1 system, Two lambda probes, Stainless steel muffler with aluminum end cap Gearbox: 6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) Primary Drive: Straight cut gears, Ratio 1.85:1 Ratio: 1=37/15, 2=30/17, 3=28/20, 4=26/22, 5=24/23, 6=23/24 Final Drive: Chain drive, Front sprocket Z15, Rear sprocket Z46 Clutch: Slipper and self-servo wet multiplate clutch with mechanical control Ducati Monster 821 Stealth Pricing MSRP is looks to be just under $13k. The 2020 Monster 821 Stealth rolls for $12,895 in the U.S. and $14,295 in Canada. It has a 9k-mile or 12-month service interval and a 24-month, unlimited-mileage warranty. Safety Equipment: Riding Modes, Power Modes, Ducati Safety Pack (Bosch ABS + Ducati Traction Control DTC), Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) Standard Equipment: Ducati Safety Pack: (ABS Bosch, Ducati Traction Control), Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS)Riding Mode, Power Mode, LED position light and tail light, TFT color display, Passenger seat cover, Flyscreen, USB power socket Ready For: Anti-theft system, Ducati Data Analyzer (DDA) Warranty: 24 months, Unlimited mileage Colors: Stealth Price: 2019: $11,995 2020: $12,895 Ducati Monster 821 Stealth Competitors If you're a power-hound or an inch-queen, the Triumph might look a skosh better, but you'll pay for that extra power in the end. Ya know, I tried to give the Big Four a shot, but none of em brought to the table what we can get from Triumph, so I went with a Brit and picked the Speed Triple S from its roadster lineup. Triumph Speed Triple S If Im honest, the S just doesnt quite have the same sex appeal as the Duc, but then again, few things do. Yeah, thats a pretty broad brush Im paintin with, but Im okay with that. Still, the Brit looks like serious business from its alien-like, dual headlight arrangement all the way back to the high-and-tight muffler, and both bikes look like sprinters crouched at the blocks. The S looks somewhat more compact, but thats an optical illusion borne of the gap between the subframe and rear tire being occluded by the muffler. If I had to pick between a view of the rear wheel and the gap, Ill take the gap, it just looks cleaner. Showa products float the S on the full trifecta of adjustments, so neither gain an edge in rideability controls. Safety electronics are well represented on the Brit with switchable ABS and traction control alongside five riding modes and a color TFT interface to meet the Duc blow-for-blow. Probably the biggest boon for Triumph is going to be found in the engine department, namely the greater displacement that claims a total of 1,050 cc. Naturally, power generation benefits from that discrepancy with 147 horsepower and 86.2 pounds o grunt against 109/63 on the Monster. If youre a power-hound or an inch-queen, the Triumph might look a skosh better. Triumphs Speed Triple S rolls for $14,350, so youll pay for that extra power in the end. Read our full review of the Triumph Speed Triple S / RS. He Said In my humble opinion, anything over 100 horsepower is just a vanity. I mean, there are very definite limits to what you can safely do on public roads, and I wont even get into the legalities. I will out myself as being shallow enough to take the Duc on looks alone in the face of an equally high-tech ride that boasts superior power, price be damned. She Said My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, The Kayaba fork allows you full adjustability that the base model didnt have, it has a new windscreen, and comes with the Ducati Quick Shift for both up and down shifting. The pillion is narrower than before, and of course, you have the awesome Testastretta engine. I like this dark look, too. What can I say? Its a Monster 821 in a Darth Vadar version. The short wheelbase makes the Stealth, and its un-stealthy stablemate, very flickable. Ducati Monster 821 Stealth Specifications Engine & Drivetrain: Engine: Testastretta 11, L-Twin, 4 Desmodromically actuated valves per cylinder, Water cooled Displacement: 821 cc (50.1 cu in) Bore x Stroke: 88 x 67.5 mm (3.46 x 2.66 in) Compression Ratio: 12.8:1 Power: 109 hp @ 9,250 rpm Torque: 63 lb-ft @ 7,750 rpm Fuel Injection: Electronic fuel injection system, 53 mm throttle bodies, Full Ride-by-Wire Exhaust: 2-1 system, Two lambda probes, Stainless steel muffler with aluminum end cap Gearbox: 6 speed with Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) Primary Drive: Straight cut gears, Ratio 1.85:1 Ratio: 1=37/15, 2=30/17, 3=28/20, 4=26/22, 5=24/23, 6=23/24 Final Drive: Chain drive, Front sprocket Z15, Rear sprocket Z46 Clutch: Slipper and self-servo wet multiplate clutch with mechanical control Chassis: Frame: Tubular steel trellis frame Rake: 24 Trail: 3.7 in (93 mm) Front Suspension: 43 mm usd Kayaba fork Rear Suspension: Progressive linkage with adjustable monoshock, Aluminum double-sided swingarm Wheel Travel (Front/Rear): 5.12 in / 5.51 in Front Brake: Dual 320 mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted monobloc Brembo M4-32 caliper, 4-piston caliper, Bosch ABS Rear Brake: 245 mm disc, 2-piston caliper with Bosch ABS as standard equipment Front Wheel: 10-spoke light alloy, 3.5" x 17" Rear Wheel: 10-spoke light alloy, 5.5" x 17" Front Tire: Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 120/70 ZR 17 Rear Tire: Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 180/55 ZR17 Dimensions & Capacities: Dry Weight: 398 lb Curb Weight: 454 lb Seat Height: Adjustable 30.91 in - 31.89 in Wheelbase: 58.27 in Fuel Tank Capacity: 4.36 US gal Fuel Consumption: 43.6 mpg Number of Seat: Dual Seat Top Speed: 140 mph (est) Details: Safety Equipment: Riding Modes, Power Modes, Ducati Safety Pack (Bosch ABS + Ducati Traction Control DTC), Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS) Standard Equipment: Ducati Safety Pack: (ABS Bosch, Ducati Traction Control), Ducati Quick Shift up/down (DQS)Riding Mode, Power Mode, LED position light and tail light, TFT color display, Passenger seat cover, Flyscreen, USB power socket Ready For: Anti-theft system, Ducati Data Analyzer (DDA) Warranty: 24 months, Unlimited mileage Colors: Stealth Price: 2019: $11,995 2020: $12,895 Further Reading Ducati Read more Ducati news. Acacia Africa is asking all of its travellers who are finishing their tour in Cape Town to open their hearts and their backpacks and consider donating to SAVE (TRAVPR.COM) UK - December 28th, 2018 - Acacia Africa is asking all of its travellers who are finishing their tour in Cape Town to open their hearts and their backpacks and consider donating to SAVE. The SAVE Foundation is a registered non-profit organisation that works to enrich, educate, and empower various township and settlement communities, every donation going to families affected by the shack fires in the Dunoon and Morning Star housing areas on the outskirts of South Africa's Mother City. Sabine Behrmann, Cape Town Manager, at Acacia Africa, comments, So far we have donated 20 camping mattresses, in excess of 30 pillows and an assortment of kitchen equipment including pots, utensils, serving bowls. Our tour leaders let clients on our southbound tours finishing in Cape Town know that if they wish to donate their sleeping bags, pillows or other personal items (clothes, flash lights, books etc) they should simply leave them on the truck after checking into the lodge in Cape Town. We then pass them on to the SAVE Foundation who see that these items get to the needy." While there's no better time to put the word out, the fires are frequent, so Acacia Africa is hoping travellers will continue to give what they can over the festive season and beyond. Sabine Behrmann, comments, "These families are often left with nothing at all so every donation goes a long way to helping them get back on their feet, and no matter how small, travellers will be making a very real impact on these people's lives." Acacia Africa (020 7706 4700) SATSA membership No. 1931, Atta membership no. 20151, ATOL No. 6499 and ABTA No. W4093 PROTECTED. ### It's gonna require some clever maneuvering, say analysts. According to surveys, 20% of American drivers and 40% of European drivers expect their next car to be electric. Yet legacy automakers are continuing to drag their feet, pushing out some reasonably impressive models but at nowhere near the volume needed to meet such demandshould these expectations turn out to be true. Meanwhile Teslawhich has no sunk costs in legacy auto technology or dealerships or manufacturing facilities to maintainappears to have turned a corner and is now churning out long-range, reasonably affordable electric cars at a rather astounding rate. At some point, automakers are going to have to decide if they are going to go all-in for electric cars, or whether they are going to hope like hell that electrification is a flash in the pan and/or a long-term transition that they have time to adapt to. The rate at which fossil fuel car bans and electric commercial fleet commitments are spreading would suggest the latter strategy is a losing one. Kyle Stock over at Bloomberg (found via Cleantechnica) is predicting that a fair few legacy automakers won't be able to survive the transitionlargely because their lukewarm adoption of electric vehicles is resulting in relatively poor sales for the new product, and a long tail of fossil fuel vehicles, sales of which they are using to fund the transition. At some point when the paradigm flips, says Stock, many of these old school car makers will simply end up too far behind to catch up to what is coming: They are essentially using an old technology to fund the transition to the next, and the timing is fraught. Jump to the electric drive train too soon and the whole works will grind to a halt; jump too late and lose the EV race. Startups such as Tesla, critically, dont have to make this awkward jump. They are tiny and inexperienced, but they dont have to worry about feeding a legacy business as it slowly winds down. Meanwhile Dan Neil over at the Wall Street Journal (also found via Cleantechnica) is predicting a huge leap in the quality and diversity of electric and plug-in hybrid cars, so much so that his next car will likely be electric and gas cars will essentially end up like the flip phone. It will be interesting to see how all this shakes out, but it's increasingly clear that gas cars' days are numbered. And manufacturers of those cars are going to have to be extremely canny in how they manage the transition to the new normal. Treehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) Democrats are taking control of the U.S. House next month and have promised that infrastructure will be one of their top priorities. In what seems like an unlikely pairing, public pensions could play a role.This year, a proposed House bill would have cleared the way for pensions to buy municipal assets, such as water and sewer authorities. The idea has advantages for pensions and is likely to be attractive to governments with major pension funding issues. Think: Chicago, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky and New Jersey.For one, it would immediately boost the value of the pension fund because the utility's worth would be based on its future revenue expectations. New Jersey did something similar by transferring ownership of its lottery to the state pension fund in 2017. At the time, the lottery was valued at $13.5 billion, which helped reduce -- on paper at least -- the pensions unfunded liabilities. Proceeds from the lottery also helped lower how much the state had to annually contribute to pensions.Another appealing aspect is the potential benefit to struggling municipalities. Offloading the asset to a pension fund would result in a one-time cash infusion for the local government. It could also help the municipal books because a utility is typically viewed as a net drain on public finances.But those advantages might not result in the best fiscal policy.Municipal Markets Analytics Matt Fabian warns that the ideas attributes are largely based on accounting gimmicks. Its only really the appearance of better funding on the assumption that the pension fund could sell the asset, he says.The notion of transferring ownership of public assets directly to pension funds has been bandied about for several years. But it hasnt gained traction in part because it would require a change at the federal level in order for pension-owned utilities to continue issuing tax-free debt.There are ways, however, to achieve something similar without Congress.Connecticut, for example, recently established a committee to look at creating a state trust to hold some 7,000 public assets worth billions of dollars. In one scenario, the states woefully underfunded pensions could be given shares in that trust in lieu of a pension contribution from the state.Looking ahead, the concept's prospects remain uncertain. The municipal community has been mum, and a spokeswoman for the National Association of State Retirement Administrators says they are still looking into the pros and cons.In addition, the proposal needs a new champion as the Republican author of this years bill didnt win reelection. But with Democrats in charge of the House, the ideas benefits to struggling pension systems, which are in mostly blue states, may be tempting enough to keep it in play. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 30 Two miscreants took away a Hyundai Creta from a 25-year-old youth at gunpoint in Sector 20 on the intervening night of December 29 and 30. The victim, son of a head constable, was returning home when the incident took place. The suspects later met with an accident in Ambala after which they escaped, leaving the vehicle behind. One of them, a juvenile, was nabbed by the police on a tip-off. His accomplice, who is admitted to the GMCH, Sector 32, has also been arrested. Sources said the victim, Nishar Ahmad, a resident of Sector 20, was returning home from Phase 3BI, Mohali, after dropping his friend. On reaching Sector 20, a youth, who posed as if he was drunk, came in front of the victims vehicle. The victim got down from the vehicle when another person came from the rear side and pointed a gun at him. The suspects threatened the victim and forcibly took away his vehicle. They then escaped from the spot after which the police were informed about the incident at 1.57 am. PCR vehicles were put on alert and a message regarding the incident along with the vehicle number was passed on to the police in neighbouring states. Sources said the suspects fled towards Ambala, where the vehicle met with an accident. Sources said they panicked after they saw a PCR vehicle patrolling the road and tried to reverse the vehicle, leading to the accident. The suspects, one of whom was injured in the accident, escaped from the spot, leaving the vehicle behind. The Haryana Police informed the Chandigarh Police about the accident following which a team from the Sector 19 police station went to Ambala to recover the vehicle. Police officials said a case had been registered at the Sector 19 police station. How it happened Sources said the victim, Nishar Ahmad, a resident of Sector 20, was returning home from Phase 3BI, Mohali, after dropping his friend. On reaching Sector 20, a person, who posed as if he was drunk, came in front of the victims vehicle. The victim got down from the vehicle when another person came from the rear side and pointed a gun at him. The suspects threatened the victim and forcibly took away his vehicle. Duo held, weapon recovered The police said on a tip-off, a juvenile was apprehended near the road separating Sector 20 and 30 and the gun used in the crime was recovered from him. During interrogation, the juvenile said he and his friend Ankush Agnihotri (19) were PG residents in Sector 20. The duo took liquor and decided to rob someone. They saw the Creta coming from the market side. They came in front of the Creta and when the driver stopped, the juvenile pointed his pistol at the driver and asked him to come out. When he came out, both of them fled away in his vehicle. He said they had planned to take the Creta to UP and sell it there. However, while he was driving, he met with an accident near Ambala and his friend Ankush got injured. He somehow escaped from Ambala and returned to Chandigarh to pick up his luggage. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 31 Acting on a petition filed by 46 vendors earning their livelihood through vends, a Vacation Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday issued a notice of motion to the Chandigarh Administration and other respondents. The Bench of Justice Arvind Singh Sangwan and Justice Harnaresh Singh Gill also fixed the case for further consideration on January 17 after directing interim order in terms of the order passed in January 2018 in another petition on the same issue. The Bench, in its January order, had taken note of a statement by counsel for the UT Administration and other respondents that all vendors, registered under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, would not be uprooted till the next date of hearing. In view of the statement made by counsel for the respondents, we do not consider it appropriate to pass any interim orders in the matter, the Bench had then added. The developments took place on a petition filed against the UT and other respondents by Deepak Kumar and other petitioners through counsel Chanchal K Singla. Claiming to be involved in street vending in Sector 19 for the past 15 years, the petitioners added that they were earning their livelihood and supporting their families through the business. They were, as such, aggrieved by the arbitrary and illegal action of the respondents, who were trying to displace them from their places in total contravention and disregard of the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. It was also against the fundamental right of the petitioners enshrined under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution of India. The Bench was also told that the petitioners-hawkers were at the mercy of the authorities, including the local police and the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. They had been unlawfully and brutally harassing the petitioners. Singla added that street vending was in operation since 1960s. With the passage of time, some of the petitioners inherited the business from their parents and some joined it later. Most of the petitioners were, rather, in the business since 1990 and it was the sole source of their livelihood. editorial@tribune.com Sanjay Bumbroo Tribune News Service Panchkula, December 31 Keeping in view the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, the Panchkula Municipal Corporation has allotted work to Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, to redesign city roads. The corporation, with the help of the university, will prepare tracks for cyclists and pedestrians. The corporation has already refurbished eight roundabouts in the city, which are proposed to be inaugurated by the Haryana Chief Minster. Roads alongside the roundabouts will be redesigned to check accidents in the city, which often result in the loss of precious lives. The roads will be designed in such a way that fast approaching vehicles do not hit the roundabouts. The dividers near the roundabout will be constructed in such a way that the vehicles do not come directly in contact with the roundabouts. This will also allow vehicles along the roundabouts to move at their own pace as these will not have to slow down. Besides, there will be little possibility of vehicles hitting each other at the roundabouts. The slip roads in the city will also be widened. Separate tracks will be constructed for cyclists and pedestrians. The work on changing the design of the roads will start in January. The MC had conducted a survey in the city and it was found that 40 lives had been lost in 2016 and about 30 persons were killed in 2017 in accidents. Of these, 50 per cent deaths occurred due to accidents at roundabouts. MC Administrator Rajesh Jogpal said the MC was duty-bound to initiate steps to check accidents in the city. Separate tracks for cyclists Roads alongside the roundabouts will be redesigned to check accidents in the city, which often result in the loss of precious lives. The roads will be designed in such a way that fast approaching vehicles do not hit the roundabouts. For the benefit of the people, the slip roads in the city will also be widened. Separate tracks will be constructed for cyclists and pedestrians. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 30 The Joint Action Committee of traders and residents of Sector 15 held a protest against the decision to set up a vending zone near the boundary wall of the DAV school in Sector 15. A former councillor of Ward No. 2, Saurabh Joshi, led the protest. Among those present were president of the Residents Welfare Association Ravikant Sharma, president of the Sector 15 Market Association Sandeep Kumar, president of the Patel Market Association Sanjeev Kumar, BJP district 1 vice-president SC Gupta, BJP mandal president Rajesh Mahajan, general secretary Balram Sood, BJP samiti president Amarjit Singh, Kailash Sahni, Pritam Sharma, Arvind Goel and former councilor MPS Chawla, besides residents and traders of Sector 15. Saurabh Joshi said delegating space for a vending zone at Sector 15 was illegal. No permission had been taken from the Chief Architect for change of land use to convert the present Apni Mandi green belt into a vending zone. BJP leader SC Gupta said the allotted space would in any case fall short for housing 1,800 vendors. The vending zone will share a comman wall with the DAV school, having a strength of 1,500 students. Besides, there is a girls hostel near the school. Another concern is that the allotted space for vending zone lies between the residential area of Sector 15 A and B. Yet another concern is that the vending zone will spell chaos in the area as there will be a huge rush and there wont be enough space to park vehicles. Besides, unlawful activities may take place. City BJP president Sanjay Tandon assured the protesters that the vending zone proposal would be taken back. 352 more vendors allotted sites The MC conducted a draw of lots for six vending zones in Sector 19, 22, 32, 40, Mani Majra and Dadu Majra. As many as 352 registered street vendors were allotted sites under the Non-Essential Service Providers category. The draw was conducted under the supervision of Tilak Raj, Additional Commissioner, MC, in the presence of officials and observers. In all, 1,270 registered street vendors have been allotted sites in 42 vending zones in the city. Dhyan Singh Rathore, Naib Tehsildar (Revenue)-cum-Executive Magistrate, UT, and VN Sharma, Sita Ram, Kamlesh and Geeta, members of the town vending committee, were present as observers for the draw of lots. The Additional Commissioner said the enforcement wing of the MC had started work to mobilise vendors to the allotted sites with immediate effect. singhking99@yahoo.com Rajesh Ramachandran We are at the peak of sanctimonious, opinionated self-belief, looking at the deep gorges of disagreements all around us with disdain. This is the era of polarisation of politics, of ideas and belief systems. To debate is to debunk and to argue is to preclude the conversation. The other is the enemy to be murdered, at least in a TV debate. Discussions are high-decibel medieval inquisitions and the moderator is the idiot box equivalent of a murderous tormentor. Everybody and his argument have been labelled. In fact, life has become one big label factory which produces names for individuals who are forced into groups. Every conceivable shade of opinion has a name: break-India gang, urban Maoist, libtard, aaptard, jihadi, sanghi, Congressi. The worst are the labels that are stuck on to media outlets and practitioners: godi-media versus foreign funded-media; Hindu nationalists versus foreign nationals. And everybody is expected to paint himself into a corner of extreme opinion. What has been lost in the process is the middle ground, which is now the happy hunting ground for the supercilious masters of opinion, who give dictations on political correctness to lesser mortals. The prime source of all this conflict is the lynch mob. They kill before they ask and they gag before they talk. The most recent and saddest victim of this gang gagging is the great Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah. His is one of the greatest artistic achievements contemporary India has to show the world. But he has been reduced to his proximate identity (as Rohith Vemula lamented in his suicide note), to his mere name, to his community and a label, that of a Muslim. Is Naseeruddin Shah just a Muslim? And as a Muslim, whatever Naseer says is to be conceived as the utterances of a Muslim against the Hindu rashtra? Can there be a greater travesty of democracy than a citizen getting reduced to a mere label and that label being deigned inferior to certain other labels? The point of debate was the death of a police officer at the hands of a lynch mob protesting the death of a cow. Naseer asked the most natural question in this context: is the life of a cow more important than that of a man? That, too, a law-enforcing officer! But the question and the questioner were soon submerged in deafening cries of hyper-nationalism. The fringe elements and their sideshows could have been dismissed as ugly distractions had they not been murderous. From Mohammed Akhlaq to Pehlu Khan to Subodh Singh, the martyrs of the mob are also dead examples of the politics of polarisation. The letting loose of the Thugs of Hindostan was not a spontaneous eruption of piety for the cow and its progeny. It was a political programme meant to polarise, using some of the most deadly criminals in the society. But it did not make the difference it ought to have made in Rajasthan, the prime theatre of lynching in the name of the cow. Why do some people assume this sense of superiority, which ends in murder? Political scientist Francis Fukuyama in his book, Identity: Contemporary Identity Politics and the Struggle for Recognition, points this out as megalothymia: Thymos is the part of the soul that craves recognition of dignity; isothymia is the demand to be respected on an equal basis with other people; while megalothymia is the desire to be recognised as superior... Megalothymia thrives on exceptionality: taking big risks, engaging in monumental struggles, seeking large effects, because all of these lead to recognition of oneself as superior to others To propel themselves forward, such figures (like Hitler or Peron) latched on to the resentments of ordinary people who felt that their nation or religion or way of life was being disrespected. Megalothymia and isothymia thus joined hands. Ordinary people feeling resentful over perceived grievances and slights against their religion linking themselves up over the TV or social media with a superhero politician is by now a familiar theme in Indian politics. Now, polarisation is not the sole preserve of the political class or the cow murderers. Every debate on the social media ends before it begins, with labels being stuck and abuses exchanged. Every Facebook account holder or Twitter follower is getting into an echo chamber in which one hears only ones own voice, amplified many times. Labels, abuses, fake news stories (again, everybody uses this and everybody calls the others news fake) and anything else that legitimises and justifies ones beliefs float around the echo chamber like streamers and confetti. This is only going to get worse as we move closer towards the 2019 elections. All that we can hope for is that at least after the polls the echo chambers will burst in the unbearable, monotonous noise they produce and we will again have a middle ground where we will again talk in the sun, argue, debate, discuss, disagree and disperse, to meet again. Gen VP Malik (Retd) & Major Navdeep Singh (Retd) Gen VP Malik (Retd) former Chief of the Army staff Major Navdeep Singh (Retd) Advocate, Punjab & Haryana High Court THE decision-making process of the defence establishment with its myriad complexities has always remained a vexed issue. It has been a cause of alienation for people in uniform with court cases, delays in acquisitions and procurements, lack of integration and jointness. The Rules for Allocation and Transaction of Business, 1961, have no role or powers ascribed to the defence forces. The Defence Secretary is responsible for ``Defence of India" and ancillary facets during war with the armed forces and the three Service Headquarters subordinately designated as "Attached Offices of the Department of Defence". The professional heads of the three services neither have been accorded a status nor granted any powers in the edifice of the Government. The obvious reason is that for many years after independence, there was deep-rooted suspicion, fuelled by happenings in the neighbourhood, as to whether the military in India would continue to remain in barracks or would take to adventurism. Although the defence services have remained staunchly loyal to the Constitution, certain vested interests have not allowed obliteration of that suspicion. As a result, the military has been kept in a box, not allowed to participate in policy or decision-making. Our political establishment, hence, despite the vastly changed strategic environment and the imperative need to consult defence chiefs directly, has been deprived of this facilitation. Some Defence Ministers like Jaswant Singh and Pranab Mukherjee, and PMs like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, met the service chiefs more often than others but an institutionalised system and decision-making processes were never resolved. Over a period of time, cosmetic changes such as limited financial powers and minimally altered file movement system were made. Some nomenclatures changed but within the Ministry, the old terminology and processes continue. Despite ruling party manifesto calling for "greater participation of Armed Forces in the decision-making process", not much has happened. While the inherent suspicion towards the military waned with time, the pretext of 'checks and balances' gained momentum for keeping the defence services out of actual decision-making. But whether a counter-balance as at present, wherein decisions of the Chiefs of Staff Committee are allowed to be commented upon by junior non-specialist civilians should continue, or whether a collegiate system be instituted can be taken subject to the approval of the political executive. The system currently followed, besides causing suspicion and distrust, often results in delays and sometimes imbalanced decisions. While the decisions of the military should not be allowed to prevail without question, the conclusions should be based upon collation of proper views of all stakeholders on an equal footing before they are put up to the political authority for sanction. It is also a matter of concern that in some spheres where powers have been delegated, the system is being rendered infructuous with too much leeway being displayed by military authorities. To take an example, powers to determine disability benefits of officers have been conferred upon military authorities and appellate committees. However, such proposals, though in consonance with procedure, are abandoned by senior military authorities based upon objections by junior finance officers. One solution is instituting a format such as the "Defence Board". Within that, a judicious mix of senior military and civil officers could debate proposals and then reach a consensus which can then be put up for approval of the Minister. The Defence Board is not an alien concept among democracies. The UK has a Chief of Defence Staff for its strategic and operational needs as a single point military consultant. It also follows a Board system chaired by the Defence Minister with members from civil and defence services and also non-executive board members. Closer home, the Railway Board is headed by the Railways Minister and comprises a healthy mix of members from different cadres and technical streams. India has a large strength of defence services involved not only in external defence but also in internal security and aid to civil authorities. In these days of rapid socio-political changes, we cannot have a system where affected parties or end-users are not consulted adequately, or where decisions are taken based on faulty inputs by non-experts through one-way file notes. The correct system would require a face-to-face real time collegiate discussion before decisions are made. "Defence of India" involves not just the military but almost all other institutions; even the citizenry. The Constitution requires the military to work under political, not bureaucratic control. As in all democracies, it has an important role to play. Being treated as a redundant appendage militates against the basic grain of a democracy and also hampers execution of its modern day role. The political class should find a juste milieu ensuring an equal voice for all stakeholders with the ultimate decision-making power vested with the political executive as laid down in our Constitution. Shantanu Mukharji Shantanu Mukharji Former IPS officer and Security Analyst The 11th parliamentary elections held in Bangladesh on December 30 saw a resounding victory for PM Sheikh Hasina and her ruling Awami League (AL) party, returning her to power for the third consecutive term. Her policies and iron-handed approach to mitigate her political adversaries, consisting mainly of right reactionary and fundamentalist forces, stand vindicated. The opposition cried foul, calling for re-elections in view of the alleged rigging and violence that claimed 17 lives. Elections were held in 299 parliamentary seats out of 300. Polling was postponed in one seat due to the demise of a candidate. The latest results announced by the Election Commission is 298. Awami League-led Mohajote (grand alliance) won 288 seats. On the other hand, Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led Oikya Front (united alliance) could barely win eight seats. This dismal performance of the opposition parties demonstrates that the electorate rejected outright the forces that are communal, anti-liberation and aligned with Jamat-e-Islami (JeI). The BNP leadership is in tatters. Former PM Khaleda Zia, now over 70, is undergoing a prison sentence on charges of corruption. Her son and party supremo, Tareq Rahman, is in exile in London, operating from there at the behest of extraneous forces, inimical to Indian security interests. He, too, is seen to be overtly pro Pakistan and regressive in approach. He is wanted in Bangladesh in many serious criminal cases, including one on arms smuggling and criminal conspiracy to assassinate Hasina in 2004. There is no visible or even a notional leadership to steer the party. In the vacuum caused due to the glaring bankruptcy of leadership, a wily political opportunist, Dr Kamal Hossain, with no grassroot support, and leader of Gano Forum, stepped in an attempt to play a role aspiring to defeat the Awami League and assume power. His calculations were terribly misplaced because his fantasy of becoming PM was utopian in the absence of a support base. Also, he partnered with JeI , a hardcore fundamentalist party which supported war criminals. Many were tried and executed for their crimes during the liberation struggle, which included collaborating with Pakistanis. The secular and liberal electorate of Bangladesh, which has further matured in the past 47 years, still reveres its Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (also Hasinas father), and any individual or party challenging his stature would face nothing short of rejection. The same happened with Dr Kamal, an internationally known expert on constitution law and the first foreign minister of Bangladesh. Now over 80, Dr Kamal thought it was a do or die situation, and so he distanced himself from Hasina and her supporters, anticipating a win. In effect, he supported the BNP, Jamaat and the anti-liberation forces to form a government. It will not be surprising if he and his cohorts played to Pakistan, whose notorious ISI started enforcing its blueprint to rally all anti-Hasina forces together to oust her from power. This argument is also borne by the fact that very recently an ISI handler was intercepted talking to a senior BNP leader for help to win the elections and also seeking Chinese help. Intelligence and diplomatic sources in Bangladesh confirm that ISI handlers were operating in full throttle from the UAE to ensure Hasinas defeat. Thankfully Dhakas counterintelligence apparatus had kept its antenna alert, foiling Pakistani designs to harm Hasinas political interests. Now that Hasina has been reposed with a new trust and confidence by majority of the voters, she should focus on development, especially infrastructural, and most importantly, there should be a concerted effort to a zero-tolerance approach to corruption. She has to deliver on all counts and peoples hopes and aspirations have gone up and their execrations are now even higher than before. The neglected readymade garment industry, the second largest in the world after China, needs to be comprehensively addressed. As regards Bangladeshs relations with India, it is needless to emphasise that both countries have to work more closely on sectors of power, space, defence cooperation, exchange programmes and closing the trade deficit. The most important aspect is a joint approach to tackle terror. Now that Pakistan plans to snatch the elections in favour of BNP stand aborted, Indian security and intelligence agencies need to play a more proactive role to counter any feeble Pakistani attempts to reappear with its footprint. In the past two Hasina regimes, there has been a significant people-to-people contact between the two countries. This momentum has to be kept up through cinema and other multifarious cultural events. On her part, Hasina has proved time and again that she stands by India. Demonstratively, Indias Northeastern insurgents are no longer harboured by Bangladesh. Even ULFA leader Paresh Barua, who was sheltered in Bangladesh, is on the run. That is a huge overture by Hasina. We should reciprocate such actions in equal measures. Teesta is yet another issue waiting to be resolved. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, must be persuaded to act with a positive frame of mind to narrow down our irritants. Hasina and her advisers and political counsellors should now sit down, do a concerted brainstorming and take stock of the existing situation. They need to draw a fresh road map for clean governance, eradication of corruption, ensure freedom and security of religious minorities and thwart external threats by neutralising the radicalised lot. A safe and secure and progressive Bangladesh is good for its friendly neighbour India. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Abu Dhabi, December 31 A 35-year-old Indian man was found hanging at his accommodation in Ras Al Khaimah city in the UAE and a suicide note found from his phone said he took the drastic step due to several health issues, authorities said. The deceased, Rinoj Raveendran, hailed from Kerala and had been working in Al Ghail industrial area as an accountant. His body was found by his roommate on Saturday evening, the Khaleej Times reported on Monday. Prasad Sreedharan, a social worker affiliated with a medical committee constituted by the Consulate General of India in Dubai, told the daily that the note found on Raveendrans phone stated that he took his own life due to health issues. The deceased, who has a son studying in Kerala, left a note on his mobile phone saying no one (should) be held responsible for his death and that he was taking the extreme step due to health issues. I dont understand why people fail to seek help instead of ending their lives and leaving their family devastated, said Sreedharan. This is probably the 10th suicide of Indian nationals in Ras Al Khaimah city in three months, he added. Raveendrans wife, Bini Banarjee, works with a jewellery firm in Sharjah, social workers said. The police said investigations were underway to identify the reasons behind the apparent suicide and the repatriation process will be initiated shortly by the Ras Al Khaimah Indian Relief Committee. IANS editorial@tribune.com ibune News Service Karnal, December 30 Ahead of parliamentary and Assembly elections in 2019, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has stepped up his activities in his constituency. During his stay from Saturday evening to Sunday afternoon, the CM attended several programmes and interacted with the people. As per party sources, party workers and residents during the recently held civic body elections had raised the point that they feel cut off from the CM due to security cover and his busy schedule. At that time, the sources maintain that the CM had assured the residents that he would visit his constituency once a week and be easily available to them. During his stay, the CM took part in a programme organised by Shri Krishan Gaushala at OPS Vidya Mandir late last evening. While addressing the devotees, the CM announced to provide gaucharan land to the gaushala on lease for 33 years instead of 15 years earlier. He highlighted the efforts being made by the state government for organising Gita Jayanti and said that for the first time, International Gita Jayanti would be celebrated in Mauritius. He also went to the residence of former Senior Deputy Mayor Krishan Garg to express condolences on the death of his mother. Besides, the CM expressed grief on the death of former MLA Narinder Sangwans aunt and Congress leader Nahar Singh Sandhus brother at their residences. He also visited the residence of BJP leader Anurag Sethi to inquire about his health as he had sustained injuries in an accident. Khattar congratulated former BJP mandal president Naresh Narang on the marriage of his daughter and celebrated Lohri at Narangs residence. The CM also interacted with party workers during a programme organised by Ajay Malik in Model Town. On Sunday, the CM listened to the grievances of traders during a programme organised in Patel Market. He also paid tributes to Sardar Patel. Khattar said that the sewerage of Karnal city was being repaired to resolve rain water stagnation. The work of expanding the Mughal canal would also be completed soon. A treatment plant near Ganjogarhi village would be set up to overcome the problem of stagnation of water in the Mughal canal. The Western Bypass would be dedicated on January 5 to the residents of Karnal. It would decongest traffic on city roads. Soon, a bypass would be made on the other side of the city, he said. Khattar said this while addressing traders and social workers during a programme organised by textile traders. He said that all roads connecting the city are being upgraded and expanded. Work on all highways would be completed soon. The air strip will be expanded and land is being acquired for it. Work on it will start soon, the CM said. He said that cases of shops of new grain markets pending for 15 years would be resolved. The Chief Minister said that if the garment traders want, HSIIDC land would be given for a new textile market. Solution to rainwater stagnation editorial@tribune.com Bijendra Ahlawat Tribune News Service Faridabad, December 30 Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday announced a slew of incentives for the welfare of police personnel, including enhancement in the matching grant being given by the government for welfare of police personnel from the existing Rs 4 crore to Rs 6 crore. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Police Housing Complex here today, the CM announced to provide uniform allowance of Rs 4,000 to non-gazetted officers, including ASIs, SIs and Inspectors, and Rs 3,000 to the ranks of Constable and Head Constable. He also made public the decision to form Callers User Group (CUG) in the Police Department to provide mobile facility to all police officials. The CUG number will be shared with all ranks and the department will pay the bill. He also announced that Exempee Sub-Inspector (ESI) would be promoted to the rank of Honorary Inspector six months before retirement. Announcing hike in ration money of police personnel from Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 per month, he said arrangement of creche in police offices for care of babies and young children of women police personnel and facility of changing room for them in police offices would be made. In addition, he said the police personnel could get HRA up to March 31, either of new places of posting or existing, in case of transfer in the middle of the year. He said an additional fund of Rs 1,050 crore will be provided to the Police Housing Corporation through HUDCO for construction of more houses. With this, police housing satisfaction level would increase further. Earlier, financial assistance of Rs 550 crore was provided to the corporation by which construction of 3,060 houses in various districts is under progress at different levels. The CM dedicated 384 houses built at a cost of Rs 65 crore to police personnel. He also advised them to improve their working style and behaviour further and help in making Haryana Police one of the best police force in the country. He said that recruitment against 7,000 posts would be made next year. Committed to giving Fbad a makeover Faridabad: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said here on Sunday that the BJP rule was committed to giving Faridabad, the industrial hub of Haryana and North India, a complete makeover with projects worth several hundred crores. He was addressing Shankhnad rally organised by local MLA and Industries and Environment Minister Vipul Goel at Sector 12. MLAs Mool Chand Sharma, Seema Trikha, Tek Chand Sharma and Nagender Bhadana were among those who attended the rally. However, MP and Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar was conspicuous by his absence. The relations between Goel and Gurjar have been a subject of debate after a public spat between them on a Dasehra function here in October. Claiming that Faridabad had got its due under the present government, Khattar said besides the Smart City project worth Rs 2,600 crore, the city was being given a makeover at a budget of several hundred crores. While some of the projects had either been completed, many others had been under implementation. Citing Metro to Ballabgarh as an achievement, he said the work on the ambitious project of connecting Faridabad with Gurugram was expected to be rolled out soon. TNS editorial@tribune.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 31 Describing the act of dispossessing landowners without compensation as grabbing, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asserted that cases wherein the Haryana Public Works Department failed to compensate property owners while laying roads were in abundance. Justice Amit Rawal also asserted that files were not handled with openness and application of mind. Referring to the filing of a regular second appeal in one such matter, Justice Rawal added that it was an atrocious attempt on behalf of the state, besides having been filed beyond the period of limitation. Justice Rawal also made it clear that instead of frivolous litigation, it should have come to the rescue of the aggrieved. Slapping costs of Rs 25,000, Justice Rawal added that the amount was to be paid to the landowners from the personal account of Faridabads SDO, PWD (B&R), Ravinder Kumar Sethi. The rap came on an appeal filed by the state and other appellants against Savitri Devi and another respondent. The Bench was told that there was a link road adjacent their property in Harfala village of Ballabgarh tehsil. The state wanted to connect the link road further and encroached upon 13 marlas, but compensation was never paid. The Bench was also told that the trial court decreed the suit in favour of the landowners by observing that 13 marlas had been encroached upon by the defendants with a pucca road. The appeal in the lower Appellate Court also met with the same fate. Taking up the matter, Justice Rawal observed that the state had not been successful in defending the suit for grabbing the land of the landowners as they were dispossessed without any compensation. Justice Rawal asserted that it was settled law that a landowner could not be deprived of compensation as it was violation of Article 300-A of the Constitution, which said persons could not be deprived of property, save by authority of law. Justice Rawal also observed that it was submitted in court that equal land was given in lieu of the chunk belonging to the landowners, but the entry in this regard was yet to be made. Justice Rawal added that the court confronted the state counsel whether evidence or pleadings regarding the alleged exchange were part and parcel of the trial court or the lower Appellate Court record, but the answer was in the negative. The argument was raised on instructions issued to the state counsel by Sethi, present in court. The audacity of the department in attempting to mislead this court cannot go unnoticed, Justice Rawal asserted. editorial@tribune.com Parvesh Sharma Tribune News Service Sangrur, December 30 Haryana Cabinet Minister Anil Vij today said that the BJP would contest the next parliamentary and Assembly elections under the leadership of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar because the CM was doing well. Our CM has brought development to Haryana. Since the formation of our government, Haryana has seen huge development and many more big projects are coming to Haryana. Before our government, all governments preferred to develop some parts of the state as per the loyalty of their CMs. But our government is the first one in Haryana which has brought equal development across the state, claimed Vij while talking to The Tribune at Sangrur at a private function. He also warned miscreants, who are allegedly posting fake news on social media to defame the government and leaders of strict action. Leaders of AAP, INLD and Congress have got frustrated with the performance of our government and now, they have started spreading false news. Our government would take strict legal action against people found guilty of spreading false news, said Vij. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Dharamsala, December 30 Former minister and senior Congress leader GS Bali on Sunday alleged that despite spending crores of public money on the Dharamsala rally recently, the government managed just a certificate of appreciation for Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a press conference here, Bali said the people of the state were hoping that some financial or development package would be announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to the state. He said, With the Lok Sabha elections nearing, voters would have given a certificate to the current BJP government. There was no need to spend crores on such a rally to get that certificate from the PM. Bali said since the government had completed one year in power, it should tell the public how many jobs had been generated for the youth. There were 10 lakh registered unemployed youths in the state. The previous government had kept a budgetary provision of Rs 150 crore for providing unemployment allowance to the youth. I had personally fought a battle for it. However, the present government has done away with the unemployment scheme, he alleged. Bali said the government should explain to the people of the state as to how much investment had flown in the state, how many new industries had been established and how many new roads and hospitals had been set up in the last one year. It is one these parameters that the performance of the state government will be adjudicated, he said. Bali said despite the fact that cement and power was being produced in the state, people were paying high price for it. However, both commodities were being sold at low prices to other states. When asked if he would contest the next parliamentary election from Kangra, Bali said he was ready to contest if the party wanted him to do so. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Mandi, December 30 Students of Haripur College in Anni sub-division of Kullu district are facing difficulties due to a shortage of professors. The students alleged that the posts of professors of various subjects, such as physics, sociology, economic and Sanskrit, were lying vacant for the past 10 months. We are asking the government since long to fill the vacant posts but our numerous pleas have fallen flat and the situation is grim, said Prem Singh, a student of the college. The students, under the banner of Students Federation of India (SFI), gathered at Anni bazaar on Saturday and blocked the National Highway-305 for hours to express their resentment against state government over the issue. It was the second protest by students within two weeks. Earlier, the students had held a protest march at Nigan Chowk in Anni and blocked the NH 305 on December 14. Lalit Kumar, another student of the college, said We met Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj and Anni MLA Kishori Lal Sagar but nothing has been done so far to resolve our issue. Later, the students submitted a demand charter to Anni Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Chet Singh. They threatened to intensify their protests in the coming days if their demand was not considered. The SDM said the demand of the students was genuine and the state government had made some temporary arrangement of teaching staff from Government College, Rampur, for the welfare of the students. He said the director of Higher Education had asked the principals of the Anni college and Rampur college to coordinate and cooperate in the interest of students. editorial@tribune.com Kuldeep Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, December 31 Tens of thousands of holidaymakers on Monday gathered in the capital city to bid goodbye to 2018. The tourists are being greeted with the national song Vande Mataram and dos and donts. The authorities have installed speakers at various spots for the purpose. The Tourism Department has also erected welcome banners on The Mall and The Ridge. With the possibility of snowfall on New Years eve and later, a large number of tourists today made a beeline for these stations. Long traffic jams were witnessed on the Tara Devi-Cart road and the Sanjauli-Kufri-Fagu road, causing inconvenience to the locals and office-goers. Pubs, restaurants and hotels in the capital city are packed to capacity. There are no music concerts or orchestra shows this time as it used to be the case earlier, recalled Pranav and Arjun, who have come from Delhi to celebrate New Year here hoping for snowfall. The new parking complex near the ISBT has also been opened. The administration has installed a screen informing tourists about the availability of parking in the city. However, the authorities have not opened restricted roads to accommodate tourist rush this time. Harman Kukreja, former president of the Shimla Hotels and Restaurants Association, said the tourist rush was this year low as compared to the last year. He attributed it to the bad condition of highways and the lack of snow. Meanwhile, the city today recorded the minimum temperature of 5.6C and the maximum of 14.4C, thus making it a warmer day. Keylong was the coldest at -5.0C while Kalpa recorded -1.4C and Manali -0.6C. Director, Met centre, Shimla, Manmohan Singh said in view of the present Western Disturbance, isolated light precipitation was likely to take place in the higher reaches of the state in the next 24 hours. It would be followed by another Western Disturbance that might result in scattered to fairly widespread precipitation on January 1 and 2. CM interacts with tourists On the last evening of 2018, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur took a stroll on The Mall and interacted with the locals and tourists. He wished them a happy and prosperous New Year. He was accompanied by his wife Sadhna Thakur and Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj. He also enjoyed coffee at Ashiana on the The Ridge. Governor Acharya Devvrat also greeted the people. He said he was hopeful that Himachal would witness more growth in the year to come. Kasauli hoteliers gear up editorial@tribune.com Ambika Sharma Tribune News Service Solan, December 31 The much-hyped Mukhyamantri Swabhlamban Yojana (MMSY) has failed to find requisite funding from the financial institutions failing which barely 4.5 per cent cases had got loans till now. Introduced in May to generate self-employment, the lackadaisical approach of the financial institutions has adversely hit its success rate. Figures secured from the Industries Department revealed that as against 793 applications sent to the banks for funding, only 36 had been sanctioned and loan worth Rs 7.88 crore had been disbursed till December 14. This speaks volumes about the tardy pace of implementation of this scheme failing which it has failed to achieve its desired target. Officials revealed that the banks were reluctant to fund the cases forwarded by the Directorate of Industries as their prime consideration was financial viability of each case. As many as 27 public sector banks, all regional rural banks, cooperative banks, private sector scheduled commercial banks and Small Industries Development Bank of India had been notified to extend financial assistance by the state government. Each enterprise is supposed to come into production within two years from the date of its principal approval and banks are supposed to sanction 90 per cent of the project cost. Under this scheme, youth in the 18-35 age group are eligible to avail financial incentives, including 25 per cent investment subsidy in plant and machinery for a maximum limit of Rs 40 lakh. An interest subsidy of 5 per cent is also admissible under this scheme for three years. While the state cooperative banks had taken a decision to fund the scheme barely a month and a half ago, non-generation of codes under this scheme by the banks had also delayed disbursement of loans to the youth, informed officials. Since a sum of Rs 80 crore has been earmarked for this scheme in this financial year, a corpus fund can be provided to the state cooperative banks to ensure that the cases forwarded by the Industries Department were extended due financial assistance. This can ensure early availability of the loans to the unemployed youth vying to set up their own ventures, said Member, Secretary, Sirmaur, GS Chauhan. He informed that 10 cases had been funded by the banks under this scheme till now and some more were being processed by the department. With the figure of unemployed youth being a whopping 8.92 lakh, there was an urgent need to introduce self-employment schemes with assured financial support as the government could provide only limited employment avenues. Financial institutions not keen pardeepdhull@gmail.com Shimla/Manali, December 31 Tens of thousands of holidaymakers on Monday gathered across resorts in Himachal Pradesh to bid goodbye to 2018. Seeing the tourist rush, the police advised the revellers to start leaving the Ridge, the most famous promenade in Shimla, as the clocks strike midnight. Our policemen will greet tourists after midnight and will request them to vacate the Ridge and the Mall, a senior police officer said. He said this step would be taken as a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward incident. The most sought-after destinations were Shimla, Kufri, Narkanda, Kasauli, Chail, Dharamsala, Palampur, Dalhousie and Manali and the revellers have to be prepared to sleep out in cars overnight if they did not get hotel bookings in advance. Most of the hotels have been sold out in advance, members of the hospitality industry warned. Most of our properties in Shimla, Chail, Kufri, Kasauli, Dharamsala, Palampur and Manali have been sold out till January 3, Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) General Manager Sarla Chopra told IANS. She said most of the guests have been enquiring about the possibility of snowfall on the New Years Eve and later. Over 50,000 tourists are expected to visit the state to ring in the New Year, tourism industry experts said. The popular tourist town of Narkanda, some 65 km from Shimla, saw last spell of snow on December 12 but it melted within a few days. So was Shimla, known for the imperial grandeur of buildings that were once institutions of power when it was the summer capital of British India, where the entire snow cover disappeared. Shimlas meteorological office Director Manmohan Singh said tourist towns like Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Manali and Dalhousie, located in mid-hills, may witness moderate snowfall from January 1. The mountain peaks viewed from Shimlas historic Ridge, Dharamsala and Palampur towns are wrapped in a thick white blanket of snow. Manali is a magnet for holidaymakers these days, owing to plentiful snow in its nearby hills. Nearby hills of Manali that have good accumulation of snow have been attracting the tourists, a Manali-based travel agent Gobind Thakur said. Gauri Saklani, a tourist in Shimla, said: I prefer to travel to the hills from Delhi in winter when the plains are foggy and the mountains are basking in the mellow sun. Himachal Pradesh has no tourist accommodation in far-off areas. Rural home-stays that started in 2008 were driving tourists to the interiors and that were the best option to stay. At present, over 900 home-stay units have been registered in the state. Out of these, over 250 are in the Kullu-Manali region. The states economy is highly dependent on tourism, besides hydroelectric power and horticulture. The state has attracted 196.02 lakh tourists last year, 2.9 times of its population, said states Economic Survey 2017-18, adding that it has 63 operational helipads. IANS vermaajay1968@gmail.com The status of groundwater availability and draft across various usages is extremely worrying as the latter is much higher than the recharge. The gross groundwater draft was 34,81,343 hams (hectare metres) in 2013, while the net availability was 23,39,172 hams. The situation is alarming and needs to be handled as an emergency. The policy response so far, however, has been very weak. Punjab is yet to have an agriculture policy in place. The Water Regulation and Development Authority, approved by the Cabinet, is yet to be constituted. Punjab is drafting 149 per cent of the net groundwater availability. The draft for irrigation is 146 per cent of the net availability. Sangrur districts draft is the highest (211 per cent of the availability), followed by Jalandhar (209 per cent). There are five districts whose draft varies from 160 per cent (Faridkot) to 194 per cent (Barnala). In seven other districts, the draft ranges between 107 per cent (SAS Nagar) and 144 per cent (Ferozepur). These districts are in the central plain zone, where paddy is the main crop during the kharif season. Many districts, mainly in central Punjab (paddy zone), have suffered a serious depletion in the water table. During 1996-2016, Patiala registered a 22-metre decline. followed by Fatehgarh Sahib (18.6 metres), Jalandhar (17.6), Sangrur (17.3), Kapurthala (15.70), Mansa (14.55), Moga (14), Ludhiana (6.72) and Faridkot (6.65 metres). The annual average decline varies between 21 cm (Amritsar) and 70 cm (Patiala). According to the Water Resource Estimation Committee, when the annual average decline in the water table is more than 10-20 cm per year for a period of 10 years or more, it is regarded as a significant decline. Going by this criterion, 11 districts of Punjab have experienced a significant decline in the water table during 1996-2016. The drop involves a substantial social cost and reduces productivity. The number of overexploited blocks increased from 53 (44.92 per cent) in 1984 to 105 (76.09 per cent) in 2013. The ever-declining number of safe (white) blocks is another issue of serious concern. The number of such blocks was 36 (30.51 per cent) in 1984; it decreased to 26 (18.84 per cent) in 2013. Such a scenario must worry the government, policy-makers and farmers as the very sustainability of agriculture and Punjabs water balance are under great stress. The situation arose out of the countrys requirement for much-needed food security, which led to the predominance of the wheat-paddy cropping system in Punjab. Hence, there was no major breakthrough in the research and development of alternative crops. The effective provision of the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and paddy and the absence of such a provision for alternative crops and free electricity also went in favour of the wheat-paddy crop rotation. The area under paddy increased from 6.04 per cent of the net sown area (NSA) in 1960-61 to 71.79 per cent in 2015-16. In terms of acreage, the area under paddy rose from 2,27,000 hectares in 1960-61 to 2,970,000 hectares in 2015-16, an increase by 13.08 times. Paddy needs 22 irrigations (as recommended by Punjab Agricultural University). No other crop (except sugarcane, which is a whole-year crop) consumes such a large volume of water. In practice, more than recommended doses of irrigation are applied to paddy. The success story of the Green Revolution and the consequent cropping pattern led to an excessive dependence on groundwater. Tubewells emerged as the main instrument of irrigation in Punjab. Industries in the state also mainly use underground water through their own tubewells. Overall, only 35 per cent of the industries in India use groundwater through tubewells. In 1960-61, of the total irrigated area of 2,020,000 hectares, 58.07 per cent was under canal water and over 41 per cent under tubewells and wells. The area under canal irrigation reached a plateau (1,660,000 hectares) in 1990-91 and thereafter it started declining. Presently, about 73 percent of the area is under tubewell irrigation. The depletion of water table also led to frequent deepening of tubewells and a rapid increase in the number of submersible electric motors, resulting in much greater pressure on electricity and higher cost of water extraction. The consumption of water to produce 1 kg of rice is the highest (5,337 litres) in Punjab. During the triennium ending (TE) 1980-81, rice production in Punjab consumed 16,643 billion litres, of which the contribution to the Central pool accounted for 13,449 billion litres (81 per cent). During TE 2013-14, the water consumption in rice production was 59,047 billion litres, of which 43,262 billion litres (73.3 per cent) was for the Central pool. This is a classic case of Punjabs virtual water export in the form of rice. Legislation runs into Political roadblock The Congress government in Punjab has been flagging the urgent need for water conservation and management, especially overexploitation of groundwater. However, vote-bank politics has held up a proposed legislation in this regard. Taking the populist route, the state government has neither recovered water bills running into crores of rupees nor adopted strict measures to discourage misuse of this natural resource. Based on data compiled between 2006 and 2015, followed by 2016-17 findings, the Central Ground Water Board has found that 82 per cent of Punjabs areas have seen a substantial fall in the water table. The Punjab Water Resources (Management and Regulation) Bill, 2018, seems to have been grounded even before takeoff, at least for now. In the wake of stiff opposition from some ministers representing urban areas, the proposed Bill was withdrawn recently at the last moment during the winter session of the Vidhan Sabha. The government proposes to set up the Punjab Water Regulation and Development Authority. The ministers apprehend that the proposed authority, on the lines of the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission, would get powers to impose and hike the tariff for domestic, commercial and industrial use hitting hard their vote bank in local bodies. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has directed the Department of Water Resources to take up the issue again at a Cabinet meeting after consulting the ministers concerned. The latter argue that the government, in another populist move, has kept the farming community out of the ambit of the proposed regulatory body despite the agricultural sector accounting for 90 per cent of the water consumption. Rajmeet Singh The writer is Professor of Economics at CRRID, Chandigarh rchopra@tribunemail.com Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 31 The Army foiled a Border Action Team (BAT) attack on one of its forward posts as two heavily-armed unidentified intruders dressed in Pakistan army fatigues were killed after a fierce nightlong gunfight near the Line of Control in the Nowgam sector of north Kashmir. The BAT attempt to carry out an attack on Sunday night comes as an exceptionally violent year draws to a close in the Kashmir valley with back-to-back counter-insurgency operations over the recent weeks resulting in a large number of killing of cadres of militant groups. An Army spokesman said the intruders were detected in the Nowgam sector, 120 km northwest of Srinagar in the frontier Kupwara district. It was the scene of at least one previous BAT action in August this year in which four soldiers were injured. The spokesman said the bodies of the two intruders were recovered on Monday morning when soldiers conducted a search operation in the mountainous terrain. Arms, ammunition and IEDs were recovered. Pakistans BAT includes highly-trained army commandos and militants, who sneak through the LoC and International Border and carry out lightning-fast raids before withdrawing. It was a major attempt and possibly by BAT because only BAT members carry so many weapons, the spokesman said. The rest of the members of the intrusion team are suspected to have fled back. In the past three weeks, things have been on the boil along the 749-km LoC, with BAT teams having tried to raid Indian Army posts four times. Before last nights attempt, the Indian Army has rebuffed three similar attempts in three weeks. The Indian assessment is that it is a sign of desperation. Tomorrow, the weekly telephonic talks are scheduled between DGMO officials and the matter may come up. (Inputs by Ajay Banerjee) editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, December 31 Displaced people from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Monday alleged that the implementation of the relief package announced by the Central government in 2014 had been deliberately slowed down due to the pressure from some political parties. SoS International, a prominent refugee organisation, has appealed to Governor Satya Pal Malik to clear the bottlenecks in the relief package and ensure that families dont face any harassment. It has also demanded eight reserved seats for PoK refugees in the Legislative Assembly and allowing the displaced population to visit their religious places in the area using the cross-LoC bus service. People originally from PoK faced the worst genocide in 1947 at the hands of the Pakistan army and tribal hordes, who attacked the state. For the last seven decades, our people have been neglected and it still continues, said Rajiv Chuni, chairman, SoS International. He also demanded the constitution of a Refugee Development Board to address the grievances of the displaced people. The refugee organisation has asked the political parties to clear their stand on the plight of people living in Jammu for the last seven decades. editorial@tribune.com Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, December 30 A suspected militant on Sunday looted four assault rifles from a policeman posted at the official residence of a legislative councillor in the heart of the city. The police launched an immediate investigation after a policeman, deputed as guard at the official residence of Member of Legislative Council Muzafar Parray, reported that a man looted the rifles at pistol-point. A senior police officer said the policeman on guard duty at Parrays residence reported that a man pointed a weapon at him and looted the four assault AK-47 rifles in the afternoon. We are questioning the policeman and verifying and corroborating his version, said DIG, Central Kashmir, VK Birdi. Parray, who was in Jammu, is a senior member of the Congress. It was not immediately clear if the unidentified man, who escaped with the looted rifles, was acting alone or had accomplices with him. The official said the missing weapons were service rifles of the four policemen assigned to guard Parray. The rifles were looted from Parrays official residence at J-73 in the high-security Jawahar Nagar area, where official residences of many legislators and councillors are located. It is the second such incident of weapon-snatching in the Jawahar Nagar area in recent months. In September, a special police officer, Adil Bashir, escaped with seven rifles and a pistol from the official residence of the then legislator Aijaz Mir. The deserter had later surfaced in pictures on social media along with the rifles, establishing the militant link to his loot. He was seen alongside militants active in Shopian district. In recent years, the militants have resorted to snatching and looting of weapons from policemen as the increased vigil and upgraded security along the Line of Control has starved Kashmirs insurgency of a free flow of weapons. The tactic of snatching weapons, however, has proven successful for militants to arm a steady trickle of new recruits and also highlights the growing self-reliance and localisation of militancy. In the three years from 2015 to 2017, 159 weapons have been looted from installations and personnel of security forces. As many as 76 weapons were recovered. Minor dies after shell explodes in Pulwama A minor boy died after an unexploded shell went off in Pulwama district. Arif Ahmad (10), a resident of the Laroo area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, was critically injured after a shell he was playing with went off on Saturday, an official said. He said Ahmad was rearing a flock of sheep in an orchard when he found the unexploded shell and picked it up. The shell exploded in his hand, injuring him critically, the official said. He said the boy was rushed to the District Hospital in Pulwama and was referred to the SMHS Hospital. However, he succumbed to injuries, the official said. PTI editorial@tribune.com Amit Khajuria Tribune News Service Jammu, December 30 Farmers of the Kot Bhalwal and Marh areas, who lost their land under the Jammu Ring Road project, have refused to accept the compensation fixed by the state and are demanding three times the actual price of the land. The 58.25-km project, for which the foundation was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 19, has acquired hundreds of kanals, which include state land, Jammu Development Authority land as well as agricultural land. The National Highways Authority of India, which is the executing agency of the Rs 2,000-crore project, claims that 100 per cent land had been acquired and the payment for it had been paid through the revenue department of the state. But the farmers of Kot Bhalwal and Marh areas alleged that the revenue department had paid them an undervalued amount, so they refused to take it. We are getting less than Rs 2 lakh per kanal. However, the actual price of the land was more than Rs 10 lakh per kanal. As we cannot fight with the state agencies, we had no other option but to refuse the amount, said Liaqat Ali, one of the farmers in the Bhalwal area. Around 13 kanals of my land came under the project and I am getting only Rs 25 lakh for it. How can I accept this amount for such a huge piece of land? We demand three-time compensation or any other land against it, said Bashir Ahmed, another farmer at Bhalwal. The revenue department of the state has evaluated the price of the land at the rate of Rs 1.7 lakh per kanal in the Kot Bhalwal area. All land owners have been compensated with Rs 1.7 lakh per kanal plus 15 per cent of jabarana (a part of amount to be paidfor acquiring the land). A delegation of farmers under the banner of the Ring Road Kisan Sangharsh Samiti also met the Governor and submitted a memorandum of their demands on Wednesday. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Srinagar, December 31 Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday that the Triple Talaq Bill will create more problems for Muslim women as it will disturb the family structure among Muslims. Addressing a press conference here, Mehbooba Mufti said that since she personally faced the problems of a broken marriage, she thought it important that she should speak up on the issue. Being a Muslim woman who has gone through a broken marriage, I thought I should speak up on the Triple Talaq Bill. After separation from her husband, the biggest problem for the woman is to raise her children. By bringing in the Triple Talaq Bill, the BJP is entering our homes. This will disturb our family life and there will be more problems for women and men economically. I have gone through a broken marriage and I feel that women face the biggest challenge economically after her marriage fails. Mehbooba Mufti accused the BJP of dividing India on religious and sectarian lines. The Bill is the second assault on Muslims after the financial onslaught against them through bans on mutton and leather industries. When we talk about reservations for Muslims, the BJP rejects it on religious lines. But when it comes to this kind of law, they run to Parliament, she said. She called for a consensus on the issue adding that Muslims always abide by the law. IANS editorial@tribune.com Port Blair, December 30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced renaming of three islands of Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep, Modi said during a speech, amidst thunderous applause from the audience. The three islands are major tourist spots. Earlier in the day, he 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. On this day in 1943, Bose had suggested that Andaman and Nicobar Islands be renamed as Shahid and Swaraj Dweep, respectively. During World War II, the Japanese had captured the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Netaji came here as the Azad Hind Fauj led by him was an ally of the Japanese force. The historical event of December 30, 1943 has been completed today after 75 years, PM Modi said. At the stadium, the PM also released a commemorative stamp, its first-day cover and a Rs-75 coin. 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 PM said. On reaching the jail premises, Modi laid a wreath at the Martyrs 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 Marina Park and hoisted the national flag on a 150-foot high mast, besides paying floral tribute at Netaji's statue. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister paid tributes to tsunami victims at a memorial in Car Nicobar. PTI editorial@tribune.com New Delhi, December 30 Critical of groups like the RSS and Tablighi Jamaat in the 1920s, Bhagat Singh till date remains relevant as a modern national leader and thinker who emphasised the separation of religion from politics and state as true secularism, says historian S Irfan Habib. 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 Partition in 1947. He, thus, stands out in bold relief as a modern national leader and thinker, emphasising the separation of religion from politics and state as true secularism. The eminent historian said 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 the Indian society, he said. The lecture, organised by The Ranbir Singh Archive, was held to celebrate the 111th birth anniversary of Ranbir Singh, a journalist and fellow freedom fighter with Bhagat Singh. The latters wish to see an egalitarian and secular India also reflected in his articles Achoot Ka Sawaal and Sampradayik Dange Aur Unka Ilaj. The octogenarian historian said: 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. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Patna, December 30 Suspected Maoists today attacked residences of transporters, killing an elderly man. They also torched over 10 vehicles at Sudi Bigaha village in Aurangabad district before fleeing. The deceased has been identified as Nagendra Singh (55). He was a resident of Sudi Bigaha village in Aurangabad district of southern Bihar. Singh was an uncle of Rajan Kumar Singh, a BJP member of Bihar Legislative Council. The suspected Maoists allegedly fired several rounds of bullets and torched dozens of vehicles parked on the premises of Nagendra Singhs house. They also set house of policeman Dhanajay Singh on fire before leaving the spot. Soon after the incident, a battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) along with the local police reached the spot and exchanged fire with the Maoists. However, the miscreants managed to flee. Aurangabad Superintendent of Police Satya Prakash said, After killing Nagendra Singh, the Maoists set over 10 vehicles on fire before leaving. They also opened several rounds of fire to create panic in the village and set the house of one policeman on fire. The CRPF jawans and the district police have already launched a joint search operation to nab the accused but they are yet to be arrested. The police are camping in the village to dispel the fears of villagers, the SP said adding the exact reason of their attack was yet to be ascertained. Five years ago, the suspected Naxals had also attacked on Nagendra Singhs house and killed a family member Ajeet Kumar Singh. They had also torched some vehicles before killing Ajeet Kumar Singh. gspannu7@gmail.com Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, December 31 The Bombay High Court on Monday refused to grant interim relief to Bhim Army which challenged the denial of permission to hold a rally in Pune on Sunday. The Pune police had on Sunday refused permission for the Bhima Koregaon Sangharsh Mahasabha which was planned by Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan of the Bhim Army. Azad was prevented from leaving the hotel he was staying in Mumbai though the police denied that he was under detention. Further hearing in the matter has been posted for January 4. The Bhim Army has demanded a compensation of Rs 10 crore from the Maharashtra Government for the illegal detainment of Azad. On Sunday evening, the Mumbai police allowed Azad to travel to Pune. Azad, who arrived at Pune railway station late Sunday night, held a press conference outside the railway station premises condemning the Maharashtra Governments decision to prevent his rally from taking place. The UP-based political leader told reporters that he would be travelling to Bhima-Koregaon on New Years Day where the 201st anniversary of the Battle of Bhima-Koregaon is being observed. Bhim Army will ensure that the country follows the Constitution laid down by Babasaheb Ambedkar. The country cannot be run by diktats from Nagpur and the Bhim Army will make efforts to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre in 2019 and the task will begin in Maharashtra, Azad said while clutching a copy of the Constitution of India. Azad said the government had no right to prevent him from paying homage to the martyrs of Bhima Koregaon. I am following the advice of Babasaheb Ambedkar who wanted us to visit Bhima Koregaon and the state cannot prevent me, he said. The activist also accused Brahmawadi forces of trying to drive a wedge between the Dalits and the Marathas. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM London, December 31 Britain appointed its first food waste chief on Monday to help drive a campaign to reduce the millions of tonnes of food binned every year by restaurants, supermarkets and manufacturers. Ben Elliot, the nephew of Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, and wife of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, was appointed to the one-year voluntary role of Food Surplus and Waste Champion by Environment Secretary Michael Gove. Food waste is increasing viewed as unethical in a world of rising hunger, as well as environmentally destructive, dumped in landfills where it rots, releasing greenhouse gases, while fuel, water, and energy needed to grow, store and carry it is wasted. There continues to be an unforgivable amount of food waste which is both morally deplorable and largely avoidable, said Elliot, co-founder of luxury lifestyle group Quintessentially and a philanthropic foundation that works with food charities. As a nation, we need to stop this excessive waste and ensure that surplus food finds its way to people in our society who need it most, and not let it get thrown away and go to landfill, he said in a statement. Britain has among the lowest levels of food redistribution in Europe, a system where out-of-date but edible food is given to people in need via charities and food banks, according to FareShare, a leading British food bank charity. Major supermarkets, food manufacturers and restaurants in September backed a drive to halve Britains food waste by 2030 and save the nation 10 billion pounds ($13 billion) a year. Tesco, Nestle and Coca-Cola were among at least 70 leading companies to sign up to a government-backed plan to reduce the 10 million tonnes of fruit, vegetables and other foods that are binned every year, worth about 20 billion pounds. The government said earlier this month it would look at introducing a requirement for businesses to report annually on food waste policies and set mandatory targets. Other European countries, including France and Italy, have already adopted national measures to fight food waste. Food waste is an economic, environmental and moral scandal. We must end it, Gove said in a statement. Globally, one third of all food produced worth $1 trillion is binned every year, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and researchers fear annual food waste could rise by a third to 2.1 billion tonnes by 2030. World leaders pledged to halve food waste by 2030 as part of the UN global development goals. Reuters editorial@tribune.com Shubhadeep Choudhury Tribune News Service Kolkata, December 30 Arthouse filmmaker Mrinal Sen, a recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, passed away here this morning. He was 95 and leaves behind his son, Kunal, a computer scientist in Chicago. PM Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and megastar Amitabh Bachchan expressed grief. Sen, best known for his Bengali films, had to his credit two lasting contributions to the Hindi film industry. He first introduced Bachchan as a voice-over artiste in a film. Sens critically acclaimed Hindi film Bhuvan Shome (1969) marked Bachchans debut as an artiste in a movie. The KA Abbas-directed Saat Hindustani (1969), featuring Bachchan in a screen role, was released five months after Bhuvan Shome hit theatres. Bachchan tweeted: A most amiable, distinguished creative cinematic mind, contemporary of Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak. I did my first-ever voice-over in his film prayers and condolences. Sen also gave Mithun Chakraborty his first break in Hindi film Mrigaya (1976), setting the stage for his later successful career. Sens Akash Kusum (1965), featuring Soumitra Chatterjee and Aparna Sen, inspired the Bachchan-Moushumi Chatterjee starrer Manzil (1979), directed by Basu Chatterjee. The film later triggered a verbal duel between Sen and Ray, as both wrote angry letters against each other in a Kolkata daily. Dipankar Mukhopadhyay, former NFDC managing director, chronicled the acrimonious exchanges in his book Mrinal Sen: Sixty Years in Search of Cinema. The war was becoming too protracted and personal, so The Statesman wanted to bring the curtain down on the issue in 1965, it closed the Akash Kusum debate with an announcement that letters on this subject would not be published anymore, Mukhopadhyay wrote. In his book, he described how Sen and friends Ritwik Ghatak and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, all Communist Party sympathisers and members of cultural wing IPTA, would sit at Paradise Cafe, a shabby Kolkata restaurant, and share the dream of becoming filmmakers. Sens movies were known for having a strong political overtone, with Calcutta 71 (1972) considered the best in the genre. Khandar (1984), featuring Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, marked a departure as his focus shifted from existential problems to human ties. Sen was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1981. In 1998, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Sens wife Gita Sen died last year. rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 31 Foreign tourists can now directly fly to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as the government has designated the Port Blair airport as an authorised immigration check-post for entry into and exit from India with valid travel documents. The decision came more than a month after the killing of an American national by members of a highly protected tribe in one of the islands of the union territory. In pursuance of sub-rule (b) of rule 3 of the Passport (Entry into India) Rules, 1950, the central government hereby designates Port Blair airport of Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as an authorised immigration check post for entry into/exit from India with valid travel documents for all classes of passengers, a home ministry notification said. In another notification, the home ministry appointed the Superintendent of Police, CID, Andaman and Nicobar Police, as the civil authority for the immigration check post at Port Blair airport with effect from December 31, 2018. The Andamans, under global spotlight after the killing of an American national, has emerged as one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the country receiving on an average four lakh tourists, including several thousand foreigners, annually. According to data available with the home ministry, more than 16 lakh tourists visited the Andaman and Nicobar Islands between 2015 and October this year to enjoy the natural beauty, beaches, flora and fauna and historically-significant landmarks in around 38 inhabited islands out of the 572 islets. The archipelago has received 4,02,393 tourists, including 11,818 foreigners, till October, 2018 while it received 4,87,229 tourists, including 15,310 foreigners in 2017. In 2016, as many as 4,00,019 tourists, including 15,467 foreigners, had visited the Andamans and in 2015, a total of 3,11,358 tourists, including 14,674 foreigners, had gone to the union territory, the data revealed. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory and comes under the administrative control of the home ministry. It was in the news in the wake of killing of John Allen Chau, 27, by members of the reclusive and endangered Sentinelese tribe in North Sentinel Island in November. The archipelago has been inhabited for several thousand years, at the very least. The earlier archaeological evidence so far documented goes back some 2,200 years. However, indications from genetic, cultural and linguistic isolation studies point to habitation going back 30,000-60,000 years, well into the Middle Palaeolithic period, according to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands tourism department. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced renaming of three islands of the 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. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 31 The Joint Parliamentary Committee, which is looking into the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill, has set a target to submit its report on January 7. Committee chairman Rajendra Agarwal said this while claiming that they are running out of time, as the Winter Session of Parliament comes to an end on January 8. As the committee met today to discuss the proposed Bill clause by clause and approve them, Agarwal, who is a BJP Lok Sabha Member from Meerut (U), said, the panel was "going to meet again on January 3 to adopt the report. During the meeting today only two of the several amendments moved each by BJD's Bhartuhari Mahtab and BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi were adopted unanimously through voice vote and the rest were voted out, sources privy to the proceedings said. Sources said other amendments proposed by members were negated by voice vote, which mostly related to deleting names of countries, particularly of Bangladesh and also religions, sources added. 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. 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. amansharma@tribunemail.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, December 31 BSP national president Mayawati on Monday announced that she will re-think her party's outside support to the Congress governments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan if these government do not immediately withdraw the cases lodged against Dalits during the April 2 'Bharat Bandh'. In a press statement, Mayawati said the anti-Dalit BJP governments in these states had lodged false cases against innocent Dalits during the Bharat Bandh to press for restoration of the amendments to the SC/ST Act and demand for reservation in promotion. "The newly-installed Congress governments in these states should now not only withdraw these cases but quash them urgently. Else the BSP would be forced to reconsider its outside support to these governments," Mayawati said. According to her, this should be a priority of the Congress government for the welfare of the Dalits and tribal communities. She also urged the Congress government to speedily fulfil the promises made to the farmers and unemployed. Wishing the common people a happy new year the BSP supremo advised them not to repeat the mistake of 2014 in an election year by re-electing a BJP government. editorial@tribune.com Amaravati, December 30 In his second attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a week, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday dubbed him a blackmailer who threatens everybody to make them fall in line. Last Sunday, he had termed the PM a hollow man who has done nothing for the country. Addressing a press conference here, Chandrababu 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. Thats what hes doing, the CM alleged. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director himself hs said that Modi got a case filed against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. Modi also bailed out Telangana CM in a corruption case related to the ESI Corporation, Naidu alleged. Both Modi and KCR do not want AP to progress. So they want to destabilise me. Here (YSR Congress president) Jagan wants to win (power), so he is taking their support. Is this not a conspiracy? Naidu asked. The CM asserted that Andhra Pradesh would definitely create wealth. We have a vision and we will work hard. But Modi and KCR dont like wealth creation. He also took exception to the language used by KCR against him on Saturday. Decency is important in politics... His tone is uncivilised, he lamented. On KCRs offer to write to the PM for special category status to Andhra Pradesh, Naidu replied: May be he is preparing the ground along with Jagan to come and work here. All of them want to finish off Chandrababu Naidu. PTI editorial@tribune.com Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 30 In a signal of changing times that could potentially sour India-Russia military relations, the Pakistan army is eyeing purchase of some 360 Russian-made T-90 tanks the Indian Army uses the same tanks, that are produced under licence at Avadi, Tamil Nadu. Moscow has, so far, not given its nod and New Delhi, has of course, been using its diplomatic heft to prevent such a purchase. Sources confirmed on Sunday that Pakistan has made a request to Russia for the T-90 tanks. In the past, Pakistan has purchased Russian helicopters Mi-35, an attack copter, and the Mi-17, a transport copter. India objected both times since it uses the same equipment nearly 65 per cent of Indias equipment comes from Moscow. A Pakistan-Russia defence agreement was signed in 2014. The first hint of Pakistan wanting the T-90s came when in April this year its then Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan was quoted by Russian news website Sputnik as saying, We are interested in T-90 tanks and it is not going to be a one-time purchase but a long-term commitment. The matter has progressed and now a serious bid is being made from Islamabad. The former Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia (retd), said, I dont think Russia will agree to such a request and they should not. Former Western Army Commander Lt Gen KJ Singh (retd), who was in the Armoured Corps, felt it would be sacrilegious of Russia to agree. Pakistans swing away from the US is evident. It has been relying more on Chinese equipment in the past decade. Gen Bhatia said since the US is no more giving aid and the Chinese equipment given to Pakistan is not the top-end of technology, the Pakistan swing towards Russia is visible. It is not that Pakistan will be able to challenge India, immediately. Gen KJ Singh said, Even if Russia gives the tank, there will be a long gestation and training period. Reminding of the past, he added, Pakistan armys much superior Patton tanks were felled by the Indian Centurion tanks in 1971. It all depends on crew training. The Indian estimates are that Pakistan is looking to revamp its armoured fleet by 2025. This will include at least 360 tanks procured globally (T-90 is the chosen one so far), besides producing 220 tanks with help from China. Islamabad inducting Chinese VT-4 tanks ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 31 As the Rajya Sabha today failed to initiate a discussion on the contentious triple talaq Bill with a united Opposition demanding that it be sent to a select committee for scrutiny, the ruling BJP accused the Congress of conspiracy to delay the historic step to ensure equality and dignity of Muslim women. With the Narendra Modi government holding on to its position and opponents to their demand in a House skewed in favour of Opposition benches, it appears unlikely that the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, will clear the Parliament hurdle this winter session. However, a senior leader said the current situation suits everyone, including the BJP and Congress, who are posturing with 2019 elections, respective vote banks and key constituencies on the mind. It is more about optics in Parliament as the BJP has the option of re-promulgating the ordinance after it expired. The Supreme Court has already ruled the deplorable practice as unconstitutional, so why the hurry to push it now, he questioned. If the legislation does remain stuck in the Rajya Sabha for the remaining five days of the session, hogging headlines, the ruling party will be in a position to tell voters how hard it tried to bring justice to Muslim sisters, while Opposition leaders can showcase it as their efforts to stall injustice to the Muslim community. Talk to educated Muslim women and they will tell you they are happy with efforts to curb this absolutely horrible religious practice. At the same time, they also question if it is not a way to harass the community, say observers. For regional players, including the Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, the RJD et al, it is more of an existential issue keeping their core vote bank intact. And it is not just non-NDA parties, friendly parties like the JD(U) and the AIADMK also have objections to it. The observers say the BJP is looking at issues to shift from its deeply embedded image of a Hindutva party to that of a secular one. For the Congress, which walked out of the Lok Sabha during voting on the Bill, it is also to send across a clear message to its supporters. Meanwhile, all eyes are now on BJPs two-day national council meeting in January, which would be attended by partys rank and file and its elected representatives, where the issue is expected to take the centre-stage. rchopra@tribunemail.com Ahmedabad, December 31 In a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi for his critical remarks on the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani dubbed the Congress president as a shameless liar who was desperate to see the state fail. Rupani said people of Gujarat had recognised Gandhis hatred for the state and had continuously rejected the Congress, and would keep doing so. Gandhi had on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that cynical sponsors of the investor summit no longer wanted to be associated with an event presided over by him. At the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, cynical sponsors no longer want to associate themselves with an event presided over by NaMo. They have left the stage, the way he likes it...Empty, he had said. The Congress chief had quoted a media report to target the summit, conceptualised in 2003 by Prime Minister Modi when he was the chief minister of the state to promote investment in Gujarat. The report claimed that the United Kingdom, after refusing to be a partner country for the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, said it had decided to withdraw from the showpiece 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. Reacting to Gandhis tweet, Rupani on Sunday night claimed that the investor meet was seeing even more participation this time. Such a shameless liar you are Rahul Gandhi. This time Vibrant Gujarat is seeing even more participation. Here are the facts, he said in a tweet along with a link to a media report. The report had recently quoted the chief minister saying that unlike the previous edition where 10 nations were partner countries, this time in 2019 the summit would have 16 partner countries. 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, Rupani said in another tweet. Gujarat will host the ninth edition of the annual industry summit Vibrant Gujarat from January 18 to 20, 2019, in Gandhinagar. The summit focuses on establishing Gujarat as a preferred investment destination in India. Over the years, the summit has evolved into a platform for brainstorming on agendas of global socio-economic development, in addition to becoming a platform for forging strategic public-private partnerships. PTI ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 31 Get set for the biggest saffron push for a grand Ram Mandir at Ayodhya during Mahakumbh, beginning Makar Sankranti (January 14/15), with the first shahi snan at the newly renamed city of Prayagraj. BJP governments at the Centre and state are making all efforts to ensure success of the mega Hindu pilgrimage of faith where lakhs of pilgrims will descend during the course of around 55 auspicious days (till March 4) to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati. The event also figured prominently in Prime Minister Narendra Modis radio show Mann ki Baat yesterday. Not quite hopeful of justice from the Supreme Court on January 4, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Surendra Jain told The Tribune that Hindus from across the world would gather at the Mahakumbh and the issue of Ram Mandir will naturally be part of the discourse there. However, it should not be confused with elections, which would amount to injustice with the issue. Our firm belief is that the Central Government should bring in legislation to facilitate a grand temple at Ayodhya. The matter will be discussed at the dharma sansad on January 30, 31 and February 1 at the Mahakumbh. Thousands of seers will be present and developments of the past few months will be put forth before them. Whatever they decide will be implemented. Something concrete will definitely come out of it (dharma sansad). The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case in Ayodhya will be heard by the Supreme Court on January 4. The VHP has been pushing for an early hearing in order to resolve the temple issue. However, the court is likely to constitute a three-judge Bench for hearing as many as 14 appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court judgment. The BJP is banking on the successful conduct of the Mahakumbh to further its fortunes in a year when Modi will seek re-election as PM. The Central and Uttar Pradesh governments are going all out to ensure that. Though the VHP leader dismissed any link among the Mahakumbh, temple issue and elections, the saffron party is banking heavily on the event coinciding with the preparations for the 2019 polls. Jain says so far the VHP has held 500 meetings on Ayodhya with the participation of five crore people. All of them, including students of various universities who recently participated in a yuva kumbh at Lucknow, said the temple should be made and the government should bring in legislation or an ordinance to ensure that, and they were not from the RSS, VHP or Bajrang Dal, he added. rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 31 The government has appointed Sudhir Bhargava as Chief Information Commissioner, along with four information commissioners, all of whom were bureaucrats, in the Central Information Commission. Bhargava was Information Commissioner in the CIC. The panel was functioning with three members against the sanctioned strength of 11, including the chief information commissioner. President Ram Nath Kovind has approved the appointment of former IFS officer Yashwardhan Kumar Sinha, ex-IRS officer Vanaja N Sarna, former IAS Neeraj Kumar Gupta and former law secretary Suresh Chandra as information commissioners in the panel, 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 Michaels High School in Patna and St Stephens 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, while Chandra was an Indian Legal Service officer, who retired as Union law secretary this year. Between 2002 and 2004, Chandra was the private secretary to then law minister Arun Jaitley. All the bureaucrats appointed by the government have retired this year. After recent retirements of Chief Information Commissioner RK Mathur and Information Commissioners Yashovardhan Azad, Sridhar Acharyulu and Amitava Bhattacharyya, the panel, 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 appointment of Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners and upload the details of search committees and applicants on their website. Commenting on the appointment process, Commodore Lokesh Batra, one of the petitioners in the case, said the government had failed to comply with the Supreme Court directions of posting the details on the 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 had shortlisted names for the post of CIC and a final decision would be taken soon. A bench of Justices AK Sikri, S Abdul Nazeer and R Subhash Reddy asked the Centre to put on the website details of search committee for CIC and information commissioners. Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, had informed the court that a total of 65 applications were received for the CIC post and 280 applications for the post of four ICs in the Central Information Commission. She had said after these posts were filled up, a notification would be issued for inviting applications for remaining posts of ICs. The Centre seems to have ignored the 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 provided 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 selected more number of former bureaucrats for these posts, it would 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 might not stand the scrutiny by the judiciary, he argued. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Lucknow, December 31 A Lucknow-based businessman has alleged that he was abducted from this city last week and driven almost 300 km to Deoria jail, where inmate gangster Atiq Ahmed and his accomplices assaulted him and forced him to sign away property worth Rs 40 crore. In his police complaint, the real estate businessman, Mohit Jaiswal, also alleged that Ahmed, a former Samajwadi Party MP, his son Umar and about 15 others forcibly took away his SUV in which he was driven to Deoria. The government has sought a report from ADG Prison, so as to fix responsibility regarding the lapse in Deoria jail. Action will be taken accordingly. An FIR has lodged in Krishnanagar police station and out of four named accused, two have been arrested, Uttar Pradeshs Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said in a late night statement on Sunday. Ahmed, a history-sheeter, with at least 70 cases against him, including the killing of BSP MLA Raju Pal in 2005 in Allahabad, has been lodged in Deoria district jail since March last year after being transferred from Allahabads Naini jail. In the FIR businessman Mohit Jaiswal has named Ahmed, his son Umar, and accomplices Farooque, Zaki Ahmed, Jafar Ullah, Ghulam Sarvar, and 10 to 12 unidentified people in charges, including attempt to murder, at the Krishna Nagar police station in Lucknow, police said. Jaiswal alleged that he was assaulted by Ahmed and his supporters and forced to sign papers to hand over his property worth Rs 40 crore before he was let off. Circle Officer, Krishna Nagar, Lal Pratap Singh said according to Jaiswal, Ahmeds henchmen took him to the Deoria jail on December 26 in Jaiswals own SUV and assaulted him inside the barrack where the gangster is lodged. Ahmed has been incarcerated since February 2017 after being booked for allegedly assaulting faculty members of an agricultural institute in Allahabad in 2016. A former SP MP and five-time MLA from Allahabad West, Atiq Ahmed unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha bypoll from Phulpur as an Independent this year. In 2004, Ahmed was elected to the Lok Sabha as an SP candidate and contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections from Pratapgarh as an Apna Dal candidate, where he lost. He also contested the 2012 Assembly election from Allahabad West under the Apna Dal but lost again. It may be recalled that gangster Munna Bajrangi was shot dead by another inmate, considered to be one of his rivals, on Baghpat jail premises in July this year. Bajrangi was lodged in Banda jail and was shifted to Baghpat in connection with his appearance in a case in the district court. After Bajrangis killing, the state government had set up a high-powered three-member committee under the chairmanship of former DGP Sulkhan Singh to give a report to upgrade the security of all jails across the state. The committee had the mandate to suggest measure to be taken to curb smuggling of firearms and sharp-edged arms. Gangsters such as Mukhtar Ansari, Brajesh Singh, Sundar Bhati, Anil Dujana, Amit Kasna, Babloo Srivastava and Khan Mubarak have been reportedly running their crime syndicates from inside jails. A video has emerged purportedly showing inmates of a Raebareli jail having drinks inside the barrack. The video went viral on social media on Monday, prompting the Uttar Pradesh government to suspend six officials, including a senior jail superintendent. Uttar Pradesh jails have been plagued with issues like overcrowding, porous security and paucity of staff. Even the CCTV camera installed on various premises, metal detectors and other such security checks are usually found non-functional. Jail authorities in Uttar Pradesh have often come under fire for being allegedly hand in glove with inmates while letting them continue their illegal activities and extortion networks from inside the jails. After the BJP came to power in the state in March last year, over 100 criminals were shifted from one jail to another to neutralise their crime machinery. PTI editorial@tribune.com Shastri Ramachandaran THE 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. Pioneer of new wave in cinema ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Gurugram, December 31 The Gurugram police today arrested five auto-rickshaw drivers hours after a 42-year-old Delhi widow alleged gangrape in the Manesar area. The incident occurred on December 29, but the victim approached the police this evening. The police arrested Ankit, Deepak, Mahipal, Ajit and Sunnu after the woman approached the Manesar woman police station. The victim, mother of two, told the police that she had gone to Manesar for financial settlement with her deceased husbands company but was raped by five men after she hired an auto-rickshaw. In her complaint to the police, the victim said: My husband used to work for a company. I had come to Manesar to settle his account. I got down at Nakhrola Chowk, where auto-rickshaw driver Ankit agreed to take me to the company. A youth was already seated beside him. Realising that I was new to the area, they took me to a room in Bhangrola village where they called another youth. While two of them raped me, the third molested me. The two later drove her back in the auto-rickshaw in the dark and allegedly handed her over to two other auto-rickshaw drivers at Rampura Morh. They called another man and two of them allegedly raped her in the moving auto-rickshaw, while the third drove it around for an hour. The victim was allegedly dumped by the roadside in a semi-conscious state. The police later got her medically examined at a hospital and booked the five for abduction, illegal confinement and gangrape. rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 31 Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, was brought to Mandoli jail after he surrendered before the Karkardooma court here this afternoon. The trial court declined the plea of Kumars lawyer that he be sent to the high-security Tihar Jail as the case pertains to Delhi Cantonment area, which comes under Tihar Jails jurisdiction. The court was informed by the jail authorities that from Karkardooma court, all convicts are first taken to Mandoli jail and from there, the authorities may shift them, if they deem it appropriate. On the courts direction, Sajjan Kumar was brought to the jail in a prison bus with two escort vehicles. His medical examination was carried out at a Delhi government hospital. He would be lodged in prison number 14. Jail personnel, it is learnt, have been asked to ensure that the two-three Sikh prisoners in the jail were kept away from the 73-year-old as a precautionary measure. The Delhi High Court had set a deadline of December 31 for the former Congress leader to surrender and on December 21, declined his plea to extend the time. The High Court had, on December 17, sentenced him to life imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life. Subsequently, he resigned from the Congress. The case relates to the killing of five Sikhs in 1984. Outside the court complex, a group of Sikhs raised slogans flashing the victory sign. The court was told that the Rs 1 lakh fine imposed by HC was yet to be deposited. Earlier in the day, former MLAs Krishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were also convicted in the same case, surrendered to serve their 10-year jail term. They were sentenced to three-year jail by the trial court, but the High Court enhanced their term to 10 years. PTI/TNS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 31 The Punjab Police have registered 20 FIRs and booked more than 300 persons for violence or breaking law during the panchayat elections on Sunday. Reports from various parts of the state reveal that the police lodged FIRs regarding road blockades, attack on poll staff and police, besides clashing with rivals. The number of criminal cases is likely to swell as the election commission is yet to receive details of FIRs lodged all over the state. Reports from Bathinda, Ludhiana, Faridkot, Jalandhar, Ferozepur and Amritsar were received. Ferozepur reported maximum number of persons booked in various cases. More than 170 persons were booked in five cases related to poll violence. Bathinda reported registration of a case against 80 persons for attacking police personnel. In Sangrur, the police have registered a case against 125 residents of Fatehgarh Chhana for attacking poll staff and police last night in their village. Fatehgarh Chhana presiding officer Harvinderjit Singh alleged that when they were loading ballot boxes in a bus, Buta Singh, who lost the election, came along with 125 persons and threatened them that they would not allow the polling party and cops to leave their village. When the polling staff resisted, some persons attacked them. Head Constable Kehar Singh suffered an injury in his head, while other polling staff saved their lives by running towards the village. They attacked us and snatching ballot boxes, alleged Harvinderjit. Sangrur Sadar police station SHO Rakesh Kumar alleged that trouble started during counting of votes, but polling staff pacified both sides. However, Buta Singh instigated the villagers and they attacked the polling party. When we reached the village, they even attacked us with stones. We have registered a case against 125 persons, including Buta Singh, the SHO added. Result out without vote count: Villagers Sangrur: Kumbharwal residents on Monday protested here in front of the Sangrur DC office and alleged that Gurpreet Kaur, who contested for the post of sarpanch, had been declared defeated without the counting of votes. Some Congress leaders pressurised the poll duty staff and they declared Ramandeep Kaur the winner without the counting of votes. We will intensify our agitation if the authorities do not quash the election, said Gurpreet Kaur. Later, they lifted their protest after meeting Sangrur Deputy Commissioner Ghanshayam Thori, who assured to look into the matter. TNS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Mansa, December 30 A candidate for the sarpanchs post, Gurcharan Singh, boycotted counting today, even as he alleged that duplicate paper ballot had been used at Jhunir block in Mansa district. He lodged a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner and announced to move the Punjab and Haryana High Court over the issue. Guramanvir Singh, son of Amrik Singh Dhillon a close aide of senior Congress leader Ajitinder Singh Mofar and district Congress committee president Bikram Singh Mofar contested the election from Jhunir. Only two candidates were in the fray for the sarpanchs post. It is learnt that Gurcharan Singh was backed by the SAD and AAP. Dhillon said the allegations were an attempt to defame the Congress. SAD leader Nohar Chand Tayal demanded a probe into the matter. Later, the Congress-backed candidate was declared the winner. Deputy Commissioner Apneet Riyait said she had received a complaint, adding that the duplicate paper ballot had been seized. SAD stalwarts defeated in Fatehgarh Sahib Fatehgarh Sahib: Congress candidates swept the panchayat polls in most of the SAD-dominated villages falling in Fatehgarh Sahib Assembly constituency. The major surprise was in Panjoli village where SGPC executive committee member Karnail Singh Panjoli, who was contesting for the post of sarpanch, lost to Jasdev Singh of the Congress by 118 votes. A majority of the panches elected were also of the Congress. In Chanarthal Khurd village, Swarn Singh Chanarthal, SAD district president, lost to Congress candidate by a huge margin. Similarly in Chanarthal Kalan, one of the biggest villages of the constituency, the Congress candidate won the post of sarpanch. It is for the first time that the Congress has wrested the post of sarpanch from SAD in this village. In Salempur, the native village of Baljit Singh Bhutta, chairman, Zila Parishad, the candidate supported by the chairman lost to the Congress candidate. In Dera Mir Miran, the candidate supported by another SAD stalwart Kulwinder Singh lost to the Congress candidate. In Nabipur, the Congress candidate defeated SAD-supported candidate. Celebrating the victory of Congress party sarpanches, MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra said people voted for the Congress and favoured the policies of Capt Amarinder Singh's government. He said he did not visit a single village nor canvassed for any one. He said in certain villages, it was Congress versus Congress, but whoever the Akalis supported, lost. He said no untoward incident was reported. OC editorial@tribune.com Raj Sadosh Abohar, December 31 Even as Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president and Gurdaspur MP Sunil Jakhar did not visit his home segment during the panchayat elections, Congress activists emerged winner in 34 of the 39 villages in Abohar. Besides, there was not even a single complaint against the conduct of the election process. As the ruling party had not allotted its election symbol to any candidate, there were Congress versus Congress contests in a few villages. Among the prominent party stalwarts losing the election for the posts of sarpanch included Pratap Singh in Daulatpura, Gursahib Singh in Dalmirkhera, Sukhminder Singh in Patti Sadiq and Sushil Sihag in Dhinganwali. Congress worker Sumitra Devi defeated her BJP rival to wrest the Dharampura panchayat from the SAD-BJP alliance after a decade with a substantial margin of 1,290 votes. The Jakhar family has two native villages Panjkosi and Maujgarh in the subdivision. Panjkosi elected the whole panchayat unopposed after 25 years while Congress activists won the sarpanch seat and eight posts of panch in Maujgarh village. On Monday, the Congress winners assembled at the Jakhar familys house to congratulate former president of the District Youth Congress Sandeep Jakhar. He said those who could not win should not lose morale and should work together for development that was neglected during the 10-year regime of the BJP-SAD alliance. He said there would be no discrimination in release of funds for development. We have to initiate preparations to achieve Mission-2019 to defeat SAD-BJP candidates in the Lok Sabha elections, he said. editorial@tribune.com Archit Watts Tribune News Service Muktsar, December 31 Residents of Sikhwala village in Muktsar blocked the national highway at Lambi today, alleging that the polling staff counted the votes thrice to change the results. They demanded re-election in the village. Some residents of Kotli Sanghar village too met election officials and demanded re-poll, saying that the ballot papers were torn by mob yesterday. Till the filing of this report, the Muktsar police had registered five cases related to yesterdays poll violence and arrested one. Manjit Singh Dhesi, SSP, Muktsar, said: A person had snatched the ballot box after the counting of votes. He has been arrested. We have made adequate security arrangements and the situation remained peaceful throughout the day. The violence took place late in the evening. One Home Guard jawan has also sustained injuries. Some of the accused have been identified. They will be arrested soon. MK Aravind Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Muktsar, said: All results have been declared and no re-poll has been recommended. At some places, the polling staff were not allowed to move by mob, but all were rescued with the help of the police. As it was Congress versus Congress in a number of villages in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badals loyalists gave a tough fight to the candidates backed by local MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and emerged winners at some villages. At Husnar, Kotbhai, Gurusar, Buttar Bakhua, Dhulkot and Kothe Dashmesh Nagar villages, all newly elected sarpanches owe allegiance to Manpreet. One of his aides said: Some of us could not even contest the polls as our nominations were rejected at Warrings behest. Many were forced to stay away from electioneering. Still our candidates have performed well. Some prominent candidates too became sarpanch. They included Karanbir Brar, grandson of former CM Harcharan Singh Brar, from Sarainaga village (elected unanimously); Rajinder Raja, personal assistant of Bhucho MLA Pritam Singh Kotbhai, from Chhateana village; Ranjit Kaur, a cousin of Mehal Kalan MLA Kulwant Singh Pandori, from Daula village. Meanwhile, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today met party workers, newly elected sarpanches and panches at their residence. They honoured those who made a clean sweep by winning the post of sarpanch and all panches in their village. Sources said the Badals also discussed the reasons of their candidates defeat at Badal village. Kolianwali village elects Cong sarpanch Kolianwali, the native village of arrested senior SAD leader Dyal Singh Kolianwali, elected a Congressman as its sarpanch. Notably, in the last three terms, either Dyal Singh or his wife or some aide, has served as the village sarpanch. Local Akali leaders alleged that Congressmen had captured the polling booth. They demanded a re-election. editorial@tribune.com Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 31 The State Election Commission (SEC) on Monday ordered repolling at 14 places in different parts of the state on January 2, 2019. Spread over eight districts, repoll will be held from 8 am till 4 pm. The results will be declared the same day. State Election Commissioner Jagpal Sandhu said, based on reports of different election-related complaints, the commission felt that 14 cases were genuine and needed repoll. The reasons are printing of wrong ballot papers and snatching/burning of ballots. The revised SEC data showed that the overall voting percentage was 80.38. Mansa with 88.21 per cent turnout witnessed maximum polling. Sangrur with 86.55 per cent was second, followed by Fazilka with 86 per cent. Repoll has been ordered for the entire panchayats at Wadala Bhittewind and Daleh in Amritsar district, Bajurgwala in Gurdaspur, Lakhmir ke Uthar in Ferozepur, Devatwal in Ludhiana, and Hari Majra, Lachdu and Mehmadpur in Patiala. Repolling has also been ordered at Ward number 5 and 6 of Chaura village in Gurdaspur; Mohalla Nanakpura of Nanakpura in Ferozepur and Ward number 7 of Saidpur Jhiri in Jalandhar. Panchayats of Tardak and Ghataur villages in Mohali and Rattangarh in Pathankot district will have repoll for the posts of sarpanches. In Lakhmir Singh Uthar village in the Mamdot block, a 60-year-old man was run over by an SUV after some persons set a ballot box on fire. Ballot papers were torn in Daleh and wrong ballot papers were given to voters in Wadala Bhittewind villages of Amritsar district. Booth-capturing was reported at Devatwal in Ludhiana district. In Lachdu and Mehmadpur villages, there were mistakes in the printing paper and in Hari Majra village, the ballot paper was allegedly stolen. Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma met the SEC and submitted a list of complaints regarding the alleged high-handedness of the authorities at the Congress behest. In Naraingarh Jhuggian village near Dera Bassi, our 41 votes were wrongly rejected. In Shabgarh, our candidate was declared the winner for the post of a panch, but, soon the result was revised showing him as having lost, Sharma added. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Faridkot, December 30 Barring sporadic incidents of violence at few places, the panchayat elections remained by and large peaceful in southern Malwa. At Lakhmir ke Uthar in the Mamdot block of Ferozepur, a few persons set a ballot box on fire. While they were fleeing, a voter died after being hit by their SUV. Around seven persons reached the polling booth at Government Primary School in the village in a Scorpio and allegedly tried to snatch the ballot box from the polling staff. Following a scuffle, they set the box on fire. When they were leaving the booth, a voter, identified as Mohinder Singh (60), was hit by their vehicle following which the assailants left the vehicle and fled the spot. The injured was rushed to Mamdot Civil Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The Deputy Commissioner and SP (D) rushed to the spot and took stock of the situation. During counting of votes at Kothi Rai Sahib village, supporters of both rival candidates pelted each other with stones during which a youth, identified as Samson, who is the nephew of an Independent candidate, was injured. Later, the crowd blocked the Ferozepur-Fazilka highway. At Dina Sahib village of the Nihalsinghwala subdivision of Moga, 30 to 40 armed goons allegedly ransacked the tent of a Congress-supported candidate outside the polling station. The accused also fired in the air and damaged seven vehicles of Congress supporters. The police are probing the incident. Two minor incidents of scuffle between the supporters of two groups were reported at Behramke and Singhawala villages in the district. However, no case has been registered as yet. At Jalal village in Bathinda, miscreants opened fire in the air outside a polling station and fled from the spot. Some Congressmen allegedly entered the polling booth at Kolianwali village. They also thrashed some of our workers after which we boycotted the poll here, said Kashmir Singh, a candidate backed by the SAD. However, the police said the situation was peaceful. At Sahib Chand village in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment, the mob vandalised the SHOs vehicle at the time of counting of votes. Sources said the SHO managed to escape from there. (Inputs from Anirudh Gupta, Kulwinder Sandhu, Sukhmeet Bhasin, Archit Watts and Praful Nagpal) rchopra@tribunemail.com Washington, December 31 Patrick Shanahan, who on Tuesday becomes the acting US secretary of defence, takes the helm of Americas massive military machine at a critical time. Shanahan is moving up from his position as deputy defence secretary to the top spot following the resignation of Jim Mattis, who quit over long-running--and ultimately irreconcilable--disagreements with President Donald Trump. Little known outside business and Washington circles, Shanahan will be thrust onto the world stage at a time of tumultuous changes and unpredictable foreign policy moves under Trump. The President this month ordered the withdrawal of all US forces from Syria and, according to US officials, a 50 per cent draw down in Afghanistan--momentous decisions that have left lawmakers and international allies fearing for what comes next. Shanahan must now oversee the US withdrawal from Syria and play a key role in helping Trump decide the pace of the pull-out. Another consideration he must weigh is what, if any, protections should go to Kurdish forces that the US military had been backing to fight Islamic State jihadists. Turkey views the Kurdish YPG fighters as terrorists and has vowed to attack them in northern Syria. While Shanahan has not always had day-to-day involvement in thorny geopolitical issues like this, Pentagon officials say he is ready to tackle them. Hes had 18 months to observe all of these operations, hes been in all of the meetings, hes been in all the discussions, hes briefed the White House, Shanahans spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Joe Buccino, told AFP. A Washington state native, the 56-year-old Shanahan spent more than three decades at Boeing, where he became senior vice president, worked on missile defence systems and was general manager of the 787 Dreamliner program. Trump announced Shanahans appointment in a December 23 tweet that also brought Mattiss planned departure date forward by two months. According to US media, Trump was angry over news coverage of Mattiss stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the President. Despite a lack of foreign policy or military experience, Shanahans executive and technical knowledge made him well suited for the Pentagons number two position, which focuses more on the Defence Departments business side. In his time as deputy, the soft-spoken Shanahan played a key role in helping Mattis and others develop vital policy documents such as the National Defence Strategy (NDS), a sweeping review that highlights a new era of Great Power competition with Russia and China. He also has voiced support for Trumps aim of creating a Space Force, a sixth branch of the military that still needs approval from the US Congress. Buccino pointed to the NDS as a key area for Shanahans focus. He sees the national defence strategy as the blueprint, as the guide for all actions, directions, policies for the Pentagon, Buccino said. Before starting at the Pentagon in July 2017, Shanahans lack of foreign policy chops got him in hot water with the late John McCain, the senior Republican senator who led the Senate Armed Services Committee. At his confirmation hearing, an irascible McCain said a lack of detail in some of Shanahans foreign policy answers was almost insulting. McCain also expressed concerns that putting a former executive from a defence industry giant in the Pentagon could be akin to putting a fox back into the henhouse. International allies will look to Shanahan, as they did to Mattis, for reassurances about Americas commitment to longstanding alliances--even as Trump assails partner nations for not paying more for their defence. Shanahan must tread a careful line with the mercurial president, especially if he wants to get rid of the acting prefix of his job title. Trump has shown an aversion to listening to dissenting advice, and has parted company with many of the top aides to have challenged him. He fired secretary of state Rex Tillerson, former national security advisor HR McMaster resigned, and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly is on his way out the door. An official close to Shanahan said he would feel comfortable giving Trump an opposing opinion, if necessary. His entire adult life, Shanahan has provided a dissenting voice to leadership, when needed, the official said. He would have no qualms doing that. AFP ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM London, December 30 Britains chances of leaving the European Union are only 50-50 if MPs reject Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal, a senior minister warned on Sunday. Liam Fox, the international trade secretary and a vocal Brexit campaigner during the 2016 referendum, warned colleagues planning on voting against May that her plan was the only way to be 100 per cent certain that Britain would leave. If we were not to vote for that, Im not sure I would give it much more than 50-50, he said. Mays government is trying to persuade a sceptical Parliament to endorse a broad withdrawal deal she struck with European leaders last month. But the Bills passage is far from certain, with May having to pull an initial vote with a crushing defeat looking, rescheduling it for the week beginning January 14. Fox urged his colleagues to put their pride behind them. The worst possible outcome of this process would be no Brexit, he said. For me that would induce a sense that we had betrayed the people... What you can be sure of is that if we vote for the PMs deal, its 100 per cent certain that we will leave on March 29. AFP laxmi@tribune.com Beijing, December 31 China has put into service its much-touted lightweight battle tank which the military seeks to deploy in the mountainous regions, like Tibet, to boost its combat capabilities in the high-altitude areas. The new-generation tank, identified as Type-15 by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), was displayed for the first time at an exhibition organised last month to mark the 40th anniversary of Chinas reform and opening up. Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Wu Qian confirmed that the tank has been handed over to troops for deployment. The indigenously-developed tank had undergone combat ready exercises on the plateaus of Tibet in June last year when the armies of China and India were engaged in an eye-ball to eye-ball 73-day-long standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim sector. Indian troops had opposed the construction of a road by Chinese soldiers near a trijunction border, as it was too close to the main highway, the Chicken Neck corridor, connecting the North-East with rest of India. The area was also claimed by Bhutan. The relations between India and China as well as the militaries normalised this year with concerted efforts by both sides after the PLA halted the road construction. Beijing-based military affairs commentator Song Zhongping said the PLA Marine Corps needed to upgrade some of its key equipment. The Type-62 tank is lagging behind. The Type-15 tank has much better protection capability and manoeuvrability, he was quoted as saying. PTI Type-15 set to be deployed in Tibet 105 mm gun is its main weapon that can fire armour-piercing shells and launch guided missiles 1,000 hp engine is significantly lighter than PLA's other main battle tanks 32-35 tonnes is the weight of Type 15 tank Next-gen asset rchopra@tribunemail.com Washington, December 31 Three 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 US-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 on 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. 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 Dreamersyoung immigrants brought to the US as childrenbroke 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 US: about 700,000 young Dreamers brought into the US 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 said the compromise should include changes in federal law to discourage people from trying to enter the US 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 on 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 lost 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 DC mansion/compound. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The US 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 USD 2.5 billion 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 on Sunday that the president has already compromised by dropping his request for the wall from USD 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 USD 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 on Thursday from a 29-hour trip to visit US 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. AP editorial@tribune.com Dhaka, December 30 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emerged as the frontrunner in Bangladeshs General Election today 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 persons killed in poll-related violence. Voting ended earlier in the day to choose a new government amid the Oppositions allegations of manipulation by the Awami League. Some reports said 20 of the ruling party candidates have already won compared to just one from main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party of jailed ex-premier Khaleda Zia. Officials said Awami League candidates were leading in 62 seats. Facing imminent defeat, the Opposition National Unity Front (NUF) rejected the outcome and demanded fresh polls under a neutral caretaker government. PTI laxmi@tribune.com Dhaka, December 31 The much-anticipated battle between Bangladeshs battling begums is over with Sheikh Hasina trouncing her arch-rival Khaleda Zia to lead her Awami League to a landslide victory for a record third consecutive term in a controversial General Election, an outcome that would be a good news for Indias ties with Dhaka, especially on the national security front. The Awami League-led grand alliance won 288 seats in the 300-member Parliament, Election Commission secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said, after counting of votes in the elections that was marred by deadly violence. The ruling alliance, which got nearly 82 per cent of the total votes polled, bettered its previous best performance of 2008 when it bagged 263 seats. The opposition Jatiya Oikya Front - National Unity Front (NUF) - secured seven seats with over 15 per cent of the votes, Ahmed said, adding that others won three seats. Voting was postponed in one constituency and result not declared in another due to the death of a candidate, he said. Commenting on the results, 71-year-old Hasina said the Awami League-led Grand Alliances win in the election is another victory for the people of the country in December, the month of victory. Hasina said the victory was nothing for her for personal gains, rather it is a great responsibility towards the country and its people. While Hasina was seeking re-election for an overall fourth term as the Prime Minister, her 73-year-old arch-rival Zia of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail where she is lodged after her conviction in corruption cases. Meanwhile, the opposition NUF rejected the results and urged the Election Commission to immediately scrap the farcical election and hold a fresh one under a non-partisan interim government. Bangladeshs Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda, however, ruled out any scope of holding fresh election as demanded by opposition alliance, saying the allegations of ballot stuffing on the night before election is completely untrue. We are not going to hold a new election. There is no scope to hold the national election again, Huda told the media. The CEC expressed satisfaction over the election and said the voter turnout in the polls was 80%. PTI Iron Lady of Bangladesh back at helm Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangladeshs founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is termed by many as the countrys iron lady. She won the historic fourth term as PM, becoming the countrys longest-serving leader Hasinas win has been credited with improving the economy and promoting development, while being accused of rights abuses, a crackdown on media and suppressing dissent Raising minimum wages for workers in Bangladeshs robust garments industry, the worlds second-biggest after Chinas, could be one of Hasinas first tasks, party leaders have said The BNP, which has been out of power for 12 years and had boycotted the 10th General Election in 2014, is part of the opposition alliance Modi sends greetings; India welcomes poll outcome in neighbouring nation pardeepdhull@gmail.com Seoul, December 31 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a conciliatory message to US President Donald Trump amid stalled nuclear negotiations, South Koreas Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported on Monday. Kims letter-like message to Trump was delivered on Friday through an unspecified channel, the newspaper reported, citing an unnamed diplomatic source. The report did not include details about the message but said it related to US-North Korea talks, and was conciliatory in tone. On Sunday, the office of South Koreas President Moon Jae-in said Kim had sent a letter to his counterpart in Seoul saying he wants to hold more inter-Korean summits next year to achieve denuclearisation of the peninsula. Neither the US State Department nor the US Embassy in Seoul had an immediate comment about the report of Kims message to Trump when contacted by Reuters. Moons office could not confirm the Chosun Ilbo report. There is a dialogue channel between North Korea and the United States through which they exchange active communication, but I cannot know whether it took the form of letter or something else, Moons spokesman told a news briefing on Monday. At a summit with Trump in Singapore in June, Kim vowed to work towards denuclearisation. However, both sides have struggled to make progress on this matter. They are also yet to reschedule a meeting between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol after an abrupt cancellation in November. Pyongyangs state media has credited Trump for his willingness to continue dialogue but has also slammed the US State Department for tightening sanctions. The stalled negotiations have had an impact on inter-Korean ties, with Kim failing to visit Seoul this year as agreed to at an inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang in September. The Chosun Ilbo report said Kim wrote in the letter to Moon that he would come to the South in the near future after giving a New Year address on Tuesday. Kims New Year address provides a rare public appearance for the young leader and is closely watched by neighbouring countries as it is seen setting the tone for his domestic and foreign policies. According to Moons spokesman, Kim said in the letter to the South Korean president that he was sorry his previously planned trip to Seoul did not take place, expressing his strong resolve to make it happen while monitoring the situation. Reuters ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Moscow, December 30 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 Armistice. The two leaders held their one and only summit in Helsinki in July. Vladimir Putin stressed that the (Russia-US) 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. Moscow has said one of the key issues it wanted to discuss with the US 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 US 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 defence 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. Russian embassy in London has said Moscow and London had agreed to return some staff to their respective embassies after they expelled dozens of diplomats early this year. Both Russia and Britain expelled each others diplomats over the Salisbury spy attack. Reuters N Koreas Kim vows more summits with South pardeepdhull@gmail.com Moscow, December 31 Thirty Russian children whose mothers are in prison in Iraqi for belonging to the Islamic State arrived on Sunday in Moscow from Baghdad, Russian authorities said. The fathers of the children, aged three to 10 years, are believed to have been killed in combat during Iraqs 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 Moscows 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 Russias health ministry said according to Russias Interfax news agency. Kadyrov posted a video clip on the popular Russian network VKontakte of the childrens 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 childrenmostly from Russias Muslim-majority Caucasushave returned under a programme championed by Kadyrov. But in mid-November, Chechen activist Kheda Saratova accused Russias 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 Kadyrovs 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 presidents 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. AFP ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Dhaka, December 30 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 election by the opposition, alleging rigged voting. According to the latest results, the ruling Awami League won 135 seats, followed by its key ally the Jatiya Party at 18, some TV channels reported. Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of jailed ex-premier Khaleda Zia has suffered a massive rout with just four seats, they 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. PTI EVMs used for first time EVMs were deployed for the first time in a general election, though only on a limited scale, a move which received mixed responses amid reports of glitches. Of the 299 constituencies, six seats selected through lottery saw the use of EVMs. News channel taken off air A news channel has been taken off the air as Bangladesh votes for a new government amid allegations of a media crackdown. The private Jamuna TV said the action was taken on Saturday. Cable operators took Jamuna TV off air without giving us any explanation, its editor said. Its a failed effort to help their friends in the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) in the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election. That is how Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley responded to the false allegations of the United National Congress (UNC) that he sought to conceal his ownership of a townhouse in Shirvan, Tobago, from the Integrity Commission (IC). - Tuju said Jubilee party's Constitution does not indicate Ruto will automatically succeed Uhuru - This position seems to contradict that taken by a section of leaders in the ruling party - Uhuru had indicated he would hand over power to Ruto in 2022 when his term ends - However, Jubilee party's vice chair, Murathe, said whatever deal Uhuru had with Ruto does not hold water After Jubilee's Vice Chairman David Murathe told Deputy President William Ruto to forget about the presidency in 2022, the party's Secretary General Raphael Tuju has confirmed Ruto's candidature is indeed not guaranteed. Tuju's statement comes at a time when tension was already building up within the ruling party following Murathe's unsettling remarks, with a section of politicians allied to the DP demanding for ouster of the vice chair. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Ruto ally wants David Murathe, Atwoli to apologise to Uhuru for undermining his deputy Jubilee party's Secretary General Raphael Tuju on Sunday, December 30, said Deputy President Ruto would not automatically become the party's candidate in 2022.Photo: UGC. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Jubilee vice-chairman asks Ruto to retire with Uhuru, forget about 2022 succession Speaking to Citizen TV on Sunday, December 30, Tuju clarified Jubilee's Constitution does not indicate Ruto would be the party's automatic presidential candidate in 2022, contrary to what most Kenyans had been made to believe. We have a Constitution indicating how we appoint our candidate for a presidential candidacy. As far as I am concerned nothing has changed, he said. READ ALSO: Uhuru dismisses David Murathe's remarks that Ruto should forget presidency in 2022 Tuju's political pronouncement appeared to support the position that had been taken by Murathe who categorically stated Ruto would not be Jubilee's main man in 2022 and that there was no MoU between the DP and the party. "If he (William Ruto) has an MoU with Uhuru Kenyatta, then that was an agreement between two individuals," Murathe, who is believed to be a close friend and confidant of the president, said on Wednesday, December 26. READ ALSO: William Ruto's allies call for ousting of Jubilee Party vice-chairperson over 2022 remarks Interestingly, the president, who is the party's overall boss, has more than once publicly declared he would throw his weight behind his deputy when his term comes to an end. Ruto supported Uhuru for the top seat both in 2013 and 2017, perhaps hoping he would return the favour when the right time comes. Those supporting the DP's presidential ambition claimed the deal he had with the party was that Uhuru and Ruto would each rule Kenya for 10. READ ALSO: NASA MPs from western must ditch Raila - Luhya Jubilee leaders declare Ruto's close political allies, among them Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, insist the DP would be their candidate in 2022 regardless of what others think. Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, on December 27, 2018, Cherargei said Murathe did not have an iota of authority to speak on behalf of Jubilee party and accused him of sparking ethnic unrest. Cherargei urged Jubilee supporters to ignore the comments from Murathe saying he was an insignificant authority who could only convey his private views. "The statements by Murathe are insignificant. The sentiments were brewed in some propaganda den but have nothing to do with the party's position on Uhuru's succession. The party has throughout been clear on way forward in 2022 and that has not changed ," 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. When Uhuru, Ruto and Raila Met at State House - On Tuko TV Source: Kenyan Breaking News - TSC boss, Nancy Macharia, said unemployed teachers registered with the Commission will be on standby - She instructed Directorate of Quality Assurance to review details of the unemployed teachers ahead of KNUT's planned strike - Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) had announced teachers would down tools as from January 2, 2018 - Among the issues they would be protesting are government's policy on promotion and delocalisation of teachers The government now threatens to hire new teachers after Teachers Service Commission (TSC), teachers' employer, failed to persuade Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) to call off its planned countrywide strike. The move is aimed at making sure the planned nationwide boycott by teachers would not disrupt the school calender as students prepare to resume learning on Thursday, January 3, 2018. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Teachers to down tools in January 2019 over poor working conditions TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia said new teachers would be on standby and ready for deployment in the even that KNUT fails to call of planned strike. Photo: UGC. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: KNUT boss Wilson Sossion rejects government's effort to avert looming teachers strike TUKO.co.ke on Monday, December 31, established TSC boss, Nancy Macharia, had directed more than 250,000 unemployed teachers registered with the Commission be considered for deployment in the event KNUT fails to call off planned strike. Macharia, instructed the Directorate of Quality Assurance to retrieve details of the unemployed teachers, including their credentials and addresses, for review ahead of the teachers' boycott expected to commence on January 2, 2018, as was announced by KNUT. Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion and other union officials addressing the press on Wednesday, December 19. Photo: Lynn Ngugi/Tuko. Source: Original READ ALSO: Teachers threaten to go on strike after collapsed talks with TSC It is understood the new recruits would stay on standby and would only be deployed if the government fails to avert the looming strike. As was earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, the KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion on December 19, 2018, called for a fresh nationwide teachers' strike. He said teachers would down tools to protest what they termed as poor working conditions and introduction of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) policies, which they claimed were formulated without consultation with all stakeholders. READ ALSO: TSC, KNUT much anticipated talks collapse badly raising fears of teachers strike Teachers would also be protesting disruption of teaching service and families through what they described as irregular policy of delocalisation. "We are protesting disruption of teaching service and families through the irregular policy of delocalisation and transfers. We cannot contemplate teachers losing their families," Sossion said, adding that this was a violation of the rights of teachers. The teachers also want promotion of teachers to be based on merit and performance and not anything else they have not approved. "We are withdrawing labour to protest withdrawal of the rights of teachers to promotions on account of merit, long service and new and relevant higher qualifications. Teachers Service Commission are living in denial and we can't allow them to run away with this illegality," the secretary general said. READ ALSO: Teachers Service Commission transfers 3,094 primary,secondary school heads In October 2018, TSC and KNUT officials held boardroom talks in Naivasha in attempts to iron out the outstanding issues. The Naivasha talks, however, failed to resolve the standoff with the employer accusing the employees of bringing up new demands that were not part of the earlier negotiations. The teachers on the other hand accused TSC of continuing the teacher transfer programme despite the fact that the president had called off the exercise. 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. Taruri Gatere Interview: Why I Never Want To Have Children - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko Kenya The plot thickens as Senior Counsel Tom Ojienda's former business partner, a prominent Kenyan judge, moves to testify against him in the Mumias Sugar Company graft case. The Court of Appeal judge, James Otieno Odek, has been identified as one of the witnesses expected to testify against Ojienda who is facing charges relating to fraudulent payments he allegedly received from the struggling Mumias Sugar Company. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Angry Murang'a residents torch man's house for stabbing his brother to death Lawyer Tom Ojienda (pictured) was arrested on Friday, December 28, by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Source: UGC READ ALSO: Top lawyer Tom Ojienda arrested over KSh 200 million Mumias Sugar scandal In a statement issued on Monday, December 31, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Noordin Haji, confirmed Judge Odek was Ojienda's partner in Professor Otieno Odek and Professor Tom Ojienda and Wanyama Advocates, and that the judge volunteered to testify in the case. "I wish to confirm that indeed Professor James Otieno Odek, judge of Appeal, was a partner in the firm of Professor Otieno Odek and Professor Tom Ojienda and Wanyama Advocates. However, the Honorable judge is not under any active investigation in connection with the affairs of Mumias Sugar Company and has offered a statement to the investigators on his own volition," Haji said. READ ALSO: Lawyer Peter Wanyama dismisses reports he was arrested alongside Tom Ojienda The DPP emphasized Judge Odek was not in any way involved in the matters that gave rise to the prosecution of Ojienda and is therefore not criminally culpable as was being insinuated by a section of the media. As indicated in earlier reports by TUKO.co.ke, Ojienda was arrested on Friday, December 28, over graft allegations. The alleged graft came to light following an audit which found close to KSh 200 million could have been lost through fraudulent dealings at the Mumias Sugar Company. READ ALSO: Nairobi lawyer Tom Ojienda walks to freedom after two nights in custody The city lawyer was accused of filing fake cases in different courts across Kakamega county in which some KSh 89 million was fraudulently paid to him by the cash-strapped sugar miller. He was, however, released on bail after spending two nights in police custody at the Muthaiga Police Station, Nairobi. Members of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) reportedly spent the better part of the weekend at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices pushing for the release of their colleague after paying the cash bail. Addressing journalists at the DCI headquarters, Nelson Havi, one of Ojienda's legal representative described the arrest and detention as an attempt by the Executive to flex its muscles on professional lawyers. READ ALSO: Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen slams DCI over arrest of lawyer Tom Ojienda Ojienda, who doubles as a member of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), is at the same time battling Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) after he was accused of evading taxes. The taxman claimed the senior counsel has not remitted his taxes to the tune of KSh 443 million. 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. Ex-Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Arraigned in Court Over Corruption Charges - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko The following is a release issued by the US State Department on November 30, 2021. For 10 months of 2018, the trade turnover between Ukraine and the Czech Republic grew by 23.3%, amounting to USD 1.5 billion. Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Yevhen Perebyinis informed this on his Facebook page. "For 10 months of 2018, our trade turnover increased by 23.3%, reaching USD 1.565 billion," the diplomat said. The ambassador hopes that the total amount of trade for 12 months can reach USD 2 billion. According to his report, in the same period of 2017, the bilateral trade with the Czech Republic amounted to USD 1.27 billion, which was almost 28% more compared to the same period in 2016. All 24 families of Ukrainian sailors, who are illegally detained in the territory of the Russian Federation, have been paid UAH 100,000 each. This was reported by the press service of Ukraine's Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons. The Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine, together with the Naval Forces, have done a great job while preparing the necessary documents and identifying all those eligible for such assistance. In particular, relatives of all sailors. I can responsibly declare that each family received UAH 100,000, Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and IDPs Vadym Chernysh stated, noting that his ministry is constantly in contact with international humanitarian organizations and lawyers of the Ukrainian sailors. As reported, on December 5, 2018, the Government adopted a resolution on support of the Ukrainian sailors, who are prisoners of war. On November 25, Russian border ships committed aggressive actions against Ukrainian vessels that were en route from the port of Odesa to the port of Mariupol. They fired on and seized three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait and captured 24 Ukrainian sailors. A UNHCR worker assisting rescued refugees and migrants in Spain. UNHCR/Markel Redondo UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing to States to urgently offer safe ports and disembarkation to two NGO vessels on the Mediterranean carrying 49 rescued refugees and migrants, including young children. 32 people have been on board the Sea Watch 3 vessel since 22 December, while a further 17 were rescued by Sea Eye on 29 December. Time is increasingly of the essence. Rough seas are expected in the coming hours and conditions on the boats are likely to deteriorate. Decisive leadership is required, in line with fundamental values of humanity and compassion, to offer safe disembarkation and bring the 49 safely to land, said Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean. Negotiations on which States will subsequently receive them must come only after they are safely ashore. More than 2,240 people have either died or gone missing at sea attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean in 2018, despite a significant reduction in the number of arrivals. UNHCR commends the work of NGO search and rescue vessels for their critical role towards preventing the death toll from being far higher. In 2019, there is a critical need to end the current boat-by-boat approach, and for States to implement a regional arrangement that provides shipmasters with clarity and predictability on where to disembark refugees and migrants rescued on the Mediterranean. For UNHCRs most up to date figures on the Mediterranean, please visit our Mediterranean data portal at: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean For more information on this topic, please contact: Putin may believe that Trump, who lately has been loudly repudiating a U.S. role as the policeman of the world, is in no mood to defend a remote piece of Ukraine from Russian tanks, journalists suggest. Five weeks since Russia assaulted Ukrainian Navy ships that were passing through international waters near the occupied Crimean Peninsula, its forces have massed near Crimeas border with eastern Ukraine, prompting warnings from the Ukrainian government as well as independent observers that the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin may be planning a new attack on the country. Rather than await the Russians next move, the Trump administration should be working with allies to actively deter further aggression, The Washington Post's editorial board wrote in an oped. Since the Nov 25 naval attack, in which Russia seized three Ukrainian vessels and captured two dozen crew members, its ships have maintained a stranglehold on the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, and strictly limited ship traffic to Ukrainian ports. "That activity blatantly violates international law and a treaty under which Russia and Ukraine agreed to share the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov," the article reads. But apart from U.S. President Donald Trumps cancellation of a planned meeting with Mr. Putin shortly after the original incident, Moscow has suffered no significant consequences. Now, the Ukrainians and independent observers are warning that Putin may be planning a ground offensive. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War reported on Dec 23 that Russian military convoys had been moving toward the border between Crimea and Ukrainian-held territory, and that fighter jets had been redeployed to Crimean airfields. Though the purpose of the military movements is unclear, the ISW said, The data suggests that Putin is preparing to attack. Read alsoRussia plotting chemical attack in Donbas Ukraine intel The Russian ruler has motive to escalate his war against Ukraine, being "eager to undermine Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who faces a reelection contest in the spring." The authors recall that Putin was "infuriated" by a recent move by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to establish its independence from the Russian church. And he may believe that Trump, who lately has been loudly repudiating a U.S. role as the policeman of the world, is in no mood to defend a remote piece of Ukraine from Russian tanks. It could well be that Putin can accomplish his aims simply by raising the level of tension and by showing he can strangle Ukrainian ports with impunity. But whatever his intentions, the United States and its NATO allies "should be acting to punish" Putin for his coast guards actions in the Kerch Strait and to deter an escalation. Read alsoPoroshenko: Putin threatens NATO's eastern borders The oped suggests there could be a number of steps to be taken, ranging from dispatching warships to the Black Sea, with a stop in the Ukrainian port of Odesa, to stationing NATO or European Union observers in eastern Ukraine. "There have, as yet, been no sanctions against Russia specifically linked to its seizure of the Kerch Strait; there should be," the article reads. "Mr. Trump still aspires to friendly relations with Mr. Putin. That wont be possible if the Russian ruler initiates more aggression against Ukraine or other neighbors," the authors say. "It is consequently in Mr. Trumps interest to make clear to Moscow that any further attacks will trigger a strong response from the United States." The unit also is known for posing as a CyberCaliphate hacking outfit "supporting the Islamic State." Unit 54777, or the 72nd Special Service Center, is the center of the Russian militarys psychological-warfare capability, say Western intelligence officials. They are the center of gravity for Russian psychological operations, an officer from a Western intelligence agency told The Washington Post. Their hand has been seen in many of the most well-known campaigns." 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 agency said, were sent by the psy-ops. Unit 54777 has several front organizations that are financed through government grants as public diplomacy organizations 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 organizations in Ukraine, calling on Putin to intervene in the brewing crisis, the intelligence officer said. 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 Kyiv, the intelligence officer said. Read alsoKremlin's "useful idiots" once again spreading fake narrative of "Islamic State in Ukraine" OSINT group 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 U.S. Central Commands 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 Frances 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 nonprofit, federally funded research institute. Thats what really makes them dangerous. Read alsoRussias troll factory launches new website targeting Americans In many ways, the Ukraine conflict provided the test bed for the GRUs information and cyberwarfare 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. In December 2015, GRU hackers plunged some 225,000 people into darkness after gaining access to Ukraines power grid, according to U.S. 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 Ukraines Constitution Day the virus wiped data from the computers of banks, energy firms, senior government officials and an airport in Ukraine. 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 Wests response to Moscows aggression against Ukraine. A standard by-the-book KGB tactic has always been to seek to blacken the Ukrainian military, with false accusations of war crimes. Russia's legendary fairy tale genre fell out of fashion during the Soviet era, to be replaced by an altogether more sinister form of fiction, in the shape of the dark mantras of the massive propaganda machine of modern Russia. 21st-century Russian writing characterized by a lack of imagination, disregard for factual information, manipulation of fear and blatant lies, James Wilson wrote for International Policy Digest. Today, lies and false news are so pervasive in Russian news that it is impossible to differentiate fact from fiction. The only safe presumption one can make about news from Russia is that any stated facts cannot be relied on and that further research is necessary to check the motives behind the published statements in order to understand what is the impact that the media controlled by security services are trying to achieve. With Presidential elections only 3 months away in Ukraine, Russian propaganda efforts targeting Ukraine now appear to be moving into warp drive. A standard by-the-book KGB tactic has always been to seek to blacken the Ukrainian military, with false accusations of war crimes. Lately, it has taken the form of strangely recurrent warnings that the Ukrainian Army is preparing to use chemical weapons in the war in Eastern Ukraine, although bizarrely Ukraine does not actually possess any chemical weapons. Nonetheless, the allegations being made are very detailed, and the descriptions are both professional and superficially plausible. But then, Russia knows exactly what it is talking about. The latest evidence of chemical warfare involved the actions of the Russian military in Syria. The evidence was so strong that Russia sent special agents to the Netherlands to try to hack the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague in order to seek to compromise their investigation. The Kremlin is very insistent on predicting that very soon the Ukrainian military will use chemical weapons in Donbas, which raises suspicions about Russias reputation for the use of chemical weapons. Russias top specialists in chemical warfare, who were most likely responsible for the chemical attacks in Syria, have recently been relocated to Donbas, where they have been spotted, and their presence has been reported in the media. Chemical suits have been distributed among Ukrainian separatists in Eastern Ukraine and the rumors are grim. "Could it be possible that they are considering to initiate such an attack themselves?" the author writes. Read alsoRussian media aim to destabilize Ukraine ahead of elections In reality, it is unlikely that Donbas militants are seriously anticipating any chemical attack from the Ukrainian military; they have no reason to suspect that. By gaining war experience in the Donbas conflict, the Ukrainian military and law enforcement officers are known to learn to use force precisely and discriminately, without giving the insurgents a chance to portray military activities as brutal. Therefore the only explanation for the Kremlins repeated predictions that the Ukrainian military is preparing to use chemical warfare, is that this is just an example of one of the Kremlins false flag operations. The situation today looks as though seasoned KGB agents have been left to themselves to lead their nation, without any political agenda or strategic government goals other than the self-preservation of their own institution. Increasingly the Kremlin is playing with global processes using unsophisticated means and manuals without any clear end. By its actions, Russia is testing national governments authority and human values across the globe. "One can only wish that Russia would devote more state funds to the patronage of the arts and literature, and leave the routine business of delivering factual news to trusted professional journalists," the author wrote. "A resurgence of artistic and literary excellence in Russia would quickly deliver the international respect and admiration that the current leadership seems to crave, and certainly more effectively than any propaganda strategy that tries to control global information through clumsy brain-washing." According to Ukrainian intelligence, three militants were killed in action over the past 24 hours. On December 30, Russian proxy forces in eastern Ukraine's Donbas twice violated the ceasefire, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation reported on Facebook. At the same time, the enemy did not use weapons prohibited by Minsk Agreements, the report says. It is noted that, in response to enemy provocations, Ukrainian troops returned fire. According to Ukrainian intelligence, over the past 24 hours, three militants were killed and another three injured. Read alsoNumber of enemy attacks on Ukraine in Donbas grows to six on first day of New Year truce On December 31, the militants mortared JF positions. "Today, two servicemen of the Joint Forces were wounded. In connection with the shelling by the armed forces of the Russian Federation and their mercenaries of JF positions, Ukrainian military took adequate measures to preserve the life and health of personnel of Ukraine's Armed Forces," the statement says. Ukrainian troops continue to firmly control the enemy on the line of demarcation while respecting the conditions of a complete ceasefire. The latest truce, as a result of negotiations held in Minsk, began at 00:00 December 29, Kyiv time. Russian security officials named him as Paul Whelan. Russia has detained a U.S. citizen on spying charges that could land him in prison for as long as 20 years, the TASS news agency reported Monday. TASS said Paul Whelan was taken into custody Friday "during a spy rally in Moscow," CBS News wrote. The report said officers of Russia's domestic security service, the Federal Security Service (FSB), detained Whelan and opened a criminal case against him. No details were offered about Whelan or the crimes he allegedly committed. There was no immediate comment from the White House or U.S. State Department. As UNIAN reported earlier, Maria Butina, an accused Russian spy who nuzzled up to the National Rifle Association before the 2016 U.S. election, has begun cooperating with federal prosecutors after agreeing to a plea deal in December. The statue has long been a focal point for Hungarian patriots. The Hungarian authorities last week quietly removed a much-loved statue of Imre Nagy, hero of the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising, from a square in central Budapest. The Nagy statue is being moved to Jaszai Mari Square, a northern location away from the parliament building, the BBC reports. Some critics accuse Prime Minister Viktor Orban's nationalist government of revising the country's history. A monument to the victims of a short-lived communist regime in 1919 will replace the Nagy statue. Imre Nagy was hanged in 1958 for his role in the uprising. A pro-reform communist, he had sought to free Hungary of hardline communist rule, but in 1956 the revolt was crushed by Soviet tanks. Pro-Moscow hardliners were reinstalled in power. The statue was erected in 1996 at Martyrs' Square. Read alsoAround 10,000 in Hungary protest Orban's rule, calling new labor code "slave law" In 1989 Viktor Orban - then an anti-communist activist - addressed a rally celebrating the reburial and rehabilitation of Imre Nagy. But in recent years Mr Orban has forged closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a former KGB officer who has restored Soviet-era symbols and who regrets the collapse of the USSR. The new monument at Martyrs' Square will replicate one that stood there during the pro-Nazi rule of wartime Admiral Miklos Horthy, who fuelled anti-Semitism. Nagy's granddaughter Katalin Janosi is among those opposed to the square's redevelopment. Mr Orban's supporters say the aim is to return parts of the capital to their pre-World War Two appearance, before the decades of communist rule. There have been many tweets protesting at the disappearance of the Nagy statue. In 2018, the Ukrainian Navy increased the combat capabilities of its maritime, coastal, and air components. In response to Russia's aggressive activities, Ukraine Navy deployed new forces, systematically increasing its grouping in the Sea of Azov, that's according to a Navy Commander, Admiral Ihor Voronchenko. In his New Year's greeting, Admiral Voronchenko recalled that in 2018, the Navy increased its combat capabilities of the maritime, coastal, and air components. Read alsoMerkel, Macron demand Russia immediately free captive Ukrainian sailors Voronchenko also recalled the attack and seizure by Russia of Ukrainian warships and crews off the coast of the occupied Crimea. Earlier, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said that in January a group of military personnel of the British Navy would arrive in Ukraine to assess the volume of assistance the Ukrainian military require. (HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission obtained a judgment against the former CEO of a brokerage consulting business who was charged by the SEC for his role in a multimillion dollar transition management fraud. The SEC previously charged a brokerage consulting business known as GTS along with three of its former officers, including former CEO John T. Place, for misleading current and prospective customers about the fees the business charged in connection with securities transactions. According to the SECs complaint, Place and other GTS officers told many of their customers that GTS would receive only clearly disclosed commissions charged on customers trades. In reality, GTS also received additional revenue from mark-ups and mark-downs charged by other brokers. Without admitting or denying the allegations in the SECs complaint, Place consented to the entry of a judgment permanently enjoining him from violating Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Section 15(c)(1) of the Exchange Act. The amount of any financial penalty and disgorgement to be imposed against Place will be determined at a later date by the court upon motion of the SEC. Place also consented to the entry of an SEC order, issued on December 20, 2018, barring him from the securities industry. The SEC resolved its lawsuit against the two entities that comprised GTS in April 2017, obtaining a final judgment against GTS Inc. and dismissing the action against the defunct GTS LLC. The divisional officer of the Lansi-Uudenman Rescue Services , Riku Rantala , has warned New Years Eve revelers to avoid using fireworks if intoxicated, saying that if youre too drunk to read the instructions on a packet of fireworks, you shouldnt be using them at all. GOVERNMENT SPOKESPEOPLE have again reiterated the importance of exercising caution when it comes to using fireworks, ahead of one of the busiest nights of the year for emergency services in Finland. He has also provided a safety and training video for New Year's Eve, which is available on News Now Finland. The Finnish fire services have asked people to use common sense when handling fireworks. Given that their busiest call-out period of the entire year is between 23:00-02:00 on New Years Eve, with emergencies being almost exclusively fireworks-related, exercising a little caution can save the emergency services a lot of time and resources. Strong winds are also expected on Monday evening, meaning that the flight paths of projectiles will be hard to predict. In Finland, fireworks are usually sold in licensed shops and can only be used by the general public from 18:00 on December 1st to 02:00 the next day. Accidents are most frequently caused by intoxicated revelers, with burns and bruises being the most common types of injury. Adam Oliver Smith HT Image: Lehtikuva (@rukhshanmir) Wishing everyone in the country a prosperous, successful and peaceful new year, Ambassador of France in Pakistan Marc Barety Monday said the Embassy of France stood committed to further boost bilateral relationship in 2019. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st Dec, 2018 ) :Wishing everyone in the country a prosperous, successful and peaceful new year, Ambassador of France in Pakistan Marc Barety Monday said the Embassy of France stood committed to further boost bilateral relationship in 2019 "With 2018 coming to a close and 2019 right around the corner, I would like to wish everyone in Pakistan a prosperous, successful and peaceful new year," he said in a message issued by the French Embassy here. He said the year 2018 marked the enhanced cooperation between France and Pakistan and bilateral resolve to explore new opportunities to further our relationship. The ambassador recalled that the year 2018 marked the visit of Secretary General of French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, to Pakistan in July in connection with 13th round of Bilateral Political Consultations. A delegation of six major companies of France visited Karachi in September 2018 to explore the investment opportunities in Pakistan, he added. He said French and German embassies in Islamabad jointly organized the musical tour of "Stradivaira" in different cities of Pakistan. French Senator and President of France-Pakistan Friendship Group in Senate Allizard Pascal participated in the Standing Committee meeting of Asian Parliamentary Assembly in Gwadar in October, he added. The French ambassador said an important delegation of renowned French universities will visit Pakistan in April 2019 as part of our resolve to increase our contributions towards higher education in Pakistan. "Our economic agenda for Pakistan includes the visit of bilateral trade commission of ministerial-level and the visit of French companies led by French business Council and the largest French Chamber of Commerce in middle East based in Dubai," he added. The French Alliances in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi will continue to play important role in furthering our cultural cooperation in the country, he maintained. "The French Embassy, the French Consulate General in Karachi and myself are looking forward to continue working with our esteemed partners in Pakistan to contribute to peace, stability and development. I wish you all health, prosperity and happiness in 2019", Ambassador Marc Barety concluded. TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st December, 2018) A revamped US-South Korean free trade deal will come into effect on January 1, 2019, the Korean Trade Ministry said Monday. The countries have been renegotiating the deal since January 5. The Korean parliament ratified it earlier in December, and the copies will be exchanged at a ceremony next month. The ministry was quoted by the Yonhap news agency as saying that the deal was finalized in a very short time and the countries had ironed out all differences, ensuring stability and predictability of their trade ties. Under the terms of the deal, US automobile makers will be able to export 50,000 cars to South Korea, up from 25,000 allowed by the 2007 agreement. Finland was rocked by the revelations earlier this month that 10 people of foreign backgrounds had been arrested for rape and sexual assault of several underage girls in Oulu. THE PRIME MINISTER OF FINLAND, Juha Sipila , has used his annual New Year speech to rail against hate speech and anti-immigrant rhetoric, particularly in relation to recent revelations of sex crimes allegedly committed by migrants in Oulu. The revelations have fueled anti-immigrant rhetoric and arguably contributed to a rise in hate speech and racially-motivated crimes amongst members of the far right. In his speech, Sipila remarked it should be emphasized that the suspected crimes were committed by individuals, not by population groups I call for these events not to be used in anger against refugees or people of foreign origin. He also took the opportunity to remind the country that one of Finlands strengths is the ability of its people to cooperate beyond ideological borders, particularly in an age where political polarization in Europe is at historical heights. He also noted that Finland will celebrate 100 years as a republic in 2019, and that the government will aim to reach an employment rate of 75% before 2020. Adam Oliver Smith HT Image: Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Pope Francis closes the calendar year with Evening Prayer and the Te Deum, saying in the fullness of time God sent His Son who unleashed the unheard-of power of love. By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp Pope Francis closed the calendar year with Evening Prayer, adoration and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and the singing of the Te Deum in St Peters Basilica on Monday evening. Reflecting on the short reading from Evening Prayer for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, Pope Francis focused on the phrases fullness of time and to redeem. Fullness of time Pope Francis began saying the Apostle Paul wrote that in the fullness of time God sent His Son not only born of a woman but born under the Mosaic Law. How can this be the sign of the fullness of time? Pope Francis asked. Though He began invisibly and insignificantly it would only be thirty years before Jesus would unleash an unheard-of power, which still endures and will endure for all of history. This power is called Love. It is love that gives fullness to everything, even to time, the Pope said. In Jesus, God concentrated all of His love. Born to redeem Jesus was born to accomplish the mission given to Him by His Father: to redeem. To redeem, Pope Francis explained, is to liberate from a condition of slavery and restore the freedom, dignity and that liberty proper to children . It is from the ancient slavery to sin that the human heart is liberated and our dignity restored, he said. Modern slavery Pope Francis then stopped to reflect on the condition of homelessness faced by at least ten thousand people in Rome. He called their condition a form of slavery unworthy of the human person. Jesus too was born in a similar condition, not by chance or by accident, the Pope said, but to demonstrate Gods love for the lowly and the poor. Listen to our report. Churchs maternity Pope Francis said he wants to encourage a model of maternity for the Feast of Marys Divine Maternity. It is a model of a Church that draws near people within their lived reality, rather than simply looking on and offering help in some way. It is recognizing that through a woman we received the fullness of our humanity, the adoption as children. Jesus abasement raised us up, His lowliness made us great, His weakness made us strong. Because Jesus became a servant we have received freedom, the Pope said. Love is His name In conclusion, Pope Francis said, What name can be given to all this if not Love ? The Love of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, to whom this evening holy Mother Church lifts up her hymn of praise and thanksgiving. Companies distributing goods in Vietnam will invariably come to rely on local partners to carry out elements of their sales, marketing, or distribution. These companies can play an invaluable role in establishing brand recognition, sales channels, and effective distribution networks within the country. Executives approaching Vietnam are quick to see the utility of partnering with existing players in Vietnam, but the process of finding and vetting partners is often extremely challenging and time-consuming. In the beginning stages of distribution, choosing the correct partner can make or break a companys investment strategy, and is understandably a source of great concern for most executives. Local associations Business associations and local chambers of commerce are often a good starting point for companies interested to make new connections in Vietnam. These organizations can help companies to understand the availability of specific functions in the local market, and the challenges when working with these parties. Business matching services Companies exploring distribution opportunities in Vietnam often undertake or commission a review of the Vietnamese market in order to better understand which functions to outsource, and which parties are best positioned to fill these functions. Business matching reviews generally are carried out over a three-phase process outlined below. Business Matching Service Process On August 23, 2018, Vietnam issued Decree 108/2018/ND-CP on business registration, which amended the previous Decree 78/2015/ND-CP. Decree 108 has simplified the procedures for business registration and will be in effect from October 10, 2018. New provisions Company stamp A new clause has been added under Article 4, according to which enterprises do not require to affix their company seals on the following documents: Enterprise registration applications; Notice of changes in the application contents; and Decision, resolutions, and meeting minutes in the dossier. Notarized document Under Article 11, a person with the letter of authorization which allows him/her to implement procedures related to registration no longer needs to be notarized. One-member LLC dossiers According to the amended Clause 4 under Article 23, if a single member LLC is registering an enterprise, they are not required to provide the charter/articles of association of the owner/parent in their registration dossiers. Conversions of enterprises Companies can now register to change the type of enterprise while they register to change their registration contents. However, this will not be applicable in case there is a change in the legal representative. Business locations Under the previous decree, Decree 78, firms were not allowed to set up business locations outside of the provinces or cities in which their headquarters or branches were registered. Under Decree 108, this restriction has been removed. Now, firms can set up in other provinces/cities by just informing the Business Registration Office of the province/city. Seal specimens Companies are no longer required to submit a hard copy of the application to the Business Registration Office, in case the notifications on the use, change, or cancellation of a sample seal is done online. Charter capital According to Decree 108, in the case where companies need to register a reduction in charter capital, they are no longer required to provide the latest financial statement. In case new members are admitted in a multi-member LLC, registration of the new members will be required only if there is an increase in charter capital. Founding shareholder information A joint-stock company needs to inform the Business Registration Office of any changes in the founding shareholders information only if the founding shareholder has not fully paid their share capital. Announcing enterprise registration The request for disclosing the enterprise registration must be made at the time the registration dossier is submitted. Earlier, the announcement was made after the registration dossier was submitted. The new amendments under Decree 108 which have simplified business registration procedures will further improve the business and investment climate in Vietnam. Vietnams Law on Competition came into effect on July 1, 2019, replacing the 2004 version of the law. In June 2018, Vietnam passed the new regulation, which focuses on competition restraining agreements, market dominance, economic concentration, and unfair practices. Scope of the law The new law has expanded its scope and now includes both Vietnamese and foreign companies and individuals in case their actions have or potentially have a competition restriction impact on the domestic market. A competition restriction impact is an influence that will exclude, reduce, or hinder competition in the market. The government will also have authority over offshore activities if there is an impact on the domestic market. The law will apply to foreign entities part of competition-restricting agreements, economic concentration, or other unfair activities even if they do not have a subsidiary in Vietnam. In addition, public service units such as hospitals and schools have been brought under the ambit of the law, which was not the case in the previous version. Regulatory bodies Under the new law, the existing Vietnam Competition Authority and the Vietnam Competition Council have been merged to form the National Competition Committee (NCC). The Competition Investigation Agency has also been established under the NCC; it will be responsible for monitoring and investigating breaches of competition law. The NCC will be a unit under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Anti-competitive agreements The new law prohibits certain types of anti-competitive agreements if the firms are in the same market or if the agreements can impact market competitiveness. Agreements prohibited in case firms are in the same market: Directly or indirectly fixing prices; Sharing customers or markets or supply sources; and Controlling the number of goods produced, sold, or bought as well as services provided. Agreements prohibited in case they have a negative impact on market competitiveness: Restraining investments, technical, and technological capabilities; and Forcing other companies to sign contracts related to the buying or selling of goods and services or bind them into commitments not related to the content of the contract. Earlier, these agreements were only prohibited in case the combined market share of the parties was 30 percent or more. A leniency program has also been introduced in the new law. Now, companies that are part of an anti-competitive agreement may be entitled to leniency if they voluntarily reach out to the government authorities before an investigation is formally opened. This program will only be available to the first three applicants, with the first applicant being eligible for a penalty exemption of 100 percent, while the second and third will be eligible for an exemption of 60 percent and 40 percent respectively. Exemptions The new law allows for certain exemptions if they can satisfy certain conditions, such as promoting technical progress or business efficiency. However, the new law imposes a five-year limit on any exemption. Extensions are limited to a maximum of five years and the NCC will decide whether to continue the exemption within 90 days prior to its expiry. Economic concentration Earlier, economic concentration activities such as mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, and joint ventures were prohibited in case the combined market shares of the entities were above 50 percent. Now the combined market share condition has been removed and such activities can be prohibited even if they have a significant competition restraining impact on the market. The NCC will make the final decision based on the following factors: Combined market share; Level of concentration before and after the economic concentration; The relationship of the firms in the chain of production, distribution, or supply of goods/services or whose business lines acts as an input or is complementary in nature; Competitive advantages due to the economic concentration; The probability of the participating firms to significantly increase the prices or rate of profit after economic concentration; and The capability of the firms to remove or prevent other firms to enter the market; In the previous version, economic concentrations activities that could lead to a market share of 30 percent or more were required to be reported to the relevant authorities. Under the new law, economic concentrations need to be reported to the NCC if they are subject to certain thresholds based on the below factors: Totals assets and turnover of the firms in the domestic market; Transaction value; and Combined market share. Violations of economic concentration regulations will attract a penalty of five percent of the total turnover (preceding financial year) of the violating firm. Earlier the penalty was 10 percent. Mergers and acquisitions Before a merger, acquisition, or joint venture, the entities have to notify the regulator if certain thresholds are crossed such as assets and turnover as per the 2018 Law on Competition. While not mandatory, a pre-merger consultation with the entities involved and the regulator is helpful to see if there are any issues. This can be an informal, cost-free step to clarify merger regulations. Once the entities submit to the regulator, the preliminary review should be completed in 30 days. If the NCC requires further time, it can extend the review to another 90 days, which can be further extended to 60 days for complex issues. Market position and power From July 2019, firms will be considered to be in a market dominating position if it has a market share of 30 percent or more and if it has significant market power. Market power will be determined by several factors such as: The financial strength of the firm; Technological advantages and technical infrastructure; Ownership and the right to possess and access infrastructure or use items of intellectual property rights; Correlation of market share among firms in the market; and Other factors specific to their sectors. Vietnams new law on competition builds on the previous regulation and provides investors with clearer guidelines on the regulations. The move underlines the governments intent to match Vietnams laws to international standards and this bodes well for foreign investors in the country. Note: This article was first published in September 2018 and has been updated to include the latest developments. Ford Vietnam has recently shipped the 20,000th Ford EcoSport from its factory in the northern province of Hai Duong, marking the significant development of the model that has been leading the SUV segment since its entry to Vietnam four years ago. Since its launch in Vietnam in 2014, Ford EcoSport was welcomed and created a new trend for urban SUV vehicles. Making up more than 20 per cent of Ford Vietnams sales, Ford EcoSport has contributed significantly to the growth of this brand, and expanded to the segment of young customers. Particularly in 2018, as many as 4,220 EcoSport vehicles were sold, increased 18 per cent over the same period last year. We are proud of EcoSport, which has successfully approached a new segment and created a new trend for compact SUV vehicles in Vietnams urban areas, while maintaining constant growth. Not only featuring the global brand of Ford, EcoSport is also designed with modern, personalised features, energy saving, flexible operations, as well as smart and safety technology. That is why Ford EcoSport is loved by modern urban residents, said Pham Van Dung, CEO of Ford Vietnam. Ford made great investments into its Hai Duong facility to ensure world-class standards Domestic assembly on par with global standards EcoSport is the pride of more than 600 employees at the Hai Duong factory, one of the six Ford factories over the world manufacturing the Ford EcoSport model, which is sold in 149 countries globally. Thereby, in order to match the strict standards of global markets, all workers, engineers, and technical staff in the Hai Duong factory have been trained, along with the regular support from foreign experts to ensure that each EcoSport meets all quality standards before shipping. Moreover, Ford Vietnam has also poured millions of US dollars into manufacturing lines for dozens of robots and spot welding machines as well as hundreds of bolt mounting devices to control the standard fastening force. We are proud of what Ford Hai Duong and our staff have done to manufacture vehicles surpassing global standards. Ford is the first automobile manufacturing venture to be managed by Vietnamese leadership, with careful support from a global team of experts. After 20 years of manufacturing, Ford Vietnam has developed significantly, and we always listen to customer demands and comments to further improve our products and manufacturing process, added Dung. Ford EcoSport is equipped with two engine versions, the EcoBoost 1.0L which was honoured with the international title of Engine of the Year for five consecutive years, and Dragon 1.5L I3 Ti-VCT 122Ps. Dragon 1.5L contains three cylinders, its body is cast in aluminium alloy. The engines weight has been decreased by 10 per cent, while its capacity increased by 10 per cent, and torque rose by 7 per cent compared to the previous 1.5L 4-cylinder engine. Along with the 6-speed hydraulic automatic transmission, the new version of Ford EcoSport accelerates smoothly and confidently while saving 20 per cent fuel and decreasing emissions by 20 per cent. Earlier, in the 19th annual Sustainability Report, Ford announced meeting its emissions reduction goal eight years ahead of schedule. In 2010, Fords Environmental Quality Office announced the goal of reducing the companys carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing operations by 30 per cent per vehicle produced by 2025. Ford hit the target in half the time allotted. The results are dramatic, with a global manufacturing CO2 emissions reduction of more than 3.4 metric tons from 2010 to 2017 equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions from more than 728,000 passenger vehicles driven for one year. We are proud of the work our Asia-Pacific markets have done to help achieve this goal, said Cynthia Williams, director, sustainability, environment, and safety engineering, Asia-Pacific. We have made several improvements to our manufacturing operations throughout the region from the lighting we use to innovative technologies all of which played an important role in dramatically reducing our CO2 footprint. Ford reduced its emissions footprint through energy conservation and efficiency changes at its manufacturing facilities. Painting operations also require a large amount of energy. Across the Asia-Pacific, the introduction of new technology in Fords paint shops is making a significant difference. By offering comfortable, smart, safe, energy saving, and environmentally friendly vehicles, Ford has been a favourite of customers. All-time record sales In addition to creating a new trend for compact SUVs, Ford EcoSport and other local models have also contributed significantly to the all-time record sales for Ford Vietnam in November, with retail sales rising nearly 44 per cent year-on-year to 3,466 vehicles. In addition to the imported Ranger, the localised Focus led sales across Fords full line-up in Vietnam for the month, each posting their best-ever monthly results. Things are really coming together for us to close out the year including successful new vehicle launches with the new Ranger, Raptor, Everest, and EcoSport, and a healthy supply of our full line-up at dealerships across the country, said Dung. The sporty Focus delivered its best-ever sales month with November sales more than doubling from the same month last year to 269 vehicles, helping push its year-to-date total up by 74 per cent, to 1,851 vehicles. EcoSport remains Vietnams most popular SUV with November sales increasing by 5 per cent year-on-year to 400 vehicles, helping push its year-to-date total sales up by 18 per cent to 4,220 vehicles. Vietnam will likely face a power shortage during 2020-2030 if electricity generation is not increased and there is not enough fuel (coal and gas) for generation. It is forecast that the demand for electricity will continue to grow at a high level until 2030. The power sector will need to ensure 265-278 billion kWh of output by 2020 and around 572-632 billion kWh by 2030. The growth rate in the 2016-2020 period will be 10.3-11.3 per cent per year and about 8-8.5 per cent between 2021 and 2030. Insufficient power supply could lead to a heavier reliance on imported fuel, especially in power generation, while the higher demand would also place greater pressure on power infrastructure, which might not be improved quickly enough due to lack of funding. In addition to these challenges, Vietnam could face greater environmental impacts from an increased demand and a higher proportion of fossil fuels, especially coal in the energy mix. With the countrys energy demand projected to increase by more than 10 per cent annually in the next five years, the government is moving forward to develop renewable energy sources to ensure energy security and address the growing power demand. Although the power market is witnessing a boom in solar power projects as local and foreign investors are racing to reap the benefits of the 9.35 US cent feed-in-tariff, which ends in June 2019, the power grid and transmission remain a concern. According to the latest data showing a total of 332 solar projects registered with the total capacity of 26,290MWp, including 121 projects with the total capacity of 7,234MWp that will begin to generate electricity by 2020 and 211 others (13,069MWp) are waiting for approval, these figures have far exceeded the revised Power Development Plan VII. Venu Nuguri, group senior vice president, ABBs Power Grids Division in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, said at a recent forum that balancing variable power supply and demand has always been a challenge, but as the share of renewables in total generation in many countries is growing, this challenge is becoming more critical. Nguyen Duc Cuong, director of the National Load Dispatch Centre (A0), also pointed out that the southern central region is home to the brunt of the nations renewable energy sources, but local power grid conditions are not prepared to adopt this kind of energy. It takes three years, on average, to build a power grid project, while a solar power project needs only one year to put in place. As a result, electric grid development cannot catch up with the proliferation of solar and wind power projects, he explained. For especially, the transmission networks of the central province of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan are not developed enough. There are warnings that if too many solar power projects are plugged into the system in the region, they could cause a network overload. A0 will step in to tackle the situation through forcing the plants to reduce their power generation capacity to a suitable level. Thus, promoting rooftop solar power is one of the solutions to address the imminent shortage of power, as the solar market all over the globe works to make our mother earth a healthy and secure place to live. A solar rooftop panel only requires space and abundant sunlight to work efficiently, and batteries to store unused energy will cover cloudy days. Rooftop is going green Rooftop solar has never been more affordable for home and business owners and communities as it can help households reduce monthly electricity bills by half, contributing to protecting the environment. Experts from an EU consultant group shared the results of a four-month pilot project on rooftop solar power in the central city of Danang. Industrial zones (IZs) are good places to build solar panels because they have large rooftops and strong electrical connections already available. The cost of solar power installation in Vietnam is lower than in countries such as the US, Chad Laurent, expert of EU Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facilitys consultants group, said. There are favourable conditions for businesses to invest in solar power. Citing statistics from the World Bank, Vo Quang Lam, deputy general director of Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), said that some 6,000MW of energy will be turned out in Ho Chi Minh City if the city develops rooftop solar power projects. With the huge potential of solar power, an EVN representative said that the group will launch a campaign to encourage residents and businesses to install solar panels at IZs and farms, as well as the rooftops of homes. Also, Lam said that EVN is in the process of asking power generators to boost solar panel installations, contributing to reducing pressure on the national power grid. In addition, he said that EVN is considering developing rooftop solar power in the northern provinces, despite there being fewer hours of sunlight than in the south. Ho Chi Minh City alone has seen over 748 rooftop solar power owners registering to sell their surplus electricity to Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation, with a combined capacity of 11.55MWp. It sets up the target to restructure power usage towards a higher rate of renewable energy to reach 1-1.74 per cent of the citys total consumption and focusing on developing solar energy, particularly rooftop solar power. In Vietnam, IREX, a member of SolarBK, is one of the solar energy leaders in installations for large projects and for residential needs alike. The companys strength is in the direct production of solar panels and components, such as PV modules and cells, made to international standards. To step up its game, SolarBK has invested in a new high-tech energy equipment complex in Phu My I Industrial Zone in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau as well as presented BigK the first rooftop solar power system in Vietnam accompanied by electricity insurance and finance services by teaming up with Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam Insurance JSC (BIC); BIDV Insurance Corporation and team up with Germany-based Munich RE to get PV insurance and protect itself against manufacturers risk. These moves aim to encourage more people to use renewable energy in the future as the industry is still in its nascent stage. The Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) suggested the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to consider increasing the exemptions for power operation licence from 1 to 3MW to capture the benefits of investment in solar rooftop energy systems. Besides, many private developers have signed power purchasing agreements (PPAs) with EVN to deliver excess electricity from rooftop solar systems to EVN. They have also reported delays in payments under the net metering scheme. EVN has indicated to the VBF that the treatment of the value-added tax on PPA power sales between building owners and EVN caused barriers to paying for electricity supplied to EVN from rooftop solar systems and indicated that it is trying to resolve the matter. It also requested urgent attention from the Ministry of Finance and the MoIT to solve the issue and clarify when payments/credits will be made for electricity supplied. Pamela Phua, general director of AkzoNobel Vietnam As an instrumental expert with more than 20 years experience in the paint and coatings industry, you have taken part in various United Nations Climate Change Conferences such as COP23 and COP24 both as a business leader and an innovator. What role can business and innovation play in addressing climate change? Business has a key role to play in addressing the challenges of climate change. It is the worlds most powerful economic force, and it is responsible for the majority of spending, wealth creation, and investment. Where business goes, others will follow. Innovative initiatives from business are part of the global shift that will open the floodgates to large-scale opportunities that can combat climate change and change the lives of millions around the world. The report published by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) showed that by 2030, businesses will cut CO2 equivalent emissions by 3.7 billion metric tonnes a year. That is half a tonne of CO2 for every man, woman, and child on the planet, every year. The report goes further, estimating that if all relevant companies that could join the initiatives actually signed up to them, the total impact on emissions could go as far as 10 billion tonnes every year. AkzoNobel has taken a unique approach by consciously translating the worlds most pressing challenges into radical product innovations. How can these solutions help the globe cope with climate change? In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals with a comprehensive list of targets to be achieved by 2030. As a leading global paints and coatings company with a strong commitment to sustainability, AkzoNobel supports these goals, which is in line with our purpose to create everyday essentials to make peoples lives more liveable and inspiring. At AkzoNobel, we are already responding with sustainable product innovations. For darker, colder parts of the world, where buildings are now designed to maximise natural light, we have created a paint called Light & Space. This paint, like the name suggests, reflects light and makes interior spaces appear brighter and more spacious. This reduces the need for artificial lighting, and could mean an energy savings of up to 22 per cent. We have also been working on solar reflective coatings for use in warmer climates. Exterior paints that reflect infrared rays help keep the interiors cooler and reduce air conditioning costs. Solutions like these innovative paints are good examples of our commitment to developing new technologies that bring sustainable benefits to our customers. The Ashington facility in the UK - AkzoNobel's most advanced and sustainable factory uses a variety of renewable energy sources, estimating 50 per cent carbon footprint reduction compared with the production facilities at the plants it is replacing Specifically, what results have these innovations posted when being applied in the two mega economies of India and China? In India, where 10 of the most polluted cities are located (according to WHO statistics), we have developed an air-cleansing paint based on photocatalytic technology that can degrade major atmospheric pollutants like nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides. We can help to mitigate soil pollution in India by controlling the release of biocide used in our paints. Public urination is a major issue in India. The government has launched a nationwide campaign called Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to promote public cleanliness. To address this problem, we have developed a superhydrophobic coating with extreme liquid repellence that can protect walls by resisting the adhesion of urine, spit, and other stains. Our product will be able to help transform and maintain the cleanliness of many cities and towns across India, thus providing communities with more liveable neighbourhoods and inspiring surroundings. Regarding China, the local government has developed a sophisticated policy system in recent years to promote energy conservation at buildings. These include building energy codes which state the minimum standards for the energy efficiency of building components such as envelope; heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), and the power system. In order to contribute positively to better the countrys energy efficiency and adapt in this storm of policy changes, AkzoNobel provides solutions for suppressing heat outflow in winter with our Thermal Insulation Decorative Board systems and reducing heat gain in the building during summer through our Keep Cool offerings. As a corporation in the paint and coatings industry since 1792, with operations in more than 80 countries, AkzoNobels operations, especially manufacturing, may have a sizeable carbon footprint. What internal policies or initiatives does AkzoNobel have to address ecological problems, such as the over-consumption of energy or reduction of carbon emissions? Energy is one of our single biggest expenditures, and keeping costs down directly affects our bottom line. By investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy with partners and building a robust energy portfolio, we are securing profitability in the long-term. The company already uses 40 per cent renewable energy and targets becoming carbon neutral and use 100 per cent renewable energy by 2050. The company expects a 20 per cent revenue share by 2020 from products that are more sustainable for our customers than those of our competitors. Besides, we aim to reach 25-30 per cent more efficient resource and energy use across the entire value chain by 2020 (measured by cradle-to-grave carbon footprint reduction). What are AkzoNobels most remarkable achievements in implementing its sustainability strategy in Vietnam? Most recently, AkzoNobel Vietnam continued to be honoured at the CSI 2018, which was evaluated and announced by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Ranking in Vietnams Top 100 Most Sustainable Businesses for the second time demonstrates AkzoNobels efforts to achieve sustainability in the country, not only in our business, but also in our environmental and social impact. The two Dulux and Maxilite paint lines are always considered top of the product range where AkzoNobel competes. Dulux is one of the few Vietnamese brands to be certified with a Green Label by the Singapore Environment Council, a seal of endorsement of its environmentally friendly claims whose purpose is to prevent the spread of green-washing. That is why Green Label-certified products like Dulux have earned consumers loyalty with their sustainability. AkzoNobel is also the pioneer in promoting the green architecture trend in Vietnam by not only introducing and providing customers with eco-friendly solutions but also by partnering up with multiple parties to build a sustainable future. Some of the most remarkable activities include organising Smart City-Sustainable City seminars in June that attracted the participation of more than 600 architects, investors, and developers nationwide; sponsoring the Sustainable Real Estate Development Conference in Ho Chi Minh City in July; and organising a group of Vietnamese architects to join the World Green Building Week in September. A court in Bahrain upheld Monday a five-year prison sentence against prominent activist Nabeel Rajab over tweets alleging torture at one of the country's prisons and criticism of the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Rajab's son Adam Rajab and four human rights groups confirmed the ruling. Rights groups criticized it as a miscarriage of justice. Bahrain's Court of Cassation, its top judicial body, upheld the conviction on charges of "spreading false rumors in time of war," "insulting public authorities" and "insulting a foreign country," according to Amnesty International. The rights group described Nabeel Rajab as a "prisoner of conscience" who has already spent two years behind bars, including nine months in solitary confinement. The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy said Rajab's sentencing was over re-tweets of critical comments made by others about alleged torture at prisons in Bahrain, and tweets he wrote condemning airstrikes in Yemen mounted by the Saudi-led coalition, of which Bahrain is a member. Rajab is also serving a two-year sentence over television interviews he gave that included criticisms of Bahrain, a small island-nation off the Saudi coast that's home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. He's been detained since June 2016 as part of a wide crackdown on dissent in Bahrain. A major figure in Bahrain's 2011 protests that saw tens of thousands from the country's majority Shiites demand greater rights from the Sunni-led monarchy, he is also the co-founder and president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and a founding director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights. In the years since the 2011 protests, Bahrain has dismantled opposition groups, imprisoned activists and revoked citizenship of over 700 people. Amid the crackdown, local Shi'ite militant groups have carried out attacks on security forces. China has advised the United States against staging an abrupt troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and called for collective international efforts to help initiate a peace process between the South Asian nation's warring parties. The remarks by a top Chinese diplomat Sunday in neighboring Pakistan come amid unconfirmed media reports suggesting President Donald Trump has ordered pulling out half of the more than 14,000 U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan. They [U.S.] have been in Afghanistan for 17 years. If they are leaving the country, they should try to leave in a gradual and a responsible way, said Lijian Zhao, deputy Chinese ambassador in Islamabad. Speaking to Pakistani television station GTV News, Lijian emphasized the need for the Taliban and Afghan government to sit together and negotiate a political resolution to a war he said has been going on for nearly 40 years. Only an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process supported by international partners of Afghanistan could help end the hostilities, Lijian noted. If a civil war broke out after the U.S. withdrawal, the first countries affected will be Pakistan, will be China, and it will be the immediate neighbors. So, we have to sit together with the parties concerned so that we start a peace process, he said. The U.S. has recently engaged in direct talks with the Taliban to convince them to engage in peace negotiations with the Afghan government. But reports of a potential U.S. withdrawal from the country have worried critics who say the move would reduce the incentive for insurgents to halt fighting and negotiate a deal. Terrorism in Xinjiang Lijian reiterated Beijings worries that a volatile Afghanistan would encourage terrorists linked to the outlawed East Turkistan Islamic Movement, or ETIM, to foment violence in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang. The militant group claims to be fighting for the rights of the Uighur Muslim community in Xinjiang, which shares a border with both Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are still in Afghanistan. They are still posing a threat to the national security of Xinjiang, of China. What they want is to establish a separate state, to separate Xinjiang out of China. This is totally unacceptable to China. So, we will work with the Afghan government to try to eliminate this group, Lijian pledged. The Chinese diplomat rejected as "groundless Western propaganda" reports that his country was suppressing religious freedom and the rights of Uighur Muslims in the name of fighting terrorism. Rights issues in Xinjiang International human rights groups have expressed concerns that China is forcing Uighur and other Muslim minorities to quit their religious beliefs in internment camps set up in Xinjiang under the guise of vocational education centers. Lijian noted that ETIM is declared a terrorist organization by the United Nations. He said that Chinese authorities, particularly those in Xinjiang, have taken measures against terrorists linked to the group, which has resulted in zero incidents of terrorism in the last two years. The Chinese diplomat lamented that Western media describe counterterrorism moves in other parts of the world as "actions for maintaining peace, but they become human rights issues when China undertakes similar actions. This is totally [a] double standard and Western propaganda. They are just badmouthing about China, Lijian said. The Chinese diplomat asserted that Xinjiang is open to international visits, and people can go there to see for themselves that the rights of Uighur Muslims are fully protected. Two people are dead after a bomb went off at the entrance of a shopping mall in the southern Philippines. More than two dozen others were wounded in the attack in the city of Cotabato Monday. Police later discovered a second bomb that had not detonated in another part of the mall. No group or individual has claimed credit for the bombing. The southern Philippines has been plagued for decades by a violent insurgency by Muslim separatists that has left thousands of people dead. President Rodrigo Duterte placed much of the region under martial law in 2017 after armed separatists seized control of the city of Marawi for several months that year. Journalists in Gambia have launched a self-regulatory body they hope will offer legitimacy, and far more freedom, to media emerging from a dictatorship that ruled the tiny West African nation for more than two decades. During the 22 years of former President Yahya Jammeh's rule, journalists were regularly abducted, tortured and killed. The new government has vowed new freedoms after he fled into exile in early 2017 following a surprise election defeat. Outdated sedition laws are still on the books, however, and the public is urged to bring any complaints about journalists to the new Media Council of The Gambia instead of to the courts. There is a need to promote higher professional standards, said Saikou Jammeh, the secretary-general of the Gambia Press Union, which oversees the new body. He is not related to the former president. We also set it up to keep the government far away from any attempts to regulate the media, he said. It's not their business and it shouldn't be their business. The new media council represents a significant step for press freedom, he said. Under the former regime, many journalists had to switch on survival mode and they would not publish anything that would get them in trouble, Jammeh said. The relationship of the media and the public was characterized by paranoia and mistrust. He said a free press has blossomed since the election win of President Adama Barrow in December 2016, with new television stations opening and online newspapers returning from exile to fearlessly publish investigations and criticism of alleged government mismanagement. The Gambia Press Union's president, Sheriff Bojang Jr., spoke of headlines that he said would have been suicidal during (Yahya) Jammeh's time, but said the greatest change could be heard on radio talk shows, where on a daily basis people are blasting the (current) regime. The new government has promised support. We will work with you in this difficult journey, Gambia's information minister, Ebrima Sillah, recently told journalists, vowing the government would do what it takes for media to continue to operate without restrictions. At least 30 journalists have returned to the country after more than 100 fled the previous regime, according to Reporters Without Borders, although it said a couple have faced violence upon their return from supporters of the previous government. We are in a truly new era for the press in the Gambia, Arnaud Froger, head of the group's Africa desk, told The Associated Press. Things have moved very quickly since the new administration took power. As of 2018, Gambia ranks 122 on the group's annual World Press Index of media freedom violations in 180 countries. In 2017, it ranked 143rd and in 2016, when Jammeh was in power, it was 145th. Gambia is the country that has shown the largest progression this year, Froger said. Despite the optimism and expectations of wider freedoms, a legal battle continues over old media laws that human rights defenders call draconian. The Supreme Court in May called old laws against criminal defamation and libel unconstitutional, but parts of the criminal code on sedition remain. A sedition law that protects the president from media criticism but permits criticism of the government is a paradox in a democracy, Saikou Jammeh with the press union said. Other experts said the government, which has pledged to work with journalists, still needs to do more. It's also about the courts being able to enforce that media law and it's also about getting to educate the people in the country to understand the role the media plays in the democracy, said John Mukum Mbaku, a researcher at the Brookings Institution's Africa Growth Initiative. As Gambian journalists assembled for the launch of their new council, memories of past violence hung in the air. The council launched amid events marking the anniversary of the 2004 killing of Deyda Hydara, a veteran newspaper editor who was gunned down by what the Yahya Jammeh regime called unknown assailants. Days before his death, Hydara pledged to take legal action to stop attempts to regulate the media through a government-established media council, which could have imprisoned journalists for nearly two decades or levied heavy fines. This council is a continuation of his legacy, Saikou Jammeh said. He said he hoped to re-establish trust with a skeptical public unaccustomed to accurate reporting. You cannot claim to be a legitimate representative of the public if they do not trust you, he said. That relationship is now being built, and the public is getting more and more involved with the press. That's the biggest qualitative difference between then and now. It is really quite amazing. Editor's note: We want you to know what's happening, why and how it could impact your life, family or business, so we created a weekly digest of the top original immigration, migration and refugee reporting from across VOA. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com. Separated by the wall A U.S. partial government shutdown started at the beginning of the week and showed no signs of ending by weeks end. At issue is President Trumps insistence on $5 billion in funding for construction of a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico. Democrats believe a wall would be ineffective and a waste of money. They refuse to provide any funding for the wall. By Thursday Congress had adjourned for the rest of the year. Friday, the president struck back by threatening to close the border entirely. A case of the flu A second migrant child has died in U.S. custody, prompting calls for investigations in both houses of Congress. Eight-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo became nauseous and started vomiting Monday night. He later died in a hospital on Christmas. A subsequent autopsy revealed he had had the flu. A second child who died in U.S. custody, Jakelin Caal, was buried - also on Christmas. As a result of the two deaths, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol has ordered medical screenings for all children in its custody. Migrants, safe and not A migrant ship has docked in Spain after being refused in other countries. Three hundred and ten African migrants walked off the ship draped in red blankets provided by the Red Cross. They are the lucky ones. The International Organization for Migration has found records that 6,600 Africans have died over the past five years, most of them crossing the Sahara Desert toward Europe. The study notes these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg. Several months ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was considered unbeatable and his Bharatiya Janata Party a sure frontrunner in general elections that are months away. But after the opposition Congress Party snatched some of the partys key bastions in state polls, he enters 2019 facing questions on whether the BJP can take victory for granted. Political analysts point out that the defeats in three states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, have dented Modis image as a vote-catcher. The partys star campaigner, he had helped the BJP cement victories in as many as 13 states after his spectacular victory in 2014. But with the three heartland states slipping out of the BJPs hold in December, Modi no longer seems invincible. The winds of change have started to blow in the Hindi heartland. Even if the Modi magic remains, it will not be as bright as it was in 2014, says Neerja Chowdhury, an independent political analyst. The losses of these states are significant because along with a clutch of northern states, they hold the key to political power at the national level. The disenchantment cuts across rural and urban areas and stems from the popular perception that the development agenda on which Modi swept to power more jobs, good governance and an economic boom, failed to bring the transformation he promised. And in a country where a million people enter the workforce every year, the aspirations of many young people remain unfulfilled. Twenty-four-year-old Akash Kumar in the business hub of Gurgaon is among the tens of thousands of young voters who helped secure a victory for Modi, hoping that his vote would herald change. He had promised to create new opportunities for people like me, give houses to low-income groups, lower the cost of living, but I have seen no benefits, says Kumar, who earns about $300 a month working as a field agent in a real estate firm. His income has not increased much in recent years and a new job has been difficult to come by - although economic growth numbers have improved, the creation of new jobs remains a challenge. The picture is not much brighter in Indias vast countryside where agriculture supports more than half the population. 2018 witnessed a surge of protests by angry farmers who say they are hurt by low prices for crop produce. Farm analysts point to the recent crash in prices of onions and potatoes due to a glut in production that has angered farmers in two of the countrys largest states, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Tens of thousands of farmers poured into New Delhi's streets in November -- it was the fourth protest this year. Huge protests also took place in cities like Mumbai, highlighting rural distress. Clearly, the rural anger is translating into electoral verdict, according to farm analyst Devinder Sharma. He says the blame cannot be attributed directly to only the BJP government. This is an accumulated anger over the past few decades. For four decades, the farm income has remained static. So whichever government is in power will have to face the music. Analysts point out that the realization that it has not been able to fulfill expectations has prompted BJP to move away from earlier promises of ushering in good days to promoting Modi as a leader who has good intentions. Its a very interesting shift that the BJP has made in terms of its campaign slogan. And that reflects the unease the party faces in not having been able to achieve or come close to the promises that you made in 2014, according to Sandeep Shastri, a political analyst at Jain University at Bengaluru. BJP leaders maintain that their recent losses would not have any bearing on national elections, arguing that state elections are fought on local issues. The officials say they are eyeing gains in areas beyond party strongholds to make up for losses in traditional bases. The government is also taking steps to placate rural anger and is soon expected to announce new measures to address some of the farmers' grievances. Political analysts also point out that although Modi appears more vulnerable, he still remains the countrys most credible leader. The reason: he faces a divided and fractured opposition. The Congress Party, which received a boost with its recent victories, is trying to cobble together an alliance with regional parties to take on Modi. But it has much ground to make up: in 2014 it had won just 44 seats in the lower house of parliament compared to the BJPs 282 and the Congress Party's efforts to unify opposition parties have made a slow start. Beyond doubt there is much more of a challenge for the party and for him, says analyst Shastri, referring to the BJP. But he points out that the capacity to bounce back and make up lost space seems to be much more with the BJP than with the opposition, simply because of the momentum they have garnered since 2014. For Canadian-American Kristin Clay, cost was a significant factor when she chose Aalborg University in Denmark for a master's degree in culture, communication and globalization after completing her bachelors degree at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida. I ... felt like I couldn't afford to [study] in the States, she told VOA. Her degree in Denmark cost her around $3,000 per semester, she said. The average cost of tuition and fees at a U.S. college or university is around $25,000 a year, while more exclusive schools charge up to $70,000 in annual tuition and fees. A degree from one of those schools might garner a graduate better opportunities and income over time. WATCH related video: The higher education industry in the U.S. faced documented evidence of daunting competition from other countries in 2018 that offer lower tuition, immigration pathways and less controversy for international students. International student enrollment at American universities has leveled for the second academic year while it is gaining in other countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, according to the Institute for International Education, which releases an annual report about the state of higher education in the U.S. Colleges and universities in the U.S. must take more seriously the high cost of American higher education for all students, domestic and international, said Esther Brimmer, CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. This is a larger question about how the United States makes higher education available for everybody, for Americans, as well as for international students and scholars, she said. And so continued efforts to try to enhance affordability to try to enhance access to try to find additional ways to help students pay for their higher education are really important issues that we as a nation have to address. The U.S. remains the top destination in the world for more than 1 million visiting students, who bring $42 billion and 450,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to the State Department. International education But U.S. higher education costs are far higher than those in competing countries. In the Netherlands, annual tuition fees for a degree program are around 1,900 euros for European Union students and 6,000 euros for non-EU students, depending on the institution, according to topuniversities.com. Additionally, grant money is available to non-EU students. The University of Amsterdam offers excellence scholarships for 25,000 euros that covers tuition, fees and living expenses. Students will be selected on the basis of academic excellence, ambition and relevance for a students future career. And in Germany, non-EU students will pay around $3,500 per year. And in addition to low tuition costs, universities in Germany and other countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands boast various programs all taught in English. In Canada, pathways to immigration are less restrictive and less contentious than in the U.S. In Germany the tuition is absolutely, like dirt cheap. It's cheaper than in India, said Akshay Chaturvedi, founder and CEO of Leverage, an Indian organization that helps students find the right degree program for them. Leverage has helped over 1,500 Indian students pursue higher education at universities outside of India. Chaturvedi noted that in the last ten years, graduate programs in Europe and China have heavily increased marketing programs to students which, unlike American programs, do not require work experience. The work experience required by American MBA programs often has to be specific to American businesses - and most international students have not had the opportunity to work for an American company before studying there. Europe, very, very carefully has over the last couple of years, filled the space for people in China and India of doing these programs where work experience is not required, Chaturvedi said. China has become a strong competitor to schools in the U.S. I applied to a couple of schools in Asia, a couple in Europe and two schools, one in the U.S. and one in Canada, said Kashish Yadav, who worked for Costco before pursuing a masters in business administration at the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai. It had the lowest tuition fee and since I wanted to work in retail, China is already studying new retail technology, which Yadav said is not yet available to study in the United States or most universities in Europe. International student enrollment has increased drastically in China in the past decade. In 2008, China set a goal to host half a million international students by 2020. But they hit their goal three years early, according to NAFSA. US immigration concerns Another reason Yadav cited was uncertainty with U.S. visa laws and anti-immigrant rhetoric. President Donald Trumps travel ban on seven countries -- five of them Muslim-majority -- poses practical challenges for students, educators said. For students who are currently enrolled, one of the concerns was that when the actual travel ban was announced, there were students who were outside the country who thought they might not be able to get back into the country, Brimmer said. According to NAFSA, many international students choose to stay in the U.S. instead of visit their home countries this summer, fearing they would not be able to re-enter. Anti-immigrant rhetoric, too, has caused prospective students to consider other countries for higher education. Many international students and scholars may have been concerned seeing some of these activities, the rhetoric and the atmosphere of the past couple years, which has been critical of people from outside of the country has created an atmosphere that may be seen as very negative, Brimmer said. Chaturvedi said that many of his students, who are not affected by the travel ban, are still wary of regulations on international students, student visas, and work visas that the Trump administration has proposed. The perception that has been created is a little mad, Chaturvedi said. The perception is going out that he's against Latinos, he's against Indians, he's against brown people, and because of all the shootings that has spooked people more than the actual rules, he said. While statistically low, news of violence on college campuses spreads fast and wide to the international community. But American institutions and universities are working to combat some of the factors that may tempt students to choose other universities. We should note the real efforts by people across the U.S. to welcome international students and scholars - people working at colleges and universities but also local communities that really value having people from around the world in their communities and have gone out of their way as host families to welcome international students and scholars, Brimmer said. Even if some students are wary of a changing rhetoric toward immigrants in the United States, they are not deterred from studying here. Santiago Lopez Alvarez chose Rice University in Texas to pursue a graduate degree as a Fulbright scholar because they reached out to him personally. Had the university not contacted him directly, he said, he would not have considered Texas for graduate school. I had major hesitations, he told VOA during his orientation week at Rice. At first I thought that everybody down the street was going to have gunsI thought Texas was going to be very conservative, he said. But I think its great that I ended up coming here because life teaches you that stereotypes and prejudice are always overturned, he said, calling Houston an oasis of friendly and welcoming people. An Afghan Taliban delegation visited Iran on Sunday and held bilateral talks on promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan. The development comes as the Afghan insurgent group claims it has established control over 61 of the 407 Afghan districts during the 2018 fighting season. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi told a televised weekly news conference Monday that Taliban delegates held detailed discussions with Irans deputy foreign minister Syed Abbas Arghchi during their stay in Tehran. The main purpose of these talks was to help advance efforts aimed at starting peace negotiations between rival Afghan sides for bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan, explained Qasemi. The spokesman noted that the Taliban are in control of 50 percent of Afghanistan and the insurgent group had sought the meeting with the Iranian government. Qasemi added the Afghan government had been informed about the interaction in advance. The Iranian spokesman said the two countries share a long border with mutual cultural and historic commonalities. The meeting came just days after Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, visited Kabul and revealed there that Tehran was in talks with the Taliban to help further the Afghan peace process. US-Taliban peace talks The United States in recent months has engaged the Taliban in direct talks and both sides sounded upbeat about future progress after last months meetings in the United Arab Emirates. Washingtons diplomatic initiative is aimed at jumpstarting a dialogue between the Taliban and the Afghan government aimed at finding a political settlement to the 17-year-old war. But the Taliban refuses to hold direct talks with Kabul and demands the complete withdrawal of all U.S.-led foreign troops from the country before it joins any Afghan peace process. Meanwhile, the insurgent group claimed Monday battlefield advances during 2018 have brought a total of 61 of the 407 Afghan districts under complete Taliban control. 'Taliban controls 61 Afghan districts' The gains have forced U.S. President Donald Trump to review his administration's Afghan war strategy, the Taliban claimed in its so-called annual report of progress. It said the Taliban hotly contests the rest of the districts across Afghanistan. Trump unveiled his Afghan strategy in August 2017 that sought intensified aerial bombings to increase pressure on insurgents and force them to come to the table for peace negotiations with the U.S.-backed government in Kabul. The Taliban noted its fighters had overrun a total of 29 Afghan district centers in the outgoing year but some of them were retained while others were abandoned for military and strategy reasons. This report is based on precise data collected from concerned areas and verified by primary sources, leaving no room for suspicious or inaccurate information, it said. The Taliban went on to claim killing nearly 23,000 Afghan security forces, including hundreds of their commanders, and about 250 personnel of the U.S-led foreign military coalition, though insurgent battlefield assertions are inflated most of the time. There was no immediate reaction available from the Afghan government. 'Kabul territorial control at lowest level' A U.S. watchdog in its quarterly report last month noted government control or influence of its districts reached the lowest level to 55.5 percent over the past three years. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) quoted the U.S. military assessment as saying that as of July 31 the Afghan government controlled or influenced 226 districts and that the Taliban controlled or influenced 49. It said the rest of the 132 districts were identified as contested. By comparison, the Long War Journal, a non-profit American news website which reports on the war on terror, assessed at the time the Afghan government controls 145 districts, the Taliban controls 52, and 199 are contested. While the Kabul government has lately barred the U.S. military from making public Afghan forces casualties, President Ashraf Ghani disclosed last month nearly 29,000 soldiers and police personnel have been killed in battles against Taliban and other militant groups since 2015. Afghan Defense and Interior Ministry chiefs informed the national parliament in October around 40 military and police personnel were being killed every day in Taliban attacks. Chad's President Idriss Deby on Monday freed nearly 60 detainees considered political prisoners by rights groups as part of a general amnesty for former rebels, the country's justice minister told AFP. Those released included Moussa Tao, arrested in 2013 on a conspiracy charge; and Colonel Haroun Bata and about 10 Chadian "mercenaries" accused of having organised an attempted coup in Equatorial Guinea a year ago. "We conducted a ceremony to release 58 prisoners as part of the general amnesty," said Justice Minister Djimet Arabi. But former rebel Baba Ladde, jailed for eight years earlier this month, was not on the list, the minister said. "He can still be subject to a reduced sentence or a presidential pardon," he said. Rights groups in Chad, who have on several occasions called for the full application of the amnesty, declared in May, welcomed the news. Most of those released had been held for several months without trial, they said. At the beginning of December, 12 other prisoners had been released, said Jean-Bosco Manga, spokesman for the ACAIAT group, a citizens group campaigning for a full amnesty. Arabi said the total number of prisoners freed came to 70 and cases were still under consideration. A group of journalists will usher in the New Year Monday in New York City's Times Square as the time-honored tradition of the annual ball drop recognizes journalism and free speech. Leading American reporters and editors will be on stage just before midnight to push the button that begins the countdown to the New Year. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 53 journalists were killed on the job in 2018 and another 251 were imprisoned around the world. In another first, New York police will use a drone to monitor the crowds. The camera-carrying drone will be added to the arsenal of more than 1,200 fixed video cameras that will be deployed by the police. The security plan also includes road closures, thousands of uniformed and plainclothes officers, sharpshooters on rooftops of surrounding buildings and the sealing of manhole covers. On Sunday, officials did a test run of the 544-kilogram ball sliding down a pole. This year's ball will feature 2,688 crystal triangles and is backlit with LED lights capable of producing a number of colors and patterns. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that the city expecting "up to 2 million people in Times Square itself" for the celebration. A vaccination center in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, is swarming with people, a sign that Nigeria's campaign to vaccinate more people against yellow fever appears to be making headway. As part of the effort, Nigerias government partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccine alliance GAVI, and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to immunize more than 26 million people. It is the second phase of Nigeria's preventive campaign after a yellow fever outbreak in September 2017. Deborah Adiche came to the Abuja vaccination center with her daughter. "We've learned it's killing people, so we don't have to wait for it to happen to us - that's why we came to collect the vaccine and I brought her, too, to collect the vaccine." Some 8.7 million people were vaccinated in the country during an initial campaign in January and February 2018. This phase covers six states, including the Federal Capital Territory. Obiora Ezebilo, UNICEF's yellow fever coordinator, has been monitoring the process. "The campaign has been very good. We started the campaign on the 22nd of November. We're implementing in Borno state, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, Plateau and ... actually all the states have completed. The records were having is really good, as at now we're having maybe a coverage of above 95 percent," Ezebilo said. But Nigeria's routine yellow fever immunization rate is low - only 4-in-10 children age 2 years and older are immunized. Experts say a high enough percentage of the population must be immunized to contain the spread of the disease. Nigeria hopes to reach that point in five years. About 39 million people between 9 months and 44 years old are expected to be vaccinated by the end of 2018. Program manager for immunization in Abuja, Salome Toh, says the effort is having an impact. "The federal government of Nigeria, in collaboration with international organizations, especially the GAVI, they have earmarked a lot of money in supporting this campaign. They purchased the vaccines, they provided logistics, and there's a national plan to cover this age group across the country. It is divided into phases, as I'm talking to you now, the first quarter of next year, other states are also going to do the campaign," Toh said. Since the September 2017 outbreak, doctors have seen more than 1,600 suspected cases of yellow fever across 14 states. Up to 70 people have died. UNICEFs Ezebilo says the campaign is focusing on high-risk areas first. "There's a global shortage of yellow fever vaccines. You can't get, like, 200 million doses to vaccinate everybody in Nigeria. We have to get them based on global availability. So this year we are ... we're lucky to have about 20 million doses. So we just did a risk categorization, selected areas we feel that are most at risk and try to focus on them for the preventive campaign," Ezebilo said. The Yellow fever virus is endemic in tropical areas and is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. As many as 60,000 Africans die annually from the disease. Children are most at risk. There is no cure for the viral infection, but it can be prevented with the vaccine. Once someone contracts yellow fever, medical treatment consists of easing symptoms of the virus, which include fever, muscle pain and dehydration. Good sanitation, hygiene and proper drainage are natural ways to reduce risks of the disease. Nigeria is one of 50 global partners battling to eliminate the disease within the next 10 years. Besides improving sanitation and clearing stagnant water where mosquitoes breed, Nigeria needs to immunize about 80 percent of the at-risk population to prevent further transmission of the disease. Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is giving some final advice to troops and the Defense Department's civilian employees maintain your faith in America and continue to stand by the country's allies. "Our Department's leadership, civilian and military, remains in the best possible hands," Mattis wrote in his official farewell message Monday, his last day on the job. "I am confident that each of you remains undistracted from our sworn mission to support and defend the Constitution while protecting our way of life," he continued. "So keep the faith in our country and hold fast, alongside our allies, aligned against our foes." Monday's letter comes as Mattis prepares to relinquish his office to Deputy Secretary Pat Shanahan, who will become acting defense secretary as of January 1. Unlike Mattis, who came to the Pentagon as a revered former Marine general who served in Afghanistan, Shanahan does not have any military experience. Shanahan came to the Defense Department from aviation giant Boeing, where he spent more than 30 years overseeing both civilian and military related programs. Shanahan was named deputy secretary in 2017. Mattis resigned on December 20 following a White House meeting with Trump during which the two men disagreed over the president's decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, where they have been helping in the fight against the Islamic State terror group. While it was not the first time the two men disagreed on policy, for Mattis the Syria decision represented a breaking point. "You have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects," Mattis wrote to Trump at the time, adding he would stay on until the end of February 2019 to allow time for a successor to be found and so that he could represent the U.S. at a NATO Defense Ministerial meeting. Stressing alliances Mattis also warned the president that the U.S. "must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours," naming both China and Russia. And he further warned that the United States could not afford to alienate allies. "Our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnership." Three days later, Trump announced via Twitter that Mattis would be leaving at the end of the year. According to Pentagon officials, Mattis' departure, at his own request, will not be marked by any of the fanfare normally seen to pay respect to an outgoing defense secretary. Instead, the handover of authority from Mattis to acting Defense Secretary Shanahan will marked by a phone call, alerting all relevant government agencies to the change in command. Shortly after the Pentagon released Mattis' farewell message Monday, the Trump took to Twitter. "I am the only person in America who could say that, "I'm bringing our great troops back home, with victory," and get BAD press," he wrote. Mattis began his last message as secretary of defense by quoting from a telegram U.S. President Abraham Lincoln sent to Gen. Ulysses Grant in 1865, just over two months before the end of the U.S. Civil War. "Let nothing which is transpiring, change, hinder or delay your military movements, or plans," it read. Vietnam has earned a name as the chief haven for multinationals hoping to avoid the Sino-U.S. trade dispute of 2018. The Philippines, another Southeast Asian country that has pushed to pick up foreign investment, aims to follow suit. The Philippines boasts young workers skilled in English, quick infrastructure upgrades and a tax system overhaul though fuel prices and periodic political unrest may check progress, people familiar with the country say. The government approved $17.2 billion in investments, up 47 percent over 2017, the Board of Investments announced on December 24. Those figures blew past expectations, the board said. We do have a market, a growing middle class and qualified workers, but there are economic and political factors that affect the level of confidence among investors, particularly foreign investors, said Maria Ela Atienza, political science professor at University of the Philippines Diliman. Perks in the Philippines The Philippines would attract foreign investment in part because of its $169 billion infrastructure renewal, Atienza said. The rebuilding is set to run through 2022 and get funding partly by money from China and Japan. Im sure the additional financing theyve been offered is very helpful for them to develop their economy, and the Philippines knows it very much needs infrastructure development to become more competitive, said Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist at IHS Markit. Though too early to say, new infrastructure might help develop energy sources and lower electricity prices that otherwise deter investors, the professor said. Multinationals also consider the English language ability and other skills among workers, she said. Another sought-after skill: training in healthcare. Minimum wages for most manufacturers as well as in the service sectors will rise to $9.50 per day, on par with some of Chinas lower pay. The workforce is still young, so whatever the needs of the new economy will be, the Philippines can provide, given its young workforce, said Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist with Banco de Oro UniBank in Metro. A tax reform bill, if implemented in Manila, will lead to an influx of investment in manufacturing, he said. He was referring to part two of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion, which would cut corporate income tax. The Philippine Economic Zone Authority further helps secure investment by offering facilitation, said Carl Baker, director of programs with Pacific Forum CSIS in Honolulu. China, Japan try it out China topped the list of foreign investors in the Philippines in 2018 with $927 million worth of commitments, up from just $10 million a year ago, the government board said. Like multinationals, companies in China are looking to other countries as an export base that will not trip U.S. tariffs. Japanese companies also expressed particular interest in the past year, Ravelas said. In 2017, Seiko Epson opened a $143 million plant south of Manila. The plant will make projectors and inkjet printers. Around the same time, Shin-Etsu Magnetic Philippines, which produces magnets for electronic devices, opened its eighth plant in the country. Foreign investors that produce exports in China face U.S. import tariffs on $250 billion worth of goods, one result of a trade dispute that consumed the past year. U.S. President Donald Trump regards China as an unfair trading partner. Philippine officials have been drumming up support for foreign investment over the past half-decade as manufacturing costs rise in China. Deterrents to investment Investors have kept away from the Philippines because of its archipelagic location hard for transport limits on foreign ownership, and utility rates. Electricity prices, a reflection of underlying energy costs, deter some investors as they top the rest of Southeast Asia except Singapore at $0.11 per kilowatt hour. Government officials are trying to develop new energy sources, including renewables, Ravelas noted. Foreign investors can own no more than 40% cap of land parcels, Philippine-based corporations or public utilities. Philippine workers are more likely to be unionized than in other Asian countries, Atienza said. They tend to be more vocal in demands for higher pay compared to other Southeast Asian countries, she added. Localized violence that may erupt ahead of midterm elections in May as well as the governments struggle against Communist rebels in the countryside could put off hopeful investors, she said. Among south and Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines will gain the least from the Sino-U.S. trade dispute, investment bank Natixis said in a research report December 4. It cites expensive electricity and weak business infrastructure. Vietnam has earned a name through cheap land and labor, government openness to foreign investment and a growing list of free trade agreements. There is significant competition from other ASEAN countries for attracting investors looking for an alternative to China-based manufacturing, Baker said. Russian President Vladimir Putin has told U.S. President Donald Trump in a New Year's letter that the Kremlin is open to dialogue on the myriad issues hindering relations between their countries. The Kremlin published a summary of Putin's greeting message to Trump on Sunday. The summary states the Russian leader wrote: Russia-U.S. relations are the most important factor behind ensuring strategic stability and international security. Trump canceled a formal meeting with Putin scheduled for Dec. 1 at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, tweeting it would be best for all parties given Russia's seizure days earlier of three Ukrainian naval vessels. Since then, the Kremlin has repeatedly said it is open to dialogue. The message to Trump was among dozens of holiday greetings Putin sent to other world leaders, each tailored to reflect a bilateral theme. The recipients included Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom Putin has backed throughout a civil war that started in 2011. Putin's message to Assad 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, according to the Kremlin summary. Moscow hosted talks with Turkey on Saturday in which the two countries agreed to coordinate actions in northern Syria after Trump's announcement that he was withdrawing U.S. forces from the country. The main group of Kurdish-led forces fighting against Assad with U.S. support has said the U.S. pullout could lead to the revival of the Islamic State group. Putin, in his message to Assad, wished the Syrian people the earliest return to peaceful and prosperous life. Retired U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal blasted U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him dishonest and immoral. The former commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan told ABC's This Week news show, "I don't think he tells the truth." Responding to Trump's announcement that he will withdraw half of all U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan, McChrystal said the move would reduce the incentive for the Taliban to negotiate a peace deal after more than 17 years of war. He said, making the decision, Trump has "basically traded away the biggest leverage point we have.'' "If you tell the Taliban that we are absolutely leaving on date certain, cutting down, weakening ourselves, their incentives to try to cut a deal drop dramatically,'' McChrystal said. He was also highly critical of the president's personal character. When asked if Trump is immoral, McChrystal responded: "I think he is.'' This is not the first time McChrystal has slammed a sitting president. He was forced to resign in 2010 after he criticized the Obama administration in an article in Rolling Stone magazine. The officers suit up in the pre-dawn darkness, wrapping on body armor, snapping in guns, pulling on black sweat shirts that read POLICE and ICE. They gather around a conference table in an ordinary office in a nondescript office park in the suburbs, going over their targets for the day: two men, both with criminal histories. Top of the list is a man from El Salvador convicted of drunken driving. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's enforcement and removal operations, like the five-person field office team outside Richmond, hunt people in the U.S. illegally, some of whom have been here for decades, working and raising families. Under President Donald Trump, who has pushed hardline immigration policies, ICE has been exposed to unprecedented public scrutiny and criticism, even though officers say they're doing the same job they did before the election enforcing U.S. laws that were on the books long before 2016 and prioritizing criminals. But they have also stepped up arrests of people who have no U.S. criminal records. It is those stories of ICE officers arresting dads and grandmothers that pepper local news. Officers are heckled and videotaped. Some Democratic politicians have called for ICE to be abolished. ICE employees have been threatened at their homes, their personal data exposed online, officials said. "There is a tension around 'It could be that somebody could find out what I do and hate me for it or do worse than hate me for it,'" Ronald Vitiello, acting head of the agency, told The Associated Press. Vitiello said the agency is monitoring social media and giving employees resources for when they feel threatened. ICE, formed after the Sept. 11 attacks, had been told under the Obama administration to focus on removing immigrants who had committed crimes. Trump, in one of his first moves in office, directed his administration to target anyone in the country illegally. Generally, people arrested by ICE go before immigration judges, who decide whether they must be deported, and then ICE arranges paperwork and flights out of the country. Government data backs up that ICE is still mostly targeting people convicted of crimes. But the data also shows the agency has greatly ramped up arrests of people who were accused of crimes but not convicted and increased arrests solely on immigration violations. ICE arrested 32,977 people accused of crimes and 20,464 with immigration violations during the budget year 2018. There were 105,140 arrests of people with criminal convictions and 158,581 arrests overall. The most frequent criminal conviction was for drunken driving, followed by drug and traffic offenses. By comparison, in the last budget year of the Obama administration, there were 94,751 people arrested with convictions, 6,267 arrests of those with pending charges and 9,086 on immigration violations. There were 111,104 arrests overall. Advocates say a traffic violation shouldn't be enough to get you kicked out of the country. They accuse the agency of stoking fear and tearing families apart. "You need some kind of agency to deal with immigration, but ICE is not that," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, said on radio station WNYC. "ICE's time has come and gone. It is broken. ICE has been sent on a very negative, divisive mission, and it cannot function the way it is." In response, some cities have banished ICE from jails where they could easily pick up immigration violators. Police in New York, Baltimore and Seattle rarely, if ever, give up information on when suspected criminals in the U.S. illegally will be released from custody. ICE officers now do more street operations and say they end up with more "collateral arrests," people they happen upon who are also in the country illegally. They rarely knock on doors anymore, instead spending hours surveilling and waiting outside. They haunt courthouses. In New York, a Mexican construction worker who has lived in the United States for more than a decade appeared before a judge. He was a week away from clearing his name in a low-level moving vehicle infraction. When he walked out of the courthouse, ICE officers were waiting for him. He was sent to a detention center and deported less than two weeks later. He left behind a wife and three children. "I didn't do anything," said the man, who spoke from Mexico but did not want to be identified because he fears for his family. "I am a hardworking person. I am not a criminal. I don't understand." In Richmond, the team has a long list of targets, but they're the only officers doing fugitive enforcement so they must prioritize. They've been trailing the Salvadoran man for days. They split up into two cars and drive over to his apartment. It's pitch black. They wait. The radio crackles. An officer says someone has left but it's so dark it's impossible to see who it is. Lights flash. It's not who they're looking for; it's a woman. They send her on her way. The officers are jittery, thinking the mistake spooked the target. They wait. The man eventually emerges from his apartment as the sun begins to rise. He's wearing a neon-green shirt and construction work boots. He gets into his blue SUV and pulls out. The officers box him in on both sides and flash blue lights. He's calm as they search him, and he gives them an expired El Salvador passport. His name: Jose Gilberto Macua Gutierrez. One of the officers backs Macua's SUV back into a parking spot, and he's handcuffed, driven back to the office, fingerprinted and placed alone in a holding cell. The operation took too long they missed the window for their second target. They will try again. "It's a rare thing to be arrested in the country if you haven't violated the law," Vitiello said. "If someone is here and don't otherwise come across the criminal justice system, it's very rare that they are going to be arrested by ICE, despite the perceptions that are out there." Election officials in Bangladesh said Monday an alliance led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won a huge majority, clearing the way for her to serve a third straight term while opponents rejected the result. The Awami League-led group won at least 288 of 300 seats. An opposition alliance led by Kamal Hossain won at least six seats, according to the Election Commission. Hossain called Sunday's election "farcical" and said the outcome will be rejected. Hossain also called for a new election held under a neutral authority. Opponents have criticized reports of voter intimidation and "irregularities" in the election. 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. 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. Russia has detained an American citizen in Moscow on accusations of spying, according to Russian state media. Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officials issued a statement on Monday saying U.S. citizen Paul Whelan had been detained on December 28 while carrying out an act of espionage, and that they have opened a criminal probe. They provided no further details, but Russias state-run TASS news agency said that Whelan faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. A State Department spokesperson said Monday the United States is aware of Russian authorities' detention of a U.S. citizen. "We have been formally notified of the detention by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the official said in an emailed statement to VOA. "Russias obligations under the Vienna Convention require them to provide consular access. We have requested this access and expect Russian authorities to provide it." The State Department did not provide further details, citing privacy concerns. The arrest coincides with several spy scandals that have exacerbated tensions between Russia and the West, including the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain, along with the recent U.S. conviction of Russian citizen Maria Butina for acting as an illegal foreign agent. News of Whelans detention came less than 24 hours a after Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a New Year's greeting to U.S. President Donald Trump in which he said Moscow is amenable to a continuing dialogue with Washington on a range of topics. In 2016, Izvestia, a Kremlin-aligned news outlet, reported that there were 13 U.S. citizens in Russian jails at the time. The Kremlin has not since published any details on other Americans currently in Russian detention. U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday defended his planned withdrawal of all 2,000 American troops from Syria, attacking critics of the action as chronic complainers. In a string of Twitter remarks, Trump said, "If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS (Islamic State) loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero." He said the Islamic State terrorist group that once claimed Raqqa in northern Syria as the capital of its caliphate, "is mostly gone" from Syria and "were slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants." Trump stunned U.S. national security aides and lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats alike, by announcing December 19 that he was withdrawing the U.S. troops who had been instrumental in removing most of the jihadist group from northeast Syria and aided Kurdish fighters in their fight against the insurgents. Critics of the withdrawal said that removing U.S. troops could lead to a resurgence of Islamic State operations. One critic of the move, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, normally a Trump loyalist, met with the U.S. leader Sunday and later said the president remains committed to defeating Islamic State. Graham suggested Trump may slow his planned 30-day withdrawal, but the White House has not commented on Graham's interpretation of his talks with Trump. "I think we're in a pause situation where we are re-evaluating what's the best way to achieve the president's objective of having (other countries) pay more and do more" in the war on terrorism, Graham said. In his Monday tweets, Trump said, "I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do! Except the results are FAR BETTER than I ever said they were going to be! I campaigned against the NEVER ENDING WARS, remember!" Trump contended, "I am the only person in America who could say that, Im bringing our great troops back home, with victory, and get BAD press. It is Fake News and Pundits who have FAILED for years that are doing the complaining. If I stayed in Endless Wars forever, they would still be unhappy!" U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged Monday that not all of the barrier he wants to build along the Mexican border would be a concrete wall he has long called for. "An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media," Trump contended in a Twitter remark. He was disputing John Kelly, his outgoing White House chief of staff, who said in an interview over the weekend that the Trump administration discarded the idea of a "solid concrete wall" early in Trump's two-year tenure as president. But Trump conceded, "Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me!" Trump won the cheers of his most ardent loyalists in his successful 2016 presidential campaign with his call for a solid concrete wall along the 3,200-kilometer U.S.-Mexican border, claiming Mexico would pay for it. As president, however, Trump has sought U.S. taxpayer funding, but Congress has balked, leading to the ongoing shutdown of a quarter of U.S. government operations, furloughing 800,000 government workers and forcing another 420,000 to work without pay. WATCH: Free Meals for Furloughed Workers The shutdown is now in its 10th day with no end in sight, and likely extending past Thursday when a new Congress is seated, with opposition Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives from Trump's Republican Party. Republicans will maintain their majority in the Senate, leaving Washington with a politically divided government in the second two years of Trump's first term. House Democrats say they plan to pass legislation Thursday that would fund most shuttered government agencies through the end of September, and the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8, but not include any money for Trump's wall. The fate of such legislation in the Republican-controlled Senate is uncertain, and Trump has insisted he will not sign any budget bill without the border wall funding. On Monday, House speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a joint statement calling for Republican support for the bill. "It would be the height of irresponsibility and political cynicism for Senate Republicans to now reject the same legislation they have already supported,'' the statement said. Trump wants $5 billion as a down payment on the barrier that could cost more than $20 billion, but Democrats have only agreed to $1.6 billion to improve border security, but no wall money. Trump and Democratic lawmakers have not held any negotiations for days over the wall dispute. Kelly 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 added, "But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it." In a second Twitter remark, Trump said, "I campaigned on Border Security, which you cannot have without a strong and powerful Wall. Our Southern Border has long been an Open Wound, where drugs, criminals (including human traffickers) and illegals would pour into our Country. Dems should get back here (and) fix now!" White House officials said talks to resolve the border barrier funding 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 ABC's This Week program. "Now he's 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 Senate's 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 how long he thought the shutdown would last, Trump told reporters, "Whatever it takes." Democrats have blamed Trump for "plunging the country into chaos" and have noted that Trump, before the partial work stoppage took effect, said he would be "proud" to "own" a shutdown over border wall funding. JOHANNESBURG (AP) Black Panther star Danai Gurira has traveled to Zimbabwe to join a campaign aimed at protecting rhinos from poachers. The WildAid conservation group says Gurira, who mostly grew up in Zimbabwe, is participating in a publicity campaign called Poaching Steals From Us All that will run across Africa. Gurira appears in an anti-poaching video that opens with a scene from the Black Panther movie in which her character, Okoye, steps in front of a charging rhino that abruptly stops and licks her cheek. Were losing our heritage and an important attraction for our tourism industry, Gurira says. She urges people to report wildlife crime. China and Vietnam have also been targeted in campaigns to reduce demand for rhino horn. Some consumers believe the horn can cure illnesses. Dirty John One Shoe Season 1 Episode 6 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next Photo: Tyler Golden/Bravo Oh, what a sneaky, sneaky trick you played on us, Dirty John. I was so angry at Debra, who is more passive than a dead jellyfish stuck to the bottom of a boat, when she gave John a letter from her attorney, unopened. The couple enlisted the help of a lawyer because, they say, they want him to sue all of these people for fraud to clean up Johns arrest record. While in his office, he suggests that they get a post-nuptial agreement so that Debra can get some support for the marriage from her family. Knowing that John was a creep, the lawyer was going to turn him down as a client, but he took Johns case because he could tell Debra really needed help. He even mentioned, in their initial consultation, that Debras business would need to be put in order in the event of her death, almost suggesting to her that John would someday murder her. When he says this, John gives him an eyeball so hairy not all the Nair in the known universe could take care of it. Anyway, John fires the dude because he knows this man of the law is onto him, but the lawyer doesnt relent and sends a letter to Debra at her office. Later that night, we see her feigning her usual innocence as she hands it to John unopened, and says, Oh, the lawyer brought this by. I wanted to throw Molly, you in danger, girl GIFs at her until one of them smacked her in the forehead and she came to her senses. We saw her find his drugs at the end of the last episode and now shes not doing anything to protect herself when she finds out that John fired the lawyer she paid for behind his back? Oh, but it was all a dirty trick. Awful daughter Veronica gets a call from her mom who says to meet her at a restaurant in an hour. When she shows up, Debra has on that awful cheap wig again and you can almost hear Connie Brittons absolutely perfect coiffure underneath screaming for release. (What about the scene in which the lawyers secretary says that Debra has beautiful hair? Um, duh! Its Connie Brittons hair!) She tells Ronnie the whole story, about how shes getting ready to leave John, but shes preparing her escape plan. Ronnie has the only possible response: We need tequila, like, now! Yes, not looking at the letter was all an act. Debra pretended like she didnt read it and that she was fine with firing the lawyer to get John off her back. What she really did was call the lawyer and get him to recommend someone so that she could divorce John and possibly go after him for some criminal charges. We also see her leaving the GPS tracker on the bottom of her Maserati. She even went so far as to have the youngest person in the office explain how the internet works to her. Now, honestly, this probably would have happened regardless of whether she had married a dangerous grifter after only having known him for two months. Middle-aged Americans are always asking the young people in their offices how to FacesTime or snap a chat or post an album on Instagram instead of posting ten pictures in a row from the same day at the apple orchard (are you listening, dad?). But in this particular instance, she was doing it so that John couldnt track her. All of Debras work comes to a head when she comes home from work one day and John is sitting in the gloom waiting to ask her why she took $30,000 out of the bank. Does there have to be a reason? she asks. Damn, just when I started to have some faith in Debra for being a badass and going behind Johns back, she took a whole heap of cash out of the bank and didnt think up at least a plausible excuse for why she would have done it in the first place? She decides this is the instant that shes going to tell him that shes leaving him and getting a divorce, after packing exactly one cashmere sweater and two bras. He corners her in the closet and, in that super scary way he always does, threatens her while remaining totally calm. He tells her to hit him. He wants her to hit him so that he can fight back and be justified. Ill make sure you never get up again, she says. Instead Debra just stands there and says, Move. She has to tell him to move a few more times before she can finally get clear and run out of the house, grabbing her keys on the way. Whats really threatening about John, however, is what he said to her both in a letter he mailed her and when he found out she took that money out of the bank. In the letter he says that if he cant live this life without her, I dont know what I would do. Its those vague threats that he knows drive people crazy, that make them look over their shoulders all the time, that he uses to control people. Things like spitting on Ronnies birth certificate, thats just petty bullshit for those he cant get under his thumb, but the threats are what he really uses to get his way. When he finds out about the money, he tells Debra, Whats yours is mine, now. We know that this separation is going to be horrible. We know John is going to try to do everything in his power to get as much money as he can and ruin her life. Hell even break the law to make sure that happens. Good thing Debras lawyer seems up to the task. We cant call him a shark because he likens John to a shark. She got something even better: a shark killer. Now that Debras gone we all have to brace ourselves for things getting worse, because you know thats where this is going to go. This episode also contained another story about Johns ex-wife Tanya going to the police with a bunch of the stolen drugs she found in their house after John moved out. One of the cops investigates John and finds out hes a real son-of-a-gun. This guy does everything he can to get John arrested. Ultimately he finds John overdosed in his hovel of an apartment and then has to chase him down with other cops to get him in the slammer. When John gets released from prison early, he even calls the Newport Beach police to warn them that a real crazy is coming to their jurisdiction. I think the idea of this episode was to show all of the men who put their lives and careers on the line to help women. Thats great and all, but Im much more interested in watching Debra and her daughters figure out how to help themselves. Photo: Santiago Felipe/Getty Images Grandfather Hector Xtravaganza, founding member of the House of Xtravaganza, an iconic entity within New Yorks underground ballroom and vogue scenes, has passed away at the age of 60. His death was announced via the houses Facebook page, and memorialized by actress Laverne Cox, Pose co-creator Steven Canals, and others on social media. The dancer and activist, a house member since Xtravaganzas inception in 1982, recently consulted on Ryan Murphys FX show Pose, which takes place within New Yorks ball culture in the late 1980s. As Xtravaganza, who legally adopted the houses surname, explained to The Cut this fall, This family is more real to me than my biological family. They are first. RIP Hector Xtravaganza pic.twitter.com/o5xUux4JBi Laverne Cox (@Lavernecox) December 30, 2018 Hey @PoseOnFX fam, today Ballroom lost an Icon. #GrandfatherHectorXtravaganza was a devoted friend & a beloved member of the #PoseFX family. He was a show consultant, but more than that a loyal Abuelo to all. Keep him, his family, & friends in your prayers. #RIP pic.twitter.com/Qh762p3m7J Steven Canals (@StevenCanals) December 30, 2018 The world lost a bright light today. Rest In Peace, Grandfather Hector Xtravaganza. pic.twitter.com/V0IQ1ItBCT Our Lady J (@ourladyj) December 31, 2018 Updated: Ryan Murphy also memorialized Xtravaganza on Instagram. How I wish we had the time to make more of his dreams come true, he wrote. Like so many hundreds if not thousands of people, I loved him. And I have been honored to know him. Outlander The Birds & the Bees Season 4 Episode 9 Editors Rating 3 stars * * * Previous Next Photo: Aimee Spinks/ 2018 Starz Entertainment, LLC If you thought Outlander might give us a short reprieve from the horrors of its last episode over this holiday weekend, well, you really dont know Outlander, do you? The Birds & the Bees picks up immediately after Brees attack last episode. Still shaking, she returns to her room where Lizzie sees Bree bloodied and bruised and puts it all together (although, remember, she still mistakenly thinks Roger is the bad guy here). Heres the thing, fam: I know Lizzie means well, but she is totally that friend who wont just drop it when you say youre fine. Like, obviously, Im not fine, but clearly I dont want to talk about it right now. GET OFF MY BACK, CAROL. Im sure the last thing Bree wants to do at the moment is get into bed with her brand-new indentured servant, so maybe stop trying to push her into talking, you know? Thankfully, some good news finds its way to Brianna the next day. Okay, well, first she suffers some major heartbreak when she learns that Roger has set sail on the Gloriana after their huge fight. Of course, we know that he only left because Bonnet threatened to remove a limb or two from his body if he didnt complete their job up in Philadelphia, but Bree thinks Roger has headed back to the stones, back to the 1970s, for good. But who even cares about that right now because Lizzie learns that Jamie and Claire are in Wilmington at this very moment. Brianna has found her parents! You guys, Im already crying about it. Brianna and Jamie meeting and Bree and Claire reuniting plays out a little differently in the novel, but the important parts are all there. Which, I guess, includes that the first time Bree sees her father, hes peeing outside of a tavern wholly unnecessary but also hilarious, so, sure. What really matters most, of course, is Jamies reaction to seeing his daughter for the first time. Oh, you guys, Sam Heughan nails this. (Hes tremendous in this episode, no?) Once his shock wears off and the tears show up, I mean, how do we even move on from this moment? Its perfect. But move on we must, because as emotional as Jamie is upon learning his daughter has time-traveled to see him, he is just as excited to be able to bring her to Claire. Our big ginger is right: That reunion is also wonderful. Bree doesnt waste any time alerting her parents to their impending deaths (or the fact that Frank knew Claire would travel back to Jamie, which Claire takes in stride). The best part of this whole thing is that later when Jamie and Claire are chatting about the news, Claire calls it disconcerting. It feels like shes underestimating the situation a little, until you remember all the wild shit Claires lived through, so a little obituary from the future is probably only disconcerting. Nevertheless, they decide that they should avoid being in the cabin on that date every year throughout the next decade. Well make it a holiday, Claire says. Oh, Claire, only you could turn attempting to cheat death into a vacation. Bree also meets her cousin Young Ian, who decides within hours of meeting her to tell Bree the story of how Stephen Bonnet robbed them after Jamie helped him escape execution. Knowing all of this, shes even more reluctant to tell her parents what happened to her she knows that theyll only blame themselves. Cousins, man. All of that goes down and we still havent even gotten to Frasers Ridge! Things there are pretty great for a while. Theyre taking in the views, poking fun at Jamie for now having two time-traveling women in his life (no seriously, the three of them are the cutest), even Murtagh sweet, sweet Murtagh is enjoying all this family time. Im still tearing up thinking about him telling his godson that he deserves something good in his life. As nice as it is to see all the Frasers gathered around one table telling stories of Jamies youth, Brees transition in time isnt completely smooth. Aside from dealing with the trauma Brees trying to keep a secret from her parents, there is also the Frank Factor. Bree feels disloyal to Frank just being with Jamie, and Jamie is attempting to be sensitive to the situation (his speech about being grateful to Frank is very sweet) while also relishing however much time he has with his daughter. Its a tricky dynamic! So Claire suggests the two go hunting (for bees!!!) together and get a little one-on-one-on-bee time. What follows is an incredibly adorable excursion from which Im still swooning. Jamie is moved to see Bree smile in her sleep! Jamie calls Bree his darling and his blessing! They talk in bee-hunting metaphors until finally ready to deal with the Frank of it all! Its exactly what they needed. Jamie comes home really feeling the bittersweetness of the situation: Hes so excited that his daughter called him Da, but hes already lamenting that eventually shell have to go back to her own time. A great day followed by a reminder that he was robbed of so much time with his children. If only they could just sit there eating fresh honey forever, you know? Id watch that show! Just as the Frasers are settling into their routine, things take a turn. God bless this show for that ridiculous shot of Bree staring at a mother bird feeding her baby birds because, like, WE GET IT, SHOW. Brianna is pregnant and Claire figures it out. After a hilarious fight about why Brianna didnt pack condoms for her trip to the 1700s (moms are moms no matter the century), Bree confesses that it might not be Rogers baby, and the truth (without naming Bonnet) comes spilling out. This is definitely Sam Heughans episode, but can we give it up for how incredible Caitriona Balfe is in this scene as Claire processes a whole slew of emotions at once? Claire tells Jamie everything she knows about Briannas attack, and Jamie is rightly incensed. As the parents grapple with how to help their daughter, Claire finds the ring that Bonnet stole from her in Brees laundry, and because Claire is no dummy, she pieces it together. Brianna makes her mother promise not to tell Jamie hed be devastated by guilt and go after Bonnet. Claires like, Oh ,yeah, youre probably right, so reluctantly agrees. This is a huge mistake. Because who should appear traipsing through the woods near Frasers Ridge but Roger Wakefield, fresh from his trip to Philadelphia (where he took some gemstones as payment which will probably be important later). And who should spot Roger first, but Lizzie and Ian on their way home from the mill. (Lizzie is sporting a big crush on Ian, and I think Im here for this dork love?) This is a disaster! Lizzie tells Ian that Roger is the man who attacked Brianna and now it looks like hes coming after her. They immediately alert Jamie. Once Lizzie swears that this is 100 percent the man, Jamie finds Roger and beats the living hell out of him. Lizzie ruins everything! After Roger is knocked unconscious, Jamie tosses him on his horse and tells Ian to get rid of him. Who knows what ridiculous idea Young Ian will come up with to do so, but you can bet theres going to be some real family drama on Frasers Ridge very, very soon. Cant we just go back to the telling of stories and the eating of honey? It was so nice there. As we get ready to roll into a new year, many people are walking into 2019 with lots of new clothes from Christmas gifts. One local non-profit would love to use the clothes you may be getting rid of to help students. "Anywhere between 30-40 children a week we provide clothing bags to," Brandi Breeden, director of Clothe Our Kids, said. Decatur-based non-profit organizations Clothe Our Kids and First Priority recently combined their resources. Now they're working to clothe students in need at every school in Morgan and Lawrence counties. "We pack a bag and it's full of six tops, four bottoms, a pair of shoes, a new pack of socks, a new pack of underwear, and a hygiene kit if they need it," Breeden said. According to both organizations all of the clothes go straight to students in the Decatur, Hartselle, Morgan and Lawrence school districts. "We had a ninth grade girl yesterday who was purging her closest and saying 'mom do you realize my friends may be the recipients of some of these clothes'," Larry Franks, executive director of First Priority, said. This isn't a public clothing closet. Breeden and Franks both said the only way kids in these schools can get one of these anonymously donated clothing kits is at the request of a school staff member. "They know the ones that have a real need for our ministry and for our service," Franks said. Both Breeden and Franks said this help ensure all donations stay local. "The clothing stays right in our community," Breeden said. If you're interested in making a donation, you can drop gently worn clothes, shoes, and coats off at the First Priority office located at 2009 Westmead Street SW in Decatur. A state prisoner in Springville was killed Saturday. The Alabama Department of Corrections is investigating the homicide. The corrections department says 24-year-old Terrance Andrews (left in photo) was killed during a fight with another inmate. They've identified that suspected inmate as 35-year-old Cedris Leshawn Davis (on right). The fight happened Saturday afternoon in a housing area inside the St. Clair Correctional Facility. Officers found Andrews unresponsive with mulitple stab wounds. Andrews wsa taken to the prison's infirmary where he was pronounced dead. Davis is serving a life sentence for a 2006 murder in Baldwin County. Andrews was serving 25 years for a robbery in Mobile County. Two people in Alabama are being named the Most Influential People of 2018, according to CNN . One of those people, is a five-year-old Alabama boy named Austin Perine. Austin made headlines this year by his mission to hand out food to homeless people in Alabama. This past Christmas, which also happens to be his birthday, he continued his journey by handing out more food to the homeless. Austin's motto is "Show love" , he reminds people every time he passes out food to not forget to show love. Next on CNN's most influential list of 2018 is Rodney Smith, who lives in Huntsville. Smith just completed his journey across 50 states donating gifts to the homeless in each state. He also granted one wish for each person which included, cash , gift cards, clothing, phones and more. Smith is also the founder of "Raising Men Lawn Care Service, a company that mows lawns free of charge across the country to Veterans and other people in need. The company also inspires youth through learning and service to take on the 50 yard challege to help the elderly, disabled, single mothers, veterans and more . Both guys are now in the running to become one of CNN's 2019 heros. If they make the top 10 list they will be donated up to 50 thousand dollar to help their cause. This content is expired! Unfortunely this content is expired and cannot be viewed anymore; if You are the owner of this content please login to our Website, go to our access panel and enable this content again. Pruitt complained of money woes while in office, telling friends and aides that even on his $189,600 salary, he was financially stretched, maintaining the mortgage on his $1.2 million home in Tulsa along with a new condo rental on Capitol Hill. While at EPA, he enlisted the help of his staff in trying to find a work for his wife including having them contact the chief executive of Chick-fil-A about a franchising opportunity. Theres only one and its me, she said. (I didnt tell her about the other listing in Utah.) She was curious as to how Id found her, and I told her what I just told you, before getting to the even more complicated reason I was calling. After I fumbled through all the context, the fake entries started to come back to her. She named two off the top of her head: Lillian Mountweazel and another that, as far as I can tell, has never been revealed before: 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 Democrats want to protect a requirement that insurance companies provide health coverage for people with preexisting conditions, tighten gun laws through background checks and allow police to take guns away from people who are considered a danger to themselves or others. Lawmakers also want an infrastructure package but will grapple with how to pay for it, Hoyer said. In February 2016, she sought a court order to remove him from her townhouse in Rockville, where he had been living with her and at least one of her other children, according to Montgomery District Court records. At the time, Kevin McGuigan was undergoing an emergency mental-health evaluation at a hospital, his mother said in court filings. Three people were charged with murder after a man was fatally shot during a drug transaction Saturday in Prince Georges County, police said Monday. Officers responded about 11:45 a.m. to the 11300 block of Evans Trail in Beltsville for a welfare check, Prince Georges County police said in a statement. They found 38-year-old David Ruen, of Laurel, suffering from a gunshot wound in a car. He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Police on Monday identified three people charged with first-degree murder and robbery in connection with the shooting: 44-year-old Kawanta Adams and 43-year-old Tarik Revel, both of Beltsville, and 43-year-old Clinton Revel, of Winston-Salem, N.C. Adams and Revel are in custody in Prince Georges County, police said, and Revel is in custody in North Carolina pending extradition. Police asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at 301-772-4925. Two people who fled to Delaware were charged with murder after a man was shot to death Friday in Prince Georges County, police said Monday. Officers responded about 11:35 a.m. Friday to the 200 block of 68th Place in Seat Pleasant for the report of a shooting, Prince Georges County police said in a statement. They found 31-year-old Eric Smith Jr., of Seat Pleasant, outside suffering from gunshot wounds. He died soon after, police said. [Man slain Friday in Seat Pleasant, police say] Police on Monday said 36-year-old Larence Godfrey Jr. and 41-year-old Michelle Godfrey, both of Southeast Washington, were charged with first-and second-degree murder in the shooting and were in custody in Delaware awaiting extradition. The shooting was related to an ongoing dispute between the suspects and the victim, according to police, and the suspects fled the state after the shooting. Police asked anyone with information to contact them at 301-772-4925. 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 increasing, 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. Thats an increase from two years ago, when 19 of those cities were led by women. The tweet included a photo that showed a ruby-colored folder emblazoned with the seal of Pyongyangs powerful State Affairs Commission and the top part of Kims 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. We were both deeply involved in our nations fight against al-Qaeda and its early fight against the Islamic State, and we both believe it is imperative that President Trump remember what we consider to be the most important lesson of counterterrorism the ability of a terrorist group to quickly regenerate if the pressure on it is reduced. The pattern is clear: If we do not keep the pressure on the Islamic State and other groups, we believe we will again face a threat to our homeland. Second, Americans must acknowledge that, just as China has no right to interfere in U.S. affairs, we have no inherent right to dictate to China how to govern its people or choose its leaders. Though even countries with the closest of relationships may critique each other at times, such engagements should never become directives or edicts; they should rather serve as a two-way street of open dialogue. Chinas achievements in sustaining economic growth, alleviating abject poverty and providing developmental assistance to other countries need to be celebrated. At the same time, we cannot ignore its deficiencies in Internet censorship, policies toward minorities and religious restrictions which should be recorded and criticized. Kelly served his country honorably for decades. But theres nothing courageous in announcing, on the way out the door, that he didnt agree with many awful things Trump did on his watch. There was, once, a good argument that qualified people, by taking administration jobs, could temper Trumps worst instincts. But it turned out Trump was not to be tempered. Those who disagreed with the madness had an obligation to resign, or at least to speak out not to wash their hands of responsibility after the fact. You dont have to think Trump made the correct decision about Syria, in the correct manner I dont to admit he had every right to make it, or to wonder which is the sorrier symptom of political decay: the fact that a president defied his generals advice, or that so much hinged on the assumption that he wouldnt? We might all take a lesson from the Vatican, where, from at least the 13th century, the conclave of cardinals, whose job it is to elect a new pope, are sealed off from the outside world until their job is successfully completed. In times gone by, if they did not do this within three days, they received only one meal a day. After five days, their meals became bread and water alone. All ecclesiastical revenue was cut off until the job was done. Globalization married to rapid technological change has been very good to the well-educated folks in metro areas and a disaster for many citizens outside of them. This is now a truism, but it took far too long for economic and policy elites to recognize what was happening. It should not have taken the Brexit referendum victory, the election of Donald Trump and the nationalist surges in Hungary, Poland, France, Germany and Scandinavia to bring home the cost of these regional inequalities. What might work better is an immigration system that allows seasonal workers to enter and leave the United States in an orderly fashion, and that treats women and children from Central America seeking asylum with dignity, thus allowing law enforcement to focus on real criminals and traffickers. To get that type of comprehensive immigration reform, Id be willing to include some version of the wall in exchange. But without broader reform, a wall would likely end up as a useless ruin, a monument to vanity and bigotry. And they should spend zero time worrying about whether the party is being pulled too far to the left or the right. One thing Trumps election has shown is that the left-right axis on which we traditionally situate politicians is irrelevant to many voters. Im old enough to remember when the Republican Party supported a muscular foreign policy, believed in fiscal discipline and wanted to rein in entitlements. Post-Trump, Republicans are ready to pull out of Syria, exchange fist bumps for sky-high deficits and paint themselves as staunch defenders of socialized medicine, though they do not call it that. Beyond that, the traditional lanes will be more crowded than ever. Former vice president Joe Biden, should he decide to run, will be cast as a traditional mainstream Democrat but there will be others who fit that identity. There wont be just one progressive candidate, there will be several. Sanders and Warren will be drawing from much the same constituency, and Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio would also compete in the progressive lane, if he runs. And there will be candidates who dont fit neatly into either. Sen. Elizabeth Warren jumped into the 2020 presidential campaign Monday, offering a message of economic populism as she became the best-known Democratic candidate yet to enter what is expected to be a crowded race. Warrens announcement that she was establishing an exploratory committee the legal precursor to a run came as other candidates, including several of her fellow senators, made final preparations for their own announcements, some of which are expected in days. Americas middle class is under attack, the Massachusetts Democrat said in a four-minute, 30-second video emailed to supporters Monday. How did we get here? Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie. And they enlisted politicians to cut them a bigger slice. The video is part biographical, showing her hardscrabble Oklahoma upbringing; part economics lesson, replete with charts illustrating how the middle class is losing economic ground; and part red meat for the Democratic base, with images of President Trump and others disliked by liberals: presidential aides Kellyanne Conway and Stephen Miller and former adviser Stephen K. Bannon. It made no mention of a recent Warren stumble: her October decision to release results of a DNA test that said she probably had a distant Native American ancestor. The move had been meant to stifle Trumps criticism of her but only engendered more mockery from him while also angering Democrats, particularly minorities who objected to her defining ethnicity via a test. While the race for the Democratic nomination is only starting, even Warrens supporters acknowledge that she has lost ground in the last few months, both by her own hand and because the November midterm elections redefined Democratic success with candidates who were in many cases a generation younger. [How Sen. Elizabeth Warren is courting black voters and their leaders as her expected 2020 presidential announcement nears] Still, the 69-year-old former law professor enters the race as a formidable candidate a prodigious small-dollar fundraiser with a knack for creating the kind of viral moments that attract attention in a crowded field. In one such episode, she turned an insult from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) nevertheless, she persisted into a liberal rallying cry. She also spent the past year assisting candidates around the country, building a war room inside her Senate reelection offices to mentor, assist and raise money for candidates running for congressional or local offices, creating alliances in the process. Warrens opening salvo showed she plans to lean into her professorial roots and her persona as a fighter. That is consistent with Warrens pitch as she has risen to national prominence by taking on bankers and large companies. But it also risks emphasizing anger at a time when Democrats are divided over whether they instead should seek out a more optimistic and unifying nominee. Ive spent my career getting to the bottom of why Americas promise works for some families, but others who work just as hard slip through the cracks into disaster, Warren said in the video. What Ive found is terrifying. These arent cracks that families are falling into, theyre traps. She closed the video standing in the kitchen of her Cambridge home: If we organize together, if we fight together, if we persist together we can win. We can and we will. Warren is one of more than a half-dozen senators expected to run for president, including Democrats Cory Booker (N.J.), Kamala D. Harris (Calif.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (Minn) and Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), as well as independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who shares Warrens populist underpinnings. [Should I run for president? And please pour some eggnog.] The timing of Warrens announcement on New Years Eve, for many the close of the holiday break was unusual. But it allowed Warren at least some time to dominate the race, since two lesser-known politicians, Rep. John Delaney of Maryland and former San Antonio mayor Julian Castro, are the only candidates to officially declare their interest so far. On Saturday, in a major hint she was preparing her presidential bid, Warren dropped the Massachusetts reference from her campaign Twitter handle, changing it from @elizabethforma to a more nationalized @ewarren. Warren is expected to base her campaign headquarters in Boston, with an operation likely to be led by her longtime aide Dan Geldon. Warren won her Senate seat in 2012, defeating incumbent Sen. Scott Brown to reclaim the seat long held by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and become the first female senator from Massachusetts. She easily won reelection in November. But recent events have illustrated some of her potential weaknesses. In a liberal state, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) got more votes than she did in November, and a recent survey in Massachusetts had her trailing former vice president Joe Biden and Sanders in a hypothetical 2020 matchup. A recent poll of likely caucusgoers in Iowa had her in fourth place at 8 percent, trailing Biden, Sanders and Rep. Beto ORourke (D-Tex.). Warren missed her moment in 2016, and theres reason to be skeptical of her prospective candidacy in 2020, the Boston Globe wrote in a scathing editorial in December. While Warren is an effective and impactful senator with an important voice nationally, she has become a divisive figure. A unifying voice is what the country needs now after the polarizing politics of Donald Trump. Warren has often described spending her Oklahoma upbringing on the ragged edge of the middle class. She and her three older brothers went through economic hardships, with her fathers heart attack when she was 12 resulting in medical bills that required her mother to work at Sears and Warren to wait tables at age 13. She was married at 19, pregnant at 21 and a Rutgers School of Law graduate by 26. Those roots are likely to form the basis of her attempt to connect with average voters, but they have already complicated her presidential run. It was her upbringing, and family lore, that caused her to say for several years that she was Native American a claim that has come under relentless attack from Republican opponents, prompting the DNA test that triggered a Democratic backlash. [As her DNA test still reverberates, Warrens political operation shows fissures] Warren considered running for president in 2016 but ultimately decided against it. She was also among those considered for Hillary Clintons running mate. Warren has spent most of her adult life in academia, doing groundbreaking research on consumer bankruptcy. As a professor, she provided the intellectual basis for a consumer protection watchdog, which under legislation passed in 2010 became the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. President Barack Obama considered appointing her to run the new bureau but then passed on her. Warren ran for the Senate instead. She has used her perch on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to grill Wall Street executives and try to derail nominees who dont fit her populist philosophies. In 2016, she gained a seat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, an attempt to burnish her foreign policy credentials. Until she was in her 40s, Warren was a registered Republican. I was a Republican because I thought that those were the people who best supported markets. I think that is not true anymore, Warren told the Daily Beast in 2011. I was a Republican at a time when I felt like there was a problem that the markets were under a lot more strain. It worried me whether or not the government played too activist a role. Warren did not say what she thought Democrats stood for at the time, but she now hopes to define the party in 2020. If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero, Trump said, also dismissing some of his critics as some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived. At a time of so much discord in our national politics, people are looking for somebody whos willing to just put them first and be less about party politics and just be about getting stuff done, Murphy said. If you wait until the stars align so that the parties and the people you want are in the seats that you want, you may never have an opportunity to get something done. In a message sent via Twitter to The Washington Post, opposition front-runner Martin Fayulu said: We are seeing clear results in our favor throughout the country. Should the collection of regular results continue, there is very little doubt about the outcome of the election; the people have massively voted for change through me. The Internet was just shut down to stop the spread of the truth, just like in 2011. President Vladimir Putin, in his New Years greeting to President Trump, said he was open to a meeting of the two leaders. Trump canceled a formal meeting with Putin at the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires in December over Russias seizure of Ukrainian naval vessels and crew members. He and Garcia Ovejero were well known to journalists covering the Holy See, and Burke accompanied Francis on major trips outside Rome. Some Vatican watchers say the press office had lost some of its standing. Massimo Faggioli, a Villanova University professor of theology who has written about the press office, said the Vatican was slow this summer in releasing information about the investigation into resigned Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and about the bombshell allegations by a former Vatican ambassador who said Francis and others knew about and ignored McCarricks alleged abuse of seminarians. The Washington Post reached out to 13 former prisoners and victims of the Houthis. Only four agreed to speak on the record, because they and their families had fled the north, where the Houthis are strongest. Those still in Sanaa suspect they are being followed by Houthi intelligence agents. Some victims were afraid to speak even by phone, fearing they were tapped by the rebels. The Trump administration seems to be warming to the idea of having a friend down south that shares its ideology. National security adviser John Bolton has said he wants to forge a military alliance with Brazil and Colombia to contain Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela or, as he calls them, the Troika of Tyranny. Bolton made a stop in Brazil to meet Bolsonaro and discuss trade and security ahead of a meeting of the worlds largest economies at the Group of 20 summit in Buenos Aires in November. The one-hour meeting ended with Bolton extending an invitation from Trump to Bolsonaro for a visit to the United States. We look forward to a dynamic partnership w/ Brazil, Bolton tweeted afterward. The Trump administration has sought to strengthen its alliance with Bahrain and its gulf neighbors as part of the U.S. strategy to counter Iran, while avoiding arguments with them over human rights. Last year, President Trump assured the king of Bahrain that ties between the two countries would be free of strain that had occurred in the past between the two governments, in an apparent reference to the Obama administrations criticisms of rights abuses in Bahrain. 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. 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. Washington: Amid questions about the pace of his exit from Syria, President Donald Trump complained on Monday that he's getting "bad press" for his decision to pull American troops out of the country. Trump abruptly announced in mid-December that he was withdrawing 2000 US troops from Syria. The decision was roundly criticised by his national security advisers and Democratic and Republican lawmakers, several of whom asked him to reconsider. It prompted Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to step down, and the US envoy to the coalition fighting Islamic State militants resigned in protest. Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army soldiers wait stationed near the northern Syrian city of Manbij. It is a potential flashpoint in the war, because it is currently controlled by US-backed Kurds, whom Turkey views as the enemy. Credit:AP On Monday, local time, Trump fought back against the criticism, insisting he was simply making good on his campaign promise against US involvement in "never ending wars". "I am the only person in America who could say that, 'I'm bringing our great troops back home, with victory,' and get BAD press," Trump tweeted Monday. "It is Fake News and Pundits who have FAILED for years that are doing the complaining. If I stayed in Endless Wars forever, they would still be unhappy!" WASHINGTON - House Democrats unveiled a package of bills Monday that would re-open the federal government without approving funding for President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico, establishing an early confrontation that will test the new power dynamic in Washington. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. 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) WASHINGTON - House Democrats unveiled a package of bills Monday that would re-open the federal government without approving funding for President Donald Trump's border wall with Mexico, establishing an early confrontation that will test the new power dynamic in Washington. The House is preparing to vote as soon as the new Congress convenes Thursday, as one of the first acts after Democrats take control, according to an aide who was not authorized to discuss the plan and spoke on condition of anonymity. Democrats under Nancy Pelosi are all but certain to swiftly approve the two bills, making good on their pledge to try to quickly resolve the partial government shutdown that's now in its second week. What's unclear is whether the Republican-led Senate, under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will consider either measure or if Trump would sign them into law. "It would be the height of irresponsibility and political cynicism for Senate Republicans to now reject the same legislation they have already supported," Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement late Monday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The package does not include the $5 billion Trump wants for the wall on the southern border. The president told Fox News Channel in an interview Monday that he was "ready, willing and able" to negotiate. He added: "No, we are not giving up. We have to have border security and the wall is a big part of border security." McConnell spokesman Donald Stewart made it clear Senate Republicans will not take action without Trump's backing. "It's simple: The Senate is not going to send something to the president that he won't sign," he said. 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) Republican senators are refusing to vote on any bills until all sides, including Trump, are in agreement. Senators were frustrated that Trump had dismissed their earlier legislation to avert the shutdown. House Democrats did not confer with Senate Republicans on the package, but the bills are expected to have some bipartisan support because they reflect earlier spending measures already hashed out between the parties and chambers. One bill will temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security at current levels, with $1.3 billion for border security, through Feb. 8, while talks continue. The other will be on a measure made up of six other bipartisan bills some that have already passed the Senate to fund the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and others closed by the partial shutdown. They would provide money through the remainder of the fiscal year, to Sept. 30. The House is planning two separate votes for Thursday. If approved, the bills would go to the Senate. Senate Democrats support the measures, according to a senior aide who was unauthorized to discuss the plan and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, tweeted that without funding for Trump's wall, the package is a "nonstarter." He said it "will not be a legitimate answer to this impasse." But as the shutdown drags on, pressure is expected to build on all sides for a resolution, as public parks and museums close, and some 800,000 federal workers are going without pay. Trump could accept or reject either bill, and it's unclear how he would respond. The president continued to insist Monday he wants to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, despite assertions otherwise of three confidants. "An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED," Trump tweeted Monday. "Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides)." Later Monday, Trump tweeted, "The Democrats will probably submit a Bill, being cute as always, which gives everything away but gives NOTHING to Border Security, namely the Wall." Trump's comments came after officials, including his departing chief of staff, indicated that the president's signature campaign pledge to build the wall 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. 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. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., 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. illegally as children broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Graham told CNN before his lunch with Trump that "there will never be a deal without wall funding." 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 any funding for the wall, 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. ___ Associated Press writer Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report. (Special) - Christmas is a time of giving when people open their pocket books to buy gifts and open their homes to entertain friends and families over the holidays. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. (Special) - Christmas is a time of giving when people open their pocket books to buy gifts and open their homes to entertain friends and families over the holidays. Canadians generally have been known to be generous givers to charitable organizations and foundations, but over the last few years giving to charities has been on a decline as the country's demographic landscape shifts. A new report by CanadaHelps has found that charitable giving is down across all demographic groups in the country. One-quarter (24.6 per cent) of all Canadians donated to charity in 2006. By 2015 charitable giving had declined to just 20.4 per cent. Over the same time the average annual donation per Canadian decreased to $346 from $368. "This issue is very complex and there are a whole bunch of reasons why charitable giving in this country is declining while the population is growing," Marina Glogovac, President and CEO of CanadaHelps, said in an interview. "It's like a perfect storm of many things which all have come together." One major contributing factor is Canada's shifting demographic. Older Canadians over the age of 55 give the most to charities. Collectively this age group gave $6.4 billion to charities in 2015, almost double the $3.5 billion given by Canadians aged 25 to 54. Not only do older Canadians give more, they are the only demographic group who have increased their amount of donation dollars an average of 3.4 per cent per year over the past decade, in sharp contrast to the age 25 to 54 group who have decreased their donations by 2.8 per cent a year. The gifts made by those currently aged 55+ will soon need to be replaced. Between 2006 and 2015 donation rates by Canadians aged 45 to 54 declined by 6.4 per cent. "It's safe to say as these Canadians moved into the age 55+ bracket this gap will grow significantly," the report notes. "This demographic shift creates a widening 'giving gap.' It is clear that this is not a sustainable funding model for Canada's charitable sector." Another major issue is competition for donor dollars. There currently are more than 86,000 registered charities in Canada and increasingly donations are being funnelled away through the rise in crowdfunding. Crowfunding can be defined as the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. In 2015, it's estimated more than $34 billion was raised worldwide by crowdfunding. There are other reasons as well. 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. Many corporations are "going their own way" and setting up their own foundations, people are not increasing their charitable giving in relation to increases in their salaries, and the charity sector of the economy has a perception problem among the public about financial accountability and the impact they make on society, Glogovac says. Traditionally the top three income groups in Canada ($150,000 - $199,000, $200,000 - $249,000, $250,000+) have given the highest average donation amounts per family but over the last 11 years their average annual donations have decreased (4.2 per cent, 4.9 per cent and 4.9 per cent). The problem is exacerbated by the fact that as income increases families give as much in actual dollars rather than a percentage of their entire income bracket. Glogovac says the charitable sector, which now accounts for 10 per cent of the full-time Canadian work force, does not do a good enough job explaining the impact it has on society and people and the financial accountability of charities. "People always are focused on how charities spend their money it is the most scrutinized aspect of what they do," Glogovac says. "There is no sector that so significantly impacts the lives of so many Canadians every day. The vitality of this sector is key to a vibrant and sustainable future for generations of Canadians and we hope this report will inform Canadians about charities and the consequences of what they do." Talbot Boggs is a Toronto-based business communications professional who has worked with national news organizations, magazines and corporations in the finance, retail, manufacturing and other industrial sectors. Copyright 2018 Talbot Boggs OTTAWA - The federal infrastructure minister says he is looking to connect private backers with some of the country's rural and northern communities to pay for badly needed broadband internet connections. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Minister of International Trade Francois-Philippe Champagne rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, March 1, 2018. The federal infrastructure minister says he is looking to connect private backers with some of the country's rural and northern communities to pay for badly-needed broadband internet connections. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA - The federal infrastructure minister says he is looking to connect private backers with some of the country's rural and northern communities to pay for badly needed broadband internet connections. Provincial governments have leaned heavily on the Liberals to use whatever influence they have with the Canada Infrastructure Bank to get it to fund broadband internet projects, particularly in rural and remote locations. The Liberals created the bank in 2017 to take $35 billion in federal financing, and use it to leverage three-to-four times that from the private sector to help pay for major highways, bridges, and water and electrical systems to ease the financial burden on public coffers. Provinces argue broadband yields a long-term revenue stream that would be enticing to any private investor willing to pay the connection costs. Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says a single broadband line into one rural community is unlikely to grab the attention of large institutional investors, such as pension funds. He is therefore looking at how different revenue models could entice private backers or help bundle several smaller projects into one large proposal. "I often say it's about us in 2018 thinking like our founders were thinking about a railway connecting Canada," Champagne said during a recent wide-ranging interview with The Canadian Press. "So we're looking at different business models, which would be possible because now we have a new tool, which I think is allowing us to accelerate the process." The Liberals have pledged $500 million to build broadband connections, but provinces told the government in late 2017 that "doesn't scratch the surface" of what is needed nationwide, according to internal federal documents. As a result, provinces turned their attention to the infrastructure bank. It operates at arm's-length from the federal government, although Ottawa has to sign off on any loan the bank intends to make. Notes from a September 2017 meeting of federal and provincial infrastructure officials show provinces argued the mandate of the agency included funding broadband internet systems. Provincial and territorial ministers said helping bankroll broadband "doesn't have to take a long time. Push the button and make it happen." Amarjeet Sohi, infrastructure minister at the time, said the only thing the federal government could do was ensure any project funded through the agency was in the public interest. After that, "it is hands off and no political involvement," the notes say. The Canadian Press obtained copies of the notes under the federal Access to Information law. Champagne said he has told provinces, territories and municipalities to make sure their broadband projects are "bankable," meaning they must be able to generate revenue. Broadband internet, an issue in Champagne's own, largely rural, Quebec riding, can be transformative for businesses, giving them reliable access to the outside world, the minister said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Now, in its execution you have to see, because some of these networks are usually very local and part of the challenge to 'crowd in' investment is to find a revenue model that would be self-sustaining for that particular project." The bank hasn't published a list of projects it is working on and it's not clear when such a list will become public. Federal officials noted a number of project proposals that could be eligible for financing through the nascent agency, which they then "set aside for the bank to take the lead on," the internal documents say. Only one project has been approved for financing through the bank: a $1.28-billion loan to help build a $6.3-billion electric rail system in Montreal known by its French acronym REM largely managed and funded by Quebec's pension regime. The bank's most recent quarterly financial report says it is securing $1.28 billion of debt for the project between now and 2021 debt that must be repaid within 15 years. Follow @jpress on Twitter Mayor Brian Bowman continues to pin his plans for a growing city on the notion that the Pallister government would provide city hall with a new funding arrangement. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Mayor Brian Bowman continues to pin his plans for a growing city on the notion that the Pallister government would provide city hall with a new funding arrangement. When it comes to designing and building Transit, recreation and leisure centres, and even bridges, Bowman admits city hall has just about maxed out its borrowing capabilities, and his imposed cap on property tax increases has handcuffed councils ability to repair the crumbling infrastructure. In the annual year-end interview with the Free Press, Bowman offered no indications he has a plan to repair a crumbling city other than to keep "fixing the streets." Asked to look back at his first four years and how they would shape the next four, Bowman said city hall has only limited financial resources to deal with competing priorities. "There is no limit to the amount of spending we could, and we would like, to do, but we have limits on taxpayers ability to pay and our requirement under provincial legislation to balance the budget," Bowman said. "The reality is were not able to move forward with all those (infrastructure) projects in the near term. And moving forward on any of them is going to be very difficult as well." The question-and-answer format has been edited for length. Winnipeg Free Press: Looking back at your first four years, is there anything that you would have done differently? Brian Bowman: I did the best I could coming in as a new mayor and someone new to politics. I worked as hard as I could and did the best that I could with what I knew then. I feel like Ive learned a lot over the last four years about how to be more effective and hopefully, Ill be more effective in the next four years. I think we got some good work done. WFP: How have the past four years shaped how you will approach the next four? BB: First, some things move very slowly in government and I of course, coming from the private sector, would like everything done yesterday. Theres definitely an urgency for me to be more effective on files that are important to me, starting with Transit. I do think we were able to get city hall and get a number of files on the right track in the last four years. I want to build upon those successes and those positive changes we made. WFP: The Transit union leadership recently said the frustration level among Transit operators has reached the point where they said their members will support a strike when the collective agreement expires, but youve dismissed that as public bargaining by the union. It seems that the city has dragged its feet when it comes to bus shields. When an Edmonton bus driver was attacked in the fall, Edmonton Transit immediately took the decision to install shields on all its buses. Council has provided funding for the eastern Transit corridor study, and for the operational review but when it comes to safety, it seems youve handcuffed Transit. Are you committed to installing driver shields in 2019 and what other steps will be taken to improve Transit? BB: I dont agree the city has not acted on the safety concern of operators and passengers. I think there is more to do and Im committed to doing just that. On the issue of shields, ultimately that will be a decision of council. Also, were waiting for a report to come back from the public service. I am expecting support for shields and Id like to see shields but well wait to get the report. But its one I think has a lot of merit and Id like to see that and a lot of other improvements to safety. WFP: What can riders and residents expect to see for Transit, in addition to shields, what other things can people expect to see? BB: I do think 2019 is going to be a year in which Transit and needed changes to Transit are going to be discussed in a more fulsome way that hasnt been debated in a generation. The service that we all use right now is one that our grandparents used. The routes really havent changed. I think the Transit management has done the best they could with the resources theyve been given, but its time for council to provide greater leadership on improvements to the Transit system. The direction that was provided to the public service is essentially this: Imagine that you are starting from scratch, you have a city with over 750,000 people, if you were to design the system from scratch with the resources we have now, where would the routes be, what would it look like to be more effective, to be safer and more reliable for Transit riders? Thats the starting place for this review. WFP: You talk about Transit doing the best it could with the resources that is has. Functional Transit Winnipeg has said several times that cities like Edmonton and Ottawa have more buses per capita and the financial support for Transit from their councils is greater. Can city hall provide the additional financial help? BB: Theres no doubt in my mind we are going to have to make additional investments in Transit. The challenge we have is we have a different funding model now with the provincial government. We dont have the benefit of the 50-50 cost-sharing arrangement and that is only going to make the challenge we have before us even greater. WFP: The province is considering privatizing its air ambulance service, Lifeflight, and the water bombers used to fight forest fires is that something you would consider for Transit for additional Transit corridors, turn to a private-sector partner to run the Transit corridor system? BB: That isnt something Im considering right now. But, honestly right now, we have to be open to different ideas. WFP: Most observers would agree that the city has successfully developed and is implementing a local and regional street renewal program. Will you take the same approach in dealing with recreational and leisure facilities or other projects? BB: Great question. So, the headline would be Weve fixed all the roads then? WFP: Roads always need repair. BB: Youre right, in terms of community centres and recreational facilities, we have a significant infrastructure deficit weve inherited and additional investments are required. WFP: The city is growing: Youve got the southwest corner: Waverley West, Bridgwater. Theres development taking place in the northwest corner as well. People are buying houses, moving into apartments. Theyre going to want services, not just roads; theyre going to want things for their kids. How does the city meet that obligation? 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. BB: Youre right. Part of the way in which we meet it for new areas of the city is through the use of the impact fees. Thats a way in which we can ensure the existing revenues which we have, which are being collected from all existing taxpayers, can be better directed at our existing infrastructure and our existing community centres, while generating revenues from impact fees that can help benefit the newer communities and to support that growth WFP: In terms of other infrastructure projects that are pending, the two that stood out to me are Kenaston Boulevard widening and the Arlington Bridge. The study on the Kenaston widening is almost complete, the study on the Arlington Bridge has been completed. You could defer Kenaston widening but the Arlington Bridge is going to fall down. Its at the point where its being closed on a monthly basis for repairs. Is there a plan for the coming year, have you considered what to do with the Arlington Bridge? BB: The short answer is council hasnt prioritized the next major infrastructure project. There are a number of competing priorities. The ability of council to move forward with any of them is increasingly difficult with the revenue challenges we have as a city. Thats why a new funding model for municipalities has never been more important. Thats increasingly going to be part of the private and public dialogue that were having with the province: If were going to be building the economic engine of this province, which is the City of Winnipeg, we need to have the revenue models that support a growing city, and we simply dont have that right now. WFP: Residents look to the mayor for leadership. I know you say council has to make the decision, but If the bridge falls down on your watch, thats going to be something youll be stuck with forever. Do you have a plan? What do you think is the most important infrastructure project to deal with, if not a new Arlington Bridge? BB: The one thing I will say is, one of my responsibilities as mayor is ensuring that were balancing our books and managing tax dollars as wisely as possible. There is no limit to the amount of spending we could and we would like to do, but we have limits on taxpayers ability to pay. The reality is were not able to move forward with all those projects in the near term. And moving forward on any of them is going to be very difficult. aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca With temperatures plummeting, Maple Bus Lines decided to cancel service Sunday from Thompson to Winnipeg until the new year. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. With temperatures plummeting, Maple Bus Lines decided to cancel service Sunday from Thompson to Winnipeg until the new year. "It was -53 in Thompson," bus company owner Lori Mann said Monday. It posted a notice on its Facebook page Sunday advising customers that it was cancelling service that day because of the cold. "Due to extreme weather conditions, Maple Bus Lines has made the difficult but responsible decision not to travel tonight (Dec. 30)," the company said on Facebook. 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. Environment Canada reported temperatures of nearly -30 C with strong winds making it feel like -45 C in much of Manitoba over night. The extreme cold was expected to last throughout Monday and into the day Tuesday. The bus service had cancelled bus service on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve because of the holidays, said Mann. Service resumes Tuesday, with the Winnipeg to Thompson bus leaving at 9 p.m. and the Thompson to Winnipeg bus leaving at 10 p.m. Those who purchased a ticket for a cancelled bus trip can get a full refund at the Thompson or Winnipeg depots. Its Winnipeg depot at 936 Sherbrook St. will be open from 6 to 9 p.m. and Thompson depot will be open from 7 to 10 p.m. Environment Canada says temperatures are expect to warm up by Wednesday with a high of -7 in Winnipeg. Claire Davis, Rylea McEvoy and Kendra Hurley spent more than half of this year in a canoe. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Claire Davis, Rylea McEvoy and Kendra Hurley spent more than half of this year in a canoe. The trio of 26-year-olds, who dubbed themselves the Byway Babes, canoed across Canada in support of cystic fibrosis patients. Their journey began April 7 in Vancouver and ended Oct. 17 after 5,329 kilometres in Saint John, N.B. For McEvoy, the trip was the fulfilment of a dream shes had for many years. "(I thought) it would just be a great feat, you know?" she says. "If you could canoe across Canada, you could pretty much do anything." Davis has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that affects the digestive system and lungs. So, raising money to fight the disease made sense. The trio spent more than a year and a half preparing for the trip. They were inexperienced canoeists when they hatched their plan, but the preparation paid off. "It was a lot easier than we thought it would be, in every aspect," McEvoy says. "We had prepared so much and prepared for the worst, it was kind of surprising how strong we were, fending for ourselves It was pretty awesome." MICHAEL LEE / BRANDON SUN FILES Kendra Hurley, left, Rylea McEvoy and Claire Davis stopped at the Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre on Saturday, June 9, 2018, two-months into their cross-country canoe trip to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. The trip wasnt without challenges. Davis had to leave the group for three weeks to seek treatment for her disease. The trio capsized twice, but they kept going. Seeing so much of Canadas natural landscape and meeting people were the highlights, Davis says. She recalls the time a woman in Powerview-Pine Falls messaged them after hearing about their trip on the radio and offered to help them cross one of the dams on the Winnipeg River. The woman even let the trio stay at her house for the night. "Its kind of amazing that someone heard our story on the radio and was like, Yes, I would like to help out these women," Davis says. "That was pretty fantastic." 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. For their efforts, local radio personality Ace Burpee named the Byway Babes three of the 100 most fascinating Manitobans of 2018 in a Free Press feature published Dec. 15. "That was probably one of the coolest moments of my life," Hurley says. "It just kind of came out of the blue, so it was really exciting." "With having CF, I know I dont have forever, so whenever an opportunity comes up, I jump on it," Davis says. "Stepping out of my comfort zone is a lot easier (now) and everything feels more attainable," McEvoy adds. "Also, I think its safe to say my faith in humanity has been completely restored. If it wasnt for all the kind strangers we met along the way, I dont think we would have finished." So far, the Byway Babes have raised about $15,000 for Cystic Fibrosis Canada, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for the disease. They hope to raise another $10,000 (go to bywaybabes.com to make a donation) and plan to auction off the equipment they used in their trip. If you know a special volunteer, email aaron.epp@gmail.com. The reworked Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement between Canada and 10 other nations kicked in on Dec. 20. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion The reworked Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement between Canada and 10 other nations kicked in on Dec. 20. The federal government heartily endorses the deal it rescued after the U.S. administration abandoned it. But it concedes the deal itself may only increase Canadian gross domestic product by an estimated $4.2 billion, or about two per cent of 2017 GDP. So it makes sense to understand this agreements broader impact. There are a few things that most economists agree on, one being the benefits of free trade. Most of these benefits accrue to importing entities ultimately, consumers. This is also the case for goods from the other nations in this particular partnership that Canada trades with (at a deficit, usually), especially the biggest economy, Japan. Other middling economies in the agreement include Mexico, Chile, Australia, Peru, Vietnam and Malaysia. While Canadian trade with these nations may grow faster under the partnership, its likely that the investment and commerce protections, legal codification of rules of origin and rights of importers, exporters and investors will have the ct. Canadian firms are active in mining and other investment and trade in all these nations. New products, services and categories are also recognized and grappled with in the language and clauses of the agreement. This will make it harder to discriminate against importers and exporters. Legitimate import and export restrictions are spelled out. There are also long lists of export taxes from some nations, notably Malaysia and Vietnam. There are far fewer import restriction categories, but some of those are quite large. There is no discussion of loosened residency or immigration laws. Canada is heavily trade-dependent (2017 exports were 30.5 per cent of GDP), particularly with the U.S. (75 per cent of total exports), making our much smaller economy more vulnerable to the gyrations of the larger one and the whims or ire of Washington and its lobbyists. So although it makes a lot of sense to try to diversify Canadian trade and investment opportunities, it takes a huge increase in trade with other nations to offset tiny U.S. trade fluctuations. Less than five per cent of our trade is with the other partnership members, including Mexico. 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. On the plus side, the new deal crucially gives Canada and the other members a bargaining chip in dealing with other large players, such as China and the U.S. Theres some strength in numbers, and in precedent and incumbency. Both China and the U.S. will likely have to accept many of the protocols and provisions in the Trans-Pacific treaty. And if other large nations, such as Indonesia or India, sign on, it will give even more weight to the whole agreement. Hence, the partnership has an important pioneering and invigorating spirit to it. Canadas government again put too much emphasis and bargaining capital on our cosseted cultural industries, the dairy lobby and the usual progressive suspects: environmental, labour, Indigenous and human rights, gender equality and other things that are difficult to define, let alone monitor or determine positive goals or outcomes. On the whole, however, the treaty could bring more shared economic benefits than are projected. And, with Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and Europe, it represents a needed counter-assault against the tides of protectionism that endanger prosperity planet-wide. Ian Madsen is a senior policy analyst at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. Troy Media Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Dec. 29, 2018, gives a speech in the state of Nuevo Leon, during which he announces that he has just decreed the creation of a free zone along the United States border as part of a project to win investment, create jobs and reduce migration. EFE-EPA/Presidency I have been doing stand-up comedy for 20 years and the only time Ive experienced leaders feeling threatened by jokes was in 2007, when I first toured the Middle East as part of the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. The promoters in some of the more autocratic countries we toured told us that we were allowed to make fun of anything we wanted except sex, religion and their leaders. It didnt leave us much to talk about (Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and good night!). Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 31/12/2018 (1068 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion I have been doing stand-up comedy for 20 years and the only time Ive experienced leaders feeling threatened by jokes was in 2007, when I first toured the Middle East as part of the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. The promoters in some of the more autocratic countries we toured told us that we were allowed to make fun of anything we wanted except sex, religion and their leaders. It didnt leave us much to talk about ("Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and good night!"). In Egypt, one of the promoters told us that Hosni Mubaraks people had reached out to make sure none of us had any jokes about the president. We didnt, but a few years later he was overthrown in a revolution anyway. Maybe a few jokes would have been better for him. 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. Fast-forward to 2018. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that Saturday Night Live and NBC are colluding with Democrats to defame and belittle him, and that their actions "should be tested in courts." The suggestion was that joking about him might be illegal. When I read this, I was shocked. Just kidding. I wasnt shocked. I havent been shocked since Trump said he grabbed women in the privates and people voted for him anyway. Saturday Night Live has been making fun of Republican and Democratic presidents since it started in 1975. From Chevy Chases Gerald Ford to Darryl Hammonds Bill Clinton to Dana Carveys George H.W. Bush to Will Ferrells George W. Bush to somebodys Barack Obama (does anyone remember who did Obama? He was a pretty bad president for comedy). The obvious point being so obvious, even Trump has to know this Saturday Night Live makes fun of everyone. Thats SNL doing its job. Throughout our history, comedians have lampooned our politics and political leaders, along with everything else that happens here. Whether or not you like a joke, whether or not you think its funny, would you really want it any other way? And whether Trump knows it or not, our jokes are good for him. He gets to serve in a free society where even the top leader can be made fun of, relentlessly, helping us all to burn off steam and get through his crazy reign without serious disruption and unrest. Comedy is a friend to normalcy. Jokes are good for democracy! Trump might be afraid of comedians and comedy shows because he thinks they threaten his job security. I suppose he might be right, but thats not comedys fault hes the one supplying us with so much great material. But as Americans, we should all defend the right of Saturday Night Live and comedians to say whatever they want. Otherwise we risk becoming those autocratic countries we have historically fought to democratize and pretty soon, for all of us it will be, "Hello and good night!" Maz Jobrani is an Iranian-American comedian and actor whose standup comedy special "Immigrant" is available on Netflix. Washington Post Former Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman, who served in that post from 2010-2015 during the government of Cristina Fernandez, died Sunday from cancer of the liver, from which he had suffered for several years, his brother Javier confirmed in a post on one of the social networks. He was 65. My darling brother. Thanks for everything you did for me. I admire you greatly. Im going to miss you more than you can imagine, wrote Javier Timerman on Twitter on Sunday morning. Besides serving as Foreign Relations and Culture minister for five years, Timerman was also Argentinas ambassador to the US from 2008-2010, but for a large part of his professional career he worked as a journalist, a profession his father, Jacobo Timerman, the founder of Argentine daily La Opinion, also pursued. Timerman testified by videoconference last July as part of the investigation of the alleged cover-up of the 1994 AMIA Argentine Jewish mutual association bombing in Buenos Aires that killed 85 and the perpetrators of which remain at large. In his testimony, the former foreign minister said he was innocent, adding that the trial was proceeding quite slowly, something he attributed to the interests of countries such as the US and Israel. Because of his delicate health, Timerman had been serving since December 2017 a term of precautionary house arrest while he was being tried for his potential responsibility in the attack, but later he was allowed for humanitarian reasons to travel to the US to receive medical treatment for his cancer. A few days before prosecutor Alberto Nisman was found dead in Jaunary 2015 under circumstances that are still being investigated, Nisman had denounced then-President Fernandez and officials, including Timerman, for holding illegal negotiations with Iran to foster trade with that country. In exchange, the South American country allegedly rescinded the capture red alerts on Iranians indicted in Argentina for the AMIA attack, including former Iranian government ministers. The following companies are subsidiares of Roche: 454 Life Sciences, Adheron Therapeutics, Adheron Therapeutics Inc., Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Anadys Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ariosa Diagnostics, Ariosa Diagnostics Inc., Arius Research, Ascur Versicherungsvermittlungs GmbH, BINA Technology, Bina Technologies Inc., BioImagene, BioVeris, BioVeris Corporation, Biopharm AG, Boehringer Mannheim, Borean Pharma, Chemical Manufacturing and Trading Company Limited, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Disetronic Holding AG, Dutalys GmbH, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd / Jordan P.S.C., FLLC "Roche Products Limited", FMI Germany GmbH, Flatiron Health, Flatiron Health Inc., ForSight Labs, ForSight VISION4 Inc., Foundation Medicine, Foundation Medicine Inc., Foundation Medicine Securities Corporation, Galenus Mannheim Pharma GmbH, GeneWEAVE, GeneWEAVE Biosciences Inc., Genentech, Genentech Inc., Genentech P.R. Inc., Genentech USA Inc., Genia Technologies, Hoffmann - La Roche Ltd, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Hoffmann-La Roche Limited, Hoffmann-La Roche Products Limited, I5 Surviving Corp., IGEN International Inc., IGEN LS LLC, IQuum, IQuum Inc., Ignyta, Ignyta Inc., Inflazome, Infogenetik Molekuler Bilgi Hizmetleri Anonim Sirketi, Institut Roche SAS, InterMune, InterMune Holdings Limited, InterMune Inc., InterMune International AG, Jecure Therapeutics Inc., Kapa Biosystems, Kapa Biosystems (Pty) Ltd, Kapa Biosystems Inc., Limited Liability Company Roche Diabetes Care Rus, Limited Liability Company Roche Diagnostics Rus, MTM Laboratories, Marcadia Biotech, Medingo Ltd., Medingo Medical Solutions, Memory Pharmaceuticals, Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp., Mirus, Museum Tinguely AG, N.V. Roche S.A., P.T. 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Ltd., Roche - Moscow Ltd., Roche AB, Roche Algerie SPA, Roche Austria GmbH, Roche Bangladesh Limited, Roche Beteiligungs GmbH, Roche Biomedical Laboratories Inc., Roche Bolivia SRL., Roche Bulgaria EOOD, Roche Cameroun SARL, Roche Capital Market Ltd, Roche Capital Services Ltd., Roche Catalyst Investments Ltd., Roche Chemische Unternehmungen AG, Roche Chile Limitada, Roche Cote dIvoire SARL, Roche DC Japan K. K., Roche DC Mexico S.A. de C.V., Roche Deutschland Holding GmbH, Roche Diabetes Care (Switzerland) Ltd, Roche Diabetes Care Argentina S.A., Roche Diabetes Care Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Roche Diabetes Care Australia Pty Limited, Roche Diabetes Care Austria GmbH, Roche Diabetes Care Brasil Ltda., Roche Diabetes Care Deutschland GmbH, Roche Diabetes Care France SAS, Roche Diabetes Care GmbH, Roche Diabetes Care Inc., Roche Diabetes Care India Private Limited, Roche Diabetes Care Italy S.p.A., Roche Diabetes Care Limited, Roche Diabetes Care Middle East FZCO, Roche Diabetes Care Nederland B.V., Roche Diabetes Care Polska sp. z o.o., Roche Diabetes Care South Africa Proprietary Limited, Roche Diabetes Care Spain S.L., Roche Diagnostica Brasil Ltda., Roche Diagnostics (Hellas) S.A., Roche Diagnostics (Hong Kong) Limited, Roche Diagnostics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Roche Diagnostics (Shanghai) Ltd., Roche Diagnostics (Suzhou) Limited, Roche Diagnostics (Switzerland) Ltd, Roche Diagnostics (Thailand) Limited, Roche Diagnostics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Roche Diagnostics Australia Pty. Limited, Roche Diagnostics Belgium NV, Roche Diagnostics Corporation, Roche Diagnostics Deutschland GmbH, Roche Diagnostics France SAS, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Roche Diagnostics Hematology Inc., Roche Diagnostics India Private Limited, Roche Diagnostics International Ltd, Roche Diagnostics K.K., Roche Diagnostics Korea Co. Ltd., Roche Diagnostics Limited, Roche Diagnostics Ltd., Roche Diagnostics Middle East FZCO, Roche Diagnostics NZ Limited, Roche Diagnostics Nederland B.V., Roche Diagnostics Norge A/S, Roche Diagnostics Operations Inc., Roche Diagnostics Oy, Roche Diagnostics Polska Sp. z o.o., Roche Diagnostics Proprietary Limited, Roche Diagnostics S.L., Roche Diagnostics S.p.A., Roche Diagnostics Scandinavia AB, Roche Diagnostics Turkey Anonim Sirketi, Roche Diagnostics a/s, Roche Ecuador S.A., Roche Eesti OU, Roche Egypt LLC, Roche Egypt for Manufacturing and Trading SAE, Roche Farma (Peru) S.A., Roche Farma S.A., Roche Farmaceutica Quimica Lda., Roche Finance Europe B.V., Roche Finance Ltd, Roche Financial Investments Ltd., Roche Financial Management Ltd., Roche Financial Services Ltd., Roche Forum Buonas Ltd, Roche Georgia LLC, Roche Glycart, Roche Glycart Ltd, Roche Health Solutions Inc., Roche Holding (UK) Limited, Roche Holdings Inc., Roche Hong Kong Limited, Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen A/S, Roche Innovatis, Roche International Ltd., Roche International Ltd. (Montevideo Branch), Roche Intertrade Limited, Roche Ireland Limited, Roche Kazakhstan LLP, Roche Kenya Limited, Roche Korea Company Ltd., Roche Laboratories Inc., Roche Latvija SIA, Roche Lebanon S.A.R.L., Roche Long Term Foundation, Roche Makedonija DOOEL, Roche Molecular Systems Inc., Roche Myanmar Company Limited, Roche Mustahzarlari Sanayi Anonim Sirketi, Roche Nederland B.V., Roche NimbleGen, Roche Norge A/S, Roche Operations Ltd., Roche Oy, Roche PVT GmbH, Roche Pakistan Limited, Roche Palo Alto LLC, Roche Pars Co. (Ltd.), Roche Pharma (Switzerland) Ltd, Roche Pharma AG, Roche Pharmaceuticals (Israel) Ltd., Roche Pharmaceuticals Middle East FZCO, Roche Pharmholding B.V., Roche Polska Sp. z o.o., Roche Privacy GmbH, Roche Products (India) Private Limited, Roche Products (Ireland) Limited, Roche Products (Mauritius) Ltd, Roche Products (New Zealand) Limited, Roche Products (Proprietary) Limited, Roche Products Ghana Limited, Roche Products Inc., Roche Products Limited, Roche Products Ltd., Roche Products Pty. Limited, Roche Products Saudi Arabia LLC, Roche R&D Center (China) Ltd., Roche Real Estate Services Mannheim GmbH, Roche Registration GmbH, Roche Registration Limited, Roche Romania S.R.L., Roche S.A., Roche S.p.A., Roche SAS, Roche Sequencing Solutions Inc., Roche Services (Asia Pacific) Sdn. Bhd., Roche Services (Europe) Ltd, Roche Services Americas Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Roche Services Holdings Ltd., Roche Servicios S.A., Roche Servicios de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Roche Singapore Pte. Ltd., Roche Singapore Technical Operations Pte. Ltd., Roche Sistemas de Diagnosticos Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Roche Slovensko S.R.O., Roche TCRC Inc., Roche Thailand Limited, Roche Tunisie SA, Roche Ukraine LLC, Roche Vietnam Company Limited, Roche a/s Medicinalvarer og Kemikalier, Roche d.o.o., Roche d.o.o. farmaceutsko drustvo Roche Ltd. Pharmaceutical Company, Roche farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Roche mtm laboratories AG, Roche s.r.o., Santaris Pharma, Sapac Corporation Ltd., Seragon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Limited, Signature Diagnostics GmbH, Spark Therapeutics, Spring Bioscience Corp., Stratos Genomics, Syntex Corporation, Syntex Pharm AG, Syntex Pharmaceuticals International Limited, Syntex Puerto Rico Inc., Tanox Inc., Tavero AG, Tensha Therapeutics, Tensha Therapeutics Inc., Therapeutic Human Polyclonals, Therapeutic Human Polyclonals Inc., Trophos, Trophos SA, Tusk Therapeutics, Tusk Therapeutics Limited, UAB Roche Lietuva, Ventana Medical Systems, Ventana Medical Systems Inc., Verum Diagnostica GmbH, Viewics, Viewics Inc., Viewics India Private Limited, mySugr, mySugr GmbH, and mySugr Inc.. The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, 2nd Road Pty Ltd., ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Ltd, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Innovation Singapore Holdings Pte, ?What If! Limited, ?What If! Shanghai Co. Ltd, ?What If! USA LLC, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD Dialeto Agencia de Publicidade SA, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Beijing) Mobile Technology Co Ltd, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co Ltd, Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (South Africa) Pty Limited, Accenture (UK) Ltd, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Azerbaijan Ltd, Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BV, Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A, Accenture CAS GmbH, Accenture Canada Holdings Inc., Accenture Capital DAC, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd., Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SAS, Accenture Customer Services Limited, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Delivery Poland sp. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital France Holdings SA, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance (Gibraltar) III Ltd, Accenture Finance GmbH, Accenture Finance GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II GmbH, Accenture Finance II GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II Ltd, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services Srl, Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Ghana Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Ltd., Accenture Global Services Ltd, Accenture Global Solutions Ltd, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services Ltd, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc., Accenture Holding GmbH, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holding GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SAS, Accenture Holdings plc, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazylym Cozumleri Limited irketi), Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture Insurance Services SAS, Accenture Insurance Services SpA, Accenture International BV, Accenture International Capital SCA, Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture International Sarl, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea BV, Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Managed Services SpA, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Middle East B.V, Accenture Middle East BV, Accenture Minority I BV, Accenture Minority III Ltd, Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi (Pty) Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Newco LLC, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations Sp. z o.o., Accenture Outsourcing SRL, Accenture Outsourcing Services, Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations BV, Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru S.R.L, Accenture Peru S.R.L., Accenture Post Trade Processing SAS, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process Ltd, Accenture Product Lifecycle Services, Accenture Properties, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture S.A., Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture SAS, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sendirian Berhad, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Ltd, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.r.l., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services Sp. z o.o., Accenture Services Sp. z.o.o., Accenture Services and Technology Srl, Accenture Services fur Kreditinstitute GmbH, Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Servicos Administrativos Ltda, Accenture Servicos de Suporte de Negocios Ltda, Accenture Solutions Co Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Sp. z o.o., Accenture Sp. z.o.o., Accenture SpA, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc., Accenture Sub Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag KFT, Accenture Technologia, Accenture Technologia Consultoria e Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Technology Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions SAS, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn. Bhd., Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures BV, Accenture Technology Ventures S.P.R.L., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co., Accenture Vietnam Co. LTD, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Limitada, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Customer Insight Limited, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Agave Consultants Limited, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, Allen International Consulting Group Ltd, Alnova Technologies Corporation S.L., AlphaBeta Advisors, Altima, Altima Asia Ltd., Altima SAS, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Appaloosa Technology SAS, Arca, Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Avanade, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade (Thailand) Co Ltd, Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Denmark ApS, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Ltd, Avanade Europe Services Ltd, Avanade Federal Services LLC, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SAS, Avanade GZ Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd. (SH), Avanade Guangzhou, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy SRL, Avanade KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Netherlands BV, Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland Sp. z o.o., Avanade Poland Sp. z.o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain SL, Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Ltd, Avanade do Brasil Limitada, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, AvantBiz Consulting Limited, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Benext, Bionic, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Boomerang Pharmaceuticals Communications Ireland Limited, Bow & Arrow, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brand Learning LLC, Brand Learning Ltd, Brand Learning Partners Limited, Brand Learning Pte Limited, Bridge Energy Group LLC, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CadenceQuest Inc., Capable Marketer Limited, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc., Certus Solutions Consulting Services Ltd, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cimation UK Limited, Cirruseo, Cirruseo SAS, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas (SN) (PTE.) Limited, Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Ltd., Cloud Talent Limited, Cloudsherpas, Cloudsherpas Inc., Cloudworks, Codagenic Pty. Ltd., Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda., Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda., Context Information Security, Coritel S.A., Corliant Inc., CreativeDrive, CustomerWorks Europe SL, Cutting Edge Solutions Ltd, D5 Global Holdings LLC, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd., DMA Solutions Limited, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (Australia) PTY LTD, DayNine Consulting (Deutschland) GmbH, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting France SAS, DayNine Consulting Japan K.K., DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings, Declarative Holdings LLC, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digiplug SAS, Digital Consulting & Software Services LLC, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Ltd., Duck Creek Technologies, Duck Creek Technologies LLC, Deja Vu Security LLC, ESR Labs, Elcurator SAS, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting L.P., End-to-End Analytics, Energuia Web, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Ltd., Energy Quote Private Ltd., EnergyQuote JHA, EnergyQuote JHA Ltd., EnergyQuote Trading Ltd., Enimbos, Enkitec, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V. , Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enterprise System Partners PR LLC, Enterprise System Partners S.A.S., Entropia, Epylon, Ethica Consulting Group, Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Exton Consulting, Fairway Technologies Inc, Fairway Technologies LLC, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, First Annapolis International, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Focus Group Europe Limited, Formicary, Formicary Holdings Limited, Formicary Limited, FusionX, FutureMove Automotive, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, Genfour Limited, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gestion Altima Canada Inc., Gevity, Global Public Firm S.L., GlobalView SAS, GoodFilm GmbH Filmproduktion Stuttgart, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Hytracc Consulting UK Limited, Hytracc Holding AS, I-Faber S.p.A., IBB Consulting, IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INCAD, INSITUM, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Imagine Broadband (USA) Ltd, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Industrie&Co, Infoman AG, Infoman Schweiz AG, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Infusion Development Inc., Infusion Development UK Limited, InfusionDev LLC, Innoveer Solutions India Pvt Ltd, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria Brasil LTDA, Insitum Consultoria Colombia SAS, Insitum Consultoria Europa SL, Insitum Consultoria Peru SAC, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., Intrepid, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Advertisement (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inventor Technology Limited, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, Javelin Group (Bulgaria) EOOD, Javelin Group Limited (UK), Javelin Group SASU, K Comms Group Limited, KCS.net AG, KCS.net AG West, KCS.net Deutschland GmbH, KCS.net Holding AG, KCS.net Osterreich GmbH, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Ltd, Kogentix Singapore Pte. Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kunstmaan NV, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon UKI, Kurt Salmon UKI Ltd., Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LabAnswer, LabAnswer Government, LemonXL Limited, Logistics Market Place Limited (UK), Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Corporation, Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte. Ltd., Mackevision UK Ltd, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd., Maihiro, Matter, Matter Llc, Maud Corp Pty Limited, Maxamine International, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing Corporation, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mindtribe Product Engineering LLC, MobGen, MobGen Technology S.L, Moonrise NV, Mortgage Cadence, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, N3 LLC, NBS Marketing Inc., NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile, Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Chile SpA, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda., New Energy Aborda, New Energy Associates Ltd, New Energy Group, New Energy S.r.l., NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage China Ltd., NewsPage Pte Ltd, Nice Agency Limited, Northstream, Northstream AB, Northstream Holding AB, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology LTDA, Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Octo Technology SPRL, Octoman SAS, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Openmind, Openminded, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium Consulting Ltd, Orbium GmbH, Orbium Holding AG, Orbium Inc., Orbium International AG, Orbium International sp. z o.o., Orbium Licences AG, Orbium Limited, Orbium Pte. Ltd., Orbium Pty Ltd, Orbium Services sp. z o.o., Orbium Sarl, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PCO Innovation Canada Inc., PCO Innovation EURL, PIXO PUNCH Limited, PLM Systems S.r.l, POC Holdings, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, Pach Invest SARL, Pach Invest SAS, PacificLink Group, PacificLink iMedia Ltd., Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald Inc., Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Partners Technology Mexico Holdings BV, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production K/S, Perseroan Terbatas. Accenture, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Ltd, Pragsis Technologies S.L, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Ltd, Procurian Germany GmbH, Procurian Inc., Procurian International I LLC, Procurian International II LLC, Procurian LLC, Procurian Singapore Pte. Ltd., Procurian Switzerland GmbH, Procurian USA LLC, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co Ltd, Radiant Services, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Limited, Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (Asia) Pte Ltd, Redcore (India) Private Limited (India), Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Renacentis IT Services, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Rothco, Rothco Holdings Designated Activity Company, Rothco Unlimited Company, S.C. EnergyQuote S.r.l., S3 TV Technology Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SEC Servizi, SEC Servizi S.p.A., SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Sagacious Consultants LLC, Salt Solutions, Sanchez Capital Services Pvt Ltd, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Airline Planning Group, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace Asia (Hong Kong) Limited, Seabury Aviation Consulting LLC, Seabury Cargo Advisory B.V., Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Human Capital LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Seabury Structured Finance LLC, Search Technologies BPO, Search Technologies BPO Inc., Search Technologies GmbH, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LATAM, Search Technologies LATAM S.A., Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Sente Partners LLC, Sentelis, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Shackleton, Shackleton Barcelona S.L., Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton Madrid S.L., Shackleton S.A., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., Silveo, Simian Pty Limited, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Commerce GmbH, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., SinnerSchrader Swipe GmbH, Sistemes Consulting S.L., Solutions IQ, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Storm Digital, Storm Digital B.V., Structure Consulting Group, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Systor AG, TQuila Limited (UK), Tadata Creative Unlimited Company, Tara Insurance DAC, Tara Risk DAC, TargetST8, TargetST8 Consulting LLC, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica Ltd., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Limited, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Total Logistics Supply Chain Consultants Limited, Tquila, Trivadis AG, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Verax Solutions, Verax Solutions Corporation, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong, Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd., Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, Weblinc Pty Ltd, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wire Stone Sarl, Wolox, Workforce Insight, Yesler, Zag, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines, Zenta Global Philippines Inc., Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc., Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, and solid-serVision.com GmbH. BrightSphere Investment Group, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of asset management services. It also focuses on the development of new business opportunities in domestic and international markets. The firm operates through the following segments: Quant & Solutions, Alternatives and Liquid Alpha. The Quant & Solutions segment leverages data and technology in a computational, factor-based investment process across a range of asset classes and geographies, including Global, non-U.S., emerging markets and managed volatility equities, as well as multi-asset products. The Alternatives segment comprises liquid and differentiated liquid investment strategies that include private equity, real estate and real assets; including forestry, as well as a growing suite of liquid alternative capabilities in areas such as long/short, market neutral and absolute return. The Liquid Alpha segment comprises of specialized investment strategies with a focus on alpha-generation across market cycles in United States. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Boston, MA. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of HCA Healthcare: 2490 Church LLC, 360 Community Alliance LLC, 4600 Waters Avenue Professional Building Condominium Association Inc., 52 Alderley Road LLP, AC Med LLC, ACH Inc., ADC Surgicenter LLC, AOGN LLC, AOSC Sports Medicine Inc., AR Holding 1 LLC, AR Holding 10 LLC, AR Holding 11 LLC, AR Holding 12 LLC, AR Holding 13 LLC, AR Holding 14 LLC, AR Holding 15 LLC, AR Holding 16 LLC, AR Holding 17 LLC, AR Holding 18 LLC, AR Holding 19 LLC, AR Holding 2 LLC, AR Holding 20 LLC, AR Holding 21 LLC, AR Holding 22 LLC, AR Holding 23 LLC, AR Holding 24 LLC, AR Holding 25 LLC, AR Holding 26 LLC, AR Holding 27 LLC, AR Holding 28 LLC, AR Holding 29 LLC, AR Holding 30 LLC, AR Holding 31 LLC, AR Holding 4 LLC, AR Holding 5 LLC, AR Holding 6 LLC, AR Holding 7 LLC, AR Holding 8 LLC, AR Holding 9 LLC, ASD Shared Services LLC, Acadiana Care Center Inc., Acadiana Practice Management Inc., Acadiana Regional Pharmacy Inc., Access 2 Health Care Physicians LLC, Access Health Care Physicians LLC, Access Management Co. LLC, Ace Leasing II LLC, Acute Kids Urgent Care of Medical City Childrens Hospital PLLC, Acworth Immediate Care LLC, Administrative Physicians of North Texas PLLC, Advanced Bundle Convener LLC, Advanced Plastic Surgery Center of Terre Haute LLC, Advanced Practice Providers of Gulf Coast PLLC, Alaska Regional Medical Group LLC, Albany Family Practice LLC, Aligned Business Consortium Group L.P., All About Staffing (India) Ltd., All About Staffing Inc., All About Staffing Philippines Inc., Alleghany General and Bariatric Services LLC, Alleghany Hospitalists LLC, Alleghany Primary Care Inc., Alleghany Specialists LLC, Alliance Surgicare LLC, Alpine Surgicenter LLC, Alta Internal Medicine LLC, Alternaco LLC, Altitude Mid Level Providers LLC, Ambulatory Endoscopy Clinic of Dallas Ltd., Ambulatory Endoscopy Holdco LLC, Ambulatory Laser Associates GP, Ambulatory Services Management Corporation of Chesterfield County Inc., Ambulatory Surgery Center Group Ltd., American Medicorp Development Co., Anchorage Surgicenter LLC, AppleCare/Memorial Immediate Care Joint Venture LLC, Appledore Medical Group II Inc., Appledore Medical Group Inc., Appomattox Imaging LLC, Arapahoe Surgicenter LLC, Arlington Diagnostic South Inc., Arlington Neurosurgeons PLLC, Arlington Primary Care PLLC, Arlington Primary Medicine PLLC, Arlington Surgery Center L.P., Arlington Surgicare LLC, Arthritis Specialists of Nashville Inc., Ashburn ASC LLC, Ashburn Imaging LLC, Athens Community Hospital Inc., Atlanta Healthcare Management L.P., Atlanta Home Care L.P., Atlanta Market GP Inc., Atlanta Outpatient Surgery Center Inc., Atlanta Surgery Center Ltd., Atlantis Surgicare LLC, Atrium Surgery Center L.P., Atrium Surgicare LLC, Augusta CyberKnife LLC, Augusta Inpatient Services LLC, Augusta Management Services LLC, Augusta Multispecialty Services LLC, Augusta Primary Care Services LLC, Augusta Specialty Hospitalists LLC, Augusta Urgent Care Services LLC, Aurora Endoscopy Surgicenter LLC, Austin GI Surgicenter LLC, Austin Heart Cardiology MSO LLC, Austin Medical Center Inc., Austin Physicians Management LLC, Austin Urogynecology PLLC, Aventura Cancer Center Manager LLC, Aventura Comprehensive Cancer Research Group of Florida Inc., Aventura Healthcare Specialists LLC, Aventura Neurosurgery LLC, BAMI Property LLC, Backlogs Limited, Bailey Square Ambulatory Surgical Center Ltd., Bailey Square Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Bannerman Family Care LLC, Barrow Medical Center CT Services Ltd., Basic American Medical Inc., Basil Street Practice Limited, Bay Area Healthcare Group Ltd., Bay Area Surgical Center Investors Ltd., Bay Area Surgicare Center Inc., Bay Area Surgicenter LLC, Bay Hospital Inc., Bayonet Point Surgery Center Ltd., Bayshore Family Practitioners PLLC, Bayshore Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Bayshore Occupational and Family Medicine PLLC, Bayshore Partner LLC, Bayshore Radiation Oncology Services PLLC, Bayshore Surgery Center Ltd., Bayside Ambulatory Center LLC, Bedford-Northeast Community Hospital Inc., Behavioral Health Sciences of West Florida LLC, Behavioral Health Wellness Center LLC, Bellaire Imaging Inc., Belleair Surgery Center Ltd., Belton Family Practice Clinic LLC, Big Cypress Medical Center Inc., Blacksburg Family Care LLC, Blossoms Healthcare LLP, Blue Ridge-TKC LLC, Bone & Joint Specialists Physician Group LLC, Bonita Bay Surgery Center Inc., Bonita Bay Surgery Center Ltd., Bountiful Surgery Center LLC, Boynton Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Bradenton Cardiology Physician Network LLC, Bradenton Outpatient Services LLC, Brandon Imaging Manager LLC, Brandon Regional Cancer Center LLC, Brentwood ASC LLC, Brigham City Community Hospital Inc., Brigham City Community Hospital Physician Services LLC, Brigham City Health Plan Inc., Brighton Surgicenter LLC, Brookwood Medical Center of Gulfport Inc., Broward Cardiovascular Surgeons LLC, Broward Healthcare System Inc., Broward Neurosurgeons LLC, Brownsville Specialists of Texas PLLC, Brownsville Surgery PLLC, Brownsville Surgical Specialists PLLC, Brownsville Surgicenter LLC, Brownsville-Valley Regional Medical Center Inc., Buford Road Imaging L.L.C., Byron Family Practice LLC, C. Medrano M.D. PLLC, C/HCA Capital Inc., C/HCA Development Inc., C/HCA Inc., CAREOS Surgicenter LLC, CC Clinic PLLC, CCBH Psychiatric Hospitalists LLC, CCH-GP Inc., CFC Investments Inc., CH Systems, CHC Finance Co., CHC Holdings Inc., CHC Management Ltd., CHC Payroll Agent Inc., CHC Payroll Company, CHC Realty Company, CHC Venture Co., CHC-El Paso Corp., CHC-Miami Corp., CHCA Bayshore L.P., CHCA Clear Lake L.P., CHCA Conroe L.P., CHCA Mainland L.P., CHCA Pearland L.P., CHCA West Houston L.P., CHCA Womans Hospital L.P., CHCK Inc., CJW Infectious Disease LLC, CJW Wound Healing Center LLC, CLASC Manager LLC, COL-NAMC Holdings Inc., COSCORP LLC, CP Surgery Center LLC, CPS TN Processor 1 Inc., CRMC-M LLC, CUC PLLC, CVMC Property LLC, Calder Immediate Care PLLC, California Imaging Center Manager LLC, California Urgent Care LLC, Calloway Creek Surgery Center L.P., Calloway Creek Surgicare LLC, Cancer Centers of North Florida LLC, Cancer Services of Aventura LLC, Capital Anesthesia Services LLC, Capital Area Cardiology, Capital Area CareNow Physician Associates, Capital Area Multispecialty Providers, Capital Area Neurosurgeons, Capital Area Occupational Medicine PLLC, Capital Area Primary Care PLLC, Capital Area Primary Care Providers, Capital Area Providers, Capital Area Specialists PLLC, Capital Area Specialty Providers, Capital Area Surgeons PLLC, Capital Division - CCA Inc., Capital Division Inc., Capital Network Services Inc., Capital Professional Billing LLC, Capital Regional Healthcare LLC, Capital Regional Heart Associates LLC, Capital Regional Psychiatry Associates LLC, Cardiac Surgical Associates LLC, Cardio Vascular Surgeons of North Texas PLLC, Cardiology Associates Medical Group LLC, Cardiology Clinic of San Antonio PLLC, Cardiology Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Texas PLLC, Care for Women LLC, CareNow, CareOne Home Health Services Inc., CarePartners HHA Holdings LLLP, CarePartners HHA LLLP, CarePartners Rehabilitation Hospital LLLP, CareSpot Professional Services of Middle Tennessee LLC, CareSpot of Brentwood (210 Franklin Road) LLC, CareSpot of Cool Springs (100 International Drive) LLC, CareSpot of Donelson (2372 Lebanon Road) LLC, CareSpot of Hendersonville (280 Indian Lake Boulevard) LLC, CareSpot of Hermitage (5225 Old Hickory Boulevard) LLC, CareSpot of Lebanon (1705 West Main Street) LLC, CareSpot of Mt. Juliet (S. Mt. Juliet Road) LLC, CareSpot of Murfreesboro (1340 Broad Street) LLC, CareSpot of Nashville (2001 Glen Echo Road) LLC, CareSpot of Nashville (West End Avenue) LLC, Career Staffing USA Inc., Carlin Springs Urgent Care LLC, Carolina Forest Imaging Manager LLC, Carolina Regional Surgery Center Inc., Carolina Regional Surgery Center Ltd., Cartersville Medical Center LLC, Cartersville Occupational Medicine Center LLC, Cartersville Physician Practice I LLC, Catalog360 Limited, Cedar Creek Medical Group LLC, Cedars International Cardiology Consultants LLC, Cedars Medical Center Hospitalists LLC, Centennial Cardiovascular Consultants LLC, Centennial CyberKnife Center LLC, Centennial CyberKnife Manager LLC, Centennial Heart LLC, Centennial Hospitalists LLC, Centennial Neuroscience LLC, Centennial Psychiatric Associates LLC, Centennial Surgery Center L.P., Centennial Surgical Associates LLC, Centennial Surgical Clinic LLC, Centennial Womens Group LLC, Center for Advanced Diagnostics LLC, Center for Advanced Imaging LLC, Center for Digestive Diseases LLC, Center for Occupational Medicine LLC, Centerpoint Cardiology Services LLC, Centerpoint Clinic of Blue Springs LLC, Centerpoint Hospital Based Physicians LLC, Centerpoint Medical Center of Independence LLC, Centerpoint Medical Specialists LLC, Centerpoint Orthopedics LLC, Centerpoint Physicians Group LLC, Centerpoint Womens Services LLC, Central Florida Cardiology Interpretations LLC, Central Florida Division Practice Inc., Central Florida Health Services LLC, Central Florida Imaging Services LLC, Central Florida Management Services LLC, Central Florida Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates LLC, Central Florida Physician Network LLC, Central Florida Regional Hospital Inc., Central Health Holding Company Inc., Central Pasco LLC, Central San Antonio Surgical Center Investors Ltd., Central Shared Services LLC, Central Tennessee Hospital Corporation, Central Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Physicians PLLC, Centrum Surgery Center Ltd., Charleston CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Chatsworth Hospital Corp., Chattanooga ASC Acquisition Inc., Chattanooga Diagnostic Associates LLC, Chattanooga Healthcare Network L.P., Chattanooga Healthcare Network Partner Inc., Chelsea Outpatient Centre LLP, Chesterfield Imaging LLC, Chicago Grant Hospital Inc., Childrens Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Chino Community Hospital Corporation Inc., Chippenham & Johnston-Willis Hospitals Inc., Chippenham & Johnston-Willis Sports Medicine LLC, Chippenham Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Chippenham Pediatric Specialists LLC, Chiswick Outpatient Centre LLP, Christiansburg Family Medicine LLC, Christiansburg Internal Medicine LLC, Christina Cano-Gonzalez M.D. PLLC, Chugach PT Inc., Church Street Partners, Citrus Memorial Hospital Inc., Citrus Memorial Property Management Inc., Citrus Primary Care Inc., Citrus Specialty Group Inc., Citrus Surgicenter LLC, City of San Antonio H2U Employee Health and Wellness Center PLLC, Clarksville Surgicenter LLC, Clear Creek Surgery Center LLC, Clear Lake Cardiac Catheterization Center L.P., Clear Lake Cardiac GP LLC, Clear Lake Family Physicians PLLC, Clear Lake Medical Tower Owners Association Inc., Clear Lake Merger LLC, Clear Lake Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Clear Lake Regional Medical Center Inc., Clear Lake Regional Partner LLC, Clear Lake Surgicare Ltd., ClinicServ LLC, Clinical Education Shared Services LLC, Clinishare Inc., Coastal Bend Hospital CT Services Ltd., Coastal Bend Hospital Inc., Coastal Carolina Home Care Inc., Coastal Carolina Multispecialty Associates LLC, Coastal Carolina Primary Care LLC, Coastal Healthcare Services Inc., Coastal Imaging Center L.P., Coastal Imaging Center of Gulfport Inc., Coastal Inpatient Physicians LLC, Coliseum Health Group Inc., Coliseum Health Group LLC, Coliseum Medical Center LLC, Coliseum Park Hospital Inc., Coliseum Primary Care Services LLC, Coliseum Primary Healthcare - Macon LLC, Coliseum Primary Healthcare - Riverside LLC, Coliseum Professional Associates LLC, Coliseum Same Day Surgery Center L.P., Coliseum Surgery Center L.L.C., College Park Ancillary LLC, College Park Endoscopy Center LLC, College Park Radiology LLC, Colleton Ambulatory Care LLC, Colleton Diagnostic Center LLC, Colleton Medical Anesthesia LLC, Colleton Medical Hospitalists LLC, Colleton Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery LLC, Collier County Home Health Agency Inc., Collin County Diagnostic Associates PLLC, Colorado Health Systems Inc., Columbia ASC Management L.P., Columbia Ambulatory Surgery Division Inc., Columbia Arlington Healthcare System L.L.C., Columbia Bay Area Realty Ltd., Columbia Behavioral Health Ltd., Columbia Behavioral Healthcare Inc., Columbia Behavioral Healthcare of South Florida Inc., Columbia Call Center Inc., Columbia Central Florida Division Inc., Columbia Central Group Inc., Columbia Champions Treatment Center Inc., Columbia Chicago Division Inc., Columbia Coliseum Same Day Surgery Center Inc., Columbia Development of Florida Inc., Columbia Doctors Hospital of Tulsa Inc., Columbia Eye and Specialty Surgery Center Ltd., Columbia Florida Group Inc., Columbia GP of Mesquite Inc., Columbia Good Samaritan Health System Limited Partnership, Columbia Greater Houston Division Healthcare Network Inc., Columbia Health System of Arkansas Inc., Columbia Healthcare System of Louisiana Inc., Columbia Healthcare of Central Virginia Inc., Columbia Hospital Corporation at the Medical Center, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Arlington, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Bay Area, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Central Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Corpus Christi, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Fort Worth, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Houston, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Kendall, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Massachusetts Inc., Columbia Hospital Corporation of Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Miami Beach, Columbia Hospital Corporation of North Miami Beach, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Broward, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Dade, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Florida, Columbia Hospital Corporation of South Miami, Columbia Hospital Corporation of Tamarac, Columbia Hospital Corporation of West Houston, Columbia Hospital Corporation-Delaware, Columbia Hospital Corporation-SMM, Columbia Hospital at Medical City Dallas Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Hospital-El Paso Ltd., Columbia Integrated Health Systems Inc., Columbia Jacksonville Healthcare System Inc., Columbia LaGrange Hospital LLC, Columbia Lake Worth Surgical Center Limited Partnership, Columbia Medical Arts Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center Dallas Southwest Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center at Lancaster Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Arlington Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Denton Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Las Colinas Inc., Columbia Medical Center of Lewisville Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of McKinney Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Center of Plano Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Medical Group - Centennial Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Daystar Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Parkridge Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Southern Hills Inc., Columbia Medical Group - Southwest Virginia Inc., Columbia Medical Group - The Frist Clinic Inc., Columbia Midtown Joint Venture, Columbia North Alaska Healthcare Inc., Columbia North Central Florida Health System Limited Partnership, Columbia North Florida Regional Medical Center Limited Partnership, Columbia North Hills Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Columbia North Texas Healthcare System L.P., Columbia North Texas Subsidiary GP LLC, Columbia North Texas Surgery Center Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Northwest Medical Center Inc., Columbia Northwest Medical Center Partners Ltd., Columbia Ocala Regional Medical Center Physician Group Inc., Columbia Ogden Medical Center Inc., Columbia Oklahoma Division Inc., Columbia Palm Beach GP LLC, Columbia Palm Beach Healthcare System Limited Partnership, Columbia Park Healthcare System Inc., Columbia Park Medical Center Inc., Columbia Parkersburg Healthcare System LLC, Columbia Pentagon City Hospital L.L.C., Columbia Physician Services - Florida Group Inc., Columbia Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Primary Care LLC, Columbia Psychiatric Management Co., Columbia Resource Network Inc., Columbia Rio Grande Healthcare L.P., Columbia Riverside Inc., Columbia South Texas Division Inc., Columbia Specialty Hospital of Dallas Subsidiary L.P., Columbia Specialty Hospitals Inc., Columbia Surgery Group Inc., Columbia Surgicare of Augusta Ltd., Columbia Tampa Bay Division Inc., Columbia Valley Healthcare System L.P., Columbia West Bank Hospital Inc., Columbia Westbank Healthcare L.P., Columbia-CSA/HS Greater Canton Area Healthcare System L.P., Columbia-CSA/HS Greater Cleveland Area Healthcare System L.P., Columbia-Georgia PT Inc., Columbia-Osceola Imaging Center Inc., Columbia-Quantum Inc., Columbia-SDH Holdings Inc., Columbia/Alleghany Regional Hospital Incorporated, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of Central Texas, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of Northern Ohio, Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation of South Carolina, Columbia/HCA Heartcare of Corpus Christi Inc., Columbia/HCA International Group Inc., Columbia/HCA John Randolph Inc., Columbia/HCA Middle East Management Company, Columbia/HCA Physician Hospital Organization Medical Center Hospital, Columbia/HCA San Clemente Inc., Columbia/HCA of Baton Rouge Inc., Columbia/HCA of Houston Inc., Columbia/HCA of New Orleans Inc., Columbia/HCA of North Texas Inc., Columbine Psychiatric Center Inc., Columbus Cardiology Inc., Columbus Cath Lab Inc., Columbus Cath Lab LLC, Columbus Doctors Hospital Inc., Commonwealth Perinatal Services LLC, Commonwealth Specialists of Kentucky LLC, Community Hospital Family Practice LLC, Comprehensive Radiation Oncology LLC, Comprehensive Radiology Management Services Ltd., Concept EFL Imaging Center LLC, Concept West EFL Imaging Center LLC, Congenital Heart Surgery Center PLLC, Conroe Hospital Corporation, Conroe Montgomery Physicians Group PLLC, Conroe Orthopedic Specialists PLLC, Conroe Partner LLC, Conroe Specialists of Texas PLLC, Continental Division I Inc., Coral Springs Surgi-Center Ltd., CoralStone Management Inc., Corpus Christi Healthcare Group Ltd., Corpus Christi Heart Clinic PLLC, Corpus Christi Primary Care Associates PLLC, Corpus Christi Psychiatric Specialists PLLC, Corpus Christi Radiation Oncology PLLC, Corpus Christi Surgery Center L.P., Corpus Christi Surgery Ltd., Corpus Christi Surgicenter LLC, Corpus Surgicare Inc., Countryside Surgery Center Ltd., Crewe Outpatient Imaging LLC, Cumberland Medical Center Inc., Cy-Fair Medical Center Hospital LLC, DFW Physicians Group PLLC, DOMC Property LLC, DS Real Estate Holdings LLC, Daleville Imaging L.P., Daleville Imaging Manager LLC, Dallas CardioThoracic Surgery Consultants PLLC, Dallas Cardiology Specialists PLLC, Dallas Hand Surgery Center PLLC, Dallas Medical Specialists PLLC, Dallas Neuro-Stroke Affiliates PLLC, Dallas Pediatric Neurosurgery Specialists PLLC, Dallas/Ft. Worth Physician LLC, Davie Medical Center LLC, Daytona Medical Center Inc., Dean 4641 LLC, Deep Purple Investments LLC, Del Sol Bariatric Clinic PLLC, Delray EFL Imaging Center LLC, Denton Cancer Center PLLC, Denton County Hospitalist Program PLLC, Denton Pediatric Physicians PLLC, Denton Regional Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Denver Clinic Surgicenter LLC, Denver Mid-Town Surgery Center Ltd., Denver Surgicenter LLC, Derry ASC Inc., Diagnostic Breast Center Inc., Diagnostic Mammography Services G.P., Diagnostic Services G.P., Dickson Surgery Center L.P., Doctors Bay Area Physician Hospital Organization, Doctors Hospital (Conroe) Inc., Doctors Hospital Columbus GA-Joint Venture, Doctors Hospital Surgery Center L.P., Doctors Hospital of Augusta LLC, Doctors Hospital of Augusta Neurology LLC, Doctors Osteopathic Medical Center Inc., Doctors Same Day Surgery Center Inc., Doctors Same Day Surgery Center Ltd., Doctors-I Inc., Doctors-II Inc., Doctors-III Inc., Doctors-IV Inc., Doctors-IX Inc., Doctors-V Inc., Doctors-VI Inc., Doctors-VII Inc., Doctors-VIII Inc., Doctors-X Inc., Doctors Memorial Hospital of Spartanburg Limited Partnership, Dominion Hospital Physicians Group LLC, Dublin Community Hospital LLC, Dublin Heart Specialists LLC, Dublin Multispecialty LLC, Dura Medical Inc., E.P. Physical Therapy Centers Inc., EASTSIDE URGENT CARE LLC, EHCA Diagnostics LLC, EHCA Eastside Occupational Medicine Center LLC, EHCA LLC, EHCA Metropolitan LLC, EHCA Parkway LLC, EHCA Peachtree LLC, EHCA West Paces LLC, EIRMC Hospitalist Services LLC, EMMC LLC, EP Health LLC, EP Holdco LLC, EPIC Development Inc., EPIC Diagnostic Centers Inc., EPIC Healthcare Management Company, EPIC Properties Inc., EPIC Surgery Centers Inc., EPSC L.P., East Falls Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery LLC, East Falls Family Medicine LLC, East Falls Plastic Surgery LLC, East Florida - DMC Inc., East Florida Behavioral Health Network LLC, East Florida Cardiology Network LLC, East Florida CareNow Urgent Care LLC, East Florida Division Inc., East Florida Emergency Physician Group LLC, East Florida Healthcare LLC, East Florida Hospitalists LLC, East Florida Imaging Holdings LLC, East Florida Primary Care LLC, East Houston Primary Care PLLC, East Houston Specialists PLLC, East Layton Internal Medicine LLC, East Orthopedics PLLC, East Pointe Hospital Inc., Eastern Idaho Brachytherapy Equipment LLC, Eastern Idaho Brachytherapy Equipment Manager LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners ACO LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners Holdings LLC, Eastern Idaho Care Partners LLC, Eastern Idaho Health Services Inc., Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Inpatient Services LLC, Eastside Behavioral Health Associates LLC, Eastside General Surgery LLC, Eastside Heart and Vascular LLC, Eastside Medical Center LLC, Eastside Surgery Center LLC, Edmond General Surgery LLC, Edmond Hospitalists LLC, Edmond Physician Hospital Organization Inc., Edward White Hospital Inc., El Paso CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, El Paso Healthcare Provider Network, El Paso Healthcare System Ltd., El Paso Healthcare System Physician Services LLC, El Paso Nurses Unlimited Inc., El Paso Primary Care PLLC, El Paso Surgery Centers L.P., El Paso Surgicenter Inc., Eldridge Family Practitioners PLLC, Elite Family Health of Plano PLLC, Elite OB-GYN Services of El Paso PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of El Paso PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of Irving PLLC, Elite Orthopaedics of Plano PLLC, Elstree Outpatient Centre LLP, Emergency Physicians at Wesley Medical Center LLC, Emergency Providers Group LLC, Emergency Psychiatric Medicine PLLC, Encino Hospital Corporation Inc., Endocrinology Associates of Lees Summit LLC, Endoscopy Surgicare of Plano LLC, Endoscopy of Plano L.P., Englewood Community Hospital Auxiliary Inc., Englewood Community Hospital Inc., Envision Stakes LLC, Eye Care Surgicare Ltd. a Missouri limited partnership, FHAL LLC, FMH Health Services LLC, Fairfax Surgical Center L.P., Fairview Medical Services LLC, Fairview Park GP LLC, Fairview Park Limited Partnership, Fairview Partner LLC, Family Care Partners LLC, Family Care of E. Jackson County LLC, Family First Medicine in Brownsville PLLC, Family Health Medical Group of Overland Park LLC, Family Health Specialists of Lees Summit LLC, Family Medicine of Blacksburg LLC, Family Practice at Forest Hill LLC, Family Practice at Retreat LLC, Family Practitioners of Montgomery PLLC, Family Practitioners of Pearland PLLC, Fannin MOB LLC, Fannin MOB Property Management LLC, Far West Division Inc., Fawcett Memorial Hospital Inc., Florida Care Partners LLC, Florida Care Partners Orlando LLC, Florida Home Health Services-Private Care Inc., Florida Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Flower Mound Surgery Center Ltd., Focus Hand Surgicenter LLC, Foot & Ankle Specialty Services LLC, Forest Park Surgery Pavilion Inc., Forest Park Surgery Pavilion L.P., Fort Bend Hospital Inc., Fort Chiswell Family Practice LLC, Fort Myers Market Inc., Fort Pierce Immediate Care Center Inc., Fort Pierce Orthopaedics LLC, Fort Pierce Surgery Center Ltd., Fort Walton Beach Medical Center Inc., Fort Worth Investments Inc., Forward Pathology Solutions LLC, Four Rivers Medical Center PHO Inc., Frankfort Hospital Inc., Frankfort Wound Care LLC, Freeport Family Medicine LLC, Fremont Womens Health LLC, Frisco Surgicare LLC, Frisco Warren Parkway 91 Inc., Frist Clinic Express LLC, Ft. Pierce Surgicare LLC, Ft. Walton Beach Anesthesia Services LLC, G. Rowe M.D. PLLC, G. Schnider M.D. PLLC, G. Voorhees M.D. PLLC, G.P. Martin Fletcher & Associates LLC, GA PHYSICIAN SERVICES LLC, GA Urgentcare Holding LLC, GHC-Galen Health Care LLC, GI Associates of Denton PLLC, GI Associates of Lewisville PLLC, GME Services of Osceola LLC, GPCH-GP Inc., GYN-Oncology of Southwest Virginia LLC, Gainesville GYN Oncology of North Florida Regional Medical Center LLC, Gainesville Physicians LLC, GalTex LLC, Galen (Kansas) Merger LLC, Galen BH Inc., Galen Center for Professional Development Inc., Galen College of Nursing, Galen Diagnostic Multicenter Ltd., Galen GOK LLC, Galen Global Finance Inc., Galen Health Institutes Inc., Galen Health Partners Limited, Galen Holdco LLC, Galen Hospital Alaska Inc., Galen Hospital of Baytown Inc., Galen Hospital-Pembroke Pines Inc., Galen International Holdings Inc., Galen KY LLC, Galen MCS LLC, Galen MRMC LLC, Galen Medical Corporation, Galen NMC LLC, Galen NSH LLC, Galen Property LLC, Galen SOM LLC, Galen SSH LLC, Galen Virginia Hospital Corporation, Galen of Aurora Inc., Galen of Florida Inc., Galen of Illinois Inc., Galen of Kentucky Inc., Galen of Mississippi Inc., Galen of Virginia Inc., Galen of West Virginia Inc., Galen-Soch Inc., Galencare Inc., Galendeco Inc., Galichia Anesthesia Services LLC, Galichia Emergency Physicians LLC, Garden Park Community Hospital Limited Partnership, Garden Park Hospitalist Program LLC, Garden Park Investments L.P., Garden Park Physician Group - Specialty Care LLC, Garden Park Physician Group Inc., Gardens EFL Imaging Center LLC, Gastroenterology Specialists of Middle Tennessee LLC, General Hospitals of Galen Inc., General Medical Clinics Limited, General Surgeons of Houston PLLC, General Surgeons of North Richland Hills PLLC, General Surgeons of Pasadena PLLC, General and Cardiovascular Surgeons of Conroe PLLC, Generations Family Practice Inc., GenoSpace LLC, Georgia Health Holdings Inc., Georgia L.P., Georgia Psychiatric Company Inc., Glemm SA, Good Samaritan Hospital L.P., Good Samaritan Hospital LLC, Good Samaritan Surgery Center L.P., Goppert-Trinity Family Care LLC, Grace Family Practice LLC, Gramercy Eye Surgicenter LLC, Gramercy Surgery Center Ltd., Grand Strand Regional Medical Center LLC, Grand Strand Senior Health Center LLC, Grand Strand Specialty Associates LLC, Grand Strand Surgical Specialists LLC, Grandview Health Care Clinic LLC, Grant Center Hospital of Ocala Inc., Grayson Primary Care LLC, Greater Gwinnett Internal Medicine Associates LLC, Greater Gwinnett Physician Corporation, Greater Houston Preferred Provider Option Inc., Greater Tampa Bay Physician Network LLC, Greater Tampa Bay Physician Specialists LLC, Greater Tampa Bay Physicians - Pinellas LLC, Green Oaks Hospital Subsidiary L.P., Greenview Hospital Inc., Greenview PrimeCare LLC, Greenview Specialty Associates LLC, Gulf Coast Division Inc., Gulf Coast Electrophysiology Associates PLLC, Gulf Coast Inpatient Specialists LLC, Gulf Coast Medical Center Primary Care LLC, Gulf Coast Medical Ventures Inc., Gulf Coast Multispecialty Services LLC, Gulf Coast Physician Administrators Inc., Gulf Coast Provider Network Inc., Gwinnett Community Hospital Inc., Gynecology Specialists of Utah LLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Del Sol Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Las Palmas Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - Medical City Dallas PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers - St. Davids Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers LLC, H2U Wellness Centers Clear Lake Regional Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers Conroe ISD PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers Conroe Regional Medical Center PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers Corpus Christi PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers El Paso PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers PISD PLLC, H2U Wellness Centers San Benito CISD PLLC, HBP Lone Star Inc., HCA - IT&S Field Operations Inc., HCA - IT&S Inventory Management Inc., HCA - IT&S PBS Field Operations Inc., HCA - IT&S TN Field Operations Inc., HCA - Information Technology & Services Inc., HCA - Raleigh Community Hospital Inc., HCA - Viera ALF LLC, HCA - WHS Progressive LLC, HCA - WHS Services LLC, HCA ASD Financial Operations LLC, HCA ASD Sales Services LLC, HCA American Finance LLC, HCA Carenow Limited, HCA Central Group Inc., HCA Central/West Texas Physicians Management LLC, HCA Chattanooga Market Inc., HCA Development Company Inc., HCA Eastern Group Inc., HCA Global Capital LLP, HCA Gulf Coast GME PLLC, HCA Health Services of California Inc., HCA Health Services of Florida Inc., HCA Health Services of Georgia Inc., HCA Health Services of Louisiana Inc., HCA Health Services of Miami Inc., HCA Health Services of Midwest Inc., HCA Health Services of New Hampshire Inc., HCA Health Services of Tennessee Inc., HCA Health Services of Texas Inc., HCA Health Services of Virginia Inc., HCA Health Services of West Virginia Inc., HCA Healthcare Mission Fund LLC, HCA Healthcare UK Limited, HCA Holdco LLC, HCA Human Resources LLC, HCA Imaging Services of North Florida Inc., HCA Inc., HCA International Holdings Limited, HCA International Limited, HCA LewisGale Regional Cancer Centers Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA Long Term Health Services of Miami Inc., HCA Luxembourg 1 Sarl, HCA Luxembourg 2 Sarl, HCA Luxembourg Equities Sarl, HCA Luxembourg Finance Limited, HCA Luxembourg Investments Sarl, HCA Management Services L.P., HCA Medical City Limited, HCA Medical Services Inc., HCA Midwest Comprehensive Care Inc., HCA Outpatient Clinic Services of Miami Inc., HCA Outpatient Imaging Services Group Inc., HCA Patient Safety Organization LLC, HCA Pearland GP Inc., HCA Physician Services Inc., HCA Plano Imaging Inc., HCA Property GP LLC, HCA Psychiatric Company, HCA Purchasing Limited, HCA Realty Inc., HCA Richmond Cardiac Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA SF LLC, HCA SFB 1 LLC, HCA Sarasota Orthopedic and Spine Clinical Co-Management Company LLC, HCA Squared LLC, HCA Staffing Limited, HCA Swiss Capital 1 LLP, HCA Swiss Capital 2 LLP, HCA Switzerland Finance GmbH, HCA Switzerland Holding GmbH, HCA Switzerland Limited, HCA UK Capital Limited, HCA UK Holdings Limited, HCA UK Investments Limited, HCA UK Limited, HCA UK Services Limited, HCA Wesley Rehabilitation Hospital Inc., HCA Western Group Inc., HCA-Access Healthcare Holdings LLC, HCA-Access Healthcare Partner Inc., HCA-California Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCA-EMS Holdings LLC, HCA-EmCare Holdings LLC, HCA-Georgia Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCA-HBPS Holdings LLC, HCA-HealthONE LLC, HCA-Solis Holdings Inc., HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of Continental LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of Gulf Coast LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of North Texas LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Service Holdings of TriStar LLC, HCA-Solis Mammography Services LLC, HCA-Solis Master LLC, HCA-Urgent Care Holdings LLC, HCAPS Anesthesia Manager LLC, HCAPS Conroe Affiliation Inc., HCOL Inc., HD&S Corp. Successor Inc., HDH Thoracic Surgeons LLC, HHBY Holdings LLC, HHNC LLC, HICCH-SCL LLC, HM Acquisition LLC, HM OMCOS LLC, HMMG 1226 LLC, HPG Energy L.P., HPG Enterprises LLC, HPG GP LLC, HPG Solutions LLC, HSS Holdco LLC, HSS Systems LLC, HSS Virginia L.P., HTI Gulf Coast Inc., HTI Health Services of North Carolina Inc., HTI Hospital Holdings Inc., HTI MOB LLC, HTI MSO LLC, HTI Memorial Hospital Corporation, HTI Physician Services of Utah Inc., HWCA PLLC, Hamilton Memorial Hospital Inc., Hamsard 3160 Limited, Harley Street Clinic @ The Groves LLP, Hathor Chelsea Ltd., Healdsburg General Hospital Inc., Health Care Indemnity Inc., Health Insight Capital LLC, Health International Billing Partners Limited, Health Midwest Medical Group Inc., Health Midwest Office Facilities Corporation, Health Midwest Ventures Group Inc., Health Partners of Kansas Inc., Health Service Partners Inc., Health Services (Delaware) Inc., Health Services Merger Inc., Health to You LLC, HealthCoast Physician Group LLC, HealthONE Aurora Investment LLC, HealthONE Care Partners LLC, HealthONE CareNow Urgent Care LLC, HealthONE Clear Creek LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Bariatric Medicine LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Behavioral Health LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cancer Care LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cancer Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Cardiovascular LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Medical Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Neurosciences LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Occupational Medicine LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Oncology Hematology LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Orthopedic Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Otolaryngology Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Pediatric Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Primary Care LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Spine Specialists LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Spine Surgeons LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Surgery Neurological LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Surgical Specialties LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Transplant Services LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Womens Services LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services - Youth Rehabilitation LLC, HealthONE Clinic Services LLC, HealthONE High Street Primary Care Center LLC, HealthONE IRL Pathology Services LLC, HealthONE Institutes for Clinical Research LLC, HealthONE Lowry LLC, HealthONE Radiation Therapy at Red Rocks LLC, HealthONE Radiation Therapy at Thornton LLC, HealthONE Ridge View Endoscopy Center LLC, HealthONE Surgicare of Ridge View LLC, HealthONE Urologic LLC, HealthONE at Breckenridge LLC, HealthONE of Denver Inc., HealthOne Heart Care LLC, HealthOne Lincoln Investment LLC, HealthOne Westside Investment LLC, HealthTrust Europe Company Limited, HealthTrust Europe LLP, HealthTrust Locums Inc., HealthTrust Workforce Solutions LLC, Healthcare Oklahoma Inc., Healthcare Purchasing Alliance LLC, Healthcare Sales National Management Services Group LLC, Healthcare Technology Assessment Corporation, Healthco LLC, Healthnet of Kentucky LLC, Healthserv Acquisition LLC, Healthtrust Inc. - The Hospital Company, Healthtrust MOB Tennessee LLC, Healthtrust Purchasing Group L.P., Healthtrust Utah Management Services Inc., Healthy State Inc., Heart Specialist of North Texas PLLC, Heart of America ASC LLC, Heart of America Surgicenter LLC, Heartcare of Texas Ltd., Hearthstone Home Health Inc., Heartland Womens Group at Wesley LLC, Heathrow Imaging LLC, Heathrow Internal Medicine LLC, Hendersonville Hospital Corporation, Hendersonville Hospitalist Services Inc., Hendersonville OB/GYN LLC, Hendersonville ODC LLC, Hendersonville Primary Care LLC, Henrico Doctors Hospital - Forest Campus Property LLC, Henrico Doctors Neurology Associates LLC, Henrico Doctors OB GYN Specialists LLC, Henrico Surgical Specialists LLC, Heritage Family Care LLC, Heritage Hospital Inc., Heritage Medical Care LLC, Hermitage Primary Care LLC, Hidalgo County Family Practitioners PLLC, Hidden Lakes Health Center PLLC, Highlands Regional Medical Center, Hip & Joint Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Homecare North Inc., Hometrust Management Services Inc., Horizon Orthopedics LLC, Horizon Surgical LLC, Hospital Corp. LLC, Hospital Corporation of America, Hospital Corporation of Lake Worth, Hospital Corporation of Tennessee, Hospital Corporation of Utah, Hospital Development Properties Inc., Hospital Partners Merger LLC, Hospital Realty Corporation, Hospital-Based CRNA Services Inc., Hospitalists at Centennial Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists at Fairview Park LLC, Hospitalists at Greenview Regional Hospital LLC, Hospitalists at Horizon Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists at Parkridge LLC, Hospitalists at StoneCrest LLC, Hospitalists at Wesley Medical Center LLC, Hospitalists of the Wabash Valley LLC, Houston - PPH LLC, Houston CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Houston Healthcare Holdings Inc., Houston NW Manager LLC, Houston Northwest Concessions L.L.C., Houston Northwest Operating Company L.L.C., Houston Northwest Surgical Partners Inc., Houston Obstetrics and Gynecology for Women PLLC, Houston Pediatric Specialty Group PLLC, Houston Urologic Surgicenter LLC, Houston Womans Hospital Partner LLC, ICU Associates of West Houston PLLC, IMX Holdings LLC, IRL Pathology Services MidAmerica LLC, Idaho Behavioral Health Services LLC, Idaho Physician Services Inc., Illinois Psychiatric Hospital Company Inc., Imaging Realty LLC, Imaging Services of Appomattox LLC, Imaging Services of Jacksonville LLC, Imaging Services of Louisiana LLC, Imaging Services of Louisiana Manager LLC, Imaging Services of Orlando LLC, Imaging Services of Richmond LLC, Imaging Services of Roanoke LLC, Imaging Services of West Boynton LLC, InVivoLink Inc., Independence Neurosurgery Services LLC, Independence Regional Medical Group LLC, Independence Surgicare Inc., Indian Path Hospital Inc., Indianapolis Hospital Partner LLC, Institute for Womens Health and Body LLC, Institute of Advanced ENT Surgery LLC, Integrated Regional Lab LLC, Integrated Regional Laboratories LLP, Integrated Regional Laboratories Pathology Services LLC, Intensive Care Consortium Inc., Internal Medicine Associates of Huntsville PLLC, Internal Medicine Associates of Southern Hills LLC, Internal Medicine of Blacksburg LLC, Internal Medicine of Pasadena PLLC, Internist Associates of Houston PLLC, Isleworth Partners Inc., J. M. Garcia M.D. PLLC, JCSH LLC, JDGC Management LLC, JFK Internal Medicine Faculty Practice LLC, JFK Medical Center Limited Partnership, JPM AA Housing LLC, Jackson County Medical Group LLC, Jackson County Pulmonary Medical Group LLC, Jacksonville CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Jacksonville Multispecialty Services LLC, Jacksonville Surgery Center Ltd., James River Internists LLC, John Randolph Family Practice LLC, John Randolph OB/GYN LLC, John Randolph Surgeons LLC, Johnson County Neurology LLC, Johnson County Surgery Center L.P., Johnson County Surgicenter L.L.C., Jordan Family Health L.L.C., Jupiter EFL Imaging Center LLC, KC Pain ASC LLC, KC Surgicare LLC, KPH-Consolidation Inc., Kansas CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Kansas City Cardiac Arrhythmia Research LLC, Kansas City Gastroenterology & Hepatology Physicians Group LLC, Kansas City Neurology Associates LLC, Kansas City Pulmonology Practice LLC, Kansas City Surgery Center Properties LLC, Kansas City Vascular & General Surgery Group LLC, Kansas City Womens Clinic Group LLC, Kansas Healthserv LLC, Kansas Pulmonary and Sleep Specialists LLC, Kansas Trauma and Critical Care Specialists LLC, Kathy L. Summers M.D. PLLC, Kendall Healthcare Group Ltd., Kendall Regional Medical Center LLC, Kendall Regional Urgent Care LLC, Kennedale Primary Care PLLC, Kingwood Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Kingwood Surgery Center LLC, Kingwood Surgicenter LLC, Kissimmee Surgicare Ltd., Kyle Primary Care PLLC, L E Corporation, LAD Imaging LLC, LGMC Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, LOC @ The Christie LLP, LOC @ The London Bridge Hospital LLP, LOC Partnership LLP, LPN TeleBehavioral Health PLLC, Lafayette OB Hospitalists LLC, Lafayette Urogynecology & Urology Center LLC, Lake City Imaging LLC, Lake City Regional Medical Group LLC, Lake Forest Family Health PLLC, Lakeside Radiology LLC, Lakeside Womens Services LLC, Lakeview Cardiology Specialists LLC, Lakeview Hospital Physician Services LLC, Lakeview Internal Medicine LLC, Lakeview Medical Center LLC, Lakeview Regional Medical Center Inpatient Services LLC, Lakeview Regional Physician Group LLC, Lakeview Urology & General Surgery LLC, Lakewood Surgicare Inc., Laredo Medco LLC, Largo Medical Center Inc., Largo Physician Group LLC, Las Colinas Primary Care PLLC, Las Colinas Surgery Center Ltd., Las Encinas Hospital, Las Palmas Del Sol Cardiology PLLC, Las Palmas Del Sol Internal Medicine PLLC, Las Palmas Del Sol Urgent Care PLLC, Las Vegas ASC LLC, Las Vegas Surgicare Inc., Las Vegas Surgicare Ltd. a Nevada Limited Partnership, Lawnwood Cardiovascular Surgery LLC, Lawnwood Healthcare Specialists LLC, Lawnwood Medical Center Inc., Layton Family Practice LLC, Leaders in Oncology Care Limited, Leadership Healthcare Holdings II L.P. L.L.P., Leadership Healthcare Holdings L.P. L.L.P., Lees Summit Family Care LLC, Leslie Cohan M.D. PLLC, Lewis-Gale Hospital Incorporated, Lewis-Gale Medical Center LLC, Lewis-Gale Physicians LLC, Lewisville Primary Care PLLC, Lewisville Surgicare LLC, Lincoln Surgery Center LLC, Live Oak Immediate Care Center LLC, London Oncology Clinic LLP, London Pathology Limited, London Radiography & Radiotherapy Services Limited, Lone Peak Hospital Inc., Lone Star Intensivists at Gulf Coast PLLC, Lonestar Provider Network, Longview Regional Physician Hospital Organization Inc., Lorain County Surgery Center Ltd., Los Gatos Surgical Center a California Limited Partnership, Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Los Robles Regional Medical Center MOB LLC, Los Robles SurgiCenter LLC, Loudoun Surgery Center LLC, Louisiana Psychiatric Company Inc., Loveland Surgicenter LLC, Low Country Health Services Inc. of the Southeast, Lowry Surgicenter LLC, M. Jamshidi D.O. PLLC, MCA Investment Company, MCA-CTMC Holdings LLC, MEC Endoscopy LLC, MFA G.P. LLC, MFM Fact PLLC, MGH Medical Inc., MH Anesthesiology Physicians LLC, MH Angel Medical Center LLLP, MH Asheville Specialty Hospital LLC, MH Blue Ridge Medical Center LLLP, MH Eckerd Living Center LLLP, MH Highlands-Cashiers Medical Center LLLP, MH Hospital Holdings Inc., MH Hospital Manager LLC, MH Master Holdings LLLP, MH Master LLC, MH McDowell Imaging LLLP, MH Mission Hospital LLLP, MH Mission Hospital McDowell LLLP, MH Mission Imaging LLLP, MH Physician Services LLC, MH Transylvania Imaging LLLP, MH Transylvania Regional Hospital LLLP, MHS Partnership Holdings JSC Inc., MHS Partnership Holdings SDS Inc., MHS SC Partner L.L.C., MHS Surgery Centers L.P., MMC Sleep Lab Management LLC, MOSC Sports Medicine Inc., MOVCO Inc., MP Management LLC, MRT&C Inc., MSL Acquisition LLC, MVH Professional Services LLC, Macon Healthcare LLC, Macon Northside Health Group LLC, Macon Northside Hospital LLC, Macon Psychiatric Hospitalists LLC, Madison Behavioral Health LLC, Mainland Family Medicine PLLC, Mainland Multi-Specialty Group PLLC, Mainland Primary Care Physicians PLLC, Management Services Holdings Inc., Manatee Surgicare Ltd., Marietta Outpatient Medical Building Inc., Marietta Outpatient Surgery Ltd., Marietta Surgical Center Inc., Marion Community Hospital Inc., Mark Gottesman M.D. PLLC, Martin Fletcher & Associates L.P., Martin Fletcher Associates Holdings Inc., Mary Alice Cowan M.D. PLLC, Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialists of Corpus Christi PLLC, Maternal Fetal Services of Utah LLC, Maury County Behavioral Health LLC, Mayhill Cancer Center LLC, McAllen Comprehensive Upper Extremity Center PLLC, McKinney Surgeons PLLC, Mechanicsville Imaging LLC, Mecklenburg Surgical Land Development Ltd., Med City Dallas Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Med Corp. Inc., Med Group - Southern Hills Hospitalists LLC, Med-Center Hosp./Houston Inc., Med-Point of New Hampshire Inc., Medi Flight of Oklahoma LLC, MediCredit Inc., MediPurchase Inc., MediStone Healthcare Ventures Inc., MediVision Inc., MediVision of Mecklenburg County Inc., MediVision of Tampa Inc., Medical Arts Hospital of Texarkana Inc., Medical Associates of Ocala LLC, Medical Care America Colorado LLC, Medical Care America LLC, Medical Care Financial Services Corp., Medical Care Real Estate Finance Inc., Medical Care Surgery Center Inc., Medical Center - West Inc., Medical Center Imaging Inc., Medical Center Surgery Associates L.P., Medical Center of Baton Rouge Inc., Medical Center of Plano Partner LLC, Medical Center of Port St. Lucie Inc., Medical Center of Santa Rosa Inc., Medical Center of Southwest Florida LLC, Medical Centers of Oklahoma LLC, Medical City Dallas Hospital Inc., Medical City Dallas Partner LLC, Medical City Dallas Primary Care PLLC, Medical City Frisco, Medical City OB-GYN PLLC, Medical City Pediatrics PLLC, Medical City Specialty Surgicenter of Dallas LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Alliance LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Frisco LLC, Medical City Surgery Center of Lewisville LLC, Medical City Transplant PLLC, Medical Corporation of America, Medical Group - Dickson Inc., Medical Group - Southern Hills of Brentwood LLC, Medical Group - Southern Hills of Nolensville LLC, Medical Group - StoneCrest FP Inc., Medical Group - StoneCrest Inc., Medical Group - Stonecrest Pulmonology LLC, Medical Group - Summit Inc., Medical Imaging Inc., Medical Imaging of Colorado LLC, Medical Office Buildings of Kansas LLC, Medical Oncology Associates LLC, Medical Partners of North Florida LLC, Medical Plaza Ambulatory Surgery Center Associates L.P., Medical Specialties Inc., Memorial Family Practice Associates LLC, Memorial Health Primary Care at St. Johns Bluff LLC, Memorial Healthcare Group Inc., Memorial Neurosurgery Group LLC, Memorial Satilla Specialists LLC, Memorial University Medical Center, Menorah Medical Group LLC, Menorah Urgent Care LLC, Mercy ASC LLC, Metairie Primary Care Associates LLC, Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Center of Boerne LLC, Methodist Ambulatory Surgery Center of Landmark LLC, Methodist Cardiology Physicians, Methodist CareNow Physician Associates, Methodist CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio Ltd. L.L.P., Methodist Inpatient Management Group, Methodist Medical Center ASC L.P., Methodist Physician Alliance, Methodist Physician Practice Services LLC, Methodist Physician Practices PLLC, Metroplex Surgicenters Inc., Metropolitan Multispecialty Physicians Group Inc., Miami Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Miami Beach Healthcare Group Ltd., Miami Dade Surgical Specialists LLC, Miami Lakes Surgery Center Ltd., Miami-Dade Cardiology Consultants LLC, Michael Mann M.D. PLLC, Mid-America Surgery Center LLC, Mid-America Surgery Institute LLC, Mid-Cities Surgi-Center Inc., Mid-Continent Health Services Inc., MidAmerica Division Inc., MidAmerica Oncology LLC, Middle Georgia Hospital LLC, Middle Georgia Urgent Care Services LLC, Middle Tennessee Neurology LLC, Midtown Diagnostics LLC, Midwest Cardiology Specialists LLC, Midwest Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery LLC, Midwest Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons of Kansas LLC, Midwest Division - ACH LLC, Midwest Division - CMC LLC, Midwest Division - LRHC LLC, Midwest Division - LSH LLC, Midwest Division - MCI LLC, Midwest Division - MMC LLC, Midwest Division - OPRMC LLC, Midwest Division - RBH LLC, Midwest Division - RMC LLC, Midwest Division Spine Care LLC, Midwest Doctors Group LLC, Midwest Heart & Vascular Specialists LLC, Midwest Holdings Inc., Midwest Infectious Disease Specialists LLC, Midwest Medicine Associates LLC, Midwest Metropolitan Physicians Group LLC, Midwest Oncology Associates LLC, Midwest Trauma Services LLC, Midwest Womens Healthcare Specialists LLC, Mikrod Services Inc., Mill Creek Outpatient Services LLC, Millenium Health Care of Oklahoma Inc., Mission Bay Memorial Hospital Inc., Mission Community Anesthesiology Specialists LLC, Mission Employer Solutions LLC, Mission Health, Mission Health Partners Inc., Missouri Healthcare System L.P., Mobile Corps. Inc., Mobile Heartbeat, Mobile Heartbeat LLC, Montgomery Cancer Center LLC, Montgomery Hospitalists LLC, Montgomery Regional Hospital Inc., Montgomery Surgery Associates LLC, Mountain Division - CVH LLC, Mountain Division Inc., Mountain View Hospital Inc., Mountain View MRI Associates Ltd., Mountain West Surgery Center LLC, MountainStar Behavioral Health LLC, MountainStar Brigham General Surgery LLC, MountainStar Canyon Surgical Clinic LLC, MountainStar Cardiology Ogden Regional LLC, MountainStar Cardiology St. Marks LLC, MountainStar Intensivist Services LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - Cache Valley LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - Ogden Regional Medical Center LLC, MountainStar Medical Group - St. Marks Hospital LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Neurosurgery-St. Marks LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Timpanogos Primary Care LLC, MountainStar Medical Group Timpanogos Specialty Care LLC, MountainStar Specialty Services LLC, MountainStar Urgent Care LLC, MountainView GME Primary Care LLC, Mountainstar Brigham OBGYN LLC, Mountainstar Cardiovascular Services LLC, Mountainstar Ogden Pediatrics LLC, Movement Disorders of North Texas PLLC, Mt. Ogden Utah Surgical Center LLC, NPAS Inc., NPAS Solutions LLC, NT Urgent Care PLLC, NTGP LLC, NTMC Management Company, NTMC Venture Inc., NTX Pathology Program PLLC, Nashville Psychiatric Company Inc., Nashville Shared Services General Partnership, Nashville Surgicenter LLC, Natchez Medical Associates LLC, Natchez Surgery Center LLC, National Association of Senior Friends, National Contact Center Management Group LLC, National Patient Account Services Inc., National Transfer Center Management Services LLC, Navarro Memorial Hospital Inc., NeighborMD Management LLC, Network MS of Florida Inc., Network Management Services Inc., Neuro Affiliates Company, Neuro-Hospitalist of Clear Lake PLLC, NeuroHospitalist of McAllen PLLC, Neurological Eye Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Neurological Specialists PLLC, Neurological Specialists of McKinney PLLC, Neurology Associates of Hendersonville LLC, Neurology Associates of Kansas LLC, Neurosurgery Atlanta LLC, Neurosurgery of Kingwood PLLC, Neurosurgical Associates of North Texas PLLC, Neurosurgical Specialists of El Paso PLLC, Neurosurgical Specialists of North Texas PLLC, Nevada Surgery Center of Southern Hills L.P., Nevada Surgicare of Southern Hills LLC, Nevada Urgent Care Holdings Inc., New Iberia Healthcare LLC, New Iberia Holdings Inc., New Port Richey Hospital Inc., New Port Richey Surgery Center Ltd., New Rose Holding Company Inc., Niceville Family Practice LLC, North Augusta Imaging Management LLC, North Augusta Imaging Services LLC, North Augusta Rehab Health Center LLC, North Austin Plastic Surgery Associates PLLC, North Austin Surgery Center L.P., North Brandon Imaging LLC, North Central Florida Health System Inc., North Central Methodist ASC L.P., North Charleston Diagnostic Imaging Center LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Lake City LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Live Oak LLC, North Florida Cancer Center Tallahassee LLC, North Florida Division I Inc., North Florida Division Practice Inc., North Florida GI Center GP Inc., North Florida GI Center Ltd., North Florida Immediate Care Center Inc., North Florida Neurosurgery LLC, North Florida Outpatient Imaging Center Ltd., North Florida Physician Services Inc., North Florida Physicians LLC, North Florida Radiation Oncology LLC, North Florida Regional Company Care LLC, North Florida Regional Freestanding Surgery Center L.P., North Florida Regional Investments Inc., North Florida Regional Medical Center Inc., North Florida Regional Psychiatry LLC, North Florida Regional Trauma LLC, North Florida Rehab Investments LLC, North Florida Surgical Associates LLC, North Georgia Primary Care Group LLC, North Hills Cardiac Catheterization Center L.P., North Hills Catheterization Lab LLC, North Hills Orthopaedic Surgeons PLLC, North Hills Surgicare L.P., North Houston - TRMC LLC, North Miami Beach Surgery Center Limited Partnership, North Miami Beach Surgical Center LLC, North Palm Beach County Surgery Center LLC, North River Physician Network LLC, North Shore Specialists of Texas PLLC, North Suburban Spine Center L.P., North Tampa Imaging LLC, North Texas - MCA LLC, North Texas Cardiology PLLC, North Texas Craniofacial Fellowship Program PLLC, North Texas Division Inc., North Texas General L.P., North Texas Geriatrics PLLC, North Texas Heart Surgery Center PLLC, North Texas Internal Medicine Specialists PLLC, North Texas Medical Center Inc., North Texas Neuro Stroke OP PLLC, North Texas Pulmonary Critical Care PLLC, North Texas Sports and Orthopedics Center PLLC, North Texas Stroke Center PLLC, North Texas of Hope PLLC, North Transfer Center LLC, Northeast Florida Cancer Services LLC, Northeast Methodist Surgicare Ltd., Northeast PHO Inc., Northern Utah Healthcare Corporation, Northern Utah Healthcare Imaging Holdco LLC, Northern Utah Imaging LLC, Northern Virginia CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Northern Virginia Community Hospital LLC, Northern Virginia Hospital Corporation, Northern Virginia Surgicenter LLC, Northlake Medical Center LLC, Northlake Physician Practice Network Inc., Northlake Surgical Center L.P., Northlake Surgicare Inc., Northside MRI Inc., Northwest Fla. Home Health Agency Inc., Northwest Florida Healthcare Systems Inc., Northwest Florida Multispecialty Physicians LLC, Northwest Florida Primary Care LLC, Northwest Medical Center Inc., Notami (Opelousas) Inc., Notami Hospitals LLC, Notami Hospitals of Florida Inc., Notami Hospitals of Louisiana Inc., Notami Hospitals of Missouri Inc., Notami LLC, Notco LLC, Nuclear Diagnosis Inc., OB Hospitalists of Womans Hospital PLLC, OB/GYN of Brownsville PLLC, OB/Gyn Associates of Denton PLLC, OBS Diagnostic and Treatment Centre LLP, ODP Holdings LLC, ODP Manager LLC, ODP Properties LLC, OHH Imaging Services LLC, OPRMC-HBP LLC, Oak Hill Acquisition Inc., Oak Hill Family Care LLC, Oak Hill Hospitalists LLC, Oakwood Surgery Center Ltd. LLP, Ocala Health Company Care LLC, Ocala Health Imaging Services LLC, Ocala Health Primary Care LLC, Ocala Health Surgical Group LLC, Ocala Health Trauma LLC, Ocala Regional Outpatient Services Inc., Ocala Stereotactic Radiosurgery LLC, Ocala Stereotactic Radiosurgery Partner LLC, Occupational Health Services of PRH LLC, Occupational and Family Medicine of South Texas, Ogden Imaging LLC, Ogden Internal Medicine & Urology LLC, Ogden Regional Health Plan Inc., Ogden Regional Medical Center Professional Billing LLC, Ogden Senior Center LLC, Ogden Tomotherapy LLC, Ogden Tomotherapy Manager LLC, Okaloosa Hospital Inc., Okeechobee Hospital Inc., Oklahoma Holding Company LLC, Oklahoma Outpatient Surgery Limited Partnership, Oklahoma Physicians - Medical Specialties LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Obstetrics and Gynecology LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Primary Care LLC, Oklahoma Physicians - Surgical Specialties LLC, Oklahoma Surgicare Inc., Old Fort Village LLC, On-Site Primary Care PLLC, Oncology Services of Corpus Christi LLC, Oncology Services of Corpus Christi Manager LLC, OneSourceMed Inc., Online Pathology Services Limited, Orange County Healthcare LLC, Orange Park Hospitalists LLC, Orange Park Medical Center Inc., Orlando CareNow Urgent Care LLC, Orlando Outpatient Surgical Center Inc., Orlando Outpatient Surgical Center Ltd., Orlando Surgicare Ltd., Orthopaedic Specialty Associates L.P., Orthopaedic Sports Specialty Associates Inc., Orthopedic Hospital Ltd., Orthopedics Specialists LLC, Osceola Neurological Associates LLC, Osceola Physician Network LLC, Osceola Regional Hospital Inc., Osceola Regional Hospitalists LLC, Osceola Surgical Associates LLC, Outpatient Cardiovascular Center of Central Florida LLC, Outpatient GP LLC, Outpatient Services - LAD LLC, Outpatient Services Holdings Inc., Outpatient Surgical Services Ltd., Outpatient Womens and Childrens Surgery Center Ltd., Overland Park Cardiovascular Inc., Overland Park Medical Specialists LLC, Overland Park Orthopedics LLC, Overland Park Surgical Specialties LLC, Oviedo Medical Center LLC, Ozarks Medical Services Inc., P&L Associates, P/SL Hyperbaric Partnership, PET CT LLP, PMM Inc., POH Holdings LLC, PSG Delegated Services LLC, PTS Solutions LLC, Pacific Partners Management Services Inc., Palm Beach EFL Imaging Center LLC, Palm Beach General Surgery LLC, Palm Beach Healthcare System Inc., Palm Beach Hospitalists Program LLC, Palmer Medical Center LLC, Palms West Gastroenterology LLC, Palms West Hospital Limited Partnership, Palms West Surgery Center Ltd., Paragon Physicians Hospital Organization of South Texas Inc., Paragon SDS Inc., Paragon Surgery Centers of Texas Inc., Paragon WSC Inc., Paragon of Texas Health Properties Inc., Parallon Business Solutions LLC, Parallon Enterprises LLC, Parallon Health Information Solutions LLC, Parallon Holdings LLC, Parallon Payroll Solutions LLC, Parallon Physician Services LLC, Parallon Revenue Cycle Services Inc., Park Central Surgical Center Ltd., Park Ridge Surgery Center LLC, Park South Imaging Center Ltd., Park View Insurance Company, Parkersburg SJ Holdings Inc., Parkland Hospitalists Program LLC, Parkland Oncology LLC, Parkland Physician Services Inc., Parkridge East Specialty Associates LLC, Parkridge Hospitalists Inc., Parkridge Medical Associates LLC, Parkridge Medical Center Inc., Parkridge Professionals Inc., Parkside Surgery Center Inc., Parkway Cardiac Center Ltd., Parkway Hospital Inc., Parkway Surgery Services Ltd., Parthenon Insurance Company Limited, Pasadena Bayshore Hospital Inc., PatientKeeper, PatientKeeper Inc., Patients First Neurology LLC, Pavilion 2 Condominium Property LLC, Pavilion 2 Medical Office Building Condominium Association Inc., Pavilion Surgicenter LLC, Peach State Anesthesia Partners LLC, Pearland Institute for Womens Health PLLC, Pearland Partner LLC, Pediatric Anesthesia Consultants of San Antonio PLLC, Pediatric Cardiac Intensivists of North Texas PLLC, Pediatric Critical Care of Clear Lake PLLC, Pediatric Hospitalists of Conroe PLLC, Pediatric Intensivist Group LLC, Pediatric Intensivists of El Paso PLLC, Pediatric Intensivists of North Texas PLLC, Pediatric Specialists of Clear Lake PLLC, Pediatric Specialty Clinic LLC, Pediatric Surgicare Inc., Pediatrics of Greater Houston PLLC, Pensacola Primary Care Inc., Physician Associates of Corporate Woods LLC, Physicians Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Physicians West Surgicenter LLC, Pinellas Medical LLC, Pinnacle Physician Network LLC, Pioneer Medical LLC, Plains Healthcare System Inc., Plano Ambulatory Surgery Associates L.P., Plano Heart Institute L.P., Plano Heart Management LLC, Plano Surgery Center - GP LLC, Plano Surgery Center Real Estate LLC, Plano Surgicenter Real Estate Manager LLC, Plano Urology PLLC, Plantation General Hospital L.P., Plaza Medical Specialists PLLC, Plaza Primary Care PLLC, Plaza Transplant Center PLLC, Podiatry of Clear Lake PLLC, Poinciana Medical Center Inc., Port St. Lucie Surgery Center Ltd., Portland Primary Care LLC, Portsmouth Regional Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Portsmouth Surgicenter LLC, Preferred Hospitals Inc., Preferred Works WC LLC, Premier ASC LLC, Premier Medical Management Ltd., Primary Care Medical Associates Inc., Primary Care Plano PLLC, Primary Care Services of Orlando LLC, Primary Care South PLLC, Primary Care West PLLC, Primary Care of West End LLC, Primary Health Asset Holdings Ltd., Primary Health Group Inc., Primary Health Inc., Primary Health Network of South Texas, Primary Health Physicians PLLC, Primary Medical Management Inc., Proaxis Therapy HealthOne LLC, Provident Professional Building Condominium Association Inc., Psychiatry Services of Osceola LLC, Pulaski Community Hospital Inc., Pulaski Urology LLC, Pulmonary Renal Intensivist Group LLC, Putnam Community Medical Center of North Florida LLC, Putnam Hospital Inc., Putnam Radiation Oncology LLC, Putnam Radiation Oncology Manager LLC, Putnam Surgical Group LLC, Quantum/Bellaire Imaging Ltd., Quick Care Centers LLC, Quivira Internal Medicine Inc., RCH LLC, RMC - Pulmonary LLC, RMC Transplant Physicians LLC, RMCA Professionals Mgmt LLC, ROi CPS LLC, Radford Family Medicine LLC, Radiation Oncology Center of Thornton LLC, Radiation Oncology Manager LLC, Raleigh Community Medical Office Building Ltd., Rapides After Hours Clinic L.L.C., Rapides Healthcare System L.L.C., Rapides Regional Physician Group LLC, Rapides Regional Physician Group Primary Care LLC, Rapides Regional Physician Group Specialty Care LLC, Rapides Surgery Center LLC, Raulerson GYN LLC, Raulerson Gastroenterology LLC, Raulerson Primary Care LLC, Raymore Medical Group LLC, Red Rock Holdco LLC, Red Rock at Smoke Ranch LLC, Red Rocks Surgery Center LLC, Redmond Anesthesia Services LLC, Redmond Hospital Services LLC, Redmond Neurosurgery LLC, Redmond Park Health Services Inc., Redmond Park Hospital LLC, Redmond Physician Practice Company, Redmond Specialty Services LLC, Regional Hospital Healthcare Partners LLC, Research Cardiology Associates LLC, Research Family Physicians LLC, Research Internal Medicine LLC, Research Neurology Associates LLC, Research Neuroscience Institute LLC, Resource Optimization & Innovation L.L.C., Reston Hospital Center LLC, Reston Hospitalists LLC, Reston Surgery Center L.P., Retreat Cardiology LLC, Retreat Hospital LLC, Retreat Internal Medicine LLC, Retreat Surgical Associates LLC, Rhodes Limited-Liability Company, Richmond Imaging Employer Corp., Richmond Multi-Specialty LLC, Richmond Pediatric Surgeons LLC, Ridgeline Surgicenter LLC, Rim Building Partners L.P., Rio Grande Healthcare MSO Inc., Rio Grande NP Inc., Rio Grande Regional Hospital Inc., Rio Grande Valley Cardiology PLLC, Rio Grande Valley CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, Rio Grande Valley Urology PLLC, Riverside CyberKnife Manager LLC, Riverside Healthcare System L.P., Riverside Holdings Inc., Riverside Hospital Inc., Riverside Imaging LLC, Riverwalk ASC LLC, Roanoke Imaging LLC, Roanoke Neurosurgery LLC, Roanoke Surgery Center L.P., Roanoke Valley Gynecology LLC, Robotic Radiosurgery LLP, Rocky Mountain Pediatric Hematology Oncology LLC, Rocky Mountain Surgery Center LLC, Rome Imaging Center Limited Partnership, Roodlane Medical Limited, Rose Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Rose Health Partners LLC, Rose Medical Plaza Ltd., Rose POB Inc., Rosewood Medical Center Inc., Rosewood Professional Building Ltd., Round Rock Hospital Inc., Round Rock Trauma Surgeons PLLC, Royal Oaks Surgery Center L.P., S.A. Medical Center Inc., SAPN LLC, SCRI Global Services Limited, SCRI Holdings LLC, SCRI Scientifics LLC, SJMC LLC, SSHR Holdco LLC, SSJ St. Petersburg Holdings Inc., STPN Manager LLC, SWMC Inc., Sahara Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Salem Hospitalists LLC, Salem Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Salt Lake City Surgicare Inc., Samaritan LLC, San Antonio Division Inc., San Antonio Regional Hospital Inc., San Antonio Surgicenter LLC, San Bernardino Imaging LLC, San Joaquin Surgical Center Inc., San Jose Healthcare System LP, San Jose Hospital L.P., San Jose LLC, San Jose Medical Center LLC, San Jose Pathology Outreach LLC, San Marcos ASC LLC, San Marcos Surgicenter LLC, Sante Fe Family Practitioners PLLC, Sarah Cannon Development Innovations LLC, Sarah Cannon Research Institute LLC, Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK Limited, Sarasota Doctors Hospital Inc., Savannah Behavioral Health Associates LLC, Savannah Health Network LLC, Savannah Health Services LLC, Savannah Inpatient Services LLC, Savannah Multispecialty Associates LLC, Savannah Pediatric Care LLC, Savannah Primary Care Associates LLC, Sebring Health Services LLC, Selma Medical Center Hospital Inc., Senior Health Associates LLC, Short Pump Imaging LLC, Silicon Valley Health Holdings LLC, Silicon Valley Surgery Center L.P., Silicon Valley Surgicenter LLC, Sky Ridge Spine Manager LLC, Sky Ridge Surgery Center L.P., Skyline Medical Group LLC, Skyline Neuroscience Associates LLC, Skyline Rehab Associates LLC, Skyline Specialty Associates LLC, Smith Laboratories Inc., Solis Mammography at Bayshore Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Clear Lake Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Conroe Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Denton Regional Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at HCA Houston Tomball LLC, Solis Mammography at Kingwood Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Las Colinas Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center Alliance LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center Arlington LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of Lewisville LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of McKinney LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical Center of Plano LLC, Solis Mammography at Medical City Dallas LLC, Solis Mammography at Pearland Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Rose Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Skyline Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at StoneCrest Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at West Houston Medical Center LLC, Solis Mammography at Womans Hospital of Texas LLC, Solis Mammography of Cedar Hill LLC, Solis Mammography of CyFair LLC, Solis Mammography of Dallas LLC, Solis Mammography of Flower Mound LLC, Solis Mammography of Frisco LLC, Solis Mammography of Garland LLC, Solis Mammography of Grand Prairie LLC, Solis Mammography of Houston NW LLC, Solis Mammography of Katy LLC, Solis Mammography of Louetta/249 LLC, Solis Mammography of Mainland LLC, Solis Mammography of Mansfield LLC, Solis Mammography of Mesquite LLC, Solis Mammography of Montgomery LLC, Solis Mammography of North Cypress LLC, Solis Mammography of North Loop LLC, Solis Mammography of Sugar Land LLC, Solis Mammography of West Plano LLC, Solis Mammography of Womans Place LLC, South Atlantic Division Inc., South Austin Surgery Center Ltd., South Austin Surgical Management LLC, South Austin Surgicenter LLC, South Brandon Imaging LLC, South Florida Division Practice Inc., South Texas Surgicare Inc., South Transfer Center LLC, South Valley Hospital L.P., Southeast Georgia Health Services LLC, Southern Hills Medical Center LLC, Southern Hills Neurology Consultants LLC, Southern Kentucky Medicine Associates LLC, Southern Kentucky Surgicenter LLC, Southern Texas Physicians Network, Southpoint LLC, Southtown Womens Clinic LLC, Southwest Florida Health System Inc., Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center Inc., Southwest Medical Center Family Practice LLC, Southwest Medical Center Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Southwest Medical Center Surgical Group LLC, Southwest Medpro Ltd., Southwest Surgical Clinic Inc., Southwest Virginia Orthopedics and Spine LLC, Spalding Rehabilitation L.L.C., Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology PLLC, Specialty Associates of West Houston PLLC, Specialty Physicians of Northern Virginia LLC, Specialty Surgicare of Las Vegas LP, Spotsylvania Condominium Property LLC, Spotsylvania Medical Center Inc., Spotsylvania Multi-Specialty Group LLC, Spotsylvania Regional Surgery Center LLC, Spring Branch Family Practitioners PLLC, Spring Branch Medical Center Inc., Spring Hill Hospital Inc., Spring Hill Imaging LLC, Spring Hill Physicians LLC, Springview KY LLC, Spruce Pine Healthcare LLC, St. Davids Austin Area ASC LLC, St. Davids Cardiology PLLC, St. Davids CareNow Urgent Care PLLC, St. Davids Healthcare Partnership L.P. LLP, St. Davids Heart & Vascular PLLC, St. Davids Neurology PLLC, St. Davids OB Hospitalist PLLC, St. Davids Ortho Neuro and Rehab PLLC, St. Davids Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PLLC, St. Davids Quality Alliance LLC, St. Davids Specialized Womens Services PLLC, St. Davids Trauma Surgeons PLLC, St. Lucie Hospitalists LLC, St. Lucie Medical Center Hyperbarics LLC, St. Lucie Medical Center Walk-In Clinic LLC, St. Lucie Medical Specialists LLC, St. Lucie West Primary Care LLC, St. Marks Ambulatory Surgery Associates L.P., St. Marks Gynecology Oncology Care LLC, St. Marks Investments Inc., St. Marks Physician Billing LLC, St. Marks Professional Services LLC, St. Marks South Jordan Family Practice LLC, St. Martins Healthcare Limited, St. Martins Ltd., St. Martins Medical Services Limited, St. Petersburg General Surgery LLC, Stafford Imaging LLC, Statland Medical Group LLC, Steamboat Springs Surgicenter LLC, Sterling Primary Care Associates LLC, Stiles Road Imaging LLC, StoneCrest Surgery Center LLC, StoneSprings Medical Office Building Property LLC, StoneSprings Surgicenter LLC, Stonecrest Medical Group - Family Practice of Murfreesboro LLC, Stonecrest Medical Group - SC Murfreesboro Family Practice LLC, Stones River Hospital LLC, Suburban Medical Center at Hoffman Estates Inc., Sugar Land Surgery Center Anesthesia LLC, Sugar Land Surgery Center Ltd., Sullins Surgical Center Inc., Summit Convenient Care at Lebanon LLC, Summit General Partner Inc., Summit Heart LLC, Summit Outpatient Diagnostic Center LLC, Summit Research Solutions LLC, Summit Surgery Center L.P., Summit Surgical Associates LLC, Summit Walk-in Clinic LLC, Sun Bay Medical Office Building Inc., Sun City Hospital Inc., Sun City Imaging LLC, Sun Towers/Vista Hills Holding Co., Sun-Med LLC, Sunrise Flamingo Holdings LLC, Sunrise Flamingo Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center LLC, Sunrise Mountainview Hospital Inc., Sunrise Mountainview Multi-Specialty Clinics LLC, Sunrise Outpatient Services Inc., Sunrise Physician Services LLC, Sunrise Trauma Services LLC, Surgery Associates of NTX PLLC, Surgery Center of Atlantis LLC, Surgery Center of Aventura Ltd., Surgery Center of Bay Area Houston LLC, Surgery Center of Greenview L.P., Surgery Center of Independence L.P., Surgery Center of Overland Park L.P., Surgery Center of Port Charlotte Ltd., Surgery Center of Rome L.P., Surgery Center of the Rockies LLC, Surgical Associates of Southwest Virginia LLC, Surgical Care Medical Group LLC, Surgical Center of Irving Inc., Surgical Facility of West Houston L.P., Surgical Park Center Ltd., Surgical Specialists of Clear Lake PLLC, Surgical Specialists of Conroe PLLC, Surgical Specialists of Corpus Christi PLLC, Surgicare America - Winter Park Inc., Surgicare Merger Company of Louisiana, Surgicare Outpatient Center of Baton Rouge Inc., Surgicare Outpatient Center of Jackson Inc., Surgicare of ADC LLC, Surgicare of AGI LLC, Surgicare of Alpine LLC, Surgicare of Altamonte Springs Inc., Surgicare of Anchorage LLC, Surgicare of Arapahoe LLC, Surgicare of Arlington LLC, Surgicare of Ashburn LLC, Surgicare of Augusta Inc., Surgicare of Aurora Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Aventura LLC, Surgicare of Bay Area Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Bay Area LLC, Surgicare of Bayonet Point Inc., Surgicare of Bayside LLC, Surgicare of Bountiful LLC, Surgicare of Brandon Inc., Surgicare of Brentwood LLC, Surgicare of Brighton LLC, Surgicare of Brooksville LLC, Surgicare of Brownsville LLC, Surgicare of Buckhead LLC, Surgicare of CAREOS LLC, Surgicare of Central Florida Inc., Surgicare of Central Park Surgery Center LLC, Surgicare of Central San Antonio Inc., Surgicare of Chattanooga LLC, Surgicare of Chippenham LLC, Surgicare of Citrus LLC, Surgicare of Clarksville LLC, Surgicare of Corpus Christi LLC, Surgicare of Countryside Inc., Surgicare of Dallas Specialty LLC, Surgicare of Denton Inc., Surgicare of Denver Clinic LLC, Surgicare of Denver LLC, Surgicare of Denver Mid-Town Inc., Surgicare of Dickson LLC, Surgicare of Eastside LLC, Surgicare of Evans Inc., Surgicare of Fairfax Inc., Surgicare of Florida Inc., Surgicare of Flower Mound Inc., Surgicare of Focus Hand LLC, Surgicare of Fort Worth Co-GP LLC, Surgicare of Fort Worth Inc., Surgicare of Ft. Pierce Inc., Surgicare of Good Samaritan LLC, Surgicare of Gramercy Inc., Surgicare of Greenview Inc., Surgicare of Hanover Inc., Surgicare of Houston Kingwood LLC, Surgicare of Houston LLC, Surgicare of Houston Womens Inc., Surgicare of Indianapolis Inc., Surgicare of Kansas City LLC, Surgicare of Kingwood LLC, Surgicare of Kissimmee Inc., Surgicare of Lakeview Inc., Surgicare of Las Vegas Inc., Surgicare of Laurel Grove LLC, Surgicare of Lorain County Inc., Surgicare of Los Gatos Inc., Surgicare of Los Robles LLC, Surgicare of Loveland LLC, Surgicare of Madison Inc., Surgicare of Manatee Inc., Surgicare of McKinney Inc., Surgicare of Medical City Dallas LLC, Surgicare of Memorial Endoscopy LLC, Surgicare of Merritt Island Inc., Surgicare of Miami Lakes LLC, Surgicare of Mountain West LLC, Surgicare of Mt. 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There are currently 2 sell ratings, 5 hold ratings and 2 buy ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street analysts is that investors should "hold" Deutsche EuroShop stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in DEQ, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Deutsche EuroShop or view top-rated stocks. Labour and Anti-semitism in 2018: The Truth Behind the Relentless Smear Campaign Against Corbyn Bombarded by disinformation campaigns, many British Jews are being misled into seeing Corbyn as a threat rather than as the best hope of inoculating Britain against the resurgence of right-wing anti-semitism menace By Jonathan Cook December 30, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - End-of-year polls are always popular as a way to gauge significant social and political trends over the past year and predict where things are heading in the next. But a recent poll of European Jews the largest such survey in the world is being used to paint a deeply misleading picture of British society and an apparent problem of a new, left-wing form of anti-semitism. An anti-semitism problem? The survey was conducted by the European Union's agency on fundamental rights and was given great prominence in the liberal-left British daily the Guardian. The newspaper highlighted one area of life in which Britain scored worse with Jews than any of the other 12 member states surveyed. Some 84 per cent of Jews in the UK believe there is a major problem with anti-semitism in British politics. As a result, nearly a third say they have considered emigrating presumably most of them to Israel, where the Law of Return offers an open-door policy to all Jews in the world. Britain scored only slightly better on indices other than politics. Some 75 per cent said they thought anti-semitism was generally a problem in the UK, up from 48 per cent in 2012. The average score in the 12 EU states with significant Jewish populations was 70 per cent. Jeremy Corbyn, head of the UKs opposition Labour party, has faced a barrage of criticism since he was elected leader more than three years ago for presiding over a supposedly endemic anti-semitism problem in his party. The Guardian has been at the forefront of framing Corbyn as either indifferent to, or actively assisting in, the supposed rise of anti-semitism in Labour. Now the paper has a senior European politician echoing its claims. 'Playing with fire' Relating to the poll, Vera Jourova, the EUs commissioner for justice, helpfully clarified what Britains terrible results in the political sphere signified. The paper quoted her on Corbyn: "I always use the phrase 'Lets not play with fire', lets be aware of what happened in the past. And lets not make the same mistake of tolerating it. It is not enough just to be silent I hope he [Corbyn] will pay attention to this survey. However, both Jourovas warnings and an apparent perception among British Jews of an anti-semitism problem fuelled by Corbyn fly in the face of real-world evidence. Other surveys show that, when measured by objective criteria, the Labour party scores relatively well: The percentage of members holding anti-Semitic views is substantially lower than in the ruling Conservative party and much the same as in Britains third party, the Liberal Democrats. For example, twice as many Conservatives as Labour party members believe typically anti-Semitic stereotypes. Even more significantly, the percentage of Labour party members who hold such prejudices has fallen dramatically across the board since Corbyn became leader. This fact suggests that the new members who joined after Corbyn became leader a massive influx has made his party the largest in Europe are less likely to be anti-Semitic than those who joined under previous Labour leaders. In other words, the evidence suggests very persuasively that Corbyn has been a force for eradicating, or at least diluting, existing and rather marginal anti-Semitic views in the Labour party. More so even than the previous leader, Ed Miliband, who was himself Jewish. But all of this, yet again, went unremarked by the Guardian and other British media, which have been loudly claiming a specific anti-semitism problem in Labour for three years without a shred of concrete evidence for it. Resurgent white nationalism There are good grounds for Jews to feel threatened in much of Europe at the moment, with the return of ugly ethnic nationalisms that many assumed had been purged after World War Two. And Brexit Britains planned exit from the European Union does indeed appear to have unleashed or renewed nativist sentiment among a section of the UK population. But such prejudices dominate on the right, not the left. Certainly Corbyn, a lifelong and very prominent anti-racism activist, has not been stoking nativist attitudes. The unexplored assumption by the Guardian and the rest of the corporate media, as well as by Jourova, is that the rise in British Jews concerns about anti-semitism in politics refers exclusively to Corbyn rather than a very different problem: Of a resurgent white nationalism on the right. But lets assume that they are correct that the poll solely registers Jewish worries about Corbyn. A separate finding in the EU survey underscored how Jewish opinion on anti-semitism and Corbyn may be far less straightforward than Jourovas presentation suggests and how precisely the wrong conclusions are likely to be drawn from the results. Buried in the Guardian report was a starkly anomalous finding from Hungary. The Hungary anomaly Hungary is a country in which Jews and other minorities undoubtedly face a very pressing threat to their safety. Its ultra-nationalist Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, used the general election last April to whip up a frenzy of anti-Jewish sentiment. He placed the Hungarian-born Jewish billionaire George Soros at the centre of his anti-immigration campaign, suggesting that the philanthropist was secretly pulling the strings of the opposition party to flood the country with foreigners. In the run-up to the election, his government erected giant posters and billboards all over the country showing a chuckling George Soros next to the words: Dont let Soros have the last laugh. Raiding the larder of virtually every historic anti-Semitic trope, Orban declared in an election speech: We are fighting an enemy that is different from us. Not open, but hiding; not straightforward but crafty; not honest but base; not national but international; does not believe in working but speculates with money; does not have its own homeland but feels it owns the world. All of this should be seen in the context of Orbans recent praise for Miklos Horthy, a former Hungarian leader who was an ally of Hitlers. Orban has called him an exceptional statesman. So did Hungarian Jews express to EU pollsters heightened fears for their communitys safety? Strangely, they did not. In fact, the percentage who regarded anti-semitism as a problem in Hungary was only slightly above the EU average and far below the concerns expressed by French Jews. Not only that, but the proportion of Hungarian Jews fearful of anti-semitism has actually dropped over the past six years. Some 77 per cent see anti-semitism as a problem today, compared to 89 per cent in 2012, when the poll was last conducted. So, the surveys results are more than a little confounding. On the one hand, at least according to the British media and the EU, British Jews are in a heightened state of fear about the UK Labour party, where the evidence suggests an already marginal problem of anti-semitism is actually in decline. And on the other, Hungarian Jews fears of anti-semitism are waning, even though the evidence suggests anti-semitism is on the rise and government-sanctioned there. Understanding the paradox There is, however, a way to explain this paradox and it has nothing to do with anti-semitism. Corbyns socialist-lite agenda faces a devastating array of opponents that include British business; the entire spectrum of the UK corporate media, including its supposedly liberal components; and, significantly in this case, the ultra-nationalist government of Israel, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. The British establishment fears Corbyn poses a challenge to the further entrenchment of neoliberal orthodoxy they benefit from. Meanwhile, Israeli politicians loathe Corbyn because he has made support for the Palestinian people a key part of his platform, becoming the first European leader to prioritise a Palestinian right to justice over Israels right to maintain its 51-year belligerent occupation. Hungarys Viktor Orban, by contrast, is beloved of big business, as well as the countrys mainstream media, and, again significantly, the Israeli government. Rather than distancing himself from Orban and his Jew-baiting electioneering in Hungary, Netanyahu has actually sanctioned it. He has called Orban a true friend of Israel, thanked him for "defending Israel", and joined the Hungarian leader in denouncing Soros. Netanyahu, like Orban, intensely dislikes Soross liberalism and his support for open borders. Netanyahu shares Orbans fears that a flood of refugees will disrupt his efforts to make his state as ethnically pure as possible. Earlier this year, for example, Netanyahu claimed that Soros had funded human rights organisations to help African asylum seekers in Israel avoid a government programme to expel them. Netanyahu has many practical and ideological reasons to support not only Orban but the new breed of ultra-nationalist leaders emerging in states like Poland, Italy, France and elsewhere. Hostility to Muslims Nativism in European states is primarily directed against Muslim and Arab immigrants arriving from the Middle East and North Africa, though domestic Jews could well become collateral damage in any future purge of foreigners. Europes ultra-nationalist leaders are, therefore, more likely to sympathise with Israel and its own Arab-Muslim problem, especially since Netanyahu and the Israeli right have proved adept at falsely presenting the Palestinians as immigrants rather than the regions native population. Netanyahu would also like to see Europe paralysed by political differences, so it is incapable of lobbying for a two-state solution, as it has been doing ineffectively for many years; it is unable to agree on funding human rights activism designed to protect Palestinian rights; and it is too weak to move towards the adoption of sanctions against Israel. But most importantly, Netanyahu and the Israeli right can identify with the anti-Semitic view of the Jew shared by Europes hardline nationalists. These far-right groups see Jews as outsiders, a discrete community that cannot be assimilated or exist peacefully among them, and one that has separate loyalties and should either be encouraged to leave or be sent elsewhere. Netanyahu agrees . He also believes Jews are different, that they are a distinct and separate people, that their primary loyalties are tribal, to their own kind, and not to other states, and that they can only ever really be at home and properly Jewish in Israel, their true home. Zsofia Kata Vincze, a professor of ethnology in Budapest, recently referred to the ideological affinity between Netanyahus Zionism and Orbans Hungarian-Christian nativism: They found a common language very easily. They kept talking about mutual values, which are nationalism, exclusivism Hungarian purity, Jewish purity against the Others. Only partial Jews In fact, Netanyahus views are widely shared in Israel. A few years ago the celebrated liberal Israeli author A B Yehoshua outraged American Jews by saying they could only ever be what he called partial Jews outside Israel. Speaking of the divide between them and Israeli Jews, he said : In no way are we the same thing - we are total and they are partial. He called the refusal of all Jews to live in Israel and become complete Jews a very deep failure of the Jewish people. The high levels of racism among Israelis towards non-Jews is highlighted in every poll. According to one this month, more than half of Israeli Jews or those willing to admit it believed that most Jews are better than most non-Jews because they were born Jews. Only a fifth rejected the statement outright. Some 74 percent were disturbed by hearing Arabic, the mother tongue of the fifth of the countrys population who are Palestinian citizens. And a further 88 percent did not want their son to befriend an Arab girl. A separate poll this month found that, apart from Greeks, Israelis hold the most anti-immigrant views of 27 countries surveyed more so even than Hungarians. By immigrants, of course, Israelis mean non-Jews. They do not regard the millions of Jews who have arrived in Israel from Europe and the Americas over the past decades as immigrants. Instead they are viewed as olim, or those who ascend to Israel, supposedly returning to their Biblically ordained home. It's this ideological affinity between a European ultra-nationalism and the kind of Zionist ultra-nationalism dominant in Israel that explains why the far-right in Europe venerates Israel while despising Jews, and why so many Israelis prefer an Orban to a Soros. And it is also, of course, explains why Netanyahu and most Israelis detest Corbyn . Israel's role Not only does Corbyn offer an inclusive domestic political agenda, unlike the Orbans of Europe but, worse, he also refuses to shy away from confronting the legacy of European racism and colonialism. The chief historic victims of that racism in Europe were Jews. But today that same European racism is channelled both into fervent support for Israel as a supposedly safe haven for Jews and into a general indifference aside from handwringing towards the Palestinians who for decades have been displaced and oppressed by Israel. Corbyn represents a huge break with that tradition and is, therefore, a threat to Israel. That is why behind the scenes Israel has been seeking to redefine anti-semitism in a way that tars anti-racists like Corbyn and his supporters in the Labour party. The laying of a wreath by Jeremy Corbyn on the graves of the terrorist who perpetrated the Munich massacre and his comparison of Israel to the Nazis deserves unequivocal condemnation from everyone left, right and everything in between Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) August 13, 2018 I have documented before in Middle East Eye Israels role in stoking the supposed anti-semitism crisis in Labour and in cornering the party into adopting a new, convoluted definition of anti-semitism that for the first time makes criticism of Israel the benchmark of anti-Semitic discourse. Last month Netanyahu made that conflation explicit in a video message to a conference in Vienna. While praising Orban, he averred: Anti-semitism and anti-Zionism, anti-Israeli polices the idea that the Jewish people don't have the right for a state that's the ultimate anti-semitism of today." But it is not just Netanyahu who is stoking the patently preposterous notion that anti-racists like Corbyn those whose principles require that they reject Israeli privilege over Palestinians are really secret Jew-haters. If that were the case, the criticisms of Corbyn might not have as much traction with British Jews as this months EU poll suggests. Media distortions The UK media have played a vital role in promoting a false image of Corbyn, as a survey by the Media Reform Coalition found in September when it analysed British coverage of the Labour party. The coalition, which is led by academics, concluded that there had been systematic disinformation from media outlets. Inaccurate and misleading reporting by the supposedly liberal Guardian was especially pronounced. Two thirds of the news segments on television contained at least one reporting error or substantive distortion, its researchers also discovered. These failures included marked skews in sourcing, omission of essential context or right of reply, misquotation, and false assertions made either by journalists themselves or sources whose contentious claims were neither challenged nor countered. The group is reluctant to infer that these consistent media failures indicate an intention to smear Corbyn. It is worth recalling that shortly after Corbyn was elected Labour leader in summer 2015 an unnamed British army general was given a platform in the Establishments newspaper, the Rupert Murdoch-owned Times, to denounce Corbyn. He warned that the army would use whatever means possible, fair or foul to prevent the Labour leader from becoming prime minister and being able to carry out his policies. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but is a British general threatening a military coup in the Sunday Times?! pic.twitter.com/VKu00JPvMl Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) September 20, 2015 The real remedy There is a serious, if rarely explored, ideological tension between Israeli-style Zionism and a progressive or liberal outlook, just as there is between Orbanism and liberalism. In a political climate where European nativists are on the rise, the stark choice facing Europes Jews is to double-down on their traditional left-liberal worldview or abandon it entirely and throw their hat in with Israels own nativists. Corbyn represents the first choice, Netanyahus hardline Zionism the second. Bombarded by disinformation campaigns, it looks like many British Jews are being misled into seeing Corbyn as a threat of a confected left-wing anti-semitism rather than as the best hope of inoculating Britain against the resurgence of a very real menace of right-wing anti-semitism. Jewish emigration to Israel will make matters far worse. It will pander to the prejudices of Europes white nationalists, weaken the European left, and bolster an equally ugly Jewish nationalism that requires the oppression of Palestinians. Jonathan Cook, a British journalist based in Nazareth since 2001, is the author of three books on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is a past winner of the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. His website and blog can be found at: www.jonathan-cook.net. This article was originally published by " MEE " - " Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== The thought of Jeremy Corbyn as PM has Jewish investors running for the hills Post-Brexit UK looks to add military bases : The UK is looking to establish new military bases in the Caribbean and Far East as part of a bid to become a "true global player". British Defence Secretary said. Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Mosenergo OAO engages in the generation of heat and electric power and heat distribution services. It also involves in the procurement and purchasing of electricity from the wholesale market of electric energy and capacity, the operation of heat supply networks, and the administration of design and feasibility studies. The company's other businesses include the provision of agricultural products, feed water sales, communication services, information and data processing services, maintenance services, and other commercial activities. It operates through the following segments: Electric Energy, Heat Energy, and All Other. The company was founded by Carl Fyodorovich Siemens in 1886 and is headquartered in Moscow, Russia. Read More King's Bay Resources Corp. engages in acquiring, exploring, developing, and evaluating mineral resource properties in Canada. The company has 100% interests in the Lynx Lake cobalt-copper property consisting of 66 mineral claims covering 20 square kilometers located in southern Labrador; and the Trump Island property consisting of 8 mineral claims covering an area of 2 square kilometers located in north-central Newfoundland. It also has interests in the Ninuk Lake project consisting of 19 mineral claims comprising 2,164 acres located to the northeast of Umiujag, Quebec; the Broadback River project consisting of 9 mineral claims covering an area of 1035 acres located to the northwest of the Nuinsco Discovery zone, Quebec; and the Roberge project consisting of 3 mineral claims comprising 443 acres located to the southeast of Chesterville, Quebec. The company was formerly known as King's Bay Gold Corporation and changed its name to King's Bay Resources Corp. in August 2017. King's Bay Resources Corp. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Read More InterXion Holding N.V. provides carrier and cloud-neutral colocation data center services in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The company enables its customers to connect to a range of telecommunications carriers, cloud platforms, Internet service providers, and other customers. Its data centers acts as content, cloud, and connectivity hubs that facilitate the processing, storage, sharing, and distribution of data between its customers. The company offers colocation services, including space and power to deploy IT infrastructure in its data centers; a range of output voltages and currents; connectivity services that enable its customers to connect their IT infrastructure to exchange traffic and access cloud platforms; and systems monitoring, systems management, engineering support, and data backup and storage services, as well as installs and manages physical connections running from its customers' equipment to the equipment of its telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers, Internet exchange customers, and other customers. It provides its services to telecom operators, Internet service providers, and content delivery networks; content and cloud providers; and enterprises through direct sales forces, as well as through tradeshows, networking events, and industry seminars. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 51 carrier and cloud neutral colocation data centers in 13 metropolitan areas in 11 countries. The company is also involved in real estate management/holding businesses. InterXion Holding N.V. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. Read More Can El Paso be a Model for Peaceful Coexistence? By Cesar Chelala December 30, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - I dont consider them immigrants. I consider them my friendly neighbors, said Larry Baldwin, a former American military officer, and teacher referring to the Mexican immigrants in El Paso, Texas. Many other Americans living in El Paso expressed the same sentiment. If healthy coexistence between Americans and immigrants can be found in El Paso, why cant it be fostered in the rest of the country? El Paso is located on the Rio Grande, across from the Mexican city of Juarez, which is one of the most violent in the world. In 2015, El Paso had a population of 679,000, which makes it the 19th most populous city in the U.S. Hispanics and Latinos (mainly Mexican) account for almost 81 percent of the population. In spite of its significant majority of Mexicans in the city, the city consistently ranks among the safest in the U.S. This doesnt stop President Donald Trump from taking the slightest opportunity to portray Mexican and Central American immigrants pejoratively. Perhaps he is trying to play down the failures of his administration to promote policies that favor most Americans. The result is an atmosphere of hate and distrust that has poisoned the political dialogue in this country, while attacks on peoples rights and quality of life continue unimpeded. According to the annual statement of the agency, the number of hate crimes reported to the FBI increased 17 percent in 2017 from the previous year. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter On November 2017, Annie Proulx depicted the situation in the U.S. in her acceptance speech as a winner of the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. She said, We dont live in the best of all possible worlds. This is a Kafkaesque time. The television sparkles with images of despicable political louts and sexual harassment reports. We cannot look away from the pictures of furious elements, hurricanes and fires, from the repetitive crowd murders by gunmen burning with rage. We are made more anxious by flickering threats of nuclear war. We observe social medias manipulation of a credulous population, a population dividing into bitter tribal cultures. Despite this pessimism, life in El Paso follows a predictable rhythm of tranquility. There are many explanations for the absence of violence in El Paso, its large Mexican population notwithstanding. There is a heavy concentration of law enforcement officials and agencies in the city and a fear of the death penalty. Most believe that Mexican immigrants are law-abiding, respectful citizens who come to El Paso to work and to progress. Deborah Svedman, a retired high school teacher, told me that her best students were always Mexican children. She tells me that on occasion she has had to deal with very violent students in her class. I asked her how she handled it. There is no secret, she said, I treated them with consideration and respect and they responded in the same way. There is an assumption that while the social and cultural divide is clearly marked in Mexico, upward social and economic mobility is easier in the U.S., and this is what prompts many Mexicans (and also Central Americans) to come to the U.S. in search of opportunities. These are the same reasons that immigrants from all over the world (myself included) came to the U.S.: to work and progress in a country of unparalleled opportunities. Immigrants continue to make significant contributions to this countrys progress, but the anti-immigrant rhetoric reaches new heights almost every day incited by President Trumps diatribe against Mexican and Central American immigrants. I am now in Morelia, a city in the state of Michoacan, in central Mexico, where I stand before a statue of Melchor Ocampo, a 19th Mexican statesman. I read words that he left for posterity (translated from Spanish): It is by talking to each other not by killing each other that we will end up understanding each other. That is what I saw in El Paso, a respect for the other. These could also be the guiding words that lead us into recapturing an atmosphere of civility and respect in the U.S. They are words that can lead us to heal as a society, at a time of profound distress. Cesar Chelala is a co-winner of an Overseas Press Club of America award and two national journalism awards from Argentina. Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. Bluegreen Vacations Holding Corp. is a holding company, which engages in the real estate, real estate joint ventures, and middle market operating businesses. It operates through the following segments: Bluegreen, BBX Capital Real Estate, Renin, and BBX Sweet Holdings. The Bluegreen segment markets, sells, and manages real estate-based vacation ownership interests in resorts located in popular, high-volume, and drive-to vacation destinations. The BBX Capital Real Estate segment includes acquisition, development, construction, ownership, financing, and management of real estate and investments in real estate joint ventures. The Renin segment involves in the design, manufacture, and distribution of sliding doors, door systems and hardware, and home decor products and operates. The BBX Sweet Holdings segment engages in the ownership and management of operating businesses in the confectionery industry, including IT'SUGAR, Hoffman's Chocolates, and Las Olas Confections and Snacks. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Read More Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, text messaging, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 10.9 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Royal Dutch Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company worldwide. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. The company also markets and trades natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, electricity, carbon-emission rights; and markets and sells LNG as a fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels. In addition, it trades in and refines crude oil and other feed stocks, such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen, and sulphur; produces and sells petrochemicals for industrial use; and manages oil sands activities. Further, the company produces base chemicals comprising ethylene, propylene, and aromatics, as well as intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, propylene oxide, solvents, detergent alcohols, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. Royal Dutch Shell plc was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Sealed Air: A.P.S. (Holdings) Limited, AFP Trading (China) Co. Ltd., AFPTOH LTD, APS Automated Packaging Systems GmbH & Co. KG, APS Verwaltungs-GmbH, Air Ride Pallets Hong Kong Limited, Austin Foam Plastics Inc. (dba AFP Inc.), Automated Packaging Systems, Automated Packaging Systems Asia Holding Company Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Comerciale Importacao do Brasil Ltda., Automated Packaging Systems Europe, Automated Packaging Systems LLC, Automated Packaging Systems Limited, Automated Packaging Systems Southeast Asia Co. Ltd., B+ Equipment, B+ Equipment SAS, Beacon Holdings LLC, Biosphere Industries, BluPack (New Zealand), Blue Dot Packaging Pty Ltd., Cactus (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Cryovac (Malaysia) SDN. BHD, Cryovac Brasil Ltda., Cryovac Holdings II LLC, Cryovac International Holdings Inc., Cryovac LLC*, Cryovac Leasing Corporation, Cryovac Londrina Ltda., Cryovac Packaging Portugal Embalagens Ltda., Cryovac-Sealed Air de Costa Rica S.R.L., DELTAPLAM Embalagens Industria e Comercio, Diversey, Diversey J Trustee Limited, Diversey Trustee Limited, Entapack Pty. Ltd., Fagerdala (Chengdu) Packaging Co. Ltd, Fagerdala (Shanghai) Foams Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Shanghai) Polymer Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Suzhou) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Thailand) Limited, Fagerdala (Xiamen) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Leamchabung Limited, Fagerdala Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Fagerdala Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Mexico Supply Chain S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Packaging Inc. (Indiana), Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd, Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Ltd., Getpacking.com GmbH, Invertol S. de R.L. de C.V., JSC Sealed Air Kaustik, KRIS Automated Packaging Systems Holding Company, Kevothermal LLC, Kevothermal Limited, Nelipak Holdings, Pack-Tiger GmbH, Polyrol Limited, Polyrol Packaging Systems LLC, ProAseptic Technologies S.L., Producembal- Producao de Embalagens LTDA, Reflectix Inc., SLD Air Packaging Paketleme Malzemeleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Saddle Brook Insurance Company, Sealed Air (Asia) Holdings BV, Sealed Air (Barbados) S.R.L., Sealed Air (Canada) Co./CIE, Sealed Air (Canada) Holdings B.V., Sealed Air (China) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air (China) Limited, Sealed Air (Israel) Ltd., Sealed Air (Korea) Limited, Sealed Air (Latin America) Holdings II LLC, Sealed Air (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sealed Air (New Zealand), Sealed Air (Philippines) Inc., Sealed Air (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Sealed Air (Ukraine) Limited, Sealed Air Africa (Pty.) Limited, Sealed Air Americas Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Sealed Air Argentina S.A., Sealed Air Australia (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Real Estate Pty Ltd, Sealed Air B.V., Sealed Air Belgium N.V., Sealed Air Central America S.A., Sealed Air Chile SpA, Sealed Air Colombia Ltda., Sealed Air Corporation (US), Sealed Air Cyprus Ltd., Sealed Air Denmark A/S, Sealed Air Finance B.V., Sealed Air Finance II LLC, Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Funding LLC, Sealed Air General Trading LLC, Sealed Air GmbH (Germany), Sealed Air GmbH (Switzerland), Sealed Air Hellas SA, Sealed Air Holding France SAS, Sealed Air Holdings (New Zealand) Pty. Ltd., Sealed Air Holdings South Africa Proprietary Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK I Limited, Sealed Air Holdings UK Limited, Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited, Sealed Air Hungary Ltd., Sealed Air Investment and Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Japan G.K., Sealed Air LLC, Sealed Air Limited (Ireland), Sealed Air Limited (UK), Sealed Air Luxembourg (I) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg (II) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Management Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Sealed Air Multiflex GmbH, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) I B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands Holdings V B.V., Sealed Air Norge AS, Sealed Air OY, Sealed Air Packaging (India) Private Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Packaging LLC, Sealed Air Packaging Materials (India) LLP, Sealed Air Packaging S.L.U., Sealed Air Peru S.A.C., Sealed Air Polska Sp. Zoo, Sealed Air Pty Limited, Sealed Air S.A S., Sealed Air S.r.l., Sealed Air South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Sealed Air Svenska AB, Sealed Air Taiwan Limited, Sealed Air UK Limited Partnership, Sealed Air US Holdings (Thailand) LLC, Sealed Air Uruguay S.A., Sealed Air Verpackungen GmbH, Sealed Air de Mexico Operations S. de RL. de C.V., Sealed Air de Venezuela S.A., Sealed Air s.r.o., Shanklin Corp, Shanklin Corporation, TTS-Ciptec, TXAFP Asia Pacific Ltd., TXAFP GP LLC, and Trigon Industries. Government Shutdown or Not, the Police State Will Continue to Flourish By John W. Whitehead December 30, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - The government has shut down again. At least, parts of the government have temporarily shut down over President Trumps demand for a $5 billion border wall. Yet while these political games dominate news headlines, send the stock market into a nosedive, and put more than 800,000 federal employees at risk of having to work without pay, nothing about this government shutdown will diminish the immediate and very real dangers of the American Police State with its roadside strip searches, government surveillance, biometric databases, citizens being treated like terrorists, imprisonments for criticizing the government, national ID cards, SWAT team raids, censorship, forcible blood draws and DNA extractions, private prisons, weaponized drones, red light cameras, tasers, active shooter drills, police misconduct and government corruption. Shutdown or not, war will continue. Drone killings will continue. Surveillance will continue. Censorship and persecution of anyone who criticizes the government will continue. The governments efforts to label dissidents as extremists and terrorists will continue. Police shootings will continue. Highway robbery meted out by government officials will continue. Corrupt government will continue. Profit-driven prisons will continue. And the militarization of the police will continue. Indeed, take a look at the programs and policies that are not affected by a government shutdown, and youll get a clearer sense of the governments priorities, which have little to do with serving taxpayers and everything to do with amassing money, power and control. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Not even NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command that tracks Santa Claus route across the globe , will have its surveillance efforts curtailed one iota. Surveillance will continue unabated. On any given day, whether youre walking through a store, driving your car, checking email, or talking to friends and family on the phone, you can be sure that some government agency, whether the NSA or some other entity, is listening in and tracking your behavior. Police have been outfitted with a litany of surveillance gear, from license plate readers and cell phone tracking devices to biometric data recorders. Technology now makes it possible for the police to scan passersby in order to detect the contents of their pockets, purses, briefcases, etc. Full-body scanners, which perform virtual strip-searches of Americans traveling by plane, have gone mobile, with roving police vans that peer into vehicles and buildings alikeincluding homes. Coupled with the nations growing network of real-time surveillance cameras and facial recognition software, soon there really will be nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Government spying will continue unabated. Government shutdown or not, the National Security Agency (NSA), with its $10.8 billion black ops annual budget , will continue to spy on every person in the United States who uses a computer or phone using programs such as PRISM and XKEYSCORE. By cracking the security of all major smartphones, including iPhone, Android, and Blackberry devices, NSA agents harvest such information as contacts, text messages, and location data. And then there are the NSA agents who will continue to use and abuse their surveillance powers for personal means, to spy on girlfriends, lovers and first dates. Global spying will continue unabated. The NSAs massive surveillance network, what the Washington Post refers to as a $500 billion espionage empire, will continue to span the globe and target every single person on the planet who uses a phone or a computer. The NSAs Echelon program intercepts and analyzes virtually every phone call, fax and email message sent anywhere in the world. In addition to carrying out domestic surveillance on peaceful political groups such as Amnesty International, Greenpeace and several religious groups, Echelon has also been a keystone to the governments attempts at political and corporate espionage. Egregious searches will continue unabated. Under the pretext of protecting the nations infrastructure (roads, mass transit systems, water and power supplies, telecommunications systems and so on) against criminal or terrorist attacks, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) task forces (comprised of federal air marshals, surface transportation security inspectors, transportation security officers, behavior detection officers and explosive detection canine teams) will continue to do random security sweeps of nexuses of transportation, including ports, railway and bus stations, airports, ferries and subways. Sweep tactics include the use of x-ray technology, pat-downs and drug-sniffing dogs, among other things. The undermining of the Constitution will continue unabated. Americas so-called war on terror, which it has relentlessly pursued since 9/11, has chipped away at our freedoms, unraveled our Constitution and transformed our nation into a battlefield, thanks in large part to such subversive legislation as the USA Patriot Act and National Defense Authorization Act. These lawswhich completely circumvent the rule of law and the constitutional rights of American citizens, re-orienting our legal landscape in such a way as to ensure that martial law, rather than the rule of law, our U.S. Constitution, becomes the map by which we navigate life in the United Stateswill continue to be enforced. Militarized policing will continue unabated. Thanks to federal grant programs allowing the Pentagon to transfer surplus military supplies and weapons to local law enforcement agencies without charge, police forces will continue to be transformed from peace officers into heavily armed extensions of the military, complete with jackboots, helmets, shields, batons, pepper-spray, stun guns, assault rifles, body armor, miniature tanks and weaponized drones. Having been given the green light to probe, poke, pinch, taser, search, seize, strip and generally manhandle anyone they see fit in almost any circumstance, all with the general blessing of the courts, Americas law enforcement officials, no longer mere servants of the people entrusted with keeping the peace, will continue to keep the masses corralled, under control, and treated like suspects and enemies rather than citizens. SWAT team raids will continue unabated. With more than 80,000 SWAT team raids carried out every year on unsuspecting Americans for relatively routine police matters and federal agencies laying claim to their own law enforcement divisions, the incidence of botched raids and related casualties will continue to rise. Nationwide, SWAT teams will continue to be employed to address an astonishingly trivial array of criminal activity or mere community nuisances including angry dogs, domestic disputes, improper paperwork filed by an orchid farmer, and misdemeanor marijuana possession. Overcriminalization will continue unabated. The government bureaucracy will continue to churn out laws, statutes, codes and regulations that reinforce its powers and value systems and those of the police state and its corporate allies, rendering the rest of us petty criminals. The average American now unknowingly commits three felonies a day, thanks to this overabundance of vague laws that render otherwise innocent activity illegal. Consequently, small farmers who dare to make unpasteurized goat cheese and share it with members of their community will continue to have their farms raided. The shadow government a.k.a. the Deep State, a.k.a. the police state, a.k.a. the military industrial complex, a.k.a. the surveillance state complexwill continue unabated. This corporatized, militarized, entrenched bureaucracy that is fully operational and staffed by unelected officials will continue to call the shots in Washington DC, no matter who sits in the White House or controls Congress. By government, Im not referring to the highly partisan, two-party bureaucracy of the Republicans and Democrats. Rather, Im referring to government with a capital G, the entrenched Deep State that is unaffected by elections, unaltered by populist movements, and has set itself beyond the reach of the law. These issues are not going away. They are the backbone of an increasingly aggressive authoritarian government, formed by an unholy alliance between the mega-corporations with little concern for the Constitution and elected officials and bureaucrats incapable or unwilling to represent the best interests of their constituents. When it comes right down to it, no matter how long a government shutdown lasts, it will remain business as usual in terms of the governments unceasing pursuit of greater powers and control. So where do we go from here? If public opposition, outright challenges, and a government shutdown dont stop or even slow down the police state, whats to be done? Do what you must to survive. Go to work, take care of your family, pay off your debts. All the while youre doing those things which allow you to survive from one day to the next, plan for the future and strive for freedom. Pay attention to the political structure that is being created in the shadows, the economic system that is chaining us down with debt, and the feudal, fascist society borne out of the marriage of government and big business. Avoid the propaganda mills posing as news sources. Express your outrage, loudly and tirelessly, to the governments incursions on our freedoms. Act locallytaking issue with any and every encroachment on your rights, no matter how minor, whether its a ban on goat cheese or installations of red light cameras at intersections and on school busesbecause reclaiming our rights from the ground up, starting locally and trickling up, remains our only hope. Resistance may seem futile, it will be hard, and as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People , there will inevitably be a price to pay for resisting the emerging tyranny, but to the extent that you are able, RESIST. Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute . His new book Battlefield America: The War on the American People (SelectBooks, 2015) is available online at www.amazon.com. Whitehead can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org . Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. The following companies are subsidiares of Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. (PA), Athena Diagnostics, Athena Diagnostics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics, Blueprint Genetics FZ-LLC (UAE), Blueprint Genetics Inc. (DE), Blueprint Genetics Oy (Finland), California Laboratory Associates, Cape Cod Healthcare - Business, Celera, ClearPoint Diagnostic, Clearpoint Diagnostic Laboratories LLC (TX), Cleveland HeartLab, Cleveland HeartLab Inc. (DE), Clinical Laboratory Partners, Colorado Pathology Consultants P.C. (CO), ConVerge Diagnostic Services, Consolidated DermPath Inc. (DE), DFW 5.01(a) Corporation (TX), DGXWMT JV LLC (DE), Dermatopathology of Wisconsin S.C. (WI), Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma LLC (OK), Diagnostic Pathology Services Inc. (OK), Diagnostic Reference Services Inc. (MD), ExamOne Canada Inc. (New Brunswick), ExamOne LLC (DE), ExamOne World Wide Inc. (PA), ExamOne World Wide of NJ Inc. (NJ), Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue, Hoffman M.D. Associated Pathologists Chartered (NV), Institute for Dermatopathology Inc. (PA), Isabella Street Urban Renewal LLC (NJ), Kailash B. Sharma M.D. Inc. (GA), Kilpatrick Pathology P.A. (NC), LabOne, LabOne LLC (MO), LabOne of Ohio Inc. (DE), Laboratorio de Analisis Biomedicos S.A. (Mexico), Lancet Labs, MACL, Med Fusion LLC (TX), Med fusion, MedPlus, Mid America Clinical Laboratories LLC (IN), Nomad Massachusetts Inc. (MA), Nuclear Medicine and Pathology Associates (GA), Ocmulgee Medical Pathology Association Inc. (GA), Pathology Building Partnership (MD) (gen. ptnrshp.), PeaceHealth Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories, PhenoPath Laboratories PLLC (WA), Q Squared Solutions Holdings LLC (DE), Q Squared Solutions Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. (China), Quest Diagnostics Brasil Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Laboratories Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Domestic Holder LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics HTAS India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Health & Wellness LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Incorporated (DE), Quest Diagnostics Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (MD), Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NV), Quest Diagnostics India Private Limited (India), Quest Diagnostics Infectious Disease Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics International Holdings Limited (UK), Quest Diagnostics International LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Investments LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Ireland Limited (Ireland), Quest Diagnostics LLC (CT), Quest Diagnostics LLC (IL), Quest Diagnostics LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Massachusetts LLC (MA), Quest Diagnostics Mexico Holding Company Trust (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Mexico S de RL de CV (Mexico), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute (CA), Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute Inc. (VA), Quest Diagnostics Receivables Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics Subsidiary Holdings Ltd. (UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE). TC Energy Corporation operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. It operates through Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines, U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines, Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines, Liquids Pipelines, and Power and Storage segments. The company builds and operates 93,400 km network of natural gas pipelines, which transports natural gas from supply basins to local distribution companies, power generation plants, industrial facilities, interconnecting pipelines, LNG export terminals, and other businesses. It also has regulated natural gas storage facilities with a total working gas capacity of 535 billion cubic feet. In addition, it has approximately 4,900 km liquids pipeline system that connects Alberta crude oil supplies to refining markets in Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Further, the company owns or has interests in seven power generation facilities with a combined capacity of approximately 4,200 megawatts that are powered by natural gas and nuclear fuel sources located in Alberta, Ontario, QuAbec, and New Brunswick; and owns and operates approximately 118 billion cubic feet of non-regulated natural gas storage capacity in Alberta. The company was formerly known as TransCanada Corporation and changed its name to TC Energy Corporation in May 2019. TC Energy Corporation was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More International Business Machines Corp. is an information technology company, which provides integrated solutions that leverage information technology and knowledge of business processes. It operates through the following segments: Cloud and Cognitive Software, Global Business Services, Global Technology Services, Systems, and Global Financing. The Cloud and Cognitive Software segment provides integrated and secure cloud, data, and solutions to the clients. The Global Business Services segment provides clients with consulting, application management, and business process outsourcing services. The Global Technology Services segment provides comprehensive IT infrastructure and platform services that create business value for clients. The Systems segment provides clients with innovative infrastructure platforms to help meet the requirements of hybrid cloud and enterprise AI workload. The Global Financing segment provides client financing, commercial financing, and participates in the remanufacturing and remarketing of used equipment. The company was founded by Charles Ranlett Flint and Thomas J. Watson Sr. on June 16, 1911 and is headquartered in Armonk, NY. Read More Facebook's Secret Censorship Manual Exposed as Platform Takes Down Video About Israel Terrorizing Palestinians Journalist Rania Khalek, whose video was restored after public outcry, says the ability of social media giants "to disappear content as they please" is "creepy and alarming and should be loudly opposed." By Jessica Corbett December 30, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - After the New York Times on Thursday published an expose of Facebook 's global censorship rulebook, journalist Rania Khalek called out the social media giant for taking down a video in which she explains how, "on top of being occupied, colonized territory, Palestine is Israel's personal laboratory for testing, refining, and showcasing methods and weapons of domination and control." Tweeting out the Times reportand noting that while, according to the newspaper, "moderators were told to hunt down and remove rumors wrongly accusing an Israeli soldier of killing a Palestinian medic," Israeli soldiers did fatally shoot an unarmed 21-year-old female paramedic earlier this yearshe announced Friday morning that Facebook had "just removed" her video. Speaking of Facebook censoring content on Israels behalf, they just removed a video I made about how Israel uses Palestine as weapons laboratory. Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) December 28, 2018 Here is my video on how Israel uses Palestine as a weapons testing laboratory, which Facebook erased without explanation. https://t.co/kT6YvZpVPj Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) December 28, 2018 After she and other prominent reporters issued public complaints, Khalek announced a couple hours later that Facebook had restored the video. "Still this is a good reminder that at the moment these social media giants have the ability to disappear content as they please," she said in a tweet. "It's creepy and alarming and should be loudly opposed." After some complaints, the video is back up in Facebook. https://t.co/wdZjBQyAqC Still this is a good reminder that at the moment these social media giants have the ability to disappear content as they please. Its creepy and alarming and should be loudly opposed Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) December 28, 2018 Among those who highlighted Facebook's censorship of Khalek's video on Friday were Ben Norton of The Real News Networkwho called it an "excellent, informative video report"and The Intercept's Glenn Greenwald, who pointed out that the platform has been silencing Palestinian and pro-Palestinian voices for more than a year. Facebook just removed this excellent, informative video report by @RaniaKhalek , in which she explained how Israel uses Palestine as a laboratory for weapons and military technology. It gave no explanation for why the video was taken down. https://t.co/GN234qFy4K Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) December 28, 2018 Facebook has been aggressively deleting the pages of Palestinians and pro-Palestinian voices for at least 18 months, obeying the demands of the Israeli govt. Congrats to those who thought it was a good idea for Silicon Valley to act as paternal censor & guardian of the internet: https://t.co/BTs9JBvfwT Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) December 28, 2018 "In Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Sheryl Sandberg, and Eric Schmidt we trust to censor and regulate the internet with the most benevolent of motives, devoted as they've been their entire lives to safeguarding the voiceless and protecting the marginalized," Greenwald sarcastically added , referring to Facebook's CEO, Google's CEO, Facebook's COO, and the executive chairman of Alphabet, Google's parent company. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter The short and successful fight to restore Khalek's video, however, is just one of countless instances of Facebook taking down content without providing an explanation to the user or the public. Max Fisher's report for the Times offers a glimpse into its secretive but widely criticized censorship practices . A review of 1,400 pages provided to the newspaper by a concerned employeeand verified as authentic by Facebook, which supposedly has made some updates"revealed numerous gaps, biases, and outright errors," Fisher wrote. "The closely held rules are extensive, and they make the company a far more powerful arbiter of global speech than has been publicly recognized or acknowledged by the company itself." While Facebook claimed the rulebook is for training, moderatorswho "describe feeling in over their heads" as they try to make decisions in as little as eight-to-10 secondstold Fisher they reference it regularly. And though Facebook staff reportedly craft moderation rules in meetings every other week, "the company outsources much of the actual post-by-post moderation to companies that enlist largely unskilled workers, many hired out of call centers." The lengthy and arguably confusing guidance that Facebook gives to moderators has produced mixed and, at times, alarming results. As Fisher noted, "They have allowed extremist language to flourish in some countries while censoring mainstream speech in others." He explained: Moderators were once told, for example, to remove fundraising appeals for volcano victims in Indonesia because a co-sponsor of the drive was on Facebooks internal list of banned groups. In Myanmar, a paperwork error allowed a prominent extremist group, accused of fomenting genocide, to stay on the platform for months. In India, moderators were mistakenly told to take down comments critical of religion. The key takeaway from his report, Fisher said on Twitter, is two-fold: Facebook "is intervening into political and social matters the world over," acting "like an unseen branch of government," and "is doing this all on the cheap, shipping disorganized PowerPoint slides to outsourcing companies it can barely control. And it is making many, many mistakes along the way." (2) Facebook is doing this all on the cheap, shipping disorganized PowerPoint slides to outsourcing companies it can barely control. And it is making many, many mistakes along the way. Max Fisher (@Max_Fisher) December 27, 2018 This article was originally published by " Common Dreams " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here ==See Also== Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. In the Mohawk Valley, Airbnb numbers are growing. Airbnb is 10 years old, and it's proven its success in big cities, but don't count small towns and villages and local numbers are on the rise. Airbnb is when you rent out your home or even just a room to a guest. In Oneida County, there are 130 active hosts, who earn receive about $4,500 each year renting out their spaces. In 2018, the county saw 7,400 guest arrivals which translated to more than $819,000 In Herkimer County, 100 hosts earn about $6,400 each year. In 2018, 4,600 guests stayed in Herkimer County translating to more than $607,000 this year. In Otsego County, 310 homes are Airbnb's. They earn close to $6,000 each year. In 2018, nearly 17 thousand guest arrivals contributed to a whopping, $2.6 million. Airbnb reps say events like the Boilermaker in Utica and Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown are gold for the business. What's been incredible about this past year, there have been so many moments throughout the year, where we have seen incredible spikes in Airbnb guest arrivals. And most importantly in local residents being able to make a little extra income by sharing their homes, said Liz Fusco, with Airbnb. The host sets the price, but Airbnb will offer recommendations. The price of a listing does fluctuate based on demand, so if there is a big event in town, the host can raise the price. Airbnb says that its Mohawk Valley host community earned approximately $3 million in total supplemental income while welcoming approximately 23,700 guest arrivals to the region in 2018. In Fulton County, there are now approximately 90 hosts who share their homes via Airbnb, typically earning about $6,300 annually in supplemental income. In Hamilton County, there are now approximately 50 hosts who share their homes via Airbnb, typically earning about $6,400 annually in supplemental income. In Herkimer County, there are now approximately 100 hosts who share their homes via Airbnb, typically earning about $4,800 annually in supplemental income. In Montgomery County, there are now approximately 20 hosts who share their homes via Airbnb, typically earning about $3,900 annually in supplemental income. In Oneida County, there are now approximately 130 hosts who share their homes via Airbnb, typically earning about $4,500 annually in supplemental income. In Schoharie County, there are now approximately 40 hosts who share their homes via Airbnb, typically earning about $4,900 annually in supplemental income. In Otsego County, there are now approximately 310 hosts who share their homes via Airbnb, typically earning about $5,900 annually in supplemental income. SPRINGFIELD, N.Y. -- The Red Cross is helping three people after a fire broke out Saturday morning fire in the town of Springfield. Red Cross officials say they're providing food and clothing to two adults and one child, who lived in the two-story home. Photo provided by Otsego County firefighter at the scene, Photo provided by Otsego County firefighter at the scene, The location of a home made it difficult for the responding firefighters because the house is set back about 3/4 of a mile down a dirt road, and hoses had to be run all that entire way. No one was in the home at the time. The cause of this fire is still under investigation. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) The community of Crawfordsville came together to mourn the loss of Glenn Rightsell. He was fatally shot on Friday, Dec. 28 by an Indiana State Police trooper. On Sunday, Dec. 30, candles were lit, a song was sung and words of remembrance were shared at the vigil for the 57-year-old Crawfordsville native, held at the Montgomery County Courthouse. Friends took turns sharing kind words about Rightsell, giving vigil attendees an idea of who he was. Jeff Jirtle, a friend of Rightsell since childhood held back tears as he expressed the sadness he's felt from the losing his friend. To be his friend and his brother all these years, you just don't know what it feels like. My hearts broken cause my brothers gone, said Jirtle. While the shooting incident is currently under investigation, friends and family said Rightsell would never do anything to hurt anyone. JP Shirley, a friend of Rightsell for more than 15 years said he wants justice for Rightsell to prevail. I want the world to know how sweet and kind of a gentleman he was. He'd give his life and soul to anybody that was in need, said Shirley. If a man's asked to unholster a weapon and he goes to unholster it and gets shot, there's something wrong there. Period. I just want, I want peace for Glenn, I want justice for Glenn. Indiana State Police said in a press release that they administered first aid to Rightsell on the scene. But friends and family who saw a video of what happened after the shots were fired said that didn't happen, ultimately leading to his death. Kristl Kohl, a family friend of Rightsell believes the video taken by a neighbor moments after the shooting tells a lot about the encounter. I watched that video, he laid on the ground for almost three minutes, said Kohl. He was handing that gun over, they seen it, I mean it's all over the news they seen that gun on his waist, he had a permit. Rightsell's death has risen concerns for many in the community. With the community standing together to support a family experiencing loss at the hands of an officer Abigail Hamphton, a Crawfordsville native hopes it sends a message to police. I think this is a community thing even though its sad but maybe this could lead into something bigger maybe for other people and other things happening and maybe this could show our higher power, maybe you know hey we're not gonna stand for it and we're upset and this needs to change. said Hamphton The vigil was put on by close family friends. Relatives of Rightsell do not wish to speak with WLFI at this time. LAKE STATION, Ind. (WLFI) - An Illinois man faces mulitple charges after becoming violent at a hospital he was being treated at. Joan Miyera had been involved in a car accident on Friday around 10:30 p.m. on the ramp from I-80 eastbound to southbound Ripley St in Lake County. At the time of the crash, he had open containers of alcohol throughout his car. The 37-year-old was transported from the scene of the crash to St. Mary's Hospital in Hobart, Indiana. Further investigation at the hospital led Troopers to believe Mr. Miyares was intoxicated at the time of the crash. He became loud and profane at the hospital, and had to be physically restrained. Miyares also spit blood and saliva onto a nurse who was attempting to treat him. A search warrant for Mr. Miyares blood was requested and granted through the Lake County prosecutors office. After being told of the warrant, Mr. Miyares once again became irate and profane. Once the blood draw was completed, Mr. Miyares made threats against the well-being of medical staff and both Trooper Carlson and Trooper Brasseur. When he was medically cleared to be taken to the Lake County Jail, he continued to resist by not sitting in the front seat of the police vehicle. He began to kick and twist his body to avoid being placed into the police vehicle while also attempting to bite Trooper Carlson in the face and shoulder area. In order to gain compliance, a taser was used on Mr. Miyares. The Hobart Police Department was also contacted to assist in the transport of the prisoner. Miyares has been charged with battery by bodily waste, disorderly conduct, intimidation, resisting law enforcement, OWI-prior and OWI-endangerment. The Indiana State Police would again remind drivers not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after consuming alcoholic beverages. They are encouraging people to use a designated driver or one of the many ride services available to the public. LOGANSPORT, Ind. (AP) A state senator plans sponsoring a bill aimed at improving the safety of Indiana's school buses following the recent deaths of four students. Sen. Randy Head tells the Pharos-Tribune he plans to file a school bus safety bill for the session starting in early January. The Logansport Republican says the bill's provisions will include allowing school districts to petition for slower speed limits near bus stops. Three siblings were killed in Head's northern state Senate district in October when they were struck by a pickup truck while crossing a highway to board their school bus near Rochester. Head says the "utter horror" of that accident spurred him to pursue the legislation. A fourth student died in Head's district in November when a truck rear-ended a school bus. Inside the Integrity Initiative, the UK Gov's Information War on the Public Watch Journalists Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton discuss Britain's Integrity Initiative and the information war it is waging on the public, with propaganda expert Professor David Miller. We address the scandal surrounding this UK government-funded think tank, which has attacked Jeremy Corbyn and the anti-war left and laundered disinformation through the corporate media under the guise of countering Russia. Posted December 30, 2018 Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter ==See Also== Post-Brexit UK looks to add military bases : The UK is looking to establish new military bases in the Caribbean and Far East as part of a bid to become a "true global player". British Defence Secretary said. Note To ICH Community We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites. Thank you for your support. The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has expressed concern over reports that 700 Nigerian soldiers were killed in Baga by Boko Haram terrorists. The news reports also alleged that over 2,000 of the countrys soldiers are missing. Although the military and the Presidency have denied the reports, but the serial credibility challenges of the Buhari administration and the security team he leads as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces have created public distrust of any rebuttal by government. And that is gravely worrisome, Ezekwesili said in a press statement on Monday. She said, The only way to ensure accuracy of the casualty that Nigeria is suffering as a result of counter-terrorism at this stage is to inaugurate a citizens-led independent investigation panel. Such an initiative would go a long way to eliminate the opaqueness of the counter-terrorism war and restore public confidence, as the case may be, in how the Buhari administration is prosecuting it. The ACPN presidential candidate also frowned at the consistent killings in Zamfara State recently, saying that the once most peaceful state of the North West region had been turned into a theatre of terrorism. According to her, the security situation in the country shows a lack of effective leadership by President Muhammadu Buhari. This is demonstrated in the very troubling inertia to decisively confront and end the frequent killings of our citizens; especially our soldiers on the frontline of battle. She added, The killings have tragically earned Nigeria the designation of the 16th most dangerous country in the world, according to the Global Peace Index. Nigeria is also the 15th most fragile country in the 2018 Fragile States Index by the United States Fund for Peace. Ezekwesili stated that the constitutional mandate of the government to ensure the security of life and property of all Nigerians had been poorly handled, especially within the last decade. Tackling this will require commencing a security discourse and planning away from a narrow focus on military responses, to a more collective and participative conversation of the structure of the Nigerian state and our security architecture. Our ACPN administration would without fail prioritise this. We would be responsive to current and immediate challenges by revising the current containment measures to ensure efficiency, include effective public communication on security issues without compromising genuine national security concerns. We would also bring citizens in as participants in their own security, through the establishment of local peace committees as part of the national security architecture, she said. The presidential candidate added, Within days of being inaugurated into office, our ACPN administration would move swiftly to launch a coordinated response to all acts of violence in regions that are vulnerable to attacks from armed groups and concurrently commence a strong security sector reform for professionalism, accountability and results-focus. Japan is drawing criticism worldwide for withdrawing from an international authority on whaling as well as for its decision to restart commercial hunting of whales. Tokyo announced Wednesday it will quit the International Whaling Commission (IWC) next year, and resume commercial hunting in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone starting in July. The governments of Australia and New Zealand were the first to decry the decision, urging Japan to remain in the pact. Australia is "extremely disappointed" in Japan's announcement, said Foreign Minister Marise Payne. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters also denounced the move, saying: "Whaling is an outdated and unnecessary practice. We continue to hope Japan eventually reconsiders its position and will cease all whaling in order to advance the protection of the oceans ecosystems. Greenpeace condemned the Japanese governments "sneaky withdrawal" from the IWC, and added: "The declaration today is out of step with the international community, let alone the protection needed to safeguard the future of our oceans and these majestic creatures. "The government of Japan must urgently act to conserve marine ecosystems, rather than resume commercial whaling," the group stressed. SeaLegacy, a non-profit organization which aims to raise awareness of ocean conservation, said in a tweet: "This is madness - a barbaric move that could set species recovery back decades. Its time for all of us to speak up and stop #cetacean hunting for good." While it is world's largest major whaling economy, Japan is by no means alone in the whaling business. Today, three major whale-hunting countries -- Japan, Norway and Iceland -- catch hundreds of whales and other aquatic mammals each year. Operating for the most part around their own coasts and in the Arctic and Antarctic circles, these countries argue that whaling is an integral part of their culture and at times criticize the IWC for not representing these sensitivities. Japan An IWC member state since 1951, Japan has consistently been an ardent proponent of commercial whaling. Following a global moratorium sponsored by the U.S. in the IWC in 1986, Japan discontinued its commercial whaling activities, instead conducting scientific whale research in the Antarctic Circle. Japan thus allowed the continued capture of the marine mammals, landing them on the shelves of Japanese markets. In 2017, Japan caught over 300 whales in the Antarctic alone. Japanese whalers hunt roughly double that amount yearly in the northwest Pacific Ocean and along its own coasts, according to media reports. At the latest IWC meeting in Brazil this September, Tokyo upheld its longstanding criticism of the international body on the grounds that it is unable to make any substantial decisions on its core functions, namely that it focuses disproportionately on whale conservation and not ensuring the sustainable use of whales through commercial catch quotas. Norway and Iceland Founding IWC members Norway and Iceland have continued their whaling practices as part of the body, breaking with the 1986 moratorium. They both rejected an attempt earlier this year to pass a declaration that would continue the moratorium, blasting it as intended to be divisive. This year Norway caught at least 434 whales, and Iceland caught 81, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency, a British-based NGO. Last May, Norway drew international criticism by raising its commercial whaling quotas to over 1,200 -- up nearly 30 percent -- though it has consistently fallen short of this limit by substantial margins. Both Iceland and Norway supported a Japanese proposal to reform the IWC, calling for the establishment of internationally recognized whaling quotas and greater emphasis on the IWC as a regulation rather than conservation body. The quotas instituted by both these countries are controversial and, some say, against international law. IWC-sanctioned whale hunting is allowed in other countries, including the U.S., Russia, and Greenland, as a source of food for aboriginal peoples who have traditionally lived on the large mammals. Activists also promote whale watching as a new market which both generates income for the host country and protects whale populations. The IWC was formed in 1946 under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), signed in Washington D.C. for the stated purpose of ensuring the proper and effective conservation and development of whale stocks across the globe. President Muhammadu Buhari in his new year message to Nigerians has said it will be a significant year in the history of the country. According to the President, 2019 will be an election year for the country and he reiterated his commitment for free, fair and credible elections, across the could try. See full statement below Dear compatriots, It is my utmost pleasure to rejoice with all Nigerians as we enter the year 2019, which will be a very significant one for our country. At the turn of every year, we often use the opportunity to look back at the past and forward to the future. To review the outgoing year, its high and low points, successes and failures, and be fully thankful to God. We Nigerians are a religious people, and we believe that God reigns and rules in the affairs of men. A time like this offers precious opportunity for thanksgiving, stock taking and reflection on goals and targets set for the receding year, and how much was accomplished. The ones not done can then be rolled over into a new year. The dawn of a New Year is also a time to look forward. To consider new prospects, unfold our plans, and prepare for landmark dates and events. 2019 will be an election year for us. In about two months, the polls are due, and we will elect leaders into various offices, at national and state levels. As I welcome you into 2019, I also reiterate my many promises and declarations that the general elections will be free, fair and credible. Elections need not be do or die affair, and we should not approach that eventuality in a democracy with trepidation and mortal fear. Happily, a large number of presidential candidates have committed to peace, and peace we shall have. Those who continue to trumpet falsehood and negativity are on their own, fighting a losing battle. The greater number of Nigerians are trusting and believing that we shall deliver on our promises for a level playing field at the polls, and that is what we shall do. Nigerians desire peace, security, prosperity, inclusiveness and infrastructural development, a nation they can be proud of, a country that can hold its own among the nations. That is the journey we have embarked on since we came onboard in 2015, and we are not distracted as we move on. We are resolved to build a country in which the resources are utilized for the benefit of the largest number, and not appropriated by a privileged few in their never ending quest to satisfy their greed. We are on this mission together, and I assure you of a firm commitment to the ideals of a safe, secure, fair, just and prosperous country. We have had our challenges: security, economic, political, social. But we are resolved to combat and overcome them all. I appreciate your support and collaboration in previous years, and look forward to same in 2019, and beyond, as I hope you will renew the mandate you overwhelmingly gave us in 2015, for another term. We are motivated by nothing other than service to motherland, and service without selfishness or personal interest. I can assure you all that we are making steady and sustainable progress in all areas of national life. Those who are unbiased can see and appreciate the progress the country has made since 2015. A New Year provides opportunity for renewal of commitment, and I invite you to rededicate yourselves to the vision of a Nigeria that works for all. We are moving from potentials to actualization, and its a task to be accomplished by us all; man, woman, young, old, military, civilian, all Nigerians. Please come along, as we journey to the land of our dreams. Happy 2019. Thank you and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The national election was held yesterday in Bangladesh amid widespread violence mainly instigated by the ruling Awami League which was determined to return to power for a third consecutive term by suppressing the opposition parties. More than 100 million voters were to elect 299 representatives to parliament. According to unofficial results reported last night, the Grand Coalition led by the Awami League was heading for a landslide win. The full official results are due to be released this afternoon. The opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and its allies in the National Unity Front (NUF) have condemned the election as farcical and demanded a fresh election under non-partisan administration. Prime Minister Sheik Hasina Wajed has already rejected the request. By yesterday evening, 17 people had been killed in election-related violence by Awami League and BNP supporters, while thousands were injured. Last Thursday, the BNP-led alliance alleged that eight of their activists had been killed, 12,588 injured, and 9,202 arrested. A collective of 16 human rights organisations, including the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Asian Network for Free Elections, issued a statement on Saturday accusing the government of conducting the election under a restrictive electoral environment and cracking down on civil society, the opposition and the media. From Saturday, the government deployed about 600,000 security personnel including soldiers across the country to intimidate political opponents and voters. In what was tantamount to censorship, the government deliberately slowed 3G and 4G internet services, saying it was a measure to counter false propaganda. The crackdown on political opponents underscores Prime Minister Hasinas nervousness about the growing opposition to her government. The Awami League won the 2014 election in a landslide as its chief rival, the BNP, which is also notorious for thuggery and violence when in power, boycotted the election. The BNP decided to participate in this election in a bid to retain its voter base. Its leader and former prime minister, Khalida Zia, has been charged and jailed for 17 years over graft, thus disqualifying her from contesting the election. Many BNP leaders have also been jailed or are living in exile. Leaders of the Islamic fundamentalist Jamaat e Islami, a BNP ally, have been tried for war crimes during the 1971 secessionist uprising against Pakistan. The party has been banned and several of its leaders hanged. Awami Leagues campaign against war crimes is mainly aimed at whipping up nationalist sentiment and suppressing political opposition. The Hasina government has also increasingly attacked media freedoms. In October, it passed a new Digital Security Act under the pretext of strengthening defamation laws. In reality, the legislation is to suppress criticism and dissenting views and silence the media. Police arrested photojournalist Shahidul Alam in August for exposing police violence against students in an interview with Al Jazeera and was released only after a local and international outcry. Hasina and her ministers have ridiculed criticism over the governments human rights record. In a recent interview with the New York Times, she said: If I can provide food, jobs and health care, that is human rights What the opposition is saying, or civil society or your NGOsI dont bother with that. Hasina has above all suppressed strikes and protests by workers in order to attract foreign investors. Big business has praised the government for driving sound economic growth during its decade of rule. Analysts cite the increases in Gross Domestic Product growth from 5.57 percent for the 2009-2010 financial year to 7.28 percent in 2016-2017, in per capita GDP from $US500 to nearly $1,800, and in export income from $16 billion to $35 billion. In its election manifesto, the Awami League promised to increase growth to 9 percent and turn the country into a middle-income economy by 2024. The economic growth, however, has only benefited a small wealthy elite, including the politicians. The Centre for Policy Dialogue, a prominent think-tank, said the top 5 percent of income earners took home 121 times more income than the bottom 5 percent of the population in 2016. The Awami League government has faced growing opposition and unrest over deteriorating living conditions from workers, teachers, youth and students. Strikes of garment workers erupted sporadically since early December over demands for a rise in monthly wages of 16,000 taka or $190, as compared to the governments recommended increase of 8,000 taka. Workers in 20 factories in Mirpur and Gazipur and adjoining districts have stopped work. Secretary General of IndustriALL Bangladesh Council Salahuddin Shapon declared: Along with the government, we the trade union leaders also requested workers not to hold any demonstration before national polls, but unrest continues in the sector. The government and trade unions fear a major eruption of protests among the countrys four million garment workers and other sections of the working class. In June, thousands of teachers held protests demanding the nationalisation of non-government educational institutions and for pay to be determined by the government salary scheme. In July, students and youth held protests against unemployment and the reactionary quota system for recruiting employees for the state sector jobs. Though the overall official unemployment rate is about 4 percent, youth joblessness stands at 11 percent. The election was also intertwined with the growing rivalry between the US and China throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Despite nominal expressions of concern about election violence, the US and its strategic partner India have backed the Awami League government as a means of undermining Chinese influence. An article in the Dhaka Tribune entitled Why India prefers Hasina in Office reported that Indias ambassador Harsh Vardean Shringla had met with political leaders even while claiming to have nothing to do with the election. The newspaper pointed out that the Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi had provided Dhaka with $9 billion in credit and aid in a bid to undercut China. The Hindu supremacist Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the parent organisation of Modis Bharatiya Janatha Party, recently praised Hasina as Indias most trusted and tested ally. For its part, Beijing has offered Bangladesh $30 billion for infrastructure investment as part of its massive Belt and Road Initiative plans to integrate Eurasia more closely with China and undermine American influence. The new Awami League government will inevitably face a worsening crisis as it is drawn more closely into the cauldron of geo-political rivalry on the one hand, and resorts to increasingly autocratic methods of rule, on the other, to try to crush rising discontent and opposition from working people. Hostilities continued during parliamentary recess over Britains scheduled exit from the European Union (EU) at the end of March. A vote is to be held the week of January 14 on Prime Minister Theresa Mays proposed Brexit deal. She refused to hold a vote earlier this month as she knew it would be voted down. In an attempt to placate opposition to the deal from both Remain and Leave factions in her own party, May said she would seek further concessions, particularly on the post-Brexit arrangements regarding the Northern Ireland border with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member. But May has secured no further concessions ahead of the January vote, with European Council President Donald Tusk stating that there is no mandate to organise further negotiations on a deal that took over two years to finalise. The Financial Times reported Sunday, There have been no formal EU-UK Brexit negotiations since the [EU] summit ended in acrimony on December 13, with EU diplomats on holiday over the Christmas and New Year break. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn denounced May for delaying a vote until the last minute to bounce parliament into supporting her Brexit deal as the only option to avoiding a chaotic and economically damaging no-deal Brexit. Corbyn, who was an opponent of EU membership for decades, supported Remain in the 2016 referendum. He has made a series of concessions to the partys pro-EU wing ever since, but this has done nothing to placate the Blairites who are seeking a reversal of the 2016 Leave vote through a second referendum, or Peoples Vote. Tensions within Labour escalated again following an op-ed piece Corbyn published in the Guardian, as parliament went into the Christmas recess. He reiterated that Labour, if it won a snap general election in the New Year under his leadership, would honour the 2016 referendum and seek a Brexit based on protecting jobs, i.e., by securing continuing access to the EUs Single Market and a Customs Union preserving tariff-free trade. He said if Labour won an election, Youd have to go back and negotiate, and see what the timetable would be. Asked his view of what Labour under his leadership would advocate in the event of a referendum, Corbyn again refused to call for a Remain vote, stating, It would be a matter for the party to decide what the policy would be; but my proposal at this moment is that we go forward, trying to get a customs union with the EU, in which we would be able to be proper trading partners. Corbyn was repeating the policy adopted by the Labour Party at its conference in October, but his intervention provoked an immediate backlash from the Blairites and their allies in the Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party and pro-Remain Tories. Corbyns stated aim is to force a general election and only if that fails to consider other options, including a second referendum. But he has refused to move a vote of no confidence in the government, which is the only means of possibly securing a general electionsuggesting that he will do so only after the vote on Mays deal when the chance of success is most likely. In reality there is no reason to believe that pro-Brexit Tories or the Democratic Unionist Party would support such a no confidence motion. Corbyn is delaying a vote for two reasons: above all to make clear to the ruling class that he is not threatening political stability and wants to come to power bearing their imprimatur, but also because he knows that a failed no confidence motion will mean bringing an end to the policy of constructive ambiguity on Brexit. The Blairites have spent most of the last several months seeking to commit Corbyn to a second referendum. Last week Tony Blairs former Foreign Minister David Miliband denounced Corbyn in a Guardian op-ed, saying his position was not much better than that of the hard Brexit faction around Tory Boris Johnson. Miliband stated, Jeremy Corbyns Guardian interview has rightly caused a furore. He makes clear that his difference with the government lies in tactics not goals, personnel not principles. Cross-party backing for a second referendum had to be mobilised, Miliband said as, It is reported that five [Tory] cabinet members can now see their way to supporting a peoples vote. They need to insist that preparations begin now. Blairite Guardian commentator Jonathan Freedland warned of the coming catastrophe and said there should be no working out whether this or that move will boost [Labours] electoral prospects. None of that matters when a national emergency is looming. The only purpose of politics at this moment is averting it. It was unconscionable that Jeremy Corbyn keeps playing his own games, avoiding the formal vote of no confidence in this horror show of a government which, once done, would compel Labour to pursue other ways out of this quagmire. Further pressure was heaped on Corbyn this weekend with demands by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) that Article 50the legislation governing the UKs exit from the EUbe suspended. The only purpose of a suspension would be to prepare the way for a second referendum. TUC General Secretary Francis OGrady said of May in a New Year message, Her Brexit deal doesnt command a parliamentary majority and that theres no majority for no deal either. The Observer, the Guardians Sunday sister publication, reported that cross-party talks aimed at extending Article 50 have been under way for several weeks to ensure the 29 March date is put backprobably until July at the latestif the government does not push for a delay itself. It is also understood that cabinet ministers have discussed the option of a delay with senior backbench MPs in both the main parties and that Downing Street is considering scenarios in which a delay might have to be requested from Brussels. Labours Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer warned that the UK would be just nine weeks away from leaving the EU by the time of the January vote in parliament on Mays Brexit deal, and If the deal is rejected, parliament will need to have a very serious debate about how to protect the economy from a no-deal scenario and at this stage nothing should be ruled out. With an unprecedented crisis of rule in the UK, Corbyns major concern is to preserve the unity of the Labour Partys broad church on the basis that only a Labour government can rescue British imperialism. There is not a single issue of political principle in Corbyns politics of constant manoeuvre and concessions to the Blairites. The one option this bourgeois politician will never take is to take a stand on political principles reflecting independent interests of the working class. Corbyn is vehemently opposed to any struggle for socialism based on a common offensive by all European workers against the EU and all its constituent governments, which is the only means of opposing the dangers of austerity, repression and militarism. His preaching of party unity, social peace and a patriotic commitment to the national interest disarms workers even as the repressive arms of the state are preparing for social unrest as Brexit approaches. With an eye on the Yellow Vest protests in France, nearly 10,000 soldiers have been placed on standby to be deployed to deal with any contingency, with the suppression of an escalation of industrial action topping the list. Beginning in the early morning Thursday, December 27 and continuing throughout Saturday evening, hundreds of thousands of people were unable to reach 911 emergency phone services in the United States. CenturyLink, the third largest telecommunications company operating in the US, behind AT&T and Verizon, respectively, admitted its phone and internet services were experiencing technical difficulties, but had hoped to have recovered within a few hours. After a few hours passed and services remained down into Friday morning, CenturyLink acknowledged the problem was more widespread and would take additional time to fix. This prompted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai to announce an investigation into CenturyLink for its role in the outage. Emergency phone service outages, ATM disconnections, and disrupted internet service was reported in multiple states, including Texas, California, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Missouri, Arizona and Massachusetts. Chairman Pai, a former Verizon lawyer, Obama appointee, and erstwhile advocate of free market solutions and staunch opponent of net neutrality, released a statement on Friday in which he called the outage completely unacceptable. CenturyLink has yet to release a public statement as to the cause of the outage. On Friday, CenturyLink spokesperson Nikki Wheeler advised people unable to reach 911 on their landline to ...use their wireless phones to call 911 or drive to their nearest fire station or emergency facility. Brian Krebs, a former Washington Post reporter, tweeted Saturday morning a statement released by CenturyLink that was only sent to core customers. In the statement CenturyLink blamed their extended outage on a faulty network management card in Denver, Colorado that was propagating invalid frame packets across devices. The release didnt specify how one card could have negatively impacted so much of the network across multiple systems and states. CenturyLink acknowledged in the letter that engineer teams had to be dispatched to Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles and New Orleans to reset equipment on site that had been affected. While service has now been restored it is unclear how many people were affected by the multi-state network outage and if any lives were lost as people were unable to access emergency services. Banner Health Services, which operates 28 hospitals, and utilizes CenturyLink and Verizon networks, reported that four of its hospitals had internment phone and internet connections. The North Colorado Medical Center, located in Greeley, seemed to have suffered the worst of it, with internet and phone outages that lasted for 24 hours, leaving doctors and nurses unable to access patients electronic medical records. Meanwhile, in Boston a man was forced to use one of the citys 176-year-old street-side boxes to report a building fire after he was unable to reach emergency services on his cellphone. The fire box system was built in 1852 using copper wires to transmit in Morse code to the fire department. The firefighters were able to respond before any injuries occurred. However, as Boston Fire spokesman Brian Sanders told NBC News, It was a small fire that we were able to put out, but it could have been much worse. As Americas infrastructure continues to deteriorate, these dangerous outages are becoming more common. The FCC concluded a similar investigation into AT&T last year for two nationwide emergency service outages that occurred in March and May 2017. The two blackout incidents lasted for approximately six hours and resulted in 15,200 failed 911 calls. AT&T, which had an operating revenue of $190 billion in 2017, paid a paltry $5.25 million dollar fine at the conclusion of the investigation. Meanwhile, according to opensecrets.org, AT&T spent over $7 million dollars that same year contributing to political campaigns, including the Republican and Democratic party, with outgoing Texas Congressman Beto ORourke receiving $126,204 dollars from the company, the most of any candidate. Notably, CenturyLink was recently fined by the FCC for an emergency service outage in April 2014 that left 11 million people in six states without 911 service. The FCC statement estimated that 6,600 911 calls were left unanswered for over six hours as the network was down. CenturyLink was forced to pay a $16 million dollar settlement and agreed to a compliance plan to prevent future outages from occurring. As for the latest outage and pending FCC investigation, it seems to have had little effect on CenturyLink shareholders; at the close of the stock market on Friday, CenturyLinks stock price remained unchanged. The latest CenturyLink outage is another objective example that despite petty fines from a complicit government and assurances from corporate public relations departments these reckless incidents will continue to occur, leaving people without access to emergency help at precisely the time they need it most. Telling people to drive themselves to the hospital while suffering from a medical emergency is as absurd as it is dangerous. The irrationality of the capitalist system expresses itself in all of facets of society and imperils humanity needlessly. Only through the working class consciously taking ownership of public utilities, including telephone and fiber lines, can they be operated for the benefit of all, instead of private profit. Ten years ago this month, Canadas Conservative government used the arbitrary and anti-democratic powers of the unelected governor-general to shut down parliament so as to prevent the opposition parties from defeating the government in a non-confidence vote. The governor-generals action was patently undemocratic. The opposition parties had won a majority of the votes and seats in a federal election held less than two months before. But the short-circuiting of parliament was strongly supported by Canadas ruling elite. Recognizing this, the opposition parties, including the social-democratic NDP and their trade union allies, meekly submitted to the December 4, 2008 constitutional coup. When parliament reconvened in late January, the Official Opposition Liberals, to all but universal support from the corporate media, voted to sustain the Stephen Harper-led minority Conservative government in office. Coming just weeks after the outbreak of the deepest global financial crisis since the 1930s, Canadas constitutional coup was one of the earliest indications that the bourgeoisie in every country would resort to authoritarian forms of rule in response to the sharpened socioeconomic and geopolitical tensions produced by the global crisis of capitalism. The ensuing 10 years have witnessed an eruption of imperialist militarism, including US-led and fomented wars in Libya and Syria, and the intensification of great power rivalries, above all between the US on the one hand, and Russia and China on the other, which raise the danger of world war. In all the major capitalist countries, core democratic rights are under systematic attack. In the US, a president sits in the White House who openly appeals to far-right fascistic forces, demonizes immigrants, and whips up nationalism, while his Democratic Party opponents lead the charge for internet censorship. In Europe, the ruling elite is patronizing neo-fascist parties like the AfD in Germany and the Liga in Italy, while the supposed champions of liberalism like Emmanuel Macron of France, normalize emergency powers and use them to impose savage attacks on workers social rights. The Canadian bourgeoisie is similarly promoting reaction and breaking with bourgeois democratic norms. Right-wing populist governments in Ontario and Quebec have vowed to use the notwithstanding clause to run roughshod over democratic rights and impose anti-working class policies, while the federal Liberal government has pledged to hike military spending by 70 percent by 2026, further integrated Canada into Washingtons war plans, including against China, and enshrined the sweeping new powers given the security-intelligence agencies under Harpers Bill C-51. The 2008 crisis was a pivotal political event that laid bare important truths about the crisis of Canadian democracy as well as the role of the NDP, unions and the pseudo-left. In the intervening decade, the Canadian ruling class has expanded its attack on democratic rights: criminalizing worker struggles, including strikes by Canada Post, Air Canada, and Quebec construction workers; employing unprecedented police violence and draconian legislation (Bill 78) against striking Quebec students; and using the Canadian partner and counterpart of the US National Security Agencythe Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC)to illegally spy on Canadians telephone calls, emails, texts, and internet use. Here we republish an article on the 2008 events written by Keith Jones, the national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (Canada). Titled Canada: Vital lessons from last months political crisis, it was originally posted on January 26, 2009. Canadas parliament will reconvene today, seven and a half weeks after it was shut down by the unelected governor-general at the behest of the minority Conservative government and big business. The proroguing of parliament was a flagrant attack on parliamentary norms and democratic rights. Its explicit purpose was to prevent the Members of Parliament (MPs) from defeating the Conservative government in a December 8 non-confidence vote and authorizing the formation of an alternate governmenta Liberal-NDP coalition supported from the outside by the Bloc Quebecois. The opposition parties had joined forces in response to the governments November 27 fiscal and economic update. The update slashed public expenditure even as Canadas economy was being rocked by world recession and Canadas rivals were rushing to boost their manufacturers and other sections of business with economic stimulus packages. A crisis has the salutary impact of laying bare the real relations between, and the trajectory of, different parties and social classes. Irrespective of what happens in parliament this weekthe Liberals have repeatedly voiced their readiness to abandon the coalition and sustain the current government in office if the Conservatives will only heed their calls for a substantial economic stimulusit is crucial that working people ponder the significance of the extraordinary events of late November and early December 2008. There are at least three vital lessons. First, in pursuit of its class interests the Canadian bourgeoisie is ready to run roughshod over fundamental democratic rights. The shutting down of parliament was, as the World Socialist Web Site has previously explained, a constitutional coup. Through the reactionary office of the governor-general (that is the representative of Canadas monarch, Queen Elizabeth II), the ruling class succeeded in short-circuiting parliament to prevent an outcome it deemed undesirable. Under Canadas parliamentary system, it is the MPs, the reputed elected representatives of the Canadian people, who choose the government and a government is constitutionally compelled to resign if it is demonstrated to have lost parliaments confidence. Yet last month, MPs who had been elected in a federal election less than two months before were prevented by the executivethe minority government acting in collusion with the unelected governor-generalfrom exercising their right to unseat and replace the government. There is no precedent in modern Canadian history or that of any other country with a British-style parliamentary democracy for parliament being prorogued for the express purpose of avoiding defeat in an impending non-confidence vote. That opposition parties enjoying the support of a majority of MPs had formally informed governor-general Michaelle Jean of their intention to defeat the Conservatives and form an alternate government only underscores the arbitrary and anti-democratic character of her decision to shut down parliament. In clinging to office, the Conservatives mounted a vicious right-wing campaign, claiming the proposed coalition would serve as an instrument of socialists and separatists and suggesting it was quasi-treasonous. Even supporters of the proroguing of parliament such as the Globe and Mail had to concede that the Conservatives were inciting anti-Quebec chauvinism. The Conservatives failure to include measures to stimulate the economy in their November 27 economic update caused widespread dismay and dissatisfaction within the ruling class. But it quickly became apparent that Canadas elite was opposed, at this juncture, to the coming to power of a coalition government in which the trade union-supported NDP would serve as junior partner and which would depend on the independantiste Bloc Quebecois (BQ) for its parliamentary majority. When it became clear that the only way to prevent the coalition from coming to power was to shut down parliament, the ruling classas attested by the editorial pages of the countrys leading newspapersoverwhelmingly supported such action. No matter that it was a flagrant violation of the precepts of Canadas parliamentary democracy. The Liberals got the message. Within days of parliament being shut down, the Liberals expedited the exit of Stephane Dion as party leader and replaced him with Michael Ignatieff, the acknowledged leader of the partys right wing and a coalition skeptic. Last months constitutional coup must serve as a warning to the working class. If the ruling class is willing to trample on basic democratic principles and shut down parliament so as to prevent the coming to power of a coalition led by the Liberals, its traditional party of government, what authoritarian measures will it employ if faced with a genuine challenge from the working class? One final point should be made about last months constitutional coup. The media and all the opposition parties have enveloped the actions of the governor-general in a blanket of silence. Apart from a single column by the Globe and Mail s Lawrence Martin, no influential newspaper or journalist has called on the governor-general to explain her actions or, for that matter, to reveal what transpired during the two-and-a-half-hour, December 4 meeting at which Prime Minister Stephen Harper sought, and she granted him, the order proroguing parliament. Canadians have been led to believe that the office of the governor-general is a regal decoration, a relic that stands above politics. But as last months events demonstrated, the governor-general has vast reserve powers. The bourgeoisie, with the complicity of the opposition parties, wants to ensure that this reactionary institution is not subject to public scrutiny and debatedoes not become politicizedso it can be deployed to uphold its interests in future crises of a more fundamental character. Second, the trade unions and social-democratic NDP have responded to the capitalist crisis by moving still further right. The eruption of the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression and the descent of the world economy into recession underscore the urgency of the working class advancing its own program to resolve the crisis at the expense of big business, not working people. To defend their jobs, wages and rights, the working class must challenge the capitalist order, the subordination of socioeconomic life to the socially destructive pursuit of profit by the tiny plutocracy that controls the bulk of societys wealth. The unions and the NDP, the purported organizations of working people, are utterly opposed to such a struggle. In the name of securing an economic stimulus package that will protect working people from the economic crisis, the NDP, with the full support of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the Quebec unions, have announced their intention to support a Liberal-led coalition government. In fact the NDP and CLC were instrumental in putting together the coalition, serving as interlocutors between the Liberals and BQ, longtime bitter rivals. And the unions and NDP have continued to cling to the coalition even as the new Liberal leader, Michael Ignatieff, has distanced himself from it and signaled his preference for a de facto Liberal-Conservative coalition. Quebec Federation of Labour (FTQ) president Michel Arsenault lavished praise on Ignatieff last week after the Liberal leader visited the unions Montreal headquarters. In reference to Ignatieff, Arsenault said, We need somebody who believes that government has to reinvest in infrastructure, has to reinvest in the economy. But while the QFL leader was imploring Ignatieff to bring down the Conservatives, the Liberal leader was declaring, I think the Canadian public demands that I give him [Prime Minister Harper] one last chance to win back the confidence of the Commons. NDP leader Jack Layton has been anxious to assure the press that the coalition is alive and well. I think its a happy marriage and we had a nice cup of coffee and a good discussion, Layton told CTV following a closed door meeting with Ignatieff January 13. A Liberal-NDP coalition would be a right-wing government that under the cover of progressive phrases would press forward with the anti-worker and anti-democratic agenda pursued by its predecessors, the Harper Conservative government and the Liberal governments of Paul Martin and Jean Chretien. To secure the Liberals support, the NDP not only had to agree to the Liberals controlling three-quarters of the seats in cabinet, including the posts of prime minister and finance minister; the NDP also pledged to implement the Liberal-Conservative plan to reduce corporate taxes by $50 billion over five years and to support Canada waging war in Afghanistan through 2011. The coalitions policy accord begins by affirming the Liberals and NDPs commitment to fiscal responsibilitya euphemism for declaring their subservience to big business and its mantra of international competitiveness and their opposition to any serious redistribution of wealth in favor of working people. The accords second paragraph begins, This policy accord is built on a foundation of fiscal responsibility. The accord goes on to proclaim the parties top priority to be an economic stimulus package. But the proposed stimulus measures, such as spending on infrastructure, are vague, made dependent on the governments financial capacity, and are entirely from the standpoint of reviving Canadas capitalist economy, of making it profitable for big business to operate. What this means for working people is exemplified by the auto industry bailout. The Canadian bailout put together by the federal Conservative and Ontario Liberal governments, like the US bailout, is conditional on the wages and benefits of workers at the Detroit Threes Canadian plants being reduced to the level paid nonunion workers at the Japanese transplant operations in the southern US. The Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), one of the most vocal supporters of the Liberal-NDP coalition, has already signaled its readiness to accept such concessions in the interests of protecting workers from the crisis! In justifying their allying with the big business Liberals, the social-democratic politicians of the NDP and the union bureaucrats invariably point to the rapacious anti-working class character of the Harper Conservative government. But the Harper government has only continued and extended the policies of the Liberal governments that preceded itfrom the redistribution of wealth to the most privileged layers of society via tax cuts, through the expansion of the Canadian Armed Forces and the war in Afghanistan. If the Liberals have long served as the Canadian bourgeoisies principal party of government, it is precisely because of their ability, with the complicity of the unions and NDP, to use the Conservatives as a right-wing foil, while implementing the program of big business. Third, the petty bourgeois left trails in the wake of the union bureaucracy and the NDP. Canadas ostensible radical left was quick to embrace the Liberal led coalition as a lesser evil. The prominent anti-globalization activist Naomi Klein, feminist media-personality and rabble.ca co-founder Judy Rebick, and Amir Khadir and the left Quebec sovereignist Quebec solidaire all welcomed the coalition. So too did the Stalinist Communist Party of Canada. Taking their cue from the NDP and the Liberals, the radicals have said little if anything about the Conservatives constitutional coup and its broader significance. Some self-avowed revolutionary socialist groups have denounced the coalition. However, they do so from the standpoint of seeking to perpetuate the influence of the unions and the NDP over the working class. The coalition, they complain, will prevent the unions and NDP from playing their supposed true role as instruments of working class struggle. Locked inside a Liberal-dominated coalition, declares John Riddell of Socialist Voice, the NDP would be unable to campaign against capitalist attacks. Accepting responsibility for the anti-labour measures of such a government could rapidly discredit the NDP and end its ability to continue as the bearer of popular hopes for social change. At the same time, labour leaders current pledges of unconditional support to a coalition will undermine the unions ability to act independently in defence of workers rights and needs. Campaign against capitalist attacks? The NDP and the unions are key props of the capitalist order. They serve to smother and derail working class resistance to big business. Over the past quarter century, in response to the deepening crisis of capitalism, they have done so ever more openly, imposing concessions and job cuts and in the case of the NDP, presiding over the dismantling of the welfare state. The liberation of the working class from these organizations and the building of new organs of working class struggle is an essential element in the struggle to develop an independent political movement of the working class for socialism. Whatever happens in parliament this week, the political crisis that erupted late last year under the initial impact of the world economic crisis presages a new era of intensified class struggle and political shocks. In preparing for these, it is vital that workers assimilate the lessons of the rapid rallying of the NDP and the unions to the big business Liberal Party and the subsequent constitutional coup engineered by the Conservatives and the governor-general and supported by the most powerful sections of Canadian capital. The author also recommends: Canada: Liberal-NDP coalition would be a tool of big business [10 December 2008] Canadas constitutional coup: A warning to the working class [5 December 2008] Canadas putsch: Oppose Conservative power-grab! No support to Liberal-NDP coalition! [3 December 2008] The new year is set to begin with teachers around the world determined to reverse decades of attacks on jobs, working conditions and the right to high quality public education. Fearing the continued escalation of the teacher rebellion of 2018, the US News and World Report and other corporate media outlets are already warning that 2019 could bring more of the same. All indications point to an even more explosive series of struggles. Following a powerful rally of 50,000 educators, students and parents in Los Angeles on December 15, more than 30,000 teachers are scheduled to walk out January 10. A walkout in the second largest school district in the US would be the first since 1989. The issues facing LA teachers are part of a national calamity that has been taking place over the last 30 to 40 years, said one teacher, Brett, to the World Socialist Web Site. True, indeed! The worldwide social counterrevolution against the working class, which was escalated after the 2008 global financial crash, has already propelled millions into struggle against social inequality. Thousands of French teachers and students have, since November, joined tens of thousands of workers and taken to the streets in yellow vests against the President for the Rich Emmanuel Macron. They have opposed national cuts in education and the rise of contract labor, calling for increased wages among educators, among many other social necessities. As the year begins, 45,000 para teachers in the east Indian state of Jharkhand are already on strike over mass layoffs and low pay in rural India. On December 24, they began a hunger strike in front of the homes of legislators to strengthen their fight for increased wages. On January 2, the Kenyan National Union of Teachers will strike. At issue has been Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyattas policy of delocalization, which has already forcibly transferred thousands of teachers from their home districts. The measures are linked to overall attacks on public education by Uhuru (worth over $500 million and one of Africas wealthiest individuals) packaged under the ubiquitous international appellations of professional development and accountability. Iranian teachers have held sit-ins in more than a dozen cities, in protests beginning in the summer and continuing through November. They described painfully low wages and the degradation of quality public education. Recent teacher strikes and struggles have gripped New Zealand, Pakistan, Cyprus, Sierra Leone, Tasmania and more. In the US, the struggle in California takes the center stage, continuing the teacher rebellion sparked by the determined initiative of rank-and-file teachers in the coal fields of West Virginia earlier this year. That upsurge, which the unions sought to prevent and then betray, led to mass walkouts of educators in Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky and the state of Washington. Though these strikes were fought over identical issues, the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) has kept teachers on the job even though their contract expired in June 2017. Despiteor in fact because ofa massive 98 percent strike authorization last August, the union continued to bottle up action with months of state-supervised mediation and fact-finding. In the LAUSD, Brett continued, only 40 percent of our students are obtaining passing test scores. This is because there is a lack of investment. The result is class sizes through the roof, and teachers who are getting demoralized. The corporate agenda is causing massive fissures throughout the country and its not healthy for the well-being of our society, Brett concluded. Poverty-level wages, soaring class sizes, lack of special education support, and lack of nurses and school counselors characterize California schools. The state now ranks 41st in conditions that help children succeed and earns a D+ in academic performance. In the 1950s, the state system was rated the best in the US. The defunding of education in California has been a bipartisan effort prosecuted primarily by the Democratic Party. Except for one year, the state assembly has been in Democratic hands since 1970 with the state senate under continuous Democratic control. The Democrats currently have a supermajority in both houses. Moreover, governors and state superintendents of public instruction have also been, in their majority, Democratic throughout this period. This mirrors the policy of the Democrats nationally with the Obama administration and his Race to the Top responsible for the greatest inroads on federal funding to education. In league with the Democrats, the unionsthe American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the UTLAhave subordinated teachers to brutal budget-cutting, damping down opposition and refusing to call strikes. As it was nationally, it was true in California. In the last decade, there have been fewer than nine strikes in the entire state as district after district has imposed concession contracts and increasingly starved schools of resources. The plight of Los Angeles teachers, therefore, is mirrored throughout the state. After similarly working without a new contract for over a year, 2,300 Oakland teachers are threatening to walk out in January. Indicative of the boiling anger of educators in that district, at least five high schools wildcatted on December 10 calling a sickout. The union is asking for a meager 12 percent increase over three years and class-size reductions, whereas the state and school district want as much as $60 million in new cuts. David Byrd, an Oakland High School teacher: The OEA is taking out more than $100 a month from our paychecks and then theyre throwing it at politicians like the new governor Gavin Newsom. This state is what it looks like to have Democrats running everything and we have more homeless people than anywhere. This school district is exactly how the Democrats have made it. In another California district, teachers in Rocklin are working without a contract for 201819 and voted overwhelmingly in October to authorize a strike. They are demanding a 12.5 percent pay increase, smaller class sizes and increased preparation time for elementary school teachers. Teachers throughout the state are increasingly raising the need for broadening their struggle and conducting a statewide walkout. The East Bay Coalition for Public Education, spanning up to 11 districts, will hold a mass rally on January 12 in Oakland. Similar struggles continue to brew nationally. On January 28, educators across the state of Virginia will rally at the state capitol in Richmond to demand increased funding for salary increases and building/infrastructure needs. Per pupil spending by the state has declined 9.1 percent since 2008, leaving the state 40th in the nation in terms of state funding. Virginia is home to about 90,000 teachers. None of these struggles can be successful in isolation. The teachers strikes of 2018 demonstrated that the unions will do nothing but consciously sabotage these struggles. While the strikes were initiated by teachers themselves and, in the case of West Virginia, involved the direct defiance of back-to-work orders by the AFT and NEA, educators did not have independent organizations that could continue the struggle and fight for the broadest mobilization of the working class against both big business parties. This enabled the unions to reassert their control, shut down the strikes and impose deals that were thoroughly acceptable to big business, including funding meager pay raises through regressive taxes or cuts in other social programs. The unions did everything in their power to prevent the statewide walkouts from going national and diverted teacher militancy into support of impotent ballot proposals like Invest in Ed and the Democratic Party in the midterm elections. Run by highly paid Democratic Party operatives like Randi Weingarten (annual salary $514,000), the unions are preoccupied with preserving their own corrupt relations with the government and big business by colluding in the implementation of corporate-backed school reform and expanding the unions franchise and dues collection revenue from the ever-growing charter school market. As new and more audacious struggles begin to erupt around the world, teachers must reject the pro-capitalist and nationalist program of the unions and take matters into their own hands. The struggles of educators must be linked up together through the forming of independent rank-and-file committees which answer to teachers themselves. Teachers must expand their struggles both geographically and politically, actively joining with workers internationally to fight for a socialist alternative to capitalism, which is the root cause of social inequality, war and dictatorship. Only through a frontal assault on the entrenched wealth of the corporate and financial oligarchy will it be possible to free up trillions of dollars to secure the social right of high-quality schooling worldwide. From California to Tasmania, teachers around the world must champion this fight. Social Darwinism and its political corollaries are not new to university campuses. In the early to mid-1900s, eugenics had a significant following in ruling and academic circles. In 1907, the British Eugenics Education Society was established, followed by the American Eugenics Society in 1921 and the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Anthropology, Human Heredity, and Eugenics in 1927. International Eugenics Conferences were held in London in 1912 and in New York City in 1921 and 1932. Prominent adherents included John Maynard Keynes, H.G. Wells, Bertrand Russell and George Bernard Shaw. These ideas gained currency for very definite social and political reasons. Eugenics had first been formed as a school of thought in the late 1800s, but found a wider hearing from the turn of the century as world capitalism entered an extended period of collapse. In the course of these tumultuous decades, the question of revolution was posed in country after country. A number of those thinkers who were tied to a belief in the essential rationality of capitalist economy, however, would not accept that the system was at fault and were pushed into searching for the origin of persistent social problems in defective human material. These efforts were also driven by fear of national degeneration, inflamed by fierce imperialist rivalries and the threat of war. The mentally ill were often the first to be targeted, subjected to compulsory sterilisation programmes in the United States, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, Belgium and Japan, among other countries. Some eugenicist thinkers went further and suggested their extermination. In certain circles, definitions of unfit populations came to include the residuum, i.e., the most disadvantaged, chronically unemployed, poverty-stricken and sick in society. This thinking combined with ideologies of empire to create a new scientific justification for claims of racial and national superiority. The unleashing of fascist counterrevolution brought these ideas to their horrific conclusion in the death camps of Nazi Germany. After 1945, eugenics was forced into the shadows by popular revulsion. Today, however, as the crisis of capitalism is again reaching a fever pitch, eugenics is being revived amid a general rehabilitation of far-right ideology by the ruling class worldwide. In Britain, the Tory governments Office for Students (OfS) was established this January with the explicit purpose of spearheading this campaign. Its mandate, as described by then-universities minister, Jo Johnson, was to go even further to ensure that universities promote freedom of speech within the law, allowing the government to sanction institutions it felt to be stifling debate. The nomination of Toby Young to lead the OfS said everything necessary about the sort of free speech it would be promoting. Youngs only credentials for the job were a close affiliation with the Conservative Party, a long history of attacking alleged left-wing authoritarianism on campus, and a back catalogue of tweets including, among numerous lewd remarks, references to vaguely deformed working-class students and functionally illiterate troglodyte(s). In view of Noah Carls appointment at Cambridge, it is especially significant that Young had also previously written on progressive eugenics andit emerged just a few days after the announcement of his OfS appointmenthad attended the London Conference on Intelligence. Young was forced to resign after a massive popular outcry, but not before senior government figures, including then Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, weighed in with a major defence of their appointee. Young was selected because of his far-right views and was only let go when his position became untenable. His departure did not change the agenda of the OfS one jot. It has, along with former universities minister Sam Gyimah, repeatedly declared the need to open up universities to debate, by which they mean to the Right. Gyimah has said he intends to clarify the rules and regulations around speakers and events to prevent bureaucrats or wreckers on campus from exploiting gaps for their own ends. OfS Chairman Sir Michael Barber has expressed the need for challenging or unpopular speech. He will have powers to shame or fine institutions which the OfS deems has interfered with these principles. The green light has been given for universities and student societies to invite any reactionary they like onto campuswith the government standing ready to denounce students who protest and expose their ideas. Meanwhile, Young is playing the same role he would have played as head of the OfS from his position in the press. Responding to the petition against Carl, Young wrote an article in the Spectator denouncing the scandalous shaming of Noah Carl by a mob of grievance studies professors. He has followed this up with another piece, Will Noah Carl get a fair hearing? which calls for Chris Skidmore, the current universities minister, to stand up for intellectual freedom and free speech. Spiked magazine, the right-wing libertarian journal which has long been at the forefront of the free speech crusade at universities, and always in support of right-wing figures, published a dishonest defence of Carl, The rise of academic mobbing, by Joanna Williams. While claiming Carls views needed to be rigorously challenged, Williams suggested that, Instead of piling on a young academic and calling for him to lose his job, the mob would be better off spending their time taking up the views they find so objectionable. Attempts to portray Carl as a junior researcher being mobbed and silenced by more senior academics are bogus. The whistle was blown on his appointment by over 200 concerned students at St Edmunds College Cambridge, where Carl is now based. They wrote an open letter to the college fellowship, describing his research as methodologically flawed and openly racist and his appointment as indefensible. Young and Spiked are playing to a right-wing trope well established in the press over the past few years. Melanie Phillips, writing in the Times, has wailed before that Universities have caved in to [the] dogma and thuggery of left-wing bullies and craven authorities. In June this year she wrote a Times opinion piece headlined, Left-wing hate mobs cant stand free speech after students at Stanford University demanded that a speaking invitation to Charles Murray, author of The Bell Curve, a right-wing book mirroring the views of eugenics, be rescinded. The Daily Mail s Stephen Glover has accused universities of producing a left-wing fifth column while the Telegraph has lamented a 2017 report by the Adam Smith Institute claiming eight in 10 academics in Britain to be left-wing. Carl has written papers in a similar vein, such as How Stifling debate around race, genes and IQ can do harm, and The left-liberal skew of Western media. The most reactionary forces feel increasingly emboldened to advance their agendas on campus. Only last month, Steven Bannon was invited to speak unchallenged at the Oxford Union. A political response must be organised. The WSWS and International Youth and Students for Social Equality support the campaign against Carls appointment. His promotion by Cambridge University is part of a broader right-wing offensive rooted, as in the past, in an extreme crisis of capitalist society. Bourgeois politics demands an intellectual justification for rising social inequality at home and predatory imperialist looting abroad. This must be countered with a programme of socialist revolution, the only basis for the defence of genuine free speech and academic discourse. Concluded The energetic response to the exposure by the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter of appalling conditions, including workplace deaths, at the Faurecia plant in Saline, Michigan speaks to the situation facing the working class throughout the auto parts industry and more broadly. The article has been read by thousands of workers and has been shared over 800 times on Facebook. Current and former Faurecia workers from plants in Saline; Sterling Heights, Michigan; Granger, Indiana; Simpsonville, Kentucky; Dexter, Missouri; Dayton, Ohio and other locations have commented about their own experiences. Still others contacted the Autoworker Newsletter directly. French-based Faurecia is a transnational auto parts maker with factories in 35 countries. It is the sixth largest auto parts maker in the world and produces seats, interior systems and emission control technology. Faurecia workers repeatedly described have been treated like slaves or that their factories were akin to plantations. Others spoke about the indifference and outright hostility of the United Auto Workers union, recounting a number of instances of its defense of the companys interests. In the comments below, workers names have been changed to protect them from reprisals by either the company or the UAW. I worked at Faurecia in Simpsonville for almost three years, said a worker in Kentucky. It started out really well, then went really bad. I think the corporation as a whole needs investigation. We tried calling the labor board, and OSHA [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration], even human and equal rights [agencies]. None of them cared. Lindsay, who previously worked at the Saline Faurecia plant, said she had experienced what was described in the initial WSWS report, and more! That place is horrible and a death trap! People died and there were always injuries because they would just force you to do everything without training. Lindsay described the degrading treatment workers underwent and the denial of basic rights, including bathroom breaks. I remember a lady said she was older, and she told me that sometimes they wouldnt let her use the bathroom so she said that she would wear a pad in case she leaked on herself. Its ridiculous. John formerly worked at Faurecia in Saline, having stayed on after the plant was bought from its previous owner, Automotive Components Holding (ACH). Once Faurecia came they fired everybody that knew what to do or offered them low-paying contracts. I was forced to sign with Faurecia after ACH left or I wouldnt have had a guaranteed job. As a new hire I couldn't take the chance of hopeful employment. My wages didnt decrease, but they did not progress either. That place is a madhouse, he continued. Long hours, countless safety violations and my friends are dying in that place. My friend Connie died there! They ignored her. She was such a sweet person. Medical is hardly ever open. And the union is just a party club. Like many others, he described frequent mandatory overtime and grueling hours. Seven days a week, 12 hours is too much. The turnover is like a revolving door. It wasnt like that before. Because they cut shifts to save money. They spread the hours between two shifts. Henry, a worker currently employed at the Faurecia plant in Saline, denounced the role of the UAW in upholding managements authority. Our last union administration was the worst ever. During the last contract negotiations, the company stated that they would take our $900 holiday bonus and reduce it to $400 to offset the cost of keeping BCBS [Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance]. We the membership agreed to this in order to keep our insurance. A year or so later, the company changed insurance companies and our local allowed it. This was done without the vote of the membership. The union chairman and bargaining rep agreed to this, stating that the contract didnt specify BCBS, rather just that the company had to provide insurance. Weve asked numerous times why a grievance hasn't been filed, he continued, due to the fact that they stated they took our bonus to offset the cost of keeping BCBS and then changed the insurance anyway, and also why wasn't the membership allowed to vote on that issue. We get no answers from the local UAW. Seems the local is more concerned in throwing mixers then focusing on the issues at hand. Richard, another former worker at the Saline plant, spoke about the relentless pace of work at the facility while he was there. I worked in the west warehouse and unloaded trucks of parts and delivered parts to the line by hand. In the beginning this was very difficult, as I was the only person who did this and would get in trouble if the assembly line ran out of a part while I was unloading the truck or stocking another part of the assembly line. I was supposed to restock the assembly line about every 15 minutes. Eventually after about a month of this I got a new hire to help me with these tasks and my job became easier. Having never had a factory job before or since I cant really compare it. But in the west warehouse I worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, except for a couple weeks where I had one day off. This was the primary cause of my car crash that couldve very easily been fatal, Richard said. I was too sleep deprived and fell asleep at the wheel and cut down a tree with my Pontiac. I didnt really like working there but the pay was the best I had received at that point in my life. I liked the people I worked with and not many of the people I worked for. Most people dont like the union, he continued. Didnt do much, thats for sure. Walked around and chatted but thats all I saw of them. As with others, he noted that workers had died at the plant, at least one of suicide. I had heard of more than one person dying, but that was near the end of 2016, so I dont know if that count of two people was for 2017. I know a guy committed suicide in the plant. Sneaked a handgun in if I remember correctly. The worker who initially contacted the Autoworker Newsletter to expose conditions at Faurecia said, Thank you guys for taking the time and caring, adding, Ive seen the response and its still so much that wasnt even touched on...hopefully it gets enough attention for change. The WSWS Autoworker Newsletter will continue to pull back the veil on the appalling situation facing autoworkers, whether at the auto parts plants, the Big Three companies, or elsewhere. The WSWS and the Socialist Equality Party call for the formation of organizations independent of the pro-corporate UAW, rank-and-file factory and workplace committees, so that workers can assert their interests on the shop floor and beyond. We encourage those who are interested in organizing these committees, or who have a story to tell, to contact us today. Vanguard The Nigeria Police Force has said that its operatives deployed to arrest Senator Dino Melaye in his residence will not retreat until the Senator surrenders himself for arrest and investigation. Thisday Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana; Transition Monitoring Group (TMG); Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and other rights activists have tasked the federal government to end the incessant killings in Zamfara State. Daily Times The Nigerian Air Force said its Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation DIRAN MIKIYA has neutralised an armed bandits hideout at a compound west of Tsamari in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Leadership The Presidential Candidate of Peoples Trust (PT) in 2019 election, Mr.Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has announced his plan to establish National Guard as part of measures to address internal security threats when he gets elected as President of Nigeria. Daily Trust National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Adams Oshiomhole says the ruling party expects nothing less than hundred per cent votes for Muhammadu Buhari in his home State of Katsina, considering his status as president of the country. The Nation There is anxiety in Offa and Erin-Ile communities of Offa and Oyun local government areas of Kwara State. Tribune The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari has a history of bringing looted funds into the country. The emergence of Frances yellow vest protests has unmasked the reactionary role of the New Anticapitalist Party (NPA). Its reaction to the first mass eruption of workers opposition to President Emmanuel Macron was unambiguously hostile. The NPA lined up with official propaganda, which began by denouncing the yellow vest protesters as anti-environmental racists and fascists for opposing Macrons fuel tax increase. Before the first scheduled protest, the NPA published a statement titled Social justice: we cant make ourselves heard on November 17. It declared that this mobilization is problematic. It continued: First of all because even before being the expression of popular discontent, this protest expresses above all an old demand of the trucking companies. Pointing to attempts by neo-fascist parties to intervene on yellow vest Facebook pages, it swore unyielding hostility to the protests: We will make no mistake. Like the CGT and Solidarity trade unions, we will not mix our anger on Saturday, November 17, with the bosses maneuvers exploited by the far-right, which is not a temporary ally but a mortal enemy. Yes, everything is going up except wages, and the lower classes are right to have had enough with price rises for fuel and in general But we cannot say it on Saturday, November 17, in actions or supposedly citizens gatherings that look like far-right mobs, in which we would line up with the deadliest enemies of the workers movement. What followed was the greatest mobilization of political opposition in the French working class since the May 1968 general strike. Hundreds of thousands of workers, retirees, unemployed workers, self-employed people and small businessmen defied a crackdown by riot police and armored cars in protests that shook the Macron government to its foundations. This came as protests against social inequality spread across Europe, from student protests in Albania to public-sector strikes in Portugal. While the NPA and affiliated unions were hostile to the yellow vests, the protests gave voice to unprecedented mass anger against the affluent middle class layers in the pseudo-left parties and the unions. When the WSWS asked his opinion of these forces, one yellow vest construction worker from Picardy concisely summed it up: Theyre criminals. You could be dying on the street with your mouth open and they would do nothing. As the yellow vests were extremely popular, the NPA was forced to make a 180-degree turn. Two weeks after the November 17 protests, NPA leader and former 1968 student leader Alain Krivine spoke at a public meeting in Tours. Barely hiding his disdain, he endorsed the protesters his party had previously slandered as a far-right mob, but still slandered them as racist and sexist, declaring: I think we should support the yellow vests, not uncritically, because we must struggle against all the racist, homophobic and sexist behavior we have had occasion to hear about. But a united social front must emerge from this revolt to produce a general strike, where all struggles come together. The reference to a united social front was a signal for the NPA to call on the Stalinist General Confederation of Labor (CGT) to try to take control of the yellow vests and stampede them into a campaign for a toothless, one-day national protest strike. On December 3, the NPA website Revolution permanente appealed to the CGT bureaucracy. The article, titled The CGT can no longer turn its back on the yellow vest movement, criticized the CGTs attacks on the yellow vestswhich the NPA had hailed a few weeks beforeas splitterism. It warned that a movement in the working class could erupt: In this explosive social situation, the state and big business fear a harder struggle and above all the spread of the movement. With the movement in the high schools, this fear is intensified. The specter of contagion to the workers movement is in everyones minds. In this context, union officials and basis structures must not be silent. The government is isolated, weakened and sitting on a powder keg. Every official must demand that the CGT not only call for but organize with all its strength a one-day general strike. Fifty years after the 1968 general strike, amid the discrediting of Macron and the European Union, a general strike is indeed on workers minds across Europe. However, one point is critical: the emerging movement of the working class and a true general strike are as different from the CGT and NPAs symbolic one-day national protest strike as day and night. The NPAs call for the CGT to work with the yellow vests to develop their struggle is phony. The unions have no authority over the yellow vests, who despise the bureaucracy. More importantly, the CGT is hostile to the yellow vests and does not want protests against Macron, especially when his government hangs by a thread. The only purpose the NPAs call serves is to stabilize Macron by promoting what few illusions remain that the CGT will organize action against him, thus encouraging workers to line up behind the unions inaction. The way to prepare for the coming struggles is to take the fight out of the hands of the unions. The decision of yellow vests in Commercy and elsewhere to set up popular assemblies is a critical example: workers across Europe need rank-and-file bodies independent of the unions to prosecute their struggles. The Parti de legalite socialiste (PES), the French section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), stresses that as its struggles develop, the working class in Europe will be obliged to transfer political power to such organs. Above all, this movement has exposed the crisis of revolutionary leadership in the working class. The NPA, founded in 2009 by the former Trotsko-Guevarist 1968 student leaders of the Ligue communiste revolutionnaire (LCR), is not a Trotskyist party. The Pabloite LCR was built by forces that had broken with the ICFI in 1953 on the false and nationalist perspective that Stalinists and bourgeois nationalists, instead of the Trotskyist movement, could serve as a revolutionary leadership of the working class. They oriented in France to forces like the Stalinist CGT which, when it still retained a mass base in the working class, sold out three general strikes: 1936, 1953 and 1968. The LCR itself was shaped by the petty-bourgeois anti-Marxist lifestyle politics of the post-1968 period, and oriented to the big business Socialist Party founded in 1971. After decades of austerity backed by Stalinist and Pabloite groups in Europe following the Stalinist restoration of capitalism in the USSR in 1991, the antagonism between these petty-bourgeois organizations and the workers has emerged for all to see. In a recent interview with the Chinese magazine Borderless posted on the NPAs International Viewpoint website, Pierre Rousset claims that the NPAs hostility to the yellow vests was just a mistake. Reviewing parties that made statements favorable to the yellow vests, he adds: After some initial hesitation (the time to understand what was happening), the PCF (French Communist Party), the NPA and some of the other leftist forces did the same. The bulk of the labor movement has remained at least distant. This is yet another fraud. The NPAs hostility to the yellow vests was not a mistake caused by passing confusion, but the expression of class forces. As its initial statement made clear, the NPA knew that the yellow vests reflected opposition to Macron in the lower classes. On this basis, it opposed the yellow vests. The PES alone in France continues the struggle for Trotskyism. The NPA and its allies are petty-bourgeois counter-revolutionaries. Although none of the workers principal demands have been met, unions aligned with Indias main Stalinist party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM, have shut down a series of militant strikes, involving several thousand autoworkers in Oragadam, a manufacturing hub on the outskirts of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The strikes against motorcycle manufacturers Yamaha Motor India and Royal Enfield and parts producer Myoung Shin India Automotive (MSI) erupted in September, and despite all three continuing for at least two months, the Stalinists kept them apart. Rather than organize a joint struggle and make the strikes the spearhead of a broader working-class mobilization against poverty wages, precarious employment, and brutal working conditions, the CPM-led Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) urged workers to expend their energy making appeals to Tamil Nadus right-wing government, its District Labour Commissioner, and the courts. The strikes outcome is further proof that the CPM-affiliated CITU serves as an industrial police force for big business, containing and suppressing working class opposition. As part of the sell-out agreements under which the strikes were called off, the CITU has pledged to promote industrial peace and prevent sit-down strikes, a tactic the Yamaha workers employed in launching their strike and that resulted in clashes with police. The strikes mainly involved workers aged 30 or less. They were part of what is a growing wave of struggles by workers and the rural poor across India, fuelled by opposition to chronic poverty and economic insecurity, rampant social inequality, and environmental devastation. In courting investors, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi routinely boasts that Indias average industrial wage is less than a quarter that in China. The strike against Yamaha involved some 800 permanent workers. It began September 21 and ended on November 14, after the CITU and its local affiliate, the Yamaha Motor Workers Union, negotiated an agreement that CPM and CITU leader A. Soundararajan termed a great victory. In fact, the agreement meets neither of the workers principal demands: immediate reinstatement of two victimized workers and union recognition. The two workers whom the company fired for union activism are now under suspension pending further company enquiries, meaning they could still be dismissed. The CITU also accepted that the Yamaha workers will lose their pay for the entire period that they were on strike, although this is not standard practice in Indian labour disputes. As part of the back-to-work agreement, the CITU provided Yamaha with assurances that it will maintain industrial peace, oppose sit-down strikes, and refrain from making any adverse remarks in public about the company and its treatment of its employees. After 83 days the CITU ended the strike mounted by the 150 permanent workers at the South Korea-based MSIs Oragadam plant on November 29 on like terms. The twenty-two workers the company had targeted for disciplinary action have not been fully reinstated. Management will continue to review their conduct, with their ultimate fate to be determined in consultation with the Labour Commissioner. Workers will receive no wage increase beyond that previously offered by MSI and no compensation whatsoever for the wages they lost while on strike. The strike at Royal Enfields two plants in Oragadam and its environs ended on November 12 under a Royal Enfield Employees Union-endorsed agreement that fails to fulfil the workers demands for a wage increase, union recognition, and the reinstatement of dozens of recently laid-off trainee employees. Like most, if not all, Indian auto companies, Royal Enfield makes widespread use of low-paid trainee and contract workers to boost profits and split the workforce. Under the back-to-work agreement, the layoffs of more than fifty trainees will stand, with only those who had completed three years of training reinstated. The Royal Enfield Employees Union is not directly affiliated with the CITU. Rather it belongs to the Working Peoples Trade Union Council (WPTUC) led by one Kuchelar, a pro-Stalinist union official. As a leader of the Madras Labour Union, Kuchelar was instrumental in betraying worker opposition to the closure of the B&C Mill, a giant textile facility in Chennai. In line with the policy of the CPM and CITU national leaderships, the local Stalinist union and party leaders have kept the Oragadam workers entirely in the dark about the fate of the victimized workers at the Maruti Suzuki car assembly plant in Manesar, Haryana. Working hand-in-glove, the Indian state and the Japanese automaker purged the plants 2,500-strong workforce and orchestrated the imprisonment for life on frame-up charges of 13 Maruti Suzuki workersincluding the entire leadership of the newly formed Maruti Suzuki Workers Union (MSWU)after the Manesar plant emerged in 2011-12 as a centre of working-class resistance. There is great sympathy and support for the Maruti Suzuki workers in the Gurgaon-Manesar industrial belt and wherever workers have been alerted to their plight. But the Stalinists have callously abandoned them. This is both because the ruling-class conspiracy against the Maruti Suzuki workersinvolving as it does the BJP and Congress Party leaderships, the courts and policeexposes the utter bankruptcy of the CPM and CITUs claims that workers can advance their interests through appeals to capitalist governments and courts, and because any struggle to mobilize the working class against the frame-up would bring the Stalinists into headlong conflict with their allies in the political establishment. The Stalinists posture as left and wave red flags on May Day. But for decades they have functioned as an integral part of the bourgeois political establishment. This is epitomized by their propping up of a series of governments at the Centre, most of them Congress Party-led, that have implemented neoliberal policies, aimed at making India a cheap-labour haven for global capitalist, and forged an Indo-US military-strategic partnership. Acutely aware of the mounting popular anger against the Hindu supremacist BJP and the social devastation caused by more than a quarter-century of pro-market reform, the Stalinists are redoubling their efforts to politically derail the working class and harness it to the drive of a faction of the bourgeoisie to replace Modis BJP government with an alternate right-wing regime after the national elections to be held in April-May 2019. This reactionary political agenda governed the Stalinists conduct, or to put it more accurately misleadership and sabotage, of the Tamil Nadu auto strikes. Moreover, it found overt expression when the CITU convened an all-party meeting on October 30, at which the Stalinists paraded various opposition party leaders before the strikers and claimed that they were joining forces to pressure Tamil Nadus AIADMK government to intervene with the auto companies on the workers behalf. Among their invitees, the Stalinists gave particular prominence to leaders of the DMK and its trade union affiliate, the Labour Progressive Front. A right-wing Tamil Nadu-based party that has previously served as a junior partner in BJP-led governments, the DMK is currently one of the Congress Partys closest allies. It is also almost certain to be a formal electoral ally of the CPM and its Left Front. On November 13, just two weeks after the CITU all party meeting, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury met with DMK chief M.K. Stalin. At the meetings conclusion, Yehcury declared, "We have decided today that in Tamil Nadu, we will be with the DMK in the forthcoming elections. The authors also recommend: The kiss of death: Stalinists seek to tie Tamil Nadu auto strikes to right-wing parties [10 November 2018] Indian court dismisses Maruti Suzuki workers bail application [23 October 2018] A series of articles published in the past week have revealed that the New Knowledge think tank conducted a false flag operation to influence the 2017 Alabama state election and make it appear that Russia was conducting a Twitter campaign to back its preferred candidate. New Knowledge is closely connected to the US intelligence agencies and has been widely cited as an impartial investigator of Russian meddling in US politics. The story was first reported by the Washington Post on December 18 and the New York Times on December 19. Only a day earlier, both newspapers had carried lead front-page articles based largely on a New Knowledge report that claimed to provide new evidence of Russian social media operations to influence American politics. As is the now well-established procedure, the report by New Knowledge was presented by the Times and Post as independent and scientific. The articles in the Times and Post were then made the basis for countless news articles and television reports breathtakingly reporting the latest nefarious activities of the Kremlin as established fact. The New Knowledge report, entitled The Tactics & Tropes of the Internet Research Agency, cited hundreds of predominantly left-wing social media posts on Facebook, including on police violence and government spying, to argue that Russian activities were sowing political divisions in the United States. It amounted to a brief for mass internet censorship directed against working-class political opposition. (See: The disinformation campaign behind the allegations of Russian disinformation) In its December 19 article, the Times admits that New Knowledge CEO Johnathon Morgan was involved in an effort to promote the election of Democrat Doug Jones against Republican rival Roy Moore in the 2017 Alabama Senate election. The operation, codenamed Project Birmingham, included creating fake Facebook pages to attract conservative voters and promote an obscure write-in conservative Republican candidate likely to draw votes away from Moore. The operation also sought to artificially inflate click rates on anti-Moore news stories in order to encourage more such articles. Moore ultimately lost the election. Most significantly, the Times report includes the admission that the project involved a scheme to link the Moore campaign to thousands of Russian accounts that suddenly began following the Republican candidate on Twitter, a development that drew national media attention. The Times goes on to quote an internal report by New Knowledge, summarizing Project Birmingham: We orchestrated an elaborate false flag operation that planted the idea that the Moore campaign was amplified on social media by a Russian botnet. Moores Twitter account was followed by numerous accounts with an obviously fake and Russian appearance, featuring profile pictures of celebrities and Russian cyrillic characters. In other words, the very body cited as an impartial expert on unsubstantiated allegations of Russian disinformation itself carries out actual disinformation fabricating evidence of Russian meddling. The Times article is itself an exercise in damage control aimed at preserving the credibility of New Knowledge and the intelligence agencies anti-Russia campaign, for which the Times and the Post have been leading voices. As is suggested by the headline, Secret Experiment in Alabama Senate Race Imitated Russian Tactics, it argues that New Knowledge and Morgans actions were a small-scale experiment aimed at testing the impact of Russian-style tactics. It further warns that New Knowledges actions were a sign that Russian tactics are being copied by other political groups, and that a further intensification of government censorship of social media is required. It has since been revealed that the project went beyond the Times initial reportand that the Times knew of New Knowledges role long in advance but did not mention it even as it promoted New Knowledges own report. An article by Buzzfeed on December 27 reveals that Scott Shane, the Times national security correspondent who wrote a December 17 article based on New Knowledges report on Russian meddling, was one of a handful of speakers at a September meeting in Washington that discussed Project Birmingham. The Project also involved another organization, American Engagement Technologies, which is run by Mikey Dickerson, a former Obama administration official and Google engineer. The organization received $750,000 from Reid Hoffman, the billionaire CEO of LinkedIn, and spent approximately $100,000 on Project Birmingham. The collaboration of New Knowledge in this operation underscores the close nexus between the intelligence agencies, the Democratic Party, and the technology companies that are leading the campaign for censorship. New Knowledge and its CEO, Johnathon Morgan, epitomize the collection of state propaganda outlets, staffed by former intelligence agents and advisors, who are trotted out in media television panels and featured in news articles as sources for unsubstantiated allegations of Russian interference. New Knowledges co-founder, Ryan Fox, was an NSA agent for 15 years, and previously worked as an analyst for the US Joint Special Operation Command in the military. Morgan himself was an advisor to the US State Department and helped create the Hamilton 68 dashboard, a project run by the German Marshall Fund, ostensibly tasked with tracking Russian disinformation activities, that is headed by Clint Watts, a former FBI agent and advocate of internet censorship. Even if the allegations of a Russian social media operation since 2016, involving approximately $100,000 of paid Facebook ads, are true, they would pale in comparison with the actions of the US intelligence agencies, which are responsible for overthrowing governments, sponsoring coups, destabilizing governments and providing fake intelligence (weapons of mass destruction) for illegal US wars. If the Washington Post and the New York Times, the so-called newspaper of record of what previously passed for American liberal journalism, were operating with a shred of journalistic integrity, the revelation of such compromising actions by New Knowledge would compel them to issue an immediate retraction of their previous promotion of New Knowledges investigations. Neither will do so, because they do not function as houses of genuine journalism, but rather of government propaganda. The campaign over Russian-backed fake news is not based on actual facts but is itself the greatest fake news story of all. Its purpose is to justify mass censorship of the internet. Its target is not only Russia, but political opposition among workers and young people inside the US, and their determination to obtain information outside of the control of the corporate media, and to organize struggles against social inequality on social media. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries for 2017 on December 18. The Census has provided statistics on the total known number of workplace deaths in the US each year since 1992 and takes its data from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports. In 2017, 5,147 fatal occupational injuries were reported in the US, down slightly from 5,190 in 2016. The fatal injury rate in 2017 was 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, down from 3.6 in 2016. The 2017 data shows that in the United States, an average of over 14 workers died at work each day. Fatal falls in 2017 were at their highest rate in 26 years of reporting, causing a total of 887 deaths and accounting for 17 percent of all deaths reported. Fishers and related fishing workers and logging workers had the highest published rates of workplace fatalities in 2017. Grounds maintenance workers suffered 244 fatalities in 2017, a very small decrease from 247 in 2016 and still the second-highest total since 2003. Thirty-six deaths were caused by falls from trees, and being struck by a falling tree or branch caused another 35. Transportation incidents remained the most frequent cause of death, with 2,077 deaths recorded, 40 percent of the total. The occupational groups with the highest number of fatalities were the transportation and material moving and construction and extraction sector, accounting for a total of 47 percent of worker deaths in 2017. These groups had the highest number of deaths in 2016 as well. Among transportation workers in the occupational subgroup of driver/sales workers and truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers suffered the largest number of workplace fatalities, 840, in 2017. According to the BLS, this is the highest death toll for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers since data collection began for the occupational series in 2003. Unintentional overdoses from nonmedical use of alcohol or other drugs rose by 25 percent from 217 in 2016 to 272 in 2017. This is the fifth consecutive year that unintentional overdose workplace fatalities rose by 25 per cent. This shocking number points to the widespread social misery and decades of depressed living conditions faced by working people. Fifteen percent of workers killed on the job were aged 65 and olderan all-time high for the series. When reporting began in 1992, eight per cent of workers killed on the job were in this age group. Workers 65 and older also had the highest fatality rate of all age groups in 2017, at 10.3 per 100,000 in 2017, up from 9.6 in 2016. Workplace deaths among workers in private manufacturing and wholesale trade were the lowest since reporting on fatal occupational injuries began in 1992. This could be the result of large numbers of layoffs and plant and warehouse closures that have taken place over the past quarter century. Workers killed in the private mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industry increased by 26 per cent year over year, from a series low of 89 in 2016 to 112 in 2017. The service sector as a whole saw workplace deaths remain virtually unchanged, 2,702 in 2016 compared to 2,707 in 2017. Retail trade accounted for 287 deaths in 2017 and transportation and warehousing 882 deaths. The last figure speaks to the grueling conditions of workers in Americas logistics industry, including among workers at UPS and Amazon, two of the largest logistics and warehousing corporations in the world. While the official figures record a marginal decline in reported workplace deaths from the past year, the number of workplace deaths in 2017 is still significantly higher than those recorded in each of the years 2013, 2014 and 2015. Overall, workplace deaths in the US had been steadily on the rise in the period 2009-2016. The official statistics are put in a somewhat different perspective by the findings of a report released in 2018 by the US Department of Labors Office of the Inspector General (OIG) that claims workplace fatality and injuries are underreported. A 2014 OSHA rule strengthened provisions that require employers to report work-related deaths and injuries to OSHA; however, this is a rule, and not a law. The OIG found that OSHAs data on these incidents were deficient. Additionally, the OIG found further deficiencies in OSHAs assurance that employers took steps to abate hazards that caused known fatalities and injuries to workers. The OIG took several corrective actions against OSHA as a result of its findings, some to which OSHA agreed, but to others it did not respond. The investigation was undertaken by the OIG after the results of a March 2016 report by David Michaels, the former assistant secretary of labor for Occupational Safety and Health, showed that during the first year after the revised reporting rule took effect, employers failed to report about 50 percent or more of severe injuries to OSHA. The OIG found that OSHAs reporting is hampered by the lack of complete information on the number of work-related fatalities and severe injuries, challenges related to identifying underreporting, inconsistent practices for detecting and preventing underreporting, and citations not consistently used as a deterrent. In other words, all statistics on workplace deaths reported by OSHA are very likely significantly understated. The fact that in the United States, one of the most developed capitalist countries in the world, workers die unnecessarily is an indictment of the economic system of capitalism. The lives of workers are being squandered for the sake of the mad drive for profits by Wall Street CEOs, hedge fund managers and investment bankers. The representatives of the corporate elite, in the Democratic and Republican parties and their allies in the leadership of the trade unions, are also to blame for the creation of the American industrial slaughterhouse. Successive Democratic and Republican party administrationsmost recently those of Obama and Trumphave worked to relax regulations on businesses and strip funding from OSHA and other official workers health and safety programs in order to satisfy corporate cost-cutting. Since the 1970s, the trade unions adopted the policy of corporatism based on the claim that the interests of the working class are identical to those of the corporate masters. On this basis the unions have collaborated in the establishment of joint labor-management health and safety committees in which they work hand-in-hand with the bosses to roll back safety standards. No amount of pressure on the unions will compel these organizations to fight for workers interests. Fundamental rights such as health and safety protections must be fought for by workers themselves. Workers need to form their own rank-and-file factory and workplace committees to oversee and enforce safe practices in the workplace. The scourge of workplace deaths and injuries can only be eradicated by uniting workers across industries and national boundaries in a common struggle against the capitalist profit system. The world is pulsing with hundreds of millions of people desperate to flee their homes under the weight of the crisis of world capitalism. According to a recent Gallup study, a sixth of the worlds adult populationsome 750 million people, not including childrenwant to flee their home countries to escape war, poverty, conflict and disease. The statistics expose the devastating impact of decades of imperialist war and corporate exploitation. In the more than quarter-century since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the ruling classes of the major powers, led by the United States, have unleashed an unprecedented wave of military plunder and social counterrevolution, killing millions and laying waste to broad swaths of the world. A third of the inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa want to escape. The region, which is rich in minerals and oil coveted by French, Dutch, Belgian and American corporations, has a life expectancy of 46, while 70 percent of the population lives on less than $2 per day. In Latin America, 27 percent of people want to leave their home countries to escape the aftermath of US invasion, IMF austerity and US-backed dictatorships. Twenty-six percent of Eastern Europeans want to flee the near-universal devastation that has followed the privatization of state industries by the Stalinist bureaucrats-turned-oligarchs. Twenty-four percent of Middle Easterners and North Africans wish to leave in search of shelter from the storm of bombs and missiles that the US has rained down upon the region since the Persian Gulf War. In 13 countries, nearly half or more of the adult population finds life unbearable. In Sierra Leone, a country ravaged by the bloody fight to turn over diamonds to European jewelers, 71 percent of adults want to flee. In Haiti, 63 percent want to leave after more than a century of American invasions and occupations. Fifty-two percent of Salvadorans and 47 percent of Hondurans want to escape the violence, poverty and corruption that dominate Central America following the civil wars of the 1980s and 1990s. Forty-eight percent of Nigerians want to leave their country, bled white from the extraction of crude oil by Chevron and Royal Dutch Shell. This year, the ruling classes of Europe and North America implemented unprecedented anti-immigrant policies and inflamed xenophobic sentiment to distract from growing social inequality and strengthen far-right forces that will be used against the working class. In June, the European Union agreed to cut migration and erect concentration camps to house immigrants in North Africa. In August, French President Emmanuel Macron signed a law slashing asylum eligibility. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini repeated threats to deport 500,000 immigrants and the entire Roma population. In the United Kingdom, the Tory government is preparing a Brexit deal that may cut the country off to Eastern European immigrants. In Germany, the neo-Nazi Alternative for Germany held anti-immigrant demonstrations this summer with the encouragement of the state. Nowhere is the anti-immigrant scapegoating more fierce and dangerous than in the United States. In April, the Trump administration began separating children from their families at the US-Mexico border and erected tent-city internment centers to house the children. In October, Trump deployed thousands of troops to the southern border. Thousands of participants in the Central American migrant caravan have been sleeping in the streets of Tijuana for months. When two Guatemalan children died in US custody this month, the government blamed their impoverished indigenous parents. Left populist demagogues around the world play the most criminal role, justifying the anti-immigrant measures of the far-right and attempting to poison the working class with nationalism. In the United Kingdom, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn echoed United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage when he told a Scottish Labour conference in March that Britain should curb the entrance of foreign workers. In Mexico, the new government of left nationalist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) made a deal this month with Trump to detain Central American refugees in Mexico and block them from exercising their right to asylum in the US. In Greece, the government of the Coalition of the Radical Left (Syriza) has jailed hundreds of thousands of refugees in internment camps and recently deployed police to brutally assault immigrants attempting to cross the Evros River from Turkey. Syrizas position on immigration is summed up in a recent report from Human Rights Watch: Abuse [by Greek police] included beatings with hands and batons, kicking and, in one case, the use of what appeared to be a stun gun. In another case, a Moroccan man said a masked man dragged him by his hair, forced him to kneel on the ground, held a knife to his throat, and subjected him to a mock execution. Others pushed back include a pregnant 19-year-old woman from Afrin, Syria and a woman from Afghanistan who said Greek authorities took away her two young childrens shoes. In the US, Bernie Sanders begged Trump in January to work with us to make sure we have strong border security. Earlier this month, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) wrote a statement titled Toward a Left Position on Immigration, which includes the subsection Its Not About Open Borders. The DSA writes: The actual alternative to the current existing immigration policy is not open borders. It is enforcement of existing employment laws, followed by the development of new employment and immigration laws, leading to a fair, pro-worker system of immigration. This is a thinly veiled, foul appeal to anti-immigrant nationalism and chauvinism, in no basic way different from that of the trade union bureaucracy, the Trump administration and neo-fascists such as Stephen Bannon. With such actions and statements, Corbyn, Syriza, AMLO, Sanders and the DSA expose their hostility to the international working class and to socialism. They are pledgingor in the case of Syriza and AMLO have already shownthat they will use state violence against workers demanding a redress of their grievances. In contrast to nationalist groups like the DSA that defend the existence of national boundaries, the Socialist Equality Party fights for socialist internationalism and rejects the lie that any ruling class has the right to jail desperate workers escaping imperialist war or prevent them from seeking safety and a better life in another country. Immigrant workers are not to blame for growing poverty and declining living conditions in Europe and America. The real enemies of the workers are the same imperialist governments and transnational corporations that are responsible for forcing immigrants from their homes in the first place. The Socialist Equality Party demands the immediate release of all interned immigrants and the provision of trillions of dollars, confiscated from the banks and corporations, to provide all immigrants with decent-paying jobs, housing, social services, education and safe passage to a destination of their choosing without fear of deportation. Capitalism has turned broad swaths of the world into a foul prison, holding workers and the poor in nation-state straitjackets from which a sixth of the world is fighting to escape. Socialist revolution will free the productive process from the control of the worlds oligarchs, abolish national boundaries and guarantee the right of all workers to travel the world in peace. Sears Holdings has announced plans to close 80 more Sears and Kmart stores across the US in March, in addition to the nearly 200 stores already set for closure. In October, the retailer filed for bankruptcy and was operating nearly 700 stores, saying it would close only 142 unprofitable stores. The next month, it was announced that 40 additional stores would be closed. Workers at the stores in the latest round of closures were told that liquidation sales would begin in two weeks and that adjacent Sears Auto Centers would also be shut down. Sears Chairman and former CEO Eddie Lampert has offered to buy Kmart and Sears out of bankruptcy through his hedge fund ESL Investments. Transform Holdco LLC, an affiliate of ESL, submitted a last-minute bid on Friday to purchase all the assets of Sears Holding, with 425 stores valued at $4.4 billion. This includes a $1.3 billion financing commitment from three financial groups. The company and its advisers now have until January 4 to determine whether the bid is qualified. Transform said that if the bid is successful the company that emerges will employ up to 50,000 people, of the existing 68,000 employees. Lampert had made a $4.6 billion proposal to buy the company on December 6. The deal included 500 stores, the Kenmore appliance and DieHard Tool brands, 50,000 employees, key real estate and the companys inventory and receivables. Sears faces liquidation if the latest offer is not approved by a bankruptcy judge. Recently, US Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Drain allowed the company to sell its home-improvement service business to Service.com for $60 million. The company, once an icon of American capitalism, has been suffering for years as it faces competition from online retailers like Amazon.com. For much of the 20th century Sears was not only the nations largest retailer, but also its largest private-sector employer. With hundreds of stores across the country as well as a catalog which sold countless items, it was the mainstay of many communities and towns. In 2005, Lampert used Kmart, which he bought out of bankruptcy two years before, to purchase Sears for $11 billion and then merged the two. He later resigned as CEO but remained on as chairman. The fate of Sears follows a long line of mergers and acquisitions in recent years which have decimated the retail industry. The buyouts are a desperate attempt to avoid bankruptcy and outright liquidation by corporate sharks. In May it was announced that the retail industry was responsible for one third of all job cuts last year alone. The stagnation of workers wages and declining working conditions means fewer purchases of goods and services from retailers like Sears, who face monopoly competition from Amazon and other retailers. The loss of Sears stores will hit the poorest communities the hardest, as the last avenues of employment dry up. Since 2011, Sears lost over $11 billion, including $5.8 billion in the last five years. More than 1,000 stores have closed in the last decade, 700 stores just in the last two years. Lamperts bid to buy Sears follows the trend of the growing financialization of US capitalism. ESL Investments, Lamperts hedge fund, already holds around 40 percent of Sears Holdings debt$1.1 billion in loans. Should Sears survive outright liquidation, its rescue will come at the expense of the remaining workers who will be forced to work harder and longer for less pay to ensure company profits. The partial shutdown of the US federal government entered its tenth day Monday with no negotiations taking place between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration. There are no indications of any change in the stalemate until Thursday at the earliest. On that day the newly elected House of Representatives with a Democratic majority takes office. Trump spent the weekend issuing a stream of abusive tweets, blasting the Democrats for a shutdown that he had previously boasted of wanting and taking responsibility for. He combined his insults toward his political opponents within the ruling elite with real injury towards federal workers, signing an executive order to freeze the pay of all two million civilian workers for the US government for the rest of the fiscal year. The executive order demonstrates Trumps real attitude to the working class, behind the political demagogy and claims that he is waging trade war to defend American jobs and American workers. While the military will receive an across-the-board increase of 2.6 percent, because the defense appropriations bill was passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump, no pay increase for civilian workers has been finalized. The Senate passed an increase averaging just under 2 percent, but the outgoing Republican-controlled House never enacted a pay raise, tacitly honoring Trumps call for a civilian freeze in the budget he submitted to Congress last February. The executive order Trump signed Friday restates the proposed freeze, although it could be overturned in whatever legislation is eventually enacted to end the budget stalemate. For the 800,000 federal employees affected by the shutdown, the pay freeze comes on top of the payless paydays that will begin January 11 unless Congress and the White House reach an agreement. Federal workers have fallen behind their private-sector counterparts over the past decade, with a pay freeze from 2011 to 2013 and raises of between 1 and 2 percent since then. For many lower-paid federal employees, who live paycheck to paycheck like the vast majority of American workers, the prospect of a payless payday is dire. There is ample evidence of this on social media. One worker tweeted, I cant make a deal with the bank for my car note on the car I need to perform my job. I cannot make a deal with the pharmacy for my husbands MS medication. Now I wont get the small increase next year we were counting on. Another worker: Just paid my rent #blessed however no more dollars to pay the rest of my bills. How do I explain this to my children when their 14th birthday is in 9 days!!! A third worker: I work for FEMA and am furloughed. I have a large loan that's being repaid via auto-deduction every paycheck. If its not in the bank, they keep trying, wracking up a great deal of money in bank fees. A small businessman with a federal contract: I just had to lay off 4 subcontractors, American citizens, taxpayers with families, directly due to the #TrumpShutdown. We received a letter from the government that our funding was furloughed until the budget clears. #2019Recession here we come. A woman worker: Thankful I have two jobs because I'm not getting paid at TSA. But I still have to show up. Which means I have to work both jobs every day, sleeping two to three hours at night, just to not even break even on bills. A woman in the final stages of pregnancy: First baby due any day now. Was feeling stressed about money since new job wont cover maternity leave. Not to worry husband has a pretty good job working for government ... oh wait never mind. The Office of Personnel Management acknowledged that many workers could face the threat of repossession or eviction if they fall behind on rent, car payments or other debts, issuing sample letters to creditors for unpaid workers to use in an effort to stave off the consequences of missing payments. One draft letter was removed from the OPM Twitter account after it caused an uproar because it advised workers to offer to perform unpaid labor for their landlords to stave off eviction threats. The text of the withdrawn letter read, 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. The federal shutdown will begin to have a much wider effect after the New Year holiday, as agencies exhaust any reserve funds and settle in for long-term operation without payroll funds. The Smithsonian Institution and the National Zoo are to close January 2. Numerous aid programs for the poor are also threatened, such as the emergency food assistance program for the Department of Agriculture, which supplies surplus agricultural products to food banks, and a separate program sending food to the elderly poor. Congressional leaders of both the Democratic and Republican parties left Washington over the holiday week, with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who is expected to be elected speaker of the House on Thursday, vacationing in Hawaii in a show of indifference to the plight of 800,000 federal workers that nearly matched Trumps. Both right-wing, corporate-controlled parties could care less about federal workers missing paychecks or other hardships caused by the partial shutdown. They are engaged in a furious struggle, largely over foreign policy issues, in which the Democrats have been attacking Trump from the right, denouncing his order for a unilateral pullout of US military forces from Syria and a drawdown in troop strength in Afghanistan, while demanding a harder line against Russia. Trump seeks to redeploy US military power towards a confrontation with China in the Far East, in which the US combines trade warfare and bogus denunciations of China for economic espionage, cyber warfare and aggressive military maneuvers in the South China Seathe equivalent of China criticizing the US government for its operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The purported showdown over Trumps demand for a border wall is a stage-managed conflict in which both sides support repressive anti-immigrant measures, but choose not to reach agreement, at least for the time being, in order to perpetrate a political fraud against the American people. Two top aides to Trump admitted over the weekend that he has long abandoned his 2016 election pledge to build a physical wall from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. Departing White House chief of staff John Kelly, who leaves office December 31, told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that Trump dropped the notion of a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, after consultations with officials at the Border Patrol. To be honest, its not a wall, Kelly said, describing the planned border security measures as a mix of technology, barriers and redeployed manpower. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway called discussion of the wall a silly semantic argument during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements, she 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. There was hardly any significant difference between Conways comments and the remarks of Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the fifth-ranking Democrat in the House, who appeared on ABCs This Week. Jeffries said congressional Democrats are certainly prepared to provide additional funding for enhanced fencing, technology, drones, satellites, lighting, censors, cell phone towers and the things the experts have clearly indicated would improve our border security, but not a physical wall. Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, appeared on Face the Nation on CBS. He pointed out that the Trump administration has not yet spent most of the $1.3 billion authorized last year for border security. He indicated that he favored measures to secure the border and halt the flow of migrants, but declared, I think we can do it with technology and manpower, and much more effectively than with a wall. The exposure of journalistic fraud at the German news weekly Der Spiegel has lifted the lid on the manipulation of public opinion by the so-called authoritative media. While Facebook, Google, Twitter and other social media systematically censor unwelcome posts, the supposedly reliable and objective reporting by the mainstream media proves to be propaganda produced in cooperation with the state to promote the interests of the ruling class. In the name of combatting fake news, freedom of the press and freedom of opinion are being gutted. Last week, the editors of Der Spiegel, the highest-circulation German news magazine, admitted that they had published 55 articles by the journalist Claas Relotius that were completely or partially invented, falsified, forged. Relotius has also written numerous articles for other German media outlets. Since the public acknowledgment by Der Spiegels editors, the news weeklys editorial board has endeavoured to portray the Relotius scandal as a unique case in which genius, a desire for prestige, nihilistic energy and psychological instability came together. According to media reports, Spiegel has provided the counterfeiter, who voluntarily resigned following his exposure, with psychological care and a lawyer. Relotius may be an exception in the brazenness of his forgeries, but the much more important question is why his fabrications were published by Spiegel and other media and why he was awarded numerous journalistic prizes. At the tender age of 33, Relotius has received almost a dozen prestigious awards by juries that included not only journalists, but also prominent figures in politics and public life. His forgeries, as it turns out, were by no means difficult to see through. The Spiegel editorial board repeatedly ignored anomalies and warnings. Now it admits with disarming openness that Relotius reports were too good to be true. What is the significance of this scandal? According to commentators, although Relotius reports were fake, they were still beautiful, i.e., they corresponded to the narrative the editors and journalism award jurors wanted to promulgate. In his writing, the present is concentrated into a readable format, the grand outlines of contemporary history become comprehensible, and suddenly the great whole becomes completely humanly comprehensible, Spiegel editor-in-chief Ullrich Fichtner gushed following the exposure. As long as the forgeries were not discovered, they were welcome. Many of Relotius articles deal with topics that are particularly sensitive from the point of view of bourgeois propaganda, such as the background to Trumps rise in the US and the wars in Iraq and Syria. To justify the Western military interventions in the Middle East, a fairy tale by Relotius about two young brothers (lion boys) kidnapped, tortured and trained by the Islamic State (ISIS) to become suicide bombers proved much more effective than a carefully researched piece into the real background to the wars. Such an article would have to admitif it were honestthat ISIS and other Islamist militias are, above all, a product of the intrigues of the US and its allies in NATO and in the Middle East. Relotiuss fabrications fit seamlessly into a stream of disinformation that has lasted for nearly 16 yearssince then-US Secretary of State Colin Powell gave his infamous speech at the UN on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Although the entire speech was based on lies and forgeries, it was largely accepted uncritically by the international media and served as a justification for the bloodiest war of the 21st century, which continues to this day. Freedom of the press is an achievement of the bourgeois revolution. The bourgeoisie upheld it as long as it was fighting against the supremacy of the aristocracy, and later enshrined it in its constitutions. While capitalism remained capable of social compromise, such freedoms retained a spark of life. But freedom of the press is not compatible with war, militarism and a society based on intolerable levels of social inequality. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who exposed the Watergate scandal, were still being celebrated and honoured in the 1970s. Today, Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, who have uncovered incomparably more serious crimes of US imperialism, are isolated and living in forced exile, and must fear for their lives. Outrageous counterfeiters such as Relotius, on the other hand, are awarded prizes. The incestuous relationship between the world of politics and the media has taken on a dimension that defies description. Billion-dollar media conglomerates dominate the press. Journalists and leading politicians know each other, mingle at the same bars, and frolic together alongside film stars and other celebrities at annual press galas. As with the establishment political parties, the terms left and right have lost all meaning in relation to the media. Stefan Aust, previously the long-standing editor-in-chief of Spiegel, who began his career in 1966 at the left-wing publication konkret, is now editor of Die Welt, the flagship paper of the right-wing Springer publishing house. Nikolaus Blome, deputy editor-in-chief of Springer's rag Bild, worked for a time for the Spiegel editor-in-chief. Other leading journalists also regularly switch from one publication to the other, with the pro-Green Party taz proving to be particularly fertile ground for up-and-coming bourgeois journalists. Relotius has also published his articles across the entire spectrum of the German mediafrom taz to Die Zeit, the Suddeutsche Zeitung, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Springers Welt. In second place behind Spiegel in terms of articles published by Relotius is the Swiss Weltwoche, mouthpiece of the ultra-right Swiss Peoples Party, with 28 pieces. Social reality, the sentiments and needs of the masses hardly exist in the closed circle of the political parties, the media and the super-rich. The media have become instruments of state propaganda. This is the reason Claas Relotiusa contemporary version of Thomas Manns impostor Felix Krullcould become a star journalist. Workers and young people have long been suspicious of the official media and are searching the internet for alternative, more objective sources of information. This is the reason for the hysterical campaign against fake news, which serves as a pretext for censoring the internet and is directed in particular against left-wing, anti-capitalist publications. Both the European Union and the German government have enacted internet censorship laws under the false flag of combatting fake news. Facebook alone employs 30,000 people to censor unwelcome posts. Terms such as comrade and brother suffice for an entry to be deleted. This censorship, which is particularly directed against the World Socialist Web Site, shows how important it is to build and disseminate wsws.org. As the central organ of the International Committee of the Fourth International, the WSWS is completely independent of bourgeois donors and government influence. It calls things by their name, analyses the facts with ruthless objectivity and fights to arm the working class with an understanding of the capitalist crisis and a socialist perspective. Months after the statewide struggle waged by teachers in Washington state, the Democratic Party and the teacher unions are uniting to implement regressive taxes in the name of funding public education. Earlier in December, Democratic Governor Jay Inslee released a budget proposal for 2019-2021 that claims to meet pressing social needs in the state, especially education. The proposal is for $54 billion in total expenditures, a 20 percent increase from the 2017 budget. This would be funded by a meager capital gains tax and an expansion of the states preexisting regressive tax system. The capital gains tax would take nine percent of the revenue made from selling investments, such as stocks and rental properties, excluding homes, farms, forestry land, and retirement accounts. These taxes are only projected to raise $1 billion for the next two years. Another $2.6 billion is expected to be raised from a proposed increase of the tax rate on professional and middle-class business services, and other funding would come from minor changes to out-of-state retail taxes and real estate sales. Even though the proposal would only have a minor impact on the massive wealth of business owners, corporate executives and investors, the governors capital gains tax proposal faces stiff opposition from state Republicans and sections of the Democratic Party who claim that the proposal violates the state constitution. Washington, which is one of only a handful of states that bans personal and corporate income taxes, raises 60 percent of its revenue from property and sales taxes. The same hostility to any inroads on wealth of the rich was seen in Arizona earlier in the year, when the state Supreme Court shut down the Invest for Ed ballot measure to fund education from an income tax of up to 5 percent on those making over $500,000 a year. Inslee, who handed over the biggest corporate tax cut in history to Washington-based Boeing ($8.7 billion) in 2015, has proposed several regressive taxation measures. For education funding specifically, Inslee proposes removing the cap on local levy taxes that was passed in 2017. Local levies, which primarily consist of additional sales and property taxes, have increasingly filled the gap as state and federal funding declined over the last decade. These are tacked on to the state and federal taxes families already pay. In August, teachers across Washington state were engaged in bitter struggles with local school districts over pay increases and school funding, with educators in at least a dozen districts going on strike despite facing threats of legal retaliation. Fed up with living one paycheck away from financial disaster and witnessing the social crisis in their own schools, teachers and school staff expressed widespread support for a statewide strike similar to earlier struggles in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona and other states. Educators also had a rare opportunity to launch a statewide strike since local districts were negotiating simultaneously. Contract periods are usually staggered for educators by district and occupation, but in 2018, the pay increases were legally enforced by the state Supreme Court, after it ruled in the 2012 McCleary decision that the underfunding of public education, led by the Democrats over the past several decades, violated the state constitution. Because of the McCleary decision, the Washington legislature doled out a one-time $5 billion for education overall, one billion of which were designated for teacher salaries. Districts granted an average 11 percent raise, but this did little to overcome years of stagnating wages and skyrocketing living expenses, let alone address their demands for increased funding for their students. However, the aspirations of teachers ran up against the wall of the union apparatus, which isolated teachers district-by-district and then shut down the struggle before it could turn into a statewide fight. WEA leaders repeatedly stated that only Democratic candidates could fix the inequities in education and urged educators to campaign and vote for local Democrats. The union also urged the 2019 legislative session to restore much-needed local levy flexibility. On December 13, WEA President Kim Mead claimed that the governors proposal for regressive local taxes would allow school districts and voters to meet the specific needs of their students beyond state-funded basic education. The union president praised the governors strong record of support for public schools and said nothing about how the Democrats oversaw the defunding of education in order to fund tax cuts for the rich. The WEAs betrayal of the teachers strike was aided and abetted by supposed union activists who are members of the International Socialist Organization (ISO), Socialist Alternative, and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Jesse Hagopian, a Seattle teacher and ISO member in the Social Equity Educators faction of the Seattle Education Association, told educators to accept the insulting 10.5 percent salary increase and focus on appealing to politicians to pass the regressive tax increases. Once the contract is signed, Hagopian said, we build a campaign to pass the local school levy and immediately begin organizing to get all WEA locals to demand that the legislature lift the levy lid and finally fulfill their obligation to fully fund education. Socialist Alternative posted a September statement from Seattle teacher Matthew Maley, who advanced a strategy of pressuring the Democratic Party and the left in the union, referring to the Social Equity Educators (SEE), to fight for progressive income taxes and closing tax loopholes. The DSA declared the union-imposed sellouts a victory, gave support to Hagopian and SEE, and ran a number of Democratic Party candidates in Washington for the midterm elections. The contending factions in the state government are both hostile to the interests of workers. With the local levy cap in place, districts threaten budget cuts and staff layoffs to compensate for inadequate state and federal funding. With the removal of the levy caps, districts plan to expand regressive taxes in their area. Workers lose and the elite gain either way. In the ten years following the financial crash of 2008, the corporate and financial elite and its Democratic and Republican representatives have engineered the greatest transfer of wealth at the expense of the working class. While the two Washington residents and richest people in the world, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, have seen their combined personal wealth surpass $240 billion, school funding in the state rose by only 2.7 percent between 2008 and 2015. Instead of being subordinated to the dictates of the ruling class, teachers and workers must take the fight into their own hands, by building new organizations of struggle independent of the unions, to mobilize teachers and every section of workers in a common struggle against the dictatorship of the banks and giant corporations. The mobilization of educators and the working class as a whole must be combined with a new political strategy in opposition to both corporate-controlled parties and based on a genuine socialist program, including seizing the vast fortunes of the corporate and financial oligarchy to fully fund public education and other vital social needs. 25 years ago: Zapatista rebellion erupts in Chiapas, Mexico Women fighters in the Zapatista uprising The peasant-based Zapatista Army of National Liberation (Spanish acronym EZLN) staged an open revolt in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico, on January 1, 1994, the day that the North American Free Trade Agreement came into effect. The EZLN was led by a group of middle-class intellectuals who, based on semi-Maoist ideas, went to the people in the Lacandon Jungle, one of the most remote areas of the country, with a largely indigenous (non-Spanish speaking) population. About 3,000 armed insurgents seized towns and cities in Chiapas, Mexicos poorest state, freed prisoners in the jail of San Cristobal de las Casas, the largest city they were able to capture, and set fire to police headquarters and military barracks. Mexican troops counterattacked the day after the New Year, with ferocious fighting and much bloodshed in the town Ocosingo. The uprising, which shocked the Mexican government, was largely suppressed after four days. President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, with the full support of the Clinton administration in the United States, ordered the use of advanced weaponry, including jet fighters and helicopter gunships, against peasants equipped with little more than machetes and spears. The Zapatistas were forced to retreat into the jungle. There was no official death toll, but the actual figure was certainly in the hundreds, if not higher. Morgues in the state were said to be saturated with corpses. Hospital officials said there were relatively few treated for wounds and other injuries, an indication that the military had systematically shot the wounded and those who surrendered. In Ocosingo, television footage showed rows of corpses with their hands tied behind their backs. The widespread killings also revealed endemic racism, as the vast majority of the victims were Indian peasants, subjected to apartheid-style oppression and exploitation by the landlords of the great plantations. A Roman Catholic bishop from Chiapas state, Felipe Gutierrez Franco, called the situation in the combat zone a bloodbath, in which the Indians provide all the corpses, so that others may profit handsomely. The EZLN issued its First Declaration and Revolution Laws calling for armed struggle against the Mexican government, because it had ignored peaceful protests by the peasant and Indian population of Chiapas, the countrys poorest and most undeveloped state. They called for autonomy for indigenous communities and democratization of the national government, which had been controlled by the ruling Partido Revolucionario Institucional for 65 years. The US government sent five observers to Chiapas state to assist in the repression. Meanwhile the US began implementing terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which took effect January 1, opening the way for American companies to profit more directly from the suppression of the Mexican peasantry. 50 years ago: Irish civil rights demonstrators attacked while police watch Unionist thugs go into action against Catholic civil rights protesters On January 4, 1969, Irish civil rights protesters engaged in a four-day march from Belfast to Derry to protest the treatment of Northern Irelands Catholic minority, were attacked by a mob of Unionists while police stood by and did nothing. The Protestant loyalists broke up the march before it could reach its destination. The marchers included members of the student-led Northern Ireland socialist organization Peoples Democracy along with some supporters from the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA). Peoples Democracy was formed in October of 1968 by students at Queens University Belfast in response to the police repression of a peaceful protest organized by NICRA. The group called for the repeal of the Special Powers act, for fair distribution of jobs and housing, and for the protection of many democratic rights like free speech, an end to gerrymandering, and a policy of one man, one vote. On January 4, when the marchers approached Burntollet Bridge, they were ambushed by about 300 Unionists, including at least 100 members of the Ulster Special Constabulary, a special police force. This group hurled rocks at the marchers and beat them with clubs and boards with nails driven through the end. One participant, Bernadette Devlin, who would later be elected as a Member of Parliament, recalled, We came to Burntollet Bridge, and from lanes at each side of the road a curtain of bricks and boulders and bottles brought the march to a halt. From the lanes burst hordes of screaming people wielding planks of wood, bottles, laths, iron bars, crowbars, cudgels studded with nails, and they waded into the march beating the hell out of everybody. The march had been heavily followed by police who had prior knowledge that the marchers would be attacked. Police assured the march organizers that if they continued on towards Burntollet Bridge that they would be protected from the attackers. But as the Unionist assault began against the protesters, the police stood back and watched. 75 years ago: Hitler speech highlights crisis of fascist regimes Hitler On January 1, 1944, Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler delivered a New Years message which pointed to the increasing crisis of the fascist regimes in Europe, amid major military defeats and mounting opposition from the working class. Hitler began by noting that bitter and difficult decisions had to be made over the previous 12 months. After the Allies succeeded in landing in French North Africa, which was made possible by the breach of word and loyalty of the French admirals, generals, and other officers, I had to try to win time under any circumstances, he declared. Fascist forces had been expelled from their last redoubts in northern Africa in May 1943. This had created a base for the Allied powers to launch an invasion of Italy in September, 1943. The fascist regime of Benito Mussolini fell, amid bitter infighting within the Italian ruling elite. It was only resurrected in part of the country, through the direct intervention of German troops. As Hitler spoke, German forces were in a brutal war for control of Italy against a mass partisan movement in the north and the Allied powers in the south. Over the previous year, the Nazis had also suffered devastating defeats on the Eastern Front, including at Stalingrad in January 1943. Attempts to reverse the losses, including the Kursk offensive, ended in further catastrophes, ending any prospect of a German victory over the Soviet Union. In the final stages of the year, Soviet forces had recaptured the key cities of the Ukraine, including its capital Kiev. As 1944 opened, the Red Army was advancing towards German-controlled Poland. Hitlers speech opaquely referenced mounting domestic opposition to the war, declaring, In such a worldwide, mighty, and dreadful struggle, it cannot be avoided that the psychological stress for the individual sometimes reaches the limit of what is bearable, even surpassing it at times. But he boasted that every aspect of life was being subordinated ... to waging the war, a reference to the super-exploitation of the working class and the use of slave labor. 100 years ago: 700,000 workers march in Berlin in anti-government protest Karl Liebknecht In an enormous demonstration on January 5, 1919, which far exceeded the expectations of its organizers, hundreds of thousands of workers massed in the streets of Berlin to protest the actions of the German government, which was dominated by the right-wing Social Democrats. The immediate cause of the mass mobilization was the attempt by the government to remove Emil Eichorn, a member of the centrist Independent Social Democrats (USPD), from his post as Berlin police chief. On January 4 a meeting was held bringing together the executive of the Berlin USPD, the revolutionary shop stewards movement and two representatives of the newly-formed Communist Party of Germany (KPD)Karl Liebknecht and Wilhelm Pieck. This gathering issued the appeal for a peaceful demonstration. Many of the workers who turned out were armed. All the big newspaper publishing houses were occupied, the presses stopped, the editorial staffs sent home. Later, other armed groups occupied the major railway stations. On the evening of January 5, the leaders of the left organizations again gathered. Swept up in the mood of the demonstration and ignoring their own partys perspective of a protracted struggle to win over the masses, Liebknecht and Pieck went along with the proposal for the immediate overthrow of the central government. An unwieldy Provisional Revolutionary Committee of 53 was established and a proclamation issued calling on workers to turn out again. By the hundreds of thousands they did, on January 6. But the leaders vacillated and took no action while the masses stood around from morning until night. The mood shifted, and the counterrevolution gained confidence. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has condemned the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo at the funeral of late President Shehu Shagari. The opposition in a statement on Monday said it is highly unpardonable and a very wrong precedence in our national protocol, for Buhari to have missed the funeral of Nigerias first executive president. We condemn in strong terms, the conspicuous absence of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the burial of our highly respected former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, on Saturday, December 29, 2018. President Buharis absence at the funeral, particularly regarding Shehu Shagaris status, as the first Executive President of our country, is unpardonable and a very wrong precedence in our national protocol. PDP in the statement noted further that said the absence of both the President, sent a wrong signal to the international community on how national values and patriots are treated . See full statement below This action of President Buhari and his Vice has also sent a very wrong signal to members of the international community on how we honour our national values and respect for our patriots. Sadly, while the former President Shagari was at the National Hospital Abuja, passing through his last moments, President Buhari was busy campaigning in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, boasting of how he sacked the 2nd Republic, arrested and locked up Shagari and others. Such disdain for our respected national figure by Buhari is completely unpresidential and unpardonable. Once again, we console the family of the former President, the government and people of Sokoto state and indeed all Nigerians for his demise. May his soul Rest In Peace The University of Adelaide announced in October that military technology giant Lockheed Martin had become the first partner of the universitys new Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML). The institute will be based at the innovation precinct known as Lot Fourteen on the seven-hectare redevelopment site of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital in the north-east of the South Australian state capital. The decision of the University of Adelaide, behind the backs of students and staff, marks a further integration of Australian universities into the US-led war drive against China and Russia under successive Liberal-National coalition and Labor Party governments. Lockheed Martin Australia will move a team of researchers from the $13-million Science, Technology, Engineering Leadership and Research Laboratory (STELaR Lab) at the University of Melbourne to be co-located with AIML researchers, with honours, doctoral and post-doctoral R&D programs. STELaR Lab is Lockheed Martins first multi-disciplinary R&D (research and development) facility outside the United States. STELaR Labs launch in August 2016 was attended by then Liberal-National Coalition Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, as well as Stephen Conroy, then Labors shadow minister for defence, and Victorian Labor Premier Daniel Andrews, in a display of the bipartisan support for the militarisation of universities. Other major defence research centres and think tanks at universities around the country include the University of Melbournes Defence Science Institute, opened in 2010 with the stated aim of building defence science research networks, as well as a memorandum of understanding between the university and BAE Systemsa major British arms manufacturerin February for the establishment of a manufacturing and innovation centre. A $12 million dollar cyber-security facility is to be established at the Australian National University in the national capital Canberra with the Australian Signals Directorate. The new centre in Adelaide has already received over $1 million out of $13.8 million in grants awarded to researchers at the University of Adelaide by the Australian Research Council this year. According to a university press release, the South Australian government has made a $7.1 million investment in the AIML, including $1.5 million of that prioritised for defence capability research. The AIMLs research into artificial intelligence will be focused on the following areas, all of which can have military applications: Machine learningthe ability for computers and machines to learn how to do complex tasks without being explicitly programmed by humans. Trusted autonomous systemsthis includes research into surveillance and tracking systems. The AIML notes on its website: In defence, the on-going surveillance of potential threats can be automated using a variety of computer vision-enabled platforms. Robotic visionthe ability to map an unknown environment to create technology to allow field robots, drones and autonomous vehicles to navigate independently. Visual question answeringmachines answer questions about the content of visual images. These technologies are part of the shift in military research in the last decade toward drone warfare, driverless vehicles, and other such autonomous systems including robots that can be used in combat. Lockheed Martin, the worlds largest military contractor, has the closest ties to the Pentagon. The company has developed some of the most highly-coveted American military technologies, including next-generation fighter jets and drones that have been used to bomb Yemen, Iraq, Syria and other targets of US aggression. The University's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Mike Brooks, said: Such innovation is expected to be catalysed by the Federal Government's once-in-a-lifetime investment in defence and related industries here in South Australia. South Australia is quickly becoming a centre for Australian military industry with the federal government announcing in 2016 a $50 billion contract to build 12 advanced submarines at a shipyard at Osborne, near Adelaide, to replace the Australian Navys fleet. South Australian researchers also secured nearly $695,000 in funding from the Defence Innovation Partnership (DIP) last month. The DIP is a collaboration between defence companies, the University of Adelaide, Flinders University, the University of South Australia, the South Australian defence department Defence SA, and the federal Department of Defence, the Defence Science and Technology Group (DST Group). Among the five projects being supported by the DIP, are research into identification of combat and combat-related stigma in deployed Australian military personnel, AI-enabling of Australias Future Submarine, and Miniaturised Orbital Electronic Warfare Sensor Systems (MOESS). South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said that defence research is a key priority for South Australias broader defence strategy and is critical to ensure that we maximise the full extent of the Commonwealth governments $90 billion naval shipbuilding commitment. Under both Coalition and Labor federal governments, there has been an unprecedented increase in military spending. The Greens-backed Labor government of Julia Gillard in 2011 integrated Australia into the US military build-up against China, expanding basing arrangements and defence collaboration, with Australian universities playing a key role. In 2016, the Coalition government boosted military spending by 81 percent, or $495 billion, for the subsequent decade. In their quest for military funding, universities are seeking to block anti-war sentiment among students. In 2015, the University of Sydney prevented the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) from holding a meeting opposed to the glorification of militarism surrounding the centenary of World War I. The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the youth wing of the SEP, has faced repeated attempts to prevent it from forming affiliated student clubs by student union and university administrations at a number of campuses, including at the University of Melbourne. At three South Australian universities, 2,500 students and staff have signed petitions over the last semester opposing the integration of universities with the military. However, groups such as Disarm Unis and Books Not Bombs, tied to pseudo-left organisations, the National Union of Students (NUS), and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), have sought to channel growing anti-war sentiment on the campuses back behind the political establishment and the pro-capitalist trade unions. South Australian NTEU President Peter Cardwell told Australian Broadcasting Commission radio in October that the union had passed a motion calling for institutional autonomy from defence and military funding and influence. Cardwell made a meaningless appeal for university managements to make ethical decisions about which military research would be in the public good and contribute to social wellbeing. Cardwell was a keynote speaker with state Greens party leader Mark Parnell at a gathering of the Disarm campaign in November. The pseudo-left organisations are promoting such figures, who are part of, or aligned with, the very parties responsible for Australia's alignment with the US preparations for war against China. The only way to oppose militarism is through the abolition of the capitalist profit system that objectively leads to war. This can only be done through an international mobilisation of workers, students and youth along socialist revolutionary lines. Young people wanting to fight against the drive to war should join the IYSSE and help form new IYSSE clubs across the country. The author also recommends: Arms maker Lockheed Martin opens University of Melbourne research centre [30 December 2016] Australian universities integrated into military build-up [10 April 2018] UPDATED: 10/16/17 at 9:50 p.m. ITAWAMBA COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - The Mississippi Highway Patrol is still investigating a two-vehicle crash that claimed the life of a Fulton man. MSgt. Ray Hall says Treyuate D. Morrow, 21, received fatal injuries in the crash and died on the crash scene. Upon arriving to MS 25, it appeared Morrow was traveling north bound when he crossed over into the south bound lane. Morrow's 2011 Lexus struck a 2013 Freightline semi-tractor trailer head on. The driver of the semi-tractor trailer is identified as Mark Turner, 54, of Gordon, AL. Turner received moderate injuries and was taken to a local hospital. UPDATED: 10/16/17 at 6:55 p.m. ITAWAMBA COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - The Mississippi Highway Patrol says one person died in a Monday accident on Highway 25 between Fulton and Smithville. That person's name has not been released. The accident involving a car and an 18 wheeler has been cleared, traffic is again moving on the two lane highway. ORIGINAL ARTICLE ITAWAMBA COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - A crash is causing traffic delays in Itawamba County. The Mississippi Department of Transportation says the scene is on Highway 25 at Nita Lake Road. All lanes are blocked in all directions. The Mississippi Highway Patrol describes the wreck as an 18-wheeler versus a car. There are serious injuries. This is a developing story. SANDHILL, Miss. (AP) Even speeding Mississippi drivers will note one of the fastest women in the world. Officials recently unveiled a highway sign on Mississippi 25 in Rankin County honoring sprinter Tori Bowie (BOO-wee). The sign says: Welcome to the community of Sandhill, home of Olympic gold medalist Tori Bowie. Bowie won gold with the American team in womens 4x100 meter relay in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She also won a silver medal that year in the 100-meter and a bronze medal in the 200-meter. Local news outlets report the 28-year-old Bowie attended the ceremony. She graduated from Pisgah High School in Rankin County and attended the University of Southern Mississippi. The police has said that the wait at the residence of the senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye will continue until the lawmaker, surrenders himself. According to the police, senator Dino Melaye is wanted for criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide, committed on 19th July, 2018, when he and his armed thugs attacked police personnel, shot and wounded Sgt Danjuma Saliu on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa road in Kogi state. In a Statement signed by police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood on Sunday, it made it very clear that police operatives deployed to arrest Melaye, will not retreat until the senator surrenders himself for arrest and investigation. It is on record that the Police investigators submitted a Letter of Invitation dated 23rd July, 2018, signed by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command addressed to the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja, inviting Senator Dino Melaye to report on 26th July, 2018 at 1100Hrs at the Kogi State Police Command, CIID, Lokoja to answer to a case of Criminal Conspiracy and Attempted Culpable Homicide against him under investigation in the Kogi State Police Command. The claim by the Senate President in the Media that the Police did not submit a letter of invitation to the Clerk of the National Assembly is therefore incorrect as can be seen on attached letter with acknowledgment stamp of the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja 24 JUL 2018. Despite this, Senator Dino Melaye bluntly refused to report himself to the Police till date. The police further released copies of pictures of the shot Police Officer, Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, the Police Invitation Letter addressed to the Clerk of National Assembly, Abuja and the Medical Report from the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, confirming the admission of Sgt. Danjuma Saliu into the Hospital for treatment of the gunshot injury he sustained from the attack by Senator Dino Melaye and his armed thugs while on Stop and Search duty. Police also revealed that Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, is yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care in the hospital. It however assured that it will ensure that thorough investigation is carried out, and the rule of law is adhered to, in the case. The leftist Democratic Coalition (DK) and the Nagy Imre Society held a demonstration against the removal of the martyred 1956 prime ministers memorial from Martyrs Square near Parliament. The memorial, a bronze statue of Imre Nagy on a bridge, was removed in the early hours of Friday, with Tamas Wachsler, the chief coordinator of reconstruction of the area, citing the squares rehabilitation as a reason. The memorial will be moved to Jaszai Mari Square near Margaret Bridge, he said. A reconstructed post-WWI monument dedicated to the martyrs of the communist Red Terror in 1919 will take its place, he said. Demonstrators lit candles at the former site of the statue on Friday afternoon. Former MP Imre Mecs, who was also sentenced to death after the 1956 uprising and served years in prison, called for the memorial to be restored to its previous place. DKs MEP Csaba Molnar said that the statue was a memento of the power of the people and the nation that will not tolerate tyranny. Gergely Orsi, a Budapest councillor of the opposition Socialists, called the memorials removal a shameless act on the governments part which again brought people on the streets, and called for the memorials restoration to Martyrs Square. MTI Photo: Szigetvary Zsolt Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has debunked claims by senate president, Bukola Saraki, that he (Saraki) donated N10 million to victims of last April Offa robbery. According to the Minister, Saraki donated 10 million naira, when the Offa market got burnt, in Ilorin, not Offa, and not for the Offa robbery victims. When Dr Saraki visited Offa to commiserate with the community in the aftermath of the robbery, he did not donate a dime! I challenge him to prove me wrong. Segun Adeyemi, Mohammeds media aide, in a statement in Lagos on Monday, claimed that, after his first warning, of the embarrassing radio interview, it was quickly edited to remove all references to the Offa robbery and then re-aired across Kwara State. Instead of stopping at that, which in itself constitutes an acceptance of wrongdoing, Dr. Saraki went ahead to hurl insults at me, even when I have been largely restrained in issuing my earlier warning. Had I not been restrained, I would have gone ahead to divulge what actually transpired. But with politics in the air, the truth becomes the first casualty. Realising that he goofed, Dr. Bukola apparently caused the radio interview in question to be edited to remove the donation reference, and then re-aired. Is it not an irony that the people who engaged in this egregious act of dishonesty are the same ones calling others names? The people of Kwara, who are bone-tired of the long years of bolekaja governance in the state, are all saying in one voice, O to ge (enough is enough), and will soon have the opportunity to express their frustration with their votes. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto rejected remarks by his Swedish counterpart Margot Wallstrom criticising Hungary for being problematic when it comes to European unity. Wallstrom told the online edition of Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter that Hungary by itself had prevented the European Union from presenting a united front on multiple occasions. Szijjarto said in a statement that Swedens pro-migration government had governed Sweden into an uncertain domestic situation. It is unknown when Sweden will have a new government, yet Wallstrom feels it important to criticise Hungary, he added. The minister noted that Viktor Orbans government this year was elected to a third consecutive term with a substantial majority, adding that stability was a major asset in these challenging times. Szijjarto said Wallstrom was holding Hungary accountable for the state of Europes unity when it was Sweden that was divided. We know that the pro-migration forces cannot tolerate any dissenting views, but we can assure the Swedish foreign minister that we will keep Hungary Hungarian under all circumstances, the minister said. MTI Photo: Mathe Zoltan Prime Minister Viktor Orban will contact supporters of his Fidesz party in a letter early in January, concerning next years European Parliamentary elections, the communications director of the party said. Balazs Hidveghi said that the upcoming election would be more important than any such vote in the past, and insisted that Brussels has not learnt from a series of terrorist attacks and continues its efforts to make Europe an immigrant destination. We, Hungarians, cannot accept that, he said, and added that we need MEPs that represent Hungary in Brussels. Fideszs candidates will uncompromisingly promote Hungarian interests in the European Parliament, Hidveghi said. MTI Photo A left-wing columnist interprets the removal of Imre Nagys monument from the immediate vicinity of Kossuth Square as the completion of Viktor Orbans ideological turn and his betrayal of his 1989 democratic vision. A conservative historian welcomes the decision, claiming that Imre Nagy was a nationalist communist rather than a hero of democracy. On Thursday night, the statue of Imre Nagy was suddenly removed from its site, adjacent to Kossuth Square. The move has been explained as part of the plan to restore the pre-1944 look of the neighbourhood. The statue of the former PM who was executed for his involvement in the 1956 revolution will be renovated and placed half a mile to the north, in Jaszai Mari Square, where the statue of Marx and Lenin stood until 1991. In Nepszava, Krisztina Hompola reads the removal of Imre Nagys statue as the completion of Viktor Orbans ideological U-turn. The left-wing columnist recalls that in 1989, Viktor Orban gained popularity with a firebrand speech at the reburial of Imre Nagy and other 1956 martyrs. In that speech, the young liberal Viktor Orban demanded the withdrawal of Soviet troops so that Hungary can become a free and democratic country as dreamt of by Imre Nagy and the 1956 revolutionaries, Hompola recalls. She thinks that by removing Nagys statue, PM Orban has betrayed the democratic vision of the 1956 revolutionaries as well as his own democratic commitments. On Mandiner, Gabor Sebes welcomes the removal of Imre Nagys statue. The conservative historian, who was elected as a Fidesz representative in the 22nddistrict local council in Budapest, thinks that Imre Nagy was not a democratic hero, but a nationalist communist leader. Sebes recalls that Nagy cooperated with the NKVD, and then as Minister of the Interior after World War Two, he signed the decree on the expulsion of ethnic Germans from Hungary. Sebes points out that even after having sided with the revolution in 1956, Imre Nagy wanted Hungary to introduce a national version of communism rather than democracy. As for his 1956 contribution, Nagy was not the leader of the anti-Soviet revolt, but rather an opportunistic communist who realized that it would be in his best interest to change sides and support the revolution, Sebes alleges. In conclusion, he believes that Nagy statue deserves a place in the Statue Park, outside Budapest, among those of Marx, Lenin and communist leaders rather than among the monuments to heroes of democracy. 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. Photo credit: Tristan Fewings/BFC - Getty Images From Harper's BAZAAR Ms. Markle is looking forward to hitting the ground running, were the famous words uttered by a Kensington Palace spokesman to a room full of journalists, including this one, during a briefing just over a year ago. After months of speculation about Meghans potential as a member of the royal family, a November 28, 2017 press conference in Buckingham Palace, just a day after her engagement to Prince Harry was announced, offered a glimpse of what was to come. Having already used the small platform she created while on Suits to spread the word of womens rights in India and female empowerment for the UN, it was clear Meghan had big plans for her life as a duchess. But even those with the highest of expectations didnt imagine she would be closing out 2018 with 105 royal engagements under her belt, a four-country tour completed, and a New York Times bestseller. Hit the ground running indeed. In all honesty, Meghan neednt have lifted a finger to leave so many impressed this year. Her May wedding to Prince Harry carried powerful cultural meaning, with its sensitive mix of African-American worship tradition and Windsor custom showing us the monarchy was more open to change than we once believed. And to those watching around the world? Id like to think their marriage has helped further shape how people perceive interracial relationships. Photo credit: Jane Barlow - PA Images - Getty Images But, of course, Meghan did do a lot more than just that. In the seven short months she's been a working member of the Royal Family, weve watched as the skilled public speaker effortlessly championed universal education and womens suffrage in speeches, outlined her fight for gender equality in her official royal website bio, and carried out engagements alongside the Queen with aplomb. In September, Meghan really brought it home with her work alongside the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen in west London, a communal space first started to help those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. Inspired after private visits, Meghan teamed up with a diverse group of women from an under-represented community to produce the Together cookbook to ensure the kitchens financial survival. After establishing an interest in food on her old blog, The Tig, the clever project was totally on brand. It was also the first real show of how Meghan intends to bring her unique style to future philanthropic endeavors. Story continues Photo credit: CHRIS JACKSON - Getty Images After spending time of my own with the women of Hubb this year, its been incredible to witness the love and respect they have for Meghan, whom they met when she was still new to London. While all from different parts of the world, these women are united by their simple desire to give back. And now, with a best-selling book to their names, a number of the ladies at Hubb are now involved in new charity projects of their own. As Meghan said at the Royal Foundation Forum in March, women dont need help finding their voices; they just need to feel empowered to use them-and for people to listen. This empowerment was something we saw during her oceanic tour with Prince Harry in the fall. Young girls and boys in each of the four countries they visited told me how much the duchess has inspired them, how she represented a new chapter for the royal family. And the tour itself was smash hit, kicking off with the announcement of the impending birth of their first child and then 70 back-to-back engagements, as they tried to meet as many people as possible in Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, and Australia. Photo credit: SAEED KHAN - Getty Images In some ways, this is the humanitarian role for which Meghan has been preparing her entire life, from her advocacy as an 11-year-old fighting for womens rights to her desire to focus more on charity than acting as she approached her final season of Suits. Its one of the things that stood out to me about Meghan when I first met her as an Us Weekly editor at a showbiz party in 2015. Even then, she seemed ready to take on something more rewarding, away from the shallowness of our industry. But while its been a year full of highs, there have been lows. We watched as Meghan did her best to remain focused and composed as her father Thomas ignored pleas for silence and proceeded with an onslaught of embarrassing interviews, all part of some ill-conceived bid to get the attention of his daughter (and the press). And the attacks didnt just come from family members-columnists dog-whistled, tabloid articles tried to rebrand her as Duchess Difficult, and even a courtier or two attempted to sully her name. Little damage was done, but its a reminder of how difficult this journey will continue to be for Meghan. Nonetheless, her head remains held high. Perhaps the naysayers forgot who theyre dealing with. This is a woman who earned her stripes in an industry full of gossips, backstabbers, and prejudice. And while she may now be standing on somewhat of a different stage, this is not her first time at the rodeo. It will take a lot more than breathless reports on breaks in nail polish protocol or so-called feuds with Duchess Kate to bring her down. Photo credit: Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images In the mean time, Meghan will no doubt bring her kill em with kindness approach to life in 2019 and beyond. And if she needs further support, she still has the same loyal tribe by her side in the shape of her loving husband, protective mother Doria, and fiercely loyal group of friends, who have been there for their Meg through the good and bad since the very start. That team will be growing in the New Year (hello Baby Sussex!), but before then, Meghan has a couple more things to tick off the list, including that much-talked about first patronage-or should I say, patronages. It wont just be one; Kensington Palace is preparing to announce a number of new charity affiliations within the next two months-a mixture of organizations that reflect Meghan's own interests and some of the Queens work in another space. Its been a process that Meghan has taken seriously and spent several months quietly preparing for. With little time until Meghan begins maternity leave, it seems like theres still a lot to get done, but Im told shes doing well, in good health, and busy behind the scenes. Shes focused on what matters, says a source, who notes that building works on her new home, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, are on track for completion by Easter. Both Meghan and Harry are very excited for the year ahead. ('You Might Also Like',) The same storm producing drenching rain and pumping warm air into the eastern United States will bring gusty thunderstorms and the potential for damaging winds over the Tennessee Valley into Monday night. Winds will generally be blowing from the same direction near the ground and at the jet stream level of the atmosphere. When this setup occurs, the strong winds from aloft are able to make their way down to the ground. Both thunderstorms and showers can deliver the powerful gusts, according to AccuWeather Lead Storm Warning Meteorologist Eddie Walker. "Thunder and lightning will not be necessary for a damaging wind gust to occur," Walker said. Windy conditions are in store from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, northward to Kentucky. Static SE Monday The greatest potential for a gust strong enough to knock down trees, cause power outages and property damage will be during or in the vicinity of showers and thunderstorms. As of the early afternoon hours on Monday, the storm system has had a history of damaging winds and causing power outages in portions of western Kentucky and central Mississippi. In Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi and Alabama combined, there were 45,000 utility customers without electricity, according to poweroutage.us. "There is not a lot of support for the atmosphere to produce tornadoes in this situation, despite the strong winds in general," Walker said. However, there is always a small chance for a severe thunderstorm to spin off a tornado. Motorists venturing along the interstates 20, 40 and 64 will face the strongest crosswinds. Gusts may become strong enough to push lightweight vehicles off the road and flip over high-profile vehicles, such as trucks and campers. Static Wind Gusts Monday Eve Along with the risk of damaging wind gusts will be brief, torrential downpours accompanying the showers and thunderstorms. Download the free AccuWeather app to get the latest forecast and any severe weather advisories for your location. Since the large storm is making for conditions similar to the spring or summer, any downpour has the potential to cause flash and urban flooding. Story continues The risk of damaging winds and flooding downpours will diminish over the Tennessee Valley from west to east as drier air takes hold later Monday night. However, a quick burst of strong winds may knock down trees and cause power outages from northeastern Ohio to western New York state, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia during the middle of Monday night. A few locally heavy and gusty showers and thunderstorms may be found in the Southeast states on New Year's Day. The amount of drying will be limited, however. Showers may linger along the central Gulf coast on Tuesday to Wednesday. A new storm is forecast to spread rain northward across the Tennessee Valley from Thursday to Friday. 2018 was a record-breaking year for extreme weather events and storms. Extreme Meteorologist and Storm Chaser Reed Timmer talked to us about his top five chases of the year. He discussed some of his most dangerous experiences, what it's like to be out in the field and the moments he'll never forget. Bogota (AFP) - Since Colombia signed a peace deal with left-wing FARC rebels two years ago, 85 members of the former guerrilla movement have been murdered, the United Nations said on Monday. Between September 26 and December 26 this year alone, "14 ex-members of FARC were murdered," said UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres in his quarterly report on the global body's mission to Colombia. According to the state's special investigation unit, quoted by the UN, those responsible for the killings "are illegal armed groups and criminal organizations." Most of those cases have been linked to the Gulf Clan drug-trafficking group that emerged out of disarmed right-wing paramilitaries in 2006, as well as FARC dissidents, the ELN guerrilla group and remnants of the now disbanded EPL Marxist rebels. FARC is the Spanish acronym for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia; ELN is the National Liberation Army; and EPL is the People's Liberation Army. - Guterres 'hugely concerned' - The UN called on right-wing President Ivan Duque, a vocal critic of the peace accord signed by his predecessor Juan Manuel Santos, to "reinforce the security plans and strategies for ex-combatants." In the report, Guterres said he was "hugely" concerned about the number of murders of social leaders and human rights defenders, saying the UN had verified 163 of 454 reported cases since the peace accord was signed. "Most of the murders were in zones abandoned by former FARC (fighters) and where there is limited state presence," the UN report said. Colombia's human rights ombudsman estimates that 423 activists were murdered between 2016 and the end of November. Transformed into a political party since the peace deal, FARC has hit out repeatedly at the lack of security guarantees for its members. While some 7,000 ex-fighters laid down their weapons, Colombia's peace and reconciliation commission estimates there remain 1,600 dissident rebels. Colombia has been torn by more than a half century of armed conflict involving guerrillas, drug-traffickers, paramilitaries and state forces, leaving eight million people dead, disappeared or displaced. Dubai (AFP) - Bahrain's supreme court, whose verdicts are final, Monday upheld a five-year jail term against prominent activist Nabeel Rajab for writing tweets deemed offensive to the state, a judicial source said. Rajab, a high-profile rights activist who is already serving a two-year term in another case, was first handed the sentence in February by a lower court and an appeals court confirmed it in June. The supreme court's verdicts are final and can not be challenged. Rajab, a leading figure in the 2011 protests against the Gulf state's Sunni-led monarchy, was convicted of insulting the state by "deliberately disseminating", false and malicious news on social media. He was also convicted of criticising the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen and publicly offending a foreign country, a reference to Saudi Arabia. The court convicted him of endangering Bahrain's military operations in Yemen. Manama is part of the Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels since March 2015. He also tweeted criticism of the Bahraini government's treatment of prisoners. In January this year, the same court upheld a two-year imprisonment against Rajab after convicting him of press statements critical to the government. Bahrain, with a large Shiite community, is located between regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran and has been ruled for more than two centuries by the Al-Khalifa dynasty. Authorities have jailed dozens of high-profile activists and disbanded both religious and secular opposition groups since Shiite-led protests demanding political change erupted in 2011. They have stripped hundreds of those convicted of their citizenship, leaving many stateless. London (AFP) - Britain announced Monday it will deploy two border patrol ships in the Channel in response to a surge in migrants crossing from France in dinghies. Home Secretary Sajid Javid, the interior minister, said the Border Force ships would balance protecting human life with protecting Britain's borders. In December, around 230 people tried to make the 21-mile (33-kilometre) journey from France to Britain, Javid said. The attempts, chiefly by Iranian nationals, to cross one of the world's busiest shipping lanes have been made in dinghies and other small craft. Javid -- the bookmakers' favourite to become the next leader of the governing Conservative Party -- cut short his Christmas family holiday in South Africa to take personal control of the situation. He said he was redeploying two Border Force cutters from the Mediterranean to the Channel, to join one cutter already on the scene and two other coastal patrol vessels. "It's both about protecting human life but also about protecting our borders," Javid said after meeting senior officials from the Border Force and the National Crime Agency. "I want to make sure that we are doing all we can to protect people. "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." - Trafficking gangs targeted - 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 did not reach British waters. He said efforts were being stepped up to tackle people smugglers and to return migrants to France. Britain and France agreed Sunday to boost bilateral cooperation over the spike. In the coming weeks, the two countries will increase surveillance patrols, efforts to dismantle trafficking gangs and awareness about the dangers of crossing the Channel. In a message to would-be migrants, Javid 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. Story continues "That's why I am working out ways with the French to increase the number of returns." Arrivals on southeast England's Kent coast spiked over the Christmas period, with British authorities finding 43 people on December 25 and 26. On Thursday, British border officials found 23 Iranians in three locations in Kent, hours after French maritime authorities intercepted 11 migrants in a small boat. And on Sunday, authorities intercepted six Iranians near the Kent coast. A group of 12 migrants -- nine men, two women and a 10-year-old child -- were detained after landing on a Kent beach in a dinghy on Monday, the Home Office said. They presented themselves as Iranian. "They all received a medical assessment and have now been transferred to immigration officials for interview," a Home Office spokesman said. Ouagadougou (AFP) - Burkina Faso is declaring a state of emergency in provinces grappling with jihadist violence, Communications Minister Remis Fulgance Dandjinou said on Monday. "The president has decided to declare a state of emergency in certain provinces of Burkina Faso. He has also given instructions for specific security measures across the country," Dandjinou said after a cabinet meeting that followed a deadly attack on police. Ten gendarmes were killed and three wounded on Thursday in an ambush in the northwest of the country, near the border with Mali. They had been heading to the village of Loroni after a school had been attacked and textbooks torched by armed assailants, a security source told AFP. The state of emergency applies to a number of provinces that lie within seven of the country's 13 administrative regions, Dandjinou said. The regions are Hauts-Bassins, Boucle du Mouhoun, Cascades, North and Sahel, in the west and north of the country, and the East and Centre-East regions in the east. Names of the provinces where the state of emergency is to be applied will be made public in a presidential decree, he said. A state of emergency gives additional powers to the security forces to carry out searches of homes and to restrict freedom of movement. Burkina Faso is part of the vast Sahel region and one of the poorest countries in the world. The region turned into a hotbed of violent extremism and lawlessness after chaos engulfed Libya in 2011, which was followed by an Islamist insurgency in northern Mali and the rise of Boko Haram in northern Nigeria. Jihadist attacks began in northern Burkina Faso in 2015 but then spread to the east, near the border with Togo and Benin. Most attacks have been attributed to the jihadist group Ansarul Islam, which emerged near the Mali border in December 2016, and to the JNIM (the Group to Support Islam and Muslims), which has sworn allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Story continues Those groups are believed to be responsible for more than 270 deaths since 2015. The capital Ouagadougou has been hit three times and almost 60 people have died there. In the past month alone, 24 police, troops and civilians have been killed, according to an AFP toll. - 10 troops killed - In a separate development that underscores the insecurity in the Sahel, Niger on Monday said 10 troops had died in a joint operation with Nigeria against criminal gangs who plague the two countries' border with kidnappings, theft and cattle rustling. The operation, launched on Saturday, targeted "bandits" in the Maradi region in south-central Niger, Defence Minister Kalla Moutari said. Five troops from Niger and five Nigerian soldiers died, and several from both countries were wounded, while 11 of the assailants were killed, he said. It is the biggest death toll since the two countries began a joint crackdown on the gangs in September. Both Burkina Faso and Niger are members of the "G5 Sahel" -- a French-backed scheme meant to restore authority in regions hit by jihadism and criminality. Also bringing in Chad, Mali and Mauritania, the G5 aims at deploying a 5,000-man joint force. But funding, poor equipment and lack of training have proved major hurdles. Senate president Bukola Saraki has urged Nigerians to be optimistic about the coming year, as theres still hope. The senate president said this via his Twitter handle on Monday, stating that all isnt lost to achieve a better Nigeria. Saraki, who is the Director general of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the 2019 election, made this known in his end of year message to Nigerians. He wrote: BEIJING (Reuters) - The pace of reform in China will not stagnate and it will open its door wider still to the outside world, President Xi Jinping said on Monday in his New Year message, as he also warned of challenges ahead. Xi has repeatedly pledged his support for reform this year, as China marks 40 years since landmark changes to its economic model, amid mounting pressure to improve market access for foreign companies as a trade war with the United States weighs. In a speech carried by all major state media, Xi said that in 2018 China had pushed more than 100 important reform measures. "The world has seen a China whose reforms and opening up have gathered speed...," Xi said. "Our pace of reforms will not stagnate, and the door to opening up will widen further." Xi made no specific mention of the trade war with the United States, noting that 2019 would bring "opportunities and challenges". "As we open our eyes to look at the world, we are faced with huge changes, changes not seen in 100 years," he added, without elaborating. "No matter how the international situation changes, China's confidence and determination to safeguard national sovereignty and security will not change. China's sincerity and goodwill for maintaining world peace and promoting common development will not change." Looking back at 2018, Xi said that China's economy stayed within a "reasonable range", as despite various risks and challenges, it sped up the fostering of new growth drivers to replace old ones. China's factory activity contracted for the first time in over two years in December, as it seeks to end its bruising trade war with Washington and reduce the risk of a sharper economic slowdown in 2019. China says it is still on track to hit its growth target of around 6.5 percent in 2018, down from 6.9 percent in 2017, but the economy is expected to lose further momentum in 2019. The World Bank predicts growth will slow to 6.2 percent in 2019, still robust by global standards but what would be the weakest expansion in nearly 30 years. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel and John Stonestreet) Paris (AFP) - French newspaper Le Monde on Monday apologised for a controversial cover on its weekly magazine, which features President Emmanuel Macron in a red-and-black photomontage seen by some readers as reminiscent of Nazi propaganda. The respected centre-left daily has come under fierce criticism online and from MPs in Macron's party over the cover of the December 29 edition of its glossy magazine M. A stern-looking Macron serves as the backdrop for the image, which shows crowds massed at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe war memorial on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, some waving French flags. The sombre image of the 41-year-old leader, framed by blocks of red colour, immediately drew comparisons with images of Adolf Hitler, often depicted in Nazi propaganda addressing rallies in montages featuring red backdrops. Editor-in-chief Jerome Fenoglio said the image was inspired by Russian constructivism of the early 20th century -- which featured photomontages, diagonal lines and a limited palette of colours. - 'Lack of judgement' - "To use the visual vocabulary of constructivism, an aesthetic form of the early 20th century which influenced the representation of later dictatorships was not a sound choice because it created the risk of confusion," Fenoglio admitted in an editorial published Monday. "To take inspiration from a designer who had already used this code for an illustration about Hitler only increased that risk," he added. "We showed a lack of judgement in approving this cover, which did not reflect the substance of the story devoted to Emmanuel Macron in this issue," Fenoglio added in the editorial headlined "Our mistake and our responsibility". Luc Bronner, the paper's editorial director, had already apologised Saturday over the image, which caused particular outrage among Macron's supporters. Bronner tweeted a series of previous covers of M magazine which also used red and black graphics in the constructivist style as proof that the paper did not mean to draw a line between Macron's rule and the Nazi era. Story continues Parliament speaker Richard Ferrand, a close ally of Macron's, was one of the first public figures to react to the cover. "Am trying to understand Le Monde's graphic and iconographical references. If it's not a coincidence, what is it then? Seeking lost meaning...," he wrote in a tweet at the weekend juxtaposing Le Monde's cover with a picture of Hitler framed by the Nazi flag. Radical leftist leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, a fierce critic of Macron, also expressed shock over the "Hitlerian depiction of Macron" in a Facebook post on Sunday. "Ignorance and a lack of culture are probably the cause of this unbearable cover," he wrote. Bronner's reference to Russian art failed to convince many readers. "The latest cover of Le Monde magazine uses all the codes of Nazi propaganda. To pin it on the Constructivists to make us swallow it is really treating readers like fools," a reader, writing under the pseudonym Foxtrot, commented on Le Monde's website. Le Monde endorsed Macron for president over his far-right rival Marine Le Pen in the run-off round of last year's election but like most French papers has been critical of his aloof leadership style and some of his economic policies. The seven-page story in its magazine recounts how the Champs-Elysees has played a prominent role in Macron's presidency. "From his inauguration to the yellow vests, the Champs-Elysees, theatre of Macron's rule," reads the sub-heading. Amman (AFP) - France's defence minister arrived in Jordan on Monday to visit troops battling the Islamic State group, showing Paris's determination to continue the fight after a shock US decision to withdraw from Syria. After a stopover in Amman, where Florence Parly is set to meet with Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz, she is expected to visit the H5 airbase from which French fighter jets take off for sorties against the jihadists. The minister's last-minute trip to Jordan comes on the heels of US President Donald Trump's surprise decision in mid-December to pull out all 2,000 American troops stationed in Syria, saying "we've won" against IS. "The impromptu announcement of the US withdrawal from (Syria) caused a lot of questions," Parly told reporters before landing. France does not "fully share President Trump's analysis", she said, adding the jihadists were "not quite finished". "Our priority is to continue until the end." After sweeping across swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, the jihadists' cross-border "caliphate" has been erased by multiple offensives, pushing them back to just a few holdouts in the Syrian desert. In Syria, IS has been rolled back by separate offensives led by the country's army and an Arab-Kurdish alliance backed by the US-led coalition called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The SDF are currently battling to expel the jihadists from their eastern holdout near Syria's border with Iraqi. Without the help of Washington, which carries out 90 percent of the coalition's strikes on IS, the French government has said it will be difficult to finish the jihadists off for good. "The United States plays a very important role as leader of the international coalition," said Parly, adding that it might not be "realistic or effective" to continue without Washington. The French military has deployed 1,200 soldiers as part of the anti-IS efforts, via air operations, artillery, special forces in Syria and training for the Iraqi army. Story continues A ranking French officer said the timeline for the US withdrawal "might not be incompatible" with the capture of the jihadists' remaining territory, "if it is long enough and the (SDF) advance is fast enough". France will also have to deal with the issue of foreign jihadists, especially Europeans, held by the SDF, now under threat of a looming Turkish offensive to clear Kurdish fighters from its border. "The US-led coalition has relied heavily on the Kurds as ground operators," said Parly. "Their fate is of major concern, and there are other questions about the future of a number of prisoners they are holding." Baghdad (AFP) - Iraq sentenced more than 600 foreigners including many women and dozens of minors in 2018 for belonging to the Islamic State group, the judiciary said on Monday. Iraq declared "victory" over IS at the end of 2017 after a three-year war against the jihadists, who once controlled nearly a third of the country as well as swathes of neighbouring Syria. Around 20,000 people suspected of links to IS have been arrested since 2014. Judicial spokesman Abdel Sattar Bayraqdar said Monday that "616 men and women accused of belonging to IS have been put on trial" in 2018 and sentenced under Iraq's anti-terrorism law. They comprised 466 women, 42 men and 108 minors, he said. Bayraqdar did not, however specify the punishments. Under Iraq's anti-terrorism law courts can issue verdicts, including death sentences, against anyone found guilty of belonging to the jihadist group, including non-combatants. In April, judicial sources said that more than 300 suspects linked to IS had received death sentences and more than 300 others were sentenced to life, which in Iraq is equivalent to 20 years. Most of the women sentenced for IS links were from Turkey and republics of the former Soviet Union. Three French citizens -- two women and a man -- have been sentenced to life imprisonment while a German woman, a Belgian man and a Russian man have been sentenced to death. Many women had travelled to Iraq with their children to join their husbands who fought in the ranks of IS. Some are still waiting to be repatriated to their home countries. On Sunday, 30 Russian children whose mothers are in prison in Iraq for links to IS were flown from Baghdad to Moscow as part of a repatriation programme championed by Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. BRUSSELS (AP) The NATO military alliance said Friday that it has seen media reports that the United States could be readying to pull thousands of troops out of Afghanistan, and it paid tribute to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis after he resigned. The Associated Press and others reported Thursday that U.S. officials said that the Pentagon is developing plans to possibly withdraw up to 7,000 troops serving in the conflict-torn country, marking a sharp change with a policy that had aimed to force the Taliban to the peace table after more than 17 years of war. Almost 17,000 troops from 39 nations take part in NATO's Resolute Support mission helping to train and mentor Afghan security forces, often in a dangerous combat environment. About half of those troops are American. The U.S. is by far the biggest and most influential member of NATO. A separate U.S. force also conducts strikes on the Islamic State group and the Taliban. It was unclear which American troops might leave or whether NATO has been informed. Asked whether NATO was aware of any change of U.S. troop posture in Afghanistan and what impact it might have on the mission, spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said only that "we have seen the reports." She referred all questions to U.S. authorities. But Lungescu underlined that "our engagement is important to ensure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for international terrorists who could threaten us at home." She noted that the Afghan police and army have been in charge of security efforts for over four years. "They are a brave, committed and increasingly capable force, who have ensured the security of the parliamentary elections earlier this year," she said in an statement. NATO leaders agreed in July to extend funding to the Afghan security forces until 2024 and earlier this month foreign ministers from the 29-nation alliance reaffirmed their commitment to the country. Mattis, who has a deep understanding of NATO having worked with the alliance in a number of capacities, resigned Thursday after clashing with President Donald Trump over the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria and after two years of deep disagreements over America's role in the world. Lungescu praised his "key contribution to keeping NATO strong and ready to deal with the significant security challenges we face, while ensuring a fairer share of the burden across our alliance. He is widely respected as a soldier and a diplomat." She said that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will continue to work closely with Mattis until he leaves office in February and expects to do the same with his successor. Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Troops are preparing to launch an offensive in a bid retake a strategic town captured by Boko Haram jihadists in northeast Nigeria, security and civilian sources said on Monday. Fighters from IS-affiliated Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) took control of Baga on the shores of Lake Chad on Thursday after over-running military bases. The jihadists established full control over the fishing town on Friday after sacking a naval base, forcing personnel to flee across the lake to a village on the Chadian side of the border. Dozens of military trucks and armoured vehicles from Borno state capital Maiduguri arrived late Sunday at the garrison town of Monguno, 135 kilometres (84 miles) away, in readiness for the offensive, two military officers and militia sources told AFP on condition of anonymity. "Military assets have been deployed to Monguno in preparation for an operation to recapture Baga from Boko Haram terrorists," said the first military officer. Monguno residents reported seeing 40 military trucks carrying troops on Sunday evening. "It is a marching order from the highest quarters to troops to get Baga back from Boko Haram terrorists who are now occupying the town," a second military source said. "The offensive will start anytime soon," he added. A militia force fighting alongside the military has also been called in to help retake Baga, said a militiaman in Monguno. The Nigerian military has insisted the insurgents have already been pushed out of Baga, but fleeing residents and security sources refuted the claim. Resident Abubakar Mamman who fled to Maiduguri on Sunday, said Baga was still under Boko Haram control. "Boko Haram are in charge of all the three military bases in Baga. There is not a single soldier in the area," Mamman told AFP. "All the soldiers have fled and it is Boko Haram fighters everywhere," he added. The jihadists were said to be roaming around the town and killing civilian militiamen. Story continues Mamman said the jihadists told residents they would not be harmed but people continued to leave on foot. In January 2015 Boko Haram overran the multinational joint task force base (MNJTF) and took control of Baga after killing hundreds of residents. Thousands of people fled to Maiduguri. The town was later retaken, but jihadists who occupy camps on many islands on Lake Chad have continued to attack the military and civilians in the area. On Thursday the militants overran a naval base and a MNJTF post staffed by troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. With the capture of Baga the jihadists control most areas around Lake Chad, security sources said. ISWAP fighters had in recent days seized military locations in Kuros-Kauwa, Kukawa, Kekeno and Bunduram villages, the security and civilian sources. On Saturday and Sunday the militants made three unsuccessful attempts to overrun Monguno. "They (Boko Haram) suffered heavy losses in Monguno where troops deal them a huge blow," said the first military source in an account supported by a militiaman in Monguno. Boko Haram's nine-year insurgency has killed 27,000 people and displaced two million others, sparking a dire humanitarian crisis in the region. The fighting has also spilled into Nigeria's neighbours Chad, Niger and Cameroon. By Mike Spector, Jessica DiNapoli and Harry Brumpton (Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp Chairman Eddie Lampert submitted a $4.4 billion takeover bid for the bankrupt U.S. retailer, representing its only chance of escaping liquidation and laying off tens of thousands of workers, a spokesman for the billionaire's hedge fund said on Friday. Lampert's bid is backed in part by $1.3 billion in financing from three different financial institutions, the spokesman for his hedge fund, ESL Investments Inc, said. It would preserve about 425 stores that Sears has yet to close, and secure the jobs of up to 50,000 workers out of the 68,000 employed by the retailer. An affiliate of ESL, Transform Holdco LLC, submitted the bid, the spokesman said. People familiar with the matter said the financing comes from Sears' existing lenders Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc, as well Royal Bank of Canada, which was not previously a lender, which together agreed to provide a $950 million asset-based loan and a $350 million revolving credit line. Some of Lampert's bid relies on $1.8 billion of Sears debt that ESL already holds and plans to forgive to back the offer, the sources said. The bid also includes about $400 million in financing from non-bank lenders, the sources said. The bid contemplates assuming protection agreements Sears has previously sold to reassure customers who have bought appliances, televisions, lawn tractors and other big-ticket items, the ESL spokesman said. "Factoring for all considerations, we believe that our going concern bid provides the best path forward for the company, the best option to save tens of thousands of jobs and is superior for all of Sears stakeholders to the alternative of a complete liquidation," the ESL spokesman said. "Much work remains and there is no assurance our proposal will be completed." Sears will now evaluate the bid to determine whether it is viable, and there remains a possibility the company could reject it, some of the sources said. Story continues A Sears spokeswoman declined to comment. Bank representatives either had no immediate comment or did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A U.S. bankruptcy court judge must approve any sale of Sears. The judge will weigh the opinions of other stakeholders, including unsecured creditors who have argued they could recover more of their investment if the department store operator winds down. Without the financing or another buyer, Sears faces the prospect of closing its doors for good and putting roughly 68,000 people out of work. The 125-year-old retailer filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 15 and developed plans to restructure around the sale of 500 stores and businesses including Kenmore, DieHard and the company's home services division. Only Lampert's ESL offered to buy the entire company. The only other bids Sears has received are from suitors interested in pieces of the company and liquidators prepared to run going-out-of-business sales at stores and shut down the retailer. Sears dates back to the late 1880s. Its mail-order catalogs with merchandise ranging from toys, medicine and gramophones to automobiles, kit houses and tombstones made it the Amazon.com Inc of its time. But the iconic retailer gradually lost its shine as consumers increasingly favored brick-and-mortar rivals such as Walmart Inc and Target Corp and e-commerce. Lampert, who through ESL is Sears' biggest shareholder and creditor, formed Sears Holdings in 2005 by acquiring Sears Roebuck in an $11 billion deal and combining it with discount chain Kmart, which he had also taken over. Lampert had pledged to restore Sears to its glory days, when it owned the Sears Tower in Chicago, then the world's tallest building, and companies that included a radio station and Allstate insurance. But the company stopped turning a profit in 2011, and it gradually started to sell assets, such as its legendary Craftsman brand and many of its properties, to stay afloat. Sears Holdings listed $6.9 billion in assets and $11.3 billion in liabilities in documents filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York. The largest U.S. toy retailer, Toys R Us, tried to emerge from its 2017 bankruptcy filing but was forced to liquidate six months later after creditors lost confidence in its turnaround plan. (Reporting by Mike Spector and Harry Brumpton in New York, Jessica DiNapoli in Puerto Rico; Editing by Leslie Adler) In December 2018, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind paid a five-day visit to provide assistance to Myanmar in terms of the planned repatriation of Rohingya refugees who had fled to Bangladesh and to enhance the trade cooperation between the two countries. It was the second high-ranking visit from the Indian side within the past two years, and it followed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis Myanmar tour in September 2017 during which both sides reached 11 agreements on infrastructure and maritime security cooperation. On the Myanmar side, President Htin Kyaw visited India in August 2018, four months after his first China tour. During this visit, both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in the areas of agriculture, trade, energy, health, physical connectivity, and border management. In October, Aung San Suu Kyi, State Councillor and Foreign Minister of Myanmar, went to India on a state visit, during which two agreements were signed on energy cooperation and Indian training for Burmese banking and insurance staff. The fast-growing relations between India and Myanmar have attracted rising attention from China where the Chinese scholars believe that India is trying to compete with China through the fostering of close relations with Myanmar. To be sure, India has become a major foreign partner for Myanmar and is playing an important role in Myanmars great power balancing act. Actually, India and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) have always been the two main actors that Myanmar has employed to balance Chinese influence. Moreover, India has advanced its economic and strategic interests in Myanmar and gained a big foothold in Southeast Asia in the past decades, which could balance Chinas efforts to expand its influence in South Asia via Myanmar. Finally, there are no big troubles in Indo-Myanmar relations while the sensitive bilateral issues such as the Myitsone dam cancellation and the ethnic conflicts in northern Myanmar have adversely affected the relationship between China and Myanmar. Nevertheless, Chinese scholars concluded that India has failed to challenge Chinas position in Myanmar and has imposed negligible adverse impacts on Sino-Myanmar relations. First of all, India is not a permanent member of United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and thus could not provide strong support for Myanmar which was heavily accused of human rights abuses in Rakhine State from the West. Actually, Myanmar has revived the cordial relationship with China since National League for Democracy (NLD) came to power largely due to Chinas support for and assistance to Myanmar regarding the Rohingya crisis. While India was under pressure to take the lead in imposing pressure upon Myanmar for the repatriation of Rohingyas who fled to the states bordering Myanmar, even though it had expressed support for the NLD governments crackdown on terror groups in Rakhine, avoided criticizing the alleged human rights violations against the Rohingyas, and tried to be involved in the planned repatriation of Rohingyas between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Second, despite the fact that India has built close connections with the Burmese senior officials, it is hard to compete with China which is located at the center of Myanmars diplomacy. In fact, India has never been perceived as a peer-competitor of China in Myanmar because of its growing but relatively limited influence in the region. For example, although India has constructed a number of cross-border infrastructure and transportation projects in Myanmar in order to compete with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, most of them are delayed and have thus damaged the national image of India. Given this, there is a widespread feeling in Myanmar that the Indian government promises much but delivers little. India, therefore, could not be a reliable partner for Myanmar in the area of economic cooperation. Hence, Chinas concerns over the strategic projects financed by Indian companies have been reduced dramatically due to this bad record. The budding Indo-Myanmar relations, on the one hand, exert little influence to China; but, on the other hand, they provide an opportunity for both sides to cooperate in Myanmar. Thirdly, Chinese experts realize the value of India in Myanmars great power diplomacy, but they dont think Myanmar would allow or support Indias attempts to undermine Chinese interests in Myanmar. Actually, resistance from the Burmese society presents another barrier for Indias further engagement with Myanmar. Historically, Myanmar was exploited by both the British and India when it was integrated into the British Raj. Therefore, there were prevailing feelings in Myanmar that the Indians are the lackeys and accomplices of the British because the local Burmese were forced to be ruled by the Indian officials, administrators, and police in the British Empire. After independence, the Myanmar government initiated a number of measures to strengthen the economic interests of Burmese against the foreigners, which generally hit the Indians, and thus aroused deep resentment and strong protests among the Indians in both Myanmar and India. Since the generals came to power in a military coup in September 1988, the political use of xenophobia and nationalism has evolved into an effective tool for the junta in defending external threats. Given its traumatic colonial legacy as well as its strong nationalist stance, Myanmar has never been enthusiastic about wholly embracing Indias eastward projection except for its immediate interests. Given the peaceful democratic transition in Myanmar, there were enthusiastic expectations from India for closer ties with Myanmar. However, the pro-democracy forces inside and outside Myanmar has harbored strong resentment against India for betraying their democratic ideals in the early 1990s. For instance, in 2015, Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the NLD, said: It saddened me that India, the largest democracy in the world, was turning its back on democracy in order to maintain good relations with the military government, when she interviewed by the Indian media several days before the landslide election in that year. Although India has already re-embraced the Burmese democrats in and out of Myanmar, the resentments and suspicions about the Indian government would not be eliminated soon. The strong resistance from the Burmese communities indicates another basic obstacle to Indias push eastwards. Various Indian investment projects, particularly the resource programs, have faced serious accusations from the Burmese locals. For instance, the 1,200-MW Htamanthi Dam, financed by India, was blocked due to demonstration campaigns initiated by thousands of displaced villagers in north Myanmar. Facing similar protests, another major dam project, the 642-MW Shwezaye hydroelectric plant, has also had to back out owing to the prohibitive cost of constructing the project and the increasing political pressure from indigenous environmental groups. The Indian resource companies, therefore, have been labeled as foreign exploitation as well as criminals in environmental issues, hampering Indias economic expansion in Myanmar. To conclude, the budding Indo-Myanmar relations, on the one hand, exert little influence to China; but, on the other hand, they provide an opportunity for both sides to cooperate in Myanmar. In other words, the interactions between China and India in Myanmar are not necessarily a zero-sum game. Rather, both sides could promote cooperation in the areas of trade and investment within the regional cooperation schemes, such as the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM), so as to create win-win cooperation in the region. Given the warm relations between China and India after the Wuhan Summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian President Modi, its the best time for both sides to embark on economic cooperation and policy coordination in Myanmar. By Mike Spector, Jessica DiNapoli and Harry Brumpton (Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp Chairman Eddie Lampert has submitted a roughly $4.6 billion takeover bid for the bankrupt U.S. retailer, representing its only chance of escaping liquidation and laying off tens of thousands of workers, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The offer came after Sears' existing lenders Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc, as well Royal Bank of Canada, which was not previously a lender, agreed to provide a $950 million asset-based loan and a $350 million revolving credit line to back Lampert's bid, the sources said. Lampert's bid would preserve about 425 stores that Sears has yet to close, and secure the jobs of 50,000 workers out of the 68,000 employed by the retailer, the sources said. Some of Lampert's bid relies on $1.8 billion of Sears debt that his hedge fund ESL Investments Inc already holds and Lampert plans to forgive to back his offer, the sources said. The bid also has about $400 million in financing from non-bank lenders, according to the sources. It is possible that Lampert's bid for Sears will be rejected or otherwise fall through, the sources cautioned, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Sears, Lampert and representatives for the banks either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment. A U.S. bankruptcy court judge must approve any sale of Sears. The judge will weigh the opinions of other stakeholders, including unsecured creditors who have argued they could recover more of their investment if the department store operator winds down. Without the financing or another buyer, Sears faces the prospect of closing its doors for good and putting roughly 68,000 people out of work. The 125-year-old retailer filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 15 and developed plans to restructure around the sale of 500 stores and businesses including Kenmore, DieHard and the company's home services division. Only Lampert's ESL offered to buy the entire company. Story continues The only other bids Sears has received are from suitors interested in pieces of the company and liquidators prepared to run going-out-of-business sales at stores and shut down the retailer. Sears dates back to the late 1880s. Its mail-order catalogs with merchandise ranging from toys, medicine and gramophones to automobiles, kit houses and tombstones made it the Amazon.com of its time. But the iconic retailer gradually lost its shine as consumers increasingly favored brick-and-mortar rivals such as Walmart Inc and Target Corp and e-commerce. Lampert, who through ESL is Sears' biggest shareholder and creditor, formed Sears Holdings in 2005 by acquiring Sears Roebuck and combining it with discount chain Kmart, which he had also taken over. Lampert had pledged to restore Sears to its glory days, when it owned the Sears Tower in Chicago, then the world's tallest building, and companies that included a radio station and Allstate insurance. But the company stopped turning a profit in 2011, and it gradually started to sell assets, such as its legendary Craftsman brand and many of its properties, to stay afloat. Sears Holdings listed $6.9 billion in assets and $11.3 billion in liabilities in documents filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of New York. The largest U.S. toy retailer, Toys R Us, tried to emerge from its 2017 bankruptcy filing but was forced to liquidate six months later after creditors lost confidence in its turnaround plan. (Reporting by Mike Spector and Harry Brumpton in New York, Jessica DiNapoli in Puerto Rico; Editing by Leslie Adler) Protesters rally on March 23, 2016, in support of the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate. Credit: Diego M. Radzinschi / NLJ A federal judge in Texas who declared the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional earlier in December stayed his ruling pending an appeal since residents in many states have already purchased their health insurance plans for 2019. U.S. District Judge Reed OConnor broadly upheld his initial Dec. 14 ruling, but said Americans would face great uncertainty during the appeal without a stay. OConnor did say the states intervening to defend the ACA failed to show a likelihood they could succeed on appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In entering a partial final judgement and stay, OConnor said Congress can sever the individual mandate from the ACA, but that the courts cannot do that. OConnor added that congressional intent clearly indicated lawmakers did not intent to sever the individual mandate. The more courts step into breaches for Congress, the more courts will be called upon to step into breaches for Congress, OConnor wrote Saturday. That would represent a fundamental shift in the Constitutions careful balancing of powersnot only on the Judiciary-Legislature plane, but also on the citizen-government plane. OConnors initial 55-page ruling issued Dec. 14 found that last years congressional action eliminating the penalty imposed by the ACAs individual mandate made the whole law unconstitutional. OConnors decision said the demise of the mandate rendered the entire law invalid because it could not be severed from the mandate. Democratic attorneys general who intervened in the case immediately vowed to appeal to the Fifth Circuit, putting the ACA on the path to review in the next year or so by the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld the law in 2012. OConnors underlying ruling came after health insurers have already locked in benefits and prices for 2019 health coverage and are almost done with ordinary applicant enrollment for 2019 coverage, according to sibling publication Benefits Pro. The 17 state attorneys general defending the ACA in lieu of the DOJ, which announced in June it would not defend the ACA, said OConnors decision lacked clarity, and filed an expedited motion seeking to continue the defense of the ACA. The motion also asked OConnor to certify the opinion so it could be immediately appealed, or to stay the ruling pending a appeal. Read more: 'Embarrassingly Bad,' 'Unmoored': Legal Scholars Bash Texas Judge's ACA Takedown DOJ, With 'Regret,' Says Shutdown Complicates Court Orders and Deadlines Washington (AFP) - A senior Republican senator said Sunday that President Donald Trump had promised to stay in Syria to finish the job of destroying the Islamic State group -- just days after announcing he would be withdrawing troops immediately. "The president understands the need to finish the job," Lindsey Graham told reporters outside the White House after what he described as a two-hour lunch meeting. "He told me some things I didn't know that made me feel a lot better about where we're headed in Syria," the South Carolina lawmaker said. "I think the president is committed to making sure when we leave Syria that ISIS is completely defeated and we are inside the 10-yard line," he said, using an alternative name for the Islamic State group. When Trump tweeted on December 19 that "we have defeated ISIS in Syria," several military and security experts said he was overstating the case, and warned against a hasty withdrawal. - 'Thinking long and hard' - Graham said Trump was "thinking long and hard about Syria and how to withdraw the forces" after ensuring that ISIS is destroyed, that US-allied Kurdish forces are protected and that "Iran doesn't become the big winner of our leaving." Graham, who as a member of the Armed Services committee has frequently visited US troops in combat zones, was once a frequent critic of Trump but, reversing course, now frequently defends him and seems to have gained privileged access to the president's ear. The senator's remarks after the White House meeting were considerably modulated from his tone earlier in the day, when he told ABC television's "This Week" that "if we leave (Syria) now, the Kurds will get slaughtered." "I'm going to ask the president to do something that President Obama would never do: reconsider," he said. Graham said he knew Trump was "frustrated" by his limited options in Syria. Story continues "The president is reconsidering how we would do this," Graham said. "I get it. We're not the policemen of the world here." He added: "I'm going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow it down. Make sure we get it right." - A Trump announcement? - Kellyanne Conway, a close Trump advisor, seemed to hint that the president might be rethinking his withdrawal plans. "In Iraq he had a closed-door meeting and he said watch what happens... Watch what happens because he's got plans and I won't get ahead of his announcement, but he did want me to convey that," she said on "Fox News Sunday." Trump's abrupt decision on Syria stunned regional players, US politicians of both parties and military leaders, who expressed surprise that such a major decision would be announced after apparently so little advance consultation, against the advice of his national security advisors -- and on Twitter. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned following the announcement, which came on the same day that US officials said Trump was also planning a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, with some reports suggesting as many as half of the 14,000 troops could leave. Graham warned at the time that a reduction now of US forces in war-torn Afghanistan risked "paving the way toward a second 9/11." Another prominent critic of the move was retired US army general Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of US and international forces in Afghanistan. On Sunday, he told ABC that the dual drawdowns could seriously weaken US influence in the region. "We have a tumultuous regime or region (in Syria) that now has a Russian presence which had been out for about 30 years," he said. "Iran has increased influence across the region now. If you pull American influence out, you're likely to have greater instability." Similarly, he said, Trump's planned drawdown in Afghanistan could seriously undercut American leverage there. "Just when we were starting to sit down with the Taliban, just as we were starting to begin negotiations, he basically traded away the biggest leverage point we have," McChrystal added. CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's government is willing to help investigate a plot to assassinate Colombian President Ivan Duque, in which three Venezuelan nationals arrested in Colombia may be suspects, foreign minister Jorge Arreaza said. The alleged assassination attempt comes amid tense relations between the two neighboring South American countries. Duque has been a strong critic of the socialist government of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, who he calls a "dictator," and Maduro regularly accuses Duque of plotting to overthrow him. In a late Saturday night statement, Arreaza said Venezuela was willing to provide "the necessary police and intelligence cooperation" and had asked Colombian authorities for more information on the three Venezuelans arrested. Earlier Saturday, Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo had said in a video message that there was intelligence indicating "credible" plans to target the right-wing Duque, who took office in August. Three Venezuelans were arrested in recent days with "weapons of war," he added. Colombian authorities are trying to establish any connection between the alleged plan to assassinate Duque and the presence in Colombia of the three armed men. Colombia's defense minister Guillermo Botero told journalists on Sunday that two of the men - arrested on a bus in the northern city of Valledupar on Dec. 21 and found carrying two 5.56 caliber rifles - are Jose Vicente Gomez Rios and Pedro Jose Acosta Ovalle, both 22. A third man arrested days later in coastal Barranquilla was armed with a submachine gun and a grenade, Botero said. "What's really worrying it they weren't just any guns," Botero said. "The president's security has been strengthened with intelligence and eventually with some additional measures." On Sunday Arreaza said on Twitter he was still attempting to get in contact with Trujillo and that Colombian authorities should lose no time in sharing information with Venezuela. Maduro in September accused the governments of Chile, Colombia and Mexico of helping "terrorists" who Venezuela said tried to kill him during a drone attack in early August. The three countries rejected the accusation they were linked to the attack. (Reporting by Mayela Armas and Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Luc Cohen and Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Phil Berlowitz and Chris Reese) Lusaka (AFP) - Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Monday sacked the army commander and his deputy, a rare firing of the top military brass in the country. He did not give reasons for removing Lieutenant-General Paul Mihova but cautioned his successor, William Sikazwe, not to abuse the authority of the office and to respect the hierarchy. "(The) Zambia army is renowned in Africa and beyond to have very disciplined officers and I expect you to continue maintaining that discipline," Lungu told the new army boss shortly after he swore him in. "Remind the men and women in uniforms that discipline is about respecting the hierarchy of power. "I dont expect anybody to abuse that power of responsibility, Lungu said during the ceremony broadcast on state radio. Mihova was appointed head of the army in 2011 by the late president Michael Sata. His deputy, Major-General Jackson Miti, was only recently appointed to the second most powerful position in the army. President Lungu has been accused of cracking down on dissent since winning a contested election in 2016. A ring of antiquities thieves were caught red-handed while illegally digging for ancient coins at the Hukuk archaeological site in northern Israel, aided by a metal detector. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The trio were caught by archaeologists from the Antiquities Authority (IAA) Theft Prevention Unit, alongside Jewish National Fund and Border Police representatives. They had been under surveillance from the moment they arrived on the site. The officials caught two of the thieves, both in their 40s from the Druze village of Sajur, some were caught at the site while the third escaped. The IAA said that the two had ancient coins in their pockets, and that several pits were dug into the sites surface, damaging archaeological strata permanently. The three robbers were under surveillance from the minute they arrived on the site, and two were apprehended at the scene while the third fled. Both of the detained men are in their 40s and residents of the Druze village of Sajur, some 15km (10 miles) from Hukuk. The IAA said that the two had ancient coins in their pockets, and that several pits had been dug into the sites surface, permanently damaging the archaeological strata. Suspects searching for ancient coins in Hukuk (Photo: IAAs Theft Prevention Unit) The suspects were taken to Tiberias police station for further questioning. The Hukuk archeological site, near the Sea of Galilee, is recognized being the site of the biblical city of Hukuk, mentioned in the Talmud as a place were Jewish sages used to study during the first centuries of the Common Era. Archeologists have been studying the site since the 19th century, and since 2011 it has been excavated by archeologists from the University of North Carolina, assisted by the IAA and the Tel Aviv University. A 5th century synagogue has been found in Hukuk, in a building style found in the Galilee that was also uncovered in nearby Capernauma Byzantine village known from the New Testament as the place where Jesus and his disciples taught during the 1st century. Excavations at the Hukuk archeological site (Photo: IAAs Theft Prevention Unit) Nir Distfeld, an IAA inspector for the north, said that the Hukuk site is regularly inspected by the IAA, and that a quick response prevented the robbers from damaging the marvelous finds at this site. Antiquities thieves damage everybodys heritage. Taking these ancient coins out of their original context means we lose pieces of the historical puzzle for good. The IAA invests many resources in preventing theft and creating deterrence measures. Illegal excavations are punishable by up to five years in prison, Distfeld said. Antiquities theft is not uncommon in Israel, with its multitude of archeological sites. In October, two robbers damaged the biblical site of Dovrat in the Lower Galilee, and were caught by the Israel Antiquities Authority's Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Theft. Russia resettled 30 children of jailed and deceased Islamic State members from Iraq, on Sunday, in a minor breakthrough to the deadlock over what to do with the foreign families to IS militants. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a "conciliatory message" to US President Donald Trump amid stalled nuclear negotiations, South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported on Monday. Kim's "letter-like" message to Trump was delivered on Friday through an unspecified channel, the newspaper reported, citing an unnamed diplomatic source. The report did not include details about the message but said it related to US-North Korea talks, and was conciliatory in tone. WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump has ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Syria, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "I think we're in a pause situation," the South Carolina Republican said outside the White House after lunch with the president. Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Lindsey Graham and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: EPA) (Photo: EPA) Graham had been an outspoken critic of Trump's decision, which had drawn bipartisan criticism. The announcement also had shocked lawmakers and American allies, including Kurds who have fought alongside the U.S. against the Islamic State group and face an expected assault by Turkey. "I think we're slowing things down in a smart way," Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Critics had contended that the U.S. withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the president's plans with the American allies. An American soldier in Syria (Photo: AP) During his appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Graham previewed his arguments to Trump for reconsidering the Syria pullout. "I'm going to ask him to sit down with his generals and reconsider how to do this. Slow this down. Make sure that we get it right. Make sure ISIS never comes back. Don't turn Syria over to the Iranians. That's a nightmare for Israel," Graham said. "And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, who's going to help you in the future?" he said. "I want to fight the war in the enemy's backyard, not ours. That's why we need a forward-deployed force in Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan for a while to come." The New York Times claimed Sunday that the death of a Palestinian medic by Israeli army gunfire in Gaza in June was "possibly a war crime." The claim comes in a lengthy investigative article on the death of Rouzan al-Najjar, a 20-year-old paramedic who was killed by Israel Defense Forces fire during protests at the Gaza border fence during a summer of violent clashes. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The article calls the shooting reckless at best, and possibly a war crime, for which no one has yet been punished." According to the paper, the bullet that killed (al-Najjar) was fired by an Israeli sniper into a crowd that included white-coated medics in plain view. A detailed reconstruction, stitched together from hundreds of crowd-sourced videos and photographs, shows that neither the medics nor anyone around them posed any apparent threat of violence to Israeli personnel. The New York Times said that the IDF reported four cases of sniper fire during the day's clashes. The army said that all of the targets were men, and all four were hit in the lower limbs, but the paper said it was only able to locate three of the four. Rouzan al-Najjar (: ") X The article paints Najjar as a heroic figure, who was unfraid to put herself in danger to help others. "Nearly everyone who saw Ms. Najjar at the protests was struck by her readiness to place herself in harms way," the report says, "the first to those in trouble, the last to safety." The article intersperses a retelling of the events of that day with recollections from Najjar's family, friends and acquaintances. Recounting the moments of her shooting, the paper writes: "Ms. Najjar reaches for her back, then crumples... (She) is picked up by protesters she had treated just a few minutes ago. As they carry her off, blood pours from her chest." Rouzan al-Najjar After Najjars death, an initial IDF investigation found that a small number of shots were fired during the incident, but that troops didnt fire directly at the medic. The IDF believes that Najjar likely died as a result of a ricocheting bullet. The Times investigation also found that the bullet hit the ground in front of the medics, then fragmented, part of it ricocheting upward and piercing Ms. Najjars chest. The bullet, the paper says, came from a snipers post some 110 meters (120 yards) away from where Najjar was standing when she was hit. The head of the IDF International Media Branch, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, told the NYT that Najjar was not the target, and that none of the medical personnel are ever a target. The IDF has concluded that the young medic was shot by accident, but the Times found no record of an IDF soldier reporting a misfire during the incident. Najjar's funeral, the Gaza Strip (Photo: AP) A week after Najjars death, IDF Arabic spokesman posted a video on Facebook showing Najjar throwing tear gas, and said that Hamas was using her as a human shield. Palestinians sources said that the medic was shot while raising her arms up in the air. The IDF said in response to the article that that the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division is conducting its investigation regarding the death of Rouzan al-Najjar. The Military Advocate General will receive the investigation's findings once it is finished. Najjar treating a wounded man at the Gaza Strip border The New York Times says it used 1,000 photos and videos taken during the riots that day by journalists, medical personnel and protesters. According to the paper, their investigation included an examination of Najjars autopsy records, conversations with her family and friends, interviews with 30 key witnesses, Gazans at the scene and senior IDF officials, as well as crime scene investigators and ballistic experts. Their reporters also visited the site of the shooting and digitally recreated the incident using drone footage to create a 3D image of the scene. Videos from phones belonging to other Gaza paramedics were used to pinpoint their location at the scene during the shooting. Rouzan al-Najjar was 20 years old when she died, shot dead by an Israeli sniper on June 1 during one of the protests at the Gaza Strip border. The New York Times website showed an image of her, a paramedic clad in a white jacket, wearing a headscarf and standing in a field of blooming flowers, snapped shortly before her death. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter On Sunday, Najjars story made the lead on the worlds most important news website. Shes one of several hundred Palestinians killed during the last eight months, since the protests on the border started. But her story was the one that made headlines. Six researchers, headed by veteran journalist David Halbfinger, conducted the six-month long investigation. They went to Gaza and interviewed Najjars colleagues who were at the scene when her death took place. They collected 30 testimonies and more than 1,000 pictures and videos recreating an image of the scene by marking the location of medics and protesters, and the IDF soldiers across the border. They wanted to figure out whether the soldiers were in danger. Najjar's funeral, the Gaza Strip (Photo: AFP) The IDF issued a statement 10 days after the events of June 1, saying that Najjar had been shot accidently. The New York Times investigation looks at the smallest of details, raising questions about the IDF handling of the situation, as well as the nature of the rules of engagement along the Gaza border. If Najjar was shot and killed without operational justification, as the Times shows, how many of the hundreds who were killed on the border during the last eight months were also shot without posing a real threat? As an Israeli journalist I can only envy the thorough work of Halbfinger and his colleagues. Having the time and resources for such investigative work should not be taken for granted. While the Gaza Strip remains closed to Israeli journalistson the orders of the Israeli security forces the foreign media is free to enter. Us Israeli journalists have to rely on announcements from the IDF Spokesperson, and have no way of properly cross-referencing information. That isnt journalism at its best, even though some of us have sources across the border and can ask for comments, or verify some details. Najjars death was lost in the mass of events at the Gaza border this summer. Israeli fields were burning after incendiary balloons set them on fire, and Fridays became a lethal scene of confrontation at the security fence. We Israelis were naive to think the world was no longer interested in the Middle East or what happens on the Gaza border. Last night, for nearly two hours, the worlds most influential and important news site took a break from Donald Trump and the festive season and laid Israeli actions out across its site for all to see. And it wasn't a pretty picture. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's next term in office will be his last, but says she and her newly announced New Right party will still seek to join his next coalition government. Shaked was speaking for the first time since forming the party alongside Education Minister Naftali Bennett, following their split from Jewish Home. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The heads of the coalition parties announced last week that the country would hold early elections in April 2019, citing an inability to pass key legislation on drafting ultra-Orthodox men into the army. Critics charge, however, that the prime minister is going to the polls before his indictments in multiple corruption investigations drive away the voters. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked speaking at Calcalist conference (Photo: Yair Sagi) "The prime minister isnt young anymore and there are investigations hanging over his head," Shaked told the audience at a conference held by Ynet's sister publication Calcalist. "I keep saying that I very much hope all of his cases will be dropped soon and everything will get back to normal. She said that even if Netanyahu were indicted after the elections, he could still remain at the helm of the next coalition government. If, God forbid, the attorney general decides to indict the prime minister, then well sit down, assess the situation and decide what to do next. The law states the prime minister can remain in his post until a verdict is handed down. In other words, the attorney general cant single-handedly topple the government, she said. The outgoing justice minister also repeated the assertion that the new party aims to unite the secular and the religious factions of the right-wing camp. On Saturday, Shaked and Bennett announced they will establish their new party ahead of the general elections due to take place in April. However, the move is believed to be a political ploy to gain leverage during coalition negotiations, with Jewish Home and the New Right forming a joint bloc immediately after the elections. He (Bennett) is religious and I am secular, and ever since we first entered politics, our aim has been to unite the religious and the secular. Its happening in every other sphere, so theres no reason it wouldnt happen in politics, Shaked added. The justice minister said she is realistic about the number of seats the New Right might win in the upcoming elections. Ayelet Shaked and Naftali Bennett (Photo: EPA) "Were not aiming for 20 Knesset seats but we aspire for double digits, Shaked said. "Benjamin Netanyahu will be the next prime minister and we certainly strive to become his governments key partners. It's also no secret that I want to keep the justice portfolio but the finance portfolio has also always interested me, she said. Shaked rejected claims that she and Bennett decided to form a new political party due the financial woes Jewish Home is currently experiencing. "We inherited a party that had a debt of NIS 34 million (approx. $9 million) and we managed to reduce the debt significantly. I hope that whoever follows in our footsteps, will continue this trend," she said. Israel saw an astronomical rise in the number of projectiles fired at its southern communities in 2018, with a staggering 28 times more attacks launched from the Gaza Strip than in 2017. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter According to the summary of the year released Monday by the Israel Defense Forces, there has however been a reduction in terrorist attacks and subsequently in the number of Israeli fatalities, along with intensified military activity in the Gaza Strip. Palestinians clash with IDF troops in Ramallah (Photo: AFP) According to the IDF, 16 Israelis were killed in attacks in 2018 nine civilians and seven members of the security forces. This is a fall from previous years, with 20 Israelis killed such attacks in 2017, 17 in 2016 and 28 in 2015. Even so, 199 Israelis were wounded in attacks in 2018, as opposed to 169 in 2017. The military said that the number of attacks in the West Bank also decreased in 2018, with 87 attacks being carried out this year, in comparison to 97 in 2017, 169 in 2016 and 219 in 2015. Data: Courtesy of the IDF The data also shows a dramatic reduction in the number of incidents in which Palestinians hurled stones in the West Bank. In 2018, 2,057 stone-throwing incidents took place, less than half than the number of similar incidents in 2017, which stood at 5,082. A slight increase was registered in the number of incidents in which Molotov cocktails were thrown in the West Bank893 incidents as opposed to 848 in 2017. Data: Courtesy of the IDF As part of the IDF's activity in the territories to counter violence, 3,173 Palestinian suspects were arrested in 2018, down from the 3,627 Palestinians detained in 2017. In addition, 406 weapons were seized in 2018 in the West Bank, while 475 firearms were confiscated last year. Furthermore, during 2018, the security forces confiscated more than NIS 2 million, which it says was earmarked for terror activity. Data: Courtesy of the IDF In ther Gaza Strip, the relative calm that prevailed since the end of the 2014 war was shattered by the "March of Return" campaign that was launched on March 1, 2018, against a backdrop of humanitarian distress in the coastal enclave. Some 1,000 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel, with about 250 of them intercepted by the Iron Dome system, while 45 landed in built-up areas. Last week alone, 35 projectiles were launched at Israel from the Strip. Israeli Air Force fighter jet The report also says that the IDF carried out some 865 strikes on Gaza in 2018, and destroyed 15 terror tunnels, including a tunnel used by Nukhba, Hamas' elite naval commandos, which was secretly dug under the sea. Ther IDF also constructed a 27km subterranean barrier to counter the tunnels from Gaza, while five attack tunnels built by Hezbollah were located and neutralized on the Israel-Lebanon border as part of Operation Northern Shield launched on December 4. Data: Courtesy of the IDF On the Syrian front, the Israeli Air Force carried out some 2,000 sorties by combat jets, more than 600 sorties involving combat helicopters, and more than 2,300 sorties using transport, intelligence, and observation aircraft, as well as Super Hercules transport jets. In 2018, the Air Force UAV array logged 32,166 flight hours and trained with some 15 foreign air forces. The Israeli Air Force's longest flight in 2018 was to Alaska for training purposes. In addition, the Israeli Navy's submarines logged 6,238 training and operational activity hours. Meanwhile, the navy's missile boats logged 12,541 sailing hours. As part of the navy's routine security measures, 75,254 sailing hours were recorded along Gaza's shorelines, Lebanon and the Red Sea. France's Toulon seaport was the navy's farthest training location in 2018. Israeli Navy missile boat Four division exercises, nine division headquarters drills and 60 brigade and brigade headquarters exercises took place during the course of 2018, according to the data on ground force activity. The army also created 301 company commandersm, while the IDF armored vehicles in regular service units were 90 percent ready for action. The State Comptroller and IDF Ombudsman's reports indicate that the preparedness levels for armored vehicles in the reserve units was substantially lower than in the regular service units, although the IDF did not release this data. Meanwhile, 674 children were born to enlisted soldiers, which makes one percent of all enlisted IDF soldiers parents, while 12 percent of troops are combat soldiers. In addition, data shows a reduction in the number of IDF soldiers who were imprisoned in 2018 compared with 2017. A total of 13,580 troops spent time in prison this year, as opposed to 15,687 troops in 2017. Hundreds of people have bid a final farewell to renowned Israeli author Amos Oz at a memorial service in Tel Aviv. Oz, a leading figure in Israel's now-struggling peace movement, passed away on Friday at the age of 79, after a battle with cancer. Oz was revered by Israel's dovish left wing as an eloquent and outspoken advocate of peace with the Palestinians. President Reuven Rivlin, as well as leading left-wing politicians, stage actors and other cultural figures attended Monday's service. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent a message expressing condolences. Saudi educators have started preparations to introduce the study of philosophy in the kingdoms schools. Working in conjunction with British experts, they have started training 200 instructors who will teach high-school students a subject that was previously banned from the curriculum for decades. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Saudi Education Minister Ahmad al-Issa announced the initiative earlier this month at an international conference held in the ultra-conservative Sunni-Muslim nation. Participants at a Riyadh conference dedicated to enhancing Saudi youth learning and leadership walk in front of a portrait of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman last November. (Photo: Getty Images) High school curricula will be reformulated and the new developments will be announced soon. They will include critical thinking as this is an attempt to include philosophical principles in high school. This is in addition to courses on the principles of law that will be launched soon, Issa said during the event. The move is being billed as part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans 2030 Vision, an ambitious reform package that aims to decrease the countrys dependence on oil revenues through upgrades to its economy and public service sectors such as education, health, infrastructure and tourism. Some observers have lauded the inclusion of philosophy in Saudi Arabias classrooms, an addition they contend compliments bin Salmans educational retool that is heavily focused on digital education and STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Others, however, are skeptical about what exactly philosophy or critical thinking entails. One concern is that philosophical thinking will be taught in ways that reinforce prevailing religious doctrines. Dhari Salman, a Kuwaiti educator, said that the kingdom has taken a big leap forward by introducing philosophy. But the Saudis would be mistaken to ignore the big elephant in the room that is the religious perspective of the subject, he said. It has been common among conservative elders to view philosophy as the devils tool instead of a free-thinking process. Students, Salman said, should be taught two crucial elements of philosophy: namely logic and critical thinking. They need to learn to establish the truth of statements relying on reason. Criticism is a tool that has helped the greatest minds think outside of the box. Most of them had the right skills and teaching to do so, and schools should pave the way for students in this regard. The problem, however, is that theology is the primary concern in the everyday life of Saudi citizens from the moment they are born. And if they encounter criticisms of Islamic views of politics and society in class there are likely to be heated disputes. Starting in the 1960s, Sheikh Abdel-Aziz bin Baz and other highly revered Saudi religious scholars issued several fatwas (Islamic rulings) prohibiting the teaching of philosophy in schools. They viewed the subject as heretical and evila threat to the pillars of society. Edward Flood, an American educator who lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for over 30 years, said that the kingdoms philosophical systemif you want to call it thatis based on the Koran and teachings of Wahhabi Islam. The system is not one that encourages free or critical thought. Instead it inculcates obedience to a set of rules that are well-known and well-enforced by, at one time, the religious police, which has now been made almost powerless by MbS (bin Salman) but still exerts a strong social force as far as behavior is concerned. I have read that courses, Flood elaborated, will be given to instructors, but who will teach them and, most importantly, who will select the educators? Someone or some group will have a great deal of power when it comes to molding Saudi minds. And speaking as a hard-core cynic, I have known of many such ideas which were welcomed with great fanfare, but then came to naught for all sorts of reasons. Flood concluded that if the philosophy is taught in a way that a Westerner might imagine, it has the potential to transform both Saudi education and society. But it will inevitably lead to questioning the government and the way things are done in the kingdom, a dangerous proposition for the royal family. Fatima al-Matar, a law professor at Kuwait University, also conveyed doubts over teaching philosophy in the Muslim world, in general, and Saudi Arabia in particular. In a region where the Koran is considered absolute truth, the ultimate law, and the only guide to a righteous way of life, what significance can philosophy have?, she said. Living in Kuwait, a country with a social, political and educational system very similar to that of Saudi Arabia, I was offended when I read in my 12-year-old daughters Islam textbook that a Muslim does not have the freedom to read whatever he or she wants. Indeed, when it comes to Westernized thinking, culture or customs, al-Matar noted, Arab Muslims are often fearful of these new ideas which can lead to a loss of their identities. This discourages them from looking beyond what they already believe. And if philosophy is anything, it isin my opinionthe courage to go beyond what one already knows. An Israeli court sentenced a Palestinian to 18 years imprisonment on Monday for stabbing to death a British woman in Jerusalem last year, under a plea bargain acknowledging he is mentally ill. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Jamil Tamimi, 59, killed 21-year-old exchange student Hannah Bladon on a tram as she was going to the church where she volunteered, the court heard. He targeted her at random when she came within his reach after offering her seat to an older woman, stabbing her at least seven times. Jamil Tamimi, who was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for Hannah Baldon's murder (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) "This was not a terrorist incident ... This was a terrible murder carried out by a mentally ill person," the prosecutor said, explaining why a life prison sentence had not been sought, according to a court transcript. Tamimi's lawyer said the defendant attacked Bladon in a rage at his sons insistence that he stay in a mental institution rather than with them. "This drove him to stab a person to death so that he would be shot dead," the lawyer said. In the April 14, 2017 incident, Tamimi was overpowered and arrested. Hannah Bladon, stabbed to death on the Jerusalem light rail in April 2017 Dozens of Palestinians who carried out similar attacks, many of them as a political act against Israel, have been shot by security forces or armed civilians. Bladon's relatives said the sentence was too lenient. "For the family, it makes no difference whether this was a terror attack or just another crazed murderer," the family's representative, Israeli lawyer Maurice Hirsch, told Reuters. "They are outraged by the leniency of the sentence. They expected that Hannah's murderer would spent the rest of his life behind bars." The court transcript quoted Tamimi as saying after sentencing: "I'm sorry. I wish I could take her (Bladon's) place. I did not mean to murder her. I don't know how it happened." Iraqi warplanes hit a meeting of Islamic State leaders near Deir al-Zor in Syria on Monday, destroying the building they were gathered in, the military said in a statement, without giving further details about the militants targeted. The statement said F-16 fighter jets carried out the raid around al-Sousa village in eastern Syria, as "30 leaders from Daesh (Islamic State) gangs" met in the building. Iran has denounced plans by Brazil's newly elected president to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said Monday that such a move "will not help with peace, stability, security and retrieval of the Palestinian people's rights." He added, however, that "relations with Brazil will eventually be continued." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Brazil, said Sunday it is only a matter of time until Brazil moves its embassy to Jerusalem. Incoming President Jair Bolsonaro said last month that he intends to move the embassy, prompting threats by Arab states to boycott Brazilian goods. Jerusalem's fate is one of the most divisive issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Nearly all countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, and the U.S. decision to move its embassy sparked protests. The Knesset plenum on Monday passed legislation to impose fines on anyone who pays for prostitution. The bill will also be accompanied by a rehabilitation plan for sex workers that will be approved soon by the government. The goal is to combine a significant reduction in users of prostitution with comprehensive rehabiliation treatment for those who have fallen into prostitution. The legislation was proposed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and MK Shuli Mualem of the recently launched New Right party, and MK Aliza Lavie (Yesh Atid). Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The law makes it a criminal offence to engage the use of sex workers or be in a location used for prostitution in order to take advantage of sex work. According to the law, anyone found in a location used mainly for prostitution (such as a brothel) will be considered as intending to engage in prostitution. The bill was drafted using the recommendations of the Interministerial Committee to Examine Tools for Reducing the Status of Prostitution, headed by the Justice Ministry director-general, which were submitted to Shaked at the beginning of 2018. Israel is the 10th country in the world to ban prostitution. According to the new law, the criminal offense will primarily be considered an administrative offense carrying a fine of NIS 2,000. A recurring offense within three years will lead to a fine of NIS 4,000. However, in relevant cases the prosecution may file an indictment for a criminal offense, which has a maximum penalty of NIS 75,300. The justice minister can advocate an alternative to paying the fine, such as attending a workshop in order to raise awareness of the harm caused those trapped in a cycle of rostitution and to educate on the subject in order to prevent a repeat offense. Lavie, who heads the subcommittee on the fight against prostitution and trafficking in women, said: "This is an extraordinarily driven period that will lead to dramatic change. An emotional moment, that will help define the State of Israel as a society, as who we are and what our values are. Israel joins a list of countries who have made it clear that prostitution is an unacceptable norm, with disastrous consequences. The law rights a wrong that has been going on for too many years, and will help reduce the demand for prostitution that is the driving force behind this industry, through rehabilitation and reintegration into society of women and girls trapped in prostitution." U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw American troops gradually from Syria, a senior Israeli official said Monday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The unnamed official told reporters accompanying Netanyahu on his current trip to Brazil that the prime minister had been briefed on the withdrawal of US troops from Syria and had spoken with Trump. Netanyahu is in Brazil for Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro's inauguration. "The prime minister thinks that the US withdrawal from Syria presents an opportunity," the official said. "So far, the Iranian presence on the ground (in Syria) has not changed since the American decision." An American soldier in Syria (Photo: AP) Trump said during a surprise Christmas Day visit to Iraq that he was confident that the American withdrawal from Syria would not endanger Israel. "I told Bibi, you know we give Israel $4.5 billion a year. And they are doing very well at defending themselves," Trump said. "We are going to take great care of Israel. Israel is going to be good. We give Israel 4.5 billion a year. And we give frankly a lot more than that if you look at the books. Theyve been doing a good job, he said. Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: GPO) Netanyahu will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday, during Bolsonaro's inauguration. On Sunday, following his return to Israel, the prime minister will meet with American National Security Advisor John Bolton, who will visit Jerusalem and Ankara to discuss U.S. policies on the Middle East. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Sunday that Trump had ordered a slowdown to the withdrawal from Syria, saying that "we're slowing things down in a smart way." Trump announced earlier this month that he was ordering the withdrawal of all the roughly 2,000 troops from war-torn Syria, with aides expecting it to take place swiftly. The president had declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, though pockets of fighting remain. Critics say that there are up to 30,000 IS fighters still in Syria, and while they have been routinely defeated and driven out of their strongholds, an American withdrawal could facilitate a resurgence. Critics also contended that the U.S. withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Hundreds of people gathered Monday to bid a final farewell to renowned Israeli author Amos Oz at a memorial service in Tel Aviv. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Oz, a leading figure in Israel's peace movement, passed away on Friday at the age of 79, after a battle with cancer. His death elicited an outpouring of emotion from across the political spectrum for the man considered to be one of Israel's greatest writers. Amos Oz, 1939-2018 Amos Oz' funeral service (Photo: Moti Kimchi) Oz was revered by Israel's dovish left wing as an eloquent and outspoken advocate of peace with the Palestinians. Oz with Palestinian olive farmers in 2002 (Photo: AFP) President Reuven Rivlin, as well as leading left-wing politicians, stage actors and other cultural figures attended Monday's service. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent a message expressing condolences. Earlier, a ceremony was held at the Tzavta Theatre in Tel Aviv, where Rivlin, a staunch right-winger and former Likud lawmaker, was the first to eulogize the celebrated author. I still do not know what to say. Two days have passed and I still do not whether to talk about who Amos was to me or of the Amos of us all. He told of the appreciation and love he felt towards Oz, who was a childhood friend. President Reuven Rivlin (Photo: Moti Kimchi) One day, while reading A Tale of Love and Darkness (Ozs 2002 memoir) in the Knesset, (late Meretz MK) Yossi Sarid looked over my shoulder and said: I see that you are reading the Jewish Dostoyevsky. I responded: I am not reading Dostoyevsky, I am reading myself. I see myself in the text When Amos writes about love and darkness he is writing about me; because I too am Amos, like each and every one of your readers. President Rivlin and the Oz family (Photo: Moti Kimchi) Rivlin also praised Oz for his fearlessness in expressing his political views, despite them being in the minority. You were not afraid that they would call you a traitor, you saw it as a badge of honor. Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg, former Meretz MK Zehava Galon and actress Gila Almagor (Photo: Moti Kimchi) Ozs grandsons Din and Nadav also eulogized their grandfather at the ceremony: You were viewed by many as a seeker of peace, but for us you were full of warmth, humor and delight; you exuded an air of calm. You always knew how to tell an interesting story in order to teach a lesson and you knew how to crack the tension with an old joke. Amos Oz' grandsons Din and Nadav (Photo: Moti Kimchi) The two also referenced the antagonism Oz elicited, telling how he would check every morning to see if his tires were ruptured. They reminded the audience of the negative eulogies, the hate posted on the internet and how he was called a mole and a traitor. During one of our final talks, you looked into my eyes and with tears you said that you are leaving us a world a lot less good than you had hoped, they said. Dear beloved and smart grandfather, your legacy the fight against extremism, racism and violence we will carry on. Your voice will continue resonating amongst your loved ones, your readers and your haters Together we will create a better world. Author A.B. Yehoshua (Photo: Yuval Plotkin) Amos felt a deep involvement in the fate of Israel and believed that he had a personal mission and commitment to defend it, said his friend Prof. Mark Glazerman. He was a compass and conscience to many. He was uncompromising in all matters relating to human rights and the pursuit of peace and justice. Amos, without you the world will be colder and poorer." Former Labor prime minister Ehud Barak (Photo: Moti Kimchi) At the end of his speech, Glazerman played a recorded message that Oz had left him on his answering machine last week. The last to speak was Oz' oldest daughter Fania. My father passed away on Friday, saints die on Shabbat. I understood that writers have to die on Friday. Because the notice went out just before Shabbat and all throughout the weekend, in Israel and around the world, thousands of people read about Dad and read Dads books. Fania Oz-Salzberger (Photo: Moti Kimchi) Father said that all of ethics and the Ten Commandments can be condensed into one axiom do not cause pain. That is all. And if that isnt possible, then try to cause as little pain as possible. He tried to not cause pain his whole life and at times did not succeed. But so many people spoke about how father helped them, provided a patient listening ear and lent a hand. He charmed the darkness to produce love and from amongst the love, he lived his life entangled with love of this land and country. Former IDF chief Benny Gantz (Photo: Moti Kimchi) Fania spoke about her fathers hope and yearning for peace and social justice, his desire to see the Hebrew language flourish and for Jewish and Arab culture to grow together. Dad left us words, they will not die. Thank you, Dad, she said. Photo: Yuval Plotkin (Photo: Yuval Plotkin) Oz wrote dozens of books, including a well-received 2002 memoir, and won numerous literary prizes in a half-century career. Amos Oz was buried late on Monday at Kibbutz Hulda, the communal farm in central Israel where he lived for many years. IDF forces arrested two suspects during a search for illegal weapons in Yata, near Hebron. The troops confiscated an M-16 and ammunition. President Donald Trump's national security adviser will be traveling to Israel and Turkey in early January to discuss what the White House says is the "deliberate and coordinated" withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria. National security adviser John Bolton also will be discussing increased cooperation with the Turkish military and other partners. Bolton's spokesman, Garrett Marquis, said in a statement Monday that Bolton will be joined in Turkey with Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and James Jeffrey, the secretary of state's special representative for Syria engagement. On Sunday, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Trump had initiated a "pause" on his surprise decision to withdraw all roughly 2,000 American troops in Syria. Trump has faced bipartisan criticism since announcing the drawdown two weeks ago. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he would not resign from office should the attorney general accept police recommendations to indict him before his side of the case is heard. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Netanyahu last week announced a snap election would be held in April, seeking a fresh political mandate that could help him weather possible charges in corruption investigations. Netanyahu; Mandelblit (Photo: Amit Shabi) The Israeli leader is enmeshed in three graft cases and denies any wrongdoing. Should Israels attorney-general decide to press charges against Netanyahu, he would announce the indictment pending a hearing, after which charges could be filed in court. Asked at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro whether he would bow out of the election race should that happen, Netanyahu said: "I don't intend to resign." "According to the law, the prime minister does not have to resign during the hearing process ... The hearing doesn't end until my side is heard," he said. "Imagine what would happen if a prime minister is ousted before the hearing is finished, and then after the hearing they decide to close the case. It's absurd. It's a terrible blow to democracy." The indictment decision had been expected within weeks, but some analysts say the attorney general could opt to delay the move out of concern he might influence the outcome of the election. The Justice Ministry has promised to continue its work "independent of political events". Opinion polls show Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party easily winning the April 9 vote, which was originally scheduled for November. Netanyahu held the news conference during a trip to Brazil for the inauguration of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday. He is the first Israeli prime minister to visit Brazil. President Donald Trump complained on Monday that he's getting "bad press" for his decision to pull American troops out of Syria, saying he's making good on his campaign promise against U.S. involvement in "never ending wars." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Earlier this month, Trump abruptly announced on Twitter that he was withdrawing 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria. He said Islamic State militants are "mostly gone" and he's "slowly" sending American servicemen and women back to their families. A drawdown of troops in Afghanistan also appeared to be in the works. Trump speaking to troops in Iraq (Photo: AP) "I am the only person in America who could say that, 'I'm bringing our great troops back home, with victory,' and get BAD press," Trump tweeted Monday. "It is Fake News and Pundits who have FAILED for years that are doing the complaining. If I stayed in Endless Wars forever, they would still be unhappy!" Critics not only warn of a resurgence of IS, but worry that the American exit is a betrayal of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria and leaves them vulnerable to an attack from Turkish forces. 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. Other critics feared an abrupt withdrawal. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a Trump backer and leading voice on national security and foreign affairs on Capitol Hill, had lunch with the president on Sunday and emerged from the White House saying that Trump was slowing down the withdrawal from Syria. "I think we're in a pause situation," Graham said. It was unclear if he meant that the troop withdrawal was actually being paused, or if Graham was echoing Trump's promise for a "strong, deliberate and orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria." "I think we're slowing things down in a smart way," Graham said, adding that Trump was very aware of the plight of the Kurds. Trump on Monday reiterated that he was slowly withdrawing troops. "If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero. ISIS is mostly gone, we're slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants," Trump tweeted. "I campaigned on getting out of Syria and other places. Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do!" His latest tweet seemed aimed at rebutting comments by Stanley McChrystal, a retired U.S. Army four-star general who commanded the Joint Special Operations Command in the mid-2000s and formerly commanded U.S. and coalition forces 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 Sunday on ABC's "This Week." Critics also had contended that the U.S. withdrawal would embolden Iran and Russia, which have supported the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. National security adviser John Bolton was expected to travel to Israel and Turkey next weekend to discuss the president's plans with the American allies. On CNN's "State of the Union," Graham said Sunday that he doesn't want the president to turn Syria over to Iran. "That's a nightmare for Israel," he said. "And, at the end of the day, if we leave the Kurds and abandon them and they get slaughtered, who's going to help" the U.S. in the future? "I want to fight the war in the enemy's backyard, not ours. That's why we need a forward-deployed force in Iraq and Syria and Afghanistan for a while to come." TEHRAN - Iran has denounced plans by Brazil's newly elected president elect Jair Bolsonaro to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said Monday that such a move "will not help with peace, stability, security and retrieval of the Palestinian people's rights." He added, however, that "relations with Brazil will eventually be continued." Netanyahu with Jair Bolsonaro (Photo: Avi OhayonGPO) Such a move by Bolsonaro would be a sharp shift in Brazilian foreign policy, which has traditionally backed a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 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 earlier in December. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Brazil, said Sunday it is only a matter of time until Brazil moves its embassy to Jerusalem. Incoming President Jair Bolsonaro said last month that he intends to move the embassy, prompting threats by Arab states to boycott Brazilian goods. Netanyahu, who met with Bolsonaro on Friday, said that the Brazilian accepted his invitation to visit Israel, a trip that is likely to take place in March. Netanyahu is the first Israeli prime minister to visit Brazil. SNOW FALLS last week on a bittersweet farewell to the Ojibway Correctional Facility, which closed on Dec. 1. The welcome sign at the Wakefield Visitors and Information Center reads "RIP OJIBWAY!" while small, white, handwritten signs read "RIP Ojibway - you'll be missed" and "Thank you!!" One of the messages includes a simple drawing of a sad face. Editor's note: In the past several days, the Daily Globe has been counting down the top five stories of 2018. The fifth and final story today is about the Dec. 1 closing of the Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco. Number 2 was the Feb. 21 downtown Ironwood fire. Number 3 was the Ironwood Township embezzlement case. Number 4 centered on events surrounding the murder of Wayne Valliere, Jr. in the Mercer, Wis., area a year ago. Number 5 addressed the recently passed three-year ambulance millage in Gogebic County. By P.J. GLISSON [email protected] MARENISCO - At the start of last... Islamabad Testing Service ITS Jobs 2019 for Managers Latest Islamabad Testing Service ITS Management Posts Karachi 2021 Islamabad Testing Service ITS Karachi, Pakistan are required candidates for the posts of Admin Officer, Marketing Manager, Project Manager, Office Assistant, Chief Supervisor, Office Boy, Security Guard, Receptionist. Skills Required Management How to Apply on Islamabad Testing Service ITS 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. 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. The founder and leader of the Glorious Word Ministry International, Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, has reportedly ended his marriage with his latest wife, Abena Animah. It is not known what might have caused the reported breakup but according to a Ghanaian UK-based vlogger, Yaa Tiwah, the marriage ended on Saturday, December 22. In a post on Facebook, Yaa Tiwah promised to conduct investigations into the matter to unravel the reason behind the collapse. Reverend Owusu Bempah and Abena Animah at their marriage ceremony Source: Original READ ALSO: Nigerians mock Shatta Wale for looking like a cockerel in photo from his concert BREAKING NEWS OUR NATION PROPHET 4TH MARRIAGE IS GONE ON THE 22/12/2018 MORE INVESTIGATION IS ON GOING. WHERE ARE THE SMALL SMALL PASTORS OF HIS MASSA COME AND REMOVE MOUTHS, she posted. It is not known yet if Yaa Tiwah's claim of a collapse is really true but its worthy to note that the said marriage is only about nine months old. READ ALSO: Fool - Yvonne Nelson 'insults' John Dumelo over maid side-chicks It will be recalled that their marriage in March 2018 sparked some controversy after a video from the ceremony purporting to have caught Animah drinking 'akpeteshie' just before she went to exchange vows leaked online. In the 14 seconds video, Animah was heard asking another lady to pour her a drink after the lady had already had her own share. The said lady, whose identity is not yet known but believed to be a close friend of the wife, brought out a cup and poured some drink purported to be 'akpeteshie' and asked the 'Osofo Maame' if one shot will be okay for her. However, the wife of the preacher retorted no add some more to the amazement of other women who were helping her dress up for her wedding. READ ALSO: Moesha Bodoung goes to Stonebwoy's Bhim Concert half-naked (Video) Another woman who was in the room was heard as she expressed shock at Abena Animah. Eeeiii Osofo Maame! (which means Pastors wife), the lady screamed. But in the heat of the social media controversy, Owusu Bempah came out to defend his wife saying she had never taken alcohol before. My wife doesnt drink alcohol; in fact, she hates it and has never tasted it before. I decided not to pay attention to this false report because its unnecessary. On that fateful day, my wife neither drank nor ate anything alcoholic," the popular pastor said in a radio interview. READ ALSO: Jordan Ayew drops rare photo of his beautiful wife & 2 adorable kids in beautiful famiy portrait Ghana News Today: Samini Rocks Fans at Saminifest| #Yencomgh: READ ALSO: Wendy Shay mistakenly shows her 'tonga' during wild performance on stage (Photo) Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook/Instagram page and we could feature your story. Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place Source: Yen.com.gh Jinnah Sindh Medical University JSMU Karachi Jobs 2019 Latest Jinnah Sindh Medical University Medical Posts Karachi 2021 Jinnah Sindh Medical University Karachi, Pakistan seeks candidates are requires candidates for the posts of Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Professor, Instructor, Director Admin, Controller of Examination, Director Administration, Director ORIC, Director Research, Director PDC, Deputy Director Audit, Technologist, PDC Technician. How to Apply on Jinnah Sindh Medical University Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. Join Pakistan Navy as Sailor S Batch A-2019 Latest Pakistan Navy Security Posts Karachi 2021 Technical, responsible and young personnel for the positions of Technician, Medical Technician, Naib Khateeb required for Pakistan Navy in all over the country. How to Apply on Pakistan Navy 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. Sialkot International Airport SIAL Jobs 2019 for Managers Latest Sialkot International Airport Ltd Airlines Posts Sialkot 2021 Sialkot International Airport Limited, Pakistan are requires candidates for the posts of Project Director, General Manager, Manager Internal Audit, Manager Procurement, Deputy Manager Passenger, Deputy Manager Baggage Services, Assistant Manager Medical Services, Ramp Officer, Baggage Officer, Horticulture Officer, Facilitation Officer. Skills Required Management How to Apply on Sialkot International Airport Ltd Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If an employer asks to pay money for any purpose, do not pay at all and report us at contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs may not be applied online here. Human typing error is possible. Error & omissions excepted. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form By Lee Min-young Actress Han Ga-in is expecting her second child, her agency said Monday. She is expected to give birth in May. She is said to be in good health and focusing on prenatal care. In a speech after winning a prize at the 2018 MBC Drama Awards on Sunday, her husband, actor Yeon Jung-hoon, disclosed that the couple is expecting an addition. "I hope we will have a healthy baby, which would make our family happy," he said. Han gave birth to her first child in 2016 after being married for 11 years. The couple married in April 2005 after in the KBS TV drama "Yellow Handkerchief" in 2003. Aging population poses biggest risk to economy By Park Hyong-ki Korea faces many challenges in 2019 and beyond. The problems that will weigh on its growth range from an aging population and labor inflexibility to inequality and weak consumption in part due to low employment and investment. The outlook for the global economy driven by the U.S., Europe and China does not look so rosy. And this is expected to slow exports the only thing that helped the country reach its potential in 2018. The dim forecast hovers over Asia's fourth largest economy, beset by a string of misguided policies supporting rapid hikes in the minimum wage. Now, the question is: Can Korea find the silver lining in the face of slower growth amid loss of confidence? What should the new economic team headed by Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki do? In email interviews with three global economists on Dec. 18, a day after the government announced measures to revive private investment, they said Korea's foremost focus should be on innovation. The three are: Rajiv Biswas at IHS Markit in Singapore, Katrina Ell at Moody's Analytics in Sydney, Australia, and Alicia Garcia-Herrero at Natixis in Hong Kong. It is on the right track in trying to encourage the development of startup ecosystems to create new industries, they said. Even though it will not be able to fundamentally change the "characteristics of its market overnight," the country can no longer afford to push back reforms in various areas including services and labor. IHS Markit economist Rajiv Biswas said, "The government needs to boost innovation by encouraging tech startups." "An important strategy will be to boost the ecosystem for tech startups, which can significantly create skilled jobs in sectors such as smart cities, cyber-security and robotics," Biswas said. With state subsidies backing the development, it can "improve business sentiment and conditions," which can spill over to the labor market, Ell said. But to make the innovation and ecosystem work, the economists say the government not only has to efficiently allocate its budget, but also it needs to pursue social reforms. In other words, Ell and Garcia-Herrero said it will need a cultural change as well to develop a market with the "characteristics of more open-source risk taking." This will be the ultimate challenge here. Moody's Analytics economist Katrina Ell said, "Innovation to lift the productive capacity of the economy amid a declining working age population is important." "A cultural change will be harder to achieve. Academia, from elementary schools to universities, has a big role to play in instilling the entrepreneurial mindset in the young and encouraging new generations to explore entrepreneurship as a career path," Garcia-Herrero said. Ell said it would be difficult for a lot of people to change and take risks given the prevalent downside risks stemming from global uncertainties over the U.S. and China's unresolved trade conflict. The government will, therefore, have to share the cost of fostering entrepreneurship in this society and market. "It's a difficult time to increase risk taking when there's so much uncertainty around the critical trade relationship between the U.S. and China. The government is effectively taking on some of the risks, rather than it being fully absorbed by business owners," she said. gettyimagesbank Business, academic ties To gain momentum in innovation, the economists suggested the government, businesses and academia need to overhaul, improve and boost their ties. The renewed and upgraded relationship can help prepare and train both the young and the old more in line with the new digital age. This would create jobs and reduce inequality, they said. "A key strategy to improve employment growth will be to create long-term partnerships between the private industry, educational institutions and the government, in order to reduce the workforce mismatch and help people develop the technical skills required by future companies," Biswas said. Other ways to tackle the widening gap between conglomerates and small companies, and the rich and poor include providing subsidies for healthcare and college tuition. "The dilemma, of course, is funding these programs without increasing the tax burden," Garcia-Herrero said "Eliminating the underground economy and trimming tax deductions for high-income earners could partly offset the expected rise in public pension spending and help the middle class." Biggest risk Korea's aging population poses the biggest and most threatening risk to the economy, they said. Natixis economist Alicia Garcia-Herrero said, "Academia in Korea has a big role to play in instilling the entrepreneurial mindset." The Industrial Bank of Korea's head office in central Seoul / Yonhap By Jhoo Dong-chan The state-run Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) has gained approval for the acquisition of two banks in Indonesia, taking a step forward in expanding its business in Southeast Asia. The lender said Monday the Indonesian Financial Services Authority approved IBK's takeover of Agris and Mitraniaga Bank. In November 2017, IBK signed a conditional agreement with Agris Bank to acquire a certain amount of stakes in the Indonesian bank. It only took about a year to complete the takeover, and the state lender managed to acquire another bank at the same time. "IBK is the first foreign bank to receive approval from Indonesia's financial authorities for acquiring two local banks at the same time," IBK said in a press release. "We believe the banks will create synergy in attracting more customers and expanding our business network in the region. IBK will continue expanding its global networks to help domestic firms' entry into emerging markets." IBK added it will immediately launch a merger process between the two Indonesian banks to establish IBK Indonesia by the end of the first half of this year. Both banks have headquarters in the capital city of Jakarta and are listed to the local bourse. Agris Bank has 23 business networks in Indonesia while Mitraniaga has 13. Industrial Bank of Korea CEO Kim Do-jin By Lee Kyung-min NongHyup Bank Chief Executive Lee Dae-hoon vowed to continue efforts to post 1 trillion won ($895 billion) in net profit in 2019, a priority to maintain competitiveness in the financial industry amid fierce competition, the bank said Monday. The goal was discussed at a 2019 strategy meeting attended by over 90 executives at the bank headquarters in Seoul, Dec. 29. "NongHyup Bank will post over 1 trillion won in annual profit through stable management. Respective departments will leap forward to play a key role in helping agricultural households earn 50 million won in annual income," Lee said at the meeting. Under what it dubbed "sustainable growth one plus management," the executives discusses ways to establish a sustainable business model whereby the firm's long term goal will be attained by a stable source of revenue, coupled with a continued risk management and customer-oriented services. Another key objective in pursuit is digitalization, a key initiative among domestic and global financial services firms that require tighter integration among various sectors especially in the IT tech sector and the traditional financial services. In early December, the bank initiated around-the-clock operation of Robotics Process Automation (RPA), an automated program that manages household lending, corporate lending and credit card transactions. The launch of the program is part of a digital transformation, whereby workers are spared the time and effort needed to carry out menial yet necessary tasks, in turn allowing them to focus more on high-value creative work. A digital taskforce had been set up to maintain effective work distribution between 40 robots carrying out such repetitive work including a computerized program designed to ensure fast and accurate work free from human error. The approval of each review will undergo a final check with relevant department officials. Distinguished by active interaction and engagement between human resources and the digital resources, the program will further boost customer satisfaction by offering improved real-time services, the bank added. Meanwhile, outside experts were invited to the session and shared ways to improve leadership through direct, honest and to-the-point communication to boost workers' productivity. They were also encouraged to share ways to maintain individual self-motivation which will help translate into a group-wide synergy to strengthen capabilities as an organization. Lee will retain the post as the bank head in 2019 following the approval of its holding company NongHyup Financial Group, Dec 17. /By Lee Kyung-min The Cabinet approved a revision bill whereby workers are eligible to receive an eight-hour wage every weekend for 40 hours of work that week. The eight hours have become legally recognized working hours together with weekday working hours, which will be used to determine whether businesses are paying workers in accordance with the state-set minimum hourly wage requirement. The minimum wage for 2019 is 8,350 won ($7.40), up 10.9 percent from 7,530 won in 2018, which was also a 16.4 percent increase from 6,470 won a year earlier. Operators of businesses will be punished if the monthly payment divided by hours worked that month is less than 8,350 won. More hours recognized as work provides grounds for the workers to demand higher wages, an enormous burden on employers, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They decried the government, saying the newly recognized eight hours are only pushing them toward bankruptcy. "According a recent survey, about 30 percent of SMEs have been unable to pay workers due to the state-set minimum wage that increased rapidly to the point where we are forced out of our jobs," Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise head Choi Seung-jae said. "Given the situation, the newly recognized eight hours of paid work will only turn us into criminals. The government is continuing to railroad the issue which is life-and-death for us." They say this year's minimum wage will increase by 33 percent from 2018, given the "double whammy" of the minimum wage hike and the eight-hour paid rest. The group said it will file a petition with the Constitutional Court seeking to nullify the move. Self-employeed and small business owners protest against the revised calculation for the minimum wage in front of the Government Complex in Sejong, Friday. Yonhap High school graduates become finance executives By Park Hyong-ki Jin Ok-dong, new Shinhan Bank CEO The recent appointment of Jin Ok-dong as the chief executive of Shinhan Bank is putting the spotlight on executives in the industry who managed to climb the corporate ladder with only a high school degree in the beginning. Some of them, including Jin and Shinhan Bank Chief Digital Officer Seo Choon-seok, graduated from the country's Duksoo High School. Established in 1910, Duksoo has been renowned for teaching its students practical and commercial skills in business, finance and engineering through rigorous training to prepare them for the real world right after graduation. Those who went to such commercial high schools were bright, but did not have the money to pay for regular high schools or college tuition. Most took jobs such as bank tellers, welders, electrical appliance developers or customs agents, and studied part-time for bachelor's degrees as they worked and rose through the ranks. gettyimagesbank Jin is one of them who took that step toward higher positions that required a college degree. He is a Duksoo graduate who started at Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) in 1981, then moved to Shinhan Bank in 1986. He studied business part-time at Korea National Open University, which also focuses its curriculum on teaching practical skills but balanced with theory. He also earned his master's in business from Chung-Ang University while working for Shinhan Bank. Afterwards, Jin became head of Shinhan Bank's Osaka branch in Japan, and was the vice president of Shinhan Financial Group before his appointment to CEO. He is said to have earned "high respect" from Shinhan's Korean-Japanese shareholders. Like Jin, former Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Ra Eung-chan and even former Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon started their jobs at banks only with a high school degree. KB Financial Group Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo gettyimagesbank By Park Hyong-ki Woori Financial Group Chairman and Woori Bank CEO Sohn Tae-seung speaks at a shareholders' meeting at the bank's headquarters in Seoul, Dec. 28. / Courtesy of Woori Bank Woori to turn into holding company on Jan. 11 By Lee Kyung-min Woori Financial Group Chairman Sohn Tae-seung said Friday that he would push for mergers and acquisitions (M&As) to compete with other financial groups. His remarks came after Woori Bank shareholders approved a plan to turn the lender into a financial holding company, Friday. The decision came four years after it had been disbanded in November 2014. "It took four years for Woori Bank, whose status changed to a bank from a holding company due to the previous government's push toward privatization, to obtain approval from the government to return to the earlier state," Sohn, who doubles as Woori Bank CEO, said at the shareholders' meeting. "Upon returning to a holding company, the business portfolio that had largely prioritized banks will be diversified to create new financial services. This will serve as a great opportunity for us to leap forward, maximizing the corporate potential through M&As." Under the approval, Woori will turn into a holding company on Jan. 11. The bank's current stocks will be delisted upon listing of the holding company on the Korea Exchange (KRX), Feb. 13. The approval came over a month after the Financial Services Commission (FSC) gave a green light to Woori Bank's governance proposal to transform itself into a holding company, Nov. 7, about four months after it submitted the proposal in July. The holding company is expected to restructure the group organization to reorient the current business portfolio by increasing capital held by non-bank subsidiaries. Up to six subsidiaries will be created to handle asset management, securities, insurance and real estate investment trust (REIT), a more sophisticated type of financial service. The success of the plan will be determined by a revised business portfolio that must be designed to ensure stable operation, a task that requires a clear vision, tight and thorough management as well as apt corporate streamlining by 2020. Then he will no longer be able to hold both positions, meaning his management control in the firm may decline. Meanwhile, following the approval, Korea will have five holding companies again, with competition expected to become much fiercer to secure the top. In September, KB Financial Group with 477.7 trillion won ($427 million) remains at the top for the second consecutive year followed by Shinhan Financial Group with 457.7 trillion won. In June, Hana Financial Group had 373 trillion won, while NongHyup Financial Group had 404 trillion won. Woori Financial Group had 376.3 trillion won in September. The holding company will become fully privatized if Korea Deposit Insurance Corp. (KDIC) sells off the bank's 18 percent stake. Financial group appoints Hur to head digitization By Park Hyong-ki Hur Yin The keywords for KB Financial Group in 2019 will be digital, agile and young, following KB Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo's group reorganization and appointments of younger new chief executives for key subsidiaries, according to the holding company, Friday. Among the change that has been highlighted is giving double duty for Hur Yin as KB Kookmin Bank CEO and the head of the group's innovation unit that will oversee all KB companies' digital transformation. Hur is expected to work closely with KB Financial Chief Digital Officer Han Dong-whan, who is also the senior managing director of KB Kookmin Bank's digital business. With this announcement of the newly created unit, the bank also said it has sealed a deal to extend its contract with boy band BTS, which will appear in KB's New Year ad that will be all about the digital transformation. "The unit will oversee all aspects of the transformation to prepare for a period where the wall between finance and nonfinance will be gone forever," said a KB spokesperson. KB Chief Financial Officer Kim Ki-hwan will continue to be the group's numbers guy. He has been promoted to vice president of the group. KB CFO Kim Ki-hwan The COEX Aquarium shows off a variety of marine creatures, including sharks. / Courtesy of COEX Aquarium By Kang Seung-woo When Yang Su-yong, a career-long specialist in the hospitality sector, took the helm of COEX Aquarium in June last year, his new industry was a "red ocean," where hard-fought competitions were unavoidable to lure more people from the nation's aging population. COEX Aquarium CEO Yang Su-yong By Kang Seung-woo Grand Ambassador Seoul honored for customer-focused management The Grand Ambassador Seoul Associated with Pullman has successfully retained its Consumer Centered Management (CCM) certificate from the Fair Trade Commission (FTC). The certification is the system assessing whether all activities of a company are based on consumer-centered principles and continuously improving its management. The certificate is given twice a year. In 2016, the Grand Ambassador Seoul became the nation's first hotel to obtain the certificate. To truly listen to customers, the Grand Ambassador Seoul has launched the "voice of customer" campaign, while running a customer relations management system. Westin Chosun to broadcast orchestra concert The Westin Chosun Seoul will broadcast the New Year's concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra on Jan. 1. Guests can enjoy the performance by the symphony orchestras at 7:15 p.m., after having dinner at the property's on-site restaurants. Plus, the hotel invites Cha Jin-yeob, a modern choreographer, to help guests understand and enjoy the concert to the fullest. Le Meridien Seoul wins luxury hotel award The Le Meridien Seoul has been named the Best Luxury Hotel by Ctrip, Asia's leading online travel agency. The award ceremony was held during the Chinese company's inaugural travel industry conference on Dec. 11 in Shanghai. The Le Meridien said the achievement means the property has gained recognition from Chinese customers. It is Korea's lone luxury European-style art hotel. "I am glad to receive the prize, which can be translated into that our hotel is on Chinese customers' radar," an official of the hotel said, vowing to come up with more content to meet the needs of high-end Chinese tourists. North Korean workers take a rest at a railroad construction site in Vladivostok, Russia. / Korea Times file By Yi Whan-woo More North Korean workers in Vladivostok, Russia face the risk of being deported, as Russia observes the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions aimed at cutting off the flow of foreign currency to the North. The sanctions ban any country from authorizing new visas for North Koreans working overseas, and prevent the Kim Jong-un regime from pocketing their wages to develop nuclear weapons. It also calls for the repatriation of workers by the end of 2019. Under such circumstances, the number of North Korean workers has declined sharply, according to sources familiar with the matter. "We used to have a large number of North Korean workers but you don't see many these days," a source told Radio Free Asia (RFA) in December. Citing his Russian friend at a construction site, the second source said it takes longer to finish construction projects nowadays because North Korean laborers, many of them hired as construction workers, have been leaving. "There is an international passenger terminal, and ships have come to pick up North Korean workers a number of times," the source said. The Russian government has even launched crackdowns on North Koreans, some of them working in the country illegally on travel visas. "If they get caught they will be deported," a third source said. A North Korean worker, identified only by his surnname Park, said he came to Russia on a travel visa and had to bribe Russian authorities with over 100,000 rubles ($1,500) to overlook him. According to Park, he is forced to turn in part of his wages to the regime as North Koreans staying on working visas do. "I have to offer part of the money I earn to my country. I have to pay 15,000 every Saturday," he said, adding he works about 18 hours a day. "I'm usually there from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. or midnight. Sometimes I'll work until 3 a.m. the next morning," he said. The Sino-Korean Friendship Bridge connecting Dandong in China and Sinuiju in North Korea, has been a key route for bilateral trade. / Korea Times file By Yi Whan-woo China will be using "state-of-the-art" scanners to better crack down on smuggling along its border with North Korea, according to sources familiar with the matter. The sources said the new scanners will replace x-ray scanners that have failed to detect contraband hidden in boxes or between legally imported goods. They did not elaborate on further details concerning the new scanner. "New modern cargo inspection equipment is being installed at the entrance to customs here," a source from the Chinese border city of Dandong recently told Radio Free Asia (RFA). "They're going to use it to inspect cargo trucks from North Korea ... It's going to be difficult for anything illegal to slip through the cracks." The tighter border control comes as the United States and the United Nations step up sanctions aimed at strangling North Korea's economy and halting its nuclear program. A second source said customs officers at Dandong in the 2000s would only check documents for details of a shipment and did not even use x-ray scans on trucks. "Until the early 2010s, customs declarations were just a mere formality. They only stopped the trucks that were overloaded," the source said. "Dandong started being more thorough in their inspection in April last year when the U.S. imposed tougher sanctions." The Chinese customs authorities were especially concerned about finding metals, chemicals and other items that could be used to make weapons. They often had arguments with North Korean traders when they inspected the contents of boxes, even after x-ray scans. This led to a delay in transporting goods, and the new scanners are expected to "shorten the time of inspection," according to the sources. Meanwhile, key North Korean exports ore, minerals and seafood, all banned by the United Nations are smuggled regularly across the border and still find their way to Chinese markets. "Everything we have here is from North Korea. We have no Chinese seafood," a merchant at a seafood market in Dandong told RFA. They said the seafood is smuggled by ship-to-ship transfers in the Yellow Sea, with Chinese business partners paying for the seafood in Chinese currency or rice. A different source said Chinese dump trucks bring large quantities of iron ore in from North Korea but the smuggling is hard to detect. The source said North Korean trucks stand ready in Dandong to bring refined oil into the North, which is restricted under U.N. sanctions. Under the restrictions, Pyongyang is limited to importing 4 million barrels of crude oil and 500,000 barrels of products a year. This captured image shows a pastor delivering a sermon during a Christmas service at Bongsu Church, one of a handful churches in North Korea. / Yonhap By Yi Whan-woo North Korea has shown photos and footage of its people joining Christmas church services, in a rare move seen as an effort to speed up inter-Korean reconciliation. The photos released on Dec. 27 by "Ryomyong," a website aimed at reconciliation, showed people praying and celebrating Christmas at Bongsu Church, one of the North's two Protestant churches, and at Changchung Cathedral, a nominal cathedral of the Roman Catholic bishop. "We pray a star of peace guides every step so that the reconciliatory mood formed on the Korean Peninsula is not disrupted by followers of Satan," said a ranking official at the Korean Christian Federation, Pyongyang's Protestant body. A pastor, also a federation member, mentioned the three 2018 summits in April, May and September between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and underscored the "Korean people's task to secure such a precious outcome." Another pastor called on all believers to "join hands with each other and take responsibility as the faithful" to implement declarations jointly announced by the two leaders April and September. Sources familiar with the matter speculated that Pyongyang is trying to normalize its regime amid efforts to open doors to the outside world for economic development. In its November 2018 report, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom listed North Korea as a country of particular concern. It assessed the regime's approach to religion and belief among "the most hostile and repressive in the world." "Freedom of religion or belief does not exist in North Korea," it said. "The regime exerts absolute influence over the handful of state-controlled houses of worship permitted to exist, creating a facade of religious life in North Korea. In practice, the North Korean regime treats religion as a threat, particularly faiths associated with the West, such as Christianity, and is known to arrest, torture, imprison and even execute religious believers." The commission referred to accounts of North Korean defectors and their advocate groups call for the North to "increasingly reveal the regime's abuses and reinforce the international community's entreaties for accountability." The U.S. has designated North Korea a country of particular concern since 2001. The North has denied international accusations of human rights abuses. The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution condemning North Korea's human rights record on Dec. 17. It marks the 14th consecutive year it has passed the document. The resolution expressed deep concern "at the grave human rights situation, the pervasive culture of impunity and the lack of accountability for human rights violations in North Korea." A North Korean state media outlet downplayed the deadlock in its negotiating process with the United States as a "temporary phenomenon" that typically happens at times of great changes. The North's main newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, made the assessment in an editorial reviewing 2018, saying there has been a "dramatic change" in the country's strategic position in the international community. Referring to the North's historic first-ever summit with the U.S. and three inter-Korean summits, the newspaper said that a new trend has taken shape on the Korean Peninsula and in the region toward peace and reducing tensions. "Of course, it is true that difficulties have been created in our way forward ... But this is nothing but a temporary phenomenon that happens at a time when old things die out and new things emerge," the editorial said. The editorial was apparently referring to the denuclearization negotiations with the U.S. that have been stalled over the North's demand for sanctions relief and the U.S. insistence on keeping sanctions until the North takes further denuclearization measures. The newspaper also said that 2018 is a meaningful year as leader Kim Jong-un made a "significant political decision" to mobilize all resources toward developing the economy in order to break through international sanctions. "Self-sufficiency" is the only way for the country to move forward, it said. The newspaper also highlighted the country's fight against corruption as a major achievement of the year. (Yonhap) South Korean Foreign Minister Lee Dong-won, third from right, and his Japanese counterpart Shiina Etsusaburo, right, participate in a signing ceremony of the Korea-Japan Basic Relations Treaty in Japan's Prime Minister's office on June 22, 1965. / Korea Times file By Park Ji-won South Korean and Japanese experts urged the two countries' governments and firms to form a joint foundation that could resolve legal disputes over the compensation of South Korean citizens who were victims of forced labor during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation. Diplomatic tensions between the two countries are escalating surrounding the matter with no signs of improvement. South Korea's Supreme Court in October ordered Japanese companies to compensate South Korean forced labor victims, stating their right to reparations was not terminated by a 1965 Korea-Japan treaty that normalized diplomatic ties. The court ordered Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. to pay 100 million won ($87,680) each to four South Koreans plaintiffs for their wartime forced labor. The court also made a similar decision in November, ordering another Japanese company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, to pay 80 million won each to 28 South Koreans. The South Korean government said it respects the decision made by the judiciary. Tokyo immediately reacted to the decision saying it is "regrettable" and "unacceptable" urging Seoul to take steps to uphold the 1965 treaty that resumed diplomatic relations. Japan said it had already paid compensation based on the 1965 treaty by providing economic aid worth $500 million. The treaty says the two countries hope to resolve compensation issues between citizens of the two countries. The money was spent on rebuilding South Korea's infrastructure and economy after it was ravaged by the 1950-53 Korean War. Some experts worry that it might be difficult to settle the dispute under Japan's present administration run by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. They believe it will take some time to resolve the issues due to differences in interpretation of the historical relationship between the two countries. "The younger generation, grandsons and granddaughters of the participants of World War II, are rising in importance in Japanese society. When you meet them, they have a different sense of responsibility or burden when talking about history," Shin Beom-chul, a senior fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, told The Korea Times, implying that Japan's younger generations feel less responsibility over what the country did in the past during its occupation of Korea. Several experts, professors, civic activists and researchers claimed the formation of a two-plus-two foundation would be a good preliminary move to ease diplomatic tensions surrounding historical issues. Former South Korean Ambassador to Japan Shin Gak-soo insisted on a three-way foundation consisting of the South Korean government, the firms that used the Japanese fund in the past as well as related Japanese firms required to compensate victims, citing Germany's Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future. "The desirable way to resolve the issue is that three parties, for example, the South Korean and Japanese governments and South Korean firms, build a fund to compensate victims," Shin was quoted as saying by Newsis, a local news agency. "If Japan voluntarily participates in the fund, it is hard to say the Korea-Japan treaty was violated. But Japan should politically decide to do so as Japan is now preventing Japanese firms from compensating victims." Yang Kee-ho, a professor of Japanese studies at SungKongHoe University, claimed in local newspaper Kukmin Ilbo that South Korean and Japanese firms and governments can form a foundation to financially support forced labor victims. Later, the two countries can form a joint committee in which the governments and representatives of the public sectors all participate so they can carry out fact-finding missions, support victims and conduct studies. Kim Min-chul, a researcher at the Center for Historical Truth and Justice, one of the key supporting organizations of the plaintiffs, also claimed the South Korean government should push for the formation of a two-plus-two foundation during an international seminar, which was co-hosted by the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation in December, the themes of which were victims of massacres, atomic bombings and forced mobilization. He said a two-plus-two foundation could overcome the limitations of the present foundation and lay the political groundwork for Japan's possible participation. However, some experts expressed worries that the South Korean government's unilateral move could backfire on the country. "If the South can ask Japan to compensate victims, then Japan can do the same. Tokyo also can launch a suit to ask for compensation on their properties in South Korea," said a source who wished to remain anonymous. Another source familiar with the matter also urged the South Korean government to have an established principle that remains consistent regardless of regime change before asking for something from Japan, so Tokyo and the international community can trust the South Korean government. Starting April 2019, speed limits on Seoul arterial thoroughfares are reduced from 60 kilometers an hour to 50. The banner, posted by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, reads the speed limit on a Jongro Road section between Sejong-daero and Dongdaemun is lowered to 50 kilometers an hour. Korea Times file By Ko Dong-hwan The Korean government's regulatory changes in 2019 include those deeply involving people's daily lives from the minimum wage to traffic bylaws, airport luggage and automobile refund policies. The Korea Times has selected 10 things to look out for in the New Year. 1. Minimum wage The new hourly minimum wage starting January 2019 is 8,350 won ($7.50), up 820 won from the previous year. The figure has drawn a division in opinions from lawmakers and analysts, some of whom demanded the Ministry of Employment and Labor to revise the figure. The ministry vetoed such a move. 2. Plastic bags banned Supermarkets from medium- to mega-size are banned from providing customers with plastic bags. The change affects about 2,000 large food-marts and 11,000 smaller retailers. Infringement will bring a fine up to 3 million won, encouraging consumers to use personal shopping bags or paper bags. 3. Seoul speed limit lowered The speed limit in Seoul's central core region marked by the city's "Four Great Gates" heritage is reduced from 60 kilometers an hour to 50 along arterial thoroughfares and 30 on side streets. The safety measure takes effect in April, with warning signs until March. National police's grip on driving under alcoholic influence will be tighter, as the minimum blood alcohol level will be lowered from 0.05 to 0.03 percent in June 2019. GETTYIMAGEBANK 4. DUI under harsher control The minimum blood alcohol level will be lowered from 0.05 to 0.03 percent, starting June 25. The revised traffic law is the eponymous "Yoon Chang-ho Law," named after a 22-year-old Korean Augmentation Troops to the United States Army soldier killed by a drunk driver in Busan in September while on leave for the Chuseok holiday. 5. English version driver's license Those who wish can have their driver's licenses printed in English on the back to be used overseas where a Korean driver's license is valid. The National Police Commission passed the regulation in June this year, and will take effect within the first half of 2019. 6. Elderly drivers on tighter watch Starting Jan. 1, drivers aged 75 or older must renew their license every three years instead of five. The measure requires elderly drivers to take tests to see if they are fit to keep driving. 7. Children drop-off sign mandatory It will be mandatory for school buses and other vehicles dropping off children after educational classes to have a properly-operating system that informs drivers whether all children have got off the bus. The revised traffic law, to take effect in April, is to make sure that no child is left in an empty bus. Lotte Duty Free shop at Terminal 1 of the Incheon International Airport. The airport will introduce duty-free shops at the arrivals hall starting June to improve passengers' shopping experience at the venue. Korea Times file President Moon Jae-in wrapped up this year with his approval rate hitting a record low amid an economic slowdown and the presidential office's alleged surveillance of civilians, a poll showed Monday. Moon's support came to 45.9 percent last week, down 1.2 percentage points from the previous week, according to the poll conducted by Realmeter of 2,011 people across the country. The decline apparently stemmed from a pile of negative news that includes the revelation by a former investigator that he collected information on civilians while working at the presidential office, the pollster said. Moon's approval rate reached 71.6 percent in the first week of January and peaked at 77.4 percent right after his first summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on April 27. Since then, the support rate declined to 53.1 percent in the second week of September on sluggish economic data, but shot up to 65.3 percent two weeks later, aided by the inter-Korean summit in September in Pyongyang. But since October, the rate has been on the decline, hitting the 40-percent mark for the first time in the fourth week of November amid the slumping economy. The support rating for the ruling Democratic Party declined 1.2 percentage points on-week to 36.8 percent last week. The rating for the main opposition Liberty Korea Party rose 0.3 percentage point to 25.7 percent. The poll had a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points and a 95 percent confidence level. (Yonhap) Im Jong-seok, Cheong Wa Dae chief of staff, takes a sip of water during a parliamentary questioning on the presidential office's alleged illegal spying on civilians for political purposes at the National Assembly, Monday. Im denied the claim. Yonhap President Moon Jae-in's chief of staff said Monday that the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae has not surveilled civilians for political purposes, shrugging off a former investigator's spying claim. Controversy has flared up after Kim Tae-woo, a former special investigator at the presidential office, made the revelation that he had collected information, including info about civilians and former bureaucrats who should not be subject to Cheong Wa Dae surveillance. Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok and Cho Kuk, Moon's top secretary for civil affairs, rejected his claim at a meeting of the parliamentary steering committee. It marked the first time since 2006 that a presidential secretary for civil affairs spoke at the parliamentary panel that oversees the operation of the presidential office. "There has been no surveillance (of civilians) for political purposes under the Moon Jae-in administration," Im told lawmakers. "I feel unlimited responsibility. I will take responsibility for this as the chief of staff at any time," he said, apologizing to the public. Kim is under investigation on suspicions that he leaked to local media outlets classified information that he had collected while working as a special inspector between July last year and November this year. Cho Kuk, Moon's top secretary for civil affairs, also shrugged off the claim. Yonhap South Korea said Monday that the revised free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States is set to take effect this week, a move that could improve commerce and investment, and further deepen bilateral relations. The two sides are scheduled to exchange a written notification Tuesday that they have completed domestic procedures for the implementation of an updated arrangement, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said. The move comes after Seoul and Washington carried out negotiations on how to revise their original free trade deal, which went into effect in 2012. The U.S. mainly focused on tackling its deficit in the auto sector. "The role of the South Korea-U.S. FTA will be to further strengthen the basic framework of the already strong relations," the ministry said. Under the revised accord, the U.S. will hold onto the 25 percent tariff on Korean-made pickup trucks for another 20 years to 2041. It also obliges Seoul to double the 25,000-vehicle unit threshold for U.S. car imports that do not have to comply with domestic industry regulations, which would enable 50,000 vehicles to enter South Korea more easily. Seoul will also apply eased vehicle emission standards for cars shipped from 2021-25 when setting new import regulations. U.S. manufacturers have complained that the environmental regulations act as a non-tariff barrier for their cars. The ministry has said the new agreement on the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) clause, and anti-dumping and countervailing duty proceedings would help improve transparency in dispute settlement processes. While investors could sue countries through international arbitration bodies for alleged discriminatory practices under the present ISDS provision, the two sides added clauses to prevent potential abuse of the arbitration system by multinational companies and to better safeguard the right of the public. (Yonhap) By Lee Min-hyung Army Brigadier General Kim Yong-sam Seen above is video footage released by Japan's Ministry of Defense on Friday. / Screen capture from YouTube By Lee Min-hyung The ongoing diplomatic tension between Seoul and Tokyo is showing no signs of abating, with Japan reiterating its firm determination not to disclose critical data that holds the key to resolving the recent conflict between a South Korean warship and Japanese patrol airplane. Seoul wants Japan to reveal data on the frequency of the radar waves to back up the latter's repeated claim that the Korean destroyer directed its fire-control radar at the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force's P-1 patrol aircraft. But Japan declined to do so, citing concerns over a leak of confidential military information. With a lack of such critical information, Japan released video footage on Friday which the country claims is proof to show that the Korean warship locked fire-control radar on the Japanese aircraft on Dec. 20. The footage showed the Japanese patrol plane was flying only about 150 meters above the South Korean vessel, which Seoul viewed an "irregular act of provocation." The South has claimed the vessel did not pose any security threat to the Japanese plane, so it is unjustifiable for the plane to fly at such a low altitude. Japan's argument stands in total contrast to that of South Korea. South Korea said the vessel was carrying out a humanitarian mission in the East Sea to rescue a North Korean fishing boat adrift there. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said the footage is not objective enough to prove Japan's claim. Both countries are still in talks to narrow their differences over the diplomatic disagreement. "The South Korean military has urged Japan to provide specific evidence to support such a claim, and it is regrettable that Japan is seeking to cover up the fact by revealing this footage," a military official said. Without taking South Korea's demand to disclose the frequency data into consideration, Japan also posted the footage online, adding English subtitles to the original video. Since the conflict arose, Seoul and Tokyo have had two rounds of talks last week to resolve the controversy. But with the two making contradictory claims over the incident, their diplomatic tension is expected to continue for the time being. "South Korea has expressed its views, but there are some factual mistakes," Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said in a press conference last week. No progress has since been made over the dispute. South Korea's defense ministry said it would continue engaging in talks with its Japanese counterpart to get the facts straight. In this April 27, 2018, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, poses with President Moon Jae-in for a photo inside the Peace House at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), South Korea. AP-Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul President Moon Jae-in finished off his second year with his lowest approval rating yet. The fall is due to continuing economic hardship, growing concerns over the pace of reconciliation with North Korea and allegations of organized plots by Cheong Wa Dae to illegally monitor private civilians. The approval rating of the President retreated by 1.2 percentage points to 45.9 percent last week, according to a poll conducted by Realmeter of 2,011 people across the country. The results were released on Monday. The polling results followed after a tumultuous year in which the President has tried hard to encourage a rapid reconciliation with North Korea, paying less attention to economic-related issues that have served to exacerbate divisions in the country. The local pollster said the steady decline was mostly due to allegations that Cheong Wa Dae was operating special teams to "illegally collect" information on ranking government officials and high-profile executives at private companies. Moon's office flatly denied the allegations by saying Kim Tae-woo, a former investigator who initially brought the issue to light, used the allegations to cover up his personal wrongdoings. Moon's popularity briefly hovered near 80 percent in May this year powered by his landmark summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In this April 27, 2018, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, left, and President Moon Jae-in cross the border line at the border village of Panmunjom in Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). AP-Yonhap The President's secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk answers a lawmaker's question during a National Assembly steering committee meeting held Tuesday. / Yonhap By Kim Bo-eun Senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk denied allegations that Cheong Wa Dae spied on political opponents in an interpellation session at the National Assembly, Tuesday. The denial came amid growing political offensives by conservative parties over the claims raised by Kim Tae-woo, a prosecution investigator who was part of a team under Cho's supervision. Cho said Kim raised the illegal surveillance claims after being found to have been involved in corruption allegations in Cheong Wa Dae's internal probe, but opposition parties are taking advantage of him for political reasons. The prosecution is expected to indict Kim on corruption charges soon. "The point in this case is that Kim is raising groundless allegations against Cheong Wa Dae, for which he worked, after his irregularities were found in his work. He is under a corruption investigation, no more no less," Cho said. Kim has claimed he received orders from Cheong Wa Dae to spy on private citizens. His claims came as he faced disciplinary measures for seeking to influence a police investigation involving his acquaintance. Presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok, who was questioned together with Cho, said the office of civil affairs is in charge of checking whether individuals are fit to serve as high-level government officials and oversee officials to prevent corruption. "So reports about how senior-level officials of the government and affiliated institutions are doing is the duty of the office of civil affairs," he said. Cho said Kim referred to his duties as surveillance activities after it became certain he would face disciplinary measures, as a means to make it a political issue of bringing down the Moon Jae-in administration. He denied allegations that his office drew up a blacklist of opponents of the President. "We have strictly banned the surveillance of political opponents, from the beginning (of the administration)," he said. Regarding the matter Moon on the same day said at a luncheon with leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) that it was inappropriate for lawmakers to call Cho to the Assembly for questioning. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party filed a complaint with the prosecution against Cho for alleged power abuse. "As a defendant, I thought it was inappropriate that the secretary of civil affairs attended the Assembly's meeting," he said, referring to it as "the opposition party's offensive." In this file photo taken on June 11, U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he meets with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un at the start of their summit at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore. AFP=Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul Since late last year, President Moon Jae-in has tried hard to pitch his ambitious "sanctions-easing" agenda to break the impasse in talks aimed at denuclearizing North Korea. The efforts brought mixed results. During his trip to European capitals in October, Moon attempted to win backing for the agenda from British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron, but his efforts fell flat as they didn't say anything positive about "sanctions exemptions" requested by South Korea. But various types of inter-Korean projects are underway after the United States granted sanctions exemptions for projects such as connecting roads and railways, which were cut after the 1950-53 Korean War. United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2397, which has been effective since December 2017, imposed import sanctions, banning items such as oil, machinery, electronic equipment, transportation equipment and base metals from export to North Korea. Washington said it was waiting to see "concrete and detailed" steps from North Korea to move forward with the stalled denuclearization negations, while Pyongyang said it won't "unilaterally drop" the regime's nuclear programs unless the regime's security guarantee and the lifting of economic sanctions are confirmed. Now, the big question is when and under what conditions can sanctions on North Korea be lifted? Are the U.S. imposing the Libyan model of "first denuclearize, then compensate" or is it willing to follow the "action-to-action" road that North Korea favors, lifting the sanctions step by step? Apparently, the United States is looking for "low-cost ways" to get progress on dismantling North Korean nuclear weapons because its decision to grant sanctions exemptions on some joint inter-Korean projects was designed to incentivize North Korea to take detailed steps for denuclearization, according to political experts in Seoul. "Sanctions on North Korea are related directly to the conditions of restoring inter-Korean economic cooperation. There is a possibility North Korea will push for step-by-step denuclearization according to the level of U.S. compensation, but it seems there is almost no possibility it will renounce the action-to-action principle. Alleviating or lifting sanctions is included in the compensation North Korea wants," said Lim Soo-ho, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS). The researcher said the reason Washington is insisting on strict conditions for easing sanctions is because the United States sees the change in North Korea's behavior as a "policy byproduct of maximum pressure." But it's unlikely the Trump administration will stick to the Libya model regarding the connection between denuclearization and compensation which would include measures to ease sanctions. The INSS researcher said considering the massive amount of funds to be put in development programs for North Korea, developing a "multilateral trust fund" between key concerned countries in the denuclearization talks including Japan and China will be one option to induce the North to come up with more detailed plans to drop its nuclear program. "Even if North Korea completely denuclearizes, sanctions against the non-market economy will remain. But the United States prohibits aid to non-market economies from international financial institutions. Therefore, creating the fund to use for development purposes in North Korea appears to be the most realistic solution," Lim said. In this file photo taken on Dec. 13, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the press at the State Department in Washington, D.C. U.S. officials hope a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could be scheduled for early this year. AFP=Yonhap 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. By Lee Min-hyung U.S. President Donald Trump Choi Hyu-soo, the ministry's spokeswoman, speaks to reporters at the ministry building in Seoul, Friday. Yonhap South Korea's defense ministry expressed "deep concerns and regrets" Friday over Japan's release of video footage related to an ongoing military radar spat, accusing Tokyo of releasing "misleading" facts. Japan released a 13-minute-long video clip showing the operation of its Maritime Self-Defense Force's P-1 patrol aircraft to back up its claim that a South Korean naval destroyer targeted the warplane with fire-control radar on Thursday last week. Seoul has rejected the claim, saying that its 3,200-ton Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer did not target the plane of the partner country and that it was on a humanitarian operation to trace a North Korean ship drifting into international waters of the East Sea. "We express deep concerns and regrets over Japan's release of the footage just a day after the two sides held a working-level video conference to explore ways to dispel mutual misunderstandings and develop cooperative ties in the defense area," Choi Hyu-soo, the ministry's spokeswoman, told reporters. "As we have stressed, the fact remains unchanged that the Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer was on a normal rescue mission and did not operate the targeting radar against Japanese's patrol aircraft," she added. Choi, moreover, said that the video footage cannot serve as "objective" evidence. "We once again express regrets that Japan has given misleading facts by showing the footage, which contains its unilateral claim, when it has to consult (with the South) based on international law and accurate understanding of weapons systems," she said. "Our side has so far responded with restraint ... Our position remains unchanged: that the cooperative ties between Seoul and Tokyo should develop in a forward-looking way," she added. The footage showed an operator of the aircraft communicating a message to the South Korean Navy about its alleged discovery of the destroyer's radar directed at his plane in a relatively calm voice that observers say did not reflect a sense of urgency. "This is the Japanese Navy ... We observed that your FC (fire control) antenna is directed at us," an operator said in a message sent to the Korean navy. "What is the purpose of your act, over?" he added without demanding that the Korean Navy stop what Tokyo has characterized as a "dangerous act." A South Korean military official noted that the plane was flying only about 150 meters above the destroyer and around 500 meters away from its side -- a flight that could be seen as posing a threat to a foreign Navy. "The reason why we did not lodge an immediate protest against a low-flying plane was that we were focusing on the rescue operation with the thought of it being a friendly aircraft," the official said on condition of anonymity. "The plane capable of carrying missiles and torpedoes can pose a threat even when it operates from a distance. But it was approaching the Navy ship," he added. Seoul officials also pointed out that Japan failed to offer a "smoking gun," namely its analysis of the radar frequency which can verify whether the radar Tokyo claims was used against it was a targeting system. While Japan's aircraft was approaching the destroyer, the antenna of its fire-control radar, STIR 180, appears to have turned toward the plane, as the Navy tried to identify the plane with an electro-optical targeting system attached to the radar. But the radar did not send out any beam to the plane, Seoul officials have said. The destroyer used MW-08 radar, typically mobilized for search missions, during its operation to help rescue the North Korean ship. Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya has portrayed the incident as a "dangerous act that could have invited an unforeseen turn of events," while calling on Seoul's military to prevent any such recurrence. Despite Seoul's denial, Tokyo has repeatedly raised the issue, sparking speculation that the Japanese government appears to be trying to divert attention from its waning public support. The latest spat added to tensions in the bilateral relationship long strained by historical and territorial disputes. The two countries have recently sparred over Seoul's top court rulings earlier this year about South Koreans forced into hard labor by Japanese firms during World War II. (Yonhap) The personal information of nearly 1,000 North Korean defectors in South Korea has been leaked as a computer at a state-run resettlement center was hacked, the unification ministry said Friday. The names, birth dates and addresses of 997 North Korean defectors were confirmed to have been leaked through a personal computer infected with a malicious code, according to the ministry. "Recognizing a possibility of one personal computer at the Hana Center in North Gyeongsang Province having been hacked, we carried out an on-site probe on Dec. 19 in cooperation with the provincial government and the center and confirmed the computer was infected with a malicious code," the ministry said. "In that computer, there was a file containing personal information of North Korean defectors. The file was confirmed to have been leaked," it added. Hana Centers are tasked with facilitating North Korean defectors' settlement in South Korea. There are 25 such centers across the country to provide support for the roughly 30,000 North Korean defectors who live in the country. Probes into computers at other centers were conducted but no additional hacking or data leaks have been confirmed, the ministry said. This is the first such large-scale information leak involving North Korean defectors, the ministry said. The affected defectors have been notified of the leak, the ministry said, adding that there have been no reports of damage. Investigation is underway to determine who was behind the cyber attack and where it came from. The ministry said that it will work with police to get to the bottom of the hack and do its best to prevent such an incident from happening again. The government is pushing to separate computers for data storage from those for Internet use at Hana centers in order to prevent such cyber attacks. The so-called network separation plan will be enforced starting next year, the ministry said. (Yonhap) By Jung Hae-myoung Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather in central Seoul on Dec. 31 to welcome the New Year with a bell-ringing ceremony at Bosingak, a large bell pavilion south of Jongno, the main thoroughfare of downtown. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Friday, 11 people who have contributed to society will be the bell strikers. They include Lee Cook-jong, a renowned surgeon who contributed to treating severely hurt patients by helping introduce an air ambulance system; skater Lee Sang-hwa; the widow of Kim Sung-do, who lived on Dokdo Islets for over 50 years and died earlier this year; and Kim Ye-won, a visually impaired woman who has worked to improve the rights of the disabled. Bus and train services will be extended to 2 a.m. to allow people to get home from the midnight ceremony. Seven "night owl bus" lines will also run as usual, but public transport for Gyeonggi Province and Incheon will end before midnight. Traffic will be banned in areas near Bosingak and buses passing these streets will be rerouted. For safety, police have asked people not to use fireworks. A guard post located on the South's side of the border county of Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, is being demolished on Nov. 15 as part of the fulfillment of the inter-Korean military agreement. / Joint Press Corps Seoul, Pyongyang will fine-tune differences on military exercises, NLL By Lee Min-hyung 2018 has been a year of peace on the Korean Peninsula, with Seoul and Pyongyang setting a basic framework for reducing inter-Korean tension. For 2019, the two Koreas will give concrete shape to the framework by discussing taking more detailed steps to further relax the lingering military tension on the peninsula. Officials say a inter-Korean joint military committee, set to be established in the very near future, will stand at the center to speed up the drive for inter-Korean reconciliation. The two Koreas have yet to decide when to launch the committee. But as both sides have reached a consensus on its establishment, the committee will start its operation sometime in the first half of the year. It will focus on putting into practice the two Koreas' agreed-upon tension-easing steps. The committee comes with symbolic significance, as this will mark the first time the two Koreas have launched such an organization after their botched attempt in 1992. South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said the committee will be headed by vice minister-level officials on each side. Both committee members also plan to hold regular meetings on a quarterly basis to remain consistent with their bilateral pledge for disarmament under the common goal of building a nuclear-free peninsula. Experts here say the top agenda for discussion will include continuous withdrawal of guard posts in the border area and suspension of joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington. "The inter-Korean joint military committee will discuss timelines for the withdrawal of all guard posts in the demilitarized zone (DMZ)," said Kim Sang-ki, director of the unification policy division at the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU). Seoul and Pyongyang already reached a consensus on the complete withdrawal of guard posts in the DMZ during the latest inter-Korean summit in September in Pyongyang. As part of a first step toward the move, both sides finished pulling out 11 guard posts on each side in the border region by the end of November. "Aside from the withdrawal of the posts, the two Koreas will also narrow their differences on the Seoul-Washington regular joint military exercises that take place in the South's territory each year," the expert said. The joint military drills have been a decade-long principal bone of contention between Seoul and Pyongyang. But the two Koreas are expected to clash while negotiating their differences on the military exercises. Washington is in a position to scale down or suspend the joint drills when Pyongyang takes concrete steps for denuclearization. North Korea, however, wants the South to put a complete end to the joint drills with the U.S. in consideration of its ongoing peace gestures. An F-22 Raptor fighter jet arrives at an air base in Gwangju after carrying out the Max Thunder Seoul-Washington joint air drill on May 16. / Yonhap 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." By Kim Hyun-bin Complaints and conflicts are piling up between the young and old as Korea is rapidly becoming an aging society, which leaves the young working class with a heavier economic burden to take care of elderly citizens. "The rapidly ageing population and low birthrate have put our society at risk, inevitably landing the younger generations a more severe economic burden," said Park Jae-hong, emeritus sociology professor at Gyeongsang National University. Park says Korean society started to see generational conflicts as a social issue in the mid-2000s. "The elderly population has increased rapidly which also raises the basic pension, national pension and medical insurance costs, which will be a burden on younger generations. But due to the country's low birthrate, there is also a continuous decrease in the younger population, becoming an even greater burden," he said. According to a Ministry of Economy and Finance report released in December, tax, national pension and medical insurance premiums took up 27 percent of the GDP in 2017, meaning an average household paid 6.67 million won. Due to the rapidly aging population and resultant steep rise in welfare expenses, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts the ratio will go up to 34 percent by 2027, meaning each household will need to pay over 10.1 million won annually. Complaints against each other A recent study shows most young people believe the generational conflict has become severe. According to a report by the National Human Rights Commission, which surveyed 1,000 people over the age of 65 and 500 young adults between 19 and 39, 40.4 percent of the elderly and 90 percent of younger people said they had difficulty communicating with the opposite group. Young adults found generational conflicts to be severe between the young and the old, with 82 percent of people in their 20s to 30s claiming it has become a critical social issue, nearly doubling that of senior citizens at 44.3 percent. Some 44 percent of the elderly and 80.4 percent of the 20-30s group said they experienced strong conflict with the other groups. About 67 percent of the younger generation said the generational conflict is expected to worsen in the future. Some young people use hateful expressions toward the elderly, and coin phrases to belittle senior citizens, such as mocking their dentures. They share clips in which elderly people browbeat young people into leaving their seats on the subway or bus so they can sit. "I've experienced so many rude elderly people: they cut in line and demand seats on the subway. It seems they believe they have the right to do so only because they are old, while not following basic social principles," said a 32-year-old officer worker in Seoul, who asked not to be named. On the other hand, the older generation complains that the younger generation is too selfish. "Younger people don't want to sacrifice. They need to know how to dedicate to and sacrifice for the government and society so the next generation could have a better life," a 70-year-old surnamed Kim said asking not to be named. Some experts point out that the young and the old have to compete with each other even in the labor market. Experts say the slowing economy has made it difficult for the younger generations to land jobs, gradually increasing the youth unemployment rate. On the other side of the spectrum, older people have to continue working as they lack retirement savings. The social phenomenon has formed even greater conflicts between the young and the old. Some experts are calling on the government to establish an organization that garners opinions from the conflicted generations to find a better solution to the problem. "There needs to be an organization that gathers opinions and conducts official discussions about how the younger generations can effectively support the fast-aging population and how society can find a balance between youth and elderly unemployment," the Korean Women's Development Institute said in a report. Some believe the employment conflict between the age groups should be considered a class issue. "Elderly employment is nothing new. The employment of the young and the elderly should not be seen as a competition between generations but rather a class issue," Park said. In November, the rights commission, along with other human rights research institutes, held a debate on how to resolve inter-generational conflicts. Many experts pointed out at the time that the central and local governments need to work together and come out with countermeasures to reduce generational conflicts. "There is not a social environment and education system that helps elderly and younger generations learn how to respect and understand each another," said Song Oh-young, section chief of the society of human rights department at the commission. "We are in dire need of communities and associations different generations can attend together such as festivals, cultural activities and education programs." The local and central government needs to be involved in the process, and discuss which organizations could proactively manage the functions, he added. By Joschka Fischer BERLIN From a European perspective, 2019 promises to be another difficult year, dominated by large challenges that could easily turn into menacing crises. Barring a major reversal, the United Kingdom will withdraw from the European Union on March 29. A brewing economic and financial crisis in Italy will intensify, threatening the stability of the eurozone. And France will likely remain beset by populist protests, diminishing its potential to take a lead role in the pursuit of EU-level reforms. Moreover, the European Parliament election in May could well deliver a nationalist majority or near-majority, which would then determine the next members of the European Commission, the leaders of the European Council and European Central Bank, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Needless to say, a nationalist victory would be a disaster for the EU, because it would derail necessary reforms and further divide member states. Whatever happens, Europe's internal political drama will play out against a backdrop of international turmoil. At the same time that Russia is stepping up its aggression in eastern Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump is waging a trade war against China, and could expand it to the EU (which he has deemed a "foe"). And, more broadly, the global economy is weakening, and growth will continue to slow in the months ahead. In the face of these foreseeable challenges, the survival of the European project itself is at stake. As far as Brexit is concerned, much will depend on whether the U.K.'s withdrawal occurs in an orderly or chaotic fashion. In the latter case, there would be losers all around, and U.K.-EU relations could be poisoned for a long time to come. No one on either side of the English Channel should wish for this outcome. Life goes on after divorce, and it is generally in the interest of both sides to maintain a healthy relationship. One hopes that common sense prevails. As with Brexit, the EU leadership in Brussels cannot solve the Italian crisis, but it can and should offer a helping hand. Italy needs growth, which will require full-scale modernization of its economy. Unfortunately, its current government is not pursing policies needed to achieve this, and has instead provoked a confrontation over EU budget rules. The EU will have to show flexibility, while upholding the principles that underpin the sustainability of the monetary union. This suggests that long and excruciating negotiations lie ahead. In France, the "Yellow Vests" have articulated their demands largely in economic terms, having first taken to the streets to protest against a proposed fuel tax. But the movement also comprises strong "identitarian" elements that have seized on feelings of discontent over the loss of traditional ways of life in the age of globalization and European integration. As in most Western countries, these sentiments are concentrated among traditional working- and middle-class voters who have concluded that the postwar social contract is invalid. Hard work no longer ensures economic security and upward mobility. Western elites will not regain the public's trust until they offer a response to this loss of trust, without which democracy and its core institutions will not be able to function. Complicating matters further, the global balance of power is quickly shifting from West to East, the climate crisis is intensifying, new digital technologies are revolutionizing how we live and work, and migration and refugee waves are adding fuel to the populist backlash. But if populist forces have a plan that would enable their object of desire the traditional nation-state to address these mounting challenges, they have kept it a secret. In reality, only a united Europe is up to the task, which is why this year's European elections are so important. If populism wins, Europe loses. It doesn't help that most of the great changes to the international order over the past few decades have come at Europe's expense. The rise of China and the revolution in artificial intelligence seem to be leaving Europe on the sidelines. So far, the Old Continent has been asleep at the wheel. If it does not wake up soon, it will have lost the chance to harness the forces of change for its own good. A new era has begun, and this will become increasingly clear over the course of this year. Traditional European debates can no longer take for granted the strength of the transatlantic alliance or steady progress toward "ever closer union." Trump's America has said its goodbyes, and Europe's old social model is broken, with no replacement on offer. Neither nostalgia for a mythical past nor China's authoritarian model of governance represents a serviceable alternative. The crises threatening Europe will unfold relentlessly and for all to see. At best, 2019 will be a year of defensive maneuvering, rather than the start of a European renewal. But in the long run, a reconstructed Europe is the only option. That contradiction will define this age of transition, which brooks no shortcuts or panaceas. Joschka Fischer, Germany's foreign minister and vice chancellor from 1998 to 2005, was a leader of the German Green Party for almost 20 years. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). It is necessary to work out how to prevent draft dodging Alternative military service will make a debut in 2020 to allow conscientious objectors to serve at correctional facilities for three years. To that end, the Ministry of National Defense plans to draft an amendment to the Military Service Act and submit a revision bill to the National Assembly. The alternative service program, if implemented, will provide conscientious objectors with a chance to contribute to the nation and society without being subject to criminal punishment as before. Alternative service will cover cooking, supplying goods and helping medical staff at correctional facility wards across the country. Yet some rights activists complain that the 36-month service period is somewhat lengthy and "punitive," compared with the draftee's 18 months' service in the Army or 20 months in the Navy. Of course, the period might be adjusted in the course of deliberations at the National Assembly. But the majority opinion is that three years of service is appropriate, taking into account the same service period of public health medical doctors. What's important in implementing the new formula for the conscientious objectors is how to ensure fairness in determining who is qualified for alternative service. In the legislation process, the government and the Assembly should pay heed to the public's concerns about the possibility that alternative service can be abused as a means to evade compulsory military service. Anyone who falsifies his application documents for alternative service should be subject to harsh punishment. In 2020 alone, the ministry plans to recruit about 1,200 for alternative service. The ministry ought to work out concrete measures to foil any schemes to dodge military service under the guise of conscientious objection. Top priority should be economic reinvigoration President Moon Jae-in and his liberal government need to adopt a new strategy to produce successful results in every sector of our society and bring hope to the people this year. Entering his third year in office, Moon now faces a major test which could determine the success or failure of his five-year presidency. He has to meet mounting challenges down the road, although he fared relatively well last year, helped by his active engagement with North Korea. But it is also true that Moon suffered a setback in domestic affairs, not least because his economic policies have backfired due to unexpected side effects. Thus, he should put top priority on resuscitating the slumping economy. Since his inauguration in March 2017, Moon has pushed his signature "income-led growth" policy to create more jobs and bring higher wages to the working class, thereby boosting consumption and economic growth. However, the policy has failed so far to make any progress. Moon was unable to meet his goal of creating 300,000 jobs in 2018. The reason is because businesses, particularly smaller ones and the self-employed, hired fewer workers to reduce soaring labor costs amid a steep rise in the minimum wage and a shortened workweek. The Moon administration should overhaul its inclusive growth policy and change its direction to stabilize the livelihoods of the people and speed up economic recovery. Structural reform is urgently needed to improve the competitiveness of Korea Inc. and minimize the fallout of the U.S.-China trade conflict and the slowing global economy. It is also imperative to stimulate innovation and promote deregulation. One of Moon's outstanding achievements last year was his efforts for inter-Korean detente following the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics which marked a turning point in the geopolitical situation on the Korean Peninsula. He laid the groundwork for reconciliation and cooperation between the two Koreas by holding three summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The South-North rapprochement also made it possible for U.S. President Donald Trump to have a historic summit with Kim in Singapore in June. However the nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang have stalled because the Kim regime made little progress in denuclearization. In this regard, President Moon will have to play a more active role to help break the impasse. For this, Moon ought to build on trust with Kim and convince him the North can benefit most by dismantling its nuclear arsenal. He also should work more closely with President Trump to narrow the differences between the U.S. and the North over how to denuclearize. It is important to have Kim keep his promise to visit Seoul at an early date. His return visit in response to Moon's September trip to Pyongyang is likely to revive the momentum for the deadlocked nuclear talks. Moon can also broker a second Kim-Trump summit in order to start the denuclearization and peace process. Yet denuclearization is usually a long-drawn-out process. So Moon and Trump need to fine-turn their policies and hammer out a new strategy to achieve their shared goal of denuclearizing the North. By Mahmood Elahi This refers to the news report: "Seoul making Beijing a foreign policy priority by setting up bureau exclusively for China affairs," Dec. 22. As a keen observer of Chinese and South Korean affairs, I have been writing about the growing Sino-South Korean relations and their implications on the denuclearization of North Korea. Both China and South Korea are now industrial and financial powerhouses and their growing relations will have far-reaching implications for North Korea's eventual denuclearization. China is considered a mentor of North Korea. China underwrites the security and economic survival of North Korea. And yet, North Korea has been working against China's regional and economic interests on the Korean Peninsula. It has been threatening South Korea with nuclear weapons, forcing Seoul to seek protection under the U.S. nuclear umbrella. North Korea's nuclear saber-rattling has made the threat of a nuclear standoff between the United States and North Korea a real possibility, undermining China's vital trade and economic relations with South Korea. Already Sino-South Korean relations suffered a setback when the U.S. installed a THAAD anti-missile system in South Korea to counter North Korea's missile threat, triggering a backlash from China which wrongly interpreted it as a threat. China took punitive actions against South Korea without realizing it was a purely defensive measure vis a vis North Korea. Since the threat from North Korea subsided, relations between South Korea and China have improved greatly. China lifted its restrictions on Chinese tourists to South Korea. Once again, South Korea has become a preferred destination of Chinese tourists. However, this shows how North Korea can pose an obstacle to growing Sino-South Korean relations and what can China do to prod North Korea not to undermine its increasingly crucial relations with South Korea. Today, with two-way trade totaling $211 billion, China is by far South Korea's biggest trading partner. It is bigger than South Korea's combined trade with the United States and Japan totaling $190 billion. This makes their relationship of cosmic importance economically and politically. With its lingering support for North Korea, China is late to realize the importance of South Korea. It is now slowly realizing that a nuclear-armed North Korea is not only a parasitical protege, but also a hindrance to China's vital trade ties with South Korea. A denuclearized North Korea will cease to exist as a threat to South Korea, allowing China to expand its trade and investment with South Korea. South Korean President Moon Jae-in understood this from the beginning. His dual-track diplomacy to engage North Korea by expanding bilateral relations while calling for the incremental lifting of sanctions has kept the stalled denuclearization talks alive. After North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to denuclearize at the Singapore Summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, he has not taken a single step in that direction. This has prompted President Trump to impose new sanctions on North Korea. In response, Kim has threatened to walk away from the denuclearization process. Only President Moon's continuing efforts to normalize relations with North Korea have stopped the collapse of denuclearization talks. Here come China's own relations with South Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed in November at the APEC summit in Port Moresby to work together for the progression of their free trade agreement discussions and environmental issues, vowing to improve bilateral relations. China seems to have realized the vital importance of its economic relations with South Korea. China is also aware that any collapse of North and South Korea peace talks will have serious repercussions on its own bilateral relations with South Korea. China cannot afford that. To accelerate denuclearization, China must pressure North Korea. President Moon's diplomacy of openness offers Chinese President Xi an opportunity to prod Kim to respect his commitment to denuclearize and seek security through dialogue. Moon has been successful in reducing tensions with North Korea. His efforts to improve relations with China will further add to the peace process. By consolidating relations with China, South Korea has expanded its influence in the region. China can no longer sit on the sidelines and must join in the peace process and eventual denuclearization of North Korea. Seoul's plan to overhaul its diplomatic focus on China by establishing a separate bureau in its foreign ministry entirely dedicated to China affairs is a clear signal of its desire to strengthen relations with its giant neighbor. Now it is China's turn to reciprocate. Mahmood Elahi (omega51@sympatico.ca) is a freelance writer in Ottawa. By David Tizzard The bad news and disasters go on the front page. The "intellectuals" write about the problems and, more importantly, how and why people should pay more attention to their solutions. And any good news is either a fluff piece or a badly veiled advertisement. Despite this tripartite function of modern print media, I am going to continue to buck the trend somewhat by providing another reason why I like Korea: The healthcare. I have spent the past week in a hospital a shared room with six other men of various ages, as well as their children, partners and visiting well-wishers. Extra significance was surely added because it was Christmas. This would give most foreign visitors ample ammunition to fire at a fast-changing society. It would be possible to rally against the old man that didn't hold a door for me or the woman that didn't perhaps move as quickly out of the way of my IV drip as an Englishwoman would. Yet, I have returned home more infatuated with the nation and its people than ever. The resilience and collective attitude that has seen South Korea become an economic powerhouse was there evident in the men and women of that hospital, in patients, workers and visitors, alike. But before you stop reading because I'm edging dangerously close to using words such as "han" and "jeong" in a weekend op-ed, there's something that should not go unsaid. The cost. And whatever it might be, it's arguably currently money well spent. South Korea ranked first in the OECD for healthcare access in 2015 and its women enjoy the fifth-best life expectancy. Its treatment of various cancers also saw it occupy the top two places in three different categories. That all seems a far cry from June this year when a South Korean couple in San Francisco were presented with an $18,000 hospital bill for treatment that included little more than a bottle of formula for their young baby. Returning domestically, as with most things in contemporary Korean society, much of what is experienced here today has its origins in both early Christian missionaries and Park Chung-hee. In 1977, the Park administration passed a law that mandated medical insurance for the employees and dependents of all firms with more than 500 people on the books. Two years later, this was extended to government employees, private school teachers and workplaces with more than 300 people. These early Korean models and approaches to healthcare were based on the Japanese system in terms of coverage, administration and funding. Through the rocky roads of the IMF, Kim Dae-jung's pledges of large funds, and the separation of medical care and pharmaceutical reimbursement in 2000, South Korean healthcare now stands ready for more decisions. One thoughtful example is the movement on Jeju Island that is vocally against for-profit hospitals and medical institutions. And the Jejuenese might just have a point. Korea currently suffers from an excessive use of antibiotics, has more magnetic resonance imagining machines (per million people) than anywhere in the world and cesarean delivery rates are high despite falling birth numbers. Perhaps for a small enclosed community, with its specific economic and legal zones, non-profit hospitals are the way forward for the island. But what then of the rest of the country? My week-long stay certainly wasn't cheap and we will likely be on the kimbap for the next week or two as we try to cover the costs. But, importantly, I was rather satisfied from my time inside. The hospital was clean and well maintained. The CT scans and X-rays were carried out with state-of-the art equipment that would have not looked out of place in the computer game series "Portal," as they moved along electronic rails in the ceiling. There was a full staff of courteous nurses who made themselves available without qualms 24 hours of the day. Even when faced with a currently winter-bearded Westerner, they carried on as normal. One of them, admittedly, was a bit more forceful than necessary when putting the thermometer in my ear and other patients confirmed this in our lunchtime discussions. Yet I felt trust in both their professionalism and ability. I also received Kakao messages of my doctor's whereabouts and availability and had the ability to ask questions and seek guidance through my mobile. I was provided with anything I required and more. And the people around us, some suffering far worse than my gopchang injury, were also seemingly aware that this was indeed a good hospital. I do not know the future of Korean healthcare, nor do I profess any solutions. I will also reiterate that such things in society are generally part of a tradeoff. Things are often only made better at the expense of others. What would need to be sacrificed to improve the current system further? Questions for those brighter than me, perhaps. However, my respect and gratitude are extended to those that work tirelessly in the Korean healthcare field while many others out in society eat, drink and play over the festive period. Perhaps now I'll join in again. Just for one, though, of course. David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University. Air Busan CEO Han Tae-keun By Park Jae-hyuk Air Busan CEO Han Tae-keun has been in the hot seat for allegedly reprimanding a flight attendant who refused to provide preferential treatment to his acquaintance on board, the workers claimed Monday. A user of Blind, an anonymous chat app for verified employees, posted a message that the acquaintance had tried to sit in an upgraded seat without paying for it, forcing a flight attendant to explain the company's policies to the passenger. "Then, the passenger, who claimed to be Han's friend, got angry at the flight attendant," said the user who claimed to be an Air Busan employee. "The passenger made a call to Han, as soon as the plane landed." According to the user, the CEO summoned the flight attendant to the company headquarters a day after the incident. He allegedly yelled at the supervisor of the flight as well. "Although the flight attendant followed the manual, they were forced to write an apology and explanation," the Blind user said. "In addition, the company did not promote the worker who was supposed to get a promotion." Air Busan admitted that the CEO's acquaintance was on board the plane departing from China, Dec. 17. The budget carrier, however, claimed the passenger requested a seat change for leg pain, not because of his relationship with Han. "The passenger revealed his relationship with our CEO, after our flight attendant refused the request," an Air Busan spokesman said. "The CEO reprimanded the employees for poor treatment of a patient, not for poor treatment of his friend." The spokesman also admitted that the flight attendant was supposed to get a promotion in the latest reshuffle. However, he cast suspicion about a hidden intention behind the revelation, citing the incident was revealed two weeks after it happened. "The incident happened Dec. 17 and our company carried out the reshuffle last week," he said. "I think there's a hidden intention behind the revelation." Air Busan, which was listed on the KOSPI on Dec. 27, has suffered a variety of scandals throughout 2018. In July, the company came under criticism for its employee who hit a taxi driver with his BMW sedan at Gimhae International Airport in Busan. The budget carrier was also embroiled in a controversy in April, as a flight attendant took photos of passengers from behind and posted them with disrespectful comments. By Nam Hyun-woo Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Park Yong-maan Growing concern over the Korean economy next year has been a shared sentiment in a series of New Year messages issued by business leaders over the past week. They are calling on the Moon Jae-in administration to ease regulations, help nurture new growth engines and take other steps to create a business-friendly environment. On Dec. 27, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Park Yong-maan said in his New Year message that "the country's business sentiment is bad, while the economy has failed to set up the basis to address its structural problems and avert mid-term down cycle." "Silicon Valley companies could become global enterprises on the basis of systems and market ecosystems which help companies to create new opportunities," Park said. "We also have to make changes in the paradigm of regulations, laws and systems, so that more domestic companies can attempt to create economic and social values." He also added "the current method of increasing the quantitative input of labor and capital no longer works in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution" and urged "companies should open up their businesses and lower the barrier for convergence, in order to create new values." Federation of Korean Industries Chairman Huh Chang-soo Federation of Korean Industries Chairman Huh Chang-soo expressed his worries that "2019 will be more difficult than 2018 as major industries such as automobile and steel will suffer from a deteriorating business environment." "The most painful of all is that Korea no longer has new drivers to lead its economic growth," Huh said. "With the Korean economy at a crossroads between long-term recession and further growth, regulation reform is not an option. It's a matter of survival." He continued that what companies can do in the overseas market should be available at home too, adding that firms should also do their utmost to create jobs, make investments and find new growth drivers. Such a view was also seen in the Korea Economic Research Institute's business survey index, gauging companies' sentiments over their business conditions. Their outlook for January stood at 92.7, which is slightly improved from the 88.7 they forecast for December, but still far below the median point of 100. A reading below 100 means pessimists outnumber optimists. The actual index for last month was 90.2, continuing its 44-month streak of below 100. Korea Employers Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik Korea Employers Federation (KEF) Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik also said the country's economy seems to be mired in a downward spiral, despite hopes for improved conditions this year. "Last year, companies had to endure minimum wage hike and working hour cap, as well as fighting increasing uncertainties stemming from the prolonged trade conflict between the United States and China," Sohn said. "Despite hopes for improvements, the so-called 'triple slump' in investments, production and job seems to be looming." Sohn stressed that businessmen are in need for encouragement, which is represented by discussions on the "reasonable level of minimum wage hike" which the Korean labor market can shoulder. Minister of Trade, Infrastructure and Energy Sung Yun-mo also said the country is facing various difficulties including the trade war between the U.S. and China, and slowing global economic growth. Minister of Trade, Infrastructure and Energy Sung Yun-mo Samsung Electronics employees deliver daily necessities for senior citizens in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, Dec. 5. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Baek Byung-yeul Samsung Electronics employees have implemented a series of volunteering activities for people who need support and care during the year-end season, the firm said Wednesday. The firm said its workers carried out volunteer activities to provide assistance to residents in low-income areas in five major cities including Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon and Incheon. Many residents in the area are senior citizens living alone and Samsung employees have been supporting them for 15 years since 2004. The volunteer groups, comprised of 270 employees from Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, Samsung SDI, Samsung C&T and Samsung Life Insurance, have visited 5,700 households in 10 low-income areas. Song Moo-geun, a researcher at Samsung Electronics, said he joined the volunteer activity "to contribute to society with a humble gesture." "I took part in the volunteer activity twice in 2017 and 2018. I will join the activity in 2019, too," Song said. Samsung Electronics and its affiliates have supported daily necessities worth 300 million won ($267,000) every year and the cumulative amount of the support fund reached 5 billion won. Samsung Electronics employees decorate a Christmas tree with children at a child care center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Dec. 20. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics By Jun Ji-hye Naver and Kakao, both expecting to grapple with slowing sales growth in 2019, are scrambling to deal with growing union risks as union workers become more outspoken and make greater demands, according to industry analysts Thursday. The unions at Korea's two largest internet companies have been asking companies to grant them rights to recommend outside directors and auditors, a demand construed as unions, affiliated with the militant Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), virtually demanding participation in management. The Kakao union, formed in October, held its first round of negotiations with management, Dec. 18, asking for the right to recommend non-executive directors and auditors, among a number of other demands. Kakao is the nation's top mobile messenger operator. Kakao union's website "It is necessary to improve trust in management," the union said. "There have been no sufficient grounds to recruit executive-level positions. Problems of asymmetric information have increased." The union also called on the firm to allow its members to observe general stockholders meetings in person and abolish the company's "blanket" or comprehensive wage system immediately. The blanket wage system refers to a wage calculation method used in Korea, under which workers are paid a fixed monthly salary regardless of how many extra hours they work. Labor organizations have been criticizing the system for its lack of fairness in treatment of employees. Other demands made by the union included disclosing an objective index involving an increase in employees' yearly stipends and allowing them to be transferred to other departments freely. The demands apparently put management in an embarrassing position. An industry source noted management has the exclusive authority to recruit external personnel and carry out personnel reshuffles, saying the negotiations could be extended over a long period of time if the union wants to intervene in such affairs. The union of Naver, the nation's dominant portal web operator, conducted its first collective action, Dec. 19, as negotiations with management broke down after 13 rounds of talks. Oh Se-yoon, center, head of Naver's union, and other members pose for a photo on April 5 at Naver's Pangyo headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, to mark the launch of the union. / Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki Members of GM Korea labor union stages a sit-in protest at GM Korea headquarters in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, on Oct. 19, when the company held a shareholder meeting to approve the demerger of GM Korea and GM Technical Center Korea. / Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo After spending a year filled with struggles, GM Korea has wrapped up its 2018 business and entered two weeks of vacation so its employees can prepare for the New Year. Industry officials say, however, the holidays seem to be a "ceasefire" as the conflict between its management and labor union will likely continue in 2019. This is because neither side is backing down in their clash over the company's disputed new R&D entity, GM Technical Center Korea. According to industry officials, Tuesday, GM Korea has recently filed a regulatory filing that it will finish demerging the R&D body from it on Dec. 31 and register it on Jan. 2. Of 13,000 GM Korea employees, 3,000 will transfer to the new body, which GM Korea said will "spearhead developing new global models a midsize SUV and a crossover utility vehicle which will be produced at GM Korea." It will be led by Roberto Rempel, General Motors executive chief engineer. The move came after the Korea Development Bank, the state-run lender having the second-largest stake in GM Korea, withdrew its initial opposition and gave the green light to the spinoff. Though the new body is close to operation, it is still faced with strong opposition from the GM Korea union. On Dec. 19, the union members staged an eight-hour illegal strike for the first time in GM Korea's 16 years of history. The union has been saying it was a preliminary step for GM to scale down production in Korea and eventually withdraw from the country. But industry analysts suspect that the union is opposing the spinoff as "leverage" to demand a special collective bargaining with the company. While opposing the R&D body, the GM Korea union has been demanding the management shoulder the full amount of financial support paid to 400 employees who went on unpaid leave as the company's Gunsan plant closed in May. When the plant in North Jeolla Province closed, the government, management and union agreed to provide 2 million won to 2.25 million won to each of those 400 employees for 30 months as "living cost support." The government paid the full amount in the first six months and the remainder is scheduled to be shared equally by the labor union and the management. However, the union appears not be able to afford to pay the support, as it requires each union member to pay more for membership fees. Reportedly, the union is asking the beneficiaries to understand possible delays in payment. Since the union has been demanding the management to take the full amount, the GM Korea management expects this could be tabled if a special collective bargaining takes place. Upon noticing the Dec. 19 strike, the union even said it will postpone a strike if the special bargaining takes place. Over the union's move, the management pledged to take legal action and will not accept the union's demand for special bargaining. "The strike is illegal and risks our future," the management said in a statement over the Dec. 19 strike. "To stop further illegal strikes, the company will file injunctions to the court and file civil and criminal suits against individuals involved in strikes." By Nam Hyun-woo Korea's yearly exports surpassed $600 billion this year, a feat the country achieved 70 years after it sent its first outbound shipment in 1948, the government said, Friday. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the country's 2018 exports reached $600 billion as of 11:12 a.m., Friday. It took just seven years for the country's outbound shipment to surge from a $500 billion mark in 2011. Also, this year's export by Korea accounted for 3.4 percent of the world's total, becoming the world's sixth-largest exporter. With the feat, Korea became the seventh country to export more than $600 billion, following the United States, Germany, China, Japan, the Netherlands and France. Since 1948, when the export was tallied at $19 million, the country's outbound shipment has been growing average 16.1 percent a year to reach the mark, showing a 30,194-time growth. To surge from $100 billion to $600 billion, Korea took 23 years, which is the fourth-fastest following China with 11 years, the Netherlands with 20 years and the U.S. with 21 years. The ministry attributed the handsome number for this year to favorable performances of Korea's major exporting items, including semiconductors, machinery and petrochemical products. Also, new industries and promising consumer goods played their role to lead the growth. For the first time, the country's semiconductor export reached $100 billion mark for the first time as a single item. Cosmetic and drug products also showed noticeable growth, the ministry said. The ministry stressed that this year's export record bears more significance because it has lowered its reliance on 13 major export items. Compared to 2011, when the country's export first surpassed $500 billion, the share of those 13 major export items in the total has been lowered from 82.1 percent to 77.7 percent this year. Another noticeable movement the ministry underscored is growths in exports to ASEAN, India and Commonwealth of Independent States, which are new markets the Moon Jae-in administration is paying keen attention to. Compared to 2011, those regions' share to Korea's entire export grew from 17.8 percent to 20.9 percent or $116 billion this year. Despite the handsome numbers, it is uncertain whether the country's export can surpass $600 billion next year, because of downside risks weighing down Asia's fourth-largest economy. The government said it will actively respond to the progress of the trade conflict between the U.S. and China, as well as the former's move to set up barrier to protect its car industry. Also, it will continue mend ties with ASEAN to enhance Korean products' presence in the markets. "Export environment for next year seems uneasy due to slowing economic growth in major countries and a prolonged U.S.-China trade conflict," a ministry official said. "However, the government will make its utmost efforts to drive the country to duplicate the accomplishment next year." By Baek Byung-yeul Oat-based products are attracting consumers as more people seek healthy foods. Among them, Quaker Oats products, introduced by Lotte Confectionery, are gaining popularity here, the snack-making arm of Lotte Group said Friday. They were released in May and about 3 million items were sold by November. Lotte attributed the explosive popularity to word of mouth reputation that the products are effective for weight loss. "With more consumers seeking convenient food due to the increase of single households, Quaker Oats products are gaining popularity," a Lotte Confectionery official said. Quaker Oats is an iconic brand in the snack market, generating an annual revenue of about 3 trillion won ($26.8 billion) in North America. Lotte is selling Quaker Oats' oatmeal original, oatmeal banana and almond, oatmeal creamy milk and oatmeal classic oat products. Hot cereal products are popular breakfast options in the cold months. "They are convenient to eat and good for your health as they are low in sugar," the official said. The products are available at discount stores, convenience stores and online. Lotte said it will increase promotions and introduce more Quaker Oats products to expand the oat-based food market here. 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. Security forces stand near a tourist bus after a roadside bomb in an area near the Giza Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 28. Egypt's Interior Ministry said in a statement that two Vietnamese tourists were killed and others wounded in the incident. AP Three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian guide were killed and at least 10 others injured when a roadside bomb blast hit their tour bus on Friday less than 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from Egypt's world-famous Giza pyramids, authorities said. The bombing is the first deadly attack against foreign tourists in Egypt for over a year and comes as the tourism sector, a vital source of foreign currency revenue, recovers from a sharp drop in visitor numbers since the country's 2011 uprising. No immediate claim of responsibility was reported. Islamist extremists, including militants linked to Islamic State, are active in Egypt and have targeted foreign visitors in the past. At least nine Vietnamese tourists were injured, as well as the Egyptian driver, according to official statements. The tourists were heading to a sound and light show at the pyramids, which they had visited earlier in the day, said Lan Le, 41, who was also aboard the bus but unhurt. "We were going to the sound and light show and then suddenly we heard a bomb. It was terrible, people screaming," she told Reuters, speaking at Al Haram hospital, where the injured were taken. "I don't remember anything after." Egypt's interior ministry said the bus was hit by an explosion from an improvised device hidden near a wall at around 1815 local time (1615 GMT). About two hours later the vehicle could be seen behind a police cordon with one of its sides badly damaged and the windows blown out, a Reuters reporter said. Dozens of police, military and firefighters were at the site, on a narrow sidestreet close to the ring road, where traffic was moving normally. Shortly afterward, workers brought a pick-up truck to tow the bus away. An investigator at the scene said the device had likely been planted near the wall. The interior ministry confirmed the death of two of the tourists, and the state prosecutor's office later said a third had died. In total, 14 Vietnamese tourists had been travelling on the bus, it said. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told local TV from Al Haram hospital that the guide had died from his injuries. "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 organised the bus tour. "We have been in contact with the embassy of Vietnam to contain the impact of the incident, and what is important now is to take care of the injured," the prime minister said. The bus driver later told local media he had not deviated from the route. Egypt's army 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. 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. Those events and the bombing of a Russian airliner shortly after it took off from Sharm el Sheikh in 2015 caused tourist numbers to plunge. The last deadly attack on foreign tourists in Egypt was in July 2017, when two Germans were stabbed to death in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada. (Reuters) Chinas factory activity shrank in December for the first time in more than two years, an official survey showed Monday, intensifying pressure on Beijing to reverse an economic slowdown as it enters trade talks with the Trump administration. The purchasing managers index of the National Bureau of Statistics and an industry group, the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing, fell to 49.4 from Novembers 50.0 on a 100-point scale. Any reading below 50 shows that activity is contracting. The December figure was the lowest since February 2016 and the first drop since July 2016. In the quarter that ended in September, Chinas economic growth sank, compared with a year earlier, to a post-global crisis low of 6.5%. The slowdown occurred despite government efforts to stem the downturn by ordering banks to lend more and by boosting spending on public works construction. Forecasters expect annual growth of about 6.5%, down slightly from 2017s 6.7%. But some industry segments, including auto and real estate sales, have suffered more serious declines. Advertisement Downward pressure on the economy is still large, economist Zhang Liqun said in a statement issued with the purchasing managers index. Overall orders and exports both shrank, indicating that Chinese factories are suffering from weak demand at home and abroad. Exports to the United States kept growing at double-digit monthly rates through late 2018 despite President Trumps punitive tariffs. But growth in exports to the rest of the world fell sharply in November, and forecasters expect American demand to weaken in early 2019. That adds to complications for Chinese leaders who are trying to reverse a broad economic slowdown and avert politically dangerous job losses. Chinese and U.S. envoys are slated to meet in early January for negotiations intended to resolve their economically threatening trade war. Over the weekend, Trump sounded an optimistic note, saying on Twitter that he had spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping by phone. Deal is moving along very well, Trump tweeted. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made! But economists say the 90-day moratorium on new penalties that was agreed to by Trump and Xi on Dec. 1 is likely too little time to resolve their sprawling dispute. Chinese economic activity already was weakening after Beijing tightened controls on bank lending in late 2017 to cool a debt boom. The downturn was more abrupt than expected, which prompted regulators to shift course and ease credit controls. But they moved gradually to avoid reigniting a rise in debt. Their measures have yet to put a floor under declining growth. Chinese leaders promised at an annual economic planning meeting in mid-December to shore up growth by instating tax cuts, easier lending for entrepreneurs and other steps. U.S. policy toward China shifts from engagement to confrontation U.S. manufacturing slumps in December, muddying outlook for 2019 The man shuffled into the flight late, after all the other passengers were seated. He acted like he was jumping out of his skin, recalled the woman in the next seat. After the lights had dimmed for the overnight flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Panama, the man sexually assaulted her, said the woman, a Los Angeles film executive who asked that her identity be shielded. After yelling and struggling with the man, she got the attention of a flight attendant, who moved her to another seat on the October 2017 flight. The assailant remained seated next to another female passenger, the woman said, and no attempt was made to isolate or restrain him. The trauma from the incident has lingered. I avoid all night flights, she said. Advertisement Reports of sexual harassment and assault on commercial flights are on the rise, although law enforcement officials say the problem is underreported. Airlines and federal officials have moved to address the issue by voicing a policy of zero tolerance for such acts and improving training to deal with reports. But flight attendants and lawmakers say airlines need to do more. They are calling for carriers to adopt a consistent set of protocols for responding to such incidents. They want airlines to collect data on the reports of attacks and harassment. They want carriers to offer new training for flight attendants to respond to these occurrences. We want to make sure we have all the tools to deal with these incidents, said Taylor Garland, a spokeswoman for the Assn. of Flight Attendants, which represents nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines. The number of sex assaults on commercial flights reported to the FBI jumped to 63 in 2017, up from 38 incidents in 2014 probably a tiny fraction of the number of assaults that occur, according to the agency. We believe its highly underreported because some women are embarrassed to report it, said Laura Eimiller, an FBI spokeswoman in Los Angeles. Some people report the crimes much later. But the increase in reported assaults and harassment and attention in the news media have prompted the FBI to be more vocal about warning fliers in recent months. In April, the agency issued a bulletin that included five precautions for air passengers, such as keeping the armrest down. We have done a proactive push to spread awareness, Eimiller said. Flight attendants have been victims, too, according to a recent survey by the Assn. of Flight Attendants that found 68% of flight attendants had suffered some form of sexual harassment during their career. The 2018 funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration called for the creation of a National In-Flight Sexual Misconduct Task Force to review existing protocols and to recommend new training, reporting and data collection about incidents of sexual assaults on flights. The problem is a lack of training for pilots and flight attendants, said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who pushed for the language in the FAA funding bill. If it happens, they dont know what to do. Murray advocated for the task force partly in response to a 2016 incident on a Delta Air Lines flight from Seattle to Amsterdam. A passenger on the plane, Allison Dvaladze, says her seatmate assaulted her. She appeared on television to talk about the incident and in February filed a lawsuit accusing the airline of failing to train crew members to deal with attacks. The nations airlines say they have taken steps to address the problem. Several carriers, including American, Alaska, Spirit and United, say they have implemented get-tough policies and new training for crew members to identify and respond to the problem. Ive asked each of our leaders to ensure that proper policies and procedures, proper training, and proper awareness exists to respond promptly and thoughtfully to incidents, and to report quickly, if incidents of harassment or assault do occur, Alaska Airlines Chief Executive Brad Tilden wrote in a memo to employees in April. On Delta Air Lines, law enforcement officials are now automatically notified when a passenger complains about being harassed or assaulted. In the past, law enforcement was called only if a passenger requested that police meet the plane upon landing or if crew members witnessed an attack. Our new policy entails being more direct to engage law enforcement when allegations of assault occur, Delta spokesman Anthony Black said. The new policy took effect in March, prompted by growing concerns about harassment, human trafficking and intoxicated fliers on planes, he said. Flight attendants and passenger advocates say the problem is compounded by the airline industrys efforts to maximize profits by flying planes near capacity. The more crowded a flight, the less likely flight attendants will have empty seats to separate victims and assailants. There are only so many seats, said Garland of the Assn. of Flight Attendants. We are in a confined space. Passenger rights advocate Paul Hudson obtained records of 19 complaints of assaults and harassment filed by airline passengers with the U.S. Department of Transportation since 2012. The records, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, described at least two incidents in which crowded conditions on the plane prevented flight attendants from separating an alleged assailant from other passengers. If you have planes full but you shrink the seats and the passenger space, people are body to body, said Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org, which has about 60,000 members. Among the 19 incidents was a complaint by a woman who said she was attacked on a March 2017 Swiss Air flight. She said a male seatmate repeatedly grabbed her and kissed her on the neck when she fell asleep, according to the complaint. The flight attendants did not offer any help and could not re-seat me as the flight was full, the woman said in her complaint. Swiss Air said in an email it could not comment on the incident without the written consent of the alleged victim, whose name was not provided by the Transportation Department. In December, a federal judge sentenced a Michigan man to nine years in prison for assaulting a female seatmate on a nighttime Spirit Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Detroit. Spirit flight attendants separated the victim from her assailant on the plane and alerted police, court records show. Prosecutors in the case attributed the increase in assaults on planes to increasingly cramped, confined spaces; alcohol and drugs; fewer flight attendants; and dark cabins on night flights factors that likely embolden offenders. The cramped style of airplane seating can exacerbate trauma for victims, according to court documents. Even when an airline cabin isnt full, the close quarters and communal nature of flying on a commercial plane make complaining about a fellow passenger intimidating and awkward, said Kristen Houser, a spokeswoman for the National Sexual Violence Resource Center in Harrisburg, Penn. That proximity of an airplane makes it extra uncomfortable, she said. In addition to training flight attendants to better respond to such incidents, airlines should include in the pre-takeoff safety announcement a warning to passengers that sexual misconduct wont be tolerated and that violators may be banned by the airline, Houser said. They could start doing some consistent messaging and campaigning to let them know its a priority, she said. When a passenger complains to a flight attendant about being harassed or assaulted by another flier, airline representatives say, flight attendants are instructed to speak to both fliers, separate the passenger and the alleged attacker and notify police. Flight attendants are empowered to look at every option, said Bobbie Egan, a spokeswoman for Alaska Airlines, which launched new training on the problem last spring. In several of the complaints filed with the Transportation Department, the alleged victims said police werent notified and the assailants walked off the plane without punishment. On a Spirit Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Chicago in August 2016, a female passenger said in one of the complaints, a man seated behind her repeatedly reached around the seat to touch her. She said crew members didnt take action. Spirit Airlines feels that it was OK for that passenger in seat 28F to do that to me and because I did not ask to move my seat that it was my fault for being sexually harassed, the woman said in her complaint. A Spirit Airlines representative declined to comment on the incident described in the complaint but pointed to an employee memo released in May by Bob Fornaro, chief executive of the Florida-based carrier. Our leadership team will not tolerate any form of harassment, including sexual harassment, intimidation, bullying, or any other demeaning or offensive conduct, he wrote. In her lawsuit against Delta, Dvaladze said that after she was assaulted a crew member told her to let it roll off your back. Delta crew members also failed to identify the man before he got off the plane, making it impossible for law enforcement officials to prosecute him, according to the lawsuit. Black, the Delta spokesman, declined to comment on the lawsuit. The Los Angeles film executive said she had a similarly frustrating experience with her complaint. When her Copa Airlines flight landed in Panama, she said, the plane was met by Panamanian law enforcement officials who took a sworn statement from her. When the woman checked with officials at the Panamanian Consulate by phone later for an update on her case, she was told the matter was turned over to U.S. officials for prosecution. In a statement, Copa said the airline had zero tolerance for this type of behavior and is strongly committed to the safety and well-being of its passengers. In Los Angeles, FBI officials said they did not prosecute the assailant because the case fell under Panamas jurisdiction. (An international agreement adopted in Tokyo says that prosecution of a crime on a plane flying on an international route is the responsibility of the country where the plane is registered. Panama signed the agreement in 1963.) I cant get a straight answer from anyone, the woman said. hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter. For decades, China had no closer American friend than Dianne Feinstein. As San Francisco mayor in the 1970s, she forged a sister-city relationship with Shanghai, the first between American and Chinese communities. As U.S. senator, she dined with Chinese leaders at Mao Tse-tungs old Beijing residence. And in the 1990s, she championed a trade policy change that opened a floodgate of Western investment into China. Today the Democratic senator sees China as a growing threat, joining a broad array of Trump administration officials, national security strategists and business executives who once favored engagement with Beijing and now advocate a confrontational approach instead. I hate to see it all beginning to come apart, Feinstein said. That is so hard for me to see ... with all of the hopes that I had between China and this country. Advertisement She has pushed legislation that makes it tougher for Chinese investors to acquire stakes in U.S. firms. And at a recent Senate hearing, she joined other lawmakers in slamming Beijing for cyberattacks and other digital thefts. Under President Trumps America First policies, the U.S. approach to Xi Jinpings China has grown more adversarial on multiple geopolitical and economic fronts, much as Washington and Moscow were locked in a power struggle in the Cold War. But unlike the Soviet Union, China is the worlds second-largest economy and is on track to overtake the United States. Most of the global economy is dependent on what China produces to an extent unimaginable even a decade ago. Moreover, China is building a modern military, one that within a decade could be capable of challenging U.S. dominance in the western Pacific. Some scholars and military strategists see an inevitable clash as the two countries jockey to project power and influence. Experts debate whether Washington is falling into what Harvard political scientist Graham Allison calls the Thucydides trap, a reference to Athens and Sparta in ancient Greece, when a rising power caused fear in an established power that escalated toward war. Should we simply let ourselves fall into the Thucydides trap? asked J. Stapleton Roy, a retired U.S. diplomat who was ambassador to China from 1991 to 1995. Or is it possible that with skillful diplomacy, China could be stronger and more prosperous in 2025 and not a strategic threat to the United States? How we got here Trumps confrontation with China has encompassed far more than a tit-for-tat tariff war. The U.S. has stepped up naval patrols close to Chinese-claimed islands in the South China Sea, pursued Chinese nationals abroad for allegedly violating U.S. laws, and warned leading American universities about Chinese spies roaming their campuses. In a harshly worded speech in October, Vice President Mike Pence accused Beijing of employing a whole-of-government strategy to undermine the U.S. economy and political system. On Dec. 20, after the Justice Department indicted two Chinese nationals for directing a global hacking campaign, FBI Director Christopher Wray went further: Chinas goal, simply put, is to replace the U.S. as the worlds leading superpower and theyre breaking the law to get there, he said. These tensions are not new. After President Nixon visited China in 1972, ending the Communist countrys isolation, Washington saw friendly ties with Beijing as a counterweight to Moscow in the Cold War, which ended in 1991. Over the next two decades, burgeoning economic links gave both countries a stake in getting along. Despite Chinas human rights abuses and other irritants, successive U.S. administrations sought to bring Beijing into international accords on trade, nuclear arms and other concerns, arguing that engagement would lead to economic and political reforms. Accordingly, Washington granted Beijing permanent normal trade relations in 2000, paving the way for China to join the World Trade Organization a year later. U.S.-China trade surged from $5 billion in 1980 to $116 billion in 2000 to $635 billion last year. By any measure, Chinas economic growth has been phenomenal. In a country once stricken by famines, nearly 800 million Chinese have emerged from poverty in recent decades, according to the World Bank. After 1978, we never suffered insufficient food supplies, said Mao Yushi, a prominent economist in Beijing. Mao, 89, remembers when China in 1979 had just two bridges along 2,000 miles of the Yangtze River across the country, from Tibet to Shanghai. Today it has more than 100, he says. But U.S. policy experts were wrong: The progress did not produce political liberalization or easing of strict economic controls. Chinas soaring trade surplus instead led to growing U.S. complaints about closed markets, unfair state subsidies, theft of intellectual property and manipulation of currency. Xi came to power in late 2012 as China struggled with reckless economic growth, a backward military and endemic corruption. His answer: exert an iron grip over the Communist Party and assert its dominance over Chinese life. He backpedaled on pledges to move toward a free-market economy. Instead, he strengthened the role of state-owned companies and party officials who control them. Xis idea of governance is to follow Mao Tse-tung less liberty, more control, said economist Mao, whose call for greater freedoms has left him barred from publishing and lecturing. Beijing also embarked on an ambitious plan to modernize its military and began building runways and other facilities on man-made islands in the South China Sea, where numerous nations have competing maritime and territorial claims. Under Xi, China began its Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure program to bolster sea and land links around the globe. It also created the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a multilateral lender like the U.S.-led World Bank, to finance investments in roads, cellphone towers, railways and airports throughout Asia. The new assertiveness posed a direct challenge to Americas postwar role promoting stability and free trade in the western Pacific. Starting with President Obama, the U.S. response was a slow and critics say still inadequate and inconsistent ratcheting up of pressure. Obama, who called himself the first Pacific president, endorsed a strategic pivot to Asia with more military and other resources, but the effort soon faltered. Obama also sought Beijings help in blocking Iran from building a nuclear weapon, and in cutting emissions that cause global warming, two priorities for his administration. Obamas main countermove was the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a U.S.-led trade deal with most major Pacific Rim countries except China. The proposed accord was meant to firm up American leadership in the region. Trump killed the deal when he took office in 2017. He has instead pursued a bilateral, hard-line approach on trade with adversaries and allies alike. Trump also pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate accord; China stayed in both. U.S. business leaders who once pushed for access to Chinas vast market have seen their hopes fade, leaving almost no one to argue for engagement. The private sector no longer sees the profitable opportunities in China that they once did and no longer provides the ballast in the relationship that they once did, said Abraham Denmark, a former Pentagon official for China now at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The road ahead The goal of the Trump administrations confrontational policy is difficult to discern. Is it a better trade deal with Beijing or something more? Can Trump persuade Xi to back down from asserting Chinas growing power in Asia and beyond? Were on the sidelines lacing up our shoes and were not even sure where were running, said Matthew Kroenig, a former CIA and Defense Department official who helped craft Trumps national security strategy and who supports greater competition with China. Ive asked several senior government officials what the goal is and Ive gotten at least four or five answers. Pentagon officials have embraced returning to big power competition with major adversaries, including China, part of the White House strategy as it seeks to disentangle from counter-terrorism wars. These officials openly hope to build up U.S. military power in Asia and elsewhere to deter or if necessary, to fight China, a scenario the Pentagon until recently treated as something to plan for but not mention in public. As a result, they have pushed Congress to fund more ships, planes, missiles and submarines to counter Chinas military buildup. They describe clashes between Washington and Beijing as all but inevitable due to their incompatible political systems. Chinese senior officials openly express dissatisfaction with the existing world order which they describe as built and led by the U.S., rooted in American or Western values and operating to Washingtons great benefit, Adm. Philip S. Davidson, the top Pentagon commander in the Pacific, warned in a recent speech to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. So China is looking to change the world order to one where national power is more important than international law, a system where the strong do what they will, and the weak do what they must, he added. John Bolton, Trumps national security advisor, warned that a state-owned Chinese firm was in discussions to take over port facilities in Djibouti, a strategically located African country on the Red Sea where the U.S. military has a base called Camp Lemonnier. Should this occur, the balance of power in the Horn of Africa astride major arteries of maritime trade between Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia would shift in favor of China, he warned. Senior Chinese officials deny that Beijing is seeking to supplant the United States as the worlds superpower. Some U.S. defense analysts agree, saying China wants to dominate the Asia-Pacific region but that its important not to exaggerate Beijings ambitions. They want enough power to veto certain things that affect them but ... they dont want to be taking over U.S. bases and the world, said Oriana Skylar Mastro, a China military expert at Georgetown University and the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington think tank. I dont think theyll use foreign military interventions as a primary tool for foreign policy as the United States does, she added. You dont have to dominate every region in the world to be a great power. Adding to the challenge is Trumps erratic foreign policy. He has suggested offering trade concessions to China in exchange for pressing North Korea to give up nuclear arms. He has shown disdain for NATO, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, bulwarks of the global order. He blindsided allies when he announced a unilateral withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, a move that led his secretary of Defense to quit in protest. The isolationist policies have created a vacuum that China and other countries are filling. America does not want to lead at a time when China wants to lead, said Shen Dingli, an international relations professor at Fudan University in Shanghai. Trumps withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, in particular, is widely seen as having given China, which is the dominant trading partner for every major Asian country, a green light to expand further. It would have been very advantageous to us and to our trading partners, so we would have our norms, how we do things like government procurement and protecting intellectual property rules we want everyone to play by, said Joseph Yun, a former top American diplomat and until March the State Departments deputy assistant secretary for Korea and Japan. The American retreat has forced longtime allies including Japan, South Korea and the Philippines to hedge between Washington and Beijing. Most countries do not want to see competition between the U.S. and China to such an extent that theyre forced to choose sides, said Yun, now a senior advisor at the United States Institute of Peace. Right now theyre worried that the balance may be tilting and the U.S. is losing interest. Whatever the Trump administrations end game, most experts see Chinas rise as irreversible and say the tensions could last for years. Feinstein, for one, said she hopes the two countries can return to a more cooperative relationship. But she is sober about the chances. Last August, she disclosed that the FBI had warned her five years earlier that a longtime staffer in her San Francisco office had been secretly feeding unclassified information to the Chinese government. He was fired but not prosecuted. We have to have a much fuller relationship with China than we do today, Feinstein said in an interview. That used to be there because both sides wanted it. It was part of a learning process. Now, it doesnt exist as much. Times staff writer Sarah D. Wire in Washington contributed to this report. don.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @dleelatimes david.cloud@latimes.com Twitter: @DavidCloudLAT Barbara Deckert has a new weapon in the war against airplane noise, and shes not afraid to use it. Every time a plane flies over her suburban Maryland home, rattling her windows and setting her teeth on edge, she presses a small white button and feels a tiny sense of triumph. Thats because with one click Deckert has done what could have taken her hours to do a few months ago: She has filed a noise complaint with officials at the Maryland Aviation Administration. Thanks to the ingenuity of a software engineer from San Diego, Deckert and hundreds of others with similar beefs now have an easy way to register their annoyance with the jets that fly over their homes: the Airnoise button. Advertisement Its a fabulous tool, Deckert said. Clicking that button is really psychologically satisfying. Officials at airports from Seattle to Baltimore said Airnoise had led to a dramatic surge in complaints. At Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, officials are almost certain Airnoise is the reason complaints surged to 17,228 in August from just 2,692 the previous month. In San Diego, more than 90% of the complaints came through third-party apps such as Airnoise. Airnoise is the brainchild of San Diego resident Chris McCann, who repurposed the same plastic Dash Button that Amazon customers use to order toilet paper and detergent. (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post.) One click of the red-and-white button, and McCanns software program sends a detailed complaint directly to the agency in charge. Airport authorities dont make it easy to file noise complaints, but we do, McCanns site boasts. With the click of a button, instantly locate loud, bothersome flights, automatically file a complaint and get back to things that matter to you. Barbara Deckert points out data from the Airnoise device she uses to file airplane noise complaints. (Katherine Frey / Washington Post) McCann launched Airnoise in 2017 to help fellow residents in their fight about noise from flights at San Diego International Airport, near his home in the La Jolla neighborhood. Word quickly spread. Soon other communities residents, who are engaged in similar skirmishes, wanted the buttons. So far, he has sent out more than 700 of the clickers. As of mid-December, users had filed nearly 1.1 million noise complaints at 29 U.S. airports. People want to do something about the problem, but they have lives to live, kids to raise, and they dont want to spend an hour or two filing noise complaints, said McCann, who is also a former Air Force test pilot. Airnoise is a low-impact way for people to do and say something about the issue. Scott Stevson, who works with the Quiet Skies Coalition near Seattle, said the two dozen buttons the group recently ordered were quickly snapped up. Mark Anderson, who lives in Park Ridge, Ill., keeps his on his nightstand all the better to report those late-night flights into OHare International Airport. Since he and his wife, Mary, got their buttons four months ago, theyve filed roughly 5,000 complaints. Its almost too easy, he said. But these are real complaints. Robyn Winder of Hanover, Md., got her button in August and life hasnt been the same since. Oh, the joy, the sheer pleasure of pushing that button and seeing the complaints mount up, she wrote in response to a reporters query. We are over 115,000 complaints for BWI, more than 35,000 in just the past 30 days! So now when MAA wants to know which flight bothered you, I have a real answer! ALL OF THEM. Even before the arrival of Airnoise, airports had been dealing with a surge in complaints linked to the Federal Aviation Administrations effort to modernize the air traffic system, known as NextGen. The multibillion-dollar program is changing the way air traffic is managed, moving it from radar to satellite navigation. Proponents say it makes the air traffic system more efficient because it enables planes to fly more direct routes to their destinations. But the shift has angered people who live in neighborhoods that are below the new flight paths. Residents in northwest Washington sued the FAA over the changes but lost in court. A suit filed by the state of Maryland is pending. McCann was one of those affected. He lived in La Jolla for more than a decade and, aside from the occasional stray plane, had not had problems with noise. But that began to change in fall 2016. As he got more involved in the issue, he realized it wasnt easy to file a complaint with the local airport authority. Those who were able to figure out how to do so often couldnt provide the kind of detailed information useful to officials. He remembered reading a story about a guy whod rigged a Dash Button to help him easily donate $5 to the American Civil Liberties Union every time he got angry at President Trump. He figured he could do something similar. When users press the button, Airnoise uses publicly available data sources to determine which aircraft is closest to a persons home. It gathers information about the flight and sends it to the local airport authority. Users sign up via the Airnoise website. With a free account, they can file up to 15 complaints a month; for $5 a month, they can file unlimited complaints. The button costs $24. McCann, who has a full-time day job, says he charges just enough to cover his costs. The button may make its users feel good, but whether it will be effective in the battle against airplane noise is unclear. Airport officials often try to downplay complaints, noting that they are the work of just a few people. Maryland airport officials, for example, were quick to note that 80% of the complaints filed in 2018 came from fewer than 100 users of the Airnoise app. McCann said he tangled with a few airports that early on tried to block reports generated by Airnoise. Still, some airport officials say more information is always helpful. The bottom line for us is if you are an individual expressing a complaint about airport noise, we dont care about how were getting the information, said Mike Jeck, manager of the noise office for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Deckert says she firmly believes complaining makes a difference, so she tries to do her part each day. When her Airnoise button arrived in August, she hooked it onto a red, white and blue lanyard so shed have it with her all the time in the morning when shes making breakfast, in the afternoon while shes puttering around the house and in the evening when shes watching her favorite mystery shows on PBS. The button has clearly gotten a lot of use: The plastic coating is partially peeled off. A few weeks ago, the battery gave out. So for now, shes using her iPad to file complaints. People can try to discredit me, but I dont worry about that, she said. She paused and remembered the day she filed her first complaint with the Airnoise button. It felt so good, she said. Its highly, highly therapeutic. It makes you feel like you can make a difference. Aratani writes for the Washington Post. Louis C.K. is back in hot water after cracking jokes about non-binary youth and survivors of the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla. The embattled comedian, who fell from grace last year after a series of sexual misconduct allegations were levied against him, continued his rounds on the stand-up circuit (and has for some time). But some of his new material had many up in arms when leaked audio was posted online this weekend. According to TMZ, the audio first appeared on YouTube, noting that the set took place on Dec. 16, though it did not specify a location. The clip has since been removed, but former Jimmy Kimmel Live writer Jack Allison shared a particularly coarse snippet on Twitter on Sunday that highlighted some of C.K.s offending remarks. (Allison also got heat for posting the bit.) Im a little disappointed in the younger generation, C.K. said, explaining that todays youth should be up to no good and getting high. And, as a man in his 50s, he was excited to see 20-year-olds be crazy. Advertisement The Emmy Award winner then skewered them, calling them boring and too politically correct, and mimicked those who prefer to be addressed in gender-neutral ways. Theyre like royalty. They tell you what to call them, he mocked in the expletive-laden rant. You should address me as They/them, because I identify as gender neutral. Oh, OK. You should address me as There because I identify as a location. (He then specified a vulgar location.) They testify in front of Congress, these kids What are you doing?! Youre young. You should be crazy. You should be unhinged, not in a suit, he said, singling out the politically active survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting massacre in Florida, though he did not address them by name. Youre not interesting because you went to a high school where kids got shot. Why does that mean I have to listen to you? How does that make you interesting? You didnt get shot. You pushed some fat kid in the way. Now I gotta listen to you talking? he said. The backlash on social media was swift. Fred Guttenberg, a father of two Parkland shooting victims, was among those who railed against the comic.My daughter was killed in the Parkland shooting. My son ran from the bullets. My wife and I deal with loss everyday. Why dont you come to my house and try out your new pathetic jokes? he tweeted. This hacky, unfunny, shallow routine is just a symptom of how people are afraid to feel empathy, producer Judd Apatow tweeted. Louis CK is all fear and bitterness now. He cant look inward. Responding to Apatow, actress Rosanna Arquette had even less sympathy: Hes a disgusting excuse for a man. right there with trump as far as Im concerned. Hes a disgusting excuse for a man. right there with trump as far as Im concerned Rosanna Arquette (@RoArquette) December 31, 2018 Well, this erased any lingering hope I had that he would bounce back and try to truly make up for his behavior, another person wrote on Twitter. I identify as a place nah man, how about as a sex offender, another tweet said, referring to the multiple women who accused C.K. of sexual misconduct. However, some came to C.K.s defense, saying that he always made jokes of that ilk, and others said they were excited to hear more from him. Hand us a list of what we can joke about and what is off limits. Any comedian who agrees to your list is probably really, really bad at their job, argued one tweet. Representatives for C.K. could not be reached for comment. Twitter: @NardineSaad Kevin Spacey forged ahead with his slow-motion public meltdown on Sunday, and he made sure he was dressed appropriately for the occasion. The Daily Mail had photographers staking out a Baltimore luxury condo where Spacey was reportedly holed up when the actor delivered a medium cheese pizza from Dominos. I know youre just doing your job, he told one photographer. Keep warm and have a happy new year. Oh, and he was wearing a hat that said Retired since 2017. Advertisement Spaceys latest stunt comes less than a week after he released a bizarre YouTube video his first social-media interaction in more than a year in character in his former House of Cards role, Frank Underwood. It also arrives days after the revelation that Spacey will be arraigned in January on a charge of indecent assault and battery in connection with the alleged groping of an 18-year-old man in 2016. In the video released on Christmas Eve, Spacey stands in a kitchen and rants, ostensibly as Underwood, about individuals who rush to judgment and those who wish to see him punished. On Friday, the Baltimore Sun published a story theorizing that Spaceys instantly infamous video had been filmed in a local luxury condo at Pier Homes at Harborview in Baltimore. Update: @DailyMail staked out Harborview after our report and confirmed Kevin Spacey is staying in Baltimore. Wearing a Retired since 2017 hat, he handed their photog a Dominos Pizza https://t.co/TgVZp2wJs5 pic.twitter.com/MTFmP3Xx8F Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) December 30, 2018 Two days later, Spacey approached the photographers from the Daily Mail outside Harborview, all but confirming the Suns reporting. And then theres the hat he donned for his paparazzi pizza party. Retired since 2017 suggests that Spacey had a say in his fall from grace; in reality, his career was derailed by numerous accusations of sexual misconduct, which found new resonance in the #MeToo movement. More than 30 people have accused Spacey of sexual misconduct, which led to his unceremonious dismissal from House of Cards and his complete removal from Ridley Scotts All the Money in the World. Spacey retired in 2017 like a horse with a shattered leg retires from the Kentucky Derby. You can count on this spectacle to continue into the new year: Spacey is scheduled to appear in Nantucket District Court for arraignment on Jan. 7, where, TMZ reports, he will plead not guilty. libby.hill@latimes.com Twitter: @midwestspitfire At a time when women are making strides across the industries of film and television, the horror genre remains primarily a boys club. Sophia Takal, Blumhouses first female horror director, is one of the filmmakers aiming to change that. The former actress has been directing well-received female-led psychological thrillers since 2011s Green and made waves with Always Shine in 2016. , Her latest film, the reunion thriller New Year, New You, is streaming as the first installment in Blumhouse Televisions Into the Dark holiday-themed anthology series for Hulu. The feature-length episode, which premiered Dec. 28, follows four high school friends including a popular social media influencer dubbed Get Well Danielle (Carly Chaikin of Mr. Robot) who are forced to reckon with sins of the past after a New Years Eve celebration turns deadly. Suki Waterhouse (Assassination Nation), Kirby Howell-Baptiste (Killing Eve) and Melissa Bergland (Winners & Losers) also star. Advertisement Theres nothing the same about any of the movies [in Into the Dark], except that theyre holiday horror movies, Takal said by phone from New York. I think its a really fun concept to create an anthology around. Christmas and Halloween are classic horror movie holidays, but theres so many others that would be fun. Rather than choosing the New Years Eve focus, Takal was approached by Blumhouse to direct the episode. Usually, when I come up with an idea, Im going through some big emotional thing, she said. Im struggling with something or somethings really on my mind that I want to work through my art. But with this, I had to do something that someone else was thinking about and find my way into it. It felt a little bit like working from the outside in, rather than the inside out. By focusing on a high school reunion among friends at differing levels of success, Takal found her way into the story via themes of female jealousy and resentment, a through-line of her previous work. I really related to the idea of people regretting how theyve lived their lives and having a quarter-life crisis. All the themes around the New Years Eve backdrop were exciting and relatable to me, she said. The Times caught up with Takal to get her take on social media, working with Blumhouse and bringing the female gaze to horror movies. Social media plays a key role in this movie, and you seem especially interested in the dark side of social media influencers. What was the inspiration behind that? I really gravitated towards this idea that social media can be psychologically damaging. Oftentimes, people compare themselves to these very curated images that social media celebrities put out, in particular this self care, self love way of thinking. I think that self care is really important, but when its taken to the extreme, it can cause people to be pretty narcissistic, only thinking of themselves and how their lives are going and how their bodies look. So this is about exploring that. What was your experience like with Blumhouse? Jason Blum recently had some blowback for saying that women are less inclined to direct horror than men, and he apologized. Id shot this by the time that [comment] came out ... I didnt experience any sexism or differential treatment that I perceived to be because of my gender. I was totally supported throughout the whole process. I also really love the movies Blumhouse makes. Get Out is one of my favorite horror movies of all time, and I think they do a really great job of finding different voices to tell different stories. So I was really excited to have the opportunity to work with Blumhouse, and Im a huge fan of the work they do. Do you think there is something about the traditional horror genre that has pushed female filmmakers away? I really dont know. I cant speak for anyone but myself. I think that there is a strain of horror movies that is a little misogynistic. Not all, I would say. Theres another strain of horror movies where the women are the heroes and are really powerful, but there are certain pockets of horror that I think can be a little bit I dont know. I think that something thats really exciting for me about working in this genre is that in the past it has been traditionally male-dominated like much of movies in general and so it feels like its an opportunity for me to put out a new point of view or to show a new way of thinking about things within this genre. New Year, New You - In the era of self-care mania, millennial friends gather for a reunion on New Years Eve. As they revisit an old party game of Never Have I Ever, gripes and secrets theyve been harboring manifest in nefarious way (Richard Foreman, Jr./Hulu) Have you felt a real desire to tell diverse stories emerge in recent years or do you think the studios interest in hiring female filmmakers and directors of color is more of a gimmick or short-term trend? This experience was pretty illuminating to me in that I didnt feel like I was just being hired because I was a woman and they felt they needed a woman. I felt that they were really interested in how a woman would tell this particular story. The fact that they were so open and so trusting of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it made me feel like it was because they saw the value that I brought, so it did not feel like a gimmick to me. My own personal opinion is like, Whatever it takes to get us in the door. I think its OK, certainly for people that are aware that they have had blind spots [to acknowledge] that men, especially white men, have gotten the majority of jobs in film for so long, so its OK to make a concerted effort to open the door to new types of filmmakers. I dont feel like its gimmicky. I kind of feel like if I looked at it that way, it would be lose-lose. Because either they wont do it at all or if they do, theyre doing it for the wrong reasons. Whatever the reasons are, Im part of the conversation now and I feel really lucky because of that. What do you think a female director brings to horror that a man doesnt, or cant? Im a particular woman and I bring what I bring to it. Another woman might bring a totally different thing to the table in the same way that different men bring different things to the table. What I bring to the table comes from the fact that I was an actress before I started directing. One of the things that drew me more to direct as opposed to focus on acting was that sometimes being on set I felt a little bit like a mans puppet. I did one movie where I had to get naked and I walked away from the process feeling a bit like, All they wanted was for me to show my boobs. They didnt really care about the artistic side of things or what I thought would be creatively interesting. My experience as an actress on traditionally male-dominated sets definitely informs not only the way I interact with actors but also the way I choose to shoot. The male gaze definitely influences the way we choose to frame women on-screen, how we choose to shoot them and also the stories we are comfortable telling about women. People shy away from telling stories about flawed women. Theres an idea that female characters have to be likable more so than male characters do. And so I think, because Im a woman, I feel more comfortable with showing the nastier sides of [our experiences] and dont feel the need to show perfection on-screen. Id say thats what I bring to it as myself, who happens to be a woman. Psychological themes about women dealing with envy and resentment recur in your work. What exactly about that interests you? [Women are] very, very cutthroat. But because [we are] taught that being aggressive is unattractive and unfeminine, the ways in which we compete with one another and try to push each other down is so subtextual and psychological. Ive experienced it a lot on both sides as someone whos been teased a lot and also as someone who was competitive and totally felt like there wasnt enough to go around. I feel like its changing a little bit, but I dont know if its because Im getting older or because as a society women are being really supportive of one another right now. I think both are happening, but for a long time in the past there was a scarcity mentality or [a sense that] there wasnt enough to go around for all the women in the world. [Nowadays], Im definitely feeling a lot of support amongst other female filmmakers, a lot of camaraderie with other female artists, and I hope thats the direction that we go in, continuing to be more and more supportive of one another, rather than being pitted against one another. sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com follow me on twitter @sonaiyak Corrections officials are searching for an inmate who escaped from a minimum-security facility in Northern California. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Nicolas Dunning, 32, was discovered missing from the Konocti Conservation Camp on Monday morning. The camp in Lake County is home to about 95 minimum-security inmates who help fight wildfires, according to the agencys website. Lt. Charlene Billings said Dunning was assigned as a firefighter but was not working when he disappeared. Dunning is the fifth state inmate to escape this month. Three were captured. Authorities are still searching for 27-year-old Justin Franks, who escaped from Folsom State Prison on Dec. 22. Shalom Mendoza, 21, was taken into custody Saturday at a fast-food restaurant in Paso Robles after escaping from San Quentin State Prison three days earlier. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. could be charged with murder or involuntary manslaughter if authorities determine that recent deadly California wildfires ignited as a result of the reckless operation or maintenance of power lines, state prosecutors said. In a court filing Friday, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerras office detailed potential criminal charges the utility could face if found responsible for wildfires in the state that have killed dozens of people and destroyed thousands of homes; possible charges include failing to keep power lines clear of trees or vegetation, recklessly starting a forest fire and murder. A spokesperson for the utility released a statement Sunday in response to the filing but declined to comment further. PG&Es 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, the statement said. Throughout our service area, we are committed to doing everything we can to help further reduce the risk of wildfire. Advertisement The attorney generals filing came at the request of a federal judge overseeing the utilitys probation in a criminal case stemming from the deadly San Bruno gas pipeline blast in 2010, which killed eight people. PG&E was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay a $3-million fine in that case. U.S. District Judge William Alsup asked Becerras office to identify each potential criminal offense the utility could face in connection with the blazes. He also asked the utility, federal prosecutors and an independent monitor reviewing the companys safety performance as part of the San Bruno case to weigh in on PG&Es actions since the sentencing, setting a Monday deadline. As of Sunday night, only Becerras office had filed a response. Laurie Levenson, professor at Loyola Law School, said the severity of charges the utility faces depends on whether it was on notice of the risk that their equipment may start the fires and lead to deaths. Callous disregard of that risk could be murder, she said. The more likely charge would probably be involuntary manslaughter, which requires criminal negligence. The real key here is how much risk they realized they were taking and why they took it. Though companies cant be jailed if held criminally liable, they can be fined and debarred from contracts. When that happens, it is like a corporate death penalty, Levenson said. State prosecutors said the utilitys criminal liability would depend on its degree of recklessness. Recklessness could include the mental state of multiple offenses. These mental states resemble a sliding scale. As the mental state becomes more culpable, the applicable offense becomes more serious, the filing said. It continued: At criminal negligence, PG&E could have committed involuntary manslaughter, starting a fire without permission, and failing to keep its lines and poles clear of vegetation. At recklessness PG&E could have committed the felony of unlawfully starting a fire. And at malice, PG&E could have committed murder. Butte County Dist. Atty. Mike Ramsey told the Sacramento Bee that he hasnt decided whether to file criminal charges against PG&E over the Camp fire, even if the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection determines the company is at fault. Its a little premature, he said. In the filing, state prosecutors dont offer a position on PG&Es criminal liability or whether the utility caused the fires. But PG&E is facing intense criticism and at least 20 lawsuits that allege the utility allowed its equipment to spark the deadliest wildfire on record in California history. One lawsuit points to a small metal hook on an electrical transmission tower as the cause in the Camp fire, which killed 86 people and displaced up to 50,000 in Butte County. When it failed, the suit alleges, an uninsulated wire touched the tower, caused sparks and ignited the blaze. Another blasts a corporate culture that allegedly places reputation above public safety along with advertising that promotes a false and misleading picture of Northern Californias electricity supply. Other suits blame the general decay of the regions electrical infrastructure and the failure to trim trees and brush that grew too close to poles and power lines. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com A Sun Valley worker died after being crushed by a car Monday morning, authorities said. The Los Angeles Fire Department was called just before 8 a.m. to a business at 7245 Laurel Canyon Blvd. to assist someone who was trapped under a car. The vehicle fell on somebody and crushed them, LAPD Officer Drake Madison said. The man was quickly extricated from under the car, which had been raised on a floor jack, but he died at the scene, the LAFD said. Advertisement The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health was notified. alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra The Los Angeles Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune and Tribune Publishing said newspaper delivery operations were back to normal on Sunday, but that some issues remained after a malware attack that affected papers from California to Florida. Little was known about why an attacker sought to upend newsrooms and production centers, ultimately delaying delivery of about a dozen newspapers across the country on Saturday. In the Times El Segundo office, phones lit up throughout the day as readers called to complain about missed editions. The cyberattack also hobbled Tribune Publishing, whose properties include the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and South Florida Sun Sentinel as programmers tried to contain the computer virus. Multiple newspapers were affected because they share a production platform. Tribune Publishing sold The Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune to Los Angeles biotech entrepreneur Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong in June, but the two companies continue to share various systems, including software. Advertisement By Sunday, production and delivery were back on track at all the papers, but the company continues to work through other unresolved system issues, Marisa Kollias, a Tribune Publishing spokeswoman, said in a statement. We acted promptly to secure the environment while ... creating workarounds to ensure we could print our newspapers, she said. The personal data of our subscribers, online users, and advertising clients has not been compromised. She did not address details about the attack itself. Earlier, a source with knowledge of the situation said the cyberattack was believed to have originated outside the United States, but it was too soon to say whether it was carried out by a foreign state or some other entity. We believe the intention of the attack was disable infrastructure, more specifically servers, as opposed to looking to steal information, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. On Sunday, a spokeswoman for the FBI would neither confirm nor deny whether an investigation was underway. Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said, 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. Malware attacks are commonplace as hackers target a wide range of industries and government entities. In some ransomware cases, the attackers disable the system and demand money to restore services. Its unknown whether Tribune Publishing and The Times were asked for a ransom. In 2016, Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center paid a $17,000 ransom in bitcoin to a hacker who seized control of the hospitals computer systems. Two Iranian men were later indicted by a federal grand jury, accused of orchestrating a widespread scheme targeting not only the Hollywood hospital, but also U.S. cities and transportation agencies. Several people with knowledge of the Tribune situation said the attack appeared to be in the form of Ryuk ransomware. One company insider, who was not authorized to comment publicly, said the corrupted Tribune Publishing computer files contained the extension .ryk. Ryuk attacks are highly targeted, well-resourced and planned, according to an August advisory by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cybersecurity program. Victims are targeted and only crucial assets and resources are infected in each targeted network. A source with knowledge of the attack described it as extremely broad in scope and believed to have been carried out to disable infrastructure, as opposed to steal information. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because the individual was not authorized to comment publicly. Clifford Neuman, director, USCs Center for Computer Systems Security, said that Ryuk appears to have surfaced this summer. Unlike some ransomware, which spreads like a virus or worm, Ryuk tends to trick an individual into downloading or clicking on a particular link, or visiting a web site, Neuman said. It can also gain access to systems through poorly protected remote access, said Stephen Cobb, a senior security researcher at Eset, a internet security company. He said Ryuk often targets organizations with deep pockets that need immediate access to its files or software. Ryuk has typically been used to extort money but it could be used in a purely destructive manner, Cobb said. While its suspected the cyberattack on the newspaper companies originated from outside the United States, such assaults are notoriously difficult to attribute with accuracy. A feature of malicious code is that it can be copied, and purposely mislead people to believe it came from somewhere else, Cobb said. Pam Dixon, executive director of the World Privacy Forum, a nonprofit public interest research group, said that usually when someone tries to disrupt a significant digital resource like a newspaper, youre looking at an experienced and sophisticated hacker. Dixon added that the holidays are a well-known time for mischief by digital troublemakers, because organizations are more thinly staffed. Its an optimal time to attack a major target, she said. Times staff writer Meg James contributed to this story. dakota.smith@latimes.com Twitter: @dakotacdsmith A security guard who police say shot and killed a 21-year-old man earlier this month in Hollywood was charged with murder by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office Monday. Donald Vincent Ciota, 28, of Covina faces one count of murder with an allegation that he used a firearm as a deadly weapon. Ciota shot and killed Jonathan Hart inside a Walgreens at Vine Street and Sunset Boulevard on Dec. 2, authorities said. Ciota suspected Hart of shoplifting, and the two got into a physical altercation. Ciota pulled his firearm and fatally shot Hart in the back as he ran away, prosecutors said. Hart died from a gunshot wound to the neck, according to a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County coroners office. Advertisement Family attorney Carl Douglas said Hart was unarmed and was not shoplifting that night. Detectives told family members that Hart had a California ID card in his hand at the time of his death. The attorney said Hart had gotten into a confrontation earlier that night with the same security guard and had spoken with the store manager before continuing to shop. Douglas said Monday that Harts family was heartened and encouraged that Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Laceys office has charged Ciota. Douglas said Harts family is planning to file a $525 million wrongful-death suit against Walgreens. Douglas said the family is calling for a boycott of Walgreens until armed guards are removed from their stores. Walgreens, the blood of Jonathan Hart is on your hands, Douglas said earlier this month. Hart was profiled, harassed and ultimately shot because he was a homeless, gay black man, the lawyer said. A company spokesman said previously that Walgreens had fired the security firm that worked at the store and is cooperating with police. We are committed to providing a safe environment for our employees, patients and customers in the communities we serve, spokesman Phil Caruso said earlier this month. We contract for armed and unarmed security, as well as video surveillance, in our stores based on the public safety needs of each location. Ciota is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday, according to a spokesman for the district attorneys office. His bail is set at $3 million. If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison. javier.panzar@latimes.com @jpanzar A lion killed a worker at a wildlife conservancy Sunday after it got loose from a locked space, according to the center. The lion was shot and killed after it attacked the worker in an enclosure that was being cleaned at the Conservators Center in Caswell County, N.C., a statement from the center said. A husbandry team led by a professionally trained animal keeper was carrying out the routine cleaning when the lion somehow got loose, the statement said. It wasnt clear how the lion left the area that was supposed to be locked, according to the center, which will be closed until further notice. Advertisement The Conservators Center is devastated by the loss of a human life today, the statement said. According to the center, the lion was shot and killed to allow county personnel to retrieve the injured worker. This is an ongoing investigation, we have no further details at this time, and the family has not yet been notified. We will offer more information as we know more, the statement said. The facility was founded in 1999 and is in Burlington, about 50 miles northwest of Raleigh. According to its website, the center began giving public tours in 2007 and gets more than 16,000 visitors annually. It has more than a dozen employees and currently houses more than 80 animals and more than 21 species. The center says it took in 14 lions and tigers in 2004 to assist the U.S. Department of Agriculture with caring for animals that were living in unacceptable conditions. A message seeking comment was left with a spokesman for the Caswell County Sheriffs Office. Once he decided to shoot up a school, there wasnt much to stop Nikolas Cruz. His threats were ignored, the campus was wide open, the school doors were unlocked and students had nowhere to hide. What has changed? Though 10 months have passed since the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., students in Broward County are still exposed to potential danger. At least a quarter of campuses dont have single entry points to control intruders. Safe spaces to protect children in classrooms havent been identified. Theres no policy outlining how to respond to an active shooter. Advertisement Even seemingly simple things like making sure each classroom has a place where students can hide from bullets have not been done. The district points to some major security enhancements, including $6.2 million in new security cameras, $4.5 million for portable radios and $17 million for upgrades to intercom systems. But some projects that are underway like making sure an intruder cant walk into an unlocked school and shoot people are already behind schedule. Heres a look at critical failures that led to the slayings of 17 staff members and students, and the status of remedies to keep such a tragedy from happening again. Breaching the campus Nikolas Cruz was known by former classmates and even some administrators as a potential school shooter. And still he walked right onto campus. The intrusion led to calls for locked gates, locked doors, mandatory ID cards, see-through backpacks and metal detectors. Some of that is moving forward for all Broward schools. Some, like clear backpacks and metal detectors, were nixed early on. More than a quarter of Broward Countys 238 public schools still arent capable of funneling guests through one entry point. On some campuses, a stranger could roam and might be able to walk into a building when a door opens. These issues were supposed to be fixed as part of an $800-million bond referendum passed by Broward County voters in 2014. After the Stoneman Douglas shooting, Supt. Robert Runcie said that he would expedite the single-point-of-entry retrofits and that all campuses would be secure by early 2019. Thats not going to happen, district officials now say. Most retrofits are expected to be completed by March, but about two dozen will be delayed until later in the year or 2020, construction officials told the school board this month. Hard corners Some children died at Stoneman Douglas because they had nowhere to hide. The district had not mandated safe areas known as hard corners spots that a gunman shooting through a doorway would not see. As a result, those possible safety zones were not marked or were blocked by desks, bookcases or other obstacles. The school district has yet to fix the problem. Is there any reason why tomorrow theres not a hard corner in every classroom in every school in the district? asked James Harpring, undersheriff for the Indian River County Sheriffs Office and a member of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission. A hard corner is immediate, doesnt cost anything and is an immediate lifesaving action that can take place. Said Andy Pollack, whose 18-year-old daughter, Meadow, was killed in the shooting: They cant figure out how to put a piece of tape across the corner of the room? Its ridiculous. Runcie said he will begin implementing the change after the winter break and make adjustments later. I think we need to do something on an expedited basis, he said. Doors and windows When it came to protecting students at Stoneman Douglas, the doors and windows made the school even more unsafe. Bathroom doors were kept locked due to drug and vaping problems, and that prevented victims Joaquin Oliver and Meadow Pollack from finding a safe hiding place. The school district has directed schools not to lock restrooms anymore. Another issue that further endangered children as Cruz shot up the school on Feb. 14: Classroom doors could be locked only from the outside with a key, giving teachers the awful choice of standing out in the line of fire or leaving their classroom doors unsecured. The district has since replaced the locking hardware at Stoneman Douglas. The doors now work like an emergency exit door they always can be opened from the inside but are always locked from the outside. However, most other schools still have the old doors that must be locked from the outside with a key. Cruz never entered a classroom but identified targets by looking through the windows on the doors and then shooting through them. So far, one school, Heron Heights Elementary, has bullet-resistant glass on its windows. The windows and their installation were donated by Ballistiglass, a Broward County company whose president is a parent at the school. School district officials have no immediate plans to replicate this districtwide unless they can get more donations or funding. Metal detectors Cruz intruded with his weapon in tote, and surveillance cameras caught the horrifying image of him aiming an assault rifle inside a school full of children. The intrusion sparked discussion of metal detectors. Donors in the community offered to give metal detectors to Stoneman Douglas High, and they were to be installed by the first day of school in the fall. But the school district pulled the plug and has no plans for metal detectors in Broward schools, on the advice of Safe Havens International, the security firm the district hired to review its schools. Metal detectors are expensive about $1 million a school for equipment and staffing and have only about a 70% success rate, said Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens. Still, the states Stoneman Douglas commission said that metal detectors and X-ray machines should be considered at campus entrances. Heeding the warnings Cruzs lust for violence had been documented officially 69 times in his life. At least 30 people knew of his troubling behavior before the shooting. Experts say threat assessments recognizing troubling signs, assessing the student and acting on the risk are one of the most effective ways to shut down potential shootings. Browards school threat assessment process needs immediate improvement, a recent consultants report said. At Stoneman Douglas High, Principal Ty Thompson was not involved in threat assessments. Assistant Principal Jeff Morford performed his first one ever on Cruz, couldnt remember any details and ignored warnings about potential danger, the Stoneman Douglas commission found. Supt. Runcie said he hired a consultant to look at how threat assessments have been conducted in Broward schools. That review is underway. A new state law requires all schools to have a threat assessment team that includes a school administrator. The state commission recommended that all suspicious student behavior be reported to an administrator and documented, and that all threats of school violence be reported to the principal or higher. When asked Saturday, spokeswoman Kathy Koch said she could not immediately say whether the district would adopt the recommendations. Security guards Cruz didnt slip past security to enter the school. He was spotted immediately by a campus security monitor who recognized him as Crazy Boy and noticed he was carrying a rifle bag. The school also had an armed deputy. Neither helped. Still, a new Parkland-inspired state law, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, requires armed security at every public school in Florida. Most of the districts 238 schools use police officers from local cities or the Broward County Sheriffs Office, with the school district subsidizing some of the costs. However, local cities are not paying for school police officers in about 50 schools, mostly elementary, so the school district provides these with guardians, or armed school district employees who can carry a gun. The school district started training these employees through the Sheriffs Office in late summer and paid off-duty police officers to fill in at schools until the guardians were ready to go to schools. Right now, the district has 43 guardians and expects by early 2019 to be fully staffed to cover all 50 schools, with more to be hired for backup, Runcie said. The district also has 16 of its own police detectives who cover schools as needed. Red alert When Cruz started shooting, no one at Marjory Stoneman Douglas called a Code Red, ordering people to take cover behind locked doors, until the assault had been underway for three minutes. Staff were unprepared to know precisely how and when to order a lockdown, and some people died as a result, the Stoneman Douglas commission found. There was no policy, little training and no drills, the panel reported. Since the shooting, the state has mandated Code Red drills for all schools. In Broward County they are being conducted monthly. The county school board is considering an official policy, spelling out that anyone can call a Code Red if they see or hear anything that immediately threatens safety. Several missed opportunities In late 2013, Browards top school and law enforcement leaders signed an agreement to refrain, whenever possible, from arresting and expelling children, because too many black youths were being kicked out of school or jailed while white students were not for similar misdeeds. Cruz was never arrested, though the Stoneman Douglas commission found there were several missed opportunities at home and at school to arrest him. Runcie has ordered audits of school discipline and will have a zero-tolerance policy for administrators who give the improper punishment to students, he said. Cruz made several nonspecific threats on social media to shoot up a school. Under the new state law enacted after the Parkland shooting, such postings are now considered second-degree felonies. By not arresting Cruz the judicial system did not have an opportunity to identify and address his systemic and troubling behavior, the Stoneman Douglas commission determined. A drawn-out process The district had each school evaluated by Safe Havens International to meet the requirements of the new state law. The work to make the campuses safe isnt going to be quick, though. Many of our buildings were designed and constructed at a time when schools were not targets for the violence we are currently witnessing, Broward school administrator Valerie Wanza told principals in a memo March 5. We must continue to be vigilant by addressing the most apparent risks first, while planning for long-term strategies. Members of the Stoneman Douglas commission are tired of waiting on Broward schools to act. Commissioner Melissa Larkin-Skinner was seething at a meeting Dec. 12. I am extremely dismayed that the people around this table seem to be taking this much more seriously than the officials at Broward County, said Larkin-Skinner, a Manatee County hospital chief executive. It actually makes me physically ill. I would think that ground zero for this massacre would want to be ahead of the rest of the state. Wallman, Travis and OMatz write for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. bwallman@sunsentinel.com stravis@sunsentinel.com momatz@sunsentinel.com Next month marks the 46th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteeing a womans right to an abortion. Thats nearly half a century as settled law and yet states continue to fight to undermine it, to restrict access and to return the country to the days of illegal abortions. As 2019 begins, these unnecessary battles will continue in courthouses and statehouses around the country. Just since 2010, reproductive rights advocates estimate that a staggering 400 antiabortion bills have passed successfully through state legislatures. Some were so blatantly unconstitutional that federal judges banned them indefinitely or permanently. But that hasnt stopped states from appealing the rulings or introducing other such bills. The notorious Texas law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at hospitals and mandating that abortion clinics be outfitted and equipped to the standards of ambulatory surgical centers both of which are medically unnecessary requirements was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016 in another landmark ruling making it clear that the right to abortion means having access to abortion. Yet several states, including Louisiana and Missouri, have either passed or continued to enforce laws with very similar restrictions. In a few cases, federal courts allowed those laws to stand. The fact that many of the laws dont survive challenges in federal court doesnt seem to deter lawmakers from coming up with new ones. Kentucky legislators are about to introduce a bill that will prohibit abortion after six weeks of pregnancy a clear violation of Roe vs. Wade. Advertisement Several states have passed bills outlawing the most common method of second-trimester abortion, known as a dilation and evacuation procedure; those laws have generally been struck down in courts. Alabama, after losing all its appeals on its D&E ban, just petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case. An Indiana law that banned women from getting an abortion because of a disability detected in the fetus was enjoined by federal courts. The state of Indiana has asked the Supreme Court to take the case. A law in Ohio that bans a woman from getting an abortion just because the fetus will be born with Down syndrome was also enjoined by a federal judge and will be heard in an appellate court early next year. Its stunning that a state would try to interfere with a womans decision whether to take on the difficult and life-altering task of raising a child with a disability or the related decision whether to subject a child to living with a severely disabling condition. Besides, as an ACLU attorney recently noted, allowing a state to pry into the reasons a woman decides to have an abortion strikes at the very heart of a womans right to make this private decision for herself. Given that, legal experts think its unlikely the Supreme Court will take the issue up. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion But who knows? There seems to be a push to get more antiabortion state laws on the books in order to prompt more federal lawsuits and increase the chances that the U.S. Supreme Court, with its new conservative majority, will seriously undermine or overturn Roe vs. Wade. In late November, U.S. District Court Judge Carlton Reeves said as much in a scathing rebuke of the state of Mississippi when he struck down its ban on abortions after 15 weeks. Of more immediate concern than a broad Supreme Court ruling are the incremental state restrictions that manage to survive court challenges. Together, these are making it increasingly difficult for abortion clinics to stay open, intimidating doctors so that they wont provide abortions and generally reducing access in so many places that the procedure becomes almost unobtainable, particularly for poor women without the means to travel. In several states, there is, literally, only one abortion clinic. Its unconscionable that states continue to obstruct access to abortion, and its particularly galling when they cloak their laws in fake concerns about the health and safety of women. Abortion rights advocates must continue to challenge these laws in court, the judiciary must defend its critically important 50-year-old precedent and, ultimately, opponents must accept that abortion is a constitutional right that is not likely to go away. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook MOSCOW, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- 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 here 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. Sen. Elizabeth Warren took the first major step toward a White House run Monday, announcing a presidential exploratory committee as she attempts to redefine populism for the left in the age of Donald Trump. These arent cracks that families are falling into. Theyre traps. Americas middle class is under attack, the Massachusetts Democrat said in a 4-minute video posted online. Billionaires and big corporations decided they wanted more of the pie, and they enlisted politicians to cut em a fatter slice. Aside from a few images of Trump and polarizing figures in his administration, Warrens largely biographical video steered clear of directly taking on the president. Instead, it echoed some of the complaints that brought him to power by asserting that corruption is poisoning our democracy and that government has become a tool for the wealthy and well-connected. Warren is the biggest name to take a formal step into a race that is expected to feature a historically large primary field for a party that is eager to displace Trump in the White House. Advertisement A fundraising juggernaut who was among the first to tap into the anger of a resurgent left, Warren figures to be a major factor in the Democratic primary with a significant chance of winning the nomination. Some detractors say Warren would have a hard time in a general election, however, both because some voters see her as too far to the left and because the former Harvard University law professors style can appear pedantic and lecturing to some ears. She has also been dogged by controversy over her thin claims of Native American ancestry. But she has proved adept at capturing the frustrations and aspirations of many on the left. Shes skilled at putting core beliefs about the need for government regulation and income distribution into simple terms on videos that go viral. And she has successfully used her position on Senate committees to grill administration figures from both parties whom she has accused of going easy on big banks and other powerful players attracting accusations of grandstanding from detractors. Im in this fight all the way, she said at a Monday afternoon news conference in Cambridge, Mass., using her favorite word, fight, multiple times. The rhetoric puts her at the forefront of an intraparty debate over how best to take on the president. Warren believes in a combative approach based on a left-wing alternative to his right-wing populism. She has long positioned herself as a fighter years ago saying she had thrown rocks at those in the wrong. She relishes an image as a leader who will not back down, even in occasional battles against her own party. She was a pioneer of a lot of the populist themes that are coursing through the veins of Democratic primary voters, and shes able to channel their frustration at the current administration, said Colin Reed, a consultant who has run a campaign against Warren and later headed a Republican opposition research group. Like Trump, Warren attempts to channel the anger in the middle class over the decline in employment in the nations industrial base and stagnant incomes for a large share of American workers. Unlike Trump, she favors more government regulation and spending including Medicare for all to lift more people from poverty. She also opposes him on the long list of issues of cultural and ethnic diversity that have become litmus tests for both parties. Warren, a policy wonk, is also far different from Trump in governing style and temperament. Other potential candidates say a more uplifting message is needed to counter Trumps grievance-filled politics. Warren, asked about her polarizing reputation on Monday, was unapologetic, saying those unhappy with her are the drug companies, big banks and others who benefit from the status quo. In announcing on New Years Eve, Warren jumped ahead of several Senate colleagues who are expected to join the race soon, including Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Cory Booker of New Jersey. Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas and former Vice President Joe Biden are also among the long list of Democrats considering the race. Warren, who is completing her first term in the Senate, is 69, younger than Trump and other potential front-runners such as Biden and Sanders, but far from the generational change some in her party are urging. Her early entry into the 2020 primary race, on the last day of 2018 calendar year, demonstrates the eagerness of potential candidates to stake a claim on party support, fundraising and public attention. She is entering the primaries at a time when the Democratic Party is not only grappling with its economic message; it is also trying to come to grips with its increasing diversity. Hillary Clintons failure to energize enough voters of color was one of many reasons she could not defeat Trump, and many Democrats believe that they must make a stronger appeal to minority voters. Warren, whose base of support in Massachusetts is largely white, signaled her intent to court minority voters in her launch video, which showed clips of her marching in an LGBTQ parade in a feather boa and attacking Trumps divisiveness while pointing to the harsher effects that economic inequality has had on people of color. Trump has gone after her repeatedly, mocking her claims to Native American heritage with the nickname Pocahontas. In a Fox interview Monday, Trump continued to belittle her, saying he would love to run against her and attacking her mental fitness by saying youd have to ask her psychiatrist whether she could win the election. Warrens attempts to put the Native American controversy to rest, including a DNA test this year that showed trace genetic links to Native American peoples, have largely fallen flat, drawing criticism not only from Republicans but prominent Native Americans as well. Several reviews of her records, including an exhaustive investigation by the Boston Globe, have found that her ethnicity claims played no role in her hiring at a series of law school jobs, including at Harvard. Her message is a resonant one, but in terms of the messenger there are questions that werent there a few months ago, said Tracy Sefl, a Democratic consultant who has been involved in many presidential races. Sefl called the imperative to defeat Trump in 2020 almost beyond description and said Democrats will be less inclined to choose a messenger whos been called into question. Warren has tried to counter another potential liability her image as part of the coastal elite by telling her life story, which she also highlighted in Mondays launch video. She grew up in Oklahoma to middle-class parents. Her mother took a job at Sears when her father was unable to work following a heart attack. A champion high school debater, she was able to make it to college and then law school while also starting a family. Those early struggles fit within her economic argument that middle- and working-class families are often left without a safety net in the face of healthcare emergencies and other setbacks. As a member of the Democratic minority in the Senate, Warren cant claim many legislative accomplishments, but has succeeded in commanding attention. She has kept financial regulation at the center of her message, the issue that brought her to prominence as an academic and allowed her to first make her mark on national politics while serving as a special advisor in the Obama administration. In that role, she advocated for and helped establish a consumer protection agency as part of the financial services and banking overhaul passed in the aftermath of the financial collapse. Warren, a longtime critic of Wall Street, was passed over by President Obama to lead the agency on a permanent basis after Republicans made it clear they would fight her nomination. She ran for the Senate instead, winning her first term in 2012. Despite hostility toward her policies from the financial industry, which contributes heavily to many candidates in both parties, Warren has been an especially strong fundraiser since entering politics. In her first Senate race, she raised what were then record levels of donations in both small online contributions and larger sums from the partys big players. She is a large draw on the campaign trail, where she gestures emphatically as she talks about what she characterizes as the rigged system that favors the wealthy and well-connected at the expense of middle-class people. Warren stayed out of the 2016 race, believing Clinton was unbeatable in the primary. Since then, other contenders for the White House, including Sanders, have captured much of the attention and energy that had been directed toward her. Questions intensified about whether her moment had passed after signs of somewhat tepid support cropped up in her home state this year. She easily won reelection against an unknown candidate, drawing 60% of the vote, but her vote total was lower than that of Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, and polls showed the majority of Massachusetts voters did not want her to make a presidential run. Many Democrats preferred former Gov. Deval Patrick, who recently bowed out. The Boston Globe editorial board, one of the most liberal in the country, urged her to reconsider a bid, saying she had become a divisive figure on the national stage. Theres no shame in testing the waters and deciding to stay on the beach, the board wrote. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington noah.bierman@latimes.com Twitter: @noahbierman House Democrats will vote to reopen all the shuttered parts of the federal government when they take control of the chamber on Thursday, a senior aide said Monday. But their bills will not provide any money for President Trumps border wall, meaning the government shutdown that began before Christmas is likely to continue. Democratic leaders will vote on two bills, the aide said. One would fund all the closed agencies except Homeland Security until the fiscal year ends in September. The other would fund Homeland Security until Feb. 8, reopening the department while negotiations continue. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has vowed not to bring up a spending bill for Senate consideration unless it has the support of Trump. The president had previously said he would not sign a bill to reopen government unless it included $5 billion for a wall at the southern border, but in recent days the administration appears to be softening on the amount. Advertisement The stopgap funding for the Homeland Security department would not provide money for the wall, but would extend the departments authority to spend the $1.3 billion approved in the last budget for border security. Under that authorization, no money can be spent for a wall. Democrats plan is similar to what the Senate passed unanimously in mid-December in an attempt to avoid the shutdown, and incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that it would be the height of irresponsibility and political cynicism for Senate Republicans to now reject the same legislation they have already supported. Part of the government closed Dec. 21 when Congress and Trump could not agree on a spending package. Senate appropriators had previously agreed on $1.6 billion in border security funding the amount initially requested by the administration, which permitted some fencing, but no wall. The House approved a bill providing the $5 billion in wall funding sought by Trump after he raised objections to the smaller amount. Representatives and senators left Washington for the holidays shortly after the shutdown began, and there has been little negotiation since. The new Congress is sworn in Thursday. The president initially said he would take responsibility for the shutdown, but has since tried to lay the blame on Democrats for not agreeing to funding for the wall. The departments or agencies that closed are the departments of Homeland Security, State, Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice and Transportation, as well as independent agencies including NASA, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. The partial shutdown affects about 800,000 federal employees, many of whom are not expected to receive a paycheck while their agencies are closed. The latest from Washington More stories from Sarah D. Wire sarah.wire@latimes.com Twitter: @sarahdwire City Council lineup changes were a recurring topic in Fountain Valley this year, along with local impacts of statewide stories such as the Golden State Killer and sanctuary immigration laws. Here are some of Fountain Valleys top stories of 2018: Council elections The City Council seated two new members and kept a familiar face after the November elections. Incumbent Michael Vo, Planning Commissioner Patrick Harper and local activist Kim Constantine took the three available seats in the eight-candidate field. 405 Freeway work The years-long 405 Freeway widening project officially reached Fountain Valley in September with the demolition of the Slater Avenue bridge. The bridge, which will be rebuilt as part of the larger project, will be out of service for about a year. Insurance fraud case The owner and an employee of a Fountain Valley-based treatment facility, along with five doctors and four body brokers, were charged in what authorities say was a scheme to fraudulently bill insurance companies more than $6.8 million for experimental, unnecessary and potentially harmful surgeries on recovering addicts. The Orange County district attorneys office alleged in September that two administrators at SoberLife USA hired marketers, or body brokers, to approach people at sober-living homes and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to persuade them to receive surgical implants of naltrexone, a prescription drug used to manage opioid and alcohol dependence. Outcome of murder case confirmed Lawyer Annee Della Donna holds a photo July 25 of William Lee Evins, who pleaded guilty in 1985 to second-degree murder in the killing six years earlier of Joan Anderson of Fountain Valley. Della Donna argued in July that the Golden State Killer had actually committed the crime. (File Photo) The district attorneys office this summer reviewed evidence from a 1979 Fountain Valley rape and murder case that long had been considered solved to see whether it actually was committed by the prolific Golden State Killer. However, DNA found on the hammer used to bludgeon Joan Anderson in her home confirmed that William Lee Evins, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 1985, was responsible for her death, prosecutors announced in December. Evins died in prison in 2013. Joseph James DeAngelo, who is accused of being the Golden State Killer, was apprehended in April and is awaiting trial on 13 murder charges in connection with deaths in Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Orange counties. Police shooting ruled justified Investigators from the district attorneys office determined in July that three Fountain Valley police sergeants were reasonable and justified when they shot and wounded Matthew Earl Snoyman as he drove a pickup through the scene of a fatal crash in October 2017. Police were investigating the crash at the intersection of Magnolia and Mint avenues when Snoyman drove around police roadblocks and toward officers, authorities said. He suffered a gunshot wound to a shoulder. Snoyman pleaded guilty this summer to driving under the influence of alcohol, two counts of assault on an officer and one count of assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury. Sanctuary opposition An audience member at a Fountain Valley City Council meeting in April demonstrates his support for a federal lawsuit targeting Californias sanctuary laws that expand protections for undocumented immigrants. (File Photo) Fountain Valley joined a pushback by several Orange County local governments against Californias sanctuary immigration laws when it signed on in April to a brief supporting a federal lawsuit challenging the laws expanding protections for undocumented immigrants at risk of deportation. The brief was prepared by the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based legal affiliate of the Federation for American Immigration Reform. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled FAIR a hate group. Fountain Valley officials defended the citys involvement with FAIRs brief, though some critics took the council to task over the association. Mayoral rotation Then-Councilman Mark McCurdy, left, watches Michael Vo take Fountain Valleys mayoral oath of office in December 2017. McCurdy had been skipped twice in the mayoral rotation before he resigned from the council in January. (File Photo) The City Council voted in April to maintain its discretion in mayoral appointments, using council seniority as a suggested but not steadfast rule. The issue surfaced a few months after the council voted, for the second year in a row, to skip then-Councilman Mark McCurdy when he came up in the rotation. Fountain Valley council members choose the mayor and mayor pro tem from among themselves for the one-year, largely ceremonial posts. The mayor pro tem typically is next in line for the top spot. McCurdy, who was first elected to the council in 2010, stepped down in January, saying he needed to secure employment outside the area. He previously said he believed his council colleagues passed him over in the mayoral rotation for 2017 and 18 because of his often nonconformist views. However, some council members had frowned on his absences from several city planning meetings. Former longtime Councilman Larry Crandall returned to fill out the rest of McCurdys term this year. Fountain Valley Crossings The City Council in January approved the Fountain Valley Crossings Specific Plan, a package of zoning changes that eventually could allow redevelopment of 162 acres of a mostly industrial area in the southwest part of town. The specific plan, a major focus of the council and city Planning Commission in 2017, allows a mix of uses including retail, offices, industrial and residential in an area that had been zoned for manufacturing. It does not identify specific development projects. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD If you did not receive print editions of the Daily Pilot, TimesOC, the Glendale News-Press or the Burbank Leader on Saturday and Sunday, heres why. We were largely unable to print those editions due to a computer virus that affected systems we rely on to compose and send the pages to press. Theres more information about what happened in the Los Angeles Times. We are working diligently to produce Wednesdays print editions. In the meantime we ask that readers who did not receive their papers visit our websites to catch up on community news. We deeply apologize for the inconvenience this has caused our loyal readers. John Canalis, Executive Editor, Times Community News Happy New Year, everyone! Upward and onward we go into this shiny new year it will be quite interesting to see how events unfold over the coming 12 months. *** Im still catching up on holiday news, so bear with me. Just before Christmas, the Flintridge Riding Club held a lovely tea. The gathering was held in the historic club house that was designed 95 years ago by architect Reginald Davis Johnson. The tea table was beautifully decorated with softly glowing candles, fragrant greens and red berries. The food prepared was as elegant as at any teas held at the famed Savoy Hotel in London. About 50 or so guests enjoyed this happy respite from holiday madness. Tiny tea sandwiches were arranged on silver platters. Making this truly a proper tea were the tasty scones, clotted cream and delicious jams. Coffee and tea were poured from silver pots. An especially tasty addition to the pastries was a savory cinnamon petal biscuit that Erin Gershik made from a recipe treasured by her family for countless years. By the way, Gershik was chair of the tea. Other riding club members who joined forces to make this such a delightful afternoon were Ame Austin, Gina Groth, Suzie Osimo, Roberta Pollock, Ann Deren-Lewis, Wendy Hodgin, Suanne Mandell and Christine Hoo. *** The La Canada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild recently held its final meeting of 2018 and installation of its new 2019 board of directors and officers, followed by a luncheon. The local guild supports Orthopaedic Institute for Children in Los Angeles. The installation of the new guild board was presided over by Mary Beth Perrine, the institutes assistant vice president of development and outreach, with assistance from Karla Delgado, assistant director development and community outreach and Michael (Mikey) Willis, manager of volunteer services and community outreach. Perrine likened the 20-member La Canada Flintridge guild to an extra-powerful, double shot, mocha and caramel coffee drink. She described its members as truly amazing women whose generosity and commitment to the Orthopaedic Institute as genuinely inspirational. The local guilds major fundraiser each year is a very popular book and author luncheon. Marianne Jennings is the organizations new president. Assisting her are Ginney Pruitt, Elinor Bunn, Joanne Plosza, Jeanne Long, Marie Gilhooly, Chris Roper, Barbara Self, Maria Gero, Linda Labrie, Caryl Petit, Wendy Nicoll and Arlene Massimino. Luncheon attendees brought along an abundance of unwrapped toys for the Orthopaedic Institute to deliver to a medical clinic in Calexico. To learn more about membership in the La Canada Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild, call Jeanne Long at (818) 248-7822. Jane Napier Neely covers the La Canada Flintridge social scene. Email her at jnvalleysun@aol.com with news of your special event. Well, not sure this has happened before, but, by my count, no TVG handicapper hit a bet that it gave to its customers. In fact, if you would have turned over your bankroll to them it would have cost you $457.50. Happy new year. Now, when you just check in every once in a while, you may not find the day that they are on fire. And, if you were to deconstruct their bets, you might find some real gems. But the culprit, as I see it, is TVGs insistence of offering up big horizontal bets that are intended to keep you watching. Thats especially crazy when you understand that TVG is really just an ADW disguised as a broadcast channel. Its me. Not sure how I did it, but completely had the conditions on the American Oaks wrong in Sundays newsletter. It was for 3-year-old fillies going 1 miles on the turf. The most surprising thing about Giza Goddess winning the $75,000 Blue Norther Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf is why there was a stewards inquiry. She did shift out a little on Colonial Creed but, in the end, didnt look like the outcome was altered. Well, it didnt matter as there was no change in the finish. Giza Goddess was rated nicely and went to the lead in the stretch and gamely held on to win by half-a-length. She is trained by John Shirreffs and was ridden by Bryce Blanc . Giza Goddess paid $13.20, $6.40 and $4.00. Colonial Creed was second and Thriving was third. I think switching to the turf is what moved her up, Shirreffs told Mike Willman of Santa Anita. It has made all the difference with this filly. It was nice to be able to run back again at a mile, but beating maidens is one thing and beating winners is anotherI was wondering if she would settle well today, and she did. Its sad to report that Psychedelicat, a 4-year-old gelding, was euthanized when he suffered a left front leg injury in the fifth race. Jockey Mario Gutierrez pulled him up on the backstretch but the damage was too great to repair. In the ninth race, Media Tone unseated jockey Evin Roman . The Eclipse Award winning jockey (as an apprentice) walked to the ambulance so the presumption is everything was OK. The horse was rounded up without incident. Mondays New Years Eve card is not going to keep you lingering around at the track instead of celebrating elsewhere. Its eight races, starting at 12:30 p.m., with no stakes and three allowance races. The field sizes are good and half the races are on the turf. Of the three allowance races, the one with the biggest purse ($67,000) is the third, for Cal-bred 3-year-olds and up going a mile on the turf. The favorite is He Will, at 5-2, for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and jockey Kent Desormeaux . He is winless in four tries but has been running at a stakes level. His best this year is a fourth in a black type stakes. Second favorite is King Abner who will be running his 14 th race this year. He has won four of them including the last two at the allowance level. Phil DAmato and Tyler Baze team up to run this horse. Improving gelding from the Richard Baltas stable crushed Cal-breds over this downhill layout two months ago and should be very tough to deny as he steps up to try open allowance company off a steady work pattern. He completely dominated his foes like a horse that will win right back for a red-hot trainer who won three races yesterday (along with three seconds). 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 Sunday, December 30. Copyright 2018 by Equibase Company. Reproduction prohibited. Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 4th day of a 61-day meet. Clear & Firm FIRST RACE. About 6 Furlongs Turf. Purse: $43,000. Claiming. 3 year olds. Claiming Prices $50,000-$45,000. Time 21.18 43.25 1:06.05 1:12.11 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 6 Shadow Sphinx 124 6 2 7 71 2hd 11 Prat 3.00 9 Move Over 122 9 9 10 9hd 4 21 Rosario 1.80 5 Flip the Coin Jan 119 5 5 3hd 1hd 1 3hd Figueroa 5.10 10 Kris' Wild Kat 122 10 3 1 21 32 41 Bejarano 8.90 8 Artie B Good 117 8 8 91 10 92 52 Espinoza 6.80 4 Zestful 122 4 10 8hd 81 7 6 Van Dyke 21.80 3 Crazy Uncle Rick 122 3 4 51 5hd 61 71 Desormeaux 26.00 2 Raven Creek 122 2 1 2hd 3hd 51 81 T Baze 13.10 1 Bahamian 122 1 7 61 6 10 92 Franco 45.70 7 Impetu 122 7 6 42 41 8hd 10 Talamo 43.10 6 SHADOW SPHINX 8.00 4.40 3.40 9 MOVE OVER (GB) 3.20 2.40 5 FLIP THE COIN JAN 3.40 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $4.20 $1 EXACTA (6-9) $13.30 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (6-9-5-10) $27.85 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (6-9-5-10-8) $272.30 50-CENT TRIFECTA (6-9-5) $33.45 WinnerShadow Sphinx Dbb.g.3 by Pioneerof the Nile out of Manx Cat, by Forest Wildcat. Bred by Grade 1 Bloodstock & Halcyon Farm &Equine Equity Partners, LLC (KY). Trainer: Richard Baltas. Owner: Little Red Feather Racing, Next Wave Racing and Riley Racing Stables, LLC. Mutuel Pool $251,466 Roulette Pool $1,053 Exacta Pool $152,345 Superfecta Pool $62,791 Super High Five Pool $1,688 Trifecta Pool $97,890. ClaimedMove Over (GB) by B G Stable and Palma, Hector O. Trainer: Hector Palma. ClaimedArtie B Good by Robert Cannon. Trainer: Alfredo Marquez. ScratchedEncumbered, Tigerbeach. SHADOW SPHINX chased outside then alongside a rival, came out leaving the hill and four wide into the stretch, bid three deep in midstretch under some left handed urging, gained the advantage nearing the sixteenth pole and won clear. MOVE OVER (GB) pulled his way along outside and steadied briefly at the right hand curve, chased outside then alongside a rival, also came four wide into the stretch and gained the place. FLIP THE COIN JAN dueled between horses then inside, came out a bit into the stretch, ought back in midstretch and just held third. KRIS' WILD KAT sped to the early lead off the rail, dueled four wide then outside a rival down the hill, fought back between horses in midstretch and was edged for the show. ARTIE B GOOD between horses early, chased outside then alongside a rival, came out crossing the dirt and steadied off heels three deep into the stretch and bested the others. ZESTFUL broke a bit slowly, settled just off the rail, angled to the inside in the stretch and lacked the needed rally. CRAZY UNCLE RICK bobbled at the start, stalked outside a rival to the stretch and did not rally. RAVEN CREEK bumped at the start, went up inside to duel for the lead then stalked along the rail down the hill and weakened. BAHAMIAN broke out and bumped a rival, saved ground chasing the pace, hopped then stumbled badly onto the dirt crossing and also weakened. IMPETU had speed between foes to duel for the lead then stalked outside a rival, came three deep into the stretch and also weakened. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the run crossing the dirt before ruling BAHAMIAN was the cause of his own trouble. Rail on hill at 14 feet. SECOND RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $28,000. Claiming. Fillies. 2 year olds. Claiming Prices $20,000-$18,000. Time 22.82 46.68 1:12.20 1:19.07 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 5 Portal Creek 120 5 1 2hd 22 12 12 Quinonez 2.40 4 Time for Suzzie 122 4 6 42 3hd 2 26 Flores 3.90 6 Secret Maneuver 120 6 5 6 5hd 43 31 Desormeaux 0.90 2 Queen Carmelita 120 2 4 11 1 35 47 Delgadillo 10.00 3 At the Margin 120 3 3 5 6 51 53 Franco 13.30 1 Top Hat Tantrum 120 1 2 31 41 6 6 Vergara, Jr. 45.80 5 PORTAL CREEK 6.80 3.60 2.20 4 TIME FOR SUZZIE 4.80 2.60 6 SECRET MANEUVER 2.10 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $2.60 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (6-5) $35.20 $1 EXACTA (5-4) $14.70 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (5-4-6-2) $5.15 50-CENT TRIFECTA (5-4-6) $9.75 WinnerPortal Creek Dbb.f.2 by Shanghai Bobby out of Silent Stream, by Tricky Creek. Bred by White Fox Farm (KY). Trainer: Ryan Hanson. Owner: Christopher Drakos. Mutuel Pool $173,264 Roulette Pool $1,025 Daily Double Pool $46,964 Exacta Pool $92,438 Superfecta Pool $36,931 Trifecta Pool $58,656. ClaimedPortal Creek by Lambert, Jeffrey and Paradise Farms Corp. Trainer: Robert Hess, Jr. Scratchednone. PORTAL CREEK sped to the early lead off the rail then three deep, stalked outside a rival, bid alongside the pacesetter on the turn, took the lead into the stretch and won clear under urging. TIME FOR SUZZIE broke in a bit, steadied three deep nearing the five eighths pole, stalked just off the rail then outside a rival, continued a bit off the fence into the stretch and was clearly second best. SECRET MANEUVER settled off the rail then angled to the inside for the turn, came out into the stretch and picked up the show. QUEEN CARMELITA bobbled at the start, went up between horses to gain the lead, inched away and angled in on the backstretch, set the pace inside then dueled along the rail on the turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. AT THE MARGIN stalked a bit off the rail then outside a rival on the turn and weakened in the drive. TOP HAT TANTRUM had speed inside then saved ground stalking the pace, came out some in the stretch and had little left for the drive. THIRD RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $33,000. Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $25,000-$22,500. Time 22.39 45.61 57.88 1:10.89 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Lady Ninja 122 3 2 21 11 12 14 Prat 2.10 7 Sturdy One 122 5 4 3hd 35 24 25 Cruz 2.60 5 Copy Begone 115 4 3 46 42 41 32 Fuentes 14.40 1 Bragging Rights 120 1 5 5 5 5 41 Franco 13.70 2 Red Shelby 119 2 1 1hd 2 32 5 Figueroa 1.20 4 LADY NINJA 6.20 3.00 2.40 7 STURDY ONE 3.00 3.20 5 COPY BEGONE 4.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (5-4) $24.20 $1 EXACTA (4-7) $8.80 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-7-5-1) $6.50 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-7-5) $18.80 WinnerLady Ninja Dbb.f.4 by Majesticperfection out of Dressed to Kill, by Formal Gold. Bred by Sugartown Stable (KY). Trainer: Richard Baltas. Owner: Bederian,Harry, Kamberian, Harout, Nakkashian, Hagop and Baltas, Richard. Mutuel Pool $180,194 Daily Double Pool $20,939 Exacta Pool $70,803 Superfecta Pool $25,123 Trifecta Pool $42,686. ClaimedRed Shelby by All Schlaich Stables LLC, Hollendorfer, LLC, Kenwood Racing, LLC and Todaro, G. Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer. ScratchedConquest Flatterme, Sly Humor. 50-Cent Pick Three (6-5-4) paid $23.30. Pick Three Pool $63,348. LADY NINJA had speed between horses then dueled outside a rival, put a head in front into the turn, inched away leaving the turn and drew clear under urging then a hold late. STURDY ONE four wide early, stalked outside a rival then off the rail on the turn, came out some into the stretch and bested the rest. COPY BEGONE between rivals early, stalked off the rail, came out into the stretch and lacked a rally but held third. BRAGGING RIGHTS dropped back off the rail early, angled to the inside on the turn, came out into the stretch and did not rally. RED SHELBY went up inside to duel for the lead, tugged on a short advantage, tried to get out some nearing the turn, fought back early on the bend and weakened in the stretch. FOURTH RACE. 1 Mile Turf. Purse: $75,000. 'Blue Norther Stakes'. Fillies. 2 year olds. Time 23.08 46.54 1:10.34 1:22.49 1:34.64 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 7 Giza Goddess 120 7 2 3hd 2hd 1hd 11 1 Blanc 5.60 5 Colonial Creed 120 5 3 22 31 32 21 22 Bejarano 6.00 8 Thriving 120 8 8 6 62 61 4hd 3hd Prat 4.30 1 Lady Prancealot 120 1 7 8 8 71 6hd 41 Rosario 1.40 6 Courteous 120 6 4 11 12 21 32 51 Talamo 5.40 2 Splashy Kisses 120 2 5 71 71 8 8 6 Van Dyke 12.20 4 Cedars of Lebanon 120 4 6 51 51 4hd 51 76 T Baze 30.80 3 Data Storm Kitty 120 3 1 41 41 51 7 8 Fuentes 28.90 7 GIZA GODDESS 13.20 6.40 4.00 5 COLONIAL CREED 6.80 4.20 8 THRIVING (GB) 4.60 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $3.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-7) $38.20 $1 EXACTA (7-5) $33.70 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (7-5-8-1) $62.92 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (7-5-8-1-6) $1,358.30 50-CENT TRIFECTA (7-5-8) $116.35 WinnerGiza Goddess Grr.f.2 by Cairo Prince out of Comfort and Joy, by Harlan's Holiday. Bred by Clarkland Farm (KY). Trainer: John A. Shirreffs. Owner: Mercedes Stables LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Dilworth, Scott, Ingordo, Dorothy, Ingordo, David an. Mutuel Pool $362,719 Roulette Pool $1,166 Daily Double Pool $31,968 Exacta Pool $183,700 Superfecta Pool $83,170 Super High Five Pool $3,560 Trifecta Pool $123,236. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (5-4-7) paid $36.80. Pick Three Pool $32,904. GIZA GODDESS three deep into the first turn, stalked outside a rival then alongside the runner-up nearing the second turn, bid outside the pacesetter on that turn to gain the advantage a quarter mile out, inched away into the stretch and held gamely under left handed urging. COLONIAL CREED between horses early, angled in on the first turn then stalked just off the rail, was in a bit tight behind the winner into the second turn, continued just off the inside to the stretch and finished willingly. THRIVING (GB) fanned out into the first turn, chased outside a rival then off the rail on the second turn, came three wide into the stretch and edged a rival for the show. LADY PRANCEALOT (IRE) saved ground off the pace, came out and was in tight off heels in upper stretch, came out again and finished with some interest but was edged for third. COURTEOUS had speed between horses then inched away and angled in on the first turn, set the pace inside, dueled along the rail on the second turn and nearing the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. SPLASHY KISSES was rank toward the inside then came out and steadied off heels into the first turn, pulled inside then just off the rail leaving the backstretch, drifted out some on the second turn to be three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. CEDARS OF LEBANON (IRE) pulled between horses and steadied into the first turn, stalked just off the rail then outside a rival on the second turn and into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response in the drive. DATA STORM KITTY saved ground stalking the pace throughout and weakened in the stretch. Following a stewards' inquiry and a claim of foul by the rider of the runner-up against the winner for alleged interference into the second turn, no change was made when the stewards ruled the incident was minor and did not alter the original order of finish. FIFTH RACE. 1 Mile. Purse: $22,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $16,000-$14,000. Time 23.18 47.02 1:11.98 1:24.71 1:37.67 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 8 Impression 124 8 2 11 11 12 12 1 Pedroza 4.20 4 Super Duper Cooper 124 4 4 51 54 22 26 211 T Baze 3.20 1 Odyssey Explorer 124 1 6 8 7 66 53 32 Flores 18.20 6 Gain Ground 124 6 7 61 3hd 43 31 43 Cruz 2.70 5 Elwood J 124 5 1 42 4 3hd 42 59 Maldonado 4.00 3 Rhettbutler 122 3 3 2hd 2hd 53 6 6 Pereira 40.00 2 Psychedelicat 124 2 5 3hd dnf Gutierrez 6.40 7 Ronton 120 7 8 72 6hd 7 dnf Rosario 11.70 8 IMPRESSION 10.40 5.20 4.00 4 SUPER DUPER COOPER 4.60 3.60 1 ODYSSEY EXPLORER 5.20 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $4.80 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (7-8) $53.80 $1 EXACTA (8-4) $20.50 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (8-4-1-6) $90.39 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (8-4-1-6-5) $2,449.90 50-CENT TRIFECTA (8-4-1) $116.35 WinnerImpression Ch.g.5 by Smart Strike out of Mon Belle, by Maria's Mon. Bred by Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY). Trainer: William E. Morey. Owner: Guelfo, Gene, Lindstrom, Frank and Martin, James. Mutuel Pool $259,622 Roulette Pool $1,301 Daily Double Pool $30,917 Exacta Pool $140,951 Superfecta Pool $64,466 Super High Five Pool $2,343 Trifecta Pool $99,544. ClaimedGain Ground by Lambert, Jeffrey, Storey, Chuck and Toland, Robert. Trainer: Robert Hess, Jr. ClaimedElwood J by Brophy, Brett and Saratoga West. Trainer: Jeffrey Metz. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (4-7-8) paid $71.00. Pick Three Pool $61,470. 50-Cent Pick Four (5-4-7-8) 709 tickets with 4 correct paid $210.45. Pick Four Pool $195,538. 50-Cent Pick Five (6-5-4-7-8) 476 tickets with 5 correct paid $1,003.75. Pick Five Pool $555,176. IMPRESSION sent along four wide to the early lead, angled in on the first turn and set the pace inside, kicked clear on the second turn and held on gamely under urging. SUPER DUPER COOPER stalked three deep on the first turn and four wide on the backstretch, continued off the rail leaving the second turn and a bit wide into the stretch and finished well. ODYSSEY EXPLORER saved ground off the pace, came out into the stretch and bested the others. GAIN GROUND bobbled some at the break, went up four wide into the first turn then stalked three deep between foes on the backstretch, continued outside a rival on the second turn and weakened. ELWOOD J angled in and saved ground stalking the pace to the stretch and also weakened. RHETTBUTLER between horses early, went up three deep leaving the first turn, stalked between horses, dropped back just off the rail on the second turn and gave way. RONTON four wide into the first turn, chased off the rail, dropped back into and on the second turn, was pulled up into the stretch and walked off. PSYCHEDELICAT stalked inside then between horses leaving the first turn, was pulled up early on the backstretch and vanned off. SIXTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $55,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 2 year olds. Time 21.73 45.08 57.60 1:10.59 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 8 Anuket 122 7 3 3hd 1hd 11 14 Van Dyke 0.90 2 Miss Ava's Union 122 2 5 51 53 2hd 22 Rosario 8.30 7 Bizwhacks 122 6 1 41 2hd 32 33 Gutierrez 4.30 9 Cherished 122 8 4 7hd 71 61 42 T Baze 49.80 3 Blue Moonrise 122 3 8 1 31 41 5 Talamo 4.90 5 Twice Golden 122 4 7 2hd 4 52 6nk Bejarano 13.70 6 Emrata 117 5 2 63 62 73 72 Figueroa 8.50 1 Happy Tune 122 1 6 8 8 8 8 Blanc 65.50 8 ANUKET 3.80 2.80 2.20 2 MISS AVA'S UNION 6.00 3.80 7 BIZWHACKS 2.80 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $2.80 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (8-8) $28.00 $1 EXACTA (8-2) $10.50 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (8-2-7-9) $51.94 50-CENT TRIFECTA (8-2-7) $20.70 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (8-2-7-9-3) Carryover $3,000 WinnerAnuket B.f.2 by Pioneerof the Nile out of Rashnaa, by Tapit. Bred by Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC &Pollock Farms (KY). Trainer: Bob Baffert. Owner: Juddmonte Farms, Inc.. Mutuel Pool $310,871 Roulette Pool $1,592 Daily Double Pool $32,228 Exacta Pool $186,475 Superfecta Pool $97,788 Trifecta Pool $143,344 X-5 Super High Five Pool $3,932. ScratchedFree Belief. 50-Cent Pick Three (7-8-8) paid $49.90. Pick Three Pool $76,978. ANUKET prompted the pace four wide, took a short lead a quarter mile out, continued four wide into the stretch and drew clear under urging and steady handling late. MISS AVA'S UNION stalked inside, came out on the turn and five wide into the stretch, drifted in and gained the place. BIZWHACKS pressed the pace three deep between horses on the backstretch and turn and into the stretch and bested the others. CHERISHED settled outside then off the rail, came four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. BLUE MOONRISE bobbled at the start, went up between horses early then dueled inside, fought back on the turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. TWICE GOLDEN had good early speed and dueled between horses, fell back a bit off the rail leaving the turn and weakened. EMRATA chased off the rail, swung out into the stretch and lacked a further response. HAPPY TUNE dropped back and came off the rail on the backstretch, angled in on the turn, came out in the stretch and failed to menace. SEVENTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $18,000. Maiden Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $16,000. Time 22.01 45.35 1:10.87 1:17.85 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 10 Disco Cat 117 10 1 11 1hd 1hd 1hd Espinoza 48.90 7 Captain N. Barron 122 7 6 21 2 22 21 Pereira 7.80 1 Bartlett Hall 122 1 10 7 62 62 31 Blanc 3.60 11 Doheny Beach 122 11 2 8hd 81 74 42 Roman 50.10 3 Serve Me a Double 124 3 7 3 53 3 5nk Maldonado 6.70 6 On the Right 117 6 4 41 41 5 61 Figueroa 3.30 9 Emotional Ride 122 9 11 6hd 3hd 4hd 71 Payeras 2.70 4 Arno's Mane Man 115 4 9 92 104 102 8 Fuentes 8.40 5 Conversate 124 5 5 11 11 9 91 Quinonez 29.60 8 Santa Fe Blaze 122 8 8 102 91 82 1017 T Baze 35.10 2 Jimmy the Bull 122 2 3 51 71 11 11 Franco 42.90 10 DISCO CAT 99.80 37.60 16.80 7 CAPTAIN N. BARRON 9.40 5.40 1 BARTLETT HALL 3.60 $2 ROULETTE (GREEN) $14.80 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (8-10) $254.00 $1 EXACTA (10-7) $418.50 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (10-7-1-11) $3,618.59 50-CENT TRIFECTA (10-7-1) $1,219.95 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (10-7-1-11-3) Carryover $5,357 WinnerDisco Cat B.g.3 by Informed out of Tribal Charm, by Tribal Rule. Bred by Joel Eichenberger & Cathy Eichenberger (CA). Trainer: Leonard Powell. Owner: Eichenberger, Joel and Cathy. Mutuel Pool $300,917 Roulette Pool $1,947 Daily Double Pool $35,013 Exacta Pool $185,253 Superfecta Pool $95,061 Trifecta Pool $128,242 X-5 Super High Five Pool $3,089. ClaimedArno's Mane Man by CM Racing. Trainer: Steven Miyadi. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (8-8-10) paid $373.25. Pick Three Pool $62,855. DISCO CAT sped to the early lead off the rail, angled in and set the pace inside, dueled along the fence on the turn, fought back under urging in the stretch and held gamely. CAPTAIN N. BARRON stalked off the rail then bid between horses on the turn, battled outside the winner through a long drive and continued gamely but could not get by. BARTLETT HALL a step slow to begin, chased inside, came out into the stretch, split rivals in midstretch and finished willingly. DOHENY BEACH bobbled at the start, settled outside then four wide, came three deep into the stretch and bested the others. SERVE ME A DOUBLE stalked inside, came a bit off the rail on the turn, angled back in for the stretch and lacked the needed rally. ON THE RIGHT chased between horses, bid three wide between foes on the turn and weakened in the drive. EMOTIONAL RIDE broke a bit slowly, angled in and stalked between horses then three deep leaving the backstretch, bid four wide on the turn and into the stretch and also weakened. ARNO'S MANE MAN chased between horses, dropped back off the rail on the turn and lacked a response in the stretch. CONVERSATE between horses early, settled a bit off the rail to the stretch and did not rally. SANTA FE BLAZE chased off the rail, angled in on the turn, continued inside in the stretch and lacked a further response. JIMMY THE BULL chased a bit off the rail then briefly between foes nearing the turn, dropped back on the turn and gave way. EIGHTH RACE. 1 Mile Turf. Purse: $59,000. Allowance Optional Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $62,500. Time 23.81 47.96 1:12.06 1:23.83 1:35.46 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 4 English Dancer 122 4 1 2hd 21 21 1 1 Prat 2.40 2 Cordiality 124 2 3 4 4 51 31 2nk T Baze 1.80 3 Pulpit Rider 122 3 7 8hd 71 61 4 31 Van Dyke 6.10 1 Cheekaboo 124 1 8 10 9hd 9hd 6hd 41 Rosario 8.30 8 Ippodamia's Girl 120 8 2 11 1 1hd 21 5 Bejarano 14.50 10 Lemoona 120 10 9 7hd 81 7hd 81 6 Atzeni 10.40 7 Tammy's Window 117 7 10 91 10 10 9 72 Figueroa 16.10 5 Jazaalah 122 5 4 31 31 3 51 81 Desormeaux 25.00 6 Lightning Dove 122 6 6 6 6 81 10 9ns Franco 43.60 9 One Fast Broad 122 9 5 51 51 4hd 7 10 Fuentes 35.50 4 ENGLISH DANCER 6.80 3.60 3.00 2 CORDIALITY 3.20 2.60 3 PULPIT RIDER 3.20 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $2.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (10-4) $473.20 $1 EXACTA (4-2) $11.20 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-2-3-1) $15.19 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (4-2-3-1-8) $576.00 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-2-3) $19.70 WinnerEnglish Dancer B.f.4 by English Channel out of Your Flame in Me, by Boundary. Bred by Woodlawn Breeding Inc (KY). Trainer: Richard Baltas. Owner: Slam Dunk Racing, Turf Stable II, LLC (Rusty Jones) and Nentwig, Michael. Mutuel Pool $396,079 Roulette Pool $1,832 Daily Double Pool $33,237 Exacta Pool $208,965 Superfecta Pool $109,087 Super High Five Pool $12,749 Trifecta Pool $147,942. ClaimedCordiality by Rockingham Ranch and Bernsen, David A. Trainer: Peter Miller. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (8-10-4) paid $289.35. Pick Three Pool $71,915. ENGLISH DANCER angled in and dueled inside, put a head in front off the rail into the stretch, inched away past midstretch and held on gamely under urging. CORDIALITY pulled along the inside stalking the pace, came out in midstretch and surged between foes late. PULPIT RIDER saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch and finished willingly three deep on the line. CHEEKABOO settled off the pace inside, cut the corner into the stretch and bested the rest along the fence. IPPODAMIA'S GIRL three deep early, dueled outside the winner, fought back in midstretch and weakened late. LEMOONA four wide into the first turn, chased three deep then outside a rival, came four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. TAMMY'S WINDOW settled outside a rival then a bit off the rail into the stretch and could not summon the necessary response. JAZAALAH pulled her way between horses then stalked outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch and weakened. LIGHTNING DOVE chased between horses or outside a rival, came out some in the stretch and also weakened. ONE FAST BROAD four wide into the first turn, stalked three deep or outside a rival, came out four wide into the stretch and also weakened. NINTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $57,000. Allowance. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Time 21.78 44.47 1:10.12 1:17.05 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 7 Amuse 122 7 4 53 52 51 12 Smith 1.80 10 Dulce Ride 122 10 2 4 4hd 3hd 2ns Rosario 2.90 5 Exuberance 122 5 7 82 83 6hd 3 T Baze 30.90 4 Spend Spend Spend 122 4 8 3hd 2 11 42 Pereira 3.50 9 Family Girl 117 9 1 1 31 2hd 5nk Figueroa 17.30 8 Oozle 122 8 5 62 62 71 6nk Prat 14.60 6 Zusha 122 6 6 71 72 84 74 Talamo 15.30 3 Uppercut 122 3 3 2hd 1hd 41 8ns Van Dyke 6.80 2 Todos Santos 122 2 9 9 9 9 9 Quinonez 80.70 1 Media Tone 122 1 10 dnf Roman 109.40 7 AMUSE 5.60 3.20 2.60 10 DULCE RIDE 3.60 3.20 5 EXUBERANCE 8.40 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.20 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-7) $23.20 $1 EXACTA (7-10) $8.60 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (7-10-5-4) $53.18 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (7-10-5-4-9) $2,285.20 50-CENT TRIFECTA (7-10-5) $64.80 WinnerAmuse Dbb.f.3 by Medaglia d'Oro out of Witty, by Distorted Humor. Bred by Raydelz Stable (KY). Trainer: Richard E. Mandella. Owner: Claiborne Farm, Bass II, Perry R., Bass, Ramona S. and Dilschneider, Adele B.. Mutuel Pool $392,180 Roulette Pool $1,331 Daily Double Pool $45,294 Exacta Pool $216,388 Superfecta Pool $138,490 Super High Five Pool $8,985 Trifecta Pool $174,136. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (10-4-7) paid $570.95. Pick Three Pool $49,457. AMUSE stalked a bit off the rail, waited off heels in upper stretch, came out in midstretch, rallied to the front under some left handed urging a sixteenth out and won clear. DULCE RIDE pressed the pace four wide then stalked into and on the turn, came four wide into the stretch, re-bid between foes past the eighth pole and edged rivals for second three deep on the line. EXUBERANCE settled off the rail then inside, went around a rival past midstretch and went up the fence for the show. SPEND SPEND SPEND a step slow to begin, stalked between foes then bid between rivals to duel for the lead, took a short advantage into the stretch, inched away in midstretch, could not match the winner in the final sixteenth but gave ground grudgingly to the others. FAMILY GIRL dueled three deep between foes then three wide on the turn and into the stretch, drifted in some and weakened. OOZLE chased off the rail, came three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. ZUSHA settled off the inside, swung four wide into the stretch and also lacked the necessary late kick. UPPERCUT had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back on the turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. TODOS SANTOS broke slowly, settled off the rail, came a bit wide into the stretch and was not a threat. MEDIA TONE stumbled at the start and lost the rider. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the start before ruling MEDIA TONE was the cause of her own trouble. TENTH RACE. About 6 Furlongs Turf. Purse: $55,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 2 year olds. Time 21.26 43.34 1:06.72 1:12.98 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 3 Apache Princess 122 3 4 64 51 22 11 Desormeaux 2.20 9 Unicorn 122 8 7 73 73 4hd 21 Prat 6.10 5 Posit 122 5 1 1hd 11 12 3 Gutierrez 8.50 2 Gemagine 122 2 2 4hd 41 52 4nk Pereira 19.80 10 Harmless 122 9 3 2hd 2 31 5 Bejarano 2.70 4 Haughty Girl 117 4 10 93 95 61 6ns Espinoza 36.90 7 Kittyhawk Lass 122 7 8 8hd 8hd 7hd 74 Quinonez 55.80 1 Gallantlystreaming 122 1 5 5 6 81 8 Rosario 3.60 11 Twinkle Dream 122 10 9 10 10 10 94 Blanc 66.40 6 Mind for Mischief 117 6 6 32 31 94 10 Figueroa 21.70 3 APACHE PRINCESS 6.40 3.80 2.80 9 UNICORN 6.00 4.40 5 POSIT 5.00 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.60 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (7-3) $20.60 $1 EXACTA (3-9) $21.00 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (3-9-5-2) $99.07 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (3-9-5-2-10) $3,511.80 50-CENT TRIFECTA (3-9-5) $76.50 WinnerApache Princess B.f.2 by Unusual Heat out of Puskita, by Indian Charlie. Bred by KMN Racing (CA). Trainer: J. Keith Desormeaux. Owner: KMN Racing LLC. Mutuel Pool $393,953 Roulette Pool $1,495 Daily Double Pool $142,194 Exacta Pool $207,654 Superfecta Pool $127,401 Super High Five Pool $18,408 Trifecta Pool $158,853. ScratchedAcadia Fleet. 50-Cent Pick Three (4-7-3) paid $21.45. Pick Three Pool $269,632. 50-Cent Pick Four (10-4-7-3/8) 286 tickets with 4 correct paid $1,601.00. Pick Four Pool $599,434. 50-Cent Pick Five (4/8-10-4-7-3/8) 91 tickets with 5 correct paid $4,390.00. Pick Five Pool $523,445. 20-Cent Pick Six Jackpot (8-4/8-10-4-7-3/8) 26 tickets with 6 correct paid $6,136.46. Pick Six Jackpot Pool $300,853. Pick Six Jackpot Carryover $265,821. APACHE PRINCESS chased outside then off the rail, was fanned six wide into the stretch, rallied under urging then had the rider lose the right rein outside the sixteenth pole, made the lead in deep stretch and won clear under a hold late. UNICORN settled off the inside, came three wide into the stretch, angled out in upper stretch and gained the place late. POSIT dueled inside, inched away leaving the hill, came off the rail into the stretch, kicked clear, could not match either of the top pair late but held third. GEMAGINE stalked a bit off the rail, came out leaving the hill, was fanned five wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. HARMLESS dueled three deep then stalked outside a rival, drifted four wide into the stretch, drifted in through the drive and weakened. HAUGHTY GIRL broke a bit slowly,, angled in and chased inside, came out a bit into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. KITTYHAWK LASS settled outside a rival chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. GALLANTLYSTREAMING (IRE) stalked inside then a bit off the rail leaving the hill and into the stretch and weakened. TWINKLE DREAM dropped back off the rail then angled in leaving the hill, came out some in the stretch and was not a threat. MIND FOR MISCHIEF dueled between horses then angled in and stalked inside, was in a bit tight leaving the hill and weakened. Rail on hill at 14 feet. Sail the warm blue waters of the South Pacific on a Windstar Cruises voyage to Tahiti and other islands. The trips, which range from seven to 10 days, include air transportation from Los Angeles, and visit the islands of Moorea, Huahine, Tahaa, Raiatea and Bora Bora, in addition to Tahiti. Participants sail on the 148-passenger Wind Spirit, a motorized sailing yacht, and can go kayaking, snorkeling and stand-up paddling. There is also a a private island celebration with a barbeque and Polynesian fire dancers. The trip includes pre- and post-cruise accommodations in Papeete, Tahiti. Dates: More than 30 sailings in 2019 Advertisement Price: From $3,999 per person. Includes round-trip airfare, accommodations, transfers, meals, airline taxes and fuel surcharges. Info: Windstar Cruises, (877) 338-0404 travel@latimes.com Twitter: @latimestravel Yosemite National Park visitors using the side of the road as a toilet have prompted the park to close two campgrounds and a popular redwood grove for public-safety reasons. Yosemites restrooms and visitor centers have been closed and trash collection suspended since the partial federal government shutdown began Dec. 22, but the park itself remains open. With restrooms closed, some visitors are opting to deposit their waste in natural areas adjacent to high-traffic areas, which creates a health hazard for other visitors, National Parks Service spokesman Andrew Munoz said in an email Saturday. Human feces and urine along Wawona Road, also known as California Highway 41, in the south part of the park contributed to the closure of the Mariposa Grove of redwoods as well as the Wawona and Hodgson Meadows campgrounds, a park statement said. Advertisement Amid government shutdown, Joshua Tree campgrounds will close as toilets near capacity Welcome to Joshua Tree. Sorry about the shutdown. Now, about the toilets Park officials are urging visitors to use restrooms in nearby communities before they enter the park and to pack out their trash. Yosemite Valleys lodgings, restaurants, ski area at Badger Pass and the park shuttle remain open. Yosemite isnt the only park experiencing the problems of waste and trash. Death Valley, whose most popular landmarks have been crowded during the winter holidays, says outhouses are open but arent being cleaned or stocked with toilet paper during the closure. Theyll remain open unless they become a hazard to human health. Several have been closed for that reason, park spokeswoman Abby Vines wrote in an email. Death Valley had some good news for visitors. The Furnace Creek Visitor Center, which closed Dec. 22, reopened temporarily on Sunday. Nonprofit partner the Death Valley Natural History Assn. made a donation to keep the visitor center open until Jan. 10, a statement said. The shutdown 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. travel@latimes.com Twitter: @latimestravel They lived simple lives of austerity and abstinence and suffered horrifying deaths, cut down by marauding armies and burned at the stake as heretics or so the legend goes. For their considerable pains, the Cathars were memorialized and celebrated as martyred religious rebels by a region of southern France that, eight centuries later, still promotes itself under their name: Pays Cathare. But in recent weeks, a debate has erupted across this region in newspapers, tourism offices, and in research conferences following an academic exhibition that explored a more modern-day heresy: The Cathars never existed. People imagine that these people died as heroes, in defense of their faith and against corrupt powers, said Alessia Trivellone, a history professor at Paul-Valery University in Montpellier who organized the exhibit. They feel that the very idea of going back to investigate this painful story is unbearable. Advertisement Trivellone is one of a growing number of early modern Europe scholars who have cast doubt on the Cathars existence, and her role as organizer of the exhibit has made her the target of critics who call her a negationist. Along with other maverick historians, she is dismissed as an upstart just trying to generate buzz and further her career. Yet the intensity of the backlash reveals something deeper: the lingering regional resentments over Paris domination of the countrys culture and economy. The 13th century slaughter of the Cathars is associated with the regions loss of autonomy to the kingdom of France, which proceeded to systematically wipe out the language and culture of the south in favor of northern values. A display in Cordes-sur-Ciel in France. (Chris OBrien / For The Times) Such wounds remain fresh in a highly rural region that struggles economically, where people believe the norths elite view them as unrefined hillbillies with odd accents. The anger bubbled to the surface in recent weeks with the yellow vest protests against President Emmanuel Macron. To people here, the crusade against the Cathars looks rather like a colonial war, said Monique Boulze, who is in charge of promotion at the tourist office in Beziers, which was burned to the ground in one of the crusades most infamous episodes. Its something still present and alive in local history. Any tourist visiting this region would find it hard to miss the ever-present signs and historical markers recounting the tragic tale of the Cathars. The city of Albi is dominated by the massive Cathedral Basilica of St. Cecilia, a 200-year construction project launched by the Catholic Church after the Cathar crusade, supposedly to remind locals who was boss. Farther south, the town of Mazamet is home to the Cathar Museum. And in Beziers each August, the town shows a sound and light spectacular called: The Cathars, the Treasure of Beziers. What our region has retained from the tragedy of the Cathars, says the narrator, is the taste of rebellion. And the taste of liberty. At first blush, the Cathars make for unlikely modern-day heroes. They are said to have been fundamentalists who believed there were two gods: A good one who presided over the spiritual world, and an evil one who ruled the physical world. Cathars viewed even sex within marriage and reproduction as evil, and so lived strict lives of abstention. More appealing today, however, is the idea that the Cathars mounted the first major rebellion against the Catholic Church. They saw Rome as corrupt, rejected the churchs hierarchy, and did not build cathedrals but rather worshiped outdoors. This lack of structure gave women more prominence and freedom, and because they were pacifists who repudiated all killing, they were vegetarians. Much about the history of 12th and 13th century France may today be fuzzy. But there is no dispute that in 1209, at the urging of Pope Innocent III, a band of northern French nobles rallied an army that swept into the south, where they unleashed a crusade so bloody it would make Game of Thrones look tame by comparison. This included the sacking of Beziers in July 1209 by an army under papal authority. Just before the attack, which would kill as many as 20,000 men, women and children, the popes man on the scene, Arnaud Amalric, is reported to have uttered one of historys most famous orders: Kill them all. God will know his own. To wrap things up after the majority of fighting was done, church leaders began a grand inquisition in Toulouse. Suspects were rounded up, forced to confess, and then sometimes burned at the stake. This became the blueprint for the much larger inquisitions carried out in the centuries to come. In mid-October, as part of an annual nationwide science festival, Trivellone organized an exhibition called, Les Cathares, une idee recue? That translates literally as The Cathars, an idea received but implies something that is widely accepted as fact but probably not true. The exhibition is modest, consisting of a handful of posters, a video, a comic book, and a few items that summarize the conclusions of some medieval scholars: There are no significant records from the time that support the idea that a single religious movement called the Cathars ever existed across southern France. The subject, along with the exhibits somewhat provocative title, proved to be catnip to regional journalists, and soon local newspapers were publishing dueling interviews with scholars who were hashing out the details of ancient texts. Myths are the very foundation of a social group or of a civilization, a sometimes indispensable cement of societies, Trivellone said. The myth of the Cathars is even stronger because it allows people to identify with the vanquished of history. This latest wave of attention has been vexing to local Cathar scholars who have spent decades battling to have their work taken seriously. University of Toulouse history professor Pilar Jimenez-Sanchez, for instance, has been among those medieval scholars in the south who have been scouring what limited archives exist from that time to stitch together a picture of the Cathars. Its been a struggle, she said, because there was a feeling the broader French academy didnt take the work seriously. Cathar scholars say doubters are too hung up on the name. They acknowledge that at the time, such heretical groups sometimes used a variety of different names and that some rituals varied. But references to Cathars in letters by the pope as well as some other contemporaries, along with intensity of the crusade and the inquisition, offer ample support to prove the group as a whole existed. Rather than being a marketing ploy, the reemergence of interest in the Cathars over the last half a century has been the fruit of that scholarship and digging, Jimenez-Sanchez said. In the wake of the Montpellier exhibition and the media attention, she organized a late October presentation in Carcassonne to rebut the idea that the Cathars were a latter-day invention. The Cathar defenders pose a question to the skeptics: If the crusade was not about quashing this religious movement, then what motivated so many Christians to take up arms and kills thousands of other Christians? How do we resolve this question? Pilar-Jimenez said. How could people at this time have reacted in this manner? The Cathar debate doesnt seem to be hurting the region the revival of interest in its cultural history shows no sign of slowing. Two years ago, in an effort to shift some power away from Paris, the French government fused together regional governments to create far larger administrative zones. An emblem of the Occitanie regional government in France. (Chris OBrien / For The Times) In the south, the regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrenees were merged into Frances largest regional government by land size. In a vote to name the new region, the first choice of residents was clear: Occitanie an homage to the language, Occitan (langue doc), a cousin of Catalan that was widely spoken in Cathar territory before the crusade. And so, more than 800 years after the brutal crusade, Occitanie is the name of a geographic territory that is roughly the size of Austria. The medieval history of Occitanie is rich and fascinating, Trivellone said. It does not need the ghost of the Cathars to arouse interest. OBrien is a special correspondent. Whether by sudden reversal of fortune or disastrous slow-motion slide, 2018 proved a bruising year for some of the worlds leaders. Some of the heads of state or government are globally recognized figures; others are little known outside a limited sphere. Some are veterans of the halls of government; others are newcomers who may have gotten more than they bargained for when they sought to shake things up. For more than a few of these leaders, the political wounds of 2018 were self-inflicted, or carried the whiff of a reckoning come due. For others, a fall from grace seemed driven more by bad luck, or bad timing, or both. Of the presidents, prime ministers and others who counted this year a watchword for adversity, the setbacks of some could be read as an anomaly, a departure from an otherwise buoyant trajectory. For others, 2018 might appear, at least in retrospect, to be the beginning of the end. Advertisement Leaving aside the travails of President Trump, who serves as both role model and villain for peers on the world stage, here is a sampling of leaders elsewhere who had a notably difficult year: Mohammed bin Salman The initials by which Saudi Arabias young crown prince is so widely known MBS were transformed by critics into a darker sobriquet: Mister Bone Saw. As the year drew to a close, the outcry over Octobers gruesome killing and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi, a palace insider turned outspoken critic and opinion writer for the Washington Post, had abated somewhat, but the fallout was far from over. Saudi Arabian journalist and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi, shown in 2011, was killed and dismembered in October 2018 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. (Virginia Mayo / Associated Press) U.S. intelligence pointed to the strong likelihood of responsibility resting with Mohammed, but Trump ignored the finding. The U.S. Senate, however, pushed back with a sweeping condemnation and put the disastrous Saudi-led war in Yemen under scrutiny. Immense Saudi wealth and influence helped contain regional repercussions of the Khashoggi affair, but the crown princes reformist image overseas was shattered. A year-end Cabinet shakeup did little to restrict the crown princes powers, but royal rivals at home might yet find ways to rein in an impetuous monarch-in-waiting. Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate Dec. 10, 2018, outside the Houses of Parliament in London. (Christopher Furlong / Getty Images) Theresa May Its not as if the year started out swimmingly, but it definitely got worse as it went on. May, who had personally voted Remain in the 2016 referendum on Britain leaving the European Union, faced an onerous task as prime minister: making an enormously complicated exit process orderly and workable. British Prime Minister Theresa May, who voted Remain in the 2016 referendum, was tasked with making Brexit workable. (Niklas Hallen / AFP/Getty Images) By years end, with a scant three months remaining before a scheduled March 29 break with the bloc, May found herself savaged by lawmakers inside and outside her Conservative Party, and the divorce terms she negotiated with the EU were embraced by almost no one. She survived a December no-confidence vote in Parliament, buying her another year as her partys leader, but at a humiliating price she had to promise not to try to lead the Conservatives in the next election. Now, with fears building over dire projected consequences of Britain separating from the EU, May faces an acrimonious showdown early in the new year over how and perhaps whether Brexit can actually come to pass. A demonstrator holds a placard reading Send Macron on retirement! in Paris on Dec. 18, 2018, one of many protests targeting French President Emmanuel Macron. (Alain Jocard / AFP/Getty Images) Emmanuel Macron Macron once likened the role of the French head of state to that of Jupiter, the ancient Roman king of the gods. He struck that comparison from his public repertoire after jeers from critics, but his ascent was undeniably a stunning one: Last year, at 39, he became his countrys youngest elected president, vanquishing a far-right rival to sweep into office with ambitious plans for economic and social reform. This year, though, has brought a succession of woes: plummeting popularity, a deep slump in consumer confidence and a fiery challenge in the form of the gilet jaunes, or yellow vests, street-protest movement, named after the high-visibility hazard vests that French motorists must carry in their cars. The protests began as a revolt against a proposed fuel tax but quickly widened into a broader denunciation of inequality and a stinging critique of Macrons mode of governance. A presidential address this month, directly aimed at the yellow vests protesters, struck a sour note with some, delivered as it was from one of the most gilded rooms at the opulent presidential palace. Macron, who has since turned 41, acknowledged that there was cause for anger and indignation but defended himself as well, declaring: If I fought to shake up the political system it is precisely because I believe, more than anything, in our country. Rohingya refugees gather in the no-mans-land beyond Myanmars border lined with barbed wire fences in Maungdaw district, Rakhine state, in April 2018. (Ye Aung Thu / AFP/Getty Images) Aung San Suu Kyi She was once a beacon of democratic aspirations, a symbol of principled resistance, a Nobel laureate revered as the Lady. But in her three years as Myanmars de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi has largely thrown her support to the generals she once so bravely confronted. Her condoning of the brutal repression and displacement of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority, was for many critics the last straw. Myanmars civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi has condoned the brutal repression and displacement of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority. (Sunil Sharma / AFP/Getty Images) This year, she saw her reputation further battered by formal rebukes from many of the same prestigious organizations that had honored her during her long years of house arrest. Amnesty International was among the latest, in November, to rescind a prior honor. She missed another chance at redemption in 2018, choosing to defend Myanmar authorities prosecution of two Reuters journalists whose plight became an international cause celebre. The pair, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who had reported on atrocities against the Rohingya, were sentenced in September to seven years in prison. Israelis protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February 2018 after police recommended that he be indicted on corruption charges. (Jack Guez / AFP/Getty Images) Benjamin Netanyahu To many, the Israeli leader is the ultimate political survivor, canny and charismatic, improbably clinging to long-lived power in the face of setbacks that would have sunk any other politicians career without a trace. But the 69-year-old prime minister, who spent much of 2018 reveling in the patronage of a powerful friend in the Oval Office, ended the year eyeing peril on several fronts, including Trumps abrupt declaration that he would pull U.S. troops out of Syria, a move seen as empowering Israels nemesis, Iran. Enveloping corruption scandals appear closer than ever before to visiting ruin on Netanyahu and his family. Nonetheless, he appears likely to win early elections set next year, and if he does, he could surpass founding father David Ben-Gurion as Israels longest-serving prime minister. Unlike Trump, he is not presumptively shielded from indictment or trial while in office, and friends and foes alike predict if his legal troubles go that far, he would fight any charges rather than step aside. A protester holds a sign reading Stop Orban during a Dec. 16, 2018, march in Budapest to protest against changes to Hungarys labor code proposed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbans party. (Peter Kohalmi / AFP/Getty Images) Viktor Orban A good year or a bad year can be hard to measure. For much of the last decade, Hungarys prime minister has made consistent strides toward achieving his own particular brand of success: the methodical weakening of his countrys democratic institutions, including the courts and the independent media, and the amassing of personal power. But the end of this year brought an unaccustomed stumble: days of significant street protests in several cities including the capital, Budapest. The catalyst was a labor measure that critics angrily denounced as a slave law, giving employers the right to demand hundreds of hours annually of mandatory overtime. And the televised spectacle of opposition politicians being manhandled by authorities this month helped unite a normally fractious political opposition. But it wasnt clear whether the unrest posed any significant threat to Orbans tightening grip on power. One telling chant heard at protests: Vik-a-tor a mashup of his first name and diktator dictator. Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, then Perus president, departs the Government Palace in Lima, the capital, in March. (Martin Mejia / Associated Press) Pedro Pablo Kuczynski He saw the writing on the wall. Days away from an impeachment trial, Kuczynski, an Oxford- and Princeton-educated former banker who had pledged to modernize Peru, stepped down from the presidency in March over a vote-buying scandal. Although he had served less than two years of his five-year term, his downfall was a long-running saga, with the Peruvian leader spending months battling attempts to eject him. The mounting scandals included construction-contract graft and a pardoning of a former president that appeared to be part of a sweetheart deal. Despite it all, Kuczynski managed to hang on until secret videotapes emerged, appearing to show his allies trying to pay off opposition figures with major political favors. To the end, though, the 79-year-old presidents message stayed consistent: He had done nothing wrong, he said, but was resigning for the good of the country. laura.king@latimes.com Twitter: @laurakingLAT The Chinese government has rejected allegations by Korea that it is the source of massive amounts of fine dust that regularly sweep into the Korean Peninsula. A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment gave three specific reasons to reporters rejecting Korea's claims that the toxic haze is blowing in from China. "According to weather data, China's air quality has improved drastically over the last few years, while the level of fine-dust (PM 2.5) in Seoul has either remained the same or worsened slightly," the spokesperson claimed according to Chinese media. "In terms of the contents of fine dust, the level of nitrogen dioxide, which worsens the level of fine dust, has been higher in Seoul than in Beijing, Yantai or Dalian in China." "Serious levels of smog were detected in Seoul from Nov. 6-7, but Chinese experts have concluded that there was no movement of high amounts of fine dust during that period." The spokesperson added, "The main contents of smog found in Seoul were generated locally and reports have cited local experts arriving at similar conclusions." Hyundai on Friday unveiled an automated valet parking system for electric cars set for commercial release in 2025. The 3-D promo video posted on YouTube shows a driver arriving at the destination and the system gradually moving the car to the parking lot and searching for an empty charging space. Ultimate Guide for ISA Stocks & Shares What are ISA Stocks & Shares? Individual Savings Accounts (ISA) Stocks and Shares is an investment account that is tax efficient and allows you to invest your money into a wide range of investments including Open-ended investment companies, Investment trusts, unit trusts, corporate and government bonds. It also gives you an option to buy shares of individual companies and put them in your Individual Savings Account. So, The ISA allows you to invest your money to a particular amount without any need to pay taxes on the profits and interests you receive. One should only invest in such type of investment s if he is prepared to take risk of the investments going down or up. What all can you hold in your Stocks and shares ISA? You can hold a number of different investments like individual shares, investment trusts, unit trusts, open-ended investment companies, government, and corporate bonds, and exchange-traded funds. Bonds are the source by which corporate and government companies raise money and are fixed term IOUs. When you invest in IOUs, the issuer will pay you some interest for the fixed term. While working on when and where to invest, you can hold cash in your ISA Stocks & Shares account. For whom it can be suitable? It is a long-term investment, so if you may need your money in a couple of years, the stocks and shares ISA is not suitable for you. It is generally for those who are willing to invest their money in the market for at least five years. This is because; the market is volatile and may take a dip anytime so for your investment to recover from the loss and start gaining, it needs time. Even while investing for long-term, you need to be ready to take some risk as there is a chance that you may get a lesser amount of your money back than what you put in. What are other types of ISA? Apart from ISA Stocks & Shares, there is cash ISA that allows only holding the cash. Innovative finance cash only allows you to investing lending of peer-to-peer. Lifetime ISA is designed especially for the first time buyers to help them save a deposit or save for retirement or even both. Help to buy ISA are to help those who want to save to buy a property. While junior ISA lets you save for your childs future. How much can be invested in stocks and shares ISA? You can invest at maximum 20,000 in a tax year. This allowance can be further split into different types of ISAs. But you are only allowed to contribute to each type of ISA once in each financial year. To start with, you do not need to have a big amount right away. A number of ISAs can be opened with a contribution of 25 per month. Regular saving can also ease out the volatility of the market as you get an option to buy more shares when the prices go down and lesser when it rises. Investing in ISA shares and stocks is a good method for saving and earning some extra bucks to enjoy a better lifestyle without worrying of taxes. You can invest to save for the future after retirement or for buying a property or anything. By Sumeet Manhas 2018 Copyright Sumeet Manhas - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. The government recently has canceled the passports of three Koreans who are refusing to leave Libya. Government sources said Sunday that two had passports that were still valid but the passport of the third had expired. They are three of about a dozen Koreans who ignored the Korean government's recommendation to leave the country. But they are all over 60 and told the government they have to stay in the war-torn country to make a living. The cancellation of their passports means they cannot now travel anywhere else and the Libyan government can deport them when their visa expires. This is the second time that the Korean government canceled the passports of Korean citizens who refused to leave trouble zones. Earlier this year, the Foreign Ministry canceled the passports of a father and son who returned to war-torn Yemen after being airlifted to Korea on a chartered flight provided by the government last year. Other countries on the banned list are Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Syria. Israel has summoned the Jordanian ambassador and condemned one of the countrys ministers after the official was pictured walking over an Israeli flag painting on the floor of the engineers trade unions office in Amman. Frustrated by the Israeli policies and Jordans peace treaty with Tel Aviv, the owners of the trade union building had drown a blue Star of David on a white background in the lobby with footprint dots encouraging visitors to walk all over the Israeli flag. Such an unwelcoming gesture went largely unnoticed for years in Israel, but sparked instant fury after Jordanian communications minister, Jumana Ghneimat, was photographed stepping on it over the weekend. The minister was headed for a meeting between Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al Razzaz with the union representatives. To avoid controversy, Razzaz showed a more diplomatic approach entering the building through the side door. On Sunday, Israeli foreign ministry filed a strong condemnation with the Jordanian government over the desecration of the national emblem and summoned the country's ambassador, Mohammad Hmeid, to explain the act of disrespect. Also on rt.com Unacceptable & disruptive: Israel seeks talks as Jordan demands its farmland back after 25yr lease Following the Israeli protest, Jordans Foreign Ministry issued a statement emphasizing that Amman respects its 1994 peace treaty with Israel explaining that no harm was meant when Ghneimat entered a private building to attend an official meeting. Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab countries in the world that have a peace treaty with Israel. A substantial number of Jordanians, however, continue to oppose this arrangement, staging sporadic protests to demand an end of diplomatic ties with Israel. Like this story? Share it with a friend! North Korea could acquire up to 100 warheads by 2020 despite stopping nuclear and missile tests this year, NBC quoted an expert as speculating Friday. "North Korea continues to produce fissile material and develop missile bases around the country, according to experts and analysis of detailed satellite images," NBC said. "At the current rate of production, North Korea could have around 100 warheads by 2020 -- almost half the size of the U.K.'s stockpile," it quoted Robert Litwak of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington as saying. South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies believe that the North currently has 20 to 60 nuclear warheads. "Kim has not changed his policy... but claims that he's now moved from research-and-development and onto mass production," said Cristina Varriale of the Royal United Services Institute in London. In his New Year's Day address last year, Kim said, "The nuclear weapons research sector and the rocket industry should mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles." The implication is that Kim is continuing his nuclear buildup, while buying time through diplomacy with South Korea and the U.S. Meanwhile Ted Poe, the chairman of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, told Congress that the West's maximum pressure policy "appears at risk due to South Korea's dovish president." President Moon Jae-in's "separate diplomatic maneuvers and premature offers of economic opportunities are likely encouraging the Kim regime to slow negotiations and steps towards denuclearization," he added according to Voice of America on Friday. "If Kim sees weakness in our South Korean allies that he can use to chip away at the current sanctions on his regime, he will continue to stall negotiations and our leverage will begin to collapse. President Moon must not be deceived by Kims small gestures of goodwill and prematurely fold," Poe warned. 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, North Korea's conventional weapons remain the biggest threat to the South Korean and U.S. militaries, experts say. Burwell Bell, who was the commander of the U.S. Forces Korea from 2006 to 2008, said the denuclearization of North Korea is "but a part of problem. The major problem is that [North Korea] has conventional army of extraordinary size." He warned that nobody can guarantee the safety of tens of millions of people in Seoul and vicinity or peace on the Korean Peninsula unless the North removes troops and artillery units from the demilitarized zone, he added. Meanwhile, in an article for the National Interest, James Holmes, a professor of maritime strategy at U.S. Naval War College, claimed North Korean subs are capable of sinking a U.S. aircraft carrier under certain circumstances. He said that it would be technically difficult to detect diesel-powered North Korean subs if they drift slowly after cutting their engines. The North has some 70 subs. Just before the 2015 Earthquake, conservationist Rabindra Puri started what he calls one of the most important projects of his career. While most of his projects were driven by his urge to fight the concretisation of Kathmandu, the Nepal Vocational Academy was born out of necessity. Puri, known for his Namuna Ghar (Model House), an old Newar residence he restored to blend ancient architecture with modern amenities, has carried out around a dozen restoration work in and around Bhaktapur. My heart wept when beautiful old houses were pulled down mercilessly and took an ugly concrete shape, says Puri, trained in sculpture in Germany. During the initial years, Puri, who quit his job with the German Technical Cooperation in the early 90s, faced numerous hurdles. People said I was wasting money and no one came to help even as there were financial problems after the Namuna Ghar project, remembers Puri. But in 2004, Puris Namuna Ghar won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Award. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. I had begun thinking that maybe I was not on the right path. But the award renewed my faith in what I was doing, says Puri. After I received the award, my project received a lot of attention and even those people who did not believe in my work started praising it, he remembers. But as the number of projects grew, the challenges took a different shape. The money was there, the knowledge was there, but people who would implement his vision became the missing pieces of the puzzle. Bhaktapur, the ancient city of artisans, did not produce enough artists as the profession failed to attract young people. That left him with two choices: draw curtains on the whole endeavour or produce artists on his own. I was not going to give up on everything I had done so far. That was why I decided to establish an academy for artisans, he added. Before that, I used to take interested people and give them on-the-job training mixing new staff with old. But after a few years I realised that the process took too long and felt that it wasnt systematic enough, says Puri. In late 2014 Puri, with the help of a German organisation Schulen fuer Nepal, started Nepal Vocational Academy in Panauti with the aim to transfer traditional knowledge to the new generation. I feel glad I started this because the 2015 earthquake damaged a lot of cultural heritage in the country and at that point, we needed even more artisans, says Puri. The first batch consisted of 20-25 young boys from Panauti who were interested in traditional artwomen are traditionally not involved in woodcarving. But according to Mrigendra Pradhan, Vice Principal of the academy, they faced problems as the boys werent serious about their training. They thought they were coming here to pass the time. We were offering skill training but many didnt think so and dropped out. That is why now we interview candidates before enrolling them into the academy, shares Pradhan. Dinesh Tamang, one of the first graduates of the academy now looks after all the young boys who come there to learn woodcarving. It feels good to be teaching young boys this art form. Feels like Im doing my party to conserve this traditional art, adds Tamang. He says he teaches the students what he has learned during his time in the academy which included making jewellery boxes, birds, door handles, Buddha and other wooden sculptures. He shares that the academy has given him a skill which he has been able to turn into a profession. The best thing about this place is they guarantee a job after the training which is great for a lot of boys because most of them come from a financially weak background. The academy also has a hostel facility for students who are financially weak. Along with the training, the academy provides free formal education for them. According to Vice Principal Mrigendra Pradhan, they also send the boys to a high school. We want to give them a skill which will help them earn money and also help the country preserve its traditional art, says Pradhan. There is so much demand for these artisans but not many are available which is why I am opening one more academy in Bhaktapur, shares Puri. Puri believes that there is so much demand for these artisans he is opening another academy in Bhaktapur. He believes that it will produce up to 200 artisans per year and. This will pave the way for a vocational university I am planning to build in Panauti, he adds. When asked why he chose Panauti for this project, Puri shares that he wants to restore Panauti, with all buildings renovated with traditional architecture and techniques, by the year 2030. This is my dream project, one I wish to complete. Im glad that the locals are on board. Restoring and preserving a whole town in this manner is difficult, but not impossible, accomplishment, and will serve as a model for other historic towns in Nepal. By Online Desk Dogs have always been known to show compassion and love. Amidst the increasing number of abuses faced by animals, we end the year on an uplifting note with a compilation of canines that offered more than just friendship. Some adopted orphans while others saved lives. What would we do without them? Unfazed by bears These two little dogs proved that size doesn't matter. When a 51-year-old farmer was returning home from his field, two bears attacked him. But his dogs barked and distracted the bears who then started chasing them while the farmer managed to get away. Mothering an orphaned goat Animals are known to stick together in times of distress, even if they are from different species. In a village in Pudukottai, a baby goat, Kanna, lost its mother after Cyclone Gaja struck the district. The owner of the goat was surprised to see his dog, Ponni, feeding the baby goat along with her puppy. We thought the dog would attack the goat, but she is caring for it. She allows the goat to drink her milk and to cuddle her while sleeping. The dog has been playing mother to the goat for the past one month, he said. Gallant bid to save his master Time and again, dogs have always helped us in grave situations. Grab your tissues because this heartwarming story will make you weep. While Mukusu Thevar had taken out his cattle for grazing, he didn't notice an electrical cable that was lying unattended at the pasture. When one of his cows touched it and suffered an electric shock, Mukusu rushed to rescue the cow but also came in contact with the live cable. Seeing his master in trouble, his dog Ramu rushed to the spot and tried to pull the live cable away from his master. All three were unfortunately electrocuted. Family members said Ramu was always heroic and had previously fought off snakes and vermin. Joining a 500 km pilgrimage Wouldn't it be great to always have a companion during your journey? Well, this mongrel, Bhairava, walked nearly 500km to Sabarimala with a group of devotees. "He completed the darshan of Lord Ayyappa before we could do it," one of the devotees said. While the group was wondering what to do with the dog, a priest suggested that they leave Bhairava behind. But much to their surprise, they saw the three-year-old dog standing at the train station before they reached there. The pilgrims then unanimously took a decision to take the dog with them. Now, Bhairava is settled in the house of G Murugan, employed as a vendor in a courier company. Since I live in an independent house and all those who like him are nearby, I decided to adopt him," he said. Pooch with sixth sense saves family It has long been observed that animals can sense disasters earlier than humans. In this case, Rocky's premonition saved his family during the Kerala floods. The animal woke them up one morning and raised an alarm while the family tried to find out what was wrong. They soon heard a thunderous noise and ran out of their house, only to find to their horror that the house was collapsing in a landslip. Touching tribute to departed President Alongside other family members, George H W Bush's service dog paid his last respects to the 41st President of the US who died in November. Sully, a labrador, sat quietly beside Bush's body at the memorial service. Though Sullys time with the former President has come to an end, he continues to help others and spread cheer. WATCH: Shubhendu Deshmukh By Online Desk The year 2018 will be remembered as a year when data breaches, fake news and lynchings dominated the internet. Cambridge Analytica made Facebook and its users realise the importance of a 'like'. Aadhaar gave Indians the scare of massive surveillance and understand the importance of privacy. WhatsApp lynchings gave goosebumps to everyone while Google's unauthorised tracking gave us a fear of being watched continuously. Let us take a look at this year's biggest data breaches that rocked the world. WATCH | Internet 2018: News and privacy without 'Aadhaar' Google tracks you even with your location history off This might sound shocking but its true. Google can track your location even when you have turned your location history off, according to an Associated Press report said. Location history gives user right to stay private and not let Google know your whereabouts. However, researchers from the UC Berkley University in August 2018 found out that Google prompted a woman to rate a trip to Kohls even when she had turned off her location history. When you visit myaccount.google.com you see a list of tabs from where you can monitor what is being tracked by Google. When you click on the first tab a list of Google apps you use are shown with an option to turn it on off. This should stop Google from any further tracking but heres what happens. Google can still know where are you are, may not be exactly. For details please read Google tracks your movements, like it or not. Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently faced an inquiry by the House Judiciary Committee for tracking the location of users. Pichai faced ire of the US Senate for declining to testify about foreign governments manipulation of online services to sway US elections earlier. Pichai was even asked why the US Presidents photo appeared when anyone googled 'idiot'. In November 2017, news website Quartz had published a report which said it can track your location even without a sim card. An Android device can make an emergency call even without a sim card by accessing nearest cell phone towers network. Google tracks the places of these towers to locate your device. After the report, Google said it has stopped the practice and denied storing of any data. Facebook takes note of digital privacy 2018 was one of the worst years for Facebook. On March 17, The New York Times and The Guardian simultaneously published articles on data mining and political consulting firm by Cambridge Analytica (CA). The company paid to know Facebook users activities and targeted them with content favourable to a political party/candidate (Turmp in this case). Whistleblower Christopher Wylie exposed how he built media tycoon Steve Bannons psychological warfare tool by using the data. Facebooks internal investigation revealed that in 2014 Alexander Kogan designed an app named thisisyourdigitallife. About 2,70,000 people downloaded the app and gave away their data. This data included users likes, dislikes, tracking down comments, the content they watched and even the duration of time the content was watched. Thus defining the psychology of anyone who was using the app. Kogan sold this info to Cambridge Analytica who then used it to make a psychographic profile of the users. But the problem didnt end here. Back then, Facebook allowed the developers to access information about not just the users but also their friends. Following the investigation, it was found that a total of 87 million Facebook users data was leaked and CA had access to this data for over two years until the 2016 US presidential elections. A file photo of 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. (Photo | AP) The data even raised the eyebrows of US Congress as it put a dent on US elections and surfaced the question on online campaigning. As to what extent can one influence the voters. Mark Zuckerberg kept mum for 5 days after the scandal and then wrote a Facebook post and even gave an interview to CNN where he apologised for the event. Later, he was summoned by the US Congress and was questioned for hours. The US lawmakers grilled Zuckerberg on users' right to privacy and even asked whether or not he would make his private information public. But this wasnt the only time when Facebook was in news. In November, worlds largest social networking site Facebook took down 1.5 billion fake accounts which were used for distribution of violence, adult nudity, child pornography, sexual exploitations and terror propaganda. The scandals further marred the reputation of Facebook as it was already under attack for confirmed reports of the usage of the platform by Russia to spread misinformation. Meanwhile, there have been various reports how the automated Facebook feeds if passively consumed could actually make you feel bad about yourself. Print Aadhaar at home The database of Aadhaar, one of the crucial document for an Indian, was hacked not once but on several occasions this year. Yes, you heard it right. The Tribunes investigation in January revealed that payment of mere Rs 500 was enough to get Aadhaar number of any person in India. According to the report, after a payment is done, a person can get a login Id and password bypassing all the security firewalls, passwords and data encryption. And all this happened within 10 minutes. This went even further as with an additional payment of Rs 300 you can actually get the software to open your own Aadhaar printing press. As per the UIDAI data, by October, about 90 per cent of the citizens have registered for Aadhaar. This means more than 500 million peoples biometric data was leaked. If this wasnt enough, in July Telecom Regulatory Authority of Indias (TRAI) chairman made his Aadhaar number public on Twitter and challenged to give any of his details. What followed this was a hacker named Elliot Alderson disclosing the TRAI chiefs private details layer by layer. A similar investigation was conducted by the Huffington Post in September which again revealed that the practice hasnt stopped and on the contrary, it has gone one step further. Now one can even generate a new Aadhaar. The detailed investigation said that a software patch or a series of computer codes was made available for Rs 2,500 to anyone. The software patch could easily bypass any security and generate a new Aadhaar number. And this time it was even available on WhatsApp. The report analysed the governments decision to let private players enroll Aadhaar users as the main reason for this worlds largest data breach. The Tribunes investigation was upheld by none other than Edward Snowden, the American whistleblower, who was exiled for exposing the US governments role in putting almost every US citizen under surveillance. He even went on to say that the framework of mass surveillance today would look a lot like Aadhaar. In October, in all Android phones automatically a UIDAI contact was automatically added. This could just be the beginning as per Snowden. Beware of fake news on WhatsApp Can you imagine a world where a mere suspicion is enough to kill or be killed? One video, made in Pakistan, circulated in India took lives of more than 43 people this year. Every month there were reports from various parts of the country of mob-lynchings wherein a message child lifters at large was being circulated widely on WhatsApp. The video shown above is a purposefully shot one in Pakistan as an attempt to create awareness about child abduction. As you can see in the video the kidnapper brings back the child and holds a placard which says it takes only a moment to kidnap a child from the streets of Karachi. But an edited version of the video where the first fice seconds and last 15 seconds of the video were removed and the rest was circulated. As a result: Two men who had stopped to ask directions in Assam when they were beaten to death by a large mob. Five men in Maharashtra were lynched on the suspicion of being child-lifters. All of them were nomadic tribals and were seen talking to a girl in a market. A mentally retarded woman was tied to a pole and tortured by a village mob in Assam. In Tripura, a man who was spreading awareness against the rumour-mongering was himself lynched by a mob on suspicion of being a child-lifter. A 40-year-old man who arrived in the Medrakla village in Chhattisgarh was lynched on suspicion as he was not able to identify himself or from where he belonged. Hyderabad techie Mohammed Azam was visiting a small village in Karnataka along with two of his friends. Within five hours of arriving in the village, all of them were termed as child lifters and beaten by bamboo sticks to death. While the mob kept asking them how many children have they kidnapped? It took 29 lives before the government and WhatsApp took note of such a serious issuer. The government then told WhatsApp to come up with regulations to counter the spread of fake news over its platform. In return, WhatsApp issued a full-page warning in newspapers and on social media just to flag its "concerns". The government also issued a warning to WhatsApp after which it brought in a new feature wherein a message can now be identified as a 'forwarded' against the original one. It is interesting to know how social media and technology has changed our lives. But the problem here is no the technology but the hands that are using it and the companies which are providing them. If Facebook can monitor the accounts circulating fake news then why cant WhatsApp? Within the current ecosystem, it is very difficult to say how much of our data is secure but one good thing is that our intellect hasnt completely been overtaken by technology. Rajas Kelkar By Express News Service In most parts of India, gold has a personal connection. Parents and grandparents give away gold to their children. Husbands and wives accumulate gold to remind themselves of their togetherness. It is an asset that everyone wants to own for a secure future. The private or household ownership of gold in India is a staggering 23,000 tonnes, according to estimates by agencies like the World Gold Council. To put things in perspective, this is three times higher than gold reserves (8,300 tonnes) of the US Federal Reserve and about nearly 50 times of gold held by the Reserve Bank of India. The value of the gold held by Indian households is a third of Indias GDP of $2.8 trillion. About 7 per cent of household savings find their way towards gold in India, according to the Reserve Bank of Indias household finance survey released last year. In states such as Tamil Nadu, households store a high fraction of their wealth in gold and also have more than 40 per cent of their total debt in the form of gold loans, the survey highlights. It also explains that the use of gold facilitates wealth transfer across women who are otherwise socially constrained to be financially dependent in the patriarchal setting. The fascination for gold in India is a religious, personal matter. However, when it comes to investing, you need to take a logical approach. While gold can be a portion of your savings, it cannot be a significant portion of your investments. A number of financial experts advise keeping not more than 2-5 per cent in gold. The average ownership of gold in India is well over that recommendation. There is enough empirical data that shows that the BSE Sensex has done better than gold over the years. In five years till today, the Sensex has gained over 70 per cent in value while gold has barely moved 8 per cent. Gold as an investment is an unproductive asset to own. The amount of gold you own remains the same in the quantity. So, if you buy one kilogram of gold, it will remain one kilogram of gold years later. Investment through a mutual fund in equity or debt leads to an investment in a business. Businesses use that money to fuel expansion. That creates jobs in the economy. More jobs in the economy create a demand for goods and services and enhance productivity in an economy. Regular investment in equity or debt assets continues to grow steadily over the years. Warren Buffett, the legendary American investor, explains it well. In his annual letter to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, written in 2011, he said that gold is neither of much use nor procreative. People resort to buying gold in situations where they fear a collapse of the economy or currency. Terror over economic collapse drives individuals to currency-based assets and fear of currency collapse fosters movement to sterile assets such as gold, Buffett explains in his letter to shareholders. The trust issue highlighted by the legendary investor is corroborated by the RBI survey too. It found that households in India often carry negative perceptions of formal providers of financial services. Very often, people in low-income households report their belief that access to financial products is the prerogative of elite groups in the society. This lack of trust in financial institutions helps to explain the tendency of households to eschew financial products and to invest in instruments such as gold instead, the RBI report said. What should you do If you think you have surplus gold, you may want to change a few things. Convert coins, gold biscuits or any non-jewellery gold you possess into financial assets. You may buy a fixed deposit or spread your money into equity or debt instruments using mutual funds. It is time to shun all apprehensions about financial assets in comparison to gold. It was a safe bet when money as a concept was new. However, financial markets today are regulated and have a diverse set of players. They offer a steady avenue of investment. You may want to seek professional advice to help you take the first step. There can be no better time to do this than now. Convert gold into financial assets If you think you have surplus gold, you may want to change a few things. Convert coins, gold biscuits or any non-jewellery gold you possess into financial assets. You may buy a fixed deposit or spread your money into equity or debt instruments using mutual funds. It is time to shun all apprehensions about financial assets in comparison to gold. By Express News Service CHENNAI: India is expected to witness strong economic growth in 2019 on the back of better demand conditions, settled GST implementation, growing investments in infrastructure, positive policies and capacity expansion from industries, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said in a report. The industry body observed that despite 2018 being filled with external vulnerabilities arising out of rising oil prices, trade wars between major global trading partners and US monetary tightening, India outshined as the worlds fastest growing major economy. Going forward, strong drivers emanating from services sector and better demand conditions will help it to maintain its growth . Better demand conditions, settled GST implementation, capacity expansion from growing investments in infrastructure, continuing positive effects of reform policies and improved credit offtake especially in the services sector at 24 per cent will sustain the robust GDP growth in the range of 7.5 per cent in 2019, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said. It has identified seven key drivers for growth that need to be fostered and suggested policy actions for robust GDP growth to continue in 2019. Among key growth drivers, CII hopes the GST Council will consider extending the tax to sectors such as fuel, electricity, real estate and alcohol. The chamber has also outlined that credit availability has been a challenge, particularly for the micro, small and medium enterprises, as credit flow to industry grew by a mere 2.3 per cent in the first half of the current financial year. The chamber believes the government will continue to place high priority on simplifying business procedures in 2019, especially in terms of working with states for grassroots improvements. On agri reforms In order to boost farm produce marketing, It is important to persuade states to implement the Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing Model Act, which has been executed in just four states, CII said. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Unidentified people committed burglary at the house of a head constable in the police quarters located at Anand Rao Circle on Saturday night, and made away with Rs 3 lakh cash and gold worth Rs 14 lakh. Police suspect that people familiar with the constable are behind the crime. A senior police officer said the crime occured when Venkatesh, head constable, Hebbal traffic police station, had gone for work, and his wife, Suvijna, had gone to a hospital. The neighbours, noticing the broken door, called Venkatesh around 8.30 pm. Realising that he had been robbed, he went to Sheshadripuram police station and filed a case. According to reports, the couple had attended a marriage ceremony a few days ago, where Suvijna was seen wearing a lot of jewels. The police suspect that someone might have taken notice of this and planned the burglary. By Express News Service CHENNAI: As Chennaiites gear up to welcome the New Year, government hospitals have kept medical teams ready, to treat patients in case of emergencies during New Year celebrations. Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Kilpauk Medical College Hospital, Stanley Medical College Hospital and Royapettah Government Hospital, have assigned additional duty doctors in all specialities especially, orthopaedics. Neurosurgeons and general medicine specialists have also been kept on standby. At Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, doctors at the Emergency Ward will be kept on alert. Also, doctors from all specialities will be posted on special duty, said a senior doctor at the hospital. To treat the patients, we have kept a medical team ready, with specialists including an orthopaedic, neurosurgeon and general medicine, along with paramedical staff and other workers. The team will be ready from the afternoon of December 31 to January 1, said Dr P Vasanthamani, Dean, Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. Vasanthamani also said at Royapettah, a special ward has been set up in the Trauma block with 10 beds and specialists kept on standby. According to Health Department officials, 108 ambulances will also be stationed at important points in and around Chennai, to attend to emergencies during New Year celebrations. By Express News Service KOCHI: The Choornikkara Mushroom brand is literally a story of new life and growth; a sign of the resurgence of farmers in this panchayat, situated north of the city, following the devastating floods that hit the state. While the Choornikkara Krishi Bhavan undertook 20 of the 50 units allotted to Ernakulam district as part of a programme implemented by the State Horticulture Mission, the August floods threw the plans off-kilter with 16 of Choornikkaras 20 wards being submerged. This forced the authorities concerned to cut down the number of units to 11. Ten women and one male farmer came forward to set them up, doing the cultivation in their houses. The farmers received training and raw materials from the Krishi Bhavan and the Kerala Agriculture University supplied seeds for the Pleurotus Florida and Oyster mushroom varieties which are mainly cultivated in the 100 beds in each unit; 1,100 in all. The mushrooms are mainly white and pink in colour. While we aimed to produce at least 10 kg of mushroom every day, we ended up producing double this amount at the units, said Choornikkara panchayat president A P Udhayakumar.Encouraged by the bumper produce, panchayat authorities considered marketing it, but the farmers were apprehensive about being able to keep up a constant supply to wholesalers as the production is dependent on climatic conditions. Together they then decided to market the product on their own under the brand name, Choornikkara Mushroom. The sales take place at the community hall in Choornikkara on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 am. At present, the mushroom is available in eye-catching packets of 200 gm priced at Rs 65 that come with printed recipes. The farmers said the mushrooms are always sold out within a few hours. Agriculture officer John Sherry explains why: the Choornikkara Mushroom is organic and of superior quality.Encouraged by the response, the farmers are planning to increase the number of beds. By PTI LONDON: 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. ALSO READ | Keira Knightley enjoys getting mistaken for Natalie Portman, Britney Spears and others 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". ALSO READ | PTSD made Keira Knightley think of quitting acting in films altogether "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. By PTI NEW DELHI: Actor Manisha Koirala, who won a tough battle against ovarian cancer, feels the disease came into her life as a gift as her vision is now sharper, mind clearer and her perspective realigned. ALSO READ | Don't want to overwork myself, says Manisha Koirala As she completes six years of being cancer-free, she shares her story - one marked by apprehensions, disappointments and uncertainties - and the lessons she learnt along the way. In her memoir 'Healed: How Cancer Gave Me a New Life', she talks about her treatment in the US and the care provided by the oncologists there to how she rebuilt her life once she returned home. Manisha says her book is a result of intense soul-searching and she has plunged deep into the dark, bottomless pit of painful memories and woven a story out of them. "It has taken a lot of courage to confront and relive my experiences. But I needed to do so in order to become a true storyteller for the readers' sake as well as my own," she says. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. Manisha says for a decade, she had abused her body. "The poor lifestyle I had been leading made my body susceptible to diseases. Had it not been cancer, some other malady would have struck me. In hindsight, on a dark, lonely night, I still wonder what it could have been and whether it would have been better or worse," the book, co-authored with Neelam Kumar and published by Penguin Random House, says. "I think cancer came into my life as a gift. My vision is sharper, my mind clearer, my perspective realigned. I have succeeded in transforming my passive-aggressive anger and anxiety into more peaceful expressions," Manisha writes. ALSO READ | 'Maybe man-woman love is not destined for me' She says post-recovery, she has succeeded in transforming her passive-aggressive anger and anxiety into more peaceful expressions. Born into the prominent Koirala family in Nepal, Manisha made her Bollywood debut with 'Saudagar' in 1991 and went on to act in films like '1942: A Love Story', 'Akele Hum Akele Tum', 'Bombay', 'Khamoshi: The Musical', 'Dil Se', 'Mann', 'Lajja' and 'Company'. She took a break from acting in 2012 and returned five years later with the coming-of-age drama 'Dear Maya', Netflix's 'Lust Stories' and 'Sanju'. The comeback was not so easy. "At first it was difficult for me to take on the role of a character artist as I had been used to playing the heroine. Then I saw the blessing in this. Having plunged into the depths of my emotions, I could now express the intricate complexities, deeper nuances and profounder layers of each character." In her words, she began her "second innings hesitatingly", with a Kannada film. Manisha looks back at the period just after her foray into films in the early '90s with a "lot of regret and sadness". When films happened suddenly, she was just 19-years-old and not ready to handle Mumbai. "Its unfamiliarity and expanse scared me. For a young, unexposed Nepalese girl, Bollywood was a terrifying experience. Unsure of how I should be behaving and interacting on the film set, I hid myself behind books. They protected me from my fear of interacting with everyone who seemed to be so sure of themselves," she says. She then decided to do something to overcome her shyness and feeling of awkwardness. "Alcohol came to my rescue. I loved the feeling of confidence it gave me, loosening me up, wiping out my inhibitions. Fortified by drinks, my shyness disappeared and I became quite at ease while socialising. Emboldened, I took to drinking more, and more," she writes. Parties became a way of life for her. Either friends would party at her house or she would go over to theirs, Manisha says. In school, too she was a shy, introverted girl who found solace in books. "I think reading a lot of books does that to you. I was ahead of my classmates in some ways. While they were enjoying Mills & Boons, I was reading Ayn Rand." By PTI WASHINGTON: Scientists have modelled the processes that led to the formation of glaciers at the cratered poles of Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun. The researchers at the University of Maine in the US studied the accumulation and flow of ice on Mercury, and how the glacial deposits on the smallest planet in our solar system compare to those on Earth and Mars. ALSO READ | Europe, Japan send spacecraft on seven-year journey to Mercury The findings, published in the journal Icarus, add to our understanding of how Mercury's ice accumulations -- estimated to be less than 50 million years old and up to 50 metres thick in places -- may have changed over time. Changes in ice sheets serve as climatic indicators, researchers said. Analysis of Mercury's cold-based glaciers, located in the permanently shadowed craters near the poles and visible by Earth-based radar, was funded by NASA, and is part of a study of volatile deposits on the moon. Like the moon, Mercury does not have an atmosphere that produces snow or ice that could account for glaciers at the poles. Simulations by the team suggest that the planet's ice was deposited -- likely the result of a water-rich comet or other impact event -- and has remained stable, with little or no flow velocity. That is despite the extreme temperature difference between the permanently shadowed locations of the glaciers on Mercury and the adjacent regions illuminated by the Sun. The researchers reconstructed the shape and outline of past and present ice sheets on Earth and Mars, with findings published in 2002 and 2008, respectively. "We expect the deposits (on Mercury) are supply limited, and that they are basically stagnant unmoving deposits, reflecting the extreme efficiency of the cold-trapping mechanism" of the polar terrain, the researchers said. By PTI NEW DELHI: 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, 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. 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". 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. 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 (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 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. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, who was awarded life term in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, turned himself in at a city court on Monday was promptly put behind bars.Kumar surrendered in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Aditi Garg after which he was taken into custody and sent to Mandoli jail in the national capital. The court has also ordered that a separate van be provided for his movement due to security reasons. His surrender came in compliance with an order by the Delhi High Court, which ordered him jailed for the remainder of his natural life on December 17. Kumar came to the courtroom surrounde by 2-3 commandos along with 20-25 Delhi Police personnel, including women, a police officer said.He had Z-category security for the last two decades due to the threat perception to his life, as he was also facing prosecution in other cases arising out of the 1984 riots. The High Court had declined his plea for extension of time to surrender between December 31 and January 31. Along with Kumar, former MLAs Kishan Khokhar and Mahender Yadav, who were also convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in the riots case, surrendered in the court as well. Kumar was convicted for inciting a mob that killed Kehar Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Raghuvender Singh, Narender Pal Singh and Kuldeep Singh in the Raj Nagar area of Delhi cantonment. The five victims belonged to one family. Outside the court complex, a group of Sikhs gathered raising slogans and showing the victory sign after Kumar surrendered.Kumar, who quit as a Congress member in the wake of the high court verdict, has moved the Supreme Court challenging his conviction and sentencing.The 1984 riots took place in the wake of the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her two Sikh bodyguards. In its judgment, the high court had noted that over 2,700 Sikhs were killed in the national capital during the 1984 riots, which was carnage of unbelievable proportions.The high court set aside the trial courts 2010 verdict acquitting Kumar in the case. Kumars conviction and surrender will give new hope to the victims family and boost their fight to put Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath behind bars, BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, reacting to the development.With agency inputs BJP hits out at Cong, AAP calls it a historic day for Sikhs Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), yet again, hit out at the Congress following the surrender of 84 riots accused Sajjan Kumar on Monday, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called it a historic day for the Sikh community. Delhi BJP MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa, The Gandhi family tried hard to save Sajjan Kumar, but the law finally caught up with him. AAP MLA Jarnail Singh said, We hope the sentence would serve as a deterrent against the politics of hatred, violence and riots. Rogue political leaders and parties would think a hundred times before unleashing violence on defenceless people. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT On Monday, former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar surrendered before a court for undergoing life term for the remainder of his life awarded by the Delhi High Court. Oct 31, 1984 The then PM Indira Gandhi shot dead by her two Sikh body guards at her residence Nov 1-2 Mob kills five Sikhs at Raj Nagar area in Delhi Cantonment May, 2000 Girish Thakorlal Nanavati Commission set up to probe riots-related cases Dec 2002 Sessions court acquits Sajjan Kumar in one of the cases Oct 24, 2005 CBI registers another case on recommendation of GT Nanavati Commission Feb 1, 2010 Trial court summons Kumar, Balwan Khokkar, Mahender Yadav, Captain Bagmal, Girdhari Lal, Krishan Khokkar, late Maha Singh and Santosh Rani Dec 17 HC convicts and sentences Kumar for life. It also upholds life term of Khokhar, Bhagmal and Lal Dec 20 Kumar moves HC seeking time till Jan 30 to surrender. Dec 21 HC dismisses Kumars plea. Dec 22 Kumar moves SC against his conviction Dec 31 Kumar surrenders before Delhi court By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Some 30 lakh of the 40.07 lakh people, left out of the complete draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, filed for inclusion of their names in the document. Also, around 600 objections were submitted by unknown individuals who suspect the citizenship of others who made it to the list. READ | Centre gives six-month extension to complete update of NRC by June 30 The claims and objections process ended on Monday. Altogether 3.29 crore people had filed for inclusion of their names in draft NRC when the exercise began. According to an NRC official, the pace of filing claims gathered momentum in the past two weeks. An estimated 30 lakh people or around 75 per cent of those left out submitted claims, he said. READ | No plan for NRC in other states, Centre tells Parliament The Centres recent removal of a clause which said documents obtained after August 31, 2015 are inadmissible to file claims said to have resulted in the fast flow of the applications in the past fortnight. The NRC is being updated based on March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date. This means foreigners who had migrated to India illegally after the NRC cut-off date will be viewed as illegal immigrants. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: On New Year eve, Army has foiled a BAT attack of Pakistani soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowgam sector of north Kashmirs Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir and killed two Pakistani soldiers. An army official said intruders of Pakistans Border Action Team (BAT) attempted to move towards the army posts in Nowgam sector by exploiting the thick jungles close to LoC last night. The intruders wearing combat dresses of Pakistani regulars were assisted by heavy firing of machine guns, mortars and rockets from the Pakistani posts. The movement was detected by the army men deployed along the LoC and they fired on the intruders, he said. ALSO READ | Jammu and Kashmir: Four militants killed in Pulwama encounter The official said heavy exchange of fire continued the whole night and during search operations in thick jungles and difficult terrain, troops recovered bodies of two likely Pakistani soldiers and large cache of warlike stores with Pakistani markings. The search operations are still underway in the sector to sanitise the area, he said. From the recovery, it was estimated that BAT team intended to carry out a gruesome attack on the Army forward post in Nowgam sector. The alertness of troops foiled such an attempt, he added. The official said Pakistan Army could take back the mortal remains of deceased since they provided full covering fire support to these intruders. Manish Anand By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The BJP is worried over the electoral impact of Dalit angst in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. An internal assessment of its performance in reserved constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan that went to polls recently paints a pretty grim picture. If one were to aggregate the Assembly election votes based on parliamentary segments, the BJP would have lost eight of the 10 reserved Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh and have been swept away in all five SC/ST constituencies in Chhattisgarh. In Madhya Pradesh, it would have been a whitewash in all six tribal seats. The Dalit seats it could have retained were Ujjain and Tikamgarh. Having won 67 of the total 131 SC/ST Lok Sabha seats across the country in 2014, the BJP seemingly has the impossible task of replicating it in 2019. With Madhya Pradesh witnessing violent Dalit protests in the last two years, the BJP grip on reserved Assembly seats slackened in the just concluded Assembly elections. Against the tally of 28 of the 35 reserved SC seats in the 2013 state elections, the BJP could only bag 18 in the 2018. In Rajasthan, the BJP had 32 reserved SC constituencies in the bag in 2013, which slumped to 12 in 2018. The trend was more pronounced in Chhattisgarh where the BJP slumped from nine reserved Dalit seats to just two in 2018. The BJPs internal assessment noted that the party leaders couldnt counter the Opposition onslaught on Dalit issues. The Opposition succeeded in spreading their claim that the NDA government at the Centre was not protecting the rights of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Despite the Centre amending the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to go around a Supreme Court verdict that had diluted it, the party couldnt hold on to its 2013 support base. Its lack of strong Dalit leaders of national stature was sorely felt, said a senior BJP functionary. Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand are at the heart of the tribal landscape. But the BJP hasnt yet been able to project tribal leaders who have influence in the bigger stage. The leadership crisis in the BJPs tribal ranks cannot be looked away, the functionary pointed out. Actually the strengthening of the SC/ST Act ended up antagonising the upper castes in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, which made the BJP leaders toil hard. The BJP will struggle if it does not assuage Dalit anger, as there are 17 reserved Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. The cowbelt state holds the key to the fortunes of the party winning the 2019 electoral battle. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: A day after ordering an inquiry into the abduction and torture of a Lucknow-based realtor inside Deoria jail by aides of imprisoned mafia don-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad Khan, the state government suspended four officials of Deoria jail including the deputy jailor on Monday. The government also ordered to shift the former parliamentarian to district jail of Bareilly. The state government action against the Deoria jail staff came in the wake of the inquiry report submitted by the prison department into the alleged abduction and torture of realtor Mohit Jaiswal of Lucknow by Atiqs accomplices inside the Deoria jail in front of the mafia don and his son on Saturday. Besides, deputy jailor Devkant Yadav, head warder Munna Pandey and warders Rakesh Kumar Sharma and Ram Asrey, were suspended for favouring the incarcerated former MP and relaxing the jail norms to suit his interests. Confirming the action against the jail staff, senior official of prison administration said that departmental inquiry was initiated against jail superintendent DK Pandey and jailor Mukesh Katiyar as well and action was ordered against the two. Notably, the Lucknow-based realtor was allegedly abducted by the accomplices of Atiq, taken to Deoria jail, held hostage on jail premises and tortured for several hours in front of the of imprisoned criminal-politician and his son Umar Ahmad. As per the police sources, dons aides were allegedly forcing the realtor to transfer five of his firms in their name. ALSO READ: UP government shifts ex-MP Atiq Ahmed from Deoria to Bareilly jail The criminals also took away the victims Fortuner car and other belongings before letting him off. After getting freed by the criminals, realtor Mohit Jaiswal lodged an FIR in Lucknow naming the mafia don Atiq Ahamad , his son Umar and two of his aides -- Zaki Ahmad and Zafarullah - and a few unidentified persons. The police sources claimed that on the basis of the complaint of the realtor, case of extortion, loot and torture was lodged against the named persons. Meanwhile, two persons -- Gulam Moinudeen of Sultanpur and Irfan of Pratapgarh were arrested by the police in connection with the case and efforts were on to nab rest of the absconding persons. Police said the arrested men were associated with the former MP. The cops also recovered Jaiswals car from Gomti Nagar area. Moreover, on Sunday, Deoria district administration had raided the jail premises recovering a mobile, SIM cards, knife and other articles from Atiqs cell. According to police sources, the incident actually happened on last Wednesday but the victim lodged the FIR on Saturday after his return to Lucknow. Meanwhile, Deoria DM, Amit Kishore had set up a four-member probe team under ADM (administration) to look into the matter. The probe team conducted inquiry on jail premises on Monday and submitted report till the evening. During the probe teams interaction with inmates of Deoria jail, laxity of jail staff came to the fore. Deorai district administration had sent the probe report to the home department in Lucknow on Monday evening. Meanwhile, Atiqs wife Shaista Parveen and sister Sehla Khan visited Deoria jail to meet him. Refuting Jaiswals allegations, Parveen said he was a business partner of her husband. She said she would meet chief minister Yogi Adityanath to demand a high-level probe into the case. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: Domestic tourist inflow to strife-torn Kashmir has declined by nearly four lakh this year compared to last year. The tourism stakeholders have blamed the GST regime and negative campaign by electronic TV channels for the drop in tourist inflow. A tourism department official said that 775716 domestic tourists visited Kashmir this year. He said most of the domestic tourists came from south India, including Chennai, Bangalore, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, etc. As against 775176 domestic tourists this year, the Valley received 11.96 lakh visitors last year, revealed official statistics. Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Alliance chairman Manzoor Pakhtoon blamed GST and negative publicity by the national media for the drop in numbers. GST implementation is hurting our tourism sector, Pakhtoon said. High-end tourists have been significantly impacted by GST. Five-star hotels charge 28 per cent GST. Besides, five per cent is being charged by local tour operators and another five percent by the operator who sold the package, Travel Agents Association of India - J&K chapter chairman Zahoor Ahmad Qari said, adding the high-end tourists have to pay 38 per cent tax for visiting Kashmir. Also, air tickets are costly during the peak season and this prompts domestic tourists to consider travelling abroad. Qari and Pakhtoon urged the central government to exempt Kashmir from GST and regulate air fares. Pakhtoon alleged that there is a local advisory for North Indian tourists, including Gujarat and Maharashtra, not to visit Kashmir. Qari said that the law and order situation has also played spoilsport. He said in Gujarat and Pune and Nagpur in Maharashtra, tour operators have been asked not to promote Kashmir. These places were major contributors as domestic tourists, he said. He said now tour operators in Kashmir have also changed the strategy and are holding road shows and publicity campaign in south India to woo tourists. The tourist inflow from south India increased this year and we hope it increases further next year, he said. By Express News Service In the first half of 2019, a billion Asians will elect the next leaders of the regions two largest democracies. Half 400 million in India, and 79 million in Indonesia are from the millennial generation, born roughly between 1982 and 2001. Many will cast ballots for the first time. Although the threat of sectarian hatred looms large over both the Indian and Indonesian elections, economics will still take center stage. The issue that will resonate most with younger voters is jobs. Indonesias President Joko Widodo will seek a second term on April 17, promising to re-industrialise the economy. The commodity boom that helped ameliorate high unemployment after the 1998 Asian crisis has faded. Without pushing into large-scale manufacturing and adding more value to the countrys raw-materials exports, its hard to see how municipalities with more than 9 per cent joblessness in West Java can close the gap with the national average of 5 per cent. Jokowi, as the president is known, wants to keep spending on infrastructure, even though foreign direct investment is set for its first annual decline since he came to power in 2014. But his opponent, the former general Prabowo Subianto, is striking a more nationalistic pose by vowing to review Chinese belt-and-road investments, including a signature high-speed rail project, if he comes to power. Prabowos solution for attracting more private investment is to slash taxes and government spending. Lack of jobs and widespread agrarian distress are also the main campaign issues for Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. Hes looking to unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his disastrous currency ban and a botched goods and services tax moves that have hurt small firms. Since its politically suicidal to cut fuel subsidies in an election year, both Modi and Jokowi will hope global oil prices stay low. Indonesias cash handouts to the poor will double in 2019. But with revenue growing strongly, the budget deficit is still expected to come in below 2 per cent of GDP. The same isnt true for India, though. Encouraged by his partys wins in recent state polls, Gandhi is putting pressure on Modi to waive farmers loans. Meanwhile, the prime minister is wooing the middle class by pruning the list of items taxed at 28 per cent, the highest of the five GST rates. Even without the additional burden, the budget deficit in the fiscal year ending in March would struggle to meet the goal of 3.3 per cent of GDP. Elections will be held by May. For both countries, the biggest known unknown of 2019 is the US Federal Reserves policy. If the Fed takes a pause only after three interest-rate hikes in 2019, the Indian rupee and the Indonesian rupiah, Asias two worst-performing currencies this year, could remain under pressure. In Indonesia, the risk is from the current account deficit, which at about 3.4 per cent of GDP is already large. With prices of palm oil and natural rubber slumping, exports may be slow to revive. In India, an abrupt change of guard at the central bank could lead to more relaxed financial conditions, perhaps even interest-rate cuts, to stoke credit-fueled growth ahead of the elections. If the Fed sets the backdrop for the 2019 Asian polls, Facebook Inc could determine their tone, even outcomes. The social media platform has been under scrutiny ever since the Cambridge Analytica scandal, when it emerged that personal data of 87 million Facebook users were obtained by the consulting firm that had, among other things, helped get President Donald Trump elected. Analysts are dreading a repeat of the role social media played in securing a victory for far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil. WhatsApp, the messaging service owned by Facebook, has 250 million users in India, which has seen murders and lynchings triggered by fake news. Indonesian Communications and Information Technology Minister Rudiantara told me last year of his frustration over social media firms slow and inadequate response to requests to take down offensive content. How a billion Asian voters navigate around misinformation, fake news and a hardening of majority sentiment against minorities on their way to the polling booths will be worth watching. There will be a third important Asian election next year. Thailands military junta, in power since May 2014, has decided to hand over power in polls scheduled for Feb 24. Considering that elected leaders keep getting unseated by the courts or the army, a durable democracy in Thailand would be a huge positive for investors. At this juncture, though, that may be too much to expect from 2019. Michel Danino By Indian civilizations obsession with knowledge was our last master idea, with endless and still poorly explored contributions in nearly every field (India as a Knowledge Creator, The New Indian Express, 29 November). But there is another side to the story, which in many ways characterizes the paradox of Indian culture. No Indian university, IIT or IIM has a regular, comprehensive course on Indian knowledge systems (IKS) (though IIT Gandhinagar made a beginning a few years ago). There are, no doubt, a few scattered courses on systems of ancient science (IIT Bombay and Kharagpur), and a few universities teach courses on Indian philosophical systems or even Indology, whatever that means. By and large, however, indifference, neglect, or hostility to IKS is the rule. All three are part of Indias colonial legacy: ever since Thomas Babington Macaulay, a powerful British figure of the first half of the nineteenth century, declared that traditional Indian knowledge consists of false History, false Astronomy, false Medicine ... in company with a false religion, many Indian academics and intellectuals have implicitly or explicitly accepted that knowledge from the West is the real thing. Our philosophy courses cover mostly European philosophy; the same goes with psychology (from which yogic systems of self-knowledge are generally excluded); contemporary Indian literature is often studied; classical texts rarely are. Students of Ayurveda are compelled to devote much time to modern medicine, but not vice versa. Political scientists generally know nothing of the systems of polity that prevailed in ancient India. And so forth. In 1946, the freedom-fighter and statesman K.M. Munshi wrote: Modern education in India assumes that Indian culture is dead, only requiring post-mortem dissection, and that a new culture can be developed by imitating the West. No attention is paid to the importance of a ceaseless reintegration. That accounts for the indifference and neglect. But why hostility? I see it essentially as a survival of the colonial-cum-missionary stereotype that Indian knowledge systems were elitist, upper caste when not Brahminical, and denied to the lower castes and untouchables. Such declarations are usually based on a few Dharma Shastra texts prohibiting the teaching of the Vedas to lower castes. Granted, those texts and a few more were Brahminical and set down a caste-based order for the society. However, the said society was far from circumscribed or defined by a few orthodox texts. A careful look at the mechanisms of transmission of knowledge gives a very different picture. Brahminical texts of mathematics produced number systems and calculation methods that were, in time, adopted by the population at large, down to the carpenter and the farmer. Astronomy created calendars that punctuated peoples lives and stood behind astrology and the ever-popular panchangas (almanacs). Architecture was rooted in Vedic principles but practised by Vishvakarmas: technically Shudras, they often regarded themselves as higher than the Brahmins in their application of those concepts to temple construction and iconography (for the making of bronze or stone images), and themselves wrote manuscripts in both Sanskrit and regional languages. So too, texts of medicine, metallurgy, agriculture, animal and plant treatment, water management and other civil engineering techniques, were often written by the practitioners of those disciplines rather than by upper caste theoreticians. All this points to a sustained, intense and complex dialogue between the Shastras (the theories or systems) and the popular practices (loka parampara). From the Ayurvedic classic which declares that for the knowledge of medicinal plants one should consult the hunter or the tribal, to Kautilyas Arthashastra which explains how the quality of a metal ore is to be assessed through its taste and smell, this dialogue has clearly enriched the two sides, if at all there are sides. In literature and the arts, it is the much-discussed marga-desi interplay, or classic (generally pan-Indian and Sanskritic) vs. popular (regional and often non-Sanskritic) texts and art forms. Again, it is a story of mutual enrichment, with classical forms often emerging from popular ones and eventually influencing them back. This is perceptible in the epic genre (Mahabharata and Ramayana), in all performing arts (drama, dance, music), and in sculpture. A scholar friend of mine has compared this interaction to the double helix of the DNA molecule; as the helices, though joined by numerous bridges, never meet, I prefer the symbol of Hermess caduceus with its two intertwined snakes. In 1920, Sri Aurobindo wrote to his younger brother, I believe that the main cause of Indias weakness is not subjection, nor poverty, nor a lack of spirituality or Dharma, but a diminution of thought-power, the spread of ignorance in the motherland of Knowledge. Everywhere I see an inability or unwillingness to thinkincapacity of thought or thought-phobia. The last term perfectly applies to our cultural negationists of the day. Indian knowledge systems were not elitist or exclusivist, even if specialized fields did exist for the various castes. Overall, while they invoked lofty concepts, they were often remarkably pragmatic. No, they did not tell us how to construct vimanas or nuclear weapons; instead, they sought to equip the society with all the tools it needed for a complete development in the material, aesthetic, intellectual, ethical and spiritual fields. Michel Danino is a French-born Indian author, scholar of ancient India, and visiting professor at IIT Gandhinagar. Email: micheldanino@gmail.com. This is the eighth part in a series on Master Ideas of Indian Civilisation; earlier articles in this series: *** By Express News Service ELURU: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials on Sunday conducted simultaneous raids on a junior assistant in the Panchayat Raj Department, who is on a long leave, and unearthed disproportionate assets worth more than Rs 80 crore (market value). The assets of the junior assistant include 19 house plots, a farmhouse, 85 acres of agriculture land, three flats and other properties. Two of his lockers in IDBI Bank at Palangi and in SBI at Tanuku of West Godavari district are yet to be opened. ACB Director General RP Thakur said a case of disproportionate assets was registered against Rampalli Satya Phani Dattatreya Diwakar (34), also called SPD Diwakar, who is a junior assistant in the office of Superintending Engineer, Rural Water Supply, in Eluru. Following specific information that he had amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, the ACB officials conducted raids on the residence of Diwakar at Palangi in Undrajavaram mandal and four other places of his family members. He was appointed as junior assistant in Panchayat Raj Department, RWS Sub-Division, Chintalapudi, West Godavari district, on June 15, 2009 on compassionate grounds after the death of his father, who was a government teacher. After one week of joining duty, Diwakar was sent to the office of SE, RWS, Eluru, on deputation. He worked there till October 2017. He has been on long leave for the past 15 months. The ACB officials found six plots at Tanuku and Karravari Savaram, 44.39 acres of land at various places in West Godavari and Guntur, a farm house in Bhimolu, a G+3 commercial building, a G+2 building with penthouse at Palangi, a godown in Bhimolu, and a residential flat in Tanuku in the name of Diwakar. Seven plots and 18.12 acres of land at various places in West Godavari were found in the name of Diwakars mother Rampalli Venkata Subba Lakshmi, six plots and 23.11 acres of land in the name of his brother R Srinivasa Rama Krishna Kiran Kumar, an ACB official release said. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday termed the state governments farm loan waiver a cruel joke on farmers and accused the coalition government of playing a game of musical chairs without being interested in the welfare of the people. Interacting via video conference with BJP booth workers from Belagavi, Dharwad, Bidar, Davangere and Haveri districts, the PM said, What they have done in the name of loan waiver will go down in history as one of the most cruel jokes on farmers. After six months in power, news reports say the government could only benefit a handful of farmers with their loan waiver scheme. By Online Desk As the Kerala government prepares to welcome New Year in the state by organising the Womens Wall or Vanitha Mathil on Tuesday to protect renaissance values", here is all you need to know about it: WHAT IS IT? Around thirty lakh women (the ruling party says 55 lakh) are expected to form a human chain across the National Highway from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram, around 620-kilometre long, extending their support to the state governments resolve to implement the Supreme Courts verdict allowing women of all ages access to Sabarimala and to protect the secular and progressive values of Kerala. Organised by the government and supported by various social organisations having links with the renaissance movement, the Women's Wall is an attempt by the LDF government to defend the state from communal forces following ongoing protests by Hindu conservatives led by the BJP and Congress post the Sabarimala verdict. [SEE PHOTOS OF THE WOMEN'S WALL HERE] CM Pinarayi Vijayan appealed to people from all walks of life to join the fight to prevent Kerala from 'becoming a mental asylum' again, referring to Swami Vivekananda's observation about the caste-based discrimination practised in the state. 'Vanitha Mathil' (Photo | By Special Arrangement) CM Vijayan announced the initiative on 1 December after a meeting with various Hindu and socio-cultural organisations. To all the critics he said, "Those who try to malign the image of the party do not have much knowledge of history, as our renaissance leaders and social reformers - Sree Narayana Guru, Chattampi Swamikal, V T Bhattathiripad, Mannathu Padmanabhan - had actively supported the upliftment of women in history. Similarly, the contribution of Muslim renaissance leaders like Makati Thangal, Vakkom Moulavi and Haleema Beevi cannot be forgotten. So also with Akkamma Cherian who was at the forefront of the peoples struggle in Travancore in the pre-independence era." Great Wall of Kerala, to prevent the state from sliding back into medieval madness , going to be raised by a million women from one end of Kerala to other on New Year Day.That is around 600 km in length. Come, join the Resistance. It will be very very happy new year. Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) December 2, 2018 He also said that the Communists believe womens liberation is part of social equality, and social inequalities are seen as part of the class struggle. WATCH OUR WOMAN'S WALL VIDEO HERE | MEN'S WALL: There will also be a Mens Wall on the other side of the national highway when the Womens Wall will be organised. WHEN IS IT? On January 1, 2019, the participants will gather at designated centres at 3 pm. Then a rehearsal will happen at 3.30 pm. The Womens Wall event will take place between 4 and 4.15 pm with the participants taking a pledge. The pledge reads, We are taking the pledge that we will uphold renaissance values, we will stand for equality for women, we resist the attempts to make Kerala a lunatic asylum, and we will fight for secularism. Young women line up ahead of the Women's Wall campaign in Kerala on January 1, 2019. (Photo | Women's Wall/ Facebook) WHO ARE TAKING PART? The event is organised by the ruling CPI(M), with support from as many as 174 outfits, including social, political, religious, NGOs and womens organisations. As part of the campaign, 25,000 squads formed to mobilise participants for the event visited 70 lakh houses. As many as 7,000 womens campaign marches, two-wheeler marches, meetings, renaissance discourses, and other programmes were organised across the state. Over 200 prominent personalities like writer Dr M Leelavathy, actor KPAC Lalitha, poet Vijayalakshmi, actor Rima Kallingal, Olympian athlete Mercykuttan, boxer KV Lekha, writers Thanooja Bhattathiri and Musemary are expected to be part of the campaign. Other actors taking part include the Women in Cinema Collective members Parvathy Thiruvoth, Remya Nambeesan, Bina Paul and Geethu Mohandas. Ministers will participate from their respective districts as well. ALSO READ | Treat Womens Wall as a celebration: Swami Agnivesh Women paint walls saying 'Vanitha Mathil' ahead of the Women's Wall campaign in Kerala on January 1, 2019. (Photo | Women's Wall/ Facebook) CONTROVERSIES: Exits Actress Manju Warrier withdrew from the event citing its political nature. Writer Sara Joseph backed out of the event saying she would not be part of it till sexual harassment-accused CPI(M) MLA PK Sasi was removed from the party. Dalit activist Sunny M Kapikkad also withdrew his support, criticising the state government for its delay in implementing the top courts verdict on Sabarimala. Funding The collection of funds, allegedly even from poor social security pensioners, for the Womens Wall has cast a shadow on the initiative, putting the organisers, especially the CPM, on the defensive. Many critics have also claimed that the state government is diverting funds meant for flood relief to the Womens Wall. Initially, it was announced that an amount of Rs 50 crore, earmarked for various women's welfare schemes, would be used for the wall. Vijayan later clarified that not a single penny from the state treasury would be used for the campaign. The expense for holding the Womens Wall has to be borne by the organisations taking the lead to hold the event, he said. The government has also been forced to clarify that no government employee will be forced to participate in the event, following reports that Kudumbashree workers were being coerced to take part. Opposition The wall and the CPI-M have been severely criticised by many leaders with Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala calling it a 'communal wall', claiming that only 'progressive Hindu organisations' were invited to take part, and minority organisations were excluded. The Peoples Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), affiliated to the CPI (Maoist), said the CPM is opportunistic and that the party is also lending support to Hindutva politics just like the BJP and Congress. Ayyappa Jyothi counter: On 26th November, to counter the LDF's women's wall, tens of thousands of devotees lined up from Kasargod to Thiruvananthapuram seeking the protection of traditional customs at Sabarimala. They stood on the states arterial highways holding the traditional elluthiri lamp in their palms for half an hour starting from 6 pm. BJP state general secretary Sobha Surendran too was part of the line. Devotees participating in the Ayyappa Jyothi programme (Photo | EPS) Sabarimala Karma Samithi coordinated the event in association with the BJP, RSS and community organisations like the Nair Service Society. District level information: Thiruvananthapuram: A total of three lakh women will participate in the capital city, where they will form the wall for a 43.5km stretch from Kadambattukonam to Ayyankali Statue at Vellayambalam. Malappuram: A total of 1.8 lakh women are expected to participate here, where the wall will be 55-km long, passing through Ramanattukara, Malappuram and Perinthalmanna. Kozhikode: Three lakh people will participate in the 74-km-long wall here Kannur: Five lakh women Wayanad: 35,000 participants will join the campaign in Kozhikode Kasaragod: One lakh women will form the wall from Kaalikkadavu to Kasaragod taluk office. Idukki: A total of 45,000 women. The wall passes through Karukutty, Nedumbassery, Chengamanad, Choornikkara, Kumbalam grama panchayats, and Angamaly, Aluva, Kalamassery, Maradu municipalities and Kochi Corporation. Thrissur: A total of 73 km from Cheruthuruthy to Karukutty will be covered by the campaign Palakkad: The wall extends to 26 km from Pulamanthol to Cheruthurthy. Kollam: Three lakh women will participate on a stretch of 58 km from Oachira to Kadambattukonam. Alappuzha: Four lakh women will form the 97-km human wall from Aroor to Oachira. 60,000 women each from Kottayam and Pathanamthitta will be part of the campaign at Alappuzha. Ernakulam: Wall will be formed at a stretch of 49 km from Pongam to Aroor with the participation of three lakh women. Watch the theme song of the Vanitha Mathil here: (With inputs from Express News Service) Gopika I S By Express News Service KOCHI: Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) is all set to open the first cancer technology incubator in the country at the Kerala Technology Innovation Zone in KINFRA Hi-Tech Park here. The new Centre for Biomedical Research, Innovation and Commercialization in Cancer (BRICS) is aimed at creating India-focused innovations and developments in the cancer care sector. Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) will be signed for clinical expertise. The MoU between CCRC and KSUM will be signed on January 13. The incubator and incubated start-ups, which will be cancer-specific, will focus on technology innovations in cancer care, frugal innovations that can improve the access of best cancer treatment for the public, sector-specific fintech innovations and converting academic researches to products. The incubator will have Deep Tech infrastructure, various labs for cancer research including Cytology, and an advanced prototype creation and validation facility. This is basically an entity floated by CCRC for supporting research converted into entrepreneurship in the cancer care sector and down the line it may become a separate society. We are providing the basic infrastructure now. We hope that international start-ups and companies will join in future. Developing countries have a bigger cancer challenge because of late detection and financial issues. The solutions created here should increase the productivity of doctors, too, said KSUM CEO Dr Saji Gopinath. Most of the studies are done abroad and purely based on the needs and types of diseases faced by their population. We need a unique platform for ourselves and this would be the first step towards it. The use of imported technology is also the reason why the cost of cancer care treatment goes high. If we can develop our own technology, the expenses will also go down, said CCRC Director Dr Moni Abraham Kuriakose. Cochin Cancer Research Centre (CCRC) Director Dr Moni Abraham Kuriakose said: We will be guiding the programme by bringing out the key areas where research and innovation is necessary. Our doctors will help out in their specific field of expertise. University of Illinois, which have recently signed an MoU with KSUM, will also be part of the research. Industry partnership with private players like Biocon, Siemens Healthineers, NeST Technologies, and IBS are being explored in order to address the issue of marketing channels for the products in future. Gestation Period The gestation period in cancer research is relatively higher and therefore each start-up will get a maximum incubation period of three years without extension. An additional one year will be considered if an expert committee recommends it, said Jith Thomas, Senior Fellow, Health and Medical Technology, KSUM. By Online Desk The Tamil Nadu government is gearing up to keep a promise it made as early as in June to gift a plastic-free state to future generations. On 5 June world environment day the Tamil Nadu government announced a ban on one-time use and throwaway plastics such as plastic sheets for food wrapping, dining table spread, plates, teacups and tumblers, water pouches and packets, straw, carry bags and flags, irrespective of their thickness. Retail outlets, grocery shops among others have already been asking people to bring cloth bags. The Chennai Corporation even asked residents on 31st December to surrender banned plastics. It is going to be an enforcement phase starting January, then the government will soon impose a fine for stricter implementation of the ban. Amidst cries for exemption, it looks like the government may have to give in to certain appeals as it is reportedly considering relaxation on the ban of paper cups after weighing in on the pros and cons, Plastic constitutes for only 6 percentage of every such cup. While the state government says it is doing all it can to successfully implement the ban, key stakeholders such as traders and manufacturers believe Tamil Nadu is not ready. APPEALS FOR EXEMPTION The Tamil Nadu Hotels Association wants food grade plastic covers to be out of the purview of the ban. It has claimed that the hotel industry would face a lot of problems in packaging food, especially liquids. It has asked for a grace period of six months so that they can find environmentally friendly alternatives to pack food. State-owned Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Limited (TNPL) has sought an exemption for plastic-coated paper cups. Although the actual stock produced by TNPL does not have any plastic, a thin film of food grade low-density polyethene is added by paper cup converter units to create a liquid barrier before its sold for end use. (Photo | EPS) TNPL managing director S Sivashanmugaraja said: Plastic coating in paper cups accounts for just 5 per cent of the material and 95 per cent is paper, therefore these cups are recyclable, biodegradable and totally eco-friendly. Because of its biodegradable nature, no other state has imposed such a ban in India." Besides, he said the government has not banned TetraPack, which is made from wood pulp in the form of paperboard, as well as thin layers of aluminium and polyethene. Compared to TetraPack, paper cups consist of only 5 per cent polyethene, he said. The Tamil Nadu Plastics Manufacturers Association (TAPMA) said there is a clear discrimination in the way the government is attacking retail trade. What we understand at this juncture, the ban will hit common man, besides bringing the plastic industry to a standstill. Initially, we thought food grade plastic used in packaging is exempted, but that is not the case now." Over 470 packaged drinking water manufacturers in the state are part of the Tamil Nadu Packaged Drinking Water Manufacturers Association (TNPDWMA) which has sought an exception from the ban for water packets. The government order clearly states only plastic below 50 microns is banned from January 01, 2019. However, the water sachets, which are well above 50 microns, have been added, M Rajasekeran, president of TNPDWM, said. CRITICISM Arguments by manufacturers and other stakeholders are on the grounds that alternatives to plastic are not yet widely or cheaply available with the manufacturing infrastructure not yet in place. Further, they argue that consumers have yet to alter behaviour on a significant scale so as to make the ban seem viable. Another argument is that the government had targeted the relatively smaller fish rather than those plastic products that cause the most damage. The real issue is with non-recyclable plastics like the multi-laminated packaging. The products that government banned are all recyclable, complained G Sankaran, president, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Plastic Association. (Photo | EPS) KG Ramanathan, president, Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment, said sudden bans can be devastating in low-income communities where small businesses operate on tiny margins. Imposing a ban on plastic products without any national policy would be impractical. It would affect the consumer, as well as the industry, and many may migrate to the neighbouring State. Tamil Nadu Plastics Manufacturers Association said: Single-use plastics are used by common man to ensure hygiene and quality at affordable prices. Hence, the total ban is also in violation of the principles of natural justice. This is not the first time such a ban has been proposed in the state. In fact, Tamil Nadu attempted such a ban in 2002 when J Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister, but it hardly materialised. Further, a ban on plastic carry bags is nothing new. It has been in effect in Tamil Nadu since 2015. ALSO READ | Plastic-free Tamil Nadu: This Besant Nagar restaurant shows the way Here is a list of what is banned, what is permitted and the alternatives one can use: Banned Plastic sheet/cling film used for food wrapping Plastic sheet used for spreading in dining table Plastic thermocol plates Plastic coated paper plate Plastic coated paper cups Plastic tea cup Plastic tumbler Thermocol cups Water pouches/packets Plastic straw Plastic carry bag of all sizes and thickness Plastic coated carry bags Plastic flags Non-woven polypropylene bags Permitted Plastic bottles Plastic banners/board Plastic spoon, Plastic oven sack Packed grocery items Compostable carry bag of any thickness Tetrapack, Plastic containers Plastic sachets, stationery Alternatives Plantain leaves, areca nut leaves Aluminium foils, Paper rolls Lotus leaves, Paper straw Glass/metal tumblers Bamboo, wooden products Cloth/paper/jute bags Paper/cloth flags, Ceramic wares Earthen cutleries and pots Will TN succeed in its zero-plastic goal without too much collateral damage? 2019 will tell. (With inputs from Express News Service) By Express News Service NEW DELHI: C Vijaya Baskar, Minister for Public Health, and J Radhakrishnan, Health secretary, should step down, urged MK Stalin, DMK president, in a statement. It shows the failures of the AIADMK governments administration as a pregnant woman became HIV positive, following the transfusion of HIV positive blood by a government hospital, to her, he stated. The incident has raised serious doubts on the safety of the blood which was stored in the blood banks of the State government. He further stated, It was a big example for the complete breakdown of administration of the ruling AIADMK. I urge that Health minister C Vijaya Baskar, who is responsible for this administrative failure, should be dismissed from the cabinet. Likewise, Radhakrishnan, secretary of the Public Health department, should also be transferred from the posting. By Express News Service COIMBATORE: Though the PMK had faced 2014 Parliamentary election by effecting an alliance with the BJP, the chances of replicating the tie-up this time around seems slim. Fanning this speculation was the proceedings at the partys general body meeting in Coimbatore on Sunday. A resolution charging the BJP government with allotting inadequate funds for the recent Gaja cyclone and Chennai floods rehabilitation works only buttressing the speculation. The 2019 election is a litmus test not just for the PMK, but also for people of Tamil Nadu, the resolution stated. Even after Gaja wreaked havoc one-and-a-half months ago, Tamil Nadu has not received compensation from the Central government. Even an AIADMK minister accepted that the BJP-led government was keeping the State at bay whenever they sought financial assistance, read the resolution. By PTI HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad High Court premises witnessed emotional scenes Monday on the eve of coming into being of separate high courts for the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with advocates going down nostalgic lane. The Hyderabad High Court had jurisdiction over the two Telugu states even after Telangana was carved out of a united Andhra Pradesh in June 2014 but it would no longer be the case from Tuesday. The new Andhra Pradesh High Court would formally start functioning from the state capital of Amaravati while the Telangana High Court would function from the existing premises here. An informal farewell on the premises of the Hyderabad High Court saw some advocates turning emotional recalling the 'togetherness' with which advocates in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana worked over the years. A group of judicial officers, some employees and advocates left for Andhra Pradesh Monday with members of legal fraternity of Telangana giving them a warm send-off. President of the Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocates Association K B Ramanna Dora said advocates from Andhra Pradesh were not opposed to the bifurcation of the High Court but there were some apprehensions with regard to 'inadequate' court facilities in Amaravati. "Our association with Telangana people is very good. There were some emotions but it is quite natural. From tomorrow, we (Andhra Pradesh advocates) may not be here," Dora said. "We have no grievance over bifurcation of the High Court," he said. "(But) there is no enough infrastructure there (Amaravati). Construction of the High Court (in Amaravati) is not over," he said listing them as among the concerns. About 1,600 employees were working at the Hyderabad High Court and they would be allocated in the 58:42 ratio to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana state, an official said. Asked about the division and allocation of employees between the High Courts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states, the official said a section of employees was sent temporarily to Andhra Pradesh and they would work there till the final allocation was done. The process of shifting files pertaining to the Andhra Pradesh High Court has started and it would continue, the official said. Advocates from Telangana have been in a celebratory mood over formation of a separate High Court for the state. President of the Telangana High Court Advocates Association C Damodar Reddy told PTI: "Advocates from Telangana are very happy as a long-pending dream of having a separate High Court for Telangana has been realised. When two states are formed then separate High Courts must be established". He said formation of a separate Andhra Pradesh High Court would also be convenient to litigants and added that the Constitution says every state should have its own High Court. There were over 2.6 lakh cases currently in the Hyderabad High Court, of which about 60 per cent belong to Andhra Pradesh, sources said. Meanwhile, a group of advocates staged a protest near the Hyderabad High Court premises here holding placards that read 'Black Day for Rayalaseema.' The protesting advocates opposed to establishment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in Amaravati raised slogans against the state Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and demanded that it be located in Rayalaseema region of that state. President Ram Nath Kovind had last week issued orders for a separate high court which would function from Amravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh from January 1. Governor ESL Narasimhan would administer the oath of office to the Chief Justice of the new High Court for Telangana Thottathil Bhaskaran Nair Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan here. Other judges would take oath at the High Court here. By PTI DHAKA: Bangladesh Sunday deployed electronic voting machines for the first time in a general election, though only on a limited scale, a move which received mixed responses from the voters amid reports of glitches in some booths. Out of the 299 parliamentary constituencies that went to polls, six saw the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), a regular feature in neighbouring India since decades ago. Voting for the 11th national election began with the machines being used in the six seats selected through lottery. These are: Dhaka-6, Dhaka-13, Chattogram-9, Rangpur-3, Khulna-2 and Satkhira-2. The six seats comprises over 2.1 million voters. The results from these six seats could be announced within hours after the voting ends, Bangladeshi media reported. Electronic voting machines created problems across different voting centres in Dhaka-13 and Dhaka-6, slowing down voting process and leading to long queues, the Daily Star newspaper reported. Voters in some areas have reported facing trouble when the machines could not recognise their fingerprints, BDnews24.com reported. Dhaka-13 voter Jagat Dashi Mondol, a septuagenarian, was smiling as she came out of the polling centre at Mohammadpur's Borabo Government Primary School. When asked about how she felt using an EVM, said, "easy, very easy. " The polling centre's Presiding Officer Jayanta Chandra Deb said he replaced three EVMs when they stopped working. Nazrul Islam, a retired engineer, said his fingerprint was not matching when he went to vote at the polling centre in Lalmatia Mohila College. "But I got to vote using my voter ID. It didn't take much time". Gazi Hossain, a former librarian of Lalmatia Mohila College, was unhappy with the EVM because of the time wasted in trying to match his fingerprint in the machine. "It wasn't matching, so it took more time, that's a problem," he said. Bimal Chandra, a retired teacher, voted using EVM at the Mohammadpur Chand Community Centre. "I just pressed two buttons on the EVM. One on the poll symbol, then another on a green button. It takes roughly ten seconds. It takes more time to be marked on the thumb with ink. "It takes just 20 minutes to count the votes from EVM centres. This is good," said Chandra. On December 27, the Election Commission organised mock voting at selected polling centres to educate voters on how to use EVMs. The EVM technology is being used for the first time at the national election level, eight years after being introduced in local government elections in the country. The machines were first used in the Chittagong City Corporation election of June 2010. However, the Election Commission stopped using the technology in 2015 due to some errors. The machines were later reintroduced in the Rangpur City Corporation election in 2016. During this year's city corporation polls, EVMs were used in three polling centres in Khulna City Corporation with 10,000 voters; two centres in Sylhet City Corporation with 5,413 voters; 11 centres in Barishal City Corporation with 25,000 voters; and two centres in Rajshahi City Corporation with 3,383 voters, the Daily Star reported. During the Election Commission's electoral dialogues, most of the 40 registered parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party of former premier Khalida Zia and its allies, opposed the idea of using EVMs in the election. However, five political parties, including the ruling Awami League of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, its allies Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal faction led by Hasanul Haq Inu and Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal (M-L) and Zaker Party supported the use of EVMs. The BNP has all along been opposing the EC move, alleging that this might facilitate "the government's plan for election engineering". The Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory (BMTF) imported parts of the EVMs and assembled them in Bangladesh ahead of the general election, media reports said. "The EVM fingerprint scanner will be imported from America while Apple will supply the monitors. Other parts of the EVM machine will be imported from different countries," the Dhaka Tribune quoted Brig Gen Mohammad Saidul Islam, director general of the Election Commission's National Identity Registration Wing, as saying in September. By AFP TEHRAN: Iran said Monday that the Afghan Taliban have visited Tehran for a second round of peace talks in just a few days aimed at bringing an end to 17 years of conflict. Iran has made a more concerted and open push for peace in neighbouring Afghanistan since US President Donald Trump indicated there would be a significant withdrawal of American troops. "Yesterday (Sunday), a delegation of Taliban were in Tehran and lengthy negotiations were held with Iran's deputy foreign minister (Abbas) Araghchi," said spokesman Bahram Ghasemi at a televised press conference on Monday. That came just days after Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, visited Kabul and told reporters that talks had been held with the Taliban in Afghanistan. "The Islamic Republic has always been one of the primary pillars of stability in the region and cooperation between the two countries will certainly help in fixing Afghanistan's security issues of today," Shamkhani told the conservative Tasnim news agency. There have been reports in the past of talks between Iran and the Taliban, but they have typically been denied by Tehran. ALSO READ | US offers safety, job security to Taliban Ghasemi said Iran's priority was "to help facilitate negotiations between Afghan groups and the country's government. The current peace push will be viewed with concern by hawks in Washington, who fear that Trump's planned withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan will cede regional influence to Iran. An American official told AFP on December 21 that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces from Afghanistan, but the White House has yet to confirm the widely-publicised move. Senior Republican senator Lindsey Graham met with Trump on Sunday and urged him to delay any withdrawal from Syria to make sure "Iran doesn't become the big winner of our leaving. Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of US and international forces in Afghanistan, told ABC: "Iran has increased influence across the region now. If you pull American influence out, you're likely to have greater instability." The Taliban also met with the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the United Arab Emirates earlier in December, but have so far refused to meet a delegation from Afghanistan. Araghchi will travel to Afghanistan in the next two weeks, Ghasemi said, without giving further details. READ HERE | India unfazed by US pulling out half of its troops from Afghanistan "Considering our long border with Afghanistan and the cultural and historical ties, and our important role in the region's stability, the Islamic republic was interested to enter and play a more important role in peace development in Afghanistan," the spokesman added. Iran and Afghanistan share a nearly 600-mile border, and have had a complex relationship in recent years. Tehran has long supported its co-religionists in Afghanistan, the Shia Hazara minority, who were violently persecuted by the Taliban during its rule in the 1990s. Iran worked alongside the United States and Western powers to help drive out the Taliban after the US-led invasion in 2001. But there have been allegations, from Western and Afghan sources, that Iran's Revolutionary Guards have in recent years established ties with the Taliban aimed at driving out US forces from Afghanistan. By PTI DHAKA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on registering a landslide win in the general elections and assured her of India's continued support to the country's developmental strides. Hasina's ruling Awami League-led alliance has won over 267 seats in the 300-member Parliament, according to the latest report released by the Election Commission (EC). Prime Minister Modi had a telephonic conversation with his Bangladeshi counterpart Hasina following the results, press secretary of Bangladesh Prime Minister Ihsanul Karim told PTI. Spoke to Sheikh Hasina Ji and congratulated her on the resounding victory in the Bangladesh elections. Wished her the very best for the tenure ahead. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 31, 2018 During the talks, Modi said that "Hasina's victory was the reflection of Bangladesh's stunning development under her dynamic leadership", according to Karim. "Prime Minister Modi assured her of India's continued support to Bangladesh's developmental strides," the press secretary added. According to the EC, Hasina's alliance has won the parliamentary vote with a thumping majority. The main opposition has rejected the "farcical" elections which claimed 18 lives and left over 200 injured, making it one of the deadliest polls in the country. The opposition National Unity Front led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party - which has been out of power for 12 years and had boycotted the 10th general elections in 2014 - managed to secure only seven seats. By PTI NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent new year messages to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said relations between the two countries were developing in a constructive and dynamic manner. Putin, conveying his greetings to the two leaders, also noted that agreements reached during Indo-Russia annual summit in October contributed to strengthening the privileged strategic partnership between the two nations, according to the Russian Embassy here. In his new year messages to Kovind and Modi, the Russian president emphasised that relations between the two countries were developing in a constructive and dynamic manner, the embassy said. READ | Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin exchange New Year greetings "Vladimir Putin expressed confidence that joint efforts will lead to further growth of mutually beneficial cooperation in various areas and greater coordination of efforts on key issues on the regional and global agenda within the UN, BRICS, the SCO, the G20 and other multilateral bodies," it said. In the annual summit here, India inked a USD 5 billion deal to purchase the much-vaunted S-400 air defence system from Russia, notwithstanding US warnings of punitive sanctions against nations doing military transactions with Moscow. A number of other pacts were also signed following talks between Modi and Putin. By ANI WASHINGTON: Republican Senator Lindsey Graham stated that the United States would withdraw from Syria in a manner that will ensure that the ISIS is permanently destroyed while keeping Iran at bay in the region. "I learned a lot from President @realDonaldTrump about our efforts in Syria that was reassuring," Graham tweeted on Sunday (local time) after meeting with US President Donald Trump. He further stated, "The President will make sure any withdrawal from Syria will be done in a fashion to ensure - (1) ISIS is permanently destroyed, (2) Iran doesn't fill in the back end, and (3) our Kurdish allies are protected." Graham, who was one of the first to strongly criticise the US President's decision to pull troops out from Syria, put out a positive front on the social media platform regarding the very same decision after the meeting. "President @realDonaldTrump is talking with our commanders and working with our allies to make sure these three objectives are met as we implement the withdrawal," Graham stated. Graham was at the forefront about seeking answers from Trump regarding the troop withdrawal, taking regularly to Twitter to urge the President in re-evaluating his decision. "Mr President, we will never have partners in the future. Our nation is better than this. Please reevaluate the Syrian withdrawal strategy," Graham had tweeted on December 21. He had earlier publicly refuted Trump's claims of having defeated the ISIS in Syria, which was the reason Trump had cited before announcing his decision to withdraw. "With all due respect, ISIS is not defeated in Syria, Iraq, and after just returning from visiting there - certainly not Afghanistan," Graham had tweeted on December 19. The US had announced its decision to withdraw from Syria on December 19, which spurred massive criticism from all quarters. Speculations are rife that a US exit from the region would increase the influence of Russia and Iran in Syria. By Associated Press Revellers around the globe are bidding a weary farewell Monday to an unsettling year filled with challenges to many of the world's most basic institutions, including politics, trade, alliances and religion. Here's a look at how people are ushering in the new year: INDIA: It's 2019 in India and the fireworks have begun! Thane Youngsters hold balloons that reads '2019'. (Photo | PTI) PAKISTAN: High school students hold candles to welcome a new year, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. (Photo | AP) RUSSIA As Russians raised toasts to celebrate across the country's 11 time zones, President Vladimir Putin stressed the need to rely on internal resources to improve living standards. In a televised address just before midnight, Putin said that "we can achieve positive results only through our own efforts and well-coordinated teamwork." Raising life quality remains the top priority, he said, adding that it's necessary to tap domestic resources to achieve the goal as "there wasn't and there won't be anyone to help." The statement sounded like an oblique reference to continuing Russia-West tensions and Western sanctions. The nation's festive mood was marred by the collapse of an apartment building Monday in Magnitogorsk that killed at least four. Putin visited the city to oversee rescue efforts. THAILAND While many celebrate New Year's Eve with fireworks, hundreds of Thais travelled to Takien Temple in a suburb of Bangkok to lie inside coffins for traditional funeral rituals. Participants believe the ceremony symbolizing death and rebirth helps rid them of bad luck and allows them to be born again for a fresh start in the new year. They held flowers and incense in their hands as monks covered them with pink sheets and chanted prayers for the dead. "It wasn't scary or anything. It is our belief that it will help us get rid of bad luck and bring good fortune to our life," said Busaba Yookong, who came to the temple with her family. PHILIPPINES Dozens of people have been injured ahead of New Year's Eve, when many across the Philippines set off powerful firecrackers in one of Asia's most violent celebrations despite a government scare campaign and threats of arrests. The Department of Health said it has recorded more than 50 firecracker injuries in the past 10 days, which is expected to increase overnight when Filipinos usher in 2019. Officials have urged centralized fireworks displays to discourage wild and sometimes fatal merrymaking. The notorious tradition, worsened by celebratory gunfire that turned deadly, stems from a Chinese-influenced belief that noise drives away evil and misfortune. Earlier Monday, suspected Muslim militants remotely detonated a bomb near the entrance of a mall in Cotabato as people did last-minute shopping ahead of celebrations, killing at least two and wounding nearly 30, officials said. JAPAN Japanese usually welcome the New Year with a visit to a temple or shrine, but some 30,000 people at Saitama Super Arena did it with Floyd Mayweather. The American boxer soundly defeated his opponent, Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa, in the first round of what was billed as three rounds of entertainment with no official record, meaning both fighters still retain their undefeated tallies. "I told Tenshin to hold your head up high," Mayweather said of his advice after the bout. Nasukawa was floored three times in the first round, and although he kept getting up, teetering, his father in the corner threw in the towel. MALAYASIA: High school students hold candles to welcome a new year, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. (Photo | AP) KIRIBATI The Pacific island nation of Kiribati was the first in the world to welcome the new year, greeting 2019 with muted celebrations after spending 2018 on the front line of the battle against climate change. Kiribati is made up of low-lying atolls along the equator which intersect three time zones, the first of which sees the new year 14 hours before midnight in London. IN PICTURES | New Zealand says 'Happy 2019' as rest of the world awaits New Year Much of the nation's land mass, occupied by 110,000 people, is endangered by rising seas which have inundated coastal villages. The rising oceans have turned fresh water sources brackish, imperiling communities and raising doubts the nation will exist at the next New Year. Former President Anote Tong said the only future for Kiribati may be mass migration. The new year was welcomed in the capital, Tarawa, with church services and mostly quiet private celebrations. NEW ZEALAND In Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, tens of thousands gathered around Sky Tower as fireworks exploded from the top of the 328-meter (1,076-foot) structure. Across the southern hemisphere nation, thousands took to beaches and streets, becoming the first major nation in the world to usher in 2019. Fireworks explode from Auckland's Sky Tower as the New Year is welcomed in Auckland, New Zealand, Tuesday, Jan 1. 2019. (Photo | AP) Fireworks boomed and crackled above city centers and harbors. AUSTRALIA An estimated million people crowded Sydney Harbor as Australia's largest city rang in the new year with a spectacular, soul-tinged fireworks celebration. One of the most complex displays in Australia's history included gold, purple and silver fireworks pulsating to the tune of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," made famous by Aretha Franklin, who died in August. The show used 8.5 tons of fireworks and featured more than 100,000 pyrotechnic effects. Fireworks explode over the Sydney Harbour during New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. (Photo | AP) Earlier, a thunderstorm drenched tens of thousands of people as they gathered for the traditional display, creating a show of its own with dozens of lightning strikes. Police said they took precautions to prevent any terrorist attack, but assured revelers there was no specific threat. More than 1 billion people around the world were expected to watch the fireworks on television. In Melbourne, 14 tons of fireworks deployed on the ground and on roofs of 22 buildings produced special effects including flying dragons. In Brisbane, an estimated 85,000 people watched as fireworks exploded from five barges moored on the Brisbane River. THE UNITED NATIONS U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a bleak New Year's message that called climate change an existential threat and warned that "it's time to seize our last best chance." He noted growing intolerance, geo-political divisions and inequality, resulting in people "questioning a world in which a handful of people hold the same wealth as half of humanity." "But there are also reasons for hope," he said. "As we begin this New Year, let's resolve to confront threats, defend human dignity and build a better future together." SOUTH KOREA After an eventful year that saw three inter-Korean summits and the easing of tensions over North Korea's nuclear program, South Koreans enter 2019 with hopes that the hard-won detente will expand into a stable peace. A woman hangs paper notes bearing her New Year wishes outside the Jogyesa Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. (Photo | AP) Thousands of South Koreans were expected to fill the streets of the capital, Seoul, for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony near City Hall to usher in the new year. Dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight include famous surgeon Lee Guk-jong, who successfully operated on a North Korean soldier who escaped to South Korea in 2017 in a hail of bullets fired by his comrades. Elsewhere, about 10,000 people were expected to attend the tolling of a "peace bell" at Imjingak, a pavilion near the border with North Korea. NORTH KOREA Leader Kim Jong Un will keep North Korea watchers busy on New Year's Day, when he is expected to give his annual address laying out the country's priorities for the year ahead. The speech is often the best gauge of what the North Korean leadership is focused on and what tone it will take in its dealings with the outside world. Kim's speech it will be parsed carefully for clues about his thinking on denuclearization talks with Washington and a second summit with President Donald Trump, relations with South Korea, and North Korea's efforts to get out from under international sanctions as it tries to build its domestic economy. In his New Year's speech this past year, Kim proposed talks with South Korea to reduce tensions and said the North would be willing to participate in South Korea's Winter Olympics, setting off a series of summits with the South and the U.S. CHINA New Year's Eve isn't celebrated that widely in mainland China, where the lunar New Year in February is a more important holiday, but countdown events were being held in major cities and some of the faithful headed to Buddhist temples for bell-ringing and prayers. The city of Beijing was holding a gala with VIP guests at the main site of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The event looked ahead to the 2022 Winter Games, which also will be held in the Chinese capital. Additional police were deployed in parts of Shanghai, where a New Year's Eve stampede in 2014 killed 36 people. In Beijing, outdoor revelers had to brave temperatures well below freezing. President Xi Jingping, in a message broadcast at the top of the evening news, outlined the country's achievements over the past year and said that by hosting a series of multinational meetings in 2018, "we have put forward China's proposals and sent out China's voice." In Hong Kong, festive lights on the city's iconic skyscrapers provided the backdrop for a fireworks, music and light show over Victoria Harbor on a chilly evening. About 300,000 people were expected to line the waterfront. THAILAND While many celebrate New Year's Eve with fireworks, hundreds of Thais traveled to Takien Temple in a suburb of Bangkok to lie inside coffins for traditional funeral rituals. Participants believe the ceremony symbolizing death and rebirth helps rid them of bad luck and allows them to be born again for a fresh start in the new year. Monks drape a cloth over worshippers lying coffins at the Takien temple in suburban Bangkok, Thailand Monday, Dec. 31, 2018. (Photo | AP) Participants held flowers and incense in their hands as monks covered them with pink sheets and chanted prayers for the dead. "It wasn't scary or anything. It is our belief that it will help us get rid of bad luck and bring good fortune to our life," said Busaba Yookong, who came to the temple with her family. Bangkok is filled with modern glitzy malls and high-rise buildings, but superstitious beliefs still hold sway in many aspects of Thai society. PHILIPPINES Dozens of people have been injured by firecrackers ahead of New Year's Eve, when many across the Philippines set off powerful firecrackers in one of Asia's most violent celebrations despite a government scare campaign and threats of arrests. The Department of Health said it has recorded more than 50 firecracker-caused injuries in the last 10 days, which is expected to increase overnight when Filipinos usher in 2019 with a bang. Although still a concern, the figure is significantly lower than a year ago, partly because fewer Filipinos have purchased firecrackers due to hard economic times. Officials have urged centralized fireworks displays to discourage wild and sometimes fatal merry-making. The notorious tradition, worsened by celebratory gunfire that turned deadly, stems from a Chinese-influenced belief that noise drives away evil and misfortune. NEW YORK CITY Snoop Dogg, Sting and Christina Aguilera will welcome 2019 in a packed Times Square along with revelers from around the world who come to see the traditional crystal ball drop. In this Jan. 1, 2017 file photo, revelers celebrate the new year as confetti flies over New York's Times Square. Year after year, people watching New York City's New Year's Eve celebration are told by city dignitaries and TV personalities that they are watching a million people gathered in Times Square. The AP asks experts whether it is actually possible to fit that many people into the viewing areas. (Photo | AP) Spectators are expected to start assembling early in the afternoon for the made-for-TV extravaganza. The celebration will take place under tight security, with partygoers checked for weapons and then herded into pens, ringed by metal barricades, where they wait for the stroke of midnight. Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip will depart for Guangzhou on the morning of January 2 and return that evening. Mr Nip will exchange views with Guangdong Provincial and Guangzhou Municipal Government officials on the various works in taking forward the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development. He will visit relevant facilities, including a start-up base for youths from Hong Kong and Macau. Mr Nip will also speak at an economic forum on the Greater Bay Area & Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Union anniversary celebration. The Department of Justice Prosecutions Division released its annual report today, reviewing its work and key cases over the past year. In the report, Director of Public Prosecutions David Leung touched on the continuing verbal abuse faced by prosecutors. He said that while prosecutors are not immune from criticisms, they and their family members should not become victims of such unwarranted abuses. Prosecutors conduct criminal prosecutions not because of their personal interests. They do so on behalf of the public as ministers of justice. Noting attacks on the presiding judges when the outcome of the cases with a political background do not tally with their expectation, Mr Leung stressed that the public should have confidence in Hong Kong's judicial system and judicial officers and refrain from lodging baseless attacks on judges. He also further elaborated on the key challenges for the division in 2017. For cases related to the Occupy Central movement and incidents in Mong Kok involving violence in February 2016, Mr Leung said as in any other case, the decision of whether to prosecute and the appropriate charges, was purely based on the available evidence and the principles set out in the Prosecution Code, and nothing else. In respect of the review of sentences cases, he reiterated that prosecutors only conduct review of sentences in the rarest of cases. Click here for the report. The Government released $64.28 million from the Disaster Relief Fund in 2017-18 to provide emergency relief to about 540,000 disaster victims. The grants were disbursed for 23 programmes to help people in Ethiopia, Somalia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, the Mainland, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. A wide range of relief supplies were distributed through these programmes, including food, quilts, hygiene and household items, as well as temporary shelter materials and tools. Click here for the annual report on the fund. (Newser) A 22-year-old woman was killed by an escaped lion just 10 days after starting an internship at a North Carolina wildlife conservatory. The Conservators Center in Burlington, around 50 miles northwest of Raleigh, says Alexandra Black was killed Sunday when the lion "somehow left a locked space" while its enclosure was being cleaned, NBC News reports. The zoo, which will be closed until further notice, says the lion was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies after attempts to tranquilize it failed, reports the AP. Black, from New Palestine, Ind., had recently graduated from Indiana University. story continues below "While a husbandry team led by a professionally trained animal keeper was carrying out a routine enclosure cleaning, one of the lions somehow left a locked space and entered the space the humans were in and quickly killed one person," the zoo said in a statement. "This is the worst day of my life. We've lost a person. We've lost an animal. We have lost the faith in ourselves a little today," Mindy Stinner, executive director of the Conservators Center, tells WTVD. In a statement, Black's family said she was "a beautiful young woman who had just started her career, there was a terrible accident, and we are mourning. But, she died following her passion." (Earlier this year, a Belgian zoo was criticized for killing an escaped lion.) (Newser) Police in Houston are hunting a suspect who fired into a vehicle as it left a Walmart parking lot early Sunday, killing a 7-year-old girl in front of her mother and three siblings. Police say Jazmine Barnes was shot when the suspect pulled up next to the vehicle around 7am and opened fire for no apparent reason, ABC reports. The girl's mother, 30-year-old LaPorsha Washington, was shot in the arm. Her 6-year-old daughter was wounded by glass fragments, while two teenage siblings are "shaken" and "devastated" but physically unharmed, authorities say. Police say they are looking for an armed and dangerous suspect, described as a bearded white man in his 40s who was wearing a red hoodie. story continues below Police say the suspect was driving a red pickup truck with no plates. They say the mother called 911 after driving away from the scene, but Jazmine died before paramedics could get her to a hospital. "Please keep this family in your prayers," tweeted Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. "A total of 5 occupants in the car witnessed this innocent child, their loved one, shot and killed before their eyes. So senseless. It's never easy, and extra hard during the holiday season." Major Jesse Razo of the sheriff's office urged the suspect to surrender, the Houston Chronicle reports. "Please turn yourself in now," he said. "Because we will be looking for you, we will locate you, we will find you." (Read more Houston stories.) (Newser) A late entry for the Worst Advice of 2018 award: The vice-chancellor of a state-run university in India is taking flak for telling students they should beat up or kill people instead of bringing their complaints to him. "If you're a student of this university, never come crying to me," Raja Ram Yadav told Purvanchal University students, per Reuters. "If you ever get into a fight, beat them, if possible murder them, well take care of it later." Lawmakers accused him of inciting "hooliganism" amid a wave of violence in Uttar Pradesh state and the state governor said he would seek an explanation. story continues below The vice-chancellor later accused the media of distorting his remarks, which were caught on video at an event Friday. "My statement was intended at motivating students and boosting their confidence," he said, per the Hindustan Times. "I also tried to inculcate zeal and encouraged them towards their goals. Fighting for one's right, if he is correct, is not wrong. He should not pull back." He added: "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." (Read more India stories.) (Newser) An unusually large number of people were arrested in London early Monday after a man was stabbed in the street. Police say a total of 39 people were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man in his 30s was found with life-threatening injuries, Sky News reports. Police say the suspects were taken to several police stations after being arrested at a property near the scene in Hammersmith in West London. This has been the worst year for murders in a decade for the British capital, with knives involved in almost 60% of the 132 murders this year, the BBC reports. There were fears earlier this year that London's murder rate would overtake that of New York City, though New York has now recorded its 284th homicide of the year. (Read more London stories.) (Newser) A phone call from alert restaurant staff in Seguin, Texas, may have prevented a horrific crime at a local church by a man who cops say was headed to "fulfill a prophecy." The Houston Chronicle reports that 33-year-old Tony Albert was arrested Sunday morning on the street by cops who came across the "oddly dressed male wearing tactical style clothing" and "a surgical face shield" and carrying a loaded gun and additional ammunition, per police. Per KSAT, cops were alerted to Albert's presence after a "weirded-out" waitress at a Mexican restaurant noticed his odd demeanor and that he was sporting a weapon. Brianna Jimenez says Albert had come into Las Mananitas wearing a mask and sunglasses and headed straight to the bathroom. When he emerged, he asked her, "Do you know where the nearest church is at?" story continues below Jimenez mentioned a couple of churches, and as Albert was leaving she suddenly noticed he had a gun and was "gripping it, like, he has his finger on the trigger." Jimenez's mother, who owns the restaurant, called the cops once he'd left. The Chronicle, which notes that Albert was arrested on charges of firearm possession, as well as marijuana possession, adds that, per court filings, Albert claims to follow two different religions: a Messianic Judaic movement, as well as the First Church of Cannabis, which elevates marijuana as a healing plant. Albert, who has a lengthy criminal recordincluding convictions for DWI, assaulting a family member, and, perhaps not surprisingly, marijuana possessionwas brought to Guadalupe County Jail, where he was being held on $100,000 bond. (Read more Texas stories.) (Newser) Russia's domestic security agency says it has arrested a US citizen on espionage charges. The Federal Security Service, or FSB, the top KGB successor agency, said that the American man was detained in Moscow on Friday. The agency in Monday's statement didn't elaborate beyond saying he was caught "during an espionage operation," which the New York Times reads as implying "he had been caught red-handed." The state Tass news agency identified the detained man as Paul Whelan. story continues below Spying charges carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years in Russia. The US Embassy in Moscow had no immediate comment, reports the AP. The arrest comes as US-Russian ties have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria, and the allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. (Though Vladimir Putin did send President Trump a holiday greeting.) (Newser) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's comments on the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal have opened up a possible Rodrigo Duterte sexual abuse scandal. In a speech Saturday, the controversial leader recounted how he had molested a housemaid as a teenager after sneaking into her room, the BBC reports. "I lifted the blanket," Duterte said. "I tried to touch what was inside the panties. I was touching. She woke up. So I left the room." The 73-year-old said he confessed the abuse to a Catholic priest, who told him to "say five Hail Marys because you will go to hell." Critics, including the women's rights group Gabriela, called Duterte a "maniac" and said he should resign. story continues below Duterte has made numerous offensive remarks about womenin 2016, he joked that he "should have been first" when an Australian missionary was raped during a prison riotbut this appears to be the first time he has admitted sexual assault, the New York Times reports. A Duterte spokesman later claimed he had "made up" the story. Political analyst Richard Javad Heydarian tells the Times that Duterte, who has been strongly criticized by the Catholic church over a drug crackdown believed to have killed 20,000 people, tends to make outrageous remarks to distract the media from other issues. Duterte "has a penchant for pushing the envelope without any notion of rhetorical self restraint, not even during the holidays," he says. (Earlier in 2018, Duterte boasted about an order to shoot women in the vagina and declared that God is "stupid.") (Newser) It seemed like a run-of-the-mill call for firefighters in Arkansas back in July: Residents of Bella Vista had reported what appeared to be a brush fire in the woods. Five months later, that fire is still smoldering, and the resultant smoke has been deemed a safety hazard for those in the neighborhood, reports Arkansas Online. The reason for the firefighting challenge? Turns out, the fire is burning underground, perhaps as deep as 60 feet. On Friday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson committed nearly $1 million of state money to try to put it out once and for all. story continues below "This is an expensive project, and it's going to deplete the fund we have set aside," Hutchinson said. For about 13 years, the site had been leased by the local property owners' association and used as a dumping ground for tree stumps. The site was covered in soil in 2016 and is now owned by a tree care company. Apparently, however, those stumps underground caught on fire, and firefighters can't put it out without a major engineering effort. The EPA has monitored air in the vicinity and designated it "unhealthy," reports KARK. Anyone within a half-mile is advised to avoid being outside for too long and to skip any kind of heavy exertion while outdoors. (Read more Arkansas stories.) (Newser) "To be honest, it's not a wall." So said outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly in a surprise weekend interview with the Los Angeles Times that President Trump apparently doesn't agree with. For context, Kelly said that while Trump still uses the word "wall," the president will regularly "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." On Twitter Monday, Trump said that just isn't so, though he sourced the alleged disinformation to the media, not Kelly. The latest: "An all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED, as has been reported by the media," he tweeted. "Some areas will be all concrete but the experts at Border Patrol prefer a Wall that is see through (thereby making it possible to see what is happening on both sides). Makes sense to me!" In his interview, Kelly said that the Customs and Border Patrol agents he spoke with said while a "physical barrier" is needed in some places, they advocated for "technology across the board, and ... more people." Politico reports this aligns with what some critics of Trump's $5 billion border-wall request argue: that the money would be better spent on people and technology, not a physical wall. story continues below The Hill points out that Trump returned to the subject several tweets later, writing, "I campaigned on Border Security, which you cannot have without a strong and powerful Wall. Our Southern Border has long been an 'Open Wound,' where drugs, criminals (including human traffickers) and illegals would pour into our Country. Dems should get back here an [sic] fix now!" He also directed this shot at Democrats: "They say its old technology - but so is the wheel. They now say it is immoral- but it is far more immoral for people to be dying!" What were those interim tweets about? Syria, with tweets that the Washington Post reads as "adding to the uncertainty about the timetable" of the US withdrawal of troops from the country. While Trump originally tweeted that ISIS had been defeated, that was tempered in Monday's tweets, one of which read, "If anybody but Donald Trump did what I did in Syria, which was an ISIS loaded mess when I became President, they would be a national hero. ISIS is mostly gone, were slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting ISIS remnants......" He swung at "failed generals" and their take on his move in another tweet, which USA Today notes doesn't get any more specific about whether his criticism is directed toward outgoing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. He wrote, "Now when I start getting out the Fake News Media, or some failed Generals who were unable to do the job before I arrived, like to complain about me & my tactics, which are working. Just doing what I said I was going to do!" The tweets follow Lindsey Graham's Sunday comments about a lunch he had with Trump that left him thinking Trump might be reconsidering his approach to the exit. Trump last week clarified that exit wouldn't be immediate: Bloomberg reports the president described the withdrawal as "slow & highly coordinated" in a Dec. 23 tweet. (Read more President Trump stories.) (Newser) A NASA spacecraft is set to make a New Year's Day rendezvous with a tiny, icy world a billion miles farther than Pluto, in what would make it the most distant cosmic body ever explored by humankind. New Horizons was on course to fly past the mysterious, primitive object nicknamed Ultima Thule at 12:33am. Tuesday. The close encounter comes over 3 years after the probe's swing past Pluto, which until now was the farthest object visited by a spacecraft from Earth. This time, the drama was set to unfold more than 4 billion miles from Earth, so far away that it will be 10 hours before flight controllers find out whether the spacecraft survived the flyby. A few black-and-white pictures might be available within an hour or two of that official confirmation, but the highly anticipated close-up shots won't be ready until later Tuesday or Wednesday, in color, it is hoped. story continues below New Horizons--the size of a baby grand piano--was expected to hurtle to within 2,200 miles of Ultima Thule, considerably closer than the Pluto encounter of 2015. Its seven science instruments were to continue collecting data for four hours after the flyby. Then the spacecraft was to turn briefly toward Earth to transmit word of success. Radio signals take over six hours to cover the distance to Earth. Scientists believe there should be no rings or moons around Ultima Thule that might endanger New Horizons. At a speed of 31,500 mph, New Horizons could easily be knocked out by a rice-sized particle. Ultima Thule was unknown until 2014, eight years after New Horizons departed Earth. It was discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope and added to New Horizons' itinerary. (Read more Kuiper belt stories.) His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has sent a cable of congratulations to UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum marking his 50 years of service to his country. HM, the King paid tribute to HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, hailing his dedicated march and landmark achievements in serving the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Arab and Islamic nations. He lauded the pivotal role he has been playing, though his enlightened thinking and creative approach and vision, in enriching and spearheading the UAE development to attain excellence and turn the UAE into a global economic hub and a prized destination on the world tourism map. Bahrain Red Crescent Society represented by the General Secretary Dr Fawzi Amin and Director-General Mubarak Al Hadi attended the 14th committee gathering of the Gulf Red Crescent societies and associations, held in Kuwait. At the meeting, heads of the humanitarian aid organisation recommended that new guidelines be brought in over a two year period to regulate and streamline the voluntary activities of its individual societies. Leaders of Red Crescent societies in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have agreed that Bahrain will host the GCC Red Crescent Society Day, which aims to highlight the great role of the GCC countries in the implementation of humanitarian projects in the areas of natural or man-made disasters. Senior officials attending the 14th committee gathering of the Gulf Red Crescent societies and associations approved the development of an action program for 2020 to 2024. They have also approved to adopt a joint action plan to cover vital relief work, stressing the importance of regular meetings of the Red Crescent Societies and associations of the GCC countries, which aim at coordination and cooperation among them in all humanitarian and relief fields. Officials discussed to organise mutual visits to Gulf National Societies to identify the developments and plans to implement the joint relief work in the coming period. They also discussed to organise workshops and educational activities at schools, universities and higher education institutions, with the focus on promoting voluntary work. The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has advised Nigerians to elect visionary leaders in 2019.Abubakar in his new year message issued on Monday in Abuja said that the citizens could collectively chart a new course for the country in 2019.2019 is as yet a blank page. As a nation, we must not settle for whatever it brings.We already have the vision, the vision of a nation that is a beacon of hope for the black race and the world at large, he said.The former Vice President also advised Nigerians not to lose heart and hope, saying Nigeria is no stranger to overcoming difficulties.He urged the citizens to remember how Nigeria became the first nation in the world to defeat and overcome the wild Ebola virus, when even first world nations were struggling with the scourge.Abubakar said that the resilience was domiciled in the Nigerians national psyche and together we shall win forever.I wish you all a Happy New Year and may 2019 be the year of Nigeria, he said. The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Adamawa State has set up Buhari and Bindow Campaign Team, BBCT, to ensure Atiku Abubakars defe... The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Adamawa State has set up Buhari and Bindow Campaign Team, BBCT, to ensure Atiku Abubakars defeat in the state in 2019. The committee, which was set up in the Adamawa Northern Senatorial district, will embark on a house-to-house campaign to ensure victory. Governor Jibrilla Bindow, who spoke at the inauguration, said voting President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term is sacrosanct to the state. Bindow said, President Buhari has demonstrated uncommon love for the North East having executed massive road projects in the region. The Governor cited the establishment of North East Development Commission and relentless efforts to end activities of terrorists in the region, as reason the President must be rewarded with votes next year. He urged BBCT to step up educating voters on the dangers of political violence, thuggery and vote-buying, while calling on those yet to claim their PVCs to go for them to avoid being disenfranchised. Former Deputy National Publicity of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Timi Frank, has claimed that there were ongoing plans ... Former Deputy National Publicity of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Timi Frank, has claimed that there were ongoing plans by President Muhammadu Buhari government to arrest the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar; House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; and National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus. Frank made this claim in a statement he signed and forwarded on Sunday. He also condemned in strong terms the ongoing police siege on Senator Dino Melayes Abuja home. He said the government was plotting to arrest Melaye and keep him out of circulation ahead of the 2019 polls. Frank described the invasion of the lawmakers residence as a part of the Buhari administrations latest strategy to forcefully incarcerate vocal members of the opposition in order to pave way for APCs victory in the forthcoming polls. He added, This is condemnable and unacceptable in a democracy. Earlier in the life of this dictatorial administration, agents of the Department of State Services, DSS, forcefully gained entrance into the residence of some Judicial Officers in the midnight, all in the name of anti-corruption crusade. The Nigeria police has now taken this impunity a notch higher by disconnecting water and power supply from the House of a Federal legislator for no justifiable cause. This is the second time the police would besiege Melayes house under the present Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris. We must all condemn this terrorist act being visited on a Nigerian citizen. Today it is Melaye. Tomorrow it might be you or me. Nobody is safe in this country any more. If you escape being mowed down by criminals and outlaws because of the inability of security forces to protect the people, the same security forces will come after you by breaking your house and disrupting your water and power supply, all in the name of trying to arrest you to face spurious charges. We know that no individual can be above the laws of a society, but when lawful agencies themselves break the law by turning themselves into political instruments of vendetta against perceived opposition figures, then they are invariably preparing grounds for chaos and anarchy to reign. They are doing this because they dont want the 2019 elections to hold. They fear defeat and they are seeing defeat. They want to scuttle the elections and blame it on unrest and insecurity. Is it for nothing that the military that are battling to hold their own against Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast without success, recently announced that they will commence Operation Python Dance (operation intimidate opposition and rig elections for Buhari and APC) throughout the entire states of the federation in January? Is it for nothing that the police, whose over 100 of its personnel deployed to fight Boko Haram alongside the military in the Northeast recently abdicated their duty posts? Yet they have enough personnel to lay siege on Melayes house with a vow to stay there until they deliver him to jail. They recently delivered Deji Adeyanju to prison. Now they are after Melaye. I am aware of their plans to also arrest Senate President Bukola Saraki, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, ex-Vice President and presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Speaker Yakubu Dogara and all those that matter in the oppositions hierarchy in the country on trumped up charges. This is the time for all men of good conscience to rise and speak against democratic demagoguery now in full bloom in the country under Buhari. The fabrics of our nation are being torn apart and we cannot afford to remain silent while our country is being ravaged by flames ignited by a failed administration. I also urge the international community to note the illegal use of the nations security to crackdown on opposition figures by the present administration. I dare say that no amount of intimidation, arrest and persecution will stop Nigerians from voting out Buhari in the coming election. How many opposition politicians police and soldiers go kill? The national assembly witnessed significant events in the year 2018. Some of these occurrences were also unprecedented following th... The national assembly witnessed significant events in the year 2018. Some of these occurrences were also unprecedented following the tides of political happenings during the year. No one ever thought that a senate president would defect from a ruling to an opposition party. It was quite an interesting year and here are some highlights of major events. DSS SIEGE On August 7, armed DSS operatives wearing scary ski masks blocked the entrance of the national assembly. The siege came shortly after Senate President Bukola Saraki defected from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). A legislative source had said Ahmad Lawan, senate leader, and some senators elected on the APC had met with Lawal Daura, the then director-general of the DSS, a day before the siege. No explanation was given as to why the DSS operatives prevented lawmakers from going into the assembly even though they were on recess at the time. After a dramatic protest by Boma Goodhead, a house of representatives member, alongside some others, the lawmakers were eventually let in. Some members of the national assembly alleged that the DSS blockade was a ploy to enable APC senators remove Saraki. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo who was acting president at the time sacked Daura over the siege. ATTEMPTED ARREST OF SARAKI, EKWEREMADU On July 24, the police prevented the convoy of Saraki from leaving his residence in Abuja. On that day, Nigerians woke up to statements of Sarakis aides alleging that there was an attempt to prevent the senate president from honouring an invitation by the police. (IGP), had asked the senate president to appear at the office of intelligence response team (IRT) to make statements on a robbery incident in Offa, Kwara state. Over 20 people were killed in the incident in April. The police alleged that some loyalists of Saraki carried out the heist that saw the attack of five commercial banks in the state. Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police(IGP), had asked the senate president to appear at the office of intelligence response team (IRT) to make statements on a robbery incident in Offa, Kwara state. Over 20 people were killed in the incident in April. The police alleged that some loyalists of Saraki carried out the heist that saw the attack of five commercial banks in the state. However, Saraki evaded the police and presided over plenary that day but Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, was not that lucky. After preventing him from leaving his home, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited Ekweremadu for questioning over alleged money laundering. The deputy senate president who later honoured the invitation of the anti-graft agency has constantly denied any wrongdoing. MASS DEFECTION On the day that there was an attempt to arrest Saraki and Ekweremadu (or prevent them from leaving their homes), 14 senators dumped the APC for other political parties. Some of the senators that defected from the ruling party were allies of Saraki. Before the formal defection, lawmakers like Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, and Isah Misau, senator representing Bauchi central, had been constantly criticising the way the government of the day conducted its business. That same day, 37 lawmakers in the lower legislative chamber dumped the APC. WORKERS STRIKE (PASAN) picketed the premises of the national assembly. The angry workers were protesting over outstanding salaries and allowances. On December 4, the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria(PASAN) picketed the premises of the national assembly. The angry workers were protesting over outstanding salaries and allowances. Armed with placards which read: Omolori must go now, Pass our conditions of service now and Probe NASS MGT Now, among others, the workers prevented the lawmakers of both chambers of the national assembly from sitting. and blocked major entrances to the assembly. They discontinued the protest after Saraki and Dogara intervened but that did not last for long. When they resumed, it was with a four-day warning strike which commenced on December 17. They cut off water and power supply,and blocked major entrances to the assembly. IMPEACHMENT PLOT Following the wave of defections that hit the national assembly, the APC leadership began plotting the removal of Saraki. And what was their grouse? Saraki had left the APC believed to still have the majority number in the senate and as a result, they have to give way. Saraki will not only be impeached but we will work hard to have him defeated as a senator come 2019. Adams Oshiomhole, APC national chairman, was one of those who insisted on Sarakis removal. He had saidSaraki will not only be impeached but we will work hard to have him defeated as a senator come 2019. The purported plot gained momentum such that on August 1, some lawmakers spent the night at the legislative complex, keeping wake in wait of unnamed senators who they said were planning to sit overnight to effect the impeachment. Although the events surrounding the plot have waned, it is still being re-echoed, even when the current national assembly has few months left. DRAMATIC MELAYE Melaye hit the headlines on several occasions, including a foiled escape from police custody and a failed recall process. The senator was implicated by armed robbery suspects arrested in Kogi, according to the police. Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, had said the senator was mentioned by the suspects as supplying them with arms. But Melaye denied the allegations and he was not going to have any of those. On April 24, the senator attempted to escape custody and jumped out of a moving police vehicle conveying him to court in Kogi state. The foiled escape landed him in more trouble as the police charged him for attempted suicide after re-arresting him. He was also said to have been kidnapped on one of the occasions he was to appear in court. Melaye and the police are back in the news again. Are they going into the new year on this note? BUDGET BROUHAHA It had to be the most dramatic budget presentation in the nations history. On December 19, President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2019 appropriation bill of N8.83 trillion to a joint session of the national assembly amid jeers and you wouldnt believe it fights. Before the president arrived at the national assembly, the house of representatives members in the PDP had concluded a plot to protest what they described as the presidents failing administration and non-performance of the 2018 budget. Unfortunately, some of their colleagues in the APC were not going to allow that and so, they ended up confronting one another. Blows were exchanged but that wasnt the end of it. Buhari eventually arrived to present the budget but while he spoke, his speech was frequently punctuated with jeering and cheering from the two sides of the divide at the joint sitting. A speech which would have ordinarily taken 40 minutes ended up lasting for well over an hour. The situation was so chaotic the presiding officers could not deliver their speeches while the president left hurriedly at the end. Terrible. MACE THEFT The world will not forget in a hurry how thugs allegedly led by Ovie Omo-Agege, senator representing Delta central, stormed the national assembly complex and ran away with the senate mace. Both lawmakers, staff of the national assembly and visitors were awestruck during the operation that didnt last for up to ten minutes. Thugs invading the legislative complex located in the three arms zone, the most secure part of the country, sounds just unbelievable. How did it happen? The thugs arrived in a Hilux van that waited at the main entrance while they walked in reportedly with the senator into the building. They were said to have then hurried off to the senate chamber, overpowering the sergeant-at-arms stationed at the entrance and running down to where the mace was kept. Footage from the scene showed how they overpowered whoever that came their way and subsequently ran away into the waiting van. There is no official statement on who was behind the invasion but as God may have it, the mace was recovered under a bridge within Abuja metropolis. Unbelievable. No doubt, its been a dramatic year indeed. Man City manager, Pep Guardiola, has said Liverpool have a claim to be the best team in the world right now. Guardiola and his team are trailing the Reds by seven points in the Premier League race and welcome Liverpool to the Eithad on Thursday in a top-of-the-table clash. The encounter is being billed as a must-win game for City, after Guardiola admitted his teams title defence would have been over, if they had not beaten Southampton on Sunday. A 3-1 win restored some of Citys confidence, but Guardiola warned his players that they are about to take on the worlds in-form side on Thursday. The problem is the other team is fantastic. [Liverpool are] maybe the best team in Europe or the world right now and in top form. You have to accept it. All we can do is do our job, play our games and after that we will see, Guardiola told BBC Sport. Liverpool won every single one of their December games, while City suffered three costly defeats in the same period. Host communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSCON, has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for supporting call for the 13 percent derivation fund to go to oil bearing communities in the Niger Delta region.The body at the end of a meeting in Warri, Delta State also passed a vote of confidence on the President for the resolve, adding that it will speed up development of oil communities.Spokesman of the group, Mr Monday Whiskey also enjoined President Buhari to consider HOSCON security company in the pipeline surveillance job in the region.That the meeting resolved that President Buharis intention to ensure that 13 per cent derivation fund is made available to the people of the oil/gas bearing constituents is one of the most outstanding decisions that this government had taken as it affects the socio-economic and infrastructural transformation of the long neglected and environmentally improvised oil bearing region of the country.The meeting appealed to President Buhari to ensure that HOSCON security company was giving adequate recognition in the proposed community pipeline policing initiative, as HOSCON promised to use her good will and grassroots contact to ensure adequate and effective policing of the vast pipelines within our communities, he said. Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of science and technology, has called on the people of the south-east to support the re-election bid of Presid... Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of science and technology, has called on the people of the south-east to support the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. He made the call on Sunday during a stakeholders meeting held at his country home in Uburu, Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi. Onu said Nigerias president of Igbo extraction in 2023 can only be achieved under an All Progressives Congress-led government. He said: It is important to point out that south-east remains the only geo-political zone that is yet to produce an elected president of Nigeria and this is what everybody is aware of. The north-east, through the Prime Minister, Tafawa Belewa, north-west, south-west, south-south and north-central have all produced Nigerias president at different times with the exception of the south-east. The zone stands a better chance to bargain for the slot and only under APC can this arrangement be possible. We must therefore support the president for a second term in order to have a better chance of producing the next Nigeria president of Igbo origin. Onu said Buhari had performed well to deserve re-election in order to consolidate on the achievements he recorded in his first tenure. He said the president had delivered on the three key promises he made in 2015, including security, fight against corruption and economic growth and development. Onu said: The administration, through a relentless war against graft, has reduced corruption and ensured transparency in governance. The government has engaged the Boko Haram insurgents and has reclaimed 18 local government areas previously annexed by the insurgents in Borno and Yobe states. The government has improved the ease of doing business and made the country a hub for foreign investments. The Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, which were abandoned for over 16 years, are nearing completion, while work on the Second Niger Bridge has commenced. The Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, in Abia, has been equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment to stem medical tourism. Festus Keyamo, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, has asked Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the ... Festus Keyamo, spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, has asked Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to quit peddling allegations against Buhari if he has no evidence. Keyamo said this in reaction to the demand by Atiku that Buharis family be probed over their alleged ownership of substantial shares in Etisalat Nigeria and Keystone Bank. The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in a statement on Sunday, accused the PDP of spreading fake new, while its candidate has refused to issue a personal statement up till this minute clarifying in details his record of crass corruption and abuse of office. Keyamo said Abubakar is himself, not free from corruption charges, saying he has sealed indictments with the US justice department. According to him, Abubakar would be brought to face charges if he visits the US. He also alleged that the immediate reason Abubakar is contesting for the presidency is to plunge the nations wealth. He asked the PDP to provide evidence against Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo or forever keep quiet How do we as a Nation end up with anyone with this sordid record locally and internationally? We have heard the lame defence that the U.S Justice Department said it has no pending case against Atiku Abubakar, the statement read. That is only a defence for the ignorant ones. In the United States, there are indictments the Justice Department can confirm to the world. But there is another category of indictments known as SEALED INDICTMENTS that the Justice Department cannot confirm to anyone. These indictments are sealed under the orders of a Judge. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a sealed indictment waiting for him in the U.S. The day he visits the US, not as a candidate in an election, he will face charges. There is no question that the reasons for Atikus frequent contests for the Presidency are to steal the resources of Nigeria for self-enrichment and to prevent prosecution for his crimes of laundering and receiving bribes. No amount of fake news or ridiculous false allegations against the President or Vice President that can wash away the well-documented history of theft. Read the statement below A few days ago, the Presidential Candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, called out President Muhammadu Buhari over certain allegations of corrupt practices which the President allegedly condones in his government. Whilst we have repeatedly addressed each and every of the instances cited by him to show the transparent nature of the government, it is shocking that the Presidential candidate of the main opposition has refused to issue a personal statement up till this minute clarifying in details his record of crass corruption and abuse of office. He is clearly taking Nigerians for a ride and hopes to distort the ethical revolution in public office that Nigerians clearly desire to his own philosophy of abusing public office to promote private interests. By his subliminal messages, he wants Nigerians to accept that becoming wealthy by abusing public office is not a bad thing after all. With the avalanche of fake and unsubstantiated news released in the last few days, it is now clear that PDPs strategy in the run up to the elections is to spread fake news and make wild allegations without any proof against the President and the Vice President. This is clearly to divert attention from the record of crass corruption and abuse of office of their own candidate. Nigerians cannot and should not be insulted by the PDP after 16 years of looting of the nation, by now putting forward a man whose record of corruption they very much acknowledge, but would rather we all overlook it. Some of the indisputable facts regarding Alhaji Atiku Abubakar are as follows: 1. The U.S Congress in a report titled, KEEPING FOREIGN CORRUPTION OUT OF THE UNITED STATES: FOUR CASE HISTORIES, featured Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as one of the four notorious cases of money laundering in the world! 2. The Congress report said 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. 3. Atikus co-conspirators, Williams Jefferson and Siemens in the bribery deal were convicted and Jefferson went to jail. By running for President of Nigeria, Atiku 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. 4. Both the BBC and Voice of America reported that In a probe ordered by Mr. Obasanjo, (then Nigerian President) the vice-president was accused of diverting $125m from a public development trust fund into his personal businesses. 5. A Senate subcommittee investigating the PTDF indicted Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, having found that he abused his office by aiding and abetting the diversion of public funds in the sum of $145 million as loans to his friends. This report was a subject of a full-blown investigation by the EFCC which actually recommended his prosecution in a court of law. That report is still pending and alive till today. How do we as a Nation end up with anyone with this sordid record locally and internationally? We have heard the lame defence that the U.S Justice Department said it has no pending case against Atiku Abubakar. That is only a defence for the ignorant ones. In the United States, there are indictments the Justice Department can confirm to the world. But there is another category of indictments known as SEALED INDICTMENTS that the Justice Department cannot confirm to anyone. These indictments are sealed under the orders of a Judge. 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. There is no question that the reasons for Atikus frequent contests for the Presidency are to steal the resources of Nigeria for self-enrichment and to prevent prosecution for his crimes of laundering and receiving bribes. No amount of fake news or ridiculous false allegations against the President or Vice President that can wash away the well-documented history of theft. 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. It is even noteworthy that the House of Representatives has not adopted any such recommendation to make it a report of the House. 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. This is how shameless and callous the Atiku team has become, all in a desperate bid to get their hands on the public purse. Lastly, we challenge Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for the umpteen time 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. Alhaji Bala Shagari, eldest son of late President Shehu Shagari has expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari over his condolence visit to the family in Sokoto State, even as he noted that his father told them that he had pardoned everybody before his death.According to him, his father had no grudge against Buhari or anyone because Shagari told us he had pardoned everyone.The eldest son told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday, in Sokoto, Sokoto State, that the family was happy with the visit and Buharis pledge to immortalize the late president.Bala, who is the District Head of Shagari town in Sokoto, however, said he would not comment on Buharis pledge until it was fulfilled.Late Shagari, aged 93, died on December 28 at the National Hospital, Abuja and was buried on Saturday at Shagari, his home town.Shagari was President of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983. He was dethroned by a coup detat that brought in Buhari to power as military Head of State, three months after he (Shagari) was sworn in for a second term.He said the late president did not leave any will beside the directive that he should be buried at his home town, Shagari.According to Bala, the directive was strictly observed and implemented as his remains were buried at Shagari town, on Saturday.He acknowledged that the Sultan had offered that the late president should be buried at Hubbare, where Shehu Usman Dan Fodio was laid to rest.We acknowledged it but late Shagari had told us that he should be buried in Shagari town and even indicated a specific location, so we have to comply with his will, he added.He explained that the late presidents absence at functions was due to his ill-health, saying that was the reason he stayed in Sokoto and Shagari town before he died.Earlier, President Buhari condoled with the wives and children of late Shagari at the deceaseds residence on Sama Road in Sokoto.During the visit, Prof. Shehu Galadanci led the prayers for late Shagari.He also prayed to God to change the mindset of those spreading hate and disunity among citizens as well as those individuals or organisations working against the laudable and pro-human policies and programmes of the Buhari administration.Buhari was accompanied by Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko and Sokoto State Deputy Governor Alhaji Mannir Dan-Iya, among others.The visit was cheered by crowds chanting; Nigeria Sai Maigaskiya meaning Nigeria is for a truthful person.The Federal Governments delegation led by Secretary to the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, had earlier attended the late presidents funeral on Saturday in Shagari town.The deceased, who held the traditional title of Turakin Sokoto, was born on February 25, 1925 in Shagari, in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto state.After his early education, he worked as a teacher briefly before he became politician in 1951. In 1954, he was elected to the Federal House of Representatives.He served seven times as a federal minister and federal commissioner from 19581975, before he was elected president in 1979. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in strong terms, President Muhammadu Buharis conspicuous absence at the burial of highly respected former President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, last Saturday.President Muhammadu Buhari signing Condolence Register at the Late President Shehu Shagaris residence at Sama Road, Polo Club Area, Sokoto StateThe party says President Buharis absence at the funeral, particularly regarding Alhaji Shehu Shagaris status, as the first Executive President of our country, is unpardonable and a very wrong precedence in our national protocol.This action by the Buhari Presidency has also sent a wrong signal to the international community on our national values and respect for our patriots.The PDP notes that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was also absent at President Shehu Shagaris burial and that the Federal Government has taken no concrete step to give a state honour to this very patriotic Nigerian, other than a rather belated directive to fly our national flag at half mast for just three days and a dramatic visit to Sokoto by President Buhari.Sadly, while our beloved President Shagari was at the National Hospital Abuja, passing through his last moments on this realm, President Buhari was busy at his campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, boasting of how he, as military head of state, sacked the Second Republic, arrested and locked up President Shehu Shagari and his officials, in clear violation of our nations constitution.Such disdain on our respected national figure by President Buhari is completely unpresidential.Finally, the PDP once again condoles with the Shagari family, the government and people of Sokoto state, the National Council of State and the entire nation for this very huge national loss. THE Police yesterday said they will continue their siege to the Abuja home of Senator Dino Melaye until he surrenders himself. Some oper... THE Police yesterday said they will continue their siege to the Abuja home of Senator Dino Melaye until he surrenders himself.Some operatives were at the weekend deployed to arrest the Kogi West senator, who the police alleged failed to honour their invitation.The police spoke as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cautioned the President Muhammadu Buhari administration against turning the country into a police state.In a statement, the main opposition partys spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, decried the way and manner key opponents of President Buhari in next years election were being treated like enemies of the state.But the the Police said Melaye was invited to answer to a case of attempted culpable homicide on the shooting of an officer, Sgt Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) while on duty at a stop and search point on Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.According to the police, the offence was committed by Melaye and his armed thugs in Kogi State on the 19th July, 2018 when they shot and wounded Saliu.The police also noted that the officer has not recovered from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care.Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, an Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) had, in a statement at the weekend said: Police investigators have written the Clerk of the National Assembly for Senator Dino Melaye to report at Kogi State Police Command, CIID, Lokoja for him to answer to these offences against him under investigation in Kogi State Police Command but he has bluntly refused to report himself to the Police.The offence for which Senator Dino Melaye is being investigated is capital in nature and not compoundable. The Force will not tolerate attack on his personnel by any individual no matter how highly placed. The law must take its course.Three days after the siege, Senator Melaye took to his Twitter handle @dino_melaye on Sunday to decry the continuous siege to his residence.The senator, who stated in the tweet that he would not run away from the country, also alleged that the police cut off his light and water supply.The tweet reads: To God alone be the glory. I shall not die but live. Nigeria is my only country; I cannot and will not run away because of frivolous lies and charges. We all own this country and justice must reign. I will never be afraid of him who can only kill and injure the flesh and not the spirit.Nigerians can drive or walk through my street to confirm Moshood Jimohs lies. Water and light cut off for 3days now. These guys are so dishonourable. God help Nigeria. We shall overcome.Moshood, however, denied cutting off water and power supply into the senators house.We are neither plumbers nor electricians, how do we cut off water and light? He claimed not to be at home, how did he know that they cut water and light? We did not cut the water, nor light because we are neither electricians nor plumbers. We are only there to enforce the law, so let him surrender himself.The PDP decried what it cried police lockdown on Melayes residence.Ologbondiyan said in the statement: The continued siege, which has been widely condemned as unwarranted and provocative, shows that the police under President Buhari, has become an instrument of oppression to subjugate dissenting voices ahead of the 2019 general election. Senate President Bukola Saraki says the invasion of the Abuja residence of Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, by some police... Senate President Bukola Saraki says the invasion of the Abuja residence of Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, by some police officers could be an attempt to block him from the 2019 polls. On Friday, the police stormed the residence of Melaye, who is seeking reelection, saying they wanted to arrest for culpable homicide. But reacting through Yusuph Olaniyonu, his spokesman, Saraki condemned the action of the police, describing Ibrahim Idris, the inspector-general of police, as the worst head of the force in history. The general belief is that this is aimed at keeping Melaye out of circulation so that he would not participate in the general election in February, he said. The manner of invasion on his house is highly suspicious. This same man has been charged with sundry and needless allegations and he has attended the various court sessions. He is also a candidate in the coming elections and therefore have no reason to run away from the country. He was also present in the senate for plenary, committee meetings and oversight functions till the Senate went on recess on December 20, 2018. Though the police in their statement claim that there was a request to the clerk of the national assembly (CNA) inviting Senator Melaye to report to the police, my enquiry from the CNA showed that he had no such letter. If there was an offence allegedly committed in July and the police waited till now, we do not see the urgency in the need to arrest him about six weeks to the election in which he is a candidate. He could have been invited to report to the police on Monday. This desperation to haul him in is beyond normal. This same IGP who refused to honour the invitation of the senate for him to give information on the security situation in the country and rushed to the court to seek protection of his rights is now violating the rights of other people. In the same manner, a senate resolution to the effect that his security personnel that were withdrawn should be reinstated has not been obeyed. This method of digging out some old charges and allegations to arrest and incarcerate political opponents has presented this current Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotum Idris, as the most partisan head of the Nigerian police ever in the history of this country. We have continued to call on the security agencies to steer clear of partisanship and be professional in their activities. Senator Ben Bruce has alleged that officers of the Nigeria Police are making attempt to kill Dino Melaye with tear gas in his house. Th... #HappeningRightNow The @PoliceNG are currently at @dino_melaye s residence and are threatening to fire tire gas into the building. And this is intentional. They know he is asthmatic and if these gases go into his house, theyd kill him. Enough is Enough! December 30, 2018 The lawmaker representing Bayelsa East in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, wrote that the Police is aware of an ailment (Asthma) Senator Dino Melaye suffers from and so intend to either snuff him out or kill him right there in his resident.Ben Bruce tweeted:#HappeningRightNow! The @PoliceNG are currently at @dino_melayes residence and are threatening to fire tire gas into the building.And this is intentional. They know he is asthmatic and if these gases go into his house, theyd kill him. Enough is Enough!Melaye had also raised the alarm that the IGP was attempting to arrest and inject him to death. Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, said the report of corruption in the nations military hierarchy published by International Strategic Studies Association, ISSA, was a vindication of its position that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration war against corruption was a ruse.ISSA, based in the United States of America, had alleged that massive corruption among the top hierarchy of the armed forces as it relates to procurement of arms and logistics, responsible for the inability of Nigerian troops to defeat Boko Haram.ISSA, a Washington-based non-govermental organisation, in its Defence and Foreign Affairs reports published on December 28, blamed corruption in the Nigerias military circle for the festering Boko Haram insurgency in the North-Eastern part of the country.Speaking yesterday, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, urged President Buhari to review his parade and adopt new strategies to curtail the menace of insurgency in the land.He said: We have stated it for the umpteenth time that President Buhari needs fresh strategies to tackle insurgency. Now that an independent foreign-based report has indicted the military under his watch of complicity, we are waiting to see what action he would take.When innocent people are being killed recklessly and soldiers trained to defend their fatherland are being slaughtered like chickens by gunmen, it means something is definitely wrong and a quick fix has to come into play.As a party, the report has vindicated us and we call on Nigerians to take the opportunity of the 2019 elections to vote in a purpose-driven leader that will rescue this nation for good. Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Bauchi state governor, Muhammad Abubakar and his Kaduna state counterpart, Malam Nasir El-Rufai have joined other Nigerians to condole the family of the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari, former President of Nigeria.Saraki accompanied by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Uche Secondus, Sen Sani Yarima (APC- Zamfara) and Tanimu Turaki former Minister for Special Duties, said that the former President had left a legacy worthy of emulation by all leaders in the country.Shagari was a man of honour that lived his whole life for the development of Nigeria and service to humanity.On behalf of the National Assembly, my family and people of Kwara state, I wish to extend our condolence to the immediate family, government of Sokoto state and Nigeria as a whole, he said.Bauchi state governor, also extended the condolence of the people of the state to the family and called on all Nigerian leaders to imbibe the good habits of forgiveness and integration of late Shagari.Abubakar described the demise of Shehu Shagari as a great loss not only to the family, but the entire country.Also, the Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai extended the condolence of the people of Kaduna state to the family and people of Sokoto state, while he prayed for the repose of the late former President.Also condoling with the Shagari family, the Emir of Nasarawa, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, who led the delegations of the state government and traditional leaders and Abdullahi Balalau, the leader of Jamaatul Izalatul Bidia, prayed for the repose of the deceased.Responding on behalf of the family, the late President eldest son, Bala Shagari appreciated the visitors and thanked them for the condolence. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the claim by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, that he donated N10 million to victims of the April 5 robbery in Offa is patently false.In a statement issued on Monday in Lagos, the minister admonished the Senate President to stop dancing on the graves of the innocent souls who died in the bloody robbery attack in Offa.The statement signed Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Adviser to the Minister, was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.He did not! The N10 million he referred to was donated when the Offa market got burnt and it was made in Ilorin, not Offa.When Dr Saraki visited Offa to commiserate with the community in the aftermath of the robbery, he did not donate a dime! I challenge him to prove me wrong, he said.The minister reiterated his earlier warning against playing politics with the unfortunate incident.He alleged that Saraki had said in a radio interview that he donated the N10 million when he visited Offa to commiserate with the people in the aftermath of the robbery.Mohammed added that the senate president in the interview also said that the N10 million he donated was more than the N7 million that was stolen from the robbed banks vaults.The overly aggressive and crude response by Dr Saraki to that warning has shown that he is not ready to heed the admonition, hence the need to re-state it, and to condemn any attempt to denominate human lives in Naira and Kobo, he said.The minister said that in the wake of his warning, the apparently embarrassing radio interview was hurriedly edited to remove all references to the Offa robbery and then re-aired across Kwara state.Mohammed further said: Instead of stopping at that, which in itself constitutes an acceptance of wrong-doing, Dr Saraki went ahead to hurl insults at me even when I have been largely restrained in issuing my earlier warning.Had I not been restrained, I would have gone ahead to divulge what actually transpired. But with politics in the air, the truth becomes the first casualty.Realising that he goofed, Dr Saraki apparently caused the radio interview in question to be edited to remove the donation reference, and then re-aired.Is it not an irony that the people who engaged in this egregious act of dishonesty are the same ones calling others names?He said he would continue to steer the debate on the political developments in Kwara to issues rather than an exchange of personal insults which he had always been averse to.The people of Kwara, who are bone-tired of the long years of bolekaja governance in the state, are all saying in one voice, O to ge (enough is enough).They will soon have the opportunity to express their frustration with their votes, the minister said. The Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano has said that after late president Shehu Shagari, Nigeria would have had a president of Igbo... The Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano has said that after late president Shehu Shagari, Nigeria would have had a president of Igbo extraction in Dr Alex Ekwueme. Obiano, in a condolence message for the departed former president, said Shagari had planned to hand power over to Ekwueme but the plan was thwarted by a military coup that ousted him from office. Obiano, speaking through Don Adinuba, Commissioner for information & Public Enlightenment, said, Ex President Shagari worked effectively with Dr Ekwueme to give Nigeria a participatory democracy that accommodated all sections of the vast country from 1979 to 1983. Shagaris belief in Ekwueme led to his re-nomination of the renowned architect, historian, town planner, sociologist and philosopher for the second tenure which they won before the military tragically truncated democratic rule. But for the military coup, Shagari had placed Ekwueme on the saddle to succeed him as President which would have effectively put an end to the marginalization agitations following the civil war. Obiano said that Shagaris insistence on excellence also led to his appointment of a number of gifted Anambra indigenes into key public office, citing an example with Dr Fidelis Ezemenari, who was made the the founding CEO of the landmark Ajaokuta Steel Complex. In the education sector, Obiano said former President Shagari led the charge in converting the College of Arts and Science at Oko in Anambra State to a Federal Polytechnic. He authorized the provision of requisite infrastructure to make education quite qualitative in line with the dreams of Ndi-Anambra and other Nigerians. The release also read, It cannot be forgotten that the fallen Nigerian leader was responsible for initiating the use of primary school enrolment as a criterion for allocating national resources, a move that benefitted Anambra State and the nation greatly. To crown his efforts as a Nigerian nationalist, ex President Shagari granted pardon to not just General Yakubu Gowon who was living in exile in the United Kingdom following charges of complicity in the bloody february 3, 976, coup attempt, but also to the erstwhile leader of Biafra, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who was living in exile in Cote dIvoire for his role in the Biafran Revolution. This was a watershed exercise central to national reconciliation. Anambra State and indeed all patriotic Nigerians cannot thank Shagari enough for this courageous feat. The love of Shagari and Anambra State was mutual. Nigerias first president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, led his Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) into a working accord with Shagaris National Party of Nigeria (NPN) to steady the ship of state of Nigerias then nascent democracy in 1979. The Nigeria Police said it had a duly obtained warrant of arrest duly deployed to apprehend Senator Dino Melaye at his residence in Abuja.The News Agency of Nigeria reports that policemen have laid siege to Melayes residence to effect his arrest over a case of culpable homicide.NAN also recalls that the member representing Kogi West Senatorial district and some suspects were accused of shooting a Police officer, Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force while on duty in Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.A statement by the Force spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood on Monday in Abuja, said the Police would continue to occupy his residence until he surrenders.We will not retreat until Senator Dino Melaye surrenders himself for arrest and investigation, he said.Moshood said that Melaye was wanted by the Police for a case of criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide, committed on July 19.He explained that Melaye and his armed thugs allegedly attacked Police personnel, shooting and wounding Saliu in the process.The spokesman alleged that the lawmaker had refused to report to the Police Command in Kogi to answer the charges in spite of the letter written to the Clerk of the National Assembly.He said Saliu was yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and was still under intensive medical care in the hospital.Moshood said the Force would ensure a thorough investigation into the matter to ensure that the rule of law prevails. The Nigeria Police Force has said that its police operatives deployed to arrest Senator Dino Melaye in his residence will not retreat until the Senator surrenders himself for arrest and investigation.The Police made this known in a statement on Sunday night saying furhers that Senator Dino Melaye is wanted by the Police for a case of Criminal Conspiracy and Attempted Culpable Homicide, committed on 19th July, 2018, when Senator Dino Melaye and his armed thugs attacked Police personnel; shot and wounded Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, attached to 37 Police Mobile Force (PMF) on stop and search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State.The Police in the statement signed by Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood, Force Public Relations officer Force Headquarters Abuja said that the operatives with a duly obtained Warrant of Arrest deployed to arrest Senator Dino Melaye in his residence in Abuja will not retreat until Senator Dino Melaye surrenders himself for arrest and investigation.It is on record that the Police investigators submitted a Letter of Invitation dated 23rd July, 2018, signed by the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Police Command addressed to the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja, inviting Senator Dino Melaye to report on 26th July, 2018 at 1100Hrs at the Kogi State Police Command, CIID, Lokoja to answer to a case of Criminal Conspiracy and Attempted Culpable Homicide against him under investigation in the Kogi State Police Command. The claim by the Senate President in the Media that the Police did not submit a letter of invitation to the Clerk of the National Assembly is therefore incorrect as can be seen on attached letter with acknowledgment stamp of the Clerk, National Assembly, Abuja 24 JUL 2018. Despite this, Senator Dino Melaye bluntly refused to report himself to the Police till date.For avoidance of doubt, attached to this Press Release are the copies of pictures of the shot Police Officer, Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, the Police Invitation Letter addressed to the Clerk of National Assembly, Abuja and the Medical Report from the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, confirming the admission of Sgt. Danjuma Saliu into the Hospital for treatment of the gunshot injury he sustained from the attack by Senator Dino Melaye and his armed thugs while on Stop and Search duty along Aiyetoro Gbede, Mopa Road in Kogi State on 19th July, 2018.The Police Officer, Sgt. Danjuma Saliu, is yet to recover from the gunshot injury he sustained during the attack and still under intensive medical care in the hospital.The Force will ensure a thorough investigation into this matter while making sure that the rule of law prevails and that no suspect no matter how highly placed, involved in any criminal matter escape justice.The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, also on Sunday reacting said with the continued lockdown on the residence of Senator Dino Melaye by the police, the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency is turning Nigeria into a police state, where those opposed to the Presidents re- election bid are treated like enemies of the state.The party in a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan said the continued siege, which has been widely condemned as unwarranted and provocative, shows that the police under President Buhari, has become an instrument of oppression to subjugate dissenting voices ahead of the 2019 general election.The party invites Nigerians to note that the only sin committed by its Presidential Campaign Director of Civil Societies, Senator Melaye, is his return to the PDP and his forthright stand against the misrule of the Buhari administration, which are all well within his rights as a citizen.Since Senator Melaye, left the APC, the Buhari administration has continued to hound and harass him, as well as the members of his family with trumped up charges, all aimed to silence and put him out of circulation ahead of the 2019 general election.The party also said it has become extremely worried about the safety of Senator Melaye and his family members under police lockdown and charges Nigerians to hold President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, responsible should any harm befall him or any member of his family.The PDP hopes that opposition figures such as Senator Melaye will not suddenly become victims of accidental discharge, unexplained assassinations or mysterious motor accidents as the nation moves on to the general elections. Ibrahim Wakkala, deputy governor of Zamfara state, says AbdulAziz Yari, the governor, has sidelined him. Speaking with reporters ... Ibrahim Wakkala, deputy governor of Zamfara state, says AbdulAziz Yari, the governor, has sidelined him. Speaking with reporters in Gusau, the state capital, on Sunday Wakkala said the governor had denied him his rights and privileges . For months now,several of the legal funding that are supposed to be made to my office have been stopped and I have been completely sidelined by the state government, he said. 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. Yari by-passed his deputy and handed over control of the state to Sanusi Rikiji, speaker of the state assembly, when he travelled out of the state recently. Wakkala said up till now, it has not been officially communicated to him that the speaker would be serving as acting governor of the state. He said it was on the pages of newspapers that he realised that Yari decided to frustrate him because of his political ambition. 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, he said. 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. Yusuf Idris, the deputy governors spokesman, said the only reason someone else aside from the deputy governor can act in the governors absence is when the deputy governor has been impeached, removed from office by the court. None of these is the case at the moment, he said. When contacted, 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. The APC in the state is factionalised between the governor and his supporters and the G8 made up of eight persons including the deputy governor. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Turquoise Hill Resources (TSX:TRQ) (NYSE:TRQ) today announced the signing of the Power Source Framework Agreement (PSFA) between Oyu Tolgoi and the Government of Mongolia (Government), which provides a binding framework and pathway forward for the construction of a Tavan Tolgoi-based power project, as well as establishes the basis for a long-term domestic power solution for the mine. Ulf Quellmann, Chief Executive Officer of Turquoise Hill, said, We are encouraged by the pivotal decision to proceed with the power project at Tavan Tolgoi. Resolving Oyu Tolgois long-term power requirements is critically important to the mines long-term development and todays signing of the PSFA is a positive milestone toward that goal. We will continue to work closely and collaboratively with our partners to finalize the details of the power project, which will allow this truly great world-class asset to achieve its full potential for the benefit of all stakeholders. The PSFA formalizes the role of each party and sets out an amended timetable for Oyu Tolgoi to source power domestically. Construction is expected to start in 2020 following further studies and commissioning of the power plant is scheduled for mid-2023. Oyu Tolgoi will now move forward to confirm the technical design of the project and finalize the commercial arrangements, including financing, underpinning the PSFA. The 300 megawatt plant will be majority owned by Oyu Tolgoi LLC and will be situated close to the Tavan Tolgoi coalfields. Turquoise Hill will update the market in due course. Contact Investors Media Ed Jack Tony Shaffer + 1 604 688 5755 +1 604 648 3934 ed.jack@turquoisehill.com tony.shaffer@turquoisehill.com Follow us on Twitter @TurquoiseHillRe Forward-looking statements Certain statements made herein, including statements relating to matters that are not historical facts and statements of the Companys beliefs, intentions and expectations about developments, results and events which will or may occur in the future, constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements and information relate to future events or future performance, reflect current expectations or beliefs regarding future events and are typically identified by words such as anticipate, could, should, expect, seek, may, intend, likely, plan, estimate, will, believe and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. These include, but are not limited to, information regarding the timing and amount of production and potential production delays, statements in respect of the impacts of any delays on the Companys cash flows, liquidity, funding requirements and planning, statements regarding timing and status of underground development, capital and operating cost estimates, anticipated business activities, planned expenditures, corporate strategies, and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements and information are made based upon certain assumptions and other important factors that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements or information. There can be no assurance that such statements or information will prove to be accurate. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies, local and global economic conditions, and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of copper, gold and silver, anticipated capital and operating costs, anticipated future production and cash flows, and the status of the Companys relationship and interaction with the Government of Mongolia on the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi and Oyu Tolgoi LLC internal governance. Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and information include, among others, copper; gold and silver price volatility; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; development plans for processing resources; matters relating to proposed exploration or expansion; mining operational and development risks; litigation risks; regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability); Oyu Tolgoi LLCs ability to deliver a domestic power source for the Oyu Tolgoi project within the required contractual time frame; communications with local stakeholders and community relations; activities, actions or assessments, including tax assessments, by governmental authorities; events or circumstances (including strikes, blockages or similar events outside of the Companys control) that may affect the Companys ability to deliver its products in a timely manner; currency fluctuations; the speculative nature of mineral exploration; the global economic climate; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; cyber security incidents; additional funding requirements, including in respect of the development or construction of a long-term domestic power supply for the Oyu Tolgoi project; capital and operating costs, including with respect to the development of additional deposits and processing facilities; and defective title to mineral claims or property. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. All such forward-looking statements and information are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Companys management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. These statements, however, are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements or information. With respect to specific forward-looking information concerning the continued operation and development of Oyu Tolgoi, the Company has based its assumptions and analyses on certain factors which are inherently uncertain. Uncertainties and assumptions include, among others: the timing and cost of the construction and expansion of mining and processing facilities; the timing and availability of a long-term domestic power source (or the availability of financing for the Company to construct such a source) for Oyu Tolgoi; the ability to secure and draw down on the supplemental debt under the Oyu Tolgoi project financing facility and the availability of additional financing on terms reasonably acceptable to Oyu Tolgoi LLC, Rio Tinto and the Company to further develop Oyu Tolgoi; the impact of changes in, changes in interpretation to or changes in enforcement of, laws, regulations and government practices in Mongolia; the availability and cost of skilled labour and transportation; the obtaining of (and the terms and timing of obtaining) necessary environmental and other government approvals, consents and permits; delays, and the costs which would result from delays, in the development of the underground mine (which could significantly exceed the costs projected in the 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Feasibility Study and the 2016 Oyu Tolgoi Technical Report); projected copper, gold and silver prices and their market demand; and production estimates and the anticipated yearly production of copper, gold and silver at Oyu Tolgoi. The cost, timing and complexities of mine construction and development are increased by the remote location of a property such as Oyu Tolgoi. It is common in mining operations and in the development or expansion of existing facilities to experience unexpected problems and delays during development, construction and mine start-up. Additionally, although Oyu Tolgoi has achieved commercial production, there is no assurance that future development activities will result in profitable mining operations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Events or circumstances could cause the Companys actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements are included in the Risk Factors section in the Companys Annual Information Form dated as of March 15, 2018 in respect of the year ended December 31, 2017 (the AIF), as supplemented by our Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 (MD&A). Readers are further cautioned that the list of factors enumerated in the Risk Factors section of the AIF and in the MD&A that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the Companys forward-looking statements and information to make decisions with respect to the Company, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Contact: International Administration Group (Guernsey) Limited Company Administrator Attn: Mark Woodall Tel: +44 1481 723450 Share Buyback Programme: Transactions in week ending 28 December 2018 Guernsey, 31 December 2018 Eurocastle Investment Limited (Eurocastle or the Company) today announces that between 24 December 2018 and 28 December 2018, as part of the previously announced second buyback programme with Liberum Capital Limited (acting as the Company's broker), it bought back 6,097 of its ordinary shares at an average price of 6.00 per ordinary share. These purchases were made pursuant to the authority granted at its Annual General Meeting on 20 June 2018. The purchased shares will all be held as treasury shares. The purpose of the share buyback programme is to reduce the share capital of the Company and the programme is executed in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, collectively referred to as the Safe Harbour rules. The following transactions have been made under the buyback programme: Accumulated, most recent announcement Platform code Volume Volume Weighted Average Price Gross Value () 24/12/2018 BATE 3 5.98 18 XLON 1,832 6.00 11,360 CHIX 128 6.00 768 TRQX 63 5.98 377 Total 2,086 6.00 12,523 27/12/2018 BATE 34 6.02 205 XLON 1,590 5.99 9,522 CHIX 128 6.00 768 TRQX 208 5.99 1,246 Total 1,960 5.99 11,741 28/12/2018 BATE 31 5.92 184 XLON 1,817 6.01 10,914 CHIX 134 5.92 793 TRQX 69 5.92 408 Total 2,051 6.00 12,299 Following the above transactions: The total number of ordinary shares of the Company in issue is 63,813,362 The total number of ordinary shares held by Eurocastle in treasury is 18,657,111 (equal to 29.2% of the Companys share capital) The total number of voting rights exercisable by holders of ordinary shares of the Company is 45,156,251, as voting rights of shares held in treasury are suspended. ABOUT EUROCASTLE Eurocastle Investment Limited is a publicly traded closed-ended investment company that focuses on investing in performing and non-performing loans and other real estate related assets primarily in Italy. The Company is Euro denominated and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam under the symbol ECT. Eurocastle is managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC, a leading global investment manager. For more information regarding Eurocastle Investment Limited and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.eurocastleinv.com. Set out below are all trades completed between 24 December 2018 and 28 December 2018: Platform code Volume Price Gross Value () 24/12/2018 XLON 208 6.04 1,256.32 XLON 208 6.00 1,248.00 CHIX 57 6.00 342.00 XLON 500 6.00 3,000.00 CHIX 53 6.00 318.00 XLON 750 6.00 4,500.00 XLON 226 6.00 1,356.00 CHIX 18 6.00 108.00 BATE 3 5.98 17.94 TRQX 63 5.98 376.74 Total 2,086 6.00 12,523.00 27/12/2018 XLON 196 6.02 1,179.92 BATE 34 6.02 204.68 TRQX 61 6.02 367.22 XLON 181 6.02 1,089.62 CHIX 128 6.00 768.00 XLON 184 5.98 1,100.32 XLON 86 5.98 514.28 XLON 106 5.98 633.88 XLON 115 5.98 687.70 XLON 443 5.98 2,649.14 XLON 150 5.98 897.00 TRQX 147 5.98 879.06 XLON 72 5.98 430.56 XLON 57 5.96 339.72 Total 1,960 5.99 11,741.10 28/12/2018 XLON 625 6.08 3,800.00 XLON 465 6.00 2,790.00 XLON 75 5.96 447.00 XLON 77 5.94 457.38 TRQX 69 5.92 408.48 BATE 31 5.92 183.52 CHIX 134 5.92 793.28 XLON 182 5.94 1,081.08 XLON 186 5.94 1,104.84 XLON 207 5.96 1,233.72 Total 2,051 6.00 12,299.30 OAKVILLE, Ontario, Dec. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giyani Metals Corp. (TSXV:WDG, GR: A2DUU8) (Giyani or the Company) is pleased to announce the completion of the environmental management plan (EMP) for its K.Hill manganese prospect in Botswana. The EMP was submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on December 28 where it will be reviewed early in the new year. The Company further announces that Scott Breard has resigned from the Board of the Company effective December 31, 2018. Robin Birchall, CEO of Giyani commented: The completion of this first EMP is a very significant development for Giyani as it represents an important step towards the rehabilitation of the areas around K.Hill. Once the EMP is reviewed and approved by the DEA, the Company will commence the rehabilitation work to clean up the surface stockpiles and mitigate the existing physical and environmental risks left by old mining operations at K.Hill as soon as practicably possible. Subsequently, we believe that we will be able to process the collected manganese containing material into a valuable product that we can sell and generate cashflow at this early stage of our Companys development. EMP summary The K.Hill EMP contains a baselining of the environmental conditions around the old mining area, identification and assessment of potential environmental impacts, and an overview of proposed risk mitigation and monitoring measures the Company plans to implement during the execution phase. Next Steps The Company will compile and submit two additional EMPs, one for each of the other two identified prospects, Otse and Lobatse in January 2019. The K.Hill EMP will undergo a review process by the DEA in Botswana which is estimated to take approximately two months to complete as indicated by the typical volume of work at the DEA. Director change The Company wishes to announce the resignation of Scott Breard as a director of the Company with effect from December 31, 2018. Mr. Breard will remain a consultant to the Company while he pursues other interests in his area of specialty in corporate communications. Jonathan Henry, Non-Executive Chairman of Giyani commented: I would like to thank Scott for his input as a member of the Board of the Company and wish him well as he builds his corporate communications business. About Giyani Giyani is a Canadian based junior exploration company focused on creating shareholder value by accelerating the development of its battery-grade manganese projects in the Kanye Basin, Botswana, Africa. Additional information and corporate documents may be found on www.sedar.com and on Giyani Metals Corp. website: http://giyanimetals.com/ . On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani Metals Corp. Robin Birchall, CEO Contact: Giyani Metals Corporation Robin Birchall CEO, Director +447711313019 rbirchall@giyanimetals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, the financial picture of the Company etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statement. English Lithuanian Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB (hereinafter ESO or the Company), identification code 304151376, registered office located at Aguonu g. 24, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania. The total number of registered ordinary shares issued by the Company is 894 630 333; ISIN code LT0000130023. The Company informs that it plans to release its financial results in 2019 according to the following: Reporting date Reporting information 31/1/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 12 months of 2018 28/2/2019 Interim unaudited financial statements and interim report for 12 months of 2018 28/2/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 1 month of 2019 29/3/2019 Annual audited financial statements for 2018 and annual report for 2018 verified by auditors / Notice of convocation of ordinary general meeting of shareholders 29/3/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 2 months of 2019 30/4/2019 Interim unaudited financial statements and interim report for 3 months of 2019 31/5/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 4 months of 2019 28/6/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 5 months of 2019 31/7/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 6 months of 2019 30/8/2019 Interim unaudited financial statements and interim report for 6 months of 2019 30/8/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 7 months of 2019 30/9/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 8 months of 2019 30/10/2019 Interim unaudited financial statements and interim report for 9 months of 2019 29/11/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 10 months of 2019 31/12/2019 Preliminary unaudited financial results for 11 months of 2019 The Company plans to convene an ordinary general meeting of shareholders until 30 April 2019. MESA, Ariz., Dec. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iveda (OTCMKTS:IVDA), worldwide enabler of cloud-based video surveillance and data management through the licensing of its Sentir platform, today announced two pilot programs for its IvedaAI video analytics product in Arizona and Mexico. Guardian One, Ivedas partner in Arizona, placed its first order for a 16-channel IvedaAI appliance with built-in analytics for object search, face search, face recognition, intrusion detection, weapon detection and fire detection for one of their charter school customers in Arizona. The school will apply intelligence to their existing DVR camera system to improve overall security and safety on campus with more active alerts of relevant events. IvedaAIs ease of integration with our existing video surveillance system and the ease of use for such an advanced video analytics technology amaze me, said Tim Creviston, Chief Technology Officer of Guardian One. Mass shootings in schools have dominated the news throughout the country in the last few months. IvedaAI can help identify expelled students, sex offenders, dangerous parents and other known troublemakers that are not supposed to be on campus and can alert school administration and police of their presence. The weapon detection feature of IvedaAI with its face search and face recognition features are crucial in early detection of potential mass shootings at schools. Similarly, in an active shooting scenario, IvedaAIs search function can help locate a perpetrator with great accuracy by using surveillance cameras on campus and by, for instance, searching for a particular person in a certain color of shirt with a backpack or other items the suspect may be seen carrying. Early detection can help deter a mass shooting and reduce the number of victims. IvedaAIs object search function can also help locate a student or lost objects such as laptops or bicycles. IvedaAIs intrusion detection feature can better provide perimeter protection (virtual fencing) throughout the campus for unauthorized parking and loitering. Ive seen many video analytics products, but none demonstrated the same accuracy and speed of searching. It is also very affordable and simple to operate, said Creviston. We look forward to a successful pilot so that we can roll out the technology to more schools throughout Arizona and other states, said David Ly, CEO of Iveda. Iveda also received an order from The Cabe Company, Ivedas partner with banking and law enforcement customers in Mexico. For the banking sector, IvedaAIs face recognition feature can work as a means of access control to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to bank vaults and other sensitive areas. It can also validate identity at ATMs. IvedaAI can be used to make sure that individuals using ATM cards are the rightful owner of the card. The particular bank customer of The Cabe Company has more than 1,300 branches and several thousand ATMs throughout Mexico. Upon a successful pilot, Iveda can potentially place several IvedaAI appliances at some of these branches and ATM locations. The Cabe Company will conduct another pilot program for a law enforcement agency around the Yucatan Peninsula, one of the most visited parts of Mexico. IvedaAI can be used to instantly identify when known shoplifters, organized retail criminals or people with a history of fraud, enter retail establishments. Photographs of individuals can be matched against large databases of criminals so that loss prevention and retail security professionals can be notified instantly to prevent a threat. IvedaAIs face recognition feature can be used to find missing children and victims of human trafficking. When missing individuals are added to a database, law enforcement can be alerted as soon as cameras detect their faces at airports, bus stations, retail stores or other public spaces. IvedaAI mobile app can help police officers instantly identify individuals in the field from a safe distance. This can help by giving them contextual data that tells them who they are dealing with and if they need to proceed with caution. For example, if a police officer pulls over a wanted murderer at a routine traffic stop, the officer could instantly run IvedaAI weapon detection feature to see if the suspect is armed. IvedaAI can assist in forensic investigations by automatically recognizing individuals in security footage or other videos. It can also be used to identify dead or unconscious individuals at crime scenes. The same system can help police get alerts when a gun is detected in public cameras where weapons are not allowed. License plate recognition and search will assist with stolen vehicle search. Because IvedaAI is highly scalable, affordable and can work with almost all existing infrastructure, it is a fast and efficient technology to deploy. Feedback on IvedaAI is tremendous with our customers in the banking industry and law enforcement. We look forward to a successful pilot and will continue to deploy IvedaAI on a large scale within these two sectors, said Armando Canseco, President of The Cabe Company. IvedaAI was designed for mainstream application to save time and labor and to enhance security. IvedaAI will improve efficiency and enhance awareness within both business and government. Iveda is positioned to share in the growing global video analytics market valued at $2.7 billion in 2016 and is estimated to reach $13.4 billion by 2023. "IvedaAI is our entry into a new era of productivity. Organizations and law enforcement require more efficient and effective ways to process and navigate massive data already collected and turn them into actionable information, said Ly. ### Iveda and Sentir are registered trademarks of Iveda Solutions, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. About Iveda Iveda (OTCMKTS:IVDA) licenses its Sentir cloud video surveillance and data management platform. This enables service providers a plug-and-play cloud video surveillance offering for a monthly recurring revenue. Sentir utilizes a proprietary video streaming and Big Data storage technology. Iveda has a SAFETY Act Certification from the Department of Homeland Security as a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology Provider. Headquartered in Mesa, Arizona with a subsidiary in Taiwan, Iveda is publicly traded under the ticker symbol IVDA. For more information call (480) 307-8700 or visit www.iveda.com. To follow Iveda visit www.facebook.com/ivedasolutions, www.twitter.com/ivedasolutions or www.linkedin.com/company/iveda-solutions. This release includes forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary materially from those expected. All forward-looking statements made herein are qualified by such risk factors, and readers are advised to consider such factors carefully. Iveda undertakes no obligation to revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Contact: NEW YORK, Dec. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Klein Law Firm announces that class action complaints have been filed on behalf of shareholders of the following companies. If you suffered a loss you have until the lead plaintiff deadline to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Edison International (NYSE: EIX) Class Period: February 23, 2016 to November 12, 2018 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: January 15, 2019 During the class period, Edison International allegedly made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) the Company failed to maintain electricity transmission and distribution networks in compliance with safety requirements and regulations promulgated under state law; (ii) consequently, the Company was in violation of state law and regulations; (iii) the Companys noncompliant electricity networks created a significantly heightened risk of wildfires in California; and (iv) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. Get additional information about the EIX lawsuit: http://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/edison-international-loss-submission-form?wire=3 Altice USA, Inc. (NYSE: ATUS) Class Period: Pursuant and/or traceable to the June 2017 Initial Public Offering Lead Plaintiff Deadline: January 18, 2019 The complaint alleges that the Offering Documents issued pursuant to the IPO failed to disclose and/or misstated material information, including that: (1) The Altice Way proprietary growth model previously developed in Europe and described in the Offering Documents as a means to achieve superior margin performance was falsely touting Altices capacity to face already existing highly competitive environments and ever-changing consumer behaviors; (2) Altice was suffering from aggressively growing competition both in Europe and the United States, directly causing negative and decelerating revenue and EBITDA growth and impacting Altices market share; (3) specifically, Altice was suffering from mismanaged rate events, regulatory compliance and poorly managed network and customer care both in its France and Portugal segments, thereby impacting its customer base and churn rate; (4) Altice USA could not simply replicate the The Altice Way in the U.S.; and (5) as a result, Altice USAs Offering Documents were materially misleading at all relevant times. Get additional information about the ATUS lawsuit: http://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/altice-usa-inc-atus-loss-submission-form?wire=3 Ternium S.A. (NYSE: TX) Class Period: May 1, 2014 to November 27, 2018 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: January 28, 2019 The complaint alleges that during the class period Ternium S.A. made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendant Paolo Rocca, Terniums Chairman, knew that one of his companys executives paid cash to government officials from 2009 to 2012 to expedite compensation payments for the sale of Terniums Sidor unit; (2) this conduct would lead Rocca to be charged in a graft scheme and subject Ternium, its affiliates, and/or its executives to heightened governmental scrutiny; and (3) as a result, Terniums public statements were materially false and/or misleading at all relevant times. On November 27, 2018, Bloomberg reported that Rocca was indicted for his role in a graft scheme. According to the article, The judge charged Rocca after the Argentine billionaire testified that one of his companys executives paid an undisclosed amount of cash to government officials in monthly installments from 2009 to 2012. The officials were allegedly working for then-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchners administration to speed up a compensation payment from Venezuelas Hugo Chavez for the nationalization of Sidor, a unit that had been seized by Venezuela. Roccas group was compensated with $1.95 billion for the unit. Get additional information about the TX lawsuit: http://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/ternium-s-a-loss-submission-form?wire=3 Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN) Class Period: May 9, 2017 to December 19, 2018 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: February 19, 2019 During the Class Period, and unbeknownst to investors, Allergan misled investors regarding various pharma and device approvals and concealed the fact that the Companys CE Mark for its textured breast implants and tissue expanders was expiring in Europe. On December 19, 2018, the Company announced that, following a compulsory recall request from Agence Nationale de Securite du Medicament (ANSM), the French regulatory authority, the Company had suspended the sale of these products and that it was withdrawing all remaining supplies from European markets. The suspension of sales stemmed directly from the expiration of the company's CE Mark for these products, and the stock price fell drastically following the news. Get additional information about the AGN lawsuit: http://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/allergan-plc-loss-submission-form?wire=3 Your ability to share in any recovery doesnt require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. There is no cost or obligation to you. If you suffered a loss during the class period and wish to obtain additional information, please contact J. Klein, Esq. by telephone at 212-616-4899 or visit the webpages provided. J. Klein, Esq. represents investors and participates in securities litigations involving financial fraud throughout the nation. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. IRAN: Khomeini's Grandson Criticizes The Islamic Republic His Grandfather Founded 12/30/18 Source: Radio Farda Hassan Khomeyni, the grandson of Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini (Khomeyni), the man who founded the Islamic Republic in 1979, says there is no guarantee that clerical rule can continue in Iran. In a sign of disillusionment and an unprecedented criticism of the political system in Iran, Hassan Khomeini said: "Continuous fragmentation of society; spreading hatred, grudge, hypocrisy, double standards and dishonesty is a bad sign for the government." Reformist cleric Hassan Khomeini Read coverage by daily IIran Speaking at Khomeyni's former residence in Tehran on Saturday December 29, the young Khomeini, also a cleric, said "Nothing should be imposed on the people in the Iranian society." His reference to "spreading hatred" and "grudge" could be seen as veiled remarks directed at the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who is intolerant towards the West, Israel and domestic critics, many of whom languish either in prisons or under house arrest. He added in a warning to the government, "If we see our principles have faded and we are sticking to rudimentary matters, this is an alarming sign that our society has problems." Source: Iranian daily Etemad The remarks by Khomeini's grandson came two days after the daughter of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani lashed out at the Islamic Republic and President Hassan Rouhani for their inefficiency. Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said in an interview with daily newspaper Mostaghel (Independent) in Tehran on Thursday, December 27 that the Islamic Republic has become devoid of content although no physical decline of the regime has happened yet. "It is likely that the physical decline of the regime also could happen," adding that "although the Islamic Republic is deep rooted, its owes its strength mainly to intimidation and terror." Ms. Hashemi further stressed that the one reason there has not been a regime change in Iran is that the people do not know what will happen to them and who will take over power after the Islamic Republic. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with Hassan Khomeini (file photo) Members of Khomeini and Hashemi-Rafsanjani's families lost their official positions in various places including the Azad University after Rafsanjani's death in January 2017. This could be a reason for their disgruntlement, although Ms. Hashemi has always been vocal against mismanagement and inefficiency even when she was Tehran's leading MP in mid 1990s and was jailed for six months for taking part in protest demonstrations that followed the disputed presidential election in 2009. "Every group of people have some of their members in jail... Many workers, teachers, truckers, women's right activists, environmentalists, university students, economic activists and others are either in jail or have a verdict that would land them in jail at one point," she said. Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Tajik, a political adviser to former reformist President Mohammad Khatami in an interview with reformist Etemad Online website likened Iran's current situation to the "Titanic in turbulent waters," adding that the problem was caused by "faulty structure of the ship, the performance of those who are steering it, the behavior of those on board, and the tempest that has created a whirlwind around the vessel." Tajik said about the current political chaos in Iran, "every group, individual and institution is alienated from its natural function. There are no points of reference in the Iranian society while traditions, culture and customs are gradually losing their attraction." He said the only solution for Iran is "reform," but regretted that "some reformists are following their individual interests in the name of reforms." The remarks by the three figures coincided with the anniversary of major protest demonstrations that shook Iran for several weeks in late December 2017 and early January 2018 in over 100 cities. Protests against injustice, discrimination, financial hardships, widespread corruption, waste of Iran's resources to nurture Khamenei's regional ambitions, among other things, continued throughout the year as workers, teachers, students, women, environmentalists, truckers and many other groups took to the streets in an almost daily basis. A police chief in Khuzestan province admitted in December that his forces had to tackle 650 labor protests only during the first nine months of the current year. The government is to announce a GH2 billion bailout package for some six indigenous banks to enable them to meet the Bank of Ghana (BoG) deadline on recapitalisation, which expires today, December 31. The package was hurriedly put together this month for the six, which are seen as well-governed, solvent but unable to meet the BoG GH400 million new minimum capital for banks on their own. It is now seen as the only glimpse of hope to the six banks, who risk having their licences withdrawn or at best downgraded to savings and loans companies for failing to successfully recapitalise since September 2017 when the directive was issued. One source said the GH2 billion is to be sourced by a special purpose vehicle (SPV), the Ghana Amalgamated Trust Limited (GAT), which the government incorporated on December 17 to execute the transaction. The SPV is to mobilise the funds through the issuance of a bond that will be sold to both domestic and foreign investors, one of the sources involved in the structuring of the last-minute bailout package said. It added that the bond will be partially guaranteed by the government to make it "sweeter and comfortable" to investors to participate. Although the modalities of the deal are still being fine-tuned, GraphicOnline is further informed that the central bank has since given its blessing to the arrangement, making it possible for the beneficiary banks to be classified as recapitalised. Another source said it foresaw the number of beneficiary banks increasing to about eight as more indigenous banks come forward for the support. Source: Daily Graphic 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 Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has refuted claims of loss of fertilizers worth $12 million under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) through smuggling, attributed to a report from the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs. According to the Ministry, the information making rounds is factually inaccurate and does not represent the true information presented to the Committee by the sector Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, during a budget hearing. In a statement responding to the issue, it said the Minister indicated that over the years the country had not been able to quantify in monetary terms the actual losses incurred as a result of fertilizers being smuggled outside Ghana to neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Togo. The Minister is said to have explained that under the current administration, efforts had been made to quantify the cost which amounted to about $12 million, which translates into about 50,000 metric tonnes. It is therefore factually inaccurate; the impression being created through the publications that the said amount covers a specific year under review or strictly limited to the PFJ programme. It is instructive to note that under the current administration, stringent efforts have been made to curtail the unfortunate incidents which had become the norm in previous years. The statement said the Ministry, since 2017 under the current government, put in place measures to arrest the situation contracting the services of the International Federation of Fertilizer Societies (IFFS) to conduct investigations into the activities of fertilizer smuggling and assess the devastating impact it was having on the economy and agriculture in particular. The IFFS investigations subsequently revealed the hallowing impact the unscrupulous activities of these cartels where having on the economy of the country. They made several recommendations to the Ministry to help curb the menace some of which were rolled out in the 2018. It said through vigilance and comprehensive monitoring in 2018, several arrests have been made and investigations are currently ongoing. References can be made of some staff of the Sunyani Municipal Assembly who are under investigation for the disappearance of several bags of subsidized fertilizers which had been stored at a warehouse in Sunyani. Additionally, one of the opposition partys chairman for Sissala East was recently arrested for engaging in similar offence. The case is currently before the National Headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Ghana Police Service. Also, in the middle of this year, about 50 trucks of fully loaded fertilizers, which were allegedly being smuggled to neighbouring Burkina Faso, were also impounded in the Upper West Region. The Ministry reiterated that all efforts are being made to nip the vicious activities of these fertilizer smuggling cartels in the bud. We therefore appeal to the general public to cooperate with us by reporting any act of suspicion for the necessary action to be taken. Source: thebftonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Presiding Bishop of the United Denominations of Lighthouse Group of Churches (UD-OLGC) and Head Pastor of the First Love Church, Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has reiterated that the church will strongly resist and stand against any efforts by the government to legalize homosexuality in Ghana. The legalization of homosexuality has been a huge topic that has been discussed in the country over the last few years with various Heads of State giving their own opinion. The late Evans Atta-Mills mentioned that he would never allow Ghana to legalize the act as he believed it was immoral and against the rules of God. Recently, the current president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in an interview with Al-Jazeera refused to make his stance clear as he stated that the topic is currently not part of his countrys agenda. Ghanas Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Ocquaye, also revealed in an interview that he would rather resign from his post than to sit on any bill brought to the house concerning the legalization of Homosexuality. However, Evangelist Heward-Mills during his sermon on Sunday, December 30, 2018 at the First Love Church in Accra revealed that the church and other religious bodies in the country would strongly reject and stand against any government that would try to impose homosexuality on the people of Ghana. "We will not allow it. We will stand against it. The church, Moslems and other people will strongly resist and stand against any government that would try to impose homosexuality in Ghana." The outspoken Bishop has been one of the religious Heads in the country who strongly resist the idea of legalizing homosexuality in Ghana. Source: kwesilive.coM Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President John Mahama has said that he has learnt his lessons from the defeat in the 2016 elections and is promising not to fail should he be given the chance once again. Addressing the media and party members at the Trade Fair Centre on Monday, he said his decision to contest for the flagbearership role and subsequently the 2020 general elections was after broad consultations with elders of the party, political and religious leaders. I did not make the decision to enter the contest in isolation. I consulted broadly with all level of our party, from the grassroots who are our lifeblood, to the elders on whose shoulders I stand, I sought the wisdom of our chiefs and the counsel of our religious leaders, he said. He further said that all these leaders gave him the courtesy of offering him the frank, constructive critique of his own strengths and his past shortcomings as well as his administration and the party as a whole. He said he respects the views of those who expressed some misgivings about his decision to re-enter the political contest, saying their advice was not lost on him, and that he intend to prove himself worthy of their confidence and to assuage their fears in the months ahead. He therefore promised to work hard to justify the confidence reposed in him so far and to play by the rules of the elections. Source: Graphic.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video There was a near fatality at Fomena when the Constituency Chairman of the NPP together with the Regional Women's Organiser and some Members of Parliament in the Ashanti region went to pay a courtesy call on the Member of Parliament of the area yesterday(Sunday). The MP attacked the constituency Chairman till he fell unconscious and was hurriedly sent to the hospital where he's currently receiving treatment. It is believed that the MP, Hon. Andrew Amoako Asiamah has had a lot of unresolved issues with the constituency and the polling station executives of the party at Fomena. According to information the MP is seeking a High Court to reject results of the elections from the polling station and constituency elections. Just recently, it is believed that the court threw out the case brought against the Constituency Executives by the MP and shockingly the MP has filed an appeal. An appeal which annoys members of the NPP in the Fomena Constituency. Per our investigation, Hon. Asiamah invited some few Constituency Executives who are his corhots to have an Xmas party with them in his house. Upon knowing this, the other executives and polling station executives rose up to fight the MP. But, for the timely intervention of the police, there would have been bad news. The MP and the few executives left the premises and some had their cars destroyed. The situation was unfortunate and to bring peace, the Regional Chairman instructed that the Constituency Chairman goes to render an unqualified apology to the MP for that unfortunate incident. But, to the surprise of everyone, the MP, Hon. Asiamah and his family pounced on the Constituency Chairman to beat him mercilessly. He is currently on admission and responding to treatment now. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of President, Francis Asenso has presented 20 new hospital beds to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi. The donation on Saturday, December 29, 2018, is Mr. Asensos widows mite towards healthcare delivery in the country. It is aimed at helping to ameliorate the plight of KATH which is among the countrys top hospitals, and the biggest health facility in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional Capital. KATH has over the past several years been serving as a referral Center for eight out of ten regions in the country. Mr. Asenso said he was delighted to be contributing to the development of the country in his own small way. Speaking after the donation, the Deputy Chief of Staff said, we thank God for the opportunity to contribute to the development of our dear country. He was assured by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KATH, Dr. Oheneba Owusu-Danso that the beds will go a long way to enhance the delivery of quality health care by the hospital. 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 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES TORONTO, Dec. 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hampton Financial Corporation (Hampton or the Corporation) (TSXV: HFC) (TSXV: HFC.PR.A), is pleased to announce, further to its press release dated December 27, 2018, the completion of its non-brokered private placement offering (the Offering), raising gross proceeds of $255,000 CAD through the issuance of 850,000 units ("Units"). The Units were offered and sold at a price of $0.30 CAD per Unit with each Unit consisting of one subordinate voting share in the capital of the Corporation (each, a Share) and one subordinate voting share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder, upon the exercise thereof, to purchase one additional Share (each, a Warrant Share) at the price of $0.40 CAD per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months following the date of the closing of the Offering. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. All securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on May 1, 2019 in accordance with applicable securities legislation. One insider of the Corporation, Deeb & Company Limited (the Insider Purchaser), participated in the Offering. The participation of the Insider Purchaser constituted a related party transaction for purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101) and Policy 5.9 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions of the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV). The Corporation relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements available under MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involved interested parties, exceeded 25% of the Corporations market capitalization. The Corporation did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected date of the closing of the Offering, as the details of the Offering and the participation therein by the Insider Purchaser were not settled until shortly prior to closing and the Corporation wished to avail itself of the proceeds of the Offering in a timely manner. As the largest shareholder of the firm, Deeb & Company Limited was pleased to subscribe for this offering and to participate in the on-going capital raising plans of the company, set out at the time of its IPO in 2016, said Deeb & Company Limited Chairman, Peter Deeb. About Hampton Financial Corporation The Corporation, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hampton Securities Limited (HSL), is actively engaged in family office, wealth management, institutional services and capital markets activities. HSL is a full service investment dealer, regulated by IIROC and registered in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario and Quebec. The subordinate voting shares, and preferred shares of Hampton are listed on the TSXV under the symbol HFC and HFC.PR.A respectively. For more information, please contact: Joe Pavao President & Chief Operating Officer Hampton Financial Corporation Hampton Securities Limited (416) 862-7800 The TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) has in no way approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. This press release does not constitute or form a part of any offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction outside of Canada. The securities being offered have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to a U.S. person absent registration or pursuant to an available exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. There will be no public offering of securities in the United States. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Corporation. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should" or similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes. Forward-looking statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors beyond the Corporations ability to predict or control, which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Corporation to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking statements herein. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance. Although the Corporation believes that any forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results may vary, and vary materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein. Accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of the risks and uncertainties inherent in forward-looking statements herein and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Corporation assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise. Former President Jerry John Rawlings, has asked members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to "actively participate in the activities of the party by contributing their widows mite at all levels". According to him, "we need to devise a mechanism that makes it attractive to pay our dues and levies. In conscientizing members on their obligations, ease of payment, proper records, transparency and accountability should be embraced. This will energise the base, deepen commitment and enhance the chances of winning elections". Speaking at the 37th anniversary of the 31st December Revolution at Ashaiman, near Tema, the former President also said corruption constitute a plague that we should take very seriously if we are to achieve true development in our country". If we do not uproot the main stems of corruption in this country, soon we will also contribute to the consolidation of the evil of corruption. We would have squandered another God-given opportunity to free this country and restore its soul and our humanity, he said. Read full speech below ADDRESS BY H.E. JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS AT THE 37TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 31STDECEMBER REVOLUTION MANDELA PARK, ASHAIMAN MONDAY 31ST DECEMBER 2018 Niimei, Naamei, Comrades, Invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: Another year draws to a close in a few hours and as we take stock of 2018, we also remember events that led to the 31st December Revolution and the decade that changed Ghanas history - a history that some have sought to distort for their selfish ends to the detriment of the future of many of our youth who have been fed on political half-truths and total falsehoods. It is quite positive that some have taken it upon themselves to present the facts as they are and even develop them into theatre productions in a bid to tell the history through the arts. I welcome you all to todays durbar in Ashaiman. Afiii ooo to all present. Ladies and Gentlemen, tackling corruption at all levels of our society is an issue I never get tired of speaking about. Corruption and indiscipline is a plague that we should take very seriously if we are to achieve true development in our country. If we do not uproot the main stems of corruption in this country, soon we will also contribute to the consolidation of the evil of corruption. We would have squandered another God-given opportunity to free this country and restore its soul and our humanity. If the practice of multi-party democracy can work for Western powers, is there any reason why it shouldnt work for us? Could it be because of the influence and power that vices like untruthfulness, injustice and the general political immorality wields over the virtue of principles? And yet these principles are very much a part of our black African culture. If the same practice of multi-party democracy can bring the best or close to the best out of them, why does it bring the worst out of us? And once again is it because we have elevated wrongdoing to an acceptable level where there is no outcry of condemnation and as a consequence we wholeheartedly embrace the corruption we are steadily breeding? The simple answer is our refusal to liberate truth and justice. To accord truth and justice the place of respect in our lives. If injustice, lying, stealing and robbery can comfortably be used in our everyday lives by both the rulers and the ruled then we seem unaware of the serious consequences. Events like todays should be an avenue to confront the realities of our current political circumstances. For political expediency and sheer fleeting personal comfort many of us have thrown out the true ideals behind the sacrifices of 31stDecember and June 4th. The injustice, the corruption, the lying and the plain thievery that we experience and witness daily is only an expression of who we have become. Within our own political family and of course on a national scale, liberating truth and justice is almost alien to us. We may speak against it at public forums like this but many of us will go back and further perpetuate the negatives in their quest for political power and control. We can never liberate our country with such a masquerade, Ladies and Gentlemen! As we bemoan the lack of truth and justice in our daily lives, we have to confront some of the challenges that further aggravate our social, political, cultural and economic circumstances. As many as 4.5 million West Africans from neighbouring countries have added unto our population. This is the official figure. The true figure however is likely to be three times more. This has undoubtedly increased the stress on our space and resources. Added to this, is the rampant stealing, robbery and brazen killings we are experiencing as a country. Majority of Ghanaians do not have the luxury of engaging in the trading activities of some of our visitors or in their lawlessness, something that our police sometimes handle with kid gloves. Ladies and Gentlemen, citizens of the developed world started working their way out of their poverty when they woke up to the consequences of lack of family planning. Are we ever going to wake up to the realisation that the discipline and accountability that comes with family planning fosters development? If we however start taking measures to re-engage the discipline of family planning as we did during the Revolution, what measures are we going to put in place to ensure that the space we toiled for is not taken over and consumed by non-Ghanaians, many of whom do not even carry the required ECOWAS identification cards? Before I take my seat, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is important that I refer to one of the challenges that has affected the quality of integrity in our party. Per the regulations of the NDC, every member is expected to pay a token annual fee to justify their membership. Unfortunately, though we have millions who sympathise with the ideals of the party many prefer not to offer their widows mite to the successful management of the party. This has resulted in a situation where a few individuals have constituted themselves into power brokers who dictate the direction of the party by holding it to ransom with their financial strength. The vast majority of the party have become subservient to the dictates of these power brokers. It is imperative that members own and actively participate in the activities of the party by contributing their widows mite at all levels. We need to devise a mechanism that makes it attractive to pay our dues and levies. In conscientizing members on their obligations, ease of payment, proper records, transparency and accountability should be embraced. This will energise the base, deepen commitment and enhance the chances of winning elections. Some senior members of the party are vying to lead the party to the next election. In their messages to the rank and file, it is important that they inculcate the spirit of inclusiveness in the processes of the party. The process should not be of how much your candidate can give you, but how committed you can be to your party. Let us listen to ourselves in the choices we make. Let us not allow material and monetary inducements to sway our judgement. The power belongs to us. Ladies and Gentlemen, one of the major challenges facing our world is the threat of global warming created by the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which then tend to trap heat, leading to the melting of glaciers in colder climates, rising sea levels, deterioration of our forests and the dwindling numbers of our wild life. The rate at which global warming is rising threatens human existence. The terrible heat we are experiencing is not by accident. We contribute our bit through the reckless burning instead of responsible disposal of refuse. Industries release large doses of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere with many making no effort to embrace more environmentally safer ways of production. It is necessary that we do not look at some of these threats as problems belonging to other parts of the world. The crisis is real and the earlier we educate ourselves on these issues and make individual choices to have a less polluted atmosphere the better it will be for our world. I face a few dilemmas and I would very much have wished to share some of these concerns with you and to hear your opinions. I will however end here by wishing all Ghanaians a Happy and Wonderful New Year. Thank you. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Popular Ghanaian actor, John Dumelo seems to have regretted taking the long walk of marriage barely one year in his for better, for worse journey with lovely wife Gifty Mawuenya. In an Instagram post of the NDC sympathizer sighted by zionfelix.net, he is plainly suggesting that there is the need for married men to get sidechicks. The father of John Dumelo Junior uses a very absurd biblical instance to make his case about wanting to have some sidechicks aside his very beautiful. The actor describes wives of today as jealous and selfish because unlike them, the wives in the old testament, allowed their husbands to freely sleep with their maids. It is however very difficult to conclude if the award-winning actor has made plans already to go in for sidechicks as his message suggest or he just posted such this message for shaggy reasons. Check out his shocking post below: Source: zionfelix 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 File photo shows Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky speaking during an event in San Francisco. Read more Airbnb hosts in Pennsylvania collectively earned $122 million in net income from roughly 1 million guests in 2018, the home rental service company announced Monday. Roughly 40 percent of the guests and income came from Philadelphia, where hosts made $47.7 million while welcoming 404,000 guests. There are now 14,200 Pennsylvanians who rent out their homes through Airbnb, which allows users to book short-term rentals online. The San Francisco-based company said hosts typically earn $5,200 annually. Airbnb would not provide figures for 2017. Montgomery County led the southeast suburbs with $2.3 million and 15,300 guests. Bucks County hosts made $1.9 million from 12,300 guests; Chester County hosts collected $1.6 million with 11,200 guests; Delaware County hosts earned $930,300 and had 7,800 guests. In New Jersey, Airbnb hosts made $125.7 million with 742,800 guest arrivals. Airbnb typically charges hosts a 3 percent service fee and guests up to 20 percent of the booking subtotal. In October, Airbnb said its rentals have generated more than $21.2 million in tax revenue across Pennsylvania since Philadelphia began taxing the stays in 2015. One of the biggest investments ever contracted by Pennsylvanias Public School Employees Retirement System seems to be moving forward in slow motion. It has been almost a year since the teachers pension fund agreed to invest $500 million in Blackstone Infrastructure Partners fund that wants to finance megaprojects to build roads, bridges, and ports. And, it has been more than a year and a half since President Donald Trump joined Blackstone CEO (and Abington native) Stephen Schwarzman to promote the fund on a trip to Saudi Arabia. Still, the retirement systems big commitment remains untapped, as Blackstone fund is yet to make any big investments, and keeps trying to raise more money. There have been no capital calls to date, said PSERS spokesperson Evelyn Tatkovski Williams earlier this month, 11 months after the retirement systems board approved the deal. She referred questions to Blackstone, which has collected an average of more than $40 million a year in fees and shared profits from investments by PSERS and the state workers' pension fund (SERS) since 2006 in return for managing state assets. The retirement system that serves about 600,000 current and former public school employees, has nearly $57 billion worth of assets under management. It has an unfunded liability money needed if all eligible employees choose to retire of more than $44 billion. An Inquirer review in early 2018 showed that Blackstone typically returned Pennsylvanias pension systems less than their investments in U.S. stock-index funds, as did most of the private-equity and real estate funds that pensions buy in an attempt to supplement returns. By signing up early for the Blackstone fund, PSERS won a discount a fee break of 10% for the life of the investment and a first-close discount of 25% for two years, according to the PSERS resolution approving the sale posted on the systems website. But Pennsylvanias discount wasnt the biggest Blackstone granted. The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia got a bigger discount than the Pennsylvania teachers. Because the Saudis agreed to invest billions not just hundreds of millions like Pennsylvania they were given what Bloomberg L.P. reported was a basic 15 percent management-fee discount, plus an early-investment discount plus additional discounts based on a percentage of the revenue the fund generates from the largest of its other investors PSERS and other clients. In effect the Saudis' lower fees are subsidized by PSERS and other U.S. investors, Bloomberg concluded. Blackstone contends that fee reductions are customary for investors of scale. The Saudi kingdoms public reputation has been tarnished during the past year by reports documenting hunger, destruction, and civilian deaths in its war against rebels in neighboring Yemen, and for the controversy surrounding the alleged slaying of Washington Post writer Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi government personnel at a Saudi diplomatic office in Turkey. PSERS had no comment on any concerns about working with the Saudis. Are PSERS members and trustees concerned about investing in a Saudi-dominated fund? PSERS spokesperson Evelyn Williams said the system wouldnt comment, and directed questions to Blackstone, which sent me a brief statement: Blackstone has sole and absolute control of Blackstone Infrastructure Partners as is the case with all other Blackstone funds," no matter where the moneys coming from. One of the Saudis top investment advisers is a familiar face in corporate America. Andrew Liveris was hired as an adviser to the Saudi national fund that invested with Blackstone last summer, soon after he retired as chairman of DowDuPont (he was longtime head of Dow Chemical Co.) before its pending split into three companies. We should always stay engaged in the world, Liveris, a native of Australia, said in a talk before a packed house of University of Pennsylvania students last year with his friend, Australian native Geoff Garrett, the Wharton School dean. At that time, he said he looked forward to the expansion of a U.S.-style consumption-based economy in more developing countries. Presumably Liveris expects that will include Saudi Arabia, as its wealthy regime invests oil profits in U.S. and other foreign infrastructure projects, with help from Pennsylvania and other American investors who have to pay a little more in exchange for investing alongside the Saudis, at least with Blackstone. Beginning Jan. 1, hospitals will be required to post online prices for every procedure, service and medication they offer. Anyone whos ever tried to find out in advance the price of an upcoming medical procedure knows how hard it can be to get a cost estimate. The new rule, ordered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is intended to improve price transparency and help patients better understand how much they will pay for care. We are just beginning on price transparency, CMS administrator Seema Verma said last spring, explaining the requirements as part of the Trump administrations efforts to encourage patients to become better-educated decision-makers, according to a Modern Healthcare article. But the new rules usefulness in helping estimate a bill is limited, at best: Hospitals are required to list chargemaster rates -- prices that are much higher than most patients pay. The format hospitals must use -- Excel spreadsheets with thousands of entries -- isnt exactly user-friendly. Consider the spreadsheet posted by the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania: It contains more than 14,000 entries, in order by their eight-digit procedure code; the name of the procedure -- frequently abbreviated in a way many laypeople might not understand; and the charge. Still, the measure brings the question of cost into the broader conversation about health care at a time when out-of-pocket costs are growing and medical bills are a top contributor to personal bankruptcies. Thats a change from the days when patients feared being accused of not taking their health seriously if they asked, So, how much will this cost? By asking questions about the cost of health care, consumers play an important role in advancing health-care pricing transparency, Andy Carter, CEO of the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania wrote in a Dec. 13 blog post about the new rule. Chargemaster rates are the starting point for private insurers to negotiate lower rates for their members. Medicare and Medicaid establish their own rates, and uninsured patients typically qualify for income-based discounts. The price to patients with insurance -- even those covered by the same insurer -- can vary widely depending on which plan they have. How big your deductible is, how much of it youve paid already and your co-pays all factor into the amount youll owe for any given procedure. The new requirement was part of an August update to the federal agencys Inpatient Prospective Payment System rules, which detail how hospitals are paid. In addition to listing the chargemaster rates online, hospitals are required to make the information available upon request. Philadelphia-area hospitals, as well as others around the country, have developed price transparency pages with context for the lists of numbers they are required to provide and to explain that looking at chargemaster prices alone wont help most people estimate how much theyll pay for care. While we fully support efforts to improve pricing transparency, the chargemaster is only a starting point in determining the costs associated with your health care. By itself, the chargemaster is not the most helpful tool for you to comparison-shop between hospitals or to estimate your financial obligation for the health-care services you receive, Jefferson Health wrote on its price transparency page. Jefferson includes a question and answer section, and a short video developed by the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania. Penn Medicines price transparency page explains what goes into a chargemaster price, such as administrative and facility costs, equipment and technology upgrades. The charge for a service provided at a hospital will be different from the same service provided at an out-patient clinic. The new CMS requirement provides another opportunity for patients to obtain important information about their health care, including the potential costs of these services. However, standard hospital charges are only one factor which influences a patients out-of-pocket costs, particularly at acute care facilities that offer a full range of services, said Patrick Norton, vice president for public affairs at Penn Medicine, in a statement. Before linking to its Charge Description Master lists at the bottom of the page, Penn cautions, The descriptions in the CDM may not be understandable to the layperson (people who are not health care professionals). Under the CMS rule, hospitals are required to keep their prices in machine-readable lists that will be updated at least once a year. Both Penn and Jefferson link from their price transparency pages to downloadable Excel spreadsheets that list thousands of procedures and corresponding prices. If you want a more personalized estimate of what a knee replacement or MRI will cost, Carter recommends talking to your provider and insurance plan. Achieving meaningful health-care pricing transparency will take time, effort, and collaboration on the part of government, hospitals, insurers, and consumers, he wrote in his blog post. Gerald and Cindy Rohrer look out over their farm, which recently became the 500th farm to be protected from development in Chester County. Read more In the far reaches of Chester County, miles past the final stop on SEPTAs Paoli-Thorndale train line, there are vast open fields, farm animals, and quiet. Around 3 p.m., Amish children can be seen walking home from school, trudging along the side of back country roads with lunch boxes in their hands. As Gerald Rohrer watched a car drive by his familys crop-and-grain farm on a recent afternoon, he chuckled. Thats two in half an hour, he said. Thats a traffic jam around here. This environment is vastly different than the kind found in other Chester County towns, such as Malvern or Downingtown or West Chester. But it is the only lifestyle that Gerald Rohrer, 49, a ninth-generation farmer, has ever known. He grew up here, on a sprawling former dairy farm in Upper Oxford and West Fallowfield Townships that spans more than 100 acres. He met his wife, Cindy Rohrer, a 10th-generation farmer, during their high school years at Lancaster Mennonite, a private Christian school across the county line. They raised three children on the farm, where chores included helping with hay baling or corn farming, and teamwork was of the utmost importance. Last month, the family became a part of Chester County history when their land became the countys 500th preserved farm. The preservation marked the latest chapter in Chester Countys three-decade effort to save open space, particularly farmland. In all, the county has preserved nearly 40,000 acres of farmland and nearly 136,000 acres of open space, which amounts to 28 percent of its land. This designation ensures a familys land will always be used for agricultural purposes, according to the county. Property owners are financially compensated based on an independent appraisal. The Rohrer family declined to comment on how much they received. As parts of Chester County have been built up, and more and more people have moved to the area, the mission has become even more important, officials said. Its symptomatic of what is good about Chester County, said commissioner Terence Farrell, that, as the fastest growing county in the commonwealth, we still value open space. While Chester County has preserved the most acreage and the highest percentage of farmland in Philadelphias collar counties, Delaware, Bucks, and Montgomery Counties also have made efforts to preserve open space. Bucks County, home to 934 farms, has preserved more than 200 properties, totaling more than 16,000 acres. Montgomery County has preserved more than 150, equaling nearly 10,000 acres. And Delaware County, a more condensed and built-up suburb, has preserved two farms 80-acre Arasapha Farms and farmland of more than 100 acres at the Sleighton Farm School, according to the most recent county information. In Chester County, the Rohrer family was interested in preserving their grain-and-crop farm, ensuring it never becomes a development like those popping up all over other parts of the county. Its comforting," Gerald Rohrer said, looking out over the property Even if we were to move away, this will stay." You dont want to see that developed, Cindy Rohrer added, motioning to rolling hills that in warmer months are full of corn. This farm has really good soil, really good ground. This land has operated as a farm since at least the 1700s, said the couple, who many times have ventured to the county courthouse to look through old property records. In 1966, Gerald Rohrers parents, Elvin and Vera, bought the property, which they ran as a dairy farm. In 1999, Gerald and Cindy Rohrer bought the farm and sold the dairy cows, they said. Gerald Rohrer recalled thinking I really want a farm, but I dont think the cows are for me, he said. The life of a dairy farmer is more grueling, requiring less sleep and busy work year-round, said Gerald Rohrer, who farms full time. In his current work farming corn and hay, his schedule and workload varies based on the time of year. Some days hes up before sunrise, preparing trailers for deliveries (he sells his hay to horse farms primarily, he said). Come spring and summer, Cindy Rohrer, 49, who also works as a registered nurse, will bale hay, driving the baler through the fields, compressing the crop with the large machine. In the spring, the family farms corn, too, in separate fields. Their children Sonya, 22; Brock, 20; and Drake, 15, help out, the couple said. When they were younger, farm work earned them their allowance. Cindy Rohrer said she wasnt sure yet whether any of the children would be interested in taking over the farm in the future. If they didnt want to, that would be OK with their parents, who never pressured their kids into following in their footsteps. Growing up, Sonya Rohrer said her house was always the one classmates referred to as in the middle of nowhere," she said. But she loved growing up there and friends loved jumping on the trampoline, running around the fields, and sledding on their hills. And her parents said they would not want to live in any area that was more congested. Theres a grocery store 10 to 20 minutes away, Cindy Rohrer said, and Amazon Prime can deliver most items they need. I dont feel the need to have any more big things closer to us, Cindy Rohrer said. When the family travels to cities, they enjoy experiencing a different environment, the couple said, but theyre always ready to return home. We enjoy what we do, Cindy Rohrer said. I think its a great way for our family to work together. Its fun. A bystander watches police investigate and clean up after a shooting in North Philadelphia on 10th Street near French left three people dead Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018. MARGO REED / Staff Photographer Read more Three people were killed and at least 15 others were shot and wounded over the weekend in Philadelphia, according to police, capping a year in which the city recorded more homicides than in any other year since 2007. The three killings brought the citys 2018 homicide total to 351 through Sunday night, according to police statistics 12 percent higher than in 2017 and about 43 percent higher than 2013, when the city recorded 246 homicides, the lowest year-end total since the 1960s. Four of the 12 shootings over the weekend left multiple victims wounded, police said, including a triple shooting Sunday night in Franklinville that left two 19-year-old men in critical condition. As of Thursday, nearly 1,400 people had been shot in the city in 2018, police statistics show about 12 percent more than in 2017. Authorities have said the spike in homicides in 2018 appears at least partially driven by an uptick in drug-related slayings. As of Sunday, police statistics show, drugs were listed as the primary motive in 130 homicides during the year, nearly double the 66 drug-related killings in 2017. Commissioner Richard Ross and District Attorney Larry Krasner both said in December that drug-related homicides appeared to be the outlier when examining the 2018 spike in killings. Oddly, the escalation in killings and shootings came as the citys overall violent crime tally which counts homicides, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults was poised to decline for the third consecutive year. The murder rate in the nations 30 largest cities was expected to decline in 2018, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Brennan Center for Justice. The analysis credited declines of at least 18 percent in Chicago and San Francisco with contributing to the drop. Other cities including Houston; Indianapolis; and Washington, D.C. were expected to have increases greater than Philadelphias, the analysis said. Mayor Jim Kenney has called on his cabinet to deliver a violence-prevention plan by Saturday, and asked that it be viewed as a public health document and not simply a law enforcement report. Last week, police announced a shake-up atop the Homicide Unit, saying that Capt. Jason Smith, previously of the Major Crimes Unit, would be named commanding officer of homicide. The staffing change came as the Homicide Unit, for the second consecutive year, was poised to record a clearance rate the percentage of cases considered cleared by arrest or other means below 50 percent. Police reported an arrest in one of the weekends three homicides a fatal stabbing following an argument Friday night in Mayfair but released no further details Monday. Four people were shot Friday night, according to police, including 26-year-old Esa Abdullah of West Mount Airy. Officers found him with a gunshot wound to the head about 8:44 p.m. on the 100 block of West Widener Place in East Germantown, police said. He was taken to Einstein Medical Center and pronounced dead at 12:01 a.m. Sunday. Also on Friday, about 10:58 p.m. officers responded to the 2100 block of Lardner Street and found 40-year-old Robert Hicks of Northeast Philadelphia dead from a stab wound to the neck, police said. On Saturday, police reported that officers at 6300 Eastwood Street found the alleged offenders, a 24-year-old man and two women, and that the man had stabbed Hicks after an argument. Police said Monday that an arrest was made but did not give details. On Saturday, six people were shot, police said, including Duane Hicks, 25, of Oxford Circle. Hicks was dropped off at Jefferson Frankford Hospital at 5:33 p.m. with gunshot wounds, police said. He was declared dead at 6:09 p.m. Investigators believe the shooting happened on the 2000 block of Womrath Street in East Frankford. The two victims named Hicks were not related, police said. Seven people were shot Sunday, according to police, including three 19-year-old men wounded around 10:35 p.m. on the 600 block of West Erie Avenue in Franklinville. Two were listed in critical condition at Temple University Hospital, police said. As is standard in nonfatal shootings, police did not identify any of the victims. Two other men, ages 23 and 27, were injured hours earlier, about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, in a double shooting at Wissahickon and Midvale Avenues in Germantown, police said. Police said they arrested a suspect in one of the nonfatal shootings over the weekend: a 31-year-old man who allegedly shot a 28-year-old man about 6:27 a.m. Saturday on the 1400 block of McKinley Street in Oxford Circle. Last week, NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill and Mayor Bill de Blasio held a press conference to discuss security measures for the New Year's Eve festivities in Times Square. Among other things, the officials asserted that two million people were expected to join in the bash in Times Square. At first glance, that number seems plausible, but according to experts who specialize in crowd control, it's actually wildly overinflated. In an AP report, G. Keith Still, a professor at Manchester Metropolitan University in England who also trains police departments to estimate crowd sizes, says that the crowd is more like 100,000, "Generally, people are overestimating crowd sizes by 10- to 100-fold." 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 7th Avenue between Times Square and Central Park - which starts about 15 blocks to the north. 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. Well, it definitely Who knows what New Years Day celebrations in Philadelphia would look like had it not been for the childhood antics of a city councilman in the 1800s. While mummery dates back hundreds of years in some European cultures, come Jan. 1, Philadelphia will ring in its 119th Mummers Parade a now-iconic tradition that became an official celebration in 1901. Philadelphians should pay some thanks to H. Bart McHugh. The reporter and theater promoter is often cited as the man who helped make the event official in Philly, but he wasnt the only key figure. An Inquirer obituary calls John H. Baizley, who served as a councilman for two decades, the Mummers' Parade originator and father of Philadelphias unique New Years festival. McHugh pitched the idea to create memorable New Years festivities while controlling what were historically chaotic celebrations to Mayor Samuel Ashbridge, Patrick Glennon, a communications officer at the Historical Society of Philadelphia, detailed in an article for the Inquirer last year about the parades beginnings. And after the Civil War, these celebrations got more and more rambunctious and larger, and a businessman by the name of Bart McHugh went to City Council and the city of Philadelphia and pitched that they put all the celebrants in one location, said Mark Montanaro, a volunteer museum curator at the Mummers Museum and a longtime Mummer. A 1986 Inquirer article dubs McHugh the man who started it all. His 1935 obituary called his name virtually synonymous with the event after decades of directing it, while his own grandson called him the guiding light of the parade in a letter to the editor published in 1985. But as the Inquirers 1924 obituary for Baizley describes, what he did as a kid, and later as a councilman, also helped shape what eventually became the parade. It reads: The evolution of the Mummers' parade dates back to the time when John Baizley was the leader of his neighborhood gang in his boyhood days. At that time the lads, attired in weird costumes, would fare forth in search of cake, nuts, apples and money, in much the same manner as young revelers do on Halloween now. Later, as they grew older, the boys organized into units and to the strains of music marched through the streets of their neighborhood, with Baizley always in the forefront. Gradually the residents came to look forward to the celebration each New Years Day, and even persons from other sections of the city would flock to South Philadelphia to witness it. Baizley worked out a plan to have his club parade on Broad street in the future and induced other clubs to join, so that ultimately, when he became a councilman and persuaded Council to recognize and appropriate prizes to the paraders, the Mummers' classic came into being. It was McHugh and Baizley who drafted up a proposal for a New Years Day Shooters Parade that was approved in November 1900, according to Inquirer archives. A story titled Mummers' Parade Approved appeared in the Dec. 5, 1900, edition of the Inquirer. The name Shooters started because the early celebrants were shooting guns in the air to celebrate the New Year and that was a banned practice obviously, because it was dangerous, Montanaro said. Mummers some of the old timers say the media gave us the name Mummers. Firing guns in the air "was a macho ritual with these South Philadelphia urban cowboys and before the 1900s, celebrators had formed gangs that often fought pitched turf wars to welcome the new year, the Inquirer wrote in 2000. But of course, the planning of the citys first Mummers parade involved many more helping hands than just Baizley and McHugh, according to Inquirer articles detailing meetings leading up to the event that addressed everything from budget issues to decorations. Philadelphia will on this occasion, as she has always done, excel, said a sub-committee chairman about a week before the parade. and I am sure that we will have a New Years celebration that will be a pleasant memory for a long time to come. READ MORE: Less diversity in 2019 Mummers Parade, but whose fault is that? | Stu Bykofsky READ MORE: How the Mummers came to Philadelphia | Philly History File. East Market Street Dec. 20, 2018 as more than two inches of rain fell on the first day of winter. Read more It rained on the final day of 2018. Big surprise. It has been a soppy, sodden, spongy year that will float to the top of record books for many towns across the Philadelphia region. And, while the amount of precipitation in 2018 wont set a record in Philadelphia that infamy goes to 2011 it will set records in Atlantic City, Wilmington, and Reading, to name just a few. This was, however, a record setter for all of New Jersey, according to the state climatologist. And the same could be true for Pennsylvania once the numbers are crunched. Another 2018 distinction: Rains werent driven by big weather events such as hurricanes or tropical storms. Rather, it was the steady drumbeat of downpours that led to the big deluge. Philadelphia will likely end the year with just more than 61 inches, shy of the record 64.33 inches set seven years ago, according to data from the National Weather Service. But 2011s record was due largely to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, both of which struck the Philadelphia region hard. This last year was marked by no-name noreasters and a jet stream that favored conditions that produce wet weather on an ongoing basis. That total comes from Philadelphia International Airport. Some sources also cite 67.4 inches for Philadelphia, but thats an average based on multiple reporting sites. Its just been a very moisture-rich atmosphere, said David Robinson, who is New Jersey state climatologist and a Rutgers professor. Everyone remembers just how darn humid it was this summer. The humidity and rain were just very persistent and recurrent. Robinson said 2018 will go down as the wettest on record for New Jersey as a whole, dating to 1895. As of Monday morning, before additional rains arrived, the state had averaged 64.49 inches of precipitation for the year. That beat the record of 63.95 set in 2011. Atlantic City saw 67.90 inches before Mondays rain. That bested the 65.80 inches that fell in 1948. Robinson said there was a dip in the jet stream over the eastern part of the U.S. that introduced moisture up and down the coast in 2018, helping bring a train of rain." But he also factors in climate change. The ocean surfaces and atmosphere have gotten warmer, Robinson said. So with that you have more moisture in the atmosphere. And the warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture. So, while climate change might not trigger a specific rainfall, it can magnify it. Elsewhere, Wilmington blew by its record of 56.73 inches set in 2004. As of Monday morning, 60.68 inches of precipitation had fallen. Reading was deluged this year with more than 67 inches of precipitation. The previous record, set in 1972, saw 56.85 inches. A closer look at precipitation totals across the region shows just how soggy it has been. For example, Philadelphia normally sees 41.44 inches of precipitation, which includes rain and the water equivalent of snow, in a year. In 2018, it got 20 inches more than that. Trenton will close out the year at 16 inches more than normal. John Feerick, a senior meteorologist for AccuWeather.com, said it was possible it could also be the wettest year on record for Pennsylvania, but it was too early to call until all data are available. In a quick eyeball of the numbers, it looks like 2011 was wetter statewide, Feerick said. But this year is right up there, its real close. Some meteorological stations take readings at midnight. Others take them at 7 a.m., meaning it could take a day or two to get final data. So, its possible with todays rain, 2018 could go down as the wettest year on record statewide, Feerick said Monday. "I know Im tired of it, Feerick said of wet weather. Hopefully, 2019 is drier. That of course, remains to be seen. Rain was expected to continue until about 4 a.m. New Years Day, which will see an unseasonable high of 61 degrees. Friday, and Saturday bring the chance of more rain. The city said it will settle a lawsuit for $350,000 with a woman who claimed she was sexually harassed by a coworker in the Voter Registration Office. Read more The City of Philadelphia will pay $350,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman who was sexually harassed in April 2016 by a man she said supervisors were told was a problem employee more than seven years earlier. The woman, an employee in the voter registration division of the Office of the City Commissioners, filed suit in 2017, naming the city and the man she said exposed himself to her, Francisco Martinez, as defendants. She also claimed in the lawsuit that City Commissioner Anthony Clark and Voter Registration Administrator Gregory Irving knew of Martinezs behavior and didnt do enough to stop it. City spokesperson Deana Gamble said that, in settling the matter this month with the employee, Sherron Bell, the city has not admitted to any wrongdoing or liability. At least three other women have in some way accused Martinez of sexual misconduct. Earlier this year, the city settled with one of those women for $32,500 after she claimed Martinez harassed and groped her, behavior she said began shortly after she was hired in 2004. Deputy City Commissioner Nick Custodio said Monday that after the office received a complaint involving Bell and Martinez in 2016, the matter was reported to police. After that, Martinez was separated from the victim while the case was investigated. Martinez was arrested and found guilty of indecent exposure in the summer of 2016, and was ultimately fired Oct. 20 of that year. Martinez, whose lawyer didnt respond to a request for comment, is now awaiting a retrial granted on appeal. The city has paid well over $2 million over the last five years to settle sexual misconduct claims, according to a calculation included in a report this summer by City Controller Rebecca Rhynhart. The city this year revamped its sexual harassment procedures, including improving how complaints are tracked and investigated. Custodio said Democrat Lisa Deeley, chair of the City Commissioners, has adopted this new sexual harassment policy and is requiring all supervisors to have sexual harassment training. Bell, who began working for the city in 1998, said Martinez in April 2016 lured her into a copy room, exposed himself to her, and demanded she touch him. According to the suit, Martinez had been walking around in the office earlier with his zipper open and admitted to masturbating in the office. She complained to higher-ups about two weeks later, according to findings by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC issued a ruling in March 2017 indicating there was reasonable cause to believe Bell was subjected to workplace sexual harassment in violation of Title VII, the federal statute that prohibits employment discrimination based on sex, race, and religion. Bells lawyer, Isaac Green, declined to comment on the specifics of the case or the terms of the settlement, saying only: We are aware based on what weve been able to determine in discovery that the scale of the problem is pretty large." According to an amended complaint filed by Bell in November which was not agreed to as part of the settlement another female employee told Philadelphia police in 2009 that Martinez exposed himself to her at work. That disclosure, along with at least two others involving Martinez that were reported to police, was forwarded to a city human resources manager, according to the lawsuit. The city would not confirm whether a formal complaint followed, citing confidential personnel matters. Bell also said in the amended complaint that she has faced retaliation since reporting the mistreatment, including being denied a request to transfer out of the department and receiving what she said was her first unsatisfactory mark for work relationships in a performance evaluation this summer. She also claimed Irving denied her request for voluntary overtime in 2016, telling her 'Mr. Martinez would like to work overtime, too, but neither of you will work overtime; innocent until proven guilty,' according to the suit. The settlement includes a six-month leave of absence for Bell and a transfer to a new city position, Gamble said. Neither Clark nor Irving responded to requests for comment. Then Democratic mayoral nominee, Jim Kenney said in 2015 that he would forgo $5 million to $6 million in federal funds rather than adopt a law enforcement policy he said violates immigrants' civil rights. Read more A welcoming city is one that promotes inclusive policies, programs, and practices across all sectors, amplifying the message that all people are welcome regardless of where they came from or when they arrived. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are proud of this designation. As the city officials who work most directly with our immigrant and refugee communities, and the individuals and organizations who serve them, we condemn the Trump administrations hateful and fear-based approach to immigration, specifically its attempts to further xenophobic policies that harm our residents and drive fear into our communities. Because cities do not get a say in what happens at the border, even though federal immigration policies impact our communities every day, we urge federally elected officials, particularly those from Pennsylvania, to stand up and protect our residents from the Trump administrations harmful immigration policies, especially funding a border wall. The administration has targeted our cities by adopting federal policies rooted in hostility towards immigrant communities. Early into President Donald Trumps administration, there were various attempts to ban travel from certain countries, withhold funding from such cities as ours that vow to treat all residents equally, and most recently, to tear apart immigrant families at the border. The purpose of those policies is not only to harm our immigrant communities, but to fuel divisiveness in this country in order to score political points. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh recognize the chilling effect these policies have on our cities and have chosen to respond. In Philadelphia, Mayor James Kenney went to court to defeat the U.S. Department of Justices attempt to strip critical federal law enforcement funding from the city over its welcoming city policies. In Pittsburgh, Mayor William Peduto has forcefully pushed back against the federal administrations attempt to deny immigrant families the benefits to which they are entitled via a change to the public charge rule. The immigrants whose lives would be negatively impacted by these policies are not political pawns. They are human beings, and they deserve to be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else. We are proud to be residents of cities who recognize their fundamental value, and to work for mayors who will stand up and fight on their behalf. In Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, we all know what happens to real people when the federal government endorses cruel, unworkable, and sometimes unlawful policies. Fortunately, not all Pennsylvanians agree with the federal administrations views on immigrants. In a recent poll, 58 percent of Pennsylvania voters rejected the administrations zero-tolerance policy, and a large number of voters said that alignment with the administrations immigration positions was a reason to vote against certain candidates. Now the Trump administration has harmed the entire country by partly shutting down the federal government in the midst of the holiday season over disagreements about border wall funding. The administration demanded $5 billion to build that wall nearly four times last years border security funding, which it has not been fully spent. This shutdown is not only based on hateful rhetoric, but it also hurts countless Americans who depend on essential government services or work for the federal government. These are not the actions of a leader who has the best interests of all his constituents at heart. Almost 30 years ago, President Reagan, a Republican icon and a man who President Trump often references with praise, also spoke of building walls. He used his farewell address to hark back to John Winthrops framing of America as a city upon a hill. Reagan described his vision of such a city as teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. President Trumps words and deeds clash with Reagans vision and our American heritage of openness and inclusion. The Welcoming Cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh recognize the invaluable contributions that immigrants and refugees add to our communities. Weve worked to provide inclusive policies and programs, accessible language resources, and a host of multicultural events to create a welcoming environment for our respective cities newest residents. The federal administration should follow our lead and focus on finding bipartisan solutions to the many problems in our immigration system, instead of focusing on tactics that waste taxpayer money and further divide us. Miriam Enriquez, Esq., is director of Office of Immigrant Affairs for the City of Philadelphia. Feyisola Alabi is the special initiatives manager and manager of Welcoming Pittsburgh for the Office of Mayor William Peduto. A version of this piece also published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. A migrant girl holds her doll as she climbs the U.S. border fence before jumping into the U.S. side to San Diego, Calif., from Tijuana, Mexico, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. Discouraged by the long wait to apply for asylum through official ports of entry, many Central American migrants from recent caravans are choosing to cross the U.S. border wall and hand themselves into border patrol agents. Read more The brave men and women who protect our borders dont deserve the vilification they get from the mainstream media. Instead, they should be praised for saving thousands of lives and stopping thousands of people from illegally entering the country. Sadly, the press cares more about promoting the Democrat agenda than reporting the truth. In fact, U.S. Border Patrol agents have rescued more than 4,000 sick or injured people in the past year alone, by the governments official count. Now liberals are demonizing them over the few lives they couldnt save. When the mainstream media and talking heads learned about a girls death in U.S. custody in early December, they wasted no time in politicizing the tragedy by pinning the blame on the Border Patrol and President Trump. >> READ MORE: Stop treating Americas border like a crime scene. Its a humanitarian crisis | Will Bunch In reality, though, U.S. officials did everything possible to save the girls life. Rather than the cause being connected to any sort of mistreatment by the Border Patrol, the girls death was likely the result of her grueling journey to the border a dangerous undertaking that no child should be forced to endure. The rigors of that trek almost certainly contributed to the death of a second child a few weeks later. While the exact cause of death has yet to be determined, an autopsy revealed that the 8-year-old Guatemalan boy who died in a U.S. hospital was sick with the flu. In a Facebook statement addressing the tragic incident, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explained that the girl received emergency medical treatment from Border Patrol officials, noting that the child completed a days-long, dangerous journey through remote and barren terrain during which she had not been able to consume water or food ... . This is not the first time the mainstream media have unfairly critiqued our brave Border Patrol agents who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe and discourage illegal cross-border treks through the barren desert. In a fiery exchange with CNNs Brooke Baldwin in June, Chris Cabrera, a spokesperson for the National Border Patrol Council, passionately defended the Trump administrations tough but ultimately compassionate immigration policies. When you see a 12-year-old girl with a plan B pill, her parents put her on birth control because they know getting violated is part of the journey, thats a terrible way to live, he told Baldwin. When you see a 4-year-old girl traveling alone with just her parents phone number written across her shirt. We had a 9-year-old boy have heat stroke in front of us and die with no family around. Thats because were allowing people to take advantage of this system. Contrary to the mainstream media narrative, Border Patrol agents do many great things for our country, and save the lives of migrants every year. Sadly, most of these heroic acts only get reported by small local outlets, if they ever get covered at all. In July, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that Border Patrol agents rescued 406 people from possible death due to soaring temperatures along the Southwest border in just the first two months of summer. In August, Border Patrol agents rescued three families from the Rio Grande River, saving multiple people from drowning in the current. Its unfair and unfortunate, but thanks to the mainstream media and its liberal agenda, most Americans have probably never heard of these heroic deeds. Instead, were fed a stream of incomplete news stories intended to villainize the brave immigration officials who save thousands of lives while performing the vital function of keeping our communities safe. If the Democrats and the press truly care about improving the conditions at the border, they should support President Trumps call to build a wall and strengthen border security so that we can deter people from embarking on the life-threatening quest to illegally enter our country. Brandon Judd is the president of the National Border Patrol Council, the exclusive labor union of about 16,000 Border Patrol agents. The major educational initiatives that were launched this year underscore Gov. Tom Wolfs commitment to a more holistic approach for evaluating student and school success. This approach relies less on test scores and focuses more on developing the skills students need to be college-, career-, and community-ready. As 2018 draws to a close, the state Department of Education thanks students and their parents, public officials, school administrators, and the commonwealths dedicated educators for helping us as we chart a new course in education policy. Parents and teachers across the commonwealth have made it clear that there is too much standardized testing. In response, testing time was reduced this spring for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) for students in third through eighth grades, providing more critical time for learning. Gov. Wolf also signed a law that updates high school graduation requirements, giving students several options beyond testing to demonstrate what they have learned and that they are ready to graduate from high school to start a career or continue their education. Parents, educators, and communities said we need a better way to evaluate schools with a broader set of measurements. As part of the state plan under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the department launched the Future Ready PA Index, the Wolf administrations new public-facing, one-stop location for comprehensive information and data on student and school success. Developed with input from thousands of stakeholders, the tool uses a dashboard approach to present school-level data and provide parents with a more comprehensive look at how schools are educating all students. For students to succeed, the commonwealth must continue to increase and retain the number of qualified school leaders serving our public schools. This year, 73 superintendents and charter school directors graduated from the departments innovative Superintendents Academy, a two-year professional development program. The second and third cohorts are currently involved. Students must feel safe in school and parents confident that their children are protected. This year, Gov. Wolf created the Pennsylvania School Safety Task Force, of which I am a member. The task force released recommendations on how state, community, and school officials should work collaboratively with each other and students and families to use all the tools at their disposal to prevent school-based violence. In addition, the state is investing $60 million to help communities protect students and secure schools. Over the next decade, seven in 10 new jobs in Pennsylvania will require workers to use a computer. In November, Gov. Wolf launched the next phase of his PAsmart initiative, providing $20 million to increase access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and computer science education, with an emphasis on girls, minorities, and other underserved students. Pennsylvania now ranks second in the country for investments in K-12 STEM and computer science. Earlier this month, the department unveiled Pennsylvanias new school improvement strategy, which designates schools in need of more support. The schools will receive a variety of supports tailored to their unique needs. Ultimately, this extra support will create a more successful learning environment for students. Through these initiatives, Pennsylvania is building a broader, fairer, and more meaningful portrait of school and student progress and success, and were honoring our states equity commitments by helping to ensure that every student in the commonwealth gets the education he or she needs to be successful. Pedro Rivera is Pennsylvanias Secretary of Education. Every day in Pennsylvania, women are treated as less than men. This is a fact. Across the state women earn an average of 80 cents for every dollar earned by a male colleague before accounting for the added impact of racial wage gaps. Queer and transgender women still face threats of being fired and evicted because state law fails to protect them. In 2018, we saw increasingly extreme attempts to legislate a womans ability to make personal reproductive health-care decisions. In Pennsylvania, we recently made big gains: Women picked up 14 seats in the state House and Senate. These women bring different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to our government as activists, small business owners, healthcare providers, lawyers, PTA and homeschooling moms. Many, though not enough, of them are women of color, and many are working-class women. Women members in the Pennsylvania State House know that the #MeToo movement is just part of what we have to fight for. We need fully funded public education, universal health care, family sustaining jobs, strong unions, gun control, criminal justice reform, and a comprehensive environmental plan. We have made so much progress, yet we are still well in the minority: Women make up just 25 percent of state legislators in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Nevada just became the first state in the country with a majority-female legislature. This disparity is a problem for all Pennsylvanians. Representation for women is essential to representation for all Pennsylvanians. Women legislators are more likely to work across party lines and get their bills signed into law, according to a 2017 report from Chatham University. We bring our lived experience with us to the state House. Rep.-elect Fiedler and Rep. Bullock are both mothers of two young children, built professional careers before running for office, and have faced discrimination because of their gender. Our experiences as women must be represented in the halls of government. We have been passed over for promotions and paid less than our male colleagues. We have been told to speak with deeper voices and dress like men if we hope to be taken more seriously. We have been criticized for having children and sacrificing our careers; we have been criticized for having careers and insufficiently mothering our children. We have been forced to pump breast milk in bathroom stalls to sustain our infants, keep our jobs, and support our families. We have been assaulted, harassed, and demeaned by colleagues, clients, and family. This is our lived experience. We deserve to be at the table when legislation is debated and priorities are set when it comes to job creation, health care, transportation, taxes, education because we are deeply impacted by these structures and the inequality they currently perpetuate. Only when we demand gender justice will we begin to create a society that truly values all of us as equals. We have a lot of work to do in Pennsylvania. Health care for pregnant and postpartum women is not readily available. Bills outlawing abortion have become increasingly cruel; birth control access is increasingly endangered; 82 percent of Pennsylvania counties have no abortion providers or Medicaid does not cover abortion. Pennsylvania has the third worst drinking water in the country; our children suffer from lead exposure and struggle with asthma. School funding in Pennsylvania ranks as the most unequal in the nation, while Pennsylvania residents graduate from college with the second-highest amount of debt in the country. The work of caring for and educating our children is undervalued and underpaid: from day-care workers to the classroom educators, aides and guidance counselors. We can do better. There are ways we can get our government to address these obstacles. Weve seen it with Rep. Bullocks law, introduced last year, to protect schoolchildren from being shamed or denied food because they didnt have enough money. We see it in Rep.-elect Fiedlers plans to introduce legislation that makes sure workers are respected and paid their full wages so they can support their families and plan child care and doctors visits. And we know many of our colleagues are also working to level the playing field for women and families. We come in ready to fight for the kind of world we want our children to grow up in, and our parents and ourselves to grow old in. Elizabeth Fiedler is state representative-elect for District 184. Donna Bullock is state representative for District 195. Christine Jacobs is executive director of Represent PA. The Rev. Jeffrey Jordan uses a bullhorn to get the crowd of protesters in front of the Starbucks at 18th and Spruce, to yell "I AM SOMEBODY" earlier this year. Read more As 2018 comes to a close, the Inquirer Opinion department looks back on some contributions from writers outside our newsroom. Want to submit an opinion piece to the Inquirer? Email Deputy Opinion Editor Erica Palan at epalan@philly.com and/or Opinion Coverage Editor Elena Gooray at egooray@philly.com. Submissions should be about 650 words long and should include links to pertinent sources. Please paste your work into the body into the body of an email. Were mostly looking for newsy opinion and commentary submissions the pieces below are great examples. We give priority to highlighting voices from under-represented communities. Safe Injection Sites In January, city officials announced that the city wont stand in the way if a private entity wanted to open a safe-injection site in Philadelphia. The announcement put Philadelphia on track to become the first city in America to have such a site. The announcement drew a mixed reaction: Staff writer Abraham Gutman reviews the evidence on safe-injection sites: A safe injection site is a harm-reduction measure to make drug use safer. The premise is based on the evidence-backed notions that illicit drug use is a reality that is not going away anytime soon and that drug-use disorder is an acquired disease of the brain and should be treated as such." Columnist Solomon Jones, who himself struggled with drug addiction, opposes the sites and critiqued the city for how the decision to approve a city was made: The voices of Philadelphians must be included in anything that would have us support the use of illegal drugs in our name even if that drug use is supposed to eventually save lives. Mayor Jim Kenney and District Attorney Larry Krasner wrote about safe-injection sites in the historical context of the crack epidemic: "As a society, we failed many people during the crack epidemic by treating it solely as a law enforcement problem rather than a health problem. Many people spent time in jail when they should have spent time in treatment. No doubt, criminalizing addiction happened in part because the people affected were mainly African-American, Latino and poor. " Criminal Justice Reform Criminal justice reform was a big topic in Philadelphia in 2018. Larry Krasner started his tenure as DA after running on sweeping reform, Meek Mill who spent months in prison for a probation violation was released, a homicide in Rittenhouse divided Philadelphia, Malcolm Jenkins and the Players Coalition continued their advocacy for reform, just to name some of the issues that populated our pages. Super-Bowl champion and Eagles player Malcolm Jenkins writes on cash bail: That system, which punishes poverty, is galling on its face, but all the more so when you consider that almost half of those who are held in jail pending trial are never found guilty. Either their cases are dismissed or withdrawn, or they are found not guilty at trial. But the city gets some flesh: time in jail pre-trial. Linda Schellenger, the mother of Sean Schellenger who was killed in a Rittenhouse stabbing, critiqued DA Larry Krasner for not seeking first degree murder charges in her sons case: The shame of it is that I am a supporter of Krasners political platform. I, too, believe that in the case of minor legal infractions or misdemeanors, sentences are too long, and people are incarcerated inappropriately. However, I do not, and have never, believed that reducing sentencing guidelines or charges in the case of violent crime, specifically murder, is just. Violent crimes, especially murder, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Transportation How we get around is a topic that never ceases to spark debate in this city. This year was no different. Heres some of our most-discussed issues around transit and transportation from 2018. Gun Violence In 2018, Gunviolencearchive.org reports that there were 338 mass shootings in the U.S. In Philadelphia this year, 1,358 people were shot in Philadelphia, according to the most recent city data available (which ends on December 27, 2018). How to deal with the gun violence epidemic is an important topic every year. Heres a selection of some pieces we ran in 2018: Starbucks On April 12, two black men were arrested inside a Philadelphia Starbucks after a barista called the police on them for requesting to use a bathroom without purchasing anything. The arrest was captured on camera and the video went viral and sparked a national conversation about race and public spaces. #MeToo In 2018, a record number of women spoke out about their own experience with sexual harassment and assault. Two high-profile cases this year ended in opposite results Bill Cosby was sentenced to prison for sexual assault and Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court in spite of allegations made against him. The Inquirer and Daily News went to college campuses in the city to ask young women: Do you feel vulnerable around men? And have the Brett Kavanaugh and Bill Cosby stories increased that? Journalist Nicole Weisensee Egan has been covering the allegations against Cosby for years, on finally meeting Andrea Constand Cosbys main accuser during his trial: On the day of closing arguments, Constand came back into the courtroom to listen to the prosecution. She was seated two rows in front of me. As she turned to talk to someone behind her, our eyes met. Labor attorney Michael Homans on the lessons that employers should learn from the Cosby trial: Lesson 1: No claim is too old to be relevant anymore. Columnist Christine Flowers argues that Brett Kavanaugh created a #MeToo moment for unjustly accused men: What did impress me was Brett Kavanaugh. His voice was a mixture of anger and righteous indignation at what was being done to him, and there was again that horrible sorrow that came out in long pauses, and actual tears. Catholic Clergy Abuse Scandal In August, after a long legal battle, Pa. Attorney General Josh Shapiro released a grand jury report that detailed decades of sexual abuse by hundreds of Catholic priests in six dioceses across the state. The horrifying description made some grapple with their faith and called into question on how to prevent these types of abuses from happening. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh testifies on the first day of his confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in September. Read more Most years, best and worst roundups follow a certain pattern. They identify unconnected events on both sides of the ledger volcanoes and shark attacks!; stock market rallies and Gritty memes! Whats striking about 2018 is that despite devastating natural disasters (wildfires, volcanoes, tsunamis) all the truly worst moments of the year have a single thing in common. Those moments include: another tragic mass shooting, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. And in a Pittsburgh synagogue. And in a Thousand Oaks, Calif., bar. And in countless locations around the country. The worst of 2018 includes a horrifying priest abuse grand jury report released by Attorney General Josh Shapiro that detailed accounts of 300 predator priests accused of abusing at least 1,000 Pennsylvania victims. The worst also includes further accounts of sexual assault and/or harassment: Entertainer Bill Cosby was found guilty of sexual assault; in September, he was sentenced to jail. CBS chief Les Moonves lost his job, and his severance package, amid allegations of abuse and harassment. And the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings included gripping testimony from a woman who claimed he sexually assaulted her, prompting not just deja vu to the Clarence Thomas hearings, but a window into the mind of beer-loving bros and the senators who love them. So whats the common thread in all these events? They all center on men behaving badly. Of course, bad behavior isnt limited to men. For example, four of the six state lawmakers convicted of bribery in recent years were women. Kate McClure was complicit in a plot to scam GoFundMe donors in the name of Johnny Bobbitt. Still, women generally dont wreak the kind of lasting and widespread damage or death that men do, and did last year. As we look back on 2018, we have to wonder: What is wrong with men? The armchair diagnosis is that the assumed dominance of (mostly white) men in society has been threatened like never before: Their earning power, their political power, their very value is being threatened. The problem is they still have plenty of power to hurt and damage. Its up to men themselves to recognize that the systems they inhabit government, military, society itself dont work anymore. They dont work for women, they dont work for people of color, they dont work for children. And frankly, the systems dont work for men, either. A mass shooter is the very definition of someone who doesnt fit. Priests abusing the children left in their spiritual care dont fit into the system built around them. Executives assaulting underlings dont fit either. While its true that the system still favors men no matter how badly they behave , all you have to do is watch the tortured sighing and angry Brett Kavanaugh as a Senate panel had the temerity to question him. He got confirmed, but he had to work for it. The next time, someone like him might not succeed. Its up to men to acknowledge something is very wrong and recognize the solution is not to destroy women or children or other men, but to question and dismantle the systems into which they no longer fit. Ryan Harris, founder of As I Plant This Seed mentoring program, vowed to camp out near a North Philadelphia traffic medium until he was able to raise $30,000 for a new center. Read more The ink on the signs was starting to run. The cardboard warped from the steady rain. Ryan Harris' clothes were soaked through, and he hadn't eaten for 12 hours, which is torture when you consider that he was surrounded by the aromas of multiple fast food joints and a couple of halal food trucks. But Harris, who had come to this sliver of a North Philadelphia traffic median at Hunting Park and Broad bright and early Monday, was on a mission. His vow: to camp out no sleep, no food, no surrender until passersby helped him raise $30,000 for his mentoring program to find a new headquarters. It's called As I Plant This Seed. "I made a pledge to stand out here to give my people a fighting chance," he said. "I'll be here until we raise every single dime." Throughout the day, his supporters came and went. They waved signs, and called out to truckers who blew their horns in support and drivers who scrambled to give them coins and bills. When people didn't have cash on hand, Harris let them donate through an app he'd set up, or directed them to his GoFundMe page. "I got you! I got you!" promised a woman in a white Chrysler who was rushing to work. Twelve hours later, when I returned to check on his progress, Harris had made half his goal. The temperature had dropped. The rain fell harder. But neither he nor his supporters holding soggy "I believe" signs seemed deterred. Success was a given, they told me. They just needed to put in the work. In August, I asked readers which people do good work out of view of the powerful Philly institutions that decide who gets funded I'll be doing that again, so heads up and more than a few people pointed to Harris. He holds down a full-time job, cleaning operating rooms at Jefferson Hospital. In 2012 he started a mentoring program that began with a book bag giveaway and has grown to stage youth-led plays, and encourage financial literacy and entrepreneurship. When I went to meet him, Harris' plans for the program were already outgrowing their space at the Lenfest Center in Hunting Park. "Ultimately, I want to show these kids that there is more, that they should want something past the eight-block radius of their neighborhood," he said. "We're trying to change lives." Nyjah Smith, who is 15, credits his program for her transformation. "It changed the way I feel and think," she said as she stood on the median holding a sign. "It changed my spirit overall. I'm a different person. Ryan's program shaped me to be the person I am today. Now I'm a poet, I'm part of different programs. I have plans. I have a lot of plans for my future." With an endorsement like that, the people and organizations who hold the purse strings in this city should be lining up to help. But while Philadelphia continues to evaluate the millions spent on violence prevention programs, Harris and his supporters turned to the people for support. "Our community doesn't do enough sometimes," said Natasha Fletcher, who volunteers with Harris' nonprofit. She'd taken a personal day on Tuesday to help. "They can't sit back and complain. They have to come out here and support." Sometime during the night, someone had set up a tent to offer Harris and his supporters a little shelter. As the sun rose on Tuesday, Harris and a couple of supporters clasped hands and prayed. A couple of hours later, someone came by with gloves, and little by little, more people began showing up with fresh signs the words "I BELIEVE" printed big and bold on new cardboard. More than 24 hours in, Harris conceded that his body was a little weary, but added that his spirit soared. It was just like his sweatshirt and the signs read, he said with an improbable smile. "I believe." A Brooklyn man and three other leaders of an extremist Jewish sect have been charged with kidnapping, after two children who disappeared from an upstate New York retreat earlier this month were found in a small Mexico City town last week. According to U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman, the international abduction scheme was orchestrated by members of Lev Tahor, an ultra-Orthodox extremist community now based in Guatemala. The children14-year-old Yante Helbrans and 12-year-old Chaim Helbranshad previously escaped the cult with their mother, Sara Helbrans. The siblings' uncle, Nachman Helbrans, is the leader of Lev Tahor and one of the suspects in the kidnapping. Brooklyn resident Aron Rosner is accused of helping to fund the abduction, organizing multiple conference calls, and providing information about hotels and travel in Mexico. Mayer Rosner, 42, and his 20-year-old son, Jacob Rosner, were also deported to the United States from Mexico for their role in the disappearance. All four men were charged with kidnapping, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. Authorities with the United States and Mexico located the kids in the small town of Tenango del Aire, Mexico on Friday. They were allegedly smuggled out of the country via a small Pennsylvania airport wearing non-religious disguises, including a Superman hat. It was initially believed that the children were taken to New York City. The group, which currently has an estimated 200 members, was founded in Jerusalem in the 1980s and later relocated to Brooklyn. In the years since, its members have routinely subjected children to physical, sexual and emotional abuse," according to the criminal complaint. Last year, a 14-year-old boy alleged that the religious leaders undressed me and beat me and kicked me many times." One of the men, he said, killed a baby and another man. He hits and kicks all of the children. The group has become increasingly extreme in recent years, which prompted the children's mother to flee the community in November, according to the complaint. The men allegedly abducted the two children in retaliation on December 8th. "The defendants engaged in a terrifying kidnapping of two children in the middle of the night, taking the children across the border to Mexico," the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York said in a statement. "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." The children are expected to be flown back to Brooklyn to be with their mother early this week. For more on the Lev Tahor abuse allegations, check out this Canadian news segment from 2014: When I was a kid, I sold lemonade to raise money to buy myself movie tickets. If the sale went well, I'd score not only admission to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Keswick Theatre but also popcorn, Raisinets, and a Coke chaser. I was so not Alivia Whitaker. Alivia, who lives in Fishtown and is all of 7, sold lemonade last year to raise money to buy back-to-school stuff for needy kids. The $100 she earned paid for 10 backpacks fully loaded with school supplies. This Saturday (Oct. 6), the mission of Alivia's latest lemonade sale is to pay for bus fare for Philly kids who live too close to their public schools to qualify for the free SEPTA passes given by the School District to students who live farther away. The district helps tons of Philly public-, charter-, and private-school students get to and from school at no personal cost to families. About 40,000 first to sixth graders ride actual school buses each day, says district spokesperson Lee Whack. An additional 63,000 or so seventh to 12th graders receive district-issued SEPTA TransPasses, which are good for free transit on weekdays between 5:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. The passes cost about $35 million, most of which is reimbursed by the state through a process that is (trust me) too complicated to break down in this column. To be eligible for the passes, students must live farther than 1.5 miles from school, because the district has to draw a line somewhere. Currently, about 34,000 students are ineligible for the passes. "We're a large school district with a lot of competing costs," says Whack, pointing out that the district is also on the hook for transporting Philly kids to charter and private schools. "We have to prioritize transportation for students who have longer commutes." For kids who live a few blocks from school, the policy is no problem, obviously. For kids who live closer to that 1.5-mile mark, the trek can be an ordeal on a cold, snowy, or rainy day. So, no biggie, right? Just hop on SEPTA for a day. Unless, of course, the cost of the fare is unaffordable, which it can be for low-income students, which the city has a lot of. Even in nice weather, a kid would still need to leave home pretty early to arrive at school in time for the free breakfast he or she may rely upon. For some, says Robert Serrano, the walk takes them through sketchy neighborhoods and opioid encampments they'd rather ride through, if only they could. So their parents drop them off on their own way to work, but that means kids can arrive at 6:30 a.m., before school doors even open. "Some kids wind up just staying home," says Serrano, a Spanish teacher at Penn Treaty School in Fishtown, whose sixth- to 12th-grade students hail from neighborhoods as diverse as Fishtown, Kensington, North Philly, and Old Richmond. "It's a real issue." (If it's a real issue at Penn Treaty, I'm betting it's an issue at other schools, too. If you have a tale to share, hit me up at polaner@phillynews.com.) Serrano described the situation to Alivia's mom, Venise Whitaker, a constituent-services rep for City Council President Darrell Clarke. She wound up discussing it later with Alivia. Her daughter's solution: Use a lemonade sale to help kids at Penn Treaty buy SEPTA Key cards (which can be loaded with credit for $2 rides, a discount from the usual $2.50 fare). "What can I say? She's a great kid," says Whitaker, who will donate the funds to the nonprofit Friends of Penn Treaty School, which will oversee the purchase of SEPTA cards. Alivia and friends (and their moms) will be manning their colorful booth from noon to 2 p.m. at this Saturday's "Breakin' the Ballot" nonpartisan, voter registration and arts fair, sponsored by the 18th Ward Democrats at Fishtown Rec Center. There'll be break-dance performers, music and DJ, face painting, crafts, and guest speakers. If you're in the area and feeling thirsty, stop by for a refreshing cup of lemonade, poured by Alivia. Whose cause is almost as sweet as she is. Breakin' the Ballot is Saturday, Oct. 6, noon to 2 p.m., Fishtown Rec Center, 1202 Montgomery Ave. Seventh-grader Matthew Mattliocco regularly attends the Read to a Dog! program. His dad notes that the presence of the dog helps to ease Mattliocco's anxiety. Read more "Hi, Orchid this is Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook," says 12-year-old Matthew Mattliocco, showing off the cover of his book to Orchid, the black Labrador retriever sitting quietly at his feet. Mattliocco gives the 4-year-old pooch a pat on the head before diving into his first sentence of the day. "Chapter 1: No Good Reason. My name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice. Except I don't like Beatrice. I just like B and that's all," a smiling Mattliocco reads from Barbara Park's book. Mattliocco, whose curly locks match the auburn hair of the blue-eyed Junie on his book, is a regular participant of the Free Library of Philadelphia's Read With a Dog! program, unfolding every Monday at the Falls of the Schuylkill branch and on select dates at other library branches. The program invites those of all ages to come out and practice their reading skills in front of a friendly dog. "The goal is to give anyone that wants to read a place to do so without judgment, in a comfortable area," says Meredith McGovern, children's librarian at the Falls of the Schuylkill branch. "The dog doesn't care if you mess up some words, or if it takes you awhile to complete a sentence, or if you have to skip over a word. A lot of times, the only person around besides the reader is the dog's owner, who also isn't there to judge." For Mattliocco, a cheery seventh grader with a zest for humorous books, it's an activity he looks forward to every week, traveling all the way from South Philadelphia with his dad to the East Falls library branch. Orchid not only makes reading more fun for Mattliocco, but also helps to put him at ease. "Matthew has autism, which causes him to get anxious, but the dogs always really calm him," says his dad, John Mattliocco. "He's extremely smart, so for him, the dogs are really just therapeutic they give him a break from the uneasiness he experiences." While the program primarily attracts school-age kids from 6 to 11 years old, the program is open to anyone. Those who wish to participate need simply to sign up upon arrival at the library and pick out a book. Each reader is given about 15 minutes to read. "Sometimes kids will say they don't want to read, but when the dogs show up, they instantly want to pick out a book," says McGovern. "It gets them excited and gives them time to build their confidence so that when they go back to the classroom, they eventually feel more comfortable reading in a social setting." Tyler Hollingsworth, a fourth grader at the Thomas Mifflin School, located just across the street from the Falls of the Schuylkill, likes Orchid because she's far more attentive than her own dog at home. "My dog would've just jumped off my bed and ran away by now," says Hollingsworth of her 7-year-old Chihuahua, King. "Orchid's gentle it's more comfortable than reading out loud at school." Before turning each page from Mo Willems' Let's Go for a Drive, Hollingsworth makes sure to let Orchid first see the colorful illustrations paired with each sentence. "Piggie! I have a great idea! Let's go for a drive!" she reads, as Orchid slowly turns onto her back. Orchid is one of the quietest "kids" in the library, a patient listener, adding distraction only when affectionately rolling over to receive another belly rub midsentence from the reader beside her. She and another furry friend, a little brown rescue mutt named Wally, alternate appearances every Monday at the library. Both are certified therapy dogs, with owners who say their pets naturally love kids. "I really wanted her to be able to do something that she liked and in the community to help people," says Orchid's owner, Zoe Murphy, who is still a student herself, currently a 10th grade homeschooler living in Philadelphia's Wissahickon neighborhood. "She's my best friend, and I'm so happy to be able to share her with the world." Orchid has been a part of the program for a year, so she knows the drill. Upon walking into the library, she'll often immediately go straight to her reading rug and flop down on her back, awaiting the first kid to give her a belly rub. During reading time, sometimes she'll appear so interested in a story that she'll actually rest her chin on the book's pages, intently watching the child in front of her. "Many kids in our overcrowded classrooms don't have the experience of reading aloud to an eager listener or of being the one doing the reading rather than being a passive listener," says Wally's owner, Elaine Frank, a lover of libraries who got involved with the program because of the value she saw in the service. "It also gives the children the opportunity to be the one in charge, choosing what book to read and wondering if Wally will like it." Thomas Scheuerman wants to vote Tuesday. He'd really, really like to cast a ballot. To do so, he's planning on having a colleague cover part of his shift while Scheuerman votes at 7 a.m., right when the polls open, before rushing to work. "If he says no I'm kind of stuck," Scheuerman said. "If there's a situation and someone says no has child-care issues or something I'm stuck, I won't vote this year." Scheuerman, 29, is an emergency medical technician with the Philadelphia Fire Department, driving an ambulance around the city in response to 911 calls. He's not exactly free to take a break to vote in the middle of a 12-hour shift, and he lives across the city from where he's stationed. Scheuerman and most of his 500 or so fellow first responders working Election Day in the city also aren't eligible for absentee ballots, which are limited to very specific circumstances by Pennsylvania law; early in-person voting is not allowed in the state. "We're not allowed to vote, basically," said Jack Eltman, a 15-year firefighter with the Fire Department and a union official who lived in Northeast Philadelphia before recently moving outside the city. The plight of Philly's first responders, experts said, demonstrates how restrictive election laws create barriers to voting. While other states have expanded their voting options over the last two decades, Pennsylvania's election laws have remained largely trapped in amber. Pennsylvania law does allow absentee voting for those working on Election Day if they'll be outside the town where they live. But Philly's firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs are required to live in the city for their first years on the job, and a spokesperson for the union, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 22, said the majority of members remain in Philadelphia after the residency requirement expires. "This completely disenfranchises them," said Robin Kolodny, a Temple University political science professor, when told of the situation. "People should be outraged by that. It's completely inappropriate." How people vote in Pennsylvania: In person, on Election Day In contrast to Pennsylvania, a movement over the last decade or two to open up the voting process has expanded access in other states Today, 37 states allow early voting and 27 states including New Jersey allow absentee voting without needing to state a reason. (Washington, D.C. allows both.) As those reforms have been implemented, the number of votes cast in some way other than in person on Election Day has continued to rise; in the 2016 presidential election, 16 states had a majority of votes cast early or by mail. Pennsylvania has no early voting and is explicit about the circumstances that allow absentee voting. Absentee ballots are for people who will "be absent from the municipality of their residence, because their duties, occupation or business require them to be elsewhere," or are unable to vote in person because of illness, physical disability, or religious holiday. So while two in five votes cast nationwide in 2016 were by some method other than the polls on Election Day, that number was just 5 percent in Pennsylvania. The struggle for Phillys firefighters and EMS workers First responders in Philly are scheduled to work 12-hour shifts, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or vice versa, though in practice that differs. That means they have to either get to the polls when they open at 7, or rush there just before they close if they get out of work before 8 p.m. If they have long commutes across the city, or traffic is bad that day, or they wake up late, too bad. If they receive last-minute calls emergencies don't follow a set schedule and get out late, too bad. And with absentee voting off the table for Philly's firefighters and EMS workers who live in the city, it all comes down to the in-person vote. There's no guarantee about that, either. "You've got somebody who lives in the Northeast section of the city, works in the Southwest section of the city, there's absolutely zero chance that person's going to be able to vote before or after their shift. And they're unable to fill out an absentee ballot," Eltman said. Multiple members of the Fire Department described individual arrangements they have to make, similar to what Scheuerman hopes to do Tuesday. It's all about working things out with colleagues, trying to cover an hour or two of your shift. "It's not an official solution, it's not a systemic solution," said Noah Turkewitz, 31, an EMT who lives in Fairmount and works in South Philly. Turkewitz managed to make it just in time to vote in person after his day shift in 2016, he said, "only because I happened to get off on time. It was really a toss-up whether I was going to be able to vote." Why itll be years before the absentee ballot requirements can be fixed Firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs aren't the only people who face barriers to voting, of course. They happen to be in a uniquely difficult situation, but there are others who work long hours nurses, say or multiple jobs and just can't vote on Election Day. That's one reason, along with potential cost savings, that early voting and no-excuse absentee voting have become popular in other states. But it's hard, in polarized Pennsylvania, to get lawmakers to open up the election code. Each side worries that the other will take advantage. And there's an additional wrench: The language allowing absentee voting for people who work outside the municipality where they live is written into the state constitution. It's a multi-year process to amend the constitution. But it ought to be done and in a bipartisan fashion, said State Rep. Martina White, a Republican who represents Northeast Philadelphia, where many firefighters live. She said her office wants to take on the issue in the next legislative session. "There is an opportunity for us to help [first responders] and give them what every other citizen gets to do, and be able to vote," White said. Scheurman said he hopes the system will get fixed. "I work Christmas, I work Thanksgiving. I work holidays, nights, weekends," Scheuerman said, and that's OK because "that's the job I've chosen, that's the job I love." He is more than willing to make sacrifices, but "I don't think voting should be one of them." FILE- In this March 11, 2013, file photo retired U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal speaks during a forum called "Ask What You Can Do For America's Veterans" at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass. The former top U.S. commander in Afghanistan says that withdrawing up to half the 14,000 American troops serving there reduces the incentive for the Taliban to negotiate a peace deal after more than 17 years of war. McChrystal says on ABCs This Week that the U.S. has basically traded away the biggest leverage point we have. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) Read more 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 News's "This Week," McChrystal told host Martha Raddatz of Trump, "I don't think he tells the truth." The general also responded affirmatively when asked whether he believes Trump is "immoral." McChrystal said that contrary to Trump's claim, the Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS, has not yet been defeated. "I don't believe ISIS is defeated. I think ISIS is as much an idea as it is a number of ISIS fighters. There's 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. 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 Trump's 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 Trump's 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 McRaven's defense, saying there has to be a "confidence" in the "basic core values" of the country's leaders. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of Trump's 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. "I'm asking the president to make sure we have troops there to protect us," Graham said on CNN's "State of the Union." But after the lunch, Graham told reporters that he had come around to Trump's 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 didn't know that made me feel a lot better about where we're headed in Syria." In Sunday's interview, McChrystal said he would decline if asked to work in the Trump administration, citing what he described as the president's lack of honesty. "I'd say no. It's 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 couldn't tell others not to support Trump, Americans should ask themselves whether the president embodies the country's 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. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, left, and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf have called for changes to their states electoral systems. As other states have expanded voting access, N.J. and Pa. have fallen behind, despite some progress. Read more While the governors of Pennsylvania and New Jersey have made changes to their states electoral systems Gov. Tom Wolf implemented online voter registration in Pennsylvania and Gov. Phil Murphy enacted automatic voter registration in New Jersey theyve had to watch as other states continue to push past them on expansion of voting access. Wolf and Murphy want to catch up. Drawing on advances in other states, Murphy said in December that in 2019 he would push to allow residents to register to vote online; to register to vote on Election Day; to cast a ballot early, before Election Day; to vote as a 17-year-old in a primary election if they will be 18 by the general election; and to vote if on probation or parole. Wolf, a Democrat, has made a similar call for changes. Both governors will need the cooperation of legislatures that are sometimes hostile to them, and Republicans say they have opposed expanded voting access for fear of fraud. Wolf faces a Republican-controlled legislature that often opposes his initiatives. Murphy, also a Democrat, is feuding with the Democratic leadership of the state Legislature in New Jersey, but one of those leaders says they are on the same page when it comes to voting rights. In Pennsylvania, Wolf spokesperson J.J. Abbott said the administration has discussed the issue with legislators. We believe strongly that there is room to find bipartisan consensus in this area, he said. For instance, our administration has had constructive conversations about improving Pennsylvanias antiquated absentee ballot system. If enacted, those changes would make it easier for people to register to vote and to cast a ballot, easing obstacles that can contribute to low turnout and unequal representation. Theyre no panacea, experts warned theres more work to be done to increase faith in the system and turnout in elections but are important means to make the electoral system accessible to all who are eligible and hope to participate. Theres a frighteningly low level of trust and faith in government right now, and so these kinds of reforms are necessary to send a signal that things can change and that the government can be made to work for and be responsive to the people again, said Wendy R. Weiser, a voting rights expert who leads the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. In some cases, change has come from the voters themselves; voter initiatives passed last November expanded voting rights in several states, including restoring the franchise to 1.4 million people in Florida with felony convictions and allowing Maryland voters to register on Election Day. That follows a trend that over the last decade has seen other states enact a variety of changes to make voting more convenient. While some states have moved in the other direction, intentionally restricting access, others including Pennsylvania and New Jersey have largely stayed put. Neither state allows in-person early voting (though New Jerseys no-excuse absentee voting can be used to vote early). Among Pennsylvanias other issues are tight absentee ballot deadlines that mean a disproportionate number of ballots come in late and are rejected, and overseas voters intentionally blocked from accessing the states election websites. In other words, problems remain. And other states are moving forward while Pennsylvania and New Jersey lag, Weiser said. They might not have a strong history of voting discrimination as some states do, she said, but they have definitely fallen behind the rest of the nation in terms of voting access by failing to keep up. It is starting to be an embarrassment, she said of states that have fallen behind, including New York. A spokesperson for Murphy, Mahen Gunaratna, acknowledged the national context. Theres a unique window of opportunity here, given the national conversation around voting rights, he said. Citing efforts to restrict voting rights in other states, he said: Its really on progressive-leaning states to expand the franchise and not just protect voting rights but affirmatively expand them, and its something the governor feels strongly about and something hed like to explore in 2019. While Wolf faces a steep climb in the legislature, Murphy may have an easier path forward: Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey have for several years pushed for most of the changes he is calling for. Voting-access legislation, which included automatic voter registration, early voting, and online voter registration, was backed by powerful lawmakers including Senate President Steve Sweeney (D., Gloucester) and passed by the Legislature in 2015 but vetoed by former Gov. Chris Christie, who said it would abet voter fraud. Following the 2018 election, the Legislature can capitalize on increased public interest in voting rights, said Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald, the Camden County Democrat who sponsored the voting-access bill that Christie blocked. New Jerseys is not an issue of suppression as much as it is of trying to modernize the system, Greenwald said. Greenwald said he and other Democratic lawmakers generally agree with the changes Murphy wants, though he is less certain about allowing people on parole or probation to vote: It depends on the severity of the crime." That may disappoint some advocates, who say disenfranchisement should not be used as a punishment for crime at all. Amol Sinha, the head of the ACLU of New Jersey, said he hopes the state will allow everyone to vote regardless of criminal history including those currently incarcerated. Pointing to New Jerseys disproportionately high rate of black incarceration, he said: That means we are systemically and deliberately denying black people the right to vote in our state, and that is unconscionable. Greenwald said voting access is at the top of the agenda in the new year. You will see this, he said. Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul opened its first phase in October. The plan is for it to become the world's busiest passenger hub. Read more If youre headed out of town this week, the airport may not look too different from the one you walked through in January 2018. Theres a fellow slouched in his seat with his eyes closed, waiting for his delayed flight. All the electric outlets are taken (or not working), so you cant charge your smartphone. But theres a lot about travel that has changed over the last 12 months even if you were too focused on your destination to notice. Here are some highlights: Flights Went Farther Qantas Airways debuted its newest ultra-long-haul in the spring: a flight from Perth to London. At 17 hours, it came close to breaking records. Then in October, Singapore Airlines one-upped Qantas. Its 18-hour, 45-minute route which spans 10,400 miles from Changi to Newark, N.J. is 500 miles longer than the previous record-holder, a Qatar Airways flight from Auckland to Doha. Credit goes to Airbus' new A350-900 Ultra Long Range aircraft, which uses less fuel than previous versions, which makes the journey possible. (Our reviewer says the journey feels every bit as long as it is, despite there being only business-class seats aboard.) And flights are only going to continue getting longer. Gulfstream made advances this year that will help private aviation reach extreme distances, and Qantas would like to have 20-hour flights from New York and London to Sydney by 2022 possibly on planes with bunk beds, child-care facilities, and fitness centers. Planes Got Nicer Unlike recent years, which brought monumental advancements in luxury (Qatars Qsuites and Emirates' Residences, for instance), 2018 was a bit of a snooze. Thats not a bad thing: Sometimes its the less-glitzy, incremental advancements that can have a wider-reaching effect. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines all started installing premium economy cabins along their international routes, and JetBlue Airways announced the expansion of its relatively affordable (and very comfortable) Mint Business Class. A large number of European carriers, too, added more first-class seats to their planes, reversing a years-long trend to eliminate those ultra-premium seats. Still stuck in cattle class? Dont worry: Even perks such as in-flight internet access were a focus this year, as service got more ubiquitous and faster than ever. Tented Camps Became All the Rage Hotels with four walls are so 2017. This year was all about the tented camp experiential properties inspired by the glamour of the African savannah. They cropped up in Bali, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka, with more in the works in Mexico, Costa Rica, and beyond. And, no, were not talking about roughing it. These are tents with private pools, indoor and outdoor showers, canopied beds, and butler service. The canvas walls just add to the adventure. The Caribbean Rebounded A year after the one-two punch of devastating Hurricanes Irma and Maria, hotels have been refurbished and reopened and new air routes have improved access to quieter corners of the region. Travel companies throughout the spectrum are engaging in smart philanthropic efforts. The combination has been powerful. Jack Ezon, founder and managing partner of luxury travel agency Embark, says 62 percent of his Northeast client base is traveling to the Caribbean this winter season, up from a historical average of 53 percent. Among the hotels to prioritize: the sceney Mandarin Oriental Pink Sands in Canouan, the fully redone Dorado Beach Ritz-Carlton Reserve in San Juan, and Silversands, the first resort to pull out all the stops on the lush island of Grenada. And just about anything in St. Barts and Anguilla. Hotels Figured Out How to Take on Airbnb No, the answer isn't to start offering apartment rentals. In fact, the companies that tried that approach largely floundered in 2018. Instead, hoteliers found success in the extended-stay model, which was due for a rethink. In Europe and the United States, "boutique apart-hotels" took the best parts of extended-stay hotels (large suites with kitchens, affordable rates) and merged them with modern-day luxuries like high-end design, third-wave coffee shops, and vibrant co-working spaces. One such brand, Locke, was purchased for $565 million. Its main competition? Not Marriott, but Airbnb. The intention is to cover every major European city and get the company to $2 or $2.5 billion [in valuation] then well look at the U.S. and Australasia markets, Lockes founder, Eric Jafari, told Bloomberg in July. Layovers Became Less Painful New hubs made globetrotting a more streamlined pursuit this year. Istanbuls Ataturk International Airport, which is slated to become the busiest passenger hub in the world, opened its first phase; Oman debuted a new hub for the Middle East; Singapores Changi went next-level with automation technology; and the most nightmarish U.S. hub, New Yorks LaGuardia, opened part of its $8 billion facelift to all cheers and no jeers. And its not just the airports that have gotten upgrades its how we navigate them. New and expanding companies are offering VIP treatment to fliers, letting them skip the customs line, get into exclusive lounges, and drive them straight to the jetway. The Balkans Became Buzzy The trendy destination of 2018 was the Balkans. (Yes, the whole region.) Europhiles looking for the next big thing set their sights just past over-touristed Croatia on places like Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia. All have untrammeled, postcard-perfect landscapes, fascinating history, distinct food traditions, few crowds, and easy access. Whether you connect them by road trip or regional flights, it's easy to check off a couple of countries in a single weeklong trip. (Up next on the insiders' heat map: the Silk Road.) Kid-Friendly Travel Went Next-Level Multigenerational travel trips that include kids, parents, and grandparents has been a dominant force in the industry for the last few years. But this year, the idea got a new spin. First was the concept of skip-gen trips, where grandparents cut the parents out of the equation and take the grandkids for a grand tour, European or otherwise. That put more pressure on the older generation to channel what younger travelers want, which isnt always easy. As a response, TCS World Travel, which specializes in luxury travel, has convened a panel of teenage consultants who can help adults cater to their ever-shifting preferences. A few months later, Big Five Tours & Expeditions followed suit. Hotels have also started to overhaul their family-friendly programming. 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 Hanukkah, The Festival Of Lights Happy early Hanukkah! This year Hanukkah started in November. We believe the last time it did was in 2013, on November 27 when it began... Letters to the Editor Land Of OpportunityStill To The Editor: I rarely take a car service in Queens. Mass transit is usually faster and its become much cheaper... Canadian shares look headed for a positive opening on Monday, tracking higher futures after U.S. President Donald Trump sounded confident about the progress in U.S.-China trade talks. Higher commodities too point to a steady opening for Bay Street. Trump reported "big progress" in trade talks with his Chinese counterpart, tweeting that negotiations toward a comprehensive trade deal were "moving along very well." On Friday, the benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index ended up 56.79 points, or 0.4%, at 14,222.00 after a highly volatile session. The index scaled a low of 14,174.04 and a high of 14,326.86 in the session. A day earlier, the index had jumped 385 points, or about 2.8%. In company news, Centric Health Corporation (CHH.TO) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to divest its two Alberta retail pharmacy operations located in Grande Prairie and Medicine Hat to an Alberta retail pharmacy company. Buhler Industries (BUI.TO) reported full-year net loss of $49.5 million, compared to net income of $0.5 million income in the prior year. Canada Goose Holdings Inc. shares will be in focus after the company opened its flagship store in Beijing over the weekend, after a delay of about two weeks. The delay was due to escalating tensions between Canada and China following the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co.'s chief financial officer in Vancouver. Asian stocks finished on a mixed note Monday as weak manufacturing data from China offset signs of progress in trade talks between the United States and China. Markets in Japan, South Korea, China, Indonesia and Thailand were closed for New Year's Eve. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 1.34% after U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said that he had a "long and very good call" with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that a comprehensive trade deal between the United States and China is moving along very well, raising hopes for a breakthrough in the trade dispute. Chinese state media cited President Xi Jinping as saying he believed both sides wanted "stable progress." European stocks were higher as soothing comments from both the U.S. and Chinese presidents praising progress in trade talks helped spur hopes for a resolution to the U.S.-China trade conflict. In addition, the Italian parliament has approved the government's 2019 budget after reaching a truce with Brussels. In economic news from Europe, Turkey's merchandise trade deficit for November narrowed significantly from the same month last year, as exports grew, while imports plummeted, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed on Monday. In commodities, crude oil futures for February were rising $1.08, or 2.4%, at $46.41 a barrel. Natural gas futures for February were down $0.188, or 5.69%, at 3.115 per million btu. Gold futures for February were edging up $2.65, or 0.21%, at $1,285.65 an ounce. Silver futures for March were up $0.109, or 0.71%, at $15.545 an ounce, while Copper futures for March were down $0.003, or 0.09%, at $2.679 per pound. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The majority of the European ended Monday's session in the green. A number of markets, including those in German, Switzerland and the Nordic countries, were closed on New Year's Eve. The remaining markets closed their doors early ahead of tomorrow's New Year's Day holiday. The gains were fueled by optimism about a potential U.S.-China trade deal following comments from President Donald Trump. In a post on Twitter on Saturday, Trump he had a "long and very good" telephone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Deal is moving along very well," Trump tweeted. "If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made!" The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index advanced 0.47 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone blue chip stocks increased 0.50 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, added 0.29 percent. The DAX of Germany was closed and the CAC of France rose 1.11 percent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. declined 0.09 percent and the SMI of Switzerland was closed. In London, Oilex jumped 8.28 percent after it received approximately US$290,000 in cash call proceeds relating to its Cambay joint venture with the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation. AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group N.V. rallied 3.0 percent in Amsterdam after it appointed Guido Lober as Chairman of the Management Board of AMG Technologies. The manufacturing sector in China fell into contraction in December, the latest survey from the National Bureau of Statistics said on Monday with a PMI score of 49.4. That's down from the no-change mark 50.0 in November, falling beneath that mark and into contraction. A score above 50 signals expansion. Greece retail sales in October fell at the fastest pace since the middle of 2016, figures from the Hellenic Statistical Authority showed on Monday. Retail turnover fell 2.2 percent year-on-year in October, after a rise of 4.5 percent in September. The volume of retail sales dropped 4 percent. Sales decreased for the first time since February and at the fastest pace since August 2016, when sales fell 2.6 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis (file photo) An attack by Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) has been foiled by the army on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, officials said on Monday. Army sources said that the BAT attack on a forward post in Naugam sector of the LoC was foiled on Sunday in which two attackers were killed. "A major BAT strike took place in Naugam sector in the early hours of Sunday," informed sources said. Rajya Sabha The Rajya Sabha was on Monday adjourned till 2 p.m. amid ruckus, minutes after it met for the the day. As soon as Zero Hour was called, AIADMK members trooped to the Chair's podium, holding placards and shouting slogans. They have been protesting against a proposed dam on the Cauvery river in Karnataka. Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Opposition wants the House to function and it has nothing to do with the AIADMK protest. "I want to clarify from my party's side as well as the entire Opposition that we have nothing to do with this ruckus. This (noise) should not be credited in the Opposition's account. It is between the AIADMK and the government," Azad said. The Congress and other Opposition members kept sitting silently in their seats. Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh asked the members who had given Zero Hour notices to continue speaking on their issues. TMC member Nadimul Haque said he could not speak until the House was in order and asked the Chair to restore order in the House. As the protesting AIADMK members did not relent, the Chair adjourned the House till 2 p.m. Earlier, the House paid homage to iconic filmmaker Mrinal Sen, a former member of Rajya Sabha, who died on Sunday at the age of 95, in Kolkata after a prolonged illness. The House observed two minutes silence in his memory. The city of El Cajon has been awarded $4.8 million in grants from the California Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Two grants will fund a number of improvements along two of the busiest roads in the city Jamacha Road, which turns into North Second Street from Broadway to Washington Avenue; and Madison Avenue from North Johnson Avenue to North Second Street. The grants will help the city improve vehicle and pedestrian safety, said Public Works Director Dirk Epperson. Along Jamacha, the city will be able to install raised medians and provide more visible pedestrian crossings at both signalized intersections and crossings without signals. Safety improvements at uncontrolled intersections will bring new flashing warning beacons to alert motorists of pedestrians. Advertisement Changes along Madison Avenue will include new street lights, bike lanes and crosswalk enhancements. Epperson said the safety improvements on Madison are especially paramount because two high schools El Cajon Valley and Granite Hills are situated along the street, as is Wells Park, the citys largest park. El Cajons two projects getting grant help about $2.4 million each were among 221 projects earmarked for $182 million of federal Highway Safety Improvement Program funds. Other East County grantees: La Mesa was awarded four grants totaling just over $1 million to improve pedestrian upgrades on several streets; Santee received one grant for about $220,000 to improve traffic signals citywide; Barona Band of Mission Indians received one grant for nearly $250,000 to install pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety improvements at Wildcat Canyon Road and Willow Road; Viejas Tribal Government got one grant for about $74,000 to install new signs and rumble strips on the reservation. Epperson said El Cajon will start designing changes next year and anticipates breaking ground on the improvements next summer. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Two of what would be Oceansides tallest, largest and most luxurious hotels soon may go up on a pair of vacant lots overlooking the citys downtown beach and pier, an area thats long been a popular tourist destination. Its a matter of weeks, not months until construction begins, said Jeremy Cohen in the San Diego office of developer S.D. Malkin Properties. I dont want to put a jinx on it, but we are very close, he said Wednesday. If I had an exact date I would tell you. Final details are being ironed out on a three-party agreement between Malkin, the city of Oceanside and Denver-based Two Roads Hospitality, Cohen said. Two Roads, which was acquired by the Hyatt Hotels Corp. in November, operates high-end resorts across North America and Asia, including LAuberge in Del Mar. Advertisement The two-block site in Oceanside is bisected by the western end of Mission Avenue, with boundaries at Pacific and Myers streets, Pier View Way and Seagaze Drive. A destination resort has been planned for the site since Oceanside formed its redevelopment agency in the 1970s. The city has courted developers interested in building there since the 1980s. The current deal, expected to close escrow in days, sells Malkin the entire two blocks for $1.5 million, a bargain for the developer. The City Council voted 3-2 in 2001 to spend about $3.6 million to buy the property, which at the time was 24 separate lots occupied mostly by old, small, single-family homes. The area was considered blighted, and the city acquired some of the lots through eminent domain. In addition to the low-cost deal for the land, the City Council approved a $13.6 million subsidy in 2014 for the resort, primarily in the form of a rebate on transient occupancy tax to be spread over its first 15 years. The so-called room tax is added to the rate charged to hotel guests. City officials say the benefits of the resort will far outweigh the costs to taxpayers. As a four-star destination resort, it will attract a new visitor segment to Oceanside and will bring new patrons to downtown, Assistant City Manager Deanna Lorson said by email Wednesday. The high-end beachfront resort will bolster Oceanides image as a tourism destination, create new, permanent jobs, and boost business throughout the areas downtown retail and visitor-serving communities, she said. The project is projected to generate $30.7 million in revenue to the city in its first 15 years, and create 225 full-time and 55 part-time jobs upon completion, Lorson said. Malkin already has an approved grading permit and is obtaining building permits so that construction can begin soon after escrow closes, Lorson said. Completion is expected to take about two years. Both hotels will face Pacific Street and the ocean, one on the city block north of Mission Avenue and the other on the block south of Mission. The southern hotel will be six stories tall with 226 rooms, and the northern building will be seven stories, with 158 rooms and a restaurant on the top floor. Oceanside offers a rare opportunity to build a large, beachfront resort, Cohen said. There are very few full-service hotels on the (San Diego County) coastline that offer ballrooms and large meeting facilities, Cohen said. That is one thing that will be unusual. The scale of interior design and quality is something you dont see often on the coastline. The nearby Oceanside Transit Center is another benefit for the resort, he said. You can literally step off the train and walk to the hotel, Cohen said. Its probably the best rail access to a hotel anywhere. Its very green and in tune with mass transportation. Oceanside chose Malkin from a field of three finalists with proposals for the property in 2005. It was Oceansides fourth try in 25 years to land a luxury hotel for the site. One of the previous proposals was a 12-story project by San Diego hotel magnate and onetime Union-Tribune owner Doug Manchester. Manchesters plan included closing parts of three streets, including Pacific, to vehicular traffic. That and the overall huge scale of the proposal created controversy and opposition. In 2003, the Oceanside City Council voted to pay Manchester $2.2 million to settle a $15 million lawsuit he filed against the city after the Coastal Commission failed to approve his plan. Malkins plan was more widely accepted, but it too hit some rough waters. The Great Recession slowed many developers, including Malkin, and the city has granted multiple time extensions over the years for the company to obtain financing for the project. Also, a group called San Diegans for Open Government filed a lawsuit in 2014 claiming the city had violated the states open meeting laws when it awarded the subsidy. The lawsuit was resolved in the projects favor in early 2017. Coming soon signs went up recently on the property and boosted the long-simmering interest in the site. The time is right for construction to begin, Cohen said. The nearby Coast Highway corridor and beachfront areas have been revitalized, and new multi-story buildings with a mixture of residential and retail uses are going up on nearby blocks. Oceanside has a wonderful fabric that has seen a tremendous renaissance in the last couple of years, he said. Its become a great place to live, work and dine. Adding to the lure and lore of the location is the presence of the Graves house, a little blue cottage built in 1887, now more widely known as the Top Gun house for the 1983 hit movie starring Tom Cruise and Kelley McGillis. Fenced off and boarded up, its the only structure remaining on the property. The Top Gun house will be moved off the site during construction, Cohen said. The building will be restored to historical standards and returned to the property as part of the hotel, on the block north of its present location, probably to become a boutique ice cream parlor open to the public. Two Roads Hospitality is the new kid on the Oceanside blocks. The hotel and resort management company formed in 2016 with the merger of Destination Hotels and Commune Hotels and Resorts. Two Roads announced its partnership with Malkin in January 2018, with plans to design and operate the two halves of the Malkin resort one as a Destination Hotel and the other as a Joie de Vivre Hotel. The city of Oceanside has seen an enormous culinary and artistic resurgence, with significant economic growth and redevelopment in recent years, said Jamie Sabatier, CEO of Two Roads Hospitality. The Joie de Vivre Hotel on the northern block will include a ground-level restaurant, a coffee house, cafe and market, a fitness center, 3,000 square feet of street-front retail, and an indoor-outdoor roof-top pool and bar. The Destination Hotel on the southern block also will have a restaurant, an indoor-outdoor bar, an elevate pool deck, and indoor-outdoor bar, a spa, and space for large meetings and events. philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @phildiehl When 85-year-old Gerry Fairbanks sits down in front of a blank canvas, she says her paintbrush might just as well be a magic wand. Painting is magic to me, she said during an oil-painting class Dec. 27 at Cypress Court retirement community in Escondido. To start off with a blank page and all of a sudden you have something? Thats magical. Fairbanks started painting about 20 years ago when she began losing her hearing. It was one of the few recreational activities she could enjoy without the necessity of sound. Shes now a regular at the weekly oils classes led by art instructor Janice Eakin. On Thursday, Fairbanks was painting a violin with a pair of songbirds perched on its neck. Among her fellow students, shes known for her beautiful birds. Fairbanks now has a cochlear implant, which has improved her hearing, particularly in quiet spaces like the painting class. Shes one of many Cypress Court painters who, in spite of physical limitations, have found unbridled freedom through a paintbrush. Advertisement John Call, 96, right, studies his painting of an Egyptian coastal village. Call is legally blind but his teacher Janice Eakin, back right, has found a way to help him paint during oils classes at Cypress Court retirement community in Escondido. (Pam Kragen/San Diego Union-Tribune) Eakins students include residents who are recovering from strokes, battling hand tremors and arthritis and suffer from failing vision, among other age-related issues. Some are novice painters, some are accomplished. All share the same desire to create in whatever ways they can. Case in point: Former student Louise Nielson, 100, who learned to paint with her left hand after a stroke disabled her right. She passed away last year. Judy Lucous, wellness director at Cypress Court, said shes inspired every week when she visits the painting class. I love how everyone interacts with each other and how they inspire the other residents here, Lucous said. It shows how its never too late to try something new. John Call, 96, has macular degeneration. He has lost all vision in his left eye and has only limited vision in his right. But with Eakins help he has found a creative way to paint over the past three years. Eakin mixes Calls colors and when he puts brush to canvas he follows the motion of her finger to direct his brush strokes. After the paint dries, Eakin goes back in with a black marker to add outlines to his somewhat shapeless forms. Calls favorite painting is a riverscape near the Valley of the Kings in Upper Egypt. A felucca boat with a lateen sail rests on a sandy shore near a mudbrick home and palm tree grove. Its a scene he remembers well from his 20 years working in the U.S. Foreign Service, including three years in Cairo. He visited this very village in the mid-1950s. Ruth Gelgand, 86, learned how to paint many years ago from a close friend who studied art in Mexico City. But she didnt really put her training to work until she moved into Cypress Court from Valley Center four years ago. On Thursday, Gelgand was starting on a still life of fruits, including a plum, pear, eggplant and mango. After drawing the outline of the fruits on her canvas with a pencil, she mixed her colors with a bit of help from Eakin and began painting. Because her right hand shakes a bit, she stabilizes her brush with her left hand. She also appreciates the forgiving nature of oils, which can be painted over easily once theyre dry. I like the challenge in trying to do something more difficult each time, Gelgand said. When Im painting, the time goes by very fast. Its relaxing. Gerry Fairbanks, 85, left, and Cathie Martin, 76, work on oil paintings Dec. 27 at Cypress Court retirement community in Escondido. Fairbanks wears a cochlear implant for hearing issues. Martin has a tremor in her hands so she paints in an impressionistic style. (Pam Kragen/San Diego Union-Tribune) Eakin first discovered painting in high school and has studied art under professional painters in San Diego. She has worked for Kisco Senior Living, which owns Cypress Court, for 25 years and started teaching art there in 2008. She teaches two 90-minute classes every Thursday and draws 5 to 8 residents to each class. When she first started the classes, Eakin said her instructions were more formal, with step-by-step instructions and every participant painting the same picture. Now, she encourages residents to paint whatever they like. Some residents bring in their own family or vacation photos for inspiration, other ideas are drawn from greeting cards, calendar art and museum paintings. Fairbanks said she likes Eakins style of instruction. Eakin can provide expert advice when its requested, but she isnt overbearing. She helps me find colors and mix colors, Fairbanks said. Sometimes I get stuck and she helps me get unstuck. Cathie Martin, 76, is Eakins newest student. A 1-year resident of Cypress Court, she joined the class two weeks ago and on Thursday morning was putting the final touches on her first painting, a vase of large daisy-like cut flowers. Martin has a tremor in her hands, so she cant do detail work with a paintbrush. Eakin helped her choose a subject that lends itself well to broad, impressionistic brushstrokes. I love the color, lots of color and I love mixing the colors. Its fun, she said. Eakins oldest student is Zola Brink, 102, who likes painting landscapes in addition to playing bridge two to three days a week and volunteering in the communitys store. Brinks favorite subjects to paint are landscapes, particularly bucolic and farm scenes that remind her of her childhood in Kansas. One of Eakins most enthusiastic students is Rita Courtney, 90, who moved to Cypress Court from Ramona 15 years ago. Shes been painting with Eakin for the past four years. On Thursday, she was working on a wintry painting of a cardinal perched on a snow-covered branch studded with red berries. She said she appreciates how Eakin allows her the freedom to make her own choices but also provides a safety net of advice when she needs it. I love coming here every week, Courtney said. Its my moment of serenity. pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com When Kevin Spenla joined the Marines, he thought he was going to be a firefighter. But a last-minute change sent him to aviation ordnance where he installed bombs on F-18 fighter jets. After I got out, I still wanted that firetruck, Spenla said. So he bought one on eBay six-and-a-half years ago, installed a 4,000-pound Italian wood-burning oven, and turned it into a food truck called Dang Brother Pizza. Spenla now has five trucks, including two that operate on Camp Pendleton, and was one of the most popular trucks at this years Holiday Food Truck Festival at Balboa Park. Advertisement Now in its third year, more than 250,000 people attended the annual food festival, according to Sue Varga, director of park activation for the Balboa Park Conservancy. This is one of the busiest weeks of the year, Varga said of the time between Christmas Day and New Years Eve. A lot of the tourists come from cold places. Theyll arrive around Christmas time and stay for New Years or the Holiday Bowl, she added. One of those was Michael Unger, 42, from Las Vegas. He recently moved from the East Coast to Nevada and came to San Diego for New Years Eve. Unger and a friend discovered the Holiday Food Truck Festival online and decided to spend Sunday trying as much food as they could. This is our third truck actually, he said while standing in line for Belgian waffles. The two had a salmon burger and crab cake before ordering the waffles with bananas and covered in whipped cream. Balboas holiday festival isnt just about the food trucks. There are free family events, including games like giant Jenga, hula-hoops, corn hole and live music. Museums also hold special events like free hands-on activities for families. But the main attraction is the food. Varga has a roster of 40 food trucks available during the holiday festival. There is only enough space for 16 trucks to park along El Prado at Balboa Park. So the trucks rotate throughout the week, each day features different trucks. On Sunday, the trucks sold deep-fried Oreos, gyros, grilled cheese, bubble tea, and specialty burgers. I have probably every type of food, she said. I have sweet and savory. I have Thai food, I have Mexican food, and I have pierogies. She also has pizza. Splena from Dang Brother said he sold more pizza at Balboa Park in this week than he did at a similar food truck festival over the summer. This has definitely been one of our top events for the year, he said. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter President Donald Trumps trade war may be pushing more manufacturers and other businesses to leave China and one beneficiary is Tijuana, which seems to be booming, in part thanks to the trend. Businesses dont face the tariffs in Mexico that they would if they remained in China. An inexpensive and plentiful labor force, competitive real estate prices and proximity to U.S. markets make Baja California an appealing option for businesses who want out of China, according to Mexican and American business experts. American companies that were in China, now because of the tariffs, are coming to Mexico, said Elias Laniado, the chief commercial officer for Vesta, Tijuanas largest industrial real estate developer. The tariffs benefit us. Advertisement This added interest is contributing to a historic upsurge in Tijuanas economy. The citys industrial real estate vacancy rate is about three percent, and Tijuanas businesses employ the highest number of manufacturing workers in the citys history. Some companies are choosing Tijuana over California because of affordability. They say its simply too expensive to do business in the Golden State, said Adriana Eguia, vice president of new business at Vesta and former CEO of Tijuanas Economic Development Corporation. Companies in Southern California tell me, We want to come back to the U.S. but prices are way too high with minimum wage, so we are looking at Mexico. If we want to grow, it cant be in California, its going to have to be Arizona, Nevada or Mexico, Eguia said. This trend of American-based companies with a presence in China moving to Tijuana began about two years ago, when the cost of doing business in China began to rise. A more recent trend is Chinese-based companies entering the Tijuana market, said Eguia. So who is expanding to Tijuana? They arent household names. They are smaller or midsize companies, said Ernesto Bravo, President of Tecma West, a division of a larger company that helps foreign businesses move into Mexico. They are suppliers to a larger company, and that larger company already has a presence in Mexico. They might be automotive, they might be aerospace or medical, and their client asks the company to be in Mexico. Large companies with a presence in Mexico include Samsung, Toyota, Panasonic and Foxcom, Bravo added. Tecma helps businesses expand into Tijuana by helping them navigate the regulatory process. The company offers a variety of services including tax compliance, customs, human resources, environmental health and safety and leasing. Its difficult to quantify how many China-based companies have moved to Tijuana. Baja California does not track what companies move in and out of the region. Also, about half of all foreign businesses expanding to the area use services that protect the privacy of some of their clients. Anecdotally, Eguia said, the number of email inquiries to the EDC has doubled from Chinese-based companies looking at Tijuana. Three Chinese companies visited Tijuana in a two-week span in November, and a delegation from Hong Kong visited Tijuana in that same month. Interest in Tijuana so high that the EDC decided to send an envoy to China in October. Representatives visited Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong with the aim of pitching them Tijuana as an affordable base from which they can produce goods for American customers. In the majority of cities, the companies commented that they were looking at Mexico because of the trade war, Eguia said. Because Tijuana is close to the United States, shipping and storage costs are lower and executives can oversee production from Southern California. A drive from Los Angeles to Tijuana is less than three hours, while a flight to China is more than 12. This setup also helps San Diegos economy. Every job created in Baja California helps generate half a job in San Diego, according to Paola Avila, vice president of international business affairs for the San Diego Chamber of Commerce. Thats because, while manufacturing and engineering jobs go to Tijuana, companies that expand in Baja often open legal, finance, and marketing departments in San Diego. We actually benefit more from companies that expand into Baja versus a company that expands to Texas, Avila said. Even, I dare say, LA. Experts expect Tijuanas real estate market boom to continue in 2019, although there are some uncertainties with Mexicos new president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Vestas Laniado, who has more than 40 years of experience in the industry, says Tijuanas boom is historic. Weve never had so much activity, he said. At least in my professional life. CBRE, a commercial real estate services and investment firm, has tracked the rate of occupied square footage in Tijuana for years, and reported that 2016 was a record year. In the early part of 2017, there was a slowdown after the U.S. election, but the market bounced back quickly, said Joe Smith, senior vice president at CBRE. By mid-year 2017, it was gangbusters again, it was business as usual, Smith said. 2018 looks like it will be the second busiest year in terms of net and gross absorption that weve seen. Just as investors were worried about Trump in 2017, there are concerns about the new Mexican president. Lopez Obrador has proposed reducing business taxes, doubling the minimum wage and creating an economic zone along the border. Although the business community likes the sound of lower taxes, they are worried about rising wages. If wages rise too much, Tijuana could lose its competitive edge in the global market. Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter A U.S. citizens detention in Moscow on suspicion of espionage could be the opening gambit in a Cold War-style spy drama one overshadowed by a young Russian womans pending sentencing in the United States and the ongoing Russia investigation by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Russias domestic security agency, the FSB, announced Monday that an American identified as Paul Whelan was taken into custody on Friday and a criminal investigation had been opened against him. The brief statement said Whelan was detained amid an espionage mission, but provided no details. In Russia, a conviction for spying could carry a 20-year prison sentence. Russias Foreign Ministry said American authorities had been notified of the detention, and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow referred queries to the State Department. The department said the U.S. had requested consular access. Advertisement The episode coincides with a fraught period for U.S.-Russia relations. In addition to the Mueller probe, which has been yielding a growing trove of indictments, tensions have been running high over recent developments in Ukraine, including last months Russian seizure of two Ukrainian warships, and Moscows role in the war in Syria. The FSB announcement raised immediate speculation about the case of Maria Butina, a Russian national who made a plea deal with U.S. prosecutors and pleaded guilty this month in Washington to conspiracy charges. Butina, who agreed to cooperate with U.S. investigators, acknowledged she had worked to infiltrate politically conservative organizations like the National Rifle Assn., working as an unregistered foreign agent on behalf of the Russian government. The felony charge that the 30-year-old pleaded guilty to carries a five-year prison term, but the estimated sentencing guidelines are considerably lighter: zero to six months in prison. After being freed, Butina would face deportation. Retired CIA official Steven L. Hall, a former head of Russian operations in Moscow, suggested a link between that case and the accusations against Whelan. The Russians LOVE reciprocity, he wrote on Twitter. Think Maria Butina. Russia has sent mixed signals on the Butina case. President Vladimir Putin has said she is not known to any of the countrys spy agencies. But after the former graduate students arrest, Russias foreign ministry spearheaded a high-profile social media campaign in her defense, characterizing her as a political prisoner and at one point using her image as its Twitter avatar. Little was immediately known about Whelan even the English-language spelling of his name was not certain. That rendering came not from the FSBs announcement but from the English-language service of Russias official Tass news agency. A number of Russians have been indicted by Mueller as part of his ongoing investigation of links between Russia and the Donald Trump campaign, although none of those charged was in the U.S. and there is little prospect of them ever standing trial. In July, Mueller indicted 12 Russian intelligence officers in connection with cyberattacks including the 2016 hacking of the Democratic National Committee and the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. Those charges constituted the clearest and most detailed accusations yet by U.S. investigators regarding Russian interference in the 2016 vote. Nearly a year ago, an additional 13 Russians and three Russian companies were charged in connection with election-tampering. Those charges, in February, also centered on Russian efforts to aid the Trump campaign. The Kremlin has denied any state-directed interference in the 2016 election, and Trump has denied any coordination with Moscow on the part of his campaign. But Trumps presidency has been colored by his continued dismissal of U.S. intelligence findings on Russias interference, and by his striking public deferrals to Putin, most notably following a summit in July in Helsinki, Finland. Over the past 18 months, the president has taken to Twitter hundreds of times to angrily denounce Muellers investigation as a politically motivated witch hunt. Western nations moved to punish Moscow after the 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula, imposing a range of sanctions against individuals and corporate entities. The poisoning in March, on British soil, of turncoat Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter drew another round of diplomatic reprisals. The pair survived the poisoning with a military-grade nerve agent, and Russia issued months of aggrieved denials of involvement even after painstakingly reconstructed British surveillance showed two Russian agents making their way to the town of Salisbury, where the attack took place. On Sunday, Putin conveyed a new years greeting to Trump, in which he called Russian-U.S. ties the key factor in ensuring strategic stability and international security. laura.king@latimes.com @laurakingLAT Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report. December 31, 1930 Evening Tribune The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year. Wednesday, December 31, 1930 More than 8,000 San Diegans turned out to hear Albert Einstein speak at the Balboa Park Organ Pavilion on Dec. 31, 1930. Here are the first few paragraphs of the story: MOVED BY RECEPTION SAYS EINSTEIN SAVANT SEES SAN DIEGO FOR FIRST TIME Im feeling fine and delighted to be in California on my first visit here, declared Professor Albert Einstein, world-famed physicist, as he caught his first glimpse of San Diego from the rail of the globe-encircling liner Belgenland early this morning as the great ship glided majestically up the bay toward its berth at pier No. 1. His white, bushy hair blowing in the breeze, Einstein was all smiles as the Belgenland drew up to the pier where hundreds of high school girls, a battery of sound cameras and official dignitaries awaited his arrival. Dr. Albert Einstein a formidable, awe-inspiring name to millions of people who vaguely realize that his theory of relativity blazed a new trail in scientific thought like unto a crimson rocket flaming through the night. But to those who were privileged to meet him in the luxurious salon where he received several dozen newspapermen aboard the Belgenland this morning, he proved to be a quiet, dignified little German professor of vast, good humor and unlimited tact. Besieged by the confusing army of reporters armed with questions ranging from the lofty heights of mathematics to more homely, understandable things, he remained unruffled and serene throughout. Frau Elsa Einstein, who hovered over her famous husband like a mother hen protecting her favorite chick, translated the questions for the professor and relayed his answers to the assembled newshawks. Her broad good-natured face frequently was wreathed in smiles as she faced the rapid volley of interrogation. And Prof. Einstein also showed himself to be a humorist. When some someone asked him: Do you expect to make any new scientific announcement following your stay in California? he replied instantly: Thought is not like politics! As if to say that great scientific discoveries cannot be dished out on order like political ballyhoo. 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. Russias domestic security agency said Monday that it has arrested a U.S. citizen on espionage charges. The Federal Security Service, or FSB, the top KGB successor agency, said that Paul Whelan was detained in Moscow on Friday. The agency said in Mondays statement that he was caught during an espionage operation, but didnt give any details. Spying charges carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years in Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry said the U.S. Embassy was duly notified about the arrest, but wouldnt give any further information. Advertisement The U.S. Embassy in Moscow had no immediate comment. The arrest comes as Russia-U.S. ties have sunk to post-Cold War lows over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Alexander Mikhailov, a retired FSB officer, said the arrest reflected the effectiveness of Russian counterintelligence. The service wouldnt have made this information public unless it had solid evidence, he told the RIA Novosti news agency. 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. Six months after a state Supreme Court ruling that forced local courts to provide court reporters in civil cases involving poor litigants, the courts are working to hire scores of reporters while state court administrators are gearing up to ask for additional funding in 2019. Courts are hustling to fill open slots to comply with the high courts ruling. The state Judicial Council, the policy making authority for the state court system, decided soon after the courts ruling that it would ask for more money in the state budget in the new year so poor people will be able to have court reporters for their cases. This issue is very emergent and is going to have a very significant impact on us in the coming year, Jake Chatters, a council member and executive officer in Placer County said at a meeting in July when the council said seeking the funds would be a priority in its budget request next year. How much the courts will ask for isnt known yet. The council made it clear that it wanted the leeway to use the money not only for in-person reporters but also introducing technological fixes automated recordings or voice-to-text software, for example. Advertisement In the past, efforts to do so have run into strong opposition from court reporters and labor groups, who see them as a way to save costs by eliminating positions. Court reporters also say the technology is not as reliable as claimed and often produces error-ridden transcripts. While that battle lies in the future, for now courts are faced with filling reporter positions, primarily for cases in civil courts and family law courts. In San Diego, the Superior Court needs to fill 28 positions, according to spokeswoman Karen Dalton. So far it has hired 17 new reporters. More than half of the 58 trial courts in the state had eliminated reporters in those courts starting in 2012 as a cost-saving measure in the wake of the states budget woes. As a result, litigants who wanted a word-for-word record of court proceedings had to provide their own out of their own pocket. Reporters can typically cost hundreds of dollars per day, putting it out of reach of many litigants. Then in July, the Supreme Court in a unanimous ruling in a case from San Diego said policies in trial courts that dont provide court reporters discriminate against indigent litigants and violate equal access to justice principles. The ruling said court reporters must generally be made available in cases with indigent litigants who had already secured a fee waiver from the courts. The case involved Barry Jameson, a former inmate who had a long-running case against a prison doctor over his treatment while incarcerated. When Jameson was finally able to begin a trial against the doctor in 2014, his case was dismissed by a judge right after opening arguments for evidentiary reasons. Jameson appealed to the 4th District Court of Appeal in San Diego. But the court said it could not rule on the appeal because there was no official transcript of the proceedings that the court could review. With no transcript, there was no appeal for Jameson. The case ended up at the state Supreme Court, which made the ruling in July. Without an exception for fee waiver recipients, the policy at issue here places indigent civil litigants at a significant disadvantage with respect to the right of appeal compared to those litigants who can afford to pay for a private shorthand reporter, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye wrote. At its meeting in July after the court ruling, the Judicial Council discussed a decline in people entering the profession, according to a video recording of the meeting. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stuart Rice, president of the California Judges Association, said at one point it appeared the reality out there in the world is, no one is going to court reporters school anymore. That could complicate matters, he added. It seems we are going to find ourselves with a shortage of court reporters, he said. But Rachel Barkume, president of the California Court Reporters Association, said that is not the case. There are enough reporters to fill positions, as evidenced by the 51 applicants for the less-than-30 positions available in San Diego, she said in an email. There are over 6,000 licensed court reporters in the state of California, 453 of those in the county of San Diego. Some schools have closed in the last few years, but there are many online programs available, as well as community college programs that have been operating for many years. Its hard to know how many positions around the state will have to be filled. Yvonne Fenner, the executive officer of the Court Reporters Board of California, which licenses and oversees the profession in the state, said the board does not track vacancy information but that there is clearly a demand. We hear the courts saying, we have vacancies, she said. We also hear there are shortages in some counties. Barkume also said that technology alone is not really the answer. She said court reporters are best able to sort out when more than one person talks at a time, or when someone speaks softly or other problems that only having the human element in the courtroom can solve. Audio recordings and voice-to-text are inferior equipment to the combination of specialized technology and a live court reporter, she said. Twitter: @gregmoran greg.moran@sduniontribune.com A 24-year-old man who police said sexually assaulted a woman was arrested early Monday after he was found hiding in the closet of an Oceanside home rented by a vacationing family. Police responded to the home on South Pacific Street near Wisconsin Avenue around 4 a.m. after a 49-year-old woman awoke to a man trying to remove her pajamas and screamed, said Oceanside police spokesman Tom Bussey. The man had entered the home through an unlocked front door, Bussey said. When the female screamed, he ran into a closet and they pinned him there until officers arrived and took him into custody, Bussey said. Advertisement Video of the scene showed the man being led out of the home in handcuffs wearing underwear and a long-sleeved shirt. A large family of about 20 people is staying in the short-term vacation rental, he said. Bussey said the man, who was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, may be a transient. Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com A 50-year-old suspected drunken driver sped the wrong way on Interstate 5 in San Ysidro late Sunday and slammed head-on into a car, leaving both drivers with major injuries. Authorities said the man drove his Chevrolet pickup north in the southbound lanes of I-5 around 10:10 p.m. and smashed into a Mitsubishi Lancer driven by a 25-year-old San Ysidro resident near Dairy Mart Road. Initial reports indicated the driver of the pickup may have driven through the San Ysidro Port of Entry and was being pursued by Border Patrol agents before the collision. Wreckage from the crash blocked three lanes of I-5 and prompted California Highway Patrol officers to close the southbound freeway lanes for nearly an hour as the two drivers were extricated from their vehicles. Advertisement The two men were transported to UCSD Medical Center with major injuries, officials said. One lane and the right shoulder of the freeway were opened for southbound traffic around 11 p.m., but three other lanes remained closed until 1:30 a.m., said CHP Sgt. Brent Lawry. City News Service contributed to this report. Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: 9:35 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 7:05 a.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren on Monday took the first major step toward launching a widely anticipated campaign for the presidency, hoping her reputation as a populist fighter can help her navigate a Democratic field that could include nearly two dozen candidates. No matter what our differences, most of us want the same thing, the 69-year-old Massachusetts Democrat said in a video that highlights her familys history in Oklahoma. To be able to work hard, play by the same set of rules and take care of the people we love. Thats what Im fighting for and thats why today Im launching an exploratory committee for president. Warren burst onto the national scene a decade ago during the financial crisis with calls for greater consumer protections. She quickly became one of the partys more prominent liberals even as she sometimes fought with Obama administration officials over their response to the market turmoil. Now, as a likely presidential contender, she is making an appeal to the partys base. Her video notes the economic challenges facing people of color along with images of a womens march and Warrens participation at an LGBT event. Advertisement In an email to supporters, Warren said shed more formally announce a campaign plan early in 2019. Warren is the most prominent Democrat yet to make a move toward a presidential bid and has long been a favorite target of President Donald Trump. In mid-December, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro also announced a presidential exploratory committee, which legally allows potential candidates to begin raising money. Outgoing Maryland Rep. John Delaney is the only Democrat so far to have formally announced a presidential campaign. But thats likely to change quickly in the new year as other leading Democrats take steps toward White House runs. Warren enters a Democratic field thats shaping up as the most crowded in decades, with many of her Senate colleagues openly weighing their own campaigns, as well as governors, mayors and other prominent citizens. One of her most significant competitors could be Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who is eyeing another presidential run harnessing the same populist rhetoric. She must also move past a widely panned October release of a DNA test meant to bolster her claim to Native American heritage. The move was intended to rebut Trumps taunts of Warren as Pocahontas. Instead, her use of a genetic test to prove ethnicity spurred controversy that seemed to blunt any argument she sought to make. There was no direct mention of it in the video released Monday. Speaking to reporters Monday outside her Cambridge, Massachusetts, home, Warren largely danced around a question on whether she wishes she had handled the DNA test release any differently. I have put it all out there. Its there for anyone to see, Warren said. But at the end of the day ... this election going forward is going to be about the tens of millions of families across this country who work hard, who play to the rules and who just time after time take one body blow after another. Trump told Fox News Channels All-American New Year in an interview to be broadcast Monday night that he hopes Warren does run for president. Well see how she does, he said. I wish her well. I hope she does well. Id love to run against her. Warren has the benefit of higher name recognition than many others in the Democratic mix for 2020, thanks to her years as a prominent critic of Wall Street who originally conceived of what became the governments Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She now faces an arduous battle to raise money and capture Democratic primary voters attention before Iowa casts its first vote in more than a year. She has an advantage in the $12.5 million left over from her 2018 re-election campaign that she could use for a presidential run. Warrens campaign is likely to revolve around the same theme shes woven into speeches and policy proposals in recent years: battling special interests, paying mind to the nexus between racial and economic inequities. I run for office because Im grateful down to my toes for the opportunities that were given to me, and Im determined that we will give those same opportunities to not just some of our kids but to all of our kids, Warren said. Associated Press writers Juana Summers in Washington, Alanna Durkin Richer in Cambridge, Mass., and Steve LeBlanc in Boston contributed to this report. A few months ago, a senior Trump administration official wrote a controversial anonymous op-ed in the New York Times that said forces within the administration were working to rein in President Donald Trumps potentially damaging whims. In a recent interview, Trumps departing chief of staff basically confirmed thats exactly what has happened for the past two years. A Los Angeles Times interview with John Kelly published Sunday says: In the phone interview 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. Advertisement Kelly admits he wasnt consulted much before Trump, shortly after he was inaugurated, 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. I had very little opportunity to look at the orders before they were issued, Kelly said. Obviously, it brought down a greater deal of thunder on the president. Kelly suggested he and others stopped Trump from withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan. (A partial pullout from Afghanistan appears likely, however, following a decision by the president this month, though senior U.S. military officers have said they have received no orders.) When I first took over, he was inclined to want to withdraw from Afghanistan, Kelly said, adding: He was frustrated. It was a huge decision to make ... and frankly there was no system at all for a lot of reasons - palace intrigue and the rest of it - when I got there. Kelly also defended those serving Trump as delivering him the right information, even if it might be disregarded. 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. Kellys words are not exactly a ringing endorsement of Trumps decisions; theyre covering for Trump making decisions that officials didnt like. Hes basically saying, We tried to tell him! Kelly also distanced himself from the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border, blaming then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for a zero-tolerance border policy that resulted in the separations - a policy marked by the deaths of two children who were in U.S. custody. As with the travel ban, Kelly suggests he was blindsided. 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. Kelly is perhaps more diplomatic than the anonymous senior administration official. He was also more subtle than former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who a few weeks ago said Trump was undisciplined, doesnt like to read and tried to do illegal things but was often thwarted by those around him. But at the core of Kellys 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 Trumps way is a pretty strong indictment of Trump as a person and of his presidency. It is also perhaps a warning of whats to come as Trump is increasingly surrounded by yes-men and -women. All of these are the comments of a man who knows his legacy will be tied to Trump - and who isnt entirely comfortable with that. The Times asked him about exactly that in its ending: Asked why he stayed 18 months in the White House, despite policy differences, personality clashes, the punishing schedule, and a likely lasting association with some of Trumps controversies, he said simply: duty. Military people, he said, dont walk away. This story first appeared in The Washington Post San Clemente, California, in 1978 was the Elba of America. I went there fresh out of college for a job working as a researcher for David Eisenhower, which quickly became a job as an editorial assistant to former President Richard M. Nixon, who had finished his memoirs and moved on to the two books I worked on, The Real War and Leaders. Early in 1980, Nixon moved to New York City, and I went with him, leaving in the fall for law school. I went back to California in 1989 at his request to oversee construction of his library in Yorba Linda, a second two-year stint with one of historys remarkable figures. Which is a long way of saying that my observations on President Trumps current situation are grounded in hundreds of hours of conversation with a former president, one with great successes and the worst fall in American political history. Nixons oft-repeated view in his unique retirement: Look forward. Always. There isnt any upside in replaying the past or its decisions, glories and failures. He would occasionally write and talk about the past for his memoir, with David Frost and events long over informed his take on events happening in real time. But he had no bitter recriminations, no dwelling on what might have been, how he might have acted differently. Just look forward. In the 15 years I knew him, he was remarkably at peace and always focused on the future of the country and the world. Advertisement If Trump embraces that outlook, his prospects for reelection are excellent. Trumps record of accomplishments is long and real, and all the screaming on cable cant erase two Supreme Court justices, 30 federal appeals judges, a massive military rebuild begun, the crushing of the Islamic State, the huge tax cut and tax reform, bipartisan legislation on opioids and prison reform, repeal of the Obamacare mandate, withdrawal from the Iran deal and Paris climate accords, and a regulatory rollback across many agencies (most consequentially for the economy at the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department). Moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and the forging of the new entente among Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates and Israel has brought clarity to the standoff between Iran the worlds greatest exporter of terrorism and instability and its enemies in the region. And, of course, the economy is cooking even as the stock market makes one of its periodic and inevitable corrections. Given all that, Nixons attitude in retirement that only today and tomorrow matter would serve Trump well. Find a new secretary of defense quickly. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, former Sen. Jim Talent, R-Missouri, or former ambassador to Germany Robert Kimmitt would all be excellent choices who can do the crucial job well. The same for the Interior Department. Insist that attorney general nominee William P. Barr commit to not recusing himself from the supervisory role over the special counsel. Democrats will push for a recusal that he simply cannot give if the Justice Department is going to regain the confidence of that part of the country shocked by the actions of a handful of senior leaders in the FBI in 2016. Next: Prepare a State of the Union that hammers on the costs of prescription drugs and the need and means of infrastructure repair done in partnership with state and local governments. Demand the Pentagon finally produce a plan to get from todays fleet of 280 to a 355-ship Navy. Keep the judicial nominations flowing. Count on Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, to blow through the obstructionism in the Judiciary Committee, and count on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, to deliver these lifetime appointments on the rapid indeed, even faster pace of 2017-2018. Convene the true allies on the Hill who are also combat veterans folks such as Cotton, Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisconsin, and incoming Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas and talk through Afghanistan and Syria, Iraq and Yemen, and especially what China is about. The abundant successes of the first two years cannot be erased by pundits and their over-the-top rhetoric. So just look forward, trust your best people, especially Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, the new AG and the new secretary of defense. Mainstream media reports of your mood are no doubt partially fiction and partially true. Whatever the mix, just toss them aside. Judges, ships, regulatory rollback thats Act Two. And thats re-election. Hewitt is on Twitter, @hughhewitt. Regarding the state auditors report on the handling of our hepatitis A epidemic: The article and your editorial did not identify the root cause. The politicians who allowed thousands of San Diegans to live in Third-World conditions were responsible for this epidemic. Hepatitis A is spread fecal-orally from human excrement. The lack of housing and even basic facilities for sanitation were the cause. Politicians may posture and criticize the Health Department for not responding quickly enough to the epidemic. I know that the countys Dr. Eric McDonald quickly alerted health care providers about the emerging epidemic and so the Veterans Affairs mobilized to immunize at-risk homeless veterans. Meanwhile, the health department was vaccinating with the limited resources it get from the county. The state infectious diseases epidemiologists praised the San Diego County epidemiology team, confirmation that the finger is pointed in the wrong direction. Advertisement Joshua Fierer, M.D. Chief of Infectious Diseases VA Healthcare San Diego Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. 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. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/31/2018 -- The latest report, Aroma Chemicals market enables stakeholders to gain insights into their potential consumers to construct more effective marketing strategies for the forecast period, 2018 to 2025. Most importantly, the document empowers business owners to seek information about potential consumers and where they can find them. With an exclusive coverage of the top vendors, the study enables business owners to know more about the local market and locate potential consumers. The comprehensive study offers an overview of the current state of development of the business as well as predicts the course of progress across different regions. A large number of factors including the major driving forces, threats and opportunities are taken into account to present an analytical picture of the industry portrayed in the report. Request for Sample Copy of Aroma Chemicals Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/10822 The research further examines and provides data on the market by type, application and geography interspersed with illustrations and other graphical representations. The market analysis not only determines the attractiveness of the industry but also the evolving challenges and opportunities and their association with the weaknesses and strengths of prominent market leaders. Estimating the potential size of the Aroma Chemicals industry: Industry experts conducting the study further estimate the potential of the Aroma Chemicals industry. Such information is important for firms looking to launch an innovative service or product on the market. Industry experts have measured the total volume of the given market. Researchers have calculated the industry in terms of sales by the competitors and end-user customers. Data on the entire size of the Aroma Chemicals market for a particular product or a service for the forecast period, 2018 to 2025 covered in the report makes it valuable. This information reveals the upper limit of the Aroma Chemicals industry for a specific product or service. Market Segment by manufacturers, the report covers the following companies: BASF, Solvay, Kao, Takasago, Bell Flavors and Fragrances, Sensient Technologies, Symrise, Vigon International, Givaudan, Robertet, T.Hasegawa, Treatt, Jiaxing Wintrust Flavours Co., Ltd., YingYang (China) Aroma Chemical Group, Silverline Chemicals Ltd, PFW Aroma Chemicals B.V. Market split by Type, can be divided into: - Natural Aroma Chemicals - Synthetic Aroma Chemicals Market split by Application, can be divided into: - Foods & Beverages - Cosmetics - Personal & Household Care - Others Market segment by Region/Country including: - North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) - Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.) - Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.) - South America Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile etc.) - Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia etc.) Order a copy @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/10822 Extensive data on market segmentation: The Aroma Chemicals market report divides the market of potential buyers into different groups, or segments/sub-segments, based on various characteristics. The segments and sub-segments identified contain buyers who are expected to respond or react similarly to certain products and services. The report further finds out consumers who share traits including similar expectations, interests, geography and needs. The segmentation sheds light on how some customers are likely to purchase a product or service than others to enable marketers to allocate their focus as well as the resource. Market share: The report discovers the market's total sale that is generated by a particular firm over a time period. Industry experts calculate share by taking into account the product sales over a period and then dividing it by the overall sales of the Aroma Chemicals industry over a defined period. Subject matter experts further use this metric to offer a general idea of the share and size of a firm and its immediate rivals. By providing an in-depth knowledge of the position a company, as well as an entrepreneur, holds in the Aroma Chemicals market The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What is the expected growth rate of the Aroma Chemicals market? What will be the market size for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025? - What are the major driving forces responsible for transforming the trajectory of the industry? - Who are major vendors dominating the Aroma Chemicals industry across different regions? What are their winning strategies to stay ahead in the competition? - What are the market trends business owners can rely upon in the coming years? - What are the threats and challenges expected to restrict the progress of the industry across different countries? - What are the key opportunities that business owners can bank on for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025? The study segments the complete Aroma Chemicals market on the basis of different application, end-use, end-user, and production capability. From a business standpoint, the industry has been thoroughly examined across various countries located in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and others. The size of the industry for the forecast period 2018 - 2025 is evaluated on the basis of current sales figures and past financial report can be used to forecast the future sales. There are 10 Chapters to deeply display the Aroma Chemicals market. Chapter 1 covers the Aroma Chemicals Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2018 and 2025; Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2018 and 2025; Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Aroma Chemicals, for the period 2018- 2025; Continue Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/aroma-chemicals-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: https://www.marketexpertz.com/market-news New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/31/2018 -- The latest market intelligence study on Hot Stamping Foil market applies the best of both primary and secondary research techniques to bring to light the growth rate of the Hot Stamping Foil market for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025. The comprehensive study covers hard to find facts about the market landscape as well as its growth prospects in the years to come. Most importantly, the research report includes vital statistics about the major vendors occupying a strong foothold in this industry. Besides this, in order to calculate the market share, the study takes a closer look at the selling price of the product across different regions. Request for Sample Copy of Hot Stamping Foil Market Report@ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/14729 Scope of the Report: The researcher assessing the Hot Stamping Foil market dive deep to unearth intangible facts related to the key restraints, opportunities, and threats expected to shape the progress of the industry during the forecast period, 2018 - 2025. Significant evaluation of other factors such as demand and supply status, import and export, distribution channel, consumption volume, and production capability play a vital role in offering business owners, stakeholders and field marketing personnel a competitive edge over others operating in the same space. All important data are presented in self-explanatory charts, tables and graphic images that can be incorporated into any business presentation. Understanding the market size The size of the Hot Stamping Foil market is viewed in terms of the Share of Market, Total Available Market as well as Served Available Market. Not only does the study present the combined revenue for a particular market but also the market size for a specific geographic region. Analysis of percentage or the size of the Total Available Market based on the type of product, technology, regional constraints and others form an important part of the Hot Stamping Foil report. Market Segment on the basis of manufacturers, the report covers: KURZ, API, CFC International(ITW Foils), Crown Roll Leaf, Inc, Nakai Industrial Co., Ltd, OIKE & Co., Ltd, UNIVACCO Foils, KATANI, WASHIN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY, KOLON Corporation, K Laser, NAKAJIMA METAL LEAF, POWDER Co, Foilco Market split by Type, can be divided into: - Metallic Hot Stamping Foil - Pigment Hot Stamping Foil - Holographic Hot Stamping Foil Buy Hot Stamping Foil Market Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/14729 Market split by Application, can be divided into: - Plastic - Paper - Others Market segment by Region/Country including: - North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) - Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.) - Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.) - South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Chile etc.) - Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia etc.) The study explores in details about the recent trend fast gaining momentum in the Hot Stamping Foil industry due to factors including but not limited to growing customer preference and a sudden rise in their spending capacity. Aspects attributed to the gross margin, profit, supply chain management and product value and their considerable impact on the development of the Hot Stamping Foil market during the forecast period, 2018 - 2025 is carefully scrutinized during the research. The research provides answers to the following key questions: - What is the estimated size of the Hot Stamping Foil market for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025? What will be the growth rate of the industry during the estimated period? - What are the prominent driving forces likely to impact the progress of the industry across different regions? - Who are the major market players occupying a strong foothold in the Hot Stamping Foil market? What are the winning strategies adopted by them to stay ahead in the competition? - What are the potential opportunities for the Hot Stamping Foil market for the forecast period, 2018 - 2025? There are 10 Chapters to deeply display the global Hot Stamping Foil market. Chapter 1 covers the Hot Stamping Foil Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2 talks about the top manufacturers and analyses their sales, revenue and pricing decisions for the duration 2018 and 2025; Chapter 3 displays the competitive nature of the market by discussing the competition among the top manufacturers. It dissects the market using sales, revenue and market share data for 2018 and 2025; Chapter 4, shows the global market by regions and the proportionate size of each market region based on sales, revenue and market share of Hot Stamping Foil, for the period 2018- 2025; Continue Read More @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/hot-stamping-foil-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: https://www.marketexpertz.com/market-news Abdominal (belly) fat is harmful to metabolic health. Exercise training reduces abdominal fat mass, but the underlying mechanisms have not been clear. According to a new study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, a signaling molecule called interleukin-6 plays a key role in this process. We hypothesized that exercise-induced reductions in abdominal fat mass are mediated by interleukin-6, because it regulates energy metabolism, stimulates the breakdown of fats in healthy people, and is released from skeletal muscle during exercise, said University of Copenhagens Dr. Helga Ellingsgaard and co-authors. To test this idea, the researchers carried out a 12-week, single-center trial in which they randomly assigned abdominally obese adults to four groups. A total of 53 participants received intravenous infusions of either tocilizumab (a drug that blocks interleukin-6 signaling and is currently approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis) or saline as a placebo every four weeks, combined with no exercise or a bicycle routine consisting of several 45-minute sessions each week. The scientists used magnetic resonance imaging to assess abdominal fat mass at the beginning and end of the study. In the placebo groups, exercise reduced visceral fat tissue mass by an average of 225 grams, or 8%, compared with no exercise. But tocilizumab treatment eliminated this effect. In the exercise groups, tocilizumab also increased visceral fat tissue mass by approximately 278 grams compared with placebo. In addition, tocilizumab increased total cholesterol and bad low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol compared with placebo, in both the exercise and no-exercise groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that interleukin-6 has a physiological role in regulating abdominal fat mass in humans, said study first author Dr. Anne-Sophie Wedell-Neergaard, also from the University of Copenhagen. _____ Anne-Sophie Wedell-Neergaar et al. Exercise-Induced Changes in Visceral Adipose Tissue Mass Are Regulated by IL-6 Signaling: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Cell Metabolism, published online December 27, 2018; doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2018.12.007