Moscow hopes that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit the country next year, Russian President Vladimir Putin's advisor said on Wednesday.

"I hope this visit will be possible next year," Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov said, Russian news agencies reported.

He did not confirm recent reports by South Korean media that Kim could visit Russia this month.

Last month, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he believed the youthful North leader could visit Russia "soon."

Moscow has repeatedly invited Kim to visit Russia but he has yet to respond to the offer to meet Putin.

The rapid diplomatic thaw on the Korean Peninsula since the Winter Olympics has seen Kim meet with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in twice, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump.

In June, Trump and Kim signed a vaguely-worded agreement on denuclearisation but little progress has been made since then.

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Six women were killed in the Iraqi capital on Friday when clashes at a facility where they were housed led to a fire, the social affairs ministry said.

A further "six women and one warden were injured" at the Dar al-Zuhur centre in Baghdad's Azamiya neighbourhood, a police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Authorities use the facility in northern Baghdad to house adult women who are homeless or who have been detained but not charged with crimes.

Some of those injured sustained stab wounds, according to a hospital source who confirmed the number of people hurt.

The women who were not caught up in Friday's violence were transferred to another building run by the social affairs ministry, the government statement said.

Authorities have opened an investigation to determine the circumstances of the clashes and fire.

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Turkey on Friday hit out at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for saying Washington will ensure Ankara does not "slaughter" Kurds in Syria as American troops withdraw.

"Pompeo equating the YPG terror organisation with Kurds, (even) if it is not intentional, shows a worrying lack of knowledge," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said.

Ankara views the US-backed Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia as a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The PKK, blacklisted as a terror organisation by Ankara and its Western allies, has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984.

Despite US President Donald Trump's order to pull out 2,000 troops, "the importance of ensuring that the Turks don't slaughter the Kurds" was "still part of the American mission set", Pompeo told Newsmax, a US news and opinion site, on Thursday.

Washington has provided military support to the YPG in the fight against the Islamic State extremist group, causing strains between the NATO allies.

"We strongly condemn that this terror organisation is seen as a partner in the fight against IS," Aksoy said in a statement.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch a cross-border operation against the YPG in northern Syria, vowing that Ankara would never allow a "terror corridor" on its southern border and would rid Syria of the militia.

Prior to his decision on December 19, Trump spoke with Erdogan.

Turkish officials say Erdogan convinced his American counterpart that Ankara could take care of the remaining IS elements in Syria during a phone conversation on December 14.

Turkey has often insisted that it does not discriminate against Kurds as a minority but opposes the YPG militia, which Ankara says poses a threat to national security.

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Democratic Republic of Congo's ruling coalition accused the country's Catholic Church on Friday of behaving in an "irresponsible and anarchic" way after it said it knew the winner of last Sunday's presidential election.

The Church's bishops' conference, known as CENCO, said on Thursday its vote tallies showed a clear victor in the Dec. 30 poll, a pronouncement widely seen as a warning to authorities against rigging the vote.

The coalition "firmly deplores...the partisan, irresponsible and anarchic attitude of CENCO," said Barnabe Kikaya Bin Karubi, an adviser to outgoing President Joseph Kabila and a spokesman for Kabila's hand-picked candidate, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary.

"This seriously violates not only the constitution but also the electoral law."

The retort sets up a standoff between the government and the Catholic Church, one of Congo's most powerful institutions which represents about 40 percent of its 80 million people.

It further stokes tensions after a chaotic election that observers and the opposition say was marred by serious irregularities. The opposition, represented by its two main candidates Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi, and Shadary's camp have all claimed they are on course to win, without posting specific figures.

Kikaya later told Reuters Kabila had met Catholic bishops on Friday but provided no details.

The government says the election was fair and went smoothly.

The electoral commission (CENI) is scheduled to announce results on Sunday but it has said that there could be delays because of the slow arrival of tally sheets.

The poll is meant to lead to Congo's first democratic transfer of power, but the international community has raised concerns that a disputed result could spark unrest, as was the case after the 2006 and 2011 elections.

The United States called on CENI on Thursday to publish accurate results and threatened sanctions against anyone who sought to undermine the process.

An election dispute could further destabilise Congo's volatile eastern provinces, where wars around the turn of the century resulted in millions of deaths, most from hunger and disease, and where dozens of militia remain active.

Kabila's government cut access to the internet as well as Radio France Internationale (RFI) and some local media this week, saying it wanted to prevent fake results from circulating.

The United Nations' human rights office warned on Friday that the move could cause a violent backlash when results are announced.

"This being a very sensitive, a very tense period, we are concerned that these efforts to silence dissent could backfire considerably when the results are announced," Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva.

"We are watching carefully and we are calling on all sides to refrain from the use of violence," she said.

Pre-election opinion polls showed Shadary trailing Fayulu and Tshisekedi, who have been buoyed by rising dissatisfaction with Kabila's tenure.

Kabila, who succeeded his assassinated father in 2001, helped reunify the country amid civil war and has presided over strong economic growth, driven by exports of copper and cobalt, a component of electric car batteries.

But critics say there has been little improvement in the quality of life for average Congolese and accuse the government of brutally suppressing dissent.

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Cairo next week as part of a Middle East trip for talks on security and stability in the region, the State Department said on Friday.

Pompeo will embark on the eight-country tour on Tuesday, starting with Amman, Jordan. The visit is expected to focus on Syria, Iran and Yemen as well as the US's bilateral relations with Arab countries.

In Cairo, the second stop, Pompeo will meet with Egyptian officials to discuss economic and energy cooperation as well as major regional issues including Iran, Gaza, and counterterrorism, the department said.

While in the Egyptian capital , the secretary will also deliver a speech on the USs commitment to peace, prosperity, stability, and security in the Middle East.

Pompeo plans stops in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.

From Cairo, the secretary will fly to Manama, Bahrain for talks on the Middle East Strategic Alliance that is aimed at countering Iran's growing influence in the region.

Pompeo will then head to Abu Dhabi, where he will urge all parties to the conflict in Yemen to abide by peace agreements reached at UN-brokered talks in Sweden last month. The UAE is member of a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen.

Pompeo will then visit Doha for talks on regional issues and the importance of Gulf unity in countering Iran.

Another major stop will be in Riyadh, where he will meet with Saudi officials to discuss Yemen, Iran and Syria. Pompeo will also seek an update on the investigation into the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whose death at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October has strained Saudi relations with Washington.

Pompeo will conclude his tour with stops in Muscat, Oman and Kuwait City where he also plans to underscore the unity between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

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Egyptian prosecutors on Friday ordered the detention of the head of Old Cairo district for four days pending investigations into bribery charges, state news agency MENA reported.

The local official, Mohamed Zein El-Abedin, was arrested red-handed while taking a bribe of EGP 1 million (approximately $55,800) from a demolition contractor in return for disbursing funds owed to him by the local authorities, Egypt's Administrative Control Authority said on Thursday.

Prosecutors have accused him of requesting and accepting a bribe to perform one of his work duties and overlook some violations."

The case is the latest in a string of corruption cases brought by the Administrative Control Authority, the country's anti-corruption watchdog, against top state officials in recent months. Those charged include the former head of the Egyptian Customs Authority, the head of the state Food Industries Holding Company, and a number of supply ministry officials.

In November, a former governor of Menoufiya was sentenced to 10 years in prison for accepting a bribe of over EGP 27 million.

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Egypts foreign ministry said it has been closely following up on the detention by Iranian authorities of four Egyptian nationals for illegally entering Irans territorial waters.

Two Egyptians were arrested while aboard an Emirati ship near Abu Musa island at the mouth of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday, without giving details of when the pair were arrested.

Procedures were underway to put the duo on trial, the statement added.

The ministry is following up on the matter with Iranian authoritiesand is continuing to make efforts to release them [the pair] at the soonest opportunity, the ministry said.

The ministry is also following the detention of two Egyptian fishermen arrested in a separate incident for illegally entering Iranian territorial waters after their Saudi-registered fishing boat went adrift, the statement added.

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As CEO, Celine Assimon's mission will be to pursue the development of the brand on an international scale while expanding its product offer to reach a wider clientele.

Celine Assimons last role was High Jewellery and Exceptional Pieces Director at Piaget; prior to this, she held the position of Worldwide Head of High Jewellery and High Watchmaking Sales at Louis Vuitton. A French national, she began her career at Richemont, where in 2001, she joined Piaget North Americas Marketing team. In 2005, she was appointed Marketing and Communications Director at Leviev and led the international development of the High Jewellery Maison. In 2011, Celine Assimon moved on to Louis Vuitton in New York to oversee Watches and Jewellery. In 2015, she was invited by Louis Vuitton to its Paris headquarters to lead the development of the brands global High Jewellery and High Watchmaking. Celine Assimon holds a degree from the French business school Audencia.

We would like to thank John for his five years with our company over which time he has helped us grow from a niche high jewellery house to an established player in the sector, said Elmar Wiederin, Chairman of the Board of de Grisogono. The Board extends a warm welcome to Celine Assimon. With her exceptional business track record, broad experience of the jewellery market and global luxury brands, she is the ideal person to lead the company on the next stage of its journey to becoming a global luxury brand.

There is something magical about joining de Grisogono, it is an extraordinary brand that I have admired for many years, added Celine Assimon. I very much look forward to working with the talented team to develop the business, continuing the traditions of daring creativity and craftsmanship for which de Grisogono is known.
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Time to get married!

Such is a nightmare for many Chinese home-fear young people in their late 20s and early 30s when their parents urge them to prioritize their marriage plan.

Big data provides a novel approach to blind dating for some Chinese youngsters who have grown up with and relied on the Internet. The audacious algorithms applied by matchmaking services to accurately and effectively quickly match strangers has become a hot trend in the Chinese marriage market.

But, is it all too good to be true?

The old-fashioned way of dating is largely detested by Chinas Internet generation, who prefer the results of big data rather than the repetitious, time-consuming way of the old way, which often starts with a simple self-introduction.

More and more people are setting boundaries on social-media-like matchmaking apps to narrow down the rightful groups, which speeds up the chance of developing a relationship.

Those requirements and keywords draw a clear picture for the data to finding Mr. or Mrs. Right as quickly as possible, and often includes such things as income, food preferences, financial status, and even favorite films.

Many Chinese dating apps rely on a quiz to collect personal information to quickly match people who share the same hobbies, values, and even zodiacs.

The data doesnt lie, said Li Yi (pseudonym), an IT-engineer who recently downloaded an app to help him pinpoint the right partner and bring him true love from virtual reality to reality.

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However, the soulmates selected by such matchmaking apps are not always perfect.

A score of 93% on personalities and values in the quiz doesnt mean that the person will happily eat street food with you in real life, Li said with a shrug, recalling a dating experience he had with a big-data-selected partner.

Meanwhile, such services are not free. It costs money to join and to enhance exposure in groups for instance.

Membership is a necessity, otherwise, the app would be useless. And VIPs can receive customized recommendations from the app, said Liang Shan (pseudonym), a frequent customer of matchmaking apps.

As registration on the matchmaking apps requires verification, the process of collecting personal information has also come under question, as the collection of information without informing users how their information will be used enhances the risk of information leakage and malicious use.

I was once cheated by a girl who I got matched with on a matchmaking app who turned out to be a financial products saleswoman. Though the app promises the authenticity of their users identities, they cannot avoid intentional cheating, said Luo Hao (pseudonym), a matchmaking app user.
HEFEI, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- As his boy fell asleep, Song Xijun took his meal box, tiptoed out of the ward and left the hospital for his room across the street.

His son has been treated for leukemia at the hospital for nearly three months. Song said he and his wife felt helpless and isolated at first, but the community he's living in is lending great support.

In the pink building to the back of the children's hospital where his son is treated, a local charity organization offers free accommodations in 20 rooms and has set up spaces for reading and psychological counseling.

The project, called "Halfway House," was launched in 2016 and has provided accommodation for over 200 families like Song's, who can live there for free for up to three months.

Leukemia is one of the most common types of cancer among children. China reports around 15,000 new cases of childhood leukemia each year, and 80 percent of them can be cured.

To relieve the financial burdens on poor families, the country increased the reimbursement rate of childhood leukemia from 49 percent in early 2017 to 81 percent since September 2018, while more social organizations are also joining in to help.

"Charity is not pity but mutual support," said Wang Dacheng, who heads the Halfway House project. "We want the rooms to be a constant platform of mutual support."

The rooms, around 15 square meters each, have cartoon characters painted on beds, desks, chairs, closets and all over the walls.

"It's a place where different forces of society come together to help," said Wang, noting that the funds come from online fundraising and personal donation.

With help, the deserted roof of the building is transformed into a playground with slides, swing and pinwheels. The kitchen is built for special anti-bacterial conditions, and volunteers come regularly to accompany the children.

"It costs at least 500 yuan (about 73 U.S. dollars) per month to rent a room outside but here, apart from the rent, utility bills, kitchenware and seasoning is all covered," said Song. "It saves us quite a sum."

It is also a place where Song and his wife get psychological support.

"I was always troubled by negative thoughts when I was alone," he recalled the first time he knew about his son's disease. "I often smoked and cried by myself when I felt bad."

Moving into the house three months ago, Song's mood turned much better. "It's like a big family here. As we talk with each other, we won't think that much [about the disease]," he said.

Now the building Song lives in is being renovated. New walls are being painted, and the reading room and bathrooms are all being improved.

"After meeting the basic needs, we are also hoping to do more work on the children's nutrition, nursing and psychological support," Wang said.
There is growing fear about China in Washington. According to reports, US President Donald Trumps pick for acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, warned senior leaders of the US military to be wary of China. China, China, China, Shanahan, who took over for James Mattis on Jan. 1, said on his first full day on the job.

In response, Chinas foreign ministry on Thursday noted that China-US military relations have maintained regular exchanges and noted that some of them have even been quite positive. In the process, spokesperson Lu Kang said, the message China got from the United States is that the United States, like China, attaches great importance to military relations between the two countries and hopes to make such interactions a stabilizing force in China-US relations.

Whether what you just cited is the official statement by the US side needs to be clarified by the US side, the spokesman told the press.

He stressed that Chinas defense policy is purely defensive in nature and that China attaches importance to developing defense cooperation with other countries, including the United States, adding that the Chinese side believes that such cooperation is a good thing for building mutual trust and improving relations, and will also help promote world peace and stability.

As Lu suggested in the conclusion of his response, China and the United States are two powerful countries with great influence on the world stage but the two countries have reached a crossroads: choose to stand side by side as partners on the world stage or be rivals stuck in a self-defeating cycle of ruthless competition.

If a country seeks partners, then most likely it will get partners. If it seeks adversaries, then adversaries it will certainly get, he concluded.

By telling top US officials to emphasize China, China, China, Shanahan has fallen victim to the dangerous notion that China is a threat to the future security and prosperity of the United States and is trying to steer the United States away from deeper engagement and cooperation with China and toward a more troubling future of long-term, strategic competition. His comments reflect growing fear and paranoia about Chinas rise and the feeling of insecurity in the United States about its position vis-a-vis China.

This type of thinking at the highest levels of the US government is indeed dangerous, as was pointed out by Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, who, in an op-ed for The Washington Post, warned about how some people in the US government are trying to frame the China-US relationship in a dangerous way, pointing to official reports that declare that China is out to challenge the United States for dominance and that China is trying to drive the United States out of Asia and reduce its influence across the globe.

The former US president was referring to, among other reports and comments, the Trump Administrations National Security Strategy (NSS), which sets the stage for a brutal Cold War-style competition with China.

The former US president was also referring to people like Shanahan, a high-ranking US official who was intimately involved with the development of at least one of those hawkish reports, the National Defense Strategy (NDS), which declares China as a long-term, strategic competitor and a central challenge to US prosperity and security, and calls for stepping up great power competition with China.

While fierce competition with China is certainly an option for the future development of China-US relations, it is not in the best interests of anyone in the world for these two powerful countries to have a relationship centered on great power rivalry.

The China-US relationship will always have its ups and downs, but as a whole, it has been a win for both sides and together the two countries have also created the conditions for world peace and development.

Recently, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi sat down with Peoples Daily to talk about Chinas diplomacy. During the interview, he was asked his opinion on current China-US ties and the senior Chinese diplomat talked about the benefits of the relationship.

The year 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of China-US diplomatic relations. The ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius said, When reaching forty, one should no longer have any doubts. The experience and lessons over the past 40 years are enough to prove that for China and the US, cooperation will deliver win-win results, whereas confrontation will end with a loss for both sides, he said.

However, he also warned about the dangers of setting the stage for competition, saying: The one who adopts Cold War mentality will only isolate itself, and the one who uses zero-sum games will never be able to retreat without hurting itself, he said, adding that China will stay stick to its development path and stay committed to developing good relations with other countries.

We hope the US can be positive about Chinas progress. There is no need to create rivals, and still less, to effectuate a self-fulfilling prophecy, he said.

Around the same time, Chinas ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, also stressed the importance of steering the relationship in the right direction. In an opinion piece published in USA Today, the Chinese ambassador stressed that the two countries have far greater common interests than differences and disagreements and that under such conditions cooperation is the only right choice. Comparing the relationship to like a tower built on a solid foundation of common interests, Cui said that if this strong foundation were ever to be damaged or dismantled, both sides would suffer.

Echoing the words of Cui in his opinion piece, we owe it to future generations to pass on a China-US relationship that is full of opportunities. Right now it seems that the US government is at war with itself about its future position in this new era of international relations, but Chinas rise is not the problem. The problem is whether the United States will choose to see China as a rival or partner and what kind of world it seeks to shape in this new era.
An Indian student writes Chinese characters. (Photo/cankaoxiaoxi.com)

Popular Chinese Internet memes and current Chinese terms like Lets go, mantis shrimp!, WeChat red packet, and cashless payment are being added to Chinese language textbooks across India, as Indian teachers try to update learning materials to meet the mounting enthusiasm for learning Chinese, xinhuanet.com reported on Dec. 21, 2018.

Statistics from the Chinese Embassy in India show that Chinese language is currently taught in 20 Indian universities, eight of which offer Chinese as a major. Around 2,000 Indian students are majoring in Chinese in India, while the number of Chinese language learners across the whole country has reached nearly 20,000 people.

From the Confucius Institutes undergraduate courses and weekend classes for Chinese language lovers to Chinese classes in commercial training schools, people are showing greater passion for learning the Chinese language, said an Indian teacher, Mei Li (Chinese name), who teaches Chinese in the Confucius Institute at the University of Mumbai.

In the past, we didnt have enough students, but now our challenge is that the textbooks are not fresh enough, so I decided to compile a new textbook on Chinese language, said Mei Li, who disclosed that she had incorporated many hot topics on Chinas social development and popular Internet culture in the book.

Mei Li is not the only person in India who has compiled a Chinese textbook to help people better learn Chinese and understand China. A young man, Chinese name Tang Hanming, has also created learning materials in Hindi and Indian dialects to enable Chinese language lovers who dont understand English to learn Chinese more conveniently.

Tang was taught Chinese in China, and now works in a Chinese-funded enterprise in Mumbai. In his spare time, he promotes Chinese language learning in the local area and runs a local Chinese language training school.

In India, people usually use the textbooks compiled by the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban), which are written in both Chinese and English. However, some learners dont understand English, so we have to teach them in Hindi or even some local dialects, explained Tang.

Chinese is one of the working languages of the United Nations (UN) and is one of the most spoken languages in the world, explained a professor from the Center of Chinese and Southeast Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. He said that the rise of Chinese fever in India is the natural result of Chinas growing economic and political influence around the world, and especially one of the consequences of the continually deepening people-to-people exchanges between China and India in recent years.
China, U.S. to hold trade talks from January 7-8

China and the U.S. will hold vice-ministerial level negotiations on trade from January 7-8, said China's Ministry of Commerce on Friday.
Two Chinese mainland airports made the 2018 Top 20 most punctual large-sized hubs in the world, according to VariFlight, a Chinese flight information provider on Thursday.

Urumqi Diwopu International in Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Xian Xianyang International Airport in Northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province were ranked 14th and 16th, both recognized for their on-time departures, respectively.

Airports that handle a minimum of 6,000 departures per month are considered large-sized.

Last year, Diwopu Internationals departure rate maintained an 82.86 percent accuracy rate with average delay times of 25 minutes, while Xianyang Internationals departing flight schedule kept an 82.29 percent rate with average delay times of roughly 23 minutes.

Osaka, Japans Itami Airport topped the rankings with an on-time departure rate of 93.87 percent and an average delay time of about 13 minutes, followed by the New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, Japan, and the US Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Overall, five Japanese airports ranked in the top 20, while four were from the US.

However, more Chinese airports made this years list for being most punctual in the Asia Pacific. In the top 20 regional rankings, nine were from China, including Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport in Southwest Chinas Chongqing, and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Meanwhile, six of the airports were from Japan.

Japan Airlines was ranked the most punctual large-scale commercial airliner in the world for 2018, with an on-time arrival rate of 95.83, and average delay times of roughly six minutes, followed by Qatar Airways, and Japans All Nippon Airways. Chinese airliners were not listed in the top 20 rankings for large-scale airliners which are required to have at least 400 arrivals daily.

For the Asia Pacific regional rankings, eight Chinese airliners made the top 20 most punctual, with China Eastern Airlines taking the lead with an on-time arrival rate of 85.75 percent and an average delay time of about 16 minutes.

Chinese airports are expanding in scale and service. Last year, China added five airports with an annual passenger volume of 10 million or more, bringing the total number of large-sized hubs to 37.

Also, the Beijing Capital International Airports passenger throughput reached 100 million, becoming the second-largest airport in the world behind HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport in the US.
Thousands of soldiers, part of the Peoples Liberation Army border troops in Altay, northwestern Chinas Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, conducted training in temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius this Wednesday. The soldiers said they would carry on the fine traditions of the army, and contribute their strength to the building of a stronger force.
Workers lay tracks on the Yarlung Zangbo River bridge of the Lhasa-Nyingchi section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway in Gonggar County of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Nov. 26, 2018. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi)

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway, which is expected to start construction in late 2019, is slated to be a major artery of transportation linking China with South Asian countries, such as Nepal and India.

The State-owned China Railway Corp (CRC) said on Wednesday it aims to complete a feasibility study of the railway by the end of the second quarter of 2019 and seek the approval from the central government in the third quarter.

It hopes to complete initial designs for key sections of the railway, such as tunnels and bridges and make sure they are ready for construction by the third quarter, according to a CRC statement sent to the Global Times.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will be the second railway into Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It will go through the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most geologically active areas.

Zhao Gancheng, director of the Center for Asia-Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday that the railway aims to drive the economy of the region and strengthen the link between Tibet with the inland.

It can help with the possibility of a railway connecting China and Nepal, which could be a major route for China to reach South Asia, Zhao said.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will start from Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, travelling through Ya'an and enter Tibet via Qamdo. It will then go through Nyingchi prefecture before arriving at Lhasa, capital of Tibet. The total construction length will be 1,700 kilometers and will cost 250 billion yuan ($36.88 billion), the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The completion of the railway will help shorten the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours.

The 140-kilometer Chengdu-Ya'an section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway officially started operations to 11 stations on December 28, 2018, media reported.
A view shows the pre-trial detention centre Lefortovo, where former US Marine Paul Whelan is reportedly held in custody in Moscow, Russia Jan 3, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]

Moscow and Washington exchanged a flurry of rebukes over the detention of a United States citizen who Russian authorities said was suspected of espionage.

Russia has allowed consular access to American Paul Whelan, who was detained in Moscow on Dec 28, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

Whelan was taken into custody during an "act of espionage in Moscow", the Federal Security Service said on Monday.

A criminal investigation was opened against him, and if found guilty of spying, he might be sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison.

Whelan is the head of global security for a Michigan-based auto parts supplier, according to the Associated Press. The 48-year-old was in Moscow to attend a wedding when he disappeared, his brother, David Whelan, said on Tuesday.

The US State Department said that it was notified of the detention of Whelan, requested consular access and expected "Russian authorities to provide it".

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday that the government provided consular access to Whelan, and he was visited by US Ambassador Jon Huntsman, who expressed his support and offered the embassy's assistance, the State Department said in a statement later that day.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "If the detention is not appropriate, we will demand his immediate return."

Pompeo said the Trump administration has "made clear to the Russians our expectation that we will learn more about the charges and come to understand what it is he's been accused of".

Whelan's family posted a statement on Twitter, "We are deeply concerned for his safety and wellbeing. His innocence is undoubted, and we trust that his rights will be respected."

David Whelan said in an interview that his brother had been to Russia several times, so when a fellow former Marine was planning a wedding in Moscow, he was asked to go along to help out.

He said he learned of his brother's arrest while searching the internet on Monday.

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, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Butina, 29, was arrested on July 15 and charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian government. In Moscow, the Foreign Ministry described charges against Butina as "false accusations".

The arrest was announced on July 16, only hours after US President Donald Trump finished a summit meeting and a news conference with his counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Helsinki, Finland.

Putin said that Butina has no ties to Russian intelligence services, and that the whole case against her was unfounded, according to Russia's TASS News Agency.
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Scientists who helped guide the Change 4 probes soft landing on the moons far side celebrate the historic event at the Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Thursday. JIN LIWANG / XINHUA

Breakthrough opens new page in historyof space exploration

A new chapter opened in mankind's exploration of the moon on Thursday morning as the first probe to land on the moon's far side reached its destination after a 26-day journey.

The Chang'e 4 lunar probe, representing China's latest step in lunar investigation, landed at 10:26 am at the Von Karman crater in the South Pole-Aitken basin and then sent back three photos of the landing site shot by cameras on the probe's lander, marking the world's first images taken on the surface of the far side.

One of the photos, published by the China National Space Administration, shows the place where Chang'e 4's rover, which was named Yutu 2 on Thursday night, will be heading to explore and survey.

Thus began the first expedition to the side of the moon that faces away from the Earth. It is meant to fulfill scientists' long-held aspiration to closely observe the lesser known region.

Tidal forces on Earth slow the moon's rotation to the point that the same side always faces Earth. Most of the far side is never visible from Earth.

While it has been extensively photographed by spacecraft, starting with a Soviet probe in 1959, no probe had ever made a soft landing there, so scientists had not been able to conduct surface-level observations and surveys of the region.

According to the China National Space Administration, Chang'e 4's landing procedure started at 10:15 am, when it began its descent from an orbit 15 kilometers above the surface, following control signals from the Beijing Aerospace Control Center transmitted through China's Queqiao relay satellite.

The probe made position adjustments when it reached 6 to 8 kilometers above the moon. The descent then paused at about 100 meters above the surface as the spacecraft analyzed the gradient of the preset landing site as well as any possible obstacles in order to avoid hazards.

After an exact landing area was determined, Chang'e 4 resumed its descent at a slow velocity and finally touched down, the administration said in a statement.

The first closeup image ever taken of the far sides surface, photographed by the lunar lander, shows the route planned for the rover. XINHUA

Shortly afterward, the probe unfolded its solar arrays and antennas and established a high-speed data link through Queqiao, it said.

Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's lunar program, said in Beijing on Thursday after the landing that the descent and landing "were perfect".

He called the event "an important milestone for China's space exploration", adding that it has made a good start for future lunar exploration efforts.

With its investigation of the far side, particularly the Von Karman crater, the Chang'e 4 mission will enable scientists to find out what they haven't known about the moon and deepen their knowledge of its early history and of the solar system.

Researchers also can use the far side's shield against Earth's interference to make clearer observations into deep space, scientists expect.

Zhang He, executive director of the Chang'e 4 program at the China Academy of Space Technology, said, "As there had been no probe on the far side before us, all scientific information obtained by the Chang'e 4 will be new to the world."

Next, Chang'e 4 will start testing and fine-tuning its equipment under control from the Beijing Aerospace Control Center and will wait for suitable conditions to release its rover, officials said.

Chang'e 4 was launched atop a Long March 3B carrier rocket on Dec 8 at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province.

Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, the probe has two parts: a lander and a rover. It is the fourth lunar probe China has launched since the country's lunar program began in 2004.
Workers are seen in the rolling stock center of Chinese locomotives manufacturer CRRC in Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia, Jan. 3, 2019. Malaysia welcomes Chinese companies to bring in expertise and investment as the Southeast Asian country seeks to become a regional railway manufacturing hub, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said here Thursday. Speaking during a site visit to the rolling stock center of Chinese locomotives manufacturer CRRC in Malaysia, Loke said he hoped the cooperation between the two countries would help Malaysia realize this aim. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

BATU GAJAH, Malaysia, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia welcomes Chinese companies to bring in expertise and investment as the Southeast Asian country seeks to become a regional railway manufacturing hub, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said here Thursday.

Speaking during a site visit to the rolling stock center of Chinese locomotives manufacturer CRRC in Malaysia, Loke said he hoped the cooperation between the two countries would help Malaysia realize this aim.

"We will continue our strong cooperation with China especially on transport related issues and industries," he told a press conference.

"And railway is one of the major industries that we can see strong collaboration between Malaysia and China."

He said he had invited CRRC to make further investment in Malaysia, to increase the capacity of the rolling stock center and to make it as the hub for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

China could help Malaysia in cultivating local human resources to boost the railway industry, he said.

"We understand to build up an industry we need human resources, we need local talents which of course we know that we are lacking in this industry," he said.

"That is why we hope there will be foreign investment from China, they have the expertise, they have the talents that can bring in with the technology and hopefully they can train our local talent, or local human resources along the way."

Becoming fully operational in 2015, CRRC rolling stock center has the capacity to manufacture up to 200 carriages a year while providing major overhaul for 150 carriages.

It is CRRC's first and only manufacturing facility in Southeast Asia.

Fu Chengjun, president of CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotives that oversees the Malaysian operations, said CRRC has embarked on localization in manufacturing, employment, procurement, service and marketing in Malaysia, with more than 85 percent of its staff in Malaysia are locals.

Also present on the visit to the plant was Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian who said the future of China-Malaysian cooperation is "great potential and bright prospects."

"CRRC is only one of the examples of cooperation with Malaysia. There are many cases, many successful stories here and so far China has invested in about 400 projects, creating about 68,000 jobs in Malaysia," Bai said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018 in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, April 10, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Xueren)

Editor's Note:

Stories can influence people in a subtle yet powerful way. In 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping led four diplomatic activities in China, attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, G20 forum and BRICS Summit, as well as other important multilateral diplomatic activities both inside and outside of China. Over the course of 2018, he flew more than 100,000 kilometers to 13 countries, and published 11 signed articles on foreign media, telling Chinese stories of peace, friendship and cooperation. Today, Peoples Daily Online recaps the most touching China stories that Xi told the world during 2018.

On reform and opening-up

China has grown into the world's second largest economy, the largest industrial producer, the largest trader of goods, and the holder of the largest foreign exchange reserves. Over the past 40 years, China's GDP has averaged an annual growth rate of around 9.5 percent in comparable prices and its foreign trade has registered an annual growth of 14.5 percent in US dollar. The Chinese people have emerged from a life of shortages and poverty and are now enjoying abundant supply and a moderately prosperous life. According to current UN standards, more than 700 million Chinese people have been lifted out of poverty, accounting for more than 70 percent of the global total over the same period.

Keynote Speech delivered at the Opening of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2018

Over the past 40 years, the Chinese people have blazed a new trail and made solid progress. With enterprise and grit and through self-reliance, we have turned China into the world's second biggest economy, making tremendous advances in our country's development and the improvement of people's lives. It is the relentless efforts of the Chinese people that have made China what it is today!

Keynote speech delivered at the APEC CEO Summit in Papua New Guinea

To use a metaphor, the Chinese economy is not a pond, but an ocean. The ocean may have its calm days, but big winds and storms are only to be expected. Without them, the ocean wouldn't be what it is. Big winds and storms may upset a pond, but never an ocean. Having experienced numerous winds and storms, the ocean will still be there! It is the same for China. After going through 5,000 years of trials and tribulations, China is still here! Looking ahead, China will always be here to stay!

Keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai
* Cambodia's economy enjoyed robust growth last year, driven by garment exports, construction and tourism, said a National Bank of Cambodia's statement on January 3.

* China said on January 2 it hoped that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States would respect and accommodate each other's reasonable concerns to achieve progress in the denuclearization of and establishing a peace mechanism on the Korean Peninsula in the new year.

* The Indian government on January 2 approved the merger of three state-owned banks - Vijaya Bank, Bank of Baroda and Dena Bank, officials said.

* The death toll in heavy rains that triggered landslides and flash flooding in the Philippines has risen to 122, a government disaster agency said on January 3.

* Boat and ferry services from the mainland to the famed island destination Samui in southern Thailand have been cancelled on January 3 as tropical storm Pabuk is approaching.

* Flight operation at New Delhi's airport in India were hampered on January 3 due to rough weather conditions including fog, officials said. According to officials, all departures at the airport were put on hold from 7:30 a.m. local time.

* The letter by Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), to US President Donald Trump will play a positive role in denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and building lasting peace, the Republic of Korea (RoK)'s presidential Blue House said on January 3.

* Saudi Arabia's Public Prosecution demanded on January 3 the capital punishment against five out of 11 suspects over murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Press Agency reported.

* Mongolian Parliament speaker Miyegombo Enkhbold has rejected demands for him to resign, the press office of the legislative body said Thursday.

* The Afghan Independent Elections Commission (IEC) announced a new timeline for candidates' registration of the country's fourth presidential elections, a statement from the entity said on January 3.

* The newly elected members of Bangladesh's parliament have taken the oath of office amid an opposition boycott following the December 30 parliamentary election.

* Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on January 2 that the partial government shutdown could continue for days or even weeks due to continued discrepancy between the US Congress and the president.

* Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo and visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on January 2 agreed to broaden bilateral relations based on "shared values."

* US President Donald Trump said on January 2 that the US troops would be withdrawing from Syria "over a period of time," dismissing the previously reported four-month exit plan.

* Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Saeb Erekat on January 2 urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to start an official investigation into Israeli settlement in the Palestinian territories.

* Russian land forces plan to participate in seven joint exercises this year with foreign armies, the defense ministry said in a press release on January 2.

* The Ukrainian Armed Forces last year received about 50 planes and helicopters modernized by national enterprises, the country's state defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom said in a statement on January 2.

* Libya's Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha on January 2 called for international training for Libyan security personnel.

* Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron discussed the Syrian settlement and Ukraine-related issues over the phone on January 2.

* A convoy of 30 vehicles carrying Kurdish fighters left Syria's northern city of Manbij on January 2 toward areas on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, the Syrian Defense Ministry said.
This is also an important driving force to accelerate the process of reforming the growth model and economic restructuring, helping Vietnam to quickly improve its business environment in a more open, transparent manner and approaching advanced international standards, thereby promoting both domestic and foreign investment.

Overcoming the pressure

In order to realise its commitments in the CPTPP, Vietnam will have to adjust and amend multiple legal provisions on trade, customs, intellectual property and labour. Deputy Head of Multilateral Trade Policy Department (the Ministry of Industry and Trade) Ngo Chung Khanh said that Vietnam has to revise at least seven laws, with dozens of decrees and other related legal documents, in order to bring Vietnam's legal framework closer to international standards. Through participating in the CPTPP, Vietnam will also directly apply a range of commitments, especially in the fields of services and investment.

According to experts, Vietnam will overcome huge pressure to change the legal system to comply with the new standards under the CPTPP for a number of reasons. Firstly, the most difficult commitments, requiring great enforcement resources, as in the field of intellectual property, have been "suspended" by 11 CPTPP member countries after the withdrawal of the US.

Secondly, a range of new commitments are in line with the Party's guidelines and policies as well as the State's laws, for example, in the field of government procurement, environmental protection, State-owned enterprises, and small and medium-sized enterprises, thus easing the pressure to change the legal system.

Thirdly, not all commitments in the CPTPP lead to amendments, supplements or the issuance of new legal documents. Particularly the side letters and memorandums of understanding, which have been signed by Vietnam with ten member countries of the CPTPP, are flexible or give a longer time for Vietnam to implement its commitments, or more convenient for the country in a number of issues. Basically, such side letters and MoUs are not contrary to the current regulations and laws of Vietnam and do not give rise to amendments and supplements to the law.

Finally, as previous experience when joining the WTO, with serious preparation and great efforts, Vietnam can successfully implement this workload, especially when it is entitled to follow the roadmap in CPTPP. Specifically, immediately after the agreement was signed, the Government of Vietnam directed the relevant ministries and agencies to coordinate with the Ministry of Justice to review the current regulations in legal documents under their responsibilities. From which, they will propose for amendment, supplement or appropriate enforcement to ensure compliance with the requirements of the CPTPP. It is expected that a programme to develop legislation for implementing the CPTPP, featuring the contents that need to be amended and supplemented, as well as the specific assignment for implementation and deployment deadline, will be issued to help the Government and the related ministries and agencies to implement it.

Active reform

Great pressure on institutional reform is also present when Vietnam accepts to join a common playground such as the CPTPP. After joining this agreement, Vietnam will have to maintain a continuous and quality reform momentum. On the contrary, if institutional reforms are passive, surely the challenges of the CPTPP will more than the opportunities it brings about. However, looking at the positive side, this is also an important driving force to help Vietnam accelerate its domestic institutional reforms, thus promoting the operation of the market economy in a comprehensive way and creating a more open and transparent business and investment environment.

Ngo Chung Khanh said the commitments in the CPTPP related to services and investment will have a positive effect in improving the investment environment, contributing to maintaining the growth momentum of domestic and foreign investment. Economic expert of the World Bank in Vietnam, Sebastian Eckardt, said that the most important benefit of the CPTPP for Vietnam is to help accelerate its domestic reform in many different areas. The implementation of the commitments in the CPTPP will further promote transparency and modern institution building. On the other hand, the very high standards of transparent governance and objective behaviours of the state apparatus in the CPTPP will help Vietnam to accelerate the process of improving the apparatus towards a streamlined, clean and strong one, while promoting administrative reform, increasing responsibility and preventing corruption, wastefulness and red tape.

In order to make the best use of the opportunities offered by the CPTPP, on the side of the State and the Government, it is necessary to actively conduct the necessary reforms in the management system from the central to local levels. On the enterprise side, it is important to improve competitiveness, capture information on commitments and market information, and take measures to seize opportunities, as international integration in general and international economic integration in particular always come with risks and challenges.

Experience in the international arena, as well as from Vietnam during its 30 years of Doi Moi (renovation) and international integration, has shown that the advantages are fundamental and essential, and risks and challenges can be completely controlled, if there is a consensus on awareness as well as action to prevent risks and overcome challenges.

High standards of transparent governance as well as objective behaviours of the state apparatus will pose major challenges for the management apparatus. They are also the standards that Vietnam is aiming for to build a true socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people and for the people, with eligible and quality civil servants.
by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- While the first two years of U.S. President Donald Trump's presidency were marked by GOP dominance of both the White House and Congress, that changed on Thursday. With Democrats now controlling the House, experts and politicians expect a number of changes, from an uptick in partisan rancor to more inclusion of minorities.

Democratic voters came out in force in last November's mid term elections and caused the House to change hands, with Democrats winning 40 seats - the biggest gain since 1974.

Thursday kicked off an era of divided Congress as Nancy Pelosi was re-elected as House Speaker, after years of Democrats being the minority party in the House.

In her speech on Thursday, Pelosi pledged that the House would be "bipartisan, transparent and unifying," although experts expect lawmakers to be sharply divided along partisan lines.

KNOCK-DOWN, DRAG OUT FIGHT

With Congress now divided, a brutal partisan fight is brewing in Washington. Experts expect a no-holds-barred brawl between Democratic lawmakers and the White House for the next two years.

"It will be a fight between the House of Representatives and White House over the next two years," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

Indeed, the battle has already begun, with Democrats locked in a dispute with the White House over border security, which has resulted in a partial shutdown of the federal government for the past two weeks.

While the political divide has been bitter for a decade, partisan rancor has gone into overdrive over the last two years, as the gap between liberal and conservative widens among constituents, fueled by ideology, culture, and media outlets that are often partisan.

As Congress' first day commenced, Democrats' first order of business was a number of rules changes, including some changes in procedure that would make it easier to raise taxes.

DIFFERENCES

Democrats are expected to launch a number of investigations into the White House, which experts said could be a major distraction as Trump pushes his agenda.

Indeed, Pelosi said in an interview with U.S. newspaper USA Today, published earlier this week, that Trump can now expect a "different world" from the past two years. Pelosi said she would launch a number of investigations, as well as call for Trump to release his tax returns.

"He was used to serving with a Republican Congress, House and Senate that was a rubber stamp to him. That won't be the case," Pelosi said, speaking of the incoming Congress.

One of Democrats' first priorities will be to try to check the power of the White House and Republicans by pushing a bill that would reduce the role of big money, U.S. media reported.

"There will be hearings and investigations into many aspects of the Trump agenda. Administration officials will have to testify about their activities," West said.

"That will make it difficult for the President to continue some of his policies," West added, referring to the next two years.

Experts also doubt there will be much cooperation between the two parties, as Washington is becoming increasingly divided along ideological lines.

"There probably won't be too many opportunities for cooperation given the vast gulf between the two parties. Each has an eye on the 2020 elections and will want to confront the opposition party," West said.

This comes as the investigation by Special Council Robert Mueller, into the possibility that Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to clinch the White House, is rumored to be wrapping up.

"It means lots of subpoenas, investigations, and oversight hearings," Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua, referring to the political environment that experts expect over the next two years.

"Expect Trump's tax returns to become public, one way or another," Galdieri said.

For his part, Trump has warned that any investigations into the White House would result in a "war-like posture" in Washington. Trump has often referred to the Russia investigation as a political "witch hunt," and continues to maintain that the investigation is completely without merit. Enditem

[ Editor: zyq ]
Ambassador Nguyen Manh Cuong (Photo: VNA)

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Angola Nguyen Manh Cuong sent best wishes to all members of the Vietnamese community in Angola on the occasion of the New Year 2019.

He noted achievements on outstanding socio-economic development, diplomacy and international integration of Vietnam in 2018, as well as efforts that Vietnam and Angola are implementing to boost and expand cooperation between the two countries.

Ending his working term in Angola, Ambassador Nguyen Manh Cuong thanked the Overseas Vietnamese Association and all overseas Vietnamese people in the country for their contribution to support him to complete his task.

He also called on experts, businessmen and all overseas Vietnamese people to further promote the spirit of solidarity and cooperation to support each other to overcome difficulties.

The ambassador affirmed that the Party and State always consider the overseas Vietnamese community as an integral part of the Vietnamese people, and the Vietnamese Embassy in Angola has always made efforts to implement the policy for overseas Vietnamese well.

At the event, Ms. Dao Lan Huong, Standing Deputy Head of the Overseas Vietnamese Association in Angola, congratulated Ambassador Nguyen Manh Cuong for having a successful working term in Angola. She also reviewed outstanding activities of association in 2018 and stressed the contributions of the Vietnamese community to the host country, the homeland and to support each other in daily life. In addition, the Standing Deputy Head also announced programs and plans of the association in 2019.

The event was an opportunity for the overseas Vietnamese in Angola to meet, share and enjoy traditional dishes of the nation./.
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Someone gave Wisconsin's new governor, Tony Evers, some great advice. Instead of suing the GOP legislature for the anti-democracy bills they rushed through in the lame duck session, he's decided on a strategy to letting them sue him. Wednesday he said he'll be ignoring their bad-faith bullshit ."Im anticipating most of the provisions will be challenged and Im guessing I will be a defendant rather than a plaintiff."

Patrick Marley reports for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Evers' "stance changes the dynamic in the fight over the lame-duck legislation by prodding Republicans into initiating litigation instead of doing so himself."

In the interview, Evers also provided glimpses of the budget he will introduce in the coming months, saying he would look to expand health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act; allow illegal immigrants to qualify for drivers cards; give immigrants who came to the state illegally as children the chance to pay in-state tuition; and allow property taxes to rise by more than they have in the past.





In addition, Evers is considering letting local government increase sales taxes.





Evers, who will be sworn in Monday, said he remains bothered by lame-duck legislation lawmakers and departing Gov. Scott Walker approved in the weeks after Evers narrowly defeated Walker.





He suggested he wouldnt go along with parts of those wide-ranging measures but wouldnt specify which ones. The new laws limit his authority over state rules, require him to get permission from lawmakers to adjust public benefits programs and diminish his say over the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.





Evers likened the situation to attempts by Walker and GOP lawmakers to chip into his authority over state rules as the state schools superintendent. Allies of Evers sued and won before the state Supreme Court the first time Republicans tried to diminish his powers. A second lawsuit over the issue-- this one brought by Evers opponents-- is now before the states high court.





Having gone through this in my previous job as state superintendent, I think its more likely that I will be sued because Im now the chief executive of the state, Evers said of a potential legal fight over the lame-duck legislation Same thing happened when I was state superintendent-- I was sued. So thats where I anticipate most of the action to be.





...I thought the lame duck session was an effort to kind of disenfranchise the people that voted in the last election," he said. "So, is that wrong? Yes, absolutely its wrong. So I will continue to have that stand, but at the end of the day I also know I have to work with the legislators to get things accomplished.





I can walk and chew gum at the same time. I can be annoyed and against what they did, but by gosh, we have to solve some major problems. Education, transportation and health care was what I ran and won on. Thats what were going to be focused on.





Litigation over the lame-duck legislation has already started. Two groups in December asked a federal judge to strike down limits on early voting included in the legislation. But so far no one has challenged other aspects of the new laws.





...Republicans who control the Legislature have said they plan to reject Evers budget and work off the existing one as they develop a two-year spending plan they hope to send Evers for final approval this summer.





Evers can rewrite whatever they send him using his broad veto powers, and Evers on Wednesday told The Associated Press he would not rule out vetoing a GOP budget in its entirety.





Some of Evers' budget plans are fiercely opposed by Republicans. He wants to provide schools an additional $1.4 billion over two years and greatly scale back a tax break for manufacturers and farmers so he can cut income taxes for the middle class by 10 percent.





Evers said he cant stop Republicans from setting his budget aside but would hold events around the state to promote his plan as a way to try to get lawmakers to adopt key parts of it.





Once our budget is baked, we will be taking it directly out to the people of Wisconsin and getting their input on it, he said.





Evers told the Wisconsin State Journal his budget would raise the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour-- another idea likely to face GOP opposition. Evers didn't say how much of an increase he would seek.





Evers campaigned on expanding the states BadgerCare Plus health-care program to tens of thousands of more people using federal money available through the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The plan would free up about $280 million the state could use for other purposes, according to initial estimates.





In the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interview, Evers said he would include the plan in his budget and use some of the additional money to increase the rates paid to doctors and hospitals who provide care for people through BadgerCare and other Medicaid programs.





Republican lawmakers have resisted the effort to take the federal money, with Assembly Speaker Robin Vos of Rochester saying in October there was no way the state would do so on his watch. But they also want to give providers better rates for caring for Medicaid patients.





By providing a rate increase, Evers hopes to entice lawmakers to go along with his plans.





Evers is pursuing other budget plans that will have little chance in a GOP-dominated Legislature. One provision would allow illegal immigrants to secure driving credentials if they passed a driving test and paid a fee. Backers say it would make Wisconsins roads safer and make it easier for immigrants to get to work. Opponents say it would reward illegal immigrants and encourage them to come to Wisconsin.





Evers also wants to charge in-state tuition to those living in Wisconsin known as Dreamers-- immigrants who came to the United States illegally when they were young. Walker and lawmakers ended a similar program in 2011 for immigrants who graduated from a Wisconsin high school.





...In addition, Evers said the state may need to spend more than the $80 million it has committed to establishing new juvenile lockups to replace the troubled Lincoln Hills School for Boys by 2021.





Evers told Wisconsin Public Radio on Wednesday that he was sticking by a campaign promise to visit Lincoln Hills next week. Walker never visited any correctional facilities during his eight years in office.





Evers said he hopes to find more money for roads in his budget but hasnt made final decisions. He said during the campaign he was open to increasing the gas tax or imposing tolls.





Some GOP senators have resisted raising the gas tax and raised concerns about Evers decision to appoint Craig Thompson to run the Department of Transportation. Thompson is the executive director of the Transportation Development Association, a trade group that has called for increased road funding in recent years-- a stance some Republicans saw as an attack on Walker.





Evers said he believes senators will ultimately confirm Thompson, whom he said he hired because of his ability to bring people together on the issue.





To reject a talented person because a handful of members may disapprove of his stance in the past, that seems-- that seems small in my opinion, he said.
Helping rural men connect during Men's Health Week

On average, one in eight men will experience depression and one in five men will experience anxiety at some stage of their lives.
Am I the only one who has fix-it projects fail but only if I button everything up prior to testing? As an example, when I was a computer technician I would frequently open up computers to replace parts for newer parts or sometimes to replace a broken part.
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Washington (CNN)  The 116th class of Congress broke barriers before its members even set foot in Washington.

One example: Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat and the first Somali-American member of Congress, noted the history of her election on Twitter on Wednesday night.

"23 years ago, from a refugee camp in Kenya, my father and I arrived at an airport in Washington DC," she tweeted, along with a photo of her and her father smiling with suitcases. "Today, we return to that same airport on the eve of my swearing in as the first Somali-American in Congress."

Omar is just one of dozens of stories who started a new chapter Thursday. There were record numbers of women sworn in. Muslim women are serving for the first time  including Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan  as are Native American women, including Reps. Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland. Texas sent the state's first two Latina members to Congress, and two black congresswomen from New England also made history by coming to Washington. The historic firsts come from both parties and at least one member  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez of New York  is younger than 30.

Democrats seized control of the House on Thursday with fresh voices and new energy as they prepare to take on President Donald Trump, many of them inspired to run because of his presidency.

The new House majority will be led by a barrier breaker as well. Longtime Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California also made history on Thursday when she won back the speaker's gavel and reclaimed a title she held from 2007 to 2011, when she served as the first, and still so far only, female House speaker. She spent Thursday afternoon taking pictures and participating in back-to-back ceremonial swearings-in of lawmakers with their families.

The party breakdown in the new House of Representatives is 235 Democrats and 199 Republicans, with one congressional race in North Carolina still unresolved. In the Senate, there are now 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats, a total that includes two independents who caucus with the Democrats.

The record number of women elected to Congress were key to Democrats reclaiming the majority in the House. Though Republicans, on the other hand, lost female representation.

Congress itself is changing to meet the new members coming to Capitol Hill. The new class also includes more women with young children, and female Congress members have recently been even more vocal in forcing the US legislative branch to catch up with the needs of members who are juggling child care and official duties. NPR reported Tuesday that the new Congress opened a new child care facility exclusively for employees of the House of Representatives.

The #MeToo movement is front and center as women take on new positions of leadership. Last month, Congress passed legislation to overhaul the way Capitol Hill addresses sexual harassment.

First Native American women in Congress

Kansas and New Mexico sent the first Native American women to Congress.

Democrats Sharice Davids of Kansas and Deb Haaland of New Mexico are the first Native American women elected to Congress.

Davids identifies as a lesbian, which will also make her the first openly LGBT member of Congress from Kansas.

First Muslim women in Congress

Incoming Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota are the first Muslim women elected to serve in Congress.

Omar also has the distinction of becoming the first Somali-American member of Congress. She came to the US more than two decades ago as a refugee.

Tlaib is the first Palestinian-American woman to be elected to Congress. The daughter of Palestinian immigrants, she became the first Muslim female member of Michigan's state Legislature a decade ago.

Youngest woman ever elected to Congress

Incoming Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who is 29 years old, will be the youngest woman ever in Congress.

Abby Finkenauer of Iowa, a 30-year-old Democrat elected to the US House, will also be one of the youngest members of Congress.

Other notable midterm 'firsts'

Republican Marsha Blackburn has the distinction of being the first female senator from Tennessee.

Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith made history in the midterms by becoming the first woman elected to Congress from Mississippi.

Democrat Kyrsten Sinema became the first female senator elected to represent Arizona. Sinema will also make history as the first openly bisexual senator.

The state of Texas sent its first Latinas to Congress after Democrats Veronica Escobar and Sylvia Garcia won their congressional races to serve in the House of Representatives.

Incoming Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley is now the first black congresswoman to represent Massachusetts, while Democrat Jahana Hayes is the first black congresswoman from Connecticut.

New members will have to navigate a new political landscape

Newly elected members have been sharing their experiences on social media in a way we've never seen before.

There was Ocasio-Cortez using her Instagram stories to take people behind the scenes of the traditionally closed-door new-member orientation process, from office selection to learning the byzantine House tunnel complex, and using Instagram Lives to talk politics and take questions while making Instant Pot macaroni and cheese. There were fellow progressive newcomers, like Omar and Tlaib, never hesitating to use Twitter to fire back at critics (or traditional House floor rules) in a clear effort to announce the arrival of a new generation of politicos. There was incoming GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw tweeting his New Year's resolutions (including No. 5: get better at double ax throwing, with a video of said subpar double ax throw included, of course).

#NewYears2019 Resolution #5: Get better at double axe throws. pic.twitter.com/CBvugCo49b  Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 1, 2019

As newly elected members get used to Washington  hiring their staffs, figuring out their office budgets and figuring out which apartments to rent  they'll also be faced with trying to navigate a new political landscape on both sides of the aisle.

For Republicans, most have aligned themselves with Trump.

Voices on the other side of the aisle are less united.

Progressive firebrands like Ocasio-Cortez, who promised to mobilize the resistance, have been elected to the same party as conservative and moderate Democrats who won in districts that went for Trump in 2016  and they want to keep those seats in 2020.

On one side, progressives ran on promises of impeaching Trump, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, raising the minimum wage and "Medicare-for-all."

Moderates, on the other hand, promised to prioritize small businesses, tweak the existing health care system, and work with Republicans and Trump when they can.

As the 2020 presidential election nears, and Democrats try to decide what kind of candidate they want to run, don't expect these new voices to stay quiet.

This story was first published on cnn.com, "No other Congress has ever looked like this"
Thiago Santos/iStock(SEOUL, South Korea) -- South Korea, one of the world's fastest-aging countries, is investing in teaching older people how to use social media as they are increasingly looking to social media to find new ways to communicate and reinvigorate their lives.

It is difficult to maintain your workplace as you get old. It is even more difficult to make friends and communicate. The internet broadcast can serve as a way to overcome these difficulties, Jen Young-Soo, 78, told ABC News.



He has been live-streaming his life and answering questions from viewers on Korean social media platform Afreeca TV since his retirement in 2006.

South Korea struggles with one of the lowest fertility rates in the world. In 2016, there was an average of 1.2 children per woman between the ages of 15 and 49, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. A fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman will produce a stable population, according to the organization.



With 13.8 percent of the current South Korean population over 65, the country is grappling with its aging society. Classes teaching seniors how to use smartphones have become hugely popular, and smartphone-use rates among the elderly are outpacing younger age brackets, according to a Gallup poll.



Many of the elderly attend social media classes sponsored by local governments, and South Korean telecommunication service providers, like SK Telecom and KT, also offer smartphone classes. In 2018, more than 70 percent of people aged 60 or older used smartphones, according to Gallup Korea, a private research organization.



For senior citizens, smartphones are more than just devices, Chang Yun-hyoung, who works with KTs internet classes, told ABC News.

In cooperation with local governments, KT provides eight to 16 classes a month across the country, teaching the elderly how to use smartphones and social networking services.

We encourage social participation among the elders through smartphones. We see them interact, communicate and reconnect with their friends after the class -- they seem to have discovered joy in life again, Chang added.



Chan-jae Lee and Marina Ahn, both 77, are a South Korean couple who have gained 350,000 Instagram followers by posting pictures and stories for their three grandchildren. They said they spend about one-fifth of their day drawing pictures and thinking what to post.

My life would have been mundane if I had not started Instagram, said Lee.



Lee and Ahn learned how to use Instagram from their son and daughter.

It is hard to learn new things when you are old -- so, you have to constantly repeat yourself, Lee told ABC News.

The couple said Instagram has now become a source of vitality in their lives, not to mention a way to learn about the K-pop stars who their children love.

All the words of encouragements from the followers keep us energetic while being attentive to the things that we were unaware of, said Ahn.



Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
(CNN)  A plane carrying 139 people skidded off the runway when it landed Thursday at an international airport in Uganda, the airline and airport officials said.

The Ethiopian Airlines flight was landing at Entebbe airport at 12:41 a.m. Thursday (4:41 p.m. ET Wednesday) when it "overshot the runway," according to airport authorities.

All passengers and crew on the Boeing 737-800 plane disembarked safely, but the incident affected inbound international flights earlier in the day, Uganda's Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) said in a statement.

The plane was coming from Ethiopia's busy capital, Addis Ababa.

UCAA later posted on Twitter that the aircraft had been removed and normal operations had resumed at the only international airport in the East African country.

An image provided by airport authorities showed the aircraft on a grassy area.

Ethiopian Airlines said there was no damage to the airplane, but the reason for the incident is being investigated.

The airline said alternative arrangements have been made for passengers.

"We apologize to our valued customers who were onboard for the inconvenience," the airline said in a statement.

Ethiopian Airlines -- Africa's largest carrier in passenger numbers, according to FlightGlobal -- has made significant expansion into other markets in Africa and has added more international destinations.

It launched new routes from Addis Ababa to Jakarta, Chicago, and Geneva in 2018, and is looking to make Addis Ababa a transport hub, connecting other African countries without a long-haul capacity to destinations around the world.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "A plane carrying 139 people skidded off the runway at a Ugandan airport."
(CNN)  Thousands of people are fleeing Thai islands popular with tourists ahead of what could be the most devastating storm to hit in decades, officials told CNN on Thursday.

Tropical Storm Pabuk is expected to make landfall about 7 p.m. local time Friday (5 a.m. ET) near the Chumphon archipelago, on the eastern border of Thailand's Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat provinces, but heavy rain has already arrived.

Tourist hotspots in the Gulf of Thailand, including Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao islands, along with islands in the Andaman Sea such as Phuket and Koh Phi Phi -- made famous by the movie "The Beach" -- are expected to be affected by the storm.

"We are still compiling the number of evacuees. I can say several thousand people for over 16 provinces," government spokesman Putthipong Punnakanta told CNN by phone.

"It is high season, there are many foreign tourists at popular destinations. We have informed them in advance since two days ago. I would say most of them have left islands and come to the mainland."

Phuwieng Prakhammintara, director general of Thailand's Meteorological Department, told CNN the storm could cause waves as high as seven meters (22 feet), but that waves were more likely to reach 3 to 5 meters in height.

Schools in coastal areas are to be closed and Thailand's armed forces are on standby for Pabuk's arrival.

Bangkok Airways announced the cancellation of all flights to and from Koh Samui on Friday "for safety reasons." Affected passengers will be able to rebook their flights without paying fees or charges, the airline said.

After crossing the Chumphon Archipelago the storm will, if the current track holds, make a second landfall over Surat Thani province early Saturday.

Pabuk will then move over the Malay Peninsula towards the Andaman Sea relatively quickly, but not before dumping large amounts of rain across the region.

The storm is expected to bring strong winds, high waves and surf along with surge, and heavy rain with flooding. While the winds, surf and surge will be dangerous especially, to an area not used to seeing these types of storms, the most significant danger is the rain and flood potential.

Areas in the southernmost portion of Thailand could receive well over 250mm of rain. There is also the possibility of mudslides from the Phuket mountain range on the western side of the peninsula.

It is highly unusual for tropical storms and typhoons to make landfall in Thailand. The last time a tropical storm made landfall in Thailand was in 1962, when Tropical Storm Harriet impacted 12 provinces and claimed 900 lives. The only typhoon ever to make landfall in the Southeast Asian nation was Typhoon Gay in 1989.

The province likely to be worst affected is Nakhon Si Thammarat, where Harriet hit.

As the storm progresses out to the Andaman Sea and towards the Bay of Bengal into next week it could become a problem for the coasts of Myanmar, Bangladesh or India.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Thousands of tourists flee Thai islands as Tropical Storm Pabuk approaches."
(CNN)  South Africa's ex-President, Jacob Zuma, has inked a recording deal, adding another venture to his controversial political career.

Zuma, 76, will not earn a fee for recording his favorite struggle songs as part of a push to preserve the nation's heritage, said Thembinkosi Ngcobo, chief of parks, recreation and culture for eThekwini, the municipality spearheading the deal.

Still, opponents slammed the agreement, which is expected to be presented to local lawmakers, as a waste of resources. Councillor Nicole Graham of the Democratic Alliance called it "blatant patronage" and vowed to fight it, local media reported.

"This city is not an ANC slush fund and we will not tolerate its continued capture and abuse!" Graham posted Wednesday to Facebook, referring to Zuma's ruling African National Congress, which called on him to resign in February.

Zuma, once revered as an anti-apartheid hero who served in the party of the late Nelson Mandela, has fallen from grace amid a slew of corruption scandals.

He has frequently been accused of using government resources to fund his lifestyle while in office and in 2016 was ordered to repay some of the $15 million in public funds used to upgrade his private home.

Facing corruption charges tied to a billion-dollar arms deal, he reportedly was ordered last month by another court to refund legal fees paid by the state in the case.

'He can sing'

The recording deal developed after officials in eThekwini, which is part of Zuma's native province of KwaZulu-Natal and comprises his political base, realized no archives existed of the liberation songs from the anti-apartheid struggle period, local officials said.

They then reached out to Zuma, who often sang the songs at political rallies, Ngcobo said. Zuma is due to perform the songs at a festival in April.

"We discovered that he is so talented musically," Ngcobo told news station eNCA. "He can sing, He can command a group of people so that even if they don't know the song, they will learn and participate."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "South Africa's former President lands recording deal slammed as 'slush fund'."
(CNN)  North Korea's top diplomat in Italy has been missing for weeks, a South Korean lawmaker said, raising suspicions that he may have defected.

Jo Song Gil, Pyongyang's charges d'affaires in Rome, disappeared along with his wife in early November, a spokesperson for Kim Min-ki told CNN, following a briefing the lawmaker received from South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) Thursday. Jo's term was set to expire later that month, according to the spokesperson.

Italy has been without a North Korean ambassador since Pyongyang's former envoy was expelled in 2017, following the country's sixth nuclear test. Jo joined the embassy in May 2015 as the third secretary, Kim said.

A prominent South Korean newspaper reported Thursday that Jo was seeking asylum in the West, citing anonymous South Korean government sources. A spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in said his office had no information about the case. The NIS did not confirm if he defected.

Italy's Foreign Ministry was not aware of an asylum request, a spokesman told CNN. Instead, the ministry was only told in late November that Jo would no longer be "in charge of business," it said.

If Jo did defect, he would be the highest-profile North Korean government official known to do so since 2016, when Thae Yong-ho, Pyongyang's former deputy envoy to the United Kingdom, abandoned his post.

Thae was posted abroad with his immediate family when he defected from North Korea's British embassy in 2016. However, most North Korean diplomats posted abroad do not travel with their families, and it's unclear if Jo and his wife had children with them in Italy.

"The children are used by Kim Jong Un as kind of hostage," Thae told CNN in 2017, shortly after his own defection. "Kim Jong Un abuses even the love between parents and children."

Thae described his life as one of a "modern slave" for the regime, and made his decision to defect after years of exposure to the Western world. He said made wanted to give his sons the opportunity lead a different life, despite the dangers he could face. He now lives in South Korea under heavy security.

Defectors say North Korea routinely punishes entire families for the crimes of an individual, especially those found guilty of anti-regime activity. Those who have left North Korea say defectors' relatives are often sent to prison camps or used by the regime as propaganda tools.

CNN spoke with Thae's sister and brother inside North Korea in 2017, both of whom disowned him and claimed no one in the family had been punished for his crime.

The pair said the interview, organized by the government, was done voluntarily.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "North Korean envoy to Italy 'missing'."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4)  Opposition lawmakers have asked the Supreme Court to invalidate the third extension of martial law in Mindanao because it violates the Constitution.

Rep. Edcel Lagman led the filing of a petition on Friday. The petition states the decision of Congress to grant President Rodrigo Duterte's request for military rule in the South until December 31, 2019 "mocks the 1987 Constitution."

The petitioners said "rebellion does not exist and persist in Mindanao," and "public safety is not imperiled," contrary to the administration's claims. These are the constitutional requirements for allowing the President to declare martial law and suspend the privilege of the writ of the habeas corpus, allowing warrantless arrests.

"President Duterte's letter dated 06 December 2018 to the Congress initiating a third extension failed to demonstrate the sufficient factual basis for his request, and his allegations of lawless violence and terrorism were not connected to rebellion," Lagman said in a statement.

He added Proclamation No. 216 which declared martial law in Mindanao in May 2017 cannot be extended because it has accomplished its purpose of ending the Marawi siege. Duterte declared the liberation of Marawi from "terrorist influence" in October 2017.

Lagman said allowing a third martial law extension means a total of 891 days of prolonged military rule, excluding the 60 day-period set by the Constitution for its declaration.

"The accumulated 891 days is an enormous increase of 1,485% over the original period of 60 days, which defied the constitutional intent of limiting the duration of martial law and any extension thereof," Lagman said.

Lagman and his fellow opposition solons were among 28 lawmakers who voted against martial law extension. They lost to an overwhelming vote of 235 senators and representatives in a joint session on December 12.

The High Court previously junked all petitions to lift martial law in Mindanao.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4)  Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol has ordered the relief of the quarantine team of Bureau of Animal Industry deployed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) for failing to follow a directive to prevent the entry of the African swine fever virus that affects pigs.

Pinol, on his Facebook page on Friday, said the whole quarantine group stationed at the country's main airport will be sacked on Friday afternoon for their negligence, hoping it sends a clear message to the Agriculture staff to take heed of administrative directives.

Pinol said that one of his quarantine orders was to install foot baths at all entry points of the country. Travelers need to pass these to disinfect themselves. He said he was told by Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Acting Director Ronnie Domingo that the NAIA staff failed to install the foot bath facility due to "procurement issues," leading to their sacking. The staff will be probed for neglect of duty.

"As Secretary of Agriculture who is in charge of the implementation of these measures, I apologize to the stakeholders of the hog industry for this administrative lapse," Pinol wrote.

The Bureau of Animal Industry has banned the entry of pork and pork-based products from China, Hungary, Belgium, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Moldova, South Africa, and Zambia due to the quick spread of the African swine fever in these countries.

Pinol said the BAI was ordered to implement more stringent measures to temporarily close the country's borders to pork and pork-based products from the African swine flu-affected countries. He ordered all pork products from affected countries to be confiscated at the country's points of entry then destroyed to prevent its spread. There will also be mandatory inspection of all vessels docking in Philippine ports with meat supplies and fishing boats returning from the West Philippine Sea.

BAI and Customs were also told to inspect checked-in and hand-carried luggage of all passengers from the affected areas.

African swine fever poses no direct and immediate danger to human health. But its spread may threaten the hog industry, with major potential impact on supplies and prices. The disease, which has no vaccine or cure, was first detected in Asia in 2018 in an area in Siberia, according to the UN.

Meat Importers and Traders Association President Jesus Cham said the country's pork supply won't be affected as, from the 13 affected countries, the Philippines only imports from Belgium.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4)  A former Maguindanao town mayor tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte as a "narco politician" was killed in an anti-drug operation in Cotabato City on Friday.

A police report stated the police went to the house of Talib Abo Sr. to serve a search warrant, but the 62-year-old former official resisted and engaged authorities in a firefight.

Police said Abo was wounded and brought to the hospital where he was declared dead.

Authorities recovered firearms in his house. They also found a large sachet of suspected shabu estimated at P590,000.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said that an investigation should be held to check if the police had observed its own guidelines during the operation that led to Abo's death.

"It is necessary to find out the truth on what transpired during the said police operation to determine if the police has observed its own guidelines in serving warrants and the use of proportional force even during claimed encounters. An objective investigation shall ensure that human rights were not violated and all acts were carried out in line with our laws," CHR Spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement.

She added that the CHR recognizes the ill effects of illegal drugs to individuals and communities.

"As such, even from the start, we have expressed qualified support to the government campaign against illegal drugs and its intent to provide a better life to all Filipinos," de Guia said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4)  Bicol region will be the first to benefit from the multibillion-peso road user's tax collection once the Road Board is abolished, President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday.

Speaking at a briefing on the effects of deadly Tropical Depression Usman, Duterte said nothing can stop him from scrapping the corruption-ridden Road Board. This body is tasked to manage the road user's tax or the motor vehicle user's charge to be used for repairs and maintenance of roads, but was repeatedly slammed by state auditors for irregularities.

"Kausapin ko si Senate President (Vicente "Tito" Sotto) pati si Speaker (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) kasi kayo, wala akong objection kung tanggalin. Tatanggalin ko talaga 'yan e. It cannot remain," Duterte said.

"We will work together, convince Congress, wala naman silang magawa talaga diyan, ayaw ko talaga e. Maski saan niyo ilagay I will not release any single centavo there. Manghinayang ako. But if it (road user's tax collection) can be put to good use Okay ako diyan. Unahin na muna ang Bicol," Duterte added.

According to the Department of Budget and Management, P1.5 billion is collected by the Road Board every month, and its estimated balance is pegged at P45 billion.

"With that money I will give you my commitment that you'll be the first. Kunin talaga natin yang pera na 'yan. I will get it, put it somewhere else para makaano sa tao," Duterte added.

He made the statement as local officials called for help for flood-prone Camarines Sur, which Rep. Luis Villafuerte said serves as catch basin of floods coming from Albay and Camarines Norte.

Maybe if the national government can dredge the Bicol River masososlve po or mamimitigate yung baha Sir," Villafuerte said.

Duterte said funds from the Road Board can also be used in building more evacuation centers in the Bicol region.

Albay and Camarines Sur, along with Sorsogon, have been placed under a state of calamity following the onslaught of Tropical Depression Usman. The storm claimed at least 122 lives, mostly in the Bicol region, and damaged crops, houses, roads, and other infrastructure.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, meanwhile, expressed some reservations in abolishing the Road Board, saying the government should make sure there are enough funds dedicated for the maintenance of the country's roads.

Both the Senate and the House passed a bill abolishing the Road Board, but the lower chamber rescinded House Bill No. 7436's approval on third reading, leaving the measure in limbo.
Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here.
lucky-photographer/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- House Democrats took their first major legislative votes of the new Congress, approving two measures to end the 13-day partial government shutdown -- despite a presidential veto threat.



Though both measures are expected to stall in the Senate, newly minted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ruled out approving any funding towards the presidents $5.6 billion request for a physical barrier at the southern border -- renewing the impasse that led to the shutdown last month.



"We are not doing a wall. Does anybody have any doubt? We are not doing a wall," Pelosi, D-California, said, dubbing President Donald Trump as a master of diversion.



In light of the newly divided government, Thursdays votes set down a legislative marker for the House of Representatives, but did not produce a bipartisan resolution to the border wall stalemate or bring the shutdown any closer to its end.



The fact is a wall is an immorality. It's not who we are as a nation, Pelosi said. Its a wall between reality and his constituents, his supporters."



A vote on a package of six appropriations bills late Thursday night passed 241-190, while lawmakers also approved a narrow measure to extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security until Feb. 8 by a tally of 239-192.



As Representatives, funding the federal government is one of our most important duties, House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-New York, said on the House floor during debate on the bills. When Congress allows a president to dictate ridiculous demands and lets petty partisanship prevent the timely passage of appropriations bills, we abdicate that responsibility. Our new Democratic majority was elected to end the chaos and govern responsibly.



Prior to the votes, Trump made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room on Thursday afternoon to underscore his demand for the border wall, asserting that without a wall, you cannot have border security.



You can call it a barrier. You can call it whatever you want, Trump said. But essentially, we need protection in our country. We're going to make it good. The people of our country want it.



Separately, the White House signaled Thursday that the president would veto either measure if the legislation reached the Resolute Desk.



"The Administration has made it clear that the Government needs an investment of at least $5 billion for border security, along with the flexibility necessary to utilize these funds efficiently, a statement of administration policy stated. The appropriations bill, H.R. 21, and the corresponding H.J. Res. 1, does not come close to providing these necessary investments and authorities."



Congressional leaders were slated to meet with Trump at 11 a.m. Friday to resume negotiations, though neither side appears ready to cave.



Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has also pledged to block the measures from a vote in the upper chamber.



The Senate will not take up any proposal that does not have a real chance of passing this chamber and getting a presidential signature, McConnell, R-Kentucky, said. Lets not waste the time. Lets not get off on the wrong foot, with House Democrats using their new platform to produce political statements rather than serious solutions.



While Trump said last month that he would be proud to own a shutdown in order to secure funding he has demanded to build a southern border wall, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway argued that the president no longer bears responsibility for the shutdown that's resulted in the closure of approximately a quarter of the federal government, impacting 800,000 federal workers.



He doesn't own the shutdown any longer, Conway said when asked if the president regrets his past statement willingly taking the blame.



She argued that because the House of Representatives passed a package last month that included the presidents requested $5.6 billion in funding, the buck now passes to the Senate. That measure expired with the end of the 115th Congress earlier Thursday.



"He doesn't own the shutdown any longer. The House voted, the House did its job. The House passed a 5.6 billion border security funding, and it's not just for a wall it's for border security, and now the Senate has to do its job," Conway said.



Trump tweeted Thursday morning that the shutdown could be explained by the 2020 presidential election and Democratic efforts to stall his administration, citing the showdown as an example of "presidential harassment."



The broader measure includes funding for the remainder of the fiscal year for every government agency currently closed, with the exception of agencies within the Department of Homeland Security. The second bill would fund DHS through Feb. 8 at the current funding rate of $1.3 billion for border security.



"We asked him to give us one good reason -- I asked him directly. I said, Mr. President, 'give me one good reason why you should continue your shutdown of the eight cabinet departments while we are debating our differences on homeland security?' He could not give a good answer. So we would hope that they would reconsider and would support the very bills that pass the Senate," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3)  The Philippines Red Cross (PRC) is calling on the public to contribute to its effort to rebuild the lives of thousands of families in eight provinces affected by Tropical Depression Usman.

The organization identified cash assistance, safe water, non-food and basic household items as the immediate needs in Usman-hit areas, especially in Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and Albay, where families were displaced due to landslides and flooding.

"We were first to respond in Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, and Albay, where we provided rescue, water, and hygiene facilities. We are now preparing mechanics for giving cash grants so our affected countrymen can start anew with dignity. We have volunteers on the ground getting people out of harm's way and retrieving those that can be saved," Gordon said in a media interview.

Gordon added that there will be no letup even until "everyone has left."

"I think there was a miscalculation on the damage. Usman was not as strong, but it brought a lot of rains. [It] is important that we become a little bit more aggressive and make sure that we respect any kind of tropical depression," Gordon said.

Data from the PRC Operations Center show some 289 families are still housed in 24 evacuation centers in Camarines Sur and Northern Samar.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is supporting PRC's operations to provide non-food items, multipurpose cash grants, emergency water, health, and welfare assistance.

In his Twitter account, Gordon lauded Miss Universe Catriona Gray who earlier called for donations to support the operations of the PRC Camarines Sur Chapter, which was among the most gravely affected communities due to landslide incidents.

PRC has been on the ground planning its actions even before TD Usman made landfall and providing round-the-clock humanitarian assistance. Current efforts are concentrated on food and non food items.

Recovery efforts are still ongoing to help restore the community as well as rebuild the lives of those who now face an uncertain future with the loss of loved ones, homes, and livelihood. Cash assistance will be used for necessary materials needed for recovery of homes and livelihood disrupted by TD Usman. It will also help support our relief activities as we continue to mobilize PRC personnel and volunteers during the recovery phase.

PRC National Headquarters has deployed three water tankers, a 6x6 truck, and a 10-wheeler truck with a load of 300 jerry cans, 300 sets of hygiene kits, 2,400 capsules of Doxycycline, and 30 pieces body bags for search and retrieval operations.

It also provides psychosocial support to survivors of the disaster, including a father from Baao, Camarines Sur who lost his wife and four children due to a landslide.

Summary of Assistance as of January 3, 8 am:

Retrieved: 11

Assisted: 8

Transported: 6

BP Conduction: 236

First Aid Management: 19

First Aid station: 3

Food Items: 200 families

Hygiene kit: 23 families

Doxycycline: 78

Bread: 800 individuals

Water: 27,080 liters

Psychosocial Support: 87

Hot meals: 6,365 individuals

Welfare desk: 10

Used Body Bag: 16

Donations may be deposited to the following:

PRC's BDO Banco de Oro (Port Area) savings account (swift code: BNORPHMM): 00-453-0190938 (peso deposit) and 10-453-0039482 (dollar deposit)

Metrobank (Port Area) (swift code: MBTCPHMM): 151-7-15152434-2 (peso deposit) and 151-2-15100218-2 (dollar deposit).

For donations in cash or kind, call Shervi Corpuz at (02) 790-2413 or (63 917) 834-8378, and Rizza Genil at (02) 790-2410, or email emergencyappeal@redcross.org.ph.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 3)  Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BCPI) continues to have the sole right to crown the next potential Filipina Miss Universe.

BCPI chairperson Stella Marquez Araneta, during the sendoff ceremony for Filipina bet Karen Gallman who will compete at the 47th Miss Intercontinental Pageant, put to rest rumors that the group is no longer the franchise owner.

"It's still with us. We saw people saying something else, let them talk about it," Araneta told reporters.

The person or company who holds the local franchise to Miss Universe has major control of the candidate selection process.

In the case of the Philippines, winning Binibining Pilipinas pageant contestants are sent to represent the country in major international beauty pageants.

Gallman is among last year's batch of Binibining Pilipinas queens to compete in international pageants.

She could potentially win the Philippines its first Miss Intercontinental crown, which will be held on January 26.

"I want to be the best version of myself when it comes to the competition," Gallman said.

Her advocacies include child welfare, peace, and education.
(CNN)  The entire fortune of the late Swedish DJ Avicii will go to his parents, who stand to inherit $25 million, according to financial records from the Swedish Tax Agency.

The Grammy nominated superstar was found dead while vacationing in Oman in April 2018, at the age of 28. Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, did not leave a will, was unmarried and did not have any children. That makes his parents the legal heirs of his financial estate by Swedish law. The two are set to inherit the remains of his fortune after national and international debts are paid.

The DJ's Los Angeles home was reportedly sold for $17.5 million, according to the LA Times.

Avicii was one of the most successful DJs, working with artists such as Madonna and Chris Martin.

The DJ retired from touring in 2016 after performing in over 800 shows over the span of his career, which he said in part led to anxiety, excessive partying, and a string of health issues.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Avicii's parents to inherit his $25 million fortune."
(CNN)  What's the price of censoring one episode of a Netflix show in Saudi Arabia?

Though Netflix has not released specifics on the number of subscribers in the country, the recent controversy over its removal of an episode of comedian Hasan Minhaj's show "Patriot Act" is throwing a sharp spotlight on how media and tech companies balance artistic freedom against local laws, and their business.

Last week Netflix pulled the episode for viewers in Saudi Arabia after officials there complained to Netflix that the episode, first posted in October, violated an article of the country's anti-cyber crime law.

Netflix said in a statement that it supports artistic freedom and only removed the episode for Saudi viewers because of the valid legal request.

"It doesn't mean we agree with these laws," a spokesperson told CNN.

Netflix is focused on expanding Internationally, pouring money into original content from around the world made in local languages. It's already available in every country and region around the world except China, Syria, Crimea and North Korea.

Saudi Arabia is a relatively new country for Netflix, as the company only expanded there three years ago. But Guy Bisson, a London-based media industry analyst and research director with Ampere Analysis, told CNN Business that the region in general is an important area for streaming video.

"The Middle East is going to be one of the big focus markets for that local production because it's clearly a potentially lucrative and large market for them," Bisson said.

Netflix said Saudi Arabia cited Article 6 of its anti-cyber crimes law, which states that "production, preparation, transmission, or storage of material impinging on public order, religious values, public morals, and privacy, through the information network or computers" is a crime, according to the Financial Times, which first broke the story.

But it's not clear yet which aspect of the law Minhaj's show broke. Minhaj spent considerable time criticizing Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the government's handling of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and questioned whether Saudi Arabia, which contains most of Islam's holiest sites, properly represented Muslim values.

"What makes this different is that it's not immediately obvious why it breaches the particular law they said it does, and it's obviously a political issue as well  and that's a slightly different matter," Bisson said.

Netflix is not the first tech company to run up against local laws and customs as it tries to expand globally.

Google, for instance, has recently come under fire for a secret project to build a censored search engine that could provide the company a way to appease Chinese regulators and get back into the Chinese market. And like Netflix's recent situation, Google has removed some content, publicizing some data about which countries have requested it remove content and the general reason why in a transparency report. Netflix does not post a transparency report.

And Netflix already complies with certain regulations in other countries. New Zealand, for example, banned a documentary about suicide called "The Bridge" from being shown outside of film festivals. The documentary is not available on Netflix in New Zealand, though it is available in other countries.

Some countries are even using laws to keep that production local  another regulation with which Netflix and other media companies will have to contend. EU lawmakers recently voted to require that video-on-demand services ensure at least 30% of their available content is European-made.

Mary Ann Halford, a former 21st Century Fox executive who worked on that company's international operations, told CNN Business that Netflix had little choice but to take down the "Patriot Act" episode.

"If Netflix had taken it down across the world then that would be a major issue. I don't think Netflix had much legal room in this particular situation," said Halford, who now works as an adviser at OC&C Strategy Consultants.

Halford said the only way Netflix could effect change in Saudi Arabia is by staying in the market. The sacrifice of one episode in the country might be worth it to keep the rest of Minhaj's show online there, she said.

"They could risk being shut down in Saudi Arabia, and I don't think doing that advances Netflix's interest," Halford said. "One of [the United States'] greatest exports is American culture, so I don't know why we'd want to stop doing that. And listen, this comedian will still be seen."

Indeed, as Minhaj himself tweeted on Wednesday, it's likely far more people now know about the censored episode and his show than before the incident.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Netflix's balancing act: Saudi law vs freedom of speech."
(CNN)  Staffers at some of America's best-known newspapers are wondering whether their systems were the victim of a foreign cyberattack.

Several papers, including the Los Angeles Times and The San Diego Union-Tribune, suffered printing and distribution delays as a result of the incident.

Some reporters chuckled at the irony of a digital bug interrupting printed papers. But there is also real concern about the effectiveness of the attack.

Tribune Publishing said "malware" was detected on its servers Friday. The Union-Tribune, which also called it a "virus," said most subscribers were left without a Saturday morning paper as a result.

The incident affected other newspapers in other ways. At The Baltimore Sun, for example, the usual comics and puzzles were not included in Saturday's print edition, the paper tweeted.

In Southern California, distribution of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal was also delayed, because all of the papers rely on the same back-end printing presses.

The L.A. Times, citing a "source with knowledge of the situation," said Saturday that the cyberattack "appears to have originated from outside the United States."

A spokeswoman for Tribune Publishing said she could not confirm that.

And staffers at some of the affected papers said they haven't received much information from management about the extent of the cyberattack.

An internal memo from Tribune CEO Justin Dearborn on Saturday referenced "malware" and said "we are making progress with this issue."

Papers using Tribune software were affected. The L.A. Times and the Union-Tribune are no longer owned by Tribune, previously known as Tronc. But the papers continue to use some of Tribune's systems.

The virus "hobbled our ability to publish," Union-Tribune editor and publisher Jeff Light said in a Saturday morning letter to readers.

According to Dearborn's memo and the company's statement, workers had to create "workarounds" to get the Saturday editions printed.

"There is no evidence that customer credit card information or personally identifiable information has been compromised," Dearborn wrote.

But some important back-office systems were interrupted. When some L.A. Times readers called to inquire about their print edition, the customer service phone lines were on the fritz.

And staffers at two papers using Tribune software told CNN Business that the time card system for keeping track of working hours was offline for some time.

The websites of the affected papers were never impacted, however.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel's online story about the virus started off by saying: "We are still here."

This story was first published on CNN.com. "Newspapers report suspected malware attack."
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.
by p. Albert Hisham Naoum

The priest writes to the Muslims fighting intolerance to thank them. His is a response to the Grand Muftis statement. For the Chaldean clergyman, Iraqis must rediscover their "original essence" and go back to a time of innocence when they played as children unconcerned about their respective faiths. Meanwhile, many Muslims are helping rebuilding churches destroyed by fundamentalists.

Baghdad (AsiaNews)  Every Iraqi, Christian or Muslim, must rediscover their "original essence", i.e. their sense of belonging to the country as a citizen, against those who encourage hatred, this according to Fr Albert Hisham Naoum, parish priest of St Paul Chaldean Church in Baghdad, who penned a Thanksgiving letter to Muslims opposed to fundamentalism and divisions.

In his missive, sent to AsiaNews, the clergyman refers to the recent controversy sparked by Iraqs Grand Mufti who told Muslims not to celebrate Christmas and New Year because they are "Christian". Conversely, the priest calls on Iraqis to go back to a time of innocence when children played together "unconcerned about each others religion.

Here is Fr Alberts letter:

The statements by Iraqs Grand Mufti and the head of Iraqs Shia movement, on banning Christmas and New Year Greetings to Christians, have sparked outrage, not only among Christians, but also among many Muslims. The Church, together with some of our Muslim brothers, has strongly condemned such statements, which do not express the spirit of brotherhood that unites us. Thousands of people took to the streets of Baghdad on New Year's Eve - as they have done for a long time - to celebrate the occasion, hoping for peace and quiet for all of Iraq.

Along with statements harmful to the dialogue and unity, for the New Year, many of our Muslim brothers have called for the re-opening of churches shuttered years ago because of religious extremism or Christian emigration. The latter has affected central Baghdad as much as the suburbs and other parts of the country. Muslims gathered in front of local churches and expressed their willingness to clean them up. Many have posted videos on social media, expressing hope that Christians can come home. Such a show of brotherhood is a throwback to a time, many years ago, when everyone was united.

I would very much like the Church to extend a message of thanks to these Muslims. They represent a response to the forces of evil, which led to the seizure of Christiane homes and assets. They are a response to the extremism that drove Christians from their homes and churches. They are an answer to the hate speech and intolerance that have spread and are a positive sign for those who have been affected by a discourse that fuels divisions.

Today more than ever, we need every Iraqi citizen to rediscover their "original essence", which stands against arguments based on differences, but focuses instead on living and sharing every aspect of life with one's fellow citizen, for better or for worse. In Iraq we need to remove the layer of rust that has damaged the metal, which fuels trivial differences and hides personal interests. In Iraq we need to remember the time of our childhood, when Muslim and Christian children played together unconcerned about each others religion . . . How much I miss the days of our childhood!

So, let me say: thank you, our Muslim brothers, who have managed to preserve that "original essence"; thank you, because you have rejected extremism and have not let it enter your homes. On the contrary, you have opened some room for those who are different from you. It is us, on the occasion of this celebration, who want to send you our greetings, who want to pray with you and for you. Let us pray together for Iraq, and for a return to our childhood innocence.
The mystery of Jo Song-gils disappearance deepens. North Koreas charge d'affaires was already set to leave his post in November. He came in May 2015. For observers, Italy is trying to avoid tensions with North Korea. Warmongers threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Seoul (AsiaNews)  Jo Song-gil, North Koreas 48-year-old charge d'affaires (pictured) was replaced in such function by Mr Kim Chon" on 20 November, an official at the Italian Embassy in Seoul told the Yonhap news agency.

South Koreas National Intelligence Service informed South Korean lawmakers of the disappearance of the North Korean diplomat in a closed-door briefing, this according to Rep Kim Min-ki of the ruling Democratic Party.

A newspaper reported that Jo was seeking asylum in a third country and that Italy was holding the diplomat and is family in a safe place.

Italys Foreign Ministry disputed the information, saying that no North Korean official had requested asylum. Instead, it stated that it had been informed of staff changes via diplomatic channels.

South Korea's presidential office said instead that it had no information about the affair.

Jo was posted to Italy in May 2015 as First Secretary, and was set to leave in November 2018.

In 2017, the Italian government expelled North Koreas ambassador Mun Jong-nam following that countrys sixth nuclear test. On 9 October 2017, Jo was appointed charge d'affaires, the highest diplomatic post in the absence of an ambassador.

Whilst the mystery surrounding Jo's disappearance grows, for some observers the low-key approach of the Italian government is based on a desire not to increase tension with North Korea. This explains why the news was leaked by South Korean sources, about a month after the escape.

By contrast, other powers are interested in destabilising the peace process in the Korean Peninsula, which is a major market for weapons manufacturers.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Thursday that three areas -- political mutual trust, cooperation on Belt and Road Initiative, and cooperation in international affairs -- are prioritized in China-Ethiopia relations.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks to reporters after his meeting with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu in Addis Ababa on Thursday, January 3, 2019. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn]

Wang made the remarks when he spoke to reporters after his meeting with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Workneh Gebeyehu.

With regard to the political mutual trust between China and Ethiopia, Wang said the two sides will continue to understand and support each other on the core interests and major issues of common concern.

He also noted that China firmly supports Ethiopia's development path in line with its national conditions and supports its efforts to safeguard sovereignty, develop the country's economy and improve people's livelihood.

Speaking of the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang noted that Ethiopia is among the first batch of African countries which signed cooperation documents concerning jointly building the Belt and Road, and Ethiopian leaders attended the first Belt and Road Forum for International cooperation.

China supports Ethiopia in playing a role as a bridge and a link for the Belt and Road construction in Africa, he said. "We welcome Ethiopian leaders to attend the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International cooperation in China this year."

On China-Ethiopia cooperation on international affairs, Wang said that China and Ethiopia are both developing countries, and both countries are faced with a complicated international environment.

China attaches importance to Ethiopia's role in African affairs, Wang added.

Noting that China and Ethiopia had good cooperation in the Security Council, Wang said China is willing to continue to coordinate with Ethiopia on issues such as the Security Council reform, climate change, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and protect the common interests of both countries.

Mentioning that Ethiopia is the first stop of his trip to Africa, Wang said that China and Ethiopia have forged close friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership.

He also noted that bilateral relations and cooperation have yielded fruitful results.

Wang said they have discussed that cooperation in the fields of industrial parks, energy, agriculture, and human resources development would help Ethiopia improve its independent development capability and achieve win-win results.

"We have also reached important consensus on strengthening communication and coordination between the two sides on international and regional issues," said Wang. "We expect that the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Ethiopia will continue to be at the forefront of China-Africa relations under the new situation and play a model role."
by Nirmala Carvalho

The function is held in the church of St. John the Evangelist during the lunch break. The news of the presence of the cardinal spread immediately on social media. The cardinal spent the Christmas period with poor and needy in the suburbs of the megalopolis.

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Today Card. Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai, will celebrate a solemn mass for the workers of the diocese. The function will be held at 13:15 (local time) at the church of St. John the Evangelist in Fort, Mumbai district. The parish priest, Fr. Joseph D'Souza, informs that the time has been chosen to allow the workers to reach the church during the lunch break. He told AsiaNews: "Yesterday I informed the faithful that the cardinal would come today to preside at the Mass on the first Friday of the year. Joy exploded and they immediately started to spread the news through the social networks, inviting also the colleagues to participate ".

The Cardinal spent the period of Advent meeting poor, marginalized, dalit migrants, responding to the constant invitation of Pope Francis to go to the peripheries. During Christmas, he was a "bishop-parish priest", celebrating liturgies for various groups of the archdiocese. He became spokesman for the message of charity of the Gospel and hosted a meeting on interreligious dialogue the week before 25 December.

Father D'Souza rejoices at the presence of the cardinal: "It is a wonderful gift of happy new year for the people. The cardinal is very loved by the people ". He reports that usually around 90 worshipers participate in the afternoon mass. On the first Friday of the month, the assembly increases to 150 present. Today the faithful will be at least twice that number given that the expectation of meeting the Cardinal is great ".

In his Christmas message, remembering that "Jesus, born in a stable, brought us the unlimited mercy of God", card. Gracias invited everyone to "put aside the impulse to hatred and violence, so that we can condemn with integrity those who commit violence in the name of God".
Asian economies including that of China have been slowing quite a bit since last spring.

Apples warning on Wednesday about weak iPhone demand in the holiday quarter was a gloomy omen.

A sharp drop in Chinese economic growth will hit the profits of US firms but sales by Apple Inc and other American companies should recover once Washington strikes a trade deal with Beijing, a senior White House adviser said on Thursday.

If we have a successful negotiation with China, then Apples sales and everybody elses sales will recover, White House Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers

Kevin Hassett said in an interview with CNN.

Hassett said Asian economies including that of China have been slowing quite a bit since last spring and that China is feeling the blow of US tariffs.

That is having an impact on earnings and its not going to be just Apple, Hassett said. I think there are a heck of a lot of US companies that have a lot of sales in China that are basically going to be watching their earnings be downgraded next year until you know we get a deal with China.

Apples warning on Wednesday about weak iPhone demand in the holiday quarter was a gloomy omen for Wall Street bulls hoping for an early gift in 2019 following Decembers steep selloff.

Factory activity weakened across much of Europe and Asia in December as the US-China trade war and a slowdown in demand hit production in many economies, offering little reason for optimism as the new year begins.

(Source)
Pistol recovered from Bihar neta, his wife Renu faces charges of destroying evidence; couple ducking questions, say cops.

Police arrest former Bihar MLA Raju Singh after he was arrested in New Delhi on Thursday, in connection with the celebratory firing during a New Years eve party at his farmhouse. A woman who was wounded in the firing succumbed to her injuries on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Raju Singh, the former Bihar legislator arrested along with his driver Hari Singh for killing a 42-year-old woman during a New Years eve party during celebratory firing, was brought to Delhi on Thursday, the police said. The victim, Archana Gupta, succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday. After her death, the former MLA was charged with murder.

The police has also arrested Rajus wife, Renu Singh, and one of their friend, Ramender, for destroying evidences and threatening eyewitnesses.

According to the police, on the night of 31st December, Vikas Gupta along with his wife Archana and their daughter was at a farmhouse of their family friend Sanjiw Kumar Singh in South Delhi.

When the countdown for New Year was going on, Sanjiws brother, Raju, started firing. One of those hit Archana in the head. Her husband realised that something was not right. He checked her and found that she was bleeding.

With the help of some friends, she was rushed to Fortis hospital. The hospital staff informed the police about the incident, prior to which an FIR was lodged. Immediately after the FIR, police initiated a probe and teams were formed to nab the accused.

Some teams were tracking accused Raju while others were at the spot to collect evidences and statements of eye witnesses. The police had suspected that Raju was on his way to Bihar via UP. The district police of UP at Bihar border was informed by the Delhi police and Raju Singh, along with Hari Singh, was detained at Kushinagar in UP on Wednesday. A pistol was also recovered from his possession.

The police had earlier seized two rifles and 800 bullets from Raju Singhs farmhouse in South Delhis Vasant Kunj. On Thursday, it arrested his wife and Ramander for destroying evidences.

According to DCP (South) Vijay Kumar, the accused were non-cooperating during questioning. They were arrested after the police provided sufficient evidence.

Renu was questioned and initially she did not cooperate but it was found that she was the one who ensured that the bloodstains are cleaned and the rounds are hidden, sources said. They added that she initially kept claiming no bullets were fired but when she was confronted with evidence, she confessed to her role.
He has been lying on the Rafale issue for the last two years and trying to mislead public, said UP Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh.

UP Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh also hit out at MP CM and Cong leader Kamal Nath over his government's decision to 'temporarily' stop recital of Vande Mataram at state secretariat. (Photo: Twitter | @SidharthNSingh)

Varanasi: Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh on Friday invited Congress president Rahul Gandhi to take a dip in the Ganga during the upcoming Kumbh Mela to wash away the sins he had accumulated by "lying" on the Rafale issue.

"Mother Ganga will pardon Gandhi for all his sins and I extend him an invitation to visit Prayagraj to take a holy dip in the Ganga river during the Kumbh. He has been lying on the Rafale issue for the last two years and trying to mislead the public," the BJP leader, who was there to attend the regional meeting of Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, told reporters.

Singh's remarks came on a day when the Lok Sabha witnessed a heated debate over the multi-million dollar Rafale jet deal. Rahul Gandhi led his party's offensive against the government and posed a series of questions to the BJP-led dispensation.

Replying to a question on the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the minister said everybody wanted the shrine to be built at the earliest and expressed hope that the Supreme Court will soon give a decision on the matter.

Earlier on Friday, the apex court said an appropriate bench constituted by it will pass an order on January 10 for fixing the date of hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute title case.

The matter was disposed of within 30 seconds by a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul.

Singh also hit out at Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Congress leader Kamal Nath over his government's decision to 'temporarily' stop the recital of Vande Mataram at the state secretariat.

Terming the decision as "unfortunate", the minister said, "The song does not belong to any particular party but is associated with all Indians."

The Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Singh said, was unable to come out of the "mindset of emergency period."
The outfit in statement said that the shutdown would begin from 1 am on Friday and continue as long as the PM stays in Manipur.

Guwahati: The Coordinating Committee (CorCom), an umbrella body of prominent separatist outfits of Manipur, has called a statewide shutdown to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Imphal on Friday.

The PM is visiting Im-phal on Friday to inaugurate various developmental projects, including the integrated check post at Moreh town bordering Myanmar.

Prime Minister is also expected to announce the introduction of Guwahati-Silchar-Imphal fuel pipeline and establishment of Asian University for higher studies in the state. The Prime Minister will also address a public rally at Ramnagar near Silchar in Assam on Friday.

The CorCom, which is a joint platform of separatist outfits of Manipur comprising Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Progressive faction (PREPAK-Pro), Revolutionary Peoples Front (RPF  the political wing of the Peoples Liberation Army  PLA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and United Peoples Party of Kangleipak (UPPK), has been fighting for the independence of Manipur.

The outfit in statement said that the shutdown would begin from 1 am on Friday and continue as long as the PM stays in Manipur.

The statement added that the people of Manipur have no reason to believe that Mr Modis visit will bring good things to the state. The Prime Minister, through his visit, only wants to ensure that New Delhi can strengthen its grasp on the state so that a message can be sent out to the world that Manipur is an integral part of India, the outfit which operates from its base in neighbouring Myanmar claimed. Manipur is not doing well because it is occupied by India, it further alleged.

The statement also accused New Delhi of playing a game of divide and rule and attempting to destabilize the collective revolutionary movement to restore Manipurs past sovereignty. These policies are triggering artificial conflicts among different ethnic communities in Manipur, it claimed.

Prime Minister is schedule to address to address a public meeting of the BJP at the historic Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal East for which the state government has made elaborate security arrangements.
The AIADMK has 37 members and the TDP has 15 members in the House.

As the MPs started throwing papers in the direction of the Chair, the Speaker warned that she would be forced to name the unruly members and take action against them.

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Thursday without taking up the Rafale debate or transacting any other business after a huge furore over the suspension of 21 MPs belonging to the Telugu Desam Party and the AIADMK by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan due to unruly behaviour. Thirteen TDP members, seven AIADMK members and an unattached member were suspended a day after Ms Mahajan had suspended 24 AIADMK MPs for disrupting the proceedings on Wednesday during a debate on the Rafale seal. The AIADMK has 37 members and the TDP has 15 members in the House.

As soon as the House met on Thursday, AIADMK and TDP members trooped into the Well raising slogans and carrying banners making their pet demands of a dam on the river Cauvery and special status for Andhra Pradesh respectively.

As the MPs started throwing papers in the direction of the Chair, the Speaker warned that she would be forced to name the unruly members and take action against them. I warn you, I will take your names. You have come to the Well and are persistently creating trouble, she said.

When the members refused to budge despite this, the Speaker suspended the MPs under Rule 374(A) of the Lok Sabha proceedings for the next four sittings of the House. This effectively means they have been suspended for the rest of the session as Parliament has only three more working days left.

Among those suspended were former civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju (TDP), Thota Narasimham (TDP) and Renuka Butta (unattached), who had won on a YSR Congress ticket.

When the House, which was initially adjourned till 2 pm, met, the suspended AIADMK and TDP members trooped into the Well and continued protesting, shouting slogans. At this time, two more TDP members  P. Ravindra Babu and Kesineni Srinivas  were also suspended from the Lok Sabha for unruly behaviour. The Speaker then adjourned the House for the day.

Members from the Congress had wanted to raise the Sabarimala issue and the House was also scheduled to resume a discussion on the Rafale deal under Rule 193.
- T. S. Eliot

Thoughts After Lambeth

"The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide."
Putin and Netanyahu speak by phone on Syria Following US plan to withdraw troops

(ANSAmed) - MOSCOW, JANUARY 4 - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone about the situation in Syria, following the US's plan to withdraw its troops, according to a statement by the Kremlin press service.



"The discussion centred on developments in Syria, also in light of the US's plan to withdraw its troops, highlighting the need for a definitive defeat of terrorism and the rapid reaching of a political solution in Syria," the statement said.



"The parties reaffirmed their reciprocal determination to strengthen coordination through military and diplomatic channels," Russian news agency TASS reported.



News of the call was also reported by Israeli media.



Israeli television said the call was the first talk between the two leaders since the US announced its troop withdrawal from Syria.



The Israeli news site Ynet said Netanyahu and Putin agreed to move forward with their coordination both through military and diplomatic channels.(ANSAmed).




ROME - Italian migrant rescue ship Mediterranea set off from Malta Friday to bring relief to Sea Watch 3 which has been roaming the Mediterrean for 14 days with 32 migrants aboard.

Meanwhile Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris reiterated that the port of Naples was open to migrants despite a ban imposed by Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini.

He said he was determined to save the lives of "children who are dying at sea".

Salvini said "I'm full of messages from Neapolitans who want de Magistris to deal with the problems of Naples, the rubbish in Naples, the traffic in Naples, jobs in Naples, public housing in Naples; if he wants to be a yachtsman and open the port let him do so, but the interior minister has competence over the port, as he does over all Italian ports".

Salvini was backed by his ruling partner Luigi Di maio who said Italian mayors can't open ports to migrants.

"There are mayors thinking of whether they should open or close ports," said Di Maio, who is the other deputy premier as well as industry and labour minister. "I'd like to remind them that they have no authority by law and this shows that all these statements are part of a great opportunity to wage a little election campaign and ask citizens for some votes".

The European Commission is continuing its "intense" contacts with member States disposed to finding a solution for two migrant rescue ships carrying a total of 49 migrants for almost two weeks, EC spokeswomen Mina Andreeva said Friday.

The Sea Watch has 32 migrants while Sea Eye has a further 17, making 49 in all.

Andreeva said the EC was trying to find countries willing to "find a solution on the rapid disembarkation of the people on board the Sea Watch 3 and the Sea Eye".

On Thursday, she said, Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos urged member States to "help this joint effort to safely disembark those on board as soon as possible.

"A series of member States has voiced willingness towards this joint effort and to support Malta", she said.
ATHENS - Three migrant fishermen who helped to rescue dozens of people from the sea during the deadly wildfires in the area of Mati on the outskirts of Athens last summer have been made Greek citizens.

Fifty-year-old El Haimim Emad and 46-year-old Ibrahim Moussa Mahmoud from Egypt, and Jake Gani, a 35-year-old Albanian, were welcomed by the President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the presidential palace on Wednesday.

All three men were granted citizenship during a special ceremony in recognition of their heroic actions in what was one of Greece's worst peacetime incidents.

One hundred people were killed when the wildfire swept through the resort town of Mati on July 23, making it the second-deadliest wildfire event in the 21st century after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Australia that killed 180. Addressing the three men and their families, who were also in attendance, Pavlopoulos said: "What you have done shows that solidarity and humanity are not a matter of citizenship. You are now also European citizens and, as such, you can teach our partners around the continent that these are the true values of Europe. And that European integration is something which is built on solidarity." Investigations are still going on into the causes of the Mati fire, as well as the fire which broke out in the Kineta area in the West of Attica, with government sources suggesting that arson was at play.

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras had declared a state of emergency in Attica announcing a three-day period of national mourning and calling the event "an unspeakable tragedy".

Over 700 residents were successfully evacuated or rescued, mainly from the seaside settlements located north of the port town of Rafina. Boats also recovered corpses from the water, and rescued hundreds of people from beaches and the sea.

Ten people drowned when a boat rescuing them from a hotel in Mati capsized, while in total more than 4,000 residents were affected by the wildfires of 2018.
ANSAmed - Today's events in the Mediterranean

(ANSAmed) - ROME, JANUARY 4 - These are some of the main events scheduled for today in the Euro-Mediterranean area: ANKARA - Visit by a US delegation for meetings with officials of the Turkish foreign ministry, interior ministry, and justice ministry regarding ongoing US investigations into the networks of Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen. (ANSAmed).




MADRID - More than 78.4 million foreign tourists visited Spain in the first 11 months of 2018, a 0.7% increase on the same record-breaking period of 2017, according to figures from a survey by Tourist Movement at the Borders (Frontur) released by the National Statistics Institute.

Attracted by the landscapes, climate, and the country's historic and cultural heritage, in November 2018 alone there were a total of 4.5 million tourists to the country, a 3.5% increase on an annual basis.

If December figures confirm the trend, international tourism to Spain is on track for a new record, surpassing in 2018 the 81.6 million foreign visitors registered in 2017, after a slight decline that summer.

British tourists are the top nationality for visitors to Spain, despite the fact that the threat of Brexit and the devaluation of the British pound hurt arrivals from the UK.

British tourism to Spain was down 2% between January and November, for a total of 17.6 million tourists in the first 11 months of 2018, making up 22% of all foreign tourists.
'Intense' contacts for Sea Watch, Sea Eye - EU

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, JANUARY 4 - The European Commission is continuing its "intense" contacts with member States disposed to finding a solution for two migrant rescue ships carrying a total of 49 migrants for almost two weeks, EC spokeswomen Mina Andreeva said Friday.



She said he EC was trying to find countries willing to "find a solution on the rapid disembarkation of the people on board the Sea Watch 3 and the Sea Eye".



On Thursday, she said, Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos urged member States to "help this joint effort to safely disembark those on board as soon as possible.



"A series of member States has voiced willingness towards thois joint effort and to support Malta", she said.(ANSAmed).




(ANSA) - Rome, January 3 - The government's new universal basic income for the poor and job seekers is only aimed at Italian citizens, Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio said Thursday.

Di Maio denied reports it would also go to some 250,000 immigrants who have been in Italy for at least five years.

"The law, as we have always said, concerns a basic income for those that are Italian citizens", said the leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, which rules Italy with the anti-migrant Euroskeptic League party of Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini.

Di Maio said "the aim is to give (the income) to Italians and those who have been here for a long time and who have made a major contribution to our country.

"So we're not talking about the five years that were in the draft of the decree, which must be changed.

"The goal is to give it to Italians.

"The 5-year 'long stay' qualification for foreign citizens will be changed".


(ANSA) - Milan, January 3 - Andrea Bonomi's Investindustrial fund on Thursday launched a 142 million euro bid for Spanish chocolate maker Natra.

A statement on Investindustrial Advisors' website said it has offered EUR142m (US$161.1m) for the Madrid-headquartered Natra's shares and convertible bonds. Investindustrial Advisors is a pan-European private-equity house that predominantly invests in medium-sized companies active in industry sectors such as industrial manufacturing, consumer, leisure and business services.

Natra specialises in chocolate products for private-label brands and other food companies, as well as in cocoa derivatives.

Its consumer goods division is responsible for the manufacturing of chocolate tablets, countlines, spreads and Belgian chocolates and specialities, which are targeted mainly at Europe, with Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Spain and the UK as main markets. Natra has six production centres in Spain, Belgium, France and Canada.


The Branson Board of Aldermen on Thursday (now postponed to July 28) will consider an ordinance that would require face coverings in public spaces. The aldermen might approve it, disapprove it, or approve an amended version. Would you be in favor of some form of mandatory face covering ordinance in the city of Branson?

You voted:
Texas City Police Department

(TEXAS CITY, Texas) -- Police arrested a Texas man who allegedly killed three young children and shot a woman in the head Thursday.

Junaid Mehmood, 27, allegedly killed an infant and two children -- believed to be 2 years old and 5 years old -- at a Texas City apartment complex and left a woman there to die, according to police.

ABC News affiliate KTRK-TV in Houston identified the children as Angela Pilot, 5; Prince Larry Brown, 2; and Ashanti Mehmood, who was 2 months old.

Police discovered the victims at the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City, Texas, about 40 miles southeast of Houston, while responding to a welfare concern at around 6:15 p.m., the Texas City Police Department said in a statement.

The children were pronounced dead on the scene and the woman was rushed to a nearby hospital, according to the statement. The department didn't disclose the woman's identity, or her relationship to the children, but said she was in stable condition.

Mehmood was apprehended in Houston after a brief manhunt late Thursday night.

The man called 911 and confessed to dispatchers, "I killed my family," according to Houston ABC station KTRK-TV, before surrendering to authorities.

On Saturday, the Texas Police Department confirmed that the children died from stab wounds and blunt force trauma.

Police records indicate that Mehmood had been arrested multiple times, charged with fraud, robbery, assault and drug possession. He was charged with fraud in Galveston County in February 2010 and received five years probation. In 2014, he was charged with family assault and spent 20 days in confinement. After a robbery conviction in 2015 he was sentenced to three years in jail.

It's unclear if Mehmood has obtained an attorney.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
(ANSA) - Rome, January 4 - Italian migrant rescue ship Mediterranea set off from Malta Friday to bring relief to Sea Watch 3 which has been roaming the Med for 14 days with 32 migrants aboard.

Meanwhile Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris reiterated that the port of Naples was open to migrants despite a ban imposed by Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.

He said he was determined to save the lives of "children who are dying at sea".

Salvini said "I'm full of messages from Neapolitans who want de Magistris to deal with the problems of Naples, the rubbish in Naples, the traffic in Naples, jobs in Naples, public housing in Naples; if he wants to be a yachtsman and open the port let him do so, but the interior minister has competence over the port".


(ANSA) - Rome, January 4 - Italian migrant rescue ship Mediterranea set off from Malta Friday to bring relief to Sea Watch 3 which has been roaming the Mediterranean for 14 days with 32 migrants aboard.

Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio said Italy would take the women and children off the boats.

Meanwhile Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris reiterated that the port of Naples was open to migrants despite a ban imposed by Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini.

He said he was determined to save the lives of "children who are dying at sea".

Salvini said "I'm full of messages from Neapolitans who want de Magistris to deal with the problems of Naples, the rubbish in Naples, the traffic in Naples, jobs in Naples, public housing in Naples; if he wants to be a yachtsman and open the port let him do so, but the interior minister has competence over the port, as he does over all Italian ports".

Salvini was backed by his ruling partner Luigi Di maio who said Italian mayors can't open ports to migrants.

"There are mayors thinking of whether they should open or close ports," said Di Maio, who is the other deputy premier as well as industry and labour minister. "I'd like to remind them that they have no authority by law and this shows that all these statements are part of a great opportunity to wage a little election campaign and ask citizens for some votes".

Leftwing anti-mafia and pro-migrant writer Roberto Saviano on Friday posted a video and a Twitter post calling Salvini a "clown" and urging him to open Italian ports to two migrant rescue ships carrying a total of 49 migrants.

"I address Minister Salvini," Saviano said.

"Let him stop playing the clown at the expense of people's lives. Let him open the ports. Enough of this base propaganda, enough waging an election campaign at the expense of others' lives! #seawatch #seaeye." Italian transport ministry sources said the Sea-Watch3 and the Professor Albrecht Penck, belonging to NGOs Sea Watch and Sea Eye) respectively, were a few hundred metres from the Maltese coast in Maltese waters.

The ministry sources said they were receiving food and all other assistance from Valletta. The European Commission is continuing its "intense" contacts with member States disposed to finding a solution for two migrant rescue ships carrying a total of 49 migrants for almost two weeks, EC spokeswomen Mina Andreeva told reporters on Friday.

The Sea Watch has 32 migrants while the Sea Eye has a further 17, making 49 in all.

Andreeva said the EC was trying to find countries willing to "find a solution on the rapid disembarkation of the people on board the Sea Watch 3 and the Sea Eye".

On Thursday, she said, Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos urged member States to "help this joint effort to safely disembark those on board as soon as possible.

"A series of member States has voiced willingness towards this joint effort and to support Malta", she said.

The Council of Europe's human rights commissioner on Friday called for an immediate berth for the 49 migrants aboard the Sea Watch 3 and the Sea Eye.

"States must no further delay offering a safe port to the children, women and men aboard the SeaWatch3 and the SeaEye," said Dunja Mijatovic.

"Their safety and health must not be further put at risk leaving them adrift at sea," Mijatovic added. "Humanity and compassion must prevail," the commissioner said.

Migrant arrivals in Italy across the central Mediterranean fell 80% in 2018, European border agency Frontex said Friday.

They fell to around 23,000, it said.

Arrivals at the EU's external borders fell to a five year low of 150,000, with arrivals in Spain doubling for the second straight year.


(ANSA) - Rome, January 4 - Italian migrant rescue ship Mediterranea set off from Malta Friday to bring relief to Sea Watch 3 which has been roaming the Mediterranean for 14 days with 32 migrants aboard.

Meanwhile Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris reiterated that the port of Naples was open to migrants despite a ban imposed by Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini.

He said he was determined to save the lives of "children who are dying at sea".

Salvini said "I'm full of messages from Neapolitans who want de Magistris to deal with the problems of Naples, the rubbish in Naples, the traffic in Naples, jobs in Naples, public housing in Naples; if he wants to be a yachtsman and open the port let him do so, but the interior minister has competence over the port, as he does over all Italian ports".

Salvini was backed by his ruling partner Luigi Di maio who said Italian mayors can't open ports to migrants.

"There are mayors thinking of whether they should open or close ports," said Di Maio, who is the other deputy premier as well as industry and labour minister. "I'd like to remind them that they have no authority by law and this shows that all these statements are part of a great opportunity to wage a little election campaign and ask citizens for some votes".

Leftwing anti-mafia and pro-migrant writer Roberto Saviano on Friday posted a video and a Twitter post calling Salvini a "clown" and urging him to open Italian ports to two migrant rescue ships carrying a total of 49 migrants.

"I address Minister Salvini," Saviano said.

"Let him stop playing the clown at the expense of people's lives. Let him open the ports. Enough of this base propaganda, enough waging an election campaign at the expense of others' lives! #seawatch #seaeye." Italian transport ministry sources said the Sea-Watch3 and the Professor Albrecht Penck, belonging to NGOs Sea Watch and Sea Eye) respectively, were a few hundred metres from the Maltese coast in Maltese waters.

The ministry sources said they were receiving food and all other assistance from Valletta. The European Commission is continuing its "intense" contacts with member States disposed to finding a solution for two migrant rescue ships carrying a total of 49 migrants for almost two weeks, EC spokeswomen Mina Andreeva told reporters on Friday.

The Sea Watch has 32 migrants while the Sea Eye has a further 17, making 49 in all.

Andreeva said the EC was trying to find countries willing to "find a solution on the rapid disembarkation of the people on board the Sea Watch 3 and the Sea Eye".

On Thursday, she said, Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos urged member States to "help this joint effort to safely disembark those on board as soon as possible.

"A series of member States has voiced willingness towards this joint effort and to support Malta", she said.

The Council of Europe's human rights commissioner on Friday called for an immediate berth for the 49 migrants aboard the Sea Watch 3 and the Sea Eye.

"States must no further delay offering a safe port to the children, women and men aboard the SeaWatch3 and the SeaEye," said Dunja Mijatovic.

"Their safety and health must not be further put at risk leaving them adrift at sea," Mijatovic added. "Humanity and compassion must prevail," the commissioner said.

Migrant arrivals in Italy across the central Mediterranean fell 80% in 2018, European border agency Frontex said Friday.

They fell to around 23,000, it said.

Arrivals at the EU's external borders fell to a five year low of 150,000, with arrivals in Spain doubling for the second straight year.


(ANSA) - Rome, January 4 - Italian migrant rescue ship Mediterranea set off from Malta Friday to bring relief to Sea Watch 3 which has been roaming the Mediterrean for 14 days with 32 migrants aboard.

Meanwhile Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris reiterated that the port of Naples was open to migrants despite a ban imposed by Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.

He said he was determined to save the lives of "children who are dying at sea".

Salvini said "I'm full of messages from Neapolitans who want de Magistris to deal with the problems of Naples, the rubbish in Naples, the traffic in Naples, jobs in Naples, public housing in Naples; if he wants to be a yachtsman and open the port let him do so, but the interior minister has competence over the port, as he does over all Italian ports".

The European Commission is continuing its "intense" contacts with member States disposed to finding a solution for two migrant rescue ships carrying a total of 49 migrants for almost two weeks, EC spokeswomen Mina Andreeva said Friday.

The Sea Watch has 32 migrants while Sea Eye has a further 17, making 49 in all.

Andreeva said the EC was trying to find countries willing to "find a solution on the rapid disembarkation of the people on board the Sea Watch 3 and the Sea Eye".

On Thursday, she said, Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos urged member States to "help this joint effort to safely disembark those on board as soon as possible.

"A series of member States has voiced willingness towards this joint effort and to support Malta", she said.


(Image source from: m.dailyhunt.in)

YS Jagan Attack Case Transferred To NIA:- YSRCP Chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy has been attacked in Vizag airport on October 25th and the incident created a huge sensation all over. The AP High Court today transferred the case to National Investigation Agency (NIA). YS Jagan's lawyer wanted the case to be transferred to NIA and the High Court accepted their request during the latest hearing that took place today. As the investigations gets delayed, the evidences will sure get manipulated argued YS Jagan's lawyer and wanted the case to be transferred as per NIA Act.

As the incident took place in airport, the High Court wanted the Centre to take the final call on the investigation. The Centre asked High Court to transfer the case to National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the necessary orders are issued today. Srinivasa Rao, a waiter in a coffee shop in Vizag airport attacked YS Jagan after he approached the politician to take a selfie. The incident created a sensation and AP Government has been badly criticized. YSRCP leaders revealed that the investigation will be sidelined if it is done by the Andhra Pradesh cops and they wanted the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate the case.

(Video Source: NTV Telugu)
Assyrian Group Calls for No-fly Zone in Syria to Stop Turkish Invasion

The Syriac Military Council (SMC) has issued a statement on Friday calling for a no-fly zone over northern Syria in order to "stop the Ottoman Turkish" invasion.

"We appeal to world leaders and to Christians throughout the to support us as Chaldean-Syriac-Assyrian Christians living in Syria's North East region: as indigenous people of the Middle East," the statement began.

"We urgently need protection from Turkey's threats to invade and 'cleanse' our territory from Christianity, religious freedom, and democracy," they continued.

The Syriac Military Council then addressed U.S. President Donald Trump's withdrawal announcement, which they claim leaves them susceptible to a Turkish military invasion.

"US President Donald Trump's sudden decision to withdraw US troops leaves us powerless and open to being destroyed by either Turkey or other regimes scrambling to see our demise in the vacuum this will create," the SMC said.

"Turkey is threatening us daily in the local media to invade and kill us," the statement continued, pointing out that the Turkish-backed rebels are calling them 'infidels' on social media.

In reference to the Turkish military's past operation in Afrin, the SMC said that "when Turkey was allowed to enter Afrin by the West, Turkey committed war crimes and ethnic cleansing against the religious minorities."

"All the Christians had to flee the area as Turkey's jihadi troops conducted door-to-door searches to hunt the Christians down to kill them and destroy all of Afrin's churches," they stated.

The SMC would conclude by calling for a no-fly zone over northern Syria in order to prevent a Turkish invasion.

"It is urgent to establish, as soon as possible, a no-fly zone for North East Syri to protect us against Turkey," they said, adding "Turkish air power overwhelmed the defenders of Afrin and even our brave Syrian Democratic Forces cannot against the powerful NATO army. It is urgent to stop the invasion and occupation of Syria."

The SMC is a militia that is based in Syria's Al-Hasakah Governorate; they are loyal to the Kurdish-led People's Protection Units (YPG).
The Arizona Association of Realtors in June submitted 400,000 signatures to get the ban on service taxes on the November ballot.
Debanjan Ghosh, a volunteer who goes by the name Jon, gathers food to put in baskets and carts.








Akwasi Owusu-Bempah is a professor in the department of sociology at U of T Mississauga. Read a different view of drug legalization by Robert Mann, a professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

Why are most recreational drugs illegal? If the rationale for the war on drugs is to decrease drug use, it hasnt worked. It hasnt stopped the production or importation of drugs. Quite the opposite: there are billions of dollars to be made from the illegal drug trade. This often comes with serious violence  sometimes in Canada, but more often in Mexico 1 and other source countries in South America and Central America.

The United States, in particular, has been waging a war on drugs for several decades, 2 and its still one of the worlds largest consumers of cocaine. 3 This should tell us that were not going to reduce drug use through the enforcement of laws.

Some people use drugs because they enjoy doing so. Many Canadians already consume a number of drugs each week: alcohol, caffeine and nicotine are the most common. People also use harder drugs recreationally, and of course, some of these people develop substance use and abuse problems. But arresting and incarcerating them is not going to help them deal with the issues that are leading them to use or abuse harder drugs in the first place. This is why a public health approach to all drugs, where were striving for harm reduction rather than elimination of use, makes the most sense.

For most of human history, drugs havent been illegal. Its only in the last 110 years that weve had drug prohibition in Canada. Even so, my neighbours in downtown Toronto often express surprise that cannabis was legalized just recently. Many think its been legal, or at least decriminalized, for some time. They think this because of what they look like and where they live: they dont have to worry about being arrested.

The unequal enforcement of drug laws has profoundly harmed the individuals that are targeted, their families and their communities

As a criminologist, Im particularly interested in how Black males perceive and experience the police. And you cant do research around race and policing without focusing on drugs. The war on drugs drives many of the inequalities we see in our justice system.

We know that Canadians use drugs at similar rates across racial groups. 4 But in practice, drug laws are used to intrude into the lives of certain segments of the population. In Toronto and in many other cities, the unequal enforcement of drug laws 5 has profoundly harmed the individuals that are targeted, their families and their communities. A higher proportion of members of these communities have criminal records for drug possession that impede their ability to finish their education, to gain meaningful employment, to find housing and to travel.

Its this profound injustice that has led me to believe that the social harms caused by drug prohibition far outweigh the potential health harms of legalizing and regulating access to drugs.

One of the imbalances in how drug laws are applied that weve seen with cannabis comes with the exercise of police discretion. Because some police officers viewed cannabis possession as a relatively minor crime, theyd confiscate the drug without making an arrest. But thats not true of everyone the police have caught. The data show that positive police discretion has not been exercised when it comes to racialized people. 6 The difference is in who gets stopped and searched, whos found in possession and who ends up being arrested and convicted. Black and Indigenous people in Canada are disproportionately arrested for cannabis possession. 7

Weve spent billions of dollars to prosecute people for the possession of small amounts of drugs. 8 Were doing our whole country a disservice. Were locking away peoples talents and potential because we criminalize drug use.

Consider a society in which all drugs are legal; a society in which people can buy a small quantity through a government-approved pharmacy at fair prices and know exactly what theyre getting (unlike on the black market). If they wished, people could take the drug under the supervision of a health-care professional at an injection site or similar facility, greatly reducing the risk of overdose. Under these conditions, the black market for drugs  and much of the associated violence, social harm and health risks  could be virtually eliminated. Opponents cite fears that drug use would soar. But the evidence from Portugal, the only jurisdiction in the world that has decriminalized all drugs, indicates the opposite: problematic use would actually decline, 9 as would the negative consequences associated with criminalization.

Governments could use a percentage of sales revenues for research and services around addictions and mental health. At the local level, the city could use police arrest data to identify neighbourhoods that have been overpoliced with respect to drugs, and direct a portion of the tax revenue to the most criminalized communities. City councillors and members of the public could engage in discussions about how best to use these funds to meet the needs of each jurisdiction. The money might be directed to after-school programs, skills training or community health centres.

Of course, I have concerns about how drug legalization would be implemented. In Canada, one is legally permitted to possess 30 grams of cannabis. The limit for cocaine, opioids and other drugs would have to be set low, recognizing that you can overdose on these drugs in a way that you cant with cannabis.

There could be no drug advertising, and sales would have to occur through tightly regulated government outlets. There would be strict penalties for selling drugs to underage youth and against using and driving  just as there are now for alcohol.

Its important that we dont lose sight of the many health harms associated with drug use. But we need to be honest about the reasons people use them  and the potential benefits. Were seeing that psilocybin, the psychoactive component of mushrooms, and MDMA may have potential for people with PTSD and a range of other mental health issues.

We also must be honest about the substantial social burden associated with criminalizing drug use. Criminalization has utterly failed to stop individuals from using. Weve spent enormous amounts of money and devastated countless lives  often from racialized communities  enforcing laws that dont work. Legalization is a sensible alternative.
Black Inferiority / Progressive Nationalism



Foreign Colonization Is AMERICAN DOMESTICATION



RIZZO IS DEAD IN PHILLY. LONG LIVE FRAUD IN THIS GOD FORSAKEN CITY.



America: One Big INTEREST ONLY Loan



US Government USED Americanized Blacks' To Achieve Its African Goals Why Did You Hear This Admission About The US/NATO Actual Destructive Goals From 'WHITE TRiUMP', While The "We Are In The White House Negroes' Never Pushed President Obama To Admit That The Coup In Libya North Africa WAS NOT A 'Humanitarian Mission', As 'The Black Commander In Chief' Told The World?

What Is The 'American Containerized Black' Tribe GIVING UP In The Name Of PROGRESSIVE DISARMAMENT, Which Will Later Be Used Against Them Toward Their Destruction, That Will Be Called 'Social Justice'?

A Major Step In Protecting Black Valuables Investmented



We Are Now In The "Or Else WHAT" Stage



Slavery In Libya North Africa 2017 6 Years After The "Humanitarian Mission" - Not A Peep From "Black Grievance Studies" Professors

Perfect 1.0 'Spiritual Whiteness' Is No Respecter Of Skin Color



The "Blackest" Moment In American Jurisprudence

A Ninja Got Himself Kilt Last Night



Few Colonial Subjects Will Ask "Who Were They Fighting Against Between These Two Historical Points"



The Qualifications For Admission Have Increased



Street Pirate Adverse Community Experience Creator



When The Colonizer Becomes Aware Of The Need To Find A NEGRO CONFIDENCE MAN PARTNER



The Revenge Of LBJ After MLK "Stabbed Him In The Back" Over Vietnam



#BlackLivesMatter Is NOT A GOVERNANCE Movement It Is ONLY A POLIITCAL OPPORTUNISTIC Movement With Up To 75% Of The Homicide Victims In Philly Being Black This Means That About 126 Black People Murdered In 2015 Have Not Triggered More National Awareness Than The Cherry Picked Small Number Of Inductees In The "Black Civil Rights Homicide Victim Martyr Hall Of Fame" That Is Used As A Reference Of The Status Of Black People With Reference To White Americans

"#All Killers Of Black People Are Equal Street Pirates" The "#BlackLivesMatter" Movement Must Prove That It Is More Than The 'Ideologically Bigoted' Analog To "Police Racial Profiling" By Eliminating Its Propensity To 'Walk Past Dead Black Bodies That Don't Fit Their Agenda' On Their Way To The Protest Rally On The Downtown Public Square.



The Flag Of A New Colonizer Is Hung At Full Staff



Sudan - To-Damned-Day



The Manifestation Of Progressive Feminism As A Cultural Replacement Download Video: .mp4

CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK UNIVERSITY Agrees With Her Logic As A Logical Extension Of Her "Progressive Fundamentalist"/'Social Justice' Inference BUT It Is An Assault Upon The 'Functional Culture' That Is Needed For The Black Diaspora To Find Its Purpose From "My Queen" To "My Bitch" In A Few GenerationsCONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK UNIVERSITY Agrees With Her Logic As A Logical Extension Of Her "Progressive Fundamentalist"/'Social Justice' Inference BUT It Is An Assault Upon The 'Functional Culture' That Is Needed For The Black Diaspora To Find Its Purpose

THE NINJA WHO GOT HIMSELF KILT



YOU ARE A WITNESS TO A REVOLUTION IN "HAMSTERDAMN"



Thanks To The Progressives I Can Now Breath



Getting Your Ass Whipped In Prison Is Not A Choice. Silence In Public Reaction To It Is



Kermit Asks That You Be Consistent



A Friend Of "Black Community Development"



The Capture Of The Assassination Killer Of Kim Jones Of Philadelphia Should Be Top News Among Those Who Value "Black Lives"

Maybe You Are Being "Colonized" Today?



The Henry Dee & Charles Moore Martyr Hall Of Fame & Last Chance NIT Tournament



"Black Consciousness" Is NOT Proven By A Large Headcount



A Black Man Seeing Crying In Philly After A Loss At The Hands Of A Street Pirate



A Question Of Personal Values And Community Priorities And Black Media Agenda

I Want To Be Allowed To Develop Into Maya Angelou



Dr King's Pulpit Then And Now



The Americanized Negro Has Known No Rivers Beyond The Urban Water Supply Spigot



The Fire Hose As A GPS Coordinate Depicting Black People's Coordinates Upon "The Struggle"



If After 20 Years Of Observations I Am On To Them, The Fact That The Media Has Been Echoing Them For 50 Years Without Challenging Them About The DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEAST OF THESE UNDER THEIR CARE - Points To A Conspiracy

Converting "Safe Passage" From Municipal Street Sign To A Consciousness Within The People



The Embedded Confidence Man's Press Agents Blow Smoke Rings As Circular References



The SUPERIORITY Of White People's Thoughts



Material Access To Consumer Comforts Is Not Indicative Of A Greater Consciousness



Mayor Nutter's Lessons Learned



Gen Edmund Pettus C.S.A. - Thanks You



He Cracked The Code On Black Progressive Outrage



In This House We Still Believe In God!!!

Tavis-You Blacks Need To Fire The Negro Generals Who Have Failed & Get New Leadership



The Inside Threat That Lurks Outside Of The Window Of Community Consciousness



My Faith In Institutions That I Once Trusted To Indoctrinate My Children Will Forever Be Shattered



Regulatory Capture



The Black Racial Services Machine



A Miscalculation On The School Busing Program To Social Justice



Full Faith And Confidence Of The Office Of The President Of The United States

The First Black Man In World History Who Is Able To Execute The Foreign/ Military / Economic Policy In The Name Of The United States Of America And Not Get Arrested In Doing So Because He Runs The Federal Prison System. His Power Is So Venerated That "The Blacks" Have Even Stopped Protesting Against The Actions Of The US Government Because They Fear That Their Outward Expression Of Discontent Against The Government Might Hurt His Chances At Reelection. The First Black Man In World History Who Is Able To Execute The Foreign/ Military / Economic Policy In The Name Of The United States Of America And Not Get Arrested In Doing So Because He Runs The Federal Prison System. His Power Is So Venerated That "The Blacks" Have Even Stopped Protesting Against The Actions Of The US Government Because They Fear That Their Outward Expression Of Discontent Against The Government Might Hurt His Chances At Reelection.

Who Diverted The Community's Eyes Off Of The Prize In Pursuit Of Shortsighted Political Gains?



As I Increase The Scope Of My Sample For Observation It Is Becoming Clear To Me That The "Machine Effect" In Metro-Atlanta That Distorts And Disrupts The Development Of Black People Is Not A Geographic Phenomenon But Instead Is Rooted In Lack Of Conscious Awareness Beyond One's On Provincial Interests And, More Importantly, The Absence Of A GOVERNING OVERLAY That Can Push Back Against These Misappropriations Of "The Black Community Development Consciousness"

NYOil - Ya'll Should All Get Lynched

Why Haven't Those Who Claim To MANAGE Your Community Told You The Dimensions Of The Space?



The Rabid "Embedded Black Fox Confidence Man"



The Mayor Of Philly Learned What The Korean Merchants Already Know



A Black Man Is Not Equal Until He Can Commit A "Civil Rights Violation" With His Actions



The Elephants In Africa Are Not Republicans



Bishop Henry McNeal Turner



Obama - The First American President To Bomb Africa w/o Massive Protests From "The Blacks"



Prison Radio Speaks To BLAX News



A Foreshadowing In "The Motherland"



What About All Of The Black Executions That The Police Or The State Did Not "Sponsor"?



The Pathway Upon Which The Hijacking Occurs



With The Loss Of Black American Consciousness Comes This Detachment



With the failure of the institutions within the Black Community to develop ORGANIC COMPETENCIES domestically there is no chance that the interests of the diasporatic Blacks can be protected by American Blacks who are more focused in domestic political affairs. The main utility of this video will be to make the American Negro "angry", increasing his resolve in "VOTING HARDER" as his means of fighting against racism, this according to his present consciousness. :'(

The "Mission Accomplished" Banner Hung By The Black Progressive-Fundamentalist



A People's Consciousness Fused To An Agenda Not Of Their Own



My Relative Ideological Position



Malcolm X Called You A "Race Traitor". CF Calls You A "Racial Consciousness Misappropriator"` The "Racial Consciousness Mis-Appropriators Malcolm X Picture On Your Blog" Removal Project

Racism Chasing - The Ultimate Hustle



The Nationalization Of The Black Community Consciousness



The PPP&HWBC Blog Supports The BAOHPEH, Inc



Evaluate The Varacity Of The PROCESS Of Judgment Not Merely The Verdict Rendered



Community Management 101



Profiles In Community Consciousness



Make Black America Happy Once Again



When We Were Colored



Schuyler And X



The 10P's In The Pod Of The Black Establishment Progressive Politicians

* Perpetual Protesters (Civil Rights orgs)

* Policy Influencers (lobbyist groups, think tanks)

* Press Operatives (the Black Press - "The Progressives Town Criers")

* Performers (singers, rappers, actors)

* Preachers w/ and w/o Pulpits * Public Intellectuals (Humanities Professors)

* Public School Teachers

* Pro-Union Labor Forces

* Posters (Bloggers) (Civil Rights orgs)(lobbyist groups, think tanks)(the Black Press - "The Progressives Town Criers")(singers, rappers, actors)

Don't Shoot Me Street Pirate! I Am Attempting To Be A Positive Asset To My Community



Will The Black Comunity Recover From The Hijacking Of Its Consciousness?



The Use Of "Slave/Jim Crow Images" In Black Political Debate - Evaluate The Agenda The use of "slave imagery" is common in ideological discourse among Black people today. The best way to appraise the veracity of the agenda of the presenter is to distinguish between those images which are used to cajole Black people into "Ideological Unity" versus those images used to bring consciousness to the sad fact that in far too many cases today - the man holding the gun is a Black man, his disturbed consciousness allowed to fester because the balance of our community organizers are focused on external political affairs. They sell us on the notion that when our people assist their political/ideological external partners in their success that these individuals who suffer from BENIGN NEGLECT will be cured - no longer terrorizing us. In the circular reference that is their struggle - the more damaged individuals that matriculate through the local institutions that they now control per their struggle, the louder their call for continued UNITY and redirection lest our community's long time external adversaries start terrorizing us again. They successfully avoid community scrutiny of their stewardship of our key "Human Resource Development" institutions.

I Am A Man!!



Chicago Lady 216 - The Crisis Of Consciousness WITHIN The Black Community You probably do not have the Flash Player ( Get Adobe Flash Player Here ) installed for your browser or the video files are misplaced on your server!

Consciousness Mission Accomplished



I Support The "Corporate Premise Security Equality Project"



New York Times Demographic Mapping



The Antidote For Fear And Ignorance Antidote to the use of the tactics of FEAR as propagated by 'confidence men' to prompt a people toward a certain direction that is against their permanent interests is the development within these masses a base of Knowledge. When this knowledge is applied to their daily lives this builds up their Competencies. As a result their "Standard Of Living" is increased toward the a favorable level.

Obama Commemorative Plate = "Mission Accompished - An Ensnared Black Community"



Black Male Un-Demployment Rates In "Mission Accomplished" Cities



The Conflict Between The Civil Rights Pharisees Vs The Neo-Progressive Establishment Players You probably do not have the Flash Player ( Get Adobe Flash Player Here ) installed for your browser or the video files are misplaced on your server!

From Reactionary Transactionalism To Management Of Our Community



Ideologically Polarized Vision



Ted Kennedy & Black Independent Consciousenss



People Who Aide & Abet Street Pirates Need To Hear These Words & Instead Pursue Absolute Justice

THe NAACP & Rachael Maddow See These Guns As INFERIOR To Guns Used By Right-Wing Militias ** No matter how many guns these Street Pirates gather and no matter how many Black people are killed - these "equal human beings" will never been EQUAL in the mind of Civil Rights Pharisees and their White Snarling Fox Liberal co-conspirators because there is no ideological and political advantage in going after them.

The Rallo Tubbs Fan Club



Blog Archive

Those Who Have Their Conciousness Focused "Within The Black Community"

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Gravy Train: The western press has gone all out over Paul Whelan. If they tossed me into the gulag, no one would care to see me! It is true.something big is up and the US and the UK are up in arms and they did get caught with their fingers in the cookie jar Lets see how they spin this revelation

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  US national Paul Whelan, 48, was detained during a spy operation in Moscow in late December on suspicion of espionage, according to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). On Thursday, a Moscow court ruled to arrest him on espionage charges. US diplomats working in the Russian capital have informed UK officials of Whelans arrest and the fact that he is also a UK national, The Times newspaper reported.

Source: US Citizen Arrested on Espionage Charges in Russia Holds UK Citizenship  Report  Sputnik International

US, er I mean, UK national Paul Whelan

US, er I mean, UK national Paul Whelan

The former US marine who is being held in Moscow on charges of spying is a British citizen, it has emerged.

Source: Ex-US marine accused of spying in Russia is British citizen | World news | The Guardian

Use your god given talents and figure out what this is all about!

Gee, I wish someone would give me a second citizenship to another country. That is a damn expensive thing to do

US, er I mean, UK national Paul Whelan er I mean What do I mean?

WtR

Update: It just gets better and better: Consular officials are aware that a Canadian citizen has been arrested in Russia. Due to the provisions of the Privacy Act, no further information can be disclosed, Global Affairs Canada said.
At the end of November last year, details of a fascinating cold war mission involving the SR-71 Blackbird came to light, a mission which had remained classified until 2017. The story dates back to the 1980s when Blackbirds made regular clandestine reconnaissance flights over international waters in the Barents Sea and Baltic Sea peering east into nations which then made up the Soviet Union. This is the story of what happened on one of those missions back in the summer of 1987

Edited from a Story by Capt. Korey Fratini

U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs

Four retired Swedish Air Force pilots received U.S. Air Medals in Stockholm, Sweden during a ceremony on Nov. 28, 2018. It was long-overdue recognition for their actions on a desperate day 31 years previously. Until last year, the details surrounding their mission had remained classified. During the 1980s, while the Cold War was still in full bloom, the U.S. made regular reconnaissance flights over the Baltic Sea using the superlative SR-71 Blackbird. However, on June 29, 1987, one of these Baltic Express missions was dramatically interrupted by an inflight emergency.

Experiencing failure in one of their SR-71s massive Pratt & Whitney J58 engines, the Blackbirds aircrew (the now-retired Lt. Cols. Duane Noll and Tom Veltri) slowed their crippled spy-plane down and decreased its altitude to around twenty-five thousand feet near Swedish airspace. Naturally, the Swedish Air Force directed some of their fighters to intercept the stricken SR-71, with two flights of two Saab JA 37 Viggens rising up to meet them. We were performing an ordinary peace time operation exercise, recalled retired Maj. Roger Moller, one of the Swedish Air Force Viggen pilots on this day. Our fighter controller then asked me, Are you able to make an interception and identification of a certain interest. I thought immediately it must be an SR-71, otherwise he would have mentioned it. But at that time I didnt know it was the Blackbird.

According to the Air Medal citation, once the Swedish pilots intercepted the SR-71, they assessed the emergency situation and decided to render support to the aircraft by defending it from any potential third-party aircraft that might have tried to threaten it. The pilots then accompanied the Blackbird beyond their territorial boundaries to ensure its safe recovery. I cant say enough about these gentlemen, said Veltri, who was at the ceremony. I am so amazingly grateful for what they did, but also for the opportunity to recognize them in the fashion we are doing. What these guys did is truly monumental.

Lt.Col.Noll, who was unable to attend the ceremony, did record a message which was played during the medal awards. Your obvious skills and judgement were definitely demonstrated on that faithful day many years ago. I want to thank you for your actions on that day, said Noll. We will never know what would or could have happened, but because of you, there was no international incident. The U.S. Air Force did not lose an irreplaceable aircraft, and two crew members lives were saved. Lt. Col. Veltri and I cant thank you sufficiently for what you prevented. Thank you for being highly skilled and dedicated patriotic fellow aviators.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. John Williams, Mobilization Assistant to the commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, presented the Air Medals to Swedish Air Force Col. Lars-Eric Blad, Majs. Roger Moller and Krister Sjoberg and Lt. Bo Ignell. That day in 1987 showed us that we can always count on our Swedish partners in times of great peril, said Williams. Even when there was both political risk and great physical risk in the form of actual danger, there was no hesitation on your part to preserve the pilots on that day.

The presentation of Air Medals to the Swedish pilots represented U.S. gratitude and the continued, longstanding partnership with Sweden.
Want to help?

Pastors Bob and Sondra Cave have set up a Go Fund Me page  Crash survivor loses wife to brain aneurysm  to raise funds for the Abbott family. The page can be found at gofundme.com.

The page said the funds will help with hospital and funeral costs, as well as ongoing needs for the family including food, utilities and gas money for Abbott as he travels to and from physical therapy.

People may also donate funds for Abbott directly to the church by mailing checks and envelopes marked For Tim Abbott to Faith Chapel, 15000 Newton Drive, Overland Park KS 66223.
The World Anti-Doping Agencys compliance review committee (CRC) chairman Jonathan Taylor defended waiting until mid-January to meet over a missed deadline in the Russian doping probe.

WADA said it was "extremely disappointed" with Russias failure to give it full access to data of the Moscow lab at the heart of the doping scandal before December 31. The CRC scheduled an extraordinary meeting for January 14-15 to discuss the status of Russias anti-doping agency RUSADA.

"Waiting till 14-15 January might give the Russian authorities a further opportunity to provide the data, albeit after the deadline set. I am not sure why you think that would be such a bad thing," Taylor said in a letter cited by the BBC.

He stressed it was vital to get the data from the lab so that it can be determined which of the athletes had a case to answer and which do not. "If it is achieved, that is presumably a good thing, isn't it, whether it happens on 31 December or next week?" he added.

The authority added that the dates would allow discussion of reports by experts who visited Moscow and others, while giving Russian authorities a fair opportunity to make a submission for the consideration of the CRC before it makes its recommendation on RUSADAs status.

WADA Vice President Linda Hofstad Helleland said the agency must act rapidly and convene via a teleconference immediately after a call to suspend RUSADA again, months after it was reinstated in September following a three-year ban.

"Only this action will be suitable and appropriate in the view of the athletes - anything less will be considered a failure by Wada to act on behalf of clean athletes," WADA's athlete committee said.
Two Turkish nationals have been detained by the Investigative Agency of the Georgian Ministry of Finance for the possession and sale of counterfeit money in large quantities.

The investigation revealed that the individuals exchanged counterfeit money worth 7000 euro in a currency exchange booth in Batumi in December 2018.

Law enforcers seized 6000 euro in counterfeit bills from the apartment of the detainees, Agenda.ge reported.

The crime is punishable by imprisonment for seven to ten years.
One Turkish soldier was killed and two others were injured in a PKK attack in Turkeys eastern Igdr province bordering Iran.

The incident took place when a group of PKK militants opened fire at a 10-member commando unit patrolling near Emince village of Aralk district at 02.30 a.m. local time [1130 GMT].

The security forces retaliated the attack, killing one PKK militant and injuring two others, Anadolu Agency reported.

According to hospital sources, the injured soldiers are in stable condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would get out of Syria slowly "over a period of time."

During a Cabinet meeting at the White House in front of reporters, Trump said he had never set a reported four-month timetable for the withdrawal of 2,000 American troops stationed in Syria amid a battle against ISIS militants.

"Were getting out and were getting out smart. I never said Im getting out tomorrow," Reuters cited the U.S. president as saying. He declined to be specific about how long troops would remain in Syria.

In recent days, Trump appeared to back off from any hasty pullout and stressed that the operation would be slow. "Were slowly sending our troops back home to be with their families, while at the same time fighting Isis [Islamic State] remnants," he wrote on Twitter on Monday.
The farewell ceremony in honor of the victims who died in the partial collapse of an apartment building in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk on New Year's Eve are under way.

Six funerals will be held in Magnitogorsk today, nine - tomorrow and one - on Sunday, RIA Novosti reported.

On the morning of December 3, a section of a dwelling house that was built in 1973 and houses some 1,100 people in Magnitogorsk collapsed. The search and rescue operation continued four days on a round-the-clock basis. The emergencies ministry said more than 900 people were carrying out the search and rescue operation at the site. On January 3, the Emergencies Ministry declared its end.

Eighteen people were rescued in the first hours after the tragedy, and six more, including two children, were saved during the subsequent operation when clearing the debris. The bodies of all 39 people, including six children, who were killed in the collapse of a section of a dwelling house in Magnitogorsk have been identified.

The 10-month-old boy, Vanya Fokin, who was found alive in the ruins of an apartment block, has suffered closed-head trauma, broken bones, and serious frostbite on his extremities, but medical staff say the prognosis is positive.

Head of Russias Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin has flown to Magnitogorsk to coordinate the work of the investigative team at the site of the tragedy. The Russian Investigative Committee views a household gas explosion as the main cause of the accident.

On December 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived at the Emergency Situations Ministry headquarters at the site of a gas explosion in a residential building in Magnitogorsk, where he met with those affected by the tragedy and the leadership of the Chelyabinsk Region.

The leader of the Tajik diaspora in Magnitogorsk, Abulmajid Sharipov, told RFERL that a Tajik family of five was living in an apartment in the collapsed part of the building.

The father, Shuhrat Ulfatov, 26, was found unconscious and hospitalized after spending more than six hours under the debris in freezing cold, but the fate of the rest of his family was not immediately known.

However, officials on January 4 said the mother and three young children did not survive and that their bodies would be transported to Tajikistan after a service in Chelyabinsk later in the day.

The victims were identified as 24-year-old Rajabmo Isoev, 6-year-old Ahmad, 4-year-old Fotima, and 3-year-old Saimuhsiddin.

Ulfatov remains in critical but stable condition in a Chelyabinsk hospital.
The head of a top police academy in Kazakhstan has been fired after a subordinate equated the countrys police force to a criminal gang in a video that went viral on social media.

The Kazakh Interior Ministry announced that General Zhan Kenzhetaev had been sacked as the director of the police academy in the central city of Qaraghandy.

The dismissal comes a day after Interior Ministry spokesman Almas Sadubaev said on Facebook that A.R. Tastaibekov, who was the deputy chief in charge of cadets at the academy in Qaraghandy, had been fired for "committing an act that discredits state services."

Authorities say it was Tastaibekov who appears in an incriminating video shot on December 31. In the video, the individual identified by the Interior Ministry as Tastaibekov wishes a prosperous future for Kazakhstan so the police, the "bratva" - a term usually meaning a criminal gang - can thrive for generations to come, RFE/RL reported.
Old vehicles with low safety level wont be allowed for use in Azerbaijan, according to the State Program for Road Safety in Azerbaijan for 2019-2023 approved by the presidential decree dated December 27.

"In order to ensure safety of cars, the State Program provides for the preparation and application of modern technical regulations for them, improving the quality of their technical maintenance, improving the rules for inspecting control over their technical condition, encouraging the widespread use of modern means and safety technologies to accelerate the use of new technologies, as well as banning the operation of old vehicles with low safety level," Trend cited the statement as saying.

In order to ensure safety of road users and preserve the road network, coordination between organizations are also envisaged during the designing, construction, repair and reconstruction of roads, assessment of the degree of safety and control of road operation, improvement of work on the organization of road traffic, freight and passenger traffic, ensuring safety of pedestrians, cyclists and other unprotected road users.
Fresh peace talks have taken place between representatives of the Afghan Taliban and Iranian officials. The Tehran meeting happened amid reports that the US plans to pull nearly 7,000 US troops from Afghanistan.

Deutsche Welle reports in its article Afghan Taliban begins peace talks in neighboring Iran that Iran's foreign ministry said on Monday that lengthy negotiations were held between a Taliban delegation and Iran's deputy foreign minister. The talks, which were held in Tehran on Sunday, were designed to find solutions "to help facilitate negotiations between Afghan groups and the country's government for advancing peace talks in the country," ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said in a televised news conference.

"A Taliban delegation was in Tehran yesterday. They had comprehensive negotiations with the Iranian deputy foreign minister."

The Iranian announcement comes less than two weeks after reports emerged in US media that the Washington was planning to withdraw nearly 7,000 US troops  roughly half of the American military presence in the country  from Afghanistan.

A former top US commander in Afghanistan said on Sunday that withdrawing up to half the troops serving there would reduce the incentive for the Taliban to negotiate a peace deal.

However, the Taliban maintains that the presence of international forces is the main obstacle to peace after more than 17 years of war.

"The Taliban have repeatedly stressed that they would only make peace with the Afghan government once US troops leave the country," Wahid Muzhdah, a Kabul-based security analyst and a former Taliban official, told DW.

"Reports of the US troop reduction are probably meant to give some assurance to the Taliban  assurance that the US does not plan to stay in the country forever."

Sunday's meeting in Tehran was the second round of talks between the Taliban and Iranian leaders. A Tehran security official confirmed last week that such negotiations had taken place in the past and would continue.

The US and NATO formally concluded their combat mission in 2014, but American and allied troops remain, conducting strikes on the Islamic State group and the Taliban and working to train and build the Afghan military.
Only two days after taking office, the new governor of New Mexico on Thursday ordered the state education department to dump the PARCC test and find another way to measure student achievement and rate schools.

By signing an executive order, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, fulfilled a campaign promise to replace PARCC with another test. Teachers, administrators, parents, students and testing experts will be involved in the process of finding an alternative assessment, according to local news reports .

The governor signed a second order eliminating the use of PARCC to evaluate teachers, local media reported . The state will find a variety of other methods to use for teacher evaluations.

New Mexico students will probably take at least some parts of the PARCC test this spring, according to the Albuquerque Journal , but Gov. Lujan Grisham is aiming to have a new test in place by late summer 2019.

This is a new day in New Mexico, Lt. Gov. Howie Morales said in a prepared statement. We are going to change the culture at the Public Education Department, so New Mexicans know the state is there in support of our educators and students, not as a police department.

The death knell for PARCC in New Mexico came in the same week as a major setback for the exam in New Jersey.

On New Years Eve, a New Jersey appeals court ruled that the state could not require students to pass PARCC in order to graduate from high school. Students in New Jersey will still take the PARCC test this spring, but wont have to pass it to get their diplomas.

PARCC, one of two common-core exams developed with $350 million in federal funds, was once widely embraced among states, but has now dwindled to just fourIllinois, Maryland, New Mexico, New Jerseyand the District of Columbia.

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The Texas Legislature wrapped up this years lawmaking session on Sunday. Although members of the House and Senate touted wins for both Republicans and Democrats, tensions are rising between the legislative bodies amid criticism from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. What would you grade this years legislative session?

You voted:
Early-childhood programs will be at the top of the agenda for incoming California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who takes office Jan. 7.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Newsom, a Democrat and the former mayor of San Francisco, is proposing to spend $1.8 billion on several programs in the state aimed at young children. About $750 million, would be used to expand the number of facilities offering full-day kindergarten. Another part of the proposal would help train child-care workers and expand state-subsidized child-care facilities. Additional funding would also go to home-visiting programs, which provide trained counselors to support at-risk parents through pregnancy and a childs early years.

Child-care advocates in the state said that the proposal from Newsom avoids competition between child care and prekindergarten programs.

The reality is we need to expand both simultaneously, Ted Lempert, the president of the California advocacy group Children Now, told the Times.

Newsom campaigned on a promise of expanding early-childhood education, and Democrats enjoy large margins in both houses of the state legislature. His focus on early childhood, however, might be a practical decision to focus on an area of popular agreement. From the Times:

Emphasizing a policy area with broad appeal in his first state budget could reflect Newsom's political sensibility about the challenges ahead. Democratic lawmakers and interest groups will be especially eager to see how Newsom addresses the demand for an overhaul of health care coverage in Californiaespecially after a 2017 effort to create a single-payer, universal system fizzled. The path forward on health care is complex and costly, making early childhood education a more achievable goal in the governor-elect's early tenure.

However, the governor-elect has also been tempering spending expectations, according to the Sacramento Bee , which said Newsom wants to make changes gradually over his four-years in office. For example, universal preschool would require years and years to build, Newsom told the newspaper.
Since the 2008 election of President Obama, the number of firearms manufactured in the U.S. has tripled, while imports have doubled. This doesnt mean more households have guns than ever beforethat percentage has stayed fairly steady for decades. Rather, more guns are being stockpiled by a small number of individuals. Three percent of the population now owns half of the countrys firearms, says a recent, definitive study from the Injury Control Research Center at Harvard University.

So, who is buying all these gunsand why?

The short, broad-brush answer to the first part of that question is this: men, who on average possess almost twice the number of guns female owners do. But not all men. Some groups of men are much more avid gun consumers than others. The American citizen most likely to own a gun is a white malebut not just any white guy. According to a growing number of scientific studies, the kind of man who stockpiles weapons or applies for a concealed-carry license meets a very specific profile.

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These are men who are anxious about their ability to protect their families, insecure about their place in the job market, and beset by racial fears. They tend to be less educated. For the most part, they dont appear to be religiousand, suggests one study, faith seems to reduce their attachment to guns. In fact, stockpiling guns seems to be a symptom of a much deeper crisis in meaning and purpose in their lives. Taken together, these studies describe a population that is struggling to find a new storyone in which they are once again the heroes.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO HARD WORK?

When Northland College sociologist Angela Stroud studied applications for licenses to carry concealed firearms in Texas, which exploded after President Obama was elected, she found applicants were overwhelmingly dominated by white men. In interviews, they told her that they wanted to protect themselves and the people they love.

When men became fathers or got married, they started to feel very vulnerable, like they couldnt protect families, she says. For them, owning a weapon is part of what it means to be a good husband and a good father. That meaning is rooted in fear and vulnerabilityvery motivating emotions.

But Stroud also discovered another motivation: racial anxiety. A lot of people talked about how important Obama was to get a concealed-carry license: Hes for free health care, hes for welfare. They were asking, Whatever happened to hard work? Obamas presidency, they feared, would empower minorities to threaten their property and families.

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The insight Stroud gained from her interviews is backed up by many, many studies. A 2013 paper by a team of United Kingdom researchers found that a one-point jump in the scale they used to measure racism increased the odds of owning a gun by 50 percent. A 2016 study from the University of Illinois at Chicago found that racial resentment among whites fueled opposition to gun control. This drives political affiliations: A 2017 study in the Social Studies Quarterly found that gun owners had become 50 percent more likely to vote Republican since 1972and that gun culture had become strongly associated with explicit racism.

For many conservative men, the gun feels like a force for order in a chaotic world, suggests a study published in December of last year. In a series of three experiments, Steven Shepherd and Aaron C. Kay asked hundreds of liberals and conservatives to imagine holding a handgunand found that conservatives felt less risk and greater personal control than liberal counterparts.

This wasnt about familiarity with real-world gunsgun ownership and experience did not affect results. Instead, conservative attachment to guns was based entirely on ideology and emotions.

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WHO WANTS TO BE A HERO?

Thats an insight echoed by another study published last year. Baylor University sociologists Paul Froese and F. Carson Mencken created a gun empowerment scale designed to measure how a nationally representative sample of almost 600 owners felt about their weapons. Their study found that people at the highest level of their scalethe ones who felt most emotionally and morally attached to their gunswere 78 percent white and 65 percent male.

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We found that white men who have experienced economic setbacks or worry about their economic futures are the group of owners most attached to their guns, says Froese. Those with high attachment felt that having a gun made them a better and more respected member of their communities.

That wasnt true for women and non-whites. In other words, they may have suffered setbacksbut women and people of color werent turning to guns to make themselves feel better. This suggests that these owners have other sources of meaning and coping when facing hard times, notes Froeseoften, religion. Indeed, Froese and Mencken found that religious faith seemed to put the brakes on white mens attachment to guns.

For these economically insecure, irreligious white men, the gun is a ubiquitous symbol of power and independence, two things white males are worried about, says Froese. Guns, therefore, provide a way to regain their masculinity, which they perceive has been eroded by increasing economic impotency.

Both Froese and Stroud found pervasive anti-government sentiments among their study participants. This is interesting because these men tend to see themselves as devoted patriots, but make a distinction between the federal government and the nation, says Froese. On that point, I expect that many in this group see the nation as being white.

Investing guns with this kind of moral and emotional meaning has many consequences, the researchers say. Put simply, owners who are more attached to their guns are most likely to believe that guns are a solution to our social ills, says Froese. For them, more good people with guns would drastically reduce violence and increase civility. Again, it reflects a hero narrative, which many white men long to feel a part of.

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Strouds work echoes this conclusion. They tell themselves all kinds of stories about criminals and criminal victimization, she says. But the story isnt just about criminals. Its about the good guyand thats how they see themselves: I work hard, I take care of my family, and there are people who arent like that. When we tell stories about the Other, were really telling stories about ourselves.

HOW TO SAVE A WHITE MANS LIFE

Unfortunately, the people most likely to be killed by the guns of white men arent the bad guys, presumably criminals or terrorists. Its themselvesand their families.

White men arent just the Americans most likely to own guns; according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, theyre also the people most likely to put them in their own mouths and pull the trigger, especially when theyre in some kind of economic distress. A white man is three times more likely to shoot himself than a black manwhile the chances that a white man will be killed by a black man are extremely slight. Most murders and shoot-outs dont happen between strangers. They unfold within social networks, among people of the same race.

A gun in the home is far more likely to kill or wound the people who live there than is a burglar or serial killer. Most of the time, according to every single study thats ever been done about interpersonal gun violence, the dead and wounded know the people who shot them. A gun in the home makes it five times more likely that a woman will be killed by her husband. Every week in America, 136 children and teenagers are shotand more often than not, its a sibling, friend, parent, or relative who holds the gun. For every homicide deemed justified by the police, guns are used in 78 suicides. As a new study published this month in JAMA Internal Medicine once again shows us, restrictive gun laws dont prevent white men from defending themselves and their families. Instead, those laws stop them from shooting themselves and each other.

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What are the solutions? That and many other studies suggest that restricting the flow of guns and ammunition would certainly save lives. But no law can address the absence of meaning and purpose that many white men appear to feel, which they might be able to gain through social connection to people who never expected to have the economic security and social power that white men once enjoyed.

Ridicule of working-class white people is not helpful, says Angela Stroud. We need to push the good guys to have a deeper connection to other people. We need to reimagine who we are in relation to each other.
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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.




The continuous technological changes coming to all industries is often referred to as the future of work and no corporation is safe from this upheaval. In order to help companies become prepared for what will undoubtedly be an exciting yet disruptive future, TMC (where I am CEO) has developed the world's only Future of Work Exposition To give you a sense of where things are going - we've posted past interviews with conference co-chair Jon Arnold. These consisted of near-term AI and ML expectations as well as where the future of work could lead us To finish off this series, we just interviewed Jon again about how the future of work will change everything, and we mean everything.We hope you enjoy this post and further make plans immediately to come to the Future of Work Expo Jan 30-Feb 1st, 2019 in Florida.

There has been a lot of discussion around AI and jobs. Do you think it will be a net job creator?

This is certainly one of the most important questions about AI, right up there with how it will impact or even transform our notions of privacy. At some point, Im sure concessions around privacy will come if that helps AI become a net job creator, but the two dont have to be connected. Regardless, its too early to say if there will be net gains. Just as theres no doubt it will make some jobs obsolete, theres also no doubt that new classes of employment will emerge as AI starts having a tangible impact on the economy.

At face value, low-skill, repetitive task types of jobs will become AI-driven, so this will hit the lower end of the job market. Going the other way, knowledge workers will benefit from new jobs that make AI go, and from that, another layer will form for the digerati who increasingly drive the economy. If history is our guide  and it is for me  there will likely be more losses than gains on the job front, but the future is very difficult to predict with technology, especially something like AI, where the impact will take many years to register.



We have smart homes and smart buildings - will the smart office be next?

Homes and buildings are definitely getting smarter, and eventually, well get smarter cities. Thats more of an IoT story, and needs to be addressed another time. However, both are very much related to smart offices. First off, offices will get smarter simply because outside the home, this is where we spend most of our time. So long as the time is money maxim holds, businesses will be under constant pressure to be more productive, and thats where the technologies to make offices smarter come into play. Basically, when friction is removed from workflows and business processes, people work more efficiently, and more effectively.

Smart homes are relevant here because our expectations around technology tend to be driven by our consumer experiences, and increasingly, this is carrying over into the workplace. A timely example would be how quickly Amazon Echo or Google Home have been adopted, along with the likes of Siri on our Apple devices. Alexa for Business is the first wave of pushing that experience into the workplace, and theres much more to come. Technology is now a driving force for how work spaces are being designed, with a good example being huddle rooms. These spaces are purpose-built to make small-scale ad hoc meetings easy to manage, along with a great user experience to produce better collaboration outcomes.

What are some of the best opportunities for workers to take advantage of in the Future of Work (FoW)?

A major opportunity would be extending and improving the product promise of all collaboration vendors. Namely, this would be the ability to work equally well from any location, using any device, at any time, and across any network. This has always been harder to do than it looks, but the capabilities keep getting better, especially as these offerings become cloud-based and mobile-centric. They didnt start out this way, but thats where the market is going, and theyre trying to get there as fast as they can.

On another level, there is great opportunity ahead for workers to leverage AI. We are still early stage here, but the earlier reference to Alexa for Business means that each worker could have their own personal digital assistant. In time, this will be like a virtual secretary who will manage your calendar, answer emails, prioritize messages, schedule meetings, provide timely reminders, etc. Things get more interesting with speech technology where meetings can be transcribed, or written information can be converted to audio files, or communication in other languages can be translated in real time.

What training should they focus on to be ready?

This is tricky territory since training can be self-driven on the go, or it can be provided from others in a structured environment. Ideally, businesses should provide formal training so workers can all have the core skills needed for using these emerging technologies. For a variety of reasons, however, thats not the norm, so workers are often on their own, and digital natives will likely have an advantage over older digital immigrants.

That aside, the bigger question is around what type of training is most needed. In terms of keeping current with technology, this has been an ongoing challenge ever since the PC era started in the 1980s. Theres very little formal training involved with technology, and workers tend to learn as they go  and I dont think thats going to change for FoW. To truly be ready for this future, workers really should have some training on the potential impact of AI and what digital transformation means for the workplace. This would address topics like protecting their privacy and identity, best practices to keep their data secure, how they can upgrade their skills for job security, as well as utilizing AI to enrich their jobs  rather than replace them.

What about productivity, will companies see a massive boost thanks to AI and the FoW?

Thats certainly the hope, but getting a massive boost may be setting the bar too high. This is part of the silver bullet mentality around AI, and we really need to be careful here. The hype leads us to believe AI is the only way well be able to manage all the technology thats overwhelming our lives. In other words, humans arent very good at this, so all we need is better, smarter technology to help use the technology we have in a more effective manner.

Theres a fair bit of blind faith driving this expectation, and as our dependency on technology grows, the more powerful the allure of AI becomes. The potential is there for AI to become a major force around FoW, but its no different than other new technology wave. Diffusion into the mainstream takes years, if not decades, so it will take time to gauge the impact on productivity. VoIP has been with us over 20 years, yet the installed base of legacy telephony in businesses remains around 50%.

I certainly wouldnt be making AI investments based on seeing major productivity gains. These improvements are much more likely to be incremental, so the net effect will still be positive. To be fair, one must also consider the unintended consequences of AI on productivity, and while we dont yet know what those will be, there will no doubt be some. While some AI applications may show big gains, others will be less clear, especially when there are other technologies involved that may not play well with AI. Decision-makers are better off taking a piecemeal approach where AI is initially used for specific scenarios such as speech-to-text, where the results will improve over time. Success here will warrant new applications, and hopefully these will add up to productivity gains that make AI worthwhile.

Are there FoW pitfalls which should cause concern?

Like anything else futuristic, we dont really know, but there are plenty of concerns, and well cover those during our FoW sessions. The starting point of course, would be that the related technologies  like AI  can truly add utility and new value to the workplace. As mentioned above, the hype around AI is creating great expectations, and its only very recently that applications like speech recognition have become good enough for serious consideration to improve productivity. Just look at the tremendous promise around autonomous vehicles  who wouldnt want that? Great strides have been made, but clearly the technology is far from perfect, and it may never become good enough to be used the way its being positioned. The margin for error with AI is very thin, so the performance of the technology itself is a very real pitfall to consider.

Another one, naturally, is the impact on jobs, and whether AI will be viewed as a threat or an opportunity. Businesses are inclined to invest in technologies that reduce costs, but the human cost could be a major pitfall. Workers will have little inclination to adopt technology that will render them obsolete, so theres much more at stake than just cost savings. Third would be the Big Brother implications for monitoring workers in ways that cross boundaries for privacy and performance evaluation. If FoW turns the workplace into an environment of constant surveillance rather than one of open engagement, workers will be doing less sharing and collaborating, not more.

What industries are going to adopt early? Late?

Digital transformation will impact each sector or vertical market differently. Broadly speaking, the early adopters will be in growth sectors where change is constant and there are lots of knowledge workers. Good examples would be in tech, and businesses like software, cloud services, e-commerce, analytics, etc. Another would be sectors that are being disrupted by digital transformation in a big way, such as healthcare, financial services and logistics. Going the other way, slower growing and more mature sectors will lag, but they know change is coming. This would include public sector, education, agriculture, transportation and retail.

To be fair, though, in every sector, there will be pockets of early adopters, simply because a particular workplace environment demands it. Take manufacturing, for example. Knowledge workers in roles such as R&D, marketing or supply chain management will likely be early adopters for FoW technologies like AI. On the shop floor, there will be less need for these tools to do things like collaborate, but theyll be using different FoW technologies to drive things like automation and quality control. In other words, its complicated  every industry represents a distinct FoW opportunity, and the winners will be those who figure out the right mix of applications, along with the pace at which these new technologies can be adopted.

What is the one best way companies can become ready for the FoW?

Not everything can or should be filtered through the lens of technology, but to prepare for whats coming, companies really need to understand the success factors for a digital world. Processes and business models built on analog methods will not be competitive going forward, so executives need to closely examine how things are being done from top to bottom, and then do a reality check  perhaps with some outside help  to gauge how well equipped the organization really is for change. The starting point really is about embracing change and recognizing your constraints  and from there youll be ready to move on this journey to FoW.

Change is hard, and it will be tempting to ride the status quo for as a long as possible. Casualties like Blockbuster, newspapers or Tower Records show this isnt a winning strategy, and just as the needs of your customers are changing, so must your workplace to keep pace. The change were talking about at FoW isnt about making patchwork fixes here and there, and it would be a mistake to think the future isnt here yet, so better instead to leave the risk to others to adopt first and then you be a fast follower. To make FoW a driver for business success, you need to view it as a journey where change is ongoing. Thinking along those lines means the time is now, so the sooner you can assess your overall readiness for FoW, the sooner you can get there and ensure that someone ahead of you doesnt take your business.
(WB) Austria on Tuesday became the latest European country to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.

The Associated Press reported Nicole Kopaunik and Daniela Paier became the first same-sex couple to legally marry in the country when they exchanged vows in Velden, a town that is roughly 200 miles southwest of the Austrian capital of Vienna.

Austrias Constitutional Court in 2017 issued a ruling paved the way for marriage rights for same-sex couples in the predominantly Roman Catholic country. Gays and lesbians since 2010 have been able to legally register their partnerships in Austria.

Germany, which borders Austria, is among the European countries in which same-sex couples can legally marry.

A 2015 referendum on whether to amend the Slovak constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman and to ban same-sex couples from adopting children failedbecause of insufficient turnout. Slovenian voters in the same year rejected a law that extended marriage rights to gays and lesbians.
(WB) Two new members of Congress were among those who spoke at a Human Rights Campaign event that took place at the Mayflower Hotel in Northwest D.C. on Thursday.

U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala (D-Fla.), who succeeds former Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, in her remarks said the Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives will pass the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal civil rights law. U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.), the former mayor of Phoenix who succeeds now U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) in the House, noted his state is turning blueish and we aint going back.

U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), who has previously introduced the Equality Act in the House, also spoke.

U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) spoke alongside U.S. Reps. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.). Arizona Secretary of State-elect Katie Hobbs, former Tempe (Ariz.) Mayor Neil Giuliano, Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims and Arizona state Rep. Daniel Hernandez are among those who attended the event.

Nancy Pelosi was once again elected House speaker earlier on Thursday after the 116th Congress began.

The Equality Act is on its way to passing soon and Nancy Pelosi is our speaker, said HRC President Chad Griffin.

Takano in his remarks noted he will become the first openly LGBT person since former Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank to chair a House committee when the Democratic caucus chooses him to head the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Murphy, who represents portions of Orlando, pointed out she was elected to Congress a few months after a gunman killed 49 people inside the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016.

Out of that tragedy, our community united behind a commitment to equality and to fighting back against hate, said Murphy.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins has the golden touch, especially when it comes to film adaptations of literary works. Moonlight, Jenkins 2016 film adaptations of gay writer Tarell McCraneys In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, earned both men an Academy Award.

Jenkins once again excels with If Beale Street Could Talk (Annapurna), based on the 1974 novel by the late gay writer James Baldwin. In fact, the films opening epigraph, a Baldwin quote about the book, firmly places the movie in literary territory. In truth, its hard to imagine another filmmaker (certainly not Ava DuVernay, for example) who could have created such a worthy adaptation.

Set in New York in the early 1970s, young, unmarried couple Tish (Kiki Layne), 19, and Fonny (Stephan James), 22, have known each other since they were even younger, having grown up together. The film opens with Tish having to look at Fonny through glass as he is in prison, accused of a rape he did not commit. Its in this setting that she tells him shes pregnant.

From there, Beale Street moves back and forth in time. In flashbacks, we watch as Tish and Fonny fall in love. Tish works behind the perfume counter at a department store. She still lives at home with her mother Sharon (Regina King in a career-defining performance), father Joseph (out actor Colman Domingo) and older sister Ernestine (Teyonah Parris).

Fonny went to a vocational school, but found it unsatisfying. He quit and stole tools from the school so he could make wood sculptures when he wasnt working as a short order cook. Tish, who occasionally narrates the story, talks about the eye-opening effect of seeing Fonny outside the world in which she moved. As their relationship develops and they become more intimate, they eventually have sex. Its the kind of tender and passionate first time for which we would all be grateful. Afterwards we can see that they are looking at each other through different eyes.

After telling Fonny that hes going to be a father, Tish shares the news with her family. Her parents and sister take the news better than she expects. That same night, after drinking a toast to the baby, Tishs parents invite Fonnys family over to let them in on the big event. Unfortunately, Fonnys fire-and-brimstone mother (Aunjanue Ellis), who never liked Tish, and blames her for the destruction of her son, creates quite a scene, resulting in her husband Frank (Michael Beach), slapping her silly. Its an intense scene and features the first of Kings two Oscar moments in the movie.

Meanwhile, Victoria (Emily Rios), the woman who accused Fonny of sexual assault has left New York for her native Puerto Rico, decreasing the chances of getting at the truth in the case. But everyone bands together and does what they can to seek justice. Sharon and Ernestine meet with Hayward (Finn Witrock), the lawyer. The fathers, Joseph and Frank, have their own scheme involving fencing stolen goods to raise money to pay the lawyer. Sharon even journeys to Puerto Rico to meet with Victoria.

While it doesnt pack the same emotional punch as Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk is still another notable achievement by Jenkins. As much a story about young love, life consequences and racial prejudice and inequality (something that definitely rings true today), as it is a commentary on the disparities in the judicial and prison systems. The fact that its Regina King, in a supporting role, who basically owns the movie, says more about her underappreciated talents as an actress than anything else. Its a safe bet to put your money on King come Oscar time. Rating: B+
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
The company will also pay to injured victims a sum of money based on treatment fees, up to a maximum of VND2.4 billion.



Flight carrying bodies of three dead victims will leave Egypt on January 4 and arrive in Tan Son Nhat Aiport in HCMC at 1 a.m. on January 6



First nine Vietnamese victims of Egypt bomb attack came back home. Three people are being treated in hospital in Egypt.



Four people have been killed, including three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian tour guide, and another 10 injured in a roadside bomb exploded near the bus carrying visitors close to the pyramids in Giza at 18:15 of December 28 (local time).

There were 18 people on the bus at that time, including 15 Vietnamese tourists and three Egyptians. Saigontourist Travel Service Company whose customers were killed and injured by the bomb blast sent a group of employees to Egypt to support Vietnamese victims and implement emergency measures to help its guests.





By THI HONG  Translated by Kim Khanh
DALLAS (Jan. 3, 2019) - Nationally respected law firm Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is expanding with the opening of a new Dallas office, its 10th office nationally and second in Texas. The firm opened its first Texas office in Houston in 2016.



"We are extremely pleased to continue our growth in Texas with this group of outstanding lawyers," says Jonathan M. Skeeters, Bradley's Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner. "We believe our expansion into Dallas will provide tremendous opportunities for our clients and for Bradley."

The Dallas office will be led by legendary Texas litigator and new Bradley partner Richard A. "Dick" Sayles, formerly of the trial boutique Sayles Werbner. Mr. Sayles has tried more than 150 jury trials in his career, earning more than a dozen verdicts in excess of $1 million, including a $1.67 billion patent infringement verdict in 2009. At the time, it was the largest patent verdict in U.S. history. He also has numerous significant defense wins.



Honored as the 2018 Dallas Bar Association Trial Lawyer of the Year, Mr. Sayles has been recognized by Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation and Best Lawyers in America. In addition, he is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, International Academy of Trial Lawyers and International Society of Barristers. Recently, Mr. Sayles was featured in the Texas Lawbook publication, "Lions of the Texas Bar." His peers have selected him seven times to the list of the Top 10 lawyers in Texas, as named by Texas Super Lawyers.



An Am Law 200 law firm with more than 500 lawyers nationwide, Bradley is consistently recognized by respected legal guides including Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for its construction, mass torts and class-action work. More than 50 Bradley attorneys are licensed in Texas and are currently providing transactional and litigation expertise. The opening of the Dallas office allows the firm to provide a full array of services to clients in Texas.



"Bradley is a respected firm with a hard-earned reputation in and out of the courtroom," says Mr. Sayles. "For me and my team joining Bradley in Dallas, we will have more resources and practice areas to deliver to our clients. We will be stronger and better with Bradley."



Joining Mr. Sayles as founding members of Bradley's Dallas office are former Sayles Werbner attorneys and new Bradley partners William S. Snyder, Mark E. Torian, Shawn C. Long, Robert L. Sayles and E. Sawyer Neely, counsel Mark D. Strachan, and senior attorneys Samuel T. Acker and Stacy D. Simon.



Mr. Snyder has an active practice in state and federal courts and in arbitration. He represents clients in a broad spectrum of business litigation, including prosecuting or defending breach of contract claims, business torts, claims between partners or members of closely held companies, securities fraud claims, legal malpractice claims, and ultra vires claims against officers and directors. Included in The Best Lawyers in America and named a Texas Super Lawyer for the last 10 consecutive years, Mr. Snyder frequently handles disputes arising from transactions related to securities, asset purchases, private equity investments, real estate, oil & gas, and intellectual property. In addition to his trial court practice, he has argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Texas appellate courts.



Mr. Torian is an experienced litigator who has argued more than 20 criminal and civil lawsuits to verdict. He has successfully represented plaintiffs in a multimillion-dollar business fraud and breach of fiduciary duty and commercial bribery case. His business and white-collar practice includes representing businesses and individuals in disputes over misappropriation of trade secrets, securities violations, civil theft, shareholder derivative rights, partnership breakups, oil and gas disputes, personal injury and wrongful death. Mr. Torian's white-collar work includes representing clients in state and federal white-collar criminal investigations brought forth by the Texas Department of Justice, Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Department of Justice. As a Marine in the United States Marine Corps, he was assigned to Diplomatic Security with the U.S. State Department at U.S. embassies and consulates.



Ms. Long's practice focuses on a wide range of issues, including defending attorneys and law firms against professional negligence claims, breach of fiduciary duty claims and fee disputes. Honored in The Best Lawyers in America listing for 2018 and 2019, and in D Magazine's list of Best Lawyers in Dallas for 2017 and 2018, she represents clients in federal and state court for business litigation matters, including energy litigation, complex commercial disputes, product liability, and securities and financial fraud.

Rob Sayles represents plaintiffs and defendants in the areas of commercial litigation, products liability, premises liability, personal injury and wrongful death, and employment. He has earned significant defense wins, including a recent summary judgment on a covenant not to compete claim in which his client faced more than $3.6 million in claims. He also defended the city of Dallas in several high-profile lawsuits filed by firefighters and police officers claiming billions of dollars in back pay. Mr. Sayles has been included in the Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars list since 2012 and the 2017 edition of D Magazine's list of Best Lawyers in Dallas.



Mr. Neely represents businesses and individuals in litigation and arbitration involving complex business disputes, breach of contract, physician and business noncompete agreements, trade secret and copyright, fraudulent transfer, wrongful foreclosure, direct and derivative shareholder and securities claims. Mr. Neely also guides businesses with independent internal investigations regarding workplace safety, sexual, gender or racial discrimination and/or harassment and environmental compliance. Mr. Neely is regularly named to the list of Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars and to D Magazine's Best Lawyers in Dallas.



Mr. Strachan has 37 years of trial experience with a focus in patent and commercial litigation. His clients include farmers, doctors, engineers, welders, pharmaceutical companies, financial entities, and technology firms. Recognized in Texas Super Lawyers for IP litigation since 2011, Mr. Strachan has tried patent cases to verdict in the Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas as well as argued at the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. A native of East Texas, he has served at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas, as an adjunct professor. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is an associate of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Mr. Acker's practice focuses on business, commercial and securities litigation and arbitration and white-collar criminal defense. He represents plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court actions involving contracts, partnership and corporate governance disputes, investment products and securities industry sales practice violations, as well as fraud and breach of fiduciary duty allegations.



Ms. Simon represents business clients in complex commercial disputes in arbitration and in state and federal courts. Her expertise includes antitrust claims, contract disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, fraud and negligent misrepresentation claims, trade secret and non-competition issues, securities and transactional fraud, FOIA requests, partnership and shareholder disputes, as well as libel defense.

The Dallas office is located at 1201 Elm Street, Suite 4400, in Dallas, Texas.



About Bradley

Bradley combines skilled legal counsel with exceptional client service and unwavering integrity to assist a diverse range of corporate clients in achieving their business goals. With offices in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and the District of Columbia, the firm's over 500 lawyers represent regional, national and international clients in various industries, including financial services, health care, life sciences, real estate, construction, technology, energy, insurance, and entertainment.
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The 11th edition of Africa Eco Race, which kicked off Sunday in Monaco, maintained as in 2018 the stages of southern provinces of Morocco, challenging the Polisario front which remains silent, fearing a new condemnation by the UN Security Council.

During the previous edition of this rally, the Polisario armed militia had already tried in vain, to prevent competitors from crossing the Moroccan Sahara to reach Mauritania through the Guerguerate border post and continue their race onto the Lake Rose of Dakar, capital of Senegal.

Africa Eco Race 2019 began Sunday from Quai Antoine 1er in Monaco with the participation of 166 competitors who engaged in an exciting experience, including 15 days of extreme adventure full of surprises and twists, following the footsteps of Thierry Sabine, say the organizers in a statement.

During 12 days of this 6,022 km-long race, which includes 4,014 km special stages, competitors will have to tackle challenging sandy tracks and dunes, add the statement.

After the crossing on Monday of the Mediterranean, Africa Eco Race participants reached Moroccan city of Nador wherein they started Tuesday, the first stage of the Rally.

They will then cross several Saharan regions eastern Morocco before a stopover (Jan. 3) in the city of Assa Zag. The competitors will then cross the locality of Fort Chacal in Ad-Dchira (south of Laayoune), the city of Dakhla before passing through Guerguerate on their way to Chami in northern Mauritania.

And it is precisely these last steps that risk as usual ignite the Polisario anger. For the moment, the separatists, backed by Algeria, keep silent to avoid a new backlash and setback as the one they suffered last year when their armed militia tried in vain to prevent the crossing of competitors of Moroccan border post at Guerguerate.

Morocco had then complained to the UN. A complaint which led to the strong condemnation of the Polisario by the Security Council and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The administration of oath of office and secrecy as Member of the Federal Parliament to Resham Chaudhary, who is in judicial custody on the charge of masterminding the 2015 Tikapur massacre, has sparked controversies from different sectors.





The critics, particularly the legal experts have been criticizing insisting that any accused of a crime amounting heinous crime like murder and serving time in jail for the same should not be administered the oath of office and secrecy.





Likewise, the locals of Tikapur and the family members of the victims have also expressed their deep displeasure for the decision of the parliamentary secretariat to sworn in Chaudhary as a member of parliament.





Chaudhary has been serving jail term for masterminding to kill the seven policemen including an SSP and a toddler during the Tharu protestors in Tikapur of Kailali in August 2015.





Lawmaker-elect Chaudhary was given an election certificate by the Election Commission (EC) after he surrendered to the Kailali district court in February 2018.





But his oath taking ceremony was stalled because he was taken into custody immediately after receiving the certificate from the EC officials.








WASHINGTON, Jan 4: The U.S. House of Representatives, where Democrats now hold a majority, approved legislation on Thursday to end a partial government shutdown that began nearly two weeks ago at several federal agencies and fund the Department of Homeland Security through Feb. 8.





Under the bills, the departments of State, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Treasury and other agencies would be funded through Sept. 30, the end of the current fiscal year.




Guwahati : Five Rohingyas including two women on Thursday deported to Myanmar via Manipurs Moreh along Indo-Myanmar border.





The five Rohingyas, who illegally entered into India in 2014 and lodged in a foreigner detention camp inside the Tezpur jail in Assams Sonitpur district after they were found guilty of illegally entered into India.





The five Myanmar nationals have been identified as Mohammad Riyas, Ahmed Hussain, Mohammad Ayas, Toyaba Khatun and Azida Begum and they are residents of Myanmars Buthitang area.





Top officials of Myanmar and Manipur were present during the deportation process at Moreh.





The Sonitpur district police of Assam on Wednesday sent them to Manipurs Moreh town for deportation.





Sonitpur district Superintendent of Police (SP) Prithipal Singh said that, the five Myanmar nationals were arrested for violating the Foreigners act and they were lodged at Tezpur jail.





In October last, seven Rohingyas were deported to Myanmar through Moreh along Indo-Myanmar border.





The seven Rohingyas were arrested by Assam police on July 29 in 2012 for violating the Foreigners act and they were lodged at Silchar detention camp.





There are 20 other Rohingyas from Myanmar are still lodged in different jails in Assam.





Among them, 13 are lodged in Tezpur detention camp, while 6 in Silchar and one in Goalpara in Assam.





In last year, Manipur police had arrested a couple hailing from Uttar Pradesh for their alleged involvement in the trafficking of Rohingyas from Myanmar into Manipur.





On April 8 last, Manipur police commandos had arrested two Rohingyas, who entered into the north eastern state via Moreh border without valid documents.




Imphal : Continuing its peration against the anti-social elements, illegal drugs traffickers, Assam Rifles had seized illegal goods worth of Rs 76 crore in Manipurs Moreh area, a bordering town of Indo-Myanmar border in last year.





According to the reports, the Assam Rifle which has been posted at Permanent Motor Vehicle Check Post at Khudengthabi of Imphal Moreh route (NH-102) had seized illegal goods worth of Rs 75.97 crore.





A top official of Assam Rifles said that, during this period, the Assam Rifles troops had seized 48.536 kg gold worth Rs 14.56 crore, 689110 numbers of WY tablets worth Rs 34.45 crore, 2236 kg brown sugar worth Rs 8.94 crore, 3.202 kg heroin worth Rs 16.10 crore and two Tokay Gecko worth Rs 2 crore from the Imphal-Moreh road.





All seized illegal goods were illegally transported from neighbouring Myanmar. The anti-social elements, traffickers have used the Imphal-Moreh road to transport all illegal goods, the official said.





Imphal-Moreh route (NH-102) is one of route used by anti-social elements and drug peddlers for illegal businesses.




Guwahati : The Assam Rifles has organised the 9th All India Police Commando Competition at Diphu in Assams Karbi Anglong district.





The competition began from Wednesday and will continue till January 9.





Its main focus is to improve the standard of professional performance of the Police Forces of our country. The aim of this competition is to enhance physical and mental robustness, shooting skills, test leadership qualities under stressful conditions and foster team spirit amongst the participants.





A total of 22 teams comprising eight Central Armed Police Forces teams and 14 States Police Forces teams are participating in the event.





The competition includes Small Team Operation (Jungle), Small Team Operation (Urban), Battle Obstacle Course, firing and various physical proficiency tests with Battle loads.





Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy was the Chief Guest at the inaugural ceremony on Wednesday, wherein a small team of 21 PARA (SF) demonstrated the technique of insertion/ exfilteration by helicopters by slithering as well as Combat Free Fall (CFF) while the artists from Manipur enthralled the spectators with their spectcular drums and dances event titled Rhythm of Manipur.





Director General of Assam Rifles Lt Gen Sukhdeep Sangwan welcomed the Meghalaya Governor and other dignitaries and he exhorted all competitors to put in their best and contribute towards building a strong, effective and professional Police Force in our country.





He also spoke about the resilience and dynamism of the Assam Rifles in contributing immensely towards the peace and development of North East region.





Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy appreciated the efforts made by the Assam Rifles in conducting the competition.





The Governor proudly proclaimed that the Assam Rifles is a Force that has lived upto its credo of being Friends of the North East.





The closing ceremony of 9th All India Police Commando Competition will be on January 9 and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will be chief guest.




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DanHenson1/iStock(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) -- Lawmakers in Tennessee are asking the state's governor to pardon a 30-year-old woman who was sentenced to life in prison for murder.



State lawmakers, ministers and activists gathered for a press conference at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville on Thursday, asking Gov. Bill Haslam to pardon Cyntoia Brown, who was sentenced to life in prison at the age of 16.



Brown was convicted in 2004 over the murder of Johnny Allen, a 43-year-old real estate broker she claims was trafficking her for sex. She was tried as an adult in the case.



State Sen.-elect Brenda Gilmore, who organized the event along with the Women for Cyntoia advocacy group, said Brown was homeless and trapped in prostitution at the time.



"In the interest of justice, Cyntoia should be set free and she should be set free immediately," Gilmore said. "She's going to school, got a degree, a role model from all indications. She hasnt been in trouble since she's been in prison for the 15 years. Shes done everything we want prisoners to do."



She said Haslam should give Brown "full clemency" before he leaves office later this month. The governor granted clemency for 11 other people on Dec. 20.



"I think the fact that she has already spent 15 years in prison and the fact that she's tried to recreate herself, make amends for this great crime that she's committed, shows that she deserves full clemency so that she could walk away and start a new life," Brown said.



"Every now and then we have a chance to do a do-over. Gov. Haslam, thousands and thousands of your constituents have asked you to do a do-over, to do what is right, to give her mercy, the mercy she did not receive, but the mercy that was due her," Rev. Judy Cummings, who attended the event on behalf of the New Covenant Christian Church, added.



Members of Nashville's city council introduced a resolution on Thursday to formally ask the governor for clemency on Brown's behalf.



Browns case has caught the publics attention thanks to a documentary, Me Facing Life: The Cyntoia Brown Story, and been supported by celebrities including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and LeBron James.



Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.




Guwahati: A 40-year-old man was arrested by police for allegedly raping a 3-year-old minor girl at Hatigaon area in Assams capital city Guwahati on Wednesday.





According to the reports, the accused person identified as Imran Ali took the minor girl to his rented room and raped her.





When the minor girl returned to her home, she reportedly complained of pain and her mother informed police.





Some local people had thrashed the accused person and handed over him to police.





Meanwhile, police had registered a case (no  3/2019) under section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and arrested the accused person.




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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
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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.



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Homenaje a Jason Galarraga



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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...



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 (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!


We look forward to positive engagement with US at leadership level: FO 04 January, 2019



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Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry

Woke Bingo ISLAMABAD/WASHINGTON: The Foreign Office on Thursday welcomed US President Donald Trumps remarks on ties with Pakistan and said the government was keenly waiting for the engagement at the highest level.



We look forward to positive engagement with the US at the leadership level, FO spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said at the weekly media briefing. He was giving his reaction to President Trumps comments about Pakistan during a cabinet meeting.



Mr Trump repeated the allegation of Pakistan being duplicitous in its dealings with America. He, nevertheless, expressed his desire for better ties with Islamabad.



When we give money to Pakistan, $1.3 billion, I ended that. A lot of people dont know it, because they havent been fair to us. We want to have a great relationship with Pakistan, but they house the enemy, they take care of the enemy. We just cant do that, President Trump had said.



About engaging with the Pakistani leadership, he said: So, I look forward to meeting with the folks from  and the new leadership in Pakistan, well be doing that in the not-too-distant future. I ended the $1.3 billion we paid, its like water, we just do it.



Mr Trumps comments show that his view of Pakistan has not changed even though he may have expediently changed his strategy on dealing with it.



One of his closest allies in Congress, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, even offered a free trade deal to Pakistan if Islamabad persuades the Taliban to participate in the US-backed Afghan peace process. Senator Graham, known in Washington as a Trump ally who often floats ideas that the Trump administration wants debated, made this offer in a CNN interview on Wednesday.



Soon after that, President Trump outlined his new Afghan strategy in the cabinet meeting, seeking greater roles for India, Russia and Pakistan in fighting the Afghan Taliban.



Mr Trumps views reflect those of two prominent think tank experts who also underlined the need to persuade Pakistan, India, China and Russia to fight the Taliban in articles published in The New York Times and The American Conservative magazine on Wednesday.



The US president had last month written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking Pakistans help for Afghan peace process. Islamabad later facilitated a meeting between the United States and Taliban in Abu Dhabi that was also attended by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Another meeting has been planned in Saudi Arabia, but its dates have not been made public as yet.



You are aware that on the request of the US and the Afghan government, Pakistan is facilitating peace talks between the United States and the Taliban, the FO spokesman recalled.



Notwithstanding the accusation of housing the enemy, Dr Faisal looked on the bright side and said: President Trumps remarks are indeed a departure from his tweet of January 1, 2018.



Mr Trump had on the New Year Day in 2018 tweeted: The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!



The FO spokesman underscored that Pakistan wanted peace to return to Afghanistan so that Afghan refugees in Pakistan could return home and there could be beginning of an era of prosperity and normalcy in the region.



Responding to a question about the death of Baloch separatist Aslam Baloch alias Achhu in a suicide attack in Kandahar, he said the Afghan government had so far not shared any details with Pakistan.



We expect that the Afghan government undertakes a comprehensive investigation to find out and clarify how a terrorist commander from a banned terrorist outfit was residing in an Afghan city and who were providing him refuge in Afghanistan, he said, adding: It is important that Afghanistan does not let any country, terrorist group or individual to use its territory against Pakistan.

Ties with Bangladesh



Commenting on elections in Bangladesh, Dr Faisal welcomed Awami Leagues success and expressed the hope that the party would during its tenure in office adopt a forward-looking approach in ties with Pakistan.



We want Pakistan-Bangladesh relations to move forward in line with the 1974 tripartite agreement. We welcome the newly elected government in Bangladesh and hope and expect that it would help take the bilateral relationship away from the irritants that it has faced in the recent times, the spokesman said.



The Awami League-led coalition won the violence-hit elections held last Sunday to get a consecutive third term in office. Opposition parties in Bangladesh have rejected the polls as farcical.



Pakistan-Bangladesh ties have remained tense since the Awami League came to power in 2009 and restarted the trial of people accused of war crimes during the 1971 separation. This has been a major irritant in the bilateral relationship. Since the inception of War Crimes Tribunal in 2010, a total of 52 accused have been sentenced to death. Six of them have been executed so far.



Pakistan has consistently called for adherence to the Tripartite Agreement of April 1974 under which Bangladeshs founding father Mujibur Rehman had ended prosecution of the elements his government had accused of war crimes during the 1971 events.



The 1974 agreement signed in Delhi by the then foreign ministers of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan had included a commitment from Dhaka that the Government of Bangladesh had decided not to proceed with the trials as an act of clemency.

Corruption cases



Responding to a question, the FO spokesman shared details of the corruption cases against diplomats and other employees of the foreign ministry. Probe into cases of an accountant posted in Bulgaria, deputy head of mission in Singapore and ambassador have been completed. The case against high commissioner in South Africa, he said, was sub judice.
Imran Khan on his first official visit to Turkey

Prime Minister Khan, accompanied by his economic team, is on his first official two-day visit to Turkey.



It is expected that the prime ministers visit to Turkey will bring some respite in the prevailing economic crunch in Pakistan as some memoranda of understanding on trade and investment are likely to be inked between the two sides.



Earlier on Thursday, the prime minister and his delegation arrived in Konya.



To pay homage to Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, the prime minister and his delegation visited the great Sufi saints mausoleum. He also visited the symbolic grave of Allama Iqbal located in the graveyard where Maulana Rumis mausoleum stands.



The prime minister was accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar, Adviser to the PM on Commerce, Textile, Industry and Production Razak Dawood and Special Assistant to the PM on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari.
FO confirmed two Indian spy drones shot down by Pakistan army

The FO spokesman on Thursday strongly condemned recent intrusion of Pakistani territory by Indian spy drones and confirmed that two Indian spy drones have been shot down by Pakistan army.



Pakistan is ready to give befitting response to any Indian adventure, he said while denying Indian claims that surgical strikes were carried out inside Pakistan.



In his press briefing, the spokesman said Pakistan is sincere in promotion of peace in the region, however, Pakistans desire for peace should not be construed as its weakness.



Responding to a question on Kashmir, the spokesperson said Kashmir is a disputed territory and its resolution lies in a plebiscite in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.



The spokesman took a strong exception to the prevailing situation in Indian held Kashmir, and urged the international community to press India to stop its gross human rights violations in occupied valley.



The spokesman asked India to immediately allow the UN observer mission to visit the areas close to LoC to monitor ceasefire violations committed by Indian security forces.



The spokesman regretted a report carried by times of India about Kulbushan Yadav case under litigation in the International Court of Justice, and said the report is based on a leak and Pakistan would not comment on it as the matter is sub judice before the ICJ. Responding to number of questions about German Ambassadors frequent travelling in various cities in Pakistan, the spokesman said as per diplomatic rules, all foreign ambassadors in Islamabad are free to move around Pakistan.
Bahria Town-MDA accounts all over the country be unfrozen: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered that Bahria Town and Malir Development Authority's (MDA) accounts all over the country be unfrozen, clarifying its previous orders.



Bahria Town counsel Aitzaz Ahsan, who had filed the miscellaneous petition on Thursday, told a three-member SC bench today that private banks all over the country have sealed his client's accounts on the orders of the State Bank of Pakistan.



"Due to accounts being sealed, the release of Bahria Town employees' salaries and other development work has ceased," the counsel said. "Malir Development Authority's accounts have also been frozen."



Read: Zardari and Omni groups, Bahria Town barred from trading properties under investigation



At this, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, who was heading the SC bench, clarified that the court had only ordered "the monitoring of two accounts", adding that "the FIA exceeds its authority."



"We had said the same regarding the school case," the top judge recalled. "We had passed orders regarding 27 schools and they started sealing schools."



Read: SC orders 20pc reduction in private school fees over Rs5,000



Justice Nisar also asked Ahsan why his client had "still not changed Bahria's name despite court orders?"



"A period of six months was given for that," the counsel replied.



"Those six months have still not lapsed?" the judge asked, to which Ahsan simply said: "Sir, the renaming process is underway." "I so wish that I change Bahria Town's name right now," Justice Nisar said.
After movies like Zero, 2.0, Maari 2, Simmba, Aquaman were leaked online, TamilRockers has become rather notorious. A day before Rajinikanth's blockbuster movie was to be released, the filmmakers implored the Madras High Court to block illegal sites, including the infamous TamilRockers. However, blocking TamilRockers has proved to be somewhat like holding sand. Once an illegal url is taken down, a new one sprouts to continue the business. Moreover, TamilRockers has members contributing to the site from across the globe, making it challenging to tackle the illegal operations.

TamilRockers' business is a simple case of demand and supply. Movie lovers who do not want to spend on a release end up downloading a pirated copy on the TamilRockers site. As more patrons continue to visit their site, they continue to provide movies for free downloads. This way TamilRockers makes money while eating away a chunk of the movies' producers' earnings.

What is TamilRockers?

TamilRockers is an illegal, pirating site that has been releasing big-budget movies online. According to reports, before the release of a big movie, TamilRockers threatens to release the movie online on its opening day.

Once it has a print, TamilRockers uploads the movie online for its patrons.

Who uploads content on TamilRockers?

According to various reports there are multiple contributing members from across the globe. The movies are uploaded once any member manages to capture a print from a local theatre.

The members are paid on the basis of the number of times a print is downloaded.

Why is TamilRockers still operating?

TamilRockers is not legal and has been blocked over and over. However, once an url is taken down, they manage to set up another proxy url. Taking TamilRockers down permanently is, hence, a rather uphill task.

A senior cyber cell officer had told The Indian Express earlier: "TamilRockers is not run by a single individual or entity, it is a scattered group of people, who may be anonymous to each other, possibly working abroad. On multiple occasions, during blockbuster movie leaks, we have found that their sites were often hosted by proxy servers based in Russia or Ukraine or countries that give immunity from legal action."

Which movies have been released by TamilRockers?

TamilRockers release movies indiscriminately as there is a want for movies of all languages in India. Recent movies released by TamilRockers include Shah Rukh Khan's Zero, Rajinikanth-Akshay Kumar's 2.0, Aamir Khan's Thugs of Hindostan, Yash's KGF: Chapter 1, Thalapathy Vijay's Sarkar, Dhanush's Maari 2, Mohanlal's Odiyan and many more.

What kind of urls does TamilRockers use?

TamilRockers has multiple blocked urls. Here is the list: tamilrockers.py, tamilrockers.mv, tamilyogi.fm, tamilrockers.ch, tamilrockers.ci, tamilrockers.bx, tamilrockers.hn, tamilrockers.bz, www.tamilrockers.to, tamilrockers.com, tamilrockers.to, tamilrockers.in, tamilrockers.co, tamilrockers.net, tamilrockers.to, tamilrockers.cl, tamilrockers.la, tamilrockers.tel, tamilrockers.com, tamilrockers.li, tamilrockers.cr, tamilrockers.ph, tamilrockers.tv, tamilrockers.ms, tamilrockers.bz, tamilrockers.by, tamilrockers.ci, tamilrockers.com, and tamilrockers.lv.

Also read: Simmba Box Office Collection Day 7: Ranveer Singh-Sara Ali Khan's film earns Rs 200 crore in just a week

Also read: KGF Box Office Collection Day 14: Yash's movie maintains stronghold, inches towards Rs 200 crore
Flyers faced tough time at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport as nearly 200 flights were delayed on Thursday, due to the dense fog in the national capital.

The flight operations at Delhi airport was also affected today due to the low visibility which affected departures of flight.

With dense fog blanketing the national capital, most of the airlines issued guidelines and advisories including IndiGo, Jet Airways, Vistara and SpiceJet, asking their passengers to check their flight status before heading for the airport.

Due to the impact of bad weather in Delhi, all departures, arrivals and their consequential flights might be affected, SpiceJet was quoted as saying.

"Departures have now resumed from DEL, after being held up for last 2 hours and 30 mins due to fog. Arrivals were however continuing during the time, although with delays," Vistara informed on Twitter.

Also Read: Last-minute airfares from Delhi airport surges by record 28%, says report

Due to adverse weather conditions (fog) at Delhi airport, our flights to and from Delhi have been affected, Jet Airways said.

"Due to expected poor visibility at #Delhi and #Bengaluru airport, flight departures and arrivals may be impacted. Do check your flight status before you leave for the airport," tweeted Indigo.

Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, the largest airport in India, also tweeted that it has implemented low visibility procedures at the airport and requested passengers to contact the airline concerned for updated flight information.

Indian Meteorological Department has forecasted that visibility is likely to improve to 1500 meters in haze from 12:30 pm and it may further improve to 2500 meters in haze from 1:30 pm on January 4.

Also Read: SpiceJet under DGCA lens for reported New Year celebrations midair

However, the outlook for next subsequent 12 hours is not good. The weather department warned that visibility may reduce to 300 meters in the night due to dense fog.

The departures from Delhi airport were stranded for about 2 hours between 7:30 am and 9:30 am on January 3, 2019. However, the departures resumed after 9:30 am.

On Thursday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 6.7 degrees Celsius, with the visibility dropping to 400 meters and the air quality recorded under 'severe' category, according to statement released by the weather office.

BJP leader Ram Madhav was among the affected passengers as all flights outbound from the Delhi airport were delayed due to bad weather on Thursday morning.

"CAT 3 etc., notwithstanding, stuck in d aircraft for last 3 Hrs at Delhi airport with absolutely no info. ATC too unable to tell when the flight wl get clearance. Fog in Delhi can cripple air movement at 12 noon. No technology can conquer nature (sic)," tweeted Madhav from the aircraft.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar
The nuns from of the Sisters of Charity remember and are grateful to the missionaries who with their blood planted the seeds of faith in Christ in the heart of Laotians. Christmas celebrations are held in Nasay, a village whose residents were once all animist and are now almost all Catholic.

Vientiane (AsiaNews)  For Laotian Catholics Christmas celebrations are a joyous occasion to "strengthen their faith in Christ and remember the sacrifice of martyrs, said Sister Anna, of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret.

The nun spoke to AsiaNews about how the faithful spent Christmas in Nasay, a village in the central province of Savannakhet.

Fr Philippe Thin, an 83-year-old diocesan priest, has been responsible for the pastoral care of this community for many years. The Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret have helped him in his work.

Although foreign missionaries have been banned from Laos since 1975 and the number of vocations has dropped in recent years, men and women religious continue to promote the Catholic faith in the cities but especially in the villages. Christmas is the most visible expression of this commitment.

In Nasay, most of the 1,500 residents, once animists, are now Catholic and every year they celebrate the baptisms of children and adults. "The faith of these Christians is strong," said Sister Anna.

"Every year, they celebrate the birth of Christ with great joy and throughout Advent they prepare their hearts to welcome the Word of God, she noted.

Christmas celebrations begin with the sacrament of confession, followed by a procession and adoration of the Child Jesus. The community then meets for Christmas Eve Mass. They end the celebrations with a Christmas show that includes dances and games.

"In the village of Nasay, Christmas is a truly exceptional festival, Sister Anna explained. Everyone takes actively part. Laotians often like to repeat 'Muan lai!', which means 'so much joy'."

"We always remember and we are grateful to the missionaries who planted with their blood the seeds of faith in Christ in the heart of Laotians. Canonised in 2016 by Pope Francis, the 17 blessed martyrs of Laos are a beautiful testimony for the local Church.

We give thanks to God for so much grace received, that the Child Jesus may continue to be born in our hearts and fill us with joy and faith, so that we are his witnesses in daily life, "the nun added.

The Pathet Lao killed the 17 martyrs in Laos between 1954 and 1970. Six were Laotian, ten belonged to the Missions Etrangeres de Paris (MEP) and one came from the Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of the Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate (OMI).

The list includes Fr Mario Borzaga OMI, and catechist Paul Thoj, who were killed in 1960 at a very young age  28 and 19 respectively  by communist guerrillas whilst visiting Hmong villages.

The Sisters of Charity have been present in Laos since 1934. Currently, they work in 14 communities in the countrys main cities: Luang Phrabang, Vientiane, Thakhek, Savannakhet and Pakse.

They are involved in the pastoral care of children, young people, and the sick. They host young girls in need in four family homes to enable them to study.

The nuns also run a school for the hearing and speaking impaired in Luang Phrabang, as well as nursery schools in Vientiane and Savannakhet.

In Laos, Catholics are a small minority, some 45,000 or 0.7 per cent in a population of 7.1 million people.

The situation of the Church in Laos remains tenuous. The government tightly controls religions and does not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

The relations between Church and government authorities are especially difficult at the local level.
Thirteen Canadians have been detained in China following the arrest on December 1 of a senior executive from Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei, Ottawa said Thursday, with eight subsequently released.

Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Guillaume Berube confirmed the detentions to AFP, adding the figures excluded Hong Kong.

The thirteen include former diplomat Michael Kovrig and consultant Michael Spavor, arrested on December 10, for activities said to threaten national security, as well as Sarah McIver, who was subsequently freed and returned to Canada.

There are approximately 200 Canadians overall who have been detained in China for a variety of alleged infractions and continue to face ongoing legal proceedings, and the number has remained relatively stable in recent years.

By way of comparison, there are almost 900 Canadians in a similar situation in the US.

Some observers believe the detentions of Kovrig, who works for the International Crisis Group, and Spavor, who is frequently consulted on matters linked to North Korea, were retaliatory actions following the arrest in Vancouver of Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who faces extradition to the United States.

Washington has accused her of fraud for helping evade US sanctions against Iran. She was later released on bail pending her extradition hearing.

Backed by the US and several European countries, Canada's foreign minister Chrystia Freeland has repeated called for the immediate release of Kovrig and Spavor, whose arrests Ottawa has termed arbitrary.

Also read: Indian startups raised $38.3 billion in funding in 2018
After the latest application made by Vijay Mallya in the Karnataka High Court, expressing his willingness to settle the dues of defunct Kingfisher Airlines to several banks, the consortium of bank led by SBI, the biggest creditor has filed a memo to consider the repayment offer. The banks have urged the high court that in case it was to consider the settlement offer made by Mallya, the dues to the banks should be considered a priority.

The document seen by Business Today states, "In so far as assets belonging to the appellants (UBHL) are concerned, the same may be sold/disposed of expeditiously in accordance with the directions of this Hon'ble court and proceeds thereof may be released in favour of the respondents (banks) on priority."

This is a marked difference from the earlier stand, where the banks had rejected the settlement offer made by Vijay Mallya. The memo further seeks from the court release of Rs 651 crores along with the accrued interest and additional sum of approximately Rs 380 crores, both deposited with the high court by UBHL. While Mallya has been seeking a court monitored committee to oversee the sale of shares and assets offered by him, the banks on the other hand, in their fresh contention, want the entire process to be undertaken by the recovery officer of Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), since some of the assets mentioned in the settlement offer have already been attached in pursuant of the Debt Recovery Certificate issued by DRT. During the oral submission made by the bank consortium's counsel on 3rd January 2019, he stated that any further consideration to accept the offer will be done once Vijay Mallya is able to show bonafide intention to settle the debts with the banks, through agreeing to the release of funds lying with the high court.

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Interestingly, it seems like the banks have hedged their position quite well for now on the offer that has been made. While the banks seek sums deposited with Karnataka High court to be released to them, they have also urged the court to not construe the memo as giving any concession whatsoever in the matter of recovery of dues from either Vijay Mallya or the companies controlled by him and also as an acceptance of the offer made in entirety.

The memo also states, "It may be made clear by this Hon'ble court that any disposal of property in accordance with order on IA 3/2018 (settlement offer) shall not in any manner prejudice other proceedings initiated by the respondents (banks) whether in India or abroad against appellant (UBHL) Dr. Vijay Mallya, including proceedings before the UK court and those proceedings may continue without consideration of the outcome of the appeal in the Karnataka High Court."

On the 22nd of June this year, Vijay Mallya through his counsel filed an interlocutory application seeking relief and appointment of a court committee to crystallise his assets, so that there could be a definitive sum made available to service all the debts . The revised and the latest offer made by him on the 16th of August sets out a complete list of assets to service the existing debts. Business Today perused the 8 page document where Mallya lists assets of over 15,000 crores. The documents set out the market value of the attached assets and sums deposited with various courts that are available at the disposal, whose value if realised could benefit all parties.

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With Reliance Communications' (RCom) December 2017 asset sale deal with Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd continuing to face delays, yet another legal tangle has cropped up. The Anil Ambani company had been ordered by the court to pay its operational creditor Ericsson Rs 550 crore by December 15 to settle its dispute over dues. But with the Department of Telecom (DoT) yet to approve the spectrum sale, RCom has not met the deadline. So the Swedish telecom equipment maker has filed its second contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Ambani, The Economic Times reported.

In its petition, Ericsson reportedly requested the government to issue directions through the Ministry of Home Affairs to prevent Ambani from leaving the country. Ambani had previously given a personal guarantee in the court, backing prompt payment of Rs 550 crore to Ericsson. "The contemnor named above (Ambani)... be directed to be detained in civil prison unless the aforesaid contemnors purge themselves by making payment of Rs 550 crore along with the interest," the petition added.

Ericsson also asked the court to "allow insolvency resolution proceedings under and in accordance with the order and proceedings of the NCLT against the respondents".

"The fresh application was filed because RCom and others did not comply with the SC order. We have been waiting for payments for a long time and their default is contempt of court," senior advocate Anil Kher representing Ericsson told the daily. "Under contempt of court act, if found guilty, this could lead to civil imprisonment, which means jail up to six months."

Separately, RCom yesterday filed a contempt of court plea against DoT in the apex court, blaming it for delaying the RCom-Jio deal that would have enabled it to meet its debt obligations to Ericsson as well as other lenders.

On December 3, RCom's subsidiary Reliance Realty had furnished the corporate guarantee of Rs 1,400 crore to the Department of Telecom, as directed by the Supreme Court in end-November. This development came about after a prolonged battle between the RCom and DoT over the government's claim of spectrum-related dues worth Rs 2,947 crore. As per the above order, DoT was to approve the spectrum trading within a week of receiving the corporate guarantee. But nearly a month on, the no-objection certificate is yet to be granted.

According to RCom, the delay was "another wilful and deliberate disobedience by the DoT". Its petition added that the department has "scant regard and respect" for the court's orders.

The government, on its part, said that the approval was getting delayed because Jio refused to be held liable for RCom's past unpaid dues. However, RCom reportedly countered this in its petition claiming that the DoT had "mischievously raised a controversy" by asking Jio for an undertaking on the past dues, which it alleges goes against trading guidelines.

Once the no-objection certificate comes in, RCom said it will be able to exit insolvency, pay deferred spectrum liabilities to DoT amounting to Rs 10,900 crore and pay lenders Rs 38,000 crore. The daily added that the telco also made it clear that if its appeal is not granted, it will cause irreparable harm, loss and injury" not only to the telco but also to its secured lenders, "including 17 public sector banks, thereby causing loss of public money".

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear both the petitions on Monday. Shares of RCom fell 2.2% to Rs 13.51 at the close on the BSE yesterday and hit a further low of Rs 13.29 in the morning trade.

(Edited by Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal)

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The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress.

Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions.

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U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is sworn in during a ceremony for the opening of the 116th Congress. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Most weeks, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich speaks with contributor Alex Carp about the biggest stories in politics and culture. Today, the border-wall standoff, Mitt Romneys anti-Trump op-ed, and Elizabeth Warrens run for the White House.

At the dawn of the new Congress, new Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is adamant that Democrats will not budge on border-wall funding in the ongoing shutdown negotiations and, in early interviews, is not taking impeachment off the table. Will she have to offer something Trump can spin as a victory, or will their first standoff end with him folding on his demands?

Pelosi is the most seasoned and arguably the most impressive leader that the Democrats currently have, the partys presidential aspirants included. When she talks about the wall being fundamentally immoral and un-American, as she did upon reassuming the Speakership this week, she is drawing a line she wont cross. Strictly as a political matter, shes holding too many cards to back down. Trumps exuberant embrace of ownership of the shutdown in last months Oval Office meeting is self-incriminating video he cant claw back. The record of the Senate Republicans pre-holiday vote to fund the government and avert a shutdown cant be erased just because Mitch McConnell, deferring to Trump, now refuses to bring the exact same legislation back to the floor. And the pain a prolonged shutdown will inflict will metastasize, inflicting political pain on the GOPs narrow Senate majority as well.

Trump says that most federal employees directly affected by the shutdown are Democrats. Even if that could be proved, its irrelevant. Not having a clue about how government works, the president doesnt seem to realize that the shutdown will reach deeply into the private sector. Four out of ten people working for the federal government are contractors, according to a 2017 analysis cited by the Washington Post. Small vendors who provide everything from cafeteria workers in government facilities to IT services to government offices will suffer. The absence of federal employees in Washington who approve paperwork essential to the smooth running of big and small business alike will disrupt households in all 50 states. They will call their senators. Something will have to give.

What will? The two senators who are already talking about defecting, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Susan Collins of Maine, have little choice but to do so: They are the two GOP incumbents up for reelection in 2020 in states won by Hillary Clinton. (Though the posturing Collins can never be trusted to put country above party, in this instance she can be counted on to put her own political future above party.) Martha McSally, appointed to her seat in purple-ish Arizona and also up in 2020, may be another gettable Republican vote. There are other potential wild cards, including Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and the retiring Lamar Alexander of Tennessee. But theres also a scenario where the impulsive Trump gets bored or distracted and moves on to other battles of a more existential urgency. The investigations being conducted by Robert Mueller, the Southern District of New York, and the new Democratic House have not taken a break for the shutdown. Whatever new results they bring will command his attention with or without any House move toward impeachment.

When Trump capitulates on the shutdown, hell say hes won no matter what the particulars are. Hes already been readying that plan, at various times declaring that the wall is already nearing completion, or redefining the word wall as steel slats or barrier or whatever. (As Pelosi has joked, it will soon be a beaded curtain.) He knows that his base will buy any victory he claims, and its likely that the hard-liners at Fox News, including Laura Ingraham and Sean Hannity, will get with the program as well when theres no other way out.

After Mitt Romneys anti-Trump op-ed this week, the new Utah senator was criticized by conservatives both for going too far and for not committing to go far enough. Can he lead an anti-Trump GOP faction, or will he be this Congresss Jeff Flake?

For all his showboating, one senator who will not break with the party line on the shutdown is Romney, who is on record supporting Trumps push for the wall. He is not part of an anti-Trump GOP faction  if one can even be said to exist among Republicans in the Senate  and hes not the leader of anything. When Trump responded to Romneys op-ed by asking if he would be a Flake, the answer was yes. But only if you define Flake correctly. A Flake is a Republican Trump critic who, like Collins and the now retired Bob Corker, talks a good game about defying the president but in the end surrenders to his agenda on the roll-call votes that matter. Flakes are not to be confused with NeverTrumpers, those out-of-power Republican elites who sound off on Twitter and MSNBC; they are MostlyTrumpers.

As many have said apropos of Trump, people dont change in their 70s. Thats equally true of Romney, a vacillator and flip-flopper who started backtracking from his op-ed within 24 hours of its publication by the Washington Post, much as he had backtracked on his 2016 criticisms of Trump when he deluded himself that the president-elect might make him secretary of State. The real point of Romneys piece, despite his denials, is to at least leave the door open for a presidential run. And this has led to a certain amount of Washington speculation imagining a 2020 GOP presidential primary in which Flake, John Kasich, and Marco Rubio all run to restore sanity to their party in a post-Trump era.

They may run, but its too little and too late. Polls show that Republicans support Trump by whopping, even historic, numbers nearing 90 percent  approaching support for George W. Bush after 9/11. The GOP is the Trumpist party. Whenever and however Trump leaves office, the notion that a Flake or a Romney might restore the old regime is a fantasy  just as it was a nonstarter when a previous generation of Establishment Republicans typified by Nelson Rockefeller and Romneys father, George, imagined they could thwart the rise of the Goldwater-Reagan revolution. Trumps base will regard the GOP Trump critics, meek as they are, as saboteurs of the cause, as indeed they characterized Romney this week. Even Romneys own niece, Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, condemned him for a few discouraging words about her partys Dear Leader.

Elizabeth Warren has kicked off the Democrats 2020 presidential race in what some observers are calling the most open competition the party has seen in nearly 30 years. What are her chances?

I dont have a clue and neither does anyone else at this early date. Meanwhile, in the case of Warren, there are already gender-fueled debates about whether shes likable or not; as the Post distilled it in a headline: Before you run against Trump, you have to run against Hillary (if youre a woman). Like many others, I found Warren plenty likable when she emerged as a regular on Jon Stewarts Daily Show in the aftermath of the 2008 meltdown, talking sense about the inequality and sometimes criminality of Americas economic order. No national elected official, President Obama included, was so clear, eloquent, and uncompromising on the subject. She persisted ever since in a political career that began with her knocking off one of the most ridiculous politicians to emerge from the tea party ranks, the former Cosmopolitan centerfold and doofus Massachusetts senator Scott Brown.

Warrens chops as a national political figure have yet to be tested. Her self-immolating response to Trumps Pocahontas taunting was a little Scott Brownesque. And the videos kicking off her presidential run were risible. There are lessons to be learned from Trumps successful 2016 primary campaign, and one of them is to avoid focus-group-tested pablum. Everything Warren says in her announcement video is worthwhile, but the words are drowned out by the incessant montages of her hugging people and the ostentatiously gerrymandered diversity of the anonymous Americans used as visual props.

Even worse was the widely ridiculed Instagram post in which Warren drinks a beer in her kitchen (also a setting for her announcement video), then acts surprised that her husband has turned up in their own house. When will politicians understand that voters immediately see through fake spontaneity and patronizing enactments of working-class authenticity. Trump proved that you could be elected president without drinking beer on camera. And besides, in the aftermath of the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, what Democrat wants to see beer invoked in any political context ever again?
Senator Cory Gardner has split with his party and president over holding the government hostage to Trumps border-wall demands. Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

The president used a surprise press appearance today to reiterate his border-wall funding demands, not to further negotiations with congressional Democrats aimed at reopening the federal government. So the shutdown drags on with no end in sight. But there was a notable break in the GOPs united front in support of Trumps hard-line stance, as The Hill reports:

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), who faces a potentially tough reelection in 2020, says Congress should re-open the federal government, even without a deal on funding President Trumps border wall.

Gardner is the first Senate Republican to call for ending the partial shutdown even without a deal on Trumps demand for $5 billion to fund a border wall.

I think we should pass a continuing resolution to get the government back open. The Senate has done it last Congress, we should do it again today, he said.

Gardner was joined in his restiveness by Maine senator Susan Collins, who has been criticizing the partial shutdown as unnecessary all along. She appears to be in agreement with the House Democratic move to separate the Homeland Security appropriations from the rest of the federal governments funding and end the hostage-taking, according to Politico:

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who wrote one of the spending bills House Democrats will be voting on, said in an interview shed like to see the president endorse at least part of the plan to reopen the government.

My goal is to get government reopened as fast as possible. And six of those bills, weve got agreements on and so Id like to see those signed into law, she said of the non-DHS legislation.

Now in isolation, these indications of rebelliousness from two GOP senators dont necessarily mean much. Mitch McConnells not going to bring up any appropriations measure without Trumps support, and even if he did, it would only take 41 Republican votes to stop it with a filibuster. More generally, the Democratic takeover of the House will mean much lower odds of partisan Republican legislation going anywhere in this Congress. Who cares if a couple of Senate Republicans defect now and then?

But this could signal a more persistent problem, and one that could affect Senate-only business like Cabinet and judicial nominations. Gardner and Collins hold two of the three most vulnerable Republican Senate seats up in 2020 (the other is held by the newly appointed Martha McSally of Arizona). If they get happy feet often, there could be trouble, particularly if Collinss sidekick Lisa Murkowski, who broke with Republicans on the Obamacare repeal legislation of 2017 and the Kavanaugh confirmation of 2018, joins the factional fun.

Theres still a decent chance Collins will hang it up in 2020. But that could liberate her even more from her party. In any event, despite his wall-to-border-wall domination of the Republican Party, Trump cannot count on lockstep support in the Senate. John McCain may have passed away, and Jeff Flake and Bob Corker may have retired, but theres still trouble for Trump in the upper chamber.
Kyrsten Sinema takes her oath on a lawbook rather than the Bible as she becomes the first religiously unaffiliated Senator. This may have bothered Mike Pence. Photo: Alex Edelman/AFP/Getty Images

Its no big secret that the U.S. is becoming steadily more diverse religiously, as well as racially and ethnically, with the rise of non-Christians and the religiously unaffiliated being particularly notable in recent years. Our politicians tend to be less adventurous, or at least less forthcoming, than other famous public figures, but according to Pews new survey of the religious composition of the 166th Congress, it appears theyre moving in the same direction:

Over the 11 congresses for which Pew Research Center has data, the 116th has the lowest number of both Christians (471) and Protestants (293) 

Catholics have held steady at 31% over the last four congresses, although there are now many more Catholics in Congress than there were in the first Congress for which Pew Research Center has data (19% in the 87th Congress, which began in 1961). The share of Jewish members also has increased markedly since the early 60s.

But theres still a big gap between the U.S. population and its congressional representatives when it comes to those who acknowledge no organized religious affiliation at all:

In the general public, 23% say they are atheist, agnostic or nothing in particular. In Congress, just one person  Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., who was recently elected to the Senate after three terms in the House  says she is religiously unaffiliated, making the share of nones in Congress 0.2%.

When asked about their religious affiliation, a growing number of members of Congress decline to specify (categorized as dont know/refused). This group  all Democrats  numbers 18, or 3% of Congress, up from 10 members (2%) in the 115th Congress.

This Congress also has the first two Muslim women to serve as Members. There are 34 Jews, two Buddhists and three Hindus.

Nearly all the religious diversity, however, is occurring in one party. With the exception of the two Jewish Republicans in the House, all of Congresss non-Christians and religiously unspecified members are Democrats. Professed Christians are over-represented in both parties congressional ranks:

While 78% of Democrats in Congress identify as Christians, among registered voters in the broader U.S. adult population, the share of Democrats and those who lean toward the Democratic Party who identify as Christians is just 57%.

Among Republicans and those who lean toward the Republican Party in the general public, 82% of registered voters are Christians, compared with about 99% of Republicans in Congress.

Given Democrats religious diversity advantage over Republicans, its interesting to take a look at the large field forming for the 2020 presidential nomination from this perspective.

Not long ago, it was newsworthy when a Catholic ran for president. Joe Biden, Julian Castro, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Beto ORourke (plus, according to some accounts, Steve Bullock) are all Catholics, giving 2020 a good look. Up until now, Joe Lieberman in 2000 and Bernie Sanders in 2016 were the only Jews to make a serious presidential bid. Michael Bloomberg and Eric Garcetti (who identifies as both Latino and Jewish) could join Sanders in the 2020 field. Tulsi Gabbard is Hindu. Kamala Harris spent some time in Hindu temples growing up as well, with her Indian-American mother; she and Cory Booker are both formally members of the predominantly African-American National Baptist Convention. John Hickenlooper is a Quaker.

There are some representatives of the old WASP mainline Protestant faith communities. Sherrod Brown is a Methodist. Elizabeth Warren is a former Methodist who now goes to various churches. Tom Steyer and Pete Buttigieg are Episcopalians. Amy Klobuchar and Seth Moulton belong to the United Church of Christ (a.k.a. Congregationalists). Jay Inslee and Eric Swalwell are non-denominational Protestants. Theres nary a Luthern, a Presbyterian, a conservative evangelical, or a religious none in the bunch, but the campaign cycle is young.

Its tempting to call the famously profane president a religious none, if not an adherent of some ancient heathen cult that worships power and wealth. He is technically a Presbyterian who has encouraged his intense conservative evangelical following to believe he is one of them by adoption or by some sort of divine dispensation that uses him to further their idea of the Kingdom of God as a return to 1950s white patriarchal culture.

In any event, its unlikely any of the Democrats (with the possible exception of Cory Booker) will make religious faith an element of her or his campaign message, and Trump will let his vice president and advisers like Jerry Falwell Jr. carry his water among the faithful. Republicans will continue to treat Democrats as a whole as hostile to religion despite their relatively high levels of religious self-identification. And gradually the political class  with or without Republican elected officials  will continue the U.S. populations trend towards religious and irreligious diversity. America remains the most religiously observant of materially advanced societies. But theres no longer a virtual religious monopoly in the population or even on Capitol Hill.
A modest proposal. Photo: CBS

When Ronald Reagan took office, affluent Americans paid a 70 percent tax rate on all income above $216,000. In the decades since, our countrys highest earners have seen their annual pay skyrocket, while the median households has barely budged. As a result, Americas 160,000 richest families now lay claim to 90 percent of its wealth. Studies suggest that this kind of inequality erodes social trust, abets plutocracy, and depresses economic growth. Politicians from both major parties routinely suggest that they see inequality as a major problem.

The case for trickle-down economics  which is to say, the idea that high top-marginal tax rates hurt economic growth  is much weaker now than it was in 1980. The U.S. saw faster GDP and productivity growth in the decades before Reagans tax cuts, than it did in the decades after. And during that latter era, the American economy grew at roughly the same rate as peer nations with higher top tax rates. A separate premise of the trickle-down theory held that raising taxes on the rich eventually costs the government revenue by discouraging work. The latest economic research suggests that this is true  but only if you raise the top tax rate higher than (approximately) 70 percent.

Meanwhile, French economist Thomas Piketty has demonstrated that high tax rates reduce pre-tax inequality  ostensibly, by discouraging rent-seeking among top executives, whose compensation is often determined less by productivity than a combination of social mores and their own audacity: CEOs are less likely to extract an extra $5 million from their companies (instead of allowing their firms to invest that sum in other purposes) if they know that Uncle Sam will collect 70 percent of their bonus. Thus, there is now some reason to believe that confiscatory top rates can reduce wage inequality, while producing some gains in economic efficiency.

All of which is to say: In 1980, taxing incomes above $216,000 (or $658,213 in todays dollars) at 70 percent was considered a moderate, mainstream idea, even though wage inequality was much less severe, and supply-side economics had yet to be discredited.

This week, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told 60 Minutes that she believes the U.S. should consider taxing incomes above $10 million at a 70 percent rate. Specifically, the congresswoman suggested that taxing the rich at such a rate would be preferable to forgoing major investments in renewable energy, and other technologies necessary for averting catastrophic climate change.

And centrist pundits were scandalized by her extremism.

National Journal reporter Josh Kraushaar argued that, while congresswoman Rashida Tlaibs profane call for Trumps impeachment was getting more attention, Ocasio-Cortez calling for a 70 percent tax rate on the nations most-watched news show a whole lot more politically damaging for Ds.

As weve already established, there is nothing substantively extreme about Ocasio-Cortezs proposal. It is true that, when the top marginal rate was last at 70 percent, there were more loopholes in the tax code enabling the affluent to sneak out of that top bracket. But this does not mean that Ocasio-Cortezs tax policy would actually be more radical than Jimmy Carters was  after all, the congresswomans 70 percent rate kicks in at a much higher threshold, exclusively targeting Americas super-rich (who werent nearly as well off in the 1970s as they are now). One can raise a variety of technocratic quibbles with Ocasio-Cortezs plan (raising taxes on capital gains might be a more effective way of soaking the super-rich; a confiscatory top marginal rate might prove impotent absent a global war on tax havens). But it would not be extreme in its redistributive implications, relative to our countrys past tax practices, or to other nations current ones. And a significant number of highly respected economists have endorsed top tax rates roughly as high as the one floated by the congresswoman, while Piketty has advocated for an 80 percent top rate.

Meanwhile, in terms of public opinion, Ocasio-Cortezs view on tax policy for the rich is much more mainstream than Susan Collinss.

Last year, a Data For Progress and YouGov Blue poll asked voters if they would support a 90 percent tax rate on all income above $1 million. Respondents opposed the idea by (just) a two-point margin. In Pew Research polling taken shortly before Congress passed the Trump tax cuts, voters opposed cutting taxes on households that earn more than $250,000 by a 48-point margin.

The notion that confiscatory tax rates on super-high incomes are more popular than the Republican Partys alternative is buttressed by other data. For example, when Berkley political scientists David Broockman and Douglas Ahler offered voters seven different tax-policy options (ranging from extremely conservative to extremely progressive) in 2014, they found that the furthest left option  establishing a maximum annual income of $1 million (by taxing all income above that at 100 percent)  was the third-most-common choice, boasting four times more support than the Republican Partys 2012 platform on taxation.

And yet, the fact that Susan Collins voted to sharply cut taxes on the rich in 2017 has not led nonpartisan news outlets to describe her as a far-right extremist. In fact, just yesterday, the New York Times referred to her as one of the Senates most moderate members. (Which is enough to make one wonder whether the overrepresentation of the affluent among national reporters  and the extremely rich, among owners of national media companies  might bias our political discourse in the upper classs favor.)

All this said, it is conceivable that Kraushaar is correct; advocating for a 70 percent top tax rate could plausibly have political downsides for Democrats. But when journalists respond to Ocasio-Cortezs proposal by declaring it self-evidently extreme and unpopular  instead of explaining who would be affected by the policy, and what effects economists believe it would have  they are creating such downsides, not neutrally reporting on them.
A group of diverse but like-minded individuals, the members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these antisocial behaviors cause to our society. In that effort, we will not use or sanction the use of illegal actions (such as violence or intimidation) in pursuit of our desired aims and if we learn of anyone who does use these unethical methods we will report those individuals to the authorities. Instead, we will use the guarantees found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that ensure freedom of legal speech and expression.
Two terrorists Thursday killed themselves by letting go off their subside-belts as security forces launched an assault on their hideout in the central region of Sidi Bouzid, the interior ministry told media.

National security spokesman WalidHkima told AFP that security forces from National Unit for the Investigation of Terrorist Crimes raided upon a tipoff a house in Jelma area where hiding some members of an offshoot of Jund al-Khilafa  an affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group.

Two of the occupants blew themselves up Hkima noted adding that a police officer was wounded during a heavy exchange of fire between the two sides.

The dead terrorists according to the ministry had been on Police wanted list since December 12.

The suspect terrorist the ministry stressed were planning to commit spectacular terrorist acts targeting patrols and security posts

Security forces in raid seized five explosive devices, three hunting rifles, mobile phones and a large sum of money, the ministry said.

The North African country has witnessed a surge in terrorism in the wake of the 2011 revolution that removed former autocratic leader, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Late October, a 30-year-old woman blew herself up on the Avenue Habib Bourguiba, in capital Tunis wounding 26 people.

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.
The UN Refugee Agency has voiced deep concern over the detention by the Algerian authorities of 120 refugees from Syria, Yemen and Palestine at the Tamanrasset Centre (southern Algeria) and their transfer to an area near the Guezzam border.

UNHCR says it is concerned about the safety of these vulnerable individuals registered as refugees who have fled conflict and persecution, seeking international protection in Algeria.

According to information made available to UNHCR, some of these refugees are currently stranded in the desert, 3km from the Guezzam border post where they are exposed to the elements, while others are unaccounted for.

The UN refugee Agency urges the Algerian authorities to allow it to access to these to assess humanitarian needs, identify those in need of international protection and to ensure their safety. UNHCR flatly denied Algerian press reports saying that these people were moved to the border with the agreement of the UN agency.

UNHCR underscores that any person whose life is at risk in their country of origin must be able to access territory and seek asylum in a safe country and each asylum request should be considered individually.

Last year, the United Nations denounced the Algerian authorities mistreatment of sub-Saharan migrants and refugees, decrying their mass expulsion in violation of international laws and conventions.

According to international human rights law, migrants and refugees shall not be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention. In case of arrest, detention and expulsion, their rights to legal assistance & consular protection must be respected. The return of the refugees and asylum seekers to their homeland should be only carried out in accordance with international law, in safe conditions and with dignity.

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.
The Vatican has urged Iraqi authorities to stamp out terrorism before Pope Francis could visit the country as part of his inter-faith dialogue campaign.

The Vatican Secretary General, Cardinal Pietro Parolin upon visiting Iraq the previous week told the Catholic TV channel TV2000the problem of terrorism has not been resolved.

The second man in command that Iraq needs to put in place a minimum of conditions were the leader of the Catholic church to visit the Muslim majority country.

Parolin, reports say, told Vatican News on Friday that the pontiff wants to visit Iraq.

It would certainly be a great encouragement to Iraqis in the difficulties they still have to face, he is quoted as saying.

Iraq; one of the Middle East countries with an important size of Christian communities, had been a playground for the Islamic State group (ISIS) since 2003 following the fall of former President Saddam Hussein until December 2017 when Bagdad declared victory after three fierce years of combat.

The militant group is still holding pockets of resistance in some parts of the country including staging of terror attacks.

Francis, 81, since ascending to the papacy six years ago has made inter-faith dialogue his main objective and has visited several Muslim majority countries around the world. The countries include Turkey in 2014, Azerbaijan in 2016 and Egypt in 2017.

The Argentine national is expected in the UAE next month and in Morocco in March.

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.
Gabons ailing President Ali Bongo this week addressed his citizens for the first time since suffering a stroke on October 24.

In a New Years message recorded in Morocco and broadcast by state-run media, Bongo expressed his gratitude to Gabonese and recounted the events leading to his trip to Morocco.

It is true that I have been through a difficult period, as sometimes happens in life, he said in a video recorded in Rabat.

Speaking straight to the camera in the new video, Bongo read his message seemingly effortlessly, even as his head and hands display slight movement.

Today, as you can see, I am better and I am preparing to meet you again soon, Bongo said in the video.

The 59-year-old, who fell ill on October 24 at an economic forum, arrived in Morocco in December following treatment in Saudi Arabia for an illness that has not been officially revealed.

Oil-rich Gabon has been ruled by the Bongo family for 50 years with current President Ali Bongo, in office since 2009, taking over following the death of his father who had held power for 42 years.

Ali Bongo was narrowly re-elected in 2016 after beating opposition challenger Jean Ping by a few thousand votes.

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.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline are asking Nebraska state regulators to revoke the land easements granted to the company across private land now that the project has officially been scrapped.
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Like 75 percent of the worlds citizens right now, were traveling. All that pent-up cabin fever had to be released sometime and the warm weather is bringing travelers out in droves. We had a graduation in Florida which we have been looking forward to attending. It was a nice trip.
Spiegel Online, citing official documents, reported on January 2, 2019, that the German Federal Security Council has approved the export of a Meko 200 frigate to the Egyptian Navy. The frigate, produced by ThyssenKrupp, likely costs around 500 million euros, sources told the publication. Spiegel noted that Egypt may buy another frigate from the manufacturer in addition to the one it is approved for.

Spiegel Online, citing official documents, reported on January 2, 2019, that the German Federal Security Council has approved the export of a Meko 200 frigate to the Egyptian Navy. The frigate, produced by ThyssenKrupp, likely costs around 500 million euros, sources told the publication. Spiegel noted that Egypt may buy another frigate from the manufacturer in addition to the one it is approved for.

MEKO 200 frigate (Valour class MEKO A-200SAN of the South African Navy) (Picture source: ThyssenKrupp Marine)

Over the last few years, Egypt has considered a new surface vessel buy, looking primarily at French and German products. The Egyptian Navy operates Gowind 2500 corvettes and a FREMM frigate purchased recently from France, but has evidently favored the German Meko 200 for its new purchase.

In November 2018, La Tribune reported that a deal between Egypt and Germany for four Meko 200s -- worth up to 2 billion euros -- had been inked two months prior. The publication noted that the Egyptian government was initially looking to purchase two Meko 200s, both to be built in Germany, but later adjusted its requirement to four vessels, one to be built in Egypt.

However, the deal was frozen soon after signing, according to La Tribune, stemming from Saudi pressure. The deterioration of Saudi-German relations, particularly after Saudi Arabia's killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, reportedly led to Riyadh putting a hold on providing funding for Egypt's purchase. Even so, Handelsblatt reported later in the month in November that a deal for two frigates at one billion euros had been finalized and a contract awarded for ThyssenKrupp.
A man who was arrested for obstructing the Presidents convoy in Mombasa has been described as a patriot by the courts.

Collins Ochieng Obado, 30, was arrested on Monday after he tried to catch the attention of President Uhuru on Mama Ngina Drive as the Head of State made his way to State House, Mombasa.

In addition to positioning himself along the road leading to State House, Mr Ochieng also a carried placard containing the portrait of Mr Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga.

The placard read: The Golden Handshake, Amani, Umoja, Upendo na Ushirikiano.

However, as soon as Uhurus convoy approached, security officers misconstrued Ochiengs intentions and pounced on him, bundled him in a police vehicle and locked him up in a cell.

Mr Ochieng, who had hoped to secure a job from the president, ended up spending his first three days of 2019 in police cells.

On Wednesday, he was arraigned before Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate Erick Mutunga and charged with the offence of creating disturbance in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace, contrary to section 95(1)(b) of the Penal Code.

When the charge was read, the Magistrate poked holes in the case and asked State Counsel Shakwila Ayekha if that amounted to an offence.

What offence did the suspect commit by simply displaying a placard? What is wrong with what he was doing? Mr Mutunga asked.

Mr Ayekha said at around 5 pm, the suspect was found trying to obstruct the convoy of the President without invitation.

The suspect was trying to obstruct the President without invitation from State House security details. He was arrested and placed in cells awaiting to be charged with the offence of creating disturbance as per the law, the prosecutor said.

In mitigation, Mr Ochieng stated that he was only looking for an opportunity to show President Uhuru a portrait with a view to securing a job.

I am still young, energetic and jobless so I dont want to waste my time stealing from people or engaging any criminal activity. I wanted him (President Kenyatta) to see the portrait so that from it he can help me to find a better job, he said amid laughter from a fully packed court.

I dont want to be a beggar in the street because I am still energetic and vibrant. I need a job so that I can sustain myself, my family members and the entire society, that is why I displayed the placard to attract the attention of the President, he added.

In his ruling, the Magistrate described Mr Ochieng as a patriotic Kenyan who was spreading peace and that he had not committed an offence by displaying the placard which contained a message of peace.

The suspect was spreading a message of unity, the court therefore discharges him (the suspect) and order that he be released unconditionally, Mr Mutunga ruled.

The court also ordered that the placard, which was produced as an exhibit, be released to the suspect forthwith.
Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, on Thursday said Beijing will continue supplying loans to African governments despite accusations that Chinas increased investments on the continent are aimed at gaining political influence.

Wang Yi made the statement after a closed-door meeting with his Ethiopian counterpart WorkinehGebeyehu in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

China upholds the principle of business relations with Africa based on sincerity, good result, and amenity, Wang said. We never attach any political condition to our support, he added.

In 2015, China provided $60 billion in loans and grants for African countries mainly for investment in infrastructure and manufacturing industries.

In his words, China supported the construction of more than 100 ports in Africa and thousands of kilometers of roads in addition to providing skilled labor training.

China has also invested billions of dollars in infrastructure projects linked to the Belt and Road initiative  a bold project to create trade routes through huge swathes of Eurasia, with China at the centre.

China defended its lending practices, saying they were sincere and unselfish, and insisting it only lent to countries that could repay.

Wang is set to meet African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki on Friday, one of the stops in his four-nation African tour.
Nigerien troops and air strikes have killed more than 280 Boko Haram militants since last week, the defence ministry said.

The government of the West African nation started an operation against the group last week in a region where militants have been fighting for more than nine years to carve out an Islamist caliphate.

200 militants were neutralised by air strikes and 87 were killed by Nigerien troops on the ground, Nigers defence ministry said in a statement. The sweep operation against the group was carried out along the southeastern Komadugu River, which separates Niger from Nigeria.

Last year, in coordination with the government of Niger, U.S. Africa Command has armed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft in Niger to improve combined ability to respond to threats and other security issues in the region.

The drones have enough to range to operate not just in Niger, officials said, and are capable of reaching other West and North African countries.

aU.S. drones are expected to ultimately be moved to a massive new air base in central Niger thats currently under construction.

The nearly decade-old Boko Haram insurgency has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and thousands of abductions. The unrest and displacement of millions of hungry people have turned Lake Chad region into one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises.
Somali government on Tuesday expelled a high-ranking United Nations official in the country, accusing him of interfering with national sovereignty.

The government says Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the U.N. SecretaryGeneral for Somalia, is not required and cannot work in this country, effectively declaring the official persona non grata.

The decision comes after he openly breached the appropriate conduct of the UN office in Somalia, Somalis foreign affairs ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The move comes after Haysom sent a letter last week to the interior security minister expressing concern over the alleged involvement of UN-supported Somali security forces in the arrest of South West presidential candidate and former Al-Shabaab number two Mukhtar Robow.

Haysom was appointed in September as an envoy to the nation struggling to shake off an insurgency by Al-Qaeda-linked militants.

The arrest led to the deaths of 15 civilians on 13, 14, and 15 December and the arrest of approximately 300 people.

Somalias Internal Security Ministry said it arrested Mukhtar Robow on Thursday, accusing him of bringing Islamist militants and weapons back to Baidoa, the capital of South West region where he is running for president.

Robows spokesman had said he was beaten by Ethiopian troops, who are part of the AU peacekeeping force in Somalia, in the course of his arrest.

The AU Mission, AMISOM has denied involvement in the arrest. In a statement Friday barely four hours after a coalition of MPs under the National Salvation Caucus issued a scathing attack against the AU force, Mission head Francisco Madeira said none of his forces were involved in the arrest and subsequent transfer of Robow to Mogadishu.
DNO Oman Block 8 Limited, the subsidiary of the Norwegian firm DNO ASA has handed over its stakes in the operation and participation of Block 8 to the Sultanate of Omans Ministry of Oil and Gas (MOG) and state-owned Oman Oil Company Exploration and Production LLC (OOCEP) as expiration of commercial term of the exploration and production sharing agreement, reports say.

Since inception, Block 8 has produced 35 MMbbl of oil and 285 Bcfg, generating the Sultanate of Oman about $1 billion in total revenues, said DNOs Managing Director Bjrn Dale during the handover ceremony in the Omani capital, Muscat on Thursday.

DNO Oman Block 8 Limited operated Block 8 for 30 years. Block 8 which includes the Bukha and West Bukha fields, off the Musandam peninsula, according last year figures produced an average of 4,458 barrels of oil per day.

Musandam Oil and Gas Company fully controlled by the OOCEP will take over from Jan. 04.

DNO held a 50 percent interest in the license alongside LG International, which held the remaining 50 percent interest.

The Norway-registered company is one the largest producers of oil in Iraqs Kurdistan region and also holds licenses in Norway, the United Kingdom and Yemen.

Written by: Jaber Ali on January 4, 2019. on February 13, 2019.
US President Donald Trump has is not thrilled about Kurds Syrian allies YPG after it transpired that the militia group has been selling oil U.S. Middle East rival Iran which has been under US sanctions.

The Kurds, our partners, are selling oil to Iran. We are not thrilled about that. Im not happy about it at all, Trump told reporters on Wednesday.

We want to protect the Kurds, nevertheless, we want to protect the Kurds but I dont want to be in Syria forever, Trump added.

President Trump last month announced the withdrawal of US troops in Syria leading international forces fighting the Islamic State group (ISIS).

The U.S had been supporting the YPG believed by Turkey as an affiliate of the PKK group that has been waging insurgency in Turkey for over 30 years. Ankara, Washington and the UE have place the group on their terror lists.

Turkish authorities have repeatedly urged Washington to drop support for the Syrian Kurds and has building up forces near the border with Syria for an assault on the US ally.

Washington in November prohibited all its allies to deal with Iran with new set of sanctions targeting the oil of the Islamic Republic.

Trump in May tore the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers and in August renewed sanctions against Tehran.

Written by: KanelkaTagba on January 3, 2019.

Last revised by: Last revised by: Jaber Ali , our reviewer, on December 16, 2020.
US troop scheduled to leave Syria will briefly relocate in the Northern part of Iraq, a top officer of the Iraqi army has said.

The forces will withdraw through Erbil, not areas controlled by Iraqs [Baghdad] central government, Major General Yahya Rasul said.

Last month, US President Donald Trump announced the pullout of all American forces, around 2,000, from Syria. The withdrawal will be done in coordination with Turkey that Trump believed can suitably replace the American forces.

Rasul according to reports also added that American forces may return to the U.S. or transfer to other regions after arriving in Erbil without the move undermining Iraqi sovereignty as a permanent presence of troops is not a subject of discussion.

The announcement follow last month revelation by Farhan al-Duleimi, a member of Anbars provisional council that the U.S. has established two military bases in near the Syrian border.

Al-Duleimi told Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu that that the first base has been set up in the northern Rumanasubdistrict (in Anbars Al-Qaim district) near the Syrian border, roughly 360 kilometers west of provincial capital Ramadi.

The other military facility, he added, had been erected in the east of the city of Al-Rutbah, about 310 kilometers west of Ramadi and less than 100 kilometers from the Syrian border.

There are currently over 5,000 US forces in Iraq down from about 170,000 in 2007, at the height of the surge of U.S. forces to combat sectarian violence that ensued the American invasion to topple former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2003.

President Trump who made a surprise visit to the troops last month said his administration has no plan to return the forces home as part of his America First policy.

Written by: KanelkaTagba on January 3, 2019.

Last revised by: Last revised by: Jaber Ali , our reviewer, on February 13, 2019.
Kuwait has conditioned the reopening of its diplomatic in Damascus on the decision to be made by the Arab League early this week after the UAE and Bahrain re-established diplomatic ties with President Bashar al-Assad regime after seven year of interruption.

Arab states members of Egypt-based Arab League largely in 2011 severed ties Damascus after the Al-Assad regime cracked down on protestors. Many of them including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain supported financially and technically rebels seeking to bring down the Syrian regime.

As Al-Assad succeeded in turning the tide with the help of Russia, Iran, Lebanon-based Hezbollah in addition to the decision by the US President Donald Trump last month to pullout the entire US troops from Syria, some Arab countries have been thawing ties with embattled al-Assad.

Thursday last week, the UAE and Bahrain announced resumption of their diplomatic relations with Syria.

Reported by state-run news agency KANU on Monday, Kuwaits Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah said the Gulf state remained committed to the Arab Leagues decision and would reopen its embassy in Damascus once the organization allowed it.

The Arab League is due meet on Jan.06 in Cairo.

Al-Jarallah also indicated that several other Arab countries are expected to re-open their missions in the Damascus.

Kuwait unlike other countries has not closed the Syrian embassy in Kuwait city. It opposed arming the rebels, although private donors in Kuwait sent funds to anti-Assad forces, Reuters reports.

The Gulf country also led a humanitarian fundraising campaign for Syria through the United Nations.

The Arab League is also likely to going to reinstate Syria after freezing its membership, an Arab diplomat reportedly told Reuters last week noting that majority of member-states are keen for the move.

Written by: KanelkaTagba on January 2, 2019.

Last revised by: Last revised by: Jaber Ali , our reviewer, on February 13, 2019.
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Citi Philippines honors FEU Chairman as 2018 Distinguished Alumni

posted January 04, 2019 at 05:18 pm

Far Eastern University Chairman and former BPI CEO Aurelio Gigi Montinola (right) receives the 2018 Citi Distinguished Alumni Awardee for Leadership and Ingenuity from Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed. Gigi, who worked at Citibank in the 1970s and early 1980s, was honored for his contributions to the banking industry and for taking leadership roles in the fields of education and the environment. Far Eastern University Chairman and former BPI CEO Aurelio Gigi Montinola (right) receives the 2018 Citi Distinguished Alumni Awardee for Leadership and Ingenuity from Citi Philippines CEO Aftab Ahmed. Gigi, who worked at Citibank in the 1970s and early 1980s, was honored for his contributions to the banking industry and for taking leadership roles in the fields of education and the environment.

COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section.
RiyadhSaudi prosecutors sought the death penalty for five of 11 defendants charged with the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as their high-profile trial opened in Riyadh on Thursday. The prosecution also said it was awaiting a response to two formal letters requesting evidence from Turkey, where Khashoggi was murdered inside the kingdoms Istanbul consulate on October 2 in a case that shocked the world. All 11 accused were present with their lawyers at the first session of the trial, it said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, without revealing their names or their alleged roles in the crime. The public prosecutor... is seeking capital punishment for five of the defendants for their direct involvement in the murder, the statement said. Five top Saudi officialsincluding royal court insider Saud al-Qahtanihave been sacked over Khashoggis murder, but authorities have not said if they were among those charged. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, was murdered in what Riyadh called a rogue operation, tipping the kingdom into one of its worst diplomatic crises and tarnishing the reputation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The 59-year-old Saudi insider-turned-critic was strangled and his body cut into pieces by a team of 15 Saudis sent to Istanbul for the killing, according to Turkish officials. Turkish media reports suggested his remains, which have never been found, were dissolved in acid. Thursdays session was attended by the kingdoms Human Rights Commission, SPA said, but like other Saudi trials it was closed to the public and media. The United Nations and human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into Khashoggis killing. Given the possible involvement of Saudi authorities in Khashoggis murder and the lack of independence of Saudi Arabias criminal justice system, the impartiality of any investigation and trial would be in question, Samah Hadid, a Middle East director at Amnesty International, told AFP on Thursday. This is why a UN-led and independent investigation is needed into the murder. The defense team on Thursday requested a copy of the charge sheet and a time frame within which to review the charges. The prosecution agreed to both requests while its investigation continues, SPA said.No date has been set for the next hearing and it was unclear how long the trial would last. The Khashoggi murder rattled the world at a time when Saudi Arabia and its de facto leader, Prince Mohammed, were pushing an aggressive public relations campaign to rebrand the ultraconservative kingdom as a modern state. Among Prince Mohammeds strongest allies is US President Donald Trump, who now faces increasing pressure to approve measures against Saudi Arabia. The US Central Intelligence Agency has reportedly concluded that Prince Mohammed very likely ordered Khashoggis murder. A bipartisan resolution approved by the US Senate last month also held the crown prince responsible for the killing. But in November the Saudi attorney general ruled out any involvement by the young crown prince. It was unclear whether Qahtani and Ahmad al-Assiri, two senior aides to Prince Mohammed initially implicated in Khashoggis murder, were among those on trial. Saudi officials said in November that Qahtaniwho has not spoken publicly since thenwas banned from travel pending the investigation but authorities have refused to disclose his whereabouts. It is clear that elements from high levels of the Saudi state were involved in Khashoggis murder, H.A. Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, told AFP. There is an immense amount of international interest in this trial, but also a lot of suspicion about whether those ultimately responsible for the crime will be held to account. There was no immediate reaction to Thursdays trial from Ankara, which has sought the extradition of the suspects in Saudi custody to stand trial in Turkey. But Riyadh has repeatedly rebuffed its requests. The Khashoggi affair has given rare leverage to the kingdoms rivals -- not only Turkey and its ally Qatar, with which Saudi Arabia broke off all relations 18 months ago, but also arch rival Iran.
The party-list group Anakalusugan has called on Health Secretary Francisco Duque to hasten the removal of the 12-percent expanded value-added tax on other maintenance medicines. We welcome the removal of the VAT on maintenance medicines for diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. But there are other maintenance medications that also need to be VAT exempt, Anakalusugan said in a statement. Duque himself admitted that there is a need to expand the coverage of the VAT exemption to include other maintenance medicines. We are sensitive as well to the clamor of certain quarters especially of those cancer patients whose medications can run up to billions of pesos and can be economically devastated, the Health chief said. Anakalusugan likewise urged drugstores to comply with the VAT exemption policy or face possible charges. The law must be followed as strictly as possible to avoid unnecessary violations, the group said.Earlier, the health advocacy group also urged the government to consider making vitamins VAT free. We should look at health not just from a prescriptive point of view but from preventive as well. This is why making vitamins more accessible for Filipinos is just as crucial as ensuring that our people are able to take their maintenance medicines, Anakalusugan said. The group cited a study undertaken by the World Health Organization in 2016 which classified the Philippines as one of the top countries where less than 30 percent of the population have access to essential drugs. This means almost 70 percent of Filipinos are deprived of the medicines they need. Removing the VAT on vitamins and all maintenance medicines will also bring down Filipinos out-of-pocket expenditure for medicines, Anakalusugan said.
A maritime expert has suggested the Philippines should consider reports China has installed a new superweapon in one of its warships. Interviewed on News To Go, beamed nationwide, Professor Jay Batongbacal of the UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea said the government should take note of the development as Beijing once again was flexing its military muscle. China and the Philippines are locked in a territorial dispute over parts of the vast South China Sea. Chinas new superweapon, the electromagnetic super railgun, is said to be capable of firing at hypersonic speeds and thus can create more damage to its target. In a related development, an opposition lawmaker supported the call of former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario for the Philippines to work with Vietnam in negotiating a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. Vietnam has taken a strong stance against pro-China provisions in the proposed COC. The Philippines must support Vietnam on this to block the attempts of China to gain complete control of entire South China Sea, Magdalo party-List Rep. Gary Alejano said.Alejanos expression of support came after Del Rosario called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to block the pro-China provisions in the proposed COC in the South China Sea. Specifically, Del Rosario urged the DFA to take the same position of Vietnam on banning any new air defense identification zone, clarifying maritime entitlements in accordance with international law, blocking of a proposal by China to ban military drills in the South China Sea with countries outside the region unless all signatories agree, and blocking Chinas proposal to exclude foreign oil firms by limiting joint development deals to China and Southeast Asia. Vietnam has been vocal in condemning Chinas militarization of the South China Sea. And while it has maintained good economic relations with China, it has not foregone its territorial claims in the South China Sea and compromised its sovereigntya few things the Duterte administration should take note of, Alejano said. The former Marine officer called on the Philippines and the rest of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to ensure that the COC serve its main purpose of ensuring peace and stability in the region according to international law. The Asean should have a unified voice in negotiating the COC. This is crucial in making sure that the COC will not be utilized by China to serve its unlawful actions. The COC must embody respect for international law, Alejano said.
Ex-Maguindanao town mayor killed

posted January 04, 2019 at 10:10 pm

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said on Friday that its operatives killed fomer Parang, Maguindanao Mayor Talib Abo in an anti-drug operation. Abo had earlier been tagged for his alleged involvement in transporting drugs to Davao City. The PDEA said Abo chose to fight it out with its agents when he was served a search warrant in his home in Cotabato, according to PDEA-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. His brother Bobby Abo was also killed in a separate operation by virtue of a search warrant.Separate warrants were also served in the homes of Amelia Abo, daughter of Talib Abo and an incumbent Parang councilor running for the vice mayor post, and a certain Bai Amy Abo. However, there was no contraband found in Amelia Abo's home, but a pistol and drugs were found inside Bai Amy Abos house.

COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section.
The government announced on Friday that the closure of Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, which connects the cities of Mandaluyong and Makati, will push through next week, Jan. 12 (Saturday). The closure, according to the Metro Manila Development Authority, will be made following the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge which was initially set last September 2018. The project, led by the Department of Public Works and Highways, aims to widen the bridge to four lanes from its present two lanes. Based on the DPWH timeline, the project will be completed in 2021. The DPWH had decided to temporarily suspend the rehabilitation of the bridge, citing the monstrous traffic the construction works would create in the area, especially during the holiday season. The agency warned that the bridge repair would further worsen the traffic congestion on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue as thousands of vehicles going in and out of Makati and Mandaluyong would be diverted to Guadalupe Bridge. The DPWH and its private partner for the project, the China Road and Bridge Corp. were supposed to start the rehabilitation last September.The bridge connects Estrella Street in Makati City and Barangka Drive in Mandaluyong City. MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said the bridge will be demolished and replaced with a new and wider one for a period of 30 months. From two lanes, the replacement bridge will have four lanes, said Garcia, adding that the repair work is just one of the projects under the governments effort to address traffic in Metro Manila. Other DPWH projects affecting traffic in Metro Manila are the repairs on Old Sta. Mesa Bridge, Nagtahan Bridge, Mabini Bridge, Concordia Bridge, Otis Bridge, and Sevilla Bridge.
To ensure the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming plebiscite of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and midterm elections, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana held a dialogue with local leaders in Mindanao to defuse tension following the recent Cotabato bombing which left two people killed and 34 others injured. We are here to defuse the tension and we dont want to escalate the conflict, said Lorenzana, accompanied by Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., who met with top military, police commander and local leaders ahead of the BoL plebiscite and midterm elections in Camp Siongco, Maguindanao Friday. Lorenzana said their primary purpose for the dialogue was to prevent speculation and finger-pointing on the bombing. The dialogue was attended by Cotabato Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, Maguindanao First District and Cotabato City Rep. Bai Sandra Sema, and Bangsamoro Islamic Forces Chief of Staff Sammy Gambar Al-Mansoor. Meanwhile, Senator Nancy Binay urged the Department of Tourism to implement measures that would counter the anticipated fallout from advisories issued by the United Kingdom and Australia warning the countries nationals from traveling to Mindanao. Binay, who heads the Senates Committee on Tourism, said the DoT should update Philippine travel guides to correct the negative impression of local destinations in Mindanao. The New Years Eve bombing in Cotabato City prompted the travel warning.She also urged the police and military to help ensure that accurate reports on the security situation in localities were provided to the embassies of other countries. Of course, we have to respect these countries prerogatives in issuing advisories out of concern for their citizens. There are times, though, that these advisories are unnecessary and sometimes exaggerated, the senator said. However, she conceded that the burden lay in the Philippine government in convincing tourists that the country was a safe environment and their welfare was a top priority. Lorenzanas visit was also highlighted by a security briefing spearheaded by the 6th Infantry Division led by Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, suggesting that the bombing had the signature of a local terror group. Sobejana, earlier pointed to the Daulah Islamiya and the Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters as behind the bomb attack at the South Seas Mall.
The Bureau of Immigration reminded the public on the scope of the Balikbayan Program intended for former Filipinos visiting the Philippines. This emerged after a budding celebrity, who holds an American passport, made a scene at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport after he was given a 30-day stay instead of one-year granted to Filipino balikbayans. The unnamed local celebrity reportedly made a scene at the immigration area of the NAIA 1 last Jan. 3, who arrived for a vacation in the Philippines. The celebrity, who the agency refused to name, is an American passport holder reportedly shouted expletives when he was only given a 30-day stay. He was allegedly furious at immigration for giving him a hard time, despite him being a celebrity, with people wanting to take pictures with him. Immigration Spokesperson Dana Krizia Sandoval clarified that those who have Philippine lineage would not necessarily qualify for the Balikbayan Privilege.The privilege is for former Filipinos, and their immediate family members who are traveling with them only, clarified Sandoval. If these family members are not traveling with the Filipino or former Filipino, they are not qualified for the one-year visa-free privilege, she added. Under Republic Act No. 6768, the one-year Balikbayan visa privilege is exclusively given to former Filipinos naturalized abroad, and their spouse and children who are travelling with them, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said. The BI said that those admitted as Balikbayans were given an initial stay of one year, which they might extend for another one, two, or six months. Those who do not qualify, but are within the list of 157 countries eligible for visa-free entry pursuant to Executive Order No. 408, get an automatic 30-day visa upon their arrival.
A party-list lawmaker on Friday welcomed the move of the House of Representatives to approve a bill mandating the government to waive the fees and charges collected in the issuance of documents required in the fresh graduates application for employment. Rep. Jericho Jonas Nograles of PBA party-list, co-author of House Bill 173, said the bills enactment shall protect the interest of the youth and facilitate their access to employment by authorizing a reasonable waiver of fees collected by the government for various clearances, licenses and other documents from fresh graduates who are seeking employment. The recommended waiver of fees must not be viewed as a diminution of revenues for the government but as a means to protect the interest of our youth, Nograles, a deputy majority leader, said. The bill was sponsored on the floor by House committee on ways and means chairperson, Rep. Estrellita Suansing of Nueva Ecija. HB 172, principally authored by Nograles brother, former Davao City Representative and now Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles was already approved on second reading. It is expected to hurdle the third and final reading approval when Congress resumes session on Jan. 14. The bill declares that it is the policy of the State to protect the interest of the youth. In line with this, it shall endeavor to provide them with opportunities for development by creating policies that will improve their access to employment. Subject to exceptions, the bill mandates all government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and -controlled corporations and local government units, not to collect fees or charges from new graduates. Maricel V. CruzSuch fees or charges are paid in connection with the application for and the granting of licenses, proofs of identification, clearances, certificates or other documents usually required in the course of employment. Moreover, the application for such license, proof of identification, clearance, or other documents is submitted within one year after the applicant graduated from high school, college, or any vocational or technical course. A copy of the new graduates diploma or a certification from the concerned academic, vocational or technical institution stating that the said graduate has successfully completed the course required shall be submitted before the waiver authorized under the proposed Act can be availed of. The diploma or certification should clearly state the date of graduation or completion of the degree earned and signed by the institutions duly authorized representative. Such copy of the diploma or certification shall serve as prima facie evidence of the fact of graduation and sufficient for the government agency concerned to grant the waiver. The bill also provides that any person found to be fabricating or falsifying any proof of graduation shall be liable under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code. The fees and charges to be waived shall not include those collected in connection with an application to take a professional licensure examination conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission or for a Philippine passport.
International Container Terminal Services Inc. secured a 20-year contract to operate a container terminal in Sudan. The port operator said wholly-owned unit ICTSI Middle East DMCC signed a concession agreement with Sea Ports Corporation of Sudan to operate, manage and develop the South Port Container Terminal for a 20-year period at the port of Port Sudan, Sudan. ICTSI will assume the operational and development responsibility for SPCs existing container terminal infrastructure and terminal handling equipment, while SPC will become the landlord and supervisory authority of the terminal. The transfer of the facilities to ICTSI management will take place in the first quarter of 2019. The SPCT in 2017 had a throughput of 470,000 TEU against the capacity in excess of 1 million TEU. SPCT has state-of-the-art container terminal assets. It has a land area of 180 hectares and 1,200 meters quay wall, with a design water depth of up to 16 meters and, thus, the capability to receive global shipping lines largest container vessels.It has equipment that include 8 Ship-to-Shore Gantry Cranes and an extensive range of yard handling equipment, including more than 20 Rubber-Tired-Gantry Cranes. ICTSI booked a net income of $153.3 million in January to September last year, up 3 percent from $149.3 million year-on-year. ICTSI said the profit in the third quarter climbed 22 percent to $55.6 million from $45.7 million a year earlier. Gross revenues rose 10 percent to $1.005 billion in the nine-month period from $918.3 million in the same period last year. Third-quarter revenues reached $344 million, up 9 percent from $314.6 million last year. ICTSI handled consolidated volume of 7.15 million twenty-foot equivalent units in the first nine months of 2018, or 5 percent more than 6.83 million TEUs it handled in the same period in 2017.
Lunaticoutpost.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program , anaffiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.Don't be a pest to the forum.No profanity in thread-titles or usernamesNo excessive profanity in postsNo Racism, Antisemitism + HateNo calls for violence against anyone..This website exists for fun and discussion only. The reader is responsible for discerning the validity, factuality or implications of information posted here, be it fictional or based on real events. The content of posts on this site, including but not limited to links to other web sites, are the expressed opinion of the original poster and are in no way representative of or endorsed by the owners or administration of this website. The posts on this website are the opinion of the specific author and are not statements of advice, opinion, or factual information on behalf of the owner or administration of LunaticOutPost.Com. The owners or administration of this website can't be hold responsible for content hosted on sites that posters link to in; including, but not limited to, posts, signatures, private messages and such. This site may contain content not suitable for minors and if you feel you might be offended by such content, you should log off immediately.This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Users may make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of issues relating to civil rights, economics, individual rights, international affairs, liberty, science & technology, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/
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The Kennebunk-based New England Radio Discussion Society facilitated a talk between Sea Road School students and an International Space Station in January.

South Portland Sentry

Construction has started on the state-funded school, which is expected to be completed in 2023.
By Moses Kyeyune.

The rate at which Uganda is borrowing is worrying, the auditor General John Muwanga has said.

The auditor general has been handing over the report for the year ended June 30, 2018 to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga at parliament this afternoon.

According to the report, public debt has increased by 22 percent from shs 33.99 trillion as at 30th June 2017 to shs 41.51 trillion as at 30th June 2018.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Auditor General in charge of Audit, Keto Nyapendi has told journalists, that government might have to go slow if the current burden is to be sustained.
By Moses Kyeyune.

With tension rising over the proposed extension of the leadership for the committee on Commissions, statutory authorities and state enterprises, ex-MP Proscovia Salaam Musumba has advised the speaker to revisit her position.

The Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga has maintained her ground, that the chairmanship of Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu will continue until the committee produces its report into the Bank of Uganda probe.

However, Musumba, who doubles as the FDC Vice Chairperson for Easter region, says Kadaga is being politically driven to undermine FDC.

FDC wants Kawempe South MP Mubarak Munyagwa to immediately take fort as Katuntus successor, on January 13, 2019 when the Committees tenure ends.
By Juliet Nalwooga

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has today unveiled a plan to decongest the city by upgrading the current rugged roads and constructing new ones.

Addressing journalists at City hall the acting KCCA executive director, Eng Andrew KitakaMubiru said that roads like Kulambiro ring road, Nakawa-Ntinda, Kabuusu  BunamwayaLweza Road and Lukuli road are their target projects in a bid to enhance efficient connectivity.

He adds that plans to recognize people who contributed free land worth 4.5billion shillings to facilitate the Kampala Institutional and Infrastructure development project (KIIDP 2).

The Project is a five year project worth US$183.7 Million seeking to improve urban mobility for inclusive economic growth and its implementation started in May 2015.

The project is co-funded by the World Bank and the Government of Uganda.
BY NOBERT ATUKUNDA

Talks between government and Buganda Land Board (BLB) on the acquisition of lease of land meant for the construction of treatment plant are in progress to end the sewage crisis at kiruddu hospital.

Peter Kaujju the deputy director public and corporate affairs Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) said after the process is done the sewage from the hospital will be channeled directly to the treatment plant as the current septic tanks cannot sustain the large numbers at the hospital.

On Tuesday this week, Sarah Opendi State Minister of Health for General Duties revealed that Shs 3.5bn was released so far by Ministry of Finance to work on the establishment of the sewage system of the hospital.

Currently there is use of emptiers to help in the transportation of sewage in case it is full. Residents say the situation has improved compared as it was before.

Kiruddu hospital has suffered the sewage crisis for about a year now.
1. Yes. Its important to address the problem before it gets worse. A bond is needed.

2. Yes. Its fine, as long as the bond isnt too large. The city doesnt need more debt.

3. No. A bond issue would just put the problem back on the taxpayers. Not acceptable.

4. No. Certificates of obligation, targeting the worst roads, would be a better choice.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing the details of what a bond would entail.

Vote

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Three arrested with 4kg gold from Gajuri

Province 3 Police Unit has arrested three persons in possession of four kg gold from Gajuri in Dhading district on Thursday.
Resuscitating dying Kusunda language

Gyanimaya Kusunda and her sister Kamala Kusunda, who are among the handful of people who can still speak their native language in its original form, were delighted to see a group of people from their community learning their language in a classroom of Aadarsha Secondary School in Lamahi, Dang, on Thursday.
Chief Justice Rana strips Supreme Court senior-most justice Joshee of major duties

A day after taking charge of the judiciary, Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana has started stripping Deepak Raj Joshee, senior-most justice at the Supreme Court, of his responsibilities. Rana on Thursday removed Joshee as a member of the Constitutional Bench and chairperson of the Reconciliation Council of the apex court.
Police raid Bomjans ashram in Sindhupalchok

Police raided the ashram of controversial ascetic Ram Bahadur Bomjan in Sindhupalchok district on Friday.
Petition filed to repatriate ancient Nepali paubha painting from US museum

A petition has been filed with the Nepali Embassy in Washington DC and the Consulate General of Nepal in New York for repatriation of a centuries-old paubha painting currently housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Media fraternity fears governments bid to control advertisements

The Ministry of Information and Communication is set to table a new bill at Parliament soon with the purpose of regulating the countrys advertisement sector.
Indian lawmakers inquire about Nepals decision to ban Indian bank notes

Lawmakers at Upper House of Indian parliament, Rajya Sabha, have expressed interests about the recent decision of Nepal government to ban the use of high denomination Indian currency notes in Nepal.
Government to upgrade 5 hospitals outside Capital

The Cabinet has approved the Ministry of Health and Populations proposal to upgrade five government hospitals across the country as super-specialist hospitals.
Government doctors not to take part in adjustment process

The Government Doctors Association of Nepal (GODAN) have decided not to participate in the Civil Servants Adjustment Ordinance 2075 until their demands are addressed.
Conservationists remove artificial lights from Bouddhanath

Heritage activists and representatives from civil society, in coordination with Ward 6 of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), on Thursday removed the electric lights that were placed around the Bouddhanath Stupa a month ago.
Chitwan police arrest Pokhara man for throwing acid at his wife

Police arrested a 42-year-old man for throwing acid at his wife in Bharatpur Metropolis-24, Chitwan, on Wednesday.
Chaudhary sworn in after partys pressure

In a dramatic turn of events, Resham Chaudhary, the main accused behind the Tikapur carnage, took the oath of office at the Parliament Secretariat in Singha Durbar on Thursday. Before being sent back to Dillibazaar jail for judicial custody, Chaudhary also got the election certificate and the parliaments logo.
Sugarcane farmers in Sarlahi threaten to protest demanding increase in sugarcane rates

Sugarcane farmers in Sarlahi have warned they will intensify protests if their demands to increase the sugarcane rates and the reopening of a sugar factory fail to materialise.
Cabinet forms panel to probe disputed aircraft purchase

The government has formed a high-level commission to probe the controversial procurement of two wide-body Airbus planes by the Nepal Airlines Corporation.A Cabinet meeting on Thursday decided to form the three-member commission after a subcommittee of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee concluded that purchase of the two A330 jets by the NAC siphoned Rs4.35 billion from the state coffers.
Beer and loathing

Sustained government intervention through MaPaSe has proven to be a worthwhile investment
Banks sweat as lending tops deposit collection

Lending by commercial banks has outpaced deposit collection, thus putting pressure on the credit to core capital-cum-deposit (CCD) ratio which cannot exceed 80 percent as per central bank regulations.
Airbus A330 purchase scandal: Ruling party lawmakers dubs the sub-panel as politically biased

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Legislature Parliament has summoned a meeting for Monday to hold discussions on the report submitted by the sub-committee formed to probe the procurement of two wide-body aircraft.
Acharya is affiliated to the University of Ottawa, Canada.
One of the Bootleg redux grunge products

Don't come as you are

The famous smiley image/logo

The fashion industry is no stranger to IP disputes. In the last year, The IPKat has written about disputes involving Zara Nike andand some innovative anti-counterfeiting from(sic).Whether it is competitor "inspiration" or a designer who inadvertently sells their name with their company the battles are myriad and go to the core of questions such as what is creativity and where the line is between standard design features and protectable IP rights.The latest designer to follow this trend is Marc Jacobs. His eponymous company has been accused of being a little too inspired by 90s grunge in his "Bootleg Redux Grunge" collection. The collection liberally borrows from Nirvana both in terms of the band's signature logo and in its various allusions to many of their classic songs. The company's Tumblr even included a Nirvana meme at one stage but this has now been removed.Rather than saying "nevermind," Nirvana, via its LLC, has responded to this alleged infringement by commencing proceedings in California for copyright infringement and various common law trade mark equivalents under the Lanham Act and state law. The complaint is available here The main focus of the dispute is on the famous smiley logo - which is frequently copied by actual "bootleggers" and is deceptively simple. Whilst there is no sign of a registered trade mark for the smiley logo, there is a US copyright registration: VA0000564166 . The logo was created by Kurt Cobain in about 1991 and registered in 1993.It is a little too early to comment on the case in detail but, in my view, on the [smiley] face of it the work is sufficiently creative to attract copyright protection. Marc Jacobs may have an uphill battle to establish that the use is sufficiently transformative for fair use (or another defence) to apply.My perspective may be a little biased from growing up as a (not cool enough to be properly into Nirvana but nevertheless influenced by them) teenager in the '90s. Readers views, as ever, particularly from US copyright lawyers are welcome.The suit lists Mark (sic) Jacobs International LLC as the primary defendant on the front of the complaint (hopefully the typo won't be a big issue to change). Saks and Neiman Marcus have been listed as co-defendants as they sold the products in store.I first became aware of this dispute viaYou can find out more about the European approach in my book,- which is published next month. There's a launch party in London on 13 Feb - details here
Harris County Sheriff's Office(HOUSTON) -- Texas authorities have released a composite sketch of the man they believe killed 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes as she rode in the backseat of a car with her mother and three other siblings in northeast Houston on Sunday.

A gunman opened fire on Jazmine, her mother and three sisters as they traveled southbound on East Sam Houston Parkway around 6:50 a.m. on Sunday, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Jazmine was killed, and her mother, LaPorsha Washington, and younger sister were wounded.



The man is described as having pale skin, blue eyes and a thin build, but the mustache he initially was described to have was likely more of a 5 o'clock shadow, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a press conference Thursday, noting that the suspect could have easily changed his facial hair by now. He is believed to be in his 30s or 40s and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt at the time of the shooting.

This is the man witnesses say murdered 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes on 12/30 as her family drove on the E. Sam Houston Pkwy frontage road at Wallisville Road. Thin white man, 30's-40's, in a red pickup. Call 713-221-6000 or @CrimeStopHOU at 713-222-TIPS #JusticeForJazmine #hounews pic.twitter.com/URR3w2Wxbm  HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) January 3, 2019

The sketch was drawn based on a descriptions provided by Jazmine's family, the sheriff's office said. Law enforcement officers are scouring areas surrounding the shooting scene to find the gunman, who was driving a dark red or maroon pickup truck, Gonzalez said.



Surveillance video taken from a business near the scene shows the suspect's truck driving by shortly before the shooting.



Gonzalez told reporters Thursday that authorities are trying "to find this coward of a killer, this person who does not need to be on our streets."



Jazmine's family believes the shooting was a hate crime, especially since the gunman appeared to have deliberately looked inside both sides of the car before he opened fire, their attorney Lee Merritt told reporters on Thursday. First, he pulled up to the passenger side of the car, then came around to the driver's side, which gave him the opportunity to observe all of the young girls inside, Merritt said.



"We didn't do anything wrong to this man. It was something in his mind that he had planned on doing beforehand," Washington said during a news conference on Thursday afternoon. "This is something that I believe was a hate crime."



No racial slurs were said during the attack, but Merritt said they still believe the shooting was racially motivated for a "litany" of reasons, including the area where it took place and the racial rhetoric currently dividing the nation.



"We won't know until we capture this person and question him about his motive," Merritt said.



Washington told ABC News Thursday that she will never stop looking for the man who killed her daughter. She would have turned 8 next month, Gonzalez said.



Investigators are comparing shell casings from the shooting to other cases to see if there are any connections, an official briefed on the investigation told ABC News.



The reward for information leading to Jazmine's killer had grown to $100,000 by Wednesday.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Bless our families and our children,

and choose from our homes those who you desire for this holy work.

Heavenly Father,your divine Son taught usto pray to the Lord of the harvestto send laborers into His vineyard.We earnestly beg youto bless our Diocese and our worldwith many priests and religiouswho will love you fervently and gladlyand courageously spend their livesin service to your Son's Church,especially the poor and the needy.Teach them to respond generouslyand keep them ever faithfulin following your Son Jesus Christ,that under the guidance of the HolySpiritand with the inspiration ofSaint Damien and Blessed Mariannethe Good News of redemptionmay be brought to all.We ask this through Christ our Lord.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 74F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 74F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
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News

24-year-old Emirati fish seller vows to preserve ancestral occupation

He said his official job did not prevent him from fulfilling his desire to stand on the fish display table, stressing that he is proud to sell fish to contribute to preserving a profession practised by his ancestors who were very fond of the sea and seafood.
In the nearly three years since the MTA confirmed that it would be shutting down L train service between Brooklyn and Manhattan for an extended period of time to make crucial, Hurricane Sandy-related repairs, Brooklynites have lived through a waking nightmare of service changes to prepare other lines for the shutdown, searched to find alternate means of getting to work, and scrambled to find affordable rents in other neighborhoods while businesses have scrambled to figure out how to fight through 15 months in a transit desert.

And then came January 3rd, when, out of the clear blue sky, we found out that all these preparations may have been for nothing, thanks to Governor Andrew Cuomo's new plan to avert a shutdown via "innovative" redesign of the tunnel work. Here are our best answers to what the hell is going on.

What does this mean for L train service?

Despite years of assurances and reams of studies saying otherwise, the MTA now says that it can keep both tunnels open and fully functional during weekdays. The necessary work will happen one tube at a time at night and on weekends, at which point the authority says a single train will run back and forth to Manhattan through the remaining tube, arriving every 15 to 20 minutes. That's about equal to the standard overnight headways, notes acting MTA Chairman Fernando Ferrer.

The MTA, which previously rejected a proposal for a shutdown of one tube at a time that would last as long as three years, said in a press release that the new "guidance and recommendations we have received today will ease the strain on customers and help us ensure we are providing a consistently reliable service."

How long will this take?

Cuomo said the Columbia and Cornell University engineers he consulted projected that the new repairs could be finished in between 15 and 20 months, though the governor refused to promise that it wouldn't take longer. "It's a silly question," he said, noting that no one knows how much of the tunnel's damaged "bench wall" must be removed instead of shored up. But the governor added that he was confident this would be the "shortest, best route to repairing the tunnel."

Cuomo then reaffirmed his belief that he does not control the MTA, a line that has always been untrue, but has arguably never been so bizarrely and obviously not true than in this particular moment.

Listen to Christopher Robbins discuss the change in L train shutdown plans on All Things Considered







Wait. Why don't we need to shut down the L train anymore?

As Cuomo giddily explained on Thursday, the solution proposed by the academic engineering teams comes down to a "highly innovative" approach to how power and communication cables are stored inside the L train tunnel. Those crucial electrical components are currently embedded behind the bench wall, a walkway that runs along the base of either side of the tunnel. After salt water from Sandy badly corroded the wiring, the MTA initially determined there was no choice but to tear down all 32,000 feet of bench wall in both tubes and rebuild it with new cables inside.

But after venturing into the tunnel last month, Cuomo and his panel of experts no longer believe that's the case. Instead, they say that new cable can be hung on racks along the sides of the tunnel, above the damaged bench wall. The old electrical components would be left where they are, with fiber reinforced plastics applied to fortify any parts of the wall that are structurally compromised. A system of "smart" sensors would be deployed to ensure that parts of the deteriorating wall don't crumble into the tracksa scenario that led to a major derailment on the G line just four years ago.

As for the "racking" method, the governor repeatedly noted such a design is currently in place in cities whose tunnels lack bench walls, including London and Hong Kong. But the design has never been attempted in the United States, and it's never been applied to a tunnel rehabilitation project.

For Cuomo at least, the lack of precedent seemed to be part of the appeal.

"This could be a national model, because it is a totally different way to reconstruct a tunnel," he said. "It's faster. It's cheaper. It's better than the way we've been doing it now. And New York should be the first. We're trying to be the first."



Governor Cuomo announcing the new plan for the L train shutdown alongside Dean Mary Boyce of Columbia University and Dean Lance Collins of Cornell University (Governor's Office)

WHY WASN'T THIS OPTION PRESENTED UNTIL LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS BEFORE THE SHUTDOWN?

No one has put forward a remotely satisfying explanation for why this solution is only being presented now, or how a handful of college deans managed to strike down the collective wisdom of the MTA's engineering team in a matter of weeks.

"The answer is that the integration of these approaches, and there are several, and the technology have never been previously applied in the context of a rehabilitation project," offered Ferrer.

Asked about the timing, Cuomo added, "Sometimes you have to be willing to think outside the box or break the box."

The sudden about face has some transit advocates suspicious. "The governor's plan may or may not work, but you'll pardon transit riders for being skeptical that a last-minute Hail Mary idea cooked up over Christmas is better than what the MTA came up with over three years of extensive public input," said John Raskin of Riders Alliance. "Actual transit professionals, who owe nothing to the governor or the MTA, should evaluate whether this is sound engineering or a political stunt that will ultimately leave riders in the lurch."

The revamped L train project may seem like a miracle cure on the surface, but what about underground, & why months out? Riders get it: the tunnels need to be fixed for the next 100 yrs, not the next 100 months.  PCAC (@PCACriders) January 3, 2019

How much will it cost? And who will be making the repairs?

Ferrer said that the $477 million contract the agency has with Judlau Contracting for the original L train work will be renegotiated. He declined to say if Judlau would still be doing the new work going forward.

Asked how much the new repairs will cost, Ferrer balked: "I don't know the answer to that question, I don't know if anyone does." However, he did promise it would be within the same "cost envelope," so, no more than $477 million, though the governor suggested it could be less.

"Less time, less work, equals less money," Cuomo said. (The governor added in a conference call with reporters this morning that he doesn't know how much Judlau has already spent on preparing for the now-defunct L train plan.)

Other costs left untallied: years of DOT and MTA planning and procurement, public meetings, uncertainty for small businesses, fluctuations in the real estate market, and irreversible life choices made in preparation for not being able to commute into Manhattan on the L for more than a year.

How involved was the MTA in this new plan?

The governor has vacillated on this point, telling reporters that he "never told the MTA about the plan," but also that the transit authority's leadership had reviewed the recommendations and deemed them "feasible." Members of the MTA's boarda body effectively controlled by the governor, which has approval power over contract changessay they only learned of the the new plan yesterday.

Still, Ferrer seemed to confirm the board's acquiescence in a memo released moments before the governor's announcement. "MTA has reviewed and is accepting the recommendations of the expert team from Columbia and Cornell engineering schools," he wrote.

"We learned just when you learned  and as a board member, I find this disconcerting." CSS's David Jones, MTA board member, on the governor's plan for the L train shutdown  Laura Nahmias (@nahmias) January 4, 2019

Meanwhile, a source in Albany tells Gothamist that New York City Transit President Andy Byford, who'd up until now spearheaded the shutdown's mitigation efforts, was largely shut out of the last minute intervention.

Stopped in the lobby following the presser, the leaders of the expert panelMary Boyce, the dean of Columbia's engineering school, and Lance Collins, the dean of Cornell's engineering schoolsaid they'd never met (or even heard of) Byford. "I'm sure they must be updating him behind the scenes," Boyce said. "I'm sorry we didn't get to interact with him, but maybe when we see the final results we'll all be in there together."

What's this about Elon Musk?

The governor says that as part of his "out-of-the-box" strategy, he "called up Tesla and said, here's the question: We're trying to move subway cars, get them closer together. Do you have any ideas? You're talking about flying cars, we're just talking about moving trains." The Tesla CEO, who recently built a tunnel for cars, does not have any plans to make a flying vehicle.

What about all those promised mitigation strategies that the MTA and Department of Transportation spent months working out with impacted residents? Like turning 14th Street into a bus corridor? Or limiting vehicle traffic on the Williamsburg bridge? Or running more ferries? Or CitiBike's e-bike injection?

As of now, it's unclear whether the city will follow through on any of its own contingency measures, which included an expanded bus network, traffic restrictions on the Williamsburg Bridge, and new protected bike lanes. During a brief gaggle following the press conference, Byford assured reporters that proposed accessibility upgrades along the L would move forward, and said he was hopeful about plans to lengthen the G train and improve service for M and 7 trains. Some additional buses would still likely be necessary, he added, given the nights and weekend work.

Mayor Bill de Blasio wouldn't go into additional detail during an unrelated briefing on Thursday. "If it turns out that this really is a sea change, then we're going to evaluate what it means and if we're going to look at these things in another light," he said. A spokesperson for the DOT said that they were still reviewing the plan that had been presented to them earlier in the day.

Already, some elected officials are calling on the city to ensure that the long-planned investments in alternative transportation aren't left by the wayside. "Things like expanding the network of bus and bike lanes and extending CitiBike further into Brooklyn are good proposals and still necessary so the City should push ahead with them," said Brooklyn Council Member Rafael Espinal.

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer echoed the call for the city to stick with its mitigation plan, promising a "battery of questions" for MTA officials during public hearings that are expected to take place over the coming weeks.

What does Mayor de Blasio think?

During his usual Friday morning appearance on The Brian Lehrer Show, de Blasio was cautiously optimistic. "We should not, in my opinion, turn off all the efforts that had been underway to prepare for the shut down until we are 100 percent certain whats going on," he told Lehrer. "Look, the MTA itself has kind of a checkered history around these huge capital projectswe all know about East Side Access, we all know about huge delays and costs overruns and other problems. I have sort of to trust but verify here that we are 100 percent certain that its not being more like the original shutdown plan. Were going to keep all the measures that the city had prepared waiting in reserve."

He added, "If it proves to be 100% do-able that this new approach can save all this time and hassle, of course, its a good thing."

When Lehrer asked how this sudden plan makes the MTA look, the mayor replied, "Obviously, the MTA has some real explaining to do here. In principle, this information was available. Look, Im the first to say that sometimes in government you literally do find a new strategy, a new approach, a new technology. Thats not impossible that that stuff can emerge at a certain point that you wouldnt have known a year or two earlier. This is a little strange to me and this has gotten so much attention, so much energy, so much expense already, years and year of effort. I want to know more. I want to know for sure that this will work. But why on earth wasnt it considered previously?

"I'm really hoping this is good news that comes to pass but were going to be in a careful stance until that were 100% certain," de Blasio said.

What does this mean for "The New L"?

The luxury shuttle bus company, created to chauffeur displaced L train riders into Manhattan, will keep its waitlist open in the coming weeks as it gauges demand among the New Yorkers who've already signed up for the $155/month service. "The service was built to fill a void and address the awful MTA mitigation plan that had been proposed for the full shutdown," Jamie Getto, the company's president, told Gothamist. "If the city is able to provide suitable public alternatives, we will cease operations."

For now, it's all wait and see.

Additional reporting by Christopher Robbins and Claire Lampen.
NEW YORK, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Aphria Inc. (Aphria or the Company) (NYSE: APHA) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Southern District of New York, and indexed under 18-cv-11427, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities, other than Defendants and their affiliates, who purchased or otherwise, acquired Aphria securities between October 18, 2018, and December 3, 2018, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), seeking to recover damages caused by Defendants violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, against the Company and certain of its top officials.



If you are a shareholder who purchased Aphria securities between October 18, 2018, and December 3, 2018, both dates inclusive, you have until February 4, 2019, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Aphria is headquartered in Leamington, Canada. The Company produces and sells medical cannabis in Canada and internationally. The Company offers sativa, indica, and hybrid medical marijuana products, as well as cannabis oils. It serves patients and health professionals. The Company also sells its products online.

On January 29, 2018, the Company announced its acquisition of Nuuvera Inc. (Nuuvera) for approximately C$826 million, which was completed on March 23, 2018 (at a reduced price valued at approximately C$425 million). Announcing the acquisition, the Company touted Nuuvera as a leading, global cannabis company with a strong presence in Europe, Africa and the Middle East[.]

Then, on July 17, 2018, the Company issued a press release announcing its planned expansion into Latin America and the Caribbean, through a massive transaction whereby Aphria acquired Scythian Biosciences Inc. (Scythian) for approximately C$280 million, in cash and Company stock.

According to various public statements by the Company and media reports, Andy DeFrancesco (DeFrancesco), controller of the Delavaco Group (Delavaco), a purported private equity fund, participated in the founding investment of Aphria. DeFrancesco and the Delavaco Group have purportedly invested or advised on every Aphria equity financing.

Throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Companys business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Aphria engaged in numerous fraudulent acquisitions and transactions in order to provide undisclosed benefits to its insiders; (ii) Aphria substantially overpaid for the assets it acquired in 2018, which in reality had questionable value or were worthless; (iii) Aphria acquired these assets from undisclosed related parties, including Andy DeFrancesco; and (iv) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.



On December 3, 2018, Hindenburg Research (Hindenburg) published an article entitled Aphria: A Shell Game with a Cannabis Business on the Side, alleging that Aphria is part of a scheme orchestrated by a network of insiders to divert funds away from shareholders into their own pockets. The article cited a thorough, on-the-ground investigation into Aphrias latest investments and described in detail the poor quality and questionable value of those investments.

Following publication of the Hindenburg article, Aphrias stock price fell $1.85 per share, or roughly 23.4%, to close at $6.05 per share on December 3, 2018.

Then, on December 4, 2018, the Financial Post published an interview with DeFrancesco to address the allegations described above. DeFrancesco seemingly confirmed his participation in the transactions, stating that the use of shell companies was not unusual in private equity transactions and defending the quality of the assets.

On this news, Aphrias stock price fell an additional $1.54 per share, or 25.45%, to close at $4.51 per share on December 4, 2018.

The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com

CONTACT:

Robert S. Willoughby

Pomerantz LLP

rswilloughby@pomlaw.com

888-476-6529 ext. 9980
Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gray Television, Inc. (Gray, we, or our) (NYSE: GTN) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to terminate the national advertising sales representation agreements that cover all television stations that it acquired earlier this week in its acquisition of Raycom Media, Inc. (Raycom). For the past few years, Grays legacy television stations have successfully managed national advertising sales directly with national buyers, just as these stations have always dealt directly with their local and regional clients. Beginning on February 25, 2019, the former Raycom stations will join the legacy Gray stations in handling all local, regional, and national business directly with their buyers.



Grays President and Co-Chief Executive Officer Pat LaPlatney explained, Raycom Media has had a long and mutually-beneficial relationship with Cox Reps. We nevertheless believe that Gray has the systems and experience that will allow the former Raycom stations to take national sales in-house in a manner that will make those transactions more efficient for all parties. We are deeply grateful for Cox Reps service and many contributions over the years.

We anticipate that our average annual expense savings to be realized due to the termination of these national advertising sales representation agreements, net of increased personnel expense, will be approximately $11 million. In addition to these cost savings, we expect that the expansion of Grays strategy to the newly acquired stations may have positive impact on national advertising revenue.

Gray has incurred termination fees of $27.6 million that will be recorded in our first quarter 2019 broadcast expenses. The anticipated commission reductions and termination fees are included in our previous guidance for cost synergies and transaction expenses related to the Raycom acquisition.





About Gray:

Gray owns and/or operates television stations and leading digital properties in 91 television markets, including the first or second highest rated television station in 85 markets. Our television stations broadcast almost 400 separate programming streams, including nearly 150 affiliates of the CBS/NBC/ABC/FOX networks. We also own video program production, marketing, and digital businesses including Raycom Sports, Tupelo-Raycom, and RTM Studios, the producer of PowerNation programs and content. For further information, please visit www.gray.tv.
NEW YORK, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Global Listed Infrastructure Income Fund Inc. (NYSE: INF) and Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc. (NYSE: RA) (each, a Fund, and collectively, the Funds) today announced that their Boards of Directors declared their monthly distributions for January, February and March 2019.



Brookfield Global Listed Infrastructure Income Fund Inc.

Month Record Date Ex Date Payable Date Amount per Share January 2019 January 16, 2019 January 15, 2019 January 24, 2019 $0.0817 February 2019 February 13, 2019 February 12, 2019 February 21, 2019 $0.0817 March 2019 March 13, 2019 March 12, 2019 March 21, 2019 $0.0817

Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc.

Month Record Date Ex Date Payable Date Amount per Share January 2019 January 16, 2019 January 15, 2019 January 24, 2019 $0.1990 February 2019 February 13, 2019 February 12, 2019 February 21, 2019 $0.1990 March 2019 March 13, 2019 March 12, 2019 March 21, 2019 $0.1990

Shares purchased on or after the ex-distribution date will not receive the distribution discussed above. Please contact your financial advisor with any questions. Distributions may include net investment income, capital gains and/or return of capital. Any portion of a Funds distributions that is a return of capital does not necessarily reflect the Funds investment performance and should not be confused with yield or income. The tax status of distributions will be determined at the end of the taxable year.

Brookfield Public Securities LLC (the Firm) is an SEC-registered investment adviser and represents the Public Securities platform of Brookfield Asset Management, Inc., providing global listed real assets strategies including real estate equities, infrastructure equities, multi-strategy real asset solutions and real asset debt. With approximately $18 billion of assets under management as of November 30, 2018, the Firm manages separate accounts, registered funds and opportunistic strategies for institutional and individual clients, including financial institutions, public and private pension plans, insurance companies, endowments and foundations, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth investors. The Firm is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management, Inc., a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately $330 billion of assets under management as of September 30, 2018. For more information, go to www.brookfield.com.

Brookfield Global Listed Infrastructure Income Fund Inc. and Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc. are managed by Brookfield Public Securities LLC. The Funds use their website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding the Funds are routinely posted on and accessible at www.brookfield.com .
Fairfax, Virginia, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AFCEA International received the 2018 Best of Small Business Award as the Best Non-Profit and ranked 16th in the Small Business Top 100. The Small Business Expo presents these awards to recognize Americas preeminent small to midsize business visionaries.



The Best Non-Profit Award honors non-profit organizations that specialize in supporting small businesses and small business owners with workshops, business counseling and guidance. The SB100 Award recognizes the top 100 small to midsize businesses in the United States and celebrates their growth and accomplishments in the previous year.





AFCEAs small business programs help companies increase their visibility in the government marketplace. More than 70 percent of the associations corporate members are small businesses. Its small business initiatives assist firms deliver global solutions to the government on time, on budget and on point.

The association hosts training courses, procurement networking events and webinars to inform, instruct and engage small businesses in activities that help grow their companies. Corporate members have exclusive marketing resources to leverage AFCEAs worldwide reach.

The 2018 programs included:

Growing Your Business: Bridging the Gap Between Finding and Winning Opportunities (3-part training program)

Webinars discussing the changing face of acquisition

Small Business Innovation Summit

Live-streamed AFCEA Innovation Shark Tanks

Small Business Committee

Additional information about the AFCEA International Small Business programs is available online or contact Elizabeth Moon at (703) 631-6152.

###

Attachments
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Schall Law Firm , a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Sogou Inc. (Sogou or the Company) (NYSE: SOGO ) for violations of 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.



The investigation focuses on whether the Company issued false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose information pertinent to investors. Media outlets reported in June and July 2018 that the Chinese government initiated an investigation of Sogou in June and July 2018. The investigation centered on charges that Sogou did not delete content from its search engine that is illegal under Chinese law. The Company reported that it had put remedial measures in place as a result of the investigation on July 30, 2018. These measures included suspending advertising on its platform for a period of ten days. Based on this news, shares of Sogou fell more than 7.5% on the same day.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate .

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall, or Sherin Mahdavian, of the Schall Law Firm, 1880 Century Park East, Suite 404, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 424-303-1964, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm's website at www.schallfirm.com , or by email at brian@schallfirm.com .

The class in this case has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.

CONTACT:

The Schall Law Firm

Brian Schall, Esq.

Sherin Mahdavian, Esq.

310-301-3335

424-303-1964

info@schallfirm.com
Atlanta, GA, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATLANTA, January 4, 2019 - The Board of Directors of Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI; "Company") today declared a quarterly dividend of 13 cents per share. The dividend is payable on February 1, 2019 to shareholders of record on January 18, 2019.

About Acuity Brands

Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is the North American market leader and one of the worlds leading providers of lighting and building management solutions. With fiscal year 2018 net sales of $3.7 billion, Acuity Brands currently employs approximately 13,000 associates and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with operations throughout North America, and in Europe and Asia. The Companys products and solutions are sold under various brands, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Aculux, American Electric Lighting, Antique Street Lamps, Atrius, DGLogik, Distech Controls, DTL, eldoLED, Gotham, Healthcare Lighting, Hydrel, Indy, IOTA, Juno, Lucid, Mark Architectural Lighting, nLight, Peerless, RELOC Wiring, ROAM, Sensor Switch, Sunoptics and Winona Lighting. Visit us at www.acuitybrands.com








Silver City, NM, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The start of a new year offers the chance to refocus and to make positive changes. This year, the Town of Silver City challenges travelers to think outside the box and choose a destination that invigorates and rejuvenates, while creating lasting memories. Silver City, New Mexicoa vibrant destination for art lovers and outdoor enthusiastsoffers a chance to celebrate the New Year with a fresh outlook.





As we begin 2019, many are making resolutions to be more present, to focus on whats important in their lives, and to make positive changes, said Alex Brown, Town of Silver City Manager. In conjunction with those resolutions, vacations are known for helping us to reset our focus and get away from the stressors of daily life. However, vacations can come with their own stressors of time and money, so we suggest a trip to Silver City, where visitors dont have to spend months planning and budgeting. With a variety of activities and attractions, Silver City is an affordable and inspiring option to start the New Year on a positive note.

Silver City is known for its outdoor recreation and provides the perfect chance to unplug and explore the world around you. The gateway to wilderness, Silver City is set amongst the 3.3 million acre Gila National Foresta great location for hiking, picnicking, and camping. Extend the exploration with a walk through history at the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, which features cliff dwellings of the Mogollon dating back to the 1280s.

While in town, find inspiration from talented artists. A hub for artists and art lovers, Silver City is a vibrant town of creators. With over 30 art galleries in the historic downtown district, a wide range of art pieces from local artists will invigorate creative minds.

The charming small town is welcoming and allows visitors to feel right at home during their stay. For those looking for added adventure, consider traveling to Silver City during one of the many iconic annual events. From Chocolate Fantasia in February to the Silver City Blues Festival in May, as well as the Fiber Arts Festival and Clay Festival in July and the Gila Monster Gran Fondo in October, events capture the essence of Silver City and give visitors a glimpse into the daily life of the active, vibrant and creative community.

By visiting us, you can make 2019 the year of new memories and enlightening experiences, added Brown. Theres something for every member of the family, and a visit is sure to leave you refreshed and refocused.

For more information on all there is to see and do in Silver City, or to find out more information, go to http://www.visitsilvercity.org.
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Northfield, Vt., Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Norwich University officials announced a partnership with Respond Software to integrate its Respond Analyst tool, the first fully autonomous virtual analyst with decision automation, to augment students experiential learning with this new operational and academic experience.



This partnership is designed to keep Norwich students educated in relevant technologies that they can be ready to operate upon graduation in the longstanding Norwich tradition of experiential learning. The goal of the partnership is to develop student cybersecurity competencies with hands-on experience, as well as to introduce students to next generation cyber security tools incorporating artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics.

Norwich University Applied Research Institutes (NUARI) is contracted with the State of Vermont to build a Security Situation Center that is operated by professionals and students.

We intend to work together to build the first ever Security Situation Center, leveraging the best of human and machine and thus offering higher value hands-on experience to our students who are the future leaders of our national cyber defense, Vice President for Strategic Partnerships Phil Susmann said.

Operational security has historically been achieved by organizations having people individually evaluate the nature of cyber events. The Respond Analyst tool monitors the alerts generated by security technology, so that Norwich students can focus on high value tasks that leverage their curiosity and creativity to deliver far more effective cyber-security operations.

Offering cutting-edge, hands-on, real-world experience to students as they monitor critical state, local and educational networks will ensure that graduates are ready to take immediate operational roles upon graduation.

The future of Artificial Intelligence integrates decision automation and human reasoning, Respond CEO Mike Armistead said. Building a Security Situation Center around the Respond Analyst offers both the chance to learn and develop best practices, while conducting real operations on behalf of state and local government.

Ranked #2 by the Ponemon Institute for cyber security in the U.S., Norwich University programs are consistently ranked among the best in the nation for cyber security education. Norwich University is recognized as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and has received designation as a Center of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence (CDFAE) by the Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3). Beginning in 2002, Norwich University became a member of what is now called National Science Foundations Cyber Corps: Scholarship for Service program. Norwich is partnered with the United States Army Reserves (USAR) to develop cyber-education curricula that align with federal standards and cybersecurity needs. Most recently Norwichs online graduate program was named one of the top ten best cybersecurity graduate programs in the country by Universities.com. Norwich is also home to GenCyber@NU, a National Security Agency and National Science Foundation-funded cybersecurity camp for high school students.

About Respond Software

Respond Software delivers instant return on investment (ROI) to organizations in their battle against cyber-crime. With its patent-pending intelligent decision engine, PGO, Respond Softwares product uniquely combines the best of human expert judgement with the scale and consistency of software. Our quick-to-implement cyber-security automation software delivers the equivalent of a virtual, best-of-breed analyst team that dramatically increases capacity and improves monitoring and triage capabilities at a fraction of the cost. Respond Software was founded in 2016 by security and software industry veterans.



About Norwich University

Norwich University is a diversified academic institution that educates traditional-age students and adults in a Corps of Cadets and as civilians. Norwich offers a broad selection of traditional and distance-learning programs culminating in Baccalaureate and Graduate Degrees. Norwich University was founded in 1819 by Captain Alden Partridge of the U.S. Army and is the oldest private military college in the United States of America. Norwich is one of our nation's six senior military colleges and the birthplace of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). www.norwich.edu

Norwich University will celebrate its bicentennial in 2019. In fulfillment of Norwichs mission to train and educate todays students to be tomorrows global leaders, Norwich launched the Forging the Future campaign in 2014. The five-year campaign, which is timed to culminate in 2019, is committed to creating the best possible learning environment through state-of-the-art academics and world-class facilities and is designed to enhance the universitys strong position as it steps into its third century of service to the nation.






Zaandam, the Netherlands, January 4, 2019 - Ahold Delhaize announces today that Stop & Shop, its largest brand in the United States, has agreed to acquire King Kullen Grocery Co. as part of the brand's continued expansion on Long Island, N.Y. The agreement includes King Kullen's 32 supermarkets, five Wild by Nature stores and the use of its corporate offices located in Bethpage, N.Y.

"This transaction underscores our commitment to further strengthen the positions of our great local brands in the U.S., both through organic growth and fill-in acquisitions," said Ahold Delhaize CEO Frans Muller.

The acquisition is currently expected to close during the first quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
DALLAS, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Binswanger has been named exclusive agent by ABB, LLC to represent them with the sale and/or lease of their 168,000 sq. ft. industrial property on 37.3 acres. The site is located at 1 Boreham Drive in Clarksville, Arkansas.

Built in 1989 and 1995, the two fully air-conditioned, single-story facilities are in excellent condition. The buildings are constructed of 6" reinforced concrete floor; insulated metal panel walls; insulated metal deck roof; combination of structural steel and circular steel columns spaced 27' x 58' in the upstairs plant and 50' x 50' in the downstairs plant; and ceiling heights from 14' to 15'10" under joist in the upstairs plant and 19' at the side walls to 28'8" at the center in the downstairs plant. Key features include T-8 and fluorescent lighting; 100% wet sprinkler system; all utilities; four air compressors; one Cleveland Tramrail 5-ton crane; eight 8' x 10' dock-high doors, four equipped with levelers; one 8' x 10' ramp level door; one 17' x 22' drive-in door; approximately 18,600 sq. ft. of office space with conference rooms, private offices and breakroom; and paved and lighted parking for approximately 250 vehicles.

The site is ideally located minutes north of Interstate 40, Highway 64 and Highway 21. Clarksville Municipal Airport is approximately one mile; Fort Smith Regional Airport is 62 miles and Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock is 105 miles away.

The property will be marketed to manufacturers of textiles, textile product mills, paper, machinery, computer and electronic products, electrical equipment appliances and components, motor vehicle body and trailer and other miscellaneous manufacturers as well as prospects in the transportation and warehousing industry.

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Binswanger is an international full-service real estate organization with offices worldwide throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

CONTACT:

Laurie Goldstein

215-448-6014

lgoldstein@binswanger.com

Holmes Davis

972-663-9494

hdavis@binswanger.com
DALLAS, Texas, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Kali, Inc. (dba/Kali-Extracts) (USOTC: KALY) (KALY) today released a 2019 New Year message published by North American Cannabis Holdings, Inc. (USOTC: USMJ) (USMJ) that includes an outline of KALYs role in the partnership with the USMJ family of companies. In addition to discussing the overall objectives of the USMJ family of companies with an initial revenue goal totaling $20 million, the New Year message emphasizes that KALY has recently updated all its financial reports required by OTCMarkets to satisfy the OTCMarkets current filing standards and anticipates the OTCMarkets site to soon reflect KALYs current filing status. KALY also has a coming analyst research report scheduled for publication on Tuesday, January 8th, 2019 to provide shareholders with an extensive market analysis of the companys business plan and progress toward its business plan objects. The analyst report is expected to include detail on KALYs recent $400,000 in new contracts and the $5 million in revenue expected from KALYs hemp farming initiative with Nouveau (USOTC: NOUV). The release from USMJ today is included in its entirety below:

USMJ CEO 2019 New Year Msg Outlining $20 M Revenue Goal for USMJ Family of Companies



North American Cannabis Holdings, Inc. (USOTC: USMJ) (USMJ) today released a 2019 New Year message from the CEO and Chairman Steven Rash. Mr. Rash is also the President and Chairman of ACI Conglomerated, the majority shareholder of USMJ. His letter, included below in its entirety, provides an update on pending key events for USMJ and the USMJ family of companies to include, Puration, Inc. (USOTC: PURA) (PURA), Kali, Inc. (dba/Kali-Extracts) (USOTC: KALY), Nouveau Life Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (dba/Nouveau) (USOTC: NOUV) and Priority One Aviation (Pending Name Change)(USOTC: PJET)(PJET). ACI Conglomerated is the majority shareholder of all of the USMJ family of companies except for KALY. KALY is part of the family through contract. PURA has licensed KALYs patented cannabis extraction process for the production of cannabis infused beverages and PURA and KALY are partners in a joint venture with NOUV called US Cannabis Health. Combined, with a specific by company breakout included in the letter below, the USMJ family of companies have an initial revenue goal totaling $20 million. As some of the companies in the family of companies have not yet set revenue goals, the total goal is expected to increase by the end of the first quarter. Read more below:
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Indiana Minority Health Coalition (IMHC) in partnership with Side Effects Media and the Indianapolis Recorder will host the second of two statewide virtual town hall meetings addressing both prenatal and postpartum maternal child health matters and health disparities on January 8, 2019 at the WFYI studios in Indianapolis.



Titled Happier Birth Days: Improving Birth and Health Outcomes for Indianas Black Moms and Babies, the meeting will focus on postpartum issues. It will be moderated by Oseye Boyd, editor of the Indianapolis Recorder. The panelists include Dr. Virginia Caine, Director, Marion County Public Health Department; Kelli Brien, Program Director, Speak Life; Ryan Karim, Breastfeeding Coordinator, WIC; and Dr. Brownsyne Tucker Edmonds, IU School of Medicine.

"Indiana ranks 45th for infant mortality and 46th for maternal mortality, said Tony Gillespie, IMHC Vice President of Public Policy & Engagement. We recently learned that the rates for both black infant mortality and black maternal mortality have increased as well. IMHC is fortunate to have great public partners like the Indiana State Department of Health to focus on improving health and birth outcomes for Black Moms and Babies."

Several of IMHC's community-based coalitions will be hosting watch parties to bring communities around the state together to participate in the virtual town hall meeting. The following is a list of locations around the state:

Marion County: IMHC, 3737 N. Meridian Street, 3rd Floor Conference Room, Indianapolis, IN 46208

Marion County: Marion MHC, 1100 E 42nd St, Indianapolis, IN 46208

Elkhart County: 312 Wagner Ave., Unit A, Elkhart, IN 46516

Clark, Floyd, Harrison Counties: 1613 E. 8th Street, Jeffersonville, IN 47130

Monroe County: 303 East Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington, IN 47404

Grant County: 4201 S. Western Avenue, 46953

Tippecanoe County: Hanna Community Center, 2000 Elmwood Ave, Lafayette, IN 47904

Vigo County: 1101 S. 13th St, Suite 6, Terre Haute, IN 47802

Who: Indiana Minority Health Coalition, Side Effects Media, and the Indianapolis Recorder

What: Statewide Town Hall Meetings

When: Tuesday, January 8, 2019

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Where: WFYI Indianapolis

1630 North Meridian St.

Indianapolis, IN 46202

For more information, contact Taroue Brooks, Event Planner, Publicist, and Lifestyle Architect at 202.431.1119. The virtual town hall meeting will be available via YouTube Live Stream. Follow this link to register https://happierbirthdays.eventbrite.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Taroue Brooks

202.431.1119

Taroue.brooks@yahoo.com

A PDF accompanying this release is available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/d967f185-1fb0-496a-9724-19fb22b9d250
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunniva Inc. (Sunniva, the Company, we, our or us) (CSE:SNN) (OTCQB:SNNVF), a North American provider of cannabis products and services, is pleased to announce it has secured more than USD $2.4 million in future sales of Sunniva branded cannabis products through one of the Companys existing retail relationships to be completed in the first four months of 2019. This marks Sunnivas first cannabis product sales in the state of California. The Company anticipates securing additional sales contracts in the near term.



Sunnivas current product inventory consists of ultrapure cannabis distillate, premium concentrates and flower, which, based on current wholesale market prices in California, has a current estimated value in excess of USD $5 million. The Company anticipates launching additional Sunniva branded product lines during the first quarter of 2019 which will include:

Ultra-pure distillate : vape cartridges, live resin vape cartridges and disposable pens in 0.33 mL, 0.5 mL and 1.0 mL sizes;

: vape cartridges, live resin vape cartridges and disposable pens in 0.33 mL, 0.5 mL and 1.0 mL sizes; Premium concentrates : live resin extracts, shatters, and waxes; and

: live resin extracts, shatters, and waxes; and Flower: various sized packages (initial delivery and first sales commenced this week)

We look forward to demonstrating our ability to manufacture and sell premium cannabis products in California as we build our Sunniva house of brands, stated Dr. Anthony Holler, Chief Executive Officer of Sunniva. The recent LTYR Logistics acquisition has provided us with the final vertical business segment required to sell our branded products. Their existing relationships throughout California provide the key component for us to recognize the full value of our licensed and operational extraction facility, our device and hardware business, Vapor Connoisseur, and ultimately the purpose-built, high technology 325,000 square foot greenhouse in Cathedral City.

Sunniva will leverage its strategic relationships for the purchase of clean biomass for extracted products and clean flower until the large-scale greenhouse is operational. Purchased flower will be packaged utilizing Sunnivas large-scale automated sorting, batching and packaging machines, branded, and then sold, allowing Sunniva to capture significant margin in the flower category prior to processing its own premium flower.

The Company will continue to manufacture products at the extraction facility, adding to the current inventory daily. At full capacity, monthly output from the extraction facility is estimated at 180,000 grams of distillate and 125,000 grams of live resin extracts, which will supply all Sunniva branded product categories. Expansion plans beyond the current manufacturing capacity are underway to accommodate future sales growth.

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.

About Sunniva Inc.

Sunniva, through its subsidiaries, is a vertically integrated cannabis company operating in the worlds two largest cannabis markets  California and Canada. Our ability to leverage our large-scale, purpose-built cGMP designed greenhouses, offering better quality assurance with cannabis products free from pesticides, uniquely positions Sunniva as a leading supplier of safe, high quality products at scale. Through our strategically positioned cultivation and extraction facilities in California, we are launching Sunniva branded products in various product categories including flower, pre-rolls, vape cartridges, and premium concentrates. We have secured compliant distribution in California via our 100% ownership of LTYR Logistics that will ensure the placement of Sunniva branded products at licenced dispensaries throughout the state and we continue to aggressively pursue other upstream vertical opportunities. Sunniva's management and board of directors have a proven track record for creating significant shareholder value both in the healthcare and biotech industries.

This news release includes statements containing certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law ("forward-looking statements"), including, but not limited to, statements relating to the sale of products from Sunnivas extraction facility, the launch of Sunnivas house of brands, the potential expansion and anticipated production from the extraction facility. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Various assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions or making the projections contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this news release. Estimated value of inventory based on current wholesale market price for vape cartridges, disposable pens, concentrates and flower. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and 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. The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

Company Contacts:

Sunniva Inc.

Dr. Anthony Holler

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Phone: (866) 786-6482

Investor Contact:

Phil Carlson / Erika Kay

KCSA Strategic Communications

Phone: (212) 896-1233

Email: pcarlson@kcsa.com / ekay@kcsa.com
Albany, New York, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled,  Immunoglobulins Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026. According to the report, the global immunoglobulins market was valued at US$ 10,980 Mn in 2017. The market is anticipated to reach US$ 20,757.1 Mn by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period. Rise in incidences of autoimmune, neurological, hematological disorders, and increasing geriatric population are expected to augment the global market from 2018 to 2026. The global immunoglobulins market is projected to expand owing to increasing healthcare investments, acceptance and rising demand for subcutaneous infusion IG, and rise in usage of off-label indications in various economies.

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Rise in prevalence of autoimmune, neurological and hematological disorders is propelling the global market

The global immunoglobulin market is expanding at a high growth rate driven by an increase in prevalence of autoimmune diseases such as primary humoral immunodeficiency (PIDD), multiple sclerosis, immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), autoimmune hemolytic anemia, Kawasaki syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis. According to the Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF), approximately 83 people per 100,000 in the U.S. suffer from primary immunodeficiency, and there are more than 5 million undiagnosed cases in the U.S. alone. About 6 million people are suffering from Primary immunodeficiency (PID). As of June 2018, the occurrence of myasthenia gravis in the U.S. was assessed at 14 to 20 per 100,000, or around 36,000 to 60,000 cases. According to the research published by NORD (National organization for rare disorders), in the U.S., the prevalence of ITP in adults and childrens has also increased.

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Increase in global geriatric population is driving the need for effective treatment, globally

Prevalence of several diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders, is rising due to a rapidly increasing geriatric population, resulting in surge in incidences of secondary Immunodeficiencies (SID), more common than PID. According to the WHO, the global geriatric population is expected to increase from 524 million in 2010 to 1.5 billion by 2050.

Rising geriatric population demands better treatment options for newer diseases, which in turn, would provide opportunities for companies operating in the global immunoglobulin market.

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Acceptance and rising demand for subcutaneous infusion IG and rising immunoglobulin usage in off-label indication is an advantage to the market

Awareness related to subcutaneous infusion has increased due to its easy administration as compared to intravenous injection. Acceptance of subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) infusion is rising, as it offers advantage for patients with lowers venous access and improves the quality of life of patients. In few patients with IG replacements, SCIG is more advantageous. Moreover, steady increase in the usage of immunoglobulins for the treatment of off-label indications is expected to boost the global market. Common off-label indications treated with intravenous & subcutaneous immunoglobulins are Guillain-Barre syndrome, multifocal motor neuropathy, dermatomyositis, polymyositis, stiff person syndrome, and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

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North America dominates the global market owing to rise in demand for intravenous immunoglobulin infusion (IVIG) and adoption of subcutaneous immunoglobulin infusions (SCIG)

North America dominates the global immunoglobulin market presence of major players account for a prominent share in this region and rising prevalence of disorders with new diseases in line. IVIG is treated as the strong way to overcome autoimmune and neurological diseases, as it is a faster and effective therapy with better understanding of the antibody deficiency.

SCIG is gaining trust and popularity among children and the geriatric population, as it is easy to administer and preference of homecare settings. Therefore, easy adoption of SCIG is fuelling the market in the region.

Browse Press Release - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/immunoglobulins-market.htm

Worldwide increase in plasma production and benefits of immunoglobulins in newer indications offer significant opportunities to new entrants

Rise in yielding plasma fulfills the global demand for plasma products, which is expected to provide lucrative opportunities to new players in the immunoglobulins market. Intravenous and subcutaneous immunoglobulins are employed in patients with primary and secondary immunodeficiency disorders, which helps combat infections. Various key players have been making significant investments in R&D programs for developing IVIG, SCIG, and IMIG applications in newer indications. Promising results in various novel clinical applications are expected to provide growth opportunities to the immunoglobulins market during the forecast period.

Investments by key players is driving the immunoglobulins market

Key players dominating the global immunoglobulins markets are Shire, CSL Behring, Kedrion Biopharma Inc, Grifols, S.A., Octapharma, China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc, Biotest AG, Sanquin, and LFB SA. Key players are focusing on geographic expansion through acquisitions and collaborations to enhance their footprint in the global immunoglobulins market.

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TORONTO, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Last month, Canada House Wellness Group Inc. (Canada House or the Company) was pleased to announce the acquisition through its wholly owned subsidiary Abba Medix Corp., of all the assets of an Alberta based cannabis production license applicant, including approximately 54 acres of property in the town of Vegreville, Alberta. The purchased assets are the first step in the development of a custom-built production facility to support the Companys medical and recreational cannabis sales across Western Canada.



As previously announced, the Company will pay a total of $1 million for the acquisition, including an initial cash payment of $160,000 on the closing of the acquisition and $465,000 paid in cash or stock in the Company, at the election of the Company, over the 120 days following closing. The remaining $375,000 in purchase price is payable in stock in the Company, $125,000 of which will be awarded upon receipt of the cultivation license for the facility and $250,000 of which will be awarded upon the completion of the first full harvest from the facility.

The acquisition includes two properties located 200 metres outside the town of Vegreville. The property has been approved for cannabis production by the county and assigned the zoning of Marijuana Processing Facility-Direct Control District, in accordance with local land use by-laws. The property is serviced with natural gas, water, sewer, and power and is expected to be annexed by Vegreville in the near future. The Town of Vegreville and County of Minburn welcome the opportunities offered by this acquisition with a quality, skilled agricultural workforce.

In addition to the land, the acquisition agreement includes the vendors Standard Cultivation and Processing Application currently in the review and security stage with Health Canada as well as an approved conceptual scheme, site surveys, geotechnical survey, and Development Permit Application.

The initial custom-built production module on this property will produce more than 5,000 kg annually with a consistent output of 100 kg per week, said Canada Houses CEO Chris Churchill-Smith. We will continue to add additional production modules strategically. As of now, the property will support up to 8 modules, with a total annual production of more than 40,000 kg. This facility dramatically increases Canada Houses production potential, positioning us to serve Western Canada properly.

The Company will aim for the completion of Phase 1 construction by the end of 2019, with full production by Q2 of 2020. This facility will provide great efficiencies to Canada House as we scale production to meet our known demand for medical and recreational cannabis, said Churchill-Smith.

This accelerated growth in Canada Houses production capabilities continues to be possible as a result of the financing commitment of up to $25,000,000 with Alumina Partners (Ontario) Ltd. (Alumina) as further detailed in the Companys press release dated September 20, 2018. Following the completion of a first tranche of funding for $999,999.96, less fees of $6,000 as announced on October 4, 2018, a second tranche was recently closed, with Canada House issuing to Alumina 4,761,904 units at the price of $0.105 per unit for gross proceeds of $499,999.92, less fees of $3,433.

Canada House Wellness Group Inc.

Canada House is an experienced, integrated medical cannabis company providing patient-specific cannabinoid therapy products and services through its clinics and licensed producer. Canada House is the parent company of Canada House Clinics Inc., Knalysis Technologies and Abba Medix Corp. For more information, please visit www.canadahouse.ca or www.sedar.com.

For further information, please contact:

Boom Capital Markets

Steve Low

647-620-5101

steve@boomcapitalmarkets.com

Canada House Wellness Group Inc.

Chris Churchill-Smith, CEO

514-313-0102

chris.smith@canadahouse.ca

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information. This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements that relate to, among other things, the Companys clinic, production and technology businesses, its future plans, the Companys markets, objectives, goals, strategies, intentions, beliefs, expectations and estimates, and can generally be identified by the use of words such as may, will, could, should, would, likely, possible, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, believe, plan, objective and continue (or the negative thereof) and words and expressions of similar import. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.

Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Material assumptions used to develop forward-looking information in this news release include, among other things, the regulations related to cannabis use under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations and the act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts, passed by the Canadian Federal government, making cannabis legal for recreational use by October 17, 2018; Company liquidity and capital resources, including the availability of additional capital resources to fund its activities; level of competition; the ability to adapt products and services to the changing market; the ability to attract and retain key executives; and the ability to execute strategic plans. Additional information about material factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations and about material factors or assumptions applied in making forward-looking statements may be found in the Companys most recent annual and interim Managements Discussion and Analysis under Risk and Uncertainties as well as in other public disclosure documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements contained in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Dublin, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Calcium Nitrate Market 2019-2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The calcium nitrate market will register a CAGR of more than 5% by 2023.



The demand for calcium nitrate from emerging economies such as India and China are increasing at a significant rate, contributed mainly by wastewater treatment and agricultural industries. The rate of industrialization is increasing in India and China demanding for clean and safe water. This scenario will necessitate the need for treatment of water and wastewater, leading to high demand for calcium nitrate.



Market Overview



Increasing demand for fertilizers



One of the major driving factors for calcium nitrate is the increasing demand for fertilizers across the globe. Calcium nitrate fertilizer contains nitrate nitrogen and calcium, which are the two essential elements needed for the development of a plant or crop.



Health hazards of calcium nitrate



Calcium nitrate is hazardous to human health if inhaled or if it meets the skin and eyes. On inhalation, it causes irritation to the respiratory tract along with coughing and shortness of breath.



Competitive Landscape



The market appears to be concentrated and with the presence of few companies including Wentong Potassium Salt Group and Yara, the competitive environment is quite intense. Factors such as the demand for calcium nitrate from emerging economies such as India and China and increasing demand for fertilizers across the globe, will provide considerable growth opportunities to calcium nitrate manufactures.



Agencja Reklamowa Maciaszczyk, Jiaocheng Sanxi Chemical, Nutrient, Wentong Potassium Salt Group, and Yara are some of the major companies covered in this report.



Key Topics Covered:



PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT



PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE



PART 04: MARKET SIZING



Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS



PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION



Comparison by application

Fertilizers

Wastewater treatment

Explosives



Concrete



Others

Market opportunity by application

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE



PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE



Geographic comparison

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES



PART 10: MARKET TRENDS

Use of improved methods for reducing carbon dioxide during cement manufacturing

Increasing demand from emerging economies

Increasing adoption of zero liquid discharge (ZLD)

PART 11: VENDOR LANDSCAPE



Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 12: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Agencja Reklamowa Maciaszczyk

Jiaocheng Sanxi Chemical

Nutrien

Wentong Potassium Salt Group

Yara



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9lgns3/global_calcium?w=12





Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
Oslo, Norway, 4 January 2019

Reference is made to the announcement yesterday regarding the resignation of Torbjrn Kjus, Head of Energy Trading at Vistin Pharma ASA ("Vistin Pharma" or the "Company"). The Company is in the process of evaluating the strategy for the Energy Trading business unit, and how the current trading positions should be managed going forward.

As previously reported, the Energy Trading business unit has entered into financial derivative contracts to take advantage of the global change in sulphur specifications for marine fuel in the global shipping industry in 2020. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), which governs the international shipping society, has decided that by 1 January 2020 it will be illegal for any ship to burn fuel with more than 0.5% sulphur content unless the ship can desulphurize the emissions from the fuel (through scrubber equipment). Today, the international shipping fleet mainly burns fuel with 3.5% sulphur content. As a consequence of these regulatory changes, the market anticipates that the market price for fuel with a low sulphur content will increase, while the price for high sulphur fuel will decrease. The oil derivative contracts entered into by Vistin Pharma are based on the price difference between these two fuel qualities.

As of 31 December 2018, the market-to-market value of these contracts was negative NOK 85.0 million, which will be recognised as an unrealised financial loss in 2018. No financial losses or gains relating to these contracts have been realised in 2018. The market-to-market value as of 3 January 2018 was negative NOK 101.3 million. The derivative contracts, which are entered into with a commercial bank as a counter party, do not result in physical delivery of the oil products, but the market-to-market value of the derivatives is settled when the contracts are terminated by Vistin Pharma. The contracts expire at the end of 2020, but may be terminated at any time by the Company.

As part of the agreement for the derivative contracts, a margin call of approximately 20% of the total contract exposure is deposited with the counter party as security. The margin call deposited with the counter party as of 31 December 2018 was NOK 163.5 million. The preliminary consolidated cash and cash equivalents for Vistin Pharma ASA as of 31 December 2018 was NOK 320.6 million, which included the amount deposited as margin call.

Further information regarding the management of the Energy Trading business unit will be provided as soon as the Company's ongoing evaluation has been finalised.

*****

For further information, please contact:

Gunnar Manum

CFO

+47 95 17 91 90

gunnar.manum@vistin.com
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Jan. 04, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADC Therapeutics, an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase Ib clinical trial evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and anti-tumor activity of ADCT-301 (camidanlumab tesirine) in patients with selected solid tumors that are locally advanced or metastatic.



ADCT-301 is already being evaluated in relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). At the 2018 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, ADC Therapeutics presented interim data on 113 patients dosed in its Phase Ia/Ib clinical trial in lymphoma. In HL patients with a median of five prior lines of therapy and no other approved therapy options, the overall response rate was 86.5 percent, including a 43 percent complete response rate, at the dose being considered for a pivotal Phase II clinical trial that the Company anticipates initiating in 2019.

Jay Feingold, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADC Therapeutics, said, We continue to be very encouraged by the anti-tumor activity of ADCT-301 in Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In addition, based on the immune-oncology potential ADCT-301 has demonstrated in preclinical studies, we are excited to be starting this clinical trial for ADCT-301 in solid tumors to see if we can make an impact and improve patient outcomes in multiple difficult-to-treat solid tumor cancers.

ADCT-301 in Solid Tumors

At the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancers (SITC) 33rd Annual Meeting, ADC Therapeutics presented preclinical data showing that an engineered version of ADCT-301 demonstrated highly potent anti-tumor activity, both as a monotherapy and in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor, in multiple solid tumor models with infiltrating CD25-positive regulatory T cells (Tregs).

Patrick van Berkel, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at ADC Therapeutics, said, ADCT-301 targets CD25, which is expressed on Tregs that infiltrate the local tumor environment. In preclinical models, a single dose of the CD25-targeted ADC induced strong and durable anti-tumor activity against established CD25-negative solid tumors with infiltrating Tregs both as a monotherapy and in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor. Moreover, re-challenged mice did not develop new tumors indicating the CD25-targeted ADC was able to induce tumor-specific protective immunity.

The Phase Ib trial of ADCT-301 in patients with advanced solid tumors has both dose escalation and cohort expansion parts. The dose escalation part is designed to establish a safe and tolerated dose and dosing schedule of ADCT-301 in these patients. The identified dose and dosing schedule will be studied in the dose expansion part. Approximately 50 patients will be enrolled in the trial.

For more information about this Phase Ib clinical trial in solid tumors, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (identifier NCT03621982).

About ADCT-301

ADCT-301 (camidanlumab tesirine) is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD25 (HuMax-TAC, licensed from Genmab A/S), conjugated to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD25-expresing cell, ADCT-301 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. The intra-tumor release of its PBD warhead may cause bystander killing of neighboring tumor cells. In addition, the PBD warhead will trigger immunogenic cell death, which in turn will strengthen the immune response against tumor cells. In addition to the Phase Ib clinical trial in solid tumors, ADCT-301 is being evaluated in ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma ( NCT02432235 ).

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics SA is an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Companys ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has five PBD-based ADCs in ongoing clinical trials in the USA and Europe, and a deep pipeline of other preclinical ADCs in development. ADC Therapeutics has world-class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne (Biopole), Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. For more information, visit www.adctherapeutics.com .

Investors Contact EU Media Contact USA Media Contact Dr. Chris Martin Alexandre Muller Tony Plohoros Chief Executive Officer Dynamics Group 6 Degrees Chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com amu@dynamicsgroup.ch tplohoros@6degreespr.com Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200 Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231 Tel.: +1 908-591-2839




             .           26- -          ...
Acting North Korean Ambassador to Italy Jo Song-gil disappeared with his family last November as he was about to return to Pyongyang, the National Intelligence Service here said Thursday.

Jo (44) is reportedly seeking asylum in a third country, though Italy and South Korea have denied that he approached them. Some sources say the diplomat was responsible for procuring luxury products in Europe for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Jo is the second high-profile North Korean diplomat to defect in recent years after Thae Yong-ho, the deputy ambassador to the U.K. who fled to South Korea in 2016.

Lawmaker Kim Min-ki told reporters after a briefing from the NIS that Jo fled the Rome embassy when his term was coming to an end. But Kim added that the NIS has heard nothing from Jo since then, suggesting that he does not want to come to South Korea, where he would automatically be a citizen.

One former North Korean diplomat who defected after Kim came to power said Jo "must have seen what kind of treatment [Thae] was receiving here since the Moon Jae-in administration came into office" as it seeks better ties with North Korea. "He may have felt that his own safety and that of his family would be threatened if he came to South Korea right now," he added.

Jo took over when Italy deported Ambassador Mun Jong-nam after the North's latest nuclear test in September 2017. Mun is now ambassador to Russia.

The former North Korean diplomat said, "Italy is the supply route for various luxury products Kim Jong-un and his family consume. Jo was appointed as acting ambassador because he is fluent in Italian after studying there."

Both his father and father-in-law were high-ranking diplomats, according to Thae, who once worked with him in Europe. He was allowed to bring his children with him, which suggests he had until then been a trusted member of the North Korean elite. North Korea is careful whom it sends to Rome since it is also the headquarters of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme.

Another former North Korean diplomat said, "Widespread sanctions made it difficult for North Korea to procure luxury products, and Jo probably went into hiding because he was afraid of being punished."

Experts believe Jo's defection reflects the volatile situation in North Korea following prolonged international sanctions. Kim started a war on corruption in the second half of last year, purging several high-level officials in the Workers Party and military, and Jo disappeared just as the purge spread to diplomatic missions overseas.
The government wants to toughen regulations to prevent leaks of core technologies overseas from July.

Under the draft regulations announced Thursday, punitive damages will be sought and the culprits will be fined up to three times the value of the technology. Companies with what are deemed core technologies will need government approval when they are taken over by or merge with foreign firms. Currently they only have to report their M&A deals to the authorities.

The new regulations were hammered out jointly by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Justice Ministry, and the Korean Intellectual Property Office in a meeting on Thursday.

Currently, industrial spies face up to 15 years in prison or a fine of up to W1.5 billion for leaking core technologies overseas, but the government now wants to set an additional minimum term of three years (US$1=W1,127). It will also toughen punishment for those leaking business secrets overseas from the current up to 10 years in prison or up to W100 million in fines to 15 years or W1.5 billion.

Laws against concealing criminal proceeds will be tightened so the government can confiscate them in the event of overseas leaks of industrial technologies and business secrets.

The government will encourage reporting of overseas leaks by increasing the reward from the current W100 million to up to W2 billion.


North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun on Thursday denounced a ground-breaking ceremony in the North Korean border city of Kaesong on Dec. 26 for a project to reconnect railways and roads severed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The daily complained the ceremony was a "half-baked perfunctory event" since no actual work can start due to international sanctions against the North.

"It would be hard to find a similar example anywhere else on the planet Earth in which a ground-breaking ceremony is held, but no actual work will begin," it said.

The daily attributed the failure to start the construction to the U.S. "It's like 'all talk and no action.' Inter-Korean relations are now nearly at a stalemate," it added.

Meanwhile, national security adviser Chung Eui-yong chaired a meeting of Cheong Wa Dae officials that afternoon to exchange views on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's New Year's address and discuss whether to reopen the Kaesong Industrial Complex, resume package tours to Mt. Kumgang, and hold high-level cross-border talks in the future.


By Wang Yu

We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during my Presidency, said the US President Donald Trump on social media after the US announced its withdrawal from Syria.

However, after several terrorist attacks occurred around the world, people have to doubt Trumps assertions. Some analysts pointed out that the US withdrawal would ease the pressure on extremist organizations and give them a breathing space. As a result, they will build up their strength and re-grow, posing greater uncertainty for the security situation in the Middle East.

Counter-terrorism gives way to great power competition

The US-led international coalition began air strikes against the so-called Islamic State in Syria without the permission of the Syrian government in September 2014. In November 2015, the US sent ground troops to Syria to support local armed forces mainly in the Kurdish region of northeastern Syria. The US mainly provided training, counseling, and transporting weapons, and promoted the establishment of the Syrian Democratic Forces, making it the most important ground force striking against the so-called Islamic State.

With the cooperation of American air power, the Syrian Democratic Forces quickly compressed the control areas of extremist organizations in the vast areas of eastern Syria. According to data released by the US Department of Defense, the so-called Islamic State lost 98 percent of the territory in Syria and Iraq compared with that of its heyday. The US has established a number of military strongholds east of the Euphrates River through military actions against extremist organizations in order to compete for the dominance of the Syrian political process.

However, the US foreign policy, especially the Middle East policy, has undergone a major shift after Trump took office. The Syrian war situation was fundamentally reversed with the intervention of Russia. The Syrian government army recovered most of the lost ground and the Bashar regime has become more stable. The status and role of the US have continued to be marginalized.

Consolidating and strengthening relations with traditional allies such as Saudi Arabia and Israel to curb Irans expansion of power has been the main line of the Trump administrations Middle East policy over the past two years. Syria is not the strategic focus of the US in the Middle East. Integrating and adjusting resources to serve the great power competition is also the internal logic of Trumps Syria withdrawal.

At the same time, Trumps reason for the Syria withdrawal is not convincing. On the surface, the extremist organization lost all of its grounds. However, a large number of remnants are still recalcitrant. The news of the withdrawal actually buys time for extremists.

According to media reports, extremist organizations launched a counter-attack in the area of Hajin in Deir ez-Zoron of eastern Syria on December 21, 2018. Extremist groups launched a car bomb attack in the town of Tal Afar in northern Iraq and also attacked the governments foreign ministry building in Tripoli, capital of Libya on December 25.

Power vacuum left by major power game

The US and Turkey conducted intensive high-level communications before and after the Syria withdrawal. The two sides reached a tacit agreement on the withdrawal and arrangement after the withdrawal.

After the US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, whose resignation has been confirmed, signed an administrative order to withdraw troops from Syria, Trump specifically mentioned on Twitter that he had long and productive telephone talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Trump said that the tone of the withdrawal is slow and highly coordinated. The Turkish side immediately said that it will continue to crack down on the so-called Islamic State.

France has clearly said that it will not be affected by the US withdrawal from Syria and will continue to maintain its military presence in the Levant region. This reflects the high level of concern about terrorist spillovers in Europe and the formal existence of the international anti-terrorist coalition.

Although the US verbally promised that the power transfer will be reasonable orderly and in place, the withdrawal will inevitably lead to the reshuffle and reorganization of all forces because the US is an important weight of the current political balance in Syria.

The withdrawal will inevitably create a power vacuum and a new turmoil. In the process of busy competition for power, extremist organizations will get a breathing time. They will use the contradictions of all parties to develop and grow in the cracks.

At present, Turkey has stepped up its military deployment along the Turkish-Syrian border, and the military operations against the Kurdish armed forces in Syria can start at any time. In particular, the Turkish and Syrian opposition national forces have entered the periphery of Manbij and are waiting for the US withdrawal.

Abandoned by the US, threatened by Turkey, and the facing serious threat to their own security, the Kurdish armed forces have taken the initiative to engage with the Syrian government and handed over the control of the town of Arima in the southwestern part of Manbij. A Russian squad that was stationed in the Syrian-Russian Coordination Center west of Manbij also returned. The head-on collision of the various forces has made the situation in Syria more complicated and they have no time to watch for the activities of extremist organizations. The Kurdish armed forces also said that if the situation in the region lost control after the US withdrawal, the Kurdish armed forces would not be able to hold the so-called Islamic State prisoners anymore.

Disclaimer: The author is Wang Yu. The article was published on the China's National Defense newspaper on January 2. It is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online.
File Photo

By Liu Jianwei and Wu Xu

BEIJING, Jan. 4 (ChinaMil) -- The second batch of new Outline of Military Training for the Chinese military with a total of more than 900 pieces was officially released after strict trials and argumentation.The new Outline took effect on January 1, 2019,marking the completion of the main part of the construction of the PLA's new Military Training Outline.

On January 24, 2018, the first batch of more than 700 pieces of the PLA's new Military Training Outline was officially issued, providing significant laws and regulations for military training in the new era. In the past year,all Chinese troops have pushed forward their actual combat training in accordance with the first batch of new Outlines.

Editing and revising new Military Training Outline is a major task in building training content and standard systems compatible with the requirements of modern warfare. It is a basic project to promote China's administration and conduct of military trainingin accordance with the law and Military Training Outline.

The promulgation and implementation of more than 1,600 pieces of the new Outlines is of great significance to comprehensively regulating Chinese troopstraining and improvingtheir actual combat readiness under the new system.
Dai Mingmeng Photo: VCG

It was a dream from childhood to fly into the blue sky for Dai Mingmeng, who became the first Chinese pilot to successfully land on and take off from China's first aircraft carrier, in a J-15 fighter jet in 2012.

Two months after China commissioned the Liaoning carrier in September 2012, Dai landed a J-15 on the carrier's flight deck, the first Chinese pilot to achieve the feat. And he then began training carrier-based fighter jet commanders and drillmasters.

On December 18, Dai was selected as one of the 100 representatives who made great contributions to China's reform and opening-up.

Moving toward glory

Recalling what happened on November 23, Dai said that he was calm as usual and came to the control tower early to make preparations for flying. "No one talked to me. The atmosphere was heavier than usual," Dai said.

"I never doubt myself. Before the first landing, we flew around the Liaoning more than 500 times and touched the deck of the aircraft carrier during the flight dozens of times. When the fighter jet took off, I waved to others," Dai said.

Around 9 am, Dai's fighter came near the aircraft carrier with roar. The jet took the first turn and another turn, and put down the undercarriage and the arresting hook. When the jet's back wheel touched the deck, its arresting hook firmly caught the arresting gears installed on the deck. The fighter jet stopped.

"We succeeded!" shouted the people who waited on the deck, with tears of joy.

Sun Cong, the chief designer of the J-15, hugged Dai once he got out of the jet. Others queued to give him a hug.

In an article published in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily in October 2018, Dai wrote, "That was the most unforgettable day in my life We achieved a dream that the Chinese have dreamed for a hundred years. Every time I recall the moment of realizing the dream, I am filled with passion and enthusiasm."

A J-15 takes off from the Liaoning. Photo: VCG

Seeking the way

The glorious moment did not come from nothing. It was built on the sweat and efforts of many pilots.

Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times that the work of pilots of fighter jets on aircraft carriers is very dangerous. "It's like dancing on the edge of the knife. A minor error would cost the life of a pilot. And China's first group of pilots of this kind managed to overcome these difficulties without any assistance."

Song said that China's first pilots for fighter jets of aircraft carriers were selected from the PLA Navy and PLA Air Force. "They were trained to be pilots by flying from the land. Many skills of operating the fighter jets for aircraft carriers are different, sometimes even opposite, to what they had learned previously, which makes it more difficult to train these pilots."

Dai was trained in a PLA Air Force flight academy in Baoding, North China's Hebei Province and was deployed to the PLA Navy to fly fighter jets. He operated 16 kinds of fighter jets, dealt with dozens of extremely dangerous situations and twice escaped from the door of death.

While Dai was flying fighter jets for the PLA Navy, China started to realize its aircraft carrier dream step by step. It brought the aircraft carrier Varyag from Ukraine in 1998. The carrier was rebuilt for the PLA Navy as the Liaoning.

In September 2006, the PLA Navy began to select fighter jet pilots for the aircraft carrier. Dai was among the first group of pilots.

Without experience, available teaching materials or assistance from other countries, Dai and other pilots began to prepare for flying and landing fighter jets from the aircraft carrier.

"It's like learning a course without a teacher, and we were required to give a perfect performance," Dai said.

The runway on the aircraft carrier is about one-tenth the length of one on land. In addition, the carrier is in motion.

Dai's first try to catch the arresting gear was attempted on an experimental site on land. Dai put down the arresting hook and caught the arresting gear. The speed of the jet decreased from 200 kilometers per hour to zero within 2 seconds.

He felt the blood of his whole body rush into his head - it was like a sudden stop during a sprint. After a moment of memory loss, Dai found his jet stopped safe and sound.

Before the successful landing on November 23, 2012, Dai underwent more than 400 test flights and flew around the aircraft carrier 100 times.

After Dai, another four pilots successfully took off and landed on the Liaoning. The PLA Navy entered into the aircraft carrier era.

For the nation

Dai was honored as a "hero fighter jet pilot for aircraft carriers" in August 2014. But he did not rest on this glory.

"When can China train its own fighter jets pilots in quantity and quality?" Dai has continually asked himself this question, because a group of experienced fighter jet pilots is necessary for the aircraft to have combat capability.

A pilot group was founded under the guidance of Dai. The group is working on writing textbooks, making teaching courses and curriculum and organizing practice. By operating the fighter jet himself, Dai shows flying skills to students, and analyzes and comments on students' performances.

In December 2016, boarding the Liaoning, Dai led a group of young fighter jet pilots to the aircraft carrier to undergo combat drills in foreign waters.

"In the waters of Bohai, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, we underwent combat drills and tested the command process and the capability of the aircraft fleet, which also marks the transformation of the PLA Navy," Dai said.

With the efforts of Dai and other pilots, China has become one of the few countries that could independently train pilots for the aircraft carrier.

"There are three things in a pilot's mind - the blue sky, the mission and our motherland. When I operate a fighter jet in the blue sky, I feel my life is closely connected with my mission and my country. I am embraced by happiness. I thank my country, which is getting powerful and making our fleet moving forward," Dai wrote in the article in the PLA Daily.
Acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told civilian leaders of the US military on Wednesday to remember "China, China, China." Many US media used his words as headlines. As the Pentagon cited China as "a strategic competitor" a year ago, Shanahan's remarks show again that Beijing is Washington's priority to guard against.

A major country's security affairs are usually sorted by importance and urgency, and China may have become the US' most important goal. But Washington seems to neglect urgency. It focuses only on China, losing interest in Afghanistan and Syria. The trade war reflected the hard-line US attitude toward China in 2018. Whether Washington will add military pressure on Beijing in 2019 still remains to be seen.

By saying "remember China," Shanahan may mean to prevent China narrowing the China-US military gap.

The US may conduct more military provocations against China in the Taiwan Straits and the South China Sea. In 2018, Washington conducted "free navigations" in the South China Sea and sent warships to the Taiwan Straits.

China needs to hold onto its principles while staying calm. China must understand that Washington is strategically on guard against Beijing. It is trying to stop China's "expansion" through tactical harassments and warnings. What China and the US need to do now is sound each other out, explore one another's tolerance and form a new balance in the current phase.

China has no capability to infringe on the US, but the country has sufficient power to make Washington pay an unbearable price if the US infringes on China, so as to form a powerful deterrent against the White House. When Shanahan shouts "China, China, China," Beijing must respond by accelerating construction of a deterrent against the US. China must make good use of deterrence, learning to make others feel fearful without being furious.

The year 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. We look forward to seeing the public debut of Chinese deterrence's trump card, the Dongfeng-41 intercontinental ballistic missile.

China should carry out more maritime combat exercises with live ammunition, especially training to strike aircraft carriers. There is no need to worry that doing so would make Washington unhappy. Making them concerned is the whole point of the exercise.

To promote peaceful reunification, the People's Liberation Army should also carry out more preparations to respond to a military crisis across the Taiwan Straits, formulate various plans such as a military blockade around the island, destroying military facilities there and preventing external military interventions, which can be disclosed to the outside world appropriately when necessary.

In the face of strategic US pressure, peaceful development does not mean grin and bear it. Confronting malicious provocation, China must resolutely clarify our attitude, not being afraid to pay some prices, in order to set up rules that all external forces must respect China's core interests.
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ABC/Alycia MonacoTravis Barker and Tom DeLonge may not be band mates in Blink-182 anymore, but apparently, they still send each other Christmas gifts -- though it's debatable whether what Barker recently sent DeLonge should be considered a present.

In an Instagram post, DeLonge reveals that the drummer sent him a "naked man pic for Christmas, no joke."

"And it actually made me laugh somethin' fierce," DeLonge writes.

Barker seemed to confirm the, er, "gift," by responding with a "rock on" emoji in the comments. Perhaps he was reminiscing about Blink's "What's My Age Again?" video.

Despite DeLonge's ugly exit from Blink in 2015, he and Barker have remained friendly on social media. Back in December 2017, DeLonge teased a possible new project with Barker.

Meanwhile, Barker, Mark Hoppus and Matt Skiba have been working on a new Blink-182 album. It'll be the follow-up to 2016's California, Blink's first record without DeLonge.

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